[September 13, 2017] Arizona Restaurant Survives Minimum Wage Hikes with Self Ordering Kiosk Birmingham Alabama, Sept. 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hanna Nilsson wants to share the success of her Beaver Choice restaurant with her employees, rewarding them with larger raises. Verbal praise has to do for now. A spike in Arizona's minimum wage and a major mandated jump in server earnings makes spreading more of the wealth a financial struggle. It puts pressure on restaurants to keep prices low and, at the same time, pay people more, Nilsson said. Thats really tough. Arizona restaurateurs, unlike many other states requiring raises for the lowest earners, are enduring multiple blows as a result of state legislation. The minimum wage didnt just jump from $8.05 to $10 an hour. While servers can be paid $7 an hour, if their tips fall short of the new minimum, their employer must make up the difference so that they, too, are guaranteed $10 an hour. In addition, employers with fewer than 15 employees, like Beaver Choice, must provide each worker 24 hours of paid sick time a year. The problem with that, some expect, is that the time will be used as vacation and with little or no notice to the restaurant. Against the proverbial ropes, Beaver Choice is fighting back with self-serve tabletop kiosks it soon will bring online. The devices, manufactured by technology firm Juke Slot, are anticipated to be game-changers for the restaurant. As wages, expenses and other operational costs continue to rise, kiosks are perfect solutions for stemming the financial tide, said Grace Vasa, Juke Slot CEO. While there are critics who see this type of technology as a negative to the workforce, its a perfect means for helping businesses maintain their financial footing and keeping workers employed. Beaver Choice, which features a cuisine of Polish, Swedish and Canadian food, has come a long way literally to Arizona. It began several years ago in Canada in what, Nilsson said, was North Americas first food truck. Looking for warmer conditions, she moved the operation to Mesa, settling into a permanent structure. The American approach to dining is drastically different than anything Nilsson has seen in all her years in the field. Diners in the States generally want and expect food that is cheap and fast. The desire forced Nilsson to change the restaurants approach. I had no clue how to solve this problem of speedy service, she said. With kiosks, I thought, Maybe we should have them. This would solve the whole thing. At a glance Juke Slots kiosks act like virtual servers comprised of a great deal artificial intelligence . The companys multifaceted devices, measuring 8 inches by 5 inches, weigh less than 2 pounds and features a 7-inch high-resolution touch screen display. Its Android-based software is customizable, meaning users can tailor the interface to their needs. restaurant not only can display its menu on the screen, but also can allow customers to configure meals to their liking. The solution is built with versatility in mind. The units allow diners sitting at tables to place their orders through the device, which connects wirelessly to the restaurants main point-of-sale system and kitchen displays, sending their request directly to the cooks. Having customers taking charge of the ordering process also minimizes errors, as they clearly see what theyre requesting. The device is built to function as a portable point-of-sale system or operate as an additional system separate the current POS, allowing customers use the machine from the start of their visit to the finish. Customers can make secure electronic payments by either swiping their card, keying in their cards numbers and even scanning their smart phone and receive a printed receipt. Units can be designed to include advertising and popular game play, enabling customers to occupy their wait times competing for a nominal fee against the computer or other in-house players. The setup then becomes an additional revenue stream for the business. Winnowing the options Realizing she needed to make a move to counter the state legislatures actions, Nilsson researched and studied kiosk solutions from 10 companies. She found some to be too costly. She found that some did not account for the creativity and flexibility she needed. Nielsen chose Juke Slot after dining at a restaurant in New York and reviewing their system capabilities and cost. Customers seemed to have a smooth experience using Juke Slot technology. They used the machines to order, pay and quickly be on their way all without seemingly tying up a server for extended periods of time. Everyone was paying at the table, she said. You dont have to wait for the check. You eat, and you leave. Twenty-two Juke Slot devices will be placed on tables around Beaver Choice later this month, much to Nilssons excitement. She sees the kiosks as a turning point, one where servers can be repurposed as consultants who can spend more time with diners, making meal and drink suggestions and upselling, instead of racing between the table, the kitchen and the register. Thats a plus, Nilsson said, for an area of the country that is something of an oddity. The Arizona dining market peaks over four months that stretch from late fall through the winter as snowbirds return to the area. Once warmer weather reaches the rest of the country in early spring, those snowbirds fan back out, sending Mesa restaurant business plummeting by some 40 percent. That being the case, there is no need for the same number of workers to man a less-busy operation. Nilsson maintains a core of five or six solid workers about half the staff size of the peak season. Until now, those working the dining area including herself are often overwhelmed with simply taking orders, delivering food to the tables and processing payments. The kiosks will give them more time and flexibility in hectic stretches of the day. Most importantly, the devices can cover many of the duties of a live server, meaning Nilsson has to hire fewer people, can spend more time training those she brings on annually and can spread some of the staff savings to other employees. All told, she expects that the devices will save the restaurant upward of $30,000 a year. This is what technology is for, Nilsson said. Youre setting up the process for other servers to succeed and for customers to be happy. Total control Beaver Choice diners can use the kiosks to peruse the menu, order drinks, order meals and then pay using a credit or debit card. Perhaps what Nilsson likes most is that Juke Slots software platform enables Beaver Choice to configure its menu as she wants. The restaurant can log into the system, edit the design, adding new choices and removing others. "Our systems are designed with the customer as the focal point," Vasa said. "The solution has to be easy and intuitive. Otherwise, it doesn't serve its purpose. If Beaver Choice runs out of an item, Nilsson can reconfigure the selections as if the dish never was there. She also can use the software to promote specials and discounts. Other kiosk manufacturers required that such changes be sent to them viarequest. They would make the updates and relay them to the machines. That only slows things down, Nilsson said. Thats unacceptable. Getting others on board Since the wage hike took effect in January, Nilsson has seen a number of restaurants already operating on thin profit margins close. That hasnt set well with her because she like others in the community enjoys frequenting a variety of eateries. As Arizonas minimum wage will climb incrementally in the coming years reaching $12 an hour in 2020 Nilsson plans to spread the word about the tabletop kiosks and the opportunities they afford. Shes hopeful that her competitors many of whom are her friends will choose to implement them instead of choosing to shut down. Its tough to find additional staff that is reliable and good, Nilsson said. Plus, this saves me from bad Yelp reviews. When you are short on staff and there are delays, everyone is mad that they dont get their check in time. With this on the table, they can just pay and leave. For more information or to purchase Juke Slots software or kiosks, email [email protected]. Grace Vasa Email: [email protected] website: www.restaurantkiosk.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Police have been called to the University of Sydney after a rally encouraging students to vote "no" in the same-sex marriage postal survey drew hundreds of counter-protesters. About 200 students gathered around a few students who were making speeches and holding signs that read "It's ok to say 'no.'" The confrontation occurred shortly after midday on Thursday near a stall that is believed to have been set up by the university's student-run Catholic society. Kishor Napier-Raman, 21, who is a law student at the university and an editor of the student newspaper Honi Soit, said, "The Catholic society tried to have a 'vote no' rally with the promise of free kebabs, but it seemed to have been quickly surrounded by a much bigger counter-rally. Microsoft and Twitter were both sued in 2015 on behalf of female engineers claiming men are favoured for advancement. That's the same year Ellen Pao put Silicon Valley's male-dominated culture front and centre during a trial pitting her against the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. She claimed there was a sexually charged atmosphere where men preyed on their female coworkers and that she'd been blocked from promotion and fired for her gender. She lost, but the trial rallied other women to speak out. The case comes as the tech industry has been bombarded with accusations of sexism and sexual harassment. Three women who worked at Google in recent years sued in San Francisco Superior Court alleging that the company continues to pay women less than men for equal or similar work, according to a copy of a complaint provided by their lawyer. The filing couldn't be immediately verified in court records. Google was accused of systematically paying male employees more than females, adding the internet giant to a growing list of technology companies sued for gender discrimination. The proposed class-action seeks to represent all women who have worked at Google in California during the last four years. The company violates the state's Equal Pay Act by paying women lower wages than men who perform similar work and have the same experience and skills, according to the suit. Google has been well aware of the problem for years but perpetuates it by promoting women less frequently, the women say. A Google representative had no immediate comment on the suit. One plaintiff, software engineer Kelly Ellis, worked at Google's Mountain View office from about May 2010 to July 2014, according to the complaint. Another, Holly Pease, performed a variety of managerial roles at two of Google's offices from 2005 to 2016. The third, Kelli Wisuri, worked as a sales communications specialist and "brand evangelist" from late 2012 to early 2015. They allege Google kept them in "job ladders" that had lower compensation ceilings than men with similar skills. The suit cites data from a 2015 review of Google's employment practices by the U.S. Department of Labor's contract compliance unit that's the subject of a separate federal administrative complaint against the company. The agency performed a statistical regression analysis of the pay for roughly 21,000 employees at the company's Mountain View office for 2015, according to the complaint. The analysis "found systemic compensation disparities against women pretty much across the entire workforce," according to the suit. Google is among Silicon Valley companies that have struggled in recent years to diversify their predominantly white and male make-up. According to the company's most recent demographic report, 69 per cent of its workforce and 80 per cent of its technical staff are male. The report shows the proportion of women in technical and leadership positions has increased 1 per cent since last year. Staunch conservative allies of President Donald Trump erupted in anger and incredulity after Democrats announced the president had agreed to pursue a legislative deal that would protect thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportation but not secure Trump's signature campaign promise: building a massive wall along the US-Mexico border. As midnight neared, social media accounts came alive as elected officials and activists on the right dashed off tweets and posts to share their shock. And in between those posts, there was a flurry of fuming calls and text messages - a blaring political fire alarm among Trump's die-hard supporters. "The reality is sinking in that Trump administration is on the precipice of turning into an establishment presidency," Sam Nunberg, a former Trump campaign adviser, said in an interview early Thursday morning, local time. [September 13, 2017] The Illinois Bankers Association Offers These Tips for Navigating the Equifax Data Breach and Protecting Your Personal Information SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Equifax - one of our nation's three major credit reporting bureaus - announced last week that it had been breached. Hackers accessed personal information from over 143 million Americans, including their social security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and in some cases, driver's license numbers. In addition, credit card numbers for more than 200,000 people appear to have been stolen. Equifax has created a website - https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com - where consumers can check to see if their personal information may have been exposed. (Be sure to access the site from a secure computer!) Consumers also can call Equifax at 866-447-7559 for more information. Equifax also will be sending a mailing to all consumers who may have had their information stolen - however, this could take time. Below are additional steps that consumers should take. Obtain your credit report every year from each of the three major credit bureaus - Equifax , Experian , and TransUnion . All consumers are entitled to obtain a free copy of their credit report from each of these companies every 12 months. You can do this by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com, or by calling each of them by phone (Experian at 888-397-3742, TransUnion at 800-680-7289, and Equifax at 800-525-6285). , , and . All consumers are entitled to obtain a of their credit report from each of these companies every 12 months. You can do this by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com, or by calling each of them by phone (Experian at 888-397-3742, TransUnion at 800-680-7289, and Equifax at 800-525-6285). Consider placing a "credit freeze" on your credit reports with these companies. In most states, including Illinois , each credit bureau may charge you up to a $10 fee for a credit freeze. (Equifax announced on Sept. 12 that it will no longer charge $10 for a security freeze.) A credit freeze prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit information, making it much harder for someone to open a new account of any kind in your name - only your current creditors will be able to access your credit report. Also note that you can tell the credit bureaus to lift your credit freeze if you need to apply for new credit, which you can do for a particular credit application or temporarily for a chosen period of time. Keep in mind that a credit freeze won't prevent your creditors from reporting your payments on existing accounts to the credit bureaus. , each credit bureau may charge you up to a fee for a credit freeze. (Equifax announced on that it will no longer charge for a security freeze.) A credit freeze prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit information, making it much harder for someone to open a new account of any kind in your name - only your current creditors will be able to access your credit report. Also note that you can tell the credit bureaus to lift your credit freeze if you need to apply for new credit, which you can do for a particular credit application or temporarily for a chosen period of time. Keep in mind that a credit freeze won't prevent your creditors from reporting your payments on existing accounts to the credit bureaus. li>Pay close attention to credit card and bank account statements for any unauthorized charges. Consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report files. This alert warns creditors that you may be an identity theft victim, and they should take extra steps to verify that anyone seeking credit in your name is really you! Consider enrolling in a credit monitoring service. Equifax is offering one free year of credit monitoring to all consumers, regardless of whether your personal information may have been stolen. You can find many other reputable companies that offer this type of service by conducting an Internet search for credit monitoring services. Know that protecting your personal information is of paramount importance for your bank. All banks are required by law to use a combination of rigorous safeguards to protect their customers' information, including strict privacy policies, encryption, two-factor identification, and extensive employee training. Banks also use sophisticated fraud detection software algorithms that constantly monitor accounts to help flag fraud and identity theft. Your bank invests substantial time and resources to ensure that your accounts and personally identifying information are fully secure. We also strongly recommend taking these additional precautions to protect your personal information. Extra Steps for Protecting Your Personal Information Never provide personal information, including your password, in response to an unsolicited phone call, website or email request. Some of these requests are now even coming by automated phone messages and mobile phone texts, asking consumers to enter their credit or debit card numbers for some kind of verification. If you believe that a request for your personal information may be legitimate, contact the financial institution yourself, rather than responding to the communication. Remind your children and elderly relatives to never share their address, telephone number, passwords, social security number, school name or any other personally identifying information. Collect your mail promptly. Ask the post office to put your mail on hold, or have a neighbor pick up your mail, when you are away from home for more than a couple of days. Shred receipts, bank statements and unused credit card offers, or tear them up before throwing them away. If you are conducting business online, make sure that your browser's "padlock" or "key icon" is active, indicating a secure transaction. Never open email from unknown sources, and keep your computer up-to-date with virus detection software, anti-spam filters, and bad website blockers. When using social networking sites, never include your personal information such as your birthdate, email address, physical address, mother's maiden name, or other information that could provide sensitive information to criminals or hints to passwords. Change your website passwords frequently, and never use the same password for multiple websites. Consider using software that acts as a password manager - some of the more popular ones include 1Password, Dashlane, LastPass, RoboForm, and KeePass (which is free). Importantly, if you suspect your identity has been stolen, immediately call your bank and credit card issuers, so they can begin working on protecting your compromised accounts and clearing your name! Additionally, file a police report, and then contact the three major credit bureaus. For more assistance, call the Federal Trade Commission's "ID Theft Consumer Response Center" at 1-877-ID THEFT, or go online at www.ftc.gov/idtheft. The Illinois Bankers Association is a full-service trade association dedicated to creating a positive business climate that benefits the entire banking industry and the communities we serve. Founded in 1891, the IBA brings together state and national banks and savings banks of all sizes in Illinois. Visit www.ilbanker.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-illinois-bankers-association-offers-these-tips-for-navigating-the-equifax-data-breach-and-protecting-your-personal-information-300519255.html SOURCE Illinois Bankers Association [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 13, 2017] Zentera Systems to Speak at IoT Enterprise Implementations Summit at the 2017 Mobile World Congress Americas SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Zentera Systems, Inc., the leader in security and connectivity for workloads in hybrid computing environments, today announced that Jaushin Lee, the company's CEO, will be speaking at IoT Evolution's Enterprise Implementations Summit on Sep. 14, 2017, as part of the Mobile World Congress Americas (MWCA) program. MWCA 2017, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, will draw 30,000 professional attendees from the mobile industry and adjacent industry sectors. Through a series of cases studies and IoT success stories, the IoT Evolution event will break down the complex components of IoT implementations. At 12:25 on Thursday, Sep. 14th, Lee will be discussing Embedding Security with CoIP (Cloud over IP) solutions, focusing on the challenges of safeguarding IoT services end-to-end. He will describe how CoIP, as an overlay architecture, allows cloud providers, telecom and enterprises to deploy IoT security rapidly, using but not disrupting the existing infrastructur. "Jaushin continues to provide thought leadership to the IoT community about the importance of cloud security," said Mike Loftus, Zentera's VP of Strategy & Marketing. "This message is well-received, as evidenced by Zentera winning a Best of Show award from the recent IoT Evolution Expo, as well as being named a Gartner Cool Vendor in Cloud Security this year." The CoIP Security Enclave protects IoT applications in several ways, including the Application Interlock feature. CoIP provides an isolated network, or enclave, to contain each IoT service end to end. Inside an enclave, next-generation technologies are provided to segment network flows and filter the edge IoT traffic. In addition to encryption and micro-segmentation capabilities, Application Interlock provides isolation for protecting IoT services. About Zentera Zentera, named a Cool Vendor in Cloud Security 2017 by Gartner, Inc., secures application workloads in hybrid environments by connecting them through a unified virtual overlay network, or enclave. The CoIP Security Enclave platform provides security and connectivity. It works with any infrastructure in any environment, does not interfere with existing environments or security, and can be up and running in less than a day. It provides defense-in-depth for enterprise applications in the cloud, moving to the cloud or on-premise. CoIP is deployed for worldwide operations by global corporations. The company has received numerous honors, including consecutive Red Herring Top 100 Awards, and is based in Silicon Valley. For more information, see www.zentera.net. Media Contact Mike Loftus, VP Strategy & Marketing Zentera Systems, Inc. +1 408-436-4810 [email protected] All trademarks cited here are the properties of their respective owners. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zentera-systems-to-speak-at-iot-enterprise-implementations-summit-at-the-2017-mobile-world-congress-americas-300519275.html SOURCE Zentera Systems, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] At the invitation of the Undersecretary, Turkish Ministry of Customs and Trade, Mr. Cenap Asci, the WCO Secretary General, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya attended the inauguration ceremony of the WCO Regional Dog Training Center in Ankara, Turkey on 13 September 2017. On the previous day, Dr. Mikuriya had a bilateral meeting with Mr. Asci and his management team and visited the Command and Control Center, located within the Ministry of Customs and Trade, that monitors the major movements of airplanes, sea vessels and trucks. On the same day, he also visited the excavation site of Kanan-Kalehoyuk, 100 kilometres south-west of Ankara, administered by the Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology where evidence of the oldest steel manufacture in the world was discovered, dating back more than 4000 years ago. This is one of the sites showing mankind's oldest ability to smelt iron-ore, which ultimately resulted in the beginning of the Iron Age, and which would later spread from Anatolia to the rest of the world some 3200 years ago, paving the way for the current civilization. Mr. Bulent Tufenkci, Minister of Customs and Trade, formally opened the Regional Dog Training Center, whereas the former Minister and the Deputy Chairman of the Party, Mr. Hayati Yazici, applauded the realization of this project. In his keynote address, Secretary General Mikuriya recalled his visit on the previous day to the excavations site, where precious stones were discovered coming from Afghanistan and dating back more than 4000 years ago, and adhered to the views, that the strategic location of Anatolia as a crossroad for international trade was the background of this major breakthrough in civilization. The discovery of fragments of writing that refers to the trading of goods could also be seen as part of the evidence of trade and inevitably that of Customs activities. Dr. Mikuriya observed that the tradition of promoting trade seemed to have been inherited by modern-day Turkey, underlining the fact that Turkey was one of the founding Members of the WCO, 65 years ago. He highlighted Turkey's contribution to the WCO, including recently to the Transit Guidelines, the establishment of the Trade Facilitation Board where Customs was designated as Co-Chair and Secretariat to ensure coordinated border management in the framework of the WTO Agreement of Trade Facilitation. He cautioned however that the strategic location offered opportunities but also presented potential risks of illicit trade that terrorist and criminal organizations may try to exploit. He added that Turkish Customs demonstrated leadership in the use of technology and partnership in this respect as evidenced by its state-of-the-art Command and Control Center, and the hosting of the Regional Dog Training Center, which would contribute to sharing best practices and enhancing human network in the neighbouring countries. Dr. Mikuriya stressed that with strong political support, willingness for partnerships and the professionalism of Customs officers, he is confident in the future success of the Regional Dog Training Centers activities. The opening event was accompanied by the performance of detector dogs and the tour of the advanced infrastructure. During his visit, Secretary General Mikuriya also took the opportunity to meet with the Minister of Customs and Trade, Mr. Bulent Tufenkci. [September 14, 2017] Equifax Breach, Security ThreatsExperts Discuss Solutions "In The Boardroom" On SecuritySolutionsWatch.com - AMAG, Cisco, Cyberinc, Dell EMC, Extenua, ImageWare, NetWatcher NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Thank You For Joining Us "In The Boardroom" On SecuritySolutionsWatch.Com Kurt Takahashi, President, AMAG Technology - A G4S Company Marc Blackmer, Cisco, Product Marketing Manager, Industry Solutions, Security Business Group Samir Shah, CEO, Cyberinc Ken Mills, General Manager, Dell EMC, Surveillance and Security Graham Porter, Business Development Director EMEA, Dell EMC, Surveillance and Security Nicholas Thermenos, Dell EMC, Director Sales & Marketing Americas, Surveillance and Security Steve Visconti, President & CEO, Extenua Jim Miller, ImageWare Systems, Chairman and CEO Scott B. Suhy, CEO, Netwatcher Sanjib Kalita, Chief Marketing Officer, Money2020 ***** AMAG Technology - A G4S Company, Kurt Takahashi, President www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_AMAG_Takahashi.html www.AMAG.com AMAG Technologys Symmetry Security Management Solutions are deployed across a wide variety of market segments from commercial to government, education, healthcare, banking, transportation, utilities, plus many more. Headquartered in Torrance, California with sales and support located throughout the Americas, EMEA, APAC and LATAM, AMAG provides customers with industry leading unified security solutions. AMAG Technology is part of G4S plc, the worlds leading global integrated security company which has operations on six continents and 585,000 employees. As the industry leader, AMAG focuses on delivering the latest technology to meet market needs. Its next generation of Symmetry security solutions help organizations operationalize their business to mitigate risk, meet compliance requirements and save money. For our complete interview with Kurt Takahashi, President, AMAG Technology - A G4S Company, please click here or here: www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_AMAG_Takahashi.html In recent news: Amag Technologys Symmetryweb Delivers Mobile Access Control Management To Symmetry Access Control Customers http://www.amag.com/en/Company/News/2017/09/12/SymmetryWEB ***** Cisco, Marc Blackmer, Product Marketing Manager, Industry Solutions, Security Business Group http://www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_Cisco_Blackmer.html Cisco Blog Marc Blackmer, Product Marketing Manager, Industry Solutions, Security Business Group, Cisco, shared with us, We at Cisco are fully committed to the IoT, and we believe the IoT must be secured for its promise to be realized. Securing the IoT is easier said than done, though. The first complication is that most IoT devices cant protect themselves. To be fair, there are a number of reasons why they cant, but from a cybersecurity perspective, those reasons dont matter. A vulnerability is a vulnerability is a vulnerability. And these vulnerabilities create ample opportunities for an attacker to exploit those devices and gain access to your network." For our complete interview with Marc Blackmer please click here or here: http://www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_Cisco_Blackmer.html ***** Cyberinc, CEO, Samir Shah www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_Shah_Cyberinc.html www.Cyberinc.com The Equifax Data Breach Its Time for a Change in Security Equifax, one of the top credit reporting companies in the US revealed that sensitive data belonging to more than 143 million Americans was stolen in July. This represents approximately half of the U.S. population. This latest breach should come as no surprise to those who pay attention to the seemingly unending string of successful cyber-attacks in recent years. More details on how the attack was executed will certainly emerge in the coming days and weeks, as has been the case with other major breaches over the years. The real question we should all be asking ourselves is will anything change in how companies protect against attacks, or will this type of incident continue to repeat itself into the future. Cyberinc was created to provide organizations of all sizes with a new approach to protecting themselves and their customers data from these types of attacks. An analysis of high profile data breaches over the last few years shows that successful attacks use either or both of the following techniques to achieve success. Exploiting flaws in Identity and Access Management systems: Many attacks today from phishing e-mails to web application compromise and banking fraud rely on weak or outdated identity and access systems, mainly those that still rely on passwords to establish the identity or privileges of a user. Cyberinc has been helping customers design, deploy and manage state of the art identity solutions for well over a decade. Virtually every successful data breach includes some aspect of identity system exploitation or bypass. Leveraging Advanced Malware: Many successful attacks in recent years have used advanced malware to exploit and control systems which provide the attackers with a platform within the organization to achieve their goals. Web browsers are often the target of choice for advanced malware as traditional defense mechanisms such as anti-virus and intrusion prevention systems have been unable to detect and defend against the sophisticated malware available to attackers today. Cyberinc recognizes this and has developed a unique, integrated approach that combines a deep understanding and expertise in securing both identity systems and developing and deploying advanced malware isolation defenses. These anti-malware and identity have traditionally been addressed as separate and unrelated disciplines by the security industry. Cyberincs integrated approach to securing critical data assets addresses both key targets of attackers and represents a change in the point product approach to security. Only time will tell if Cyberincs new approach will make a difference in the seemingly never-ending stream of data breaches. But as this latest attack illustrates, it certainly is time for a change. For our complete interview with Samir Shah please click here or here: www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_Shah_Cyberinc.html In recent news: BPT Introduces Cyberincs ISLA Web Malware Isolation System in Indonesia: to help prevent Web-borne Malware Attacks https://cyberinc.com/news/bpt-introduces-cyberinc-isla-web-malware-isolation-system-in-indonesia/ Cyberinc included in Cool Vendor list by Gartner in Endpoint, Mobile, Network and Gateway Security, 2017 https://cyberinc.com/news/cyberinc-included-in-gartner-cool-vendor-list-2017/ Cyberinc powers expansion of Isla into global markets: Signs partnership with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) https://cyberinc.com/news/cyberinc-signs-partnership-with-hewlett-packard-enterprise/ ***** Dell EMC, Graham Porter, Business Development Director EMEA, Surveillance and Security http://www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_Porter_DeLLEMC.html https://www.emc.com/storage/video-surveillance-storage.htm The Munich Airport system is a paradigm among airport security systems. It was designed around a single centralized and virtual data archiving system, accessible to anyone with permission anywhere on the airport network, and uses behavioral analytics to trigger alarm, camera management (zoom into the picture, follow a suspect, increase image resolution etc.) thereby reducing the number and scope of People-Watching-Cameras and providing a massive saving for the airport operators. The system installed was placed by a Dell EMC partner in a public competitive RFP, so value as well as functional excellence was a determinant of the solution choice. We are given permission to reference this system and use it for show-&-tell visits and in our sales meetings with new and existing Customers. The airport has since expanded the system beyond the original scope and size of the original purchased hardware, emphasizing their commitment to our solution and their happiness with it. For our complete interview with Graham Porter please click here or here: http://www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_Porter_DeLLEMC.html FOR MORE INFORMATION: Interview With Ken Mills, Dell EMC, General Manager, IoT, Surveillance and Security www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_KenMills_GeneralManager_DeLLEMC.html Interview With Nicholas Thermenos, Dell EMC, Director Sales & Marketing Americas, Surveillance and Security http://www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_Thermenos_DeLLEMC.html Learn about Dell EMC Surveillance Solutions and the Solutions Portfolio here or here: https://www.emc.com/storage/video-surveillance-storage.htm#!solution_portfolio For Dell EMC Partner Validations, please click here or here: https://www.emc.com/storage/video-surveillance-storage.htm#!partner_validations Please click here for the Dell EMC VIGILARE BLOG - Surveillance and Public Safety Emerging Trends or click here: http://vigilareblog.emc.com/ Extenua, President and CEO, Steve Visconti www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_Extenua_Visconti.html www.Extenua.com Extenua has released a most timely white paper This free white paper discusses the challenges of keeping ransomware (Cryptolocker, WannaCry, and the like) out of the corporate data storage, whether it is local, in the cloud or hybrid. CLOUD2DRIVE-PROTECTED ONLINE STORAGE IS IMPERVIOUS TO RANSOMWARE BY USING SILVERSHIELD Ransomware is a type of malware that restricts access to the infected computer system, and demands that the user pay a ransom to the malware operators to remove the restriction. Probably the most famous ransomware, even though not the only one, is Cryptolocker, and its certainly something you dont want to deal with. Regardless of the strenuous efforts put in place by Antivirus developers, the rate of infection is astonishing, and these days its becoming even worse with an unprecedented outbreak of infection. To make things even worse, ransomware can also access all the shared folders on your NAS/SAN, so if you backup to a network drive your backups will be compromised too. The ransomware goals include, in fact, preventing you from being able to restore your old (healthy) data from a backup. Even in case your systems are infected by a ransomware, you will simply be able to format your computer, reinstall your operating system, and restore all your data from an always-healthy backup. Download the complete White Paper (in PDF format) http://dl.extenua.com/no-ransomware.pdf ***** ImageWare Systems, Chairman and CEO, Jim Miller www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_ImageWare.html www.iwsinc.com ImageWare Systems, Inc. (ImageWare or IWS) (IWSY), a leader in mobile and cloud-based, multi-modal biometric identity management solutions, has issued financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2017, as well as a corporate update to highlight the companys progress since its last quarterly update on May 10, 2017. Operational Highlights Expanded agreement with Fujitsu to support mobile devices and actively market the GoVerifyID suite of products in Europe, Middle East, India, Africa and the Americas. Entered a resell agreement with Info X Distribution, a global distributor of storage and networking solutions, to market and sell the GoVerifyID Enterprise Suite. Recognized by CIO Applications as one of the Top 25 Cyber Security Companies for 2017. Finalized the integration of biometric identity management and credentialing software into five Alaskan airports. Management Commentary Our second quarter was highlighted by several partnership developments, said Jim Miller, ImageWares chairman and CEO. In addition to expanding Fujitsus biometric security portfolio to support mobile devices, we entered into a reseller agreement with Info X Distribution for our GoVerifyID Enterprise Suite and SaaS solutions, and also completed the integration of our identity management and credentialing software into five Alaskan airports. In May, we were honored to be recognized by CIO Applications as one of the Top 25 Cyber Security Companies for 2017, further validating our strong positioning and brand awareness in the marketplace. More Jim Miller, Chairman and CEO, ImageWare Systems, OTCQB: IWSY, told us, With data breaches happening every day and causing damage to your brand, tangible economic loss, and termination of employment for executive management charged with oversight, enhancing security without compromising user experience is a priority for todays organizations. Multi-modal biometrics for user authentication handles this requirement and thats what ImageWare does. We have invested substantial time and effort into making the implementation of biometric security simple, quick, and cost-efficient. Being a pioneer in biometrics, with several decades of experience, ImageWare has built its brand through deployments in law enforcement applications, later migrating to secure biometric credentialing, and more recently, to authentication in the cloud using smart mobile devices. At the heart of all of our product offerings is the patented IWS Biometric Engine (BE), which provides an ultra-scalable, real-time, multi-modal biometric enrollment and matching database specifically built for biometrics. The BE supports a dozen different biometric modalities today and adding new modalities is simple and straight forward. As we say, we secure your future, meaning that we not only satisfy your current security requirements, but we also secure your investment as new biometric technology becomes available. We treat biometrics as plug and play, so you can take advantage of new advancements with no loss to your current investment. More For more information: About ImageWare Systems ( https://iwsinc.com/about ) ImageWare Systems Markets ( https://iwsinc.com/solutions ) ImageWare Systems Products ( https://iwsinc.com/products ) ImageWare Systems News ( https://iwsinc.com/category/news ) ImageWare Systems Investors ( https://iwsinc.com/about/investors ) ImageWare Systems Partners ( https://iwsinc.com/partners ) ImageWare Systems Resources ( https://iwsinc.com/resources ) ImageWare Systems Patent Portfolio https://iwsinc.com/about/intellectual-property/ ) ***** NetWatcher, CEO, Scott B. Suhy www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_Netwatcher_Suhy.html www.NetWatcher.com Scott Suhy, CEO, NetWatcher, told us, "There is a giant opportunity here for MSPs at the moment. If you look at each vertical by employee size and count up the number of companies that fit into each just in the USA the numbers are staggering All of these organizations are moving to a more advanced security footprint over the next several years. You also know that they will first look to their MSP partner to provide the advanced stack and if you cant provide it, they will find a MSP that can provide the stack and manage it for them. "We built NetWatcher to enable MSPs to easily offer their own Security Monitoring / Managed Security / Managed Detection and Response service. We designed and built NetWatcher from the ground up for SMBs and MSPs. We built the service to be easy to install, easy to use for SMB/MSP IT professionals (not hard to find security analystsalthough, analysts tend to love it too) and affordable. MSPs will also find the multi-tenant single pane of glass user interface where they can manage all their customers and the ConnectWise integration very valuable. More ***** Money2020, Sanjib Kalita, Chief Marketing Officer http://securitysolutionswatch.com/Interviews/in_Boardroom_Kalita_Money2020.html www.MONEY2020.com Money20/20 was founded in 2012 by people running businesses in the payments industry who realized that companies, both large and small as well as across industries, were getting into payments and financial services with disruptive technologies, business models and value propositions. There wasnt a single event that met the needs of where the industry was heading so we decided to build it. After we created a unifying event for the community in North America, we realized that other geographies could use the catalytic and unifying energy of Money20/20. In 2016, we launched Money20/20 Europe in Copenhagen. In 2018, Money20/20 Europe will move to Amsterdam and well launch Money20/20 Asia in Singapore in March. Our 2017 agenda will continue to address the most pressing issues from the industry and highlight some of the most interesting speakers and companies from across the globe. The 2017 exhibit hall will be an ideal place to meet companies and begin conversations regardless of whether youre a global giant or a scrappy startup. If youre working on defining or delivering the future of the industry, I would recommend attending the show this year. More ***** SecuritySolutionsWatch.com Is Proud To Be A Sponsor Of These Important Upcoming Events MARK YOUR CALENDAR! Latin American Utility Week 2017 | Sep 19-21, 2017 | Sao Paulo-SP | www.latin-american-utility-week.com ***** World e-ID and Cybersecurity Digital Identity & Data Protection for Citizens & Businesses Conference & Exhibition - Sept. 25-27, 2017 Marseille Provence, France www.worlde-idandcybersecurity.com Now in its 13th edition, World e-ID and Cybersecurity explores the latest secure identification technologies, their implementation and the related online trust challenges. Over 2.5 days, 400 project managers, government reps and technology experts will join in to learn, share visions with counterparts worldwide and foster cooperation for successful secure Identity & Cybersecurity implementations. From printed documents to the identity of connected objects, the agenda will deliver a clear vision of secure identification as boundaries are blurring between physical and online ID, between private and public sector cybersecurity, between citizen and consumer online trust. Within Smart Security Week, additional learning, networking and innovation discovery events are also part of the agenda: exhibition & demos, workshops & tutorials, awards ceremony along with multiple bridges with the co-located conferences addressing identity for development, IoT security, cyberthreat intelligence and risk management. ***** Identity World Individual Recognition for Global Development Conference & Exhibition - Sept. 25-27, 2017 Marseille Provence, France www.identity-world.com IDENTITY WORLD is the new conference on how trusted technologies address the state of the individual identity and its contribution to global development. An estimated 1.5 billion people do not have an official, government issued and recognized document as proof of their legal identity. The majority of these people live in Asia and Africa and a disproportionate number are women and children. IDENTITY WORLD has set out to address this identity gap through the collective lens of our cultures, experiences, understanding and resources. Complementing its sister World e-ID and Cybersecurity conference till now, both the intensity of discussion and diversity of subject matter has lent itself to become in 2017 a separate space in the realm of public discourse. Over 2.5 days, 40 speakers will address thoroughly the strategic framework stakes along key themes including: Statelessness & Inclusion Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Public & Private Sector Cooperation Digital Identity, Democracy & Peace. Thought leadership insights will be illustrated by case studies of large-scale implementations (identity, e-vote, healthcare, welfare payments) as well as industry and technology perspectives. Multiple panel discussions are scheduled to ensure maximum interactivity. ***** Connect Security World Embedding Trust in IoT Systems and Connected Hardware Conference & Exhibition - Sept. 25-27, 2017 Marseille Provence, France http://www.connectsecurityworld.com As IoT solutions are transitioning from hype to real deployments, the Internet of insecure things threat is gaining ground. To address unlimited risks, threats and vulnerabilities surrounding IoT, a new generation of connected devices and services is required, with better security and privacy by design. In its 6th edition, Connect Security World invites both digital security experts and IoT developers to discuss and define a true end-to-end security, from sensors to Cloud, from design and development to deployment. Key 2017 themes include: Embedding Security in billion devices: SW/HW approaches New IoT networks security: LPWAN, 4G/5G Cost of security: Time to market vs secure design IoT security regulation: industry and governments role Joining Connect Security World offers the opportunity to meet and exchange with 350+ professionals: experts from security research and industry, associations, standards bodies as well as IoT stakeholders from manufacturing to digital services. Within Smart Security Week www.smartsecurityweek.com, they will benefit from additional synergies of contents and networking opportunities. ***** ASIS 2017 ASIS International 63rd Annual Seminar and Exhibits 25-28 September 2017 Dallas, Texas https://securityexpo.asisonline.org Continuing A Legacy of Excellence?.For more than six decades, ASIS Annual Seminar and Exhibits (ASIS 2017) has been the premier event for security professionals worldwide, providing industry-leading education, countless business connections, and the latest products and services. ASIS 2017 will offer attendees the opportunity to: CONNECT ?with 550+ solutions providers showcasing the latest industry innovations and services NETWORK with 22,000+ security professionals for collaborative learning and solutions for enterprise business and public sector security leaders JOIN industry leaders accelerating the future of the security profession ***** Structure Security Newsweek Events and Structure Events September 26-27, 2017 South San Francisco Conference Center - 255 S Airport Blvd, South San Francisco, CA 94080 www.structuresecurity.com Structure Security 2017 will highlight the best practices that security professionals are using to protect some of the world's largest companies and institutions, and examine the future of security products, services, as well as the threats that want to take them down. On 26-27 September, in the South San Francisco Conference Center, Newsweek and Structure Events will bring together over 500 attendees and 40 plus speakers, from the FBI to UBER, for cutting edge discussions and workshops about latest industry trends. ***** Infosecurity North America October 4-5, 2017 John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center, Boston www.infosecuritynorthamerica.com Infosecurity North America is an exciting new launch event from Infosecurity Group. Infosecurity Group run 7 market-leading information security events around the globe and have over 22 years of experience connecting everyone and everything you need to know about information security. Infosecurity North America will bring this wealth of global experience and knowledge to Boston in October 2017 in the form of an innovative SMART event, offering digital tools to help visitors and exhibitors make the most out of their time. ***** CYBER SECURITY CHICAGO 18-19 October 2017 McCormick Place, Chicago https://www.cybersecurity-chicago.com/ Cyber Security Chicago offers invaluable security insight for both IT managers & security specialists. Hear from cyber securities finest on how you can build stronger defenses against cyber-attacks & how to recover if your systems are breached. Cyber Security Chicago allows you access to a wealth of insight and solutions to help you protect your employees, organization and country from criminal gangs and cyber terrorism. Learn from industry experts at thought-provoking seminars and discover solutions on all facets of cyber security and risk mitigation, from perimeter firewalls to the latest threat intelligence solutions. ***** Money20/20 The Venetian, Las Vegas October 22-25, 2017 www.money2020.com [email protected] Money20/20 US is the worlds most important event covering payments and financial services innovation for connected commerce at the intersection of mobile, retail, marketing services, data and technology. With 11,000+ attendees from 4,500 Companies and 85 Countries, including 1,700+ CEOs and 400+ speakers, expected at our 2017 US event, Money20/20 is critical to realizing the vision of disruptive ways in which consumers and businesses manage, spend and borrow money. Money20/20 US will be held in Las Vegas, October 22-25, 2017. ***** O'Reilly Security Conference BUILD BETTER DEFENSES OCTOBER 2930, 2017: TRAINING OCTOBER 30NOVEMBER 1, 2017: TUTORIALS & CONFERENCE NEW YORK, NY Build better defenses The OReilly Security Conference brings together in-the-trenches security practitioners from organizations of every size, across a wide breadth of industries to share actionable insight in a supportive, hype-free environment. We'll cover interesting successes (and failures), provocative ideas, practical how-to's, proven best practices, and effective new approaches that can benefit all defenders. Looking for new ways to fend off a targeted attack or eject persistent intruders from your environment or recover quickly and effectively from a breach? Want to integrate new technology into your environment, securely and successfully? Need to figure out how to keep your access controls (to data, network, or cloud) effective at scalewithout losing your mind? Want to help your management team and BOD understand how your work is crucial to the bottom line? All of the above? There's no better place than Security. Join us October 29November 1 at the Hilton Midtown in New York, NY. Take a look at the schedule and start making your plans today. Need help convincing your manager? We've got you covered. ***** Cyber Security Summit: Boston Wednesday, November 8, 2017 | 7:45AM to 6:00PM | The Westin Copley Place, Boston https://cybersummitusa.com/2017-boston/ ***** Border Management & Technologies Summit Asia 2017 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia November 7, 2017 Asian nations are continuing to develop their borders and create the most efficient immigration processes at airports. Many of the regions border security agencies are working hard to improve security on their borders from illegal migration to cross-border organised crimes. Airports in the region are improving passenger experiences to make immigration processes as smooth and hassle free as possible. Read More >> To take part in our international event either as a speaker, sponsor, exhibitor or as a delegate please contact us at [email protected] or call us on +44 (0)1582 346 706 ***** Cyber Security Summit: Los Angeles Wednesday, November 29, 2017 | 7:45AM to 6:00PM | The Beverly Hilton https://cybersummitusa.com/2017-losangeles/ ***** LAAD Security 2018 | Apr 10-12, 2018 | Sao Paulo-SP| www.laadsecurity.com.br LAAD Defence & Security 2019 | Apr 02-05, 2019 | Rio de Janeiro-RJ | www.laadexpo.com.br **** About SecuritySolutionsWatch.com SecuritySolutionsWatch.com features thought leadership interviews about security solutions. Our flagship In The Boardroom program, now in its 15th year, has delivered outstanding content about security solutions from leading global brands such as: Cisco Security, Dell EMC, HP Cybersecurity, Gemalto, HID Global, ImageWare, Siemens Security and SONY Security, just to name a few. What's YOUR cybersecurity, physical security, mobility, payments, safety or "smart" solution? We invite you to please join us "In The Boardroom", more details here, or here: http://www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Main/ThoughtLeadershipOpportunity_July2017.pdf Please click here for our Media Kit (http://www.securitysolutionswatch.com/MediaKit.html) Please click here or here: http://www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Main/170502%20RATE_CARD-4.pdf for additional details about our offerings. ***** FOR MORE CONTENT ABOUT SECURITY THREATS AND SOLUTIONS... ...PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER (http://securitysolutionswatch.com/newsletters/newsletter_2017_08.html ) And PLEASE VISIT US ON TWITTER HERE: https://twitter.com/SecStockWatch ***** THIS PRESS RELEASE, AND ALL ADVERTISING, CONTENT AND ALL OTHER MATERIAL AND INFORMATION WHICH APPEARS ON SECURITYSOLUTIONSWATCH.COM AND/OR SECURITYSTOCKWATCH.COM, ONLINE AND/OR IN PRINT, IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS OF USE, CONDITIONS, AND DISCLAIMER HERE:www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Main/Terms_of_Use.html. Contact: Ali Eng Publishing Team Leader ALE (at) SecuritySolutionsWatch (dot) com USA 1+914.690.9351 [September 14, 2017] Databricks and Looker Partner To Deliver Powerful Analytics and Big Data Insights SAN FRANCISCO and SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Databricks, provider of the leading Unified Analytics Platform and founded by the team who created Apache Spark, and Looker, the leading data platform company, today announced they have partnered to bridge the power of analytics and visualization for data scientists and analysts. The announcement was made today at Lookers JOIN 2017 Conference, where Databricks is a Gigabyte sponsor. In response to joint customer demand, Databricks and Looker are partnering to provide an intuitive way for business users and analysts to discover the powerful analytics results of Apache Spark. Customers will realize three main benefits: Easy-to-Use Visualizations: Productivity is instantly increased through Lookers powerful visualization capabilities. Analysts and data scientists alike will experience faster user adoption with an intuitive user interface; Productivity is instantly increased through Lookers powerful visualization capabilities. Analysts and data scientists alike will experience faster user adoption with an intuitive user interface; Powerful Analytics: Data can be processed faster with the implementation of the Spark-powered Databricks Unified Analytics Platform. Users can solve the most complex analytics problem faster than ever before; and Data can be processed faster with the implementation of the Spark-powered Databricks Unified Analytics Platform. Users can solve the most complex analytics problem faster than ever before; and Bigger Insights: Complex, analytical answers will now be available to more users across the organization to drive cross-company insights that are game changing. Were thrilled to be working with Looker and look forward to seeing what our users create, said Michael Hoff, senior vice president of Business Development at Databricks. Making sense of big data is no easy task. At all stages of a users workflow - from processing data, to advanced analytics, to visualization - there are challenges. Our partnership with Looker will extend the power of the Databricks Unified Analytics Platform, couple it with deeply insightful visualizations, and ultimately help ou joint customers make the most of their data. We love teaming up with our partners to drive innovation that substantially helps our customers, said Keenan Rice, vice president of Alliances at Looker. Integrating the power and speed of Databricks with Looker opens up a new level of analytics capabilities to a broader set of users. To learn more, register for an upcoming webinar on November 8th: 5 Keys to Build Machine Learning, AI, and Visualization Into Your Application and hear joint customer John Huang of Handshake discuss his integration of Databricks and Looker. For more information on the Databricks and Looker partnership, please read this blog post. Visit databricks.com for more information. Contact Databricks to get started: http://go.databricks.com/contact-databricks. About Databricks Databricks mission is to accelerate innovation for its customers by unifying Data Science, Engineering and Business. Founded by the team who created Apache Spark, Databricks provides a Unified Analytics Platform for data science teams to collaborate with data engineering and lines of business to build data products. Users achieve faster time-to-value with Databricks by creating analytic workflows that go from ETL and interactive exploration to production. The company also makes it easier for its users to focus on their data by providing a fully managed, scalable, and secure cloud infrastructure that reduces operational complexity and total cost of ownership. Databricks, venture-backed by Andreessen Horowitz, NEA and Battery Ventures, among others, has a global customer base that includes Salesforce, Viacom, Shell and HP. For more information, visit www.databricks.com. About Looker Looker is a complete data platform that offers data analytics and business insights to every department, and easily integrates into applications to deliver data directly into the decision-making process. The company is powering data-driven cultures at more than 1000 industry-leading and innovative companies such as Sony, Amazon, The Economist, Kohler, Etsy, Lyft and Kickstarter. The company is headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, with offices in San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Boulder, London and Dublin, Ireland. Investors include CapitalG, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Meritech Capital Partners, Redpoint Ventures, First Round Capital, Sapphire Ventures and Goldman Sachs. For more information, connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube or visit looker.com. Databricks 2017. All rights reserved. Apache, Apache Spark and Spark are trademarks of the Apache Software Foundation. Media Contact: Stacey Collins Burbach P: 415-310-9767 E: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Seqirus Receives FDA Approval of AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT (Influenza Vaccine) for People Five Years of Age and Older in the U.S. Seqirus announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT (Influenza Vaccine) for use in people five years of age and older, extending the company's broad portfolio of influenza vaccine offerings. AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT, which was first approved in the U.S. in August 2016 for people aged 18 and older, helps protect against two influenza A strain viruses and two B strain viruses.3,10 "Pediatric health care providers now have a new vaccine option to help protect children five years and older against influenza," said Gregg Sylvester MD, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Seqirus. "As the only global vaccine company solely dedicated to influenza, we are committed to providing health care professionals and their patients with the broadest range of vaccine options available." The traditional seasonal influenza vaccine is a trivalent formula consisting of two strains of influenza A virus and a single strain of influenza B virus.4 However, since 1985, two distinct lineages of influenza B virus have co-circulated with varying dominance. The use of a four-strain influenza vaccine like AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT may now provide protection against both B lineages.5 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends annual influenza vaccination for everyone six months of age and older.6 Recently, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to include AFLURIA (Influenza Vaccine) as one of the recommended trivalent influenza vaccine options for people aged five years and older for the upcoming 2017-2018 season.11 The CDC has accepted the ACIP recommendation in its 2017-2018 influenza recommendations published in the August 25, 2017 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.9 As a result, both AFLURIA and AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT are now both licensed and recommended for people aged five years and older. AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT and AFLURIA are both available in the U.S. for the 2017-2018 influenza season as part of the extensive Seqirus influenza vaccine portfolio. Both are presented in pre-filled syringes as well as multi-dose vials, and are the only influenza vaccines with a needle-free injection delivery option (PharmaJet Stratis 0.5ML Needle-Free Jet Injector) for people aged 18 to 64 years.1,2 As the only global vaccine company solely dedicated to the prevention of influenza, the complete Seqirus portfolio of seasonal influenza vaccines includes both trivalent and quadrivalent options, manufactured using egg and cell-based technologies, to provide a wide range of options for people aged four years and older. The portfolio also includes the only adjuvanted seasonal influenza vaccine specifically developed for people 65 years and older.12 Demonstrated Immunogenicity of AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT (Influenza Vaccine) In a randomized, double-blind, active-controlled clinical trial conducted in 3,395 subjects aged 18 years and older, AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT demonstrated non-inferiority to two TIV comparators for all influenza strains contained in the vaccine. Additionally, non-inferiority was demonstrated for both endpoints in both age sub-groups, adults aged 18 through 64 years and 65 years and older for all strains. Superiority of the immune response to each of the influenza B strains contained in AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT was shown in relativity to the antibody response after vaccination with TIV formulation not containing B lineage strains for subjects 18 years of age and older. Superiority against the alternate B strain was also demonstrated for each of the influenza B strains in both age sub-groups; 18 through 64 years and 65 years and older.1 In a randomized, comparator-controlled study that enrolled 1,250 subjects aged 18 through 64 years of age, the trivalent formulation of AFLURIA (Influenza Vaccine) administered by the PharmaJet Stratis Needle-Free Injection System compared to administration of AFLURIA by needle and syringe demonstrated non-inferiority in the immunogenicity population for all strains. Post-hoc analyses of immunogenicity by age showed that younger subjects (18 through 49 years) elicited higher immunological responses than older subjects (50 through 64 years).1 In a randomized, observer-blinded, comparator-controlled trial conducted in the U.S. in 2,278 children five through 17 years of age, AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT demonstrated non-inferiority to that of a comparator vaccine containing the same recommended virus strains.1 About Seasonal Influenza Influenza is a common, highly contagious infectious disease that can cause severe illness and life-threatening complications in many people. To reduce the risk of more serious outcomes, such as hospitalization and death, resulting from influenza, the CDC encourages annual vaccination for all individuals aged six months and older.4 Because transmission to others may occur one day before symptoms develop and up to five to seven days after becoming sick, the disease can be easily transmitted to others.7 Influenza can lead to clinical symptoms varying from mild to moderate respiratory illness to severe complications, hospitalization and in some cases death.7 The CDC estimates that 310,000 people in the United States were hospitalized due to influenza-related complications during the 2015-2016 influenza season.8 Since it takes about two weeks after vaccination for the antibodies that protect against influenza virus infection to develop inside the body, it is best that people get vaccinated to help protect them before influenza begins spreading in their community.4 About Seqirus Seqirus is part of CSL Limited (ASX:CSL), headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. The CSL Group of companies employs more than 20,000 people with operations in more than 60 countries. Seqirus was established on July 31, 2015 following CSL's acquisition of the Novartis influenza vaccines business and its subsequent integration with bioCSL. As the second largest influenza vaccine provider in the world, Seqirus is a major contributor to the prevention of influenza globally and a transcontinental partner in pandemic preparedness. Seqirus operates state-of-the-art production facilities in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia, and manufactures influenza vaccines using both egg-based and cell-based technologies. It has leading R&D capabilities, a broad portfolio of differentiated products and a commercial presence in more than 20 countries. For more information visit www.seqirus.com and www.csl.com. About PharmaJet Based in Golden, Colorado, PharmaJet's mission is worldwide acceptance of PharmaJet needle-free devices as a standard of care in the vaccine delivery market. PharmaJet's devices are also integral in the development of multiple novel pharmaceuticals. The innovative Stratis device has U.S. FDA 510(k) marketing clearance, CE Mark and WHO PQS certification to deliver medications and vaccines either intramuscularly or subcutaneously. In August 2014, the PharmaJet Stratis device was cleared for delivery of an influenza vaccine to deliver needle-free flu shots. The Tropis device for intradermal injections received authorization to apply the CE Mark in May 2016. The PharmaJet Needle-free devices are safe, fast and easy-to-use. They eliminate needlestick injuries, needle reuse and cross contamination, and help reduce sharps waste disposal. For more information, visit http://pharmajet.com/. References 1. AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT (Influenza Vaccine) [prescribing information]. King of Prussia, PA: Seqirus, Inc. 2017. 2. AFLURIA (Influenza Vaccine) [prescribing information]. Cambridge, MA: Seqirus; 2017. 3. U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). "Influenza Virus Vaccine for the 2017-2018 Season." Available at: https://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Post-MarketActivities/LotReleases/ucm567865.htm. Accessed July 2017. 4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). "Key Facts About Seasonal Flu Vaccine." Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm. Accessed July 2017. 5. Hartvickson R, et al. Non-inferiority of mammalian cell-derived quadrivalent subunit influenza virus vaccines compared to trivalent subunit influenza virus vaccines in healthy children: a phase III randomized, multicenter, double-blind clinical trial. International Journal of Infectious Diseases. 2015;41:65-72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2015.11.004. Accessed July 2017. 6. CDC. "Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices - United States, 2016-17 Influenza Season." Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/rr/rr6505a1.htm. Accessed July 2017. 7. CDC. "Key Facts About Influenza (Flu)." Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm. Accessed July 2017. 8. CDC. "Seasonal Influenza-Associated Hospitalizations in the United States." Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/hospital.htm. Accessed July 2017. 9. CDC. "Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices - United States, 2017-18 Influenza Season"Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/rr/rr6602a1.htm?s_cid=rr6602a1_e. Accessed August 2017. 10. PR Newswire (News - Alert). "Seqirus receives FDA approval for AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT (Influenza Vaccine) for people 18 years of age and older." Available at: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/seqirus-receives-fda-approval-for-afluria-quadrivalent-influenza-vaccine-for-people-18-years-of-age-and-older-300319234.html. Accessed July 2017. 11. American Academy of Pediatrics News. "Core flu vaccination recommendations carry over for 2017-'18." Available at: http://www.aappublications.org/news/2017/06/21/ACIP062117. Access July 2017. 12. Business Wire. "Seqirus Begins Shipping 2017-2018 Influenza Vaccines to the U.S. Market." Available at: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170720005327/en/Seqirus-Begins-Shipping-2017-2018-Influenza-Vaccines-U.S. Accessed July 2017. AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT is a trademark of Seqirus U.K. Limited or its affiliates. PHARMAJET and STRATIS are trademarks of PharmaJet. AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT (Influenza Vaccine) Indication AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT is an inactivated influenza vaccine indicated for active immunization against influenza disease caused by influenza A subtype viruses and type B viruses contained in the vaccine. AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT is approved for use in individuals five years of age and older.1 Important Safety Information CONTRAINDICATIONS Known severe allergic reactions (e.g., anaphylaxis) to any component of the vaccine including egg protein, or to a previous dose of any influenza vaccine.1 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS If Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) has occurred within 6 weeks of previous influenza vaccination, the decision to give AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT should be based on careful consideration of the potential benefits and risks. 1 Appropriate medical treatment and supervision must be available to manage possible anaphylactic reactions following administration of the vaccine. ADVERSE REACTIONS AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT administered by needle and syringe: In adults 18 through 64 years, the most commonly reported injection-site adverse reaction was pain (=40%). The most common systemic adverse events were myalgia and headache (=20%). 1 In adults 65 years of age and older, the most commonly reported injection-site adverse reaction was pain (=20%). The most common systemic adverse event was myalgia (=10%). 1 In children five through eight years, the most commonly reported injection-site adverse reactions were pain (=50%), redness and swelling (=10%). The most common systemic adverse event was headache (=10%). 1 In children nine through 17 years, the most commonly reported injection-site adverse reactions were pain (=50%), redness and swelling (=10%). The most common systemic adverse events were headache, myalgia, and malaise and fatigue (=10%).1 AFLURIA (trivalent formulation) administered by the PharmaJet Stratis Needle-Free Injection System: In adults 18 through 64 years of age, the most commonly reported injection-site adverse reactions were tenderness (=80%), swelling, pain, redness (=60%), itching (=20%) and bruising (=10%). The most common systemic adverse events were myalgia, malaise (=30%), and headache (=20%).1 Please see full prescribing information for AFLURIA QUADRIVALENT here. AFLURIA (Influenza Vaccine) Indication AFLURIA is an inactivated influenza vaccine indicated for active immunization against influenza disease caused by influenza virus subtypes A and type B present in the vaccine.2 AFLURIA is approved for use in persons five years of age and older.2 Important Safety Information CONTRAINDICATIONS Severe allergic reaction (e.g., anaphylaxis) to any component of the vaccine including egg protein, or to a previous dose of any influenza vaccine.2 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Administration of CSL's 2010 Southern Hemisphere influenza vaccine has been associated with increased rates of fever and febrile seizures in children predominantly below the age of five years as compared to previous years. 2 If Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) has occurred within 6 weeks of previous influenza vaccination, the decision to give AFLURIA should be based on careful consideration of the potential benefits and risks. 2 Appropriate medical treatment and supervision must be available to manage possible anaphylactic reactions following administration of the vaccine. 2 Immunocompromised persons may have a diminished immune response to AFLURIA.2 ADVERSE REACTIONS In children five through 17 years of age, the most common injection-site adverse reactions when administered by needle and syringe were pain (=60%), redness (=20%) and swelling (=10%). The most common systemic adverse events were headache, myalgia (=20%), irritability, malaise and fever (=10%). 2 In adults 18 through 64 years of age, the most common injection-site adverse reactions when administered by needle and syringe were tenderness (=60%), pain (=40%), swelling (=20%), and redness, itching (=10%). The most common systemic adverse events were muscle aches (=30%) headache and malaise (=20%). 2 In adults 18 through 64 years of age, the most common injection-site adverse reactions when administered by the PharmaJet Stratis Needle-Free Injection System up to 7 days post-vaccination were tenderness (=80%), swelling, pain, redness (=60%), itching (=20%) and bruising (=10%). The most common systemic adverse events within this period were myalgia, malaise (=30%), and headache (=20%). 2 In adults 65 years of age and older, when administered by needle and syringe the most common injection-site adverse reactions were tenderness (=30%) and pain (=10%). No systemic adverse events occurred in =10% of subjects in this age group. 2 Please see full prescribing information for AFLURIA here. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914005874/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 14, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 14, 2017 | 03:05 PM | PADUCAH, KY A Paducah pair are charged with extortion in an alleged blackmail case authorities say led to a man taking his own life. The McCracken County Sheriff's Office says 22-year-old Bryant Shaw placed a classified ad soliciting prostitution on the website Backpage.com. A local man reportedly responded to the ad, but ultimately changed his mind and declined. Police say Shaw then told the man that if he didn't pay money he would expose the man publicly to his wife and family. The man paid Shaw seven payments totalling more than $2,000 over the next few weeks. Shaw demanded more money, threatening to come to the mans home to collect. Deputies said the man then went to a secluded area and took his own life after confessing to his family what was happening. Investigators later learned the ad had been a hoax, and Shaw was pretending to be the woman depicted in the photo to extort money from respondents. Detectives arrested Shaw and his alleged accomplice, 23-year-old Taylor Howard Tuesday on felony theft by extortion charges. They were booked into the McCracken County Jail. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 13, 2017 | 08:51 PM | LYON COUNTY, KY Kentucky State Police, along with local law enforcement and the mother of Trooper Joseph "Cameron" Ponder, gathered on Wednesday to remember the fallen trooper.Trooper Ponder was fatally shot on September 13, 2015 while conducting a routine traffic stop on Interstate 24 in Lyon County. Shortly thereafter, a flagpole was erected at the site of the shooting. Around the flagpole, many flowers and other remembrances have been placed over the past two years. On Wednesday, on the 2nd anniversary, KSP gathered with fellow law enforcement family and Camerons mother, to place a wreath in remembrance of Trooper Ponders life and sacrifice. Prior to the wreath laying, at 9:54 a.m., KSP observed a moment of silence in memory of Trooper Ponder, whose unit number was 954. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 13, 2017 | BOWLING GREEN, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Sep. 13, 2017 | 04:42 PM | BOWLING GREEN, KY A Union County public official has been indicted in federal court on fraud charges. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Bowling Green says Union County Judge-Executive Joseph Jenkins is charged with scheming to defraud the citizens of Union County of their right to honest services. Jenkins is accused of using his official position to enrich himself by soliciting and accepting gifts, payments, and other items in exchange for favors. According to the indictment, between March and July 2014, Jenkins solicited and accepted cash payments of around $20,000 from someone referred to as J.H. in return for the purchase of heavy equipment at below market value, to be paid for by the Union County Fiscal Court with taxpayer funds. Jenkins also allegedly asked for false and fraudulent invoices to be submitted for payment by the Union County Fiscal Court for the purchase of the equipment. If convicted at trial, Jenkins could be sentenced to 20 years in prison for each count, fined $1,000,000 and serve a three-year period of supervised release. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. State Inspector General Julie Rogers said Wednesday she was "deeply troubled" by how high child welfare caseloads continue to affect Nebraska children, families and staff. In her fifth annual report, released Wednesday, the child welfare watchdog also said she's concerned about the rising number of attempted suicides among youths in the system. The office received 45 reports of suicide attempts by 38 children in the 2016-17 fiscal year. Rogers was also critical of the Office of Probation's lack of response to her previous recommendations. The office fired back that it has no obligation to respond to Rogers. The office of inspector general was created by the Legislature in 2012 to provide accountability and oversight for child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Rogers and her staff investigate complaints and allegations of wrongdoing by agencies and individuals, deaths and serious injuries of state wards and children in the system and other critical incidents. On the issue of child welfare caseloads, Department of Health and Human Services spokesman Russ Reno said the department is working to combat its high turnover rate and expeditiously fill vacancies. It's looking closely at its training, career paths and ways to help improve job satisfaction, he said, and talking to team members in the field about ways to alleviate their workload. "We're looking at a lot of options right now," Reno said. "We appreciate the hard work of our team members out there. They are really dedicated to helping children and families." Rogers also noted concerns about the Office of Probation, which handles youths involved in juvenile justice cases. She has issued two reports since 2015 on the deaths of youths supervised by Probation, and made 13 recommendations, including how to better serve youth with developmental disabilities, along with ideas for improving internal processes. There's no evidence Probation had taken steps to implement any of the recommendations or address issues identified in the investigations into the deaths of two youths supervised by the agency, she said. Last fiscal year, the office investigated seven child deaths, including the suicide of a 17-year-old supervised by the Office of Probation who was given alternatives to detention. Rogers found those alternatives were different from those listed in law and policies. It did not address the youth's significant mental health problems, and restrictions placed on him contributed to his social isolation and perception of being a burden, she said. Another youth supervised by Probation was the victim of a homicide. The Nebraska Judicial Branch was sharp in its response to Rogers' report, saying that while it appreciates input from Rogers, it alone is responsible for probation services. Her report has no credibility, its statement said. "Nebraska judges, the Administrative Office of the Courts and Probation, and the local probation offices are doing a superb job and work in the real world and make difficult decisions and as such, have collectively light years more experience than anyone in the (Office of the Inspector General's) office in working with children and families in the court," the statement said. Reform is a process, officials said, not an event, and their efforts have been recognized and assisted by national partners. "It is unfortunate that many facts as to Probations collaborative efforts and a recent written response to (Rogers' office) were grossly omitted from the 2016-17 annual report," the statement said. Even so, the recommendations have been thoroughly considered by Probation, it said. In her report, Rogers praised progress made in the Youth Residential Treatment Centers. In the past 12 months, she said, the centers have met all nine of her recommendations on improvements to oversight and operations, taking steps to stabilize and improve the centers. "This year the (Office of Inspector General) noted a large decrease in the number of escapes and other concerning incidents at YRTC-Kearney, in particular," Rogers said. Between July 1, 2016, and June 30 this year, Rogers' office reviewed 339 critical incidents. In addition to the seven deaths, it also opened investigations into three serious injuries. It received 172 complaints, primarily related to the Department of Health and Human Services from parents, grandparents and other relatives of children, many of them about child abuse investigations and placement of children. As of June 30, Rogers' office had 34 death and serious injury investigations pending. That work has limited investigations into conditions at residential facilities, abuse and neglect in foster homes, and performance of private providers, Rogers said. Rogers has been appointed to a second five-year term, and said she will continue to provide accountability to the child welfare and juvenile justice system, and promote transparency. Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota is offering a new class for those aged 55 and older who are looking to improve their health and well-being. Stay Active and Independent for Life is similar to a previous popular program called the Bone Builder Exercise Program, but SAIL offers more movement and emphasis on balance. Classes are at First Free Church in the Winona Mall, 1213 Gilmore Ave., and are offered from 7 to 8 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Monday through Friday; and 10 to 11 a.m. Monday and Wednesday. Participants should attend two to three classes per week for the best benefit. The hourlong classes include low impact aerobics, balance exercises, strength training with dumbbells and ankle weights and stretching exercises. The program is able to accommodate people with a mild level of mobility difficulty up to those who are regularly active. The exercises focus on improving flexibility, bone and muscle strength, balance and overall fitness. A natural outcome of these fun classes is the beneficial social interaction provided along with the exercise. The SAIL program is available free and all needed equipment is provided. For more information, contact Sue Degallier, Active Aging program administrator, at 507-454-2270 extension 235 or sdegallier@ccsomn.org. The telephone came to Winona 121 years ago only four years after the brief but memorable sentence, Mr. Watson, come here, I want you. Was spoken by Alexander Graham Bell over the worlds first telephone line in a loft in Boston. Early in the year 1880, Richard Henry Hankinson, who had organized the Northwestern Telephone Exchange Co. in Minneapolis two years previously, came to Winona to see about starting a telephone exchange here. This was reported in the Jan. 27, 1880, Winona Republican as follows: The visit of R.H. Hankinson to Winona a few weeks since, in the interest of the Northwestern Telephone Exchange Co. has resulted in active steps for placing the Winona Telephone Exchange in operation in this city forthwith. Mr. Hankinson arrived in the city on Monday from Minneapolis and was engaged in superintending the general preparations for setting poles and for other necessary work. Upwards of 30 patrons of the exchange already have been secured. Great convenience The first telephone conversation in Winona took place a short time later. According to the Feb. 12, 1880, Republican: The delay in the arrival of some of the instruments still prevents active operations on the telephone exchange, but the managers are daily hoping to receive the machines and begin business. F.H. Herrick of Minneapolis is here to take charge of the office. The wires were connected with the telephone in the office of B.H. Langley this morning, and a few words were interchanged by way of trial. The exchange promises to be a great convenience in dispatching business, and of course all the leading concerns and offices in town will be attached to this popular highway of rapid communication. When the Republican next reported on the subject, the telephone exchange was already in operation. The Feb. 23, 1880, issue said: Business on the telephone exchange is steadily improving. There are now 21 offices and residences that can be called from the central office, which, by the way, is located in Room 15 Simpsons Block, just at the head of the stairs of the Center Street entrance. For the present the office is open until 10 oclock at night, but after the first of the month, it is the intention to keep it open all night as well as during the day. Long distance tried The same issue of the newspaper reported an experiment in long distance between Winona and Minneapolis. Since long distance telephone lines had not yet been established, it is very likely that railroad telegraph lines were used. Nevertheless, good results were obtained, according to the Republican, which reported: On Sunday afternoon an interesting experiment on the telephone was tried between Minneapolis and Winona. General Manager R.H. Hankinson and Supt. Prior were in the office at the end of the line and Messrs. B.H. Langley and L.R. Brooks kept up the theme of conversation on the Winona end. The conversation was not only distinctly heard, but Mr. Langley could plainly distinguish Mr. Hankinsons voice; all this in the face of the fact that a number of local wires were attached and to that extent weakened the current. Parties sitting in rooms in Winona were the telephones were could distinctly hear them laughing in the office in Minneapolis. The two cities are 125 miles apart. The experiment was a complete success. The achievements already made by the telephone give promise of still more wonderful results. The first long distance telephone line was extended from the Twin Cities to Winona in 1883. While the first experiment with long distance in 1880 was apparently successful, transmission was not always reliable in the early years. A history of the telephone in Minneapolis reports that conversation there was fairly good only as far as Lake City. Beyond that point, most of the conversation had to be repeated from some intermediate station, and in wet and stormy weather it was almost impossible to talk over the line at all. Users cautioned During electrical storms, the report continues, telephone users were cautioned not to answer or place calls, as there were no lightning protectors on telephone lines. Even the operators retired to a safe distance form the switchboard, as blue flames sometimes darted from it when lightning was severe. With the expiration of the Bell patents on the telephone in 1893, telephone competition was started by independent interests. In Winona, the Winona Telephone Co. was started in 1895 with offices on the third floor of Slades Block, 101 W. Third St. The two companies remained in operation until January 1910, when the Northwestern company purchased the Winona company and effected a complete consolidation.Others associated with the Winona Telephone Co. included Otto Troost Jr., who became secretary-treasurer in about 1898, when H.J. Willis was listed as vice president, and Paul E. Baumgartner, who became vice president in about 1906. Troost became local manager for the Northwestern company following consolidation with the Winona company. Change in 1918 The Northwestern Exchange Co., which moved its offices to 107-109 Center, second floor, around the turn of the century, continued to operate the Winona exchange until July 1, 1918, when the TriState Telephone & Telegraph Co. took over during the division of territory and separation of properties effected to eliminate competition between the two companies in the same areas. In September 1933 the Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. (the name adopted from the Northwestern Telephone Exchange Co. merged with the Iowa Telephone Co. and Nebraska Telephone Co.) acquired control of the stock of Tri-State company and in July 1942 the merger of the Tri-State company with the Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. was completed.Winona managers for the Northwestern Telephone Exchange Co., Tri-State and finally Northwestern Bell companies were as follows (the early dates being approximately the time served since accurate records are not available those years): Herrick, 180; Bartlett, 1880-1882; George F. Stitch, 1882-1887; Charles L. Edwards, 1887-1893; J.H. Roadhouse, 1893-1895; W.T. Griffin, 1895-1897; John F. Gay, 1897-1899; William H. Harter, 1899-1903; F.T. Fallows, 1903-1905; George Dodds, 1905-1913 (Dodds was listed as district manager and Troost as local manager in 1910); F.L. Harrigan, 1913-1920; Claude B. Crawford, 1920-1937; and Harold B. Law, 1937 to present. From the handful of customers served by the Northwestern Telephone Exchange Co. in 1880, the Winona exchange has grown until today it contains approximately 9,500 telephones. In 1895 there were only 175 telephones in the exchange. By 1920, this figure had increased to 3,700. In 1930 there were 4,800; in 1940, 5,000; in 1950, 8,200; and currently, 9,500. Thus in the last 15 years, the exchange has gained almost as many telephones as it did in the first 60 years. This development has been considerably faster than the gain in population, which went from 18,500 in 1910 to the current 25,000. Crank type first Although the early newspapers made no mention of the type of equipment used in Winona when telephone service was first established, the early day telephones were very likely the magneto or crank-type instruments. The present telephone building was occupied in 1904, and it is likely that at that time the change was made to manual or lift the receiver service. Dial service here dates back 25 years, the changeover being made on Saturday night, Nov. 8, 1930. The telephone company has a couple of real pioneers in the present manager, Harold B. Law, and the wire chief, M.L. Spencer. Law started his telephone career with the Western Electric Co. in Minneapolis in 1913. He was away from the telephone business for a few years prior to 1920, when he rejoined the company in St. Paul, where he remained until 1932. He held various supervisory positions in the commercial department between that time and 1937, when he became Winona manager. Spencer joined the company in Red Wing in 1908, and has been wire chief here since 1919. He now has more than 46 years of service in the telephone business. When he came here in 1919, he recalls, he had a horse and buggy, a Ford coupe, a kid on a bike and a man on foot to handle the job of installing and maintaining telephone facilities. Today the exchange maintains a force of 20 men and 10 vehicle for this purpose. One major interruption According to Spencer, the only major interruption of telephone service in Winona during his time here occurred in 1922, when wires and poles took a pasting during a sleet storm, which caused considerable damage to both local and long distance facilities. A 6-year-old girl died last weekend in the third alcohol-related fatal crash south of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation since beer sales ended in Whiteclay four months ago. Christina Roubideaux, two other children and three adults were in a minivan that flipped and rolled Saturday evening along a gravel road between Chadron and the reservation town of Oglala, South Dakota. All six people in the van were injured. Roubideaux died the next day at a Denver hospital. The driver, 32-year-old Kimberly Eagle Bull, was arrested on suspicion of motor-vehicle homicide and DUI, the Nebraska State Patrol said in a news release Wednesday. The crash comes as the Nebraska Supreme Court mulls whether beer sales should restart in Whiteclay, a tiny outpost along the South Dakota state line that has long served alcohol to the Oglala Lakota people of Pine Ridge. Alcohol is banned on the reservation. When Nebraska liquor regulators ordered all four Whiteclay beer stores to close in April, opponents of the decision warned it would lead Pine Ridge residents to drive even farther to buy alcohol, endangering themselves and others on area roads. "We know that with the closing of the stores, the folks are going to travel to get their alcohol," Rushville Mayor Chris Heiser said Wednesday. At this point, it's impossible to tell whether recent deaths represent a true uptick in fatal wrecks. "I still think it's too soon," said Sheridan County Attorney Jamian Simmons, whose county includes Whiteclay. Simmons believes this summer's fatal crashes are the most she's seen in that area in such a brief period of time, she said. But that doesn't mean it's a trend that will continue. Activists who fought to end Whiteclay beer sales argue the recent crashes are no different or more frequent than roadway deaths from before the stores closed. "The fact is that every life lost to an alcohol-related traffic fatality is one too many, but these fatalities occur throughout Nebraska all the time," said John Maisch, a former Oklahoma liquor regulator and lawyer who filmed a documentary about Whiteclay beer sales. In addition to Saturday's wreck in Dawes County, authorities in Sheridan County believe alcohol contributed to two deadly crashes this summer between Whiteclay and Rushville, which has seen its own beer sales surge since Whiteclay's stores closed. On July 2, 49-year-old Troylin Pourier rolled a pickup on Nebraska 87, the main highway running south from the reservation. Pourier, who had a blood-alcohol content three times the legal limit, died of her injuries three days later at Rapid City Regional Hospital. Tests from another deadly crash Aug. 17 show the driver's blood-alcohol content was 0.283 percent, more than three times the legal limit. Francis Ray Rencountre, 46, was taking a county road back to Pine Ridge after apparently buying beer in Rushville when he rolled his SUV, killing him and injuring a passenger. And the group of people injured in a nonfatal crash May 4 also appear to have stocked up in Rushville before driving into a ditch along Nebraska 87, Simmons said. Rescue workers and lawmen arrived to find the driver, Pamelyn Rose Watson, 38, unconscious at the wheel while still buckled in, and a nearly empty bottle of vodka tucked beneath the front passenger seat, according to court documents. A nurse later reported that Watson's blood-alcohol content tested in the "high .300s." The drivers in all three Sheridan County wrecks were from Pine Ridge, as was the driver in Saturday's crash in Dawes County. Maisch noted Pine Ridge residents were dying on Nebraska roads in alcohol-involved crashes before Whiteclay's beer stores closed. A man from the reservation town of Wounded Knee is accused of driving drunk in a March crash on Nebraska 87 that killed 21-year-old Michael Hawk of Pine Ridge. And in February 2016, 34-year-old Kerry Peters of Pine Ridge rolled her SUV and died on Slim Buttes Road, the same gravel road where the minivan crashed Saturday. If anything, Maisch said, Nebraska law enforcement should be cracking down on drunk driving and performing more compliance checks at liquor stores to ensure they aren't selling to intoxicated people. Heiser, the Rushville mayor, said he believes closing the Whiteclay stores has already resulted in preventable roadway deaths. However, he acknowledged the decision has "slowed down the violence" in Whiteclay itself. It's unclear where Eagle Bull was headed Saturday with a minivan full of adults and children. "That's probably a million-dollar question that needs to be answered," Heiser said. "Is it because the stores closed in Whiteclay in this particular incident? I don't know." Alan Jacobsen of Lincoln, another activist who supported ending Whiteclay beer sales, recounted an exchange he had with some people in Sheridan County while trying to recruit local residents to formally protest the beer stores' liquor licenses. A woman asked if Jacobsen would come to her funeral if she was killed by a drunk driver from Pine Ridge. Jacobsen countered with a question of his own: "How many funerals have all of you gone to in Pine Ridge because of Whiteclay beer sales?" A group of Jackson County landowners are appealing the dismissal of their unusual legal effort to block a proposed frac sand operation. In July, La Crosse County Circuit Judge Scott Horne dismissed the case brought by three families who sued to stop AllEnergy Sand of Des Moines from building the $130 million project in the town of Hixton on the grounds it would be a nuisance. Greg Krueger and his co-plaintiffs claimed the 750-acre mine, processing plant and rail terminal would generate air, water, noise and light pollution, destroy the landscape, deplete groundwater supplies and unreasonably interfere with their right to peaceful enjoyment of their land. One of two such cases filed on behalf of Jackson County residents, it is the first effort in Wisconsin to apply the idea of private nuisance that landowners cant use their lands in a way that harms neighboring property owners to the industry, which began rapidly expanding in western Wisconsin during the past decade to supply fine-grained sand for use in oil and gas wells. In support of their case the plaintiffs filed affidavits of a dozen people living near existing sand mining operations who complained of dust that causes chronic coughs and prevents them from opening windows, light, noise and vibration that keeps them up at night, cracked walls and fouled well water in spite of existing development agreements outlining terms of operations. Acknowledging the case hinges on inherent tensions in land-use decisions, Horne said that while it possible the proposed mine will result in the feared harms, the plaintiffs failed to show the mine would cause substantial harm and that a local ordinance and developers agreement will be insufficient. If an actual nuisance arises, Horne said, he would have the authority to order damages or a modification to the operating regulations. Attorney Tim Jacobson notified the court this week that he intends to ask an appeals court to determine if Horne erred in his conclusion and in setting too high a bar for evidence at an early stage in the legal process. The judge is not allowed to make credibility determinations at this stage, Jacobson said. Thats what a trial is for. Meanwhile the attorney for AllEnergy is asking that the plaintiffs be required to post a $35 million bond while the case is pending appeal, which could take more than a year. Dean Sukowatey, president and CEO of AllEnergy Sand, said that would cover the $10 million hes invested so far and $25 million in lost revenue. While there is no legal injunction stopping the project, Sukowatey said his investors will not move forward with the dark cloud of a pending court case. Sukowatey accused the plaintiffs of attempting to run out the clock and said they are exposing themselves to damage counter-claims. Thats a fight for another day, he said. Right now we just want to build a plant, and we cant build this plant with an overhang.Horne has yet to rule whether a similar case can proceed in which another group of landowners are attempting to stop a 945-acre mine, processing and loading facility proposed by OmniTrax about six miles to the east between Black River Falls and Alma Center.In light of his ruling in the AllEnergy case, Jacobson is in the process of filing additional affidavits by people alleging harm from neighboring sand mines. The OmniTrax facility would straddle a town line, though only one towns has a developers agreement with the company.We believe that the facts in the OmniTrax case are substantially different than the AllEnergy case, he said. The citizens in the adjacent community had no local officials negotiating on their behalf. Sen. Dianne Feinstein recently made it clear she is an anti-religious bigot who does not think someone who is a devout Roman Catholic ought to be a federal court judge. Just maybe, leftist extremists should not be senators. Feinstein, to be sure, does not always fit snugly into the leftist camp, but there are leftist warps in the Californians thinking. Such was obvious in a congressional hearing evaluating the credentials of Amy Barrett, a Notre Dame law professor nominated for the judgeship by President Donald Trump. Feinstein is opposed to her, fearing that, as a judge, she would adhere to tenets of her faith that contradict laws. The evidence? As a Wall Street Journal editorial and other sources point out, it was a document showing she would do no such thing. As a law clerk, Barrett and a co-author wrote an article about judges facing situations in which their religious conscience would not permit them to do what the law requires. The answer, the two said, was for the judges to recuse themselves. But Barrett has also made it clear she is truly of the faith, and Feinstein can just not abide this. Deeply religious people are given to insistence on dogmas that are counter to what large numbers have fought to achieve for years, she said. One thing that strikes me most immediately about this kind of talk, echoed by other Democratic senators at the hearing, is that that all kinds of secular moral convictions are held just as strongly as religious moral beliefs. Do they have a greater claim to veracity? No. A greater claim to goodness? No. Often doing more damage than good, not a few on the left see liberty-shrinking coercion as a suitable means of getting to utopian imaginings. Then theres utilitarian quantification to make the most people happy when it often does no such thing while rejecting fundamental principles. The truth is that, in this peculiar age in which we live, it is socially impermissible in the minds of the politically correct to be even undetectably offensive to just about any group but white males and Christians. Especially when the topic of Catholicism comes up, get ready for someone like comedian Bill Mahr seeking laughs by hatefully treating an ages-old, life-enriching faith standing for love as something smaller than he is. People in public office should be guided by moral understandings along with detailed knowledge and, one can hope, wisdom. But we obviously do not want those moral convictions serving as a substitute for rule of law. We do not want, for instance, what we often get: liberal justices on the Supreme Court inventing new constitutional meanings. At the same time, it is contrary to just about everything this country stands for to have some kind of religious test for public office, including when the test is itself devised in accordance with secular dogmas. At a time when religion is under assault by the so-called New Atheists and the number of churchgoers is dwindling, it might also be appropriate to point out that the Judeo-Christian tradition is what more than anything gave the West justice, liberty, the underlying morality of even many atheists, a sense of community, the maintenance of civilization and the establishment of universities. Horrible things have been done in the name of the faith just as they have been done in the name of just about any other institution you can name, but that does not mean prejudices should be left standing. I am not a Catholic, was raised a Protestant and can in fact recall bumping into anti-Catholic bigotry when I was a teenager and John F. Kennedy was running for president. I actually heard family friends rant about Catholics hiding guns in the basements of churches to help them take over the country, something that even then struck me as absurd. Kennedy, a Catholic, got elected despite all that. I am hoping Amy Barrett gets to be a federal judge. President Donald Trumps decision to deport up to 800,000 young immigrants if Congress doesnt find a solution to their status in the U.S. within six months may go down in history as one of the cruelest actions by any U.S. president along the lines of the internment of Japanese Americans in concentration camps in World War II. Trumps decision not to pardon the Dreamers young immigrants who were brought to the country as infants by their undocumented parents is morally repugnant on many fronts. It would deport hundreds of thousands of youths who had no say in their parents decision to move to the United States, and who, for all practical purposes, are Americans. Ninety-seven percent of them are in school or working and some of them like South Korean-born Jin Park are studying molecular biology at Harvard. Tomas Pindola, a 26-year-old Argentine-born Dreamer who was brought to this country at age 10, is a professor of chemistry at Miamis MAST Academy, one of the most prestigious high schools in the city. While his life would not be in danger if deported, others who were born in Honduras, Venezuela or other countries with the highest murder rates in the world could face death, he told the Agence France-Presse news service. At least one Dreamer, 31-year-old Alonso Guillen, died in Houston last week while trying to rescue victims from Hurricane Harvey. Guillen, who was born in Mexico, borrowed a boat and drove more than 100 miles from Lufkin, Texas, to Houston to help evacuate hurricane victims, the Houston Chronicle reported. His boat crashed into a bridge while he and two friends were trying to rescue people trapped in an apartment building. Guillens body was found floating in the water on Sunday. Many of the Dreamers are more American than Trump. They pay taxes (we still dont know to what extent Trump does). They serve in the Army (which Trump has never done). They havent attacked the dignity of other people because of their race or nationality (as Trump did when he described most Mexican undocumented immigrants as criminals and rapists, or when he said U.S.-born Judge Gonzalo Curiel was not suited to rule in a fraud case against Trump University because he is Mexican.) Making all of this more nauseating was the fact that Trumps decision came on the heels of his refusal for two days to condemn violent neo-Nazi and white supremacist marchers in Charlottesville, Va., and his most recent decision to pardon Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The sheriff was convicted of criminal contempt for ignoring a judges order to stop detaining suspected undocumented immigrants. Trump and his Fox News supporters argue that America is a country of laws, and that the Dreamers should thus be deported. Yet Trump pardoned Arpaio, a convicted criminal, but did not pardon 800,000 law-abiding youths who were trying to live the American dream. But one of the most dangerous side effects of Trumps decision on the Dreamers is that it will send a tacit message that its not safe to trust the U.S. government. These young people trusted the U.S. government when they enrolled in DACA Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and gave their names and addresses, under the promise that the information provided in this request is protected from disclosure to immigration and border officials. Will the Trump administration now use these names and addresses to pick up these kids at their homes and deport them? What kind of precedent does that set for future government promises? If the White House were to ask next that the estimated 11 million undocumented residents step forward to report terrorism threats to police under the promise that no actions would be taken against them, could anybody blame them for not doing it? We are witnessing an American tragedy, right in front of our eyes. We can only hope that Congress acts to undo one of the darkest chapters of recent American history. The Columbus Area Historical Society was started seven years ago to preserve the unique history of the Columbus area. In that time a small group of dedicated volunteers have collected photos and artifacts and raised funds through ornament sales, brat fries and chili and soup luncheons. Many hours have been donated to researching genealogy, the Memory Lane section of the Columbus Journal, obtaining our 501c3 tax exemption. We received a grant from the Columbus Area Endowment and donated $500 to the Fireman's Park Pavillion. The group has accomplished a lot in those seven years. Recently we were invited to move into the public library annex and we have joined several other groups at that location. If you attended the annex open house last Saturday, you saw that the room the society has, will be perfect for research, but will not allow us space for permanent displays or storage. We have, however, been offered more space in a downtown building which offers more room to grow. This building would give us much needed space for storage and permanent displays and provides a meeting space, not only for us, but other groups as well. It also will take one unused store front out of circulation. This is were the community has an opportunity to help the society preserve Columbus history and display our history to visitors. To accomplish this, we will need local volunteers and local donations of money and historic items. If you are interested in history or genealogy or just want to help, please join the society this Monday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Columbus Public Library Annex (Dering/Sheard house). We will discuss many topics involving the use of this possible new downtown location. Please join us. Dan Wagner, President Columbus Area Historical Society Billiejo Scharfenbergs passion for art and giving children a safe, fun outlet to express themselves led her to embark on a new dream a few months ago. Scharfenberg, who grew up near Spring Green, returned to the area three years ago after living in Connecticut for more than two decades. Scharfenberg believes art can touch lives and heal emotional wounds. When Artistic Expressions owner Peggy Dennison was looking for a new art director last winter, Scharfenberg jumped at the opportunity. Scharfenberg took over the role last February. I believe art can change peoples lives Ive seen it happen, Scharfenberg said. Scharfenberg shared the story of a friend in Connecticut who changed her life through art. Her friends life was once consumed with partying and drug use, but she began quilting and found a new passion to pursue. Whenever she thought about taking a drink or doing drugs, she would pick up her quilt and start quilting, Scharfenberg said. It saved her. It changes peoples lives. It keeps you from falling into the dark corners of the universe and giving up on yourself. In her new role, Scharfenberg is hoping to transform lives in Mauston. She has already increased programs for both children and adults at the studio, which opened in 2016. After finishing high school, Scharfenberg moved to the New England area and built a life on the East Coast for 23 years. She never expected to move back to the area, but has embraced Juneau County. Her parents also live near Mauston so shes excited to be closer to family. Scharfenberg spent several years working as an artist in Connecticut. Now here I am with this new adventure, Scharfenberg said. Making art with people, encouraging their creativity. Letting them know its OK to be a little different, its OK to make art and be creative. Scharfenberg said shes always felt the urge to express her creative side through art. She said she has wanted to be artist since age 4. Through the years, she developed a niche for designing projects through glass and copper. Scharfenberg has spent the past few months transforming Artistic Expressions to match a vision shared with Dennison. She said when she came to the studio in February it felt like a daycare. As she walked through the studio during a recent day in August, pointing out a variety of projects, Scharfenberg said she doesnt feel the daycare vibe anymore. One of my goals is to develop a kids art club because I know in schools, art programs are one of the first things to go, Scharfenberg said. I want to incorporate an after-school club. The director also plans to create an adult art club, noting the Mauston area has many talented artists. I want to bring them together so we dont have that feeling of being alone all the time, Scharfenberg said. We can have that community of creative thinkers come together and see what we can do to improve our community. Currently, Artistic Expressions hosts multiple classes, including an open art session where participants can pick any project they wish to work on. I used to manage art galleries so about every six weeks I would have an art show, Scharfenberg said. I want to do that here, too. I want to display the work of local artists. I dont think thats something thats done in this town. I havent seen it. Dennison thinks Scharfenberg will do a great job connecting with the areas youth. There are so many people here who are talented and gifted, Dennison said. Coming together as a community and being able to encourage that in our young people is so good. I really feel like that is the basis for future growth, especially in struggling communities like Mauston. How they can come together through art. Dennison also co-owns Two Sisters Event Center, which is on the second floor of 234 West State Street, the building that also houses Artistic Expressions. Dennison would like to see both businesses become a center of attention in downtown Mauston. We want to let the community know were here to stay, not that if this doesnt work out were closing our doors and leaving, Dennison said. Billiejo really stood out to us. Shes extremely gifted artistically and people love her. People walk in and shes very welcoming. People have gravitated to her thats one of her super qualities, she has a way of connecting to people. For more information on Artistic Expressions, contact Scharfenberg at 608-350-0610. The studio is closed Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. Black Friday? Check. Holiday weekend? Check. Unofficial food hangover day? Naturally. Meanwhile, here's what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. (You can also get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.) 1. Russia investigation 2. Zimbabwe Zimbabwe has a new president. Emmerson Mnangagwa has been sworn in as the country's new leader following Robert Mugabe's resignation this week after nearly four decades of rule. Mnangagwa was vice president under Mugabe, and has vowed to serve as the interim president until elections are held next year. Known as "The Crocodile" for his political cunning and longevity, the 75-year-old Mnangagwa fled the country after Mugabe fired him earlier this month, a dismissal that triggered the political turmoil and apparent military coup that led to Mugabe stepping down. 3. Submarine search The search for a missing Argentine sub carrying 44 crew members continues, and the latest news isn't good. The Argentine navy says a noise detected near the last known location of the sub on the day it vanished was consistent with an explosion. A spokesman called the sound "an anomalous, singular, short, violent and non-nuclear event." Teams from a dozen nations have been searching by air and sea for the ARA San Juan, which was last contacted off the coast of Argentina on November 15. Experts say the sub has enough air to last seven to 10 days, if it remains fully underwater. 4. Oscar Pistorius A South African high court more than doubled the prison sentence of Oscar Pistorius, the former Olympic and Paralympic sprinter who was charged with murder after shooting and killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013. Pistorious previously was sentenced to six years in prison for the murder, which he says was an accident after he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder. Prosecutors argued the punishment was too lenient, and this new ruling increases Pistorius' sentence to 13 years and five months. Steenkamp's family says she "can now rest in peace" after a more appropriate allotment of justice has been served. 5. Rohingya crisis Could the path be paved for the persecuted Rohingya to return to their homeland? Myanmar and Bangladesh have signed a memorandum of understanding on the return of possibly hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees to their homes in Myanmar's Rakhine state, but details -- like how such a return would be orchestrated and whether the refugees' safety could be guaranteed -- are fuzzy. An estimated 615,000 Rohingya refugees have fled across the border into Bangladesh since August, when a new outbreak of violence began between the Myanmar military and armed militants in the area. BREAKFAST BROWSE People are talking about these. Read up. Join in. These are the 11 hottest toys for this holiday season Let's see, there are creepy finger puppet monkeys and ... a Teddy Ruxpin? What year is it?! Your deep-fat fryer could actually help cool the Earth This is absolutely not an excuse to deep-fry the holiday ham. A homeless vet gave a woman his last $20, so she helped raise thousands to thank him And it makes for the most perfectly delicious post-Thanksgiving story. Increasing light pollution may mean the end of starry nights This virtual AI politician wants to run for office Or, the latest thing to make you wonder if we're actually just living in a dystopian novel. AND FINALLY ... The ideal holiday dinner Lots of pets and no talking? This is how we're trying to be. (Click here to view.) CNN's Evan Perez, Jim Sciutto, Katelyn Polantz and Marshall Cohen contributed to this report. After more than a decade of citizen complaints about unsafe drinking water and years of pressure from the federal government, Wisconsin may tighten controls on dairy manure disposal in places where water is most susceptible to health-threatening contamination. The state hasnt previously created different standards for farmers in different parts of the state. The move was forced by ineffectiveness of existing statewide rules to remedy hazardous drinking. The state Department of Natural Resources is holding hearings this week on proposed limits for liquid manure farmers can deposit on fields in 15 counties where disease pathogens drain quickly into the aquifer through thin layers of topsoil and fractured bedrock. This is the first time the state has recognized one size doesnt fit all in the diverse land use and geology that we have here, said Jim VandenBrook, director of Wisconsin Land and Water, which represents county soil and water conservation personnel. Thats a big deal. Conservation groups said the DNRs draft rules are a good first step made up of compromises reached after two years of talk, but scientific evidence shows more of the states drinking water needs protection and standards should be even more stringent. Breadth of effort at issue In contrast, a Wisconsin Dairy Business Association lobbyist said the proposal was fairly well suited to address some problems, but the association opposes the regulations breadth, questioned whether limits were too strict, and maintained that smaller farms should be forced to comply just like large ones. This is tied to a goal other than growing crops well, which is fine, but we want to find a way to be protective of water and grow crops well, said association lobbyist John Holevoet. We want those numbers to be checked and agronomically sound. The association is made up of large and small farms, but its board is dominated by large feedlot operators who must comply with rules, Holevoet said. State law doesnt require compliance by small farms unless they accept government grants that are in short supply. VandenBrook, whose association is made up of county employees who work with farmers on environmental protection, said the proposal could clean up drinking water, but government and industry groups must work to ensure broad participation including voluntary compliance by many small farms. VandenBrook estimated that the rule change would be enforceable for about 40 percent to 50 percent of acreage in areas it covers. Farm associations should push members to follow the rules, he said. You only need a few holes in the network and you can contaminate wells, VandenBrook said. This ongoing set of water crises in the northeast part of the state isnt good for the agriculture industry and isnt good for dairy. More than 30 percent of wells tested in Kewaunee County, which has a high concentration of large dairy feedlots, have been tainted with bacteria from livestock. Recent random testing has found higher rates of contamination. But there is a larger area with similarly vulnerable groundwater, including counties in the southern part of the state that the DNR doesnt propose to cover with the new rules, said Sarah Geers, an attorney for Midwest Environmental Advocates. Areas still vulnerable Contaminants can cause serious illnesses, but outside Kewaunee County awareness of the problem isnt high, and residents who suffer flu-like symptoms may not realize they could be coming from tainted well water, Geers said. Other parts of the state are still vulnerable to groundwater contamination, said Scott Laeser of Clean Wisconsin, which joined Midwest Environmental Advocates in petitioning the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to intercede in Wisconsin. State geologist Ken Bradbury said the fractured bedrock in the southwestern part of the state is often covered by more topsoil that sometimes includes clay, which can help slow the downward flow of pollutants. The regions hilly terrain and deep aquifer make it more difficult and expensive to monitor, Bradbury said. We believe that (southwestern Wisconsin) is a vulnerable area, but there just hasnt been as much research or monitoring done in the southwest as in the northeast, Bradbury said. I think that is why the new regulations are focused on the northeast. Rules currently forbid large animal feedlots statewide from spreading liquid manure where there is less than 2 feet of topsoil. Topsoil seen as key factor The proposed changes would add limits for places with up to 20 feet of topsoil in Brown, Calumet, Dodge, Door, Fond du Lac, Kenosha, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Milwaukee, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha counties, based on soil type and depth to bedrock. The dairy association accepts the proposed restrictions on topsoil that is 5 feet thick or less, but opposes limits for topsoil between 5 feet and 20 feet thick, because mapping of those areas is insufficient, Holevoet said. Maureen Muldoon, a UW-Oshkosh geologist who was involved in studies that form the proposals foundation, said restrictions in the 5- to 20-foot zone simply call on farmers to be careful. Water-carrying pollutants pass through 18 feet of topsoil in 24 hours in places like Kewaunee County, Muldoon said. The DNR and a task force that studied northeastern Wisconsin rated the vulnerability of groundwater below fractured bedrock as extreme with 5 feet or less of topsoil, high with 5 feet to 15 feet, and significant with 15 to 50 feet. Risk is increased by features like sinkholes that create faster conduits, and risk can be lessened by substantial layers of clay-like soil. The proposed rules spell out other restrictions on manure-spreading based on such factors as rain, frozen ground and proximity of wells that already apply to large feedlots, and make them applicable to smaller farms. Meetings scheduled in Green Bay, Madison The DNR will provide information and listen to comments in meetings starting at noon Friday in Green Bay and in Madison. Written comments will be accepted through Oct. 4. After that, the Natural Resources Board, Gov. Scott Walker, and members of the Legislature will be asked to approve the rules, which could take effect next summer. The DNR initially wanted to rewrite a broader set of rules, but after Walker shared the proposal with agriculture groups, including the dairy association, objections were voiced and the DNR narrowed the effort. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy A Nebraska man has lost his lawsuit accusing officers of the Nebraska State Patrol, Beatrice Police Department and Gage County Sheriff's Office of excessive force in a 2014 DUI arrest. Billy O'Keefe, 31, filed the case in U.S. District Court in January 2016, when he was in prison, but failed to update the court with his current address when he was released, according to an order last month. Senior U.S. District Judge Richard Kopf gave him 20 days to update it. When that didn't happen, he dismissed the case late last week. O'Keefe had sought $1.7 million, alleging that a Nebraska State Patrol trooper and a Beatrice police officer slammed him to the ground when they arrested him for DUI in Beatrice on March 29, 2014, leaving his jaw fractured in two places and a tooth cracked. He pleaded guilty to DUI, resisting arrest and misdemeanor assault on an officer with bodily fluids in connection to the stop and was sentenced to prison for 3 years 8 months to 6 years 2 months. Shakira Choonara Shakira Choonara is a young leader, researcher and activist at the forefront of public health both locally and internationally. In 2013 she accepted a position as an NRF intern at the Centre for Health Policy, University of the Witwatersrand. She is currently awaiting graduation for her doctoral studies in Public Health, which she pursued in 2014, focusing on strengthening financial management in the South African health sector. In 2015, the resident of the United Nations General Assembly invited her to attend the UN General Assembly as a youth representative of South Africa for the adoption of the historic Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Summit. During Womens Month in 2016, she was profiled on various local and national radio stations for her role in healthcare and was subsequently invited to give the keynote address at the opening of the Junior Public Health Conference held in East London. Some of her awards include the Emerging Voice (EV) for Global Health 2014; European Union (EU) Development Days Future Leader for Health 2015; and the Women of the Year in Healthcare Award from the Women of Stature Network, 2017. Cindy Lange-Kubick Columnist Cindy Lange-Kubick has loved writing columns about life in her hometown since 1994. She had hoped to become a people person by now, nonetheless she would love to hear your tales of fascinating neighbors and interesting places. Follow Cindy Lange-Kubick Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today They read the diary when they were girls growing up in Stockholm. The words of their great-great-grandmother, Augusta Soderholm, who died when she was 28 but had lived like royalty, traveling and chasing off suitors. All these guys who proposed to her and she thought they were stupid, says Sara Azzam, the older of the two Swedish sisters. She wrote about boyfriends and going to balls and what to wear. Back in the '70s, the sisters turned the copied pages, as exciting and tragic as a Jane Austen novel. Then Sara moved to Nebraska to go to college. She stayed and married and raised four kids and had a career as a scientist at Celerion. Her sister, Kerstin Melin, still lives in Stockholm. Next week, they will meet there and set off on Part 2 of Augustas Journey, dressed in 1847-era chic. This has kind of taken over my life, Sara says from her East Campus living room, surrounded by petticoats and shawls, ball gowns and bonnets. Sara is 63 and semi-retired. Her childhood interest in the diaries was renewed a decade ago, when she began to research her ancestors suitors and travels with the help of a 21st century invention called the internet. It was so interesting and I thought, you know, we should just redo that trip (Augusta took) to Germany. Her sister agreed. And: She thought it would be interesting to do it as an historical re-enactment. Historical, hysterical. Think Chautauqua without a bandstand. Think Civil War battle portrayals with civility. Think old cotton nightgowns and lace-trimmed night caps, hat boxes and parasols in the overhead bin on airplanes. We decided to make the clothing and one thing led to another, it became almost addictive, Sara says, explaining the historical research, the many trips to thrift stores, the hours ripping apart and stitching together, the proper way to starch a petticoat. (Dip it in a bath of cornstarch and water and hang to dry.) On Tuesday, she was still deciding which dress to wear to retrace the back-to-nature segment of Augustas long-ago trip. A topic shed also pondered previously in her blog: How wonderful it will be to hike in Saxon Switzerland National Park, in a dress with several layers of petticoats. Indeed, she had a rough idea. The sisters had embarked on a test run in May, Part 1 of Augustas Journey, tracing a route their ancestor had taken through the canals of Sweden as a 23-year-old. We wanted to see, does it work to travel this way? And it did. You experience things really differently when youre walking with these wide dresses, Sara says. You start watching your language, you talk more softly. Its almost like youre in a movie, but its your movie. Speaking of movies, Kerstins son shot a video as they left port aboard the M/S Juno the worlds oldest registered cruise ship and sailed away with their lace kerchiefs waving, catching the eyes of perplexed fellow travelers. That was one of three standard reactions to their getups, Sara said. Some people were curious and asked what was going on, she said. (Were they filming a scene for a movie?) Some avoided eye contact. (If I dont look, maybe they will go away.) And there are lots of tourists to Sweden, Sara said, who think this is just how we dress in Sweden. A newspaper caught up with them during their voyage and published a feature story. And the sisters are keeping their own not-so-private diaries blogs and Instagram and a Facebook page written in English and Swedish, filled with 19th century art and literary links and photos of finished ball gowns. For their upcoming tour of Germany, theyll travel by steam engine passenger trains and steamer although theyll start out from Stockholm Central Station with the morning commuters, looking like the Bronte sisters in Skechers. Their two-week route is set. A boutique hotel in Lubeck with a family tie. A few days in Berlin and a visit to the opera (thus the ball gowns), followed by Dresden and a national park in the south. Theyll head to Prague before boarding the train back to Hamburg and home. Augusta died of tuberculosis in 1855, six years after she first wrote about coughing up blood in her diary. By then, shed said I do to one of her many suitors and left behind a grieving husband and a 1-year-old daughter named Gerda. Gerda married an Army officer and had six children. One of her daughters Eva gave birth to a boy named Pontus who became the father of two smart and curious girls named Sara and Kerstin, who set out to understand the life of a young, wealthy, Swedish girl in the mid-1800s. From her living room in Lincoln, Sara the scientist holds up a pair of lacy white gloves a friend crocheted for her. She waves her hand in the air fingerless. So I can use my iPhone. VIMS teams up to demo new coastal-mapping technologies Geoprobe transport: VIMS professor Christopher Hein transports his Geoprobe drill rig to sample barrier-island sediments along Virginias seaside Eastern Shore. Photo courtesy of VIMS Photo - of - Hide Caption Governor will visit Wallops to learn about benefits to Virginias barrier-island spaceport Barrier islands make a great location for a spaceport think Cape Canaveral and Wallops Island because rockets can launch over water, minimizing hazards to people and infrastructure. But that seaside location comes with a cost barrier islands are among the most ephemeral of landscapes, changing shape and size with tides, currents, storms, sediment supply and todays rising seas. Now, researchers including Christopher Hein of William & Marys Virginia Institute of Marine Science are joining forces to demonstrate how new coastal-mapping technologies can help better understand and sustain NASAs Flight Facility and Virginias Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island. Project partners include Art Trembanis of the University of Delaware and Michael Fenster of Randolph-Macon College, with seed funding from Virginias Center for Innovative Technology. On Friday, Sept. 22, the team will meet with Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson and other state and federal dignitaries on Wallops Island to demonstrate technologies available for studying the complex above- and below-ground dynamics of barrier-island systems. The technologies include side-scan sonar, autonomous underwater and aerial vehicles, an autonomous kayak, ground-penetrating radar, a seismic-reflection profiler and mobile coring rigs. The demonstration will be hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Resilience Institute. Established in 2014, this multi-state partnership brings climate-change research to bear in helping local and regional leaders make coastal communities and habitats more resilient. "Barrier-island dynamics are of growing interest to land managers of coastal states and counties given observed and forecasted accelerations in sea-level rise and increases in coastal-storm intensity," says Fenster, a coastal geologist with previous experience in Wallops Shoreline Restoration and Infrastructure Protection Program. "Our effort will provide the best science available to make this area resilient, taking into account all stakeholder interests." Our demonstration will showcase how we can use state-of-the-art research instruments to collect data from air, land, and sea, says Hein, who has studied barrier-island systems from New England to Brazil. He will demonstrate the coring rigs and radar equipment he and his students use to probe beneath the land and water surface, where alternating layers of sand, peat, and soil record past shifts in the configuration of beaches, dunes, marshes, and uplands. Trembanis, a VIMS alumnus who now directs UDs Coastal Sediments, Hydrodynamics, and Engineering Lab, says, Autonomous systems offer unique opportunities for collecting data in areas previously deemed inaccessible. One of our primary goals is to demonstrate the capability to leverage multiple types of autonomous systems for collecting data in a barrier-island environment. The research team hopes their demonstration will serve as proof-of-concept for a larger scale, holistic study of the entire Wallops Island region, which in addition to its aerospace facilities also includes two national wildlife refuges, a national seashore, several quaint seaside villages, and of course a herd of much-loved ponies. Our overarching goal, says Hein, is to predict how Wallops Island will respond to future climate conditions based on how the system has responded in the past. Understanding those past changes will provide a critical planning and management tool for both the flight facility and the spaceport. NASA has already invested more than $45 million to protect the islands $1 billion in federal and state assets. The Wallops Flight Facility, established in 1945, now serves as NASAs principal hub for sub-orbital programs, including the launch of sounding rockets, scientific balloons, and research aircraft. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport, established by Virginia in 1997, adds the capacity for orbital launches, including frequent re-supply trips to the International Space Station. The Commonwealth also recently added a runway for the launch of unmanned aircraft. Wallops Island itself is part of an intricate and rapidly changing barrier-island system that includes Chincoteague and Assateague islands plus an array of inlets, bays, points, and coves. This system will continue to evolve as climate change and sea-level rise affect the region. Different scenarios will impact Wallops in different ways, says Hein. By using a holistic suite of tools and techniques to unravel the past and present dynamics of this system, were confident we can provide insight into which scenario is most likely. That would provide a valuable decision-making tool for NASA, Virginia, and other stakeholders in the region. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Concerned parents, retired teachers and advocates for sexual assault victims gathered outside the Lincoln Children's Zoo on Thursday, all energized by their shared opposition to U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Helping organize the protest as a concerned parent, Lou Braatz handed out signs with pictures of scientists, artists, musicians, social activists and political figures, among them Mozart, Golda Meir, Harriet Tubman and Freddie Mercury. While were having this great national conversation about symbolism and statues, why not have statues of people we should be teaching about and honoring? Braatz said. Why organize? Braatz said he holds educators in high esteem and worries about the effects of budget cuts on the public school system what he calls the greatest infrastructure investment Americans can make. Ahead of DeVos' visit to Lincoln's zoo school, Deb Levitov shot off a Facebook message Wednesday to the more than 800 members of Suit Up-Nebraska, a spinoff of the online community Pantsuit Nation that supported Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. I think the biggest concern is DeVos is very in favor of charter and independent schools, which siphons money away from public schools, Levitov said, adding she was glad to have the education secretary visit Nebraska to see the quality of the states public education system. Nearby, two women held signs pointing to a statement made by DeVos last week of her plans to rescind an Obama administration directive requiring broader responses to reports of campus sexual assault under Title IX. Alexis Lipson, who described herself as a victim of sexual assault who now helps others as a victim advocate, said Title IX protections weren't there for her when she was in college. The changes the Obama administration made helped survivors feel like they were actually supported and not terrified to come forward, Lipson said. By 2 p.m., about 200 protesters stretched along A Street, many of them holding signs. Despite the heat, Pat Etherton, a retired teacher at Belmont Elementary School and Park Middle School, made her statement by dressing as the beloved Dr. Seuss character from The Cat in the Hat. Etherton said any push for choice in schools didnt make sense, especially coming on a visit to the LPS science focus program. We have all these alternatives, we have all these choices in Nebraska, she said. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said Wednesday during her first stop in Nebraska that Midland Universitys coding class is a great example of the innovation she's highlighting on her six-state tour. Our goal is to help everyone, including educators and students, begin to think differently about how they do school and this is a really great example here of meeting students where theyre at and really addressing needs in a community, she said. DeVos came to Midland's new Omaha campus Wednesday evening, talked to students and teachers, and offered a few comments to the media crowded into the room. DeVos, noting that there are 400 jobs in the fields of coding and web design in the Omaha area, said the coding program is a good example of creating flexible and relevant courses. The 11 students in the class part of a 10-month web foundation academy introduced themselves to DeVos when she arrived, about an hour later than scheduled. The students are taking the class for various reasons: training for a new career, getting skills to enhance their current jobs, and those looking for something different than a four-year degree. DeVos said she hopes to make the federal education department better able to support higher education, looking more holistically at how the department approaches it, and focusing more on associate degrees and other career-related education. Frankly, I think weve done a disservice to young people for many years by suggesting the only path to success is through a four-year college or university, she said. This is a great example here today of ... different pathways and options. Asked about whether she thinks charter schools should be authorized in Nebraska one of six states that don't allow them DeVos said her goal is to make sure parents have the ability to make the right choice for their kids, whether in traditional school settings or charters. I visited a lot of schools over the last number of months, many of those approaching education differently than the approach undertaken for many years. I think thats really good. We need more of that ... its not a matter of supporting what kind of school, but really supporting a full range of choice so that students needs are best met." Nebraska Education Commissioner Matt Blomstedt, who was with DeVos for her visit to Midland, said hes proud that Nebraska schools were chosen to highlight innovation. DeVos will visit two schools in Lincoln on Thursday: St. Mary's Catholic School and Lincoln Public Schools' science focus program. Her day will start with a trip to Nelson Mandela Elementary School in Omaha from 7:50-9:30 a.m., followed by a visit to St. Mary's Catholic School, 1434 K St., in Lincoln from 10:30-11:30 a.m., and ending with a visit to the LPS zoo school, 1222 S. 27th St., from noon-2 p.m. Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Steve Joel made it clear Wednesday he's going to make a strong case for public schools during DeVos' visit. "Students are very excited about this," he said at a news conference. "It's not a very long visit, but we hope to engineer it in a way that a lot of information is conveyed and she gets an opportunity to see what's right about public education in Nebraska because we think theres a lot right, especially in Lincoln." Joel said he's well aware of the push for charter schools, vouchers and tax credits around the country and in Nebraska. "Her tour is designed to rethink schools. We're a public school. We're a proud public school ... with a community that supports us, and we are going to take it very, very seriously that we are representing all of the voices of public education." Joel said the 20-year-old science focus program, known as zoo school, is one of the district's "showcase programs" and LPS officials are proud that DeVos requested a visit. Wednesday evening, a small group of protesters gathered in the Midland parking lot before DeVos' arrival, and her scheduled stops in Lincoln have prompted concern from some parents and other Lincoln residents who worry the purpose is to further an agenda to promote privatized education. DeVos, a former Republican Party chairwoman in Michigan, is a longtime supporter of school choice and a force behind the spread of charter schools in her home state. Her nomination by President Donald Trump and narrow confirmation in the Senate drew spirited protests, as have previous visits to schools. Those who oppose her support of charter schools will be visible Thursday in Lincoln. The group Suit Up Nebraska-Lancaster County, which has about 800 followers, has issued a call to action on Facebook for people to gather on the west side of 27th Street across from the zoo on Thursday to show their support for public schools. Lincoln Police Capt. Mike Woolman said police are encouraging those who plan to gather during DeVos' visit to the focus program to park in the overflow zoo lot south of A Street. The Lincoln Children's Zoo will be closed to accommodate DeVos' visit, which is not open to the public. Stand for Schools and the Nebraska State Education Association have planned a peaceful, positive celebration of Nebraskas public schools at a 5 p.m. rally at The Bay, 2005 Y St. We want to show our support for all the good things public schools can do when theyre not worrying about charter schools and funding schemes and about money being taken away from those programs, said Karen Kilgarin, NSEA director of government relations and public affairs. DeVos' Nebraska visits comes after stops at schools in Wyoming and Colorado schools. She also will head to a school in Overland Park, Kansas, later Thursday and will also visit schools in Missouri and Indiana as part of her Rethink School tour. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Pascoag Utility District line foreman Chris Piccard, left, and first-class lineman Doug Menard, are among utility crews from across New England that have traveled to Florida to help restore power to millions of people who were effected by Hurricane Irma. About 26 countries have made military service compulsory. Some countries, like Israel, have made it mandatory for both women to enroll in military service. However, most countries require only men to serve in the military for a specified duration of time. The age of enrollment differs from one country to another. Countries with Mandatory Military Service North Korea In North Korea, military service is compulsory for both men and women. However different terms apply for both groups. Men have to complete 10 years in the military service. On the other hand, since 2015, North Korean women must serve in the military from the time they graduate from high school until they attain the age of 23. As a result of this training, North Koreas military is made up of a large army of 6,445,000 military personnel, one of the world's largest armies. Out of these, 945,000 are on active duty while 5,500,000 are reserve forces. Israel Israel has been the pacesetter in mandatory military service for decades. Participation in the military has been compulsory for both men and women. For some time, there was a limitation to the combat duties that women could engage in. However, in 1994, after a lawsuit against the Israeli Defense Army by Alice Miller for not being allowed to fly a plane, women can now engage in all combat positions. Mandatory military service is exempt for nursing and expectant mothers. Furthermore, there are some people who are excluded from the service due to their religious affiliations. Mandatory military service for all citizens could be an explanation for Israel being among the countries that spend most on military per capita. Most recently, though, there have been discussions around re-evaluating the practice of mandatory military service in Israel. Only time will tell whether the government will revise it or not. Norway Norway has an interesting history of military service. It is mandatory for all men to be enrolled for military service from the age of 19-44. For women, this was not the practice. This is despite the fact that gender equality is a significant issue in Norway. In Parliament, the threshold of women representation is 40% and the same is the case with board members of public companies. So in 2016, Norways parliament passed a bill that would include women in the military service training in a bid to promote gender equality! This bill was effective from summer 2016 and all women aged 19-44 were required to enroll. Why Make Military Service Mandatory? Mandatory military service for most countries is for enhanced security. Countries which face enormous security threats require a large army. As such they prefer training many men and women and make them part of the reserve forces for activation whenever there is a need for more people in the military service. Consequently, many countries such as North Korea and Israel have spent a large chunk of their national budgets in meeting training costs and investing in superior weaponry. Where Is Cuba? Cuba is an island country in the northern Caribbean, and is the meeting point of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. It is located north of Jamaica, south of Florida, and west of Haiti. The capital city of Cuba is Havana, which is the destination for most flights from Miami International Airport in Florida, United States. The distance between Cuba and Miami is 300 miles. Where Is Miami? Miami is Florida's major port city in the coastal region of the Atlantic Ocean. The city hosts an international airport that serves more than 35 million passengers each year. Miami is the center of international trade, cultural diversity, economic development, and politics. The cigar shops and cafes alongside the Calle Ocho in Little Havana bring about the influence that Miami has towards Cuba. Travel by Air A direct flight from Miami to Havana, Cuba takes less than one hour. Some of the airlines operating the Miami-Cuba flight route include American Airlines, Havana Air, and Delta. The airlines are the service providers in the two primary destinations, as well as other small Cuban cities that have international airports. Moreover, Miami International Airport operates several daily flights to Cuba, most of which land in Havana, and at least one to other minor airports. Another airport offering direct flights from Miami to Cuba is Jose Marti International Airport, which is the largest airport in Cuba. Other international airports, such as Abel Santamaria International, offer that flight, and usually at low prices. Furthermore, the Miami-Havana route is the cheapest option when flying between Miami and Cuba. Travel by Sea The travel time by boat between Miami to Cuba is highly dependent on the weather and the type of boat, but it takes approximately ten hours on a high speed ferry. Some major ferry companies offering services authorized by the United States include Airline Brokers Company and United Caribbean Lines Florida. Ferry services are offer reasonable prices, restaurants, swimming pools, and shopping. Cuba and USA relations The relationship between the United States was severed during the Cold War in 1961. As a result, the United States government created policies aimed at isolating Cuba in economic and diplomatic matters. In 2008, Barrack Obama, president of the United States at that time, conducted fruitful talks with Raul Castro, the Cuban leader, to restore economic and diplomatic ties between the nations. Consequently, these talks have eased travel restrictions between the two countries. However, President Donald J. Trump has changed some of Obama's actions and indicated the possibility of rolling back the business ties between the nations. The Republic of Croatia is situated between Central and Southeastern Europe. It covers an area of about 21,851 square miles of which 21,782 square miles is land and the rest of the area is covered by water. In the Middle Ages, Croatia was subdivided into counties, however, the counties were abolished in the 1920s. The counties were reintroduced in 1992 with the country currently subdivided into 20 counties. The counties are further divided into 127 cities and several municipalities. Croatia is also divided into four historical and cultural regions which are further subdivided into other smaller regions. The four regions include Croatia Proper, Dalmatia, Slavonia, and Istria. 4. Croatia proper Croatia Proper is not legally defined by Croatian law with its borders described differently by different sources. It encompasses the territories around Zagreb, situated between Slavonia and the Adriatic Sea. The area is an important economic region, accounting for about 50% of the countrys GDP. Most of Croatia Proper form part of the Continental Croatia. The region comprises of other smaller regions including Croatian Littoral, Gorski Kotar, Moslavina, and Prigorje among other regions. The region also includes some of the largest rivers flowing in Croatia such as Sava, Drava, and the Kupa. Croatia proper experiences a continental climate with the mean monthly temperature ranging from -30C AND 180C.According to the 2011 census, the ten regions of Croatia Proper including Zagreb had a total population of 2.4 million people, representing 56% of countrys population. The majority of the population lives in the capital Zagreb. The population density in the region is between from 155 to 10 persons per square kilometers. Croats account for the largest portion (92%) the people in Croatia Proper with Serbs accounting for only 3.4%.Croatia Proper is an important economic region, responsible for over 50% of the countrys GDP. The capital Zagreb contributes over 31% of Croatias GDP, with the city representing the bulk of the economy of Croatia Proper. The major components of the Zagrebs economy include wholesale and retail which account for 38% of its economic income. Other important industries include processing, energy, electric power, and natural gas industries. Companies that have their headquarters in Croatia Proper are some of the largest income companies in the country, with 27 of 30 best companies in Croatia based in the region. 3. Dalmatia The region of Dalmatia derived its name from the Dalmatae tribe, connected to the Illyrian tribe. The word delme means sheep with the Latin word Dalmatia giving rise to the current English name. The region became a Roman province, leading to the emergence of the Romance culture alongside the Dalmatian language which has since been replaced with the Venetian. The Croats arrived in Dalmatia in the 8th century, leading to an intermixing of culture between the Croatians and the Romance culture. Today, Dalmatia is only a historical region, not formally recognized by the Croatian law.The exact extent of Dalmatia is uncertain and is only subject to public perception. It does not only signify geographical unit but also cultural and settlement entities. Most of the region is covered by the Dinaric Alps Mountain ranges. It is often described as a narrow belt on the east shores of the Adriatic Sea, stretching from Rab to Bay of Kotor. It corresponds to four southernmost counties of Croatia including Zadar, Sibenik-Knin, Split-Dalmatia, and Dubrovnik-Neretva counties. The region experiences Mediterranean climate with frosty and snowy winter, and hot and dry summer.Dalmatia has a population of about 858,000 people. The population is culturally subdivided into three groups; the urban families who live mainly in the coastal cities, the Zagora, and the group that has been influenced by the Ottoman Culture. The first two groups are made up of mainly the Venetian and Italians while the latter group is are closely related to the Herzegovinian Croats. 2. Slavonia Slavonia region covers the eastern part of Croatia, corresponding with counties on the east of the country. The counties that are considered part of Slavonia cover a total area of 4,848 square miles or 22% of the country and have a total population of about 806,000 people. Some of the largest cities in the region include Osijek, Slavonski Brod, and Vincovic. The region was named after the Slavs who inhabited the area and referred to themselves as Slovene. The boundary of the Slavonia region does not coincide with the boundaries of the five counties. The northern boundary coincides with the Drava River while the western boundary is not specifically defined. The region is located on Pannonian Basin, with the entire region belonging to the Danube basin and the Black Sea catchment area.According to the 2011 census, the five counties making up the Slavonia region had a total population of about 806 people or 19% of the total Croatian population. The majority of the people live in Osijek-Baranja. The population density is about 64.2 persons per square kilometer. The Slavonia population has for long been characterized by constant economic migration. The economy of the region is largely wholesale trade and processing industry. The food processing industry plays a significant role in the economy of Slavonia, supporting agricultural production in the area. Agriculture provides raw material not only for the industries in the region but also in Croatia Proper and the neighboring counties. 1. Istria Istria is located at the head of Adriatic between Trieste Gulf and Kvarner Gulf. The area is covered by the Ucka mountain ridge. The region extends into Croatia, Slovenia, and Italy with the largest portion (89%) lying in Croatia. Istria is divided into two counties with the larger county being Istria County. The northeastern part of the region known as the Slovenian Istria lies in Slovenia. The largest city in Istria is the Pula, sutuated at the southern end of the peninsula. The region experiences Continental and Oceanic climate, characterized by moderate precipitation.The name Istria is derived from the Histri tribe who is credited for building hillfort settlements in the region.Istria has traditionally been ethnically mixed. During the Austrian rule the large population of the region comprised of Italians, Croats, and Slovenes. As per the 2011 census, about 68% of the population was Croats while the rest of the population was Italians, Serbs, Bosniaks, and Albanians. Istro-Romanian community is also an important Istrian community living in the east and north of Istria and parts of Liburnia At the end of her visit to four Nebraska schools Thursday, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said it is in the hands of states and local communities to come up with innovative ways to offer school choice to parents. Im an advocate for parents and children to be able to choose the right setting for them. Its really up to the states and communities to decide what that looks like, DeVos said in answer to a high school journalists question about whether she would push for charter schools in the state. Nebraska Education Commissioner Matt Blomstedt and Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Steve Joel both stressed that Nebraska already offers school choice and did not want to see state or federal funding diverted from public schools. "Nebraska is a choice state. Students can attend any school they want to and do," said Joel, adding that state funds go where the kids go. "That fosters competition." DeVos deflected questions about school funding, but both Joel and Blomstedt said they were encouraged that she seemed to indicate her administration would not push charters or other privatization efforts in Nebraska. I dont believe necessarily we need something coming from the federal level to tell us how to design the system, and I dont think thats what Secretary DeVos messaged to us," Blomstedt said. "I think actually it was, It is your system and that shes not here to tell us it ought to be charter or voucher or anything. Protesters and other public school advocates weren't convinced. An estimated 200 people gathered across the street from the Lincoln Children's Zoo to protest her visit, and a pro-public schools group and the Nebraska State Education Association held a rally Thursday afternoon to make the case against charter schools. I hope she left with an appreciation for the quality education that can go on in all public schools that do not have to deal with the distractions and funding drains of charter schools and voucher schemes, said Jenni Benson, president of the state teachers union. The pro-school choice group Educate Nebraska weighed in, too, saying it looked forward to expanding the examples of school choice DeVos saw Wednesday and Thursday through public, public charter and private schools so all students have the same opportunity. For Thursday's DeVos visit, many students at the LPS zoo school wore T-shirts made by two seniors who offered them to any student who wanted to wear them as a respectful way to express their views. Were here to show we like public schools and we want to make sure (zoo school) stays a public school, said freshman Lexie Massing. Many of the students' T-shirts were decorated with artwork, quotes and other sayings, including those promoting acceptance of all gender and sexual identities. Kierstan Brutus, who was in the senior research class DeVos visited, said students at the zoo school are proud to be at a place where people are allowed to be who they are. DeVos visited four schools Wednesday and Thursday: Midland Universitys Omaha campus, the privately funded Nelson Mandela Elementary School in Omaha, St. Marys Catholic School in Lincoln and the LPS science focus program at the Childrens Zoo. At the zoo school, she talked with a student who let her pet a lizard while he explained the work he did with them. She asked students what they liked about the zoo school, what theyd change is they could and how long theyd been there. Students shared their research projects, and said they liked the smaller environment about 100 students attend the 20-year-old program because teachers know them and understand how they learn. They liked being able to pursue their passions, they said, including several students who changed their focus once they delved into their studies. They also liked being able to create portfolios to showcase what theyve learned, rather than taking final exams. Senior Nico Lozano said he liked the opportunity to do real research. Its interesting, he said. Its frickin research. Were doing science, not just learning about science. DeVos met with students over lunch and spoke with them during a roundtable discussion that was closed to the media. Senior Ava Gagner attended the roundtable and said the discussion was similar to an exchange in the classroom. DeVos asked students to talk about their school and why they liked it, but didnt take questions. Gagner said she wished theyd had a chance to ask DeVos about her positions on education policy including her intention to rescind Obama-era guidance on sexual assault enforcement on college campuses and her views on school privatization. Gagner also would have asked why she chose to come to Nebraska. I wish I could know how open-minded she is about things, Gagner said. DeVos began her day at St. Marys, across from the state capitol, where she read Dr. Seuss The Places Youll Go to a kindergarten class, then visited a seventh-grade math class that started with a scripture lesson and turned to strategies to do well on the ACT. Her visit, part of a tour of Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri and Indiana, is billed as an avenue to "Rethink School." "We are going to continue to encourage and really push states, not in a top-down, heavy-handed way but in an encouraging way, highlighting the things we've seen and experienced and learned on this trip," DeVos said. Zoo school senior Annika Novotny said it was nice to be able to show off their school. I think our school did a really great job showing her how great a public school can be, she said. Mozambique is a multilingual State with numerous Bantu languages spoken along with Portuguese. Ethnologue identifies a total of 43 languages used across Mozambique. Most Mozambicans are fluent in more than a single language. Numerous native languages in the country feature loan terms of Portuguese origin. Portuguese: The Official Language Of Mozambique Over 50% of the Mozambican population is Portuguese-speaking. From 1498 to 1975, the region that is now Mozambique's territory was called Portuguese Mozambique. The long-term use of Portuguese made Mozambique keep the language after gaining self-rule. The use of the language is particularly visible in the urban regions where 80% of the residents of urban Mozambique are Portuguese speakers. The more educated Mozambican people are fluent in the language. The varieties of the language as used in Mozambique make up the unique Mozambican Portuguese. Portuguese allows Mozambicans, regardless of ethnicity, to communicate and many Mozambican Portuguese-speakers speak it with accents of the different African languages found in the country. Bantu Languages Spoken In Mozambique The overwhelming majority of Mozambican indigenous languages are recognized as Bantu languages. The most popular of these languages is the Makhuwa language, used by four million Makua people. These people inhabit the region north of the Zambezi River and more specifically the Nampula Province whose demographics is completely ethnically Makua. Makhuwa is among the languages of the Niger-Congo family. The Central Makhuwa dialect has about 3 million speakers, while the Chirima and Meeto have 1.5 million and 1.3 million users respectively. Tsonga is another prominent Bantu language in Mozambique. Tsonga includes loan words from Portuguese, isiZulu, English, and Afrikaans. Tsonga is native to the Tsonga ethnic community and it is mutually intelligible with Ronga and Tswa. Sena is used in the Mozambican provinces of Manica, Tete, Zambezia, and Sofala. There are over 1 million Sena speakers including those who use it as a second language. The Sena dialects of Podzo and Rue are divergent. The Ndau language has 1.4 million speakers residing in central Mozambique as well as southeastern Zimbabwe. The main variants of Ndau in Mozambique are named Danda and Shanga. Ndau enjoys legal status in neighboring Zimbabwe. Lomwe is another of Mozambique's indigenous languages with over one million speakers. The Ronga language is mostly heard south of Maputo, and it has approximately 650,000 speakers. Ronga's alphabet makes use of that of Tsonga which was introduced by Portuguese settlers and Methodist missionaries. Other native Mozambican languages include Zulu, Chopi, Makonde, Kimwani, Chuwabu, and Ronga. Mozambique is among the African States which use Swahili. Mozambican Sign Language Mozambique's deaf community uses the Mozambican Sign Language as its primary language. This language is not founded on either the Portuguese Sign Language or the American Sign Language, and its origin is not noted. The language is regarded as having "some dialectal variation and it is mainly used in Nampula, Maputo, and Beira. The economy of Asia is the fastest growing continental economy and also the largest continental economy in terms of GDP (PPP). The economy comprises of over 4.4 billion people living in the 48 nations of the continent. The wealth of the continent is unequally distributed both within and between the countries of Asia. Here, we present the wealthiest economies in Asia in terms of GDP per capita. 5. Japan - $39,305 The East Asian nation of Japan located in the Pacific Ocean is the fifth richest country in Asia with a GDP per capita of $39,305USD. The Japanese economy is highly reliant on the countrys automobile and electronics goods industry. The country is the 3rd largest automobile manufacturing nation and is also the biggest electronics goods industry in the world. Japan is one of the most innovative nations in the world and the biggest creditor nation globally. However, the Japanese economy also faces considerable threats, the biggest being a steeply falling population. 4. United Arab Emirates - $40,711 The GDP per capita of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is $40,711 USD, the fourth highest in Asia. The country is located in Western Asia in the Arabian Peninsulas southeast end. UAE houses a population of 9.2 million including 7.8 million expatriates and 1.4 million Emiratis. The economy of UAE is the second largest among the GCC member countries after Saudi Arabia in terms of GDP. The country is ranked as the 26th best nation for conducting business. UAEs economy is the most diversified in the GCC. However, still the economy is highly reliant on oil revenues and natural and gas and petroleum are the top exports. 3. Israel - $41,644 Israel is the seventh richest Asian country in terms of GDP per capita which is $41,644 USD. The country has coastlines along the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The countrys highly educated workforce and well-developed education system have spurred rapid economic development and a technology boom in the country. Israel has the 24th most competitive economy in the world. The country hosts the second highest number of startup companies. Israel is self-sufficient in food production. Machinery, cut diamonds, chemicals, apparel, agricultural products, etc., are the top export products of Israel. 2. Singapore - $60,041 Singapore is the third richest Asian nation with a GDP per capita of $60,041 USD. The Southeast Asian nation consists of one main island and 62 smaller islets. The country has a well-established trade-oriented market economy. It is one of the least corrupt and most business-friendly economies in the world. The highly conducive investment scenario in Singapore attracts a large number of global investors. The country promotes innovation and entrepreneurship. The countrys port serves as the second busiest port in the world by cargo tonnage. 1. Qatar - $70,779 The West Asian nation of Qatar, located in the Arabian Peninsulas northeastern coast, is the richest country in Asia with a GDP per capita of $70,799 USD. The country shares its only land border with Saudi Arabia and has a coastline along the Persian Gulf. Qatars economy is based on the export of petroleum and liquefied natural gas. It accounts for 70% of the countrys government revenue, over 85% of the export earnings, and over 60% of the GDP. Qatar has an immense reserve of oil that can sustain the economy at the current levels for 23 years. Long term goals of the country include the diversification of the economy to reduce the dependency on oil, a fast-depleting resource. A teenager was arrested after raping his cousin and giving her a sexually transmitted disease. According to police in Zimbabwe, the 10-year-old girl was sharing a bedroom with her familys maid. The girl and the maid were in bed when the childs 18-year-old cousin knocked on the door. The maid opened the door and allowed him to enter the room, and the two went on to have consensual sex in front of the girl. Prosecutor Nkathazo Dlodlo told Bulawayo magistrate Mr. Tinashe Tashaya, that when the two were done, the maid encouraged the man to have sex with his young cousin. After the teen raped the 10-year-old girl, the maid warned the child not to tell anyone about the incident. The incident came to light when the girl was taken to a doctor who confirmed that she had an STD. Police were called and the teenager was arrested. He faces charges of rape. ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) A federal bankruptcy judge on Monday approved the sale of Alaskas largest newspaper for $1 million, saving the paper from folding, Judge Gary Spraker made his decision after hearing hours of testimony over the financial liabilities of the Alaska Dispatch News. In approving the sale, Spraker said it was the best option available better than liquidation despite his concerns over the fast pace of the process. The new owner of the Anchorage newspaper is the Binkley Co., a family owned firm in Fairbanks. Ryan Binkley and Alaska Medias Jason Evans are curr... JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) The state of Alaska is exploring options for conducting elections after 2018, as it is faced with an aging voting system and financial pressures amid an ongoing state budget deficit. A bipartisan working group established by Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott is examining the issue. Josie Bahnke, director of the state Division of Elections, said one option that has gotten attention is a hybrid system would include allowing for early, in-person voting and voting by mail. But she said discussions are preliminary and more research must be done to see if this approach would work in... Town centre footfall breaks 100k visitor mark in a single week over summer! This article is old - Published: Thursday, Sep 14th, 2017 Footfall in the town centre reached 100,000 in a single week during the summer holidays, new figures released by Wrexham Council have revealed. A weekly visitor count of footfall on the high street reached 102,487 during the week starting on Sunday, August 13th, with the highest daily count of 17,462 visitors on Saturday, August 19th. The count of visitors is recorded by a new pedestrian counter at the corner of Hope Street and Regent Street. In August 2017 Wrexham.com reported that several months worth of footfall data had been presented at the Town Centre Forum with figures showing an upward trend in recent months. Unsurprisingly the data showed that the start of the year had the lowest recorded footfall so far, with 50,545 visits at the end of the January. The data does suggest however that the New Year sales provided a boost to the town at the start of 2017, with 67,495 recorded visits. Moving into summer there was a growth in the recorded footfall in town, with the weeks during July consistently recording around 70,000. Following an analysis of Wrexhams High Street performance by the Manchester Metropolitan University back in 2014, a number of recommendations were put forward to help improve the town. One such goal was to look at ways of increasing footfall, through initiatives such as enhancing the appearance of town along with developing new events. As a result data from a new electronic pedestrian counter installed on Hope Street has been feeding through weekly counts to the Town Centre Management team. With criticism of the town often focusing on empty shops, one of the goals put forward was to look at ways to increase footfall, through initiatives such as enhancing the appearance of town along with developing new events. Welcoming the figures, Cllr Terry Evans, lead member for economic performance and regeneration, said: Im very pleased to see that the weekly figure broke the 100,000 mark thats fantastic for a single week. We normally expect good footfall during the summer holidays, but this really is excellent, and I hope this will be a further sign of confidence in our town centre and an encouragement to those trading, or looking to trade, in Wrexham. Well have more detailed figures by the end of the quarter and that will help us to look at the knock-on impact this high level of footfall had on traders and overall takings, so we can expect some interesting findings when it comes back. The businesses currently taking part in the project are spread across the town centre and their sales figures (expressed as a percentage increase or decrease) are submitted every Wednesday. The town centre team then processes the data and return a sales report to each business showing how their sales have done vs the town centre, plus they receive an overall view of sales and footfall in Wrexham. The team now hopes to install additional counters in other parts of town as they continue to collate more information to support future initiatives and the development of the town as a competitive destination. For those interested there is a video by Spring Board showing how the system in Wrexham could be working: Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy The official inquiry into the June 14 Grenfell tower inferno in west London opens today. Far from illuminating the truth or holding anyone accountable for the deaths of at least 80 peoplethree months after the fire no official death toll has been establishedthe inquiry will be a whitewash. Its aim is to cover for the very political parties and their corporate backers, whose economic and political decisions turned the building into a death trap. Any examination of the social context for the fire, and the state of social housing in general, has been ruled off limits. Meanwhile, the attack on public safety proceeds unabated. A recent investigation by the Guardian reveals that the number of fire safety officers in the UK has been reduced by 25 percent, from 924 to 680, since 2011. This is part of the governments wider agenda to slash the fire service budget. According to a November 2015 National Audit Office report, cuts of between 26 and 39 percent have been made in fire services across the country, resulting in an average 17 percent real terms reduction in spending power. Further cuts of 20 percent are expected to be implemented by 2020. The result has been devastating. Since 2010, 11,000 firefighters jobs have been axed nationally (19 percent of the entire firefighting workforce) and dozens of stations shut down. In London alone, 10 fire stations have been closed, 27 fire engines axed and more than 600 firefighters posts eliminated. This has meant that average response times by firefighters in England have risen by 31 seconds since 2010. Fire safety officers inspect high-risk buildings to make sure they adhere to safety legislation. When they uncover derelictions of duty by landlords and find buildings unsafe, they are able to enforce action to remedy the problem. The investigation noted that in 2010-11, there were 84,575 fire safety audits in England. By 2015-16, this had fallen by 25 percent to 63,201. Enforcement notices against landlords fell by 45 percent over the same period. The governments justification for the cuts has been the reduction of fire-related deaths as well as the fall in fire incidents in recent years. Speaking to the World Socialist Web Site, Arnold Tarling, a chartered surveyor and fire safety expert, said that the fall in the death rate has less to do with government policy and more to do with the improvement in technology that has made many consumer products, such as electronics, safer. The only significant government intervention was, according to Tarling, the regulation of the manufacture of furniture, which meant that many deaths caused by highly flammable toxic materials in furniture disappeared. There is no doubt that any improvement to the death rate due to fires will be undermined by the governments cuts and may even lead to an increase in fire-related deaths. There is a parallel between cuts to the fire service and the sharp rise in fire related deaths in 2015, 303 compared to the 264 who died the previous yearan increase of 15 percent. This was the largest jump since 1995. A government report published in August 2016 sought to downplay this hike, asserting, Its too early to say whether the increase in 2015/16 is a one-off fluctuation or a change in the longer-term trend. This was just months before the Grenfell inferno. Asked whether another Grenfell-type disaster could happen again Tarling stated, I wouldnt be surprised if it happened. You just have to have the wrong circumstances [in place] We saw a blip in Lakanal House fire [south London] in 2009, we saw a blip in Grenfell and we will see more blips. Cuts to the fire service budget and the complete disregard for public safety must be seen in conjunction with the deregulation of the building industry by successive governments, which have led to a compromise in fire safety. Everythings been privatised, explained Tarling. Weve lost all the people who knew what they were doing. Weve lost the [government] architects department [and] surveyors department [former Tory Prime Minister] Margaret Thatcher got rid of the Greater London Council and the district surveyor. Big mistake. She was also responsible for getting rid of Section 20 of the London Building Act. Passed in 1939, Section 20 was an extension of existing fire safety legislation, ensuring that this also applied to any building over 30 metres in height or any building over 25 metres in height which had a volume over 930 square metres. Both Grenfell Tower and Lakanal House were in fact Section 20 buildings. The original laws, enshrined in the centuries old London Building Act, were drafted by Sir Christopher Wren in 1667 in the aftermath of the Great Fire of London to ensure that a similar catastrophe did not occur again in the capital. The act specified that the outside of buildings had to be fireproof. The legislation and all successive amendments remained in force and were administered by the district surveyor until the GLC was abolished in 1986. The London Building Act was then replaced by the National Building Regulations, which crucially scrapped the stipulation that external walls had to have at least one hour of fire resistance, in order to prevent flames from spreading between flats or entering inside. Tarling said the London Building Act was instrumental in limiting the damage inflicted by the German Luftwaffe on London during World War Two: All flammable materials outside buildings were banned, which is why when the Germans came and dropped their phosphorus bombs on docklands it didnt turn into a firestorm like Dresden. It saved us because everything was behind stone, concrete, tile. It was completely safe. But that is no longer the case with all the deregulations. Section 20 of the London Building Act went kaput with Margaret Thatcher and all these alterations would never have been allowed. Grenfell would never have happened, Lakanal would never have happened. To emphasize the destructive potential of the cladding that was used on Grenfell, Tarling explained that every kilo of polyethylene [the material that the cladding consists of], is equivalent to one-and-a-half kilos of petrol. Tarling explained that the deregulation of the building industry has wider implications on fire safety beyond just high-rise social housing. They are only limiting it to purely high-rise social blocks of flats. He recounted his recent experience inspecting a private building. While there were good fire doors in place, the fire stopping above the doors did not reach the ceiling. You might as well not have the doors there, he explained, adding, Theyre not addressing fire-stopping in buildings. Theyre not addressing low rise properties. Theyre only dealing with high rise. Why does this stuff suddenly become safe under 18 metres? Nor is the issue of safety merely confined to flammable cladding: In the aftermath of Grenfell we had a timber-frame hospital burn down, explained Tarling, referring to the blaze at Weybridge District Hospital. The top floor disappeared in 14 minutes. The only reason that didnt reach the news is because it happened at night and no one was in there so nobody died. Had that been during the day how would you get the disabled people out from the top floor in 14 minutes? The author also recommends: UK government deregulation led to Grenfell Tower inferno [21 June 2017] The six police officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray will not face federal civil rights prosecution, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Tuesday. In a statement, the DOJ declared, After an extensive review of this tragic event, conducted by career prosecutors and investigators, the Justice Department concluded that the evidence is insufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Caesar Goodson, Officer William Porter, Officer Garrett Miller, Officer Edward Nero, Lt. Brian Rice, or Sgt. Alicia White willfully violated Gray's civil rights. Freddie Gray died after being arrested by Baltimore police on April 12, 2015. He was handcuffed and chained inside a police van without being strapped into a seatbelt. While riding in the van, Gray was mortally wounded, being tossed so violently that his spine was severed. The murder of Freddie Gray sparked protests across Baltimore and the rest of Maryland in 2015. On the day of his funeral, riots broke out across the city. Firefighters sprayed protesters with hoses, and the total arrested came to 480 people. In its statement, the Justice Department claimed that to pursue prosecution of the officers the government would have to disprove these accounts [the officers statements] and establish that the officers actions or inactions with respect to Gray constituted a willful violation of Grays Fourth Amendment or Fourteenth Amendment rights. In 2016, the officers were either acquitted or had their charges, ranging from manslaughter, second-degree depraved heart murder, and reckless endangerment, dropped by prosecutors in Baltimore. This miscarriage of justice is consistent with a long line of acquittals of police officers. A few of them include: On December 3, 2014, a grand jury decided not to bring charges against Officer Daniel Pantaleo for strangling Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York earlier that year. Darren Wilson was exonerated twice for shooting and killing the unarmed Michael Brown, first when a grand jury chose not to indict him in November 2014, and later when the Obama Administrations Justice Department released a March 2015 report claiming his use of force was justified. In June 2015, Michigan Sheriff Jonathan Frost was cleared by the county prosecutor of shooting and killing unarmed 17-year-old Deven Guilford at a traffic stop. In December 2015, a grand jury declined to bring charges against Cleveland police officer Timothy Loehmann for killing 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who held a toy pellet gun in a park. Milwaukee policeman Dominique Heaggan-Brown was found not guilty of all charges in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Sylville Smith in June of this year. On June 16, 2017, officer Jeronimo Yanez was acquitted in the fatal shooting of Philando Castile in suburban Minneapolis. Yanez claimed that he shot Castile because he thought Castile was reaching for a gun. Castile told Yanez that he had a gun in the car before being shot. Virginia school board member charges police intimidation Lakeesha Atkinson, a Portsmouth, Virginia school board member, claims the obstruction of justice charges she is facing are bogus and that the Police Department is trying to intimidate her as a community activist. Atkinson was arrested outside City Hall before a city council meeting. According to officer A. ONeill, Atkinson allegedly interfered with an investigation when approaching two individual officers who had detained suspects on the ground. In a petition for a warrant, ONeill claimed Atkinson delayed the investigation, not to mention increased the risk of flight due to my attention being drawn away from the persons in custody. Atkinson said she was concerned because the two on the ground looked like they could be students. She approached the two and asked how old they were. According to his report, officer ONeill asked Atkinson to step back three times. I said for what, and thats when [the officer] pushed me with one hand, said Atkinson. She then backed away and recorded the scene from a distance on her cellphone. I was a concerned citizen, she said, when asked why she got involved. Those kids looked like they could be my nephews. Atkinson says she did not break the law and plans to fight the charge to clear her name. I feel like Portsmouth police is trying to silence me as an activist and using the situation as an intimidation tactic, she said. I invest so much time, effort and money in this city. Having already capped the number of refugees to be admitted to the United States at 50,000less than half the previous quotathe Trump administration is preparing to slash the number even further as part of its America First program promoting right-wing nationalism and xenophobia. With an October 1 deadline looming for the administrations declaration to Congress on the number of refugees it is prepared to accept, Trumps fascistic senior political adviser and the chief architect of his virulently anti-immigrant policies, Stephen Miller, has, according to the New York Times, proposed that the number be reduced as low as 15,000. While the process of deciding the cap on refugees is typically led by the State Department and coordinated by the National Security Council, this year it has been taken over by the Domestic Policy Council, which reports to Miller, and the Department of Homeland Security, the Times reports. This shift reflects the administrations decision to exploit a hardline policy of criminalizing refugees and immigrants in general in order to appeal to Trumps narrow hard-right political base. Under conditions in which the world is confronting the worst refugee crisis since the Second World War, with some 66 million forcibly displaced people, in large measure as a result of the unending wars waged by US imperialism over the past 16 years, Washington is effectively slamming the door in the face of men, women and children fleeing for their lives. The refugee cap already imposed by Trump was the lowest since the enactment of the Refugee Act of 1980, which required the US president to set a ceiling for admissions. Only once during the last 37 years has this ceiling fallen below 70,000, when it was cut to 67,000 in 1986, under the Reagan administration. The report on this planned escalation of the Trump administrations war on refugees came in the immediate wake of another reactionary decision by the US Supreme Court Tuesday, further lifting restrictions on the anti-Muslim travel ban first imposed by the White House last January, blocking the entry into the United States of refugees and citizens from six majority-Muslim countries. The one-paragraph statement issued by the court granted the administrations request to stay a federal appeals court ruling that would have allowed 24,000 refugees formally assigned to and accepted by resettlement agencies to enter the country. The appeals court ruling stemmed from a Supreme Court decision in Junesupported unanimously, including by the so-called liberal wing that includes Obama appointees Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kaganthat overrode actions by lower federal court judges blocking Trumps flagrantly discriminatory executive orders from being enforced. While allowing the resumption of the anti-Muslim ban, the high court provided an exception for those who could prove a bona fide connection to the United States. A panel of the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit this summer had interpreted the Supreme Courts category of bona fide connection to include not only people with families in the US, job offers or admissions to a US university, but also refugees with assurances of support from US sponsors. Tuesdays high court order overturns this interpretation, placing another roadblock in the path of persecuted refugees. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments on the merits of Trumps anti-Muslim ban on October 10. The 90-day ban directed against citizens from the Muslim-majority nations will expire in late September, before the court hears the case, while the 120-day refugee ban will lapse one month later, before it renders a decision. The stay of the 9th Circuit ruling, which was hailed by Breitbart News and other far-right media, may well be an indication of the direction that the Supreme Court will take when it considers the constitutionality of the ban. If so, it will be taking a dramatic step in legitimizing a deeply reactionary and anti-democratic measure that not only persecutes Muslims and refugees, but sets the stage for broader attacks on the working class as a whole. The report of the planned escalation of the crackdown on refugees comes just one week after Trump announced the rescinding of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the government program that offered limited protection from deportation to nearly 800,000 immigrants brought to the US as children. The action imposed a six-month deadline for Congress to act before the program would be phased out, paving the way for mass deportations of children to countries to which they have few if any ties. Trump scheduled a White House dinner Wednesday night with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, where DACA was to be discussed along with other legislative issues. Pelosi indicated that she and the Democratic leadership were prepared to reach a deal with the Trump White House that would provide some form of protection for those covered by DACA in exchange for an even more draconian crackdown on immigrants and the US-Mexican border. We always want border stuff, so thats not a problem, Pelosi told reporters Wednesday. Schumer made a similar statement on Tuesday, indicating that while Democrats did not support funding for Trumps wall, this was purely a matter of its practicality. Wed certainly look at border security that makes sense, border security thats effective, he said. While concentrating their political opposition to the Trump administration almost entirely on the issue of alleged Russian government meddling in the 2016 US election and Trumps supposedly insufficient hostility to Moscowa line of attack entirely in sync with the aims of the US military-intelligence apparatusthe Democrats are fully prepared to collaborate in the assault on immigrants, corporate tax cuts and military aggression abroad. Trumps virulent anti-immigrant rhetoric notwithstanding, thus far his administration has carried out, on average, less deportations than that of Barack Obama, who became known as deporter-in-chief for expelling nearly 3 million immigrant workers during his eight years in office. According to figures issued by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last month, a total of 84,473 people were deported between February 1 and June 30 of this year, or, on average, about 16,900 a month. Under Obama, the average number of people deported each month was 20,000 in 2016, and roughly 34,000 in 2012. The Democrats under Obama have laid the groundwork for a massive escalation of the anti-immigrant crackdown. During the first six months of this year, the number of deportation orders has increased 31 percent compared to the same period last year. Moreover, according to a leaked Homeland Security Department memo, ICE had been set to launch this month Operation Mega, a massive nationwide dragnet described as historic in scope, targeting up to 10,000 undocumented immigrants across the US. Late last week, ICE issued a statement saying that the operation had been canceled due to the hurricanes that struck Texas and Florida: Due to the current weather situation in Florida and other potentially impacted areas, along with the ongoing recovery in Texas, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had already reviewed all upcoming operations and has adjusted accordingly. There is currently no coordinated nationwide operation planned at this time. The clear implication is that once the administration judges the recoveryin which undocumented immigrant workers are playing no small roleto be adequate, the massive crackdown will be resumed. In his State of the European Union (EU) speech yesterday in Brussels, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker outlined an aggressive military and commercial agenda for the post-Brexit EU. Juncker, the leader of an institution despised by workers for its austerity and police-state measures, constantly invoked European values as the basis of his policy. Stripped of these empty and misleading phrases, however, his address sent a clear message: amid the collapse of the EUs relations to long-standing allies, above all Washington and London, it must prepare for global trade war and pursue a military policy independent of the United States. Juncker began by congratulating the EU for an economic recovery that finally reaches every single [EU] member state, nearly a decade after the 2008 Wall Street crash. Despite touting this so-called recovery, the fruits of which have overwhelmingly gone to the wealthiest layers of society, Juncker nevertheless sounded a worried note: We now have a window of opportunity, but it will not stay open forever. Let us make the most of the momentum, catch the wind in our sails. While raising EU free trade deals with Canada and Japan, and plans for such deals with Mexico, South America and New Zealand, Juncker made clear that they go hand-in-hand with plans for commercial measures against Europes trading partners and a major military build-up. Let me say once and for all: we are not naive free traders. Europe must always defend its strategic interests, Juncker said. This is why today we are proposing a new EU framework for investment screening. If a foreign, state-owned company wants to purchase a European harbour, part of our energy infrastructure or a defence technology firm, this should only happen in transparency, with scrutiny and debate. Juncker added this would serve to protect our security if needed. A year after US-EU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) talks broke down over French and German objections, Juncker did not mention the United States as a key trading partner or a country with which the EU seeks a free trade deal. Juncker went on to call for the accelerated formation of what would be an EU army, three years after Berlin announced the re-militarization of German foreign policy. Juncker said the EU had to become a stronger global actor. In order to have more weight in the world, we must be able to take foreign policy decisions quicker. This is why I want Member States to look at which foreign policy decisions could be moved from unanimity to qualified majority voting. And I want us to dedicate further efforts to defence matters. A new European Defence Fund is in the offing. As is a Permanent Structured Cooperation in the area of defence. By 2025 we need a fully-fledged European Defence Union. We need it. And NATO wants it. Junckers claim that NATO, including Washington and London, want the formation of an EU defense union is nothing more than an attempt to downplay the rapid rise of US-EU conflict. Amid an escalating drive to war internationally, military tensions are rising rapidly between Washington and the EU, and particularly the Berlin-Paris axis. While Washington has repeatedly pressed Europe to increase its military spending in recent years, hoping to receive more European aid in its own wars, Washington also relied on London to veto plans for an EU army, as long as Britain was in the EU. After Britains exit from the EU, however, Germany and France have rapidly revived plans for an aggressive EU military policy independent of the United States. A quarter century after the Stalinist bureaucracy dissolved the Soviet Union in 1991, depriving the European imperialist powers and the United States of a common enemy, tensions among the major NATO powers are bringing the alliance to the verge of collapse. The bases of the trans-Atlantic alliance have been shattered. Since his election, Trump has repeatedly indicated that his administration could target EU car and steel exports with punitive tariffs that could spark an all-out US-EU trade war. These commercial tensions reflect explosive strategic conflicts that are building inside NATO, as US targeting of Russia and China places the world on the verge of all-out war. As Trump threatens North Korea with war, the subject of todays EU foreign ministers meeting, it is ever more unlikely that the EU powers would support Washington in a war that could escalate into war with China. Remarkably, Junckers speech did not mention Russia, which has been the target of a relentless NATO military build-up in Eastern Europe since the 2014 NATO-backed putsch in Kiev. Berlin and Paris, however, intervened in Ukraine in 2015 to cut across a US policy of arming far-right militias in Ukraine against Russian-speaking forces in eastern Ukraine. With the Trump administration now threatening again to arm the Ukrainian regime, these conflicts are again reaching explosive levels. The international working class is the only force that can oppose the drive to war, however; the EU itself is simply emerging as the vehicle for a brutal, competing assertion of European imperialist interests around the world that threatens to provoke new and bloodier conflicts. The EU policy is not a peace policy, as reflected by its support for wars in Libya and Syria and its ruthless imposition of police-state measures at home, like the French state of emergency. It represents the interests of a rival bloc of imperialist powers competing with Washington, which aims to finance the building of a war machine on the backs of the European workers. Juncker spent much of his speech indicating a vast list of countries that have fallen afoul of the EU. In response to the Turkish regimes brutal crackdown on domestic opposition after a failed US- and German-backed coup attempt in Turkey last year, Juncker ruled out Turkey joining the EU. The rule of law, justice and fundamental values have a top priority in the negotiations, and that rules out EU membership for Turkey in the foreseeable future, he said. For some considerable time Turkey has been moving away from the European Union in leaps and bounds. Juncker also addressed a stern warning to Britain. In response to cheers from EU parliament members from the pro-Brexit UK Independence Party, Juncker warned them: I think you will regret [Brexit] as well soon, as I might say. Junckers call for monitoring foreign investment in Europe and foreign state ownership of European ports was a veiled threat against China, which is investing heavily in European companies and has acquired a majority stake in the major Piraeus port in Athens. Moreover, while Junckers speech aims to lay out an agenda to be pursued under the leadership of Berlin and Paris, after the election of French President Emmanuel Macron in May and upcoming German general elections on September 24, there are deep divisions inside the EU itself. Visiting Athens last week, Macron had laid out calls for a major shake-up of the EU institutions, including the creation of a common parliament and budget of the eurozone. He also included calls for Greek debt forgiveness and expelling the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from the Greek debt program that have long been opposed by Berlin. Junckers speech was a targeted rebuke to Macron, refusing to endorse these proposals. Instead, he called for a European finance ministry and the formation of a European Monetary Fund to replace the Washington, DC-based IMF. Le Monde commented that Juncker was preparing for the compromise that could emerge from the negotiations on the future of the eurozone that could begin this autumn between Mr. Macron and [German] Chancellor Angela Merkel, who will in all likelihood win a fourth term. OMAHA Faculty leaders at the University of Nebraska at Omaha say they want administrators to consult them more frequently and thoroughly on some key decisions. The university's Faculty Senate passed a resolution Wednesday asking administrators to "advise and consult" with the senate on budgetary matters, planning and certain hires, among other topics. The resolution cited several recent developments, including budget cuts, a decision to make the University of Nebraska Medical Center's chancellor the Omaha campus' interim chancellor, and the directive to share some vice chancellors between those two institutions. Spokeswoman Melissa Lee said NU President Hank Bounds hasn't reviewed the resolution but is "committed to shared governance and values the input of the faculty." Jeff Gold, chancellor of the UNMC and UNO campuses, said the resolution "supports my overall philosophy about governance of the university." He said there's a balance between consulting an elected body like the senate and engaging individuals' input. "And I understand what they're saying and respect it," Gold said. Faculty Senate member Burch Kealey opposed the resolution, saying executives should have the right to make decisions without consulting the faculty group. He said executives are the ones who make the calls and take the risks. "What you say is true, were this a business organization," said Paul Landow, a member of the senate executive committee, in response to Kealey. "It's a university organization." Hurricane Irma, the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic, passed northwest of Puerto Rico on September 7, killing three people and causing significant damage to roads and the electrical power grid. The storm knocked out power for 1 million out of the islands 3.4 million people, left 350,000 Puerto Ricans without potable water and put half the telecommunications towers in the country out of commission. Though the US territory was spared the full force of the storm, which swung 54 miles to the north, high winds, rain and storm surges damaged homes and the electrical and water infrastructure, particularly in and around San Juan, Puerto Ricos capital city and home to more than 400,000 people. Victims report the loss of furniture, clothing, and many other items, as the strong winds tore of the roofs of homes in San Juan crowded working class communities along the northern coast, including the historic shantytown La Perla. William Villafane, Governor Pedro Rossellos chief of staff, announced that the percentage of Puerto Ricans with no electric power has fallen from 74 percent of the population to nineteen percent (over 300,000 people). Villafane claimed that most of the population would have its power back by next week. He made it clear, however, that major infrastructural work will need to be done, saying, It is evident that the most damaged in terms of infrastructure, in addition to our roads, is the electrical infrastructure. In a separate interview, New Progressive Party (NPP, pro-statehood) Senator Miguel Romero said in San Juan alone 42 percent of the population were still without power. The restoration of power is being done in a haphazard manner, bypassing entire neighborhoods and leaving others with intermittent service. Discussing the present situation, Anthony, a University of Puerto Rico student, told the World Socialist Web Site, Some coastal areas outside of the capital have been hit with lots of flooding and homes and buildings have been destroyed. On the islands of Vieques and Culebra (off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico), people lost practically everything. The damage on these islands, which are close to the British and US Virgin islands, was devastating like Barbuda. I live outside of San Juan and we have no power. They say it could be a month before power is restored in some rural areas in the central part of the island. Of course, the priority is restoring the power for the elite class and the politicians in the capital city. Workers are the last ones. I think they have deliberately allowed the electrical grid to deteriorate for years, in order to open it up to privatization. According to the San Juan Star, the Electrical Industry and Irrigation Workers Union (UTIER) has accused the government of deliberately delaying the restoration of power in in San Juan and other crowded cities to promote the privatization of the public electric utility, the Puerto Rican Electric Power Agency (PERPA or Agencia de Energia Electrica in Spanish, AEE). The public utility has been starved of resources and implemented one cost-cutting measure after another to meet debt obligations of $9 billion. This left the grid particularly vulnerable to damage from high winds. According to UTIER President Angel Figueroa Jaramillo, There were 6,800 linemen in the year 2000. Now we have 3,500, and the number of miles of power lines has more than doubled in that time. They cut personnel, reduced material and cut back on maintenance. All this adds up to not meeting your obligations. The sale of the Puerto Rican Electric Power Authority to private investors has been on the agenda for years. This has accelerated under the rule of an unelected control board, known as the Financial Oversight and Management Board of Puerto Rico, which was appointed by the Obama administration to impose dictatorial control over the islands spending and funnel billions to Wall Street. Officially Puerto Rico owes some $72 billion to various vulture funds and another $50 billion for so-called unfunded pension liabilities to public employees. In May, the island formally declared bankruptcy under the terms of the PROMISE Act legislation passed by Congress last year. In June several members of the Financial Oversight Board wrote an editorial in the Wall Street Journal, titled Privatize Puerto Ricos Power, after the board rejected PREPAs request to restructure its debt service and lower the price of electricity. The board members argued that only the privatization of the utility would generate enough investment from the banks to modernize the grid and deliver cost-effective energy. What was needed in return, they said, was the depolitization of management (the installation of the direct representatives of the banks to run the utility), pension reform and the renegotiations of labor agreements (i.e., brutal attacks on the pensions of retired workers and the wages and working conditions of current PREPA workers) in the name of increasing efficiency. Forcing the bondholders to take a financial haircut of 15 percent, the board members argued, would be an insuperable obstacle to selling off the company at a fire-sale price. By rejecting the utilitys debt restructuring plan, the Financial Oversight Board forced the electric utility to declare bankruptcy in July after it defaulted on a $9 billion debt and was cut off from credit markets. Wall Street will now dictate the terms of whatever restructuring takes place. The declaration of bankruptcy not only put a halt to any effort to modernize and strengthen PREPAs infrastructure, it also greatly undermined maintenance operations, such as trimming trees near power lines and other essential tasks. The electrical crisis in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma is therefore a self-fulfilling prophecy. The storm was a godsend for the financial parasites seeking to loot public assets, including the public electrical utility, and escalate the attacks on the jobs, wages and pensions of all public sector workers. I dont want to point fingers, declared Governor Rosello, but the truth is its been periods of over a decade with very little or no investment in the maintenance of our infrastructure, and that makes us more susceptible. Rather than arresting those who deliberately sabotaged the electrical grid, causing immense pain and suffering for the islands residents, Rosello called for the speedy privatization of PREPA under the terms of the legislation that created the Financial Oversight Board. This is a moment of crisis that we need to benefit and transform into an opportunity of change, production and investment, declared Puerto Ricos resident commissioner Jennifer Gonzalez, who ostensibly represents the island in the US Congress. As in Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the Detroit bankruptcy in 2013-2014, Wall Street is using the destruction of Hurricane Irmawhich was exacerbated by the criminal activities of its political hirelingsto restructure Puerto Rico at the expense of the working class. This will surely be the model for the reconstruction of Houston, the Virgin Islands, Florida and all those areas hit by hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Senator Bernie Sanders took his campaign to whitewash the right-wing character of the Democratic Party to a new level Wednesday, introducing single-payer, Medicare for all legislation, co-sponsored by 15 Democratic senators, on the same day that House and Senate Democratic leaders were to visit the White House for cozy talks with President Trump on corporate tax cuts. The bill was given full-scale media promotion, including an op-ed column by Sanders in the New York Times, lengthy articles in all the major daily newspapers, and reports on the network and cable television news programs. This for a bill which has not the slightest chance of passage by the Republican-controlled Congress, which will never even hold a committee hearing, let alone bring it to a vote. This makes co-sponsorship an opportunity to strike a left pose without actually incurring the wrath of the insurance companies and other giant corporations that control the provision of health care in the United States. Accordingly, a half dozen Democratic senators who are beginning to promote themselves as potential 2020 presidential contenders signed on as co-sponsorsup from zero co-sponsors the last time Sanders introduced such a bill. The list of co-sponsors demonstrates the cynical and fraudulent character of the Medicare for All Act of 2017, the bills official title. It includes Corey Booker of New Jersey, a favorite of the insurance industry, and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, the junior senator from Wall Street who received $2.7 million from the financial industry and $500,000 from insurance companies in her re-election last year. Nearly 60 percent of House Democrats have endorsed a similar Medicare for all bill introduced by Representative John Conyers of Michigan, but this support is meaningless, since the Republican majority controls all action on the House floor. Significantly, neither House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi nor Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer have signed on to the bill. Neither has the top Democrat on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Patty Murray of Washington, nor key Democrats in the Midwest like Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan. The Sanders bill cannot be judged simply by its text, but rather by the political purposes for which it has been brought forward. The goal of the exercise is to provide a political smokescreen for backroom Democratic Party dealings with the Trump administration, on health care and especially on tax cuts. Representative Kevin Brady, the Republican chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which would write the tax cut legislation, said some details would be released on September 25, although the actual bill will not be drafted until after Congress approves a budget resolution. This sequence is necessary in order to invoke so-called reconciliation, a process that allows legislation to pass the Senate by a simple majority, rather than requiring 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. That would require the support of at least eight Senate Democrats and a unanimous Republican caucus, considered unlikely. But even to reach 50 votes in the Senate will likely require some Democratic support to offset Republican defections. Democrats will be equally critical in assuring passage through the House as well, because of likely opposition by the ultra-right Freedom Caucus of Republicans, who want tax cuts combined with massive spending cuts. The cynicism of the Sanders health bill is that on the same day he introduced legislation that would purportedly put the private health insurance industry out of business, Democratic leaders were dining with Trump at the White House, discussing his plan to give the health insurance giantsand the rest of corporate Americatax cuts worth hundreds of billions, and even trillions, of dollars. Schumer and Pelosi were to discuss taxes, health care and immigration at the White House dinner, according to press reports. Trump also met Wednesday with a bipartisan group of members of the House of Representatives to discuss his plan for a massive cut in corporate taxes, from the present (largely nominal) level of 35 percent to only 15 percent. The day before, Trump hosted six senators, three Republicans and three Democrats, at dinner, seeking their support for the business tax cut. Each of the three DemocratsJoe Manchin of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Donnelly of Indianasaid afterwards they were open to working with the White House. Besides tax cuts, key Democrats are working with the Trump administration and congressional Republicans on various aspects of health care, in the wake of the failure of the Republicans to push through an outright repeal of Obamacare. Two Republican senators, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, made public legislation Wednesday that would not abolish Obamacare, but convert the funds provided by the Affordable Care Act into block grants to the states, which could use the money as they choseDemocratic-run states maintaining the structure of Obamacare exchanges, Republican-run states moving to voucher programs modeled on health savings accounts. Under the complex financing formula spelled out in the bill, money would be taken from high-cost, largely Democratic-run states like New York and California and shifted to poorer states, mostly Republican-run. This is the last attempt by any section of Republicans to make use of reconciliation to pass a major change in Obamacare. Authority to use the reconciliation process will expire on September 30, and Graham appealed to the White House to push for a vote on his bill before then. The measure has not yet been cost-estimated by the Congressional Budget Office, a requirement before it can be voted on, and it is widely rejected by House Republicans, who oppose allowing Obamacare to continue even in states which choose to do so. Meanwhile, the top Republican and top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee announced Tuesday an agreement to make significant cuts to the Childrens Health Insurance Program while extending its duration by five years. The program would otherwise expire at the end of September. Republican Orrin Hatch and Democrat Ron Wyden said the CHIP program would continue at the present level of funding, but the federal share of the joint federal-state program will be gradually reduced to the level that prevailed before the enactment of Obamacare, which boosted the federal share by 23 percentage points. In effect, states will be required to make up the difference, adding a drastic new charge on already strapped budgets. Another bipartisan effort, this time by Republican Lamar Alexander and Democrat Patty Murray, would guarantee federal subsidies to insurance companies with low-income customers under the Obamacare exchanges. The Trump administration has continued the subsidies on only a month-to-month basisdeliberately undermining the stability of the exchangesbut a lawsuit filed by House Republicans challenges the legal basis of the subsidies. The White House has opposed any legal reinforcement of the subsidies, calling that a bailout of the insurance companies. The Sanders Medicare for all legislation is an attempt to disguise all these reactionary maneuvers, each of them aimed at subordinating the health care of millions of people to the profit interests of big business, behind pie-in-the-sky promises that neither Sanders nor any of his co-sponsors take seriously. The author also recommends: Sanders phony Medicare for all proposal [30 April 2016] TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Governor Rick Scott is offering short-term, interest-free loans to small businesses that experienced physical or economic damage during Irma. His office activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program to support small businesses impacted by Hurricane Irma. Through the program, small businesses affected by Irma will be able to apply for short-term, interest-free loans. Governor Scott said, Hurricane Irma was a massive storm affecting our entire state, including many of our small businesses. Small businesses are the backbone of Floridas economy, and families are depending on these businesses recovering as quickly as possible. The small business bridge loan program will help small business owners and communities get back up and running and I encourage all affected business owners to apply today. Small business owners with two to 100 employees in any of Floridas 67 counties affected by Hurricane Irma can apply for short-term loans up to $25,000. They say the interest-free loans are granted in terms of 90 or 180 days.To be eligible, a business must have been established before to Sept. 4, 2017 and have suffered physical or economic damage due to Hurricane Irma. The application period is from today through Oct. 31, 2017. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity says they are currently surveying businesses in the affected counties. To participate in the survey click HERE and select Hurricane Irma from the drop-down menu. Individuals who complete the survey still need to fill out a bridge loan application to receive assistance. To complete an application or for more information on the program, visit www.floridadisasterloan.org. For questions regarding the Emergency Bridge Loan Program, contact the Florida Small Business Development Center Network at 850-898-3489 or email Disaster@FloridaSBDC.org. The phone line will be answered during regular business hours; all voice mails and emails will be responded to within 24 hours. MADISON COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - A Texas woman is in serious condition after her car was hit while pulled off on the side of the road. The Florida Highway Patrol says the crash happened on S.R. 53 early Thursday morning. They say that the 57-year-old Texas woman was driving her Toyota Rav4 southbound on S.R. 53 at about 15 mph. Troopers say the car had slowed down and was partially on the paved shoulder of the road, looking for a place to turn around. A Dodge Journey, with two people inside, was also traveling south on S.R. 53 around 55 mph. Due to it being foggy and dark, troopers say the second car failed to see the slow-moving Toyota Rav4 on the shoulder, hitting the back of it. They say the impact caused the Rav4 to spin clockwise in a circle before hitting a guardrail. The driver of the Rav4 was taken to the Madison County Hospital in serious condition. The driver of the Dodge Journey suffered minor injuries but was not hospitalized for them. Troopers say that there are no charges pending in this crash. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The Tallahassee Police Department is investigating an early Thursday morning shooting that left a female with non-life-threatening injuries. The shooting occurred near FAMU at 2:45 a.m. at the intersection of Gamble Street and Perry Street. They say that an initial investigation shows that there was a large party at 1446 Gamble Street, which drew a large crowd to the area. As the party continued, gunshots were fired and the victim, now identified as 19-year-old Alexus Singleton, was shot, causing a non-life threatening wound. Police are hoping that a witness from the crowd will come forward with information that will lead to an arrest. Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to please contact TPD at 606-5800 or (850) 891-4200 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 574-TIPS. MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL Weather Now app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for additional local news and hourly updates. Copyright 2017 WTXL via Raycom News Network. All rights reserved. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis will be in the Omaha area on the same day U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is in Lincoln. Mattis will visit U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base on Thursday as part of a three-stop tour, which he began Wednesday in Minot, North Dakota. The defense secretary is highlighting America's nuclear defense capabilities. StratCom's top officer would command nuclear forces in war, and Minot Air Force Base is home to more than 100 land-based nuclear missiles, as well as nuclear bomb-carrying aircraft. Mattis' trip was scheduled before the recent series of North Korean nuclear and missile tests. But the tests give Mattis a chance to highlight what the Air Force promotes as an always-ready system equipped to deliver nuclear devastation to nearly any point on the globe. Thursday, Mattis will meet with StratCom leadership and discuss "strategic deterrence in the 21st century," according to a Defense Department news release. Mattis will end his trip Friday in Mexico City, where he'll participate in Mexican Independence Day activities. Freedom of speech or destructive sexual self-objectification? A federal judge Tuesday will hear arguments in the challenge to the constitutionality of two Everett city ordinances aimed at covering up bikini baristas. BOGOTA, Colombia Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos are pledging to strengthen ties in areas like science and tourism as Colombia transitions into a post-conflict era. Netanyahu arrived in Bogota on Wednesday for the second-leg of his trip as the first Israeli prime minister to visit Latin America. He said that he sees "enormous progress" in Colombia, adding that it "merely sets the stage for what will happen in the next 30 years." Colombia and Israel have long enjoyed a close military alliance though the relationship has also had its moments of tension. Santos called Israel a "friend and an ally" in Colombia's historic peace process with the nation's largest rebel group. AMMAN, Jordan Jordan's King Abdullah II says he is "deeply concerned" with the situation in southern Syria and that his country's border with Syria would only reopen "when the right security conditions materialize on the ground." The monarch told the state news agency Petra in an interview published Thursday that the military campaign against the Islamic State group in Syria "could push it south toward Jordan" and that Jordan's top priority is to protect its border. The king also says that a cease-fire for southwest Syria, brokered in July by Jordan, Russia and the US, could be replicated elsewhere in Syria. Russia proposes creating "de-escalation zones" in several areas of Syria. Russia's foreign minister met with Abdullah in Jordan this week to discuss the requirements for such a zone in southern Syria. Security forces impounded NIS 48,000 Wednesday night from a Yatta village residence. The funds were given to the family of the terrorist who murdered Dafna Meir in her Otniel home in January 2016. The money was apparently to be used for rebuilding the family's home after it was demolished by security forces following the attack. Seven men were indicted for conspiring to commit murder, carrying and transporting weapons and arms trading as part of the investigation into the death of police operative Anton Roman this past June. According to the indictment served to the Lod District Court, Amos Lavie, Roman Agronov, David Plus, Tzach Berkovich, Roslan Shatchptenyov, Yavegni Golovko and Amir Jabali conspired to harm others as part of an underworld conflict. The slain operative prevented harm coming to innocents thanks to the information he was able to provide to the police. MOSCOW The Russian Navy on Thursday fired seven cruise missiles at Islamic state targets in the suburbs of Syria's Deir ez-Zor, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday. It said the missiles were fired from two submarines in the eastern Mediterranean from a distance of 500-670 kilometers (727 miles). "The targets were command posts, communication centers, as well as militants' weapons and ammunition stockpiles in areas of south-east Deir ez-Zor under the control of Islamic State," the ministry said. RAMALLAH, West Bank Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is sending a delegation to Cairo to hear more about Egyptian attempts to broker an elusive reconciliation deal between him and his political rival Hamas. Hamas leaders said after a meeting with Egyptian officials in Cairo earlier this week that they are ready to discuss reconciliation without conditions. Azzam al-Ahmed, an Abbas representative, says his team arrives Friday. The governor of Iraq's southern Thi Qar province says militants have attacked a checkpoint and nearby restaurant, killing at least 60 people and wounding at least 80. Yahya al-Nassiri says Thursday's attack started with militants opening fire at the checkpoint and the restaurant on the main highway that links Baghdad with the southern provinces. That was followed by two suicide bombers, including one driving an explosives-laden car, he said. Al-Nassiri says the dead included Iranian pilgrims and a policeman. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack. A statement on the Amaq news agency, which supports the hardline Sunni Muslim group, said the attacks carried out by the its suicide fighters targeted a restaurant and a checkpoint, killing "dozens of Shi'ites" Shiite Muslim-dominate Thi Qar is located about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast of Baghdad. "We are very proud of you," then-defense minister Shimon Peres can be heard telling the elite Sayeret Matkal fighters after they rescued the kidnapped passengers of the Air France flight, during the IDF's Operation Entebbe. Peres' sentiment, along with several other exchanges between then-prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, Paratroopers commander Matan Livnai, and the fighters, passngers and crew members aboard the plane, can be heard on a recently discovered audio recording that was released on Thursday by the Defense Ministry, on the one-year anniversary of Peres' death. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The audio recordings from the operation were discovered as part of the digitization efforts currently being carried out by the Ministry of Defense. At the beginning of the recording, apparently when Peres and Rabin passed among the families of the kidnapped soldiers on their way to the plane, people can be heard thanking them. "They said they would do everything to save them. It's unbelievable what they did," said a relative of one of the hostages. 'You have changed Israel's perception and character' Following the operation's conclusion, Peres and Rabin spoke with the Sayeret Matkal fighters who freed the kidnapped passengers. Then-Paratroops commander (and future IDF chief of staff) Matan Vilnai also spoke with them, telling Peres, "It worked out just as we wanted, there were no changes. Everything's fine. The main concern was the touching down of the wheels of the plane. I was on the first plane. The field was lit. We entered the landing without a problem." Peres (C) and Rabin (R) upon meeting soldiers, passngers and crew, following Operation Entebbe (Photo: Def. Ministry's IDF Archives, Udi Herzl Tzahik) Both Peres and Rabin thanked the fighters for their service. "I do not want to speak at length," Rabin told them. "The IDF has a long tradition, and your units also have a tradition of unusual operations. I think that this operation, in some ways, went above and beyond what had previously been customary. Not only did you save people, but you have changed Israel's perception and character. And for that you deserve praise." Peres then added, "I also want two or three sentences. You left a very worried country, and you return to a very proud country, and that is really thanks to you. You took a greater risk than you might realize. We will conduct an inquiry, but for the time being welcome back, go rest." Photo: Def. Ministry's IDF Archives, Avi Simchoni, Mickey Tzarfati) 'We awaited instructions from "our boys"' Speaking on tape, one of the released prisoners explained that once he realized what was going on, he took cover and waited for the IDF to come rescue them. "We heard the shots but didn't understand what was happening, so I grabbed the girls, lay down on the ground and awaited instructions from 'our boys.'" Photo: Def. Ministry's IDF Archives, Udi Herzl Tzahik Another one of the released passengers, named Ron Davidson, spoke with Peres about the kidnapped Israelis' behavior. "I have to say, Sir, that the all Israelis behaved with dignity and while helping one another in an exemplary manner." Peres asked him, "Did you understand what was happening? That the IDF had come? Or not?" Davidson replied, "I understood it, but I don't know if everyone understood." Aryeh Grotzky, who was also saved in the attack, can be heard recalling the events the events that took place once the IDF soldiers made a move to overtake the plane from the terrorists. "There were a lot of shots. The whole thing took 12 minutes. The vast majority (of those kidnappeded) managed to reach two corners, a bathroom and another corner that was quite hidden. The two Germans guarded us. The Germans shared shifts, there was a German man and a German woman, in addition to two other young men who had commandeered the plane. After that, there was a group that arrived from Kampala (Uganda's capital), including a very tall and brutal man." Photo: Def. Ministry's IDF Archives, Udi Herzl Tzahik Ada Zorowitz, then 16, told Defense Minister Peres that she was happy to be at home. When asked by Peres if she knew the IDF had come to release them, Zerovitz replied: "At first we did not, until we saw them. When they blew up the dynamite, we initially thought it was the terrorists, because they had told us that there's dynamite all around." Photo: Def. Ministry's IDF Archives, Armon Noam The crew decided to stay and care for the passengers After commandeering the aircraft, the terroristswhose aim was to free several dozen Palestinian terrorists in exchange for their prisonersallowed the crew of the Air France flight to leave. Most of the crew members, however, chose to stay with the captives. Photo: Def. Ministry's IDF Archives, Udi Herzl Tzahik "Thank you very much for your behavior," Peres told the Air France crew. "How did they treat you? I understand that the crew of the plane was held in the room of the ladies or what?" A crew member then replies that they were together with the passengers in Uganda's Entebbe terminal, and that he believed there were between seven and nine kidnappers. Rabin then said, "The passengers appreciate very much the way you took care of them, under these very difficult conditions, and we appreciate it very much." Yoni Netanyahu died, but almost all the hostages were rescued During Operation Entebbe, which was also called Operation Yonathan, after the death of Sayeret Matkal commander, Yoni Netanyahu, the IDF prepared to rescue 105 Jews and Israelis who were held hostage by their kidnappers, Palestinian and German terrorists. After stopping on their way to Paris, 56 additional passengers, including the Palestinian terrorists and two German members of a radical leftist organization, boarded the plane. The 246 passengers were then held at gunpoint, as the plane was directed to land in Entebbe's airport. The kidnappers set up an ultimatum demanding the release of more than 50 convicted terrorists, most of them held in Israel. Later, the terrorists released the non-Jewish passengers. Most of the crew chose to stay with the hostages. The Israeli government announced that it was accepting the conditions of the kidnappers and began negotiations with the French and with Ugandan ruler Idi Amin (who cooperated with the terrorists). At the same time, the defense establishment was planning a rescue operation. On July 3, 1976, even before the plan was approved at a Security Cabinet meeting, four Hercules planes took off from the airport in Egypt's Sharm el-Sheikh, carrying about 200 fighters. When they arrived at the airport in Entebbe about seven hours later, a raid force headed by Lt. Col. Yoni Netanyahu, composed mainly of the Sayeret Matkal soldiers, headed toward the terminal where the captives were held. Yoni was killed in battle, in addition to three passengers. A fourth passenger, who was taken to the hospital after landing in Entebbe, was later executed at the behest of Idi Amin. Responding to reports that he was received a presidential pardon from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev after he tried to take his own life, Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin vehemently denied any such attempt on his part, asserting that he was attacked by inmates while incarcerated. Lapshin additionally hinted that his pardon was likely for good PR, following the injuries Lapshin had suffered. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "I have not committed any suicide attempt," he said. "I received threats from the beginning of my stay in Baku prison from other prisoners. Although they kept me in isolation, crossing paths with other inmates was inevitable. "I was interrogated on the subject of cooperating with the FSB (the Russian Security Serviceed) and the intelligence services of Armenia on hostile activity against Azerbaijan. It was absolute nonsense, but that was what interested them the most. Alexander Lapshin, before his arrest "A few days ago, they put someone in my cell. I woke up two days later in the emergency room of a hospital in Baku with a fractured neck, choke marks and broken teeth. "Immediately after the incident, I was pardoned." Lapshin, a 40-year-old Haifa resident with Israeli, Russian and Ukrainian citizenships, had been arrested on several charges namely, trespassing the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan; calling the Azerbaijani government "a dictatorship"; and openly supporting the region's independence. Soon after, Azerbaijan issued a warrant for his arrest on suspicion of espionage, with news sources speculating that he was working for the Armenian Special Police. Lapshin upon his extradition to Ajerbaijan Lapshin was arrested on Dec. 15th, 2016 upon reaching Belarus, before being extradited to Azerbaijan . Israeli officials tried in vain to prevent this, worried that if Lapshin were to be transferred to Azerbaijan, he would face a heavy prison sentence. However, during his sentencing, the Azerbaijani judge only found Lapshin guilty of the trespassing charges leveled against him, and did not accept the espionage charges or hand down additional jail time for his criticizing the president. He was therefore sentenced to three years in prison, to be counted from the moment he was arrested in Belarus, on Dec. 15th, 2016. He was pardoned on Monday. The Trump administration is backing legislation that would suspend US financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority until it ends what critics say is a long-standing practice of rewarding Palestinians who kill Americans and Israelis. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter In comments Thursday, the State Department says the administration "strongly supports" the bill. The State Department said President Donald Trump raised the issue with President Mahmoud Abbas during meetings in May. "Peace can never take root in an environment where violence is tolerated, funded and even rewarded," Trump reportedly told Abbas at the time. Trump (Photo: Reuters) The measure is named after Taylor Force, an MBA student at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee and a West Point graduate. He was visiting Israel in March 2016 when he was stabbed to death by a Palestinian. Force was from Lubbock, Texas. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the bill in early August. The United States on Thursday extended some sanctions relief for Iran under the 2015 nuclear deal, the State Department said, but no decision has been made on whether to preserve the deal itself. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter At the same time, US President Donald Trump said that Iran is violating "the spirit" of the Iran nuclear deal and the US Treasury announced new cyber-related sanctions on about a dozen Iranian individuals or entities. "We are not going to stand for what they are doing," Trump told reporters on Air Force One. But he stopped short of saying whether he will refuse to recertify the agreement. L to R: Rouhani, Trump (Photos: Reuters, AP) Trump has been extremely critical of nuclear deal reached with Iran and spearheaded by former president Barack Obama, going as far as to call in "the worst deal ever." State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the administration approved waivers of some sanctions to "maintain some flexibility" as it develops a policy to address the range of Iranian behavior. "Waiving some of those sanctions should not be seen as an indication of President Trump or his administration's position on the (Iran nuclear dealed), nor is the waiver giving the Iranian regime a pass on its broad range of malign behavior," she said at a news briefing. Nauert did not specify which sanctions the administration had waived. Earlier, sources said the United States will renew a waiver of the key, and most punitive, sanctions it imposed on Iran before the nuclear deal was ultimately struck. Tucked into Section 1245 of the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, Washington threatened to sanction the banks of Iran's main oil customers if they did not significantly cut their purchases of Iranian crude. Under the law, these sanctions can be waived for a maximum of 120 days, forcing the US government to revisit the issue every four months. Former president Obama's administration, which negotiated the deal, did so in mid-January and Trump's administration did so again on May 17. US Treasury Sec. Steve Mnuchin (Photo: AFP) Sources familiar with the matter stressed that the wider US policy toward Iran, and whether to preserve the deal that gave Tehran sanctions relief in exchange for curbing its nuclear program, has yet to be decided. Trump has criticized the deal, but some of his top advisers believe he should preserve it. Even as the administration prepared to waive the oil-related sanctions, the Treasury Department announced new sanctions on 11 entities and individuals for "engaging in support of designated Iranian actors or malicious cyber-enabled activity," including two entities based in Ukraine. The Treasury alleged the firms and individuals were either engaging in activity that supported Iran's ballistic missile program or its Quds Force, or engaging in cyber attacks against the US financial system. The action freezes any assets they may hold in the United States and generally prohibits US individuals from doing business with them. British Prime Minister Theresa May hosted the leaders of the UK's Jewish community on Wednesday for a festive dinner in honor of the Jewish New Year, taking the opportunity to express her support Israel and the UK's Jewish community and her efforts to aid with the security of both. "As Prime Minister, I am proud to say that I support Israel," she said. "I want you to know that I will always do whatever it takes to keep our Jewish community safe." The dinner at the British Prime Minister's official residence at 10 Downing Street was attended by senior members of the Jewish community, including the Chief Rabbi of Britain, Ephraim Mirvis. Turkey said Thursday it wants Qatar and its Arab neighbors to overcome differences through dialogue and a "brotherly" manner as Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was set to arrive in Ankara on his first foreign trip since a diplomatic crisis erupted. Sheikh Tamim is scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss ties as well as the three-month-old diplomatic rift between the Gulf neighbors. "We support a resolution of the crisis through a brotherly manner and through dialogue," Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogan's spokesman, told reporters. "This crisis only serves the enemies of this region." Sheikh Tamim's trip Thursday to Turkey comes as a Qatari exile held a conference in London that explored in part a "bloodless coup" overthrowing Doha's government. As the summer sun sets on another growing season, cooler weather is beginning to arrive. On Nebraskas farms and ranches, corn and beans are drying, and calves are growing stronger. Like every fall, weather challenges may be just around the corner for our ag producers. These hardworking men and women of Nebraska are the unsung heroes of the American dinner table, and we are always ready for whatever obstacles we face. I keep this in mind as I promote common-sense policies for our nations agriculture industry. Nebraskans know agriculture production serves as the economic engine of our state. The fact that one out of every four jobs is related to production agriculture illustrates the industrys vast economic finger print. However, as most Nebraskans know, the ag economy is currently in a cyclical downturn, which has farmers and livestock producers facing weak prices and tight margins. It is imperative for Washington to hear from our ag producers, especially as discussions surrounding the 2018 farm bill begin. There is no better venue to hear from our producers than the Nebraska State Fair, which is why the entire Nebraska congressional delegation came together to hear from ag industry leaders about smart farm policy. We heard loud and clear that farmers and livestock producers must have an affordable and viable farm safety net. Most importantly, producers depend on a strong crop insurance program to allow them to plan for the future. Without this critical risk protection, ag producers will not have the certainty required to invest in advanced technology that enables them to be the most efficient producers in the world. As the Senate moves toward the farm bill debate, I will continue to staunchly defend and advocate for crop insurance programs. Good farm policy also depends on smart trade policy. Over 95 percent of the worlds population lives beyond the borders of the United States, and they are hungry for Nebraskas high-quality ag products. In early September, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Department of Agriculture announced another opportunity for Nebraska producers to expand their global reach across the Pacific Ocean. Vietnam has agreed to reopen its market and accept imports of dried distillers grains (DDGS), an ethanol byproduct used in animal feed, from the United States. Reopening the third-largest market for DDGS grants Nebraska an excellent opportunity to expand the successful exporting of agricultural products from our state. While we should look for new countries to export our products, we must also work to maintain the trade agreements we already have in place. Thats why I recently sent a letter to President Trump encouraging him to maintain the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement. South Korea is Nebraskas sixth-largest agriculture trade partner and a major market for Nebraskas pork, corn, ethanol, beef, and wheat. South Korea represents a market worth nearly $400 million. Selling them our goods helps Nebraska prosper and should be continued. Finally, I would like to remind everyone that September 17 through September 23 is National Farm Safety and Health Week. Our farmers and ranchers often face dangers as they work to produce high-quality food. We wish them well as they continue to feed the world. Thank you for taking part in our democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week. Congress has a lengthy to-do list this fall, but I am grateful to have spent August traveling the Third District and hearing directly from Nebraskans on your priorities. On my farm bill listening tour, I made stops in Broken Bow, Beatrice, and South Sioux City, in addition to stops in Scottsbluff and Aurora earlier this year. These open forums led to constructive discussions about what is and is not working in the current farm bill and how we can improve agriculture policy moving forward. Many attendees spoke about the importance of crop insurance, which is a vital and successful public-private partnership we must continue to support. I appreciated having Nebraska Director of Agriculture Greg Ibach join us for these listening sessions, and I congratulate him on his nomination as U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. President Trump has made an outstanding selection for this position, and the vast knowledge with which Director Ibach has served Nebraska so well will now benefit agriculture nationwide. Additionally, it was productive to come together with the entire Nebraska congressional delegation at the State Fair our states celebration of agriculture to talk about farm bill priorities. Our delegation is united around the need to grow our agriculture economy and open more doors for selling Nebraska agriculture products to consumers around the world. I also held public meetings across the Third District, including Arthur, Elwood, Falls City, Kimball, Neligh, and Wayne. These discussions covered many different topics, from tax reform to trade to health care. It was abundantly clear Nebraskans are ready for relief from our broken tax code and health care system and also want to see our country pursue strong trade policies. In Congress, we remain committed to pursuing tax reform this fall. Speaker Paul Ryan stated at the start of September we want Americans to wake up on New Years Day 2018 with a new tax system. The conversation has shifted from whether tax reform will happen this year to what it will look like, which is a positive step forward. Simplifying our tax code is the best way to grow our economy, and both President Trump and Congress are making it the top priority. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, I also continue to push for more opportunity for Nebraska exporters to sell their products around the world. Renegotiation among the United States, Canada, and Mexico on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is underway, and I am optimistic producers can benefit from modernizations as long as the current market access granted to U.S. exporters through NAFTA remains the baseline. There were recent concerns about the Trump administration pulling the U.S. out of KORUS, our trade agreement with South Korea. I opposed withdrawal, both for the health of our economy, as South Korea is an important trading partner, and from a geopolitical perspective. We cannot afford to damage our relationship with this important ally, especially given the dangerous advancements in North Koreas nuclear program. Thankfully, it has been reported the Trump administration plans to uphold the agreement. Many Nebraskans are understandably concerned about health care, as the impacts of Obamacare continue to worsen. We worked through the process in the House to put forth a bill which would lower premiums while still making sure those with pre-existing conditions have access to care. We need the Senate to move forward so we can come together and provide relief. New legislative solutions are being discussed, and I will be carefully considering all the details. The list of issues we have to tackle in Congress goes on, but the time I was able to spend with Nebraskans in August was immensely valuable. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me and share your thoughts on the challenges facing our country. YORK For the first time since 1978, the flood plain maps for York County are being updated and the changes will likely affect roughly 180-185 property owners. Ryan Stastny, Yorks public works project manager, explained that the county is currently going through a FEMA mapping project to update the flood insurance rate maps. The project included a new study that provides up to date flood hazard information and changes for York and the communities in the county. A public open house will be held in order for property owners to hear from floodplain mapping experts from the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources and FEMA. Owners will be able to learn about specific flood risk and flood insurance information regarding their properties and they will be able to ask questions about the flood study and other topics. Stastny said preliminary flood insurance rate maps will be displayed at the meeting for the public to view. Its important for property owners to attend, so they know the possible effects the mapping may create, Stastny said. Its important to note that the city is not involved in this process this is a state/federal project. The city is merely involved as a conduit to provide information to the public and to help facilitate the open information session. Stastny said he went through the preliminary maps and determined which properties are not currently in the flood plain but will likely be when the updates are finalized. He said letters were sent to roughly 180-185 property owners who have structures that are now being mapped inside the flood plain. He stressed, however, that all property owners should try to attend if they have questions, as there may be parcels that he could have missed in reviewing the large amount of information. A FEMA insurance specialist will be present to answer questions and it is important for property owners to get the information they need, Stastny said. While the new floodplain map isnt as significant as a change as may have been expected, Stastny stressed there will be changes that affect properties that werent affected before. The open house will be held Wednesday, Sept. 27, from 4-7 p.m., in the York City Auditorium. Tragically, Donald Trump has managed to do that which eluded Barack Obama: Fulfill his campaign promises on immigration. Last week, Trump announced that he would end the always-explicitly-temporary Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. He also suggested that Congress act within the next six months to enact permanent legislation. While it may be satisfying to proclaim, as many immigrant-rights leaders and their allies have, that Trump's move was "evil," "cruel" and "the worst decision Trump has made," doing so ignores the fact that the groundwork was laid by someone else. For starters, a quick recap of how DACA came to be. In 2010, President Obama failed to gather the five Democratic holdout votes that would have passed the full DREAM Act, which included a path to citizenship. Then, in late May 2012, Obama issued his executive action on DACA, overruling long-standing objections (on the grounds of constitutionality) by his Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano -- who, ironically, is now suing the Trump administration for violating administrative procedures and due-process requirements by abruptly ending the program. When DACA was announced in the middle of Obama's re-election campaign, it was seen as a patronizing half-measure since the president had spent all of his limited political capital on passing the Affordable Care Act. There was also widespread misunderstanding and misinformation within the Latino community. Many believed that the actual DREAM Act, or another type of amnesty, had become law with the stroke of Obama's pen. By late October, news agencies were reporting that some Hispanics who might have considered voting for Mitt Romney based on their views about economic issues were turning toward Obama because of his support of the DREAM Act and immigrant rights in general. Sure enough, Obama coasted into his second term with the help of Hispanic voters. He eventually left office with Latinos primarily remembering him as the "deporter in chief." The truth is that although DACA's revocation is terribly upsetting for the hundreds of thousands of unlawfully present immigrants and their families, we all knew this day would come. This doesn't necessarily make the situation any easier, but it does no one any good to push the myth that young people are suffering solely at the hands of Republicans and a president who was specifically elected to rid the country of as many immigrants -- legal and not legal -- as possible. If we've learned anything in the last five years, it is that making angels or demons of political opponents isn't productive. Interestingly, this idea of not vilifying or beatifying is being exemplified by the very people who have most benefited from being portrayed as saintly. DACA beneficiaries and other unlawfully present young immigrants are increasingly speaking out against their model minority status within the larger universe of the illegal immigrant population. In a column for The Washington Post, Ph.D. student and undocumented immigrant Joel Sati wrote, "Though well intentioned, lauding the Dreamers has the unintended effect of juxtaposing these 'good,' 'deserving' immigrants with the 'bad' ones -- those with, say, a drug charge from years back -- who deserve nothing but deportation and marginalization. Narratives of childhood innocence and economic contribution constrict the movement at a time when it needs to include all 12 million [undocumented immigrants]. And supporting DACA has allowed the liberal elite to feel good about ostensibly doing something pro-immigration when, in fact, it hurts our struggle." In an op-ed for The New York Times, author Masha Gessen stated: "If immigration is debated only in terms of whether it benefits the economy, politicians begin to divide people into two categories: 'valuable' and 'illegal.' When countries make people illegal, the world comes apart. When we agree to talk about people as cogs, we lose our humanity." We truly have lost our humanity when we give in to hyperbole and refer to an opposing party as "evil" and "monstrous" -- even when leaders like Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, declare (falsely) that DACA recipients are by and large gang members and drug smugglers. But how different are those who idealize only certain members of a population of unauthorized immigrants? This country will never reconcile its immigration issues, much less decide who gets to stay and who must go, if it can't acknowledge that immigrants are like all other Americans: varied, different and not easily lumped into categories that accurately quantify their worth to our community. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - On Wednesday, September 27th, Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan will visit the Yuma Main Library at 11:00 a.m. to present a $ 26,750 ceremonial check granted by the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Arizona Secretary of State, under the Library Services and Technology Act, which is administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The funds will be used to purchase several pieces of specialized assistive technology that can be used by children, teens, and adults with physical and mental developmental disabilities to launch the LEADing (Libraries Enabling Assistive Discovery) Technology Project at the Main Library. Light refreshment will be served courtesy of the Friends of Yuma County Libraries, Inc. All ages welcome! There is no charge to attend. The Main Library is located at 2951 S 21st Drive. For more information, call (928) 782-1871. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - Celebrate your freedom to read at the Heritage Library! On Wednesday, September 27th, at 11:00 a.m. and Saturday, September 30th, at 1:00 p.m., readers are invited to play Banned Books Bingo. Grab a bingo card and try to figure out why some of the great books in literature have been banned. All ages welcome; children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. There is no charge to attend. The Heritage Library is located at 350 S Third Avenue. For more information, call (928) 783-5415. September 25th-30th marks the 35th Annual Banned Books Week! Observed since 1982, this annual American Library Association event reminds Americans to celebrate their freedom to read. "Be still and know that I am God." -- Psalms 46:10 It's an admonition some of us struggle to obey. Indeed, some of God's self-appointed spokespersons seem to find it especially difficult. Thus, before the first raindrop fell, the first palm tree bowed, or the first transformer blew, they came out to tell us what He meant by pointing a monster hurricane at Florida. A pastor named Keith Swanson said Hurricane Irma would be diverted if the Supreme Court immediately outlawed abortion and same-sex marriage. Meantime, former teen idol Kirk Cameron said the storm was the deity's way of teaching humans "humility." Actually, humility would require not presuming to know the mind of God ("For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways" -- Isaiah 55:8) but leave that aside. The point is, this sort of thing is common. To the scornful derision of non-believers and the mortified embarrassment of those people of faith who strive to be also people of thought and compassion, every disaster seems to bring out some nickel prophet who claims to have divined the motives of the Almighty as surely as if God had asked his advice in advance. When Hurricane Harvey smacked Houston, a radio preacher named Rick Wiles blamed the city's "LGBT devotion." When Hurricane Sandy trashed the Jersey shore, the Rev. John McTernan laid it off on "the homosexual agenda." When Hurricane Katrina drowned New Orleans, Catholic priest the Rev. Gerhard Wagner called it "divine retribution" for the Big Easy's gay-friendly ways. This penchant for ascribing disaster to a peeved deity does not stop at international borders. As Haiti struggled to dig out from a devastating earthquake, TV preacher Pat Robertson said the impoverished island nation was suffering under a curse from God. Nor is the aforementioned penchant limited to natural disasters. Jerry Falwell notoriously diagnosed the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks as God's verdict on the ACLU, among others. It is telling that the God such people conceive is always so perfectly in sync with their own politics and biases. It never seems to occur to them, for instance, that these calamities might be God's way of providing an opportunity for someone to be a better human, to reach a helping hand to someone else in need, to "love one another as I have loved you." For that matter, it never seems to occur to them to just shut up. But it should. As much as or more than it is anything, faith is surrender, an acceptance of one's own smallness and limitation, a willingness to believe that whatever comes -- whatever God brings, no matter how painful -- will redound, in the end, to love. That can be difficult to maintain in the best of times, but, in the test of times, when the wind howls or the ground heaves, it becomes exponentially harder. That is what you are seeing demonstrated when these nickel prophets prophesize. The palm trees shred, the rain slants sideways, the ocean rises like a wall and they speak with a pontifical certitude about What God is Trying to Say. They fill awed silence with babble that only sounds like confidence. It is, yes, human nature to seek answers. It's a way of asserting order upon an unruly universe. But that order is only an illusion. It doesn't matter how loudly you blame the ACLU or the LGBTQ community; there still comes a moment when you must contemplate how small you are, how uncertain life is, as measured against the angry and capricious storm. And this is where the truth is told. After all, it's easy to find scapegoats and call it God's will. What's hard is to feel the storm rise and yet, obey that hard admonition. Be still, and know. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at the Heritage Library! On Friday, September 29th, the Heritage Library, in collaboration with the Mexican Consulate and the City of Yuma, will host a ceremony at 10:30 a.m. to honor the life of Jose Maria Morelos, a Roman Catholic priest and revolutionary leader in 19th century Mexico. After the presentation, attendees are invited to view a statue of Jose Maria Morelos, located on the North East corner of the Library Park. The statue was donated by the Mexican Consulate to the City of Yuma in 2010. The Heritage Library is located at 350 S Third Avenue. For more information, call (928) 783-5415. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - The Dr. Kathryn A. Watson Child Development Learning Lab (CDLL) at Arizona Western College will be hosting their annual Scholastic Book Fair from Monday, October 9 to Friday, October 13. All book sales benefit the CDLL. They will earn Scholastic Dollars from the sale that can be put towards items for the center. Everyone is welcome to stop by and purchase the books at the CDLL all week from 6:30am-5:30pm. There will be books onsite or they can be ordered online at www.scholastic.com/bf/arizonawesterncollege. Washington: US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he was looking to allow people to stay here, but not ready for citizenship or amnesty, an announcement that may benefit 800,000 young immigrants, including those from India. Trump's statement came a day after top Democratic lawmakers Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi claimed that they had reached a deal with the president to protect about 800,000 young immigrants who came to America illegally as children and were given protection by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Trump had scrapped the DACA program earlier this month. "We are not looking at citizenship. We are not looking at amnesty. We are looking at allowing people to stay here," Trump told reporters. Trump said he is very close to a deal on DACA. "I just spoke with Paul Ryan, everybody's on board... We are talking about taking care of people, people who were brought here, people who have done a good job. We will only do it if we get extreme security, not only surveillance but everything that goes with surveillance. If there is not a wall, we are doing nothing," he said. In a statement after dinner with Trump at the White House, Schumer and Pelosi said that they have reached a deal with him on DACA. "We had a very productive meeting at the White House with the president. The discussion focused on DACA. We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that is acceptable to both sides," Schumer and Pelosi said. In a tweet early this morning, Trump, however, said that no deal has been reached. "No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote," he said, refuting claims being made by the Democratic leaders. Pelosi tended to disagree at a news conference at the Capitol Hill. "I do believe that there is an understanding that down the road, there is an eventual path to citizenship in the DREAM Act and that overwhelmingly, the American people support that," she said. "In a poll today, over 50 per cent, and then, you know, 12 per cent want to send them back, and then others somewhere in the middle. But it came up in the context of the suggestion that there might be other bills to be considered, and that did not last long," Pelosi said. The atmosphere during the White House dinner last night, she said, was very friendly. California: One student was killed and at least three other teens were wounded Wednesday in a shooting in a school in the northwest of the United States, according to officials quoted by local media. The shooting took place in Freeman High School in Spokane county, Washington state, 285 miles (460 kilometers) from Seattle. Fire department spokesman Brian Schaeffer told local media that one student had been killed and that three others were admitted to a nearby hospital in a stable condition. Some media reported a total of six people had been hit by bullets, including the deceased. The sheriff`s office said on its Twitter account that police were "going room to room, floor by floor. We understand parents are extremely concerned. We will provide info ASAP, please avoid area." Other schools in the area were closed as a precautionary measure. The shooter has been arrested, according to the Spokane sheriff`s office. Police gave no information on the weapon used, or whether the shooter was one of Freeman High School`s 327 students, but two students told KXLY television that they knew him. "He was handing out a note to his friend saying he would do something stupid that could get him killed or in jail," one said. "That was a few weeks ago."Michael Harper, 15, told the Spokesman-Review that he was a good friend of the shooter. "He was weird," Harper was quoted as saying. "And he loved the show Breaking Bad. He never really seemed like that person who had issues. He was always nice and funny and weird." Another student told KXLY television the school was small so everyone knew each other. "I would never think this would happen at the school. You know everyone here. The alleged shooter was a grade below me. He never hurt anyone." A large contingent of police and firefighters responded to a call to their emergency line, and anxious parents began arriving at the school. Cheryl Moser said her son, a freshman, called her from a second floor classroom after hearing shots fired. "He called me and said, `Mom, there are gunshots.` He sounded so scared. I`ve never heard him like that," Moser told the Spokesman-Review. Primary and middle school students had gone home before the shooting, according to local press reports. The state governor, Jay Inslee, said the shooting was "heart-breaking." "As Spokane County officials continue their investigation to get the answers to the questions so many of us have during these unthinkable tragedies, the Washington State Patrol and all state agencies will do whatever we can to help provide support and comfort in the days and weeks to come," Inslee said. An "active shooter" was arrested last Friday at a school in Columbus, Ohio, although no one was injured in that incident. A year ago, an adolescent killed his father and then shot and wounded two children and a teacher at a South Carolina primary school. According to the Gun Violence website, 253 mass shootings -- defined as four or more people shot in a single incident -- have been reported in the United States so far this year, including Wednesday`s shooting in Washington state. New Delhi: About 70 feet (21 m) below ground, in a shielded military capsule that can launch nuclear missiles, 23-year-old 2nd Lieutenant Tia Hewuse is concerned that Americans have the mistaken impression that her mission is a gloomy one. "America doesn`t understand what we do," says Hewuse, whose post sits below a tiny U.S. base surrounded by vast expanses of windswept North Dakota farmland. "This is what keeps our enemies at bay," she says with a smile. Hewuse is one of the U.S. Air Force missileers who met Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Wednesday as he oversees a Pentagon review of America`s aging nuclear arsenal. Experts say it could cost a trillion dollars or more to modernize it. Critics of the intercontinental ballistic missiles have argued that the silos scattered across thousands of square miles of the upper Great Plains are sitting ducks in a war and that, given the costs of modernizing ICBMs, the United States should spend its money on weaponry that could better survive a first strike by an enemy. Mattis himself questioned in 2015 whether the three legs of America`s nuclear "triad" of ballistic missile submarines, bombers and land-based missiles should perhaps be reduced to a "dyad." But in the latest sign that places like Hewuse`s Cold War-era missile alert facility will be around for years to come, Mattis said on Wednesday he believed all three portions of the triad were vital. "I have been persuaded that the triad, in its framework, is the right way to go," Mattis told reporters travelling with him to Minot Air Force Base, where he got a firsthand look at U.S. land-based nuclear missile facilities and nuclear-capable bombers. Mattis declined to set a deadline for the review, which is expected to take months to complete. FIRE AND FURY Mattis` tour of America`s doomsday weaponry comes as President Donald Trump uses bellicose rhetoric about the "fire and fury" that could await North Korea, should it choose to attack the United States. North Korea has responded with similarly bellicose warnings after it staged its sixth and largest nuclear test this month. In July, Pyongyang tested an ICBM that experts believe was capable of reaching most of the United States. U.S. officials have also noted that America`s nuclear modernization is lagging behind Russia`s upgrade of its own nuclear triad. General Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Congress in August he believed Moscow was already two-thirds through its nuclear modernization process. The Arms Control Association estimates that the total cost of upgrading the U.S. nuclear forces will be between $1.25 trillion and $1.46 trillion over the next 30 years. Mattis, without offering a figure, suggested that nuclear deterrence was worth the investment. "America can afford survival," he said. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE Mattis says his goal would be to ensure that an adversary concludes that there is no viable prospect for successfully attacking the United States and surviving. "We want the enemy to look at it and say this is impossible," he said. The land-based, nuclear-capable missiles are a big part of that. The U.S. forces who staff these facilities near the U.S. border with Canada have to endure bitter cold in the winters, which can get so bad that missileers can be stuck in their posts for up to 72 hours, officials said. Officials says morale has improved since the nuclear forces were rocked by test-cheating and drug scandals under the Obama administration and a 2007 incident under the Bush administration, when the Air Force accidentally flew live nuclear weapons between Minot and another U.S. base. Hewuse uses her free time to study for a postgraduate degree in entrepreneurship. She has also brightened her capsule by painting the lock used to keep nuclear missile launch keys shut in a cabinet above her head. She painted the lock gold, with sparkles. "I`m a pretty sparkly person," she said. "There`s no sunshine in here. So that`s my sunshine." Islamabad: Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his children were on Thursday summoned by an anti- graft court to appear before it on September 19 in two more corruption cases. They were summoned after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) last week filed four cases against Sharif, his family members and finance minister Ishaq Dar. The Islamabad-based accountability court today ordered Sharif and his children -- Maryam, Hussain and Hassan and son-in-law captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar -- to appear before it on September 19 in Azizia Steel Mill, Hill Metal and Avenfield properties cases. The summons come a day after the same court asked the ousted prime minister and his sons and daughter tp appear before it on September 19 in another corruption case related Flagship Investment company in the UK. The cases are based on the July 28 judgement of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case. The court disqualified 67-year-old Sharif and ordered cases against him and his family. Meanwhile, a five-judge larger bench of the Supreme Court yesterday started hearing of the review petitions by Sharif and others against the judgement. Sharif and his family are unlikely to appear as they have already stated that they would not appear before the NAB courts until the decision by the apex court about the review petitions. The Supreme Court had asked the anti-corruption watchdog to file the cases by September 8 against Sharif, his sons, daughter, son-in-law and Dar. Islamabad: Pakistan is "reassessing" ties with the US, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan has said and accused Washington of ignoring the "threats" to his country from India. Khan's remarks came amidst tension in ties between the US and Pakistan after President Donald Trump accused the country of providing safe havens to terrorists. Khan said yesterday that it was not possible for Pakistan to satisfy the US, Dawn reported. "We are here to give our point of view logically and with evidence. We will explain our position. But it's not for us to satisfy them," he told the media. The government, he said, was "reassessing ties with the US", and has simultaneously undertaken a regional outreach ahead of talks with Americans on future bilateral engagement. Khan said the two countries needed a frank and candid dialogue on the issues concerning them, as differences between them would reflect in Afghanistan and other regional issues. The defence minister expressed discontent that the US did not share Pakistan?s threat perception about India. He also claimed that a nexus existed between the US, India and Afghanistan that was threatening Pakistan. "The US knows all, but ignores the threats faced by us because of its strategic interests." He said Pakistan would keep raising concerns about India in future engagements with the US. "The United States cannot ignore the threat to us from India. It is [a] serious [situation]," he underscored, adding that it would be major challenge for the Pakistani side to get it acknowledged in the upcoming talks. Khan said the other challenge for Pakistan was the fact that the US "keeps changing the goalposts". Pakistan, he said, would advise the US that intensifying kinetic operations (lethal or offensive combat missions) in Afghanistan would not work and the only way forward lay in a politically negotiated settlement of the conflict. Dawn reported that Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif would accompanying Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to the UN General Assembly session in New York next week and is expected to use the opportunity to visit Washington for a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Asif's meeting with Tillerson was originally scheduled for mid-August, but was postponed on Pakistan?s request after Trump?s policy statement on Afghanistan and South Asia. Asif is currently visiting several countries to garner support for Pakistan's point of view regarding Afghanistan. Sydney: Controversial changes to Australia`s media laws neared agreement Thursday in a deal likely to result in significant concentration of ownership, but also a probe into the impact of platforms like Google and Facebook on the industry. Under legislation introduced in the 1980s to protect diversity, media companies are blocked from owning television, radio and newspaper assets in the same city, while metropolitan and regional broadcasters are barred from merging. Major players in the market have long pressed for change, arguing the rules are outdated and do not account for digital media platforms and new publishers like Google and Facebook and video streaming giants such as Netflix. Canberra unveiled plans for a revamp 18 months ago and a final deal was struck in the Senate, where the government needs the support of independents, including the right-wing One Nation party, to pass new laws. "This is not 1988, the internet does exist. The media laws were crafted for an era which today is barely recognisable," Communications Minister Mitch Fifield told the upper house in a late-night session Wednesday. "We have the support of essentially the entire Australian media industry." Under the changes, which are set to gain final approval later this week, a company will be allowed to own a TV station, newspaper and radio station in a single market. The "reach rule", which prevented a single TV broadcaster from reaching more than 75 per cent of the population, will also be repealed. The opposition Labor party and the Greens are against the "two out of three" rule being scrapped, arguing it will lead to a higher concentration of media ownership, notably in the hands of Rupert Murdoch`s News Corporation. To reach agreement with the independents, the government had to make concessions, including establishing a Aus$60.4 million fund for regional and small publishers and more training for journalists. Independent Senator Nick Xenophon, whose support was crucial, said he had also secured a deal for an inquiry into the impact of platforms like Google and Facebook, which he said were hoovering up billions in advertising revenue in Australia, but paying little tax. "It will be a world first inquiry into the power of Google and Facebook and other social media platforms, the impact on the media, issues of copyright and market domination, how do we level the playing field for media organisations?," said Xenophon. Like other international media organisations, those in Australia have suffered from declining advertising revenues and circulation, with many slashing staff levels and costs. Patna: Six persons of a family including four minors on Thursday drowned in river Ganga at Maranchi village in Patna district, a top district official said. Six members of the family had gone to take bath in the river when one or two persons slipped into deep waters. The others drowned in their efforts to save them, Patna District Magistrate, Sanjay Kumar Agarwal told PTI. All the six bodies have been fished out of the river, the DM said. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his grief over the incident and also talked to the grieving family members of the deceased persons over the phone. The CM talked to the Patna district magistrate and gave him necessary directives and told him to make immediate payment of ex-gratia to the next of the kin of the victims. The DM said that Rs 4 lakh would be paid to the next of kin of each of the deceased persons today itself. Chennai: Amid escalating infighting in Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK, the TTV Dhinakaran faction of the party on Thursday moved a plea in the Madras High Court seeking a floor test in the state assembly. Responding to it, the Madras High Court then directed the Tamil Nadu Advocate General to see if any action can be taken to disqualify 19 MLAs supporting TTV Dhinakaran. The court passed the interim order after apprehensions by the main opposition party, DMK, and the Dhinakaran camp about possible disqualification of 19 dissident AIADMK MLAs by the assembly Speaker. The Madras High Court also ordered that no floor test be conducted in Tamil Nadu Assembly till September 20. Sidelined AIADMK (Amma) deputy chief Dhinakaran had last week called on the state's Governor, Ch Vidyasagar Rao, to take action on the plea seeking ouster of Chief Minister K Palaniswami, his deputy O Panneerselvam and the demand for a fresh floor test in the Assembly. Meanwhile, Dhinakaran, who along with his aunt VK Sasikala were recently removed from top posts in Tamil Nadu's ruling party, has also approached the Election Commission (EC) urging it to declare the recent AIADMK General Council meet 'illegal'. According to ANI, the camp led by Dhinakaran argued before the poll watchdog that the recent AIADMK General Council meet where VK Sasikala was ousted shouldn't be considered legal. Very soon we'll hold another General Council meet of the party after getting the consent of General Secretary VK Sasikala, Vijila Sathyananth, a member of the TTV Dhinakaran-led faction said. The moves comes amid an ongoing infighting to wrest control of Tamil Nadu's ruling party, which was for years led by its late former leader J Jayalalithaa. Importantly, TTV Dhinakaran had on Wednesday removed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palanisami from the post of AIADMK headquarter secretary. The 'sacked' party deputy chief Dhinakaran appointed P Palaniappan as the new party headquarter secretary. This came hours after the ruling AIADMK sacked jailed VK Sasikala as its interim chief and made its late supremo Jayalalithaa the party's "eternal general secretary", sparking fresh confrontation with rebel leader TTV Dhinakaran who vowed to bring down the government. In other major decisions, the General Council altered the party's organisational structure to a collective leadership structure. It amended the party rules whereby none will be elected or nominated to the post of general secretary - a position held by party supremo and late chief minister J Jayalalithaa till her death. Dhinakaran also dubbed the general council meeting, where the decision was taken, as a 'public meeting' and said he had undertaken efforts to "send home this regime" (led by Chief Minister K Palaniswami). The Dhinakaran camp claims a support of 19 MLAs. The AIADMK has 134 MLAs in the 233-member House. A seat is lying vacant after the death of Jayalalithaa. The majority mark is 117. The appointment last week of John Bolduc as the newest superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol checked off many boxes of the type of candidate many hoped to see fill the position. Hes an experienced officer and supervisor who has worked in law enforcement for 31 years. To best serve and understand Nebraskas distinct, diverse populations, his previous work and leadership in small communities, suburban areas and urban centers are a major bonus. Most importantly, Bolduc pitched himself as a cultural change agent, one that Gov. Pete Ricketts said has extensive experience communicating to and improving the departments hes led. The nominee received a unanimous recommendation from an accomplished search committee. As an outsider, Bolduc is an ideal position to create the change needed in the State Patrol following turmoil and leadership under its previous superintendent. In the press conference announcing his appointment, Bolduc acknowledged the State Patrol has problems that need to be overcome. With state officials publicly stating there was probable cause his predecessor, Col. Brad Rice, had committed a crime and forwarding the results of an internal investigation to the FBI, Bolduc knows hes entering the job at a difficult time. External allegations of improper use of force, mishandling of internal affairs, violations of anti-harassment and equal opportunity policies the impact of actions before Bolducs appointment wont simply disappear. He must be proactive and crystal clear in laying out his vision for the State Patrols future under his leadership and insisting such missteps wont be tolerated. The first step to preserving the credibility threatened by actions that predate his arrival isnt to sweep them under the rug. Instead, new leadership must work with high-ranking officers to ensure such mistakes arent repeated and that the integrity and reputation of the State Patrol remain impeccable. Two of the four finalists were captains in the State Patrol. To advance that far in the process, theyve clearly served Nebraska admirably and must not have been involved in what Ricketts has called interference in internal investigations at the highest level of the department. These men will serve critical roles during the upcoming transition. Still, a fresh start, under the command of a leader from an outside agency is the right call for the State Patrol at the present. The department needs to right its course and pursue a new direction and a seasoned superintendent from a different background was a proper call. Though Bolduc is slated to begin his new duties Oct. 16, he will require approval by the Legislature when it reconvenes in January. Lawmakers should confirm him and give him the free rein needed to pursue the cultural change he promised before his nomination. New Delhi: Karti Chidambaram on Thursday refused to appear before the CBI in the Aircel Maxis case saying a special court had discharged all the accused and terminated proceedings in the matter, a claim strongly contradicted by the CBI which said that the investigation was still on. The agency had called Karti for questioning today in connection with the foreign investment clearance given in 2006 in the Aircel Maxis deal when his father P Chidambaram was the Finance Minister. Karti, through his lawyer, has refused to appear before the agency saying a special court had discharged "all the accused" in the matter. "All proceedings connected with the said (case)... Were also terminated," the response said. "The response has been received by the CBI today at 10.30 am through a courier service. The response has also been sent through fax and email," Karti's lawyer Arun Natarajan told PTI on phone. The response said after the discharge of the accused and "termination" of the proceedings, the CBI will not have jurisdiction to issue a summons in connection with the case. The CBI strongly contradicted claims of Karti saying only four, including two companies, of the eight charge sheeted accused were discharged by the special court and the agency has already filed an appeal against the order in the Delhi High Court in May this year. "FIR RC-22(A)/2011-DLI has not been quashed by the court and further investigation under 173(8) of the CrPC is continuing," CBI Spokesperson Abhishek Dayal said here today. He said two Malaysian nationals and two Malaysian companies who were charge sheeted by the CBI in the matter did not appear before the special court and warrants were issued against the individuals. "Court proceedings are still pending. Request has been placed before the Interpol for issuance of Red Notices against the two Malaysian national," Dayal said. The CBI sources said all the options are open before them in the matter. They said that examination also gives suspects a chance to put forth their case before the agency. The investigation into alleged irregularities in granting foreign investment approval to Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd for investment in Aircel is still going on, the CBI sources said. They said the agency is also looking into investments made by firms controlled by Karti Chidambaram into Aircel while the FIPB clearance issue was under the consideration of the Finance Ministry. In August 2014, the CBI had charge sheeted former Telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi, Malaysian business tycoon T Ananda Krishnan, Malaysian national Ralph Marshall and four firms-- Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd, South Asia Entertainment Holding Ltd, Maxis Communication Berhad and ASTRO All Asia Network PLC. In an order on February 2 this year, the special CBI court had discharged Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi, Sun Direct TV Pvt Ltd and South Asia Entertainment Holding Ltd saying the charges were without any "legal basis". The court order, however, did not have any effect on the two accused Malaysian nationals--Ralph Marshall and T Ananda Krishnan--in the CBI's case as the court has already segregated the proceedings against them from that of Maran brothers and others. Both had not appeared before the court. The CBI had challenged the order of discharge in the Delhi High Court on May 11 this year. P Chidambaram, in a statement in 2014, had dismissed the allegations against him saying the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance was granted in due course. New Delhi: The income tax department and the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) have signed a pact to regularly share data, including PAN and audit reports of firms, to crack down on shell companies, the government said on Thursday. The pact aims at curbing the menace of money laundering, black money and misuse of corporate structure by shell companies, a finance ministry statement said. The MoU for Automatic and Regular Exchange of Information between was signed between the MCA and Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on September 6 and took effect the same day, it said. Under the pact, tax authorities will now relay audit reports of corporates and specific information from their I-T returns along with PAN data to MCA. Besides, financial statements filed by corporates with the Registrar of Companies, returns of allotment of shares and statement of financial transactions received from banks will now be shared between the two departments. "A Data Exchange Steering Group has also been constituted for the initiative which will meet periodically to review the data exchange status and take steps to further improve the effectiveness of the two agencies," it added. The MoU will ensure that both MCA and CBDT have seamless PAN-CIN (Corporate Identity Number) and PAN-DIN (Director Identity Number) linkage for regulatory purposes. "The information shared will pertain to both Indian corporates as well as foreign corporates operating in India," the statement said. The data will also be shared for the purpose of carrying out scrutiny, inspection, investigation and prosecution. The government has already said that over 1.06 lakh directors will be disqualified for their association with shell companies. The MCA is in the process of cancelling the registration of 2.09 lakh companies that have not been carrying out business activities for a long period. Besides, banks have been asked to restrict operations of these companies' bank accounts by their directors or their authorised representatives. Following deregistration of over two lakh companies currently there are about 11 lakh companies with active status. New Delhi: Taking forward the process for Air India divestment, the government on Thursday invited applications from investment bankers, law firms and other entities to act as advisers for strategic stake sale of the flag carrier. The government has decided on strategic disinvestment of the loss-making Air India, which is staying afloat on taxpayers' funds, and a ministerial panel is working on the modalities. Applications have been sought for engaging up to two advisers and a legal adviser for the "strategic disinvestment of Air India and its subsidiaries/ joint venture", according to two similarly-worded public notices issued by the Finance Ministry. "The Government of India has in-principle decided to consider the disinvestment of the AI Group as a whole or its constituents fully or part thereof through strategic sale with transfer of management control," the notices said. It is looking for reputed investment bankers, merchant bankers, financial institutions and banks for providing advisory services and managing the strategic disinvestment process. The government "requires the services of reputed law firms with experience and expertise in mergers and acquisitions/ takeovers/strategic disinvestment/ private equity transaction to act as legal adviser and assist government in the process," one of the notices said. Applications have to be submitted by October 12. The notices for Expression of Interest have been issued by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management. Under a turnaround plan approved by the previous UPA regime, Air India is to receive up to Rs 30,231 crore from the government subject to meeting certain performance thresholds. The ten-year bailout package began from 2012. So far, the embattled carrier has received around Rs 26,000 crore under the package. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave its in-principle nod for the strategic disinvestment of the airline -- which has a debt burden of more than Rs 50,000 crore -- in June this year. Subsequently, an Air India-specific alternative mechanism was set up to guide the process. The ministerial group is looking into treatment of Air India's unsustainable debt, hiving off of certain assets to a shell company, demerger and strategic disinvestment of three profit-making subsidiaries, among other aspects. Air India is also planning to take short term loans worth up to Rs 3,250 crore to meet "urgent working capital requirements". London: A UK court on Thursday fixed November 20 as the date for the pre-trial hearing in the extradition case of Vijay Mallya, the embattled tycoon wanted in India on loan defaults to several banks amounting to nearly Rs 9,000-crore. The flamboyant businessman, out on bail on an extradition warrant, is exempt from appearing for hearings before his trial is scheduled to start on December 4 and chose not to attend today's hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court here. This is the first hearing the 61-year-old former chief of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines has missed in the case involving economic offences in India and was represented in court by a female member of his family. Mallya's defence team told the court that they have provided a list of six experts they intend to rely upon in their evidence. The list includes experts from the field of airlines, banking, politics and law, including an Indian lawyer. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing on behalf of the Indian government, expressed disappointment at the hard copy format in which the defence had presented their documents. "We received the physical box of evidence on Monday which has to be scanned to be sent to India. We were disappointed to receive physical evidence in 2017. It lost us a week," said CPS barrister Mark Summers. The judge, Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, sympathised with the CPS on the issue and said it was "slightly unfortunate in 2017" and requested CPS to provide her with scanned copies as well. The judge also asked the prosecution if relevant evidence had been sought from India on prison conditions in the country, which she highlighted as a concern that has been "raised in extraditions to India before". The CPS told the court that the "Indian authorities had foreseen this as an issue and have been engaged on the matter" and provided detailed assurances and photographs by email relating to prison conditions where Mallya is likely to be held. The prosecution also confirmed they had received most documents from Mallya's defence team and are awaiting two further documents and at this stage are not sure if the Indian authorities would require any additional time to respond. The extradition trial to bring Mallya to face court proceedings in India is scheduled for two weeks starting on December 4. However, it was raised in court on Thursday that the trial would not be sitting on two dates during that period December 6 and 15. Both sides agreed to leave the trial dates as they are but additional dates may be required to be added on at a later stage. If additional dates are required to be scheduled in for the trial, the case may spill over into January 2018 if it clashes with the UK court's Christmas break period. The Indian authorities believe their case is on a strong footing and all the evidence has been presented to the?CPS to argue for Mallya to be extradited. "Evidence presented makes out a strong prima facie case against Vijay Mallya. Despite delaying tactics, it has been possible to have an indicated date in December 2017 for the hearing and the UK counsel CPS will continue to work towards an expeditious hearing of the entire case," the Indian High Commission had said in a statement. In addition to the charge-sheets filed by CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also filed a charge-sheet against Mallya. The businessman, who has been based in the UK since he left India in March last year, is wanted in India for his erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines' default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crores. He had been arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on behalf of the Indian authorities on April 18. He had attended a central London police station for his arrest and was released on conditional bail a few hours later after providing a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds, assuring the court of abiding by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, such as the surrender of his passport and a ban on him possessing any travel documents. The first hearing in the case took place on June 13, when December 4 had been pencilled in as a tentative final hearing date. If the Chief Magistrate rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK home secretary must order Mallya's extradition within two months of the appropriate day. However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion. India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992 and in force since November 1993, under which recently a Bangladeshi national wanted in the UK on murder charges was to be extradited from India. New Delhi: An auto-rickshaw driver was killed after his vehicle rammed into a truck and the iron rods protruding from it pierced through his body, the police said. The incident took place yesterday at around 4.30 am on Nizamuddin Bridge. The 14-wheel truck was moving ahead of the auto-rickshaw and its tail-lights were not on, they said. Naresh Kumar (40) could not see the protruding rods and they pierced through the auto-rickshaw and his body, killing him on the spot, the police said. Kumar was going towards Noida with a couple of passengers who also suffered minor injuries, they said. In another incident, a police personnel and a man, who was detained for roaming around an embassy here, were injured when a car hit their vehicle in Chanakpuri here yesterday. The QRT van was hit by a car with an Uttarkhand number plate, the police said. The accident occurred when it was taking two persons, who were detained for moving suspiciously near the Japanese Embassy, to the Chanakyapuri Police Station, they said. The car's driver Ankush Gupta has been arrested and it is being probed whether he knew the detained men. New Delhi: A Delhi Patiala House Court is expected to frame charges against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and and his deputy Manish Sisodia in a criminal defamation complaint on Thursday. The court would also frame charges against ex-Aam Aadmi Party leader Yogendra Yadav. Earlier, the court had passed order on framing of notice (charge) on a criminal defamation complaint filed by advocate Surender Kumar Sharma. Sharma was denied a ticket by the AAP to contest assembly polls. Sharma had alleged that in 2013 the AAP approached him and asked him to contest the Delhi assembly elections on a party ticket, saying Kejriwal was pleased with his social services. Sharma had claimed that on October 14, 2013, articles in leading newspapers carried "defamatory, unlawful and derogatory words used by the accused persons" which lowered his reputation in the Bar and the society. Sharma said he filled up the application form to contest the polls after Sisodia and Yadav allegedly told him that the AAP's Political Affairs Committee had decided to give him the ticket. However, the ticket was later denied. Yadav was a member of the National Executive of the AAP until 2015, when he was expelled for alleged anti-party activities. Later, he floated his own party Swaraj India which is going to contest municipal corporations election in Delhi. All the three leaders had denied the charges and are at present out on bail. New Delhi: The Delhi Police has arrested one of the most wanted criminals of the national capital who was involved in a shootout in which three persons, including an assistant sub-inspector and an alleged gangster were killed in April. Sonu Dariyapur, who was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh, was arrested this morning from Narela, the police said. In a shootout on April 30, gangster Monu Dariyapur, his personal security officers, Delhi Police ASI Vijay Kumar and Constable Kuldeep, and two others, Arun Shastri and Yogesh, were attacked in outer Delhi's Mianwali Nagar. Some armed men had fired at their car leading to the deaths of Monu, Kumar and Shastri and injuring the other two. Monu was previously a member of Sonu Dariyapur's gang. Both of them were friends but the relationship got bitter after Monu married Sonu's cousin, due to which the latter decided to kill him. In 2006, Sonu along with his other associates had also fired at the car carrying Monu and his wife. In this firing, driver of the car was killed and the two critically injured. After that incident, they were provided security by the Delhi Police. Sonu had hatched a conspiracy with his gang members to kill Monu and they succeeded in killing him on April 30. Staffordshire: This week, Britain remembered and paid tribute to 21 British Indian Army sepoys (Sikh soldiers) who died in a last stand against 10,000 Afghan tribesmen while defending the Saragarhi outpost in the hills of the North West Frontier Province, now Pakistan, which was then part of British India. Around 200 military, civilian and Sikh community leaders, including Colonel Richard Maybery, Deputy Commander of Donnington based 11th Signal and West Midlands Brigade, Mr Ian Dudson, Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire, and members of the British Armed Forces Sikh Association (BAFSA) gathered at the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA) Sikh memorial for a service paying tribute on September 12, the 120th anniversary of the day on which these Sikh soldiers displayed their legendary heroism at the Battle of Saragarhi in Staffordshire. The commemoration servicech was led by Mrs. Mandeep Kaur, Sikh Chaplain to the Armed Forces, and took place in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy Sikh scripture, regarded as the Supreme Spiritual Authority and Head of the Sikh religion.The arrival of the Guru at the Sikh memorial was heralded by the Jaikara war cry given by Captain Makand Singh of Coventry-based 159 Regiment RLC. It is an integral part of Sikh liturgy and is traditionally shouted at the end of prayers or said in holy congregation.Readings and prayers from the Guru Granth Sahib by Mrs Kaur, were followed by the playing of the Last Post by a bugler from the Band of the Royal Armoured Corps, as well as a one minute`s silence in honour of the epic bravery of the 21 men who fought to the end against such monumental odds. Senior representatives of the Armed Forces, the British Armed Forces Sikh Association, and the Lord Lieutenant also laid a wreath at the memorial. Speaking after the poignant service, Mrs Kaur said: "It gives me immense gratification to say that the British Armed Forces commemorated the 120th anniversary of the Saragarhi Battle - an icon of bravery, in the pious presence of Guru Granth Sahib ji - the eternal Guru." Thinking of the 21 brave soldiers and their source of strength - their Guru- the day inspired many to be true to faith values, humanity, service, extraordinary bravery and actions beyond imagination. Colonel Richard Maybery, Deputy Commander of 11th Signal and West Midlands Brigade, said: "It`s been a privilege today to host the Saraghari commemoration at the NMA, to remember the incredible actions and sacrifice that took place and to mark the long association between the Sikhs and the British Army. I am delighted that so many people were able to attend and mark this very poignant event." Captain Jay Singh Sohal, a serving Army Reservist, who`s factual film, "Saragarhi: The True Story", was premiered at the event, also paid tribute to the bravery of the Sikh soldiers who were remembered at the commemoration. He said: "The Sikhs who fought for Britain on the frontier were rightly rewarded and honoured for their bravery and devotion to duty at that time; today we must continue to remember the sacrifices they and others made in such conflicts which might not be so well known but are vitally important." We must share it with others, celebrate our long and rich connection to our country, and motivate young people to learn from their historic lessons to take up such acts of public service." "It`s been a long but fulfilling journey to research, film and promote for the first time the bravery of the 21 Sikhs at Saragarhi."It`s a personal endeavour; I have myself been inspired to serve my country by it because it speaks to the shared history and values that make me proud to be both British and Sikh, and I know many others in my community feel the same." Captain Makand Singh, of Coventry based 159 Royal Logistics Corps (RLC) added: "It was great to see so many people from across the country at the NMA to commemorate the Battle of Saragarhi." "This has become a prominent event in our calendar. I think it is very important to remember our forefathers that made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live in peace and harmony.This battle was a show of true grit upholding Sikh and Army values and standards.On behalf of the British Armed Forces I would like to thank all members of the community that joined us today to commemorate the battle." The event also saw Capt Singh Sohal give a presentation on the history of the battle to invited guests, a presentation by the Army Engagement Group about the British Army of today, and a key note speech by the Lord Lieutenant. There was also a panel session by the British Armed Forces Sikh Association at which serving Sikhs discussed their experience of and took questions about their experience of life in the British Armed Forces today. The battle took place 12th September 1897 in Tirah region of North-West Frontier Province, now in Pakistan. Saragarhi was a mud-walled signalling post that connected British India forts of Lockhart and Gulistan on the border areas of Afghanistan with a garrison of 20 men under Havildar Ishar Singh. An estimated 10,000 Afghan tribesmen attacked in mass to block relief and take the signalling post. The Sikhs knew that the mud walls of the post wouldn`t stand for long and soon they would be exposed to the brutal might of Afghans. The morning of 12 September 1897 brought with it an army of 10,000 Afghans. The odds were striking. It would have taken more than just courage to face such a challenge where death was certain. There are countless tales of the bravery of the Sikhs in battle, but perhaps none is as inspiring as that of Saragarhi in 1897, which saw the 21 sepoys fight to the death against impossible odds. Today, these warriors have rightly passed into the heroic legend of the Sikhs. Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took out time from this busy schedule to meet former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel and express his condolences over the death of the latter's son. Modi reached Patel's residence here today before attending the ground breaking ceremony of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail project near Sabarmati railway station in Ahmedabad with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. Keshubhai's 60-year-old son Pravin Patel, who was settled in the US, died of cardiac arrest on September 9. "Met Shri Keshubhai Patel at his residence and offered my condolences on the unfortunate demise of his son, Pravin Patel," Modi tweeted after meeting Keshubhai at his residence. The prime minister also tweeted a picture where is seen offering flowers at the photo of Pravin Patel. BJP president Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had also visited Keshubhai Patel's residence few days back to condole his son's death. Chandigarh: The Haryana Police on Thursday said it has arrested three policemen who allegedly conspired to help Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh escape after his conviction. The policemen -- two head constables and a constable -- were part of the Dera chief's security detail during his appearance before a CBI court which held him guilty of raping two of his followers. The cops were arrested in Panchkula where they were called to join the investigation, said Panchkula Deputy Commissioner of Police Manbir Singh. They have been booked under the relevant sections of the IPC, including the sedition charge, said Singh. "We have arrested three Haryana policemen who were part of the Dera sect chief's security on August 25," he said. They have been in arrested in connection with the conspiracy to free Ram Rahim on August 25 after he was convicted by the Special CBI Court in Panchkula, he added. The DCP said Head Constable Amit, Head Constable Rajesh and Constable Rajesh "were produced in the local court today and have been remanded in police custody for three days". The Haryana Police had dismissed five policemen who were also part of the Dera chief's security detail. Besides them, three cops from the Punjab police had also been arrested. I live in a total world of silence. I was born deaf, graduated from Nebraska School for the Deaf and thrown into a world of hearing people and employers who don't know sign language, my way of communication. Last week, I ran out of refills on my blood pressure and cholesterol pills. I contacted my pharmacist, who contacted my doctor. I was informed that I would have to see my doctor every three months to have my prescriptions filled. Also, my doctor would no longer provide a live interpreter, but I must pay for one. Being on welfare, I could not afford to pay $50 to $100 for an interpreter. They said they would provide a TV monitor with an interpreter. I told them I did not understand many words on TV monitors that interpreters would explain to me. Bryan Medical Center, according to law, always provides me with a live interpreter when I request in advance rather than a TV monitor. I then asked my brother to help me with this problem. He called the Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. He researched the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title III of which states doctors are required to provide interpreters that the patient understands for medical visits so the patient receives a true picture of his or her condition -- even if the cost of the interpreter is more than that of the doctor's visit. The doctor's office said Medicaid will now pay for a live interpreter for my appointments. This passes the cost of the interpreter onto the State of Nebraska rather than the private doctor's institution. Christine Huenink, Lincoln Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday dismissed the anticipatory transit bail plea of the trustees of Ryan International Schools but granted a conditional interim stay on their arrest till 5 p.m. on Friday. The trustees -- Augustine F. Pinto, his wife Grace and their son Ryan -- have been ordered by Justice A.S. Gadkari to deposit their passports with the Mumbai police by 9 p.m. on Thursday, failing which the interim protection would not be given. The interim protection against arrest has been granted to the trustees to enable them to approach an appropriate judicial authority in Haryana in the case pertaining to the murder of a seven-year-old student, Pradhyuman B. Thakur, in Ryan International School in Gurugram. Fearing arrest by Haryana Police, the Pintos -- who are trustees of St. Xaviers Education Trust -- had filed anticipatory transit bail application before the Bombay High Court on Monday. New Delhi: In the wake of the butal murder of seven-year-old Pradyuman at Ryan International School, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has said the onus for safety and security of children in school campus shall solely lie upon the school authorities. Pradyuman was found dead with his throat slit in the washroom of Ryan International school in Bhondsi area on Sohna Road near here on September 8. The latest CBSE circular in regard to safety of students in schools says Board has from time to time issued instructions to implement and sensitize the schools for ensuring the safety and security of students during school time and while in transit to school and back home (please see reference quoted above). These exhaustive provisions are required to be strictly followed by every school affiliated with CBSE to ensure complete safety of school children in school. In addition, the school authorities may immediately take following measures to enhance the security of children in Schools: (a) Get the security /safety audit done of their premises and personnel from their respective local police station and follow the security related advice for the safety of School children. This maycompiledlied and reported online on CBSE website www.cbse.nic.in within 2 months of receipt of this circular. (b) Install CCTV Cameras at all vulnerable areas/point in the School premises and ensure they are functional at all times. (c) They must get the police verification and psychometric evaluation done for all the staff employed. Such verification and evaluation for non-teaching staff such as, bus drivers, conductors, peon and other support staff may be done very carefully and in a detailed manner. (d) Ensure that supporting staff is employed only from authorised agencies and proper records are maintained. (e) To constitute a parent-teacher-students committee to address the safety needs of the students and to take regular feedback from parents in this regard. (f) The access to school building by outsiders should be controlled and visitors monitored. (g) To provide training and development for staff to address their responsibilities to protect children from any form of abuse. (h) The school shall constitute separate committees for redressal of public/staff/parents/students grievances, Internal Complaints committee on sexual harassment and committees under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offence) Act, 2012 and details of the these committees along with contact details shall be displayed prominently on School Notice Board and conspicuously on the school website for information of all stakeholders. It is reiterated, that all schools affiliated with CBSE are hereby directed to strictly adhere to all the guidelines issued by MHRD and Board from time to time. Any violation/lapses with regard to safety and well being of children in school campus would invite appropriate action including the disaffiliation of the school as per the provisions under Affiliation Bye-Laws of the Board, the circular read. New Delhi/Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Thursday launched the country's first bullet-train project, making India the first country to buy Japan's iconic 'Shinkansen' bullet-train technology after Taiwan. Taipei was the first to buy Japan's bullet-train technology. Tokyo has also agreed to give a loan of Rs 88,000 crore, about 80 percent of the project cost, at a minimal interest of 0.1 per cent for 50 years. Japan's entry into the Indian bullet-train market marks its hard-fought victory in the midsts of giants like Siemens AG, Bombardier Inc., and Alstom competing in a global market, NDTV reported citing BCC Research. "The competition between China and Japan, especially in the ASEAN region, has been fairly intense and in India, there will be more competition for other phases of the bullet train project," the channel quoted Jaideep Ghosh, head of the consultancy firm KPMG, as saying. "Japan has a long history of operating the system without any fatalities. Politics and strategic considerations do play a part, but finally it is a commercial decision," he added. The bullet train project is PM Modi's ambitious plan to modernize rail infrastructure. Kawasaki Heavy and India's Bharat Heavy Electrics Ltd. will collaborate on the rolling stock, Abe said. Bharat Heavy reportedly rose to 10.2 percent, the biggest intraday gain in a year. The government hopes the project would spur manufacturing and employment growth. Besides an estimated 4,000 direct and 20,000 indirect jobs for operations, the project is also expected to create 20,000 construction jobs. Indian companies are also looking forward to bagging a few contracts. "We may be getting the technology from Japan, but most of the components for the bullet train will be sourced from India," PM Modi said. India's first bullet train will run between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, covering a distance of over 500 km. Of the total distance, 21 km will pass through tunnels, of which seven km will be under the sea. The official target for the completion of the project is 2023. The bullet train will run at an average speed of 320 km per hour with a maximum speed of 350 km per hour. It is expected to cover the distance in about two hours. Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has assured that the fare would be "affordable for all". Beijing: Amid fanfare over the launch of Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project in India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visiting Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, a Chinese daily has said that New Delhi and Tokyo posed no "grave threat" to Beijing. An op-ed in the Global Times said "the India-Japan intimacy is more like a contrivance" and both were "are unlikely to challenge China without giving it a serious thought", IANS reported. This is not the first time that such statements have come from the state-owned Chinese daily. In fact, China has always been wary of growing proximity between India and Japan with whom it has territorial disputes. China's state-conrolled media has often been critical of fast developing ties between India and Japan. In the article, the Global Times said that China would never follow India and Japan "who have somewhat lost themselves". "Under the international relations logic of the 21st century, closer India-Japan ties won't pose grave threats to China because many of their emotional moves to console each other won't produce any real effects in challenging China,'' it said. "A strong China has the confidence that no Asian country can substantially challenge China's national security nor can they by grouping together. China has been in the core of economic cooperation in Asia. Geopolitics is unlikely to go against the geo-economic situation," the op-ed said. This is the 10th meeting between Modi and Abe in the past three years. This time, Modi invited the Japanese leader to Ahmedabad. In 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the city in Gujarat where Modi was once the Chief Minister. Both leaders are likely to beef up their defence and security ties. The sale of US-2 amphibious aircraft is also likely to come up. Last year, China had angrily reacted to the prospective sale of these aircraft to India. The newspaper said after the Doklam border row, Indian experts and media have emphasised the need to forge deeper ties with the US and Japan to counter China. "This has exposed the vulnerable feeling of the Indian strategic circle in front of China," the article said. "They want to encourage themselves by calling for India's alliance with the US and Japan to showcase India's strategic potential to China. This suits the desperate needs of Indian society's mentality." "As long as Chinese society is mentally strong enough, calls in the Indian and Japanese media for them to draw closer will be in vain. India and Japan are unlikely to form a military and political alliance with the US. "China's vast trade with Japan and India greatly dwarfs bilateral trade between India and Japan. Given this, Tokyo and New Delhi are unlikely to challenge China without giving it serious thought." "China wants to solve problems when it has disagreements with India on specific issues. China won't actively seek strategic confrontation with India or Japan," the daily added. Hyderabad: An Indian doctor hailing from Telangana was stabbed to death in Kansas state of the United States, as per the information reaching his family here on Thursday. Achutha Reddy, a psychiatrist, was murdered in his clinic in East Wichita, on Wednesday night. US police has arrested a young man. Informed sources quoted the US police as saying that the assailant, aged 21, repeatedly stabbed the doctor after a conversation. It was not yet clear if the attacker was his patient. Reddy was affiliated to some other hospitals in the region. He was a specialist in absolute yoga. Hailing from Nalgonda district, Reddy graduated from Osmania Medical College in 1986. He later moved to the US, where he completed his residency in psychiatry from the University of Kansas Medical School in Wichita. Washington: Indo-Pak delegation on Indus waters are scheduled to meet on September 14-15 at the World Bank Headquarters in the United States. This would be the second round of talks between India and Pakistan within a month. The two sides had met on August 2 and decided to meet again in September. New Delhi and Islamabad will continue talks on issues related to two of India's hydroelectricity projects under 1960 Indus Water Treaty. Indian delegation is led by Water Resources secretary Amarjit Singh. He will be accompanied by officials from ministries of external affairs and water resources. Last month, the World Bank had said that discussions between India and Pakistan over Kishanganga and Ratle hydroelectric power plants are ongoing and no decision has been made yet. The meeting was part of the World Bank's efforts to resolve a dispute over Kishanganga and Ratle hydroelectricity projects that India is building in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan opposes the two projects, saying the plans violate the 1960 Indus Water Treaty that distributes waters of the river Indus and its tributaries between India and Pakistan. The two countries last held talks over the projects in March in Pakistan. The projects will allow India to use water of three Indus tributaries to irrigate 912,000 acres of land, up from 800,000 acres, and to produce 18,600 MW of electricity. Pakistan says the projects would lessen its share granted in the treaty. New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal on Thursday dismissed the Centre's plea seeking modification of its ban order on diesel vehicles, according to PTI. Refusing to lift the ban on 10-year-old diesel vehicles in Delhi-NCR, the Tribunal noted that emissions from diesel vehicles are carcinogenic in nature and one diesel vehicle causes pollution equal to 24 petrol vehicles and 40 CNG vehicles". A bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar government's plea on the ground that the Supreme Court has also junked a similar plea. The Green panel said that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, which had sought modification of NGT's April 7, 2015 order, did not file any review plea and moved the Tribunal "in the guise of seeking modification". The bench which delivered the judgement also comprised Justices Jawad Rahim, R S Rathore and one expert member B S Sajwan. In November 2014, the NGT, in a bid to tackle increasing air pollution in the national capital, held that all diesel and petrol vehicles which were more than 15 years old would not be permitted to ply on Delhi roads. Thereafter, the tribunal had again in April 2015 ordered that all diesel vehicles of more than 10 years old would not be permitted to ply in Delhi. In January 2017, the Centre moved the Supreme Court seeking the lifting of the ban on 10-year-old diesel vehicles in Delhi and NCR, saying it was affecting the economically weaker section of people. In July 2017, the union government challenged the NGT's order to phase out diesel vehicles, saying there was no legal provision for the move described by a car maker as a "corporate death penalty". Meanwhile, in an another jolt to diesel car owners in the national capital, the tribunal had, in July 2016, directed the Delhi government to cancel the registration of all diesel-powered vehicles which are over 10 years old from plying in the city. NGT order had come in the wake of rising pollution levels in Delhi and NCR causing health risks for its population. (With Agency inputs) New Delhi: India on Thursday rushed 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh and pledged all help to Dhaka in tackling the humanitarian crisis. According to the UN estimates, over 379,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state into Bangladesh since August 25. The first Indian consignment comes days after Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar last week and briefed him about the problems faced by Dhaka due to the influx of the refugees. External Affairs Ministry statement said in a statement, "In response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh, Government of India has decided to extend assistance to Bangladesh. The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets etc." "The relief material will be delivered in multiple consignments, the first tranche of which will be brought to Chittagong by an Indian Air Force plane on 14th September 2017. India has always responded readily and swiftly to any crisis in Bangladesh, in keeping with the close ties of friendship between the peoples of India and Bangladesh. India stands ready to provide any assistance required by Government of Bangladesh in this hour of need," it added. Operation Insaniyat - Humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh on account of influx of refugees [Sep 14, 2017] Link: https://t.co/veszSE3xC6 India in Bangladesh (@ihcdhaka) September 14, 2017 1st consignment of #Indian humanitarian assistance of 53 MT for #Bangladeshi arrives under Operation #Insaniyat @SushmaSwaraj; total 7000 MT pic.twitter.com/crmkzhQ9dI India in Bangladesh (@ihcdhaka) September 14, 2017 Op Insaniyat:HC handed over 1st consignmnt humanitarian asst by #India 2 #Bangladesh Minister @obaidulquader said'this is like repeat of 71' pic.twitter.com/MLLi1AGtBM India in Bangladesh (@ihcdhaka) September 14, 2017 Minister @obaidulquader on Op #Insaniyat:"no words r enough 2 express gratitude of people of #Bangladesh 4 #India"receiving 1st consignment pic.twitter.com/W0yJsLzLiT India in Bangladesh (@ihcdhaka) September 14, 2017 Meanwhile, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju had on Wednesday slammed attempts to brand India as a 'villain' on the Rohingya refugee issue, saying it was a 'calibrated design' to tarnish the country's image. His comments had come two days after UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein had flayed any attempts by India to deport Rohingyas to Myanmar. Rijiju had said criticism of India on the Rohingyas undermines the country's security. This chorus of branding India as villain on Rohingya issue is a calibrated design to tarnish India's image. It undermines India's security. September 13, 2017 On August 09, the government had told Parliament that according to available data, more than 14,000 Rohingyas, registered with the UNHCR, are presently staying in India. However, some inputs indicate that around 40,000 Rohingyas are staying in India illegally and the Rohingyas are largely located in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan, PTI reported. According to media reports, the violence began when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state. Rohingya residents - a stateless mostly Muslim minority in a Buddhist-majority nation - allege that the military and Rakhine Buddhists responded with a brutal campaign against them, according to the reports. (With PTI inputs) Gandhinagar: Ahead of their annual bilateral summit here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Thursday visited Dandi Kutir, India`s largest and only museum dedicated to the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. "Preserving the legacy of the Mahatma. Both Prime Ministers made a tour of Dandi Kutir," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said. "The museum represents Gandhi`s idea of people across lines of class, gender, age and community asserting a common right to slat itself: a symbil to inspire a pluralistic society to march towards independence, Purna Swaraj," a museum`s website posting said, a reference to the famous Dandi March led by the Father of the Nation during India`s freedom struggle. Earlier in the day, Modi and Abe participated in the ground breaking ceremony of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed rail project being built with Japan`s aid. Abe arrived here on Wednesday on a two-day to visit to attend the 12th India-Japan Annual Bilateral Summit. See pics: New Delhi: The origin of the concept of zero or sunya has been traced an ancient Indian Bakhshali manuscript. Radiocarbon dating, conducted by the University of Oxford, reveals that the manuscript belongs to 3rd or 4th century nearly 500 years before scholars previously believed was the birth of the concept of zero. This makes the Bakhshali manuscript worlds oldest recorded origin of the zero symbol. Indians were the first to give a numerical sign to nothingness zero, or sunya, making it the one biggest breakthrough in the history of mathematics and science. In the fragile manuscript, zero is not been mentioned as a number, but acts as the placeholder in a number system, such as the 0 in 101 or 1100. The Bakhshali manuscript is an ancient Indian mathematical manuscript written on more than 70 leaves of birch bark, found in 1881. It is notable for having a dot representing zero in it, states the University of Oxford. Discovered in 1881, the ancient script is an Indian mathematical manuscript, written on 70 pieces of birch bark. It is in an ancient form of Sanskrit and has been at the Oxford University since 1902. The script has several numbers written on it. Marcus du Sautoy, professor of Mathematics at Oxford University, says that the manuscript is "a practical document used by merchants to do calculations. I visited a temple in Gwalior which has a zero marked on the wall, dating to the middle of the 9th century AD, he adds. But the document is nearly 500 years older than that. Today we take it for granted that the concept of zero is used across the globe and our whole digital world is based on nothing or something. But there was a moment when there wasnt this number, says Sautoy. This is a total revolution that happens out of India, he adds. This is coming out of a culture that is quite happy to conceive of the void, to conceive of the infinite. The idea of the symbol of nothing is a part of their philosophical culture, says Du Sautoy. And that is exciting to recognise, he adds. The Bakhshali manuscript will be on public display in the exhibition Illuminating India: 5000 Years of Science' at the Science Museum in London from October 4. RACINE Participants are invited to sprint, jog or walk through 5 kilometers of rainbow clouds in The Color Run Dream Tour. By popular demand, this family friendly 5K returns to Racine for the sixth time on Saturday in its only Wisconsin appearance. The run starts at 9 a.m. on Pershing Drive along Racines lakefront. The festival and start/finish line area will be in the Gateway Technical College parking lot behind 1001 Main St. This years Dream Tour theme features giant unicorns, new photo opportunities and new colors. For the first time ever, runners will be transported through a whimsical fog dream tunnel to start their adventure. The course, through the streets of Racine, features the classic color zones and a new foam zone. In another new addition, participants can spray their dreams on the dream wall to be seen by all. After crossing the finish line, runners will enjoy a finish festival to party with the Runicorn mascot and join in massive color throws every few minutes. Each runner will receive a limited-edition Dream Tour race shirt, unicorn finishers medal, embroidered headband, temporary tattoos and a runners bib to decorate. The Color Run is hosted locally by Real Racine. To register, go to http://thecolorrun.com/locations/racine-wi. New Delhi: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Thursday laid the foundation stone for Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed bullet train, Foreign Secretary of India S. Jaishankar stated that both the nations are trying to elevate strategic partnership. Speaking to ANI, Jaishankar said, "The aim is to elevate strategic partnership. Trying to align each other's approach towards the world." Taking about India-Japan defence forces, Jaishankar said, "Till now thrust of the contacts and cooperation have been on maritime security." "We agreed to explore cooperation and exchanges between our Army and ground self-defence force and Air Force and Japan's Air Defence Force," he said. Jaishankar further said, "Agreed on Japan-India Act East Forum. It'll explore possibilities of including Japan in North East infrastructure development." "Rohingya issue did not come up for any specific discussion, it came only as a passing mention," he said. Meanwhile, the Doklam standoff between India and China appears to have figured in talks between PM Modi and his Japanese counterpart Abe today, reported IANS. A joint statement released after the meeting between Modi and Abe did not mention the standoff, Jaishankar, when asked about the issue at a media briefing, said "regional and global developments" were discussed. "Doklam is not specifically mentioned in the statement," he said. "I think there was a discussion on regional and global developments yesterday (Wednesday) in the broader sense of the term," he said, referring to the closed-door discussions between the two leaders in Ahmedabad. Indian and Chinese troops were involved in a standoff at Doklam in the Sikkim sector for two and a half months, which was resolved on August 28 ahead of the BRICS summit hosted by China. In another border incident, Indian and Chinese troops got into a scuffle in Ladakh which saw the soldiers from both sides pelting stones at each other and fist-cuffing. Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday will resume its hearing in the anticipatory bail plea filed by Ryan International School trustees in a case involving the murder of a Class 2 student Pradyuman at their Gurugram branch. The HC on Wednesday had extended till Thursday the interim protection from arrest granted to the trustees of Ryan International Group. An intervention application was on Wednesday filed by father of seven-year-old kid seeking dismissal of the anticipatory transit bail plea filed by the three school trustees trustees Augustine F Pinto, Grace Pinto and Ryan Pinto. Apprehending their arrest, the trustees of the St Xaviers Education Trust, which manages the Ryan International Schools across India, had filed the plea on Monday. In the application, Varun Thakur said he is the complainant in the case and the petition of the trustees is "opposed in strongest possible terms and words as the instant case being a rarest of the rare case where a brutal, diabolical, cold blooded, barbarous, demonic, unpardonable, unprovoked, hellish, cruel homicide has taken place on the campus of Ryan International School." Pradyuman was found dead with his throat slit in the washroom of Ryan International school in Bhondsi area on Sohna Road near here on September 8. Police allege that 42-year-old bus conductor Ashok Kumar killed him with a knife after the boy resisted an attempt to sodomise him. Kumar has been arrested. The case has snowballed into a major national issue concerning safety and security of children in private schools, with vociferous protests by parents and activists outside the Ryan schools in several states including Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The post-mortem report of seven-year-old Pradyuman has ruled out sexual assault even as the parent of another schoolchild claimed the crime scene was tampered with even though he had cautioned otherwise. Bus driver Saurabh Raghav has said the knife used in the killing was not kept in the bus tool box, as claimed by accused conductor Ashok Kumar, adding that police pressurised him also to admit to being an accomplice in the crime. Varun Thakur said there were "too many loopholes" in the police theory and the school management's stand on the murder. Pradyuman's father has moved the Supreme Court for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the case. New Delhi: Several websites linked to the Ryan International Group were hacked on Wednesday. A group of hackers, calling themselves as Kerala Cyber Warriors, said the websites were hacked as a "tribute" to seven-year-old Pradyuman, who was found dead with his throat slit in the washroom of Ryan International school in Bhondsi area on Sohna Road near Gurugram on September 8. The group posted a photo of Pradyuman with a message you may be gone but you will never be forgotten. Police have alleged that 42-year-old bus conductor Ashok Kumar killed the Class II student with a knife after the boy resisted an attempt to sodomise him. Kumar has been arrested. The case has snowballed into a major national issue concerning safety and security of children in private schools, with vociferous protests by parents and activists outside the Ryan schools in several states including Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The post-mortem report of seven-year-old Pradyuman has ruled out sexual assault even as the parent of another schoolchild claimed the crime scene was tampered with even though he had cautioned otherwise. Bus driver Saurabh Raghav has said the knife used in the killing was not kept in the bus tool box, as claimed by accused conductor Ashok Kumar, adding that police pressurised him also to admit to being an accomplice in the crime. Varun Thakur said there were "too many loopholes" in the police theory and the school management's stand on the murder. Pradyuman's father has moved the Supreme Court for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the case. New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear on September 18 a plea for a CBI probe into the death of 10-year-old Armaan Seghal on G.D. Goenka School campus in Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh. Armaan, a Class 4 student at the Indirapuram school, allegedly died after a fall from the second floor of a school building on August 1. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice Amitava Roy and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar agreed to hear the matter on Monday as lawyer Gurmeet Singh told the court that school Chairman Ankur Malhotra, Principal Kavita Sharma, and others had moved the Allahabad High Court for the quashing of a FIR in the matter. Gurmeet Singh, who appeared for petitioner-parents Gulshan Seghal and Swati Sehgal, said the High Court had listed the matter for hearing on October 4.. The school officials and others told the High Court that they had been falsely implicated on the ground of suspicion and denied any involvement of the school management or its employees in the case. The Sehgals` counsel told the apex court that injuries on the nose and head of the child created doubts whether a fall caused his death Lucknow: Three Bangladeshi youths, suspected to have links with Islamic extremist group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), has been arrested by Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad here. Mohammad Imran, Rajiuddin and Mohammad Firdaus - all brothers - were caught while boarding the Howrah-Amritsar Express train yesterday afternoon, IG ATS Asim Arun said today. During interrogation, they confessed that they were residents of Bangladesh and fake Aadhaar cards were found from their possession, he said. Asim said that they were later put under arrest. The names of the trio came after an ATS team on August 6 arrested suspected Bangladeshi terrorist Abdullah, associated with the ABT from Muzaffarnagar. The ABT - also called Ansar Bangla - is implicated in crimes including some brutal attacks and murders of atheist bloggers in Bangladesh. Abdullah alias Al Mamun was arrested from Kutesara locality in Charthawal area of Muzaffarnagar district by an ATS team and during his interrogation name of some persons came to the fore and probe was done in Deoband madrassas to find his links. It was found that three persons - a madrassa teacher and his two brothers - were missing after which ATS team swung into action and three were arrested, the ATS IG said. He said the ATS would probe why they fled from Deoband and whether they have links with any terrorist group. London: Vijay Mallya, the fugitive liquor baron sought by India for defaulting on several bank loans amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crore, will on Thursday appear before the Westminster Magistrates Court in London for the hearing in his extradition case. The two-member Enforcement Directorate team, including a legal advisor, had visited the Britain's captal in July to submit the chargesheet against liquor baron Vijay Mallya. Mallya fled to Britain in March 2016 after being pursued for recovery of Rs 8,191 crore owed to a consortium of 17 Indian banks by his now defunct Kingfisher Airlines. He was arrested and granted bail in London on April 18 by the Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant. He had attended a central London police station for his arrest and was released on conditional bail a after providing a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds, assuring the court of abiding by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, such as the surrender of his passport and a ban on him possessing any travel documents. India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992, but so far only one extradition has taken place under the arrangement Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel, who was sent back to India last October to face trial in connection with his involvement in the post-Godhra riots of 2002. The Indian government had in February 2017, handed over to British authorities a formal request for Mallya's extradition, saying it had a legitimate case against him on charges of financial irregularities and loan default. Jaipur: The Rajasthan Police gave a clean chit to six persons accused in Pehlu Khan murder case, removing their names from the First Information Report (FIR). On April 1, Pehlu Khan and his son Irshad were going back home after purchasing two cows from a cattle fair. On the way back, the duo was attacked by cow vigilantes in Alwar. The entire attack was recorded on a mobile phone camera. Two days later, 55-year-old Khan succumbed to his injuries. Before dying, Khan in his statement to the police named six people who attacked him. The police then arrested nine people out of which two are in jail and rest out on bail. The Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CB-CID) has now struck off the names of six after investigations said they are not guilty. The statements of witnesses in the case including policemen and the employees of the Rath Gaushala indicate that none of the accused was present at the time of the attack. Call record details of the six people along with Base Transceiver Station (BTS) location of mobiles further support this, reads the report, quotes Hindustan Times. Based on the findings of the investigating officer, it is hereby recommended that the names of the six accused be removed from the case as they have been found not guilty, it added. The move sparked an outrage among several civil rights group. Many took to Twitter to raise their objection. Pehlu khan was killed by Aliens frm Mars wearing helmets, not by Gau rakshak so BJP govt gives clean chit all Accused, what Modi said a JUMLA , wrote Asaduddin Owaisi, president of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen. We will take up Pehlu Khan case before SC which is hearing our Gau Raksha PIL on 22nd September & seek justice too,wrote Civil Rights Activist and Congress member Shehzad Poonawalla. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted, "How foolish to expect anyone would be found guilty of murder! #PehluKhan committed suicide & staged the lynching to make a dramatic exit." Washington: President Donald Trump on Wednesday blocked attempts by a Chinese state-owned firm to acquire an American semiconductor manufacturer on national security concerns, drawing a rebuke from Beijing. The acquisition of Lattice Semiconductor Corporation, a publicly-traded Oregon company, by Chinese-owned Canyon Bridge Fund could endanger the US government`s use of sensitive products the company produces, the Treasury Department said in a statement. The Trump administration has adopted an aggressive stance towards China on trade and national security matters, launching wide-ranging investigations into the national security ramifications of Beijing`s trade in aluminum and steel. Trump has the authority to block foreign investments he deems national security threats through the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States, an interagency committee. In the case of Lattice, CFIUS and the president decided "the transaction poses a risk to the national security of the United States that cannot be resolved through mitigation," the Treasury said in a statement. The decision prohibited Canyon Bridge, its partner Yitai Capital and Yitai`s parent, the China Venture Capital Fund Corp (CVCF), from purchasing the US firm, which serves the consumer, communications and industrial markets. The Treasury said the deal posed a national security risk due to Beijing`s support for the transaction, the potential transfer of intellectual property to the foreign investors, and the importance of the semiconductor supply to the US government, including Lattice`s products. China`s Ministry of Commerce expressed "concern" over the decision Thursday. Spokesman Gao Feng told reporters at a regular press briefing that while each country has a right to probe investments in "sensitive fields", the power should not be used as "an instrument for implementing protectionism." China "hopes relevant countries can treat Chinese companies` overseas acquisitions objectively and impartially, give fair treatment to such normal business practices, and create a reasonable and transparent business environment to avoid impacting investors` confidence," he said, according to a transcript of the remarks on the ministry`s website. Lattice manufactures programmable logic devices, which are semiconductors that can be programmed to provide functions similar to chips, the statement said. Trump personally intervened in the process after the companies appealed to him directly to overrule the CFIUS ruling, according to The Wall Street Journal. Trump`s predecessor, Barack Obama, had also intervened to prevent a similar deal involving semiconductors on security concerns last year. Chinese government-backed Grand Chip Investment scrapped plans to buy German semiconductor equipment maker Aixtron in December after Washington rejected the inclusion of Aixtron`s US unit over fears it could put sensitive technology with potential military applications in Chinese hands. "It is important to note that the US government has been particularly concerned with foreign investment, particularly Chinese investment, into the US semiconductor industry for years," said Lawrence Ward, a partner at the international law firm Dorsey & Whitney in global business focusing on US national security law. "It is likely premature to think that the Trump administration is taking a hawkish approach to Chinese investment across all industry sectors but, of course, only time will tell," Ward said. New Delhi: A senior US official on Thursday sought to allay India's concerns on the H-1B visa programme, which is being "reviewed" by the Trump administration, saying there are no "restrictions" in place. The official said around 70 per cent of the visas issued under the H-1B category over the past nine months have gone to Indians and that a record 1.2 million visas of Indians were adjudicated by the US last year. The year-over-year increase in terms of issuance of H-1B visas and L1 visas (work permit) to Indians is six per cent each, the official said. "The President (Donald Trump) spoke about review. There are no restrictions but it (H-1B) is under review," he said, adding the issue was not on the agenda for the upcoming Indo- US bilateral dialogue on consular relations, but it may come up in the course of the talks. The issue of the repealing of the Deferred Action for Children Arrival (DACA) programme, which has hit more than 7,000 Indian-Americans, may also figure in the talks scheduled to be held on September 27 in Washington. Trump had signed an executive order in April for tightening the rules of the H-1B visa programme to stop "visa abuses". The DACA amnesty programme granted work permits to immigrants who arrived in the country illegally as children. The official also said the US processed around 88,000 student visa applications last year, which is an increase of 15 per cent over 2015. Currently, there are around 1.6 lakh Indian students in the US, which is the second highest number of international students, after China. Indian citizens made up six per cent of worldwide immigrant visa applicants, making them the fifth largest group of new immigrants after those from China, Philippines, Dominican Republic and Mexico. The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. Indian technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year for their US operations. This year Preservation Racine is showcasing beautiful homes and public places in the greater Manree Park neighborhood as part of its annual Tour of Historic Places on Sunday, Sept. 24. The boundaries of this well-known neighborhood are Graceland Boulevard to the north; Ohio Street to the west; Washington Avenue to the south; Lathrop Avenue to the east. However, the origins of Manree Park are deeply rooted in the early history of Racine, when all of West Racine was remote farmland and part of the small community of Mount Pleasant. This stylish subdivision is a product urban development, which began just a few years before the start of the Great Depression and continued into the 1960s. Dairy farming was the main industry in the 1800s and early 1900s when the Walker family settled on about 160 (perhaps as much as 200) acres. The neighboring Reed family and the Walkers both constructed large homes and agricultural buildings along the southern edge of their properties near a toll road (today Washington Avenue), and the lands owned by these two prosperous farming families comprised the entire area that is being profiled on the tour. The City of Racine grew rapidly after 1890, when World War I prompted an immediate need nationwide for military production and Racines foundries, machine shops, and automotive and farm manufacturers converted portions of their operations from helping American farms to aiding the war effort. The industrial boom was so profitable that the city experienced over 20 percent growth in manufacturers and a staggering 50 percent growth in workers as the value of industrial output tripled. The countys agricultural output also boomed, peaking in 1919. The growth of both industries simultaneously required more workers. The resulting influx of workers into the community required more housing, which resulted in Racines largest growth during the 1910s and 1920s. The citys boundaries expanded as more area was needed for businesses and residences. Racine in the 1920s ranked second only to Milwaukee in value of industrial products and manufacturing employment in Wisconsin. Declining profits in the dairy industry and increased values in property values compelled farmers with large tracts to sell off parcels for urban development. The continued decline of the agricultural industry in the wake of the industrial boom resulted in additional annexation into rural areas. Starting in 1925, the Reeds began platting sections of their farmland northwest of the Lathrop and Washington avenues for private residences, using with the development firm, L.O. Mann & Son Co. The resulting subdivision was named Manree Park No. 1 probably a combination of the names Mann and Reed. The Walkers followed the Reds, establishing the Hillcrest Addition subdivisions. Homes were built every year between 1929 and 1945. In 2014, a portion of Manree Park was recognized as an historic district by the Wisconsin State Historical Society. Three notable inclusions in this years tour are Fire Station No. 7 (which was built by WPA workers in the early development of Manree Park) at Washington and Lathrop Avenues, Mound Cemetery (which is the envy of numerous cemeteries nationwide for its design), and the George and Mary Murray House (a stately mansion that was hailed as the pride of the area when it was completed in 1874). As you visit the homes showcased this year, you will listen to stories about the families who have lived in them, hear the histories associated with these remarkable residences, and see a myriad of architectural varieties and styles. Advance tickets are $15, and $18 the day of the tour. Visit www.preservationracine.org for more information. Srinagar: In a big development, dreaded Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Amarnath terror attack mastermind Abu Ismail was on Thursday killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Nowgam area. Apart from Abu Ismail, another militant, who was accused of an attack on the pilgrims, was also gunned down by the security forces. Reacting on the development, CRPF director general said, "This is a huge achievement. The terrorist was responsible for the attack on Amarnath Yatra." "Congratulate team. It hardly took half an hour to complete operation. He was one of our prime targets," Muneer Ahmed Khan, IPS IGP Kashmir said. The encounter took place at Aarigam, Nowgam in outskirts of Srinagar. LeT commander Abu Ismail & another terrorist killed by security forces in Nowgam. Ismail was involved in Amarnath attack (visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/ZcINJWHHdG ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2017 LeT militant and Pakistani national Ismail was the mastermind of the Amarnath yatra attack that killed eight pilgrims in July this year. In August, he replaced Lashkar chief Abu Dujana after he was killed in an encounter in Pulwama. He was serving as the LeT operational chief in the valley. Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday restored the mobile internet service, almost half an hour after it was blocked in the city. As per ANI, the 2G and 3G mobile internet services were restored whereas the 4G service was still blocked in Srinagar. The administration decided to block the services in Srinagar following the killing of dreaded Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists Abu Ismail in an encounter in Nowgam area of Jammu and Kashmir today. Apart from Abu Ismail, another militant, who was accused of an attack on the pilgrims, was also gunned down by the security forces. The encounter took place at Aarigam, Nowgam in the outskirts of Srinagar. Ismail, a Pakistani national, was the mastermind of the Amarnath yatra attack that killed eight pilgrims in July this year. Srinagar: In a joint operation, the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF on Thursday started a cordon and search operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district suspecting the presence of terrorists in the area. As per reports, the security forces laid the cordon in Matrigam and Putrigam Villages of southern Pulwama district today morning. The operation is currently underway. An official confirmation on the same remains awaited. Srinagar: Two suspected overground workers of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen have been arrested in north Kashmir, police said today. Security forces have apprehended the two men from Handwara area of Kupwara district in two separate incidents, a police official said here. Police have seized a hand grenade from each of them. Waheed Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Kachloo Kralgund, was nabbed during routine inspection at a checkpoint near Larganapora Bichwara village of Kralgund on Monday, the official said. He added that Bhat was a Hizbul sympathiser. The second person who was arrested was Mohammad Shafi Mir, a resident of Supernaghama. Mir was apprehended at a checkpoint in Qalamabad village on September 12, he added. The official said police have registered cases against them. Srinagar: Two overground workers of the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist outfit were arrested on Thursday in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, police said. Two grenades were recovered from Waheed Ahmad Bhat and Muhammad Shafi Mir, who were arrested from Handwara area. Overground workers, called OWGs by security forces, provide logistic support to militants by organising their hideouts and by keeping an eye on the movement of security forces. Ranchi: The Jharkhand government has set up a team to verify the documents of some madrasas receiving aid and also check whether these are running as per the parameters set by the government. Well informed sources in the Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC) said it formed the committee after the documents of some 50 madrasas looked suspicious. "At present 590 madrasas are affiliated with the state government which are granted aid," a JAC source told IANS. Of these many are those that were affiliated with the Bihar Madrasa Board in the undivided Bihar. But the documents of some of these madrasas are fake, the source added. The majority of the affiliated madrasas are located in Godda, Pakur and Sahibganj. The sources said when Jharkhand was created in 2000, the Bihar government handed over a list of affiliated madrasas. Later, some madrasas claimed that their names had been left out in the list and after verification some more names were added. Suspicions arose when the government found that some madrasas, even after 15 years of creation of the state, are still coming forward claiming affiliation with the Bihar Madrasa Board to get aid. During verification, it was found that their claims were wrong. Shivpuri (MP): A court here on Thursday sentenced a Congress legislator, two former MLAs and nine other party workers to six months' imprisonment in a case of rioting. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on each of them, said Assistant Public Prosecutor Punam Verma. Judicial Magistrate Abhishek Saxena convicted Congress MLA from Kailaras, Ram Singh Yadav; former MLAs Harivallabh Shukla and Virendra Raghuvanshi and nine others. "The court found them guilty under IPC sections 353 (assault to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 148 (rioting) and 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others)," Verma said. They were also held guilty under the Prevention of Damage to Public Properties Act. The incident had taken place on September 30, 2011 when Congress workers staged a protest at the district collector's office. It was alleged that protesters threw stones at District Collector John Kingsly and created a ruckus in the campus. Mumbai: The transit anticipatory bail applications of three trustees of Ryan International Group was rejected on Thursday by the Bombay High Court. However, the court granted them interim protection from arrest till Friday to enable them to file an appeal. Justice Ajey Gadkari also directed the applicants - group's CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents Augustine Pinto, the founding chairman and Grace Pinto, the group's managing director, to submit their passports to the Mumbai police commissioner. The Pintos had approached the HC seeking transit anticipatory bail apprehending arrest in connection with the murder of a seven-year-old boy in the toilet of a school run by the Ryan group in Gurgaon on September 8. They had sought pre-arrest bail till they could move the court concerned in Haryana. Barun Thakur, the father of the victim boy, had intervened in the matter, opposing the Pintos' bail pleas. The 7-year-old Pradyuman Thakur was found with his throat slit in the washroom of the school last Friday. The school bus conductor Ashok Kumar has emerged as the prime suspect and has been arrested. On the other hand, the SIT teams on Wednesday searched the school in Gurgaon for clues while a CBSE panel also inspected the premises to examine loopholes in security arrangements. Besides Harpal Singh, the SIT has questioned 17 persons including section in-charge Anju Dudeja, suspended acting principal Neerja Batra, former principal Rakhi Verma, bus driver Saurabh Raghav, bus contractor Harkesh Pradhan and eight security guards. (With PTI inputs) Mumbai: While the much-talked about Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project has been widely welcomed, BJP's ally in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena, has strongly condemned what it calls an 'unnecessary' project. In an acerbic editorial published in its mouthpiece 'Saamna', the Maharashtra-based party said on Thursday that a bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is 'unnecessary' when the Indian Railways and the Mumbai local trains are already suffering, and several basic problems of the country are still unresolved. "Even as Mumbai suburb's local trains suffer daily, a bullet train will be running between Ahmedabad and Mumbai," the Shiv Sena commented in the article. The strongly-worded article also highlighted the fact that the bullet train project is being fulfilled over and above the demands for rail projects in the Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Konkan regions of Maharashtra. "The MLAs and the Parliament of Maharashtra are making demands for rail projects for Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Konkan, but they are being ignored. Instead, we are getting a bullet train without having asked for it," the Shiv Sena said. "It is not entirely certain, as to which problem the bullet train is a solution for," the party said while it attacked the Centre for the bullet train project. 'Saamna' article also questioned if the Mumbai- Ahmedabad bullet train was actually needed. In the light of farmers' distress going unaddressed, and no debt relief being provided to them, samna declared that bullet train was unnecessary. It added that the project would require land from Maharashtra. "Without a doubt, the bullet train will be running over the livelihood of farmers," it commented. The editorial claimed that the Japan Government was supposed to incur the cost of the project, but now the Indian Government will be spending Rs. 1,08,000 crore for the project, while the Maharashtra Government will have to spend at least Rs. 30,000 crore for no good reason than for the 'wealthy dream' of the Prime Minister. "The Prime Minister's dream is not of the common man, but for the interest of the wealthy and the business class, and this is the reason for making Piyush Goyal the railway minister. The budget for the project will be increasing in the coming days. Goyal is also the treasurer of the BJP, so there must be transparency in this regard," the Sena editorial demanded. "Suresh Prabhu resigned because of train derailments, but within 15 days of induction of Piyush Goyal, seven trains have already derailed, and have increased the problems of passengers," the party pointed out. "Japan will be providing all the resources, including labour. The bottom line here is that, the land and the fund will come from the Maharashtra and the Gujarat governments, while the profits will go to Japan. This is loot, yet we are congratulating the Prime Minister on his dream-fulfilling project," the Sena further alleged. "The Gujarat elections are round the corner, so the business class must be fed something, right?" concluded the Shiv Sena's mouthpiece. With ANI inputs New Delhi: As the ambitious Naga peace talks reach the final stage, civil society representatives and a top politician in Nagaland have said that the assembly polls, due in March 2018, could get pushed back as an interim government gets into the saddle after the accord is signed. Many expect a final solution to the six-decade-long Naga conflict by the end of 2017. An interim government, it is said, will help in adjusting and stabilising the administrative and political system in the state, which may get some political autonomy as part of the overall solution. "If the Naga solution comes before the assembly election then there will be an interim government for a brief period as many things will be happening and things will fall into place. And then, only later on can we talk about the next elections," Neiphiu Rio, former Nagaland Chief Minister and current Lok Sabha member from the state, told IANS. Stating that the Naga people want a settlement at any cost, Rio stated that he himself had repeatedly said in parliament that the central government should pursue the talks and the settlement should come before the assembly elections. According to a former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), state polls can be delayed only through a special request, which is possible in the case of Nagaland due to the Naga Framework Agreement. "The Election Commission cannot postpone the elections on its own, until a special request is made by the party (the Centre and State). This is usually done when there are natural calamities and law and order issues. However, in the case of Nagaland, where negotiations are going on, a special request can be made before the assembly`s term gets over," former CEC H S Brahma told IANS. Civil society groups such as the powerful Naga Hoho and Eastern Nagaland`s People Organisation (ENPO) have clearly stated that if the government wants to find an amicable solution in Nagaland, it has to be before the next assembly elections. Some go to the extent of saying that the Nagas themselves would conduct the next elections. "As of now we don`t expect another Indian election to happen in Nagaland. During the recent visit of Naga Peace Talks interlocutor R N Ravi to Nagaland, we have clearly told him that if the Government of India is willing to make any amicable solution, then it has to be before the next assembly elections," Naga Hoho President Chuba Ozukum told IANS. According to Ozukum, holding the assembly elections without finding a solution to the Naga issue will create a lot of problems. "We cannot continue the peace process forever. Peace talks for 20 years are more than enough. The people aren`t comfortable, we are becoming restless," said Ozukum, adding that if a political solution was not found before the assembly elections, the Naga people will themselves decide what is to be done. The assembly elections will be the first after the Naga Framework Agreement was signed on Aug 3, 2015. The agreement, inked between the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) the biggest and most powerful faction of NSCN and the Centre is an attempt to find a final settlement to the vexed Naga issue. Initially about sovereignty, the demand is now for a Greater Nagalim by integrating the Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Khoiwang Konyak, President of the ENPO, said it was a time to wait and watch. "Basically, the Naga people are waiting and observing what will come first, a solution or an election. If the election comes first then we will join the election, but if the solution comes before, we will go for it and support it fully," Konyak told IANS. MADISON The 2017-19 biennial budget was supposed to be passed in June, and on Wednesday the State Assembly debated the budget late into the night. As of 9:45 p.m. at press time, the Assembly had not officially passed the state budget. Later that evening, after 10 p.m., the assembly passed the budget. Assembly members argued about, for example, taxes and how the state should fund transportation infrastructure and education. One of the key issues in the budget affects Racine Unified School District and was receiving a significant amount of discussion on the Assembly floor. Currently the district is facing the prospect of receiving another failing grade from the Department of Public Instruction. If it does fail again this fall, it could have major consequences for the future through the implementation of the Opportunity Schools and Partnership Program. Under that program if a school district receives a failing grade from the state two years in a row, a commissioner is appointed to create a separate district for the failing schools and also allow for area villages to go to referendums to start their own districts. Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine, introduced nearly a dozen amendments, all of which failed, regarding the Opportunity Schools Partnership Program in an effort delay a study from the state and the chance for villages to secede from Unified. Mason urged the Assembly to vote on an amendment that would allow a study that would look specifically at the impact that villages breaking away from Unified would have on minority students. We have a constitutional responsibility to adequately educate each child, Mason said. He added the OSPP could separate the students in the district into the haves and the have-nots. In remarks on the floor, Mason said policy items such as the one about Unified should not be included in the budget. He said the OSPP could segregate white students from minorities, along with segregating affluent students from poor students. Mason said what is being proposed is about as disruptive a thing as you can do to the Racine Unified School District. Even if you dont intend for that to be the case, what you are proposing here today is a new era of segregation, Mason said. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, criticized Masons comments. He charged that his speech was part of his mayoral campaign, as he is running for Racine mayor and has a primary election on Tuesday. Rep. Tom Weatherston, R-Caledonia, said the legislation on OSPP is not a racial issue this is a taxpayer issue. In August, the Joint Finance Committee passed a provision that would delay the OSPP for one year. However, if the district fails this fall, DPI will commission a study that will evaluate the impact it would have on the district if villages such as Caledonia, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant break from Unified to form their own districts. Unified has been pushing legislators to delay the study for one year and delay referendums as the district attempts to improve its standing. Other budget points The budget would provide additional funding to Unified by $4 million in this school year and $8.2 million in 2018-19 school year. Thats not including any additional aid the district may receive through the school funding formula. In an effort to help veterans, particular those who utilize the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Union Grove, 21425 Spring St., the budget would provide $53,943 in grants to help operate that facility. The heavy rains that hit the City of Burlington in July exposed some infrastructure deficiencies. The budget would provide $50,000 to the Southeast Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission during 2017-18 fiscal year to conduct a stormwater management study for that city. The study would look at the location and destination of current stormwater flows, identify city property or private property that have stormwater capacity issues and provide recommendations to eliminate flooding at several of the citys major businesses. Robin Hood in reverse Vos championed the work done by the Joint Finance Committee, saying its a win for both Republicans and Democrats and also includes a roughly $200 million rainy day fund. However, Vos said the budget is not perfect, particularly when it comes to transportation and taxes. Our tax code needs a major overhaul, Vos said. We still know our education funding formula needs updating. Rep. Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, whose district includes part of southeastern Racine County, said the budget will favor the wealthiest in the state and could impact working-class families. We have one of the most diminished middle classes in the entire nation, Barca said from the Assembly floor. This budget is rigged against the working people of the state. Barca said the budget is Robin Hood in reverse, and its possible it doesnt have the votes for passage by the State Senate. But, Barca did agree with Vos, saying he is right on target regarding how the budget doesnt fully address transportation in the state Barca said he appreciates Interstate 94 funding in Kenosha County, but it could create problems for people in other parts of the state. The problem is theres virtually no resources for anyone else in the state, Barca said. Over the next two years our roads are going to get far worse. New Delhi: Global icon Priyanka Chopra once again found herself in troubled waters. And this time it was over a controversial statement she made while promoting her upcoming Sikkimese production 'Pahuna: The Little Visitors'. The film was recently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and the actress in one of her interview there made a bizarre statement quoting controversy, as per a report in India Today. While talking about her film, Priyanka said, Sikkim is a small state in the North-east of India which never had a film industry or anyone who made a film from the region. This is the first film ever that's come out of that region because it's very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations. .@priyankachopra produced PAHUNA, directed by @PaakhiATyrewala (a female, first-time director) is the first to ever come out of Sikkim. pic.twitter.com/vIqYO0MDdO TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 7, 2017 It was after her calling Sikkim an insurgency-hit state that social media lost its cool. She received major backlash for her bizarre statement and Twitterati slammed her for little political knowledge. OMG ~ That's so SAD ~ Probably the reel life #MaryKom mistook #Sikkim for #Manipur Karma Bhutia (@iambhutia) September 13, 2017 @priyankachopra Sikkim is the most peaceful state in the country. From where did u hear its troubled with insurgency??think before u speak Zigmi Bhutia (@zigmi_bhutia) September 13, 2017 Sikkim and insurgency....!!!??? That sounds nuts #PriyankaChopra Plz get ur facts correct...#Sikkim is such a lovely n peaceful state... Prerona Bura Gohain (@Prerona_Gohain) September 13, 2017 Infact it is foolish to create controversy on @priyankachopra's statement over #Sikkim as Celebs like her are 'politically illiterate'. 1/2 September 14, 2017 #PriyankaChopra says #Sikkim is a troubled state in interview 2 US media. Pea-sized brain, zero homework. Is this how u make money? Indira Laisram (@indira_laisram) September 13, 2017 'Pahuna: The Little Visitors' is directed by Paakhi A Tyrewala and tells the story of 3 children facing extraordinary circumstances. Ironically, in 2013 Sikkim was declared as the Indian state with the lowest crime rate. The India Today report also mentions that Priyanka Chopra has already apologised to the Sikkim government. Her mother Madhu Chopra spoke to the tourism minister of Sikkim Ugen Gyatso reportedly. Mumbai: Priyanka Chopra met the Queen Rania on the last day of her visit to Jordan and she says it was a privilege and honour to meet her. Priyanka on Wednesday shared a photograph of herself along with the Queen of Jordan and said that she is a "true inspiration". "I had the privilege and honour of meeting Her Majesty, Queen Rania of Jordan again... This time in Amman. It is amazing to see the full extent of support that the Kingdom of Jordan has provided during the ongoing Syrian refugee crises. The numbers are staggering and overwhelming but the good work continues day after day. Queen Rania is a true inspiration," Priyanka wrote alongside the image. The Mary Kom actress added: "Her tireless efforts to help those in need comes straight from the heart and has always been consistent... as a Unicef Eminent Advocate for Children, she leads by example as is so evident by the countless programmes for children that she is involved in. She does this all with such grace and calm." Priyanka visited Jordan as a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador. She says meeting Queen Rania "further reiterated" her commitment to help children the world over. "Because every child matters, no matter where they come from," added Priyanka. The Baywatch star says she is "looking forward" to meeting Queen Rania again "at the United Nations General Assembly in NYC next week which we both will be speaking at." She added: "Thank you Jordan for the hospitality and I will see you again. To support the work that Unicef is doing". Priyanka was in Jordan to help children uprooted by the civil war in Syria. A large number of Syrians died or were forced to leave their homes due to the conflict. Since then, a number of Syrians have taken shelter in neighbouring countries like Jordan. Sikar: Hundreds of farmers in Rajasthan's Sikar have suspended their 13-day long agitation after the states Vasundhara Raje government waived off debts of around 50,000 farmers. According to initial reports, the agitation had affected traffic movement on several arterial roads and hit the normal life. The protest was called off after farmers demanding implementation of the Swaminathan Committee's recommendations held third round of talks with government officials, which yielded positive results. The protest spearheaded by Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha chief and former MLA Amra Ram had hit normal life in Sikar, blocking all major highways. San Francisco: A day after Apple announced facial recognition system to unlock iPhone X, a US senator has written a letter to CEO Tim Cook, conveying concerns on users` privacy and security. According to a report in appleinsider.com on Thursday, Senator Al Franken (Democrat-Minnesota) has asked several questions related to Apple`s implementation of Face ID technology. "While details on the device and its reliance on facial recognition technology are still emerging, I am encouraged by the steps that Apple states it has taken to implement the system responsibly," Franken wrote. "However, substantial questions remain about how Face ID will impact iPhone users` privacy and security, and whether the technology will perform equally well on different groups of people," the letter further read. According to Apple, Face ID is more secure than Touch ID fingerprint technology. There`s a one in a million chance someone else`s face will fool Face ID. Franken, who is the member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law, asked Cook to provide more clarity on the Face ID system. "To offer clarity to the millions of Americans who use your products, I ask that you provide more information on how the company has processed these issues internally, as well as any additional steps that it intends to take to protect its users," the Senator wrote. Face ID uses `TrueDepth` camera system made up of a dot projector, infrared camera and flood illuminator, and is powered by A11 Bionic to accurately map and recognise a face. Face ID projects more than 30,000 invisible IR dots. The IR image and dot pattern are pushed through neural networks to create a mathematical model of your face and send the data to the secure enclave to confirm a match, while adapting to physical changes in appearance over time. Franken, however, asked whether Face ID "faceprint" data is stored onboard iPhone X, if this information can be extracted from the device and whether Apple plans to store the data on offsite servers. Apple had said in its press release: "All saved facial information is protected by the secure enclave to keep data extremely secure, while all of the processing is done on-device and not in the cloud to protect user privacy". Franken has also asked Cook how Apple would respond to law enforcement requests to access `faceprint` data or the Face ID system itself. Apple has always been reluctant to let enforcement agencies get into its hardware security technology. Last year, Apple refused to comply with a court order after federal prosecutors tried to unlocked an iPhone tied to a 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California. Franken wants Cook to reply to his concerns by October 13. Lucknow: At least 22 people died and many feared drowned in the Yamuna river after an overloaded boat capsized in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat district on Thursday. The boat was carrying at least 60 people, Baghpat District Magistrate Bhawani Singh said. The boat sank close to Katha village, 20 km from the district headquarters, according to PTI. Soon after the news spread, local policemen and Provincial Armed Constabulary divers were rushed to the mishap site to carry out the rescue operation. Police and PAC personnel have fished out 22 bodies so far while 10 others have been rescued, he said. "The boat was ferrying passengers more than its capacity. Most of the passengers of the ill-fated boat were women. As soon as the boat reached mid-stream it capsized," the district magistrate said. Expressing grief over the incident, CM Yogi Adityanath issued instructions that the kin of the deceased be given Rs 2 lakh as relief from the chief minister's relief fund. Yogi Adityanath also directed the district magistrate to immediately provide succour to the affected people, Principal Secretary (Information) Awanish Awasthi said. He said a probe has been ordered into the incident. Lucknow: President Ram Nath Kovind will arrive here on Thursday on a two-day visit, during which he will attend several programmes including those being held to commemorate BR Ambedkar and RSS icon Deen Dayal Upadhyay. Elaborate arrangements are being made in the state capital to receive the President and security has also been beefed up. There was no word on whether Kovind will visit his ancestral Paraunkh village in the adjoining Kanpur Dehat district. The President will arrive in a special Indian Air Force plane at the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport here around 3 pm on Thursday where he will be received by Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and some Ministers. As per the schedule, on the first day the president will pay tributes to Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar at the Ambedkar Mahasabha here. He will also attend a civil reception programme at the Indira Gandhi Pratisthan, officials said. President Kovind will have dinner with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today. On September 15, the president will meet some people at the Raj Bhavan and before leaving for Kanpur he will pay tributes to Deen Dayal Upadhyay at the 'Smriti Vatika' here, the officials added. In Kanpur, Kovind will participate in a 'Swachhta hi Sewa' programme. The president will inaugurate a Solid-Liquid Waste Management Scheme here and distribute tri-cycles meant for carrying garbage among 'safai' workers. UP Governor Ram Naik and Adityanath will also be present at the event. The President would also visit the residence of RSS leader Ishwar Chandra Gupta in the Tilak Nagar area of the city. The President will return later in the evening to Lucknow and then fly back to New Delhi. The last time Kovind was in town was on June 25 as the National Democratic Alliance presidential nominee. RACINE The buildings of the massive development project known as Machinery Row likely will be demolished, after the last effort to save the project in its current form with Gorman & Co. didnt come to fruition. At a Wednesday joint meeting of the City Councils Committee of the Whole and Redevelopment Authority, City Development Director Amy Connolly announced that Gorman, the projects latest developer, was no longer involved. Gorman indicated they no longer desire to proceed, Connolly said, following a study of one of the projects two core buildings, 900 Water St. Both are former J.I. Case Co. buildings that date back to the early 1900s. The structural analysis suggests that there have been changes to this building, caused by either soil failure due to overloading the building with materials on the inside or settlement that may have occurred due to impacts of the soil, Connolly said. Given the concerns over the buildings structural integrity, Connolly said that the city hopes to demolish the buildings associated with the project. They are likely to be in a condition that even $9 million in tax credits cant resolve, Connolly said. Those historic tax credits are set to expire in July 2018 and were not extended by the State Legislature during its budget process. The credits were originally granted in 2015, but the financial issues of Iowa-based FDP MR LLC, the propertys owner, have put the development on hold. Demolishing the buildings on the site will lead to the automatic forfeiture of the tax credits, Connolly said. She added that city staff hopes to conduct a new market study on the project and wants to acquire at least one new development partner for the site in 2018. The city also wants to terminate its relationship with FDP and acquire the parts of the site that company owns. We are very sure that this is going to be a national-level development site, Connolly said. We could certainly put together a development package that would be very attractive to developers, particularly with this riverfront access. In summer 2014, to great fanfare Davenport, Iowa-based Financial District Properties (FDP) announced its intention to redevelop the old Case buildings into loft apartments and commercial spaces. By the end of that year FDP obtained $9 million in state historic tax credits, one of the essential funding layers to make the project possible. Over later months and years FDP Managing Owner Rodney Blackwell changed his mind many times about how to redevelop the buildings. He also ran into large problems with inherited tenants who were storing massive quantities of merchandise in 900 Water St., the larger of the two buildings. At one point the northernmost section of that building was torn down. In the end, Blackwell essentially walked away from the project, leaving it to the city to develop. In Gorman, the city had partnered with a developer that had previously done three Downtown Racine projects. Meeting mostly closed Wednesdays meeting opened with a roughly 20-minute presentation begun by City Administrator Jim Palenick and finished by Connolly. In his opening remarks, Palenick said he hoped to keep the closed session section of the meeting short and exclusive to discussion of city legal strategy. We want to seek to limit that time in closed session to as little as possible, because ultimately we want to do our question-and-answer to the fullest extent possible in an entirely public fashion, Palenick said. But aldermen and members of the RDA didnt ask many questions in open session; the time between returning from closed session and adjourning the meeting was less than five minutes. The closed session lasted roughly an hour, and city staff and leaders are not legally allowed to discuss what took place. The only questions asked in open session vaguely referred to what was discussed in closed session and helped set a 60-day timeline for staff to come back with information on financial and legal obligations of the proposed action. Its unclear what action has been proposed. I thought that they would have plenty of questions about the historic preservation and why it didnt work, or the tax credits, or what kind of prospects (there are) for development in the future, or any number of things, Palenick said. We expected there would be a lot of that, and apparently there wasnt any. Kolkata: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] expelled party member and Rajya Sabha MP Ritabrata Banerjee on Wednesday for alleged anti-party activities. The move comes two days after Banerjee's explosive interview to a regional television channel, where he lashed out at senior leaders of the party. General Secretary Sitaram Yechury has confirmed the development. Banerjee was a state committee member. Banerjee's expulsion from the party points towards a deepening feud between the Sitaram Yechury camp and the Prakash Karat camps. He was expelled under Article XIX- Party Discipline, Clause 13, that states, In exceptional circumstances Party Committees in their discretion may resort to summary procedure in expelling members for grave anti-Party activities. In his television interview, Banerjee alleged CPI(M) central leadership is anti-Bengali and that Yechury is a minority while majority is led by Prakash and Brinda Karat. He also spoke on CPI(M) leader Mohammad Salim, who heads an inquiry commission. He called the commission a Kangaroo commission and claimed Salim is part of the Polit Bureau because of Muslims quota. Howrah: Fourteen live bombs were on Thursday recovered from a shop in Howrah district, where a man was injured in an explosion yesterday, police said. Bomb squad personnel, during the search in the shop this morning, found the explosives, a police officer said. Komer Ali, the shop owner, who was injured in the explosion, has been admitted to Uluberia hospital with severe burn injuries, the officer said. The investigation into the incident is underway, he said, adding, police has not been able to interrogate Ali as he is in hospital. The explosion happened at the Teen Kapati Pool under the jurisdiction of Manikpur police station yesterday evening when Ali was closing the shop, the officer said. Baghdad: Islamic State has claimed suicide attacks that killed at least 50 people and injured more than 80 in a southern Iraqi city on Thursday. A statement on the Amaq news agency, which supports the hardline Sunni Muslim group, said the attacks carried out by the its suicide fighters targeted a restaurant and a checkpoint, killing "dozens of Shi`ites". Aden: Yemeni forces backed by the United Arab Emirates have driven al Qaeda militants from a southern district that is the birthplace of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, security sources said on Thursday. Wadea is located in Abyan province, which for months was a no-go zone for pro-government troops and where Qaeda fighters fled after a similar offensive in the neighbouring province of Shabwa last month. Seven suspected Qaeda members were arrested during the Wadea operation which began on Wednesday, including an alleged explosives expert known as Abu Abdallah, according to the sources. Other sources said the jihadists had not put up a fierce resistance, but withdrew -- a now familiar pattern for Qaeda in Yemen. "Most of the organisation`s leaders fled ... and headed towards the nearby Muhafid district," the sources said, referring to an Qaeda stronghold on the edge of Abyan province. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, seen by the United States as the network`s most dangerous branch, has exploited years of conflict between the government and Huthi Shiite rebels to expand its presence in Yemen, particularly in southern provinces. The UAE is a key component of the Saudi-led coalition which intervened in Yemen in 2015, when Hadi fled into exile as the rebels threatened to overrun his last stronghold. Around 100 UAE troops have been killed in the conflict. Bogota: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visiting the Colombian capital here has said that Iran`s "terrorist links" are everywhere, including Latin America and called for unity in combating Tehran`s influence. After meeting with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, Netanyahu on Wednesday said that Israel believes that all countries should join together to prevent aggression and terror from expanding, Ef news reported. In a hardline stand, the Israeli leader said although "limitless opportunities" are present, but a huge threat also exists from militant Islamic terrorism that has affected both Muslims and others around the globe. He said that, in his opinion, such terrorism has two sources: the Islamic State (IS) terror group and Iran. Netanyahu said that this has spurred a new relationship between Israel and the Arab nations. This is the first time that a serving leader of Israeli government has visited Colombia and Latin America. The Israel and Colombia also discussed issues related to agriculture, water supply and cybersecurity. Charges against Shkreli for defrauding hedge funds MSMB Capital and MSMB Healthcare carry a maximum sentence of 20 years, but he will likely serve much less, in part because none of the investors lost money. Shkreli first rose to prominence in 2015 when, as chief executive of Turing Pharmaceuticals, he raised the price of anti-infection drug Daraprim by 5,000 per cent. The move outraged US lawmakers and patients. Seoul: A North Korean state agency threatened on Thursday to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test. The Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which handles the North`s external ties and propaganda, also called for the breakup of the Security Council, which it called "a tool of evil" made up of "money-bribed" countries that move at the order of the United States. "The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," the committee said in a statement carried by the North`s official KCNA news agency. Juche is the North`s ruling ideology that mixes Marxism and an extreme form of go-it-alone nationalism preached by state founder Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of the current leader, Kim Jong Un. Regional tension has risen markedly since the reclusive North conducted its sixth, and by far its most powerful, nuclear test on Sept. 3, following a series of missile tests, including one that flew over Japan. The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously on a US-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions on Monday in response, banning North Korea`s textile exports that are the second largest only to coal and mineral, and capping fuel supplies. The North reacted to the latest action by the Security Council, which had the backing of veto-holding China and Russia, by reiterating threats to destroy the United States, Japan and South Korea. "Let`s reduce the US mainland into ashes and darkness. Let`s vent our spite with mobilization of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now," the statement said. Japan`s Nikkei stock index and dollar/yen currency pared gains, although traders said that was more because of several Chinese economic indicators released on Thursday rather than a reaction to the North`s latest statement. South Korea`s won also edged down around the same time over domestic financial concerns. Despite the North`s threats, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he was against having nuclear weapons in his country, either by developing its own arsenal or bringing back U.S. tactical nuclear weapons that were withdrawn in the early 1990s. "To respond to North Korea by having our own nuclear weapons will not maintain peace on the Korean peninsula and could lead to a nuclear arms race in northeast Asia," Moon said in an interview with CNN. South Korea`s Unification Ministry also said it planned to provide $8 million through the U.N. World Food Programme and UNICEF to help infants and pregnant women in the North. The move marks Seoul`s first humanitarian assistance for the North since its fourth nuclear test in January 2016 and is based on a longstanding policy of separating humanitarian aid from politics, the ministry said. 'Dancing To The Tune' The North`s latest threats also singled out Japan for "dancing to the tune" of the United States, saying it should never be pardoned for not offering a sincere apology for its "never-to-be-condoned crimes against our people", an apparent reference to Japan`s wartime aggression. It also referred to South Korea as "traitors and dogs" of the United States. Japan criticised the North`s statement harshly. "This announcement is extremely provocative and egregious. It is something that markedly heightens regional tension and is absolutely unacceptable," Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters. North Korea had already rejected the Security Council resolution, vowing to press ahead with its nuclear and missile programmes. A tougher initial U.S. draft of Monday`s resolution was weakened to win the support of China, the North`s lone major ally, and Russia. Significantly, it stopped short of imposing a full embargo on oil exports to North Korea, most of which come from China. The latest sanctions also make it illegal for foreign firms to form commercial joint ventures with North Korean entities. U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed that North Korea will never be allowed to threaten the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, but has also asked China to do more to rein in its neighbour. China in turn favours an international response to the problem. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the international community had reached a "high consensus" on trying to realise a peaceful solution. "We urge the relevant directly involved parties to seize the opportunity and have the political nerve to make the correct political choice as soon as possible," Hua told a regular press briefing. The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies. The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday summoned India`s Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad J P Singh, a day after two civilians were killed in a ceasefire violation allegedly by Indian forces on the Line of Control. Pakistan`s Foreign Office said in a statement that it condemned the "unprovoked ceasefire violations" by the Indian Army in Dewara and Kakran villages along the LoC on Wednesday that also left three others injured. "Despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations. In 2017 to date, the Indian forces have carried out over 700 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the deaths of 32 innocent civilians and injuries to 382," an official statement said. The Foreign Office said it urged India to respect the 2003 ceasefire pact and investigate the incidents of truce violations. The Indian diplomat was also told that India should permit the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan to play its mandated role in Jammu and Kashmir, the statement said. Bangkok: Roadside bombs planted by suspected Muslim insurgents in southern Thailand killed one soldier on Thursday and wounded 20 other people, most of them soldiers and police, security forces said. The blasts occurred in Yala, one of the predominantly ethnic, Malay Muslim provinces in the deep south where a separatist insurgency has dragged on for decades, with more than 6,500 people killed since 2004 alone. The first bomb did not result in any casualties, but the other two killed one soldier and wounded 18 soldiers and police and two villagers. "It is believed to be the work of violent groups already creating incidents in the area," Pramote Prom-in, a spokesman for regional security forces, told Reuters. As with most violence in Thailand`s deep south, there was no claim of responsibility. The insurgents are fighting for secession from mostly Buddhist Thailand. Until they were annexed in 1909, Thailand`s three southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat were part of an independent Malay Muslim sultanate. Dhaka Division: The number of Muslim Rohingya who have crossed into Bangladesh to escape ethnic unrest in Myanmar since August 25 hit 389,000 on Thursday, a UN spokesman said. The figure rose 10,000 in 24 hours, indicating the Rohingya crisis remains acute. UN refugee agency spokesman Joseph Tripura gave AFP the latest number. Other UN agencies have sounded the alarm over conditions for the Rohingya who have fled a military crackdown in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar`s Rakhine state. Most of the influx is concentrated around the Bangladesh border town of Cox`s Bazar where more than 300,000 Rohingya refugees were packed into ill-equipped camps before the violence erupted last month in Rakhine. The UN children`s agency, UNICEF, says that 60 percent of the new arrivals are children. "There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water," said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF`s representative in Bangladesh, in a statement. "Conditions on the ground place children at risk of high risk of water-borne disease. We have a monumental task ahead of us to protect these extremely vulnerable children," said the official. Moscow: The deputy head of Russia's prison service has been arrested and charged with embezzling some USD 2.8 million, investigators said on Thursday, the latest eye catching graft case in the country. Oleg Korshunov is accused of siphoning off funds from a major state contract to supply fuel and food to prisons between 2015-2016, Russia's powerful Investigative Committee said. The official was detained yesterday by the FSB intelligence agency at his yacht club, TASS news agency reported. Russia's prison system is often criticised by rights activists for poor conditions and abuses. The official graft is rampant in Russia and Korshunov is just the latest high-profile official to be arrested for allegedly stealing large sums. President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly pledged to crack down on the scourge, but despite occasional high-profile arrests, critics accuse him of using his role to enrich close friends and allies. WATERFORD A man was charged after he crashed his motorcycle into a ditch while reportedly driving drunk. Joseph J. Vollmer, 33, of the 1500 block of Whitetail Run in Mukwonago, is facing his fourth charge of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, a felony. According to the criminal complaint: On Sept. 7, an officer was monitoring traffic on the east side of Highway 164 in Waterford when a motorcycle was seen traveling quickly. The officer determined it was traveling 72 mph in a 40 mph zone. The officer followed the motorcycle, but when the vehicle attempted an abrupt right turn, the motorcycle reportedly crashed into a ditch. The driver, Vollmer, claimed he lost control due to a vehicle braking in front of him, which the officer did not see. Police learned Vollmer had a warrant for his arrest and another officer said Vollmer smelled like intoxicants. Field tests were administered and Vollmer reportedly failed. A breathalyzer reported Vollmers blood alcohol concentration was 0.137. Vollmers mother appeared at the scene and allegedly said Yep, hes drunk... While being transported for a legal blood draw, Vollmer reportedly kept removing his seat belt and berating one of the officers. When Vollmer arrived at the hospital, he allegedly refused a blood draw. When the officers started the process for obtaining a search warrant, Vollmer complied and apologized for his behavior. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 5 at the Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave. Riyadh: A Saudi pilot was killed in Yemen while providing air support for an operation against Al-Qaeda militants, a Saudi-led coalition backing the government said on Thursday. The Saudi Royal Air Force plane crashed in the southern province of Abyan on Wednesday night "due to a technical failure," coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki told the official Saudi Press Agency. On the ground, coalition-backed Yemeni forces managed to drive Al-Qaeda militants from Abyan`s Wadea district on Thursday, symbolic as the birthplace of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. Abyan was a no-go zone for pro-government troops for months after Al-Qaeda fighters regrouped there following a similar offensive in neighboring Shabwa province last month. Security sources told AFP the jihadists had not put up much resistance but instead withdrew -- a now familiar pattern for Al-Qaeda in Yemen. "Most of the organization`s leaders fled ... and headed towards the nearby Muhafid district," the sources said, referring to an Al-Qaeda stronghold on the edge of Abyan province. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, seen by the United States as the network`s most dangerous branch, has exploited years of conflict between the government and Shiite rebels who control the capital to expand its presence. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015, when Hadi fled into exile as the rebels threatened to overrun his last stronghold. Despite the support of the coalition`s firepower, the writ of Hadi`s government is still largely confined to the south and areas along the Saudi border. Washington: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called for a political solution to the current situation in Korean peninsula, which has worsened in recent months in the wake of series of ballistic missile and nuclear tests by Pyongyang. "The solution can only be political. Military action could cause devastation on a scale that would take generations to overcome," Guterres told reporters at a news conference at the UN headquarters in New York. Noting that nuclear and missile tests by the North Korea have created great instability and tension on the Korean peninsula, throughout the region and beyond, the UN Secretary General said unity in the Security Council is critical. This week's unanimous adoption of a new resolution by the Security Council sends a clear message that North Korea must comply fully with its international obligations, he said and called on all Member States to ensure the full implementation of this and other relevant Security Council resolutions. "But Security Council unity also creates an opportunity for diplomatic engagement an opportunity that must be seized," Guterres said. Meanwhile in an interview to Atlantic Council, a top American think-tank, Nicholas Burns, a former top American diplomat said that the new sanctions imposed by UN Security Council on North Korea are not enough. "The sanctions are a step forward, but they are not significant enough. It is disappointing that Russia and China will not agree to tougher sanctions because that is what is required," he said. "We are in a new and dangerous phase of the crisis following the apparent hydrogen bomb test and also the ballistic missile firing by North Korea over Hokkaido," Burns said. "The world community has got to take stronger actions against North Korea to convince the North Koreans to freeze their nuclear program and agree to negotiations to try to diminish this crisis," he said. Noting that the Chinese have a direct interest here, he said, but they are hesitating in deepening their own leverage and coercion against North Korea. "It may be that China worries that a dissolution of the North Korean regime could lead to a flow of North Korean refugees into China, " Burns said. "It is certainly true that the Chinese worry that any kind of crisis that could weaken or destroy North Korea and could lead to the unification of the Korean Peninsula with its capital in Seoul a country that is aligned with the United States is not in China's interests," he said. Gabina VOA is designed to be an infotainment youth radio show broadcasting to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the Amharic language. The show brings varied perspectives on issues concerning young people in the Horn of Africa region. Gabina in the Amharic language is a front row taxi ridesymbolic of the shows content as a fun ride that takes audiences from point A to point B. Gabina VOAs main goal is Enlightening young people, introducing them to cutting-edge technological innovations, exposing them to new processes and ideas so they can be productive, informed and self-governing citizens. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Russian-Israeli blogger Alexander Lapshin has left Azerbaijan, APA reports. The blogger was accompanied by his mother, Bella Lapshina, as they boarded the Baku-Tel Aviv flight. Earlier on September 11, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev pardoned the jailed blogger. Prior to being pardoned, the blogger attempted to commit suicide, Azerbaijani media reported citing presidential aid Ali Hasanov. Hasanov accused Israeli authorities in delaying Lapshins extradition process, mentioning that as a consequence Lapshin attempted to commit suicide on September 10. The suicide was prevented by prison guards. The blogger is currently under observation by medics. Hasanov said that after the pardon, the extradition issue is dealt by both the Azeri foreign ministry and the Isreali embassy. It is noteworthy that President Ilham Aliyev pardoned Lapshin on the same day when his defense minister Zakir Hasanov departed for Israel on an official visit. The tourism blogger was detained in Belarus in 2016 upon Azerbaijans request. Azerbaijan had blacklisted Lapshin for his visit to Artsakh. On February 7, 2017, Alexander Lapshin was extradited to Azerbaijan where a Baku Court sentenced him to 3 years imprisonment. Charges included public calls against the state and illegal border crossing. The blogger was found guilty for illegal border crossing under Article 318 the infamous and illicit law which defines criminal proceedings for foreigners who visit Nagorno Karabakh without authorization of Azerbaijan. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. The US Department of State has published the 2017 Fiscal Transparency Report, reports Armenpress. Armenia is included in the report as a country meeting the minimum requirements of fiscal transparency for 2017. The minimum requirements of fiscal transparency include having key budget documents that are publicly available, substantially complete, and generally reliable. The review includes an assessment of the transparency of processes for awarding government contracts and licenses for natural resource extraction. The 2017 fiscal transparency review process evaluated whether the identified governments publicly disclose key budget documents. The review process also evaluated whether the government has an independent supreme audit institution or similar institution that audits the governments annual financial statements, and whether such audits are made publicly available. The review further assessed whether the process for awarding licenses and contracts for natural resource extraction is outlined in law or regulation and followed in practice. Unlike Armenia, Azerbaijan is included in the list of those countries that didnt meet the minimum requirements of fiscal transparency. The State Department also stated that Azerbaijan didnt record any profess on ensuring fiscal transparency. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan sent a message on the joint session on Small Transition Economies: Local Answers to Global Challenges organized by the Boris Minz Institute and the Russian-Armenian University, wishing them fruitful work and efficacious discussions, press service of the Presidents Office told Armenpress. Distinguished Board Members of the Boris Mints Institute, Distinguished Members of the Scientific Council of Russian-Armenian University, Dear professors and students, I welcome the Armenian session of the conference on Small Transition Economies: Local Answers to Global Challenges organized by the Boris Mints Institute and the Russian-Armenian University. It is important and timely to hold this event at the Russian-Armenian University which celebrates the 20-th anniversary of its establishment this year and which throughout these years of achievements has secured its high level in the educational and academic life of our country. With the experience gained during the years of independence, Armenia, no doubt, attracts theorists of contemporary political science and economics. Armenia was the first among the post-Soviet countries to carry out privatization of agricultural lands, introduce reforms and modernization in the energy sector, allign the infrastructure with the rules of market economy. In a complex environment of geopolitical, external and internal challenges we have succeeded in laying solid foundations of the principles of democratic governance, civil society and liberal economy. In all these areas we have accumulated robust experience and we are ready to share our achievements and lessons. Currently we are in a qualitatively new transition period in terms of the Constitution as we are entering a more progressive, parliamentary system of governance, which, I trust, will ensure irreversible democratic development of the Republic of Armenia. The national economy, too, is facing new challenges. We are on the eve of a new period of engaging international business circles into economic development projects. Based on the most advanced legal regulations and the most effective international experience we believe that we will be able to create the necessary toolset, a trustworthy economic system and export opportunities for foreign investors. It is through your discussions of the lessons and opportunities of Armenia, as well as other issues pertaining to overcoming the transition period in larger sense that I hope you will be to come up with new and interesting solutions and approaches in the future- to the benefit of Armenia and other countries facing similar challenges, the Presidents message reads. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Sibel Yigitalp, a Turkish lawmaker from the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party has been arrested outside her home in Diyarbakir, Turkish media reported. Diyarbakir authorities have charged the MP with propaganda for terrorist group and publicly mocking the government, military and security agencies of the Turkish Republic. 8 lawmakers of the pro-Kurdish party are currently imprisoned. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian government granted Aroyan LLC resident (operation) permit for the Meridian free economic zone. During todays Cabinet meeting, minister of economic development and investments Suren Karayan said the company plans to be engaged in the jewelry sector, making 11 million dollars investments in 8 years. The minister mentioned that up to 100 new jobs will be created during the 8 years. The company plans to export production to the following main destinations: Russia, Kazakhstan, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman, he said. The annual export volume will amount to nearly 2,5 million dollars. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. On September 14 Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan hosted a group of participants of the "Modern Aspects of Rehabilitation in Medicine" 8th international conference, press service of the Artsakh Presidents Office told Armenpress. The meeting addressed diverse issues related to the sphere of healthcare. President Sahakyan attached importance to such meetings and discussions considering them demanded in terms of developing medicine and application of best international practice in Artsakh. Acting healthcare minister of Artsakh Karine Atayan also participated in the meeting. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Tierras de Armenia companys Karas brand new wine will be included in the list of the worlds wines of the highest value by presenting the best traditions of Armenian winemaking to the world. On September 13 the presentation of the companys new wine Gran Karas-2013 was held which was attended by high-ranking officials, representatives of diplomatic structures accredited in Armenia, as well as other honorary guests. The event was also attended by defense minister Vigen Sargsyan, justice minister Davit Harutyunyan, Russias Ambassador to Armenia Ivan Volynkin. Juliana Del Aguila Eurnekian Director at Karas Wines, told Armenpress that they are presenting a new wine which will definitely contribute to increasing the recognition of the Armenian wine in the world market. Our family is very happy to launch this work in Armenia. I help my family in this work with great pleasure and manage the wine production of Karas brand. For us this is a very important work since we want to contribute to Armenias economic development by boosting winemaking, he said. Juliana Del Aguila Eurnekian is confident that winemaking has great development potential in Armenia, and the Armenian wines can have their unique place in global markets. Winemaking in Armenia has a history of more than 6.000 years which is a perfect opportunity for Armenia to become a leading country in winemaking. I am convinced that we will achieve that result in several years, the Director said. Photos by Tatev Duryan She added that her uncle ethnic Armenian philanthropist Eduardo Eurnekian always says he wants to contribute to Armenias economic development with all possible means. Today we are very happy that we present our new wine which we are going to export throughout the world by presenting our history. This wine is the result of our work of 10 years. By this we are planning to put a new beginning of the progress of Armenian winemaking. It is also a result of over 500 persons long-lasting work, and we thank all of them for their work, Juliana Del Aguila Eurnekian said. Armenian justice minister Davit Harutyunyan told Armenpress that Armenia has great potential for winemaking development. According to him, the Armenian wine is unique: I think winemaking should develop in Armenia since the Armenian wine is the result of our perfect fruits. What Karas today presents is also a result of that fruit. If this result continues, I believe that the Armenian wine will find its unique place in the world market, and Armenia will become a leading and famous country in the field of winemaking, the justice minister said, adding that the years of Karas activity inspire trust. RACINE A Racine man has been charged after he allegedly beat a woman he was living with and refused to let her leave. Rickey L. Gates, 57, of the 1600 block of South Memorial Drive, is facing a felony charge of false imprisonment and misdemeanor charges of battery and disorderly conduct. According to the criminal complaint: At 2:35 a.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the 1600 block of South Memorial Drive regarding a possible assault. When officers arrived, they heard loud arguing coming from the upper southeast corner of the building. When police yelled for those involved to come downstairs, they received no response. When they reached the apartment, they found the victim hiding in a storage room. She was reportedly scared, shaking and had a swollen face. The victim told police Gates had allegedly beat her with closed fists and when she tried to leave, he would grab her by the hair and pull her back into the room. The victim reportedly had a bump on the back of her head from having her hair pulled. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at the Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave. Gates remained in custody as of Thursday afternoon, online court records showed. Journal Times staff YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness Garegin II and President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan attended the inauguration of the new building of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsins Eurnekian Secondary School on September 14. Susanna Vardanyan, the principal of the school said the school is unique in terms of education quality. We cooperate with the ministry of education and science, we take the programs mainly from the ministry, however teachers also introduce their innovations, she said. Children from not only Vagharshapat (aka Etchmiatsin) and nearby villages attend the school, but also from Yerevan. Every child of the school has an individual account, and every year 100 USD is transferred to it. After graduating the school, the children can use the accumulated 1200 USD for their further education expenses. The Eurnekian Secondary School was established in 2009 by the Catholicos and sponsored by Eduardo Eurnekian. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Argentine-Armenian businessman and philanthropist Eduardo Eurnekian says the Eurnekian Secondary School is an investment for the future, for the children. During the inauguration of the schools new building, Eurnekian told reporters he likes the school very much. I am very happy, everything is beautiful, built with a look into the future, he said. According to him, the future must be built little by little in Armenia. We must put our efforts here, the future is here, and this is my goal, he said. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on September 14 attended the opening ceremony of the new building of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsins Eurnekian Secondary School, press service of the Presidents Office told Armenpress. The President was accompanied by His Holiness Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, philanthropist Eduardo Eurnekian, a number of officials and honorary guests. School consecration ceremony has been conducted by Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. The Eurnekian Secondary School was established in 2009 by the Catholicos and sponsored by Eduardo Eurnekian. The new building of Eurnekian Secondary School equipped with classrooms and laboratories has been constructed by the initiative of the Catholicos and sponsorship of Eduardo Eurnekian. The school can host more than 500 children. The President toured the newly-opened school, got acquainted with the carried out works and the conditions created for study, after which he participated in the tree-planting organized in the schools yard. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Shots were fired Septmber 14 outside the Kharberd restaurant near Vernissage, downtown Yerevan. Police spokesman Ashot Aharonyan told ARMENPRESS officers from various law enforcement agencies are operating at the scene. Necessary actions are underway. Detailed information will be provided a little later, he said. According to various media reports, 1 person was killed and several others wounded in the shooting. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan on September 14 held a phone conversation with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, press service of the government told Armenpress. The Armenian PM congratulated his Russian counterpart on birthday, wishing him good health, welfare and new achievements in his career. PM Karapetyan highly appreciated Dmitry Medvedevs personal contribution to the development of allied relations between Armenia and Russia. The officials also discussed issues relating to bilateral and multilateral mutual partnership. They agreed to make the maximum efforts to further deepen the relations and highlighted with satisfaction that there are positive trends in terms of increase of trade turnover volumes at various directions. The conversation also touched upon the Russian PMs upcoming visit to Armenia and issues related to the Intergovernmental session of the Eurasian Economic Union. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. An assault rifle and a handgun were used in the gunfire which occurred earlier today in central Yerevan. The investigative committee confirmed to ARMENPRESS that one person has been killed in the shooting. An AK-74 assault rifle, as well as assault rifle cases and handgun cases have been discovered at the scene. Preliminary information suggests two types of weapons were used in the shooting, the investigative committee said. Heavy police presence can be seen at the scene. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. After the election of patriarchal locum tenens Archbishop Garegin Bekchyan, the process of election of Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul again has entered into a deadlock. Till now the Turkish authorities didnt respond to the official letter sent by the Patriarchate over holding the elections. Bagrat Estukian editor of Armenian section of Agos daily, gave an interview to Armenpress on these matters. On August 30 Turkey celebrated the Victory day. This is a state holiday in the country and every year representatives of minorities are invited to take part in the reception of that day. This year our Patriarchate didnt receive an invitation. The reception was attended by representatives of Greeks, Assyrians, Jews, however, there were no participants from the Armenian Patriarchate, Bagrat Estukian said. He said certain community circles started to comment on this fact as a manifestation of denialist policy against the patriarchal locum tenens. There are some people who announce that they are in close ties with the state, that state said in this or that way. The list of those people is headed by Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Istanbuls Armenian St. Slavery hospital Pedros Shirinoglu who has an obvious sympathy for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and expresses his sympathy on any possible occasion. Moreover, he even announces that the state transfers its own stance to the community thanks to him. Its difficult to say to what extent this phenomenon is acceptable. We have submitted an official letter to the Turkish authorities and expect an official response be it positive or negative. However, we havent received any response yet, he said. Estukian said locum tenens Bekchyan and the Initiative group of the election will wait until first week of October: if there is no response at that time, they will appeal to the Governors Office to talk about the issue face to face. Our major interlocutor is the interior ministry, however, the inquiries to the ministry are being sent via the Istanbul Governors Office, he said. Bagrat Estukian stated that in such circumstances certain circles, in particular, the supporters of former patriarchal vicar Archbishop Aram Ateshyan spread many rumors that have nothing to do with the reality. In particular, the talk is about Bekchyans resignation or expressing no confidence towards the members of the Initiative group. Shirinoglu urged Bekchyan to resign, however, he refused to do that. And now he wants the members of the Initiative group to resign, however, the locum tenens announced that it is a normal working group, and he doesnt want to dissolve it, Estukian said. Estukian said the process of patriarchal election again is in uncertainty. The worst thing is that the situation has a tendency to get worse. Its a pity that there are people in our small community who want to use this situation. We have a problem within us, Bagrat Estukian said. Araks Kasyan YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Melih Gokcek, the Mayor of Ankara, Turkey called on everyone to pray for new destructions in the US similar to the Harvey and Irma hurricanes. Damages from the Harvey and Irma storms amount to 290 billion dollars. Lets continue praying. God, give those who fight with us so many problems that they forget about us, the Ankara Mayor tweeted. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Armenias finest jazz and blues musicians will perform at the Yerevan Music Night event on September 16. The event will be held in the Charles Aznavour Square in central Yerevan, and will feature performances by Levon Malkhasyan (aka Malkhaz), Gor Sujyan, Kami friends project and others. Traffic will be suspended on Abovyan Street in the section from Tumanyan to Pushkin Streets. A world renowned special guest will participate in the event, but organizers didnt yet disclose who it is. The project is realized on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Kami musical club, jointly with the organizers of the Yerevan Wine Days. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. The man who was wounded in a shooting incident in central Yerevan is undergoing surgery. Head doctor of Astghik medical center Robert Kurghinyan told ARMENPRESS the surgery is expected to be completed in an hour. The victim suffered wounds to the chest and arm, he said. An unidentified man opened gunfire in downtown Yerevan earlier today outside the Tufenkian hotel, killing a 43 year old man, identified as G. Mosinyan. Another man was wounded and hospitalized. Law enforcement agencies are investigating the incident. RACINE A photography machine overheated and started smoking in the basement of a home while the residents were sleeping Wednesday morning. Just after 9 a.m., residents in a home on the 1600 block of Boyd Avenue were awakened by the sound of their smoke detectors going off. The Racine Fire Department was dispatched to the home for an "electrical smell and smoke in the basement," according to a press release. The fire was contained to the photography machine in the basement. The incident caused roughly $1,000 worth of damage. No one was hurt, and the residents did not require any further assistance. The fire department is reminding residents to test their smoke detectors on a monthly basis. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Ambassador to Canada Levon Martirosyan on September 12 presented his credentials to Governor General of Canada David Johnston, press service of the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress. The ceremony was also attended by Governor General Designate Julie Payette. Governor General David Johnston congratulated Ambassador Martirosyan on his appointment and wished him success in his mission to develop the Armenian-Canadian bilateral ties. The Governor General said: This year Armenia and Canada mark the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations, and this jubilee is a good chance to outline the prospects of our further cooperation. Over the past years a number of high-level mutual visits have taken place, close contacts have been established between our governments. Canada is happy that Armenia will host the 2018 Francophonie summit. In order to create new and firmer ties, it is necessary to establish close dialogue with each other. In his turn the Armenian Ambassador thanked for the warm reception, assuring that he will make all efforts to further boost the relations between the two friendly countries. Following the ceremony the sides held a private meeting during which they discussed a wide range of issues relating to the Armenian-Canadian bilateral ties, as well as the upcoming cooperation programs. YEREVAN, 14 SEPTEMBER, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 14 September, USD exchange rate is up by 0.11 drams to 478.37 drams. EUR exchange rate is down by 3.65 drams to 568.97 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate is up by 0.03 drams to 8.30 drams. GBP exchange rate is down by 3.06 drams to 631.50 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price is up by 20.84 drams to 20417.65 drams. Silver price is up by 2.52 drams to 275.45 drams. Platinum price is up by 18.85 drams to 15103.11 drams. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. The citizens of Armenia should decide what is better for their country, ARMENPRESS reports Head of the European Union Delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Piotr Switalski said in response to the question about the draft on Armenias withdrawal from the EEU. I represent the European Union in this country. Hence, my main responsibility is to think about our relations and cooperation. I am very glad we are approaching the moment when an agreement will be signed between Armenia and the EU. The agreement is fully compatible with those commitments and obligations that Armenia may have in its other activities. This is our starting and end point, the rest refers only to the citizens of Armenia. Armenia is a free country and has the right to say what it thinks. If the decisions are not hostile towards the EU I am extremely happy for them, said Piotr Switalski, stating that so long he has not witnessed any unfriendly act against the EU and there are no serious YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received on September 14 the members of the International Council of the Boris Mints Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions to Global Challenges who together with their colleagues from the Russian- Armenian University organized a meeting in Yerevan themed Small transit economies. Local responds to universal challenges. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Armenian Presidents Office, Serzh Sargsyan welcomed the leading experts and professors, prominent political figures and philanthropists in Armenia, who are worried over the existing global issues and challenges and are ready to use their great experience and knowledge by uniting their efforts to find the correct solutions. In this context the President highly appreciated the activities of Boris Mints Institute and the dedication of all the members of the council to that important mission, stressing that in all countries the leaderships need the recommendations and proposals of experienced experts and in this context Armenia is open and is ready for dialogue. Thanking the President of the Republic for the warm reception, Boris Mints and the other participants of the meeting recorded with satisfaction that the Yerevan meeting was rather interesting and productive, giving an opportunity to listen to the opinions and visions on development prospects and strategic directions of the country of various experts, academic staff and professors, as well as state employees from the Armenian side. During the meeting President Sargsyan briefly introduced to the guests the path Armenia has passed since independence, the development process, the existing challenges and development prospects. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. The European parliament has called for an investigation into revelations by the Guardian and media partners that Azerbaijan ran a secret $2.9bn (2.2bn) slush fund to pay influential Europeans to paint a positive image of the authoritarian regime, ARMENPRESS reports, citing The Guardian. MEPs have demanded a comprehensive investigation into attempts by Azerbaijan and other autocratic regimes ... to influence European decision-makers through illicit means, following a last-minute amendment to a report on corruption. In a separate move, the head of the Council of Europe, Thorbjrn Jagland, called for unprecedented legal action against Azerbaijan over its refusal to release a political prisoner in defiance of the European court on human rights. The Council of Europe and ECHR are not part of the EU, but the coincidence in timing shows how political repression and corruption in Azerbaijan is rising up the agenda of Europes institutions. Jaglands intervention centres on opposition leader Ilgar Mammadov, who was jailed for organising and taking part in demonstrations in 2013. Judges at the ECHR found he was jailed for criticising Azerbaijani authorities but the government has refused to release him. At a meeting of Council of Europe ambassadors on Wednesday, Jagland called for the launch of legal proceedings against Azerbaijan for flouting ECHR court judgments an unprecedented step in the 68-year history of the Council of Europe. We cannot have political prisoners in Europe and we cannot have a situation in which Azerbaijan continues to deprive Mammadov of his liberty against the judgment of the highest court which clearly stated his arrest and detention were arbitrary, Jagland said in a statement released to the Guardian. The time has come for Azerbaijan to think hard about its obligations as a member of the Council of Europe and whether it still wants to fulfil them. Advertisement Azerbaijan signed the European convention of human rights in 2001 but its refusal to implement ECHR rulings has contributed to a slow-burning crisis for the court. Jagland wants to invoke the Council of Europe conventions article 46.4, which could ultimately lead to Azerbaijan being ejected from the human rights body. This nuclear option has never been used before and would require action from European foreign ministers, following a court assessment. The politics of the oil-rich country were also being debated in the European parliament, when MEPs voted to set up a corruption investigation by 349 votes to 290, with 42 abstentions. Following the recent Azerbaijani Laundromat revelations, attempts by Azerbaijan and other autocratic regimes in third countries to influence European decision-makers through illicit means [the European parliament] calls for a comprehensive parliament investigation, the text stated. The amendment was tacked on a report on corruption and human rights in non-EU countries. Drafted by Catalan MEP Jordi Sole, the amendment had been seen as a long shot unlikely to surmount opposition from the large centre-right and liberal blocs. In theory, the investigation could be wide-ranging as the amendment calls for a broad inquiry into the influence exerted by such regimes, but it remains to be seen whether it will even get under way. The European parliament has set up ad-hoc investigations into tax avoidance in Luxembourg, the Panama papers and the Dieselgate emissions scandal, but other calls for action have fallen on stony ground for instance, a vote in favour of a European-Israeli-Palestinian parliamentary forum went nowhere. Failure to set up an investigation would damage the credibility of the European parliament, which struggles to make its voice heard on foreign policy, where it has limited powers. Sole said his group would push for swift establishment of an investigation. We will insist that it thoroughly looks into the various responsibilities of all those involved in this massive money laundering and corruption scandal, including European banks, and holds them accountable, he said. The parliament needs to ensure that it has adequate safeguards in place to protect itself from such forms of pressure, which, ultimately, undermine our democratic credibility. No members of the European parliament have been implicated in the Azerbaijan laundromat revelations, where bank records showed multiple payments to former members of the Council of Europes parliamentary assembly, Pace. One is Eduard Lintner, a German ex-MP and member of the Christian Social Union, the Bavarian sister party to Angela Merkels ruling Christian Democrats. Another is the Italian former chair of the centre-right group in Pace, Luca Volonte. Belgian media said on Tuesday that the trail led back to two Belgian politicians. A joint investigation by LEcho and De Tijd found that Liberal MP Alain Destexhe and former politician Stef Goris had set up a not-for-profit election observation organisation that received $800,000 between 2012 and 2014 from Lintner. Destexhe denies being involved in the management of the organisation, while Goris said he did not receive any money from Azerbaijan. Destexhe is the author of a Pace report on human rights in Azerbaijan that has been criticised for not mentioning corruption. YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan sent a congratulatory message to the Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev on his birthday. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Armenian Presidents Office, the congratulatory letter runs as follows, Honorable Dmitry Medvedev, Please, accept my heartfelt congratulations on your birthday. Your rich experience in state and political activities which you undoubtedly possess, your special purposefulness to achieve benchmarks have rewarded you with deep respect among your compatriots and high reputation abroad. I would like to once again note with gratitude your personal contribution to the allied relations between our countries and your consistency in the implementation of Armenian-Russian agreements in the spheres of trade and economy, investments and cultural-humanitarian spheres. Meetings with you are always open and trustworthy for business and personal contact. I will be happy to welcome you once again in Yerevan in the sidelines of your official visit to Armenia. Honorable Dmitry Anatolyevich, I wish you and your relatives good health, happiness and welfare. PAHRUMP, NVDennis Hof, owner of seven legal brothels throughout the state of Nevada including the world famous Moonlite Bunny Ranch, is currently in talks to purchase the well-known Chicken Ranch brothel, located about 60 miles outside of Las Vegas. To help raise the capital for the purchase, Hof is asking his working girls to become investors in the business, potentially making the Chicken Ranch the first legal Nevada bordello to be co-owned and operated by active prostitutes. I already own half the brothels in Nye county, so I wasnt initially intrigued when the opportunity to purchase the Chicken Ranch was presented to me by the current ownership, Hof said. But when one of my working girls threatened to buy the Chicken Ranch if I didnt, the idea of an employee-owned den of iniquity began to appeal to me. Its a win-win situation, Hof added. I get the additional finances I need to execute the purchase and renovate the Chicken Ranch, and the ladies get to use their hard-earned money to invest in and run a long-term money-making business that they already have a great deal of expertise in. I cant imagine any group of investors who are better suited or more knowledgable to be my partners in this venture. These investors know the business because they are the business! Three Bunny Ranch prostitutes have already agreed to invest a sizable sum toward the purchase of the Pahrump brothel. Alice Little, an investor and Hofs top-earning working girl, believes that Hofs decision to allow investment opportunities to working girls is a game changer for the Nevada brothel industry and for sex worker rights. For far too long the American legal brothel industry has been dominated by an overwhelming number of male brothel owners, Little said. Its high time that the women who make up this industry not only have a say in how things are done, but also have a seat at the table where we can assert real leadership and send a message to sex workers everywhere that women can shatter the Nevada sex industrys glass ceiling. Successful Bunny Ranch sex worker Harley Lane, also an investor, is pleased that she will have a say in the rules and regulations as an owner of the Chicken Ranch. At the Bunny Ranch, the ladies are not allowed to wear cutoff denim shorts while working, Lane said. As a Texas girl who loves her denim, this is going to be the first silly rule I immediately and irreversibly abolish as co-owner of the Chicken Ranch. It might seem like a small thing, but when I walk out for a lineup in my recycled Levis cutoffs and high heels, Ill know that this is my house with my rules. Im actually not surprised Dennis is doing this, said Tiara Tae, another Bunny Ranch courtesan investing in the Chicken Ranch. Dennis has a history of entrusting his operation to strong women like Bunny Ranch general manager Madam Suzette. I believe Dennis trusts us working girls to run the place better than any outside investorand he definitely knows we have the cash on hand to help him with the purchase. Working girls at the Bunny Ranch and Hofs other six brothels keep 50 percent of all earnings from intimate services rendered. I look forward to negotiating the purchase of the Chicken Ranch with the current ownership, Hof said. My girls have literally charmed the pants off many of the worlds most accomplished business leaders, so Im sure well end up with a great deal on the property. Hof is not concerned that the process of vetting potential licensees of a Nevada brothel is an arduous and lengthy process, involving a deep background check. I cant speak for their clients, but these girls definitely dont have any skeletons in their closet, Hof said. Dennis Hof can be reached at [email protected] or by calling 775-720-9090. For press inquiries, email [email protected]. Charlotte and the Research Triangle Park are joining the growing number of candidates submitting proposals for Amazon's second headquarters.The tech giant plans to invest $5 billion for construction and hire up to 50,000 new employees. Proposals are due by Oct. 19, but the company won't announce its choice until next year.Amazon is the world's largest internet-retailer and continues to see rapid growth. It recently acquired game-streaming service Twitch and popular upscale grocer Whole Foods. The company's revenue averages in the billions, so it's not surprising dozens of local governments are eager to attract the company.Amazon is looking to join the likes of Facebook and Google, which got hefty tax incentives and local subsidies to move to North Carolina. Google opened a data center in Lenoir in 2006 and has received upward of $262 million in incentives from the General Assembly . Facebook got $17 million in tax breaks over 10 years as part of a deal to move to Rutherford County, according to the New York Times . Both companies benefited from sales and use tax exemptions for data centers , allowing them to buy electricity and equipment without sales tax.The Charlotte Observer is reporting on that city's entry into the Amazon sweepstakes. Amazon already has a receiving center inside the city limits, and Charlotte-Douglas International Airport acts as a hub for Amazon's Prime Air cargo planes.Michael Pittman, vice president of marketing and communications for the Research Triangle Park, explained how the Amazon deal would transform this part of the state.Pittman said.But, given the tax breaks and incentives, the deal may make little sense.said Jon Sanders, director of regulatory studies at the John Locke Foundation.Sanders describes rent-seeking asIn its announcement , Amazon says tax credits, relocation grants, and other incentives would help the company decide where to move. Essentially, it outlines what goodies local governments should roll out to attract the tech giant.Sanders advises against bidding for a specific business but instead suggests creating an environment in which a variety of businesses can flourish.Sanders said. The Democrat leadership has made constant, profound and incredible pronouncements that one's supportive vote for Republicans is tantamount to surrendering Democracy forever. Understanding their sincere thinking in their extreme position: How will you still vote on this election day? Democrat; because the continuance of this Democracy from the existential threat of extreme Republicans is paramount. Republican; the process of having a choice is the democratic method within what so called "Democracy" does exists. Contact: Ford Porter Ford Porter govpress@nc.gov RALEIGH: North Carolina is beginning to clean up from Hurricane Irma, with trees down and power out in parts of the state. Irma's rains will continue across the state today, but significant flooding is not expected as North Carolina was spared the full force of the storm.Governor Roy Cooper said.Western North Carolina especially saw impacts from the storm overnight.Power outages peaked at about 77,000 this morning, and about 63,000 homes and businesses remained without power at 12 p.m. - nearly all in western counties. Power crews are at work on restoration and the situation is improving.Several school districts are closed today and more than 25 are operating with delays.NC Department of Transportation crews are working to clear roads in western counties from downed trees. NC DOT crews have already cleared a landslide from U.S. 221 in McDowell County.The Blue Ridge Parkway through North Carolina remains closed.NC Forest Service and NC National Guard chain saw crews are cutting and clearing downed trees and limbs in Buncombe and Macon counties and are prepared to send other crews if needed.Governor Cooper said North Carolina will continue to reach out to Florida, Georgia and our other neighbors to see what help we can provide as they begin what we know will be a long recovery process.Gov. Cooper said.Yesterday, the North Carolina Air National Guard flew missions to move needed equipment, personnel and supplies from the midwest to Jacksonville, Florida. Some National Guard air traffic controllers and airfield maintenance crews have been alerted to be ready to deploy to the U.S. Virgin Islands if needed.The NC Department of Transportation is preparing to send about 200 employees from the central part of North Carolina to south Florida to assist in cutting trees and moving them out of the way for traffic to get through.North Carolina continues to welcome evacuees from Florida and other places directly in Irma's path. Five shelters remain open in Gaston, Guilford, Henderson, Johnston and Mecklenburg counties, providing relief to dozens of individuals and families who evacuated from states to our south.The governor said emergency mangers continue keeping a close eye on Hurricane Jose and any effects it may have on North Carolina in the future.said Gov. Cooper.To find shelter or get other storm related information, you can download the ReadyNC App or call 2-1-1 or 1-888-892-1162.Follow N.C. Emergency Management on Twitter and Facebook for the latest on Hurricane Irma. You can also get real-time traffic and weather on the ReadyNC mobile app. The South Florida Wildlife Center, with limited power and water, officially reopened today in a temporary mash unit and has already received more than 70 storm-battered animals. Photo by Carlos Aristizabal/The HSUS 690 shares The endangered key deer used extraordinary swimming and other survival skills to weather Irmas assault on the Florida Keys. Greyhound owners gambled by hunkering down with thousands of the dogs in kennels at or near their racetracks, and apparently made it through. The HSUS affiliate, the South Florida Wildlife Center, in Fort Lauderdale from which we relocated 450 animals survived, but it was battered, with trees and other vegetation strewn across the property and fencing and other infrastructure damaged. An operator of a breeding farm for Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises reported to state authorities that everybody, including the animals, survived on an island where the eye of the hurricane made a very close pass. Good Samaritans pulled manatees off the coastal floor on Floridas west coast, after hurricane winds pulled water off shore and exposed terrain typically covered by ocean waters. This is just a sampling of the drama wrought by Hurricane Irma, which left so much of Florida reeling in its wake. It pounded the Florida Keys in the far south of the state and it submerged so much of Jacksonville in the far north. Theres so much destruction and disruption in between. While many said it could have been worse, it was awfully bad. And still, there are millions without power, and the people of Florida are reminded of how valuable the modern conveniences of our society really are. For many people, and their animals, there will be continuing hardship, and for a smaller number, a long road to recovery. We are picking up the pieces at the South Florida Wildlife Center. The center, with limited power and water, officially reopened today in a temporary mash unit and has already received more than 70 animals. More than 200 young and injured animals that were in foster care are coming back to the facility for the expert care that our team provides. We are fully deployed in Collier County, where Naples and so many other cities and towns took such a direct hit from the hurricane. We conducted a transport of dogs and cats from Tampa in advance of the storm. And we have flights planned with our partners Wings of Rescue and GreaterGood.org to fly animals from Clay County in the north, Alachua County in the central part of the state, and Collier County in the south. Well be looking for other opportunities to help throughout the state wherever our services and Emergency Placement Partners are needed. We are conducting assessments in various parts of the state, and we are planning for hay deliveries for needy horses and cattle. Remember, Florida is one of the top states for both industries, and these animals are often forgotten victims of the storm. Global animal charities Humane Society International and H/3 Foundation Inc. have launched an animal rescue and relief initiative in the British Virgin Islands, following Irmas devastating impact there. The initial members of an emergency veterinary team have already arrived on the island of Tortola. Additional HSI veterinarians and technicians, as well as H/3 Foundation volunteers, are scheduled to arrive over the next several days, bringing crucial supplies, including food, carriers, hay for farm animals, and equipment to support the rescue efforts. The organizations will also evacuate lost and displaced dogs and cats, and work to reunite families separated from their pets. HSI and H/3 Foundation are working to secure airlift and logistics to bring lost and stray animals from the British Virgin Islands to shelters in the United States, while setting up local veterinary clinics to provide emergency care and treatment for animal victims. Because many people in the British Virgin Islands, like caring individuals everywhere, find it extremely difficult to evacuate without their beloved pets, HSI and H/3 Foundation will work to immediately facilitate the travel certifications required for such animals. As with Texas, we plan on being grounded in Florida for a long time to come. Harvey and Irma were not glancing blows. Both storms made a lasting impact on the terrain and infrastructure of two of the three largest states in the union. That means millions of people and the animals in their lives felt the effects. Well be working to mitigate those effects in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Were grateful so many people of conscience answered the call for support, and well be continuing to ask for your support to enable lifesaving work on the ground and through the air. P.S. Please donate to our Disaster Relief Fund to support our lifesaving work for these and other disasters. *Message and data rates may apply. A one-time donation of $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. Terms and conditions can be found at www.hmgf.org/t MEDIA DOWNLOADS US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and his wife, Louise Linton, requested a $25,000-an-hour Air Force jet to take them on their honeymoon in Scotland, France and Italy earlier this summer. The couple were saddened to learn that the request was "deemed unnecessary after further consideration of by Treasury Department officials." I sure hope it didn't ruin their trip. Last month, Linton, an actress with a white savior complex and a personality that combines the worst of Marie Antoinette and Leona Helmsley, made her Instagram account private after she was criticized for making fun of people who don't have her husband's $500 million fortune. Previously: Steven Mnuchin and Louise Linton may have used a government plane to watch the eclipse Louise Linton's fashion tips for poors Steven Mnuchin's wife makes fun of Instagram followers for not being as rich as she is Aynor mayor John Gardner, driving a lawnmower with a beer at his side, was pulled over by cops. But they let him go without so much as a warning. I wonder if it's because he's an important fellow and can do as he pleases. The mayor of Aynor was carrying a beer when he was pulled over while riding a lawnmower though town last month, according to police dashcam video. "You also have an open container," an Horry County police officer says in the video, taken around 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 25. "I know, I apologize for that," replied John Garder, who is also the chief financial officer for Horry County Schools. The officers made Gardner pour out the beer, which Gardner now contends was not open. Gardner says he was not cited, and the video shows officers saying they would call the Town of Aynor to handle the situation. Even a man who's maybe had a beer or two understands the power of silence. Gardner asks, "Can we go to town hall?" The female officer replies, "Right now? Why would I want to go to town hall?" No further response can be heard. Then he just hops back onto the vehicle, it seems, and drives off. And there's not so much as a police report. In 2016, Motherboard used public records requests to receive 3,000 pages of documents from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police detailing the federal police agency's longstanding secret use of IMSI Catchers (AKA "Stingrays" the fake cellular towers that silently capture data on every cellphone user in range). The records revealed that the Mounties used Stingrays to surveil regions up to 2km in radius, and indefinitely retained the data they gathered. The revelations gave urgency to an inquiry by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC), which has now reported in. The OPC reports that the policy "framework" the RCMP used to collect cellular data was first drafted in 2005, then formalised as an "interim policy" in 2011. It was never made into a permanent policy a procedure that may have invited public scrutiny and embarrassing questions about the Mounties' mass-spying. According to the OPC report, the RCMP has deployed IMSI-catchers a total of 126 times in the past five years, 29 of which were in support of other Canadian law enforcement agencies. In six cases, no warrant or judicial authorization were obtained by the RCMP and no life-threatening "exigent circumstances" (such as a kidnapping) were present. For a period in 2015, the report states, the RCMP believed that it did not need a warrant to deploy IMSI-catchers. A statement released by the RCMP on Wednesday states that the force now requires judicial authorization to deploy IMSI-catchers, unless exigent circumstances are present. "Even with their interim, and shifting, internal policies, we've already seen the challenges of relying on self-governance," Tribe said. The RCMP declined to describe the details of the current "interim" policy to Motherboard, but noted that only "minor changes" are expected to be made once a new policy is finalized. The force provided the OPC with a draft copy of its new policy, which states that data collected from innocent people may be kept by the RCMP, but not shared with investigators. In addition, the draft policy states that an audit must be conducted "at least once yearly" to ensure that data collected from third parties is destroyed if it is no longer relevant to a case. The RCMP Has Been Using Surveillance Gear Under an 'Interim' Policy for 6 Years [Jordan Pearson/Motherboard] (Images: Mountie in Banff, Alberta, HordeFTL, PD; Cell-Tower, J.smith, CC-BY-SA) Mariano Gomez is a 23 year old Tseltal from Abasolo, Chiapas, and a member of the Ikta K'op Collective; he is being given an award by the prestigious Internet Society for his work creating "a wireless Internet and Intranet network that provided connectivity and access to information to his community, which has no telephone or radio service," but will not be able to attend the awards in Los Angeles because the US embassy has denied him a tourist visa. He has written an open letter to the Internet Society. It's a heartbreaker. At first I didn't feel anything receiving this news, but as I left the place and walked I began to remember certain things. To begin, when I was notified and asked for help to complete the visa process, the US Consulate charged $160 USD for the procedure, which I managed to pay thanks to AC Networks, but even that didn't bother me. What bothered was to get to the appointment, I had to make a 16 hour trip by truck to get to the capital of my country. I had to travel one day before the appointment and then walk through the city to get to the offices where it only took 10 minutes to take my photo and fingerprints. After that I had to wait another day to do the interview and then after being notified that I could not apply for the visa, having to take the truck back home. The explanation they gave me for why I could not apply for a visa was the following, first: they couldn't identify the address of my house, this is because I live in an indigenous community where the streets have no names; second: I have no bank account with any money to prove I have a high economic status, which is the way of the world, "he who has no money is worth nothing," and third: I am a young man from a marginalized community in a region that's considered to be one of the places most migrants travel from to go to the United States illegally (and many die trying). Even in the interview when they asked me if I speak two languages, I proudly answered yes. My mother tongue is Tseltal, descendant of the Mayan language and my second language is Spanish. I write this letter to tell my story because it's an example of the reality of thousands of indigenous and non-indigenous brothers who go through the same experience. It's a reflection of a society with stereotypes that being of an indigenous people you are considered inferior, in which not having a bank account and large economic resources is synonymous with worthlessness. Racism is clearly visible, society ranked by skin color, language, religion and economic status to define a world model. What's more in these times, they want to divide us with walls. In a paper in the World Review of Political Economy, economists from Sichuan University propose a model for an efficient planned economy that uses a hybrid of managed, two-sided "platform" markets (modeled on Ebay, Alibaba and various app stores) and central planning informed by machine learning and big data to fairly and efficiently regulate production in a system in which all substantial assets are owned by the state. Some of the Sichuan researchers' thinking echoes the arguments raised by western left-wing thinkers in defense of high-tech planned systems, such as Peter Frase in "Four Futures" and Paul Mason in "Postcapitalism." A notable difference between these writers and the Chinese economists is that the latter confront the surveillance dimension head on, stating that ubiquitous surveillance of participants in this planned economy would be a necessity; by contrast writers like Mason proposed that the behavioral data that drove the centralized decision-making apparatus could be anonymized a fraught technological problem that is nowhere near convergence on a solution. As David Graeber incisively observed, capitalism has converged on all the sins laid at the feet of bureaucratic, authoritarian socialism. Under contemporary capitalism, markets and states participate in total surveillance, produce malls and stores that sell the same monotonous goods, and mire participants in the economy (especially poor and vulnerable people) in bureaucratic red-tape that involves endless queueing, forms in triplicate, and high-handed, unaccountable "justice" from petty martinets. This opened an ideological space for a vision of a cooperative, nonmarket future in which the benefits claimed for capitalism are realized at last. The socialized medical systems of the rich world (apart from the USA), for example, require far less red tape, bureaucratic wrangling, and surrender of individual freedom than the "market" system the US labors under, which has all the worst characteristics of a Soviet enterprise. But replacing Zuboffian Surveillance Capitalism with "Surveillance Communism" feels like a pretty bad trade. How can big data become the technical condition of the plan-oriented market economy system? This is mainly dependent on the following characteristics: 1. Big data can find and use tacit knowledge. Hayek believes that fragmentation is the main form of knowledge, and there are a lot of tacit knowledge, such as local customs and consumption habits, which are unorganized and implied in social life (Hayek 1937). Accordingly, he attacks whether the highly centralized planned economy can furthest master necessary economic information so as to make a scientific plan of the national economic system (Hayek 1935, 2089). While the "interconnection" of the Internet has built up a huge network information pool, which partly solves the problem of "Division of Knowledge," but at the same time, it produces more tacit knowledge in the individual network interaction process. This kind of tacit knowledge has individual characteristics, and frequently has group effect and self-evidence prophecy effect, which seems very complex. As a kind of data set, big data have the characteristics of large capacity, many types, fast access speed and high application value. It can collect, store and analyze the data with large quantity, scattered sources and diverse formats. Today, e-commerce sites can carry through network custom marketing on the basis of customers' purchase records, browsing records, travel trajectory and so on over the years, which is on account of customers' consumption habits forecast for big data technology. Along with the developmental logic of big data, the full data revolution will be realized in the future (F. Wang 2015). It is expected that the information will be sequenced, obtained complete sample, stored, and analyzed, which will create conditions for discovery and utilization of tacit knowledge. 2. Big data make Now Casting be possible. In addition to the completeness of the information the plan relies on, the time lag of the plan has also been widely criticized. This time lag makes the plan fall behind the development of economic activities, and even produces errors due to the loss of information in the transmission of information. Compared with traditional technology, big data greatly reduce the time of information collection and treatment on the basis of massive information storage, cloud computing and Internet applications. More importantly, big data do not emphasize the prior theoretical setting, do not rely on the high quality requirements of information, do not pay attention to the causal relationship between variables, the internal logic is "data-driven theory" (D. Wang 2015), "data is fact," "data is decision" (Zhou 2013), which can find problems, amend to plans, macro-forecast (Liu and Xu 2015) and strengthen supervision in real time. 3. Big data can promote personalized, diversified supply and demand. Hayek's artificially design and compulsory preference of criticizing traditional planned economy deny human freedom, and consider that the market is compatible with human reason (Hayek 1944, 91104). In fact, in the era of small data, consumer preferences can only be subdivided into certain groups and cannot be accurately quantified to individuals, companies often implement mass production for the target, and provide homogeneous products, and the market is flooded with wave consumption. So the so-called "freedom of choice" is relatively limited, a large number of personalized, small, fragmented "singularity" consumer demands are annihilated in the "long tail" of the demand curve (Ren and Xin 2015), and ignored by the "cost-benefit law." True preferences are forced to abandon; there are limited choices in a number of homogeneous products "supplied" by the market. The rise of big data gets rid of the technical bottleneck of solving the demand "long tail." Once the production and supply can be planned according to individual preferences, the blindness of the market itself can be overcome and the advantages of rational allocation of resources in the planned economy can be brought into full play. Big Data, Platform Economy and Market Competition: A Preliminary Construction of Plan-Oriented Market Economy System in the Information Era [Binbin Wang and Xiaoyan Li/World Review of Political Economy] (Sci-Hub Mirror) (via 3 Quarks Daily) 'I want to apologize to the people of Nunavut': Ex-premier Paul Quassa on his ousting, and public reaction Nunavut's education minister is pushing back against accusations the admissions process for the new law degree program at Nunavut Arctic College did not represent Inuit interests. Paul Quassa says although there were no Inuit on the three-person selection committee, members were directed to get Inuit students into the program. "We made it very clear that our priority is Inuit lawyers out of this program. And 19 out of the 25 participants are Inuit," said Quassa, who called the selection "successful" and "very representative." The class selected for this year is 76 per cent Inuit. The territory's population is 85 per cent Inuit. The 25 students were selected from a pool of 87 applicants. "The application process was done very professionally and diligently with the intent of arriving at a cohort of students who are in a position to excel in law school," said Quassa. Quassa said, as in all Nunavut College programs, the admissions committee strives to select students who will complete their programs and become part of the work force. "That is always our goal: to get as many Inuit working at the professional level in the Nunavut territory." 'Not an ethnic government' Quassa's statements come as the 25 students begin classes this week in Iqaluit. Some have criticized the selection committee for accepting older non-Inuit students ahead of younger Inuit, who "have a whole lifetime of contributing to Nunavut ahead of them." Others who have experience in the legal system, but were not accepted, have questioned the government's priorities. Quassa said the goal of the program is not to cater to Inuit, but to deliver programs for all Nunavummiut. "This Nunavut government is a public government, and that's how it should be, because that's what Inuit elected to have. It's not an ethnic government." He said there have been adjustments to the admission process to ensure more Inuit can take part. For example, changes to the admissions test to make it more appropriate for Inuit. Story continues Quassa said admissions were also limited due to space restrictions. He hopes to see more spaces available in future law programs, but stresses that will be up to the next government, which will be elected Oct. 30. "This is not the last law program that we will see in Nunavut," said Quassa. "I know there was a great interest in this program, and with that in mind, I'm sure the next government will have a good idea that, yes, we do need another law program because there is so much great interest. "And certainly, we do need a lot more Inuit lawyers in Nunavut and we have to be on par with the rest of Canadians." Cloud Computing Getting Comfortable with the Cloud Cloud solutions can drive IT efficiency, improve security, save budget dollars and more. Here's how four higher ed CIOs made the transition at their campuses. During his career, Russell Battista Jr., chief information officer for the University System of New Hampshire, has seen a dramatic shift in how universities approach cloud vendors and software-as-a-service. While he was an IT executive at Yale University (CT) from 20082013, he recalled, people were still nervous about moving data off-premise. "During my tenure there, the cloud was not highly adopted and, in fact, kept at arm's length," he said. But by the time Battista moved to Fairfield University (CT) in 2013, where he eventually served as interim CIO, people were getting more comfortable with the concept of student data in the cloud. "People also could see how it was driving efficiencies. We could buy a solution and go live within a month, instead of taking a year to define requirements." When Battista moved to New Hampshire in 2016 to head up IT for the state's four-university system, he was determined to lead a well-thought-out transition to software-as-a-service. "I tell campus IT leaders that it is inevitable. The good news is that it is not going to happen tomorrow. We can plan over the next few years, but the important thing is to take some action now to adapt to this new model." Moving ERP to the Cloud Battista isn't alone in having to do some proselytizing on campus to get both IT staff and other executives comfortable with the cloud. Different CIOs have different philosophies about moving to the cloud, and some tend to be bolder, said Ravi Ravishanker, CIO of Wellesley College (MA). "We want to make sure we are focusing on supporting the core academic mission of the college. Six years ago we began this process, and today we are in the cloud for almost everything." One of the common challenges CIOs face is that somehow the campus community thinks you can provide much better security for an important system like enterprise resource planning (ERP) by running it in-house, Ravishanker said. "As the CIO, you have to accept that this is a flawed argument. I have two people who worry about data and network security. Do you really think we provide better security than companies that have hundreds of people worrying about this? We had this conversation when we went to Google Apps. Google has hundreds of people worrying about data security, including keeping up with current and potential future threats, which we simply cannot afford to do with existing resources." Ravishanker said that for a variety of reasons ERP is one of the most difficult things to move to the cloud, but when it was time to renew Wellesley's ERP system, the college examined its options and decided that Workday, which provides ERP in a software-as-a-service offering, was a viable option. Wellesley began transitioning human resources, payroll and benefits to Workday in March 2016 and went live in January 2017. Finance went live this summer. The college expects its student information system to go live in late 2018 or early 2019. "[Workday] takes advantage of the cloud differently than legacy ERP systems," Ravishanker noted. "When legacy vendors say they are moving to the cloud, they are basically forklifting your on-premise solution or making slight variations to existing code, but not exploiting all of what the cloud has to offer." One of the key differences, he explained, is that a system like Workday has a single code base for all users. It is very much like Google Apps in that sense. Annually the company announces two major upgrades, but every week there are some tweaks here and there, Ravishanker said. The pain of upgrades with the on-premise solution is gone. MADISON As investigators began the painstaking search for clues to explain what caused a house to explode on Madisons Southwest Side Wednesday afternoon, officials were not ruling out that somebody was inside the house during the blast. The house that exploded at about 2 p.m. at 7806 Stratton Way, near where High Point Road intersects with Highway PD, was deemed a total loss by Madison Fire Chief Steven Davis. We had a pretty significant fire and a pretty significant area of debris, he said. Officials were in contact with the owners of the house after the blast, but police and fire personnel at the scene remained in search and rescue mode four hours later because they were still unsure if anybody was inside during the blast, Davis said. The most recent owners of the house are Steven and Lee Anne Pirus, according to online court records. The investigation Madison fire investigators are taking the lead in finding the cause of the blast and investigators from Madison police, the state Fire Marshalls office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will assist them, according to Davis. They have to work through the process of piecing together the house, Davis said. They wont do it on scene but they have to document everything. They have to go through every piece of insulation to check for any evidence that might lead us back to the cause of this thing. We are a long way from determining a cause. A civilian and a firefighter suffered injuries that werent life threatening, according to Davis. He said he had no information on the civilian or how he or she sustained the injuries. The debris field was about 400 feet from the site of the blast and some neighboring homes were damaged but its pretty minimal, Davis said. He said residents of eight homes close to the explosion would not be allowed to return to their homes Wednesday night and, perhaps, Thursday night. The Red Cross and the Salvation Army were on site to help anyone displaced from their homes. The site was being treated as a crime scene until proven otherwise, Madison police Capt. Cory Nelson said. Cory Zeman, who lives in a condo on Stratton Way about a block away from where the house exploded, said he saw no signs of a house on a foundation after the blast. All I saw was just a bonfire, he said. One wall from the house was on the median on nearby High Point Road, a portion of another wall was on the front of the lot and glass was everywhere near the intersection of Stratton Way and High Point Road, Zeman said. The explosion occurred as Zeman was waking up from a nap. I heard a big boom, he said. It felt as if a vehicle had hit the (condo). I felt the entire building shake, Zeman said. My dog, Stinqur, was all shook up by it. Flames were enormous Samantha Bock, a nurse who also lives about a block away from the house, said she heard a huge loud crash when the house exploded. Bock, a nurse who works the night shift, was sleeping at the time and said the blast shook her awake. I got up and out of bed and let the dog out and then I looked over and saw flames shooting up very high from where the house had exploded, she said. The flames were enormous. Witnesses reported hearing other explosions after the initial one several smaller blasts in succession while the fire was raging but it wasnt known what caused the explosions. Bock and Zeman said they hadnt seen anybody at the house recently but they have seen and heard dogs there. The dogs are always barking there, Zeman said. One dog was running loose at the explosion site and animal control through public health dealt with that animal, Davis said. Heavy smoke was visible miles away from house, and multiple ladder trucks were pouring water onto the debris of burning remnants of the house. Ambulances and several MG&E vehicles also were on the scene. Firefighters had the fire under control about 30 minutes after they arrived at the scene, Davis said. Madison Fire sent five engine companies, three ambulances and two ladder companies to the blast site and some will remain on site for a few days, Davis said. The best thing the community can do is respect (the work being done) and give us some space, he said. State Journal reporters Bill Novak and Amanda Finn contributed to this report. THURSDAY, Sept. 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- High levels of salt consumption may increase an adult's risk of developing diabetes, researchers say. The new study included data from a few thousand people in Sweden. The findings showed that salt intake was associated with an average 65 percent increase in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes for each 2.5 extra grams of salt (slightly less than half a teaspoon) consumed per day. People with the highest salt intake (about 1.25 teaspoons of salt or higher) were 72 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with the lowest intake, the investigators found. The study, led by Bahareh Rasouli of the Institute of Environmental Medicine at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, was scheduled for presentation Thursday at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Lisbon, Portugal. The current study didn't look at how salt might increase the risk of diabetes. But the researchers suggested that increasing salt intake may spur insulin resistance, a condition that can lead to type 2 diabetes. Or, it could be that salt intake was related to a higher weight. The study can't prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship, only an association. High salt consumption was also associated with a significantly increased risk of latent autoimmune diabetes in adults, a form of type 1 diabetes that develops very slowly and appears in adulthood. The study findings may prove important in efforts to prevent diabetes in adults, the researchers said in an EASD news release. Findings presented at meetings are generally viewed as preliminary until they've been published in a peer-reviewed journal. More information The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has more on diabetes. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Bangkok, September 14, 2017The U.S. Congress-funded Radio Free Asia (RFA) has suspended its news operations in Cambodia amid a rising clampdown on independent media, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Cambodian authorities to cease their campaign of intimidation, and allow all media to report freely without fear of reprisal. RFA President Libby Liu issued a statement on Tuesday announcing that the news broadcaster had been forced to close its bureau in the capital of Phnom Penh due to the governments mounting crackdown on independent voices. It has become increasingly apparent that Prime Minister Hun Sen has no intention of allowing free media to continue operating inside the country ahead of the 2018 elections, the RFA statement said. The statement said government intimidation of media had intensified to an unprecedented level in recent weeks. The statement said authorities had made false statements and used intimidating rhetoric to pressure its local bureau, including allegations of tax and registration violations. RFA has operated in the country for nearly 20 years, the statement said. Radio Free Asias decision to quit Cambodia shows just how badly the media environment has deteriorated under rising government pressure, said Shawn Crispin, CPJs senior Southeast Asia representative. If Cambodia wants to continue to be viewed as a democracy, this campaign of media intimidation must stop. The countrys information ministry closed at least 19 radio stations across the country in recent weeks on charges that they violated their state contracts by overselling RFA and Voice of America programming, reports said. RFA said in the statement it would still report on the most important and censored issues and events in Cambodia, and continue to broadcast its programs over short wave radio, social media, and on its website. RFA Public Affairs Director Rohit Mahajan told CPJ that RFA would adopt the same out-of-country model it employs in highly restricted countries such as China, North Korea, and Vietnam to continue reporting on Cambodia. Information Ministry spokesperson Ouk Kimseng said the government would monitor how RFA covered news about Cambodia even after the broadcasters decision to close its in-country bureau. Kimseng wrote on his Facebook page that the closure would transform RFA from working openly to working from darkness, reports said. RFAs departure comes amid rising pressure on independent media. On September 4, The Cambodia Daily English-language newspaper closed operations under official threat of forced closure over tax evasion allegations. The papers manager, Douglas Steele, has been barred by immigration authorities from leaving the country, a move he likened to country arrest during a conversation with CPJ. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp LinkedIn Email Telegram Nairobi, September 14Somali broadcast journalist Abdullahi Osman Moalim died yesterday from injuries sustained on September 10 when a suicide bomber attacked a cafe in Beldweyne where members of the press gather, Somalias Minister of Information, Abdirahman Omar Osman, and the journalists colleagues, told CPJ. Abdullahi, who worked with the privately owned station Radio Codka Hiiraan and the state-owned broadcaster Jubbaland TV, suffered head injuries after being struck by shrapnel in the attack, according to Hassan Aweis, the director of the Mogadishu section of Jubbaland TV. Mohamed Ibrahim Moalimuu, a Somali journalist, told CPJ that Abdullahi, 24, and a group of other journalists were waiting in the cafe for a press briefing that was due to take place in the nearby office of the governor of Hiiraan region. Two other journalists, who also work for Radio Codka Hiiraan and other media outlets, were injured in the attack, according to Ismail Sheikh Khalifa, secretary-general of the Somali Media Association. Abdi Shakur Mohamed Hassan, who also works for Star FM Radio and Saab TV, and Abdulkadir Omar Ibrah, who is also a correspondent for RTN TV and Simba Radio, sustained minor injuries and have been discharged from the hospital, Ismail said. Journalists in Somalia often congregate in restaurants and cafes near political offices while they wait for press conferences or to interview officials, Ismail told CPJ. The killing of Abdullahi Osman Moalim and the injuries of two other journalists underscore that Somalia remains an extremely hostile environment for the press, said CPJ Africa Program Coordinator Angela Quintal, in New York. We call on authorities to do everything in their power to investigate this suicide attack and curb the cycle of violence. At least three people were killed and over 10 injured in the attack, according to reports. The militant group Al Shabaab released a statement claiming responsibility for the attack, according to reports. Al Shabaab frequently targets places where journalists gather, CPJ has found. At least 62 journalists have been killed in relation to their work in Somalia since 1992, many of them in bombings, making it one of the worlds most dangerous places to be a reporter, according to CPJ research. INDRA 2017: India-Russian to conduct first tri-services military exercise Published: September 14, 2017 India and Russia have begun discussions to work out modalities for conducting their first tri-service military exercise INDRA 2017 in October 2017 in Russia. It will be Indias first bilateral military exercise with any country involving all three services. The Final Planning Conference (FPC) of exercise will be held from September 2017 in Russia to finalise all logistical issues and modalities. Key Facts The 2017 Indra exercise will primarily focus on achieving coordination between forces of two countries in tri- services integrated theatre command scenario. The aim of exercise is to carry out joint exercises for suppression of international terrorist activities under United Nations mandate. Indian Army will send about 350 soldiers from infantry, artillery and armoured streams. Indian Navy is fielding two ships, stealth frigate, INS Satpura, and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette, INS Kadmatt, along with two on-board helicopters. Indian Air Force (IAF) is likely to share fighter jets of host. The headquarters of Integrated Defence Staff under Defence Ministry is leading exercises from Indian side. Indias efforts for tri-service integration will provide opportunity to synergise jointness between its services and see how other countries function jointly. Month: Current Affairs - September, 2017 Category: Defence Current Affairs Topics: Defence India-Russia Indian Military Exercises INDRA 2017 Military Exercises National Latest E-Books Scott Dozier has two months to live, and lawyers for the condemned Nevada inmate are still fighting in court for details about his execution. While Dozier has not wavered from his death wish, which he put in writing nearly a year ago, he revealed publicly for the first time Monday his concerns about the states plans for lethal injection with an unprecedented three-drug cocktail. What do I need to be mentally prepared for? Dozier asked District Judge Jennifer Togliatti, who has signed his execution warrant. Is it something that seems like a reasonably easy transition, or do I need to have my game up and have the mental fortitude, intestinal fortitude to have a less than you know what could be a miserable experience? Federal public defenders representing Dozier told a judge on Monday that they plan to meet with deputies from the Nevada attorney generals office, which represents the Department of Corrections, to discuss which portions of the states execution manual should be made public or reviewed by a medical expert. Citing prison security concerns, prison officials have argued that Dozier should not be allowed access to the entire confidential document. But prison officials recently reported the three drugs expected to be used in his execution: diazepam, which is normally used to treat anxiety and muscle spasms; fentanyl, used for pain; and cisatracurium, a skeletal muscle relaxant or paralytic. What hasnt been disclosed: how the state obtained the drugs, or the sequence and timing of administering the lethal drug cocktail. Dozier is scheduled to die Nov. 14, less than a week before his 47th birthday. Assistant Federal Public Defender David Anthony said he wanted to review possible alternatives. If he has a choice between a safe and effective execution and a painful, torturous one, Anthony said, I think hes going to choose the safe one. The judge interjected. Safe, meaning not painful and torturous? she asked. Because I wouldnt say safe, since hell be dead. Shackled and seated nearby in orange prison garb, Dozier simply smiled. Togliatti ordered the lawyers back in court later this week. Dozier would be the first Nevada inmate executed in more than a decade. He was sent to Nevadas death row nearly 10 years ago for his second killing. A Clark County jury convicted him in September 2007 of killing 22-year-old Jeremiah Miller at the now-closed La Concha Motel. In 2005, Dozier was convicted in Arizona of second-degree murder. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde Las Vegas Review-Journal, David Ferrara, Sept. 11, 2017 A man who left Russia to join ISIS in Mosul was sentenced to death by hanging in Iraqi court - the 1st such ruling on a foreign fighter, according to a new report. The unnamed foreign fighter was captured after the fall of the ISIS-held city in July, along with hundreds of suspected jihadists, including German teen-bride Linda Wenzel, Telegraph UK reported. Authorities said the 28-year-old Russian man was the 1st fighter to surrender when Iraqi forces recaptured Mosul, and that he admitted to "carrying out terrorism operations," since 2015. He said he discovered Islam in Moscow when construction workers introduced him to the religion and, after getting a degree in engineering in 2014, traveled to Turkey with the intention of entering Syria to join ISIS. It is estimated that as many as 7,000 people have left Russia and other former Soviet states to join ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Wenzel's case garnered attention after pictures and videos of her looking disheveled as she was being led out of the Iraqi city were published. She faces the death penalty but even if she is sentenced to death, she would not be executed before the age of 22. As many as 5,000 men are awaiting trial in Mosul, judges told the outlet and 27 ISIS fighters were sentenced to death by hanging last month in Baghdad. In 2016, Iraq executed more than 88 people, topped only by Saudi Arabia, Iran and China. Russian who joined ISIS in Iraq sentenced to hanging | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde nypost.com, Sept. 14, 2017 Prosecutors in Vietnam on Thursday said they were seeking the death sentence in an embezzlement case against a former chairman of state energy firm PetroVietnam, as the communist country steps up one of its biggest corruption crackdowns. Some high-ranking political officials have been punished as investigations widen into PetroVietnam and the banking sector, with dozens of banking and energy officials facing trial on charges such as embezzlement, mismanagement and abuse of power. In a statement, the Supreme People's Procuracy of Vietnam said it had sought a death sentence for the former chairman, Nguyen Xuan Son, on charges that include wrongdoing with serious economic consequences and abuse of power to usurp assets. It urged "an overall penalty of death", listing punishments such as a jail term of 16 to 18 years for flouting state rules on economic management and life imprisonment for abuse of power, before seeking the "death sentence for embezzlement". In 2009, PetroVietnam acquired an 800-billion-dong ($35-million) stake in Ocean Group's banking unit, Ocean Bank, which had to be completely written off in 2015, when the central bank took it over at no cost. Son could not be reached for comment as he is on trial, and Reuters could not immediately reach his lawyer. Prosecutors also sought life imprisonment for Ocean Group's founder, tycoon Ha Van Tham on charges ranging from embezzlement to abuse of power, the statement said, adding that dozens of other Ocean Bank staff could also face years in jail. Ocean Group, which has interests in real estate, finance, hotels and infrastructure, said it had no comment on the sentence sought for Tham, who cannot be reached as he is still on trial. Police opened 3 new cases against state firm units, among them Russian joint venture Vietsovpetro, Vietnam's sole refinery operator Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical, and PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corp. All three cases focus on alleged abuse of power to usurp assets and are linked to violations at Ocean Bank, Vietnam's police said in a statement on their website on Thursday. Police added another accusation of abuse of power against PetroVietnam's vice general director Ninh Van Quynh, they added, following his arrest and prosecution this month for alleged wrongdoing. Death row inmates stage jail-break in Hanoi Police in Hanoi have launched a manhunt for 2 death row inmates who escaped from solitary confinement in Thanh Oai District last Sunday. Sources from the Ministry of Public Security only confirmed the jail break on Wednesday, calling it a rare incident. People held in solitary confinement in Vietnam are supposed to have their legs cuffed. Nguyen Van Tinh, 28, was sentenced to death in April for heroin trafficking. Le Van Tho, 37, received the death penalty in May for drug trafficking, murder and fraud. Both have appealed their sentences and were awaiting retrial. | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE! "One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde : Reuters, Sept. 14, 2017: vnexpress.net, Sept. 14, 2017 The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced targeted sanctions on two South Sudanese government officials and one former official for their roles in threatening the peace, security, or stability of South Sudan. Three companies that are owned or controlled by one of the officials were also sanctioned. The measures taken against Malek Reuben Riak Rengu, Michael Makuei Lueth, and Paul Malong Awan make clear that the U.S. government will impose consequences on those who expand the conflict and derail peace efforts. The Treasury Department also released a Financial Crimes Enforcement Network Advisory alerting U.S. financial institutions to the possibility that certain South Sudanese senior political figures may try to use the U.S. financial system to move or hide proceeds of public corruption. The United States stands ready to impose other measures against those responsible for undermining the peace, security, or stability of South Sudan. As the Advisory demonstrates, the United States is committed to increasing scrutiny on those who enrich themselves through corruption while the South Sudanese people suffer through economic hardship and a dire humanitarian crisis. Six million people in South Sudan half of the population face life-threatening hunger while more than four million people have been displaced from their homes, including two million refugees. This is a man-made crisis, and one the government of South Sudan can stop, said State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert. "We continue to make clear to South Sudans leaders that they must honor their declared ceasefire, revive the 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan by engaging meaningfully with opposition parties, bring an end to atrocities, stop the harassment of aid workers, stem human rights abuses, cooperate fully with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, and take action against corruption," said Ms. Nauert. The United States urges all parties to engage constructively in the upcoming South Sudan peace process. A team from the Cantabria Museum of Prehistory in northern Spain is using cutting-edge technology to uncover Paleolithic cave paintings in an area that includes the UNESCO World Heritage Altamira site . Part of an area being scanned by scientists at Los Murcielagos, a cave in Cantabria. Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueologia de Cantabria Led by researcher Roberto Ontanon the team has used non-destructive and non-invasive techniques to extract information about geometric drawings and their underlying surface shapes and color in four caves. Using photometric techniques that involve computational cameras, they have captured a series of images under different light angles, recovering measurements of brush and tool marks in the process. Ontanon says there are some 70 caves with paintings in the Cantabrian mountain range, and that his team will use photometric techniques to continue uncovering them. The mountains of Cantabria were a very good place to live during the Ice Age Spanish pre-historian Roberto Ontanon Our goal is to visit the caves and use the latest technology to uncover walls that have been painted or decorated but where these marks cannot be seen with the naked eye. These discoveries will add to the map of art in this area, says Ontanon, one of Spains leading prehistorians and an advisor to UNESCO. The four sites where art has been found are El Rejo (Val de San Vicente), Las Graciosas (Medio Cudeyo), Los Murcielagos (Entremabasaguas) and Solviejo (Voto). The project is being funded by the regional government of Cantabria. The majority of the decorations are simple geometric patterns using red and ochre that are difficult to discern in deep caves many thousands of years after they were created. The research team is also using lasers and 3D scanners to recreate the features inside the caves, coupled with a range of photographic techniques to create high-definition, three-dimensional images. Aside from a few drawings of deer in one cave, the majority of the images are simple geometric designs. The drawings have been dated back to between 22,000 and 28,000 years ago, making them significantly older than the bison of Altamira, which were painted around 16,000 years ago. Scientists have dated other cave art in Cantabria back 40,000 years, making them among the oldest so far discovered on the planet. An image of a deer created through photometric techniques from the El Rejo cave in Cantabria. Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueologia de Cantabria Cantabrias mountains host one of the largest concentrations of prehistoric art in the world. It was a very good place to live during the Ice Age, says Ortanon. The Cantabrian Sea warmed up the climate and vast herds of wild animals such as horses passed through that narrow strip between the sea and the mountains. The Altamira caves host the largest legacy of prehistoric art in the area, and their discovery in 1868 changed our views of humanity, establishing that our most distant ancestors thought and expressed themselves in ways similar to our own, and had their own concepts of spirituality. English version by Nick Lyne. Around 55,000 residents of Catalonia have started to receive letters informing them that they have been randomly selected to attend polling stations on October 1, the day of an independence referendum that the Catalan government intends to hold despite opposition from Madrid and the Spanish courts, which consider it illegal. The letters will be sent out between Thursday and Friday to people under 70 years of age selected from an electoral roll drawn up by the Catalan authorities. Being a member of a polling station is an unavoidable civic duty Catalan voting guidelines The administration led by Carles Puigdemont figures that it needs nearly 55,000 people, including substitutes, to staff the 6,300 polling stations it plans to open on October 1. Each polling station will have a president and two additional officials, mirroring the structure of any regular election. Those selected have a legal obligation to show up for these duties, according to Catalan legislation which has been suspended by Spains Constitutional Court. This puts people in the quandary of whether to obey Catalan or Spanish authorities. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy has publicly told people not to help with the referendum in any way because it is illegal. If anyone is summoned to man a polling station, dont go Spanish PM Mariano Rajoy If anyone is summoned to man a polling station, dont go, because there cannot be a referendum as it would be absolutely illegal. The referendum is manifestly illegal, he said. But a guidebook sent out to selected citizens by Catalan electoral authorities underscores that being a member of a polling station is an unavoidable civic duty. The Catalan government is also planning to have scrutineers at the stations, as with any other vote. The difference this time is that all the observers will be from political parties that support secession, since no other political groups recognize the referendum as valid, and will therefore not participate in any way. Authorities have also made a call for volunteers to help with referendum-related work. Four days ago there were already 30,000 people who had signed up, according to the Catalan government. English version by Susana Urra. 7 parties told to stop poll code violation The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday sent separate letters to seven political parties, asking them to stop violation of election of conduct. Jean-Claude Juncker addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg. CHRISTIAN HARTMANN (REUTERS) The Catalan crisis crept into the State of the European Union address on Wednesday, when several Spanish Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and even a Belgian one asked Brussels for action. But the demands varied depending on each MEPs political affinity. Pro-independence groups asked the European Commission to act as a mediator with the Spanish government to defend Catalonias freedom of speech. Meanwhile, members of the Popular Party (PP) and the Socialist Party (PSOE) thanked Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker for an address that defended the rule of law as the cornerstone of the European Union. In Europe, the strength of the law replaced the law of the strong EC President Jean-Claude Juncker Juncker defended the strength of the law in a lengthy address analyzing the steps that Europe must take in the coming years to become stronger and more united. In Europe, the strength of the law replaced the law of the strong, he said. The rule of law is not optional in the European Union. It is a must, he added. The judgments of the European Court of Justice have to be respected by all. To undermine them, or to undermine the independence of national courts, is to strip citizens of their fundamental rights. Although Juncker was alluding to violations of EU law by some Eastern European countries, notably Poland and Hungary, some Spanish representatives took it to also mean Catalonia, where authorities are planning to hold an independence referendum that the Spanish courts have ruled illegal. Sources who work closely with the EC leader denied that Juncker was alluding directly to Catalonia, but admitted that it is possible to make that interpretation, and said that the rules are the same for everyone. Disobeying court rulings is not defending democracy and it is not freedom of speech Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar, Socialist EMP Nationalism is contagious and it spreads like a virus, said Esteban Gonzalez Pons, the PP spokesman in the European parliament. The constitution of each member state is also the EUs constitution, and the European Commission has a responsibility to defend it. The Socialist representative Iratxe Garcia Perez thanked Juncker for his references to the rule of law. Europe is a democratic project, and it is essential to guarantee respect for constitutional rules, she said. Her colleague Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar added that disobeying court rulings is not defending democracy and it is not freedom of speech. It is a violation of the law, a crime, the denial of Europe. But Josep Maria Terricabras, a deputy for the Catalan pro-independence party Esquerra Republicana (ERC) asked Juncker to mediate with the government of Spain in favor of an agreement about the referendum. Why doesnt the European Commission intervene to defend freedom of speech in Spain? It would in other countries, he added. This argument was supported by a eurodeputy from Belgium, Mark Demesmaeker of the N-VA, a nationalist party from Flanders. So far, Brussels has said next to nothing about this issue, as it feels that it is up to Spanish authorities to apply the law. But Juncker has stated in writing that any territory that splits from a member state will automatically leave the EU as well. English version by Susana Urra. These are the responsibility of the editor and convey the newspaper's view on current affairs-both domestic and international In the run-up to the planned referendum on independence for the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia , one of the worst initiatives seen from the premier, Carles Puigdemont, has been to involve Catalan mayors in the plan for the illegal vote. Not only has he requested their support to provide public spaces to serve as polling stations , but he has actually ordered it, in an abusive overstepping of his powers over local administrations. A demonstration against the mayor of Lleida, who has refused to support the referendum. Adria Ropero (EFE) Not only that, but he has also encouraged his followers recruit new people to rebuke mayors who are against the referendum, to pressure them, to overwhelm them, and to behave toward them as the organizers of intimidating escrache protests would. And of course, this encouragement has already had dramatic echoes, with insults and threats to dignified leaders who are simply rebellious in the face of illegal and abusive orders from the regional government, something that today in Catalonia is unfortunately beginning to constitute a type of heroism. Rightly so, Nuria Martin, the mayor of lHospitalet del Llobregat, a Catalan city outside of Barcelona, gave the president this recommendation: Leave the mayors alone. Socialist mayors have rightly demanded institutional respect. Whats happening now is a step further of the increased institutional disregard that is being fanned by the secessionists The attempt by Puigdemont and his allies to protect himself by using the secessionist mayors as a human shield has broken the institutional peace in Catalonia. It goes against social harmony and hinders the minimum degree of cohabitation required of the Catalan leadership at all levels. But it should not be forgotten that the nationalism of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia party never appreciated municipal autonomy. Under the rule of former regional premier Jordi Pujol, the Metropolitan Corporation of Barcelona the grouping of some 20 municipalities neighboring the capital was dismantled to eliminate competition. So whats happening now is a step further of the increased institutional disregard that is being fanned by the secessionists. Disregard of the judicial system, which is intended to carry out the laws of the executive branch, and contempt for the regional parliament, as was shown in the theft of rights and legislative resources of the opposition. And disregard for municipal powers that do not share their views. These regrettable schemes have been followed by a legal process that has been used by secessionists to try to cover their aggressiveness toward the free mayors. The prosecutor's office initiating an investigation of mayors, who have acted illegally by pledging to assist the referendum, may seem a drastic step, but it is inevitable from the prism of (enforced) compliance with judgments and rulings of the Constitutional Court. English version by Debora Almeida. At El Bosque, the back to school party was going to take place on Friday, September 15, at 6pm. There was going to be schoolgirls with short plaid skirts and white button-down shirts (that are unbuttoned), go-go dancers, strippers, erotic shows, and a chance to win a 300 voucher (what the voucher was for is unclear). But El Bosque is not a school or a university. Its a roadside brothel in Cartaya, a city in the southwestern province of Huelva (Andalusia), and on Tuesday it distributed fliers to publicize the event. The manager, who prefers to remain anonymous, cant understand why this years event has caused such a stir, as the party has been running for 10 years. At least since Ive been working here, he says. Some kind of change seems to be in the air, however, and something that may previously have gone unnoticed is now being rejected outright by some members of the public. On Wednesday morning, after a meeting, members of the city council became aware of the promotional fliers, and photos and complaints quickly spread through Cartaya via WhatsApp. I see it excessive, although I do understand that it would bother some, but every year the posters are the same El Bosque manager We immediately sent the local police with a mayoral decree instructing the brothel to remove the advertising material, says deputy mayor Manuel Barroso, adding that the fliers are offensive and under no circumstances should they be permitted. The officers, who immediately went to the venue, were not able to deliver the request until the premises reopened late in the afternoon. However, the manager assures us that they collected everything distributed shortly after the controversy began. There is nothing left here, not in Lepe, nor in Isla Cristina, where we also tend to distribute. In Ayamonte, which is the other town where we do it, we didnt even make it there. We saw it at 2pm on the news and I had everything collected. The city council confirmed that claim. The local police finally managed to talk to the owner of the club to warn him about his obligation to remove the advertising from the street, a spokesperson explains. This person, who apparently had already heard about the reaction, claims to have spent the whole day removing the advertising. Furthermore, we have information that he has not only withdrawn the advertising but also canceled the event altogether. The manager of the venue offers his apologies to anyone who might have been upset, but explains that the club runs four parties a year, spring, summer, Halloween, and back to school, and nothing like this had ever happened before. I see it as excessive, and while I do understand that this might bother some people, we dont incite nor force anything, and every year the posters are similar. The flyer El Bosque distributed But the local council takes a different view of the incident. We have the legal team working to see what can be done and how we can prevent this in the future, says Barroso. We work a great deal to fight against any kind of sexism. He says that when the last municipal budgets were being finalized, if there was something that everyone agreed on, it was in raising the funds for the fight against gender violence. Shortly after finding out about the fliers, the council informed the Andalusian Womens Institute, which went public with the incident. The institute, which is under the authority of the regional government, does not have any regulatory powers, but it has sent the fliers to the Andalusian Observatory of Non-Sexist Advertising, arguing that the advertising could even incite pedophilia. On these pieces of paper, women are portrayed as a product someone can consume for the price of a 10 ticket, which includes two free drinks. What else could be expected of a brothel? Some will say, obviously, nothing. But here, beyond the grievance of the advertisement, there is another issue: the response. And the response has been the unanimous reaction.The town council of Cartaya, local residents, the Andalusian Womens Institute, the Huelva Feminist Movement... At last, there has been a reaction. English version by Debora Almeida. Baku, Azerbaijan Sept.14 By Azad Hasanli Trend: The new era begins in the development of giant Azeri, Chirag, Gunashli oil fields, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev. He made the remarks during the signing of the Amended and Restated Agreement on the Joint Development and Production Sharing for the Azeri and Chirag fields and the Deep Water Portion of the Gunashli field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea on Sept. 14. Today is a remarkable and historical day. I sincerely greet all guests coming from abroad to attend this historical ceremony together with us, the president said. Their participation in this event once again shows the significance of todays ceremony. President Aliyev noted that the agreement to be signed today is of great importance for Azerbaijan. The agreement on development of Azeri, Chirag and Gunashli oil fields will be extended until 2050. The agreement is more beneficial for Azerbaijan. Although the agreement signed in 1994 also fully met our interests, this time it will be signed on better terms, said Ilham Aliyev. I would like to bring to your attention some basic parameters of the document, said the president. He pointed out that after the signing of the agreement, the country will receive $3.6 billion in bonus from foreign investors. SOCARs AzACG company will take part in the fulfilment of the agreement as a contractor. SOCARs share will increase from 11.6 percent to 25 percent and the share of profit oil for Azerbaijan will stand at 75 percent, said President Aliyev. Of course, the agreement includes many conditions and these basic terms already show that this agreement has a great importance for Azerbaijans future development and for expanding our financial opportunities. At the same time, I would like to mention that the agreement was fulfilled with great success over 23 years and 436 million tons of oil was produced from Azeri, Chirag and Gunashli fields during these years. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 By Elmira Tariverdiyeva Trend: The UKs relationship with Azerbaijan goes far beyond 25 years of diplomatic relations, Alan Duncan, UKs minister for Europe, said. From the Azerbaijani students studying in the UK, to British business investing in Baku, to our cooperation against international terrorism, our relationship is going from strength to strength, he said. Duncan attended the signing ceremony of a new contract on development of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) block of oil and gas fields, which implies the extension of the activity at this field until 2050, in Baku Sept. 14, according to the message posted on the website of UKs Foreign and Commonwealth Office. As the largest foreign investor in Azerbaijan, the UK is uniquely placed to support Azerbaijans development, he said. Im proud that the extension of BPs contract means that UK technology and expertise will help Azerbaijans prosperity and security for many years to come. Details added, first version posted at 10:02 Baku, Azerbaijan Sept.14 Trend: The new era begins in the development of giant Azeri, Chirag, Gunashli oil fields, said Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev. He made the remarks during the signing ceremony of a new contract on development of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) block of oil and gas fields in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea on Sept. 14. Today is a remarkable and historical day. I sincerely greet all guests coming from abroad to attend this historical ceremony together with us, the president said. Their participation in this event once again shows the significance of todays ceremony. President Aliyev noted that the agreement to be signed today is of great importance for Azerbaijan. The agreement on development of Azeri, Chirag and Gunashli oil fields will be extended until 2050. The agreement is more beneficial for Azerbaijan. Although the agreement signed in 1994 also fully met our interests, this time it will be signed on better terms, said Ilham Aliyev. I would like to bring to your attention some basic parameters of the document, said the president. He pointed out that after the signing of the agreement, the country will receive $3.6 billion in bonus from foreign investors. SOCARs AzACG company will take part in the fulfilment of the agreement as a contractor. SOCARs share will increase from 11.6 percent to 25 percent and the share of profit oil for Azerbaijan will stand at 75 percent, said President Aliyev. Of course, the agreement includes many conditions and these basic terms already show that this agreement has a great importance for Azerbaijans future development and for expanding our financial opportunities. At the same time, I would like to mention that the agreement was fulfilled with great success over 23 years and 436 million tons of oil was produced from Azeri, Chirag and Gunashli fields during these years. Baku, Azerbaijan Sept.14 Trend: The United States extends its congratulations on the signing of an extension of the Production Sharing Agreement for the Azeri, Chirag, and Guneshli (ACG) project, US embassy in Azerbaijan said in statement.. This is a great day for Azerbaijan and for the partners, including those from the United States, developing the ACG offshore oilfields. The original PSA, which was signed in 1994, was called the Contract of the Century, and todays signing of the new agreement is equally momentous. The ACG PSA, which developed the Azeri, Chirag, and Guneshli offshore oilfields, and the subsequent formation of the Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC) were landmarks in international oil and gas development, as well as a great success for international energy security and for Azerbaijan. The United States has actively supported the development of the oil and gas resources in Azerbaijan and elsewhere in the Caspian Basin since the early 1990s, seeing their development and their secure delivery to European and other markets as key to boosting economic prosperity and global energy security. The importance of developing these hydrocarbon resources and the role they play in the international security picture continues to be recognized and underlined by the United States today. This reality was clearly demonstrated in President Trumps May 28 letter expressing his best wishes for the 24th International Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference, and Secretary of State Tillersons statement conveying the United States support for the Southern Gas Corridor at its February Advisory Council meeting. American oil companies have remained among the original participants in the AIOC consortium, and in the late 1990s, the United States provided strong political and financial support for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, which carries oil from ACG and other Caspian fields to world markets. American oilfield equipment and services companies also have played a key role in the implementation of these projects. After BTC, our cooperation led to construction of the South Caucasus Pipeline, which now delivers Caspian gas to Georgia and Turkey. More recently, the United States has worked closely with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and other countries in developing the Southern Gas Corridor, which will enhance European energy security still further by creating a new source and route for gas supply to European consumers. All of these projects have not only unlocked Caspian resources for the world, they also have fueled Azerbaijans economic growth. As Azerbaijan enters the threshold of a new and even more promising phase of energy development, we look forward to continuing to work with you to develop new oil and gas resources and in bringing them to market. The United States has long been a partner of Azerbaijan in major strategic projects in the oil and gas sector and we remain so, just as the United States has been a longstanding partner in Azerbaijans overall development, in the growth of its non-oil sectors, and in realizing the new Silk Road. As President Trump noted earlier this year: I value the partnership the United States and Azerbaijan have built together over the last quarter of a century and look forward to its continued growth. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 By Seba Aghayeva Trend: Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian in his last statement calls on foreigners to violate international law and Azerbaijani laws, urging for illegal visits to Azerbaijans occupied territories, which in itself is a crime, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys Spokesman Hikmat Hajiyev told Trend Sept. 14. Armenia encourages foreigners, particularly politicians, to illegally visit the occupied Azerbaijani territories in exchange for funding, as well as by blackmail or fraud, and then turns them into tools of political propaganda, Hajiyev said. He noted that Azerbaijan informs the international community about the illegality and legal consequences of such visits, using the list of undesirable persons, preparing a report on illegal economic and other activities of Armenia in the occupied territories and other similar actions, including those related to the case of Alexander Lapshin, allowed exposing the policy pursued by Armenia to organize illegal visits to the occupied territories. As a result, the number of such visits has declined significantly, he added. Many people, who were deceived and became victims of Armenias illegal actions, then appealed to the Azerbaijani side, apologizing for their actions, and requested removal of their names from the list, according to Hajiyev. He said that many world countries call to avoid illegal visits to the occupied Azerbaijani territories on the websites of their foreign ministries, and warn about the legal liability of such visits. Now, to justify itself, the Armenian side is trying to organize single visits of persons of Armenian origin from abroad and people directly connected with the Armenian lobby, Hajiyev added. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 By Seba Aghayeva Trend: Chinas President Xi Jinping said that he will visit Azerbaijan in the near future, a source in the Azerbaijani Embassy in China told Trend Sept. 14. Xi Jinping made the remarks at the meeting with Ambassador of Azerbaijan to China Akram Zeynalli, according to the source. The Azerbaijani ambassador presented his credentials to Xi Jinping. The Chinese president, recalling with satisfaction the official visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to China in December 2015, noted that during the visit, important decisions were made regarding the development of cooperation between the two countries. Xi Jinping appreciated the support of the head of state and government of Azerbaijan for the One Belt One Road initiative. Azerbaijan attaches great importance to relations with China, and is interested in developing cooperation in all spheres, the ambassador said at the meeting. Zeynalli added that Azerbaijan is ready to contribute to the successful implementation of Xi Jinpings One Belt One Road initiative. The diplomat noted that Azerbaijan is also interested in further attracting Chinese companies for cooperation. The One Belt, One Road initiative is aimed at improving existing and creating new trade routes, as well as transport and economic corridors, linking more than 60 countries of Central Asia, Europe and Africa, which will contribute to the development of their trade relations with China. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 By Elmira Tariverdiyeva Trend: On Sept. 13, MEPs approved a resolution which contains an anti-Azerbaijan amendment calling for investigation of the recent exposures by several media outlets against Azerbaijan. The amendment hastily added to a resolution on human rights in third countries concerns the investigation of alleged attempts of Azerbaijan to somehow influence the MEPs lobbying any decision-making. At the same time, the resolution mentions only one country Azerbaijan, and this fact serves as clear proof of the biased anti-Azerbaijan approach of the resolution. All this is based on the investigation of journalists, some of which are of Armenian origin. Isnt this a surprising coincidence? However, none of the journalists really thought about the strange outcome of the alleged lobbying of Bakus interests in the European Parliament - nine critical resolutions on Azerbaijan were adopted in 2009 alone. Did Azerbaijan really pay someone to get criticized? Such trifles dont seem to concern journalists and MEPs at all. All this nonsense, based on unproved facts set forth in the media, without indicating the exact source of information, was nicely wrapped and slipped to the MEPs without leaving them a chance to understand the situation. It is noteworthy that the so-called exposures of a scheme invented by journalists were published on September 5, while the anti-Azerbaijan amendment, added to the resolution of the European Parliament, was ready on September 7. It seems the authors of the amendment were waiting for a signal by having already prepared the draft document. It serves as an excellent example of the synchronized actions against Baku upon the instructions from a single center. The goal is so transparent to spoil developing relations between Baku and the EU on the eve of the Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels and to hamper participation of Azerbaijans high-level delegation in the summit. Is more evidence required? It is just enough to know the author of the amendment MEP Petras Austrevicius, who is the closest friend of Lithuanian ambassador to Hungary Renatas Juska. Juska became notorious after a scandal in 2013 after which the then President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite signed a decree to recall the countrys ambassadors from Azerbaijan and Hungary, Arturas Zurauskas and Juska. In a private conversation, which surfaced on the internet, Zurauskas and Juska, expressed their opinion to support Armenians in the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, because they are also Christians, to call the Nagorno-Karabakh region "Artsakh", and support those who help the Armenians. In our opinion, everything is obvious. By the way, two days after the plenary session began, the number of MEPs who understood the real situation as a result of Azerbaijans intensive explanations increased from 0 to 290. The incontrovertible facts testify that Baku is innocent of the charges. Finally, the number of MEPs who voted for the amendment turned out to be only 50 people more than those who voted against it. This was clearly an Armenian provocation; however, Baku will not let Yerevan enjoy it. Armenia now, more than ever, tries to shift the attention in the South Caucasus region from the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict to something else. However, all this will not bring success to Yerevan. While the Armenians and their friends frantically gather a feeble anti-Azerbaijan front in the West, Baku strengthens ties and remains a strategic partner in relations with the EU. A vivid proof of this is todays event signing of a new agreement on development of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) block of oil and gas fields which gathered high representatives of European states in Baku. Under the contract, the activities at the ACG block will be extended until 2050, which will undoubtedly make Baku even a closer partner of the West and serve to strengthening of Azerbaijans economy. --- Elmira Tariverdiyeva is the head of Trend Agencys Russian news service Annapurna trek draws tourists in droves The world famous Annapurna Circuitan alpine trek route-of late has seen a surge in the number of trekkers. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 Trend: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkey Berat Albayrak. President Ilham Aliyev expressed his gratitude for kind words in President Recep Tayyip Erdogans message of congratulation in connection with todays ceremony in Baku. The head of state said todays event strengthened the existing energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey, and also extended his congratulations on this occasion. Berat Albayrak extended Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogans greetings to President Ilham Aliyev. He described Azerbaijan-Turkey energy cooperation as a model for the rest of the world. The Turkish minister said this cooperation is enriched with new projects and mutual investment. The sides noted the importance of joint strategic projects carried out by Azerbaijan and Turkey, and expressed their confidence that friendly and brotherly relations between the two countries will continue to expand. They stressed the significance of the Amended and Restated Agreement on the Joint Development and Production Sharing for the Azeri and Chirag fields and the Deep Water Portion of the Gunashli field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, saying it will contribute to developing both countries` economies and improving both nations` well-fare. President Ilham Aliyev thanked for the Turkish presidents greetings, and asked the minister to extend his greetings to Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev today met with Minister of State of the United Kingdom Alan Duncan. President Ilham Aliyev thanked for the UK Prime Minister Theresa May's message of congratulation in connection with today's ceremony in Baku. The head of state hailed Theresa May's kind words about the bilateral relations between the two countries. President Ilham Aliyev described the UK's high-level representation in the ceremony as indicative of great importance that the UK government attaches to the event. Hailing the signing of the contract as a historical event, the head of state called it a contract of the new century. President Ilham Aliyev praised successful development of Azerbaijan-UK cooperation, saying bilateral relations between the two countries cover many areas, including oil and gas sector. Alan Duncan in return hailed the political and economic ties between the two countries. He said Azerbaijan and the UK demonstrate that they are reliable partners. Minister of State Alan Duncan underlined favorable opportunities for developing cooperation between the two countries in the non-oil sector too. The UK Minister of State described the signing of a new agreement on the development of Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli fields as a historical event, saying that the contract will form the basis of bilateral cooperation. They noted the importance of mutual simplification of visa regime between the two countries. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 By Maksim Tsurkov Trend: The sovereignty of any state must be respected and not violated by neighboring countries, UK Minister of State for Europe and the Americas Alan Duncan told reporters in Baku Sept. 14. He noted that Azerbaijan has a clear position in the fight against international terrorism and is a regional leader in this area. Touching upon the meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Duncan said he had thanked the president for the establishment of a close alliance with the UK, adding the UK really appreciates it. The positive fact is that the two countries work commercially together, and also have close political friendship in other areas of cooperation, according to him. The UK minister of state further said he was honored to give a personal letter of Prime Minister Theresa May to the Azerbaijani president, where she congratulated him on the extension of the agreement for development of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli block of oil and gas fields and noted that she would like Ilham Aliyev to soon visit the UK. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 Trend: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has met with Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Manabu Horii. Vice-Minister Manabu Horii underlined the importance of the signing of a new contract on the development of Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli fields in Baku, and congratulated the Azerbaijani president on this occasion. He extended his congratulations to President Ilham Aliyev on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Japan. Saying that Azerbaijan, the leading state in the region, has gained good reputation in the world, Manabu Horii underlined Japan's keenness to expand cooperation with Azerbaijan in all areas. He hailed the recent beneficial reciprocal visits between the two countries, saying these visits featured fruitful talks on investment making in a variety of fields. He noted that Japan plans to simplify visa regime with Azerbaijan in order to ensure rapid development of bilateral relations. President Ilham Aliyev in turn extended his congratulations to the top Japanese official on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, and hailed Japan's high-level representation in the signing ceremony. The head of state emphasized that Japan has always provided financial support to projects implemented in Azerbaijan, hailing the Japanese government's allocating loans for the creation of modern infrastructure in the country. Pointing out the successful cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector, President Ilham Aliyev underlined that the Japanese companies have been actively involved in the development of oil and gas fields in Azerbaijan for many years and making significant contributions to the development of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The head of state emphasized the importance of expanding mutual trade relations. Apart from the energy sector, he highlighted the importance of cooperation in industry, in free trade zone, as well as mutual investment in pharmaceutical industry, agriculture, tea growing industry and petrochemistry. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 Trend: Aircrews, engineering and technical staff from the Turkish Air Force have arrived in Azerbaijan to participate in the joint exercises dubbed TurAz Qartal 2017, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said Sept. 14. Staff arrangement, exercise planning and other organizational works are currently underway. The exercises to be held in Azerbaijan on Sept. 18-30 will involve up to 30 aircraft of the air forces of Azerbaijan and Turkey, including MiG-29, F-16, Su-25, C-130 Hercules, CASA CN-235 planes, as well as Mi-35, Mi-17 and Sikorsky S-70 helicopters. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 Trend: Norwegian Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Soviknes has sent a congratulatory letter to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. When the first Production Sharing Agreement for the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli oil fields was signed in 1994, independent Azerbaijan took an important step to secure a prosperous development for the country. The government of the late President Heydar Aliyev invited international companies to participate in the development of Azerbaijans energy sector. This laid the foundation for a cooperation that has been mutually beneficial and fruitful. Statoils engagement continues to play an important role in Norways bilateral relations with Azerbaijan, Soviknes said. As the new Production Sharing Agreement for the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli Field is signed, a new chapter of fruitful international energy cooperation opens. The agreement is an important commitment for all parties involved. We are happy to see that Statoil and its ACG partners have chosen to make this commitment together. Norway and Azerbaijan are both significant global energy suppliers, he noted. Todays ceremony is a clear signal that we will remain important players securing large and stable energy supplies to Europe for decades to come. I look forward to seeing our relations develop further. Please accept my congratulations on the signing of the new PSA. I wish all parties involved every success in further development of the ACG fields, and I wish you and your people welfare and prosperity, Soviknes told President Aliyev. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 By Seba Aghayeva Trend: Vietnam is interested in importing oil engineering products from Azerbaijan, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said at the meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in Hanoi. The PM noted that the current volume of the Vietnam-Azerbaijan trade turnover does not meet the existing potential and his country is interested in developing trade ties with Azerbaijan, reads a message of Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry. Pointing out the growth of Vietnamese exports to the EU market, Nguyen Xuan Phuc said that Azerbaijans offer on Vietnam's joining the North-South transport corridor is attractive, as this will allow transporting Vietnamese goods to the European market much faster. The PM noted that Vietnam is open to a detailed discussion of this issue. During the meeting, the sides also discussed the possibility of expanding the range of export of Azerbaijani goods to Vietnam. They also noted the importance of intensifying the activities of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, and holding of business forums. The International North-South Transport Corridor is meant to connect Northern Europe with Southeast Asia. It will serve as a link connecting the railways of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia. The corridor is planned to transport 5 million tons of cargo per year at the initial stage and more than 10 million tons of cargo in the future. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 By Anvar Mammadov Trend: Suriname is interested in exchanging experience with Azerbaijan in finance, the Surinamese Finance Minister Gillmore Hoefdraad, who is on a visit in Azerbaijan, said in an interview with Trend. The economic crisis relating to the sharp fall in oil prices equally affected both countries, according to him. Hoefdraad said the two countries have faced the same economic difficulties in the last two years, as Azerbaijani and Surinamese economies are dependent upon the extractive industry. The minister noted that both countries have taken similar steps to reduce dependence on the oil sector, and Azerbaijans experience in diversification of economy can be interesting for Suriname. The two countries can also help each other in diversification of their economies, he said, adding there are a number of areas in which Suriname and Azerbaijan can establish and develop cooperation. Hoefdraad added that during his visit to Azerbaijan he also plans to meet with Azerbaijani minister of ecology and natural resources, and agriculture minister. He noted that Suriname is rich in natural resources nearly 90 percent of the countrys territory is covered with tropical jungles, and the country is also rich in oil, gold and bauxite. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Turkey plans to invest $11 billion into the countrys energy sector during 2017-2023, a source in the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkey told Trend. According to the source, the energy sector is an important area for investment, given Turkeys high dependence on energy imports. The source noted that over the past two years, $1.9 billion have been invested in Turkeys energy sector. Thirty percent of these funds was invested in the development of renewable energy sources, the source added. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 By Azad Hasanli Trend: The US will continue to cooperate with Azerbaijan in the oil and gas sector and support the countrys development, US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta told reporters in Baku Sept. 14. As Azerbaijan enters a new threshold and even more promising phase of energy development, we will look forward to working with Azerbaijan to develop new oil and gas resources and bringing them to the market, he said. The US has long been a partner of Azerbaijans major strategic projects in oil and gas sector and we will remain so. The US companies have been part of these projects from the beginning and we are proud and pleased to continue to be partners with Azerbaijan, Cekuta said. The US has been supporting the development of oil and gas resources of Azerbaijan and elsewhere in Caspian basin since early 1990s. The importance of development of these hydrocarbon resources [in Azerbaijan] and the role they play in international security picture have been recognized by the US today, he said. This reality was purely demonstrated in President Trumps May 28th letter. A ceremony to sign a new contract on development of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) block of oil and gas fields was held in Baku Sept. 14. According to the new contract, the share of Azerbaijans profitable oil will be 75 percent, and bonus payments by foreign investors will reach $3.6 billion. The initial ACG contract was signed in 1994. Proven oil reserves of the ACG block near 1 billion tons. The new ACG participating interests will be as follows: BP - 30.37 percent; AzACG (SOCAR) - 25 percent; Chevron - 9.57 percent; INPEX - 9.31 percent; Statoil - 7.27 percent; ExxonMobil - 6.79 percent; TP - 5.73 percent; ITOCHU - 3.65 percent; ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) - 2.31 percent. Bill on the Election of National Assembly members registered The government on Wednesday registered a bill related to the Election of the Members of National Assembly in the Parliament Secretariat, specifying the weightage of votes of members of Provincial Assemblies and the chair and vice-chair of the local bodies who are the voter on the election. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 By Maksim Tsurkov Trend: Azerbaijan has so far received 30 billion cubic meters of associated gas, free of charge, from the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) block of oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea, BP CEO Robert Warren Dudley said. He made the remarks in Baku Sept. 14 at a ceremony to sign a new ACG contract in Baku Sept. 14. He expressed gratitude to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and his government for outstanding achievements. All these achievements became possible only thanks to the far-sighted policy of Azerbaijans national leader Heydar Aliyev, Dudley said. The agreement signed in 1994 and deservedly called "the Contract of the Century" is the result of this foresight, he noted, adding that 11 companies from six different countries together with SOCAR opened a new page in Azerbaijans energy sphere. He said that brilliant success was achieved in the development of Azerbaijans offshore oil reserves and their transportation to global markets. About $33 billion have been so far invested in the ACG project and 3.2 billion barrels of oil have been produced, he noted. Dudley added that the signing of the new contract is a new stage in the history of ACG and gives an opportunity to open a new page in cooperation among partner companies. Over the next 32 years of joint work and new investments worth over $40 billion, the BP will continue ensuring the long-term vision of oil and gas production in Azerbaijan, Dudley said. This, in turn, strengthens the role of the region, which has profitable supply routes through Turkey and Georgia, and completely transforms the region into an international energy center, he added. Dudley noted that the BP will continue its 25-year experience of work in Azerbaijan by using the companys leading technological capabilities, specific knowledge and experience in working at a number of major deposits around the world. The BP will continue developing world-class infrastructure in the Caspian Sea, as well as business and social spheres by expanding the companys commitments to Azerbaijan, Dudley said. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.14 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The procurement process for the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) operations and maintenance contracts has already commenced, with the majority of long lead contracts scheduled to be awarded in 2018, TAP Managing Director Luca Schieppati said in an interview with Trend. He noted that all pipeline construction contracts Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) and Company Provided Items (CPI) contracts were awarded by 2016. Talking about the construction process of the pipeline, Schieppati said that the Trans Adriatic Pipeline is on schedule. Every day we are getting closer to being ready for transporting first Shah Deniz II gas to Europe in 2020, he noted. At this point in time, we are over 50 percent complete. This includes all engineering, procurement and construction scope. As you can imagine, the realization of TAP is an important milestone for contributing to Europes energy security and diversification. The managing director said that in Greece, as of early September, over 405 km of the right of way have been cleared, approximately 375 km line pipes strung, over 345 km welded, 257 km back-filled and nearly 160 km of the route have been and are being reinstated. He went on to add that line pipes continue to arrive to Kavala, Thessaloniki and Alexandroupolis. So far, approximately 90 percent of the 32,000 line pipes needed to build the 550km Greek section have been delivered, he said. As for Albania, Schieppati said that approximately 143 km have been cleared and graded along our route, 136 km line pipes strung, 129 km welded and approximately 107 km back-filled and around 70 km are being reinstated. This means that between Greece and Albania, TAP has now cleared and graded over 71 percent of its corridor (approximately 550km out of 765km). Additionally, we have welded 62 percent of steel line pipes and around 47 percent pipes are already in the ground (back-filled), he added. In Italy, in line with the Single Authorisation permit granted by the Ministry of Economy on 20 May 2015, TAP continues to progress, according to the managing director. We have now moved the first set of olive trees in the micro-tunnel area between March and July 2017. These trees are carefully looked after in a nearby nursery and will be planted back to their original location once pipeline construction works have been completed. Also, the last shipment of offshore line pipes has been offloaded in Brindisi, between 3 and 6 September, he said. But above all, Schieppati pointed out that TAP remains on track to deliver world-class health and safety performance. Thus far, our teams have driven approximately 43.5 million kilometres and worked more than 16.5 million manhours without any major safety incidents, he added. Regarding the financing issue, the managing director said that TAP expects to secure funding from a number of multilateral institutions, such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank, as well as Export Credit Guarantee Agencies of a number of OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries involved in the supply of goods and services. In addition, a large proportion of TAPs financing is foreseen to include commercial lenders, he noted. TAP is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor, which is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union. The project envisages transportation of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz Stage 2 to the EU countries. The pipeline will connect to the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) on the Turkish-Greek border, run through Greece, Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Italys south. TAP will be 878 kilometers in length (Greece 550 kilometers, Albania 215 kilometers, Adriatic Sea 105 kilometers, and Italy 8 kilometers). TAPs shareholding is comprised of BP (20 percent), SOCAR (20 percent), Snam S.p.A. (20 percent), Fluxys (19 percent), Enagas (16 percent) and Axpo (5 percent). --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Sept. 12 By Demir Azizov Trend: Uzbekistan will import 1.2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2017, a source in the management of Uzbekenergo JSC, the entity unifying the countrys power and coal industry enterprises, told Trend. "This year we import cheap electricity from Kyrgyzstan to provide Uzbek agriculture with water for irrigation and optimize the energy systems operation," the source said. The Uzbek companys representative noted that these are the first purchases following the collapse of the unified energy system of Central Asia. The representative noted that at present, the Central Asian countries are making efforts to restore that system. In particular, reconstruction of two high-voltage power lines, which will become a part of unified energy system in the Central Asian region, has been completed in Uzbekistan, the representative added. The unified energy system of Central Asia was formed in 1991. It included 83 power plants with total capacity of 25,000 megawatts in the territory of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and southern Kazakhstan. In winter, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan accumulated water in reservoirs and received electricity and energy resources (coal and natural gas) from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In summer, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan sent water to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan for irrigation farming. However, after Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan left the unified energy system of Central Asia in 2003 and 2009, respectively, the system ceased to function. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Iranian sees Azerbaijan as a hub to reach larger regional markets, Tehrans envoy to Baku said. Most of firms attending todays exhibition see Azerbaijan as a hub to export their products to a larger market of 170 million people, Javad Jahangirzadeh told reporters on the sidelines of an exhibition in Baku on Wednesday. He further touched upon joint industrial projects between the two countries and said the establishment of a joint venture for producing cars has been completed by 90 percent. He further expressed hope that Iran would grab a larger share from Azerbaijans car market after the inauguration of the production line in Azerbaijans Neftchala industrial zone. Diplomatic and economic ties between the two countries have witnessed a proper improvement. According to the data available on the website of State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, trade turnover between Iran and Azerbaijan over the last year surged by 78 percent to reach $221.2 million. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 By Azer Ahmadbayli Trend: Oil & gas and automotive sectors are the backbone segments of Iranian economics and rank first and the second in Irans industrial sector. Their share accounted for about 23 and 2,2% of total GDP respectively. Both sectors have been badly affected, if not to say worn out during the continuous sanctions period. For instance, before the last sanctions imposed in 2011, share of auto industry in Iran was 10% of the total GDP. It is worth saying that Iranian statistical data may vary in the range of 10-15% in different years. The Islamic Republic's oil and gas industry needs substantial investments and new technologies. A number of onshore oil fields have stayed half-developed or put under conservation. Oil extraction rate in the country, making 20-25%, is staying below the world's 30-35% average. Oil equipment and infrastructure, having been used for decades, are crumbling and require replacement, especially in the upstream sector. The formidable challenge for Iran is that about 80 percent of its active fields are in their second half-life and lose 0.3 mb/d of their productivity annually. To satisfy these needs, Iran's oil and gas industry requires a $200 billion investment, including $130 billion in the upstream exploration/production sector, Iranian officials admit. The same is observed in the countrys auto industry. The nation's car making industry is suffering from poor quality. According to the Iran Standard and Quality Inspection Company rankings, about 54 percent of home-made cars failed to meet the required standards last year. Obstacles in production of spare parts made Iranian car manufacturers turn to Chinese low-quality products, Akbar Mirza-Hosseini, car industry expert and the Vice-chairman of Iran's Rakhsh Khodro Diesel Company, believes. He said that European investments and cooperation with European car manufacturers can have a positive impact on the performance of the industry and improve the quality. So, setting aside all other details of Iran-West relationship, it becomes clear that it is in vital interests of Iran to revive its core industries as it would bring greater profits and new jobs. The nuclear deal has become an excellent opportunity to actualize these objectives through a rapprochement with the EU as the traditional trade and energy partner of the Islamic Republic. Possible decision of US President Trump to cut the deal may (or not) affect incipient new ties with Europe as the latter is a close political ally of USA, and, in general terms, threatens Iranian multi-objective plans of the states overall development. After 1979, when Iran turned into hostile state for the whole West, it learned to demonstrate high class diplomacy ranging from skillful flexibility to toughness verged on launching a war. Now we observe Iran showing steadiness. A couple of days ago Iran proposed to draw up a new arrangement for the 2015 nuclear deal (JCPOA) in case the US unilaterally leaves the accord. The JCPOA is not an agreement between Iran and the US one side of the JCPOA is Iran the other side is the six countries including the US. We already have ties with the five other countries. If the US walks away from the JCPOA, we will need to have a new arrangement, Iranian government spokesman, Mohammad Baqer Nobakht, told IRNA. This is perhaps the only correct decision depending on the current circumstances. It would, if launched, leave Washington alone and change the 5+1 formula. Anyway, Iranian proposal fuels reflection, and the deals signatories should think twice before taking any final decision. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sep. 14 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Heading a high-ranking delegation, Governor of the Central Bank of Iran, Valiollah Seif, has left for Chinese capital city of Beijing to conclude financial deals. The delegation is expected to finalize deals worth of $15 billion on financing several development and production projects in the Islamic Republic, official IRNA news agency reported. Senior officials from Bank Pasargad, Parsian Bank, Bank of Industry and Mine, Refah Bank, Export Development Bank of Iran are accompanying Seif during the visit. The sides are also expected to discuss corresponding ties and exchanging transaction banking data. Tehran, Iran, September 12 By Mehdi Sepahvand Trend: Investment in Iran became positive in winter and spring of 2017 and during spring investment growth reached 7.1 percent (first quarter of the current fiscal year, since March 21), according to the government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht. He said the government last fiscal year handed out 179 trillion rials (over $5 billion as each USD around 32,000 rials) to small and mid-sized companies. The Iran Statistics Center recently put the first quarter of years economic growth rate at 5.6 percent (including oil), and 7 percent (excluding oil). After Irans nuclear agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with six world powers (China, France, Germany, Russia, the United States and the United Kingdom), many outside businesses are enthusiastic to enter the Iranian market. Meanwhile, to boost Irans collapsed economy, the countrys moderate forcesa coalition of progressive politicians, intellectuals and pragmatic conservatives headed by President Hassan Rouhani, who advocates reintegrating Iran into the global marketare encouraging foreign partners and businessmen to invest in Iran. Irans parliament passed a five-year economic development plan in January that includes a sharp rise in foreign investment, though Tehran may not achieve that while U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is in office, as he continues to pose serious challenges to how Iran takes advantage of the nuclear deal. The plan lets the government arrange up to an average of $30 billion of foreign financing each year, in addition to $15 billion of annual direct foreign investment in Iran, and up to $20 billion of foreign investment conducted with local partners. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: A senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has criticized a recent decision by the US House of Representatives to block aircraft sales to Iran, adding that the decision is in the breach of the 2015 nuclear deal. Blocking aircraft sales to Iran violates the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA/ nuclear deal), IRNA news agency quoted Ali Akbar Velayati as saying on Thursday. He added that Iran does not need American airplanes and the Islamic Republic officials are capable of meeting the countrys needs without the assistance of the US. The senior aide also denied that such a behavior steps up pressure on Iran, describing the policy of pressure as an illusion. The US House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday that blocks sales of commercial aircraft to Iran. The bill prevents the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) from clearing licenses to allow aircraft sales. Following the implementation of the nuclear deal last January and the removal of sanctions on Iran, the country launched talks with leading airplane manufacturers to purchase hundreds of commercial aircraft from Airbus, Boeing and others. The leading manufacturers require OFAC licenses to complete the sales. Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 14 By Ali Mustafayev Trend: The U.S. Iran relations continue to deteriorate amid recent bilateral accusations and demands regarding sanctions on Iran and the country's missile tests. Recently, Washington has announced that the U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a strategy of more aggressive policy against Iran, including against Tehran's policy in Iraq and Syria. The possible ways of pressure on Iran include the increase of support to the anti-Assad military coalition, which also oppose Iran's interference in the countrys conflict. The best option is to increase the US support to the moderate forces of the anti-Assad coalition with the aim of increasing their political and military strength in the country, Associate Professor of History and Political Relations in Sacro Cuore Cattolica University Gianluca Pastori told Trend. He added that despite success in fight against terrorism, the U.S. is in a tricky situation, with uncertainty in sharing of its allies agenda and Russia and Iran supporting Assad on the other hand. The U.S. government expressed its intention to carefully monitor the suppression of Iranian arms transfers for the Yemeni Houthis and Palestinian groups in Gaza and Sinai and to impose sanctions against the Islamic State in case of violation of the P5+1 agreement by the latter. The Trump administration announced sanctions in July related to Irans development and testing of missiles, along with its support for Syrias government and software theft. It further penalized Iran with more sanctions after Iran launched a satellite into orbit. This policy went against the Barack Obamas work on peaceful negotiations with Iran and the following Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. However, President Trump is unlikely to completely reverse this course, Pastori said. What the U.S. administration is currently trying to do is putting limits on the Iranian sphere of influence, Pastori said. Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Russia plus Germany signed the nuclear deal on July 14, 2015 and started implementing it on January 16, 2016. The agreement limited Irans nuclear activities in exchange for, among other things, the removal of all nuclear-related bans against the Islamic Republic and expected to have a greatly positive influence on the bilateral relations. The steps made by Washington after Donald Trump came to power deteriorated relations and left in doubt there future development, at least during Donald Trumps Presidency period. An American citizen fighting for Islamic State in Syria surrendered to U.S-backed forces earlier this week, U.S. officials said on Thursday, Reuters reported. The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the American had surrendered to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a U.S.-backed alliance of mostly Arab and Kurdish fighters. The officials did not give the exact location of the surrender nor the current location of the American. Colonel Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for the U.S-led coalition fighting Islamic State, told reporters earlier that he was aware of the reports but referred questions to the State Department. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It is not the first time an American citizen fighting for the group has been detained. In June, a Virginia man who traveled to Syria to become a suicide bomber for Islamic State was convicted of providing material support to the militant group. Mohamad Jamal Khweis, 27, spent about 2-1/2 months in early 2016 traveling with Islamic State fighters in Syria and Iraq and participating in the groups religious training. He was detained by Kurdish peshmerga forces in northern Iraq in March 2016 and turned over to U.S. authorities. Dahal objects to PMs remarks on Koshi dam CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has objected to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deubas statement regarding an agreement with Indian on the construction of the Koshi High Dam, saying it will be a good idea reach a deal on the project without conducting proper study. Seven field commanders and more than 1,000 militants under their control have switched sides to join the Syrian troops, the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties said in a report on Thursday, TASS reported. "An agreement has been reached that seven field commanders of illegal armed groups and more than 1,000 militants under their control switch sides to join the Syrian government troops," the report said. Besides, the reconciliation center said the national reconciliation committee in Homs province has agreed with the mayor of Al Qaryatayn settlement on restoring a city clinic. Also a meeting was held with a representative of the National Security Bureau, "to discuss pressing issues that prevent concrete moves on boosting the process of reconciliation of the warring sides," the center said. The Russian center also ensured safe work of representatives from Russian and foreign media outlets during a humanitarian operation in the settlement of Deir-Baalba. The Russian Defense Ministry declared the establishment of the reconciliation center on February 23, 2016. It is headquartered at the Hmeimim air base, Latakia province. Boeing has been awarded a more than $676-million contract to produce six F/A-18E and eight F/A-18F Super Hornet combat aircraft, the US Department of Defense said in a press release. "The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is being awarded $676,575,190 to a previously awarded contract for three full-rate production and delivery of six Lot 41 F/A-18E and eight F/A-18F aircraft," the release stated on Wednesday. The Defense Department said work under the contract will be performed in the US states of California, Missouri, Texas, Arizona, Ohio and New York as well as at other sites around the United States. Production is scheduled to be completion in February 2019. The US Naval Air Systems Command awarded the contract, according to the release. A shooter opened fire at a high school in Washington state Wednesday, killing one person and injuring at least three others, authorities said. Brian Schaeffer of the Spokane fire department told reporters that one person died at Freeman high School in the tiny town of Rockford, south of Spokane, and three injured victims were taken to a hospital. Providence Sacred Heart medical center and childrens hospital received three pediatric patients, spokeswoman Nicole Stewart said. They were in stable condition, and family members were with them, she said. Spokane County sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said at the scene that the shooter was in custody. Baku, Azerbaijan Sept.14 Trend: More than 3.5 million refugee children aged 5 to 17 did not have the chance to attend school in the last academic year, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, says in a report released on 12 September 2017. These include some 1.5 million refugee children missing out on primary school, the report found, while 2 million refugee adolescents are not in secondary school. Of the 17.2 million refugees under UNHCRs mandate, half are children, said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The education of these young people is crucial to the peaceful and sustainable development of the countries that have welcomed them, and to their homes when they are able to return. Yet compared to other children and adolescents around the world, the gap in opportunity for refugees is growing ever wider. The report, Left Behind: Refugee Education in Crisis , compares UNHCR sources and statistics on refugee education with data from UNESCO, the United Nations educational, scientific and cultural organization, on school enrolment around the world. Globally, 91 per cent of children attend primary school. For refugees, that figure is far lower at only 61 per cent and in low-income countries it is less than 50 per cent. As refugee children get older, the obstacles increase: only 23 per cent of refugee adolescents are enrolled in secondary school, compared to 84 per cent globally. In low-income countries a mere 9 per cent of refugees are able to go to secondary school. For tertiary education the situation is critical. Across the world, enrolment in tertiary education stands at 36 per cent. For refugees, despite big improvements in overall numbers thanks to investment in scholarships and other programmes, the percentage remains stuck at 1 per cent. The international community will fail to attain its Sustainable Development Goals 17 goals aimed at transforming the world by 2030 if it does not act to reverse these trends. Goal four, Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning, will not be realized without meeting the educational needs of vulnerable populations, including refugees and other forcibly displaced people. And many other development goals targeting health, prosperity, equality and peace will be undermined if education is neglected. The report calls for education to be considered fundamental to the response to refugee emergencies, and for it to be supported by long-term planning and reliable funding. It urges governments to include refugees in their national education systems as the most effective, equitable and sustainable response, and highlights some of the notable efforts made towards implementing such a policy even in countries where resources are already stretched. The findings further underline the importance of quality teaching, and of the national and international support networks needed to keep teachers trained, motivated and able to make a positive impact in the worlds toughest classrooms. Numerous personal stories featured in the report demonstrate that while refugees are desperate to get an education well aware of the transformative effect it can have on their lives there are far too few teachers, classrooms, text books and support mechanisms to meet such enormous demand. This is the second annual education report from UNHCR. The first, Missing Out, was released in advance of the UN General Assemblys Summit for Refugees and Migrants last September. The New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, signed by 193 countries, put education at the forefront of the international response. Despite the overwhelming support for the New York Declaration, one year on, refugees are in real danger of being left behind in terms of their education, said Grandi. Ensuring that refugees have equitable access to quality education is a shared responsibility. It is time for all of us to put words into action. UNHCRs report has found that the enrolment of primary-aged refugee children has risen over the past academic year, from 50 per cent to 61 per cent, thanks largely to improved policies and investment in education for Syrian refugees, as well as the arrival of refugee children in Europe, where education is compulsory. During the same time period, access to secondary education remained stagnant, with less than one in four refugee adolescents enrolling in school. Considerable barriers remain, principally because almost one in three refugees live in low-income countries. They are the least likely to go to school six times less likely than children globally. The countries hosting them, often already struggling to find the means to educate their own children, face the additional task of finding school places, properly trained and qualified teachers, and adequate learning materials for tens or even hundreds of thousands of newcomers who often do not speak the language of instruction and have frequently missed out on around four years of schooling. The progress seen in the enrolment of Syrian refugee children shows clearly the potential to turn around this crisis in education for refugee children, said Grandi. But the abysmal level of school enrolment for refugee children living in low-income regions clearly points to a need to invest in these often forgotten host countries. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani on Thursday discussed bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments, Anadolu reported. The two leaders met at the presidential complex in the capital Ankara, Turkish presidential sources said. Speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media, the sources said Erdogan and al-Thani also agreed that a diplomatic solution should be found to the Qatar crisis. In early June, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain severed diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorist groups in the region. The four countries also imposed an embargo on Qatar and issued a long list of demands, including the closure of Doha-based news broadcaster Al Jazeera, under the threat of further sanctions. Qatar has refused to submit, denying charges that it supports terrorism and describing the bloc's efforts to isolate it as a violation of international law and an infringement of its national sovereignty. KYODO NEWS - Sep 14, 2017 - 07:10 | All, World U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called on Myanmar to end its military action that has forced nearly 380,000 Muslims to flee the country since last month and to allow those driven out to return safely. "I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country," he told a press conference ahead of the annual gathering of the world's top diplomats that gets underway next Tuesday. (Getty) Calling the humanitarian situation "catastrophic" as hundreds of thousands have taken refuge in neighboring Bangladesh, Guterres also condemned the attacks carried out by the opposition group Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army in Rakhine state. Their Aug. 25 attack resulted in the deaths of 12 people and sparked a counter-insurgency clampdown from the country's security forces. The situation has rapidly deteriorated since then, causing a massive outflow of the country's Muslims, with the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein describing it on Monday as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing." Guterres, asked by a reporter about the applicability of the term, responded, "When one-third of the Rohingya population had to flee the country, can you find a better word to describe it?" The U.N. chief, who served as the international body's High Commissioner for Refugees for a decade until 2015, explained how his past visits to Rakhine State had impacted him. "This is a matter that I feel very deeply in my heart. The suffering of the people is something that...I mean, I feel very, very strongly," he said. The former Portuguese prime minister also pointed out the importance of the letter he had written to the U.N. Security Council on Sept. 2, which was the first time in nearly three decades that a secretary general called on the council to address a worrying situation. The previous time was in 1989 over Lebanon. Britain and Sweden asked for the matter to be discussed at the Security Council meeting that took place Wednesday behind closed doors. It resulted in the weakest form of a public statement being read out by the current rotating president of the month, Ethiopian Ambassador Tekeda Alemu. For the council to agree on any statement, it must be endorsed by all 15 members including permanent seat-holders like China and Russia who typically argue against interference in the internal matters of countries. The so-called "press elements" expressed the council's "deep concern" about the unfolding situation in Myanmar. The council called for "immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine" as well as for de-escalating the situation, re-establishing law and order, protecting civilians, normalizing socio-economic conditions and resolving the refugee situation. "This is the first time in nine years that the Security Council has agreed on this particular issue," British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters. "The press elements agreed today are an important first step." The British envoy expressed his hope that in the future a stronger presidential statement could be forthcoming from the council. Human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International had joined forced to press the council to hold open meetings on the issue and to take more concrete measures to respond to the worrying situation, warning against council silence. "Let's be clear here -- this isn't about having another meeting, whether open or closed. It's about the Security Council uniting and sending a very public message to the government of Myanmar that they have to put an end to the ongoing violence," Sherine Tadros, the New York director of Amnesty International, told reporters recently. In response to Wednesday's meeting, Louis Charbonneau, United Nations director at Human Rights Watch, said, "It's a first step, but falls far short of the mark for a crisis that has all the hallmarks of an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingyas." KYODO NEWS - Sep 14, 2017 - 16:07 | World, All South Korea is mulling providing $8 million in aid to North Korea via two U.N. agencies, a Unification Ministry official said Thursday. A meeting among related government officials will be held next Thursday to decide on whether to offer the humanitarian assistance to those in need in North Korea, such as infants and pregnant women, the official said. (United Nations) Under the envisioned plan, South Korea will provide $4.5 million for a World Food Program project and $3.5 million for the U.N. International Children's Fund. If decided, it will be the government's first provision of aid to North Korea since President Moon Jae In took office in May. The announcement, however, came just days after the 15-member U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted on Monday a resolution toughening sanctions against Pyongyang following its sixth nuclear test earlier this month. Meanwhile, South Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesman reiterated his government's position that humanitarian aid to North Korea would be made without being tied to the political and military situations. Asked if Seoul's move could disrupt international efforts to reinforce sanctions and step up pressure on North Korea, Cho June Hyuck said South Korea has been closely consulting with the United States and Japan on its basic position on giving humanitarian aid to the North and has explained the issue to the two allies. Cho said the U.N. Security Council resolutions do not ban South Korea's humanitarian aid to the North. The spokesman added that the specific timing of the aid provision and the amount of aid will be decided after taking into account various conditions related to relations between the two Koreas. On the heels of a series of ballistic missile launches by Pyongyang recently, tensions have escalated on the Korean Peninsula after North Korea announced Sept. 3 it had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb that can be mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile. ECDC necessary in every locality: Minister Koirala Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Asha Koirala has called for establishing the Early Childhood Development Centre (ECDC) in every tole (locality) to help increase investment in the early childhood development (ECD). A team of astronomers led by Elyar Sedaghati, an ESO fellow and recent graduate of TU Berlin, has examined the atmosphere of the exoplanet [WASP-19b] in greater detail than ever before. This remarkable planet has about the same mass as Jupiter, but is so close to its parent star that it completes an orbit in just 19 hours and its atmosphere is estimated to have a temperature of about 2000 degrees Celsius. As WASP-19b passes in front of its parent star, some of the starlight passes through the planet's atmosphere and leaves subtle fingerprints in the light that eventually reaches Earth. By using the FORS2 instrument on the Very Large Telescope the team was able to carefully analyse this light and deduce that the atmosphere contained small amounts of titanium oxide, water and traces of sodium, alongside a strongly scattering global haze. "Detecting such molecules is, however, no simple feat," explains Elyar Sedaghati, who spent 2 years as ESO student to work on this project. "Not only do we need data of exceptional quality, but we also need to perform a sophisticated analysis. We used an algorithm that explores many millions of spectra spanning a wide range of chemical compositions, temperatures, and cloud or haze properties in order to draw our conclusions." Titanium oxide is rarely seen on Earth. It is known to exist in the atmospheres of cool stars. In the atmospheres of hot planets like WASP-19b, it acts as a heat absorber. If present in large enough quantities, these molecules prevent heat from entering or escaping through the atmosphere, leading to a thermal inversion -- the temperature is higher in the upper atmosphere and lower further down, the opposite of the normal situation. Ozone plays a similar role in Earth's atmosphere, where it causes inversion in the stratosphere. "The presence of titanium oxide in the atmosphere of WASP-19b can have substantial effects on the atmospheric temperature structure and circulation." explains Ryan MacDonald, another team member and an astronomer at Cambridge University, United Kingdom. "To be able to examine exoplanets at this level of detail is promising and very exciting." adds Nikku Madhusudhan from Cambridge University who oversaw the theoretical interpretation of the observations. The astronomers collected observations of WASP-19b over a period of more than one year. By measuring the relative variations in the planet's radius at different wavelengths of light that passed through the exoplanet's atmosphere and comparing the observations to atmospheric models, they could extrapolate different properties, such as the chemical content, of the exoplanet's atmosphere. This new information about the presence of metal oxides like titanium oxide and other substances will allow much better modeling of exoplanet atmospheres. Looking to the future, once astronomers are able to observe atmospheres of possibly habitable planets, the improved models will give them a much better idea of how to interpret those observations. "This important discovery is the outcome of a refurbishment of the FORS2 instrument that was done exactly for this purpose," adds team member Henri Boffin, from ESO, who led the refurbishment project. "Since then, FORS2 has become the best instrument to perform this kind of study from the ground." ### More information This research was presented in the paper entitled "Detection of titanium oxide in the atmosphere of a hot Jupiter" by Elyar Sedaghati et. al. to appear in Nature. The team is composed of Elyar Sedaghati (ESO; Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt, Germany; and TU Berlin, Germany), Henri M.J. Boffin (ESO), Ryan J. MacDonald (Cambridge University, UK), Siddharth Gandhi (Cambridge University, UK), Nikku Madhusudhan (Cambridge University, UK), Neale P. Gibson (Queen's University Belfast, UK), Mahmoudreza Oshagh (Georg-August-Universitat Gottingen, Germany), Antonio Claret (Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia - CSIC, Spain) and Heike Rauer (Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt, Germany and TU Berlin, Germany). ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It is supported by 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope and its world-leading Very Large Telescope Interferometer as well as two survey telescopes, VISTA working in the infrared and the visible-light VLT Survey Telescope. ESO is also a major partner in two facilities on Chajnantor, APEX and ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, close to Paranal, ESO is building the 39-metre Extremely Large Telescope, the ELT, which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky". Links * Research paper in Nature - https://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/sciencepapers/eso1729/eso1729a.pdf * Photos of ESO's Very Large Telescope - http://www.eso.org/public/images/archive/search/?ranking=0&fov=0&release_id=&minimum_size=0&description=&published_until_year=0&published_until_month=0&title=&subject_name=Very+Large+Telescope&credit=&published_until_day=0&published_since_day=0&published_since_month=0&id=&published_since_year=0 Contacts Elyar Sedaghati ESO Fellow Vitacura, Santiago, Chile Tel: +56 2 2463 6537 Email: esedagha@eso.org Henri Boffin ESO Garching bei Munchen, Germany Tel: +49 89 3200 6542 Email: hboffin@eso.org Richard Hook ESO Public Information Officer Garching bei Munchen, Germany Tel: +49 89 3200 6655 Cell: +49 151 1537 3591 Email: rhook@eso.org KMC removes street vendors The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has removed more than 150 street vendors from New Road Gate, Sundhara, Ason and Indra Chowk in the past two days. Made in Pakistan exhibition kicks off The 8th Made in Pakistan Exhibition kicked off at the World Trade Centre in Kathmandu on Wednesday. The exhibition will run till next Tuesday. The expo was inaugurated by Commerce Minister Min Bahadur Bishwakarma. Nowhere to go Rainwater fills streets because open areas have been built up and rivers have shrunk President Donald Trump is offering Congress a bipartisan path to some kind of a tax reform deal, and there are actually some signs the offer isn't dead on arrival. The set up to this deal in the making are the last eight months of historic rancor in Washington between the Democrats and the president, Republicans and the president, and the usual sniping between Democrats and Republicans.The result is precious little has been accomplished. The White House and the Republicans have the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court to crow about, and they can continue to at least try to take credit for the stock market rally and three percent GDP growth, but that's about it.The Democrats have helped stoke the anti-Trump fires for all they're worth, with the assembling of the Robert Mueller team to investigate the administration a key victory. But casting a cloud over this president is hardly a legislative accomplishment, and it may not yield much more than continuing to depress Trump's poll numbers.Meanwhile, the failure to pass an Obamacare repeal and replacement bill has mostly hurt the Republicans, but it will hurt all of Washington unless something can be done to stave off a wave of massively higher insurance premiums and disappearing coverage options.For just about all of this year so far, the D.C. dysfunction has been so bad that it seemed like only an act of God could turn things around.That act of God just came in the form of two massive hurricanes that have seemed to snap most of Washington's warring parties out of their mutually destructive trench warfare. President Trump got the ball rolling by making a debt ceiling deal with Democratic congressional leaders to make sure any efforts to aid the victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma would not be held up on Capitol Hill. The deal was seen by some critics as the White House betraying the GOP congressional leaders, but House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reluctantly went along as they likely saw the extreme political peril of even appearing to stand in the way of disaster aid. And that brings us to tax reform. Even as Hurricane Harvey had already flooded much of Houston and Hurricane Irma was taking aim at Florida, one Democrat was starting to make another breach in icy Washington wall. That Democrat is Senator Heidi Heitkamp, who joined President Trump last week on his trip to her state of North Dakota to push for tax reform. Heitkamp is one of a handful of Senate Democrats in states that voted for Trump last year who are up for re-election. And senators like her are a natural place for the White House to start. President Trump continued down that road by inviting Democratic Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Joe Donnelly of Indiana to a bipartisan White House dinner on tax reform Tuesday night that Republican Senators John Thune, Orrin Hatch, and Pat Toomey also attended. These are the first signs of actual progress in the quest to get something passed without the GOP being forced to resort to reconciliation or eliminating the filibuster rule. There may be even more signs of deal making returning to D.C. Though Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted President Trump's proposal to repeal estate taxes in a letter signed by every Democrat senator except for Donnelly, Heitkamp and Manchin, by focusing on just one aspect of the reform plan it could also mean the Democrats are actually starting the counteroffer process. Perhaps they'll go for other parts of the plan if the White House scraps the estate tax part. It's not the stuff of a Nobel Peace Prize, but it's also a far cry from shouts of "Not my president!"For now, what President Trump seems to be offering Democrats is a legitimate seat at the tax reform crafting table. That's significant since the White House and the GOP leadership could theoretically go it alone if they can get their post-Obamacare repeal failure act together. News that Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will be attending another bipartisan dinner at the White House Wednesday night to discuss immigration, Obamacare, and other issues possibly including tax reform may be even more promising. That's because Democrats could be showing signs of realizing that just bashing Trump won't do them much good as they try to win back those who voted for him in 2016. Couple these moves with the proposal crafted by Senator Bernie Sanders Wednesday calling for single-payer health care or "Medicare for all," and we're starting to see signs of a Democratic Party that realizes it must prove it is interested in governing again. Before the hurricanes and the Heitkamp news, you could count me among those who doubted tax reform of any kind was going to happen. But now that President Trump may not have to rely solely on the meager deal making efforts of Republican leaders like McConnell, the odds have improved. It appears that President Trump truly wants to give the Democrats some kind of seat at the governing table when it comes to tax reform, and based on his statements last week on DACA, he seems to feel the same about his signature issue of immigration as well.This is a bipartisan gift President Trump is handing the Democrats at a time when leaders of his own Republican Party are flailing. And this time, it's a gift that the Democrats just might be smart enough to take.Commentary by Jake Novak, CNBC.com senior columnist. Follow him on Twitter@jakejakeny. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. President Donald Trump is offering Congress a bipartisan path to some kind of a tax reform deal, and there are actually some signs the offer isn't dead on arrival. The set up to this deal in the making are the last eight months of historic rancor in Washington between the Democrats and the president, Republicans and the president, and the usual sniping between Democrats and Republicans. The result is precious little has been accomplished. The White House and the Republicans have the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court to crow about, and they can continue to at least try to take credit for the stock market rally and three percent GDP growth, but that's about it. The Democrats have helped stoke the anti-Trump fires for all they're worth, with the assembling of the Robert Mueller team to investigate the administration a key victory. But casting a cloud over this president is hardly a legislative accomplishment, and it may not yield much more than continuing to depress Trump's poll numbers. Meanwhile, the failure to pass an Obamacare repeal and replacement bill has mostly hurt the Republicans, but it will hurt all of Washington unless something can be done to stave off a wave of massively higher insurance premiums and disappearing coverage options. For just about all of this year so far, the D.C. dysfunction has been so bad that it seemed like only an act of God could turn things around. That act of God just came in the form of two massive hurricanes that have seemed to snap most of Washington's warring parties out of their mutually destructive trench warfare. President Trump got the ball rolling by making a debt ceiling deal with Democratic congressional leaders to make sure any efforts to aid the victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma would not be held up on Capitol Hill. The deal was seen by some critics as the White House betraying the GOP congressional leaders, but House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reluctantly went along as they likely saw the extreme political peril of even appearing to stand in the way of disaster aid. And that brings us to tax reform. Even as Hurricane Harvey had already flooded much of Houston and Hurricane Irma was taking aim at Florida, one Democrat was starting to make another breach in icy Washington wall. That Democrat is Senator Heidi Heitkamp, who joined President Trump last week on his trip to her state of North Dakota to push for tax reform. Heitkamp is one of a handful of Senate Democrats in states that voted for Trump last year who are up for re-election. And senators like her are a natural place for the White House to start. President Trump continued down that road by inviting Democratic Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Joe Donnelly of Indiana to a bipartisan White House dinner on tax reform Tuesday night that Republican Senators John Thune, Orrin Hatch, and Pat Toomey also attended. These are the first signs of actual progress in the quest to get something passed without the GOP being forced to resort to reconciliation or eliminating the filibuster rule. There may be even more signs of deal making returning to D.C. Though Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted President Trump's proposal to repeal estate taxes in a letter signed by every Democrat senator except for Donnelly, Heitkamp and Manchin, by focusing on just one aspect of the reform plan it could also mean the Democrats are actually starting the counteroffer process. Perhaps they'll go for other parts of the plan if the White House scraps the estate tax part. It's not the stuff of a Nobel Peace Prize, but it's also a far cry from shouts of "Not my president!" For now, what President Trump seems to be offering Democrats is a legitimate seat at the tax reform crafting table. That's significant since the White House and the GOP leadership could theoretically go it alone if they can get their post-Obamacare repeal failure act together. News that Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will be attending another bipartisan dinner at the White House Wednesday night to discuss immigration, Obamacare, and other issues possibly including tax reform may be even more promising. That's because Democrats could be showing signs of realizing that just bashing Trump won't do them much good as they try to win back those who voted for him in 2016. Couple these moves with the proposal crafted by Senator Bernie Sanders Wednesday calling for single-payer health care or "Medicare for all," and we're starting to see signs of a Democratic Party that realizes it must prove it is interested in governing again. Before the hurricanes and the Heitkamp news, you could count me among those who doubted tax reform of any kind was going to happen. But now that President Trump may not have to rely solely on the meager deal making efforts of Republican leaders like McConnell, the odds have improved. It appears that President Trump truly wants to give the Democrats some kind of seat at the governing table when it comes to tax reform, and based on his statements last week on DACA, he seems to feel the same about his signature issue of immigration as well. This is a bipartisan gift President Trump is handing the Democrats at a time when leaders of his own Republican Party are flailing. And this time, it's a gift that the Democrats just might be smart enough to take. Commentary by Jake Novak, CNBC.com senior columnist. Follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny . For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. More From CNBC Online health service into operation to mountaineers scaling Mt Everest Mountaineers will now receive medical services online while on the way to the top of the Mt Everest, something which lacked previously. Any health problems that the mountaineers suffer while climbing the world's tallest peak (8,848 meters) will be addressed online. Apple has decided to partner with Stanford and American Well for its new project that involves its Apple Watch smartwatch. The Cupertino giant is apparently looking to expand the usefulness of its wearable into the field of medicine by determining if its Apple Watchs sensors can detect arrhythmias or abnormal heart rhythms. On Monday, CNBC ran a story on how Apple partnered with a group of clinicians at Stanford and telemedicine vendor American Well for a new project. The ultimate goal of this project is to find out whether the heart rate sensor in the Apple Watch is capable of detecting abnormal heart rhythms among patients. The publication cited sources who reportedly asked not to be named for the plan has yet to be disclosed publicly by the parties involved. If its proven to be a capable screening tool, the Apple Watch could be used for high-risk patients who are in constant need of heart rate monitoring. This would also make the Apple Watch a desirable products to doctors and health care professionals, as pointed out by Apple Insider. While arrhythmias are not always problematic, it is still a known risk to many people. For instance, there is this condition called atrial fibrillation that may not manifest external symptoms, but can actually increase the risk of blood clots, strokes and other serious problems. Having a device to check the rhythm of the heart will really be useful to people who may have this condition. Atrial fibrillation is a common rhythm disorder and knowing someone has it is medically useful because those people might need specific treatments, Department of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco Chairman Bob Wachter said. It goes without saying that when the Apple Watch is able to determine presence of this condition, the device could potentially save lives. American Well declined to comment if it has partnered with Apple. Interestingly, the companys CEO Roy Schoenberg may have subtly confirmed this when he stated that they are working closely with wearable makers. It is therefore possible that American Well could really be working with Apple on this project. It could also be involved with a couple of other wearable manufacturers at the moment. Story continues It is worth noting that the University of California, San Francisco and the team behind the Cardiogram app already conducted a study on the Apple Watch and found out that it is capable of detecting abnormal rhythms of the heart with 97 percent accuracy, as per MacRumors. When the study was published in May, cardiac electrophysiologist Greg Marcus, who was involved in the research, stated that Apple has the benefit of having real-time access to raw data from its Apple Watchs heart sensor. Although Apple does not comment on speculative reports regarding its plans, CEO Tim Cook may have validated the leaked project when he spoke with Fortune early this week. During the interview, Cook said that Apple is extremely interested in health. We started working on the Apple Watch several years ago, the CEO said. [One of our goals] was performing some measurements of your health that people were not measuring, at least continually. Like your heart. Very few people wore heart monitors. Were extremely interested in this area. And yes it is a business opportunity. For now, Apple is gearing up for the launch of the Apple Watch Series 3, which is rumored to be LTE-capable. The Cupertino giant has sent out invites for a Sept. 12 press event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino. It appears Tim Cooks team will be unveiling the new smartwatch at the event alongside the three new iPhones, the fifth-generation Apple TV and the slightly upgraded AirPods. Apple Watch Photo: Reuters/Issei Kato Related Articles Apple is partnering with telemedicine giant American Well and Stanford University to test the performance of its new Series 3 Watch in detecting abnormal heart rhythms and, by extension, diagnose users potential heart problems. At its September 2017 event, the tech titan announced the Apple Heart Study. The idea is to test the Watch as a replacement for traditional heart sensorsbut only if its proven to be accurate and consistent. The Apple Watch 3 will come with a revamped heart rate monitor, which will collect data things like post-workout recovery heart rate and abnormal spikes in heart rate while at rest. The heart rhythm tracking feature could be particularly important for patients who may not know that they suffer from cardiac arrhythmias, including those who have atrial fibrillation (AFib). At least 2.7 million Americans have the condition, which consists of an irregular heart beat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, and heart problems including heart failure, according to the American Heart Association. The heart study is Apples latest foray into health care. The companys ResearchKit service has been used by dozens of big-name drug makers and medical academic institutions for clinical research and the company may turn the iPhone into a personal medical chart. Rumors have also been swirling that Apple wants to create a glucose monitoring app that could be used by people with diabetes. Click here to subscribe to Brainstorm Health Daily, our brand new newsletter about health innovations. While the companys health care ambitions are lofty, CEO Tim Cook told Fortune in a recent interview that its entirely possible some of its bets in this field will never actually become money makers. Heart monitoring, however, could be an important opportunity. We started working on the Apple Watch several years ago. And we were focused on wellness. And wellness was about activity monitoring and also about performing some measurements of your health that people were not measuring, at least continually. Like your heart, he told Fortune. Very few people wore heart monitors. So when we got into working on the watch we began to realize that the things that we could do were even more profound than that. Apple Watch Series 3 One major retailer is taking the news of Apple's new watch, announced Tuesday, on the chin. Swatch, the $21 billion Swiss watchmaker, dropped as much as 4.5% on Wednesday when European trading opened, losing almost $1 billion in market value in the process. Based on the stock reaction, traditional watch retailers like Swatch will have their work cut out for them as they face unprecedented pressure from their most technologically advanced competition yet. Of particular concern to at least one analyst is how the Apple Watch Series 3 no longer requires an iPhone to perform cellular functions something that could greatly boost its appeal. "The fact the new watch is untethered from the phone has the potential to be a game-changer," Jon Cox, an analyst at Kepler Cheuvreux, told Bloomberg News in an interview. "It is a fight for wrist real-estate and superb functionality versus a simple quartz watch. In many cases, the quartz watch is going to lose." If investors trading Swatch options are to be believed, the company's share-price woes are just getting started. They're paying the highest premium in a year to hedge against a 10% decline in the company's stock over the next month, relative to the cost of bets on a 10% increase, according to Bloomberg data. swatch skew What's more, four of the five Swatch options contracts with the highest open interest defined as outstanding commitments trading now are bearish puts. Further, while UBS recently identified Swatch as the company most vulnerable to a new Apple product, the US watchmaker Fossil may also be affected. While it's too early to anoint the Apple Watch Series 3 the new king of wristwear, the writing is on the wall for the industry as a whole: adjust, or watch your stock fall. Story continues Screen Shot 2017 09 13 at 1.05.34 PM NOW WATCH: The looming war between Alibaba and Amazon More From Business Insider Aussie little changed, kiwi higher vs. greenback in late trade Investing.com - The Australian dollar was steady against its U.S. counterpart on Tuesday, after the release of downbeat Australian data, while the New Zealand dollar edged higher as market sentiment continued to recover from concerns caused by Hurricane Irma and North Korea. AUD/USD slipped 0.14% to 0.8016. Earlier Tuesday, the National Australia Bank said its business confidence index fell to 5 in August from a reading of 12 the previous month. NZD/USD rose 0.21% to trade at 0.7267. Meanwhile, sentiment continued to improve as Hurricane Irma caused less damage than expected in Florida and as North Korea did not fire missiles over the weekend. Market participants had braced for additional provocations from North Korea on September 9, as the State celebrated its founding day. But Pyongyang marked the anniversary without further missile or nuclear tests. In response to North Korea's sixth nuclear test, the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously on Monday to step up sanctions on the peninsula. Its textile exports are now banned and fuel supplies to Pyonyang are capped. It was the ninth sanctions resolution unanimously adopted by the Security Council since 2006 over North Koreas ballistic missile and nuclear programs. On the other hand, Hurricane Irma continued to hammer Florida on Monday, but it lost strength and was downgraded to a tropical storm. About 7.3 million homes and businesses were without power in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama, according to state officials and utilities on Monday. The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenbacks strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was down 0.11% at 91.82 by 02:10 a.m. ET (06:10 GMT) Related Articles Forex - Aussie holds steady after weak NAB data, kiwi edges higher Dollar clings to most of its gains as risk sentiment improves Forex - Dollar falls in Asia as NKorea sanctions fall short Observers long wondered what would become of Barack Obama after he left office. Young and healthy, still pondering social problems, he always seemed an unlikely candidate for the list of distant former presidents. In September 2016, he stated that then-candidate Donald Trump appears to only care about himself, adding that Trump doesnt do his homework, doesnt know basic facts that youd need to know. Obama came out swinging again last week when he condemned President Trump for rescinding DACA, calling the move cruel. Obama is not the first former president to speak out, but he may well be transforming the post-presidency in ways no less profound than Trumps efforts to change the presidency. Its typical for former presidents to disappear from public lifesome died soon after leaving office, while others were so exhausted by the experience of the presidency that they withdrew from the public. But most former presidents have consciously chosen not to meddle in politics after leaving office. This retirement of former presidents has always stood as an example of a strong democracy. Unlike monarchs or dictators, American presidents surrender power. Unlike divisive partisans, departing Americans presidents promise to support their successors, regardless of party. This wasnt always the case, though. Throughout the 19th century, former presidents regularly communicated with their political allies in an ongoing attempt to shape policy. In fact, the man who helped create the presidency was among the first former presidents to speak out. After decades in which he kept private his copious records of the Constitutional convention, former president James Madison published those materials in the 1830s in an explicit effort to reshape national political debates. The most publicly engaged former presidents were those who harbored ongoing political aspirations. John Quincy Adams, who served in Congress for 17 years after being voted out of the White House in 1828, had no qualms about criticizing his successors from the House floor. Among his targets was Martin Van Buren, another one-term president who, after losing his re-election bid in 1840, launched a short-lived campaign to reclaim the White House in 1844. Like any good campaigner, the Democrat Van Buren attacked the Whigs who had defeated him four years earlier. But Van Buren paled in comparison to Teddy Roosevelt, who became so disenchanted with American politics after leaving office in 1909 that he launched a third-party bid for a third term in 1912. Story continues For the past four decades, these two visions of the former presidency have been regularly at odds. Should former presidents retire from public life, or should they continue to put themselves forward as national leaders? Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush followed the more traditional model, retiring quietly while vowing to offer public support and private advice for their successors. Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton followed a different path. In his attempts to rehabilitate his image after Watergate, Nixon sought to use books and public appearances to establish himself as an expert on foreign policy. In more than three decades since leaving the White House in 1981, Carter has spoken out on foreign and domestic policy, periodically criticizing his successors in the process. And Bill Clinton became an oddly updated version of Martin Van Buren and Teddy Roosevelt, offering increasingly pointed political commentary in support of Hillary Clintons political career. In the wake of Obamas condemnation of Trumps decision on DACA, Bill Clinton offered similar criticism. All of which situates Obama at a precipice. If he plans to make statements similar to his comments on DACA, he operates at great risk, for he must most now find a way to lead and to mobilize without appearing to violate the deeply felt American belief that presidents must surrender their power. Trumps critics charge him with damaging the presidency by politicizing and personalizing every act. The depth of opposition to Trump has not only led Obama to become a more active former president, but may well have enabled him to do so. The call for an opposition to Trump is so strongespecially among Democratsthat it has created a new political space for former presidents, excusing them of demand for restraint that presidents used to impose on themselves because most Americans demanded it. And it is that relationship between Trump and Obama that explains Obamas actions. In 2008, Obama transformed the presidency by breaking the all-white monopoly. He may well be doing so again as an outspoken former president. Obama and Trump may stand at opposite ends of the spectrumin politics, in personality, and in public behavioryet they nonetheless stand together in reshaping the presidency. Peter Kastor is a Professor of History and American Culture Studies and Chair of the Department of History at Washington University in St. Louis. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Capitol Hill, Sept. 13, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas The Democratic party finally has a rallying cry: Medicare for All. Too bad its a hopeless cause. Sen. Bernie Sanders has turned a key plank of his quixotic presidential campaign into new legislation meant to expand health care coverage to all Americans. Its a bold idea that addresses a genuine problem, which is why liberal Democrats such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris back the idea. But Sanders et. al. are aiming for the impossible when something more plausible could accomplish the same thing. Sanders wants to scrap the entire private insurance system and enroll everybody in Medicare, the health care program for seniors. Doctors and other providers would stay the same, in theory, but there would be no insurance companies and workers would no longer get coverage through an employer. The elimination of middlemen, along with the governments enhanced bargaining power, would supposedly lower costs, benefiting everybody (except insurance company employees). The Sanders model is single-payer: The government would pay for everything. It would lead to universal coverage, which means everybody would have insurance. But single-payer and universal coverage are not the same thing, and its possible to have universal coverage without the government running everything. Sanders rightly points out that every other developed country has universal coverage for its citizens. Even President Donald Trump has said hed like to see insurance for everybody. But that doesnt mean a giant government program is the only way to do it. How to achieve universal coverage A hybrid system, with both public- and private-sector elements, is probably the most likely path to universal coverage in the United States. Employer-sponsored plans already cover nearly 160 million Americans half the nations population. Rolling everybody off those plans into some kind of government program would be inconceivably complex. The scale of snafus would make the botched rollout of Obamacare in late 2013 look like a well-choreographed ballet. Story continues The employer-sponsored health care system could definitely be cheaper and better, and it imposes the strange burden of providing health care on companies that dont exist for that purpose. But its also one part of the health care system that works reasonably well, and leaving it in place would amount to doing no harm. The worst part of the U.S. health care system involves people who dont get coverage from an employer and dont qualify for Medicare or Medicaid. The 2010 Affordable Care Act addressed that problem by subsidizing insurance premiums for lower-income people and expanding Medicaid. But there are still roughly 28 million adult Americans with no insurance, many who simply find it too expensive. A couple million more dont qualify for subsidies and pay exorbitant premiums to buy coverage in the individual insurance market. This is where any effort to achieve universal coverage needs to begin. Counting everybody who receives an ACA subsidy, there are perhaps 40 million Americans who arent covered by Medicaid, Medicare or an employer plan. If they could get insurance, wed have universal coverage, or come very close. Meeting the needs of 40 million people is daunting, but its better than dealing with the 200 million who would need insurance if we scrapped the employer system. And the smaller target would require fewer of the tax increases that would be needed to pay for a Sanders-style program. If the employer-sponsored system remained intact, the government could then be the insurer of last resort for everybody who didnt get insurance through their job. Some people worry about the creep of socialized medicine, but the idea of government-provided catastrophic care has had support among Republicans in the past. The legendary conservative economist Milton Friedman proposed government-provided catastrophic care back in 2001. Mitt Romney, when he was the Republican governor of Massachusetts, put a government-backstop plan in place statewide in 2006. Instead of Medicare for All, the more workable idea is Medicare for More. What Medicare for All means for prices Sanders argues that all Americans need to be in the same insurance pool Medicare for the government to negotiate the best prices. But there are already 44 million people in Medicare, and 62 million in Medicaid, making them both giant insurance pools. Switzerland boasts lower costs and better health outcomes than the U.S., with a total population of just 8.5 million. Medicare is more bound by laws that limit its bargaining power on prescription drug prices, for example than by lack of heft. Even a hybrid system of universal coverage would be politically difficult to pull off. Critics worry that any effort to expand the governments role in health care could inevitably lead to a single-payer system, so there would need to be safeguards meant to keep the employer-sponsored system in place. Medicare is due to start running short of money in 2029, and anything that adds to its financial burden will hasten that day of reckoning. Finally, voters usually dislike change, so theyd have to be thoroughly sold on Medicare-for-more to pressure Congress to give it a shot. But Medicare for All might be a start. Confidential tip line: rickjnewman@yahoo.com. Encrypted communication available. Read more: Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman Bitcoins value has dropped 10% since CEO Jamie Dimon slammed the cryptocurrency Tuesday, briefly falling below the $3,800 mark on Wednesday. Speaking at a Barclays conference, the longtime banking exec pulled no punches, calling the cryptocurrency a fraud. Dimon also argued that a government crackdown on the digital currency was imminent. Its worse than tulip bulbs. It wont end well. Someone is going to get killed, Dimon said, referring to the economic bubble that formed around tulip bulbs in the 17th century. The price of bitcoin dropped to about $3,885 as of mid-day Wednesday, about 24 hours after Dimon spoke. At one point in trading, the cryptocurrency fell as low as $3,777. Thats down from an all-time high of $5,000 just two weeks ago--a drop of 22%. Its unclear to what extent Dimons comments were responsible for Bitcoins subsequent falloff. But they certainly added to a bearish mood thats been brewing since China began cracking down last month on initial coin offerings and, reportedly, cryptocurrency exchanges. The plunge has been painful for investors who bought into bitcoin seeking high gains. At its all-time high, the value of all bitcoins in circulation was about $81.2 billion. Now, it's $63.5 billion. Still the currency is up over 300% since the start of the year, perhaps owing in part to the euphoria surrounding the digital coin. At CNBCs Delivering Alpha conference on Tuesday, three of four investing professionals who were asked about bitcoin spoke of younger relatives who were dabbling or interested in the cryptocurrency. The fourth investor, venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya, has been long on bitcoin since as early as 2012. The price of other cryptocurrencies were also falling on Wednesday. Ethereum dropped 8% to $269, while bitcoin cash fell 2% to $506. This is part of Fortune's new initiative, The Ledger, a trusted news source at the intersection of tech and finance. For more on The Ledger, click here. Story continues See original article on Fortune.com More from Fortune.com Bitcoin fell like a rock last week as many speculators in the cryptocurrency decided to book profits and head to the sidelines after JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon warned about the dangers of Bitcoin, saying Its worse than tulip bulbs. It wont end well. Someone is going to get killed. He even said the cryptocurrency Continue reading Bitcoin Traders: Embrace the Volatility or Perish There is never a dull moment in the world of cryptocurrencies as Bitcoins rocky road continues this week, with a pronouncement by a leading bank spokesman that Bitcoin is a fraud. Banks and financial institutions obviously dislike Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies by all means. Like any cornered animal which knows it is about to meet its demise, banks and other financial institutions will be fighting back ferociously to maintain their grip on the worlds currency markets and the resulting profits. Bitcoin has dropped back below the $4,000 mark on talk of China banning centralized cryptocurrency exchanges, not the currencies themselves neither centralized mining. This is mainly because they tend to monopolize the trading due to their low fees. The Caixin report dealt with this issue of regulatory frameworks. Together with the ban on ICOs, it is clear that investors worries increase. Yesterday, in New York, JP Morgan Chase Bank Chief Executive Officer Jamie Dimon has been quoted as saying cryptocurrencies (most notably, Bitcoin) are worse than tulip bulbs and Bitcoin is a fraud. A statement like this is bound to be inflammatory and controversial. JP Morgan Chase is one of the clusters of global banking houses which caused the financial crisis by inventing instruments which ultimately led to the financial collapse of 2008. The mortgage backed securities, which they and their cohorts, invented and pushed forward to the public cost the bank around $13 billion. Institutionals position on Bitcoin was taken seriously by the cryptocurrency community. Founded on the principle of accountability from its inception Bitcoin was designed to be totally transparent and public. This was one of the public accusations against entities like JP Morgan Chase and other banks. The notion of cryptocurrencies was to provide a responsible alternative in financial transactions. At the heart of Bitcoin is a transparent ledger system where every transaction is recorded, balanced against the credit or the debit, and is freely available on demand for any participants. Story continues Although the blockchain technology is open and accountable, anybody who has used cryptocurrencies can confirm that the system is also complicated and secure. There is an argument whether Bitcoin has been over priced recently, for something which is relatively new and untested. Natural corrections are the markets way of telling investors that they have overbought, and Bitcoins investors are learning that the digital market is as volatile as the physical one. Despite the understandable misgivings of the traditional financial community and the recent doubts amongst the most ardent cryptocurrency aficionados cryptocurrencies have already proved themselves as a viable alternative to existing currencies, and its users have developed new methods of transferring value and wealth between buyers and sellers of goods and services. It remains to be seen if Bitcoin, ethereum, and the other cryptocurrencies can keep up the momentum Noble Gold specializes in IRAs and 401(k) rollovers through precious metals and cryptocurrencies investments. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Tuesday that an overhaul of the U.S. tax system will happen this year, and while a new report reveals that most public company directors are "rooting" for tax reform, nearly a quarter of board members surveyed say it won't happen in 2017. The 2017 BDO Board Survey found that 78% of public company directors anticipate that tax reform will be achieved during President Donald Trump's current four-year term, but just 22% of directors believe it will happen in 2017, while another 22% don't think that tax reform will happen at all during Trump's term. BDO gathered the opinions of 130 directors at public companies. The Trump administration is "super focused" on tax reform, Mnuchin said at the Delivering Alpha conference presented by CNBC and Institutional Investor. He also said the administration is considering backdating tax reform to boost the economy. President Trump urged lawmakers last week to "start the Tax Reform/Tax Cut legislation ASAP," telling them not to wait until the end of September. "The need to pass the 2018 budget, deal with the deadline on raising the debt ceiling and overcoming the divisions that defeated healthcare legislation will make tax reform a tall order for 2017," Matthew Becker, leader of BDO USA's National Tax Office, said in a statement. "If Democrats and Republicans can push aside special interests and focus on helping their constituents - not opposing each other's ideas - tax reform can be achieved. It just may take additional time." Of those directors who are anticipating tax reform, nearly all of them, 94%, predict that it will have a "favorable impact on their business, with 20% believing that the impact will be highly favorable." Just under half of the directors surveyed said the most important goal for tax reform legislation is the reduction of the 35% corporate tax rate. President Trump has touted a 15% corporate tax rate, which Mnuchin said could be difficult to achieve. Story continues "I don't know if we'll be able to achieve that given the budget issues," said Mnuchin. "But we're going to get this down to a very competitive level." The second-most important goal is a simplified tax code, followed by the need for tax incentives to repatriate foreign earnings and lowering the capital gains tax rate. Regarding the president's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate accord, corporate directors were largely split. Companies have come under increasing pressure to disclose sustainability efforts, such as efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Fifty-four percent said the U.S. should have continued to participate in the climate agreement. -- This story has been updated to reflect that 22% of directors believe tax reform will happen in 2017. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: Editors' pick: Originally published Sept. 12. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: See inside Jim Cramers multi-million dollar charitable trust portfolio to see the stocks he thinks could be potentially HUGE winners. Click here to see his holdings for FREE. Brazilian politicians just cannot seem to get out of their own way when it comes to corruption. On Wednesday, the iShares MSCI Brazil Capped ETF (EWZ) traded slightly lower following news of a Brazilian Supreme Court justice authorizing a new corruption probe into President Michel Temer's dealings regarding regulations of Brazilian ports. EWZ, the largest exchange traded fund tracking stocks in Latin America's largest economy, is still up about 27% year-to-date. Earlier this year, federal police carried out search and arrest warrants throughout the capital in response to O Globo reports on leaked testimony indicating that Temer approved payoffs to acquire the silence of Eduardo Cunha, the man behind last years ouster of former president Dilma Rousseff. Recently, Brazilian President Michel Temer survived an effort to suspend him on corruption allegations. The new investigation is based on a wiretapped conversation of a former Temer aide, Rodrigo Rocha Loures, who, according to court documents, discussed shaping the decree in return for bribes channeled from a port operator to the president, reports Reuters. Brazil is one of the more volatile emerging markets, but some investors believe Brazilian equities still offer upside potential. EWZs three-year standard deviation is 36.7%, more than double the comparable metric on the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. Stocks in Brazil are inexpensive based CAPE, price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios. In his ruling, Justice Luis Roberto Barroso said the new probe was warranted because Brazils top prosecutor, Rodrigo Janot, had found 'strong indications' of crimes, given that the decree signed by Temer answered part of the demands made by logistics firm Rodrimar SA, according to Reuters. Related: 5 Brazil ETFs to Take Advantage of Upside Potential Earlier this year, former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was convicted on corruption charges. It was corruption allegations that were the undoing of former President Dilma Rousseff and ultimately forced her impeachment. The current administration is being stung by the new corruption investigation. Rousseff was selected by Lula to be his successor and she presided over one of Brazils worst recessions. Traders who are betting on a quick turnaround could look to the two times leveraged ProShares Ultra MSCI Brazil (UBR) or the three times leveraged Direxion Daily Brazil Bull 3x Shares (BRZU) . On Wednesday, BRZU was the best-performing US-listed ETF on an intraday basis. For more information on the Brazilian markets, visit our Brazil category. Read more on ETFtrends.com Overkill Excessive security personnel in Tarai during Province 2 polls could do more harm than good Centene Corp (NYSE:CNC) shares were rising Wednesday as the company announced that it was acquiring Fidelis. Centene Corp (CNC) The two health care providers will trade under the CNC ticker symbol following the acquisition of Fidelis, which will cost Centene $3.75 billion. The latter is the largest Medicaid manager care plan provider in the country. The dear will help Centene bring in Fidelis business, which includes health insurance plans to New York state residents, amounting to 1.6 million peoples plans. Fidelis will become the combined companys new health plan in the state. InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips Centene will have a larger presence in four more major states around the nation, including California, Florida, New York and Texas. The plans offered by Centene are the private-market option for Medicaid recipients. We think there is tremendous potential here, said Michael Neidorff, Centene chairman and CEO, on a conference call with investors Tuesday. Centenes and Fidelis Cares missions are fully aligned in terms of promoting health through high quality, accessible care and services for all and advocating for health policy that accords true dignity and respect for all people, especially the underserved. Fidelis state plans include Medicaid offerings, as well as Qualified Health Plans, Child Health Plus and Essential Plan. The company also offers national programs in Medicare Advantage, Dual Advantage and Managed Long Term Care. We have a strong mission [and] a good strong business is good mission, said Rev. Patrick Frawley, Fidelis Care CEO. Im confident this acquisition will be [for] the good of our shared mission. CNC stock soared 6.5% on the news. More From InvestorPlace The post Centene Corp (CNC) Stock Surges on $3.7 Billion Fidelis Deal appeared first on InvestorPlace. CenturyLink Inc. CTL has postponed the closing of the Level 3 Communications Inc.LVLT acquisition till the end of October. This is because the much-hyped merger between CenturyLink and Level 3 Communications is still awaiting approvals from the State of California, the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission. In fact, the California Administrative Law Judge recognized the merger of CenturyLink and Level 3 Communications is in public interest. So, it proposed to the California Public Utilities Commission to give consent to the transaction at its meeting on Oct 12, 2017. The proposed merger has already received state approvals from almost 24 states and regulatory clearance from Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, Texas and Puerto Rico. Merger Prospects On November 2016, the two entities entered into a definitive agreement through which CenturyLink will acquire Level 3 Communications in a cash and stock transaction. The combined entity is likely to generate $975 million of annual cash synergies. If the proposed merger finally materializes, it will increase CenturyLink's network by 200,000 route miles of fiber including 64,000 route miles in 350 metropolitan areas and 33,000 subsea route miles connecting multiple continents. Going forward, CenturyLink's on-net buildings are expected to increase by nearly 75% to approximately 75,000. Consequently, the combined entity will become a formidable challenger to their larger counterparts. Price Performance & Zacks Rank Shares of CenturyLink have declined 29.7% compared with the industrys fall of 3.9% in the last three months. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). Currently, CenturyLink and Level 3 Communications are struggling to maintain their business momentum owing to severe competitive threats from large telecom operators like Verizon Communications Inc. VZ, AT&T Inc. T and Comcast Corp. CMCSA, each carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Story continues More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Level 3 Communications, Inc. (LVLT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) : Free Stock Analysis Report CenturyLink, Inc. (CTL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Crude mixed in Asia Investing.com - Crude oil prices were mixed in Asia on Wednesday with investors mulling industry estimates on U.S. inventories of crude and refined products as they wait for official figures. On the New York Mercantile Exchange crude futures for October delivery rose 0.08% to $48.27 a barrel, while on London\'s Intercontinental Exchange, Brent was last quoted down 0.28% to $54.12 a barrel. U.S. crude oil stocks rose by 6.18 million barrels at the end of last week, the American Petroleum Institute said on Tuesday, more than the 2.5 million gain expected. It was the second straight build after Hurricane Harvey shut production in some Gulf of Mexico fields and refineries in Texas as some domestic producers also trimmed output to avoid a larger glut at storage. The oil storage hub at Cushing, Oklahoma, saw a build of 1.32 million barrels. However, gasoline supplies dropped 7.90 million barrels and distillates fell by 1.81 million barrels as key refineries in Houston and Corpus Christi were offline. The Energy Information Administration will release official data on Wednesday. There is often a wide divergence bwteeen the API and EIA figures. Overnight, crude oil prices settled higher on Tuesday after a report showed Opec output fell in August but gains were capped as investors braced for U.S. crude inventory due data expected to show a large build in stockpiles. In its monthly oil market report the Opec said production in August fell by 79,000 barrels a day (bpd) to 32.76 million as falling production from Venezuela, Iraq, the UAE and Saudi Arabia offset rising output from Nigeria. Global oil demand growth is forecast to increase by 1.35m bpd to 98.12m bpd, representing an uptick of 70,000 bpd from the previous report. Opecs secretary-general Mohammad Barkindo said It is clear the rebalancing process is under way, and expressed optimism that growing demand in the second of the half of year would continue to dent excess supplies. Story continues The reported also highlighted a dip in non-Opec output, after several refineries along the Gulf Coast shut down as Hurricane Harvey tore through the U.S. oil heartland of Texas in August. Related Articles Commodities - Crude Oil Mixed In Asia As Market Digests API Estimates API Reports 6.18 Mln Barrels Crude Build As Harvey Hit Tallied Commodities - Crude Oil Settles Higher as Opec Boosts Oil-Demand Outlook Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization arm of Consumer Reports, sent a letter to Equifax CEO Richard Smith on Thursday, expressing deep concern over the immediate and lasting effects for the 143 million consumers potentially compromised by the data breach the company announced last week. In the letter, the consumer advocacy organization called Equifaxs response wholly inadequate and outlined seven steps it believes Equifax must take to remediate the situation, including paying for credit freezes, processing disputes promptly, and setting aside funds to compensate consumers. "Given the extraordinary nature of this breach and the threat posed to nearly half of all Americans, Equifax has a responsibility to offer consumers the best resources and tools to help them protect themselves," said Jessica Rich, vice president of Policy and Mobilization at Consumers Union. Consumer Reports reached out to Equifax late afternoon for reaction to the demands and will update the story with any comments. The credit bureau today did provide some more details about the breach, saying on its website, "We know that criminals exploited a U.S. website application vulnerability," adding that it was working with law enforcement. Equifax also said that customers affected by the breach who have signed up for free credit monitoring will not be subjected to a binding arbitration clause. On Sept. 7, Equifax, one of the big three credit monitoring bureaus, announced that it had been awaresince Julythat it was the victim of a massive hack affecting more than 100 million accounts. According to Equifax, the information exposed included Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses, and in some instances, drivers license numbers. In addition, Equifax said the credit card numbers of approximately 209,000 consumers and certain dispute documents, which included personal identifying information, for approximately 182,000 consumers, were accessed. Story continues CU: What Equifax Should Do 1. Pay for credit freezes. Consumers who wish to freeze their credit in response to Equifaxs announced breach still must pay to freeze their records with other major credit bureaus in order to make the freeze effective. We urge Equifax to pay any fees associated with credit freezes at other credit bureaus so that consumers can prevent their data from being improperly used in connection with other credit bureau records, Consumers Union said. 2. Extend credit monitoring for affected consumers. Consumers Union points out that Equifax has offered affected consumers only one year of credit monitoring and, following public outcry, a limited and narrow opportunity to obtain a free credit freeze. Because risks to consumers due to this breach are not limited to one year, Consumers Union demands that "Equifax should extend credit monitoring indefinitely for all consumes potentially affected by the breach." 3. Provide more detailed information about the security incident. Consumers Union says the company provided inadequate and unreliable information about which consumers were victimized and what data was compromised, limiting consumers ability to take steps to protect themselves. "To prevent further harm to consumers seeking to protect themselves, Equifax must upgrade its tool to provide more detailed information about precisely what types of data were breached for each affected consumer," Consumers Union said. 4. Remove all mandatory arbitration clauses. Equifax has been criticized for forcing victims visiting its site to waive their right to sue the company. Equifax says that it has corrected this issue, but Consumers Union says the remedy is confusing and insufficient. Equifax has repeatedly changed its story about whether and how the mandatory arbitration clause impacts consumers, the letter said. For example, after Equifax said its arbitration clause was moot, Consumers Union notes that anotherbroaderarbitration clause remained in effect. According to Consumers Union, Equifax is now saying that none of these clauses will apply to consumers harmed by the data breach or who sign up for credit monitoring services. However, the clauses remain in print and, Consumers Union says, its unclear whether or how they could still be used to prevent consumers from having their day in court. 5. Commit to hiring and training sufficient staff to review and process disputes promptly. Given the enormity of the exposure, Equifax needs to be prepared for a deluge of problems and must have sufficient resources on hand to resolve these problems quickly and effectively, Consumers Union said. The company should not wait for these problems to pile up and then address a mounting backlog. 6. Set aside a fund to compensate consumers whose data has been exposed. Equifax has an obligation to American consumers to compensate them for the injury they may incur for years to come. Accordingly, Equifax should create a substantial and dedicated reserve account to compensate consumers affected by this breach, Consumers Union wrote. 7. Investigate allegations of insider trading and hold wrongdoers accountable. The company does not appear to have fully investigatedand certainly has not explained to the publicthe sales of stock by three executives just prior to public announcement of the breach, Consumers Union said. "The timing of these salesa handful of days after the initial uncovering of a massive security incidentraises major red flags. However, Equifaxs initial reaction was disappointing and troubling: first, its press statement sought to minimize the scope of $2 million in sales as 'small.' Second, rather than stating an intention to investigate the issue, Equifax casually and summarily dismissed the allegation of trading on nonpublic information with no apparent inquiry at allmuch less a rigorous one." Consumers Union says that Equifax should immediately act to preserve all documents and communications of the executives in question, and commit to an independent investigation of the possibility of insider trading. What's Next The letter concludes with an acknowledgment of the magnitude of the fast-moving situation, but stresses that the consumers injured by this breach should be the companys first and foremost priority, and Equifax should commit to their protection and to making them whole. The Equifax CEO is scheduled to testify before the House Energy and Commerce committee on October 3. That committee has jurisdiction over the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the agencies responsible for regulating data security. On Thursday the FTC announced that it had launched an investigation into the Equifax breach. "The FTC typically does not comment on ongoing investigations. However, in light of the intense public interest and the potential impact of this matter, I can confirm that FTC staff is investigating the Equifax data breach," Peter Kaplan, the FTCs Acting Director of Public Affairs, told Consumer Reports in an email. Also, Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen has announced that his office has initiated a formal multi-state investigation into the breach. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright 2017, Consumer Reports, Inc. daniel dae kim Ed Skrein exited the "Hellboy" reboot in August following whitewashing backlash, and now Variety reports that Lionsgate is in talks with Daniel Dae Kim to replace him. Shortly after it was announced that Skrein was cast to play Major Ben Daimio, a character of Japanese-American descent in the comics, outrage bubbled up on social media. The film was accused of whitewashing the character by hiring Skrein a white actor. Skrein chose to leave the film amidst the controversy, and penned a heartfelt letter to announce his departure. Skrein wrote, "It is clear that representing this character in a culturally accurate way holds significance for people, and that to neglect this responsibility would continue a worrying tendency to obscure ethnic minority stories and voices in the Arts. I feel it is important to honour and respect that." You can read Skrein's full letter here: A post shared by Ed Skrein (@edskrein) on Aug 28, 2017 at 12:03pm PDT "Hellboy's" whitewashing controversy marks just one of several incidents this year where a white actor has been cast as a character originally portrayed by someone of Asian descent. "Ghost in the Shell," "The Great Wall," and "Doctor Strange," are just a couple recent examples of "whitewashing" in Hollywood. Lionsgate, it appears, is working to distance itself from this by looking at Kim, a Korean-American actor, to play Daimio. Kim recently left "Hawaii Five-O" in July due to a pay dispute with CBS, along with his costar Grace Park. Kim and Park sought equal pay with their white costars, but the studio was unwilling to alter their salaries enough, and gave them a final offer 10-15% less than their costars, according to Variety. But, it looks like this could actually have ended up scoring Kim the role of Daimio, only a few months after leaving "Hawaii Five-O." NOW WATCH: 6 details you might have missed on season 7 episode 6 of 'Game of Thrones' More From Business Insider HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) -- Florida seniors were ushered out of stifling assisted-living centers Thursday while caregivers fought a lack of air conditioning with Popsicles and cool compresses after eight people died at a nursing home in the post-hurricane heat. Dozens of the state's senior centers still lacked electricity in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, and several facilities were forced to evacuate. While detectives sought clues to the deaths, emergency workers went door to door to look for anyone else who was at risk. Fifty-seven residents were moved from a suburban Fort Lauderdale assisted-living facility without power to two nearby homes where power had been restored. Owner Ralph Marrinson said all five of his Florida facilities lost electricity after Irma. Workers scrambled to keep patients cool with emergency stocks of ice and Popsicles. "FPL has got to have a better plan for power," he said, referring to the state's largest utility, Florida Power & Light. "We're supposed to be on a priority list, and it doesn't come and it doesn't come, and frankly it's very scary." Stepped-up safety checks were conducted around the state after eight deaths at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, which shocked Florida's top leaders as they surveyed destruction from the punishing storm. Older people can be more susceptible to heat because their bodies do not adjust to temperatures as well as those of younger people. They do not sweat as much and are more likely to have medical conditions that change how the body responds to heat. They are also more likely to take medication that affects body temperature. Most people who die from high body temperature, known as hyperthermia, are over 50, according to the National Institutes of Health. Statewide, 64 nursing homes were still waiting Thursday for full power, according to the Florida Health Care Association. The separate Florida Assisted Living Association said many of its South Florida members lacked electricity. The group was working on a precise count. Story continues A day earlier near Orlando, firefighters helped relocate 122 people from two assisted-living centers that had been without power since the storm. And at the 15,000-resident Century Village retirement community in Pembroke Pines, where there were also widespread outages, rescue workers went door to door to check on residents and bring ice, water and meals. For older people living on their own, such as 94-year-old Mary Dellaratta, getting help can depend on the attentiveness of neighbors, family and local authorities. The widow evacuated her Naples condominium with the help of police the day before the hurricane. After the storm passed, a deputy took her back home and another brought her food. A deacon from her Roman Catholic church also stopped by. But with no family in the area and neighbors who are gone or unwilling to help, the New York native feels cut off from the world. "I have nobody," she said. The electricity is out in her condo, so there's no television for news. She cannot raise the electric-powered hurricane shutters that cover her kitchen windows. Near the point of despair, remembering to take her medicine or locating her cane are almost insurmountable challenges. "I don't know what to do. How am I going to last here?" she said, as a tear rolled down her cheek. To the east, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation has been checking on elderly residents in their homes and felt a greater sense of urgency after the deaths. CEO Jacob Solomon said the group encouraged people to evacuate before the storm if they could, but now they're focused on helping them in their homes. "At this point, we're better off taking care of them where they are. They didn't leave then. They're not going to leave now. What are you going to do? You go, you check on them, you make sure they have water and food and that's it," he said. "You're not going to convince a 95-year-old Holocaust survivor to do something that she doesn't want to do." Though the number of people with electricity has improved from earlier in the week, some 4.9 million people across the peninsula continued to wait for power. Utility officials warned it could take a week or more for all areas to be back up and running. Including the nursing home deaths, at least 26 people in Florida have died under Irma-related circumstances, and six more in South Carolina and Georgia, many of them well after the storm passed. The death toll across the Caribbean stood at 38. On Thursday, detectives were at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills after receiving a search warrant to investigate the eight patients' deaths, which police believed were heat-related. The center said the hurricane knocked out a transformer that powered the air conditioning. Broward County said the home alerted officials about the situation on Tuesday, but when asked if it had any medical needs or emergencies, it did not request help. But by early Wednesday, the center had placed three calls to report patients in distress, prompting firefighters to search the facility. They found three people dead and evacuated 145 people to hospitals, many on stretchers or in wheelchairs, authorities said. By that afternoon, five more had died. The facility's administrator, Jorge Carballo, said in a statement that it was cooperating fully with authorities. Gov. Rick Scott announced Thursday night that he has directed the Agency for Health Care Administration to terminate the center as a Medicaid provider. The program provides health care for low-income individuals and families. Reached by phone on Thursday, Rosemary Cooper, a licensed practical nurse at the rehabilitation center, declined to discuss specifics about the case, citing the investigation. "The people who were working there worked hard to make a good outcome for our patients," she said. "We cared for them like family." But state records revealed a variety of problems at the center. The center showed deficiencies in maintaining fire and safety standards pertaining to exits and storage areas, as well as more serious problems with its generator maintenance and testing, according to February 2016 reports by Florida Agency for Health Care Administration inspectors. Another 2016 report found problems with respecting patient dignity and maintaining housekeeping services. The ex-husband of 71-year-old victim Gail Nova said her devastated family believes the facility should lose its license. "Someone's got to answer for this. Someone let the ball drop very, very far," Kenneth Nova said by phone from his home in Winter Haven. ___ Reeves reported from Naples. Associated Press writers Tim Reynolds in Aventura; Brendan Farrington, Gary Fineout and Joe Reedy in Tallahassee; Adriana Gomez Licon in Homestead; Michael Melia in Hartford Connecticut and Jennifer Kay, Freida Frisaro, Curt Anderson and David Fischer in Miami contributed to this report. This July 21, 2012, photo shows Equifax Inc., offices in Atlanta. Credit monitoring company Equifax says a breach exposed social security numbers and other data from about 143 million Americans. The Atlanta-based company said Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017, that "criminals" exploited a U.S. website application to access files between mid-May and July of this year. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart) The blows keep coming for Equifax (NYSE:EFX) as shares continue to tumble and the Federal Trade Commission announced plans to open an investigation into the credit reporting company Thursday after the company went public with its massive security breach last week, putting 143 million Americans personal data at risk. In case you missed all drama, heres a timeline of events, involving one of the biggest security breaches of all time. Mid-May through July 2017 This is the time frame in which Equifax says hackers gained unauthorized access to its data. Thursday, July 29 Equifax discovers the hack and immediately stopped the intrusion. Tuesday, August 1 & Wednesday, August 2 Three top executives from Equifax sell nearly $2 million worth of company stock. Thursday, September 7 Equifax officially alerts the public about the cybersecurity incident and provides a dedicated website for consumers to check if they were affected. Later on that night, the company also issues a statement saying the three executives had no knowledge that an intrusion had occurred at the time they sold their shares. Friday, September 8 Shares of Equifax shed more than 13% of their value in trading. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) tears into the company on social media for trying to push customers to give up their right to sue. Equifax releases a statement saying that its controversial arbitration language that appears on its emergency website will not apply to this cybersecurity incident. Monday, September 11 - Two key US senators ask Equifax Inc. to answer detailed questions about a breach of information affecting up to 143 million Americans, including whether U.S. government agency records were compromised in the hack. Tuesday, September 12 - Equifax CEO Richard Smith writes an op-ed for USA Today apologizing for the intrusion and vows to make changes to protect against cyber crimes in the future. Wednesday, September 13 Equifax CEO is formally called to testify before Congress on October 3. Smith will testify before the members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Story continues Thursday, September 14- The Federal Trade Commission says it is investigating the massive data breach. Equifax shares fell 5% to $94.19 in heavy trading after earlier touching $89.59, their lowest since February 2015. Related Articles Equifax (EFX) sank deeper into a controversy over its handling of a data breach that could affect 143 million people, with its shares plunging almost 15 percent on Wednesday after Massachusetts announced plans to file a lawsuit. "This may be the most brazen failure to protect consumer data we have ever seen," Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said in a statement Wednesday. The state had already begun an investigation on Friday, the day after Equifax disclosed the breach, which it discovered internally on July 29. Massachusetts estimated that the personal information of 3 million residents was exposed. Equifax is one of the three major credit reporting companies that gather the data lenders use to judge potential borrowers' creditworthiness. The lawsuit will claim the company didn't maintain the appropriate safeguards to protect the data, violating state consumer protection and data privacy laws. New York state is investigating the breach, and a number of states including Illinois, Pennsylvania and Connecticut have joined together to investigate. Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said Monday that some 5.4 million residents there had personal information compromised. Eric Schneiderman, New York's attorney general, warned people to be vigilant about hacking and other online and email attacks. The breach, exposing names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and driver's license numbers involves 8 million residents, he said. "Hackers are resourceful criminals who are constantly looking to exploit any vulnerabilities," he said. The breach's effect will likely reach to banks, credit card issuers and other financial companies, which have had to contend with large-scale data compromises with increasing frequency. "We don't have proper cyber law, we need to have a way to go after the bad guys," JPMorgan Chase (JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon said Tuesday at the Delivering Alpha conference in New York presented by CNBC and Institutional Investor. Given the growing connectedness of the world, through everything from electric grids to the internet to smart home technology and driverless cars, cybersecurity is "a big deal," Dimon said. Separately, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said at the Delivering Alpha conference that "we are working with all of the intelligence agencies on cyberissues to keep Americans safe." Massachusetts would be the first state to sue, but nearly two dozen class-action lawsuits have been filed against Equifax, and members of the Senate and Congress have demanded information about the nature of the breach and how it was handled within the company. Three executives sold $1.8 million of company stock just days after the breach was discovered, though a company spokeswoman has said the executives weren't aware of the problems at the time. Equifax has struggled to contain the damage from the breach and the reaction to the disclosure, which has erased one-quarter of its market value over the last few days. Responding to confusion and complaints about terms that forced disputes into arbitration rather than allowing lawsuits, Equifax said no one waives their legal rights to sue by signing up for free credit monitoring and identity theft protection. And it said credit monitoring customers won't be automatically enrolled or charged at the end of a free one-year trial. It also said it won't charge for credit report freezes and would refund those who were already charged for that product.Correction: Equifax shares plunged on Wednesday. An earlier version misstated the day. More From CNBC Rain-damaged rural roads left unrepaired Authorities concerned are yet to repair the rural roads that were damaged by monsoon rains in Dhading district. European markets closed Wednesday's trade relatively flat, as a mixed performance from overseas markets and a sharp decline in mining stocks weighed on the region. The pan-European Stoxx 600 (STOXX: .STOXX) edged out of the red by the close, finishing 0.08 percent up provisionally, while sectors pointed in different directions. Looking to bourses, the French CAC 40 (Euronext Paris: .FCHI) and German DAX (XETRA: .GDAXI) ended on a high, closing up 0.17 and 0.23 percent respectively. Meanwhile, a drop in London-listed miners added pressure to the FTSE 100 (FTSE International: .FTSE) , which closed 0.28 percent down. Basic resources stocks led the losses on Wednesday, as profit-taking hit metal prices. The sector fell 1.58 percent at the close after commodity traders said an emergence of funds offloading copper overnight had failed to carry into the market, Reuters reported. Glencore (London Stock Exchange: GLEN-GB) , Antofagasta (London Stock Exchange: ANTO-GB) , BHP Billiton (London Stock Exchange: BLT-GB) and Anglo American (London Stock Exchange: AAL-GB) all finished off 2 percent or more, on the back of a sharp decline in copper and nickel prices. Looking to media stocks, France's Vivendi (Euronext Paris: VIV-FR) , surged towards the top of the benchmark after UBS (Swiss Exchange: UBSG-CH) upgraded its stock rating for the firm to "buy" from "neutral". Its shares finished up 2.78 percent. Meantime, Italy's largest private broadcaster Mediaset (Milan Stock Exchange: MS-IT) was cut to "underperform" from "outperform" by Macquarie. The firm downgraded Mediaset, arguing that Vivendi's attempted takeover of the group no longer appeared imminent. Mediaset sank 5 percent. Elsewhere at the bottom of the benchmarks was Travis Perkins (London Stock Exchange: TPK-GB) , finishing 3.85 percent lower after U.K. home improvement retailer was given an "underperform" rating by Bernstein, according to Reuters. Sticking with British stocks, Tesco (London Stock Exchange: TSCO-GB) and Booker Group (London Stock Exchange: BOK-GB) both finished sharply lower after Exane BNP Paribas cut both stocks to "underperform". Looking to the US: Geopolitics and Apple Overseas, Wall Street traded relatively mixed around Europe's market close on Wednesday, with tech stocks adding pressure to major indexes. This comes as tech giant Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) came under pressure during early U.S. trade, as investors appeared disappointed after news surfaced that the tech giant would not begin taking orders for its eagerly awaited iPhone X model until October . Consequently, European semiconductor firms Dialog Semiconductor (XETRA: DLG-DE) and AMS (Swiss Exchange: AMS-CH) posted declines during trade, both ending in the red as a result. Sticking with U.S. news, despite cooling tensions regarding the Korean peninsula, investors remained wary of another geopolitical flare-up. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that United Nations sanctions imposed on Pyongyang this week were a "very small step" and " nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen " to combat the isolated regime's nuclear program. Global oil demand to exceed expectations in 2017 On the data front, Britain's unemployment rate fell to a new 42-year low of 4.3 percent for the three months to July. However, average weekly earnings were weaker-than-anticipated, rising 2.1 percent in the second-quarter. Meantime, global oil demand appeared set to accelerate faster than expected this year , according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), which has revised up its 2017 growth estimates. Strong second-quarter demand has buoyed oil markets , which have been struggling to rebalance as a supply glut has weighed heavily on prices, the IEA said in its September report released Wednesday. At the market close, Brent and U.S. crude posted gains of more than 1 percent each, hovering at $54.90 and $49.00 respectively. CNBC's Karen Gilchrist contributed to this report. European markets closed Wednesday's trade relatively flat, as a mixed performance from overseas markets and a sharp decline in mining stocks weighed on the region. The pan-European Stoxx 600 (STOXX: .STOXX) edged out of the red by the close, finishing 0.08 percent up provisionally, while sectors pointed in different directions. Looking to bourses, the French CAC 40 (Euronext Paris: .FCHI) and German DAX (XETRA: .GDAXI) ended on a high, closing up 0.17 and 0.23 percent respectively. Meanwhile, a drop in London-listed miners added pressure to the FTSE 100 (FTSE International: .FTSE) , which closed 0.28 percent down. Basic resources stocks led the losses on Wednesday, as profit-taking hit metal prices. The sector fell 1.58 percent at the close after commodity traders said an emergence of funds offloading copper overnight had failed to carry into the market, Reuters reported. Glencore (London Stock Exchange: GLEN-GB) , Antofagasta (London Stock Exchange: ANTO-GB) , BHP Billiton (London Stock Exchange: BLT-GB) and Anglo American (London Stock Exchange: AAL-GB) all finished off 2 percent or more, on the back of a sharp decline in copper and nickel prices. Looking to media stocks, France's Vivendi (Euronext Paris: VIV-FR) , surged towards the top of the benchmark after UBS (Swiss Exchange: UBSG-CH) upgraded its stock rating for the firm to "buy" from "neutral". Its shares finished up 2.78 percent. Meantime, Italy's largest private broadcaster Mediaset (Milan Stock Exchange: MS-IT) was cut to "underperform" from "outperform" by Macquarie. The firm downgraded Mediaset, arguing that Vivendi's attempted takeover of the group no longer appeared imminent. Mediaset sank 5 percent. Elsewhere at the bottom of the benchmarks was Travis Perkins (London Stock Exchange: TPK-GB) , finishing 3.85 percent lower after U.K. home improvement retailer was given an "underperform" rating by Bernstein, according to Reuters. Sticking with British stocks, Tesco (London Stock Exchange: TSCO-GB) and Booker Group (London Stock Exchange: BOK-GB) both finished sharply lower after Exane BNP Paribas cut both stocks to "underperform". Looking to the US: Geopolitics and Apple Overseas, Wall Street traded relatively mixed around Europe's market close on Wednesday, with tech stocks adding pressure to major indexes. This comes as tech giant Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) came under pressure during early U.S. trade, as investors appeared disappointed after news surfaced that the tech giant would not begin taking orders for its eagerly awaited iPhone X model until October . Consequently, European semiconductor firms Dialog Semiconductor (XETRA: DLG-DE) and AMS (Swiss Exchange: AMS-CH) posted declines during trade, both ending in the red as a result. Sticking with U.S. news, despite cooling tensions regarding the Korean peninsula, investors remained wary of another geopolitical flare-up. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that United Nations sanctions imposed on Pyongyang this week were a "very small step" and " nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen " to combat the isolated regime's nuclear program. Global oil demand to exceed expectations in 2017 On the data front, Britain's unemployment rate fell to a new 42-year low of 4.3 percent for the three months to July. However, average weekly earnings were weaker-than-anticipated, rising 2.1 percent in the second-quarter. Meantime, global oil demand appeared set to accelerate faster than expected this year , according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), which has revised up its 2017 growth estimates. Strong second-quarter demand has buoyed oil markets , which have been struggling to rebalance as a supply glut has weighed heavily on prices, the IEA said in its September report released Wednesday. At the market close, Brent and U.S. crude posted gains of more than 1 percent each, hovering at $54.90 and $49.00 respectively. CNBC's Karen Gilchrist contributed to this report. More From CNBC By Daina Beth Solomon MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc is preparing to open a 1 million square-foot warehouse near Mexico City, sources familiar with the project said, part of an effort to boost its presence in Mexico's nascent e-commerce industry. The new warehouse is slated to be built in the Tepotzotlan municipality about 25 miles (40 km) north of the Mexican capital, according to four Mexico City real estate professionals familiar with the plans. Expected to be completed next year, the facility would triple Amazon's distribution space in Mexico, home to around 120 million potential customers. Amazon's Mexico push comes amid talks to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement, which could benefit the Seattle-based retailer if the United States persuades Mexico to raise a $50 limit on the value of online purchases that can be imported duty-free. Amazon is a relative newcomer to Mexico; it opened its Kindle e-books site to Mexican customers in 2013 and expanded into sales of physical goods just two years ago. But it is growing much faster than rivals such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc, and is already the nation's third-largest online retailer. Amazon posted $253 million in sales in Mexico last year, more than double the year before, according to market research firm Euromonitor International. Sharing a nearly 2,000-mile long border with the United States, Mexico would seem a logical place for Amazon to expand. But duplicating the company's U.S.-style success could prove tougher. Online shopping comprises nearly 3 percent of all retail sales in Mexico compared with over 10 percent in the United States. Some Mexican shoppers are wary of online fraud and many do not have credit cards. Some analysts believe Amazon is willing to take the risk as it races to bulk up in foreign markets to compete with fast-moving global competitors such as China's Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. "Amazon is not afraid to plow into a new market in a very big way, take a big hit, but say, 10 years down the line, this is going to be big and profitable," said Neil Saunders, managing director at the GlobalData Retail research firm. Amazon spokesman Julio Gil declined to comment on plans for a new warehouse in Mexico. He said the company's Mexican unit is aiming to expand its product offerings, offer faster deliveries and make the purchasing process as smooth and secure as possible to inspire consumer confidence. "We're trying to eliminate any friction," Gil said. Amazons stock climbed more than 1 percent on Wednesday, reaching $994.10 a share by early afternoon. FLUID LOGISTICS Amazon currently operates two distribution centers in Mexico totaling more than 500,000 square feet (46,452 sq m), Gil said. Both are in Cuautitlan Izcalli in the state of Mexico, adjacent to the autonomous district of Mexico City, whose metro area is home to more than 20 million people. The new warehouse will be constructed about 7 miles (11 km) from the existing facilities. All are located along the so-called "NAFTA" highway, an industrial belt that runs through Mexico's factory regions to the U.S. border. The new facility is being built by U.S.-based industrial developer Prologis, which owns 45.9 percent of Fibra Prologis, a Mexico-based real estate investment trust that owns 34.2 million square feet (3.2 million sq m) of manufacturing and logistics space across Mexico. Fibra Prologis typically acquires properties from Prologis once they are completed. Prologis declined to comment on Amazon's tenancy, while Fibra Prologis declined interview requests. At 1 million square feet, the new facility would be able to distribute bulky products such as furniture, as well as small items like books and microwaves, a set-up Amazon uses in other foreign countries, said Marc Wulfraat, president of the logistics consultancy firm MWPVL International. If about 85 percent of the space is used for small products typical of a U.S. warehouse set-up Amazon would be able to store 15 million products and make up to 1 million deliveries a day nationwide. It would likely employ 2,000 to 3,000 people to handle the shipments, Wulfraat said. The location could also serve as a distribution point for products going north to the United States, added Saunders from GlobalData. "Amazon is very fluid with its logistics," he said. "As long as that border is reasonably open, Amazon is very agnostic." MEXICAN RETICENCE ONLINE Amazon's global operations stretch across 14 countries including Latin America's most populous nations, Brazil and Mexico. That footprint fueled $11.5 billion in net international sales in the second quarter, just over half the size of Amazon's North American sales. Amazon's 2016 Mexico sales fell well behind the market leader, Argentina's MercadoLibre Inc, with $435 million in sales, according to Euromonitor. Still Amazon edged out No. 4 Wal-Mart and was neck-and-neck with third-place Linio, a division of Berlin-based Rocket Internet . All are fighting for loyalty from consumers largely unaccustomed to clickable shopping and wary of credit card and mail fraud. "Much of the reticence of Mexican shoppers to make purchases online is uncertainty," said Carlos Hermosillo Bernal, an analyst at Actinver. "Will I get the product? Is it what was being offered? What guarantee do I have?" That reluctance may fade as Mexico's middle- and upper-class millennials gain purchasing power. Mexico City-based college student Daniel Arturo Munoz Castro, 20, said he has purchased board games, smartphone accessories and t-shirts on Amazon's app. He appreciates the variety of products and ease of use, even though his father first thought it might be a scam. For a graphic on Amazons two years of growth in Mexico click http://tmsnrt.rs/2f3NVeN "It's not like other web pages when you order things, and perhaps they don't arrive. It's very safe," he said. Still, Mexico's vast wealth disparity and cultural differences lead some analysts to doubt whether Amazon can replicate a U.S. shopping concept. Amazon backed off from its investments in China, for example, after struggling to understand the local markets, said Gene Munster, managing partner at Loup Ventures. "If they largely failed in China, why try in Mexico, Brazil or India? The answer is they haven't failed yet in those areas, and they may be able to right the ship," he said. TWEAKING TRADE RULES If the United States, Mexico and Canada raise the value of online purchases that can be imported duty-free as part of a modernized North American Free Trade Agreement, Amazon may be poised to reap rewards in Mexico. The proposal, which is backed by U.S. trade representatives, would push the duty-free limit on imports to about $800 from thresholds of $50 in Mexico and C$20 ($16.5) in Canada. That would give consumers in those countries an incentive to buy big-ticket products online from the United States, an idea that President Donald Trump has championed in his "Buy American" agenda. Mexican negotiators, however, are treading cautiously amid push-back from Mexican industries such as textiles and footwear. "We have to find a middle point that does not damage our economies with extreme liberalization," Mexico Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said at the conclusion of NAFTA talks in Mexico City early this month. The next round is scheduled for Ottawa in late September. International trade analyst Claude Barfield of the American Enterprise Institute anticipates that even a compromise is unlikely to dash Amazon's plans for Mexico. "I can't imagine this would be a deal-breaker," he said. (This version of the story has been corrected to clarify Fibra Prologis relationship to warehouse project) (Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Marla Dickerson) FILE - This July 21, 2012, file photo shows Equifax Inc., offices in Atlanta. On Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, Equifax said it has made changes to address customer complaints since it disclosed a week earlier that it exposed vital data on about 143 million Americans. Equifax has come under fire from members of Congress, state attorneys general, and people who are getting conflicting answers about whether their information was stolen. Equifax is trying again to clarify language about peoples right to sue, and said Monday it has made changes to address customer complaints. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File) NEW YORK (AP) -- Credit agency Equifax traced the theft of sensitive information about 143 million Americans to a software flaw that could have been fixed well before the burglary occurred, further undermining its credibility as the guardian of personal data that can easily be used for identity theft. Equifax identified a weakness in an open-source software package called Apache Struts as the technological crack that allowed hackers to heist Social Security numbers, birthdates, addresses and full legal names from a massive database maintained primarily for lenders. SECURITY FOR DUMMIES The disclosure , made late Wednesday, cast the company's damaging security lapse in an even harsher light. The software problem was detected in March and a recommended software patch was released shortly afterward. Equifax said the database intrusion began in May and continued until July. Security experts said Equifax had more than enough opportunity to block intruders by sealing the security hole. "There is no excuse for not following basic cybersecurity hygiene," said Nate Fick, CEO of the security firm Endgame. "Some heads should definitely roll for this; it's only a question of how many." The company didn't respond to inquiries on Thursday. Equifax was already under fire for not disclosing the break-in until Sept. 7 nearly six weeks after the company discovered it as well as for its handling of consumer inquiries about their exposure whether their personal information had been compromised and how they could protect their identities. THE ENRON COMPARISON On Thursday, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, called for the resignations of CEO Richard Smith and Equifax's entire board of directors unless the company offers consumers more comprehensive identity-theft protection for the next decade. So far, Equifax is merely offering free credit monitoring for a year. It's also temporarily waiving fees for people who freeze their credit records to prevent identity thieves from defrauding them. Story continues "What has transpired over the past several months is one of the most egregious examples of corporate malfeasance since Enron," Schumer said, invoking the name of a notorious company that manipulated energy markets and eventually went bankrupt. Investors are clearly concerned about Equifax's fate. The company's stock has lost nearly a third of its value since it disclosed the breach. Three Equifax executives, including the company's chief financial officer, preserved a significant chunk of their wealth by selling stock worth a combined $1.8 million just after management learned of the breach, but well before the public was notified. Equifax said last week that the officials didn't know about the breach at the time of those sales. MORE INVESTIGATION In another sign of the storm swirling around Equifax, the Federal Trade Commission took the unusual step of announcing it has opened a probe into the company's practices. The FTC is not the only Washington authority looking into the breach. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau previously announced its own investigation, and the House Financial Services Committee plans to hold hearings on the breach in early October when Smith is scheduled to testify. Politicians from both major parties are calling for additional investigations by Congress or the Department of Justice, raising the possibility of criminal charges. A proposal to impose sweeping reforms on Equifax and its two main peers, TransUnion and Experian, also has been drawn up by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-California. _____ Liedtke reported from San Francisco. publix As Hurricane Irmarocked Florida, many people evacuated the area, concerned for their homes, businesses, and loved ones. However, in the face of disaster, some cake makers at regional grocery chain Publix took a more light-hearted approach. Over the last week, customers of the Lakeland, Florida-based grocer have been posting photos of Hurricane Irma-themed cakes spotted at stores. Some designs were artistic reproductions of the storm: #publix #publixcake #publixcakes #publixbakery #877 hurricane Irma cookie cake and brownie bites. A post shared by (@mariposa1026) on Sep 7, 2017 at 3:48pm PDT on Sep 7, 2017 at 3:48pm PDT #publixcake A post shared by Erin.Ashley (@erin.redshaw) on Sep 9, 2017 at 10:00am PDT on Sep 9, 2017 at 10:00am PDT My sister bought a hurricane Irma cake from @Publix this is the best thing ever made I'm so happy pic.twitter.com/twDKxM6fMr Jaclyn (@heyitsJaclyn) September 9, 2017 Others had a more direct message: "Go away Irma." Go away Irma! Praying for our Florida family!! #publixcake #publixcakes #publixfamily #decoratorlife #bakerygirl #hurricaneirma2017 #prayforthesouth #prayforflorida A post shared by Stef Olson (@stefolson) on Sep 10, 2017 at 10:43am PDT on Sep 10, 2017 at 10:43am PDT Guys, my sister got a hurricane cake from @Publix! #Irma can come now. pic.twitter.com/F5NsxkKiIp Christie Ebanks (@christielebanks) September 8, 2017 This cake from a Publix in Jacksonville is saying what we're all thinking. #Irma #HurricaneIrma pic.twitter.com/LMwf4e2JZy Bryan Johnson (@BryanJohnson__) September 7, 2017 One Publix reportedly delivered groceries and a "weather it out" cake to first responders in Jacksonville, Florida. Story continues Now that residents are returning to Florida, at least one Publix is baking some new cakes to celebrate. Most Floridians seem to see the cakes as a much-appreciated chance to laugh in the face of a hurricane. @publixhelps this is great. We all need a sense of humor during these stressful times. Kudos to the bakery. Don Price (@Orlando_Sexton) September 7, 2017 Yes and I bet it tastes good too. Gotta laugh at it or at least with it. Sense of humor is far greater than a sense of dread Brian D. Miller (@Txmedic5) September 6, 2017 It probably helps that Publix is a Florida institution. One Twitter user went as far as making a tongue-in-cheek joke comparing the Publix sign to the American flag battered, but standing tall after Irma's fury. Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there pic.twitter.com/evmNpa2ymz Spencer Pardo (@PardoSpencer) September 10, 2017 Publix didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's inquiry regarding the grocery chain's policy on hurricane-themed cakes. We will update the post if we get more information on the cakes including where interested customers can buy one. NOW WATCH: How airplanes fly those giant banner ads it's more dangerous than you think More From Business Insider Chinas e-commerce giant Alibaba baba celebrated its 18th anniversary last week with a lavish party in Hangzhou, where it is headquartered. At the center was founder and executive chairman Jack Ma, who turned the Sept. 8 annual party into a Michael Jackson-inspired dance off. A video tweeted by Chinese business news outlet Yicai Global shows Ma enter the stage incognito, wearing a military style outfit and a mask in gold and silver. After breaking out a few moves to the iconic opening bars of Billie Jean, Ma removed his mask to cheers and applause in the auditorium. A group of dancers in identical outfits then joined Ma onstage in a group dance, set to a medley of Jacksons hits. The dancers were Alibaba employees, reports CNBC. Jack Ma performs Michael Jackson dance on 2017 Alibaba Annual Party???? pic.twitter.com/TAThZbFxrc Yicai Global ???? (@yicaichina) September 11, 2017 The tribute to the King of Pop isnt the first Jack Ma musical number at an Alibaba celebration, according to CNBC. In 2009, he sang parts of the Lion King theme song Can You Feel the Love Tonight on stage dressed in a leather jacket, mohawk and noise ring. Apart from turning 18, Alibaba has many other reasons to feel celebratory. Driven by a strong performance in cloud computing and e-commerce, its first-quarter revenue grew by 56% beating analysts expectations. Meanwhile its stock price is up by over 81% this year. From Woman's Day OFFICIAL RULES NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. 1. WINNER SELECTION: Winners (individually and collectively, the "Winner") will be selected on or about 11/30/2017 in a random drawing from among all eligible entries received. Each sweepstakes is a different drawing that must be entered separately. 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Story continues Klipsch Sweepstakes: Enter beginning September 14, 2017, at 12:01 a.m. (ET) through November 14, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. (ET) (the "Entry Period"). Go to womansday.com/giveaways on a computer or wireless device and complete and submit the entry form pursuant to the onscreen instructions. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR ENTRY WILL NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL YOU HAVE COMPLETED THE OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM AND ENTERED YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION. Prizes & Approximate Retail Value: One (1) winner will receive a Klipsch RSB-8 sound bar and wireless subwoofer (ARV: $499.00). Total ARV of all prizes awarded: $499.00. Any difference between the stated ARV and the actual value of the prize will not be awarded in any form. 3. ENTRIES: Limit one (1) entry per person per day for Sweepstakes. Multiple entries from the same person per day will be disqualified. Entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be returned. Proof of submission does not constitute proof of receipt. 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SPONSOR: The Sponsor of these Sweepstakes is Hearst Communications, Inc., 300 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. You Might Also Like Rs 50 billion US grant-assistance: MoU signing today A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is being signed at Washington on Thursday in regard to the US government's grant-assistance worth around Rs 50 billion to Nepal. The Google logo is pictured atop an office building in Irvine, California, U.S. August 7, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake By Daniel Wiessner (Reuters) - Three female former employees of Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google filed a lawsuit on Thursday accusing the tech company of discriminating against women in pay and promotions. The proposed class action lawsuit, filed in California state court in San Francisco, comes as Google faces an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor into sex bias in pay practices. The lawsuit appears to be the first to make class action sex bias claims against Google, but is only the latest instance of a major tech company being accused of discriminating against women. The Department of Labor sued Oracle America Inc in January, claiming it paid white men more than women and minorities with similar jobs. Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) and Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) are facing sex bias lawsuits, and Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) last year settled claims for $19.5 million. Meanwhile, Uber Technologies Inc in June said it would make a series of changes after a former engineer in a blog post accused the ride-hailing service of condoning rampant sexism. The plaintiffs in Thursday's lawsuit are a former Google software engineer, a former communications specialist and a former manager who worked in various roles at the Mountain View, California-based company. They say Google pays women in California less than men who perform similar work, and assigns female workers jobs that are less likely to lead to promotions. "While Google has been an industry-leading tech innovator, its treatment of female employees has not entered the 21st century," Kelly Dermody, a lawyer for the women, said in a statement. Google spokeswoman Gina Scigliano denied the claims in a statement. She said employment decisions are made by hiring and promotion committees, and are vetted "to make sure there is no gender bias." "If we ever see individual discrepancies or problems, we work to fix them, because Google has always sought to be a great employer, for every one of our employees," she said. Story continues The plaintiffs say Google violated California laws requiring equal pay for similar work and prohibiting unfair and unlawful business practices. They are seeking to represent a class of women who worked at Google in California over the last four years. The Labor Department investigation stems from a 2015 audit in which the department says it discovered sex-based wage gaps among Google workers. The department last month appealed an administrative judge's July decision that rejected its request for contact information for more than 20,000 Google employees. (Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York; editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Andrew Hay) The Google logo is pictured atop an office building in Irvine, California, U.S. August 7, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake (Reuters) By Daniel Wiessner (Reuters) - Three female former employees of Alphabet Inc's Google filed a lawsuit on Thursday accusing the tech company of discriminating against women in pay and promotions. The proposed class action lawsuit, filed in California state court in San Francisco, comes as Google faces an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor into sex bias in pay practices. The lawsuit appears to be the first to make class action sex bias claims against Google, but is only the latest instance of a major tech company being accused of discriminating against women. The Department of Labor sued Oracle America Inc in January, claiming it paid white men more than women and minorities with similar jobs. Microsoft Corp and Twitter Inc are facing sex bias lawsuits, and Qualcomm Inc last year settled claims for $19.5 million. Meanwhile, Uber Technologies Inc in June said it would make a series of changes after a former engineer in a blog post accused the ride-hailing service of condoning rampant sexism. The plaintiffs in Thursday's lawsuit are a former Google software engineer, a former communications specialist and a former manager who worked in various roles at the Mountain View, California-based company. They say Google pays women in California less than men who perform similar work, and assigns female workers jobs that are less likely to lead to promotions. "While Google has been an industry-leading tech innovator, its treatment of female employees has not entered the 21st century," Kelly Dermody, a lawyer for the women, said in a statement. Google spokeswoman Gina Scigliano denied the claims in a statement. She said employment decisions are made by hiring and promotion committees, and are vetted "to make sure there is no gender bias." "If we ever see individual discrepancies or problems, we work to fix them, because Google has always sought to be a great employer, for every one of our employees," she said. Story continues The plaintiffs say Google violated California laws requiring equal pay for similar work and prohibiting unfair and unlawful business practices. They are seeking to represent a class of women who worked at Google in California over the last four years. The Labor Department investigation stems from a 2015 audit in which the department says it discovered sex-based wage gaps among Google workers. The department last month appealed an administrative judge's July decision that rejected its request for contact information for more than 20,000 Google employees. (Reporting by Daniel Wiessner in Albany, New York; editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Andrew Hay) By Joe Brock JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Global consultancy McKinsey, facing parliamentary hearings in South Africa over payments to a firm controlled by a billionaire family, ignored suspicions raised over several years by local senior staff that companies it worked with were set up to steer state contracts, two former employees said. Since July, when new information emerged about McKinsey's flagship South African contract, the consultancy has been under increasing scrutiny in a widening corruption scandal over the influence of the Gupta family, businessman friends of President Jacob Zuma. South Africa's parliamentary committee on public enterprises is investigating whether McKinsey knowingly let funds from state utility Eskom be diverted to a Gupta company as a way of securing a $78 million contract to advise Eskom. McKinsey denies wrongdoing and says it intends to cooperate with the authorities if evidence of any impropriety emerges. "We hold ourselves to the highest professional standards wherever we work and stand firmly against corruption. We are committed to ascertaining the facts and swiftly taking any and all appropriate action," spokesman Steve John told Reuters. McKinsey has hired law firm Norton Rose Fullbright to assist in an internal investigation. Norton Rose said it would not comment while its probe is under way. The accounts by the two former employees, who spoke to Reuters separately on condition of anonymity because their present jobs do not permit them to speak to the media, could provide fodder for lawmakers who say they have questions about the timeline McKinsey has given of when it learned of potential problems. McKinsey says it carried out a due diligence review on its partner in the Eskom deal beginning in January 2016, and cut all ties with the local firm two months later after it concluded the company was unfit. We carry out checks on suppliers and partners when we work with them and address issues and concerns when they arise. When concerns were raised we undertook due diligence, spokesman John said in a written response to questions. But the ex-employees said they had attended meetings in Johannesburg where problems with that firm and a precursor company employing the same principal staff had been discussed much earlier: as far back as 2013. The ex-employees said they would have expected such concerns to have been escalated to managers outside South Africa, although they did not know if that had happened. Ultimately, McKinsey accepted the Eskom account in spite of the warnings, the sources said. "We turned a blind eye," said one. McKinsey spokesman John said he could not comment on meetings that may have taken place without knowing the names of the participants. Natasha Mazzone of the opposition Democratic Alliance, a member of the parliamentary committee investigating the affair, said the committee would be looking at what McKinsey knew, and when, about the intentions of its local partners. If McKinsey is found to have been deliberately misleading South Africa and assisting in state capture, they will certainly be held to account and recommendations will be made to the portfolio committee. "STATE OF CAPTURE" McKinsey's Eskom contract was huge for the consultancy, accounting for more than half of its South African revenue, according to the two ex-employees. The deal coalesced even as a number of other business services firms were curtailing their work for South African state firms in the wake of an anti-corruption watchdog's report into the Guptas. The 355-page report by the constitutionally-mandated Public Protector watchdog, entitled "State of Capture", accused the government of improperly steering hundreds of millions of dollars in state contracts to Gupta-controlled firms. The Guptas and President Zuma deny wrongdoing and say the scandal has been manufactured to undermine Zuma's leadership. While McKinsey was working for Eskom in 2015-2016, Eskom paid 30 percent of the deal's value to a firm called Trillian, which was controlled at the time by a Gupta family ally. The three parties, McKinsey, Eskom and Trillian, have given contradictory explanations for the payments to Trillian. Eskom says it paid because it was told by McKinsey that Trillian was McKinsey's subcontractor. The utility declined to answer further questions for this story. Trillian, in response to Reuters questions, said it "was the partner of McKinsey and was paid its proportionate share of what McKinsey and Trillian billed against work done." It said it was no longer controlled by the Guptas, as longterm Gupta family business partner Salim Essa had sold his shares this year. Essa did not respond to requests for comment. McKinsey has long said it was not responsible for the payments, never had any contractual relationship with Trillian and had severed all ties with the company in March 2016. But in July this year, several South African newspapers released a leaked Feb. 2016 letter by a McKinsey director instructing Eskom to pay Trillian and describing Trillian as McKinsey's subcontractor. McKinsey says the letter "inaccurately characterised" its relationship with Trillian. The McKinsey director who wrote it, Vikas Sagar, has been placed on leave pending the outcome of McKinsey's internal investigation. Sagar did not respond to attempts to reach him on social media, and McKinsey declined to make him available for comment. Mazzone of the opposition Democratic Alliance said: We need to establish why a firm like McKinsey agreed to a 30 percent share of work with Trillian in the first place, when exactly they realised that siphoning to Gupta companies was taking place and if they alerted the Minister of Public Enterprises to possible concerns. TIMELINE The two ex-employees said McKinsey's South African office had been wrestling for years with the question of whether it was working with local companies that were little more than window-dressing to get contracts. Trillian was formed in 2015 by directors from another firm called Regiments, and employed many of the same principal staff. Regiments had already been McKinsey's local partner on another contract since 2012, and the ex-employees said McKinsey's office considered the new company to be a spin-off of the older one, intended to play a similar role in future deals. According to the ex-employees, McKinsey partners in South Africa told managers in the country that they thought both Regiments and Trillian had few capabilities, and were valuable mainly for political connections necessary to secure contracts. At least two (Johannesburg-based) partners raised concerns about using Regiments as a sub-contractor back in 2013. It seemed clear Regiments was a way of us winning the contract and if we caused a fuss we would lose business," one of the ex-employees said. We had several meetings between 2013 and 2016 at top level locally about Regiments and Trillian, where it was asked: how are these unqualified companies winning us contracts? Why are the contract amounts so favourable? Why do we have to use them to get business? In a statement to Reuters, Regiments strongly rejected the suggestion that it was employed by McKinsey solely to win contracts. Regiments had received "numerous client and McKinsey acknowledgements of our value add and delivery," it said. "Regiments was never involved in the procurement process, except to provide our profile to McKinsey on a few occasions." According to the ex-employees, as the Eskom deal was coming together in 2015, there was strong resistance within McKinsey's South Africa office to working with Regiments personnel and their new vehicle Trillian on the Eskom bid. They said a McKinsey partner approached an Eskom board member in September 2015 to say that McKinsey did not want to work with either Regiments or Trillian, due to concerns over the ownership of those companies and their capabilities. A former Eskom executive, who also spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, confirmed that conversation took place. The McKinsey ex-employees said the partner who made the overture to the Eskom board member was shifted off the project and replaced by Sagar, who was promoted to the rank of director. Sagar then wrote his letter to Eskom describing Trillian as McKinsey's subcontractor and instructing Eskom to pay it. The Eskom deal was too big to jeopardise by looking too closely at the role of the Guptas, the ex-employees said. "Losing a contract of that size would have serious implications for the business and staff in South Africa," said one. "It was considered a risk worth taking." ($1 = 12.9514 rand) (Editing by Peter Graff) Kiss frontman Gene Simmons, shown in this file photo from May 18, 2016, is offering a box set featuring 150 unreleased tracks. For a cool $50,000, he'll personally deliver "The Vault" to fans in the US and hang out for two hours (AFP Photo/FREDERIC J. BROWN) (AFP/File) New York (AFP) - Curious about Kiss songs that never made the band's 20 albums -- and have $50,000 to spare? Gene Simmons wants to share his unreleased tracks, and will come to you. The bassist and songwriter of the fire-breathing, makeup-wearing hard rockers has announced a box set that is among the most expensive ever created. Dubbed "The Vault," the collection comes with 10 CDs featuring 150 unreleased songs by Simmons, which he described primarily as solo work but at times feature Kiss bandmates. The music will come in a literal 38- pound (17-kilogram) vault complete with a leather-bound book of photographs, a "non-makeup action figure" of Simmons and a medallion that, adapting a US national motto, reads "In Gene We Trust." The 68-year-old rocker, sporting dark shades, said he spent three years designing "The Vault." He announced it through an online video reminiscent of late-night infomercials, showing him presenting the package to a delighted family. "The Vault" starts at $2,000, with Simmons delivering it to fans at meet-and-greets in cities across North America and select overseas spots including London, Mexico City and Tokyo. But for $50,000, Simmons will deliver "The Vault" to homes in the continental United States, with fans getting two hours to enjoy his company. "Gene will be bringing the Vault. You as the host will be bringing the party. You are in charge of supplying food and drinks," explained a sales website. With his snake-like tongue and his boasts of sleeping with thousands of women, the Israeli-born bassist shaped the image of Kiss whose concerts starting in the 1970s took on a carnival atmosphere with pyrotechnics and ample testosterone. The new iPhone X and the Apple Watch Series 3 are seen here. (Apple) Apple CEO Tim Cook called the new iPhone X the companys biggest leap forward since the original iPhone, and if youre a Canadian consumer who wants to be a part of that jump and get your hands on the hotly anticipated device, heres what you need to know. Where you can get it Consumers will be able to order iPhone X from Apples website or it will be sold by most major mobile carriers in Canada, according to iMore, including: Rogers Bell Telus Videotron Virgin Mobile Koodo MTS SaskTel There is one major omission: it remains unclear if Freedom Mobile will carry the new devices. The mobile provider has never sold brand new iPhones in the past. However, the potentially good news for customers is that the iPhone X is compatible with Band 66 LTE, which Freedom Mobile relies on almost exclusively, according to Mobile Syrup. Were committed to working with new and existing technology partners to provide our Freedom Mobile customers with the products and services theyre looking for, Chethan Lakshman, vice-president of external affairs at Freedom Mobile, said in a statement emailed to Yahoo Canada Finance. How long do I have to wait? The iPhone X will be available for pre-order on Oct. 27 and will be released on Nov. 3. Whats the hit to your wallet? Pretty hefty. With a price tag of $1,319 for the 64GB model and $1,529 for the 256GB configuration, the iPhone X will be most expensive iPhone to date. This steep price will also exceed that of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, which will go on sale Friday for $1,299. Samsungs flagship device, the Galaxy S8, was also available at a significantly lower price point ($1,035) upon its release earlier this year. And many Canadians seem disappointed by the new iPhones high-end price. Me when I hear American friends complaining #iPhoneX is $999 me while in Canada is $1562 (with taxes). @VenyaGeskin1 @tailosivetech pic.twitter.com/FWHtVA9Hpb dario (@dylgomez) September 13, 2017 #AppleEvent youll need a mortgage to get #iphoneX in Canada, 64gb will set you back $1319! This is getting to be ridiculous. Alex K (@Mr_thursday1) September 12, 2017 #iPhoneX minimum price in Canada is $1319. With tax is $1500. Thats one year of fulltime tuition. Jesus. #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/kg3IyTuDaa Dr. Taha (@DrTahhaa) September 12, 2017 Apple Watch 3 Meanwhile, the new Apple Watch Series 3, which has cellular access, will start at $519. The version without LTE starts at $429. Story continues However, it may be harder to come by than the new iPhone. According to the Financial Post, the cellular model will only be carried by Bell and Telus. Sarah Schmidt, the media relations director for Rogers Communications, told Yahoo Canada Finance in an email that the company and Fido, which is owned by Rogers, are focusing on the release of the new iPhone models, but customers could see the Apple Watch added to its lineup down the road. Rogers and Fido are not currently carrying the Apple Watch, she said. We will look at launching the cellular Apple Watch next year as we build system functionality to support this technology based on open standards. Editors Note: An earlier version of this story said Fido will be carrying the iPhone X. Fido will not be carrying the device, and has been removed from the list. blue bottle coffee company Nestle is dropping up to $500 million to take a majority stake in the hip coffee brand Blue Bottle Coffee. The Swiss company is taking a 68% stake in Blue Bottle, the Financial Times reported Thursday. The deal values the coffee chain and roastery at more than $700 million. Blue Bottle, which now has more than 50 locations, has spent the past 15 years winning over coffee snobs since being founded in Oakland, California, in the early 2000s. The chain is known for its freshly roasted beans and coffee shops, which have become a Silicon Valley favorite. The deal lends Nestle Blue Bottle's hip, coffee-snob-approved reputation. And, it gives the small chain access to huge amounts of cash from the largest food company in the world. "My goal as CEO has been to secure a sustainable future for Blue Bottle Coffee that would enable it to flourish for many years to come," Blue Bottle Coffee CEO Bryan Meehan said in a statement. "I'm excited to work with Nestle to take a long-term approach to becoming a global leader in specialty coffee." blue bottle coffee Blue Bottle said in a joint statement with Nestle that it planned to open 55 stores by the end of this year, compared with just 29 at the end of 2016. There are Blue Bottle stores in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York City, Tokyo, and Washington, DC. Blue Bottle has raised $120 million over the past 15 years from investors including Morgan Stanley, Fidelity Management and Research, and True Ventures as well as celebrities including Bono, Jared Leto, and Tony Hawk. Starbucks executives have said independent, trendy coffee shops are the biggest threat to their business. With Blue Bottle backed by a company with billions of dollars in annual revenue, the trendy chain has the potential to become a major threat to the coffee giant. NOW WATCH: I tried those trendy subscription boxes and it helped me realize the biggest problem with my style More From Business Insider Samsung Galaxy Note 8 to be launched next week The latest flagship device from Samsung is set to arrive in Nepal next week, according to the official Samsung distributor in Nepal, Integrated Mobility Solutions (IMS). The Note 8 follows a similar design aesthethic as the S8 and S8+, utilising the Infinity Display. The Note 8 has a 6.3-inch screen that is IP68 certified which allows the phone to be used under water for 30 minutes at depths of less than 1.5 metre. It is equipped with dual 12 MP rear cameras and a 8 MP front facing camera. The S Pen stylus that comes with all Note series smartphones is improved and allows the user to use the Note 8 as a tool to express their creativity or for productivity. (PR) Susan Rice Former national security adviser Susan Rice told the House Intelligence Committee that she "unmasked" the names of President Donald Trump's associates because she wanted to find out why the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates visited Trump Tower in New York last year without notifying the US government, CNN reported on Wednesday. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, UAE's crown prince, traveled to New York during the transition period in December 2016 and reportedly met with former national security adviser Michael Flynn, Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon. According to CNN, the Obama administration felt "misled" by the UAE, which was why Rice requested that Trump associates' names be unmasked. A senior Middle East official acknowledged to CNN that the UAE did not inform the US of the crown prince's visit in advance but denied that the UAE had misled the Obama administration. The official said that the December Trump Tower meeting was merely part of an effort to build a relationship with the incoming administration. The crown prince's trip to New York came shortly before the UAE brokered a January 11 meeting between a Trump associate and a Russian close to President Vladimir Putin in the Seychelles islands to create a back channel of communication between Trump and Russia. UAE officials reportedly facilitated the meeting in the hopes of encouraging Russia to distance itself from Iran, a major Kremlin ally. The Trump administration has often expressed its skepticism of Iran, and Trump on the campaign trail frequently derided the 2015 nuclear deal Iran reached with the US and five world powers. News of Rice's unmasking request first emerged in April, when Bloomberg reported that Rice had tried to learn the identities of several Trump transition team members whose communications with foreign officials were picked up as part of the US' routine intelligence-gathering operations. Story continues According to Bloomberg, documents showing that Rice made the unmasking requests were uncovered by the National Security Council's former senior director for intelligence, Ezra Cohen-Watnick, who was fired by national security adviser H.R. McMaster in July. Cohen-Watnick was involved in providing documents related to the incidental surveillance of members of Trump's transition team to House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes in March. devin nunes Although Nunes recused himself from his committee's investigation, he subpoenaed the National Security Agency, the CIA, and the FBI in May without telling his Democratic colleagues for intelligence documents containing details of any unmasking requests made by Obama administration officials and the former CIA director to learn the names of Trump associates who communicated with foreign officials. Trump and his allies have painted Rice's unmasking requests as inappropriate and political in nature, but Rice told NBC's Andrea Mitchell in April that allegations she unmasked Trump associates for political reasons were "absolutely false." Further, national security experts agree that Rice's reported requests to identify which Trump associates were speaking with foreign officials before he was inaugurated were neither unusual nor against the law. "The identities of US persons may be released under two circumstances: 1) the identity is needed to make sense of the intercept; 2) if a crime is involved in the conversation," Robert Deitz, a former senior counselor to the CIA director and former general counsel at the National Security Agency, told Business Insider in an earlier interview. Members of the House Intelligence Committee appear to concur with that assessment. "I didn't hear anything to believe that she did anything illegal," Republican Florida Rep. Tom Rooney told CNN of Rice's testimony. South Carolina Rep. Trey Gowdy, who is one of the lawmakers spearheading the House investigation, told the Daily Caller "nothing that came up in her interview that led me to conclude" that she made inappropriate unmasking requests. "She was a good witness, answered all our questions," Rep. Mike Conaway, the Texas Republican who took over leading the House Russia investigation after Nunes stepped down, told CNN. "I'm not aware of any reason to bring her back." Natasha Bertrand contributed reporting. NOW WATCH: Trump threatens to shut down the government if the border wall isn't funded More From Business Insider Investors see oil prices rising only modestly despite the market tightening, the International Energy Agency said Wednesday. (AFP Photo/ADRIAN DENNIS) Paris (AFP) - There are signs the global oil market is returning to balance and stocks of oil products in industrialised nations could soon fall below their five-year average, the IEA said Wednesday. The International Energy Agency also said production by the OPEC cartel and its allies fell in August and compliance with their pact to cut supply to the markets increased. OPEC and a number of other producers including Russia agreed last year on production cuts to ease a global supply glut, but prices haven't risen much above $50 per barrel as compliance has been a problem. But with oil demand perking up as well as hurricanes and regular summer maintenance knocking out some production, the IEA said it has seen some of that glut disappear. Within industrialised countries that are members of the OECD oil "product stocks are now only 35 mb above the five-year average," the IEA said in its monthly report. Industry and government oil products stocks stood at 1,796.3 million barrels at in July in the 34 countries that make up the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. "Depending on the pace of recovery for the US refining industry post-(Hurricane) Harvey, very soon OECD product stocks could fall to, or even below, the five-year level," added the IEA. "Based on recent bets made by investors, expectations are that markets are tightening and that prices will rise, albeit very modestly." Looking at recent developments in the oil futures markets, the IEA called them "a sign that oil markets have started to rebalance". - Harvey impact 'short-lived' - On Tuesday, OPEC, in its monthly report, also pointed to a decline in its production in August as a sign that supply and demand could be moving further toward balance. "It is clear that the rebalancing process is under way, supported by the high conformity levels of OPEC member countries and participating non-OPEC countries to the production adjustments" in the cooperation agreement, OPEC secretary general Sanusi Barkindo said in a speech in Oxford on Monday. Story continues The IEA said OPEC crude production fell in August for the first time in five months, thanks to both cuts in production as well as a flare-up in turmoil in Libya disrupting output. Compliance with agreed production cuts among the 12 members bound by the pact rose to 82 percent from 75 percent in July. The 10 non-OPEC producers that are part of the supply cut pact also cut production by 270,000 barrels per day in August from July, and their output is now 640,000 barrels per day their pledged level. The IEA the impact of Hurricane Harvey, which struck the US Gulf Coast at the end of August where significant US refinery and export operations are concentrated, on oil markets should be brief. "As far as Harvey is concerned, disruption to local oil markets in the US Gulf Coast is easing on a daily basis and its impact on global markets is likely to be relatively short-lived," said the agency, which advises the OECD on energy markets. The IEA also raised its forecast for growth in global oil demand after thirst for crude "grew very strongly year-on-year" in the second quarter of this year. It now sees global oil demand increasing by 1.6 million barrels per day, to 97.7 mbd on average in 2017, thanks to brisk consumption in Europe and the United States. Oil prices rose after the report was published, with Brent crude adding 10 cents to $54.37 per barrel around 0820 GMT. LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices are expected to hold between $50 and $60 a barrel as bloated global stocks fall after a deal between OPEC and other producers to trim output, BP Chief Executive Bob Dudley said on Thursday. "It was always going to take quite a while for stocks to come down. But for the OPEC and non-OPEC producer agreement, from everything we see, there is broadly compliance in place and stock levels are coming down," Dudley said in an interview with Reuters. "We don't expect a spike up in prices nor do we expect a big drop in prices. So we're all trying to make our way in this world of between $50 and $60 and I would expect that to continue." The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers, including Russia, are reducing crude output by about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) until next March in an attempt to support prices by cutting a glut of crude oil on world markets. OPEC top producer Saudi Arabia and several other countries have held talks in recent days on a possible extension of the deal. (Reporting by Ron Bousso, Dmitry Zhdannikov and Karolin Schaps; editing by Jason Neely) Political risks in the United States , exacerbated by President Donald Trump's struggles to pass key reforms amid a major federal investigation, are not deterring the manager of one of Canada's largest pension funds from being bullish. Hugh O'Reilly, president and CEO at OPTrust, spoke to CNBC on the sidelines of the Milken Institute Asia Summit 2017. He said the strong foundations of the U.S. economy inspire investor confidence."There's a lot of political change happening in the U.S." O'Reilly said, also pointing to changes in the U.K. and Europe. "We think the United States is one of the strongest, it's a leading economy in the world ... and it has a lot of structural advantages."He added that, in the U.S., the "system works," and he thinks it's "well-run" and transparent."We understand the risks we're taking on and we're confident in the investments we've made," he said.Many investors have voiced concerns about overvaluations in the market, which are tied to elevated risks. But, O'Reilly said, it is a global phenomenon affecting other regions too.OPTrust is the administrator and fund manager of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union Pension Plan. It has net assets of 19 billion Canadian dollars ($15.6 billion) and has a diversified global investment portfolio including stocks, currencies, fixed income, infrastructure, real estate and private equity. Recently, lawmakers in Washington D.C. prevented a government shutdown by backing a bill that raised the country's borrowing limit for three months as well funding the government and providing $15.3 billion in aid for victims of Hurricane Harvey. But research from ratings agency Moody's suggested that the bill could likely dash any plans for tax reform one of the major campaign promises for President Donald Trump before the end of the year. Earlier in the year, lawmakers failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act , which was another major campaign promise for the president. Beyond the U.S., O'Reilly said Asia Pacific is a key investment destination for the fund given that the region houses nearly two-thirds of the world's population and has a little over a third of the global gross domestic product. OPTrust has an office in Sydney."We have a significant exposure in Asia," he said. "We have significant infrastructure and private equity investments. We also have some direct infrastructure investments in other areas in Asia, as well as private equity." Political risks in the United States , exacerbated by President Donald Trump's struggles to pass key reforms amid a major federal investigation, are not deterring the manager of one of Canada's largest pension funds from being bullish. Hugh O'Reilly, president and CEO at OPTrust, spoke to CNBC on the sidelines of the Milken Institute Asia Summit 2017. He said the strong foundations of the U.S. economy inspire investor confidence. "There's a lot of political change happening in the U.S." O'Reilly said, also pointing to changes in the U.K. and Europe. "We think the United States is one of the strongest, it's a leading economy in the world ... and it has a lot of structural advantages." He added that, in the U.S., the "system works," and he thinks it's "well-run" and transparent. "We understand the risks we're taking on and we're confident in the investments we've made," he said. Many investors have voiced concerns about overvaluations in the market, which are tied to elevated risks. But, O'Reilly said, it is a global phenomenon affecting other regions too. OPTrust is the administrator and fund manager of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union Pension Plan. It has net assets of 19 billion Canadian dollars ($15.6 billion) and has a diversified global investment portfolio including stocks, currencies, fixed income, infrastructure, real estate and private equity. Recently, lawmakers in Washington D.C. prevented a government shutdown by backing a bill that raised the country's borrowing limit for three months as well funding the government and providing $15.3 billion in aid for victims of Hurricane Harvey. But research from ratings agency Moody's suggested that the bill could likely dash any plans for tax reform one of the major campaign promises for President Donald Trump before the end of the year. Earlier in the year, lawmakers failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act , which was another major campaign promise for the president. Beyond the U.S., O'Reilly said Asia Pacific is a key investment destination for the fund given that the region houses nearly two-thirds of the world's population and has a little over a third of the global gross domestic product. OPTrust has an office in Sydney. "We have a significant exposure in Asia," he said. "We have significant infrastructure and private equity investments. We also have some direct infrastructure investments in other areas in Asia, as well as private equity." More From CNBC CAIRO (Reuters) - Diplomats from Qatar and the four states boycotting it exchanged heated words at an Arab League meeting on Tuesday. Tensions flared after Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi discussed the boycott in his opening speech despite the Gulf dispute not being on the agenda. He called the Gulf monarchy's critics "rabid dogs". "Even the animals were not spared, you sent them out savagely," Muraikhi said, referring to the thousands of camels left stranded on the border between Qatar and Saudi Arabia after borders were closed. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and trade links with Qatar on June 5, suspending air and shipping routes with the world's biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, which is home to the region's biggest U.S. military base. The nations say Doha supports regional foe Iran and Islamists. Qatar denies the charges and calls the economic boycott a "siege" aimed at neutering an independent foreign policy it says promotes peaceful regional reform and fighting terrorism. Kuwait has been trying to mediate in the dispute. During his speech, Muraikhi referred to Iran as an "honourable country" and said ties had warmed with its neighbor since the blockade. In response, Ahmed al-Qattan, Saudi Arabia's envoy to the Arab League, said: "Congratulations to Iran and soon, God willing, you will regret it." The exchange descended into a row during which Muraikhi and Qattan each told the other to be quiet. Muraikhi said Saudi Arabia was looking to depose the Emir of Qatar and replace him with Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, who helped negotiate the entry of Qatari pilgrims attending the annual haj pilgrimage into Saudi Arabia. "This is an improper thing to say because the kingdom of Saudi Arabia will never resort to such cheap methods and we don't want to change the regime, but you must also know that the kingdom can do anything it wants, God willing," Qattan said. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Muraikhi's comments were unacceptable. "We all know Qatar's historic support for terrorism and what has been provided for extremist factions, and money in Syria, Yemen, Libya and Egypt that have lead to the death of many of Egypt's sons," Shoukry said. Qatar backed a Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt before it was overthrown by the military in 2013. The Arab states have demanded Qatar sever any links with the Brotherhood and other groups they deem to be terrorist, ideological or sectarian. (Reporting by Mostafa Hashem; Writing by Nadine Awadalla; Editing by Ahmed Aboulenein and Janet Lawrence) Apple unveiled both the iPhone 8 and iPhone X Tuesday, but one phone was conspicuous by its absence. The iPhone X is pronounced iPhone ten, suggesting the smartphone line will skip over the ninth iteration entirely. If this does mean we wont ever see the iPhone 9, the move is par for the course for Apple, and its not the only company to snub numbers it doesnt like. Theres a couple of ways to read the decision. It could be a reference to the fact that its 10 years after the first iPhone launched. When Steve Jobs took to the stage in 2007, he promised a three-in-one device that could act as an iPod, a phone, and an internet communicator. It seems rather quaint now. The other approach, which is possibly more likely, is Apple has a habit of using the X numeral for a product it sees as reinventing the entire product line. Steve Jobs unveiled the successor to Mac OS 9 in 2000. Mac OS X, the tenth version of the Macs operating system, was essentially an entirely new product. It was built off of the NeXTSTEP operating system that powered the computers sold by Jobs other venture, NeXT, which he had founded after being ousted by Apple in 1985. When Apple bought NeXT in 1997, it used the acquisition to aid the development of a more modern product. Although Apple officially prefers to pronounce the numeral in the Mac OS X and now iPhone X as ten, tech writer John Siracusa has noted before that even Jobs used to say X sometimes by accident. However its pronounced, the company seemed to love the X thing so much it struggled to move past it: OS X El Capitan, released in 2015, still used the X branding 15 years later. Apple also did the whole X thing with Mac OS X Snow Leopard (version 10.6) in 2009. The company also said at the time that the next version of the QuickTime video player, an ambitious redesign from the ground-up, would be X. Seems like only yesterday that QuickTime was at version 7, Engadget wrote in 2009. Oh wait, that was yesterday. Story continues Mac OS X Snow Leopard, featuring QuickTime X. The company went for the hat trick by releasing the Final Cut Pro X professional video editor in 2011. A ground-up rewrite of the software, it shared very little in common with its predecessor Final Cut Pro 7. Reviews were scathing: One professional described it to the New York Times as Apples worst release in history. Not every X-style jump is good, apparently. But Apple isnt the only company to pull off similar jumps. Microsoft Office 2010 was technically version 14.0, even though the 2007 suite was version 12.0. The companys Channel 9 developer blog explained that 13 is considered unlucky. Yes, Microsoft skipped a version because of superstition. Microsoft also joins Apple in jumping over version nine without worrying too much. Windows 10 launched in 2015 after Windows 8. The closest Microsoft ever got to giving an explanation was when Windows head Joe Belfiore was photographed at the Build developer conference that year with a t-shirt on. Written in binary, one section said: Windows 10, because 7 8 9. While it feels unlikely the iPhone 7 devoured its would-be successor, that may explain why theres no iPhone 9. Photos via Getty Images Written by Mike Brown More articles by Mike Follow Mike on Twitter More From Inverse The long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12 (Mars-12) is launched during a test in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on May 15, 2017. KCNA via REUTERS North Korea on Friday conducted a new missile launch, less than two weeks after it tested what it called a hydrogen bomb, South Korean defense officials said, according to Yonhap News. The missile was fired from an airfield near the North Korean capital of Pyongyang at 6:57 a.m. local time and headed eastward over Japan, South Korean military officials said. Military officials estimated that the missile reached an altitude of 479 miles and flew for nearly 2,300 miles, far surpassing the distance between Pyongyang and Guam, the closest US territory. Emergency alerts in Japan were issued at about 7:06 a.m. local time. NHK, Japan's public-broadcasting outlet, cited government information that said the missile fell into the Pacific Ocean about 1,240 miles east of Hokkaido, the country's second-largest island. Japan did not attempt to shoot down the missile, NHK added. An initial assessment from US Pacific Command indicated that the projectile was an intermediate-range ballistic missile. The North American Aerospace Defense Command added that the missile "did not pose a threat to North America." "Our commitment to the defense of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, remains ironclad," PACOM's statement said. "We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation." The White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, said the White House chief of staff, John Kelly, had briefed President Donald Trump on the launch. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the country's National Security Council were holding an emergency meeting in response to the launch. north korea It was the second time in two months in which North Korea fired a projectile over Japan. Late last month, North Korea launched a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile that also passed over Hokkaido and traveled about 1,700 miles, reaching a height of nearly 340 miles. If the initial estimates of Friday morning's launch are accurate, they could be seen as an improvement in North Korea's missile capabilities. Story continues In response to the latest provocation, South Korea conducted a ballistic-missile drill, firing a Hyunmoo-II missile into the East Sea. A day before the North Korean launch, a state agency threatened to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the US to "ashes and darkness," Reuters reported. The threat was a response to the latest UN Security Council resolution stepping up sanctions on North Korea over its latest nuclear test. Earlier this month, North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test, one the country said was a hydrogen bomb. The underground test, which experts estimated to be four to 16 times more powerful than any of Pyongyang's previous bombs, sent shockwaves that were felt in South Korea and China, according to The New York Times. Though the sanctions, which imposed a cap on crude-oil imports and banned exports of textiles, were unanimously approved by member nations, President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson downplayed their efficacy on North Korea. Critics have said the sanctions were watered down to appease China and Russia, Pyongyang's closest allies, and reports have emerged that North Korea may be undercutting the sanctions by smuggling goods. "With respect to the UN Security Council resolution and the president's view that it was a small step, I share that view," Tillerson said during a press conference on Thursday. "We had hoped for a much stronger resolution from the Security Council." NOW WATCH: Meet the Su-30SM Russias answer to the F-15E Strike Eagle More From Business Insider Shuklaphanta reopens after monsoon break Shuklaphanta National Park reopened for sightseers last week after being closed during the monsoon. U.S. national wireless carrier, Sprint Corporation S carried out field tests of 2.5 GHz Massive MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) in alliance with telecom service provider,Ericsson ERIC. The tests were conducted in Seattle, WA and Plano, TX. Notably, the Massive MIMO trial used Sprints spectrum and Ericssons 64T64R (64 transmit, 64 receive) radios. The trial demonstrated capacity surge of about four times compared to an 8T8R antenna. Going forward, Sprint and Ericsson are planning to launch Massive MIMO radios across the United States by 2018. Massive MIMO radios are capable of raising the network capacity of Sprint by up to 10 times. Meanwhile, 64T64R Massive MIMO radios use 128 antenna elements, thus the users will see the best performance. With Massive MIMO, users will enjoy data-intensive services, advanced characteristics and applications on Sprints LTE Plus network. Massive MIMO will also influence Gigabit LTE services, thus aiding Sprints 5G networks. In fact, we believe 4G LTE Advanced Pro and Gigabit LTE are a major step toward the smooth transition from 4G to the upcoming 5G network standard. Additionally, wireless network standards are continuously evolving around the globe to offer faster speed. To this end, Sprint started the deployment of Gigabit LTE on a commercial network in New Orleans in March, utilizing three-channel carrier aggregation, 60MHz of Sprints 2.5 GHz spectrum, 4X4 MIMO and 256-QAM modulation. However, Sprints share price declined 2.9% compared with the industrys decline of 4% in the last three months. Currently, the company carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. The U.S. telecom industry has lately emerged as an intensely contested space where success thrives largely on technical superiority, quality of services and scalability. Thus, in order to stay ahead of competitors, existing players need to be constantly on their toes to introduce innovative products. Story continues Moreover, as the U.S. boasts a high rate (95%) of wireless penetration, competition in this space is intense with participants like Verizon Communications Inc. VZ, AT&T Inc. (T) and T-Mobile US Inc. TMUS, each carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). This, in turn, may pressurize the top and bottom lines of carriers vying for market share. More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Ericsson (ERIC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Sprint Corporation (S) : Free Stock Analysis Report Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report T-Mobile US, Inc. (TMUS) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Retailers are already gearing up for the vitally important holiday season, perhaps none more so than Target (TGT). The company has already been busy, but here is everything investors and shoppers need to know about Target's recent moves, as the company prepares to do retail battle over the next four months. Retailers are already gearing up for the vitally important holiday season, perhaps none more so than Target TGT. The company has already been busy, but here is everything investors and shoppers need to know about Targets recent moves, as the company prepares to do retail battle over the next four months. Target has seen its stock price plunge since the start of the year, and the shifting retail environment has placed a renewed burden on the more upscale big-box retailer to adapt and innovate. However, the retail chain has already made changes, and it seems to have wasted no time in making its holiday intentions known: it is ready to fight Amazon AMZN and Wal-Mart WMT for customers on all fronts. Holiday Employees The Minneapolis-based retail power announced on Wednesday that it plans to hire around 100,000 seasonal employees at its 1,816 stores. Targets holiday hiring push is up 40% from last year. As online shopping proliferates, shoppers have grown accustomed to ease, which means Target needs short lines and full shelves. Target hopes the big boost in holiday workers will help the company make consumers shopping experiences more smooth and speedy. The company also hopes to add 4,500 more employees to its distribution and fulfillment centers in order to more quickly refill products in stores, and maybe more importantly, help carry out Targets new online sales push. Targets online orders have skyrocketed since it began to bolster its online shopping business and experience, which includes faster deliveries. Last month, the company reported that its online sales climbed 32% in the second quarter. Target is one of the only big-time retailers to have officially announced its seasonal worker push already. But it will likely be matched by its competition, as Amazon hired about 120,000 extra holiday workers last yearwhich marked a 20% increase. Target is set to hold nationwide hiring events Oct. 13-15. Story continues HGTV Stars Target has partnered with celebrities and designers before, but they were often for limited-time engagements. The companys newest deal with cable television stars Chip and Joanna Gainesfrom HGTV's widely popular home remodeling show Fixer Upperis a multi-year partnership. The corporations official deal is with the TV couples successful home and lifestyle brand, Magnolia. The Gaines Target collaboration, Hearth & Hand with Magnolia, will debut on Nov. 5. The new Target collection will feature more than 300 different pieces, including holiday gifts and home decor. The Hearth & Hand with Magnolia line will range in price from $0.99 to $129.99, but most items will cost less than $29.99. Updates to the product offerings will be made throughout the year. In a retail environment where differentiation has never been more important, were doubling down and introducing more than a dozen new brands to provide guests with even more reasons to choose Target, Target executive VP Mark Tritton said in a statement. Partnering with Chip and Joanna to create a modern farmhouse collection available only at Target allows us to offer an aesthetic we know our guests will love, and the quality and affordable prices cant be beat. Target is also set to introduce another new furniture and home decor line next week, dubbed Project 62. The modernist design-focused line will pay homage to styles that took off in the early 1960s, as well as the specific year Target started:1962. New Clothing Lines The retail giant managed to become a popular place to buy low-cost clothing with an upscale feel, which was mostly geared towards womenalthough mens brands were very present. Target announced this summer that it would stop selling widely sold clothing brands Mossimo, Merona, Cherokee, and Circo. But fashion is always moving, and the company decided it was ready to debut new brands and lines. The company recently launched A New Day, a new womens line, which Target hopes women will wear "from weekend to work to dinner date, effortlessly." The retailer is set to debut JoyLab, a different womens line with a street-fashion vibe, in October. The company ditched its old menswear lines because they found that men come to Target to buy underwear, according to a company statement. However, Goodfellow & Co. made its debut at the beginning of September. Targets new menswear line is more modern and higher-end, with a J.Crew-esque vibe that features clothing, shoes, and accessories. Bottom Line Target has started to invest billions of dollars$7 billion to be exactinto remodeling stores and opening small-scale locations in major metropolitan areas, including Chicago. And just last week, Target began cutting prices on items from cereal and baby formula to razors and paper towels. Targets holiday and long-term push forward seems to be paying off already, as its shares surged over 2.75% on Wednesday to hit $60.11the corporations highest intraday mark since February. More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Target Corporation (TGT) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Shares of Tenet Healthcare (THC) surged 13 percent after The Wall Street Journal reported the company is exploring its options, including a possible sale of the company, citing sources. Tenet, one of the largest hospital companies in the U.S., has hired banking advisors to consider a number of possibilities, The Wall Street Journal reported. The process is still in an early phase, and there is no guarantee a deal may come about, according to The Journal. A Tenet spokeswoman declined CNBC's request for comment. The Dallas Morning News reported last week that Glenview Capital Management, an activist investor that owns 17.8 percent of Tenet's stock, said in a regulatory filing it will consider options to enhance shareholder value, including "strategic alternatives" for Tenet's assets, divisions and the company as a whole. Tenet CEO Trevor Fetter discussed continuing to make divestitures but did not mention the possibility of a sale in an appearance at the Wells Fargo Health Care conference last week. Last month, Tenet said it would replace the longtime CEO and members of its board amid mounting pressure from Glenview. Fetter will step down by March 15, 2018, or when his successor is appointed, if that happens first. Glenview pulled two of its executives from the hospital company's board last month, citing irreconcilable differences. Shares of Tenet have gained about 15 percent this year, but they have fallen 72 percent over the past three years. Tenet shares over the past three years Source: FactSet Reuters contributed to this report. WATCH: Tenet CEO steps down More From CNBC Heres a look at some of the stocks the Yahoo Finance team will be watching for you today. Tenet Healthcare (THC) shares soared in early trading after the Wall Street Journal reported that the hospital operator hired banking advisers to explore its options, including putting the company up for sale. Last month, Tenet also said its replacing its longtime CEO and some board members after increased pressure from investors. Equifax (EFX) remains in focus. The credit reporting company is blaming a web server bug in its open-source software for its massive data breach. The company is now sourcing an independent cybersecurity firm to determine what exact information was compromised. The companys CEO is set to testify before a special House panel on October 3. Lennar (LEN) said deliveries and new orders for the quarter came in below expectations. The homebuilder says areas impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma represent 40% of Lennars annual revenue. The company expects rebuilding efforts to increase demand next year. Lattice Semiconductor (LSCC) shares were on the move after President Donald Trump blocked a foreign investor, who is backed by the Chinese government, from buying the company. The president says he made the move because its a matter of national security. This is only the fourth time in about a quarter century a U.S. president has stopped a company takeover on security concerns. Elon Musk says artificial intelligence is a bigger threat than North Korea and a " fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization ." He predicts a global race to develop artificial intelligence will result in World War 3. Mark Zuckerberg says Musk's AI rhetoric is " pretty irresponsible ." The Facebook CEO is "optimistic" about what artificial intelligence can do now and will be able to do in the future. Top Silicon Valley tech executive Sam Altman, who is president of Y Combinator, says that both Musk and Zuckerberg are right. "Like many other arguments, both sides are correct," Altman tells CNBC Make It . "It could be the greatest thing ever," he says. "I really do believe that, if we could eliminate a huge percentage of human suffering with AI."I also believe there will be down sides. Any super powerful technology is good and bad."Altman highlights other similarly dualistic technologies: fission and social media."When we learned to split the atom, we were able to make huge destructive bombs and also very cheap, clean energy," he says to CNBC Make It. "We got Twitter and Facebook, which let us connect with loved ones but also makes us unhappy because we read crap all day. Any really powerful technology has huge good and huge bad." In addition to running top Silicon Valley start-up mentorship and investment company, Y Combinator which has funded the likes of Airbnb, Dropbox and Stripe Altman is one of the co-founders of Open AI , a non-profit organization designed to ensure a safe and productive evolution into a more autonomous future. Musk is another co-founder of Open AI. Because of the complexity and profound implications of the rise and accelerated development of artificial intelligence, it "is one of the most important topics in the world right now," says Altman.Both Musk and Altman think the government should be involved in the conversation.Altman thinks "at least the government should be monitoring" the technological developments and potential of artificial intelligence, he tells CNBC Make It. "There should at least be insight to toward the forefront of capability."Musk is more aggressive in his prescription for the government. He says it should be proactively issuing government regulation. "AI is a fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization in a way that car accidents, airplane crashes, faulty drugs or bad food were not they were harmful to a set of individuals within society, of course, but they were not harmful to society as a whole," Musk said to a gathering of governors in July . "AI is a rare case where I think we need to be proactive in regulation than be reactive." See also:Top Silicon Valley tech exec on cash handouts: Let's eliminate poverty for all AmericansThis Silicon Valley tech leader wants to fix California's housing crisis by scrapping the $64 billion bullet train from L.A. to S.F.Elon Musk says robots will push us to a universal basic incomehere's how it would workLike this story?Like CNBC Make It on Facebook. Elon Musk says artificial intelligence is a bigger threat than North Korea and a " fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization ." He predicts a global race to develop artificial intelligence will result in World War 3. Mark Zuckerberg says Musk's AI rhetoric is " pretty irresponsible ." The Facebook CEO is "optimistic" about what artificial intelligence can do now and will be able to do in the future. Top Silicon Valley tech executive Sam Altman, who is president of Y Combinator, says that both Musk and Zuckerberg are right. "Like many other arguments, both sides are correct," Altman tells CNBC Make It . "It could be the greatest thing ever," he says. "I really do believe that, if we could eliminate a huge percentage of human suffering with AI. "I also believe there will be down sides. Any super powerful technology is good and bad." Altman highlights other similarly dualistic technologies: fission and social media. "When we learned to split the atom, we were able to make huge destructive bombs and also very cheap, clean energy," he says to CNBC Make It. "We got Twitter and Facebook, which let us connect with loved ones but also makes us unhappy because we read crap all day. Any really powerful technology has huge good and huge bad." In addition to running top Silicon Valley start-up mentorship and investment company, Y Combinator which has funded the likes of Airbnb, Dropbox and Stripe Altman is one of the co-founders of Open AI , a non-profit organization designed to ensure a safe and productive evolution into a more autonomous future. Musk is another co-founder of Open AI. Because of the complexity and profound implications of the rise and accelerated development of artificial intelligence, it "is one of the most important topics in the world right now," says Altman. Both Musk and Altman think the government should be involved in the conversation. Altman thinks "at least the government should be monitoring" the technological developments and potential of artificial intelligence, he tells CNBC Make It. "There should at least be insight to toward the forefront of capability." Musk is more aggressive in his prescription for the government. He says it should be proactively issuing government regulation. "AI is a fundamental risk to the existence of human civilization in a way that car accidents, airplane crashes, faulty drugs or bad food were not they were harmful to a set of individuals within society, of course, but they were not harmful to society as a whole," Musk said to a gathering of governors in July . "AI is a rare case where I think we need to be proactive in regulation than be reactive." See also: Top Silicon Valley tech exec on cash handouts: Let's eliminate poverty for all Americans This Silicon Valley tech leader wants to fix California's housing crisis by scrapping the $64 billion bullet train from L.A. to S.F. Elon Musk says robots will push us to a universal basic incomehere's how it would work Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook . More From CNBC A logo of Toshiba Corp is seen on a printed circuit board in this photo illustration taken in Tokyo July 31, 2012. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao/Files By Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp said on Wednesday it has agreed to focus on selling its prized chips unit to a group led by Bain Capital and South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix, although it is not ruling out a deal with other bidders. The announcement came after sources told Reuters on Tuesday that Toshiba was now favouring the Bain group after failing to bridge disagreements with rival suitor Western Digital Corp. Wednesday marks the third time the embattled Japanese conglomerate has failed to meet a target date to sell the $18 billion business - the world's second-biggest producer of NAND memory chips. Without an agreement soon, it will be difficult for Toshiba to gain by the end of the financial year in March, regulatory approval and hence the funds it needs to cover billions in liabilities at it U.S. nuclear unit. Toshiba said in a statement it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Bain to accelerate discussions, and hoped to reach agreement in late September. But it added that the memorandum was not legally binding and did not prevent it from negotiating with other parties. A representative for Bain was not immediately available for comment, while SK Hynix declined to comment. Western Digital, which jointly invests in Toshiba's key NAND memory plant but which has been at loggerheads with the Japanese firm for much of the auction - said it was disappointed as well as surprised at the development given its legal position. "We remain confident in our ability to protect our JV interests and consent rights," the California-based firm said in a statement. Sources have said that discussions with Western Digital faltered as Toshiba, fearing its partner was angling to eventually take over the chip business, sought to limit the U.S. firm's future stake in the unit. The Bain group's latest offer is worth 2.4 trillion yen ($22 billion), including a 200 billion yen investment in infrastructure, they said, declining to be identified as the talks were private. Story continues The group had been chosen preferred bidder in June. But those talks lapsed as Japan government investors who had been part of that consortium told Toshiba they were reluctant to close a deal in the face of legal challenges posed by Western Digital. The current offer by Bain and Hynix is designed to get around the legal risks by inviting the state-backed investors - the Innovation Network Corp of Japan and the Development Bank of Japan - to invest in the business only after any arbitration with Western Digital is settled. But it remains uncertain whether Toshiba will be able to complete the transaction by the end-March as Western Digital is likely to seek a court injunction on the sale. A California court has ordered Toshiba to give the U.S. firm two weeks' notice before a deal is closed. SK Hynix's participation could also prolong antitrust reviews, industry watchers said. The South Korean chipmaker plans to limit its role to financing, but it's unclear if it hopes to gain a stake in the future. If Toshiba does fail to secure sufficient financing by end-March, it is likely to report negative net worth, or liabilities exceeding assets, for a second year running - a scenario that could result in a delisting from the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Shares of Toshiba ended flat, while SK Hynix shares rose 1.3 percent. (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; Additional reporting by Junko Fujita in Tokyo, and Hyunjoo Jin and Joyce Lee in Seoul; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) mnuchin louise linton The use of government air travel by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is once again under scrutiny. Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs banker and film producer, asked for the use of an Air Force jet to travel to Europe for his honeymoon in Scotland, Italy, and France, according to ABC News. The use of the jet was denied, according to the report, but it would have cost about $25,000 an hour to operate the aircraft for the trip. This is the second time in two months that Mnuchin's travel has come under scrutiny. In August he traveled with his wife, Louise Linton, to Fort Knox in Kentucky for the solar eclipse. The Treasury said the travel was not improper because Mnuchin was in Kentucky for meetings to discuss taxes and the travel of Linton would be reimbursed. Mnuchin's net worth from his pre-White House investment days is roughly $300 million. The Fort Knox trip prompted an internal review of the matter by the Treasury inspector general, according to ABC News, and the same office is now looking into Mnuchin's honeymoon request. The use of such a jet would be highly unusual for a Treasury secretary, as military aircraft are more often used by the secretaries of state and defense, who have a deeper role in national security issues. A Treasury official told ABC News that Mnuchin requested the Air Force jet to ensure he had a secure method of communication and that the request was denied because it was deemed "unnecessary" because there were other ways to securely communicate. NOW WATCH: Amazon's transformation of Whole Foods puts the entire grocery industry on notice More From Business Insider Situation not conducive to hold Saarc Summit Nepali Ambassador to India Deep Kumar Upadhyay has said that Nepal, as the current chair of Saarc, is keen to revive the regional body but the political atmosphere is not conducive. Trump on North Korea: "Sanctions Are Nothing Compared to What Ultimately Will Have to Happen U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the latest U.N. sanctions on North Korea agreed this week were only a very small step and nothing compared to what would have to happen to deal with the countrys nuclear program. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned China that if it did not follow through on the new sanctions, the United States would put additional sanctions on them and prevent them from accessing the U.S. and international dollar system. Another senior administration official told Reuters any such secondary sanctions on Chinese banks and other companies were on hold for now to give China time to show it was prepared to fully enforce the latest and previous rounds of sanctions. The U.N. Security Council voted to boost sanctions on North Korea on Monday, banning its textile exports and capping fuel supplies, prompting a traditionally defiant threat of retaliation against the United States. The U.N. move was triggered by the Norths sixth and largest nuclear test this month. It was the ninth such resolution unanimously adopted by the 15-member Security Council over North Koreas ballistic missile and nuclear programs since 2006. A tougher initial U.S. draft was weakened to win the support of China, Pyongyangs main ally and trading partner, and Russia, both of which hold U.N. veto power. Significantly, it stopped short of imposing a full embargo on oil exports to North Korea, most of which come from China. We think its just another very small step, not a big deal, Trump told reporters at the start of a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. I dont know if it has any impact, but certainly it was nice to get a 15-to-nothing vote, but those sanctions are nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen, said Trump, who has vowed not to allow North Korea to develop a nuclear missile capable of hitting the United States. Asked if Trump was considering other actions, including cutting off Chinese banks from the U.S. financial system, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said: Story continues All options are on the table. The president has also said that he wants every country involved to step up and do more. This was a small step in that process, and were hoping that theyll all take a greater role and a more active role in putting pressure on North Korea. Washington so far has mostly held off on new sanctions against Chinese banks and other companies doing business with North Korea, given fears of retaliation by Beijing and possibly far-reaching effects on the world economy. China and North Korea Trump is likely to make a stop in China in November during his first official visit to Asia. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held talks in Washington on Tuesday with Chinas top diplomat, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, at which details of the trip were expected to discussed. The U.S. president has wavered between criticizing China for not doing enough on North Korea to heaping personal praise on the Chinese President Xi Jinping. North Korea said its Sept. 3 test was of an advanced hydrogen bomb and it was its most powerful nuclear blast by far. It has also tested a missile capable of reaching the United States, but experts say it is likely to be at least a year before it can field an operational nuclear missile that could threaten America. The North Korean ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Han Tae Song, rejected the U.N. resolution as illegal and unlawful and said Washington was fired up for political, economic, and military confrontation. North Korea is ready to use a form of ultimate means, Han said. The forthcoming measures will make the U.S. suffer the greatest pain it ever experienced in its history. Han did not elaborate, but North Korea frequently vows to destroy the United States. The latest U.N. resolution calls on countries to inspect vessels on the high seas, with the consent of the flag state, if they have reasonable grounds to believe ships are carrying prohibited cargo to North Korea. It also bans joint ventures with North Korean entities, except for nonprofit public utility infrastructure projects, and prohibits countries from bringing in new North Korean workers. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said the sanctions could eventually starve North Korea of an additional $500 million or more in annual revenue. The United States has said that a previous round of sanctions agreed in August was aimed at cutting North Koreas $3 billion in exports by a third. Haley said the United States was not looking for war and if North Korea agreed to stop its nuclear program, it could reclaim its future. If North Korea continues its dangerous path, we will continue with further pressure, she said. Joseph DeThomas, a former State Department official who worked on Iran and North Korea sanctions, questioned whether the new steps would have a major impact. He said the labor restriction would be almost impossible to police and that trade statistics greatly overstated North Koreas earnings from textiles. Frustrated U.S. lawmakers called at a House hearing on Tuesday for a supercharged response to North Koreas nuclear and missile tests and said Washington should act alone if necessary to stiffen sanctions on China firms and any country doing business with Pyongyang. Ed Royce, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said time was running out and Chinese firms should be given a choice between doing business with North Korea or the United States. Assistant Treasury Secretary Marshall Billingslea acknowledged at the hearing he had not seen sufficient evidence past sanctions were effective, but defended the administrations strategy. He called on anyone aware of efforts to enable North Korean trade to come forward before getting caught, warning: We are closing in on North Koreas trade representatives. Chinas official Xinhua news agency said in a commentary that the Trump administration was making a mistake by rejecting diplomatic engagement with North Korea. The U.S. needs to switch from isolation to communication in order to end an endless loop on the Korean peninsula, where nuclear and missile tests trigger tougher sanctions and tougher sanctions invite further tests, it said. trump President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was vindicated for defending some protesters at a white nationalist event in Charlottesville, Virginia in August. Speaking to reporters in Florida, where he was visiting with hurricane victims, Trump described his meeting on Wednesday with Sen. Tim Scott, the only black Republican senator, in which they discussed Scott's criticism of Trump's comments equating neo-Nazis and counterprotesters in Charlottesville. But although the president reportedly listened intently to Scott's concerns and said he understood the criticism of his statement, on Thursday Trump defended his previous comments. "You have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also, and essentially that's what I said," Trump said, referencing the "advent of antifa," a loosely-organized group whose popularity has waxed and waned over the past several decades. "When you look at really what's happened since Charlottesville, a lot of people are saying and people have actually written 'Gee, Trump may have a point," Trump said. Following their meeting on Wednesday in which the two discussed how to move forward following Charlottesville, the South Carolina senator said Trump tried to explain his comments, but also tried to focus on the future. "The Charlottesville comments were the foundation for the conversation," Scott said. "But the discussion was about making progress in this nation." Scott's office released another statement on Thursday after Trump's comments in Florida. "In yesterday's meeting, Senator Scott was very, very clear about the brutal history surrounding the white supremacist movement and their horrific treatment of black and other minority groups," the statement said. "Rome wasn't built in a day, and to expect the President's rhetoric to change based on one 30-minute conversation is unrealistic." Scott previously publicly admonished the president over his remarks. Story continues In an interview on CBS' "Face The Nation" in August, the South Carolina senator explained his argument that Trump's response to Charlottesville "complicates his moral authority" to lead. "It's going to be very difficult for this president to lead if, in fact, that moral authority remains compromised," Scott said. NOW WATCH: Steve Bannon is out here are all the casualties of the Trump administration so far More From Business Insider Jim Chanos' Kynikos Associates is betting against a number of U.S. shale oil and gas stocks, saying Wall Street analysis of the sector is deeply flawed. Investors are taking for granted accounting methods that mask problems with the fundamental business model in the U.S. shale patch, Chanos warned during a speech Tuesday at CNBC's and Institutional Investor's Delivering Alpha conference. Their focus on certain metrics is causing them to overlook hidden threats that will leave drillers with skimpier returns than investors are anticipating, he said. "In our view, people have been looking at this industry through the rose-colored glasses of Wall Street. And this is the inherent problem with the North American shale business," he said. Chanos is not the first to sound the alarm about accounting and business practices in the sector. Analysts have long warned about drillers' persistent and unfulfilled promises to generate positive cash flow, especially as oil prices remain at less than half of their 2014 peak. But Chanos' remarks add an influential voice to the chorus of skeptics. Chanos, who foresaw the spectacular downfall of disgraced energy titan Enron, is renowned for scrutinizing accounting methods and spotting trouble on the horizon. He has now set his sights on the U.S. shale oil and gas industry, which uses expensive drilling methods to extract oil and gas from rock formations. Frackers typically rely much more on debt than big, integrated oil companies like Exxon Mobil (XOM). Chanos focused on Continental Resources during his presentation, but said Kynikos is not singling out the shale oil drilling pioneer. Kynikos has taken a short position against a number of frackers in addition to Continental Resources (CLR), he said. Notably, it has not bet against those in the Permian basin in Texas and New Mexico, where producers can plumb oil at relatively low costs. Chanos looked at about three dozen drillers and found that their capital spending would eat up almost all of their earnings, minus certain expenses, this year. That leaves them with little cash to service their debt. "See the problem?" he asked the crowd. "It's a big one." Drillers have reduced the amount of capital they need to produce the same amount of oil, but not enough to make many of them profitable, he said. Chanos believes that capital spending is essentially a variable that creates a vicious cycle in the oil patch. As drilling activity picks up, so do service costs. Those expenses get capitalized, or spread out over the life of the asset, on income statements. That's where the problem lies, Chanos said. Many companies will simply never be able to generate enough cash to pull themselves out of the vicious cycle and deliver acceptable returns to investors. Capitalizing expenses in other businesses can be acceptable, Chanos said, but it is a problem in the oil and gas industry because drillers have to constantly reinvest in new wells to replace cash flow from depleted ones. "The way to think about it is that unlike other businesses, your assets literally get burned up," he said. Chanos also takes issues with drillers using the so-called full-cost accounting method, which allows them to capitalize costs whether or not exploration projects are successful. This is tied to reporting earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. EBITDA allows investors to compare profits from drillers' operations without accounting for the other expenses, essentially giving them a view into how their assets stack up against another fracker's wells. Reporting EBITDA is not unusual, but Chanos believes shale investors are too focused on it. "A reliance on that EBITDA number for valuation metrics, which an awful lot of people on Wall Street still do, is going to be the road to ruin for lots of investors," he said. "This has attracted a lot of capital on the Street, in private equity and elsewhere, and we still think they're being mesmerized by a metric that is going to lead to problems for returns on capital in this industry." More From CNBC Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building in Washington, D.C. August 21, 2013. Photo by Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM Damaged by Hurricane Irma, one of the federal courthouses on the U.S. Virgin Islands remains closed indefinitely, officials said Tuesday. The building on St. Thomas is intact but sustained water and other damage in some areas that will take time to repair, and is being assessed by the federal General Services Administration, a spokesman for the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts said in an email. The St. Thomas federal building serves the St. Thomas/St. John division of the U.S. District Court for the Virgin Islands. The courthouse on St. Croix, however, fared significantly better and reopened on Monday. It is unclear whether it will absorb the cases handled by the other Virgin Islands division. Monday night, as evacuated Floridians returned home and Irma continued her track northward as a tropical storm, mainland Americans began getting their first glimpses of the destruction wrought on the territory. St. Thomas, home to the capital of Charlotte Amalie, suffered greater damage than the more-southern St. Croix. At least three people on the islands died as a result of the storm. Wilma Lewis, chief judge of the territory's federal court, could not be reached by a reporter for comment by phone or email Tuesday. The district has six judges, including Lewis, according to the court's website. Cases appealed from the Virgin Islands District Court are handled by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia. A note on that court's website said that nonemergency filings such as briefs or case opening documents in a Virgin Island case that is due between Sept. 11 and Sept. 29 is now due on Sept. 30. Counsel in emergency or expedited cases should contact the clerk's office by Sept. 19 regarding scheduling. In addition to the federal court on St. Thomas, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Key West is likewise closed until further notice, according to updates posted on the U.S. Courts' Administrative Office's website. Contact reporter Kristen Rasmussen at krasmussen@alm.com. IN THE NEWS TODAY After top congressional Democrats last night said they reached a deal with President Donald Trump to shield about 800,000 young immigrants from deportation, without the president's proposed border wall as a condition, Trump denied this morning any such deal was made . (CNBC) President Trump will travel to Florida today to survey the damage from Hurricane Irma, which tore a massively destructive and deadly path through Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina as well as the Caribbean. (USA Today & Weather Channel) Trump issued an order blocking a group that includes a Chinese venture capital firm from purchasing Lattice Semiconductor (LSCC), citing national security concerns. Trump's move marks only the fourth time in the past 27 years that a president has blocked a deal like this.(CNBC) Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin asked for a government plane to fly to his European honeymoon earlier this year. The Treasury said Mnuchin had considered using a military plane because he needs access to secure communications. The plane request was later dropped when a secure communications option was identified. (CNBC) A federal judge revoked the $5 million bond of convicted fraudster Martin Shkreli and ordered him jailed after ruling the notorious "pharma bro" was a danger to the public because of his offer on Facebook of cash for samples of Hillary Clinton's hair. (CNBC) A North Korean state agency threatened to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test. (Reuters) * North Korea faces food shortages after intense drought and 'very bad harvest' (CNBC) As Russian troops take part in what may be the largest military exercise since the Cold War, NATO has called on Moscow to be more "transparent" about its exercises. The main purpose of its exercise is to stimulate defense and counterattack in case of war with NATO member countries. (CNBC) * NATO alert as Russia begins mass war games (Financial Times) Democratic Senator Al Franken asked Apple to provide more details on the tech behind its Face ID system , which allows users to unlock their iPhone X using facial recognition. In a letter, he said, "substantial questions remain about how Face ID will impact iPhone users' privacy and security." (Tech Crunch) * Cramer Remix: Investors who bought Apple at $162 are clowns (CNBC's Mad Money) Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced his company's "unreal" semi truck was tentatively set to be unveiled in October. Musk has already revealed some details about the project and had previously said it would be unveiled in September. (CNBC) Musk has shared a sequence of clips demonstrating "how not to land" a SpaceX rocket. In an Instagram post, the SpaceX chief described the "sordid history" of orbital rocket Falcon 9. The rocket "eventually managed to land in one piece and stay that way," Musk said. (CNBC) STOCKS TO WATCHExpedia (EXPE) struck an alliance with British travel company Thomas Cook. Under terms of the deal, Expedia becomes Thomas Cook's preferred hotel provider for certain holiday sales.Western Digital (WDC) was accused by Toshiba of "persistently overstating" its rights regarding Toshiba's planned sale of its memory chip unit. Western Digital, which is Toshiba's partner in a Japan-based chip plant, is part of a group seeking to buy the unit, although Toshiba is now leaning towards another group involving Bain Capital, Apple (AAPL), and others.Equifax (EFX) Chief Executive Officer Richard Smith is expected to testify before a House panel October 3 on the credit reporting agency's massive data breach. This comes as nearly 40 states join a probe of the breach, which may affect as many as 143 million Americans.Amazon.com (AMZN) is planning to build a one million square foot warehouse near Mexico City, according to a Reuters report.Barclays (BCS) won dismissal of a class action suit brought by investors who had bought the bank's stock ahead of the 2008 financial crisis. The suit had accused Barclays of hiding its exposure to risky debt.WATERCOOLER After years of toe-to-toe battling with a small band of critics and a fellow billionaire, Barry Diller said he's pulling the plug on his family's commitment to build and operate a $250 million performance center on an undulating pier in the Hudson River. (NY Times) IN THE NEWS TODAY After top congressional Democrats last night said they reached a deal with President Donald Trump to shield about 800,000 young immigrants from deportation, without the president's proposed border wall as a condition, Trump denied this morning any such deal was made . (CNBC) President Trump will travel to Florida today to survey the damage from Hurricane Irma, which tore a massively destructive and deadly path through Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina as well as the Caribbean. (USA Today & Weather Channel) Trump issued an order blocking a group that includes a Chinese venture capital firm from purchasing Lattice Semiconductor (LSCC), citing national security concerns. Trump's move marks only the fourth time in the past 27 years that a president has blocked a deal like this.(CNBC) Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin asked for a government plane to fly to his European honeymoon earlier this year. The Treasury said Mnuchin had considered using a military plane because he needs access to secure communications. The plane request was later dropped when a secure communications option was identified. (CNBC) A federal judge revoked the $5 million bond of convicted fraudster Martin Shkreli and ordered him jailed after ruling the notorious "pharma bro" was a danger to the public because of his offer on Facebook of cash for samples of Hillary Clinton's hair. (CNBC) A North Korean state agency threatened to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test. (Reuters) * North Korea faces food shortages after intense drought and 'very bad harvest' (CNBC) As Russian troops take part in what may be the largest military exercise since the Cold War, NATO has called on Moscow to be more "transparent" about its exercises. The main purpose of its exercise is to stimulate defense and counterattack in case of war with NATO member countries. (CNBC) * NATO alert as Russia begins mass war games (Financial Times) Democratic Senator Al Franken asked Apple to provide more details on the tech behind its Face ID system , which allows users to unlock their iPhone X using facial recognition. In a letter, he said, "substantial questions remain about how Face ID will impact iPhone users' privacy and security." (Tech Crunch) * Cramer Remix: Investors who bought Apple at $162 are clowns (CNBC's Mad Money) Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced his company's "unreal" semi truck was tentatively set to be unveiled in October. Musk has already revealed some details about the project and had previously said it would be unveiled in September. (CNBC) Musk has shared a sequence of clips demonstrating "how not to land" a SpaceX rocket. In an Instagram post, the SpaceX chief described the "sordid history" of orbital rocket Falcon 9. The rocket "eventually managed to land in one piece and stay that way," Musk said. (CNBC) STOCKS TO WATCH Expedia (EXPE) struck an alliance with British travel company Thomas Cook. Under terms of the deal, Expedia becomes Thomas Cook's preferred hotel provider for certain holiday sales. Western Digital (WDC) was accused by Toshiba of "persistently overstating" its rights regarding Toshiba's planned sale of its memory chip unit. Western Digital, which is Toshiba's partner in a Japan-based chip plant, is part of a group seeking to buy the unit, although Toshiba is now leaning towards another group involving Bain Capital, Apple (AAPL), and others. Equifax (EFX) Chief Executive Officer Richard Smith is expected to testify before a House panel October 3 on the credit reporting agency's massive data breach. This comes as nearly 40 states join a probe of the breach, which may affect as many as 143 million Americans. Amazon.com (AMZN) is planning to build a one million square foot warehouse near Mexico City, according to a Reuters report. Barclays (BCS) won dismissal of a class action suit brought by investors who had bought the bank's stock ahead of the 2008 financial crisis. The suit had accused Barclays of hiding its exposure to risky debt. WATERCOOLER After years of toe-to-toe battling with a small band of critics and a fellow billionaire, Barry Diller said he's pulling the plug on his family's commitment to build and operate a $250 million performance center on an undulating pier in the Hudson River. (NY Times) More From CNBC Top News and Analysis Latest News Video Personal Finance Wal-Mart Stores Inc. WMT has decided to streamline its U.S. operations to understand the evolving needs of customers better. Per sources, the restructuring will involve reduction in its divisions from six to four, while the number of U.S. regions will be slashed from 44 to 36. Reportedly, the restructuring will be completed in October, which will help the company to perform better during the holiday season The latest move pushed shares up by almost 1% yesterday. We believe the consolidation of U.S. operations will simplify its business structure and facilitate communication as well as improve execution. The move will also help the company to reduce its sky-high expenses, which have resulted from higher e-commerce activities and wage hikes. This will further help in increasing the efficiency at stores. We note that Walmart has been reorganizing its business for the last few quarters. Per Reuters, the company announced to consolidate its buying operations in February 2017 to compete with Amazon.com Inc. AMZN. The retailer has also reshuffled its food leadership teams in July. These initiatives have helped in improving operations. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Quote Initiatives to Boost Sales Notably, the company has undertaken several initiatives to boost sales, the results of which can be seen in the positive comps at Walmart U.S. for 12 successive quarters. Comps increased on the back of increased traffic and rising consumer spending. In fact, the company continues to expect positive comps growth year over year at Walmart U.S. in fiscal 2018. Expanding into e-Commerce Business Apart from boosting store traffic, Walmart has also been pushing itself constantly to match the e-commerce biggie Amazon. Walmart has aggressively adopted a number of initiatives in this regard. Recently, it has teamed up with Alphabet Inc.'s GOOGL Google to enter the budding voice-shopping market and opened 1,000th Online Grocery Pickup location, which enables customers to order groceries online and pick them up at their local Walmart store. Story continues Also, with Easy Reorder on walmart.com, customers can repurchase items by looking into their previous in-store and online purchases records. The company also has a dedicated back-to-school destination on walmart.com which enables customers to shop school supply lists for more than 1 million classrooms across the country. The company also offers free two-day shipping service to U.S. shoppers on a minimum order of $35. In April, Walmart introduced a program wherein it offered discounts on online items, only if shoppers picked their orders from a nearby store. This acted as an added feature to Walmarts Walmart Pickup delivery service, which enables customers to place orders online and then pick them up from a store for free. Walmart has also undertaken many small acquisitions to grow its e-commerce business. Since Jet.com acquisition in September 2016, the company has acquired four e-commerce businesses Bonobos, ShoeBuy, Moosejaw, ModCloth. Recently, the company plans to invest in online cosmetics startup Birchbox. If we look into the last six months performance, we note that Wal-Marts shares have rallied 13.4%, higher than the industry, which grew 8.3%. The broader Retail-Wholesale sector has increased 12.7% in the said time frame. Stock with Favorable Combination A better-ranked stock in the retail space includes Canada Goose Holdings Inc. GOOS, carrying a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Canada Goose has an expected earnings growth of 34.1%, for the next three to five years. More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone! It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market. Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Canada Goose Holdings Inc. (GOOS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research As Russian troops take part in what may be the largest military exercise since the Cold War, NATO has called on Moscow to be more "transparent" about its exercises. The Zapad 2017 military exercise is held on the border with Poland, Lithuania and Belarus . The main purpose is to stimulate defense and counterattack in case of war with NATO member countries. The last time Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Belarus a new war erupted. Speaking exclusively to CNBC on Thursday, Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO, called on Russia to be "transparent" about its military exercises to avoid any "misunderstandings or miscalculations." "Every nation, also Russia, has the right to exercise its forces but it's important this is done in a transparent way to prevent misunderstandings, miscalculations," he said. "And we've seen before, Russia using military exercises as a disguise for aggressive actions against other countries; that was the case in 2008 and that was the case in 2014 when they annexed Crimea," Stoltenberg said. In 2014, Russia staged exercises near its border with Ukraine. After these military preparations many troops stayed in the area to participate in the subsequent war with Ukraine. Back in 2008, military exercises also preceded Russia's invasion of Georgia. Russia has said that some 12,700 troops will be involved but the actual figure is not certain. In 2013 for example, the Zapad exercises were publicly claimed to involve about 12,000 troops but NATO believes that number was more like 90,000. The danger has increased "This is part of a pattern, which we've seen developed over several years with a more asserted Russia, a Russia which has tripled defense spending over the last years, which is using force against neighbors and which is exercising much more modern capabilities in a more aggressive way," Stoltenberg said. "The danger of incidents or accidents has increased because there are more troops, more military forces along our borders, there are more exercises, and that's exactly why we are so focused on transparency, predictability," NATO's chief added. Lithuania, which borders Belarus and formerly part of the Soviet bloc, is wary of the increased threat and unpredictability of Russia. President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaite told CNBC Thursday that Russia has built-up its equipment and its cooperation with Belarus, which could pose a threat to Lithuania. Grybauskaite believes that there's a "very large" probability that part of Russia's equipment, including troops, will be kept in Belarus after the military exercise. "Russia is still very, very unpredictable, and it has proved this unpredictability with its activities in occupying Crimea, Ukraine, and Georgia," she said. NATO has increased its presence in the Baltic countries after Russia's annexation of Crimea. About 1000 German troops are in Lithuania; U.S., British and Canadian-led units are also present in Poland, Estonia, and Latvia. "We are prepared as never before to react, to watch, to see what's happening behind our borders," Grybauskaite told CNBC. "History teaches us that we need to see and watch and prepare for the activities of Russia," she added. More From CNBC Apples highly anticipated iPhone X features a slew of innovations but delayed availability could hurt holiday-quarter sales. The much-hyped event on Tuesday unveiled three new phones, an advanced watch that can take calls and a new Apple TV, but die-hard fans will not be able to get their hands on the iPhone X until Nov. 3 much later than iPhone 8s shipping date of Sept. 22. The delay in shipping of the iPhone X could hurt Apples seasonally-strong fiscal first quarter as orders get pushed to the following quarter. The phone will start at $999 for the 64 GB version. Apples shares were down 1% at $159.35 in early trading on Wednesday. Although decked out with facial recognition technology, front and back glass, a 5.8-inch edge to edge display, wireless charging and animated emojis, some analysts said the delay tempers near-term sales and a few adjusted their estimates. Get Data Sheet, Fortunes technology newsletter Given one month less sales for the iPhone X during the December quarter, we have reduced our December quarter iPhone sales estimates from 84 million to 79 million units, Canaccord Genuity analysts wrote in a client note. The companys iPhone 8 and 8 Plus did not veer far away from previous models, sporting modest new features such as a glass body, wireless charging, better camera, and a faster processor. This could lead consumers to wait for the iPhone X. Related: How Apple Wants You to Pronounce iPhone X None of the features in the version 8 product will likely accelerate demand, Mizuho analysts wrote in a note. Apple aapl typically launches new iPhones in September and a big jump in sales usually follows in the holiday quarter, as users tend to upgrade devices when new phones sport significant design changes. Apple last saw a significant uptick in sales with the introduction of iPhone 6 in 2015. Related: iPhone Xs AppleCare+ Plan Isnt Cheap While the delay of the iPhone X could hurt near-term sales, analysts still think Apples loyal and hungry fans would lap up the new phone, boosting sales for fiscal 2018. Story continues Brokerage UBS said it continues to estimate 246 million phones in fiscal 2018up 15%. Apple, which is trying to energize sales in China, could hit a wall selling the pricey new phones there. The 8 and 8 plus start at $699 and the iPhone X is Apples most expensive phone. The high price of the iPhone X may not affect sales in the United States, where telecom carriers subsidize phone ownership, but it might dent sales in China and India. But even with the lack of major surprises, Apples phones are still expected to sell well. Related: This Is Where You Can Buy the Cheapest iPhone 7 It will still sell in enormous volumes because Apple has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to persuade consumers to shift their overall spending to place a greater share of their disposable income towards a smartphone purchase, IHS Markit analyst wrote in a note. Swine flu kills one, 42 sick A person has died of swine flue (Influenza A H1N1) and 42 others are said to have contracted the disease in Gurbhakot Municipality-9, Surkhet. English Danish Conference call scheduled for 2:00 PM CEST / 8:00 AM EDT tomorrow, Friday, September 15 COPENHAGEN, Denmark, September 14, 2017 - Bavarian Nordic A/S (OMX: BAVA, OTC: BVNRY) today announced that an independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMCB) has determined, based on a preplanned interim analysis, that continuation of the Phase 3 PROSPECT study of PROSTVAC in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is futile. "We are extremely disappointed for patients that this study of PROSTVAC as monotherapy was not successful," said Paul Chaplin, President & Chief Executive Officer of Bavarian Nordic. "On behalf of Bavarian Nordic, I want to express our gratitude to the PROSPECT investigators, patients and families who participated in this trial. While this is certainly not the desired outcome, we remain steadfast believers in the power of combination treatments, including immunotherapies, to transform the future of cancer therapies." The contents of this announcement do not affect the Company's expectations for the financial results for 2017. Conference call and webcast The management of Bavarian Nordic will host a conference call tomorrow, Friday, September 15 at 2 PM CEST (8 AM EDT) to discuss the outcome of the interim analysis. Dial-in numbers and link to a live and archived webcast of the conference call will become available at http://www.bavarian-nordic.com/investor/events.aspx?event=5307 during the morning. About the PROSPECT study PROSPECT was a global, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 study conducted under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) from the FDA. The objective of the study was to determine whether PROSTVAC alone or in combination with GM-CSF could prolong overall survival in men with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic mCRPC. The study enrolled 1,297 patients at more than 200 sites in 15 countries. About PROSTVAC PROSTVAC (rilimogene galvacirepvec/rilimogene glafolivec, or "rilimogene") is a prostate specific antigen (PSA)-targeted immunotherapy candidate designed to enhance or stimulate the body's immune response, specifically T cells that will home to and kill prostate cancer cells, altering the course of the disease and improving overall survival of patients with prostate cancer. PROSTVAC employs two poxviruses (vaccinia and fowlpox) in a prime-boost vaccine regimen. A robust data package has been established that includes 19 ongoing or completed clinical studies, comprising more than 2,000 patients, the majority of which have been actively treated with PROSTVAC, which has been generally well-tolerated. PROSTVAC is being developed in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement. About Bavarian Nordic Bavarian Nordic is a fully integrated biotechnology company focused on the development, manufacturing and commercialization of cancer immunotherapies and vaccines for infectious diseases, based on the Company's live virus vaccine platform. Through long-standing collaborations, including a collaboration with the U.S. government, Bavarian Nordic has developed a portfolio of vaccines for infectious diseases, including the non-replicating smallpox vaccine, IMVAMUNE, which is stockpiled for emergency use by the United States and other governments. The vaccine is approved in the European Union (under the trade name IMVANEX) and in Canada. Bavarian Nordic and its strategic partner Janssen are developing an Ebola vaccine regimen, and therapeutic vaccines for HPV, HBV and HIV. Additionally, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, Bavarian Nordic has developed a portfolio of active cancer immunotherapies, including PROSTVAC, which is currently in Phase 3 clinical development for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. The company has partnered with Bristol-Myers Squibb for the potential commercialization of PROSTVAC. For more information visit www.bavarian-nordic.com or follow us on Twitter @bavariannordic. Forward-looking statements This announcement includes forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside of our control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning our plans, objectives, goals, future events, performance and/or other information that is not historical information. All such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by these cautionary statements and any other cautionary statements which may accompany the forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances after the date made, except as required by law. Contacts Rolf Sass Srensen Vice President Investor Relations (EU) Tel: +45 61 77 47 43 Seth Lewis Vice President Investor Relations (US) Tel: +1 978 341 5271 Company Announcement no. 26 / 2017 Sorry to hear that you had such a rough test day, aj42442 ! I suspect that you're on the right track with help from some of the kind members that have already reached out, but you might also want to check this out for some ideas on why your score was lower than your practice tests (and your previous test): https://gmatclub.com/forum/experts-topi ... 46658.html I don't know if any of it will ring a bell for you, but hopefully it will help inspire some useful changes.Good luck with your studies, and don't give up!!!_________________ Chrisxgmat wrote: Hello, I am 22 and I have just graduated in Economics. I would like to start a pre-experience MSc. in (International) Management in Sept./Oct. 2018. GPA: 3.4 GMAT: (expected) 620-650 Experience: I will work Nov-Apr as Business Analyst in a start up; 5 months internship in a research center (tasks: research in field Industry 4.0 and Internet of Things) Languages: Italian native, German full working proficiency, English full working proficiency, Russian intermediate proficiency Hobby: Judo instructor, Judo competitions at international level with very good record What are the best European Business Schools for my profile? I am interested in ESMT, CEMS, Munich Business School, Frankfurt School, Catolica Lisbona, Nova School, but I don know if my profile is enough. Thank you in advance for your help. Best regards, Chris Chris, well the main thing that will help you if you want to attend an MiM is your GMAT. Because more or less other than that, grades and internships, everyone is in the same boat. So if you can differentiate yourself by having an awesome GMAT that's probably the best thing you can do!I wish you luck,Best,JF mohit_rana10 wrote: Hello, Below is my profile: Age-29 GMAT-710 (Q50V37IR5) iELTS-8 (R9, L8.5, W6.5, S7) Work Ex: 1. ~8 years of Work Experience in IT Services in US Insurance domain. 3 Months of international work ex as a business analyst in 2014. 2. Worked for 6 Years as technical developer starting from Jr. Developer uptil becoming a Product SME 3. for last 1.5 years, leading a team of 8 people(Dev & Buisness analysts) in Insurance domain as Entry level manager 4. Current job duties include Workload assignment and analysis, Monthly Org. level data preparation, Process adherence, CMMI/Engg. Audit preparation, Request for Proposal pitching for new projects to clients, Configuration management and auditing, Team level feedback and growthplan initiation etc. Education: B.Tech.(E&C), passed in 2009 with 71% marks Other professional Qualifications: 1. 2 Months Embedded Systems Course along with project from IIT Roorkee in 2008 2. LOMA-280/290 i.e. Level-1 certified in 2016 & 2017. ECA: 1. Have been a Kabaddi, Wrestling and Shot Put player at school level. 2. Have been awarded number of certificates for Debates and Quiz competetion at school/college level. 3. Have an eye for arts and been awarded first prize in 'collage' competition in college. 4. HAve published a paper in national level IEEE conference in 2008 on E&C topic. Awards: 1. Number of Team, BU, and Org. level awards during my last 8 years of professional career. 2. Have been awarded by CIO of client himself for a flawless project execution single handedly in 2012. Languages: English full working proficiency, Hindi,Punjabi Hobby: Reading & Watching Astronomy/Space science, History is my area of special interest, I also enjoy driving and have driven to more than 50K kms across India in last 2 years alone. What are the best Canadian/Australian/Asian Business Schools for my profile? I am particularly interested in Rotman, Mailbourne buisness school, UNSW, Nanyang, Oxford-Said, ISB, and IIM-A/B/C/L, but I dont know if my profile holds good enough. Thank you in advance for your help. Best regards, Mohit Dear Mohit,Overall you do have a good solid profile, though as you know you are in the toughest and most competitive pool in the universe!So what that means is that you have to work extra hard to stand out.I think from your list Oxford and ISB will be quite tough, and that you will have more chances at the other schools on your list. There are many more schools I could suggest - Ivery, Schulich, Adelaide, NUS, NTU, etc. etc. But I would need to get to know you and your goals a bit better first.I hope this helps!And feel free to drop us a line for a more full-on Free Consultation: http://bit.ly/mbafcGC Best,JF A young South African lady identified as Sino Rachel has celebrated her father after he graduated from the university at age 54. Legit.ng came across the beautiful story on her Twitter page after the proud daughter shared a photo of herself and her father. In the post, the young lady expressed that her 54-year-old father just obtained his first degree. According to her, her father put his dreams on hold to take care of her. She wrote: Proud of my dad who obtained his first degree at age 54. Sometimes our parents put their dreams on hold for us. I love you dad. READ ALSO: Happy son shares photo of his 58-year-old mother who just graduated from university (photo) Parents sometimes put everything on hold just to take care of their children even the most important of their dreams. PAY ATTENTION: Get all the latest gossips on NAIJ Gossip App Meanwhile, Legit.ng TV went out to the street to ask Nigerian parents what they would do if their child is not biological theirs. Watch replies below: Source: Legit.ng As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ Unknown gang smears black soot on face of customs office chief An unidentified gang smeared black soot on the face of Kawasoti Customs Office chief in Nawalparasi on Thursday. Villagers angered by delay in bridge construction Locals of Susta, a village located at the Nepal-India border in Nawalparasi district, have vented ire over the delay in construction of a suspension bridge. It appears certain that Trump will be highly amenable to Netanyahus suggestions when the two meet, since both men have been similarly aggressive in their criticism of the JCPOA. While campaigning for office, Trump repeatedly called it the worst deal even negotiated and promised to tear it up. Since becoming president, however, he has twice certified to Congress that Iran is living up to its obligations. But since then Trump has also indicated that he would have withheld this certification at the first opportunity if not for the influence of his foreign policy team. Now, the White House appears to have already taken the initiative to explore changes in line with what Netanyahu will recommend when he speaks to the president directly. Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and other American diplomats had begun meeting with their European counterparts in an effort to convince allied governments to help extend the JCPOAs restrictions beyond the years identified in the sunset clause. Iranian officials have preemptively addressed these efforts by highlighting the apparent differences between American and European interests in this situation. For instance, Al Monitor reported on Tuesday that Kamal Kharrazi, the head of Irans Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, expressed some confidence that European leaders would break with the US over the nuclear issue. Similar statements had been made previously by the likes of Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, but Kharrazis comments placed particular emphasis on the accusation that the US is really serious about damaging the JCPOA. However, the Bloomberg report noted that efforts to correct the perceived inadequacies of the JCPOA would not necessarily undermine the agreement itself. If the US and its allies do attempt to extend restrictions beyond their current expiration dates, it would be through a separate agreement. This approach has the added advantage of allowing for the inclusion of other issues that were not addressed by the agreement, thus opening it up to further criticism. The Trump administration and the US Congress have already expanded sanctions on Irans ballistic missile activities, for instance. But the current diplomatic efforts could reinforce these measures with international consensus. As might be expected, criticism of the JCPOA generally goes hand-in-hand with broader criticism of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This broader criticism certainly characterized Netanyahus recent comments, which urged not only a revised Western approach to the nuclear issue but also a stronger position on Iran policy in general. CNN quoted the Israeli Prime Minister as saying, War is coming because of a soft position on Iran, and a stronger position on Iran would avert war. On this point, also, the American president appears to have separately arrived at the same conclusion, and his administration may be poised to act accordingly. As mentioned above, Trump has already imposed new sanctions on Irans ballistic missile program and support for terrorism. But now, Reuters reports that the White House is weighing a more aggressive strategy of dealing with Tehrans overall behavior. The strategy is expected to be publicly announced by the end of the month, but following a National Security meeting last Friday it is projected to include freer rein for American military commanders in dealing with threatening Iranian maneuvers in the Persian Gulf, as well as with suspected Iranian arms smuggling. Since the initial protest began, various other current and former political prisoners have shown solidarity either by directly joining the hunger strike, by launching their own, more limited hunger strikes, or by speaking out publicly about the situation. The CHRI report notes that 20 former political detainees at Rajai Shahr sent an open letter to the Iranian judiciary emphasizing that the hunger strikers are demanding basic human rights and that those demands should be acknowledged by prison authorities. However, the same report points out that the authorities response to the protest has instead consisted of almost complete neglect. As has been reported by various outlets for weeks, the authorities have denied access to medical treatment for nearly all of the participants in the hunger strike. As the CHRI puts it, these authorities are essentially acting as if the protest is not happening, while also helping to reinforce the position of Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi, who described this and other hunger strikes as threats to which the judiciary would not surrender. But in addition to ignoring the physical plight of the hunger strikers, the prison has also sought to foster internal conflict by expanding the number of family visits for prisoners not participating in the hunger strike while blocking such visits for those who are. Not only have the families of hunger strikers been barred from visiting their loved ones, they have also been prevented from delivering medications to replace those that were confiscated at the time of the transfer. Rights Denied, Legally Such actions compound the effect of the withholding of medical treatment, and they also point to the tendency of Iranian authorities to arbitrarily strip targeted individuals of civil and political rights as a further pressure tactic. Both of these trends are on display in the case of Alireza Rajaei, who has been in the news recently as a result of his losing an eye and part of his jaw to surgery that was made necessary by cancer that went undiagnosed for as much as four years while he was incarcerated as a political prisoner. Rajaei was the focus of an IranWire feature on Monday, which detailed not only the consequences of withheld medical treatment but also the other ways in which Iranian authorities conspired to ruin his life as punishment for his political dissent. When Rajaei ran for political office in 2000, the votes that he received were invalidated by the Guardian Council, which is tasked with vetting all political candidates and legislation for compliance with the supreme leaders vision of Islamic law. After being arrested the following year, Rajaei was not only sentenced to four years in prison, he was also explicitly stripped of his civil rights and banned from membership in political organizations for 10 years. The IranWire feature quoted the countrys Islamic Penal Code as saying, The court, in addition to its judgment, may punish the person who is convictedby depriving him/her of social rights, or forbid him/her to reside in certain places or force him/her to reside in certain places, for a period of time. But in Rajaeis case, the authorities seem to have also exceeded the letter of the law, as by harassing his wife to exert additional psychological pressure on him. The article also quotes Iranian lawyer Musa Barzin Khalifehloo as saying, when it comes to political cases, the judiciary tends to act politically and to guard the interests of the dominant power against its critics, instead of observing the laws. Indeed, the law technically bars prison authorities from withholding medical treatment, but this is a tactic that is widely utilized against political prisoners. In order to do so, those authorities often reject the advice of independent physicians who say that inmates are in imminent need of hospitalization. This was the case with Rajaei, whose constant pain and other symptoms were recognized as cancer risk signs on multiple occasions, only to be treated by the prison clinic with handfuls of painkillers. A similar situation appears to be playing out currently in the case of Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese citizen and permanent resident of the United States who was arrested in 2015 after attending a conference on women and sustainable development, to which he had been invited by an Iranian official. His case is widely cited as an example of Tehrans crack down on Western nationals and persons with connections to the West, many of whom have been sentenced to long prison terms on the basis of poorly substantiated accusations of espionage. Last month, 10-year sentences were upheld for Zakka and three US citizens. A Targeted Tactic Now, the Center for Human Rights in Iran reports that Zakka is in serious need of medical treatment, which has been refused by no less an authority than the director of Evin Prison, where Zakka is housed alongside dozens of other political prisoners. The CHRI quotes Zakkas American attorney Jason Poblete as saying, Even the people at the prison clinic are saying that he needs treatment outside the prison, but the director says no. Poblete went on to say that he believed the reason for the refusal of this transfer is in order to guard against criticism, in keeping with Khalifehloos characterization of the regimes general behavior in such cases. Although Poblete could not disclose the exact nature of Zakkas health crisis, he did indicate that it had not developed until after his imprisonment and subsequent mistreatment. Frankly they dont want anyone photographing him he said. They dont want outside doctors to diagnose him and find out whats wrong with him. Other reports indicate that while Iranian authorities are wary of transferring sick or injured prisoners to hospitals outside the prison walls, they have no such hesitancy about transferring political prisoners back into the harsh conditions of those facilities after they have been hospitalized. In the past, many political prisoners and their advocates have complained of their being returned to prison prematurely, before they could fully recover or even receive adequate treatment. Additionally, although periods of medical furlough are supposed to count toward total amounts of time served, many prisoners are ordered to return to prison, sometimes without warning or explanation, by authorities who believe that furloughed prisoners have not received sufficient punishment. On Wednesday, Iran Human Rights Monitor reported upon the case of Mahmoud Beheshti, a labor rights activist and spokesperson for the Teachers Association. Beheshti has been repeatedly arrested for his organizing activities, and most recently was sentenced to five years in prison for colluding against national security and spreading propaganda against the state. But he was released from prison last year on medical grounds, as allowed by Iranian law, after his health deteriorated greatly in the wake of a 22-day hunger strike. Since that time, hardline authorities have repeatedly threatened the labor organizer with the resumption of his sentence, but when the prosecutors office ordered him to return to prison at the end of August he refused, arguing that the order was illegal. This week, Beheshti was arrested in his home and forcibly returned to prison to resume a sentence that had been legally suspended. When persons who have been granted medical furlough are returned to the Iranian prison system, the facilitys conditions are often sufficient to cause their health to deteriorate further, and of course this situation can be made worse by deliberate mistreatment or the denial of access to medical care. And a Danger to All This danger is also an immediate threat to people who are threatened with new arrests, as well as to those who are ordered to resume existing sentences or who have existing sentences arbitrarily extended. Lengthening existing sentences is also a familiar means of punishment, and the Center for Human Rights in Iran recently reported that this was the situation facing the activist Soheil Arabi, whose seven and a half year sentence may be doubled as result of new charges being brought against him by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, following his previous conviction for posts made on Facebook. Arabi was initially sentenced to death before the media attention given to his case led to the judiciary commuting the sentence upon appeal. The IRGC likely views the current punishment as inadequate and the hardline paramilitary enjoys sufficient influence over judicial authorities to expand the case against him, as well as to bring charges against his wife. Although medical issues have not been identified in reporting on Arabis case, they are familiar to various other cases of political imprisonment, including one that was highlighted by Iran Human Rights Monitor on Wednesday. According to that article, a labor rights activist named Ali Nejati has been summoned to serve a six month sentence, the latest of several sentences that have been handed down against him. His imminent return to prison poses a particular danger because the 55-year old activist has experienced worsening heart disease and recently underwent surgery. Iranian law allows for judges to suspend convicts sentences if it is believed that imprisonment will pose a threat to their life or health. But in practice, this authority is rarely invoked and when it is, it is often overridden by hardline authorities who are more concerned with meting out punishment and limiting prisoners ability to bring broad attention to abuses. The Iran Nuclear Deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) permitted certain US companies to engage in business with Iran. US-based Boeing entered into a $16.6 billion deal to sell 80 airplanes to IRANAIR, an Iranian airline that is 60% owned by the Iranian government. Shurat Hadin, the Israel Law Center, warned Boeing that it will place liens on its planes if it followed through with the deal, which has since been completed. In July, the Israeli legal rights NGO, which represents hundreds of families of victims of Iranian-sponsored terrorism, who hold billions of dollars in unsatisfied US court judgments, said Iran must first be forced to satisfy its debts before it can purchase the planes. Two months later, a federal court in Chicago asked US President Trump to decide on whether or not Boeing must disclose details of the transaction. A US family, who were victims of a terrorist attack, are seeking enforcement of an unpaid $67,000,000 judgment against Iran, as well as demanding full disclosure of the Boeings deal with Tehran. This comes after the family won a settlement of their judgment against Iranian assets in US federal court. Iran does not have reachable assets in the United States, but a motion was filed by the Leibovitch family to freeze any assets owned by Iran that might be in Boeings possession. The family judgment against Iran relates to a 2003 terror attack in which their seven-year-old child was killed and other family members were wounded. The judgement awarded to the Leibovitch family stated that Iran was liable for funding terrorist organization, Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Iran has paid nothing. Boeing claims that disclosing the details of the Iranian aircraft purchase will interfere with US foreign policy toward Iran by obstructing a key component of the international nuclear deal. Nevertheless, Ruben Castillo, chief United States district judge for the Northern District of Illinois, ordered the Trump Administration, earlier this month, to file a statement by October 12 informing the court whether the government agrees or disagrees that revealing of the details of the Boeing deal interferes with US foreign policy toward Iran. In an effort to keep the details of its agreements with Iran secret, Boeing went as far as filing its arguments about whether the details of the transactions should be revealed under the seal of the court, preventing public inspection. After attorneys for the Leibovitch family served Boeing with an Illinois Citation to Discover Assets, Boeing claimed that simply disclosing the details of its transactions to enable the court to assess whether the Leibovitch family can reach any Iranian assets would cause grievous damage to US national security by disrupting the JCPOA. According to the president of Shurat Hadin, Darshan-Leitner, Boeing has raised every possible argument to conceal the terms of its deal with the terrorist state of Iran. On Wednesday she said, Rather than just litigate the matter on its merits, and admit it has no moral dilemma doing business with a rogue regime that is responsible for so much innocent blood, it has gone on the attack against the family of the terror victims and their attorneys, and added, The terror victims have the right to seize all property belonging to Iran. Tehran is the preeminent cause of international terrorism today, and no publicly-traded US company should agree to provide it with airplanes that are being directly used to perpetrate extremist violence. She additionally asked Boeings leadership and stockholders to assist the American terror victims to pursue justice; not serve as apologists for those that devastated their lives. Yousefi said, Peoples inference of these statistics is that it is the officials way of justifying the wrong economic policies, instead of implementing the right policies. Me as an economist do not understand the statistics centre publishes such statistics for whom and d this statistic is important for whom because the government before all should actually show we have economic growth in which areas? Yousef is an economic expert, who describes the regimes claims as misleading and deceptive. He continued, There is no statistically significant increase in economic growth until the recession is over. The key issue is whether increased economic growth has led to an increase in employment in the country? Has peoples income increased and social welfare has somewhat upgraded? Has industrial exports increased? He goes on to say, If there are no answers to any of the questions raised and that investment and production in the country are still in recession and crisis, it is better for the officials to keep the statistics for themselves, because the publication of such figures is highly misleading and deceptive and they should avoid their release. Acknowledging nearly four decades of economic inefficiencies in the clerical regime, Yousef said, Unfortunately, officials have not learned from the four decades of negative economic growth and past experiences. I do not agree with these statistics and indicators at all, because we have to pay attention to indicators that are important, efficient and tangible for the people. Economic growth is an average of the thousands of goods, and it is unclear the growth has been created due to the combination of what factors. I think the time has reached to an end for some people who unknowingly put all their focus on economic growth in order to announce figures and end their work in line with the growth of the Iranian economy. In reference to the regimes efforts regarding the economic problems of the people, he said, I have repeatedly told the authorities not to look for statistics because it is nothing more than a waste of time Unless economic problems are fully and radically overcome, we cannot hope that the economic growth would be achieved. Unfortunately, providing such figures and statistics shows that officials have not learned their lessons about the economic problems of the community. Gerard Deprez MEP (ALDE Group), FOFIs chairman, moderated the meeting. The chairman of the National Council of Resistance of Irans Foreign Affairs Committee, Mohammad Mohaddessin, was the guest speaker. Several members of the European Parliament took part in the discussions. When the UN General Assembly meeting is held in New York next week, the MEPs called for an investigation committee into the massacre, and the UN Security Council is requested to refer this case to the International Criminal Court so that perpetrators of this crime can be brought to justice, per the recent report by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran, in which Article 7 points to the 1988 massacre in Iran. The silence of the international community over this crime sends the Iranian regime a message of weakness, and encourages further human rights violations. In fact, 101 prisoners were executed this past July. During his opening remarks at the September 11th, UN Human Rights Council, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said, Since the beginning of the year at least four children have been put to death, and at least 89 other children remain on death row. In her 10-point platform of opposition, Maryam Rajavi calls for democracy, secularism, respect for human rights, abolition of the death penalty in Iran, and peace and tranquility in the region. Parliamentarians have endorsed this plan. Although Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is said to be a moderate, and ran on a platform promising human rights reforms, during his first term, more than 3,000 people were executed, making Iran the number state-executioner in the world per capita. In her report, The UN Special Rapporteur on Iran wrote this: Between July and August 1988, thousands of political prisoners, men, women and teen-agers, were reportedly executed pursuant to a fatwa issued by the then Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini Additionally, the report reveals evidence that, the names of the officials who had carried out and defended the executions, including the current Minister of Justice, a current high court judge, and the head of one of the largest religious foundations in the country and candidate in the May presidential elections. It adds, Recently, these killings have been acknowledged by some at the highest levels of the State. The families of the victims have a right to know the truth about these events and the fate of their loved ones without risking reprisal. They have the right to a remedy, which includes the right to an effective investigation of the facts and public disclosure of the truth; and the right to reparation. The Special Rapporteur therefore calls on the Government to ensure that a thorough and independent investigation into these events is carried out. Regarding Mrs Mogherinis silence about the 1988 massacre and her general silence about repression of women, and other human rights violations in Iran, the MEPS said, This silence by our EU High Representative only encourages the mullahs to continue their crimes in Iran. This is very bad for the reputation of Europe. We in the European Parliament, who are elected representatives of the people of Europe, we must defend European values which are democracy, human rights, women rights, separation of religion and state. Further, European governments and the EU were urged to condition relations with Islamic Republic of Iran to a suspension of executions and a clear progress on human rights. Foreign-supported educational centers in North Korea are reducing their activities as more governments strengthen travel warnings for the country. The United States recently banned most travel by Americans to North Korea. North Korea also remains under a series of United Nations Security Council restrictions. South Korea, the U.S. and other nations have also placed their own restrictions on the North because of its nuclear and missile testing activities. Britain also has announced additional travel warnings for its citizens, which have affected education links with North Korea. A spokesperson for the British Council told VOA, The British Council suspended the English language teaching program in Pyongyang when the travel advice from the U.K. (British) government changed. The Council added that it is delaying talks on extending its program in North Korea. The British Council has operated the English Language Teacher Training Program (ELT program) since May of 2000. That year, Britain established diplomatic relations with North Korea to support critical engagement with the country. The effort was aimed at reducing the countrys isolation through educational and cultural exchanges. The Council has trained more than 4,000 English teachers in Pyongyang. Four teachers were involved in the suspended program. The Council made its decision because the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office increased its travel warning for North Korea on September 3. The office advises against all but essential travel to North Korea. It adds, There remains a threat of further missile or nuclear tests, which could lead to further instability in the region. On September 1, the United States banned most travel by its citizens to North Korea. That ban already may have affected education links to North Korea. Last week Pyongyang University of Science and Technology released a statement. The university, known as PUST, said classes had been adapted to suit the available resources. PUST is a private university that is supported mostly by Western, Christian groups. It educates the children of ruling families in North Korea. Sixty to 80 foreign professors work at the university during each semester. A university statement says about half of them have U.S. passports. The university did not say how many American teachers will be affected by the U.S. travel ban. PUST noted it expects that additional teachers will join during this fall learning period. However, some of the universitys teaching activities seem to have been restricted. One professor at PUST told VOA that only North Korean professors teach classes in dentistry this fall. The professor said the U.S. measure is affecting not only American citizens but other foreign nationals. The professor asked not to be identified. Another PUST employee, who asked not to be identified, said he would not be returning to Pyongyang this fall. The employee said the aid agency that organizes the teaching trips decided not to send anyone to the school at this time. The U.S. State Department first announced the travel ban in July after North Korea tested two long-distance missiles. It warned of growing concerns over the serious risk of arrest and long-term detention to Americans traveling to and within North Korea. The ban permits exceptions for some humanitarian or other special purposes, although they require approval. Im Mario Ritter. Kim Hyunjin reported this story for VOA News with contributions from Jenny Lee. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story engagement n. the state of being involved with something isolation n. to be separated from other, to be alone essential adj. the most important and necessary instability n. easily changed or likely to be changed region n a part of a country or of the world adapt v. to change in order to better deal with a place or situation suit v. to provide something needed, to be suitable evangelical adj. relating to a Christian group who stress the importance of Biblical writings and preach those beliefs faculty n. teachers at a school, college or university Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmars government, has cancelled her planned visit to the United Nations General Assembly. Several nations have criticized the Myanmar military recently for deadly attacks against minority Rohingya Muslims in the country, also known as Burma. The UN General Assembly is meeting next week in New York City. The UN says almost 380,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh. Aung San Suu Kyi won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for leading the nonviolent struggle for democracy and human rights in Myanmar. She spent more than 20 years under house arrest because of her democracy effort. But she is facing sharp criticism for her response to the violence against Rohingya in the country. She has denied reports of genocide and defended the military actions as justified. The criticism has even come from other Nobel Peace Prize winners. Retired South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa wrote an open letter to Aung San Suu Kyi. Part of it said, If the political price of your ascension to the highest office in Myanmar is your silence, the price is surely too steep. Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay said that Aung San Suu Kyi will miss the General Assembly meeting to deal with security issues in Rakhine state. He also said there had been reports of the possibility of terror attacks in the country. Aung San Suu Kyi is the head of Myanmars government and its foreign minister. Myanmars president is Htin Kyaw. Violence began last month On August 25, a group of Rohingya militants attacked about 30 police offices and army positions in Rakhine, killing several people. The militants said they were trying to protect their ethnic minority from government persecution. About 400 people have been killed in battles between the military and the militants. The Trump administration has called for protection of civilians. Bangladesh: refugees must leave The Bangladesh government has said that all the refugees will have to return to Myanmar. It has called for safe areas in Myanmar. But Zaw Htay said that would not be acceptable to Myanmars government. Philippe Bolopion is deputy director of global advocacy at Human Rights Watch. He said the humanitarian crisis is worsened by Myanmars refusal to permit aid agencies to come in and provide help. But Zaw Htay said the Myanmar government is working to stop the violence and deal with threats of future terrorist attacks. Jean Leiby of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) says Rohingya camps in Bangladesh are crowded with children. He said about 200,000 children may be at risk of disease and are in urgent need of support. The UN refugee agency sent a flight to Bangladesh carrying emergency aid. A second flight, donated by the United Arab Emirates, has also landed in Bangladesh, carrying about 2,000 family tents. The Rohingya are one of Myanmar's many ethnic minorities in the Buddhist-majority nation. They have been denied citizenship, though most can show that their families have been in the country for many years. Im Jonathan Evans. Margaret Besheer and Lisa Schlein reported on this story for VOANews.com. Bruce Alpert adapted this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story ascension - n. the act of rising or ascending steep - adj. very high persecution - n. to treat someone cruelly or unfairly especially because of race or religious or political beliefs A newly released study finds that London is still considered the most attractive financial center in the world. London was followed by New York City. The study showed that the British capital extended its lead over New York compared to past years. Some politicians and economists have suggested that London would lose its top rating because of Britains planned withdrawal from the European Union. But the study shows there are few signs of that happening -- at least not yet. The Z/Yen Global Financial Centers Index rates 92 financial centers on things such as public services and the availability of experienced and well-educated workers. New York, in second place, finished 24 points behind London. That is the largest difference between the two cities since the study was first published in 2007. Hong Kong finished in third place, and Singapore finished fourth. New Yorks overall rating fell 24 points from its rating the year before. That is the biggest fall among top cities. Study organizers say the large drop probably resulted from fears over U.S. trade. Since becoming U.S. president in January, Donald Trump has removed the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. Critics have described his economic policy as isolationist. TheCityUK is the most powerful group working in support of Britains financial industry. The group says its members are saying that they do not know enough about what will happen when the country leaves the EU. Miles Celic leads TheCityUK. He says because it is not clear what will happen then, many firms have already started to activate their contingency plans and others will undoubtedly follow suit if these arent confirmed as soon as possible." The survey was completed in June. Since then, talks between Britain and the European Commission about Britains planned withdrawal from the EU have become increasingly unpleasant. And in the past two months, most major U.S., British and Japanese banks have said they will open offices in Frankfurt, Germany or Dublin, Ireland. A year ago, Frankfurt finished in 23rd place in the study. This year it rose to 11th. Dublin was 33rd last year. This year it moved up to 30th place. The Reuters news agency reported this story from London and Frankfurt. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted the report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story attractive adj. having a feature or quality that people like index n. a number that indicates changes in the level of something (such as a stock market) when it rises or falls isolationism n. the belief that a country should not be involved with other countries; a policy of not making agreements or working with other countries firm n. a business organization contingency plan n. a plan that can be followed if an original plan is not possible for some reason follow suit expression. to do the same thing that someone else has just done Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Portfolio Monitoring Top Stock Lists Premium Reports Stock Screeners Live News Feed Premium Support Free for your first month. Energizer Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, markets, and distributes household batteries, specialty batteries, and lighting products worldwide. It offers lithium, alkaline, carbon zinc, nickel metal hydride, zinc air, and silver oxide batteries under the Energizer and Eveready brands, as well as primary, rechargeable, specialty, and hearing aid batteries. The company also provides headlights, lanterns, and children's and area lights, as well as flash lights under the Energizer, Eveready, Rayovac, Hard Case, Dolphin, Varta, and WeatherReady brands. In addition, it licenses the Energizer and Eveready brands to companies developing consumer solutions in gaming, automotive batteries, portable power for critical devices, LED light bulbs, generators, power tools, household light bulbs, and other lighting products. Further, the company designs and markets automotive fragrance and appearance products, including protectants, wipes, tire and wheel care products, glass cleaners, leather care products, air fresheners, and washes to clean, shine, refresh, and protect interior and exterior automobile surfaces under the brand names of Armor All, Nu Finish, Refresh Your Car!, LEXOL, Eagle One, California Scents, Driven, and Bahama & Co; STP branded fuel and oil additives, functional fluids, and other performance chemical products; and do-it-yourself automotive air conditioning recharge products under the A/C PRO brand name, as well as other refrigerant and recharge kits, sealants, and accessories. It sells its products through direct sales force, distributors, and wholesalers; and through various retail and business-to-business channels, including mass merchandisers, club, electronics, food, home improvement, dollar store, auto, drug, hardware, e-commerce, convenience, sporting goods, hobby/craft, office, industrial, medical, and catalog. Energizer Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in 2015 and is headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri. The following companies are subsidiares of PepsiCo: Alimentos Quaker Oats y Compania Limitada, Alimentos del Istmo S.A., Amavale Agricola Ltda., Anderson Hill Insurance Limited, Asia Bottlers Limited, BAESA Capital Corporation Ltd., BFY Brands, BFY Brands LLC, BFY Brands Limited, BUG de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Balmoral Industries LLC, Bare Foods Co., Barrhead LLC, Be & Cheery, Beaman Bottling Company, Bebidas Sudamerica S.A., Beech Limited, Bell Taco Funding Syndicate, Bendler Investments II Ltd, Bendler Investments S.a r.l, Beverage Services Limited, Beverages Foods & Service Industries Inc., Bishkeksut OJSC, Blaue NC S. de R.L. de C.V., Blue Cloud Distribution Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Arizona Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Arkansas Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Colorado Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Florida Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Georgia Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Illinois Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Indiana Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Iowa Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Kentucky Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Louisiana Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Minnesota Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Mississippi Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Missouri Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Nebraska Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Nevada Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of North Carolina Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Ohio Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Oklahoma Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Pennsylvania Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of South Carolina Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Tennessee Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Texas Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Virginia Inc., Blue Cloud Distribution of Wisconsin Inc., Blue Ridge Sales LLC, Bluebird Foods Limited, Bluecan Holdings Unlimited Company, Bokomo Zambia Limited, Bolsherechensky Molkombinat JSC, Boquitas Fiestas LLC, Boquitas Fiestas S.R.L., Bottling Group Financing LLC, Bottling Group Holdings LLC, Bottling Group LLC, Bronte Industries Ltd, C & I Leasing Inc., CB Manufacturing Company Inc., CEME Holdings LLC, CMC Investment Company, Caroni Investments LLC, Centro-Mediterranea de Bebidas Carbonicas PepsiCo S.L., Ceres Fruit Juices Pty Ltd, ChampBev Inc., China Concentrate Holdings Hong Kong Limited, Chipsy International for Food Industries S.A.E., Chipsy for Food Industries S.A.E., Chitos Internacional y Cia Ltda, Cipa Industrial de Produtos Alimentares Ltda., Cipa Nordeste Industrial de Produtos Alimentares Ltda., Cocina Autentica Inc., Comercializadora CMC Investment y Compania Limitada, Comercializadora Nacional SAS Ltda., Comercializadora PepsiCo Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., Compania de Bebidas PepsiCo S.L., Concentrate Holding Uruguay Pte. Ltd., Concentrate Manufacturing Singapore Pte. Ltd., Confiteria Alegro S. de R.L. de C.V., Copella Fruit Juices Limited, Copper Beech International LLC, Corina Snacks Limited, Corporativo Internacional Mexicano S. de R.L. de C.V., CytoSport Holdings Inc., CytoSport Inc., Davlyn Realty Corporation, Defosto Holdings Limited, Desarrollo Inmobiliario Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Dilexis S.A., Donon Holdings Limited, Drinkfinity USA Inc., Drinkstation Inc., Drinkstation Innovation Co. Ltd., Drinkstation Limited, Dutch Snacks Holding S.A. de C.V., Duyvis Production B.V., EPIC Enterprises Inc., Echo Bay Holdings Inc., Elaboradora Argentina de Cereales S.R.L., Enter Logistica LLC, Environ at Inverrary Partnership, Environ of Inverrary Inc., Eridanus Investments S.a r.l, Evercrisp Snack Productos de Chile S.A., FL Transportation Inc., FLI Andean LLC, FLI Colombia LLC, FLI Snacks Andean GP LLC, Fabrica PepsiCo Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Fabrica de Productos Alimenticios Rene y Cia S.C.A., Fairlight International SRL, Far East Bottlers Hong Kong Limited, Food Concepts Pioneer Ltd., Forest Akers Nederland B.V., Forty-Six Peaks Holding Inc., Fovarosi Asvanyviz es Uditoipari Zartkoruen Mukodo Reszvenytarsasag, Freshwater International B.V., Frito Lay Gida Sanayi Ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Frito Lay Poland Sp. z o.o., Frito Lay Sp. z o.o., Frito Lay de Guatemala y Compania Limitada, Frito-Lay Australia Holdings Pty Limited, Frito-Lay Dip Company Inc., Frito-Lay Dominicana S.A., Frito-Lay Global Investments B.V., Frito-Lay Inc., Frito-Lay Investments B.V., Frito-Lay Manufacturing LLC, Frito-Lay Netherlands Holding B.V., Frito-Lay North America Inc., Frito-Lay Sales Inc., Frito-Lay Trading Company Europe GmbH, Frito-Lay Trading Company GmbH, Frito-Lay Trading Company Poland GmbH, Frito-Lay Trinidad Unlimited, Fruko Mesrubat Sanayi Limited Sirketi, GB Czech LLC, GB International Inc., GB Russia LLC, GB Slovak LLC, GMP Manufacturing Inc., Gambrinus Investments Limited, Gamesa LLC, Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Gas Natural de Merida S. A. de C. V., Gatorade Puerto Rico Company, General Bottlers of Hungary Inc., Golden Grain Company, Goveh S.R.L., Grayhawk Leasing LLC, Green Hemlock International LLC, Grupo Frito Lay y Compania Limitada, Grupo Gamesa S. de R.L. de C.V., Grupo Mabel, Grupo Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V., Gulkevichskiy Maslozavod JSC, Hangzhou Baicaowei Corporate Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co, Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Tao Dao Technology Co. Ltd., Health Warrior, Health Warrior Inc., Heathland LP, Helioscope Limited, Hillbrook Inc., Hillgrove Inc., Hillwood Bottling LLC, Hogganfield Limited Partnership, Holding Company "Opolie" JSC, Homefinding Company of Texas, Hudson Valley Insurance Company, IC Equities Inc., IZZE Beverage Co., Inmobiliaria Interamericana S.A. De C.V., Integrated Beverage Services Bangladesh Limited, Integrated Foods & Beverages Pvt. Ltd., International Bottlers Management Co. LLC, International KAS Aktiengesellschaft, Inversiones Borneo S.R.L., Inversiones PFI Chile Limitada, Inviting Foods Holdings Inc., Inviting Foods LLC, KAS Anorthosis S.a r.l, KAS S.L., KFC, Kevita Inc., Kinvara LLC, Kungursky Molkombinat JSC, Larragana S.L., Latin American Holdings Ltd., Latin American Snack Foods ApS, Latin Foods International LLC, Lebedyansky, Lebedyansky Holdings LLC, Lebedyansky LLC, Limited Liability Company "Sandora", Linkbay Limited, Lithuanian Snacks UAB, Mabel, Marbo Product d.o.o. Beograd, Marbo d.o.o. Laktasi, Matudis - Comercio de Produtos Alimentares Limitada, Matutano - Sociedade de Produtos Alimentares Lda., Mid-America Improvement Corporation, Mountainview Insurance Company Inc., Muscle Milk, NCJV LLC, New Bern Transport Corporation, New Century Beverage Company LLC, Noble Leasing LLC, Northeast Hot-Fill Co-op Inc., Office at Solyanka LLC, Onbiso Inversiones S.L., One World Enterprises LLC, One World Investors Inc., P-A Barbados Bottling Company LLC, P-A Bottlers Barbados SRL, P-Americas LLC, PAS Luxembourg S.a r.l, PAS Netherlands B.V., PBG Canada Holdings II LLC, PBG Canada Holdings Inc., PBG Cyprus Holdings Limited, PBG Investment Partnership, PBG Midwest Holdings S.a r.l, PBG Soda Can Holdings S.a r.l, PCBL LLC, PCNA Manufacturing Inc., PR Beverages Cyprus Holding Limited, PR Beverages Cyprus Russia Holding Limited, PRB Luxembourg S.a r.l, PRS Inc., PSAS Inversiones LLC, PSE Logistica S.R.L., PT Quaker Indonesia, Papas Chips S.A., Pei N.V., Pep Trade LLC, Pepsi B.V., Pepsi Beverages Holdings Inc., Pepsi Bottling Group Global Finance LLC, Pepsi Bottling Group GmbH, Pepsi Bottling Group Hoosiers B.V., Pepsi Bottling Holdings Inc., Pepsi Bugshan Investments S.A.E., Pepsi Cola Colombia Ltda, Pepsi Cola Egypt S.A.E., Pepsi Cola Panamericana S.R.L., Pepsi Cola Servis Ve Dagitim Limited Sirketi, Pepsi Cola Trading Ireland, Pepsi Logistics Company Inc., Pepsi Northwest Beverages LLC, Pepsi Overseas Investments Partnership, Pepsi Promotions Inc., Pepsi-Cola Advertising and Marketing Inc., Pepsi-Cola Bermuda Limited, Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Holding C.V., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company Of St. Louis Inc., Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Ft. Lauderdale-Palm Beach LLC, Pepsi-Cola Company, Pepsi-Cola Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Pepsi-Cola Far East Trade Development Co. Inc., Pepsi-Cola Finance LLC, Pepsi-Cola General Bottlers Poland Sp. z o.o., Pepsi-Cola Industrial da Amazonia Ltda., Pepsi-Cola International Cork, Pepsi-Cola International LLC, Pepsi-Cola International Limited, Pepsi-Cola International Limited U.S.A., Pepsi-Cola International Private Limited, Pepsi-Cola Korea Co. Ltd., Pepsi-Cola Management and Administrative Services Inc., Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing Company Of Uruguay S.R.L., Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing International Limited, Pepsi-Cola Manufacturing Mediterranean Limited, Pepsi-Cola Marketing Corp. Of P.R. Inc., Pepsi-Cola Mediterranean Ltd., Pepsi-Cola Metropolitan Bottling Company Inc., Pepsi-Cola Mexicana Holdings LLC, Pepsi-Cola Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Pepsi-Cola National Marketing LLC, Pepsi-Cola Operating Company Of Chesapeake And Indianapolis, Pepsi-Cola Sales and Distribution Inc., Pepsi-Cola Technical Operations Inc., Pepsi-Cola Thai Trading Co. Ltd., Pepsi-Cola de Honduras S.R.L., Pepsi-Cola of Corvallis Inc., PepsiAmericas Nemzetkozi Szolgaltato Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, PepsiCo ANZ Holdings Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Alimentos Antioquia Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Colombia Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Ecuador Cia. Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos Z.F. Ltda., PepsiCo Alimentos de Bolivia S.R.L., PepsiCo Amacoco Bebidas Do Brasil Ltda., PepsiCo Asia Research & Development Center Company Limited, PepsiCo Australia Financing Cyprus Limited, PepsiCo Australia Financing Limited Partnership, PepsiCo Australia Financing Partner 1 LLC, PepsiCo Australia Financing Partner 2 LLC, PepsiCo Australia Financing Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Australia Holdings Pty Limited, PepsiCo Australia International, PepsiCo Austria Services GmbH, PepsiCo Azerbaijan Limited Liability Company, PepsiCo BeLux BV, PepsiCo Beverage Sales LLC, PepsiCo Beverage Singapore Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Beverages Bermuda Limited, PepsiCo Beverages Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo Beverages International Limited, PepsiCo Beverages Italia Societa' A Responsabilita' Limitata, PepsiCo Canada Finance LLC, PepsiCo Canada Holdings ULC, PepsiCo Canada Investment ULC, PepsiCo Canada ULC, PepsiCo Captive Holdings Inc., PepsiCo Caribbean Inc., PepsiCo China Limited, PepsiCo Consulting Polska Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo De Bolivia S.R.L., PepsiCo Del Paraguay S.R.L., PepsiCo Deutschland GmbH, PepsiCo Eesti AS, PepsiCo Euro Bermuda Limited, PepsiCo Euro Finance Antilles B.V., PepsiCo Europe Support Center S.L., PepsiCo Finance Americas Company, PepsiCo Finance Antilles A N.V., PepsiCo Finance Antilles B N.V., PepsiCo Finance South Africa Proprietary Limited, PepsiCo Financial Shared Services Inc., PepsiCo Food & Beverage Holdings Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo Foods A.I.E., PepsiCo Foods China Company Limited, PepsiCo Foods Group Pty Ltd, PepsiCo Foods Guangdong Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Nigeria Limited, PepsiCo Foods Private Limited, PepsiCo Foods Sichuan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Taiwan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Foods Vietnam Company, PepsiCo France SAS, PepsiCo Global Business Services India LLP, PepsiCo Global Business Services Poland Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo Global Holdings Limited, PepsiCo Global Investments B.V., PepsiCo Global Investments S.a r.l, PepsiCo Global Mobility LLC, PepsiCo Global Real Estate Inc., PepsiCo Global Trading Solutions Unlimited Company, PepsiCo Golden Holdings Inc., PepsiCo Group Finance International B.V., PepsiCo Group Holdings International B.V., PepsiCo Group Spotswood Holdings S.a r.l, PepsiCo Gulf International FZE, PepsiCo Hellas Single Member Industrial and Commercial Societe Anonyme, PepsiCo Holding de Espana S.L., PepsiCo Holdings, PepsiCo Holdings LLC, PepsiCo Holdings Toshkent LLC, PepsiCo Hong Kong LLC, PepsiCo Iberia Servicios Centrales S.L., PepsiCo India Holdings Private Limited, PepsiCo India Sales Private Limited, PepsiCo Internacional Mexico S. de R. L. de C. V., PepsiCo International Hong Kong Limited, PepsiCo International Limited, PepsiCo International Pte Ltd., PepsiCo Investments Europe I B.V., PepsiCo Investments Ltd., PepsiCo Ireland Food & Beverages Unlimited Company, PepsiCo Japan Co. Ltd., PepsiCo Light B.V., PepsiCo Logistyka Sp. z o.o., PepsiCo Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., PepsiCo Management Services SAS, PepsiCo Manufacturing A.I.E., PepsiCo Max B.V., PepsiCo Mexico Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., PepsiCo Nederland B.V., PepsiCo Nordic Denmark ApS, PepsiCo Nordic Finland Oy, PepsiCo Nordic Norway AS, PepsiCo Nutrition Trading DMCC, PepsiCo One B.V., PepsiCo Overseas Corporation, PepsiCo Overseas Financing Partnership, PepsiCo Panimex Inc, PepsiCo Products B.V., PepsiCo Products FLLC, PepsiCo Puerto Rico Inc., PepsiCo Sales Inc., PepsiCo Sales LLC, PepsiCo Services Asia Ltd., PepsiCo Services CZ s.r.o., PepsiCo Services LLC, PepsiCo Twist B.V., PepsiCo UK Pension Plan Trustee Limited, PepsiCo Ventures B.V., PepsiCo Wave Holdings LLC, PepsiCo World Trading Company Inc., PepsiCo Y LLC, PepsiCo de Argentina S.R.L., PepsiCo de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., PepsiCo do Brasil Industria e Comercio de Alimentos Ltda., PepsiCo do Brasil Ltda., PepsiCola Interamericana de Guatemala S.A., Pet Iberia S.L., Pete & Johnny Limited, Pine International LLC, Pine International Limited, Pinstripe Leasing LLC, Pioneer Food Group Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Groceries Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Group Ltd., Pioneer Foods Holdings Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods Pty Ltd, Pioneer Foods UK Ltd, Pioneer Foods Wellingtons Pty Ltd, Pipers Crisps Limited, PlayCo Inc., Pop corners, PopCorners Holdings Inc., Portfolio Concentrate Solutions Unlimited Company, Premier Nutrition Trading L.L.C., Prestwick LLC, Prev PepsiCo Sociedade Previdenciaria, Productos Alimenticios Rene LLC, Productos S.A.S. C.V., Productos SAS Management B.V., Punch N.V., Punica Getranke GmbH, Q O Puerto Rico Inc., QFL OHQ Sdn. Bhd., QTG Development Inc., QTG Services Inc., Quadrant - Amroq Beverages S.R.L., Quaker Development B.V., Quaker European Beverages LLC, Quaker European Investments B.V., Quaker Foods, Quaker Global Investments B.V., Quaker Holdings UK Limited, Quaker Manufacturing LLC, Quaker Oats Asia Inc., Quaker Oats Australia Pty Ltd, Quaker Oats B.V., Quaker Oats Capital Corporation, Quaker Oats Europe Inc., Quaker Oats Europe LLC, Quaker Oats Limited, Quaker Sales & Distribution Inc, Raptas Finance S.a r.l., Rare Fare Foods LLC, Rare Fare Holdings Inc., Reading Industries Ltd, Real Estate Holdings LLC, Rockstar Energy Drink, Rolling Frito-Lay Sales LP, S & T of Mississippi Inc., SIH International LLC, SVC Logistics Inc., SVC Manufacturing Inc., SVE Russia Holdings GmbH, Sabritas LLC, Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V., Sabritas Snacks America Latina de Nicaragua y Cia Ltda, Sabritas de Costa Rica S. de R.L., Sabritas y Cia. S en C de C.V., Sakata Rice Snacks Australia Pty Ltd, Sandora Holdings B.V., Saudi Snack Foods Company Limited, Sea Eagle International SRL, Seepoint Holdings Ltd., Senselet Food Processing PLC, Senselet Holding B.V., Servicios GBF Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Servicios GFLG y Compania Limitada, Servicios Gamesa Puerto Rico L.L.C., Servicios SYC S. de R.L. de C.V., Seven-Up Asia Inc., Seven-Up Light B.V., Seven-Up Nederland B.V., Shanghai PepsiCo Snack Company Limited, Shanghai YuHo Agricultural Development Co. Ltd, Shoebill LLC, Simba (Proprietary) Limited, Simba Proprietary Limited, Sitka Spruce, Smartfoods Inc., Smiles and Bites Holdings S.de R.L. de C.V., Smiths Crisps Limited, Snack Food Investments GmbH, Snack Food Investments II GmbH, Snack Food Investments Limited, Snack Food-Beverage Asia Products Limited, Snacks America Latina S.R.L., Snacks Guatemala Ltd., So Spark Ltd., Soda-Club CO2 Atlantic GmbH, Soda-Club CO2 GmbH, Soda-Club CO2 Ltd., Soda-Club Switzerland GmbH, Soda-Club Worldwide B.V., SodaStream, SodaStream Australia Pty Ltd, SodaStream CO2 SA, SodaStream Canada Ltd., SodaStream Enterprises N.V., SodaStream France SAS, SodaStream GmbH, SodaStream Iberia S.L., SodaStream Industries Ltd., SodaStream International B.V., SodaStream International Ltd., SodaStream Israel Ltd., SodaStream K.K., SodaStream New Zealand Ltd., SodaStream Nordics AB, SodaStream Poland Sp. z o.o., SodaStream SA Pty Ltd., SodaStream Switzerland GmbH, SodaStream USA Inc., SodaStream Osterreich GmbH, South Beach Beverage Company Inc., South Properties Inc., Spitz International Inc., Sportmex Internacional S.A. de C.V., Springboig Industries Ltd, Spruce Limited, Stacy's Pita Chip Company Incorporated, Star Foods E.M. S.R.L., Stokely-Van Camp Inc., Stratosphere Communications Pty Ltd, Stratosphere Holdings 2018 Limited, Streamfoods Ltd, TFL Holdings LLC, Tasman Finance S.a r.l, The Gatorade Company, The Good Carb Food Company Ltd., The Pepsi Bottling Group Canada ULC, The Quaker Oats Company, The Smith's Snackfood Company Pty Limited, Thomond Group Holdings Limited, Tobago Snack Holdings LLC, Tropicana Alvalle S.L., Tropicana Beverages Limited, Tropicana Europe N.V., Tropicana United Kingdom Limited, Troya-Ultra LLC, United Foods Companies Restaurantes S.A., V-Water, VentureCo Israel Ltd, Veurne Snack Foods BV, Vitamin Brands Ltd., Walkers Crisps Limited, Walkers Group Limited, Walkers Snack Foods Limited, Walkers Snacks Distribution Limited, Walkers Snacks Limited, Whitman Corporation, Whitman Insurance Co. Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann Beverages JSC, Wimm-Bill-Dann Brands Co. Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann Central Asia-Almaty LLP, Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods LLC, Wimm-Bill-Dann Georgia Ltd., Wimm-Bill-Dann JSC, and Wimm-Bill-Dann Ukraine PJSC. Read More I have been married to my husband for over three years, and we have a beautiful toddler. I just found out that I am pregnant again. I don't know what to do because my husband is a mixed bag as a partner. At times I want nothing to do with him, but he can also be loving and charming. He is handsome, smart, loyal (he would never cheat), and is amazing with the kid. But he can also be very mean and aggressive for long stretches of time, especially during stressful periods at work. Sometimes it seems like he wants to punish me or teach me a lesson. Some examples: We were in Boston on a very busy day. I noticed a group of student demonstrators and told him I wanted to hear what they were chanting, and walked 10 feet toward them. I turned around a few minutes later and he and our son, who was sitting in the stroller, were gone. My bag with my phone was in the stroller's basket so I had no way to contact my husband. Turns out, he walked to the edge of the scene and watched me panic. Last week, I was making breakfast for my child, and all of a sudden I heard a loud sound. I turned around and saw that my husband had thrown the blanket from our bed on the kitchen floor. He was mad I didn't make the bed first thing in the morning. My husband says he wants another child, but he is not doing anything to help me get comfortable with the decision. He says he will support me financially because even though I make a commendable living, my husband's salary is much larger than mine. He keeps our finances separate not because he is stingy, but because he wants to be in control of everything. We went to therapy for a stint, but it had very little effect on him. I know that once work pressure subsides, he will again become a sweet, loving, and kind partner. But I don't know when that will happen or how long good times will last. I always wanted two kids, and I want my child to have a sibling, but I don't know if I can handle having two little ones when my partner is not emotionally supportive and does as he pleases with his time. Despite all this, I am still in love. When things are good, they are pretty good, and when they are bad, it feels very dark. I am exhausted by this roller coaster and his moods. Should I have this baby? Exahusted Babies born with Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID) syndrome are defenceless against bacterial and viral infections that would be virtually harmless to most healthy people. If untreated, SCID is often fatal within a baby's first year of life. Research led by the University of Hong Kong has resulted in a new testing regime that could speed up the diagnosis of SCID, allowing more infants to receive life-saving treatment within a critical timeframe. For the best chance of survival, infants with SCID should be treated as soon after birth as possible, and preferably within three-and-a-half months. However, poor recognition of SCID by front-line doctors is leading to delays in diagnosis, later treatments and poorer outcomes. The authors of a recent study, published in open-access journal Frontiers in Immunology, have developed a "checklist" of potential SCID markers: a family history of early infant death, persistent candidiasis (often presenting as persistent thrush), Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) infections, and low absolute lymphocyte counts. "Flagging" an infant showing any one of these four factors would allow potential SCID patients to be fast-tracked for further tests and treatment. Many countries - including much of Asia and the UK - do not test for SCID in their newborn health-screening programmes, with front-line doctors often left to diagnose the fatal condition. By using this checklist, the authors believe that identification, and hence treatment, of SCID patients will be possible much sooner. Without a working immune system, newborns with SCID are highly vulnerable, and many will repeatedly visit doctors with serious and recurring infections before being diagnosed. "The recognition of SCID by doctors is poor in Asia, resulting in delayed diagnoses that jeopoardize the chance of treatment success," explains lead author Professor Yu Lung Lau, who focused his research on Asian and North African patients. "We wanted to see if we could identify any clinical features that would help doctors to diagnose SCID earlier." The study of 147 patients looked at how long it took for doctors to diagnose SCID, relative to the age the babies were first brought to their doctors, and what symptoms they had. They found that it took an average of two months for babies to be diagnosed, and that the average age at diagnosis was four months old - beyond the critical age for treatment (which is usually stem cell transplants or gene therapy) to begin. As the researchers examined the data, four SCID "markers" emerged. Taken in isolation, none helped reduce the time taken for a diagnosis. However, 94% of the patients studied showed at least one of the four factors. "Family history of early infant death due to infection was useful to aid earlier diagnosis, but it was not due to doctors realizing the importance of the family history, but rather due to the family taking the child to see the doctors earlier," says Lau. "This demonstrates the failure of our medical training and systems in using family history to aid earlier SCID diagnosis." Candidiasis emerged as one of the most common infections. Unfortunately, as thrush is relatively common in all infants, its presence actually slowed down the time to diagnosis. Complications from the BCG vaccination also appeared frequently, and over 88% of the patients in the study had a very low absolute lymphocyte counts (ALC). "Our main recommendation is to perform lymphocyte subsets for any infant with one or more of the following clinical features: family history, persistent candidiasis, BCG infections and ALC less than 3x10^9/L", explains Lau. "This would confirm the diagnosis of SCID, if present". For the time being, newborn screening remains out of reach in much of Asia, so education of front-line doctors and parents is key. "Our recommendations may help earlier diagnosis of SCID, and need to be communicated to doctors as well as to ordinary citizens, who can then urge the doctors along our recommendation," concludes Lau. More information: Anderson Dik Wai Luk et al, Family History of Early Infant Death Correlates with Earlier Age at Diagnosis But Not Shorter Time to Diagnosis for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, Frontiers in Immunology (2017). Anderson Dik Wai Luk et al, Family History of Early Infant Death Correlates with Earlier Age at Diagnosis But Not Shorter Time to Diagnosis for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency,(2017). DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00808 Dennis Spencer MD, chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Yale Medicine, examines a specimen in Harvey Cushing's brain collection. Credit: Terry Dagradi The father of neurosurgery, Yale's Harvey Cushing, MD, left a remarkable gift to science. Now, for the first time, his collection of brains is being used for active research. As Maya Lodish, MD, and her five-year-old daughter entered a room at the Yale School of Medicine, they were stunned to see the jars, hundreds and hundreds of jars. Inside, suspended in clear liquid and illuminated by yellow light, were brains. Alongside the brains were photographs of surgeries: the back of a man's head sewn up like a seam in a pair of trousers, a young boy with protrusions from his skull that looked like rolling mounds of earth, a human brain posed on a stool. The visit happened by chance. Dr. Lodish, a pediatric endocrinologist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was on a scavenger hunt organized as part of her tenth reunion at Yale Medical School. "What a crazy coincidence," Dr. Lodish said to herself. "I devote my career to studying kids with Cushing's disease, and here I am, surrounded by these brains he operated on." The brains, which were not on display when Dr. Lodish was a student at Yale, are part of the vast collection assembled in the early 1900s by Dr. Harvey Cushing, widely considered the father of modern neurosurgery. The brains had belonged to patients who had some of the country's very first brain surgeries. After a conversation and tour with Cushing Center coordinator Terry Dagradi, Dr. Lodish began to wonder if the extraordinary genetic record inside these jars could be used to answer questions that arise in her own research, which focuses on the genetics behind pituitary tumors in children. One of Dr. Lodish's primary areas of inquiry is Cushing's disease. This is a condition where a non-cancerous tumor called an adenoma grows inside the pituitary gland, which is located just below the base of the brain. The disease can cause the body to produce too much of the stress hormone cortisol, leading to weight gain, poor growth, high blood pressure, and diabetes. (Dr. Cushing linked the excess hormone to the condition in 1932, so the disease was named after him.) Dr. Lodish also studies growth hormone excess, a rare but sometimes deadly disorder in still-growing children. This hormonal imbalance leads to gigantism, or abnormal growth; in adults, this hormonal excess can also lead to a condition called acromegaly, in which a person's bonesincluding hands, feet, and faceincrease in size. One of the vintage medical drawings from the Cushing collection. Credit: Yale University During Dr. Cushing's era, the science of genetics was still in its infancy. Today, genetics is considered key to finding cures and advancing treatments for life-threatening conditions. Dr. Cushing operated on patients who had genetic conditions that scientists now know lead to excess growth hormone, but he diagnosed them using a much more rudimentary process. Dr. Lodish asked herself: Did Cushing's patients have similar genetic syndromes that are known to be associated with gigantism? Could a modern-day analysis of these century-old samples help improve our understanding of how medical conditions have evolved over time? Harvey Cushing's great legacy Born in 1869, Dr. Cushing earned his Bachelor's degree from Yale University in 1891 and his doctorate of medicine from Harvard University, four years later. He went on to have a groundbreaking career in neurosurgery, pioneering numerous techniques in the operating room such as local anesthesia, blood pressure monitoring and sterilization practices. "Cushing was an immense figure for neurosurgery," says Dennis Spencer MD, chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Yale Medicine for nearly 20 years. "He essentially founded the field, and he changed the mortality rate of brain surgeries from 80 percent to eight percent over the course of his career." While working as a neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital and then Harvard's Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Dr. Cushing recorded meticulous notes about his patients and took their photos. He kept every tissue specimen he removed during operations and autopsies for further study. He also asked his patients if they'd donate their brains to his collection upon their death. In 1933, Dr. Cushing returned to Yale as professor of neurology in the School of Medicine. He brought along his massive collection of tissues, photographs, microscopic slides, notes, and a trove of rare books. Neurosurgeons and pathologists came from all over the country to visit the collection. "It was part of every neurosurgeon's learning about how they could better operate on the brain," says Dr. Spencer. The brains in the Cushing collection belonged to some of the first patients to undergo brain surgery. Credit: Yale University After decades of display in a Yale University museum, the collection was seen as outdated. In 1979, it was moved to the sub-basement of a student dormitory. There, the specimens went unseen, except for the occasional late-night student visitors who broke into the basement to "commune" with Dr. Cushing's brains. In the early 1990s, medical student Christopher Wall approached Dr. Spencer with an idea about doing his thesis on the collection, and they began the long process of preparing it for public display once again. In June 2010, the collection in its current, impressive state opened in the new Cushing Center, within the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library. Connecting past and present After the reunion, Dr. Lodish approached Dr. Spencer to inquire about the possibility of sampling and analyzing the brains for the first time. He committed to the project, believing that it had both historical and scientific value: "It gives us a chance to look at the evolution of genetic control of a particular disease," he says. Dr. Lodish also suggested that the medical school advertise an opportunity for a medical student to collaborate with them and to write a thesis about the project. Many applied. The doctors chose Cynthia Tsay, then a first-year medical student. "As a history of science and medicine major in college, I have always been intrigued by how the study of the past can inform the present and future," says Tsay. Now, much like Dr. Cushing, who pored over texts from the past in order to aid the present, Dr. Lodish and Tsay are using the legend's specimens in their work. The Cushing Center collection includes not just brains but other specimens from early 20th century medicine. Credit: Yale University First, they tapped the large database that Dagradi had created to catalogue the brain specimens. They turned to Dr. Cushing's surgical notes to determine which samples came from patients with pituitary tumors secreting excess hormones. They narrowed the field down to 25 brains of interest. Tsay worked with Dr. Spencer to extract samples of the brain tissues, which were then sent to the laboratory of the section on endocrinology and genetics at the NIH. "Working with Dr. Spencer was incredible," says Tsay. "He played such an instrumental role in the restoration of the brains and was so knowledgeable about the collection." Tsay then moved on to work at the NIH, where she spent her days extracting, sequencing, and analyzing the DNA from 12 of the specimens. They took 500 milligrams of tissue from each sample. She also went to Dr. Lodish's clinic to observe patients with gigantism and Cushing's disease. "Meeting these patients made me appreciate, even more, what a privilege it was to have this opportunity," she says. Now Tsay is working with mentors in the NIH lab to sequence and studying the genes. Their team, led by Constantine Stratakis, studies the genetics of endocrine-related tumors. Their past investigations have revealed new mutations in genes leading to gigantism, and another, related endocrine disease called Carney Complex. She plans on returning to the NIH to finish the research and analysis, and to write up the project as her medical school thesis. But, as Dr. Cushing might appreciate, this is not the end of the story. "Other uses of these samples will probably emerge," says Dr. Spencer, "because the field of genetics is evolving so rapidly, and they're such well-preserved tumors." Credit: CC0 Public Domain A majority of patients with Type 1 diabetes who were treated with dapagliflozin, a Type 2 diabetes medicine, had a significant decline in their blood sugar levels, according to a new study published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology. The results are being presented today by the University at Buffalo researcher who led the study at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Lisbon. Called DEPICT-1, which stands for Dapagliflozin in Patients with Inadequately Controlled Type 1 diabetes, the 24-week study was the first global multicenter investigation of dapagliflozin to test its efficacy and safety in Type 1 diabetes. The double-blind, randomized, three-arm, phase 3 multicenter study was conducted at 143 sites in 17 countries, including the U.S. It was funded by AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb, the companies that partnered to develop dapagliflozin. Participants were 833 patients aged 18-75 who had inadequately controlled blood sugars with a mean baseline hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c)a measure of sugar in the bloodlevel of 8.53. A1C levels for Type 1 diabetics are considered optimal when they are under seven. Adjunct to insulin The results demonstrate that when this drug, a sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT-2) was administered as an adjunct therapy in addition to the insulin that patients with Type 1 diabetes need to survive, it significantly improved outcomes. "Our paper provides the initial signal that dapagliflozin is safe and effective in patients with Type 1 diabetes and is a promising adjunct treatment to insulin to improve glycemic control," said senior author Paresh Dandona, MD, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor and chief of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism in the Department of Medicine in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo. "The 24-week results from DEPICT-1 are important as they represent the first Phase 3 trial in Type 1 diabetes of the newer, selective SGLT-2 class of diabetes medicines as an oral adjunct to insulin," he said. In the study, approximately half of the patients taking dapagliflozin reduced their A1C levels by more than 0.5 percent without experiencing severe drops in blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Dandona explained that any fall in HbA1c of around .5 percent is considered significant and can lead to licensing of a drug as an antidiabetic agent. He noted, however, that the findings will need further confirmation before the drug can be licensed by the FDA for use in Type 1 diabetes. Better control in Type 1 diabetes "Treating the millions of patients living with Type 1 diabetes while also managing the complications associated with the disease remains a daunting challenge," said Dandona, who sees patients through UBMD Internal Medicine at the Diabetes and Endocrinology Center of Western New York, which is where the five Buffalo patients in the study were treated. He is renowned for his diabetes and metabolic research, particularly into new treatments that can be used in addition to insulin, to help patients with Type 1 diabetes achieve better blood sugar control. He has led the field globally since his published work on liraglutide patients with Type 1 diabetes in 2011. In 2011, Dandona published an observational study that found that another drug for Type 2 diabetes, liraglutide, could help treat Type 1 diabetes. "Our key paper in 2011 has led to other drugs being considered for use in Type 1 diabetes," he said. "We have been pioneers in conceptualizing new ways to help Type 1 diabetes patients achieve better outcomes with new therapies." Dandona pointed out that until these recent developments, there hadn't been another significant treatment developed for Type 1 diabetes since the discovery of insulin in the 1920s. Even Type 1 patients with good glycemic control experience what he calls "glycemic excursions," pronounced swings from hyperglycemic to hypoglycemic, motivating him and his colleagues to conduct groundbreaking research aimed at discovering non-insulin drugs that can help improve blood sugar control. No ketoacidosis An interesting aspect of the current study is that contrary to Dandona's earlier pilot study with dapagliflozin, there was no finding of ketoacidosis, a dangerous complication that occurs when acids and substances called ketones build up in the blood due to lack of insulin. "We found out that any reduction of insulin dose greater than 20 percent, or the absence of a meal and missing the insulin dose, or the significant intake of alcohol makes you more vulnerable to ketoacidosis," he explained, noting that since these issues were avoided in the DEPICT-1 study, no increase in ketoacidosis was observed. Dandona and his co-authors are awaiting the final results of the DEPICT-1 patients at 56 weeks. "If the outcomes are sustained or better at that time, and if a parallel study, DEPICT-2, confirms this, there will likely be an application to the FDA for licensing the drug for use in Type 1 diabetes," he said. The largest genomic profiling study ever conducted into a type of brain tumor known as glioma in children has identified genetic alterations in 96% of cases. As reported in The Oncologist, this genetic information could help to identify the most effective treatments for specific cases of glioma, hopefully improving the prognosis for what is currently the leading cause of death for children with cancer in the US. "This study further demonstrates that genomic profiling can be readily integrated into the routine clinical workflow for children with brain tumors," says corresponding author Shakti Ramkissoon, associate medical director at Foundation Medicine, a genomic profiling company based in Cambridge, MA. "We hope that the collection of objective genomic data will one day become 'standard of care' for children with brain tumors." Pediatric gliomas are a diverse collection of brain tumors affecting children that arise from glial cells in the brain and spinal cord. Despite their diversity, pediatric gliomas can be categorized into two broad classes: low-grade gliomas (LGGs) and high-grade gliomas (HGGs), with LGGs more benign and less malignant than HGGs. Nevertheless, treatment options for both LGGs and HGGs are limited, and the long-term prognosis for children with malignant gliomas is not good. Anything that can improve this prognosis is thus to be welcomed. With this aim in mind, Ramkissoon and a team of scientists from Foundation Medicine and several universities and medical centers in the US conducted genomic profiling of 125 LGGs and 157 HGGs taken from children varying in age from less than one to 18. To do this, they employed a technique termed hydridization-captured, ligation-based sequencing. This involves extracting DNA from each tumour sample and then introducing it to a chip covered in short strands of synthetic DNA able to capture sequences from 315 cancer-related genes and 28 genes commonly rearranged in cancer. Captured DNA is then sequenced on the chip to determine which of these genes are altered and how they are altered. These alterations can include mutations to single genes, where DNA sequences are rearranged, deleted or inserted, and the fusing together of several genes. Ramkissoon and his team detected genetic alterations in 96% of the tumor samples, with the most frequently altered genes differing between LGGs and HGGs. They found that genes known as BRAF, FGRFR1 and NF1 were most frequently altered in LGGs, whereas genes known as TP53 and H3F3A, together with NF1 again, were most frequently altered in HGGs. Not only does this finding show that genomic profiling can distinguish between different gliomas, but it also confirms that genomic profiling can help identify the most effective treatments for those different gliomas. "Our findings highlight the importance of identifying mutations that have been shown to be diagnostically and prognostically significant," says Ramkissoon. "For example there is strong evidence to show that LGGs harbouring BRAF fusions have significantly better outcomes compared to LGGs with BRAF mutations; therefore, determining the BRAF status for all pediatric LGGs is important for clinical management. Additionally, our findings identify targets for targeted therapies and highlight the utility of small molecule inhibitors for the treatment of recurrent pediatric gliomas." Thus this study shows that BRAF-inhibitors such as dabrafenib, which are currently undergoing clinical trials for treating pediatric gliomas, are likely to be more effective against LGGs than HGGs. It also shows that targeting H3F3A mutations could offer an effective way to treat HGGs. Furthermore, Ramkissoon and his team found that nine of the HGGs had a particularly high number of mutations, known as a high tumor mutation burden, which previous research has indicated responds well to immunotherapy. Building on this work, Ramkissoon and his team are next planning to conduct a genomic profiling study of a type of glioma known as a glioblastoma in young adults, aged between 18 and 40. "Pediatric gliomas represent a truly unmet clinical need in oncology. This work demonstrates that molecular profiling of these tumors provides potential therapeutic opportunities for these patients, including targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors," says Priscilla Brastianos, director of the Central Nervous System Metastasis Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, who is a section editor of The Oncologist and was not involved in the study. (HealthDay)Humanitarian surgical care (HSC) has been provided to local national civilians during the Afghanistan conflict, with 49.3 percent of patients treated for non-war-related (NWR) conditions, according to a research letter published online Sept. 13 in JAMA Surgery. Sharon R. Weeks, M.D., from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and colleagues conducted a retrospective study on HSC provided by deployed U.S. military medical units to local national civilians during the Afghanistan conflict. Data were collected from Jan. 1, 2002, to March 21, 2013, for noncombatant local national patients older than 15 years who underwent at least one surgical procedure in military treatment facilities. Patient subgroups were examined according to their war-related (WR) or NWR classification. The researchers found that 5,786 local national civilians underwent 9,428 surgical procedures during the study period, accounting for 37,121 inpatient days. Overall, 80.9 percent of patients were male and 49.3 percent were treated for NWR conditions. Patients with NWR conditions were older, had shorter lengths of stay, fewer procedures, lower blood transfusion requirements, and lower in-hospital mortality than patients with WR injuries. Overall, 38.7 percent of NWR patients underwent elective or noninjury procedures; most presentations were due to injury. "Injured patients received most of the procedures, which is consistent with the high burden of trauma in low- and middle-income countries," the authors write. "This report also shows the significant resources committed to noninjury and elective conditions." Copyright 2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Former US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders on Wednesday introduced a revolutionary plan for government-sponsored health care, a proposal that has gained traction among rising-star Democrats. The bill has slim to no chance of passing a Republican-controlled Congress, but presents an opportunity for Democrats to stake out new policy goals in the era of President Donald Trump as they prepare for upcoming elections. If it were to become law, the Sanders plan would create perhaps the most ambitious social welfare initiative in US history. "Health care in America must be a right, not a privilege," Sanders, joined by fellow senators as well as doctors, nurses and patients, said at the rollout of his "Medicare for All" legislation. "Today we begin the long and difficult struggle to end the international disgrace of the United States, our great nation, being the only major country on earth not to guarantee health care to all of our people." While support for such a scheme has surged among prominent Democratsincluding several who may launch presidential bids in 2020the party's leaders are not on board with the liberal independent senator. Sanders, whose so-called "single payer" health insurance proposal was a key part of his run against Hillary Clinton for the presidential nomination, said his bill has 16 co-sponsors plus himselfmore than a third of the Senate Democratic caucus. Five potential presidential contenderssenators Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand and Sanders himselfattended the rollout, each offering impassioned rationales for taking the dramatic step to government-sponsored healthcare. "We will not back down," Warren said to cheers. "Everyone gets a right to basic health care." The legislation, which Sanders said would expand coverage to all uninsured people, came as Republicans introduced their own new Obamacare repeal plan. The bill unveiled by senators Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy would effectively turn control of the health care markets over to the 50 US states, providing them block grants to help individuals pay for health care. "Bernie, this ends your dream of a single-payer health care system for America," Graham said as the bill was presented. Supporting the Sanders bill helps Democrats broadcast their progressive bona fides to the millions of voters who backed his surprisingly strong White House bid. 'Cradle to grave' care Sanders' single-payer planin which the government directly shoulders medical costs for its citizenswould mark a fundamental shift away from the current system built largely around private insurance. His plan would dramatically expand Medicare, the health insurance program for Americans age 65 and above, whose costs are largely covered by the government. If the Democrats' 2020 presidential nominee ends up backing Medicare for all, it could frame a titanic clash with Trump, who campaigned heavily on repealing and replacing Barack Obama's signature health reforms that expanded coverage to millions of uninsured Americans. The most recent effort to repeal and replace Obamacare fell one vote short in the Senate. The White House swiftly attacked Sanders' plan. "I can't think of anything worse than having government be more involved in your health care instead of less involved," said White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, who is unrelated to the senator. Top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi told The Washington Post her immediate mission is "protecting" Obama's Affordable Care Act. "What we want is to have as many people as possible, everybody, covered, and I think that's something that we all embrace," she said. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has also been non-committal. A crucial hurdle is money. Sanders did not explain how much his proposal would cost. But Graham was quick to weigh in, pleading with Republicans to pass his legislationor face the "inevitable" shift to what he called Berniecare. "I know what awaits our country if we fail: the consolidation of health care in the hands of the federal government from cradle to grave (and) unlimited, unsustainable spending that wrecks the federal budget," he said. 2017 AFP An average of nearly eight Canadians per day died last year from opioid overdoses, mostly involving the potent drug fentanyl, and the crisis has since deepened, the government said Thursday. More than half of the total 2,800 deaths in 2016 occurred in westernmost British Columbia and Alberta provinces. "We are facing a very serious crisis," Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor told a press conference. "All levels of government must be ready to act" to deal with this "tragic situation," she added. In the first three months of 2017, more than 600 people were reported to have died from overdoses, and authorities estimate the number will rise to at least 3,000 by year's end. Street drugs have been found laced with pharmaceutical opioids such as Oxycodone, which are widely prescribed painkillers in North America, as well as fentanylwhich is used to treat severe pain, and is up to 100 times more potent than morphine. Fentanyl-related overdose deaths doubled over the past year, and the government said in eight out of 10 cases the deaths were linked to opioids mixed with other drugs. "This shows the complexity of the problem we are facing," Petitpas Taylor said. A few blocks from the homeless shelter where she spoke, a temporary supervised drug injection site was set up this week by volunteers operating outside the government-run health system. Inside a tent, volunteers doling out syringes and naloxone (used to treat overdoses) cited an urgent need for more to be done. Ottawa earmarked Can$7.5 million ($6.2 million) to deal with what officials earlier this year labeled a national public health crisis. 2017 AFP Dr. Fahad Razak, lead author of the study. Credit: St. Michael's Hospital The majority of people who are recommended to take cholesterol-lowering medication under new American guidelines are from disadvantaged populations, but people from these populations are less likely to have health insurance and receive recommended medications, a new study has found. In their most recent guidelines, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association recommend that statins, a cholesterol-lowering medication, should be prescribed for a greater number of adults to prevent cardiovascular disease. If the guidelines are fully implemented, 18.6 million more American adults would take statins than under the previous guidelines. Researchers led by St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto found that of the patients newly recommended for statin treatment, 12.4 million (66 per cent) were non-Caucasian, had less education or lower income, and 3 million (16 per cent) had no health insurance. As a result, more than four million Americans would not receive recommended statin treatment if gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged groups are not narrowed, according to the study, published online today in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. "Medical experts recommend that more Americans should take statins, especially among vulnerable populations," said Dr. Fahad Razak, an internal medicine physician, scientist in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital and the senior author of the study. "But if health insurance coverage and access to health care are not increased, these recommendations will not make an impact to improve the health of Americans." The groups that are newly recommended to take statins are the least likely to be treated, but the most likely to have the risk factors for cardiac events statin treatment would prevent, according to the authors. "There's been a general shift among clinicians to be more aggressive in prescribing these medications and controlling these risk factors more tightly, but if we don't focus on delivering the care to disadvantaged groups, the benefits won't be realized," said Dr. Amol Verma, an internal medicine physician, scientist in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and the lead author on the study. The study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, a program of studies designed to assess the health and nutritional status of people in the United States, and was the first to examine the race and socioeconomic backgrounds of people who were newly recommended to take statins. African-Americans were nearly four times more likely to be newly recommended to take statins than Caucasians, according to the study. Similarly, people with no more than high school education were two times more likely to be newly recommended than people who completed college, and people with no health insurance were 1.5 times more likely to be newly recommended than people with insurance, the researchers found. Between 2005 and 2012, health insurance covered only58 per cent of Mexican-Americans, 66 per cent of people with less than a ninth grade education, and 69 per cent of people in the lowest 25 per cent of income earners. This can be compared with 89 per cent of Caucasians, 94 per cent of people with college education and 95 per cent in the top 25 per cent of income-earners who had health insurance, according to the study. They also found that people with less than high school education, in the lowest 25 per cent of income-earners or of non-white race, were 15 to 20 per cent less likely to receive statins. The findings also have potential implications for Canadian patients, according to the authors. Despite differences in Canadian and American guidelines for statins, many physicians in Canada and around the world follow recommendations in American clinical practice guidelines and could increase the number of people recommended to take statins. However, previous research has shown that one in 10 Canadians report not taking recommended medications due to cost, said Dr. Verma. "Among high-income countries, Canada has the second-highest rate of people not taking medications because of cost," he said. "Our study suggests that efforts to expand access to prescription medications in Canada would help people from disadvantaged backgrounds receive preventative medications such as statins." The authors also said the levels of access to care across different populations should be a part of the discussion when developing new treatment guidelines. "As therapeutics advance, it's becoming more clear which medications can help people," said Dr. Razak. "At the same time, the disparity between those who can access these treatments and those who can't is growing. We need to ensure people from disadvantaged backgrounds have the same level of access to high-quality care, so that guidelines such as these are implemented effectively." Mohammad Izadifar. Credit: University of Saskatchewan The combination of the Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron's unique biomedical imaging and therapy (BMIT) beamline and the vision of a multi-discipline researcher from the University of Saskatchewan in confirming fiction as fact was published in the September issue of Tissue Engineering, one of the leading journals in this emerging global research field of tissue regeneration. U of S researcher Mohammad Izadifar says he is combining medicine and engineering to develop ways to repair a damaged heart. "The problem is the heart cannot repair itself once it is damaged due to a heart attack." he explained. Izadifar has conducted his research out of three places on campus: the College of Engineering, the CLS and the College of Medicine where he has been certified in doing open heart surgery on rats, having trained in all the ethical protocols related to these research animals. And thanks to the confirmation photo images he has from his collaboration with the CLS, Izadifar has already proven the 3-D printed human cells, which he has dubbed the "heart patch," can start to grow as intended in theory. Once implanted in the laboratory mice, the heart patch is invisible to regular medical imaging. Izadifar has developed an X-ray imaging technique at the CLS to monitor the 3-D-printed heart patch after implanting them in the laboratory mice. The CLS-derived pictures submitted to the journal show a 3-D-printed heart patch with human cells arranged in 200 micron-wide strands with the distance between each strand being 400 microns. One micron is one-thousandth of a millimeter. Izadifar says the key in printing live human tissue is finding the right gel medium to become the "ink" for the printer. His chosen "ink" or hydrogel is a natural, algae-based gel that is proven to be biocompatible with human body and also non-immunogenic, meaning the human body shouldn't reject the gel. It is also biodegradable because, at some point, the body should just absorb the gel and get rid of it. "My goal is to take stem cells from the patient and then, in-vitro, I expand and instruct them to become heart cells," he explained. When the heart starts absorbing the patch, those cells grow and slowly turn the 3-D printed patch from soft tissue into dense, heart muscle. In the mean time, if everything is working as it should, the rat's heart starts shooting out blood vessels into the heart patch so the new tissue gets a healthy supply of oxygen. The key, says Izadifar, is getting the cells to align in the 3-D printed heart patch, ensure they are tightly joined and that they are capable of conducting electricity, just like natural heart muscle. "If it is to become heart tissue, the patch needs to be robust and conductive. "With different 3-D printing patterns, we can control the toughness, conductivity and cell alignment of the patch," he said. "With the medical imaging technique that I developed at the CLS, we would be able to monitor the 3-D-printed heart patch during the healing process." Credit: University of Adelaide University of Adelaide researchers have confirmed that abnormalities in a common brain chemical are linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In the first study of its kind looking at babies outside the United States, researchers from the University of Adelaide's Adelaide Medical School investigated 41 cases of SIDS deaths and discovered striking abnormalities in chemical serotonin within the brain. Serotonin, otherwise known as 5-HT, is a neurotransmitter found in different parts of the human body, including the central nervous system. Among its many roles, serotonin is involved in the regulation of sleep, and also control of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. This latest research, published in the Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology, confirms and supports the concept that brainstem dysfunction, resulting in significantly altered serotonin expression, is associated with some SIDS deaths. SIDS is the sudden unexpected death of an infant under one year of age that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation, including an autopsy. It is the leading cause of death in infants between one month and one year of age in Australia and the developed world. The research was conducted by PhD student Dr Fiona Bright under the supervision of University of Adelaide Professor of Pathology Roger Byard. Dr Bright graduates with her PhD from the University of Adelaide today (Thursday 14 September). Her work builds on research conducted in the United States at the Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, where Dr Bright was based for 18 months during her combined studies. "Our research is significant because it has confirmed that abnormalities in serotonin in the brain are most definitely linked to cases of SIDS. This helps to support the findings of the American research," Dr Bright says. "Serotonin is a key neurochemical that plays an important role in the control and management of the complex respiratory, cardiovascular and autonomic systems within the human infant brainstem. "Our research suggests that alterations in these neurochemicals may contribute to brainstem dysfunction during a critical postnatal developmental period. As a result, this could lead to an inability of a SIDS infant to appropriately respond to life-threatening events, such as lack of oxygen supply during sleep. "Notably, the SIDS cases we studied were all linked to at least one major risk factor for SIDS, with more than half of the infants found in an adverse sleeping position and having had an illness one month prior to death," Dr Bright says. Professor Byard says: "Better understanding of the complex role of these neurochemicals, and the exact causes of their dysfunction in the brain, will help future research to develop potential biomarkers for infants at increased risk of SIDS. "Ultimately, we hope that this work will lead to improved prevention strategies, helping to save baby's lives and the emotional trauma experienced by many families." This research was funded under a fellowship established by the River's Gift SIDS charity. "River's Gift's primary objective is to fund world-leading SIDS research to make a tangible contribution to the discovery of a cure for this heart-breaking loss of life," says River's Gift General Manager Karl Waddell. "The University of Adelaide research is a significant step towards achieving that objective." More information: Fiona M. Bright et al. Medullary Serotonin Neuron Abnormalities in an Australian Cohort of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology (2017). Fiona M. Bright et al. Medullary Serotonin Neuron Abnormalities in an Australian Cohort of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome,(2017). DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlx071 The Journal provides a new rapid-publication forum for a broad range of scientific topics including molecular and cellular biology, tissue engineering and biomaterials, bioengineering, regenerative medicine, stem cells, gene therapy, systems biology, genetics, biochemistry, virology, microbiology, and neuroscience Credit: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers Researchers from the Mayo Clinic have proposed that negative cellular responses to titanium-based nanoparticles released from metal implants interfere in bone formation and resorption at the site of repair, resulting in implant loosening and joint pain. Their review of recent scientific evidence and call for further research to characterize the biological, physical, and chemical interactions between titanium dioxide nanoparticles and bone-forming cells is published in BioResearch Open Access. Jie Yao, Eric Lewallen, PhD, David Lewallen, MD, Andre van Wijnen, PhD, and colleagues from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN and Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, China, coauthored the article entitled "Local Cellular Responses to Titanium Dioxide from Orthopedic Implants The authors examined the results of recently published studies of titanium-based implants, focusing on the direct and indirect effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on the viability and behavior of multiple bone-related cell types. They discuss the impact of particle size, aggregation, structure, and the specific extracellular and intracellular (if taken up by the cells) effects of titanium particle exposure. "The adverse effects of metallic orthopedic particles generated from implants are of significant clinical interest given the large number of procedures carried out each year. This article reviews our current understanding of the clinical issues and highlights areas for future research," says BioResearch Open Access Editor Jane Taylor, PhD, MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers R01 AR049069 and F32 AR068154. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. More information: Jie J. Yao et al, Local Cellular Responses to Titanium Dioxide from Orthopedic Implants, BioResearch Open Access (2017). Jie J. Yao et al, Local Cellular Responses to Titanium Dioxide from Orthopedic Implants,(2017). DOI: 10.1089/biores.2017.0017 A study led by MSU psychology researcher Hans Schroder found that simply writing about their feelings before a stressful task helped chronic worriers perform more efficiently on the task. Credit: G.L. Kohuth Chronic worriers, take note: Simply writing about your feelings may help you perform an upcoming stressful task more efficiently, finds a Michigan State University study that measured participants' brain activity. The research, funded by the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, provides the first neural evidence for the benefits of expressive writing, said lead author Hans Schroder, an MSU doctoral student in psychology and a clinical intern at Harvard Medical School's McLean Hospital. "Worrying takes up cognitive resources; it's kind of like people who struggle with worry are constantly multitasking they are doing one task and trying to monitor and suppress their worries at the same time," Schroder said. "Our findings show that if you get these worries out of your head through expressive writing, those cognitive resources are freed up to work toward the task you're completing and you become more efficient." Schroder conducted the study at Michigan State with Jason Moser, associate professor of psychology and director of MSU's Clinical Psychophysiology Lab, and Tim Moran, a Spartan graduate who's now a research scientist at Emory University. The findings are published online in the journal Psychophysiology. For the study, college students identified as chronically anxious through a validated screening measure completed a computer-based "flanker task" that measured their response accuracy and reaction times. Before the task, about half of the participants wrote about their deepest thoughts and feelings about the upcoming task for eight minutes; the other half, in the control condition, wrote about what they did the day before. While the two groups performed at about the same level for speed and accuracy, the expressive-writing group performed the flanker task more efficiently, meaning they used fewer brain resources, measured with electroencephalography, or EEG, in the process. Moser uses a car analogy to describe the effect. "Here, worried college students who wrote about their worries were able to offload these worries and run more like a brand new Prius," he said, "whereas the worried students who didn't offload their worries ran more like a '74 Impala guzzling more brain gas to achieve the same outcomes on the task." While much previous research has shown that expressive writing can help individuals process past traumas or stressful events, the current study suggests the same technique can help people especially worriers prepare for stressful tasks in the future. "Expressive writing makes the mind work less hard on upcoming stressful tasks, which is what worriers often get "burned out" over, their worried minds working harder and hotter," Moser said. "This technique takes the edge off their brains so they can perform the task with a 'cooler head.'" Econet Media, a subsidiary of the company which owns Liquid Telecom, has launched Kwese Play in South Africa. Kwese Play is a branded Roku streaming device which lets you connect to over 100 online channels at launch, including Netflix, YouTube, and Red Bull TV. Kwese is also the official Roku partner in Africa. The device and Kwese Plays integrated billing services are currently available in South Africa with plans to expand to other sub-Saharan African countries. The custom-built Roku is priced at R1,599 and is available from Liquid Telecom, Vox, FNB, Cellucity, and Incredible Connection. Cellucity also has a contract deal for the device, offering it on a Vodacom contract with 20GB anytime data, 20GB night data, and a Vodafone R216 LTE Wi-Fi router for R379 per month. The device comes with a 12-month warranty. To return an in-warranty product, you will need to pack the Roku and its accessories into the original packaging. Netflix Each Kwese Play Roku also includes a 3-month subscription to Netflixs standard plan which usually costs $9.99 per month. The player will allow you to sign in with your existing login details for Netflix and other services if you have an existing account. Kwese Play also offers unified billing through its account system, which lets users subscribe to services through a central interface. As Netflixs official partner in Africa, Kwese Play said it can offer payments in local currency through its billing platform. To use unified billing and local currency payments, existing Netflix subscribers will need to create a new account using a different email address. Kwese Plays prices for a Netflix subscription are summarised in the table below. The company said the prices were set when it opened negotiations with Netflix at the end of 2015, when the rand was weak, and it is working on reducing the rand fees. Netflix Plan Price p/m Resolution Screens Basic R129.99 SD 1 Standard R164.99 HD 2 Premium R199.99 HD / UHD 4 Now read: Why SuperSport did not show the Joshua vs Klitschko fight Kwese Play has launched in South Africa and announced that it is the official partner for Roku and Netflix in Africa. The company is run by Econet Media, a subsidiary of the company which owns Liquid Telecom. Its partnership with Roku allowed Kwese to develop a custom media box for its service, which includes approval from ICASA. The Kwese Play media box is available for R1,599 from tech retailers, and supports 720p and 1080p HD video streaming through an HDMI port. It also has a built-in player that can play media via a USB port. Kweses Roku player also supports Wi-Fi, has an Ethernet port, and a microSD card slot. The company said that while the media box is a Roku, not all apps on the Roku platform will be available on Kwese Play at launch. Kwese Play CEO Ryan Solovei said this was done for several reasons, including to prevent the installation of apps that enable piracy. This is a big concern for content owners, and something they had to address. Kwese also wants to ensure that each channel on its Roku delivers an excellent experience to customers. We had a list of 5,000 channels to choose from, and we narrowed it down to 100 for now. We will grow the content offering exponentially over time, said Solovei. The content While many channels were already available through content delivery networks with nodes in South Africa, there are still many more that are not locally mirrored. Kwese has worked to bring those channels onto its network, said Solovei. He explained that they can host content on several nodes on Liquid Telecoms network across the continent, including its data centres in South Africa which it acquired from Neotel. They also peer at NAPAfrica in Teracos data centres, giving them access to content hosted there. As Kwese Play adds more channels to its platform, the aim is to ensure they deliver content from data centres close to subscribers. Kwese Play and Netflix Kwese has also partnered with Netflix for its launch, which it said is a first for Africa. Under its agreement, Kwese can bill customers on behalf of Netflix in local currency and will be able to use Netflixs brand to market Kwese Play. Chris Whiteley, the head of business development for EMEA at Netflix, told MyBroadband the partnership will enable new methods of payment to subscribers in South Africa. Kweses billing integration will let clients add their Netflix subscriptions to their bill with their operator, and pay for the service in rand. Solovei told MyBroadband that their Netflix prices were set when negotiations with Netflix started at the end of 2015 when the rand was weak. Kwese is working on reducing its Netflix prices to bring them in line with their US dollar equivalent. The company also plans to launch across Africa in the coming months, said Solovei. Pricing for Netflix subscriptions purchased through Kwese are summarised in the table below. Netflix Plan Price p/m Resolution Screens Basic R129.99 SD 1 Standard R164.99 HD 2 Premium R199.99 HD / UHD 4 Now read: Why SuperSport did not show the Joshua vs Klitschko fight Your Bitcoin Company (BTCC) has announced that its Chinese bitcoin exchange, BTCChina, will stop trading at the end of the month. After carefully considering the announcement published by Chinese regulators on 4 September, BTCChina Exchange will stop all trading on 30 September, it announced. Other products from it, including BTCC Pool, are not affected by the change. Cofounder Bobby Lee told Reuters that trading on their international exchange would also not be affected. Reuters reported that BTCChinas main rivals OkCoin and Huobi declined to comment on whether they would shut down operators in China. News of the closure of BTCChina follows reports that the Chinese government plans to ban cryptocurrency exchanges. The reports have sent the price of Bitcoin plummeting, with the cryptocurrency at $3,500 at the time of writing. Now read: Bitcoin is a fraud that will blow up Artsakh FM speaks with his Transnistria counterpart Italy, Greece, Malta and Cyprus say they cannot accept migrants Cavusoglu thanks Mirzoyan for condolences on terrorist attack in Istanbul Zelenskyy arrives in Kherson Armenian Defense Minister: After expiration of contract service 5 million drams will be provided to servicemen Turkey refuses to accept U.S. condolences after terrorist attack in Istanbul Defense Ministers of Georgia and Azerbaijan sign military cooperation plan for 2023 Russian Foreign Ministry denies reports about Lavrov's hospitalization in Bali Yellen hopes Biden and Jinping meeting leads to engagement on macroeconomic issues Russian Defense Ministry confirms violation of ceasefire in Artsakh by Azerbaijani Armed Forces Artsakh MOD denies accusations of Azerbaijani MOD Azerbaijani Defense Minister holds talks in Georgia Armenian MOD denies another lie of Azerbaijani MOD Germany warns its delegation about Egyptian spies at COP27 NSS of Armenia reveals channel of illegal migration Azerbaijani State Security Service announces disclosure of 'Iranian spy network' Politico: Indonesia, hosting G20, lobbies West to soften criticism of Russia in final communique Ararat Mirzoyan expresses condolences to Mevlut Cavusoglu over Istanbul explosion Iranian lawmakers sharply criticize Aliyev Ambassador-at-Large: Azerbaijan's attacks on Armenia are a terrorist attack Germany needs to diversify its business interests in Asia to reduce dependence on China Head of U.S. Treasury Department says sanctions against Russia should remain in force even after war in Ukraine Natasa Pirc Musar to become Slovenia's first woman president IMF: World economic outlook even bleaker than predicted Pashinyan: Azerbaijan calls Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh 'our citizens' and at the same time shoots at them Turkish Interior Minister announces arrest of suspect in attack on Istiklal Avenue in Istanbul Alpine to make 3 electric crossovers Number of injured in Istanbul blast rises to 81 Paul McCartney sells guitar for $77,000 to support Ukraine Erdogan says preliminary findings after Istanbul bombing point to terrorist attack Erdogan says number of victims of Istanbul bombing rises to six Authorities forbid TV channels to broadcast from Istanbul bombing site Istanbul blast: Governor reports 4 dead and 38 wounded Media: Terrorist attack considered as one of versions of bombing in Istanbul Blast in Istanbul: victims reported Reuters: National Bank of Ukraine prepares banking system for power outages Explosion hits pedestrian street in Istanbul Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin calls for Turkey to be recognized as sponsor of terrorism Bloomberg columnist says Japan may be preparing for war with China Reuters: U.S. to demand EU colleagues to continue aid to Kyiv at G20 Washington Post: U.S. intelligence believes UAE tried to interfere in U.S. politics Yeni Safak: Turkey increases sales of winter products, blankets in EU by almost third since beginning of year Fox News: Trump has been silent on social media for over 24 hours amid Republican failures Lebanon extradites to Iraq relative of Saddam Hussein Financial Times: Kyiv plans to nationalize more private companies U.S. Senate declares 'death' of Republican Party after congressional elections Head of U.S. Customs resigned President of Georgia Zourabichvili says about 100 thousand Russians settled in country CNN: Democrats to retain control of Senate after congressional elections Alen Simonyan: We are truly and sincerely committed to the peace agenda Artak Beglaryan: Genocidal purpose is apparent French maritime services rescue more than 140 migrants trying to swim across English Channel Biden says he is satisfied with results of midterm elections in U.S. Slovenia holds second round of presidential elections 'Witch' burned alive in India, 14 arrested COVID-19 cases are expected to surge in Germany this winter Dollar makes worst showing in week since early days of COVID-19 pandemic Macron confirms France's readiness to support normalization of relations between Yerevan and Baku Germany withdraws from Energy Charter Treaty Is Jordan country that has not supplied arms to Armenia?: 'The press usually has reliable information' European Commission approves nationalization of Russian Gazprom's German subsidiary Pashinyan: If the state interferes with the exchange rate unnecessarily, the economy will only suffer U.S. to work with strategic coalition of Southeast Asian countries Armenian PM: To reform army, it is necessary to make military service more attractive Defense Ministry: Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened fire at Armenian positions Putin and Raisi discuss topical issues of the bilateral agenda Blinken: Ukraine must decide on timing and content of any talks with Russia Catholicos expresses hope that Russia efforts will contribute to ensuring free, safe life of Artsakh Armenians More than 50 of poorest developing countries are on brink of bankruptcy, says UN official Armenia ex-ombudsman: We are facing serious national security issues (PHOTOS) Biden has no plans to meet with Saudi crown prince at G20 summit EU offers natural gas price cap assurances amid disagreements with member countries Scholz is against establishment of ceasefire in Ukraine on Kremlin's terms Turkologist: Turkey does not support agenda of achieving peace with Armenians Sweden to not permit deployment of nuclear weapons on its territory after joining NATO Erdogan signs decree on appointing Turkey ambassador to Israel Information security expert: Some Armenia officials received letter that they were victims of national hackers attack Armenia FM meets with France minister of foreign trade Foreign Policy: US to resume nuclear arms control talks with Russia Armenia opposition MP: Artsakh army reduction is impermissible Biden to warn Chinas Xi that North Korea path could lead to increase in US military presence US Treasury chief: India can buy as much Russian oil as it wants Newspaper: Armenia authorities trying to find legal grounds for signing peace treaty Newspaper: People of Karabakh not going to tolerate final destruction of their army Texas woman sentenced to death for killing pregnant woman, removing fetus from victim Van Gogh's painting sold for a record $117 million Gentiloni: EU countries have accumulated enough gas to get through the coming winter Several dozen activists detained at protest rally in Baku: They chant slogans 'Freedom!', 'Resign!' Princess Haya seeks asylum in Wales Pashinyan: Iran is concerned about the presence of other actors in our region, which are not in the territory of Armenia Pashinyan: Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan listened to presented proposals Volvo reveals its flagship EX90 electric crossover Pashinyan: Yerevan supports Russia's proposals for Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement Pashinyan: Russia cannot withdraw from Karabakh unless it creates additional guarantees for peacekeeping mission Pashinyan: We will do everything to Armenia-Azerbaijan sign peace treaty by end of year Russia bans entry of Biden's family and White House press secretary Pashinyan: We believe there should be a dialogue between Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh Pashinyan says positions voiced by some member countries of CSTO are unacceptable 19 countries that use euro currency will slide into recession over winter Pashinyan to Baku: If 1991 border is mutually recognized, what are your troops doing near Jermuk? YEREVAN. President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia sent a message on the joint session on Small Transition Economies: Local Answers to Global Challenges, which is organized by the Boris Mints Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions to Global Challenges and the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University, wishing them fruitful work and efficacious discussions. Distinguished Board Members of the Boris Mints Institute, Distinguished Members of the Scientific Council of Russian-Armenian University, Dear professors and students, I welcome the Armenian session of the conference on Small Transition Economies: Local Answers to Global Challenges organised by the Boris Mints Institute and the Russian-Armenian University. It is important and timely to hold this event at the Russian-Armenian University which celebrates the 20-th anniversary of its establishment this year and which throughout these years of achievements has secured its high level in the educational and academic life of our country. With the experience gained during the years of independence, Armenia, no doubt, attracts theorists of contemporary political science and economics. Armenia was the first among the post-Soviet countries to carry out privatisation of agricultural lands, introduce reforms and modernisation in the energy sector, align the infrastructure with the rules of market economy. In a complex environment of geopolitical, external and internal challenges we have succeeded in laying solid foundations of the principles of democratic governance, civil society and liberal economy. In all these areas we have accumulated robust experience and we are ready to share our achievements and lessons. Currently we are in a qualitatively new transition period in terms of the Constitution as we are entering a more progressive, parliamentary system of governance, which, I trust, will ensure irreversible democratic development of the Republic of Armenia. The national economy, too, is facing new challenges. We are on the eve of a new period of engaging international business circles into economic development projects. Based on the most advanced legal regulations and the most effective international experience we believe that we will be able to create the necessary toolset, a trustworthy economic system and export opportunities for foreign investors. It is through your discussions of the lessons and opportunities of Armenia, as well as other issues pertaining to overcoming the transition period in larger sense that I hope you will be to come up with new and interesting solutions and approaches in the future- to the benefit of Armenia and other countries facing similar challenges, reads the Armenian Presidents message. Russia's huge military exercise along its western border this week has increased nervousness among neighboring countries as well as straining relations with NATO. The "Zapad 2017" military exercise, running from the 14 th until the 20 th September, is held every four years and will on this occasion include activities on the borders of Poland, Lithuania, and Belarus. The main purpose of Zapad, which literally means west, is to simulate defense and counter-attack in case of war with NATO member countries.Security expert Otilia Dhand at Teneo Intelligence told CNBC Wednesday that while similar exercises have happened regularly since 1999, tension is enhanced this time because of recent history."Since the last Zapad exercises in 2013, Russia has annexed Crimea and fomented unrest in eastern Ukraine, where the conflict is ongoing."The Baltic members of NATO are therefore especially concerned over the possibility that these exercises may involve incursions into their territorial waters and airspace, as well as provide cover for building up Russian forces at bases close to their borders," she said.Since 2014, and the fall of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, Russian-backed soldiers have taken control of strategic positions within the Ukrainian territory of Crimea.Dhand said that this week's exercises could allow Moscow to funnel more equipment to separatist factions installed in eastern Ukraine.She added the planned military build-up could also allow Russia to leave behind more forces and hardware at bases in Belarus and the satellite region of Kaliningrad.NATO has said it has no plans to respond to the maneuvers but has expressed concern that Russia's offer to allow three experts to attend some of the exercises falls well short of agreed international obligations."Briefings on the exercise scenario and progress; opportunities to talk to individual soldiers; and overflights over the exercise. This is something that is part of the Vienna document, an agreement regulating transparency and predictability relating to military exercises," said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in a speech made in Estonia on September 6.'Economical with the truth'Officially, the exercise involves just under 13,000 troops but Igor Sutyagin, senior research fellow of Russian Studies at the Royal United Services Institute, said in a note Tuesday that this number will be easily surpassed."Top of the concerns is the number of troops participating in the exercise."To avoid foreign monitoring, Russia and Belarus announced that just 12,700 troops will be participating in the exercise, below the Vienna Document threshold (of 13,000)," Sutyagin explained.And the RUSI analyst said while Lithuania and Ukraine have put the estimated figure at around 140,000 troops, the true number may well sit around the middle."A forensic analysis of the data available about these exercises offers conclusive evidence that Russia is being economical with the truth."This analysis suggests the number of troops participating in the exercises will be closer to 65 to 70,000," the security expert added.Sutyagin arrived at this figure by identifying regiments openly participating in Zagad as well as noting a Russian Ministry of Defense request for 4,162 train carriages to transport troops and military hardware to and from Belarus."This represents a massive increase on the 2015 and 2016 transport requirement, which were 125 and 50 carriages respectively, a rise in requirements which one can only assume as necessary to fulfilling the day-to-day needs of the Russian forces permanently deployed to Belarus," he said.The Russian Ministry of Defense has posted details of the exercise on its website and described the Zapad 2017 anti-terror exercise as purely defensive."The exercise stipulates that some extremist groups have penetrated to the territories of the Republic of Belarus and the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation in order to carry out terrorist attacks and destabilize the Union State of Russia and Belarus."The official statement added that in addition to the claimed 12,700 troops, around 70 aircraft, 10 warships, and 250 tanks will take part in the Zapad exercise. Russia's huge military exercise along its western border this week has increased nervousness among neighboring countries as well as straining relations with NATO. The "Zapad 2017" military exercise, running from the 14 th until the 20 th September, is held every four years and will on this occasion include activities on the borders of Poland, Lithuania, and Belarus. The main purpose of Zapad, which literally means west, is to simulate defense and counter-attack in case of war with NATO member countries. Security expert Otilia Dhand at Teneo Intelligence told CNBC Wednesday that while similar exercises have happened regularly since 1999, tension is enhanced this time because of recent history. "Since the last Zapad exercises in 2013, Russia has annexed Crimea and fomented unrest in eastern Ukraine, where the conflict is ongoing. "The Baltic members of NATO are therefore especially concerned over the possibility that these exercises may involve incursions into their territorial waters and airspace, as well as provide cover for building up Russian forces at bases close to their borders," she said. Since 2014, and the fall of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, Russian-backed soldiers have taken control of strategic positions within the Ukrainian territory of Crimea. Dhand said that this week's exercises could allow Moscow to funnel more equipment to separatist factions installed in eastern Ukraine. She added the planned military build-up could also allow Russia to leave behind more forces and hardware at bases in Belarus and the satellite region of Kaliningrad. NATO has said it has no plans to respond to the maneuvers but has expressed concern that Russia's offer to allow three experts to attend some of the exercises falls well short of agreed international obligations. "Briefings on the exercise scenario and progress; opportunities to talk to individual soldiers; and overflights over the exercise. This is something that is part of the Vienna document, an agreement regulating transparency and predictability relating to military exercises," said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in a speech made in Estonia on September 6. 'Economical with the truth' Officially, the exercise involves just under 13,000 troops but Igor Sutyagin, senior research fellow of Russian Studies at the Royal United Services Institute, said in a note Tuesday that this number will be easily surpassed. "Top of the concerns is the number of troops participating in the exercise. "To avoid foreign monitoring, Russia and Belarus announced that just 12,700 troops will be participating in the exercise, below the Vienna Document threshold (of 13,000)," Sutyagin explained. And the RUSI analyst said while Lithuania and Ukraine have put the estimated figure at around 140,000 troops, the true number may well sit around the middle. "A forensic analysis of the data available about these exercises offers conclusive evidence that Russia is being economical with the truth. "This analysis suggests the number of troops participating in the exercises will be closer to 65 to 70,000," the security expert added. Sutyagin arrived at this figure by identifying regiments openly participating in Zagad as well as noting a Russian Ministry of Defense request for 4,162 train carriages to transport troops and military hardware to and from Belarus. "This represents a massive increase on the 2015 and 2016 transport requirement, which were 125 and 50 carriages respectively, a rise in requirements which one can only assume as necessary to fulfilling the day-to-day needs of the Russian forces permanently deployed to Belarus," he said. The Russian Ministry of Defense has posted details of the exercise on its website and described the Zapad 2017 anti-terror exercise as purely defensive. "The exercise stipulates that some extremist groups have penetrated to the territories of the Republic of Belarus and the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation in order to carry out terrorist attacks and destabilize the Union State of Russia and Belarus." The official statement added that in addition to the claimed 12,700 troops, around 70 aircraft, 10 warships, and 250 tanks will take part in the Zapad exercise. More From CNBC Good for them. <3 Although I hate Adam Levine. Reply Thread Link damn that was quick. i thought she was supposed to be walking the show this year? Reply Thread Link I read it as Dusty Rhodes every time. Poor baby with her terrible wrestler name... Reply Parent Thread Link It sounds like a trashy rock groupie thot name Reply Parent Thread Link i mean its pretty if you're a crayon Reply Parent Thread Link Or late 80s furnishing. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link it's a total lipstick color name imo Reply Parent Thread Link lol Reply Parent Thread Link There's a ballet dancer named Dusty Button which I feel like is slightly worse than Dusty Rose? Reply Parent Thread Link I can't believe they named their kid THAT Reply Parent Thread Link Good for them! I think it's better to have kids close in age. I'd hate to raise one kid, have one be 10+ and then need to start over again with a new kid. Reply Thread Link IA, as hectic as it would be a few years, it'd be better to get it done. (Though only if the parents can take some time off or work it aorund their schedules in some way). Reply Parent Thread Link I agree - my brother and I are 6 years apart and that was kind of too much to be really super close. I didn't want that, so my first two kids are just 15 mo apart and my third is about to be born - he will be 3 & 4 years younger than the other two, respectively. We also have my husbands daughter who is almost 10 - I'm worried already that she is too old to be really close with the youngest one. Our household is insane chaos at all times and probably will continue to be for the near future...hope its worth it! Reply Parent Thread Link I think for kids it's definitely fun to be close in age. I actually hated pregnancy so I couldn't do it so fast right after I had my first. I waited and he just turned 3 when I had my daughter and I think that's a decent age gap but not too much. Reply Parent Thread Link I wish I would've been mentally ready to pop out kids close together. 2 years apart sounds really ideal, until I realized I would've had to get pregnant around the time my son was 1. That seemed awful. Reply Parent Thread Link That isn't a recommendation I've ever heard. My first two are only 15 months apart. Most couples I know wouldn't wait 18 months anyway because then you have at LEAST a 2.5 year age difference already even if you get preg the first month you try. Reply Parent Thread Link It's definitely a recommendation. I've also read at least 2 years. Pregnancy is very taxing on the body and doctors recommend taking time to recuperate between pregnancies. Obviously that's not what everyone does though Reply Parent Thread Expand Link When I was 6 months my mom got pregnant. It happens. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link that bathroom looks tacky! and um congrats on the baby. Reply Thread Link Everything he touches becomes tacky, like a douchebag King Midas. Reply Parent Thread Link Seriously is that counter a shiny gold???? Reply Parent Thread Link that was quick still not over dusty rose smh Reply Thread Link Dusty Rose is a lipstick shade smh Reply Thread Link Damn. That was fast. Reply Thread Link she's so basic looking for a model idgi Reply Thread Link Dusty Rose lmao Reply Thread Link my college friend's boyfriend was a fire fighter up here in NYC. She and Adam had a place (or were staying temp idk) and the fire department got called over there. she started a huge fire with the toaster. she's kinda dim. Reply Thread Link Awww come on. Accidents happen. Doesn't mean they're dim! /has started a fire in the kitchen twice. Reply Parent Thread Link bb don't feel bad. i left the tap running once and flooded my kitchen and hallway :) Reply Parent Thread Link I started a major toaster fire by putting oily leftover pizza in the toaster. :-/ My husband hasn't let me live it down in the years since, but idk, it seemed faster than using the oven. Reply Parent Thread Link That was fast, I guess it explains why he hasn't been doing things with VS while Candice has? I feel like she won't get the fantasy bra now that's she been gone for a while/there are so many new girls, and that Candice has a better shot at getting it again. wishing them the best! Reply Thread Link JUST IN: White House demands ESPN fire host who called Trump a "white supremacist" https://t.co/BlCgjVupjU pic.twitter.com/PEzeXlu2Zt The Hill (@thehill) September 13, 2017 Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists. Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 11, 2017 Trump is the most ignorant, offensive president of my lifetime. His rise is a direct result of white supremacy. Period. Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 11, 2017 The height of white privilege is being able to ignorehis white supremacy, because it's of no threat to you. Well, it's a threat to me. Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 11, 2017 - On Monday, ESPN anchor Jemele Hill posted a series of tweets explicitly calling the president a white supremacist, and implying that his supporters are as well- ESPN issued a statement distancing themselves from Hill's remarks: "The comments on Twitter from Jemele Hill regarding the president do not represent the position of ESPN. We have addressed this with Jemele and she recognizes her actions were inappropriate."- During today's White House press briefing, Sarah Huckabee Sanders called the comments "outrageous" and suggested that Hill should be fired- Possible First Amendment violation - the government shouldn't be trying to get you fired for criticizing them!sources: 1 I didn't go to film school but I took a few film production classes and literally the only thing I remember from my cinematography class is that one guy volunteered to be the actor when we were setting up lighting and the instructor (white dude) was like "Oh this is going to be hard to do..." and replaced him with someone lighter. The volunteer wasn't even black or that dark-skinned. I remember it made me really, really upset but I was young and didn't speak up. Over the years I've noticed there have been more and more cinematographers speaking up about lighting poc especially black people and speaking very positively about it which is nice and shows that hopefully things are moving in a better direction. I did eventually get to shoot my own film and cast a black actress and guess what! The (white male) DOP I worked with had zero problems shooting her and lit her beautifully. Now realize instructor was a racist jackass who should have been out of a job. If you're a cinematographer you should know how to light people of all skin tones. Period. Reply Thread Link "If you're a cinematographer you should know how to light people of all skin tones. Period." I feel this way about fashion designers too. You're not really talented if you can't design for all shapes. Reply Parent Thread Link Make up artists as well. Reply Parent Thread Link Damn @ the cause of concern about Kodak colours being from furniture companies about the colour of wood. Wow. This was really informative. Reply Thread Link i dont watch the shows but based on clips ive seen and this i love what they do. also i was reading about that kodak and film coloring awhile back. this needs to be widespread cause some shows are still screwy AF showing black people in dark scenes Reply Thread Link Vox did a video talking about the shirley models and Kodak's casual dismal of properly lighting PoC. The YouTube comments are complete mess, as per usual.... Edited at 2017-09-14 01:20 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link interesting video, thanks! Reply Parent Thread Link this season was great! mostly bc of molly / dro, I want them to get together :'( Reply Thread Link sis you know molly's not about that life Reply Parent Thread Link he's happily married tho...yk he's not gonna leave his wife for molly. she's just the side piece to him, smdh Reply Parent Thread Link their chemistry tho... Reply Parent Thread Link A fellow Molly/Dro fan! I just really love their chemistry Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I can't imagine how hard it is to be a dark skinned actor or model when people are lauded for being at the top of their field (cinematographers, photographers, makeup artists, hair stylists) but can't handle a significant portion of the population. It reminds me of a fight I got in with my English teacher once about how if Hemingway and Steinbeck are great writers except that they can't write women then THEY'RE THAT GREAT MRS. J. Reply Thread Link op, i finally figured out where your icon is from and i'm screaming Reply Thread Link where's it from? Reply Parent Thread Link atlanta Reply Parent Thread Link atlanta Reply Parent Thread Link Lol, I was mostly bummed she got fired in the episode because we won't be able to see this kid again! THough who knows Reply Parent Thread Link My professional/academic filmic experience is centered around animation but we light for all different situations, colors, and textures in stop motion. There is no excuse for not accurately, or beautifully, being able to shoot darker skinned actors. Reply Thread Link I saw this on Facebook earlier and made the mistake of reading the comments....Jesus. Reply Thread Link Never read the comments on Facebook. No one can handle that much stupid at one time. Reply Parent Thread Link Someone literally commented something like, "Why are you complaining that they changed it because of furniture? Maybe there were no complaints from black people! Has it occurred to you that maybe black people just weren't actors back then?" Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Edited at 2017-09-14 01:48 am (UTC) Ah, the Shirley Cards. Brings me back to film school. NPR had an interesting bit about them if anyone is interested in a listen: http://www.npr.org/2014/11/13/363517842/for-decades-kodak-s-shirley-cards-set-photography-s-skin-tone-standard Reply Thread Link very interesting, thanks for the rec! Reply Parent Thread Link remember in the 80s and 90s when the school photographer would make us look like ink blots and shit. Reply Thread Link i hate some of the insecure edits on tumblr that wash out the color, stop! duvernay and jenkins always talk about lighting dark skin. i'm glad people are ~learning~. "Cinema is a little over 100 years old, and a lot of what we do is built around film emulsion. Those things were calibrated for white skin. Weve always placed powder on skin to dull the light. But my memory of growing up in Miami is this moist, beautiful black skin. And this movie is meant to reflect the consciousness of the characterof me and Tarell, to be honest. So we used oil. I wanted everyones skin to have a sheen to reflect my memory." Reply Thread Link bless Reply Parent Thread Link I don't know the url of the post but I remember seeing a really good tumblr post about how to properly color POC in gifs/edits so that you don't whitewash them when you brighten the gifs. It was really helpful to me. Reply Parent Thread Link i fought with someone the other day who wanted to learn to be a makeup artist and was asking people nearby (like in the group talking) if they wanted to be models. i volunteered because i love makeup. this person was like "oh uh...i can't do that bc i don't know how to do makeup for your shade" and i was like lmao shouldn't you learn??? but they just awkwardly laughed and then dropped it. smh, goodluck starting that yt channel you speak of. Reply Thread Link She shouldn't call herself a makeup artist in any regard. Sorry you had to go through that. Reply Parent Thread Link that's what was so ridiculous about it, but i didn't take it personally since someone like that is probably shit at makeup since they have no real understanding of colour/variety Reply Parent Thread Link damn girl. i could understand if she like didn't have the proper shades because building a kit takes serious money but like... google? watch some youtube tutorials and be grateful for the opportunity to practice? jfc. Reply Parent Thread Link It's horrible but I remember a model mentioning that she would have to supply her own makeup because white makeup artists would NEVER carry our color. And the article was posted on here because I remember people bringing up the people from Buzzfeed and how they made two of the women look dead with the makeup. (Let me look the videos) FOUND ONE! Edited at 2017-09-14 05:28 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link wow smdh Reply Parent Thread Link Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ Reply Thread Link I posted this on my Facebook page. I thought about posting it here but I thought it would be gotten rejected. This place does have preferences on what constitutes a post. I thought that I needed that to up my cocoa butter game. Daniel really does glisten like no one else's business. Reply Thread Link i mean didn't devin "resign" before, only to have tim quietly hire him under a pseudonym? Reply Thread Link he sure did Reply Parent Thread Link his facebook pseudonym is devin fnord, btw, and i hate that i still see his ass popping up on so many film posts Edited at 2017-09-14 02:08 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link yes Reply Parent Thread Link Yes. And Tim did that shitty sorry-not-sorry bit about "if that should happen to me in the future I want people to give me a second chance, too" Reply Parent Thread Link Very telling. Birds of a feather and all that jazz. Reply Parent Thread Link I definitely do, they seem like they have lots of integrity and stuff. Reply Parent Thread Link more like DeviL Faraci. buh bye, you bastard!!! Reply Thread Link lmao if you search his name in wikipedia it asks Did you mean: devil farabi Reply Parent Thread Link Should we applaud them for doing the right thing after being caught doing the wrong thing? Bravo. Reply Thread Link mte. keep it Reply Parent Thread Link cinefamily better not try the same real cute how they thought laying low for a year and easing him back in would workcinefamily better not try the same Reply Thread Link He was so right here and ppl still give him shit for it. Reply Parent Thread Link I wanna know what arthouse cinema get exposed next Angelika? Film Forum? Sunshine Cinema? Anthology Film Archives? It's gonna be a New York one, i know it Reply Parent Thread Link EPFC has a rapist on their board so there's that Reply Parent Thread Expand Link New Beverly Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Sunshine is gonna close soon, so probably not them. Reply Parent Thread Link White men who do wrong get more help than everyone else combined :/ Reply Thread Link waowowow I totally believe that he is gone forever just like last time when they said the exact same thing about him resigning. What bravery these schmucks have. Reply Thread Link Oh this is so delicious. Devin has been a long time shitbag. Glad he's been busted Reply Thread Link I seriously can't believe they thought they could handle things this way bc wtf. if one of your employees has to step down from his job bc he sexually assaulted someone you can't just quietly move him to a less public position and expect everyone to be okay with that. Devin should never have been rehired by the Drafthouse. I'm not saying he has to go live in the woods or whatever but dude can just get a job in accounting and write reviews on letterboxd. He's not entitled to a film criticism career. Reply Thread Link Jorge Vaso Reply Parent Thread Link Carlos Danger Reply Parent Thread Link So basically you have to act sorry because your ass got caught not oding what you claimed to do. What an ass. Reply Thread Link lmao ok Reply Thread Link This whole situation is so fucked. Reply Thread Link if you'll recall, american cinematheque had one of its employees counterprotest a woman who was trying to raise funds for sexual abuse survivors after they showed last tango in paris twice following the bertolucci allegations going viral, and cinefamily recently "let go" of their own sexual predator in chief despite receiving complaints against him for years. from a fb post with several people who know alamo/faraci personally (i got permission from the op to not block out her name):if you'll recall, american cinematheque had one of its employees counterprotest a woman who was trying to raise funds for sexual abuse survivors after they showed last tango in paris twice following the bertolucci allegations going viral, and cinefamily recently "let go" of their own sexual predator in chief despite receiving complaints against him for years. Reply Thread Link God I wish that illegitimate heir story were true. That would be an amazing scandal. Reply Thread Link Ikr Reply Parent Thread Link Of course, it makes absolutely no sense--illegitimate children aren't eligible to inherit the throne--but I do love the Globe's Windsor fanfic. Reply Parent Thread Link omg i am screaming at "botton-down" @life&style what are you even doing!!! Reply Thread Link lolol on the cover no less! I know magazines are struggling, but do these people not have ANY editors? Reply Parent Thread Link Meghan is so cute in that pic. Reply Thread Link TIL that John Legend and Chrissy Teigen got married the exact same date as I did. Reply Parent Thread Link That "secret heir" shop is killing me. Reply Thread Link LOL @ that Closer magazine. Such an old people tabloid. My mom volunteers at the gift shop of a hospital and gets to take home the previous week's tabloids and it's so clear which ones are geared toward seniors. There's always some death-watch for aging stars- Mickey from the Monkees ON HIS DEATH BED, some no-name from Little House on the Prairie WEEKS TO LIVE Reply Thread Link I feel like Closer allows us to see what tabloids looked like 50 years ago. Reply Parent Thread Link Next issue- Rock Hudson: Lady's Man! Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner: Our Exciting Trip at Sea! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Not quite that old, but I'm 41 and when I was little it was a lot of Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson. Reply Parent Thread Link Srsly, he looks like maybe a long lost Hemsworth brother. Is the mother supposed to be in Australia? I seem to remember reading that Prince Phillip had a mistress and an entire second family with kids hidden away in Greece or somewhere. Reply Parent Thread Link I thought she was found in a park... Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah other young women had been murdered in the park. Reply Parent Thread Link I love that the Globe is trying it with an illegitimate heir. Royal bastards really can't inherit the throne so... Reply Thread Link i thought the picture of the secret hier on the globe cover was ryan reynolds at first Reply Thread Link I'm here for the stew pic, OP! Also lol at the heir story Reply Thread Link Oh Nicholas Cage Julia Roberts has been in that nasty divorce for like over a decade. Reply Thread Link Lol @ Enquirer. They know Clooney's out of the running so they're still trying it with Julia and Richard. Reply Thread Link Superman despite DC's movie verse was always my ultimate plus he's a bit Canadian too so I am fully behind this. Reply Thread Link Superman's not even an earthling bb I'm sorry to break it to you Reply Parent Thread Link The artist who came up with Superman was from Toronto. Edited at 2017-09-14 11:57 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link yass remember this? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Always reaching... Reply Parent Thread Link where's that post from that guy who seemed to be on the cusp of having an epiphany that superman's status of being an actual alien is probably what made him defend undocumented aliens? Reply Thread Link Favorite page of the week. It just nails why #GreenArrow is one of the best books in comics right now and really hits home for me personally pic.twitter.com/v7XUzFtONK Henry(Enrique)Varona (@awhiteCuban) September 7, 2017 Y'all need to be reading Green Arrow. It touches on a lot of political stuff and also currently has a nice anti-capitalism/anti-corporation story going on. Reply Thread Link That's great Reply Parent Thread Link Ollie has always been a comunist. Reply Parent Thread Link yeah he's the socialist, bleeding heart version of libertarian batman. I love Bats, but the character certainly reads that way, especially for modern audiences. Reply Parent Thread Link i can't believe how much I've been crying this week lol I'm so stressed i wanna die save me superman Reply Thread Link I'll believe it when I see it passed into law and that's it tbh It does upset me that they announced it yesterday and my family was so exited only for that hope last less than six hours I didn't say shit cause I don't trust any of them as far as I can throw them and I didn't want to be the bitter betty of the night but come morning seeing those notifications really did a number on me Like in a weird way I feel like these things are my fault for being so negative Im mostly upset we're being fucked with like this and being used as a bargaining chip and not as a collective group of people whose humanity and value is always being questioned and unvalidated Reply Parent Thread Link i'm on the same boat, bb. pm me if you ever need to vent <3 Reply Parent Thread Link i love superman Reply Thread Link Stan a bit <3 Reply Parent Thread Link saaame Reply Parent Thread Link supes, i love you Reply Thread Link dc has always been superior imo like marvel may have the better movies but dc comics, storylines, characters, etc >>>>> marvel Reply Thread Link same same Reply Parent Thread Link I've always liked X-Men and Runaways and Alias were great but DC's tentpole comics and heroes have always been superior. Wonder Woman and Batman and Superman are truly World's Finest >>>>>>>> Reply Parent Thread Link Yesss Marvel definitely slayed with X-Men. I'll always love it, same with Deadpool (though, lately I seem to associate him with fanbros) Reply Parent Thread Link To me, nothing will ever beat the dynamic surrounding Batman and his villains. The way each one sort of represents an exaggeration of his own flaws, and the fact that he still thinks each one is redeemable. He still believes in Harvey Dent, Pamela's and Victor's brilliance, etc. They totally messed up the Joker, but we can't have it all lbr Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Oh, for sure. The only thing in marvel that even comes close is the xmen and theyve been neglecting that for awhile. The biggest problem with dc is the overt focus on batman, but if you can avoid that, which I do, they have the best stories. Reply Parent Thread Link Good i savour the tears of racist manchildren because their childhood hero called them losers Reply Thread Link congrats to the people writing opinion pieces supporting the narrative that there are bad people on both sides Reply Parent Thread Link i want to burn every MOtel 6 down now. Reply Parent Thread Link At least they say they're making the franchise owners discontinue the practice and are issuing a directive to make sure it doesn't happen again. They should have done more tho. When a Best Western price gouged during Harvey, they lost their franchise status. No reason Motel 6 can't do the same to those fucks and prove they're serious about this. Otherwise this is just lip service. Statement by Motel 6 pic.twitter.com/zHGU6HqjPV Motel 6 (@motel6) September 14, 2017 Edited at 2017-09-14 11:40 pm (UTC) Ugh I heard about thatAt least they say they're making the franchise owners discontinue the practice and are issuing a directive to make sure it doesn't happen again.They should have done more tho.When a Best Western price gouged during Harvey, they lost their franchise status. No reason Motel 6 can't do the same to those fucks and prove they're serious about this. Otherwise this is just lip service. Reply Parent Thread Link Oh. Fuck them putos. Reply Parent Thread Link Those fucking assholes Reply Parent Thread Link wow....fuck them Reply Parent Thread Link I wish I were like Superman. I would wanna protect people too. Reply Thread Link yas boo! Yaaas you go superman Reply Thread Link We love legends We love legends Reply Thread Link Lmao his Superman curl starts to spell out his name sis! His name's Junmyeon aka Suho, leader of EXO. Check out their fun newest mv Power! Also The Eve & Call Me Baby Reply Parent Thread Expand Link hes stunning Reply Parent Thread Link king! LOL Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Yas my hero. Reply Thread Link Have Stakeholders Kept Pace with Lowered TLVs and RELs? Why is there so much comfort in the status quo when the people who need the protection of these products require so much more? Over the last several years, organizations such as the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) have lowered their recommendations for exposure limits on a number of common hazardous gases. For example, the ACGIH dramatically lowered the Threshold Limit Value (TLV) for both hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide. In similar fashion, the ACGIH has named in its 2017 Notice of Intended Changes list other common gases, such as chlorine, chlorine dioxide, and phosphine, among its targets for adjustments to the exposure limits. Let's get this straight. This is not an editorial rant against the practices of the ACGIH. The plain and simple truth is that the ACGIH makes recommendations based on a thorough review of scientific evidence regarding what exposure levels constitute a threat to worker health and safety. Whether or not it is practical for systems to detect various compounds at the exposure limits does not fall within the scope of the ACGIH. This is a discussion on how equipment manufacturers and the industrial hygiene and safety community are addressing the need to detect and monitor toxic gases at ever decreasing levels. It is the reaction of these stakeholders that I find the most puzzling and frustrating. Manufacturers of portable gas monitors, the type of equipment used to detect toxic gases in industrial hygiene and safety applications, are held hostage by technology. Although they would certainly argue this, over the last 30 years, the technology offered by gas sensor manufacturers has not changed much. The same basic electrochemical sensors used to detect toxic gases 30 years ago are still used today. Sure, the sensors have gotten much smaller, allowing manufacturers to build smaller instruments, but the chemistry is the same old, same old. One would think that over three decades, sensor researchers and developers would be able to make improvements in technology that would result in products that provide detection of gases at much lower concentrations, with much greater stability and accuracy. But this is not the case. Why is there so much comfort in the status quo when the people who need the protection of these products require so much more? (By the way, I am one of the said instrument manufacturers; guilty as charged.) This article originally appeared in the October 2017 issue of Occupational Health & Safety. The Lincoln Warehouse, 2018 S. 1st St. in Bay View, is building a name for itself as a destination for beer, cocktails and more thanks to tenants like Bittercube, Enlightened and Eagle Park Brewing Companies, Twisted Path Distillery, Dock18 Cocktail Lab and Top Note Tonics. Beginning sometime in October, you can add chocolate to that list. Melt Chocolates, a small artisan chocolate company headed up by chocolatier Bjorn Rogness, has established a commercial confectionery kitchen in the warehouse, and will be opening a small retail storefront just in time for the holidays. The shop, which is likely to open in late October, is part of a planned expansion for the Lincoln Warehouse, which is expected to include the addition of a number of storefronts along the northern end of the building. The small retail space will offer a selection of high quality chocolate products including truffles, filled bars, single origin chocolate bars, crunches and barks and dragees (including chocolate covered blueberries, cocoa beans or hazelnuts). They are also likely to carry specialty items like drinking chocolate, which could be offered in flavors including Aztec chocolate and chocolate peppermint. Years in the making In many ways, Melt Chocolates is the story of an accidental chocolatier. Rogness, a biomedical engineer by trade, says he would never have predicted making his career as a chocolatier. Despite a passion for the world of food and beverage, which played out through work in the hospitality industry including work with the Bartolotta Restaurants, Rogness says the cost of starting a chocolate company was always prohibitive. However, things changed when Rogness found an ad on Craigslist in which an ex-chocolatier had listed over $10K of confectionery equipment, including a tempering machine, guitar cutter, chocolate warmers and documentation from his studies at the French Pastry School in Chicago, Illinois. Rogness watched the listing over time, scoring a deal on the equipment as it dropped in price. What followed was years of education in chocolate and the techniques. Over the past five years, Rogness has trained with a number of master chocolatiers from both Europe and South America enhancing his knowledge of molding techniques, airbrushing, flavor development and recipe creation, in addition to alternative approaches to thinking about the use and application of chocolate. Rogness says his background in biomedical engineering, particularly chemistry, has been a boon in assisting his understanding of the science of chocolate. "Chocolate is far more technical than people might think," he says. "The knowledge of chemical processes comes into play at almost every step of the chocolate making process. Its been integral to recipe development in terms of achieving optimal texture and flavor, as well as shelf life for the product." Bjorn loves panning our Mardis Gras Hazelnuts #chocolate #chocolates A post shared by Melt Chocolates (@meltchocolatesltd) on Nov 26, 2015 at 4:59pm PST And what began as a hobby, gradually became something more. Eventually he moved into a shared commercial kitchen space, and then an independent kitchen in New Berlin. As interest grew, the business began taking on wedding and restaurant clients and hosting pop-up shops during major chocolate holidays, including Christmas and Valentines Day. This past March, they took a leap and signed a lease on the Lincoln Warehouse space and began the build-out for a new climate controlled kitchen space and retail shop, investing in additional chocolate making equipment, including a state of the art chocolate case designed to preserve the freshness of filled items. Leading up to Melt Chocolate's opening, the business will host a series of soft opening events beginning in late September. Follow Melt Chocolates Ltd. on Facebook for additional information. Until then, you can get a taste of Melts bananas foster truffle as part of the "Eat Me Drink Me" cocktail at Dock18 Cocktail Lab on the south end of the Lincoln Warehouse. Or stop over at Pleasant Kafe, 1600 N. Jackson St., and enjoy a truffle or two alongside your coffee. Once open, Melt Chocolates will be open for limited retail hours on Friday evenings and Saturdays to start. In the coming weeks customers will also be able to place holiday orders online at meltchocolates.us. With its variegated brick, squared approach and collegiate gothic flourishes, Wisconsin Avenue School, on the corner of 27th and Wisconsin, is what many of us conjure when we think of a school. Built in 1920, the school was constructed during a schoolhouse building boom that lasted more than a decade, dotting the entire city with buildings drawn in a similar style: from Hartford Avenue, Riverside and Lincoln on the East Side, to Townsend Street, Franklin, Neeskara and Sherman on the North and West Sides, and Riley, Forest Home Avenue, Lincoln Avenue, Fernwood, Humboldt Park and Bay View High School on the South Side. And these are just a few of many more examples. Closed in 2007, the building located in what is now called the SOHI District in the Avenues West neighborhood was designed by Van Ryn and DeGelleke, who did much work for MPS from the late 19th century until the 1920s, when the district brought Guy Wiley on staff to oversee construction in-house. This building, with its ornate entrances, kindergarten room push-out on the Wisconsin Avenue side and cut stone grotesques each of which wears a unique expression, from hilarious grins to contorted grimaces replaced an earlier school on the site. Diamond-shaped tile motifs also dot the exterior. An extensive gallery of photos can be seen here. That earlier schoolhouse, called Grand Avenue School (there is now a Grand Avenue further east, on 24th and Wisconsin, that was constructed in 1991 during a middle school building spurt) was designed by Ferry and Clas and lost to fire in 1918. While firmly rooted in what was at the time contemporary schoolhouse design, Van Ryn and DeGellekes replacement seemed especially heavy on the gothic, perhaps in tribute to the gothic arches that featured in Ferry and Clas graceful facade. Since 2007, Wisconsin Avenue School has been mostly shuttered, though the district has used it for storage and Highland Community School briefly used a bit of the space before it moved into the old MacDowell Montessori School a couple years ago. Highland had expressed interest in the entire building, but some say it was too big and needed too much work. Milwaukee Police Department also discussed taking it over and using it for records storage. A floated Teachtown development to create teacher housing like the project at Dover Street School didnt come through, either. So, it came as little surprise last month, when the school board voted to declare the building as well as a few others, including 37th Street School and Wheatley as surplus. On a recent visit, I spent some time exploring the building, which is quite large, with 26 classrooms, as well as a large auditorium and basement gym/cafeteria with some incredible louvered wooden roll-up dividers to turn one large gym into two smaller ones. The Early Permian dissorophid Cacops displays its fearsome dentition as it preys on the hapless reptile Captorhinus. Credit: Illustration by Brian Engh (dontmesswithdinosaurs.com) The idea of being bitten by a nearly toothless modern frog or salamander sounds laughable, but their ancient ancestors had a full array of teeth, large fangs and thousands of tiny hook-like structures called denticles on the roofs of their mouths that would snare prey, according to new research by paleontologists at the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). In research published online in a recent issue of PeerJ, an open access journal, Professor Robert Reisz, Distinguished Professor of Paleontology at UTM, explains that the presence of such an extensive field of teeth provides clues to how the intriguing feeding mechanism seen in modern amphibians was also likely used by their ancient ancestors. They believe that the tooth-bearing plates "were ideally suited for holding on to prey, such as insects or smaller tetrapods, may have facilitated a method of swallowing prey items via retraction of the eyeballs into the mouth, as some amphibians do today. In many vertebrates, ranging from fish to early synapsids (ancestors of mammals), denticles are commonly found in dense concentrations on the bones of the hard palate (roof of the mouth). However, in one group of tetrapods, temnospondyls (which are thought to be the ancestors of modern amphibians) these denticles were also found on small, bony plates that filled the large soft part of the palate. The entire roof of the mouth was covered with literally thousands of these tiny teeth that they used to grab prey. Since these toothy plates were suspended in soft tissue, they are often lost or scattered during fossilization. Denticles are significantly smaller than the teeth around the margin of the mouthon the order of dozens to a couple hundred microns in length. They are actually true teeth, rather than just protrusions in the mouths of these tetrapods, says Reisz and his colleagues, Bryan Gee and Yara Haridy, both graduate students in paleontology. "Denticles have all of the features of the large teeth that are found on the margin of the mouth," says Reisz. "In examining tetrapod specimens dating back ~289 million years, we discovered that the denticles display essentially all of the main features that are considered to define teeth, including enamel and dentine, pulp cavity and peridontia." A thematic diagram showing a cut across the skull showing the position of the denticulate plates that covered the soft palate. On the left is at resting stage, on the right, ventral movement of the soft palate by retraction of the eyeballs, during feeding Credit: University of Toronto Mississauga In reaching these conclusions, the researchers analyzed specimens unearthed from the fossil-rich Dolese Brothers Limestone Quarry near Richards Spur, Oklahoma. They were extraordinarily well preserved, making them ideal candidates for study. The researchers extracted and isolated the denticle-bearing plates, created thin section slides and examined them under the microscopeno small feat since denticles on this animal were only about 100 microns long. This figure 1J-L shows the skull of a small amphibamid dissorophid called Passawioops, with the tiny palatal plates in place, in the roof of the mouth, with two close-ups to the right. Credit: University of Toronto Mississauga Reisz and his graduate students suggest that the next big question relates to evolutionary changes to the overall abundance of teeth: if these ancient amphibians had an astonishing number of teeth, why have most modern amphibians reduced or entirely lost their teeth? Credit: Apple Apple Park smells like ... manure. That's because the grounds on this 175-acre campuscall it a shrine to Steve Jobsare still so new that the landscaping is freshly dusted with pungent fertilizer, helping some 9,000 native and drought-resistant trees and other foliage take root. While the star of Tuesday's big event here was unquestionably the new iPhone X, with its edge-to-edge screen and facial recognition features, Apple's new campus pulled up a close second. Walking along a few highly patrolled paths (this is Apple after all) from a large public area dominated by its cafe/shop visitors centerto the Steve Jobs Theater, one is struck by a few things. First, this had to be what it felt like to enter Disneyland when it first opened, fresh with promise and featuring parking garages cleaner than most homes. After all, Jobs and Disney shared obsessive visions of quality and innovation. Second, the landscape architects have managed to pull off a David Copperfield-like feat, making a massive, 2.8-million-square-foot ring of a headquarters virtually disappear. Through the clever use of carefully crafted hillocks and berms, the HQ peeks in and out of view rather than dominating the landscape. Smiling Apple personnel firmly stopped all attempts to get a closer look at the Foster + Partners edifice, physically blocking meandering paths that led closer to this Oz-like building. But from a distance, the building looks less like a space ship and more like a layer cake for 12,000 employees. While Jobs has been gone for six years now, his spirit was present for this iPhone X unveiling. The campus itself is said to be a completed version of the co-founder's decade-old design for a place where collaboration and contemplation would be encouraged. Hence the circular design (the better for employees to bump into each other) and the obsession with landscaping ("Steve was exhilarated, and inspired, by the California landscape, by its light and its expansiveness. It was his favorite setting for thought," his widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, said in a statement). The competitive iconoclast likely also got a kick out of the fact that he was building his dream HQ on the grounds of old Hewlett-Packard offices, where he once worked. Jobs' name adorns the 1,000-seat theater that sits on the highest point of the campus, from which the main headquarters looks like it's rising out of the soil. The theater is built underground, and is accessed by a circular building that is all glass and thin roof. You head below either by two broad staircases, or by taking a circular, rotating elevator that also seems to scream Steve Jobs. Why have a regular square elevator with two doors when you can build a more interesting one that is round and swivels? Inside, the auditorium has the rake of a Greek amphitheater, with modernist seats covered in brown leather with matching stitching. For now, one can only imagine with the less-public areas of Apple Park will look like, including a 100,000 square foot gym and a cafeteria big enough to feed an army. Also a mystery is what sort of landscaping will surround the more than 2 miles of running trails, as well as the precise design of an orchard, meadow and pond that will be crafted inside the main-office ring. Say what you will about the iPhone X, but despite only a brief glimpse of Apple Park, one could argue this actually is the company's greatest product yet. Google has an interesting array of buildings over in Mountain View, and Facebook hauled in architect Frank Gehry to add some spice to its Menlo Park campus. In contrast, working at Uber's building in downtown San Francisco feels a bit like going to the salt mines. But with Apple Park, the iPhone-maker has thrown down the gauntlet to the engineers of today and tomorrow. If you want to work in tech, call the other guys. If you want to live tech, call us. 2017 USA Today Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Artists impression of Planet Nine, blocking out the Milky Way. The Sun is in the distance, with the orbit of Neptune shown as a ring. Credit: ESO/Tomruen/nagualdesign Astronomers at the University of Sheffield have shown that 'Planet 9' an unseen planet on the edge of our solar system probably formed closer to home than previously thought. A team led by Dr Richard Parker from the University of Sheffield's Department of Physics and Astronomy has found that Planet 9 is 'unlikely' to have been captured from another planetary system, as has previously been suggested, and must have formed around the sun. The outskirts of the solar system have always been something of an enigma, with astronomers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries searching for a giant planet that wasn't there, and the subsequent discovery of Pluto in 1930. Pluto was downgraded in status to a 'dwarf planet' because astronomers discovered many other small objects so-called Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt objects at similar distances from the sun. In 2016 astronomers working in the USA postulated the presence of 'Planet 9' to explain the strange orbital properties of some Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt objects. But while it isn't possible to directly observe Planet 9, it hasn't stopped theorists from trying to work out how it got there. Planet 9 is at least 10 times bigger than Earth, making it unlikely that it formed at such a large distance from the sun. Instead, it has been suggested it either moved there from the inner regions of the solar system, or it could have been captured when the sun was still in its birth star cluster. But a team, led by Dr Parker with colleagues from ETH Zurich, has shown that the capture scenario is extremely unlikely. Researchers simulated the sun's stellar nursery where interactions are common and found that even in conditions optimised to capture free-floating planets, only five-to-10 out of 10,000 planets are captured onto an orbit like Planet 9's. Dr Parker said: "We know that planetary systems form at the same time as stars, and when stars are very young they are usually found in groups where interactions between stellar siblings are common. Therefore, the environment where stars form directly affects planetary systems like our own, and is usually so densely populated that stars can capture other stars or planets. "In this work, we have shown that - although capture is common - ensnaring planets onto the postulated orbit of Planet 9 is very improbable. We're not ruling out the idea of Planet 9, but instead we're saying that it must have formed around the sun, rather than captured from another planetary system." The study was published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. When the Baw Baw plateau was surveyed in the 1980s, researchers found 1000s of Baw Baw frogs in frost hollows across the plateau. Ten years later, only two per cent of this population remained. Credit: Damian Goodall, Zoos Victoria. Scientists are racing against time to save Victoria's unique Baw Baw frog - facing extinction from a fungus threatening a third of Australia's frog species. The Baw Baw frog (Philoria frosti) might be the colour of mud and have an unusual croak, but it is a very special Victorian frog, claim two Deakin University researchers who are seeking ways to save the critically-endangered amphibian. PhD student Thomas Burns and his supervisor Professor Don Driscoll, Director of Deakin's Centre for Integrative Ecology, are spending many hours traversing the Baw Baw area in the Victorian Alps. They are seeking to identify low-risk areas for potential reintroduction of the frogs, which have been decimated by chytridiomycosis, a disease caused by amphibian chytrid fungus, which has been responsible for amphibian declines around the world since the 1970s. Scientists are unsure where the fungus originated, but it seems likely that humans helped it spread. For example, African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis), a non-susceptible chytrid fungus host, were transported around the world as the main source of pregnancy testing globally from the 1940s to the 1960s. Injected with a woman's urine, these frogs produce millimetre-sized, black-and-white eggs after five to 12 hours if the woman is pregnant and were the most reliable pregnancy test for almost 20 years. "Frogs are part of our natural heritage," Professor Driscoll said. "They play a valuable role in ecosystems and help to make Australia distinctive. In a healthy ecosystem, amphibians can be one of the most abundant vertebrates. Losing them will cause broader changes in our ecosystems. We would have less snakes, less birds and less small mammals and less diversity in the water." Most people are unaware that one third of the world's amphibian species are under threat from a range of causes. These include: chytrid fungus, habitat loss/change, pollution, disease, exploitation and climate change. The scientists noted that one of the main concerns with chytrid is that it is able to cause declines in populations living in pristine habitat (absent of any other threat) and that these declines can happen very swiftly, with no obvious solution. When the Baw Baw plateau was surveyed in the 1980s, researchers found 1000s of Baw Baw frogs in frost hollows across the plateau. Ten years later, only two per cent of this population remained. "There are only a few hundred left in the wild and with their consistent downwards trajectory, they are expected to be extinct in the wild within five years," Professor Driscoll explained. The Baw Baw frog is Victoria's only endemic frog, which lives exclusively on the Mt Baw Baw plateau and whose closest relatives (distant cousin) can be found in parts of Northern NSW. "Baw Baw frogs have a really interesting life cycle," explained Professor Driscoll. "They live under the snow in winter and are more active than most other frogs in colder months. They lay their eggs after the snow has melted in mossy nests or other crevices, sometimes up to a metre below the surface among rocks. The females make a foam nest as they lay the eggs by hand-balling bubbles of air into the jelly mass as it is laid. Unlike most frog species, the developing tadpoles don't swim or feed, but are nourished by a yolk sac; they are the only species in Victoria that does this." Mr Burns, who travelled to Deakin from Glasgow to undertake his PhD, has studied frogs in Scotland and the Caribbean. He is fascinated with Australia's frogs and the prospect of finding ways to protect them. "The main aim of my project is to examine the dynamics of the fungal pathogen within the species' current and historic range, to determine how chytrid risk varies across the landscape and to identify factors which may influence this," Mr Burns said. "We hope that this information may prove useful for identifying locations to trial the reintroduction of Baw Baw frogs raised within captivity at Zoos Victoria or the Amphibian Research Centre in Werribee." The Baw Baw frog is fortunate to have received substantial attention in terms of conservation and research. It is included within Zoos Victoria's 'Fighting Extinction' program as one of 21 priority Critical Species. Six more Australian frogs are at immediate risk of extinction at the hands of chytrid fungus: the iconic Corroboree frogs (both southern and northern species), the spotted tree frog, Kroombit tinker frog, armoured mist frog and the Tasmanian tree frog. Another 22 are at moderate to low risk. Blue mold growth on a Spartan apple. Credit: UBC Okanagan An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but the mold on it could make you sick. Rhiannon Wallace, a PhD candidate at UBC Okanagan's campus, has developed a way to stop, or at least control, blue molda pathogen that can rot an apple to its core. Wallace's research has determined that bacteria, originally isolated from cold Saskatchewan soils, may be the answer to preventing mold growth and apple rot while the fruit is in storage or transport. "The majority of postharvest fungal pathogens are opportunistic," explains Wallace, who is working with UBC Biology Prof. Louise Nelson. "If a fruit is physically damaged, it is at an increased risk of rotting during storage. So a tiny blemish on the fruit from harvest or handling can turn into a conduit for attack by fungal pathogens and subsequently result in the development of mold." The fungal pathogen Penicillium expansum, also known as blue mold, destroys millions of stored apples each year. Post-harvest rot can result in yield losses of up to 20 per cent in developed countries such as Canada, while developing countries can lose up to 50 per cent of the crop, Wallace says. The goal of her research is to reduce the amount of produce lost due to post-harvest blue mold. Traditionally, post-harvest rot has been controlled with chemical fungicides, but Wallace says these treatments have become less effective as the pathogen has developed resistance and there is consumer pushback to the chemicals. The research by Wallace and Nelson aims to provide a safer and more sustainable alternative to fungicides. Wallace suggests the solution may lie in a particular bacterium specific to Saskatchewan soil. Pseudomonas fluorescens, due to its prairie roots, can survive in cold storagea characteristic that is key to dealing with cold-stored produce like apples. Rhiannon Wallace, a PhD candidate at UBC Okanagan's campus, has developed a way to protect apples from rotting. Credit: UBC Okanagan During tests conducted at the British Columbia Tree Fruits Cooperative storage facility in the Okanagan, Wallace determined that these bacteria can prevent blue mold from growing on McIntosh and Spartan apples while in storage. In addition, during these experiments, the bacteria provided control of blue mold on apples that was comparable to a commercially available biological control agent and a chemical fungicide. "What is novel about our research is that we show the bacterial isolates we tested have an array of mechanisms to inhibit or kill Penicillium expansum (blue mold) on apples while fungicides generally act only by a single mode," Wallace says. "These findings suggest that the development of resistance by blue mold against our soil bacteria is unlikely." She does note that while all three isolates of P. fluorescens tested provided control of blue mold, the level of control provided by each isolate varied with apple variety. Wallace's research, supported by the Canadian Horticulture Council and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, was recently published in the journal Postharvest Biology and Technology. More information: Rhiannon L. Wallace et al. Postharvest biological control of blue mold of apple by Pseudomonas fluorescens during commercial storage and potential modes of action, Postharvest Biology and Technology (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2017.07.003 Credit: NASA It's an unsung NASA program that started quietly nearly a decade ago with the promise to save lives and property worldwide. What if the terabytes of global environmental data streaming down every day from NASA's fleet of Earth-orbiting satellites for researchers studying the intricacies of our planet could be harnessed to aid the people that are hit by major natural disasters whenever and wherever they occur? It was an ambitious challenge well suited to NASA's strengths collecting and distributing complex global data from space-based instruments to scientists around the world but it also pushed the agency outside its comfort zone to work with an unfamiliar community that needed localized information very quickly in ready-to-use products like maps and alerts. At the same time global networks of relevant observing systems were growing, access and sharing of information has increased, and the capacities of users beyond the scientific community to interpret and use the new data to inform decisions has advanced. Over the last year and a half the NASA Earth Science Disasters Program has ramped up to build the infrastructure and the personal relationships and institutional partnerships needed to routinely deliver on that promise over the long term. That infrastructure includes forging new relationships between international, regional, and local natural disaster response agencies and other Earth-observing space agencies around the world. NASA contributed data from satellites and aircraft to track the movement of oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Credit: NASA This week representatives of these communities are meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to advance the use of satellite and other remote-sensing data in disaster response and recovery from South America to Canada. Co-hosted by the Argentine Space Agency CONAE, the "Disaster Risk Reduction across the Americas Summit" is spearheaded by NASA with the Group on Earth Observations, a partnership of over 100 governments coordinating efforts to maximize the use of data from satellite, airborne, ground-based and ocean observation platforms and sensor networks as well as associated models and data products for the benefit to humankind. "With this summit, NASA is taking our program to the next level to help forge relationships and share information resources critical to disaster response from early warning to recovery," said David Green, director of NASA's Disasters Program, part of the Earth Science Division in the agency's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The week-long Summit brings together global, regional and local government agencies, United Nation organizations, Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, businesses, academic and scientific institutions and other stakeholders for discussions and work planning in regional preparedness and planning, disaster mitigation, emergency response, and recovery. The goal is to foster collaborative action and sustainable integrated efforts to reduce risk to lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure. The highlight of the summit is a disaster simulation in which attendees are presented with a fictional disaster scenario and work through the various stages of planning response and recovery activities. NASA's Disasters Program supports application science and mobilizes for intensive risk events globally that spans a range of natural hazards earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, floods, landslides, severe weather, winter storms, tropical cyclones, and volcanoes plus manmade events such as oil spills and industrial accidents. NASA and its partners contributed maps of damaged areas in response to the Aug. 23, 2016, magnitude 6.2 Amatrice earthquake in central Italy. Credit: Leggi il Firenzepost (Creative Commons) The program has capitalized on the wealth of environmental data gathered by NASA satellites over many years in some cases decades and the remote-sensing technology that helps scientists and other stakeholders probe the complex workings of our dynamic planet. In 2010 NASA contributed data from satellites and aircraft to track the movement of oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico. In 2015 NASA produced maps of vulnerable areas and damage caused by the Gorkha earthquake in Nepal. In 2016 NASA responded to nearly 100 events, enabling coordination and information support to a wide range of global incidents. Early on, NASA provided its expertise to U.S. and international disaster management agencies on an ad hoc, case-by-case basis. But in 2016, Green was brought on to expand this capability to a permanent, ongoing service to other agencies. Dedicated teams of Earth-observation disaster specialists were created at seven NASA centers to respond to events in real-time and work with partner agencies to get them the information they needed. "Our program is very much like a think tank with the technical expertise and strong relationships that we draw on to provide useful products to disaster managers," said Green. "When disasters occur, our researchers become providers and distributors of images, data, and damage assessments." This year alone, NASA's Disaster Program has provided rapid-response information for the extensive forest fires in central Chile, wildfires in South Africa (pictured above, photo courtesy of the South Africa Red Cross Air Mercy Services), and mudslides in Colombia. The program is currently contributing to the disaster response efforts of Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana, coordinating with federal and state agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Coast Guard, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Provided by NASA Until last year, the Komatsu dumper truck chugged around the cement works quarry powered by its Diesel engine. In a few months, it will be expected to do the same job running purely on electricity. Credit: Andreas Sutter, Lithium Storage GmbH A Swiss consortium of companies is constructing the largest electric vehicle in the world in record time. The prototype is not intended as a dainty little exhibition piece for trade fairs, but rather for hard labor in the quarry. Experts from Empa are in charge of its operational safety. It will be the largest electric vehicle in the world: weighing in at 45 tons when empty plus 65 tons of loading capacity and a battery pack boasting 700 kWh of storage capacity. That's as much as eight Tesla Model S vehicles. The driver has to climb nine stairs to get to work and the e-mobile's tires measure almost two meters in diameter. Not everything on the vehicle is new, however: the monster electric vehicle is based on a used Komatsu dumper truck, which is being disassembled and reconstructed at Kuhn Schweiz AG in Lommis. The diesel engine has already been removed and space is being made around the chassis for the battery packs, which are supposed to power the vehicle in the second half of its life. Ten hard years in the quarry Ten hard years of toil are in store for the electrically powered Komatsu HD 605-7. It is expected to transport material down from a mountain ridge and into the valley 20 times a day more precisely, from a quarry on the slopes of the Chasseral to the Ciments Vigier SA cements works near Biel. The electric drive carries key advantages for these journeys: instead of heating up the brakes during the descent, the gigantic electric engine acts like a generator recharging the battery pack. The empty truck then uses this energy to travel back up the hill. If all goes as planned, the electric dumper truck will even harvest more electricity while traveling downhill than it needs for the ascent. Instead of consuming fossil fuels, it would then feed surplus electricity into the grid. This seemingly barmy idea is costing Ciments Vigier SA a seven-digit sum (in Swiss francs). A team comprising two companies is to get the vehicle rolling: Lithium Storage GmbH from Illnau, which brings experience of electric trucks to the table, and the Kuhn Group, which sells Komatsu dumper trucks all over Europe. The Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) is supporting the project. Empa is also in on the action: battery expert Marcel Held is in charge of safety assessments. He is evaluating the battery pack produced by Chinese manufacturer Shenzen Westart and checking its giant construction and the programming of the battery management system, which stems from Swiss manufacturer Esoro. The cornerstones of the battery pack have already been fixed: the battery pack for the e-dumper will weigh 4.5 tons and consist of 1,440 nickel manganese cobalt cells. Never before has a land vehicle been fitted with such a vast battery pack. "Nickel manganese cobalt cells are also the choice of the German automobile industry when it comes to the next generation of electric cars," explains Held. He is primarily interested in how the cells respond if an accident occurs. What happens if a cell is damaged mechanically? If a switch malfunctions and the battery does not disconnect from the electricity once charged? "Some batteries start smoking, others burst into flames," as Held is all too aware. "The crucial thing in this instance is to make sure the neighboring cells are not damaged by the fire and heat, otherwise there is the risk of a chain reaction." Held will conduct overcharging tests at Empa's test rig and also mistreat a few cells with a steel nail. Never before has a vehicle of this performance class been constructed to conquer slopes of up to 13 percent inclination under the harshest of environmental conditions while straining the batteries with electrical currents of up to 3,000 amperes, but also charging them by 40 kWh during a single descent and traveling as an energy plus vehicle on balance (plus 10 kWh of energy per roundtrip). If the use of the new vehicle proves successful, Ciments Vigier SA could power up to eight vehicles purely electrically in the long run. For Kuhn Schweiz AG this opens up new fields for large-scale construction machines, such as in tunnel construction or in residential areas that are sensitive to exhaust gas and noise. Adam Gonzalez, PhD, leads a clinical trial to test an e-mental health tool for astronauts. Credit: Stony Brook University A clinical trial of an innovative e-mental health tool led by a Stony Brook University psychiatry professor to help address stress, anxiety and/or depression will begin on September 18. The trial is designed to inform the delivery of mental health treatments for astronauts on long duration space missions. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)-funded study involves "astronaut-like" individuals and is being developed in conjunction with researchers from the Black Dog Institute in Australia. In 2015, Adam Gonzalez, PhD, Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Stony Brook University, and Founding Director of the Mind Body Clinical Research Center at Stony Brook, received a four-year $1 million grant from NASA for the research to evaluate e-mental health tools for astronauts. The e-mental health program, called myCompass, is an interactive self-help tool developed by researchers from Black Dog Institute which delivers evidence-based psychological interventions for depression and anxiety, such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), entirely via online platforms. The fully automated and free program enables users to access personalized treatment plans 24/7 on their smartphones, computers or tablets. "We are most interested in investigating the methods of delivering delayed support from a therapist when individuals are completely relying on web-based treatment," said Assistant Professor Adam Gonzalez from Stony Brook University. "More specifically, this study will test different methods (i.e., video- or text-based messaging) for delivering delayed therapist support to inform best practices to use with astronauts during long duration space missions." Previous studies have demonstrated the clinical effectiveness of myCompass for reducing mental health symptoms in people with mild-to-moderate depression, anxiety and stress. It also facilitated lasting improvements to mood, anxiety and stress, with users experiencing sustained benefits to work and social functioning. The clinical trial will involve 135 participants who are demographically similar to astronauts: well-educated individuals who are relatively healthy, with elevated distress levels. Participants will include physicians, residents and graduate students. The participants will be randomized into three conditions to test myCompass in isolation compared with myCompass intervention supported by delayed therapist contact via text messages or via recorded video messages. The treatment will occur over seven weeks, followed by assessments four weeks later to evaluate progress and the participants' experience of the treatment package. The time lapse in delivery of therapist support is designed to mimic the delay of up to 44 minutes that would be encountered in real-life long duration space missions. The clinical trial will be the first time this technology will be tested among 'astronaut-like' adults to see how effective such programs could be when real-time and face-to-face psychological assistance is unavailable, and if different support functions via video-messaging or text-based messaging with a therapist are useful. Dr Janine Clarke, leader of Black Dog Institute's myCompass program, said the new study presents an unprecedented opportunity to test the platform in radical settings, helping researchers gain critical insights into the full potential of unguided self-help treatments delivered via the internet. "Astronauts are at a high risk of experiencing mental distress for a range of reasons: they are generally extremely high achieving; on mission they experience long-term social isolation; they confront ongoing physical strain and mental challenges (including persistent threats to their safety); and they have limited access to the types of 'supports' that many of us take for granted, including ready access to friends and family, and physical activity," she added. "This is a really exciting opportunity for Black Dog Institute to work alongside Stony Brook University as we take this cutting-edge science to a new dimension," addedAssociate Professor Judy Proudfoot, Head of eHealth Implementation and Policy at Black Dog Institute. Dr. Gonzalez noted, "We are thrilled to partner with Black Dog Institute on this project and look forward to other collaborative studies." "This research is critical to inform the best way for NASA to care for the mental health needs of astronauts during missions to Mars and other long duration space travel. The results may also help to serve as a guide to providing mental health care for individuals in rural settings worldwide where mental healthcare providers are few in number or access to providers is difficult," he summarized. More information: Online psychological therapy effective in reducing depression: www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/n to-reduce-depression The Helmholtz Association is setting up a flexible, mobile measuring system for Earth observation. Credit: NASA / ESKP Over the next five years, nine research centres of the Helmholtz Association will collaborate to create a flexible, mobile measuring system for Earth observation: MOSES Modular Observation Solutions for Earth Systems. Researchers will use this system to investigate how short-term dynamic events such as heatwaves and heavy rainfall are linked to the long-term development of Earth and environmental systems. MOSES is being coordinated at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) in Leipzig. What impact do heatwaves have on water resources, vegetation and air quality? How does flooding change terrestrial ecosystems and coastal regions? How do ocean eddies influence marine energy transport and food chains? What amount of atmospheric greenhouse gases is released during the thawing of Arctic permafrost soils? Global change will affect the Earth system and environment in the short and the long term, both locally and globally. However, there is a lack of knowledge as to how dynamic events limited in space and time impact on the long-term development of Earth and environmental systems. The new MOSES observation system is designed to close this gap. Over the next five years, the Helmholtz Association is investing almost 28 million in the creation of MOSES, reinforcing its leading role and visibility in international Earth system research. "The MOSES project will allow us to demonstrate in an impressive way the Helmholtz Association's particular strengths," says Prof. Otmar D. Wiestler, President of the Helmholtz Association. "Nine centres in two research fields, firstly Earth and Environment and secondly Aeronautics, Space and Transport, will be working together on big questions affecting the future of our society. In this interdisciplinary collaboration, they will be able to pool their expertise in a way that uniquely benefits Earth system research as a whole." Prof. Georg Teutsch, Scientific Managing Director at UFZ, explains: "We intend to build a flexible and mobile observation system that will enable us for the first time to record highly dynamic events at the right time, in the right place and with the necessary resolution in time and space. Measurements like these are the only way in which we can quantify the direct impacts of these events and ultimately investigate their long-term consequences." "This includes the study of socioeconomic impacts," adds project coordinator Dr. Ute Weber. "We can already assume that events such as heatwaves, heavy rainfall and floods will occur more frequently and with greater intensity in years to come with the associated costs to society." The new infrastructure will be designed as a 'system of systems'. The participating centres will develop, miniaturise and automate sensor and measuring systems, which will then be combined to form specific observation modules. These will record energy, water, greenhouse gas and nutrient cycles on the land surface, in coastal regions, in the ocean, in snow and ice regions, and in the atmosphere but especially the interactions between Earth systems. However, MOSES does more than combine the outstanding expertise of the participating Helmholtz centres, all of which have extensive experience in the operation of major infrastructures and the management of event-oriented observation campaigns. The mobile infrastructure also represents an important addition to existing national and international monitoring networks and satellite missions, which are mostly designed for long-term, large-scale Earth system observation. Examples include ICOS (Integrated Carbon Observation System), LTER (Long-Term Ecological Research), Helmholtz observatories such as TERENO (Terrestrial Environmental Observatories), COSYNA (Coastal Observing System), CVOO (Cape Verde Ocean Observatory) and the SAMOYLOV Permafrost Observation Station, AWIPEV (Arctic Research Base), and satellite missions like GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment). The new challenges relating to MOSES lie in the joint development of the modules and the cross-system observation strategy. "An infrastructure like this can't be constructed or operated by a single institution," says Ute Weber. "But of course the aim is that it will evolve into a platform for national and international cooperation." The data and results supplied by MOSES will be made available to researchers and other users through the Earth System Knowledge Platform (ESKP), the information portal of the Helmholtz research field Earth and Environment. This data should help to reduce uncertainty in predictions of climate and environmental change and contribute to the development of societal adaptation strategies. Credit: CC0 Public Domain The era of full-fledged quantum computers threatens to destroy internet security as we know it. Researchers are in a race against time to prepare new cryptographic techniques before the arrival of quantum computers, as cryptographers Tanja Lange (Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands) and Daniel J. Bernstein (University of Illinois at Chicago) describe today in the journal Nature. In their publication, they analyze the options available for a post-quantum cryptography future. The expectation is that quantum computers will be built some time after 2025. Such computers make use of quantum-mechanical properties and can therefore solve certain problems more quickly than current computers. This will be useful for calculating weather forecast models or developing new medicine. However, these operations also affect RSA and ECC cryptographic protocols. With today's technologies, these systems are secure, but a quantum computer would break these within days or hours. This even jeopardizes encrypted data today: "An attacker can record our secure communications today, and break it with a quantum computer years later. All of today's secrets will be lost," says Tanja Lange, professor of cryptology at Eindhoven University of Technology. This concerns private data, bank and health records, and state secrets. Lange saw the importance of alternative systems back in 2006, and is now building awareness and developing new systems. "Fairly recently, we're seeing an uptake of post-quantum cryptography in the security agencies, e.g., the NSA, and companies are now demanding solutions." Lange leads the research consortium PQCRYPTO, which is backed with 3.9 million euro funding from the European Commission to develop new cryptographic techniques. "This might seem like a lot of money, but is a factor of 100 less than what goes into building quantum computers," she says. She cautions that it is important to strengthen research in cryptography. "Bringing cryptographic techniques to the end user takes often another 15 to 20 years, after development and standardization." In their Nature publication Lange and Bernstein explain that a certain quantum algorithm, namely Shor's algorithm, breaks all cryptographic techniques that are currently used to establish secure connections on the internet. Candidates for post-quantum cryptography can roughly be categorized into two typesthey are either very well understood but require a lot of bandwidth, or they are more convenient to use but provide more questionable security. More information: Daniel J. Bernstein et al, Post-quantum cryptography, Nature (2017). DOI: 10.1038/nature23461 Journal information: Nature Google has invited media to an October 4 event expected to unveil a new version of its Pixel smartphone, the first of which was released last year Google on Thursday fired off invitations to an October 4 event at which the US tech giant is expected to field a second-generation Pixel as its new champion in the competitive smartphone market. The internet giant behind Android software for powering mobile devices also launched a madebygoogle.com web page that featured a playful animation that asked "Thinking about changing phones?" and then suggested waiting until October 4. Invitations to the event in San Francisco also advised the curious to follow its @madebygoogle account at Twitter. The phrase was rolled out with the original Pixel to refer to the fact it was the first time Google created both the software and hardware of a smartphone. The Google event will come shortly after Apple begins shipping new iPhone 8 models unveiled this week at an event at the company's new "spaceship" campus in Silicon Valley. Apple also announced a 10th anniversary iPhone X, touting the new flagship device as the next generation of mobile computing. The Apple handset starting $999 will be available starting November 3 in more than 50 markets. Samsung last month unveiled a new model of its Galaxy Note with a similarly high price tag as it seeks to mount a renewed challenge to iPhones. Pricing on a Pixel 2 remained to be seen, but the original handset competes in the premium segment of the market. 2017 AFP An oily sea on a beach near Athens, five days after the sinking of a tanker, has triggered criticism from environmental groups over the Greek government's response to the spill. Greek officials botched their response to a minor oil spill that is now threatening beaches near Athens five days after the suspicious sinking of a tanker, environmental groups said Thursday as calls mounted for the competent minister to resign. Main opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said merchant marine minister Panagiotis Kouroublis, who was attending a shipping conference in London as the incident unfolded and did not return for days, had to go. "The prime minister should accept his resignation," Mitsotakis said, as Kouroublis claimed that "the entire affair will be forgotten in a few days." "This (oil) leak happened near the country's biggest harbour, just miles away from the operation centre of the ministry tasked with addressing such disasters," Dimitris Ibrahim, campaign director at Greenpeace Greece, told news portal in.gr. Adding insult to injury, the amount of oil in question was "relatively small," Ibrahim said. WWF Greece was likewise incredulous that "a country with heavy tanker traffic has proven unable to protect its beaches from an initially small-scale incident." "Clearly, this crash test of readiness was a failed one," WWF Greece general manager Dimitris Karavelas later told Skai TV. "And we have no idea what is happening on the seabed," he said. The oil spill on Sunday initially compromised beaches just on the island of Salamis and officials were confident that it could be contained given mild wind conditions. But by Thursday, parts of the slick had drifted miles away to the affluent coastal Athens suburb of Glyfada and was threatening the popular beaches of Voula and Vouliagmeni. "Nobody thought the slick would reach us," Glyfada mayor Yiorgos Papanikolaou told Skai TV. "If someone had warned us even on Tuesday, we would have taken precautions," said Papanikolaou. Greek officials say every available resource has been deployed to clean up the oil spill within "20-25 days". "We must act quickly to prevent long-term damage," At beaches along the coast, clean-up crews on Thursday were collecting blackened sand and dumping it in tanker trucks. Local mayors have issued beach warnings and fishermen have been advised to avoid the area at present. Kouroublis, whose actions have been defended by the government, is visiting the area on Thursday. The minister insists that every available resource has been thrown at the oil slick. "A giant operation is under way," he told state agency ANA. "Everything will be clean in 20-25 days." The European Union has contributed an anti-pollution ship. The 45-year-old vessel Agia Zoni II sank on Sunday near the island of Salamis while under anchor. The cause is still unknown. "How can a ship sink in the harbour in mild conditions?" wondered Mitsotakis. The Greek-flagged tanker was carrying around 2,500 tonnes of fuel. The only people on board at the time, the tanker's captain and chief engineer, were charged with negligence and released pending trial. The ship's owners said the tanker was fully seaworthy and all its documentation was in order. An operation is under way to drain the fuel remaining on board. 2017 AFP Typical setting of a Goroka village in the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea. Credit: Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research The first large-scale genetic study of people in Papua New Guinea has shown that different groups within the country are genetically highly different from each other. Scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their colleagues at the University of Oxford and the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research reveal that the people there have remained genetically independent from Europe and Asia for most of the last 50,000 years, and that people from the country's isolated highlands region have been completely independent even until the present day. Reported today (15 September) in Science, the study also gives insights into how the development of agriculture and cultural events such as the Bronze or Iron Age could affect the genetic structure of human societies. Papua New Guinea is a country in the southwestern Pacific with some of the earliest archaeological evidence of human existence outside Africa. Largely free from Western influence and with fascinating cultural diversity, it has been of enormous interest to anthropologists and other scientists seeking to understand human cultures and evolution. With approximately 850 domestic languages, which account for over 10 per cent of the world's total, Papua New Guinea is the most linguistically diverse country in the world. To discover if the linguistic and cultural diversity was echoed in the genetic structure of the population, researchers studied the genomes of 381 Papuan New Guinean people from 85 different language groups within the country. The researchers looked at more than a million genetic positions in the genome of each individual, and compared them to investigate genetic similarities and differences. They found that groups of people speaking different languages were surprisingly genetically distinct from each other. A typical village on the Sepik River, Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea. Credit: Stephen J. Oppenheimer Anders Bergstrom, the first author on the paper from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: "This is the first large-scale study of genetic diversity and population history in Papua New Guinea. Our study revealed that the genetic differences between groups of people there are generally very strong, often much stronger even than between major populations within all of Europe or all of East Asia." Professor Stephen J. Oppenheimer, second author of the paper from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, said: "We found a striking difference between the groups of people who live in the mountainous highlands and those in the lowlands, with genetic separation dating back 10,000-20,000 years between the two. This makes sense culturally, as the highland groups historically have kept to themselves, but such a strong genetic barrier between otherwise geographically close groups is still very unusual and fascinating." Human evolution in Europe and Asia has been greatly influenced by the development of agriculture around 10,000 years ago. When small bands of hunter-gatherers settled into villages and started farming, they expanded and over time gave rise to more genetically homogenous (similar) societies. However, despite the independent development of agriculture in Papua New Guinea at about the same time, the same process of homogenization did not occur here. This may indicate that other historical processes in Europe and Asia, such as the later Bronze and Iron Ages, were the key events that shaped the current genetic structure of those populations. Dr Chris Tyler-Smith, corresponding author on the paper from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: "Using genetics, we were able to see that people on the island of New Guinea evolved independently from rest of the world for much of the last 50,000 years. This study allows us to glimpse a different version of human evolution from that in Europe and Asia, one in which there was agriculture but no later Bronze Age or Iron Age. Papua New Guinea might show the genetic, cultural and linguistic diversity that many settled human societies would have had before these technological transformations." More information: A. Bergstrom el al., "A Neolithic expansion, but strong genetic structure, in the independent history of New Guinea," Science (2017). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi 1126/science.aan3842 Journal information: Science Credit: CC0 Public Domain Despite the pervasive use of the Internet in everyday life, most Americans report they never use it to find religious or spiritual content, and most never use it to share religious views, according to the Baylor Religion Survey. That holds true regardless of religious tradition, said Baylor University sociologists, who recently presented the latest survey findings at the Religion Newswriters Association's annual conference. "Even the most religious typically refrain from using the Internet to proselytize, but Evangelicals and Black Protestants are the most likely to share their religious views online," said Baylor sociologist Paul McClure. When asked about how the Internet affects their spiritual lives, 62 percent Americans said the Internet has no effect on them spiritually. Of those who attend church weekly, 45 percent said it has no effect, while 50 percent believe the Internet affects their spiritual life positively. Only 4 percent of weekly religious attenders believe the Internet has a negative effect on them spiritually. Despite some worries that we spend too much time online, most Americans, especially older ones, do not think they are addicted to technology. But younger Americans feel differently, with 43 percent of those ages 18 to 24 reporting that they feel addicted to their technological devices, according to McClure and Baylor co-researcher Justin Nelson. Those with no religious affiliation are also the most likely of all religious groups to feel addicted to technology, they said. Nearly 9 in 10 Americans disagree with the claim that science and technology will make religion obsolete, and no religious groups predominantly agree with the claim that technology will undermine religion. Meanwhile, "just over one third of Americans with no religious affiliation think that religion is destined to the dustbin of history," McClure said. The findings were included in Wave 5 of the survey, with the theme of "American Values, Mental Health and Using Technology in the Age of Trump." Participants were 1,501 adults chosen randomly from across the country. The survey was designed by Baylor scholars and administered by the Gallup Organization. Other findings from the 2017 survey: Trump supporters tend to describe themselves as very religious. They believe that the United States is a Christian nation, that Muslims are threats to America, that God is actively engaged in world affairs and that gender roles should be traditional. Nearly half of Americans are sure they will go to Heaven; more than a third have little to no fear of Hell. About 10 percent feel life has no clear purpose. Those who think they will go to Heaven say they are "very" or "pretty" happy; people who do not fear Hell also are consistently happy. But those who say they have found a purpose in life are the most likely to be very happy. Most rural Americans believe that the federal government should allow religious symbols in public spaces; that success of the United States is part of God's plan; and that the federal government should allow prayer in public schools. Nearly half believe that Middle East refugees pose a terrorist threat to the country, compared to 1 in 5 Americans in large cities who believe that. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Apple pulled out all the stops Tuesday for its most important event in three years: The unveiling of the new iPhone X. New corporate campus. New theater named after its iconic co-founder. New iPhones. New Apple Watch. New Apple TV. With its flying saucer-shaped campus Apple Park as a backdrop, Apple gave a glimpse of the future with iPhone Xa shimmering, edge-to-edge glass model with OLED screen, facial recognition to unlock the phone, wireless charging and talking emojis. Two LCD models, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus; Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE cell-phone connectivity; and Apple TV 4K, capable of streaming 4K-resolution content, rounded out the product-palooza at the Steve Jobs Theater here. The new iPhone X (pronounced "ten"), with its sleek redesign and crisp screen, is "the biggest leap forward since the original iPhone" in 2007, Apple CEO Tim Cook boasted. At $999 for the lower-storage model, it is also the most expensive smartphone Apple has produced, albeit one that has created plenty of positive buzz among consumers and Wall Street analysts. It is available Nov. 3, weeks after the iPhone 8, after reports of production glitches. News of its delayed release, and initial ho-hum reaction to the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, sent Apple shares down slightly 0.4% to $160.86 in trading Tuesday after they rose during the keynote. Since Apple announced solid third-quarter results Aug. 1, the company's stock has risen 7%. The more affordable iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, with starting prices of $699 and $799, respectively, did not produce hoots and hollers from the typically boisterous Apple crowd here. Yet the new models could prove attractive to iPhone users who have not upgraded since iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in 2014. The iPhone 8 family ships Sept. 22. "Those who held off the iPhone 7 upgrade are prime candidates" for the 8 with its improved camera and wireless charging, says Ross Rubin, principal analyst at Reticle Research. Apple Watch Series 3 ($399 with built-in cellular, $329 without) and Apple TV 4K, at $179, registered polite applause. Both are available Sept. 22. The real enthusiasm was reserved for iPhone X. Not only is it the most eagerly anticipated from Apple in three yearsiPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus made the company a player in the big-screen market in 2014but perhaps the most crucial as Apple dukes it out with Samsung and Chinese manufacturers for supremacy in the worldwide smartphone market. Samsung is the largest seller of smartphones and several of iPhone X's wow features, from charging wirelessly to facial recognition, are already familiar to Samsung users. "For consumers, the iPhone X will do very well," says Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. "But I do fear it overshadows the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, and there will be mass shortages of X that holiday shoppers are trying to get their hands on." How it fares in that market will go a long way toward determining Apple's financial health in the immediate future, since iPhone accounts for roughly two-thirds of the company's total revenue. Apple expects sales of its new iPhones in the last nine days of September to lift its current fourth-quarter revenue to between $49 billion to $52 billion. If it's a hit, as Apple and some analysts believe, iPhone X, 8 and 8 Plus could propel the company to $1 trillion in market value. No company has achieved that lofty figure. Apple is currently valued at $834.2 billion. But the long lag time until the X's availabilityit arrives in the middle of Apple's lucrative holiday season quartercould drive frustrated users to other brands or lower-priced iPhones, deflating revenue, according to marketing experts. "There aren't enough OLED screens in the world to meet demand;" says Daniel Ladik, a marketing professor at Seton Hall University. "How are customers going to react when they can't get the phone? And how does it impact shipments and its status on Wall Street?" Tuesday's two-hour spectacle started on a somber note in the underground theater named after Jobs, who died in October 2011. A moving two-minute video tribute began with a voiceover from Jobs before Cook took the stage. "One of the ways I believe people express their appreciation to the rest of humanity is to make something wonderful and put it out there," Jobs said in the recording. "It's only fitting that Steve opened this theater," Cook said. 2017 USA Today Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Your passcode can be hacked, but your face is yours and yours alone. That's the thinking behind Apple's latest security measure, which is more high-tech and a bit more intimate than anything else on the market. With Face ID, which Apple unveiled Tuesday, owners of the company's new top-of-the-line iPhone X will be able to unlock their phone, pay for products and use mobile apps just by glancing at their device. "Nothing has ever been simpler, more natural and effortless," Phil Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide marketing, said during Apple's first product launch at its new headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. "Face ID is the future of how we unlock our smartphones and protect our sensitive information." Though still a novel concept for many Americans, biometric technology - which includes face, fingerprint, iris and retina recognition identification systems - has been a hotbed of research this decade. With Apple's backing, the field just got its most high-profile boost yet and could soon become the industry standard, even if many consumers aren't quite comfortable with the concept. Technologists tout a futuristic experience that is more secure than entering a passcode. They predict the technology could one day be used to unlock cars, withdraw money from ATMs or enter connected homes. "You can share your password. You can share your car keys. But you can't share your biometrics," said George Avetisov, chief executive of biometric security firm HYPR Corp. With Touch ID, Apple's fingerprint technology, the chance that a random person could unlock your phone with his or her fingerprint is 1 in 50,000, Apple said; with Face ID, it's 1 in 1 million. Both systems store biometric data locally on the device rather than on a centralized server that could be targeted by hackers. That makes biometrics attractive from a privacy and security standpoint, Avetisov said. Revenue for the biometrics scan software industry is projected to reach $5.5 billion this year, with estimated growth of 5.2 percent annually for the next five years, according to a May report from IBISWorld. The market research firm noted "prolific expansion" since 2012 and named biometrics one of the nation's five top performing niche industries. Facial recognition technology has slowly crept into everyday life, most notably with personal photos. Upload a picture to Facebook, and the social media giant suggests friends to tag. Google and Apple can automatically identify faces in photos, making it easier for users to search their photos for a specific friend or relative. But Face ID takes facial recognition a step further. It works by relying on an advanced suite of tech - including an infrared camera, flood illuminator, front camera, dot projector, proximity sensor and ambient light sensor - packed into the front of the new iPhone X, which starts at $999. To set it up, hold your iPhone X in front of your face and move your head around slowly. That becomes the stored version on your phone. To use it, glance at the front-facing camera. The dot projector beams out more than 30,000 invisible infrared dots, and the infrared camera captures an image. Apple uses the infrared image and dot pattern and pushes them through neural networks - a kind of machine learning model - to create a mathematical model of your face, and then checks that model against the stored image captured during the setup phase. Once it detects a match, the phone unlocks; Face ID will also work with Apple Pay and third-party apps. Face ID is sophisticated enough to work in the dark, and to learn your face under different circumstances - so go ahead and wear those funky glasses or grow that hipster beard. Schiller said Apple also worked hard to ensure the technology "can't be easily spoofed." Photographs won't fool it, and Apple even worked with professional mask makers and makeup artists in Hollywood to protect against attempts to beat Face ID, he said. The tech also requires user attention - your eyes have to be open, and you can't be looking away (meaning there's little risk of intrusion while you sleep). Identical twins may trip up the system, but for them and anyone else averse to using their faces, the iPhone X can still be unlocked using an old-fashioned passcode. Although Apple said Face ID will provide users with more security, the technology also raises questions about unauthorized uses, particularly by law enforcement. Last year, federal officials dropped their legal fight against Apple after figuring out a way to unlock the iPhone used by an assailant in the 2015 San Bernardino terrorist attack. Apple had refused to comply with agencies' request to engineer a way around the iPhone's security measures, saying that doing so would set a dangerous precedent. Ultimately, FBI technology experts were aided by an outside group, which provided a backdoor technique to extract information from the phone. That left a vexing debate over a user's privacy versus collective security unresolved. With Face ID set up, it is plausible that law enforcement could use a suspect's face to unlock his or her iPhone, said Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy. Fatemeh Khatibloo, an analyst with Forrester Research, said authorities in the U.S. cannot compel you to provide your PIN or passcode. Faces, on the other hand, are public, so Face ID is functionally less private from a legal perspective, she said. Apple did not respond to a call for comment on the matter; the FBI referred an inquiry to the Department of Justice, which said it did not have an immediate comment. Many big tech companies have invested in facial technology in recent years. Facebook last year acquired FacioMetrics, which let smartphones analyze facial images in real time, and in 2015, Snapchat bought Looksery, a startup that applied filters to users' faces. Apple reportedly acquired two companies that were developing facial recognition technology: Israeli startup RealFace and San Diego startup Emotient, which uses artificial intelligence to read facial expressions and emotions. According to Crunchbase, RealFace was acquired this year and Emotient was bought in January 2016. Despite major investments in the biometrics field, shoppers outside a Los Angeles Apple store on Tuesday afternoon overwhelmingly said they were squeamish about the idea of facial recognition. "It feels like privacy is getting scarce," said Byron Miranda, an audio visuals integrator from Los Angeles who was shopping with his family. "There comes a point where you go too far. I don't want my phone recognizing me that way." Shopper Mike Strong, a 29-year-old who serves in the Navy, simply called it "creepy." But just as users were quick to come around on Touch ID, the same is likely to happen with Face ID. Time and again, Apple has pushed through innovations and made them widespread while turning others obsolete. Think about what iPods did to compact discs, and what the iPhone did to the Blackberry. As Steve Jobs famously said, "A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them." Deepak Dutt, chief executive of mobile security firm Zighra, credited Apple's introduction of Touch ID in 2013 with bringing biometrics more into the consumer consciousness. "Now we're just seeing the next wave and next generation," he said. "Apple has a way of creating markets." 2017 Los Angeles Times Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Mark Brennan (left) and Prithvi Sundar are graduate students working with MITs Comprehensive Initiative on Technology Evaluation to better understand and evaluate the food aid supply chain. Credit: MIT D-Lab Food assistance delivered to the right people at the right time and in the right place can save lives. In 2016 alone, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) delivered over 1.7 million metric tons of food assistance to over 30 million people in 50 countries around the world. However, USAID estimates that over $10 million of that food never made it to the plates of people in need due to spoilage and infestation. Proper food assistance packaging can be a major contributing factor toward preventing spoilage and infestation. The right kind of packaging can also reduce the need for costly fumigationwhich also has the potential to harm human and environmental health if misappliedand diversify the types of commodities that can be shipped to communities in need, improving recipient satisfaction and nutrition. MIT researchers have just released a new report detailing an experimental study examining how different packaging approaches and technologies can reduce cost and improve quality of food assistance procured in the United States and shipped abroad. The report, "New Packaging Types as Innovative International Food Assistance Instruments," details the study design and findings of the latest experimental evaluation implemented by the Comprehensive Initiative on Technology Evaluation (CITE), a program supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and led by a multidisciplinary team of faculty, staff, and students at MIT. Innovative study design Rather than conducting studies of these technologies in a lab, MIT researchers worked together with USAID and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to run a pilot study on a real procurement of food assistance headed for Djibouti, Djibouti and Durban, South Africa, major points of entry for food assistance in Africa. Food assistance was shipped in eight different types of packaging, then carefully tracked, monitored, and inspected to determine effectiveness of the packaging. In addition, lessons were documented regarding supply chains and processes along the way. Many food assistance shipments have been using the same packaging for decades, especially paper and woven polypropylene bags. The new experiments tested larger bags, chemical compounds on bags that prevent insects from reproducing, and airtight liners that had the potential to keep out moisture and insects. "This procurement produced generalizable data on the cost, effectiveness, and feasibility of using new packaging types in the food assistance supply chain," says Mark Brennan, an MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning PhD student and CITE researcher leading the project. "Then, through fieldwork, we held interviews and key informant discussions with stakeholders in the food assistance supply chain to cross-validate data from the pilot procurement." Recommendations to reduce loss, improve cost effectiveness At the close of the study, MIT researchers made a number of recommendations for USAID and USDA to consider based on key findings, demonstrating potential for cost savings and quality improvement along the supply chain. "We found that bio-pesticide treated bags have the potential to decrease the cost relative to standard packaging types, and maintain the quality about as well as the standard packaging type," Brennan says. "This packaging appears to not require as regular fumigation, which may improve the timeliness of USAID's food assistance efforts. We also found that larger bags20 times larger than the standard packaging typemay bring cost benefits, conditional on some machinery investments along the supply chain. In practice, these bags and the required machinery may be appropriate for USAID warehouses." "It is always nice to find a win-win, and the study identifies applications where packaging technology improves cost and effectiveness," says co-author Jarrod Goentzel, director of the MIT Humanitarian Response Lab and scalability lead for MIT CITE. "There is also a level of confidence that comes from conducting the study through standard procurement processes, thus exposing technologies to the sometimes-harsh realities of a global supply chain." Brennan says USAID and food assistance providers like the European Union can now consider incorporating these results into their programming moving forward. "We also hope that our study will help USAID and other donors and their partners reconsider the role that packaging plays in their supply chain, and its role in improving cost, quality, timeliness, and even recipient satisfaction outcomes," Brennan says. "Working with the MIT team was a great experience," says Greg Olson, the program operations division director for USAID's Office of Food for Peace. "Without their expertise and ideas we would have never been able to get this project off the ground. It really demonstrated the value to the U.S. Government of working with academic institutions." More information: Summary Report: New Packaging Types as Innovative International Food Assistance Instruments: cite.mit.edu/system/files/reports/Summary%20Report_New%20Packaging%20Types%20as%20Innovative%20International%20Food%20Assistance%20Instruments.pdf This story is republished courtesy of MIT News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), a popular site that covers news about MIT research, innovation and teaching. Hai-Bo Yu is an assistant professor of theoretical particle physics and astrophysics at UC Riverside. Credit: I. Pittalwala, UC Riverside. Identical twins are similar to each other in many ways, but they have different experiences, friends, and lifestyles. This concept is played out on a cosmological scale by galaxies. Two galaxies that appear at first glance to be very similar and effectively identical can have inner regions rotating at very different rates - the galactic analog of twins with different lifestyles. A team of physicists, led by Hai-Bo Yu of the University of California, Riverside, has found a simple and viable explanation for this diversity. Every galaxy sits within a dark matter halo that forms the gravitational scaffolding holding it together. The distribution of dark matter in this halo can be inferred from the motion of stars and gas particles in the galaxy. Yu and colleagues report in Physical Review Letters that diverse galactic-rotation curves, a graph of rotation speeds at different distances from the center, can be naturally explained if dark matter particles are assumed to strongly collide with one another in the inner halo, close to the galaxy's center - a process called dark matter self-interaction. "In the prevailing dark matter theory, called Cold Dark Matter or CDM, dark matter particles are assumed to be collisionless, aside from gravity," said Yu, an assistant professor of theoretical particle physics and astrophysics, who led the research. "We invoke a different theory, the self-interacting dark matter model or SIDM, to show that dark matter self-interactions thermalize the inner halo, which ties ordinary matter and dark matter distributions together so that they behave like a collective unit. The self-interacting dark matter halo then becomes flexible enough to accommodate the observed diverse rotation curves." Yu explained that the dark matter collisions take place in the dense inner halo, where the luminous galaxy is located. When the particles collide, they exchange energy and thermalize. For low-luminous galaxies, the thermalization process heats up the inner dark matter particles and pushes them out of the central region, reducing the density, analogous to a popcorn machine in which kernels hit each other as they pop, causing them to fly up from the bottom of the machine. For high-luminous galaxies such as the Milky Way, thermalization pulls the particles into the deep potential well of the luminous matter and increases the dark matter density. In addition, the cosmological assembly history of halos also plays a role in generating the observed diversity. "Our work demonstrates that dark matter may have strong self-interactions, a radical deviation from the prevailing theory," Yu said. "It well explains the observed diversity of galactic rotating curves, while being consistent with other cosmological observations." Dark matter makes up about 85 percent of matter in the universe, but its nature remains largely unknown despite its unmistakable gravitational imprint on astronomical and cosmological observations. The conventional way to study dark matter is to assume that it has some additional, nongravitational interaction with visible matter that can be studied in the lab. Physicists do not know, however, if such an interaction between dark and visible matter even exists. Over the last decade, Yu has pioneered a new line of research based on the following premise: Setting aside whether dark matter interacts with visible matter, what happens if dark matter interacts with itself through some new dark force? Yu posited the new dark force would affect the dark matter distribution in each galaxy's halo. He realized that there is indeed a discrepancy between CDM and astronomical observations that could be solved if dark matter is self-interacting. "The compatibility of this hypothesis with observations is a major advance in the field," said Flip Tanedo, an assistant professor of theoretical particle physics at UC Riverside, who was not involved in the research. "The SIDM paradigm is a bridge between fundamental particle physics and observational astronomy. The consistency with observations is a big hint that this proposal has a chance of being correct and lays the foundation for future observational, experimental, numerical, and theoretical work. In this way, it is paving the way to new interdisciplinary research." SIDM was first proposed in 2000 by a pair of eminent astrophysicists. It experienced a revival in the particle physics community around 2009, aided in part by key work by Yu and collaborators. "This is a special time for this type of research because numerical simulations of galaxies are finally approaching a precision where they can make concrete predictions to compare the observational predictions of the self-interacting versus cold dark matter scenarios," Tanedo said. "In this way, Hai-Bo is the architect of modern self-interacting dark matter and how it merges multiple different fields: theoretical high-energy physics, experimental high-energy physics, observational astronomy, numerical simulations of astrophysics, and early universe cosmology and galaxy formation." The research paper is included by Physical Review Letters as a "Editor's Suggestion" and featured also in APS Physics. More information: Ayuki Kamada et al. Self-Interacting Dark Matter Can Explain Diverse Galactic Rotation Curves, Physical Review Letters (2017). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.111102 Journal information: Physical Review Letters Excavation of a Myceneaen tomb at Prosilio in central Greece, summer 2017. Credit: Yannis Galanakis The discovery this summer of an impressive rock-cut tomb on a mountainside in Prosilio, near ancient Orchomenos in central Greece, will shed new light on Mycenaean funerary practices. For the first time, archaeologists have uncovered and carefully documented an intact burial in a monumental chamber tomb of the Mycenaean palatial period, around 3,350 years ago. Research into the material uncovered has only just begun but the discovery will expand our knowledge of Mycenaean funerals from the treatment of the body to the selection of objects placed for burial. The tomb is approached by an impressive rock-cut passageway, 20 m long, which leads to a deep facade some 5.40 m in height. A doorway gives access to the burial chamber. Its area of 42 sq m makes this the ninth largest known to date out of 4,000 examples excavated in the last 150 years in Greece. The partial collapse of the original chamber roof has helped to preserve the burial layer intact. "Mycenaean chamber tombs are generally found by archaeologists to have been disturbed or looted. Most contain many burials, making an association between individual people and objects very difficult or impossible," said Dr Yannis Galanakis of Cambridge's Faculty of Classics, co-director of the five-year Prosilio project and an expert in Aegean archaeology. "Finding an intact burial, let alone in a monumental tomb of the palatial period, 1370-1200 BC, makes our discovery all the more special for the knowledge we can now acquire about the tomb-using group and the practices they performed during and after the funeral." Entrance to Prosilio tomb. Credit: University of Cambridge Once huge quantities of soil and rubble had been carefully excavated, the archaeologists found in the chamber the remains of a man, aged 40 to 50 years. He was accompanied by a selection of fine objects: jewellery made in a range of materials, combs, pins, a pair of horse bits, arrowheads, a bow, a sealstone, a signet ring, and a group of tinned clay vessels of various shapes. "The size and quality of construction of the tomb correlates well with the discovered objects, all of which speak of a man from the upper echelons of the local society," said Galanakis. "Initial examination of the finds suggests a conscious selection by the tomb-using group responsible for the burial's preparation of the objects interred with the body. The impression we get is that the tomb was built during the man's life. It is indeed astonishing, and a very rare instance, to be able to excavate the remains of the man for whom the tomb must have been constructed." Galanakis was struck by the placement of different shapes and types of jewellery with a male burial, which challenges the commonly held assumption that jewellery in Mycenaean Greece should be chiefly associated with female burials. "It also chimes with the discovery of considerable quantities of jewellery by the University of Cincinnati in 2015 in the burial of the 'griffin warrior' at Pylos, which is older by a century than that of the man at Prosilio." Striking too is the absence of painted pottery, with the exception of two painted stirrup jars, often taken to contain aromatic oils and which may be associated with the final use and closure of the tomb around 1300 BC. Painted pottery is very common in Mycenaean tombs. Its absence from the initial burial is further confirmation of the conscious choices made in the selection of objects placed alongside this man's burial at Prosilio. Horse bits found with the burial. Credit: Yannis Galanakis The Prosilio team believes that this monumental structure, known as tomb 2, is associated with ancient Orchomenos, a major centre which controlled northern Boeotia, a region of Greece. Orchomenos, which is only 3.5 km away, oversaw in the 14th and 13th centuries BC the partial drainage of Lake Kopais once the largest lake in Greece a project that yielded a sizeable area of land for agriculture. At its peak (1350-1250 BC), Orchomenos's power is reflected in its most famous monument, the tholos tomb 'of Minyas', first excavated by Heinrich Schliemann in the 19th century and comparable only in size and refinement to the tholos tomb 'of Atreus' at Mycenae. "Despite the tholos 'of Minyas' and some earlier important discoveries by Greek and German teams in the area, we still know very little about ancient Orchomenos. We hope that the continuation of our project will help us understand better Orchomenos's position in the region and learn more about its population and their practices," said Galanakis. "The discovery this year enables us to ask questions such as why certain objects were selected for burial while others were not and what kind of rituals were performed as part of funerary and post-funerary practices. The finds will spark new discussions about the role of burials in Mycenaean life during the palatial period." The five-year Prosilio project is in its first year. In subsequent years, the team aims to excavate more tombs and study and publish the archaeological data collected. The initiative is a collaboration between the Ephorate of Antiquities of Boeotia and the British School at Athens. A modified type of the Eos protein can be made to fluoresce when illuminated with blue and red laser light. Background: two proteins of the cytoskeleton in blue and red. The protein visible in red was tagged with the new modified Eos type. (Montage: Mohr MA et al. Angewandte Chemie 2017. Copyright Wiley-VCH. Reproduced with permission) Scientists have identified the mechanism that allows fluorescent proteins to switch colour in two phases. They are thereby laying the groundwork for new applications in microscopy and functional analyses in biological research. It all started out with an observation that ETH scientists made about two years ago with a special fluorescent protein isolated from corals, Dendra 2, which fluoresces green. Light can be used to change its molecular structure so that it switches its colour to red. The researchers discovered a new way to induce this colour switch: First, it is briefly excited with a pulse of blue laser light and then illuminated immediately with near-infrared light. Applications for this two-phase colour switch include fluorescence microscopy. An international team of researchers led by Periklis Pantazis, of the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE) at ETH Zurich in Basel, has now explained this two-phase colour switch mechanism. The scientists refer to this as "primed conversion." The new knowledge allows the researchers to modify other light-sensitive proteins so that they can also be excited in two phases. The researchers from ETH Zurich, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, and the Janelia Research Campus in Ashburn, Virginia, closely examined the proteins activated with blue light and succeeded in showing that these proteins enter an excited state lasting several milliseconds. "That's relatively long," explains Pantazis. "Other fluorescence phenomena are much shorter." The scientists also demonstrated that this state is a case of a phenomenon known from quantum chemistrya "triplet state." After about five milliseconds, the fluorescent protein Dendra 2 returns to its ground state. Primed conversion happens only if the second phaseillumination with near-infrared lightoccurs within the triplet time window. Modified amino acid sequences The duration of the triplet state depends greatly on the stability of the fluorescent protein. This, in turn, depends on the exact sequence of protein building blocks (amino acids), which is why the scientists modified the Dendra 2 amino acid sequence in several spots. Then, they did the same with another fluorescent protein, Eos. Until now, this protein could not be excited in two phases. It is documented in the scientific literature that these locations are essential for the triplet state. When Dendra 2 (on the right with its fluorescing chemical compound) is illuminated with blue laser light, it fluoresces green. With violet light, it changes its chemical structure so that it can only fluoresce red. This chemical structure change does also occur when briefly illuminated with blue and immediately afterwards with red light (or with blue and red laser light simultaneously). Credit: ETH Zurich The scientists measured the duration of the triplet state with all of the new proteins. This state was extended significantly in several of the proteins tested. The scientists were also able to modify the Eos protein so that it too could be activated in two phases. They succeeded in doing this with another six proteins that had never been activated in two phases before. "The modified proteins weren't just made switchable in two phases for the first time; they're also more stable and therefore fluoresce more intensely," says Manuel Mohr, a doctoral student in Pantazis's group and lead author of the study. The scientists made the original discovery with a laser that is not conventionally available, which uses light in the near-infrared range. Today, however, the scientists have demonstrated that the effect can also be achieved using the same conventional red lasers found in every fluorescence microscope. In other words, primed conversion is possible with any fluorescence microscope. Primed conversion can be used in microscopy in order to mark a narrowly defined point in a tissue sample. The scientists do this by aiming a blue and red laser beam into the tissue so that the beams cross at a single point. Primed conversion occurs only at this intersection. "Because neither blue nor red laser light have a toxic effect, the method is ideal for living organisms," says Pantazis. Applications with other microscopy techniques may also be possible, including super-resolution microscopy, which has been around for several years now. Brain mapping and gene sequencing "We now know how to modify photoconvertible proteins to make them switch in two phases," says Pantazis. The ETH scientists are working together with protein experts to modify other fluorescent proteins used in microscopy in the same way. The researchers recently modified proteins so that they can be split off from a gene-activating messenger in a way that allows them to be light-activated with two colours. For example, they could illuminate tissue with a blue and red beam intersecting at a single point, making it possible to activate specific genes in a single cell of the tissue. Proteins that detect calcium can be modified in this way, as well, and could potentially be used for 3-D brain mapping. Biologists can ultimately use the new technique for other functional analyses in 3-D. ETH Zurich has already issued several licences for the patent, including to a start-up that plans to develop a DNA sequencing technique using a 3-D matrix. More information: Manuel Alexander Mohr et al, Rational Engineering of Photoconvertible Fluorescent Proteins for Dual-Color Fluorescence Nanoscopy Enabled by a Triplet-State Mechanism of Primed Conversion, Angewandte Chemie (2017). DOI: 10.1002/ange.201706121 Journal information: Angewandte Chemie Credit: Jennifer Selgrath/Project Seahorse A new UBC study has found that small-scale fisheries may have a much larger impact on ocean ecosystems than previously thought, due to a lack of data on their development over time. "We found that the influence from small-scale fisheries is far from small," said Jennifer Selgrath, lead author who completed the research as a PhD student with UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and Project Seahorse. "In our case study in the Philippines, we found that the fisheries have become unsustainable because there are so many people trying to catch a limited number of fish and invertebrates." While the impact of large, industrial fisheries have been closely monitored in recent decades, small-scale fisheries that provide food and livelihood to coastal communities, particularly in the developing world, haven't been monitored in the same way. Fisheries experts estimate that small-scale fisheries remove approximately 30 per cent of global catches or 22 million tonnes of marine life every year, providing a critical source of protein for millions of people worldwide. In this study, researchers at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries at UBC worked with local fishing communities in the Danajon Bank in the central Philippines to map the growth of small-scale fisheries and their impact on the ocean ecosystem between 1960 and 2010. The Danajon Bank is home to a unique double barrier reef, making it one of the richest areas of marine biodiversity in the world. They found that the total fishing effort by small-scale fisheries increased approximately 1,800 per cent over 50 years from 1960 to 2010. During the same time period, these fisheries expanded their spatial footprint nearly 50 per cent because as competition and fishing pressure grew, fishers moved into other fishing grounds. "Targeting new places in the ocean can artificially keep catches high, but this expansion also doubled the area that was impacted by fishing," said Selgrath. "We also noted that as the fishing effort expanded, people started shifting from relatively benign fishing gears to intensive, damaging fishing gears." In the Danajon Bank, fishers were using explosives, thin crowbars to break open reefs to catch invertebrates hidden in crevices and small-mesh nets made out of mosquito netting. "These trends are not unique to the Philippines and are apparent in other areas with small-scale fisheries around the globe," said Selgrath. "Fostering sustainability in small-scale fisheries is an important global goal because these fisheries form the economic backbone of many poor and marginalized coastal communities." The study "Incorporating spatial dynamics greatly increases estimates of long-term fishing effort: a participatory mapping approach" was published in ICES Journal of Marine Science. More information: Incorporating spatial dynamics greatly increases estimates of long-term fishing effort: a participatory mapping approach. ICES Journal of Marine Science, doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsx108 The Milky Way consists of more than 100 billion stars. New stars are formed in so-called molecular clouds, where most of the gas is in the form of molecules, and is very cold. In the Milky Way there are many different varieties of molecular clouds, with for example masses ranging from a few hundred to several million times the mass of the Sun. Credit: NASA Three scientists at Niels Bohr Institute (NBI), University of Copenhagen, have carried out extensive computer simulations related to star formation. They conclude that the present idealized models are lacking when it comes to describing details in the star formation process. "Hopefully our results can also help shed more light on planet formation," says Michael Kuffmeier, astrophysicist and head of the research team. In order to explain the basics of star formation, one can use simple models simple geometrical shapes that are easy to understand and relate to. But even so even when such simple models can explain the basic principles at work, they may still be lacking when it comes to quantitative details - which is exactly what three researchers from Centre for Star and Planet Formation at NBI demonstrate in a scientific article just published in The Astrophysical Journal. The scientists carried out computer simulations of the formation of hundreds of stars, from which nine carefully selected stars, representing various regions in space, were chosen for more detailed modeling, explains astrophysicist Michael Kuffmeier, head of the project which is also a major part of his Ph.D. dissertation. Kuffmeier planned and carried out the research in cooperation with NBI-colleagues professor Ake Nordlund and senior lecturer Troels Haugblle and the simulations show that star formation is indeed heavily influenced by local environmental conditions in space, says Kuffmeier: "These conditions e.g. control the size of protoplanetary disks, and the speed at which star formations takes place and no scientific study has ever shown this before." Computers working around the clock According to the classical model, a star is formed when a prestellar core a roundish accumulation containing approximately 99 percent gas and 1 percent dust collapses due to 'overweight." Subsequently, a star is formed in the center of the collapse followed, as a result of angular momentum, by the formation of a disk of gas and dust rotating around the star.. "This is the star's protoplanetary disk, and planets are thought to be formed in such disks planet Earth being no exception," says Michael Kuffmeier. Credit: Niels Bohr Institute But how did the NBI-researchers manage to detail this model? The answer is closely linked to state-of-the-art computer simulations: You feed some of the most potent computers available with an almost unfathomable 'load' of information - and let them grind around the clock for months. And then, Michael Kuffmeier says, you may be lucky enough to be able to put to the test even established concepts: "We started by studying the step before the prestellar cores. And when you have a go at that via computer simulations, you will inevitably have to deal with Giant Molecular Clouds which are regions in space dense with gas and dust; regions, where star formation takes place." A very voluminous cloud A giant molecular cloud is called 'giant' for a reason just take the giant molecular cloud which the three NBI-researchers studied. If you look closely at this cloud and for computational reasons decide to examine it by 'squeezing' it into a cubical model, which is what the researchers did you end up with a cube measuring 8 million times the distance between the Sun and Earth on all sides. And if you carry out that multiplication, the end result will be more figures than most brains can even vaguely comprehend, since the distance from the Sun to Earth is 150 million kilometer. The NBI-researchers looked closely at nine different stars in this giant molecular cloud "and in each case we gathered new knowledge about the formation of this particular star," says Michael Kuffmeier: Star formation in a giant molecular cloud. The small white dots represent stars in the computer simulation. "Since we worked in different regions of a giant molecular cloud, the results from the stars examined revealed differences in e.g. disk formation and disk size which can be attributed to the influence exerted by local environmental conditions. In this sense we have gone beyond the classical understanding of star formation." The NBI-team had access to super computers a large number of single computers linked in networks some in Paris, and some in Copenhagen at the H.C. rsted Institute at University of Copenhagen. And the machines were really put to work, says senior lecturer Troels Haugblle, one of Michael Kuffmeiers co-authors: Star formation in a giant molecular sky. All the small white dots represent a star in the computer simulation. Credit: Niels Bohr Institute "These calculations were so extensive that if you imagine that the simulations describing the formation of just one of the stars were to be carried out on a single lap top-computer, the machine would have to work 24/7 for the better part of 200 years." Supported by observations Based on the computer simulations, the three NBI-scientists have studied in particular the influence of magnetic fields and turbulence factors that are seen to play important roles in star formation. This may, adds Michael Kuffmeier, be one of the reasons why protoplanetary disks are relatively small in some regions of a giant molecular cloud: "We are able to see how important the environment is for the star formation process. We have thus started on the path to make realistic, quantitative models of the formation of stars and planet, and we will continue digging deeper into this. One of the things we would like examine has to do with the fate of dust in protoplanetary disks we want to know how dust and gas are separated, allowing in the end planets to form." The NBI-scientists are pleased that their computer simulations seem to be supported by telescope observations, from space and from the ground among these, observations carried out by the powerful ALMA-telescope in Northern Chile, says Michael Kuffmeier: "These are observations which qualitatively corroborate our simulations." The fact that the telescope observations "qualitatively corroborate" the NBI computer simulations means that the two sets of data do not in any significant way collide or contradict each other, explains Michael Kuffmeier: "Nothing derived from the telescope observations contradicts our main hypothesis: that star formation is a direct consequence of processes happening on larger scales." The scientists expect that their continued computer simulations will contribute to a better understanding of planet formation by combining knowledge gleaned from the NBI-simulations with observations carried out by ALMA as well as the extremely advanced James Webb Space Telescope scheduled for launch in October 2018. "The James Webb Space Telescope will be able to provide us with information regarding the atmosphere surrounding exoplanets planets outside our solar system orbiting a star," says Michael Kuffmeier: "This, too, will help us get a better understanding of the origin of planets." Are you one of the up to 143 million Americans who had their personal info hacked in the massive Equifax data breach? If so, help might come from an unlikely place - a chatbot. DoNotPay, the bot originally created to help people contest parking tickets, has been programmed to sue Equifax on behalf of people who had their data compromised in the breach. Users who access the bot online will see a prompt that says "Automatically sue Equifax for $15,000." If they click, they will be taken to a page that lists New York, California, and other states where they can file a claim. The bot asks users questions and helps them fill out the PDF form to file a suit in small claims court, VentureBeat reported. There's no need for a lawyer. The bot was created by London native and Stanford University student Joshua Browder as a sort of robotic lawyer to help people navigate the legal system on their own. In January, NPR reported the bot helped people overturn more than 200,000 parking tickets in London, New York and Seattle. Browder also has offered his bot's services to help refugees apply for asylum in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., The Guardian reported. Now he's turning his attention to the massive Equifax data breach - a hack said to have affected 44 percent of the U.S. population. The credit reporting firm said users' names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and some diver's license numbers were accessed by criminals. And about 209,000 U.S. customers had their credit card numbers compromised. More than 30 lawsuits already have been filed against Equifax in the U.S., Reuters reported. But Browder hopes his bot will give customers additional recourse without having to hire a lawyer. "And," he told VentureBeat, "with enough success, bankrupt Equifax." 2017 The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The difference in the magnitudes of supernovae in the CDM and Timescape cosmologies and the magnitudes the supernovae would appear to have in an empty universe (horizontal dashed line). Both models show recent apparent acceleration following earlier deceleration. In the Timescape model this is not a real effect, however, and the curve is flatter than the CDM case. Credit: Lawrence Dam, Asta Heinesen and David Wiltshire The accelerating expansion of the Universe may not be real, but could just be an apparent effect, according to new research published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The new studyby a group at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealandfinds the fit of Type Ia supernovae to a model universe with no dark energy to be very slightly better than the fit to the standard dark energy model. Dark energy is usually assumed to form roughly 70% of the present material content of the Universe. However, this mysterious quantity is essentially a place-holder for unknown physics. Current models of the Universe require this dark energy term to explain the observed acceleration in the rate at which the Universe is expanding. Scientists base this conclusion on measurements of the distances to supernova explosions in distant galaxies, which appear to be farther away than they should be if the Universe's expansion were not accelerating. However, just how statistically significant this signature of cosmic acceleration is has been hotly debated in the past year. The previous debate pitted the standard Lambda Cold Dark Matter (CDM) cosmology against an empty universe whose expansion neither accelerates nor decelerates. Both of these models though assume a simplified 100 year old cosmic expansion lawFriedmann's equation. Friedmann's equation assumes an expansion identical to that of a featureless soup, with no complicating structure. However, the present Universe actually contains a complex cosmic web of galaxy clusters in sheets and filaments that surround and thread vast empty voids. This is a computer-simulated image depicting one possible scenario of how light sources are distributed in the cosmic web. Credit: Andrew Pontzen and Fabio Governato / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) Prof David Wiltshire, who led the study from the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, said, "The past debate missed an essential point; if dark energy does not exist then a likely alternative is that the average expansion law does not follow Friedmann's equation." Rather than comparing the standard CDM cosmological model with an empty universe, the new study compares the fit of supernova data in CDM to a different model, called the 'timescape cosmology'. This has no dark energy. Instead, clocks carried by observers in galaxies differ from the clock that best describes average expansion once the lumpiness of structure in the Universe becomes significant. Whether or not one infers accelerating expansion then depends crucially on the clock used. The timescape cosmology was found to give a slightly better fit to the largest supernova data catalogue than the CDM cosmology. Unfortunately the statistical evidence is not yet strong enough to rule definitively in favour of one model or the other, but future missions such as the European Space Agency's Euclid satellite will have the power to distinguish between the standard cosmology and other models, and help scientists to decide whether dark energy is real or not. Deciding that not only requires more data, but also better understanding properties of supernovae which currently limit the precision with which they can be used to measure distances. On that score, the new study shows significant unexpected effects which are missed if only one expansion law is applied. Consequently, even as a toy model the timescape cosmology provides a powerful tool to test our current understanding, and casts new light on our most profound cosmic questions. More information: Lawrence H. Dam et al, Apparent cosmic acceleration from type Ia supernovae, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2017). DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stx1858 Journal information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Credit: Fauna & Flora International A new survey by Fauna & Flora International (FFI) has highlighted the increasing risk in the density and distribution of forest elephants in Guinea's Ziama Massif forest. This is the first time that such a survey has been attempted since 2004. Due to the poor visibility in dense forest it is virtually impossible to rely on elephant sightings alone. Therefore, to be as accurate as possible, FFI replicated the methods used in the 2004 survey to enable easily comparable results. However, there were so few sightings of forest elephants during the study that an estimate of the population size could not even be attempted suggesting a severe decline in numbers. This is extremely concerning, as Ziama forest a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve contains the last remaining population of forest elephants in Guinea and is therefore considered a priority site for forest elephants in West Africa. Where have all the elephants gone? The most recent surveys conducted in the area saw the population increase from 108 elephants in 1991 to 215 in 2004. So where have all the elephants gone? Poaching is a major and increasing threat; however, poaching alone does not explain this drastic decline as it would be unlikely for such a significant number of carcasses to go unnoticed. Another theory is that degradation and fragmentation of their forest habitat, in particular the bas-fonds (forest wetlands) which are believed to be favoured by the elephants and have decreased over the last ten years due to conversion of land for farming purposes, may have pushed Ziama's elephants into smaller areas of forest outside the reserve. In reality, the researchers say that the fall in numbers within Ziama is probably due to a combination of both poaching, increased forest disturbance and changes in elephant behaviour which have affected the suitability of the survey methodology used. The results highlight the perilous state the population is in, and the urgency needed to conserve them. Forest elephant caught on camera trap. Credit: FFI/FDA Other species at risk Ziama Massif forest is rich in wildlife; chimpanzees, pygmy hippos, bongo and the Diana monkey are all found in this incredible area. Therefore, destruction of this habitat puts many more species at risk alongside its elephants. However, while the initial results of the survey are discouraging, there is real hope that the situation can be turned around if the threats are identified and reversed. The framework for developing a sustainable management plan is already in place, with Ziama's designation as a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve designed to achieve just this. What is more, Ziama forms an important trans-boundary forest complex with Wonegizi Proposed Protected Area across the border in Liberia. This is a crucial corridor for elephants moving between the two forests, so by improving management, anti-poaching efforts and cooperation between authorities in both countries, both areas and the wildlife that inhabit them, will be better protected. Next steps FFI is currently working with farmers from the four villages around Ziama that have the greatest farming presence in the bas-fonds within the forest. The aim is to teach these farmers new agriculture techniques that will enable them to effectively farm closer to their villages and away from the forest, without having any detrimental effects to their livelihood. The second step will be to conduct another elephant census this winter. This time FFI is planning to replicate the census methodology from 2016 but supplemented with additional surveys carried out at the same time, such as the use of recce transects and camera trapping in order to gain as accurate an understanding of the current elephant population as possible. Time to have a big debate on sustainable agriculture, Syngenta's boss says Swiss agrochemicals giant Syngenta, recently taken over by ChemChina, said there should be a wide-scale debate on what constitutes "sustainable agriculture" in face of a number of current controversies over pesticides. "We have a lot of discussions about specific products. I think it's really important to step back and have a real discussion with the government, and with NGOs and academics about what is a sustainable agriculture," Syngenta chief executive Eryk Fyrwald told AFP in an interview. Neonicotinoid pesticides are widely used in agriculture, but recent studies have suggested a strong link with declining bee populations, especially over the last decade. Fyrwald said he agreed with the definition of sustainable agriculture recently put forward by French minister Stephane Travert. "The objective is to have affordable food with tools that are safe for the farmers, for consumers, and good for environment," he said. In a recent debate with environment minister Nicolas Hulot, Travert had said he was open to the use of neonicotinoid pesticidesone of which is manufactured by Syngentato protect crops where there are currently no alternatives in order to maximise yields. "We have to feed the planet and we have to pay attention to the environment and to the safety of farmers and consumers," he said, calling for "honest and open" discussions between NGOs and the industry, instead of debates that were politicised and unscientific. Fyrwald suggested neonicotinoid pesticides were not as dangerous as was being suggested. While France has confirmed its plans to ban the products from 2018 and the EU Commission will debate the matter in the autumn, the Syngenta chief said that "when you look at the data, we believe pesticides have very little impact on bees, on the health of bee colonies." Other factors affected bee health, such as varroa mites, diseases and cold weather, he argued. "It's important to understand that we produce a lot of seeds, and our seeds require bees to pollinate the crops, so we have high value for bees. Without bees our business would not exist," Fyrwald said. Syngenta has 100,000 beehives, including 10,000 in France. The problem with organic farming is the small yield, Fyrwald says Pesticides in organic food Fyrwald said that no declines in bee colony health was seen where its thiametoxam pesticide, marketed under the brandname Cruiser, was used. While Syngenta also makes organic pesticides and fertilizers, Fyrwald fired off some criticism at the organic sector, saying it uses "more land... more water and makes more (greenhouse gases) per unit of food, because it's lower yield." "Why don't NGOs look at organic pesticides and decide which ones are good and which ones are bad? Why are they not examined?," he asked. Fyrwald questioned the use of copper, for example, as a fungicide in organic farming. "Copper is a heavy metal. You put a lot of metal in the soil, is that good for the soil? Is that good for the consumer? For the farmer? I don't know," the CEO said. "All I am saying is that the regulators have to look at all technologies and decide what is really sustainable." Following its takeover by ChemChina, the combined Swiss-Chinese group will rank third worldwide in the agrochemicals sector behind two other giants currently in the process of being created from the mergers of Bayer and Monsanto, and Dow and Dupont. In order to catch up with the other two, Syngenta was "very interested in making acquisitions in seeds" all over the world, the CEO said. But he declined to name any possible takeover targets. Regarding the advent of Syngenta's new Chinese owners, Fyrwald said there was no noticeable difference in corporate governance, aside from the appointment of two ChemChina officials to the supervisory board. "The Chinese want us to perform well but they are not quarterly focused. We call it the long view. It's fantastic," he said. "I believe ChemChina bought us with full support of Chinese government because they are very interested in making sure that the Chinese people have plenty of food," he said. And there was plenty of room to grow in China. "We have a business in China which is smaller than in France, and we plan to double our sales within the next five years, which are of the order of 300 million euros right now," Fyrwald said. 2017 AFP Two Painted Rocksnails (Leptoxis taeniata). Credit: Thomas Tarpley Alabama has some of the highest diversity of freshwater snails in the world, but many snails are at high risk of extinction. An essential part of determining extinction risk is knowing the range of a given species and determining how much its range has contracted owing to anthropogenic impacts, but mistaken identity or misidentification can complicate conservation efforts. The Painted Rocksnail, a small snail from the Coosa River system, has been mistakenly identified as other species for over 100 years. In a study published in the open access journal ZooKeys, scientists Dr. Nathan Whelan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dr. Paul Johnson and Jeff Garner, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Dr. Ellen Strong, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, tackled the identity of the Painted Rocksnail, a small federally threatened species native to the Mobile River basin in Alabama. Freshwater snails are notoriously difficult to identify, as the shells of many species can look very similar. Keeping this in mind, the researchers began to notice that many shells identified as the Painted Rocksnail in museums around the world were misidentified specimens of the Spotted Rocksnail, another snail species found in Alabama. The Spotted Rocksnail, which has commonly been misidentified as the Painted Rocksnail. Credit: Thomas Tarpley After examining shells at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard, National Museum of Natural History, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Florida Museum of Natural History, and Natural History Museum in London, in addition to hundreds of hours of their own sampling throughout the Mobile River basin, the authors determined that all previous reports of the Painted Rocksnail from outside the Coosa River system were mistakes. Despite the Painted Rocksnail dwelling in well-studied rivers near large population centers, mistaken identity of the species has persisted almost since the species was described back in 1861 by Isaac Lea. Only after careful examination of shells collected in the last 150 years and analyses of live animals were the researchers able to confidently determine that the Painted Rocksnail never occurred outside the Coosa River system. The study has implications for the conservation of the Painted Rocksnail, as the species was historically more restricted than previously thought. Recent surveys by the authors only found the species in small stretches of the Coosa River, Choccolocco Creek, Buxahatchee Creek, and Ohatchee Creek. In conclusion, the authors note the importance of natural history museums and the importance of studying snails in the southeastern United States. "Without the shells stored in natural history museums we would have never been able to determine that the supposed historical range of the Painted Rocksnail was incorrect, which could have resulted in less effective conservation efforts for an animal that is very important to the health of rivers in Alabama," they say. More information: Nathan V. Whelan et al, On the identity of Leptoxis taeniata a misapplied name for the threatened Painted Rocksnail (Cerithioidea, Pleuroceridae), ZooKeys (2017). DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.697.14060 Journal information: ZooKeys Credit: CC0 Public Domain The security of wearable fitness trackers could be improved to better protect users' personal data, a study suggests. Vulnerabilities in the devices - which track heart rate, steps taken and calories burned - could threaten the privacy and security of the data they record, scientists say. Exploiting security weak spots in the communication procedures of some gadgets could allow unauthorised sharing of personal data with third parties. These include online retailers and marketing agencies, the team says. Such frailties could also be targeted to create fake health records. By sending insurance companies false activity data, fraudsters could obtain cheaper cover from insurers that reward physical activity with lower premiums, researchers say. A team at the University of Edinburgh carried out an in-depth security analysis of two popular models of wearable fitness trackers made by Fitbit. The researchers discovered a way of intercepting messages transmitted between fitness trackers and cloud servers - where data is sent for analysis. This allowed them to access personal information and create false activity records. The team also demonstrated how the system that keeps data on the devices secure - called end-to-end encryption - can be circumvented. By dismantling devices and modifying information stored in their memory, researchers bypassed the encryption system and gained access to stored data. Researchers have produced guidelines to help manufacturers remove similar weaknesses from future system designs to ensure users' personal data is kept private and secure. In response to the findings, Fitbit has developed software patches to improve the privacy and security of its devices. The findings will be presented at the International Symposium on Research in Attacks (RAID) on 18-20 September. The research was carried out in collaboration with Technische Universitat Darmstadt, Germany, and the University of Padua, Italy. The Edinburgh researchers were part-funded by the Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance. Dr Paul Patras, of the University of Edinburgh's School of Informatics, who took part in the study, said: "Our work demonstrates that security and privacy measures implemented in popular wearable devices continue to lag behind the pace of new technology development. We welcome Fitbit's receptiveness to our findings, their professional attitude towards understanding the vulnerabilities we identified and the timely manner in which they have improved the affected services." The huge data breach at Equifax, which leaked credit card numbers and other sensitive data, is now being investigated by the US Federal Trade Commission as well as congressional panels A US consumer protection watchdog agency said Thursday it has begun an investigation into a massive data breach at credit bureau Equifax that may have leaked sensitive information on 143 million people. The Federal Trade Commission joins US congressional committees promising to probe the causes and implications of what could be the worst breach of personal information in the United States. "The FTC typically does not comment on ongoing investigations," said Peter Kaplan, the agency's acting director of public affairs. "However, in light of the intense public interest and the potential impact of this matter, I can confirm that FTC staff is investigating the Equifax data breach." The hack disclosed last week at Equifax, one of the three major credit bureaus that collect consumer financial data, potentially affects more than half the adult population. While not the largest breachYahoo attacks leaked data on as many as one billion accountsthe Equifax incident could be the most damaging because of the nature of data collected: bank and social security numbers and personal information of value to hackers and others. US lawmakers have expressed concern over the implications of the hack and have called for hearings. The House Energy and Commerce Committee announced it would hold an October 3 hearing with Equifax chief executive Richard Smith. "We know members on both sides of the aisle appreciate Mr Smith's willingness to come before the committee and explain how our constituents might be impacted and what steps are being taken to rectify this situation," said a statement from Senators Greg Walden and Bob Latta. Smith earlier this week offered an expanded apology to consumers in a column in USA Today. "Consumers and media have raised legitimate concerns about the services we offered and the operations of our call center and website. We accept the criticism and are working to address a range of issues," Smith wrote. "We are devoting extraordinary resources to make sure this kind of incident doesn't happen again." Equifax said in a "progress report" on its website that criminals exploited a vulnerability in a website application called Apache Struts. Security researcher Kevin Beaumont said in a blog post that he warned of the vulnerability in March and urged companies to fix it. "I kept reissuing warnings," Beaumont said in a blog this week. "And then I gave up. Many Fortune 500 companies are still running these systems." 2017 AFP Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Retailers Say South Dakota Ruling Means Congress Needs to Act Now WASHINGTON, September 14, 2017 The National Retail Federation said a ruling issued today by the South Dakota Supreme Court sets the stage for the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit a long-out-of-date ruling on ecommerce. But NRF called on Congress to quickly pass legislation allowing states to require online sellers to collect sales tax the same as local stores rather than continuing to leave the issue in the hands of the courts. Its time for Congress to pass a law that recognizes the evolution in the retail industry over the past two-and-half decades and say that online sellers should no longer be given an unfair advantage over Main Street merchants, NRF Senior Vice President for Government Relations David French said. The state of South Dakota is not going to stand for this loss. They are going to push their case, and that means it is very likely that there will be a new ruling on this issue by the U.S. Supreme Court. We are more than happy to see the Supreme Court revisit this issue, but we view a carefully crafted stakeholder-led decision in Congress as far preferable to a judicial decision that reverses the previous ruling without addressing the details of implementation. The South Dakota Supreme Court today ruled against a 2016 state law requiring online merchants with more than $100,000 in sales or 200 transactions with state residents to collect sales tax. The court said the state cannot require out-of-state sellers to collect sales tax. The ruling is in line with the U.S. Supreme Courts 1992 Quill decision, which held that online sellers can only be required to collect sales tax in states where they have a physical presence such as a store, office or warehouse. French called on Congress to pass the Remote Transactions Parity Act, a bill pending in the House that would allow states to require out-of-state sellers to collect sales tax regardless of whether they have a presence in the customers state. The legislation also provides protection for small businesses from any potential compliance burden. The South Dakota ruling comes two years after Justice Anthony Kennedy said that the U.S. Supreme Court made a mistake in Quill by relying on an outdated precedent on physical presence. Kennedy invited opponents of the decision to bring a new case that would allow the court to correct its mistake. NRF is the worlds largest retail trade association, representing discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and Internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is the nations largest private sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.6 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nations economy. NRF.com PointofSale.com, now in its 8th year, does not sell products or services and we rely on sponsors to keep the site up. We are independently owned and operated. Please visit the POS software pages and POS hardware pages (see left side menu above) to find great POS products from various vendors. For more info, contact us through the Footer menu below. Other POS News: Berlin, 14.09.2017 (PresseBox) uberall, the digital location marketing pioneer, has made Stephane Ville Vice President of Strategic Partnerships in France, to build on French consumers advanced use of Local Search. Stephane is an expert in digital marketing and partnerships, previously heading the sales departments for Adobe Systems and Gutenberg Technology in the French and European markets. He was a pioneer in the country to speak about the benefits of digital marketing. Along with appointing Stephane, uberall has underlined the importance of the French market by opening a new office in Paris, establishing a permanent presence and a first-point-of-contact for its growing list of French partners. Stephane will operate out of uberalls Paris office, along with his new team. The French office is uberalls third, after its Berlin HQ and its US office in San Francisco. Stephane comments: I cannot wait to build upon the global success that uberall has enjoyed, in my home country. My focus will be to build a strong partnerships ecosystem between businesses and uberall to help transform France into a leading Digital Market! According to Barometre du Numerique 2016, 42% of the French population use their mobile phones in order to find shops using location data. Businesses who want to address this growing market, need to focus on location marketing. uberall, as Europes leading location marketing platform, will build a strong partner network in France to help those businesses succeed. Partners who want to sign with uberall or businesses interested in location marketing can learn about uberall during the Paris Retail Week on the booth C059 from the 19th to the 21st of September, or contact the company on partner@uberall.com. Wiser Brings Better Data, Better Decisions to Brands and Retailers SAN MATEO, Calif. (September 13, 2017) Wiser Solutions, Inc. launched today with an all-in-one analytics platform for retail. Created from the merger of retail technology firms, Quad Analytix and Mobee, Wiser eliminates the need for point solutions, allowing brands and retailers to collect, analyze and act on data with workflow software, across their online and offline footprints. Current clients include Skullcandy, GoPro and TrackR, among others. Quad Analytix, based in San Mateo, Calif., translates ecommerce data into action for brands and retailers. In 2016, Quad Analytix acquired a retail pricing firm, Wise Ecommerce Ltd., to enhance its data collection and pricing automation capabilities. Mobee, based in Boston, uses crowdsourcing and mobile technology to collect, organize and analyze in-store retail data at scale. The rapid evolution of omnichannel creates the perfect opportunity to combine Quad Analytix and Mobee as a new market leader, said Andy Ballard, CEO of Wiser, and former founder and CEO of Quad Analytix. Brands and retailers are struggling to drive business decisions with omnichannel data from disparate sources. Were empowering our clients with a one-stop-shop for high-quality data, analytics and workflow automation. Nearly 40 percent of retailers ranked the ability to turn customer data into intelligent and actionable insight as one of their greatest challenges, according to the PwC Total Retail 2017 Survey. Wiser is a single source partner by design, with solutions for every aspect of retail, including: Historical & Trended Pricing Promotional Analysis Assortment Intelligence Competitive Benchmarking In-store Shelf Health Rule based Repricing Dynamic Repricing Marketplace Repricing MAP Monitoring & Case Management In-store Merchandising Assortment and Content Parity Counterfeit Merchandise Monitoring and more Using a unique combination of data science and human validation, Wiser empowers clients to customize how data is collected, analyzed and integrated into their existing workflows. Real-time alerting functions enable clients to act on the insights manually or automate the decision-making process at scale. Today, Wiser serves the retail industry, but plans to deliver a global solution to enhance decision making for many other markets, including financial services and consulting. Our foundational platform has broad appeal across industries, said Hal Charnley, President of Wiser, and former CEO of Mobee. We aim to deliver our unique online and offline solutions across new vertical markets, where scalable, accurate data collection and actionable insights are fundamental to success. Wiser has more than 130 employees and is headquartered in San Mateo with offices in Boston, Israel and the U.K. About Wiser Wiser is the leading provider of actionable data for better decisions. Wiser collects and analyzes online and in-store data with unmatched speed, scale and accuracy. The Wiser platform then blends these insights with advanced workflow software to drive business value for brands and retailers, including restaurants. Using a unique combination of data science and human validation, Wiser offers integrated solutions for every aspect of retail, all in one place. Learn more at www.wiser.com and follow @wiserdata. PointofSale.com, now in its 8th year, does not sell products or services and we rely on sponsors to keep the site up, so please let vendors know when you have seen them here. Use the links on the left side menu above to find great products and services. For more info, contact us through the Footer menu below. Other POS News: News Microsoft Edge Team Outlines Browser Dev and Security Improvements at Summit Event The developer team behind Microsoft Edge talked about the browser's progress during the third-annual Microsoft Edge Web Summit today in Seattle. Charles Morris, a Microsoft Edge team lead, noted during the kickoff talk that it has been about two years since Microsoft broke from its past to ditch its Internet Explorer browser development efforts and focus on Microsoft Edge. The idea was to create a "modern browser" for the interoperable Web. Microsoft Edge is currently used on 330 million active devices monthly, a figure that has "more than doubled" since last year, he said. While 330 million may sound like a lot, in the overall browser horse-race scheme of things, Microsoft Edge currently has just a 3.7 percent use rate, based on the U.S. government's Digital Analytics Program stats. That program just tracks U.S. government Web site visits, mostly within the United States. According to those stats, the Google Chrome browser tops the list at 44.6 percent of visits, followed by Safari (27.6 percent), Internet Explorer (13.7 percent) and Firefox (6.2 percent). Progress The Microsoft Edge team really wants people to try Microsoft Edge, and they've been listening to feedback via the Windows Insider program and the Windows 10 feedback hub. As a consequence, Microsoft Edge will be getting the following new capabilities: The ability to edit a Favorites URL, which will be arriving with the Windows 10 "fall creators update." The ability to drag and drop URLs from the Address Bar to save them in Favorites. The ability to select just the end portion of a URL in the Address Bar (which sometimes jiggles out of reach) Overall, the team has produced 82 patch updates throughout the Edge browser's two-year lifespan, and has shipped 75 Windows Insider previews during that time. Microsoft has contributed more than 75 new Web standards as well in that period. The browser's overall HTML5 test score has jumped over 100 points from when Microsoft Edge first shipped and now stands at 476. Its speedometer benchmark is 2.5 times greater, and its HTML5 accessibility score is at 100 percent, according to Morris. EdgeHTML is the browser's "engine." Browsers currently are using EdgeHTML 15, which was released on April 5, 2017. The next engine, EdgeHTML 16, will be arriving on Oct. 17, 2017, according to Morris. Microsoft has increased the number of extensions supported by the Edge browser. Currently, 64 extensions are supported, per the Microsoft Store's count. Microsoft intentionally started out with just a small set of 13 extensions because of the security and reliability issues associated with them, Morris said. Goals for Microsoft Edge Microsoft's priorities heading into Year 3 for the Edge browser are centering on the fundamentals, such as performance, security, reliability, accessibility and efficiency. Its specific plans for browser features are shown at this "Platform Status" page. Microsoft is committed to make "progressive Web apps" a "first-class citizen on Windows," according to Morris. He noted that Google has already pioneered progressive Web apps support on the Android operating system platform. Microsoft also wants to improve dev tools for Microsoft Edge as a top priority. It plans to continue its support for Web interoperability and new standards, he added. Morris announced news during the event that Microsoft is supporting a new tool for Web developers at the beta stage called "sonar." It's a linting tool for the Web, helping developers to find suspect code. Microsoft is also collaborating with Mozilla to support the MDN web docs support portal (formerly known as the "Mozilla Developer Network"), as a single resource for Web developers, Morris said. This partnership has already kicked off, and Microsoft's tech writing team has already contributed more than 5,000 edits to MDN web docs, he added. Microsoft also launched a site to provide Web APIs for developers, which can be accessed at this page. Microsoft additionally provides Linux Bash support on Windows 10 via Windows Subsystem for Linux, Morris noted. Microsoft supports developers who aren't using Windows. They can test the Microsoft Edge browser using a virtual machine environment, which can be downloaded here. However, the download can be a big one, and so Microsoft also has established a partnership with BrowserStack, which permits Edge browser testing using BrowserStack's virtual machines. Today, Microsoft announced that testing Microsoft Edge on BrowserStack's virtual machines is free. It doesn't require a download. Details on the free virtual machine access can be found at this page. BrowserStack's virtual machines support mobile and browser testing, with debug tools. It works with all frameworks and integration tools, with support for more than 1,200 browser and device combinations. Security Improvements Microsoft had set out to ship the most secure browser with Microsoft Edge, according to a presentation during the event by Nathan Starr, who is part of the Microsoft Edge security team. However, it's hard to do that because of the code churn associated with the Web, he said. Attackers are well funded, with some getting support from nation states, or they are motivated by financial gains. Microsoft's response was to create its "Four Guards" strategies to protect Microsoft Edge, namely: Code Integrity Guard Arbitrary Code Guard Control Flow Guard and The "Fourth Guard" (a placeholder name for now) Code Integrity Guard and Arbitrary Code Guard are designed to prevent attacks from disks. Control Flow Guard and the Fourth Guard are designed to prevent attacks from memory. Starr explained that attackers may try to get the browser to crash in order to load their own code in an "arbitrary native code execution" type of attack. Microsoft's Code Integrity Guard feature protects against such attacks. The Windows memory manager looks to see if the code is properly signed. If so, it's permitted to load. However, if the code is not properly signed, it'll get blocked. Attackers also attempt to create their own tab space within the browser to load code. Microsoft created Arbitrary Code Guard to address that kind of attack. It will deny the creation of dynamic code but it doesn't that break things like JavaScript or Microsoft's Chakra JavaScript engine, Starr explained. Microsoft worked with AMD and Nvidia so that graphics drivers are aware of the Arbitrary Code Guard security feature, he added. Attackers also try redirection to their servers using "return-oriented programming" types of attacks. They carry out such attacks by either corrupting a function pointer or corrupting a return address. To protect against function pointers, Microsoft created Control Flow Guard. It records and stores all indirect function calls that happen in the code. It also informs the operating system where the indirect calls occur, and maps them. If an indirect call is known, the process will continue to run. If it's not known, it'll get halted. The OS shuts down the browser and prevents the jump to the attacker's code, Starr explained. Starr said it's a more difficult problem to solve when attackers attempt to corrupt the return address. He said that Microsoft has been working with Intel to build a hardware solution that will prevent return addresses from getting corrupted, and that the Microsoft Edge browser will support it when available. Return addresses will get protected via a new "shadow stack" capability, which Starr didn't describe. Overall, Microsoft sees these security mitigations as being very disruptive to attackers. Starr noted that more and more remote code execution flaws are getting exposed, but the actual exploit rates are going down because of these protections. Microsoft had a whole lot more to say during the summit event. The roster of talks can be found at this page. Greece's merchant marine minister defended on Thursday the government's response to an oil spill that has spread across beaches near Athens following criticism from environmentalists and calls for his resignation. Panagiotis Kouroublis said ecological damage from the spill is limited and conditions are getting better. "Day by day the situation is improving," the minister told a news conference after touring areas across the Saronic Gulf affected by the sinking of the tanker Agia Zoni II early on Sunday. "One doesn't see mass destruction among birds and fish," Kouroublis said, adding that around 20 anti-pollution vessels had been assigned to the clean-up task, expected to take close to a month. "In 25-30 days the (situation) will have changed completely," the minister said. "A giant effort is under way." Main opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis had earlier said that Kouroublis, who was attending a shipping conference in London as the incident unfolded and did not return until Thursday, had to go. "The prime minister should accept his resignation," Mitsotakis said, as Kouroublis claimed that "the entire affair will be forgotten in a few days." Kouroublis said the tanker sank in only 15 minutes and that a coastguard anti-pollution ship was in the area within three hours. Anti-pollution barriers were erected six hours after the sinking, but the oil apparently coagulated and slipped away under the surface of the sea, the minister said. "We too were wondering how the leak occurred as barriers were in place," he said. Environmental groups were scathing in their criticism of the government's response. "This (oil) leak happened near the country's biggest harbour, just miles away from the operation centre of the ministry tasked with addressing such disasters," Dimitris Ibrahim, campaign director at Greenpeace Greece, told news portal in.gr. Adding insult to injury, the amount of oil in question was "relatively small," Ibrahim said. WWF Greece was likewise incredulous that "a country with heavy tanker traffic has proven unable to protect its maritime wealth and beaches from an initially small-scale incident." "Clearly, this crash test of readiness was a failed one," WWF Greece general manager Dimitris Karavelas later told Skai TV. "And we have no idea what is happening on the seabed," he said. The oil spill on Sunday initially compromised beaches just on the island of Salamis and officials were confident that it could be contained given mild wind conditions. But by Thursday, parts of the slick had drifted miles away to the affluent coastal Athens suburb of Glyfada and was threatening the popular beaches of Voula and Vouliagmeni. "Nobody thought the slick would reach us," Glyfada mayor Yiorgos Papanikolaou told Skai TV. "If someone had warned us even on Tuesday, we would have taken precautions," said Papanikolaou. "We must act quickly to prevent long-term damage," At beaches along the coast, clean-up crews on Thursday were collecting blackened sand and dumping it in tanker trucks. Local mayors have issued beach warnings and fishermen have been advised to avoid the area at present. The European Union has contributed an anti-pollution ship. The 45-year-old vessel Agia Zoni II sank on Sunday near the island of Salamis while under anchor. The cause is still unknown. "How can a ship sink in the harbour in mild conditions?" wondered Mitsotakis. The Greek-flagged tanker was carrying around 2,500 tonnes of fuel. The only people on board at the time, the tanker's captain and chief engineer, were charged with negligence and released pending trial. The ship's owners said the tanker was fully seaworthy and all its documentation was in order. An operation is under way to drain the fuel remaining on board. Leonor Espinosa. She's not a household name yet, but after winning a major international culinary prize and being named Latin America's best female chef within the span of just a few months, the world of haute gastronomy is taking note. This week, organizers of Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants -- an offshoot of the World's 50 Best Restaurants -- named Espinosa the region's best female chef 2017 for reviving Colombia's culinary traditions with local ingredients at her Bogota restaurants Leo and Misia. Leo was voted Best Restaurant in Colombia 2016. From seared tuna, coated with crushed ants, to carne oreada, a jerky-like steak typical of the Santander region, and Afro-Colombian coffee, Espinosa's food aspires to restore pride in Colombia's culinary traditions and elevate local dishes to fine dining status -- no small feat given the country's gastronomic identity crisis. Colombia is now where Peru was 15 years ago, she says. Instead of local Colombian flavors, the dining landscape is dominated by international restaurants. Today, Peruvian cuisine has succeeded in capturing the imagination of some of the world's top chefs: Albert Adria's Barcelona restaurant Pakta serves a Nikkei menu, a fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisines. Espinosa acknowledges that Colombian cuisine is still largely off the radar in the world of haute gastronomy. But she believes that Colombia is on its way to becoming the next Peru. "In Peru, wherever you go, you'll find anticuchos, cevicherias, sangucherias -- much more Peruvian than international cuisine," she said in an interview. "But 15 years ago, Lima wasn't a place where you would find local food everywhere. Like Colombia, Peru had a lot more international than local restaurants. That has changed, and it's partly the Peruvians who have changed it -- by becoming proud of their own cuisine. We are in that process now." Along with her inventive local cuisine, Espinosa also researches, reclaims and promotes Colombian ingredients and sustainable practices through her foundation Funleo. Story continues In July, the former economist and artist was also awarded the Basque Culinary World Prize which goes to chefs who make a difference and comes with a 100,000. The jury -- which was made up of big chef names like Joan Roca, Dominique Crenn, and Michel Bras -- praised the chef for supporting local communities and producers through her foundation. Espinosa will receive her award at the Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants event October 24 in Bogota. After launching his political career from a jail cell, Philippine Senator Antonio Trillanes believes it could end in a grave thanks to a relentless campaign against his "hitman" president. But the former Navy officer with a history of coup attempts appears to thrive on the pressures that have come with regularly accusing President Rodrigo Duterte of being a corrupt mass murderer. "This man is a sociopath and he has the mindset of a hitman," Trillanes, 46, told AFP in an interview on Wednesday from his senate office, offering a typically incendiary assessment of his rival. Duterte won last year's presidential elections on a brutal law-and-order platform in which he promised an unprecedented campaign to eradicate illegal drugs in society by killing up to 100,000 traffickers and addicts. He vowed so many bodies would be dumped in Manila Bay that the fish would grow fat from feeding on them, and said he would pardon police if they were found guilty of rights abuses while enacting his drug war. Since Duterte assumed office in the middle of last year, police have reported killing more than 3,800 people while thousands of others have been murdered in unexplained circumstances. Many Filipinos looking for quick solutions to crime continue to support Duterte, according to polls, and he enjoys majority backing in both houses of Congress. - Dictatorship fears - However a climate of fear has also emerged, with critics warning the president is determined to silence dissenters and drag the Philippines back into a dictatorship three decades after a "People Power" revolution ousted Ferdinand Marcos. Duterte has launched tirades against the Supreme Court chief justice, the Commission on Human Rights, the Catholic Church and critical media outlets. He and his allies have then started campaigns to curb their powers or discredit them. Senator Leila de Lima, who had been one of the most vocal critics alongside Trillanes, was in February jailed on drug trafficking charges she says were fabricated. Rights groups describe her as a political prisoner. On the weekend Duterte made Trillanes his new top target. "I will destroy him or he will destroy me," Duterte told reporters. This came after Trillanes had Duterte's son, Paolo, brought before a Senate inquiry last week to face allegations he was involved in drug trafficking. Trillanes accused the younger Duterte of being a member of a Chinese triad that imported huge amounts of methamphetamines into the Philippines, and challenged him to show a tattoo on his back that allegedly proved he was a member of the gang. Paolo Duterte acknowledged he did have a tattoo on his back, but refused to show it and rejected all accusations against him. Since Duterte's "destroy" remark, his officials and social media supporters have accused Trillanes of hiding ill-gotten wealth in secret bank accounts. Trillanes denied those accusations, telling AFP they were an expected part of Duterte's counter-offensive, and that worse could come. "Duterte actually ordered a hit on me. He wants me killed. Aside from the fact he wants cases fabricated so I can be put away (in jail) like Senator De Lima," the father-of-two teenagers said. Even though he has called for so many killings, Duterte has repeatedly insisted that he would not act outside the law nor allow state-sponsored murders. - Crazy brave - Trillanes showed no signs in the interview of being intimidated by Duterte, likely drawing on his many years of experience in the Philippines' bare-knuckled democratic ring. As a young naval officer, Trillanes helped lead two brief coup attempts against then-president Gloria Arroyo in 2003 and 2007. Trillanes and his military allies accused Arroyo of corruption, state-sponsored terrorism and subverting democracy on multiple fronts. He was jailed for seven years but, in what was widely seen as an anti-Arroyo vote, became the first person to be elected a senator while in jail. Duterte's predecessor, an Arroyo critic, pardoned Trillanes and other coup plotters in 2010. This allowed Trillanes to pursue his senate career at full throttle -- and he became well-known for digging up dirt on a range of powerful politicians. To his supporters, Trillanes became a crazy brave anti-graft crusader. His critics saw him as a publicity hound chiefly concerned with advancing his political career. Trillanes rejected those accusations, insisting he would walk away from politics when his Senate term ended in 2019 to initially pursue a masters degree in international relations. "In this political fight with Duterte, there is no forthcoming election for me," Trillanes said as he defended his motives. "And most importantly my life is at stake here. So I believe no political ambition could ever match up to that." Iraq and Turkey on Thursday stepped up the pressure on Iraqi Kurdistan over its planned independence referendum, as the governor of oil-rich Kirkuk province that decided to take part in the vote was sacked. Parliament, at Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's request, fired the governor of the northern province, Najm Eddine Karim, in a unanimous vote by 173 MPs present in the house. With tensions rising, the Iraqi parliament on Tuesday voted to oppose plans by leaders of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq to hold the non-binding September 25 referendum. The independence vote has faced strong opposition from the federal government in Baghdad as well as neighbouring Iran and Turkey, which fear it will stoke separatist aspirations among their own sizeable Kurdish minorities. Critics of the vote include the United States, the European Union and even some members of Iraq's 5.5 million-strong Kurdish minority. Turkey, a strong opponent, warned Iraqi Kurdish leaders on Thursday that any referendum would "have a cost". Their "insistence on the referendum despite all friendly advice will definitely have a cost", the foreign ministry in Ankara said, criticising their "erroneous approach". The provincial council of Kirkuk -- which is contested by Baghdad and autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan and home to diverse communities, including Arabs and Turkmen -- voted at the end of August to take part in the controversial referendum. Arab and Turkmen members of the council boycotted that vote, while Kurdish MPs in Baghdad walked out of Thursday's hearing in parliament at which the Kirkuk government was dismissed. On Friday, the parliament in the Kurdish regional capital of Arbil is to hold its first session in more than two years to give "a legal framework" for the referendum, according to its spokesman, Tariq Jawhar. Disputed zones such as Kirkuk are a highly sensitive issue in ethnically fragmented Iraq, with its Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad and large Sunni Arab and Kurdish communities. In Kirkuk province, the different communities have been arming themselves while numerous paramilitary forces have taken up positions north and west of Baghdad as joint units advance against retreating Islamic State group jihadists. In the city of Kirkuk, Kurdish peshmerga fighters have taken charge of security, while Shiite paramilitary units have been deployed on the outskirts. - Partition, civil war - Hadi al-Ameri, head of the powerful Iranian-backed Badr organisation, has warned that the Kurdish referendum could lead to partition and civil war, vowing to defend the unity of Iraq. Iraqi Kurdish leader Massud Barzani, who called the referendum, has said the vote would go ahead because "all other bids" to secure Kurdish rights had failed. The referendum could lead to the independence of Iraqi Kurdistan, an oil-rich region in the country's rugged, mountainous north which gained de facto autonomy in 1991. The region, whose people were brutally repressed under Saddam Hussein, won autonomy in 2005 after the dictator's ouster under a constitution which set up a federal republic in Iraq. Iraqi Kurdistan, home to around 5.5 million Kurds, is made up of three provinces that are run by an autonomous regional government and protected by their own security services. The referendum would "not necessarily lead to (an) immediate declaration of statehood, but rather to know the will and opinion of the people of Kurdistan about their future", Barzani said in February. Kurdish leaders have since reiterated that a "yes" vote would pave the way for the start of "serious negotiations" with the Baghdad government. By Alissa de Carbonnel and Robert-Jan Bartunek BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The use of armed soldiers to patrol alongside pavement cafes and selfie-snapping tourists in European cities since jihadi attacks risks compromising deployments overseas, military leaders say. Belgium and major military power France, both active in EU and NATO missions, have cut back training to free up troops and NATO planners fear that over time armies may get better at guarding railway stations and airports than fighting wars. Some of the more than 15,000 soldiers serving at home in Europe say tramping the streets is a far cry from the foreign adventures they signed up for and that they feel powerless to defend against militants. "We are standing around like flowers pots, just waiting to be smashed," said an officer just returned from Afghanistan for guard duty in Belgium, which, like France, has more troops deployed at home than in any single mission abroad. Security personnel have been targeted in both countries but patrols begun as a temporary measure after Islamic State attacks in 2015 have become permanent fixtures as opinion polls show that people are reassured by soldiers on show at home. Italy has had soldiers on the streets since 2008, Britain used them briefly this year and, along with Spain, is prepared for deployments if threat levels rise. Despite their painful history, Germany and Austria have debated having military patrols at home for the first time since World War Two. Across Europe, political debate is shifting from whether, to how to adapt the armed forces to a homeland role, a concern for military leaders eyeing budgets, morale and training. France's former military chief, who quit in July, said it had overstretched the army, while the head of Belgium's land forces told Reuters the domestic deployment was taking its toll. "I see a lot of people who leave our defence forces because of the operation," General Marc Thys, the commander of Belgium's land forces, said in an interview, without giving numbers. Not everyone agrees. A defence ministry source in Italy said its domestic patrols had "absolutely no impact on overseas missions or on training". But some in NATO worry protracted domestic operations will make key members of the 29-strong transatlantic alliance less ready to deploy to Afghanistan or eastern European borders with Russia. "It is popular with the public, it is cheaper than the police," a senior NATO source said. "But if the requirement came to send a lot of forces to reinforce our eastern allies ... would the government be willing to pull its soldiers off the street to do that, could it?" "WORSE THAN AFGHANISTAN" The challenge of battling Islamic State at home and abroad, squeezes resources just as NATO leaders seek to show U.S. President Donald Trump they are reliable allies, after he repeatedly questioned the alliance's worth. Given the homeland operations, some military sources and experts say politicians face a tough choice: to expand the army, summon up reserves or create a new domestic security force - a halfway between the police and military - to replace them as Belgium has chosen to do over the coming years. "It mobilises so many people that we are having trouble deploying people abroad for U.N. and EU missions," said a second NATO source. The operations put 10,000 heavily armed combat troops on the streets in France and 1,800 in Belgium after Islamic State attacks in early 2015. The numbers are down to 7,000 and 1,200 respectively, but they still tie up roughly a tenth of deployable army personnel in each nation. They can also be bad for morale. The mix of schools, offices and warehouse hastily converted into barracks in Belgium "are worse than Afghanistan," said a soldier, showing pictures of cramped rooms piled high with gear. Some 45 percent of soldiers surveyed by the Belgian military in December said they were thinking of quitting - many to the police - as being away had strained families and led to divorce. A source in the French military, which has not made polling public, said of its street patrols, known as Operation Sentinelle: "Sentinelle is a burden whose impact on soldiers' morale we've never denied." For now, Thys said the Belgian armed forces are not pulling back from foreign missions but have less time for training. "We take everything into account, our homeland operation and our international missions. If you go up on one side, we have to go down on the other side," Thys told Reuters. In France, training days were cut from 90 to 59 days last year, according to a defence ministry report in October. A decline of some 30 percent began with the deployment on home soil, experts say. "The longer they do it, the less sharp as a military they are," said General Sir Richard Barrons, Britain's former military chief. "But once you are committed to this it takes a very brave politician to turn it off." The new head of France's armed forces, which has thousands of troops abroad fighting Islamist militants in the Sahel, Iraq, Syria and elsewhere, says something has to give. "We have to choose how to adjust our commitments, to give us back some flexibility, because who knows where the French army will have to deploy in a year," General Francois Lecointre was cited by local media as saying earlier this month. President Emmanuel Macron has announced a strategic review of the street patrols. His new armed forces minister, Florence Parly, said on Tuesday they would not be cut but would be made more flexible. TARGET OR DETERRENT? In Italy, where up to 7,000 soldiers help police, a defence ministry source said they were moved around often to keep them from being bored - an approach that France and Belgium will both now put into play. Italy has escaped militant attacks so far and troops elsewhere have disarmed or killed would-be attackers - such as a knife-wielding assailant outside the Eiffel tower last month and a suitcase bomber in Brussels in June. But their effectiveness is hard to quantify, and attacks on men in uniform like that in Paris last month - with its familiar pattern of a car ploughing into its victims - has renewed fears they may draw fire or shoot in error. In France, three in four voters approve of street patrols, although nearly 40 percent doubt they are effective in combating terrorism. In Belgium, support for the military is 80 percent, up from 20 percent before the mission. "It's a PR operation: nothing more," said Wally Struys, a professor emeritus at Belgium Royal Military Academy. But Belgium's Thys and others see no end to the operations, which give the military an extra argument against years of declining budgets. "They are part of the landscape now," said Saad Amrani, chief commissioner and policy adviser of the Belgian Federal Police. "We depend on them." (Additional reporting by Sophie Louet and Laurence Frost in Paris, Antonella Cinelli in Rome, Alba Asenjo Dominguez in Madrid; Writing by Alissa de Carbonnel; Editing by Philippa Fletcher) By Tarek Amara TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisia's parliament on Wednesday approved a controversial law granting amnesty to officials accused of corruption during the rule of autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, triggering angry protests from the opposition and activists outside. Opposition lawmakers sang the national anthem and shouted slogans before the session was temporarily suspended. Outside, dozens of demonstrators chanted "This law will not pass" and "Whitewash corruption". The law was approved by 117 deputies. The opposition withdrew from the session in protest against the insistence of the ruling coalition on passing the law in an extraordinary session. "I congratulate you on the return of the dictatorial state and reconciliation with the corrupt," Ahmed Seddik a deputy of the Popular Front said. "Tunisians will not forgive you", he added. After months of protests, the bill was amended from an original draft which would have also granted amnesty to corrupt businessmen. As it stands, they will be liable to prosecution for crimes committed during Ben Ali's 24-year rule. Witnesses said police beat protesters who had shouted slogans against the President and the ruling parties Ennahda and Nidaa Tounes which supported the law. "The opposition no longer has a pretext, they resorted to unacceptable methods..They rejected democracy", Sofian Toubel a lawmaker of Nidaa Tounes said. Critics of the so-called "Economic Reconciliation" Law say it is a step back from the spirit of Tunisia's 2011 revolution to oust Ben Ali, who fled after weeks of protests against corruption and inequality. "This law is an advanced stage of counter-revolution," opposition lawmaker Ammar Amroussia said. TURNING THE PAGE? But government officials say the law helps to turn the page on the past, improves the climate for investment and gives confidence to the administration and officials. "The time has come to stop the isolation of those officials who could contribute to the building of the new Tunisia," said Mohamed Souf of the governing Nidaa Tounes party. "We must reconcile, as happened in South Africa and Rwanda." The bill was proposed by President Beji Caid Essebsi, himself a former Ben Ali official, and sent to parliament in 2015. But debate was postponed after criticism that the original bill benefited business elites tied to the government. At Wednesday's session, tensions flared between the ruling coalition and the opposition lawmakers, who said the Supreme Judicial Council had not yet given its answer after being consulted by the parliament on the legality of the bill. Despite the consensus between secular and Islamist parties that helped the country's transition towards democracy, the bill has divided Tunisians between those who want to draw a line under the past and those who say they must deal with past graft. Since the 2011 uprising, Tunisia has been held up by Western partners as a model of democracy for the region. Economic progress has lagged, though, and corruption remains a major problem in the North African state. (Reporting By Tarek Amara; editing by Patrick Markey and Ralph Boulton) Talks between Venezuela's government and opposition inched closer Wednesday as delegates from both sides began exploratory contacts with mediators in the Dominican Republic. Jorge Rodriguez, a close ally of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, said some progress had been made towards face-to-face negotiations. "We are very close to resolving many of the points on the agenda," he told reporters in the capital of the Caribbean state. The opposition delegation was expected to meet Dominican President Danilo Medina, who is trying to broker a breakthrough in the crisis along with ex-Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. The talks were announced late Tuesday by Maduro who told a cabinet meeting that he had accepted Medina and Zapatero's offer and would send Rodriguez with a delegation to the Dominican Republic. Rodriguez was accompanied his sister Delcy Rodriguez, who chairs the all-powerful Constituent Assembly, and the veteran Venezuelan diplomat Roy Chaderton. Rodriguez did not say if he expected to have a face-to-face meeting with the opposition delegation. One of the opposition delegates, Julio Borges, warned Wednesday that a formal dialogue would only be possible if Maduro accepted the opposition's conditions and if there was international involvement. The conditions include setting a timetable for elections and freeing political prisoners. Borges is speaker of the opposition-dominated parliament, which was superseded in July by the Constituent Assembly packed with Maduro allies. An opposition MP said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was seeking to broaden the international mediation in the talks. "Antonio Guterres is trying to form a group of countries that will mediate and guarantee a dialogue and compliance with the results," Henry Ramos Allup told reporters in Caracas. He said the proposal was that each side choose two countries to participate in the talks. Ramos Allup said, however, that the idea of extending the mediation process had not gone beyond a proposal at this point. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles, who has accused Zapatero of siding with the government, called for the Vatican and the UN to be involved in the talks process. The opposition walked out of the last negotiations, brokered by the Vatican last year, accusing the government of not fulfilling pledges made during the talks. - Conditional dialogue - A repeat of that failure in Santo Domingo would likely worsen the already catastrophic situation in Venezuela where Maduro had to weather a wave of opposition protests that left 125 people dead between April and July. The invitation by Medina and Zapatero "to move towards a process of negotiation and political accord" was welcomed by the governments of France and Spain, among several countries which have been heavily critical of Maduro. However, Spain's Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis warned that action by the Maduro government was needed, following talks with his Venezuelan counterpart Jorge Arreaza in Madrid. "It is not enough that the Venezuelan government expresses its desire to maintain a dialogue with the opposition," said Dastis. International powers accuse Maduro of dismantling democracy by taking over state institutions in a bid to counter opposition pressure for him to quit, amid an economic crisis that has caused shortages of food and medicine. They accused him of a blatant power grab in July with the formation of a Constituent Assembly packed with his allies, wresting legislative power from the opposition-dominated national assembly (PHOTO: Getty Images) Nur Fairuzana Ahmad and her husband were in the bedroom of their Punngol home when he played an audio message of his girlfriend saying I love you. When Muhammad Yasser Abdul Shukor replied in kind to the message, Fairuzana took a knife from the kitchen and stabbed him in the chest. The 30-year-old shipping company administrator pleaded guilty on Thursday (14 September) to one charge of voluntarily causing hurt to her husband on 17 April last year. The couple have been married for 14 years and have two children. Sometime earlier that year, Yaseer had confessed to his wife about his affair with a woman in the Philippines and made known his intention to take the woman as his second wife, said Fairuzanas lawyer Vigneesh Nainar. Fairuzana decided to stay with her husband, hoping that he would change his mind. In defending his clients actions, Vigneeesh also pointed to the alleged abuse Fairuzana had suffered at Yaseers hands over the years of their marriage. Struggle in the bedroom On the day of the incident, Yaseer had been exchanging texts with his girlfriend while Fairuzana was with him in the bedroom of their home. Angered by her husbands reply to the other womans message, Fairuzana snatched away the phone. Yasser managed to take it back, pushing Fairuzana onto the bed in the process. Fairuzana then left the room and later returned with a knife, whereupon she began shouting at Yasser before stabbing him in the chest. Yasser retaliated by grabbing her hand, causing Fairuzana to drop her knife. He then threw the knife out the window and called the police. Fairuzana was arrested and taken to the Institute of Mental health where she was later diagnosed with adjustment disorder. Yasser was conveyed to Changi General Hospital and was found to have a 3cm stab wound on the right side of his chest. Husband was abusive, says defence While the prosecution sought a two-month jail sentence for Fairuzana noting that she had used a dangerous weapon on her husband the defence sought a Mandatory Treatment Order (MTO) with probation instead. Those issued with MTOs are given mental health treatment in lieu of jail time. Story continues Fairuzanas lawyer said that the offence was not premeditated and that she had taken the knife into the bedroom out of fear of being attacked by her husband, whom she alleged as having been repeatedly violent towards her. Yasser had also antagonised Fairuzana after she returned to the bedroom with the knife, the defence said. He bullishly asked her what she thought she was going to do with the knife, and if she thought that he was afraid of her Our client was already distressed and her husbands bullish responses only exacerbated the argument, said Vigneesh. Throughout the couples 14 years of marriage, Yasser was also allegedly abusive towards Fairuzana, causing her to take out a personal protection order against him in 2012. In 2004, shortly after the birth of their first child, Yasser allegedly assaulted Fairuzana with a billiard cue to the extent that she was unable to walk. Between January and April last year, police had also been called to the couples residence three times, the defence added. On one occasion, Yaseer had allegedly attacked his wife by sitting on her and choking her while she was still undressed after a shower. On another occasion, Yasser had allegedly restrained Fairuzana and cut off her fringe in order to embarrass her. Her marriage to her husband was a tumultuous one where she endured both physical and emotional abuse throughout. Adultery, attempted suicide, violent beatings and constant taunting are just a few things that she had suffered in the years and weeks prior to the night of 17 April, said Vigneesh. Fairuzana has since moved out of her matrimonial home and is now living with her parents. She is currently undergoing therapy for her psychiatric condition and also decided to file for a divorce. The couples children have been placed under the care of Yaseers mother and, as of February, Fairuzana has been granted unsupervised access to them. Sentencing has been adjourned to 16 October for the court to assess Fairuzanas suitability for a MTO. For voluntarily causing hurt, Fairuzana could have been jailed up to two years and/or fined $5,000. Other Singapore stories: Cabby jailed 5 months, fined $1,000 over hit-and-run on AYE St Hildas Secondary School boys fight in classroom as adult watches Circles.Life to offer new iPhone models for $0 upfront Boarderco Irelands long serving skateboard company have added a new name to their roster in the form of original RampnRail and Ramp City local Stefan Manahan. To celebrate this fact they have released this banging three minute edit with Stefan holding it down on the streets of Dublin showing some proper tech abilities and fine pop power. Nice work boys keep up the good work. Filmed and edited by John Martin After weeks of buildup, Sen. Bernie Sanders has finally released his latest plan to create a single-payer health care system in the United States, tugging along 16 Democrats as co-sponsors of the Medicare-for-all legislation, many of whom appeared with him at a buoyant press conference Wednesday afternoon. On its face, the rollout was an impressive show of political support for an idea that, not so many years ago, was widely considered a patchouli-scented left-wing fantasy, on par with dragging George W. Bush before a war-crimes tribunal and cutting the defense budget in half. Advertisement But in some subtle ways, Wednesdays health care pep rally also showed what an uphill climb Medicare for all still faces, even among Democrats. The fact that one-third of Senate Democrats have now endorsed Sanders version of Medicare for all mostly affirms something thats been obvious for a while: Thanks to Americas favorite irascible socialist, single-payer health care is now a mainstream liberal policy idea. Even more telling is the number of potential 2020 contenders who have decided to get on board with the plan. Sens. Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, Cory Booker, and Elizabeth Warren each took turns at the podium Wednesday extolling the virtues of socialized health insurance. Such a scene that would have been utterly unimaginable eight years ago. Their support may or may not be 100 percent heartfelt, but its pretty clear where they think Democratic primary voters will be standing on this issue in four years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its also important that these senators have planted a flag on what they mean by Medicare for all. For months now, Democrats have been murmuring the phrase without fully defining it. Now, theyre getting specific. The new bill would not only extend Medicare to the entire population, butmuch like the plan Sanders campaigned onmake it dramatically more generous by eliminating co-pays and deductibles while adding benefits for dental and eye care. Its a truly all-encompassing vision of publicly financed government health care. And it will be extremely hard for other Democrats to brand less ambitious ideaseven interesting, Medicare-related ones, like blowing out Medicare Advantageas Medicare for all. But the reality is that 16 Democrats did not back a fully workable single-payer plan Wednesday. At best, they backed half of one. While the Sanders bill details how a Medicare for All system would work, it tap dances around the all-important question of how to pay for it. Advertisement The legislation itself does not include any taxes. Instead, its authors have written up a complementary white paper titled Options to Fund Medicare for All with a menu of tax hikes that add up to about $16.9 trillion over a decade (which, for what its worth, might not actually be enough to cover the cost of a single-payer system). That might give wonks a sense of what the bills backers are thinking. But it definitely gives the co-sponsors a convenient out from endorsing any specific tax increase that could be used against them in a campaign ad. More importantly, at least if youre a single-payer fan, it means they havent committed themselves to some of the more controversial trade-offs that would be necessary to make single-payer a reality. If four years from now Democrats win control of Washington, its entirely possible some of the politicians jumping on the Medicare for all bandwagon now will jump off once Congressional Budget Office scores start rolling in and they have to reckon with the actual cost, just as some Republicans have suddenly had second thoughts about repealing Obamacare now that theyve had to write a bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not especially surprising that Sanders & co. would choose to leave the sticky question of taxes for a later date. As the senator himself said, this legislation is just an appetizer designed to begin the debate about the future of health care and single-payer. The unveiling functioned as an early head count of Democrats who are at least enthusiastic about the idea in theory. At such an early stage, it would be political malpractice to alienate potential allies by forcing them to sign on to $17 trillion of carefully spelled out tax hikes when Democrats barely have enough power in Washington to rename a post office. And, to be sure, the senators who endorsed Sanders bill Wednesday did take some risks. The polling on single-payer is mixedthe Kaiser Family Foundation describes support as malleableand some voters are still going to hate the idea of giving up their current coverage for whatever plan Washington cooks up. Moreover, Wednesdays bill would reimburse doctors at current Medicare rates, which would save the government money but would surely arouse opposition from hospitals and some physician groups. The fact that Medicare for all is still controversial was probably best illustrated by the fact that one of the Senates most reliably progressive members, Ohios Sherrod Brown, declined to co-sponsor it. Its not much of a mystery why: Hes running for re-election next year in a state Donald Trump won by eight points and that has largely elected Republicans to statewide office in recent years. But Browns hesitation is a sign of the challenge single-payer supporters face. If the left wants to remake the entire U.S. health insurance system from the ground up, it will need the support of purple- and red-state Democrats. And as of now, it cant even get a died-in-the-wool, labor-loving progressive to support a fantasy bill that shunts inevitable tax hikes into a companion document. Medicare for all might be mainstream. But its got a long, long way to go before it becomes consensus. Admit it. Youve often wondered why its so hard to find excellent employees. You have probably spent a lot of time making sure that youre hiring the best talent available. It can be frustrating, right? It doesnt have to be. Part of attracting the best talent is building an attractive employer brand. Many business owners make the mistake of assuming that branding is about getting more customers. However, it is so much more than that. Sure, your company should have a unique brand that makes customers want to buy from you. But you should also focus on building an employer brand that makes people want to work for you. In this piece, you will learn what an employer brand is, and how to build a brand that will have people begging to work with your company. You can thank me later! What is an Employer Brand? So what is employer branding anyway? Its simple: employer branding is your companys reputation in relation to its employees. There are several different factors that make up a companys employer brand, but the bottom line is that it is the unique value your organization brings to its workers. Is your company known for innovation? Chances are, you will attract creative types who wish to find a better way to provide a benefit for your customers. Perhaps your company is known for its reliability. If this is the case, you might attract workers who excel at assuring customers that they can count on your business. You want to build a brand that attracts the type of talent you want. Use Social Media I know what youre thinking: Why does social media matter when it comes to attracting talent? Im so glad you asked. When youre considering hiring employees, chances are you look at their social media profiles to learn more about them. If this is the case, why wouldnt they do the same if they are thinking about working for you? This is why its important to use social media to develop your employer brand. Sure, online reviews are important, but your companys social media presence gives people more insight into how your company operates. It helps them understand your organizations personality. Does your business only post boring, self-promotional material? Even worse, are your posts out of date or sporadic? If youre going to entice potential employees, its important to not only use social media to engage with your customers. You also want to show what type of company you are. Instead of only posting promotional material, give your followers a behind-the-scenes look at your team. Post pictures of company events. Let some of your current employees create videos that discuss a particular subject. Not only will this make your prospective customers feel more connected to your brand. It will also get the attention of people who may be looking for employment. Keep Your Employees Engaged Wouldnt it be nice if the members of your team recruited top talent for you? It would certainly make it easier to get better people on your team, wouldnt it? Heres a secret: only engaged employees are willing to refer their friends to your company. Keeping your employees engaged means they will evangelize for your organization. If they enjoy working for you, they will be more likely to convince others to join your team. Luckily, keeping your employees engaged with your brand doesnt have to be difficult. There are several steps you can take to increase your employee engagement and many of these steps dont even cost anything. Some of these steps include: Flexible hours Early finish Fridays Gym memberships Free snacks Additional training Make sure your employees are engaged, and you will have no trouble getting better people for your team. Focus On Your Purpose This is something many companies neglect. While they excel at keeping their employees engaged, they dont do enough to create the right atmosphere. It is highly important to make sure that you are building a positive and productive culture. However, one of the most critical factors is to instill a sense of purpose in your employees. The idea is to show them that they are working for more than just money. Indeed, when your employees believe they are working towards something bigger than themselves, they will work harder. The key is to first define what your companys purpose is. Remember, your organization has to be about more than just making money. It has to accomplish a higher objective. Zappos provides an excellent example. Their primary focus is happiness. They dont just sell shoes, they make their customers and team members happy. Another great example is Tesla Motors. Yes, they sell electric cars, but their ultimate purpose has more to do with vehicles. Their mission is to reduce global carbon emissions by replacing conventional vehicles with electric cars that perform just as well, if not better. These companies are examples of a higher purpose with which anyone can connect. Do not forget that the issue isnt talking to your employees about how your company can earn more revenue. The issue is discussing what needs to be done to achieve your higher purpose. When prospective employees see that your company has a purpose with which they can relate, they will be far more likely to want to join your team. Summing It All Up We all know it isnt easy to attract talented workers. Depending on where your company is located, you might have stiff competition. The way you stand out from the competition is by developing a strong brand that provides a distinct benefit for those who choose to work with you. Start implementing the tips in this article and you will see how much happier your employees will become and how many more employees you will attract. The internet community is critical of the current system in which the national domain is not in the states hands. Font size: A - | A + The system Slovakia uses to administer its national internet domain is quite unique in the European Union, but it looks like it will not change soon. On the contrary, the state seems to be preserving the current state widely criticised by the internet community. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Investments and Informatisation signed an amendment to the contract with the private administrator of the national domain, SK-Nic, on August 4, much to the dismay of several subjects active in the internet environment. Moreover, the company will soon change owners, which in fact means that the domain will be administered from abroad. A private company does not have any rivals since the national domain .sk is a monopoly commodity, Ondrej Jombik, chair of the Association of Webhosting Providers (ZPW) and initiator of the NasaDomena.sk petition, explained to The Slovak Spectator. It has no reason to improve the services and decrease prices. This has been happening for the past 15 years. The situation would be different if the domain were administered by a non-profit organisation established by the state. The state has more control over the organisation, which can carry out actions and use profits only in a strictly defined way, Jombik added. In private hands The history of transferring the national domain .sk into private hands goes back to the 1990s. At the beginning, the national domain was administered by a group of enthusiasts at Comenius University in Bratislava who were authorised by the state. The administration of the domain with several hundreds of registered users was later moved under dubious conditions and without the knowledge of the administrators association to the company Eunet Slovakia in 1999. It later changed to Euroweb. It was bought by DanubiaTel in 2004, and changed its name to SK-Nic, the Euractiv.sk website reported. DanubiaTel is owned by the Slovak businessmen Juraj and Pavol Ondris, who have long been involved in the telecom business. Their assets include the Stvorka mobile operator as well as companies Swan and GlobalTel, which have built a system of electronic letterboxes and forms on the Slovensko.sk website for 50 million. The position of SK-Nic was confirmed in June 2006 by then-transport minister Pavol Prokopovic, who signed a non-cancellable agreement on administering the domain along with it. It stipulated that the company would receive payments for administering the domain, and would not pay anything into the budget. This changed only later, binding SK-Nic to investing part of the money into projects linked to the digital economy, the Sme daily reported. Read also: Read also: Slovak top domain .sk sold for 26 million euros Read more No changes expected The situation looks like it will not change in the near future. Thanks to the amendment, the legal relations between both parties were clearly defined. Moreover, it secures a fluid and transparent operation and monitoring of the system, said the Office of the Deputy PM for Investments and Informatisation, Peter Pellegrini. The amendment also claimed that the state has full control over the domains administration. But the representatives of the internet community are critical of the new amendment and say the state has lost control over the domain. The amendment is disadvantageous for the state and community, Michal Truban, founder of Websupport.sk and member of the state committee to administer the domain, told The Slovak Spectator. It is another way of preserving the current state. In Jombiks opinion, it seems that the state accepted the version of the agreement sent by DanubiaTel. Neither the state nor the internet community can influence the prices exclusively set by SK-Nic. The company can also determine the technical contract, which cannot be impacted by the state. As a result, the data of citizens and companies can be exported abroad, he added. Agreement still hard to cancel Moreover, Jombik and Truban point to the fact that the contract cannot be cancelled. They also complain that though they sent detailed comments on the deal, state did not accept them. Pellegrinis office, however, claims it had discussed the demands and proposals of various interest groups. The statements from the associations of companies trading the registration of domains for the media are expressing their own business and lobbyist interests, said the press department of Pellegrinis office, as quoted by the TASR newswire. Ondrej Macko, editor-in-chief of the TouchIT.sk website, opines that the amendment improves the states position. In theory, the agreement can be cancelled. Moreover, it defined contractual fines, and prevented the domain from being abused, he told The Slovak Spectator. Problematic change of ownership The internet community is also critical of the recent change of SK-Nics ownership. The Ondris brothers first transferred it to a Dutch firm they founded in December 2015. Most recently, they sold it to the CentralNic Group for 26 million. The company will now pay only 21.27 million. The payment of the remaining sum will depend on how growth targets are met in the next three years, Sme reported. The British company also administers the national domains of Armenia (.am); Laos (.la); the Caribbean isle of Curacao (.cx), and the Pacific island of Micronesia (.fm). Apart from national domains, it also administers 24 general internet domains, e.g. .love, .store, .xyz, .online and .wiki. ZPW says that the sale of the national domain abroad had been planned for some time. The association also opines that it could happen only with the active support of Pellegrinis office, which accepted the conditions of SK-Nics owners and signed the disadvantageous amendment to the existing contract with them. If the only aim was to sell the domain .sk abroad, it is regrettable that Peter Pellegrini deceived the internet community associated with the NasaDomena.sk petition, Jombik said, as quoted in a press release. By faking his will to cooperate and accept the demands of webhosting providers, operators and other subjects, he eventually laughed at our honest efforts. ZPW also says that by selling SK-Nic, the rules set by the international authority IANA were violated, as they require the permission of the local internet community when the national domain is transferred to new owners. Thus the association plans on turning to the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to check the transfer. How it should have worked A national domain being administered by a private company is not unique, though it is not typical for European Union countries. The only state apart from Slovakia where it works this way is Bulgaria. Observers, however, agree that it would be better if the domain was administered by the state. Jombik named several reasons for this. One of them is security risk. A private company can turn off the domain anytime it wants, which may cause the failure of important websites belonging to state administration, like Slovensko.sk. This may be done both intentionally and unintentionally. Neither of these cases can be prevented as the state cannot control a private company, Jombik said. It can only define the conditions in the agreement, which are very benevolent. Finances are also a problem. Currently, registration fees are going directly into the coffers of the private company. SK-Nic is profitable, with its revenues growing every year. Last year they amounted to 4.3 million, Sme wrote. The money should be used to improve the domain, but the company has neglected this for 15 years, Jombik said, adding that even though it has to contribute 5 percent of the revenues to community projects, it cannot be proven how this sum has been used. The system in Slovakia should work similarly to the Czech one, observers agree. The domain is administered by the non-profit association CZ.NIC. The registration of domains is cheaper and the money is returned to the community, which later uses it for conferences or open-source projects. It would be ideal if the state had all the powers of the domains registrar, Macko said. The domains would be simply registered from the computer without any administrative obstacles, while all registration profits would go to the state. New UVO head Miroslav Hlivak described as a new blood for the institution. Font size: A - | A + Parliament has elected lawyer, Miroslav Hlivak, as the new head of the Public Procurement Office (UVO). He received 78 votes from 104 MPs present in the September 13 ballot, while 21 deputies were against and five abstained from the vote. Five votes were invalid. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement He will replace current UVO head Zita Taborska on September 14, the SITA newswire wrote. Hlivak was chosen by the government out of nine candidates, after being publicly heard. He has not worked for the office before. We think it will be good to have new blood at the UVO, if there is somebody with practical experience who will look at its activities from sideways on, said Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer), as quoted by the TASR newswire. During his public hearing, Hlivak said he wants to focus on three main pillars: the professionalisation of the UVO, the predictability of its actions and decisions, and the education of a new generation of experts in public procurement. If we want to talk about these pillars, if we want the system of public procurement to progress, we have to define clearly that we consider public procurement to be in the public interest, Hlivak stressed during his presentation, as quoted by TASR. He plans to optimise the work of the UVO, and also create a professional organisation for public procurement, similar to the ones notaries, barristers and distrainors have. The nominee from the Comenius Universitys Law Faculty denies any connections with the ruling Most-Hid party, as was hinted at by some opposition politicians, and said he had not met with any politicians in connection with his candidacy for the UVO post, TASR reported. Selection questioned After being selected by the government, the Sme daily reported that Hlivaks victory has already been known about for several weeks. The Pravda daily even described him as favourite weeks before the public hearing. Hlivak is working for the Soukenik Strpka law firm, one of the largest law firms in the country. It is known by big companies and also households as it often recovers claims of mobile providers. He claims in his CV that he has been helping several state companies with public procurements, including the Slovak Electricity Transmission Network (SEPS), Vodohospodarska Vystavba, and the freight railway carrier Cargo Slovakia, Sme wrote. In the case of Vodohospodarska Vystavba, Hlivak dealt with taking charge of the Gabcikovo hydro-electric power plant from the managerial control of Italian Enel. He represented the state company in a court dispute over the invalidity of the agreement to run the power plant due to its conflict with the public procurement law. The victory in the case pleased mostly Fico, Sme reported. In the wake of Jaroslav Reznik replacing Vaclav Mika as head of public television and radio RTVS, the head of the news team as well as some of its members are being replaced as well. Font size: A - | A + The incumbent head of RTVS news, Lukas Diko, is ending with his position, the Sme daily informed on September 14. The new manager of the newscast, sport and publicity section of public TV and Radio, RTVS, will be Juraj Rybansky, starting on September 15. Rybansky has worked in Slovak Radio since 1995 where he held several jobs like journalist, host and head of roadcasting the SITA newswire, public Slovak TV station, political talk show, and in the past five years as spokesman for the ministries. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The recently appointed RTVS head Jaroslav Reznik thanked Diko and said, as quoted by Sme, that for the news team he has selected experienced professionals who perceive public newscast as a crucial part of the information flow on public events, in order to boost this aspect of RTVS. For his part, Rybansky is bringing other people to his team, e.g. Boris Chmel, to lead the newscast department as of September 23. Chmel started his career in the Sme daily, and later worked in Slovak Radio (SRo), the news-only private TV channel TA3, the Pravda daily (as main editor) and again in SRo and RTVS. He said, as cited by Sme, that he had worked in media for more than 17 years, mostly for public media. Recently, he has been the spokesman for the Rescue Service Operation Centre, receiving two awards for the Best Spokesperson of the Year. Near the municipality of Pribylina, a tourist attraction and art have been combined by local hoteliers and volunteers. Font size: A - | A + More information about travelling in Slovakia Please see our Please see our Spectacular Slovakia travel guide In the Rackova Dolina valley near the village of Pribylina, an interesting new concept has arisen, from the idea and work results of local hoteliers and volunteers. It combines a tourist attraction with art, the TASR newswire wrote. Aimed at promoting the valley in different locations, six four-metre high wooden statues will gradually be placed here. The first two are already going up. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement The Drevuliaci project (wood is drevo in Slovak) is bieng implemented without EU funds or agencies promoting tourism, head of the Community Foundation Liptov, Jana Mrlianova, told TASR. The statues have a story behind them and are connected to the past, current times and the legends of Rackova Dolina and the Liptov area, she added. video //www.youtube.com/embed/t6etdvg6iLE The project is also under the patronage of Michal Hanula and students from the School of Applied Art in Ruzomberok. The statues will follow the route around the valley. But the plan is to make the route a circle and add four more statues to be placed on a hiking path and some even hidden in the forest. In the future, we want to make a route of about 10 kilometres, which would be accessible by car, as a whole for pedestrians, cyclists and skiers. However, we only have funding for the first six statues, Mrlianova explained. The wooden angel, "drevuljak". in Rackova Dolina valley. (Source: TASR) Tourists can currently take pictures with the statue of an angel who used to guard Tatra inhabitants, as well as the communist version of a Girl Scout pionier/pionierka called Vierka. The four others to follow are a resting mushroom-collecting hiker, a lazy mushroom-collecting hiker and a frog on water spring. The sixth statue remains a mystery. President Andrej Kiska refuses to show contracts and invoices related to his pre-election campaign expenditures. Font size: A - | A + Following allegations of misconduct, the proper way for a politician to handle the situation is to stand before public, explain and answer questions. That is how president Andrej Kiska launched his September 12 press conference related to the leaked results from the tax inspection in his company KTAG. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement I have nothing to hide, Kiska told the press. The leaked documents show that KTAG unjustifiably counted 136,000 into its expenditures, meaning it paid 27,000 less on taxes. The company acknowledged and expressed regret for the deed and subsequently paid the tax. So the issue is not viewed as a crime, according to law. Kiska and the company representatives considered their accounting records to be normal and were not trying to evade taxes, the president stated. He added that it is quite common in Slovakia for the tax office and companies to have a different opinion on what can be considered expenditures and what not. Yet his answers raised even more questions: Why did he not tell the public earlier and not apologise for that? Will he publish all related contracts and invoices? And how it is possible that a company with 24 years of experience does not know that a presidential campaign cannot be counted into its expenditures, according to Transparency International (TIS)? A day after the press conference Kiska refused to comment on the issues, saying that he considers this case closed. We appreciate his repeated appeals and steps to introduce a real fight against corruption, TIS commenting on the case on its Facebook page. Were disappointed by his explanation in this case of proven tax fraud, however. However, days after the press conference the anonymous source leaked more details about the tax inspection. The President condemned the use of the financial authoritys documents in a political conflict. Officers approaching the Kiska brothers An anonymous person sent an e-mail to several media outlets on September 11, containing a Financial Administration protocol and police statement related to tax evasion of 27,000 dating back in 2014. Tax officers from Presov announced a tax inspection for KTAG in December 2015, when Kiska was at the office for 18 months. The tax officers claimed in October 2016 that KTAG violated the law as it had unjustifiably counted 136,000 into its expenditures, meaning that it paid 27,000 less on taxes. KTAG is owned by Kiska and his brother Jaroslav, along with Eduard Kuckovsky as its legal representative. The company focused mainly on travelling but later started to rent out buildings. The questioned sum was related to companys expenditures on Kiskas presidential campaign, including advertisements, billboards, media advisors, etc. The tax officers also investigated expenditures on business trips taken by Kiska and an authorised KTAG representative, Eduard Kuckovsky. The company acknowledged and expressed regret for the deed and subsequently paid the tax. The tax officers informed the police about the case. Though the police launched an investigation at the beginning of this year, they closed it after two months. A crime occurred and was committed by a certain person, but by dealing with the damages there is no longer any crime, reads the leaked police report. Tax law permits an entity involved in tax evasion to express effective regret, even immediately after the investigation is concluded, in order to avoid prosecution. Incompetence or fraud KTAG was accounting the campaign expenses related to contracts it had with various companies and people. When the tax office questioned its accounting register the company even considered defending itself in court, according to Kiska. KTAG representative Mr Kuckovsky informed me about it and we were considering it [filling a lawsuit against the tax office], Kiska told the press, but we had similar disputes with tax offices in the past and considering my experience I stated that it would be pointless. Such an explanation is not trustworthy because it is obvious that a presidential campaign is not a regular activity of the company, according to TISs head Gabriel Sipos. I dont believe that this is incompetence, Sipos told The Slovak Spectator. Of course, more likely someone was trying [to see how far he can get]. He went on that Kiska should have assumed moral responsibility and publicly apologised for the wrongdoing of his company. Transparent campaign There is still the question of whether apart from tax fraud, former presidential candidate Kiska did not violate the law on election campaign funding and whether he reported all his expenditures or whether he did not perhaps violate the legal limit for the campaign. This could be verified if the president showed the public all invoices and orders paid by his company for the campaign, stated TIS. President Kiska paid 250,593 for his official election campaign and 1,095,482 on a previous information campaign from his own finances, which he invested into KTAG in 2005. Even the Finance Ministry and independent auditor checked the campaign funding, stated the presidents spokesperson Roman Krpelan. Thanks to Andrej Kiska, for the first time the public has learned the real expenditures for an election campaign, Krpelan told The Slovak Spectator. Yet Kiska refused to show the documents demanded by TIS. The Slovak Spectator approached Kuckovsky as well but he refused to comment on the case. More documents On September 14, the anonymous source identifying itself only as dissatisfied tax office employees and signed as Yegor sent another part of the protocol to journalists, from a Ukrainian email address. Tax officials minutely describe each checked item connected with the presidential campaign. There is also a note that the Tax Office called on KTAG, owned by Kiska, to explain why these activities were included in operational expenses, and that the firm was not able to sufficiently justify them, the Sme daily wrote. The President subsequently met with Finance Minister Peter Kazimir for an explanation as to how information from the Financial Administration, protected by law, can leak through anonymous emails from Ukraine. After the meeting Kazimir stated that the ministry had identified the people who had access to the files. The police is still investigating the leaks. Press offices received other documents related to KTAG from an anonymous source on September 19. But they contained only two pages of what looks like the criminal complaint of the tax office against KTAG with no new relevant information. Despite the leaks the President is refusing to disclose all contracts and invoices related to the campaign. The Parliaments Financial Committee announced that it will check Kiskas campaign funding. Targeting the president Besides its criticism, TIS stated that the anonymous and selective publishing of information from tax inspections is a problem, adding that the attack against the president was hardly accidental. Kiska recently criticised former education minister Peter Plavcan for his poor explanations concerning the scandal involving the distribution of eurofunds. If classified documents are used against countrys citizens, these are gangland practices, according to Kiska. If a head of state can be attacked in such a way, no single person in Slovakia can be sure that such gangland-style blackmailing practices are not being used against him or her, Kiska said in his video statement. The president stated that it is unacceptable for Financial Administration documents to be exploited in a political competition. Also Financial Administration has approached the police to investigate the leak. Its another attempt to involve Financial Administration in political competition, administrations spokesperson Patricia Macikova told the Sme daily. It is unacceptable that information under tax secrecy is being used and exploited. Out of all EU countries, Slovaks are most likely to find a partner at university or work. Font size: A - | A + Slovaks lead in professional homogamy they tend to choose their partner from the same or similar field of study or profession, showed research from the independent think-tank CERGE EI. Out of the EU countries, Slovakia comes in at first place on the chart, followed by Germany and Greece. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Scientists examined 680,000 men and women from 24 EU countries that graduated from university in the years 1993 2013. They focused also on the level of education, field of study and field of study of the partner. The analysis included pairs that share a common household (128,040 pairs), 75 percent of whom are married, the portal Trend.sk wrote. Scientists created index H to measure the effect of professional homogamy. It is the proportion between the real number of homogamic pairs in comparison with the hypothesis that those pairs could meet accidentally. If index H is 100 percent, it means there is double the probability that a pair will be professionally homogamic in comparison with random professional matching. The value of index H ranges between 56 percent in Lithuania and 142 percent in Slovakia. When taking school into consideration, scientists found out that matching is influenced by the composition of students at the faculties. For example, in technical fields, where 80 percent of the students are men, it is almost impossible for them to find partner in that field. On the other hand, the 20 percent of women have many potential partners there. So women who studied traditionally male fields, created homogamic pairs in 60.5 percent of the cases, Trend.sk stated. Read also: Read also: More than half of Slovaks are satisfied with their salary Read more A big percentage of these pairs meet at law or medical faculties which is one of reason why the so-called lawyers, teachers or doctors families arise. For medical studies, most students are women and the probability that their future husband will be a doctor is high. If they do not find a partner in school, they will probably look for a doctor in a hospital. The rate of homogamic pairs is only 22.3 percent in more balanced fields of study, Trend.sk wrote. A second possibility are pairs who meet on the job, especially at work-places sorted by fields of study. Hospitals again stand as examples, as do IT companies and schools. While in the first years after graduation love interests from university dominate, later people search for a partner primarily at work. This research has a significant meaning, according to scientists because it influences various phenomenon in society. Working fields differ in salaries, so in a country with a high percentage of professional homogenic relationships, the socioeconomic difference between families increases. Those families are more sensitive to changes in the labour market and during an economic crisis when it is possible that the family will lose the income of both of partners, Trend.sk stated. The system will be integrated in Swedish combat vehicles. Font size: A - | A + Slovakia will produce the new gun barrels for the automotive mortars used by the Swedish army. The Konstrukta company produces 84 pieces of the 120-mm barrels specially modified to fulfil the requirements of the Mjolner system. The system will be integrated in the CV90 combat vehicles of the Swedish army. Supply is planned from December 2017 to July 2020, informed BAE Systems. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement BAE Systems signed a contract with Konstrukta, the military technology company in Slovakia that constructs artillery systems aiming to produce barrels for the Mjolner mortar system, said the company as quoted by the TASR newswire. Another Slovak producer ZTS Metalurg supplies steel for the barrels. BAE Systems also cooperates with several Slovak companies to offer the Commander SK radio detection system. Its an efficient, mobile or partly static 3D radar with medium or distant coverage aimed at searching airspace, the company added for TASR. BAE Systems is an international company dealing in the fields of defence, air force and security. Read also: WellCare Health Plans, Inc. provides government-sponsored managed care services. The company operates in three segments: Medicaid Health Plans, Medicare Health Plans, and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs). The Medicaid Health Plans segment offers plans for beneficiaries of temporary assistance for needy families, supplemental security income, and aged blind and disabled residents; and other state-based programs, such as children's health insurance programs and long-term services and supports programs for qualifying families who are not eligible for Medicaid. The Medicare Health Plans segment provides Medicare, a federal program that provides eligible persons aged 65 and over, as well as some disabled persons with a range of hospital, medical, and prescription drug benefits; Medicare Advantage, a Medicare's managed care alternative to the original Medicare program, which offers individuals standard Medicare benefits directly through Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; and coordinated care plans that are administered through health maintenance organizations and require members to seek health care services and select a primary care physician from a network of health care providers. The Medicare PDPs segment provides Medicare part D PDP plans to Medicare-eligible beneficiaries. Its PDP plans offer national in-network prescription drug coverage, including a preferred pharmacy network. As of December 31, 2018, the company served approximately 5.5 million members in the United States. WellCare Health Plans, Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Tampa, Florida. The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 13125882 Canada Inc., 211 E. Russell Road LLC, 4458664 Canada Inc., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES ASIA PTE. LTD., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES BORROWER S.C.A., ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES LLC, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES MIDDLE EAST FZE, ACCUDYNE INDUSTRIES SERVICES LIMITED, ASTRUM IT GmbH, Accudyne Industries Acquisition S.A r.l, Accudyne Industries Canada Inc., Accudyne Industries S.A r.l., Air Dimensions, Air Dimensions Inc., Albin Pump SAS, BOC Edwards Global Low pressure Air business, CISA S.p.A., Cameron-Centrifugal Compression, Comercial Ingersoll-Rand (Chile) Limitada, Comingersoll-Comercio E Industria De Equipamentos S.A., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Dosatron International SAS, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Proprietary Limited, FlexEnergy Holdings LLC, Frigoblock Grosskopf Gmbh, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First (UK) Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings II Inc., GD Global Holdings Inc., GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., GPS Industries, Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp (Canada), Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Limited, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica SL, Gardner Denver Inc., Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver International Inc., Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Investments Inc., Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan Ltd., Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte. Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia s.r.o., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH (f/k/a ILMVAC GmbH), Gardner Denver Thomas Inc., Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Ghh-Rand Schraubenkompressoren Gmbh, HASKEL EUROPE LTD., HASKEL HOLDINGS UK LIMITED, HASKEL INTERNATIONAL LLC, Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, Haskel France SAS, Haskel Sistemas de Fluidos Espana S.R.L., Hibon Inc., Highspeed Newco LLC, Hingerose Limited, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, INGERSOLL RAND ITS JAPAN LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND (CHANG ZHOU) TOOLS CO. LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND (CHINA) INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING CO. LTD., INGERSOLL-RAND CHINA LLC, INGERSOLL-RAND COMERCIO E SERVICOS DE MAQUINAS E EQUIPAMENTOS INDUSTRIAIS LTDA., INGERSOLL-RAND DE PUERTO RICO INC., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL COMPANY B.V., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL SP. Z O.O., INGERSOLL-RAND INDUSTRIAL U.S. INC., INGERSOLL-RAND PHILIPPINES INC., INGERSOLL-RAND SPAIN S.A., INGERSOLL-RAND U.S. HOLDCO INC., IR HPS Holdco. Inc., ITO Emniyet, Ingersoll Rand Cyprus Investments Ltd., Ingersoll Rand Finance LLC, Ingersoll Rand Global Investments LLC, Ingersoll Rand Global Ventures LLC, Ingersoll Rand Hong Kong Investments Limited, Ingersoll Rand Inc., Ingersoll Rand Investments (SG) Pte. Ltd., Ingersoll Rand Investments B.V., Ingersoll Rand Schweiz Investments Gmbh, Ingersoll Rand Technology R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand (Australia) Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand (China) Investment Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (Guilin) Tools Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (Hong Kong) Holding Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand (India) Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Ab, Ingersoll-Rand Air Solutions Hibon Sarl, Ingersoll-Rand Beteiligungs Und Grundstucksverwaltungs Gmbh, Ingersoll-Rand Colombia S.A.S., Ingersoll-Rand Company Limited (Uk), Ingersoll-Rand Company South Africa (Pty) Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Cz S.R.O., Ingersoll-Rand De Mexico S.A. De C.V., Ingersoll-Rand Equipements De Production S.A.S., Ingersoll-Rand Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Industrial Ireland Limited, Ingersoll-Rand International (India) Private Limited, Ingersoll-Rand International Holding Llc, Ingersoll-Rand Italia S.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Italiana Manufacturing S.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Korea Holding Llc, Ingersoll-Rand Korea Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Lux Investments II S.A R.I., Ingersoll-Rand Lux Investments S.A R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Luxembourg Industrial Company S.A R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Machinery (Shanghai) Company Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Malaysia Co. Sdn. Bhd., Ingersoll-Rand S.A. De C.V., Ingersoll-Rand Services And Trading Limited Liability Company, Ingersoll-Rand Services Company, Ingersoll-Rand Services Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Singapore Enterprises Pte. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand South East Asia (Pte.) Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand Superay Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Technical And Services S.A.R.L., Ingersoll-Rand Technologies And Services Private Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Technology R&D (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand Tool Holdings Limited, Ingersoll-Rand Trading Gmbh, Ingersoll-Rand Vietnam Company Limited, Instrum Rand JSC, Interflex Datensysteme, Ir Canada Holdings Ulc, Ir Canada Sales & Service Ulc, Ir France Sas, Kryptonite corp, Lawrence Factor Inc., LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MILTON ROY (HONG KONG) LIMITED, MILTON ROY (UK) LIMITED, MILTON ROY EUROPA B.V., MILTON ROY EUROPE SAS, MILTON ROY INDUSTRIAL (SHANGHAI) CO. LTD., MILTON ROY LLC, MILTON ROY US PURCHASER INC., MP Pumps Inc., Maximum AG Technologies Inc., Maximus Solutions, Mb Air Systems Limited, Nash Elmo, Officina Meccaniche Industriali Srl, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Plurifilter D.O.O., Pt Ingersoll-Rand Indonesia, Robuschi, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, SEEPEX, Seepex (M) SDN, Seepex Australia Pty Ltd, Seepex Beteiligungs-Gesellschaft mit Beschrankter Haftung, Seepex France S.a.r.l., Seepex GmbH, Seepex Inc., Seepex India Private Ltd., Seepex Italia SRL, Seepex Japan Co. Ltd., Seepex Nordic A/S, Seepex OOO, Seepex Pumps (Shanghia) Co. Ltd., Seepex UK Ltd., Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Shanghai Ingersoll-Rand Compressor Limited, Shenzhen Bocom System Engineering Co., Superay, Syltone, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, Tamrotor Marine Comp AS Norway, Tecno Matic Europe s.r.o., Thomas Industries Inc., Trane Technologies, Tri-Continent Scientific Inc., Vacuum and Blower Systems division, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zaxe Technologies Inc., Zeks Compressed Air Solutions Llc, Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, Zinsser NA Inc., and crayon interface. Read More By Joshua Franklin ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland's banking lobby on Thursday called on the government to end talks with the European Union about continued EU budget contributions unless Brussels recognises Swiss finance rules as equivalent with EU laws. Equivalency is one of the ways through which banks in Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU, gain limited EU market access in some business areas. Swiss Bankers Association (SBA) Chief Executive Claude-Alain Margelisch said Switzerland's proposed rules were suitably in line with the EU's sweeping revision of its securities rules, MiFID II, and saw "no reason for the EU member states to deny Switzerland recognition of equivalency". However, according to prepared remarks SBA Chairman Herbert Scheidt said the EU "is still moving much too slowly" on the equivalence question. "The association advocates open markets and insists on recognition by the EU of equivalence for relevant Swiss laws," the SBA said in a statement. "If equivalence in the area of finance cannot be provided, no in-depth discussions should be conducted with the EU about the cohesion contribution." Switzerland's voluntary cohesion payments to the EU budget have in the past helped fund development projects in eastern European EU members, but the Bern government said in June it was still weighing whether to keep making such payments. The MiFID II law injects more transparency into stock, bond and commodities markets, and requires more derivatives to be traded on a platform, rather than privately between banks, to apply lessons from the 2007-09 financial crisis. While crafting the Swiss version, FIDLEG and FINIG, Swiss lawmakers have been trying to find the balance between making them tough enough to comply with the EU standard and loose enough so the rules are not too burdensome on banks. Switzerland is home to more than 200 banks, including giants UBS and Credit Suisse . (Reporting by Joshua Franklin; Editing by Michael Shields) LONDON (Reuters) - British foreign minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday he believed that Libya's plans to work towards elections in 2018 were probably "the right timescale". In July, rival leaders pledged in Paris to work towards elections in 2018 and a conditional ceasefire. U.N. Libya envoy Ghassan Salame said constitutional and electoral laws would have to be written to ensure any vote brought lasting change. "Would it be premature to hold the elections within a year? I happen to think that could be about the right timescale," Johnson told a joint news conference with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. "It is very important however, that you don't do it too fast and that you get the political groundwork done first," he added. "There has to be a constitution, there has to be an accepted basis for those elections to take place." (Reporting by William James, writing by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Stephen Addison) Newsflare Hundreds of bikers gathered for a Remembrance Sunday event in Yorkshire on 13 November. The bikers came together to pay their respects to veterans and those who have died in past conflicts. It was part of the Yorkshire Ride of Remembrance, which is an event held annually from a bikers cafe near Sherburn-in-Elmet. The event is held at the Squires Bikers Cafe Bar by volunteers who help raise money for good causes. A two-minute silence was held at 11am with one biker playing The Last Post on his bugle, before over 400 bikes, tricycles and scooters proceeded out in convoy to Hemingbrough in Selby, where a church remembrance service was held. The route was 'L plate' (learner biker)-friendly, to allow non-experienced riders to take part too. EM Drive Dreams: Space Exploration Implications of Working NASA EM Drive NASAs much-hyped EM Drive often described as a Warp Drive made shockwaves around the world, with a propulsion system which seems to defy the laws of physics. But now China has claimed that it has its own version and its already working. A video put out by a Chinese propaganda channel claims that Chinese scientists have a working prototype something NASA has failed to achieve. MOST POPULAR STORIES FROM YAHOO UK Hurricane Harvey: Mum donates her own breast milk to victims in Texas This video of a cheeky dog stealing a snack live on TV has won the internet for today Staffordshire Bull Terrier which mauled its owner to death had eaten crack cocaine British Red Cross not diverse enough to deal with Grenfell Tower tragedy Theresa May pleads with Donald Trump to save jobs at Bombardier The video claims that a working drive has been developed by CAST scientist Dr Chen Yue at Chinas space agency. The engine works by bouncing microwaves around inside an enclosed container and could revolutionise space travel, allowing spaceships to reach Mars in weeks. The engine has no exhaust, and would outperform any current booster used in space and NASA tests showed surprising results last year. Last year, a team from the China Academy of Space Technology said that NASAs results re-confirm their own work and plan to use the drive in satellites as quickly as possible. If the EM drive works, it could revolutionise space travel. The proposed engine works by bouncing microwaves around inside an enclosed container, and the idea was first mooted by British researcher Roger Shawyer. But many researchers have said the idea is impossible. Steven Thomson of the University of St Andrews wrote, The EMDrive is designed to be a closed system that doesnt emit any particles or radiation. It cannot possibly generate any thrust without breaking some seriously fundamental laws of physics. To put it bluntly, its like trying to pull yourself up by your shoelaces and hoping youll levitate. (This Sep. 11 story corrects to million from billion in paragraph 12) By Prak Chan Thul and Matthew Tostevin PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Accused of plotting treason with Cambodia's detained opposition leader, the U.S. embassy posted a picture of a red herring on its Facebook page. The cryptic suggestion that the accusations were false - a mystifying reference for many Cambodians - was followed by further posts on Monday showing how U.S. aid was helping to preserve temples and forests. Those posts also underscored the big difference between aid from the United States and aid from China, whose greater support for big ticket projects has helped allow Prime Minister Hun Sen to brush off criticism over the arrest of election rival Kem Sokha. Not only is China vastly outspending the United States in a country once destroyed by Cold War superpower rivalry, but its money goes on highly visible infrastructure projects and with no demands for political reform. U.S. aid goes more towards social projects and trying to build democracy - unwanted interference for the government of a prime minister who has ruled for over 30 years. "Taking aid doesn't mean they can order us to do what they want. We aren't their ally. We aren't their slave," government spokesman Phay Siphan told Reuters. "The Chinese always support us in economic growth and they never interfere in our decisions." The U.S. embassy made no immediate comment. Cambodia has dismissed U.S. and Western criticism of the Sept. 3 arrest of opposition leader Kem Sokha. China has backed Hun Sen. "To ensure the security of Cambodia, China will cooperate with Cambodia in all circumstances," Wang Jiarui, vice chairman of China's national assembly, said in Phnom Penh last week, according to the official Cambodian record. The support doesn't only run one way. China relies on Cambodia in Southeast Asian meetings on issues such as its claims in the South China Sea. In Cambodia, China's military has also gained a strategic foothold. Figures from Cambodia's overseas development aid database show how important China has become. It accounted for nearly 36 percent of $732 million listed in bilateral aid for 2016 - nearly four times as much as from the United States. Most of the rest is from other Western countries, whose protests have also been dismissed. INVESTMENT GIANT The disparity is even starker in investment. China provided nearly 30 percent of investment capital in Cambodia last year - more than Cambodians themselves. The United States accounted for only just over three percent. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed aid cuts have pointed to a possible 70 percent reduction in U.S. assistance to Cambodia from 2018, according to a draft proposal. What Cambodia gets from the United States and China is very different. Chinese projects include roads, bridges, irrigation systems, electrical transmission infrastructure and dams. The list of U.S. projects is much longer, but they are much smaller: in education, health, conservation as well as efforts to build democracy which grate on the government. The U.S. funded National Democratic Institute (NDI) pro-democracy group was expelled last month and accused of conspiring to help bring down Hun Sen - a charge rejected by the NDI and the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). "The fact the government has been criticised by Western donors over the recent crackdown just means Cambodia is becoming more dependent on China," said Ou Virak of the Future Forum think tank. The United States is a much bigger export market than China, particularly for Cambodia's garment factories, but the United States has not publicly suggested it could use trade to bring pressure for democratic change. Kem Sokha's deputy, Mu Sochua, said aid that did not include conditions on human rights did not serve Cambodia well. "Cambodia needs China, it needs America, it needs democracy to pull it out of many years of poverty," she told Reuters. But Cambodia depends much less on aid than it did. This year will mark the seventh year of near 7 percent growth or above - a fact Hun Sen often points to in a country he took over after the devastating "killing fields" genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge, in which he was once a commander. World Bank figures show overseas development assistance fell from over 120 percent of central government expenditure in 2002 to barely 32 percent in 2015. Per capita gross domestic product rose from less than $340 in 2002 to nearly $1,300 last year. Dismissing U.S. interference in a speech on Monday, Hun Sen threatened a possible ban on the opposition party. Then he took a plane for Beijing where he said he would seek money for the health sector - an area dominated by Western donors until now. (Writing by Matthew Tostevin; Editing by Nick Macfie) By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is determined to go on preventing migrants setting off from the coast of Libya, interior ministers said on Thursday, despite criticism from rights advocates who say the strategy is aggravating human suffering. After more than two years struggling to stem the flow of refugees and migrants from the Middle East and Africa, the European Union is cautiously hopeful it is finally in control. A 2016 deal with Turkey effectively closed one major migratory route and this year Italy has led the EU's efforts to curb sea crossings from Libya, supplying money, equipment and training for Libya's border and coast guard and striking deals with local groups in control on the ground in a country still largely lawless after the 2011 death of Muammar Gaddafi. Mediterranean crossings have dropped from nearly 28,000 people in June to below 10,000 in August, according to U.N. data. Sources told Reuters late last month a new armed group on Libya's coast was stopping migrant boats from leaving. Human rights groups decry the EU's support for Libya's Prime Minister Fayez Seraj and allied militias who run migrant detention centres they have compared to concentration camps. The top U.N. human rights official said the EU strategy was "very thin on the protection of the human rights of migrants inside Libya and on the boats, and silent on the urgent need for alternatives to the arbitrary detention of vulnerable people." To offset that, the bloc has stepped up financing for the U.N. agencies for migration (IOM) and refugees (UNHCR) to have them try to improve conditions for migrants inside Libya. But it is not changing tack on trying to keep them there. "If we look at the flows of migrants across the Mediterranean a few months ago and now, the decrease in illegal migration has been big in numbers," Estonia's Interior Minister Andres Anvelt said ahead of talks in Brussels with his EU peers. "We'll have a discussion about how to have this success story going on." "TRUST IN ITALY" Germany's Thomas de Maiziere told reporters: "I'm happy that the number of people sent across the Mediterranean by the smugglers to Italy has really fallen in the last two months ... These developments need to be carried on." "We really need to work to ensure that many people simply do not make the trip across the desert to Libya. The neighbourhood policy with Africa is very important for a sustainable decline in migrants coming to Italy." After struggling to come up with a strategy on Libya, the EU has increasingly let Italy, Libya's former colonial power, take the lead. Interior Minister Marco Minniti has led those efforts, curbing the sea operations of non-governmental aid groups and striking deals with Libyan mayors to fight people-trafficking, among other moves. Rome has also played a central role in training the Libyan coast guard, which has been accused of abuses, including shooting at aid workers trying to rescue migrants. The EU has denied that any of its funding goes to the militia in the coastal city of Sabratha, which has often prevented migrants from departing for Europe by locking them up. But a senior EU diplomat said the EU's strategy was complex. "It is hard to know exactly what is going on in Libya. We have increasingly entrusted Italy with doing the job there, we give them money. There would never be any proof of EU money going directly to some armed group somewhere," the person said. "Some of the methods may seem controversial. But there is also preventing loss of life at the sea and political stability in Italy to consider. We shouldn't be too judgmental." (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) SWNS

An incredible back garden boozer made entirely from recycled materials has been crowned Britain's best Pub Shed of the Year.

John Simmons, 50, spent more than a year and constructing the amazing DIY man-cave in his garden in Portsmouth, Hants.

It features its own dart board, wooden decor, countryside-pub style seating, a roof covered in fairy lights and even its own outdoor beer garden and decking area.

He built the miniature pub - called The Dog & Ball - from as much reclaimed material he could find from salvage yards and a Facebook page for pub shed enthusiasts.

John sourced, cut, sanded and fixed every timber and tting himself as well all 4,500 screws.

The dad-of-three beat off more than a thousand entries to be named the owner of Britain's best Pub Shed 2022.

He celebrated the win in his garden pub last night (12/11) with friends and said he was thrilled to be crowned the winner.

John started building the boozer last year and said he wanted a 'haven at home' he could enjoy that was cheaper than the pub.

Avid DIY-er John, a safety management consultant, said the pub cost four figures to build but would have been much more expensive had he not used reclaimed materials.

Wife Anita, 49, put the finishing touching to the Dog & Ball - named after their Labradoodle Bertie, aged seven and the pair enjoyed celebrating with kids Libby, 23, Jacob, 19, and Evie, 12.

John said: It has all been rather overwhelming, but I am chuffed to bits.

We had 18 friends over last night to celebrate the final and it was fantastic to find out I won - I was really thrilled.

I started building it last year and wanted to have it completed this summer for my 50th birthday.

Sourcing the reclaimed material took the biggest chunk of time.

I am an avid DIY-er and love a project.

Lots of people had been doing this sort of thing over lockdown so I took inspiration from that, and I wanted a haven at home that was cheaper than the pub.

Its somewhere I can go and enjoy being with my friends and family, which was really the whole purpose.

It cost about four figures, which is much cheaper than it would have been had I done a proper build and had to go to shops for the materials.

John, who was in the Royal Navy for 22 years, said his favourite part of the pub is the oak beams which make up the main structure.

The three-metre-long bits of wood remarkably came from an old dock yard building John used to work in.

He said: My favourite part is the main oak beams.

They are from an old dock yard building that I used to work in years ago before it was demolished.

These three-metre-long beams that form the main structure of the pub had sat in a yard for 20 years and then I managed to buy them.

It is a remarkable story.

All my family and friends have been so supportive of the project, and it has been great having everyone round to enjoy it.

My wife Anita put all the finishing touches to the pub to make it look as amazing as it does.

I took the name from my Labradoodle Bertie who just loves to play with his ball, I really wanted him to be part of it all.

The Dog & Ball beat off two other finalists, a mini countryside-style pub called The Tiger, in Somerset, and The Stagger Inn, in Manchester - a nightclub-themed bar

They were whittled down from more than a thousand entries - many of which were built during lockdown.

John said: "Doing it all from salvage was of course a challenge thank goodness for FB marketplace, advice from the fantastic members of the GSPN UK Facebook page and a very understanding wife who I dragged around local reclaim yards sifting through old timbers.

"With the exception of the main roof joists, every other part of the build is made from reclaim, re-used or recycled timber and materials.

"Each piece has a different story, from the bar ironmongery that belonged to my late father-in-law from his days as an RAF engineer, to the main oak upright timbers.

It is believed more than two million back garden pubs are now in operation in Britain after their popularity exploded during the coronavirus pandemic.

They have continued to grow amid a cost of living crisis after the average price of a pint rose to 4 across the UK and 5 in London.

As a result, Two Fat Blokes bar signs, Pub Shed Radio and the Facebook group Garden Shed Pubs & Nightclubs began running the national competition.

The winner was announced live on Pub Shed Radio on Saturday (12/11).

Ashley Turner, the owner of Two Fat Blokes Bar Signs, said: "The quality of bars and diversity of the entries has been phenomenal.

"We ran the competition to showcase the amazing community of pub sheds in the UK.

"The community has exploded during the pandemic and now with the cost of a pint heading north of 6 the trend looks set to continue.

"The Dog & Ball is a perfect example of an amazing pub shed and deserved to win with his amazing hand-built pub.

Tommy Funka, who runs, Pub Shed Radio added: Pub Shed of the year has been a great way for the pub shed community to come together and celebrate the growing army of back garden boozers".

Pub Shed Radio's DJ Mupps said: "It was brilliant to knock on the door of the winners bar live on Pub Shed Radio.

"John & Anita were totally gobsmacked to find out they had won. We then went live from the bar broadcasting with a real party atmosphere."

Nick St John, the owner of Facebook group Garden Shed Pubs and Nightclubs, added: "Being involved Pub Shed of the year has been the culmination of our ethos to promote and help people build their own back garden pubs.

"With over 280,000 members our group has really got on board with the competition.

"Judging the entries was so difficult The Dog & Ball is a great example of a proper pub shed."

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary's ruling Fidesz party, preparing for elections next April, promised on Thursday to highlight what it called a plan by billionaire financier George Soros to bring millions of migrants into Europe. Fidesz asked Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government to carry out a "national consultation" about Brussels' plans to distribute asylum-seekers in the EU, a week after the EU's top court ruled against complainants Hungary and Slovakia. Previous such consultations have taken the form of sending out questionnaires to millions of voters, setting out the government's right-wing nationalist position and asking people if they agree. Soros, a Hungarian-born Jew who has spent a large part of his fortune funding pro-democracy and human rights groups, has been targeted by Orban's government repeatedly. His spokesman has described the government's portrayal of his views on immigration as "fantasy". Orban has been one of the loudest opponents of mandatory migrant resettlement quotas proposed by the EU, arguing this would undermine its sovereignty and social fabric. His stance has gone down well with voters, and Fidesz is firmly ahead in opinion polls. Lajos Kosa, a party vice chairman, said the national consultation should focus on the alleged Soros plan, something that would place migration at the centre of the campaign. "The European Commission stops just short of saying that they carry out the Soros plan... but all their steps and ideas with regard to migration point in this direction," Kosa said, adding last week's EU court defeat for Hungary had "opened the gates". Soros' spokesman Michael Vachon in July dismissed the idea that the financier and philanthropist was promoting a scheme to import millions of illegal immigrants into Europe. "Soros's actual position on migration is that the international community should provide more support to the developing countries that today host 89 percent of refugees and that Europe should accept several hundred thousand fully screened refugees through an orderly process of vetting and resettlement," he said. He said an anti-migrant billboard campaign by the Hungarian government, showing a smiling Soros and carrying the caption "Don't let Soros have the last laugh", was "reminiscent of Europe's darkest hours". The government ended the poster campaign over the summer. (Reporting by Krisztina Than; Editing by Mark Trevelyan) Kim Jong-un has upped the rhetoric again in recent days North Korea has fired a ballistic missile directly over Japan. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson branded the launch reckless and called on China and Russia to take direct action against Kim Jong-un, while Seoul responded to the test by launching the missiles of its own. The test sparked panic in Japan, where residents were immediately told to take shelter as the missile passed directly overhead the second time Pyongyang has done so in the past few weeks. It flew over Hokkaido in northern Japan and fell into the Pacific Ocean, sparking a nationwide alert. South Korea said the missile probably reached an altitude of 770km and travelled 3,700km and called an urgent National Security Council meeting. The Norths launch comes a day after it threatened to sink Japan and reduce the United States to ashes and darkness for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions against it for its nuclear test on September 3. The severe sanctions include limits on imports of crude oil and a ban on exports of textiles which is the countrys second biggest export, worth more than $700m a year. The North previously launched a ballistic missile from Sunan on August 29, which flew over Japans Hokkaido island and landed in the Pacific waters. The Japanese governments alert message called J-alert notifying citizens of a ballistic missile launch by North Korea is seen on a television screen in Tokyo Earlier on Thursday, the totalitarian state risked the ire of the international community once more, after threatening to sink Japan with a nuclear bomb. The latest threat, which did nothing to lessen tensions in the Pacific, came in a statement issued by the state-run Korean Central News Agency. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us, the statement read. The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Responding to the latest threat, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga described it as extremely provocative. North Korea has frequently defied international threats (Picture: AP) If North Korea stays the course that it is on, it will increasingly become isolated from the world, Suga stated at a press conference in Tokyo. Story continues Through implementing the new United Nations Security Council resolution and related agreements, the international community as a whole needs to maximise pressure on North Korea so that it will change its policy. MORE: Russia wants Trump to Think Of These Ordinary North Koreans Before Starting A Nuclear War MORE: Trump Sad day for North Korea if U.S. takes military action The statement also threatened the United States, calling for it to be reduced to ashes and darkness. Lets vent our spite with mobilisation of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now, the statement said. The shadowy hermit state also threatened to attack Guam, the U.S. controlled island in the middle of the pacific. A mix of criticism and concerns is mounting in Central Europe against the two-speed Europe project. Some of the political leaders of Central Europe gathered at the Economic Forum held earlier this month in Polands southern city of Krynica. The rift among new and old Europe was on the top of the agenda, with its controversial topics such as the two-speed Europe, the refugee crisis and the posted workers row. The speaker of the Polish Senate, Stanislaw Karczewski told euronews that he believes in a reformed EU where solidarity and national sovereignty can coexist. Poland is ready to start the discussion on the future of the European Union at any time. This is our position and this position is shared by many other countries in this Central and Eastern European region, not only by the current members of the European Union, but also the countries that aspire to become members. So we support the concept of Europe composed of countries which display solidarity, which are sovereign, which cooperate closely but which must be sovereign states. The economy of Poland has been growing since the countrys accession to the EU. Poland went through very difficult reforms in the 90s with huge social costs. Now Poland wants to play a major role, at political level, among the leaders of the EU. And thats not easy. Poland has been trying to upgrade its political position in the EU since 2004. But France and Germany have been showing some reluctance in sharing the EU leadership with Warsaw. There are basically two reasons for that: the Central European countries traditional unwillingness to yield shares of their sovereignty to the EU and their small economic weight. Moreover, despite the dramatic economic growth, the distribution of wealth did not work properly. There was a large group of people who did not profit from this transformation, a sort of left in the outskirts, explained Agnieszka Markiewicz from the American Jewish Association (AJC). Its important to realize that the GDP of Poland today, is somewhere similar to the GDP of Greece today, which means that we have still a lot of catching up to do and its a huge challenge I think to get Poland where it should be, where it wants to be and where its comparable to the sort of old Europe and West Europe. Warsaw has also been at odds with the EU executive led by Jean Claude Juncker who has accused the Polish ruling party of eroding democratic standards, trying to grab control of the judiciary. Junckers attitude, which has been described as harsh, has not been welcomed by some Poles, including EU supporters who would like him to change his rhetoric. To behave something less arrogant and more polite, like stop talking about others politicians in Europe that they are dictators or like, insulting them, said Joanna Snieg, a student Jagiellonian University. Because sometimes I do agree with him, absolutely, but he shouldnt talk such things publicly. A part of the Polish society worries that Polands position in the EU could be downgraded if a core group of countries, such as those sharing the euro, decides to integrate further. Warsaw openly rejects the so-called multi-speed or two-speed European Union, an idea supported by some EU member states, that would involve some states pursuing deeper integration faster than others. At the economic forum in Krynica, Polish President Andrezj Duda insisted that the EU should remain a union of free and equal nations. Otherwise, it would risk disintegration. Unlike most career fairs at universities throughout the country, Virginia Techs Engineering Expo is entirely student-run. Student Engineers Council, whose executive board is made up of 14 students within the College of Engineering, plans and hosts the job fair and networking opportunity annually. This year, the engineering students designed a better Expo experience. While one member of the board created a program that streamlined the registration process, other board members figured out a better layout to cut down on long lines. Much of the efficiency of the event is owed to the leadership of Katrina Pelkey, industrial and systems engineering senior and the 2017 engineering exposition chair. Pelkey, who is a business minor, says she integrates her engineering and business interests to make Expo more efficient and profitable at the same time. In my interview back in October 2016, I told [the council executive board] my goal was to hit over 300 [attending companies], Pelkey said. I dont want it to stop from here. We need to have our students getting as many opportunities as possible. Theres still places for us to grow. The Expo is the sole source of funding for the council. Attending companies pay a reservation fee or have the option to sponsor the event. Boeing was this years diamond sponsor, as in years past. Altria, ExxonMobil, Plasser American Corporation, Volvo Group Trucks, and Plexus Corporation were the platinum sponsors. All proceeds are returned to the College of Engineering in one of three main avenues every year: the SECs $50,000 design team endowment, a $60,000 engineering organization fund, or through whats known as the Big Contribution fund, which annually awards $30,000 to Virginia Tech professors. For me, the more companies we have, the more opportunities [there are], but also the increased revenue can go back to the students in more ways, Pelkey said. In the past year, approximately $240,000 was allocated to SECs philanthropic endeavors: > $100,000 was donated to the Lynn Nystrom Engineering Organization Fund, which will fund materials, outreach events, and conference fees for student organizations. > A one-time $50,000 donation was made to start an endowment for humanitarian projects. > $30,000 went to the Big Contribution with $10,000 of that going to STEMability, a camp that allows high school students with disabilities and their families to stay on campus over the summer and explore STEM offerings. > $60,000 went to the Engineering Organization Fund. > Other funds were used to host the council's annual Leadership in Engineering Conference, the National Association of Engineering Student Council's North-Atlantic Regional Conference, and Engineers' Week events. Written by Erica Corder PHOENIX The city of Tucson has agreed to pay the Arizona attorney generals office $100,000 to cover the states costs of prosecuting a case where it alleged the city was likely violating state law by destroying seized firearms. The agreement released Wednesday comes about a month after the Arizona Supreme Court sided with the state. The court ruled that a Tucson gun destruction ordinance conflicts with a state law requiring municipalities to sell guns that come into their possession. The court said the city would be responsible for the attorney generals reasonable attorney fees. The city and state agreed to settle for a $100,000 payment. The case was the first test of a 2016 law passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature targeting cities that adopt laws conflicting with those it passes. SANTA FE The attorney for a woman accused of hitting two Santa Fe Police officers with a sign during a protest of the Fiestas de Santa Fe Entrada Friday said any physical contact his client had with police was unintentional. The Santa Fe Police Department released lapel video Tuesday that captured 21-year-old Jennifer Marley, of San Ildefonso Pueblo and part of the Red Nation group, being arrested after trying to push through a police line on Lincoln Avenue and Marcy Street. She was charged with two felony counts of battery on a peace officer after two officers claimed she hit them with one of her protest signs. She is also charged with misdemeanor counts of criminal trespass and disorderly conduct. Her attorney, Dan Cron, said nothing on several videos released Tuesday provides evidence that Marley intentionally struck Sgt. Christopher Reynosa or Officer Gerald Lovato. The Journal reviewed the videos, and they didnt show Marley hitting officers with a sign. Based on everything that I have seen, honestly my first reaction was, Cmon, man, are you kidding me?,' Cron said outside the Santa Fe Magistrate Court Wednesday morning. I think the way that things unfolded, I dont see any intent whatsoever there. I can see how whatever movement that there was by Jennifer was precipitated by the close gathering of the police around her. There was absolutely nothing deliberate about that. Marley had her first appearance in front of Judge Donita Sena, who was Fiesta de Santa Fe Reina in 1981, Wednesday morning. Sena entered not guilty pleas on Marleys behalf because a magistrate court doesnt have the authority to accept pleas on felonies. The Entrada is part of the Fiesta. It is a re-enactement of the Spanish re-occupation of Santa Fe in 1692, 12 years after the Pueblo revolt. About 150 people protested this years Entrada. Cron said there will be a preliminary hearing, probably within 30 days, where the judge will determine if there is enough evidence to move the case forward. Cron said Marley had undergone peaceful protest training and knows to not hurt police officers. At those trainings, people are advised where the line is, Cron said. They know not to cross the line because they know its not the intent to harm anybody, to commit any kind of battery on peace officers. Jenn has been through that type of training. The contact was incidental to the scrum that was going on when the police started to surround her. Seven other protesters were also arrested Friday and have pleaded not guilty to criminal trespass in Municipal Court. PHOENIX The city of Phoenix rejected a citizen petition that hoped to create a civilian oversight board for the local police department. The Arizona Republic reports (http://bit.ly/2f6VSA2 ) the initiative failed, 8-1, Tuesday, but the petition sparked more than an hour of public comment that stretched into the evening hours. Both supporters of the Phoenix Police Department and the departments critics aired their concerns to the Phoenix City Council, many speaking on the departments tactics after the Aug. 22 Phoenix rally for President Donald Trump. The citizen petition, filed by resident Leonard Clark, asked that city officials accept our petition and place our request for Phoenix residents to create a Phoenix police civilian oversight/ review board on the agenda for the next Phoenix city council meeting and that it be voted on. Lovelace Medical Group/Southwest Medical Associates said it will terminate its contract with Presbyterian Health Plan on Jan. 1, which could limit health care choices for about 7,400 customers. A letter dated Sept. 5 said Lovelace Medical Group/Southwest Medical Associates providers will no longer accept Presbyterian insurance, but it did not spell out a reason. The change does not affect any appointments that are scheduled before Jan. 1. In its letter, Lovelace suggested patients choose a health insurance plan that Lovelace does accept, including Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, New Mexico Health Connections, Molina Healthcare New Mexico, Retiree Health Care Authority, TriCare or United HealthCare Community Plan. Lovelace refused comment Wednesday on the reasons for its decision. A Presbyterian spokeswoman said Presbyterian Health Plan never had a contract with Lovelace Medical Group, but rather an evergreen contract with Southwest Medical Associates, a multi-specialty medical practice that the Lovelace parent company, the for-profit Ardent Health Services, acquired in 2012. We were recently notified by Southwest Medical Associates, an organization affiliated with Lovelace Medical Group, on their decision to no longer participate as a provider in our network, effective Dec. 31, 2017, said Brandon Fryar, Presbyterian Health Plan president in a statement. We are working collaboratively with community (medical) providers as well as Presbyterian Medical Group to ensure the 7,400 members impacted by Lovelaces decision continue to have access to quality care. Those with questions can contact Presbyterian at 505-923-8100. Presbyterian is the states largest locally owned health plan, providing coverage to 466,000 members in New Mexico. The for-profit subsidiary of Presbyterian Healthcare Services has members in commercial, Medicare and managed Medicaid plans. Back-and-forth between hospitals and insurance companies over reimbursement rates is fairly routine. They periodically re-up their contracts with each other, spelling out what the insurance companies will pay for literally thousands of procedures, from clipping in-grown toenails to brain surgery. Hospitals typically ask for adjustments to their payment rates from affiliated insurers to pay for rising medical supply, pharmaceutical and other operating costs. The site near the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center that boasts the states largest freestanding Starbucks will soon be home to the citys first Laguna Burger. Indian Pueblos Marketing, Inc., the development group tasked with redeveloping the 46-acre parcel at 12th and Menaul, is nearing completion of phase one of a project designed to breathe new life into the area. Avanyu Plaza began with the first tribally owned freestanding Starbucks in the nation, which opened in 2015. Now, the marketing agency has almost completed a 6,000-square-foot building to the north that will house Laguna Burger and another tenant that has not been disclosed. The popular burger joint has four locations at or near the pueblo west of Albuquerque. It has had double-digit growth in profits over each of the last few years, said Skip Sayer, chief of sales and marketing for Laguna Development Corp. Its been phenomenally popular, Sayer said. This is one area weve been thinking about for awhile now, and when the opportunity came up (to move into Avanyu Plaza) we felt it was perfect. Laguna Burger will open in early November with a 3,000-square-foot interior and an outdoor patio that together will seat roughly 150 customers, Sayer said. One goal of Avanyu Plaza is to employ Native Americans, according to a news release. Sayer said that is a goal Laguna Burger believes in, and the company is happy to help meet it. Another aim for the Avanyu development is to develop the land according to the pueblo aesthetic, hosting dozens of enterprises, including office and commercial tenants a conference center, lodging, retail, dining, and security operations, according to the news release. The plaza will be built in three phases. The second phase, to begin early next year, will involve construction of a large plaza to the north of the new building that will act as a community gathering place with art, music and events. Indian Pueblos Marketing, Inc. is also tasked with infrastructure construction. The development of the land coincides with the citys 12th Street and Menaul Great Streets Improvement Project. The city is working with the marketing group to improve roads, increase lighting, beautify the area and make the intersection more pedestrian friendly. Sen. Domenici is a legend in New Mexico politics, and though he will be sorely missed, his impact will be felt in the state and the nation for generations to come. While we sat on different sides of the political aisle, I admired Petes dedication to the well-being of all of New Mexico. He will be remembered for his meaningful contribution on so many issues especially fiscal responsibility and the federal budget, energy policy and New Mexicos national labs, free trade, and his personal and heartfelt dedication to ensuring parity in the health care system for those suffering from mental illness. But what I admire most about Pete is that during his over 30 years representing the state of New Mexico in the Senate, he always kept New Mexicans first. Its partly thanks to him that the New Mexico congressional delegation continues a tradition of working together regardless of party we need more of that in Congress today. U.S. Sen. Tom Udall It is with a heavy heart today that we say goodbye to a man that single-handedly transformed the state of New Mexico. Sen. Domenici was a powerful voice for all New Mexicans and went above and beyond for the people and families who call the land of enchantment home. I had the great privilege of working closely with Sen. Domenici over the years, and fostered a relationship with him as a friend, mentor and leader. He didnt hesitate to put every single New Mexican before himself and fought tirelessly to make sure opportunities for a better life were available to all. He was a titan a fighter and his work for the wellness and prosperity of New Mexico will forever be remembered. There are no words that can ease the pain we share today, but together we can make sure his legacy lives on. U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce This is a sad day for all New Mexicans. Sen. Domenici was a dedicated statesman who always put New Mexico first. His devotion to our state was evident throughout his lengthy career. He tirelessly advocated for a better future for all New Mexico, from our labs and military bases to infrastructure and our innovation centers. Sen. Domenici was also a champion of higher education, pioneering the Domenici Public Policy Conference which, even today, brings national leaders in government and innovation to New Mexico to help guide future generations of policymakers. While we mourn Sen. Domenicis loss, we celebrate his legacy as a champion for New Mexico and our nation. There is no doubt generations of New Mexicans have a brighter future with more opportunity because of Sen. Domenicis tireless work. Gov. Susana Martinez Throughout his storied political career, Pete Domenici displayed the brand of leadership that is needed to manage difficult problems. He identified challenges facing the country such as energy, nuclear proliferation, and our federal budget. And then, never one to back down from a battle, he took a long-range approach to address those problems. He did so with a laser-like focus on results rather than allowing himself to be distracted by ideological battles that too often undermine efforts to reach a national consensus. In this way, he very ably served the majority of Americans who want to fix problems rather than just argue about them. Former Secretary of State James A. Baker III I am saddened by the news that my friend, mentor, colleague, fellow New Mexican, and great American, Sen. Pete Domenici passed away , Wilson said. I always felt privileged and fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with Sen. Domenici on so many projects important to the country and New Mexico. Others will remember his many contributions as a leader and legislator. Former U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, now secretary of the Air Force Beloved at Los Alamos for decades, no one has better understood and supported the essential and enduring national security mission of Los Alamos better than Sen. Pete Domenici. His commitment and determination to ensuring a strong laboratory into the future is evidenced by his unwavering support for bringing cutting-edge supercomputing facilities to the laboratory and ensuring the laboratory possessed unsurpassed technical capabilities to counter threats to this country from abroad. Sen. Domenici was also a passionate believer in the benefits of Big Science to our society, referring to our national laboratories as crown jewels. He was instrumental in making use of our supercomputing for projects, beyond national security, such as mapping the human genome. Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Charlie McMillan It goes without saying that Sen. Pete Domenici cared deeply for New Mexico and its people. His political pragmatism represented the views of New Mexicans in every corner of the state, which is why he was so respected. I cant think of anyone who had a greater impact on New Mexico, particularly through his work on energy policy and securing funding to expand the work at our national labs. His budget prowess gave New Mexico outsized influence, which helped shape the states economy, while meeting our national security needs during and beyond the Cold War. My lasting impression of Sen. Domenici will always be his heroic work on mental health parity. His compassion and dedication to improve the lives of people with mental disabilities is a legacy worthy of a giant like Pete Domenici. U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham Pete Domenici was a political giant who loved New Mexico and championed our states interests for more than 50 years. His contributions to the labs, our energy resources, the state budget and protecting our environment are incalculable. Above all, he was a decent man who never forgot his roots, his family and his fellow New Mexicans. Former Gov. Bill Richardson Sen. Domenici loved New Mexico and genuinely cared for the welfare of each and every citizen. He was a bold and fearless leader and served us and the nation with dignity, compassion and benevolence. Sen. Domenici was also a longtime family friend and worked closely with my father, state Sen. Aubrey Dunn Sr. He was a friend of the State Land Office and offered his unwavering support on education policy and land and water issues. New Mexico Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn When it comes to Los Alamos and Sandia Laboratories his leadership and his stewardship caused them to be what they are today. Yes, they are a national treasure, but in New Mexico they are also a huge economic driver. His role was unmatched as the chairman of the Senate energy committee. He is the statesman that every senator aspires to be. He was always able to work across the aisle. Sherman McCorkle, an Albuquerque businessman and founder of the Kirtland Partnership Committee It is impossible to overstate just how meaningful and impactful Sen. Domenicis life and service was to the people of New Mexico. He was kind and honest, but always a tenacious advocate and fighter for the interests of our state. Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Terri Cole Sen. Domenicis efforts in support of our educational mission were transformational to health sciences in the state. He worked in a bipartisan manner to ensure that those struggling with mental illness had access to treatment and to insurance coverage for that treatment. The effect of this change on the lives of the people we serve, and on their communities, is immeasurable, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center Chancellor Paul Roth He represented something a lot of us should do a better job of he really prided himself on being bipartisan. The U.S. Senate and the country would be in a much better place if we had 10 more people like him. House Minority Leader Nate Gentry, R-Albuquerque I was saddened to learn of Sen. Domenicis passing, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family. We are grateful for his decades of service to our state. Attorney General Hector Balderas He was the rare senator who everybody liked he was one of kind, Fleischer said. He represented an era in which people worked together, but it was also in his nature to work with people regardless of party. Ari Fleischer, who served as Domenicis press secretary in the mid-1990s before becoming press secretary for President George W. Bush Chris Mirabal said everybody respected his brother Freddie all except for the man who shot him to death last week in northeast Albuquerque. This was something deliberate, something only a coward would do, he said of his brothers killer. I really, really hope he turns himself in, it would be better for him. Police say they have no suspects in the Sept. 3 shooting of 42-year Freddie Mirabal Jr. in the 500 block of San Pablo NE. It appears Mr. Mirabal may have been shot during a home invasion, Albuquerque Police Department spokesman and officer Tanner Tixier said. His death is being investigated as a homicide. Witnesses reported seeing a short African American male running from the scene, he said. Police are asking the public to come forward with any information they may have about the incident. Chris Mirabal, younger of the two brothers, said his mother called him around 4 a.m. the morning of Sept. 4 after officers showed up on her doorstep to tell her Freddie was gone. When you find out your only siblings gone, its really hard to take, Mirabal said. Im still trying to get my answers. His brother was staying with a friend, who was home at the time, when the shooting happened, he said. He has not been able to get any information from that person or the police. They were home but couldnt give too much of a statement, he said. Which I dont understand. What Mirabal has heard is the stories, from multiple people, of his brothers kindness in the days since his death along with the disbelief that he is gone. I have still yet to see his body to believe it, he said. The only thing I want to do is take him to his final resting place and let him be. Freddie Mirabal Jr. was raised in the South Valley and went to Rio Grande High School, making his living as a handyman and jack-of-all-trades. He could fix anything you want fixed, Chris Mirabal said, adding that his brother could build cars, houses, and everything in between. Mirabal said he and his brother were close, despite the occasional spat. He loved to laugh and loved to live, it sucks that hes 42 and gone, he said. ROME I spotted them on my way to dinner with a friend near Castel Gandolfo. They are migrants from Africa, sitting by the side of the road outside a temporary residence that, for many, appears to have become permanent. They all have cellphones. They all seem oblivious to us as we pass by. My friend, a Sicilian by birth, says they are people from African nations the Italian government has taken in. The state pays 90 Euros about $108 U.S. dollars per day, per person, he says, but the migrants receive only a pittance, due to skimming by the Mafia. The Mafia is still around? I ask. I thought it was a relic, as depicted in movies like The Godfather and Goodfellas.' Not so, he says. They are getting rich off these people and the government does nothing about it. They cant go anywhere because the government wont give most of them papers. The Mafia may or may not retain its infamous title, but the corruption that was part of the old order apparently remains by whatever name it is called. Last March, the newspaper Gazetta del Sud reported that Luca Odevaine, a former senior police officer and city official, admitted taking bribes of 5,000 Euros a month from a senior member of a Mafia gang to act as their facilitator. In a highly publicized trial two months ago, 59-year-old Massimo Carminati was sentenced to 20 years in prison for operating a mafia-style network that, reported The Guardian newspaper, used extortion, fraud and theft to divert millions of Euros that had been destined for public services. Carminati, it said, is The ringleader of a gang whose criminal tentacles reached into almost every department of Romes City Hall. Carminatis right-hand man, 61-year-old Salvatore Buzzi, was sentenced to 19 years in prison. In all, 46 people were tried and received various sentences. Only five were acquitted. The skimming schemes have left the Eternal City so short of cash it not only is having difficulty helping migrants find a place to live and assist them to find jobs it is having difficulty repairing its buses when they break down, filling potholes or even keeping the citys trees healthy so they dont fall over and block traffic or injure pedestrians. In July, The Guardian reported, The citys mayor, Virginia Raggi, said a deep wound had been inflicted on Rome by a criminal association able to heavily influence the political decisions of this city. She added: We are paying the price every day. We now need to stitch the wound back together by taking the path of legality no easy task. We need to keep our eyes peeled (for corruption) at all times.' Eyes have been deliberately blinded, not peeled, by people on the take, which has left too many others, especially the migrants, suffering in limbo because the money they should be receiving has been diverted into the pockets of organized crime and corrupt officials. In Europe, the debate over migrants continues, with Germanys Angela Merkel saying she would change nothing about her open border policy. Opinion polls show she leads her opponents ahead of Germanys September 24 election. Italys experience with shifting demographics is unique. As the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) reports, Italians have accounted for the largest voluntary emigration in recorded history, with 13 million leaving between 1880 and 1915. The exit has been so substantial and exacerbated by the nations low birth rate that foreign workers must be imported to do jobs native Italians once did. The MPI report notes: By accident of geography, Italy has played an outsized role in the current European migration crisis, receiving more than 335,000 irregular arrivals via the Mediterranean during 2015-16. That so many have been mistreated is a scandal to everyone, except the Mafia. Email: tcaeditors@tribpub.com. Copyright, Tribune Content Agency LLC. WASHINGTON Never accuse Republicans of being uncreative. Once again, theyve found an innovative way to punish the poor and simultaneously increase budget deficits all with one nifty trick! To pull off this impressive twofer, they would put every American applying for the earned-income tax credit (EITC) through a sort of mini-audit before getting their refund. This would both place huge new burdens on the working poor and divert scarce Internal Revenue Service resources away from other audit targets, such as big corporations, that offer a much higher return on investment. For those not familiar, the EITC is basically a way to top up low- and moderate-income peoples pay through a tax refund, to give them a bigger payoff from working. The EITC has an excellent track record both economically and politically. Lots of studies have found that it increases workforce participation, for example. Since its introduction in 1975, it has also received bipartisan support, given its dual purpose as both an anti-poverty and a pro-work program. Both Republican and Democratic presidents have overseen major EITC expansions. Thanks to a combination of innocent mistakes and outright fraud, though, some EITC money is disbursed erroneously. And so in 2015 Congress passed a bipartisan law to improve the programs integrity. The changes that went into effect this year include a several-week delay in issuing EITC refunds so the IRS can match basic documents such as W-2s and 1099s to tax filers reported income. The IRS hasnt yet analyzed the full effect of these changes, though early numbers look promising. Before the full results are in, however, House Republicans have decided to do something far more drastic. Sometime in the next few weeks, the House is expected to vote on the fiscal 2018 budget resolution, a procedural step thats designed to pave the way for tax cuts. Thats gotten a fair amount of coverage, of course. Less publicized is troubling language in the budget resolution committee report, which proposes decreasing improper EITC payments by requiring verification of all income before benefits go out. The language is vague but appears to refer to a Heritage Foundation proposal that would require the IRS to fully verify income through a review of Form W-2, Form 1099, business licensing or registration, and relevant invoices before dispensing any refunds. So, a mini-audit. As noted in a report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, conducting mini-audits of all 28 million EITC claimants would be an astonishingly laborious task, both for tax filers and for the IRS. It would impose huge administrative burdens on low-income workers, many of whom cobble together a living through multiple jobs and part-time gig economy positions, from which they may not earn enough money to require a 1099. At a time when Republicans are flogging tax simplification, this would make tax preparation infinitely more complicated. Unless, of course, the goal is to discourage poor people from applying for the EITC in the first place. Even for those who persisted in applying for the refund, EITC payments might be delayed for many months, causing great hardship. The vast majority of recipients use their refund checks for rent, utilities, mortgage payments and other necessities, as well as to pay down debt. But the proposal is more than just cruel. Its also likely to cost the government a lot of money. Recall that Republicans have been steadily cutting the IRSs budget, which is a silly thing to do if youre truly a fiscal conservative who believes in law and order. The IRS brings in far more money than its appropriated, particularly in its work going after tax cheats. And cutting the IRS budget is an especially silly thing to do if youre also giving the agency an enormous new mandate likely to crowd out other enforcement activities including those that bring in much bigger paydays. The amounts at stake in EITC audits are relatively small. Overclaim errors are often just a few hundred dollars, compared with the hundreds of thousands or even millions that can be recovered from deep-pocketed corporations and individuals. Arguably the IRS already devotes too many resources to these small-potatoes cases; EITC audits represent about 39 percent of all individual income-tax audits, despite accounting for just 7 percent of additional taxes that audits find to be owed. If Republicans actually cared about reducing EITC tax cheating, there are more effective and compassionate things they could pursue, such as regulating the fly-by-night unlicensed tax preparers responsible for a disproportionate share of EITC fraud. President Trump said hed help America win again. He can start by persuading his fellow Republicans to ditch this lose-lose proposition. (c) 2017, Washington Post Writers Group In this litigious world, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas decision to join other states in suing Big Pharma over the nationwide opioid crisis makes a good headline. Ditto for the lawsuit from Mora County that preceded it and the one expected to follow from Bernalillo County. In fact, at last count the Washington Post had 25 states, cities and counties suing manufacturers, distributors and drugstore chains in connection with opioids, with more being filed almost weekly. But its hard to determine how New Mexico residents would benefit from a far-from-guaranteed win. While Balderas says the suit was filed to hold drug manufacturers and distributors accountable and to increase funding for opioid addiction treatment and law enforcement, its questionable that any money derived from it would actually be used for the stated purposes. Remember when New Mexico won millions from Big Tobacco in a 1998 settlement agreement? The windfall, to an embarrassing extent, has ended up being a slush fund for legislative priorities that have nothing to do smokings impact. Tobacco settlement money has been used to balance the general budget, prop up the state lotterys scholarship fund, cover costs for early childhood education and the list goes on. Sure, some of that money from the permanent tobacco settlement fund pays for anti-smoking programs, but you get the picture. Balderas contends opioid manufacturers pushed highly addictive, dangerous opioids on the public and failed to tell doctors how addictive they were. The suit also says drug distributors violated their duties by selling huge quantities of opioids that were diverted from their lawful medical purpose, thus causing an opioid/heroin/overdose epidemic. Does anyone believe someone with a medical degree doesnt understand opioids are addictive? Then again, suing individual doctor feel-goods who hand painkillers out like Pez is nowhere as promisingly lucrative as suing Big Pharmas deep pockets. As for diverted opioids, how are distributors responsible for things they sell being stolen from people they sell them to? And where is personal responsibility in all of this? The suits also fail to mention that opioids have been around for decades, are highly effective painkillers many patients do use as prescribed, and New Mexico had a chronic heroin problem long before the current opioid crisis largely because of proximity to Mexico and illegal drug trade routes. Attributing the opioid crisis to manufacturers and distributors ignores the real problem demand. There is no denying that the widespread availability, and popularity, of opioids has exacerbated this states opioid addiction and overdose rates, and that more must be done to address the scourge. Reforms including New Mexicos Prescription Monitoring Program, which requires health care providers check a patients prescription history in the PMP database to block doctor shopping for drugs are working. The state Health Department announced a 63 percent increase in providers using the PMP since last year and a 5 percent decline in opioid prescriptions. Sure theres a lure to joining major suits like this one: For a somewhat modest investment, the state or counties might eventually realize a windfall (nowhere equal to what plaintiffs attorneys will make by comparison). New Mexico gets millions annually from Big Tobacco. In July, Balderas joined a lawsuit against six generic drugmakers, alleging they conspired to hike prices for a common antibiotic and a diabetes medication. More recently, hes signed onto a suit seeking to block President Donald Trumps attempt to scrap the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) immigration program. While the former targets collusion and price gouging, and the latter is an immediate problem for about 7,300 DACA recipients here, this latest suit has a lot in common with the states opioid problem: It delivers a quick high and a just-as-quick letdown. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. WASHINGTON Democratic leaders announced late Wednesday that they agreed with President Trump to pursue a legislative deal that would protect hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportation and enact border security measures that dont include building a physical wall. The president discussed options during a dinner at the White House with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., that also included talks on tax reform, infrastructure and trade. Trump has showed signs of shifting strategy to cross the aisle and work with Democrats in the wake of the high-profile failures by Republicans to repeal the Affordable Care Act. A possible alliance between Trump and the Democrats on immigration would represent a major political gamble for a president who made promises of tougher border control policies the centerpiece of his campaign and pledged to build a big, beautiful wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. A majority of Republicans, especially in the House, have long opposed offering legal status, and a path to citizenship, to the nations more than 11 million undocumented immigrants. But Trump has vacillated over the fate of the younger immigrants, known as dreamers, who have lived in the country illegally since they were children. Under mounting pressure from the right, Trump moved two weeks ago to begin dismantling Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, an Obama-era program that has allowed 690,000 dreamers to work and go to school without fear of deportation. In announcing the decision, the president made clear that he expected Congress to pursue a plan to protect the DACA recipients, offering a six-month delay until their two-year work permits begin to expire in March. In a statement, the White House described the meeting as constructive and said the administration looks forward to continuing these conversations with leadership on both sides of the aisle. Congressional aides familiar with the exchange said that Trump and the party leaders agreed to move quickly on legislation to protect dreamers, though aides did not disclose whether they agreed that the goal should be for dreamers to eventually be offered a path to citizenship. In a statement, Schumer and Pelosi said they had a very productive meeting at the White House with the President. The discussion focused on DACA. We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, thats acceptable to both sides. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed that DACA and border security were discussed but she said excluding border wall funding from a package deal was certainly not agree to. Earlier in the day, Trump held a bipartisan meeting with a group of House members. Afterward, several Democrats involved in those talks said the president also had made clear that he did not expect border wall funding to be included in a legislative deal on the dreamers. He said, the wall doesnt have to be necessary, Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, told reporters at the White House. He said were going to add [wall funding] somewhere else. . ..Weve told him we dont want to tie this [together]. He said, DACA, were going to do it early. Were going to do some kind of border security. He brought up the wall. He said that doesnt have to be on this DACA bill. Democrats, and some Republicans, have resisted funding for a wall, saying such a structure is not worth the billions of dollars it would cost. Sens. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have introduced legislation, called the Dream Act, that would offer dreamers a path to citizenship. The number of undocumented immigrants that would potentially be covered by that bill, however, is expected to be far larger than the number of those who have DACA protections, a prospect that would likely engender more Republican opposition. Cuellar said that he told Trump the Dream Act has sufficient bipartisan support to pass and that the White House should be pushing for a vote. Trump, Cuellar said, told the group: Oh, it will be on the floor. Even if the president and Democratic leaders claim to cut a deal, it will need the support of GOP leaders, who are already wary of the spending agreement Trump brokered with them last week. Pelosi and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., met earlier Wednesday to begin discussing the broad parameters of the forthcoming immigration debate. Ryans team signaled that despite the administrations eagerness to quickly seal the deal, it will take awhile. AshLee Strong, Ryans spokeswoman, said that regarding the plight of the dreamers, the speaker reiterated that any solution needs to address border security and enforcement, which are the root causes of the problem. Discussions among the Republican conference will continue in the coming weeks. Ryan is already facing growing pressure from House conservatives who have begun to question his leadership and even floated names of possible replacement as speaker. An agreement between Trump and Democrats on a bill to protect dreamers could potentially put Ryan in the position of having to decide whether to bring it for a vote with the prospects that it might pass with more Democratic support than among the GOP. HOLLYWOOD, Fla. Florida seniors were ushered out of stifling assisted-living centers Thursday while caregivers fought a lack of air conditioning with Popsicles and cool compresses after eight people died at a nursing home in the post-hurricane heat. Dozens of the states senior centers still lacked electricity in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, and several facilities were forced to evacuate. While detectives sought clues to the deaths, emergency workers went door to door to look for anyone else who was at risk. Fifty-seven residents were moved from a suburban Fort Lauderdale assisted-living facility without power to two nearby homes where power had been restored. Owner Ralph Marrinson said all five of his Florida facilities lost electricity after Irma. Workers scrambled to keep patients cool with emergency stocks of ice and Popsicles. FPL has got to have a better plan for power, he said, referring to the states largest utility, Florida Power & Light. Were supposed to be on a priority list, and it doesnt come and it doesnt come, and frankly its very scary. Stepped-up safety checks were conducted around the state after eight deaths at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, which shocked Floridas top leaders as they surveyed destruction from the punishing storm. Older people can be more susceptible to heat because their bodies do not adjust to temperatures as well as those of younger people. They do not sweat as much and are more likely to have medical conditions that change how the body responds to heat. They are also more likely to take medication that affects body temperature. Most people who die from high body temperature, known as hyperthermia, are over 50, according to the National Institutes of Health. Statewide, 64 nursing homes were still waiting Thursday for full power, according to the Florida Health Care Association. The separate Florida Assisted Living Association said many of its South Florida members lacked electricity. The group was working on a precise count. A day earlier near Orlando, firefighters helped relocate 122 people from two assisted-living centers that had been without power since the storm. And at the 15,000-resident Century Village retirement community in Pembroke Pines, where there were also widespread outages, rescue workers went door to door to check on residents and bring ice, water and meals. For older people living on their own, such as 94-year-old Mary Dellaratta, getting help can depend on the attentiveness of neighbors, family and local authorities. The widow evacuated her Naples condominium with the help of police the day before the hurricane. After the storm passed, a deputy took her back home and another brought her food. A deacon from her Roman Catholic church also stopped by. But with no family in the area and neighbors who are gone or unwilling to help, the New York native feels cut off from the world. I have nobody, she said. The electricity is out in her condo, so theres no television for news. She cannot raise the electric-powered hurricane shutters that cover her kitchen windows. Near the point of despair, remembering to take her medicine or locating her cane are almost insurmountable challenges. I dont know what to do. How am I going to last here? she said, as a tear rolled down her cheek. To the east, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation has been checking on elderly residents in their homes and felt a greater sense of urgency after the deaths. CEO Jacob Solomon said the group encouraged people to evacuate before the storm if they could, but now theyre focused on helping them in their homes. At this point, were better off taking care of them where they are. They didnt leave then. Theyre not going to leave now. What are you going to do? You go, you check on them, you make sure they have water and food and thats it, he said. Youre not going to convince a 95-year-old Holocaust survivor to do something that she doesnt want to do. Though the number of people with electricity has improved from earlier in the week, some 4.9 million people across the peninsula continued to wait for power. Utility officials warned it could take a week or more for all areas to be back up and running. Including the nursing home deaths, at least 26 people in Florida have died under Irma-related circumstances, and six more in South Carolina and Georgia, many of them well after the storm passed. The death toll across the Caribbean stood at 38. On Thursday, detectives were at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills after receiving a search warrant to investigate the eight patients deaths, which police believed were heat-related. The center said the hurricane knocked out a transformer that powered the air conditioning. Broward County said the home alerted officials about the situation on Tuesday, but when asked if it had any medical needs or emergencies, it did not request help. But by early Wednesday, the center had placed three calls to report patients in distress, prompting firefighters to search the facility. They found three people dead and evacuated 145 people to hospitals, many on stretchers or in wheelchairs, authorities said. By that afternoon, five more had died. The facilitys administrator, Jorge Carballo, said in a statement that it was cooperating fully with authorities. Gov. Rick Scott announced Thursday night that he has directed the Agency for Health Care Administration to terminate the center as a Medicaid provider. The program provides health care for low-income individuals and families. Reached by phone on Thursday, Rosemary Cooper, a licensed practical nurse at the rehabilitation center, declined to discuss specifics about the case, citing the investigation. The people who were working there worked hard to make a good outcome for our patients, she said. We cared for them like family. But state records revealed a variety of problems at the center. The center showed deficiencies in maintaining fire and safety standards pertaining to exits and storage areas, as well as more serious problems with its generator maintenance and testing, according to February 2016 reports by Florida Agency for Health Care Administration inspectors. Another 2016 report found problems with respecting patient dignity and maintaining housekeeping services. The ex-husband of 71-year-old victim Gail Nova said her devastated family believes the facility should lose its license. Someones got to answer for this. Someone let the ball drop very, very far, Kenneth Nova said by phone from his home in Winter Haven. ___ Reeves reported from Naples. Associated Press writers Tim Reynolds in Aventura; Brendan Farrington, Gary Fineout and Joe Reedy in Tallahassee; Adriana Gomez Licon in Homestead; Michael Melia in Hartford Connecticut and Jennifer Kay, Freida Frisaro, Curt Anderson and David Fischer in Miami contributed to this report. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia A fire that blocked the only exit to an Islamic school dormitory killed 23 people, mostly teenagers, on the outskirts of Malaysias capital early Thursday, officials said. A government official said a wall separating the victims from a second exit shouldnt have been there. Firefighters and witnesses described scenes of horror first of boys screaming for help behind barred windows as neighbors watched helplessly, and later of burned bodies huddled in a corner of the room. Islamic teacher Arif Mawardy said he woke up to what he thought was a thunderstorm, only to realize it was the sound of people screaming. Firefighters rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call at 5:41 a.m. and took an hour to put out the blaze, which started on the top floor of the three-story building, Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh said. Singh revised the death toll, saying there were 23 charred bodies instead of 24 21 of them boys between 13 and 17, and two teachers. We believe (they died of) suffocation the bodies were totally burnt, he said. Singh said 14 other students and four teachers were rescued. Health Minister S. Subramaniam said six other students and a resident who went to help were hospitalized, with four of them in critical condition. The fire broke out near the only door to the boys dormitory, trapping the victims since the windows were barred, fire department senior official Abu Obaidat Mohamad Saithalimat said. He said the cause was believed to be an electrical short-circuit, though Singh said the investigation was continuing. Another fire department official, Soiman Jahid, said firefighters heard shouts for help when they arrived at the school. He said they found 13 bodies huddled in a pile on the right corner of the dorm, another eight on the left corner of the dorm and one in the middle near the staircase. Local media showed pictures of blackened bunk bed frames in the burned dormitory. A resident, Nurhayati Abdul Halim, told local media that she saw the boys crying and screaming for help when the fire broke. I saw their little hands out of the grilled windows; crying for help. I heard their screams and cries but I could not do anything. The fire was too strong for me to do anything, she said. She added that the school had been operating in the area for the past year. Noh Omar, Malaysias minister for urban well-being, housing and local government, said the schools original architectural plan included an open top floor that allowed access to two exit staircases. But he said a wall was built dividing that floor, leaving only one exit for the dorm. The wall shouldnt have been there, he said. He added that the school submitted an application for a fire safety permit that hadnt been approved. The Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah is a private Islamic center, known as a tahfiz school, for Muslim children, mainly boys, to study and memorize the Quran. An Islamic state religious official, who declined to be named as she isnt authorized to speak to the media, said the school isnt registered with the local Islamic council. The Star newspaper said there were 519 tahfiz schools registered nationwide as of April, but many more are believed to be unregistered. Many such schools are exempt from state inspections. The newspaper said the fire department had recorded 211 fires in such private Islamic centers since 2015. In August, 16 people fled a fire at a tahfiz school in northern Kedah state. Another tahfiz school was destroyed by a fire in May but no one was hurt. The worst fire disaster occurred in 1989 when 27 female students at a private Islamic school in Kedah state died when fire gutted the school and eight wooden hostels. Memorial services are scheduled this weekend for former U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici. New Mexicos longest-serving senator, Domenici died Wednesday morning of complications from abdominal surgery. A public celebration of the longtime lawmakers life will be held at Isotopes Stadium in Albuquerque on Saturday at 3 p.m. The family also has arranged for a rosary Friday evening at Our Lady of Fatima in Albuquerque. A funeral service will follow Saturday morning at the Catholic church. Domenicis family said in a statement Wednesday that while they are mourning his death, they are also celebrating his life and many achievements. They expressed their gratitude to his supporters and all who have offered condolences. The family said as much as Domenici did during his six terms in the Senate, he always felt there was more he could do and he was always ready to get to work. DENVER Colorados governor on Thursday denied a pardon application from a woman who lived at a Quaker meeting house in Denver to avoid U.S. immigration authorities, quashing her hopes of a final way to fight deportation. Ingrid Encalada Latorre, a 33-year-old native of Peru, asked Gov. John Hickenlooper last month for the pardon after a Denver judge rejected her appeal of a 2010 case in which she pleaded guilty to felony possession of falsified or stolen identification papers. A judge last year issued an order allowing Latorre to be deported, but U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials had agreed not to pursue it through Friday to give her time to work on her appeal. Hickenloopers written statement issued a day before that deadline called his final decision clear but still painful. I did not come to this decision lightly, Hickenlooper said. I spoke with her personally, and members of my team met with her and her attorney at length to ensure we had a full account of her case. I am moved by Ms. Encalada Latorres dream of being an American and her extraordinarily hard work to support her family while she was here. In a written statement, Latorre said would use the next 24 hours to work with my lawyer and plan next steps, including how to handle her sons passport remaining in transit and recent orders that her other son should see a local eye specialist. I cant imagine leaving Colorado, my home of 17 years, to return to Peru in such a short amount of time, she said. I am so thankful to my community for all the support they have provided me and my family. I am hopeful Immigration and Customs Enforcement will extend my stay to give me some time to prepare. According to the Denver Post, Latorre later told reporters gathered outside the governors office: I am disappointed and now I will have to leave the country, Ill have to return to Peru. Latorre completed probation and paid $9,000 in back taxes after pleading guilty. But an immigration judge issued a deportation order in 2016, citing her felony plea. She sought refuge at the Quaker meeting house in November to avoid ICE. In May, she reunited with her family, including two U.S.-born children, ages 1 and 8, after ICE said it would not immediately seek her arrest. Hickenlooper said he had to consider the damage that Latorre caused to the woman whose identity she used, who opposed a pardon after years dealing with the unlawful use of her Social Security number. Latorres supporters hoped that Hickenlooper would issue his second pardon aimed at stopping deportation proceedings. In May, the governor pardoned Cuban immigrant, Rene Lima-Marin, for an armed robbery Lima-Marin committed in 1998. At the time, ICE said the pardon had no effect on a pending deportation order, and he was taken into ICE custody. An immigration judge later allowed Lima-Marin to re-argue his case, which is pending. Hickenlooper said individual clemency decisions arent a fix for a broken immigration system in the U.S. It cannot, on its own, stop the deportation process, he said. ___ This story has been corrected to show it was Lattores son, not daughter, who needed an eye specialist. The Body Shop today announced its latest CSR initiative for the Indian market, of commencing its Bio-Bridge project in Garo Hills, Meghalaya, India. It has pledged to help protect the endangered Indian Elephant and Western Hoolock Gibbon by constructing the Bio-Bridge with every transaction during a three months long campaign commencing September 2017. This Bio Bridge will protect habitat for some of the worlds most threatened species, by planting one square metre of habitat against every transaction at the brand in India. Biodiversity loss is one of the earths biggest challenges. Bio-Bridges aim to address the problem of habitat fragmentation by protecting and regenerating corridors between healthy forest, linking isolated and endangered animals and plant species. This allows animals to travel more widely in search of mates and helps them thrive. The India Bio-Bridges programme is part of The Body Shops existing commitment to protect and regenerate 75 million square metres of habitat as part of its Enrich Not Exploit Commitment, launched last year. Through this programme to date, The Body Shop has protected more than 17.2 million square metres of habitat in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia. The programme has been running since June 2016 and The Body Shop expects to see results from the ongoing projects soon. Partnering with World Land Trust (WLT) and its local partner Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), The Body Shop will build a Bio-Bridge in the Garo Hills district of Meghalaya state in India, protecting and regenerating a corridor of land for endangered animals to pass through safely. Garo Hills is one of the wettest regions in the world, with more than 11 metres of rainfall a year in some areas; the heavy rainfall is a major factor contributing to the exceptional biodiversity of the region. Through long-term research programmes, WTI have gained a deep understanding of the movements of endangered elephants which use Garo Hills as a corridor, and the threats to their habitats. WTI is working with local communities to encourage them to designate the area as Village Reserve Forest (VRF) and help create alternative economic opportunities to jhumming (a traditional form of slash and burn farming), which is the biggest threat to the elephant corridors. The new Bio-Bridges project aims to protect two key endangered species:Indian Elephant: The Indian Elephant is one of three subspecies of the Asian Elephant and native to mainland Asia. It is listed by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as Endangered and their population has declined by at least 50% over the last 70 years. In India, elephants are primarily threatened by burgeoning human population and associated threats from habitat loss caused by urban development and unsustainable farming practices. Western Hoolock Gibbon: Numbers of Western Hoolock Gibbons have halved over the last 40 years. Restricted to forested patches in several of Indias north-eastern states, there are now thought to be as few as 2,600 surviving as a result of hunting and habitat loss. The Body Shops customers around the world can help save these iconic species by shopping in-store or online during the campaign. Every purchase throughout the campaign will protect and regenerate one square metre of forest, crucial for the survival of elephants and other threatened species. The Body Shop globally aims to raise 140,000 for this project. Present at the event, Jacqueline Fernandez, Brand Ambassador of The Body Shop India shared, Bio-Bridge perfectly demonstrates how The Body Shop is committed to making a positive long-term impact in the community where it operates. Its very encouraging to see a beauty brand taking a lead in wildlife conservation and community development. I extend my full support towards the Bio Bridges Project and am delighted to be associated with such a socially responsible brand. I request you all to join hands with The Body Shop and help protect these endangered species. Commenting on the initiative at the event, Ms. Shriti Malhotra, COO, The Body Shop India said, We carry forward our founder Anita Roddick's legacy of giving back to society especially to the local environment and communities. We are very happy that Garo Hills has been selected as one of the project locations for The Body Shop international Bio-Bridge programme. Having a project in India is a great platform not only to benefit the Garo Hills Biodiversity but also to raise consumer awareness about the rich biodiversity of the area and encourage them to play their part in the conservation efforts. It gives us immense pleasure to be associated with WTI for this project and they have helped us bring this initiative to life. Every consumer who shops in-stores and online from today till End November will contribute to the securing of 1.8 mn sq meters of Forest corridor and protection of wildlife in Garo Hills. We look forward to working on long term benefit for the region as well. We welcome everyones support in making the Bio-Bridge project a success Speaking on the initiative, Sunil Kyarong, Joint Director and Head-Wild Lands, Wild Life Trust of India says, The Garo Green Spine is critical in North East India supporting about a 1000 elephants connecting two treasure houses of biodiversity - the Nokrek and the Balphakram National Park. The Garo Community, with our support, takes it upon themselves to stitch together this landscape by demonstrating the finest example of community-led and community-owned conservation initiatives. I am confident that the Biobridges campaign of the Body Shop will go a long way in helping WTI and WLT to protect the Canopies, Corridors and Catchments of Garo Green Spine for enhancing the survival prospects of wildlife in the region and also to commend and celebrate the efforts of the local communities who are at the forefront of conservation in the region. Speaking on the campaign Mr. Christopher Davis, International Director of Corporate Responsibility at The Body Shop says: We have already seen the huge potential that Bio-Bridges has to offer as a life-line for wildlife depending on some of the planets most biodiverse but threatened habitats. We are delighted to be launching our new project in India which engages with local communities in Garo Hills. Here we have a fantastic opportunity to permanently safeguard elephant corridors and ensure the long-term survival of the Indian Elephant and Western Hoolock Gibbon, as well as the huge number of other species that call this area home. The Body Shop also recently launched its new corporate philanthropy initiative, World Bio-Bridges Mission (Re-wilding the World), a fund which aims to raise over 2million to create a further ten Bio-Bridges globally by 2020. Unacademy, a leading learning platform, has announced the close of a $11.5 million Series B round of funding led by Sequoia India and SAIF Partners. Existing investors and angels, including Nexus Venture Partners and Blume Ventures, also participated in the round. Unacademy will utilise the funding to accelerate its product and technology as well as scale to other categories, including personality development, new languages and job interviews. The company will also significantly invest in producing its own knowledge based content with its top educators on the platform. Our vision is to build the worlds largest online knowledge repository by empowering great educators, said Gaurav Munjal, CEO and co-founder, Unacademy. With the backing of Sequoia and SAIF, we are poised to significantly gain momentum and create the first global education technology product out of India. Im very excited to kickstart this new phase of growth for Unacademy. Unacademy is an online learning platform that empowers educators to create courses on various subjects. The platform currently has more than 50,000 lessons online and over 1 million registered users. It is also one of the largest education channels on YouTube India with 1 million subscribers. The platforms educators range from influencers like Dr Kiran Bedi to teachers in smaller towns and cities such as Dhiraj Singh Chouhan in Jagdalpur and Yasmin Gill in Panchkula. Shailendra Singh, Managing Director, Sequoia Capital (India) Singapore Pte. Ltd., said, Sequoia India is inspired by Unacademy's vision to create a global platform that enables educators to create content and engage with learners. The missionary team at Unacademy is off to a tremendous start, achieving rapid early adoption and Sequoia is thrilled to be a part of their journey. Alok Goel, Managing Director, SAIF Partners, said, Unacademy democratises access to personalised learning by connecting educators and students directly on its platform. We believe it has the potential to disrupt the status quo that limits access to quality education at a global level. With very limited investment, the team has built a strong brand and word-of-mouth reputation. We are delighted to support the team in realising their mission. Unacademy was founded by Gaurav Munjal, Roman Saini, Hemesh Singh and Sachin Gupta. Gaurav and Hemesh were previously running Flatchat which was acquired by CommonFloor in 2014. Roman, 26, is a doctor from AIIMS and one of the youngest people to clear the prestigious Indian Civil Services Examination. To follow his passion, he quit his administrative services post as Asst. Collector of Jabalpur to start Unacademy. Recently, the company added billionaire and serial entrepreneur Bhavin Turakhia to the board. UANI's 2017 Iran Summit Set to Kick Off As U.N. General Assembly Opens United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) will host a distinguished lineup of current and former foreign leaders, lawmakers, and Iran experts, including New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, at its second annual Iran Summit, a public event to be held on Tuesday, September 19 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York. The day-long event of interviews and discussions will examine the political and economic environment since the signing of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran -- with particular focus on Iran's role in the region, its relationship with North Korea, and the future of Iran policy in the Trump administration. Comprised of former diplomats and lawmakers, UANI is spearheading a global education campaign focused on the risks of doing business with Iran, warning hundreds of international companies that may be contemplating Tehran as a new investment opportunity. WHO: The Honorable Chris Christie Governor of New Jersey General (Ret) David Petraeus Chairman of the KKR Global Institute Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency HRH Prince Turki bin Faisal Al Saud Chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies Former Director-General of the General Intelligence Directorate and Former Ambassador to the United States and the United Kingdom, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Governor Jeb Bush UANI Advisory Board Member Former Governor of Florida and 2016 Republican Presidential Candidate Governor Bill Richardson UANI Advisory Board Member Former Governor of New Mexico; U.S. Secretary of Energy; and U.S. Ambassador to the UN Ambassador Giulio Terzi UANI Advisory Board Member Former Foreign Minister of Italy Ambassador John Bolton UANI Advisory Board Member Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Ambassador Jackie Wolcott UANI Advisory Board Member Commissioner at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Former U.S. Special Envoy for Nuclear Non-Proliferation Former Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) Chairman of the LIU Global Institute Former U.S. Representative for New York's 3rd Congressional District Senator Mark S. Kirk UANI Advisory Board Member Former U.S. Senator (R-IL) Ambassador Dennis B. Ross Co-Founder of UANI Former Special Assistant to President Barack Obama Senator Joseph I. Lieberman Chairman of UANI Former U.S. Senator (I-CT) and 2000 Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee Ambassador Mark D. Wallace CEO of UANI Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations for Management and Reform Barry Rosen UANI Advisory Board Member Survivor of the 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis **Additional speakers will be announced in the coming days. WHAT: 2017 Iran Summit, Hosted by United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) WHEN: Tuesday, September 19, 2017 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. EDT WHERE: The Roosevelt Hotel 45 East 45th Street New York, NY 10017 A complimentary lunch will be provided for all attendees. To RSVP, please follow this link. Media interested in covering this event should email Steven Cohen at press@uani.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006458/en/ United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) Steven Cohen, 212-922-0063 press@uani.com Northrop Grumman Requests Florida Media Outlets to Broadcast the Following: Northrop Grumman employees impacted by Hurricane Irma who need assistance or information can call 1-800-995-4318, or continue to visit www.northropgrumman.com/emergency for updates. The following Northrop Grumman sites are open on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017: Panama City, Niceville, Melbourne, St. Augustine, Apopka, Davie and Tampa. The following Northrop Grumman site remains closed on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017: Orlando Discovery Drive. Northrop Grumman employees working at customer sites should follow customer and manager guidance. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006494/en/ Northrop Grumman Corporation Tim Paynter, 703-280-2720 (office) timothy.paynter@ngc.com Chinas top court put two units of LeEco on an official state blacklist of debt defaulters earlier this month, as originally noted by South China Morning Post. The Supreme Peoples Court specifically blacklisted Leshi Holding and Leshi Yidong as debt defaulters, noting how the two have currently defaulted on 107 million Yuan, or approximately $16.38 million. While defaulting on a loan doesnt automatically put a company on the aforementioned blacklist in China, being able to pay off a debt but refusing to do so does, which is what has reportedly been the case with two of LeEcos affiliates, according to the top court in the Far Eastern country. Leshi Holding executive Cheng Shisheng was recently quoted as saying that the firm is currently in the process of repaying its loans as its making moves to liquidate some of its assets which are supposedly significantly more valuable than the total value of its debts. The companys blacklisting suggests a somewhat different story, as the Supreme Peoples Court at the very least doesnt believe Leshi Holding is liquidating its assets quickly enough or it likely wouldnt have sanctioned the company in the first place, warning potential creditors against collaborating with the firm. The latest turn of events comes as LeEco is amid a major cash crunch which brought many of its operations to a halt, with the struggling consumer electronics manufacturer being forced to pull from a number of high-profile deals including a $2 billion acquisition of VIZIO, a failure over which the U.S. TV company even filed for litigation, seeking $75 million from LeEco. The firm also significantly downsized its operations in the United States, having recently laid off approximately 70 percent of its stateside workforce, in addition to exploring liquidation options for some of its U.S. assets. According to a number of industry watchers, LeEcos current predicament was caused by its general business strategy which saw it expand in too many directions too quickly, consequently exhausting its cash flow and leaving the company without enough resources to pay off its debts while many of its ventures are still far from profitability. Prior to its money issues, LeEco has been investing in everything from smartphones and tablets to TVs, scooters, self-driving vehicles, and artificial intelligence services. Jaybird has announced a new product for its lineup, and these are truly wireless earbuds. These are the Jaybird RUN. These are truly wireless earbuds that are made for runners. Jaybird has worked to keep these lightweight, comfortable and keep them in your ears. The company noted that during the testing phase, a number of its employees took the RUN earbuds with them on many runs and the earbuds never flew out of their ears. The Jaybird RUN were also developed in cooperation with some of the best runners on the planet, to help form the best pair of truly wireless earbuds for runners. The Jaybird RUN are comfort fit, and even include a few different ear tips. Since not everyones ears are the same size, Jaybird wanted to make sure that these would fit everyones ears. These earbuds offer up 4 hours of continuous playback, however the carrying case has a battery built-in which offers an additional 8 hours giving users 12 hours of playback. The Jaybird RUN can only be charged while in the case, and it charges via a micro USB cable. Jaybird says that it should take about 2 hours to fully charge the Jaybird RUN. Advertisement Jaybird is using the latest Bluetooth technology to bring the best sounding audio to your ears with RUN. The sound is full of bass, and it gets very loud, which is a bit surprising for such a small pair of earbuds. Jaybird has also revamped its companion app. The name has changed from Jaybird My Sound to Simply Jaybird. With the app, you can adjust the EQ settings with a number of pre-made options and even create your own by adjusting the lows, mids and highs. Additionally, Jaybird has included a number of playlists from Spotify. So if youre on a run and cant find the right music to listen to, there are some options here to make your run a bit better. Finally, Jaybird has also included support for both Siri and Google Assistant, depending on what smartphone you connect. On the left earbud, you are able to tap the earbud and start talking with Google Assistant, and find out the weather, turn off the lights at home, or even send a text to your friends. The right ear has a button that can be used for play or pause functionality. The Jaybird RUN earbuds are going to be available for pre-order today from Jaybirds website and Amazon. With wider availability coming in October. These will retail for $179, and be available in two colors. Jet, which is a jet black look with silver accents, and then drift which is white with silver accents. Googles Pixel XL 2 has shown up at the FCC for certification which suggests the device is nearly ready to present itself to the public as the FCC is one of the last stops for a device before it hits store shelves. This follows up the Pixel 2 device that passed through the FCC back in the middle of August, though that FCC appearance had more information to offer up to consumers about the device. With the Pixel XL 2, the only thing that can really be picked up from the documents is the list of supported network frequencies, which includes most of the bands currently being used by major carriers. Unfortunately there is no other useful information included other than the fact that the phone is manufactured by LG, which is clearly stated in the documentation numerous times, and the model number of the phone which is labeled as ZNFG011C. That model number may not seem like much, but its nearly the same as the model number for the Pixel 2 made by HTC, which is G011A, so at the very least when it comes to information about the upcoming Pixel XL 2 the model number listed should leave little doubt that this documentation is for the Pixel XL 2. When it comes to confirmed details about the upcoming device, theres literally nothing available, as to be expected, but there have been plenty of rumors and leaks which paint a picture of what to expect. For instance, the fact that LG will be manufacturing the device instead of HTC has been floating around for a while and this FCC arrival is about as unofficially confirmed as it gets. The device is also rumored to come with the same aspect ratio that LG has used for the G6 and the recently announced V30, providing consumers with next to no bezels on the device display. The device is also rumored to potentially offer waterproofing this time around where the current-generation Pixel devices left this out, which was a big complaint from quite a few people as most top-tier flagship phones at the cost of the Pixel and Pixel XL offered water resistance. Theres still a couple of weeks before Googles rumored event on October 4th, which is plenty of time for more information to leak out about the two new Pixel phones. LG is one of the larger OLED display manufacturers Samsung is the largest and it now looks like LG may be getting a slightly larger market share in the OLED space, at least when it comes to mobile display panels. According to a report coming out of South Korea right now, the four largest Chinese manufacturers Huawei, Vivo, OPPO and Xiaomi are all rumored to be using LGs OLED displays in a premium smartphone in the near future. Around 20-30% of the small and mid-sized OLED panels that LG Display have manufactured have gone to these Chinese manufacturers and theyll be used in premium devices that launch next year. These Chinese smartphone makers arent the only ones looking to grab some OLED displays either. It appears that Apple will be using LG Display to provide its OLED displays for the second-generation iPhone X and possibly the iPhone 8S next year, as well as Samsung Display. As Apple is looking to diversify its suppliers for its smartphones. On top of that, the next version of Googles Pixel smartphone is rumored to be sporting an OLED display and the Pixel XL 2 is looking likely to be made by LG. And of course, the LG V30 which is expected on the market in the next month or so, already has one of LGs OLED displays. LG Displays OLED panels are not the best OLED panels on the market. That belongs to Samsung, at least for now. And this is due to the fact that Samsung has been using AMOLED displays on its smartphones and tablets for quite a few years. So theres a bit more experience there, compared to LG. However, LG Display has been using these OLED panels on its TVs and monitors, so LG Display isnt exactly new, when it comes to OLED panels, just when it comes to the smaller and mid-sized panels that are being used in these devices. There is no confirmed reason why so many smartphone makers are now looking to jump to OLED from LCD panels, but it could be due to Virtual Reality, as it offers a better experience on an OLED panel versus an LCD panel and its even one of Googles requirements for Daydream support. NOMU, a China-based smartphone manufacturing company, has just announced that the NOMU S10 Pro will arrive next month. NOMU says that the NOMU S10 Pro will become available for purchase in early October, while the company also mentioned that the device will be quite tough, just like its predecessor, this phone will actually keep the same design as the NOMU S10 which was announced last year, so you pretty much know what to expect in terms of its design. The NOMU S10 Pro will, compared to its predecessor, offer more RAM and internal storage, while it will also ship with Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box. NOMU also says that the NOMU S10 Pro will ship with a standard above IP68 certification, youll be able to submerge it under water up to 2 meters for one hour, which essentially means were looking at IP69 certification here. The NOMU S10 Pro will ship with on-screen buttons, and its bezels will be rather thick, but that was to be expected considering this is a rugged phone. You can check out two images of the phone which are included in the gallery down below. Now, NOMU did not reveal any other specs of the NOMU S10 Pro, but considering that it will keep the design of its predecessor, and the fact that the company mentioned that it will ship with more RAM and internal storage, its somewhat safe to assume that the rest of its specs will remain unchanged, well, if previous devices are any indication. If that ends up being the case, it means that the NOMU S10 Pro will sport a 5-inch 720p (1280 x 720) display, and that it will be fueled by the MediaTek MT6737 64-bit quad-core processor. A 5,000mAh non-removable battery will probably be included in this smartphone, and youll also get two SIM card slots here. The device will ship with an 8-megapixel camera on the back, while a 2-megapixel snapper will be included on its front side. Its also worth noting that a 3.5mm headphone jack will be a part of this package as well, and so will Bluetooth 4.0. Do keep in mind that NOMU still did not confirm its specs, but it seems like the NOMU S10 Pro will keep most of NOMU S10s specs. Advertisement Buy the NOMU S10 A recent test run using Jigsaws Perspective software has now shown that, although it works in some cases, there are still a lot of challenges to overcome. For those who dont already know, Alphabets Jigsaw subdivision created Perspective, and its associated toxicity filter, to help moderators identify malicious statements found online, but that progress has also proven to be a real challenge for the companys A.I. to overcome. In fact, two activists John Ellis and EJ Gibney who recently took Perspective to task seem to have shown that there is still a very long way to go. For the sake of clarity, Jigsaw was not initially intended to combat trolling directly but was created as a more broad way to use technology to address geopolitical challenges. That included everything ranging from countering violent extremism to putting a damper on online censorship, while still mitigating the threats associated with digital attacks. One aspect of that has evolved over time to become an A.I.-driven program called Perspective. First and foremost, Perspective is a tool that can be used by forum moderators to filter through comments and help to stop some of the more damaging vitriol internet users are faced with online. Whether or not that would best be described as censorship or whether the creation of such safe spaces is ethical or not is a separate debate in and of itself. Leaving that aside, the challenge of identifying internet trolls with A.I., to begin with, is proving to be more difficult than may have been anticipated. Aside from partnering with several major companies, such as Disqus and The New York Times, there is also a free demo version of the tool, which can be found online. It should be noted that the tests conducted by Ellis and Gibnet made use of that free tool, rather than the full suite of software and there are differences between the versions available. As to how the free demo tool works, it allows users to enter strings of text and then returns a score which is meant to gauge how toxic a given comment is and in what way it is toxic. The free version uses only one of eleven filters Jigsaw has on offer. As a result, the scores obtained by comments entered by the pair of activists were not necessarily indicative of how moderators from sites partnered with Jigsaw would have seen. However, the test itself was reportedly run using phrases taken from commenters on Breitbart a right-wing associated news source where trolls in the comments section are known to be somewhat more inflammatory with their remarks and did show that the technology is still in its infancy. Moreover, the results may show how fragmented the software is and how much work still needs to be done. Although some comments entered were obviously racist in nature, none of those earned a score above 56 percent in terms of toxicity. For example, a comment clearly inciting violence against entire families associated with the opposing political party managed to earn a Toxicity rating of 31 percent, despite being scored at 85 percent on the inflammatory scale. Advertisement There are many more examples provided at the source, but the key takeaway here appears to be that there are still serious problems with the software, as it stands today. Implementing more of the filters does appear to fix some of the issues, or at least to supplement the toxicity filter. However, another key area the A.I. needs to improve if Jigsaws project is to branch into wider use across the internet is in its recognition of words regardless of special characters used in an attempt to fool the filters themselves. A test run by the source, for example, found that inserting special characters in the middle of an offensive word resulted in uneven toxicity scores. Beyond those samplings, there are related problems with the software which effectively move in the opposite direction. False positives still occur with some frequency, even when the comment itself is non-offensive due to how the A.I. looks for specific words or word combinations. Jigsaw, for its part, appears to be well aware of the current issues with its software and has acknowledged that comments should for the time being not be removed automatically using any variation of its program. Instead, the company hopes to continue building on and improving Perspective as a way to assist with moderation as overseen by real people. In the meantime, the two activists who first started the investigation have called on Jigsaws partners to take a more proactive approach asking Disqus and others to drop support for sites that repeatedly fail to moderate their commenters. Best Boots for Fall 15 Boots Thatll Have You Looking Your Best This Fall The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. As much as you may want to deny it, fall is here. While yes, you can try your hardest to wear your favorite summer sneakers through to December, Mother Nature is about to start throwing her worst at us, and, for the sake of your sneakers, it might be time to consider more weather-appropriate footwear. RELATED: How to Break in Leather Red Wing Boots We recommend looking for a fall boot thats both durable and somewhat weather-resistant. No, your fall boots dont have to be equipped to help you trudge through a blizzard, but unless you live in a place with mild, predictable weather, youll probably be dealing with a fair amount of mud, rain and maybe even the occasional light snowfall. Want a fall boot pro tio? Spray those bad boys with a good leather protector. Yes, it may seem like the sales clerk is trying to upsell you by offering you a can of $20 boot spray, but this minor investment will add major years of life into your boots. A simple spray every couple of months will add an extra layer of protection against dirt, dust and rain for when you forget to check the forecast. Also, if your boots are leather, invest in a decent leather conditioner. Youll thank us later. To help you ease into the annual weather downgrade, weve gathered up what we think are the best boots for fall. Weve divided them by use from rugged to refined that can be perfectly paired with your favorite off-duty weekend clothes as well as a few that can sub in as a replacement for dress shoes most days of the week. Best Everyday Boots for Men Red Wing Heritage Blacksmith Boots Red Wing is always on more than a couple Best Boot lists, and for good reason. Boots like the Blacksmith are perfect for work, walking around town and so many other uses, short of hiking. Theyre handmade in Minnesota with craftsmanship of superior legacy. With a little bit of waterproofing wax, they could take you right through winter as well. $299.99 at Amazon.com Freemans Sporting Club Viberg Service Boot If money is no object, boots can be an incredible investment, giving you decades of use with proper care. New York City outfitters Freemans Sporting Club has teamed up with bookmaker Viberg on this modern take on an old WWI-era service boot that was originally designed by founder Edwin Viberg. The lineup has three textile options, including a handsome Horween waxed Chamois. At over $600, you get high-end hardware, a kip lining, polishing cloth and a small bottle of your choice of conditioning solution. $670 at FreemansSportingClub.com Ugg Neumel Utility New from Ugg is this update on the casual hybrid boot thats very middle-road, but also easily recognizable as from the Australian brand. It includes a full-grain leather upper and a warm lining and insole composed of 80% wool and 20% lyocell. $139.95 at Amazon.com Best Chukka Boots for Men Nisolo Emilio Chukka Nisolo is one of those brands that gives you that awesome leather smell as soon as you open the box. Handmade in the ethical factory Nisolo owns and operates in Trujillo, Peru these boots are classically stylish. These are not necessarily your wet-weather shoes, but for a dry, cool workday? You bet. $150 at Nisolo.com Clarks Originals x Carhatt Wallabee Take two legendary brands, put them together and this is what you get: a really interesting, well-made moccasin with built-in performance. These shoes scream comfort and will definitely be a conversation starter at happy hour. $168 at Carhartt.com Hari Mari Nokona Canyontrek Chukka New from Hari Mari is this Nokona leather collab that expands on the success of the brands flip-flops made with the same material. The boots carry a rustic vibe, but theres plenty of comfort and technology built into the sole. They come with dual-density foam inserts and a proprietary molded rubber outsole for solid traction. Seems like the perfect fall outdoor boot to us. $200 at HariMari.com Best Chelsea Boots for Men Adelante Shoe Co. Mendoza At only two years old, Adelantes reputation for top-notch custom work and ethical production practices have earned it a growing spot in the hearts of footwear fanatics. With styles like this wavy Chelsea boot, its easy to see why. Goodyear welts, memory foam insoles and all styles handmade to order in Guatemala by a cobbler paid fairly and above the going rate for a refined and ethical look, this is the direction you want to go. $255 at AdelanteShoes.com Blundstone 550 Chelsea Boots There isnt much to say about Blundstones that hasnt already been said. Farmers trust them for long days in the field, urban explorers trust them because they look good and theyre supremely functional. Theyre classic and always a marker of good taste. $194.95 at Blundstone.com Toecap Tan Suede Chelsea Boot For the budget-minded, get on the waitlist for these suede boots from Toecap. Theyre fashionable and right in line with creative office-appropriate wear. Theyre on a presale deal right now and at under $60 are a steal. $55 at CombatGent.com Best Dress Boots for Men Quero Kimball Boot A lot of R&D has gone into Queros lineup. This is quite evident in the Kimball. The brand created shoes thats need very little break-in and can go a long way with just a little bit of waterproofing. The Kimball has a mixed leather and rubber sole for superior grip and just overall great style. $245 at Querohms.com To Boot New York Banner Black For something with more covering up the ankle, To Boot New York has come to the rescue with this original design and a zip-up the side style. As the site says, these are distinctive and definitely for those not afraid to make a statement (or keep their ankles warm). Regular polishing should keep these looking especially distinctive. $550 at ToBoot.com Thursday Boot Captain Lace-Up If youre fortunate enough to be tall, a taller boot elongates the legs and is a better look as compared to something short. Thursdays Captain Lace-Up is a classic style with classic lines. Dress it up or dress it down, its sure to serve you well. $199 at Amazon.com Best of the Rest: Best Vegan Boot for Men Wills Vegan Store Goodyear Welt Brogue This London brand uses a vegan leather facsimile material that looks pretty snazzy, if we dont say so ourselves. Beyond the change in textile, theyre using Goodyear welts, full brogue construction and almost all the same methods youd see in high-end footwear. If leather isnt your thing, these are a great alternative. $295 at Wills-Vegan-Store.com Best Cowboy Boot for Men Tecovas The Jackson Who doesnt love a good pair of cowboy boots? The Jackson is a brand new style from longtime shoemakers Tecovas with a little more room than the average pair of cowboy boots. High-end leather, stacked leather heels and just enough stitching detail makes this an excellent go-anywhere pair of boots regardless if youre actually a cowboy or not. $255 at Tecovas.com Best Packable Boot for Men Vivobarefoot Tracker Snow SG Traveling with boots is just unpleasant. Theyre typically not practical for airports or long drives and take up too much space in a suitcase. Vivobarefoot has come up with a lightweight option that still has water resistance, rubberized mudguard and a recycled RPET (plastic bottle) lining but these can be folded down and crammed into your bag no problem. If your hike takes a plane, train and automobile to get to, consider this a new travel friend. $270 at Amazon.com So there you have it, 15 great options for fall boots across the footwear spectrum. Once youve picked out your next favorite pair, get out there and break em in! Because, of course, your boots were made for walkin. You Might Also Dig: AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. To find out more, please read our complete terms of use. Global law firm Simmons & Simmons has appointed a new partner to its Asia employment practice as it makes headway on its expansion plans for the second half of 2017.The firm tapped employment law specialist May Lu for its Shanghai branch, bringing the number of Asia-based employment partners to four. This also marks the second partner appointment in less than a month, after Matthew Durham transferred from Winston & Strawn last August.Paul Li, head of the firms Asia practice, said Lu has valuable experience in investigations and litigation. She previously worked for MWE China Law Offices a strategic alliance with US firm McDermott Will & Emery where she advised on labour and employment law, investigations, and labour arbitrations in China.Our international client base will benefit from the experience and coverage which four partners can deliver. My colleagues and I look forward to working with May, who has much to offer both the firm and our diverse client base, said Fiona Loughrey, head of the firms employment practice in Asia.Simmons & Simmons has also expanded its Greater China corporate and commercial practice this year, with partner Michael Chin joining from Hogan Lovells in July and Jingyuan Shi being promoted into the partnership last May. Law giant DLA Piper has launched a new pro bono partnership with the University of the South Pacifics law school aimed to strengthen students practical legal skills, and encourage a new generation of pro bono and social justice advocates.The partnerships pioneer project saw the training 22 final-year law students from Vanuatu, Fiji, the Solomon Islands and Samoa delivered by DLA Piper lawyers. Among other things, the training used interactive teaching methods to allow students to learn through doing as part of their Law Clinic and Community Law Information Centre studies."The training has given students fresh perspectives and boosted their confidence where they have gained more knowledge and skills which will be of great value to them in the administration of justice and the rule of law," said Naomi Nawasaitoga, manager of the universitys Emalus Campus Community Law Information Centre.Students explored topics such as pro bono and access to justice, and practiced skills in client interviewing and legal drafting, using group exercises, presentations, and case studies.According to DLA Piper partner and global head of pro bono Nicolas Patrick, the firm seeks to expand its regional network to strengthen the rule of law. [W]e are firmly committed to supporting the development of the region's lawyers through knowledge sharing and capacity building. Were proud to be partnering with the University of the South Pacific, and its wonderful to see such strong interest from the students in pro bono work," he added.In 2016, DLA Piper donated more than 230,000 hours globally to pro bono and community projects, the firm said. SUV 2017 was definitely the year of the electric car concepts, many of which previewed production versions. Skoda, for example, completely changed its mind about this segment and presented anthat ran purely on electricity . There and next to the Karoq, we found a bit of feminine eye candy.Usually, the Italians excel at this stuff. But they didn't at least not this year. Jeep, Chrysler and all the other brands owned by Fiat didn't bother with Frankfurt, while Ferrari had an awesome now convertible and no girls to show it off. What can I say; maybe the glamorous future where we're all plugged in doesn't require sexy women. Maybe there's an app for that too.The only sexy thing at the Kia stand was that shooting brake concept. Again, it's not like we're complaining about only seeing hot cars.There were plenty of bright smiles at the Jaguar, or Subaru stands - wholesome girls that you want to bring to your mother. The Kia Stonic and Hyundai Kona are not the kind of crossovers we want to buy, and it's not because they're not hybrids. But the Korean manufacturers did know how to get our attention.Like in the smartphone business, Chinese car brands are starting to be taken seriously. There was a firm called Wey that got a lot of attention during the Frankfurt Motor Show. See if you can spot their ladies in the photo gallery.The autonomous technology was kind of a big deal this year. Some even go as far as the smart or Audi concepts that don't even have a steering wheel or pedals. There's also an abundance of cars that will never come to the States, like the RS4 , that Kia and even the Honda Urban EV. ICE As you can tell from the live photos, the C-HR Hy-Power differs from the regular model as far as looks are concerned. The headlights , for example, appear as if theyre red with madness. Then theres the lower grille, boasting red accents. The side mirror caps and roof also received the concept treatment, while the bi-tone alloy wheels exude performance.The thing is, Toyota refused to comment in detail on what makes the Hy-Power tick, only mentioning that its a new hybrid powertrain that offers more power and performance than the 122 PS system . Johan Van Zyl, head honcho of Toyota Motor Europe, went on to say that customer feedback has made us realize there is an opportunity to introduce a higher performance hybrid powertrain. Took you long enough Toyota, but the resolve is bang on.Imagine the Prius turned into a high-performance hybrid, thus appealing to people who otherwise wouldnt have considered the Prius as their next car. Not only that, but for those who would rather maximize frugality in daily driving, the powertrain will allow that at the push of a button. Its a win-win situation, and Toyota will profit from it thanks to increased desirability.Other than the C-HR and Prius, Toyota hybrids that might also receive the go-faster treatment include the Yaris, Auris, and RAV4. The automakers U.S. lineup could be in for high-performance surprises too, with the most obvious contenders being the Camry, Avalon, and the Highlander sport utility vehicle.While the visual touches applied to the Hy-Power Concept are unlikely to see production reality, its reassuring Toyota took upon itself to infuse its hybrid vehicles with excitement. As more and more people seek alternatives to-only cars, making hybrids more compelling is the natural course of things. SUV There is no doubt that the Asian manufacturers have set their sights on the European market, and even though they might find it a tougher nut to crack than they probably imagine, it looks like they're not short on perseverance. Or models, for that matter.The two hottest commodities in the automotive industry at this time are EVs and SUVs. The Chinese have an advantage as far as the former go since their domestic market has been supporting the idea of switching to battery-powered vehicles for longer and with more aplomb than in Europe. They may not have such a long tradition in making SUVs, but they've proven they catch up very quickly.So far, the only limited success Chinese brands have had on the Old Continent was with very cheap cars. They were targeting those who wanted a new vehicle with decent specs, but could only afford a stripped down Dacia. Now, though, it looks like Great Wall Motors might be planning to make one or even more steps up the ladder and sell premium SUVs to luxury-seeking Europeans.Since the Great Wall name was already associated with a certain type of products, the company had to come up with a new moniker. It went with "Wey," and the new sub-brand made its European debut in Frankfurt with three SUVs and a concept.The three vehicles already in production in China are as generic-looking as they are named: VV5S, VV7S, and P8. They all resemble existing European models, which means they are far from ugly, but they also lack personality and a clear brand identity.The concept, however, is an entirely different story. It's called the XEV, and it has the shape of a coupe/crossover with two large doors that flip up to allow access to both seat rows. It also has the rear of a baboon with hemorrhoids, which has to be the weirdest inspiration source we've heard of so far.On the technical side, the XEV uses a gasoline engine to power the front axle and an electric motor for the rear one, making it an all-wheel-drive hybrid. It's also said to have autonomous capabilities, but since it's a concept, they can say whatever they like. Just like we can say "better luck next time."Great Wall hasn't made its intentions clear for the Wey brand as well as international availability goes, but showing up in force in Frankfurt suggests such a move can't be too far away. If it happens, either it hires experienced designers with ideas of their own, or telling between Wey's and other manufacturers' models is going to be very tricky. Sarah Drasner, award-winning Speaker, Sr. Developer Advocate at Microsoft and Writer at CSS-Tricks, joined us at Awwwards Los Angeles to talk about how JavaScript is insanely powerful for gradually revealing information through animation, manipulating graphics with SVG, Canvas, and WebGL. Check out her talk to see live demos of how JavaScript can reach to new heights of composing experiences. The best way to make your site compelling is by actually making it compelling. To keep up to date with the latest from Sarah, follow her on twitter @sarah_edo If you'd like to find out more on this topic, grab yourself a copy of Sarah's book SVG Animations : From Common UX Implementations to Complex Responsive Animation Don't miss out, BE THERE! Get your tickets for valuable networking with top web design agencies and learning first-hand the latest trends from thought leaders - next stop Awwwards Berlin 2018! Right-wing commentators are taking aim at President Trump for his in-the-works DACA deal that would include increased border security but no funding for the border wall. Why it matters: Trump's newfound desire for bipartisanship is putting his conservative base in jeopardy. Many of his most feverish supporters voted for him because of his hard line on immigration, and to them this deal makes it seem like Trump's caving on his core promises. Breitbart splashed "Amnesty Don" across its homepage. splashed "Amnesty Don" across its homepage. Rep. Steve King (R-IA) tweeted: "If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." tweeted: "If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." Ann Coulter tweeted: "At this point, who DOESN'T want Trump impeached?" tweeted: "At this point, who DOESN'T want Trump impeached?" Laura Ingraham tweeted: "Dems' 'Border security' pledge is MEANINGLESS... When does American working class w/out real wage increase in 15yrs & who send their kids to overcrowded public schools get amnesty?" tweeted: "Dems' 'Border security' pledge is MEANINGLESS... When does American working class w/out real wage increase in 15yrs & who send their kids to overcrowded public schools get amnesty?" Sean Hannity tweeted: "Weak R's have betrayed voters. @POTUS needs to stay the course and keep his promises or it's over! Pelosi and Schumer can never be trusted.... If reports true 100%. I blame R's. They caused this..." tweeted: "Weak R's have betrayed voters. @POTUS needs to stay the course and keep his promises or it's over! Pelosi and Schumer can never be trusted.... If reports true 100%. I blame R's. They caused this..." Lou Dobbs, an anchor Fox Business Network tweeted: "...Huge Loss for #MAGA... @POTUS Betrayed." Meanwhile, here are a few sample texts flying around, from Axios' Jonathan Swan, who's on a text message chain with some of the more influential anti-establishment GOP operatives and media figures in the U.S. The year's most consequential storylines have collided and are now one mega-story worthy of your undivided attention with the revelation by Bloomberg's Chris Strohm that "Russia's effort to influence U.S. voters through Facebook and other social media is a 'red-hot' focus of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation." Why it matters: Mueller's investigation, based on people he's interviewing and questions he's asking, could very well expose in vivid detail not only Russia's influence in the election, and sketchy if not illegal behavior by Trump associates, but also how Facebook, Twitter and social media helped facilitate a lot of it. The latest Mueller news would make the "House of Cards" writers blush, bringing together fake news, Mueller, Trump, Russia and the winds blowing against the tech giants. Bloomberg's details: "Mueller's team of prosecutors and FBI agents is zeroing in on how Russia spread fake and damaging information through social media and is seeking additional evidence from companies like Facebook and Twitter about what happened on their networks." of prosecutors and FBI agents is zeroing in on how Russia spread fake and damaging information through social media and is seeking additional evidence from companies like Facebook and Twitter about what happened on their networks." "Facebook officials likely to face Congress, key lawmaker says." likely to face Congress, key lawmaker says." "Agencies ...are now examining what could be done to prevent similar interference and espionage in ... the 2018 midterm congressional vote." ...are now examining what could be done to prevent similar interference and espionage in ... the 2018 midterm congressional vote." "Russia is ramping up its hacking operations, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said." At the same time, Hillary Clinton is out there sounding the alarm with the promotion tour for "What Happened," where she writes that Russian manipulation of the election ("an attack on our democracy by our principal foreign adversary") is "much more serious" than Watergate. Confronting "hybrid war" ... Jim Rutenberg, in the cover story of Sunday's N.Y. Times Magazine ("RT, Sputnik and Russia's New Theory of War"), writes that the Kremlin has "built one of the most powerful information weapons of the 21st century," and that it "may be impossible to stop": "Russia's media and social-media machinery ... contributed to the informational chaos the fake news and conspiracy theories that coursed through social-media feeds that characterized the final stretch of the election, to, it turned out, Trump's benefit." Another development that'll keep this convergence in the news ... "FBI investigating Russian media's U.S. intentions," the L.A. Times reports on A1: "The FBI is investigating two Russian government-funded media organizations that operate in the United States following accusations that they were part of a massive Kremlin operation to help swing" the election. "Russia Today, Moscow's flagship English language television broadcaster, and Sputnik News, a radio and wire service funded by the Kremlin, claim to be legitimate news gathering organizations, no different from the BBC." Moscow's flagship English language television broadcaster, and Sputnik News, a radio and wire service funded by the Kremlin, claim to be legitimate news gathering organizations, no different from the BBC." "But the FBI is exploring whether the two Russian organizations should be required to register as foreign agents ... A U.S. intelligence community report on Moscow's interference in the 2016 presidential race concluded in January that Sputnik and RT ... were part of a multi-faceted Russian intelligence operation." Be smart: The Russia angle will vastly amplify congressional and media scrutiny of the tech giants, increasingly on the defensive for what they know about us and how they have used their power. Per the N.Y. Post: "CNN boss Jeff Zucker slammed ... Facebook at Tina Brown's first Women in the World Canada Summit, saying, 'I urge more folks to hold them to account' for taking ads in a Russian-backed campaign to influence the election." P.S. The N.Y. Times reports that beginning today, the Kremlin is holding "a six-day joint military exercise that is expected to be the biggest display of Russian military power since the end of the Cold War a quarter-century ago." The Federal Trade Commission has confirmed to multiple outlets that it is probing the breach at credit check agency Equifax that implicated data from 143 million people. That's a surprising move for an agency that usually keeps its investigations under wraps. Who else is looking into the case: Another federal agency, law enforcement officials and congressional committees. Between the lines: That the FTC publicly commented on the investigation at all is evidence of the wide interest in the Equifax breach thanks to the eye-popping number of Americans who might be affected. Jared Kushner listens right as Donald Trump speaks during a meeting in the White House. Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP The Office of Government Ethics will now allow lobbyists to contribute anonymous gifts to White House staffers' legal defense funds including those caught up in the current Russia probes, per a Politico report. Lobbyists were previously banned from doing so. Why it matters, as Politico's Darren Samuelsohn writes: "The little-noticed change could help President Donald Trump's aides raise the money they need to pay attorneys as the Russia probe expands but raises the potential for hidden conflicts of interest or other ethics trouble." The history behind the decision: A 1993 OGE guidance document allowed anonymous donations under the presumption that staffers receiving funds wouldn't know who donated. However, the Clinton-era OGE decided that policy might bring unwanted scrutiny and advised attorneys to avoid anonymous donations. Though the OGE's internal policy changed, the guidance document itself was never officially altered because the administrations of Presidents Bush and Obama never faced significant personal legal trouble. The decision: The opposition Yelk alliance called on Thursday for a parliamentary inquiry into consequences of Armenias membership in the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU). Representatives of the pro-Western bloc proposed the creation of the ad hoc parliament commission after the pro-government majority in the National Assembly rejected its demands for the countrys exit from the trade bloc. Yelk put forward last week a draft parliamentary statement saying that the Armenian authorities must embark on a process of invalidating their accession treaty with the EEU. The statement says that EEU membership, effective from January, 2015, has hurt the countrys economy and security. Mane Tandilian, one of Yelks nine deputies in the 105-member parliament, said the parliament commission would scrutinize costs and benefits of EEU membership and present them to the public. Public support is very important on this issue, she told RFE/RLs Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). The public was apathetic when we jointed the EEU. The reason for that was that the public was not aware of what we missed out on. Tandilian referred to the Association Agreement with the European Union which Yerevan negotiated shortly before President Serzh Sarkisian opted in 2013 to join the Russian-led bloc instead. I dont think that economic growth in Armenia would have been faster had we signed the Association Agreement, said Gagik Melikian, a senior lawmaker from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). Still, Melikian said that the HHKs parliamentary faction will consider the idea of setting up the parliamentary commission. He expressed confidence that such an inquiry would only prove that Armenia needs to be part of the EEU. The HHKs junior coalition partner, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), is also strongly opposed to Armenias exit from the bloc comprising Russia and four other former Soviet republics. A Dashnaktsutyun leader, Armen Rustamian, claimed that the Yelk initiative could actually jeopardize the upcoming signing of the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a less ambitious alternative to the Association Agreement. Rustamian made clear at the same time that his party supports a public debate on the issue. And that debate will happen, he said. 14 September 2017 12:27 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Armenia, a small South Caucasian country, suffers a number of social and economic problems that the authorities have failed to fix for many years. One of the most pressing issues is loss of the population. The rising immigration and low population growth has ringed alarm bells long ago, but the government remained deaf to expert warnings. But due to ignorance, the situation with the Armenian demographics has reached such a point that the government could no longer pretend that nothing bad is happening. Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan held a meeting on September 12 where the state officials discussed a draft plan for improvement of the demographic situation in Armenia, local media reported. But, Armenians do not expect any big results from the belated step. Armenians leave the Motherland mainly because of poor quality of life in the country, which is linked with economic failures of the government. The total state debt of the country as of late July 2017 made $6,202 billion, according to the National Statistical Service. Last year, Armenias state debt was considerably less $5,849 billion. Along with the growth of debts, Armenia experiences a serious decline in foreign investments. They sharply decreased in the first half of 2017 compared to the same period of 2016. The National Statistical Service reported that investments in the real sector of the Armenian economy in January-June made less than $52 million. Moreover, the countrys population suffers from unemployment, which is the highest among the CIS countries, making up 19 percent. With every hundred new workplaces, several hundred of them are closed, thus making Armenian families even poorer than they were. Today, about 228,400 economically active people of Armenia are unemployed, and this is only the official figure. Theretofore it is no surprise that Armenians keep leaving the country. The official data says that the number of the countrys citizens continues to decline steadily year by year. Armenias population has decreased by 15,200 people over the past year, and today the population of the country is even less than 3 million 2,979,900 people, according to the National Statistical Service. It remains a mystery what Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan hoped for when he promised Armenians this summer that the number of the countrys population will reach 4 million by 2040. Foreign experts do not have such an optimism regarding Armenias demographics that Sargsyan has. The recent UN study on population prospects noted that if no appropriate actions are taken, Armenia will enter the year 2025 with even smaller and ageing population, and in 2050 the countrys population will be only 2 million. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 10:23 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova Azerbaijans export mission will arrive in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for holding talks with UAE businessmen in early October. A big exhibition of Azerbaijani products is planned to be organized as part of the visit of the export mission to promote the Made in Azerbaijan brand in the UAE, the Azerbaijani embassy in the UAE told Trend. Moreover, an event is planned to be held in the UAE October 17 to mark the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and the UAE, the embassy said. High-ranking officials of the two countries are expected to attend. The entrepreneurs in Azerbaijans export mission specialize in production of agricultural products, mineral water, fruit juices, sugar and confectionery products, honey, hazelnuts and other industrial products. Azerbaijan has already sent export missions to Qatar (in February) and Kazakhstan (in April), as well as to Germany, Afghanistan and Pakistan since early 2017. The country also organized the export missions to China, Dubai, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Qatar, Germany and Kazakhstan as part of a mechanism of promoting the "Made in Azerbaijan" brand launched in November 2016. Data of the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee show that the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and the UAE amounted to almost $70 million in 2016, $11.6 million of that amount accounted for the export from Azerbaijan. The trade turnover between the countries amounted to $24.4 million in January-August 2017. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 11:46 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova Self employment program is becoming an effective tool to handle unemployment, as over 900 people already fully benefited the recently launched program in Azerbaijan. Minister of Labor and Social Protection of Population Salim Muslimov announced that roughly 920 citizens have already been given assets [goods and assets] for setting up a family business, since the implementation of the program On additional measures in the field of ensuring self-employment of the population, signed by the Azerbaijani President in April 2016. Muslimov made the remark during a meeting with a delegation of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The minister noted that the self-employment program is aimed at supporting creation of a family business, in accordance with the labor potential of the unemployed and job-seekers. The program will cover, in total, 1,400 unemployed and job seekers in the cities and regions of the country. The number of participants for each city and district is determined taking into account the specific weight of their household. Muslimov further stressed that in accordance with the instructions of the head of state cooperation with international financial institutions, including the EBRD is viewed for further expansion of this program, as well as for development of individual enterprises involved in this program. Head of the EBRD Baku office Ivana Duarte, in turn, expressed satisfaction with the constant expansion of cooperation between the EBRD and Azerbaijan, further adding that in this regard, it is appropriate to cooperate in the implementation of the self-employment program. Currently, unemployment rate in Azerbaijan is 5 percent, while the poverty level equals to 5.3 percent. In September 2016, Simplified support to family business (ABAD) under the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations operating under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ASAN) was created in order to support the active participation of citizens in the social and economic development of Azerbaijan, the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), increase of employment of the population. Moreover, it is planned to create the Agency of Small and Medium Enterprises and the Guarantee Credit Fund in 2017-2018. Similar agencies already operate in Europe, the UK, the USA, China, Singapore and other countries, stimulating the development of small and medium-sized businesses. The Bank was established in 1991to support countries of the former Eastern Bloc in the process of establishing their private sectors. To that end, it offers "project financing" for banks, industries and businesses, for new ventures or existing companies. The EBRD has allocated more than 3 billion to Azerbaijan for implementation of 160 projects since 1992. One of the main priorities of the EBRD in Azerbaijan for 2017 is support the local corporates with direct financing. The EBRD continues to pursue investments in energy projects, especially where there is a gap to improve efficiency and energy security. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 12:43 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova Azerbaijan should continue restructuring of the banking sector, said Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Department for the Middle East and Central Asia Jihad Azour at a press conference in Baku on September 13. "We discussed the issue of restructuring of the International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA), as well as the entire banking sector as a whole, within the framework of meetings with the Minister of Finance, as well as the leadership of the Financial Market Supervisory Body (FMSB) and the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA), and we believe that the government of Azerbaijan took serious steps to resolve issue with problem banks," Azour noted. Azour went on to say that restructuring of the banking sector will positively impact on its sustainability, increase confidence in the financial and banking sector, and reduce budgetary risks. The restructuring process of the banking sector in the country began in January 2016. As a result of this process, the licenses of 11 banks, which did not meet the regulator's requirements, were revoked, .Also there was a merger of two banks - Atabank and Caspian Development Bank. Moreover, in July 2015, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on the measures for rehabilitation related to the preparations for privatizing the state-owned shares of the International Bank of Azerbaijan JSC. The shortcomings in the management, investment and loan policy of the IBA, as well as financing of less efficient, risky investment projects worsened the Bank's financial state, caused increase in the share of distressed assets and reduced its liquidity. The IBA has been operating since 1992 and is one of the country's two state banks. Currently, 31 banks are implementing their activities in Azerbaijan. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), created in 1945, is an organization of 189 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world. The IMF office was opened in Baku since 1992. The IMF allocated to Azerbaijan loan in the amount of $577.3 million in 1995-2005 to support the program of economic reforms. Azerbaijan fully repaid the loans of the fund. Starting from 2005, there was no need for Azerbaijanto apply to the IMF financial resources, therefore, since 2006, the IMF and Azerbaijan have cooperated in consultations and technical assistance missions in the main areas of macroeconomic policy. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 15:11 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova Azerbaijan, which is the partner country of the WorldFood Moscow exhibition, has received "The Best Debut" award. The country is represented at the exhibition by the national stand "Made in Azerbaijan" for the first time. Over 30 companies have been united in one exposition to offer a variety of products: from fresh agricultural products to canned goods, from natural mineral water to various alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, teas, nuts, dairy products, pastry and much more. Visitors will have the opportunity to taste local wines and appreciate the ancient Azerbaijan winemaking tradition. The collective participation of Azerbaijan delegates has been organized by the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) with the support of the Economy Ministry. The visitors of the exhibition are given huge information about Azerbaijan, highlighting the fact that Azerbaijan is the exclusive partner in all the news related to the exhibition. About 1,433 companies from 65 countries participate in WorldFood Moscow, which is being held on September 11-14. Azerbaijan is keen to penetrate widely in the international commodity markets with its products branded Made in Azerbaijan. In total, within the promotion of the Made in Azerbaijan brand export missions were organized to China, the UAE, Germany, Pakistan, Qatar, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan. Budapest, the capital city of Hungary, was defined as next destination, where Azerbaijani entrepreneurs will present 'Made in Azerbaijan' brand on October 1-4, according to the Economy Ministry. Last year, the Azerbaijani government have launched large-scale reforms and adopted a roadmap program that prioritizes 12 sectors with strategic goals set before the economy to create a new development model basing on short-term (until 2020), medium-term (until 2025) and long-term measures (post 2025). The key insight of the economic reforms that allows to achieve the sustainable development and pervade the budgets, are exports. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 16:50 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova Azerbaijans legal entities and individuals carried out trade operations with their partners in 176 countries, exported products to 107 countries and imported from 169 countries during January-July 2017. The foreign trade turnover amounted to $12.872 billion in January-July 2017, Azertac reported. The goods in the amount of $8.5 billion were exported and imported in the amount of $4.3 billion, which led to a positive trade turnover of $4.3 billion. About 37.3 percent of the trade turnover falls on the EU countries, 13.2 percent - on the CIS countries, 49.5 percent - on other countries. The top five countries importing products from Azerbaijan include Italy (22.6 percent), Turkey (12.5 percent), China (5.5 percent), Russia (5.3 percent) and Georgia (4.6 percent). Roughly 18.0 percent of the imported goods accounted for Russia, 15.7 percent for Turkey, 10 percent for China, 8.7 percent for the U.S. and 4.6 percent for Germany. Azerbaijan is currently part of the European Neighborhood Policy, Eastern Partnership and the Council of Europe, and is a large recipient of aid and infrastructure investment from the EU. In February 2017 the EU and Azerbaijan launched negotiations on a new strategic agreement that will replace the old one. The EU is Azerbaijan's first trading partner representing 51 percent of Azerbaijan's total trade. The EU's exports to Azerbaijan consist primarily of machinery and transport equipment whereas EU imports from Azerbaijan cover mainly oil and gas (98 percent of total imports). --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 17:38 (UTC+04:00) By Sara Israfilbayova The National Fund for Entrepreneurship Support (NFES) under the Economy Ministry of Azerbaijan has granted concessional loans worth 74 million manats ($43.5 million) to more than 1,100 entrepreneurs since early 2017. The Economy Ministry reported that these loans allow to create more than 3,100 new work places. Within the framework of a business forum held in the Zagatala region, entrepreneurs received preferential loans in the amount of 767,000 manats ($451,200). These funds will be directed to the creation of the agricultural park, to development of livestock, tobacco and horticulture. So far, entrepreneurs of the Sheki-Zagatala economic region has received preferential loans worth 100,4 million manats ($59 million) for the implementation of almost 2,251 investment projects. About 270 entrepreneurs in the country have received preferential loans in the amount of 24 million manats ($14.1 million) for the development of the sphere of tobacco growing, tea growing and hazelnut farming. Some 150 million manats ($88 million) will be issued for granting preferential loans to entrepreneurs in 2017. The Fund was created in 1992 and grants loans to entrepreneurs through authorized banks and non-bank lenders. The main goal of the Fund is to provide preferential loans from the state budget for small and medium business, in order to develop entrepreneurship in the Republic of Azerbaijan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 11:32 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Indonesia is one of the largest and most diverse countries in the world, where one can see stunning ocean views as well as volcanoes, mountains and hills. Rich in history and culture, Indonesia is one of the most densely populated states in the world, home to about 300 peoples. Usually Indonesia is called the "Land of Thousand Islands", wishing to emphasize that this is the largest island nation in the world. Rich culture, unique nature, flora and fauna, architecture, traditions and history take visitors of this country to a fairytale world. Bakuvians and guests of the city were able to familiarize with the colorful Indonesia during the second Festival of Indonesian Culture organized with the assistance of the Indonesian Embassy in Azerbaijan and dedicated to the 25th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the countries. Visitors could experience true Indonesia, diverse, colorful and multicultural. Various cultural events, dances and musical performances from different regions of Indonesia were presented during the festival. Open-air celebrations and performances of musicians and bands were held in Baku Boulevard, where Bakuvians and guests of the city could see how the masterpieces of Indonesian art are created. The famous Indonesian jazz musician, Dwiki Dharmawan, and folklore dance groups showed their amazing performance at the Heydar Aliyev Palace. Indonesian Ambassador Husnan Bey Fananie, speaking at the event, expressed satisfaction with the fact that Baku hosts this festival for the second time. Indonesia and Azerbaijan act as allies in a number of international forums. As for the festival, it is held as a sign of solidarity with the people of Azerbaijan, in particular, with internally displaced persons who suffered as a result of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he said. The ambassador drew attention to the fact that 1,340 ethnic groups live in Indonesia, adding that Azerbaijan is also famous for its rich culture and multinationality. Both our countries realize the importance of developing tolerance and solidarity. Diversity enriches us. I am confident that this festival will play the role of a bridge in uniting efforts aimed at the benefit of Azerbaijan and Indonesia, the diplomat said. The Center for Contemporary Arts YARAT hosted a concert of the mega-positive group KunoKini, as well as the display of mural art - contemporary wall patterns and paintings. All events aroused great interest of Baku citizens and guests of the city. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 16:00 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Today the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the only conflict in the region, which has a real risk of escalating into an all-out war. The presence of unresolved conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan challenges the regional security, as in case of new war regional powers, Russia and NATO member Turkey in particular, could become directly involved. For over two decades, the OSCE Minsk Group established to broker a peace has failed to achieve any tangible result for the conflict resolution. The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan around Nagorno-Karabakh has reached a dangerous stage where the existing status quo is difficult to preserve due to Azerbaijans military successes and the inherent problems of Armenias dependence on Russia, stated a Canadian think tank. The Toronto-Based Geopolitical Monitor, in its recently published report, has predicted a change in the status quo in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Geopolitical Monitor suggested that as Moscow has a big geopolitical stake in the conflict, it will continue to supply arms to both Baku and Yerevan to keep the military balance, preserve the status quo, and deny any other power such as Turkey or Iran possibilities to increase their own influence in the conflict resolution process. The analysis stresses that unlike other breakaway conflicts across the former Soviet Union, the one around Nagorno-Karabakh has not been frozen since its inception in the early 1990s. Daily ceasefire violations at times reached more than 100 instances, increasing the difficulty of reaching any peaceful resolution to the standoff between Armenia and Azerbaijan, it reads. As the nearly war-type situation between the two sides showed in April 2016, the conflict is not static and rather is subject to changing geopolitical circumstances. Beyond the immediate situation on the contact line, any progress to the resolution of the conflict is complicated by the many actors which have geopolitical interests in the South Caucasus, the document reads. Armenia broke out this lengthy war against Azerbaijan by laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Today Armenia refuses to implement four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions. Although the ceasefire agreement was signed in 1994, Armenia does not comply with it. Not a day passes without ceasefire violations by Armenias armed forces in the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border and the frontline in Nagorno-Karabakh. Moreover, the Armenian militaries using heavy machine guns and mortars deliberately aim at Azerbaijan settlements near the frontline in order to hurt civilians living there. Indeed, Azerbaijan has strongly developed its military capability over the years and the country is fully prepared to release its occupied lands from Armenian invaders. On the other hand, Azerbaijan prefers the conflict to be resolved peacefully and without further casualties. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 17:02 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian in his last statement has called on foreigners to violate international law and Azerbaijani laws, urging for illegal visits to Azerbaijans occupied territories, which in itself is a crime, said Hikmat Hajiyev. Armenia encourages foreigners, particularly politicians, to illegally visit the occupied Azerbaijani territories in exchange for funding, as well as by blackmail or fraud, and then turns them into tools of political propaganda, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys Spokesman said. Unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other regions of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia are considered illegal, and any individuals paying such visits are included in the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's list of undesirable persons. Baku continues the work to prevent such illegal actions, and the foreign citizens should keep their eyes peeled in order not to be deceived by Armenian occupiers. The recent story with arrest of blogger Alexander Lapshin due to his illegal visits to Azerbaijan's lands occupied by Armenia has shown what non-compliance with the Azerbaijani laws may lead to. However, still Armenian authorities encourage foreigners to visit the occupied Azerbaijani lands, by breaching the international law. Hajiyev noted that Azerbaijan informs the international community about the illegality and legal consequences of such visits, using the list of undesirable persons, preparing a report on illegal economic and other activities of Armenia in the occupied territories and other similar actions, including those related to the case of Alexander Lapshin, allowed exposing the policy pursued by Armenia to organize illegal visits to the occupied territories. "As a result, the number of such visits has declined significantly," Hajiyev said. He added that many people, who were deceived and became victims of Armenias illegal actions, then appealed to the Azerbaijani side, apologizing for their actions, and requested removal of their names from the list. The spokesman said that many world countries call to avoid illegal visits to the occupied Azerbaijani territories on the websites of their foreign ministries, and warn about the legal liability of such visits. "Now, to justify itself, the Armenian side is trying to organize single visits of persons of Armenian origin from abroad and people directly connected with the Armenian lobby," Hajiyev added. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. -- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 18:11 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the status quo that Armenia tries to preserve in Azerbaijans occupied lands create big problems to international cooperation in the region. The presence of unresolved conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan also poses challenges for the regional neighbors. The Nagorno-Karabakh impedes the strengthening of the geopolitical axis Moscow-Baku. But Russia is a peacemaker in this conflict, and we strongly want to avoid renewal of hostilities, ideologist Aleksandr Dugin said at the sidelines of Moscow-Baku conference in Moscow, adding that Russia is not satisfied with the status quo. Baku has repeatedly expressed its consent to come to the negotiating table with Yerevan to resolve the conflict by peaceful means, but Armenia continues to play for time and avoids substantive negotiations. The reluctance of Armenia is the main reason why the OSCE Minsk Group, aimed at resolving the conflict by peaceful means, cannot make any tangible progress. Yerevan does its utmost not to let the conflict settlement process move forward, as Armenian leadership knows that it will eventually have to withdraw from Azerbaijans occupied lands. Dugin noted that Armenia controls Nagorno-Karabakh, but Russia, as well as the world community, recognizes Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. This problem has no military solution. But we came to a point when we need to move forward, he added. Answering the question about the way to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Dugin said that Armenia should return five occupied regions to Azerbaijan: I repeat, we need to move forward. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 10:38 (UTC+04:00) The Israeli citizen Alexander Lapshin, who was pardoned by the decree of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev dated 11 September, 2017, has sent a letter of gratitude to the head of state. Alexander Lapshin recalls that he was sentenced to three years imprisonment by the Baku Court of Grave Crimes on July 20, 2017: "I have heard today that you signed a decree to pardon me. I am very grateful to you for this. Probably, I have never been looking forward to any event in my life." Saying he sincerely regrets what he did, Alexander Lapshin notes that when he went to Nagorno-Karabakh he did not have any reliable information about what happened in the region and around it. "Now I have irrefutable facts that Karabakh is and will continue be an ancient Azerbaijani land." He expressed his hope that the Karabakh problem will be settled by taking into account the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Alexander Lapshin in his letter once again underlined his regret for his irresponsible actions and expressed his gratitude to the Azerbaijani President for his humanity. "Let me extend my best wishes to you, your family, and the whole people of Azerbaijan for long life, the best of health, much more prosperity, and for the soonest liberation of your occupied territories," Alexander Lapshin concluded his letter. Alexander Lapshin illegally visited the occupied Azerbaijani lands in April 2011, thus disrespecting Azerbaijans territorial integrity, and also crossed Azerbaijans border once again by visiting the country in October 2012 using a different passport. The blogger also called for the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh in his blog posts. Lapshin was extradited from Belarus to Baku on February 7 and sentenced for three years later in July. Azerbaijan has long ago notified the world community that unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other regions of the country occupied by Armenian armed forces are illegal, and any individual paying such visits will be included into Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's "black list". --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 11:28 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov The issues of military-technical cooperation between Baku and Islamabad will be discussed during the upcoming visit of Chief of Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force Sohail Aman to Azerbaijan. Amans visit is scheduled for September 19-22. During the visit, the sides will discuss the development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Pakistan in military aviation and air defense. Currently, the sides coordinate the program of the visit, the Pakistani Embassy in Baku reported. Pakistani ambassador to Azerbaijan Saeed Khan Mohmand previously said that the two countries will continue to deepen cooperation in the defense sphere and organization of military exercises. We have a strong cooperation in the military sphere and we will continue to deepen our cooperation, he said. Pakistan became the second country after Turkey which recognized the independence of Azerbaijan in 1991. The diplomatic relations between two countries were established on June 9, 1992. The military cooperation takes a special place in Azerbaijan-Pakistan relations. Back in November 2016, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry and Pakistans Joint Staff Headquarters signed a plan of bilateral military cooperation in Islamabad. The sides agreed to continue cooperation in carrying out joint military exercises and discussed detailed cooperation in defense sector and joint military production. Pakistan backed Azerbaijan during and after the Nagorno-Karabakh War and it is the only country that does not recognize Armenia. Pakistan also adopted a resolution strongly condemning the genocide against the civilian population of Khojaly, which was committed by Armenian armed forces. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 13:16 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov A sustainable population growth has been observed in Azerbaijan over the past years, and the trend continues today. Today, Azerbaijan is one of the few countries in Europe and CIA area with a young age structure, said Metin Kerimli, the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Population. Kerimli, talking to reporters in Baku on September 13, said that the 2016-data shows that the youth (population aged 14-29) constitutes 27 percent of the total age structure of the Azerbaijani population, while children (population below 14) make 22 percent, population aged 35-64 71.3 percent, and the population aged 65 and over account for 6.2 percent. The number of Azerbaijans population reached 9,850,077 as of July 1, 2017. The State Statistical Committee reports that the country's population grew by 0.4 percent or 40,096 people since the beginning of 2017. Kerimli added that given the demographic trends of recent years, one can say that the population growth in Azerbaijan will continue. In 2050 Azerbaijans population is expected to grow 1.4 times in comparison with the year 2015 and reach 11.8 million, he said. The UN previously reported that Azerbaijans population is expected to hit 10.68 million people by 2030 and 11.03 million people by 2050. The report forecasts that life expectancy at birth will increase in Azerbaijan. So if in 2015-2020 it is 72.1 years, then by 2045-2050 will increase to 75.7 and in 2095-2100 - to 82.6 years. Today, the population density is 114 people per square kilometer. Some 53 percent of the population live in cities and towns, while 47 percent in villages. Roughly 49.9 percent of the population is men, and 50.1 per cent are women. Currently, 1,006 women fall per 1,000 men. There were recorded 68,885 newborns in the January-June, 2017. This figure made 14.3 per 1000 people. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 12:54 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev met with Energy and Natural Resources Minister of Turkey Berat Albayrak in Baku on September 14, Azertac reported. President Aliyev expressed his gratitude for kind words in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's message of congratulation in connection with today`s ceremony in Baku. The head of state said today`s event strengthened the existing energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey, and also extended his congratulations on this occasion. Berat Albayrak extended Erdogan's greetings to President Aliyev. He described Azerbaijan-Turkey energy cooperation as a model for the rest of the world. The Turkish minister said this cooperation is enriched with new projects and mutual investment. They noted the importance of joint strategic projects carried out by Azerbaijan and Turkey, and expressed their confidence that friendly and brotherly relations between the two countries will continue to expand. They stressed the significance of the Amended and Restated Agreement on the Joint Development and Production Sharing for the Azeri and Chirag fields and the Deep Water Portion of the Gunashli field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, saying it will contribute to developing both countries` economies and improving both nations` well-fare. President Ilham Aliyev thanked for the Turkish President`s greetings, and asked the minister to extend his greetings to Recep Tayyip Erdogan. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 13:08 (UTC+04:00) Chinas President Xi Jinping said that he will visit Azerbaijan in the near future, a source in the Azerbaijani Embassy in China told Trend on September 14. Xi Jinping made the remarks at a meeting with Ambassador of Azerbaijan to China Akram Zeynalli, according to the source. The Azerbaijani ambassador presented his credentials to Xi Jinping. The Chinese president, recalling with satisfaction the official visit of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to China in December 2015, noted that during the visit, important decisions were made regarding the development of cooperation between the two countries. Xi Jinping appreciated the support of the head of state and government of Azerbaijan for the One Belt One Road initiative. Azerbaijan attaches great importance to relations with China, and is interested in developing cooperation in all spheres, the ambassador said at the meeting. Zeynalli added that Azerbaijan is ready to contribute to the successful implementation of Xi Jinpings One Belt One Road initiative. The diplomat noted that Azerbaijan is also interested in further attracting Chinese companies for cooperation. The One Belt, One Road initiative is aimed at improving existing and creating new trade routes, as well as transport and economic corridors, linking more than 60 countries of Central Asia, Europe and Africa, which will contribute to the development of their trade relations with China. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 13:58 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Air Forces of Azerbaijan and Turkey will conduct joint flight-tactical exercises TurAz Qartal-2017. The exercises, to be conducted in accordance with the annual military cooperation plan between Azerbaijan and Turkey, will start on September 18 involving up to 30 aircrafts of the two countries' Air Forces. They will include MiG-29, F-16, Su-25, C-130 Herkules and CASA CN-235 aircrafts, as well as Mi-35, Mi-17 and Sikorsky S-70 helicopters, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported on September 1. The participants will fulfill tasks on planning joint activities of the Air Forces of Azerbaijan and Turkey, studying the possibilities of interaction in conducting operations and combat coordination, conducting search and rescue operations, destruction of ground targets with air strikes, as well as other tasks. The exercises will last until September 30. Azerbaijan and Turkey enjoy strategic relations in many fields, including the military sphere. Military cooperation between the brotherly countries dates back to 1992 when they signed an agreement on military education. Since then, the Azerbaijani and Turkish governments have been closely cooperating in both defense and security fields. So far, the Azerbaijani and Turkish armed forces have hold regular drills, featuring various tactical and combat tasks both on Turkish and Azerbaijani territories. In March last year, Air Force military team from Azerbaijan joined exercises TurAz Qartal - 2016 at an airbase in the Turkish Konya. Three Azerbaijani MiG-29 fight aircrafts, three Su-25 attack aircrafts and IL-76 military transport aircrafts were tested in the exercises. In June 2016, Azerbaijani servicemen participated in joint multinational training of Special Forces in Turkey. Previously, Armed Forces of Turkey and Azerbaijan held joint exercises in the city of Kars. This May, joint exercises of the two countries Armed Forces were held in Azerbaijan. The aim of the exercises was to improve coordination through the exchange of experience between the Armed Forces, as well as to achieve the interoperability of the military units of the two countries through joint headquarters planning, improving the readiness and capabilities of the units to conduct operations. Later, in June, the two countries had military exercises in Nakhchivan. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 15:24 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Azerbaijan and Vietnam, despite nearly 7,000km separating the two countries, are eager to further deepening the mutually beneficial cooperation and increase the trade turnover. The two agreed to take measures to boost the cooperation via party, government and parliamentary channels, covering the fields of economy-trade, investment, energy, transport, culture and education-training. To mull the cooperation issues and attend events marking the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Baku and Hanoi, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has visited Vietnam, where he had high-level talks. Azerbaijan and Vietnam have great potential for cooperation in various fields and therefore need to promote an intergovernmental commission on economic, trade, scientific and technical cooperation, said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc as he received Mammadyarov on September 14. The Prime Minister further said that Vietnam was willing to export its key products and import machinery, components and crude oil products from Azerbaijan. Mammadyarov, in turn, said that 2017 is significant for the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and stressed that within the framework of his official visit to the conference negotiations were held on the prospects of Azerbaijani-Vietnamese relations. The Foreign Minister also informed about the transport corridor "North-South", which is implemented with the initiative and direct participation of Azerbaijan, and noted that Azerbaijan can also provide transport communication between Vietnam and Europe. Transport and logistics capabilities were also the main topic of the meeting between Mammadyarov and his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh on September 13. Vietnam is interested in increasing export to Europe, the Azerbaijani foreign minister said, adding that Vietnams joining the North-South transport corridor, serving as a link connecting the railways of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia, will greatly reduce the transport route from Vietnam to Europe. Mammadyarov noted that there are vast opportunities for expanding economic and trade relations between Azerbaijan and Vietnam, and said that it is useful to conduct mutual business forums to identify such opportunities and explore new areas of cooperation. In turn, the Vietnamese FM said cooperation between the two countries in the transport and logistics sector will open a new stage in relations. Binh Minh also expressed his country's interest in cooperation in such areas as energy, agriculture and trade. He further added that the memorandum of understanding on cooperation in agriculture and rural development between the Ministries of Agriculture of Azerbaijan and Vietnam, which was signed in 2015, has created a favorable ground for enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of agriculture and has opened numerous opportunities. The ministers stressed favorable opportunities available for the development of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, as well as the importance of holding business forums. Receiving Mammadyarov on the same day, Tran Tuan Anh, Vietnamese Industry and Trade Minister, co-chairman of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, noted that Vietnam is considering Azerbaijans offer to use its transport and logistics capabilities to enter the European market. The parties discussed prospects for cooperation between the two countries in the spheres of economy, trade, energy, education, as well as export of products of Azerbaijani companies manufacturing oil equipment to the Vietnamese market. In Hanoi, Mammadyarov also met with member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and member of the Permanent Secretariat Tran Quoc Vuong, who said that Azerbaijan and Vietnam are friendly countries. The sides exchanged views on the prospects of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of investment, energy, transport, education and other spheres. Mammadyarov introduced Rauf Aliyev, Member of Parliament of Azerbaijan and the New Azerbaijan Party, and added that the relations between the New Azerbaijan Party and the Communist Party of Vietnam are developing successfully. Attending the conference titled 25 years of Vietnam-Azerbaijan relations: achievements and future prospects was held in Hanoi, Mammadyarov noted that the two countries will celebrate 25th Anniversary of establishment of diplomatic on September 23. Mammadyarov said that the establishment of the Azerbaijani Embassy in Hanoi in 2013 was a clear indication of the intention to develop bilateral relations with Vietnam. Azerbaijan strongly hopes that Vietnam will consider opening its Embassy in Baku as we believe in effectiveness of joint diplomatic efforts in bringing our bilateral relations to a new high. Thus, the establishment of the Embassy of Vietnam in Baku will play important role from the point of view of the fast development of cooperation across the whole spectrum of relations, he said. The FM expressed satisfaction with the current ties between the two sides, noting that the relations are expanding and deepening in recent years with more dynamism in mutually beneficial way. Underlining the importance of mutual visits of the Presidents of the two countries, including the state visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Vietnam in 2014, and official visit of Vietnamese former President Truong Tang Sang to Azerbaijan in 2015, Mammadyarov said that these visits gave a strong impetus to the accelerated development of the mutually beneficial cooperation and identified areas for future expansion of these relations in various fields. Mentioning close cooperation between the ruling parties of the two states, the New Azerbaijan Party and the Communist Party of Vietnam, the FM recalled the Memorandum of Cooperation signed in 2013. There is a full mutual understanding on political issues among our countries, and thus political relations are at a high level. Mutually beneficial cooperation is being expanded in this direction. Unfortunately, the level of cooperation in the economic sphere does not meet the big potential of our countries. In this regard, both parties have the intention to activate the economic cooperation. It should be underlined the creation of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Trade, Scientific and Technical Cooperation. Establishment of Commission is an important step aimed at the development of bilateral relations and of course its first successful meeting in January 16, 2017 opened new opportunities for further enhancing bilateral cooperation, he said. Mammadyarov went on speaking about the major problem that Azerbaijan has been facing since the independence - ongoing occupation of 20 percent of its territories by the neighboring Armenia. Unfortunately, no substantive progress has been achieved in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Armenia continues illegal occupation of the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, in the most brutal violation of international law, UN Charter and United Nations Security Council resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 adopted in 1993 which condemn Armenia for the occupation of Azerbaijani territories and demand immediate withdrawal from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, he said. Azerbaijan urges the international community to condemn Armenia for blatant violation of international law and insists on the implementation of the afore mentioned UN Security Council resolutions, said Mammadyarov, adding that the conflict can only be resolved on the basis of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its internationally recognized borders. In turn, Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said that the Vietnamese remembered and were grateful for what Azerbaijan has done for Vietnam. More than 4,000 Vietnamese students have studied in Azerbaijan and many of them made great contributions to national defense and construction. Many also now occupy key positions in State and Governmental agencies, he noted. Son said that in the first half of this year, two-way trade between Vietnam and Azerbaijan reached $114 million, as much as double during the same period last year. But he noted this figure did not represent the two countries potential and expectations. Vietnam could offer Azerbaijan farming products, handicrafts and electrical components while Azerbaijan could help Vietnam in oil refineries, education and high technologies, he said, adding that Vietnam wanted to make oil production a key area of industrial co-operation between the two countries. 14 September 2017 16:20 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva A conference entitled Moscow-Baku Axis: Towards a New Caucasus Geopolitics has kicked off in Moscow. Participants of the conference, organized by the Center for Geopolitical Expertise and the Izborsk Club, set a goal to assess the current state and prospects of the relations between Moscow and Baku. The event also focuses on Azerbaijan`s role in international politics, regional problems, including resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, as well as issues of culture and education. The event is attended by politicians, representatives of science and experts from the Russian Federation and the AR, diplomats, representatives of the press and all interested in the relations between Russia and Azerbaijan. Among the participants of the conference are Gennady Zyuganov, Sergey Markov, Andrei Klimov, Alexander Prokhanov, Leonid Kalashnikov, Dmitry Saveliev, Mikhail Zabelin, Shamil Sultanov, Polad Bulbuloglu, Ali Huseynli, Rovshan Rzayev and others. Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Policy and State Building Ali Huseynli, addressing the event, pointed to a strong partnership between Russia and Azerbaijan, which support each other especially in recent years, proving the solidity of relations. A special political culture of our peoples also affects the strengthening of the relations. There is a link of strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Russia. Our countries support each other in the most difficult situations in world politics. Perhaps through solving these problems we understand the importance of living in peace and brotherhood," he said. Huseynli further mentioned that the closure of the All-Russian Azerbaijan Congress cause strong concern of the Azerbaijani government. The foundations of the Congress were laid by the National Leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said, expressing hope that Russian Supreme Court will make a fair decision and the congress will continue its activities. Head of the All-Russian Azerbaijan Congress Fazil Gurbanov, in turn, noted that it is important to correctly assess the historical aspect of the Azerbaijani-Russian relations. The friendship of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Russia, Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin, laid a solid foundation for the development of our relations, he said. The fact that Azerbaijan is a powerful obstacle to the penetration of terrorist forces into Russia is very important, according to Gurbanov. Touching upon the conflict around Nagorno-Karabakh, Gurbanov noted that it was not Azerbaijan that created this problem. There is only one solution to this problem - by peaceful means and preserving the integrity of Azerbaijan. A mechanism for the restoration of the lost trust between Armenia and Azerbaijan should be developed and the role of Russia is extremely important in this process, he said. Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan by laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities. Russia, along with the U.S, and France, is a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group established to broker a peace to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Speaking about the Baku-Moscow ties, head of the Russian Federation Communist Party (KPRF) faction in the State Duma Gennady Zyuganov said that the strengthening of Russia's strategic partnership with Azerbaijan plays an extremely important role in the current difficult situation that has developed in international relations. He noted that studying and preserving the Russian language in Azerbaijani schools plays a big role in strengthening relations. Touching upon the issue of the formation of Azerbaijan, Zyuganov noted that national leader Heydar Aliyev did everything to strengthen the republic and curbed the elements that were being played at that time. It is difficult to overestimate the role of Azerbaijan in the victory in the Great Patriotic War, when most of the engines operated on Azerbaijani oil. It is not by chance that the German troops sought to seize Azerbaijan, he said. Speaking at the event, Mikhail Zabelin, Azerbaijani MP and chairman of the Russian community in Azerbaijan noted that good attitude towards Russia has always been in the soul of the Azerbaijani people. After the collapse of the USSR, Azerbaijan experienced difficult times. At the time it was very important to preserve the Russian language in the country and we wouldnt be able to do that so had it not been national leader Heydar Aliyev and the entire Azerbaijani people, he said. Today thanks to the Azerbaijani government, the Russian language is successfully preserved and being developed in the country, he noted. Every year the number of those wishing to enter the Russian class is increasing. The head of the Russia-Azerbaijan Friendship Parliamentary Group and State Duma deputy, Dmitry Saveliev, noted that today when Russia's relations with a number of countries are tested for strength, relations with Azerbaijan are actively developing in various spheres. There is a free trade regime between Russia and Azerbaijan and cultural exchange is intensively underway, according to the deputy. The multifaceted Russian-Azerbaijani cooperation is on the rise, he said stressing that our countries are neighbors and will always work together to strengthen relations. The conference participants also considered prospects for cultural interaction, the importance of the Azerbaijani diaspora for the consolidation of the two countries, the establishment of educational exchanges and dialogue between intellectual patriotic elites of Russia and Azerbaijan. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 15:37 (UTC+04:00) President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Minister of State of the United Kingdom Alan Duncan in Baku on September 14, Azertac reported. President Aliyev thanked for the UK Prime Minister Theresa May's message of congratulation in connection with today`s ceremony in Baku. The head of state hailed Theresa May's kind words about the bilateral relations between the two countries. President Ilham Aliyev described the UK`s high-level representation in the ceremony as indicative of great importance that the UK government attaches to the event. Hailing the signing of the contract as a historical event, the head of state called it a contract of the new century. President Aliyev praised successful development of Azerbaijan-UK cooperation, saying bilateral relations between the two countries cover many areas, including oil and gas sector. Duncan, in turn, hailed the political and economic ties between the two countries. He said Azerbaijan and the UK demonstrate that they are reliable partners. He underlined favorable opportunities for developing cooperation between the two countries in the non-oil sector too. The UK Minister of State described the signing of a new agreement on the development of Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli fields as a historical event, saying that the contract will form the basis of bilateral cooperation. They noted the importance of mutual simplification of visa regime between the two countries. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 17:53 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli September 14 saw another milestone in the history of oil-rich Azerbaijan, as the country signed a landmark agreement with BP and its partners in the Azeri, Chirag fields and the Deep Water Portion of the Gunashli Field (ACG), embodying celebration of a Contract of the 21st Century. The 1994 agreement on the ACG block of oil and gas fields in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea was a crucial turning point in the rapid development of Azerbaijan and its economy. Over the past 23 years the Contract of the Century has truly transformed Azerbaijan, energy supplies to Europe and the country aspires continue to work together to unlock the long-term development potential of ACG through new investments, new technologies and new joint efforts to maximize recovery. The current amended and restated agreement on the joint development and production sharing will be effective until the end of 2049 and here is the potential for more than $40 billion capital to be invested in the ACG oil field. The new era begins in the development of giant Azeri, Chirag, Gunashli oil fields, said President Ilham Aliyev addressed a ceremony on the signing of the agreement 14 at the Heydar Aliyev Center on September. First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva also attended the event. Today is a remarkable and historical day, said the President Aliyev noting that the agreement to be signed today is of great importance for Azerbaijan. The agreement on development of Azeri, Chirag and Gunashli oil fields will be extended until 2050. The agreement is more beneficial for Azerbaijan. Although the agreement signed in 1994 also fully met our interests, this time it will be signed on better terms, said Ilham Aliyev. The President then brought some basic parameters of the document to the attention of the participants, pointing out that after the signing of the agreement, the country will receive $3.6 billion in bonus from foreign investors. SOCARs AzACG company will take part in the fulfillment of the agreement as a contractor. SOCARs share will increase from 11.6 percent to 25 percent and the share of profit oil for Azerbaijan will stand at 75 percent. Of course, the agreement includes many conditions and these basic terms already show that this agreement has a great importance for Azerbaijans future development and for expanding our financial opportunities. At the same time, I would like to mention that the agreement was fulfilled with great success over 23 years and 436 million tons of oil was produced from Azeri, Chirag and Gunashli fields during these years, he said. The President noted that the signing of the Contract of the Century is associated with the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, adding that the signing of the Contract of the Century in 1994, and attraction of big investments in the country were really a historical success. Twenty three years pass since that day. Over these years, Azerbaijan has developed rapidly. Today, our country is known in the world as a strong country standing on its own feet. Today we have very broad international relations. Azerbaijan has a very positive and high reputation on the international arena, said the head of state. He said that Azerbaijan will further develop successfully. Our country has a great potential. We have strengthened this potential over the last years and the Contract of the Century has a special role in the development of this potential, added the president. The partner countries of Azerbaijan also highly assessed the signed document, naming it important day for the country and the world energy sector. The contract is now subject to ratification by the Azerbaijani Parliament. BP will remain the operator in accordance with the amended and restated ACG PSA. Following the completion of the contract, the new ACG participating interests will be as follows: BP - 30.37 percent; AzACG (SOCAR) - 25.00 percent; Chevron - 9.57 percent; INPEX - 9.31 percent; Statoil - 7.27 percent; ExxonMobil - 6.79 percent; TP - 5.73 percent; ITOCHU - 3.65 percent; and ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) - 2.31 percent. Subsequent to this contract, SOCAR and its co-venturers have also agreed to progress engineering development work to evaluate an additional production platform in the ACG contract area. Overall, the terms of the new contract reflect the growing financial and technological potential of Azerbaijan and SOCAR. This also proves the confidence of our foreign partners in the Azerbaijani economy, taking the effective partnership to a new level. First oil was produced from the Chirag field on 7 November 1997. To date, the field has delivered around 3.2 billion barrels (around 440 million tonnes) of oil production, which has been exported to world markets, primarily via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Western Route Export pipelines. ACG has also delivered over 30 billion cubic metres of associated gas in total to the Government of Azerbaijan. In the first half of 2017, total production from ACG averaged 585,000 barrels per day. ACG currently has eight offshore platforms six production platforms and two process, gas compression, water injection and utilities platforms. The platforms export oil and gas to the Sangachal Terminal, one of the worlds largest oil and gas terminals, onshore near Baku. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 17:07 (UTC+04:00) President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has met with Parliamentary Vice- Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Manabu Horii in Baku on September 14, Azertac reported. Manabu Horii underlined the importance of the signing of a new contract on the development of Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli fields in Baku, and congratulated the Azerbaijani President on this occasion. He extended his congratulations to President Ilham Aliyev on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Japan. Saying that Azerbaijan, the leading state in the region, has gained good reputation in the world, Manabu Horii underlined Japan's keenness to expand cooperation with Azerbaijan in all areas. He hailed the recent beneficial reciprocal visits between the two countries, saying these visits featured fruitful talks on investment making in a variety of fields. He noted that Japan plans to simplify visa regime with Azerbaijan in order to ensure rapid development of bilateral relations. President Aliyev extended his congratulations to the Japanese top official on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, and hailed Japan's high-level representation in the signing ceremony. The head of state emphasized that Japan has always provided financial support to projects implemented in Azerbaijan, hailing the Japanese government's allocating loans for the creation of modern infrastructure in the country. Pointing out the successful cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector, President Aliyev underlined that the Japanese companies have been actively involved in the development of oil and gas fields in Azerbaijan for many years and making significant contributions to the development of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The head of state emphasized the importance of expanding mutual trade relations. Apart from the energy sector, he highlighted the importance of cooperation in industry, in free trade zone, as well as mutual investment in pharmaceutical industry, agriculture, tea growing industry and petrochemistry. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 11:23 (UTC+04:00) The Azerbaijan Government and the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), together with BP, Chevron, INPEX, Statoil, ExxonMobil, TP, ITOCHU and ONGC Videsh signed on September 14 the amended and restated agreement on the joint development and production sharing (PSA) for the Azeri, Chirag fields and the Deep Water Portion of the Gunashli Field (ACG) in the Azerbaijan Sector of the Caspian Sea. The contract is now subject to ratification by the Parliament (Milli Majlis) of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The contract was signed in Baku in the presence of President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan and a group of visiting senior government and state officials, by Rovnag Abdullayev, President of SOCAR, on behalf of the Azerbaijan Government, and by the representatives of the co-venturer companies. BP will remain the operator in accordance with the amended and restated ACG PSA. As part of the contract, the international co-venturers will pay a bonus of $3.6bn to the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and SOCAR will increase its equity share in the ACG PSA from 11.65 per cent to 25 per cent. During the next 32 years, there is the potential for more than $40bn capital to be invested in the ACG oil field. Following completion of the contract, the new ACG participating interests will be as follows: BP, 30.37 per cent; AzACG (SOCAR), 25.00 per cent; Chevron, 9.57 per cent; INPEX, 9.31 per cent; Statoil, 7.27 per cent; ExxonMobil, 6.79 per cent; TP, 5.73 per cent; ITOCHU, 3.65 per cent; and ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL), 2.31 per cent. Subsequent to this contract, SOCAR and its co-venturers have also agreed to progress engineering development work to evaluate an additional production platform in the ACG contract area. Rovnag Abdullayev, SOCAR President, said: Today is a significant day for Azerbaijan. It brings back the days, when we signed The Contract of the Century. Despite the challenging political and economic conditions of that time, thanks to the intense effort by our national leader Heydar Aliyev the first ACG contract was signed, laying the foundation of the future economic development of Azerbaijan. Since the signing of the first PSA in 1994, ACG has benefited from $33bn of investment, producing around 440 million tonnes of oil, and delivering directly more than $125bn of net profit to our country. Finalizing the negotiation process between SOCAR and the partner companies today, we have signed the new contract on the ACG project on agreed terms. The new contract is effective until the end of 2049. The terms of the new contract will take effect following their ratification by the Parliament (Milli Majlis) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which will enable us to maximize the economic benefits for our country from ACG over the next 32 years. The terms of the new contract reflect the growing financial and technological potential of Azerbaijan and SOCAR. They also demonstrate the confidence of our foreign partners in the Azerbaijani economy, taking our effective partnership to a new level. Bob Dudley, Group Chief Executive of BP, said: Over the past 23 years the Contract of the Century has truly transformed Azerbaijan, energy supplies to Europe and all of us who have worked so hard to make it a success. Todays contract is perhaps an even more important milestone in the history of Azerbaijan as it ensures that over the next 32 years we will continue to work together to unlock the long-term development potential of ACG through new investments, new technologies and new joint efforts to maximise recovery. In light of that, I think it is fair to call this the Contract of the New Century. The existing ACG PSA was signed on 20 September 1994. Since that time around $33bn of investment has been made into the development of the ACG field. First oil was produced from the Chirag field on 7 November 1997. To date, the field has delivered around 3.2 billion barrels (around 440 million tonnes) of oil production, which has been exported to world markets, primarily via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Western Route Export pipelines. ACG has also delivered over 30 billion cubic metres of associated gas in total to the Government of Azerbaijan. In the first half of 2017, total production from ACG averaged 585,000 barrels per day. ACG currently has eight offshore platforms six production platforms and two process, gas compression, water injection and utilities platforms. The platforms export oil and gas to the Sangachal Terminal, one of the worlds largest oil and gas terminals, onshore near Baku. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 13:30 (UTC+04:00) The United States extends its congratulations on the signing of an extension of the Production Sharing Agreement for the Azeri, Chirag, and Guneshli (ACG) project, the US embassy in Azerbaijan said in statement. This is a great day for Azerbaijan and for the partners, including those from the United States, developing the ACG offshore oilfields. The original PSA, which was signed in 1994, was called the Contract of the Century, and todays signing of the new agreement is equally momentous. The ACG PSA, which developed the Azeri, Chirag, and Guneshli offshore oilfields, and the subsequent formation of the Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC) were landmarks in international oil and gas development, as well as a great success for international energy security and for Azerbaijan. The United States has actively supported the development of the oil and gas resources in Azerbaijan and elsewhere in the Caspian Basin since the early 1990s, seeing their development and their secure delivery to European and other markets as key to boosting economic prosperity and global energy security. The importance of developing these hydrocarbon resources and the role they play in the international security picture continues to be recognized and underlined by the United States today. This reality was clearly demonstrated in President Trumps May 28 letter expressing his best wishes for the 24th International Caspian Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference, and Secretary of State Tillersons statement conveying the United States support for the Southern Gas Corridor at its February Advisory Council meeting. American oil companies have remained among the original participants in the AIOC consortium, and in the late 1990s, the United States provided strong political and financial support for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, which carries oil from ACG and other Caspian fields to world markets. American oilfield equipment and services companies also have played a key role in the implementation of these projects. After BTC, our cooperation led to construction of the South Caucasus Pipeline, which now delivers Caspian gas to Georgia and Turkey. More recently, the United States has worked closely with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and other countries in developing the Southern Gas Corridor, which will enhance European energy security still further by creating a new source and route for gas supply to European consumers. All of these projects have not only unlocked Caspian resources for the world, they also have fueled Azerbaijans economic growth. As Azerbaijan enters the threshold of a new and even more promising phase of energy development, we look forward to continuing to work with you to develop new oil and gas resources and in bringing them to market. The United States has long been a partner of Azerbaijan in major strategic projects in the oil and gas sector and we remain so, just as the United States has been a longstanding partner in Azerbaijans overall development, in the growth of its non-oil sectors, and in realizing the new Silk Road. As President Trump noted earlier this year: I value the partnership the United States and Azerbaijan have built together over the last quarter of a century and look forward to its continued growth. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 11:00 (UTC+04:00) President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday indicated that Turkey went ahead with the purchase of Russias S-400 missile system because it was tired of waiting for another supplier. The deal has caused concern among Turkeys NATO allies as the Russian air defense system is incompatible with the air defenses of other NATO members. They went crazy just because we made the S-400 deal, Erdogan told a meeting of city mayors from his ruling party in Ankara. "What are we supposed to do? Wait for you? We are taking security measures and will continue to do so", - said Erdogan Earlier this week, Erdogan said the first payment for the S-400 had been made. The total value of the deal is believed to be around $2.5 billion. Vladimir Kojin, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, confirmed on Tuesday that a contract had been signed. I can merely guarantee that all of the decisions made under this contract strictly agree with our strategic interests, he told the TASS news agency. The compatibility of the S-400 system is the main concern of NATO. We have relayed our concerns to Turkish officials regarding the potential purchase of the S-400, Pentagon spokesman Johnny Michael told U.S. broadcaster CNBC in a statement on Tuesday. A NATO inter-operable missile defense system remains the best option to defend Turkey from the full range of threats in the region. In March, then Defense Minister Fikri Isik said Turkey had looked to buy a missile system from one of its NATO partners but could not reach agreement on sharing technology or a price. In 2013, Turkey selected China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation for a long-range air defense system but later scrapped the deal under pressure from NATO. Two years later, NATO Patriot missile batteries were withdrawn from Turkey. In recent years, Turkey has sought to build its domestic defense industry to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. The S-400 is Russias most advanced long-range anti-aircraft missile system and can carry three types of missiles capable of destroying targets including ballistic and cruise missiles. It can track and engage up to 300 targets at the same time and has an altitude ceiling of 27 kilometers (17 miles). --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 11:35 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva The sixth round of Astana talks on Syrian issue with all parties involved kicked off on September 14. Turkey, Russia and Iran are the initiators of the Astana talks. All participants, including 24 representatives of the armed opposition, of the Astana-6 meeting have arrived to attend the talks on Syria, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry reported. The Russian delegation is headed by President's special representative for the Syrian settlement Alexander Lavrentiev, while Turkish and Iranian delegations are led by Deputy Foreign Ministers Sedat Onal and Jaber Ansari, respectively. Special representative of the UN Secretary General for Syria Staffan De Mistura has also arrived. The U.S. observer delegation is headed by David Satterfield, the Assistant Secretary of State for the Middle East settlement while the Jordanian delegation is led by advisor to the Foreign Ministry on political issues Nawaf Ousfi. The twenty-four authorized representatives of the Syrian armed opposition representing its various groups have also arrived, the Kaz Ministry reported. Negotiations on September 14-15 are expected to take place in accordance with the previously agreed agenda and the results of expert consultations that were held in Astana on the eve. The agenda includes consideration of a number of documents regulating the activity of the control forces of de-escalation as well as continuation of work on coordinating the composition of the control forces in Idlib. The participants are expected to approve maps of de-escalation zones in the provinces of Idlib, Homs and East Gut, draft regulations on the Coordination Center, the working group on the release of detainees/hostages, the transfer of dead bodies and the search for missing persons, according to the guarantor countries. To date, five rounds of negotiations on the ongoing Syrian conflict were held in Astana. Guarantors of a nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime - Russia, Turkey and Iran - had agreed on May 4 in the Kazakh capital, Astana, to establish "de-escalation zones" in war-torn Syria. The zones would cover the city of Idlib and certain parts of Latakia, Homs, Aleppo and Hama as well as Damascus, Eastern Ghouta, Daraa and Quneitra. Syria has been locked in civil war since March 2011. According to UN's special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, around 400,000 people have died in the conflict while half the population has been driven from their homes. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 12:58 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva Russia and Turkey are eager to overcome all problems related to the agriculture sphere, which suffered a lot during the cooling period in Ankara-Moscow relations back in late 2015-early 2016. Representatives of the two countries convened in Antalya on September 13 to eye the pressing issues. The Turkey-Russia Committee on Agriculture discussed the possibilities of cooperation between the two countries in the areas of technical research and trade, as well as issues of agricultural development; Anadolu Agency reported referring to Ali Rejep Nazli, the head of the Department for External Relations and Relations with the EU of the Turkish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock. The Committee will continue its work on Thursday with participation of Turkish and Russian Deputy Ministers of Agriculture. This is the first meeting of the Committee after the signing of the agreement on cooperation in the field of agriculture between Turkey and Russia. Turkey has previously exported large number of agricultural products to Russia, which was the largest agriculture export market for Turkey. In 2016 Russia imposed a number of economic sanctions on Turkey, including the suspension of visa-free travel to Russia for Turkish citizens, limits on Turkish residents and companies doing business in Russia and bans on import of Turkish agriculture products following the downing of its plane. An export ban for Turkish goods and food to Russia caused Turkeys economy a $550 million loss in 2016. Russia dropped restrictions on Turkish citrus fruits in late 2016 and both nations signed a memorandum agreeing to lift the vast majority of the bilateral trade restrictions laid down in 2015. However, the Russian ban on Turkish tomato imports still remains in place. The ban on the tomato import is considered to be the most negative for Turkey since Russia was the largest market for the Turkish tomato export with annual profit amounting to billions of dollars. After the tomato ban, the amount of Turkish tomato exports to Russia decreased by 10.3 percent while their value dropped by 34.3 percent in 2016. Turkey exported 541,000 tons of tomatoes to Russia in 2015, however, the amount fell to 486,000 tons. The value of tomato exports to the country was $365.3 million in 2015 and later decreased to $239.9 million, Daily Sabah reported. However, during the first seven months of the current year, the amount of tomatoes exported to Russia increased by 9.4 percent and the value of tomato exports also surged by 24.7 percent. During the period of January-July, Turkey's tomato exports to Russia reached $198.3 million from last year's $159 million. Moreover, last year, the amount of tomato exports were recorded at 322,000 tons while it reached to 353,000 tons this year during the first seven months. Russia says that the reason lies in Russian agriculturists, who invested a large amount of money in the national agriculture during tensions between Russia and Turkey and who are still waiting for the profit. Earlier, Rosselkhoznadzor conducted a number of inspections of Turkish tomato producers. Currently, there are two types of restrictions with respect to Turkish tomatoes. One of them was introduced by the government of the country. The second is a technical ban, introduced by the Rosselkhoznadzor in connection with the detection of contaminated quarantineable products coming to Russia from Turkey. The ban was introduced on July 4, 2016. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 13:43 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva Turkey, an energy-importing country, has plans to develop its renewable energy sector in order to be energy secure and independent. The country seeks to invest $11 billion in the energy sector of the country during the period from 2017 to 2023, according to the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. The energy sector is an important area for investment, given the country's high dependence on energy imports. Over the past two years, $1.9 billion have been invested in the country's energy sector. As many as 30 percent of these funds are invested in the development of renewable energy sources. The ministry noted that Turkey plans to build 10 wind power stations in five different provinces of the country. Turkish Energy Minister Berat Albayrak earlier stated that the construction of new power plants will increase Turkey's energy security and reduce its dependence on other countries. Albayrak also stressed that the new project of renewable energy sources will generate about 3,750 jobs. Turkey held a tender for the construction of wind farms on August 3. German company Siemens became the winner. The German-Turkish consortium Siemens -Turkerler- Kalyon was established in order to carry out the construction work. Wind farms will be located in five regions of Turkey, including the capital - Ankara, he added. Turkey's demand for energy and electricity is increasing rapidly and heavily dependent on expensive imported energy resources [around 70 percent] that place a big burden on the economy. At the same time, Turkey is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of renewable resources hydro, wind, solar, geothermal and others. For geothermal energy the country is ranked first in Europe and seventh in the world. In addition, the solar energy is abundant due to its geographical position in the world. Turkey is also one of the countries in the world possessing high hydroenergy potential. Wind energy potential in Turkey is estimated at 160 TWh. Encouraging policies backed by favorable feed-in tariffs are expected to increase their share in the national grid in the coming years. The Turkish government has made it a priority to increase the share of renewable sources in the countrys total installed power to a remarkable 30 percent by 2023. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 17:43 (UTC+04:00) British Prime Minister Theresa May stressed the importance of a 2015 international agreement on Irans nuclear program to U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday during a brief meeting at her London office, Reuters reported. Tillerson is visiting Britain to discuss the relief effort following Hurricane Irma, North Koreas nuclear test, and to meet foreign ministers from several different countries about breaking the political deadlock in Libya. Although not officially on the agenda for the trip, the subject of Iran was raised at the meeting between Tillerson, May and Britains national security adviser. (They) touched on the Iran nuclear deal, the PM underlining its importance in preventing Iran from procuring nuclear weapons, Mays spokesman told reporters. U.S. President Donald Trump has previously expressed doubts about the Iran nuclear deal, which is designed to curb Irans nuclear program in return for lifting most Western sanctions. Trump is weighing a strategy that could allow more aggressive U.S. responses to Irans forces, its Shiite Muslim proxies in Iraq and Syria, and its support for militant groups. Tillerson has publicly said he disagrees with Trumps views on the nuclear deal, and that it could be used to advance the United States relationship with Iran. (Tillerson and May) also discussed North Korea and its continuing destabilizing activities, Mays spokesman said. They agreed on the importance of the international community continuing to work together to put pressure on the regime. North Korea carried out its sixth and largest nuclear test earlier this month. Tillerson will meet British foreign minister Boris Johnson and a representative from the French government to discuss Hurricane Irma and North Korea. The three will then be joined by foreign ministers from Italy, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates to discuss Libya with U.N. envoy Ghassan Salame. Backed by Western governments, the United Nations is trying to heal a rift between Libyas rival factions in order to stabilize the country and to tackle militant violence and people-smuggling from Libyas northern coast. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 14 September 2017 18:36 (UTC+04:00) By Kamila Aliyeva While NATO states are displeased with Ankara-Moscow deal over supply of Russian S-400, Turkey assures that it will remain Alliance's close ally. The purchase of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems doesnt mean that Ankara distances from NATO, Turkish Presidential Press Secretary Ibrahim Kalin said. Kalin noted that Turkey is and will remain an important NATO ally, Turkish media outlets reported on August 14. "Turkey has the right to ensure its security and no one has the right to tell Turkey what to do," Kalin added. Turkey is moving full steam ahead on its plans to buy the Russian S-400 air defense system and already paid a deposit to bring it immediately into force, Harriyet newspaper reported earlier. Under the $2.5 billion agreement Ankara would receive two batteries of the antiaircraft missile from Moscow within the coming year and then produce two more batteries in Turkey. The S-400 is Russia's next-generation air defense system, carrying three different types of missiles capable of destroying aerial targets at a short-to-extremely-long range. The weapon is capable of tracking and destroying all existing aerial targets, including ballistics and cruise missiles. Turkey has the second-largest military force in NATO, after the U.S., but ties among the alliance members have worsened last July after a failed coup attempt. Relations further deteriorated following an April referendum which expanded the powers of the president. "We have relayed our concerns to Turkish officials regarding the potential purchase of the S-400," Pentagon spokesman Johnny Michael told CNBC in a written statement. "A NATO interoperable missile defense system remains the best option to defend Turkey from the full range of threats in the region." "It is up to Allies to decide what military they will buy," NATO spokesman Mark Sanders told CNBC in an email statement. "What matters for NATO is that the equipment Allies acquire is able to operate together. Interoperability of our armed forces is fundamental to NATO for the conduct of our operations and missions." Earlier, German Foreign Ministry stated that Germany froze arms supplies to Turkey. Ankara said the decision weakens Turkeys fight against terrorism. Later, Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Germany would only restrict some arms sales to Turkey, softening the earlier announcement of a freeze on major arms sales, Reuters reported. --- Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain. Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that. And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details. If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Panchami Panchami is the very first day when Bengalis officially start celebrating Durga Puja. Hence, a unique blouse design for this day would be recommended. We prefer you wearing a sassy one-shoulder blouse that is even in trend. Doing this, you can start the festival in a sassy way. People who are uncomfortable in carrying a one-shoulder blouse can cover the cropped sleeve with a mesh which will modify the look. Shashti Shashti might be the first day you start hopping the pandals and you might require a blouse which is trendy as well as classy. Try a waist length blouse with a silk or georgette sari. It will be easier to carry and also make you a style pro. Saptami Saptami is in the middle of the celebration and we prefer you to wear something very colourful. You can try a graphic printed blouse for the day which will break the monotone of blouse designs and also make you look super cool. Ashtami Ashtami is the most important day in the Durga Puja calendar for any Bengali and they want to go traditional for the morning "pushpanjali". If you are not so much into ethnic attires but still want to go traditional for the day, you can try on a Chinese-collared blouse. It makes you look very smart and also keeps up with the tradition. Nabami Nabami is the second last day of the celebration. On this day, you would mainly like to wrap up all the due pandal hoppings of the year. Try on a boat-neck blouse to match the saree look and also look hot. Boat neck blouse is the most trending blouse design of this year. Keep the best due for the last and try it on Nabami. 1. Yes. The ordinance goes against state law and is not in the best interest of the cities. 2. Yes. At the very least, it should be amended to give police officers some discretion. 3. No. Voters approved the ordinance by large majorities; the councils cant ignore that fact. 4. No. The petition process has to be given a chance to work. Leave the ordinance alone. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say how the cities should move forward regarding the ordinance. Vote View Results Scrapping the two-out-of-three and reach rules mean regional and metropolitan television networks, such as Seven and Prime, could merge, or newspaper giants News Corp or Fairfax Media could do a deal with a commercial television broadcaster. News Corp already owns half of subscription television service Foxtel, controls Sky News, and publishes The Australian, The Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph and The Adelaide Advertiser. Fairfax Media publishes the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Australian Financial Review and shares ownership of streaming video service Stan with Network Nine. Both also publish numerous regional papers and already have connections to radio stations - News' co-chair Lachlan Murdoch owns the Nova network while Fairfax Media owns Macquarie Media. On Thursday evening, Fairfax chief executive Greg Hywood said the company "will act in the best interests of shareholders to take advantage of any opportunities created by the changes". Like all great television dramas, this has been a long-running saga, full of twists and turns, and even with a nail-biting cliffhanger. Ten's Paul Anderson With Ten about to be snapped up by CBS, pending a court decision and next week's creditors' meeting, only Seven and Nine are left as potential TV targets (or buyers for that matter). Any deal between the big players could still be blocked by the competition regulator if the combined audiences were deemed to be too big. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims was willing to permit Lachlan Murdoch's proposed joint takeover of Ten, but only because the combined news audience of Ten, Foxtel and Mr Murdoch's radio stations still would have been weaker than its competitors. "We do not think there will be a rash of takeovers," said managing director of Essence Media, Steve Allen, adding he didn't see any media bargains at the moment because the revenue outlook was "bleak" or profits were under stress. "We don't think most media assets are being badly run at the moment, or if they are ... they are already in foreign hands ... the biggest continuing disruption will be the big digital players who are not involved nor affected by the deregulation of the media market." Professor of Communication at Deakin University, Matthew Ricketson, believes merging the newspaper giants with television networks would diminish the diversity of opinion and sources of news in Australia. "If News Corp or Fairfax Media merge with one of the three commercial television networks or the commercial radio networks then they will be able to do on a large scale what is already done on a smaller scale with News Corp journalists appearing on news and current affairs programs on Foxtel as well as in print and online," Dr Ricketson said. Meanwhile, among the smaller players there is little appetite for merging television with radio and newspapers. Owner of ACE Radio Broadcasters and a regional newspaper, Rowly Paterson, said scrapping the radio broadcast licence fee was more important than the controversial changes in ownership laws. He is also interested in the details of the $60 million funding package secured by senator Nick Xenophon. "We don't have the appetite to get into television," Mr Paterson told Fairfax Media. "Free to air TV has its own problems and the synergies are not that exciting for ACE Radio." Rowly Paterson, owner of Ace Radio, says regional stations have relevance to their audience. Credit:Rob Gunstone Mr Paterson owns the Horsham-area Weekly Advertiser newspaper and 17 radio stations in regional Victoria. He recently bought more radio stations in the Deniliquin-Echuca area and Wangaratta. "Radio is unique. They call it the cockroach [because] it just keeps surviving. It is a medium which is very local and very relevant to listeners in our market," he said. It is that connection which makes radio a more attractive takeover target, now that the rules governing reach over the population are set to go, than regional television which is losing audience. ACE Broadcasters may also qualify for the annual innovation fund and cadetship subsidy that the government will offer as part of its deal to secure three votes from the Nick Xenophon Team. The three-year, $50 million innovation fund is available to publishers that are members of the Australian Press Council and meet the definition of producing civic journalism, defined as "investigating and explaining public policy and issues of public interest or significance with the aim of engaging citizens in public debate and informing democratic decision making". Recipients must also be independent of political parties, unions, super funds, banks, lobby groups and non-government organisations, have Australian-based management, and be majority owned by Australian residents. Companies must apply for funding for specific projects each year up to $1 million a year. President of Country Press Australia, Ben Taylor, said most of his 250 members would be eligible for the innovation fund. "Any funding that is being proposed in this reform package will go a long way to helping ensure regional journalism stays viable," he told Fairfax Media. Charlie, our resident economic forecaster, mentioned some weeks ago that he didn't think our economy was headed into a growth phase, more like an ongoing standstill. The Treasurer, on the other hand, refers to "this is a strong set of growth figures". Charlie's response was a phrase I haven't heard for a long time, "he's drinking his own bathwater". I'm an optimist and I know that plenty of people are doing very well and a whole lot better than in previous years. I'm not the only one who has been able to take advantage of the rising value of business and property assets. The six-month sentence handed down to student Brock Turner for the intention to rape and sexual penetration with a foreign object of an unconscious woman behind a dumpster at Stanford University was decried by protesters around the world. Turner blamed "drinking" and "party culture" for the sexual assault. Fle booking photo released by the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office of Brock Turner. Credit:AP Turner's father famously characterised the crime as "20 minutes of action". Nevertheless, the case, and the victim's powerful statement, published in full on Buzzfeed a letter that was read out in congress and responded to by former US Vice President Joe Biden had an indelible impact on the way that rape, and the victims and perpetrators of rape are viewed. Pointer helped connect Ange MacAlpine from The Marra with employers in the city. The business seeks to connect employers and recruiters with the best candidates for a job regardless of where they live, and deliver thousands of qualified Australians the opportunity to work remotely. "If a corporate can give someone in Sydney two days a week of remote work, why can't they give it to someone in Broken Hill? If their internet is as good why can't they be in the mix?" she asks. Palmer went to high school in Sydney, university in Wagga, and then worked overseas before marrying a farmer and moving back to Wagga. She was on maternity leave with their first child when she received the type of phone call that many mothers in search of flexible work would dream of. "A friend from Sydney said 'look, this is a random request but would you be interested in a taking on a six to eight-month contract and you can work remotely on sponsorship management?' They didn't want to put someone on permanently and because their office space wasn't huge so a remote worker suited them." It was an agriculture-related company and they wanted someone with a rural background. "Even though I was a teacher at that stage I took it and am still doing that role four years later." In 2016, Palmer co-founded a sponsorship and event management business, Agri Alliance, and the idea for Pointer was borne from her considering the business's future employment needs earlier this year. "I commented to a friend that I can't wait for the day [Agri Alliance] is big enough that I can provide work opportunities to all my skilled friends living in the country who can't find work." Her friend said that was a business idea in itself. "She said 'there is an incubator program starting in Wagga in three weeks and you need to be involved'. Eight weeks later we were online and trading." Ange MacAlpine, a 29-year old who has worked in the finance sector for over a decade, who lives in The Marra, an "outback NSW town" that is 700 kilometres from Sydney and 300 kilometres from Dubbo, where her husband's family have a property, is one candidate who has secured remote work through Pointer. "There is no township [here] and I have had to be very patient. I was finding it quite hard and often very deflating because everywhere I turned businesses wanted me closer," she explains. "Having a one-stop shop where the employers are passionate about the right person and skills for the role regardless of where that person might live was a godsend." MacAlpine is now working remotely as a financial consultant to a business based in Young, six hours from her home. She prepares and monitors budgets, completes payroll and BAS, reports to the board and provides advice on all financial affairs. Email and FaceTime mean the fact she is so far away doesn't matter. "Being able to work from home means I do not have to travel great lengths for work, it allows me to be employed in the field I am skilled in and helps provide some 'off farm' income," MacAlpine says. "With the push for flexible working and the opportunities of technology I don't see why more businesses do not support remote working, when not only does it save office space and money for the business it opens the doors to a larger pool of potentially highly skilled candidates." Pointer has skilled candidates listed that can fill the supply chain to take an enterprise from idea to launch: "We have accountants, solicitors, web designers, graphic designers, experienced social media and marketing professionals, book keepers: we have them all." She says employer demand is there but it's a slow burn. "We have two types of employers. The converted who have engaged someone who works remotely for whatever reason and know how well it can work," she says. "And then there are people who are dipping their toes in." When a prospective employer expresses doubt about how effective remote working can be Palmer asks them to consider the fact their accountants and solicitors, arguably among their most trusted advisers, effectively work remotely. "I say why don't you give it a go with your graphic designer, or your marketing manager? Businesses in regional areas do understand the juggle because you don't necessarily have all of the right skills in the town so you might have to look elsewhere." Loading The former National Coordinator of the Commonwealth Asset Confiscation Taskforce, Nick McTaggart, who recently worked for Austrac as a senior adviser, said the failure of major banks and other financial institutions to carry out basic due diligence likely placed them in breach of "know your customer" requirements. Anti-money laundering expert John Chevis. Exacerbating the problem is the failure of financial institutions to share information with each other, or to access information from the federal government or police, including biometric, intelligence or tax data. "Most financial institutions are just ticking the compliance boxes rather than doing the necessary due diligence," Mr McTaggart said. "Technologies such as electronic funds transfer capability also present huge problems. Any criminal can get a company created today and bounce all the money into one account and then send it offshore and walk away from the company. No one will ask questions of the company for months." He welcomed the Turnbull government's proposed toughening of company director identification laws and whistleblower provisions, but added: "The government can do more to assist". Anti-money laundering expert John Chevis, who advises the UN Office of Drugs and Crime, said one key anti-money laundering provision had backfired. Laws prohibit the banks from telling customers they have been reported to Austrac. The provision is ostensibly designed to avoid tipping them off in the unlikely event police or Austrac launch an inquiry. What it meant, though, was that some banks continue to receive and shift drug funds despite making multiple Austrac reports about the launderers' activity. "This has turned an anti-money laundering law into a 'money laundering' law. There is at least one instance of the absurd situation of a single money launderer being reported over 100 times by a single bank for making 100 suspicious deposits," Mr Chevis said. $29m through Westpac, CBA In a Perth court in April this year, a fresh faced 30 year old from Hong Kong, Ka Sing Lai, was jailed for 10 years for using Westpac and Commonwealth Bank accounts to launder at least $29 million in drug funds out of Australia. Lai's operation was as simple as it was effective: he ferried money-runners to up to 10 Perth Westpac and CBA branches a day, depositing up to $500,000 into accounts opened by Australian front companies created by other Hong Kong nationals. Lai made 163 bank transactions before he was arrested in late 2015. Eight months later, in August 2016, evidence emerged suggesting he was back in business. Despite being touted publicly by Justice Minister Michael Keenan as a major blow to organised crime, the arrest of Lai is privately described by senior police as a pyrrhic win in a fight in which they have been overwhelmed by money launderers easy ability to evade banking controls. Peter Li deposited suspected drug money into ANZ branches around Australia. Credit:James Alcock On bail, back to the banks There's a familiar pattern to these events. On 18 November 2013, Hong Kong resident Peter Li flew into Sydney. He was granted a tourist visa and headed straight to The Star casino. In a bathroom, he was handed a yellow shopping bag police suspect was filled with hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug money. Just over 24 hours later, Li entered the ANZ's Sydney CBD branch on York Street and opened two accounts. He listed the casino as his place of residence. Then he handed over $50,000 in cash, asking for $1000 to be placed into one account and the remaining $49,000 into the second. Two days later, he shifted $20,000 from his second ANZ account into the first, into which he deposited a further $50,000 in cash. He then flew to Perth and entered an ANZ branch, directing a teller to make two transfers of $35,000 from his ANZ accounts to two separate Honk Kong Bank accounts. Federal agents reconstructed these events after Customs officers found Li carrying $147,000 in cash when he attempted to leave Australia five days after he had arrived in Sydney. Li was charged with money laundering offences and released on bail on December 4, subject to a condition that he deposit no more than $2000 into any Australian bank account. Happy Valentine's Day Ten weeks later, on February 14, 2014, Li walked into an ANZ branch in Sydney's CBD carrying a bag stuffed with suspected drug funds. Over the next four hours, he made 10 deposits at various ANZ branches within a few kilometres of each other. After running out of CBD ANZ bank branches, Li changed his clothes and returned to the first branch he had visited. There, he made an eleventh deposit of $9500, just under the $10,000 amount that triggers a mandatory suspicious deposit notification to Austrac. Li's eleven deposits of $9500 were made into the same ANZ account using a series of false names and phone numbers. On the same day, Li repeated this exercise at six NAB branches, depositing between $9000 and $9500 each time he entered the bank. Under the current legislative regime, the banks have no clear obligation to demand verified identification, nor to quiz Li about his activities, nor talk to other banks about Li's conduct. The law prohibits banking staff from telling Li they considered his conduct suspicious enough to report to Austrac. So Li kept at it. A few days later, Li chose NAB and CBA branches to deposit multiple cash amounts under $10,000. After attempting to make his eleventh cash deposit into the same CBA account, a teller asked Li for his name. He refused to answer and the teller called the NSW police. By the time of his arrest a few minutes later, Li had deposited $289,000 in drug funds. It had taken him just over 10 hours over two days. Chinese national Jun Yu Huang was an old hand at exploiting the banking system. In the 2000s, he had endured multiple stints in prison, including for setting up bank accounts with false IDs to commit fraud. Police documents reveal that for five months in early 2013, Huang paid a Chinese woman to ferry large amounts of cash in green Woolworths' bags to "various banks" in Sydney's CBD. Huang then took over, using false IDs to set up accounts at money remitting businesses which specialise in moving funds offshore. Huang used the NAB, Westpac, and CBA accounts of these remitters to deposit and move suspected drug cash to Asia. Over six weeks, Huang moved $3.2 million out of Australia, the bulk of which was moved through Westpac accounts. McTaggart says if banks had conducted proper due diligence by demanding and verifying Huang's true identity and quizzing him about the source and purpose of the funds, it may have deterred him. Since Huang's arrest, the major banks have stopped allowing money remitters to use the banks' accounts to move funds offshore. But the banks still move funds themselves and are vulnerable to fake IDs and so called "cleanskins." Then there is the case of 21 year-old Vietnamese national, Ahn Cat Chu. Chu had been in Australia for just seven weeks on a student visa. When she was searched by police, they found 23 blue slips of paper revealing she had deposited $204,005 in just three hours at Westpac, ANZ, and CBA branches near Sydney's Chinatown. She had entered the banks multiple times in a highly suspicious fashion, depositing amounts under $10,000. When police seized her mobile phone, they discovered a cell phone in Vietnam had been texting her instructions. Crime groups are washing millions a day of dirty money through Australia's big banks. Credit:Tanya Lake Banks respond Law enforcement sources said that while all banks could do far more to prevent money laundering, the CBA was targeted by Austrac because its complacency and failure to address problems with its automatic cash deposit system was egregious. In response to questions from Fairfax Media, NAB's chief risk officer David Gall said that despite extensive efforts to prevent money laundering, "people with bad intentions will always try to commit crime". "That's why as a bank and an industry we have to always be vigilant and work with regulators, government and police to find new and smarter ways to prevent financial crime." A spokesman for Westpac said the bank was investing heavily in "verifying the identity of our customers (for example, in the case of online banking, through the use of external data verification), monitoring the activities of those customers over time, reporting any suspicious matters detected to AUSTRAC, and terminating customer relationships where appropriate". The Bendigo Bank said that the franchise which sent funds to the former Yugoslavia had been "appropriately monitored and any matters requiring reporting under legislation were submitted". The Bank of Queensland declined to comment on the allegation involving its now defunct Punchbowl branch. ANZ said its anti-money laundering controls were effective. A large north Brisbane apartment building has been evacuated, with several units damaged, after a fire reignited overnight. Fire first broke out on a third-floor balcony of the building on Hamilton Road, Chermside, about 4pm on Thursday. Fire caused significant damage to a Chermside unit block. Credit:Nine News At the time police said it was believed to have started with a barbecue. Nearby residents called firefighters to report smoke and the blaze was extinguished within seven minutes of trucks arriving, a Queensland Fire and Emergency Service spokesman said. A man accused of punching Kevin Rudd's godson in the face during a dispute over same-sex marriage reform has been charged. The former prime minister posted a photo of his 19-year-old godson's bloodied face on Twitter on Tuesday, saying he'd been attacked for standing up for marriage equality. A man has been arrested over the attack on Sean Foster. Credit:Instagram/@mrkrudd A 48-year-old man has been charged with assault over the attack at a Brisbane bus stop on Tuesday. He'll face the Brisbane Magistrates Court on October 16. AAP A controversial drug used to treat nicotine addiction has officially been linked to the death of a Queensland man. Coroner John Hutton handed down his findings into the suicide of 22-year-old Timothy John in Brisbane on Thursday. He found the Pfizer drug Champix had contributed in some way to his death and recommended the company work with the Therapeutic Goods Administration to improve product labelling. AAP Brenden Bennetts has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Gatton schoolgirl Jayde Kendall. It took a jury just four hours to reach its verdict on Thursday after hearing seven days of evidence at trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court. Brenden Bennetts has been jailed for life for the murder of Gatton schoolgirl Jayde Kendall. Bennetts, now aged 21, will have to serve 20 years behind bars before he is eligible to apply for parole. Water quality at WA schools is yet to be probed by the health department after lead-contamination in water at the Perth's Children's Hospital sparked fears the problem could exist at schools and public buildings. An expert told a parliamentary inquiry last week that the same plumbing materials plaguing Perth Children's Hospital could also be featured in schools. Schools could feature the same plumbing parts that plagued the Perth Children's Hospital. Credit:Heath Missen At the inquiry on Wednesday Labor's member for the North West, Vincent Catania asked Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Professor Weeramanthri if the plumbing parts had been checked yet. "Have you been instructed by the Minister for Education or the Minister for Health to have a look at any other buildings that have these brass fittings?," he asked. "I was supposed to be the protector, the fixer. I had to try to hold us all together. I couldn't look after my family if I fell apart." Thrown into unimaginable darkness by the death of his son Christian in 2007, Perth father Sam Dudley did what so many men do when tragedy strikes - he "sucked it up". Sam Dudley said his family helped him find purpose after the death of his son. Credit:CarlyMarie Project Heal Supporting his wife Carly and his young daughter, Sam went back to work and tried to be a pillar of strength for his family. "It was at that point when I started to really pretend like I was okay," Mr Dudley said. A Victorian church refused to marry a young couple and cancelled their wedding plans because the bride-to-be expressed support for same-sex marriage on Facebook. The 26-year-old bride and 25-year-old groom were to be married in November at their Presbyterian church, Ebenezer St John's in Ballarat, by minister Steven North. In early August, when the Turnbull government announced the postal survey on same-sex marriage, the bride posted a Facebook status declaring her support for change. "I know it's something not everyone will agree on and that's fine but this is what I stand for and frankly it doesn't effect [sic] my relationship with [my partner] one bit," she commented. The father of Turnbull government MP Stuart Robert says he was unaware he was a director of a private investment company that held shares in his son's IT service business which has won tens of millions of dollars worth of government contracts. Alan Robert, 80, has also told Fairfax Media that the private investment company, Robert International, was run by his son during the six-year period he and his wife, Dorothy, were the company's only directors. It is a revelation that would link the Queensland MP with the IT services business, GMT Group, at a time when Stuart Robert claims to have "ceased involvement" in GMT. But Mr Robert hit back on Thursday afternoon, denying any wrongdoing, accusing Fairfax Media of publishing "a load of rubbish", and attacking Labor for referring the matter to the corporate regulator. The former minister has been under fire after Fairfax Media last week revealed he had direct financial links with a company awarded millions in federal government work. Section 44 of the constitution forbids MPs from directly or even indirectly profiting from the Commonwealth. A team of Queensland volunteers will scour neo-Nazi and other far-right or anti-gay web forums to monitor conversation around same-sex marriage and report those who overstep legal boundaries during the postal survey period. The LGBTI Legal Service will run a project named Like Love, involving training and co-ordinating volunteers to monitor online forums, media and posters to ensure accountability where unlawful vilification may have occurred. The Like Love project will run during the same-sex marriage postal vote over the next two months. The Australian Bureau of Statistics' same-sex marriage postal survey began arriving in letterboxes this week, with the result to be published in mid-November. LGBTI Legal Service president Matilda Alexander said vilification had increased on social media and in posters and there was a need to educate the community that certain forms of speech were unlawful hate speech, not justified by freedom of speech provisions. Bangkok: Myanmar's presidential spokesman says 176 ethnic Rohingya villages are now empty after all of their residents fled during recent violence in Rakhine state. On Wednesday Zaw Htay said there had been a total of 471 Rohingya villages in three townships. He said in addition to the 176 that were abandoned, some residents fled from at least 34 other villages. Rohingya Muslim girl Afeefa Bebi, who recently crossed over from Myanmar into Bangladesh, holds her few-hours-old brother as doctors check her mother Yasmeen Ara at a community hospital in Kutupalong refugee camp, Bangladesh on Wednesday. Credit:AP Rohingya Muslims face widespread persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where the recent violence has forced about 370,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh, A navy blue suit jacket with a light grey suit pant? Fine. A navy blue suit jacket with a camel chino? You do you, 28-year-old ex-private schoolboy at the races. Unlike placing hundreds of thousands of young people in a migration law-based limbo, or sexually harassing women, mismatching your suit is not inherently bad. But there are limits to the transgression. The trouble with the navy blue suit jacket and the black pant is that there is not enough contrast between the colours. It's the aesthetic of someone who dresses in the dark. It probably cost Melania her spot in the couple's section of Vanity Fair's best dressed list. This is not the first time Trump has been mocked for making the sort of workwear wardrobe decisions that would have a woman in the role lambasted by the media, and possibly tried for some sort of crime against the state. During last year's election campaign, it was raised that Trump's suits genuinely do not fit very well, a faux pas that, it was speculated, could never have been committed by Democratic nominee, Hillary Clinton. Despite this, Trump has continued to go for poorly fitted workwear: his pants are often baggy, and his suit jackets tend to be too long, finishing on his upper thigh. It has also been flagged that the US president's ties are often too long, and tied with an unusually small knot. Moscow: The Kremlin on Thursday condemned hundreds of bomb threats made by anonymous telephone callers against major public buildings in Russia as "telephone terrorism". More than 150,000 people were evacuated from schools, hospitals, hotels, shopping centres, airports, railway stations and universities targeted by the bomb threats in at least 30 Russian cities since Monday. Dozens of buildings in Moscow and St Petersburg were evacuated yesterday, but no traces of explosive devices have been found in any of the buildings. Officials from Russian security services investigating the calls are yet to make any official statements. "Once there are results, security services will announce them," said Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman. "It is a difficult task, and it requires patience." The number of professional job vacancies in Ireland reduced by 3% in August compared to the same month a year ago, but were up 7% sequentially since July. This is according to the latest Morgan McKinley Ireland Monthly Employment Monitor which measures the pulse of the Irish professional jobs market by tracking the number of new job vacancies and new candidates within the Republic of Ireland each month. The August Employment Monitor figures are consistent with the immediately preceding July where the overall professional jobs market softened significantly - due mainly to seasonal factors and following from an intensive period of hiring activity in the professional services recruitment market in the first half of 2017. Overall, the monitor indicates that there continues to be a high level of stability and opportunity within the professional jobs market. There was a 19% increase in the number of professionals seeking jobs in Ireland in August compared to the same month a year ago. Morgan McKinley believes this indicates continuing high levels of mobility and perceived opportunity among the professional workforce and also reflects the nationally low rate of unemployment. The professional recruitment consultancy say there is an increased focus on employee retention, career planning and succession programmes and an overall strengthening of the remuneration and benefits being offered to professionals. The monitor finds that professional services firms including audit, financial, treasury and legal are under increasing pressure to retain staff as overall confidence within the economy remains high and increasingly mobile employees pursue further career advancement. There is strong demand for, and currently a short supply of, legal secretaries and also senior level executive assistants with international experience. The monitor shows that the procurement sector is particularly buoyant where Ireland is seeing a growing trend of centralisation of European procurement operations by multinationals in Ireland. Combined with investments in advanced new technologies and systems, this is underpinning growth in recruitment by this sector, which had largely been dominated by domestic considerations to date. Morgan McKinley say procurement in, and from Ireland, is becoming more global and more strategic in nature, requiring specialist skills and qualifications. This is also stimulating an influx in employees from other countries. Source: www.businessworld.ie Rupert Murdoch's planned $15 billion takeover of European broadcaster Sky will be referred to regulators over concerns about broadcasting standards, Britain's Culture and Media Secretary Karen Bradley said on Thursday. Bradley had said on Tuesday she was "minded" to refer Twenty-First Century Fox's planned purchase of the 69% of Sky it does not already own to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to look into corporate governance. That surprise announcement sent London-listed shares in Sky down 5% before they later recovered, and Bradley now said she could confirm the decision. "Yesterday I received letters on behalf of both parties to the merger, confirming that while they disagree with my 'minded to' decision they would not be making substantive representations in relation to it," she told parliament. "As a result, I can confirm that my 'minded to' decision is now final and I will now refer the merger to the CMA for a phase 2 investigation on media plurality and genuine commitment to broadcasting standards grounds." Bradley said the CMA would have 24 weeks to investigate the merger plans. "I must then come to a final decision on whether or not the merger can proceed, including any conditions that will apply in order to do so," she added. Opposition politicians had called on Prime Minister Theresa May's government, weakened by the outcome of an election in June, not to wave through the bid. Bradley had already wanted regulators to scrutinize the increased influence Murdoch would gain from fully owning Sky, but had also come under pressure to call for an examination of his commitment to broadcasting standards. Murdoch's U.S. Fox News network has been rocked by a series of sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits, leading to high profile resignations including former chief executive Roger Ailes and star anchor Bill O'Reilly. The media mogul's critics have also pointed to a phone-hacking scandal involving journalists at his now-defunct News of the World tabloid which forced him to drop a previous attempt to buy Sky in 2011. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie Culture and ethnicity has been a long debated topic. Many believe inclusion of communities, while some beg to differ. Today, as we heading on another year of the 21st century, the reasons for why cultural and ethnic diversities are important is becoming more and more clear. In term of an institution, as a school, college or an office, one might think that things like diversity doesn't matter. But as many years of coexisting has taught as many lessons, there is one more that we must learn. Diversity Study in Schools Every school has examinations, and every examination has results. The parents and teachers meet day after every exam is the most dreaded by students. Parents are restless on these days too, because of their concern for the grades of the students. But the parents need not worry anymore. A recent study has shown that the students, especially teenagers who socialise with fellow students of other ethnicities, tend to improve their grades because of the same. The research was focused on the habit of lunching, among 800 students of class 6 in three different states. This means that if the schools increase the various ways in which the cross-ethnic communication is increased among the student community, not only will it help in improving the grades, but there will be more interaction of students from various diversities. The study shows that every student, who is white or of ethnic minority (African American, Asian, Latina/o and multi ethnic) showed similar response in the study. How is it Good for the Students? The students white and Asian, who had already higher grades as compared to other ethnic groups, were also benefited from the daily cross ethnic interactions. The students had gone for an average jump in Grades of one third of a point. Their social and other soft skills also increased, as they interact with fellow students of other ethnicities. The study shows that this might also increase their ability in problem solving which can be transformed into academic success. The lead author of the study, "It may also help later in life with career success, as individuals become increasingly comfortable and skilled at interacting with ethnically diverse peers." So we can see how intermingling of students from other ethnicities help the students increase so many skills and improve their grades as well. One must also understand the importance of having ethnic and cultural diversity in professional areas. Schools, colleges and institutions are where students start their foundations. These places are the launchers of leaders of tomorrow. The future of the society is being brewed in these very institutions. If the communication between various communities, who have been at war, hatred and discrimination against each other for various reasons for many years start happening at these very places, we can see a much better future. 5 Tips for Students for Participating in College Fests If the students of today, learn to cohabit with each other they will not only benefit from it, like the way the study shows us, by improving various skills. But also they will be deciding on a future without conflicts. Today, many researches show that an ethnic and culturally diverse environment is the best for schools, colleges and all areas of professional work, even offices. Check out some these points: A New Perspective Listening to someone who isn't from your ethnicity or culture, will open doors for you. You will be informed about customs, traditions, festivals, myths, facts, artists, movies and this could go one forever. So basically a lot of new knowledge and perspective. A Global Touch Being in a diverse environment will make you ease up to the global world, that we are transforming into day by day. The students of today, may have to live and work in a totally new continent, with everything new to them. Being exposed to diversities will help people get used to such situations. Increases Relations History is a witness to the many conflicts that the world has seen. But if you spend few hours of everyday with a person you will get used to them and close to them as well. Spending more and more time around culturally diverse situations will help individuals keep their ignorance and arrogance aside. Increases Morale Like the study which is mentioned above suggest, increase in morale in adults can also be seen, while they work in culturally diverse situations. New skills and ideas are brought on to the table, with which innovative breakthroughs can be made. It helps people understand that everyone is important. As they always say United, we are stronger. Cultural and ethnic diversity can help us grow more and stronger, together. We must thus make sure that in schools and colleges, such practices are followed. Also Read: How to Prevent Student Abuse in Schools? State Bank Of India (SBI) has issued a recruitment notification inviting applications for the from candidates who are interested for the position of specialist cadre officers in state run bank. There are a total of 41 vacancies that are available for the recruitment process. Interested candidates are requested to check the official notification on SBI's website, and read through the information related to eligibility. If they are eligible, then they can apply online for the post. Important Dates for SBI Recruitment 2017 Commencement of Submission of Application for SBI recruitment starts on September 15, 2017. The last date for the submission of application and payment of fees for the recruitment is October 6, 2017. The last date to receive the hard copy of the online application along with other important documents is October 10, 2017. The tentative date for the downloading of the call letter for the online test is October 25, 2017. The tentative date for the online test is November 11, 2017. Vacancies for the SBI Recruitment 2017 For the post of Deputy Managers (Law) there are 21 vacancies under the General category, 6 under SC category, 3 under ST category, 10 under OBC category and thus there are a total of 40 vacancies. Under the post of Deputy General Manager (Law) post there is just one vacancy available. Eligibility for SBI Recruitment 2017 Educational Qualifications For the post of Deputy Manager, the candidate needs to be a graduate with a degree in Law or a graduate in law who has passed 5 years of integrated Law course from a recognized institution in India For the post of Deputy General Manager, the candidate needs to be a graduate with a degree in Law or a graduate in law who has passed 5 years of integrated Law course from a recognized institution in India Experience For the post of Deputy Manager the candidate needs at least 4 years of experience as a Law officer in a Legal department of Scheduled C Commercial Banks / Financial Institutions (as mentioned in the web page of Indian Banks' Association under the link Member Associate) Or State Level Development Financial Institutions. (The experience should be after enrollment as advocate with Bar Council). For the Deputy General Manager post the candidate must be a Law Graduate who has joined as Advocate with Bar Council and have at least 15 years of experience as Law officer in the Legal Department of Scheduled Commercial Banks / Financial Institutions (as mentioned in the web page of Indian Banks' Association under the link Member Associate) Or State Level Development Financial Institutions.(The experience should be after enrollment as advocate with Bar Council). Age Limit For the post of Deputy Manager the minimum age limit is 25 years and the maximum age is 35 years of age. For the position of Deputy General Manager the age limit is 35 years and the maximum age is 45 years. Selection procedure for SBI Recruitment 2017 The selection procedure for the recruitment for the post of Deputy Managers will be based on an online written test and an interview. For the selection process of the Deputy General Manger, there will be short listing and personal interview. This will be done on basis of qualification, experience and the suitability for the interview. The merit list for the same will be produced in the descending order on the basis of the marks that the candidates get in the interview. Application Fee for SBI Recruitment 2017 The application fee for candidates from the SC/ST/PWD categories is Rs.100. The application fee for the candidates who belong to General and other categories is Rs.600. How to Apply for SBI Recruitment 2017 "The CM has instructed all the educational institutions in the Telangana state, both private and public, to teach Telugu as a compulsory subject from 1st to 12th standard," a release from Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's office said. What does the release speak? According to the release, The Chief Minister has clearly mentioned that only those educational institutions that teach Telugu as a compulsory subject will be given recognition and permissions to function. For the students who want to choose Urdu, it should be offered as an optional subject. The state government has also decided that all the all the public and private establishments and institutions in Telangana should display their organization's names in Telugu on their signboards. The Chief Minister of Telangana has asked the Sahitya Academy to prepare a syllabus for the Telugu subject to be taught to students of primary, secondary and higher and intermediate classes. The syllabus fixed by the Sahitya Academy will be taught in all the educational institutions, the release said. "The syllabus should be framed and textbooks should be printed at the earliest. The syllabus fixed by the Sahitya Academy will be taught in all the educational institutions and they are not expected to print textbooks and teach syllabus according to their whims and fancies," it said. The government will be strict in implementing the policy that Telugu is taught as the compulsory subject and only the syllabus framed by the Sahitya Academy is taught, the chief minister said. The CM has decided to pass resolutions on these two issues at the state cabinet meeting," the release said. It was also decided to organize World Telugu Conference here for five days from Dec 15 to 19, 2017. The chief minister has instructed that the preparatory programs should start forthwith. The CM has announced the sanction of Rs. 50 Crore for organizing the World Telugu Conference. Rs. 5 Crore is given to Telangana Sahitya Academy and Rs. 2 Crore to the Official Language Commission organizing expenses. National Talent Search Examination 2017: Apply Now! FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Rennie Sloan, rennie.sloan@cartercenter.org ATLANTAAs part of a partnership with the Qatar Foundations World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), The Carter Center announced today two new recipients of the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism in Qatar. The fellowships launched in Qatar in 2016 with four journalism fellows. See below for journalist names and project topics. Over nearly two decades, the Center has awarded one-year fellowships to nearly 200 journalists, connecting them with resources and experts to increase the quality and accuracy of mental health reporting around the world. The project is currently in the United States, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Colombia and was previously in New Zealand, South Africa, and Romania. These fellows can reshape how media in the Middle East covers one of the most significant, misunderstood public health problems. Like the fellows before them, they will likely impact their colleagues and newsrooms, and become the point person in their field on mental health issues, said former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter. The Carter Center provides training, educational materials, mentorship, evaluation tools, and technical assistance to WISH to develop a sustainable and tailored project in Qatar. WISH manages the project in Qatar and is responsible for the selection of journalists and adapting the project to meet the needs of the population in Qatar. Acting Chief Executive Officer of WISH Sultana Afdahl accompanied the Qatar-based fellows to Atlanta this week for one of the two required training sessions and said: At WISH we have a long-standing commitment to raising awareness on mental health and we believe that the media plays a crucial role in shaping public perception. Our partnership with The Carter Center offers an excellent opportunity to develop the highest standards of mental health reporting in Qatar. We are delighted to continue our partnership for the second year running, especially after seeing the positive impact of the work done by last years fellows. Since the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism were established in 1996, fellows have produced more than 1500 stories, documentaries, books, and other works during and after their fellowship year. Their projects have garnered Emmy Awards, nominations for the Pulitzer Prize, and other awards. The 2017-2018 recipients of the WISH Qatar Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism are: Jawahir Al-Naimi Al Jazeera English Topic: Develop stories that shed light on postpartum depression. Samira Barre Freelance writer/filmmaker Topic: Explore the need and benefit for a support system for people living with mental illnesses and the impact the mental illnesses has on families. ### The Carter Center "Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope." A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide. The World Innovation Summit for Health The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) is a global healthcare community dedicated to capturing and disseminating the best evidence-based ideas and practices. WISH is an initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) and is under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, its Chairperson. The inaugural WISH Summit took place in Doha in 2013 and convened more than 1,000 global healthcare leaders. Through international summits and a range of ongoing initiatives, WISH is creating a global community of leading innovators in healthcare policy, research and industry. Together, they are harnessing the power of innovation to overcome the worlds most urgent healthcare challenges and inspire other stakeholders to action. Islamophobia and violent extremism are inextricably linked. As Islamophobia continues to grip much of the Western world, join us in discussing the effects of stigmatizing Muslims and learn more about what The Carter Center and others are doing to help stem the tide of anti-Muslim hatred and discrimination. Panelists: Dr. Suzanne Barakat: motivational speaker and the sister of Deah Barakat, one of three Muslims killed during a 2015 shooting in Chapel Hill motivational speaker and the sister of Deah Barakat, one of three Muslims killed during a 2015 shooting in Chapel Hill Dr. Deepa Kumar: award-winning scholar and activist, and author of Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire award-winning scholar and activist, and author of Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire Dr. Tariq Ramadan: contemporary Islamic studies scholar who was named one of Time magazines 100 most influential people in the world in 2004 Moderator: Dr. Houda Abadi, associate director of the Carter Centers Conflict Resolution Program Join the Discussion See the Twitter discussion with hashtag #RisingIslamophobia. Conversations at The Carter Center Our Conversations series brings you up close with Carter Center experts, policymakers, and other special guests to discuss the issues that shape your world. Following their discussion, panelists take questions from the audience. All Conversations are webcast live and archived for future viewing. You can register online to attend an event in person at the Carter Center's Ivan Allen Pavilion. Some events may require an online ticket purchase. The free live webcasts do not require registration. Discussion Although consumption of contaminated poultry and poultry products is known to be a common source of exposure to Campylobacter species (3), many other animals also can be infected, including cattle, and infection can be acquired through contact with live animals or contaminated meat. Whereas cryptosporidiosis outbreaks often are associated with contaminated recreational water (4), Cryptosporidium infections in calves occur commonly, and outbreaks resulting from animal-to-person transmission have been reported (5). This report describes occupational animal exposure, including the type of animal, workplace, and activity, among campylobacteriosis and cryptosporidiosis patients in an agricultural state during 20052015. One possible explanation for the high incidence rates of these infections in Nebraska is a high rate of exposure to livestock. There were an estimated 6.5 million head of cattle and calves in Nebraska in 2017,* which is 3.4 times more than the states population of 1.9 million persons. The overall rate for the United States is 0.3 head of cattle and calves per person. Workers in all animal-related industries, including animal production, animal slaughtering and processing, and other supportive services are at risk for zoonotic enteric diseases because of their daily and long-term exposure to live animals or animal products. Contact with farm animals and animal feces have been identified through a case-control study as risk factors for sporadic Campylobacter infection in the United States (3). Research has suggested that zoonotic transmission might be frequently associated with sporadic cryptosporidiosis cases (6) and that agricultural workers have increased potential for contracting various bovine zoonotic infections (7); in 2011, a cluster of Campylobacter infections was reported among persons working at a sheep ranch (8). Clusters of occupationally acquired cryptosporidiosis also have been reported among veterinary students, firefighters who responded to a fire on a cattle farm, and emergency responders attending to the rollover of a truck carrying calves (5). However, the proportion of cases of specific enteric diseases with occupational animal exposure has not been well characterized because occupational information is not universally collected in current infectious disease surveillance systems. In addition, when occupational information is collected, it is usually not recorded in standardized or discrete fields, often precluding data abstraction and analysis. In this analysis, Nebraska feedlots, farms, and ranches were the most common workplace exposure settings for campylobacteriosis and cryptosporidiosis. Cattle were the animal type most commonly mentioned by patients with both conditions who had occupational animal exposure. Several specific activities and exposures in these workplace settings were mentioned in the investigation reports, including fecal exposure, hauling, and branding cattle. Close contact with animals and manure in feedlots and other farm settings where cattle are more concentrated might place workers in these areas at increased risk for infection. Studies have shown that prevalence of Campylobacter in feedlot cattle increases throughout the feeding period (9). In addition to having direct exposure, exposed workers might also carry pathogens beyond the workplace, placing family members or other close contacts at risk for exposure and illness. Beyond on-farm exposures, cases of both campylobacteriosis and cryptosporidiosis were also reported among workers in animal slaughtering and processing facilities in Nebraska. Campylobacteriosis has been previously reported among workers at poultry processing plants, which are known to have a high potential for contamination with Campylobacter (10). However, most cases reported in Nebraska had occupational animal exposure through cattle slaughtering and processing, which is more prevalent in the state than poultry processing. The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, it is not possible to infer causation from reported occupational animal exposure. Other possible exposure sources were not evaluated in this analysis. Second, because occupational animal exposure information was collected only if a patient volunteered such information or if an investigator asked for it informally, these estimates likely are conservative, and the actual proportion of ill persons having occupational animal exposures remains unknown. Finally, standardization of data collection was not emphasized among staff members who completed the interviews and investigations in multiple local health departments. As a result, misclassification and underestimation might have occurred despite use of a consistent process to manually review and classify cases. This report describes types and percentages of occupational animal exposures among campylobacteriosis and cryptosporidiosis patients in Nebraska, which could represent important disease transmission routes in an agricultural state and have not been reported previously. Studies specifically focusing on pathogen transmission between animals and workers are needed to clarify the role of occupational animal contact in such diseases and identify effective strategies to minimize occupational risk. It is important that workers with occupational animal exposure be educated about symptoms of diseases and preventive measures, which include using dedicated clothing at work and proper handwashing after touching animals. Routine collection of information on occupation via infectious disease surveillance systems could improve capture of data to ascertain the extent of occupationally acquired disease and establish causation. Regular review by employers and public health professionals of all cases of illness among animal industry workers in order to detect the potential for workplace acquisition could help in planning interventions to promote workers health. Cemex celebrates 25 years of global growth 14 September 2017 Cemex celebrates the 25th anniversary of the start of its globalisation strategy by commemorating the companys entry into the Spanish market in 1992. Cemex began its international diversification strategy by acquiring Spanish companies Valenciana de Cementos Portland and Auxiliar de la Construccion at that time the two largest cement makers in Spain. Initiated in 1992, its global diversification strategy enabled Cemex to consolidate its position as one of the most important competitors in the building materials industry in the world, with a presence in Mexico and the USA as well as Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our company has enjoyed tremendous development over the past 25 years. We are very proud of our history and our companys many achievements over this period, made by all of those who formed and are currently part of Cemex celebrates 25 years of global growth, said Fernando A Gonzalez, CEO of Cemex. We have evolved from a local cement producer to a global company, integrating the best practices and talent into our worldwide operations. Published under No matter what job you have, where you live is going to determine how much you get paid almost as much as the degree you got in college or your current job title. Thats why tech developers have their eyes set on the West Coast, financial analysts are gunning for a spot on Wall Street, and so on. But what about those jobs that are needed everywhere, and arent concentrated in a specific area? As weve seen with school teachers, even then the salaries can vary greatly depending on where they call home. Teachers in New York make an average of $35,000 more per year than educators in South Dakota, for example. Some of that can be explained by cost of living differences, but its clear that other factors are at play when you cross state lines. With that in mind, it shouldnt come as a complete shock that people in other professions also have varying salaries depending on their home state including police officers. About 653,700 police officers are employed across the country, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and each one has a unique set of experiences involved with protecting and serving their communities. Nationwide, these police and sheriffs patrol officers have positions in local, state, and federal offices, along with positions at colleges or schools. The national average wage for a police officer in the United States, according to the most recent data released by the BLS, is $29.45 per hour, or a salary of $61,270 per year. But as well see in the breakdown of highest- and lowest-paying states, that can fluctuate quite a bit. We took a look at the states on either spectrum, along with the metropolitan area within each of those states that pays officers the most. How does your state stack up? Highest-paying states for police officers Similar to teacher salaries, well generally see a divide between northern and southern states in terms of high- and low-paying states. Generally, police officers employed in northern states have a higher chance of also receiving a larger paycheck. Officers in the highest-paying states all received salaries well above the national average, while officers in the lowest-paying states were all far behind that benchmark. Here are the highest-paying states for police officers. 10. Oregon Average salary: $65,890 $65,890 Highest-paying region: Salem; $69,440 Police officers in Oregon have the tenth-highest average paycheck among law enforcement across the country, according to BLS data. Officers working in the states capital of Salem earn the highest amount across the state, significantly above the state average. 9. Connecticut Average salary: $65,950 $65,950 Highest-paying region: Non-metropolitan area; $68,810 Slightly higher-paid officers can be found across the country in Connecticut. Salaries are close in some large cities like Hartford and Bridgeport, but officers in non-metro areas around the state end up averaging out to a slightly higher paycheck. According to one WalletHub analysis, its also the No. 6 safest state in the country no doubt thanks in part to the police officers who work there. 8. New York Average salary: $69,140 $69,140 Highest-paying region: Nassau County/Suffolk County; $97,910 Officers statewide make a respectable salary of just under $70,000 per year, but some earn far more than that. Police officers working in the New York metro area make around $77,000 per year on average, but the highest-paid law enforcement personnel are employed in the Nassau and Suffolk County areas both of which are in the Long Island region. New York also has the fifth-highest number of law enforcement employees per capita, according to WalletHub. 7. Illinois Average salary: $69,910 $69,910 Highest-paying region: Elgin metropolitan area; $75,270 Police officers working in Illinois enjoy a higher-than-average salary when compared to the rest of the nation. Officers in and around the Chicago area make even more especially in the Cook County area. The Elgin metro region is located within that, northwest of the city. 6. Nevada Average salary: $71,330 $71,330 Highest-paying region: Las Vegas/Henderson/Paradise; $76,460 It would take a lot of grit to police the Las Vegas strip, which is no doubt why those officers earn the highest paychecks in the state. Officers statewide are comfortably above the $70,000 mark per year. Unfortunately, the state also has one of the highest rates of assault per capita in the country, meaning those officers are earning those paychecks. 5. Washington, D.C. Average salary: $72,000 $72,000 Highest-paying region: Washington/Arlington/Alexandria non-metropolitan area; $68,020 Theres very little difference in pay among officers who work in our nations capitol, though forces in the non-metro areas in and around the beltway tend to make slightly more per year. Washington, D.C. has one of the highest numbers of officers per capita in the country, but also the highest rate of assault. In one WalletHub analysis, D.C. was determined to have the worst return on investment in the country for its officers largely because of high spending but also high crime. 4. Washington Average salary: $74,170 $74,170 Highest-paying region: Seattle/Bellevue/Everett metropolitan area; $82,120 Across the country in Washington state, there is actually the lowest number of police officers per capita. Those who are hired, however, make quite a bit of money. Officers working in the Seattle metro area and outlying region stand to make the most on average, above the $80,000 threshold. 3. Alaska Average salary: $77,230 $77,230 Highest-paying region: Balance of Alaska non-metropolitan area; $81,890 It pays well to be a member of law enforcement in Americas last frontier. Officers across the state make good money, but those who are willing to work in the northern non-metro areas have a better chance of an even higher salary. 2. New Jersey Average salary: $89,160 $89,160 Highest-paying region: Trenton; $90,980 New Jersey, with its close proximity to New York and other business hubs, is a crowded and busy state. The police officers who work here are compensated extremely well and apparently uniformly across the board. The highest-paid area, Trenton, is just above the statewide average. 1. California Average salary: $93,550 $93,550 Highest-paying region: San Jose/Sunnyvale/Santa Clara; $114,520 Californias nickname of the Golden State is an apt one in terms of the paychecks for police officers. Its statewide average salary for law enforcement is significantly higher than the next-highest in New Jersey, and is 52.7% higher than the national average. Several cities in California have average police officer salaries above $100,000, including the highest in the San Jose area. Of course, the cost of living in the Golden State doesnt come cheap. Lowest-paying states On the flip side of the highest-paying states, there are a vast number with salaries well below the national average of $61,270. In fact, the lowest-paying state in the nation has a salary thats 83.7% less than the nationwide mean. Whats more, all of these salaries fall below the national median household income of $53,889. Here are the lowest paying states in the nation if youre a police officer. 10. Tennessee Average salary: $43,090 $43,090 Highest-paying region: Memphis; $47,450 Theres a drastic difference between the sky-high salary of officers in California compared to states like Tennessee, where officers receive the tenth-lowest salary in the nation. Tennessee has one of the highest rates of assault per capita, meaning the officers are earning every penny they make. If money is the only factor, working in Memphis might yield the best results as an officer here. 9. North Carolina Average salary: $42,980 $42,980 Highest-paying region: Durham/Chapel Hill; $47,640 There are 37 colleges within 50 miles of Chapel Hill in North Carolina most notably the University of North Carolina, Duke University, and North Carolina State University. Thats likely at least part of the reason why police officers in that region make the highest salary compared to their statewide counterparts. 8. Alabama Average salary: $42,400 $42,400 Highest-paying region: Decatur; $51,940 Salaries for police officers continue to decline as we continue our tour through many southern states. Officers in Decatur, however, command the largest salary among any state or metro area of our bottom 10, suggesting that this suburb of Huntsville could be the place to be in law enforcement. 7. Kentucky Average salary: $42,030 $42,030 Highest-paying region: Louisville/Jefferson County; $46,650 Luckily for officers in Kentucky, the state has one of the lowest rates of assault per capita in the nation. While thats always good news, police officers here are still making less than many people in the country. 6. West Virginia Average salary: $41,020 $41,020 Highest-paying region: Weirton/Steubenville; $44,660 Salaries continue to decline in West Virginia, though your best bet as a police officer is the narrow strip of land that lies between Pennsylvania (just west of Pittsburgh) and Ohio. There in the Weirton/Steubenville region, officers have a shot of making a few thousand dollars more on average. 5. South Carolina Average salary: $40,340 $40,340 Highest-paying region: Hilton Head Island/Bluffton/Beaufort; $45,100 Police officers make just over $40,000 per year in most of South Carolina, well below the national average. If theyre willing to corral tourists and beach-goers in some of the coastal regions, however, the paychecks grow as literal compensation for their efforts. 4. Georgia Average salary: $39,510 $39,510 Highest-paying region: Atlanta/Sandy Springs/Roswell; $43,260 Just down the coast from South Carolina sits Georgia, another low-salary state for police officers. Law enforcement working in the Atlanta region have a better shot at a higher salary. 3. Louisiana Average salary: $38,100 $38,100 Highest-paying region: Shreveport/Bossier City; $44,340 Interestingly, Louisiana employs one of the highest number of officers per capita in the country in ranks with Washington, D.C., Illinois, New Jersey, and New York. However, that doesnt translate to salaries that compete with those states. The northwestern city of Shreveport boasts the highest average salary among metro areas in the state. 2. Arkansas Average salary: $37,330 $37,330 Highest-paying region: Little Rock/North Little Rock/Conway; $43,210 Little Rock has one of the highest crime rates in the country, perhaps why police officers there are paid more than the average officer working in the state of Arkansas. (It could also have something to do with being the states capital.) Either way, its a much larger salary than many officers in the state receive, judging by the average paycheck. 1. Mississippi Average salary: $33,350 $33,350 Highest-paying region: Hattiesburg; $35,590 Police officers in Mississippi earn $27,920 less on average compared to the nation at large, a full 83.7% less than the national benchmark. Its a far cry from the salaries in California a full $60,200 less, or a whopping 180% decline. As weve pointed out before, many relative salaries are lower in the south than in the Northeast or West, but that cant possibly explain the entire difference between the two. Follow Nikelle on Twitter and Facebook More from Money & Career Cheat Sheet: Christian mom who refused chemotherapy to save her unborn baby's life dies days after her daughter's birth The mother, Carrie Lynn DeKlyen, died after telling her husband of 17 years, Nick DeKlyen, "I'll see you in Heaven," according to the Associated Press. "We stayed by her until she took her last breath," Nick DeKlyen told AP. "It's in God's hands now." "John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for a friend. Carrie entered into the presence of our Lord early this morning. I can only imagine what she is experiencing now! Carrie, we love you and we will miss you, but your legacy will live on. You have touched so many lives and your love for Jesus was evident in the way you lived your life. Because of our faith we know we will see you again! We love you!" said Cure 4 Carrie a support page on Facebook run by Carrie's sister-in-law, Sonya Nelson. Nick DeKlyen told PEOPLE in August that doctors told his wife that if she did not abort her baby she would die from her brain cancer. The mom of faith, however, refused. "The doctor said if you don't terminate this baby, Carrie, you will die," Nick said. "But it was Carrie's decision and I said, 'What do you want to do?' She said, 'We're keeping it.'" On Sept. 2, Carrie's health took a turn for the worse. Nelson, revealed on Cure 4 Carrie that the faithful mom had become "completely unresponsive." "I just spoke with Nick and he wanted me to update. We have tried to share Carrie's story without being negative, but the bottom line is we need to share the reality of the situation. Carrie is not doing well. For the past few days she has been completely unresponsive, she is not even responding to pain. They tell us she can still hear us as hearing is the last to go. The baby is still holding her own. This Wednesday is a big day for Life," she wrote. "She has been doing good, but she is very small. Meaning she was in the 3 percentile when her measurements were done last. The doctors need to see a change in that on Wednesday to feel that she is viable. Please please continue to pray for all of us as we navigate through this horrible situation. We want you to know that our faith is strong and no matter the outcome we will continue to praise the almighty God that we serve," she continued in the post. Instead of chemotherapy, Carrie endured four major brain surgeries in an attempt to beat her cancer. She went into a coma after suffering a stroke in July. "I don't know if she hears me, but I tell her I love her every day," Nick told PEOPLE after his wife gave birth while still in a coma last Thursday. "I say, 'I love you, Carrie, and I'm waiting for you to wake up and take you home.' I tell her that I'm staying by her side, and I'll never leave her. I want more than anything to bring her home." Nick and his late wife who are from Wyoming, Michigan, were already parents to five other children ranging in age from 2 to 18 before she gave birth to Life Lynn. Even though Life Lynn was born early at 24 weeks and five days into Carrie's pregnancy, and weighed just 1 pound, four ounces, Nick told AP that the baby was growing and "almost breathing on her own" at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. "She's going to be fine," Nick said of the baby. "She's going to be here for 4 or 5 months, but we expect her to be a healthy baby. ... The doctor just said the timing (of the birth) couldn't have been more perfect." A memorial service will be held for Carrie at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept.12 in the Rez Center of Resurrection Life Church, 5100 Ivanrest SW, Grandville. Relatives and friends can meet Carrie's family Monday from 5:30-9 p.m. at the Cook Memorial Chapel (East Building), 4235 Prairie SW, Grandville. A GoFundMe campaign seeking to raise $150,000 to assist with family expenses had raised almost $125,000 as of Monday afternoon. This article was originally published in The Christian Post. Hollywood director hands out 'Lord's Prayer' cards before horror premiere It's said to be one of the strangest and most theological films of the year, and its director has underlined both of these elements with an unusual audience gift at early screenings. Darren Aronofsky's Mother!, which stars Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem, is a quirky, R-rated horror movie about which very little is known, and when critics arrived for its first ever screening at the Toronto International Film Festival this week, they were handed a suitably unsettling surprise. Like attenders at other preview screenings, they were given a piece of card with a new version of the Lord's Prayer apparently printed on it. On closer inspection however, this is not simply a new translation or rewording of the sacred passage from Matthew 6. Credited as 'adapted by Rebecca Solnit', the prayer is aimed at 'our mother who is underfoot', rather than a heavenly father, and seems to use the famous format to address 'mother earth' instead of God (Solnit is a noted American writer and justice campaigner whose books include Men Explain Things To Me). It includes a call to 'lead us not into selfish craving and the destructions that are the hungers of the glutted' which, while oddly archaic and aimed in an unfamiliar direction, is fairly consistent with Jesus' actual prayer to 'lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil'. Aronofsky, who directed the controversial retelling of Noah which starred Russell Crowe, personally handed out the cards to critics at the first screening and has shared the 'prayer' several times on social media. It's not entirely clear why the prayers were produced, but given that so little is known about the movie and preview audiences are being sworn to secrecy perhaps that's understandable. One movie-goer suggested after seeing a pre-screening that a prayer was necessary because the film is so unsettling. Meanwhile, an intriguing preview of the film on culture website Slate suggested that the prayer is by no means the film's only connection with the Christian faith. Sam Adams wrote that 'rewriting the Lord's Prayer is far from the movie's most audacious gloss on Christian theology', and 'suffice it to say that you'd be well-advised to brush up on the books of both Genesis and Revelation before you see it'. Martin Saunders is a Contributing Editor for Christian Today and the Deputy CEO ofYouthscape. Follow him on Twitter @martinsaunders. How to transform your church through song: Keith Getty's worship music conference to be broadcast around the world, live Popular contemporary hymn writer Keith Getty is to broadcast his sell-out Getty Music Worship Conference: Sing! around the world from September 18 September 20. Hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty announced the 'simulcast' last night when they were honoured by Christians in Parliament to mark Keith's OBE award in June. The evening, hosted at St Mary's Undercroft in the Palace of Westminster, celebrated the Gettys' contribution to music and hymn writing, through their re-popularising of hymns. The event marked the first occasion in which an OBE has been given to an individual who is actively involved in the world of contemporary church music. Beyond just their work as hymn writers, Keith Getty and his wife Kristyn have spent the last decade as ambassadors of the genre. Getty's hymns, often written in collaboration with Stuart Townend, include In Christ Alone which has been the number one most-frequently-sung in UK churches for a record-setting nine consecutive years. Getty said: 'Last night was incredibly special. Obviously to receive the OBE has been a great honour, but to sing hymns in as intimate and prestigious a venue as the chapel of St Mary's Undercroft is one of those moments neither Kristyn, nor I will ever forget.' Alongside the OBE celebrations, the Getty's announced that their upcoming Getty Music Worship Conference: Sing! will be live simulcasted around the world from September 18 September 20. UK audiences will have the opportunity to hear celebrated speakers including the Gettys, Alistair Begg, DA Carson, David Platt, Joni Eareckson Tada and over 50 other speakers and seminar leaders. Four thousand people will attend this sold-out conference in person from around the world, but live simulcast registration is now open and Getty is keen for the UK Church to join them. Keith said: 'This conference is a conference for pastors and church leaders on encouraging and reforming congregational worship. We want to celebrate how worship transforms individuals, families and churches, and strengthen and encourage congregational singing in churches. We would love for churches across the British Isles to register for the live simulcast and be equipped to release even greater potential through their worship.' The simulcast will include an exclusive concert at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, with special guests Stuart Townend, Ricky Skaggs and more. According to Christian Copyright Licensing InternationaI, in their licensed territories, an estimated 40-50 million people are singing Getty hymns in church services each year, while the songs' publishers, Integrity Music, believe a wider assessment of the Getty/Townend catalogue is likely to be closer to 100 million considering its popularity throughout Asia and the songs' almost unique ability to be sung in the more traditional contexts of church music as well as more contemporary settings. Later this year, Keith and Kristyn's first book, Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church, will be published internationally by B&H (LifeWay). To register for the Getty Music Worship Conference: Sing! live simulcast go to https://www.gettymusicworshipconference.com. Learning from lizards about church growth Churches are very impressed by size over-impressed, really. We like reading stories of dramatic growth. The congregation that attracts hundreds of worshippers on Sunday is badged as a success. So is the author whose works sell tens of thousands of copies and who's a regular on the Christian conference circuit, or the ministry that's a household name (at least in Christian circles) and is seen as a mover and shaker of events. And if you want to just how important someone is today, you can look at the number of Twitter followers they have. It's not an infallible guide for a fee, you can acquire thousands but it can make us think these people are worth listening to. But Christians need to be careful not to play the world's game. There are some verses in Proverbs 30, drawn from keen observations of nature, that we ought to heed. Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength yet they store up their food in the summer; hyraxes are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces. None of these creatures is, on the face of it, particularly significant. But their seeming powerlessness the hyrax is a small rodent-like creature is deceptive. They know enough to survive and prosper. They have their place in God's scheme of things. The Bible tells big stories about important people kings, counsellors and prophets. But it also speaks of very ordinary people, many of them nameless, who still have a place in God's story. Most of us are far more like them than we are like the heroes who bestride its pages we are the ants, or the hyraxes, rather than the lions and leopards. God has a special love for small people. As Jesus said, 'Many who are last will be first, and the first will be last' (Matthew 19:30). In the heavenly kingdom it will not be the megachurch preacher who has the place of highest honour; it will probably be the person who swept up after the services. The ones who were barely noticed will be honoured; the ones whose contributions were hardly valued will be praised. The little lizard is at home in the palace. When the British troops surrendered at Yorktown in the American War of Independence, they were serenaded out of the city by the victors' bandsmen playing The World Turned Upside Down. God turns the world upside down, too. We had better start getting used to it and learn to be less impressed by size and success. Follow Mark Woods on Twitter: @RevMarkWoods Myanmar's top Catholic: Don't attack Aung San Suu Kyi Myanmar's top Catholic leader is adding pressure to the country's defacto leader, telling Aung San Suu Kyi she 'should have spoken out'. Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Archbishop of Yangon, said Rohingya Muslims fleeing persecution in Rakhine State face 'immense' suffering as he joined mounting calls for the government to intervene. However, he urged understanding for her position and for the political situation in Myanmar. 'The world looks at Aung San Suu Kyi with the same lens with which it looked at her during her struggle for democracy,' Bo told TIME in an email. 'Now she is part of the government, she is a political leader. Surely she should have spoken out.' Bo added the Rohingyas plight had been exacerbated by years of abuse and neglect. 'Aung San Suu Kyi is walking a tight rope walk,' he said. 'Already dark forces are clamoring for return to army rule.' But he insisted Aung San Suu Kyi was still the hope for Myanmar. 'Stigmatizing Aung San Suu Kyi and attacking her through media is not a long term solution,' he said. 'A false step will see her out of government and that would be the end of any dream of democracy. We should always remember the army took back democracy three times in the history of Myanmar.' He also hit back at suggestions of a genocide after the UN described the crisis as a 'textbook example of ethnic cleansing'. Bo said: 'In this context, it is advisable at this time not to qualify the situation as genocide or ethnic cleansing against the Muslim community which the government does not recognise as an ethnic nationality but as a group of interlopers from Bangladesh. 'It is important to try to diffuse the tension and anger in the region, and use language that will not rile either side.' It comes as Aung San Suu Kyi plans to skip a crucial United Nations meeting next week to discuss the crisis after a senior UN official accused her government of ethnic cleansing. In one of the most forthright condemnations of the army's treatment of the minority group, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein told the United Nation's human rights council the attacks were 'clearly disproportionate' to militants' actions last month. A newly formed group, Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), targeted a police outpost in August, killing nine and triggering a catastrophic crackdown. More than 310,000 people have fled across the border into Bangladesh in less than three weeks with many more trapped on the border amid accusations of landmines being planted to stop their escape. 'I call on the government to end its current cruel military operation, with accountability for all violations that have occurred, and to reverse the pattern of severe and widespread discrimination against the Rohingya population,' Zeid said. 'Because Myanmar has refused access to human rights investigators the current situation cannot yet be fully assessed, but the situation seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.' The conflict centres around 1.1million Rohingyas, most of whom are Muslim, who have lived in Myanmar for generations. Despite their long standing roots the majority Burmese ethnicity, who are largely Buddhist and control the army, do not recognise them as citizens. Aung San Suu Kyi has refused to condemn the military's actions, instead blaming 'fake news' and a wholesale misinformation campaign that was aiding 'terrorists'. She plans to give a 'state of the union' address on Tuesday, according to TIME. Nigerian pastor to be hanged after setting church members alight A Nigerian pastor is on death row after dousing several church members in petrol and setting them ablaze. One congregant died as a result and Emeka Ezeuko, known as Reverend King by his followers, was sentenced on Thursday to death by hanging. He denied all six charges against him, saying his victims were burnt by an electrical generator exploding, according to local media reports. The case has developed into a large-scale scandal in Nigeria with allegations of sexual abuse made against Ezeuko who made followers call him God or Jesus 'all the time'. One witness said he had repeatedly abused her and was made to serve him meals naked. The same victim said she had had four abortions after Ezeuko impregnated her multiple times. The court in Lagos heard Ezeuko had tortured his followers to force them into confessing to sex outside marriage before setting them alight as a punishment for their sin. But one witness to the trial said the renegade pastor reacted defiantly to his sentencing. 'I am not afraid to be hanged. After all Jesus Christ was hanged. That was how Jesus was hanged and the crowd was against him. It is a great honour for me to follow the footpath of the Lord Jesus Christ,' he shouted to the courtroom. Pastor reprimanded for officiating at gay marriage A Lutheran pastor who conducted a same-sex marriage has been reprimanded by his church. Kaj Sadinmaa, former pastor of Kallio in Helsinki, officiated at a gay wedding on 1 March this year, the day the secular law allowing gay marriage came into force in Finland. He has been sanctioned for violating the teaching of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and breaking his own vows as a pastor. The hearing in a church court in Finland took place on Wednesday, and at the hearing Sadinmaa sat in 'stocks' as a piece of protest performance art. The vote to reprimand him severely however was not unanimous. Two of the seven members of the council, that was chaired by Bishop of Helsinki Irja Askola, voted in his favour. Sadinmaa will appeal the reprimand on the basis that he was not an active parish minister when he carried out the ceremony, according to Uutiset. The pastor claimed also that nearly 30 Lutheran pastors have subsequently officiated at gay weddings. Another disciplinary hearing around one of these other cases is to be heard by the council next week. The church's Synod of Bishops said in a proclamation last year that marriage can only be between a man and a woman. Pastor Robert Jeffress: 'God is not an open borders guy' Megachurch pastor Robert Jeffress has said 'God is not an open borders guy' as he tried to justify Donald Trump's rescinding of the DACA immigration programme. Jeffress, head of First Baptist Dallas church and one of the president's top evangelical advisers, said 'Christian compassion' needed to be balanced with the government protecting its citizens the implication being immigrants were a threat. Appearing on Fox & Friends where he is a regular paid contributor, Jeffress rebuked more than 3,000 Christian leaders who wrote a letter to the White House condemning the decision to scrap the scheme. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme allows children brought into the US illegally to apply for rights to work and study. During the past five years it has allowed 800,000 so-called 'Dreamers' to attend school without fear of deportation. The Evangelical Immigration Table, a group including National Association of Evangelicals President Leith Anderson and Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission president Russell Moore, wrote a letter to Trump saying: 'These young people have shown through their great determination and fortitude that our nation is better off because of their presence. They are leading in our churches and our communities.' The letter urged the White House to 'find solutions that allow these young people to stay in our country long-term and continue to be a blessing to our communities'. Samuel Rodriguez, President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, also warned Trump about the consequences of ending DACA. 'As a pastor, I cannot sit idly by while the federal government threatens to forcibly separate families by deportation,' he said. But Jeffress hit back and said the had not presented the full picture. 'While Christian compassion is one consideration, it's not the only consideration in the immigration problem,' he said.'I mean, the Bible also says that God is the one who established nations and its borders. God is not necessarily an open borders guy, as a lot of people would think that he is. 'And thirdly, the Bible says God has ordained government to protect its citizens. So when you are talking about a biblical solution to immigration, yes, we need to talk about compassion, but we need to balance that with government's real responsibility to protect its citizens.' The Texas pastor also rounded on Pope Francis for 'lambasting President Trump' after the head of the Catholic Church said those who support the separation of families through immigration laws are not 'pro-life'. Speaking to reporters aboard the papal plane returning from a five-day trip to Colombia, he said he hoped Trump 'rethinks' the decision to scrap the plan that allowed immigrants bought into the US as children to remain. 'I believe that this law comes, I think, not from Congress but from the executive branch of the government,' he said. 'If it is so, I have the hope that it's re-thought, because I heard the president of the United States introduce himself as a "pro-life" man.' He added: 'A good pro-lifer understands that family is the cradle of life, and that its unity must be defended.' It is not the first time Jeffress has caused controversy in his loyal defence of Trump. He previously said the Bible gave Trump the authority to take out North Korea's Kim Jong Un. PMQs with Christian Today: Theresa May refuses to back Christian MP's hunger bill It is an indictment on both of the UK's major parties that after a summer off the biggest issue in British politics was ignored during Prime Minister's Questions. It fell to back benchers to ask Theresa May about Brexit after the biggest leak on the government's immigration plan after the UK leaves the European Union. Anna Soubry, a persistent thorn in the Prime Minister's side, warned of a rebellion over the government's Great Repeal Bill saying it looks like an 'unprecedented and unnecessary government power grab'. But Jeremy Corbyn, because he is unclear what his own policy is, dodged asking any of his six questions on Brexit, instead focusing on McDonald's workers' strike, public sector pay and zero hours contracts. His success with the electorate in the general election has done little for his ability at the dispatch box. One enlightening moment came when Theresa May's refused to back a bill tabled by Labour's Frank Field and backed by Christian MPs from all parties as well as bishops in the House of Lords. Ruth Smeeth, Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent, raised the alarmingly high number of children who go hungry during the holidays because free-school meals are not available. She praised local volunteers, including churches, but said: 'I'm disgusted by this government who have done nothing and turned a blind eye. How many children have to go hungry, how much parents have to go without food, before this Prime Minister will do her job and act.' It comes after Church of England bishops added their backing to a bill signed by more than 100 MPs from different parties to use money raised by a sugary drinks tax to force councils to provide food and activities for children who would otherwise go without. Frank Field, a committed Christian, said: 'If the Prime Minister were to pick up this bill and run with it, at nil extra cost to the Government, she would tackle overnight one of the great injustices afflicting children in this country: a widening of inequalities at school caused by a lack of food during the holidays. Likewise she would immediately be cutting off one of the main supply routes to food banks.' But the Prime Minister declined to back the bill but said ministers would consider the proposals it raised. 'Our foucs remains on tackling the root causes of poverty,' said Theresa May. 'Nearly three-quarters of children from workless families moved out of poverty when their parents moved into full-time work.' Pope Francis greets and hugs Father Tom Uzhunnalil after his release Pope Francis has met Fr Tom Uzhunnalil at the Vatican following the priest's release from captivity in Oman after more than a year in the hands of Islamist militants. He was kidnapped when militants attacked the nursing home where he was working in Yemen, killing 16 people including four nuns. Uzhunnalil was flown to Rome to recover at the headquarters of the Salesian order to which he belongs before returning to his home in India. The order's spokesman Fr P Varghese said: 'The need of the hour now is rest and recuperation for Uzhunnalil, as his health has to be taken care of.' He met Francis on Wednesday at the Casa Santa Marta, kissing his hands and the ground at his feet. According to Vatican newspaper's Osservatore Romano, Francis hugged him and told him he had been praying for him. The Vatican press office released a statement following his release saying: 'The Holy See fervently thanks all those who worked for his release, and especially His Majesty the Sultan of Oman and the competent authorities of the Sultanate.' In an emotional meeting at Vatican today, @Pontifex receives holy Fr. Thomas Uzhunnalil, released from captivity pic.twitter.com/T9F7iuxS2m Thomas Rosica (@FatherRosica) September 13, 2017 India Churches and Church bodies have welcomed the release of Uzhunnalil, whose imprisonment was overshadowed by unfounded but widely shared rumours that his captors planned to crucify him. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India expressed its gratitude to the Indian government for its persistence and perseverance in working to obtain the release of Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil and Pope Francis who took a personal interest in his case. Sister Mary Prema, Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity, the order to which the murdered nuns belonged, issued a statement saying: 'I am overwhelmed with this good news. And I praise God for his mercy.' She said: 'We had never given up hope that one day father Tom would be released...The sisters, the poor and the people have been praying daily for his release. We give all glory to God and we thank all those who prayed and worked tirelessly for father Tom's release.' Primates meeting: Tensions build as GAFCON hits back at 'inaccurate and misleading' Archbishop's statement Tensions between two senior Nigerian clergy are at the heart of a fraught build-up to a meeting of global Anglican heads next month. Primates, or leaders of the 39 provinces around the world, will gather for six days in Canterbury in October to discuss, among other topics, their disagreements over the Church's approach to homosexuality and transgender people. A number of conservatives have either announced their refusal to attend or are considering doing so with the most prominent figure to snub the Archbishop of Canterbury's invitation so far being the Archbishop of Nigeria. Responding to the revelation the arch-conservative Nicholas Okoh will boycott the conference in protest over a perceived liberal drift on sexuality, the secretary general of the Anglican Communion, Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, said he was 'reneging' on a promise. 'At their [last] meeting in January 2016 the primates agreed to walk together,' said Idowu-Fearon. 'The primate of Nigeria was present at that meeting. In effect, he is now reneging on this decision which is very sad. 'However the door remains open and he would be very welcome to attend next month's primates' meeting.' Now GAFCON, a worldwide traditionalist grouping of which Okoh is the chair, has hit back. A spokesman told Christian Today Idowu-Fearon's statement was 'not only provocative, it was also inaccurate and misleading'. The body, which claims to represent millions of Anglicans in the poorer and more socially conservative global south, says the commitment to 'walk together' made at the last primates meeting in January 2016 was conditional on The Episcopal Church (TEC) in the USA being barred from representing the Anglican Church on decision making bodies. Conservative archbishops in Africa, South America and south Asia insist this did not happen. In a communique released last week they said: 'While we expressed a desire to walk together as a Communion, this was contingent upon our decisions regarding The Episcopal Church being respected and upheld. 'Unfortunately, this agreement was not enforced and The Episcopal Church has been allowed to take part in decision making regarding "matters pertaining to polity and doctrine". They have also represented us in ecumenical meetings. This has led to a further breakdown of trust and confidence.' Idowu-Fearon, as secretary general of the Anglican Communion, has the responsibility of holding the diverse spectrum together. He holds conservative views on sexuality himself but has not hidden his frustrations at compatriots such as Okoh who he says are 'divisive'. In an interview with the Church of Ireland Gazette last December, he said the prominence of sexuality as an issue among African church leaders is because of influence by American conservatives. 'The very strong minority conservatives, not in the UK but in America, they have found a footing amongst some of the leaders in Africa,' he said. 'They are the ones that sort of pumped this thing into the leaders, and the leaders decided to make it an African thing. It is not an African thing. There are homosexuals everywhere even in my diocese.' He added: 'There is no diocese on the continent of Africa where everybody subscribes to the same position.' Openly criticising his fellow African leaders, he said the Church there 'lacks what I would call effective leadership' and bishops 'do not see themselves as leading the way Christ leads his Church. Rather the African church leader sees himself in the light of the traditional rulers: those with absolute authority. There is no consultation.' He said he had told Okoh previously 'our effectiveness is in remaining participating in all that is going on' and is bold in his assessment that GAFCON is 'not a movement of the Holy Spirit, because it is divisive'. The primates will meet from October 2-6 in Canterbury. Russia's culture minister warns Orthodox 'fanatics' against protesting Tsar film Russia's culture minister has made a rare government intervention in the row over Alexei Uchitel's film Matilda, which tells the story of a romance between Nicholas II, before he became tsar, and a dancer. Vladimir Medinsky has seen the film and insists there is 'nothing insulting' whatsoever to the tsar, regarded as a martyr by the Russian Orthodox Church. Matilda is set in the 19th century and is slated for release next month. Its title refers to the half-Polish dancer Matilda Kshesinskaya, who described the relationship in her memoirs. Russia's largest operator of movie theatres has already said it will not screen the film amid accusations of 'blasphemy' and threats. Medinsky, Russia's minister of culture, said the government had tried to refrain from interfering, but his hand has been forced by recent events. Writing on his Russian ministry website, he says he does not know what has guided those who have started and supported the 'hubbub' around the film. 'Moreover, I am not ready to discern the motivations of the various "activists" who are brazenly calling themselves "Orthodox". I am often reproached for being too conservative. And as a conservative, I want to say: such self-styled "activists" discredit both the state cultural policy and the Church,' he writes. Orthodoxy is about love, not hatred, he states, suggesting that those protesting the film in the name of the Church are no different from 'fanatics' of the worst manifestations of other faiths. 'And now the hysteria has reached unprecedented heat: public threats, the persecution of film authors, arson, the refusal of some movie networks from the rental just for security reasons.' Any controversy about the film is now pointless, he says. 'Personally, I saw the movie. I will not discuss its content it's just not right until the audience sees it. But I testify: in it there is nothing insulting either for the memory of Nicholas II, or for the history of the Russian monarchy.' He said: 'The Ministry of Culture issues rolling licences to films strictly according to a lawful procedure. The law clearly describes the grounds for refusal. They are not in the case of Matilda. We are guided by the law, and not by private tastes.' The Russian news site Vedemosti reports that the most vociferous opponent of the film is the State Duma deputy and former Crimean prosecutor Natalya Poklonskaya, who believes that the screening of the film will violate the law, since it offends the feelings of believers. Should the Church panic at the latest statistics on religious affiliation? Why this bishop says 'No' The decline in the number of self-identified religious people and in particular Anglicans does not mean the Church has failed or that Britain has become an atheist country, according to a leading bishop. The latest findings from the annual British Social Attitudes survey show that for the first time, more than half the UK population identifies as non-religious. Just 15 per cent describe themselves as Anglican, down from 30 per cent at the start of this millennium. In interview for the Church of England's Stories Worth Sharing, the Bishop of Chelmsford, Stephen Cottrell, said people are still very interested in the things of faith, but don't necessary identify as religious. Although the survey's results are a challenge to the Church's ministerial mission, it did not mean it was failing. The survey conducted by the National Centre for Social Research showed that 53 per cent of adults have no religious belief. It also revealed there was a decline in the number of people who identified as Anglican. Out of the 2,942 adults asked, 15 per cent said they were Anglican. Responding to the figure that 71 per cent of 18-25 year olds have no religious affiliation, Bishop Cottrell said young people are more comfortable describing themselves as spiritual rather than religious, but this often means an openness to the possibility of God 'and often a deep attraction to the person of Christ'. He admitted it is impossible for any Christian or any Christian leader to look at the figures 'without a certain amount of despondency'. But it was not something to panic about and Britain had not suddenly become 'a nation of atheists'. He said: 'It awakens us yet again to the great missionary challenge we face.' He said he knows many churches that are thriving and where people are coming to faith. 'Numbers are really important. Numbers are important because people are important.' Jesus shows us what humanity is supposed to look like, and it is important that people know about him. He said he would like it to be more people, because more people means more impact. 'In the end what matters is that we tune ourselves to the song of heaven and bring God's kingdom on earth.' Impact is important, and impact is impossible without numbers, Cottrell said. On the disparity between the older and younger generations, he said it was particularly true of young people that they could describe theselves as spiritual, not religious. The figures represent a challenge that increases down the generations. But that doesn't mean all young people have become atheists, or would not describe themselves as spiritual. He said 'spiritual' could be described as an 'openness' to God. 'My view is what the world needs is a heart transplant,' he said, adding that if a person receives the heart of Jesus, they are more likely to build a world of peace and justice and more likely to love their neighbour. Bishop Cottrell concluded: 'Only God can change the human heart.' 'Urgent' action needed to meet UK's hunger crisis, says Welby's advisor The Bishop at Lambeth, Rt Rev Tim Thornton, has called for 'urgent and concerted action' to meet Britain's poverty crisis. Thornton, whose role involves acting as a senior adviser to the Archbishop of Canterbury, is a trustee of the charity Feeding Britain. He spoke out as the Church Urban Fund released results of a survey showing lack of money caused one in nine Britons to miss celebrating a birthday or other special occasion last year, according to research published today by the Church Urban Fund. The charity commissioned research into food poverty and financial distress in Britain. It found that in 2016, 11 per cent of adults missed celebrating a birthday, Christmas, or other special occasion because they were unable to afford items such as presents or celebratory food. The survey of 2,048 adults, conducted by ComRes, found that during 2016, five per cent of adults had gone without meals because they could not afford food and one in 50 British adults almost a million people said they had used a food bank. Four per cent of adults said that in 2016 they had gone without meals so that their children or other household members had enough to eat. One in eight said they had experienced anxiety or worry about being able to afford enough food for themselves and their family during 2016. Of those interviewed, 14 per cent said they had cut down on the amount of fresh food they buy such as fruit and vegetables to save money. Food poverty disproportionately affects younger people. While almost one in 10 Britons aged 25 to 34 years old said they had gone without meals in 2016 as they were unable to afford food, just one in a hundred of those aged 65 and over reported having done so. Thornton said: 'Thousands of volunteers, most of them, but not all coordinated by churches have come together in recent years to get involved in food banks and other services for people struggling financially. 'This survey confirms that they are responding to a widespread and pressing need and that food poverty extends far beyond food bank use alone. Urgent and concerted action is needed across government, the private sector, civil society and statutory agencies, in order to tackle this problem.' Church Urban Fund Executive Director Paul Hackwood said: 'These findings reveal a deeply troubling picture of food insecurity throughout Britain. Those affected don't just go hungry or poorly nourished they suffer isolation, are excluded from participating in social activities and experience considerable anxiety. 'Church Urban Fund is working hard alongside other charities, churches, faith groups and community organisations to support those affected by food poverty, isolation and financial difficulties. But we cannot solve this problem alone. We are calling on all those with the power to make a difference to play an active role in resolving this urgent issue.' The popular will regarding illegal immigration appears to have triumphed over elite sentimentat least for now. The Senate is close to passing a House measure to build 700 miles of fence along the Mexican border, without demanding amnesty for illegal aliens or a guest-worker program as a quid pro quo. Comprehensive immigration reform (a.k.a. amnesty), the pet project of the Bush Administration and its conservative open-borders supporters, has for the moment foundered on political and social reality. Anyone who still questions the wisdom of the enforcement-first strategy embraced by House Republicans (and a few staunch GOP senators such as Alabamas Jeff Sessions) need only look at Madrid, where a conference on the European illegal immigration crisis has thrown the folly of amnesty into sharp relief. Spain is leading an appeal to other European Union members to beef up their support for a new EU border control agency. The agency, Frontex, tries to apprehend illegal immigrants as they sail from Africa to Spains Canary Islands. Spains Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos argued on Friday that the African influx threatened Europes entire border, not just Spains. But Spains appeal for aid has so far fallen on deaf ears. The reason: Spain is largely responsible for exacerbating the illegal immigration problem by having granted amnesty to its illegal aliens last year, according to leading EU representatives. Nicholas Sarkozy, Frances interior minister, says that Spains 2005 amnesty to 600,000 illegals lies behind the explosion of illegal migration this year. Officials have caught more than five times the number of Africans trying to reach the Spanish islands in the first 8 months of 200624,000than they caught in all of 2005. France experienced an identical surge in would-be refugees after its own amnesty in 1997, says Sarkozy. Austrias justice minister Karin Gastinger has charged that amnesties create a pull factor [to] the people in Africa [and] give the wrong signal. Even Senegal, the source of most immigrants to Spain, has criticized the Spanish amnesty for encouraging illegal immigration, according to Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Needless to say, the European experience with amnesty repeats the U.S. one. Following the 1986 American amnesty, illegal Mexican immigration surged several fold. By now, we have enough shared experience with misguided immigration policy not to keep making the same mistake. Frances Sarkozy proposes a Europe-wide ban on mass amnesties. This is one French idea that the U.S. would be wise to embrace. Last week, the Brennan Center for Justice released a preliminary analysis of urban crime data in Americas 30 largest cities. The analysis projects a 0.6 percent overall drop in the violent-crime rate and a 2.5 percent decline in the overall murder rate. After two years of significant (13 percent) upticks in urban murders, documented by the Centers 2015 and 2016 reports, the reports authors, and the media, present the projected drop as unalloyed good news that directly undercut[s] any claim that the nation is experiencing a crime wave. While the report predicts an overall decrease in murders and overall violent crime, its important to note that both violent crime and murders were up in 13 of the 30 cities studied. According to the Washington Post, just three cities (Detroit, Houston, and New York) are driving the overall decrease in urban murders; and just two cities (Chicago and Baltimore) were primarily responsible for the national rise in urban homicide from 2014 to 2017. The three cities driving the overall decline in urban murdersDetroit, Houston, and New Yorksaw an average drop of 21.7 percent, which means that murder is either up, or essentially flat, in the rest of the cities in the sample, given the overall decline of just 2.5 percent. Further, two of the three cities driving the decline (Houston and New York) are atypical, in that they have successfully managed to suppress violent criminality over time in a manner that most cities have notindeed, have kept a lid on crime over the last 20 years, with 2017 violent-crime rates of 9.9 and 3.1, respectively. By contrast, cities like Chicago, Baltimore, and Memphis are experiencing crime rates close to or higher than their mid-1990s peaks (between 25.76 and 60.59 per 100,000). Other cities are experiencing troubling upward trends in violent crime. Louisville, for example, has seen sharp increases in both murders and the rate of violent crime, projected to be double what it was ten years ago. In talking about urban crime, it is essential to keep in mind what every city resident knows: parts of any metropolis are relatively dangerous, and other parts are relatively safe. Separating the safe zones from the sub-cities where crime thrives exposes a real crime problem, often much worse than the picture painted by citywide or national rates. For example, 10 Chicago police districts, accounting for 78 percent of the citys murders committed during a one-year periodas recently analyzed in City Journalconstitute a city-within-a-city, or a sub-city, with a population of almost 1.1 million, and a murder rate nearly double the 2016 citywide rate. In St. Louis, 74 percent of the citys 2016 murders were committed in three of the citys six police districtsan area with a shocking murder rate of more than 100 per 100,000 residents. During the one-year period beginning June 7, 2016, a similar tract of sub-Chicago posted a murder rate of 107.7more than triple the 2016 citywide rate, and in line with the murder rate of El Salvador, by far the most homicidal country in the world. The language of the Brennan Center report, as well as of the stories covering it, is an extension of the trend of speaking about violent crime solely in the aggregate. Violent crime is not experienced in the aggregate, however, nor is it experienced equally across ormore importantlywithin American cities. Referring to the overall urban crime rate to declare that we dont have a crime problem is to ignore the plight of people living in crime-ridden neighborhoods, and makes as much sense as a doctor, after examining a local tumor, saying that on average the patient is cancer-free. Policymakers must analyze crime at a granular level so that they can make informed recommendations about how to restore order where it has been lost. Photo by David McNew/Getty Images We have been modern for several centuries now. We are modern, and we want to be modern; it is a desire that guides the entire life of Western societies. That the will to be modern has been in force for centuries, though, suggests that we have not succeeded in being truly modernthat the end of the process that we thought we saw coming at various moments has always proved illusory, and that 1789, 1917, 1968, and 1989 were only disappointing steps along a road leading who knows where. The Israelites were lucky: they wandered for only 40 years in the desert. If the will to be modern has ceaselessly overturned the conditions of our common life and brought one revolution after anotherwithout achieving satisfaction or reaching a point where we might rest and say, Here at last is the end of our enterprisejust what does that mean? How have we been able to will something for such a long time and accept being so often disappointed? Could it be that we arent sure what we want? Though the various signs of the modern are familiar, whether in architecture, art, science, or political organization, we do not know what these traits have in common and what justifies designating them with the same attribute. We find ourselves under the sway of something that seems evident yet defies explication. Some are inclined to give up asking what we might call the question of the modern. They contend that we have left the modern age and entered the postmodern, renouncing all grand narratives of Western progress. I am not so sure, though, that we have renounced the grand modern narratives of science and democracy. We may be experiencing a certain fatigue with the modern after so many modern centuries, but the question of the modern remains, and its urgency does not depend on the disposition of the questioner. So long as self-understanding matters to us, the question must be raised anew. Even if we do not claim to provide a new answer, we should at least have the ambition to bring the question back to life. When unsure about the nature of something, we sometimes ask when and how it began. Such an approach is legitimate when investigating the question of the modern, but it immediately raises difficulties. Beginnings are, by definition, obscure. The first sprouts are difficult to discern. One can easily be mistaken. In what time period should we look for the beginnings of modernity? In the eighteenth century, the age of the American and French Revolutions? In the seventeenth century, when the notion of natural science was elaborated? In the sixteenth century, the era of religious reformation? These diverse origins are not contradictory, since modernity surely includes a religious reformation, science in the modern sense, and political and democratic revolutions. But what is the relationship between the Lutheran faith and the science of Galileo? Is there a primary intellectual and moral disposition that defines modern man? Or must we resign ourselves to the dispersion of the elements of modernity, which we would then see as held together only by the magic of a word? Let us start with the one incontestable point in the perplexities just laid out: that we have wanted, and continue to want, to be modern. It is not necessary to know exactly what we want in order to know that, in so wanting, we form a project. Modernity is, first of all, a collective projectformulated in Europe and first applied there but destined for humanity as a whole. To form a great collective project, ultimately destined for all humanity, demands great faith in ones own powers. There is something striking in this regard about the beginnings of modern science: Bacon and Descartes, to name just two pioneers, showed extraordinary confidence in the capacity of the new science radically to transform the conditions of human life. What faithwhat blind faiththey had, one is tempted to say! For modern science had yet to produce any of its miracles. Descartes, for example, imagined medicines prodigiously lengthening human life at a time when it was incapable of curing anything. Inherent in the idea of a project are the beliefs that we are capable of acting and that our action can transform the conditions of our life. Many analysts of modernity have insisted on the second point, the transformative or constructive ambition of the modern project. But we must not pass over the first point too quickly. We are capable of actinga world is contained in those words! Human beings have always acted in some way, but they have not always known that they were capable of acting. There is something terrible in human action: what makes us human is also what exposes us, takes us out of ourselves, and sometimes causes us to lose ourselves. In the beginning, human beings gathered, fished, hunted, or even made war, which is a kind of hunting; but they acted as little as possible, leaving much to the gods and tying themselves down with prohibitions, rites, and sacred restraints. Historically, properly human action first appears as crime or transgression. This, according to Hegel, is what Greek tragedy brings to light: innocently criminal action. Tragedy recounts the passage from what precedes action to properly human action. So modernity may be described as a project of collective actionand the great domain of action is politics, which is action ordered and implemented. It follows that the modern project must be understood in the first instance as a political project; we must situate it, therefore, in the history of European and Western political development. Modernity is characterized by movement, a movement that never reaches its end or comes to rest. There are great civilizations other than the West, and much has happened in them, but they have not known historical movement. They have chronicles but not a historyat least before the pressure or aggression of the West brought them into history. In the West, by contrast, one finds a singular principle of movement, and this is what characterizes it above all. The movement of the West began with the movement of the Greek city. Some have said that the Greeks ignored history, that they had a cyclical understanding of time, and that time oriented by history began with Christianity, if not with the modern philosophy of history. That contention does not hold up. The Greeks were well acquainted with the irreversible time of political history. Aristotle was just as capable as Tocqueville of observing that, in his age, democracy was the only regime still possible. To be more precise, Western movement began with internal and external movements of the Greek citythat is, with class struggle and foreign war. Cities were the ordering of human life that brought to light the domain of the common, the government of what was common, and the implementation of the common. The Greek city was the first complete implementation of human action, the ordering of the human world that made action possible and meaningful, the place where men for the first time deliberated and formulated projects of action. It was there that men discovered that they could govern themselves and that they learned to do it. The Greek city was the first form of human life to produce political energya deployment of human energy of a new intensity and quality. It was finally consumed by its own energy in the catastrophe of the Peloponnesian War. Subsequent Western history was, on the whole, an ever-renewed search for a political form that would recover the energies of the city while escaping the fate of the citythe city that is free but destined to internal and external enmity. The form that followed the city was the empire. Imperial Rome was a kind of continuation of the city, but it deployed such powerful energies that it broke through all limits that had circumscribed cities and took in ever more distant and numerous populations, until it seemed to reach the point of gathering together the entire human race. The Roman Empire renounced the citys freedom but promised unity and peace. This promise was not kept, of course, or it was kept incompletely. However, as in the case of the city, political and spiritual energies partially survived the failure of the form. Not only did the imperial idea mark the West through the enduring prestige of the Roman Empire; the idea was reborn in a new form, one that was, again, particular to Europe. This was the Catholic or universal Church, which aimed to reunite all mankind in a new communion, closer than that of the most enclosed city and more extensive than that of the vastest empire. Of all the political forms of the West, the Church extended the greatest promises, since it proposed this community, at once city and empire; but it was also the most disappointing, since it failed to bring about the universal association for which it had awakened a desire. Though I have just surveyed the history of premodern Europe with the speed and delicacy of Attila the Hun, I have gathered the elements of the situation that will allow me to elaborate the modern project. Europeans were divided among the city, the empire, and the Church. They lived under these mixed and competing authorities, these three modes of human association. The cities that survived or were reborn were in competition withindeed, often at war withthe Roman Empire (now known as the Holy Roman Empire, in what is today Germany); and the Church was in competition with the cities and the empire, which, in turn, were in competition with it. The disorder was dreadful, a conflict of authorities and of loyalty. It was this confusion that the modern project wanted to allow us to escapeand in this, it succeeded. The conflicts had to do with institutions but also, more profoundly, with the human type that would inspire European life. Whom to imitate? Did one have to follow the life of humble sacrifice for which Christ provided the model? Or was it better to lead the proud, active life of the warrior-citizen, a life for which Rome had provided the framework and of which Rome was the product par excellence? Should Europeans, surveying the ancient world, admire Cato or Caesar? Europeans no longer knew which city they wanted, or were able, to inhabit; thus they did not know what kind of human being they wanted, or were able, to be. It was in this radical perplexity, and in order to come to terms with it, that the modern project was born. Art Resource, NY Finding themselves assailed by prestigious and contradictory authoritieswords of the Bible, words of Greek philosophers, words of Roman historians and oratorsthe Europeans did not know which to follow and which to dismiss. Thus, they did not know how to act; they did not know how to respond to the question, What is to be done? Speech and action were disjoined. The modern moment crystallized in the effort to attach speech to action more rigorously. This was the work of the Reformation. The authority of the Word of God had been divided between the Scriptures and Church traditionbut the Scriptures were accessible only through the mediation of the Church and in Latin, the language of the Church. Martin Luther wanted to attach Christian faith immediately to the Word of God as found in the Scriptures by rejecting the mediation of ecclesiastical authority and translating the sacred text into the language spoken and understood by the faithful. Sola scriptura, said the Reformers: Scripture alone. It was Machiavelli, however, whoat exactly the same time as Lutherformulated in the most general terms what lay at the heart of the problem and what would be the principle of the political solution. Both problem and solution appear in Chapter 15 of The Prince: But since my intent is to write something useful to whoever understands it, it has appeared to me more fitting to go directly to the effectual truth of the thing than to the imagination of it. And many have imagined republics and principalities that have never been seen or known to exist in truth; for it is so far from how one lives to how one should live that he who lets go of what is done for what should be done learns his ruin rather than his preservation. The reason that Machiavelli decided to write about the way men actually lived, not the way they behaved in those imaginary republics and principalities, was the great distance, which we have just noted, between what men said and what they did. Now, the greatest distance between speech and action is introduced by the Christian Word, which requires men to love what they naturally hate (their enemies) and to hate what they naturally love (themselves). The modern political project, which Machiavelli was the first to formulate, was therefore a responseit began as a response, in any caseto the Christian situation, one marked by competition among authorities, disorder of references, anarchy of words, and, above all, the demoralizing contrast between what men said and what they did. What did Machiavelli mean by considering the effectual truth of the thing? He intended to prepare the way for a kind of action entirely liberated from speech, religious or otherwise, that praised or blameda kind of action that no speech could fetter, whether the external speech of an institution or opinion or the internal speech of conscience. The speech that has the most weight and that tends most to fetter action is: This is good, that is bad. Machiavelli did not seek to nullify this distinction; he did not confuse good and bad. Rather, he encouraged men to prepare themselves to do what was bad, to enter into the bad, as he wrote, when necessary. Machiavelli strove to break down the barrier formed by the words that tell us what we should dowhich, he believed, give us little guidance, since we follow our natures and not our words, but which nevertheless constrain our freedom of action by limiting the field of possible or conceivable action. It is difficult to say concretely what new political order Machiavelli imagined. One can say that by delivering human beings from respect for opinion, he prepared them for all possible actions, including the most audacious, the most ambitious, and even the most terrible. Among the audacious and ambitious actions that have taken place in the theater of Europe, the modern state has conducted the most decisive. As we have seen, Christianity rendered the motives of human action uncertain and the speech that must be authoritative in the city doubtful. The modern state became sovereign by resolving or overcoming that conflict, by taking upon itself the monopoly of authoritative speechor, more precisely, by producing commandments independent of all opinion (including all religious opinion), commandments that authorized or forbade opinions according to the states sovereign decision. At first, it is true, the state, uncertain of its strength, associated itself with religious opinion or speechwith a state religion. As it grew stronger, however, it forbade less and less speech and authorized more and more. Once it reached its full strength, it lifted itself above speech, becoming the neutral, agnostic, or secular state that we know so well. But the modern secular state was only half of the solution to the problem of the gap between speech and action in the Christian world, precisely because a condition of its effectiveness was that it had no speech of its own. Yet there can be no human life without authoritative speech. Where would the modern state find such speech? It found it in societyby becoming representative of society. Representation joined societys speech to the action of a state lacking its own speech. The problem of the Christian age was solved, therefore, by the sovereign state and by representative governmentthat is, by our political regime considered as a whole. My object here is not to describe the mechanisms or, for that matter, to sketch the history of the representative regime. Still, one point must be emphasized. The decisive factor in the reconciliation between speech and action is the formation of a common speech by the elaboration, perfection, and diffusion of a national language. Luthers Reformation was a spiritual upheaval, but it was also inseparably a political revolution and a national insurrection. Too often forgotten is that even before the modern state was consolidated and became capable of authorizing or prohibiting effectively, the nation had emerged in Europe as the setting for the appropriation of the Christian Word, which the universal Church had proved incapable of teaching effectively. Each European nation chose the Christian confession under which it wished to live and essentially imposed it, after many attempts, on its sovereign. Europe assumed its classic form with the confessional nation, soon to be crowned by its absolute sovereign, who would later bring about its secularization; and this was the form in which it succeeded in organizing itself in the most stable and durable manner. From then on, it was in the framework of a national civic conversation that Europeans sought to link their speech with their actions and their actions with their speech. The national form preceded and conditioned representative government. So the history of the West unfolded in tension between, on the one hand, the civic operationwhich the Greek city brought to light, and which the republican or Roman tradition sought to preserve and extendand, on the other, the Christian Word, which opened up an unmanageable gap between speech and action in political society by proposing a new city where actions and speech might achieve an unprecedented unity, where we might live according to the Word. The practical solution was found in the nation distinguished by its confession, administered by a secular state, and governed by a representative government. The solution has neither the energizing simplicity of the civic form nor the ambitious precision of the ecclesiastical form. And the West will ceaselessly seek a final, complete solution that would bring together the energy of the civic operation and the precision of the religious proposition. The regimes that we call totalitarian are those capable of bringing together the most unbridled and terrible action with the most pedantic ideological and linguistic orthodoxy. Do we not see in such regimes the monstrous but altogether recognizable expression of the quest for such a final solution? Today in Europe, civic activity is feeble, the religious Word almost inaudible. Yet as we noted at the outset, the modern project continues. Is it merely running on its own inertia, or is the ceaseless quest that I have just described still going on? To answer that question, it may be useful to offer a description of Europes present situation concerning the relationship between speech and action. A frequent criticism of representative democracy or of parliamentary regimes is that they produce lots of talk but are incapable of action. Marx spoke of parliamentary cretinism, for example, and Carl Schmitt liked to cite Donoso Cortess sarcasms against the bourgeoisie, a clase discutidoraan argumentative class. In reality, however, a functioning representative democracy or parliamentary regime constitutes an admirable articulation of actions in relation to speech. During an electoral campaign, everyone proposes all sorts of imaginable actions, both possible and impossible. As soon as the election is over, those who have won the majority undertake to act according to their speech, while the minority, abstaining from action, must satisfy itself with talk in order to prepare for the next election. This transference back and forth of power, or the effective possibility of such transference, is essential to the mechanism. In Europe, this arrangement has weakened considerably and is now almost unrecognizable. We congratulate ourselves for the attenuation of party conflict while oddly treating transfers of power as matters of momentous importance. The political landscape has been leveled. The webs of feelings, opinions, and language that once made up political convictions have unraveled. It is no longer possible to gain political ground by taking a position. This is why all political actors tend to use all political languages indiscriminately. Political speech has become increasingly removed from any essential relation to a possible action. The notion of a political program, reduced to that of promises, has been discredited. The explicit or implicit conviction that one has no choice has become widespread: what will be done will be determined by circumstances beyond our control. Political speech no longer aims to prepare a possible action but tries simply to cover conscientiously the range of political speech. Everyone, or almost everyone, admits that the final meeting between action and speech will be no more than a meeting of independent causal chains. The divorce between action and speech helps explain the new role of political correctness. Because speech is no longer tied to a possible and plausible action against which we might measure it, many take speech as seriously as if it were itself an action and consider speech they do not like equivalent to the worst possible action. Offending forms of speech are tracked down and labeled, in the language of pathologists, phobias. The progress of freedom in the West once consisted of measuring speech by the standard of visible actions; political correctness consists of measuring speech by the standard of invisible intentions. The features of our political situation that I have highlighted are found in all Western countries but in an especially pronounced form in contemporary Europe. In Europe, what we say as citizens no longer has any importance, since political actions will be decided at some indeterminate place, a place we cannot situate in relation to the standpoint from which we speak. Everyone knows that the most solemn speech that a people can formulate, a vote by referendum, is a matter of indifference for the European political class, which charges itself with the responsibility of leading the necessary process of the construction of a united Europe. The supposed necessity of this process discredits and invalidates all political speech in advance. If this process continuesthe financial crisis of the euro has put extraordinary pressure on itwe will soon leave behind the regime of representative government and return to one of speechless commandment. The commandment will no longer be that of the state, which at least occupied a place of a certain elevation, but that of regulations. We do not know the source of regulationsonly that we must obey them. With the end or the weakening of the representative regime, which once joined actions and speech in the national framework, the modern political order is approaching the end of its journey. We are witnessing a deeper divorce between the movement of civilization and our political arrangements. The increasingly complex and constraining character of ordinary life and the tighter network of regulations that we obey with ever-greater docility must not blind us to the increasing uncertaintythe increasing disorderin the shape of our common life. We are going forward on thinning ice. In fact, we may be returning to a situation of political indetermination comparable, in a sense, with what preceded the construction of modern politics. Yet there is a major difference. During the premodern era, competing political formsthe city, the empire, and the Churchchecked one another, so it was necessary to create the unprecedented form of the nation. Today, the situation is reversed. What we find is not an excess, but a dearth, of political forms. At least in Europe, the nation is discredited and delegitimized, but no other form is emerging. What is more, the reigning opinion, practically the sole available opinion, has been hammering into us for 20 years the idea that the future belongs to a delocalized and globalized process of civilization and that we do not need a political form. Thus, the need for a political joining of speech to action has been lost to view. Technical norms and legal regulations are supposed to suffice for the organization of common life. Europe produced modernityand for a long time, Europe was the master and possessor of modernity, putting it to the almost exclusive service of its own power. But this transformative project was inherently destined for humanity as a whole. Today, Bacon and Descartes rule in Shanghai and Bangalore at least as much as in London and Paris. Europe finds itself militarily, politically, and spiritually disarmed in a world that it has armed with the means of modern civilization. Soon it will be wholly incapable of defending itself. It has already been incapable of speaking up for itself for a long time, since it confuses itself with a humanity on the path to pacification and unification. By renouncing the political form that was its own and by which it had attempted, with some success, to resolve the European problem, Europe has deprived itself of the means of association in which its life had found the richest meaning, diffracted in a multiplicity of national languages that rivaled one another in strength and in grace. What will come next? City Journal thanks the Hertog/Simon Fund for Policy Analysis for its generous support for this article. Photo: SHansche/iStock From the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina emerges a historic natural experiment: Can one citys good governance help undo what another citys bad governance helped create? In the decades before Katrina, New Orleans was a place where failed urban policies let social pathology fester. Its economy was listless, its population declining. Free-market employers and middle-class residents shunned the city, because its public sector was seen as corrupt, its citizenry was uneducated, and its neighborhoods were crime-ridden. Failed criminal-justice and public-education systems helped perpetuate a large underclass, mostly black, as the citys productive class, white and black, dwindled. Decades of government mismanagement and private-sector abandonment had turned New Orleanss once-whimsical local nicknameThe City That Care Forgotinto a sad epitaph before Katrina. To escape Katrina, about half of New Orleanss population, or about 240,000 people, fled 350 miles west on Interstate 10 to Houston, whose increasing population and expanding economy have been the inverse of New Orleanss over the past five decades. More than seven months after the storm, Houston remains home to about 150,000 New Orleans evacuees. Houston isnt just showing its guests some Texas hospitality; its showing displaced New Orleanians what a difference it makes to live in a city that strives, if imperfectly, to operate upon sound urban-governance preceptsleadership in a crisis, competent policing, a functioning judicial system, accountable urban schools, and a culture of private-sector entrepreneurship. Since multiple surveys of Katrina evacuees in Houston indicate that between half and two-thirds plan to stay, the challenge for post-Katrina Houston is to ensure that the worst elements of New Orleanss crime-ravaged underclass dont perpetuate their dysfunctional habits in Houston. Houstons success would show the rest of the nation how much good government matters, evenor especiallyto the toughest population. Houston wouldnt be the setting for this unprecedented experiment if it hadnt risen to the occasion as no other governmentfederal, state, or localdid after Katrina. How did it mobilize so quickly? A social-services expert might think that, being such a small-government town, it would have been overwhelmed by the influx: recently branded one of Americas meanest cities by a homeless-advocacy group, Houston spent less than $1,500 per person in city funds last year, compared with New Yorks $5,000. It has one public-sector worker to serve every 130 citizens, compared with one for every 22 in New York. About 6 percent of New Yorkers live in public housing; less than 1 percent of Houstonians do. Houston has no income tax, and nearly everyone you meet there boasts that the city is a business city with business interests. But thats no measure of Houstons generosity. All it proves is that Houston never entwined its budget with radical entitlement politics in the sixties and seventies. Yet when Houston saw a crisis of humanity, it acted. The tales of the citys generosity, individual as well as civic, are breathtaking. To tell just one: after Katrina destroyed her New Orleans home, Pauline Horton, along with her son, mother, stepfather, and sister, was desperately searching for answers, resources, and directions in a Houston shelter when she heard a loud authoritative voice coming from a tall white man in his mid-fifties, she recounts. The voice belonged to Daniel Shea, a lawyer who had come in search of an elderly couple to share his modest home for a few days. The Horton clan didnt fit the description. But, Horton relates, Shea was very persistent about helping the Katrina evacuees. He decamped from his own house into a friends for nearly two weeks so that Horton and her family could move in. Shea moved very swiftly to provide for our basic needs. . . . He took me to enroll my son in a nearby school and bought his uniforms. Anything we [didnt] think of to assist in rebuilding our lives, he did. When Hortons brother turned up in Arkansas after a close escape from New Orleanss Lower Ninth Ward, Shea, waiting for his next assignment, flew him to reunite with the rest of the family. Houston solved the first long-term crisis Katrina causedwhat to do with thousands of desperate citizens washed out of their homesbecause elected local and county officials carried out Sheas style of determined competence on a mass scale with military precision. The city augmented its own resources with volunteers from churches, temples, corporations, and charities to take in what amounted to a new population equal to 10 percent of its own citizenry over seven days, and to place two-thirds of these evacuees into housing within weeks. Two nights after the August 29 storm, as New Orleanss Superdome and convention center were boiling over with desperation, Judge Robert Eckels (the elected executive for the nearly 4-million-strong Harris County, which includes the 2 million residents of Houston) got a phone call from Governor Rick Perrys emergency-management team in the middle of the night. Texas, the governors team told him, had volunteered to take in thousands of evacuees from New Orleans. They said they would need 2,000 beds right away, Eckels recalls. Eckels in turn called up the private-sector stadium operators and worked with them to get the sites ready. He was unfazed when the governors office called back to say that they would need 23,000 beds instead: It was still manageable, Eckels notes, adding that disaster management isnt a matter of sticking to a plan; its figuring out what to do when the plan wont work. New Orleans had decades to prepare large-scale shelters to house, feed, and police its citizens during and after a catastrophic hurricane. Houston had two days. But the evacuees who filed into its stadiums and a city-run convention center found orderly rows of cots, as well as ample supplies and security, in marked contrast to the chaotic, ill-supplied, and unpoliced New Orleans Superdome and convention center from which many of them had come. And as Houston and Harris County officials watched New Orleans descend further into chaos over the week before Labor Day, they decided that they had to do something more: they sent their school-bus fleet to New Orleans over the long weekend to pick up even more desperate citizens. The evacuees were in horrible shape, Eckels remembers. City paramedics and hundreds of volunteer doctors and nurses treated those who had been without medication for chronic illnesses ranging from diabetes to schizophrenia. Local pharmacies set up shop in the stadiums to dispense 11,000 prescriptions. Police kept order. Workers in downtown Houston still boast of the lines of cars that snaked around the stadium complex when commuters stopped to drop off supplies. They also boast of how efficiently Houston officials told faith-based and other charity groups exactly what each team of volunteers could do to help, from cooking 1,000 meals to sheltering 20 families, while at the same time they coordinated the thousands of volunteers, some from as far away as Colorado and Idaho, who just showed up at the stadiums on their own. But Judge Eckels and Mayor Bill White quickly determined that the challenge went beyond providing a few nights sleep and security. By the first weeks end, Houstons stadiums were housing nearly 30,000 evacuees. My goal was that it not become a refugee camp, Eckels recalls. Tens of thousands more were staying in charity, church, and temple shelters and in private homes. Katrina wasnt here, but the disaster here was housing, recalls county Housing Authority chief Guy Rankin, whose job it was to figure out where thousands of evacuees would live. One day in early September, Rankin arrived at work to find a line of 600 evacuees snaked around his office building; all needed a place to live. The federal governments answer for evacuees whose homes and jobs had washed away was the one it gives to those displaced briefly by a run-of-the-mill hurricane: motels and FEMA-villes of mobile homes in isolated rural spots. But Houston knew that such temporary housing was no answer for the hundreds of thousands who needed to restart productive lives as soon as possible. The last thing America needed was massive Palestinian-style refugee camps on our own soil, filled with people who would refuse to get on with their lives, until, as former New Orleans mayor Marc Morial and the Acorn urban-activist group have already insisted, they are awarded a right of return. For the thousands who did stay in FEMA-paid hotels and trailers after Katrina, at a cost of over a billion dollars, hotel living encouraged dependency and inertia, particularly for those who had been dependent and inert in the first place. Many evacuees in hotels delayed looking for real housing and employment for months, focusing instead on pushing back each new FEMA eviction date (and, at one New York hotel, enlisting the Reverend Al Sharpton to help them achieve social justice). Fortunately, Houston had a better idea. In little more than a week, the city and county designed a mass-scale housing program to give displaced citizens an alternative to sitting in hotel rooms, with nothing expected of them but waiting. This housing program, coupled with the massive job fair Houston held for evacuees, helped its new citizens understand that, despite the traumatic storm and sudden relocation, there was still a high degree of personal responsibility expected of working-age adults, Eckels said. Houston and the county offered any adult from hurricane-ravaged areas a 12-month voucher to rent an apartment at the median local market priceabout $700 a month for a two-bedroomto be paid to participating landlords by the city. In doing this, Houston quickly mastered the tactical rule of disasters: to get the federal government to do something, do it yourself, and then make the feds pay for it. When FEMA later periodically balked at paying the cost of the housing program Houston had devisedas much as $30 million a month, but much cheaper than hotelsand then tried to tinker with the program so that it conformed to its bureaucratically inflexible rules, Houston alternatively ignored the feds and reasoned with them until they gave in. The result was a better use of the federal dollars that would be spent on evacuees anyway. To direct ground operations for the thousands of families who showed up for their free apartments, Houston hired freshly retired army major Buddy Grantham, who had handled supply logistics for the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq and had come to the Astrodome to volunteer for a few days because he had figured he could use the same skills to sort out people. Harris County also got help from executives of the Houston-based utility CenterPoint Energy, who helped coordinate everything from deliveries of donated furniture to meals to be delivered by the people from churches and charities who showed up to cook them. Houston stopped awarding vouchers in December, when Katrina evacueeseager for apartments, not hotel roomswere still arriving from other cities. Mayor White wasnt exaggerating when he said then that Houston is getting full. Houston had given out 46,000 vouchers, housing well over 100,000 people, the majority (over 30,000 families) from Orleans Parish, for a year. The influx pushed Houstons apartment vacancy rate down from about 14 percent in midsummer to the midsingle digits by the end of the year. Thanks to the vouchers, the evacuees have a year to get their life together, Judge Eckels told me. That was when Houstons role turned from one requiring excellence in disaster management to one requiring excellence in something less glamorous: workaday urban governance. As many American cities have proved, competent local governance doesnt come naturally, particularly when social services are involved. And, indeed, Houston, whose police department and largest school district have each faced high-profile scandals in recent years, faces a learning curve here, after its stellar performance during the acute crisis. It would have been easy for Mayor White and Judge Eckels to botch the governing of Katrina evacuees from day one. It would have been easy to treat the evacuees as a marked population needing all manner of permanent government services due to their status as mostly black disaster victims from poverty-ridden New Orleans. Many politicians would have taken advantage of Americans vivid memory of the thousands stranded at the Superdome to call for government-provided justice a la Sharpton. After all, the population that arrived in Houston, particularly those who took vouchers, is disproportionately poor. Houstons United Way surveyed thousands of evacuees in the shelters and found that their household income averaged about $19,000, well below the national average and just half of Houstons median household income of about $37,000. New Orleanss poor population includes a sizable underclass. Before Katrina struck, fully 10 percent of New Orleanians lived either in public housing or Section 8 housing, far above the rates in Houston or New York. Only 36 percent of New Orleanss adults were married, compared with more than 49 percent in Houston, and more than half of mothers were unmarried, compared with 28 percent in Houston. In some New Orleans neighborhoods, only a quarter of the children lived with married parents. More than two-thirds of female-headed black households lived in poverty. Though many of New Orleanss underclass had moved from idleness into low-wage, tourist-trade jobs over the past decade, thanks to federal welfare reform and an abundance of such work in the city, their family structures and social skills hadnt improved along with this fledgling work ethic. The concentration of weak families partly explains why the city endured some of the nations highest violent-crime rates. Because Houston took in so many evacuees directly from New Orleanss Superdome and convention center, its population of New Orleanians is more heavily underclass than New Orleans itself. As Judge Eckels told me: Those who left last had the least. Those who crowded into the Superdome and convention center were those who didnt heed the mandatory evacuation. They included, in addition to indigent elderly, New Orleanss poorest single mothers, as well as (almost certainly) many of the young men who had looted New Orleans in the critical hours after Katrina, before the catastrophic flooding of their own homes in low-lying neighborhoods forced them to the Superdome and convention center and then to Houston. But neither Judge Eckels nor Mayor White used the evacuees as an occasion to make speeches calling for Great Societystyle social programs. In fact, as Houston absorbed its new population in late 2005, it began to grasp that what ailed New Orleanss poor before the storm was not so much poverty as violent crime. It followed that the best social program for them would be good policing, to protect citizens new and old. When I asked Mayor White in February how Houston would ensure that the evacuees didnt re-create New Orleanss infamous crime- and poverty-ridden enclaves, he didnt invoke root causes; the answer, he said, was to remove New Orleanss violent criminalsa tiny minority of evacuees, he took care to notefrom the population. But it had taken Houston precious months of experience with New Orleanss criminals to get to this point. When Houston first began to suffer a string of murders committed by and against the same young thugs responsible for New Orleanss pre-Katrina reign of violence, local officials seemed anxious to wish away the crime spike. As late as early January, officials were insisting that the surge wasnt due to the low boiling point of its new population, arguing instead that with any increase in population, crime is bound to go up. In fact, as Houston has slowly acknowledged, Katrina evacuees pushed up Houstons rates for some crimes, particularly homicide, not just the raw number of offenses. Houstons post-Katrina crime surge is an extension of the pre-Katrina violence of New Orleanss criminal underclass. Before Katrina, New Orleans had the highest murder rate of any big U.S. city, almost four times Houstons, with 58 people killed per year for every 100,000 citizens. The murder numbers Houston has racked up since Katrina prove that violent New Orleanians havent changed their ways, but only their scenery. Since Katrina, Houston police have identified New Orleans evacuees as either suspects or victims (or often both) in more than 30 Houston-area homicides. Of an evacuee population of 175,000, this works out to a per-capita annual murder rate of about 34 per 100,000, well above Houstons pre-Katrina rate. News of violent murders committed by and against Katrina evacuees has created a bit of a backlash in Houston. In a recent Rice University poll of Houston-area residents, two-thirds of the participants blamed Katrina evacuees for the crime spike and for a considerable strain on community resources. Some bloggers grumble that the thanks houston bumper stickers sported on cars in post-Katrina New Orleans have a snide double meaning: that is, thanks for taking our thugs. In any event, Houstons most acute post-Katrina task is to treat its post-Katrina crime problem as seriously as it treated its post-Katrina housing crisis. Houstons housing-voucher program for Katrina evacuees, a workable solution to an acute crisis, nevertheless proves the law of unintended consequences in even justified government largesse. The vouchers encouraged the incursion of New Orleanss population of criminals into Houstons most vulnerable tracts: acre after acre of two-story apartment complexes that blot Houstons underpoliced southwest and west-side neighborhoods. Adorned with vacation-style names like Whispering Oaks and Happy Homes, these complexes were built by private investors more than two decades ago for the citys young petroleum elite. But when an oil boom busted a generation ago, the young middle class moved out, and landlords slashed their prices. Now, though Houston has little public housing, these apartment complexes are the same idea. Long before Katrina, the complexes on the citys southwest and west side were rife with crime and drugs. Their isolated courtyards, designed for after-work barbecues and cocktail parties, serve just as well as venues for gang loitering and drug dealing. By late September, these complexes were home to tens of thousands of New Orleans evacuees. They concentrated there partly because some landlords refused to accept housing vouchers, and partly because of a FEMA dictate that was later fixed after lobbying by Houston (but not before thousands of evacuees had found housing): voucher recipients werent allowed to pay the difference between the vouchers value and a higher market rent, limiting their options. Moreover, some evacuees gravitated toward the apartment complexes simply because they arent different from what New Orleanss underclass is used to: low-rise housing projects where young men gather in courtyards. As Michelle Bullock Brefect, a graduate of New Orleanss public housing whose older brother was shot to death in a project more than a decade ago, put it: gang members go where theyre comfortable. Worsening an already explosive situation, the evacuees didnt group randomly; in some complexes, they roughly sketched out the same neighborhoods they had fled. Free to choose their own Houston apartments, New Orleanians got on their cell phones to find out where friends and family members were staying. Compounding matters, Houston and FEMA awarded housing vouchers to any adult from the hurricane-hit area, not just to those whod been renters or homeowners there. As the housing authoritys Buddy Grantham told me, young people whod been living with their mothers in New Orleans suddenly got a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Katrina evacuees have largely crowded into four already crime-ridden patrol districts on Houstons west and southwest sides. In some apartment complexes, evacuees now make up 40 percent of the tenants. Pre-Katrina, these districts had suffered persistent homicide increases over the past two years, but a few statistics show how the influx of evacuees made matters worse. In these districts, homicides were up 52 percent for the last months of 2005 over the same months in 2004, and Katrina evacuees accounted for a vastly disproportionate share of the increase. After Katrina, armed robberies in the districts were up 11 percent, after an 11 percent drop during the same months between 2003 and 2004. Assaults, flat the previous year, were up nearly 12 percent after Katrina. Weapons arrests, also flat the previous year, rose 31 percent. In crime reports, police now are directed to identify suspects by their hairstyle and accents, as those from Louisiana often wear distinctive dreadlocks and speak in a unique dialect. Numbers are one thing, but fear is another. By late autumn, New Orleanss underclass wars had come to Houston. The Big Easys style of crime isnt what Houston is used to. Houston gangswhich include international drug traffickersare violent, to be sure, but their violence makes a rough kind of sense, having to do with money, position in the gang hierarchy, and the ruthless protection of turf and of affiliates. Though New Orleanss gangs, like Houstons, traffic in guns and drugs, their main concern seems to be violence for the sake of violence. Murders are just the way this group of individuals resolves conflicts, notes James Bernazzani, the FBIs special agent for New Orleans, who has studied New Orleanss gang culture carefully. They graduate from theft to robberies to homicide as they move through adolescence, he reports. One Houston police officer who has done prison details since Katrina mused to me that hardened Houston criminals have complained to him of how gratuitously violent the prisoners from New Orleans are. Thats an insult, Houston prisoners snarl when someone asks them if they are from New Orleans. While Houston has seen some fighting between Houstonians and New Orleans evacuees over turf, much of the evacuee bloodshed results from the intact relocation of New Orleanss relentless gang violence to Houston. The crimes were seeing are homicides, robberies, and assaults of people who knew each other and had problems before, said Houston police lieutenant Humberto Lopez. This is legacy fighting, says Bernazzani. One of the many dismally similar murders that have plagued Houston since Katrina shows how well New Orleans gangs regrouped. Steven Kennedy survived the floodwaters, only to be shot to death by a fellow evacuee in a Houston apartment complex in December. Houston and New Orleans police believe that the killing was just another in a string of homicides committed by members of the rival Dooney Boyz and 3NG gangs, each affiliated with a Big Easy housing project. The killing likely resulted from Kennedys own murder in 2003 of an aspiring rapper associated with the 3NG Boys, while that murder in turn was probably retribution for the 2001 murder of a heroin trafficker who is the Dooney Boyzs namesake. The FBIs Bernazzani cites one statistic that shows what Houston could expect if it does not quickly get a handle on the new crime: in one year, 94 killings took place in and around one gang-ridden New Orleans housing project before officials finally gave up and tore the place down. Unchecked, New Orleans violence could make some marginal Houston neighborhoods horrific places. Since Katrina, Mandy Kao, who owns five Houston apartment complexes, has counted five evacuee homicides near her properties; in January, a gunman threatened her employees. She has hired guards to patrol her complexes. When I asked Kao if they were armed, she sounded surprised: They have to be armed, she replied, or they would be killed. Confronting New Orleanss legacy, the Houston Police Department has shown over the past few months that competent policing can make a big difference in the lives of criminals and victims alike. Some of the HPDs early post-Katrina work was easy. As officer Orlando Patterson told me as we rode around southwest Houston, New Orleans evacuees dont even seem to know that possessing or smoking marijuana, or carrying unlicensed weapons, is a crime. They say, Yall aint like NAwlins when we arrest them, Patterson observed. Houston has gone beyond the easy work with a gang-intelligence project. Late last year, the HPD tapped Lieutenant Lopez, a 21-year vet, to head its new gang-murder squad. As he set to work trying to link a spate of murders, he recounts, We noticed [some evacuees] were giving us a lot of problems. We saw the suspects, victims, witnesses linked to New Orleans. . . . We said, okay, we have a problem. Since we found this, we decided to learn as much as possible about the Louisiana people. Lopezs task force is benefiting from information that the FBIs Bernazzani compiled during the first few months of his now year-old tour in New Orleans, when he worked with the NOPD to compile a database of the Big Easys gang members and their crimes. New Orleans cops and FBI agents traveled to Houston to share the information they had gathered under Bernazzanis initiative, including a list of more than 800 known gang members from New Orleans as well as information on the gangs long-running disputes, neighborhood affiliations, and favored crimes. Houston is using the information to implement a new anti-gang strategy, involving narcotics and robbery squads in tracking gang members, and working with prosecutors to ensure that individuals arrested for drugs or robbery, who already have been tagged as violent gang members, are prosecuted aggressively on those charges rather than released to the streets. Houston has also worked doggedly to make public the identities of suspects from New Orleans who have committed the most egregious crimes, including homicide, in Houston; one list of 11 wanted violent suspects netted eight high-profile evacuee arrests in just weeks. All this good police work actually has an effect in Houston, because, in contrast to New Orleans, it has a functioning prosecutors office, complemented by judges who actually sentence criminals to prison. Says Lieutenant Lopez of New Orleans suspects: Theyre not used to being policed. . . . A lot of them are surprisedand after a few weeks are surprised that theyre still in jail. Theyre not really aware of how Texas works. Concurs Bernazzani: The HPD does not experience the frustration that the NOPD experiences. . . . There is a sense that the revolving door is closing as individual cases are resolved in Houston. How much more effective is Houstons criminal-justice system than New Orleanss? In New Orleans, according to its nonprofit Metropolitan Crime Commission, 7 percent of those arrested for a crime ultimately served prison time, compared with 58 percent in Houston. In New Orleans, only 12 percent of those arrested for homicide are ultimately incarcerated for that crime; in Houston, its 47 percent. In New Orleans, 18 percent of robbery and 12 percent of drug-distribution arrestees ultimately serve prison time; Houstons numbers are 60 and 71 percent. Compared with national averages, Houstons results arent stellar, but the citys obvious superiority to New Orleans demonstrates how poor policing, poor prosecution, and poor sentencing nurtured the Big Easys criminal underclass. Building on these successes, the HPD now should do a full-scale rollout of data-driven policing down to the patrol level, as pioneered by the New York Police Department in the 1990s. Such policing would make a huge difference in Houston, because the city will never have the manpower it needs to patrol its city adequately. Houstons central policing problem is not much different from sprawling Los Angeless. As Heather Mac Donald reported in the Autumn 2003 City Journal: The core challenge of L.A. policing [is] to cover a huge area with a woefully small force. Angelenos have always balked at funding a police department big enough for its responsibilities, perhaps because most of the tax revenue comes from neighborhoods with little crime. Houstons police force, smaller than Los Angeless, must cover an even larger populated area. While Houston and L.A. have about the same number of cops per capitaabout one per 410 residentsL.A. has about 19 cops per square mile, while Houston has fewer than nine per square mile. (New York has about one cop per 235 residents, and more than 100 per square mile.) Because of Houstons low density, patrol districts are huge; a Houston cop can spend half an hour driving from one call to the next. Worse, Houstons southwest apartment complexes were designed to discourage traffic; police who enter the complexes must confront security gates that sometimes work and sometimes dont. While Houston should beef up its force, it will never have a cop for every apartment complex. The city needs to reinforce the scant patrol resources it has with superior technology and more aggressive street-level intelligence gathering. You must intersect [crime reports] with areas and times of day, and put cops there at those times, says Louis Anemone, former NYPD chief of department. Question everyone and anyone, and focus on the bad guys. . . . Community policing can bring in tremendous intelligence when done right. Yet Houston doesnt have a computerized central data collection and analysis system anywhere near comparable to New Yorks CompStat. Houston patrol officers, who often work alone, dont even have GPS; they must find call addresses on paper maps. In December, the HPD showed what it can do when it does use data to allocate resources: it devoted Katrina-related overtime patrols (paid for by a $6.5 million federal grant) to hot spots, targeting areas that have had a marked crime uptick since the hurricane. The department is coupling this initiative with warrant sweeps to take wanted suspects off the streets. The early results in evacuee-packed neighborhoods are promising: over one 19-day period, police apprehended 229 evacuees. But the department doesnt fully exploit patrolling as an intelligence tool. For example, residents and landlords of apartment complexes complain that loiterers menace them and that trespassers who lurk in their parking lots are responsible for burglaries, robberies, and drug dealing. (Along with violent criminals, Katrina brought drug addicts and new demand for drugs, cops say.) Houston could dispatch overtime shifts to the apartment complexes with the most loitering, menacing, and burglary complaints at the specific times that callers mention. The department could view chronic trespassers and loiterers as a resource, pressuring them for intelligence and then dispersing or arresting them in a targeted broken-windows-policing approach. The HPD has stepped up recruiting to increase its strength by 100 officers in each of the next few years. But theres a justification for spending more than that, particularly on the best proven technology, to allow the department to deploy its new personnel most effectively. Houston is beginning to show that average police work can affect New Orleanss stubborn crime. Above-average policing could transform vast acres of Houstons low-rise neighborhoods. Skimping here, and allowing already marginal neighborhoods to decay, would take years to undo. Crime control can improve the lives of those who came from New Orleanss worst neighborhoods. And working-class New Orleanians are also learning about something else they didnt have much of back home: economic opportunity. As Mayor White told me: I hope there are people who come from devastated areas who had seen dead ends in their lives and who use this as a time to find hope and opportunity. Ive met people like that [from New Orleans]. . . . That is the great thing about America. Compared with pre-Katrina New Orleans, Houston abounds with jobs. Thats partly why its population has grown 23 percent since 1990, while New Orleanss population, before Katrina, had shrunk by 8 percent. Just since Katrina hit, the Houston area has added 40,000 new jobs. Despite an enduring myth that New Orleanians are lazy, theyre seizing those jobs, and Houston gives those who worked at low-wage jobs in New Orleans the chance to upgrade their skills and move up. When Judge Eckels and Mayor White commissioned their job fair in early October, they found that thousands of evacuees couldnt wait to get back to work; 8,500 showed up at the convention center event, and some 2,000 found work that day. Thousands didnt have to seek new jobs: Wal-Mart and Home Depot offered all their displaced employees transfers to their new cities. Some national food chains had the same policy. A federal grant put another 1,300 evacuees to work temporarily in area nonprofits, giving them an alternative to unemployment benefits as they looked for full-time jobs. The state has also used federal funds to train interested evacuees for jobs ranging from construction to nursing. Many evacuees plan to make Houston their permanent home. Twenty-eight-year-old Satacha Johnson, living in voucher housing on Houstons west side with her nine-year-old daughter, is just one of many young New Orleanians I spoke to who plan on staying; shes been working at a Houston charity as she searches for a permanent job. Who doesnt love New Orleans? she said. But theres more opportunity for a single mom in Houston. Matching Houstons culture of economic opportunity is the culture of striving in its public schools, which took in more than 20,000 new students after Katrina. Their parents are almost uniformly surprised at the quality of the education theyre getting. Stasia Marie Davis, who evacuated from New Orleans East and was about to start work as a teachers aide when I spoke to her, says that her two high schoolage daughters had been in gifted programs at a New Orleans public school but are struggling to keep up at Houstons Westfield High School. In New Orleans, they are preparing them for the tourism business. Here, they are preparing them for college, she told me. Ariane Daughtry, a Catholic Charities caseworker from New Orleans now working with evacuees, notes that she paid $250 a month in New Orleans to send her son to private school, but in Houston hes thriving, even playing the violin, at a public school where nearly all the kids can read and do math at grade level. William Coleman, who has custody of his grandchildren, told me that the Houston school the children attend call the house if the kids are late or absent: They didnt do that in New Orleans, he marveled. At the Briarmeadow Charter School in southwest Houston, principal Lynn Barnes is educating 22 evacuees, ranging from children from affluent New Orleans neighborhoods and suburbs to inner-city kids from New Orleanss Ninth Ward. The nine-year-old charter school is a far cry from the New Orleans public schools the disadvantaged kids attended. Some of Barness new students come from Mildred Osborne Elementary School in New Orleans, where only one-third of the students could read or do math at grade level. Others come from Sherwood Forest Elementary School, where fewer than half could read or do math at grade level. Now, the kids attend a school where 85 percent of fourth-graders can read at grade level, and nearly three-quarters can do math at grade level. Briarmeadows middle school offers a gifted program, and Barnes expects all her pupils to go on to college. Teachers as well as parents are pleased. Before evacuating, Warren Johnson taught English at McDonogh #35, one of New Orleanss few high-performing public schools. Now teaching at Yates High School in Houston, hes thrilled with the quality of resources and plans to stay. He notes that the school is well managed and has good security, and the administration works efficiently and without so much politics. I hate to talk bad about my city, he says, but some things in Houston are a bit more logical. Texas and Houston have already determined that evacuee students badly trail their new peers when it comes to basic skills. Just one measure of the shocking disparity: on a standardized state reading test administered in February, 89 percent of Texas third-graders could read at grade level, while only 59 percent of evacuee students, most from New Orleans, could do the same. In fifth-grade reading, 80 percent of Texas students passed, while more than half of evacuee students failed. (Texas has not yet released reading scores at the school-district level, but Houston students reading scores have been nearly identical to those of their peers across Texas in the past.) The mayor took note early on of the challenge that New Orleans students face in Texas schools, and used a federal grant to help schools hire 100 tutors and teachers from New Orleans beginning last fall to give evacuee children extra help. Houstons schools are not perfect; nor are New Orleans evacuees integrating perfectly. At several schools, New Orleans and Houston kids have engaged in large-scale brawls, and I saw competing graffiti, including a tag that said NO Boyz, in a stairwell at Yates. But Houston boosted security quickly after the early fights, and, just as important, it hasnt given up on its public schools, as New Orleans had. It is still innovating in its quest for greater accountability and better results; in January, for example, over the objections of the teachers union, Houstons largest school district voted to implement a sweeping merit-pay system for teachers. Further, Texas has nearly 300 charter schools, compared with pre-Katrina Louisianas 16. After Katrina, Houston started a charter elementary and middle school in partnership with the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) college-prep academy and Teach for America, just to serve evacuee students, with teachers and administrators from New Orleans. Principal Gary Robichaux told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that the new charter school, New Orleans West, functions much healthier than many of the schools did in New Orleans. Robichaux said that most of his eighth-grade New Orleans evacuees can read at only a fifth-grade level, if they can read at all. Houstons culture of opportunity leaves little excuse for failure. But Houston must put this philosophy to work in motivating its underclass evacuees. A lot of people who lived in public housing and were not working, you have to get them used to a different way of living, says caseworker Ariane Daughtry. The only lifestyle they know is the welfare system, low-income housing. They may be getting help now, but they have to realize they need a plan. [We have to] show them this is a fresh start. Bob Fleming, Daughtrys boss, concurs that it will be a challenge to to get down to the 5 to 7 percent who may be dependent. . . . That will be the issue in the end. One measure New Orleans itself is contemplatingbarring the unemployed from public housingwill make Houstons job more difficult, as those who arent working will be likely to stay where they are. At the biweekly meetings that Mayor White holds on Katrina strategy, everyone knows that this issue is key. Says Jeff Stys, who attends the meetings for United Way, the main message for unemployed evacuees now is that the clock is ticking. Houston has opened its doors. This is time to make sure you uphold your end of the deal. Houston also has a fiscal motive to ensure that temporary government assistance for Katrina evacuees remains temporary. While the feds have reimbursed the city for many (although not all) of its first-year evacuee costs, they will end that reimbursement once they view the former Louisiana residents as Texans. Louisiana itself has already cut off federal welfare payments to the evacuees, claiming that they no longer live in Louisiana. Mayor White says hes open to suggestions for Katrinas next phase. This is a perfect opportunity not just for Houstons local charitiesincluding faith-based groupsbut also for national social-entrepreneurship groups to help evacuees who arent used to working, or who are difficult to employ, such as convicted felons or illiterates. Even more ambitious social entrepreneurs could help New Orleanians learn that the normal New Orleans culture of single motherhood isnt normal at all. The ultimate challenge for philanthropists and policymakers is to ensure that a new generation of single mothers doesnt set loose another generation of unsupervised violent young men to prey on another city. Houstons openhearted outreach to New Orleans in its hour of need was an extraordinary gesture, and it saved lives. But Houston will have accomplished a truly heroic task if it can redeem the undereducated, underpoliced, and unmarried underclass that made New Orleans a disaster long before Katrina. Houston approaches this task with a crucial advantage: its leaders and citizens dont instinctively see big government as the solutiononly good government. The North Korean nuclear crisis has been a generation in the making. Decades of failed diplomacy, broken promises, and distrust have led Northeast Asia seemingly to the brink of catastrophe. For years, critics have warned that current approaches to denuclearization werent working and that the risks of war were growing, especially as Kim Jong Un became more aggressive with his missile launches. Yet the international community maintains that peaceful, negotiated denuclearization of North Korea is possible. As Kim marches relentlessly toward full nuclear capability, its time for a new realism on Pyongyangs nukes. We realistically face just two options: either we compel Kim to give up his weapons, or we accept the existence of a North Korean nuclear arsenal. Compulsion, of course, means the use of force. We have long passed the point where the global community could hope that dialogue, bribery, or even coercion would work. Multiple attempts at buying off the Kim regime, whether through light-water nuclear reactors, food aid, or removal from diplomatic condemnation (such as the list of state sponsors of terrorism) have failed to make a difference. Nor have sanctions, which China, Russia, and others have watered down, had any material effect. In short, no peaceful approach has worked, despite the continuing belief of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and others that a pathway to a negotiated settlement exists. Surrender of his nuclear arsenal would mean, for all intents and purposes, the end of Kim Jong Un as leader of North Korea, a fate that he would never accept peacefully. War leading to the removal of the Kim regime would risk the first great-power clash since 1945, as China is unlikely to sit on the sidelines and watch the toppling of North Korea and the emergence of a potentially unified, pro-Western Korean peninsula. Unlike in 1945, when the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to let the Red Army enter Berlin first, we could see a mad scramble for Pyongyang between Chinese and American troops, unless Washington and Beijing closely coordinate responses. Nor could Washington be certain that its main regional allies, South Korea and Japan, would enter the war. Already, new South Korean president Moon Jae-In has declared a veto over unilateral American military action on the peninsula. Depending on how conflict broke out, Seoul and Tokyo might conclude that it was American rashness that forced the issue, and that they were better off declaring their neutrality (which would also serve to rupture their alliances with Washington). Whether such an approach would spare them the fury of North Korean missiles is beside the point. Finally, preventive war remains a politically unpalatable option in post-Iraq America, even apart from the inherent risk it entails. The American public understands the danger of North Korean nukes, especially as Kims intercontinental ballistic missiles could soon potentially target U.S. cities, but it does not consider North Korea an existential political threat. Pyongyang is not Moscow during the Cold War; no domino-effect argument exists to persuade the American public in favor of intervention. An aversion to large-scale entanglements and preventive war, such as America experienced after Vietnam and is experiencing again today, is almost guaranteed to undercut support for forceful action against Kim. Given these factors, and despite the tough rhetoric coming from the White House, the Pentagon, and the UN, it remains highly unlikely that the Trump administration will go to war with North Korea, short of a terrible miscalculation committed by either side. This is where the administrations fiery words, including UN ambassador Nikki Haleys statement that Kim Jong Un is begging for war, are risky. If Kim takes these statements seriously enough, he might decide that an attack, however improbable, is actually imminent, leading him to make the first move. That would most likely mean a massive artillery attack on Seoul, plunging the peninsula into full-scale war. Yet, if the administrations words ring hollow, then U.S. credibility is further undermined, emboldening Kim to consider how he can further use his nuclear and ICBM capability to threaten his neighbors and Washington. No wonder the diplomats at Foggy Bottom refer to North Korea as the land of no good options. If Trump is not really prepared to go to war, then he has one option left: accepting North Koreas nuclear weapons. Even to suggest such a course is considered heresy in the foreign-policy communityand yet, it is the most plausible scenario, as the risks of a preventive war appear to be too high. The longer the crisis continues, Washington will eventually, and reluctantly, recognize that a cold peace is better than a hot war. The U.S. may cling to its hope for denuclearization and maintain an official refusal to declare North Korea a nuclear state, but it will be forced to accept Kims nuclear arsenal. This is the eventuality that Trump should prepare forassuming that he is not willing to compel Kim to surrender his weapons. This new reality begins with acknowledging that North Korea is a nuclear-weapons-capable state. Washington can maintain fidelity to the nuclear nonproliferation regime, but the world understands that Kims nukes will not be wished away. Moreover, acknowledgment does not mean support or acquiescence; the administration can and should continue to try for more effective sanctions, and it should also keep a channel of communication open to Pyongyang. Yet it is almost impossible to believe that sanctions will cause Kim to give up his program. Next, and most important, the administration needs to formulate a comprehensive and credible policy of deterrence and containment. The United States has been deterring North Korea for decades, of course, but in this new era, that goal requires not only nuclear credibility, as Secretary of Defense James Mattis laid out recently, but also a major rethinking, based on understanding the survival instinct of the Kim regime. The new approach must explain how and when the United States will respond to North Korean provocation and aggression, whether nuclear or conventional. Its crucial that our allies not interpret this new policy as U.S. surrender, which could quickly undermine American credibility and prove as destructive as a rush to war. The U.S. must carefully coordinate its deterrence-and-containment approach with our Asian allies and ensure that they understand that America will not abandon them. To make this policy credible, the U.S. should pair it with a serious program of national missile defense. The best way to dampen Kims nuclear threat is to remove his ability to strike American territory or interests. An expanded U.S. military build-up in Asia, including deploying more advanced fighter aircraft and another aircraft carrier, would underscore our commitment to keeping the nuclear peace. Trumps encouraging South Korea and Japan to purchase more advanced U.S. weaponry makes good sense. No one can pretend that establishing the most tenuous kind of detente is an optimal outcome. But if such an approach resolutely keeps Kim contained, it will be preferable to war. It is also the most likely outcomeand this being the case, the U.S. should begin preparing now, rather than scrambling to respond when our war-making bluff is called. Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images The Law Commission has today published a report on technical issues in charity law and a new Draft Charities Bill, with proposed reforms to make running a charity easier and cheaper as well as confer new powers on the Charity Commission. Technical Issues in Charity Law has been published this morning and is the result of an extensive consultation which began in 2015 with 40 proposals and was followed up last year with a supplementary consultation. The Law Commission has made a number of recommendations, including giving charities more flexibility to obtain tailored advice, making it easier to amend governing documents and removing barriers to mergers. It estimates that giving charities more flexibility over land sales could save the sector 2.8m per year. Nick Hopkins, Law Commissioner, said: Charities are a force for good and millions regularly donate to help others. But the rules that govern them have to be right. As it is, some of the technical law around charities is inefficient and unduly complex. Our reforms would help make sure charities use their time and money in the best way to support their good causes, whilst providing oversight to ensure public confidence. Other key recommendations The Law Commission wants to widen the pool of professional advice for charities and recommends that fellows of the National Association of Estate Agents and fellows of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers be included as designated advisers. It also suggests loosening restrictions on permanent endowments, making it easier to make social investments and giving trustees a statutory power to borrow from their permanent endowment. Trustees would be able to spend up to 25 per cent of a permanent endowment as long as the charity recoups the expenditure within 20 years. The Law Commission also suggests changes to remove bureaucracy where a fundraising appeal does not reach its total. It suggests that it should be easier for the Charity Commission to make a scheme enabling money to be used for other areas of the charitys work. It recommends extending the ability to pay trustees to enable them to supply goods as well as services to their charity. The report says that charities should be able to make small ex gratia payments without needing to obtain permission from a regulator. Ex gratia payments are payments made where there is no legal obligation and are often a gesture of goodwill. The Law Commissions suggest this should be used where there is a moral obligation. The Law Commission says that charities with an income of more than 1m should be able be able to make ex gratia payments of up to 20,000 without authorisation. For charities with an income of between 250,00 and 1m it would be 10,000, for those between 25,000 and 250,000 it suggests 10,000 and for those with an income up to 25,000 it recommends being able to make payments of 1,000. More powers for the Charity Commission The Law Commission also recommends new powers for the Charity Commission, which would prevent organisations from using misleading names and give the regulator the ability to confirm if trustees were properly appointed. It says that the Charity Commission should be given the power to delay registering a charity. It also recommends a single set of criteria to decide changes to a charitys purposes. Charity Commission: sensible and timely The Charity Commission said many of the recommendations were sensible and timely and said it expects to work with government to implement changes in the coming months. Kenneth Dibble, Chief Legal Adviser at the Charity Commission, said: Todays report by the Law Commission makes a number of sensible and timely recommendations that focus on improving the regulatory framework under which charities operate. We have worked closely with the Law Commission throughout its charity law project, which supports our strategic priority of enabling trustees to run their charities more effectively and we hope will increase public trust and confidence. We will continue to work with government and other stakeholders to ensure that the impact of these changes are fully understood and would support government bringing forward the implementation of these proposals in the coming months. Could have a huge impact Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts, who chaired the 2012 review of the Charities Act, said that the recommendations could be transformative for the sector and said he hoped the government would act soon. He said: In my 2012 official review of the Charities Act 2006, I found that charities faced a number of historic obstacles under the current law. These unnecessary burdens on trustees act like barnacles on a boat, causing a drag when all should be plain sailing. Today's report from the Law Commission is important. Although its recommendations may appear to be highly technical, cumulatively I believe they would have a huge impact on the sector, helping trustees to work effectively in modern-day conditions. "Since the recommendations have now been consulted on extensively and are approved of by the sector, I hope the government will find time to implement them speedily. Nicola Evans, charities counsel at Bircham Dyson Bell LLP and chair of the Charity Law Associations working party response to the Law Commission, said the recommendations are technical but important, with real practical consequences for charities and that there is a real opportunity to remove some of the complexity and inconsistencies. Carol Mack, chief executive at the Association for Charitable Foundations, also urged the government to act on the proposals which will give charitable foundations greater flexibility in how they can use their resources for social good," she said. For example, enabling foundations to borrow from their endowments for large projects and giving them greater scope to make social investments. These changes will give foundations more choices about how best to use their assets to meet current and future needs. While technical, these changes have real potential and we urge government to implement them. Cyprus, an island divided into Greek and Turkish-speaking enclaves where countless peace processes have failed for four decades, seemed on the verge of reunification in July. From the chambers of the UN to headlines in international newspapers, optimism abounded that the conflict that began in 1974 finally was coming to an end. The only place people didnt believe a deal was imminent was Cyprus itself. Local reporters recognized history repeating itself as the latest round of talks progressed. But non-local journalists fell for rosy pronouncements. In their eagerness to sell the story, they bought the line of UN officials that a deal was close. Officials had talked up the chances of an agreement to put pressure on the two sides to seize the historic moment, a strategy that required journalists play a role. And they fell for it, lacing stories with too much optimism, and setting a cautionary example for journalists covering similar conflicts around the world. A day before talks collapsed, Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades stood outside a conference hall nestled in the Swiss mountains and lashed out at those who purposely cultivate a climate of excessive optimism. International media had for months been filling articles with ebullient quotes from officials. In January, when a previous international conference was held in Geneva, the BBC ran with Cyprus peace deal close, quoting UN secretary general Antonio Guterres. The New York Times published a similarly upbeat Symbol of Hope piece suggesting a settlement was near. The UN had something to gain by presenting the situation as an end game, says Lefteris Adilinis, editor in chief of Cyprus Weekly. I think they thought the Greek Cypriots would budge under the pressure, he adds. They were wrong. What pushed President Anastasaides over the edge were leaks of a deal being so tantalizingly close that the prime ministers of Greece, Turkey, and Britain were about to fly in to Crans-Montana, Switzerland, where the conference was being held. (The three countries have been guarantor powers since a 1960 treaty in which each agreed to safeguard the independence and security of Cyprus). A hall for the signing ceremony had even been booked. Anastasiades felt he was being unfairly pressured into a deal. Local reporters have seen numerous peace processes come and go since the conflict began in 1974. They remained largely skeptical during the talks. The international press were obviously more optimistic because first of all they dont really know the situation here in Cyprus, says Adilinis. And second of all, they talk only to the UN, who were creating an atmosphere of finalizing things. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Journalists didnt hype the chances of a solution entirely without cause. The UN special envoy to Cyprus, Espen Barth Eide, repeatedly talked up a deal. And so if you hear the person responsible for moderating talks saying that this is the end game, you tend to believe it, Adilinis adds. Was the foreign press too naive in its heeding of UN officials? Perhaps. The Financial Times hailed the January talks in Geneva as the Moment of truth, while Eide was quoted as saying: We are now in the final moment. After that conference broke up abruptly with no deal, little progress was made between the two sides in the interim if anything they moved farther apart. The once friendly leaders publicly fell out and a two-month hiatus followed. Yet when the UN announced a new international conference for July, foreign correspondents once more reported it as being the critical final stage and the last chance for unification. Cypriots have seen innumerable last chances since this conflict began. Journalists covering frozen conflicts face a significant challenge. Cyprus is one of many examples around the globe of a small place caught between more powerful countries often invested in the status quo. The real reasons behind its division are complex. This doesnt help when trying to persuade an editor to cover a new round of negotiations. My sense is that there really is fatigue with the Cyprus Problem, says James Ker-Lindsay. He has worked on the issue as an academic for 25 years and attended Crans-Montana as part for the UK Foreign Offices negotiating team. Long-time correspondents covering Cyprus told Ker-Lindsay that it had been difficult pitching the latest talks to editors. Weve been here so many times before, I think an editor just says, Oh no, not Cyprus its never going to be solved, he says. In this difficult environment, journalists are perhaps more likely to clutch at over-optimistic statements from those facilitating talks. Foreign correspondents need headline-grabbing quotes from high-up officials for their stories to gain traction at home, while the UN needs media hype to put pressure on the two sides. Its about trying to build up a sense of expectation, says Ker-Lindsay. If you increase the hope of a settlement, that in turn puts pressure on the leaders, he adds. That sense of, If you dont do it now, when is it going to happen? Eides optimistic approach came with the best of intentions, believes Ker-Lindsay. But the Greek Cypriot side found the resulting hype and pressure on them to be unhelpful. The standard theory is you use that intense atmosphere to get a solution, but it can work in other ways, Ker-Lindsay admits. Cypriot press tended to take UN optimism with a pinch of salt. Some publications even veered towards being extremely negative. Theyre pandering to their readers, arent they? says Jean Christou, editor in chief of the English-language daily Cyprus Mail, which aims to be politically neutral. Local journalist Esra Aygin believes that the role of off-the-record briefings by [local] officials, who deliberately give out negative messages to the journalists, should not be forgotten. While UN officials fed reporters with positive statements, local officials did the opposite. Aygin is keen to point out that Turkish Cypriot media had generally been more hopeful, [But] both sides act like they are in a war even during peace talks. There is negativity and blame games in these briefings even when this is avoided publicly. The difference between local and foreign press coverage is also a question of distance. The outside foreign media look at it is a diplomatic issue, but on the ground its different, Christou says. You can talk to the UN representative, you can talk to international observers, she adds, but unless the foreign media comes to Cyprus and talks to actual Cypriots, thats all youre going to get. Physical presence from foreign press was notable by its absence in Crans-Montana. Nikos Christodoulides, who was part of the Greek Cypriot negotiating team and government spokesman for the southern Republic of Cyprus, says nobody from international media attended. The people that were actually there were in a much better position to present the situation, he says, adding that a statement to the press is not just about the words but body language and tone. Having worked on Cyprus for so long, Ive seen these processes come and go, and this had the least media attention of any I can remember, agrees Ker-Lindsay. Its a symptom of the fatigue that can set in around frozen conflicts. Publications are likely to have balked at the expense of sending journalists back to Switzerland for yet another round of talks. The Greek Cypriot side blamed the UN and international media for over-hyping talks, but perhaps the more important factor was not enough interest. If you had all the worlds media there The New York Times, CNN, BBC all clamoring for an interview with Anastasiades and Akinci [the Turkish Cypriot leader], op-eds in senior newspapers about how to solve it, talk of Nobel Prize winners, says Ker-Lindsay, it might have helped. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Darren Loucaides is a journalist based in Barcelona and London. Follow him on Twitter Follow him on Twitter @DarrenLoucaides. President Trumps apparent deal with Congressional Democrats to protect young immigrants from deportation without a demand for border-wall funds has left many of his media cheerleaders disgusted. Ann Coulter has been particularly vocal on Twitter, lambasting the president with barbs like If were not getting a wall, Id prefer President Pence. Breitbart screamed the headline Amnesty Don, leading its main story with, Dems declare victory as Trump caves on DACA. And RedState editor Caleb Howe accused Trump of betrayal. Let's play Jeopardy. ANSWER: An Easter egg. QUESTION: What's the only thing easier to roll than Donald J. Trump? Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) September 14, 2017 But the backlash against Trump has been curiously muted in other parts of the right-wing mediasphere, including on Fox Newsexposing, once again, the divisions and inconsistencies on the right. Trumps deal, whether or not it reaches the finish line, has amplified differences between Trump true believers and true believers in the nativist politics he has, until now, spearheaded. Commentators like Coulter and Breitbart have a genuine valid policy prescription when it comes to immigration reform, says Noah Rothman, associate editor of Commentary magazine, in an interview with CJR. Trump is a vehicle to achieve that, and to the extent he doesnt achieve that hes outlived his usefulness. ICYMI: Its just completely tone-deaf: Paper faces backlash after publishing wine column Sign up for CJR 's daily email Others, Rothman says, are on Trumps side no matter what. To them, the president is a talisman, a victory in the culture wars, an investment. The Fox News homepage this afternoon made no reference to the deal among its main stories, with two of its top four slots at one point dedicated to negative coverage of Hillary Clinton. Further down, they played up Trumps remarks this morning that he has not struck a deal on DACA and that the border wall with Mexico will still be built, above a piece detailing hardline Trump administration sanctions against countries it says are refusing to take back their citizens deported from the US. On Fox & Friends, meanwhile, Steve Doocy mused that the wall Trump glorified on the campaign trail may be symbolic, while former Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz said the wall was already there. The Fox & Friends position is in part a recognition that the bulk of the pro-Trump audience was never as cultish as its spokespeople were, says Jonah Goldberg, a senior editor at National Review, in an interview with CJR. Trumps mandate was to be Not Hillary Clinton, he fulfilled that mandate, and now most pro-Trump Republicans are just team players. RELATED: Politico embarrasses WSJ Thats not to say that full-throated defenses of Trump were in ready supply. But some pro-Trump commentators irked by the DACA deal shifted blame to other actors instead. Sean Hannity, for instance, initially said Trump must keep his promise or its over. But in a series of tweets since, Hannity blamed Congressional Republicans who wanted [Trump] to fail, and cast doubt on the veracity of early reports that Trump bent to the Democrats will on immigration. Hannity also shared two Trump tweets that seemed to suggest he was walking back the idea of a DACA compromise. If reports true 100%. I blame R's. They caused this. They wanted him to fail and now pushed him into arms of political suicideIF TRUE. https://t.co/WTqe6jzfa9 Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) September 14, 2017 Theyve invested in a business model that believes in the fundamental infallibility of Donald Trump, says Goldberg, of the most Trump-loyal commentators. If you believe in that doctrine you are gonna deflect, deny, shift blame in all sorts of interesting and creative ways. While some of Trumps traditional Twitter defenders have been vocally critical of the president on DACA, they have also found time for familiar touchstones since the news brokewith talk of Clinton, the Democrats, and other distractions. NEW evidence: Kamala Harris wrongfully charged this Trump supporter with "hate crime" https://t.co/PuoH3Nd6Sx Mike Cernovich (@Cernovich) September 14, 2017 Dems: fuck private prisons. Stop jailing people for drugs and non violent offenses. Also Dems: Lock up and torture Shkreli for jokes! Cassandra Fairbanks (@CassandraRules) September 14, 2017 Immigration hardliners like Coulter, on the other hand, may seem to have permanently soured on Trump after what they see as a shocking about-face on DACA. But the possibility of a future rapprochement should not be ruled out. Its possible they could find means to reconcile. Hes the only game in town. Hes as good as theyre ever gonna get, says Rothman. No one else was willing to countenance their ideas. ICYMI: The New York Times tweet that angered some twitter users Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. I think thats one of the more outrageous comments that anyone could make, and certainly something that I think is a fireable offense by ESPN. That was White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, from the lectern in the briefing room, calling for the firing of a SportsCenter anchor. Sanders made that statement in response to a question about Jemele Hills Monday evening tweets about President Trump, in which she wrote, Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists.Trump is the most ignorant, offensive president of my lifetime. His rise is a direct result of white supremacy. Period. Hill, a former columnist at the Orlando Sentinel and one of ESPNs brightest talents, didnt address the controversy on her 6pm show. She did issue a statement late last night, saying, My comments on Twitter expressed my personal beliefs. My regret is that my comments and the public way I made them painted ESPN in an unfair light. My respect for the company and my colleagues remains unconditional. She has not, however, deleted her tweets. Though questions about what journalists can and should say on their personal social media feeds didnt begin with Trump, his riseand the politicization of nearly all aspects of American culturehave forced the issue. Politicos managing editor recently waded into this larger controversy when he told staffers that the company discards dozens of job applications over inappropriate or partisan tweets. ICYMI: CDC official sends really disturbing message to employees about media questions Hill is hardly the first media figure to associate Trump with white supremacy. Last month, both The New Yorker and The Economist featured covers depicting the president and the white hood of the Ku Klux Klan. Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote that Trumps ideology is white supremacy in last weeks widely read Atlantic story. So why did Hills comments become an issue worthy of an official response from the lectern? In part, because conservative media figures like sentient hot-take Clay Travis and perpetually confused Tucker Carlson made it one. Some journalists suggested Sanderss response was a deliberate attempt by the administration to distract from bigger issues. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Regardless of whether theres some ulterior motive, Sanderss comment is obviously troubling. White House officials shouldnt be weighing in on the employment of private citizens. And while Hills tweets may have pushed the envelope, its worth considering the question posed by Washington Post reporter David Nakamura that led to Sanderss response: If the president was so clear [in denouncing hate after Charlottesville]why do you think influential African-American figures are saying things like this? Below, more on Hills tweets, the reaction, and Sanderss comments. Other notable stories Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Pete Vernon is a former CJR staff writer. Follow him on Twitter @ByPeteVernon. On September 6, Starbucks announced the appointment of Rosalind Brewer to the role of group president and chief operating officer of the company, making her the first African-American and the first woman to hold the position. In a press release, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson described Brewer as "a world class operator and executive who embodies the values of Starbucks," adding that she reflects the "strength and diversity" of the organization. With years of leadership, including her most recent position as CEO of Sam's Club, Brewer is well-positioned to help the ubiquitous $84.6 billion coffee brand continue to grow. Here are three things that have defined her career so far: Rosalind Brewer, Group President and Chief Operating Officer of Starbucks. Source: Starbucks She knows the importance of relationship building Before stepping into her role as Sam's Club CEO in 2012, Brewer served six years in executive roles with Wal-Mart and 22 years at Kimberly-Clark, where she worked her way up from a research technician to president of manufacturing and operations. During her time at Sam's Club, Brewer connected with Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz in a very unexpected way. According to Fortune, Schultz came to the retailer's Bentonville, Arkansas, headquarters in 2016 for a panel discussion with Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon. But when McMillon had to cancel at the last minute, he called on Brewer to stand-in (Sam's Club is owned by Wal-Mart.) From there, the two continued to build on their relationship, with Brewer and her team visiting Starbucks' flagship "roastery" in Seattle, where Schultz asked Brewer if she would consider joining the company's board. Fortune reports that Brewer initially declined Schultz's offer, but joined Starbucks board earlier this year after stepping down from her leadership position at Sam's Club. Kevin Johnson, who took over as Starbucks CEO in April, tells Fortune that Brewer's impressive work as a board member is what made him consider her for the COO role about two months ago as other board members agreed that she would be a great addition to the company's executive team. "She has been a trusted strategic counselor to me ever since she joined our board of directors, and I deeply value her insight, business acumen and leadership expertise," Johnson said in a press release. She makes diversity a business priority In 2015, Brewer faced scrutiny after an interview with CNN's Poppy Harlow in which she spoke about her commitment to enforcing diversity at Sam's Club. As the first woman and African-American CEO of Sam's Club, Brewer said she demands diversity on her team and that she openly talked to her suppliers about it as well. "Every now and then you have to nudge your partners," she said. "You have to speak up and speak out. And I try to use my platform for that. I try to set an example." Opening up about some of her experiences as a minority woman in corporate America, Brewer recalled one meeting she had with a supplier where she said "the entire other side of the table was all Caucasian male." After explaining her plans to place a call to the supplier to address their lack of diversity, Brewer faced backlash on social media and was called a "racist," with some consumers calling for a boycott of the retailer with the hashtag #BoycottRacistSamsClub. McMillon came to Brewer's defense amid the backlash and explained how Wal-Mart stood behind making diversity a business priority. "Roz was simply trying to reiterate that we believe diverse and inclusive teams make for a stronger business. That's all there is to it and I support that important ideal," he wrote in a statement. Brewer's commitment to building diverse teams also aligns with that of Starbucks, which has emphasized diversity not only in the boardroom, but with campaigns like "Race Together," and their pledge to hire 10,000 refugees. She understands the value of innovation PeopleImages | Getty Images They all wanted a job. Maybe too much. One applicant said he worked for Microsoft but had never heard of Bill Gates. Another said he'd studied under the philosopher Nietzsche, who died in 1900. One man claimed he was a CIA anti-terrorist spy during the years he was in elementary school. Lies on resumes are not uncommon; 75 percent of human resource managers spot inaccuracies on resumes, according to a survey by CareerBuilder. The national survey was conducted online in May and June, and included more than 2,500 U.S. employers across industries and company sizes, including 221 human resources managers in the private sector. Under pressure to make their resumes stand out, many people exaggerate or flat out lie about their experience. But these efforts often backfire as just 12 percent of HR managers will call a dishonest candidate back. If you want to construct a powerful resume, it's about focusing on your accomplishments. Dan Schawbel author "Sometimes a small lie is the path candidates take, but it's ill-advised given the ability to verify the areas people choose to lie in," said Jaclyn Jensen, director of the human resources program at DePaul University in Chicago. Hiring managers are trained to fact-check resumes, Jensen said. And many will scour applicants' Facebook and LinkedIn pages, call applicants' references and request official transcripts. watch now Smart city initiatives have helped Bandung, Indonesia's third-largest city, become a role model for government performance as its architect-turned-mayor focuses on slashing red tape. "We have the best performance in bureaucracy in Indonesia today," Ridwan Kamil, mayor of Bandung, told CNBC on Thursday. Investing in technology to transform how citizens are served has quashed corruption and improved the overall efficiency of state programs, he said on the sidelines of the Milken Institute's annual Asia Summit. Since being elected in 2013, Kamil has built 400 software applications aimed at speeding up public service. One of those is called GAMPIL, which allows small and medium enterprises under $5,000 to register their businesses online instead of applying for permits at government offices. "We are the only Indonesian city where SMEs don't require a permit, which helps demolish corruption," Kamil said, adding that 60,000 new SMEs were born within three months of enforcing the policy. The use of e-budgeting has also ended ineffective and costly programs, saving the city almost $200 million last year, he continued. Southeast Asia's largest economy is home to a youthful population and booming internet penetration rates, so the digitization of public services should come as no surprise. Millennials' usage of technology will transform Indonesia over the next five years, according to Kamil. JPMorgan Chase is pledging $40 million over three years to Chicago to fund projects in underserved communities in the city's South and West sides. "Not every citizen shares equally in the city's economic growth,"JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon said in a recent interview with CNBC. The money will go to support projects that boost economic and job training opportunities and revitalize neighborhoods, the bank said Thursday. "A lack of opportunity is a root cause of Chicago's gun violence, concentrated poverty and persistent racial and economic inequities," the bank said in a statement. This is the second Chicago investment that JPMorgan has announced in just over a month. In August, the bank announced a two-year investment $500,000 in the Arthur M. Brazier Foundation to help expand Chicago residents access economic opportunity through a robotics technician training and support program. The $500,000 was the first part of the $40 million investment announced Thursday. JPMorgan makes about $250 million in annual philanthropic investments globally. It recently increased an existing charitable grant to Detroit, where it has now pledged $150 million on loans and grants for community development projects, workforce development and small business expansion. "It is on us leaders in business to step up, collaborate with government and the community and develop solutions where we have resources and expertise to offer," Dimon said. "We believe in Chicago's future and are hopeful our investment will help the city thrive and make opportunity available to every Chicagoan." Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said, "Today we have the opportunity to build a powerful coalition with JPMorgan Chase that will create economic opportunities in communities across Chicago." JPMorgan, through a variety of mergers, has a long history in the Windy City. Dimon spent seven years of his career in Chicago as CEO of Bank One before it merged with JPMorgan in 2004. Some have wondered whether the 61-year-old executive has political ambitions. At CNBC-Insitutional Investor's Delivering Alpha conference on Tuesday, Dimon was asked about the extra time he was spending in Washington, where Dimon chairs the Business Roundtable. "I think a lot of business people have said you have to get more involved," Dimon said. "You can't advocate all this kind of stuff, you know, without thoughtful policy. And I really believe it." He added he believed he "should try to help the president be successful." "I don't understand the concept that somehow you don't try to help the citizens of that country when you're asked to help." watch now North Koreans are likely to face serious food shortages despite recent relief from an intense dry spell, officials from the UN Food and Agricultural Organization told CNBC. Rainfall this year was "considerably lower" than a corresponding period in 2001, when cereal production in the communist dictatorship plunged to record lows, the UN said in a July report. An estimated 20 percent of herd animals have also reportedly been severely affected this year in the worst-hit regions. The worst dry conditions, which ran from April to June, could threaten this year's overall agricultural yield and exacerbate food shortages in the country. According to the report, cereals, potato and soybeans comprise the main source of nutrition for North Korea's population many of whom are already underfed. They are facing a very bad harvest. And with the latest sanctions, [Kim] won't be able to pay in credit for his oil imports anymore. Mark Matthews head of research for Asia, Julius Baer Even before taking the drought into account, the UN estimates that the average North Korean consumes approximately 1,640 calories of food each day. That compares with the 2,000 calories recommended for Americans by the U.S. Department of Health. Rainfall has improved over large parts of the country since August, but the shift in precipitation will be insufficient to reverse the adverse effects of the drought, said Mario Zappacosta, senior economist at the UN. watch now By the time rain fell, "the optimal planting period was over and the early planted crops were already affected by the drought," he said. The months of April to June are critical for crop development, according to the UN report. North Korea's overall yields for the 2017 "main season" crops those harvested around September and October are expected to fall compared with 2016, Zappacosta added. It's not yet possible to determine how much, however. 2017 vs 2001 Still, crop output is unlikely to fall to the unprecedentedly low levels in 2000 to 2001, according to Cristina Coslet, country monitor at the UN Food and Agricultural Organization. Coupled with the latest round of UN sanctions, which aim to pressure North Korean leader Kim Jong Un into giving up his nuclear weapons, unfavorable weather conditions are likely to severely hurt Pyongyang's economy. "They are facing a very bad harvest. And with the latest sanctions, [Kim] won't be able to pay in credit for his oil imports anymore," said Mark Matthews, head of research for Asia at Switzerland-based private bank Julius Baer. Kim would do well to pause his weapons testing in exchange for aid from China or the United States, Matthews added. North Korea is currently harvesting its main-season crops, scheduled to be completed by mid-October. The UN agency will await until then to determine its final production estimates for the country, which will not be ready before end October, Coslet said. The regime still cannot feed its own people without external food aid, who rely on black markets to buy rice, produce, beer and even school supplies. Chinese food exports to North Korea have soared over the past year, despite increasing sanctions imposed by the UN, hinting at Pyongyang's increasing reliance on Beijing. WATCH: N. Korea reportedly launches missile that flies over Japan Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin speaking at the 2017 Delivering Alpha conference in New York on Sept. 12, 2017. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin asked for a costly government plane to fly to his European honeymoon earlier this year. The Treasury's Office of Inspector General is looking into the request, according to ABC News, which first reported the story. Operating such a jet can cost around $25,000 an hour, according to ABC. Mnuchin considered using a military plane because he needs access to secure communications as part of his national security duties, a Treasury spokesperson told CNBC. "Treasury withdrew its request after a secure communications option was identified during the Secretary's extended travel," the spokesperson said. The department inspector general's office is already examining a trip Mnuchin and his wife, Scottish actress Louise Linton, made to Kentucky last month. Mnuchin spoke at an event with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and examined gold reserves at Fort Knox, but he and his wife also allegedly took time to watch the solar eclipse during the trip. Linton posted a now notorious Instagram photo of her and Mnuchin getting off a government plane at the end of the trip. She called out the designer brands she was wearing, then responded to an Instagram user with a long-winded comment defending her use of the jet and Mnuchin's contributions to the country. "Do you think the US govt paid for our honeymoon or personal travel?! Lololol," Linton wrote in part of the comment. Before becoming Treasury secretary, Mnuchin made his personal fortune as a Goldman Sachs partner, financier and major Hollywood movie producer. "We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides," they added. On Wednesday evening, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement, following a White House dinner with Trump: "We had a productive meeting at the White House with the President. The discussion focused on DACA." After top congressional Democrats on Wednesday night said they reached a deal with President Donald Trump to shield about 800,000 young immigrants from deportation without the president's proposed border wall as a condition Trump denied any such deal was made. The leaders said they specifically agreed to pair the DREAM Act legislation that offers the young immigrants an eventual path to permanent residency and citizenship that's previously failed in Congress with other border security provisions, a person briefed on the meeting said. But Thursday morning Trump disputed the Democrats' version of events, tweeting, "No deal was made on DACA." Donald Trump tweet: No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote. Donald Trump tweet: The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders also denied any deal was done, saying, "excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to." Sarah Sanders tweet: While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to. Last week, Trump ended the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, with a six-month delay to encourage Congress to pass its protections into law. The policy shields certain undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children and authorizes them to work for two years. Congressional leaders from both parties and Trump have recently supported passing the protections into law. But Trump's potential insistence on making funding for his proposed wall a condition of a bill a nonstarter for Democrats could have threatened a measure to protect so-called dreamers. Schumer and Pelosi did not specify which border security provisions would be included as part of the DACA bill. Earlier Wednesday, House Speaker Paul Ryan said kicking out the immigrants protected by DACA "is not in our nation's interest." He added, however, that he wanted any legislation protecting them to get paired with border security measures. The agreement announced by Schumer and Pelosi comes amid a period of increased engagement between Trump and Democrats. Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not attend the dinner on Wednesday night. Last week, Trump struck a deal with Democratic leaders to attach hurricane aid to a debt ceiling extension and government funding, both for only three months over the objections of Republican leaders. Houses and vehicles at the Highland Glen subdivision stand in floodwaters due to Hurricane Harvey in Spring, Texas, U.S., on Monday, Aug. 28, 2017. Luke Sharrett | Bloomberg | Getty Images The destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma are estimated to cost between $150 billion and $200 billion, according to a CNBC report. As people try to make their way back to their homes, an influx of flood claims, with more than 100,000 expected be filed in the aftermath of the hurricanes, is expected to slow down the payout process. While it's vital to be prepared before a storm hits, it's equally important to understand your rights as you begin to rebuild and recover. Insurance claims differ from state to state and understanding your rights will allow you to better plan your next steps. More from Curbed: Apple HomePod, Google Home, Amazon Echo: Everything you need to know 15 renovation apps to know for your next project How to buy art for your home For instance, in New York, insurance providers have 15 business days to acknowledge that they've received a claim and another 15 days to begin a proof of loss investigation to determine how much damage was done to the home. Whereas, in the state of Florida, the insurer is given 14 days to respond to a claim and then another 30 to begin an investigation. According to a 2015 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) survey, 60 percent of Americans aren't prepared for these natural disasters of any kind. And only 39 percent have an emergency plan despite the fact that 80 percent live in counties that are vulnerable to extreme weather. Whether you own or rent, it's imperative that you plan early to ensure that you can quickly and safely return to normalcy. Here, experts offer tips on how to protect yourself and your home before and after natural disasters. Evacuation and prevention If you need to evacuate your home, be sure to have a plan in place. Knowing where you're going, how to stay in contact with family and friends, and knowing the safety of your pets will make the situation less stressful. Annmarie Camp, executive vice president at Chubb Personal Risk Services, recommends keeping a go-bag that includes legal documents, birth certificates, marriage license, and financial papers. Even taking pictures of your insurance policy and contact information is a good idea. Your survival kit should include things like a flashlight, a portable radio, batteries, canned food, a fire extinguisher, bottled water, blankets, clothing, and cash. Allison Bethell, a real estate investor and analyst at FitSmallBusiness.com recommends boarding up all windows if you don't have storm shutters. If you live in a single family home or town home, placing sandbags in front of the entryway prevents water from getting in. Also, Bethell suggests throwing away all perishable food. Close and lock all windows and make sure to take your pets with you. Unplug all appliances, and move furniture away from windows and doors. If you have a balcony or porch, remove anything that's not secured. In the event of a home flood, Bethell advises contacting a public adjuster before calling your insurance company as adjusters regularly work with insurance companies and know all the guidelines and timeframes. In the case of a prolonged power outage, consider buying a power strip with a cigarette plug. This allows you to charge any device in your car without running down the battery. Solar panel chargers are another trusty option. Be sure that you keep it in a window, so that it receives sunlight every morning and is ready in case of an emergency. After the storm has gone If you own your home, it's your responsibility to perform recovery work to protect your property from further damage. Putting up tarps, removing wet drywall and carpeting to prevent mold, boarding up openings, installing fencing where necessary, and securing your belongings is essential in the recovery process, according to Carl Gross, vice president & CAO of Globe Midwest Adjuster International. When you're ready to rebuild, hire a contractor but beware of unscrupulous scammers. If a contractor asks you to sign a contract for non-emergency services, this is a red flag. Don't sign anything until you have assessed the scope of your property damage and received an estimate of reconstruction pricing with your insurance company. When it's safe to enter your home again, evaluate the damage and start taking pictures and keeping receipts of any damage-related cleanup. Camp recommends reporting your claim to your insurance carrier as soon as possible. Upon entering the home, begin separating damaged from undamaged property but don't immediately discard anything and create a detailed list of your damaged contents. When estimating losses, Gross says to avoid relying solely on your historical records. Instead, secure replacement cost estimates for a more accurate cost analysis. Keep a log of all activities and save all receipts including those for property replacement and related expenses. The more information and detail you provide your insurance carrier, the quicker your claim can be paid. Lastly, Gross suggests finding and hiring an expert. "The insurance adjuster sent by your carrier to evaluate the damages is working exclusively for the insurance company, not for you. It's your responsibility to document and submit your claim," he says. Hiring a professional that understands the insurance claim process ensures a fair and expedited settlement. Do you need flood insurance? One of the biggest misconceptions among homeowners is that they don't live in a flood zone. "Everybody lives in a flood zone, but not everybody is required to purchase flood insurance," according to Camp. Because it's always a risk, Camp encourages homeowners to speak with their independent agent or broker about the policy. In preferred flood zone areas, an average flood policy is about $400 a year and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) administered by the government provides affordable flood insurance for homeowners. When a major catastrophe occurs, most homeowners are concerned with the value of their homes and neglect the value of the contents inside of them. If you have recently upgraded appliances or fixtures, or have unfinished jobs on your property, it's important to take them into consideration. For example, not addressing ongoing landscaping issues could become problematic during a storm. "Seventy-five percent of trees that fall during a weather event suffer from some pre-existing and often correctable condition that makes them vulnerable," says Camp. Furthermore, homeowners should reinforce windows, doors, and skylights with appropriate shutters if they're in a hurricane's path. Also, make sure that your garage door is closed and secured to protect your valuables and mitigate replacement cost. It's time to file your claim Amazon.com is preparing to open a 1 million square-foot warehouse near Mexico City, sources familiar with the project said, part of an effort to boost its presence in Mexico's nascent e-commerce industry. The new warehouse is slated to be built in the Tepotzotlan municipality about 25 miles (40 km) north of the Mexican capital, according to four Mexico City real estate professionals familiar with the plans. Expected to be completed next year, the facility would triple Amazon's distribution space in Mexico, home to around 120 million potential customers. Amazon's Mexico push comes amid talks to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement, which could benefit the Seattle-based retailer if the United States persuades Mexico to raise a $50 limit on the value of online purchases that can be imported duty-free. Amazon is a relative newcomer to Mexico; it opened its Kindle e-books site to Mexican customers in 2013 and expanded into sales of physical goods just two years ago. But it is growing much faster than rivals such as Wal-Mart Stores , and is already the nation's third-largest online retailer. Amazon posted $253 million in sales in Mexico last year, more than double the year before, according to market research firm Euromonitor International. Sharing a nearly 2,000-mile long border with the United States, Mexico would seem a logical place for Amazon to expand. But duplicating the company's U.S.-style success could prove tougher. Online shopping comprises nearly 3 percent of all retail sales in Mexico compared with over 10 percent in the United States. Some Mexican shoppers are wary of online fraud and many do not have credit cards. Some analysts believe Amazon is willing to take the risk as it races to bulk up in foreign markets to compete with fast-moving global competitors such as China's Alibaba . "Amazon is not afraid to plow into a new market in a very big way, take a big hit, but say, 10 years down the line, this is going to be big and profitable," said Neil Saunders, managing director at the GlobalData Retail research firm. Amazon spokesman Julio Gil declined to comment on plans for a new warehouse in Mexico. He said the company's Mexican unit is aiming to expand its product offerings, offer faster deliveries and make the purchasing process as smooth and secure as possible to inspire consumer confidence. "We're trying to eliminate any friction," Gil said. Beer giant Anheuser-Busch has announced it has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Enel Green Power. The agreement relates to energy produced by a portion of the Thunder Ranch wind farm in Oklahoma, which is expected to commence operations by the end of this year. In a statement on Wednesday, Anheuser-Busch said that the renewable energy produced under the PPA would be equivalent to powering up to half of its total purchased electricity in one year, helping to "significantly" reduce overall emissions from operations. "Helping to grow the renewable energy market is not only good for the environment, it is a strategic business move as we strive for long-term sustainability," Anheuser-Busch's president and CEO, Joao Castro Neves, said. "Now more than ever, we are excited to lead our company's global effort toward a renewable future and, partnering with Enel, set an industry example of how major companies can help to make a difference in climate change," he added. Enel Green Power's CEO, Antonio Cammisecra, said that power purchase agreements were an attractive model which provided both an avenue for growth and revenue certainty via stable pricing. "This agreement is another important milestone for our company in the U.S. and globally," he added. Looking at the bigger picture, Anheuser-Busch's parent company, AB InBev, has made a commitment to securing 100 percent of its purchased electricity from renewable sources by the year 2025. According to the Department of Energy, the U.S. is "home to one of the largest and fastest-growing wind markets in the world." After a weekend of heavy wrangling to find the buyer, the government chose to let Lehman go under rather than provide a buyout. The ensuing liquidity crisis saw a prominent money market fund fail to meet its own obligations and triggered a crisis that necessitated a massive Wall Street buyout. That wasn't the case on March 15, 2009, when Lehman lost its ability to obtain the short-term financing critical to its operations. "I don't feel as though the world understands just how strong U.S. banks are. Banks have the strongest balance sheets in a generation," Mayo, an analyst now with Wells Fargo Securities, told CNBC's " Power Lunch " program. "They have enough capital to absorb not one financial crisis but two financial crises." Nearly eight years to the day from when Lehman Brothers collapsed and set fire to the financial world, widely followed analyst Mike Mayo said the industry has fully rebounded. "We think banks are on the cusp of creating value for the first time in a decade," he said. "This is back-to-school. Take out your pencil, sharpen it, do the math. When you do the math, you see these banks are very resilient." While Mayo spoke glowingly of the industry, he is most focused these days on Citigroup . Mayo estimates the fourth-largest U.S. bank by assets could double in price over the next five years, with a long-term target of $140. There's irony in that call, seeing that Mayo is well-known for haranguing Citi in the past. In 2010, he ripped the bank for what he called "aggressive" accounting and said it needed a substantial write-down in assets. "We love Citigroup," he told CNBC. As far as the industry is concerned, he said, "this is the biggest structural risk reduction the bank industry has had for decades. These structural changes are what's going to continue to drive banks." Despite the optimism, the sector has fared poorly in the market this year. The SPDR S&P Bank exchange-traded fund is down about 3.3 percent for 2017, well off the S&P 500's gain of more than 11 percent. But analysts continue to favor the sector. Moody's Investors Service said earlier this week that it was putting Bank of America on notice for an upgrade of its credit rating. BofA currently carries a Baa1 rating, which on the Moody's scale is at the lower end of investment grade. However, the ratings service said it is encouraged by "recent improvements to BAC's profitability and management's commitment to a conservative risk profile." Moody's also said the bank is shaking loose of the mortgage legacy and litigation issues it had that were related to the financial crisis. Bank of America's purchase of Countrywide Financial, in particular, left it with costs related to mortgage improprieties. WATCH: Jamie Dimon and Mike Mayo agree: The banks are great Wells Fargo is warning investors that the year's record market gains could soon start slipping away. It's a situation prompting the firm to get "more aggressive" in its latest strategy to take risk off the table. "We are not bullish on the stock market," Christopher Harvey, the firm's head of equity strategy, said Wednesday on CNBC's "Trading Nation." "We think that investors should start moving up the quality ladder." According to Harvey, this year won't end the way it began with stocks ripping to new highs. He expects the to drop about 1 percent this year from current levels. His year-end price target is 2,475. "Hold on to your gains. You want to start protecting," he added. "We think the best of the stock market is behind us not in front of us." Harvey predicts the stock market will further deteriorate into 2018. He doesn't see much that could catapult stocks to another banner year of double-digit gains. "The problem is rates are lower, credit spreads are tighter and growth has been strong. What's the next act? And, we don't see the next act," cautioned Harvey. "As we look forward, we're thinking and looking at mid-single digit returns. And, if we go a lot higher from here, I think we're just stealing from tomorrow." Despite his bearish view, he isn't avoiding stocks altogether. Harvey's goal is to play more for rotation and small, incremental gains. "We think there are opportunities on an individual basis," he said. "We like staples over consumer discretionary. We like REITs over utilities. We like hardware over semiconductors." Yet, there is something that could push Harvey back into bullish territory one that has nothing to do with pro-business legislation such as tax cuts potentially coming out of Washington. "What we want to see is a healthy repricing for risk. Something in or around 5 percent seems about right. We're not arguing that the fundamentals are bad," Harvey said. "What we're arguing is price isn't all that attractive for us. So, if we get a correction or we get a pullback on price, that would make us more excited." For another view, see Second-longest bull market ever aging gracefully, but investors wonder how long it will last U.S. businesses will have to think twice about selling to foreign buyers after a deal involving Lattice Semiconductor was blocked, international trade and national security expert Mario Mancuso told CNBC on Thursday. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump issued an order to block the sale of the U.S. chipmaker to a group that involves a Chinese venture capital firm, citing national security reasons. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States reviewed the deal and recommended the action. "You have to think very carefully in this environment about selling to certain buyers," said Mancuso, a former member of CFIUS. "Chinese deals are getting approved. They will continue to get approved, but CFIUS will always now be a question. It may not always be an issue, but it will be a question." Trump's decision is rare. It marks only the fourth time in the past 27 years that a president has blocked a deal like this. In a statement, the White House said, "the national-security risk posed by the transaction relates to, among other things, the potential transfer of intellectual property to the foreign acquirer, the Chinese government's role in supporting this transaction, the importance of semiconductor supply chain integrity to the United States Government, and the use of Lattice products by the United States Government." Mancuso told "Power Lunch" that while there may have been no obvious national security risks seen by the public, the U.S. government maintains "a pretty extensive intelligence function" that independently looks at these deals. "There may be applications for technologies which to a commercial businessperson may look ... benign, reasonably so, but to the government that has access to different information, a different sift through which it views this information, they come to a different conclusion," he said. And the U.S. isn't the only country scrutinizing these types of deals, he pointed out. "This is a global trend. It's about making sure countries' economies are resilient and protective of their national security interests." CNBC's Christina Wilkie contributed to this report. These efficiencies aren't gravy, though; they're essential. They work by way of a simple economy of scale: If you run a few dozen machines (or a few thousand), it becomes possible to buy your products at a discount, to warehouse the products more effectively, and to both fill and repair your vending units in a more streamlined way. These businesses live or die by logistics. Fortunately for its critics, and unfortunately for McDonald, Rajan, and their investors, Bodega faces more obstacles than just a morning of high-intensity Twitter loathing. A range of conveniently located, beautifully merchandised kiosks with an easy app-based point of sale and an evolving range of user-calibrated products seems like a nice, attractive idea. But something like that is built on an intensely complex logistical apparatus and any mention of that sort of thing seems to be missing from McDonald and Rajan's talking points, which focus mostly on what they call " the last hundred feet ." The backlash was swift . Declaring that you want to replace family-run, neighborhood-oriented storefront retail with computerized protein-bar transaction cubes is not really the fast track to community embrace. There's a lot to loathe (and a lot to mock) about Bodega, including the name itself , which nods to the immigrant families who often own the stores the startup wants to put out of business. (Thoughtfully, Fast Company asked McDonald about that. He replied, "We did surveys in the Latin American community to understand if they felt the name was a misappropriation of that term or had negative connotations, and 97% said 'no'.") A Fast Company story this morning profiled Bodega , the duo's startup (which has drawn investment from high-profile firms like First Round Capital and Forerunner Ventures, as well as executives at Facebook , Google , and more), which seeks to replace these corner stores with boxes. Specifically, five-foot-wide, wifi-enabled boxes stocked with non-perishable goods, which we can access by downloading an app, and picking up the items we'd like in view of a computer-vision camera which will automatically charge us for our purchase. "Eventually, centralized shopping locations won't be necessary," McDonald told Fast Company, "because there will be 100,000 Bodegas spread out, with one always 100 feet away from you." No, of course I didn't say that. If you're a living human being in the United States who has ever had a dollar in your pocket, you've probably been in a bodega or, depending on where you live, maybe you call it a corner store, convenience store, deli, packie (short for "package store"), or party store. Maybe it's attached to a gas station. Maybe it is a gas station. For some reason, former Google employees Paul McDonald and Ashwath Rajan think all of them need to be disrupted. "You know what this place needs," I said to myself this morning, as I went into the little store around the corner where I buy my daily coffee, my breakfast sandwiches, my late-night potato chips, and my emergency tampons. "What it needs is less stuff, and to be inside my apartment building, and also to accept Apple Pay." This is where things seem likely to fall apart for Bodega. Even with their wifi connections and app-connected camera sensors, the units themselves are still just offering consumers a basic model of unmanned commerce only with smaller, fancier machines to process the transactions. What Bodega does offer as a differentiator are the number of unique products per unit (100, the average vending machine has 20-40), and the promise that the products will not just be tailored to their general environments protein bars in the gym, tampons in a sorority house but to their specific users. A promise of "machine learning" will, as Fast Company explains, "constantly reassess the 100 most-needed items in that community." At 100,000 units the scale McDonald and Rajan envision that's ten million items that are active at a time, plus reserve products for restocking, plus new products to introduce as the "machine learning" (I'm sorry, I just can't) cycles out low performers. Across specialized markets and user-informed preferences, the number of SKUs (industry shorthand for a stocked product, rather than an individual unit of that product) that Bodega would be dealing with would quickly climb into the thousands. So many products, across so many Bodegas, in so many unique configurations poses a set of phenomenally complex logistical conundra: How are the products purchased? Where are they warehoused? How are they bundled for distribution to their unique Bodegas? Who restocks the Bodegas? How are the restocks transported? How can the company ensure that there's sufficient route density that there are enough Bodegas in each local area, which need to be restocked frequently enough, on harmonious schedules, to cover the costs of labor and transportation? Labor is not a minor issue, with a company like this one. "Unmanned retail" isn't a precisely accurate phrase: There may not be a person ringing up your transaction, but there are plenty of people working to maintain a system that allows that absence even the famous midcentury automats were just the outward storefront of a working, fully-staffed kitchen. Bodega's warehouses will need to be staffed. The trucks will need to be driven. The Bodegas themselves will need to be manually restocked each can, bottle, and box placed one by one onto each unit's shelves. Many traditional vending machine companies employ restockers who double as machine repairers. Will a Bodega restocker be trained to fix a busted computer-vision camera? Critics of Bodega are already comparing the startup to Juicero, the highly investment-valued cold-press-at-home juice company that collapsed spectacularly after its $400 juicing machine was revealed to be a pricey paperweight. It's not that the machine didn't squeeze well it's that it wasn't necessary. The fruits and vegetables in Juicero's pre-mixed packets were already diced so finely that they were, functionally, already juice. But I think the better analogy here is Blue Apron. Like Bodega, Blue Apron took something that involved leaving the house and engaging in moderate human interaction in their case, grocery shopping for dinner and slickly repackaged it in a way that it seemed actually to be selling a balm for recipe anxiety. Bloomberg's always very smart Matt Levine called it "a tech company in the sense that its product is not meals, or ingredients, but simulacrum." The problem was that the simulacrum wasn't proprietary. As soon as it became clear that there was a demand for meal kits, everybody else got in on the action, too. In a market full of clones, imitators, and knockoffs, all Blue Apron had going for it were its early entry advantage, and its skill at packaging and distributing meal kits better than its competitors but even that wasn't enough to save it from the ravenous race to the bottom of a newly oversaturated market. After a few years of rapid growth as a private company, Blue Apron went public in July. The data revealed by their S-1 (a formal statement filed to the SEC when a company plans to sell stock in an IPO) raised eyebrows, with numbers pointing to unsettlingly high customer churn and an eye-watering cost of new-customer acquisition. Their Q2 data confirmed these problems, among others, leading to a stock nosedive so severe that you couldn't short Blue Apron even if you wanted to. Even if Bodega does, improbably, slay its logistics dragons, its success will serve mostly to prove to imitators that this is a space worth being in, and it'll drown. In Silicon Valley, Bodega's success will not be measured by how well it truly replaces the stores it wants to eliminate by how many lives it makes better, how many jobs it creates, how many communities it strengthens, or how many families it serves. Like most startups, its success will depend on whether its founders and investors make money, either by cashing in with an IPO or selling to a bigger company for a tidy profit. The target is probably the latter, and probably Amazon, with the sales pitch not Bodega's market positioning or logistics system (ha!), but the actual hardware of its vending devices a low-footprint storefront that bridges the gap between Amazon's pickup lockers (non-instantaneous, but zero human interface) and its instant pickup stores (instantaneous, but you have to briefly interact with someone). When I joined in on Bodega's public Twitter flogging (with tweets including several that turned into this article), I got a reply from Nadim Hossain, a startup executive who's done time at several major Silicon Valley success stories. He wrote, "Appreciate your insights! Curious why Bodega is eliciting such strong negative reactions? If it works, you've proven it's an audacious idea." @NadimHossain: Appreciate your insights! Curious why bodega is eliciting such strong negative reactions? If it works, you've proven it's an audacious idea Inside of that lives a peculiarly Silicon Valley syllogism: Success is heightened by outside skepticism, therefore outside skepticism may be an indicator of success Hossain later tweeted that he thinks the Bodega idea "has merit." But I'm more stuck on that word, "audacious." I think Hossain means it to be about boldness and daring, which are qualities that remain to be seen if the startup fails, it won't have been bold and daring, it will have been foolhardy. But I think by another meaning, Bodega is already audacious: It is rash and thoughtless. It's ethically and culturally bankrupt, but it also seems to be poorly constructed and unsustainably scaled. So it'll be the other kind of bankrupt, too. @NadimHossain: Right. Seems poor marketing & comms mainly. Idea has merit. We'll find out in 12-24 mos For recent graduates, their student loan debt may very well shape their choice job, career path and employer. Over the last decade, college-loan balances in the United States have jumped to an all-time high of $1.4 trillion, according to a recent report by Experian. The average outstanding balance is $34,144, up 62 percent over the last 10 years. Now, more employers are betting that student loan repayment programs will attract young, top talent burdened by all that debt. To that end, Fidelity Investments announced Thursday it is introducing a Student Debt Employer Contribution program, which will let employers make after-tax contributions toward participants' loans. The program, aimed at lessening the burden of student loan debt and increasing recruitment and retention, will begin later this year. Political risks in the United States, exacerbated by President Donald Trump's struggles to pass key reforms amid a major federal investigation, are not deterring the manager of one of Canada's largest pension funds from being bullish. Hugh O'Reilly, president and CEO at OPTrust, spoke to CNBC on the sidelines of the Milken Institute Asia Summit 2017. He said the strong foundations of the U.S. economy inspire investor confidence. "There's a lot of political change happening in the U.S." O'Reilly said, also pointing to changes in the U.K. and Europe. "We think the United States is one of the strongest, it's a leading economy in the world ... and it has a lot of structural advantages." He added that, in the U.S., the "system works," and he thinks it's "well-run" and transparent. "We understand the risks we're taking on and we're confident in the investments we've made," he said. Many investors have voiced concerns about overvaluations in the market, which are tied to elevated risks. But, O'Reilly said, it is a global phenomenon affecting other regions too. OPTrust is the administrator and fund manager of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union Pension Plan. It has net assets of 19 billion Canadian dollars ($15.6 billion) and has a diversified global investment portfolio including stocks, currencies, fixed income, infrastructure, real estate and private equity. Recently, lawmakers in Washington D.C. prevented a government shutdown by backing a bill that raised the country's borrowing limit for three months as well funding the government and providing $15.3 billion in aid for victims of Hurricane Harvey. But research from ratings agency Moody's suggested that the bill could likely dash any plans for tax reform one of the major campaign promises for President Donald Trump before the end of the year. Earlier in the year, lawmakers failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, which was another major campaign promise for the president. Beyond the U.S., O'Reilly said Asia Pacific is a key investment destination for the fund given that the region houses nearly two-thirds of the world's population and has a little over a third of the global gross domestic product. OPTrust has an office in Sydney. "We have a significant exposure in Asia," he said. "We have significant infrastructure and private equity investments. We also have some direct infrastructure investments in other areas in Asia, as well as private equity." For more than a decade the Cassini spacecraft has orbited the planet Saturn and visited its moons. And on Friday, Sept. 15, it will plunge into Saturn's atmosphere and completely disintegrate. Its demise will be the end of a space mission that has yielded an unprecedented amount of knowledge about a mysterious planet. And it will continue collecting and transmitting data until the very end of its life. Launched in 1997, the mission was a collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency (ASI). After traveling roughly 1 billion miles, according to NASA, Cassini entered Saturn's orbit in 2004 and began sending information that frequently surprised scientists on Earth. Among those surprises: Cassini revealed a huge six-sided jet stream on the planet's top that holds huge hurricane-like storms within it. There is a lot about this hexagon researchers don't know, such as why it is there and how it has managed to sustain itself for so long. The craft flew to Enceladus, a tiny moon with ingredients that could make it suitable for life. Cassini also dispatched the Huygens lander to Titan, Saturn's largest moon, where it discovered a vast underground ocean, and liquid methane on its surface that undergoes a cycle similar to that of water on Earth. Combined, the Cassini-Huygens mission cost about $3.26 billion, according to NASA. That includes $1.4 billion for prelaunch development, $704 million for mission operations, $54 million for tracking and $422 million for the launch vehicle. Cassini gathered data on Saturn's famous rings and found they are made up of odd-sized clumps of particles some as small as grains of sand, others that are miles long. The space between the rings and the planet also is home to another mystery: extremely small, almost smoke-like, particles of dust. Researchers think they may have gotten that way by being ground up, but are not sure what process might have made that happen, project scientist Linda Spilker said in an interview with CNBC. "The question is, what happened to the larger particles, how were they ground up into dust?" Spilker said. Since April, the craft has been making a series of dives between the planet and its rings in what NASA has dubbed The Grand Finale. On Monday, the craft made a flyby of Titan that slowed it down enough to direct it toward Saturn rather than through the furthest reaches of its atmosphere, as it has been doing. On Thursday, the cameras took their final images of Saturn and its system. Cassini will then point its antenna back toward Earth and begin transmitting data as it slowly sinks into Saturn's atmosphere, burning up on its descent. In its final days, the ship was set to collect data that may help precisely determine Saturn's current size, understand its magnetic and gravity fields, and learn the mass of the rings and take a sample of their particles, both for the first time. Asked where in space she would next like to send a spacecraft, Spilker said she would send another craft back to the Saturn system, replete with the considerably more sophisticated technology available today than scientists had when building Cassini and Huygens in the 1980s. Her first stop would be Saturn's tiny moon Enceladus, where she would take samples of its ocean, which harbors many of the conditions needed to sustain life. "I would want to know if the ocean of Enceladus is indeed inhabited rather than just habitable," she said. NASA will be streaming video of Cassini's final moments with live commentary through several outlets, such as NASA TV, online at NASA's website and on the NASA JPL YouTube channel, beginning at 7 a.m. ET. The last signal and data from Cassini are expected at about 8 a.m. ET. Those who want a raw feed of cameras from mission control can tune into NASA JPL's raw feed on YouTube, on Ustream, or on any of the other locations found here. China's supply-side reforms appear to be working as the world's second-largest economy is showing positive signs, said Jing Ulrich, managing director and vice chairman of Asia Pacific at JPMorgan Chase . "In the past many years, the macro economy was always growing strongly but the companies couldn't make any money. But this year, in the first half of 2017, we're seeing the macro and the micro (economies) actually performing in sync," Ulrich told CNBC on the sidelines of the Milken Institute's Asia Summit in Singapore. Official reports on China's economy have shown robust growth ahead of leadership changes later this year. It's not just "new economy" sectors like technology and services that are growing, but also traditional industries like steel and cement making that are profitable, Ulrich added. "China's supply-side reform actually is kicking in," she said. "In the past several years, they have been containing capacity growth, they closed a lot of factories in the steel and aluminum sectors. So now, that reform actually has come to fruition." JPMorgan still expects, however, that China's macroeconomic performance will soften in the second half of the year after the strong credit growth and government-driven infrastructure investment in the first six months. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's candid thoughts on President Donald Trump got caught on a hot mic Thursday. In the audio from the Senate chamber, the Democratic senator from New York talks with an unidentified person about his Wednesday night dinner with Trump. "He likes us. He likes me, anyway," Schumer said. It is unclear who Schumer means by "us." He and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi had dinner with Trump and top aides on Wednesday night. The pair has increased engagement with Trump recently. After that dinner, the Democratic leaders said they agreed to pursue a deal to protect about 800,000 young immigrants from deportation. They said the deal would include border security measures but not the president's proposed wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump on Thursday cautioned that they had not reached a deal. However, he said they were close and insisted that he wants funding for his border wall at some point. Schumer also outlined some advice he gave to Trump. "Here's what I told him. I said, 'Mr. President, you're much better off if you can sometimes step right, sometimes step left. If you have to step in just one direction, you're boxed. ... He gets that," Schumer said. The senator also said of Trump: "He'll make us more productive, too." StoreDot claims its battery charging technology can charge an electric car in five minutes. StoreDot Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler has invested millions in an Israeli start-up whose battery technology can charge electric vehicles in a matter of minutes. Tel-Aviv-based StoreDot announced Thursday that the trucking arm of the German automotive giant had led a $60 million funding round, and would partner with the firm to adopt its FlashBattery technology. The company claims these lithium-ion batteries are able to charge smartphones and electric vehicles in just five minutes. Its batteries are powered by organic (carbon-based) compounds and nanomaterials (substances made up of tiny particles). "StoreDot's solution combines proprietary organic compounds and nanomaterials that are developed in our labs," StoreDot's chief executive Doron Myersdorf told CNBC via email Wednesday, ahead of the announcement. "We focus on fast charging technology as opposed to the rest of industry which is focused on energy density." The business claims the batteries are eco-friendly, and can allow an electric vehicle to travel for more than 300 miles after a full charge. StoreDot claims its battery charging technology can charge an electric car in five minutes. StoreDot Samsung Ventures, Norma Investments, Lucion Venture Capital, and a handful of other Israeli and Chinese financial institutions also participated in the investment round, according to StoreDot. StoreDot: "We do not compete with Tesla" Daimler's latest investment follows Tesla CEO Elon Musk's announcement that the premium electric vehicle manufacturer's semi truck will be unveiled in October. Tesla is currently one of the biggest market players when it comes to producing lithium-ion batteries for electric cars. But StoreDot's CEO said his company was not trying to compete with Tesla. "StoreDot focuses on developing next-generation Li-ion (lithium-ion) batteries. We do not compete with Tesla. We are very synergetic to Tesla in the sense that the major problem for the driver is the charging speed," Myersdorf said. "We totally share Elon's vision and with our fast charging technology we enhance the ability of car companies to offer exceptional driver experience." Myersdorf added that StoreDot would be setting up its own battery storage project similar to Musk's Gigafactory, called OneGiga. He said: "The goal is to be able to ramp quickly new technologies and bring them to mass production as fast as possible. This OneGiga facility would enable us to be at the forefront of the fast charging technology in future generations as well." watch now StoreDot's OneGiga factory would span 15,900 square meters and have an initial manufacturing capacity of 1 Gigawatt hour (GWh) scalable to 10 GWh. This is significantly smaller scale than Tesla's 35 GWH Gigafactory 1. Martin Daum, the Daimler board member responsible for the firm's truck and bus business, said that progression towards an electric truck fleet was a "top priority" for the motoring giant. "Electrification of trucks is of top priority at Daimler," Daum said in a press statement Thursday. Daimler began production on its own electric light-duty truck called the Fuso eCanter earlier this year. Daum said this proved the firm's strive towards producing electric vehicles for "everyday use" in the market. "Fast charging is an important topic especially for fleet owners of all Daimler Trucks brands. Together with StoreDot we will now jointly work on a holistic approach to fast charging," he added. Dieselgate still haunts industry The investment move follows comments from the Mercedes-Benz parent company which suggested electric vehicles could hamper its profit margin goal. Frank Lindenberg, vice president of finance and controlling at Mercedes-Benz Cars, said the company had to be "prepared for a kind of transition" once it rolls out electric cars. Meanwhile, Mike Ramsey, car analyst at Gartner , said that the decision to invest in StoreDot could push Daimler and other German carmakers closer towards an electric future. "Long recharging times and a lack of infrastructure are two of the key barriers to widespread adoption of electric cars. A large battery that could be recharged in as little as 5 minute could dramatically change the efficacy of the technology," Ramsey said. "For Daimler and the German car industry more broadly making a push into electric gets them ahead of the effects of diesel slowly being pushed out of the fleet." Last month Daimler was one of four big German automakers to agree to retrofit millions of diesel cars. Germany's car manufacturing industry remains haunted by allegations of using software to cheat diesel emissions tests. Shares in country's top three carmakers - Volkswagen , BMW and Daimler - fell sharply after reports that European Union antitrust officials were invetigating them over allegations of a "cartel"-style collusion. Several large European industry players said they were prioritizing battery-powered electric cars over combustion engines earlier this week, at the Frankfurt Motor Show. WATCH: Elon Musk's Tesla could soon be overtaken in the global 'arms race' for batteries Vice President Mike Pence looks on with President Donald Trump during a meeting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other Congressional leaders in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2017, in Washington. Congressional Democrats and President Donald Trump stopped short of reaching a deal to shield about 800,000 young immigrants from deportation, and both sides differ on how far negotiations got. "What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security, with a mutual goal of finalizing all details as soon as possible," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a joint statement issued Thursday morning. "While both sides agreed that the wall would not be any part of this agreement, the President made clear he intends to pursue it at a later time, and we made clear we would continue to oppose it." The statement came after some public dispute about whether the bipartisan group actually reached a deal at their Wednesday night meeting. Subsequent public statements by the president and Democratic leaders only appeared to muddle the details of a possible deal, though they voiced support for protecting so-called dreamers. On Thursday, as he prepared to board a plane for hurricane-ravaged Florida, Trump said the meeting drew both parties closer to a resolution and appeared to acknowledge that border wall funding would not come as part of a DACA deal, specifically. "I think we're fairly close, but we have to get massive border security," Trump said. "The wall is going to be built; it'll be funded a little bit later." He noted that large sections of the existing wall are under renovation right now. White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said Thursday morning that while no deal was made, negotiations to salvage the program are "on the table." Last week, Trump ended the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, with a six-month delay to encourage Congress to pass its protections into law. The policy shields certain undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children and authorizes them to work for two years. Congressional leaders from both parties and Trump have recently supported passing the protections into law. Trump's insistence on making funding for his proposed wall between the U.S. and Mexico a condition of a bill a nonstarter for Democrats could have threatened a measure to protect so-called dreamers. Top congressional Democrats on Wednesday night said they reached a deal with Trump without the president's proposed border wall as a condition. Trump later denied any such deal was made. On Wednesday evening, Schumer and Pelosi said in a statement, following a White House dinner with Trump: "We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides." The leaders said they specifically agreed to pair the DREAM Act legislation that offers the young immigrants an eventual path to permanent residency and citizenship that's previously failed in Congress with other border security provisions, a person briefed on the meeting said. Thursday morning, however, Trump disputed the Democrats' version of events, tweeting, "No deal was made on DACA." Schumer and Pelosi sought to settle the matter Thursday morning, saying, "President Trump's Tweets are not inconsistent with the agreement reached last night." They noted that the president agreed to support "enshrining DACA protections into law." "Both sides agreed that the White House and the Democratic leaders would work out a border security package. Possible proposals were discussed including new technology, drones, air support, sensor equipment, rebuilding roads along the border, and the bipartisan McCaul-Thompson bill." While visiting Florida Thursday morning, Trump said "there was no deal and [the Democratic leaders] didn't say they had a deal." He added that "we're not looking at citizenship, we're not looking at amnesty" but at "allowing people to stay here." "Ultimately, we have to have the wall. If we don't have the wall, we're doing nothing," he said. Earlier Wednesday, House Speaker Paul Ryan said kicking out the immigrants protected by DACA "is not in our nation's interest." He added, however, that he wanted any legislation protecting them to get paired with border security measures. The agreement announced by Schumer and Pelosi comes amid a period of increased engagement between Trump and Democrats. Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not attend the dinner on Wednesday night. Last week, Trump struck a deal with Democratic leaders to attach hurricane aid to a debt ceiling extension and government funding, both for only three months over the objections of Republican leaders. The war of words between North Korea and the United States could make them look "stupid," Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris told CNBC exclusively on Thursday. Sawiris, who owns a telecom company in North Korea, told CNBC that wars are not won with rhetoric. "If you threaten and you don't act you really look stupid, so it's best not to," Sawiris said in an exclusive interview. In the latest row between North Korea and the United States, Pyongyang threatened Thursday to sink Japan and said the U.S. should be "beaten to death like a rabid dog." The comments followed fresh sanctions from the United Nations on North Korea, which were approved by consensus earlier this week. This is now the ninth sanctions package that the UN security council has approved since 2006 for North Korea's missile tests. Scores of accounts on Equifax 's website in Argentina allegedly were protected by the same generic username and password: "admin." Researchers at Hold Security, a Milwaukee-based cybersecurity firm, found that after some guesswork, they were able to uncover personal employee information housed on Equifax's South American site, including names, emails, and Social Security equivalents of over 100 individuals. The researchers easily acquired administrative access and quickly discovered consumer complaint records, complete with the Argentine equivalent of Social Security numbers, known as Documento Nacional de Identidad (National Identity Document). "You don't expect anything like that," said Alex Holden, Hold Security's chief information security officer. "An ability to lookup cases for individuals based on a single numeric ID and gender drew our attention." The research came as Equifax sank deeper into a controversy over its handling of a data breach that could affect 143 million people. The credit reporting company is now facing multiple investigations. In a rare public acknowledgement, the Federal Trade Commission announced Thursday that it has opened a probe into Equifax's breach in the United States. What Hold Security found is not related to the breach in the U.S., which Equifax disclosed last week. But Equifax promptly shut down the website after the research was made public by a security blogger named Brian Krebs. In a statement to CNBC on Thursday, Equifax said: "We learned of a potential vulnerability in an internal portal in Argentina which was not in any way connected to the cybersecurity event that occurred in the United States last week. We immediately acted to remediate the situation, which affected a limited amount of public information strictly related to consumers who contacted our customer service center and the employees who managed those interactions." "What I can tell you is that we fixed the vulnerability immediately upon learning of it, and that this internal portal has not been in use since 2013. The Argentine consumer dispute information that was mentioned in the Krebs article is all publicly available, searchable and not confidential. Additionally, our consumer credit and commercial databases were not accessed or affected." Since it announced the U.S. data breach last Thursday, Equifax shares have fallen more than 30 percent through Wednesday's close. But that's just the beginning of Equifax's woes. The FTC's spokesman, Peter Kaplan, said Thursday, "In light of the intense public interest and the potential impact of this matter, I can confirm that FTC staff is investigating the Equifax data breach." In addition, Massachusetts announced plans Wednesday to file a lawsuit, which will maintain that the company failed to adopt appropriate safeguards to protect the sensitive data. New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Connecticut and other states are also investigating, while nearly two dozen class-action lawsuits have already been filed. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said Tuesday the Equifax breach "may be the most brazen failure to protect consumer data" her office has seen. Eric Schneiderman, New York's attorney general, warned people to be vigilant about hacking, email and other online attacks. The disclosure of the U.S. data breach prompted Holden to take a look at Equifax's web security outside the U.S., he said. After first exploring the Argentine website, which initially required a national identification number, the researchers arrived at a different login interface after shortening the site's URL. "We put in admin, admin [as credentials] and to our surprise we were in," he continued. "We obviously did not state that there was a breach. We highlighted a horrendous security practice which, perhaps, was indicative of the overall data care that led to the breach in the US. But in my professional opinion, if any hacker would look at this part of the website, it would be breached," Holden told CNBC. After making the initial discovery, Holden turned to security researcher Brian Krebs to assess his findings. "Worse still," Krebs said, "each employee's username appears to be nothing more than their last name, or a combination of their first initial and last name. In other words, if you knew an Equifax Argentina employee's last name, you also could work out their password for this credit dispute portal quite easily." ICYMI, Equifax forced to pull offline a huge database of consumer data guarded only by credentials "admin/admin" Krebs is a widely followed blogger on security issues. "I don't have much advice for Argentinians whose data may have been exposed by sloppy security at Equifax," he said in a blog post on Tuesday. "But I have urged my fellow Americans to assume their SSN and other personal data was compromised." Equifax will not survive the fallout from the massive data breach, technology attorney Mark Grossman predicted on Thursday. There are 23 class-action lawsuits filed and a congressional investigation, as well as lawsuits that may be yet to come, he told CNBC. "We've seen a $6 billion loss in market cap, estimated losses from these breaches in excess of $20 billion," Grossman said in an interview with "Closing Bell." "This is ugly. The facts are still unfolding. It's going to get worse. ... We're pointing to a bankruptcy. We're pointing to a takeover." The Federal Trade Commission said Thursday it is investigating the hack, which could impact up to 143 million Americans. The House is also holding a hearing on the matter, with Equifax CEO Richard Smith expected to testify on Oct. 3. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for the firm's executives to agree to testify in the Senate. Equifax did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Grossman's statements. However, the credit reporting company said in an updated post on its website that the breach, which it identified internally in late July and disclosed to the public last week, was the result of criminals exploiting a vulnerability in a website application called Apache Struts. "We continue to work with law enforcement as part of our criminal investigation," the company said. The breach exposed names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, and other identifying information as well as credit card numbers. Grossman thinks it is almost inevitable that this will result in a new cybersecurity law. "I see this as the straw that broke the camel's back. When you think about it and you compare our privacy protections to what they have in the EU, it's a joke in this country," he said. For example, in Europe, citizens have the "right to be forgotten" and have data removed from online, he noted. CNBC's Liz Moyer and Linda Sittenfeld contributed to this report. A former UBS trader has been accused of manipulating precious metals prices in a case of "spoofing." Charges against Andre Flotron include conspiracy, wire fraud and commodities fraud. The complaint, filed Tuesday in federal court in Connecticut, alleges that Flotron and unidentified co-conspirators devised and executed schemes to defraud other market participants through the illegal practice of spoofing. The traders allegedly injected misleading information into the market by placing large orders for precious metals futures on the CME Group's commodities exchange, with no intention to execute the trade. They then sought to benefit from subsequent price fluctuations by placing smaller trades on the opposite side of the market, according to the complaint. "By placing a large-volume order for precious metals futures contracts at certain price levels with the intent, at the time the order was placed, to cancel the order before execution, FLOTRON created the false appearance of substantial supply or demand to fraudulently induce other market participants to react to his deceptive market information," the complaint says. The complaint did not say whether anyone else would be charged. Flotron allegedly carried out the spoofing several times between July 2008 and November 2013. Flotron, a Swiss resident, was arrested in New Jersey and appeared in federal court in Newark on Wednesday, according to Bloomberg News. "We are going to ask for a speedy trial, we're going fight this case, and we expect to be exonerated at the end of the day," an attorney for Flotron told CNBC. UBS declined to comment. A source familiar with the matter told CNBC that Flotron left the bank in 2014 for reasons unrelated to the investigation. Flotron joined the Swiss bank in 1999 and worked in Zurich, Switzerland, and Stamford, Connecticut, according to his LinkedIn profile. In a separate spoofing case, David Liew, an ex-Deutsche Bank employee, settled with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission in June. He admitted to spoofing in trades for gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Liew was permanently banned from trading in commodities in CFTC-regulated markets. With reporting by CNBC's Jim Forkin House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Thursday he's OK with President Donald Trump working with Democrats on big issues. "I think it's always good when the president is talking to both sides," the Republican congressman from California said in an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Box." On Wednesday night, top congressional Democrats said they reached a deal with Trump on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which shielded certain immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. The president on Thursday morning denied a deal had been reached but said they were close. This latest bipartisan outreach came after Trump split with Republicans and worked with Democrats last week on a short-term debt ceiling extension that included a package to approve relief funding for Hurricane Harvey. Tweet 1 Asked whether House Speaker Paul Ryan or Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell were angry that Trump went around them on DACA and the debt ceiling, McCarthy said: "I don't think people are miffed if we're able to get something done here." McCarthy also agreed with the president and said DACA "needs to be fixed as we move forward." "I would like to see immigration overhauled completely because I think it's crazy we have individuals come to America, become engineers and you tell them to ship them someplace else," McCarthy said. "I don't think this country is going to move these individuals out," he added. "This is the only country they have known." Regarding tax reform, McCarthy says the U.S. corporate tax rate is one of the highest in the world and it must be fixed. "We know we have to be in the range of 25 percent or lower all down to 15," he said. "The lower we go, the more competitive we are around the world." watch now Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton signs copies of her new book 'What Happened' during an event at a Barnes & Noble bookstore, Sept. 12, 2017, in New York City. Getty Images Shkreli, 34, last week in a Facebook post, urged his 70,000 or so followers to grab some of Clinton's hair during her ongoing book tour and said he would pay $5,000 per hair. "I must confirm the sequences I already have," wrote Shkreli, who in posts a week before said he had Clinton's DNA and suggested he planned to clone her. Shkreli later claimed the hair bounty offer was a joke. But unamused federal prosecutors asked a judge to revoke his $5 million bail, saying he was a danger to the community. Judge Kiyo Matsumoto, agreed Wednesday, despite lengthy arguments by Shkreli's lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, that Shkreli was not violent and did not represent a danger to Clinton or anyone else. Shkreli now is incarcerated in a Brooklyn, New York, federal jail, where he will await a Jan. 16 sentencing for his conviction in August on securities fraud charges related to hedge funds and a drug company he ran. Meanwhile, Clinton is continuing to promote her new book about the 2016 presidential election, "What Happened." What happened in July 2009, according to the Wikileaks documents, is that a State Department cable issued under Clinton's name to American diplomats "called for detailed biometric information 'on key [United Nation's] officials, to include undersecretaries, heads of specialised agencies and their chief advisers," The Guardian newspaper reported in 2010. Martin Shkreli on lunch break from his court trial in Brooklyn, New York on June 29th, 2017. Justin Solomon | CNBC Biometric information was also desired from permanent Security Council representatives from China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom, the newspaper reported. "A parallel directive sent to diplomats in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi said biometric data included DNA, fingerprints and iris scans," the Guardian noted at that time. Shkreli's lawyer declined to comment Thursday when CNBC asked about disclosures in the Wikileaks documents regarding Clinton and the State Department. CNBC has reached out to representatives for Clinton seeking comment. WATCH: Co-worker says Shkreli 'mentally unstable' The NYPD told CNBC they found blue paint poured over the bull's head and a sash stating "Draw The Blue Line" around the "Fearless Girl" statue across the bull. "Draw the Blue Line" is the name of the group protesting Trump's decision. The protestor responsible, named Courtney Frances Fallon, told CNBC in an email she was "trying to cover New York City (and the world) with horizontal blue lines to represent rising sea levels for the UN General Assembly." "My hope is that the blue will become so ubiquitous that UN members and delegates will see it and reply by publicly reaffirming their commitment to the Paris Agreement," Fallon said. Trump announced on June 1 that the U.S. would withdraw from the agreement but also said: "We will start to negotiate, and we will see if we can make a deal that's fair. And if we can that's great, and if we can't that's fine." watch now Martin Shkreli's new home in a Brooklyn, New York, federal jail is definitely not the kind of place "where you want to be," a top New York City criminal defense attorney said Thursday. Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn is a grim, smelly setting where Shkreli and other inmates are denied the types of services that can make time spent in long-term federal prisons more bearable, while being fed fattening food. "It's not a rehabilitative facility. There's no schooling there, there's no classes there," said the lawyer, Arthur Aidala. "The worst part is there's no real outdoors space." "It's just a place to warehouse human beings." Shkreli, 34, a Manhattan resident, was thrown into the MDC on Wednesday after a Brooklyn federal court judge revoked his $5 million release bond. The MDC Brooklyn detention center. Source: Federal Bureau of Prisons Judge Kiyo Matsumoto ruled that Shkreli represented a danger to the community because of a bizarre $5,000 bounty he offered to Facebook followers who grabbed samples of Hillary Clinton's hair for him. Shkreli and his lawyer Benjamin Brafman claimed the offer was "satire." Matsumoto also was concerned about posts Shkreli had made directed at journalist Lauren Duca, who has a long-standing feud with him, and who Shkreli said he planned to "f---" once his trial ended. Duca on Wednesday tweeted her opinion of Shkreli's incarceration. Tweet Brafman, who declined to comment Thursday, noted during a court hearing Wednesday that the MDC is a "maximum security" facility, as opposed to the minimum security prison Shkreli is likely to do time in if he receives a prison sentence. The MDC also will deny Shkreli access to the internet the digital playground where he has gained widespread notoriety for trolling critics, Clinton and journalists covering his criminal case. The convicted fraudster, who spent his first night in the MDC on Wednesday, has been assigned the number 87850-053 by the Federal Bureau of Prisons as he awaits sentencing on Jan. 16. Martin Shkreli on lunch break from his court trial in Brooklyn, New York on June 29th, 2017. Justin Solomon | CNBC The jail is basically "a holding facility" for people awaiting trial on federal criminal charges, Aidala said. The clientele "really varies. You have a lot of people involved with drugs, who got arrested for drugs. You have a sprinkling of organized crime people" of different ethnicity, Aidala said. "You have a handful of white-collar guys." Shkreli, who previously ran two pharmaceutical companies and several hedge funds, is one of those white-collar guys. A jury convicted him in August of three securities fraud charges. Shkreli had expected to remain free for months, or even longer, pending his sentencing and his planned appeal. Brafman has said that a sentence that does not require prison time is possible in the case. Gerald Lefcourt, a leading criminal defense lawyer, told CNBC on Wednesday that Shkreli could actually spend more time locked up due to his bond revocation than he would otherwise be for a prison sentence given the time it takes for an appeal of a federal conviction to be resolved. Aidala said that even if Shkreli does get sentenced to prison, it will be to a facility that is more pleasant than the MDC. "Everyone says the federal facilities are better than state prisons," Aidala said. "Sure, that's true when you get sentenced." But before then Shkreli has to bide his time for four months in the MDC, where Aidala himself has spent hours visiting clients. "The Brooklyn House of Detention" where people are jailed while awaiting state charges are kept "is like a palace compared to the MDC," Aidala said. NBC News noted that a 2016 report by the National Association of Women Judges said conditions in the female section of the MDC were "unconscionable," and that federal prosecutors in May charged three guards with sexually abusing female prisoners. "There's not the most pleasant odor flowing around the whole building," Aidala said. "You're basically inside, surrounded with the florescent lights." Meals at the facility are "heavy on the carbs," the lawyer said. When inmates come down for visiting hours "they beg their families to get food from the vending machines," Aidala said. With little official recreation, and with access to fresh air limited to a rooftop area that inmates have some access to, "there's a lot of card playing," Aidala said. He said that Shkreli faces much less risk of violence than he would if he was being held at Rikers Island, the sprawling New York City jail complex that holds people charged with state crimes. The MDC is "more of ... an unpleasant place than it is a dangerous place," he said. "It's the dehumanization" that is particularly bad, Aidala said. "You're being told where to go, when to do, how you can do anything, from brushing your teeth to sleeping." "No independence and freedom," the lawyer said. WATCH: Co-worker says Shkreli 'mentally unstable' As North Korea expands the range of its missiles, more than population centers are at risk. A regional military conflict could jeopardize as much as a third of global crude oil supplies shipped by sea, analysts at Wood MacKenzie wrote in a report released today. Much of North Asia's oil-refining capacity would also be in harm's way if military conflict broke out. The outbreak of military conflict on the Korean Peninsula would be destabilizing and could possibly result in a global war, according to Citi's top global political analyst. While it was impossible to put a number on the scale of the North Korea risk, war games carried out through history have simulated what could happen as a result, said Tina Fordham, managing director and chief global analyst at Citi. "A conflict on the Korean Peninsula would not only be very disruptive in the region, but could potentially lead to World War III because of the U.S. security guarantee, so it would be internationalized overnight," Fordham told CNBC's "Street Signs" on the sidelines of the Milken Institute Asia Summit in Singapore. North Korea carried out its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3, worsening already fraught U.S.-North Korea relations. In response, the United Nations Security Council voted to intensify sanctions, including imposing a limit on oil imports, against the hermit state. While the duration and scope of such a conflict would be difficult to measure, North Korea remained an immense risk, Fordham said. "It is the single biggest geopolitical threat and one that would also move markets ... When we look at political risk, we look at whether it's likely to cause an oil price shock or a growth shock. And in the North Korea case, if the worst were to happen, it would be both," she added. North Korea launched an unidentified missile early Friday morning local time that landed in the sea after passing over Japan. That was the second time the pariah state fired a projectile along that general trajectory in recent weeks, but the most recent iteration flew higher and traveled farther than its last. The missile was launched from the communist dictatorship's capital of Pyongyang at about 6:57 a.m. local time and headed east, reports said. The projectile passed over Japan before landing in the sea at roughly 7:16 a.m., roughly 2,000 kilometers (about 1,240 miles) east of Japan's Hokkaido island, according to reports. The previous launch had landed only about 1,180 kilometers (733 miles) east of Hokkaido. The height of the Friday launch also topped the August flight (which was Aug. 28 in the U.S. and Aug. 29 local time). See the comparison in the chart below: CNBC's Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report. House Speaker Paul Ryan and top Republicans pumped the brakes Thursday on talk of an immigration deal between President Donald Trump and Democrats. "These were discussions, not negotiations," Ryan told reporters about a bipartisan dinner Wednesday night. "There isn't an agreement." After the meal with Trump and top aides, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced that they reached the framework for an agreement to protect about 800,000 young immigrants from deportation. The Democrats said they discussed passing protections under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program into law with other border security measures. A deal, the Democrats said, would not include Trump's proposed wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. On Thursday, Trump denied that he reached a final deal with the lawmakers. He insisted on eventually building the wall, though not as part of a bill to shield the so-called dreamers. "I think we're fairly close, but we have to get massive security ... Mitch [McConnell] is on board, Paul Ryan's on board," Trump said before he left for hurricane-ravaged Florida. Schumer and Pelosi followed up Thursday by saying, "What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security, with a mutual goal of finalizing all details as soon as possible." Ryan on Thursday said he supports passing DACA protections attached to other border security measures. But he and other Republican leaders indicated that a deal could be further away than the Democrats hope. "There is no agreement. The president and the chief of staff called me from Air Force One today to discuss what was discussed. And it was a discussion, not an agreement or a negotiation," said Ryan, who did not attend the dinner. "You cannot fix DACA without fixing the root cause of the problem," the Wisconsin Republican added. "We do not have control of our borders. So, we need border security and enforcement as part of any agreement. I think that's something the Democrats are beginning to understand." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday appeared to believe an agreement is not imminent. "As Congress debates the best ways to address illegal immigration through strong border security and interior enforcement, DACA should be part of those discussions. We look forward to receiving the Trump administration's legislative proposal as we continue our work on these issues," he said. McConnell's No. 2 in the Senate, Majority Whip John Cornyn, on Thursday said, "it looks like a deal to make a deal." The other members of Congress "will have some ideas about what that will look like and what will actually pass," he added. Still, some of Trump's most loyal supporters in the right-wing media decried Trump's efforts to strike a deal with Democrats. The website Breitbart News, which staunchly supported Trump as a candidate, labeled him "Amnesty Don" and said he caved on DACA. Media personality Ann Coulter responded to a Trump tweet voicing support for so-called dreamers by asking, "who DOESN'T want Trump impeached?" Coulter tweet: At this point, who DOESN'T want Trump impeached? Fox News host Sean Hannity also expressed dismay at Trump talking to Democrats though he blamed the engagement on McConnell rather than Trump. Hannity tweet: Well Mitch GREAT JOB! You failed so miserably with Healthcare and "excessive expectations" now @POTUS has to deal with Dem Leaders! The Arab countries that have cut ties with Qatar may have more to lose from the spat compared to the gas-rich state they are targeting, according to the group chief executive of the Middle East's largest bank by assets. The blockade, which first unfolded in June, saw Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain accusing Qatar of supporting terrorism and allying with regional foe Iran. Qatar denied those claims, but its stock market and currency suffered from the initial shock of the crisis. The country also experienced the largest fall in non-resident deposits in almost two years right after the rift began. Data by the Qatar Central Bank showed that non-resident deposits declined 7.6 percent to 170.6 billion Qatari riyals ($46 billion) in June from the month before. Part of the money that left Qatar originated from the countries that initiated the blockade. But that was expected and represents only 3 to 4 percent of total deposits in the banking system, noted Ali Ahmed Al-Kuwari, group CEO of Qatar National Bank. "I think to replace 3 to 4 percent is not a big deal and let me also remind you there is a two-way relationship. So there's deposits coming from the countries to Qatar and vice versa, Qatar has investments in these economies so it's fair to say for every dollar lost on one side, there's a dollar lost on the other side," he told CNBC. It's not just the 'Big 3' There are hundreds of credit reporting firms 3:36 PM ET Wed, 13 Sept 2017 | 01:23 Consumers finding that their personal data may have been exposed in the massive Equifax cyberattack might be surprised to learn how many companies have access to different bits of their personal information. The credit-reporting company announced last week that the personal information of over 140 million Americans could have been accessed by hackers between May and July. Why is that number so big? Equifax is one of the "Big Three" credit reporting companies operating in the U.S. TransUnion and Experian are the other big ones. Their businesses are based on getting customer data from banks, which allows them to track things like whether you've been paying your mortgage, your credit card or auto loan. They track checking and savings accounts, too, in case you've been bouncing checks. These companies have all the data anybody would need to steal your identity: name, Social Security number, date of birth, etc. And it's all given to them by third parties, not the customers themselves. There's no opting out, though you can take some steps to secure your information. But it goes way beyond those "Big Three" companies. There are literally hundreds of smaller consumer-reporting companies operating in the U.S. and the smaller ones are collecting information you might not expect. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau maintains a self-reported list of the companies. Consider Milliman IntelliScript, for example. The company collects information on the prescription drugs you buy. If you've ever authorized the release of your medical records to an insurance company, they might have shared them with Milliman. Or look at Retail Equation, a company that monitors consumers' return and exchange behavior at retail companies. Company critics say the information collected can prevent legitimate returns from being accepted. Still, fraudulent returns are a big concern for retail companies, costing them billions of dollars a year, company reports say. The companies did not respond to requests for comment. Consumer-reporting companies are governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, according to the CFPB. That means consumers can request copies of their reports, though some will charge you for it. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin speaking at the 2017 Delivering Alpha conference in New York on Sept. 12, 2017. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin tweeted Thursday that he did not use a government plane to fly to his European honeymoon earlier this year. The tweet from the former Goldman Sachs executive was apparently spurred by reports that he had requested a government plane for the excursion. A Treasury spokes person told CNBC on Wednesday that Mnuchin considered using a military plane because he needs access to secure communications as part of his national security duties. "Treasury withdrew its request after a secure communications option was identified during the Secretary's extended travel," the spokesperson said. Mnuchin tweeted Thursday: I didn't use a government plane on my honeymoon, and if I had I would have paid for it myself. #FakeNews The Treasury's Office of Inspector General is looking into Mnuchin's request for a government plane, according to ABC News, which first reported the story. Operating such a jet can cost around $25,000 an hour, according to ABC. The department inspector general's office is already examining a trip Mnuchin and his wife, Scottish actress Louise Linton, made to Kentucky last month. Mnuchin spoke at an event with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and examined gold reserves at Fort Knox, but he and his wife also allegedly took time to watch the solar eclipse during the trip. -CNBC's Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report White supremacist groups clashed with hundreds of counter-protesters during the 'Unite The Right' rally in Charlottesville, Va. President Donald Trump is not backing off his defiant response to violence at a white supremacist rally in Virginia last month. The president told reporters on Thursday that he told Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., in a one-on-one meeting that "you have some pretty bad dudes" opposing white nationalists. His comments echoed the most divisive remarks he has made as president, which drew criticism from bipartisan lawmakers, business leaders and his own advisors. Trump invited Scott, the only African-American Republican in the Senate, to the meeting Wednesday in what the White House reportedly called a demonstration of his commitment to positive race relations. Trump says he told Scott that violence by some in the so-called antifa movement far-left groups who oppose white nationalists justified his remarks condemning "both sides" for the Charlottesville violence. A suspected white nationalist is accused of ramming a car into a crowd of counterprotesters in Charlottesville, killing one woman and injuring many others. Here's Trump's summary of his meeting with Scott, according to pool reporters aboard Air Force One: I think especially in light of the advent of Antifa, if you look at what's going on there. You have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also and essentially that's what I said. Now because of what's happened since then with Antifa. When you look at really what's happened since Charlottesville, a lot of people are saying and people have actually written, 'Gee, Trump may have a point.' I said there's some very bad people on the other side also. Scott's office responded to Trump's comments by saying he was "very, very clear about the brutal history surrounding the white supremacist movement and their horrific treatment of black and other minority groups." "Rome wasn't built in a day, and to expect the president's rhetoric to change based on one 30 minute conversation is unrealistic," the statement said. "Antifa is bad and should be condemned, yes, but white supremacists have been killing and tormenting black Americans for centuries. There is no realistic comparison." Last month, when Trump said "very fine people" marched with the white nationalists in Virginia, his remarks drew widespread condemnation. The comments led to the dissolution of two business councils advising Trump and caused White House chief economic advisor Gary Cohn, among others, to publicly rebuke the president. Scott's office also commended Trump for saying he wanted to diversify his staff. The statement also said he was encouraged by Trump considering his Investing in Opportunity Act, which aims to invest in economically distressed communities. In a series of tweets Thursday, President Donald Trump declared he had not reached an agreement with top congressional Democrats to shield about 800,000 young immigrants from deportation. He was responding to a statement by Congress' two top Democrats who said such a deal had been reached during their dinner meeting with Trump on the White House on Wednesday. "No deal was made last night on DACA," Trump tweeted. "Would be subject to vote." @realDonaldTrump tweet The president then reiterated his promise to build a wall on Mexican border, saying the barrier "is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls." @realDonaldTrump tweet Despite Trump's insistence on establishing the wall, he tweeted sympathy for those protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which offered young illegal immigrants an eventual path to permanent residency and citizenship. "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military?" Trump asked. @realDonaldTrump tweet "They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own," he continued. @realDonaldTrump tweet The DACA program had been established by executive order by President Barack Obama. On Sept. 5, Trump rescinded the program, saying Obama had overreached his authority in setting up DACA. Trump said the program would be phased out in six months, unless Congress came up with a fix. Trump later adopted a softer tone toward the 800,000 immigrants protected by DACA, telling them not to worry about being deported. The tweets came in response to a statement by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi after they dined at the White House. "We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides," the statement said. Donald Trump Pete Marovich | Bloomberg | Getty Images Ever since taking office, President Donald Trump has been itching to cancel the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Iran. In February, he tweeted that Iran "has been formally PUT ON NOTICE," while also grousing about the "terrible deal" his predecessor made. The administration certified that Iran was complying with the deal on July 17, when it was legally required to review the deal, but all accounts from inside the White House suggest that Trump did so extremely reluctantly. This recertification only lasts 90 days, however, so Trump will need to renew it in October. And it seems like there's a real chance the deal doesn't survive that round of scrutiny. "They are not in compliance with the agreement and they certainly are not in the spirit of the agreement in compliance," Trump said in an August presser. "I think you'll see some very strong things taking place if they don't get themselves in compliance." More from Vox: Why Mueller is drilling into Trump's role in drafting Don Jr.'s false Russia statement The rise of AI is sparking an international arms race South Korea is building an elite military unit with one mission: kill Kim Jong Un All of this raises a pair of questions: Is Trump making a valid argument when he says Iran is breaking the deal? And if not, what's his actual problems with the agreement? The answer to the first question is pretty clearly no. The International Atomic Energy Agency, which is in charge of monitoring the deal, has repeatedly certified that Tehran is complying with the limits on its nuclear program. The Trump administration has yet to produce any evidence to the contrary. It seems instead that Trump's case against the deal is more political and strategic: His team believes that Iran is an enemy of the United States, one that frustrates US objectives in places like Iraq and Yemen, and that the nuclear deal hasn't done much to solve the problem. "Iran is an adversarial power that is working against the vital interests of the region. The deal doesn't make Iran any better, so the deal doesn't serve our interests," James Jay Carafano, a foreign policy expert at the conservative Heritage Foundation who served on the Trump transition team, tells me. There's a core truth to this case: Iran's behavior is extremely problematic in a whole host of ways, from testing ballistic missiles to funding violent militia groups around the Middle East. There are a two big problems Trump's argument, though. First, Iran's support for terror and missile testing while problematic aren't prohibited by the deal, so Tehran isn't violating the pact by doing so. Second, and perhaps more important, there's little reason to believe that scrapping the Iran deal would help the US counter Iran in other areas. The US would have a hard time persuading partner nations to reimpose sanctions if the Trump administration quit the deal for no good reason, which would mean Iran wouldn't suffer very much from an American pullout and thus would have no reason to stop its misbehavior. What's more, it would be completely free to restart its nuclear program. There is, in short, no good reason to believe that withdrawing from the deal would help solve Trump's real problem with Iran. "It's just the worst of all possible worlds: You walk away from the deal but you're not going to get the reimposition of sanctions," Jeffrey Lewis, a nonproliferation expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, says. "If this administration walks away from the Iran deal, my suspicion is that Iran will end up looking just like North Korea, right down to the thermonuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles." What Trump gets right about Iran When you hear the Trump administration talk about Iran, then, it doesn't tend to focus very much on the threat from Tehran's nuclear program. Instead, it tends to talk about Iran's broader policies toward the Middle East. Iran "is responsible for so much instability," the president said in a May 2017 speech. "It is a government that speaks openly of mass murder, vowing the destruction of Israel, death to America, and ruin for many leaders and nations." You hear similar language from his deputies. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, for example, has called Iran the world's "primary state sponsor of terrorism." They've got a point. Iran has long viewed itself as being locked in competition with the US and its regional allies, particularly Saudi Arabia, and has centered its geopolitical strategy on undermining America's allies by supporting their enemies. Iran funds hardline Shia militias in Iraq that commit human rights abuses against the Sunni minority, helping fuel support for ISIS. It has played a vital role in propping up Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, sending a large contingent of Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) fighters and troops from its Lebanese proxy militia Hezbollah. It funds and arms the Palestinian militant group Hamas. It has played a growing role in fueling the Yemeni civil war, sending arms and money to the Houthi militant group that toppled the country's internationally recognized government. Tehran has also tested ballistic missiles despite UN Security Council resolutions warning it against doing precisely that (these tests, it's important to note, don't violate the nuclear deal). Carafano said that addressing this kind of behavior is one of Trump's top two priorities for the Middle East (the other being dealing with ISIS and other jihadist groups). And it appears to dominate the way the administration thinks about the question of canceling the Iran deal. On September 5, UN Ambassador Nikki Haley gave a speech on the nuclear deal that was easily the most sustained policy address on the subject from any top-level Trump official. Haley didn't come right out and say that the US should withdraw from the deal, but basically laid out a case for why it would be justified in doing so. The core of her argument listed the ways that Iran poses a strategic threat to the United States and argued that the deal limits America's policy options for dealing with that threat. "Iran's leaders want to use the nuclear deal to hold the world hostage to its bad behavior," Haley said. "It is this unwillingness to challenge Iranian behavior, for fear of damaging the nuclear agreement, that gets to the heart of the threat the deal poses to our national security," That's about the pithiest expression of the administration's critique of the Iran deal as you could expect: Iran does bad things, the Iran deal limits our ability to punish them for it, so we need to get out. What Trump gets wrong about the Iran deal The problem is that many experts believe that canceling the deal wouldn't necessarily persuade Iran to change its behavior. The key reason why is that nuclear deal with Iran is a very limited and specific agreement. It ends a series of punishing international sanctions on Iran imposed prior to 2015 in exchange for Iran ending a large swath of nuclear-related activity and agreeing to a strict regimen of international inspections to ensure compliance. The punishment for Iranian cheating like operating prohibited technology used to produce nuclear material is the reimposition of sanctions. What's important is that the Trump administration has not been able to point to a single area in which Iran is in violation of the deal's specific terms. There's very little evidence to support Trump's claims that Iran is violating the deal or its "spirit;" in fact, all publicly available evidence suggests they are not. "Since implementation day in January 2016, Iran's compliance with its obligations has been effectively verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency," a statement published by the Arms Control Association and signed by 80 experts explains. "As of August, no international organization or national government has made any allegations of Iranian violations." The deal is, in other words working. It is successfully constraining Iran in one specific area in which it was misbehaving its nuclear program which also happens to be the only area the deal was designed to cover. The nuclear deal was never designed to stop Iran's support for Assad or end its ballistic missile tests. If the US were to withdraw from the Iran deal without being able to cite any clear evidence then experts believe it would probably have little to no support from the rest of the world which sees the deal, correctly, as a nonproliferation agreement alone. This is a huge problem for the White House. The pre-deal sanctions regime only had bite because European and Asian powers agreed to place sanctions on Iran. The US alone does little business with Iranian firms; without European and Asian buy-in, any new sanctions wouldn't really hurt Iran. And key countries in those regions have been crystal clear that they are against canceling the deal. "France doesn't support the reopening of the deal. It should be rigorously implemented as it is now," Gerard Araud, the French Ambassador to the US, tweeted on September 13. "How many times should we repeat it?" This is one key reason experts like Lewis are so vehemently against canceling the Iran deal. It would likely lead to Iran restarting its nuclear program without giving the US any major source of leverage on other problems. "There's no chance the Europeans will go along with that," Lewis says. What's more, the deal already granted Iran economic concessions including unfreezing billions of dollars' worth of assets that the US can't just undo. This is why even some critics of the Iran deal believes simply canceling the deal is a bad idea; Iran got many of its benefits up front, while the benefits to the US require maintaining inspections for years. "The clock is not so easily turned back," Michael Singh, senior fellow at the center-right Washington Institute for Near East Policy, writes in a mid-September New York Times op-ed. "Any realistic Iran policy must take this as its starting point." Indeed, Secretary Mattis essentially said as much in his January confirmation hearing. "I think it is an imperfect arms control agreement it's not a friendship treaty," Mattis said. "But when America gives her word, we have to live up to it and work with our allies." Finally, there's no reason to believe the US can't challenge Iran in places like Iraq while keeping the nuclear deal, and its vital limits on Iran's nuclear program, in place. America is, for example, currently participating in the Saudi war against the Houthi rebels in Yemen and, under Trump, literally bombed Iranian ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Taking a longer view, the US struck to a number of nuclear nonproliferation agreements with the Soviet Union and yet still managed to wage an entire Cold War against it. There's a whole host of tactics, ranging from exposing covert IRGC operations to interdicting Iranian weapons shipments to its proxies, that could be employed to challenge Iranian misbehavior. A comprehensive report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, released in March, lists many of these and notes that they're all compatible with staying in the Iran deal, which it believes should be maintained. "Revoking the [Iran deal] would allow Iran to resume its nuclear activities without oversight provisions and would have very little punitive impact on the country otherwise," the report notes. That leads many experts from both parties to conclude that Trump's argument for canceling the Iran deal addressing Iran's misbehavior makes little sense. Some believe the true motivation may be a tad more political. Trump has vocally attacked the Iran deal, like he has many pieces of President Obama's legacy, and hates being forced to publicly certify that it's working. Adhering to the deal is humiliating and feels like a betrayal of his campaign promises. It's very likely that he hates being put in a position where he is forced either to accept Obama's deal or face the reality that destroying it would do more harm than good. "It makes him," Lewis guesses, "feel like a cuck every 90 days." WATCH: Iran not a welcoming environment for businesses: Prince Turki "Somewhere, George Washington's ghost must be smiling wide with those wooden teeth of his. It was Washington who warned against the formation of political parties and urged the nation to choose leaders for reasons that transcended partisan politics." Even at the state level, we're starting to see party power dwindling, with outsiders like Kid Rock and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson being seriously considered as candidates. So much for moving up the ranks in politics and waiting your turn. It's important to remember this didn't start with President Trump or Senator Sanders. Barack Obama proved the party hierarchy and seniority system was on the wane when he stepped over Hillary Clinton in 2008 to win the Democratic presidential nomination and the presidency after just two years in the U.S. Senate. But even prior to that, the parties were becoming less discernible from each other, aside from a few wedge issues like abortion and gun control. They pull donations from the same entities with just a few exceptions, and have similar track records when it comes to enduring challenges like controlling the debt, reining in health care costs, or improving the infrastructure, despite their rhetoric to the contrary. That corruption, or perceived corruption, played a big role in Donald Trump's successful "drain the swamp" campaign. Now, Trump is continuing to exploit the breakdown of major party influence, pushing for conservative priorities like tax reform and a ban on immigrants from several Muslim countries tied to terrorism, even as he also makes deals with Democrats on the debt ceiling, DACA, and maybe even Obamacare. We all know just how loudly and angrily the left has been reacting to President Trump in general. But in case there's any doubt about how the partisan right is responding to the Trump team's moves lately, there shouldn't be. They're infuriated. But there's also seems to be an understanding that there's little they can do about it. Somewhere, George Washington's ghost must be smiling wide with those wooden teeth of his. It was Washington who warned against the formation of political parties and urged the nation to choose leaders for reasons that transcended partisan politics. His cabinet members, especially Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, didn't listen. But it's happening now. Of course, this will not result in the total disappearance of party titles in elections at least not yet. Too much of the election infrastructure in too many states relies on major party nominees dominating the ballot choices. But several states, like California, already have statewide primary elections where the top vote-getters regardless of their party are the ones who go before the voters in general elections. That's why Senator Kamala Harris faced off against another Democrat last year in the general election. We could see more states going this way, thus making it less important to hook up with one party or another just to get on the ballot. So what does this mean going forward? For now, lost party influence will continue to enable Trump's generally hard-to-define policy leanings. He'll easily shift between the right and the left as it suits him with more freedom than perhaps any other president in 100 years. Republicans and Democrats will likely begin to decide on a case-by-case basis when to support the president, when to oppose him, and when to simply keep quiet. And that means the long-coveted positions like Speaker of the House and majority leader will become less important. Looking to 2018 and the next presidential election, expect more outsider candidates to throw their hats into the ring without established party members being able to do much about it. Supporters of President Trump are likely to challenge incumbent Republicans in several primaries. And there are many who believe the Democrats might even get more serious about recruiting outsiders and celebrities for the 2020 race against President Trump. The important thing to remember is that all the craziness we're seeing in Washington these days is not just the result of this president's personality or some new level of political anger across the country. An old order that's been in place for generations that kept a lid on the kind of chaos we've seen in recent months has crumbled. These are uncharted waters for sure, but they may not lead to such bad results. After all, the partisan political structure in place for so long has brought us numerous wars, $20 trillion in debt and a government that's grown well beyond its usefulness. Love or hate it, it's time to face this new reality: The Democratic and the Republican parties as we know them are finished and the politicians, the people who give them money, and the people who cover them need to adjust accordingly. Commentary by Jake Novak, CNBC.com senior columnist. Follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. One man's loss is another man's gain, as the saying goes, and so it seems to be the case for Brexit. As Britain prepares to suffer an outflow of jobs from its capital over the coming years, Europe, and one city in particular, looks set to reap the benefits: Frankfurt. Already a thriving financial hub, Frankfurt has so far emerged as the destination of choice for London banks looking to relocate staff in order to continue serving European customers after the U.K.'s EU exit. The trend is surely a win for a city at the heart of the union. But it has also raised concerns about its ability to cope with the sudden surge in population, and nowhere will this be more acutely felt than in its housing market. In November last year, Deutsche Bank predicted that 5,000 new residents could be expected to settle in Frankfurt as a result of Brexit-related job moves. Then, in early 2017, as Brexit discussions gathered pace, the German bank reported an almost 12 percent rise in Frankfurt property prices as the market finally awoke from a financial crisis-induced lull and supply limitations took hold. Its rate of growth was almost double that of the country's other major cities. Today, the number of Brexit relocations is likely to be closer to 8,000, and rising, according to August research from German bank Hebala. Citigroup, Goldman Sachs and Standard Chartered are among the institutions to confirm that they will be upping their staff numbers in Frankfurt. Indeed, just last week, Deutsche Bank's chief executive John Cryan said that more so than other Brexit beneficiaries, such as Paris and Dublin, Frankfurt is the "only one European city" which can fulfil the structural requirements to match London. If you look at the deficit of apartments in Frankfurt, we're missing around 30,000... Jochen Moebert Real estate analyst, Deutsche Bank Yet, despite boasting a healthy supply of office space, the city suffers from a severe housing shortage; and it's set to get worse as the city grows increasingly popular among Germany's younger workers, as well as London emigres. In 2016, Frankfurt's population grew by approximately 16,000, while just 4,000 new properties came to the market, according to Helaba's real estate analyst Stefan Mitropoulos. "In contrast to the ample volume of available office space, vacancy rates on Frankfurt's housing market are currently negligible," Mitropoulos wrote in Helaba's August report. Wearing a hard hat a man looks out over the city skyline in Frankfurt/M., western Germany, on September 20, 2012 Odd Andersen | Getty Images "The influx of new residents from inside and outside Germany has been accompanied by increasing construction activity over the last few years. However, it has not been strong enough to keep up with the additional demand, with the result that the gap between supply and demand on the Frankfurt housing market has widened," Mitropoulos noted. "This is leading to a significant rise in house prices." Deutsche Bank estimates that Frankfurt is currently short around 30,000 properties and that's before Brexit. "If you look at the deficit of apartments in Frankfurt, we're missing around 30,000 and it's an inelastic market and the demand overhang is here to stay," Jochen Moebert, real estate analyst at Deutsche Bank, told CNBC last week. The issue has become a key subject of debate in the country's upcoming election on September 24. Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the smaller Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Free Democratic Party (FDP) are among the parties pledging solutions. If re-elected, as widely anticipated, Merkel has said her government will boost supply and build 1.5 million new homes in the next four years, up 25 percent on the number pledged in her previous term. There is much potential for improvement in German housing policy. The most important thing is to find new land for housing. Stefan Mitropoulos Real estate analyst, Helaba Moebert described the plan as "helpful," however, he is doubtful that it will get rid of the now escalating demand. Mitropoulos agrees: "There is much potential for improvement in German housing policy. The most important thing is to find new land for housing. Rather than just regulating, they (the government) should be allocating more land for development." But the process is a long one, and unlikely to accommodate a near-term surge in population. A new development was announced in Frankfurt last month, however, according to Moebert, "no one expects this (to be finished) within the next ten years." Chief negotiator for the European Union, Michel Barnier (R) and Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis (L) hold a joint press conference during the second round of the Brexit negotiations in Brussels, Belgium on July 20, 2017. Dursun Aydemir | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images The U.K. is due to leave the EU in March 2019, meaning that staff will need to be installed in their new European offices in less than 18 months. Meanwhile, German property agent Sotheby's International Realty told CNBC it has seen a "considerable" uptick in interest from U.K. residents since the start of the year. Britain now accounts for the second-largest source of traffic to the firm's website after Germany. For Brits, interest lies mainly in smaller, furnished rental properties as this stage, as City workers contemplate commuting to Frankfurt for work and retaining their main residences in the U.K. at least while the details of Brexit are being ironed out Sotheby's managing director, Olivier Peters, told CNBC Tuesday. Displacement of lower income groups being priced out of the city's increasingly urban districts remains a serious issue Stefan Mitropoulos Real estate analyst, Helaba Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart and Cloud Constellation President Cliff Beek at the World Satellite Business Week in Paris, France sign an agreement for a dozen satellites. Air-launch rocket builder Virgin Orbit took another step in making low-cost rockets a reality in a new deal with satellite developer Cloud Constellation. The Virgin Galactic spinoff, which is owned by billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson, on Tuesday signed an agreement to launch a dozen communications satellites for Cloud Constellation's SpaceBelt system. The rocket company expects to begin delivering on the contract with its LauncherOne system in 2019. "These missions wouldn't have been possible even a few short years ago," Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart said in a statement at the World Satellite Business Week event in Paris. The low-Earth orbit constellation will be the backbone of SpaceBelt, to create a space-based data storage network. The individual units, considered small by the commercial space industry, each weigh around 400 kilograms or more than 800 pounds. After top congressional Democrats last night said they reached a deal with President Donald Trump to shield about 800,000 young immigrants from deportation, without the president's proposed border wall as a condition, Trump denied this morning any such deal was made. (CNBC) President Trump will travel to Florida today to survey the damage from Hurricane Irma, which tore a massively destructive and deadly path through Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina as well as the Caribbean. (USA Today & Weather Channel) Trump issued an order blocking a group that includes a Chinese venture capital firm from purchasing Lattice Semiconductor (LSCC), citing national security concerns. Trump's move marks only the fourth time in the past 27 years that a president has blocked a deal like this.(CNBC) Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin asked for a government plane to fly to his European honeymoon earlier this year. The Treasury said Mnuchin had considered using a military plane because he needs access to secure communications. The plane request was later dropped when a secure communications option was identified. (CNBC) A federal judge revoked the $5 million bond of convicted fraudster Martin Shkreli and ordered him jailed after ruling the notorious "pharma bro" was a danger to the public because of his offer on Facebook of cash for samples of Hillary Clinton's hair. (CNBC) A North Korean state agency threatened to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test. (Reuters) *North Korea faces food shortages after intense drought and 'very bad harvest' (CNBC) As Russian troops take part in what may be the largest military exercise since the Cold War, NATO has called on Moscow to be more "transparent" about its exercises. The main purpose of its exercise is to stimulate defense and counterattack in case of war with NATO member countries. (CNBC) *NATO alert as Russia begins mass war games (Financial Times) Democratic Senator Al Franken asked Apple to provide more details on the tech behind its Face ID system, which allows users to unlock their iPhone X using facial recognition. In a letter, he said, "substantial questions remain about how Face ID will impact iPhone users' privacy and security." (Tech Crunch) * (CNBC's Mad Money) Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced his company's "unreal" semi truck was tentatively set to be unveiled in October. Musk has already revealed some details about the project and had previously said it would be unveiled in September. (CNBC) Musk has shared a sequence of clips demonstrating "how not to land" a SpaceX rocket. In an Instagram post, the SpaceX chief described the "sordid history" of orbital rocket Falcon 9. The rocket "eventually managed to land in one piece and stay that way," Musk said. (CNBC) In this photo taken on Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, Belarusian army vehicles drive preparing for war games at an undisclosed location in Belarus. Russia and Belarus are holding a massive war games, Zapad 2017, that due to start on Thursday near the borders of Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. As Russian troops take part in what may be the largest military exercise since the Cold War, NATO has called on Moscow to be more "transparent" about its exercises. The Zapad 2017 military exercise is held on the border with Poland, Lithuania and Belarus. The main purpose is to stimulate defense and counterattack in case of war with NATO member countries. The last time Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Belarus a new war erupted. Speaking exclusively to CNBC on Thursday, Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO, called on Russia to be "transparent" about its military exercises to avoid any "misunderstandings or miscalculations." "Every nation, also Russia, has the right to exercise its forces but it's important this is done in a transparent way to prevent misunderstandings, miscalculations," he said. "And we've seen before, Russia using military exercises as a disguise for aggressive actions against other countries; that was the case in 2008 and that was the case in 2014 when they annexed Crimea," Stoltenberg said. watch now Bernie Sanders for years has waged a lonely Senate battle for legislation to create a single-payer, government-run health care system. Now, the Vermont independent, who has never had a co-sponsor for his bill, has quite a bit of company. Sixteen Democrats including potential 2020 presidential candidates have lined up behind his "Medicare-for-All" bill, which would eliminate the role of private insurers in basic health care coverage. More than 500,000 people across the country have signed a petition as "citizen co-sponsors" of his bill, which he introduced today in a packed Senate hearing room. In the House, a record majority of Democrats 117 have signed onto similar legislation by Rep. John Conyers of Michigan. More from USA Today: To bridge transition, Obama renews seven national emergencies Special report: America's perpetual state of emergency Opioid crisis: Lawmakers press Trump on emergency declaration "There is no doubt about it, momentum is on our side," wrote Sanders, who pushed the idea as a 2016 presidential candidate, in an email to his supporters Wednesday. But momentum is hardly passage, and the bill faces an uphill climb in a Republican-controlled Congress that is still trying to unravel Democrats' last overhaul of the American health care system: Obamacare. Here's what a Medicare-for-all bill could mean for you: What would be covered? The Sanders bill would allow for comprehensive coverage, from hospital to dental services, and it would include abortion coverage. Patients would choose doctors, hospitals and other health care providers they want, and they would pay no deductibles or premiums. Benefits would remain the same for veterans and Native Americans, who receive medical care through the Indian Health Service. Sanders' bill would also take preliminary steps to expand Medicare during a four-year transition period before making Medicare coverage universal. Other Democrats have suggested less drastic changes, such as providing an option for Americans to buy in to Medicare or extending Medicare only to people over 55. Republicans say single-payer health care countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom face poor quality of care and long wait times to see a doctor. "Some patients will never get the care they need," Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., wrote about the idea in a Fox News opinion piece. "When Washington pays all the bills, it will soon decide to exert tighter control over everybody's care." Sanders counters that America already rations health care, with thousands dying because they can't afford it. Meanwhile, he says Americans' life expectancy is lower than most other industrialized countries and infant mortality rates are much higher. "We spend almost twice as much per capita on health care as any other nation on Earth and yet we have 28 million people without any health insurance and even more who are under insured," Sanders said. How much would it cost me? Under Sanders' bill, Americans would have one insurance plan, administered by the federal government. Gone would be co-pays, deductibles and premiums paid to private insurers along with insurance that's tied to employment. Sanders provides no estimate of what "Medicare for all" would cost the federal government, and therefore cost in taxes on the average person, but he says it would take a much smaller percentage of most Americans' income. "While, depending on your income, your taxes may go up to pay for this publicly funded program, that expense will be more than offset by the money you are saving by the elimination of private insurance costs," Sanders said. He also expects the price of drugs to drop for the federal government and individuals because the bill would lift the current ban on the federal government negotiating prices with drug companies. But won't it cost a fortune in taxpayer money? Yes, if estimates of Sander's campaign proposal are any gauge. Republicans point to an Urban Institute study indicating that proposal would increase federal expenditures by $32 trillion over 10 years. Another study by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget says the campaign proposal would cost $25 trillion and add $16 trillion to the debt (including interest) without additional offsets, putting the national at 148% of GDP in 2027. Sanders' staff says the actual bill will cost less than the campaign plan, but the bill hasn't yet been scored by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. Sanders proposed options to finance the bill that he says together would raise about $16 trillion over 10 years. Among them are income-based premiums paid by employers or households, a more progressive personal income tax, a "wealth tax," a one-time tax on corporate profits held offshore, and a fee on large financial institutions. Could it pass Congress? Nope, not in a Republican-controlled Congress. In fact, four Democrats and one independent joined Republicans in opposing a single-payer bill when Republicans forced a vote in July. Other Democrats voted "present" at the request of Sanders, who called the GOP move a "sham." But progressive Democrats expect candidates for president and other offices to rally behind ideas for Medicare expansion in the next elections. Along with Sanders, Senate co-sponsors include others who are regularly mentioned as potential presidential candidates: Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kamala Harris of California, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said activists will push the Democratic Party to embrace the idea of Medicare-for-all in coming years, and it will be a political winner because Medicare is so popular. "Voters will get the message that the Democratic Party stands for a big idea of giving every American access to the super popular Medicare program," he said. Several Democratic leaders have co-sponsored the House bill, but Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California isn't among them, even though she has long supported the single-payer approach to health care. "Right now, I'm protecting the Affordable Care Act," she told reporters. Republicans are still trying to overturn that law, and they were forced back to the drawing board in July after the Senate narrowly defeated a limited repeal of what is better known as Obamacare. On Wednesday, President Trump endorsed yet another GOP plan that would replace parts of 2010 law, and the Senate Health Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has been holding hearings this month on bipartisan options for propping up the current law. Is there public support? Wasting no time, Microsoft has announced its online enterprise mobility management (EMM) suite, InTune, supports Apple's new iOS 11 mobile platform. Apple announced on Tuesday that iOS 11 will be available on Sept. 19. It has been in public beta since mid-summer. Microsoft began releasing developer and beta builds of its EMM cloud service a few months ago, and said its Intune development team has been working to ensure that all of its mobile device management (MDM) and mobile application management (MAM) tools will work seamlessly on iOS 11. "As you plan for this update within your organizations, you can have the confidence that all existing Intune and hybrid (Configuration Manager and Intune) capabilities will continue to work as expected when users upgrade to iOS 11," Microsoft said in a blog post. "The only thing you need to do is ensure your users update to the latest version of the Company Portal, which is available now in the App Store." BlackBerry also pledged its Enterprise Mobility Suite has been updated to fully support iOS 11. Because iOS 11 is more enterprise-friendly, it is considered a bigger target for EMM vendors than past releases that, while offering the same capabilities, were more difficult to use. [ To comment on this story, visit Computerworld's Facebook page. ] In the past year, 82% of the work done on mobile devices in the enterprise was performed using iOS devices; the remaining 18% of mobile activities were done on Android devices, according to new research from file synchronization software vendor Egnyte. "With this version, basic features that should have been there for a long time are there now," said Kevin Burden, vice president of Mobility Research & Data Strategy at 451 Research. With iOS 11, Apple added a Dock on the iPad that allows as many as 15 apps to be quickly accessible from the home screen or when an application is running; it also added new multi-tasking features that include the ability to swipe between running apps a function similar to a macOS Mission Control feature. Apple The updated mobile platform also offers a system-wide drag-and-drop feature that enables users to perform tasks, such as grabbing data from an Excel spreadsheet and dropping it into a PowerPoint presentation. While previous versions of the iOS allowed similar functionality, those tasks required multiple steps to achieve, and the complicated steps needed didn't play well with a mobilized workforce. "With older versions of iOS, you could mobilize back-end applications onto it, but having the applications there is just one step. Being able to navigate, manipulate and jump around in an application, that's something else," Burden said. "No one wants to cut and paste on a mobile device, but drag-and-drop on a mobile device that's a lot easier." Apple also improved the way its iPhone and iPad handle file management by allowing users to organize data and documents via its new Files app, which is similar to the macOS desktop Finder. Computerworld iOS 11's Files app offers a more traditional file finder/viewer for iPad users who need one to manage workflow. Using iOS 11's Files app, users can store documents in folders, which then become icons just as they are on a Mac desktop or laptop and that can be sorted by their size, tags or the date they were modified. Those same File icons can also be organized and deposited in Apple's own iCloud or other online storage services, such as DropBox through the same drag-and-drop feature. "There's plenty of good technologies out there that basically go unused because they're too difficult for business users to use or they don't operate the way they want them too," Burden said. "I think there's some truth to that when it came to iOS in the enterprise. Everyone had it in their back pocket, but when it came to doing real business-type tasks, it was too cumbersome. Apple By pressing and holding briefly on an app's icon in the Dock, you can easily find recent documents. "So the belief is that users are going to start looking at iOS a little differently and they might start using it more and therefore it better be supported by the various EMM vendors," Burden said. "That is the reason Microsoft believes it must support this." Regardless of how much better iOS 11 is over iOS 10, however, zero-day support for a major OS is "table stakes" if you're to be taken seriously as an EMM vendor, according to Chris Silva, a research director at Gartner. "In fact, lacking that support for iOS 10 has been, to us, a red flag for how committed a vendor is to their EMM product," Silva said. "While the balance has been shifting for some time, in many organizations iOS inherited the throne from Blackberry as the corporate-blessed mobile OS, largely because it had consistent MDM controls early-on, which were widely supported across different generations of Apple devices." Not adding support for iOS would be a deal-breaker in the eyes of corporate buyers of EMM technology, Silva said, and "many, many users are going to upgrade the OS on day 1, [so] the support needs to be there." To solve a problem one must first understand it or at least, if one is attempting to tackle it with others, agree what it is. So with housing, for example, there is a growing consensus that young people cant afford to buy homes because too few are being built. With social care, there is agreement that there is rising demand for it, that the present arrangements dont work, and that reform is needed. With student finance, there is no evidence that tuition fees are deterring young people from going to university including disadvantaged young people but the system is clearly one of the reasons why some of them dont vote Conservative. These are different sorts of problems. All of them are difficult to address, as Theresa May has found with social care. But at least it is clear what they are. ConservativeHome will return to each of them next week. However, the Prime Minister is now in danger of staking her reputation on finding a solution to a phenomenon about which there is no agreement on either its cause or remedy namely, the disparities in outcomes between different ethnic groups. The quest is inextricably linked to her present predicament. There is a belief in Downing Street that the new Government must not be defined by Brexit. We suspect that to seek to do otherwise is to attempt the impossible, but Number Tens wish is understandable. Just as artists want to paint with more than one colour, so Ministers want to govern with more than one policy. And the election result has damaged Theresa Mays brand. Political and administrative need have thus come together, in the minds of her team, and taken them back to her original purpose. When she first stood outside Downing Street as Prime Minister, May complained of burning injustices. All of those she named have complex causes. Two of them concerned ethnicity if youre black, youre treated more harshly by the criminal justice system than if youre white, she said. If youre a white, working-class boy, youre less likely than anybody else in Britain to go to university. Hence the commissioning last summer of a government audit to tackle racial disparities in public service outcomes. Obviously, it is part of the work of social justice to seek more equality of opportunity although until nurture and nature are evenly distributed, which they never will be, this will always be a work in progress. And sometimes, a report from politicians can point towards incremental solutions to knotty problems. A classic example is the report by the Fair Access to University Group, under the Coalition Government, which produced detailed proposals to widen and broaden entry. The group stressed the provision of information which allows students to make informed choices before A-level subjects. In other words, they wanted Government to tackle what George W.Bush called the soft bigotry of low expectations, which in this case results in disadvantaged school pupils not applying. Sometimes, too, a report can demonstrate why fools, or at least politicians, can rush in where angels fear to tread. Earlier this week, this site cross-posted with Policy Exchange a detailed assessment by David Goodhart and Richard Norrie of the Lammy Review on the treatment of and outcomes for ethnic minorities in the criminal justice system. The cornerstone of their findings is that Lammy assumed that any departure from proportional minority representationmust be overwhelmingly the result of discrimination by the majority society. But the evidence for this is weak. They went to say that statistics which he cites actually demonstrate that some non-white ethnic minority groups are over-represented, and some under-represented, relative to whites throughout the system. So, to dig into the detail for a counter-intuitive example, white people have the highest conviction rate for all indictable offences at 82 per cent (compared to 77 per cent for black people and 74 per cent for Asians). Today, Munira Mirza, a former deputy mayor to Boris Johnson, takes the same tack. Writing in the Spectator, she concludes that the detail of Lammys report concedes that there are many reasons outside the criminal justice system for the ethnic disparities it describes. Black children are more likely to grow up in a single-parent family, black and mixed ethnic boys are more likely to be permanently excluded from school, and BAME groups have a much higher incidence of mental illness. All of these are linked to higher rates of offending. The point about the Lammy Review is that it wasnt a freelance effort by a single politician. It was commissioned by the Government and published on its official website. It isnt hard to see where all this may lead. There is already evidence that Downing Street is beginning to grasp that it may have bitten off more than it can chew. During the summer, it was reported that the publication of the audit has been delayed: there is a sense that Ministers, and the Number Ten machine, have been overwhelmed by the sheer amount of evidence, and conclusions that could be drawn from it, that the very act of commissioning the audit made inevitable. But it is possible that the sense of expectation that has been aroused, plus political and administrative momentum, may propel the Prime Minister into a controversy that she can neither solve nor control. Mirza is tough on Team May, suggesting that her political advisers fondly imagine the audit will somehow improve the Conservative partys relationship with BAME communitiesa panoply of anti-racism lobby groups is excited at the prospect of a new Macpherson or Scarman moment that will pave the way for fresh laws and more public funding for them. It is worth remembering that the audit was commissioned pre-election, when Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill were the Prime Ministers co-Chiefs of Staff, and before Gavin Barwell and the present team took over. So there can be no doubt that May is seeking to solve problems about which she feels deeply. But that does not make what Mirza wrote untrue. Barwell has an interest in the politics of ethnicity drawn from his own experience as an MP in the marginal and diverse constituency of Croydon Central. And the political need to get back to the spirit of the Prime Ministers early days in office, thus helping to revinvent her, is deeply felt among the team who now run Number Ten Barwell, Damian Green, Gavin Williamson, Robbie Gibb, and others. The danger is that expectations have been roused that will be impossible to fulfill. The Prime Minister could be embarked not on a popular quest across easy terrain criticised only by reactionaries from whom she wants the Tories to distance themselves but on an unthought-through venture into a bewildering forest, in which all sense of the wood is lost amidst the statistical trees. As Goodhart and Norrie wrote, recommendations risk being ineffective, even counterproductive, while the narrative and media coverage of the reports will reinforce the very minority disaffection that they are seeking to allay. Lobbies demanding more money, laws and patronage. Jeremy Corbyn on Mays back, seeking to do to her over any proposals what he has sought to do to her over the Grenfell horror. Conservative MPs troubled, as the case made by Goodhart, Norrie and Mirza begins to sink home. And most importantly, policy that set social justice back rather than take it forward. Is this really the relaunch that Number Ten wants? 09/14/2017 The Sabal Trail Pipeline, a new natural gas pipeline that critics have charged is uncomfortably close to Floridas main aquifer, operated safely throughout Hurricane Irma, a spokesperson with the pipeline operator tells ConsumerAffairs. We were and continue to be able to meet any customer needs, says an email from Andrea Grover of Enbridge Energy, the natural gas company behind the Sabal Trail Pipeline. Operations was not affected by the hurricane impacts. When environmentalists in the region got word several years ago that a natural gas producer was building a 515-mile pipeline to send fracked gas from Alabama to Florida, they quickly organized. In lawsuits and protests, they pointed out that much of the Sabal Trail Pipeline would run along the Floridan Aquifer, the states main source of drinking water. Because of the fragile geology in and around Florida, where sinkholes are unusually common, activists said that the aquifer could be damaged from pipeline operations or a pipeline accident. While the Sabal Trail Pipeline representatives have countered that the pipeline can support itself for at least 150 feet, advocates and the news media documented several sinkholes that occurred during the construction process. But federal regulators have typically taken a favorable view to the many oil and gas companies hoping to build more pipelines in recent years, and the Sabal Trail project would be no exception. Only the Environmental Protection Agency had voiced concerns that the pipeline would destroy or affect an estimated 1,200 acres of land across the route, but the agency changed course at the end of 2015 after meeting with company representatives and looking more closely at the project. Natural gas began flowing through the Sabal Trail Pipeline in June 2017. People like John Quarterman, a Georgia landowner and activist with WWALS Watershed Coalition, a group that aims to protect watersheds in Georgia and Florida, say that federal regulators are typically asleep at the wheel for these projects. We have this 500-mile improvised explosive device, under our rivers, next to our schools and next to people's houses and nobody is handling pipeline safety, he tells ConsumerAffairs. Sinkholes and hurricanes Florida's landscape is characterized by karst terrain, or land made of porous limestone, caverns, and water dissolving into the bedrock, all of which are a recipe for sinkholes. Man-made infrastructure can increase the chance of a sinkhole forming, and so can intense rain. "Man-induced sinkholes typically involve collapse of old mine workings, drainage infrastructure or other underground workings, explained meteorologist Jim Andrews in one recent report. Naturally, such can fail over time, and rainfall can be a major factor. In fact, at least four homes have been evacuated in central Florida this week after sinkholes formed in the wake of Hurricane Irma, according to reporters on the scene. Still, Enbridge Energy says that their pipeline can handle sinkhole-prone terrain. While opposition has raised the issue of the pipeline being constructed in karst terrain, this was thoroughly examined by the appropriate federal and state agencies, responds Enbridge representative Andrea Grover by email. They concluded it was unlikely that Sabal Trail would impact springs or the Floridan Aquifer in the karst regions. Sabal Trail is well equipped to safely construct and operate the pipeline in karst areas. But Quarterman says he does not trust the company to voluntarily report any issues that may arise. Activists with his group who live along the pipeline route have been tracking the project themselves, both before and after Hurricane Irma, to make sure no leaks, sinkholes underneath the pipeline, or any other issues have occurred. "They are still learning" Among the reasons Quarterman cites for his distrust of any official statement coming from the company is a chemical leak that occurred at a pipeline transfer station several months ago. The problem has not yet been fixed. The Sabal Trail Pipeline had barely been in operation on July 16, 2017 when residents in Marion County, Florida complained to the local fire department that they smelled sulfur. Firefighters went to a local creek and noticed a strong, gassy odor themselves. They realized that a transfer station for the Sabal Trail Pipeline was nearby. Firefighters called a company phone number listed at the station. This was a new system and they are still learning, the Sabal Trail Pipeline dispatcher told firefighters, according to the departments incident report. A pipeline representative, identified in the incident report only as Dave, arrived on the scene not long after. He looked into the control panels and found that tanks were leaking mercaptan, a chemical injected into natural gas to help people smell leaks. This tank did not have natural gas inside of it, however. He told the firefighters that the tanks only contained mercaptan. We were reassured that there is no natural gas in the tanks, the fire department's report says. Dave called a technician, who told him how to shut down the leaky injector. The technician promised to examine the problem the following morning. Dave told the firefighters that, in the meantime, the station would continue to leak until the line could be repaired the following day. As a temporary solution for the evening, Dave advised that he wrapped the area with towels and sprayed a deodorant. Enbridge Energy told concerned residents afterward that they were only smelling mercaptan, not any actual natural gas. Odorant serves to alert the general public in the unlikely event of a leak, so the system acted as it should have, spokesman Andrea Grover says via email. She adds that the company is actively working to permanently resolve this issue as soon as possible, and we will continue to coordinate these activities with the countys first responders. Asked why a pipeline dispatcher apparently told the fire department that this was a new system and they are still learning, Grover responds that it would be illogical to speculate as to what the fire department has quoted as part of a conversation. Utilities choose Sabal Trail natural gas over solar Florida may officially be regarded as the the sunshine state but Floridas utilities have repeatedly fought against measures to add more solar energy to the grid. Even as scientists warn that storms like Hurricane Irma are likely as extreme as they are because of the burning of fossil fuels, utilities in Florida and elsewhere have thrown their lobbying weight and campaign contributions into measures designed to tamper a budding public interest in solar energy. Florida Power & Light and Duke Energy, the state's largest utilities, spent a reported $29 million to promote an amendment that would have allowed them to add extra charges to the bills of solar-using customers. The utilities had argued that solar customers were getting a free handout on cloudy or rainy days at the expense of their traditional electricity counterparts. (The heavy spending didnt work; Florida voters defeated that amendment in November). In an apparent bid to seem "green," Florida Power & Light promises that solar energy will provide a total of four percent of the state's energy needs by 2023. "In 2023, FPL projects solar will reach 4 percent, which is a higher percentage than nearly every state in the nation today," the utility boasts in a press release. Florida Power & Light and Duke Energy instead embrace what they describe as clean burning natural gas. The two utilities are the primary customers and recipients of the natural gas flowing through the Sabal Trail Pipeline. While environmental organizations suing to stop the project have not made much traction in the legal system yet with their safety concerns, they have gained a recent, surprise victory by focusing on the role that natural gas plays in global warming. In response to a lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club, a U.S. District Court of Appeals ruled in late August that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission did not adequately address the amount of greenhouse gas pollution that would result from a network of new natural gas pipelines, including Sabal Trail. The order does not compel Sabal Trail to shut down its operations, though that could change if the Appeals Court decides to enforce their decision further with an Order to Vacate. The Sierra Club, in interviews and news releases, has indicated that they will continue to fight the project. Just because (the pipeline) is on, we know its not over until we pull that thing out of the ground, one organizer said. Norwegian Cruise Line is considering a 2019-2020 cruise program in Brazil, according to Estela Farina, country director. Speaking to Cruise Industry News, she explained that the market still has problems, but the future looks appelaing with changes promised by local authorities. The cruise lines need new destinations and Brazil has everything to became an important one, not only locally but also internationally, she said. The Brazilian government is working on measures to improve the countrys port infrastructure and reduce the operational costs, which could drive a decision, according to Farina. After a seasonal program in Brazil last year, Norwegian will not be back for now, but is eyeing 2019-2020, according to Farina. We already have plans finalized for the next year (which do not include Brazil), but nothing prevents us from considering that for following season (2019-2020), she said, noting that the local government need to do its share. The Norwegian Sun was deployed in Brazil for the 2016-2017 season, sailing from Rio and Santos, sourcing Brazilian passengers. The main issue is the viability of the operation, including in a financial term. Thats why we are not repeating it now," she noted. She added that the cruise line is repeating its Patagonian itineraries aboard the Norwegian Sun, which are popular for the Brazilian market. Estela also oversees the national operations for Regent Seven Seas and Oceania. Those brands are growing a lot. Each cruise line operates in a different segment, but both are doing very well, Estela said. Theres also lot of potential for future growth, she added, pointing out that the Brazilian cruise passengers are starting to understand better the market niches and are looking for more exclusive options. Royal Caribbean International's Majesty of the Seas will dock in St. Maarten on Friday for a humanitarian mission to evacuate American citizens or those with Visa Waiver/ESTA entry requirements, allowing the person to enter the U.S. territory legally, according to a statement. Those interested should meet at the Festival Village in St. Maarten on Pond Island to register to leave the island on the same day with the cruise vessel. Registration starts at 7.00 AM and goes to 3.00 PM on Friday, the port said, in a statement. Online registration is available by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The Majesty has capacity for 2,450 guests and is currently near empty. It will sail from St. Maarten to Puerto Rico, where passengers are then responsible to find their way home. Guests are allowed one piece of luggage per person as well as service pets, or a small dog or cat with their relevant travel documents. Qualifying individuals with travel documents to enter the United States of America will be taken by bus to the cruise port. Evacuees should not come to the port directly because they will not be given access to the facility, the port said. The Passenger Ship Sustainability conference, taking place 14 - 15 November 2017 in Southampton, UK, will continue the debate on LNG as a solution for low emission shipping, exploring key projects and case studies helping to drive investment, according to a statement. Learn more about Passenger Ship Sustainability here. The meetings opening keynote address from Tom Strang, Senior Vice President Maritime Affairs, Carnival Corporation will outline Carnivals environmental strategy: What we are doing and why? This keynote address will provide the industry with an overview of Carnivals roadmap to LNG, which includes a newbuild overview and a unique insight into how the operator is striving for greater infrastructure, scrubber installation across retrofits, current energy savings and future projects. Yves Bui, LNG Project Director from MSC Cruise Management will demonstrate during the meeting how MSC Cruises are investing in LNG technology, including the planned delivery of LNG vessels with STX France. Delegates will also hear Mr Bui share the unique challenges and solutions for MSC Cruise ships refuelling in port during the meeting. Passenger Ship Sustainability 2017 will also provide a forum for the industry to discover how Port de Barcelona's investment in LNG infrastructure is creating a supply chain and building up port infrastructure to meet bunkering requirements. as well as a unique insight into future projects to lower emissions and drive efficiency. Delegates will also hear case studies from Port of Helsinki, DFDS, Lloyd's Register, Peace Boat, SEA Europe, University of Turku and Wightlink covering topics including; Air Pollution, Ballast Water Convention, Sulphur Regulation, Ship Design, Next Generation Engines, Propulsion Systems, and Energy Management to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency. Justice served sometimes takes a bit of time. Such was the case of industrial espionage and outright thievery that occurred in Finland in 2010-2011. It took the prosecutors six years to garner the conviction of 10 defendants charged with industrial espionage. Tenacious as they were, the sentences meted out were minimal by any standard, and some would argue that in this instance, the adage crime doesnt pay does not apply. The crime: Trusted insiders take thousands of documents Ten individuals left the employ of Nokian Tyres, and these trusted insiders took with them thousands of Nokian Tyres documents to their new employer, Black Donuts Engineering. Black Donuts was founded by former Nokian Tyres employees following a reduction in force within the Nokian Tyres research and development team. Finnish news outlet YLE notes that in November 2011, a criminal complaint was filed against Black Donuts and its CEO (the former head of Nokian research and development) for industrial espionage. At the time of the criminal complaint, Nokian Tyres asked for many million euros in compensation. The prosecution: Throw the book at the defendants The prosecution charged the individuals with the theft of tens of thousands of documents containing business secrets related to tire technology and product development and taking these documents to a new enterprise with the purpose of using them to compete against Nokian Tyres. The prosecutors, TyrePress tells us, requested the courts throw the book at the defendants, requesting imprisonment, business prohibitions, fines, fines imposed on a corporation, and loss of benefits from criminal activities for the defendants. The sentences: Slaps on the hand The 10 defendants were all found guilty of industrial espionage. Eight were given suspended prison sentences (the longest of which was 18 months) they are walking the streets in the same manner as they did before they perpetrated the crime. Two were given fines. All 10 guilty, all 10 back in the work force. Three Black Donuts execs were banned from owning or running business for between 3-5 years and are permitted to continue to work at Black Donuts in a lesser role. Previously, one sub-contractor had pleaded guilty to theft of information and was given a 14-month suspended sentence. Nokian Tyres, though requesting millions in compensation, received only their legal expenses. The firm, Black Donuts was fined 300,000, ordered to forfeit 537,000 to the government, and told to reimburse Nokian Tyres 600,000 in legal expenses. Add it all up, and Black Donut Engineering parted with 1,437,000. Lesson learned: Protect your intellectual property From this seat, it appears that in this instance, crime has not been deterred. Those convicted remain in the industry, and the company that benefited from the theft of the intellectual property remains in business. In essence, Nokian Tyres (which Bridgestone, the worlds largest tire manufacturer, owns a 14.6 percent stake) finds itself having to compete against its own technology. The cost of the technology acquisition is the amount of the fines, forfeitures and reimbursements 1,437,000. Some may take the position that Black Donuts got a bargain, as Rubber & Plastic News, tells us in 2014, tire makers were laying down $8.6 billion in new projects. To avoid allowing an unscrupulous competitor to benefit from your R&D, ensure the crown jewels of your companys future are protected protected during the ideation process through the product's end of life. Rare is the instance where information taken via the five-fingered discount costs more than making the financial investment in original R&D. Therefore, one should assume if you have something new, shiny and unique, an entity is looking to acquire it either legitimately or via skullduggery. Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, a technology company, focuses in the areas of automation and digitalization in Europe, Commonwealth of Independent States, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, Asia, and Australia. It operates through Digital Industries, Smart Infrastructure, Mobility, Siemens Healthineers, and Siemens Financial Services segments. The Digital Industries segment offers automation systems and software for factories, numerical control systems, motors, drives and inverters, and integrated automation systems for machine tools and production machines; process control systems, machine-to-machine communication products, sensors and radio frequency identification systems; software for production and product lifecycle management, and simulation and testing of mechatronic systems; and cloud-based industrial Internet of Things operating systems. The Smart Infrastructure segment offers products, systems, solutions, services, and software to support sustainable transition in energy generation from fossil and renewable sources; sustainable buildings and communities; and buildings, electrification, and electrical products. The Mobility segment provides passenger and freight transportation, such as vehicles, trams and light rail, and commuter trains, as well as trains and passenger coaches; locomotives for freight or passenger transport and solutions for automated transportation; products and solutions for rail automation; electrification products; and intermodal solutions. The Siemens Healthineers segment develops, manufactures, and sells various diagnostic and therapeutic products and services; and provides clinical consulting services. The Siemens Financial Services segment offers debt and equity investments; leasing, lending, and working capital financing solutions; and equipment, project, and structured financing solutions. Siemens Aktiengesellschaft was founded in 1847 and is headquartered in Munich, Germany. The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Limited, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Limited, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AFD.TECH, AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, AIG Shared Services Business Processing Inc, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co. Ltd., Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) Pty Ltd, Accenture (UK) Limited, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Agencia Interativa Ltda, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture B.V., Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BPS Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A., Accenture Canada Holdings Inc, Accenture Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Limited, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co. Ltd, Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Pty Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SASU, Accenture Customer Services Ltd, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Accenture Delivery Poland S.p. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance II Limited, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services S.r.l., Accenture Financial Advanced Solution & Technology S.r.l., Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Global Capital Designated Activity Company, Accenture Global Engagements Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Limited, Accenture Global Services Limited, Accenture Global Solutions Limited, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc, Accenture Holding Brasil Ltda, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SASU, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services B.V., Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture International B.V., Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea B.V., Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Lithuania UAB, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Marketing Services LLC, Accenture Marketing Services Limited, Accenture Middle East B.V., Accenture Minority I B.V., Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi Pty Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations GmbH, Accenture Operations S.p. z o.o., Accenture Operations Services Private Limited, Accenture Operations Services Sdn Bhd, Accenture Outsourcing S.r.l., Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations B.V., Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru SRL, Accenture Post Trade Processing SASU, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture Qiyun Technology (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd, Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture S.p. z o.o., Accenture S.p.A., Accenture SASU, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sdn Bhd, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.p. z o.o., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services and Technology S.r.l., Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Single Member S.A. Organization Information Technology & Business Development, Accenture Solutions Co. Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions S.p. z o.o, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc, Accenture Sub III Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions S.r.l., Accenture Technology Solutions SASU, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures B.V., Accenture Technology Ventures SPRL, Accenture Tecnologia Consultoria y Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co. Limited, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Ltda, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Advoco, Agilex Technologies Inc., Alfa Consulting, Allen International, AlphaBeta Advisors, Altevie Technologies S.r.l., Altima, Altima (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Altima Asia Ltd, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Altius Consulting Limited, Altius Data Solutions Private Limited, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Apis Group Pty Ltd, Appaloosa Technology SASU, AppsPro, AppsPro, Arca, Arca Ingenieros y Consultoria S.L., Arca Telecom S.L., Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Artio People (Payroll) Pty Ltd, Artio People Pty Ltd, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Automation Partners Pty Ltd, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc, Avanade Consulting Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Limited, Avanade Europe Services Limited, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SASU, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade Inc, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy S.r.l., Avanade Japan KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Middle East Limited, Avanade Netherlands B.V., Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland S.p. z o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain S.L., Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Limited, Avanade do Brasil Ltda , Avanade Osterreich GmbH, Avenai, Avieco, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCS Consulting, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BENEXT, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, BRIDGEi2i, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Zhidao Future Consulting Co. Ltd, Benext, Berico Technologies LLC, Bionic, Bionic Solution LLC, Blue Horseshoe, Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Bow & Arrow, Bow & Arrow Limited, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, Byte Prophecy Private Limited, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CS Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd, CS Technology (UK) Limited, CS Technology Group LLC, CS Technology LLC, CadenceQuest Inc., Callisto Integration Europe B.V., Callisto Integration Europe Limited, Callisto Integration LLC, Callisto Integration Ltd, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc, Certus Solutions Consulting Services Limited, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cirrus Connect Australia Pty Ltd, Cirrus Connect Limited, Cirruseo, Clarity Insights, ClearEdge Partners, Clearhead, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas Japan G.K., Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Limited, Cloudeasier SAS, Cloudpoint Limited, Cloudsherpas Inc, Cloudworks, Cloudworks Consulting Services Inc, Cloudworks Technology LLC, Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda, Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda, Context Information Security, Context Information Security LLC, Context Information Security Limited, CoreCompete LLC, CoreCompete Limited, CoreCompete Private Limited, Corliant Inc., Creative Drive LLC, Creative Drive US LLC, CreativeDrive, CreativeDrive Digital Content Services (Shenzhen) Co Ltd., CreativeDrive EMEA Limited, CreativeDrive Singapore Pte Ltd, CreativeDrive UK Group Limited, Cutting Edge Solutions Limited, Cygni AB, Cygni Norrsken AB, Cygni Stockholm AB, Cygni Syd AB, Cygni Vast AB, Cygni Ost AB, Cygni Ostersund AB, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Limited, DI Futures Corporation, Data Essential SARL, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings LLC, Decora Marketplace LLC, Decorado Marketplace Ltda-EPP, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digital Results Group LLC, Double Digit Limitada, Double Digit Pty SA, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Limited, Duck Creek Technologies, ESR Labs, ESR Labs AG, EdenOne Solutions Limited, Edenhouse ERP Holdings Limited, Edenhouse Solutions Limited, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting LP, End to End Analytics LLC, End-to-End Analytics, Endorphin Medici (M) Sdn Bhd, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Limited, EnergyQuote JHA, Enimbos, Enimbos Global Services S.L., Enkitec, Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions LLC, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V., Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enthusian Pty Ltd, Entropia, Entropia (M) Sdn Bhd, Entropia Holdings Pte Ltd, Entropia Intercraft Sdn Bhd, Epylon, Ergo, Espedia S.r.l., Ethica Consulting Group, Ethica Consulting S.p.A., Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Experity, Exton Consulting, Exton Consulting Spain Strategy&Management S.L., Exton Germany GmbH, Exton International SAS, Exton Italia S.r.l., Exton SAS, FGM LLC, Fairway Technologies Inc, Farah BidCo Limited, Farah MidCo Limited, Farah Topco Limited, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Formicary, Founders Intelligence, Fruendo S.r.l., FusionX, Future State Consulting LLC, FutureMove (Beijing) Automotive Technology Co. Ltd., FutureMove Automotive, FutureMove Automotive Co. Ltd., GRA Supply Chain Pty Ltd, Gagel Group S de R.L. de C.V., Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gevity, Gren utvikling AS, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., HRC Retail Advisory, Hagberg Consulting Group, Hahntel Ltda, Halo Partners LLC, Hamilton Holding Company S.A, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Happen GP Limited, Happen Limited, Headspring, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl A/S, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn Bhd, IBB Consulting, ICM.S S.r.l., IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INSITUM, IQSP Consulting LLC, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Icon Integration (NZ) Limited, Icon Integration Pty Ltd, Imagine Broadband (USA) Limited, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Imaginea Technologies LLC, Industrie IT (Hong Kong) Ltd, Industrie IT (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Industrie IT Group Pty Ltd, Industrie IT Pty Ltd, Industrie&Co, Infinity Works Consulting Limited, Infinity Works Holdings Limited, Infinity Works Management Limited, Infinity Works Midco Limited, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Innotec International EAD, Innotec International S.p. z.o.o., Innotec Marketing GmbH, Innotec Marketing International Ireland Limited, Innotec- Marketing Spain S.L, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., International Biometric Group LLC, International Biometric Group UK Limited, Intrepid, Intrepid Futureworks Sdn Bhd, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Technology Ltd, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, ItSafer Continuity Services S.L., JKD Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, K Comms Group Limited, KSC Studio LLC, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, King James Group, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Limited, Kogentix Singapore Pte Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon US LLC, LEXTA, LINKBYNET, LINKBYNET Indian Ocean (L.I.O) Ltd, LabAnswer, Lexta GmbH, Lexta UK Limited, Lien par le reseau Inc, Lien par le reseau infrastructures Inc, Lin Bo (Shanghai) Network Technology Co. Ltd., Link By Net SAS, Link By Net SRL, Link By Net Vietnam Company Limited, Linkbynet East Asia Ltd, Linkbynet Singapore Pte Ltd., Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, Lumenup S.A., MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision LLC, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte Ltd, Mackevision UK Limited, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd, Maihiro, Matter, Maud Corp Pty Ltd, Maxamine International, Measuretek LLC, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing LLC, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mistral Wind Operations Servicos Empresariais Unipessoal Lda., MobGen, Mortgage Cadence LLC, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, Mudano Limited, Myrtle Consulting Group LLC, N3, N3 (Dalian) Business Consulting Co. Ltd., N3 Brazil Consultoria em Marketing Ltda, N3 Germany GmbH, N3 LLC, N3 North America LLC, N3 Results Australia Pty Ltd, N3 Results Ireland Limited, N3 Results Japan G.K., N3 Results Limited, N3 Results Malaysia Sdn Bhd, N3 Results Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., N3 Results S.A.S., N3 Results Singapore Pte Ltd, N3 Results Unipessoal Lda, NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., Nell'Armonia Israel Ltd, Nell'Armonia SAS, Nell'Participation SAS, NellArmonia, Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda, New Energy Group, News Imaging LLC, NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage Pte Ltd, Northstream, Novetta Holdings LLC, Novetta LLC, Novetta Solutions LLC, Novetta Topco LLC, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Olikka Pty Ltd, Olympus Systems Corporation, Openmind, Openmind S.r..l., Openminded, Openminded SAS, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium AG, Orbium Consulting Limited, Orbium Inc., Orbium Ltd, Orbium Pte Ltd, Orbium Pty Ltd, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PLM Systems S.r.l, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, PacificLink Group, Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production A/S, Pegasus Production K/S, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pollux Automation Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pollux Canada Inc, Pollux S.A.S., Pollux USA LLC, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Limited, Pramati Technologies Europe Limited, Pramati Technologies Private Limited, Presence of IT Workforce Management North America LLC, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Limited, Procurian Inc., Prof. Homburg GmbH, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co. Ltd., RBCP Fund 1-A Vapor Blocker LLC, RBCP Platform Vapor Blocker I LLC, REPL Consulting LLC, REPL Consulting Limited, REPL Digital Limited, REPL Group K.K., REPL Group Pty Ltd, REPL Group Worldwide Limited, REPL Pte Ltd, REPL Software Limited, REPL Technology Limited, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Root LLC, Rothco, Rothco Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SALT Solutions GmbH, SEC Servizi, SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Salt Solutions, Sandbox Studio LLC, Sapling Bidco Limited, Sapling Midco Limited, Sapling Topco Limited, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Search Technologies BPO Inc, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Securiview SAS, Sentelis, Sentor Managed Secuirty Services AB, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Seven Seas Business Ventures LLC, Shackleton, Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton S.L.U., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., SigInt Technologies LLC, Silveo, Silveo Consulting India Private Limited, Simian Pty Ltd, SinnerSchrader, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., Sirvart S.A., Sistemes Consulting S.L., Skylink SAS, Soltians Limited, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Somers Ventures Ireland Limited, Somers Ventures LLC, Spacelink SAS, Storm Digital, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Synership LLC, Systor AG, T.A. Cook, TXF LLC, Tambourine, TargetST8, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Ltd, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Tquila, Trivadis, Trivadis AG, Trivadis Austria GmbH, Trivadis Denmark AS, Trivadis Germany GmbH, Trivadis Holding AG, Trivadis Partner AG, Trivadis Services AG, Trivadis Services SRL, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Vector Acquisition Company LLC, Vector Topco LLC, Verax Solutions, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd, Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, WaveStrike LLC, White Cliffs Consulting LLC, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wise Partners SAS, Wolox, Wolox Colombia S.A.S, Wolox LLC, Wolox Mexico S.R.L de C.V., Wolox S.A., Wolox SpA, Workforce Insight, Workforce Insight LLC, Yesler, Yesler LLC, Yesler Limited, Yesler Singapore Pte Ltd, Zag, Zag Australia Pty Ltd, Zag Limited, Zag USA LLC, Zebra Worldwide Australia Pty Ltd, Zebra Worldwide Group Limited, Zebra Worldwide Media Pty Ltd, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines Inc, Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc, Zestgroup, Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, solid-serVision.com GmbH, and umlaut. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Abbott Laboratories: 3A Nutrition (Vietnam) Company Limited, ABON Biopharm (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AGA Medical Belgium, AGA Medical Corporation, AGA Medical Holdings Inc., ALR Holdings, AML Medical LLC, APK Advanced Medical Technologies LLC, ATS Bermuda Holdings Limited, ATS Laboratories Inc., Abbott, Abbott (Jiaxing) Nutrition Co. Ltd., Abbott (UK) Finance Limited, Abbott (UK) Holdings Limited, Abbott AG, Abbott Asia Holdings Limited, Abbott Asia Investments Limited, Abbott Australasia Holdings Limited, Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd, Abbott B.V., Abbott Bahamas Overseas Businesses Corporation, Abbott Belgian Investments, Abbott Bermuda Holding Ltd., Abbott Biologicals B.V., Abbott Biologicals LLC, Abbott Bulgaria Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Capital India Limited, Abbott Cardiovascular Inc., Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc., Abbott Delaware LLC, Abbott Diabetes Care Inc., Abbott Diabetes Care Limited, Abbott Diabetes Care Sales Corporation, Abbott Diagnostics GmbH, Abbott Diagnostics International Ltd., Abbott Diagnostics Technologies AS, Abbott Doral Investments S.L., Abbott Equity Holdings Unlimited, Abbott Equity Investments LLC, Abbott Established Products Holdings (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Finance Company SA, Abbott Financial Holdings SRL, Abbott France S.A.S., Abbott Fund Tanzania Limited, Abbott Gesellschaft m.b.H., Abbott GmbH & Co. KG, Abbott Health Products LLC, Abbott Healthcare (Puerto Rico) Ltd., Abbott Healthcare B.V., Abbott Healthcare Costa Rica S.A., Abbott Healthcare LLC, Abbott Healthcare Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Healthcare Private Limited, Abbott Healthcare Products B.V., Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd, Abbott Holding (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding GmbH, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited, Abbott Holding Subsidiary (Gibraltar) Limited Luxembourg S.C.S., Abbott Holdings B.V., Abbott Holdings LLC, Abbott Holdings Limited, Abbott Holdings Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Hungary Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Iberian Investments (2) Limited, Abbott Iberian Investments Limited, Abbott India Limited, Abbott Informatics Asia Pacific Limited, Abbott Informatics Canada Inc, Abbott Informatics Corporation, Abbott Informatics Europe Limited, Abbott Informatics France, Abbott Informatics Germany GmbH, Abbott Informatics Netherlands B.V., Abbott Informatics Singapore Pte. Limited, Abbott Informatics Spain S.A., Abbott Informatics Technologies Ltd, Abbott International Corporation, Abbott International Enterprises Ltd., Abbott International Holdings Limited, Abbott International LLC, Abbott International Luxembourg S.ar.l., Abbott Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Ireland, Abbott Ireland Financing Designated Activity Company, Abbott Ireland Limited, Abbott Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Abbott Knoll Investments B.V., Abbott Korea Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Bangladesh) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco (Dos) SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Chile) Holdco SpA, Abbott Laboratories (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Laboratories (Mozambique) Limitada, Abbott Laboratories (Pakistan) Limited, Abbott Laboratories (Philippines), Abbott Laboratories (Puerto Rico) Incorporated, Abbott Laboratories (Singapore) Private Limited, Abbott Laboratories A/S, Abbott Laboratories Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Abbott Laboratories B.V., Abbott Laboratories C.A., Abbott Laboratories Finance B.V., Abbott Laboratories GmbH, Abbott Laboratories Inc., Abbott Laboratories International LLC, Abbott Laboratories Ireland Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited, Abbott Laboratories Limited - Laboratoires Abbott Limitee, Abbott Laboratories NZ Limited, Abbott Laboratories Pacific Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Poland Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Laboratories Products B.V., Abbott Laboratories Residential Development Fund Inc., Abbott Laboratories S.A., Abbott Laboratories SA, Abbott Laboratories Services Corp., Abbott Laboratories Slovakia s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories South Africa (Pty) Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Laboratories Trustee Company Limited, Abbott Laboratories Uruguay S.A., Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises, Abbott Laboratories d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories de Chile Limitada, Abbott Laboratories de Colombia S.A., Abbott Laboratories de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Abbott Laboratories druzba za farmacijo in diagnostiko d.o.o., Abbott Laboratories s.r.o., Abbott Laboratories(Hellas) Societe Anonyme, Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios S.A., Abbott Laboratorios del Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Abbott Laboratuarlari Ithalat Ihracat ve Ticaret Ltd.Sti, Abbott Laboratorios Lda, Abbott Laboratorios do Brasil Ltda., Abbott Limited Egypt LLC, Abbott Logistics B.V., Abbott Management GmbH, Abbott Management LLC, Abbott Manufacturing Singapore Private Limited, Abbott Mature Products International Unlimited Company, Abbott Mature Products Management Limited, Abbott Medical (Hong Kong) Limited, Abbott Medical (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Abbott Medical (Portugal) Distribuicao de Produtos Medicos Lda, Abbott Medical (Schweiz) AG, Abbott Medical (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Abbott Medical (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Australia Pty. Ltd., Abbott Medical Austria Ges.m.b.H., Abbott Medical Balkan d.o.o. Beograd (Novi Beograd), Abbott Medical Belgium, Abbott Medical Canada Inc./ Medicale Abbott Canada Inc., Abbott Medical Danmark A/S, Abbott Medical Devices Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Espana S.A., Abbott Medical Estonia OU, Abbott Medical Finland Oy, Abbott Medical France SAS, Abbott Medical GmbH, Abbott Medical Hellas Limited Liability Trading Company, Abbott Medical Ireland Limited, Abbott Medical Italia S.p.A., Abbott Medical Japan Co. Ltd., Abbott Medical Korea Limited, Abbott Medical Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Abbott Medical Laboratories LTD, Abbott Medical Nederland B.V., Abbott Medical New Zealand Limited, Abbott Medical Norway AS, Abbott Medical Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Medical Sweden AB, Abbott Medical Taiwan Co., Abbott Medical U.K. Limited, Abbott Medical spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Abbott Middle East S.A.R.L., Abbott Molecular Inc., Abbott Morocco SARL, Abbott Nederland C.V., Abbott Nederland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Netherlands Investments B.V., Abbott Norge AS, Abbott Nutrition Limited, Abbott Nutrition Manufacturing Inc., Abbott Operations Singapore Pte. Ltd., Abbott Operations Uruguay S.R.L., Abbott Overseas Cyprus Limited, Abbott Overseas Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Overseas S.A., Abbott Oy, Abbott Point of Care Canada Limited, Abbott Point of Care Inc., Abbott Poland Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Procurement LLC, Abbott Products (Philippines) Inc., Abbott Products (Spain) S.L., Abbott Products Algerie EURL, Abbott Products B.V., Abbott Products Distribution SAS, Abbott Products Egypt LLC, Abbott Products Limited, Abbott Products Limited Liability Company, Abbott Products Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Products Operations AG, Abbott Products Operations LLC, Abbott Products Romania S.R.L., Abbott Products Tunisie S.A.R.L., Abbott Products Unlimited Company, Abbott Resources Inc., Abbott Resources International Inc., Abbott S.r.l., Abbott Saudi Arabia Trading Company, Abbott Scandinavia Aktiebolag, Abbott Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Abbott South Africa Luxembourg S.a r.l., Abbott Strategic Opportunities Limited, Abbott Trading Company Inc., Abbott Universal LLC, Abbott Vascular Devices (2) Limited, Abbott Vascular Devices Limited, Abbott Vascular Inc., Abbott Vascular Instruments Deutschland GmbH, Abbott Vascular International, Abbott Vascular Japan Co. Ltd, Abbott Vascular Limitada, Abbott Vascular Netherlands B.V., Abbott Vascular Solutions Inc., Abbott Ventures Inc., Abbott West Indies Limited, Abbott drustvo sa ogranicenom odgovornoscu za trgovinu i usluge, Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Inc., Alere, Alere (Shanghai) Diagnostics Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Healthcare Management Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Medical Sales Co. Ltd., Alere (Shanghai) Technology Co. Ltd., Alere A/S, Alere AB, Alere AS, Alere AS Holdings Limited, Alere BBI Holdings Limited, Alere Bangladesh Limited, Alere China Co. Ltd., Alere Colombia S.A., Alere Connect LLC, Alere Connected Health Limited, Alere Connected Health Ltd., Alere Diagnostics GmbH, Alere DoA Holding GmbH, Alere GmbH, Alere GmbH (Austria), Alere GmbH (Germany), Alere HK Holdings Ltd., Alere Health B.V., Alere Health BVBA, Alere Health Corp., Alere Health Sdn Bhd, Alere Health Services B.V., Alere Healthcare (Pty) Limited, Alere Healthcare Connections Limited, Alere Healthcare Inc., Alere Healthcare Nigeria Limited, Alere Healthcare S.L., Alere Holdco Inc., Alere Holding GmbH, Alere Holdings Bermuda Limited, Alere Holdings Pty Limited, Alere Home Monitoring Inc., Alere Inc., Alere Informatics Inc., Alere International Holding Corp., Alere International Limited, Alere Lda, Alere Limited, Alere Limited (New Zealand), Alere Medical BVBA, Alere Medical Co. Ltd., Alere Medical Pakistan (Private) Limited, Alere Medical Private Limited, Alere North America LLC, Alere Oy Ab, Alere Philippines Inc., Alere Phoenix ACQ Inc., Alere Pte Ltd, Alere S.A., Alere S.r.l., Alere S/A, Alere SAS, Alere San Diego Inc., Alere Scarborough Inc., Alere Spain S.L., Alere Switzerland GmbH, Alere Technologies GmbH, Alere Technologies Holdings Limited, Alere Technologies Limited, Alere Toxicology AB, Alere Toxicology Inc., Alere Toxicology S.r.l., Alere Toxicology Services Inc., Alere Toxicology plc, Alere UK Holdings Limited, Alere UK Subco Limited, Alere ULC, Alere US Holdings LLC, Alere s.r.o., Alisoc Investment & Co, Amedica Biotech Inc., Ameditech Inc., American Generics S.A.S., American Medical Supplies Inc., American Pharmacist Inc., Antares S.A., Apica Cardiovascular Limited, Aquagestion Capacitacion S.A., Aquagestion S.A., Arriva Medical LLC, Arriva Medical Philippines Inc., Arvis Investments Limited, Atlas Farmaceutica S.A., Avee Laboratories Inc., Axis-Shield AD III AS, Axis-Shield AD IV AS, Axis-Shield AS, Axis-Shield Diagnostics Limited, Axis-Shield Ltd., BBI Animal Health Limited, BBI Diagnostics Group 2 Public Limited Company, Banco de Vida S.A., Bioabsorbable Vascular Solutions Inc., Bioalgae S.A., Biohealth LLC, Biosite Incorporated, Bosque Bonito S.A., Branan Medical Corporation, Brandex Europe C.V., British Colloids Limited, CFR Chile S.A., CFR Interamericas EL Salvador Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, CFR Interamericas Nicaragua Sociedad Anonima, CFR Interamericas Panama S.A., CFR Pharmaceuticals, California Property Holdings III LLC, CardioMEMS LLC, Caripharm Inc., Cephea Valve Technologies, Cephea Valve Technologies Inc., Colibri Medical Aktiebolag, Comercializadora y Distribuidora CFR Interamericas Honduras S.A., Concateno South Limited, Concateno UK Limited, Consorcio Tecnologico en Biomedicina Clinico-Molecular S.A., Continuum Services LLC, Cozart Limited, Dextech S.A., Diagnostik Nord GmbH, Distribuciones Uquifa S.A.S., Domesco Medical Import-Export Joint-Stock Corporation, Duphar International Research B.V., Endocardial Solutions, Epocal (US) Inc, Esprit de Vie S.A., European Chemicals & Co, European Drug Testing Service EDTS AB, European Services S.A., Evalve Inc., Evalve International Inc., FARMINDUSTRIA S.A., Fada Pharma Paraguay Sociedad Anonima, Fadapharma del Ecuador S.A., Farmaceutica Mont Blanc S.L., Farmacologia Em Aquicultura Veterinaria Ltda., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV Ecuador S.A., Farmacologia en Aquacultura Veterinaria FAV S.A., Fernwood Investment S.A., First Check Diagnostics LLC, Focus Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Forensics Limited, Forestcreek Overseas S.A., Fournier Pharma Corp., Fournier Pharma GmbH, Fournier Pharmaceuticals Limited, Framed B.V., Gabmed GmbH, Garden Hills LLC, Global Analytical Development LLC, Globapharm & CO LP, Glomed Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Golnorth Investments S.A., Gynocare Limited, Gynopharm Sociedad Anonima, Gynopharm de Centroamerica S.A., Gynopharm de Venezuela C.A., Hi-Tronics Designs Inc., IDEV Technologies Inc., IG Innovations Limited, IMTC Finance B.V., IMTC Holdings B.V., IMTC Technologies Inc., Ibis Biosciences LLC, Igloo Zone Chile S.A., Igloo Zone S.L., Inmobiliaria Naknek S.A.C., Innovacon Inc., Instant Tech Subsidiary Acquisition Inc., Instant Technologies Inc., Instituto de Criopreservacion de Chile S.A., Integrated Vascular Systems Inc., Inverness Canadian Acquisition Corporation, Inverness Medical (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Australia Pty Ltd., Inverness Medical Innovations Hong Kong Limited, Inverness Medical Innovations SK LLC, Inverness Medical Investments LLC, Inverness Medical LLC, Inverness Medical Shimla Private Limited, Inversiones K2 SpA, Inversiones Komodo S.R.L., Ionian Technologies LLC, Irvine Biomedical Inc., Kalila Medical, Kangshenyunga S.A., Knoll UK Investments Unlimited, LLC VeroInPharm, Laboratoires Fournier S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano Lafrancol S.A.S., Laboratorio Franco Colombiano del Ecuador S.A., Laboratorio Internacional Argentino S.A., Laboratorio Synthesis S.A.S., Laboratorios Lafi Limitada, Laboratorios Naturmedik S.A.S., Laboratorios Pauly Pharmaceutical S.A.S., Laboratorios Recalcine S.A., Laboratorios Transpharm S.A., Laboratory Specialists of America Inc., Lafrancol Dominicana S.A.S., Lafrancol Guatemala S.A. Sociedad Anonima, Lafrancol Internacional S.A.S, Lafrancol Peru S.R.L, Lake Forest Investments LLC, Lightlab Imaging Inc., Limited Liability Company Abbott Laboratories, Limited Liability Company Abbott Ukraine, Limited Liability Company VEROPHARM, Lung Fung Hong (China) Limited, Mansbridge Pharmaceuticals Limited, MediGuide LLC, MediGuide Ltd., Medscreen Holdings Limited, Metropolitana Farmaceutica S.A., Midwest Properties LLC, Murex Argentina S.A., Murex Biotech Limited, Murex Biotech South Africa, Murex Diagnostics Inc., Murex Diagnostics International Inc., Natural Supplement Association LLC, Negocios Denia Sociedad Anonima, Neosalud S.A.C., Nether Pharma N.P. C.V., NeuroTherm LLC, Normann Pharma-Handels GmbH, North Shore Properties Inc., Novamedi S.A., Novasalud.com S.A., Nutravida S.A., OJSC Voronezhkhimpharm, Omnilab Iberia Sociedad Limitada, OptiMedica, Orgenics France SAS, Orgenics International Holdings B.V., Orgenics Ltd., PBM-Selfcare LLC, PDD II LLC, PDD LLC, PT Alere Health, PT. Abbott Indonesia, PT. Abbott Products Indonesia, Pacesetter Inc., Pantech (RF) (PTY) LTD, Pembrooke Occupational Health Inc., Penagos S.A., Pharma International Sociedad Anonima, Pharmaceutical Technologies (Pharmatech) S.A., Pharmatech Boliviana S.A., Polygon Labs S.A., Quality Assured Services Inc., RF Medical Holdings LLC, RTL Holdings Inc., Ramses Business Corp., Recben Xenerics Farmaceutica Limitada, Redwood Toxicology Laboratory Inc., Rich Horizons International Limited, SC VEROPHARM, SJ Medical Mexico S de R.L. de C.V., SJM International Inc., SJM Thunder Holding Company, SPDH Inc., Saboya Enterprises Corporation, Salviac Limited, Scanax AS, Sealing Solutions Inc., Selfcare Technology Inc., Shandong Abbott Dairy Product Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Medical Devices Science and Technology Co. Ltd., Shanghai Abbott Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shanghai Si Fa Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Sinensix & Co., Spinal Modulation LLC, St. Jude Medical, St. Jude Medical AB, St. Jude Medical ATG Inc., St. Jude Medical Argentina S.A., St. Jude Medical Asia Pacific Holdings GK, St. Jude Medical Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Brasil Ltda., St. Jude Medical Business Services Inc., St. Jude Medical Cardiology Division Inc., St. Jude Medical Colombia Ltda., St. Jude Medical Coordination Center, St. Jude Medical Costa Rica Limitada, St. Jude Medical Europe Inc., St. Jude Medical Export Ges.m.b.H., St. Jude Medical GVA Sarl, St. Jude Medical Holdings B.V., St. Jude Medical India Private Limited, St. Jude Medical International Holding, St. Jude Medical LLC, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings II, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings NT, St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings SMI S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings TC S.a r.l., St. Jude Medical Mexico Business Services S. de R.L. de C.V., St. Jude Medical Middle East DMCC, St. Jude Medical Operations (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., St. Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC, St. Jude Medical S.C. Inc., St. Jude Medical Systems AB, St. Jude Medical Turkey Medikal Urunler Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Standard Diagnostics Inc., Standing Stone LLC, Swan-Myers Incorporated, TC1 LLC, Tendyne Holdings Inc., Tendyne Medical Inc., Thoratec Delaware LLC, Thoratec Europe Limited, Thoratec LLC, Thoratec Switzerland GmbH, Tobal Products Incorporated, Topera GmbH in Liquidation, Topera Inc., Tremora S.A., Tuenir S.A., TwistDx, UAB Abbott Laboratories, UAB Abbott Medical Lithuania, Union-Madison Realty Company Inc., Unipath Limited (dba Alere International/aka Cranfield), Unipath Management Limited, Unipath Pension Trustee Limited, Veropharm, Veropharm Limited Liability Partnership, Vida Cell Inversiones S.A., Vida Cell S.A., Vivalsol, W&R Pharma Handels GmbH, Western Pharmaceuticals S.A., X Technologies Inc., Yissum Holding Limited, ZonePerfect Nutrition Company, eScreen Canada ULC, eScreen Inc., ( ), and Abbott Laboratories Baltics. Read More Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. provides investor communications and technology-driven solutions for the financial services industry. The company's Investor Communication Solutions segment processes and distributes proxy materials to investors in equity securities and mutual funds, as well as facilitates related vote processing services; and distributes regulatory reports, class action, and corporate action/reorganization event information, as well as tax reporting solutions. It also offers ProxyEdge, an electronic proxy delivery and voting solution; data-driven solutions and an end-to-end platform for content management, composition, and omni-channel distribution of regulatory, marketing, and transactional information, as well as mutual fund trade processing services; data and analytics solutions; solutions for public corporations and mutual funds; SEC filing and capital markets transaction services; registrar, stock transfer, and record-keeping services; and omni-channel customer communications solutions, as well as operates Broadridge Communications Cloud platform that creates, delivers, and manages communications and customer engagement activities. The company's Global Technology and Operations segment provides solutions that automate the front-to-back transaction lifecycle of equity, mutual fund, fixed income, foreign exchange and exchange-traded derivatives, order capture and execution, trade confirmation, margin, cash management, clearance and settlement, reference data management, reconciliations, securities financing and collateral management, asset servicing, compliance and regulatory reporting, portfolio accounting, and custody-related services. This segment also offers business process outsourcing services; technology solutions, such portfolio management, compliance, fee billing, and operational support solutions; and capital market and wealth management solutions. The company was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Lake Success, New York. ALLETE, Inc. operates as an energy company. The company operates through Regulated Operations, ALLETE Clean Energy, and Corporate and Other segments. It generates electricity from coal-fired, biomass co-fired / natural gas, hydroelectric, wind, and solar. The company provides regulated utility electric services in northwestern Wisconsin to approximately 15,000 electric customers, 13,000 natural gas customers, and 10,000 water customers, as well as regulated utility electric services in northeastern Minnesota to approximately 145,000 retail customers and 15 non-affiliated municipal customers. It also owns and maintains electric transmission assets in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois. In addition, the company focuses on developing, acquiring, and operating clean and renewable energy projects; and owns and operates approximately 1,000 megawatts of wind energy generation facility. Further, it is involved in the coal mining operations in North Dakota; and real estate investment activities in Florida. The company owns and operates 158 substations with a total capacity of 10,066 megavolt amperes. It serves taconite mining, paper, pulp and secondary wood products, pipeline, and other industries. The company was formerly known as Minnesota Power, Inc. and changed its name to ALLETE, Inc. in May 2001. ALLETE, Inc. was incorporated in 1906 and is headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota. GSK plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the creation, discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products, vaccines, over-the-counter medicines, and health-related consumer products in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through four segments: Pharmaceuticals, Pharmaceuticals R&D, Vaccines, and Consumer Healthcare. The company offers pharmaceutical products comprising medicines in the therapeutic areas, such as respiratory, HIV, immuno-inflammation, oncology, anti-viral, central nervous system, cardiovascular and urogenital, metabolic, anti-bacterial, and dermatology. It also provides consumer healthcare products in wellness, oral health, nutrition, and skin health categories. The company offers its consumer healthcare products in the form of nasal sprays, tablets, syrups, lozenges, gum and trans-dermal patches, caplets, infant syrup drops, liquid filled suspension, wipes, gels, effervescents, toothpastes, toothbrushes, mouthwashes, denture adhesives and cleansers, topical creams and non-medicated patches, lip balm, gummies, and soft chews. It has collaboration agreements with 23andMe; Lyell Immunopharma, Inc.; Novartis; Sanofi SA; Surface Oncology; Progentec Diagnostics, Inc.; Alector, Inc.; and CureVac AG., as well as strategic partnership with IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. and Vir Biotechnology, Inc. The company was formerly known as GlaxoSmithKline plc and changed its name to GSK plc in May 2022. GSK plc was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Brentford, the United Kingdom. NCI Building Systems, Inc. designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets metal products for the nonresidential construction industry in North America. It operates in four segments: Engineered Building Systems, Metal Components, Insulated Metal Panels, and Metal Coil Coating. The Engineered Building Systems segment offers engineered structural members and panels; and self-storage building systems under the Metallic, Mid-West Steel, A & S, All American, Mesco, Star, Ceco, Robertson, Garco, Heritage, and SteelBuilding.com brands to builders, general contractors, developers, and end users directly, as well as through private label companies. The Metal Components segment provides metal roof and wall systems, metal partitions, metal trims, doors, and other related accessories for use in new construction, and repair and retrofit applications; roll-up doors; and interior and exterior walk doors under the MBCI, American Building Components, Eco-ficient, Metal Depots, and Doors and Buildings Components brands to manufacturers, contractors, subcontractors, distributors, lumberyards, cooperative buying groups, and other customers. The Insulated Metal Panels segment offers insulated metal panels for architectural, commercial, industrial, and cold storage end-market applications under the Metl-Span and CENTRIA brands. The Metal Coil Coating segment engages in cleaning, treating, and painting flat-rolled metals in coil form, as well as in slitting and/or embossing the metal, before the metal is fabricated for use by industrial users. It also cleans, treats, and coats heavy and light gauge metal coils for use in construction products, heating and air conditioning systems, water heaters, lighting fixtures, ceiling grids, office furniture, appliances, and other products; and provides toll coating and painted metal package services under the Metal Coaters and Metal Prep brands. NCI Building Systems, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Equifax Inc. provides information solutions and human resources business process automation outsourcing services for businesses, governments, and consumers. The company operates through three segments: Workforce Solutions, U.S. Information Solutions (USIS), and International. The Workforce Solutions segment offers employment, income, criminal history, and social security number verification services, as well as payroll-based transaction, employment tax management, and identity theft protection products. The USIS segment provides consumer and commercial information services, such as credit information and credit scoring, credit modeling and portfolio analytics, locate, fraud detection and prevention, identity verification, and other consulting; mortgage services; financial marketing services; identity management services; credit monitoring products; and online information, decisioning technology solutions, as well as portfolio management, mortgage reporting, and consumer credit information services. The International segment offers information service products, which include consumer and commercial services, such as credit and financial information, and credit scoring and modeling; and credit and other marketing products and services, as well as offers information, technology, and other services to support debt collections and recovery management. The company serves customers in financial services, mortgage, employers, consumer, commercial, telecommunication, retail, automotive, utility, brokerage, healthcare, and insurance industries, as well as state, federal, and local governments. It operates in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Brazil, the Republic of Ireland, Russia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. The company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. provides technical, professional, and construction services. The company's Aerospace, Technology, Environmental and Nuclear segment offers scientific, engineering, construction, nuclear, environmental, and technical support services to the aerospace, defense, technical, and automotive industries. Its Buildings, Infrastructure and Advanced Facilities segment develops/rehabilitates plans for highways, bridges, transit, tunnels, airports, railroads, intermodal facilities, and maritime or port projects; develops or rehabilitates critical water resource systems, water/wastewater conveyance systems, and flood defense projects; and provides engineering design, construction management, design build, and operations and maintenance. This segment also designs and constructs buildings; offers consulting, engineering, procurement, construction management, and delivery services for life sciences clients; and provides services relating to modular construction and other consulting and strategic planning services, as well as offers services in containment, barrier technology, locally controlled environments, building systems automation, off-the-site design, and fabrication of facility modules. The company's Energy, Chemicals and Resources segment offers services relating to onshore and offshore oil and gas production facilities, processing facilities, gathering systems, and transmission pipelines and terminals; feasibility/economic studies, technology evaluation, conceptual engineering, front end loading, detailed engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance, and commissioning services; and engineering, procurement, and construction solutions. This segment also provides services, such as manufacturing complex, expansions, modifications, and management of plant relocations; construction management and field construction services; and services to operate and maintain facilities. The company was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Principal Financial Group, Inc. provides retirement, asset management, and insurance products and services to businesses, individuals, and institutional clients worldwide. The company operates through Retirement and Income Solutions, Principal Global Investors, Principal International, and U.S. Insurance Solutions segments. The Retirement and Income Solutions segment provides a portfolio of asset accumulation products and services for retirement savings and income. It offers products and services for defined contribution plans, including 401(k) and 403(b) plans, defined benefit pension plans, nonqualified executive benefit plans, employee stock ownership plans, equity compensation, and pension risk transfer services; individual retirement accounts; investment only products; and mutual funds, individual variable annuities, and bank products. The Principal Global Investors segment provides equity, fixed income, real estate, and other alternative investments, as well as asset allocation, stable value management, and other structured investment strategies. The Principal International segment offers pension accumulation products and services, mutual funds, asset management, income annuities, and life insurance accumulation products, as well as voluntary savings plans in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, India, and Southeast Asia. The U.S. Insurance Solutions segment provides specialty benefits, such as group dental and vision insurance, group life insurance, and group and individual disability insurance, as well as administers group dental, disability, and vision benefits; and individual life insurance products comprising universal, variable universal, indexed universal, and term life insurance products in the United States. It also offers insurance solutions for small and medium-sized businesses and their owners, as well as executives. Principal Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1879 and is based in Des Moines, Iowa. The following companies are subsidiares of Caterpillar: Advanced Tri-Gen Power Systems LLC, Anchor Coupling Inc., Asia Power Systems (Tianjin) Ltd., AsiaTrak (Tianjin) Ltd., Banco Caterpillar S.A., Berg Propulsion International Pte Ltd., Bucyrus, Bucyrus Australia Surface Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Holdings Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Limited, Bucyrus International (Chile) Limitada, Bucyrus International (Peru) S.A., Bucyrus Mining Australia Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Mining China LLC, Bucyrus UK Limited, Cat Rental Kyushu LLC, Caterpillar (Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar (China) Financial Leasing Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Machinery Components Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (HK) Limited, Caterpillar (Huainan) Machinery Service Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Langfang) Mining Equipment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Luxembourg) Investment Co. S.a r.l., Caterpillar (NI) Limited, Caterpillar (Newberry) LLC, Caterpillar (Qingzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Logistics Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar (U.K.) Limited, Caterpillar (Wujiang) Ltd., Caterpillar (Xuzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Zhengzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar Acquisition Holding Corp., Caterpillar Americas C.V., Caterpillar Americas Co., Caterpillar Americas Funding Inc., Caterpillar Americas Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Asia Limited, Caterpillar Asia Pacific L.P., Caterpillar Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Asset Intelligence LLC, Caterpillar Belgium S.A., Caterpillar Brasil Comercio de Maquinas e Pecas Ltda., Caterpillar Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Brazil LLC, Caterpillar Castings Kiel GmbH, Caterpillar Centro de Formacion S.L., Caterpillar China Limited, Caterpillar Commercial Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Commercial LLC, Caterpillar Commercial Northern Europe Limited, Caterpillar Commercial S.A., Caterpillar Commercial S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Commercial Services S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Communications LLC, Caterpillar Corporativo Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Cote DIvoire, Caterpillar Credito S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., Caterpillar DC Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Digital Services & Solutions SARL, Caterpillar Distribution International LLC, Caterpillar Distribution Services Europe B.V.B.A., Caterpillar East Real Estate Holding Ltd., Caterpillar Emissions Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH, Caterpillar Energy Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions S.A., Caterpillar Energy System Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Engine Systems Inc., Caterpillar Equipos Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Eurasia LLC, Caterpillar FS (QFC) LLC, Caterpillar Finance France S.A., Caterpillar Finance Kabushiki Kaisha, Caterpillar Financial Acquisition Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Aftermarket Solutions Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Australia Leasing Pty Limited, Caterpillar Financial Australia Limited, Caterpillar Financial Commercial Account Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Corporacion Financiera S.A. E.F.C., Caterpillar Financial Dealer Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Funding Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Caterpillar Financial Leasing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial New Zealand Limited, Caterpillar Financial Nordic Services AB, Caterpillar Financial Nova Scotia Corporation, Caterpillar Financial OOO, Caterpillar Financial Receivables Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Renting S.A., Caterpillar Financial SARL, Caterpillar Financial Services (Dubai) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services (Ireland) plc, Caterpillar Financial Services (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Argentina S.A., Caterpillar Financial Services Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Financial Services CR s.r.o., Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Services GmbH, Caterpillar Financial Services India Private Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Leasing ULC, Caterpillar Financial Services Limited Les Services Financiers Caterpillar Limitee, Caterpillar Financial Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Caterpillar Financial Services Netherlands B.V., Caterpillar Financial Services Norway AS, Caterpillar Financial Services Philippines Inc., Caterpillar Financial Services Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, Caterpillar Financial UK Acquisition Funding Partners, Caterpillar Financial Ukraine LLC, Caterpillar Fluid Systems S.r.l., Caterpillar Fomento Comercial Ltda., Caterpillar Forest Products Inc., Caterpillar France S.A.S., Caterpillar GB L.L.C., Caterpillar Global Investments S.a r.l., Caterpillar Global Mining America LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Equipamentos De Mineracao do Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Expanded Products Pty Ltd, Caterpillar Global Mining Germany Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining HMS GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong AFC Manufacturing Holding Co. Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Global Mining SARL, Caterpillar Global Mining U.S. Parts LLC, Caterpillar Global Services LLC, Caterpillar Group Services S.A., Caterpillar Holding (France) S.A.S., Caterpillar Holding Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Holdings Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Hungary Components Manufacturing Ltd., Caterpillar Hydraulics Italia S.r.l., Caterpillar IPX LLC, Caterpillar IRB LLC, Caterpillar Impact Products Limited, Caterpillar India Private Limited, Caterpillar Industrial Inc., Caterpillar Industrias Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Industries (Pty) Ltd, Caterpillar Insurance Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Insurance Company, Caterpillar Insurance Holdings Inc., Caterpillar Insurance Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Finance Designated Activity Company, Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg I S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg II S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Product SARL, Caterpillar International Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Services del Peru S.A., Caterpillar Investment Limited, Caterpillar Investment One SARL, Caterpillar Investment Two SARL, Caterpillar Investments, Caterpillar Japan LLC, Caterpillar Latin America Services S.R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Panama S. de R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Servicios de Chile Limitada, Caterpillar Latin America Support Services S. DE R.L., Caterpillar Leasing (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar Leasing Chile S.A., Caterpillar Leasing GmbH (Leipzig), Caterpillar Leasing Operativo Limitada, Caterpillar Life Insurance Company, Caterpillar Logistics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Logistics (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Logistics Inc., Caterpillar Logistics ML Services France S.A.S., Caterpillar Logistics Services China Limited, Caterpillar Luxembourg Group S.ar.l., Caterpillar Luxembourg LLC, Caterpillar Luxembourg S.a r.l., Caterpillar Machinery Nantong Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asset Intelligence, Caterpillar Marine Power UK Limited, Caterpillar Marine Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Maroc SARL, Caterpillar Materiels Routiers SAS, Caterpillar Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Mexico S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Mining Canada ULC, Caterpillar Mining Chile Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Motoren (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG, Caterpillar Motoren Henstedt-Ulzburg GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Rostock GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Verwaltungs-GmbH, Caterpillar Netherlands Holding B.V., Caterpillar North America C.V., Caterpillar Operator Training Ltd., Caterpillar Overseas Credit Corporation SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Investment Holding SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Limited, Caterpillar Overseas SARL, Caterpillar Panama Services S.A., Caterpillar Paving Products Inc., Caterpillar Paving Products Xuzhou Ltd., Caterpillar Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Power Generation Systems (Bangladesh) Limited, Caterpillar Power Generation Systems L.L.C., Caterpillar Power Systems Inc., Caterpillar Power Ventures International Ltd., Caterpillar Precision Seals Korea, Caterpillar Prodotti Stradali S.r.l., Caterpillar Product Services Corporation, Caterpillar Propulsion AB, Caterpillar Propulsion International Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Italy S.R.L., Caterpillar Propulsion Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar Propulsion Production AB, Caterpillar Propulsion Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Singapore Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar R&D Center (China) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe LLC, Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe Servicios S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Reman Powertrain Indiana LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Drivetrain LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Renting France S.A.S., Caterpillar Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar SARL, Caterpillar Services Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Servizi Italia Srl, Caterpillar Shrewsbury Limited, Caterpillar Skinningrove Limited, Caterpillar Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd., Caterpillar Special Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Switchgear Americas LLC, Caterpillar Switchgear Holding Inc., Caterpillar Tianjin Ltd., Caterpillar Torreon S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Tosno L.L.C., Caterpillar Transmissions France S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Holdings Ltd., Caterpillar Tunnelling Canada Corporation, Caterpillar Tunnelling Europe Limited, Caterpillar UK Employee Trust Limited, Caterpillar UK Engines Company Limited, Caterpillar UK Group Limited, Caterpillar UK Holdings Limited, Caterpillar Undercarriage (Xuzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Used Equipment Services Inc., Caterpillar Venture Capital Inc., Caterpillar Work Tools B.V., Caterpillar Work Tools Inc., Caterpillar World Trading Corporation, Caterpillar Xuzhou, Caterpillar of Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar of Canada Corporation, Caterpillar of Delaware Inc., Centre de Distribution de Wallonie SPRL, CleanAir Systems, Downer Freight Rail, ECM Railway Evolution Romania s.r.l., ECM S.p.A., EDC European Excavator Design Center GmbH, EMC Holding Corp., EMD International Holdings Inc., ERA Information & Entertainment (BVI) Limited, ERA Mining Machinery Limited, Electro-Motive Diesel Limited, Electro-Motive Locomotive Technologies LLC, Electro-Motive Technical Consulting Co. (Beijing) Ltd., Energy Services International Limited, Equipos de Acuna S.A. de C.V., Eurenov S.A.S., F. G. Wilson (Proprietary) Limited, F. Perkins Limited, FG Wilson (Engineering) Limited, GB Holdco (China) Inc., GFCM Comercial Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., GFCM Servicios S.A. de C.V., Gremada Industries - Assets, Hong Kong Siwei Holdings Limited, Inmobiliaria Conek S.A. de C.V., JCS Co., Kemper Valve & Fittings Corp., Leo Inc., Locomotive Demand Power Pty Ltd., Locomotoras Progress Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Lovat, M2M Data Corporation, MGE Equipamentos & Servicos Ferroviarios, MWM, MWM Austria GmbH, MWM Benelux B.V., MWM Energy Australia Pty Ltd, MWM France S.A.S, MWM Real Estate GmbH, MaK Americas Inc., MaK Americas Inc. (Canada), Magnum Power Products LLC, Marble, Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH, Mec-Track S.r.l., Metalmark Financial Services Limited, Motoren Steffens GmbH, Nippon Caterpillar LLC, P. T. Solar Services Indonesia, PT Caterpillar Finance Indonesia, PT. Bucyrus Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia Batam, PT. Caterpillar Remanufacturing Indonesia, Perkins Engines, Perkins Engines (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, Perkins Engines Group Limited, Perkins Engines Inc., Perkins Group Limited, Perkins Holdings Limited LLC, Perkins India Private Limited, Perkins International Inc., Perkins Japan LLC, Perkins Limited, Perkins Machinery (Changshu) Co. Ltd., Perkins Motores do Brasil Ltda., Perkins Power Systems Technology (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines LLC, Perkins Small Engines Limited, Perkins Technology Inc., Progress Metal Reclamation Company, Progress Rail Arabia Limited Company, Progress Rail Australia Pty Ltd, Progress Rail Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Equipamentos e Servicos Ferroviarios do Brasil Ltda., Progress Rail Equipment Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Holdings Inc., Progress Rail Innovations Private Limited, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems GmbH, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems S.r.l., Progress Rail International Corp., Progress Rail Leasing Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Progress Rail Locomotivas (do Brasil) Ltda., Progress Rail Locomotive Canada Co., Progress Rail Locomotive Chile SpA, Progress Rail Locomotive Inc., Progress Rail Maintenance de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Progress Rail Manufacturing Corporation, Progress Rail Raceland Corporation, Progress Rail Rocklin Corporation, Progress Rail SA Proprietary Limited, Progress Rail Services Corporation, Progress Rail Services Holdings Corp., Progress Rail Services LLC, Progress Rail Services UK Limited, Progress Rail Switching Services LLC, Progress Rail Transcanada Corporation, Progress Rail Welding Corporation, Progress Rail Wildwood LLC, Progress Rail de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pyroban Group, Pyroban Group, Pyrrha Investments B.V., Pyrrha Investments Limited, S&L Railroad LLC, SCM Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., SPL Software Alliance LLC, Sabre Engines, Servicios de Turbinas Solar S. de R.L. de C.V., Shandong SEM Machinery Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines (Beijing) Trading Services Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines (Thailand) Ltd., Solar Turbines CIS Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Canada Ltd./Ltee., Solar Turbines Central Asia Limited Liability Partnership, Solar Turbines EAME s.r.o., Solar Turbines Egypt Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Europe S.A., Solar Turbines India Private Limited, Solar Turbines International Company, Solar Turbines Italy S.R.L., Solar Turbines Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Solar Turbines Middle East Limited, Solar Turbines New Zealand Limited, Solar Turbines Saudi Arabia Limited, Solar Turbines Services Company, Solar Turbines Services Nigeria Limited, Solar Turbines Services of Argentina S.R.L., Solar Turbines Switzerland Sagl, Solar Turbines Trinidad & Tobago Limited, Solar Turbines West-Africa SARL, Tangshan DBT Machinery Co. Ltd., Tecnologia Modificada S.A. de C.V., Towmotor Corporation, Traction & Mining Motor Repairs Pty Ltd, Turbinas Solar S.A. de C.V., Turbinas Solar de Colombia S.A., Turbinas Solar de Venezuela C.A., Turbo Tecnologia de Reparaciones S.A. de C.V., Turbomach, Turbomach Endustriyel Gaz Turbinleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited, Turbomach France SARL, Turbomach GmbH, Turbomach Netherlands B.V., Turbomach Pakistan (Private) Limited, Turbomach S.A. Unipersonal, Turbomach Sp. Z o.o., Turner Powertrain Systems Limited, UK Hose Assembly Limited, Underground Imaging Technologies Inc, United Industries LLC, VALA Inc., Vasky Energy Ltd., Wealdstone Engineering, Weir - Oil & Gas Division, West Virginia Auto Shredding Inc., Western Gear Machinery LLC, Wetland Sustainability Fund I LLC, Williams Technologies, Yard Club, Zhengzhou Siwei Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Sales Co. Ltd., and okyo Rental Ltd.. Read More Legal & General Group Plc provides various insurance products and services in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates in four segments: Legal & General Retirement (LGR), Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), Legal & General Capital (LGC), and Legal & General Insurance (LGI). The LGR segment offers annuity contracts with guaranteed income for a specified time; longevity insurance products; lifetime mortgages; lifetime care plans; retirement interest only mortgages; and workplace savings scheme that provides corporate pension scheme solutions. The LGIM segment offers index fund management; active fixed income funds and liquidity funds; active equity management; solution and liability driven investment; multi-asset funds; corporate pension scheme solutions; and real assets. The LGC segment provides investment strategy and implementation, and direct investment and structuring services. The LGI segment offers protection products, such as health, disability, critical illness, and accident; individual term assurance; reinsurance; savings and death benefits; and annuities. It is also involved in the unit trust and institutional fund management, mortgage finance, treasury, building project and modular housing development, general insurance, and open-ended investment businesses. In addition, the company engages in the investment, operation, management, trading, and letting and operation of leased real estate; and construction of commercial buildings, financial intermediation, pension tracing and transfer, insurance agents and brokers, fund general partner, commercial lending, venture capital investing, contractual scheme, investor alternative investment fund, collective asset-management, and investment management activities; and provision of investment advisory, business information consultancy, and technology services. Legal & General Group Plc was founded in 1836 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen France SAS, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Suzhou Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel Ireland Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Brooks Instrument Shanghai Co. Ltd, Buell Industries Inc., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS Australia Pty Limited, CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures Australasia S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Coeur Shanghai Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Denison Mayes Group Limited, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., E2M Production B.V.., E2M Technologies B.V.., E2M Technologies Inc.., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO Holding AG, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, Exhibit 21, FEG Investments L.L.C., Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Filtertek SAS, GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech Taicang Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Belgium B.V., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart International Singapore Pte. Ltd., Hobart Japan K.K., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components Chongqing Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components Langfang Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium B.V., ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS UK Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW China Investment Company Limited, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Construction Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Services Manila Inc., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Contamination Control Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Deutschland GmbH, ITW Diagraph GmbH, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW EU Holdings Ltd., ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.L., ITW European Finance Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Thailand Ltd., ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France Luxembourg S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW Materials Technology Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Ningbo Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology China Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion Shenzhen Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Illinois Tool Works Chile Limitada, Illinois Tool Works ITW Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Inc., Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, Instron Shanghai Ltd., Instron Thailand Limited, International Leasing Company LLC, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., Itw Spraytec, KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems Canada Inc., Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MTS 2 LLC., MTS 3 LLC., MTS China Holdings LLC, MTS Europe Holdings LLC, MTS Holdings France S.a.r.l., MTS Japan Ltd.., MTS Korea Inc.., MTS Systems China Co. Ltd., MTS Systems Corporation, MTS Systems Danmark ApS., MTS Systems Europe B.V., MTS Systems Finance C.V.., MTS Systems Germany GmbH, MTS Systems Holding B.V.., MTS Systems Hong Kong Incorporated, MTS Systems Limited, MTS Systems Norden Aktiebolag, MTS Systems S.r.l, MTS Systems., MTS Systems.., MTS Sytems Do Brazil, MTS Testing Solutions India Private Limited., MTS Testing Systems Canada Ltd., Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology Suzhou Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited Enping, Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners Shanghai Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., R&D Engineering A/S., R&D Prague s.r.o., R&D Steel ApS., R&D Test Systems A/S., R&D Tools and Structures A/S., RDGDK Engineering Private Limited, Ramset Fasteners Hong Kong Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco Japan Inc., Simco Nederland B.V., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes B.V., Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Hong Kong Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Shanghai Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stokvis Tapes Taiwan Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Tianjin Co. Ltd., Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Subsidiaries, Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek China Limited, Teknek Japan Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Kunshan Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta Global Limited, Vesta Guangzhou Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil South Africa Pty Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, and Zip-Pak International B.V.. Read More Trinity Industries, Inc. provides rail transportation products and services under the TrinityRail name in North America. It operates in two segments, Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group, and Rail Products Group. The Railcar Leasing and Management Services Group segment leases freight and tank railcars; originates and manages railcar leases for third-party investors; and provides fleet maintenance and management services. As of December 31, 2021, it had a fleet of 106,970 owned or leased railcars. This segment serves industrial shipper and railroad companies operating in agriculture, construction and metals, consumer products, energy, and refined products and chemicals markets. The Rail Products Group segment manufactures freight and tank railcars for transporting various liquids, gases, and dry cargo; and offers railcar maintenance and modification services. This segment serves railroads, leasing companies, and industrial shippers of products in the agriculture, construction and metals, consumer products, energy, and refined products and chemicals markets. It sells or leases products and services through its own sales personnel and independent sales representatives. Trinity Industries, Inc. was incorporated in 1933 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. OPKO Health, Inc., a healthcare company, engages in the diagnostics and pharmaceuticals businesses in the United States, Ireland, Chile, Spain, Israel, Mexico, and internationally. The company's Diagnostics segment operates BioReference Laboratories that offers laboratory testing services for the detection, diagnosis, evaluation, monitoring, and treatment of diseases, including esoteric testing, molecular diagnostics, anatomical pathology, genetics, women's health, and correctional healthcare to physician offices, clinics, hospitals, employers and governmental units; and a novel diagnostic instrument system to provide blood test results in the point-of-care setting, as well as 4Kscore prostate cancer testing services. Its Pharmaceutical segment offers Rayaldee to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism in adults with stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease, and vitamin D insufficiency; OPK88004, an orally administered selective androgen receptor modulator; OPK88003, a once-weekly administered peptide for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and associated obesity that is in Phase IIb trials; and hGH-CTP, a once-weekly human growth hormone injection that completed Phase III clinical trial in partnership with Pfizer, Inc. This segment develops and commercializes longer-acting proprietary versions of already approved therapeutic proteins. The company also offers specialty APIs; develops, manufactures, markets, and sells pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, veterinary, and ophthalmic products; commercializes food supplements and over the counter products; manufactures and sells products primarily in the generics market; and imports, markets, distributes, and sells pharmaceutical products in a range of indications, including cardiovascular products, vaccines, antibiotics, gastro-intestinal products, hormones, and others. In addition, it operates pharmaceutical platforms in Ireland, Chile, Spain, and Mexico. The company was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida. Nabors Industries Ltd. provides drilling and drilling-related services for land-based and offshore oil and natural gas wells. The company operates through five segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions, and Rig Technologies. It provides tubular running, wellbore placement, directional drilling, measurement-while-drilling (MWD), equipment manufacturing, and rig instrumentation services; and logging-while-drilling systems and services, as well as drilling optimization software. The company also offers REVit, an automated real time stick-slip mitigation system; ROCKit, a directional steering control system; SmartNAV, a collaborative guidance and advisory platform; SmartSLIDE, an advanced directional steering control system; and RigCLOUD, which provides the tools and infrastructure to integrate applications to deliver real-time insight into operations across the rig fleet. In addition, it manufactures and sells top drives, catwalks, wrenches, drawworks, and other drilling related equipment, such as robotic systems and downhole tools; and provides aftermarket sales and services for the installed base of its equipment. As of December 31, 2021, the company marketed approximately 301 rigs for land-based drilling operations in the United States, Canada, and in 20 other countries worldwide; and 29 rigs for offshore platform drilling operations in the United States and internationally. Nabors Industries Ltd. was founded in 1952 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda. Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer and distributor of professional beauty supplies. The company operates through two segments, Sally Beauty Supply and Beauty Systems Group. The Sally Beauty Supply segment offers beauty products, including hair color and care products, skin and nail care products, styling tools, and other beauty products for retail customers, salons, and salon professionals. This segment also provides products under third-party brands, such as Wella, Clairol, OPI, Conair, and L'Oreal, as well as exclusive-label brand merchandise. The Beauty Systems Group segment offers professional beauty products, such as hair color and care products, skin and nail care products, styling tools, and other beauty items directly to salons and salon professionals through its professional-only stores, e-commerce platforms, and sales force, as well as through franchised stores under the Armstrong McCall store name. This segment also sells products under third-party brands, such as Paul Mitchell, Wella, Matrix, Schwarzkopf, Kenra, Goldwell, Joico, and Olaplex. As of September 30, 2021, the company operated 4,777 stores, including 134 franchised units in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany. It also distributes its products through full-service/exclusive distributors, open-line distributors, direct sales, and mega-salon stores. Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1964 and is headquartered in Denton, Texas. New Media Investment Group Inc. invests in, owns, and operates local media assets in the United States. The company's principal products include 146 daily newspapers with total paid circulation of approximately 1.5 million; 323 weekly newspapers with total paid circulation of approximately 268,000 and total free circulation of approximately 1.4 million; 132 shoppers with total circulation of approximately 3.1 million; and 581 locally-focused Websites, including Internet and mobile devices with approximately 364 million page views per month. Its principal products also comprise 77 business publications; and UpCurve Cloud and ThriveHive, which provides digital marketing and business services. In addition, the company produces niche publications that address specific local market interests, such as recreation, sports, healthcare, and real estate. Further, it offers print and online products that offer local market news and information on various topics comprising local news and politics, community and regional events, youth sports, opinion and editorial pages, local schools, obituaries, weddings, and police reports, as well as commercial printing services for publishers; and prints commercial materials, including flyers, business cards, and invitations. Additionally, the company produces approximately 350 annual events with a collective attendance approximately 400,000, such as themed expo, signature event, endurance event, and white label event services; and provides digital and print advertising services. It reaches approximately 22 million people per week; and serves approximately 199,000 business customers. New Media Investment Group Inc. was founded in 1997 and is based in New York, New York. Fortune Brands Home & Security, Inc. provides home and security products for residential home repair, remodeling, new construction, and security applications. It operates in three segments: Plumbing, Outdoors & Security, and Cabinets. The Plumbing segment manufactures, assembles, and sells faucets, accessories, kitchen sinks, and waste disposals under the Moen, ROHL, Riobel, Victoria+Albert, Perrin & Rowe, and Shaws brands in the United States, China, Canada, Mexico, Southeast Asia, Europe, and South America directly through its own sales force, as well as through independent manufacturers' representatives to wholesalers, home centers, mass merchandisers, and industrial distributors. The Outdoors & Security segment offers fiberglass and steel entry door systems under the Therma-Tru brand; storm, screen, and security doors under the Larson brand; composite decking and railing under the Fiberon brand; and urethane millwork under the Fypon brand. This segment also manufactures, sources, and distributes locks, safety and security devices, and electronic security products under the Master Lock and American Lock brands; and fire resistant safes, security containers, and commercial cabinets under the SentrySafe brand. It serves home centers, hardware and other retailers, millwork building products and wholesale distributors, specialty dealers, and remodeling and renovation markets, as well as locksmiths, industrial and institutional users, and original equipment manufacturers in the United States, Canada, Europe, Central America, Japan, and Australia. The Cabinets segment manufactures custom, semi-custom, and custom cabinetry, as well as vanities for the kitchen, bath, and other parts of the home directly to kitchen and bath dealers, home centers, wholesalers, and builders in North America under the AOK, Diamond Brands, Homecrest, Kitchen Craft, Omega, and EVE brands. The company was incorporated in 1988 and is headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois. The following companies are subsidiares of Thermo Fisher Scientific: 236 Perinton Parkway LLC, 27 Forge Parkway LLC, ABR--Affinity BioReagents, ACI Holdings Inc., ARG Services LLC, ASPEX Corporation, Abgene Inc., Abgene Limited, Acoustic Cytometry Systems Inc., AcroMetrix LLC, Acros Organics B.V.B.A., Advanced Biotechnologies Limited, Advanced Scientifics (ASI), Advanced Scientifics Inc., Advanced Scientifics International Inc., Affymetrix Biotech Participacoes Ltda., Affymetrix Biotech Shanghai Ltd, Affymetrix Inc, Affymetrix Japan K.K., Affymetrix Pte Ltd, Affymetrix UK Ltd, Afora S.A.U., Ahura Scientific, Alchematrix Inc., Alchematrix LLC, Alfa Aesar, Alfa Aesar (China) Chemical Co. Ltd., Alfa Aesar (Hong Kong) Limited, Allergon AB, Alphine Mountain Limited, Ambion Inc., Apogent Denmark ApS, Apogent Finance Company, Apogent Holding Company, Apogent Technologies Inc., Apogent Transition Corp., Apogent U.K. Limited, App-Tek International Pty Ltd, Applied Biosystems B.V., Applied Biosystems Finance B.V., Applied Biosystems International Inc., Applied Biosystems LLC, Applied Biosystems Taiwan LLC, Applied Biosystems Trading (Shanghai) Company Ltd., Applied Biosystems de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Applied Scientific Corporation, Avances Cientificos de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Avocado Research Chemicals Limited, B.R.A.H.M.S. Biotech GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. UK Ltd, BAC BV, BAC IP BV, Barnstead Thermolyne LLC, Beijing Phadia Diagnostics Co Ltd, Bender MedSystems GmbH, BioTrove Corporation, BioTrove International Inc., Bioanalysis Labsystems S.A., Biochemical Sciences LLC, Biolab, BmT GmbH Laborprodukte, Bonsai Tecnologies - Sistemas para Biotecnologia e Industria Unipessoal Lda, Brammer Bio, Bumi-Sans Sendirian Berhad, CAC Limited, CB Diagnostics AB, CB Diagnostics Holding AB, CEPH International Corporation, CHK Holdings Inc., CRS Robotics, CTPS LLC, Capitol Scientific Products Inc., Capitol Vial Inc., Cellomics Inc., CellzDirect Inc., Cenduit GmbH, Cenduit LLC, Cezanne S.A.S., Chase Scientific Glass Inc., Chromacol Limited, Clintrak, Clintrak Clinical Labeling Services LLC, Clintrak Pharmaceutical Services LLC, Cohesive Technologies (UK) Limited, Cohesive Technologies Inc., Columbia Diagnostics Inc., Compendia Bioscience Inc., Comtest Limited, Consolidated Technologies Inc., Consultores Fisher Scientific Chile Ltd, Core Informatics, Core Informatics LLC, Core Informatics UK Ltd., D-finitive Technologies Inc., DCG Systems B.V., DCG Systems C.V., DCG Systems G.K., DCG Systems GmbH, DCG Systems Korea Ltd., DCG Systems LLC, DPI Newco LLC, DSM Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Dharmacon, Diagnostix Ltd., Dionex (China) Analytical Ltd, Dionex (Switzerland) AG, Dionex (UK) Limited, Dionex Austria GmbH, Dionex Benelux B.V., Dionex Brasil Instrumentos Cientificos Ltda, Dionex Canada Ltd., Dionex China Limited, Dionex Corporation, Dionex Denmark A/S, Dionex Holding GmbH, Dionex I LLC, Dionex Pty Ltd., Dionex S.A., Dionex S.p.A., Dionex Singapore Pte Ltd., Dionex Softron GmbH, Dionex Sweden AB, Distribution Solutions International Inc., Doe & Ingalls Investors Inc., Doe & Ingalls Limited, Doe & Ingalls Management LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties II LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties LLC, Doe & Ingalls of California Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Florida Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Maryland Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Massachusetts Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of North Carolina Operating LLC, Doublecape Holding Limited, Doublecape Limited, Drakeside Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Duke Scientific Corporation, Dynal Biotech Beijing Limited, EGS Gauging Ltd., EGS Gauging Technical Services Company, EP Scientific Products LLC, Ecochem N.V., EnviroEquip Pty Ltd, Epsom Glass Industries Limited, Equibio Limited, Erie Electroverre S.A., Erie Finance Limited, Erie LP Holding LLC, Erie Scientific Company of Puerto Rico, Erie Scientific Hungary Kft, Erie Scientific LLC, Erie U.K. Limited, Erie UK 1 Limited, Erie UK 2 Limited, Erie UK Holding Company, Erie UK Senior Holding Limited, European Laboratory Holdings Limited, Eutech Instruments Europe B.V., Eutech Instruments Pte Ltd., Eutech Instruments Sdn Bhd, Ever Ready Thermometer Co. Inc., FEI Asia Pacific Co. Ltd., FEI Australia Pty Ltd, FEI CPD B.V., FEI Company, FEI Company Japan Ltd., FEI Company of USA (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd., FEI Czech Republic s.r.o., FEI Deutschland GmbH, FEI EFA Inc., FEI EFA International Pte. Ltd., FEI Electron Optics B.V., FEI Electron Optics International B.V., FEI Europe B.V., FEI France SAS, FEI Global Holdings C.V., FEI Hong Kong Company Limited, FEI Houston Inc., FEI Italia Srl, FEI Korea Ltd., FEI Melbourne Pty Ltd., FEI Microscopy Solutions Ltd, FEI Munich GmbH, FEI Norway Holding AS, FEI SAS, FEI Saudi Arabia LLC, FEI Servicos de Nanotecnologia Ltda., FEI Technologies Inc., FEI Technology de Mexico S.A. de C.V., FEI Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., FEI Trondheim AS, FEI UK Ltd., FHP LLC, FRC Holding Inc. V, FS (Barbados) Capital Holdings Ltd., FS Casa Rocas Holdings LLC, FS Mexicana Holdings LLC, FSI Receivables Company LLC, FSII Sweden Holdings AB, FSII Sweden Holdings I AB, FSIR Holdings (UK) Limited, FSIR Holdings (US) Inc., FSUK Holdings Limited, FSWH Company LLC, FSWH II C.V., FSWH International Holdings LLC, Fermentas China Co. Ltd, Fermentas Inc., Fermentas International, Fermentas Sweden AB, Fermentas UK Limited, Fiberlite Centrifuge LLC, Finesse Scientific Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Finesse Solutions AG, Finesse Solutions Inc., Finnzymes Oy, Fisher Alder S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Asia Manufacturing Ventures Inc., Fisher Bermuda Holdings Limited, Fisher BioImage ApS, Fisher BioPharma Services (India) Private Limited, Fisher BioSciences Japan G.K., Fisher BioServices Inc., Fisher Bioblock Holding II SNC, Fisher CLP Holding Limited Partnership, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 1, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 2, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 3, Fisher Canada Limited Partnership, Fisher Chimica BVBA, Fisher Clinical Logistics LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services (Bristol) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Colombia) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Korea) Co. Ltd, Fisher Clinical Services (Mexico) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Peru) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services Colombia S.A.S., Fisher Clinical Services GmbH, Fisher Clinical Services Inc., Fisher Clinical Services Japan K.K., Fisher Clinical Services Latin America S.R.L., Fisher Clinical Services Limited Liability Company, Fisher Clinical Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Clinical Services Peru S.R.L, Fisher Clinical Services Pte Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services U.K. Limited, Fisher Emergo B.V., Fisher Germany Holdings GmbH, Fisher Hamilton China Inc., Fisher Hamilton Mexico LLC, Fisher Holdings ApS, Fisher Internet Minority Holdings L.L.C., Fisher Laboratory Products Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Fisher Luxembourg Danish Holdings SARL, Fisher Manufacturing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Maybridge Holdings Limited, Fisher Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific (Austria) GmbH, Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Fisher Scientific (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific (SEA) Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific A/S, Fisher Scientific AG, Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Limited, Fisher Scientific Biotech Line ApS, Fisher Scientific Brazil Inc., Fisher Scientific Central America Inc., Fisher Scientific Chile Inc., Fisher Scientific Colombia Inc., Fisher Scientific Company, Fisher Scientific Company L.L.C., Fisher Scientific Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Fisher Scientific Europe Holdings B.V., Fisher Scientific GTF AB, Fisher Scientific Germany Beteiligungs GmbH, Fisher Scientific GmbH, Fisher Scientific Holding Company LLC, Fisher Scientific Holding HK Limited, Fisher Scientific Holding U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific Holdings (S) Pte Ltd, Fisher Scientific International LLC, Fisher Scientific Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Fisher Scientific Ireland Investments Unlimited, Fisher Scientific Ireland Limited, Fisher Scientific Japan Ltd., Fisher Scientific Jersey Island Limited, Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd, Fisher Scientific Latin America Inc., Fisher Scientific Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Fisher Scientific Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific Mexico Inc., Fisher Scientific Middle East and Africa Inc., Fisher Scientific Norway AS, Fisher Scientific Operating Company, Fisher Scientific Oxoid Holdings Ltd., Fisher Scientific Oy, Fisher Scientific Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific S.A.S., Fisher Scientific S.L., Fisher Scientific SPRL, Fisher Scientific The Hague I B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague II B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague III B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague IV B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague V B.V., Fisher Scientific U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company 2, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company Limited, Fisher Scientific Unipessoal Lda., Fisher Scientific Venezuela Inc., Fisher Scientific Worldwide (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Holdings I C.V., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Inc., Fisher Scientific de Mexico S.A., Fisher Scientific of the Netherlands B.V., Fisher Scientific spol. S.r.o, Fisher Servicios Clinicos (Chile) LLC, Fisher Servicios Clinicos Chile Ltda, Fisher WWD Holding L.L.C., Fisher Worldwide Distribution SPV, Fisher Worldwide Gene Distribution SPV, Flux Instruments, Fuji Partnership, G & M Procter Limited, G V Instruments Limited, GV Instruments Canada Ltd., GV Instruments Inc, Gatan Inc, General Scientific Company Sdn Bhd (M), Genomed molekularbiologische und diagnostische Produkte GmbH, Gerhard Menzel B.V. & Co. KG, Gold Cattle Standard Testing Labs Inc., Golden West Indemnity Company Limited, Goring Kerr Detection Limited, Greenville Service Company Inc., HENO GmbH i.L., Hangar 215 Inc., Helmet Securities Limited, Henogen, HighChem, HyClone International Trade (Tianjin) Co. Ltd, Hybaid Limited, I.Q. (BIO) Limited, IDnostics AG, ILS Laboratories Scandinavia AB, Inel Inc., Inel SAS, InnaPhase Inc., InnaPhase Limited, IntegenX, Intrinsic BioProbes Inc., Intrinsic Bioprobes Inc., Invitrogen (Shanghai) Investment Co. Ltd., Invitrogen Argentina SA, Invitrogen BioServices India Private Limited, Invitrogen Europe Limited, Invitrogen Finance Corp., Invitrogen Holdings LLC, Invitrogen Holdings Ltd., Invitrogen Hong Kong Limited, Invitrogen IP Holdings Inc., Invitrogen Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ion Torrent Systems Inc., Ionalytics Corporation, JSC Thermo Fisher Scientific, Jouan LLC, Jouan Limited, Jouan SA, Kendro Containment & Services Limited, Kendro Laboratory Products Ltd, Kettlebrook Insurance Co. ltd., Keystone Scientific, KonTEM GmbH, Kyle Jordan Investments LLC, LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, LTC Tech South Africa PTY Ltd., La-Pha-Pack GmbH, Lab Vision (UK) Limited, Lab Vision Corporation, Lab-Chrom-Pack LLC, Lab-Line Instruments Inc., Labomex MBP S. de R. L. De C.V., Laboratoire Service International - L.S.I, Laboratory Management Systems Inc., Laboratory Specialties Proprietary Ltd., LambTrack Limited, Laser Analytical Systems Inc., Liberty Lane Investment LLC, Liberty Lane Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Life Sciences International (Poland) SP z O.O, Life Sciences International Holdings BV, Life Sciences International LLC, Life Sciences International Limited, Life Technologies AS, Life Technologies Australia PTY Ltd., Life Technologies BPD AB, Life Technologies BPD UK Limited, Life Technologies Brasil Comercio e Industria de Produtos para Biotecnologia Ltda, Life Technologies Chile SpA, Life Technologies Clinical Services Lab Inc., Life Technologies Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Czech Republic s.r.o., Life Technologies DaAn Diagnostic (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Europe B.V., Life Technologies Finance Ltd., Life Technologies Finland Oy, Life Technologies GmbH, Life Technologies Holdings PTE Ltd., Life Technologies Inc., Life Technologies International B.V., Life Technologies Japan Ltd., Life Technologies Korea LLC, Life Technologies Limited, Life Technologies Magyarorszag Kft, Life Technologies New Zealand Ltd., Life Technologies Norway Investments US LLC, Life Technologies Polska Sp z.o.o., Life Technologies SA, Life Technologies SAS, Life Technologies s.r.o, Linkage Biosciences Inc., Linkage Biosciences S.a.r.l., Loftus Furnace Company, Lomb Scientific, Lomb Scientific (Aust) Pty Limited, MTI-GlobalStem, Marketbase International Limited, Matrix MicroScience Inc., Matrix MicroScience Ltd., Matrix Technologies Corporation Limited, Matrix Technologies LLC, Maybridge Chemical Company Limited, Maybridge Chemical Holdings Limited, Maybridge Limited, Medical Analysis Systems Inc., Medical Analysis Systems International Inc., Medical Diagnostics Systems Inc., Metavac LLC, Microgenics Corporation, Microgenics Diagnostics Pty Limited, Microgenics GmbH, Microm International GmbH, Microm Laborgerate S.L.U, Molecular BioProducts Inc., Molecular Probes Inc., Molecular Transfer Inc., NAPCO Inc., NERL Diagnostics LLC, NOVODIRECT GmbH Labor- und Industrie- Megerate, Nalge (Europe) Limited, Nalge Nunc International (Monterrey) LLC, Nalge Nunc International Corporation, Nanjing WeiKangLe Trading Industrial Co Ltd, NanoDrop Technologies LLC, National Scientific Company, Navaho Acquisition Corp., Neomarkers Inc., New FS Holdings Inc., NewcoGen PE LLC, Nihon Dynal K.K., Niton Asia Limited, NovaWave Technologies Inc., Nunc A/S, ONIX Systems Inc., OXOID CZ s.r.o., Odyssey Holdings Corporation, Odyssey Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 1 S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 2 S.a r.l., Odyssey Venture Corporation, Omega Data Systems, One Lambda Inc, Onix Holdings Limited, Orme Scientific Limited, Owl Separation Systems LLC, Oxoid (ELY) Limited, Oxoid 2000 Limited, Oxoid AS, Oxoid Australia Pty. Limited, Oxoid Company, Oxoid Deutschland GmbH, Oxoid Holding SAS, Oxoid Holdings Limited, Oxoid Inc., Oxoid International Limited, Oxoid Investments GmbH, Oxoid Limited, Oxoid N.V., Oxoid New Zealand Limited, Oxoid Pension Trustees Limited, Oxoid Senior Holdings Limited, Oxoid UKH LLC, PAX - DSI Acquisition LLC, PE AG, Pacific Rim Far East Industries LLC, Pacific Rim Investment LLC, Panomics L.L.C., Panomics S.R.L., Patheon, Patheon API Inc., Patheon API Manufacturing Inc., Patheon API Services Inc., Patheon Austria GmbH & Co KG, Patheon B.V., Patheon Banner U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon Biologics (NJ) LLC, Patheon Biologics Australia Pty Ltd, Patheon Biologics B.V., Patheon Biologics LLC, Patheon Calculus Merger LLC, Patheon Cooperatief U.A., Patheon Development Services Inc., Patheon Finance LLC, Patheon France SAS, Patheon Holdings B.V., Patheon Holdings I B.V., Patheon Holdings II B.V., Patheon Holdings SAS, Patheon I B.V., Patheon I Holding GmbH, Patheon Inc., Patheon International AG, Patheon Italia S.p.A., Patheon KK, Patheon Life Science Products International GmbH, Patheon Manufacturing Services LLC, Patheon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Patheon Pharmaceuticals Services Inc., Patheon Puerto Rico Acquisitions Corporation, Patheon Puerto Rico Inc., Patheon Regensburg GmbH, Patheon Softgels B.V., Patheon Softgels Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings LLC, Patheon UK Limited, Patheon UK Pension Trustees Limited, Pelican Acquisition Corporation, Perbio Science (Canada) Company, Perbio Science AB, Perbio Science BVBA, Perbio Science France SAS, Perbio Science Inc., Perbio Science International Netherlands B.V., Perbio Science Invest AB, Perbio Science Nederland B.V., Perbio Science Projekt AB, Perbio Science Sweden Holdings AB, Perbio Science Switzerland SA, Perbio Science UK Limited, Phadia AB, Phadia Diagnosticos Ltda, Phadia GmbH, Phadia Holding AB, Phadia International Holdings C.V., Phadia Korea Co. Ltd, Phadia Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Phadia Malta Holdings Limited, Phadia Oy, Phadia Real Property AB, Phadia Sweden AB, Phadia Taiwan Inc., Phadia US Inc., Phadia s.r.o., Pharmacaps Mexicana SA de CV, Phenom-World B.V., Phenom-World Holding B.V, Phenom-World Innovations B.V., Phinotex, Pierce Biotechnology Inc., Pierce Milwaukee Holding Corp., Pierce Milwaukee Inc., Polychromix, Power Sweden Holdings I AB, Power Sweden Holdings II AB, Power Sweden Holdings III Aktiebolag, Princeton Gamma-Tech Instruments LLC, Princeton Security Technologies, Prionics AG, Prionics Asia Ltd., Prionics Deutschland GmbH, Prionics France SAS, Prionics Italia S.r.l., Prionics Lelystad B.V., Prionics USA Inc., Priority Air Express LLC, Priority Air Express Pte. Ltd., Priority Air Express UK Limited, Priority Air Holdings Corp, Priority Solutions International, Promedica Pty Limited, Proxeon, Proxeon Biosystems ApS, Qiagen, REP GBP I-B Blocker Inc., Raymond A Lamb Limited, Remel Europe Limited, Remel Inc., Richard-Allan Scientific Company, Robbins Scientific LLC, Robocon Labor- und Industrieroboter Gesellschaft m.b.H, Rupprecht and Patashnick, Rupprecht and Patashnick (R&P), Russell pH Limited, S.C.I. du 10 rue Dugay Trouin, SCI Inno 92, STC Bio Manufacturing Inc., Samco Scientific (Monterrey) LLC, Samco Scientific LLC, Saroph Sweden AB, Schantz Road LLC, Seradyn Inc., Shanghai Life Technologies Biotechnology Co. Limited, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (C-I) Trading Co. Ltd, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (S) Trading Co. Ltd, Southern Trials (Pty) Ltd., Specialty (SMI) Inc., Spectra-Physics AB, Spectra-Physics Holdings Limited, Spectra-Physics Holdings USA LLC, Spectronex, Staten Island Cogeneration Corporation, Sterilin Limited, Stokes Bio Ltd., Sweden DIA (Sweden) AB, SwissAnalytic Group GmbH, Systems Manufacturing Corporation, TFLP LLC, TFS Breda B.V., TFS LLC, TFS Singapore HK Limited, TFSL Financing GP LLC, TFSL Senior GP Holdings 2 LLC, TK Partnership, TKA Wasseraufbereitungssysteme, TMOI Inc., TPI Real Estate Holdings LLC, TSP Holdings I LLC, TWX LLC, Technology Design Solutions Pty Ltd, Thermedics Detection de Argentina S.R.L, Thermo Allen Coding Limited, Thermo Asset Management Services Inc., Thermo BioAnalysis LLC, Thermo BioAnalysis Limited, Thermo BioSciences Holdings LLC, Thermo CIDTEC, Thermo CRS Holdings Ltd., Thermo CRS Ltd., Thermo Cambridge Limited, Thermo Cayman Holdings Ltd., Thermo Corporation, Thermo DMA Inc., Thermo Detection de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Dutch Holdings Limited Partnership, Thermo EGS Gauging LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings I LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings II LLC, Thermo Eberline LLC, Thermo Electron (Calgary) Limited, Thermo Electron (Chile) S.p.A., Thermo Electron (Karlsruhe) GmbH, Thermo Electron (Management Services) Limited, Thermo Electron (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Electron A/S, Thermo Electron Australia Pty Limited, Thermo Electron Export Inc., Thermo Electron Holdings SAS, Thermo Electron Industries, Thermo Electron LED GmbH, Thermo Electron LED S.A.S., Thermo Electron Limited, Thermo Electron Manufacturing Limited, Thermo Electron Metallurgical Services Inc., Thermo Electron North America LLC, Thermo Electron Pension Trust GmbH, Thermo Electron Puerto Rico Inc., Thermo Electron SAS, Thermo Electron Scientific Instruments LLC, Thermo Electron Sweden AB, Thermo Electron Sweden Forvaltning AB, Thermo Electron Weighing & Inspection Limited, Thermo Elemental Limited, Thermo Environmental Instruments LLC, Thermo Fast U.K. Limited, Thermo Finland Holdings LLC, Thermo Finland Holdings MT1 B.V., Thermo Finland Holdings MT2 B.V., Thermo Finnigan LLC, Thermo Finnigan Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Malta Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN-I) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (CN-II) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings I Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings II Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings 2) LLC, Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) II Limited, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Heysham) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Kandel) GmbH, Thermo Fisher CHK Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust II, Thermo Fisher Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Thermo Fisher Cyprus Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Detection Mexico LLC, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics (Ireland) Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AB, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AG, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Aps, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Austria GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics B.V., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics K.K., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics NV, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.L.U., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.p.A. , Thermo Fisher Diagnostics SAS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Thermo Fisher Eurobonds Ltd., Thermo Fisher Financial Services Inc., Thermo Fisher GP LLC, Thermo Fisher German Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Germany B.V., Thermo Fisher India Divestco Private Limited, Thermo Fisher India Holding B.V., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Thermo Fisher Israel Ltd., Thermo Fisher Production et Services SAS, Thermo Fisher Project Cyprus LLC, Thermo Fisher Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Asheville) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Australia) C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Barbados) Holdings Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Breda) Holding BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (CN) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China-HK) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (DE) Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Ecublens) SARL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance II) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Fuji) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Holding II) B.V. & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Johannesburg) (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mexico City) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Milwaukee) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mississauga) Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Monterrey) S. De R.L. De C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (NK) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) Austria Holding GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-I) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-II) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN1) UK Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) Dutch LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Praha) s.r.o., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) GmbH & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Schweiz) AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Instruments Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Suzhou) Instruments Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific AL-1 LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific AU II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Aquasensors LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific B.V.B.A., Thermo Fisher Scientific BHK (I) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific BHK (II) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Baltics UAB, Thermo Fisher Scientific Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Biosciences Corp., Thermo Fisher Scientific Brahms LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil Instrumentos de Processo Ltda., Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil Servicos de Logistica Ltda, Thermo Fisher Scientific C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cayman Investments LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chemicals Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific China (C-I) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific China (S) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings I B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings III B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings IV B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography Holdings Aps, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography Holdings S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus I Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus II Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus III C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus III Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus IV C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus V C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Denmark Senior Holdings ApS, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie 1 Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie Financing S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Europe GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC Finance C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSIR Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSIR Financing S.a.r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSUKHCO Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Falcon Senior Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Finance Company BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific GENEART GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Germany BV & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific HR Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings (Cayman) I, Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings (Cayman) II , Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings Europe Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific IT Services GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific India Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific India Pvt Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Malta) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Sweden) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Sweden) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments Malta (Sweden Financing) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Invitrogen Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings I B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings III B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific K.K., Thermo Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific LSI Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life CV GP Holdings II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life CV GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Enterprises C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Enterprises GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings III C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International Holdings I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments I S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments III S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments IV S.a.r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta Holding I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta Holding II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments US Financing I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments US Financing II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life NL Holdings GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Netherlands Holding C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior GP Holdings II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Switzerland Holdings GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Tech Korea Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Enterprise Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment UK I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment UK II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investments Holding LP, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Israel Investment I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Israel Investment II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Luxembourg Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Enterprise Holdings S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg German Holdings S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Life Technologies UK Holding S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Sweden Holdings I S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Sweden Holdings II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Venture Holdings I S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Venture Holdings II S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Malaysia Sdn. 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Ltd., ThermoLase LLC, ThermoSpectra Limited, Trek Diagnostic Systems LLC, Trek Diagnostic Systems Ltd., Trek Holding Company II Ltd., Trek Holding Company Ltd., Trex Medical Corporation, USB Corporation, Union Lab Supplies Limited, United Diagnostics Inc., VG Systems Limited, Westover Scientific Inc., ZAO PE Biosystems, eBioscience GmbH, eBioscience Ltd, eBioscience SAS, and picoSpin LLC. Read More TransUnion provides risk and information solutions. The company operates in three segments: U.S. Markets, International, and Consumer Interactive. The U.S. Markets segment provides consumer reports, actionable insights, and analytics to businesses. These businesses use its services to acquire new customers; assess consumer ability to pay for services; identify cross-selling opportunities; measure and manage debt portfolio risk; collect debt; verify consumer identities; and mitigate fraud risk. This segment serves various industry vertical markets, including financial services, insurance, tenant and employment, collections and services, technology, commerce and communication, public sector, media, and other markets. The International segment offers credit reports, analytics, technology solutions, and other value-added risk management services; and consumer services, which help consumers to manage their personal finances and consumer credit reporting, insurance and auto information solutions, and commercial credit information services. This segment serves customers in financial services, retail credit, insurance, automotive, collections, public sector, and communications industries through direct and indirect channels. The Consumer Interactive segment provides credit reports and scores, credit monitoring, identity protection and resolution, and financial management solutions that enable consumers to manage their personal finances and take precautions against identity theft. This segment offers its products through online and mobile interfaces, as well as through direct and indirect channels. The company serves customers in approximately 30 countries and territories, including North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, India, and the Asia Pacific. The company was formerly known as TransUnion Holding Company, Inc. and changed its name to TransUnion in March 2015. TransUnion was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the electric utility, banking, and renewable/sustainable infrastructure investment businesses in the state of Hawaii. It operates in three segments: Electric Utility, Bank, and Other. The Electric Utility segment engages in the production, purchase, transmission, distribution, and sale of electricity in the islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Lanai, and Molokai. Its renewable energy sources and potential sources include wind, solar, photovoltaic, geothermal, wave, hydroelectric, municipal waste, and other biofuels. This segment serves suburban communities, resorts, the United States armed forces installations, and agricultural operations. The Bank segment operates a community bank that offers banking and other financial services to consumers and businesses, including savings and checking accounts; and loans comprising residential and commercial real estate, residential mortgage, construction and development, multifamily residential and commercial real estate, consumer, and commercial loans. This segment operates 42 branches, including 29 branches in Oahu, 6 branches in Maui, 4 branches in Hawaii, 2 branches in Kauai, and 1 branch in Molokai. The Other segment invests in non-regulated renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure in the State of Hawaii. Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. was incorporated in 1891 and is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. BlackRock, Inc. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks. It also provides global risk management and advisory services. The firm manages separate client-focused equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios. It also launches and manages open-end and closed-end mutual funds, offshore funds, unit trusts, and alternative investment vehicles including structured funds. The firm launches equity, fixed income, balanced, and real estate mutual funds. It also launches equity, fixed income, balanced, currency, commodity, and multi-asset exchange traded funds. The firm also launches and manages hedge funds. It invests in the public equity, fixed income, real estate, currency, commodity, and alternative markets across the globe. The firm primarily invests in growth and value stocks of small-cap, mid-cap, SMID-cap, large-cap, and multi-cap companies. It also invests in dividend-paying equity securities. The firm invests in investment grade municipal securities, government securities including securities issued or guaranteed by a government or a government agency or instrumentality, corporate bonds, and asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities. It employs fundamental and quantitative analysis with a focus on bottom-up and top-down approach to make its investments. The firm employs liquidity, asset allocation, balanced, real estate, and alternative strategies to make its investments. In real estate sector, it seeks to invest in Poland and Germany. The firm benchmarks the performance of its portfolios against various S&P, Russell, Barclays, MSCI, Citigroup, and Merrill Lynch indices. BlackRock, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is based in New York City with additional offices in Boston, Massachusetts; London, United Kingdom; Gurgaon, India; Hong Kong; Greenwich, Connecticut; Princeton, New Jersey; Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Sydney, Australia; Taipei, Taiwan; Singapore; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Washington, District of Columbia; Toronto, Canada; Wilmington, Delaware; and San Francisco, California. VMware, Inc. provides software solutions in the areas of modern applications, cloud management and infrastructure, networking, security, and digital workspaces in the United States and internationally. It offers VMware multi-cloud solutions, including VMware vSphere, a data center infrastructure that provides the fundamental compute layer; vSAN and VxRail, which offers holistic data storage and protection options to applications running on vSphere; and vRealize Cloud Management solutions that manages hybrid and multi-cloud environments running in virtual machines and containers, as well as VMware Cloud Foundation, a cloud platform that combines its vSphere, vSAN, and NSX with vRealize Cloud Management into an integrated stack and delivers enterprise-ready cloud infrastructure for private and public clouds. The company also provides networking solutions, such as VMware NSX, NSX Distributed and Gateway Firewalls, NSX Network Detection and Response Engine, NSX Advanced Load Balancer, Tanzu Service Mesh, and VMware SASE; security solutions consisting of VMware Carbon Black Endpoint, Workload, and Container; and digital workspace solutions comprising Workspace ONE Unified Endpoint Management, Access, Intelligent Hub, and Horizon. In addition, it offers application modernization solutions, such as Tanzu Application and Operations Platform, Tanzu Application Service Platform, Tanzu Observability, Tanzu Community Edition, and Tanzu Labs; and cloud management solutions, including vRealize Cloud Management, vCloud Suite, and CloudHealth by VMware Suite. The company sells its products through distributors, resellers, system vendors, and systems integrators. VMware, Inc. has a strategic alliance with Amazon Web Services to build and deliver an integrated hybrid solution. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. The Travelers Companies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides a range of commercial and personal property, and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals in the United states and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Business Insurance, Bond & Specialty Insurance, and Personal Insurance. The Business Insurance segment offers workers' compensation, commercial automobile and property, general liability, commercial multi-peril, employers' liability, public and product liability, professional indemnity, marine, aviation, onshore and offshore energy, construction, terrorism, personal accident, and kidnap and ransom insurance products. This segment operates through select accounts, which serve small businesses; commercial accounts that serve mid-sized businesses; national accounts, which serve large companies; and national property and other that serve large and mid-sized customers, commercial trucking industry, and agricultural businesses, as well as markets and distributes its products through brokers, wholesale agents, and program managers. The Bond & Specialty Insurance segment provides surety, fidelity, management and professional liability, and other property and casualty coverages and related risk management services through independent agencies and brokers. The Personal Insurance segment offers property and casualty insurance covering personal risks, primarily automobile and homeowners insurance to individuals through independent agencies and brokers. The Travelers Companies, Inc. was founded in 1853 and is based in New York, New York. WESCO International, Inc. provides business-to-business distribution, logistics services, and supply chain solutions in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Electrical & Electronic Solutions (EES), Communications & Security Solutions (CSS), and Utility and Broadband Solutions (UBS). The EES segment supplies products and supply chain solutions, including electrical equipment and supplies, automation and connected devices, security, lighting, wire and cable, and safety, as well as maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) products. This segment also offers contractor solutions, direct and indirect manufacturing supply chain optimization programs, lighting and renewables advisory services, and digital and automation solutions. The CSS segment operates in the network infrastructure and security markets. This segment sells products directly to end-users or through various channels, including data communications contractors, security, network, professional audio/visual, and systems integrators. It also provides safety and energy management solutions. The UBS segment offers products and services to investor-owned utilities; public power companies; and service and wireless providers, broadband operators, and contractors. This segment's products include wire and cable, transformers, transmission and distribution hardware, switches, protective devices, connectors, conduits, pole line hardware, racks, cabinets, safety and MRO products, and point-to-point wireless devices. This segment also offers various service solutions, including fiber project management, high and medium voltage project design and support, pre-wired meters and capacitor banks, meter testing and metering infrastructure installation, personal protective equipment dielectric testing, and tool repair, as well as emergency response, storage yard, materials, and logistics management. The company was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides insurance and other financial services in the United States. The company operates through five segments: HG Global/BAM, Ark, NSM, Kudu, and Other Operations. The HG Global/BAM segment provides insurance on municipal bonds issued to finance public purposes, such as schools, utilities, and transportation facilities, as well as reinsurance protection services. The Ark segment writes a portfolio of reinsurance and insurance, including property, marine and energy, accident and health, casualty, and specialty products. The NSM segment operates as a managing general agent and program administrator for specialty property and casualty insurance to various sectors comprising specialty transportation, real estate, social services, and pet. The Kudu segment provides capital solutions to boutique asset and wealth managers for generational ownership transfers, management buyouts, acquisitions and growth finances, and legacy partner liquidity, as well as strategic assistance to investees. The Other Operations segment offers insurance solutions to travel industry through broker channel and on a direct-to-consumer basis; and manages separate accounts and pooled investment vehicles for insurance-linked securities sectors, including catastrophe bonds, collateralized reinsurance investments, and industry loss warranties of third-party clients. White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. was incorporated in 1980 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. operates as an omni-channel specialty retailer of various products for home. It offers cooking, dining, and entertaining products, such as cookware, tools, electrics, cutlery, tabletop and bar, outdoor, furniture, and a library of cookbooks under the Williams Sonoma Home brand, as well as home furnishings and decorative accessories under the Williams Sonoma lifestyle brand; and furniture, bedding, lighting, rugs, table essentials, and decorative accessories under the Pottery Barn brand. The company also provides home decor products under the West Elm brand; kids accessories under the Pottery Barn Kids brand; and an organic bedding to multi-purpose furniture under the Pottery Barn Teen brand. In addition, it offers made-to-order lighting, hardware, furniture, and home decors inspired by history under the Rejuvenation brand; and women's and men's accessories, travel, entertaining and bar, home decor, and seasonal items under the Mark and Graham brand, as well as operates a 3-D imaging and augmented reality platform for the home furnishings and decor industry. The company markets its products through e-commerce websites, direct-mail catalogs, and retail stores. It operates 544 stores comprising 502 stores in 41states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico; 20 stores in Canada; 19 stores in Australia; 3 stores in the United Kingdom; and 139 franchised stores, as well as e-commerce websites in various countries in the Middle East, the Philippines, Mexico, South Korea, and India. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. Recently, T-Mobile announced that it's giving new and existing customers a present: free Netflix! As of September 12, the "un-carrier" will pay for Netflix (up to $9.99) for customers who sign up for at least two lines on its T-Mobile ONE unlimited plan. To sign up, you can use the T-Mobile app, login into your account online, call T-Mobile customer service, or stop by a T-Mobile store. It may take one or two billing cycles before the perk kicks in. Two-line plans start at $120. Free Netflix Is Nice... if You're Eligible This new promotion is just one of several ways the company has pit itself against its larger competitors, namely Verizon and AT&T. T-Mobile had previously enticed new users with an unlimited, two-line plan for $100. This new pricing approach was all-inclusive meaning there wouldn't be additional taxes or fees. T-Mobile previously offered an unlimited, two-line plan for $100. It's no longer available to new customers. Sadly, those who signed up for this offer (which is no longer available to new customers), are not eligible for the Netflix promotion. That said, they'll still be paying at least $10 less than newcomers even when you factor in the cost of a Netflix subscription. T-Mobile Isn't the Only Carrier With Perks T-Mobile is not the first carrier to give away streaming perks. AT&T has been offering customers free HBO with its two-line unlimited plan (AT&T is in the process of purchasing Time Warner, which owns HBO). It also has unlimited streaming for those using its DirectTV Now app. And Sprint gives new customers six months of the Tidal music streaming service, which Sprint owns a 33% stake in. SEE ALSO: 8K TVs Are Coming: Should You Skip 4K and Wait to Buy 8K? T-Mobile is also not the first company to offer free Netflix; European telecom Vodaphone has also used this perk to lure customers. Still, if you were thinking of switching to T-Mobile for another reason (like its weekly giveaways), this new offer certainly sweetens the pot. What do you think, readers? Will you switch carriers or plans to score free Netflix? Share your thoughts in the comments below! This years OIP was much more lighthearted than I remember which is understandable. TSMC is executing flawlessly, delivering new process technology every year. Last year's opening speaker, David Keller, used the phrase Celebrate the way we collaborate which served as the theme for the conference. This year Davids catch phrase was Insatiable computing trend which again set the theme. First up was Dr. Cliff Hous update on the design enablement for TSMCs advanced process nodes. Cliff again hit on the Mobile, HPC, IoT and Automotive markets with a focus on 55ULP, 40ULP, 28HPC+, 22ULP/ULL, 16FFC, and 12FFC. Speaking of 16FFC, TSMCs Fab 16 in Nanjing, China is on track to start production in the second half of 2018 approximately two years after the ground breaking. This will be the first FinFET wafers manufactured in China which is another first for TSMC. China represents the largest growth opportunity for TSMC so this is a very big deal. Click here to read more ... AIM-listed tech firm Accesso Technology announced on Thursday it had finalised a deal to install its ticketing and queue management software with an Australian theme park operator. Accesso said it had signed a five-year agreement with Australia's largest theme park operator, Village Roadshow. The Reading-based group said it would be installing its Accesso Passport ticketing suite in several key attractions across Australia with the intention to go live in Spring 2018. Warner Bros' Movie World, Sea World, Paradise Country and the Wet 'n' Wild parks in Sydney and the Gold Coast would implement the technology. "This agreement illustrates Village Roadshow Theme Park's continued confidence in our suite of solutions and their commitment to crafting a truly unforgettable experience for their guests," said Accesso chief executive, Steve Brown. Accesso confirmed its focus on the Asia-Pacific region, asserting the Village contract win was confirmation that the region was a key growth area for the company. As of 1300 BST, shares had jumped up 5.93% to 1,875.00p. Anglo African Oil & Gas said the rig needed to drill the new TLP 103 oil well in the Republic of Congo would not be available until mid-December at the earliest. Yet management tried to make the best of a bad situation, telling clients that as a result the rig would in fact be upgraded in order to meet the exacting standards of an "internationally recognised operator". The delay was the result of that "operator" having requested technical adjustments which meant the rig would not be available at Pointe-Noire, where Anglo's Tilapia oil field was located, as quickly as had originally been planned. Meanwhile, Anglo was focusing on optimising production from its TLP 101 well, where outout was then running at roughly 48,000 barrels a day, adding that it was continuing to "prudently" manage its cash. Furthermore, "management and the executive team's incentives remain aligned to an increase in production at Tilapia," the company said in a statement. "The TLP 103 well has the potential to transform AAOG's production and reserves as it targets multiple potential producing horizons including the Mengo and Djeno sands, which produce prolifically in neighbouring blocks in the basin," chipped in the company's chairman, David Sefton. "Our strategy is unchanged, and management is fully aligned with shareholders in aiming to create transformational production growth and returns with a prudent approach to managing our resources." Cenkos Securities has appointed Philip Anderson - a former chief financial of Virgin Money - as finance director with immediate effect. Anderson will also be made an executive director of the company subject to approval from the Financial Conduct Authority. Cenkos said he is an experienced finance officer within the financial services sector and has extensive regulatory experience. Until recently, Anderson was the UK chief financial officer and compliance director of Curo Financial Technologies. Prior to this, he was the group finance, risk and compliance director at AXA subsidiary Bluefin Advisory Services, chief operating officer of Towry Law UK and CFO of Virgin Money. He also held positions with Aviva and Legal & General. Chairman Gerry Aherne said: "I am delighted that Philip has agreed to join the board as our finance director. Philip's extensive finance as well as regulatory experience will provide a valuable addition to the senior management team's experience in the continued development of Cenkos." At 0930 BST, the shares were down 1.5% to 102p. There's little domestic business news due on Friday, save a speech from Monetary Policy Member Gertjan Vlieghe, corporate updates from Investec, JD Wetherspoon and SThree, while possibly most significant item of macroeconomic data may be US retail sales . Noted dove Vlieghe will deliver a speech at the Society of Business Economists annual conference at around 09:50 in London. Before this, JS Wetherspoon will have issued its final results for the 53 weeks to 30 July, having already disclosed like-for-like sales growth accelerating to 5.3% in the early summer and standing 3.9% higher over the first 50 weeks of the year. Founder Tim Martin also reiterated his guidance that LFL sales of about 3-4% will be required to maintain profits at this year's levels in the next financial year. Numis expects an EBIT margin at the top of the guided range, 7.6-7.8%, which implies 128m of EBIT and 63.6p of EPS. "The step change EPS in FY17 reflects LFL sales growth well above industry average and a pick-up in margin from an historic low in FY16 as the company has raised prices to close the substantial gap versus competitors." The broker also noted that JDW had been buying back stock "at an unprecedented rate" in recent weeks, "suggesting either a looser leverage target, confidence on outlook, or both". Recruiter SThree is due to update investors on its third quarter, after the second saw net fees increase 4% on a like-for-like basis after a flat start to the year. UBS forecast a small acceleration in LFL growth to at least 4% and also said there was potential for currency-driven upgrades from recent euro strength. The bank expects a meaningful improvement in the UK, after holding back group performance in the second quarter with a 14% decline, boosted by management changes and market data continuing to pick up. "Continental Europe should remain robust in mid/high-single digits, Americas strong double-digits, and APAC and ME should hopefully remain in growth." Investec is in the diary to provide an update on its first quarter, having in May reported a 18.5% increase in full-year statutory operating profits to 599.1m that drove a 6.3% rise in statutory earnings per share to 48.3p. Good balance sheet growth in both the UK and South Africa is expected, Numis said, with continued net inflows into both the asset management and wealth management businesses. "We expect a compression in the yield on assets within the UK bank but a reduction in funding costs and more importantly a reduction in excess liquidity to have supported the group NIM. "We remain cautious about the UK economic outlook and commodity and political risks remain in South Africa but we believe both the Wealth and Asset management businesses have attractive prospects." Later in the day the US Census Bureau will produce its monthly update on retail sales for August. Month-on-month sales growth is estimated to have eased to 0.1% from 0.6%, or if excluding automobiles it is seen remaining at 0.5% for another month. US industrial production, also due at 1330 BST, is seen easing to 0.1% from 0.2% a month earlier. Friday, 15 September INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ANNOUNCEMENTS Retail Sales (US) (13:30) Industrial Production (US) (14:15) U. of Michigan Confidence (Prelim) (US) (15:00) Business Inventories (US) (15:00) FINALS Wetherspoon (J.D.) TRADING ANNOUNCEMENTS SThree AGMs SVM UK Emerging Fund, Tungsten Corporation, Blenheim Natural Resources, Aberdeen Private Equity Fund Ltd., Sterling Part Shares, Invesco Income Growth Trust, PetroNeft Resources EGMs JSC Federal Grid Company of Unified Energy System GDR (REG S) FINAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Ashtead Group, Severfield, Walker Crips Group, Greene King, Lazard World Trust Fund, London & Associated Properties INTERIM DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Informa, Apax Global Alpha Limited, Berkeley Group Holdings (The), Maven Income & Growth 4 VCT, RM Secured Direct Lending, Securities Trust of Scotland, IMI, Chemring Group, Maven Income and Growth VCT 5, GCP Infrastructure Investments Ltd, Maven Income & Growth 3 VCT, Hazel Renewable Energy VCT 1, North Midland Construction, Maven Income & Growth 2 VCT, Hazel Renewable Energy VCT 2, Pearson, Synectics SPECIAL DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE Cambian Group QUARTERLY EX-DIVIDEND PAYMENT DATE General Electric Co. QUARTERLY PAYMENT DATE BlackRock World Mining Trust, Canadian General Investments Ltd., Carnival Russia and Belarus have begun a massive joint military exercise involving warships and armoured units, putting Nato forces on alert on the alliances eastern border. According to the Russian defence ministry, over 12,000 troops are participating in the war games, which are known as Zapad 2017. The ministry said that the exercises were being carried out in order to test the nations defense capabilities. Nato officials are said to be worried by the war games, which represent one of Russias largest military operations in the area since its annexation of Ukraine in 2014. Security has been increased on the Ukrainian border, as the countrys president warns it could be a prelude to an attack on the region. Russian-backed forces have control of large parts of eastern Ukraine and have continually clashed with military units. Nato has previously accused Russia of supplying the rebels with heavy artillery and extra troops, something which the Kremlin has denied. North Korean state-run news agency KCNA published a statement from Kim Jong-un's Workers Party on Thursday in which it threatened to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" after the two countries spearheaded a new UN Security Council resolution on sanctions on Monday. The Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, a North Korean group that manages the nation's international relations and propaganda, called for disbandment of the UN Security Council, calling it "a tool of evil" consisting of "money-bribed" countries operating on the wishes of the United States. "The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," the committee said. Juche is Pyongyang's political ideology, a combination of Marxism and an nationalism championed by state founder Kim Il Sung, the late grandfather of current chairman, Kim Jong-un. Tensions in the region had risen exponentially of late as a result of the hermit kingdom's sixth and largest nuclear test on 3 September. In reaction, all 15 members of the UN Security Council voted for US-drafted resolutions that came with a new round of sanctions against the North on Monday, banning its textile exports that are second only to those of coal and minerals in volume, as well as putting a cap on fuel supplies flowing in to the nation. Yet Pyongyang reacted to the latest action by the Security Council, that had the backing of its veto wielding allies China and Russia, by doubling down on threats to destroy the United States, Japan and South Korea. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga referred to the statement as being "extremely provocative". "If North Korea stays the course that it is on, it will increasingly become isolated from the world," Suga said on Thursday. "Through implementing the new United Nations Security Council resolution and related agreements, the international community as a whole needs to maximize pressure on North Korea so that it will change its policy." It is also worth noting that on Thursday the KCNA referred to the missile launched over Japanese airspace on 28 August as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), as opposed to an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) previously. The remarks about Japan came between further threats aimed at South Korea and the US. "Now is the time to annihilate the US imperialist aggressors," said the KCNA statement. "Let's vent our spite with mobilization of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now." The statement also said the South Korean "puppet forces are traitors and dogs of the US as they call for harsher 'sanctions' on the fellow countrymen, adding that the "group of pro-American traitors should be severely punished and wiped out with fire attack so that they could no longer survive." However, South Korea's Unification Ministry was said to still be considering providing $8 million worth of humanitarian aid to its Northern neighbour via organisations organizations such as UNICEF, according to Yonhap News, marking the first time in two years that Seoul had provided such assistance to Pyongyang. When incumbent South Korean President Moon Jae-in took his position in May he pledged a movement towards increased engagement with North Korea, but he had become more reticent to do so after the advanced nuclear testing, seeking stronger warheads on the South's ballistic missiles, stepping up military drills, and embracing the THAAD missile defence system he had previously aired on the side of caution with. Health officials confirmed at least 50 people were killed in Southern Iraq on Thursday as a result of two separate attacks. "The total death toll of the victims reached 50 persons, while 87 others were wounded," the health department said in a statement. At a roadside restaurant near Nasiriya, the capital of the Dhiqar province, gunmen stormed inside the property and opened fire, Iraqi interior ministry spokesman Brigadier General Saad Maan told the BBC. Shortly after, a car bomb was exploded at a nearby checkpoint, killing at least four Iranian citizens according to one report. The militants were supposedly dressed in uniform as members of Hashd- al-Shaabi, a predominately Shia group known to fight alongside Iraqi forces against the so-called Islamic State. IS claimed responsibility for the attacks on the website for its news agency, Amaq. -- More to follow -- US President Donald Trump has made an agreement with Democrats in Congress to work together with on creating legislation to protect the Dreamers immigration programme. Following discussions between Trump and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, a deal on border security was reached, though the opposition said this did not include an agreement over the building of a southern border wall. Barack Obama introduced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme to aid the passage of immigrants who arrived to the US as children, a scheme which was withdrawn by Trump earlier this month as he implored Congress to introduce a reformed initiative. Schumer and Pelosi said in a statement on Wednesday that the agreement was made following a productive meeting with Trump. We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, thats acceptable to both sides, the Democratic leaders said. The White House had a differing view on how the talks had gone however, saying that there had been an agreement but not over the issue of the border wall with Mexico, which was one of Trumps key campaign promises. Spokesperson Sarah Sanders said via Twitter that while DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to. James Dyson, the man behind the Dyson vacuum cleaner, said he did not expect the UK to strike a Brexit deal with the European Union. Dyson, who was a very vocal member of the Leave campaign in 2016, said he saw no issues with the UK defaulting to World Trade Organisation (WTO) legislation when Britain exited the bloc in March 2019 as any forced conditions would "frankly hurt the Europeans more than the British." The engineer said the company already paid WTO tariffs into Europe and told the BBC on Thursday that it, "hasn't hurt us at all we're one of the fastest growing companies in Europe." According to Dyson, Brexit negotiations had been moving at somewhat of a glacial pace as Downing Street's suggestions were not being "reciprocated" by Brussels. The next round of Brexit negotiations, set to start on 18 September, were pushed back until 25 September at the request of Prime Minister Theresa May. In February, Dyson announced it was creating a new 517-acre facility in rural England as it looked to expand its research and development in to batteries, as well as robotics and artificial intelligence. Dyson claims that any uncertainties that were to arise from Brexit is in fact an opportunity, "The rest of the world is growing at a far greater rate than Europe, so the opportunity is to export to the rest of the world and capitalise on that." Rumours were flying around that the company was looking to use its new countryside campus as a base to begin working on an electric car programme after it picked up several former top employees from Tesla and Aston Martin but had not yet commented on the rumours. "I think, you're going to have to wait and see," Dyson said in regards to his automotive agenda. London's FTSE 100 was down 1% to 7,307.41 in afternoon trade on Thursday, weighed down by the pound, which shot up after the Bank of England signalled rates would rise sooner than forecast. Next racked up stellar gains after it reported a 10% plunge in first-half profits but lifted its sales and profits targets for the year thanks to an upturn in recent months. Fellow retailer Marks & Spencer also gained on the news, which came on the same day that privately-held John Lewis announced a halving of its half-year profit. GKN was on the front foot as it said chief executive Nigel Stein will step down at the end of this year, while finance director Adam Walker will also leave before the end of 2017. Going the other way, Experian was under the cosh as more details emerged about US peer Equifax's hack and after a Virginia Democrat asked the FTC to investigate whether Equifax and other credit reporting agencies have the correct cybersecurity safeguards. Morrisons was under the cosh after it reported a rise in profits and sales for the half year but said free cash flow was down. Mining stocks were under pressure as base metals prices dropped after Chinese data revealed a surprise slowdown in business activity last month. Real estate investment grew in August, but factory output, fixed asset investment and retail sales all missed analysts' expectations. Glencore, Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Anglo American were all down. Provident Financial was also in the red after RBC Capital Markets downgraded its stance on the troubled subprime lender to 'underperform' from 'sector perform' and slashed the price target to 775p from 2,650p. Risers Next (NXT) 4,891.00p 10.73% GKN (GKN) 337.00p 3.00% Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 332.10p 2.34% Sage Group (SGE) 712.50p 1.50% Tesco (TSCO) 183.10p 0.80% easyJet (EZJ) 1,210.00p 0.67% Land Securities Group (LAND) 995.00p 0.66% Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 65.35p 0.57% Ashtead Group (AHT) 1,777.00p 0.45% Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 250.20p 0.24% Fallers Experian (EXPN) 1,448.00p -5.54% Morrison (Wm) Supermarkets (MRW) 233.50p -4.69% Mediclinic International (MDC) 707.00p -3.74% Persimmon (PSN) 2,443.00p -2.86% Glencore (GLEN) 353.50p -2.78% Rio Tinto (RIO) 3,527.00p -2.69% BHP Billiton (BLT) 1,372.00p -2.59% Anglo American (AAL) 1,315.50p -2.48% Taylor Wimpey (TW.) 188.90p -2.43% Provident Financial (PFG) 825.50p -2.42% Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Ninety percent of all septic tanks in Bangladesh are emptied manually creating severe health issues for cleaners. This reports the Dutch aid organisation SNV in a recently published magazine that shows the daily life of emptiers of pit and septic tanks in the cities of Khulna, Kushtia and Jhenaidah in Bangladesh. SNV supports a programme to improve the faecal sludge management (FSM) by piloting new strategies and improve the working circumstances. Better work opportunities The magazine City cleaners - stories of those left behind tells about the emptiers that are mainly poor workers from the low caste Harijan community. They do their sanitation work under very poor circumstances. In the magazine the emptiers tell about their dream of better work opportunities and a safer future for their loved ones. It showcases some of their stories, giving insight into the hardships of those often left behind. Underpaid services In Bangladesh most of septic tanks and pits are directly connected to the drain or open water bodies. Therefore they are never emptied. Of the remainder, more than 90 percent are still emptied manually. Accordingly, over a 10-month period in 2015 alone, 31 reported deaths of pit emptiers in work-related accidents took place in Southern Bangladesh, while even more deaths go unreported. Those who work for city corporations and other government agencies receive just 15 US dollar per month, a rate that has not increased in the past five years. Meanwhile, as there is no set rate for freelance pit and septic tank emptying services, the price is generally agreed between the emptier and the service recipient, causing such work often to be undervalued and underpaid. Organising meetings to strengthen the network amongst the empiters is a major activity of the FSM-programme. Improvements Mayor Md. Moniruzzaman of Khulna explains what has been achieved to improve the working conditions of the emptiers. Before SNV came or the start of the FSM programme, we didnt have any plans for people who were involved in emptying and cleaning pits and septic tanks. Here in Khulna, the mayor continues, we had traditional ways of cleaning septic tanks. They clean the city, clean the homes or campuses, and they do this on their own terms. We do have cleaning departments who have certain responsibilities, but proper faecal sludge management is a new concept to us. Things are now coming into shape. We are aware of their needs; they are being involved in projects, and are getting trained properly, says Moniruzzaman. Basic knowledge on health Although there is an awareness for the faecal sludge services to transform from manual to mechanised, the magazine also emphasise the need to provide septic tank emptiers with basic knowledge on health and sanitation standards. For their own safety, pit and septic tank emptiers and cleaners need to start wearing gloves, says Md Saidul Karim Mintu, Mayor of Jhenaidah. Yes, it might not be comfortable for them in the beginning. Even doctors would find it tricky to operate with gloves at the beginning. The publication of the magazine is part of SNVs programme Demonstration of pro-poor market-based solutions for faecal sludge management in urban centres of Southern Bangladesh programme. Download here a copy of City cleaners - stories of those left behind (as a pdf-file). Read also on this website Stockholm World Water Week 2016: Taking sanitation to the next level, 31 August 2016 Stockholm World Water Week 2015: Lets accelerate WASH, lets do it differently, 27 August 2015 SNV supports skill training on total sanitation to reduce open defecation in Lao PDR, 23 December 2013 Country: Bangladesh More information SNV World The Hague, the Netherlands +31 70 3440 244 www.snv.org By Marc Yaggi and Sandy Bihn Before President Trump took office, a barrier designed to protect American jobs from a growing foreign threat had been researched by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. A month after President Trump took office, while promising that his strongman tactics would protect American jobs above all else, he quietly delayed the project. This barrier along the Des Plaines River, also known as Brandon Lock, in Illinois was part of a plan by the federal government to defend the Great Lakesthe worlds largest inland fisheryfrom an Asian Carp invasion. With its ability to crowd-out and outcompete American fish populations, this non-native fish species threatens thousands of American fishing and tourism businesses, the job markets of entire communities and more than $40 billion a year in revenue. The Asian Carp threat is powerful enough to unite republican and democratic leaders against it, but Trump has gone soft, choosing this invasive species over American livelihoods. After escaping containment during floods in Louisiana in the 1990s, Asian Carp rapidly spread. Asian Carp breed like rabbits, eat like pigs and quickly grow so large natural predators cant kill them. When they enter a river, they consume all the available food, killing off the local market fish population and with it, our fishing businesses. They also have a dangerous habit of leaping out of the water when they hear a boat motor, earning them the nickname bowling balls, as the 50+ pounders can hit boaters mid-air, cracking ribs and breaking jaws. Asian Carp are barging through any nook and cranny they can find that leads to their promised land, Lake Erie. If we dont stop them, they will quickly make all 95,000 square miles of the Great Lakes their new permanent home, and then have unbridled access to the rest of Americas major river systems. If they penetrate the Great Lakes, we lose jobs, billions in domestic revenue, generations-old businesses and our livelihoods. Since 2010, the federal government has invested $300 million each year to successfully defend the Great Lakes with Asian Carp river barriers and underwater electric fences around the Great Lakes. Earlier this year, a federal report urged $275 million in both technological and structural improvements at an imperative Illinois lock to prevent these invasive fish from reaching the Great Lakes. According to a report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Canadian counterparts on the state of the Great Lakes in 2017, so far, the barrier efforts defending the lakes from Asian Carp establishing itself in the lake have been successfulbut the work isnt done. We need to build more controls and continue to maintain existing barriers, yet Trump has chosen a much weaker plan, halting current barrier research and construction and proposing a complete elimination of funding in the future. Broad bipartisan support for a strong Great Lakes defense saved it from cuts in last weeks congressional budget vote. Republicans stood arm in arm with Democrats and refused to sacrifice a dollar with thousands of jobs and businesses at stake. Why has Trump gone so soft on defense of our Great Lakes economy? Some have speculated that a small special interest group of cargo shippers in Chicago may have an influence on Trumps decision. They worry a river barrier would slow the movement of goods through the area. In truth, the small industry makes up less than one percent of Chicagos local economy and businesses will only be inconvenienced while they make the transition to truck and rail transport. Its a grain of sand in comparison to the threat of Asian Carp to tens of billions of dollars and tens of thousands of American businesses across multiple states. The real reason is political. Trump is trapped in his own rhetoric. The Brandon Lock barrier study was released in August, but in order to build the recommended barriers, we need a federal budget that adequately funds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and programs like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has spent has spent $56.6 million since 2010 on efforts to keep out Asian Carp, yet Trumps proposed budget would completely eliminate this program. Of course, if you ask any Great Lakes fishermen, they will tell you EPA is their homeland security, guarding their livelihood from this foreign threat. Now it is up to Congress to decide on EPAs budget, and we need a strong, well-funded EPA if we are to stop the spread of Asian Carp. Congress: Dont go soft on Asian Carp when jobs and businesses, including those beyond Chicago, need your strength. Use EPA to build strong river barriers that stop the Asian Carp invasion and save American jobs. Please, do it before its too late. If youre worried about looking like an environmentalist, tell the naysayers and the news media to talk to the people who depend on fishable water. Tell them to talk to the American fishermen of the Great Lakes after youve saved their livelihoods from an Asian Carp invasion. If you give EPA the ammunition they need to win this battle, the American families whose jobs you saved will thank you. A year ago today, Bayer AG and Monsanto Co. announced its historic multi-billion merger to form the worlds largest integrated seeds and pesticide company. However, as Bloomberg BNA reports, the companies have not been able to meet its self-imposed, one-year deadline due to political and regulatory scrutiny. The deal is unlikely to close soon, as it has not received antitrust clearance in roughly 30 countries, including the European Union, the U.S., Brazil and India. Experts have warned that the combinationwhich would claim 30 percent of the global crop-inputs business if successfully executedcould significantly and negatively impact farmers and food production. Monsanto controls 80 percent of the U.S. corn market and 93 percent of the U.S. soy market. Last month, the European Commission announced an in-depth investigation into the takeover. It would combine two competitors with leading portfolios in non-selective herbicides, seeds and traits, and digital agriculture, the commission stated. Both companies are active in developing new products in these areas. The commission warned that the acquisition could reduce competition in a number of different markets resulting in higher prices, lower quality, less choice and less innovation. Moreover, the commission noted, the transaction would take place in industries that are already globally concentrated, as illustrated by the recent mergers of Dow and Dupont and Syngenta and ChemChina, in which the commission intervened to protect competition for the benefit of farmers and consumers. But Bloomberg analyst Brooke Sutherland told Bloomberg BNA that the motivation to close the deal remains strong, and Monsanto remains highly attractive to Bayer. The German pharmaceuticals company told Reuters last month it aims to have the transaction approved by the end of the year. Bayer looks forward to continuing to work constructively with the commission with a view to obtaining the commissions approval, the company said. According to Bloomberg BNA, the deal is still alive even if it does not close Sept. 14. The merger agreement allows the contractual deadline to extend to June 14, 2018, if necessary, to complete regulatory approvals. Bayer will pay Monsanto a break-up fee of $2 billion if the deal is not completed. The Department of Defense (DoD) has warned for years that climate change is a national security threat and, despite President Trumps orders, the agency continues to take steps to help the military navigate and prepare for the impacts of a warming planet. As Military Times reports, the Pentagon is plowing ahead with its 2014 Climate Change Adaptation Roadmap even though Trump issued an executive order in March seeking to reverse Obama-era federal climate and clean energy initiatives. Under Obamas orders, the Defense Department issued directive 4715.21 in January 2016 to implement the roadmap, which lays out reasonable adaptation and mitigation actions to ensure or at least bolster our national security against measured and measurable climate change events, whatever the causes, or the duration, of the observed events, as retired Navy Adm. Frank Bowman said. But nowthanks to Trumpthe agency is reviewing directive 4715.21 to determine if it should be suspended, revised, or rescinded, Pentagon spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Evans told the publication. However, the department is still preparing for the effects of climate change even though Trump told them to stop. For instance, as Military Times reports, the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Mid-Atlantic has been taking steps to protect the Hampton Roads base in Virginiahome to 60 Navy ships, hundreds of fix-wing and rotary aircraft and more than 83,000 active duty personnel. The 2014 climate roadmap, which Trump invalidated, stipulated that the assets were protected from a projected sea-level rise of 1.5 feet over the next 20 to 50 years. I cant talk the science, but I can tell you what weve done, Todd Lyman, NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic spokesman, explained. For many years, NAVFAC has been replacing any single-deck pier with double-deck piers. Weve also built structures here at a higher elevation than code requires in an effort to improve stormwater management. The goal is for us to continue our mission, maintain resilience. According to Military Times: The DoD has found space to maneuver by separating the argument of climate change from the threats that more extreme sea states, wind and flooding can generate. Essentially, the DoD is moving forward by leaving the semantics of climate change to others. As Secretary Mattis has said, the department evaluates all potential threats that impact mission readiness, personnel health and installation resilience, then uses that information to assess impacts and identify responses, Evans said. The effect of a changing climate is one of a variety of threats and risks, but its not a mission of the Department of Defense. It looks like the Pentagons strategy is just to avoid using language related to climate change and instead focus on how the military can fortify its installations against extreme weather events and natural disasters (which, like Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, are linked to climate change.) Unlike his White House boss, Defense Sec. Jim Mattis does not believe that climate change is a hoax invented by the Chinese. Climate change is impacting stability in areas of the world where our troops are operating today, Mattis wrote in March. It is appropriate for the Combatant Commands to incorporate drivers of instability that impact the security environment in their areas into their planning. By Martha Roberts The imposing limestone government building in central Washington where Scott Pruitt holds sway is increasingly operating away from public view with decisions made behind closed doors, once-public information blacked out, and influential insiders taking charge. As the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Pruitt has also proven elusive, having spent more than half of his days away from Washington amid speculation hes really focused on a future run for Oklahoma senator or governor. His frequent travel to the Midwestern state at taxpayers expense recently prompted the agencys Inspector General to open an investigationand yet, Pruitt has found time to quietly and systematically tear down policies that protect our health and safety. Here are the five most glaring examples of the EPA chiefs pattern of secrecy, and what it means for you. 1. Suppressed Web Pages About Climate Change In response to a Freedom of Information Act request, my organization recently received EPA records detailing more than 1,900 items that had been modified or deleted from the agencys website since President Trumps inauguration dayincluding information about how climate change affects children and pregnant women. 2. Keeps His Schedule Secret Pruitt is hiding from the public even the most basic information about how he spends his business hours and with whom. Contravening a bi-partisan EPA transparency practice, Pruitt no longer makes any senior management calendarsincluding his ownavailable to the public. Americans have a right to know how a high-ranking, taxpayer-funded public servant spends his time and makes decisions that directly affect their lives. 3. Suspends Pollution Laws Without Public Input Over the past six months, Pruitt has taken actions to suspend environmental safeguards without providing any opportunity for public inputincluding protections against toxic wastewater, oil and gas pollution as well as climate pollution. Among one of Pruitts earliest actions was to suspend, without any public input, protections against safety risks at major chemical facilities. Just a few months later, the Houston-area Arkema plant exploded after Hurricane Harvey flooded the site. Arkema Plant Explosion Sparks Criticism of Trump EPA Relaxing Chemical Safety Rules https://t.co/kNmJIROjgx @greenpeaceusa @foe_us EcoWatch (@EcoWatch) September 1, 2017 4. Attacks Reporter Covering the EPA Pruitts press team lashed out against an Associated Press journalist after he co-authored a report that exposed the EPAs absence at Superfund sites flooded after Hurricane Harvey. The agencys press release attacked the reporter without rebutting any of the articles factual findings, raising concerns about the politicization of press coverage when public safety is at stake. 5. Rolls Back Enforcement Against Polluters Under Trumps administration, the EPA has quietly but dramatically reduced enforcement against polluters. So far, the agency has collected 60 percent less in civil penalties than previous administrations did during their first six months in office, a recent analysis by the Environmental Integrity Project found. Not holding companies responsible for their pollution has tangible impacts in the form of more pollution, more illness and more avoidable early deaths among Americans like you and me. So covert is Pruitt that he earned the Golden Padlock Award this summer from investigative reporters and editors who recognize the most secretive U.S. agency or individual. The judges were impressed by the breadth and scope of Pruitts information suppression techniques around vital matters of public interest. Indeed, looking at the rapid transformation of the agency he led during the Nixon and Reagan administrations, former EPA Administrator Bill Ruckelshaus described Pruitts first six months as someone taking a meat ax to the protections of public health and environment and then hiding it. Pruitts efforts to hollow out the EPA and weaken the public health safeguards that the agency is required to uphold is why were mobilizing, like never before, to protect and defend Americas clean air and water. Public opinion and, increasingly, the courts are on our side, but we cannot let up the fight for the future of our children and grandchildren at this critical time. Ellwood City-area homes for sale rise in price to $139,000 In Lawrence County, homes for sale had a median price of $86 per square foot, while Pennsylvania's was $169 SAN FRANCISCO, Sept 14, 2017 - New research shows maintaining a healthy weight throughout life - more so than four other health behaviors studied - is important to help keep blood pressure in check, according to research presented today at the American Heart Association (AHA) Council on Hypertension, AHA Council on Kidney in Cardiovascular Disease, American Society of Hypertension Joint Scientific Sessions 2017 in San Francisco. "Increasing blood pressure at younger ages is associated with earlier onset of heart disease and stroke, and U.S. high blood pressure treatment guidelines support maintaining healthy behaviors across the lifespan to limit rises in blood pressure as we age," said John N. Booth III, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow of the American Heart Association's Strategically Focused Hypertension Research Network at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "We looked specifically at the long-term impact of maintaining healthy behaviors on changes in blood pressure between early and middle-age adulthood." Researchers analyzed the impact of maintaining five health behaviors on blood pressure levels over 25 years: a healthy body weight, measured as a body mass index less than 25 kg/m2; never smoking; zero to seven alcoholic drinks weekly for women and zero to 14 for men; 150 minutes or more moderate to vigorous physical activity per week; and eating a healthy diet, based on adhering to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan. They assessed 4,630 participants of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study, who were 18 to 30 years old in 1985 and 1986, when the study started. During the 25-year follow-up, researchers measured blood pressure and health behaviors eight times, until participants were in middle age. They found: Participants who maintained a healthy body weight were more likely to have normal blood pressure as they grew older. Specifically, those who maintained optimal body weight were 41 percent less likely to have an increasing blood pressure as they aged. Maintaining physical activity or a healthy diet were not associated with changes in blood pressure during the 25-year period. Never smoking and maintaining no or moderate alcohol consumption were associated with less of an increase in blood pressure by middle age, but a larger study is needed to verify the connection. People in the study who maintained at least four health behaviors were 27 percent more likely to have a normal blood pressure than an increasing blood pressure from early adulthood through middle age. "This data suggests that body weight is very important in terms of maintaining a normal blood pressure from early and into middle adulthood," Booth said. "These results provide evidence that what we may want to do is focus on how we can create interventions that will enable individuals to maintain a normal body weight throughout their lifetimes. The other behaviors we studied may play an important role since they can influence body weight." In addition, while they were not as closely related to changes in blood pressure over time, Booth emphasized that the other health behaviors have clear benefits for overall cardiovascular health and help in weight maintenance. "The American Heart Association recommends maintaining healthy behaviors to prevent risk factors for heart disease and stroke from developing, including high blood pressure." ### Co-authors are Norrina B. Allen, Ph.D.; April P. Carson, Ph.D.; David Calhoun, M.D.; Daichi Shimbo, M.D.; James M. Shikany, Dr.Ph.; Cora E. Lewis, M.D.; David T. Redden, Ph.D.; and Paul Muntner, Ph.D. Author disclosures are on the manuscript. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association funded this study. Note: Actual time of scientific presentation of poster P149 is 5:30 p.m. PT/ 8:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Additional Resources: Available multimedia is on the right column of the release link: http://newsroom.heart.org/news/maintaining-healthy-weight-helps-keep-blood-pressure-low-through-life?preview=473d326105c24fd520996ad1d6a7391f Tips and information on managing high blood pressure are at http://www.heart.org/hbp. Follow AHA/ASA news on Twitter @HeartNews #HTN17 Statements and conclusions of study authors that are presented at American Heart Association and American Stroke Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect association policy or position. The association makes no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations and health insurance providers are available at http://www.heart.org/corporatefunding. About the American Heart Association The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke - the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Free-standing carbon membranes that are a millionth of a millimetre thin: these are a special research field of Professor Dr. Armin Golzhauser from Bielefeld University and his research group. The nanomembranes can serve as ultrafine filters and as a protective layer. The Bielefeld physicists have registered several patents for manufacturing such molecular foils. In their research, they are analysing which properties the nanomembranes possess - as a basis for future applications. In a new film produced by Bielefeld University's 'research_tv', Armin Golzhauser explains what makes the membranes such multi-talents and assesses how significant they may become for the purification of water. If used to filter water, the carbon nanomembranes allow only water molecules to pass while blocking other molecules. If used to filter air, the membranes could, for example, remove carbon dioxide from vehicle exhaust emissions. 'However, we still know very little about what happens when a molecule passes through such a sieve,' says Golzhauser. 'This is why we are studying, for example, whether it touches the membrane, remains stuck to it, or flies directly through its pores.' Drawing on the results of this research, the scientists can modify the production of the nanomembranes to fit each specific purpose - for every use, the appropriate nanomembrane. 'We can adapt the porosity of the membranes for different materials and also modify their conductivity, elasticity, density, and thickness.' The manufacturing process has been developed by members of Golzhauser's research group: the researchers immerse a solid - such as a gold surface - in a liquid containing organic molecules. The molecules settle on the solid in a thin layer that is then irradiated with electrons. This leads them to trigger a controlled chemical reaction: a cross-linking - the molecules link together and form the nanomembrane. However, the most difficult step is yet to come: they have to be separated from the supporting layer. 'We do this by introducing what we call a transfer layer with which we can separate the carbon nanomembrane,' says Golzhauser. Nanomembranes are not just suitable for filtering. Golzhauser's research group can also produce single-layer membranes as an impermeable protective film. One potential application is in microelectronics. 'This is a field in which components are so small that they can hardly be coated with paint. However, the nanomembranes are so thin that they can simply be laid over them .' ### Further information: German-language film with English subtitle on research_tv ('Kohlenstoff-Nanomembranen. Ein Sieb fur Molekule', 'Carbon nanomembranes. A sieve for molecules'): https://youtu.be/TJi8v_RjrxI German-language press release from 27.09.2016 ('Ultradunne Membranen aus Graphen', 'Ultrathin membranes made from graphene'): http://bit.ly/2icApq6 Prof. Golzhauser's research group: https://www.physik.uni-bielefeld.de/pss/index.php?lang=enion=start Overview of research_tv science videos: http://www.uni-bielefeld.de/research-tv/filme.html Contact: Prof. Dr. Armin Golzhauser, Bielefeld University Faculty of Physics Telephone: +49 521 106 5362 Email: goelzhaeuser@physik.uni-bielefeld.de Despite the pervasive use of the Internet in everyday life, most Americans report they never use it to find religious or spiritual content, and most never use it to share religious views, according to the Baylor Religion Survey. That holds true regardless of religious tradition, said Baylor University sociologists, who recently presented the latest survey findings at the Religion Newswriters Association's annual conference. "Even the most religious typically refrain from using the Internet to proselytize, but Evangelicals and Black Protestants are the most likely to share their religious views online," said Baylor sociologist Paul McClure. When asked about how the Internet affects their spiritual lives, 62 percent Americans said the Internet has no effect on them spiritually. Of those who attend church weekly, 45 percent said it has no effect, while 50 percent believe the Internet affects their spiritual life positively. Only 4 percent of weekly religious attenders believe the Internet has a negative effect on them spiritually. Despite some worries that we spend too much time online, most Americans, especially older ones, do not think they are addicted to technology. But younger Americans feel differently, with 43 percent of those ages 18 to 24 reporting that they feel addicted to their technological devices, according to McClure and Baylor co-researcher Justin Nelson. Those with no religious affiliation are also the most likely of all religious groups to feel addicted to technology, they said. Nearly 9 in 10 Americans disagree with the claim that science and technology will make religion obsolete, and no religious groups predominantly agree with the claim that technology will undermine religion. Meanwhile, "just over one third of Americans with no religious affiliation think that religion is destined to the dustbin of history," McClure said. The findings were included in Wave 5 of the survey, with the theme of "American Values, Mental Health and Using Technology in the Age of Trump." Participants were 1,501 adults chosen randomly from across the country. The survey was designed by Baylor scholars and administered by the Gallup Organization. Other findings from the 2017 survey: Trump supporters tend to describe themselves as very religious. They believe that the United States is a Christian nation, that Muslims are threats to America, that God is actively engaged in world affairs and that gender roles should be traditional. Nearly half of Americans are sure they will go to Heaven; more than a third have little to no fear of Hell. About 10 percent feel life has no clear purpose. Those who think they will go to Heaven say they are "very" or "pretty" happy; people who do not fear Hell also are consistently happy. But those who say they have found a purpose in life are the most likely to be very happy. Most rural Americans believe that the federal government should allow religious symbols in public spaces; that success of the United States is part of God's plan; and that the federal government should allow prayer in public schools. Nearly half believe that Middle East refugees pose a terrorist threat to the country, compared to 1 in 5 Americans in large cities who believe that. ### Additional findings from the 2017 Wave of the survey, as well as from the four previous waves, may be found at http://www.baylor.edu/baylorreligionsurvey ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Scientists have found distinctive changes in brain activity in binge-drinking college students, which may be an early marker of brain damage Researchers have studied the brain activity of young binge-drinking college students in Spain, and found distinctive changes in brain activity, which may indicate delayed brain development and be an early sign of brain damage. For many students, college involves a lot of socializing at parties and at bars, and alcohol is a common factor in these social environments. Excessive alcohol use, in the form of binge drinking, is extremely common among college students, and one study has estimated that as many as one third of young North Americans and Europeans binge drink. So, what defines binge drinking? The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism describes a binge as drinking five or more drinks for men and four or more for women within a two-hour period, and for many college students, these limits wouldn't equate to a particularly heavy night. Previous research has linked binge drinking to a variety of negative consequences including neurocognitive deficits, poor academic performance, and risky sexual behavior. While numerous studies have shown that the brains of chronic alcoholics have altered brain activity, there is also evidence that bingeing can change adolescents' brains. Eduardo Lopez-Caneda, of the University of Minho in Portugal, investigates this phenomenon. "A number of studies have assessed the effects of binge drinking in young adults during different tasks involving cognitive processes such as attention or working memory," says Lopez-Caneda. "However, there are hardly any studies assessing if the brains of binge drinkers show differences when they are at rest, and not focused on a task." In a recent study published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, Lopez-Caneda and colleagues set out to see if the resting brains of binge-drinking college students showed any differences compared with those of their non-bingeing counterparts. The researchers recruited first year college students from a university in Spain, and asked them to complete a questionnaire about their drinking habits. Students that had participated in at least one binge within the previous month were considered to be binge drinkers, whereas non-bingers had never binged before. By attaching electrodes to the students' scalps, the scientists could assess electrical activity in various brain regions. Compared with the non-bingers, the binge drinkers demonstrated altered brain activity at rest. They showed significantly higher measurements of specific electrophysiological parameters, known as beta and theta oscillations, in brain regions called the right temporal lobe and bilateral occipital cortex. Surprisingly, previous studies have found very similar alterations in the brains of adult chronic alcoholics. While the young bingers in this study might occasionally consume alcohol to excess, they did not fit the criteria for alcoholism. So, what does this mean? The changes might indicate a decreased ability to respond to external stimuli and potential difficulties in information processing capacity in young binge drinkers, and may represent some of the first signs of alcohol-induced brain damage. The brains of adolescents are still developing, meaning that they might be more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol abuse. "These features might be down to the particularly harmful effects of alcohol on young brains that are still in development, perhaps by delaying neuromaturational processes," says Lopez-Caneda. The researchers stress that they need to carry out further studies to confirm if the features they have observed in these young binge drinkers are caused by their bingeing, and if their brain development might be impaired. However, the results suggest that bingeing has tangible effects on the young brain, comparable with some of those seen in chronic alcoholics. "It would be a positive outcome if educational and health institutions used these results to try to reduce alcohol consumption in risky drinkers," says Lopez-Caneda. ### A study on damage to coastal considered only real estate loss. If nothing is done, researchers say, losses might be up to ten times higher if the predicament includes the spreading of flood- and global warming -related diseases. Coastal cities deal with the constant fear that sea levels should continue to rise in the years ahead due to climate change. In the case of Santos, home of Latin American's biggest harbor, a study supported by the Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) estimated that, by 2100, sea level might be 45 cm higher and not only will storm surges be more frequent, but they will reach peaks that might surpass current peak levels in 20 cm. Co-supported by the Belmont Forum - a global initiative that also design adaptive strategies in the coastal locations of Selsey (United Kingdom city) and Broward (a county in Florida, US) - the study titled Project Metropolis defined minimum costs so that Santos may adapt itself for what's ahead: approximately R$ 300 million worth of urban infrastructure renovations in Ponta da Praia area and also in its Northwest region. On the other hand, failure to adapt to climate change would cost at least R$1.5 billion "However, the cost could be underestimated at R$1.5 billion because the model only considers physical buildings and other structures, and the calculations are based on their imputed or taxable values. If we included losses in other areas, such as health and education, for example, the value would easily reach R$3 billion," said Jose Marengo, coordinator of Project Metropolis (http://bv.fapesp.br/en/auxilios/81993/). Luiz Eduardo Oliveira e Cruz de Aragao, an investigator at Brazil's National Space Research Institute (Inpe) and also a member of the project, sheds light on the broad impact of climate change on the health sector. Risk analysis and the investigation of adaptive strategies, according to Aragao, identified a connection between El Nino and the rising number of dengue cases in the summers of 2010 and 2015 - in these years, the expenditure on patient hospitalizations and treatments in Santos rose by at least R$720,000. "We estimated some of the impacts on health, but if all diseases linked to rising temperatures and flooding are factored in, we can see the real impact of this problem in the area of health," said the researcher. Future scenario points to the increase of floods Sea levels in Santos have risen at different rates since the 1940s. "Based on time series, we identified two possible scenarios for the city. One is more realistic, with sea levels rising by 0.36 cm per year. The other is the worst-case scenario, with sea levels rising by 0.45 cm per year. The conclusion was that sea levels could rise between 18 cm and 23 cm by 2050, and between 36 cm-45 cm by 2100," said Celia Regina de Gouveia Souza, a researcher at the Geologic Institute (IG) of the Sao Paulo State a member of the project team. The model also considers the occurrence of extreme events, such as meteorological tides and storm surges, which are increasingly frequent because of climate change and result in rapid rises in sea level. According to Gouveia Souza, who maintains a database of the occurrences of extreme events harking back to the late twenties (1928-2016) in the whole Santos city area (the so-called Baixada Santista region), the frequency of storm surges has increased significantly, as has the number of consecutive years with storm surges, since the late 1990s. "The Santos tide gauge data tables show that the peak rise during one of these extreme events in the 2000s was 146 cm," she said. "According to our projections, it could reach 160 cm in 2050 and 166 cm in 2100. This means that the city will be even more vulnerable to coastal floods and erosion, which will migrate toward Bairro do Embare (Canal 4 surroundings)." Having produced the coastal flooding scenarios for 2050 and 2100 and having calculated the potential damages to buildings, the researchers shared their findings with the population of Santos and the local government to discuss appropriate adaptive measures. "Options for adaptation were brought up at these town hall meetings," Marengo said. "One option is fortification using revetments, seawalls, and structural enhancements. In other cases, it's possible to opt for beach replenishment. Another strategy we see as necessary for Santos is mangrove rehabilitation, which can be classified as an ecosystem-based adaptation." "The measures chosen by the public were quite adequate. We hope the project will continue under the aegis of the local authorities with ongoing popular participation. If so, the worst-case scenario is much less likely to materialize," said Luci Hidalgo Nunes, a researcher at UNICAMP and a project team member. The city of Santos was chosen by the Project Metropolis team not just for its economic importance but also because its tidal, rainfall, temperature and storm surge data time series are the best among Brazil's coastal cities. "Although scientists and decision makers must discuss adaptations, it has to be public policy. It must come from the government," Marengo said. "It's an action that cannot stop and obviously there must be an investment. Santos has achieved a high level of awareness, with a broad dialogue involving the public, decision makers, and academia. The construction projects must be implemented. The worst thing that could happen would be if it all stayed on the drawing-board." ### Project Metropolis produced four years of studies and gathered scientists from the Natural Disaster Surveillance & Early Warning Center (CEMADEN), IG, the University of Sao Paulo (USP) and the University of Campinas (UNICAMP). The group developed three lines of research: estimating economic losses and adaptive capacities; extreme weather modeling; and health impacts. Their scenarios considered projections for 2050 and 2100. About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) The Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution with the mission of supporting scientific research in all fields of knowledge by awarding scholarships, fellowships, and grants to investigators linked with higher education and research institutions in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the very best research can only be done by working with the best researchers internationally. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, higher education, private companies, and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has been encouraging scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. For more information: http://www.fapesp.br/en. AT A GLANCE All people living with HIV should be screened for chronic pain, which affects 39 to 85 percent of people with the condition, recommend new HIVMA guidelines. Those who have chronic pain should be treated using a multidisciplinary approach focused on non-drug options ranging from yoga to physical therapy, note the guidelines. Opioids should never be a first-line treatment. Almost half of all chronic pain in people with HIV is neuropathic (nerve) pain, which researchers believe is due to inflammation caused by the infection to the central or peripheral nervous system. ARLINGTON, Va. - Because ongoing pain is a significant problem that affects 39 to 85 percent of people living with HIV, everyone with the infection should be assessed for chronic pain, recommend guidelines released by the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. Those who screen positive should be offered a variety of options for managing pain, starting with non-drug treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy, yoga and physical therapy, suggest the first comprehensive guidelines on HIV and chronic pain. "Because HIV clinicians typically are not experts in pain management, they should work closely with others, such as pain specialists, psychiatrists and physical therapists to help alleviate their patients' pain," said Douglas Bruce, MD, MA, MS, lead author of the guidelines, chief of medicine at Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center, and associate clinical professor of medicine at Yale University, New Haven, Conn. "These comprehensive guidelines provide the tools and resources HIV specialists need to treat these often-complex patients, many of whom struggle with depression, substance use disorders, and have other health conditions such as diabetes." The guidelines recommend all people with HIV be screened for chronic pain using a few simple questions: How much bodily pain have you had during the week? Do you have bodily pain that has lasted more than three months? Those that screen positive should undergo comprehensive evaluation, including a physical exam, psychosocial evaluation and diagnostic testing. Nearly half of chronic pain in people with HIV is neuropathic (nerve pain), likely due to inflammation or injury to the central or peripheral nervous system caused by the infection. Non-neuropathic pain typically is musculoskeletal, such as low-back pain and osteoarthritis in the joints. "It has been long known that patients with HIV/AIDS are at high risk for pain, and for having their pain inadequately diagnosed and treated," said Peter Selwyn, MD, MPH, co-chair of the guidelines and professor and chair of the Department of Family and Social Medicine, and director of the Palliative Care Program for Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY. "This is an aging population and the changing clinical manifestations of HIV, complexity of the disease and additional challenges related to substance abuse make treatment complicated. These guidelines help provide clarity in treating these patients." HIV specialists should work with an interdisciplinary team to offer multi-modal treatment. The guidelines recommend offering alternative, non-pharmacological therapies first, including cognitive behavioral therapy, yoga, physical and occupational therapy, hypnosis and acupuncture. If medication is needed, the guidelines recommend beginning with non-opioids, such as gabapentin (anti-seizure medicine) and capsaicin (topical pain reliever made from chili peppers), both of which help with nerve pain. "Opioids are never first-line," said Dr. Bruce. "The guidelines always recommend the most effective treatment with the lowest risk." The online version of the guidelines includes an extensive list of resources for physicians to reference to help them treat the patients comprehensively. ### The guidelines panel includes experts who specialize in HIV, substance abuse, pain, psychiatry, palliative care and pharmacology. In addition to Dr. Bruce, the guidelines panel includes: Jessica Merlin, Paula J. Lum, Ebtesam Ahmed, Carla Alexander, Amanda H. Corbett, Kathleen Foley, Kate Leonard, Glenn Jordan Treisman and Peter Selwyn. IDSA has published more than 50 treatment guidelines on various conditions and infections, ranging from HIV/AIDS to Clostridium difficile. As with other IDSA guidelines, the HIV and chronic pain guidelines will be available in a smartphone format and a pocket-sized quick-reference edition. The full guidelines are available free on the IDSA website at http://www.idsociety.org. Note: For an advance copy of the HIV and chronic pain guidelines, to be published online Sept. 14, 2017, please contact Rebecca Taylor at (312) 558-1770 or rtaylor@pcipr.com. The guideline is embargoed until 1:05 a.m. ET on Sept. 14. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), based in Arlington, Va., is a professional society representing nearly 10,000 physicians and scientists who specialize in infectious diseases. For more information, visit http://www.idsociety.org. Follow IDSA on Facebook and Twitter. Clinical Infectious Diseases is a leading journal in the field of infectious disease with a broad international readership. The journal publishes articles on a variety of subjects of interest to practitioners and researchers. Topics range from clinical descriptions of infections, public health, microbiology, and immunology to the prevention of infection, the evaluation of current and novel treatments, and the promotion of optimal practices for diagnosis and treatment. The journal publishes original research, editorial commentaries, review articles, and practice guidelines and is among the most highly cited journals in the field of infectious diseases. Clinical Infectious Diseases is an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). San Francisco, CA--September 14, 2017--Wait lists for human organ transplants could be entirely eliminated through patent-pending technologies developed by Prellis Biologics, a San Francisco-based human tissue engineering company that has invented a new way to create viable human organs using near instantaneous 3D printing. Founded by two scientists with extensive experience in 3D tissue imaging and stem cell biology, the company is solving the greatest obstacle to producing functional human tissue in the lab - the ability to print microvasculature. Without the complex microvascular system needed to supply nutrients and oxygen to cells, an organ cannot survive. True Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm specializing in early-stage technology startups, led the $1.8 million seed investment. Civilization Ventures and 415 Ventures also joined, along with angel investors. The round follows early support by IndieBio, an accelerator for biotech startups run by SOSV. Investment in the 10-month-old company totals $1.92 million. "Our vision is to create a company that uses technology to print any type of human organ, providing people with a long-lasting solution to a given medical issue," said Dr. Melanie Matheu, co-founder and chief executive officer of Prellis. "We believe our technology will jumpstart the practical use of lab-printed tissue for life-saving drug development, rapid development of human antibodies, and production of human organs for transplant." Current methods for printing human tissue have hit a roadblock: the challenge of creating tiny blood vessels known as microvasculature. Without microvasculature, cells starve for oxygen and nutrients and can't remove wastes. This has limited scientists to printing tissue no thicker than a dollar bill. By building scaffolding that includes microvascular structures, Prellis is solving this problem. These thicker tissues are the building blocks of functional organs. "Over 230 people die every day in the U.S. from liver and kidney disease,"* said Dr. Noelle Mullin, co-founder and chief scientific officer of Prellis. "By coupling stem cell and immunology expertise with our 3D printing technology, we'll be able to produce organs and tissues with the precise vascular infrastructure necessary to make them viable." Prellis' technology will be brought to market in phases. The first lab-grown tissues will be used to produce antibodies for therapeutics and address issues associated with pharmaceutical development and testing. Currently, drug companies must test new drugs using animal models that do not accurately predict toxicity or efficacy in humans, and human clinical trials can be both time-consuming and harmful to patients. The first human tissue Prellis Biologics will print for clinical development are islets of langerhans, the functional unit of the pancreas that produces insulin. "Type 1 diabetics lose insulin-producing islets of langerhans at a young age. If we can replace these, we can offer diabetes patients a life free of daily insulin shots and glucose monitoring," said Dr. Matheu. "Producing viable lab-grown human tissue will revolutionize healthcare, and the Prellis team is at the forefront of that movement," said Rohit Sharma, venture partner at True Ventures and Prellis board member. "Investing in Melanie and Noelle is an investment in the future of regenerative medicine. We're proud to help them begin their quest." Because of the substantial unmet need for human tissue and organ replacement alternatives, as well as human tissue for drug discovery and toxicology testing, the global tissue engineering market was estimated at $23 billion in 2015 and is projected to reach $94 billion by 2024.** Photography and videos about Prellis can be viewed here. ### About Prellis Prellis Biologics aims to eliminate the wait list for human organ transplants and speed up development of vital new drug therapies. Using innovations in 3D printing and stem cell development, Prellis can create tissue and organs with the microvascular systems that are critical for supporting viable human tissue. Based in San Francisco, the company's patent-pending technologies use proven methods in biology, physics, and advanced imaging to revolutionize the field of tissue engineering. For more information, visit Prellis Biologics. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @PrellisBio About True Ventures Founded in 2005, True Ventures is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology startups. With capital under management in excess of $1.4 billion, True provides seed and Series A funding to the most talented entrepreneurs in today's fastest growing markets. The firm maintains a strong founder community and offers innovative educational opportunities to its portfolio, helping entrepreneurs achieve higher levels of success and impact. With more than 200 companies funded and multiple companies acquired, the current True portfolio has helped create over 8,500 jobs. To learn more about True Ventures, visit http://www.trueventures.com. Media Contacts: Krause Taylor Associates for Prellis Biologics Barbara Krause Phone: 408-981-2429 Email: barbara@krause-taylor.com True Ventures Brooke Van Natta Phone: 949-636-8787 Email: brooke@van-natta.com * Health, United States, 2016, National Center for Health Statistics ** Tissue Engineering Market Analysis, Market Size, Application Analysis, Regional Outlook, Competitive Strategies and Forecasts, 2016 To 2024, Hexa Research, 2015 Researchers from South Africa and Canada have carried out a Cochrane review update to assess the safety and effectiveness of corticosteroids for treating tuberculous pericarditis. Tuberculosis (TB) infection of the pericardium, the membrane around the heart, is not common but can restrict the function of the heart and is fatal in some cases. Current treatment involves doctors prescribing anti-TB drugs for six months, draining fluid from the pericardium or removing it in some situations, and in some cases corticosteroids are prescribed to reduce inflammation. However, there has been some concern that steroids have the potential to cause harm to patients with HIV, a common TB co-infection. The review authors included seven trials, six looking at the use of corticosteroids and the other at different treatments. All trials were based in sub-Saharan Africa and included 1959 participants in total. "Given the seriousness of TB pericarditis it was important that we were able to assess the effectiveness of using corticosteroids as a treatment," said Professor Charles Shey Wiysonge, Director of Cochrane South Africa and lead author of the review, "it was also especially important to look at their safety in cases of HIV coinfections, as there has previously been an impression that treatment could cause a rise in HIV-related cancers." The review authors found that in people without HIV, corticosteroids drugs may reduce the number of people dying overall by 20%, as well as probably reducing deaths from pericarditis, although the confidence intervals include the possibility of both large beneficial effects and small increases in harm. The results also show that in HIV-positive patients, corticosteroids may reduce constriction of the pericardium membrane, but the confidence intervals include the possibility of both large beneficial effects and small increases in harm. "This systematic review, which stratified patients into HIV-positive and HIV-negative participants and excluded those who received dual immunotherapy with corticosteroids and Mycobacterium indicus pranii, showed promising effects of corticosteroids on major outcomes but generally the confidence intervals include the possibility of both large beneficial effects and small increases in harm, and there was no evidence of an increase in cancer" added Professor Bongani Mayosi, senior author of the review and lead author of the largest trial carried out on this topic. The patients on a combination of corticosteroids and Mycobacterium indicus pranii were excluded from the analysis because of the possibility of an interaction between the two agents resulting in the increased incidence of cancer in this group. ### The Cochrane Review was co-ordinated by the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group (CIDG), which has its editorial base at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. The CIDG has been in operation since 1994, led by Professor Paul Garner, and is supported by over 600 authors from 52 countries. The CIDG editorial base is funded by UK aid from the UK Government for the benefit of developing countries (Grant: 5242). New Rochelle, NY, Sept. 14, 2017 -- Researchers from the Mayo Clinic have proposed that negative cellular responses to titanium-based nanoparticles released from metal implants interfere in bone formation and resorption at the site of repair, resulting in implant loosening and joint pain. Their review of recent scientific evidence and call for further research to characterize the biological, physical, and chemical interactions between titanium dioxide nanoparticles and bone-forming cells is published in BioResearch Open Access, a peer-reviewed open access journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on theBioResearch Open Access website. Jie Yao, Eric Lewallen, PhD, David Lewallen, MD, Andre van Wijnen, PhD, and colleagues from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN and Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, China, coauthored the article entitled "Local Cellular Responses to Titanium Dioxide from Orthopedic Implants The authors examined the results of recently published studies of titanium-based implants, focusing on the direct and indirect effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles on the viability and behavior of multiple bone-related cell types. They discuss the impact of particle size, aggregation, structure, and the specific extracellular and intracellular (if taken up by the cells) effects of titanium particle exposure. "The adverse effects of metallic orthopedic particles generated from implants are of significant clinical interest given the large number of procedures carried out each year. This article reviews our current understanding of the clinical issues and highlights areas for future research," says BioResearch Open Access Editor Jane Taylor, PhD, MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers R01 AR049069 and F32 AR068154. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. ### About the Journal BioResearch Open Access is a peer-reviewed open access journal led by Editor-in-Chief Robert Lanza, MD, Head of Astellas Global Regenerative Medicine and Chief Scientific Officer, Astellas Institute for Regenerative Medicine (Marlborough, MA), and Editor Jane Taylor, PhD, MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh. The Journal provides a new rapid-publication forum for a broad range of scientific topics including molecular and cellular biology, tissue engineering and biomaterials, bioengineering, regenerative medicine, stem cells, gene therapy, systems biology, genetics, biochemistry, virology, microbiology, and neuroscience. All articles are published within 4 weeks of acceptance and are fully open access and posted on PubMed Central. All journal content is available on the BioResearch Open Access website. About the Publisher Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many areas of science and biomedical research, including DNA and Cell Biology, Tissue Engineering, Stem Cells and Development, Human Gene Therapy, HGT Methods, and HGT Clinical Development, and AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses. Its biotechnology trade magazine, GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website. As 3-D printing has become a mainstream technology, industry and academic researchers have been investigating printable structures that will fold themselves into useful three-dimensional shapes when heated or immersed in water. In a paper appearing in the American Chemical Society's journal Applied Materials and Interfaces, researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and colleagues report something new: a printable structure that begins to fold itself up as soon as it's peeled off the printing platform. One of the big advantages of devices that self-fold without any outside stimulus, the researchers say, is that they can involve a wider range of materials and more delicate structures. "If you want to add printed electronics, you're generally going to be using some organic materials, because a majority of printed electronics rely on them," says Subramanian Sundaram, an MIT graduate student in electrical engineering and computer science and first author on the paper. "These materials are often very, very sensitive to moisture and temperature. So if you have these electronics and parts, and you want to initiate folds in them, you wouldn't want to dunk them in water or heat them, because then your electronics are going to degrade." To illustrate this idea, the researchers built a prototype self-folding printable device that includes electrical leads and a polymer "pixel" that changes from transparent to opaque when a voltage is applied to it. The device, which is a variation on the "printable goldbug" that Sundaram and his colleagues announced earlier this year, starts out looking something like the letter "H." But each of the legs of the H folds itself in two different directions, producing a tabletop shape. The researchers also built several different versions of the same basic hinge design, which show that they can control the precise angle at which a joint folds. In tests, they forcibly straightened the hinges by attaching them to a weight, but when the weight was removed, the hinges resumed their original folds. In the short term, the technique could enable the custom manufacture of sensors, displays, or antennas whose functionality depends on their three-dimensional shape. Longer term, the researchers envision the possibility of printable robots. Sundaram is joined on the paper by his advisor, Wojciech Matusik, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) at MIT; Marc Baldo, also an associate professor of EECS, who specializes in organic electronics; David Kim, a technical assistant in Matusik's Computational Fabrication Group; and Ryan Hayward, a professor of polymer science and engineering at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Stress relief The key to the researchers' design is a new printer-ink material that expands after it solidifies, which is unusual. Most printer-ink materials contract slightly as they solidify, a technical limitation that designers frequently have to work around. Printed devices are built up in layers, and in their prototypes the MIT researchers deposit their expanding material at precise locations in either the top or bottom few layers. The bottom layer adheres slightly to the printer platform, and that adhesion is enough to hold the device flat as the layers are built up. But as soon as the finished device is peeled off the platform, the joints made from the new material begin to expand, bending the device in the opposite direction. Like many technological breakthroughs, the CSAIL researchers' discovery of the material was an accident. Most of the printer materials used by Matusik's Computational Fabrication Group are combinations of polymers, long molecules that consist of chainlike repetitions of single molecular components, or monomers. Mixing these components is one method for creating printer inks with specific physical properties. While trying to develop an ink that yielded more flexible printed components, the CSAIL researchers inadvertently hit upon one that expanded slightly after it hardened. They immediately recognized the potential utility of expanding polymers and began experimenting with modifications of the mixture, until they arrived at a recipe that let them build joints that would expand enough to fold a printed device in half. Whys and wherefores Hayward's contribution to the paper was to help the MIT team explain the material's expansion. The ink that produces the most forceful expansion includes several long molecular chains and one much shorter chain, made up of the monomer isooctyl acrylate. When a layer of the ink is exposed to ultraviolet light -- or "cured," a process commonly used in 3-D printing to harden materials deposited as liquids -- the long chains connect to each other, producing a rigid thicket of tangled molecules. When another layer of the material is deposited on top of the first, the small chains of isooctyl acrylate in the top, liquid layer sink down into the lower, more rigid layer. There, they interact with the longer chains to exert an expansive force, which the adhesion to the printing platform temporarily resists. The researchers hope that a better theoretical understanding of the reason for the material's expansion will enable them to design material tailored to specific applications -- including materials that resist the 1-3 percent contraction typical of many printed polymers after curing. ### Additional background PAPER: 3D-printed self-folding electronics http://web.mit.edu/subras/www/ACS_AMI_17.pdf ARCHIVE: Toward printable, sensor-laden "skin" for robots http://news.mit.edu/2017/goldbug-beetle-printable-sensor-laden-skin-robots-0323 ARCHIVE: Customizing 3-D printing http://news.mit.edu/2015/customizing-3-d-printing-0903 ARCHIVE: "MultiFab" 3-D prints a record 10 materials at once, no assembly required http://news.mit.edu/2015/multifab-3-d-print-10-materials-0824 ARCHIVE: Bake your own robot http://news.mit.edu/2014/bake-your-own-robot-0530 Topics range from the role of symbiotic bacteria in agriculture to peatmosses as ecosystem engineers Symbiotic bacteria -- microbes that have close and long-term relationships with their "hosts" -- are everywhere on Earth: in soil, in coral reefs, in humans. Through a new National Science Foundation (NSF) Dimensions of Biodiversity grant, scientist Joel Sachs of the University of California, Riverside, will look at native California legume plants and their symbiotic nitrogen-providing bacteria, as well as at the soil in which the plants are rooted, to determine the magnitude of the benefits the bacteria provide. Sachs plans to educate farmers on plant-microbe interactions. His research will guide how microbes may be used to increase the productivity of agricultural systems. The project is one of seven funded this year through the Dimensions of Biodiversity program, a unique research initiative that integrates multiple areas of study, in contrast to traditional biodiversity studies that focus on one taxonomic group or ecosystem. The program is part of NSF's Environmental Research and Education (ERE) portfolio. A total of $15.2 million has been invested in the awards, $14.75 million from NSF's Directorate for Biological Sciences and $450,000 in co-funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China. "These awards showcase the creativity of scientists and the power of biology to understand the rules by which communities of organisms form, interact and change through time," says James Olds, NSF assistant director for Biological Sciences. "The projects examine global-scale gradients in biodiversity and the eco-evolutionary feedbacks between coexisting species and their environments in new and transformative ways." The Dimensions of Biodiversity program links functional, genetic and phylogenetic dimensions of biodiversity, offering opportunities to produce rapid advances in understanding the creation, maintenance and loss of biodiversity. The research will fill gaps in biodiversity knowledge, scientists say. It also has the potential to lead to significant progress in agriculture, fuel, manufacturing and health. For example, plant and animal extinctions are detrimental to human health, researchers have found. Species losses in ecosystems such as forests and fields result in increases in pathogens, or disease-causing organisms. The species most likely to disappear as biodiversity declines are often those that buffer infectious disease transmission. Those that remain tend to be ones that magnify diseases such as Lyme disease. Economic sustainability also depends on the diversity of life on Earth. Many industrial materials, such as fibers and dyes, come from biological sources. In addition, biodiversity is important to water, food and pharmaceuticals. To conserve Earth's biodiversity, scientists funded through the Dimensions of Biodiversity program are working to better understand interactions between, for example, plants and insects. The 2017 Dimensions of Biodiversity projects focus on topics that include: genome structure and adaptive evolution in peat mosses as ecosystem engineers; biotic and abiotic (such as water and soil) drivers of Central and South American plant speciation, whereby one species becomes two; and determining why insects are tolerant of potent toxins in plants they consume. 2017 NSF Dimensions of Biodiversity Awards James Bever, University of Kansas Center for Research Inc.: Dimensions US-China: Collaborative Research: Microbe eco-evolutionary feedbacks as drivers of plant coexistence and diversity gradients Gregory Bonito, Michigan State University: Dimensions: Phylogenetic and functional diversity of tripartite plant-ungal-bacterial symbioses Tadashi Fukami, Stanford University: Dimensions: Collaborative Research: Assembly and function of nectar microbial communities Kathleen Kay, University of California, Santa Cruz: Dimensions: Collaborative Research: Biotic and abiotic drivers of Neotropical plant speciation Laura Reed, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa: Dimensions: Collaborative Research: Integrating phylogenetic, genetic, and functional approaches to dissect the role of toxin tolerance in shaping Drosophila biodiversity Joel Sachs, University of California, Riverside: Dimensions: Collaborative Research: Elucidating the drivers of mutualism variation in host-symbiont metapopulations A. Jonathan Shaw, Duke University: Dimensions: Collaborative Research: Genome structure and adaptive evolution in peatmosses (Sphagnum): ecosystem engineers ### NASA's Terra satellite passed over Typhoon Talim and found a powerful storm with a large, open eye. On Sept. 14 at 0215 UTC (Sept. 13 at 10:15 p.m. EDT) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer of MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite provided a visible image of Typhoon Talim. The image revealed a large, open eye surrounded by powerful thunderstorms as the storm moved through the East China Sea. The southern extent of Talim's clouds were over northern Taiwan at the time of the image. The MODIS image was created by NASA's MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) noted that at 5 a.m. EDT (0900 UTC) on Sept. 14, Typhoon Talim's maximum sustained winds were near 120 knots (138.1 mph/222 kph). JTWC expects this to be the peak wind speed for the storm. Talim is a Category 3 hurricane/typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale. Talim's eye was centered near 27.3 degrees north latitude and 124.3 degrees east longitude. That's about 191 nautical miles west-northwest of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa Island, Japan. Talim was also about 273 miles (440 km) away from southeastern Xiangshan of China's Zhejiang province. Talim is moving to the north-northwest at 6 knots (7 mph/11 kph). Because of its close proximity to China, China's National Meteorological Center continued to issue orange warning of typhoon at 6:00 a.m. local time on September 14. The Japan Meteorological Agency has already issued advisories for the storm at: http://www.jma.go.jp/en/warn/. Talim is expected to make landfall on the western coast of Kyushu, Japan sometime overnight from Sept. 16 to early Sept. 17. Talim is forecast to move in a northwesterly direction over all of the big islands of Japan through Sept. 19. ### Rob Gutro NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. A Norwegian research group has just received EUR 1.5 million from the EU to find clinical diagnostic markers that can help prevent overtreatment of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in Europe. Every year around 5000 men in Norway are diagnosed with the disease. Many different types of prostate cancer cannot be distinguished yet. Researchers have lacked the diagnostic tools to accurately differentiate the aggressive forms from the less aggressive types. Some patients require aggressive treatment of the disease, but this isn't always necessary. The inability to assess the extent of the cancer leads to many people being overtreated and subsequent suffering from unnecessary ailments. A Trondheim-based research group at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) wants to do something about this. Researcher May-Britt Tessem is heading up the team, which is affiliated with the MR Cancer Group at NTNU's Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging. The European Research Council, affiliated with the EU, is so impressed with the work of the Tessem Group that Tessem has been awarded a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant for her research on prostate cancer. Distinguishing high-risk cancer forms Tessem is conducting basic research on prostate cancer. The research group is working on MR prostate imaging. The group wants to find clinical diagnostic markers that can help prevent overtreatment with its attendant side effects and reduced quality of life. At the same time, the researchers hope to identify the most high-risk cases. To this end, Tessem and her colleagues aim to provide information about the molecular signature of each patient. New technology In the research project supported by the EU, Tessem is shifting from studying one type of cancer in a cell line to retrieving tissue from prostate cancer patients in major tissue biobanks. "To do this, we'll be using new and groundbreaking imaging technology, called 'multi-omics technology'," she said . The new technology enables a three-dimensional overview of the tissue and what it consists of. The technology will be used on one and the same tissue sample from around 1000 patients. These samples come from high quality biobanks at NTNU and St. Olavs Hospital: MR Biobank, Biobank 1 and MRI-Guided Biopsies. On the path to a solution Tessem's group is building on one of its recent discoveries. The group has detected two metabolic biomarkers, which are substances in the body that can be analyzed and that tell us something about the condition of the body. These two particular biomarkers can reveal information about prostate cancer. The biomarkers appear to determine whether prostate cancer patients are likely to relapse after surgery, so they can be important markers for aggressive prostate cancer. The markers can make it easier to detect the life-threatening types of prostate cancer that require fast and personalized treatment. These can be detected before receiving treatment in an MRI scanner. This method could become an important path to developing new medications. The British Journal of Cancer has accepted and will soon publish the research group's findings. Big consequences The lack of good diagnostic tools has major consequences. Patient exams involve a risk of infection, which is particularly problematic in patients with antibiotic resistance. Currently, even men with a non-life-threatening form of prostate cancer have their prostate removed, receive radiation treatment and become sterilized from hormone treatment. We know that prostate treatment leaves many patients with a greatly reduced quality of life and significant side effects such as incontinence, erectile dysfunction and depression - in some cases ending in suicide. Preventing overtreatment is thus a very important aspect of the group's goals. Tessem is the fourth NTNU researcher in the Horizon 2020 research programme to receive this kind of ERC Starting Grant, and the first female. The funding of EUR 1.5 million will be spread over five years. ### Electronic dance music (EDM) parties have historically been high-risk scenes for use of a variety of psychoactive substances. Studies over the past couple of years have found nightclub and festival attendees report high rates of use. These parties are becoming increasingly popular in the U.S., and drug use at such parties has been associated with severe adverse health outcomes, including death. Severity of potential negative health outcomes in EDM environments makes data on both known and unknown drug use critical to further prevention and harm reduction efforts. "Ecstasy or 'Molly' users in the U.S. are at very high risk for using drugs containing adulterants such as 'bath salts' and methamphetamine," said Dr. Joseph Palamar, PhD, MPH, of the New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing Center for Drug Use and HIV Research (NYU CDUHR). "More information is critically needed on the extent of unknown or unintentional use of these potentially harmful substances." Dr. Palamar's study, "Hair Testing to Assess Both Known and Unknown Use of Drugs Amongst Ecstasy Users in the Electronic Music Dance Scene," published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, surveyed self-reported past-year ecstasy/MDMA/Molly users attending EDM parties in New York City (NYC), using hair testing to determine the types of drugs participants had consumed. "Hair testing for new psychoactive substances is an important new addition to biological testing. While blood, urine, and saliva are often adequate for assessing current intoxication or very recent use, many drugs -- including new substances -- can be detected in hair months after use," noted Dr. Alberto Salomone, coauthor and affiliated researcher at the Centro Regionale Antidoping e di Tossicologia "A. Bertinaria", Orbassano, Turin, Italy. Specifically, the aims of this study were to determine prevalence of testing positive for specific drugs and drug classes, to determine the extent of discordant reporting (defined as reporting no use of a drug, but testing positive for that drug), and to examine characteristics of those providing a discordant report. While most past-year ecstasy users tested positive for MDMA, half of users tested positive for drugs not reportedly used, particularly new drugs such as synthetic cathinones, a.k.a. "bath salts". "Among Molly users testing positive for drugs they denied using, about 7 out of 10 tested positive for 'bath salts', methamphetamine, and/or other new stimulants," said Dr. Palamar, also an associate professor of Population Health at NYU Langone Medical Center (NYULMC). "Alarmingly, we detected unknown use of the highly-potent 'bath salt' called Flakka. We also detected unknown use of PMMA, a substance linked to numerous deaths." The authors found that those at highest risk for testing positive for "bath salts" or other new drugs were more likely to be frequent party attendees and/or frequent users of ecstasy. "Interestingly, those who reported ever testing their ecstasy for adulterants were still at risk for testing positive for new drugs," said Dr. Palamar. "More research is needed on the effectiveness of users conducting their own drug-testing. Many users perform their own testing and detect drugs such as 'bath salts' in their ecstasy, and decide not to use the drug." Conclusions of this study confirm EDM parties are high-risk scenes for both known and unknown drug use, suggesting EDM party attendees in NYC are at risk for unintentionally or unknowingly using various psychoactive substances. Dr. Palamar notes there is still a strong need for studies on actual drug product (pills, powders, and crystals) rather than biological specimens. Such results would not only provide better understanding of drug adulteration, but would also be able to help determine whether providing users with results suggesting adulteration influence their decisions to continue use--an important facet for harm reduction. "Individuals in this scene need to be targeted with evidence-based information regarding the risks of using adulterated drugs so they can make the most informed decisions possible regarding their use," urged Dr. Palamar. ### Researcher Affiliations: Joseph J. Palamara,b, Alberto Salomonec, Enrico Geracec, Daniele Di Corciac, Marco Vincentic,d, Charles M. Clelandb,e A New York University Langone Medical Center, Department of Population Health, New York, NY, USA B Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York, NY, USA C Centro Regionale Antidoping e di Tossicologia "A. Bertinaria", Orbassano, Turin, Italy D Dipartimento di Chimica, Universita di Torino, Turin, Italy eNew York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York, NY, USA Acknowledgements: Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under Award Numbers K01DA038800 (PI: Palamar) and P30DA011041 (PI: Deren). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. About CDUHR The mission of the Center for Drug Use and HIV Research (CDUHR) is to end the HIV and HCV epidemics in drug using populations and their communities by conducting transdisciplinary research and disseminating its findings to inform programmatic, policy, and grass roots initiatives at the local, state, national and global levels. CDUHR is a Core Center of Excellence funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (Grant #P30 DA011041). It is the first center for the socio-behavioral study of substance use and HIV in the United States and is located at the New York University College of Nursing. For more information, visit http://www.cduhr.org. About NYU Langone Medical Center NYU Langone Medical Center, a world-class, patient-centered, integrated academic medical center, is one of the nation's premier centers for excellence in clinical care, biomedical research, and medical education. Located in the heart of Manhattan, NYU Langone is composed of four hospitals--Tisch Hospital, its flagship acute care facility; Rusk Rehabilitation; the Hospital for Joint Diseases, the Medical Center's dedicated inpatient orthopaedic hospital; and Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, a comprehensive pediatric hospital supporting a full array of children's health services across the Medical Center--plus the NYU School of Medicine, which since 1841 has trained thousands of physicians and scientists who have helped to shape the course of medical history. The Medical Center's tri-fold mission to serve, teach, and discover is achieved 365 days a year through the seamless integration of a culture devoted to excellence in patient care, education, and research. For more information, go to http://www.NYULMC.org, About the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing is a global leader in nursing education, research, and practice. It offers a Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing, a Master of Science and Post-Master's Certificate Programs, a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a Doctor of Philosophy in nursing research and theory development. Alabama has some of the highest diversity of freshwater snails in the world, but many snails are at high risk of extinction. An essential part of determining extinction risk is knowing the range of a given species and determining how much its range has contracted owing to anthropogenic impacts, but mistaken identity or misidentification can complicate conservation efforts. The Painted Rocksnail, a small snail from the Coosa River system, has been mistakenly identified as other species for over 100 years. In a study published in the open access journal ZooKeys, scientists Dr. Nathan Whelan, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dr. Paul Johnson and Jeff Garner, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and Dr. Ellen Strong, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, tackled the identity of the Painted Rocksnail, a small federally threatened species native to the Mobile River basin in Alabama. Freshwater snails are notoriously difficult to identify, as the shells of many species can look very similar. Keeping this in mind, the researchers began to notice that many shells identified as the Painted Rocksnail in museums around the world were misidentified specimens of the Spotted Rocksnail, another snail species found in Alabama. After examining shells at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard, National Museum of Natural History, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Florida Museum of Natural History, and Natural History Museum in London, in addition to hundreds of hours of their own sampling throughout the Mobile River basin, the authors determined that all previous reports of the Painted Rocksnail from outside the Coosa River system were mistakes. Despite the Painted Rocksnail dwelling in well-studied rivers near large population centers, mistaken identity of the species has persisted almost since the species was described back in 1861 by Isaac Lea. Only after careful examination of shells collected in the last 150 years and analyses of live animals were the researchers able to confidently determine that the Painted Rocksnail never occurred outside the Coosa River system. The study has implications for the conservation of the Painted Rocksnail, as the species was historically more restricted than previously thought. Recent surveys by the authors only found the species in small stretches of the Coosa River, Choccolocco Creek, Buxahatchee Creek, and Ohatchee Creek. In conclusion, the authors note the importance of natural history museums and the importance of studying snails in the southeastern United States. "Without the shells stored in natural history museums we would have never been able to determine that the supposed historical range of the Painted Rocksnail was incorrect, which could have resulted in less effective conservation efforts for an animal that is very important to the health of rivers in Alabama," they say. ### Original Source: Whelan NV, Johnson PD, Garner JT, Strong EE (2017) On the identity of Leptoxis taeniata - a misapplied name for the threatened Painted Rocksnail (Cerithioidea, Pleuroceridae). ZooKeys 697: 21-36. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.697.14060 Additional Information: This work was funded in part by the Smithsonian Institution, National Science Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Birmingham Audubon Society, Conchologists of America, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and American Malacological Society. The findings and conclusions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Brick kilns and their pollution are ubiquitous in South Asia. An interdisciplinary team is combining satellite data and political persuasion to track kilns, raise public awareness and incentivize kiln owners to use cleaner technologies. Stephen Luby's epiphany came to him 30,000 feet up in the air. The Stanford epidemiologist was flying over India when he realized the view from his window seat was adequate to identify brick kilns on the ground below. The insight was startling for its potential to shed light on an environmental nightmare that kills thousands of people every year. Luby, a professor of medicine, and a team of Stanford researchers including political scientist Francis Fukuyama and geophysicist Howard Zebker are following up on Luby's insight to revolutionize brickmaking in South Asia, an industry that burns coal, biomass and even tires to dry hand-molded clay into the ubiquitous building material. Brick kilns across South Asia have a global warming impact equivalent to that of all passenger cars in the U.S., and air pollution from these kilns kills tens of thousands of people each year as a result of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, according to Luby. Starting in Bangladesh, the novel collaboration is working to measure kilns' health effects and incentivize kiln owners to switch to cleaner technologies. "We're doing something completely novel here," Luby said. FIRST FIND THE KILNS Before they could reach out to kiln owners, the researchers had to figure out the number and location of kilns, which are poorly regulated and tracked. That's where Luby's Jet Airways flight comes in. "I got to thinking: Well, wait a minute, if I can do this sitting in a plane, we must be able by remote satellite to detect (kilns) as well," Luby said of his aha moment. When Luby's plane touched down, he looked up Stanford satellite data experts. He found Zebker, a professor of electrical engineering and geophysics and an authority on developing space-borne radar systems and using remote sensing data to study earthquakes, volcanoes, polar ice movements and other phenomena. "This being Stanford, I can send him an email, and he says 'Yeah, sure, let's have coffee.'" Luby looped in Fukuyama, a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, to help him understand related governance issues and formulate a politically effective message of change. One form this message will take is a public website allowing people to locate information about kilns in their area and to learn ways of nudging kiln owners toward making their operations more efficient and profitable. Site users will be able to pinpoint kilns that violate ordinances on proximity to communities and design standards, among others, and join a larger discussion among public and private sector stakeholders. "It won't just be an outdated report nobody sees," Luby said. Crucial to the planned website - and the entire initiative - is the Sentinel 1 satellite launched by the European Space Agency in 2015. It provides publicly available images of Earth at a resolution about the size of a racquetball court (30 by 30 feet). Armed with that data and GPS locations of kilns found by ground teams, electrical engineering graduate student Abhilash Sunder Raj developed a model that understands what kilns looks like from space. Sunder Raj adjusted his algorithm to account for seasonality (kilns don't run in the rainy season from November to March) and to avoid false positives such as household fires and furnaces. The model worked so well that it even found kilns the ground team had missed. "We are able to find these needles in a haystack very, very accurately," Sunder Raj said. SERIOUS HEALTH RISK They may look innocuous from space, but kilns are outsized threats on the ground. In Bangladesh, a single brick kiln puts out up to 48,000 kilograms of carbon monoxide in one season. Multiply that by the country's 8,000 or more kilns, and you have a catastrophe for health and global warming. Researchers in Bangladesh have found dangerous airborne particulates at average levels more than 90 times greater than World Health Organization-recommended levels. The result: hundreds of thousands of people who live downwind from kilns are at elevated risk for cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Although the kilns are clearly a health risk, few good data exist about the magnitude of the problem. Alex Yu, a postdoctoral scholar in infectious disease, is trying to fill in those gaps and learn whether other sources of pollution contribute to health problems to an extent that even if brick kilns were less polluting, the health issues would continue. He is comparing rates of asthma, pneumonia and carbon monoxide, among other air-related illnesses, in villages with and without kilns. "There are chimney stacks everywhere pouring out black smog," Yu said of the dystopian landscape he witnessed on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital city. "You walk one block and your body is covered by a thin layer of soot." In addition to contaminating air, the kilns degrade soil around them as workers dig it up to be made into the clay that will be molded, heated and dried into bricks. Runoff from stripped patches of land damages the fertility of surrounding cropland, making it harder to grow food and compounding the kilns' health effects, Yu said. INCENTIVES FOR CHANGE Shifting the brick-making paradigm in Bangledesh and other countries that rely on the polluting kilns will require shifting incentives. Leo Kirby, a graduate student in the International Policy Study program and a research assistant to Fukuyama, is looking at how to most effectively align the interests of stakeholder groups in Bangladesh and how to identify effective approaches to behavior change in a country where the rule of law has limited reach. "It's a great example of the challenges of changing policy in an environment of weak governance," Kirby said. "Existing regulations are imperfectly enforced at best. So, to change behavior, you have to change the incentive structures." Kirby's interviews with brick kiln owners, international NGOs and various environmental and community organizations will serve as the basis for a case study for a policy reform training program Fukuyama runs for mid-career public officials in developing countries. Nina Brooks, a doctoral candidate in the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources, will talk with kiln owners to better understand what constrains decisions to adopt improved efficiency. The Stanford team is working with Greentech Knowledge Solutions, a Delhi-based leader in improving brick kiln efficiency. Luby is approaching the climate community to help support the transformation of the brick kiln sector in Bangladesh and, ultimately, across South Asia. The improvements in efficiency will pay for themselves, but stakeholders will need support to achieve this more favorable equilibrium. Luby is also a senior fellow in the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and director of research at the Center for Innovation in Global Health. Fukuyama is also the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow and Mosbacher Director at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law in the Freeman Spogli Institute. Zebker is also and affiliate of the Stanford Woods Institute. The research is supported by the Stanford Woods Institute's Environmental Venture Projects program and the Stanford Food Allergy Center Fund. ### Astronomers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, also members of the PlanetS National Centre of Competence in Research, have been working on a joint project with the universities of Berne, Warwick, Grenoble Alpes and the Paris Institute of Astrophysics. The research team focused the Hubble Space Telescope on an exoplanet that had already been seen losing its atmosphere, which forms an enormous cloud of hydrogen, giving the planet the appearance of a giant comet. During earlier observations in 2015, it was not possible to cover the whole cloud, whose shape was predicted by numerical simulations. Thanks to these new observations, however, the scientists have finally been able to confirm the initial predictions. The results are unveiled in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. Exoplanet GJ 436b is similar in size to Neptune (i.e. about four times larger than the Earth). Seen through ultraviolet (UV) glasses, it reveals a huge, Rapunzel-like hair made of gas. This phenomenon, detected in 2015 by astronomers from UNIGE's Faculty of Sciences Observatory, could be due to the planet proximity to its host star: it takes the planet no more than three days to circle around it. The planet loses a part of its hydrogen-rich atmosphere because of the intense stellar irradiation. The lost atmosphere remains for some time around the planet in the form of a huge cloud of gas, which absorbs UV radiation from the star. This is why the cloud can only be seen with Hubble's UV eye. "We were flabbergasted by the mere size of the cloud, which our initial observations could not cover in its entirety as it passes in front of the star", explains David Ehrenreich, associate professor at UNIGE and principal investigator of the European Research Council-funded project Four Aces, who obtained the observations. The team extrapolated the initial data with a numerical model, to predict what could be the cloud exact shape. The simulation resulted in a comet-like cloud with a trailing tail stretching over tens of millions of kilometres. The team headed by Baptiste Lavie, a PlanetS PhD student at UNIGE, directed Hubble at GJ 436b afresh. The findings backed up the researchers' predictions in every respect: "I was getting grey hair from analysing the new observations," says Lavie. "So it was hugely satisfying to see that the panache of hydrogen escaping from the planet was really there, in line with the predictions, because now we understand how it is formed." The data injected into the numerical model explained the observations accurately: "We even took into account the pressure that the light from the star exerts on the hydrogen atoms that escape from the planet!" says Vincent Bourrier, the UNIGE astronomer who developed the digital model. Solving the mystery of this rare phenomenon means the researchers are now in a position to understand how it affects other exoplanets, some receiving even more irradiation than GJ 436b. "We're expecting some more surprises," says Lavie with a smile. ### PlanetS is a National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) backed by the Swiss National Fund for Scientific Research. FOUR ACES (Future of Upper Atmospheric Characterisation of Exoplanets with Spectroscopy) is a European project funded by the European Research Council's Consolidator grant (ERC Grant No. 724427). University of Adelaide researchers have confirmed that abnormalities in a common brain chemical are linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In the first study of its kind looking at babies outside the United States, researchers from the University of Adelaide's Adelaide Medical School investigated 41 cases of SIDS deaths and discovered striking abnormalities in chemical serotonin within the brain. Serotonin, otherwise known as 5-HT, is a neurotransmitter found in different parts of the human body, including the central nervous system. Among its many roles, serotonin is involved in the regulation of sleep, and also control of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. This latest research, published in the Journal of Neuropathology & Experimental Neurology, confirms and supports the concept that brainstem dysfunction, resulting in significantly altered serotonin expression, is associated with some SIDS deaths. SIDS is the sudden unexpected death of an infant under one year of age that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation, including an autopsy. It is the leading cause of death in infants between one month and one year of age in Australia and the developed world. The research was conducted by PhD student Dr Fiona Bright under the supervision of University of Adelaide Professor of Pathology Roger Byard. Dr Bright today graduated with her PhD from the University of Adelaide. Her work builds on research conducted in the United States at the Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, where Dr Bright was based for 18 months during her combined studies. "Our research is significant because it has confirmed that abnormalities in serotonin in the brain are most definitely linked to cases of SIDS. This helps to support the findings of the American research," Dr Bright says. "Serotonin is a key neurochemical that plays an important role in the control and management of the complex respiratory, cardiovascular and autonomic systems within the human infant brainstem. "Our research suggests that alterations in these neurochemicals may contribute to brainstem dysfunction during a critical postnatal developmental period. As a result, this could lead to an inability of a SIDS infant to appropriately respond to life-threatening events, such as lack of oxygen supply during sleep. "Notably, the SIDS cases we studied were all linked to at least one major risk factor for SIDS, with more than half of the infants found in an adverse sleeping position and having had an illness one month prior to death," Dr Bright says. Professor Byard says: "Better understanding of the complex role of these neurochemicals, and the exact causes of their dysfunction in the brain, will help future research to develop potential biomarkers for infants at increased risk of SIDS. "Ultimately, we hope that this work will lead to improved prevention strategies, helping to save baby's lives and the emotional trauma experienced by many families." ### This research was funded under a Fellowship established by the River's Gift SIDS charity. "River's Gift's primary objective is to fund world-leading SIDS research to make a tangible contribution to the discovery of a cure for this heart-breaking loss of life," says River's Gift General Manager Karl Waddell. "The University of Adelaide research is a significant step towards achieving that objective." Media Contact: Dr Fiona Bright Research Associate Adelaide Medical School The University of Adelaide fiona.bright@adelaide.edu.au PHILADELPHIA -- President Obama signed an executive order in 2012 protecting undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children, and studies suggest that this order, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), markedly improved measures of mental health among its beneficiaries and their families. The pending termination of DACA may reverse these mental health benefits for the 800,000 DACA beneficiaries, and trigger a public health crisis, according to an essay in the New England Journal of Medicine, co-authored by Atheendar. S. Venkataramani, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of medical ethics and health policy at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. "DACA was not a public health program by design," Venkataramani said, "but numerous studies have shown that implementing it had positive effects on mental health that truly rival those from large-scale health policies." DACA is meant to cover undocumented immigrants who were born after June 15, 1981, were brought to the U.S. before turning 16, and have lived in the U.S. continuously since 2007. It provides legal access to work permits, which can be renewed every two years, and confers freedom from deportation. Eligible applicants must provide evidence of current school attendance, completion of high school or GED certification, or U.S. military service, and must not have serious criminal records. Several recent studies, including one by Venkataramani and essay co-author Alexander Tsai, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, have indicated that measures of psychological stress and mental illness among DACA-eligible immigrants fell dramatically after the policy began. Another study, which used data from the Emergency Medicaid program in Oregon, suggested that DACA's mental health benefits may have extended even to the children of DACA-eligible mothers--among whom rates of adjustment and anxiety disorders fell by more than half after DACA started. Given that DACA improved mental health for beneficiaries and their families, its termination is expected to have the opposite effect. That termination will occur in March 2018 if no DACA-preserving legislation is passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. "Health care and public health professionals now have a limited window of opportunity to engage policymakers about protecting Dreamers through legislative action, with an emphasis on the potentially dire mental health consequences of failing to enact a definitive legal remedy," Venkataramani said. If such efforts fail and DACA does expire next year, the health care profession will face a serious challenge, he added. Many former DACA beneficiaries, in the absence of the law's protections, will not only experience adverse effects on mental health and psychological well being, but will also be less likely--because of their status as deportable illegals--to seek help from health care professionals. Venkataramani and Tsai argue that if DACA expires, health care and public health organizations will need to proactively reach out to undocumented immigrants, to reassure them of continued access to quality health care and to provide them with information about public mental health care resources. "On a broader systems level, tracking health care utilization and health outcomes will help organizations monitor health at the population level and provide hard data to policymakers seeking to implement other supportive remedies," they note. ### Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $6.7 billion enterprise. The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 20 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $392 million awarded in the 2016 fiscal year. The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine. Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2016, Penn Medicine provided $393 million to benefit our community. The notorious genetic marker of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, ApoE4, may not be a lone wolf. Researchers from USC and the University of Manchester have found that another gene, TOMM40, complicates the picture. Although ApoE4 plays a greater role in some types of aging-related memory ability, TOMM40 may pose an even greater risk for other types. TOMM40 and APOE genes are neighbors, adjacent to each other on chromosome 19, and they are sometimes used as proxies for one another in genetic studies. At times, scientific research has focused chiefly on one APOE variant, ApoE4, as the No. 1 suspect behind Alzheimer's and dementia-related memory decline. The literature also considers the more common variant of APOE, ApoE3, neutral in risk for Alzheimer's disease. USC researchers believe their new findings raise a significant research question: Has TOMM40 been misunderstood as a sidekick to ApoE4 when it is really a mastermind, particularly when ApoE3 is present? "Typically, ApoE4 has been considered the strongest known genetic risk factor for cognitive decline, memory decline, Alzheimer's disease or dementia-related onset," said T. Em Arpawong, the study's lead author and a post-doctoral fellow in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Department of Psychology. "Although prior studies have found some variants of this other gene TOMM40 may heighten the risk for Alzheimer's disease, our study found that a TOMM40 variant was actually more influential than ApoE4 on the decline in immediate memory - the ability to hold onto new information." Studies have shown that the influence of genes associated with memory and cognitive decline intensifies with age. That is why the scientists chose to examine immediate and delayed verbal test results over time in conjunction with genetic markers. "An example of immediate recall is someone tells you a series of directions to get somewhere and you're able to repeat them back," explained Carol A. Prescott, the paper's senior author who is a professor of psychology at USC Dornsife College and professor of gerontology at the USC Davis School of Gerontology. "Delayed recall is being able to remember those directions a few minutes later, as you're on your way." The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE on Aug. 11. Prescott and Arpawong are among the more than 70 researchers at USC who are dedicated to the prevention, treatment and potential cure of Alzheimer's disease. The memory-erasing illness is one of the greatest health challenges of the century, affecting 1 in 3 seniors and costing $236 billion a year in health care services. USC researchers across a range of disciplines are examining the health, societal and political effects and implications of the disease. In the past decade, the National Institute on Aging has nearly doubled its investment in USC research. The investments include an Alzheimer Disease Research Center. Tracking memory loss For the study, the team of researchers from USC and The University of Manchester utilized data from two surveys: the U.S. Health and Retirement Study and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Both data sets are nationally representative samples and include results of verbal memory testing and genetic testing. The research team used verbal test results from the U.S. Health and Retirement Survey, collected from 1996 to 2012, which interviewed participants via phone every two years. The researchers utilized the verbal memory test scores of 20,650 participants, aged 50 and older who were tested repeatedly to study how their memory changed over time. To test immediate recall, an interviewer read a list of 10 nouns and then asked the participant to repeat the words back immediately. For delayed recall, the interviewer waited five minutes and then asked the participant to recall the list. Test scores ranged from 0 to 10. The average score for immediate recall was 5.7 words out of 10, and the delayed recall scoring average was 4.5 words out of 10. A large gap between the two sets of scores can signal the development of Alzheimer's or some other form of dementia. "There is usually a drop-off in scores between the immediate and the delayed recall tests," Prescott said. "In evaluating memory decline, it is important to look at both types of memory and the difference between them. You would be more worried about a person who has scores of 10 and 5 than a person with scores of 6 and 4." The first person is worrisome because five minutes after reciting the 10 words perfectly, he or she can recall only half of them, Prescott said. The other person wasn't perfect on the immediate recall test, but five minutes later, was able to remember a greater proportion of words. To prevent bias in the study's results, the researchers excluded participants who reported that they had received a likely diagnosis of dementia or a dementia-like condition, such as Alzheimer's. They also focused on participants identified as primarily European in heritage to minimize population bias. Results were adjusted for age and sex. The researchers compared the U.S. data to the results of an independent replication sample of participants, age 50 and up, in the English Longitudinal Study of Aging from 2002 to 2012. Interviews and tests were conducted every two years. Genetic markers of dementia To investigate whether genes associated with immediate and delayed recall abilities, researchers utilized genetic data from 7,486 participants in the U.S. Health and Retirement Study and 6,898 participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. The researchers examined the association between the immediate and delayed recall results with 1.2 million gene variations across the human genome. Only one, TOMM40, had a strong link to declines in immediate recall and level of delayed recall. ApoE4 also was linked but not as strongly. "Our findings indicate that TOMM40 plays a larger role, specifically, in the decline of verbal learning after age 60," the scientists wrote. "Further, our analyses showed that there are unique effects of TOMM40 beyond ApoE4 effects on both the level of delayed recall prior to age 60 and decline in immediate recall after 60." Unlike ApoE4, the ApoE3 variant is generally thought to have no influence on Alzheimer's disease or memory decline. However, the team of scientists found that adults who had ApoE3 and a risk variant of TOMM40, were more likely to have lower memory scores. The finding suggests that TOMM40 affects memory - even when ApoE4 is not a factor. The team suggested that scientists should further examine the association between ApoE3 and TOMM40 variants and their combined influence on decline in different types of learning and memory. "Other studies may not have detected the effects of TOMM40," Prescott said. "The results from this study provide more evidence that the causes of memory decline are even more complicated than we thought before, and they raise the question of how many findings in other studies have been attributed to ApoE4 that may be due to TOMM40 or a combination of TOMM40 and ApoE4." ### Other study co-authors from USC were John J. McArdle (Dornsife College and Davis School); Margaret Gatz (Dornsife College, Davis School and Keck School of Medicine of USC); Chris Armoskus (Zilkha Neurogenetics Institute, Keck School of Medicine) and James A. Knowles (formerly of the Keck School of Medicine now at State University of New York Downstate Medical Center). Co-authors from the University of Manchester were Neil Pendleton and Krisztina Mekli. Ninety percent of the data analysis for the study was covered by a National Institute on Aging grant (F32-AG-048681) of $158,374 to Arpawong and an NIA pilot award (P30-AG-017265) of $24,970 from the USC/UCLA Center on Biodemography and Population Health. The remaining support for the data analysis was covered by funds from USC and the University of Manchester. The largest genomic profiling study ever conducted into a type of brain tumor known as glioma in children has identified genetic alterations in 96% of cases. As reported in The Oncologist, this genetic information could help to identify the most effective treatments for specific cases of glioma, hopefully improving the prognosis for what is currently the leading cause of death for children with cancer in the US. "This study further demonstrates that genomic profiling can be readily integrated into the routine clinical workflow for children with brain tumors," says corresponding author Shakti Ramkissoon, associate medical director at Foundation Medicine, a genomic profiling company based in Cambridge, MA. "We hope that the collection of objective genomic data will one day become 'standard of care' for children with brain tumors." Pediatric gliomas are a diverse collection of brain tumors affecting children that arise from glial cells in the brain and spinal cord. Despite their diversity, pediatric gliomas can be categorized into two broad classes: low-grade gliomas (LGGs) and high-grade gliomas (HGGs), with LGGs more benign and less malignant than HGGs. Nevertheless, treatment options for both LGGs and HGGs are limited, and the long-term prognosis for children with malignant gliomas is not good. Anything that can improve this prognosis is thus to be welcomed. With this aim in mind, Ramkissoon and a team of scientists from Foundation Medicine and several universities and medical centers in the US conducted genomic profiling of 125 LGGs and 157 HGGs taken from children varying in age from less than one to 18. To do this, they employed a technique termed hydridization-captured, ligation-based sequencing. This involves extracting DNA from each tumour sample and then introducing it to a chip covered in short strands of synthetic DNA able to capture sequences from 315 cancer-related genes and 28 genes commonly rearranged in cancer. Captured DNA is then sequenced on the chip to determine which of these genes are altered and how they are altered. These alterations can include mutations to single genes, where DNA sequences are rearranged, deleted or inserted, and the fusing together of several genes. Ramkissoon and his team detected genetic alterations in 96% of the tumor samples, with the most frequently altered genes differing between LGGs and HGGs. They found that genes known as BRAF, FGRFR1 and NF1 were most frequently altered in LGGs, whereas genes known as TP53 and H3F3A, together with NF1 again, were most frequently altered in HGGs. Not only does this finding show that genomic profiling can distinguish between different gliomas, but it also confirms that genomic profiling can help identify the most effective treatments for those different gliomas. "Our findings highlight the importance of identifying mutations that have been shown to be diagnostically and prognostically significant," says Ramkissoon. "For example there is strong evidence to show that LGGs harbouring BRAF fusions have significantly better outcomes compared to LGGs with BRAF mutations; therefore, determining the BRAF status for all pediatric LGGs is important for clinical management. Additionally, our findings identify targets for targeted therapies and highlight the utility of small molecule inhibitors for the treatment of recurrent pediatric gliomas." Thus this study shows that BRAF-inhibitors such as dabrafenib, which are currently undergoing clinical trials for treating pediatric gliomas, are likely to be more effective against LGGs than HGGs. It also shows that targeting H3F3A mutations could offer an effective way to treat HGGs. Furthermore, Ramkissoon and his team found that nine of the HGGs had a particularly high number of mutations, known as a high tumor mutation burden, which previous research has indicated responds well to immunotherapy. Building on this work, Ramkissoon and his team are next planning to conduct a genomic profiling study of a type of glioma known as a glioblastoma in young adults, aged between 18 and 40. "Pediatric gliomas represent a truly unmet clinical need in oncology. This work demonstrates that molecular profiling of these tumors provides potential therapeutic opportunities for these patients, including targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors," says Priscilla Brastianos, director of the Central Nervous System Metastasis Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, who is a section editor of The Oncologist and was not involved in the study. ### Additional Information Media Contact Dawn Peters (US) +1 781-388-8408 Penny Smith (UK) + 44 1243 770448 sciencenewsroom@wiley.com Follow us on Twitter @WileyNews Full citation: "Comprehensive Genomic Profiling of 282 Pediatric Low and HighGrade Gliomas Reveals Genomic Drivers, Tumor Mutational Burden, and Hypermutation Signatures" Adrienne Johnsona, Eric Seversona, Laurie Gaya, JoAnne Vergilioa, Julia Elvina, James Suha, Sugganth Daniela, Mandy Coverta, Garrett M. Framptona, Sigmund Hsub, Glenn J. Lesserc, Kimberly StognerUnderwoodc, Ryan T. Mottc, Sarah Z. Rushd, Jennifer J. Stanked, Sonika Dahiyae, James Suna, Prasanth Reddya, Zachary R. Chalmersa, Rachel Erlicha, Yakov Chudnovskya, David Fabrizioa, Alexa B. Schrocka, Siraj Alia, Vincent Millera, Philip J. Stephensa, Jeffrey Rossa, John R. Crawfordf and Shakti H. Ramkissoon The Oncologist. Published Online: September 14, 2017; DOI: 10.1634/theoncologist.2017-0242. Author Contact: To arrange an interview with Shakti Ramkissoon, please contact Lee-Ann Murphy, Corporate Communications, Foundation Medicine (pr@foundationmedicine.com). About The Oncologist Now celebrating its 22nd edition, this internationally peer-reviewed journal focuses on clear and concise interpretation addressing the multimodality diagnosis, treatment and quality of life of the cancer patient. Each issue is meant to impact the practice of oncology and to facilitate significant communication in the introduction of new medical treatments and technologies. The Oncologist is the official journal of the Society for Translational Oncology (STO). About AlphaMed Press Established in 1983, AlphaMed Press, which has offices in Durham, NC, San Francisco, CA, and Belfast, Northern Ireland, is the publisher of three internationally renowned peer-reviewed journals. The Oncologist , which is entering its 20th year, is devoted to community and hospital-based oncologists and physicians entrusted with cancer patient care. STEM CELLS, celebrating its 35th year, is the world's first journal devoted to this fast paced field of research. STEM CELLS Translational Medicine, currently in its sixth year, is dedicated to significantly advancing the clinical utilization of stem cell molecular and cellular biology. About Wiley Wiley, a global company, helps people and organizations develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Our online scientific, technical, medical and scholarly journals, combined with our digital learning, assessment and certification solutions, help universities, learned societies, businesses, governments and individuals increase the academic and professional impact of their work. For more than 200 years, we have delivered consistent performance to our stakeholders. The company's website can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com. Amid changing attitudes toward death and dying, some people with serious physical and/or mental illnesses are claiming a right to choose the time, place, and manner of their death. Discussions about "pre-planned death" pose new challenges for psychiatrists and other healthcare professionals to consider, according to an article in the September Journal of Psychiatric Practice, published by Wolters Kluwer. As the concepts of assisted suicide and the 'right to die' become more accepted in society, "There's a growing likelihood that clinicians will encounter situations involving "pre-planned death by decisionally competent individuals," writes guest columnist Joel Yager, MD, of University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver. His article seeks "to question conventional attitudes and assumptions, push readers' thoughts beyond typical comfort zones, and consider alternative modes of responding to challenges posed by pre-planned death." Pre-Planned Death Raises Complex Personal and Professional Issues Prompted by personal experiences and the recent passage of Colorado's "death with dignity" law, Dr. Yager reviews the shifting landscape related to pre-planned death -- defined as "any death in which a decisionally capable individual takes actions to assure the end of life at a specified time, under specified circumstances, and via a specified mode of death." Dr. Yager notes that the term pre-planned death is "neutral" as to whether the person has a "terminal, static, or progressive" medical or psychiatric illness, or whether the lethal act is administered by themselves or someone else. His discussion is limited to "decisionally capable" individuals--specifically excluding those whose wish to die results from symptoms of a treatable psychiatric illness. Most people agree as to what constitutes a "good death," but don't get to choose the way they die. By a large majority, doctors say they would not want drastic measures to prolong life. When patients voice concerns about prolonged suffering at the end of life, Dr. Yager asks, "Shouldn't they be accorded the same dignities and care that physicians would want for themselves?" He outlines the complex issues and terminology surrounding pre-planned death. In "physician-assisted" suicide, doctors may administer or supply to means to cause death. In pre-planned death, they may simply acknowledge the patient's intentions without interfering. "Theoretically, clinicians can accompany, witness, and be with patients as they go through actions that will lead to death," Dr. Yager writes. He invites clinicians to think about a range of scenarios in which patients with serious medical and/or psychiatric illnesses may make a considered decision to plan their own deaths. Five states and the District of Columbia now have some type of "death with dignity" law, as do Canada and many European countries. While most discussions of these laws have focused on physician-assisted deaths, similar concerns might apply to "patient-initiated, self-conducted" deaths. Although psychiatrists support medically assisted death in general, "they do not support such programs for psychiatric patients," according to Dr. Yager. He notes that the American Psychiatric Association has issued an opinion that psychiatrists "should not prescribe or administer any intervention to a non-terminally ill person for the purpose of causing death." "But ambiguity remains," Dr. Yager writes. "Does providing moral support for a patient or family under such circumstances constitute an intervention contributing to 'the purpose of death?'" Meanwhile, people suffering from physical or mental illnesses can find several movements and organizations providing information and assistance to people considering pre-planned death. "Considerations regarding pre-planned deaths merit greater professional and public discussion," Dr. Yager concludes. "Many options exist for improving how professionals address the quality of human experiences surrounding death." ### Click here to read the article: Contending With Preplanned Death: Questions for Clinicians Article DOI: 10.1097/PRA.0000000000000260 The first large-scale genetic study of people in Papua New Guinea has shown that different groups within the country are genetically highly different from each other. Scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their colleagues at the University of Oxford and the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research reveal that the people there have remained genetically independent from Europe and Asia for most of the last 50,000 years, and that people from the country's isolated highlands region have been completely independent even until the present day. Reported today (15 September) in Science, the study also gives insights into how the development of agriculture and cultural events such as the Bronze or Iron Age could affect the genetic structure of human societies. Papua New Guinea is a country in the southwestern Pacific with some of the earliest archaeological evidence of human existence outside Africa. Largely free from Western influence and with fascinating cultural diversity, it has been of enormous interest to anthropologists and other scientists seeking to understand human cultures and evolution. With approximately 850 domestic languages, which account for over 10 per cent of the world's total, Papua New Guinea is the most linguistically diverse country in the world. To discover if the linguistic and cultural diversity was echoed in the genetic structure of the population, researchers studied the genomes of 381 Papuan New Guinean people from 85 different language groups within the country. The researchers looked at more than a million genetic positions in the genome of each individual, and compared them to investigate genetic similarities and differences. They found that groups of people speaking different languages were surprisingly genetically distinct from each other. Anders Bergstrom, the first author on the paper from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: "This is the first large-scale study of genetic diversity and population history in Papua New Guinea. Our study revealed that the genetic differences between groups of people there are generally very strong, often much stronger even than between major populations within all of Europe or all of East Asia." Professor Stephen J. Oppenheimer, second author of the paper from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, said: "We found a striking difference between the groups of people who live in the mountainous highlands and those in the lowlands, with genetic separation dating back 10,000-20,000 years between the two. This makes sense culturally, as the highland groups historically have kept to themselves, but such a strong genetic barrier between otherwise geographically close groups is still very unusual and fascinating." Human evolution in Europe and Asia has been greatly influenced by the development of agriculture around 10,000 years ago. When small bands of hunter-gatherers settled into villages and started farming, they expanded and over time gave rise to more genetically homogenous (similar) societies. However, despite the independent development of agriculture in Papua New Guinea at about the same time, the same process of homogenization did not occur here. This may indicate that other historical processes in Europe and Asia, such as the later Bronze and Iron Ages, were the key events that shaped the current genetic structure of those populations. Dr Chris Tyler-Smith, corresponding author on the paper from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: "Using genetics, we were able to see that people on the island of New Guinea evolved independently from rest of the world for much of the last 50,000 years. This study allows us to glimpse a different version of human evolution from that in Europe and Asia, one in which there was agriculture but no later Bronze Age or Iron Age. Papua New Guinea might show the genetic, cultural and linguistic diversity that many settled human societies would have had before these technological transformations." ### Notes to editors: Welcome to the News Release Wire Selection Control Panel. Instant News Wire Hello from Hazard! We finally heard from someone on Item No. 1087, which was submitted by John Tarleton, of Salem, Ohio. Bill Blair, of Blairs Auto Care in Beloit, Ohio, says its a battery carrier. Since it was a mystery item for its owner, and we havent received any other responses after several weeks, well declare Blair correct and move on. Our thanks to him for the answer. Item No. 1088 comes from Bernard Kenny, of Economy Borough, Pennsylvania, who found it on a wall of a store near Grove City Pa., but doesnt know what it is or how it was used, and neither did anyone working in the store. The head is about 4 inches square and is attached to a handle about 4 feet long. So now it is up to your readers, Kenny adds. And we know theyll come through! Do you know how it was used? Email your responses to editorial@farmanddairy.com; or respond by mail to: Hazard a Guess, c/o Farm and Dairy, P.O. Box 38, Salem, OH 44460. If you want to see antique farm equipment and related small tools (you know, like Hazard-ous stuff), why not plan a trip to the annual Farm Science Review, Sept. 19-21, in London, Ohio. There are several buildings on the grounds that house antique equipment and small engines (we took a photo of a lawnmower with a wooden deck one year that was very unique), and you can also find several exhibits of antique tractors from local clubs and collectors. Check out the information in our special section this week. Theres lots to see! By Susan Crowell / Farm and Dairy Editor Last spring, the horrific wildfires that blazed through Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas burned nearly 2,100 square miles. Early estimates were that the fires killed more than 20,000 cattle and pigs. And Texas officials have yet to know how many thousands of cattle may have died in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, but the counties that sustained damage were home to 1.2 million head of cattle. Then Irma hit Florida, after pummeling several Caribbean islands. Prior to the storm reaching land, Florida Dairy Farmers, the states milk promotion organization, shared an update on how dairy farmers were preparing for the hurricane. On some farms, cows and calves were moved to reduce the potential for injuries. Generators were checked, not for the homes, but for the milking parlors. We will run all night with the generator under a load, to provide one final test before we fuel it up for Hurricane Irma, said Florida dairy farmer Ben Butler on the associations blog. He moved his cows from the freestall barn to a pasture away from potential debris. That may seem like it leaves them unprotected, but the No. 1 reason for cattle deaths after Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in 1992 was fallen structures. Butler farms in Lorida, in Highlands County, south of Orlando. In 2005, a storm took out four of his barns and took years to repair. When I checked the regions reports Sept. 12, 95 percent of the countys residents were without power. Roads were closed, trees were down. In Okeechobee, Kris Rucks and her family also worked to prepare their dairy for the storm. Our biggest concern is keeping our employees, their families and our cows as safe as possible, shes quoted in the blog post. I thought of all the livestock owners who work so hard every day to care for their animals, on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Compassionate people who inwardly if not sometimes outwardly cry when an animal cant be saved. An Extension agent told me about the cattlemen who crossed their lands after the March wildfires, looking for animals. They had to euthanize most of the ones they found, along with wildlife. It was, he said, as gut-wrenching as the fire itself. And I thought about a report I read from the 2017 Animal Rights National Conference held in Virginia in early August and got angry. Everyone has a right to eat as they choose, be they meat-eaters, vegans or vegetarians. But the goal of animal rights activists is not animal welfare but the end of animal agriculture, period. The conference was touted as dedicated to the vision that animals have the right to be free from all forms of human exploitation. Its as if farmers compassion the misters, the stall mattresses, the feed, the special attention, the fresh straw, the extra scoop of feed or ear scratch doesnt matter. Its exploitation. We eat babies, was the statement of one speaker, Harish Sethu, volunteer director of The Humane League Labs. (A recent Humane League Facebook post declared, Being an animal lover means leaving them off your plate.) Kay Johnson Smith, president and CEO of the Animal Agricultural Alliance, says conference speakers made their goals very clear: ending all forms of animal agriculture, regardless of how well animals are cared for. The conference was filled with sessions like how to pressure restaurants to stop selling animal products, targeting millennials and engaging children, using technology (think drones, undercover hidden cameras), and solidifying political alliances. Who cares, I am an animal, said PeTAs Ingrid Newkirk at the conference. Theres isnt a human race and all other races. Humane meat is a myth, speakers declared, and that includes livestock farms of all sizes. Theres more, much more. Bottom line: While were protecting and caring for livestock every day, theres a huge faction out there who says you are evil and should be stopped. They can disguise their ultimate goal in a variety of tactics, but dont be lulled into a false sense of oh, its just an animal welfare movement. The storm will hit and you could lose everything. A girl has been threatened and her horse punched by two men who entered a farm in Nottinghamshire, it has been reported. Nottinghamshire police are investigating reports of suspicious activity and a public order incident at a farm at Lambley Lane, Gedling. Police are now appealing for witnesses and information. It was reported that two men attended a stables and threatened a girl before one of them punched a horse. The men then left the scene. It happened at about 3.15pm on Monday (11 September 2017). One of the men was described as white, aged 30-40 with shaved ginger hair and a ginger beard. He spoke with an Irish accent and was wearing a white T-shirt and reflective yellow bottoms. The other man was described as white, about 50-years-old, with dark brown hair. He also spoke with an Irish accent and had prominent gaps between his teeth. One of them was driving a white van that had high visibility colouring on it. The other was in a red tipper van. Police also received a report of a man acting suspiciously at the farm at about 2pm on Sunday (10 September 2017). He arrived in a dark-coloured Nissan Nivara. Nottinghamshire Police have increased patrols in the area to provide reassurance to the local community and given security advice to the farm owner. Anyone who recognises the men or has any information that could help, please call 101 quoting incident 503 of 11 September 2017. Overhauling tax legislation offers a way to promote greater productivity in the farming sector after Brexit, according to the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers. The discussion paper, produced by agricultural valuers CAAV, explores fiscal packages capable of shaping a "vibrant" farming sector. The organisation said that some simple changes could make all the difference to the industry. Brexit offers the greatest opportunity to determine agricultural policy since 1947, providing the chance to improve the sector that provides much of our food, environment and landscape, explained Jeremy Moody, secretary and adviser to the CAAV. Such a chance to shape our own destiny may not come again. The paper offers a review of potential tax measures that could aid agricultural and environmental productivity. It considers ways to assist entry, progression and exit from farming; innovation and investment; resilience; and the management of risk. One of the key factors that needs addressing is access to land, explained Mr Moody. This involves freeing up more land for rent, as well as ensuring that land farmed in-hand is passed down to the next generation who will farm it best. Agriculture, short of physical investment in recent years, is on the cusp of a major technological revolution, he added. And with many keen and skilled potential entrants, it is at a point where an improved tax system could yield real dividends. Increased output A recent Irish study showed that putting land into the hands of trained farmers increased output by 12%, more than the increase achieved by passing land onto the younger generation. The successful introduction in Ireland of rent relief from Income Tax, geared to length of tenancy, has encouraged more letting of land over longer time periods. We have seen a 30% increase in the number of landlords offering tenancies for five years or more, said Mr Moody. In conjunction with the new Residential Nil Rate Band Amount for Inheritance Tax, giving relief on a home passed down the family, could have a powerful stimulus as a retirement package. 'Treated equally' While Government tax policy has favoured companies under Corporation Tax this has left farmings sole traders and partnerships behind, according to Mr Moody. He continued: Businesses should be treated equally for what they do, not discriminated against for the way they are structured. Greater investment and innovation will be key to future productivity and resilience, and the CAAV is arguing for the reinstatement of Agricultural Buildings Allowances to encourage such investment. Mr Moody said: To help farmers embrace new technologies there should also be a 2.5m capital allowance for automation and digital technologies over five years. Pig meat is the meat that offers the best potential for exports to non-EU markets, according to a new Brexit report looking at the UK's prospects for meat and dairy products in a global marketplace. Of the individual meats, it is pig meat that offers the best potential, the report explains. 32 per cent of UK pig meat trade in 2016 went to non-EU markets. It comes as news that exports of British beef, lamb and pork have surpassed the 500 million mark for the first six months of 2017 up 18 per cent year-on-year. The success in exploiting the Chinese market is an example of what can be achieved, the report states. In August, a new export deal with China was announced that will bring a 200 million boost to the UK food industry and support 1,500 jobs. Potential in China Market access was granted in 2011 even though negotiations began in 2004. The report said this illustrates that it is not all plain sailing and there are a number of external challenges to overcome in securing market access. The analysis assumes that China will offer the best long term potential but that good prospects exist in other markets. This applies especially to lower value cuts and offals to South East and East Asia, and West and South Africa. The report explains that there are also limited opportunities for premium cuts to North America and Australia/New Zealand. There is also potential to supply high quality food service in China and Japan. The report states that the UK is only 54% self-sufficient in pig meat and so there is also scope for import displacement depending upon the level of external tariffs following Brexit. 'Positive picture' AHDBs Head of Livestock Export Trade Development Jean-Pierre Garnier said the latest figures 'paint a positive picture' for the meat export industry. It is very encouraging to see an increase in exports to non-EU countries and a strong progression in value as this is an important area for our meat exports with the challenge of Brexit, Mr Garnier explained. AHDB recognises the importance of developing balanced international trade that does not rely solely on the EU, but we also cannot underestimate the importance of Europe as two-thirds of our meat exports are still destined for the EU. However, we understand the challenges that our meat industry faces and we must look at new exports deals and continue to work towards securing access to third countries. It has been announced that Lockerbie based company Robinsons Scotland has been shortlisted for the 2017 Royal Bank of Scotland Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Scale-Up Entrepreneurs of the Year category. Manufacturer of steel framed buildings, Robinsons, beat off some tough competition in order to make the regional shortlist, with over 1000 businesses entering the awards nationally across the wide range of categories. Now in its fifth year, the Royal Bank of Scotland Great British Entrepreneur Awards has celebrated some amazing entrepreneurs over the years, many of whom are now household names. Past winners include David Buttress of Just Eat, Julie Deane of The Cambridge Satchel Company, James Watt of BrewDog and Alexander Solomou of TheLADBible Group. Ryan Brown, Managing Director stated: Being shortlisted for this award has been a great achievement for us. We were delighted, especially with the calibre of nominees this year; the awards are a great initiative to promote Entrepreneurial Spirit in Scotland and the UK to the wider audience and provide a great opportunity to network with likeminded individuals. Being shortlisted for these awards is testament to the hard work of our entire team through the current climate and our sheer determination to succeed. We would like to thank everyone who has supported us throughout the years to reach our goals and grow our business. We look forward to what the future holds with our ambitious expansion plans. Creator of the Awards, Francesca James, said: We have been inundated with some incredible entries this year, and all shortlisted applicants should be extremely proud of themselves! This year has seen a record number of entrants and weve been absolutely blown away by the strength and diversity of applications. We cannot wait to celebrate entrepreneurship across Great Britain with them, and put a spotlight on the incredible talent within the British entrepreneur ecosystem. Gordon Merrylees, Head of Entrepreneurship at Royal Bank of Scotland said: "I want to thank all of the entrepreneurs who entered this year and congratulate those who have been shortlisted, I look forward to seeing them at the regional finals. It is clear that entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well and Royal Bank of Scotland is thrilled to be able to support these awards to celebrate success with the businesses that are the lifeblood of the UK Economy as they start, scale and succeed. The Royal Bank of Scotland Great British Entrepreneur Awards will celebrate entrepreneurship across a number of categories at 5 gala finals across the UK, including; Cardiff, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester & London. You can find more information about the awards and the ceremonies here: www.greatbritishentrepreneurawards.com Farmers in Northern Ireland have been urged to be 'cautious' when spreading slurry due to poor ground conditions, which is preventing many from even doing so. Northern Ireland has experienced a prolong stretch of wet weather in recent months and it is causing major problems for farmers. Silage hasnt been cut. Harvest has been delayed. Cattle have had to be housed much earlier than usual and many farmers have slurry to spread but have been unable to do so, all because of the wet weather, said Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) President, Barclay Bell. Farmers are reporting that slurry stores are nearing capacity and they are facing a dilemma. We have made DAERA and NIEA aware of the situation, said Mr Bell. Farmers have the option of using the reasonable excuse clause for spreading slurry, which covers exceptional circumstances when, through no fault of their own, they cannot fully comply with the rules. The UFU secured the inclusion of this clause in the Northern Ireland Nitrates Action Programme in 2005/2006. Given the current conditions, where weather and ground conditions are making compliance impossible, farmers may be forced to use this clause. But documentation may be required and this must be available, said Mr Bell, adding that the UFU can assist farmers with this process. However, European Commission officials do have concerns about the current rules. They have scrutinised the monitoring of spreading practices and water quality data. The UFU is well aware of the practical problems facing farmers, but it is vital not to give the Commission an excuse to impose more legislation. Being able to show we acted responsibility is our best defence, said the UFU president. Brussels will be keeping a close eye on closed period compliance and could demand extra storage if farmers are continually struggling. The industry cannot afford to have more restrictions or additional storage requirements imposed. Eight young farmers have landed starring roles representing British farming in one of the most popular historic civic pageants in the world. The 802nd Lord Mayors Show takes place in November, and The Worshipful Company of Farmers, alongside New Holland, will help take the back British farming message into the heart of the City of London. The parade includes most of the 110 livery companies along with more than 7,500 participants, 200 horses, 20 marching bands, dancers, performers, armed forces and Modern Livery Companies. Last year, the parade saw the culmination of the farming industrys push to Celebrate Great British Food. 'Tough selection' This year, group of farming champions was chosen after the NFU launched a nationwide search to find young farmers who have made an outstanding contribution to the agricultural sector. NFU Vice President Guy Smith described the selection process as "tough". I know the eight young farmers chosen will do a fantastic job on the day as they all share a passion and an enthusiasm about what they do playing a vital role in producing the nations food. Farmers deliver for our economy, providing jobs and driving growth in rural communities. The Lord Mayors show provides us with the perfect opportunity to showcase the best of British farming to millions of people and explain the crucial role of British farming and its vital place in the wider food industry, Mr Smith explained. 'Once in a lifetime' 20-year-old Hannah Binns from Lancashire will represent the North West. She said: I'm excited to work alongside the other seven young farmers in promoting our hard-working but rewarding industry. This experience is a once in a lifetime and I cannot wait to grasp the opportunity to engage with the general public to promote the back British farming message. The eight young farmers selected are: Greg Colebrook, 26, from Cambridgeshire, representing East Anglia; Hannah Binns, 20, from Lancashire, representing the North West; Jack Davis, 21, from Kent, representing the South East; Jessica Spencer, 20, from Nottinghamshire, representing the East Midlands; John Throup, 32, from North Yorkshire, representing the North East; Ryan Came-Johnson, 26, from Cornwall, representing the South West; Dom Bloxham, 25, from Staffordshire, representing the West Midlands; Tom Rees, 29, from Pembrokeshire, representing Wales. Summary Company Announcement Date: September 12, 2017 FDA Publish Date: February 07, 2018 Product Type: Food & Beverages Allergens Food & Beverage Safety Reason for Announcement: Recall Reason Description Undeclared coconut Company Name: Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets, Inc. Brand Name: Brand Name(s) Natural Grocers Product Description: Product Description Organic Deglet Noor Dates Pitted Company Announcement Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets, Inc., a Lakewood, Colorado-based natural grocery chain, is recalling Natural Grocers brand Organic Deglet Noor Dates Pitted because it may contain undeclared coconut, an allergen. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to coconut run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. The recalled product is packaged in clear plastic bags varying in weight and bearing the Natural Grocers label. Only packages bearing 198-17 as the packed on date are subject to recall. The packed on date can be found in the bottom left-hand corner of the label. Random Weight UPC Code Starting Description Packed On Date 200129xxxxxx Organic Deglet Noor Dates Pitted 198-17 The product was distributed to 45 Natural Grocers stores located in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Consumers can find the specific locations of Natural Grocers stores in those states at: http://www.naturalgrocers.com/store-locations. The recall was initiated after it was discovered that product containing coconut was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of coconut. To date, the company has received no reports of illness. Consumers who may have purchased this product should return it to the store for credit or refund. Anyone allergic to coconut should not consume this product. The lot in question has been removed from sale and replaced with correctly labeled product. Consumers with questions may contact the company by calling Customer Service at 303-986-4600, ext. 80531, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (MST) Though it has been nearly 16 years since its release, Dil Chahta Hai is still one of the most loved coming-of-age dramas in Bollywood, but director Farhan Akhtar is currently in no mood to take the story of the buddy trio forward. Dil Chahta Hai starred Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna in the lead roles as three friends who share a deep bond, but have different approaches towards love and life. The film, which was the directorial debut of Farhan, won a National Award and attained a cult status, with its characters of Akash, Sameer and Sid resonating with the urban audience. Though two years back there were reports about a sequel being planned, Farhan has denied any such development at the moment. "I have not really considered taking the film forward. I feel there was a certain energy, mood and a time in my life when Dil Chahta Hai happened and that's why I wrote it," Farhan told PTI when asked if he ever thought of making a sequel. "Now if I think of (a sequel), I will be forcing the issue. It is going to go from 'what I wanted to say' to now 'something more should be added'. What was great about it when it happened was there was no design." Farhan- who has directed three feature films since Dil Chahta Hai- says to take the film forward, he would have to come up with a template, which would go with the organic feel of the movie. "The minute we start thinking seriously that I have to do a sequel to it, then design comes into play. That is something I want to avoid. If ever suddenly the moment of eureka happens then may be, who knows. But nothing as of now," he said. Deepak Dobriyal, in real life and in Lucknow Central, refuses to give up without a good fight. The 43-year-old actor-filmmaker, however, says Don can be taken ahead with a third part. "The story of Don allows you to take the film forward. It is plot-driven. But a film like Dil Chahta Hai is so much about the feel, the characters, the vibe of how people are." When asked, if he has plans for the third instalment of Don, Farhan says, "I am not ready with 'Don 3'. That's too far off." The actor is currently awaiting the release of his latest film Lucknow Central, scheduled to release this Friday. Kriti Sanon has been basking in the glory of her recent release 'Bareilly Ki Barfi'. The actress who received rave reviews for her performance, has been celebrating the success of the film taking out time from her busy schedule. She has struck the perfect balance between her work and life thereby nailing it like a boss! The actress was buried deep neck into the hectic promotions of her film 'Bareily Ki Barfi' after which she spared time for her prior work commitments. Kriti recently visited Spain for a brand shoot where the gorgeous actress extended her trip to a couple of days to celebrate the success of her film. Currently, the actress is in Oman for a magazine shoot where she is also enjoying some 'me' time. Check out some of her Instagram photos here... Being Calm Kriti is seen here rejuvenating at the pool, where she has dipped her feet into the water to calm her inner self. Draped In Oman Style Let the eyes do the talking here! Good Morning, Oman! Mornings like these= perfect day Day-Dreamer Close your eyes and unplug. That's what's on Kriti's mind! Water Baby The cool blue water looks just too tempting! Bidding Goodbye The actress bids adieu to Oman with a heavy heart. We know that feeling, girl! Stay tuned for more interesting updates. Priyanka Chopra Priyanka Chopra came under heavy criticism for calling Sikkim 'A state troubled by insurgency'. False Statements Priyanka Chopra's statements about Sikkim are false and the state is not suffering from insurgency. TIFF She made the comment at the Toronto International Film Festival. But Why? We wonder why she ended up making a statement like that on an international platform. Know Your Facts It's always right to know the facts before talking about a place in a negative light. Twitter Attack The people of Sikkim took to Twitter and lashed out against Priyanka Chopra for her statements. Peaceful Sikkim Sikkim is one of the most peaceful states in India and PeeCee ended up calling it the opposite of what it really is. Double Standards At one end, Priyanka Chopra felt offended by being called 'brown' in America, but then called a peaceful state like Sikkim suffering from insurgency. Double standards? Making Movies It's better if celebrities avoid talking about such sensitive topics and just focus on their work, which is making movies. Disrespect! The comment was seen as a disrespect to the peaceful people of Sikkim. Reel & Real! Well, or did she not know the reel and real difference? Stop It! It's best if Priyanka Chopra avoids making false statements about Indian states! Summerset Group Holdingshas purchased its fifth property in Wellington in New Zealand.The NZ retirement village and aged care service provider snapped up the 6-hectare site in Northern Wellington.Summerset says the land is well suited to a retirement village, which is rare to find.The company plans to build over 290 homes on the site along with hospital care facilities.The site will house its award winning dementia care apartments, which offer a safe environment for those suffering with the illness.Shares in Summerset Group Holdingstraded at $4.59 on 5 September. Dividends are a key feature of my investment approach. They not only provide a return on my investment (without the need to sell my stock holdings), but they also give me an indication of when it might be a good time to step in and buy a new stock or add to an existing position. Here are two dividend stocks I own that I think you might want to buy right now: International Business Machines Corp. (IBM 1.37%) and ExxonMobil Corporation (XOM 3.12%). A tough turn There are a lot of reasons to dislike technology giant IBM right now. The most notable is the company's 21 consecutive quarters of declining revenue. That's bad, but step back and look at the bigger picture. IBM has been shifting its business from older, lower margin operations like building computers to newer, higher margin businesses like the cloud, security, and artificial intelligence. So it's going in the right direction, it's just taking a longer time than investors would like for the new businesses to ramp up. But here's the thing: IBM is one of the largest technology companies in the world. It takes time to turn a giant ship. Then there's the important fact that IBM is over 100 years old. It started out making things like clocks and scales, transitioned to tabulating machines, then to computers and mainframes, then pivoted toward services, and it is now shifting with the times again. Making big changes like this isn't new for IBM. Investor impatience with the process, though, could be a big opportunity for dividend lovers. IBM currently yields more than 4%. That's at the high end of the company's historical dividend range -- the five year average yield is around 2.7%. It's also cheap relative to its own history when you look at price to earnings, price to book value, price to sales, and price to cash flow. It's relatively cheap on most of those metrics compared to other technology companies as well. The best part of this story, however, is that despite falling revenues IBM's earnings have remained relatively strong. To put some numbers on that, IBM's top line has fallen 25% since a peak in 2011, but earnings in 2016, powered by stock buybacks and solid margins, were only 5% lower than they were in 2011. Cash flow, which is where dividends are paid from, is more than enough to cover the dividend, as Motley Fool's Keith Noonan recently highlighted. It's been a tough turn, but if you can stomach the uncertainty, IBM looks like it's on sale today. We need this stuff The next big name that I think is worth a deep dive is integrated oil and natural gas giant ExxonMobil. Let's get the bad news out of the way right up front: carbon fuels are dirty and are going to be replaced. But that's not likely to happen for a very long time because there's too much infrastructure supporting oil and gas. They power the world, from cars to planes; they are key industrial feedstocks for chemicals and plastics; and they are easy, and relatively safe to store and move. Oil and natural gas will remain important for decades. Today, however, investors are down on energy companies like Exxon. Part of that is the dirty fuel thing, and part of it is the fact that oil and natural gas prices are relatively low today. They're commodities, so there's nothing Exxon can do about their prices. But it can make sure its broadly diversified business is financially strong enough to survive commodity downturns, which is where the company shines. For example, even after one of the deepest oil downturns in recent history, Exxon's long-term debt remains at less than 15% of its capital structure. Yes, debt has increased from roughly $7 billion at the start of 2014, before oil prices plummeted, to around $25 billion at the end of the second quarter. But that's exactly what you want Exxon to do -- use its financial strength to keep powering through downturns. The next step in all of this is to start paying debt down when the energy markets stabilize. On that front, Exxon reduced long-term debt by nearly 15% through the first six months of 2017. Throughout the downturn, meanwhile, it's continued to reward investors with annual dividend increases. The streak is up to 35 consecutive years of annual dividend hikes. That's impressive for any company, let alone one that sells a commodity prone to extreme price swings. The yield is around 4% today. Like IBM, that's toward the high end of Exxon's historical yield range. This is a company built to last in a volatile industry that's currently in a downturn. And since oil and natural gas aren't likely to go away overnight, now is a good time to take a closer look at Exxon and collect that big yield. Harder than it looks I recognize that buying IBM and Exxon today isn't an easy call; they are both facing big challenges. But that's exactly why they are offering investors juicy yields of around 4%. If you believe these companies are up to the challenges they face, now could be a great time to add them to your portfolio -- their yields are not only high relative to the market, but also relative to their own histories. If you love dividends like I do, you know that opportunities like this don't come around all that often. Missed Nokia 6 Sale: Here are some smartphones with similar specs and price Features oi -Harish Kumar Nokia 6 offers some impressive features and specs. Nokia, backed by Finnish company HMD Global made a comeback to the mobile phone industry with a bang. And since the entry, the company has already introduced several smartphones in the market. While Samsung and other Chinese brands have been dominating the smartphone scene in India, people in the country seem to still have full faith in the iconic brand. Thus Nokia has been seeing huge demand for its smartphones and the devices are getting out of stock whenever they are put up for sale. List of best Nokia phones available to buy in India And Nokia 6 seems to be the favourite among the consumers. Priced at Rs. 14,999, the smartphone offers some impressive features and specs. Amazon recently hosted the flash sale for Nokia 6 attracting many buyers and the e-commerce site has launched flash sale today September 13 as well. However, if you have missed the flash sale, you don't have to be sad about it. Today, we have compiled a list of smartphones that comes with similar specs as the Nokia 6 and at the same price. Xiaomi Mi A1 Buy At price of Rs 14,999 Key Features 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD 2.5D curved glass LTPS display 2GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 625 14nm processor with 650MHz Adreno 506 GPU 4GB RAM 64GB storage expandable memory up to 128GB with microSD Android 7.1.2 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 8.0 (Oreo) Hybrid Dual SIM (micro + nano/microSD) 12MP rear camera with wide-angle lens secondary 12MP camera with telephoto lens 5MP front-facing camera Fingerprint sensor, Infrared sensor 4G VoLTE 3080mAh (typical) / 3000mAh (minimum) battery Samsung Galaxy J7 Max Buy At price of Rs 17,900 Key Features 5.7 Inch Full HD Display 1.6GHz MediaTek Helio P20 Octa-Core Processor 4GB RAM With 32GB ROM Dual Nano SIM 13MP Camera With LED Flash 13MP Front Camera With LED Flash 4G LTE/WiFi Samsung Pay Mini Bluetooth 4.1 3300mAh Battery Motorola Moto G5S Plus Buy At price of Rs 15,999 Key Features 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD display with Corning Gorilla glass 3 protection 2GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 625 Mobile Platform with Adreno 506 GPU 4GB RAM 64GB storage expandable memory up to 128 GB with microSD Android 7.1 (Nougat) Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano/microSD) 13MP (RGB) + 13MP (monochrome) dual rear cameras with dual-tone LED flash 8MP front-facing camera with flash Water repellent nano-coating Bottom-ported loudspeaker Fingerprint sensor 4G VoLTE 3000mAh battery with Turbo Charging Gionee A1 Buy At price of Rs 15,990 Key Features 5.5-inch (1920 1080 pixels) Full HD IPS in-cell 2.5D curved glass display 2GHz Octa-core MediaTek Helio P10 processor with Mali T860 GPU 4GB RAM 64GB Internal memory expandable memory up to 128GB with micro SD Android 7.0 (Nougat) with Amigo OS Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD) 13MP rear camera with LED flash 16MP front-facing camera 4G VoLTE 4010mAh battery with fast charging Samsung Galaxy On Max Buy At price of Rs 16,900 Key Features 5.7-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD TFT IPS 2.5D curved glass display MediaTek Helio P25 Lite Octa-Core (2.39GHz + 1.69GHz) 64-bit 16nm processor with ARM Mali T880 GPU 4GB RAM 32GB internal memory expandable up to 128GB with microSD Android 7.0 (Nougat) Dual SIM Samsung Pay Mini 13MP rear camera with LED flash 13MP front camera with LED flash Fingerprint sensor 4G VoLTE 3300mAh battery Xiaomi Mi Max 2 Buy At price of Rs 16,999 Key Features 6.44-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD IPS 2.5D curved glass display with 450nits brightness 2GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 625 14nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 506 GPU 4GB RAM with 64GB / 128GB storage expandable memory with microSD MIUI 8 based on Android 7.1.1 (Nougat) Hybrid Dual SIM (micro+nano/microSD) 12MP rear camera with dual-tone LED Flash 5MP front-facing camera 4G VoLTE 5300mAh (typical) / 5200mAh (minimum) battery with Quick Charge 3.0 LG Q6 Buy At price of Rs 14,990 Key Features 5.5-inch 18:9 FHD+ (2160 x 1080 pixels) FullVision 442ppi Display Octa-Core Snapdragon 435 Mobile Platform with with Adreno 505 GPU 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, expandable memory up to 2TB with microSD Android 7.1.1 (Nougat) Dual SIM 13MP rear camera with LED Flash 5MP front-facing camera, 100-degree wide angle 4G VoLTE 3,000mAh built-in battery Coolpad Cool Play 6 Buy At price of Rs 14,999 Key Features 5.5-inch (19201080 pixels) Full HD IPS display Octa Core Snapdragon 653 Mobile Platform with Adreno 510 GPU 6GB RAM, 64GB Internal Storage Android 7.1.1 (Nougat) with Journey UI, upgradable to Android 8.0 Dual SIM (nano + nano) 13MP dual rear camera cameras with dual-tone LED flash 8MP front camera, f/2.2 aperture Fingerprint sensor 4G VoLTE 4000mAh (minimum) / 4060mAh (typical) battery Gionee A1 Lite Buy At price of Rs 14,699 Key Features 5.3-inch (1280 720 pixels) HD display 1.3GHz Octa-Core Mediatek MT6753 Processor with Mali T-720 GPU 3GB RAM 32GB Internal memory expandable memory up to 128GB with micro SD Android 7.0 (Nougat) with Amigo OS 4.0 Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD) 13MP rear camera with LED flash 20MP front-facing camera with soft LED selfie flash Fingerprint sensor 4G VoLTE 4000mAh battery Honor 8 Lite Buy At price of Rs 14,849 Key Features 5.2-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD 2.5D curved glass display Octa-core Kirin 655 ( 4 x 2.1GHz + 4 x 1.7GHz) 16nm processor with Mali T830-MP2 GPU 4GB LPDDR3 RAM 64GB storage expandable memory up to 128GB with microSD Android 7.0 (Nougat) with EMUI 5.0 Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano/microSD) 12MP rear camera with LED flash 8MP front-facing camera 4G VoLTE 3000mAh battery Micromax Evok Dual Note Buy At price of Rs 11,499 Key Features 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) Full HD 2.5D curved glass display 1.5 GHz Octa-Core MediaTek MT6750 64-bit processor with Mali T860 GPU 3GB / 4GB RAM 32GB internal storage expandable memory up to 64GB with microSD Android 7.0 (Nougat) Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano/microSD) 13MP rear camera secondary 5MP camera 5MP front-facing camera with soft LED flash Dual SIM Fingerprint sensor 4G VoLTE 3000mAh battery Best Mobiles in India LG V30 and V30+ price finally revealed: It is on the expensive side News oi -Samden Sherpa The pre-orders for the LG V30 smartphone will start from today, September 14 and will be open until September 20. LG announced its flagship V30 and V30+ smartphones at IFA 2017. However, at the time of the launch, the company did not give away the details regarding the pricing of the new handsets. But that has changed now. The company has finally revealed the price of the two devices for consumers in South Korea. As such LG V30 smartphone has been priced at KRW 949,300 (approximately Rs. 53,890) whereas the V30+ variant has been priced at KRW 998,800 (approximately Rs. 56,690). The pre-orders for the LG V30 smartphone will start from today, September 14 and will be open until September 20 in South Korea. And the devices can be purchased starting September 21. The company is also throwing in some exciting offers with the sale of the two handsets. Consumers who have pre-ordered the phones will be able to purchase Google Daydream VR headset at a discounted price of KRW 1,000 (approximately Rs. 60), the company said in a media release. As for the specifications, if you did miss out on the launch then just to recall, LG V30 features a 6-inch QHD+ (1440x2880 pixels) OLED FullVision display with a resolution of 538ppi and HDR10 support. The display also gets Corning Gorilla Glass 5 for added protection. The smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core SoC paired with 4GB LPDDR4x RAM. LG V30 comes with 64GB built-in storage, which is further expandable up to 2TB via microSD card. Talking about the cameras, LG V30 comes with a dual rear camera setup on the rear and it includes one 16-megapixel sensor with f/1.6 aperture and 71-degree wide-angle lens, and there is also a 13-megapixel sensor with a 120-degree wide-angle lens and f/1.9 aperture. The cameras are equipped with Crystal Clear Lens for correct color reproduction and clearer photographs. Up front, there is a 5-megapixel wide-angle (90-degrees) camera with an aperture of f/2.2. The LG V30 is backed by a 3300mAh battery with support for Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 and wireless charging. The smartphone runs UX 6.0+ interface based on Android 7.1.2 Nougat and the phone is also water as well as dust resistant (IP68), MIL-STD 810G certified. Connectivity options include 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz and 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0 LE, GPS, NFC, USB Type-C 2.0 (3.1 compatible). LG V30's dimensions are 151.7 x 75.4 x 7.3mm and it weighs 158g. The LG V30 comes in Aurora Black, Cloud Silver, Moroccan Blue and Lavender Violet colors. Best Mobiles in India Nokia 8 to receive Android Oreo update soon; Spotted on Geekbench News oi -Chandrika the upcoming Nokia 9 was also spotted on GFXBench recently with Android Oreo. As some of you may know, the Nokia 8 has finally hit the Asian market. It was recently launched in Malaysia, which indicates the smartphone will soon make its way to the Indian market as well. The Nokia 8 comes with some top-notch features, there is no doubt in that. Now, it seems HMD Global has decided to step up its flagship device, software wise. We say this for the smartphone has been spotted on Geekbench carrying Android 8.0 Oreo. The Geekbench appearance strongly indicates that the smartphone will soon receive the Android Oreo update. It is not unusual since Nokia 8 was expected to be the first Android-based Nokia smartphone to get the latest Android version. We have also talked about how HMD Global is determined to update its handsets before anyone else. Now, the question is if the Nokia 8 will arrive pre-installed with Android Oreo in India. Sorry to disappoint you, but probably not. In any case, the smartphone is expected to get the Android 8.0 Oreo update by the end of this year. Till then, Nokia 8 users would have to do with Android 7.1.1 Nougat OS, which the phone currently runs on. However, Nokia 8 is not going to be the only Nokia-branded smartphone to taste the Oreo. HMD's Chief Product Officer, Juho Sarvikas, has recently confirmed that all the Android-powered Nokia handsets would get updated to Android 8.0 Oreo. Talking about other Nokia smartphones, the upcoming Nokia 9 was also spotted on GFXBench recently with Android Oreo. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications AF awards contract to begin designing next Air Force One aircraft Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs / Published September 13, 2017 WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The Air Force awarded a contract modification for just under $600 million to Boeing Sept. 12, 2017, for preliminary design efforts for the next presidential aircraft. The contract modification includes the design to incorporate a mission communication system, electrical power upgrades, a medical facility, an executive interior, a self-defense system and autonomous ground operations capabilities into two commercial Boeing 747-8s. These aircraft will replace the two aging VC-25A (747-200) presidential support aircraft. "Following the award of the contract to purchase two commercial 747-8 aircraft, this contract award is the next major step forward toward ensuring an overall affordable program," said Maj. Gen. Duke Richardson, Presidential Airlift Recapitalization program executive officer. Under this contract action, Boeing and their suppliers will complete the initial design of the future Air Force One. The Air Force is committed to working with Boeing to ensure the PAR program meets presidential airlift mission requirements, as well as the president's affordability expectations. The Air Force is also working with Boeing on a follow-on contract modification, referred to as the Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract modification, which will continue the program through detailed design, aircraft modification, test and delivery of two presidential mission-ready aircraft. The EMD contract modification is planned to be awarded in the Summer of 2018. These aircraft will provide the president of the United States with safe, reliable and affordable air transportation equipped with all mission capabilities necessary to continuously execute the constitutional responsibilities of commander-in-chief, head of state, and chief executive. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Coalition Strikes Target ISIS Terrorists in Syria, Iraq From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release SOUTHWEST ASIA, Sept. 13, 2017 U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 65 strikes consisting of 76 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. U.S. Central Command continues to work with partner nations to conduct targeted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria as part of the comprehensive strategy to degrade and defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS. Officials reported details of yesterday's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 62 strikes consisting of 64 engagements against ISIS targets: -- Near Abu Kamal, a strike destroyed a vehicle-borne-bomb facility. -- Near Dayr Az Zawr, five strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed two fighting positions, two vehicle-borne bombs, a vehicle-borne-bomb facility and a logistics node. -- Near Raqqa, 56 strikes engaged 17 ISIS tactical units; destroyed 56 fighting positions, three logistics nodes and two vehicles; and suppressed a fighting position. Strikes in Iraq In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted three strikes consisting of 12 engagements against ISIS targets: -- Near Huwayjah, three strikes destroyed six ISIS tunnels. Previous Strikes Additionally, 18 strikes consisting of 31 engagements were conducted in Syria on Sept. 11 that closed within the last 24 hours. -- Near Dayr Az Zawr, a strike destroyed four ISIS fighting positions. -- Near Raqqa, 16 strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed 17 fighting positions and a logistics node. -- Near Shadaddi, a strike destroyed an ISIS staging area. Part of Operation Inherent Resolve These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said. The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and some ground-based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets, officials noted. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike, they added. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect. For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said. The task force does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Department of Defense Press Operations News Transcript Presenter: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis September 13, 2017 En Route Media Availability with Secretary Mattis SECRETARY OF DEFENSE JIM MATTIS: Minot we're on the record, OK? -- we're on the way to Minot. I want to see the airmen who serve out there, on alert, all the time, both intercontinental ballistic missile airmen and B-52 airmen, and talk to their commander, talk to the troops, just get a feel for how it's going and hear directly, unfiltered, their view of their mission, their readiness, that sort of thing. I know they're ready, but I want to know the obstacles for their readiness, so I can do something about it. And I get good reports, but I always like going out and talking to human beings face to face. Then we're going to go down to STRATCOM Headquarters and talk there more broadly, but now informed by what I saw, having been out at the hangars. Some of you were with me out at the sub base, now have been to the intercontinental ballistic missiles, the bombers, the three legs of the triad. And then this is just an introductory -- I'll continue making these trips. At STRATCOM, I'm going to be talking to them about the broader aspects of the Nuclear Posture Review, their view of how it's going, their ability to get input to it, just to make sure that what I'm getting is a real well-informed review. We'll also talk about various international issues that I won't go into detail with you all on, but you can imagine what they are. After we spend some time there, we'll go down to Mexico and pay our respects, military respects, for their independence day. We have a very good relationship, military to military, as they battle internal enemies primarily, the narco guys. And just -- you know, it's a neighbor. North America, as you know, the only all-honors parade that I've done since I've been here was for Canada, Mexico and United States together on the parade deck. This is a continuing effort with Mexico. Why is it not Canada? Because Canada, I see at every NATO meeting, as well, where we always do pull-asides there. He's also been down to see me separately, as have the Mexicans -- been to Washington. Now it's my turn to go down and see them there, and I'll get to Ottawa one of these days, or somewhere up north of the border. So that's kind of what the trip is in a nutshell. I recognize I -- we're landing soon, and we'll have a short flight from Minot down and I do my normal office work on the plane. I won't have much time to talk with you. What we'll try and do is talk with you each day, and if I can talk with you on the trip from Minot to Omaha, I will. That one might be a little too tight. And then certainly, on the way down to Mexico, if you have a question, I'll be able to talk. And coming back, we should be able to talk, although that one -- we're going to ruin your Friday night by getting you in about three in the morning, Saturday morning, prove that I can still ruin anybody's liberty call. OK? But I know I'll be able to talk to you before you hit the rack, coming out of Mexico. And I'll -- so why don't we just go with any questions you all -- you all -- excuse me, I got to remember my protocol here. Q: A couple of quick questions on nuclear-related things I've been percolating in recent days, one of which is whether you've been able to conclude from the -- the North Korean test whether it was a -- actually a hydrogen bomb that they tested. And secondly, the South Koreans have been talking recently about considering reintroducing U.S. nuclear weapons in -- onto the peninsula whether you are considering that now? MATTIS: Yes. I won't -- on the second question about reintroducing U.S. nuclear weapons, I won't talk about where we keep nuclear weapons, where we station them or anything like that. It's simply a longstanding policy so the enemy, the -- our adversaries never know where they're at. It's part of the deterrent that they cannot target them all. There's always a great big question mark. So can't answer that one. On the first question, we -- we have determined about the size -- the approximate size. You've seen that number. You all reported that number. Q: A 100 kilotons. MATTIS: Yeah, 100 kilotons or more. So it's a large one. I don't -- I don't want to talk any further than that right now, OK? It's a large one. Q: But you've concluded it; you just can't talk about it? You've concluded whether it was a hydrogen bomb or not? SEC. MATTIS: No. No, I won't even say that right now. But we have a pretty good idea of what happened. Q: And the 100 kilotons is based strictly on -- SEC. MATTIS: Pardon? Q: -- on the seismic data? That's just, that's all -- that just strictly based on the seismic data, 100 kilotons? SEC. MATTIS: I won't -- no, we have more than just that. Q: And on the -- I mean, on the removal of the strategic, the nuclear, weapons on the peninsula was a public -- a matter of public record. So I'm just trying to understand, if we're not going to talk about your possible redirection of the peninsula but -- SEC. MATTIS: The possibility of -- Q: -- of reintroducing the peninsula, that would -- that would seem to be a shift, because previously there was a policy of not having nuclear weapons on the peninsula. So is there a, is that a shift then? SEC. MATTIS: Yeah, right now we -- how can I answer this still? We have a nuclear deterrent and its location is immaterial. And we have very open, transparent and candid discussions about the severity of the North Korean threat with our allies South Korea and Japan. That's about as much as I'm willing to say on that, and it's not much, is it? Q: Going into the nuclear part of your trip, are there any specific questions that you're seeking to have answered with these -- with these visits? SEC. MATTIS: Probably not. Probably, principally I want to get a sense of how they see it. I don't want to really -- I mean, I'm sure I'll uncover some as I'm talking with them and go deeper, but I want to hear -- without going out and telling them what I want to see, which can sometimes, at my level, dictate perhaps a narrowing of the conversation -- I want them open to talk to me about anything on their mind, from the condition of their airplanes to the reality of the mission. I want to hear what's on their minds. Q: Sir, So as you're -- SEC. MATTIS: If I have one specific, probably would be I want to make certain that the nuclear posture view is taken into account, what I see at Bangor -- here at Bangor, at Minot and Omaha. Q: So while you're speaking about that, sir, do you think that the New START training is a good idea? Is that something that you're (inaudible) SEC. MATTIS: We're still in -- we're still engaged in determining if it's a good idea. It has to do with adherence to current treaties. In other words, you don't go into treaties if already others are being broken. You have to at least be informed by that. So we've got to look very broadly not just at the conditions that it would bring forward, but about the adherence by other signatories in other related treaties. So, I'm not ready to go much further than that right now. Q: After this trip, do you think that the nuclear posture review will be closer to being completed? SEC. MATTIS: Well, the posture review goes on. I -- I review it every couple weeks, I have different people in, the people who are leading it, the greybeards who are over-watching and checking it out, scientists. And I want to make certain as I do this I'm getting informed by them, I'm also getting this input. So it's on a -- it's on a schedule, it's meeting the current schedule. This is more for my review, so I'm not -- I'm not just listening to what I'm told by the people engaged in the review. I'm also talking to people who have nothing to do with the -- with current DOD, people outside the government who have studied this for many years, as well. Q: And when you're at Minot, will you have a chance to talk to some of the missileers, to talk to them about their readiness concerns? SEC. MATTIS: Yes. I mean, I want to hear from them, where they see their readiness. I want to tell them what I expect. And if there's a gap between those two things, I find our young soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines are quite willing to tell me where they think I'm all wet. So, some of it is just opening the lines of communication in a way that removes the layers and removes any sense of intimidation about bad news. There's ways to do it so that the edges of a corporation -- at the edges of our military, they feel they can get information to me. There's other means, too, that I'm employing now, that I've learned over the years, to get that kind of information. But nothing takes the place of -- you know, I can't just sit there. I've got to be additive. And the way you're additive is you get my color of hair and you go down and you listen to young people who don't have that color of hair, who actually have to carry the load. And then I apply the judgment I developed over these years. So that's what I'm doing this time. Q: Are we still looking at early next year, as far as the completion of that review? And how do you think that'll be rolled out? SEC. MATTIS: Yes, I don't want to set if it's -- for example, the reason I don't want to set the specific time is, if it comes to me and I don't think it's ready, if I've still got questions, if I don't think it's persuasive, if I don't think it's -- you know, we got three legs of the triad. Does each one need to exist? Within each leg, there's different weapons, does each need to be there? Are they stabilizing weapons, are they necessary? You know, just because we had them 30 years ago -- do we still need them? I want to make certain that, as this comes back -- and I -- every time they come see me, I send out more questions, and they get answered. And pretty soon, you're narrowing the areas of non-quantifiable uncertainty. And as you get that, then you can start making judgment calls that make sense. So I'm still in the narrowing part of that. So they know -- I mean, I've got people working on it full-time. And so it's their mission, but I'm not going to set a date I want it complete. And -- but it -- it's coming, I mean, it's not -- you're not far off, I'll tell you that right now. But it's not -- I'm not going to give them a firm date. It's when I'm satisfied that it's answered the question. Q: Do you still see it on the table, to take away a leg as a cost-savings mechanism? SEC. MATTIS: Not as a cost-savings mechanism. There's a way to do cost-saving within even a triad. But I think what is most important is, in a deterrent, you can leave no doubt at all that -- don't try it, because it won't work, you can't take us out. So it wouldn't be for cost-saving. It would be that we can maintain the deterrent with that level of uncertainty, but from an aggressor. (inaudible) -- maybe with that level of certainty, they can't take us out. And if I can do that, then I'll do that with whatever is necessary, but no extra -- this isn't something where you need more. You just need the deterrent. What you want is "impossible." You want the enemy to look at it and say, "This is impossible to take out in a first strike, and the retaliation is such that we don't want to do it." That's how a deterrent works. Q: So you -- so you will also factor in how to pay for it, though, right? I mean, that's got to be a part of this, as well. SEC. MATTIS: Say -- say that again, Paul. Q: You're going to factor in how to pay for it as well, right? SEC. MATTIS: Well, I mean, how to pay for it, you know, we'll take to the Congress. America can afford survival. So -- but you've got to have a persuasive argument with the Congress. They represent the people. They represent the purse strings. They -- basically it's their responsibility under the Constitution to sustain our military. And so I've got to be able to persuade them that this is what needs to be done. Q: But there's some concern, sir, that -- that -- with the different plans there's going to be there's going to be some overlap in funding the nuclear infrastructure, as well as some of the conventional military operation is there anything going to happen in the next decade? SEC. MATTIS: Oh, yeah. Q: Do you have to prioritize that with them? SEC. MATTIS: Do I what? Q: Do you have to prioritize one or the other? SEC. MATTIS: Oh, sure, we'll -- we'll be prioritizing, but not one or the other. I mean, you break it out. You decide how do you maintain the deterrent? How do you keep the conventional forces? If I was to sum up the challenge we face right now in the U.S. military, it's how do you maintain a nuclear deterrent, safe and effective so those weapons are never used. At the same time maintain a decisive conventional force because as expensive as that is, it's much less expensive than having to fight a conventional war because someone thought you were weak. But at the same time, having your regular warfare capability as we see what we face. I think that is the challenge that we face. So the priorities would be across all those elements. How do you balance that? Q: Should there be -- Bob Work, back a few years ago had referenced this. Should there possible be an alternate funding method for these nuclear weapons SEC. MATTIS: Yeah. Q: funding them outside the defense budget outside the defense budget, perhaps? SEC. MATTIS: Yeah. This goes to your question: Should there be an alternative funding mechanism? This is something we'll have to go to Congress and see how they want to go forward, and the president's OMB people will work with us to propose what we think is the best idea. Then Congress in their coequal status, holding the purse strings, they'll have to determine, you know, what's the best way to go about doing this. Q: You said that a bit like you were kind of sold on the triad, but maybe as you were narrowing it down looking at different issues within the triad. Is that a fair read of what you just said? I just want to make sure that I'm understanding it correctly. Do you have any doubts about whether the triad is necessary? But right now, you're looking within the triad -- SEC. MATTIS: Yeah. Q: To see what's necessary. SEC. MATTIS: I -- I also have looked at -- I have questioned the triad, and I cannot solve the deterrent problem reducing it from a triad. If I want to send the most compelling message, I have been persuaded that the triad in its framework is -- is the right way to go. Q: OK. And this is the first time you're saying that, right? That you've come to that conclusion? SEC. MATTIS: No, I -- I think I said that in front of Congress some time ago. Yeah. Q: OK. SEC. MATTIS: Yeah. Q: What about the new cruise missile? SEC. MATTIS: Pardon? Q: The new cruise missile, the long-range standoff? That's been a subject that's-- SEC. MATTIS: The Air Launched? -- Q: Yeah, the replacement for that. The Air Force just awarded a $900 million contract for development of a new one -- (inaudible). SEC. MATTIS: Yeah, that is to main -- yeah, (inaudible). Q: -- which I guess that it's happening? SEC. MATTIS: That is to maintain it as an option. OK? That's to maintain that -- that weapon as an option. It is not a decision yet. That will come out of a nuclear posture review. Q: You're not sold yet on that as a necessary ? SEC. MATTIS: I wouldn't put it that way. I'm looking at each element very critically. Nothing -- nothing is going to just be, well, we approved the (inaudible) delivered weapons. I want to look at each one. I want to look at each part of the submarine effort. I want to look at each part of the -- of the ICBM force. And, you know, that -- that's what you do in a review. It's a broad area review. It's not a -- a narrow, specific review of one thing. But in order to make it valid, you've got to look at the specifics inside. Q: Is it also a review of whether you have room to further reduce below the new START levels, to 1,550 weapons? Is that being -- part of the review, those ? SEC. MATTIS: We'll look at the amount we need for -- for deterrent capability. Again, it's to maintain the deterrent in a very compelling way that no one ever wants to use these weapons. Q: So the other two legs, meaning the Ohio replacement, the B-21 -- are you convinced that those are the way to go for those two legs of the triad? Or does the posture review also question whether you need the full Ohio replacement -- (inaudible)? SEC. MATTIS: The -- the maritime part of the triad is the most survivable. So I think that's the answer, if you see what I mean. You know, absolutely we will maintain it. Q: Do you have an opinion on this -- low-yield nuclear weapons? General Selva and some others have been talking about perhaps introducing a low-yield weapon -- that's saying, instead of, you know, destroy a city, take out a neighborhood or something like that. SEC. MATTIS: Yes, I -- I don't -- I don't want to get into that level of detail. That's part of the review, what size weapons and all. And so I really don't want to answer that. My view is, these weapons are a deterrent. OK Q: Can I ask a tiny question, just -- SEC. MATTIS: Yeah. Q: -- is this trip so we're thinking about this conceptually -- is this more about, you know, the high-end Russia threat? Is this more about the emerging threat with North Korea? Is it all of the above? How do you see this? SEC. MATTIS: Yeah, it's about the deterrent. It is about the deterrent because -- how to put this -- when you're dealing with conflict, it is a fundamentally unpredictable phenomenon. So what you want in your combat systems, whether they be nuclear, conventional; whether it be a tank and how that tank, inside, is built, with firefighting inside it and all, or its radars and how we use them; you want redundancy, and you want something that has a built-in shock absorber to take technological surprise or tactical surprise in stride. So this is about the deterrent force, and is it constructed to face unpredictable circumstances in the future. Q: Do you have any particular adversary that you're -- (off mic)? SEC. MATTIS: I'm sorry? Q: It's not about any particular adversary that -- SEC. MATTIS: No, absolutely not. No, it is not. Q: Thanks very much. SEC. MATTIS: Yes. Do you -- were you -- were you trying to ask a question at the end? Q: I was actually -- I don't think we have you on the record on Afghanistan since the decision was made? SEC. MATTIS: You know, the president's decided on the strategy, and we're identifying all of the parts of that -- finalizing, I should say, because we had to put a lot of that stuff together in order to come up with the final decision. So we're finalizing all the parts of the strategy and what it looks like in terms of allies, in terms of the region, engagements, assessment criteria so we know how we're doing when we -- we're employing it. And the -- you know, the reinforcements going in -- all those things are being finalized. Matter of fact, I'm carrying some of it right now with me, to be reviewing. All right, well, thanks, folks. Hopefully you have time for breakfast now. I tell you, I don't -- don't want anybody cooking, I guarantee (inaudible). END http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/1309807/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US claims 6 Shabab militants killed in Somalia air raids Iran Press TV Wed Sep 13, 2017 01:38PM The United States Africa Command has claimed that its airstrikes have killed six members of the al-Shabab militant group in southern Somalia. A statement from the command on Wednesday said the people were killed in three airstrikes carried out earlier in the morning in an area about 260 kilometers (160 miles) south of the capital Mogadishu. However, it did not elaborate on the location of the strikes and the identity of the militants. Robyn Mack, a spokeswoman for the US Africa Command, only said the military assessment showed there were no civilians near the site of the attacks. Authorities said the airstrikes were coordinated with Somalia's central government. There have been many ambiguities surrounding US drone strikes and bombardments in the rural regions of Somalia, a war-torn country still reeling from more than two decades of militancy. The US military has expanded its operations against al-Shabab following a decree by President Donald Trump. Local sources say the intensified drive has inflicted casualties among civilians. It was announced last week that four members of al-Shabab were killed in drone strikes, although no details were provided on the identity of the militants. US and Somali officials have also claimed in recent weeks that several al-Shabab leaders responsible for planning and executing deadly attacks in Mogadishu had been killed in joint operations. Al-Shabab, Africa's most-feared militant group which has links to al-Qaeda, still controls large parts of land in southern Somalia. The group has a history of fighting Somalia's government since the 1990s. Although militants have been purged from major urban centers by a multinational African Union force and Somali forces, they continue to launch high-profile bomb attacks on hotels and military checkpoints in Mogadishu and other areas. Kenya, a major contributor to the regional military drive against militants in neighboring Somalia, has also suffered from sporadic attacks by al-Shabab. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address State Department approves sale of 18 Super Hornet jets to Canada Iran Press TV Wed Sep 13, 2017 08:15AM The United States will sell Canada $5.2 billion worth of Super Hornet jet fighters and their associated equipment, the State Department says. The department authorized the sale on Tuesday after the Canadian government placed the order a year ago to be able to replace its aging fleet of F-18S. "This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve the security of a NATO ally which has been, and continues to be, a key democratic partner," the State Department said in a statement As part of the deal, Canada will buy ten F/A-18E Super Hornet aircraft with F414-GE-400 engines, and eight F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft with F414-GE-400 engines. In addition, the country will purchase various weapons systems, spare parts, flight gear, and material support. "The acquisition of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft, associated weapons and capability will allow for greater interoperability with U.S. forces, providing benefits for training and possible future coalition operations in support of shared regional security objectives," the statement added. The deal, however, might depend on the resolution of a separate trade dispute as the aircraft's manufacturer Boeing had previously filed a lawsuit against Canadian aerospace firm Bombardier Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned he could cancel the deal if Boeing does not drop its Washington-backed anti-dumping suit filed in spring. Boeing lodged the suit claiming that it sold its CS100 aircraft below its manufacturing costs after receiving over $3 billion in public subsidies. Bombardier sold American Delta Airlines 75 CS100 aircraft for $19.6 million, despite manufacturing costs of $33.2 million, Boeing alleged. The federal government no longer talks directly to Boeing about the Super Hornet acquisition over the dispute, but, under the process known as a "foreign military sale," the Canadian government is officially a client of the US government in this ongoing acquisition. "We understand the formal Congressional notification process has started. At this time we must defer to the US government on any official details, but we are encouraged by the U.S. government's support for this important capability in the defense of North America," Boeing said in a statement on Tuesday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon still preparing for global warming despite Trump's order to stop Iran Press TV Wed Sep 13, 2017 01:49AM The Pentagon continues to take measures for protection of its bases against impacts of global warming although US President Donald Trump rescinded all climate-related federal agency actions directed by former President Barack Obama, a report says. The initiatives that Trump killed in March included one that stipulated the Pentagon to be ready for extreme whether in the future operations, Military Times reported on Tuesday. "A changing climate will have real impacts on our military and the way it executes its missions," the Defense Department concluded in a 2014 report, dubbed a "climate change roadmap," issued in the wake of Obama's order. "The military could be called upon more often to support civil authorities in the face of more frequent and more intense natural disasters." The report is reminiscent of these days of Texas and Florida, which have been heavily impacted by hurricanes Harvey and Irma. "Hampton Roads region in Virginia, which houses the largest concentration of US military sites in the world, we see recurrent flooding today, and we are beginning work to address a projected sea-level rise of 1.5 feet over the next 20 to 50 years," the roadmap concluded. On March 28, the Republican president issued an executive order to invalidate the roadmap, based on which the Pentagon had issued directive 4715.21, "Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience," in January 2016. "It makes a lot of sense to prepare for a wide variety of natural disasters," said retired Marine Corps Colonel Mark Cancian, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Even if there were no climate change, you would want to be ready for hurricanes, you would want to be ready for floods. I think the department is framing it in that context just preparing for adverse events." According to Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Commander Patrick Evans, the department is now reviewing the directive "to determine if it should be suspended, revised, or rescinded." "As [Defense] Secretary [James] Mattis has said, the department evaluates all potential threats that impact mission readiness, personnel health, and installation resilience, then uses that information to assess impacts and identify responses," Evans said. "The effect of a changing climate is one of a variety of threats and risks, but it's not a mission of the Department of Defense." Some 20,000 American guardsmen have reportedly been deployed to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. The figure includes more than 15,500 Army and Air Guard members from at least seven states joining the efforts in the US states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North and South Carolina, as well as the territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address RT Says U.S. Ordered Contractor For RT America To Register As 'Foreign Agent' RFE/RL September 13, 2017 Russian state broadcaster RT and U.S. media are reporting that the U.S. Justice Department has asked RT to register a company that supplies extensive services for its U.S. outlet as a "foreign agent." * RT and media reports said on September 12 that the company was told by the department in a letter that it must register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires disclosures by lobbyists and lawyers representing foreign political interests. RT did not name the company in its report, but said it "supplies all services for [the] RT America channel, including TV production and operations," in the United States. The Justice Department did not confirm or comment on the reports. RT is "consulting with our lawyers and...reviewing the request," the AFP news agency quoted RT spokeswoman Anna Belkina as saying on September 12. On its website, RT editor in chief Margarita Simonyan accused the United States of waging "war" on Russian media. "The war the U.S. establishment wages with our journalists is dedicated to all the starry-eyed idealists who still believe in freedom of speech. Those who invented it, have buried it," she said. A U.S. intelligence report in January concluded that Russia had interfered in the 2016 presidential election and singled out RT, calling it "the Kremlin's principal international propaganda outlet." The report said RT America "has positioned itself as a domestic U.S. channel and has deliberately sought to obscure any legal ties to the Russian government." The report said RT had also contracted with Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, which published leaked internal e-mails from the Democratic National Committee during the election. Some people employed by RT "actively collaborated with WikiLeaks" during the presidential election, the intelligence report said. Since that report came out, the Russian broadcaster has become a focus of investigations into alleged Russian interference in the election in Congress and at the Justice Department. RT has been scrutinized for its links to Michael Flynn, who was U.S. President Donald Trump's first national security adviser and who was paid by RT in December 2015 to speak at an anniversary gala where he sat next to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The U.S. foreign-agents law was enacted to shed light on who in Washington might be working for foreign governments. The alleged move against RT came the same week that Andrew Feinberg, who worked for the Russian state-funded Sputnik news agency until May, said he was interviewed by FBI officials on September 1. The U.S. intelligence report in January said Sputnik and RT conducted an "influence campaign" on behalf of the Kremlin during the presidential election that sought to bolster support for then-Republican candidate Donald Trump and sow opposition against his Democratic challenger, Hillary Clinton. Feinberg said that the FBI officials focused in the interview on how Sputnik operates internally as it generates news across different platforms. He told RFE/RL that he turned over a thumb drive containing thousands of internal e-mails from his five months at Sputnik. The FBI's questioning, Feinberg said, seemed directed at whether Sputnik operates more like a foreign agent or lobbyist than other news operations. "There are clear differences in the editorial process" at Sputnik, he said. "They do not practice journalism the way a bona fide news agency practices journalism." Yahoo news reported on September 11 that the FBI was investigating whether Sputnik violated the foreign-agents law. U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat-New Hampshire) on September 12 applauded the FBI's probe of Sputnik. "I'm very encouraged that the FBI is investigating the Sputnik news agency, which is funded by the Russian government. We can't allow foreign agents, particularly those working on behalf of our adversaries, to skirt our laws," Shaheen said in a statement. "Every new revelation about Russia's use of propaganda to influence the 2016 election further highlights the need for the federal government to bolster its enforcement" of the foreign-agents law, she said. The alleged U.S. pressure on Russian news outlets raised worries of a possible backlash against U.S. outlets operating in Russia. Courtney Radsch of the Committee to Protect Journalists said she was concerned the move "could be used by Russian authorities to justify their repressive media policies." "Russia already heavily censors its information space, including by branding some of its most prominent human rights defenders as foreign agents, in an attempt to delegitimize and vilify them," Radsch said. * CORRECTION: This article has been amended to correct the description of the company asked to register as a "foreign agent." With reporting by AFP, The Hill, and Newsweek Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/rt-claims-us- ordered-its-us-outlet-rt-america-register- foreign-agent/28732537.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Moldova's President Says Lawmakers, Government Trying To Usurp His Powers RFE/RL's Moldovan Service September 13, 2017 CHISINAU -- Moldova's pro-Russia president, Igor Dodon, has accused parliament and the country's government of attempting to limit his powers as supreme commander of Moldova's armed forces in the interest of foreign powers -- warning that the alleged effort will lead to mass street protests. Dodon told reporters in Chisinau on September 13 that parliament planned to amend legislation in order to be able to send Moldovan troops to NATO military exercises without his consent. "It will not happen, because there are presidential powers -- whether you like it or not," Dodon said. "There will never be an usurpation of presidential powers in the interests of someone abroad," he added. "People will come out to the streets." "If you do not like that, let us have a referendum and see who the people trust," he said, addressing Moldova's pro-Western governing coalition. Prime Minister Pavel Filip told journalists on September 13 that Moldova's parliament would meet in special session in order to override presidential vetoes on several bills previously passed by lawmakers. Earlier in September, the government overruled an order by Dodon in order to send 57 Moldovan soldiers to NATO-led military exercises in Ukraine. Those exercises, which began on September 8 and continue through September 23, involve some 1,800 troops from 14 countries -- most of them NATO members. In a September 13 Facebook post, Dodon said he was rejecting the government's nomination for defense minister, Eugen Sturza. Instead, he recommended one of his close political allies for the post, former Defense Minister Victor Gaiciuc. The ongoing dispute between Dodon and the governing coalition underscores divisions in the country. Dodon is frequently at odds on foreign policy with Filip's government, which favors closer ties with the EU and the United States. With reporting by TASS and Interfax Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/moldova-dodon-says-government- trying-to-usurp-powers/28733313.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Boeing Strikes Deal to Redesign Bankrupt Russian Firm's Jets as Air Force One Sputnik News 23:31 13.09.2017(updated 23:36 13.09.2017) Two Boeing 747-8 commercial jetliners once owned by defunct Russian airline Transaero will receive hundreds of millions of dollars worth of design upgrades before eventually becoming the US president's personal ride, Air Force One. Transaero ordered the aircraft from Boeing in 2013 but ended up going under two years later. On August 1, Sputnik reported the US Air Force was on track to purchase the pair of jets for a nearly 50 percent discount as President Donald Trump seeks to trim costs for Air Force One. "Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion," Trump said via Twitter on December 6 during the lame duck period. "Cancel order!" he added, though he had not yet had the authority to issue such an order until January 20. "The plane is totally out of control, it's going to be over $4 billion," Trump said in December. "I think it's ridiculous," he said. The design deal worth $600 million and awarded to Boeing stipulates the defense and aerospace giant will modify the planes' communications systems, electrical circuits, install a medical facility, create an executive suite, and add defense and autonomous ground operations capabilities, the service said in a statement. "Following the award of the contract to purchase two commercial 747-8 aircraft, this contract award is committed to working with Boeing to ensure the [Presidential Airlift Recapitalization] program meets the presidential airlift mission requirements," Maj. Gen. Duke Richardson said in a September 13 statement, "as well as the president's affordability expectations." Air Force One's fuselage can withstand a nuclear blast occurring on terra firma while at cruising altitude and features flares hidden in its wings to keep enemies guessing about its location, Business Insider reported in January. "Beautiful. Great plane," Trump said following his first flight on Air Force One, the outlet said. According to the White House, it is common to refer to the two huge 747s designed for the president's unique needs as Air Force One, but technically 'Air Force One' "can describe any Air Force aircraft carrying the President." Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India Reinforces Massive Assistance to Afghanistan's Fight Against Terror Sputnik News 12:24 13.09.2017 India's increased assistance to Afghanistan comes close on the heels of Donald Trump's "new Afghan strategy" to tackle "terrorist havens" in Pakistan. New Delhi (Sputnik) India has announced a slew of assistance for better equipping Afghanistan in fighting terrorists along with new developmental assistance in the form of 116 high-impact community development projects to be implemented in 31 provinces of the war-torn country. The assistance is in addition to those that are already being provided by India to the war-torn country. An agreement to this effect was reached during a meeting of the 2nd India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Council in New Delhi. Sushma Swaraj, India's Minister of External Affairs reaffirmed that for India, strategic partnership and friendship with Afghanistan is an 'article of faith'. "It was agreed to strengthen security cooperation between the two countries. India agreed to extend further assistance for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces in fighting the scourge of terrorism, organized crime, trafficking of narcotics and money laundering," joint statement issued after the meeting reads. "What Afghan Army and Air Force need is a sustained support to effectively disrupt and break the Taliban momentum. As part of its continuing effort to help build Afghan capacities, in ways that do not complicate but further strengthen the position of the elected government in Kabul, India has been training Afghan military officers and cadets, and also doctors, arriving at its military academies every year. In fact, more training slots are now being allotted to the Afghan military personnel. India is also exploring the possibility of assisting the Afghan Air Force in refurbishing some of their grounded attack and transport," Vishal Chandra, Research Fellow at IDSA, New Delhi and the author of The Unfinished War in Afghanistan: 2001-2014 told to Sputnik. On its part, the Afghan government is already working on a four-year security plan. Major reforms are underway to strengthen the security structures of the country. The targeted strength of the Afghan army and police put together is about 352,000. Efforts are also on to double the strength of the Afghan Commando and Special Forces units. Apart from defense assistance, India will also explore to lay the optic fiber communication network and work on Surobi 2 Hydropower plant with a capacity of 180 MW. Indian government has further agreed to implement Shahtoot dam and drinking water project for Kabul that would also facilitate irrigation; low cost housing for returning Afghan refugees in Nangarhar Province to promote resettlement; road connectivity to Band-e-Amir in Bamyan Province that would promote tourism to the National Park and economic development; and construction of a polyclinic in Mazar-e-Sharif. These entire projects are under the grant-in-aid assistance from India. "We commenced Air Freight Corridor in June 2017 to provide direct access to farmers of Afghanistan to the Indian markets. We are expediting the development of Chahbahar Port in trilateral cooperation with Iran. We will begin supply of wheat to Afghanistan in coming weeks through Chahbahar port. India also hopes to join the regional trade and transit Agreements that have Afghanistan at its heart," Sushma Swaraj, India's Minister of External Affairs said. In the last 15 years, India has pledged assistance worth over $3 billion towards various capacity building and infrastructure development projects and has successfully implemented several large, medium and small development projects spread across Afghanistan. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address CENTCOM Head Denies Reports of US Plans to Potentially Abandon Base in Qatar Sputnik News 04:23 13.09.2017(updated 10:53 13.09.2017) US Central Command head Gen. Joseph Votel says that the country does not consider plans to abandon its base in Qatar amid the diplomatic crisis. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The United States is not currently mulling plans to move its base from Qatar, embroiled in a diplomatic dispute with several other states, US Central Command (CENTCOM) head Gen. Joseph Votel said Wednesday. "There is no planning or discussion about that right now We're not looking to move anything at this particular point," Votel said in an interview with the Egyptian DMC broadcaster, when asked if the reports of Washington mulling such move were true. Votel stressed that the crisis around Qatar, which several states, including Egypt, accuse of supporting terrorism, should be solved diplomatically and added that Washington was "very engaged" in trying to bring the sides together. CENTCOM head also said that he had no particular concerns over Turkey's presence in Qatar and acknowledged that Ankara had its interests in the region. Votel then pointed out the difference between Turkey and Iran, when asked about his attitude to Tehran's relationship with Doha. "Iran has played a destabilizing role in the region, Turkey is a NATO ally We have a well-established, long relationship with Turkey I distinguish very clearly between Turkey and Iran," Votel said. In early June, Manama, Cairo, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi cut off diplomatic relations with Doha, accusing the latter of supporting extremism in the Middle East and interfering in their internal affairs. A number of states backed this initiative. Doha has repeatedly rejected all the accusations. Kuwait, acting as a mediator in the crisis, handed over 13 demands of the four Arab states. However, Doha has refused to comply with the demands, which included a request to curb diplomatic relations with Iran and to shut down Turkey's military base on the country's territory. US President Donald Trump said in a mid-July interview that Washington could easily find many countries willing to host its military base if the United States ever decided to relocate. Qatar hosts the US Al Udeid air base, which is home to some 10,000 US servicemen, and serves as a major communications and operational center for the anti-IS coalition in the region. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN chief calls for action on Myanmar and DPR Korea; launches reform initiatives 13 September 2017 United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres today reiterated his call for Muslims from Myanmar's Rakhine state to be granted nationality or at least a legal status that would allow them to lead a normal life, while also urging the international community to help provide assistance for the nearly 380,000 people who have fled into Bangladesh. "I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law, and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country," the Secretary-General said in his first press conference since the opening of the 72nd session of the General Assembly. Mr. Guterres repeated his call for "an effective action plan" to address the root causes of the situation, which he said he been left to fester for decades and has now escalated beyond Myanmar's borders, destabilizing the region. The Security Council is due to discuss the situation this afternoon in an urgent closed-door meeting, following an official letter from the Secretary-General expressing his concern. "The humanitarian situation is catastrophic," he said, noting that at the time of his briefing to the press last week, there were 125,000 Rohingya who had fled into Bangladesh. That number has now tripled to nearly 380,000 and people are arriving hungry and malnourished and finding shelter in makeshift settlements or with host communities. "I urge all countries to do what they can for humanitarian assistance to be provided," Mr. Guterres said. He also called on Myanmar authorities to ensure delivery of aid by UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and others. The humanitarian community has this week launched a $77 million appeal to aid some of the stateless refugees for the next three months. Political solution needed for Korean peninsula Also in today's press briefing, Mr. Guterres reiterated his call for a political solution to the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). He said that nuclear and missile tests by the county created "great instability and tension" on the Korean peninsula, throughout the region and beyond. "Unity in the Security Council is critical. This week's unanimous adoption of a new resolution sends a clear message that the DPRK must comply fully with its international obligations," Mr. Guterres said referring to new sanctions, which among other measures, limit the imports of crude oil and oil products, ban textile exports, and prevent new visas for DPRK workers overseas. Despite calling on countries to ensure full implementation of this and other relevant Security Council resolutions, Mr. Guterres urged the Council to use diplomacy whenever possible. Mediation and gender initiatives launched The UN chief also announced two initiatives today that he said would strengthen the UN's work and which are part of his broader reform agenda. Reiterating his call for "a surge in diplomacy," Mr. Guterres announced a new High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation which will be comprised of 18 internationally-recognized personalities "who bring experience and skills, deep knowledge and extensive contacts" to this task. He also launched his gender parity strategy for the United Nations, which aims to achieve parity at senior levels by 2021, and across the board by 2028. "This roadmap fulfils an urgent need, a moral duty, an operational necessity and a personal priority," he said. While lauding the appointment of 17 women and 15 men to his Senior Management Group, Mr. Guterres said change must be made in attitudes and approaches. "We must lead by example on gender equality and women's empowerment, which is one of the greatest human rights challenges and opportunities in our world," he said. Concerns about Central African Republic Among other issues raised during the press conference, Mr. Guterres highlighted the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR), which has seen a rise of 37 per cent in refugees and displaced persons in the past three months. "This is grave cause for concern in a country where more than half the population are in dire need of assistance. I hope global leaders will give this crisis their attention during their talks next week," he said. A high-level event on CAR is scheduled for Tuesday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nigeria: Famine averted but millions still at risk, stresses top UN relief official 13 September 2017 Noting important progress in delivering life-saving aid to millions in north-east Nigeria, the top United Nations humanitarian official underscored that international assistance to people suffering amid the crisis must not dwindle. "We have averted famine, but millions of people are still at risk if more international help is not forthcoming," said Mark Lowcock, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, at the end of a two-day mission to the country. "At next week's General Assembly in New York, I will urge world leaders to maintain their financial and political support for the Lake Chad Basin crisis, and to work with the Nigerian authorities to bring stability to the north-east," he added. In particular, Mr. Lowcock, also the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, noted the Nigerian Government's leadership and coordination of relief efforts and welcomed the Vice President's assurance to extend the Government's own food aid programme. He also highlighted that the international system has also rapidly scaled up and saved millions of lives, reaching two million people with food assistance every month as well as providing life-saving nutritional support to hundreds of thousands of children. However, the humanitarian situation remains precarious. Since the beginning of the Boko Haram conflict, more than 20,000 people have been killed, thousands of women and children abducted, many forced into displacement, and subjected to violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. In north-east Nigeria, at least 8.5 million people are dependent on humanitarian assistance. Recalling his visit to Gwoza a town which the Boko Haram declared capital of its territory in 2015 before Government forces took it back the same year and meeting Fatima, a nine-year-old girl who fled with her family to the town four years ago, Mr. Lowcock said that though many towns in the region are relatively safe, more needed to be done to bring safety to the rural areas. "In the meantime, Fatima and millions of others like her will rely on humanitarian assistance," he noted. Mr. Lowcock travelled to Niger and Nigeria from 9-12 September, shortly after beginning his roles as the top UN relief official on 1 September. While in the two countries, he also held meetings senior government officials, UN humanitarian agencies, international non-governmental organizations and the diplomatic community. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Bombing Campaign in Afghanistan Intensifies, Hitting New High By Ayaz Gul September 13, 2017 The U.S. military dropped 555 bombs in Afghanistan against Taliban and Islamic State targets in August, the highest number in a single month since 2012. Overall, the U.S. has conducted about 2,400 airstrikes since the beginning of the year in support of Afghan partners battling the Taliban and IS terrorists, said U.S. Navy Captain Bill Salvin, spokesman for NATO's Resolute Support mission in the country. About 1,700 of them were "strategic effects" strikes, Salvin told VOA, explaining "those are strikes that have an impact on the battlefield. They help the forces on the ground, essentially helping the ANDSF (Afghan National Defense Security Forces) take ground, hold ground and take the fight to the enemy." Salvin said the spike in airstrikes conducted both by F-16 fighter planes and drones was facilitated by increased authority that the former U.S. administration under then-President Barack Obama gave last year to General John Nicholson, commander of international forces. The aim is to deny IS sanctuaries on Afghan soil and enable friendly ground forces to reverse Taliban battlefield gains. Areas in eastern Nangarhar and in southern Helmand provinces have seen most of the kinetic strikes this year, the spokesman said. Officials believe Khorasan Province, an Islamic State affiliate, has set up bases in southern districts of Nangarhar while a majority of districts in Helmand, the largest Afghan province and poppy-producing region, are controlled or influenced by the Taliban. The record increase in U.S. airstrikes comes as President Donald Trump last month unveiled his long-awaited new strategy for the 16-year-old Afghan war, the United States' longest-running foreign military engagement. The Trump plan requires a modest troop surge and increased foreign airpower for Afghan forces so they could step up operations against the Taliban and IS loyalists, prompting concerns that intensified hostilities may cause more civilian casualties. The Taliban currently controls or influences more than 40 percent of Afghan territory, hosting a population of up to three million, according to latest U.S. military assessments. The military "uplift" that President Trump announced, including increased airpower, has not had a significant direct impact as yet because most of it is in the process of coming into the (war) theater, said Salvin. He said that most of the additional forces due to arrive in Afghanistan will be part of NATO's train, advise and assist mission, but Salvin declined to discuss their number. U.S. defense officials have cited a figure of at least 3,900 forces likely to be part of the new plan. Two American airstrikes in the last week of August killed at least 24 civilians and wounded 16 others, almost all of them women and children, according to a United Nations probe. The U.N. has already recorded a 43 percent rise in Afghan civilian casualties from aerial strikes in the first six months of 2017. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Central Europe Jittery on Eve of Massive Russian Exercises By Jamie Dettmer September 13, 2017 Russia has been funneling troops and armor into Belarus for several weeks and on Thursday the Kremlin will order them to start attacking neighboring NATO countries. Fictitious ones, of course. For Russia's neighbors, the massive military drill known as Zapad 2017, the largest exercises mounted by Moscow since the Cold War, is an example of Russian intimidation, a muscular show of force aimed at keeping its traditional ally Belarus firmly in line, in case it had any other thoughts, and the Baltic states, Poland and Ukraine in little doubt about Russian might. "Zapad" is a Russian word for "West". Two of the fictitious countries to be "invaded" by the Russian forces in the war games correspond to Poland and Lithuania, although Moscow says Russian and Belorussian troops will only be rehearsing a purely defensive scenario. They also claim the exercise will practice responses to terrorism threats. NATO officials say the war games could be used as cover to move forces and equipment closer to the Western alliance's eastern flank, leaving materiel and units in Belarus for future quick-fire use. Last week, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen told reporters at a European defense ministers' meeting in Tallinn that "we are seeing a demonstration of capabilities and power of the Russians. Anyone who doubts that only has to look at the high numbers of participating forces in the Zapad exercise: more than 100,000." Russian military officials dismiss suggestions the drill is cover for anything and they reject as "baseless" Western claims that 100,000 Russian troops will take part in Zapad 2017, insisting only 13,000 will be deployed in the week-long exercise. State-controlled Russian media have been turning the spotlight on Swedish military exercises, set to take place during the next three weeks and involving NATO countries, claiming those war games are far bigger and will be Sweden's largest military exercise in 23 years. Russia Today has lamented the Swedish exercise "stirs less controversy" even though it might be the prelude to Stockholm announcing Sweden will join NATO, a move Russian leader Vladimir Putin recently warned would "affect our relations in a negative way," and would be viewed by Moscow as "an additional threat." There is little doubt the war games are contributing to an escalation of tension and making Russia's neighbors jittery. On Tuesday, Ukraine's defense minister, Stepan Poltorak, announced all Ukrainian combat units are now on full alert. On his Facebook page he said Ukrainian armed forces are ready to deter any aggression. "We will continue building up combat capabilities through large-scale military drills so that the Ukrainian Armed Forces would be ready to deter any threats and protect their people," he wrote. Part of the jumpiness about Zapad is the suspicion that previous large-scale war games have been used by the Kremlin for preparation of future military action. Some analysts have speculated that a 2009 exercise served as a disguise for heightened military action in neighboring Georgia and that a 2013 drill helped prepare for the 2014 annexation of Crimea and military intervention in 2015 in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. Russian military officials argue Western governments have been fanning fears about Zapad, doing so to justify beefing-up a NATO presence in Poland and in Baltic states. But Britain's defense minister, Michael Fallon, says it is Moscow that is fueling fear, citing the recent Russian military interventions in Georgia and Ukraine. "This is an exercise but it is clearly designed to test us," he argued last week in a newspaper column for Britain's Daily Telegraph. "Given Russia's recent behavior we need to be vigilant ... We've had Russian pilots buzzing NATO planes and ships, defying international protocols. We have seen Russian interference in elections in the United States, in Montenegro, and elsewhere using social media, fake news and disinformation to undermine democracies," Fallon wrote. "Mass exercises of this kind are clearly designed to provoke," he added. Last week, NATO head Jens Stoltenberg accused Russia of blocking the alliance from properly observing the Zapad military exercises, saying an offer from Russia and Belarus for three Western observers to attend parts of the huge exercise fell short of the Kremlin's international obligations.Under Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe rules, which Russia signed, nations conducting exercises involving more than 13,000 troops must notify other countries in advance and accept sufficient observers. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address AFRICOM: US Airstrikes Kill 6 Al-Shabab Members in Somalia By VOA News September 13, 2017 The U.S. military says six al-Shabab militants were killed in fresh airstrikes in southern Somalia Wednesday, the fourth U.S. attack against the militant group this month alone. In a statement, the U.S. Africa Command says it conducted three "precision strikes" against al-Shabab at around 2:15 am in an area 260 kilometers south of the capital, Mogadishu. The mayor of the town of Barawe, Aden Omar Madobe says the airstrike occurred in Kunyo Barrow village and hit an al-Shabab militia site. There was no immediate word on the identity of those killed. Previous U.S. airstrikes in Somalia have killed many al-Shabab leaders, including the group's emir, Ahmed Godane, in 2014. Wednesday's airstrikes were conducted in coordination with the Federal Government of Somalia, AFRICOM said. "The U.S. conducted this operation within the parameters of the authorities granted by the president in March which allows U.S. forces to conduct lethal action against al-Shabab within a geographically-defined area in support of partner forces in Somalia," the statement read. In a follow up note, AFRICOM says its assessment is that "there were no civilians anywhere near the site." Madobe told VOA Somali that Al-Shabab fighters disconnected the communications network of the area after the attack. "What we know of them is that they disconnect communication whenever anti-peace elements suffer many casualties," he said. It's the third U.S. airstrike this month alone in and around Kunyo Barrow, in the Middle Jubba region. The fourth attack took place on September 5 in Dodale, in the Bay region, where the U.S. says three militants were killed. Wednesday's U.S. airstrike comes against the backdrop of increased Al-Shabab attacks against Somali government this month, with at least seven deadly attacks so far. One of three Somali journalists wounded in a suicide bombing Sunday in Beledweyne succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday. Abdullahi Osman Moallim, 24, who was a reporter for a local TV and radio station, suffered head injuries when the bomber detonated an explosive vest in a crowded teashop. The United States sent condolences for the death of the journalist and condemned Al-Shabab's "indiscriminate attacks." "We salute and encourage Somali journalists to continue their work despite the daily struggles and risks, in defense of the inalienable right of freedom of expression on behalf of the Somali people," read a statement issued by the United States mission to Somalia. Al-Shabaab has been trying since 2006 to overthrow the government and impose a strict form of Sharia in Somalia. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pennsylvania National Guard sends aircraft, crew to support Irma response By Maj. Angela King-Sweigart September 13, 2017 FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. -- More than 40 Pennsylvania National Guard members and four CH-47 Chinook helicopters are currently assisting with the response to Hurricane Irma. Two CH-47 Chinooks and crew members that were previously used in Hurricane Harvey response efforts in Texas were repositioned over the weekend to be used in the Hurricane Irma response. Two additional CH-47 Chinook aircraft and crew members departed Pennsylvania to join the effort in Florida. The aircraft and crew will integrate with thousands of National Guard members and first responder's onsite. Potential missions for the aircraft and crew include delivering items like food and water to stranded citizens and providing emergency transportation for those needing to evacuate. Additional Pennsylvania National Guard members are on duty at PA's joint emergency operations center, where they provide planning and coordination support. The center maintains continuous communications with National Guard Bureau and PEMA in order to anticipate future requirements that could be assigned to Pennsylvania National Guard Soldiers and Airmen. "We're proud of our Guardsmen as they operate the heavy lift Chinook helicopters," said Maj. Gen. Tony Carrelli, Pennsylvania's adjutant general, "these assets provide a lifeline to communities that may otherwise be cut off due to storm damage. This is what we train for; this is why America has a National Guard." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Wisconsin Army National Guard, other Army state units contribute to Irma response By Vaughn Larson, Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs September 13, 2017 MADISON, Wis. -- As the nation marked the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks in on Monday, more than 2,500 Wisconsin National Guard troops began loading up into military trucks or aircraft, en route to Florida to assist the ongoing Hurricane Irma relief efforts. Wisconsin National Guard troops will continue leaving for Florida through Thursday. They will remain in the region as long as they are needed. MULTI-STATE NATIONAL GUARD RESPONSE Across the National Guard, more than 15,500 Citizen-Soldiers from at least seven states are in place supporting relief efforts for Hurricane Irma throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina along with the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands. Another 4,500 guard members are in transit to hurricane-stricken areas. The National Guard has been credited with evacuating more than 1,000 U.S. citizens from the Dutch Caribbean islands of St. Marten Sept. 9-10, by the Kentucky Air National Guard's 123rd Airlift Wing, New York Air Guard's 106th Rescue Wing and the Puerto Rico Air Guard's 156th Airlift Wing. "Among the first of those who responded to the attacks in New York City were members of the National Guard," said Air Force Maj. Gen. Donald P. Dunbar, Wisconsin's adjutant general. "Since that day, the National Guard has shown day after day that it is ready and capable of meeting our nation's needs at home and abroad. Today, as we help our fellow citizens in Florida recover from a natural disaster, is no different." The Wisconsin National Guard's 32nd "Red Arrow" Infantry Brigade Combat Team had been identified as one of the units nationwide available to assist in the Hurricane Harvey recovery effort in Texas. The Red Arrow brigade was redirected as Hurricane Irma approached Florida. Joining the 32nd Brigade on state active duty in helping Florida are the 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade's 1157th Transportation Company and the 64th Troop Command's 112th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, along with other Wisconsin Army and Air National Guard elements. The Wisconsin National Guard is traveling approximately 1,400 miles to render assistance under the auspices of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, the nation's state-to-state mutual aid system. Florida Gov. Rick Scott used EMAC to ask Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker for Wisconsin National Guard assistance. Walker, in turn, issued Executive Order 254 on Sept. 8, which authorized Dunbar to call Wisconsin National Guard troops to state active duty to assist Florida. "Assisting civil authorities and first responders is one of the National Guard's core missions," Dunbar said. "This is what we train for, and regular domestic operations exercises help prepare our troops to respond when needed." Army Sgt. 1st Class William Kocken, a readiness noncommissioned officer and platoon sergeant from Company A, 1st Battalion, 127th Infantry, agreed. "We're excited about it," he said. "It's what many of us sign up to do -- to help others. It's what we like doing. It's part of serving the country -- being able to step up and help those in need. Morale is remarkably high." Army Command Sgt. Maj. Rafael Conde, the Wisconsin Army National Guard's senior enlisted advisor, said the troops he spoke with are ready to go. "They want to do this mission," Conde said. "Very few times do they actually get to do this kind of mission at this kind of scale." "We have a lot of skilled people here who have a lot of knowledge -- we're doing our best to maximize that," said Air Force Master Sgt. Kitrina Vargas, an air cargo specialist with the 128th Air Refueling Wing in Milwaukee. Vargas was at Volk Field yesterday helping approximately 600 Soldiers load gear onto aircraft bound for Florida. "We're going to make this mission happen," Vargas said. "We are ready to roll down to Irma," said Army Staff Sgt. Justin Sonnentag of Evansville, Wisconsin, a member of Company D, 132nd Brigade Support Battalion, located in Madison, Wisconsin, as his unit prepared to convoy to Florida yesterday morning. Army Spc. Andurina Sickinger, of Battery C, 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery, in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, said she was excited to help. "This is what I signed up for," she said. "I really want to help people there. I feel for everyone -- that they've lost a lot of things. I want to do what I can to help." Conde noted that many administrative members put in many hours over the weekend to coordinate deployment of Wisconsin National Guard troops to Florida on short notice. "It's a massive, massive move," Conde said. "I couldn't be prouder of the Soldiers and Airmen that are accomplishing their mission right now." Amid Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma and multiple firefighting missions, nearly 31,000 Guard members are deployed across the United States and its territories. (Army Sgt. 1st Class Jessica Barnett of the 105th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Kansas Army National Guard, contributed to this article.) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DHS Statement on the Issuance of Binding Operational Directive 17-01 Release Date: September 13, 2017 For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary Contact: 202-282-8010 WASHINGTON After careful consideration of available information and consultation with interagency partners, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke today issued a Binding Operational Directive (BOD) directing Federal Executive Branch departments and agencies to take actions related to the use or presence of information security products, solutions, and services supplied directly or indirectly by AO Kaspersky Lab or related entities. The BOD calls on departments and agencies to identify any use or presence of Kaspersky products on their information systems in the next 30 days, to develop detailed plans to remove and discontinue present and future use of the products in the next 60 days, and at 90 days from the date of this directive, unless directed otherwise by DHS based on new information, to begin to implement the agency plans to discontinue use and remove the products from information systems. This action is based on the information security risks presented by the use of Kaspersky products on federal information systems. Kaspersky anti-virus products and solutions provide broad access to files and elevated privileges on the computers on which the software is installed, which can be exploited by malicious cyber actors to compromise those information systems. The Department is concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies, and requirements under Russian law that allow Russian intelligence agencies to request or compel assistance from Kaspersky and to intercept communications transiting Russian networks. The risk that the Russian government, whether acting on its own or in collaboration with Kaspersky, could capitalize on access provided by Kaspersky products to compromise federal information and information systems directly implicates U.S. national security. The Department's priority is to ensure the integrity and security of federal information systems. Safeguarding federal government systems requires reducing potential vulnerabilities, protecting against cyber intrusions, and anticipating future threats. While this action involves products of a Russian-owned and operated company, the Department will take appropriate action related to the products of any company that present a security risk based on DHS's internal risk management and assessment process. DHS is providing an opportunity for Kaspersky to submit a written response addressing the Department's concerns or to mitigate those concerns. The Department wants to ensure that the company has a full opportunity to inform the Acting Secretary of any evidence, materials, or data that may be relevant. This opportunity is also available to any other entity that claims its commercial interests will be directly impacted by the directive. Further information about this process will be available in a Federal Register Notice. # # # NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USS Iwo Jima, USS New York and USS San Jacinto Begin Key West Recovery Operations Navy News Service Story Number: NNS170913-01 Release Date: 9/13/2017 8:13:00 AM By USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) Public Affairs Office ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21) and the guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56), along with various embarked air and amphibious landing assets, arrived on station off of Key West, Florida, Sept. 12, to support Hurricane Irma relief efforts. Under the command of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10, Rear Adm. Samuel Paparo, the ships began their transit to the area Sept. 8. The ships departed with Amphibious Squadron 4, a component of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, a detachment from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28, as well as members of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 2, Tactical Air Control Squadron 22 and Fleet Surgical Team 8. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and communities that were affected by this devastating event," said Capt. James R. Midkiff, Iwo Jima's commanding officer. "During times like these, it is important to have the right people with the right capabilities in the right place at the right time and we hit every single one of those marks. We have successfully and safely completed this mission before and we will do it this time as well." The ships and embarked units joined the ongoing efforts of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), the amphibious assault ships USS Wasp (LHD 1) and USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) and dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51). For the crew of Iwo Jima, especially those who called Key West home, the opportunity to assist was eagerly embraced. "For me, it truly shows that we are making a difference," said Aviation Support Equipment Technician 1st Class Cory Chevalier, of Erie, Pennsylvania, who was assigned to Naval Air Station Key West Fleet Readiness Center from 2006 to 2010. "There are still people living there I met while stationed there and to provide assistance to those I care about personally is something I will never forget." The Navy's involvement in the humanitarian assistance operations is led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in conjunction with the Department of Defense. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Government Agencies Ordered To Remove Kaspersky Software Mike Eckel September 13, 2017 WASHINGTON -- The U.S. government has ordered all U.S. federal agencies to phase out use of Kaspersky Lab software products, citing "ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies." The Department of Homeland Security issued the order on September 13 following growing criticism in Congress and elsewhere about the Moscow-based company's software products, which are widely used in the United States and elsewhere. A statement said executive-branch departments and agencies have up to 90 days to begin discontinuing use of Kaspersky software and remove the products from computer systems. "The department is concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies, and requirements under Russian law that allow Russian intelligence agencies to request or compel assistance from Kaspersky and to intercept communications transiting Russian networks," the agency said. "The risk that the Russian government, whether acting on its own or in collaboration with Kaspersky, could capitalize on access provided by Kaspersky products to compromise federal information and information systems directly implicates U.S. national security," it said. Company founder Eugene Kaspersky has for years been under scrutiny both for his early education at a KGB-run school, but also because of suspicions that the company has the quiet backing of Russian security agencies, like the Federal Security Service (FSB). Kaspersky has long denied that his company, one of Russia's most successful technology companies, has connections to Russian intelligence agencies. In a statement, the Russian company again denied the accusations, saying there is "no credible evidence" to back up the claims, including the allegations of Russian government ties. "Kaspersky Lab has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage or offensive cyberefforts, and it's disconcerting that a private company can be considered guilty until proven innocent, due to geopolitical issues," it said. The U.S. Senate was set to vote this week on a defense policy bill that includes a measure banning Kaspersky Lab products from use by U.S. government agencies. At a hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee in May, six of the U.S. intelligence community's top officials all said they would not allow the use of Kaspersky software products in their systems. And in an op-ed published in The New York Times last week, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat-New Hampshire) called Kaspersky software a "threat to our national security." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/us-government-agencies-ordered- to-remove-kaspersky-software/28733937.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Orders Federal Agencies to Remove Kaspersky Products By Jeff Seldin September 13, 2017 U.S. security officials on Wednesday ordered government agencies to get rid of products and services from Kaspersky Lab, a Moscow-based cybersecurity firm. Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Elaine Duke issued the directive, giving agencies 90 days to comply. "This action is based on the information security risks presented by the use of Kaspersky products on federal information systems," according to a DHS statement. The department said the key concerns were ties "between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies." 'Unacceptable risk' "This is a risk-based decision we need to make," said White House cybersecurity coordinator Robert Joyce, speaking at the Billington CyberSecurity Summit in Washington. "The company must collaborate with the FSB [Russian intelligence], and so, for us in the government, that was an unacceptable risk," Joyce said. The U.S. said it would give Kaspersky an opportunity to address its concerns in writing. Kaspersky has repeatedly denied it helps Russia with espionage efforts. On Tuesday, company founder Eugene Kaspersky took to Twitter to try to calm fears. "Despite geopolitical turbulence we remain committed to American customers," he said. The DHS directive came hours after the top U.S. intelligence official warned that Russia has been ramping up the pace of its operations against the United States. "Russia has clearly assumed an ever more aggressive cyberposture by increasing cyberespionage operations, leaking data stolen from those operations," Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said at the cybersecurity summit. 'Echo chamber' Coats did not elaborate on the scope or target of Russia's cyberoperations, but warned that a range of enemies were increasingly seeking to weaponize public opinion. "Adversaries use the internet as an echo chamber in which information, ideas or beliefs get amplified or reinforced through repetition," Coats said. "Their efforts seek to undermine our faith in our institutions or advance violence in the name of identity." The top U.S. intelligence official also said hackers were increasingly targeting the U.S. defense industry. "Such intrusions, even if intended for theft and espionage, could inadvertently cause serious if not catastrophic damage, where an adversary looking for small-scale destructive cyberaction against the United Sates could miscalculate," Coats said. In an unclassified report released in January, top U.S. intelligence agencies concluded Russian President Vladimir Putin waged an unprecedented "influence campaign" in an effort to sway the 2016 U.S. presidential election in favor of then-candidate Donald Trump. As president, Trump has repeatedly questioned those assessments, suggesting at times it was unclear whether Russia was responsible. Just last week, however, an internal Facebook investigation found 470 Russian-linked accounts paid for thousands of political ads to appear during last year's presidential campaign. Facebook said further investigation revealed another 2,200 ads "might have originated in Russia,'' including ads purchased by accounts with IP addresses in the United States but set to Russian in the language preferences. Other manipulation Democrat Mark Warner of Virginia, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told a security conference last week that the revelations might just be "the tip of the iceberg," and that Russia also most likely had manipulated messages via other social media platforms, such as Twitter. Despite the doubts raised by Trump and some of his supporters, former officials have remained steadfast that Russia was responsible for hacking into Democratic National Committee computers in an effort to discredit Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton. "We personally reviewed every single piece of intelligence that went into that ICA [intelligence community assessment] and spent hours and hours talking to the analysts," said former National Security Agency Deputy Director Richard Ledgett. "I am as certain of this as I'm as certain as gravity: that the Russian government directed this activity with the intent to influence the election," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Top US Official: Russia 'Ever More Aggressive' in Cyberspace By Jeff Seldin September 13, 2017 Russia is not backing down in cyberspace, instead ramping up the pace of its operations against the United States, according to the nation's top intelligence official. "Russia has clearly assumed an ever more aggressive cyber posture by increasing cyber espionage operations, leaking data stolen from those operations," U.S. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said Wednesday. Coats did not elaborate on the scope or target of Russia's cyber operations, but warned a range of enemies is increasingly seeking to weaponize public opinion. "Adversaries use the internet as an echo chamber in which information, ideas or beliefs get amplified or reinforced through repetition," Coats said at the Billington CyberSecurity Summit in Washington. "Their efforts seek to undermine our faith in our institutions or advance violence in the name of identity." The top intelligence official also said hackers are increasingly targeting the U.S. defense industry. "Such intrusions even if intended for theft and espionage, could inadvertently cause serious if not catastrophic damage where an adversary looking for small scale destructive cyber action against the United Sates could miscalculate," Coats said. In an unclassified report released in January, the top U.S. intelligence agencies concluded Russian President Vladimir Putin waged an unprecedented "influence campaign" in an effort to sway the 2016 U.S. presidential election in favor of then-candidate Donald Trump. As U.S. president, Trump has repeatedly questioned those assessments, suggesting at times it was unclear whether Russia was responsible. 'As certain as gravity' Just last week, however, an internal Facebook investigation found 470 Russian-linked accounts paid for thousands of political ads to appear during last year's presidential election. Facebook said further investigation also revealed another 2,200 ads "might have originated in Russia,'' including ads purchased by accounts with IP addresses in the United States but set to Russian in the language settings." All the accounts in question have been suspended. Democratic lawmaker Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told a security conference last week that the revelations may just be "the tip of the iceberg," and that Russia also likely manipulated other social media platforms, such as Twitter and Google. Despite the doubts raised by Trump and some of his supporters, former officials have remained steadfast that Russia was responsible for hacking the Democratic National Committee in an effort to discredit Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton. "We personally reviewed every single piece of intelligence that went into that ICA [intelligence community assessment] and spent hours and hours talking to the analysts," said former National Security Agency deputy director Richard Ledgett. "I am as certain of this as I'm as certain as gravity, that the Russian government directed this activity with the intent to influence the election." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address South Korea plans to deploy 'Maritime THAAD' People's Daily Online By Fang Tian (People's Daily Online) 17:11, September 13, 2017 South Korea plans to introduce Standard Missile 3 (SM-3), a ship-based missile system known as "Maritime THAAD" used by the U.S. Navy, the South Korean army claimed on Sept. 12, haiwainet.cn reported. Deployment of SM-3 will be the last step to finish the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system, after six launchers were deployed on Sept. 12 despite objections. SM-3 features better performance than THAAD with an operational range of 700 km (434 miles) and a launching height of 400 km (248 miles), said the Ministry of National Defense of South Korea in its research paper, according to JoongAng Ilbo, a South Korean daily. South Korea intends to establish a layered defense with SM-3. With this ship-based system, the country will be able to intercept missiles during the boost phase rather than only in the terminal stage, according to the report. Information detected by SM-3 will be shared between South Korea and its allies, including the U.S. and Japan. Like THAAD, this new deployment plan is estimated to cause strong oppositions from neighboring countries, as it will affect the national security of neighbors. China has repeatedly expressed its clear and consistent opposition. The THAAD deployment by the U.S. in South Korea severely disrupts regional strategic balance, undermines the strategic security interests of regional countries, including China, and is not helpful for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang on Sept. 6. China urges relevant parties to pay attention to the national security interests and concerns of regional countries and stop the deployment, said the spokesperson. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Amid Western Concerns, Belarus Says Zapad Drills Will Comply With International Agreements RFE/RL's Belarus Service September 13, 2017 MINSK -- Belarus says its upcoming military maneuvers with Russia won't violate international agreements, amid Western concerns about the war games. The chief of the Belarusian Defense Ministry's department for international cooperation, Major General Aleh Voinau, told journalists in Minsk on September 13 that international organizations and governments -- including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and NATO member states -- have been informed in a timely fashion about the Zapad (West) 2017 exercises in accordance with OSCE rules known as the Vienna Document. Voinau said that the number of personnel, weapons, and military hardware involved in the Zapad 2017 exercises, which are set to be held in Belarus and parts of western Russia on September 14-20, will comply with the Vienna Document as well. Under the Vienna Document, states conducting maneuvers involving more than 13,000 troops must notify other nations in advance and be open to observers. Russia and Belarus say Zapad 2017 will involve about 12,700 troops. But Western military officials and experts say that the true numbers could be far higher, with as many as 100,000 military personnel involved. Russia charges that Western concerns about the exercises are unfounded, saying they are "purely defensive" and pose no threat to Russia's neighbors, NATO, or the West. Voinau said that by September 30, all Belarusian military personnel and equipment will return to their bases and all Russian troops and equipment will leave Belarus. He also insisted that the drills will be held far from the borders with foreign countries. Last week, British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon and German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said that Zapad 2017 will involve about 100,000 troops and accused Moscow of seeking to show off military might on the borders of the EU and NATO. In an interview with the Russian Defense Ministry's newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda on September 13, the commander of Russia's Western Military District said such statements were made "without any evidence." "It is a defensive training and it is the final stage of the joint training of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus," Colonel General Andrei Kartapolov said. "We conduct such events regularly in accordance with decisions made by our heads of state." Fallon told the BBC on September 10 that Zapad 2017 aims at "provoking" NATO and "testing" its defenses. Speaking on September 7 in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, von der Leyen said, "It is undisputed that we see a demonstration of the capabilities and power of the Russians." NATO says it will send three observers to Belarus and Russia to monitor Zapad 2017 but has repeatedly called on the two countries to allow broader monitoring of the drills. Belarus borders NATO members Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, as well as Ukraine. The area in which the upcoming exercises are due to take place also includes the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, which lies between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea. Russia's military actions in Ukraine have increased concerns about Moscow's intentions in NATO nations, particularly former Soviet republics or Warsaw Pact satellites of the Soviet Union. Russia occupied and seized the Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 and backs separatists whose war against Kyiv's forces has killed more than 10,000 people in eastern Ukraine since April of that year. Those actions have prompted NATO to step up its defenses in the east, deploying four multinational battlegroups in the three Baltic states and Poland -- totaling approximately 4,500 troops. With reporting by Interfax Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/zapad-2017- western-concerns-international-agreements- belarus/28733583.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese naval fleet departs for joint drill in Russia People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 17:47, September 13, 2017 QINGDAO, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese naval fleet sailed from a port in Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province Wednesday for Russia's Vladivostok to take part in a scheduled joint military exercise with the Russian navy. The fleet consists of missile destroyer "Shijiazhuang," missile frigate "Daqing," comprehensive supply ship "Dongpinghu," and submarine rescue ship "Changdao." The fleet is carrying ship-borne helicopters and deep submersible rescue vehicles. The upcoming drill, which will be held in the Sea of Japan and Okhotsk, is the second phase of an annual joint naval drill between the two countries. The first stage was held from July 22 to 27 in the Baltic Sea. Compared with previous "Joint Sea 2017" drills, the venue will be expanded to the sea near Okhotsk for the first time during the second phase. Naval forces from both sides will, for the first time, conduct joint submarine rescue exercises and joint anti-submarine drills involving multiple arms of service and multiple types of aircraft and ships. The drill, part of an annual program, does not target a third party, according to military sources. It aims to consolidate and advance the Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, deepen friendly and practical cooperation between the two militaries, and improve abilities to jointly cope with security threats at sea. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump calls new DPRK sanctions "very small step" People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:28, September 13, 2017 WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the UN Security Council's fresh sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) were just another "very small step." "We think it's just another very small step, not a big deal," said Trump before meeting with visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. "I don't know if it has any impact," said Trump. "But those sanctions are nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen." The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution to impose fresh sanctions on the DPRK over its nuclear test on Sept. 3 for violation of previous Security Council resolutions. This is the eighth time for the United Nations to slap sanctions on Pyongyang since it carried out the first underground nuclear explosion in 2006. The new sanctions severely restrict oil imports, and ban all its textile exports worth 800 million U.S. dollars and remittances of some 93,000 DPRK laborers from abroad. After the vote on the resolution, several ambassadors to the UN said the severity of the sanctions was designed not so much as to hurt the DPRK but help it see negotiations are only way out of the Korean Peninsula nuclear crisis. "We are now acting to stop it from having the ability to continue doing the wrong thing. We are doing that by hitting North Korea's (DPRK's) ability to fuel and fund its weapons program. Oil is the lifeblood of North Korea's (DPRK's) effort to build and deliver a nuclear weapon," U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley said. "Today's resolution reduces almost 30 percent of oil provided to North Korea (DPRK) by cutting off over 55 percent of its gas, diesel, and heavy fuel oil," the U.S. envoy said. "Further, today's resolution completely bans natural gas and other oil byproducts that could be used as substitutes for the reduced petroleum. This will cut deep." Chinese Ambassador Liu Jieyi called for calm as the "situation on the Korean Peninsula remains complex and grave." "All relevant parties must be cool-headed and avoid rhetoric or action that might aggravate tension," Liu said. He urged the DPRK to heed the aspirations and will of the international community, abide by relevant Security Council resolutions, refrain from any more missile launches or nuclear tests, and return to the track of denuclearization. He said that the suspension-for-suspension proposal and dual-track approach put forward by China and the idea of a step-by-step approach proposed by Russia formed a roadmap for the settlement of the issue. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address S Korea links detected xenon to North's nuclear test Iran Press TV Wed Sep 13, 2017 07:34AM South Korea has confirmed that the traces of radioactive xenon gas it recently detected were from a North Korean nuclear test earlier in the month. The South Korean Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSCC) explained on Wednesday that its land-based detector in the country's northeast had discovered traces of xenon-133 isotope on nine occasions, while its mobile device near the country's east coast had detected traces of the isotope four times. "It was difficult to find out how powerful the nuclear test was with the amount of xenon detected, but we can say the xenon was from North Korea," said executive commissioner Choi Jongbae in a press conference in the capital, Seoul. He said, however, that the commission was unable to confirm what kind of nuclear test the North had conducted. North Korea said on September 3 that it had conducted a successful hydrogen bomb test and that the bomb was small enough to fit on a missile. The NSCC said the xenon detected had no impact on South Korea's environment and population. Xenon is a naturally occurring, colorless gas used in manufacturing some lights. But the detected xenon-133 is a radioactive isotope that does not emerge naturally and has been linked to nuclear tests by Pyongyang in the past. The North Korean test, which was the country's sixth, prompted the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to escalate sanctions against Pyongyang by imposing new bans on the country's textile exports and a limit on its fuel supplies. South Korea fires 'Taurus' Meanwhile, Seoul announced on Wednesday that it had conducted its first live-fire drill for an advanced air-launched cruise missile in a bid to strengthen the country's pre-emptive strike capability against North Korea. The Taurus missile launched from an F-15 jetfighter traveled through obstacles at low altitudes before striking a target off the South's western coast, the Defense Ministry said. The missile, manufactured by Germany's Taurus Systems, is reported to have a maximum range of 500 kilometers and its stealth characteristics allow it to avoid radar detection. Pyongyang remains defiant Meanwhile, in a statement seen by Press TV, the North Korean Embassy in Tehran strongly condemned the latest UN Security Council sanctions resolutions against Pyongyang. "Resolution 2371 and 2375 against the DPRK (North Korea), which the US fabricated by employing all sorts of despicable and violence means and methods, are aimed at depriving the DPRK of its legal right for self-defense and completely suffocating its state and people through a full-scale economic blockade," read part of the statement. The statement added that North Korea's nuclear program was "a fair and legitimate measure for self-defense to protect its sovereignty" from "the high-handed and arbitrary acts of the US, which has made it its business to pursue the policy of extreme hostility and pose a nuclear threat" to Pyongyang. The statement hit out at the US for "driving the situation of the Korean Peninsula to the brink of a nuclear war and manipulating the UNSC" to adopt the sanctions resolutions, which revealed Washington's "evil intention to obliterate" North Korea. It added that the resolutions would, on the contrary, make North Korea more determined to go on with its nuclear program. "The adoption of illegal and evil 'resolutions on sanctions' serves as the occasion for the DPRK to verify that the road it chose was absolutely right and to harden its resolve to follow this road at a faster pace without the slightest diversion until this fight to the finish is over," it stressed. The statement also stressed that the North's "nuclear deterrence" power was not up for negotiations, warning that Pyongyang would "not hesitate to use any form of ultimate means" should the US persist in its "reckless attempts to stifle" the country. The UN Security Council on Monday adopted a new sanctions resolution on North Korea. The US-drafted resolution was passed unanimously, just a month after the UNSC decided to ban exports of coal, lead, and seafood in response to Pyongyang's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The North Korean ministry described the newer resolution as "heinous provocation aimed at depriving the DPRK of its legitimate right for self-defense and completely suffocating its state and people through full-scale economic blockade." Trump calls sanctions small step, vows much tougher moves US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the new sanctions on the North were a small step. "I don't know if it has any impact, but certainly it was nice to get a 15-to-nothing vote, but those sanctions are nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen," Trump said in vague but threatening remarks. Moreover, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned officials in China, which is Pyongyang's key ally and trading partner, that if it did not follow through on the new sanctions, Washington would "put additional sanctions on them and prevent them from accessing the US and international dollar system." Asked if Trump was considering other moves, including cutting off Chinese banks from the US financial system, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said, "All options are on the table. The president has also said that he wants every country involved to step up and do more." The US's initial draft of the sanctions resolution had to be watered down to win the backing of China and Russia, which are both UNSC veto-wielding powers. It stopped short of imposing a full embargo on oil exports to North Korea, most of which come from China. 'Magnitude of North Korea test much higher than formal estimates' Meanwhile, a US monitoring group also said on Wednesday that North Korea's latest nuclear test had had a yield of 250 kilotons, which is much higher than earlier, official estimates. The authoritative US website 38 North, which is linked to the Johns Hopkins University, said that it was lifting its estimate for the yield of the blast to "roughly 250 kilotons." The figure is more than 16 times the size of the 15-kiloton US bomb that destroyed the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945. Other official estimates of the yield vary from South Korea's 50 kilotons to Japan's 160. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address North Korea Extremely Interested in Direct Dialogue With US - Moscow Sputnik News 09:55 13.09.2017(updated 12:30 13.09.2017) According to the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, despite North Korea's strong desire to engage with the US, it is very unlikely Washington has enough political will for this. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Pyongyang is extremely interested in direct dialogue with Washington, but there is no certainty that the Donald Trump administration has enough political will for this, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told Sputnik on Wednesday. "Pyongyang is extremely interested in direct dialogue with Washington. I do not have confidence that the US administration has the political will and the determination to enter into such dialogue," Ryabkov said. According to the US State Department, US Special Representative for North Korea Policy Ambassador Joseph Yun is currently in Moscow to discuss the North Korea issue with Russian officials. Ryabkov also added that Pyongyang is moving in the direction of constant improvement of its ballistic missile program. On September 3, North Korea said it had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb that could be mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile. A week before that, Pyongyang launched a missile, which flew over Japanese territory. The UN Security Council held urgent consultations the following day to consider undertaking further steps on North Korea. On Monday, the United Nations Security Council unanimously agreed to boost sanctions against North Korea, introducing a ban on the country's textile exports and a cap on crude oil imports, while also forbidding imports of all condensates and natural gas liquids. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Belarus to Manufacture Defense Equipment under Make in India Program Sputnik News 15:35 13.09.2017 India would immensely benefit from military cooperation with Belarus as it would ensure transfer of high-end Belarusian technology for upgrading Soviet-era tanks and military equipment. New Delhi (Sputnik) Belarus has agreed to manufacture defense equipment in India in partnership with the Indian industry. An agreement to this effect was signed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on the last day of the latter's visit to New Delhi. "We will encourage joint development and manufacturing in defense sector under the Make in India program. We have also progressed our discussion on utilizing the US$ 100 million line of credit that India had offered in 2015 to specific projects in Belarus," Narendra Modi said after the signing of 10 Memorandum of Understanding with Belarus in New Delhi. Prime Minister Modi also said that apart from the defense sector, there were possibilities for partnership between the two countries in the manufacturing of tires, agro-industrial machinery, and mining equipment. However, both the leaders chose not to divulge specific details about joint defense projects. In the last few years, Belarus has turned to the Asian market for its defense equipment. The country has its eyes set on major defense deals with India Pakistan, China, and Vietnam. It is particularly interested in India as most of India's defense equipment are of Russian origin and Belarus' defense industry has high level of skills in maintaining and upgrading Soviet-era equipment. Meanwhile, the two countries are also exploring the possibility the setting up of a technology demonstration center in India to showcase Belarusian technology. India is linked with Belarus under multi-lateral economic initiatives such as the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and the International North South Transport Corridor. India is negotiating a Free Trade Agreement with the EEU. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India's First Woman Defense Minister Plans to Overcome Gender Inequality in Army Sputnik News 11:45 13.09.2017(updated 14:26 13.09.2017) The Indian Army will be inducting 800 women soldiers this year and has plans to increase women's presence with a yearly intake of 52 women soldiers. The Indian Air Force inducted women fighter pilots last year. The Indian Navy has also undertaken a project to deploy women in warships. NEW DELHI (Sputnik) In a historic decision aimed at overcoming gender inequality in the armed forces, India's first woman defense minister has approved a plan to induct 800 women combatants in the Indian Army. Sources told Sputnik that the newly appointed defense minister, who is also India's first woman to independently handle the position, approved the plan that was pending since long, the same day it was laid before her. "A decision has been taken to introduce women in ranks starting from Corps of Military Police. With the increasing need for investigation against gender specific allegations and crime, a necessity was felt to introduce women in Corps of Military Police," a defense ministry official informed on Friday after the decision. Earlier in June this year, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had hinted that the Indian armed forces would soon be getting women soldiers and that the process would start with the induction of women into the military police corps. Currently, women are allowed in select areas such as medical, legal, educational, signals and engineering wings of the Army. "The proposal is being finalized for induction of approximately 800 women with yearly intake of 52 per year," official added. Corps of Military Police plays a crucial role in policing cantonments and army establishments, preventing a breach of rules and regulations by soldiers, maintaining movement of soldiers as well as logistics during peace and war. The Indian Army had been citing operational concerns and logistical shortcomings for keeping women out of combat roles. The Indian Air Force, however, allowed women to assume fighter positions in 2016 and inducted three women fighter pilots. The Indian Navy is also considering the idea of deploying women on warships. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Zarif: Visits by IAEA experts no pretext to find out Iran's secrets IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Moscow, Sep 13, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif upon arrival in Sochi Airport on Wednesday said that according to the JCPOA, any visit by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) cannot be a pretext to get acquainted with Iran's secrets. Zarif arrived in Sochi on coastal rim of Black Sea to hold talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and other Russian officials in one-day visit. Concerning the issue of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the recent policies of the US government, it is necessary to be coordinated with Russia, he told reporters. The two countries have supported each other in international organizations and on multilateral relations, he added. Concerning visit of Iran's military centers by the IAEA, Zarif said that frameworks of additional protocols and JCPOA is clear and it is for the venues that has possibilities for nuclear activities and as the IAEA has declared several times, Iran has acted correctly in this concern. Zarif underlined that according to clause 75 of appendix one of JCPOA, no visit by the agency can be pretext to get acquainted with secrets of the country. Concerning the aim of his visit to Sochi, Zarif said the two countries are facing common challenges, which the most important one is regional issue. Iran and Russia could help Syrians and defeat terrorists and situation is improved now by good cooperation of Iran and Russia and even the two sides could prevent a lot of tensions and conflicts in the area. Zarif concluded that one of the issues which need permanent coordination with Russia is the regional issues and Syria, saying, 'In this trip the two sides concentrate on this issue as well as some other bilateral and multilateral issues.' 1391**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran ready for US worst scenario on nuclear deal: Official IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Sep 13, IRNA Iran is prepared to deal with even the worst US scenario on the future of the nuclear deal, said the head of Iran's Strategic Council on Foreign Relations. The worst scenario, pertaining to the future of Iran nuclear deal, could be possible withdrawal of all parties involved from the international agreement, and we are ready for the worst one, Kamal Kharrazi said on Tuesday during a meeting with ex-Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans. Kharrazi expressed hope for other parties involved in the nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), to stand against US pressures. Iran prefers to maintain the agreement and we advise the European countries to do so, as it is to their benefit as well, he said. Kharrazi and Evans, during the meeting also discussed various regional and bilateral issues. In response to a question by the ex-Australian foreign minister considering recent nuclear tests by North Korea and the possibility for Iran to be encouraged to develop its own arsenal of nuclear weapons, Kharrazi said that, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has forbidden nuclear weapons. Iran is only trying to acquire peaceful nuclear technology, he said. Translator: Ali Izadi Editor: Reza Bahar 9376**2044 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Inspecting Iran's nuclear sites possible only under certain conditions: Iranian official IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Sep 13, IRNA -- JCPOA has set out conditions for inspection of Iran's nuclear sites and no country can easily demand for the inspection, said the head of Iran's Strategic Studies Council Kamal Kharrazi. Kharrazi was talking to reporters Tuesday in a joint press conference with ex-Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans. 'Nuclear sites are part of Iran's national security, a fact which has also been stipulated in Iran nuclear deal also known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA),' said Kharrazi. He pointed to US as an unpredictable country, but added there is no obstacle on the way of American firms to invest in Iran. 'Even countries such as Australia and Germany which have always been US allies, now have problems with the United States since the country is an unpredictable one,' he added. 'If US withdraws JCPOA, Iran will be ready for any scenario and has several plans for any option,' Kharrazi said. Meanwhile, Evans stressed on the fact that Iran and Australia enjoy strong relations. Despite some differences between the two countries, Iran and Australia have never cut ties, he said. He referred to Iran as a regional power supporting peace and stability. If President Trump withdraws JCPOA, Australia will not support the policy, he said. We support JCPOA, since it was an effective deal and removed many international concerns, ex-Australian diplomat noted. He went on to say that no one has the right to tear JCPOA up. Translator: Ali Izadi 9376**1771 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran criticizes US approach to undermine spirit, text of JCPOA ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Wed / 13 September 2017 / 17:01 Tehran (ISNA) - Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Iran in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Reza Najafi has criticized the US approach to undermine the spirit and the text of the nuclear deal. During the meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors which has been held on September 11 in Vienna, the implementation of the nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was also considered. Here is the full text of Najafi's statement: In the Name of God The Compassionate and the Merciful Mr. Chairman, Director General, Distinguished Colleagues, My delegation would like to express its gratitude to the Agency's Secretariat for its efforts on the monitoring and verification of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Mr. Chairman, The JCPOA, as a historic international agreement, ended an unnecessary crisis on 14 July 2015. While endorsing the JCPOA, the UN Security Council affirmed that "conclusion of the JCPOA marks a fundamental shift in its consideration of this issue" and expressed "its desire to build a new relationship with Iran strengthened by the implementation of the JCPOA". Regrettably, there are recent moves contrary to such commitment. Like any other deal, the JCPOA relies entirely on reciprocal and full implementation of the measures by all parties in good faith and in a constructive atmosphere, based on mutual respect. For its part, since the Implementation Day, Iran has fulfilled its commitments under the deal and the Agency's reports on verification and monitoring of JCPOA in Iran provides substantiated evidence to such commitment. However, after more than 20 months, the implementation of the commitments of other sides to the JCPOA, in particular the United States is yet to be acceptable. Indeed, by limiting Iran's benefits from the deal the US Government in contradiction with both letter and spirit of the agreement, particularly paragraphs 26, 28 and 29 of the JCPOA, has taken an unconstructive approach to undermine "successful implementation" of the JCPOA. In this context, sending an official to Vienna accompanied by media rhetoric aimed at undermining the credibility of the Agency is another example of bad faith and insincere behavior of that Government. Ironically, this government keeps claiming that it would like to solve other international issues through dialogue and negotiations. International community wonders how such government can be trusted in making any international deal by such bad performance. The UNSC Resolution 2231 has clearly emphasized "the essential and independent role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in verifying compliance with safeguards agreements." Therefore, putting pressure on the Agency by any means would adversely affect the professional and impartial nature of the work of the IAEA in carrying out the job entrusted to it by the UNSC Resolution 2231 and the resolutions of the Board of Governors, thereby undermining the independence and credibility of the Agency. As clearly stipulated in the JCPOA and UNSC Resolution 2231, the IAEA should avoid "hampering the economic and technological development of Iran" and also respect "security provisions in force and the rights of individuals; and take every precaution to protect commercial, technological and industrial secrets as well as other confidential information coming to its knowledge." Mr. Chairman, We note with appreciation that recent updated report (GOV/2017/35), once more demonstrates that Iran's nuclear program continues within the framework of the JCPOA. Nonetheless, I would like to reiterate the following points: 1. As stated before, the JCPOA text on heavy water reads that all excess heavy water which is beyond Iran's needs will be made available for export to the international market based on international prices and delivered to the international buyers for 15 years. While we are being contacted by potential buyers, some amount has been shipped out for sale at international market. 2. We would like to stress, once more, that the report should be as concise as possible and avoid mentioning avoidable detailed information, particularly it should not contain confidential Safeguards information. 3. We would also like to reiterate our observation on the definition of "stockpile" and its difference with the term "inventory" and recall that this is a matter for discussion in the Joint Commission. 4. With regard to a reference to Section T in para 27, my delegation would like to put on record our strong reservation on some new arbitrary interpretations including those of US or some EU members contrary to the clear text of different sections of Annex I of the JCPOA and the history of negotiations on that. It's exclusively the duty of Joint Commission to elaborate it if necessary. I would also like to refer to few delegations that asked again for disclosure of the raw and detailed confidential safeguards information contrary to the BOG approved mandate. Such request gives the impression that the Agency should not be trusted and its assessment should be reassessed again independently. My delegation would like to recall that in addition to the provisions of Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and Article V of the Additional Protocol for protection of confidential information, the JCPOA clearly requests the Agency "to take every precaution to protect commercial, technological and industrial secrets as well as other confidential information coming to its knowledge". We strongly oppose the inclusion of confidential safeguard information in any upcoming report under the pretext of more transparency. Before concluding, I should recall the reaffirmation by the Agency that implementation of the Additional Protocol provisions in Iran would be like any other Member States with Additional Protocol. For the last speaker before me, a regime with a history full of occupation, aggression and violation of all international norms and principles, a regime that is not party to any treaties on weapons of mass destruction, the only non-party to the NPT in the region, a regime which is in possession of tens of nuclear warheads and constantly threatens countries of the region and beyond, talking about proliferation concerns is ridiculous and completely out of context. It's crystal clear that that the Israeli regime's clandestine and unsafeguarded nuclear weapons program is the most serious threat to the regional and international peace and security which requires serious attention of this august body without further delay. Thank you Mr. Chairman End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US moves run counter to spirit, letter of nuclear deal: Iran's IAEA envoy Iran Press TV Wed Sep 13, 2017 03:05PM Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says the US administration's recent moves with regard to the Iranian nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), run counter to the deal. Reza Najafi made the remarks while speaking to a quarterly meeting of the IAEA's 35-member Board of Governors in Vienna on Wednesday. After more than 20 months, the implementation of the JCPOA by the other side, especially the US, is not acceptable yet, Najafi said, adding that the US administration has adopted an unconstructive approach against the spirit and letter of the agreement to undermine its successful implementation. The Iranian envoy said a recent visit by a US official to Vienna was aimed at undermining the credibility of the UN nuclear body and an instance of Washington's sinister intention and insincere behavior. Najafi warned that exerting pressure on the IAEA would adversely affect the professional and impartial nature of the agency's duty to carry out the job entrusted to it by UN Security Council Resolution 2231, which was adopted on July 20, 2015 to endorse the nuclear deal, and would consequently weaken the independence and credibility of it. Like any other agreements, the JCPOA is based on acting in accordance with mutual commitment, in good faith and in a constructive atmosphere, he added. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, travelled to Vienna last month to speak with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano about Iran's nuclear agreement. The US is putting pressure on the IAEA to inspect Iranian military sites, a demand rejected by Tehran which says the information with regard to the Islamic Republic's military sites are classified and access to such locations, specially by the US, is out of the question. Iran says the US demands for access to its military sites are aimed at politicizing the JCPOA and that issues pertaining to Tehran's defense capabilities are non-negotiable. On Monday, Amano said Iran was abiding by the rules set out in the nuclear accord it signed with the P5+1 group of countries in 2015. "The nuclear-related commitments undertaken by Iran under the (deal) are being implemented," Amano said in the text of a speech to the Board of Governors. "The verification regime in Iran is the most robust regime which currently exists. We have increased the inspection days in Iran, we have increased inspector numbers ... and the number of images has increased," he said, adding, "From a verification point of view, it is a clear and significant gain." Elsewhere in his remarks, Amano noted that the IAEA did not distinguish between civilian or military sites in its inspections and would ask for access when necessary. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nuclear Weapons Experts Warn Trump Against Abandoning Iran Deal By Ken Bredemeier September 13, 2017 More than 80 experts on nuclear non-proliferation issues urged the Trump administration Wednesday to not abandon the global agreement reached with Iran to curb Tehran's nuclear weapons development program. The group, including numerous academics and some former U.S. State Department officials, said the pact that took effect in January 2016 "has dramatically reduced the risk posed by Iran's nuclear program and mandated unprecedented monitoring and transparency measures that make it very likely that any possible future effort by Iran to pursue nuclear weapons, even a clandestine program, would be detected promptly." The agreement among six world powers Russia, China, France, Germany, Britain and the U.S. and Iran was supported by former U.S. President Barack Obama. Current U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized the deal but not moved to withdraw the U.S. from it. Economic sanctions against Iran were dropped in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program. Last week, Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called the deal a "very flawed and very limited agreement" and contended that "Iran has been caught in multiple violations over the past year-and-a-half." The nuclear non-proliferation experts said they "firmly support vigorous efforts to monitor and enforce compliance" with the agreement. The group said it was "concerned by statements from the Trump administration that it may be seeking to create a false pretext for accusing Iran of noncooperation or noncompliance with the agreement in order to trigger the reimposition of nuclear-related sanctions against Iran." They said that abandoning the deal "without clear evidence of an unresolved material breach by Iran ... runs the risk that Tehran would resume some of its nuclear activities." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli Drills Focus on 'Scenario of Full-Scale Hostilities' Against Hezbollah Sputnik News 20:42 13.09.2017(updated 23:16 13.09.2017) The Israeli army is holding war games practicing a scenario of a conflict with Hezbollah turning into "full-scale hostilities amid Tel Aviv's repeated claims that the Lebanon-based group fighting against Daesh terrorists alongside government forces in Syria allegedly poses a threat to Israel's security. TEL AVIV (Sputnik) About 30,000 Israeli soldiers have been deployed to the northern part of the country in order to participate in drills, which are being considered the largest military exercises in the past 19 years, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said on Wednesday. "About 30,000 servicemen have been deployed. [The troops] are practicing a scenario, in which Hezbollah militants seize an Israeli settlement near the border with Lebanon and local clashes transform into full-scale hostilities," Liberman wrote on his Facebook page. The minister pointed out that the drills would significantly contribute to preparations for a potential war in northern Israel. "The only thing that can stop the war is the power of the Israel Defense Forces and the deterrent power," Lieberman said. According to the defense minister, regular military units, reserve servicemen, Navy, Air Forces, engineering troops, intelligence as well as civil defense units are taking part in the drills. The 11-day drills kicked off on September 5. Hezbollah is a Lebanon-based Shiite movement founded in 1980s and engaged in several military conflicts with Israel, which has repeatedly struck areas in Syria, where the group's fighters were present. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNSC Expresses 'Deep Concern' Over Rohignya Crisis in Myanmar Sputnik News 21:58 13.09.2017(updated 22:01 13.09.2017) After the UN Security Council held closed consultations on the violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar, the president of the UNSC voices the states' concern over the situation in the country. UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) The UN Security Council is deeply concerned about the situation in Myanmar where Rohignya civilians are exposed to extreme violence, UN Security Council President and Ambassador of Ethiopia to the United Nations Tekeda Alemu said on Wednesday. "Members of the Security Council expressed deep concern about the situation in the Rakhine state, acknowledging the initial attack on Myanmar security forces on 25 August they condemned the subsequent violence which has led to over 370,000 people being displaced," Alemu said. Earlier on Wednesday, the UN Security Council held closed consultations on the means of addressing violence against the Rohingya in Myanmar. Members of the Security Council have advocated urgent steps to end the violence, de-escalate the situation, re-establish law and order, ensure the protection of civilians, restore social-economic conditions and address the refugee problem. The members also welcome the efforts by Bangladesh to help people fleeing the violence in Myanmar, but have also taken notice of the commitment of Myanmar to provide humanitarian assistance to all people in need without discrimination. On August 25, Rohingya Muslim insurgents attacked security posts in Myanmar's eastern state of Rakhine. The attacks prompted a response by Myanmar's authorities, resulting in clashes and deaths of hundreds of Rohingya while thousands have fled the area. According to the International Organization for Migration, 313,000 refugees have already entered Bangladesh from Myanmar. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Chief Assails 'Ethnic Cleansing' of Myanmar's Rohingyas By Margaret Besheer September 13, 2017 U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday the displacement of hundreds of thousands of members of Myanmar's Rohingya community can only be described as ethnic cleansing. "When one-third of the Rohingya population has got to flee the country, can you find a better word to describe it?" Guterres responded when he was asked if the term ethnic cleansing applied to the plight of the Rohingyas, most of whom are Muslims, in the overwhelmingly Buddhist Asian nation. "I call on Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country," Guterres said at United Nations headquarters in New York. "Muslims of Rakhine state must be granted nationality or, at least for now, a legal status so they can lead a normal life." "I believe that we are facing a very dramatic situation, and that is the reason why I appealed to the Security Council to seriously consider the situation," the secretary-general said. With concern growing worldwide about the situation in Myanmar's western Rakhine state, the country's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has canceled her original plans to travel to New York for the annual U.N. General Assembly meeting beginning next week. The former Nobel Peace Prize winner, revered for her political campaign against the military junta that formerly ruled her homeland (then Burma), has been criticized for a failure to do more to stop the current round of violence. Government officials in Myanmar consider almost all of Rohingyas to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, even those who have lived in the country for generations. Violence involving the Rohingyas has been going on for a long time, but it grew to a crisis last month. Authorities in Myanmar said a group of Rohingya militants attacked dozens of police posts and an army base on August 25, reputedly in an attempt to retaliate against persecution targeting them. About 400 people were killed in subsequent clashes, many of which were deliberate attacks by members of Myanmar's security forces, according to members of the Rohingya minority. The government said its forces were engaged in a military counteroffensive against alleged "terrorists" involved in the attacks three weeks ago. The violence has spurred an exodus among Rohingyas living in Myanmar, a community of about one million people. Nearly 400,000 have fled toward Bangladesh, which borders Rakhine state, where almost all Rohingyas live. Secretary-General Guterres wrote to the Security Council on September 2, expressing his deep concern about the unfolding crisis in Myanmar and urging the council members to take action. Following a private briefing by the United Nations political chief, the Security Council issued a statement about the Rohingyas' plight. Ethiopian Ambassador Tekeda Alemu, who is presiding over the council this month, said the 15 member nations expressed concern over the violence that occurred during the Myanmar security forces' counteroffensive. The Security Council members "called for immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, de-escalate the situation, re-establish law and order, ensure the protection of civilians, restore normal socio-economic conditions and resolve the refugee problem," the Ethiopian diplomat said. Alemu said the Security Council noted the Myanmar government's commitment to provide humanitarian assistance to all displaced individuals without discrimination, and called for that commitment to be fulfilled. The forthcoming General Assembly session is scheduled to review the situation in Myanmar during two special meetings in the coming days and weeks. Many diplomats will attend a session hosted by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and chaired by Turkey, and a second, smaller group of foreign ministers will convene at the invitation of their British counterpart. A spokesman for the Myanmar government, Zaw Htay, confirmed Wednesday that Aung San Suu Kyi will not travel to New York but will remain in Myanmar to deal with the ongoing security situation. The spokesman said the Nobel laureate, who serves both as Myanmar's foreign minister and as a "special adviser" to the government, would deliver a televised address next week to "speak for national reconciliation and peace." The speech will be seen as her first detailed public comment about the crisis involving the Rohingyas. Aung San Suu Kyi, who was held under house arrest for years by Burma's former military rulers, has been known as an icon of democracy, but her recent comments have been seen by many as apparent indifference to the plight of her country's minority Muslims. She has dismissed many accounts of the events in Rakhine state as "fake information" designed to promote the interests of "terrorists." That stance has drawn scorn from other governments and human-rights activists, including a number of her fellow Nobel Peace laureates. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Explainer: Who Are Myanmar's Rohingya? By VOA News September 13, 2017 Rohingya Muslims have long been seen as one of the world's most persecuted minority groups. Despite having a long history in Myanmar, the mostly Muslim group is not officially recognized by the government, which considers them illegal migrants from neighboring Bangladesh. They are also subject to intense societal and governmental discrimination in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. How many Rohingya are there? More than one million Rohingya are believed to live in Myanmar - a relatively small percentage of the country's overall population of 53 million; but, that percentage is becoming smaller every day, as masses of Rohingya continue to flee violence and persecution in the country's western Rakhine state. According to U.N. figures, an estimated 370,000 Rohingya have crossed into neighboring Bangladesh since late last month, when the latest round of violence broke out. How long have the Rohingya lived in Myanmar? Many Rohingya can show that their families have lived in Myanmar for generations, but the government does not include Rohingya as one of its 135 officially recognized ethnic groups. It instead refers to them as "Bengalis," and pushes the inaccurate perception that all Rohingya came illegally from Bangladesh. They are, therefore, one of the world's largest technically stateless groups. What other rights are the Rohingya denied? The Rohingya are denied citizenship under Myanmar's 1982 Citizenship Law. As a result, their rights to study, work, travel, marry, practice their religion and access health services are severely restricted, according to Amnesty International. Many live in squalid concentration-like camps. Recently, the U.N. described their situation as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing." What led to the latest unrest? The violence erupted on August 25, when a group of Rohingya militants - armed with homemade bombs, knives and sticks - attacked dozens of police posts and an army base in what they said was an effort to protect their ethnic minority from persecution. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, formed last year by Rohingya exiles, claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed 12 security personnel. How did the government respond? Myanmar's military launched a counteroffensive that included shellings, arson and widespread extrajudicial killings that have left at least 400 people dead. Although the military denies targeting civilians, the United Nations' top human rights official says the campaign is "clearly disproportionate." A government official says 176 Rohingya villages now lie empty after residents fled the violence. How often does violence break out? Although Rohingya have faced government and societal discrimination for decades, the violence has worsened in recent years. After a major outbreak of violence in 2012, Buddhist-Muslim tensions have simmered. The tensions have occasionally bubbled over, and combined with a rise in hardline, Buddhist nationalist sentiment, have resulted in periodic waves of anti-Muslim attacks. How has the world responded to the crisis? Western governments, as well as those in Muslim-majority countries, have put increasing pressure on Myanmar's government to stop the bloodshed and provide equal rights for Rohingya. They have especially been critical of Myanmar's de factor leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, who has said that the international Rohingya problem is being exaggerated. Some of Myanmar's neighbors, including India and China, have been supportive of the campaign, saying the country has every right to secure the "stability" of its territory. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Seoul Conducts Live-Fire Drills to Practice Bombing Key Pyongyang Facilities Sputnik News 09:40 13.09.2017(updated 09:59 13.09.2017) South Korea conducts drills involving German Taurus KEPD 350 and F-15K Slam Eagle fighter jets to practice precision bombing of North Korean key facilities. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Seoul has successfully carried out its first live-fire exercise with the use of German Taurus KEPD 350 air-launched cruise missile, local media reported Wednesday. The exercise took place in the southern Chungcheongnam-do province on Tuesday with the participation of F-15K Slam Eagle fighter jets, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing the South Korean Air Force. The drills were aimed at practicing precision bombing of North Korean key facilities as well as at testing the integration of the German missiles with South Korean fighter jets, the media outlet said. Seoul plans to accelerate its deployment of the Taurus missile for strengthening its military air power amid the continuing missile and nuclear tests by Pyongyang, according to Yonhap, citing the South Korean military procurement agency Defense Acquisition Program Administration. Taurus KEPD 350 is a high precision long-range air-to-surface missile produced by Taurus Systems, a joint venture of Germany's MBDA Deutschland GmbH and Sweden's Saab Bofors Dynamics and used by Germany and Spain alongside South Korea. South Korea received its first Taurus KEPD 350 missiles in October 2016 and is currently in the course of deploying a total of 170 missiles on its soil. According to media reports, Seoul wants to order another 90 Taurus missiles from Germany. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kremlin Says Russia Proposed Full Normalization With U.S. After Trump's Election RFE/RL September 13, 2017 The Kremlin's chief spokesman said Russian officials made direct proposals to Washington about full normalization of ties between the two countries following President Donald Trump's election, but nothing came of it. The comments by Dmitry Peskov on September 13 appeared to confirm an earlier report by the news outlet BuzzFeed that said two to three months after Trump took office in January Moscow proposed "wholesale restoration of diplomatic, military, and intelligence channels." Those channels had been disrupted or cut in recent years as U.S.-Russian relations spiraled downward over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, Moscow's alleged meddling in the U.S. presidential election, cybersecurity, and other matters. The BuzzFeed report did not indicate whether Russia was prepared to make any concessions as part of its outreach to the United States or change its position on any of the issues that have severely strained relations with Washington. Peskov told Russian news agencies that Moscow indeed made such proposals through diplomatic channels. He did not confirm specifics of the BuzzFeed report, such as when the proposals were handed over, to whom, and what specific steps they contained. "Yes, without question, such proposals were handed to the American side in various formats," he was quoted as saying by TASS and Interfax. "Moscow has systematically pressed for the resumption of dialogue, for an exchange of views, and for efforts to find joint solutions. Unfortunately, we have been met with no such reciprocity," Peskov said. U.S. officials have not commented on either the BuzzFeed report or the Kremlin comments. Russian officials made little effort to hide their support for Trump during last year's U.S. election campaign, and the hope that the two countries would be able to mend fences after he took office. But the Trump administration has instead been hobbled by congressional and FBI investigations into suspicious interactions between Trump aides and Russian officials. Ties plummeted further in recent weeks as Moscow ordered Washington to sharply cut its diplomatic personnel in Russia, and Washington ordered the closure of Russia's consulate in San Francisco. In recent days, Russia's Foreign Ministry has suggested there may be other retaliation against U.S. diplomats, including travel restrictions and taking away some parking privileges at U.S. diplomatic posts. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-united- states-peskov-full-normalization-trump- putin-kremlin/28733871.html Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria moving steadily towards victory: President Assad Iran Press TV Wed Sep 13, 2017 05:49PM Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says despite suffering from foreign-sponsored terrorism for the past seven years, his country is moving steadily towards victory, a day after the Russian military announced that government troops were in control of 85 percent of the whole Syrian territory. The Syrian leader made the remarks in a meeting with the participant in the third International Trade Union Conference (ITUC), which was held in the capital Damascus with the participation of organizations from some 60 countries. The conference kicked off at Sahara Tourist Complex in the Damascus countryside on Monday with the aim of discussing ways of solidarity with the Syrian nation despite persisting militancy in the country and the economic blockade imposed by the West and its impact on the Syrian people. President Assad further stressed the important role of popular organizations and social groups in raising awareness about the realities of the Syrian crisis among the international community and the dangers of terrorism, which is spreading across the globe. He also denounced the "immoral economic embargo" imposed against his country by "certain superpowers" that seek to control other nations, saying the sanctions are in blatant violation of international and humanitarian laws. Syria has been suffering from terrorism and a military, economic, and media war, but it is moving steadily towards victory "thanks to the sacrifices of our army, the steadfastness of our people, and the support of friendly countries," Assad added. The delegation members, for their part, voiced the support of their respective countries' workers and people with the Arab country in its fight against terrorism. They also maintained that the Syrian crisis has had a great impact on the region and the entire world and its repercussions constitute a turning point in human history. On Tuesday, Lieutenant General Aleksandr Lapin, the Russian chief of staff in Syria, announced that Damascus was in control of 85 percent of the Arab country's territories. He added that Syrian forces must now purge terrorists from the country's remaining 15 percent, which amounts to 27,000 square kilometers. Syria has been fighting different foreign-sponsored militant and terrorist groups since March 2011. The Damascus government has repeatedly blamed certain foreign countries for the spread of the devastating militancy. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian forces recapture five towns from Daesh in Homs province Iran Press TV Wed Sep 13, 2017 01:57PM Syrian government troops, backed by fighters from allied popular defense groups, have taken back more areas from Daesh terrorists in the country's central province of Homs, a day after the Russian military announced that government troops were in control of 85 percent of the whole Syrian territory. According to Syria's official SANA news agency on Wednesday, the Syrian forces managed to establish control over Zagroutiyeh, Darwishiyeh, Luwaibdeh, Ghuniman, and Umm Sagh, in the eastern parts of Homs earlier in the day. The report, citing unnamed military sources, added that some 70 square kilometers had been liberated in the operation. Army units, in cooperation with the allied fighters, also eliminated scores of Daesh militants and destroyed their weapons and equipment, including armored vehicles, they further said. During the operation, engineering units dismantled landmines and explosive devices planted by Daesh terrorists along the roads and squares of the recaptured towns, the sources said, adding that the troops also restored control over Unk al-Hawa, Um al-Tababin and al-Khan villages. On Tuesday, Lieutenant General Aleksandr Lapin, the Russian chief of staff in Syria, announced Damascus was in control of 85 percent of the Arab country's territories. He added that Syrian forces must now purge terrorists from the remaining 15 percent of the country, which amounts to 27,000 square kilometers. Last week, Syrian government forces, backed up by Russia airstrikes, reached Dayr al-Zawr on the Euphrates River, breaking a three-year-long terrorist siege on the city and a nearby air base. Daesh overran large parts of Dayr al-Zawr province, including its many oil fields, in mid-2014 as it seized swathes of land in Syria and neighboring Iraq. By early 2015, the Takfiri terrorists were in control of some parts of Dayr al-Zawr city and besieged the remaining parts, which were under government control. It is estimated that 100,000 people remain in the government-held parts of the city. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates that more than 10,000 people may be living in the Daesh-held parts of Dayr al-Zawr. Syria has been fighting different foreign-sponsored militant and terrorist groups since March 2011. The Damascus government has repeatedly blamed certain foreign countries for the spread of the devastating militancy. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran signs deals to repair Syrian power grid Iran Press TV Wed Sep 13, 2017 06:16AM Tehran has signed deals worth "several hundred million euros" with Damascus to repair Syria's power grid in the Aleppo city and the provinces of Latakia and Dayr al-Zawr. Syrian Electricity Minister Mohammad Zuhair Kharboutli traveled to Tehran as his country is looking to friendly states to help rebuild the country after more than six years of war with foreign-backed terrorists. Syria's civilian infrastructure has been battered under the ferocious conflict but Kharboutli said Tuesday the government is working relentlessly to restore the power system and that Iranian companies will have a role in rebuilding Syria. The reconstruction of the country comes amid the Syrian army making steady advances in recent months and taking back cities and towns from terrorists. "We are glad that good news is coming out about the situation in Syria theses days, and the terrorists are facing defeat and complete elimination," Sattar Mahmoudi, Iran's caretaker energy minister, said during the signing ceremony. The contracts include building a power plant in the coastal province of Latakia with a capacity of 540 megawatts and restoring the main control center for Syria's electricity grid in the capital Damascus. Iranian companies will also rehabilitate a 90-megawatt power station in Dayr al-Zawr province, where the Syrian army has made swift advances against Daesh terrorists in recent days, and another in the Homs province. Two contracts were signed, including for Iran to supply power to Aleppo city, which the Syrian military and its allies fully regained last year in a major blow to terrorists. The memorandum further involves the establishment of five gas turbines, each with a capacity of 125 megawatts in in Baniyas, SANA news agency reported. Tehran has already assured Syria to expand its cooperation to construct water and sewerage facilities in the Arab country. Mahmoudi said the capacities of Iranian companies in production, distribution and transmission of power and power plant equipment are unique in the region and many Iranian products are able to compete with the world's leading brands. "The message of Iran's Ministry of Energy is to restore light to the houses of the Syrian people, while the terrorists and their supporters have had no message other than darkness and terror for the Syrian people in the past few years," he said. In May 2013, Iran agreed to provide Syria with a $3.6 billion credit line for imports of goods and commodities and implementing civilian projects. Iranian firms are already involved in a series of electricity generation projects worth $660 million in Syria, according to Energy Ministry officials. A plan has been mooted for exports of Iranian electricity to Syria which would hook up Iran's national grid with those of Iraq and Lebanon, creating the biggest power network in the Islamic world. Damascus was a major ally of Tehran during eight years of the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's war on the Islamic Republic in the 1980s and Iran now feels obliged to return the favor. "During these years, the Iranian nation and the government have stood with the Syrian people in the worst conditions, and we certainly will not leave the Syrians alone in the difficult conditions of reconstruction," Mahmoudi said. In January, the two countries signed several agreements during a visit by Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis to Tehran, under which the Islamic Republic would build a mobile service operator in the Arab country. Under the deals, Syria would grant a license to Iran to operate the Arab country's third mobile service provider and allow the Islamic Republic to set up a petrol terminal on 5,000 hectares of land. Syria would also give Iran 5,000 hectares of farmland and commission the operation of phosphate mines in Sharqiya and a port in the Arab country to Iranian companies, IRNA reported then. Khamis traveled to Tehran with a large business delegation, with Iran's Vice President Es'haq Jahangiri saying the visit marked "a new page for economic activities between the two countries." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deir ez-Zor Victory 'Important', But Not Enough to Eliminate Terror - UN Chief Sputnik News 13:15 13.09.2017(updated 15:35 13.09.2017) The United Nations chief has commented on the liberation of Deir ez-Zor by the Syrian army with Russia's aerial assistance. UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) The liberation of Syria's Deir ez-Zor is important, but terrorism will not be eliminated in Syria by these operations alone, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in an interview with Sputnik. "It will be an important factor, but I have no illusions that we will not eliminate terrorism just by these military operations. These, of course, are very important. To eliminate terrorism, we also need to address several of its root causes and so a political solution is also a very important instrument," Guterres said. Last week marked the lifting of the three-year Daesh siege of the city of Deir ez-Zor and the liberation of a local airfield, which had kept more than 1,000 Syrian troops locked in since January. However, the fighting to fully liberate the area is still underway. The successful Deir ez-Zor operation was the biggest breakthrough against Daesh since the terrorist group first launched an offensive in the province. The terrorists had been blockading Deir ez-Zor since 2014, with food and other supplies only being airlifted into the city. The group also took control over a large swath of the province of Deir ez-Zor and cut off roads to government-held districts. However, the operation to fully liberate the city of Deir ez-Zor and surrounding area from Daesh terrorists conducted by the Syrian army with the assistance of Russian warplanes is still underway. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Erdogan remains defiant as NATO allies criticize S-400 deal with Russia Iran Press TV Wed Sep 13, 2017 06:26PM Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dismissed criticism from his NATO allies over his country's purchase of Russia's strategic S-400 missile defense systems, saying Ankara would not "wait for" the Western military alliance to help Ankara with security affairs. "They went crazy because we made the S-400 agreement. What were we supposed to do, wait for you?" the Turkish head of state said during a speech in Ankara on Wednesday. "We are taking and will take all our measures on the security front." Erdogan said Monday that Turkey had already paid a deposit for two batteries of the advanced missile systems. The deal is said to be worth around $2.5 billion. The S-400 system is an advanced Russian missile system designed to detect, track, and destroy planes, drones, or missiles as far as 402 kilometers away. It has previously been sold only to China and India. Before gravitating towards Russia, the Turkish military walked out of a $3.4 billion contract for a similar Chinese system. The withdrawal, reports said, took place under pressure from the United States, which dominates NATO, of which Turkey is a member. Neither the S-400 nor its Chinese equivalent FD200 is compatible with other NATO military systems, meaning that they are not bound by NATO's instructions that prevent Turkey from using such weapons. During his speech, Erdogan said his country had to go for the Russian missile system after Western companies failed to offer "financially effective" alternatives. His explanations, however, did not stop the outpouring of criticism from the US and other members of the military alliance. "A NATO interoperable missile defense system remains the best option to defend Turkey from the full range of threats in its region," Pentagon spokesman Johnny Michael said in a statement. Erdogan remained defiant, making it clear on Tuesday that "nobody has the right to discuss the Turkish republic's independence principles or independent decisions about its defense industry." Ankara's ties with its Western allies in NATO have been strained over a range of issues. Erdogan has been critical of Washington for supporting Kurdish groups in Syria that it says are responsible for terror attacks inside Turkey. The Turkish president has also slammed American officials for rejecting his requests to hand over Fetullah Gulen, a powerful opposition figure living in the US. Turkey has also been at odds with Germany, another NATO member, over its widespread crackdown of people it blames for last year's botched military coup against Erdogan's government. The spat has prompted Germany to restrict its arms sales to Turkey. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey EU membership far off: European Commission chief Iran Press TV Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:00AM The head of the European Commission (EC) urges Turkey to stop comparing EU leaders to "Nazis," saying Ankara's behavior has cast chances of its EU membership far-off. Jean-Claude Juncker made the remarks during the State of the European Union address to the members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France. He said Turkey has for some time been "moving away from the European Union in leaps and bounds." He pleaded with the country to free European journalists and criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the government in Ankara for calling EU leaders "fascists and Nazis." "Sometimes I get the feeling Turkey is intentionally placing these roadblocks so that it can blame Europe for any breakdown in accession talks," he said. "As for us, we will always keep our hands stretched out towards the great Turkish people and those who are ready to work with us on the basis of our values," he added. There are 12 German political prisoners in Turkey, including Turkish-German journalist Deniz Yucel, the Istanbul correspondent for the Die Welt newspaper, who has spent more than 200 days in custody, and is to go on trial on "terror" charges. The country has also put a number of French journalists behind bars, including a student named Loup Bureau. "I appeal to the powers that be in Turkey, let our journalists go," Juncker said. On occasions, the Turkish head of state has also called the entire Europe "fascist and cruel" and claimed that Germany is "still a Nazi country." Juncker said Ankara's attitude "rules out EU membership for Turkey in the foreseeable future." Turkey has been attempting to become part of the EU for decades. The process has been mired in problems, and only 16 of the 35 chapters in the accession procedure have been opened for Ankara so far. Membership prospects took a direct hit after the July 2016 coup attempt against Ankara, following which the government launched a heavy-handed crackdown on those suspected of having links with coup plotters. Over 50,000 people have so far been jailed pending trial, while nearly 150,000 individuals have also been fired or suspended from jobs in the public and private sectors in the purge. Most recently, Turkish authorities have issued detention warrants for 79 former school employees over alleged links to the coup. They were suspected of using ByLock, an encrypted messaging app which the government says was used by the network of US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom it accuses of orchestrating the putsch. Gulen denies the claim. The EU has expressed concerns over the crackdown on suspected dissidents, saying the coup attempt is being used as a pretext by the Turkish government to quash opposition across the nation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Erdogan Says Turkey's Deal With Russia on S-400 Supplies 'Made US Furious' Sputnik News 12:40 13.09.2017(updated 20:59 13.09.2017) Erdogan has commented on Washington's reaction to the Ankara-Moscow deal on S-400 systems' supplies a day after a contract had been signed. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey's deal with Russia on the supplies of S-400 missile systems "made the United States furious." "Did we need to wait for you [the US]? We take and will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure our national security. We are the hosts in our own house," the Turkish leader emphasized. He added that after the US and Israel had refused to supply combat drones to Turkey, Ankara developed and began to produce them itself, causing the two states' concern. On Tuesday, Erdogan said that Ankara had made the first payment for the Russian S-400 systems. The Pentagon told Sputnik later in the day that the US had informed Turkish authorities of its concerns over the country's purchase of the Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, citing Ankara's membership in NATO as a reason for the state to defend itself by means of the alliance's "interoperable missile defense system." When asked whether Turkey's membership in NATO would become an obstacle to S-400 deliveries, the Kremlin aide said earlier that "each party undertakes commitments determining what it has the right to do with the delivered weapons, and what it cannot do. The S-400 is Russia's next-generation air defense system. It carries three different types of missiles capable of destroying aerial targets at short-to-extremely-long ranges. It is designed to track and destroy various types of aerial targets, from reconnaissance aircraft to ballistic missiles. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Commission President Rules Out Turkish Membership in Foreseeable Future By Henry Ridgwell September 13, 2017 The head of the European Union Commission has ruled out Turkish membership of the bloc for the "foreseeable future" because of human rights concerns. In his annual State of the Union address Wednesday, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker cited human rights concerns as the reason. Addressing other topics, Juncker struck an upbeat tone compared to his annual address last year, which came in the wake of Britain's vote to quit the bloc. "Europe's economy is finally bouncing back and with it our confidence this leads me to believe the wind is back in Europe's sails," he told EU lawmakers gathered in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.. "We have now a window of opportunity but it will not stay open forever. Let us make the most of the momentum, catch the wind in our sails," Juncker said the European Union is aiming to complete trade deals with Mexico and South American countries, and to open trade talks with Australia and New Zealand. But he reserved strong criticism for Ankara, highlighting the ongoing trial of dozens of Turkish journalists and opposition activists on terrorism charges. "The rule of law, justice and fundamental values have a top priority in the negotiations and that rules out EU membership for Turkey in the foreseeable future. For some considerable time Turkey has been moving away from the European Union in leaps and bounds. Journalists belong in editorial offices, amidst the heated debate, and not in prisons." Amnesty International, whose Turkey chairperson is among those detained, welcomed the focus of Juncker's speech. "Over 150,000 people actually are facing some kind of prosecution, or loss of their position in the civil service. This situation is intolerable and in terms of human rights in Turkey, dissent is becoming an endangered species," Amnesty's Turkey campaigner Milena Buyum told VOA. Istanbul residents offered mixed feelings on Europe's rebuff Wednesday. 22-year-old Teoman Yilmaz said he understood Brussels' position. "We cannot expect Europeans to be happy with us, especially when our own people are not happy about being here." Fifty five year old resident Cetin Dincer backs the crackdown led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following last year's failed coup. "We have no need for Europe. We're a self-sufficient country, but Europe doesn't want this." Ending Turkey's accession negotiations will be discussed next month at a Brussels summit. Europe's migration crisis will also top the agenda. Juncker praised Italy for "saving the honor of Europe" by continuing to take in thousands of migrants. He pledged to address concerns of horrific conditions at migrant detention centers in Libya. "Europe has got a collective responsibility and the Commission will work hand in hand with the United Nations to bring to an end this scandalous situation," he told lawmakers. As for Brexit, Juncker said Britain would come to regret leaving the bloc, adding the European Union would look at admitting new members after Britain withdraws in 2020. EU officials say Serbia, Albania and Macedonia are the most likely candidates, but no date has been set for their accession. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK will regret leaving EU, warns EU President Jean-Claude Juncker Iran Press TV Wed Sep 13, 2017 01:22PM European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has warned that Britain will regret its decision to leave the European Union, saying that the bloc will "move on" after London's departure. "On March 29, 2019, the United Kingdom will leave the European Union. It will be a moment both sad and tragic. We will always regret it and you will regret it soon," Juncker said Wednesday in his annual state of the union address before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. "Nonetheless we have to respect the will of the British people, but we will have to make progress, we will move on, because Brexit isn't everything it's not the future of Europe," he added. During his defiant speech, Juncker demanded the bloc's enlargement to the east and the adoption of the euro by every EU country. The head of the European Commission, a former prime minister of Luxembourg, said he believed that the EU would continue to enlarge after Brexit and "will have more than 27 member states." The European Commission is one of the main institutions of the EU that is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding EU treaties and managing the day-to-day business of the 28-member bloc. Juncker called for an EU summit in the Romanian city of Sibiu on March 30, 2019, the day Britain would officially depart from the bloc. Last month, Juncker emphasized that Britain must first agree with its divorce terms before any discussions begin on post-Brexit ties. Juncker also said there has to be "sufficient progress" in negotiations over the rights of EU citizens, Northern Ireland's border and the EU (Withdrawal) Bill before any post-Brexit arrangements. UK Prime Minister Theresa May has openly stated that she would take the country out of the EU even if she fails to strike a deal with the bloc. The EU Bill, a piece of legislation that would end the United Kingdom's membership in the EU, passed its first parliamentary hurdle on Monday. Nearly 52 percent of Britons opted to leave the bloc during the EU referendum in June last year. The United Kingdom formally triggered the Brexit process on March 29 and divorce negotiations officially began on June 19. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Former Georgian Leader, Ukraine President Face Off in Charged Political Standoff By Jamie Dettmer September 12, 2017 Former governor of Odessa and onetime Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili was served Tuesday with a legal notice to appear before a Ukrainian court to explain why he broke through a cordon of police and border guards to enter the country from Poland. The legal move adds more drama to a weeks-long political standoff roiling Ukraine between the country's president, Petro Poroshenko, and his onetime ally, Saakashvili, who was stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship in July by the government. Saakashvili, who claims Poroshenko revoked his citizenship illegally after the two fell out, has now sworn to rally opposition parties behind him. He and a rowdy group of supporters, that included five Ukrainian lawmakers, forced their way through the Polish-Ukrainian border Sunday after the authorities tried to deny him entry at other crossing points, first arguing his documents were invalid, and then halting a train he was traveling because of an alleged bomb threat. After breaking through a police cordon at the Shehyni border crossing, Saakashvili made his way to a hotel in nearby Lviv and with opposition leaders Yulia Tymoshenko, a former Ukrainian prime minister, and Andriy Sadovy, looking on he said he planned to rally Poroshenko's political opponents and help them unseat the Ukrainian president over failed promises to reform the country. Saakashvili says he is not seeking the presidency for himself, but wants to see his former friend, Poroshenko, voted out of office at the next elections, scheduled in 2019. "I am fighting against rampant corruption, against the fact that oligarchs are in full control of Ukraine again, against the fact that Maidan has been betrayed," Saakashvili said at a press conference, referring to the anti-government protests that saw pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych ousted from power. In a country that, in the past four years, has witnessed high political drama, invasion and war from the ouster of a Moscow-backed president by popular street protests to the Russian annexation of Crimea and the Kremlin fomenting of conflict and separatism in the Donbas in the east of the country Sunday's circus-like incident may seem minor by comparison. But the clash between the friends-turned-foes is adding to a sense of alarm in the country and undermines Poroshenko's argument that Ukraine is slowly but surely stabilizing and establishing the rule of law, according to analysts. Poroshenko has said Saakashvili will have to face a court for his illegal crossing. "This is a state security issue," the Ukrainian president said in a video address Monday. "I don't care who breaks the state border: fighters in the east, or politicians in the west. There should be direct legal accountability." From friends to foes Saakashvili received Ukrainian citizenship in 2015 from Poroshenko when the president made him governor of Odessa, hoping he would help with the reform of Ukraine following the Maidan uprising. But the hard-charging Saakashvili and Poroshenko, who were old friends from university days, soon fell out. The Georgian accused Poroshenko of abetting corruption; Poroshenko said Saakashvili had failed to deliver any real change as governor and alleged he had lied on his citizenship application form by leaving out information about possible corruption charges he could face in his native country of Georgia. Revoking citizenship rendered Saakashvili stateless, as Georgia revoked his Georgian citizenship when he became a Ukrainian. "I think Poroshenko made a mistake inviting Saakashvili in the first place," said political scientist Oleksy Garan, a professor at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. "He was invited because he was viewed as a successful reformer in Georgia. But he is a man of PR stunts. He didn't perform his job well and he appeared very destabilizing and the two men clashed badly." Like many legal experts, Garan says the revocation of Saakashvili's citizenship may be justified legally. "But from the moral and political point of view, it looked bad. The corruption investigation in Georgia was known about and everyone just turned a blind eye to it before Poroshenko used it to get rid of him," he said. "Saakashvili's antics now are playing into Russian hands Moscow is now saying this shows how Ukraine is a failed state and chaotic." Saakashvili's own popularity ratings in the polls are low, with under two percent of Ukrainians viewing him favorably. But populist sentiments he is beginning to trigger could be used by other opposition leaders and used against Poroshenko, analysts warn. Saakashvili's supporters say they believe the court papers were served on him in Lviv in an effort to prevent the former Georgian president from traveling to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, something he has threatened to do. On Tuesday, Saakashvili said he would tour Ukraine's biggest cities to rally support before heading to Kyiv. He argues he committed no offense by crossing into Ukraine, claiming he was carried by his supporters through the checkpoint and that can't be considered an "illegal breakthrough." Saakashvili also claims he has applied for asylum, and asylum applicants are exempt from penalties for border crossings with invalid papers. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Haiti - Security : Vehicles burned down front to Cabinet Fleurant Tuesday during the violent demonstration against the Government and the budget https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-22098-haiti-flash-violent-protest-against-the-budget-and-the-head-of-state.html two vehicles were burnt in front of the Private Firm of the Minister of Justice Me Aviol Fleurant. In a note issued yesterday at the end of the day, Minister Fleurant, who sees an attempt to burn his Firm and an act directed against his person rather than vandalism, explains : "If serving his country makes the citizen a martyr, it is because the Republic is worth much for this servant hooked to the objective of seeing his people emerge from fear and misery. I am Christian. As such, I forgive the "innocent", manipulated and guided towards my professional mansion, my Firm, to show me their hatred of the human and social virtues. My sympathies to the owners of the burned vehicles ! My sympathies to the victims of this day of terror ! I am of the middle class. Grandson of a peasant. I have in the field of education and solid university studies, built my name and my reputation that more than one have tried to tarnish by envy and bitterness. The truth has rather kept me in my values. I demand, on the other hand, that Justice should act with the utmost rigor against the enemies of the Republic and those of the Haitian people [...]" HL/ HaitiLibre Services set Friday for retired fire chief Hendrix Related Stories Forrest C. Bud Hendrix, who served as a Hendersonville city firefighter for 37 years, including hislast 15 years as fire chief, died peacefully on Tuesday, the city fire department said. Chief Hendrix began his career with the City of Hendersonville Fire Department (HFD) in 1955 serving as a firefighter for 37 years. He advanced through the ranks, becoming Assistant Fire Chief in 1965 and Fire Chief in 1977; where he served until his retirement in 1992. His vision for the Fire Department was immediately felt when Chief Hendrix made major plans for advancement in firefighter training. His first initiative was developing a comprehensive HFD formal training program. He required all firefighters take a 70-hour course in Advanced Firemanship, followed by a 12-hour pump school. He purchased new personal protective gear and radio equipment for firefighters, and arranged for the fire department radio transmissions to be monitored by on-duty police dispatchers. Another major accomplishment was that he changed the inspection process to have all City businesses inspected by Fire Prevention and Inspection Officers. Chief Hendrix initiated programs for HFD to provide fire prevention in City public schools, churches and civic groups. Always an advocate for his Department, he fought to increase the pay of firefighters, due to their advanced certifications, skills and the evolution of fire service needs of the community. Chief Hendrix had a pivotal role in the establishment of the Henderson County Firefighter Training Academy. He had significant leadership roles outside of Henderson County as well. In 1989 Chief Hendrix was appointed as a member of the State of NC Fire Commission, where his main focus was the State Firemans Certification Program. In 1991 he was elected President of the NC Firemens Association. These are a few examples of Chief Hendrixs competence and progressive thoughts and actions for the betterment of the entire firefighting profession. Chief Hendrix exhibited a deep love for serving the City of Hendersonville and the fire service. He had a profound commitment to the firefighters that served with him and went to great lengths to ensure members of the Department had the resources and training they needed to serve their community with integrity and honor, creating a legacy still in place today. After his retirement, Chief Hendrix remained active within the City and HFD community. Chief Hendrix and his wife Vera Toostie would make regular visits to the Fire Department and routinely attended City Council meetings. Chief Hendrixs presence will be missed by all but his legacy will live on. Chief Hendrix was well respected in the fire service and will truly be missed by all that had the privilege to know him," City Fire Chief Joseph Vindigni said in a news release. A funeral service will be held at First United Methodist at 2 p.m. on Friday, with a visitation starting at 12:30. Following the service, The Hendersonville Fire Departments Engine #1 will escort Chief Hendrix to his final resting place at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Shane joins The Sheraton Centre from The Marriott Marquis in Doha, Qatar where he has been the Director of Food and Beverage since October 2012. During his time in Qatar he was responsible for the entire Food and Beverage Operation that included Culinary, Events and 11 of Qatar's top performing Restaurants and Bars, having all been nominated for over 75 culinary and service awards under his leadership. Shane brings a vast amount of operations experience in all disciplines to the team; he has held many senior roles globally spanning over 15 years. He has worked on 3 Continents during his time in hospitality that include Europe, The Middle East and North America. With the hotel at the Centre of it all, Shane will be leading the Sheraton Centre Toronto toward its vision to continue maximizing performance in guest satisfaction, while driving revenues and continuing to solidify the propertys status as a Toronto market leader. ATLANTA Officials of Peachtree Hotel Group (PHG), one of the nation's fastest growing hotel investment and management platforms, today announced the separate, completed acquisitions of the 123-room Element Denver Park Meadows in Colo., the 135-room Hampton Inn Green Bay Downtown in Wis., and the 136-room Aloft Tempe in Ariz. "As we continue to grow our national footprint, we are increasingly focused on westward expansion," said Brent LeBlanc, senior vice president. "While we continue to have great faith in markets east of the Mississippi as evidenced by the Hampton Inn purchase, we believe there are numerous growth opportunities in the West. There are a number of new regions for Peachtree to explore that meet our criteria of strong, secondary and tertiary markets with high barriers to new entry, as well as numerous demand generators that appeal to both business and leisure travelers." Element Denver Park MeadowsLocated at 9985 Park Meadows Drive, the hotel is part of an upscale retail and lifestyle center in Lone Tree's bustling Entertainment District and near Centennial Airport and the Denver Tech Center. The property also is a quick 20-minute light rail trip to INVESCO Field and Downtown Denver. Hotel amenities include a 24-hour Business Center, guest laundromat, Motion Fitness Center, indoor heated pool and complimentary area shuttle service. Hampton Inn Green Bay DowntownSituated at 201 Main Street, near such attractions as KI Convention Center, Lambeau Field and the Oneida Casino, the hotel provides daily, free, hot breakfast, indoor pool, fitness center, meeting space for up to 32 people, a 24-hour business center and a 24-hour Suite Shop. Guest rooms offerclean and fresh Hampton beds, spacious work area, 40-inch flat-screen TV and coffeemaker. Aloft TempeThe property is a LEED certified hotel featuring a loft-inspired design and is nestled between Arizona State University, Sun Devil Stadium and Tempe Town Lake. Guests can unwind in either the Re:mix lounge or W XYZ Bar, workout in the Re:charge gym or splash around in the pool and grab a bite to eat at Re:fuel by Aloft. Guest rooms feature nine-foot ceilings, extra-large windows and the ultra-comfortable Aloft signature platform beds topped with plush bedding and an ergonomic workspace. In addition, Aloft provides the plug & play entertainment center, a one-stop connectivity station capable of charging laptops, cell phones, MP3 players and more, connected to a wall-mounted 42" flat-screen TV. Bret W. Krosschell of Parkway Bank provided the financing and structured the deal for the Aloft hotel. PHG continues to seek additional acquisition and development opportunities. To discuss additional growth possibilities, contact Brent LeBlanc at 713-666-2544 or [email protected]. About Peachtree Group Peachtree is a private equity firm focusing on opportunistically deploying capital across its distinct operating and real estate divisions, including hospitality, commercial real estate lending, residential development and capital markets. Since its founding in 2008, the company has completed hundreds of real estate investments valued at more than $7.0 billion in total market capitalization and currently has $2.3 billion in equity under management. For more information, visit www.peachtreegroup.com. Chris Daly (703) 435-6293 Peachtree Group During the SAHIC South America event today in Buenos Aires, Wyndham Hotel Group President and CEO Geoff Ballotti discussed the future of hospitality opportunities in Argentina and the rest of Latin America, painting a picture of continued growth. In his position at the head of Wyndham, which is one of the five largest hotel companies in the world, Ballotti oversees a total of 200 properties in Latin America and the Caribbean, and he said that recent years have ushered in considerable growth. In fact, Wyndham's portfolio has doubled in the region over the past 3 years, with 24 new hotels added this year. Of those hotels, 17 are in Argentina and came to Wyndham via the company's acquisition of Fen Hotels in late 2016. Ballotti's remarks often address how important it is for the government's in Latin America to work with hotel companies. Last year in the wake of Wyndham's acquisition of Fen Hotels, Ballotti received a call from Argentinian President Mauricio Macri, asking what more the government could do to support the company. As such, Ballotti predicts a rosy future for hospitality growth in Argentina over the coming years. This outlook is not just talk, however, as Wyndham is currently preparing to move its Latin American headquarters to the country. Indeed, Buenos Aires ranks as the most visited country in South America, but not at the top of the list for Latin America. That honor goes to Mexico, which Ballotti also pointed to as a country that is important to Wyndham's operations in the region, saying they have long had a good working relationship with the government there. Mexico has widely and aggressively promoted its country's tourism industry since the 1960, making the nation one of the 10 most visited countries in the world as tourists regularly flock there from the nearby United States and Canada, especially to the country's many beach resort cities, including Cancun, Baja and Puerto Vallarta. Discussing governmental collaboration with hospitality companies further, Ballotti said there are indications that Brazil is beginning to understand the importance of doing so, laying the ground work for work with major players in the industry. Overall, Ballotti and Wyndham believe that revPAR will continue growing throughout Latin America, powered largely by middle class travelers. As such, it is somewhat safe to expect the hospitality industry throughout the region to focus its efforts on attracting those guests. One positive of note for Latin America, Ballotti said, is that the sharing economy website Airbnb has not taken hold in that region as it has in other parts of the world, making conditions there for large hospitality operators a bit more stable. Ballotti's remarks came during an interview with Peter Greenberg, the travel editor for CBS News. The SAHIC South America continues today with a keynote speech from Accor Hotels CEO Sebastien Bazin. Make sure to check back to TOPHOTELNEWS for updates from the second day of the annual must-attend event. The following projects by Wyndham Hotels & Resorts are currently underway in LATAM: Howard Johnson Resort Nautico Spa & Convention Center Carmelo The condohotel has a total area of 7000 m. It has exclusive suites with magnificent views of the Arroyo and Rio de la Plata and will be the first Uruguayan national flag resort with exclusive marinas that will allow river access to nautical boats [READ MORE] Wyndham Papagayo Yu Resort Wyndham Papagayo Yu Resort will be situated along Playa Panama in Guabacaste, an area known for pristine beaches, world-class surfing and lively culture [READ MORE] Howard Johnson La Falda Howard Johnson La Falda will be a superior hotel with a minimalist concept. In a 7000 m2 plot, located in the Villa Eden neighborhood [READ MORE] Jule Grass Marketing Manager +49 4261 4140 309 TOPHOTELPROJECTS Martin Shkreli, the infamous hedge fund supervillain who was convicted of defrauding investors out of tens of millions of dollars, had his bail revoked by a judge on Wednesday (September 13th), citing his social media antics that, according to The Washington Post, posed a danger to the community. Prosecutors are arguing that, while awaiting sentencing for his crimes, Shkreli has been harassing women online and, in a recent Facebook post, was even offering $5,000 for a strand of Hillary Clintons hair. He apologized in writing after the fact, saying that he didnt think that anyone would take his comments seriously. His attorneys asked the judge to give him another chance, but to no avail. The fact that he continues to remain unaware of the inappropriateness of his actions or words demonstrates to me that he may be creating ongoing risk to the community, U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto stated, reversing the bond that had previously been posted. The reasoning is that the act of making such comments on social media was a solicitation of assault, which is not protected by the first amendment, according to the judge. The original report that states that his 70,000 Facebook followers do not take his statements seriously. Shkrelis lawyer Benjamin Brafman added that, Being inappropriate does not make you a danger to the community. Your mileage may vary with a statement like that, but theres no denying that this is just the latest chapter in what has been a pattern of overtly inappropriate behavior for Shkreli. Known primarily as the man who raised the price of an AIDS drug by 5,000 percent, he was later convicted by a Brooklyn jury of defrauding the investors in his hedge funds. He also famously purchased the Wu-Tang Clan album Once Upon A Time In Shaolin for a reported $2 million and, just last week, had put the item up for sale on eBay. The former pharmaceutical industry figure looks like hell take a pretty big hit on the original price he paid for the album, with the bidding currently stalled at just over a million dollars for the Wus one-off release. Martin Shkreli By now, you should probably be aware that theres a good chunk of people who arent fans of Donald Trump. His actions over the course of his presidency have displeased a large chunk of the American people. While many celebrities over time have taken a stand against him, ESPN news anchor Jemele Hill went on Twitter on Sept. 11 to denounce the president, referring to him as a white supremacist. The tweet has since been responded to by ESPN who have said that the comments of their staff isnt a reflection of the company. However, it turns out that the White House has received word pertaining to the comments. In a press conference today, Trumps press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, responded to the comments made by Hill. When a journalist in the media scrum asked Sanders about Hills comments, she said that she believes that Hills comments were outrageous and unacceptable. Sanders said that shes unsure if Trump has received word on the comments however, she thinks the comments are worthy of getting Hill sacked. Sanders said, Im not sure hes aware but I think thats one of the more outrageous comments that anyone could make and certainly something that I think is a fireable offense by ESPN. Its hard to believe that Trump isnt aware, considering how active he usually is on Twitter. However, Hill has not been shy about voicing her opinion on Trump. In the tweets, she said Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists, before following that tweet with, Trump is the most ignorant, offensive president of my lifetime. His rise is a direct result of white supremacy. Period. ESPN has since put out a statement regarding it saying that The comments on Twitter from Jemele Hill regarding the President do not represent the position of ESPN. We have addressed this with Jemele and she recognizes her actions were inappropriate. Many celebrities have since shown their support of the ESPN news anchor. Charlamagne tha God, Michael Rappaport, Gabrielle Union, Dwayne Wade, Colin Kaepernick and many more took to Twitter to back up Jemele Hill. Check out Sarah Huckabee Sanders comments below via TMZ: Rappers do a lot of wild shit, but generally, wearing a dress isnt one of them, unless your name is Jeffery. Even something dress-adjacent, like the short-lived romper caused many people in the hip-hop community to feel some type of way. In fact, Florida rapper Trick Daddy even alluded to hiring hitmen to engage in a Purge-esque cleansing of all men foolish enough to wear a romper. Suffice it to say, the idea of rappers wearing feminine clothing is somewhat of a faux-pas, especially if you choose to go for a full-on dress. On that note, Love And Hip-Hop Atlanta star Yung Joc was recently seen walking the streets in a blue dress, looking like hes about to belt out Let It Go. As there was pretty much no context whatsoever, Twitter immediately took to clowning poor Joc, with some getting downright hostile. Despite that, the majority of the shots were lighthearted, with many pointing out the fact that Joc had seemingly channeled everybodys collective auntie. Well, apparently the rapper has a breaking point, and recently dropped a few video explaining the reasoning behind his foray into cross dressing. The rapper doesnt seem to understand why people are going nuts, citing internet manipulation and teasing that theres a bigger picture at play. Im currently on four television shows says Joc, calmly. In another one, he says he knew the type of backlash he would receive, and fired some shots back at those claiming he sold his soul to the Illuminati. At the end of the day, the rapper explains, he had to man up and put on a fuckin dress. Well, to each their own. Yung Joc Page Content Montreal and Skopje, 14 September 2017 ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu paid an official visit to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia late last week, conducting high-level talks with its President, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, and hand delivering the States ICAO Council President Certificate to the States Director General of Civil Aviation, Mr. Goran Jandreoski. ICAO awards these certificates in recognition of States exemplary aviation safety oversight improvements, as reflected in our 2016 ICAO Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) results, President Aliu stated to the attending audience and officials. The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonias recent commitments and actions will now help ensure its more effective ICAO compliance, establishing an important foundation from which a wide range of sustainable development objectives may now be pursued to the benefit of your local citizens and businesses. Similar priorities were highlighted during President Alius discussions with President Ivanov, where he highlighted further how the effective implementation of ICAOs Standards and policies can greatly assist States in optimizing the benefits established by global aviation connectivity, and in so doing support many State planning and programme targets regarding the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals under Agenda 2030. President Ivanov welcomed this advice and reaffirmed his States commitment to support ICAO in its work and objectives, and notably to bring these priorities to the attention of neighbouring Balkan States. In his discussions with Director General of Civil Aviation Mr. Goran Jandreoski, Dr. Aliu stressed the value in maintaining stability in the top management levels of the Civil Aviation Authority while appreciating an update on its most recent projects, programmes and structural adjustments. Director General Jandreoski also expressed the former Yugoslave Republic of Macedonias hope that ICAO could coordinate assistance and outreach in aid of the States implementation of the ICAO Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), and Dr. Aliu and ICAOs ICAO Regional Director for Europe and the North Atlantic (EUR/NAT), Mr. Luis Fonseca de Almeida, provided a comprehensive explanation on the UN agencys Global Aviation Training and capacity-building programmes. Resources for Editors About ICAO A specialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency, capacity and environmental protection, amongst many other priorities. The Organization serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 191 Member States. ICAO's European and North Atlantic (EURNAT) Office ICAO's No Country Left Behind initiative Contacts Anthony Philbin Chief, Communications aphilbin@icao.int +1 514-954-8220 +1 438-402-8886 (mobile) Twitter: @ICAO William Raillant-Clark Communications Officer wraillantclark@icao.int +1 514-954-6705 +1 514-409-0705 (mobile) Twitter: @wraillantclark LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/raillantclark/ We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector We work towards an equitable, gender-just, self-reliant and sustainable fisheries, particularly in the small-scale, artisanal sector Bangalore, Sept 14 (IBNS): Infosys Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Infosys, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Visakha Jilla Nava Nirman Samithi (VJNNS) to construct 100 gravity fed water supply systems in tribal villages of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The endowment of INR 5.92 crore will be used to promote good sanitation practices and create efficient water management systems in all target villages. VJNNS an NGO in Andhra Pradesh, aims at making potable drinking water available to remote tribal villages in the districts of Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam. Through this partnership, Infosys Foundation intends to provide an impetus to VJNNSs objective of constructing a gravity fed water supply system that will help 100 tribal villages and 40,000 beneficiaries using pipelines. This will not only help enhance health but also aid in reducing water-borne diseases. Speaking about the MoU, Sudha Murty, Chairperson of Infosys Foundation, said, Drinking water supply and sanitation in India continue to be a key concern. The Foundation endeavors to promote good sanitation practices and aims to train local communities to effectively manage water supply systems through workshops. Under this project, local communities will also be taught to manage a village development fund. New Delhi, Sep 14 (IBNS): Plan India, a child development organisation committed to creating a lasting impact in the lives of vulnerable and excluded children, their families and communities, said it initiated its humanitarian response with an immediate provision of distributing food and non-food relief items to the most vulnerable families in the worst affected areas in Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai. So far, Plan India has reached out to 5,084 families across these four states and aims to reach 20,000 families through its relief efforts, it said. Through the relief assistance especially targeted towards women and children, Plan India is mitigating the scarcity of portable safe drinking water, preventing critical infection and malnutrition, addressing unavailability of safe spaces for children and providing supplementary nutritious food for children and lactating mothers. In Assam, Plan India reached out to 3464 families in Mayong Block through distribution of hygiene kits, water kits and shelter kits. Ten Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) catering to almost 277 children are functional. CFS shall continue until Sept 30. Plan India would also reach out to 2250 more families in Morigaon district, targeting flood affected families in Mayong, Laharighat and Bhuragaon blocks. The affected families with be provided with hygiene kits, water kits and shelter kits. In Bihar, Plan India has initiated response to reach out to 1000 families in the villages of Sitamarhi and Muzzafurpur districts. The relief items includes providing tarpaulins, sanitation and supplementing nutrition for pregnant and lactating mothers and children (0-5yrs). In the next phase, Non-Food Items (NFI) kits will be provided to 2500 families and education kits to 2500 families. Activities such as repairing of schools including hand pumps, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) centres and health camps are being planned. In Uttar Pradesh, Plan India is reaching out to Laxmipur Block in 5 gram panchayats and 15 villages. In total 1287 households are affected and Plan India is reaching out to 870 families through Sanitation and hygiene Kits. In Mumbai, Plan India is providing relief assistance to more than 2000 families in three most affected areas that includes Garibnagar, Patelnagar and Pipeline. Plan India is supporting these families with water purification tablets, mosquito control measure, comprehensive health services and educational materials. Bhagyashri Dengle, Executive Director, Plan India said Overall, in all four states, we have ensured that our emergency humanitarian assistance and relief efforts reach out to the most vulnerable women and children. Special provisions are also being made to provide safe and secure spaces for children until the situation returns to normalcy. Kolkata, Sept 14 (IBNS): IDP Education India, a student placement service provider, organized UK, USA, Canada and New Zealand Education Fair in Kolkata at The Park for students aspiring to pursue their higher education abroad. The IDP Education Fair in Kolkata had university and institution representatives as well as faculties came together to meet Indian students looking forward to study in these countries. 288 students participated in the fair. IDP Education hosted the Study Abroad Education Fair in India across 15 cities starting Sept 10. Spread over a period of two weeks, the fair kick-started from Jalandhar and will conclude in the southern city of Coimbatore on Sept 26. The fair is witnessing over 88 universities and colleges from the UK, USA, Canada and New Zealand interacting with Indian students and parents. IDPs Education Fair offered students the opportunity to explore various study options available across these four countries. The fair will be held in the cities of Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Bangalore, Vijayawada, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kochi & Coimbatore in addition to Kolkata. Harmeet Pental, Regional Director (South Asia, North America & UK), IDP Education, said, IDP Education is worlds leading student placement service provider and organizes education fairs across the IDP global network. With over 200 university partners across the 5 major English speaking destinations, IDP is best placed to offer students the choice to find the course best suited to them. With an experience of over 45 years, IDP places one student every 20 minutes across the globe and has placed over 400,000 students worldwide. Piyush Kumar, Country Director, India & Nepal - IDP Education said, IDP India seeks to provide a platform for students to come and have a face-to-face interaction with the university representatives and get answers to all their queries related to studying abroad. One can also visit the IDP office to pre-register for the education fair and experience priority processing and detailed counseling with IDPs well trained and experience destination counselors." "Our goal is to assist and guide the students & parents with the right advice through all the steps from initial exploratory stage of course and university selection to application submission to arrival on campus, added Kumar. Image: Wallpaper New Delhi, Sep 14 (IBNS): A cabbie was booked in the national capital after he was found guilty of deceiving a woman and raping her, reports said. Based on complaint by the victim, the police arrested the criminal from his home. The incident took place on Tuesday early morning. Though the victim has not yet been identified, she hails from Jharkhand was in Delhi to meet a relative. The driver has been identified as Chinnu Mehto, 30. The driver had offered the victim a ride after misleading her with train information and later drove the car to a secluded place and raped her. According to the victim's testimonial, the driver also threatened her of gang-raping if she didn't comply with his demands. Following the deed, the victim was dropped off near Old Delhi Railway Station from where she made a PCR call. Upon hearing her story, cops tracked and interrogated the driver and later arrested him. Image: Wallpaper Ahmedabad, Sep 14 (IBNS): Launching the bullet train in Ahmedabad, a project that is invested by Japan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said it is an example of strong relationship between India and Japan. PM Modi launched one of his dream projects along with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. The train will run between Ahmedabad and Mumbai from 2022. Congratulating the people of Ahmedabad and Mumbai, the Prime Minister said: "Bullet train brings fast pace, fast development, fast technology and fast results." "The project will bring both the business and speed." The total cost of the bullet train project is 1,10,000 crore rupees out of which 88000 crore rupees will be charged at 0.1 per cent interest by Japan. PM Modi, during his speech, claimed the project will certain have an impact on the lives of poor people. "If technology used for poor, combating poverty becomes easier." He said the bullet train will certainly facilitate the country with the productivity and income. "Economic development will occur. Growth will occur when there is productivity," he said. Abe, who is on a two-day visit to the country, is presently in Gujarat. Speaking about the Indo-Japanese partnership in making the bullet train in India, Abe said: "Both the powerful nations are with each other. We (India and Japan) are no longer opponent countries but transferred into a global strategic partnership." Though the project initially sought to take six years, today both the top leaders said it is expected that it will be completed by 2022. Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, railway minister Piyush Goyal are present at the launching event. Railway minister Piyush Goyal believes India will be gainer in the bullet train project. "The bullet train project will not only create developments but also fulfill PM Modi's dream of New India." "The project will benefit the common people of the country at a low cost. I have full faith that bullet train made with Japan's technology will boost the Make In India initiative," the railway minister said. Rupani said, with the bullet train, Indo-Japanese relationship reached a new height. "We are connected with Japan through business partnership." "We will bring employment to thousands of youth of Gujarat and Maharashtra" the Gujarat CM said. Maharashtra CM Fadnavis too thanked Japanese PM Abe for lending support to India to make bullet train. Mumbai, Sep 14 (IBNS) : The Bombay High Court on Thursday rejected the anticipatory bail applications of Ryan International School's founder and Chairman Augustine Pinto, Managing Director Grace and CEO Ryan Pinto, reports said. The Court said that it will provide them interim protection from arrest till Friday, if they surrender their passports on Thursday. Augustine Pinto, his wife Grace and son Ryan had moved the top court seeking anticipatory bail after the school became the centre of a storm following the gruesome murder of a seven-year-old student inside the institute premises in Gurgaon on Friday last. The Bombay High Court on Tuesday had granted interim relief to Augustine Pinto, Grace Pinto, and Ryan Pinto from getting arrested. Ryan Pinto, the school groups CEO claimed that the school was a victim of unfortunate circumstances Pradyuman Thakur, a class two student, was found dead in a pool of blood inside the washroom with his throat slit open. A conductor of the school's bus was arrested in connection with the incident. He allegedly confessed to have committed the crime after failing to sexually abuse the child. As a massive outrage prevailed over the shocking incident, police have arrested two top officials of the school while the Supreme Court has accepted a petition from the victim's father for a CBI probe into it. Meanwhile, The CBSE on Thursday issued a circular with guidelines for schools, regarding safety of children in schools premises. Srinagar, Sep 14 (IBNS) : Security forces on Thursday gunned down Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Ismail, who was involved in the attack on Amarnath pilgrims, reports said. Another terrorist was also killed in the encounter that took place in Nowgam on the outskirts of Srinagar. Ismail was also the operations chief of the LeT in the valley. Eight pilgrims were killed when militants attacked them on their way to Amarnath in July. Details of the Nowgam encounter is awaited. New Delhi, Sep 14 (IBNS): The Congress has lashed out at the Narendra Modi government over the launch of the country's first bullet train on Thursday and accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using the project as an electoral tool ahead of the Gujarat Assembly election, terming it as an "electoral bullet train". The country's principal opposition party, the Congress, accused the Modi government for devising the same policy of announcing packages and benefits ahead of every state election. Senior Congress leader, Mallikarjun Kharge, was quoted by NDTV as saying: "It is a matter of deep concern that while the Prime Minister once again adopted a UPA (government) project, it took him three-and-a-half years to come to this stage of laying the foundation stone. It is only timed with the Gujarat elections (slated for later this year) in mind...This is nothing but an 'electoral (chunavi) bullet train'." However, he feels Modi will not be successful this time with the launch of the bullet train project, months before the Gujarat Assembly election. PM Modi launched one of his dream project along with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Thursday. The train will run between Ahmedabad and Mumbai from 2022. The total cost of the bullet train project is Rs. 1.10 lakh crore out of which Rs. 88000 crore will be charged at 0.1% interest by Japan. Congratulating the people of Ahmedabad and Mumbai, PM Modi said: "Bullet train brings fast pace, fast development, fast technology and fast results." "The project will bring both the business and speed," he added. Kolkata, Sep 14 (IBNS): Acting on a tip off, Kolkata Police's Special Task Force (STF) on Thursday evening arrested Bangladeshi terrorist group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB)'s leader Burhan Sheikh in connection with the Khagragarh blast case from central Kolkata, officials said. According to reports, the nearly 30-year-old militant was held from B.B. Ganguly Street area under Muchipara Police Station limits in central part of the city. "Acting on specific source inputs, we nabbed JMB leader Burhan Sheikh, who was one of the key accused in Burdwan blast case, from Muchipara area on Thursday evening," a senior official of city police's STF told IBNS. "Burhan Sheikh hails from Simulia under Mangalkot Police Station limits in West Bengal's East (Purba) Burdwan district and he had been absconding since the blast took place in 2014," the official added. "The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had declared Burhan Sheikh as most wanted and announced a reward of Rs. 3 lakh for his apprehension." The militant will be produced before Bankshall Court in Kolkata on Friday, officials said. The Burdwan blast occurred on Oct 2 in 2014 at Khagragarh area in West Bengal's East Burdwan (then Burdwan) district when an IED exploded in a house. The blast led to the killing of two bomb makers and discovery of a cache of arms and ammunition. Few days later, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over probe in the matter and filed a charge sheet later before a special court in Kolkata, framing 30 accused under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and several sections of IPC and Arms Act. A link with the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) was established in the course of investigation into the blast. (Reporting by Deepayan Sinha) Internet Screen Grab New Delhi, Sept 14 (IBNS): The government of India has decided to assist Bangladesh in combating the humanitarian crisis that arose in the country due to heavy influx of refugees from neighbouring Myanmar. The Indian government has decided to send relief materials. The Indian Air Force was tasked to airlift the relief material from India to Bangladesh. One C-17 Globemaster strategic heavy lift cargo aircraft was positioned at short notice in Delhi on Wednesday to airlift 55 Tons of relief material to Chittagong in Bangladesh. This aircraft was loaded overnight with relief material consisting of critical daily necessities viz., rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, ready to eat meals, mosquito nets etc. The C-17 carrying relief material departed early Thursday morning and routed via Kolkata to pick up additional load. One more C-17 is scheduled to airlift additional relief material to Bangladesh. The Indian Air Force rose to the challenge and played a pivotal role to further strengthen the close ties of friendship between India and Bangladesh, an official government statement said. Kolkata, Sep 14 (IBNS): At least one person was killed and another seriously injured in an explosion that took place at an illegal fireworks factory-cum-warehouse at Bibiganj area in West Bengal's West Medinipur district on Thursday late evening, reports said. According to locals, a loud explosion was heard from a house at Bibiganj where firecrackers were being made and stored illegally. Local police and one fire tender rushed to the scene and started rescue operation. "We rescued two persons- a man and a woman- from the house and sent them to a local hospital where one of them was pronounced dead," an official of state fire and emergency services told IBNS. According to police reports, the deceased has been identified as Momtaj Khatun while her husband Mani Rafique is currently undergoing treatment. A local police official told IBNS, "There was no fireworks factory at the house. Firecrackers were stored there illegally which might have led to the explosion." "We have started probe into the matter and detained one person for interrogation," the official added. (Reporting by Deepayan Sinha) New York, Sept 14(Just Earth News): United Nations Secretary-General AntAnio Guterres on Wednesday reiterated his call for Muslims from Myanmar's Rakhine state to be granted nationality or at least a legal status that would allow them to lead a normal life, while also urging the international community to help provide assistance for the nearly 380,000 people who have fled into Bangladesh. I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law, and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country, the Secretary-General said in his first press conference since the opening of the 72nd session of the General Assembly. Guterres repeated his call for an effective action plan to address the root causes of the situation, which he said he been left to fester for decades and has now escalated beyond Myanmar's borders, destabilizing the region. The Security Council is due to discuss the situation this afternoon in an urgent closed-door meeting, following an official letter from the Secretary-General expressing his concern. The humanitarian situation is catastrophic, he said, noting that people are arriving hungry and malnourished and finding shelter in makeshift settlements or with host communities. I urge all countries to do what they can for humanitarian assistance to be provided, Guterres said. He also called on Myanmar authorities to ensure delivery of aid by UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and others. The humanitarian community has this week launched a $77 million appeal to aid some of the stateless refugees for the next three months. Political solution needed for Korean peninsula Also in on Wednesday's press briefing, Guterres reiterated his call for a political solution to the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). He said that nuclear and missile tests by the county created great instability and tension on the Korean peninsula, throughout the region and beyond. Unity in the Security Council is critical. This week's unanimous adoption of a new resolution sends a clear message that the DPRK must comply fully with its international obligations, Guterres said referring to new sanctions, which among other measures, limit the imports of crude oil and oil products, ban textile exports, and prevent new visas for DPRK workers overseas. Despite calling on countries to ensure full implementation of this and other relevant Security Council resolutions, Guterres urged the Council to use diplomacy whenever possible. Mediation and gender initiatives launched The UN chief also announced two initiatives on Wednesday that he said would strengthen the UN's work and which are part of his broader reform agenda. Reiterating his call for a surge in diplomacy, Guterres announced a new High-Level Advisory Board on Mediation which will be comprised of 18 internationally-recognized personalities who bring experience and skills, deep knowledge and extensive contacts to this task. He also launched his gender parity strategy for the United Nations, which aims to achieve parity at senior levels by 2021, and across the board by 2028. This roadmap fulfils an urgent need, a moral duty, an operational necessity and a personal priority, he said. While lauding the appointment of 17 women and 15 men to his Senior Management Group, Guterres said change must be made in attitudes and approaches. We must lead by example on gender equality and women's empowerment, which is one of the greatest human rights challenges and opportunities in our world, he said. Concerns about Central African Republic Among other issues raised during the press conference, Guterres highlighted the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR), which has seen a rise of 37 per cent in refugees and displaced persons in the past three months. This is grave cause for concern in a country where more than half the population are in dire need of assistance. I hope global leaders will give this crisis their attention during their talks next week, he said. A high-level event on CAR is scheduled for Tuesday. UN Photo/Mark Garten Source: www.justearthnews.com New York, Sept 14(Just Earth News): Concerned by the political crisis in Guinea-Bissau, the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday urged political actors to aput the interests of [the people] above all other considerationa and called on the country's leaders to engage in genuine dialogue, find common ground and implement the Conakry Agreement of 14 October 2016, including by appointing a consensus Prime Minister, as required by that accord. In a statement read out by Tekeda Alemu, of Ethiopia, which holds the Council's presidency for September, the 15-nation body expressed deep concern about the unresolved political impasse in Guinea-Bissau, citing the inability of its leaders to reach a lasting and consensual solution, and the failure of both the National Assembly to hold plenary sessions since January 2016, and of four consecutive Governments to adopt a work programme and national budget. Urging political actors to place the people's interests above all other considerations, the Council called upon national leaders including the President, Speaker of Parliament and the heads of political parties to abide by their commitments to restore political stability and refrain from rhetoric and acts that might undermine peace and national cohesion. Implementation of the Conakry Agreement, the primary framework for a peaceful resolution of the political crisis, could help restore confidence and enable the international community to fulfil pledges made at the 2015 Brussels Conference, it stated. The causes of instability in Guinea-Bissau remain unaddressed, the Council noted, stressing the need for the Government to continue to take concrete steps in such areas as security sector reform, reinforcing the judicial system's fight against corruption, improving public administration and providing basic services to the population. Underlining the importance of legislative and presidential elections scheduled for 2018 and 2019, respectively, the Council stressed that implementation of the Conakry Agreement would bring Guinea-Bissau closer to political stability and bolster public confidence in advance of the voting. The Council also welcomed the extension by an additional three months of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ECOMIB), calling for its continued operation beyond that extension. UN Photo/Loey Felipe (file) Source: www.justearthnews.com New York, Sept 14(Just Earth News): While the efforts of the Governments in Africa's Lake Chad Basin have diminished Boko Haram's combat capacity in the region, the terrorist group has changed its tactics, increasing the use of suicide attacks, the top United Nations political official reported to the Security Council on Thursday. UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman said the coordinated efforts among the region's Governments, including through the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) had without question yielded encouraging progress in the fight against Boko Haram. Unfortunately, the fight is far from over, he said, noting that the group had shifted its tactics in the wake of these efforts, and some 130 attacks attributed to Boko Haram in the four affected countries Nigeria, followed by Cameroon, Niger and Chad in June and July resulted in 284 civilian fatalities, a significant increase compared to 146 attacks and 107 civilian fatalities in April and May. At the political level, he said that the UN Special Representatives for Central and West Africa and the Sahel proposed a regional strategy to address the root causes of the Lake Chad Basin crisis, which would be based on ownership by the countries and subregional organizations concerned: the Economic Community for Central African States (ECOWAS) and the Lake Chad Basin Commission. On the development front, Feltman noted that the current crisis has wreaked havoc on basic infrastructure, as well as government resources and services. Indeed, insecurity has sparked large-scale unemployment and left one million school-age children deprived of education. The substantial economic impact of the crisis has reached nearly $9 billion across north-east Nigeria alone. Poverty, weak state authority, insecurity and climate change explain this situation, with women and girls being the first victims, he said, also noting that conflicts along with all this displacement has eroded, or even broken, intercommunity and intra-community ties. And without robust efforts in peacebuilding, the reintegration of ex-combatants, including Boko Haram and vigilante groups, could create additional tensions. Meanwhile, humanitarian needs are staggering, with 10.7 million people in the region requiring assistance, Feltman stated, noting that the bulk of burden is in Nigeria's north-east. Yet, funding continues to be insufficient, as the appeal for the region, $1.5 billion in 2017, is only funded at 40 per cent. He went on to raise concerns about the human rights situation, noting the continued violations by Boko Haram, including killings, forceful use of children as suicide bombers and sexual and gender-based violence against women and children. Perpetrators must be brought to justice. The UN has also received numerous allegations of serious human rights violations committed in the context of counter-terrorism operations, he said, stressing that the Organization continues to advocate strongly with the MNJTF to put forward a clear strategy to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse, including by recruiting a dedicated gender adviser within its civilian component. While the efforts of the Joint Multinational Force remain essential in resolving the crises, Feltman said the financial investment of the Joint Multinational Force was a major burden on national budgets for development. That is why support from the UN and its Member States is needed more than ever. The complex and increasingly protracted nature of the Lake Chad Basin crisis calls for innovative and integrated solutions that bridge traditional divides between humanitarian and development strategies, he said, noting that a special event scheduled for 21 September in the margins of the UN General Assembly's annual general debate would be an opportunity for the international community to reaffirm its support for the region. Photo: OCHA/Ivo Brandau Source: www.justearthnews.com Ottawa, Sep 14 (IBNS): Canada on Thursday threatened America of retaliation if the US does not withdraw their 'Buy Americans' policy, media reports said. Premier Kathleen Wynne threatened the US of imposing similar trade barriers if the US continues with their 'Buy American' policy. The policy is favoured by the US President Donald Trump. Wynne said she communicated to the commerce secretary of Donald Trump, Wilbur Ross, that "we will retaliate if necessary". "We dont want to do that, but we will if we have to," Wynne said. There will be real damage done on both sides of the border if Buy America takes hold in any way across the country. And the expectation of our industry will be that we will act in accordance, and we will put in place similar barriers, she added. And thats what creates a trade war. And were not interested in that, weve managed to avoid that, we dont want to go there, but we are prepared to. Its what our businesses would expect of us," the Premier was quoted by the Star. Buy Americans policy in general implies that only US firms will be preferred for the US government's projects, hitting the Canadian firms. The US is trying to include the 'Buy American' policy in the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement ) also, though the Canadian government said they are resisting the pressure. Earlier, Wynne's Liberal government has aggressively challenged US President Donald Trump's policies in New York and Texas. Wynne's remarks on Thursday after half-an-hour meeting with Ross is considered to be the toughest and strongest till date. (Reporting by Souvik Ghosh) It's been more than two decades since Congress passed a stand-alone federal recognition bill but six tribes in Virginia are hoping to turn the tide in their favor. The tribes welcomed the first European settlers at Jamestown more than 400 years ago. They signed some of the first treaties with foreign nations and some even settled on the first Indian reservations in what is now known as the United States. Despite the long history, the Chickahominy Tribe , the Chickahominy Indian Tribe - Eastern Division , the Upper Mattaponi Tribe , the Rappahannock Tribe , the Monacan Nation and the Nansemond Tribe are not formally acknowledged by the federal government. A bill slowly making its way through Congress could finally change the situation -- that's if it becomes law. The House passed H.R.984 , the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition Act, by a voice vote on May 17. The bill took another step forward on Wednesday, when it was approved by the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs with unanimous support. The committees vote today is an important step in bringing six Virginia tribes closer to receiving federal recognition, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Virginia), two supporters of the tribes, said in a joint press release on Wednesday. This bill gives Virginias tribes access to the educational and health care services they deserve and allows members of these tribes to properly pay tribute to their ancestors. The action brings the tribes closer to success than at any point in the last decade. A prior version passed the House in 2009 but it stalled in the Senate , where it never came to a committee vote. H.R.984, on the other hand, is the first to clear those same hurdles. But getting the bill over the finish line in the 115th Congress is another story. While the House in the past has embraced tribal recognition bills, they are almost always controversial due to concerns about gaming, jurisdiction and land-into-trust. So even if they clear the chamber, they usually die in the Senate. The Virginia tribes are hoping to avoid the pitfalls with H.R.984. The bill includes an airtight prohibition on gaming and imposes limits on the lands that might be placed in trust by the Bureau of Indian Affairs should they gain federal recognition. But there's no guarantee the conditions will help the bill in the Senate, where conservative lawmakers have routinely held up other tribal recognition bills. Some of those same lawmakers have even held up bills that are tangentially related to recognition, such as housing programs for Native Hawaiians, who also lack formal acknowledgment by the federal government. Artist's rendering of Mantle by Alan Michelson at the State Capitol in Richmond, Virginia. The monument will recognize the significance of tribes in the state. Image: Virginia Indian Commemorative Commission The obstacles explain why the last tribes that gained federal recognition through the legislative process did so when Bill Clinton was president . Congress passed stand-alone recognition bills in the mid-1990s for three tribes in Michigan and another in Alaska. Two more tribes, one in California and another in Oklahoma, gained federal recognition when they were included a large "omnibus" Indian bill in December 2000. It happened to be one of the last bills signed into law by Clinton before he left office a month later. With stand-alone bills seemingly doomed to fail, the "omnibus" or bundling approach has re-surfaced in connection with the Virginia tribes. During the last session of Congress, Republicans added their bill to a larger package that would have stripped the BIA of its authority to make decisions on federal recognition petitions. But that bill never advanced due to widespread opposition in Indian Country, as well as opposition from Democrats and the Obama administration. A key Republican essentially admitted he was putting tribes and the opposite party on the spot by bundling all of the efforts together. Yet there still seems to be some nostalgia for the "omnibus" approach. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana) was prepared to add provisions to extend federal recognition to the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians to H.R.984 but withdrew his amendment at the business meeting on Wednesday. Chief Little Shell was a leader of the Little Shell Tribe in the late 1800s. "I want to make sure these tribes in Virginia are able to get their recognition" without muddying up the debate, Tester said. The Little Shell Tribe had been a part of the doomed recognition bill in the last session of Congress. Despite dropping his amendment, Tester said he plans to "push hard" to secure justice for the tribe, whose federal status is the subject of S.39 , the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians Restoration Act, as well as a federal recognition petition at the BIA. "We stand together in this fight," added Sen. Steve Daines (R-Montana), another member of the committee. "They've waited far too long to be formally acknowledged by the fed government," Daines said of the tribe. "We need to correct this injustice." H.R.984, which can now be considered on the Senate floor, was one of three bills approved at the business meeting on Wednesday. The committee also took action on the following measures: Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Notice: Business Meeting to Consider H.R. 984, S. 1285 & S. 1333 (September 13, 2017) Join the Conversation Related Stories At the 148th regular ministerial session of the Arab League Council in Cairo, Khalid Al Jarallah, Kuwaits Deputy Foreign Minister, said: Despite Kuwaits efforts to open up communication channels for dialogue between Arabian Gulf countries and neighbouring Iran with a view to enhancing regional security and stability, the Islamic Republic continues to interfere in domestic Arab affairs. He continued: The countries in the region still suffer from these interferences, the latest of which took place in my country in what is known as Al Abdali case which impacted Kuwaits efforts to revive dialogue between Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries and Iran. The Al Abdali case refers to a terrorist cell, busted by Kuwaits Interior Ministry in 2015, whose members are reportedly being sheltered by the Iranian Regime. In June, 14 of the terrorists reportedly fled to Iran using small boats to reach a larger Iranian boat which was waiting in International Waters. Kuwait has since released photos in an attempt to locate them. When the terrorist cell was raided, Kuwaiti officials discovered a large store of weapons, ammunitions, and explosives hidden underground at a farm in Abdali, including 24 hand grenades, 65 guns, 56 RPGs and 144kg of bomb-making material. In September 2015, Kuwaits prosecution service tried the 26 defendants, including one Iranian in absentia, for both the illegal possession of weapons, ammunition and explosives and spying for the Iranian Regime and their terrorist proxy Hezbollah. In January, sentences were announced that ranged from death for the Iranian and a Kuwaiti defendant, a life sentence for one defendant, and prison terms ranging from five to 15 years. In his speech Al Jarallah also called for the Iranian Regime to accept international arbitration to settle its dispute with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) regarding the three UAE islands that are currently occupied by Iranian forces He argued that the UN special envoy to Syria must be supported in their mission for a compromise deal, which would lay the groundwork for political change in Syria. The Iranian Regime, on the other hand, supports the Assad dictatorship and would not support political change there. He also called for a conference on the rebuilding of Iraqi cities affected by the war against Daesh, but it is worth noting that the Iranian Regime is looking to capitalise on Iraqs destruction and put down roots there, so they would not support a rebuilding effort. Arts Aung Myint Turns Everyday Objects into Art Aung Myints art exhibition Expedition will be showcased at Myanm/art Art Gallery on Bogalayzay Street from September 8 to 18. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy To ordinary people, paper pulp is just trash. But in the hands of Aung Myint, it can be anythinga bridegroom with a rose in his chest or a soldier covered in blood. Likewise, home appliances such as irons, kettles, plates, and pots have become artistic items in his hands. Aung Myint has been a part of Myanmars modern art movement since the 1970s, and his artwork has evolved over the decades to include abstract painting, installation, ceramic art and performance. Known to many as the father of contemporary art in Myanmar, he is applauded for encouraging and inspiring many of Myanmars most well-respected artists and curators. He is one of the pioneers of installation art in Myanmar and made a name for himself with his hit series Mother and Child. He has showcased traditional Myanmar items like triangular brass gongs and flower vases in his showcases abroad. For his most recent show, he took pulp from Thailands Chiang Mai and transformed it on canvas. About the painting Brides, he said: It is about my inspiration and creation. I put a pocket on a bridegroom and stuck a rose onto it. About Warriors Wear, he said: The pulp is holey. I thought about what I could do with it. Then, I put red paint in the holes as I got the idea of a soldier shot and killed with bullet wounds. His art exhibition Expedition will be showcased at Myanm/art Art Gallery on Bogalayzay Street from September 8 to 18. Artist San Min appreciates the exhibitions installations. About a pot covered with barbed wire, he said: You cant touch it easily. If it were a normal pot, you could touch it easily, but with thorns, it discourages you from touching. I think this was his thought process. Aung Myint said that he is satisfied with his works at the exhibition. There will be 13 paintings and seven installations at the exhibition, priced between US$1,000 and $10,000. He has organized 16 solo exhibitions at home and abroad and participated in dozens of group art exhibitions. From the Archive No Soft Touch The layout for cover story No Soft Touch in The Irrawaddy Magazines October issue in 2007. The women of Myanmar have always been a force to reckon with. When thousands of men were imprisoned or forced to flee the country during the 1988 Uprising, they stood by their families while reinforcing the leadership of the weakened opposition. They came to the forefront once again during the Saffron Revolution, when the authorities arrested 88 Generation student leaders in September 2007. In this cover story first published in October, 2007 print issue of The Irrawaddy Magazine, Kyaw Zwa Moe, the editor of the magazine (English edition), writes about womens involvement to combat and promote democracy in Burma. As the mother of a four-month-old baby, Nilar Thein should be at home now, caring for her little daughter. Instead, shes a fugitive with a price on her head, in hiding from Burmese government forces desperate to silence her and other outspoken activists. For Nilar Thein, 35, it was a clear choicewhether to remain silent in the interests of her family or to join in the movement to bring democracy to Burma, knowing she risked jail and separation from her baby. She took the second course of action, believing that in the long run it would benefit her daughter far more than if she had done nothing. By working for democratic change in Burma, she hoped to bring about a bright future for my daughter, Nilar Thein told The Irrawaddy from her hiding place. Only if we end this bad system will the future of Burmas people, including my daughters, be bright, she said. I love my daughter. I had to leave her, but I believe she will later understand why. Nilar Thein fled into hiding when authorities rounded up leaders of the recent demonstrations against the governments latest round of severe price increases. Her husband Kyaw Min Yu (aka Jimmy), was arrested and imprisoned, along with more than 100 other activists. The young mother wasnt the only woman to risk the wrath of the authorities and to place her family and her livelihood in jeopardy. Dozens of women from the 88 Generation Students group and the opposition National League for Democracy braved the taunts and brutality of thugs who broke up their peaceful demonstrations. Among them was Mie Mie, mother of two children and a member of the 88 Generation Students group, as well as HIV/AIDS activist Phyu Phyu Thin, labor rights leader Su Su Nway and Naw Ohn Hla of the NLD. Women have always been in the forefront of efforts in Burma to combat oppression and promote democracy, but their involvement has grown deeper and stronger since the late 1990s. They have shown themselves ever more ready to confront the authorities and defy successive crackdowns. Their place in the pro-democracy struggle took on new importance when thousands of Burmas menfolk were imprisoned or forced to flee the country at the time of the 1988 uprising. With compassion and total dedication they stood by their families while reinforcing the leadership of the weakened opposition movementa truly heroic undertaking. An idea or action tends to come out of a feeling or suffering, said respected Burmese author Kyi Oo. They [Burmese women] have faced hardships and lengthy imprisonment. Their unusual dedication and sacrifice came out of such hardships. The 83-year-old veteran author of several books on Burmas women expressed admiration for the efforts of Nilar Thein and her fellow activists, Phyu Phyu Thin, Mie Mie, Su Su Nway and Naw Ohn Hla. Nilar Theins struggle for a just society is rooted in her experience of the 1988 uprising, when she witnessed how government soldiers killed, beat and arrested demonstrators outside her Rangoon home. I still hear those voices in my ears and see those scenes in my mind, she said. I desperately want to get rid of this evil system. During a 1996 demonstration, Nilar Thein was prompted to slap Rangoons police chief, who repeatedly ordered his troops to beat her. The police officers at first ignored the order, but when she slapped the police chief she was thrown into a vehicle and driven away to jail. She was sentenced to three years imprisonment for slapping the police chief and to a further seven for her political activities. Nilar Thein spent eight years and nine months in two notorious prisons, Insein and Tharawaddy. She emerged from jail with her spirit unbroken and her determination to work for democracy as strong as ever. The benevolence of those young women towards the country is invaluable, said Kyi Oo. Nilar Thein also appears to be invaluable to the authorities, who have offered a reward of several hundred thousand kyat for her capture. Photographs of her and other wanted activists have been widely distributed by the security forces, whose lack of success in tracking most of them down speaks volumes for the amount of popular support the fugitives enjoy. The wanted activists were even able to continue their campaign by telephone from their hiding places until the authorities blocked their numbers and those of their activist contacts. In one phone conversation, HIV/AIDS activist Phyu Phyu Thin, 35, explained why young women with families to care for were so actively engaged in the struggle. Their feminine nature, their sympathy and emotion, drove woman to sacrifice, she said. Phyu Phyu Thin was first arrested in September 2000, along with 30 women members of the NLD, when they gathered at Rangoon railway station to say farewell to party leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was heading to upper Burma. The group spent the next four months and four days in an annex of Rangoons Insein Prison. Like Nilar Thein before her, Phyu Phyu Thins resolve to fight official misrule and injustice remained unshaken after her time in prison. She determined to devote her entire life to the pro-democracy movement. The juntas attempt to break her spirit had misfiredThats their mistake, Phyu Phyu Thin laughed. Before her arrest she had worked only occasionally at the NLD headquarters. After her prison experience, she rarely missed a single day. That prison experience transformed her feminine compassion and emotion into a stronger commitment. She recalled such injustices as the case of three sisters who played no part in politics but who had been sent to prison because their brother had participated in an anti-junta demonstration in Japan. Phyu Phyu Thin has won many sympathizers because of her work with HIV/AIDS patients, and when she was arrested again last May they demonstrated successfully for her release. During last months demonstrations she was sheltered by one patient, who told her: You shouldnt be arrested. Over the past five years, Phyu Phyu Thin has cared for about 1,500 patients who were neglected by the state. The number of women political prisoners in Burma exceeds 50, according to the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma). The association estimates that since the 1988 uprising, more than 500 women have served prison terms because of their political involvement. The roots of womens involvement in politics and power-wielding in Burma go very deep, reaching back several centuries. In the Pagan era, from the 11th to the 13th century, Queen Pwa Saws just reign won the affection and respect of male rulers. Queen Shin Saw Pu, who ruled the Mon Kingdom from 1453 to 1472, was also famous for her effective governance. Two queens of the Konbaung period (1752-1885)Nanmadaw Me Nu and Sin Phyu Ma Shinwon respect for their strong will and effective involvement in government. Burmas last queen, Supayalat, exercised great power over King Thibaw and worked closely with ministers in managing the affairs of state. Women took to the battlefield in early military encounters with British colonialists. At the time of the First Burma War in 1824, the courage of ethnic Shan women won the admiration of a British officer, Major Snodgrass, who wrote about the 1825 battle of Wethtikan in his book Narrative of the Burmese War: These warrior women wore armor and as they rode their horses bravely, spoke words of encouragement to the soldiersone of the fair Amazons also received a fatal bullet in the breast. At the start of the 20th century, the anti-colonial movement was strengthened by the participation of educated women. In 1919, female intellectuals established Burmas first national womens organization, Konmari, and one year later student members of the group joined in the first university boycott against the British. Opposition to British colonialism was also the agenda of other womens organizations, such as the Myanmar Amyothamii Konmari Athin (Burmese Women Association) and the Patriotic Womens Association. Taking a lead from their menfolk, who adopted the honorific Thakhin, meaning master, in an act of open defiance to the British, women came to call themselves Thakhinma. A number of women were jailed for their political activity. Thakhinma Thein Tin achieved fame for her defiance of the British and was among the first group of five women to be imprisoned. As opposition to British rule grew, Burmese women began to claim a place in the international arena. The National Council of Women of Burma, founded in 1931, successfully pressured the British government to admit a Burmese woman delegate to a special Burma roundtable conference in London. The councils choice was Mya Sein, an author, teacher and mother, known as M.A. Mya Sein because of the master of arts degree she had obtained from Oxford University. Earlier in 1931, she was selected as one of the two representatives for women across Asia for the League of Nations, the world organization that preceded the United Nations. At the London roundtable, Mya Sein called on the British government to enact a law guaranteeing equal rights for women in Burma. In 1929, Hnin Mya was elected Burmas first woman senator. Another distinguished female senator, Dr Saw Hsa, elected in 1937, was made a Member of the British Empire, a prestigious civil honor. In 1953, five years after Burma gained independence, another leading woman politician, Ba Maung Chain, was chosen as a minister to represent Karen State, Burmas first (and only) woman minister. The role of women in Burmese politics diminished following the 1962 military coup that brought Ne Win to power. Women became little more than puppets in the male-dominated administration. The period between 1962 and 1988, when Ne Win relinquished power after a national uprising, can be seen as a feminine dark age in Burma. Under the current military regime, women havent fared much better, and none occupies any high position in government. The year 1988, however, did see the arrival on the political stage of a charismatic female leaderAung San Suu Kyi, the daughter of independence hero Aung San. She became the focus of a nationwide movement for political change and was adopted as a role model for progressive young people in Burma. Nilar Thein and Phyu Phyu Thin both name Suu Kyi (or auntie, as they affectionately call her) as their role model. Like them, Suu Kyi sacrificed family and a secure home life for the cause of justice and freedom. Suu Kyi declined the opportunity to live abroad with her British husband, Michael Aris, and their two children, choosing house arrest in Rangoon instead. When her husband died she declined to leave the country to attend his funeral, fearing that she would not be allowed to return. She hasnt seen her two sons for a number of years. The dawn rises only when the rooster crows, Suu Kyi declared in a video-recorded speech to an NGO Forum on Women in Beijing in 1995, quoting an old Burmese proverb. It crows to welcome the light that has come to relieve the darkness of night. Then she added: It is not the prerogative of men alone to bring light to this world. Women with their capacity for compassion and self-sacrifice, their courage and perseverance, have done much to dissipate the darkness of intolerance and hate, suffering and despair. Many of my male colleagues who have suffered imprisonment for their part in the democracy movement have spoken of the great debt of gratitude they owe their womenfolk, particularly their wives, who stood by them firmly, tender as mothers nursing their newly born, brave as lionesses defending their young. Suu Kyi referred to the results of scientific research to argue that women were perhaps better able than men to solve issues without conflict. One study found that women were better than men at verbal skills, while men tended towards physical action. Surely these discoveries indicate that women have a most valuable contribution to make in situations of conflict, by leading the way to solutions based on dialogue rather than on viciousness or violence, Suu Kyi suggested. Women like Suu Kyi and those now in hiding from the authorities can certainly claim the moral high ground in the current political crisis in Burma. Their compassion for the victims of a male-dominated, repressive regime is seen as an important political weapon. I love my daughter, but I also need to consider mothers fleeing with their children and hiding in jungles, such as in Karen State because of the civil war, said Nilar Thein. My suffering is very small compared to theirs. Compared to their children, my daughter still has a secure life with her grandparents, even though Im not there. By allowing concern for ones own family to divert attention from the hardships of others we will face more terrible suffering in the future, Nilar Thein said. And then my daughter will not be able to enjoy a good life. YAWNGHWE TOWNSHIP, Shan State Yawnghwe (Nyaung Shwe) Haw, the residence of Myanmars first President Sao Shwe Thaike, in Yawnghwe Township, southern Shan State, opens on Wednesday to the public as a cultural museum. Sao Shwe Thaike, an ethnic Shan, was the last saophaor hereditary princeof Shan States Yawnghwe. He became President of the Union of Burma in 1948 following the countrys independence from Britain and served as head of state until 1952. The conference hall in the 100-year-old Haw is a historic place where Myanmars independence hero Gen Aung San and an ethnic delegation led by Yawnghwe Saopha Sao Shwe Thaike held talks on Feb 8, 1947 to sign the Panglong Agreement on Feb. 12, an agreement for both the mainland and ethnic areas in Myanmar to claim independence together from the British. The Haw was built by Shan Saopha Sir Saw Maung in 1913. Construction took 10 years and cost some 300,000 kyats. After Gen Ne Win staged a coup in 1962, families of Shan chieftains were banned from living in the Haw, and under different administrations, the Haw has been named a historical, cultural and Buddhist museum. Burma Confiscated Land Returned to Farmers in Magwe A signboard reading Military-owned land. No trespassing / The Irrawaddy MANDALAY More than 2,600 acres of land confiscated by the defense ministry in 2000 was returned to some 300 farmers in Myaing Township, Magwe Region on Tuesday. A committee led by vice president U Henry Van Thio came to return the land to its original owners, the farmers, said local Lower House parliamentarian U Aung Khin Win. The land was confiscated under the justification that the Ministry of Defense would build a facility in the area. When Maj Sai Thein Win defected in 2010 and leaked news of construction of a secret weapon factory on the confiscated land, the project was cancelled. The land was handed over to the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2010 and then the Ministry of Education in 2015, explained U Aung Khin Win. The Ministry of Education is planning to use about 480 acres, so the rest was returned to the original owners, he said. About 350,000 acres of land was confiscated, mainly by the Ministry of Defense, in Magwe Region with much of the land later being transferred to other ministries. Land rights activists have accused ministries of being weak in cooperating with the local committee reviewing and returning confiscated land. The related departments who work with the committee take to checking documents and returning lands to the farmers, said Ko Aung Kyaw Kyaw, a local land rights activist working with the committee. Some 50,000 acres of land in Magwe Region has been returned to its original owners, according to the committee. Burma Ethnic Bloc Denounces ARSA UNFC leaders' executive meeting held in Chiang Mai, Thailand on Sept 11-12, 2017. / UNFC Burma / Facebook CHIANG MAI, Thailand The United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), a bloc of five ethnic armed groups, has denounced the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA). During a two-day meeting in northern Thailands Chiang Mai on Sept. 11-12, the alliance discussed the Rakhine conflict in addition to its current talks with the government on the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA). When asked about the blocs views on ARSA, an emerging group whose Aug. 25 attacks on police stations triggered an army crackdown leading to a mass exodus, UNFC chairman and New Mon State Party (NMSP) vice chairman Nai Hong Sar said, We do not acknowledge the ARSA, as its operations appeared to be violent. The UNFC also comprises the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU), the Arakan National Council (ANC), and the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP). Four other members resigned earlier this year. We also worry about the ARSAs possible movement in Mon State, as the state is open to the [Andaman] sea, Nai Hong Sar said, adding that the same security measures that have been taken in Irrawaddy Region should be taken in Mon State. The ARSA claims its fight is to achieve basic rights for self-identifying Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority that has seen more than 400,000 of its members flee to Bangladesh in recent weeks, according to the UN, escaping alleged indiscriminate killing, rape and arson by Myanmar security forces. However, reports of ARSA militants killing civilians and carrying out arson have fueled the domestic image of it as a terrorist organization, a label approved by the government. Some 30,000 ethnic Arakanese were displaced in Rakhine State because of the conflict it sparked. ARSAs announcement of a one-month ceasefire on Sept. 10 was met with the Myanmar governments spokesman tweeting that the government does not negotiate with terrorists. The group has stated it does not target civilians and rejected any affiliations to transnational jihadist groups, saying in a press release on Thursday it does not welcome the involvement of those groups in Rakhine. Surrounding the violence is a persisting debate over the name for the self-identifying Rohingya, who are referred to as Bengalis by most in Myanmar, inferring they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. We do not recognize the term Rohingya, said Nai Hong Sar. UNFC would not include ARSA in its all-inclusive peace talks, he added. Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) vice chairman Tar Jode Jar told The Irrawaddy that ARSA is on a totally different path to other ethnic armed groups. He echoed claims widely circulated in Myanmar that the problems in Rakhine problems are the result of previous governments negligence. Muslims were issued white cardstemporary citizenship papersin Rakhine in return for votes in the discredited 2010 election, he said. UNFC is negotiating to sign the NCA on the basis of its eight-point proposal. But government talks with the UNFC and another bloc, the Northern Alliance, have made little progress, partly because the Tatmadaw rejects the Arakan Army, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, TNLA and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). All four of these groups were labeled as terrorist organizations in the Shan State parliament in December 2016. Thu Thu Aung contributed to this report. Burma Myanmar UN Rep Objects to UN Chiefs Terms for Rakhine Issue Myanmar ambassador and permanent representative to the UN U Htin Lynn. YANGON Myanmars ambassador and permanent representative to the UN has objected to the top UN human rights official regarding his choice of words to describe the situation in the countrys restive Rakhine State. The terms crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing carry very serious connotations, complained Myanmar ambassador and permanent representative to the UN U Htin Lynn as he spoke on Tuesday at the 36th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva after UN chief Zeid Raad Al Hussein used the terms in his address the previous day. They can only be used in the most responsible manner and founded on legal and judicial determinations, insisted U Htin Lynn. The UN human rights commissioner on Monday urged Myanmar to end brutal security operations against the self-identifying Rohingya in Rakhine State, calling it a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. Democratic Myanmar shall never tolerate such atrocities, said U Htin Lynn, as he raised an objection to those terms on behalf of the Myanmar government. Using such terms imprudently without concrete evidence will tarnish the credibility of the office, fan the flames on the ground, widen polarization between relevant communities and mislead the international community, he said. As the UN predicts that some 400,000 people have fled to Bangladesh since Aug. 25, U Htin Lynn said they are fleeing out of fear of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army declared a terrorist organization by the Myanmar government after it attacked 30 police outposts last month and not because of military security clearance operations. ARSA is inciting people to leave their homes by giving them false hope of resettlement in a third country, he said. He also reaffirmed the Myanmar governments commitment to implementing the recommendations of Kofi Annans Rakhine State Advisory Commission. Burma News Analysis: Myanmars State Counselor on a Dangerous Tightrope Aung San Suu Kyis silhouette is seen in profile as she speaks at a rally for constitutional reform in Loikaw, Karenni State, on Nov. 8, 2014. / The Irrawaddy YANGON China, Russia, India, and a handful of Southeast Asian nations backed Myanmars counter-terrorism operations in the immediate aftermath of the Aug. 25 Muslim militant attacks on police stations in northern Rakhine State, but the West became more vocal as the sheer scale of the crisis unfolded. The Myanmar Army says it is hunting down the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), which was responsible for the attacks, but refugees at camps in Bangladesh say security forces are killing indiscriminately and even laying landmines to stop them from returning. So far, an estimated 400,000 self-identified Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh. Starting with Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Laureates have lined up to express their dismay over Daw Aung San Suu Kyis silence on the desperate plight of the refugees. Tibetan Buddhist leader the Dalai Lama urged her to reach out to all sections of society to restore peace and told media that Buddha would have helped the self-identified Rohingya. Five Nobel Laureates working under the banner of the Nobel Womens Initiative appealed to their sister Laureate to protect the Muslim minority and Archbishop Desmond Tutu wrote to the State Counselor, saying the price of silence in order to maintain her position is surely too steep. But if she acts on their word, amends the 1982 Citzenship Law and embraces the self-identified Rohingya, the price would not only be a drop in popularity but also a likely return to military rule. International media calling for UN intervention in Rakhine make this scenario more likely. Neglecting the whole picture also does not help. The Other Side How many Rohingya have to die; how many Rohingya women will be raped; how many communities will be razed before you raise your voice in defense of those who have no voice? wrote the five Nobel Laureates in an open letter to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. But they did not give one mention of ARSAs orchestrated offensive, of reports the group slaughtered more than 60 Muslims who allegedly cooperated with authorities, as well as other non-Muslim civilians. The focus, too, shied away from the nearly 30,000 internally displaced people in northern Rakhine. ARSA tactics have swollen the death toll, as new recruits wielding sticks and knives were urged to face heavily armed security forces, explaining why official figures suggest the number of suspected militants dead dwarfs that of security force casualties. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, though, has seemingly moved toward peace with the formation of a committee assigned to implementing the recommendations of the final report of the Kofi Annan-led Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. View from the United States Some international diplomats working closely with the Myanmar government have told media about developments in the peace process and long-term solutions sought by the government to reconcile the Muslim and Arakanese communities in Rakhine. But few of these takes are found in the coverage of world-leading publications. On Sept. 4, diplomats of the United States, United Kingdom, Denmark, Australia and EU representatives announced they would provide humanitarian assistance for all affected communities in coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross. On Sept. 8, Patrick Murphy, deputy assistant secretary of state for Southeast Asia in the Bureau of EAP, held a teleconference with AFP, Associated Press, Reuters, CBS and CNN. During the press briefing, journalists questioned whether the military is responsible for mass killings of civilians, and whether that would mean the return of sanctions for Myanmar. I dont think we have approached the relationship with Burma in terms of leverage. It is, in fact, a partnership. And as partners, we are looking to help this transition to democracy succeed, Murphy replied. US ambassador to Myanmar Scot Marciel and his team in Yangon have been working with government and military leaders to ensure an undiscriminating humanitarian operation for displaced people and the restoration of stability in Rakhine, said Murphy. He added that the situation on the ground is too risky for relief workers but aid work is expected to resume soon. A responsible reaction to the attacks on security forces was needed, he stressed. But White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders took a stronger tone in a statement on Sept. 12, saying the massive displacement and victimization of people shows that Myanmar security forces are not protecting civilians. Sympathetic Diplomats Although many international reports have condemned the State Counselors stance, some former diplomats have shown understanding with her position. Priscilla Clapp, who served in Myanmar from 1999-2002, criticized the international narrative on the conflict during an interview with France 24 last week. There was indeed a terrorist attack in Rakhine. It came from outside, and was perpetrated by the people in the Rohingya diaspora, living in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, coming in through Bangladesh, she said. Clapp explained Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had begun the journey to resolving issues in Rakhine State by establishing the Kofi Annan-led advisory commission, which, she added, was soon followed by the militant attacks. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi promised Kofi Annan the government would form several committees on Rakhine State and implement his commissions recommendations, which include granting citizenship, freedom of movement and education. She was already working on it and it was disrupted by the latest terrorist attacks, said Clapp. She is not calling the entire community and population terrorists. She is refining it to a group of people who are going around with guns, machetes and IEDs. The people who are running and fleeing out into Bangladesh are not only fleeing the response of security forces; they are fleeing their own radical groups, Clapp said. Walking a Tightrope Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd wrote for Buzzfeed News on Sept. 9 that Myanmar is still in the midst of a fluid and fragile political transition. He emphasized a need for commentators to highlight that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the countrys civilian head but not its commander-in-chief and that the military-drafted 2008 Constitution legally covers an army coup if the institution, which controls the home affairs, defense and border ministries, believes order needs to be restored. Rudd writes the State Counselor is walking a tightrope between providing a positive way forward for the Rohingya on the one hand, while not providing the military the pretext for ending Myanmars fledgling democracy on the other. The consequence of a stumble could be catastrophic for all, he added. The situation of the self-identified Rohingya and Myanmars other 50 million people will not improve if we care more about censuring and abandoning the only democratic government the country has had in half a century, he concluded. Myanmar has some hardline Buddhist groups and radical elements in the Muslim community. Parties also stoke anti-Muslim sentiment for political purposes, apparent in the lack of collaboration between Rakhine politicians and the Kofi Annan commission. Furthermore, the Arakan National Party (ANP) and the former ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) have stated they cant accept a single word of the commissions recommendations. The USDP and its alliances have been encouraging the National League for Democracy (NLD) to call a National Defense Security Council meeting since militant attacks last October in Maungdaw. On Sep. 12, 29 political parties released a statement demanding the 1982 Citizenship Law stay intact, and pushing the government to prioritize the relocation of indigenous displaced people before the implementation of human rights and ethnic diversity. It ended on the note that the army needs to protect the Constitution. The statement, together with international pressure, and the stifling role of the army in Myanmar, has created an intensely difficult situation for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. But as Rudd wrote, The way to peace, justice, and human rights will come through democratic rule of law, and not a return to military rule. Burma UN Chief, Security Council Call on Myanmar to End Violence Refugees wait for food to be distributed by local organizations in Teknaf, Bangladesh, Sept. 13, 2017. / Reuters UNITED NATIONS & LONDON UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council on Wednesday urged Myanmar authorities to end violence against the countrys self-identifying Rohingya Muslims that has forced some 400,000 people to flee to Bangladesh. Guterres said the situation in Myanmars western state of Rakhine was best described as ethnic cleansing. When one-third of the Rohingya population had to flee the country, could you find a better word to describe it? he told a news conference. I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law, and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country, said Guterres, adding that he had spoken several times with Myanmars national leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The exodus of refugees, sparked by the security forces fierce response to a series of Rohingya militant attacks on Aug. 25, is the most pressing problem Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has faced since becoming leader last year. The government says it is targeting terrorists, while refugees say the offensive aims to push Rohingya out of Myanmar. The 15-member Security Council met behind closed doors on Wednesday, at the request of Sweden and Britain, to discuss the crisis for the second time since it began and agreed to publicly condemn the situation. The council expressed concern about reports of excessive violence during the security operations and called for immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, de-escalate the situation, re-establish law and order, ensure the protection of civilians and resolve the refugee problem. British UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said it was the first statement from the Security Council on Myanmar in nine years. Such statements have to be agreed by consensus and Russia and China have traditionally protected Myanmar from any action. Myanmar said last week it was negotiating with Russia and China to ensure they blocked any censure by the Security Council over the violence in Rakhine State. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has canceled a trip to the UN General Assembly in New York next week to deal with the crisis. Rycroft said two high-level meetings on Myanmar were due to be held during the gathering of world leaders at the United Nations. The humanitarian situation is catastrophic, Guterres said. This is a dramatic tragedy. People are dying and suffering in horrible numbers and we need to stop it. On Wednesday, A dozen Nobel laureates, including Malala Yousafzai and Muhammad Yunus, urged the United Nations on Wednesday to use all available means to end violence against Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh. We urge you to take decisive actions to stop the violence against innocent civilians, Yousafzai and 29 others, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and British billionaire Richard Branson, said in an open letter to the UN Security Council. Complete villages have been burned, women raped, many civilians arbitrarily arrested, and children killed, the laureates said. The letter called for Myanmars government to implement the recommendations of a commission led by former UN chief Kofi Annan to give the self-identifying Rohingya citizenship and freedom of movement. Myanmars government regards the self-identifying Rohingya as illegal migrants from Bangladesh, even though many have lived in the country for generations. The government of Myanmar needs to be told that international support and finance is conditional on a major change in policy towards the Rohingya, the laureates said. Burma US State Dept Official to Visit Rakhine US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southeast Asia Patrick Murphy in pictured in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on April 25, 2017. / Samrang Pring / Reuters YANGON Diplomatic sources close to the US Embassy in Yangon confirmed to The Irrawaddy that Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southeast Asia Patrick Murphy will land in Myanmar on Monday and is scheduled to travel to conflict-torn northern Rakhine State. Officials declined to comment on whether Murphy would pay a visit to border towns Buthidaung and Maungdaw, where thousands of houses have been burned in recent weeks, most belonging to Muslims. Patrick Murphy reportedly intends to meet with Rakhine State Chief Minister U Nyi Pu, Arakan National Party (ANP) politicians, businesspeople, civil society representatives, and members of the Muslim community in state capital Sittwes Aung Mingalar quarter. ANP secretary U Tun Aung Kyaw said that they have not received any information about a visit by Murphy. He said the partys leaders and lawmakers would determine whether to meet with the Deputy Assistant Secretary. CNN reported on Thursday that Murphy had summoned Myanmars ambassador to the US, U Aung Lynn, and expressed deep concern about recent violence in Rakhine State, including against the self-identifying Rohingya, a term considered contentious by the Buddhist majority, who refer to the population as Bengali. The Irrawaddy phoned Rakhine State government officials about the visit, but were unable to reach them at the time of reporting. Murphy is likely to address mass displacement over the last month: according to UN estimates, around 400,000 self-identifying Rohingya Muslim refugees are living in makeshift shelters in Bangladeshs Teknaf District, across the border from Rakhine State. The Myanmar government announced that 30,000 Arakanese Buddhists and local Hindus have sought refuge in community halls, government schools, Buddhist monasteries and villages under the protection of state security forces. Maungdaw Township has 272 Muslim villagesof these, residents of 145 have fled to Bangladesh, many of their communities destroyed by arson. Recent figures suggest that 179 villages remain intact. Before violence erupted in Buthidaung, it had 175 Muslim villages. Residents of 12 villages have fled, as have those from 19 villages in Rathedaung Township. But it is unclear whether the villagers have crossed the western border or are internally displaced and relying on assistance from other remaining Muslim villages in the region. According to government statistics, nearly 4,300 displaced Buddhists, Hindus and Arakanese sub-ethnic residents from 25 villages returned to their homes this week. Commentary In the Wake of Rakhine State Crisis, Support for Suu Kyi is (Almost) Solid Ethnic Arakanese man who fled violence in his village is seen at a temporary internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Sittwe, Myanmar September 1, 2017. / Reuters Political life in Myanmar is like a roller coaster ride: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD) administration have faced ups and downs since they came into power. The irony is that since the situation in Rakhine State escalated further in recent weeks, she has garnered much needed support inside the country. Is it because the public is worried that the military will stage a coup to justify its role as safeguarding the nation and its sovereignty? There are two schools of thought on this. First, some political observers have produced a conspiracy theorynote that there is no shortage of these nowadays in Myanmarthat as the country faces more instability, military leaders are prepared to step into national leadership. Even some veteran NLD members expressed concern that a coup is inevitable as the situation in northern Rakhine remains a great concern, with pressure mounting and opposition parties asking the military to step in. Some have even gone further, saying that the country is witnessing the same scenario as in 1958, when Prime Minister U Nu invited Gen Ne Win to form the military-led Caretaker Government. Will there be a repeat of this move? The political instability in the country at that time, and the serious split within the ruling party the Anti-Fascist Peoples Freedom League forced U Nu to reach a compromise with Gen Ne Win, then the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, to hand over power with the promise of holding free and fair elections in the near future. Gen Ne Win, a member of the legendary Thirty Comrades, was arguably already planning to take state power. Ne Win became prime minister, but as he promised, he held a free and fair election in 1960, which U Nu won. Two years later, he staged a coup and threw U Nu and his cabinet ministers in prison. This scenario is unlikely to be repeated, critics of this theory argue. The second theory is that the army has a contingency plan to take control of the country in case of an emergency, as is mandated in the 2008 Constitution, but there is a process required. Only the PresidentU Htin Kyawcan declare a state of emergency after consulting and coordinating with the Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services and Home Affairs. This declaration must be submitted to the National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) for approval as soon as possible, according to Constitution. It should be noted that under the current administration, regular NDSC meetings do not take place. Whatever the case, the commander-in-chiefSnr-Gen Min Aung Hlaingwould have sovereign power, but he would have to seek NDSC approval to extend the emergency period six months or more. He also has to report to an emergency session of the Union Parliament. This scenario is likely if the country is perceived as facing a serious emergency situation or a formidable threat to sovereignty. Thus, looking at the increasing instability and the derailing of the current peace process, some critics say that the NLD government has been sabotaged and undermined. But Daw Aung San Suu Kyi still enjoys public support. So a coup is unlikely. Under the Constitution, the army has 25 percent of the parliamentary representation and controls key ministries of defense, border and home affairs. It is a hybrid power-sharing government structure that some former military leaders claim can prevent a military coup like the one Myanmar experienced in the past. Who Is More Powerful: Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing or Daw Aung San Suu Kyi? Under the 2008 Constitution, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing is more powerful than Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who is now de facto leader of the government. The army chief can order and mobilize troops under his command. In the case of Rakhine, he sent troops to the states northern townships weeks before Muslim militants launched attacks on police and military targets on Aug. 25. It was assumed that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was not consulted in advance, but informed through high-ranking government officials. This means that the State Counselor has neither control nor influence over the military. But if the President holds regular NDSC meetings, the issue of sending troops can be discussed. Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing is loyal to the armed forces and the country, and his duty is to protect the sovereignty of the state. However, some observers have suggested that he may have his own political ambitions. As army leaders intend to remain in politics for the foreseeable future, it is impossible to conclude that the military will be removed from this spherethey are likely to persist. Therefore, Min Aung Hlaing may contest the next national elections in 2020 and become head of state. But still, it is unclear under what political platform he would run, if not under the former ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). Does the Army Still Need Daw Aung San Suu Kyi? The relationship between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing is at odds, which does not help the situation in Rakhine State. Due to a lack of strategic thinking, coordination and packaging, the diplomatic offensive by the government and the military to counter an onslaught of international pressure and media has been appalling. But many, including critics of the State Counselor, have asked if not for Aung San Suu Kyi, who would defend the country? If Min Aung Hlaing were mandated a politician, could he defend the nation on the international stage and at the UN? The US, for instance, has been looking into the situation with keen interest and with the suggestion of placing pressure on Myanmar. It continues to engage with the government to make progress in Rakhine State, but has expressed concern over the militarys action and behavior in the region. The possible expansion of military-to-military engagement between the two countries is now in doubt. If Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and future military leaders need this shift in US policy to be realized, they will require Daw Aung San Suu Kyis blessing. A former democratic icon and a veteran politician, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has friends around the globe and goodwill ambassadors who will act on her behalffriends who understand Myanmars complex power structure, and have a balanced and nuanced, if not deep, knowledge of ongoing conflicts in the country. The Myanmar Armys generals still lack a sufficient number of allies to back them up. With Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at the forefront of the country, the irony is that she somehow serves as a shield to deflect serious international pressure and threats of sanctions from Western governments. The army leaders know thistheir image and legitimacy was enhanced in the week initially following the August attacks, but it has appeared to slip in the period since then. However, informed sources close to the inner circle of both the government and military say there is sympathy from the army and its members families toward Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as they feel she has been portrayed unfairly in the international spotlight. It should be noted that Myanmar citizens, like those of other countries, are proud patriots. When the UN and Western media criticized former dictator Snr-Gen Than Shwe, many inside and outside the country rallied around these calls, because they knew that his regime needed to be overthrown. This time it is different: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is no Than Shwe. Likely because of pressure from the UN and reporting on Rakhine State which is perceived as one-sided, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been singled out to be denounced. However, public support for her today is strong domestically, a change from previous months in which critics questioned ger governments direction, the stalled peace process and economic policies. Within Myanmar, many are alarmed by the return of ultranationalist monk U Wirathu as a public figure in the wake of the attacks. The possible outbreak of anti-Muslim riots and rising tension in central Myanmar have also played a factor in many reaching the realization that the administration needs support at this time. What about the USDP and its allies? It is safe to say that the public doesnt want this party to return to power in the near future. The USDPs aggressive push for the military to take a tough stance in Rakhine State was met with strong disapproval from the public. Many netizens have stated on social media that the crisis in Rakhine State should serve to unify the nation and the people. It should also aid in realizing common ground between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the armys commander-in-chiefthe nations strength lies within, not outside. Aung Zaw is the founding editor-in-chief of The Irrawaddy. Guest Column Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is Still Myanmars Best Hope State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi attends the 70th anniversary Union Day celebration in Panglong, Shan State on Feb. 12. / The Irrawaddy Myanmars de facto leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is being criticized by NGOs, media organizations, western governments and some Muslim countries for not being able to protect the 1.1 million Muslims in Rakhine State, who self-identify as Rohingya but are widely referred to in the country as Bengali to infer that they are interlopers from Bangladesh. Some have called for her to be stripped of her Nobel Prize and the honorary Canadian citizenship conferred to her, and for international sanctions and intervention. Currently, emotions are running high and shaming her has contributed to that. Deep-rooted conflict between the two communities Buddhists and Muslims is complex and there is no quick fix; a gradual process is required for a long-lasting solution. The underlying question is to what extent we know the truth about the situation on the ground or the history between the two communities. It would be wrong to assume that we are fully informed by what we see online or in the media. Fake news and images have circulated on both sides, exacerbating the situation and making it increasingly difficult to identify the truth. International human rights organizations and the Myanmar government have at times taken part in the spread of some of this misinformation. Burmese people abroad and at home are increasingly suspicious of the intents of NGOs, the media and some Muslim countries, and point to biased reporting and alleged evidence of participation in the destabilization of the region. Some sources have claimed that groups working on the issue have received financial support from Gulf countries. There is no doubt that the current humanitarian crisis is a direct result of recent extremist attacks, but repeated condemnation of the government and military counter operations are not fair in the eyes of many Burmese, and encourage ongoing violence. The government, army and majority of the population are united in their response to this crisis, and reasonable international calls might fall on deaf ears under the circumstances. Meanwhile, we also need to take into account regional and global geopolitical situations. Myanmar has two strong supporters the US (although their involvement is waning) and China, as well as India. In that regard, a soft power like Canada needs to be creative and persuasive to help diffuse the ongoing tension, alleviate the suffering of those who fled the violence, and make reasonable recommendations to the government and people of Myanmar as the government cannot go against wide popular sentiment. We cannot expect to completely impose international norms and standards on Myanmar, as it is still far from being a truly democratic country. Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has come out to say that the information being portrayed is misguided, misinformed. Two former US Ambassadors to Burma, Priscilla Clapp and Derek Mitchell, have also discussed the complexity of the situation on the ground and the state counselors difficult position. Of course, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi now a politician is facing the difficult decision of going along with her constituency or pleasing the international community. This is after setting up the Kofi Annan-led Rakhine State Advisory Commission, which was given the mandate of recommending viable solutions to the issues and Rakhine. The government was reportedly willing to implement these suggestions but violence broke out just hours after the commission delivered its final report. On Aug. 25, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) attacked 30 police outposts in Rakhine State. The series of attacks were coordinated and premeditated. ARSAs leader Ata Ullah was born in Pakistan and raised in Saudi Arabia. He led a group of insurgents that previously attacked border guard posts in Rakhine State in October 2016. It seems as though these attacks were meant to raise international attention and call for intervention against subsequent military operations. Ongoing operations have caused Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu communities in the state to flee, while the international community has focused its attention on the Muslim refugees, fulfilling the militant groups agenda. Condemnation is easy. But searching for a viable solution requires patience, thought and understanding of the situation. I doubt that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would mind being stripped of her honorary Canadian citizenship or even her Nobel Peace Prize. But that is not a solution. Hundreds of thousands of innocent people are suffering from these conflicts and violence. What we need is to alleviate their suffering and that calls for a constructive, diplomatic approach. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is still the best hope for Burma. There is no alternative. Tin Maung Htoo is the former executive director of Canadian Friends of Burma, which campaigned for democratization in Myanmar since the 1990s. Friday, Mar 31st, 2017 (8:21 am) - Score 2,082 The price that ISPs and consumers pay for access to a 40Mbps FTTC superfast broadband line on Openreachs (BT) network in the United Kingdom is set to fall after the telecoms regulator, Ofcom, launched a new review of the wholesale local access market. Quality of service standards will also be improved. The 2017 Wholesale Local Access Market Review aims to examine the wholesale costs of providing fibre optic based broadband and phone access services to Internet Services Providers (e.g. FTTH/P, FTTC, G.fast etc.). This was originally due to begin at the end of 2016 but it was delayed by the regulators struggle to reach a voluntary deal with BT over the future of Openreachs governance (finally agreed in early March). The process for this actually began last May 2016 when Ofcom launched a short consultation on their proposed approach to the cost modelling of fibre access services (here), although this didnt reveal much in the way of new information. A Quick Recap Ofcom generally conducts a major review on this side of the market every three years or so and indeed the last one in 2014 also introduced a variety of Quality of Service improvements. New Charge Controls were also imposed on Openreachs copper broadband services (i.e. they were deemed to still hold Significant Market Power [SMP] in that market), albeit not their newer and faster fibre-based solutions. At the time the regulator chose not to fiddle with Openreachs fibre pricing because they believed that the price of fibre broadband is currently constrained by the availability of standard broadband services and competition from Virgin Medias Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) EuroDOCSIS 3.1 network. Ofcom had also previously (2010) granted BT a period of grace so that they could invest in their up to 80Mbps capable Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC / VDSL2) lines, as well as ultrafast FTTP, for a few years without fear of heavy handed regulatory intervention getting in the way of their model, but this fair bet approach might not last past 2020. The New Review Today Openreachs up to 40-80Mbps capable Fibre-to-the-Cabinet / VULA (FTTC / VDSL2) lines cover the vast majority of premises and this will increase to near universal coverage over the next few years. At the same time Virgin Media are expanding their 300Mbps HFC network to around 65% of UK premises by 2019. Overall 7.2 million premises currently subscribe to an FTTC connection via various ISPs (Sky Broadband, TalkTalk, BT etc.) and Virgin Medias HFC broadband network caters for 5 million. Meanwhile pure fibre optic broadband (FTTP/H) services continue to suffer from only very limited availability (around 2% of UK premises) and Openreach has yet to even begin the commercial deployment of their future 300Mbps G.fast technology (expected to start later in H2 2017). In other words, Ofcoms review has chosen to leave FTTP/H and G.fast alone (they dont want to discourage it by being heavy handed with regulation), while Virgin Media arent yet deemed to have SMP. Admittedly the related ultrafast services will grow much more rapidly over the next few years and so they may eventually be tackled in future reviews, but for now Ofcoms focus is on the dominant FTTC service. Ofcoms analysis shows that the most important package for consumers will be an FTTC one offering a 40Mbps download speed and 10 Mbps upload speed (ISPs usually see this as an up to 38Mbps service), which is now a mass market product. As a result the regulator intends to reduce Openreachs wholesale charges for this broadband package, with the price falling from todays level of 88.80 +vat per year to 52.77 +vat in 2020/21. Remember that the price consumers pay will always be higher as ISPs need to add 20% VAT, profit margins, data capacity and service features etc. on top. However the reduction is quite significant and so Ofcom rightly expects providers to pass this discount on to consumers. Meanwhile the regulator has said that price for an 80Mbps (up to 76Mbps) or 55Mbps FTTC tier will NOT be forced lower and BT will no longer be subject to the VULA Margin Condition that currently applies on such lines. Oddly Ofcom dont similarly intend to reduce the price of Openreachs 18Mbps and 40Mbps FTTC tiers with sub-10Mbps upload, although BT may feel the need to do this through self-regulation as otherwise their pricing will be very wonky. Curiously Ofcom believes this will help BTs rivals to compete for customers and act as an incentive for BTs rivals to invest in their own ultrafast networks for the longer term, although there are some caveats to that viewpoint (more on that later). Jonathan Oxley, Ofcoms Competition Group Director, said: Our plans are designed to encourage long-term investment in future ultrafast, full-fibre networks, while promoting competition and protecting consumers from high prices. People need reliable phone and broadband services more than ever. Were making sure the market is delivering the best possible services for homes and business across the UK. Meanwhile standard broadband services delivered over Openreachs copper network (e.g. ADSL) will continue to be subject to a charge control with the price remaining broadly stable. Elsewhere Ofcom will also use the new review as a vehicle for introducing some of the service performance / quality improvements that their recent Strategic Review demanded (here). Ofcoms Quality of Service Proposals * Openreach to complete 93% of fault repairs within one to two working days of being notified, compared with 80% today; * Complete 97% of repairs no later than six or seven working days; * Provide an appointment for 90% of new line installations within 10 working days of being notified, compared to 80% within 12 days currently; and * Install 95% of connections on the date agreed between Openreach and the telecoms provider, up from 90% today. The quality of service targets will also be adjusted slightly to deal with instances where external factors beyond Openreachs reasonable control (MBORC), such as extreme weather, mean it is not possible to meet the service standard. The targets will allow that up to 3% of repairs and 1% of installations in a typical year might be delayed due to such factors. The new requirements would need to be met in full by 2020/21 and Ofcom has also proposed transitional targets to ensure progressive improvements in service before then. All of measures form part of Ofcoms Wholesale Local Access Market Review for the period from April 2018 to March 2021. The consultations close on 9th June 2017 and Ofcom expects to publish its final decisions in early 2018, with the new rules taking effect from 1st April 2018. However the dilemma for Ofcom in all of this remains the problem of finding a balance between two opposing aspects of price and investment. Naturally ISPs like TalkTalk and Sky Broadband would love to offer a cheaper and possibly more flexible FTTC product to their subscribers, which would also increase the uptake of superfast (24Mbps+) class broadband connections and that may in turn also benefit the Governments Broadband Delivery UK programme (the clawback clause in related contracts requires BT to return public investment as a result of high take-up, which can then be reinvested to boost coverage). On the other hand the regulator has to tread carefully because they run the risk of making FTTC so cheap that it could discourage investment in new / alternative / faster networks, which might struggle to compete against the extremely low pricing. Lest we forget that both the Government and Ofcom are currently very keen to encourage more coverage of ultrafast FTTH/P (example), especially via alternative networks (non-Openreach based). A similar situation already exists in todays market. Over half of the broadband lines in the UK are still based on slower pure copper ADSL based lines and thats partly because theyre so cheap and not everybody sees the faster services (FTTC, HFC, FTTP etc.), which usually cost a few extra per month, as a necessary upgrade. An Openreach Spokesperson told ISPreview.co.uk: Ofcom have proposed a number of ways to address fibre pricing and service so we will be reviewing these in detail, but on first viewing they do not appear to incentivise more investment in full fibre networks. The UK needs a regulatory framework that encourages investment and rewards risk. Building digital infrastructure is very expensive with long payback periods and we wont recover our more than 3bn investment in fibre until after this charge control period. We want to invest in more full fibre infrastructure, and well be consulting with our CP customers to develop new business models and support to achieve that. Improving service is our number one priority and while we have been making great strides over the last year, we are determined to go even further in meeting our customers rising expectations. We support the ambition of higher service targets and we want to work closely with the rest of the industry to make sure these are the right measures and that theyre achievable. Separately the regulator will soon consult on detailed plans to open up BTs network of telegraph poles and underground tunnels to competitors, which is designed to further promote competitive investment in ultrafast full-fibre (FTTP/H) networks. Mind you Openreach have already done a lot of the leg work for this post-Strategic Review by developing an enhanced Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) solution and building a Dark Fibre Access (DFA) product. 2017 Wholesale Local Access Market Review https://www.ofcom.org.uk/../0033/99636/Vol1-Market-review.pdf Quality of Service for WLR, MPF and GEA https://www.ofcom.org.uk/../0033/99645/QoS-WLR-MPF-GEA.pdf MPF Rental at Service Maintenance Level 1 https://www.ofcom.org.uk/../0031/99751/MPF-SML1-Rental-condoc.pdf UPDATE 9:22am As usual Ofcom has put out a lot of documents for us to read and so were now reading through those and will post any related highlights in further updates. For example, we note that Ofcoms review says a couple of interesting things about their proposals for standard broadband (i.e. speeds of up to 30Mbps) services. Our main proposals in respect of standard broadband are: BT must continue to offer LLU services. We will continue to impose a cost-based charge control on the main form of LLU (MPF) and the supporting services used by BTs competitors (referred to as ancillary services). To remove the specific network access obligation and charge control on SMPF. However, BT will still have to provide network access on reasonable request, be subject to non-discrimination obligations (including EOI) and must set charges on a fair and reasonable basis. To support the deployment of new technologies such as Long Reach VDSL (LR-VDSL), which has the potential to increase broadband speeds in particular in rural areas. In some areas it may no longer be feasible for BT to provide LLU or SLU alongside LR-VDSL so we are proposing a process which could release BT from its LLU and/or SLU obligations in the small number of geographic areas where this is appropriate. The last one is particularly interesting because BT want to use LR-VDSL technology (i.e. FTTC fibre broadband lines that work over longer distances) in order to help deliver on the Governments proposed 10Mbps Universal Service Obligation (USO). One of the problems with this approach is that you really have to disable older copper-line ADSL services in related areas in order for LR-VDSL to harness its spectrum and work properly, which is a challenge in areas where other ISPs have existing ADSL subscribers or unbundled (LLU) networks. So Ofcom is now giving Openreach the flexibility to tackle this and it remains to be seen whether TalkTalk and Sky Broadband will protest. UPDATE 9:40am A comment from TalkTalk. Dido Harding, TalkTalks CEO, said: We welcome moves to cut prices and improve Openreachs service, but consumers will be frustrated that they have to wait a year before they benefit. Ofcoms decision to only regulate some products also risks entrenching a speed divide, with customers having to make a false choice between fair prices or higher speeds. Ensuring consumers enjoy low prices on all superfast products is the best way to maximise take-up and encourage investment in the pure fibre infrastructure of the future. UPDATE 9:45am Ofcom make an interesting statement on Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Service Level Guarantees (SLGs). Currently, when Openreach fails to repair faults in line with its one or two working day service level agreement, it needs to pay daily compensation to retail telecoms providers up to a maximum of 60 working days. The evidence Ofcom have reviewed indicates that a material number of faults remain unrepaired after this period. To ensure the continued effectiveness of these service level guarantee payments, they are proposing that there should be no caps on the periods over which fixed compensation is payable. On a similar basis, they propose to remove the cut off period for installation SLGs. These arise when Openreach fails to install a service on the date promised. Separately Ofcom has taken data from Openreach and Virgin Media, which has been used to produce a useful forecast of superfast broadband (i.e. 30Mbps to 300Mbps) services over the next few years. UPDATE 9:54am Curiously Cityfibre views todays announcement is a positive step, despite the lower pricing of FTTC being something that could hamper any wider move they may make into the residential market. Mark Collins, Cityfibres Director of Strategy and Policy, said: Ofcom is finally delivering its promise to support full fibre investment and competition that will help close the UKs embarrassing fibre gap. This review is a major step forward. It provides the incentives for investing in full fibre networks that compete with BT. In addition to the measures announced today, we urge Ofcom to follow through on its proposals to improve access to BTs ducts and poles, and if Ofcom gets that right it will give us the tools and incentive to continue our investment in full-fibre infrastructure across the UK, and deliver it further and faster. UPDATE 10:55am Skys turn to comment. Thursday, Sep 14th, 2017 (10:45 am) - Score 1,828 A team working out of Brunel University London has secured 720,000 of funding from Europes Horizon 2020 programme in order to help them develop a 10Gbps capable home wireless network using hybrid Li-Fi (Light Fidelity) and mmWave tech inside LED (Light-Emitting Diode) room lights. The idea of a Visible Light Communication (VLC) network is nothing new and Li-Fi technologies have been in development for quite a few years, although commercial products are somewhat lacking. In simple terms, the LED lights flicker on and off thousands of times a second (i.e. too fast for your eyes to perceive) and by altering the length of the flickers you can introduce digital communications (like flashing a torch to send Morse code). In theory you could embed this sort of technology in computer screens or desk lamps, although in practice it would work best if installed inside a LED light bulb on your ceiling because of the wider coverage. Likewise it would also be more energy efficient than a standard WiFi wireless network and significantly faster, albeit with a few caveats. Electronics and software engineers at Brunel University London are just one of the teams working on Li-Fi solutions as part of a 3 year project. The goal is to create a 10Gbps (Gigabits per second) local wireless network in homes and buildings (offices etc.) with a delay of just 1ms (millisecond). The new network would make use of both Li-Fi and 5G wireless technologies in the millimeter Wave (mmWave) frequency bands, although judging by the diagram above its probably not something that an ordinary home owner would want to install; unless youre happy with running lots of optical fibre cable around your various light fittings. However it may have applications in other fields. Professor John Cosmas said: It will allow surgeons to perform robotic surgery from a different hospital from where the patient is located. In general, it will enable the Internet of Control remote control of machines and robots through the Internet. So far, this has not been possible because of large and variable latencies delays through the existing Internet. People will no longer need to travel as much, and will work from home more effectively, thereby reducing the use of fossil fuels for transport. The current plan is to develop and install a remote radio-light head 5G demonstrator hybrid Li-Fi / mmWave network and advise on systems in a Paris Museum (Musee de la Carte a Jouer), as well as an unnamed Madrid underground station and a Chinese supermarket. The team suggests that it could also find its way into tube stations, airports, planes, trains, schools and hospitals. However mass market adoption would probably be contingent upon the technology finding its way into lots of consumer products, which is unlikely to happen if they make it difficult to install. LiFi also suffers from a number of drawbacks, such as the fact that youd have to buy lots of pricey new bulbs in order to cover your home (visible light cannot penetrate through walls or other solid objects and mmWave signals can suffer from a similar issue). Oddly the team also states that Li-Fi cuts harmful electromagnetic exposure because it only transmits 2-3m [metres], which they say means there will be much less electromagnetic radiation within buildings [and] this could reduce the ill effects on humans and potentially lower incidence of tumours and leukaemia. The above seems like an odd statement to make given the lack of hard scientific evidence to support harm from wireless networks in adults (unless you go around with one literally glued to your head all day.. for several years). Mind you, more research would always help. Thursday, Sep 14th, 2017 (7:57 am) - Score 2,048 Remember those pensioners in Barrhead (East Renfrewshire, Scotland) who complained that Virgin Medias new 5ft tall street cabinet completely blocks out any light from coming into the house (here)? After a nine month battle, plus lots of bad media publicity, the operator has agreed to move it. Generally broadband infrastructure builders like Virgin Media do not require planning permission for deploying new street cabinets as they come under permitted development (tougher rules may exist in protected areas), although local authorities do expect such operators to situate their constructions in suitable locations that have a minimal impact on residents. In the case of Barrhead this minimal impact approach became somewhat strained as the large cabinet ended up filling nearly all of the view from the couples living room, which might have done more negative damage to their property value than the positive addition of ultrafast broadband. Many people would happily accept such a cabinet if it meant better broadband but experiences do vary. Rosemary Ferguson (82) said (Barrhead News): This has been going on since January and they (Virgin Media) just didnt want to know. Then the chief executive for the whole of the UK came out this morning and told us the boxes would be moved. Virgin Media has finally seen sense but they should need planning permission for these types of boxes. Theres got to be legislation brought in to make sure the likes of Virgin Media, with the size of these boxes, go through the planning process. No date has been given for when the work will take place, although we wouldnt be too surprised if residents complained about the disruption that it will inevitably cause. Hopefully this time around Virgin Media will be able to find a better spot for the cabinet, although given the density of housing then its possible that the cabinet might just end up irritating somebody else. However we disagree with the call for planning permission as that would make deploying new ultrafast broadband networks significantly slower and more expensive, which could create a huge financial disincentive for operators that might wish to deploy new infrastructure. The Government has already made a lot of changes to facilitate such deployments and we certainly dont want to see that go in reverse. In reality disputes like the one raised above are rare and thats pretty good going, especially considering the many tens of thousands of new street cabinets that have been installed by various different network operators across the United Kingdom over the past few years. The deal will see the ASX-listed Reckon (ASX:RKN) becoming a distributor of two key solutions from Xeppo, adding the companys cloud integration engine and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool to its APS suite. Xeppo brings the capability to pull and consolidate data from different teams within the accounting practice from wealth management and mortgage broking, to self-managed super funds into a single platform. Reckon says that prior to this, accounting firms have had to manually retrieve the required data from various sources. Multidisciplinary firms are finding it a challenge to integrate databases from different practices due to disparate systems, said Sam Allert, group managing director for Reckon Australia & New Zealand. Xeppo will be particularly relevant for our customers from larger integrated practices, who have been asking for a solution to connect their accounting systems with other key databases within a cloud-based environment for some time now. The distribution agreement provides an immediate capability that not only complements our existing product suite and strengthens our cloudification strategy, but also accelerates cloud migration for accounting firms. We are confident this will further reinforce Reckon APS as the premium practice management software provider for accountants. Paul Campbell, managing director of Xeppo, said, This is a great endorsement for Xeppo as it demonstrates how our product can value add other core systems within a practice. We are excited by the opportunities this now provides for both companies to leverage Xeppo to streamline data management and integrated CRM, all in a cloud environment. As part of the agreement, Reckon will be putting their sales, consulting, technical and support capabilities behind Xeppo. This arrangement does not affect our product independence and we will continue to connect to systems that are relevant to our clients. Set to provide editorial services and rich metadata for over 150 TV channels in Finnish, English and Swedish and more, for Finnish cable TV company DNA, Ericsson is masterful at media. DNAs cable network, the Finnish digital-terrestrial network over broadband and Ericsson have done a major media and metadata deal. Were told that rich metadata will be used to power content discovery services on DNAs TV open ecosystem 4K-enabled box, the DNA TV-hubi, which launched last month". The device combines a set-top box, Chromecast built-in and a Google Play Store, and comes equipped with two HD tuners, which enables simultaneous viewing and recording; it also includes voice recognition support". Mikko Nurmi, director, Cable Networks at DNA, said: High quality, rich metadata from Ericsson offers us a great opportunity to promote all different types of content. It is also an enabler for a great user experience, bringing users into the pay-TV content funnel. Steve Nylund, head of Broadcast and Media Services, Ericsson, said: Content discovery continues to be a major challenge for viewers and a top priority for broadcasters, operators and content owners. The average person will spend 1.3 years of their life perusing the EPG to find something to watch and its our job to help our clients to address this challenge. Naturally, Ericsson explained its deal with DNA strengthens Ericssons content discovery footprint in the Nordic region". In Norway, were told Ericsson has provided content discovery services for Gets TV platforms for over 10 years, including the sourcing and provision of rights information for linear TV to enable catch-up, startover and NPVR functionality". Ericsson also provides enriched metadata, program and cast images for Gets VOD library and powers content discovery for its recently launched OTT service, which is available to around 500,000 subscribers. Ericsson also delivers rich metadata to Denmarks second biggest cable TV company, Stofa, which reaches approximately 400,000 homes. Adding to this impressive list is yet more astounding Ericsson attention to detail, with the company proudly boasting its team of 300 editorial specialists aggregate, create, normalize, maintain, and deliver rich metadata, maintaining more than 14,000 sources globally". In addition, the companys global content discovery portfolio spans more than 10 million movies and programme titles, covering over 25 languages, and includes an image database covering over 90 percent of all programming available across traditional TV, VOD and SVOD". Top all this off with the stat that globally, more than 200 million people interact with Ericsson's rich metadata each week, and you have quite the global platform. Finally, if youre going to be at IBC 2017 over the next few days (September 15 to 19), then Ericsson would love you to come along and visit its stand. With Google having resuscitated its Glass wearable for the enterprise space via some much needed maintenance, we can start an artificially intelligent dialog about some very interesting progress. Although the world was under the impression that Google had filled in its Glassholes a year or two back, and had retired its visionary eyewear of the future, nothing could have been further from the truth. Instead, Google was busily working on refocusing Glass and imbuing it with enterprise class, and has brought a whole series of enterprise customers into view. Just as Glass sought to pre-emptively see off competitors who didnt exist when Glass first launched, such as Microsofts HoloLens, or Apples AR glasses to come, Glass is back, with Dialog Information Technology, a Google Solutions Practice, one of many Google partners doing great work globally, peering through the looking glass into a wonderland of endless possibility. Indeed, the company is clearly ultra serious about Google, as it specialises in state of the art Maps, Search, Collaboration and Storage solutions for enterprise, federal government, state government and defence. Assisting clients with adoption and integration of Google's leading Maps for Work, Search for Work, Drive Unlimited storage and Collaboration platforms. The company even employs over 1400 consultants nationally and has offices in every major Australian city and has earned the Google Premier Partner badge which recognises partners who excel with Google solutions implementations, and is a Google for Work Premier Partner in the Australasia Region encompassing Australia, New Zealand, Oceania and southern Asia". So, it should come as no surprise to hear that Dialog works with some pretty impressive clients, but two of which are the Royal Australian Navy, and the National Trauma Research Institute headquartered at the Alfred Hospital in Victoria. On top of that, Dialog can proudly boast that it is the first partner to provide solutions to the Australian market, with a world-first integration of Alphabets Glass Enterprise and Googles Artificial Intelligence services". Royal Australian Navy Dialogs engineers reported having working with the early Glass Enterprise prototypes since May 2016 with the two organisations listed above. The Navy solution integrates Glass Enterprise with Googles Machine Learning APIs (Vision API and Natural Language API) to assist engineers with the Fleet Air Arms Helicopter maintenance program, with a pilot solution deployed for assessment with the Fleets Squirrel helicopters". Commander Fleet Air Arm, Commodore Chris Smallhorn, noted the hands-free wearable HUD technology, offered by Glass, has the potential to improve maintenance task efficiency and safety". The technology enables video conferencing with supervisors from the actual location of the maintenance being conducted and enables a maintainer to have both hands free to conduct maintenance tasks, often at height and in difficult to access locations, said Commodore Smallhorn. It is imperative that we, as one of the worlds most capable navies, stay at the forefront of technology and lead the way in researching the best and safest way to deliver our warfare capability. The partnership with Dialog has been ground breaking. We havent attempted something like this before, but we are committed to being innovative and agile in our operations. We are at the beginning of the program and it is promising. The National Trauma Research Institute In 2017, The National Trauma Research Institute (NTRI) commissioned Dialog Information Technology to pair the Trauma Reception and Resuscitation (TR&R) System with Glass for Enterprise". This project demonstrated the utility of Glass in Emergency medicine, and allowed clinicians to focus their attention on the patient while using Glass as a device to provide a visual display of the patient's vital signs". It also allowed the clinician to receive auditory cues to conduct life saving interventions initiated by TR&R". Project lead at NTRI and director of Trauma Services at The Alfred Mark Fitzgerald said the glasses have the potential to save thousands of lives across the globe and will enable connectivity in trauma resuscitation that has never been seen before. The TR&R system gives hospital trauma teams computerised decision support for the first 60 minutes of trauma patient resuscitation. Patient data including vital signs, diagnoses and treatments are entered into the TR&R System directly from a monitor or by the Trauma Nurse Leader. Based on this data, the system prompts the trauma team in real time to confirm the state of the patient, perform procedures and administer drugs as well as assisting with diagnosing injuries. Combining TR&R with Google Glass will mean doctors have vital patient information including heart rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure and more right in front of their eyes, without having to leave or look away from the patient. The glasses also have a camera and 4G+ connectivity, which will enable trauma teams to connect with medical specialists off-site. The prototype is expected in early 2018, with more on the TR&R project here. Alphabets Glass Enterprise page recently announced Dialog as their first partner in the Australasian region after the launch of Glass Enterprise globally in July". Google National Practice Manager Glenn Irvine said: These two announcements are the culmination of our work with Alphabets X team and some Australian clients to build strong case studies for the new platform. We are very proud of these achievements and the integration with Googles Cloud Machine Learning capabilities. Both of these case studies demonstrate the enterprise worthiness of these wearables, and the progress the Glass product has made in the last few years. The co-founder of Kaspersky Lab, Eugene Kaspersky, has accepted an invitation to testify before US Congress after the company's products were banned from use by US Government agencies. Eugene has asked for an expedited visa to make the trip to the US and testify on 27 September. The invitation was sent on Thursday, a day after the ban was issued by the US Department of Homeland Security. I have accepted invitation to testify before US House of Representatives & address allegations about KL. Hope to get expedited visa. pic.twitter.com/Z24emERmnn Eugene Kaspersky (@e_kaspersky) 14 September 2017 Eugene told Reuters in an email: I appreciate and accept the invitation to testify before the US House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and if I can get an expedited visa, I look forward to publicly addressing the allegations about my company and its products. Inwritten for the Forbes website, Eugene said his company had been under fire for nearly five years from a handful of sources "which falsely report that we have covert and unethical ties to government organisations, possibly pose a threat to US national security and/or our US business is failing". He scoffed at these sources, saying "After five years, how much proof and concrete facts have they come up with? None. Nada. Zero. Zilch!" Eugene Kaspersky claims the only reason for the moves against Kaspersky Lab is geopolitical turbulence. The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday gave agencies 30 days to identify their use of Kaspersky products and 60 days to develop detailed plans to remove and discontinue present and future use of the products. A deadline of 90 days was set to implement plans to discontinue the use of Kaspersky software and to remove the same from information systems. Moves against Kaspersky Lab in the US have gone up dramatically since the presidential elections of 2016, after claims that Russia had interfered to influence things the way of Donald Trump began to gain traction. The FBI has briefed private sector companies to give up use of Kaspersky products, and last week multinational consumer electronics corporation Best Buy pulled Kaspersky products from its shelves and offered customers help to get rid of installed software. In July, the US government removed Kaspersky products from a list of approved software suppliers for two government-wide purchasing contracts. Regarding the DHS ban, Eugene said: "I guess the good news is that US government sales have not been a significant part of the company's activity in North America. So, while unfortunate, we'll continue to keep our focus on protecting our real customer base, enterprises and consumers." He said the only reason for the moves against Kaspersky Lab was geopolitical turbulence. If you work with a US infosec company and are silent about the @Kaspersky issue, don't complain when you lose foreign work. #hypocrisy Jake Williams (@MalwareJake) 14 September 2017 Pointing out that when there were tensions at the level of governments, businesses were the ones to suffer, Eugene said the only thing to do was to concentrate on origin of the moves against any individual company. He cited the following from an article in the Washington Post: "Treasury Department officials devised plans that would hit entire sectors of Russias economy. One preliminary suggestion called for targeting technology companies including Kaspersky Lab, the Moscow-based cyber security firm. But sceptics worried that the harm could spill into Europe and pointed out that US companies used Kaspersky systems and software." And he wrote, "Despite a lack of evidence as to the reasons why we're being targeted, one thing does seem to be crystal clear: we are caught in the middle of a geopolitical fight." He claimed that due to political reasons, various bans had been promulgated, asking: "Australia bans China, the US bans Russia, Russia bans the US, China bans everyone... sometimes I can't believe my eyes when I read what's going on in the 21st century. Why are countries ceasing to co-operate in the fight against the common cyber criminal enemy?" Eugene said that tackling cyber criminals was only possible if "we the good guys can overcome national boundaries, just as the cyber criminals do. Only joint efforts by law enforcement agencies of different countries can lead to success, and during recent years, thanks to such cooperation many cyber-villains have been put behind bars". "That's why we legally co-operate with cyber-police of different countries, and also international organisations like INTERPOL and Europol. Without co-operation, there won't be any co-ordinated actions against cyber crime; consequently, there's impunity for the cyber criminals and cyber attacks continue to thrive. People, businesses and economies all suffer." Photos: courtesy Kaspersky Lab Optus has launched its first dedicated SD-WAN technology for its software-defined network in partnership with Riverbed Technology. According to Optus Business, Fusion SD-WAN is one of the first SD-WAN solutions in Australia that can be deployed as an "over-the-top" managed service across any business network regardless of provider or connection. And Optus says the new technology, supported by Riverbeds SteelConnect platform, equips organisations with improved network management capabilities so they can rapidly respond to changing business demands. Business is moving at an unprecedented pace and, in an effort to remain relevant, organisations have deployed technologies from multiple providers. To ensure the long-term success and ROI of these strategies, Optus Fusion SD-WAN allows businesses to independently manage their networks in real-time, while also gaining the ability to instantly connect to the cloud, says Enzo Cocotti, director, Optus Business. Cocotti says Fusion SD-WAN monitors the health of every network path reinforced with application awareness capabilities to help IT managers understand how their network is performing and where bandwidth is being used. These insights allow businesses to improve and prioritise data flow between branches, as well as Amazon Web Services and Azure cloud environments, to immediately address business needs. With real-time insights into how network components are working together and performing, CIOs, network architects and developers are empowered with information shaping existing and future IT strategies. Ultimately, this equips IT professionals with additional expertise and capabilities to rapidly respond to the increasing demands from the business. Gartner predicts 30% of businesses will have deployed some form of SD-WAN platform by 2019, up from just 2% today. This is the start of the evolution of SD-WAN in Australia, says Keith Buckley, vice-president, Australia and New Zealand, Riverbed. As organisations continue to adopt more and more cloud apps and services, the network has to adapt to become more agile and intelligent. We are pleased to be partnering with Optus as Optus Fusion SD-WAN represents a catalyst for change and a radical new approach to networking in todays cloud-centric world. Attackers who caused the data leak at American credit information provider Equifax, that led to the details of about 143 million being made public, are likely to have used a vulnerability in the Apache Struts Web application framework to gain entry. The website Cyberscoop reported that a senior US government official had said the flaw used by the attackers was likely to be one disclosed in March. Independent British security researcher Kevin Beaumont was the first to point that the March flaw was the likely entry point, tweeting about it on 8 September soon after news broke about the breach. It looks like this bug in Apache Struts was the place of entry: https://t.co/Xr1iXdBK2b Kevin Beaumont (@GossiTheDog) September 8, 2017 The Quartz website carried a misleading report on the same day, claiming that the entry point was a flaw that had been in the software for the past nine months and had been disclosed on 4 September. It later changed its report, saying that the vulnerability targeted was likely to be the one disclosed in March. To be clear the recent Struts vuln getting press hype is non-default install. This one from March is default install https://t.co/Xr1iXdBK2b Kevin Beaumont (@GossiTheDog) September 8, 2017 The Quartz claim caused a fair bit of angst, with even the Apache Software Foundation, under whose auspices Struts is developed, issuingto refute the incorrect report. Cyberscoop quoted the official who spoke to its reporter as saying: I really do believe this is an inflection point. This just as big as Sony, as Target, as OPM." In the wake of the breach, Equifax has waived fees until 21 November for those who want to freeze their credit. If you're a reporter and claim that Struts was responsible for the #Equifax hack, shame on you. Equifax is responsible, patching failed. Jake Williams (@MalwareJake) 14 September 2017 The magnitude of the breach means that nearly half the adult population of the US may be at risk of having their personal detail such as dates of birth and Social Security numbers exposed. Details of the March flaw were released by Cisco's Talos intelligence unit. The flaw was a remote code execution bug in the Jakarta Multipart parser of Struts. The RCE was possible when uploading files based on the parser. Microsoft has issued a patch to fix a flaw in its Office suite that was being used to spread spyware known as FINSPY. The flaw was discovered by security firm FireEye which co-ordinated disclosure with Microsoft. The software giant revealed details of the flaw as part of its regular monthly updates on Tuesday, along with details of another 80-odd flaws in numerous software packages that it sells. The flaw in question allowed the injection of arbitrary code in a Word document. Researchers from FireEye said they had analysed a document which the attackers used to download and run a Visual Basic script that contained PowerShell commands. Researchers Genwei Jiang, Ben Read and Tom Bennettthat the document, titled .doc, was probably aimed at Russian speakers. The FINSPY malware, also known as FinFisher or WingBird, that was being distributed can be bought as part of a lawful intercept package. "Based on this and previous use of FINSPY, we assess with moderate confidence that this malicious document was used by a nation-state to target a Russian-speaking entity for cyber espionage purposes," the trio said. The flaw, categorised as CVE-2017-8759, is the second zero-day found by FireEye that distributes the FINSPY malware. "These exposures demonstrate the significant resources available to 'lawful intercept' companies and their customers," the researchers said. "Furthermore, FINSPY has been sold to multiple clients, suggesting the vulnerability was being used against other targets." The trio floated the possibility that the flaw was being used by additional actors. "While we have not found evidence of this, the zero day being used to distribute FINSPY in April 2017, CVE-2017-0199 was simultaneously being used by a financially motivated actor," they said. "If the actors behind FINSPY obtained this vulnerability from the same source used previously, it is possible that source sold it to additional actors." Spotify users have been targeted by a new scam doing the rounds which attempts to steal personal identity information. The media watchdog the Australian Communications and Media Authority has issued an alert about fake emails targeting Spotify Premium account users. Do you have a Spotify Premium account? Be wary of emails with the subject Your Spotify Premium payment isn't working, warns the ACMA. The email will ask you to update your billing, with a link taking you to a fake sign-in page almost identical to the real Spotify website. The ACMA warns that the fake website is extremely convincing and is a reminder to be vigilant about keeping your personal information safe and secure. And, the authority urges anyone receiving one of the fake emails to delete it immediately. For more information about protecting your personal information and privacy, the ACMA directs you to visit its Stay Smart Online website. Competition for a telco is an everyday thing, as are moves by your competitors, with Kogan Mobile doing a deal for those who rely on mobile broadband to stay connected. Aussies looking for flexible Internet while on-the-go are turning to mobile broadband and its not a new phenomenon by any means, but mobile broadband has never been faster or more affordable than it is today. Kogan Mobile backs this up by stating that mobile broadband was once a service reserved for people working away from the office or staying overnight on a business trip, but analysis from ACMA in 2016 shows that 6.04 million Aussies are now using it for everyday data access and that ACMA stat is already well over a year old, suggesting even more mobile broadband users are out there. Again, Kogan Mobile backs this up by stating that, in just the last year, wireless broadband downloads have increased by 24%". Naturally, Kogan Mobile is never one to miss an opportunity to suggest its services are perfectly suited to your needs, proudly and boldly stating that customers requiring accessible broadband now have more reason than ever to switch to Kogan Mobile Broadband on the Vodafone 4G network". As youd expect, this involves a special promotion, whereby for the month of September, Kogan Mobile is giving new and existing customers who activate, recharge or purchase one of its 30-day 4G broadband plans, double data at no extra cost, with more on the plans here. Turn phone horizontal to see full image if viewing on mobile: Kogan Mobiles terms and conditions are simply reprinted as follows: Bonus data available to customers who activate, recharge or purchase eligible Kogan Mobile plans before 11:59 AEST 30/09/17. Eligible plans include DATA S 30 day (8GB bonus) and DATA M 30 day (30GB bonus). Bonus data will be automatically added to your account when you activate. Bonus data has a 30 day expiry and is subject to the same limitations and conditions as the data inclusions of your plan or recharge see www.koganmobile.com.au/legal/plan-details/ for details. Offer subject to change. Not transferrable and not redeemable for cash. Not available for commercial or resale purposes. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional offers. Limit 1 per customer. 4G is available in selected areas in Australia with an active prepaid recharge and a 4G device. See koganmobile.com.au/coverage. Reddit Email 328 Shares By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | The United Arab Emirates crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan slipped into the United States on December 15 for a secret meeting with Trump, Michael Flynn, Jared Kushner and Steve Bannon. It is unusual for high government officials to visit without letting the White House know. Barack Obama was clearly being frozen out of this meeting. Obama kept insisting that we only have one administration at a time, and was disturbed by the way the Trump circle immediately began pursuing its own foreign policy, not waiting for Jan. 20. But the National Security Agency has high politicians throughout the world under surveillance, and notices when their cell phones start talking to towers in New York all of a sudden, instead of in Abu Dhabi. So National Security Adviser Susan Rice knew that Sheikh Mohammed was meeting with someone on a surreptitious visit to the US. And she asked the NSA for the identities of the Americans in the meeting. And there they were, Trump, Flynn, Kushner and Bannon. Its like when you hear animals eating garbage in your garage at night and you turn on the light and there are four fat raccoons chowing down on rotten chicken bones. What was the purpose of this meeting? CNNs reporting is that the 3-hour conversation ranged over Iran, Yemen and the Mideast peace process. In other words, it was about Iran and Israel. The UAE felt abandoned by Obama. He put relatively few resources into helping the rebels in Syria,though perhaps a billion dollars (not a large sum for that country). And he had made that nuclear deal with Iran, which the Arab powers saw as a signal that he was tilting toward Tehran and away from them. Obama was also increasingly uncomfortable with the Yemen war. So the UAE, which is a fabulously wealthy if small country (maybe 1.5 mn citizens, 9 million residents) had swung into action to make sure Trump was on their side. My guess is that they will have urged him to tear up the JCPOA, the Iran nuclear deal, which he had already pledged to do. It is despicable for these foreign leaders to connive at getting young American soldiers killed for their own purposes. The UAE royal family is also close to Erik Prince, who runs mercenaries in the global south. Prince in turn is close to Trump. Trump made his sister Betsy DeVos a cabinet member. A month later, the UAE used Prince to try to reach out to Russia and get Moscow to abandon Tehran. So Trumps hysterical tweet that the Obama administration had put him under surveillance is both true and false. It is false that they bugged his penthouse. It is true that he showed up in their sights, because he kept meeting with persons of interest. Flynn seems to have liked meetings, and called the Russian embassy a lot in this period, as well. And his company had a big payday from a Turkish crony of president Tayyip Erdogan. Why, despite their protestations of being afraid of or hating Muslims, you wonder whether they werent working for some. And that raises another question, which is whether the UAE came bearing bribes. Related video: ABC: Democrats say General Michael Flynn committed criminal acts by concealing information HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA--(Marketwired - Sept. 14, 2017) - Erdene Resource Development Corp. (TSX:ERD) ("Erdene" or "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received positive results from Phase I-2017 metallurgical testing conducted by Blue Coast Research Ltd. ("BCR") on its 100%-owned Bayan Khundii Gold Project ("Bayan Khundii") in southwest Mongolia. Highlights Metallurgical results from two master composites indicate the gold from Bayan Khundii is free milling and amenable to conventional processing techniques. Results for two master composite samples included: BK-16-03 (4.3 g/t gold): Gold recovery after 48-hours was 96% whereas the 96-hour gold recovery was 97% with a grind size of 80% passing 60 micron, 40% solids and 1.0 g/L NaCN. BK-16-04 (4.47 g/t gold): Received full optimization testwork, including variation on grind size, residence time, and sodium cyanide dosage (consumption) as well as assessing the impact on overall recoveries when initial gravity recovery was applied. Gold recoveries, using a target grind size of 80% passing 60 micron, ranged from 91% to 93.4% after 48-hours with overall gold recovery of 95% after 96-hours. Grindability studies reported a Bond Rod Mill Work Index of 17.8 kWh/tonne and a Bond Ball Mill Work Index of 16.1 kWh/tonne. Phase II testing, focussed on material in the 1.5 g/t to 3 g/t gold range, will continue through Q1-2018. Phase I-2017 Metallurgical Testwork Summary The Phase I-2017 metallurgical testing program for Bayan Khundii is the second metallurgical testing program completed to date. The initial metallurgical testwork in 2016 tested two representative, master composite samples from Erdene's initial 2015 drill program at Bayan Khundii. This 2016 testwork included 15 widely spaced drill holes in the Gold Hill and Striker Zones, testing the top 50 metres of the target areas. The results were very encouraging with 99% recovery on the high-grade sample (25.9 g/t gold) and 92% on the low-grade sample (0.7 g/t gold) using a combination of gravity and leach. The 2017 metallurgical program has been separated into two phases (I and II) to allow for the completion of the 2017 drill program and the production of composites and master composites that are representative of, and best reflect the anticipated average grades of, the gold mineralized system. The objective of Phase I was to provide recovery data on moderately high-grade master composites, assess the recovery variability of the low-grade material to assist in determining optimal cut-off grades, provide grindability data and to complete an initial assessment on the amenability of the low-grade material to heap leach processes. The Phase II program is designed to test variability and ultimately recovery of a collection of composites followed by master composites. Phase II sampling and testing is expected to be initiated in Q4-2017 and continue through Q1-2018. Master Composite Testing Two master composite samples were collected from throughout the Striker Zone down to a vertical depth of 100 metres. Individual samples were collected from split drill core from more than 20 different drill holes in each sample with a total combined sample weight of 41 kilograms per composite. The head grades of the two composite samples were 4.30 g/t gold (sample BK-16-03) and 4.47 g/t gold (sample BK-16-04). As the Company advances Bayan Khundii and gains a better understanding of potential mineralized domains it will complete further testwork on lower grade material (1.5 to 3 g/t gold). Master composite sample BK-16-03 received only leach testing, whereas master composite sample BK-16-04 received full optimization testwork, including variation on grind size, residence time, and sodium cyanide dosage (consumption) as well as assessment of the impact on overall recoveries when initial gravity recovery was applied. Table 1. Overall Circuit Recoveries for the two Master Composites, 48 hr. leach Master Composite Head Grade Gravity 48 hr. Leach Combined BK-16-03 4.30 - 96 96 BK-16-04 4.47 41 88* 92 * % of the gold remaining in the gravity tails Sample BK-16-03 Leach Testwork A single test was completed on sample BK-16-03, as a single 96-hour leach test with a grind size of 80% passing 60 micron, 40% solids and 1.0 g/L NaCN. Gold recovery after 48-hours was 96% whereas the 96-hour gold recovery was 97%, indicating a 48-hour period will recover most of the available gold. Sample BK-16-04 Primary Grind Size As expected, the highest recovery is associated with the finest grind. An additional 4% in recovery is gained from decreasing the particle size from 160 micron to 60 micron. Gold recovery with a primary grind size of 80% passing 161 micron was 87%. A primary grind of 80% passing 60 micron resulted in an average gold recovery of 91%. Further evaluation of the primary grind size should be conducted on a lower grade composite. Extended Cyanidation Residence Time A single test was conducted for a total leach time of 96-hours. The material was ground to 80% passing 60 micron prior to the bottle roll. The standard cyanidation conditions used 40% solids, 1.0 g/L NaCN. Gold recovery after 48-hours was 93.4%, with overall gold recovery of 95% after 96-hours, indicating a 48-hour period will recover most of the available gold, as was noted for sample BK-16-03. Gravity and Cyanidation Test A combined gravity and cyanidation test was conducted to determine if the addition of gravity ahead of cyanidation would yield any additional recovery. For this work a 10-kilogram test charge was ground in a laboratory rod mill to 80% passing 60 micron. The ground charge was processed through a laboratory-scale Knelson centrifugal concentrator (MD-3). 41% of the gold reported to the gravity concentrate at a grade of 205 g/t. A subsample of the gravity tails was then leached in a standard bottle roll for 48-hours (40% solids; 1.0 g/L NaCN). Gold recovery through cyanidation was 88%. Combining the results of both tests resulted in an overall gold recovery of 92%. This is in line with the baseline cyanidation results and suggests that initial gravity separation will not increase the overall gold recovery, but could be incorporated into the Bayan Khundii flowsheet to ensure the coarsest gold is removed early in the process and minimize the amount of gold that could be caught in gold traps throughout the plant. Variability Testing of Low-Grade Material The Phase I-2017 metallurgical program included a study assessing the potential impact on gold recoveries with increasing depth and variation in character of the low-grade mineralized material. The work included 16 primarily low-grade composite samples that ranged in head grade from 0.37 g/t gold to 2.29 g/t gold, with an average grade of 0.75 g/t gold. Applying standard leach parameters, gold recovery of these low-grade samples averaged 85% after 48-hour leach. Two samples of Striker Zone mineralization, without any vertical constraint and with head grades of 2.30 g/t Au and 1.18 g/t gold, returned recoveries of 93% and 91% respectively. These tests targeted primary grind sizes of 80% passing 60 micron. Very low-grade material from eight composite samples with an average head grade of 0.55 g/t gold returned a recovery of 84% after 48-hour bottle roll tests at a particle size of 58.4 micron. There was some indication that the areas under younger, post-mineralization cover to the north of the Striker Zone may be slightly harder than the Striker Zone area (as evidenced by coarser grind sizes), however recoveries remained consistent supporting additional study on optimizing the primary grind size. Results from the master composite samples, and from lower grade Striker Zone material unconstrained vertically, indicate that good recoveries can be gained from sample material collected from throughout the vertical sequence, however in the very low-grade material there does appear to be a decrease at greater vertical depth which will need further study once expected head grades are established. Heap Leach Amenability Testing A series of coarse bottle roll tests were conducted on a composite of Striker Zone material to evaluate if the material would be amenable to heap leaching. These tests were not designed to predict ultimate heap leach recovery. They were designed as screening tests whereby similar recoveries across all particle sizes would suggest the material may be amenable to heap leaching techniques, while poor recovery in the coarser tests would suggest that conventional tank leaching would be preferred. These tests were conducted as 72-hour bottle rolls with sodium cyanide addition of 2.0 g/L. The material for the three tests was prepared as 100% passing 6 mesh (3.35 mm), 100% passing 10 mesh (1.7 mm) and 80% passing 69 micron. Gold recoveries were 57% on the 3.35 mm material, 63% on the 1.7 mm material and 83% on the 69 micron grind size. The higher recovery associated with the finer grind size suggests that conventional tank leaching would likely yield higher overall recoveries. Grindability Testing Standard grindability tests were used to evaluate the energy requirement to grind material from a pre-defined feed size to a final product size. The Bond Rod Mill Work Index was recorded at 17.8 kWh/tonne and the Bond Ball Mill Work Index at 16.1 kWh/tonne. The grindability tests indicate that Bayan Khundii is moderately hard to hard. Recommendations for Further Work Based on the success of this second metallurgical testing program, BCR has recommended additional tests to better study the metallurgical characteristics of Bayan Khundii and further optimize recoveries. It is anticipated that the following studies will be initiated in Q4-2017: - Additional cyanidation process development work on lower grade composites that reflect the average grade of the Bayan Khundii deposit; - Further variability testing incorporating composites that represent the full range of head grades and depths within Bayan Khundii; - An extended gravity recoverable gold (E-GRG) test on a sample representing the average grade of the deposit. Quality Assurance/Quality Control ("QA/QC") Results for the metallurgical test program were provided and approved by Andrew Kelly, P.Eng., of Blue Coast Research Ltd., a Qualified Person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101. All other technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Michael MacDonald, P.Geo. (Nova Scotia), Vice President Exploration for Erdene,, a Qualified Person as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101. All drill result samples have been assayed at SGS Laboratory in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In addition to internal checks by SGS Laboratory, the Company incorporates a QA/QC sample protocol utilizing prepared standards and blanks. Erdene's sampling protocol for drill core consisted of collection of samples over 1 metre or 2 metre intervals (depending on the lithology and style of mineralization) over the entire length of the drill hole, excluding minor post-mineral lithologies and un-mineralized granitoids. Sample intervals were based on meterage, not geological controls or mineralization. All drill core was cut in half with a diamond saw, with half of the core placed in sample bags and the remaining half securely retained in core boxes at Erdene's Bayan Khundii exploration camp. All samples were organized into batches of 30 samples including a commercially prepared standard, blank, and either a field duplicate, consisting of two 14-core intervals, or a laboratory duplicate. Sample batches were periodically shipped directly to SGS in Ulaanbaatar via Erdene's logistical contractor, Monrud Co. Ltd. Background on Bayan Khundii Gold Project In Q2-2015, Erdene conducted an initial exploration program on the southern portion of the Company's 100%-owned Khundii exploration license in southwest Mongolia where an early rock-chip sampling program revealed multiple very high-grade surface quartz veins that returned up to 4,380 g/t gold. Since that time, the Company has completed a total of 30,728 metres in 198 diamond drill holes, revealing the presence of very high gold grades, with up to 306 g/t gold over 1-metre intervals, within broad mineralized zones, with up to 131 metres of 3.9 g/t gold, including 80 metres of 6.0 g/t gold. High gold values are relatively common with nearly 20% of the 198 holes drilled to date containing one or more 1 metre samples exceeding 30 g/t gold. The Bayan Khundii gold mineralization is associated with quartz adularia veins and breccias, within veins and fractures and disseminated within the altered host rocks. Visible gold has been identified in several drill holes as irregular-shaped grains, however it is generally observed to be fine grained. The Company has completed a comprehensive exploration program at Bayan Khundii that has included: geological mapping; soil geochemical surveys; additional surface rock chip sampling; a ground magnetic survey; gradient array and dipole-dipole induced polarization surveys. In addition to the on-going Bayan Khundii drill program, the Company will complete regional exploration and drilling between Bayan Khundii and its Altan Arrow gold-silver project, located 3.5 kilometres north of Bayan Khundii. The Company also has recently completed a follow-up drill program at its neighboring Altan Nar gold-polymetallic project, located 16 kilometres northwest of Bayan Khundii, where it tested newly defined geophysical targets and completed step-out drilling in areas adjacent to its previously reported NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate at Altan Nar. In conjunction with the above work, Erdene will complete an exploration program in 2017 at its newly optioned Ulaan property, immediately west of Bayan Khundii and Altan Arrow (see August 22, 2017 news release). The Bayan Khundii/Altan Arrow and Altan Nar projects have a 2% net smelter returns royalty ("NSR Royalty") in favour of Sandstorm Gold Ltd. with a buy-back option to reduce the NSR Royalty to 1%. About Erdene Erdene Resource Development Corp. is a Canada-based resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of base and precious metals in underexplored and highly prospective Mongolia. The Company has four exploration licenses and a mining license in southwest Mongolia. In addition to the Bayan Khundii and Altan Nar projects, other deposits and prospects within these licenses include: Khuvyn Khar - an early-stage, copper-silver porphyry project with multiple drill targets and significant copper intersections; Nomin Tal - a narrow, high grade copper-gold discovery; Zuun Mod - a large molybdenum-copper porphyry deposit; and Altan Arrow - an early-stage gold-silver project. On August 30, 2017 the Company announced it had acquired a 51% interest in the Ulaan license, situated adjacent to its Khundii license which host the Bayan Khundii and Altan Arrow projects. In addition to the above properties, the Company has an Alliance with Teck Resources Limited on regional copper-gold exploration in the prospective Trans Altai region of southwest Mongolia. For further information on the Company, please visit www.erdene.com. Erdene has 145,963,086 issued and outstanding common shares and a fully diluted position of 156,592,160 common shares. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 14, 2017) - Stakeholder Gold Corp. (TSXV: SRC) ("Stakeholder Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce expansion of its ground position at the Goldstorm Project, Elko County, Nevada. This addition includes 1,160 acres located on the Crawford Ranch which is contiguous to existing claims. The Company's combined ground position now encompasses 3,806 contiguous acres of exploration leases as outlined below (Figure 1). This enhanced land position surrounds both the Clayton Veins system and the Prochnau Veins system and covers their respective strike extensions. The combined project now includes: 828 acres first optioned from Mountainview; 1,818 acres of additional claims acquired by staking and the additional land now under option on the Crawford Ranch. "We anticipate drilling on Goldstorm in October. The addition of this ground along trend consolidates Stakeholder's position on the key gold bearing structures confirmed first during 2010 in drill hole WG-1001 on the Clayton Veins system. Our objective is to confirm the Clayton and Prochnau Vein systems as low sulphidation epithermal gold bearing structures before year end. The intent is to confirm a Midas type, high grade gold system in a developed mining jurisdiction which, if successful, we believe could be highly accretive to shareholder value. The consolidation of prospective exploration ground prior to drilling has been an important component of our value development strategy." stated Chris Berlet, President and CEO. Goldstorm Property The Property is situated in the Snowstorm Mountains Mining District in the western part of Elko County, Nevada. The Property is located approximately 17 km northwest of Klondex's Ken Snyder ("Midas") underground gold mine, approximately 18 km east-northeast of Newmont's Twin Creeks gold mine and approximately 25 km northeast of Barrick Gold's Turquoise Ridge mine. A National Instrument 43-101 technical report on the property has been filed on SEDAR and is available on the Stakeholder Gold website at: http://stakeholdergold.com/goldstorm-project/ni-43-101-technical-report/ In 2010, West Kirkland Mining drilled two core holes on the Property. Drill hole WG-1001 is located on the Clayton Veins system, situated about 1 km south-southwest of the more extensively explored Northern zone. Beginning at 64.4 m depth, the hole intercepted a 2 m vein zone that assayed 5.5 g/t Au, including a 1 m interval @ 9.29 g/t Au and 73 g/t Ag. The Clayton Veins system trends NW-SE and has been tested by only this one drill hole. The parallel Prochnau Veins system, located about 300 m to the NE, has not yet been drill-tested. Both these vein systems are open along strike and to depth. Evidence of veining has been traced over 2,000 m strike length, and these veins will be the subject of exploration drilling planned to be undertaken by Stakeholder in the coming months. The exploration target/model for the Property is based on the Midas mine located about 17 km (11 miles) to the southeast. Goldstorm sits near the intersection of three important gold-bearing structural corridors: the Getchell Trend; the Carlin/Midas Trend and the Northern Nevada Rift. Figure 1: SRC Exploration Ground Position Covering 3,806 Contiguous Acres Figure 2: SRC Exploration Ground Relative to Nevada Gold Trends & Snowstorm John Nebocat, BSc (Geological Engineering), P.Eng, Vice President Exploration for Stakeholder, is the Qualified Person for the Company, as defined by NI 43-101, and has reviewed and approved the contents of this press release. About Stakeholder Gold Stakeholder Gold Corporation is a Canadian mineral exploration company headquartered in Toronto, Canada. The primary focus of the Corporation during 2017 is to explore the Goldstorm property in Elko County, Nevada (USA). Stakeholder is also exploring on its 100% owned Ballarat Gold Project located in the White Gold District of the Yukon Territory, Canada. Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCwire) - Canada Zinc Metals Corp. (TSX Venture Exchange: CZX) is pleased to announce the drill results from the first two holes of the 2017 Akie drill program. The program focused on resource expansion and new target development on the robust and high-grade central core of the Zn-Pb-Ag Cardiac Creek deposit. The program commenced in June and was completed in August using two drills. A total of 8 drill holes were successfully drilled on the Cardiac Creek deposit for a total of 4,700 metres. Assay results are pending from the remaining six drill holes. 2017 Drill Result Highlights Drill hole A-17-132 returned 10.38% Zn+Pb and 14.2 g/t Ag over a true width of 28.67 metres. This includes 12.39% Zn+Pb and 15.9 g/t Ag over a true width of 19.81 metres which includes 14.42% Zn+Pb and 17.2 g/t Ag over a true width of 10.16 metres. Drill hole A-17-133 returned 12.11% Zn+Pb and 16.0 g/t Ag over a true width of 9.42 metres within a broader mineralized interval of 25.63 metres. A-17-132 The first hole of the 2017 exploration program targeted the NW strike extension of the high-grade core of the Cardiac Creek deposit. The pierce point is located approximately 100 metres up-dip of drill hole A-07-42. The objective of this hole was to expand the known high-grade mineralisation along strike and test the limits of the 5% Zn cut-off indicated resource. The hole intersected a broad zone of mineralization from 520.29 to 573.08 metres representing a true width of 42.43 metres that returned 7.49% Zn+Pb and 10.6 g/t Ag. The Cardiac Creek Zone within the broader envelope returned 10.38% Zn+Pb and 14.2 g/t Ag over a true width of 28.67 metres from 537.41 to 573.08 metres. Higher grade internal intervals include 12.39% Zn+Pb and 15.9 g/t Ag over a true width of 19.81 metres from 546.41 to 571.06 metres which includes 14.42% Zn+Pb and 17.2g/t Ag over a true width of 10.16 metres. The Cardiac Creek Zone is characterized by massive, laminar beds of dull-brown pyrite and light grey sphalerite interfingered with mottled textured sulphide bands enriched in sphalerite, galena, quartz and carbonate. Coarser grained galena is also visible locally. The drill hole was terminated in Silurian siltstone at 598.02 metres. A total of 143 assay samples, including standard QA/QC samples, were taken from the hole. A-17-133 Drill hole A-17-133 targeted an open area central to the Cardiac Creek zone with the pierce point located approximately 55 metres down-dip of A-07-49. This hole targeted the central area of the high-grade core in a large, untested area down-dip of hole A-07-49 and along strike of A-10-73B. The hole intersected a broad envelope of mineralisation grading 5.55% Zn+Pb and 8.5 g/t Ag over a true width of 33.14 metres from 341.08 to 388.38 metres. The Cardiac Creek Zone was intersected from 351.03 to 387.57 metres and returned 6.62% Zn+Pb and 9.6 g/t Ag over a true width interval of 25.63 metres. Higher-grade intervals are present and include 12.11% Zn+Pb and 16.0 g/t Ag over a true width interval of 9.42 metres from 367.68 to 381.10 metres. The mineralisation present in hole A-17-133 is similar in character to that present in hole A-17-132, with massive sulphide beds of very fine grained, dull brown pyrite, light grey sphalerite, and mottle-textured sulphide bands enriched in sphalerite, galena, quartz and carbonate. The hole was terminated at a final depth of 413.60 metres within the Silurian siltstones. A total of 117 assay samples, including standard QA/QC samples, were taken from the hole. Significant results from A-17-132 and A-17-133 are tabulated below. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) True Width (m)* Zn (%) Pb (%) Ag (g/t) Zn+Pb (%) A-17-132 520.29 573.08 42.43 6.41 1.08 10.6 7.49 CC 537.41 573.08 28.67 8.84 1.54 14.2 10.38 including 546.41 571.06 19.81 10.52 1.87 15.9 12.39 including 546.41 566.01 15.75 10.96 2.01 16.7 12.97 including 546.41 559.05 10.16 12.18 2.24 17.2 14.42 A-17-133 341.08 388.38 33.14 4.77 0.78 8.5 5.55 CC 351.03 387.57 25.63 5.68 0.94 9.6 6.62 including 361.90 381.10 13.48 8.00 1.40 12.9 9.40 including 367.68 381.10 9.42 10.30 1.81 16.0 12.11 (*) The true width in metres is calculated utilising the Geovia GEMS software package. The orientation of the mineralised horizon is estimated to have an azimuth of 130 degrees and a dip of -70 degrees. (CCZ) = Cardiac Creek Zone; (HW) = Hangingwall Zone; (FW) = Footwall Zone; (MS) = Massive Sulphide. () Ag values below detection were given a value half of the detection limit for the purposes of weighted averaging. A map showing the 2017 drill collars and traces for the current release can be found here: http://canadazincmetals.com/_resources/maps/2017-Akie-DDH-Plan-Map-Deposit.pdf A cross-section of drill hole A-17-132 can be found here: http://canadazincmetals.com/_resources/maps/XS-2850S-12-Sep-2017.pdf A cross-section of drill hole A-17-133 can be found here: http://canadazincmetals.com/_resources/maps/XS-3150S-12-Sep-2017.pdf Mr. Peeyush Varshney, CEO, commented: We are delighted with the first set of drill results from the 2017 Akie exploration program. We continue to demonstrate the robust and consistent nature and tenor of the Cardiac Creek Zone mineralization. Results released today continue to support our geologic model and highlight the internal continuity of the mineralization. The mineralization remains open along-strike and at depth. We continue to systematically drill off this deposit to establish the size of this large Zinc-dominated mineralised system. We look forward to announcing further drill results over the next several weeks. QA/QC Canada Zinc Metals has implemented a rigorous quality assurance/quality control program at the Akie property using best industry practices. All drill core is logged for geology, structure, veining, alteration, mineralisation, and geotechnical parameters. Sections of sulphide mineralisation are marked for sampling by a geologist and a series of standards, duplicates and blanks are inserted into the sample stream for QA/QC purposes. Prior to the cutting of samples, all core boxes are photographed for due diligence and record keeping purposes. The samples are split by a diamond saw, tagged and bagged and forwarded by bonded carrier to Acme Labs (a Bureau Veritas Group Company) of Vancouver, BC, for analysis. Documentation recording the chain of custody is kept for each shipment. Assays for zinc, lead and silver are obtained using Acme Labs AQ270 analytical package with sample digestion using aqua regia solution followed by ICP-ES and ICP-MS analyses. Barium content is determined by Acme Labs LF300 analytical package using LiBO2/LiB4O7 fusion and ACS grade nitric acid followed by ICP-ES analysis. Overlimit values of lead are rerun using Bureau Veritas AQ371 analytical package using a hot aqua regia solution followed by ICP-ES analyses. Overlimit values for zinc are rerun using Bureau Veritias GC816 analytical package, using a multi-acid digestion, followed by hydroxide precipitation and EDTA titration analysis. Check assays on drill pulps are routinely conducted by ALS Minerals of North Vancouver, BC with their OG46 analytical package using aqua regia digestion and ICP-ES analysis. All remaining drill core is stored at the Akie exploration camp. The Akie Zn-Pb-Ag Project The Companys, 100% owned, flagship Akie property is situated within the Kechika Trough, the southernmost area of the regionally extensive Paleozoic Selwyn Basin, one of the most prolific sedimentary basins in the world for the occurrence of SEDEX zinc-lead-silver and stratiform barite deposits. Drilling on the Akie property by Canada Zinc Metals since 2005 has identified a significant body of baritic-zinc-lead-silver SEDEX mineralisation known as the Cardiac Creek deposit. The deposit is hosted by siliceous, carbonaceous, fine grained clastic rocks of the middle to late Devonian Gunsteel Formation. The Company has outlined a NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource at Cardiac Creek, including an indicated resource of 19.6 million tonnes grading 8.2% zinc, 1.6% lead and 13.6 g/t silver (at a 5% zinc cut-off grade) and an inferred resource of 8.1 million tonnes grading 6.8% zinc, 1.1% lead and 11.2 g/t silver (at a 5% zinc cut-off grade). In addition to the Akie Project the Company owns 100% of ten, large, contiguous property blocks that comprise the Kechika Regional project. The Kechika Regional Project includes the Pie, Yuen, Cirque East and Mt. Alcock properties, extending northwest from the Akie property for approximately 140 kilometres along strike of the highly prospective Gunsteel Formation shale; the main host rock for known SEDEX zinc-lead-silver deposits in the Kechika Trough of northeastern British Columbia. These projects are located approximately 260 kilometres north northwest of the town of Mackenzie, British Columbia, Canada. Ken MacDonald P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration, is the designated Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and is responsible for the technical information contained in this release. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Sept. 14, 2017) - Auryn Resources Inc. (TSX:AUG) (NYSE AMERICAN:AUG)(NYSE MKT:AUG) ("Auryn" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the first drill results ever from the Aiviq prospect located 12 kilometers north of the Three Bluffs deposit (Figure 1). Highlights from the Aiviq prospect include 12.2 meters of 4.7g/t Au (including 3.05 meters of 18.09 g/t Au) intersected in an interpreted silicified shear zone (Figure 1). These results are the first step in defining a new discovery on the Committee Bay Greenstone Belt in a newly recognized style of mineralization. Figure 1: Illustrates the location of the Aiviq discovery of 12.2 meters of 4.7g/t Au located 12 kilometers north of the Three Bluffs deposit. In addition, the positive results of 4.57m of 2.52g/t Au received from the Aarluk prospect located 17 km north of Aiviq demonstrates the emerging importance of the north - south trending Three Bluffs structural corridor. The mineralization encountered at Aiviq is situated along a regional shear zone that is defined by a 7 kilometer long gold-in-till anomaly. This shear zone was tested by a single drill fence during the 2017 summer drill program leaving the prospect wide open to expansion. The other holes drilled at this prospect did not target or intersect this shear zone. Importantly, the high-grade mineralization intersected in drill hole 17RGR003 is situated within a 100 meter wide zone of lower grade structures that demonstrate the overall strength and potential of the gold bearing system (Figure 2). Auryn believes that a follow up drill program along this shear zone is highly warranted given the similar nature of the till signatures and comparable high grade gold values to those found at the Three Bluffs deposit. Figure 2: Illustrates the high-grade intercept of 12.2 meters at 4.7g/t Au (including 3.05 meters of 18.08 g/t Au) at the Aiviq prospect situated within an interpreted silicified shear zone. Importantly, the gold-in-till signature demonstrates that this structure has the potential to be mineralized over a 7 kilometer long strike length. Aiviq's proximity to Three Bluffs allows the Company to leverage the substantial existing exploration infrastructure already in place at its Hayes Camp for future drilling and potential development. Michael Henrichsen, Chief Geologist and COO of Auryn commented, "Auryn's technical team has done an outstanding job of vectoring to high-grade gold mineralization under till cover at the newly defined Aiviq prospect. We view this high-grade intercept as the first step to defining a significant new discovery at Committee Bay and are looking forward to aggressively exploring the 7 kilometer long gold-in-tills anomaly along the mineralized shear zone in 2018." Mr. Henrichsen further stated, "The proximity of the Three Bluffs deposit with this new discovery, creates the potential for a multi-deposit scenario utilizing common infrastructure as we expand the Three Bluffs resource and continue our exploration efforts at Aiviq." Additional positive results were received from the Aarluk prospect where 4.57 meters of 2.52 g/t gold was intersected in banded iron formation where there are 3 holes pending assay. This prospect is located 17 kilometers to the north of Aiviq (Figure 1) and remains open demonstrating the emerging importance of the north-south trending 30 kilometer long structural corridor from Three Bluffs through to Aarluk. Rotary Air Blast (RAB) Drilling Results: To date the Company has received complete results from the Aiviq, Kalulik, West Plains, Ziggy South, Avinngaq, and partial results from the Aarluk prospect (3 holes pending assay) representing a total of 39% of the drill program. Significant intercepts from the Aiviq, Kalulik, and Aaluk prospects are reported in the table below. The summer exploration RAB drill program completed 30,133 meters in 156 holes with 61% of the remaining results to be released in the coming months. Figure 3: Illustrates the targets that have been drilled at the Committee Bay Gold project. Results that have been reported our highlighted by the yellow text boxes. Table 1: Significant Intercepts - RAB 2017 Prospect Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Aiviq 17RGR003 85.34 97.54 12.2 4.70 including 91.44 94.49 3.05 18.09 112.78 114.3 1.52 0.41 129.54 131.06 1.52 0.34 184.4 185.93 1.53 0.27 193.55 199.64 6.09 0.28 17RGR005 73.15 74.68 1.53 0.27 77.72 79.25 1.53 0.88 17RGR007 176.78 178.31 1.53 0.32 17RGR009 41.15 42.67 1.52 0.90 Aarluk 17AAR008 128.02 129.54 1.52 0.26 17AAR012 38.1 42.67 4.57 2.52 Kalulik 17KLR002 36.58 38.1 1.52 0.63 109.73 111.25 1.52 0.40 17KLR005 42.67 44.2 1.53 0.31 17KLR009 48.77 50.29 1.52 0.33 17KLR016 24.38 25.91 1.53 0.32 17KLR017 36.58 38.1 1.52 0.40 True widths of mineralization are unknown based on current geometric understanding of the mineralized intervals Michael Henrichsen, P.Geo, COO of Auryn, is the Qualified Person who assumes responsibility for the technical disclosures in this press release. About Auryn Auryn Resources is a technically driven junior mining exploration company focused on delivering shareholder value through project acquisition and development. The Company's management team is highly experienced with an impressive track record of success and has assembled an extensive technical team as well as a premier gold exploration portfolio. Auryn is focused on scalable high-grade gold deposits in established mining jurisdictions, which include the Committee Bay and Gibson MacQuoid gold projects located in Nunavut, the Homestake Ridge gold project in British Columbia and a portfolio of gold projects in southern Peru, through Corisur Peru SAC. Committee Bay RAB Drilling QA/QC Disclosure Intercepts were calculated using a minimum of a 0.25 g/t Au cut off at beginning and end of the intercept and allowing for no more than four consecutive samples (six meters) of less than 0.25 g/t Au. Analytical samples were taken using 1/8 of each 5ft (1.52m) interval material (chips) and sent to ALS Lab in Yellowknife, NWT and Vancouver, BC for preparation and then to ALS Lab in Vancouver, BC for analysis. All samples are assayed using 30g nominal weight fire assay with atomic absorption finish (Au-AA25) and multi-element four acid digest ICP-AES/ICP-MS method (ME-MS61). QA/QC programs using internal standard samples, field and lab duplicates and blanks indicate good accuracy and precision in a large majority of standards assayed. By Park Si-soo North Korea and the United States held a "secret" meeting in Switzerland this week, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported Thursday. The meeting took place on the sidelines of an international security forum there from Monday to Wednesday. Choe Kang-il, deputy director general for North American affairs at the North's Foreign Ministry, and Evans Revere, a former principal deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. State Department, held the talks, according to NHK. It is unknown what they discussed, but it was very likely to have been about the heightened tensions after Pyongyang's sixth nuclear test. Choe remained silent when he faced a barrage of questions from reporters while leaving the meeting venue, according to NHK. Atlanta, GA A Georgia mother who accused her nurse midwife of negligence which allegedly led to injuries suffered by the plaintiffs child will not have her A Georgia mother who accused her nurse midwife of negligence which allegedly led to injuries suffered by the plaintiffs child will not have her Georgia medical malpractice lawsuit revived unless she is prepared to take the matter to a higher court. Plaintiff TMiaya Smith accused defendant Lauren Braswell, a nurse midwife working out of the Atlanta Womens Health Group, of botching Smiths delivery by compelling Smith to bear down and push before she was fully dilated. The resulting birth is alleged to have restricted blood flow to the baby and produced various cranial pressures that resulted in the infant experiencing seizures, amongst other claims.However, according to court documents Smiths Georgia malpractice lawsuit went south when her expert medical witness upon whom she had primarily built her case provided expert testimony that was not peer-reviewed and not generally accepted in the medical community, or so it was interpreted by the trial court.The expert witness in the Georgia medical damages lawsuit is identified as Dr. Barry Schifrin, who referenced a condition called cranial compression ischemic encephalopathy (CCIE) in his expert testimony. Schifrin characterized CCIE as a combination of various factors about which he had written a chapter for inclusion in a book of medicine. However, the medical book was not identified, and the original trial judge concluded that Schifrins expert testimony was not admissible. Defendant Braswell moved for summary judgement, which was granted by the trial court.With her case gutted by the lower court, Smith appealed to the Georgia Court of Appeals, which affirmed the lower Courts ruling. The appellate panel noted that the expert witnesses concept and references to CCIE were not supported by studies or peer-reviewed in learned journals. Schifrins concepts, the appellate panel noted, were also not recognized by other practitioners in his specialty of maternal-fetal medicine.Thus the appellate panel agreed that Schifrins testimony was inadmissible and since Smiths case hinged upon the testimony of her expert witness Smiths case was lost. The appellate panel thus deemed the lower court made the right call.Contrary to Smiths assertion that Dr. Schifrins role is only one part of the causation theory, the case hinges upon the testimony of Dr. Schifrin as to the mechanical forces in labor that allegedly caused [the infants] injury, the panel said. The trial court properly concluded that because the trial court has excluded Smiths theory of causation...an essential element of Smiths case is absent and summary judgmentmust be granted. Accordingly, the trial court properly granted Braswells motion for summary judgment.The baby is alleged to have suffered brain injuries that are thought to be permanent. The decision of the three-judge appellate panel was unanimous. It is not known if Smith will appeal.Smiths medical malpractice lawsuit, as appealed, is, Case No. A17A1191, in the This portrait of Vlad III, or Vlad the Impaler, was painted in the early 16th century, hangs in the museum at Castle Ambras in Innsbruck, Austria Legends of vampires go back centuries, but few names have cast more terror into the human heart than Dracula. However the fictional character, created by author Bram Stoker, was in fact based on a real historical figure called Vlad the Impaler. Vlad the Impaler, also known as Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, was a 15th-century warlord, in what today is Romania, in south-eastern Europe. Stoker used elements of Vlad's real story for the title character of his 1897 novel " Dracula (opens in new tab)." The book has since inspired countless horror movies, television shows and other bloodcurdling tales. However, according to historians and literary scholars, such as Elizabeth Miller (opens in new tab) who has studied the link between Stoker's character and Vlad III, the two Draculas don't really have much in common. Who was the real Dracula? Vlad the Impaler is believed to have been born in 1431 in what is now Transylvania, the central region of modern-day Romania. However, the link between Vlad the Impaler and Transylvania is a matter of some debate, according to Florin Curta, a professor of medieval history and archaeology at the University of Florida. "Dracula is linked to Transylvania, but the real, historic Dracula Vlad III never owned anything in Transylvania," Curta told Live Science. Bran Castle, a modern-day tourist attraction in Transylvania that is often referred to as Dracula's castle, was never the residence of the Wallachian prince, he added. This painting, "Vlad the Impaler and the Turkish Envoys," by Theodor Aman (1831-1891), allegedly depicts a scene in which Vlad III nails the turbans of these Ottoman diplomats to their heads. (Image credit: Public domain) "Because the castle is in the mountains in this foggy area and it looks spooky, it's what one would expect of Dracula's castle," Curta said. "But he [Vlad III] never lived there. He never even stepped foot there." Related: Bram Stoker's Vampire victim shows 'textbook' Leukemia symptoms Vlad III's father, Vlad II, did own a residence in Sighisoara, Transylvania, but it is not certain that Vlad III was born there, according to Curta. It's also possible, he said, that Vlad the Impaler was born in Targoviste, which was at that time the royal seat of the principality of Wallachia, where his father was a "voivode," or ruler. There is also Castelul Corvinilor, also known as Castle Corvin, where Vlad may have been imprisoned by Hungarian Governor John Hunyadi. It is possible for tourists to visit one castle where Vlad III certainly spent time. At about age 12, Vlad III and his brother were imprisoned in Turkey. In 2014, archaeologists found the likely location of the dungeon, according to Smithsonian Magazine (opens in new tab). Tokat Castle is located in northern Turkey. It is an eerie place with secret tunnels and dungeons that is currently under restoration and open to the public. Where does the name Dracula come from? In 1431, King Sigismund of Hungary, who would later become the Holy Roman Emperor, according to the British Museum (opens in new tab), inducted the elder Vlad into a knightly order, the Order of the Dragon. This designation earned Vlad II a new surname: Dracul. The name came from the old Romanian word for dragon, "drac." His son, Vlad III, would later be known as the "son of Dracul" or, in old Romanian, Draculea, hence Dracula, according to Historian Constantin Rezachevici (" From the Order of the Dragon to Dracula (opens in new tab)" Journal of Dracula Studies, Vol 1, 1999). In modern Romanian, the word "drac" refers to the Devil , Curta said. According to " Dracula: Sense and Nonsense (opens in new tab)" (Desert Island Books, 2020) by Elizabeth Miller, in 1890 Stoker read a book about Wallachia. Although it did not mention Vlad III, Stoker was struck by the word "Dracula." He wrote in his notes, "in Wallachian language means DEVIL." It is therefore likely that Stoker chose to name his character Dracula for the word's devilish associations. The theory that Vlad III and Dracula were the same person was developed and popularized by historians Radu Florescu and Raymond T. McNally in their book " In Search of Dracula (opens in new tab) (The New York Graphic Society, 1972). Though far from accepted by all historians, the thesis took hold of the public imagination, according to The New York Times (opens in new tab). According to Constantin Rezachevici, the Order of the Dragon was devoted to a singular task: the defeat of the Turkish, or Ottoman Empire. Situated between Christian Europe and the Muslim lands of the Ottoman Empire, Vlad II's (and later Vlad III's) home principality of Wallachia was frequently the scene of bloody battles as Ottoman forces pushed westward into Europe, and Christian forces repulsed the invaders. Years of captivity When Vlad II was called to a diplomatic meeting in 1442 with Ottoman Sultan Murad II, he brought his young sons Vlad III and Radu along. But the meeting was actually a trap: All three were arrested and held hostage. The elder Vlad was released under the condition that he leave his sons behind. James S. Kessler (" Echoes of Empire (opens in new tab)," Lulu Publishing, 2016) argues that Vlad II "sent Vlad Junior and his brother Radu cel Frumos as 'royal hostages' to the Ottoman court." "The sultan held Vlad and his brother as hostages to ensure that their father, Vlad II, behaved himself in the ongoing war between Turkey and Hungary," said Miller, a research historian and professor emeritus at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. Under the Ottomans, Vlad and his younger brother were tutored in science, philosophy and the arts. According to Radu Florescu and Raymond McNally, Vlad also became a skilled horseman and warrior. "They were treated reasonably well by the current standards of the time," Miller said. "Still, [captivity] irked Vlad, whereas his brother sort of acquiesced and went over to the Turkish side. But Vlad held enmity, and I think it was one of his motivating factors for fighting the Turks: to get even with them for having held him captive." Vlad the Prince A bust of Vlad III that sits in the centre of Sighisoara, Romania, one of the many locations that claims to be the birthplace of the prince of Wallachia. (Image credit: David Greedy / Stringer via Getty) While Vlad and Radu were in Ottoman hands, Vlad's father was fighting to keep his place as voivode of Wallachia, a fight he would eventually lose. In 1447, Vlad II was ousted as ruler of Wallachia by local noblemen (boyars) and was killed in the swamps near Balteni, halfway between Targoviste and Bucharest in present-day Romania, according to John Akeroyd (" The Historical Dracula (opens in new tab)", History Ireland, Vol 17 No.2, 2009). Vlad's older half-brother, Mircea, was killed alongside his father. Not long after these harrowing events, in 1448, Vlad embarked on a campaign to regain his father's seat from the new ruler, Vladislav II. His first attempt at the throne relied on the military support of the Ottoman governors of the cities along the Danube River in northern Bulgaria, according to Curta. Vlad also took advantage of the fact that Vladislav was absent at the time, having gone to the Balkans to fight the Ottomans for the governor of Hungary at the time, John Hunyadi. Vlad won back his father's seat, but his time as ruler of Wallachia was short-lived. He was deposed after only two months, when Vladislav II returned and took back the throne of Wallachia with the assistance of Hunyadi, according to Curta. Little is known about Vlad III's whereabouts between 1448 and 1456. But it is known that he switched sides in the Ottoman-Hungarian conflict, giving up his ties with the Ottoman governors of the Danube cities and obtaining military support from King Ladislaus V of Hungary, who happened to dislike Vlad's rival Vladislav II of Wallachia according to Curta. Meanwhile, Vladislav II sought aid from Ottoman ruler Mehmed II. Vlad III's political and military tack truly came to the forefront amid the fall of Constantinople in 1453. After the fall, the Ottomans were in a position to invade all of Europe. In July 1456, as the Ottomans and Hunyadis forces were locked in battle, Vlad led a small force of exiled boyars, Hungarians and Romanian mercenaries against his old enemy Vladislav II at Targoviste, according to McNally and Florescu in "Dracula, Prince of Many Face" (Little, Brown and Company, 1990). "He had the satisfaction of killing his mortal enemy and his fathers assassin in hand-to-hand combat," they wrote. Vlad, who had already solidified his anti-Ottoman position, was proclaimed voivode of Wallachia in 1456, according to Elizabeth Miller ("A Dracula Handbook (opens in new tab)," Xlibris, 2005). One of his first orders of business in his new role was to stop paying an annual tribute to the Ottoman sultan a measure that had formerly ensured peace between Wallachia and the Ottomans. Why is Vlad called "The Impaler"? A woodcut from a 1499 pamphlet depicts Vlad III dining among the impaled corpses of his victims. (Image credit: Public Domain) To consolidate his power as voivode, Vlad needed to quell the incessant conflicts that had historically taken place between Wallachia's boyars. According to Constantin Rezachevici (" Dracula: Essays on the Life and Times of Vlad the Impaler " (opens in new tab) Center for Romanian Studies, 2019) "during a banquet given by him at the palace in Targoviste, Vlad the Impaler ordered the impaling of some 500 Boyars (perhaps only really 50) with the accusation that their shameless disunity was the cause of the frequent changing of the princes in Wallachia". This is just one of many gruesome events that earned Vlad his posthumous nickname, Vlad the Impaler. This story, and others like it, is documented in printed material from around the time of Vlad III's rule, according to Miller. "In the 1460s and 1470s, just after the invention of the printing press , a lot of these stories about Vlad were circulating orally, and then they were put together by different individuals in pamphlets and printed," Miller said. Whether or not these stories are wholly true or significantly embellished is debatable, Miller added. After all, many of those printing the pamphlets were hostile to Vlad III. But some of the pamphlets from this time tell almost the exact same gruesome stories about Vlad, leading Miller to believe that the tales are at least partially historically accurate. Some of these legends were also collected and published in a book, " The Tale of Dracula (opens in new tab)," in 1490, by a monk who presented Vlad III as a fierce, but just ruler. Vlad is credited with impaling dozens of Saxon merchants in Kronstadt (present-day Brasov, Romania), who were once allied with the boyars, in 1456, according to Kristen Wright (" Disgust and Desire: The Paradox of the Monster (opens in new tab)," Brill Rodopi, 2018). Around the same time, a group of Ottoman envoys allegedly had an audience with Vlad but declined to remove their turbans, citing a religious custom. Commending them on their religious devotion, Vlad ensured that their turbans would forever remain on their heads by reportedly having the head coverings nailed to their skulls, according to McNally and Florescu. "After Mehmet II the one who conquered Constantinople invaded Wallachia in 1462, he actually was able to go all the way to Wallachia's capital city of Targoviste but found it deserted. And in front of the capital he found the bodies of the Ottoman prisoners of war that Vlad had taken all impaled," Curta said. The Battle With Torches by Romanian artist Theodor Aman depicts the nighttime raid of Vlad III against Mehmed II as he sought to end the Ottoman invasion of Wallachia. (Image credit: Public Domain/Muzeul Theodor Aman) In one battle on June 17th, 1462, known as the Night Attack at Targoviste, Vlad III and Mehmed IIs forces fought from three hours after sunset until about four in the morning, at the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, according to McNally and Florescu. The attack was an attempt to assassinate Mehmed II, but using only torches and flares, the Wallachian forces were unable to locate his tent and the alarm was raised. McNally and Florescu estimate 5,000 of Vlad men were lost to 15,000 Ottomans, but point out that it was, "an act of extraordinary temerity, which is celebrated in Romanian literature and popular folklore." Vlad's victories over the invading Ottomans were celebrated throughout Wallachia, Transylvania and the rest of Europe even Pope Pius II was impressed. "The reason he's a positive character in Romania is because he is reputed to have been a just, though a very harsh, ruler," Curta said. How did Vlad the Impaler die? Not long after the impalement of Ottoman prisoners of war, in August 1462, Vlad was forced into exile in Hungary, unable to defeat his much more powerful adversary, Mehmet II. Vlad was imprisoned for a number of years during his exile, though during that same time he married and had two children. Vlad's younger brother, Radu, who had sided with the Ottomans during the ongoing military campaigns, took over governance of Wallachia after his brother's imprisonment. But after Radu's death in 1475, local boyars, as well as the rulers of several nearby principalities, favored Vlad's return to power, according to John M Shea (" Vlad the Impaler: Bloodthirsty Medieval Prince (opens in new tab)," (Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2015). In 1476, with the support of the voivode of Moldavia, Stephen III the Great (1457-1504), Vlad made one last effort to reclaim his seat as ruler of Wallachia. He successfully stole back the throne, but his triumph was short-lived. Later that year, while marching to yet another battle with the Ottomans, Vlad and a small vanguard of soldiers were ambushed, and Vlad was killed. The church of Santa Maria La Nova in Naples is one of a number of locations where the remains of Vlad III are claimed to have been buried. (Image credit: Marco Cantile / Contributor via Getty Images) There is much controversy over the location of Vlad III's tomb, according to Constantin Rezachevici in a study published in 2002 (opens in new tab) in the Journal of Dracula Studies. It is said he was buried in the monastery church in Snagov, on the northern edge of the modern city of Bucharest, in accordance with the traditions of his time. But recently, historians have questioned whether Vlad might actually be buried at the Monastery of Comana, between Bucharest and the Danube, which is close to the presumed location of the battle in which Vlad was killed, according to Curta. One thing is for certain, however: unlike Stoker's Count Dracula, Vlad III most definitely did die. Only the harrowing tales of his years as ruler of Wallachia remain to haunt the modern world. Additional reporting by Jessie Szalay and Callum McKelvie Live Science Contributors. Italian culture is the amalgamation of thousands of years of heritage and tradition, tracing its roots back to the Ancient Roman Empire and beyond. Italian culture is steeped in the arts, family, architecture, music and food. Home of the Roman Empire and its legendary figures such as Julius Caesa r and Nero , it was also a major center of the Renaissance and the birthplace of fascism under Benito Mussolini. Culture on the Italian peninsula has flourished for centuries. Here is a brief overview of Italian customs and traditions as we know them today. Population of Italy According to the Italian National Institute of Statistics (opens in new tab), Italy is home to approximately 59.6 million individuals as of 1 January 2020. About 96 percent of the population of Italy are ethnic Italians according to Jen Green, author of " Focus On Italy (opens in new tab)" (Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2007), though there are many other ethnicities that live in this country. North African Arab, Italo-Albanian, Albanian, German, Austrian and some other European groups fill out the remainder of the population. Bordering countries of France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia to the north have influenced Italian culture, as have the Mediterranean islands of Sardinia and Sicily and Sardinia. Of the 59.6 million people living in Italy as of 1 January 2020, 48.7 percent are men, 51.3 percent are women. 13 percent are children aged up to 15, 63.8 percent are believed to be aged 15 64 and 23.2 percent are 65 or older. 14,804 are 100 years old or older. The largest percentage of the population, 26.8, lives in the North West of Italy. The largest city by population is Rome with over 2.8 million residents, while the smallest municipality is Morterone with a population of just 30 people. Languages of Italy The official language of the country is Italian. About 93 percent of the Italian population speaks Italian as native language, according to the BBC. There are a number of dialects of the language spoken in the country, including Sardinian, Friulian, Neapolitan, Sicilian, Ligurian, Piedmontese, Venetian and Calabrian. Milanese is also spoken in Milan. Other languages spoken by native Italians include Albanian, Bavarian, Catalan, Cimbrian, Corsican, Croatian, French, German, Greek, Slovenian and Walser. Family life in Italy "Family is an extremely important value within the Italian culture," Talia Wagner, a Los Angeles-based marriage and family therapist, told Live Science. Their family solidarity is focused on extended family rather than the West's idea of "the nuclear family," of just a mom, dad and kids, Wagner explained. Italians have frequent family gatherings and enjoy spending time with those in their family. "Children are reared to remain close to the family upon adulthood and incorporate their future family into the larger network," said Wagner. The family structure has changed somewhat over the last 60 years. Gian Carlo Blangiardo, professor of Statistics and Quantitative Methods at the University of Milano-Bicocca and Stefania Rimoldi, researcher in demography at the University of Milano-Bicocca, explained in " Portraits of the Italian Family: Past, Present and Future (opens in new tab)" for the "Journal of Comparative Family Studies Vol. 45" (University of Toronto Press, 2014)that the mean age of a marriage is now 31 for women and 34 for men, seven years older than it was in 1975. This has been linked to an increase in cohabitation before marriage and an overall decline in the number of marriages. Pope Francis addresses a crowd in St. Peters square from the balcony of the apostolic palace in August 2021. (Image credit: ALBERTO PIZZOLI / Contributor via Getty Images) Religion in Italy The major religion in Italy is Roman Catholicism. This is not surprising, as Vatican City, located in the heart of Rome, is the hub of Roman Catholicism and where the Pope resides. Roman Catholics and other Christians make up 80 percent of the population, though only one-third of those are practicing Catholics. The country also has a growing Muslim immigrant community, according to the University of Michigan (opens in new tab). Muslim, agnostic and atheist make up the other 20 percent of the population, according to the Central Intelligence Agency (opens in new tab). The number of Italians who attend religious services at least once a week has declined substantially from 2006 to 2020, according to Statista (opens in new tab). A little over 18 million Italians aged six and older attended weekly services in 2006, down to 12 million by 2020. Art and architecture in Italy Italy has given rise to a number of architectural styles, including classical Roman, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical. Italy is home to some of the most famous structures in the world, including the Colosseum and the Leaning Tower of Pisa . The concept of a basilica which was originally used to describe an open public court building and evolved to mean a Catholic pilgrimage site was born in Italy. The word, according to the Oxford Dictionary (opens in new tab), is derived from Latin and meant "royal palace." The word is also from the Greek basilike, which is the feminine of basilikos which means "royal" or basileus, which means "king." Italy is also home to many castles, such as the Valle d'Aosta Fort Bard, the Verres Castle and the Ussel Castle. Florence, Venice and Rome are home to many museums, but art can be viewed in churches and public buildings. Most notable is the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel of the Vatican, painted by Michelangelo sometime between 1508 and 1512. Italy has a "centuries-long operatic tradition," according to Carolyn Abbate and Roger Parker in " A History of Opera: The Last Four Hundred Years (opens in new tab)" (W. W. Norton & Company, 2015). Opera has its roots in Italy and many famous operas including "Aida" and "La Traviata," both by Giuseppe Verdi, and "Pagliacci" by Ruggero Leoncavallo were written in Italian and are still performed in the native language. More recently, Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti made opera more accessible to the masses as a soloist and as part of the Three Tenors. Pizza, one of the most popular dishes in the world, has its origins in central Italy. (Image credit: d3sign via Getty Images) Italian food Italian cuisine has influenced food culture around the world and is viewed as a form of art by many. Wine, cheese and pasta are important parts of Italian meals. Pasta comes in a wide range of shapes, widths and lengths, including common forms such as penne, spaghetti, linguine, fusilli and lasagna. For Italians, food isn't just nourishment, it is life. "Family gatherings are frequent and often centered around food and the extended networks of families," said Wagner. "The etymologies of the Italian words for taste (sapore) and knowledge (sapere) suggest why we should, as scholars of Italy and Italian culture, attend to food," wrote Peter Naccarato, Zachary Nowak and Elgin K. Eckert in their book " Representing Italy Through Food (opens in new tab)" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2018) No one area of Italy eats the same things as the next. Each region has its own spin on "Italian food," according to CNN (opens in new tab). For example, most of the foods that Americans view as Italian, such pizza, come from central Italy. In the North of Italy, fish, potatoes, rice, sausages, pork and different types of cheeses are the most common ingredients. Pasta dishes with tomatoes are popular, as are many kinds of stuffed pasta, polenta and risotto. In the South, tomatoes dominate dishes, and they are either served fresh or cooked into sauce. Southern cuisine also includes capers, peppers, olives and olive oil, garlic, artichokes, eggplant and ricotta cheese. Wine is also a big part of Italian culture, and the country is home to some of the world's most famous vineyards. The oldest traces of Italian wine were discovered in a cave near Sicily's southwest coast. "The archaeological implications of this new data are enormous, especially considering that the identification of wine [is] the first and earliest-attested presence of such a product in an archaeological context in Sicily," researchers wrote in the study, published online August 2017 in the Microchemical Journal (opens in new tab). Italian fashion Italy is home to a number of world-renowned fashion houses, including Armani, Gucci, Benetton, Versace and Prada and is a nation that takes dress very seriously. "In Sicily, they say 'Eat and drink according to your taste, dress according to other peoples tastes'," Emanuela Scarpellini, professor of modern history at the University of Milan wrote in her book " Italian Fashion since 1945 (opens in new tab)" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019). "As well-known as are the designers of Italian automobiles and household furnishings, they have not surpassed such designers of clothing and accessories as Gucci, Fendi, Kirzia, Ferragamo, Pucci, Valentino, Prada, Armani, Versace, Ferre, and Dolce and Gabbana," wrote Charles L. Killinger, author of " Culture and Customs of Italy (opens in new tab)" (Greenwood, 2005). He pinpointed the last decades of the 20th century as being the boom period for ready-to-wear fashion. This capped off a general trend of improvement for the fashion industry as it was bolstered by post-war funding from America. Doing business in Italy Italy's official currency is the euro. Italians are known for their family-centric culture, and there are a number of small and mid-sized businesses. Even many of the larger companies such as Fiat and Benetton are still primarily controlled by single families. "Many families that immigrated from Italy are traditionalists by nature, with the parents holding traditional gender roles. This has become challenging for the younger generations, as gender roles have morphed in the American culture and today stand at odds with the father being the primary breadwinner and the undisputed head of the household and the mother being the primary caretaker of the home and children," said Wagner. Meetings are typically less formal than in countries such as Germany and Russia, and the familial structure can give way to a bit of chaos and animated exchanges. Italian business people tend to view information from outsiders with a bit of wariness, and prefer verbal exchanges with people that they know well. Italian holidays Italians celebrate most Christian holidays. The celebration of the Epiphany, celebrated on January 6, is much like Christmas. Belfana, an old lady who flies on her broomstick, delivers presents and goodies to good children, according to legend. Pasquetta, on the Monday after Easter, typically involves family picnics to mark the beginning of springtime. November 1 commemorates Saints Day, a religious holiday during which Italians typically decorate the graves of deceased relatives with flowers. Many Italian towns and villages celebrate the feast day of their patron saint. September 19, for example, is the feast of San Gennaro, the patron saint of Napoli. April 25 is the Liberation Day, marking the 1945 liberation ending World War II in Italy in 1945. Additional reporting by Alina Bradford, Live Science Contributor Additional resources and reading Before the Romans it was the Etruscans who appear to have dominated the Italian peninsula. Learn more by finding out how scientists solved the mystery of the Etruscans' origins . More recently, Italy was at the forefront of the Covid-19 pandemic, but how early was the coronavirus really circulating in Italy? Find out in this report. Bibliography Italian Tourism Official Website (opens in new tab) Discover Italy: The celebration of the Epiphany (opens in new tab) Lonely Planet: Italy (opens in new tab) Delish: Italian Food by Region (opens in new tab) Italian National Institute of Statistics (opens in new tab) " Focus On Italy (opens in new tab)" by Jen Green (Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2007) "Languages Across Europe" BBC (opens in new tab) " Portraits of the Italian Family: Past, Present and Future (opens in new tab)" by Gian Carlo Blangiardo and Stefania Rimoldi for the "Journal of Comparative Family Studies Vol. 45" (University of Toronto Press, 2014) " A History of Opera: The Last Four Hundred Years (opens in new tab)" by Carolyn Abbate and Roger Parker (W. W. Norton & Company, 2015) " Representing Italy Through Food (opens in new tab)" by Peter Naccarato, Zachary Nowak and Elgin K. Eckert (Bloomsbury Academic, 2018) " Italian Fashion since 1945 (opens in new tab)" by Emanuela Scarpellini (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019) Curious fossils (Image credit: Gilbert Price/University of Queensland) An international team of researchers has reevaluated early human fossils found in the Lida Ajer cave, on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, to show that anatomically modern humans were present in Southeast Asia around 20,000 years earlier than scientists previously thought. The research establishes that modern humans were present at the cave, in the highland rainforests of the west of Sumatra, between 63,000 and 73,000 years ago. [Read more about the ancient teeth found in Indonesia] Pioneering paleontologist (Image credit: Leakey & Slikkerveer) The latest study is based on the findings of the pioneering Dutch paleontologist Eugene Dubois, who traveled to Sumatra with his wife Marie in the late 1880s to excavate several caves. Dubois was a devotee of the theories of Charles Darwin, and he hoped to find fossils that would establish an evolutionary "missing link" between humans and apes. Java Man (Image credit: Eugene Dubois) Dubois' most celebrated discovery was the fossilized bones of an early human that he excavated from a cave on the Indonesian island of Java in 1891 and 1892. Dubois thought the remains were probably from an "aged female," but the specimen became known as "Java Man." Paleoanthropologists today recognize Java Man as a member of the early human species Homo erectus erectus, which lived around 1 million years ago. Ancient teeth (Image credit: Westaway et al.) The latest research focuses on two ancient teeth that were discovered in a breccia rock deposit in the Lida Ajer cave by Dubois sometime in the late 1880s. The teeth are kept at the Museum Naturalis at Leiden in the Netherlands, which maintains a collection of Dubois' fossil finds and other research. Although the teeth were confirmed as human in the 1940s, the lack of a firm chronology for the rock deposits in the Lida Ajer cave where they were found meant that their significance remained uncertain. Returning to the site (Image credit: Kira Westaway/Macquarie University) In 2008, Australian geochronologist Kira Westaway traveled to Sumatra to relocate the Lida Ajer cave where Dubois found the teeth. She spent a week exploring caves in the heavily forested highland area with local guides before finding the right one. "X" marks the spot? (Image credit: Eugene Dubois) Westaway was able to confirm she had found the right cave thanks to a map and description of the cave's interior recorded by Dubois in his field notebooks, which are part of the collection at the Museum Naturalis in Leiden in the Netherlands. Confirming chronology (Image credit: Gilbert Price/University of Queensland) In September 2015, paleontologists Gilbert Price, of the University of Queensland, and Julien Louys, of the Australian National University, returned to the Lida Ajer cave. They wanted to establish a firm chronology for the teeth found by Dubois more than 120 years earlier. Barricades to overcome (Image credit: Gilbert Price/University of Queensland) Access to the Lida Ajer cave proved difficult at first, when the researchers found that local people had placed a locked gate over the cave entrance to protect flocks of swallows that build their nests in crevices in the limestone. The nests are a key ingredient of Birds Nest Soup, a Southeast Asian delicacy. Finding history (Image credit: Julien Louys/Australian National University) Eventually, the researchers were able to gain access to the cave's interior to document in detail the deposits where Dubois found the teeth in the 1880s. The scientists also took samples of the rock and fossilized animal remains from the deposit that would undergo sophisticated dating tests back in Australia. Ready for some science that will make you laugh, and then make you think? The 27th annual Ig Nobel Prize Ceremony is tonight, and you can watch it live, beginning at 5:40 p.m. ET. Held at Harvard University in Boston, the Ig Nobels honor unconventional achievements in science and other areas, with prizes awarded by Nobel Laureates. Kicking off the ceremony will be a mini-concert by the Boston Typewriter Orchestra, performed entirely on typewriters. Master of Ceremonies Marc Abrahams, editor of the Annals of Improbable Research, presides over the event, which will include presentation of the Ig Nobel Prizes by Nobel laureates such as Eric Maskin (winner of the 2007 Nobel Prize in Economics), Roy Glauber (winner of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Physics), and Oliver Hart (winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Economics). Also taking place onstage will be a series of 24-second lectures on topics such as bots, sponges, biomedical research and sheep-dragging. The evening culminates in a performance of "The Incompetence Opera," a mini-opera with a libretto written by Marc Abrahams, in which a bartender and a psychologist commiserate about how promotions and opportunities seem to happen the most to those who deserve it the least. Want more? Get acquainted with previous Ig Nobel winners and watch highlights of past ceremonies in the archives of the Annals of Improbable Research website. Original article on Live Science. Photographs and a scan of the ancient human teeth found in the Lida Ajer cave by Eugene Dubois in the 1880s. New tests on two ancient teeth found in a cave in Indonesia more than 120 years ago have established that early modern humans arrived in Southeast Asia at least 20,000 years earlier than scientists previously thought, according to a new study. The new research consisted of a detailed reanalysis of the teeth, which were discovered in the Lida Ajer cave in western Sumatra by the Dutch paleoanthropologist Eugene Dubois in the 1880s. The researchers also revisited the remote cave to accurately date the rock deposits in which the teeth were found. The findings push back the date of the earliest known modern human presence in tropical Southeast Asia to between 63,000 and 73,000 years ago. The new study also suggests that early modern humans could have made the crossing to Australia much earlier than the commonly accepted time frame of 60,000 to 65,000 years ago. [See More Photos of the Ancient Teeth Found in Indonesia] The findings also provide the earliest evidence for the survival of early modern humans in a rainforest environment, according to the researchers. Geochronologist Kira Westaway of Macquarie University in Sydney said that, until this recent study, the earliest evidence for modern humans in Southeast Asia came from the Niah caves in Malaysian Borneo, dated to around 45,000 years ago, and the Tam Pa Ling cave in northern Laos, dated to between 46,000 and 48,000 years ago. Westaway is the lead author of the new study, published online Aug. 9 in the journal Nature (opens in new tab), which includes contributions from 22 other scientists from Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Germany and Indonesia. Cave of secrets Westaway said the remote Lida Ajer cave has been visited by scientists only a handful of times since Dubois discovered it in the 1880s. "The Lida Ajer cave has been shrouded in doubt ever since it was first found by Dubois," she told Live Science. "I love the fact that we've been able to come in and apply these modern techniques, which Dubois wouldn't have had access to." Dubois became famous several years earlier, when his excavations on the Indonesian island of Java revealed the celebrated remains of "Java Man," a pre-modern human species now known as Homo erectus, estimated to be around 1 million years old. Westaway made her own visit to the region in 2008, and spent more than a week exploring different limestone caves in the heavily forested highlands of western Sumatra before finding the cave described by Dubois in his field notebooks. "The minute I walked in through the front entrance, I saw there was a calcite column at the back of the cave a stalagmite and a stalactite that have joined together which was described in his notebook, and I knew I was in the right spot," she said. Two researchers also visited the Lida Ajer cave in September 2015 for the new study, to establish a firm chronology for the deposits where Dubois found the teeth. "We didn't excavate so much, but rather we worked on documenting the cave what it looks like, location of the fossil breccias, [and] collected samples for dating," Gilbert Price, a paleontologist at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, told Live Science in an email. "We were able to tie Dubois' brilliant and important fossil collection back to the actual place that they came from," he wrote. "Having that provenance is very important." Ancient teeth Back in Australia, the samples from the cave were subjected to a barrage of dating techniques, which indicated that the sedimentary rock deposits and the fossils they contained were laid down between 63,000 and 73,000 years ago. "Dating is notoriously difficult even at the best of times, and not every sample that we analyzed from Lida Ajer proved to be suitable," Price said. "We were very lucky to even get the results that we did. Price and his colleague Julien Louys, a paleontologist at the Australian National University in Canberra, visited the Naturalis Museum at Leiden in the Netherlands, which keeps an extensive collection of fossil remains from the Dubois excavations in Indonesia, including the two ancient teeth found at Lida Ajer. The two ancient teeth were put through a suite of analytical tests, including scanning techniques that allowed the researchers to examine the junction between the hard enamel coating and the softer dentin material inside, which is crucial for distinguishing human teeth from those of other primates. "We realized that we had to reconfirm that these were anatomically modern human teeth by using these scanning techniques," Westaway said. "Otherwise, even if we came out with a new chronology, people would always be questioning if they were really human." Out of Africa The new study has established that anatomically modern humans have been widely dispersed throughout Southeast Asia for at least 63,000 years and not just along the coasts, which is where human dispersal was mainly thought to have occurred. "We always thought they would favor coastal sites as they were dispersing, because at the coast, there are a lot of resources, and its very easy to get around," Westaway said. "But not only have we not found them at the coast, we've found them a long way inland, and up in the highlands in a closed rainforest. Price explained that rainforests would have been a difficult environment for early modern humans to survive in, compared to coastlines. "That's especially true considering that the ancestors of the Lida Ajer people were savannah-adapted, so had evolved in a very different environment," Price wrote. "Yet they were able to carve out a living in the rainforests of Sumatra back around 70-odd thousand years ago." The findings also have implications for what is known about the dispersal of modern humans out of their original homelands in Africa to Asia, and eventually to Australia, Westaway said. "The fact that it was found in western Sumatra, which is definitely not on the route that we would expect for modern human dispersal through that region, just goes to show that the dispersal was much more widespread than we acknowledge," she said. Original article on Live Science. The world's oldest surviving photograph is, well, difficult to see. The grayish-hued plate containing hardened bitumen looks like a blur. In 1826, an inventor named Joseph Nicephore Niepce took the photo, which shows the view outside of "Le Gras," Niepce's estate in Saint-Loup-de-Varennes, France. Niepce had already learned that if you put asphalt dissolved in lavender oil onto a pewter plate, place an object (like a leaf from a tree) on the plate and expose the plate to sunlight, then the asphalt would harden the most on areas of the plate that were not covered by the object (and were exposed to the most sunlight). If you then wash the plate, the unhardened asphalt beneath the object will rinse off showing an impression of the object that covered it, explained Mark Osterman, a photographic process historian at the George Eastman Museum, in an article published in "The Concise Focal Encyclopedia of Photography" (Elsevier, 2007). [19 of the World's Oldest Photos Reveal a Rare Side of History] To take the world's first photograph, Niepce used bitumen of Judea (a substance used since the time of the ancient Egyptians) mixed with water and put it onto a pewter plate, which he then heated (already hardening the substance onto the plate to some degree). He then put the plate in a camera and pointed it out a second story window. He left the camera alone for a long period of time, perhaps as long as two days. In that time, the bitumen on parts of the plate that received the most sunlight hardened a little bit more than areas of the plate that received less sunlight, such as parts of the plate that were facing a building or dark part of the horizon. Niepce then washed off the unhardened parts of the plate to produce a picture that can barely be seen. It is now housed in the Harry Ransom Center in Austin, Texas. It "probably took two days of exposure to record the outline of the horizon and the most primitive architectural elements of several buildings outside and below the window," wrote Osterman. While this "heliographic" technique (as Niepce called it) produced the world's oldest known photo, the image quality was poor and took a long time to produce noted Osterman. It wasnt until Niepce teamed up with another inventor, named Louis Daguerre, that the daguerreotype, a photograph that had a much better image quality and didn't take as long to produce, was invented. Niepce died in 1833, before the technique was fully developed, but Daguerre pressed on with the help of Niepce's son, Isidore Niepce, eventually finding that a silver-iodide plate exposed to mercury fumes could produce a photo within minutes. "Daguerre discovered that the silver-iodide plate required only a fraction of the exposure time and that an invisible, or latent, image [could] be revealed by exposing the plate to mercury fumes," noted Osterman in his article. The plate could then be placed in a mixture of sodium chloride that stabilized the image, Osterman wrote. By 1838, Daguerre was taking photos of objects and buildings, and in 1839, the French government awarded Daguerre and Isidore Niepce lifetime pensions in exchange for sharing their photography technique. The use of daguerreotype photography spread quickly around the world, encouraging other inventors to find new and better ways of taking photographs and, in time, developing moving pictures (movies). For instance, changes in the chemicals put on plates resulted in shorter exposure times, making it easier to take pictures of people while capturing more details of the person or object being photographed. Also, techniques that used paper rather than silver plates were developed, reducing the cost of taking photographs. Improvements in the cameras that the plates (and later paper) were placed in resulted in photographers becoming more mobile and able to take a wide variety of shots, including close-ups and pictures taken from far away. Originally published on Live Science. The duck-billed dinosaur's vertebrae were fused together because of its joint condition. There weren't any doctors when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, but one duck-billed dino has managed to get a diagnosis for its unusual joint condition about 78 million years after its death, thanks to a group of researchers who analyzed its strangely fused and pitted fossilized bones. The adult duck-billed dinosaur, known as a hadrosaurid, had an inflammatory type of chronic arthritis, known as spondyloarthropathy, that attacks the spine and can cause the vertebrae to fuse together. "This is the first occurrence of spondyloarthropathy in a hadrosaurid that we know [of]," said Darren Tanke, a senior fossil preparation technician at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology in Alberta, Canada, who is studying the fossils. [Photos: Duck-Billed Dinos Found in Alaska] Researchers uncovered the unique fossils in 1988 from a bone bed basically, an accumulation of bones from different dinosaurs in one location at Milk River Ridge Reservoir, an artificial lake in southern Alberta. "We were just doing a general collection of the bones along the shoreline there," Tanke told Live Science. "The lake was lapping against the shoreline, exposing all these bones. They had to be collected right away, or they would have been destroyed." The scientists put the fossils into a plaster jacket, and worked on them over the years at the Royal Tyrell Museum, extracting horned and duck-billed dinosaur remains from the rock. Recently, a probe into the sample revealed a mysterious bone; it looked like the dinosaur's sacrum a bone in the lower back made of fused vertebrae that sits between the hip bones and the pelvis. But this guess was wildly wrong, the researchers soon found. "As [the fossil] became more and more cleaned up, we realized that the fusion of the vertebrae wasn't the sacrum," Tanke said. "It was fused because it was a pathology of the specimen, and the bones were not sacral vertebrae; they were dorsal vertebrae [in the middle of the back]." Notice the pitted bone caused by the spondyloarthropathy. This bone would be smooth if the dinosaur didn't have this condition. (Image credit: Courtesy Royal Tyrrell Museum) It's not uncommon to find fused duck-billed-dinosaur vertebrae, but these vertebrae are typically in the dinosaur's tail, not in the middle of its spine, Tanke said. Chronic condition Tanke excavated the rest of the duck-billed-dino specimen with extreme care, using an instrument that blasted air and an abrasive (in this case, baking soda) at the fossils to free them from the rock and clay. The end result was unexpected: They found fused, pitted and textured vertebrae a sign of spondyloarthropathy, said study co-researcher Dr. Bruce Rothschild, a professor in the School of Medicine at West Virginia University. The condition likely impaired the dinosaur's movement a disadvantage if it was fleeing a predator, such as a tyrannosaur, Rothschild said. The ailment may have also made it difficult for the duck-billed creature to move around in everyday life and defend itself, he said. Evidence of spondyloarthropathy has also been found in other dinosaurs, including two species of horned dinosaur, six types of sauropod (a long-necked and long-tailed herbivorous giants) and two species of theropod (bipedal, mostly meat-eating dinosaurs, such as tyrannosaurs), the researchers said. The condition also affects mammals, including humans, Rothschild said. [The Strangest Medical Conditions] There is no cure for the condition, but its symptoms in humans are often treated with the anti-inflammatory drug sulfasalazine (brand names Azulfidine and Sulfazine), Rothschild noted. The research, which has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, was presented Aug. 23 at the 2017 Society of Vertebrate Paleontology meeting in Calgary, Alberta. Original article on Live Science. Hurricane Irma wasn't an easy hurricane to forecast. The storm's northward turn sent it on a collision course with Florida, and the timing of that turn was crucial to figuring out who would get the worst impacts and what preparations communities across the state should take. And while predictions weren't flawless, experts say the remarkable accuracy of even those imperfect forecasts shows how far hurricane prediction has come from the times when storms would hit without warning and cause hundreds, or even thousands of deaths. There is still room for improvement, though, and that is where the much-hyped competition between the so-called European and American models comes in, highlighting the need for more sustained investment, according to researchers. [Hurricane Irma Photos: Images of a Monster Storm] Irma also highlights the risks of communicating a constantly evolving forecast, particularly in today's cluttered social media environment, researchers said. "Quite remarkable" forecast The forecasts were clear more than a week out that Irma could impact a major population center, "which is a very long lead time," said Chris Davis, head of the Mesoscale & Microscale Meteorology Laboratory at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. "The very long-range predictions were quite remarkable." Before the advent of satellites, storms devastated places like Galveston, Texas, and the Florida Keys with no warning. The improvements in forecast models and increases in computer power have substantially improved forecasts from where they were even 20 years ago, as today's seven-day forecasts are about as accurate as a five-day forecast was back then, Davis and others said. But as Irma came closer to Florida, it was still difficult to pin down where landfall would occur and even which coast the storm would hit. "The trick, as it usually is, is predicting where exactly this thing is going to hit," Davis told Live Science. Initially, forecasts predicted that Irma would rake up Floridas east coast, but as the storm hit Cuba, the models' predictions shifted to the west. But "there really was a pretty wide spread of tracks" from the models, Davis said, even for the vaunted European model. While models can, and should, be further improved, there's a limit to just how exact they'll be able to get, because the atmosphere "does have an intrinsic limit of predictability," Davis said. That limit is generally thought to be 14 to 18 days because of the naturally chaotic state of the atmosphere, Shawn Milrad, an assistant professor of meteorology at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, told Live Science. "I think we have to be really careful about our expectations before these events," Milrad said. Expecting models to pinpoint landfall within 20 to 30 miles (32 to 48 kilometers) about five days out "is really something we shouldn't be doing," he said. [Hurricane Irma by the Numbers] Euro vs. GFS Global weather models are good at representing the large-scale patterns in the atmosphere that steer hurricanes, but those models simply aren't fine-tuned enough to capture what's going on inside hurricanes, and this impacts their forecast ability, said Ryan Maue, a research meteorologist and adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute. Additionally, some processes such as the friction that occurs when a hurricane encounters land, like Irma did with Cuba and Florida are governed by equations too complex to put straight in the models Milrad said. So, these factors must be approximated, which introduces uncertainty, he said. Improving forecasts will require a combination of factors: more and better observations to feed into models, more computer power to run the models, a better representation of the physical processes of the atmosphere in the models and, most crucially, Davis said, better methods to ingest the observations into models. This is where the European model, run by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) particularly excels over the Global Forecast System model, one of the models run by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Davis and others said. "And they spend a lot of effort in that particular area," which is why that model is overall more skillful than the GFS, Davis said of the ECMWF. (The Euro had its imperfect moments, though, as it predicted Irma would continue up along the west coast of Florida, instead of making landfall around Naples as it actually did, Milrad said.) However, "the GFS is not a crappy model; it's a good model. It's much better than it was five years ago, when it blew Sandy," Maue said, referring to the model missing the turn toward the Northeast that Hurricane Sandy made in 2012, which the Euro caught. But while the output of the two models can be compared, it is hard to compare their parent organizations. The ECMWF is supported by 34 member nations and works solely on medium-range weather forecasts, done using its one model. That organization also has a research team dedicated to constantly improving the model. The modeling arm of NOAA, on the other hand, maintains numerous models and is subject to the year-to-year funding decisions of the U.S. Congress, Maue and others said. NOAA is moving toward streamlining its modeling effort, but that will take sustained investment, Davis and others said. While events like Hurricane Sandy can mean more attention from Congress and more funding, that attention eventually wanes, David said. In general, funding is kept level from year to year. "It really hampers what we can do. It just takes longer to do things," Davis said. Social media: "Blessing and a curse" The forecasts and models alone don't tell the full story of how information about hurricane risk reaches the public. The communication of that forecast is also critical to making sure communities know what is coming and what they need to do to prepare. In the age of social media, people have access to so much more information, which can be good, but this can also add challenges, said Gina Eosco, a social scientist with Cherokee Nation Company working in support of NOAA. "That's a blessing and a curse," she said. For example, when the forecast was trending toward a landfall in eastern Florida, some residents decamped for Tampa or Naples, only to find themselves in harm's way when the forecast shifted. This happened despite efforts to underscore that Irma was a risk to the whole coastline and that the exact track was uncertain. The perennial problems of communicating hurricane risk are compounded in the social media era, because tweets or Facebook posts that are hours or even days old surface in feeds and cause confusion, Eosco said. That's not even mentioning the sheer amount of information now available, which can be overwhelming and make it hard for people to find what's most relevant for them, Eosco said. During Irma, for example, someone in Miami would have needed different information than someone in Naples. Additionally, some people who aren't trained meteorologists might post a single iteration of one model and sow panic and confusion because of what it shows, Milrad said. But meteorologists never rely on a single model run or even a single model. "That is the conundrum of having that information out there without the human forecaster interpretation," Eosco said. Forecasters "know all the strengths, the weaknesses, the biases" of the different models. And even when meteorologists post so-called model "spaghetti plots," which show the range of predictions from a model, these experts need to be careful to add context,. "Explaining the 'why?' and the 'what's behind this?' has been lost, I think," Milrad said. Original article on Live Science. A high-status Viking warrior who was thought to be a man turns out to be a woman, a new DNA analysis finds. The remains of the warrior were buried with an array of warlike accessories, including arrows, swords and warhorses. The findings raise questions about the role of women in Viking society, which has historically been thought of as a testosterone-fueled, patriarchal culture, the researchers say. [In Photos: Viking Voyage Discovered] "The identification of a female Viking warrior provides a unique insight into the Viking society, social constructions and exceptions to the norm in the Viking time-period. The results call for caution against generalizations regarding social orders in past societies," the researchers wrote in their paper, published online Sept. 8 in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology. Trading town Scientists unearthed the remains of the warrior from one of the largest Viking burials ever discovered: a ring of graves that encircle the medieval town of Birka, on the island of Bjorko, in Sweden. Starting in the eighth century, the town of Birka was a thriving trade center, bustling with artisans, warriors and traders. Goods from far-flung regions of the world such as the Byzantine Empire, Asia and central Europe would pass through the town before making their way to other places in the Viking world. The town, which typically supported between 700 and 1,000 inhabitants, was thus somewhat culturally different from the areas around it, the researchers noted. Since the 1800s, more than 3,000 graves have been unearthed in Birka, the researchers wrote. One of the graves was that of a presumed Viking warrior, whose remains were buried with a range of warlike weapons. For decades, however, researchers assumed that the burial was that of a high-status male officer. [Fierce Fighters: 7 Secrets of Viking Seamen] In the 1970s, however, researchers noticed the slender build of the long bones, as well as distinctive features on the hip bones, and identified the body as belonging to a woman. But that hypothesis was controversial; many experts discounted the notion that the warrior could be a woman. In 2016, a bone analysis once again showed that the burial belonged to a woman, though many scholars remained skeptical. Genetic analysis To help settle the question, Charlotte Hedenstierna-Jonson, an archaeologist at Uppsala University in Sweden, and her colleagues took DNA samples from the skeleton. They found that the warrior was, unequivocally, a woman, with genetic affinities to modern-day people who currently live in the Orkney Islands, Iceland, England, Scotland and Scandinavia. Based on strontium isotopes (versions of strontium with different numbers of neutrons) from her teeth, which more closely matched levels found in other areas, the team found that the woman had not grown up in Birka but had relocated there after childhood. The grave goods that were buried with her such as a sword, an ax, a spear, arrows, a battle knife, two shields and two horses suggest that the woman was a professional warrior, the researchers wrote in the new study. The grave also included a set of gaming pieces, which suggests a knowledge of tactics or strategy, implying she was a "high-ranking military officer," the researchers wrote. The researchers who worked on this new study are not convinced that Viking society was an egalitarian utopia. It's not clear how common such a role was for women, they said. For instance, no other tombs with clear Viking warrior women have ever been discovered, the researchers wrote in the study. Still, "the results suggest that women, indeed, were able to be full members of male dominated spheres," the researchers wrote. Heightened scrutiny Almost as soon as the genetic results were published, scholars began to question the interpretation that the woman was a warrior. One of the biggest issues is that the body itself bears no sign of the traumas typically associated with battle. For instance, Judith Jesch, director of the Centre for the Study of the Viking Age at the University of Nottingham in England, expressed skepticism about some of the paper's conclusions. For instance, on her blog, Jesch criticized the use of an earlier version of her work on women warriors, which was written more for popular consumption, without referencing her newer, more thorough and academic work. "Women warriors and/or Valkyries and/or shield maidens (they are all often mixed up) are not just 'mythological phenomena' as stated by the authors, but relate to a whole complex of ideas that pervade literature, mythology and ideology, without necessarily providing any direct evidence for women warriors in 'real life,'" Jesch wrote in her blog post. Another issue is that many of these sites were excavated in the 1800s, so it can be difficult to determine which "bags of bones" belong to which burials, Jesch added. Of course, men who are buried with similar warlike accoutrements are rarely thought to be anything other than warriors, Hedenstierna-Jonson said in an interview with Science magazine. What's more, few of the graves in Birka have skeletons that sustained sharp-force trauma, suggesting that some of the warriors in this trading town may have been warriors more in title than in practice, the researchers wrote. Either way, the researchers call for using the same standard of evidence with both male and female graves. "Do weapons necessarily determine a warrior? The interpretation of grave goods is not straightforward, but it must be stressed that the interpretation should be made in a similar manner regardless of the biological sex of the interred individual," the researchers wrote in the paper. Originally published on Live Science. If youve decided to buy an Apple Watch Series 3 with cellular, its going to cost you. For one, its $70 more than the GPS-only Series 3 watch. But theres also a somewhat hidden cost: Youre going to need a data plan. Dont worry, youre not going to need a separate data plan just for your watch. But even though the wearable uses your existing wireless plan, LTE connectivity on Apple Watch Series 3 doesnt come free. No matter your carrier, youll be paying a little extra in your monthly bill. So, before you commit to more charges, consider how much an Apple Watch data plan will cost. Editors note: T-Mobile has changed their policy and will offer 4G speeds at $10 per month. Verizon Verizon customers will pay an extra $10 a month for the privilege of using an Apple Watch Series 3 on their plan using the NumberShare service. The carrier is offering the first three months free, for a limited time. Verizon also charges a one-time activation fee of $30. AT&T Apple Watch Series 3 data will cost $10 monthly on AT&Ts network under NumberSync. The carrier is offering three months free (in the form of a $30 credit) and is also giving a $25 activation fee credit for eligible customers. T-Mobile Youll pay $10 a month on T-Mobiles network for Apple Watch Series 3 with Digits, and the carrier is offering the same 3-month introductory offer as its competitors. After a brief kerfuffle over a cap on speeds to 3G levels (512kbps) on its T-Mobile 1 unlimited plan, T-Mobile has a announced all customers will receive high-speed 4G LTE data for $10 a month. Initially, it was planning to change twice as much for the faster speeds. Sprint Sprints data plan for Apple Watch Series 3 costs $15 a month, but customers who sign up for auto-pay will get a $5 discount, bringing it down to the same $10 as the other three carriers. And Sprint is also offering a three-month free trial with no activation fee. Preorders Apple Watch Series 3 pre-order will begin Friday, September 15 at midnight PDT/3 a.m. EDT through Apple.com or the individual carrier sites. The regular, Hermes, and Edition versions will ship the following Friday, September 22. The Nike Plus models will ship Friday, October 5. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com by Tanya Gazdik , September 13, 2017 DoubleTree by Hilton is launching a campaign that aims to inspire a more welcoming world. Themed Your Warm Cookie Awaits, the brand hopes to create #SweetWelcome moments across the country. The campaign includes refreshed creative and out-of-home digital billboards, paid social media and banner ads and a partnership with actress and philanthropist Monique Coleman. Stuart Foster, Hilton vice president, global brand marketing, filled Marketing Daily in on the new campaign. Can you tell me more about your brands new integrated marketing campaign, Your Warm Cookie Awaits? Let me preface by saying that providing a warm welcome to guests is inherently part of our DNA here at DoubleTree by Hilton, and that starts with sharing our signature DoubleTree Cookie with guests upon arrival. Were elevating that unique symbol of hospitality with the launch of the Your Warm Cookie Awaits campaign. Created in partnership with The Martin Agency, it is designed to inspire others to make the world a more welcome place. advertisement advertisement Who is this campaign aimed at? Is it a different audience than youve previously focused on? The campaign is aimed at business and leisure travelers. Given the diversity of the portfolio and our many global destinations, weve always appealed to and targeted a wide array of travelers, whether that be a couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary or a group of young business professionals on a retreat. Can you talk about the OOH component? Why did you decide to use OOH? Our OOH component includes more than 30% of our total marketing spend. Grounded in research and insight, we wanted to ensure were targeting not only a large number of consumers, but also the right consumers in some of our key markets. As an example, our OOH digital billboards are estimated to reach more than 22 million people across four top-performing key markets (Denver, Santa Monica, New York and Washington, D.C.). How has the brand evolved and what are its strengths? Weve come a long way since the founding of the brand in 1969 when the first DoubleTree by Hilton hotel opened in Scottsdale, Ariz. Since then, the brand has steadily grown throughout the United States and the world. Our strength truly lies in our thousands of dedicated team members around the world. Each and every one of them deliver on the brands simple service philosophy of CARE (Creating a Rewarding Experience). This philosophy illustrates how that the simple human touches and acts of kindness make every guests stay a delight. What are the primary challenges facing the brand? With an increasingly crowded space of upscale, full-service segment of hotels, were continually striving to stand out among the rest given its a segment of the hotel industry that can easily become a sea of sameness. With this in mind, we work to keep our brand fresh by introducing new and renovated properties and by unveiling inspiring and interactive marketing campaigns. How has hospitality marketing, in general, changed and where do you see it going? Hospitality marketing continues to evolve for a new generation of travelers. Combined with increased interest in and access to technology around them, todays modern and savvy traveler values experiences and feeling connected to a brand more than ever. When young travelers and Millennials in particular arrive at a hotel, they want to feel completely at home and part of an experience that is reflective of their values. Its no longer enough to develop integrated marketing campaigns focusing solely on the hard product, such as onsite food and beverage offerings or new bathroom amenities. by Scott Gillum , Op-Ed Contributor, September 14, 2017 Theyre called the duopoly of online advertising. Facebook and Google account for 75% of the U.S. digital ad spend and almost all of its growth, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau. Facebook reported 45% growth in the last quarter and Googles parent company Alphabet posted earnings of $26 billion, 87% coming from advertising revenue. But are these behemoths about to be blindsided by a fierce competitor with a better ROI? A consumer research study for a beverage manufacturer uncovered an interesting trend, one that might tip the scale for advertisers. Consumers who had an Amazon Prime account started their search for a purchase at Amazon 100% of the time. If they knew what they wanted to buy, they went directly to Amazon to search for different brands with the best price and delivery options. With 85 million Amazon Prime members as of June 2017, its not going to take long for consumer brands to discover that if you want to invest ad dollars in finding buyers with high purchase intent and conversion rates, Amazon is going to be hard to ignore, as noted in this chart first published by Statista here. advertisement advertisement Although its ad business is small in comparison to Google and Facebook, with only 1% of global ads, it actually is one of Amazons fastest growing areas, now on track to generate close to $2 billion this year. Amazon also offers organizations a broad spectrum of advertising products, ranging from its ad platform offering mobile and desktop display and banner ads, to dynamic and coupon ads. Customer campaign pages allow advertisers to create immersive cross-platform landing pages that can display more than one product. With the digital ad market predicted to grow at 16% this year to $83 billion according to eMarketer, the Facebook-Google duopoly will get its fair share, and almost all of the attention, especially considering the growth of Facebooks Snapchat ad revenue, up 158% in the past year. And that may be just how Amazon likes it. It has a history of sneaking up on competitors. Just ask Microsoft and IBM about Amazon Web Services (AWS). Andy Jassy, the AWS CEO, said that in some ways the growth of his business was a classic case of disruption dynamics. The competition simply didnt believe there was enough of a market to worry about it. The dominant players dont have any reason to worry about someone attacking the bottom of the market. AWS now owns a third of the cloud infrastructure services market, more than three times that of its next closest competitors. Amazon seems to follow Al Pacinos never let them see you coming advice from The Devils Advocate. But one ad executive Sir Martin Sorrell, WPPs CEO has noticed. In a recent interview with Bloomberg said, Sorrell said, The company that would worry me if I was a client or I think worries our clients, more than Google and Facebook is Amazon. Smart ad dollars follow consumer behavior and, as we just learned, those consumers are headed to Amazon. by Sara Guaglione , September 14, 2017 Online news start-up Ozy Media new homepage features increased personalization to help readers, viewers and listeners find stories they may have missed. It also debuted its first podcast. We fundamentally believe in the iconic power of the homepage to keep [people] coming back for more, stated Carlos Watson, Ozy co-founder and CEO. One of the new modules of the site, called OZY Recommends, takes OZY.coms Good Sh*t column and organizes it by categories, such as TV & Movies, Books, Music, Travel, Food, Style, and Tech, to make it easier to search for news on specific topics. The new homepage also features a revamped watch player to highlight Ozy's videos. Ozy Media is introducing a new, six-part podcast series called "The Thread," which will focus on interlocking events over nearly a century of American history and culture. Ozy senior writer and host of "The Thread," Sean Braswell, kicks off the series with the 1980 assassination of Beatles member John Lennon and connects the event to Russian communist leader Vladimir Lenin. advertisement advertisement The first episode will be released Sept. 25. The company recently premiered a new prime-time show on PBS, "Third Rail with OZY," and added a weekly email offering, The Special Briefing, to focus on one issue each week driving the news cycle. Created in 2013, Ozy Media says it has 40 million monthly unique users and 2 million subscribers. The company is made up of OZY News, OZY Magazine, OZY TV and OZY Events. In January, Ozy Media raised $10 million in series C funding, which will go to doubling its staff, as well as expanding its events business and video production. Ozy brands itself as a next-generation news start-up that covers politics, culture, sports, food and technology. Were excited to announce that metalbulletin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com. A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving metals market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets. Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials. If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details. August 12: Tseng has officially signed his deal with the Cubs, reports MLB.com's Carrie Muskat (via Twitter). July 26: The Cubs have signed 18-year-old Taiwanese right-hander Jen-Ho Tseng for a $1.625MM bonus, according to MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez (on Twitter). Sanchez adds that top international prospect Eloy Jimenez, who agreed to terms with the Cubs earlier this month, will officially sign with the team next week. Sanchez ranked Tseng as the No. 29 prospect in this year's international crop, noting that his broad frame bodes well for future durability. Tseng's fastball touches 95 mph and sits comfortably in the low 90s, according to Sanchez, who adds that Tseng also has a feel for a curveball and slider. Tseng continued to draw interest from the Twins even after the initial reports that he was nearing a deal with the Cubs surfaced on July 9. The Cubs have already signed Gleyber Torres for $1.7MM, Jefferson Mejia for $850K, Erling Moreno for $650K and Johan Matos for $270K, and their agreement with Jimenez is for $2.8MM. Despite having acquired additional bonus money from the Orioles and Astros, the Cubs are on pace to vastly exceed their $5.52MM international bonus pool. I analyzed the Cubs' international expenditures earlier in the month, noting at the time that they were likely facing a strict penalty for exceeding their pool by 10 to 15 percent. The penalty for such an overage would be a 100 percent tax on the overage as well as severe restrictions on 2014-15 spending that would prevent the team from signing a player for any more than $500K. However, given the size of Tseng's bonus, it appears that the Cubs will exceed their bonus pool by 15 percent or more, which would mean they won't be able to sign a player for more than $250K in 2014-15 (in addition to the 100 percent tax on the overage). Because teams cannot acquire more than 50 percent of their initial international bonus pool, the maximum bonus pool for the Cubs would be $6.836MM. With Tseng signing for $1.625MM, the Cubs have committed $7.895MM to international prospects. That's $1.059MM over their maximum international bonus pool, or a 15.5 percent overage, suggesting that the team is likely facing the maximum penalties for international spending next summer. DETROIT - A protest against Kid Rock's opening performance at Little Caesars Arena got on without a single incident of violence Tuesday night. But a small group that splintered off from the organized protest succeeded in rampingup agitation and arguments between pro- and anti-Kid Rock camps. The group contained more than 20 young people who roamed Woodward Avenue as concert-goers entered the venue. Some of them carried signs and megaphones, shouting expletives at random attendees. Many of them had marched earlier on Tuesday afternoon with the National Action Network, led by Detroit chapter president Rev. Charles E. Williams. Civil rights groups began making plans to protest Rock's Sept. 12 concert last week. Many opposed Rock's prior use of the Confederate flag as a stage prop on tour. The National Action Network also said the Ilitch family made a poor decision by booking Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, for a block of six shows opening Little Caesars Arena as a concert venue. The arena features a Kid Rock-themed restaurant on the ground floor. Ritchie blasted the protest days earlier, calling organizers "garbage" members of the "extreme left." Unlike Williams, who advocated against direct confrontation, the splinter group's aim was to shame Kid Rock supporters and fans. Detroit police and Wayne County Sheriff's deputies followed them, breaking up a number of altercations along the way. Christian Kocis and Mike Antushivich, both 17 from Fraser, Michigan, were on their way to the concert before being met by protesters. The teenagers wore President Donald Trump's signature crimson "Make America Great Again" hats. Kocis admitted that was probably a stupid move when a race-related protest was occurring downtown. He viewed it as a way to start conversations. All he found on Tuesday were insults. "I didn't expect much else, and I was happy that it stayed peaceful," Kocis said. "I'm here for the conversation. If someone would have a laid out conversation with me, I'd appreciate that. But that's not what we found today. I think it's important for Americans to come together. "Even if we have different opinions, we have to talk about it." 14.09.2017 LISTEN Accra, Sept. 14, CDA Consult Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, First Lady of Ghana, has tasked contestants for 2017 Exquisite Face of Universe pageant to serve as promoters of the National Heritage and Culture. The First Lady also urged the Face of Universe Pageants to take the opportunity to learn more about Ghana and its people whilst here and carry with them their positive experiences when they go back to their various countries. You must sell Ghana to your various countries to help attract investors to Ghana, Mrs Akufo-Addo stated when about 35 Exquisite Face of Universe Pageant paid a courtesy call on her as part of activities for this years pageant. The ladies will participate in the final of this years pageant being organized by the First Loyal Event Limited on September 16, at the National Theatre under the theme: Eat Ghana, Feel Ghana, Wear Ghana, Love Ghana. Mrs Akufo-Addo also commended organizers for the goals for their pageant which seek to create advocacy roles for the queens to help promote and achieve sustainable development goals of the United Nations. She further encouraged the queens to work hard and be positive role models for the coming generation as well as work to improve the lives of women and children. Exquisite Face of the Universe is an innovative world pageant that brings beauty queens between the ages of 18 and 27 years with strong passion for benevolence and development from around the world to compete for an ambassadorial crown. The winner of the crown becomes the global ambassador who promotes the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) with main attention on 4 out of the 17 Goals. Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) provides tailor made development communication tools necessary for operational transformation and translating dreams into achievable goals and equips clients with mechanism for public education on specific issues. It also provides effective back-up or frontline monitoring and evaluation tools to ensure value for money delivery of projects, whilst providing clients with skills to deliver timely and accurate information on their activities, work, programmes and projects. CDA Consult is also aimed at building a responsive working culture for corporate growth through a social process at institutional levels based on dialogue using a broad range of tools and methods. It also assists client to use continuous and adaptive process of gathering, organising and formulating information and data into argument and to communicate to policy-makers through various interpersonal and mass media communication channels. Bitcoin is a type of digital currency in which encryption techniques are used to regulate the generation of units of currency and verify the transfer of funds, operating independently of a central bank. Bitcoin is now worth $4,317. Due to this, many are encouraging others to invest in the cryptocurrency. Nigerians are slowly embracing Bitcoin. In line with this, Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency share things Nigerians must know before joining the Bitcoin train. More people are using Bitcoin Despite the fact that some Nigerians are struggling to accept Bitcoin, more people are embracing it after years of gradual growth. Hence, whether we like it or not, Bitcoin is the future and we have no choice than to use it. Retailers and vendors are accepting Bitcoin You can now pay for whatever you purchase online with Bitcoin as some retailers have made it possible to settle transactions with it. Some notable companies that accept Bitcoin include Expedia, Microsoft, Subway, Newegg, TigerDirect, Tesla and PayPal. So, do not be surprised when some Nigerian companies start to accept Bitcoin. Bitcoin transfers are fast and flexible While many financial institutions charge you or take days to process transactions, Bitcoin allows transfers from one account to another almost for free. Of course, you must already have your money in Bitcoin form. There is no need for any middlemen. As a result, the transfer is seamless. Extremely volatile Bitcoin is still growing like earlier mentioned and there are a number of market factors that influence it. It very dependent on the rules of demand and supply. The more people are willing to buy Bitcoins, the more the Bitcoin value will increase. Conversely, if more people sell, the prices will decline. Treat it as speculating, not an investment Cryptocurrencies have a bright future as a new way to conduct commerce and business. That is not the same thing as saying that their value right now is sustainable. Its early days yet, and, while the number of businesses accepting cryptocurrencies are growing, its not big enough for most of the demand to be built on legitimate trade. This means that buying cryptocurrencies is speculation, not investment. Hence, you should be willing to lose the money you invest in buying Bitcoin! The Medical Director of Tema General Hospital says a theatre facility project which has been abandoned since 2008, is taking a toll on the hospital. Dr Kwabena Opoku Adusei said they are constrained as they sometimes have to put together two theatre tables which are not right but they have no option as they want to save lives. The project was started by government as part of hosting the CAN 2008 tournament to improve healthcare delivery in Tema and beyond. However, the project stalled along the line and has been at the vagaries of the weather in the last nine years forcing the hospital to depend on limited space and equipment for surgery. According to Dr Opoku Adusei, the lack of a general theatre in the facility comes with other challenges including sterilisation of the equipment and the staff are also overworked. Elsewhere all the units have one set of theatre under one governance which makes life easy because it has the same set of nurses. You dont have theatre rooms assigned to units as it is managed by the theatre manager and that makes the theatres more efficient. Dr. Adusei Opoku was grateful to Ghana Cement after the company donated 1000 bags of cement towards the completion of the hospital's uncompleted theatre. The Commercial Director for Ghacem, Nana Philip Archer, told Joy News' Kwame Yankah that their donation to the facility is part of their corporate social responsibility as they celebrate their 50th anniversary. He said Ghacem believes in the role of corporate bodies improving access to better healthcare delivery. Mr Archer said they did a needs-based assessment and the hospital's administration told them that they needed help to complete a surgical ward. We decided to select one key health facility to support this year and the companys select committee picked the Tema General Hospital to extend a helping hand to them. This is not the first donation we have done to the facility. Three years ago, we also helped the facility with 500 bags of cement, he said. Commercial Director said Ghacem is hopeful the donation will go a long way to help the hospital put up its theatre and make life easy for the doctors and nurses as well as save lives. Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, has backed the decision of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), to demolish portions of the Old Parliament House building. The demolition of the structure that housed the Gold Coast Legislative Assembly from 1951 when Dr. Kwame Nkrumah became the leader of government Business under British rule, has revived concerns about how the country protects its heritage sites. Speaking at a press soiree in Accra, the Majority Leader argued that it was better to pull down the structure than leave it in its previous state. That structure was gutted by fire sometime back, but sometimes when you want to do a rehabilitation of a structure that has been gutted by fire, the integrity of which structure might have suffered tremendously, you do not go about reinforcing the existing structure. It is better you pull it down. I guess that might have informed the decision to pull it down and rebuild a new structure to replace it, Mr. Kyei Mensah Bonsu explained. Remember when we came to dealing with our own Job 600 complex. Some of us argued at the time that what commitment was going to go into it, we could better save to perhaps demolish the structure and begin a new one. At the beginning, when that structure was valued, it was said that it was going to cost us about $25 million to refurbish. You know the total cost of the rehabilitation of Job 600 when we finished? It is close to 100 million dollars. If we had demolished it and reconstructed that edifice, how much was it going to cost us? he added. Although some key stakeholders have criticized the demolition, CHRAJ has since defended its decision, saying the move was aimed at protecting the health and safety of the workers of CHRAJ. CHRAJ was accused of usurping the authority of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly by proceeding to demolish the Chamber and adjoining offices of the Old Parliament House in Accra, without getting the required permit from the AMA. The Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal in explaining the circumstances under which the building was pulled down however explained that: Since the burning in 2013, that section has posed a health hazard, indeed every person who works around those places knows that indeed this is unhealthy because we are breathing in the fumes and all those things. The part that is burnt is beyond recovery and so since 2013, we have made efforts to have this taken out. We have informed the AMA, unfortunately, we've not had funds, it is only this year that we had funds from the central government to demolish and reconstruct the old Chamber and the adjoining offices. Governments implementation of the Free Senior High School education policy has been met with praise by the African Union Commission. The Commission affirmed the policy as a sure way of ensuring the growth of the country and Africa as a whole. Ghana joins countries like Rwanda, Uganda, and Namibia that provide free education at the Secondary level. Ambassador Thomas Kwesi Quartey, Deputy Chairperson, African Union Commission, who gave the commendation while speaking at an UNCTAD-organised High-Level Panel Discussion in Geneva, Switzerland, which had Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia in attendance. He said the beginning of Free SHS in Ghana would give greater impetus to the AU's agenda of having every African child in school by 2020. Africa has the largest number of young people, and this commission has at its theme Education, Education, Education. It is in that spirit that I would like to commend the government of Ghana, at the risk of sounding unduly nationalist, that the SHS programme, the free compulsory secondary school programme that they have introduced, is really an idea whose time has come, and Ghana is to be commended for it Ambassador Quartey said. We would like to have a literate and a numerate Africa. We want an Africa where illiteracy is a thing of the past. With a literate and numerate Africa, the continent would be ready now to imbibe technology, apply science and technology, and find solutions. Any effort in this direction is therefore highly commendable, Amb Quartey indicated, and the introduction of Free SHS in Ghana is a very welcome development. Your Excellency, you and Ghana are to be highly commended, the Deputy AU Commissioner told Vice President Bawumia. The panel discussion, organised by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), is under the theme Accelerating Progress in Building Productive Capacities in Least Developing Countries and Other Vulnerable Developing Economies. It brought together a team of decision makers and world leaders including Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD; Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa 'Utoikamanu, High-Representative and Under-Secretary-General for OHRLLS, New York; and Ms. Hu Xiaolian, Chairman, China-Exim Bank. Some labour analysts are demanding clarity from Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) in the decision to terminate the contract of employees of defunct UT and Capital banks. They argue that the terms indicated in the termination letters served the employees of the two banks may be short of the labour law which protects the interest of employees in cases of insolvency. About one thousand workers of former UT and Capital banks were on Tuesday, September 12, 2017 served letters notifying them of the termination of their employment contract by PwC. The move is in accordance with the auditing firm's role as a receiver of the purchase agreement between GCB Bank and former UT and Capital Banks. According to the termination letter, all claims are expected to be provided at a time that enough have been realized from the banks' assets. But reacting to the latest development, an Executive Board Member of the Ghana Federation of Labour, Kenneth Koomson asserted that the lack of clarity may lead to shortchanging the workers of the affected banks. It must be stated clearly what is the terms of reference; is it a redundancy? If it is, then the redundancy rule must apply and one of the things that we must expect is that redundancy as per the practice in the market, there are benchmarks. In that situation, you look at three months pay for each year of service or two months' pay for each year of service multiplied by the number of years you have served and paid as compensation among other fringe benefits that comes along with it, he opined. But terminating of appointment, the employer is not under any obligation to give you such long compliments. What he gives is a one month notice if you have some deferred income then he makes it available if you have social security, second tier, he makes arrangements to make sure that those payments are made to you, he added. The termination letter among others indicated that any payments due the affected workers will be effected in consultation and in negotiation with the Unions or representatives of the workers. But the labour analyst is convinced the effectiveness or otherwise of this option will largely hinge on a strong negotiation team put up by the affected workers of the two banks. It is also important to ensure that the workers constitute themselves like I've said with a representative or a local union or if there's no local union, a representation of the entire staff or elect their own to have meetings and conversations with the management which I am sure they have began. The Bank of Ghana on August 14, 2017 granted permission to GCB Bank to assume the assets and some liabilities of UT and Capital banks. The decision, according to the Governor of the central bank, Dr. Ernest Addison is among others to protect the interest of depositors and strengthen Ghana's financial system. In an earlier interview with Citi Business News, Mr. Ray Sowah, the MD of GCB Bank explained that though his outfit will be absorbing some staff of the two defunct banks, that will be determined in a skills assessment to be embarked upon by the bank. The combined superior negotiation skills of Ghana's Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, and the CEO of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. K K Sarpong, have saved Ghana over $1 billion in a new LNG transaction that will allow for the addition of up to 1,000MW to Ghana's power supply. The new GNPC LNG deal, involving the world's largest gas producer, Gazprom, is being hailed within the international energy market as a masterstroke. It replaces two signed competing contracts for the same Tema LNG project, signed by the previous John Mahama government, which were both considered over-priced and over-sized for Ghana. The history of electricity supply in Ghana has been punctuated with several bouts of supply deficits a huge attendant economic cost to the nation. Over the past decade especially, ensuring reliable and affordable electricity supply in Ghana has been extremely undermined by the limited access to reliable and economic fuel sources. The West African Gas Pipeline project was the first move by the power sector to displace crude oil and diesel as the principal fuel sources for the thermal plants. Unfortunately, supply of natural gas from Nigeria via this project has been gravely unreliable. With the discovery of oil and gas in the country, the government recognizing the urgent need to cure the fuel supply risk in the electricity supply chain, invested in the Ghana Gas infrastructure to harness the indigenous gas. The rapid growth in demand for electricity and our quest for industrialization however has called into question the sufficiency of the current natural gas supply base in the country. The World Bank and Ministry of Energy estimate that a total of about 250 300 mmscf/d of imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) will be needed by 2018 to undergird the supply of gas from the indigenous fields. In a bid to meet this requirement, the erstwhile Mahama government entered into contracts with three different companies (namely, Quantum Power Ghana, West African Gas Limited and Kaheel) for the supply of LNG and the construction of its associated import terminal. The aggregate contractual commitment made to these companies amounted to 1000 mmscf/d (only 25% of which was the country's needs as prescribed by the World Bank and the Ministry of Energy at the time) or $25bn over the term of the contracts. From a broader perspective, this was equivalent to more than half of Ghana's 2016 GDP. A fourth entity called the Tema LNG (TLNG) also made submissions to the government but were not successful. Needless to say, if all three contracts were made effective, the country would have suffered a devastating and longstanding impact on its balance sheet. On the assumption of office, the new administration felt the need to evaluate the four agreements/proposals on the table to compare the commercial benefits of each against the other, with the objective of deciding which of the projects if any could progress. Subsequently, the Minister constituted a Committee to establish a common frame of reference and receive revised proposals from all four entities that would allow for a more transparent, fair and scientific comparative analysis. The Committee came to the determination that the TLNG proposal offers the best value for the nation. TLNG is a consortium made up of Gazprom Marketing and Trading Ltd (the world's largest supplier of natural gas with the largest natural gas reserves in the world), Helios Investment Partners (the largest investment firm in Africa with over $3 billion in capital commitments), Gasfin Development (a global leader in cryogenic tank design and currently involved in 6 regasification projects) and Blystad Energy Management (a Norwegian firm focused on developing and managing marine power projects that require LNG as a fuel source). Subsequently, through a well-exhaustive and rigorous process, GNPC (and its external lawyers) have been able to negotiate a Gas Supply Agreement with Gazprom that reflects balanced equity and efficient risk allocation whilst delivering a huge value for the Corporation. In summary, the TLNG proposal saves GNPC (and the nation for that matter) $100M in annual credit exposure and $1.2bn over the term of the contract. The following highlights some of the major considerations culminating in the superiority of the GNPC-TLNG deal: Low Total Cost of Delivered Gas The total cost of gas delivered to GNPC is $7.70/mmbtu. This is not just the cheapest among the four projects; it is cheaper than the gas from the indigenous Sankofa gas fields. Project Infrastructure Cost Fully Borne by TLNG GNPC makes no capital contribution to the project. The TLNG consortium, led by Helios investment partners, the largest Africa focused fund ($3bn under management) is fully financing the entire capex of the project. Minimal Credit Exposure to GNPC GNPC's liabilities to Gazprom are backed by a Single Standby Letter of Credit approximately 25% of GNPC's annual take-or-pay liabilities. Gazprom provides a guarantee to underpin the terminal's liabilities. No Government Guarantee Required Unlike the other proposals, this deal requires no Government of Ghana guarantee. GNPC Shares in Profits of Gas Sales to Neighboring Countries GNPC has the right to share in profits of gas supplied by Gazprom through the terminal to other West African countries. This arrangement could yield GNPC in excess of $95 million over the term of the contract. TLNG deploys Proven Engineering Technology/Approach The engineering approach proposed by TLNG is well-proven and has demonstrably good safety record, having been deployed in several countries including USA, Holland, Indonesia, Egypt and Angola. GNPC owns the Infrastructure at the end of Contract Term Ownership of the entire import terminal infrastructure is transferred to GNPC/GoG at the end of the term of the contract. The residual value is estimated in excess of $100 million, with a useful technical life of over 10 years. Counterparty Risk: Solid Balance Sheet and Credit Rating of Counterparty Contractual exposure under the TLNG structure is to Gazprom, the world's largest gas producer and a publically traded company, with annual revenues in excess of $100 Billion more than twice Ghana's GDP. Gazprom bears Terminal Failure Risk Gazprom absorbs the risk and liabilities associated with the import terminal failure. This is backed by a Corporate guarantee of $1.2 billion. Gazprom bears Risk of Off-spec Gas Gazprom is wholly responsible for all damages caused by off-spec gas (gas that does not meet GNPC's specification) whether caused by Terminal or their own LNG. This covers damages that may occur to downstream assets such as the VRA turbines that will ultimately consume the gas Gazprom bears LNG Cargo Risk TLNG consortium contractually commit to being available 98% of the year. Gazprom is liable for costs associated with import terminal's failure to provide service. Gazprom will compensate GNPC for cost of securing alternative fuels, in the event of unavailability of the import terminal. Low Take-or-Pay Gas Quantity Obligation on GNPC TLNGs proposal is based on volumes of 250 MMscf/d, proportionate to the demand forecast by the Ministry of Energy, resulting in a lower exposure to GNPC as compared to the other proposals. The contract allows Ghana to reduce volumes by 10% per year if required. In summary, there is demonstrably a need for LNG in the country beyond 2018. The complex nature of the LNG supply infrastructure, the volumes of transactions involved and the scales of risk associated calls for a well-coordinated solution with a carefully structured risk allocation among parties to ensure that the country is not unduly exposed or short-changed. The GNPC-Gazprom deal has been well-structured to protect the interest of the country. GNPC has negotiated a unique structure whereby risks and liabilities that would have otherwise been to the account of GNPC (such as under the three other proposals) has been absorbed by Gazprom. The biggest risk to Government on a regasification project is that of terminal failure and GNPC has secured a deal whereby Gazprom takes this risk. This transaction will lead to the establishment of Gazproms first physical presence in Africa. The Gazprom Group has identified other significant energy related opportunities in Ghana where they believe they can add value in terms of the development and commercialisation of the gas sector in Ghana. Their plan is to use Ghana as a regional hub into West Africa and ensure that Ghana benefits as a result. As afore-stated, Gazprom is the largest gas producer in the world with annual revenues (in excess of $100 Billion) more than twice the size of the GDP of Ghana. 14.09.2017 LISTEN Accra, GHANA The U.S. Embassy in Accra encourages young leaders to apply for the 2018 Mandela Washington Fellowship. The application period is now open and will close at 4 p.m. GMT on Wednesday, October 11, 2017. To apply for the Mandela Washington Fellowship, visit https://yali.state.gov/washington-fellowship/apply/. The opportunity is open to all accomplished young African leaders aged 25-35; the Embassy especially encourages applications from women, persons with disabilities, and those living in smaller towns and rural areas. The Mandela Washington Fellowship is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), which was launched by President Barack Obama in 2010 to support young African leaders as they spur growth and prosperity; strengthen democratic governance; and enhance peace and security across Africa. In 2018, the Fellowship will provide up to 700 outstanding young leaders from sub-Saharan Africa with the opportunity to hone their skills at a U.S. higher education institution. Each Mandela Washington Fellow takes part in a six-week academic and leadership institute at a U.S. university or college in one of three tracks: Business and Entrepreneurship, Civic Leadership, or Public Management. Institutes will start in mid-June 2018. Successful applicants will have: Today I write with so much solemnity; this day should have come several years ago, life has had its share of those in my kind, and nothing is able to undo the things that never was. I graduated from Life Corps/ACM School, Winneba, in 1991. The 1987 educational reform program had just graduated its first batch of BECE candidates, and I was among the second batch that had left school, having graduated with confidence, but uncertain about the future, although I had had some sponsorship promises from my senior sister, and a missionary group I belonged to. After I wrote the BECE, I cultivated a tomato farm, and realized C15,000 (now GHC1.5). I put the money inside a covered plastic bowl, dug a deep hole at the back of the family house, hid the bowl in the hole, and I left to Lake Volta, in search of work, just so that I avoided the risk of spending the money I had saved. I returned from the lake a few weeks after, just in time for the announcement of the release of the BECE results. I heard the announcement on GBC Radio One, and we were asked to go to our respective schools to check them. That day, on my way to the school, I walked pass a few of my mates, and by the schools celebrated mango tree, straight to the headmasters office. Mr. Ackon, on seeing me, rose to his feet, looked straight into my eyes, reached for my hand, and shook it as he continued to stared deep into my eyes; failing to let out the words meant for me, and engulfed with emotions, he briefly took off his eyes, to hide the tears he had began to fight. I stood in front of him, in his office, the same office in which he nearly decline my admission to the school some years back, I stood there as the man went in search of words to honor me, and finally he found one; congratulations! The man had no other words, but unending repeat of congratulations, as I stood there, palm in his palm, as I kept responding; thank you, thank you, in an unending cycle. Mr. Akon kept holding on to my hand, as he kept shaking it, and kept fighting the tears, and kept uttering the word, congratulations, and kept mentioning my name, James, followed by congratulations; you have done me proud, you held this school, you have proven what is possible, and on, and on, and on... At this point I had lost balance, having allowed Mr. Ackon to infect me with his tears. I sat in front of him, failing to face him anymore, as he took his seat, and pulled out the envelop that contained the sheets of the results, and there was my name, James Annan, the tortured rejected poor boy of no value, aggregate 06 staring right in my face, with Ones serializing the sheet, having opened a new academic record gap that was to remain unbroken till date. I had selected Winneba Secondary School as my only choice, and as a Day Student; I did not want to risk any choice that could make me unable to afford, just in case any of those who had promised should fail me. Somehow, the missionary church was unable to support me, although they had publicly announced their firm sponsorship for my secondary education. My sister, among other things, had heard the announcement of the churchs support, and therefore thought I was only out there to deceive her, to part with her already non existing money, so she too failed me. The admission fee for Winnesec was 25,000 Cedis, now equivalent of GHC2.5, and as if it was a design, I was supposed to pay GHC1.5 deposit before I could register as a student. So on the eve of the deadline for registration into the school, I took hold of the only available asawsaw in the house, dashed to the back of the house, scoop out the covered plastic bowl, and right there was my GHC1.5, away!!!! The rest, my brother, is history, a history that we will continue to tell till death do us pat. Unfortunately, after paying the GHC1.5, there was nothing left for me to afford the school uniform. But I had a long sleeves shirt that was a faded pink but which looked closer to the school required cream top, so I halved the sleeves, and managed to secure a khaki knickers (dont ask me how), and never changed this uniform until my third year. Like many others in my category, I owe myself a book, a book that I have always been too afraid to write; for, the very stories that could make the book sell, are those same stories that I have been too weak to tell. Food to eat, note books for classes, and all the nuances of high school life, are all part of the history waiting to be told. My greatest wish, at the time, was someone to guarantee me one meal a day, a wish that remained a wish till I left school. On December 1994, I wrote my last SHS examination paper, mathematics, on an empty stomach. I had not eaten the previous day, except a coconut I had brought from the beach, which I shared with my friends, and I had failed to study that night. I went into the examination hall half conscious; nearly thirty minutes into the paper, I realized that all the graph work I had done were a deviation. I managed to finish the paper, and headed straight to my squatter room nearby, and began to pray, thanking God for such an undeserved mercy, that at the height of my situation, I could write these papers. So when in 2012 the NDC kept pounding Nana Akufo-Addos Free SHS, I kept wishing that the earth would open, and swallow all those who were featured in those wrecking opposing adverts, it felt as though it was a joke, but those jokes were too expensive for me, that I became excessively emotional, to the point that I had to avoid further seeing those adverts. All said, this week the government has rolled out the free SHS policy. My children may under-estimate this intervention, but the orphan from my community who had eight Ones, and who is now in Achimota, knows that the gods have visited him, and have brought good omen on his way. Never again should we allow our children to face life in such lonely ways; so Nana Addo thank you, thank you for making the financing of secondary education a national issue, and following through to your inner self, and making it happen. I know what burden you have lifted off of those whose stories you might never have the honor of listening to; some gave sex to get food, others just abandoned their dreams, only a few survived what you dont know. It is my hope that you will not politicize the benefits; you have come far, you lost it once, you lost it twice, you came the third time, and you won it. What else do you need, in order to know that you are a true son of this land? Get everyone on board, NDC, NPP, PPP, non aligned, let everyone feel a part of the opportunities you have created, and let us all celebrate the hero in you. There is nothing worth this world other than the legacy we ought to leave in our wake; you have done it in eight months what should have been done some 30 years ago. What else would you need to do to prove yourself? I will like to pay more taxes, if this is what my money would be used for, and I will like to add tax advocacy to all that I am already doing. You need more money, to look after my children, and I promise, you will have that money. Today I celebrate myself, and all the several thousands of Ghanaian individuals who struggled to pay their own secondary school fees, and to feed themselves; we lived a day at a time, some won, others did not make the journey. So on behalf of all those who survived, on behalf of all those who did not survive but whose children are alive to benefit from your bravery, on behalf of all the many orphans, the many rural poor, and on behalf of my late mother who would have loved to see me benefit from a free secondary school education, on behalf of everyone, I say nothing; that you may have what men had when they were men 14.09.2017 LISTEN The prospect of losing the only copy of her masters thesis during a robbery was just too much for one South African student to bear. Noxolo Ntusi, 26, grappled with armed attackers to hold on to it during the incident in Johannesburg on Tuesday. Theres no way I will let them take it, she told the BBC. But she also said her actions were not very smart and advised others to give robbers what they ask for. You can always write again, she said. Ms Ntusi, a medical scientist at the National Health Laboratory Service, had her molecular zoology masters thesis on a hard drive when a car drew up beside her and two men jumped out, one brandishing a gun. But while the attackers were able to take her lunch bag, Ms Ntusi refused to let go of the bag containing the hard drive. I was thinking about my masters. Im almost done with what Im writing, theres no way I will let them take it, she said. I was just pulling myself into a ball. They were trying to put me in the car, I think, but I made myself so heavy that they just gave up. During the attack, one of the robbers pressed a gun to her head and repeatedly threatened to shoot her. But Ms Ntusi held on. Losing the thesis would have meant having to ask for an extension until next year, she said. I really want to finish so badly, I want to do it now. Nothing got in the way of that, but it was very dangerous, she said. Footage of the struggle was recorded on security cameras attached to nearby homes in the suburb of Auckland Park. Ms Ntusi has since backed up her work and said she would not advise others to follow her example. You can always write again if you are worried about your work, she said. The alleged robbers were later arrested and found to be in possession of a gas gun. United States drone strikes killed six members of Al-Qaeda linked Al Shabaab fighters in southern Somalia. The strikes were carried out on Wednesday morning in area, some 260 km south of Mogadishu, killing six fighters, according to statement issued by U.S. Africa Command. The statement does not give more information on the location in Somalia. A Somali military official, Harun Osman Mohamed said that suspected US drone strikes hit areas held by Al Shabaab in Kunya-barow town. We heard earlier today that warplanes bombed Al Shabaab targets in Kunya-barow town. I cant tell you if any fighter from the militants was killed or injured, Mohamed said. U.S. military has carried out several airstrikes in Somalia since President Donald Trump approved expanded military operations against Al Shabaab. There was no response from the Al Shabaab over the bombings. The US says it has killed at least 4 Al Shabaab militants in separate drone strikes against targets held by the groups fighters in south of Somalia. Authorities at the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) have begun the shortlisting process of Ghanaians for its new modules, Acting Head, Public Affairs disclosed to the media. The Agency under the ruling New Patriotic Party government has started the process of recruiting some Ghanaians unemployed youth into new modules. The modules are Youth In Security, Graduate Internship, Youth In Sanitation, Youth In Paid Internship, Youth In Revenue Mobilisation, and Youth In Afforestation. These modules will be expected to offer opportunities to graduates especially to gain hands on experience to boost their employability. The Agency was established under the Youth Employment Act 2015 (Act 887) to empower young people to contribute meaningfully to socio-economic and sustainable development of the nation. The Agency replaced the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial development Agency (GYEEDA), which was fraught with corruption. In a press statement issued in Accra on 8th September, 2017 by its Acting Public Relations Officer, Awal Mohammed and cited by the media indicated that 60,000 applicants have begun the process of shortlisting on Monday, September 11, 2017. Awal Mohammed revealed that, interviews would be done in a subsequent time after the shortlisting process. Below is the full statement; SHORTLISTING OF 60,000 BENEFICIARIES BEGINS ON MONDAY This is to inform all the applicants of the various Youth Employment Agency (YEA) Modules that, the shortlisting and subsequent interviews into the various modules will commence from 11th September, 2017. Shortlisted applicants will be notified on the date for the interview. Thank you. Signed! Awal Mohammed Ag. Head, Public Affairs 14.09.2017 LISTEN Passing the Basic Education Certificate Examination has been the passport for furthering ones education to the senior high school after the basic school. Against this backdrop, it has become the only yardstick to assess our basic education program.Why should this be the case? But essentially, this is what is going on. The only litmus test to the quality of the Ghanaian basic education is the Basic Education Certificate Examination (B.E.C.E.) with its attendant summative results .There must be internal and formative structures in place to examine closely the quality of the basic education in the country. Over reliance, solely on pupils performance in the B.E.C.E. to rate the quality of the basic education is not the very best. Since the basic education in Ghana is made of distinct but continuous and progressive three levels, it will be unfair to run an external and summative examination at the end of only one level, that is the junior high school and when pupils do not perform well, the junior high school teachers suffer the blame and become objects of ridicule that accusing fingers will be pointed at. And when pupils put up brilliant performance, those in the primary and the kindergarten will be denied their fair share of the commendations and praises which will be showered on junior high school teachers. There has been this blame game going on between junior high school and primary school teachers. Most junior high school teachers tend to be blaming the primary school teachers for not preparing the pupils well enough since no external examination is ran for primary school pupils entering the junior high school especially in the same school but the primary school teachers will be saying otherwise. They will feel they have picked the pupils from the bottom, given them strong foundation which the junior high school teachers were to build on and polish but they do not do that. Then something must be done to fix the problem. Something must be done to test what the primary school teachers are doing since examination has been the only mechanism in Ghana to know who the best teacher is regardless of the kind of pupils and the environment one finds him or herself and what the teacher is doing to develop the pupils holistically. No one can and must under-rate the effort of primary school teachers. They do the actual teaching of reading from the scratch, basic mathematical operations among others. They provide the foundation for the junior high school teachers to build on. It is therefore not surprising when junior high school teachers make statements that they are not the ones to teach pupils how to read, they only polish what the pupils brought from the primary. They see their responsibility as preparing pupils for exams. This is where the role of primary school teachers should be acknowledged and appreciated. What should be done then? The district education directorate must organize an external and summative examination for primary six pupils (in the district who are about to go to the junior high school) at the end of the third term. Possibly, an evidence of the student passing the exams should be given, maybe in the form of a certificate. This will even ginger primary school teachers to effectively prepare junior high school bound pupils because it is not going to be only the pupil facing the test but the teachers work will also be at stake. Sometimes, the concern raised by junior high school teachers tends to be the reality. Some teachers teaching at the primary do not put in much effort since the pupils are not going to write any form of external examination. So when there is the institution of such means of assessment, pupils will come to the junior high school fully prepared and teachers will have sufficient information on the pupil coming from the primary. In some schools, pupils are promoted to the junior high school without the junior high school handlers having much information about them. Next, the district directorate should take inter-school academic competitions very serious. There should be regular quiz competitions which must cater for all subjects at all levels. This should be periodic and captured on the academic calendar. There must be regular essay writing competitions which must go with awards and prizes. With this in mind, teachers will always be active with their lessons and will not limit assessment of pupils to scribbling in exercise books. Mention can also be made of a well institutionalized spelling competition for especially the lower primary. It is going to help build the spelling capacity of pupils at that level. For the junior high school, there can be debate competitions to help build the oratory skills of pupils. When these mechanisms are introduced, the learner will know how to make practical what he or she is learning in the classroom. There should also be competitive science fairs among schools. It can be an annual program to help make the teaching of science more practical. Drama, singing, vocational arts like pottery must be encouraged. Also, since it is going to be inter school competitions, it will help bring the very best out of pupils . No teacher will be happy with his or her pupils performing poorly in an inter school academic competition. Such competitions as it must be organized by the district directorate should be given the needed attention and resources. It can start from the school level then to circuit base and finally that of the district. There should also be deserving emphasis on the practical work in schools. The formative evaluation should not only be pencil and paper test. When circuit supervisors are on visit, they should not only request for number of exercises but also the project work in all subjects that the teacher has been able to guide the pupils to do. This will help with making practical what pupils learn in schools. Suggestion can also be made for pupils in the junior high school who are learning the subject, Basic Design and Technology (B.D.T.) to have a form of internship with an artisan during vacation so that they will be freed from the shackles of just reading notes on carpentry among others. An example is that, after a term that pupil learns catering in the B.D.T., during that vacation, the pupil should be made to go and understudy a caterer. At least the pupil will not be only reading things about catering in the book but will have first-hand experience with real life catering. Concrete measures must be taken to move away from using the B.E.C.E. as the only means to assess the quality of basic education being ran. Various means must be considered in doing that and such assessment should not be limited to only sit, listen and write exams kind of assessment, but must be practical. Ghana has signed a new power deal with the worlds largest gas producer, Gazprom, to add up to 1,000 MW to Ghana's power supply. The transaction, completed by Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, and the CEO of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Dr Kofi Koduah Sarpong, has saved Ghana over $1 billion, according to the Energy Ministry. The new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) deal between Ghana and Gazprom is being hailed within the international energy market as a master stroke. It replaces two signed competing contracts for the same Tema LNG project by the previous John Mahama government, which were both considered over-priced and over-sized for Ghana. The history of electricity supply in Ghana has been punctuated with several bouts of supply deficits a huge attendant economic cost to the nation. Over the past decade especially, ensuring reliable and affordable electricity supply in Ghana has been extremely undermined by the limited access to reliable and economic fuel sources. The West African Gas Pipeline project was the first move by the power sector to displace crude oil and diesel as the principal fuel sources for the thermal plants. Unfortunately, supply of natural gas from Nigeria via this project has been gravely unreliable. With the discovery of oil and gas in the country, the government recognizing the urgent need to cure the fuel supply risk in the electricity supply chain, invested in the Ghana Gas infrastructure to harness the indigenous gas. The rapid growth in demand for electricity and our quest for industrialization however has called into question the sufficiency of the current natural gas supply base in the country. The World Bank and Ministry of Energy estimate that a total of about 250 300mmscf/d of imported LNG will be needed by 2018 to undergird the supply of gas from the indigenous fields. In a bid to meet this requirement, the erstwhile Mahama government entered into contracts with three different companies (namely, Quantum Power Ghana, West African Gas Limited and Kaheel) for the supply of LNG and the construction of its associated import terminal. The aggregate contractual commitment made to these companies amounted to 1000 mmscf/d (only 25% of which was the countrys needs as prescribed by the World Bank and the Ministry of Energy at the time) or $25bn over the term of the contracts. From a broader perspective, this was equivalent to more than half of Ghanas 2016 GDP.A fourth entity called the Tema LNG (TLNG) also made submissions to the government but were not successful. Needless to say, if all three contracts were made effective, the country would have suffered a devastating and longstanding impact on its balance sheet. On the assumption of office, the new administration felt the need to evaluate the four agreements/proposals on the table to compare the commercial benefits of each against the other, with the objective of deciding which of the projects if any could progress.Subsequently, the Minister constituted a Committee to establish a common frame of reference and receive revised proposals from all four entities that would allow for a more transparent, fair and scientific comparative analysis. The Committee came to the determination that the TLNG proposal offers the best value for the nation. TLNG is a consortium made up of Gazprom Marketing and Trading Ltd (the worlds largest supplier of natural gas with the largest natural gas reserves in the world), Helios Investment Partners (the largest investment firm in Africa with over $3 billion in capital commitments), GasfinDevelopment (a global leader in cryogenic tank design and currently involved in 6 regasification projects) and Blystad Energy Management (a Norwegian firm focused on developing and managing marine power projects that require LNG as a fuel source). Subsequently, through a well-exhaustive and rigorous process, GNPC (and its external lawyers) have been able to negotiate a Gas Supply Agreement with Gazprom that reflectsbalanced equity and efficient risk allocation whilst delivering a huge value for the Corporation. In summary, the TLNG proposal saves GNPC (and the nation for that matter) $100M in annual credit exposure and $1.2bn over the term of the contract. Highlights The following highlights some of the major considerations culminating in the superiority of the GNPC-TLNG deal: Low Total Cost of Delivered Gas The total cost of gas delivered to GNPC is $7.70/mmbtu. This is not just the cheapest among the four projects; it is cheaper than the gas from the indigenous Sankofa gas fields. Project Infrastructure Cost Fully Borne by TLNG GNPC makes no capital contribution to the project. The TLNG consortium, led by Helios investment partners, the largest Africa focused fund ($3bn under management) is fully financing the entire capex of the project. Minimal Credit Exposure to GNPC GNPCs liabilities to Gazprom are backed by a Single Standby Letter of Credit approximately 25% of GNPCs annual take-or-pay liabilities. Gazprom provides a guarantee to underpin the terminals liabilities. No Government Guarantee Required Unlike the other proposals, this deal requires no Government of Ghana guarantee. GNPC Shares in Profits of Gas Sales to Neighboring Countries GNPC has the right to share in profits of gas supplied by Gazprom through the terminal to other West African countries. This arrangement could yield GNPC in excess of $95 million over the term of the contract. TLNG deploys Proven Engineering Technology/Approach The engineering approach proposed by TLNG is well-proven and has demonstrably good safety record, having been deployed in several countries including USA, Holland, Indonesia, Egypt and Angola. GNPC owns the Infrastructure at the end of Contract Term Ownership of the entire import terminal infrastructure is transferred to GNPC/GoG at the end of the term of the contract. The residual value is estimated in excess of $100 million, with a useful technical life of over 10 years. Counterparty Risk: Solid Balance Sheet and Credit Rating of Counterparty contractual exposure under the TLNG structure is to Gazprom, the worlds largest gas producer, and a publically traded company, with annual revenues in excess of $100 Billion more than twice Ghanas GDP. Gazprom bears Terminal Failure Risk Gazprom absorbs the risk and liabilities associated with the import terminal failure. This is backed by a Corporate guarantee of $1.2 billion. Gazprom bears Risk of Off-spec Gas Gazprom is wholly responsible for all damages caused by off-spec gas (gas that does not meet GNPCs specification) whether caused by Terminal or their own LNG. This covers damages that may occur to downstream assets such as the VRA turbines that will ultimately consume the gas Gazprom bears LNG Cargo Risk TLNG consortium contractually commits to being available 98% of the year. Gazprom is liable for costs associated with import terminals failure to provide service. Gazprom will compensate GNPC for the cost of securing alternative fuels, in the event of unavailability of the import terminal. Low Take-or-Pay Gas Quantity Obligation on GNPC TLNGs proposal is based on volumes of 250 MMscf/d, proportionate to the demand forecast by the Ministry of Energy, resulting in a lower exposure to GNPC as compared to the other proposals. The contract allows Ghana to reduce volumes by 10% per year if required. In synopsis, there is demonstrably a need for LNG in the country beyond 2018. The complex nature of the LNG supply infrastructure, the volumes of transactions involved and the scales of risk associated calls for a well-coordinated solution with a carefully structured risk allocation among parties to ensure that the country is not unduly exposed or short-changed. The GNPC-Gazprom deal has been well-structured to protect the interest of the country.GNPC has negotiated a unique structure whereby risks and liabilities that would have otherwise been to the account of GNPC (such as under the three other proposals) has been absorbed by Gazprom. The biggest risk to Government on a regasification project is that of terminal failure and GNPC has secured a deal whereby Gazprom takes this risk. This transaction will lead to the establishment of Gazprom's first physical presence in Africa. The Gazprom Group has identified other significant energy related opportunities in Ghana where they believe they can add value in terms of the development and commercializationof the gas sector in Ghana. Their plan is to use Ghana as a regional hub into West Africa and ensure that Ghana benefits as a result. As afore-stated, Gazprom is the largest gas producer in the world with annual revenues (in excess of $100 Billion) more than twice the size of the GDP of Ghana. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com Bloemfontein (South Africa) (AFP) - South Africa's embattled president Jacob Zuma goes to court on Thursday in a fresh attempt to fend off the reinstatement of 783 graft charges relating to a 1990s arms deal. The country's main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has sought in 11 court appearances since 2009 to reactivate the charges over controversial post-apartheid military contracts, which have dogged Zuma for much of his time in government. In 2005 his former financial advisor Schabir Shaik was convicted for facilitating bribes in exchange for the contracts and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He was later released on medical parole. The president, who is accused of corruption, fraud, money-laundering and racketeering, has always insisted he is innocent. 'Avoiding being held accountable' Zuma and other government officials were accused of taking kick-backs from the $5 billion (4.2 billion euros) purchase of fighter jets, patrol boats and other arms manufactured by five European firms, including British military equipment maker BAE systems and French company Thales. Charges were first brought against Zuma in 2005 but dropped by prosecutors in 2009. However, last year the High Court in Pretoria ruled that he should face the accusations. This week the Supreme Court of Appeal will hear arguments for and against reinstating the charges. It will not make a decision for several weeks, by which time the ruling African National Congress (ANC) elective conference will be approaching. An order reinstating charges could cast a shadow on proceedings -- and Zuma's preferred successor, his ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. The case is just the latest in a string of political and legal scandals that have dogged the president but failed to shake his grip on power. In 2016 Zuma was ordered to repay $24 million (22 million euros) to the public purse for upgrades to his personal residence that judges said showed he had disrespected the constitution. Institute of Security Studies analyst Gareth Newman believes his chances of success in the Supreme Court are slim. "The ruling of the High Court was from a full bench of experienced, respected judges who unanimously came to the conclusion that the decision to withdraw the criminal charges against Jacob Zuma was irrational," Newman told AFP. "The chance of reaching a different conclusion in the Supreme Court is highly unlikely. Zuma's ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is seeking to be the next ANC president "It's been a strategy of Jacob Zuma to use taxpayers' money to avoid being held accountable in court from before even becoming president." Zuma has survived numerous bruising court battles over the years, mostly involving graft accusations, as well as calls for him to resign. He has also faced criticism for sacking two respected finance ministers within two years. Many South Africans believe those dismissals were linked to his relationship with the wealthy Gupta family, which is regularly accused of exerting undue influence over the president. Campaign damage Pressure on the president would reach fever pitch if the court reinstates any of the hundreds of charges -- particularly if the court rules against Zuma before the ANC party's conference due in December. Zuma, 75, is expected to step down as the party president at the end of year, although he will likely remain the country's head of state until 2019 after which he will not be eligible for re-election. The party can theoretically replace him before the next general election due in two years time -- but with Zuma loyalists occupying many positions of power within the ANC it is unlikely. It would also be damaging to the president's ex-wife Dlamini-Zuma, who is seeking to be the next ANC president. "Currently he is really very, very unpopular... not only among the general public but also among ANC voters," said Mari Harris, a public affairs expert at Ipsos MORI. "The repercussions will be more for his ex-wife's campaign to become the next leader of the ANC. That will really hurt her a lot." Zuma is supporting his ex-wife in the belief that she will be able to "protect him from appearing in court", according to Newman. James Selfe, the chairman of the opposition DA party, believes Zuma will try to delay the process as much as possible, to avoid prejudicing the ANC's choice of successor. "But I do think the Supreme Court will hand down its ruling before December," said Selfe, who is "optimistic" the charges will be reinstated. When the charges were dropped in 2009, Zuma was locked in a bitter fight with former president Thabo Mbeki to secure leadership of the ANC. The withdrawal of the charges cleared the way for Zuma to be elected president just weeks later. The Member of Parliament for Weija-Gbawe Constituency, Hon. Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah, who is also a Deputy Minister for Health, has donated 10 hospital beds to hospitals and clinics in her constituency. The donation which was done today Wednesday September 13, 2017 received commendation from patients who were receiving health care at the hospitals and clinic the items were donated. The hospital beds and accessories were donated to the Ga South Municipal Hospital which is popularly known as Akawe, Seventh Day Adventist Hospital and Oblogo Health Care Centre. In all a total of 5 modern hospital beds were donated to Ga South Municipal Hospital, 2 beds to Oblogo Health Care Centre, 2 to SDA Hospital and 1 bed to Gbawe Clinic. According to the MP who doubles as Deputy Minister for Health, she is touched by the fact that most patients admitted to hospitals and clinics in the constituency lack the infrastructure in the form of beds to accommodate such patient. A situation which has persisted for a long time saw the light of day today Wednesday September 13, 2017.She stated without mincing words that, it is her priority to see to it that health care delivery in the country is given the needed attention so as to save innocent souls that pass out in their attempt to receive medical care. Dr. Nana Ofosua Amponsah, the A.g Medical Superintendent at the Ga South Municipal Hospital (Akawe) who received the 5 modern hospital beds could not hide her joy on receipt of the items. She remarked that, the items could not have come at a better time than now, particularly in the period where the hospital is over burden with a lot of medical cases which need to be taken care of each day. She added that, the pressure on the hospital stems from the fact that, the hospital is located along the high way hence the pressure. She was pleased to receive the items and like Oliver Twist asked for more, she pleaded with the Honourable Member to frequent the hospital so as to offer help assistance to the hospital. The Deputy Minister who is also the MP for Weija-Gbawe Constituency remarked that, the Ga South Municipal Hospital is dear to heart since it the very hospital she did her National Service when she completed her Bachelor Degree. She hinted that she will embarked on a Regional tour to visit all hospitals, clinics and chip compounds in the Greater Accra Region; therefore all medical facilities in the region will received some technical support from her as she tours. At Oblogo Health Care Centre, Ms. Octmel Bedwei Majdoub, the Physician Assistant in Charge was also pleased to receive the hospital beds supplied to the centre by the illustrious Mp and Deputy Minister. She said about 22 patients visit the hospital on daily basis which require that the infrastructural base of the centre is enhanced. Ms. Priscilla Nyametse Frimpong, the Matron at the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital located inside CP in the New Gbawe Electoral Area was also pleased with the kind gesture from Hon. Tina Gifty Naa Ayeley Mensah. The State Woman seized the opportunity to advice them to take proper care of the facilities supplied to the hospital. She remarked that the beds supplied will not be the end; other facilities will be supplied in subsequent times. The search for the next crop of leaders to steer the affairs of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is entering a new and more serious phase with many intriguing developments coming up. Snippets of information gathered by the New Crusading GUIDE revealed that so far, three people: Acting General Secretary; John Boadu, former General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie-aka Sir John and the man now thundering and rolling out as a desert storm in Ghanas politics, Musah Superior, the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Tamale. In the coming weeks, this paper is reliably informed by people with knowledge of the threes campaign itenary that, campaigning would be intensified, with all three subtly sending emissaries to test the pulse of the delegates, having closed-door interviews with high-ranking members to see their chances of winning. Independent assessment of the three is where the intrigues lie. Aside Sir John and John Boadu, Musah Superior, though a pillar in the party appears to be the latest entrant to the race and his name is causing a lot of anxiety. As aide to then General Secretary, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Iddrisu Musa Superior resigned and took a more centre stage when he realised his boss was not working in the interest of then candidate Akufo Addo and agenda 2016. He also fiercely took on anybody he saw was against 2016 and its candidate, then candidate Akufo Addo. The Tamale Mayor it is who turned down a lot of other juicy positions offered him to settle on being the mayor so he could be with his people, according to party insiders, and has since not disappointed. He has organised perhaps the most successful clean-up exercise in the region such that Tamale is now a town to behold. In fact, the guy is doing well so I dont see what can stop him, five people with knowledge of the mayors activities told this paper. His entrance, the paper gathered would cause a lot of stir as his name seem to be steadily catching up and moving fast as harmattan fire. John Boadu as the Acting General Secretary, under normal circumstances as with many incumbents should have an urge over his contenders but sources say his unfriendly nature and how he is quick to brush off party members who approach him with issues he considers trivial is what would be his undoing. He is a fine gentleman but too quick to brush people off. Even though he has committed some blunders since becoming the Acting General Secretary those things can be overlooked if you are to measure him by how the just-ended delegates conference was organised. He did really well. You remember he didnt scramble for position when all others were doing so but he is too dismissive and very dethatched from the people he want to vote for him, an elderly man told this paper in the Brong Ahafo region during our scouting. Shoot-from-the-mouth former General Secretary, now Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission is staging a comeback and already, many WhatsApp platforms have been formed, one of it being Strategic Team Sir John, to champion his course. Until his signing of entry permit for Ibrahim Mahama-linked Exton Cubic Group Limited, to enter the Nnyinhini Forest to mine Bauxite which irked many a party supporters and activists, he seem to be the favourite of the people. Sir John as Mr Owusu Afriyie is popular referred to, admitted in a radio interview when the Bauxite mining scandal broke that I only granted permit for forest entry and not to mine. Permission to mine is done by the Minerals Commission but as far as I am concerned, they met the necessary processes in my outfit that is how come they were given the permit. As they enter the forest, they may cut down some trees while creating roads and others so the claim that Sir John is permitting people to mine is flawed. His pronouncement is what many an NPP delegate consider to be an affront to the party and a betrayal to what the NPP fought for to win the 2016 elections. More To Come... The Nasara Coordinator of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Mr. Kamal Deen-Abdulai has stated that 11th September 2017 will go into Ghana's history as the day that Senior High School education was "liberated from bondage of high fees and being a privilege for the rich few''. According the NPP Nasara coordinator "The seeing to light the implementation of the free Senior High School policy despite all the negatives and badmouthing of the policy by the NDC is indicative of the party's resolve to tackle the challenges confronting the country and deal with them heads on." Mr. Kamal Deen in a statement he authored following the launch of the free SHS policy by the president Nana Addo Dankwa said "The New Patriotic Party, though a center right party is noted for formulation and implementation of policies that have the ordinary Ghanaian at heart and has the youth in focus" citing Policies such as Capitation Grant, School feeding, MMT, NHIS, NYEP under the erstwhile Kufuor administration and One District, One Factory, One Village, One Dam, One Million dollars, One Constituency under the current regime as examples. Mr. Kamal Deen added that implementation of the free SHS is indicative that the NPP government is "a government by the youth and for the youth'' urging the youth in Ghana to continue to support the government to work to improve their personal lives and the country at large. BELOW IS THE FULL STATEMENT A GOVERNMENT BY THE YOUTH AND FOR THE YOUTH "Leadership is about choices and I have chosen to invest in our youth and education." - President Akufo-Addo. The New Patriotic Party, though a center right party is noted for formulation and implementation of policies that have the ordinary Ghanaian at heart and has the youth in focus. Policies such as Capitation Grant, School feeding, MMT, NHIS, NYEP to name but a few are all policies implemented by the NPP to help change the lives of the Ghanaian and most especially the youth. The NPP'S Bold policies continue to directly effect positive changes in the lives of the people and the current NPP Government under the able leadership of H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo is meant to continue on the same positive tangent the Kufuor government took by taking measures to implement bold and challenging policies such as One District, One Factory, One Village, One Dam, One Million dollars, One Constituency etc. The seeing to light the implementation of the free Senior High School policy despite all the negatives and badmouthing of the policy by the NDC is indicative of the party's resolve to tackle the challenges confronting the country and deal with them heads on. It is in light of this that I join millions of Ghanaians everywhere to salute the president and the government for seeing to light the FREE SHS Policy. The policy is meant to shape the lives of our Ghanaian youth. A policy that buys knowledge for the citizenry cannot be said to be bad no matter how hard some selfish NDC Politicians try to shoot down at the policy. The many Ghanaians who are going to benefit from the policy are grateful to the president and the youth of Ghana will forever remember the president for such venture. Indeed 9/11 will go into the history books of Ghana to remember and acknowledge as the day SHS was liberated from bondage of high fees and a privilege for the rich few by the Oseadeayo Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo ......signed..... Kamal Deen-Abdulai Education indeed plays a pivotal role in the development of a nation. Thus the proactive approach to improving accessibility and quality is not through political gimmicks and insobrieties, but through well-thought through policies such as the Akufo-Addos free SHS. It is, therefore, expedient and pragmatic for any authority to attempt to bridge social inequalities through rational distribution of national resources (Li, Savage , Ward 2008). If for nothing at all, the apparent poverty reduction free SHS should at least open up avenues for students, individually and collectively, to develop to their full potential and to have a reasonable chance of leading productive and creative lives that they value. Despite the endless attacks and criticisms, the free SHS policy will bring enormous benefits to the students, parents and the nation as a whole. Take, for instance, someone like my maternal uncle, Oliver, is likely to reap tremendous benefits in the long run despite his needless and never ending pessimism. For example, by 2019/2020 academic year, my uncle should have three of his children in Senior High School for free. And if we were to calculate my uncles total savings as a result of the free SHS, he is likely to save not less than GH9000 per year. So, what is the relevance in debating endlessly over the taxonomic classification (nomenclature) of the otherwise expedient policy like free SHS? In my humble opinion, the designated name of the free SHS policy is not relevant; whether we call it progressively free or totally free. However, what matters most is the apparent massive benefits that can be realised from the seemingly advantageous policy. As a matter of fact, the poverty alleviation free SHS policy reinforces the United Nations vision on human development. Indeed, as the international community heads toward implementing and monitoring the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals agenda, the human development approach remains useful to articulating the objectives of development and improving peoples well-being by ensuring an equitable, sustainable and stable world. In hindsight, human development or the human development approach- is about expanding the richness of human life. It is an approach that is focused on people and their opportunities and choices. In reality, human development focuses on improving the lives of people rather than assuming that economic growth will lead, automatically, to greater wellbeing for all. In other words, human development is about giving people more freedom to live lives they value. In effect, this implies developing peoples abilities and giving them a chance to improve upon their lives. More importantly, the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development unequivocally acknowledges development as a right and puts people at the centre of the development process. This is exactly what the free SHS policy is seeking to do. It is anticipated that the policy will at least create a sound environment for the students. And more so the Declaration on the Right to Development clearly states: development is a comprehensive process with a view to improving the well-being of the entire population and of all individuals on the basis of their active, free and meaningful participation in development and in the fair distribution of the resulting benefits. Whereas Article 55 of the United Nations Charter addresses the need to promote higher standards of living, full employment, and conditions of economic and social progress and development, with a view to fostering stability and well-being (UN 1945). But all said and done, although developing peoples abilities and giving them a chance to improve upon their lives is necessary, for it will be no good if important steps are not taken to advance their aspirations. Let us face it, it is not just the matter of the children passing through the education system that will bring about their social mobility, but it is rather by providing them with positive outcomes (Bridge 2016). Take, for example, educating a large number of children would build their skills, but it will be little, or no use if they are denied access to jobs, or do not have the right skills for the local labour market. In Ghana today, it is pretty normal for many young people to come out of higher institutions without superlative employable skills that can improve their chances of securing a desirable employment that will help them realise their potential and enter the social mobility pipeline. Disappointingly, however, we have arrived at this unfortunate situation because the successive governments have failed miserably to provide the necessities for quality education. In sum, human development is, basically, about more choices. It is about providing people with opportunities. For no one can guarantee human happiness, and the choices individuals make are for their own good. K. Badu, UK. Accra, Sept. 12, GNA - Mr Alan Kyeremanteng, the Minister of Trade and Industry has said that the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) has become an extremely important strategy for development across the regions of the world. He said this was as a result of the increasingly depending globalisation and integration. Mr Kyeremanteng was speaking at the opening of the two-day 2017 African Prosperity Conference, organised by the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry and supported by the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. It is being hosted by the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The two-day event is on the theme: 'The Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA)-Exploring Possibilities for Business Engagement across Africa.' The 18th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of States and Government of the African Union held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2012 adopted a decision to establish a Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) by an indicative date of 2017. The CFTA is to create a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons and investments, and thus, pave the way for accelerating the establishment of the Continental Customs Union and the African customs union. It is also to expand intra African trade through better harmonization and coordination of trade liberalization and facilitation regimes and instruments across Africa in general, as well as resolving the challenges of multiple and overlapping memberships to expedite the regional and continental integration processes. He said trade certainly has the potential of ensuring economic growth and lifting millions of people out of poverty. The Minister said major continents of the world were finding it prudent to pool resources and markets together in order to become more competitive and reap the benefits of integration. He said African integration through CFTA has become more eminent and critical now than ever, because of the proposition and the conceptualisation of action plans to implement a number of mega trade deals and agreement like the transatlantic trade and investment partnership. He said CFTA was expected to make important contributions to a successful market integration and further contribute towards economic growth, development and prosperity of the participating nations. 'As Africans, we must stand united to leverage the mutual benefits from creating the ambitious CFTA,' he added. He said the creation of a single continental market for goods and services with free movement of business people and investments would help bring closer, the Continental Customs Union and the African Common Market and turn the 54 single African economies into a more coherent, larger market. 'The CFTA will facilitate the exploitation of economies of scale; help move factors of production across borders; increase rate of diversification and transformation of our economics, reduce venerability of external shocks and boost employment opportunities,' he said. Mr Albert Muchanga, Commissioner, African Union Commission said the continent has advanced in the areas of negotiations and would be finalised by close of the year. He said with the CFTA, Africa was creating a borderless continent to promote open skies for business growth and development. He said the CFTA also has the prospect of changing Africans economic development and changing the continent's economic advantage with the world. He said the CFTA would enhance competitiveness at the industry and enterprise level through exploiting opportunities for scale production, continental market access and better reallocation of resources. The CFTA will be a key driver for Africa to realize the structural transformation and industrialization of Africa as envisaged in the AU Agenda 2063, as well as to promote implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. GNA By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA Accra, Sept. 13, GNA - Standard Chartered Bank has reiterated its unflinching commitment to the digital journey to meet the changing needs of customers across Africa, saying the agenda is huge and on course. Mr Jaydeep Gupta, the Regional Head, Retail Banking Africa and Middle East Standard Chartered Bank, said the investments in digital technologies on the continent is not limited to some countries but across all markets where the bank is present. 'This is not only in Ghana. This is something we are doing pan-Africa and this roll out are now cutting across all markets that we are present. This is just not about key markets. This not about small-scale investments. This is a material investment we are making,' he said. Mr Gupta, who was interacting with a section of the media in Accra, said many of these investments in retail platforms had started but yet to be completed. He said the key motivation for the digital drive is the customer and not cost, since the bank's view was important for customers to be reached through different delivery channels. 'Things are changing in a tremendous way. What is motivating the change is not cost. What is motivating the change is what the customer wants. Customer will dictate what he or she wants. The reality is that you need to adapt to the change and embrace the change,' Mr Gupta said. Mr Henry Baye, Head of Retail Banking Ghana and West Africa, said the bank has a continuous mindset to improve and to continuously remain relevant to customers and so is investing in digital technologies to ensure that clients' needs are met. 'I think one of the things that is clear that every industry and every business needs to respond to their customers. Now our world is changing and its changing faster than any of us can think or even appreciate. He said the changes were really on the forefront of driving what all businesses and governments should do to enable private institutions to take advantage of the fast growing digital experience. Mr Baye said Standard Chartered had taken issues of cyber security seriously and was at the forefront of ensuring that it built a state of the art secure system to provide customers safety and the peace of mind in using the bank's digital platform. 'As banks we will not be doing justice to ourselves when we continue doing business the way we've always done it. The sheer expansion of technology is going to drive strategy. Our plan is how to build the interface between technology and skills of our people to ensure that we are maximising the skills of our people, and dedication of the people we employ,' he added. GNA This Government is private sector development oriented. It should never risk being credited in history has the one that contributed to the collapse of private senior secondary school system. Although in the advanced education systems, private schools are largely not considered under free secondary education programmes, we can contextualize our situation as Uganda did (free secondary education is also offered by selected private schools). Instead of posting 800 students at Methodist Girls at Mamfi (exceeding their capacity by 400) for instance, we can increase the physical spaces at secondary schools by including the private schools in the school selection and placement process. However, parents and students could be advised that by choosing private secondary schools, they agree to pay to the schools any additional fees not covered by the free SHS programme. In this way, we would be killing three birds with one stone: reducing pressure on our public secondary school system by controlling class size and teacher-student ratio, helping sustain the private secondary schools with open access to all at a reduced cost to parents, and affording parents and students a choice of private or public secondary education whilst under free SHS. To the private education providers, this is an opportune time for them to provide high quality secondary education that can compete strongly with the public secondary schools. At the basic school level, they've demonstrated their capacity to outperform the public schools to become the preferred choice. But I can understand that operating a private primary or junior secondary school is less capital intensive than a secondary school. This is why they should consider merging and combining their resources to compete with the public secondary schools, they can even form chain of schools under the same name but different management team, leveraging on the financial strengths and weaknesses of partnerseducation service provision is a business and must be approached from strong commercial awareness. But generally, both the Government and private school providers must act as partners in education service delivery, and should engage more in exploring a permanent solution to the issue. #forGodandCountry #AdvocacyWork #freeSHS 14.09.2017 LISTEN Accra, Sept. 14, CDA Consult - The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) in a move to sanitize the downstream petroleum sector and deal with illegal Tanker Operators, on September 12 arrested and impounded 14 fuel Tankers, each carrying about 54,000 litres of fuel for indulging in fuel illegalities. The 14 Tankers are now under security protection at the New Tanker Park at Kpone, near Tema for thorough investigations and possible prosecution, an official source at the NPA told the CDA Consult in an interview in Accra on Thursday. The 14 Tankers are alleged to be among fuel export diversion syndicate whose operations have been classified by industry actors as a threat to National Security. The NPA source explained that because the Government of Ghana has removed all taxes on petroleum products meant for exports to the main trading land lock countries therefore the fuel export diversion syndicates mode of operating is to register and load tanker trucks for export, but in the process of transporting divert the product back into the country. Ghana lost huge sums of money in terms of tax revenue as per official petroleum tax - Special Petroleum Tax GH132 million was lost to the nation; Energy Debt Recovery Levy about GH123 million; and the Road Fund levy about GH120 million last year. The NPA Source explained that the move by the NPA in collaboration with security operatives was in accordance with our mandate to promote fair trade practice and support commercial practices in the petroleum downstream industry which serve the public interest, achieve efficiency and cost reduction. NPA will continue to ensure the observation of fair equitable practices and the enforcement of existing rules and regulations to protect national interest. CDA Consult investigations indicates that following the outcry of scores of Oil Marketing Companies and the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMCs) the National Security tighten the noose around Petroleum Black Market dealers whose infiltration into the sector posed a great risk to the national economy. Scores of OMCs managers who lauded the NPA moves has appealed to the authority to fast track the planting of tracking devices on fuel tanker trucks transporting petroleum products to the land lock countries to ensure that the Authority monitors its operations from the point of loading to the point of discharging. Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) provides tailor made development communication tools necessary for operational transformation and translating dreams into achievable goals and equips clients with mechanism for public education on specific issues. It also provides effective back-up or frontline monitoring and evaluation tools to ensure value for money delivery of projects, whilst providing clients with skills to deliver timely and accurate information on their activities, work, programmes and projects. CDA Consult is also aimed at building a responsive working culture for corporate growth through a social process at institutional levels based on dialogue using a broad range of tools and methods. It also assists client to use continuous and adaptive process of gathering, organising and formulating information and data into argument and to communicate to policy-makers through various interpersonal and mass media communication channels. Accra, Sept. 14, CDA Consult President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has charged Ambassadors and a High Commissioner to safeguard and promote the image and interests of Ghana at the international platforms. President Akufo-Addo, reminded the envoys of the onerous responsibility of preserving and promoting the image of a country whose reputation today amongst the comity of nations is high. You represent a country that, as a result of the commendable conduct of the Ghanaian people, is regarded as one of the most stable on the continent, a beacon of democracy, which is governed by the rule of law and respect for individual liberties, human rights and the principles of democratic accountability. You are the most visible symbol of our country out there, and in all your actions you must guard jealously our countrys image. I am confident this is a charge you will uphold, President Akufo-Addo stated when four new envoys were presented with their letters of at Flagstaff House in Accra. In a statement copied to the CDA Consult by Mr Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications, Flagstaff House Communications Bureau, Office of the President quoted the President. The President noted that the four new envoys have been carefully chosen to become our High Commissioner and Ambassadors, adding that they are eminently fit to represent Ghana in their respective places of accreditation, which have expressed satisfaction at their appointments. I refer to Mr. Edwin Nii Adjei, who is going to Canberra as our High Commissioner to the Commonwealth of Australia; Nana Kwesi Arhin, who is going to Algiers as our Ambassador to the Peoples Democratic Republic of Algeria; and Mr. Ramses Joseph Cleland, who heads to Bern as our Ambassador to the Swiss Confederation, he said. The fourth, the President added, is Oheneba Dr. Akyaa Opoku Ware, a well-known medical practitioner, and, as her name connotes, a scion of the great Ashanti dynasty, will be off to the historic city of Moscow as our Ambassador to the Russian Federation. Describing them as the chief promoters of Ghanas commercial interests, President Akufo-Addo noted that they have the responsibility to drive private sector investment into Ghana. Remember vividly the slogans of our flagship programmes, 1-District-1-Factory; 1-Village-1-Dam; Planting for Food and Jobs. They are descriptions of our commitment to the rapid development and transformation of the nations industrial and agricultural sectors. We are determined to create the appropriate macroeconomic environment which will attract domestic and foreign investment into these, the real sectors of our economy. You have to help in that exercise, he admonished. The President further urged the envoys to strive to develop cordial working relations with the professional Foreign Service officers they will find at their duty posts, stressing that they have invaluable experience and knowledge of the terrain, which should help them work effectively. You will need their assistance, and they will need your guidance and leadership. Mutual respect is the key to harmonious working relations. Again, your rapport with the Ghanaian communities in your respective countries will be vital to your prospects of success. They will be counting and looking up to you to champion not only our nations interests, but theirs as well. Do your best not to disappoint them, the President added. Whilst working to strengthen the ties of co-operation that exist, as well exploring other areas of effective co-operation, President Akufo-Addo urged them to recall at all times the objective of government to build a Ghana Beyond Aid, a Ghana which has an honest system of governance free of corruption, and which is self-reliant and exploiting its own resources with hard work, enterprise and creativity, to build the free, prosperous Ghana of the dreams of the founding fathers of our nation. Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) provides tailor made development communication tools necessary for operational transformation and translating dreams into achievable goals and equips clients with mechanism for public education on specific issues. It also provides effective back-up or frontline monitoring and evaluation tools to ensure value for money delivery of projects, whilst providing clients with skills to deliver timely and accurate information on their activities, work, programmes and projects. CDA Consult is also aimed at building a responsive working culture for corporate growth through a social process at institutional levels based on dialogue using a broad range of tools and methods. It also assists client to use continuous and adaptive process of gathering, organising and formulating information and data into argument and to communicate to policy-makers through various interpersonal and mass media communication channels. The Four Envoys Present At The Flagstaff House Nigerias notorious witch hunter, Helen Ukpabio is taking her witchcraft ministry to Cameroon. According to a post on her face book page: Ukpabio will be preaching in Limbe: I will be in Limbe, Cameroon for five days (18th to 22nd of October) for a program tagged "Freedom From Strong Family Darkness". Plan to attend and invite a friend or two! May God Bless You in Jesus Name. It is pertinent to ask Ukpabio what 'family darkness' actually means and why she thinks that the people in Cameroon need someone to free them from that. Ukpabio is a self-styled ex-witch who grew her church by promoting baseless witchcraft narratives. Recently she announced a number of demon and witch hunting programs within Nigeria and beyond. Before traveling to Cameroon, Ukpabio and her son will be hosting a session in Lagos, Nigeria from October 4 to 8. The theme of the event is: Deliverance from Difficult Witchcraft Attacks. According to Ukpabio, Witchcraft remains one of the major avenues through which the devil attacks and oppresses unbelievers and believers in the world today. This has led to oppression, joblessness, hardship, untimely death, failed marriages in families, unfruitfulness etc. Unfortunately, this woman is ignorant and mistaken! Ukpabios witchcraft preachings have been linked to rampant cases of child witchcraft accusations in Southern Nigeria. Witchcraft is a form of superstition; a belief informed by fear and unreason. There is absolutely no connection between joblessness, hardship, untimely death and failed marriages with witchcraft as Ukpabio has claimed. In the name of freeing people from family darkness, this witch hunter spreads hatred and suspicion among family members. She incites violence against imputed witches who are usually women, children, and elderly persons. The people of Cameroon should resist Ukpabio. They should reject her 'gospel' of hate and division in families and communities. The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), Otiko Afisa Djaba, has disclosed that government has released an amount of GH10,000,000 towards the settlement of outstanding debts of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). However, the National Secretariat of the GSFP is working on the reconciliation of the transactions executed within the last two academic terms between the GSFP caterers, and MASLOC, suppliers of rice, maize and catering equipment to caterers on credit in the 2016/17 academic year. There is the need for us to conduct proper and diligent reconciliations in order to pay accurate amounts to the caterers, Madam Afisa Djaba stated on Wednesday when she led a team to visit pupils of South LA Estate Primary School in Accra on their my first day at school programme. She has therefore assured caterers under the GSFP that Payments due them for the second and third terms of the 2016/17 academic year will be honoured by the end of September, 2017. My first day at school was instituted some few years ago by the Ghana Education Service to enable government functionaries and top education officers interact with pupils who are attending school for the first time. The total enrollment of the South La Estate Primary School for the 2017/18 academic year is about 720, however, over 500 had reported as at the time of the visit with the kindergarten admitting 18 pupils and Class one having 35 pupils. Madam Afisa Djaba further urged Caterers and Metropolitan and Municipal District Assemblies to exercise restraint and cooperate with the National Secretariat of the GSFP to ensure speedy payment. We assure all stakeholders of government's commitment to sustain the programme and improve the delivery of quality meals to beneficiary pupils. The School Feeding Programme is going to be extended to over 5,000 schools, which will also be increased by 30 per cent. Government has agreed to increase the feeding amount from the previous 80 pesewas to 85 pesewas for quality meals to be served the beneficiaries, she said. According to the Gender Minister, to sustain the programme, home-grown rice would be used this academic year, adding that Rice will be supplied to caterers in the various districts through the Ministry. This is a facility aiming at improving upon the quality delivery of food served the pupils. Madam Afisa Djaba expressed the hope that the programme would encourage pupils to stay in school, and called on teachers to be committed and show love to the pupils. The Gender Minister and her team including Dr. Kwame Adu Nsiah, the National Coordinator of the GSFP, interacted with the pupils, and advised them to be disciplined, take their studies serious and stressed that it was important for them to attend school regularly. Madam Mary Amasah, the Headmistress of South LA Estate Primary, lauded stakeholders for the School Feeding Programme, which had increased enrollment and retention in basic schools. She therefore appealed that the programme be extended to the Junior High department of various public schools as there were equally students in need at that level as well. Two persons have been arrested by the police at Achimota for allegedly transporting 98 parcels of compressed dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp from Anfoegah, near Kpando in the Volta Region to Accra. The suspects are Charles Anomah, 46, and Kweku Charles, 32-year-old driver. Confirming the arrest to DAILY GUIDE, Inspector Kwabena Danso of the Accra Regional Public Relations Department, said the suspects were busted on Tuesday around 12:45pm. The Regional Police Command received information that a truck laden with some quantities of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp was heading towards Achimota from the Volta Region. Police patrol team was dispatched to the scene and spotted a Hino Cargo truck with the same description and registration number AS 7729-16 parked at the Shell filling station at Achimota. Charles Anoma, took to his heels upon seeing the police, leaving behind Kweku Charles, driver of the vehicle at the scene. The patrol team immediately gave him a hot chase, apprehended him. The police later discovered three fertilizer sacks loaded with the dried leaves in the vehicle. The suspects were transported to the regional command together with the exhibits for questioning. Upon interrogations, the two men told the police that their boss sent them to deliver the items to a man at Achimota. He said they were waiting for the said man at the filling station when the police apprehended them. The two are still in the custody of the police assisting in investigations. DAILY GUIDE office in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital, has been raided by suspected robbers. It is believed that the suspects broke into the office late in the night of Tuesday, September 12, 2017. They cut the wire mesh in the window of the office, removed the louvre blades and gained access into it. They made away with a Multi TV decoder and a 14-inch colour television. Upon arriving at the office, DAILY GUIDE staff discovered a fingerprint on the Samsung Flat screen TV, suspected to have been unconsciously printed by one of the suspects. There was also a woven hair cap believed to belong to one of them which might have been trapped by the wire mesh in the window. This is the second time the regional office of the newspaper has been ransacked. Earlier this year, a similar incident occurred at the premises where the perpetrators, who could not break into the office, destroyed properties outside it. The incident has since been reported to the police who have given the assurance that they would carry out investigation and bring the culprits to book. Accra, Sept. 14, CDA Consult The nations foremost indigenous Oil Marketing Company, Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL) has launched stakeholder dialogue series to educate the motoring public about developments within the downstream petroleum sector. Mr. Alex Josiah Adzew, GOIL Chief Operating Officer who launched the innovative stakeholder dialogue in Accra, said: GOIL seeks to educate the public to understand quality of fuel products and its proper usage. He noted that the deregulation of the price mechanism of the petroleum sector has created a new competition, with GOIL always serving as the bench mark for other Oil Marketing Companies (OMC). As the foremost indigenous OMC, the interest of Ghanaians continues to be our priority. Based on customer feedback we have identified an operational gap between service providers and their customers. GOIL is again setting the pace by creating a platform to educate stakeholders on Quality of Fuel Products, Types of Lubricants, Safety and Environment at Service Stations, and other related issues to help customers to protect their vehicle, he said. Mr Adzew cautioned customers to monitor the price quoted at the pump as some scrupulous OMCs are taking advantage of ignorance of some customers to display a lower price on the advertising stand and quote something high at the pump. The days dialogue session was attended by Dealers, Transport Union Leaders, Corporate bodies and other stakeholders from Chorkor, James Town, Korle Bu, Korle Gono. Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) provides tailor made development communication tools necessary for operational transformation and translating dreams into achievable goals and equips clients with mechanism for public education on specific issues. It also provides effective back-up or frontline monitoring and evaluation tools to ensure value for money delivery of projects, whilst providing clients with skills to deliver timely and accurate information on their activities, work, programmes and projects. CDA Consult is also aimed at building a responsive working culture for corporate growth through a social process at institutional levels based on dialogue using a broad range of tools and methods. It also assists client to use continuous and adaptive process of gathering, organising and formulating information and data into argument and to communicate to policy-makers through various interpersonal and mass media communication channels. Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. N'Gagam (Niger) (AFP) - "Sai wahala!" -- in Hausa means "there's big trouble" -- exclaims Zara Moustapha, living with more than 12,000 displaced Nigeriens and refugees from Nigeria in the N'Gaman desert camp in southeast Niger. "There's the heat, nothing to eat, no clothes, no right to leave the camp -- it's a little hell on earth," says the mother from Mallam Fatori in northwest Nigeria, a battleground between the army and the jihadists of Boko Haram, notorious for their atrocities. Seated on a mat laid on the burning sand in an improvised shelter, the United Nations' new chief of humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, Mark Lowcock, listens to the grievances of camp residents who fled their homes or were forcibly evacuated. Moustapha is among 7,000 Nigerian refugees living alongside 5,500 Niger nationals in a big shanty town of tents and shacks because of the Boko Haram insurgency, which has claimed at least 20,000 lives since 2009. Women wearing multicoloured veils and some with pierced nose jewellery came to meet the UN envoy, protected by elite troops in the camp which has already been attacked by the jihadists who frequently infiltrate the site. 'See with their own eyes' "We spoke to him about our troubles: lack of medical care, insufficient food and drinking water, insecurity and idleness," camp spokeswoman Yagana Cheffou says. Nigerian refugees at the UN's N'Gagam camp across the border in Niger, where some 7,000 Nigerians live with 5,500 Nigeriens displaced by Boko Haram violence "We need ambulances, water of decent quality and more security. We haven't received any food aid for at least ten months," adds Boulama Mamane Ibrahim, the chief of Bande village in Niger, whose faded traditional robe billowed around his body. Because of "the bad quality of the water", an outbreak of hepatitis E had killed several people, including "pregnant women," Ibrahim says. "Men, women and children sleep out in the millet fields, infested with mosquitos. There is already an upsurge of malaria," protests the chief. "I have listened to their story and I shall tell it myself" in making a case to the UN General Assembly at the end of September, Lowcock, sweating profusely, pledges. "If the donors don't respond, I shall tell them to come and see with their own eyes," adds the official, who stepped down as Britain's foreign aid chief in May after heated criticism of alleged profligate spending on dubious targets. Lowcock nevertheless praised international mobilisation that "has saved the lives of millions of people" in the region. "Aid is insufficient, that's true," says Niger's Minister of Disaster Management Lawan Magadji, who hopes that Lowcock would raise the "400 million dollars" needed to cover humanitarian assistance "in the whole of the Lake Chad basin." Damaging 'security measures' The basin around the lake is a substantial area where the borders of Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria loosely meet. All four countries have been attacked by the Boko Haram Islamist extremists from northwest Nigeria. In Diffa, a southwest Niger border town in the basin, some 300,000 refugees and displaced people are made more vulnerable because of "security measures" taken by the authorities, according to several non-governmental organisations (NGOs). In a bid to quash incessant attacks and infiltration, the authorities have evacuated some areas, banned trade in fish and pepper and shut down the markets. Such moves have undermined the local economy at a time when Diffa has already faced repeated food crises. The region has been calm for two months, but the army remains on alert. Visiting N'Gagam, Diffa's governor Mahaman Laouali Dandano spoke up about "the presence of Boko Haram infiltrators" in the camp. "Soldiers, aid workers, health staff ... everyone is putting their lives at risk to help you, yet you find it normal not to denounce these people," the governor complains to camp residents. "They (Boko Haram) get supplies at the market in N'Gagam. Some even come back (from Nigeria) to visit relatives right before your eyes," Dandano protests. "The BH have informers everywhere around here," chief Boulama tells AFP later. "If you denounce them, they will come to burn your houses and kidnap our children." Accra, Sept. 14, CDA Consult President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Thursday said Government has adopted a blue print to deal with illegal methods of fishing and exploitation of the nations territorial waters. This must not be allowed to continue. To this end, an Inter-Ministerial approach to curb this menace is in the pipeline. Together we can protect endangered species, achieve food security, and protect our ocean for the future, President Akufo-Addo stated in Accra. According to a statement made available to the CDA Consult in Accra by Mr Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications Flagstaff House, Communications Bureau Office of the President said the President was speaking at the welcoming ceremony of the new Fridtjof Nansen Fisheries Research Vessel to Ghana, held at the Tema Harbour. President Akufo-Addo indicated that his government has put in place a Fisheries Management Plan to help ensure the long term conservation of Ghanas waters and the marine stocks therein. The key objectives of this plan, he stated, include the reduction of excessive pressure on marine stock; effective legislation; strengthening participatory decision making; and meeting regional and international obligations. Government, President Akufo-Addo added, Intends to acquire its own research vessel, not of the size of the Fridtjof Nansen, though, to help in the monitoring of our fish stocks. President Akufo-Addo, expressed concern about the illegal methods of fishing, as well as the over-exploitation of Ghanas marine resources which he said cannot continue, as they threaten the very essence of the countrys existence. He said over the years, and especially in recent times, nearly all of Ghanas marine fisheries and some inland fisheries have been overfished. This, he said, is buttressed by the last stock survey conducted in April 2016, which shows that sardines, the dominant fish stock, are disappearing from Ghanaian waters. Although population growth can be said to be a contributory factor, the twin-evils of illegal fishing and the over-exploitation of our marine resources have worsened an already dire situation. This cannot continue to happen, as it threatens the very essence of our existence, he said. The Research Vessel is in Ghana to assess the marine stock levels in the countrys waters. The vessels programme has been unique in training scientists and equipping them with the necessary tools to assess stocks of fishes in our waters. We may have little or no control over climate fluctuations or changes, but one thing we can have control over is our day-to-day activities. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) methods are depleting our fish stocks. Our beautiful coastal wetlands are threatened by high volumes of plastic and metal waste that choke breeding habitats for fish, he said. As co-Chair of the Advocacy Group of Eminent Persons for the UN Sustainable Development Goals, President Akufo-Addo noted that SDG no.4 requires that countries conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. Reiterating Ghanas commitment towards the implementation of SDG 14, President Akufo-Addo noted that his government is committed to eliminating pollution on Ghanas coast, and significantly reducing pollution in the marine ecosystem by 2025, by tackling the current challenges posed by use of plastics and indiscriminate disposal of waste. Additionally, Ghana, the President added aims to complete the assessment of ecologically sensitive areas along the Ghana coast, and designate Ghanas first marine protected area by 2025, to safeguard coastal and marine biodiversity. We recognise that the wealth of resources that oceans provide forms an important part of the common heritage of mankind, and we owe it to ourselves and to succeeding generations to conserve this natural heritage. Let us continue to develop our oil find and fish resources into an integrated entity where food security is guaranteed, and where business thrives, he added. President Akufo-Addo expressed his appreciation to the Norwegian government and to his co-Chair of the Advocacy Group of Eminent Persons for the SDGs, Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway, who was, happily, re-elected earlier this week, for this gesture. I wish the new Research Vessel, R/V Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, her captain and crew well, a happy stay in our country, and pray for Gods guidance in this mission, and in all of its endeavours, the President concluded. Communication for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) provides tailor made development communication tools necessary for operational transformation and translating dreams into achievable goals and equips clients with mechanism for public education on specific issues. It also provides effective back-up or frontline monitoring and evaluation tools to ensure value for money delivery of projects, whilst providing clients with skills to deliver timely and accurate information on their activities, work, programmes and projects. CDA Consult is also aimed at building a responsive working culture for corporate growth through a social process at institutional levels based on dialogue using a broad range of tools and methods. It also assists client to use continuous and adaptive process of gathering, organising and formulating information and data into argument and to communicate to policy-makers through various interpersonal and mass media communication channels. 14.09.2017 LISTEN Accra Sep 12, GNA - Vice President Dr Mahamadu Bawumia has launched a two-month Boot Camp to Onboard 170 National Service Personnel of the National Communication Authority (NCA) for the 2017/18 Service Period. The two-month intensive tailored onboarding programme is designed to orient and develop the Service Personnel to sharpen their skills to support the regulatory work of the Authority during their Service period. It further gives in-depth insight into various functions of the NCA as captured within the organisational structure with specifically designed training from various departmental organisations. The training would also equip the personnel with employable skills. Dr Bawuamia said government was focused on the digitisation of the economy, with hopes that the transformative impact would help Ghana move in a positive direction towards attaining competence in the economic environment. He commended the NCA for its efforts in training the personnel towards growing a solid economy, adding that: ''Ghana is ultimately moving into an information technology world and so the whole idea of information technology is so critical for our development'. Mr Joe Anokye, the Acting Director General of the NCA, said a total of 267 Service Personnel were initially posted to the NCA for the 2017/18 National Service period, however restraints in terms of office space, the NCA has stretched itself to accommodate 170 NSPs, representing almost 500 per cent increase in the intake of Service Personnel engaged in 2016 (31). He said during the two-month period, the personnel would go through an intensive orientation including; legal framework for the establishment of the NCA, Spectrum, Telecom and Regulatory Essentials, Consumer Education and Sensitisation, IT Essentials, and Cybersecurity Sensitisation and Soft Skills training. Others he said were: Entrepreneurial skills, Insights, and visits to Industry players (Mobile Network Operators, Satellite TV operators, Radio Stations, and Internet Service Operators. He said 12 of the NSS personnel would be selected and trained intensively on cyber security to take up roles within the cyber security ecosystem in the country. He said a survey commissioned by the NCA and executed by a Reputable Institute of Statistics, Social and Economic Research of the University of Ghana indicated that only 13.8 per cent of respondents from 5200 households and 14,795 Individuals were aware of the NCA, adding that "That is why we also want to use this on boarding and training programme to train them and use their services to enhance the consumer outreach programme of the Authority. Madam Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, the Minister for Communications called on the National Service Scheme (NSS) to consider waving fees paid by private institutions to enable them engage more NSS persons to create opportunities for the public and private sector to train fresh graduates to benefit the nation as well as reduce the level of frustration the service personnel face in securing a place for their service. She urged the service personnel to take advantage of the training to enhance and develop their capabilities. She therefore encouraged Corporate Organisations to emulate the NCA by initiating programmes to develop the youth to propel national development. GNA By Kwamina Tandoh/Papa Yaw Twum Danso, GNA 14.09.2017 LISTEN Accra, Sept. 13, GNA - Dr. Lawrence Tetteh, World Renowned Evangelist on Wednesday stressed on the need for traditional rulers and religious leaders to work together to bring about the development of their communities. 'Only Christ can heal our land, and guide us on the path to transforming our communities, not political agenda, or traditional systems' he stated. Citing 2 chronicles 7:14 which reads ' if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land', Dr. Tetteh said 'I am only believing God to bless his people and heal the land'. The Economist and also President of the UK based Worldwide Miracle Outreach, was speaking in Accra as part of a three -day Healing Crusade dubbed ' Christ for Okyeman Crusade' which will take place from Friday, September 15- Sunday September 17 at the Kyebi Durban grounds. The Lawrence Tetteh Ministries is teaming up with the Assemblies of God, Ghana to hold the evangelistic and healing crusade to pray and intercede for the nation Meanwhile, the Okyehene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin will host Lawrence Tetteh crusade team on Friday at his place in kyebi, Rev. Florence Baidoo, organizer of the crusade told the Ghana News Agency. Ofoase (Ash), Sept 13, GNA - The Ofoase Senior High School (SHS) in the Asante-Akim South District has been forced to convert some classrooms into makeshift dormitories for fresh students. The school has capacity to accommodate 200 students but it is now handling three times the number. This is putting enormous pressure on the existing boarding infrastructure and the authorities said the measure was to help to temporarily deal with the situation as they looked for permanent solution. The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Alex Frimpong, has already visited the school to acquaint himself with the development and met with the key stakeholders - the management, staff and parents. He said since most of the fresh students placed in the school, were coming from outside both the district and the Ashanti Region, it was only reasonable that they went to every length to provide them with accommodation. He added that those students could not be left stranded. The DCE also visited the Banka Community Day SHS and Bompata Presbyterian SHS, where he interacted with the students, parents and teachers - to listen to their concerns, if any. He repeated that the free SHS policy was meant to remove the financial burden on parents, to give the opportunity for everybody to access senior high school education. He rallied all to work together to ensure the successful implementation of the policy. Mr. Frimpong said the expectation was that students would be inspired to work hard on their books to vindicate the government's huge investment. Sunyani, Sept. 13, GNA - Some first year students who have gained admission into public Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the Sunyani Municipality have expressed appreciation to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the implementation of the free SHS programme. Describing the programme as laudable, the students affirmed that the free SHS had brought great relief to their parents, and they promised to study hard to justify the gesture. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during a visit to some of the schools on Tuesday, the fresh students, who had come with their parents to collect prospectus, said the implementation of the programme had scored the government higher mark in national politics. he schools visited included Odumaseman SHS, Sunyani SHS, Twene Amanfo Senior High/Technical School, and the Notre Damme SHS. Some of the fresh students who have successfully gained admission into boarding house were seen arriving in the schools during the visit. The students, who mostly spoke to the GNA on condition of anonymity, pleaded with the government to shun critics of the free SHS programme and concentrate on its sustainability through realistic strategies for the benefit of would-be SHS students. 'I am extremely happy to benefit from this programme, and it is my prayer and hope that it will continue to benefit others,' one of the fresh students stated. Another student said she was worried because the school authorities had asked her to go back to the Junior High School she attended to endorse her placement form before she could access the prospectus. Some of the parents also lauded the programme but they were unhappy with the list of items to buy for their children who had gained admission. 'The list of items is too much. If the programme is free, please let us enjoy it rather than to give us so many items to buy. This items will cost more than GHC 500 which is too much to bear', Madam Agnes Oforiwaah, one of the parents stated. Meanwhile, some of the continuing students have expressed unhappiness with the free SHS policy, stating that the implementation of the programme was discriminatory. 'When the New Patriotic Party announced the free SHS in its 2016 election manifesto, we were all happy because we thought the implementation of it will benefit all of us', one of the students said. 'We are all Ghanaians so why are we also not benefiting from the free SHS programme,' another female student queried. Accra, Sept 13, GNA - Each United Nations (UN) Agency office in Ghana is focusing on supporting the implementation of international conventions and accords which the country had ratified, Dr Christine Evans-Klock, the UN Resident Coordinator, has said. She said human rights were of course a bedrock priority for the UN; citing UNICEF in protecting the rights of the child and UNFPA in protecting rights to sexual health and education. Others are UNESCO in assuring right to education, the World Health Organisation in right to health care, UNDP in supporting democratic rights and access to justice, the International Organisation for Migration in ensuring the rights of migrants and the UNHCR in ensuring the rights of refugees. Dr Evans-Klock stated this in her keynote address at the Ghana Universal Periodic Review (UPR) In-Country Pre-Session meeting between the Diplomatic Community and human rights organisations in Accra. The UPR is a mechanism established by the UN to peer-review, and to examine the human rights records of each Member State every five years. The meeting was on the theme: 'Diplomacy Meets Human Rights: Ghana's Human Rights Record (UPR: A Process, Not an Event)'. It was organised by the POS Foundation, which currently serves as the Secretariat of the Ghana Human Rights NGOs Forum, in collaboration with KASA initiative Ghana, UPR Info Africa Office and the Office of the United Nations in Ghana; with funding from the Danish International Development Agency. The participants discussed the status of human rights in Ghana as part of the ongoing UPR, which tracks the progress of Ghana's human rights obligations and commitments. Ghana's human rights record was reviewed at the Human Rights Council's UPR in 2012 and 2008. In reaction to the 2012 report, Ghana received 150 recommendations from 63 States. Out of these recommendations the majority was accepted, and 25 noted. The purpose of the workshop is to dialogue with participants on the UPR process, the UN mechanism and efficient reporting on its operations. This is in preparation towards Ghana's review by the UN human Rights Council in November this year at Geneva, Switzerland. Dr Evans-Klock said the UN agencies across all their work promote gender equality, women's empowerment, and the rights of persons with disabilities; adding that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Dakar was their close partner in these efforts. She expressed her appreciation, and the appreciation of all the UN agencies working in Ghana, for the work of the NGOs and Civil Society Organisations, and in particular the work of the Ghana Human Rights NGOs Forum. "I really commend you for your initiative, organisation, and commitment to expanding voices of all Ghanaians on human rights issues and giving them an opportunity to be heard in the UN Human Rights Council through the UPR," she added. She said every Member State of the UN had the opportunity to share its progress in ensuring human rights for all, and to speak candidly about its remaining challenges and how it was responding to gaps and needs for improvement identified in previous Reviews. She said: 'Every country is striving to improve its human rights records. The UPR is based on the principle that human rights are universal and all people everywhere are entitled to them: We all have a right to live in dignity'. She pointed out that it was part of Ghana's reputation for rule of law, for democratic principles, for repeated success of electoral processes; and that it takes a candid and open look at its own human rights records, successes and areas for further improvement, and that it openly consults with human rights. Ms Tove Degnbol, the Ambassador of Denmark to Ghana, lauded Ghana's good track record on human rights; stating however, that all countries could improve. Mr Jonathan Osei Owusu, the Executive Director, POS Foundation, said Ghana had all the laws and recommendations, however, implementation had always been a problem; hence the need for the meeting to know whether the recommendations made in the 2012 review were being enforced. He said POS Foundation, and other human rights organisations wanted to ensure that the Government was doing the right thing and putting in the right mechanisms to address human rights issues. Mr Gilbert O. Onyango, UPR Regional Representative for Africa, lauded Ghana's free and open space for the CSOs; adding that this was a true testament to the Ghana Government's efforts to ensure that human rights were promoted. Naya Yopeyo Dadetsu, the Queenmother of Dodowa, who chaired the function, said despite the huge successes Ghana had chalked in democratic governance, there was still more to be done in the areas of human rights. Forum For Development (FFD) a pressure group with the focus on the efficient implementation of Governments pro poor policies wishes to congratulate the government for honoring its promise of implementing free Senior High School policy. We commend the government for such a bold initiative as it will serve as a vehicle for improving access for all. Since education is an antidote in bridging the gap between the poor and the rich, this policy will in the future eradicate extreme poverty and hunger from the Country. However, we believe that such a great initiative needs a strong financial backbone or else it will suffer premature death. We therefore urge government to increase VAT by 2.5% purposely to fund the policy so it will not suffer same fate as other pro poor policies. We strongly believe that the increase will reduce the tendency of successive government abandoning the free Senior High School policy due to lack of funds. This will ensure continuity of this laudable initiative. We estimate Government generating GHC 1.3 billion a year from the increase, coupled with budgetary allocations will be enough to fund the policy. We also support Government intention to use part of proceeds of our natural resources to fund the free Senior High School policy, however we urge government to back this with a Legislative Instrument to give it legal backing. We urge Ghanaians to support the smooth implementation of this policy and further urge them to resist any attempt by future Governments to scrap the policy. SIGNED Abraham Arthur 0243021922 Isaac Kwarteng Amaning 0243472463 Ralpheal Osei Owusu 0243011728 Kofi Nimako 0243775121 The Obuasi branch of the Ghana Association of the Deaf has celebrated its Annual International Week of the Deaf in Obuasi. The International week of the deaf is celebrated globally on September of every year and members of the Association in Obuasi were not left out. The programme which was under the theme ` Enhancing Quality Education , the Role of Sign Language had the President and members of the Association, Deputy Coordinating Director, Mr. Anthony Bucknor, Municipal Director of N.C.C.E, Mr. Emmanuel Duah Attobrah, and the Municipal Director of Social Welfare Department, Mr. Emmanuel Akoto Sarpong all in attendance. The President inn a brief presentation urged all stakeholders to join in the fight against societal discrimination of the deaf. He emphasized, the National, Regional and Local Authorities must ensures the inculcation of sign languages in the Curriculum of schools to enable others who are not deaf to be able to communicate easily with the deaf he emphasized just as French is studied as part of subjects in schools, it is equally useful to us, where he find ourselves as Ghanaians to study sign languages to aid communication. Mr. Emmanuel Akoto Sarpong touching on self-esteem, not to use their disability as an excuse for not achieving their goals in life. God knows they can handle their current situation that is why he created them with such disability, he opined. He encouraged members of the Association to aim higher in life and never be discouraged by what people say about them. On his part, Mr. Anthony Buckner who represented the Municipal Chief Executive commended members for coming together to form an Association. He appealed to parents no to see deaf children as a curse or burden but rather as blessing since they are special in their own way. He, again, promised the Association of the Municipal Assemblys support. Harare (AFP) - Zimbabwe's longserving President Robert Mugabe unveiled a new biometric voter registration programme Thursday ahead of next year's elections, drawing criticism from opponents who claim the system could be manipulated. Registration will open nationwide on Monday and continue until January 15 for the polls in which 93-year-old Mugabe will seek to extend his 37-year-long stranglehold on power. But opposition parties have warned that registration authorities are not ready for the process, creating a risk of errors on the voter roll that could leave the ballot open to rigging. The main opposition MDC party has gone to the Harare High Court to argue that that the electoral commission has not procured enough equipment to register voters and that the registration process itself lacks transparency. "The prescription of a date to close new voter registration creates a risk of disenfranchising voters," the MDC argued in court documents seen by AFP. "There is no need to jump the gun and order a chaotic, premature commencement of the registration process. "It is evident that, by and large, there are no kits to commence registration." The party's submission also raised fears about the control, location and impartiality of electronic voting systems that will be used in the election. Kenya faced chaotic scenes after the main opposition party alleged that election commission servers had been hacked during last month's presidential vote. The Supreme Court subsequently annulled the result and ordered a re-run. "We will use all constitutional, political and legal pressure to make sure we have (an election) that is free and fair next year," MDC spokesman Obert Gutu told AFP. Zimbabwe's 2013 election result was disputed by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai who accused Mugabe of manipulating the vote in his favour. In 2008, he beat Mugabe in the first round of voting but failed to win an outright majority, leading to a run-off. He later pulled out of the second ballot as violence against his supporters raged. Past elections in Zimbabwe have been marred by violence, intimidation and charges of electoral fraud. Pro New Patriotic Party (NPP) youth group in Tamale, the Kandahar Boys, have dismissed media reports that they vandalized proprieties of the Saganarigu district assembly complex in the Northern Region. Some irate NPP youth in protest against the District Chief Executive, Mariam Iddrisu, damaged properties of the assembly complex. Media reports attributed the dastardly act to the Kandahar Boys group because some of them were spotted at the assembly complex same day. But the groups Secretary, Iddrisu Abdul Hack, in a Citi News interview dismissed the claims and called for responsible journalism. According to him, the group members went there to inquire about the mode of selection of caterers for the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) in the district. He said majority of women in the area raised concerns about discrimination and cronyism associated with the selection of the caterers, hence the groups visit for inquiry. He served notice that the group will not tolerate personal decisions by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Executives in the region that will make the NPP government unpopular. Meanwhile, the Northern Regional Police Commands Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Yussif Tanko, said the police have begun investigations to apprehend the perpetrators. He also rejected claims that the Kandahar Boys were responsible for that unruly conduct, asking that the appropriate authorities should be allowed to conclude their investigation into the matter. By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana Members of a group calling itself Ashanti Youth for development are threatening to stage a massive demonstration in the United States next Thursday against the Akufo-Addo government, for revoking the mining license of Exton Cubic Group Limited. According to them, the planned demonstration will coincide with President Akuffo-Addo's visit to the U.S for the UN General Assembly Meeting. Exton Cubic Group's license currently has been revoked by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources with the excuse that they failed to meet the legal requirements. The company has since been prevented from prospecting bauxite at Nyinahini in the Ashanti Region. Speaking to Citi News, the Communications Director for Ashanti Youth for Development, Alex Kweku Asafo Adjei, said the demonstration is to also protest the extent to which our laws have been skewed to favour multinational companies just to take away our resources. Our brothers in the US are holding a demonstration against the President or the government of the day. We are of the view that these frustrations are being inflicted on Exton Cubic mainly because we have heard that the government wants to leverage that Bauxite deposit to the Chinese government. Officials of the former National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, have accused government of unfair treatment against the mining firm. The company has served notice it may take a legal action if government doesnt reconsider its decision. Revoking our license bad for private investors Exton Cubic Exton Cubic Group has lamented that the revocation of their exploration permit by government will deter private investors from creating jobs in Ghana. In a fresh letter addressed to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resource, and signed by Managing Director of Exton Cubic, Augustus Amegashie, the company said your action in disrespecting the sanctity of signed agreements will deter the potential private investments needed to create more jobs. Bloemfontein (South Africa) (AFP) - Lawyers for South African President Jacob Zuma appeared to abandon efforts on Thursday to fight the reinstatement of nearly 800 bribery charges against the embattled leader. Zuma's attorney shocked the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein when they accepted that a 2009 decision by prosecutors to drop 783 corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma was "irrational". Charges were first brought against Zuma in 2005, dropped by prosecutors in 2009 and ordered reinstated last year by the North Gauteng High Court after a legal campaign by the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party. The president's lawyers -- as well as the National Prosecuting Authority -- had appealed that ruling. That move led to Thursday's hearing, which finished inconclusively and without an expected date for the court's final decision. If the judges uphold the lower court's decision, it would open the door to Zuma's prosecution. Zuma is accused of taking kickbacks from the $5 billion (4.2 billion euros) post-apartheid purchase of fighter jets, patrol boats and other arms manufactured by five European firms, including British military equipment maker BAE systems and French company Thales. The charges were dropped in 2009 after claims emerged that there had been political interference in the case that could have prejudiced Zuma's defence. The Supreme Court judges argued forcefully on Thursday that the prosecuting authority had failed to prove that those anomalies would have denied Zuma a fair hearing. At the time charges were brought in 2005, Zuma was embroiled in a bitter power struggle with former president Thabo Mbeki and was forced to resign because of his legal woes. 'Charges being reinstituted' In 2007, Zuma replaced Mbeki as head of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party and forced him from the presidential palace in 2008. Since then, the DA has been to court a dozen times to have the charges reinstated against Zuma. Asked by one of the judges if he defended the decision to drop the charges, Zuma's lawyer Kemp J. Kemp said: "No I'm not defending it." "You accept that the decision was irrational and cannot stand ?" asked another of the judges. "Yes," said Kemp. The unexpected developments have given the DA new hope that Zuma will soon have his day in court. "(This) opens the door, in our view, to the inevitability of the charges being reinstituted," DA chairman James Selfe told journalists following the hearing. "He should have been prosecuted at the time, it is actually outrageous that eight-and-a-half years later and millions of rands of legal cost later, we get to the stage where we should have been in 2007." Opposition parties have mounted several bids to have Zuma removed from office in recent months including a vote of no confidence and an opposition bid to dissolve parliament. But Zuma has survived several legal challenges alongside allegations of corruption and incompetence. The ruling ANC party's elective conference in December will elect a new party leader who will likely go on to be the organisation's presidential candidate in polls due in 2019. Any reinstatement of charges threatens to undermine Zuma's preferred successor, his ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and could even see him pushed from office before 2019. Thousands of people are fleeing Ethiopias Somali region following clashes in recent days. Eighteen people are confirmed dead following protests which erupted in towns in the east of the country, Adisu Arega, spokesperson of the Oromia regional government, told the BBC. He said 12 of the dead were ethnic Somalis while the remaining six were Oromos. The spokesman said that the trouble began when a special unit of police from the neighbouring Somali region arrested officials from Oromia, who were then killed. This sparked protests and clashes between the two communities in eastern Ethiopia. Over the past few weeks there have been clashes in several villages on both sides of the border separating Ethiopias Oromia and Somali regions. The spokesperson of the Oromia regional government alleged that a special police and militia force of the Somali regional government as well as armed soldiers from the republic of Somalia had carried out killings deep inside Oromia region. Officials on the other side of the regional border have a very different view on the events. Mohammed Bile, an adviser of the Somali regional state president, told the BBC that the Oromo regional police were carrying out attacks against civilians at the regions common border. They are targeting unarmed peaceful Somali civilians in those areas, he said. The executives and members of the NPP National Youth For Stephen Ntim, would like to express our profound gratitude and thank HE President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, the Vice President Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh and all stakeholders for their tireless efforts in the successful implementation of the FREE SHS policy. The policy has come in handy for parents who due to financial difficulties could not have finance their wards to SHS, Students who had good grades but could have withdrawn due to lack of funds. Free Education has widened the gates of opportunity to every child and has put everyone on equal level. The gap between the rich and the poor has really been bridged and this creates an equal learning grounds for the students to blossom, all this has been possible by the kind courtesy of HE President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo and the Npp Government. With just 9 months in power President Akufo Addo has shown that there are people who are born to serve with his implementation of Free SHS policy and there are those who would take positions without serving it intended purpose. As Ghanaians voted for perseverance in the 2016 General Elections, we have gotten one of the best President of our time, we would like to urge all Delegates to reward another of a kind that is Mr.Stephen Ayensu Ntim who has persevere and risen through the ranks in our party like our affable President. We would like remind all patriots that we need a Man of vision like Mr Stephen Ayesu Ntim who has distinguished himself with all roles assigned to him by the party and has a blue print to make our party stay in power for a very long time when elected as the Chief Servant of our Great Party NPP like President Akuffo Addo is doing for Ghana. Again,we would urge all Ghanaians to support this worthy policy devoid of any political Lance's. There is a saying in Akan that "De foro dua pa na y pia no". Mr. President before the ink in our pen finishes Ghanaian youth are very grateful to you for the implementation of free Secondary Education in Ghana. Thank You. ...Signed.... KWABENA FRIMPONG NATIONAL PRESIDENT 0204910050. NANA AGYEMANG BAAH DANIEL NATIONAL SECRETARY 0245635032. Lagos (AFP) - Tensions mounted between Nigerian security forces and pro-Biafran supporters on Thursday, after renewed protests calling for independence and clashes targeting the police. In the capital of the southern state of Rivers, Port Harcourt, 32 people were arrested after two days of demonstrations and the death of one police officer. In neighbouring Abia state, supporters of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group targeted police in the commercial hub, Aba, and the capital, Umuahia. Police vehicles were seen with smashed windscreens and officers fired warning shots, while there were reports of petrol bombs thrown and bonfires set to restrict movement. A police station in Aba was burnt down between 6:00 am (0500 GMT) and 7:00 am on Thursday, said state police spokesman Geoffrey Ogbonna. "We are investigating the incident but no arrest has been made," he told AFP but denied reports that the commissioner of police's residence in Umuahia was attacked. A three-day dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed in Abia on Tuesday to prevent clashes after IPOB leaders said troops killed five of its members. The army has denied the claims. Abia state governor Okezie Ikpeazu said he recognised the presence of troops had been a cause of "great concern" but they would be withdrawn from Aba and Umuahia by Friday. "With the expected exit of soldiers from the streets, we must warn that we will not tolerate agitators and protesters taking over the streets for any reason," he added. Abuse claims IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu has been charged with treasonable felony and is currently on bail pending the resumption of his trial in the capital, Abuja, next month. His arrest in October 2015 and detention was the catalyst for a new wave of demonstrations calling for independence for the Igbo ethnic group that dominates the southeast. The issue is a sensitive one in Nigeria, as a previous unilateral declaration of an independent republic of Biafra in 1967 sparked a bloody civil war that lasted 30 months. More than one million people died, most of them Igbos, from the effects of war, famine and disease. Kanu, who also runs Radio Biafra, has vowed a non-violent approach to force a referendum on self-determination. "We have chosen the track of peaceful agitation, non-violence, persuasion, logic, reason, argument," he told AFP in an interview in May. But an enhanced military presence in the region since the start of this week has stoked deep-seated tensions. Officially, the military says it has deployed troops as part of an operation -- codenamed "Python Dance II" -- to tackle rising crime. A video clip has been circulating online, purportedly showing soldiers punishing IPOB members by forcing them to drink muddy water while stripped to the waist. The army said it would look into the claims, vowing that any soldier found guilty of breaching its code of conduct "will face (the) full wrath of the military justice system". In Port Harcourt, Rivers state police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni said nine IPOB supporters were arrested after a sergeant attached to the force riot squad was killed on Wednesday. IPOB members allegedly seized his rifle. Several other officers were injured and a patrol van was burnt in the incident. Twenty-three others were held on Tuesday after an attack on the city's police training school, he added. Nigeria has long suffered sporadic flare-ups of ethnic tensions but President Muhammadu Buhari has said the country's unity is non-negotiable. Human rights groups have accused the military of abuses in trying to maintain order, claiming that at least 150 pro-Biafra supporters were killed in the last two years. Hundreds more have been injured. Tunis (AFP) - Opposition groups on Thursday raised the alarm over Tunisia's transition to democracy after parliament passed an amnesty law for officials accused of corruption under toppled dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The law passed Wednesday evening after a rowdy debate in parliament, coming in the wake of a cabinet reshuffle that saw Ben Ali-era officials join the cabinet as ministers of finance and education. The reshuffle was seen as strengthening President Beji Caid Essebsi's grip on power months ahead of Tunisia's first post-revolution municipal polls. Tunisia has been seen as a model of democratic transition since Ben Ali was overthrown in a 2011 revolution that sparked the Arab Spring uprisings. But Monica Marks, an expert on Tunisian politics, said the law's passage was "a huge symbolic victory for impunity". "It signals a green light, from the top of Tunisia's state institutions, to individuals engaged in abuses of power," she said. Proposed by Essebsi in mid-2015, the bill grants an amnesty to businesspeople and Ben Ali officials on trial for corruption, in exchange for returning ill-gotten money plus paying a fine. In the face of growing public anger, the text was revised to cover only officials accused of involvement in administrative corruption, not those who received bribes. The presidency defended the law, saying it was needed to protect the economy and "free up the energies" of the government. The law applies to around 2,000 senior officials "who did not receive any bribes", cabinet director Selim Azzabi said, adding it would affect people who "received instructions and applied them without profiting" under the dictatorship. He said the law could boost Tunisia's sluggish economic growth. Opposition and civil society groups have rejected that argument, saying the legislation grants impunity while corruption remains endemic. Some say it could even represent a return to authoritarian practices. Amna Guellali of Human Rights Watch said the law "risks perpetuating practices inherited from the old regime" and places the young democracy on a "bad slope". Activists planned a demonstration against the law on Thursday evening, and several lawmakers have already prepared an appeal on the grounds it was unconstitutional. Several officials have pointed out the "contradiction" between the law and Prime Minister Youssef Chahed's months-old "war on corruption". His party, Nidaa Tounes, which includes members of the former regime, welcomed the adoption of the law. The new legislation "paves the way for a new stage in the history of Tunisia, that of reconciliation and union", said the party, which was founded by President Essebsi in the wake of the revolution. Its partner in government, the Islamist movement Ennahdha, said it had supported the bill in favour of the "national interest". Marks said Ennahdha had "prioritised the preservation of its governing alliance with Nidaa". "Ultimately, Ennahdha -- despite being the party most persecuted by the old regime, including old regime officials likely to be amnestied by the Reconciliation Law -- ironically ensured its passage," she said. Leftwing lawmaker Ahmed Seddik called for the public to be vigilant". "Tomorrow, those who have committed crimes against you, who have stolen your money, we will find them in the highest positions as if there had been no revolution," he said. The African Trade Union Migration Network (ATUMNET) is seriously opposing the European Union border externalization practices by campaigning for African governments and the African Union to refuse to enter into such agreements as well as insist on genuine collective engagement as against the current EU divide and rule engagement cycle. Speaking at a news conference in Accra, Dr. Kennedy Achakama, Member of ATUMNET and TUC called on African governments to develop and improve recruitment agency regulations in ways that will not distort employment relationships as well as deepen labour migration exploitations. According to him, there still exist in Africa very weak regulation and inspection regimes for labour recruitment agencies as they continue to exploit labour migrants and potential labour migrants. Some agencies have even become human smuggling and trafficking outfit under the guise of rendering recruitment services, Dr. Achakama stated. He noted that African trade unions should scale up their advocacy on effective labour inspection regimes and practices as well as demand for stiffer sanctions against unfair labour employment and relation practices by the recruitment agencies. Dr. Kennedy Achakama said the network has observed that push factors such as poverty endemic unemployment among young people, marginalization, political persecution, civil conflicts, climate change effects, bad governance, weak and grossly inadequate public services delivery, illicit financial flows driven by corporate greed among others are still making migration a zero-sum choice and game especially in Africa. According to him, most Africans about 70percent are moving within the continent but Africas integration is still weak. Dr. Achakama indicated that the tales and ordeals of women mostly domestic workers in the hands of recruitment agencies and their host employers, notably in the Gulf Coordinating Council (GCC) States with special focus on Saudi Arabia have been harrowing and depressing which must stop. He added that the current global migration management of using populism and short-lived tokenisms in response to political and electoral expediencies that are leading to migrants being seen and treated as unwelcomed is equally spiking extremism and hate crimes against migrants and their families by nationals. Dr. Achakama noted that Bilateral Labour Agreements (BLMAs) signed by African governments with other governments notably those from the Gulf States have very little human and workers rights protection provision. He added that this is contributing to the situation where recruited labour migrants end up in bond labour and slavery when they get to the shores of the host country indicating that the situation of African migrants in Saudi Arabia is the worst worrisome for us. Dr. Kennedy Achakama stressed that the network will continue to engage African governments through alternative pro-people socio-economic prescriptions with the view to contribute to defeat poverty, want and misery on our continent. Kinshasa (AFP) - The pope's representative in DR Congo said the pontiff will not visit Kinshasa before long delayed elections are held in the strife-torn country, calling it a "predatory state." In March, Pope Francis cancelled a planned summer visit to Kinshasa owing to the climate of political violence -- though he did meet with President Joseph Kabila at the Vatican a year ago. Kabila has been due to step down since his mandate expired on 19 December and he is under strong pressure to set an election date. Pope Francis is "saddened by a certain distance which one perceives (exists) between the political class and its people" Monsignor Luis Mariano Montemayor was quoted Thursday as saying after a five-day visit to the diamond-rich central Kasai region, where UN food agencies warn millions face hunger as a result of conflict. "The (Congolese) state has a tradition of being a predatory state," the Argentinian Montemayor added. The apostolic nuncio's office was the first to offer a tally of 3,000 dead in unrest in Kasai after a year of clashes between security forces and militia previously loyal to Kamuina Nsapu, a tribal leader slain in August last year. "Evidently," the pope is awaiting the organisation of polls before scheduling a visit, his top diplomat for the country said, otherwise an earlier trip might be "exploited" as it could be construed that he backed the "continuation of the illegitimate government." The Catholic Church wields influence over the country of 70 million where around half of the population profess the faith and last December mediated an accord between the government and the opposition which would see elections going ahead before year's end. But no electoral calendar has been published to date, and there seems no sign of an end to the impasse as Kabila hangs on. A UN report last month detailed more than 250 "extrajudicial or targeted killings" of Kasai civilians earlier this year, with dozens of children among the victims, while blaming both government troops as well as militia groups on both sides of the conflict. Monday, 11.09.2017 when students enrolled into Free SHS program, the Old Parliament House in Accra got demolished, once in 1951 housed the first Parliament under UGCC Leader Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and until 1981 the Parliament of the independent Republic of Ghana paving way for a USD 15 Mio. new building to accommodate CHRAJ and EOCO. Adolf Hitler during World War II had ordered air raids to destroy Coventry/UK. Towards the end of the war UK in retaliation destroyed Dresden/Germany beyond recognition. On the day of Germanys reunification citizens of Dresden started their work on the reconstruction of the famous Dome being today the cultural center of the city at river Elbe, even the construction was undertaken while much-needed infrastructures and work places were not yet in place. Many historic buildings and sites of Ghana, like all across Africa, are ignored by the native Rulers and citizenship regardless of what they used to stand for as history is history and a reflection of times and events people had passed through to come to today for generations to learn from. In Berlin/Germany, the City Palace in the heart of the city, once used by the former German Royal Leaders, was erected again at the outside, a facade to portray the old beauty while behind the walls stores and offices of the highest modern style were constructed. A people not aware and conscious of their past, how do they want to move into a better future? West Africa in 60 years to come will be 1, 5-1, 8 Billion people, three times the size of West Europe; all of Africa 4-5 Billion people having the highest birthrate in the world, has a time window of 60-100 years only during which all mineral resources will be taken out from Africas soil, exported and converted into products being used all around the world leaving the continent empty and deprived. Donor countries, the developed world, is supporting Africa with loans, food items, and humanitarian efforts. The past 60 years demonstrate in their strategies that for humanitarian reasons they engage in their works but do not want to see a real, positive and sustainable change for Africa. The numbers of young aged societies on the African continent is a realistic threat to the societies and economies of the developed world, especially of Europe and USA. Responsible Politicians in the West know when Africa wakes up and uses the tiny window of possible wealth possessing natural blessings even wiser than the Arabs did with their Crude Oil wells, Europes economy will be in danger and the White Man will fall behind and potentially into poverty over generations to come. South-Korea, after World War II, was in the same status Africa finds itself in today. Hamburg/Germany, my hometown, under Adolf Hitler, was the biggest place to build commercial vessels with thousands of workers in numerous ship yards with extension to Kiel and Wismar. In 1970s the numbers of ship yards came down as South Korea started to produce commercial vessels at a much cheaper rate leaving for Hamburg and Kiel only highly sophisticated Private Yachts for Arabs Sheiks and Russias Abramovich besides Sub-Marines for Armies around the world. Former shipyard workers that stood in the tradition of generations being employed by the same Employer taking pride of their achievements crossing the seas, were re-trained and found work in other industries. North-Korea has developed from a poor country for the masses to a country able to produce nuclear war heads and long range missiles. Should the developed world therefore be scared of Africa to take charge of the world once again like thousands of years ago or would it not be a wiser approach to find a friend in Africa and be the first country to establish a productive relationship with Africa before others come and have to queue in line for Africas favour? Jobs in the developed world might change into other sectors as we know today, but the force behind change helps societies to excel from generation to generation to bring out the best in humans. Germany in Namibia used to play a very sad role, but history is behind us and today we need to move on into the future without ignoring or denying the past. Unlike French, British or Portuguese Germans are astonishing popular on the African continent yet they keep quiet with very small or no intervention, especially on the side of much needed political changes. Germans, my people: get engaged and be the first true friend in the queue you will stand in shortly. P.S.: When critics call me Borderline Racist I see in Blacks that they want to enjoy their exploitation of their societies and Whites married to White Ladies only make profit from the poverty of Africahumans beings are strange! P.S.S.: As Niederegger in Luebeck/Germany wants to change/demolish the name of an old traditional cake named Mohrentorte, being the reflection and association of attitude Whites had in the past towards Blacks, due to possible racism allegations, they sadly do not understand that words and buildings reflect history but it is in the present mind and heart of people that demonstrates the mindset of people and their interaction. As much as buildings and words can be abolished, it is in no way a guarantee that people change their attitude towards each other, in fact it can cause the opposite as a reminder of a sad past has been abandoned. These are the same bunch of people proudly declaring Barack Obama a Black President, even he is mixed raced only, by which they stand on the Slave Laws of USA and make them popular and acceptablecrazy minds run around Germany, dangerous and foolish good people. I love my Negerkuesse as I love my wife and honour my Spiritual Father Prophet Emmanuel Badu Kobi (both Blacks). P.S.S.S.: Saudi Arabia state owned Oil Company Aramco will be offered for sale in an IPO 2019 as BBC TV World Business reports 14.09.2017. By 2040 Europe, China, USA, Japan etc. will only run electric cars, Crude Oil will no longer be needed in profitable quantities. Arabs foresee the last chance to make big money to sell their shares to greedy and short sighted investors grabbing the moment of glory after which the share prices will collapse. Africa, make a smart move and follow the Arab lead by offering your IPO before the Arabs do as long as big money on the international market is floating and available. Author: Dipl.-Pol. Karl-Heinz Heerde, Sakumono, Tema West, Ghana, phone +233(0)265078287, [email protected] , 14.09.2017 14.09.2017 LISTEN In his 1st ever visit to West Africa, futurist, celebrated author and host of Breaking Banks talk show on Voice of America (VoA) Brett King, touched down Lagos this evening Wednesday 13th September 2017 ahead of this keynote speech at Interswitch Connect, Nigerias 1st ever payment/tech conference slated to hold on the 13th and 14th of September 2017. GM, BHM, Moruff Adenekan (L), welcoming Brett King (R) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos this evening. The 1st of its kind conference organized by Interswitch will gather the creme of the crop of Nigerias digital financial ecosystem to discuss, debate and evaluate the future of transactions, over 2 days of expert keynote presentations, panel discussions and more. Brett King is a seasoned speaker and has delivered keynotes at conferences in more than 40 countries for organizations like Google, Forbes, Oracle, Bloomberg, American Banker and others. He has served as an international judge for The Asian Banker Retail Banking Excellence Awards, the GSMA Global Mobile Awards, the Middle East Business Achievement and Retail Banking Awards. Other speakers at the conference include: Ghanaian model, Araba Sey is about to launch the Sey Your Mind initiative to allow for exchange of thoughts between models and the general public to create awareness about the modeling industry. Araba has been speaking her mind through weekly articles on things that need to be done right for models to have stress-free environment to work. One of such articles where she expressed her feelings on how agencies should stop seeing models as sex tools, sparked major debate on few media platforms across the country. Her Sey Your Mind will ask stakeholders including - models, modelling agencies, photographers, bloggers/media etc. questions to gather their perceptions and concerns about the modeling industry in Ghana and outside. Championing this course will afford young models in the country the chance to know what others think about the industry and whether it has a future or not. It will also provide room to bring on board problems that are confronting the industry and how to strategically place short and long term solutions in place to reduce the stress models are confronted with when chasing after their dreams. This will enable models make good living from the profession and give upcoming ones the chance to have more knowledge about the industry before making the final decision to join. First batch of retirees of Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) have received their long outstanding gratuities from the office of the Anambra state Accountant General. Among the recipients is Mr Boniface Offokaja, former Director General of the organisation who retired in 1984. Another retiree and recipient, Nollywood legend, Chief Pete Edochie, MON who retired from ABS as Director of Programmes in 1998 was full of praise for Governor Willie Obiano for fulfilling his promise to clear outstanding pension and gratuities of the organisation. According to him, "Many of us have lost hope that we will ever receive our gratuities. Despite our meritorious service to Anambra state, successive governments chose to neglect us. What Governor Willie Obiano has done today is remarkable. We are praying for him because he is a compassionate governor ". Responding, the Managing Director and CEO of Anambra Broadcasting Service, Nze Uche Nworah said that Governor Obiano has lifted a huge burden off the shoulders of the organisation. "We are delighted that today, some of our retirees including those who retired since 1984 have today received their outstanding gratuities. We thank Governor Obiano for making this possible". Newly crowned Nigerian beauty queen, Mudashiru fatimoh share lovely shoots to mark her birthday today,14th September. The model look super gorgeous,flaunting her curves in some of the photos. Fatimoh, an undergraduate at Lagos State polytechnic won the coveted crown to emerge as the Heritage Queen Nigeria 2017. Part of the projects she hope to embark on during her reign includes an outreach to the prison yards to share foods stuffs and clothing materials to them, organize a campaign to counter molestation amongst the girl-child,one day entrepreneurship skill acquisition for the youths and lots more. In celebrating her 2017 birthday, the sultry model shared some eye-catching photos that will obviously leave her fans spellbound. September has been one of the worst months for Bitcoin in 2017. The digital token is down 21.4% in the first two weeks. Its even dropped below the US$4,000 mark, which it passed in August this year. Has bitcoins rapid appreciation finally come to an end? Source: CoinDesk Bitcoins Stalling Growth Due to Lack of Buyers Bitcoins stalling growth, in my mind, is due to a lack of buyers. The reason why bitcoin has been able to climb so high year-to-date is because buyers were plentiful. The only sellers in the market were bitcoin miners. And even they were hesitant to depart with their rapidly appreciating coins. However, with negative sentiment surrounding cryptos, new potential buyers have suddenly been scared off. Chinas ICO Ban Still Fresh Chinas initial coin offering (ICO) ban is still fresh in investors minds. Reported by Reuters: China is cracking down on fundraising through launches of token-based digital currencies, targeting ICOs in a market that has ballooned this year in what has been a bonanza for digital currency entrepreneurs. The boom has fuelled a jump in the value of cryptocurrencies, but raised fears of a potential bubble. While China says theyre trying to limit fraud and scams, its also in Chinas interest that money doesnt flow out of their yuan and into cryptos. The government has spent enormous sums of money to prop up their currency. Why would they then let citizens sell down the yuan for digital coins? Just after Chinas ban, JPMorgan Chase & Co. [NYSE:JPM] chief Jamie Dimon said: You cant have a business where people can invent a currency out of thin air and think that people who are buying it are really smart. But surely its in Dimons interest that bitcoin doesnt succeed. Bitcoin was created to remove the need for big banks and financial intermediaries like JPMorgan. However, I would agree with sceptics that bitcoin is extremely hard to value. What price would you place on the crypto? And what would be the reason for that price? If you have more questions about the secret world of bitcoin, check out Money Mornings new report, The Secret World of Bitcoin. To get your free copy, click here. Regards, Harje Ronngard, Junior Analyst, Money Morning 'The big truck is still on ... - The PDP called on the government to address the growing southeast tension diplomatically - It said it supported the oneness of the country - The party called for dialogue as a first option and not a last The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the ongoing tension in the southeast region calling for caution and restraint in the way it was being handled. In a statement released on Wednesday, September 13, and signed by Prince Dayo Adeyeye who is its national publicity secretary, the PDP said that while it is committed to the oneness of Nigeria, it urged the government to handle the growing tension well. It called for the use of dialogue to solve the issue rather than violence. Read the statement below: READ ALSO: Southeast Professionals in Diaspora praises Army for Operation Python Dance The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for caution and restraint in handling the conflict that has erupted in Abia state between the military and elements of the IPOB. The party noted that while it is committed to the continued corporate existence of Nigeria as one indivisible country, it at the same time, acknowledges and respects the rights of the people anywhere to express their yearnings and aspirations within the confines of the laws of the land. The PDP stated that at this time that tempers seem to be flaring up, dialogue, rather than violence is the only viable option to resolve whatever problems are on ground in the South-East Zone and indeed the entire country; stressing that at this critical juncture in which the Nation is grappling with numerous challenges in virtually all facets, Nigeria could ill afford a further descent into anarchy in any of its constituent parts. "What the Country needs at this time is an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, without which no meaningful positive development in whatever sector can be attained, and the situation unfolding in the South-East, which is a very important component of the Nigerian family, is no doubt, inimical to our collective quest to take Nigeria higher. It is therefore in our enlightened interest as a people and as a Nation, to rise up to this challenge intelligently without undue egotism, and with the best interest of the Country at heart," declared the PDP National Caretaker Committee's chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, CON. The party expressed the belief that the situation is a family squabble that the Country should be able to deal with without unnecessary bloodshed as it's reminding both the Government and the IPOB that no matter whatever would eventually happen at the end of the day, a sit-down is inevitable; it is always better to make it a first resort. It further appealed to the government to, even as it goes about discharging its constitutional mandate of ensuring the protection of the territorial integrity of the Country, deploy constructive engagement, involving effective and efficient communication strategies that would allay all fears as well as assure all component parts of Nigeria of their assured place in the national scheme of things. It also appealed to the IPOB and its leadership to reciprocate such gesture where and when offered reminding them that their continued recalcitrance would achieve nothing other than subjecting people of their area to untold hardship and harm. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app The PDP also commended the government of Abia state for the mature way it has so far been handling this delicate situation and urges people of the State to continue to support and cooperate with it in these difficult times that could necessitate the taking of difficult and painful, nevertheless necessary decisions. God bless Nigeria! God bless the PDP!! God bless Abia state!!! Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the Nigerian Army in Enugu said that the military exercise in the south-east, code-named Operation Python Dance 2 is not targeted at the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. Colonel Sagir Musa, the deputy director, public relations, 82 Division, on Tuesday, September 12, said this when he briefed newsmen at the NUJ Secretariat, Umuahia, on the activities of troops deployed in Abia for the exercise. Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer reacting to the alleged invasion of his client's house by the army: Source: Legit.ng - Some youths in the southeast allegedly combed for Hausas inside vehicles - They searched inter-state vehicles and asked the occupants if there were any Hausas in them - In the video, the vehicle was stopped thrice by different youths A video has surfaced online of some armed southeast youths carrying out a stop and search operation in the southeast looking for Hausas in vehicles. In the video shared by Sahara Reporters, the youths who carried knives, daggers and bottles could be seen stopping inter-state vehicles and speaking in Igbo. READ ALSO: Army tours Nnamdi Kanu's hometown, calls for peace According to the report, the operation was carried out in In Aba Southeast, Abia state. The youths asked the occupants of there were any Hausa Fulani persons in the vehicles and the passengers replied that there were none before they were asked to go. A few metres away, the same vehicle was stopped and the same question put to them and they replied again that if there were any Hausas in the vehicle, thy would have been removed. Some tyres were being burnt along the way as the youths stopped more vehicles to ask the occupants if there were any Hausas in them. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app The same vehicle was stopped again and the occupants insisted that "It is only your brothers that are inside here. We did not carry any Hausas." Watch the video below: Meanwhile, the police in Rivers state gave details of what happened in Oyingbo, Rivers state when members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) allegedly launched an attack in the Hausa community. Legit.ng had reported that the attack took place on Tuesday, September 12, when IPOB members allegedly attacked the Hausas in the community. You can watch this Legit.ng TV video below of Kanu's lawyer talking about the military invasion of his client's house: Source: Legit.ng - The EFCC confirmed that it was working towards extraditing Diezani Alison-Madueke - The former minister is accused of financial misappropriation - The EFCC called on all Nigerians to support its fight against corruption The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed its plans to extradite Diezani Alison-Madueke to Nigeria over alleged corruption. The former minister of petroleum resources who served during the administration of Goodluck Jonathan was accused of misappropriating funds as the EFCC continued its investigation into her dealings. READ ALSO: Tension as armed Igbo youths search vehicles in south east for Hausas (video) Premium Times reports that Ibrahim Magu who is the acting chairman of the EFCC confirmed this while addressing journalists, civic groups and others on Wednesday, September 13. I want you to know that nobody will go unpunished. We are even seeking to extradite Diezani, but investigations are still ongoing. We have reached a level where nobody can stop us in the fight against corruption, but we all must realise that we are all stakeholders, and this fight is for the future generation, Magu said. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app The acting EFCC chairman urged Nigerians to also contribute to the fight because EFCC can only do its best; but we must support the agency, and the law should take its course, policies should be strengthened, and punishment must be meted out in good time. Legit.ng had earlier reported that Magu blamed corruption for the various agitations for secession, strikes and civil actions in Nigeria. According to reports, the EFCC boss made his comments while speaking on Wednesday September 13, at a parley with social media personalities in Abuja, the nations capital. Legit.ng gathers that Magu stressed that Nigerias fundamental problem was corruption; but he however insisted that the Muhammadu Buhari-led war against corruption is succeeding. Watch this Legit.ng TV video of EFCC officials staging a walk against corruption: Source: Legit.ng - The southeast geopolitical zone is under siege by the Nigerian military - This is due to the activities of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) - A former minister of education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has faulted the approach of the federal government to the issue A former minister of education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has faulted the deployment of military to the southeast by the federal government of Nigeria. In a series of tweets by the former minister, monitored by Legit.ng on Wednesday, September 13, Ezekwesili urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to stigmatize the Igbo tribe because of the activities of IPOB. She advised the government to handle the agitation from the group with what she called appropriate mechanism. READ ALSO: Crisis in Abia, ploy to declare state of emergency - Uwazurike Ezekwesili urged the president to ascend a moral high ground and lead a conversation on unity. She accused the president of deliberately or inadvertently alienating a segment of people he leads, describing it as tragic. The presidency is yet to react to the tweets by the former minister. Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently released 14 safety measures that residents of the southeast are expected to adhere to as the Nigerian military carries out the Operation Python Dance II in the region. READ ALSO: United Nations interested in Operation Phyton Dance II - Moses Siasia Watch Legit.ng TV interview with IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer, about the military invasion: Source: Legit.ng - Senator Stella Oduah has denied advising the federal government on how to prosecute former petroleum minister Deziani Alison-Madueke - The senator was in the news recently for allegedly commenting on the issue - She has however denied the reports, saying she did speak to any journalist on the matter Senator Stella Oduah has said that she never advised President Muhammadu Buhari on how to prosecute former minister of petroleum, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke. Reacting to media reports suggesting she made comments on the issue, Oduah stated that she never spoke on Diezanis case, adding that she did not grant any interview on Tuesday, September 12, as suggested in the reports. The reports alleged that the senator had advised the federal government to employ due process in prosecuting the embattled former minister. Senator Oduah said she never spoke on Diezzani's trial READ ALSO: We'll not tolerate 'undemocratic' military operations in south east - Igbo House of Reps members The senator who expressed sadness over the report, said that the report was completely false. Her words: I did not grant any interview on Tuesday, I did not speak to any journalist. Moreover, I never spoke on any matter concerning the former minister of petroleum, Diezani Allison-Madueke. The report is untrue, please disregard that report as it did not come from Senator Stella Oduah. During a recent interview which I granted last week, I only spoke on issues bothering on women, the economy, need for inland ports in the southeast, the aviation sector and the PDP governorship primaries in Anambra state. She called on the media to always verify reports before carrying them, adding that she is always open to journalists. The senator was quoted as saying recently that her party, the PDP, had not learnt from its past mistakes, contrary to recent public undertakings by its leadership. She made the comment at News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja, stressing that the party had resumed the denigration of internal democracy characterized by impunity and imposition of candidates on members and other misdeeds. Oduah recalled that impunity, imposition, disregard for members and other acts of irregularities in the partys activities led to its losses in the 2015 general elections. She stated that some of those traits, especially imposition of candidate on members in utter disobedience to internal democracy tenets, were recorded in the partys recent governorship primary election in Anambra. READ ALSO: Federal High Court orders continuation of Senator Dino Melaye's recall process Watch a protest against Oduah's colleague, Senator Andy Uba on Legit.ng TV: Source: Legit.ng - Three members of Indigenous People of Biafra have allegedly lost their lives in Umuahia, Abia state during a confrontation with security operatives - The IPOB members were accused of attacking the residence of police commissioner in Umuahia - They were also alleged to have set vehicles inside the compound of the commissioner's house on fire - Meanwhile, reports reaching Legit.ng confirmed that uneasy calm has reportedly been restored to Umuahia Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra have reportedly attacked the residence of police commissioner in Umuahia, the state capital of Abia state. Also, three members of the IPOB were allegedly shot dead by security officers in the state capital. The IPOB members were also accused of setting fire on the vehicles in the compound of the police commissioner. A gas canister allegedly used to attack IPOB members in Umuahia, Abia state. Photo credit: Facebook, Somto Okonkwo Somto Okonkwo who posted the incident on Facebook alleged that Biafrans were attacked by the policemen who were stationed at the government house. Three IPOB members have allegedly lost their lives in Umuahia, Abia state. Photo credit: Facebook, Somto Okonkwo He said the police had the help of the army in attacking IPOB members. The IPOB members were accused of attacking the residence of police commissioner in Umuahia. Photo credit: Facebook, Somto Okonkwo Going further, he alleged that the bodies of those shot dead could not be found, claiming another was injured by a gas canister. READ ALSO: Biafra: Uwazuruike accuses other factional leaders of planning to cause war in Nigeria at BIM's 18th anniversary The incident was said to have occurred on Akanu Ibiam road. The road is also known as Bank road. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that a video surfaced online of some armed southeast youths carrying out a stop and search operation in the southeast looking for Hausas in vehicles. In the video, the youths who carried knives, daggers and bottles could be seen stopping inter-state vehicles and speaking in Igbo. You can watch this Legit.ng TV video below of Kanu's lawyer talking about the military invasion of his client's house: Source: Legit.ng - Comrade Timi Frank has voiced his concerns about the siege by the Nigerian military in the southeast - He is of the opinion that the military should withdraw from the region immediately - The All Progressives Congress has faulted the approach of the federal government to the issue A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, has said that the ongoing military show of force in the southeast region of the country, is capable of putting the country on fire if not checked. Comrade Frank's position was made known in a statement he sent to Legit.ng on Thursday, September 14. He stated that the current approach of the military in the region need to be checked, even as he called on President Muhammadu Buhari to consider the political implications of unleashing the military on an entire region. Comrade Frank says the military should be withdrawn from the southeast with immediate effect Source: Original READ ALSO: Fayose reacts to ongoing Operation Python Dance II in southeast Reacting to a video circulating on social media where some youths and IPOB members were caught by the military and asked to forcefully swim in a dirty water, Comrade Frank said such action is condemnable all over the world. He warned that the ongoing military action in the region is capable of sabotaging the good intention of the APC government and therefore portray the current administration as a military government. While calling on Nigerians, especially leaders across board irrespective of political differences to speak out against what he described as inhuman treatment of Nigerians, he said: Today it may be the Igbos but tomorrow, it may be the Ijaws or Yorubas or any other region, by then there may be nobody to speak out. This incident is a total disgrace and embarrassment to the Nigerian government. Frank, who said he does not believe in Biafra agitation but in one Nigeria, urged the federal government to either replace the army with police or the Directorate of State Services (DSS). The DSS or police will never carry out such brutality on unarmed Nigerians because DSS has shown maturity in in handling civil issue like this in the past. The activities of these handful numbers asking for Biafra does not represent what the whole region stands for. There are still large number of people who are not comfortable with such agitation, these people too are Nigerians like others. So the whole region should not suffer the perceived sin of the few, he said. While stating that all over the world, agitation for various reasons can not be totally eradicated, he added that the way and manner government and her security agencies handle such matter will show the different and either make citizens to believe in such government or not. This may be one of the reasons the United State Government refused to sell arms to Nigeria Army because of human right abuse and violation. This has to stop because military solution has never been the best in handling such in a democratic system like ours anywhere in the world, Comrade Frank added. The Operation Python Dance is still ongoing in the southeast. Photo credit: Premium Times Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently released 14 safety measures that residents of the southeast are expected to adhere to as the Nigerian military carries out the Operation Python Dance II in the region. READ ALSO: United Nations interested in Operation Phyton Dance II - Moses Siasia Watch Legit.ng TV interview with IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer, about the military invasion: Source: Legit.ng - President Muhammdu Buhari is expected to leave Nigeria for United States of America on Tuesday, September 19 - Buhari is expected to meet with Donald Trump, US president to address United Nation General Assembly - According to reports, Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigerias foreign minister and members of a presidential advance team are already in USA President Muhammdu Buhari will leave Nigeria for United States of America on Tuesday, 19 September, to address United Nation General Assembly. According to Sahara Reporters, a source at the Nigeria House in New York said that Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigerias foreign minister and members of a presidential advance team are already in New York to receive President Buhari. Legit.ng gathered that the meeting with Trump was initially scheduled to hold two weeks ago but had to be shifted because the president is still convalescing and could not travel at the time. READ ALSO: Soldiers allegedly shoot 3 dead, police commissioner's house attacked by IPOB in Abia It was learnt that President Buhari and the Nigerian delegation will be accommodated at One Millennium Plaza Hotel on First Avenue in Manhattan during his five-day stay in New York. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Presidency source also disclosed that the list of members of the delegation is expected to be approved on Thursday, September 14 by Abba Kyari chief of staff to the president before the publication of the programme by the state house press. Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Onyeama said President Buhari will lead the Nigerian delegation to the 72nd UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of Nigerians talking about whom they will vote for between President Buhari and Governor Fayose in 2019. Source: Legit.ng - An uneasy calm has reportedly been restored to Umuahia, the capital of Abia state - The development follows a period of deep tension as IPOB members allegedly clashed with soldiers carrying out the Operation Python Dance campaign - Major roads have now started witnessing movement and ATMs are functioning again, as residents return to their normal way of life After an immensely tense period as altercations allegedly occurred between soldiers carrying out the Operation Python Dance campaign and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), an uneasy calm has finally been restored to Umuahia, the Abia state capital. The development was made public on the Facebook page of Abia Breaking News. READ ALSO: Sheriff loyalists allegedly set to defect from PDP to APC Legit.ng gathers that there is now vehicular movement on major roads in the state capital, including Bank road, Aba road, Bende road, Azikiwe & Ikot Ekpene road. ATMs have also reportedly begun functioning again, as residents return to their normal way of life. Also attached, were the following pictures: People and vehicles can be seen moving on a major road in Umuahia (Photo credit: Facebook: Abia Breaking News) Commercial vehicles are pictured moving freely, after the tense period (Photo credit: Facebook: Abia Breaking News) Many residents of Umuahia have now returned to their normal way of life (Photo credit: Facebook: Abia Breaking News) The gates of a UBA bank can be seen opened to customers (Photo credit: Facebook: Abia Breaking News) PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that members of the Indigenous People of Biafra reportedly attacked the residence of the police commissioner in Umuahia, the state capital of Abia state. Also, three IPOB members were allegedly shot dead by security officers in the state capital. Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer protesting against the alleged invasion of his client's residence by the army: Source: Legit.ng - The Nigerian army has disclosed that its operatives are not involved in ongoing operation to restore law and order in Oyibo, Rivers state - Spokesman of the army, Col. Aminu Iliyasu said the army only assisted the police on Tuesday, September 12, following violent clash between members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Hausa community - He said troops has since been withdrawn to strategic locations while the police are now fully in control of the situation The Nigerian army says it is not directly involved in ongoing operation to restore law and order in Oyibo local government area of Rivers. Col. Aminu Iliyasu, spokesman of the 6 Division of the Nigerian army, Port Harcourt, said this in an interview in Port Harcourt on Thursday, September 14. READ ALSO: Soldiers allegedly shoot 3 dead, police commissioner's house attacked by IPOB in Abia Iliyasu said the army only assisted the police on Tuesday following violent clash between members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Hausa community. According to him, troops has since been withdrawn to strategic locations while the police are now fully in control of the situation. Some persons are just trying to stir up tension by insinuating that the army was involved in shootout with IPOB members in the early hours of Thursday. If any security agency had shootout with anyone; then it is definitely not the army that took part in the shootout. This is because the army has since withdrawn troops on Tuesday after normalcy was restored to enable the police to discharge their constitutional mandate. However, soldiers are currently on standby in case the situation escalates beyond what the police can handle. It is only in that situation that the army will intervene, he said. The spokesman said that no arrest was made by the army during its brief intervention in the clash that ensued between IPOB members and the Hausa community. He said that relative calm had been restored with social and economic activities returning to the area. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 new app Legit.ng had reported that members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have allegedly unleashed terror on Hausa people in Oyigbo, Rivers state. According to report, the attack was carried out on Tuesday, September 12. Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of Kanu's lawyer talking about the military invasion of his house. Source: Legit.ng - IPOB calls for international intervention in the south-east over Operation Python Dance - The group demands for the release of all unlawfully arrested and detained Biafrans Nigerian army says it will investigate the origin of a video showing soldiers flogging some IPOB members The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has made public the telephone numbers of President Donald Trump, that of other world leaders and the international community for aggrieved Igbos to call and report human rights abuses allegedly being committed by the Nigerian army following the ongoing military operation in the southeast. READ ALSO: Biafra: Uwazuruike accuses other factional leaders of planning to cause war in Nigeria at BIM's 18th anniversary The group in a statement titled, Biafra worldwide phone call campaign alert, on Thursday, September 14, urged people of Igbo descent to lodge complaints to some organisation listed and some world leaders to halt the Operation Python Dance and the alleged killing of people in the southeast. The group asked people in the southeast to plead with the international community to deploy security forces to protect the lives of Biafrans in the region. The statement instructed the people to tell the world leaders that they are no longer protected by the laws governing Nigeria and that their existence is been threatened by the Nigerian government. Read the statement from IPOB below: "Biafra Worldwide phone call campaign Alert !!! Call and report the Use the following prompts when you call: Hello, my name is (); Im calling to appeal to the President (or the relevant government official) to: The home of the leader of the Indigenous people of Biafra is under siege right now by the zoo military from 82 Division Enugu. Plead with them to force Nigeria forces of occupation the military and Police as well as to stop the Buhari led Nigerian government to stop the murder of Biafrans, released of all unlawfully arrested and kidnapped Biafrans. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app We urge international community to send force to protect the lives of Biafras from the Jihadist Nigeria Army as October quit notice is fast approaching. Tell them that Biafrans are no longer protected by the law and seen as species of terror which makes it unhealthy or poses threat to their existence in Nigeria. That Biafrans are looking up to them, to use their good offices in helping for the referendum of Biafra. (thank you!). Support the restoration and independence of Biafra. (Thank you!)" The phone numbers released by IPOB include that of: 1. The US White House Phone Number is +1 202 456 1111 2. US Govt, United Nations Office at New York. Time to Call (3 pm to 11 pm Biafra Time) 3. United Nations Secretary General: Antonio Guterres +1 212 963 1234. 4. President Trump, White House +1 202 456 1111. 5. US Congress Direct Number, +1 202-224-3121 & +1 202 225 4361 , US C-span Meanwhile, the Nigerian army has reacted to a disturbing viral video of some of its officials torturing members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). In the 3-minute video, the soldiers flogged some of the men before ordering all of them to sleep in the mud by a roadside. While reacting to the video, the acting director of army public relations, Brigadier General Sanni Usman, said the army will take necessary steps to investigate the origin of the video. Also, the Abia state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, alongside traditional rulers in the state, met with the General Officer Commanding (GOC) commanding the 82 Division of the Nigerian army Enugu, Major General A.B. Abubakar, at Government House in Umuahia, the Abia state capital on Wednesday. During the meeting, Ikpeazu and the traditional rulers appealed to the GOC to reduce military presence in the state, particularly in Aba and umuahia, as tension in the areas have gone down Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer reacting to the alleged invasion of his client's house by the army: Source: Legit.ng - Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lawyer to Nnamdi Kanu says soldiers forcefully gained entrance into the IPOB leaders house after shooting for about 40 minutes - He states that the entrance gate of the IPOB leaders residence was forced open by the soldiers - Legit.ng is yet to independently verify the alleged attack on Kanus residence as claimed by his lawyer Report just reaching Legit.ng has it that soldiers have allegedly stormed into the home of the leader of the indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, in Abia state. In a statement sent to Legit.ng on Thursday evening, September 14, Kanus lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, said the soldiers forcefully gained entrance into his client's house after shooting for about 40 minutes. He said the entrance gate of the IPOB leaders residence was broken-down and forced open. READ ALSO: Operation Python Dance: Calm returns to Umuahia, Abia state Ejiofor said: Their mission is still unknown as every person seen in his house has surrendered, including his aged parents. "Military has declared war on the innocent , unarmed and defenceless civilians. The situation is serious. My Client whereabout has remained unknown. "His entire house has been shattered with bullets and missiles. "Will avail the world with the pictures of these dastardly acts." The lawyer however, appealed to IPOB members to remain calm in the face of unprovoked killings, torture, abduction and malicious destruction of property. He assured the group that the entire world was watching and urged them not to take up arms, but continue to conduct themselves in the most civilized manner. READ ALSO: Report military atrocities to world leaders - IPOB tells Igbos "We have filed a formal communication with the United Nations, European Union, United States, Russia, Israel and France. They have duly acknowledged my petition awaiting prompt action. International criminal court of Justice is still there at Hague," he said. The New Telegraph reports that four people were reported killed, 15 were arrested while scores lay wounded following the military offensive at Kanus residence. The newspaper stated that those killed, arrested or wounded were among the IPOB members who work directly with the IPOB leader. As at the time of publishing this report, Legit.ng was yet to independently verify the alleged attack on Kanus residence as claimed by his lawyer. Meanwhile, members of the Indigenous People of Biafra have reportedly attacked the residence of police commissioner in Umuahia, the state capital of Abia state. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app Also, three members of the IPOB were allegedly shot dead by security officers in the state capital. The IPOB members were also accused of setting fire on the vehicles in the compound of the police commissioner. Somto Okonkwo who posted the incident on Facebook alleged that Biafrans were attacked by the policemen who were stationed at the government house. He said the police had the help of the army in attacking IPOB members. You can watch this Legit.ng TV video below of Kanu's lawyer talking about the military invasion of his client's house: Source: Legit.ng President Muhammadu Buhari and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Tukur Buratai, have been sued over the tension currently ongoing in Abia state between security operatives and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The suit was instituted by the prominent Igbo pressure group, the Alaigbo Development Forum (ADF). The Sun reports that the suit was filed at the Federal High Court in Enugu on Thursday, September 14. READ ALSO: Breaking: Soldiers allegedly shoot 3 dead, police commissioner's house attacked by IPOB in Abia The group is reportedly asking the court for an order of immediate withdrawal of the soldiers of the Nigerian Army in the entire southeastern part of Nigeria. The organisation seeks a declaration that the action of the defendants, especially the 1st defendant (Buhari), in calling out, operationally engaging or deploying the armed forces of the Federation to the south eastern part of the country is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect whatsoever. READ ALSO: Nigerian army still shooting at us - IPOB members claim The ADF is represented by a team of seven lawyers led by Max Ozoaka who want the deployment of the soldiers to the southeast as illegal for the fact that there is no anarchy in the region to warrant the action. Legit.ng earlier reported how the Nigerian Army said it was not directly involved in ongoing operation to restore law and order in Oyibo local government area of Rivers. Col Aminu Iliyasu, spokesman of the 6 Division of the Nigerian army, Port Harcourt, said this in an interview in Port Harcourt on Thursday, September 14. Watch this video as Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer speaks on the military operations in Abia: Source: Legit.ng - Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has joined those reacting to the violence in Abia state and parts of Rivers - Atiku wants the violence to stop immediately to allow for dialogue - He says if any part of Nigeria is in such a situation, the entire country suffers Former vice president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has finally spoken out concerning the clash between the Nigerian Army and supporters of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Atiku called for restraint on both sides as violence escalates in Abia and parts of Rivers. READ ALSO: Breaking: Soldiers allegedly shoot 3 dead, police commissioner's house attacked by IPOB in Abia The former vice president also called for dialogue as an end to the agitation saying he supported his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), on its stand on the issue. There have been claims and counter claims from both the army and the supporter of IPOB who claimed they have been dehumanized and that some of them had been killed. "We hear each other better if we speak peacefully. Everyone, please stop escalating the situation. Let us dialogue and listen to each other. READ ALSO: Nigerian army still shooting at us - IPOB members claim "I appreciate our governors both North and South, for their efforts to maintain calm. Meeting with stakeholders is important and should continue," he said. Legit.ng earlier reported how the Nigerian army said it is not directly involved in ongoing operation to restore law and order in Oyibo local government area of Rivers. Col Aminu Iliyasu, spokesman of the 6 Division of the Nigerian army, Port Harcourt, said this in an interview in Port Harcourt on Thursday, September 14. Watch this video as Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer speaks on the invasion by the Nigerian Army: Source: Legit.ng - The Nigerian army says its operation in Abia state remains despite claims soldiers would be withdrawn - The security organisation says it does not have any order to the effect that it should leave the state - It warned hoodlums and criminally-minded people to avoid trouble The Nigerian Army has said its operations in Abia state would continue because its men are yet to receive any order from the general officer commanding the 82 division. This is against claims that the governor of the state, Okezie Ikpeazu, has declared that the soldiers would leave the streets of Abia on Friday, September 15. A statement by Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, the director of army public relations, confirmed that the soldiers are not prepared to leave the state. READ ALSO: Nigerian army still shooting at us - IPOB members claim The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to some stories in the media that it is withdrawing its troops from Exercise EGWU EKE II, crediting such information to Abia state governor and the general officer commanding 82 division Nigerian Army. This is not true. The Nigerian Army wishes to enjoin members of the public to disregard such rumours, the statement obtained by Legit.ng stated. The Nigerian army said the governor did not state outrightly that the soldiers would be pulled off the streets but said: There will be gradual withdrawal of soldiers on the streets of Aba and Umuahia from tomorrow. The statement emphasized that the Exercise EGWU EKE II is commencing tomorrow, Friday, September 15 as scheduled. Commanders have been instructed to ensure that all hands are on deck to commence the Exercise to its logical completion. We wish to state further that the successful completion of the exercise will dovetail into the various states security outfits till the end of this year. Members of the public especially in the areas where the exercise will take place are please enjoined to go about their lawful businesses. We wish to also state that we would not allow any individual or group to jeopardize the conduct of the field training exercise through unlawful or criminal activities, the statement said. The army warned hooodlums and criminal elements to be law abiding and not cause any breach of peace. READ ALSO: Breaking: Soldiers allegedly shoot 3 dead, police commissioner's house attacked by IPOB in Abia We hereby reiterate that our troops would conduct themselves in the best professional manner, abide by the Rules of Engagement and Code of Conduct in line with requirements of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Any act of indiscipline by any of our personnel would be decisively dealt with. While we enjoin all Nigerians to go about their normal businesses, the Nigerian Army urge all to support the troops as they carry out their constitutional duties and make Exercise EGWU EKE II a success, the statement added. Legit.ng earlier reported how the Nigerian army said it is not directly involved in ongoing operation to restore law and order in Oyibo local government area of Rivers. Col Aminu Iliyasu, spokesman of the 6 Division of the Nigerian army, Port Harcourt, said this in an interview in Port Harcourt on Thursday, September 14. Watch this video and hear what Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer says about the invasion of the Nigerian Army on the home of his client: Source: Legit.ng Yves here. Peter Dorman discusses the importance of altruistic action in response to disasters as important for social cohesion. Notice that he takes as a given that neoliberalism creates a low-trust, transactional society, and how those are particularly ill-suited to dealing with disasters or other challenges to the collective good. From a 2013 article in Psychology Today: Robert Frank, an economist at Cornell, believes that his profession is squashing and generosity. And he believes he has the evidence to prove it. Consider these data points: Less charitable giving: In the US, economics professors gave less money to charity than professors in other fieldsincluding history, , , psychology, sociology, anthropology, literature, physics, chemistry, and biology. More than twice as many economics professors gave zero dollars to charity than professors from the other fields. More for personal gain: Economics students in Germany were more likely than students from other majors to recommend an overpriced plumber when they were paid to do it. Greater acceptance of greed: Economics majors and students who had taken at least three economics courses were more likely than their peers to rate greed as generally good, correct, and . Less concern for fairness: Students were given $10 and had to make a proposal about how to divide the money with a peer. If the peer accepted, they had a deal, but if the peer declined, both sides got nothing. On average, economics students proposed to keep 13% more money for themselves than students from other majors. In another experiment, students received money, and could either keep it or donate it to the common pool, where it would be multiplied and divided equally between all participants. On average, students contributed 49% of their money, but economics students contributed only 20%. When asked what a fair contribution was, the non-economists were clear: 100% of them said half or more (a full 25% said all). The economists struggled with this question. Over a third of them refused to answer it or gave unintelligible responses. The researchers wrote that the meaning of fairness was somewhat alien for this group. Now there may be an element of self-selection, as in those how go into economics are mercenary types to being with. But its not hard to find examples of how economist and MBA-type thinking has done societal harm, and to give numerous examples to show that it has become more widely accepted. By Peter Dorman, an economist and a professor at Evergreen State College whose writing and speaking focuses on carbon policy, child labor and the global financial crisis. Originally published at EconoSpeak Whenever theres a natural disaster, a famine or some other such crisis, people zero in on price gouging. Are grain merchants jacking up prices to take advantage of a food shortage? What about airlines raising fares to cash in on desperate attempts to flee an impending hurricane, or stores that double or triple the price on bottled water? And generators that suddenly only the rich can afford? Most think this type of exploitation is unjust and even wicked, but Econ 101 says the opposite: its a rational, socially desirably market response to a change in supply and demand. Higher prices for goods made scarce and valuable by a disaster encourage both more provision and greater care in use, exactly what you would want in such a situation. For details, see the writeup in todays New York Times. According to the Times, the main flaw in the free market argument is that it allows the poor to be completely priced out. This is an application of the argument, made by many social theorists, that distinguishes between essential goods, which should be rationed more or less equally among all, and inessentials, which can be left to the market. Theres a lot to be said in its favor, and I wont dispute it. But the Times and most commentators miss a second point, which is about the same issue of social utility as the case for markets. Societies depend on a general willingness to share, volunteer and reciprocate, especially in desperate times. When a hurricane or earthquake strikes, or when war or some other spasm of human destructiveness occurs, we depend on friends and strangers to help locate survivors, pick up the rubble, share their homes and meals and generally pitch in. There have been a number of stories, for instance, about ordinary people from other parts of the country who, hearing about Harveys devastation of Houston, made their way their to help out however they could. Most of us wont drop everything and head to Texas, but its safe to say that Houston wont recover, or at least not so much or so quickly, unless hundreds of thousands in Texas and elsewhere lend a hand. The problem with price gouging is that it undermines the spirit of voluntary provision. Who will make a personal sacrifice to help the community rebuild if those with the most means are using disaster as a golden profit opportunity? Pecuniary incentives crowd out intrinsic ones. This is true at the individual level and also socially. A society in which the market performs rationally but spontaneous cooperation is snuffed out is cold, cruel and ultimately not rational at all. Disaster relief for sale is not so different from love for sale. Coyote Survives A Short, Strange Ride In Toyotas Grille Jalopnik (YY) Ticked Off: Japanese Officials Accidentally Release Lethal Tick At Press Conference Jonathan Turley (Chuck L) Vaporize! Cassini Gets Operatic Saturn Send-Off from Star Trek: Voyager Actor Space.com (Kevin W) Can emissions shrink while the economy grows? George Straight (Sid S) Ford disguised a man as a car seat to research self-driving TechCrunch (Chuck L) A New Surprise Airline Fee Wall Street Journal. Ugh. Toward A Predictive Theory Of Depression Slate Star Codex (UserFriendly) China? 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Where has this writer been? The media has been dominated by a handful of companies for some time. Fake News An 18 month delay of the fiduciary rule will cost retirement savers $10.9 billion Economic Policy Institute Cultish long-termism can hobble investors Financial Times Analysts Keep Saying Buy, and Equifax Keeps Plunging Bloomberg. Lordie. Analysts are saying Equifaxs insurance might be adequate when Bloomberg reported it has only $150 million in coverage, max? Guillotine Watch Class Warfare Antidote du jour. Dave D: Unusual swarm of jellyfish in Monterey bay . This was taken today but theyve been here for a week or two. See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. The path of austerity could spread economic pain and social woes far beyond the Caribbean island, says public debt expert Martin Guzman Editors note: In this Q&A, Martin Guzman, research associate at Columbia University, Professor of Economics at the University of Buenos Aires, and senior non-resident fellow at the Center for a New Economy in San Juan, Puerto Rico, shares with INET his analysis of the crisis in Puerto Rico and what a real recovery would take. The cases of Detroit and Greece are well known: Economic crises precipitated a crushing debt load and chaos as creditors demanded payment, ordinary citizens got squeezed, and millions of people lost their financial security. Now, 1,000 miles off the coast of Florida, a small Caribbean island of 3.4 million American citizens is facing its worst economic crisis since coming under U.S. rule in 1898. A lengthy recession and continued emigration have left the government unable to pay its debt, which is expected to exceed 107 percent of its GDP by next year. And while Puerto Rico was spared the worst of Hurricane Irma, the storm killed at least three people, destroyed hundreds of homes, knocked out the power grid, and exposed weak infrastructure. The U.S. Treasury, Congress, the Obama Administration, and other influential institutions such as the Council on Foreign Relations all acknowledge that without debt restructuring, Puerto Rico will be unable to reverse the disastrous economic track it is currently on. Unfortunately, with the government seriously considering a set of austerity measures, the situation could worsen quickly. Last June, the U.S. Congress passed PROMESA (Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act), a law intended to enable Puerto Rico to lift itself out of financial crisis. PROMESA authorized the creation of a Fiscal Control Board, a non-elected group tasked with overseeing the restructuring of Puerto Ricos debt and economy. Earlier this year, the board approved the Puerto Rican governments fiscal plan for 2017-2026, which included a number of austerity policies designed to slash the governments budget and free up money for creditors. Among these measures are cuts to pensions, health care, and the University of Puerto Rico. PROMESAs own projections estimate a fall in GDP that would lead to another lost decade. Columbia University economists Martin Guzman and Joseph Stiglitz, both INET grantees, have pointed out that while the PROMESA board was supposed to chart a path to recovery, its plan makes a virtual impossibility. At this crucial point in Puerto Ricos history, Guzman, among others, has argued that the key players in Puerto Ricos futurethe PROMESA board, the Puerto Rican government, and the U.S. federal governmentmust take action to reverse course and foster sustainable economic growth, or face a downward spiral that will further deprive citizens of opportunities in their own land and intensify the migration pressures to the mainland. Whats more, the decisions PROMESA makesregarding how to balance debt payments and public services, how far to take austerity measures, how transparent to be in its research and decisionscould set a precedent for future debt restructuring in municipalities, states, and sovereign nations worldwide. Martin Guzman, a leading scholar in the field of public debt crises, recently partnered with the Center for a New Economy in San Juan, Puerto Rico to produce a report that analyzes the consequences of the Fiscal Plan approved by PROMESAs Fiscal Control Board and to assess the restructuring needs for the island. Anamaria Lopez: Why should Puerto Ricos economic problems matter to everyone? Martin Guzman: The current struggle in Puerto Rico has costs for everyone, both Americans living there and those living in the mainland. Puerto Rico has been in a deep recession that has made debt unsustainableimpossible to pay in fulland has decreased employment and led to fewer opportunities for its population. Many Puerto Ricans have decided to migrate to the mainland, and the result is that as the recession aggravates, the fiscal revenues of the country decrease and the capacity for repaying debts decreases even more. As Puerto Ricans migrate, there are fewer people working on the island, especially those at the age of full-time work. So the governments capacity to collect fiscal revenue decreases. This vicious cycle is referred to in economics as a destabilizing dynamics. The migration has costs for American taxpayers as well. If Puerto Ricos crisis is not resolved, the economic and social crises, and the resultant migration crisis, are only going to be aggravated. Under the plan that was approved by the fiscal board created by PROMESA, the situation will soon get worse with all probability. Puerto Rico is going to experience another lost decade in terms of economic activity, leaving even fewer opportunities and affecting the lives of many. Only a few bondholders who will get prioritized for repayment in the short term will benefit. Many creditors will lose as well, as the funds that will be available for future repayment will also decrease if the depression deepens further. AL: Its been about a year since the passage of PROMESA. Has it achieved what it set out to do? MG: Not yet, and if the board doesnt change its views on what Puerto Rico needs to do in order to get out of debt, PROMESA will actually hurt the island. In order to help, PROMESA needs to ensure there is a macroeconomic plan in place that is aligned with the goal of economic recovery. What is clear is that if Puerto Rico doesnt restore the sustainability of its debt position, there will be no economic recovery, and in order to restore debt sustainability there needs to be debt restructuring with a substantial write downthat is, a decrease in the face valueof Puerto Ricos debt. But so far, it has been silent on the specifics of a debt-restructuring proposal. Unfortunately the [Fiscal Control] Board approved a fiscal plan for the next decade, 20172026, that is not aligned with what Puerto Rico needs to recover. Even the creators of the plan project another lost decade for the country, and theyre being overly optimistic since their projections are based on assumptions that are not sound. Theyre underestimating the consequences that the plan will have for the Puerto Rican economy and society. As long as the board doesnt settle on a sound macroeconomic plan with a sound debt restructuring proposal, PROMESA will not be fulfilling the role for which it was created. AL: Are the problems with PROMESA mostly politics or economics? Whats making the process so prolonged? MG: Debt restructuring of countries is generally a protracted process. Puerto Rico is in a special situation because its not a sovereign nation, its a U.S. colony, and it did not have a legal framework for restructuring debt until PROMESA was enacted. Restructuring debts without a proper legal framework as a bankruptcy law is generally chaotic. What we see in the sphere of sovereign debtors is that negotiations take too long and are too complex, and when debt relief is finally achieved its often too little, too late. PROMESA offers a legal framework for restructuring debt, but there are multiple creditors with different interests, and the inter-creditor disputes make resolving the situation quite difficult. So we have to understand that the field in which these negotiations occur and the conflicts of interest among creditors matter: This is both an economic and a political problem. Eventually, the PROMESA Fiscal Control Board will have to take a position on whether its going to help Puerto Rico and the majority of the creditors, or whether its going to defend the interests of some creditors that could gain from a process that squeezes as much as possible from the country but doesnt lead to economic recovery. AL: Is the debt the most pressing issue facing the Puerto Rican people? MG: Puerto Rico is experiencing three crises at the same time: a social crisis, an economic crisis, and a debt crisis. The debt crisis is the result of the economic crisis, but you cannot solve the social or economic crisis if the debt crisis is not resolved first. What this means is that if Puerto Rico doesnt receive substantial debt relief that allows for a fresh start, it will not have the resources to implement the macroeconomic and development policies it needs to in order to recover in a sustainable way. That is why the first step has to be the debt restructuring. AL: What economic impact is continued austeritythe cutting of government serviceshaving on the lives of Puerto Ricans in the short term? Are there potential long-term economic and social consequences as well? MG: In the short term, austerity aggravates the recession and reduces opportunities. The labor participation rate is already low, about two thirds of what it is in the mainland, the unemployment rate is close to 10 percent, and there have been continued increases in migration. Implementing the fiscal plan that was approved by the PROMESA board would mean more of that and an even deeper recession, especially in 2018 and 2019, and a more vulnerable situation for many especially those who are already at risk. Cuts in spending in public education would also bode badly for the future. Knowledge is at the center of development, so its a bad idea to save on the investment in knowledge in a country that is attempting to find a more dynamic path of growth. AL: Youve described Puerto Rico as a colony. How does its commonwealth status impact the economic destiny of its people? Are they getting a fair deal? MG: Puerto Rico is indeed a U.S. colony, and as such, it doesnt have the power or the capacity to make its own decisions. Puerto Rican citizens have to rely on the intentions of a group of non-elected technocrats that will make decisions that will have a significant impact on their lives. This to some extent resembles what happened in Greece: Greece, a sovereign nation, de facto lost its sovereignty in the process of resolving its debt crisis. The Troika got the power and crushed Greece. Will the Fiscal Board help or hurt Puerto Rico? Puerto Ricans will have to rely on the boards intentions, which I believe will have political consequences one way or another. If PROMESA plays a positive role and board actually helps Puerto Rico, that can reinforce Puerto Ricans belief that there is solidarity between them and the U.S. Otherwise, sentiments could change in the opposite direction. AL; Do you think Puerto Ricos debt situation resembles that of other Latin American countries now or in the past? How is it alike or different? : The most famous default in Latin America in the last 15 years was the one from Argentina in 2001. Argentina, like Puerto Rico now, was in a destabilizing macroeconomic dynamic. A recession began in 1998 and eventually evolved into a deep depression, with the unemployment rate going above 20 percent. But while Puerto Ricans can migrate to the U.S. and look for jobs there, Argentinians didnt have an equivalent option because they didnt have any other country where they could work legally. So what we saw was a massive increase in unemployment as well as massive social protests, which caused the problem to be addressed faster [there] than it is in Puerto Rico. Argentina underwent the process of debt restructuring without a proper legal framework, and it was a complex process that lasted for a long time. It had to deal with a group of bondholdersthe so-called vulture funds, which specialize in buying debt in situations of distress, much of that debt after defaultat a low fraction of its face value. They then litigated, claiming full payment and interest, plus extra interest to compensate for not having been paid on time, even though they bought most of the bonds after the default. However, Argentina did get substantial relief, so the amount of interest payments decreased significantly. This gave important breathing [room] to the government that was used for expansionary fiscal policies that helped the recovery. The international context was also different than the one that Puerto Rico faces: The recovery occurred in the context of a boom in the prices of exports. The recovery that followed the debt restructuring was spectacular, but the lack of legal framework gave rise to vulture funds behavior that threatened to undo the entire restructuring process. Unlike Argentina, Puerto Rico does have a legal framework for restructuring debt, PROMESA, that can be used to prevent chaos arising from potential lawsuits by vulture funds. Another difference is that Argentina as a sovereign nation could run its own monetary policy, and this was an important element of the recovery that followed the default. Puerto Rico does not have that instrument, so it has to rely on institutional innovations and legal changes that increase the competitiveness of its tradable production. So ultimately, there are similarities and differences with Argentina that need to be taken into account when designing an appropriate debt-restructuring plan for Puerto Rico. Ive also caught flak for characterizing right-to-try as being part of a broader war against the FDA (indeed, as part of a broader war against regulation in general) by libertarian-leaning free market fundamentalists, some of whom claim (literally) that the FDA is killing people. Lots of people. How can you say that? proponents of right-to-try would ask, drawing themselves up in their best self righteous fury. This is about helping terminally ill patients! Maybe. But, as Ive said before, the FDA already has a Compassionate Use program that achieves the same purpose and rarely turns requests down, a program thats been improved over the last couple of years to be speedier and more responsive, with much less application time. Consistent with its libertarian origins, right-to-try tries to cut the FDA out of decisions between a drug seller and patients, but at the cost of eliminating many protections for patients. For instance, unlike the case in expanded access or compassionate use, the institutional review board (IRB), an ethics panel that oversees clinical trials does not oversee patients in right-to-try. There is no financial help; so only patients whose families are rich or can raise a lot of money fast are likely to be able to benefit. Even worse, as Ive described, most right-to-try bills not only do not require insurance companies cover experimental therapeutics (and why should they?), but allow insurance companies not to cover charges for complications from using experimental therapeutics. However, perhaps the most egregiously false argument made by right-to-try advocates is that the laws allow use of experimental therapeutics after theyve been proven safe through phase I testing. Yes, you read that right. As Ive discussed multiple times, there is the requirement that the drug or device has only passed phase 1 trials, which, given how few drugs that have passed phase 1 actually make it through to approval, is a really low bar, especially since most phase 1 trials involve fewer than around 25 patients. Although not commonly seen as such, right-to-try laws are of a piece with libertarian and radical fundamentalist free market views, some of which claim that the FDA is basically unnecessary or that its role should be vastly constrained. You can see it all there: Minimal requirements for safety testing (phase I), no ethical oversight, the decision entirely up to the company and patient, and, of course, the patient is totally on his or her own. People with such views were even in consideration for the post of FDA Commissioner, for example, two cronies of the aforementioned Peter Thiel, both of whom believe that the FDA stifles their holy grail of innovation. The first was Jim ONeill, who has advocated that the FDA test new drugs only for safety, not efficacy, thus returning the FDA to its pre-1962, pre-thalidomide role. The second was Balaji Srinivasan, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who advocated basically doing away with the current system of FDA regulation and replacing it with online reviews, basically a Yelp or Uber for drugs and medical devices. When asked How do you prevent quacks? Srinivasan replied, Scaled Internet reputation systems. Works at massive scale in other areas. So clueless were both of these men that it was a relief when a relatively normal Republican pharma shill named Scott Gottlieb was ultimately appointed. He was the least bad, most conventional choice, someone any conservative Republican administration might have appointed. Yes, he wants to streamline the process by which, for example, vaccines are approved, but hes actually pretty conventional. Hes even decided to http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/08/28/546719842/fda-cracks-down-on-stem-cell-clinics-selling-unapproved-treatments. Stymied at the FDA, apparently Peter Thiel is now waging his war on the FDA by other means: Defying U.S. safety protections for human trials, an American university and a group of wealthy libertarians, including a prominent Donald Trump supporter, are backing the offshore testing of an experimental herpes vaccine. The American businessmen, including Trump adviser Peter Thiel, invested $7 million in the ongoing vaccine research, according to the U.S. company behind it. Southern Illinois University also trumpeted the research and the studys lead researcher, even though he did not rely on traditional U.S. safety oversight in the first trial, held on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts. Neither the Food and Drug Administration nor a safety panel known as an institutional review board, or an IRB, monitored the testing of a vaccine its creators say prevents herpes outbreaks. Most of the 20 participants were Americans with herpes who were flown to the island several times to be vaccinated, according to Rational Vaccines, the company that oversaw the trial. What theyre doing is patently unethical, said Jonathan Zenilman, chief of Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Centers Infectious Diseases Division. Theres a reason why researchers rely on these protections. People can die. Indeed it is. What Peter Thiel and Rational Vaccines, a company founded by Agustin Fernandez III and William Halford (formerly of Southern Illinois University who died recently of cancer) did and are doing is patently unethicalshockingly, horrifyingly so. The very function of the IRB is to protect human subjects in clinical trials. Usually, when a clinical trial is proposed, it goes through two committees, first the scientific review board, or SRB, which determines whether the trial is scientifically justified and soundly designed. The second is the IRB, which is charged with protecting the human subjects. Its function is to examine the clinical trial design and to determine whether it is ethical and whether the risks to human subjects do not outweigh the potential benefits; e.g., that there is clinical equipoise. Once it approves the trial, the IRB continues to monitor the trial, examining reports of adverse events, both serious and minor, and sometimes demanding changes in the trial or even canceling it if it judges that there are too many adverse events or that one group is doing so much better than the other group that it would be unethical to continue the trial. These protections for human subjects flow from the Belmont Report and the Common Rule, both of which were designed to prevent the abuse of human research subjects like what the Nazis did and underlie all the federal regulation regarding human research protection. Unfortunately, these protections are not universal, as they only apply to organizations with federal funding (such as universities) or entities applying for FDA approval for one of its investigational drugs or devices. Like right-to-try, Peter Thiels and Rational Vaccines offshore clinical trial of a new herpes vaccine is an attack on the FDA. Libertarians and free market fundamentalists even admit as much: The push behind the vaccine is as much political as medical. President Trump has vowed to speed up the FDAs approval of some medicines. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, who had deep financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry, slammed the FDA before his confirmation for over-prioritizing consumer protection to the detriment of medical innovations. This is a test case, said Bartley Madden, a retired Credit Suisse banker and policy adviser to the conservative Heartland Institute, who is another investor in the vaccine. The FDA is standing in the way, and Americans are going to hear about this and demand action. (Natural News) The publication of over 200,000 long-hidden documents is now blowing the lid off the corrupt and longstanding (criminal) relationship between regulatory federal agencies and chemical companies. Known as the Poison Papers Project, the collection and publication of the documents was initiated this year by Independent Science News and the Center for Media and Democracy revealing decades of collusion between regulatory government agencies and biochemical industry to actively suppress information on chemical toxicity. Find out how federal agencies conspired with chemical companies to hide toxin dangers from the public. On the next NaturalHealth365 Talk Hour, Jonathan Landsman and Jonathan Latham, PhD, director of the Poison Papers project, expose the secret documents that reveal years of collusion, deceit, and outright fraud all aimed at deceiving the general public. If you are ready to learn about the stunning depths to which corporations and agencies descended in order to hide the truth about dioxins and other poisons you wont want to miss this explosive show. To hear this FREE show visit https://www.naturalhealth365.com/newsletter-show and enter your email address for show details. The Poison Papers prove that U.S. federal employees at the highest levels work to support chemical corporations The documents collectively known as The Poison Papers generated between the late 1960s and middle 1990s consist of over 200,000 pages of study summaries, internal memos, meeting minutes, correspondence and sworn testimonies. Author and activist Carol Van Strum began collecting and archiving the documents as a result of her 1974 attempt to stop the Forest Service from spraying 2,4,5-T (one of the ingredients in Agent Orange). Many of the documents were obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests, with some being acquired through legal discovery in lawsuits against chemical corporations and various federal regulatory agencies. The documents became public recently when the online publication The Intercept published an interview with Van Strum. The scandal involves the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Defense along with major chemical manufacturers such as Monsanto, Dow, Dupont and Union Carbine. In fact, Dr. Latham notes that the involvement extended to every chemical company that existed at the time. The documents provide a wealth of evidence that both the EPA and the corporations were well aware of the extraordinary toxicity of many chemical products and schemed to hide this information from the public. Get ready to be stunned, because the information were about to release on the next NaturalHealth365 Talk Hour is worse than you think. (Be informed dont miss this show) To hear this FREE show visit https://www.naturalhealth365.com/newsletter-show and enter your email address for show details. One sickening example: Poison Papers show extensive proof of dioxin toxicity coverups Dioxins, also known as TCDD, are a related group of persistent organic pollutants that accumulate in the food chain and are stored in fatty tissue of humans and animals. Long-time storage and improper disposal of industrial waste can cause this poison to be released into the environment, where it contaminates human and animal food supplies. The International Agency for Cancer Research has classified dioxins as known carcinogens with chronic exposure in animals known to cause several types of cancer. Dioxins, states Dr. Latham, may be behind the current cancer epidemic and everyone has been exposed to these toxins to some degree. Short-term exposure to high levels of dioxins can cause skin lesions and altered liver function. Long-term exposure is associated with immune system impairment, along with disruptions of the developing nervous system, the endocrine system and reproductive functions. In an outrageous betrayal of trust, agencies not only failed to inform the public of the dangers of dioxins but also suppressed evidence of fraudulent testing involving the toxins. Also concealed was the fact that dioxins were found in common household and personal products, such as coffee filters and diapers. Simply put, these chemical companies are about to be exposed for the crimes theyve committed against humanity. And, many people (in my opinion) need to be held accountable! This weeks guest: Jonathan Latham, PhD, co-founder director of Bioscience Research Project Discover the shocking truth about what the chemical industry is hiding from the public Sun. Sept. 17 Jonathan Latham, PhD, is the editor of Independent Science News and the co-founder and executive director of the Bioscience Resource Project (BRP), a non-profit educational organization which conducts independent scientific analysis of genetic engineering and its risks. The BRP seeks to create a strong scientific foundation for healthy, just and ecologically sound food and agricultural systems. Dr. Latham holds a Masters Degree in Crop Genetics, as well as a Ph.D. in Virology. A past postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Genetics at University of Wisconsin Madison, Dr. Latham has published scientific papers in plant ecology, plant virology, genetics and genetic engineering. He is currently the director of the Poison Papers project, which publicizes documents of the chemical industry and its regulators. To hear this FREE show visit https://www.naturalhealth365.com/newsletter-show and enter your email address for show details. Sources for this article include: PoisonPapers.org NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A group of four Republicans senators have a window of just a few weeks to win approval for a dramatic overhaul of Obamacare, but unfortunately, theyve got an uphill battle in a Congress dominated by a party that once unanimously swore to get rid of the countrys worst healthcare reform law ever passed. As reported by Lifezette, Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana have been trying to get some traction for their plan for a number of weeks, shortly after the Senate failed to advance a House-passed Obamacare repeal measure earlier this summer. Joining them at a news conference on Wednesday to discuss the plan further were Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. Behind me is the only thing standing between you and single-payer health care, said Graham. A band of brothers looking for a sister. He was referring to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who on Wednesday offered up his own plan Medicare for all which is full-on, government-controlled, socialized medicine, which would be an even bigger nightmare than Obamacare. Why anyone would want Washington bureaucrats to have even more control over their healthcare after the Affordable Care Act is beyond me. (Related: Dems lining up behind full-on push for SOCIALIZED medicine, which was the plan ALL along.) Bernie, this ends your dream of a single-payer system for America, said Graham, referring to his own plan, which has won praise from President Donald J. Trump. Obamacare has been a complete nightmare for the many Americans who have been devastated by its skyrocketing healthcare premiums and deductibles and canceled or shrinking plans, he said in a statement Wednesday. As I have continued to say, inaction is not an option, and I sincerely hope that Senators Graham and Cassidy have found a way to address the Obamacare crisis. The Senate is running short of time, however. To avoid a certain Democrat-led filibuster, which would require eight Democrats to join all 52 Republicans to overcome, the Senate has to pass a bill before the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30. If you believe repealing Obamacare is a good idea, Graham said, this is your best and only chance of making it happen. Cause everything else has failed except this approach, which will work if we get behind it. Lifezette notes further: The bill would eliminate the Affordable Care Act tax on medical devices but leave most of the other taxes in place. The federal government then would turn that money over to states, with the flexibility to design their own rules and regulations. Thats called federalism, by the way allowing states to self-govern and its one of our founding principles. So Graham got this one right. The measure requires grants to be based on a states population of people who earn between 50 percent and 138 percent of the federal poverty line. Beginning in 2022, the government would then add in a risk adjustment, which would send more funds to states with older, sicker populations, because they are more expensive to provide care for. Plus, the plan offers incentives based on how many people enroll for coverage. Right now, Graham said that 40 percent of all Obamacare taxes go to just four states: California, New York, Massachusetts, and Maryland and wouldnt you know it, all four are run by far-Left Democrats. Noting that his bill will slow the growth of Medicaid, Graham said without any changes at all to Obamacare the federal government will be spending upwards of $650 billion on the program by 2027, more than we now spend on defense ($549 billion). One expert said whether or not the plan would eventually work depends a lot on just how many strings the federal government winds up attaching to it. Even if it starts with very few strings attached its hard to see how the states would retain that flexibility over time, said Edmund Haislmaier, a research fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Other experts said they believe the plan has a good chance of passing. I think [the GOP senators] figured out how to thread the needle, said Grace-Marie Turner, president of the Galen Institute. Well see. Doing nothing is not an option. J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel. Sources include: Lifezette.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) For some time now, Dave Hodges of the Common Sense Show has been reporting on strange events taking place in Northern Colorado. Last year, before the presidential election, Hodges reported on sightings of foreign mercenaries and elite military personnel from Nepal known as Gurkhas in that part of the state. He pointed out at the time that Gurkhas were specially recruited by the British army in the mid-19th century because they are elite, highly trained soldiers. Interestingly, he noted, Gurkhas are trained to fight against guerrilla forces. What, he wondered, were they doing in Northern Colorado? Now, another shocking, baffling and confusing development has arisen in the same area of the state: At least 15 otherwise healthy veterans have suddenly gone completely deaf. Paul Martin, a friend of Hodges, recently contacted him to inform him of the strange development. An unnamed friend of Martin who lives in this area and is a very healthy veteran, had suddenly woken up one morning to find that he had totally lost his hearing. When he visited a good VA hospital in the area, they ran several tests but could find absolutely nothing wrong. One of the doctors there informed the man that he was the 15th person from the region that had experienced the exact same bizarre thing. As Hodges pointed out, while an acute event can cause you to lose your hearing suddenly and dramatically, no such event had taken place for any of these veterans. One minute everything was fine; the next their hearing was simply gone. What could be going on to cause 15 healthy men to suddenly and dramatically lose their hearing? he asked. Since a major catastrophic event would have affected the whole region and non-veterans would have been affected as well, Hodges and Martin believe that veterans are being specifically targeted. (Related: American Legion endorses medical marijuana for veterans.) The men have been collecting eyewitness and photographic evidence of the foreign military activity taking place in Northern Colorado for some time. In addition, some of the shows listeners have submitted similar evidence from Southern Wyoming. With this in mind, Martin and Hodges suspect that this could be a military beta test for a new weapon. Making Hodges even more suspicious is the fact that when Martin was conveying the story to him on the phone, they were suddenly and dramatically disconnected, and Hodges had a hard time getting him back on the line. The good news is that one of the affected men recovered his hearing after 30 days of total deafness. Doctors are hopeful that the same thing will happen with the other people in the group. Hodges calls this a mystery wrapped in an enigma, around another mystery. It certainly does seem baffling. Sources for this story include: YouTube.com TheCommonSenseShow.com (Natural News) Spending a few minutes on mindfulness medication and yoga may boost goal-directed behavior and may even lead to job promotion, a study in Mindfulness revealed. To carry out the study, a team of researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario examined 31 participants who were instructed to perform 25 minutes of Hatha yoga, 25 minutes of mindfulness meditation, and 25 minutes of quiet reading in random order. The results showed that spending 25 minutes daily on yoga and meditation helped enhance the participants brain function and goal-directed behavior. Likewise, the research team observed a marked improvement in the participants emotional response and energy levels. There are a number of theories about why physical exercises like yoga improve energy levels and cognitive test performance. These include the release of endorphins, increased blood flow to the brain and reduced focus on ruminative thoughts. Though ultimately, it is still an open question, lead author Kimberly Luu told the Daily Mail. Hatha yoga and mindfulness meditation both focus the brains conscious processing power on a limited number of targets like breathing and posing, and also reduce processing of nonessential information. Although the meditative aspect might be even more important than the physical posing for improving executive functions, there are additional benefits to Hatha yoga including improvements in flexibility and strength. These benefits may make Hatha yoga superior to meditation alone, in terms of overall health benefits, study author Professor Peter Hall said in a separate Psych Central article. Studies: Mindfulness-based programs may relieve job-related anxiety The results of the recent study coincide with two new studies demonstrating the beneficial effects of mindfulness meditation on job-related stress. In the first study, 30 executives from a large oil company were offered 16 weeks of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) training, which included a one-day introductory session and single-day training at the end of the fourth and eighth weeks. The executives were also provided with audio recordings of daily mindfulness practices and exercises, instructions on coping with stress, and a supporting workbook. Some of the participants even took part in a daily, 30-minute practice group. The results showed that the 22 remaining participants who finished the training exhibited better physical and emotional health, improved health-related habits, and enhanced sleep at the end of the 16-week study period. They also reported less perceived stress and had lower blood cortisol and blood pressure levels. In another study, 15 faculty and staff from two Australian universities were instructed to undergo a seven-week, modified MBSR program. The program offered weekly 60- to 90-minute mindfulness lessons, instructions in sitting meditation and best practices in performing a body scan and incorporating mindfulness in daily activities. Study data showed that the employees demonstrated increased mindfulness skill, heightened awareness, and improved focus. The employees were also found to sleep better, pay more attention to physical tension, and spend less time thinking about the past and the future. (Related: Study: Best treatment for anxiety is mindfulness meditation.) Dr. Elizabeth Hoge, a psychiatrist at the Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, noted that performing mindfulness meditation may serve as a perfect remedy against anxiety attacks. People with anxiety have a problem dealing with distracting thoughts that have too much power. They cant distinguish between a problem-solving thought and a nagging worry that has no benefit. You might think Im late, I might lose my job if I dont get there on time, and it will be a disaster! Mindfulness teaches you to recognize, Oh, theres that thought again. Ive been here before. But its just thata thought, and not a part of my core self, Dr. Hoge said. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk PsychCentral.com Mindful.org Health.Harvard.edu A machine learning project to build an autonomous sailplane that remains aloft on thermal currents is impressive enough. But the work conducted by Microsoft researchers Andrey Kolobov and Iain Guilliard will also improve the decision making and trustworthiness of IoT devices, personal assistants and autonomous cars. The constraints limiting the computational resource of weight and space imposed by the airframe of the sailplane adds relevance to the many new developments in ubiquitous computing. The autonomous sailplane is controlled by a 160MHz Arm Cortex M4 with 256KB of RAM and 60KB of flash running on batteries that monitor the sensors, run the autopilot and control the servo motors, to which the researchers have added a machine learning model that continuously learns how to autonomously ride the thermal currents. + Also on Network World: The inextricable link between IoT and machine learning + In the these early days of platforms like digital assistants, IoT and autonomous vehicles, there are hundreds of open problems that will be distilled into a handful of scientific questions that first must be answered to build products that match popular visions of them. When scientific questions start to emerge, the platforms future becomes predictable maybe not to an exact month, but within a year or three. IoT following the same path as Web 2.0 The Web 2.0 platform followed a similar course. First talked about in 1999, it developed enough interest in 2004 for O'Reilly Media and MediaLive to host the first Web 2.0 conference in 2004. But it was not until later in the decade that companies such as Salesforce and Google implemented Web 2.0. This was a decade-long evolution of first a vision, a collection of open problems distilled into scientific questions that university and industrial researchers answered. As the technology shifts from research to development, product developers find the answers to the scientific questions in the work of researchers that enables them to build a product. Digital assistants, IoT and autonomous vehicles on a Web 2.0 time-scale are much closer to 2004 than the later part of the first decade of this millennium when enough research was translated into development that products could be built at scale. Goals of Microsofts sailplane project At an all-hands meeting, inspired by a 2013 story in the Economist about autonomous sailplanes, the team of Microsoft researchers set the goals of this project to answer two scientific questions: how to build trusted AI systems and how to architect system with AI and machine learning as a fundamental systems design principle. Kolobovs said: "The state of the art in AI development is not at the level where AI agents can reliably act fully autonomously, which is why we do not see many AI systems acting in the physical world with full autonomy. MSR is trying to build AI systems that are robust and can be trusted to act fully on their own, performing better than humans. The implications of this research apply to personal assistants, autonomous cars and IoT. "We wanted to gain experience in designing systems where AI and machine learning are first-class citizens so we do not have to fundamentally modify the architecture of the systems post hoc." Kolobov and Guillard are part of a multidisciplinary team with complementary skills. Kolobov has applied AI and machine learning to commercial products such as Windows and Bing. Guillard, after over a decade working on control systems on the Airbus 350 and the A4 Skyhawk, is a computer science Ph.D. candidate at the Australian National University and an intern at Microsoft. An odd pairing perhaps, unless the question that they are trying to answer is understood. There are many machine learning problems that do not have ground truth. Ground truth is an accurate data set for machine learning classification and training. Machine learning models are programmed (trained) with data, not lines of code. The models are taught to predict a correct answer with data. If a model is taught to recognize cats, labeled images of cats are ground truth. This method called supervised training has two stages: training, typically based on beefy GPUs learning from images of cats and not cats and inference, or predicting the right answer cat or not cat. Because the physical world in which the machine learning model interacts is unpredictable, ground truth cannot be easily simulated with computers and classified training data does not exist. How can every defensive maneuver of an autonomous vehicle in reaction to another vehicle be predicted? Or how can every elderly caretaker robots response to a patient in distress be predicted? These unstable systems cannot be predicted. The models need to learn by interacting with chaotic, unstable systems. Vehicles on highways and elderly patients are unsuitable for AI to learn to operate reliably and safely. A sailplane, however, is. How the sailplane works Ground truth for an autonomous sailplane is limited because it is impossible to measure the turbulent condition, where the rising thermal column of air begins and ends and what is happening inside. A laptop on the ground performs high-level planning for the sailplane based on data from flights by manned sailplanes using the local terrain and wind conditions to predict thermals sent to the autonomous sailplane via telemetry. The sailplane uses an onboard Bayesian reinforcement learning algorithm to make decisions by using the observations it gets from its sensors. Bayesian reinforcement learning was chosen because of the models ability to plan its actions to learn and exploit knowledge in an optimal manner. This approach is easier to understand the decisions the agent is making and why. The model uses Monte Carlo tree search to choose the detected areas of lift that can be exploited to optimize altitude to instruct the autopilot to adjust the elevators, which are the horizontal control surfaces on the tail that cause an airplane to climb or descend with servo motors to keep the sailplane soaring. It also uses Monte Carlo tree search to exploit thermal currents, sending instructions to the autopilot. Monte Carlo tree search has been applied to win non-deterministic games, such as Googles Go project and poker. It gradually builds up a partial game tree of moves, then uses advanced strategies to find a balance between exploring new decision branches and exploiting the most promising branches. Running Bayesian reinforcement algorithms on a sailplane poses significant challenges compared to Go and poker. Remember the computational and battery constraints? The sailplane is controlled by the real-time open-source ArduPilot running on open-source Pixhawk Arm Cortex M4 hardware. Execution of the Bayesian reinforcement algorithm is interleaved with the real-time ArduPilot in short, less than 100ms intervals so that control of the sailplanes sensors and servo motors is maintained and crashes avoided. The pairing of Kolobov and Guillard is a careful match of a machine learning expert with an aeronautic control systems domain expert who is also a computer science Ph.D. candidate. But their pairing isnt the only clever combination. This search for a deeper understanding was combined with off-the shelf sailplane airframes, sensors, servo motors, open-source hardware and an open-source auto-pilot so that Kolobov and Guillard could get right to implementing and tuning the Bayesian reinforcement learning and quickly iterate their designs, improving their results. During these pioneering days of digital assistants, IoT and autonomous vehicles, product developers will find some of the most relevant answers to scientific questions that can be translated into their products fields, such as sailplanes that might appear at first to be orthogonal and unrelated. It may take another five to 10 years for digital assistants, IoT and autonomous vehicles to become as reliable as humans. Microsoft Research is working on one of the scientific questions that must first be answered before these pioneering product visions reach this point. Although the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedure is performed in patients with severe liver disease, the complication rate is less than 5%. These must be identified and treated promptly to avoid danger to life. T.I.P.S. minimally invasive procedure for cirrhosis of the liver Play Procedural complications Vascular Access The catheter through which the procedure is performed is introduced through a puncture in the vascular wall. This may cause carotid artery injury and right atrial perforation. Carotid arterial rupture may occur when the catheter is attempted to be passed through the internal jugular vein. Again, perforations or breaches of the right atrial wall may occur. These are due to migration of the long 10-F access sheath used in this procedure and which is left behind in some cases to facilitate the administration of intravenous fluids, treatments, or subsequent follow-up. It may cause lesions in the wall of the right atrium. Difficulty Faced During Portal Vein Localization An important step in the TIPS procedure is localizing the portal vein. If the accurate position of the portal vein is identified, then the radiologist can target the vein precisely. This avoids the need to make repeated punctures with the consequent risk of unwanted bleeding. The portal vein is usually localized using a wedged hepatic venogram. A balloon-occlusion catheter or an angiographic catheter is placed in one of the hepatic veins and through this carbon dioxide (CO2) or iodine is injected to achieve the opacification of the portal vein. During this procedure, liver laceration may occur if the injection is given too forcefully. Difficulties During Portal Vein Access Gaining access to the portal vein is a very challenging step and various techniques have been proposed to ease this procedure. It is always preferable to avoid making repeated punctures so as to avoid vessel perforation and catastrophic bleeding. The hepatic veins are the first route of access but if they are not suitable, the inferior vena cava is tapped instead and the catheter is guided directly into the portal vein. This leads to increased risk of inferior vena cava laceration, however. Damage to the hepatic artery is not uncommon during this procedure, but may be accompanied by severe bleeding and even death. Hepatic artery embolization is to be avoided during TIPS as it increases the risk of hepatic failure in the post-operative period. The weakened hepatic artery wall may also form a pseudoaneurysm or become the point of hepatic infarction. Puncture and opacification of the biliary duct are quite common during the performance of TIPS. Injury of the bile duct is very rare. Infections, shunt stenosis, and fever are some of the symptoms that occur due to the formation of a fistula between the shunt tract and the biliary system. Difficulties During Stent Placement Difficult stent placement may lead to shunt failure as a result of technical problems. The commonly used stent at present is the Wallstent, which can be repositioned and recaptured. But this type of stent tends to recoil at the end of the hepatic vein, making the stent length inadequate to sustain shunt longevity. Stent migration is a serious condition and needs immediate clinical attention. When it moves forward, an additional stent is required to be placed in tandem to cover the whole tract with the stent. If the original stent moves into the right atrium centrally, it may result in cardiac chamber perforation or hemodynamic complications. Stent migration from the right atrium can result in aortoatrial fistula development and atrial perforation. This subsequently leads to catastrophic outcomes. Shunt thrombosis may also result from stent migration. Post-Procedural Complexities TIPS diverts the blood flow through the portal vein with the help of the shunt, in order to reduce the portal system pressure. However, this increases the volume of circulating blood in patients with liver cirrhosis. After the successful implementation of TIPS, there are inevitable changes in pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, right atrial pressure, and cardiac indices. These changes may lead to severe decompensation in post-TIPS patients. A functioning shunt leads to a change in the direction of portal flow which can lead to liver failure after TIPS. 25% of blood to the liver is supplied by the hepatic artery and the remaining blood flow is via the portal vein. The hepatic artery normally responds to a sudden reduction in portal artery flow and compensates for this drop. When this is absent, a rapid fall in hepatic blood flow can precipitate hepatic failure with a steep rise in the bilirubin level. This can culminate in rapidly progressing fulminant liver failure and death. The most common complication that develops after TIPS is hepatic encephalopathy, which is defined by confusion, irregular sleep patterns, and an overall change in the quality of life. Occasionally, radiation injuries occur after a prolonged TIPS procedure. Many of these difficulties have been overcome by the development of new technology which makes it possible to do a total fluoroscopy within 20 to 30 min. Radiation injuries can be avoided by following the basic standards for decreasing radiation exposure. Thus, the patient faces various potential complications during the TIPS procedure and the radiologist should be aware of their possibility and take steps to prevent them as far as possible. References Further Reading A University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor is making strides toward developing an effective cancer treatment without the severe side effects of traditional therapies. Dr. Darin Jones, UA Little Rock associate professor of chemistry, envisions a day when patients can battle cancer without chemotherapy side effects such as hair loss, muscle atrophy, and compromised immune systems. "We are developing a therapy that targets and kills tumor cells, which is unique compared to today's therapies that are based on nonselective, toxic chemotherapy options," Jones said. In partnership with Dr. John Tainer from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Jones received a five-year grant of $795,683 from the National Institutes of Health in 2016. They are also collaborating with Dr. Zamal Ahmed at MD Anderson Cancer Institute. "Most chemotherapeutic agents as well as radiation therapy kill cancer cells by inducing DNA damage," Jones said. "They do so in an indiscriminate manner. If the cancer cell is able to repair the damage, the cancer cell survives and perpetuates the disease." Within the human body, there are a variety of proteins that cause cells to repair damage to DNA. They are known as DNA repair proteins. Jones and his colleagues are designing and preparing small molecules that prevent these proteins from "turning on the DNA repair process." "By blocking the DNA repair process, the damaged DNA is not repaired, which results in the death of cancer cells," Jones said. In currently available hormonal cancer therapy, doctors rely on proteins present in the patient's body. If the patient does not have the necessary protein receptors, the cancer treatment will not work, and its effectiveness could fade over time if a patient were to go into remission and then later develop cancer, Jones said. Research by Jones and Tainer could provide more options. What makes their research unique is that patients would not need to have a protein receptor in order to receive the treatment. "If we are successful, it would represent a brand new paradigm in cancer therapy research," Jones said. Tainer, who is testing the medicine in this form of therapy, is excited to work with Jones on the project. "Without a doubt, the creative chemistry from Dr. Jones is the heart of the project and what is driving its success," Tainer said. Jones has an extensive background in cancer therapy research. Before joining UA Little Rock, he was a senior scientist in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at Washington University School of Medicine and the senior principal scientist and research scientist at Pfizer, a prominent pharmaceutical company. In 2014, Jones received national attention for his research into dehydroleucodine, a molecule found in Ecuadorian plants. Jones thinks the molecule, often used as an anti-inflammatory and treatment for skin infections, could one day form the basis of a treatment for leukemia. A multigene panel test could be a useful diagnostic tool to help clinicians identify patients with a hereditary kidney cancer syndrome, according to the results of a study published in Cancer. "We know that a large number of patients with kidney cancer have an inherited predisposition," study researcher Brian Shuch, MD, of the department of urology at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, told Cancer Therapy Advisor. "We are now able to test these patients with a multigene panel that can facilitate identification of a germline variant." According to Dr Shuch, the panel tested for 19 genes currently known to increase the risk for kidney cancer. All of these genes are inherited genes -; called germline variants -; and are possessed in every cell of the patient's body. The study included 1235 patients who underwent targeted multigene panel testing between 2013 and 2016. The median age of patients was 46, significantly younger than the United States population of people with kidney cancer (46.2 vs 63.2; P < .001). The panel identified several inherited genes including folliculin (FLCN) and fumarate hydratase (FH). Overall, 6.1% of patients were positive for a germline variant, 75.5% of patients were negative, and 18.4% had inconclusive results. Mutations were found in 15 of the genes evaluated in the test. Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 (TSC2), mesenchymal epithelial transition factor proto-oncogene (MET), and PMS1 homolog 2 (PMS2) had the highest rates of variants of unknown significance and were identified in 2.7%, 2.2%, and 1.7% of patients, respectively. The researchers noted that early onset age was the only factor identified as predictive of a positive test on multivariate analysis (odds ratio = 0.975; P = .0052). Real-World Application Hereditary kidney cancer syndromes are often diagnosed by astute clinicians who recognize that there is more to a patient's diagnosis then just the random event of getting cancer, according to Dr Shuch. If the clinician is not very astute, or does not have a good recognition or knowledge of kidney cancer syndromes, they may miss the diagnosis of a condition that predisposes the patient to that cancer, which may put [the patient] at risk to develop other types of cancer and places other family members at risk for kidney cancer or other diseases, Dr Shuch explained. Anyone with a significant family history for kidney cancer or who has a clinical manifestation of a specific cancer-causing syndrome should probably be tested if they meet the testing criteria for a specific syndrome, Dr Shuch said. This test would be useful for someone who is affected with kidney cancer where the clinician has some increased suspicion that it may not be a sporadic event, Dr Shuch said. In the past the clinician would need to rely on a strong understanding of each cancer syndrome and decide to individually test each gene one at a time in sequential fashions. This is more of a shotgun approach to test all genes at once, he said. It is more cost effective and has a higher chance of finding the cause of the cancer. Similar to false positives in diagnostic tests, one possible drawback to the multigene panel is the discovery of a gene of unknown significance. Sometimes a patient has a variant that is different from normal, but it is unclear if the variant is associated with a disease or the cancer they developed, Dr Shuch explained. In testing, it is not always black or white, positive or negative. There are mutations that are disease-causing mutations, there are mutations that may not be significant and are not associated with anything, and then there are completely normal test results. To some, the idea of invisibility leads to mischief, seeing things without being seen. To the pathologist, the idea of invisibility leads to simplicity, seeing the disease in its fullest. In a new study published in Scientific Reports, Japanese researchers report, CUBIC, a technique including a tissue processing that makes human organs transparent, provides better assessment of lesions for pathological diagnosis. "Traditionally, pathological diagnosis is made by taking 2D sections of a specimen resected from patients. It is effective, but we cannot exclude the possibility that important findings away from the cut surface are overlooked," explains Osaka University Professor Eiichi Morii, who co-corresponding-authored the study. Contemporary methods are based on staining techniques from the 19th Century. Patient specimens are cut into thin sections that are stained and analyzed individually under a microscope. However, this method has limitations in its relatively narrow range of observation area and in its two-dimensionality. CUBIC (Clear, Unobstructed Brain/Body Imaging Cocktails and Computational Analysis) was first reported by RIKEN Group Director Hiroki R. Ueda, who is the corresponding author of this study, and his colleagues three years ago. CUBIC has been used to observe whole organs mainly from experimental animals. In the new study, Ueda and his colleagues demonstrated that CUBIC can be used to observe organs from humans and that it surpasses current methods for pathological diagnosis/study. The study shows CUBIC applicability to the 3D imaging of patient lung and lymph node tissues, clearly delineating normal and abnormal regions. After routine observation, many patient samples are stored at hospitals as paraffin-embedded tissue blocks. Additionally, the study shows that the combination of appropriate deparaffinization and CUBIC enabled 3D imaging of these older specimens. "These results mean that we can use not only newly fixed samples but also paraffin-embedded tissues stored in the pathological archives of hospitals," said Osaka University Assistant Professor Satoshi Nojima, who first-authored the study. The scientists also examined the practical diagnostic potential of CUBIC. They showed that CUBIC was much more capable of detecting metastatic carcinomas in lymph node specimens compared to standard pathology techniques. "This is outstanding result to demonstrate the usefulness of CUBIC on practical clinical examination," Nojima said. These findings show the potential of CUBIC for retrospective and prospective clinicopathological diagnosis. "Our wish is to improve CUBIC so that it leads to the establishment of a novel field of medical science based on 3D histopathology." Ueda said. In a busy health week for Congress, Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee agreed on a proposal to fund the Children's Health Insurance Program for five more years, while Republicans and Democrats at the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee continued to pursue a joint plan to stabilize the individual health insurance market. Meanwhile, a growing group of Democrats, led by liberal standard-bearer Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), unveiled a "Medicare for All" single-payer health care bill. But the apparent groundswell of support could overstate what might happen when details come out and people see who wins and loses. And Republicans continue to pursue one last-ditch effort to pass a bill to "repeal and replace" the Affordable Care Act in the Senate under rules that let the bill pass with a simple majority. In this week's episode of "What the Health?" Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal discuss all these issues. Plus, for "extra credit," the panelists recommend their favorite health stories of the week they think you should read, too. Julie Rovner: The New York Times "How Single-Payer Health Care Could Trip Up Democrats," by Margot Sanger-Katz. Joanne Kenen: Reuters "Doctors who take pharmaceutical money use Twitter to hype drugs," by Ronnie Cohen. Margot Sanger-Katz: Voxs "Once Obamacare repeal is dead, the GOP has no Plan B," by Dylan Scott. Stephanie Armour: Voxs "Single-payer isn't the only progressive option on health care," by Ron Pollack. To hear all our podcasts, click here. And subscribe to What the Health? on iTunes, Stitcher or Google Play. Road-traffic injuries (RTIs), which are often fatal, are regrettable consequences of modern transportation. According to the World Health Organization, low- and middle-income countries have road-traffic fatality rates that are double those of high-income countries. It is well established that drinking alcohol increases the risk of a traffic crash. This study examined the role that alcohol plays in the risk of RTIs in 10 countries located in Latin America and the Caribbean. Researchers analyzed data previously collected on 1,119 (817 males, 302 females) RTI patients arriving at 16 emergency departments (EDs) in Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Guyana, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Trinidad & Tobago between 2001 and 2015. Particular attention was paid to reports of alcohol consumption during the six hours prior to the RTI. In the countries examined, one of every five injury patients visited an ED as a result of an RTI, and one in every six RTI patients had consumed alcohol during the six hours prior to the accident. The presence of alcohol increased risk among drivers and non-drivers alike. More specifically, the likelihood of an RTI after any drinking was five times higher than not drinking, and the more a person drank the higher the risk. Each drink increased the risk of an RTI by 13 percent. Alcohol use prior to an RTI was responsible for 14 percent of all RTIs, varying from 7 percent for females to 19 percent for passenger injury. The authors recommend measures to reduce alcohol consumption among drivers, passengers and pedestrians, including routine screening and brief interventions in pertinent health services. An outbreak of hepatitis A in San Diego is being investigated by the Public Health Services Division, in the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency. Most of the people affected with hepatitis A are illicit drug users and homeless individuals. Hepatitis A is being spread from one person to another through fecal contamination. In the current investigation no particular source of food, drugs or beverages have been identified. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned however that the primary method of spread is from one person to another in United States. As a measure to stop the spread of the infection, San Diego has started to wash its downtown streets with bleach. The homeless individuals living on the streets and the lack of adequate public restrooms has been thought to be one of the contributing factors to the outbreak. Vaccinations against hepatitis A virus are being offered to all individuals to protect them from the infection. San Diego County Hepatitis A outbreak cases up until 12th September 2017 are 421. Of these 292 were hospitalized (69 percent) and 16 (3.8 percent) patients succumbed to the infection. The first case reported this year was in early March. Since then the numbers have steadily risen and earlier this month, hepatitis A was declared a public health emergency with extensive measures being taken to combat it. The county issued a directive on 31st of August to start washing the streets and expanding the present number of public restrooms and their access in order to combat the outbreak. In its statement the county warned, failure to immediately follow this directive will endanger public health and safety. The city has geared up to meet the directive and is targeting the downtown areas that are mostly frequented by the homeless individuals who are contracting hepatitis A and spreading it. Contractors are thus working to spray the areas with diluted household bleach solution this Monday through Wednesday and are likely to complete it by this weekend according to a city spokesperson. They would be first spraying the areas with bleach covering all the dangerous items such as human waste or needles lying around. After a 10 minutes holding time, the contaminated items would be removed. Thereafter the areas would be sprayed again followed by a pressure-washing of the region with water. Each area is to be thus cleaned every two weeks, with weekly touch ups of the likely spots. Hepatitis A Hepatitis A is a viral infection that can damage the liver. Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a very contagious and can lead to severe liver disease. Food and water that has been contaminated by a person who has HAV infection may transmit the infection. HAV can also be transmitted via unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected individual. HAV infection may lead to a mild febrile illness initially. This includes fever, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fever, yellowing of the eyes, dark urine and pale stools. There may be abdominal pain and diarrhea in some individuals. The viral infection is preventable with vaccination. Twin vaccines against hepatitis A and B are used. Vaccines are recommended for travellers to areas where HAV infection is prevalent, homosexual men, injection drug users, those with chronic viral hepatitis infections with hepatitis B or C, homeless individuals, food handlers and those who work with homeless and other vulnerable populations. A new clinical trial will explore three interventions in improving one of the most disabling symptoms for people with multiple sclerosis: fatigue. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute has approved a $3,476,448 funding award over four years to Michigan Medicine's Tiffany Braley, M.D., M.S. and Anna Kratz, Ph.D. "This clinical trial will use a patient-centered approach that takes into account the many facets of MS, in order to directly impact clinical practice and payer coverage of two of the most widely accepted treatments for MS fatigue," says Braley, assistant professor of neurology. Three interventions The researchers say a lack of evidence to help patients and other stakeholders choose from the available care options makes this topic important to explore. Lab Diagnostics & Automation eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today Braley and Kratz's team will compare the effectiveness of: Modafinil, a commonly used fatigue medication Cognitive behavioral therapy, a commonly used behavioral treatment strategy A combination of both treatments All subjects will wear accelerometers to measure their physical activity, and they'll self-report their fatigue severity and fatigability throughout the day. The investigators say the cognitive behavioral therapy will be administered by phone to address treatment accessibility. Collaborators have a variety of specialties, including neurology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, psychology and psychiatry. "The interdisciplinary nature of this study team is very exciting, particularly because it matches the common real-world scenario where patients seek out a variety of different practitioners for help in managing difficult symptoms like fatigue," says Kratz, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation. This contract is one of 11 just announced by the PCORI to improve care for a range of health conditions, and one of five studies funded to address various aspects of MS treatment. "This project was selected for PCORI funding for its potential to fill an important gap in our understanding of MS treatment. It will provide useful information to help patients and their caregivers weigh the effectiveness of their care options," said PCORI Executive Director Joe Selby, M.D., MPH. "We look forward to following the study's progress and working with Michigan Medicine to share the results." Both principal investigators are members of U-M's Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation, which will help the team disseminate study findings to clinicians and health policy stakeholders based on the results. Epigem today (13th September) announced that one of its development instruments, MeChem, is being tested in a new clinical trial into the detection and cure of rare anemias. The company has filed two patents relating to the test methods and the associated system. MeChem is the result of Epigems collaborative work with the University of Zurich on the EUs CoMMiTMenT (Combined Molecular Microscopy for Therapy and Personalized Medication in Rare Anaemia Treatments) project, which is far beyond its original aims. Lab Diagnostics & Automation eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today It works by looking at the behavior of red blood cells (RBCs) of anemic patients and comparing with healthy samples, in an assay based on observing the cells response to being stressed chemically and by mechanical deformation - diseased cells respond differently to healthy cells. MeChem, a companion diagnostic device, could help identify which patients are most likely to benefit from the tested medicine and monitor the impact of different treatment doses on patients. It could also have applications to other diseases, such as diabetes. Dr Tim Ryan, MD of Epigem, said: Its fantastic to be working with the University of Zurich on this. It is far exceeding my expectations to achieve a clinical trial so soon, once more reinforcing my belief in the benefits of multidisciplinary collaboration. MeChem will be used to not just detect the diseases, but also to monitor drug efficacy, and so play a major role in finding a cure for some rare anemias and other diseases. This trial will demonstrate the effectiveness of the device and could lead to applications in other diseases. It holds great promise for sufferers of rare anemias. Professor Dr Anna Bogdanova, a head of Red Blood Cell Research Group, Institute of Veterinary Physiology, University of Zurich, said: Global engineering and scientific technologies company, Renishaw will attend the Society of British Neurological Surgeons (SBNS) Autumn Meeting. The event will take place at The Titanic Hotel, Liverpool, from 20th 22nd September 2017. Renishaws Clinical Sales Development Manager for the Neurological Products Division, Stuart Campbell and Marketing Manager, Ed Littlewood will be at booth 24 to exhibit the companys products. The company will showcase its neuroinspire surgical planning software which is often used with its neuromate stereotactic robot, in stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) procedures for epilepsy patients. Renishaws neuromate robot can enable the insertion of electrodes into the brain more quickly, consistently and precisely than when performed manually, explained Campbell, It may also enable access to regions of the brain that cannot otherwise be reached. During this procedure, surgeons can identify the epileptogenic zone from where the epileptic seizures originate and can act to eliminate or reduce the frequency of seizures, by removing a region of the brain. The intention is to improve the quality of life for patients, decreasing their symptoms and enabling them to return to a normal routine. Renishaws neuromate robot can also be used in deep brain stimulation for Parkinsons disease and other neurological movement disorders. The company will also exhibit its craniomaxillofacial (CMF) implants. Using additive manufacturing, Renishaw can produce patient-specific titanium CMF implants based on data from CT scans, thereby potentially reducing surgery times. At the meeting, Campbell and Littlewood will be discussing the advantages of this process compared to the techniques currently in use. The SBNS has over 900 members who meet biannually. Renishaw has been attending the meetings for four years, though the Neurological Products Division and Medical and Dental products division attended as a joint exhibition stand for the first-time last year. Surgeons from a variety of disciplines will attend the Autumn meeting, as well as representatives from a range of medical technology companies. Experts, in a report published in the BMJ yesterday suggest that for many patients type 2 diabetes could be reversed with a sustained weight loss of about 15 kg. Gabrielle Ray / Shutterstock.com According to Louise McCombie and colleagues from the University of Glasgow, doctors and patients might not realize that in many cases type 2 diabetes could be reversed; therefore, to improve health outcomes and decrease the costs of health care, they are calling for greater awareness, surveillance of remissions and documentation. In UK, nearly 3.2 million people are presently affected with type 2 diabetes. The National Health Service currently spends around 1bn (1bn; $1.3bn) per year (22m per day) on antidiabetes drugs, and due to the rise in rates of diabetes cases as well as drug prices, the costs are increasing. Existing guidelines recommend the reduction of blood sugar levels and cardiovascular risks, mainly through drugs and general lifestyle changes. Although, as noted by the authors, complications are still developed by most of the patients and in comparison with people without diabetes, the life expectancy of such patients is nearly 6 years shorter. A diagnosis of type 2 diabetes possesses great social and financial consequences for the patients, as well as poorer health predictions. On the contrary, the report provides evidence for the association of weight loss with extended life expectancy for diabetics and indicates that a nearly 15 kg of weight loss could produce total remission of type 2 diabetes. Apart from health benefits, achieving remission might provide a strong sense of personal accomplishment and empowerment, eliminate stigma, and also reduce insurance premiums. But, according to the authors, remission is less frequently recorded. For instance, the findings of a US study that followed 120,000 patients for 7 years and indicated remissions of only 0.14%. Similarly, the Scottish Care Information Diabetes database that keeps a record of every diabetic patient in Scotland indicated that less than 0.1% were coded as being in remission. The authors point out that the lack of accepted guidance and criteria for recoding patients as being in remission, might have led to hesitation and a lack of reported cases. Further, according to the researchers, a major cause for low recording might be due to less patients attempting or achieving remission. They, explaining the need of official guidelines and international consensus in recording diabetes in remission, and concluded: "Appropriate coding will make it possible to monitor progress in achieving remission of type 2 diabetes nationally and internationally and to improve predictions of long term health outcomes for patients with a known duration of remission." Researchers from South Africa and Canada have carried out a Cochrane review update to assess the safety and effectiveness of corticosteroids for treating tuberculous pericarditis. Tuberculosis (TB) infection of the pericardium, the membrane around the heart, is not common but can restrict the function of the heart and is fatal in some cases. Current treatment involves doctors prescribing anti-TB drugs for six months, draining fluid from the pericardium or removing it in some situations, and in some cases corticosteroids are prescribed to reduce inflammation. However, there has been some concern that steroids have the potential to cause harm to patients with HIV, a common TB co-infection. The review authors included seven trials, six looking at the use of corticosteroids and the other at different treatments. All trials were based in sub-Saharan Africa and included 1959 participants in total. "Given the seriousness of TB pericarditis it was important that we were able to assess the effectiveness of using corticosteroids as a treatment," said Professor Charles Shey Wiysonge, Director of Cochrane South Africa and lead author of the review, "it was also especially important to look at their safety in cases of HIV coinfections, as there has previously been an impression that treatment could cause a rise in HIV-related cancers." The review authors found that in people without HIV, corticosteroids drugs may reduce the number of people dying overall by 20%, as well as probably reducing deaths from pericarditis, although the confidence intervals include the possibility of both large beneficial effects and small increases in harm. The results also show that in HIV-positive patients, corticosteroids may reduce constriction of the pericardium membrane, but the confidence intervals include the possibility of both large beneficial effects and small increases in harm. "This systematic review, which stratified patients into HIV-positive and HIV-negative participants and excluded those who received dual immunotherapy with corticosteroids and Mycobacterium indicus ranii, showed promising effects of corticosteroids on major outcomes but generally the confidence intervals include the possibility of both large beneficial effects and small increases in harm, and there was no evidence of an increase in cancer" added Professor Bongani Mayosi, senior author of the review and lead author of the largest trial carried out on this topic. The patients on a combination of corticosteroids and Mycobacterium indicus pranii were excluded from the analysis because of the possibility of an interaction between the two agents resulting in the increased incidence of cancer in this group. Source: http://www.lstmed.ac.uk/news-events/news/interventions-for-treating-tuberculous-pericarditis Research published today in Scientific Reports shows that light from RayVio's 293nm ultraviolet (UV) LED is more efficient than sunlight at producing vitamin D3 in skin samples. Tyler Kalajian and his research team, led by Dr. Michael F. Holick, Ph.D., M.D., and supported by Boston University School of Medicine and a Boston University Ignition Award, found that skin samples exposed to RayVio's UV LED for just 0.52 minutes produced more than twice as much vitamin D3 as samples exposed to 32.5 minutes of sunlight. "We tested ultraviolet LEDs from different sources and at different wavelengths. RayVio's 293nm LED showed the most significant potential for vitamin D3 production in the shortest amount of time," said Dr. Holick, a Professor of Medicine, Physiology and Biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine, and endocrinologist at Boston Medical Center. "This study will lead to a new generation of technology that can be labeled as photopharmacology in which the use of LEDs with targeted wavelengths can cause specific biologic effects in human skin to help treat and prevent chronic illnesses." Vitamin D deficiency is associated with osteoporosis, rickets and other metabolic bone diseases and is more prevalent in northern and southern latitudes where sunlight is limited for a significant part of the year. This device for making vitamin D is ideally suited for patients with fat malabsorption syndromes including inflammatory bowel disease and gastric bypass surgery. The research shows that RayVio's UV LEDs could be used for treating patients that are vitamin D deficient. A vitamin D3 producing UV LED device could be used on skin areas that experience less exposure to sunlight such as upper legs and arms and abdomen and back thus minimizing risk for developing non-melanoma skin cancer. The UV LED device also emits a much narrower band of UVB light and thereby decreasing likelihood of skin damage that can occur when the skin is exposed to higher wavelengths of UV radiation. "The potential of digital UV technology for phototherapy is enormous," said Dr. Robert C. Walker, RayVio's CEO. "Dr. Holick's research with our UVB LEDs demonstrates the potential for new applications that can potentially improve and save hundreds of thousands of lives. About Vitamin D3 Two forms of vitamin D are important to humans: vitamin D2 produced by plants, yeast and mushrooms, and vitamin D3 produced by skin when exposed to sunlight or the appropriate wavelength of ultraviolet light. U.S. alone, seventy-five percent of teens and adults are vitamin D deficient. Thanks to the work of the research team and the pioneering work of the Boston University Photonics Center on UV LEDs, we may soon see innovative treatment options like simple integration with a wearable device could aid millions of people." Common pharmacopoeias acknowledge near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a secondary method for non-destructive, reliable and rapid analysis in pharmaceutical manufacturing. The pharmaceutical industry is unique in terms of the demands made on it to implement extensive regulations. Important decisions regarding quality assurance are largely made based on regulatory requirements and guidelines. Quality control plays a major role in the pharmaceutical sector. Aside from being robust and reliable, the quality control methods must be efficient as possible. Therefore, time-saving secondary techniques have attracted a great deal of interest from regulatory authorities and the pharmaceutical industry. Since early 1960,[1] the pharmaceutical industry has been exploring and using the secondary analytical method NIRS for process control, the identification of raw materials and quality assurance of final products. In addition to being fast and non-destructive, NIRS needs little to no sample preparation and it obtains information on physical and chemical properties of the sample in each measurement. Using the data obtained in a single measurement, one can determine multiple parameters, either quantitatively or qualitatively. With its non-destructive way of performing measurements and short measuring times, the full potential of NIRS unfolds, especially in process control [2]. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), guidelines by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the Process Analytical Technologies (PAT) initiative, and the International Conference on Harmonization in the standards (ICH) Q8(R2), ICH Q9 and ICH Q10 [1] have positioned NIRS as a highly relevant tool for achieving control when built-in quality is preferred over quality by testing. This article shows how Metrohms NIRS solutions conform to regulatory requirements. NIRS applications As a versatile analysis method, NIRS can be applied to a wide range of applications across the pharmaceutical manufacturing process. In the following sections, some example applications will be described, with a focus on their advantages for production and their regulatory compliance. Incoming materials inspection All incoming materials must be tested for conformity and for verification of the identity, according to EU GMP 8 and FDA CFR 211.84, which results in large amounts of samples. The spectrometer product portfolio from Metrohm provides a suitable solution for convenient inspection of incoming materials, whether they are analyzed directly in the warehouse, in the QC laboratory or in the weighting area.[3, 4] Inline/online process control Less rework time is spent and less out of specification products are generated with inline/online process control. Using Metrohms NIRS inline/online analyzers, real-time monitoring and optimization of, for example, viable cell density or drying processes is possible. During the production process, residual solvent and water content in granulates and powders, such as in lyophilized products, can be reliably determined. [3, 57] Atline/offline process and product development Atline and offline processes such as intermediate and product assays or blending and granulation can be monitored using Metrohms NIRS Analyzers. [6, 7, 9] Blend homogeneity and, owing to real-time process monitoring, optimum granulation time can be evaluated. In addition, the uniformity of content in solid dosage forms (capsules and tablets) as well as tablet characteristics such as stability and hardness, can be established [10-14]. Quality assurance of finished products Quality assurance of finished products, such as content determination in capsules, tablets, gels, creams and so on can be achieved with NIRS. The full transmission spectrometer, Metrohms NIRS XDS MasterLab also ensures accurate and reliable results when analyzing active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients in tablets (even in blisters), to guarantee that they meet the requirements toward both purity and physical/chemical properties. [10-14] Validation of NIRS The method, instrument, and software must be validated if NIR spectroscopy is going to be used.[1] To ensure that requirements are completely validated and fulfilled, regulatory authorities such as the U.S. Pharmacopoeia (USP), EMA and FDA have published guidelines on how to develop, validate, submit and maintain NIRS analytical procedures. Although the validation process can be time- and effort-consuming, it does quickly pay off. NIRS enables real-time process monitoring and short analysis times that result in a high return on investment. Software validation Any software that meets the relevant regulations, such as EU Annex 11 (Computerized Systems) and/or FDA 21 CFR Part 11 (electronic signatures, electronic records) can be employed in any GLP/GMP environment. Metrohm Vis-NIR spectroscopy software All technical requirements specified in the FDA 21 CFR Part 11 and the EU Annex are met by the Metrohm Vis-NIR spectroscopy software Vision Air. Figure 1. Report view in Vision Air Instrument qualification In accordance with the USP <1058> and GMP/GLP, the validation process of instruments involves three phases, as follows: Installation qualification (IQ) Operational qualification (OQ) Performance qualification (PQ) IQ: According to USP<1119>: The IQ requirements help ensure that the hardware and software are installed according to vendor and safety specifications at the desired location. [15] OQ: According to USP<1119>: The instruments performance is controlled with respect to external certified standards to verify that the system operates within target specifications. The purpose of OQ is to ensure that an instrument is suitable for its intended application. () Similar to any spectrophotometric device, NIR instruments need to be qualified for both wavelength and photometric scale. Maximum and reduced light-flux noise tests are also included [15]. PQ: According to USP<1119>: A quality to fit to an initial scan or group of scans included in the operational qualification is employed. In such an analysis, it is assumed that reference standard spectra collected on a new or a newly repaired, properly operating instrument represent the best ones available. Comparisons of spectra taken over time on the identical reference standards from the basis for evaluating the long-term stability of an NIR measurement system. The objective is to ensure that no wavelength calibration shift of change in sensitivity occurs during ongoing analysis. [15]. Generally, laboratory personnel carry out PQ [1]. Metrohm qualification All requirements demanded by various governing bodies (USP<1058>, USP<1119>, GAMP, 21 CFR Part 11, PIC/S, etc.) are met by Metrohms Analytical Instrument Qualification for NIRS instruments. Metrohm is renowned for its high-quality support which includes professional installation and the startup of new instruments in compliance with Installation Qualification (IQ) and assures that Metrohm NIRS instruments fulfill Operational Qualification (OQ) requirements, including full documentation. Instrument performance certification is provided by Metrohm, as well as work-related user training and certification. Method validation Once the hardware and software are validated, the methods are developed and validated. Method validation is mainly done to prove and guarantee the suitability of an analytical procedure.[2] Transparent documentation is required for every step of the method development, validation and transfer. According to Ciurczak, the development laboratory must give the following documentation to the designated laboratory or end user: A written procedure A method validation report System suitability criteria [1] Summary and support NIRS is an established secondary analysis technique developed for offline, atline, online, and inline applications in the pharmaceutical industry. Once validated, NIRS is a cost- and time-effective technique, offering a high return on investment and paying for itself quickly. Pharmaceutical analyses that comply with common regulations are easily enabled by Metrohms NIRS solutions and software. Users who implement a Metrohm NIRS solution benefit from extensive support in the development of methods and applications, amongst others. Metrohms method validation Vision Air Complete Metrohm's Vis-NIR spectroscopy software has method validation features. The chemometric software Vision along with supported third-party tools such as PLS_Toolbox by Eigenvector Research and Unscrambler by CAMO allow users to develop and validate identification, qualification and quantification methods. Figure 2. Report of the USP Wavelength Accuracy Test from Vision software (top) and used Metrohm NIRS XDS SmartProbe Analyzer with standard (bottom). Metrohm NIRS applications A broad range of application support is offered by Metrohm for the pharmaceutical industry, worldwide. References E.W. Ciurczak and B. Igne, Pharmaceutical and Medical Applications of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, 2015). N. Broad, P. Graham, R. Hailey, A. Hardy, S. Holland, S. Hughes, D. Lee, K. Prebble, N. Salton and P. Warren, Guidelines for the Development and Validation of Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Methods in the Pharmaceutical Industry, Handbook of Vibrational Spectroscopy (John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 2002) Using NIR as an identification technique of raw materials and product materials, Application Bulletin AB-410 Identification of pharmaceutical raw materials, Application Bulletin AB-410 Robert Mattes et al., Monitoring viable cell density in bioreactors using near-infrared spectroscpy, BioProcessing Journal, 2010 Near-infrared spectroscopy for monitoring a single-pot granulator, Application Note AN-NIR-016 Monitoring the purity of recovered solvents with NIRS, Application Note AN-NIR-021 Analysis of residual moisture in a lyophilized pharmaceutical product by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), Application Bulletin AB-358 Following the progress of pharmaceutical mixing studies using near-infrared spectroscopy, Application Note AN-NIR-014 Nondestructive, single tablet analysis using the NIRS XDS RapidContent Analyzer, Application Note AN-NIR-002 Nondestructive, single tablet analysis using the NIRS RapidContent Analyzer, Application Note AN-NIR-002 NIRS "predictive model" for the release of pharmaceutical active ingredients from solid dosage forms, Application Note AN-NIR-017 Near-infrared (NIR) assay and content uniformity of tablets, Application Note AN-NIR-018 Determination of active ingredients in solid (pharmaceutical) dosage forms utilizing solid-state standard additions, Application Note AN-NIR-001 Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, <1119>, USP 39 (2016) About Metrohm At Metrohm is one of the worlds most trusted manufacturers of high-precision instruments for chemical analysis. Metrohm was founded in 1943 by engineer Bertold Suhner in Herisau, Switzerland. Today, Metrohm is represented in 120 countries by subsidiaries and exclusive distributors. The global Metrohm Group also includes the Dutch companies Metrohm Applikon and Metrohm Autolab, manufacturers of online analyzers and instruments for electrochemical research, respectively. Recently, the Metrohm Group was joined by Metrohm Raman, a leading manufacturer of handheld Raman spectrometers. Metrohm is the global market leader in analytical instruments for titration. Instruments for ion chromatography, voltammetry, conductivity, and stability measurement make the Metrohm portfolio for ion analysis complete. Instruments for Near-infrared and Raman spectroscopy are another, strongly growing segment of the Metrohm portfolio. Metrohm is a problem solver, both in the laboratory and within the industrial process. To this end, the company offers their customers complete solutions, including dedicated analytical instrumentation as well as comprehensive application know-how. More than 30% of the companys employees at the Metrohm international headquarters in Herisau work in R&D. Metrohm has been owned 100% by the non-profit Metrohm Foundation since 1982. The Metrohm Foundation, which does not exert any influence on the companys business operations, sponsors gifted students in the natural sciences, supports charitable and philanthropic purposes and, above all, ensures the independence of the company. Sponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.Net which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments. Captain America and the Winter Soldier Special #1 takes Marvel's secret history to a whole new level with a real world historical figure If you know who Gavrilo Princip is, prepare to be shocked After BRICS, India and Japan target Pakistan over terrorists Gandhinagar : India and Japan on Thursday urged Pakistan to bring to justice terrorists who masterminded the 2008 terror attack in Mumbai and the attack on the IAF base at Pathankot in Punjab in 2016. A joint statement released after talks between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe called on "Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks including those of the terrorist attack in Mumbai and the terrorist attack in Pathankot". The two leaders also agreed to strengthen India-Japan cooperation against terrorist threats from groups including Al Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and their affiliates. Modi and Abe reiterated their support for each other country's candidature in the UN Security Council "based on the firmly shared recognition that India and Japan are legitimate candidates for permanent membership in an expanded Security Council". In an oblique criticism of the China-sponsored CPEC, the joint statement underlined the use of connectivity and infrastructure in an open, transparent and non-exclusive manner while ensuring respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries. India has opposed the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as it passes through the part of Jammu and Kashmir held by Pakistan and claimed by New Delhi. Welcome! You have come to the right place. Khmerization is a home to the Cambodian daily news, which is updated twice daily. Please take a tour and enjoy yourself. Thank you. To contact Khmerization please send an email to: Whitley County was recently ranked 7th healthiest county in the state. Here are a few of the statistics that contributed to the overall rank. No Yes, a light case Yes, two or more light cases One serious case Two or more serious bouts Vote View Results Cassini Arrives at Saturn Cassini arrived at Saturn in 2004, after a seven-year voyage. It was the first spacecraft to orbit the ringed planet. Northern Winter Like Earth, Saturn has a tilted axis. Cassini arrived in the depths of northern winter, with Saturns rings tipped up and its north pole in darkness. A Hexagonal Storm Cassini used infrared to view the hexagonal jet stream swirling around Saturns north pole, a six-sided vortex capped with a shimmering aurora. The Light Returns As spring approached and sunlight returned to Saturns north pole, Cassini studied the polar hexagon and the dark hurricane at its center. Approaching Spring Each season on Saturn lasts about seven Earth years. Cassini watched as Saturns rings slowly tipped downward, casting narrower and narrower shadows. Saturns Spring Equinox The shadows grew narrower until the spring equinox, when Saturns rings and equator were flat to the sun. A Yearlong Storm The change in seasons brought a huge storm that wrapped around Saturns northern hemisphere. Cassini detected lightning deep within the planet. Titan Mission scientists were particularly interested in Titan, Saturns largest moon a hazy ball larger than the planet Mercury. Cassinis cameras were able to pierce Titans smoggy nitrogen atmosphere, revealing sunlight glinting on frigid lakes of liquid methane and other hydrocarbons. A radar image of Ligeia Mare, a lake of liquid methane on Titan. Parachuting to Titan Cassini released the Huygens probe to parachute through Titans atmosphere. As it descended, the probe recorded rivers and deltas carved by methane rain. Images taken in four directions as the Huygens probe parachuted through Titans atmosphere. Moon Landing Huygens sent back the first images from the surface of an alien moon. Gravity Assist Cassini returned to Titan over 100 times, using the large moons gravity to gradually shift the spacecrafts orbit around Saturn. Titans backlit atmosphere. Titan and Rhea, Saturns largest moons. Earths moon is larger than Rhea but smaller than Titan. Around the Rings Cassini used Titans gravity to tour Saturns rings, climbing high above the ring plane and threading gaps between the rings. The moonlet Atlas, only 19 miles across, follows the sharp edge of Saturns A ring. The faint D ring, Saturns innermost ring. The bright and narrow F ring. The moon Epimetheus, barely visible at top center, casts a shadow across the A ring. The dark Cassini Division separates Saturns A and B rings. A detailed view of the B ring. Rainbows and Starlight Cassini photographed the suns reflection and used background stars to measure the opacity of the rings. A rainbow effect from reflected sunlight. Light from the star Antares filters through the rings. Sixty-Two Moons For 13 years, Cassini joined the intricate dance of Saturns 62 moons. The moons Rhea and Epimetheus. Clockwise from top: Telesto, Prometheus, Titan and Dione. Glowing Titan and tiny Janus. Rhea hovers above three distant moons. From left: Dione, Prometheus and Tethys. From left: Tethys, Enceladus and backlit Titan. Enceladus But of all of Saturns moons, Enceladus was the most surprising. Enceladus on the ring plane. A Hidden Ocean The icy crust of Enceladus encases an ocean of water, dotted with hydrothermal vents and warmed by the stretching and squeezing of Saturns gravity. Geysers and Plumes Cassini discovered geysers near the south pole of Enceladus, where plumes of water shoot into space and fall back as bright snow. Geysers erupting during a Cassini flyby. Inside the Plumes Cassini flew through the plumes many times. The spacecrafts instruments detected several molecules associated with life, but were not designed to search for microbes. Could alien microbes be living inside Enceladus? It will take a future mission, and another spacecraft, to find the answer. Spray from Enceladus forms Saturns diffuse E ring. Rhea Rhea, Saturns second-largest moon, is nearly 1,000 miles wide and pocked with craters. Iapetus Like Earths moon, Iapetus orbits with the same side facing its planet. The moons leading hemisphere sweeps its orbit clean of dark dust, giving Iapetus a two-toned appearance. Dione Cassini flew close by Dione four times, and it discovered evidence of another ocean of water under the moons wispy crust of ice. The cratered moon Rhea hovers over distant Dione. Wispy terrain on Dione. Tethys Tethys is mostly water ice, marked with a large crater on one side and a canyon running from pole to pole on the other. Tethys appears ghostly white in ultraviolet light. Mimas Mimas is one of the most battered moons in the solar system, bearing dents and dimples from ancient impacts. Hyperion Not all of Saturns moons are round. Hyperion is pockmarked and irregular, and tumbles chaotically in its orbit around the planet. A Shared Orbit The moons Janus and Epimetheus share the same orbit, slipping past each other every four years in an endless relay race. Epimetheus Janus Spiral Waves When Janus and Epimetheus trade places, gravity forms a crest in Saturns B ring. Over decades, the crests form a spiral wave, a grooved record of past moon crossings. Waves in Saturns B ring caused by the moon Janus. Bright Spokes Cassini studied the mysterious bright spokes, first seen by the Voyager spacecraft, that appear under the raking light of Saturns spring equinox. Faint spokes crossed by the long shadows of Janus and Mimas. Budding Moonlets The spring light also helped Cassini find small clumps and moonlets casting shadows over the rings. A tiny moonlet embedded in dense rings. Clearing a Gap The flattened moonlet Pan clears a path inside the rings, while Daphnis leaves a rippled wake where it passes. Pan Pan circling within the Encke Gap in Saturns A ring. Daphnis, the wavemaker moon. Shepherd Moons The moons Prometheus and Pandora straddle the narrow F ring, a thin band that is kinked and braided by the inner moons gravity. Prometheus and Pandora. Kinks and twists in the F ring. Prometheus carves a new ripple in the F ring. Overlapping Planes Some of Cassinis most striking images were abstract concentric rings with underlapping shadows. Banded Saturn Moons and rings cast crisp shadows across Saturns clouds. Flattened at the Poles When Cassini was level with the rings, Saturns oblate shape became clear. The planet is wider than it is tall. Crescent Saturn with flattened pole. Backlit by the Sun Some of Cassinis orbits took it behind Saturn, into hours of darkness. Other Worlds Between the Rings The spacecraft looked out toward the planet Uranus, a blue speck in the distance. And Cassini turned back to find Earth through a gap in Saturns rings. Last Images Cassini took its final set of images on Thursday. The sequence included a brief glimpse of the moon Enceladus as it slipped behind Saturn. Dive After 22 passes inside the rings, Cassini plowed into Saturns rippled clouds on Friday. The spacecraft incinerated itself to prevent any future contamination of the moons Enceladus or Titan. Burning Into Saturn Friday 1) 4 P.M. Heritage Heirlooms To call Giuditta Brozzetti a textile workshop would be an understatement. Its location, in the high-arched church of San Francesco delle Donne, which dates to the 13th century, is a destination in itself. Brozzetti is a multigenerational labor of love that focuses on handmade reproductions of the citys famous textile designs (like the griffin, the symbol of Perugia), all produced on 18th-and 19th-century wood looms. The current owner, Marta Cucchia, is deeply informed about how to create these patterns, and knows the difficulties of keeping such skills alive in the modern world (weekend visits by appointment). The Studio Moretti Caselli provides the same kind of insight into the production of stained glass, with five generations of glassmakers preserving designs of the past while also creating new patterns. Set up as a museum as well as a shop, the studio beautifully illustrates the countrys thriving artisanal businesses. 2) 5 P.M. Sweet Pursuits Lick might be a slightly unfortunate name for a gelato joint but the ice cream here is exemplary, with unusual and delicious flavors like Gorgonzola, honey and walnuts, or fresh strawberry with ginger (cups and cones from two euros, or about $2.40). Across the street from the beautiful church of SantErcolano, Alphaville has continued the citys love for all things chocolate, but with a new angle: Its signature cupcake is chocolate stuffed with homemade raspberry jam. A decadent Italian version of cheesecake (using mascarpone cheese), fresh-squeezed juices and artisanal teas or an Aperol spritz are also on offer, in a cozy space or at an outdoor table. Maddalena Forenza of the Studio Moretti Caselli is a fifth-generation member of the Moretti family. Credit Susan Wright for The New York Times 3) 7 P.M. Happy Hour Stylish locals and well-heeled visitors congregate at Mercato Vianova for aperitivo, when cocktails like a local take on a Bloody Mary, or the currently trendy Moscow Mule, are among the drinks on offer alongside a buffet of cocktail snacks. On warmer night, opt for a streetside sofa for good people-watching. Meanwhile, T-Trane is not only a new funky record store for vinyl lovers, but doubles as a bar thats open until 1 a.m. 4) 9 P.M. Farm-to-Table Opened by a former wine and food promoter for the region, Jean Paul Sias admiration for Umbrias ingredients is clearly warranted at his new Trattoria del Borgo. Goat cheese from the renowned Diego Calcabrina, for example, and wines like Albaco Orvieto Classico Superiore exemplify the regions offerings. Dont miss the handmade strangozzi with pesto made with Umbrian wild herbs. The spot also has an extensive selection of dishes for those who prefer gluten-free. Dinner for two is about 60 euros with wine. Under a plan proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont on Wednesday, all Americans would get government-funded health insurance: Medicare for all. What that would mean for you as a consumer depends on whether you currently have insurance, and if so how youre covered. group number People insured through work would have new taxes, but no more premiums. 156 million people People with Medicaid would have more choices, but possibly higher taxes. 73 million people People currently with Medicare would have more generous coverage. 61 million people The uninsured would all get health care. 28 million people People who buy their own insurance would have new taxes, but less out-of-pocket spending. 21 million people Veterans would keep their existing health care system. 9 million people Native Americans could also keep their current source of care. 2 million people The plan would also have big effects on the health care industry, since it would eliminate private health insurance and change the way medical providers and drug companies are paid. group Doctors and hospitals would probably face pay cuts, but would no longer face unpaid bills. Drug companies would most likely have smaller profits. Health insurance companies would mostly be eliminated. With Republicans in control of the Senate, the plan has no chance of becoming law anytime soon, but its co-sponsors include several Democratic presidential hopefuls, including Mr. Sanders, meaning it will feature in the policy debates of the 2020 election. The Sanders legislation leaves certain things unclear, including how the plan would be financed. Heres a general sense of the spectrum of changes for different groups of consumers, and for the health care industry, which makes up 18 percent of the nations gross domestic product. People insured through work New taxes, but no more premiums. The employer-based insurance that now covers 156 million people would be eliminated. Those people would lose their current coverage and be enrolled in the new program instead. Both employers and workers would probably face new taxes to pay for the coverage but would not have to pay the premiums or deductibles theyre paying now. For some people, the tax increases could be lower than current premium costs, but not necessarily for everyone. Without a detailed financing plan, its impossible to say for sure. People with Medicaid More choices, but possibly higher taxes. Medicaid would be eliminated, and everyone who currently gets medical benefits from Medicaid about 73 million people would switch to the new single-payer system. They now pay very low fees when they receive medical care, and that would not change much. But the current Medicaid beneficiaries would probably gain access to more choices of doctors and hospitals in the new program. Some who work might need to pay higher payroll taxes. The part of Medicaid that currently pays for institutional long-term care, like nursing homes, would remain in place. That means that some Medicaid beneficiaries would be enrolled in both programs. Other kinds of long-term care, such as home-based services, would become part of the new Medicare system. People with Medicare More generous coverage. Medicare is now available to about 61 million people age 65 and older and to some younger people with disabilities. Coverage for these people would become more generous because the Sanders bill would expand to cover dental, vision and hearing aids, which are not covered under current law. The bill would also get rid of nearly all cost-sharing requirements in the program. Beneficiaries could go to the doctor or hospital without having to pay any money out of their pocket. The program would require co-payments for certain prescription drugs. Currently, Medicare beneficiaries pay premiums every year to be enrolled in the program. Those would go away. But the overhaul would also eliminate private Medicare Advantage health plans, which enroll more than a third of beneficiaries, bringing all beneficiaries into the government program. The uninsured All get health care. Around 28 million uninsured Americans would be able to obtain coverage through the new universal Medicare for all program, within four years of the bills passage. Children could join right away, and any American 55 or older could join traditional Medicare, if they paid premiums. People who buy their own insurance New taxes, less out-of-pocket spending. The 21 million people who currently buy their own coverage, either in the Obamacare marketplaces or directly from insurance companies, would instead get Medicare. The Affordable Care Act exchanges would be eliminated. Its unclear if new taxes would make it cheaper or costlier for this group. For many, coverage under the new program would involve substantially less out-of-pocket spending and would permit access to a wider choice of doctors and hospitals. Veterans and Native Americans Keep existing system. The more than 9 million veterans who get their health care from the Veterans Administration health care system would be able to preserve that access for at least 10 years. About 2 million Native Americans who use the Indian Health Service could also keep their current source of care for at least 10 years. These two government programs would be the only forms of health insurance not substantially changed by the bill. Doctors and hospitals Pay cuts likely, but no more unpaid bills. Doctors and hospitals may have to take pay cuts, since the current Medicare program typically pays them less than commercial insurers pay for the same services. But the bills expansion of coverage means that hospitals and doctors would no longer need to worry about unpaid bills from patients who lack insurance or cant afford to pay their insurance deductible. They may also save on administrative costs, since they would not need to interact with as many insurers or to bill patients for services. The bill does not specify exactly what doctors and hospitals would be paid, and the effects would depend on those details. But decreases and changes in payment policy could cause changes to the business of health care as hospitals, doctors, nurses and others adjust to lower payment rates and salaries. Universal Medicare-like payment rates would almost certainly cause some major disruptions, like hospital closings. Drug companies Less profit. Drug companies would most likely earn substantially less from American patients under this system. The new Medicare system would negotiate with drug companies on behalf of all Americans, and would deny coverage of drugs that cost too much. That policy would probably reduce prices paid to pharmaceutical companies, bringing them closer to what other large government systems pay. Those reductions could have ripple effects, lowering the profitability of the pharmaceutical sector and discouraging investments in new medicines. Insurance companies Would mostly be eliminated. Because everyone would eventually get insurance from Medicare, private insurance companies would essentially be eliminated. The bill would bar employers from offering private insurance once the new system becomes universal. From Our Future First came Donald Trump's threats to build a massive wall on the U.S border with Mexico. Then the Muslim ban, his disgraceful response to Charlottesville, and his pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Now Trump has amped up his racially divisive politics by rescinding the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals program, which shields from deportation hundreds of thousands of US residents who came to the country without documentation as minors. This remarkable record has led Chris Cillizza and David Brooks to suggest Trump is destroying the modern Republican Party. At CNN, Cillizza declared "DACA decision confirms it: Trump has killed the Bush version of the GOP." Brooks, in his New York Times column in late August, predicted a brutal battle for the party's soul. Trump's actions and words are particularly noxious, but no one should be misled: Trump's race-bait politics are an expression of the modern Republican Party, not a deviation from it. The battle for its soul has long since been decided. Brooks spun a lovely fantasy that in the Republican Party he came up in, "it was still possible to be a Republican without feeling like you were violating basic decency on matters of race." "[R]acism," he wrote, "was not a common feature in the conservative movement." Brooks worked at conservative magazines like the National Review and the Weekly Standard, and claims he "never heard blatantly racist comments at dinner parties... To be honest, I heard more racial condescension in progressive circles than in conservative ones." He also suggested the GOP only began to change in about 2005. That's wrong. The modern conservative movement consolidated power through a very intentional strategy that preyed on racial division. The father of the conservative movement, Barry Goldwater, campaigned in opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. His presidential campaign made South Carolina's notorious Strom Thurmond a lead surrogate in the South. Even amid Lyndon Johnson's 1964 landslide, the future success of this approach was foretold: outside of his home state of Arizona, the only states Goldwater won were in the deep South. Richard Nixon further invested in what became known as the "Southern strategy." Ronald Reagan opened his campaign by traveling to hard-to-reach Philadelphia, Mississippi to champion "states rights" in a town known only for the murders of civil rights activists. And, of course, Reagan's mythical "welfare queen" was a racially charged fable. Slowly, whites in the former Confederate states turned to Republicans as the party of white solidarity and racial resentment. The modern Republican Party's power comes from that transformation of the South. Its congressional delegation is dominated by representatives from the South. Its congressional margin comes from its hold on the South. Brooks may not have noticed, but his former employer, the National Review, was an early champion of this race-based strategy. As Jeet Heer noted last year in the New Republic, National Review founder William F. Buckley strongly opposed Dwight Eisenhower's enforcement of civil rights laws. In a 1957 editorial, Buckley argued the white community was "entitled to take such measures as are necessary to prevail, politically and culturally, in areas in which it does not predominate numerically" because "for the time being, it is the advanced race." Over time, these racist appeals became more sophisticated. As Republican operative Lee Atwater put it a notorious 1981 interview, simply saying the N-word would lead to tremendous backlash. "So you say stuff like, uh, forced busing, states' rights, and all that stuff, and you're getting so abstract," he said. "Now, you're talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you're talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is, blacks get hurt worse than whites." So Trump isn't an anomaly. He simply updated the GOP playbook for the modern era, and turned the focus of scorn more forcefully onto immigrants and Muslims. Students of history can plainly see this, but not CNN's Cillizza. He argued the Republican Party is "re-inventing itself" into something "radically different than the party of Bush, McCain, and even Romney." But it was George H.W. Bush that ran the notorious Willy Horton ad, which Atwater produced. Mitt Romney, a personification of the genteel country club Republican, joined all other 2012 Republican presidential candidates in calling for deportation of 10 million undocumented workers, and argued that the government should create conditions so punitive for undocumented immigrants that "self-deportation" would result. Trump's election tally wasn't an outlier, either. He gained about the same share of the white vote as Romney (58-37 for Trump and 59-39 for Romney) and he was rejected by black and Latino voters by similar margins as well. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). The actions taken by Israeli PM Netanyahu in the past and now against the PKK Kurdish organization are nothing but shameful for his administration. PKK Kurdish organization under the leadership of Abdullah Ocalan is leading the majority of Kurds in Kurdistan. Israeli government's support of corrupt Barzani versus Abdullah Ocalan is similar to the backing of the US of South Vietnam against the North Vietnam of Ho Chi Minh leadership. PKK is the political and military organization of Kurdish people who paid with their lives to protect Kurd and Kurdistan from internal and external enemies of Kurds. The future of corrupt Barzani, Talabani, and their kind won't be different from South Vietnamese leadership who fought Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam. Israeli government support of corrupt Barzani and Talabani kind will bring Hebrew Jewish people of Israel an enemy instead of the friend. Israeli PM Netanyahu records toward Kurdish population are known. According to media reports, PM Netanyahu's administration helped Turkey to kidnap Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan in 1999. It is evident for the majority of Kurds that Israeli PM Netanyahu is no different from President Erdogan of Turkey or Ayatollah of Iran as far as the Kurdish people interest are concerned. They are all trying to divide Kurd and Kurdistan further. Barzani's referendum in South Kurdistan is not going to save him from the rage of the majority of Kurds in Kurdistan. It is too late for Israel, Turkey, Iran, and Arabs to fool the majority of Kurds in Kurdistan and overseas. There are reports that Barzani family members alone took 600 billion dollars from the Kurdish people's oil income and for sure Talabani side shared 50 % of that oil money, too, which means they made 600 billion dollars to be divided among Talabani sides too. Indeed, that money brought Barzani and Talabani kinds many strange friends. But the powers of PKK organization are going to crash such corrupt system sooner or later. Turkey, ISIS, Islamic Sunni Arab terrorist forces, and Islamic Shi'a terrorist forces are waging wars against KCK as the Kurdish people leader. Corrupt Barzani and Talabani are an ally of enemies of Kurds. The war is going on now, and the outcome won't be different from Vietnam war for enemies of Kurds and Kurdistan. References Israel premier support Kurdish independence vote in Iraq http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2017/09/13/534990/Israel-Iraq-kurd Israeli prime minister backs Kurdish independence in Iraq An independent Kurdistan would give Israel an ally in the region and would undermine Iranian influence in Iraq https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/israeli-prime-minister-backs-kurdish-independence-in-iraq-1.628057 Israel endorses independent Kurdish state http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-kurds-israel/israel-endorses-independent-kurdish-state-idUSKCN1BO0QZ Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). From Robert Reich Blog Medicare for All (Image by juhansonin) Details DMCA Senator Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, and Jeff Merkley, are introducing a Medicare For All bill in the Senate. It's a model for where this nation needs to be headed. Some background: American spending on health care per person is more than twice the average in the world's 35 advanced economies. Yet Americans are sicker, our lives are shorter, and we have more chronic illnesses than in any other advanced nation. That's because medical care is so expensive for the typical American that many put off seeing a doctor until their health has seriously deteriorated. Why is health care so much cheaper in other nations? Partly because their governments negotiate lower rates with health care providers. In France, the average cost of a magnetic resonance imaging exam is $363. In the United States, it's $1,121. There, an appendectomy costs $4,463. Here, it's $13,851. The French can get lower rates because they cover everyone -- which gives them lots of bargaining power. Other nations also don't have to pay the costs of private insurers shelling out billions of dollars a year for advertising and marketing -- much of it intended to attract healthier and younger people and avoid the sicker and older. Nor do other nations have to pay boatloads of money to the shareholders and executives of big for-profit insurance companies. Finally, they don't have to bear the high administrative costs of private insurers -- requiring endless paperwork to keep track of every procedure by every provider. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Medicare's administrative costs are about 2 percent of its operating expenses. That's less than one-sixth the administrative costs of America's private insurers. To make matters worse for Americans, the nation's private health insurers are merging like mad to suck in even more money from consumers and taxpayers by reducing competition. At the same time, their focus on attracting healthy people and avoiding sick people is creating a vicious circle. Insurers that take in sicker and costlier patients lose money, which forces them to raise premiums, co-payments and deductibles. This, in turn, makes it harder for people most in need of health insurance to afford it. This phenomenon has even plagued health exchanges under the Affordable Care Act. Medicare for all would avoid all these problems and get lower prices and better care. Ideally, it would be financed the same way Medicare and Social Security are financed, through the payroll tax. Wealthy Americans should pay a higher payroll tax rate and contribute more than lower-income people. But everyone would come out ahead because total health care costs would be far lower, and outcomes far better. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). From Reader Supported News I know it's only 2017, but the testing of the waters has begun in Iowa and New Hampshire. Progress Iowa, at its annual corn feed event, hosted Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend. Did Martin O'Malley ever leave Iowa? Bernie has been to Iowa twice in the last month and a half and spent Labor Day in New Hampshire. Representative Tim Ryan -- yes, the one who challenged Nancy Pelosi for leadership in the House -- will be in Iowa in a couple of weeks. I am also hearing that Representative Tulsi Gabbard is coming to Iowa next month. It's just the beginning. We know that Senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, and the most speculated non-candidate of 2016, Senator Elizabeth Warren, may be sticking their toes in the water soon. And when since 1988 has former vice president Joe Biden not been rumored as a possibility? I hope Bernie signals his intentions early, so candidates like Merkley, Warren, and Gabbard avoid splitting the progressive vote. As for the rest? The more, the merrier. Harris, Ryan, Booker, Biden, and whoever else wants to can run to split the beauty contest vote. You know the voters who vote based on the package. I have to admit that before I heard him, I thought Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend was the ultimate, perfectly packaged candidate who I was afraid would be an empty suit. When he ran for Democratic Party Chair, I heard all of the rising star praise and became skeptical. He would be the first openly gay president, which would be a good thing. His speech Sunday hit all the right notes, and he impressed me with his ability to articulate a vision, something our last nominee struggled to do. I will take a closer look at him if he decides to run. The senator from Oregon was the one I went to see. Senator Jeff Merkley was the only senator to endorse Bernie Sanders in 2016. During a meeting with Sanders supporters on Sunday evening, Merkley said there was fear then among many of his colleagues that if they didn't back Hillary Clinton, there would be years of retribution. The senator said he doesn't play that game, and he endorsed Bernie. So right away I applaud Jeff Merkley's independence. Click Here to Read Whole Article Image From Article (Image by Unknown) Details DMCA Voter fraud is a fraud.--Rev. Jesse Jackson In a key event of September's National Voting Rights Month, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and DC civil rights attorney Barbara Arnwine today announced the establishment of a new commission to "document and address the national scourge of voter suppression" at the National Press Club in Washington, DC yesterday. More specifically, according to its anticipatory press release, it will address "voter registration, universal early voting, automatic voter registration at age 18 and restoration of voting rights for ex-felons. It will also produce reports and recommendations to guide public policy in the areas of voting rights and civic engagement." Comprising "prominent voting rights experts, scholars, elected officials, lawyers, students and community activists, the commission will hold a series of hearings around the country to gather testimony directly from U.S. citizens about the undue and often illegal barriers which hinder their ability to effectively participate in the franchise," a similar document clarified. The commission has been formed as a "counter-narrative" to the ridiculous "Commission on Election Integrity" catalyzed by President Donald Trump to prove that the 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 popular votes former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton won in excess of his were the result of voter fraud (more on this "commission" below). The guises voter suppression can assume are legion, and so the task is huge. "Turning pain into power" was the theme Rev. Jackson used to describe tragedies in the past that were followed up by significant milestones. On the heels of the assassination of Medgar Evers on June 11, 1963 by right-wing extremists, pain became action as the August 28, 1964 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom empowered idealists and activists, especially with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. In the shadow of the Charlottesville massacre, consider the empowerment of voters in Illinois with its new automatic registration program that has already added nearly 2,000,000 voters to the rolls; even non-felons serving prison sentences can register to vote. Oregon pioneered automatic registration last year, successfully increasing its number of new voters by 100,000, a rate of 43 percent of all newly registered, more than half the turnout rate of 80 percent (these figures published by the New York Times on December 2, 2016, click here). Looking back at Election 2016, the reverend wondered why we didn't respond more effectively when Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by millions of votes and was still declared the loser according to electoral votes Trump amassed-- many of which that were, to say the least, questionable. Rev. Jackson announced an exhaustive five-day tour through Virginia to be undertaken by his Rainbow Push Coalition beginning this week, beginning in Charlottesville and traveling throughout the Dominion State, as well as another to New Jersey. The goal is to reach potential voters, Latinos, blacks, and Asian Americans, at community colleges among other venues, one-on-one or with rallies and other outreach to convince them of the importance of their vote and motivate them to assert their will up against huge barriers the Commission and the Coalition are committed to toppling. "We must travel," the reverend continued, "from door to door and church to church." In Philadelphia, with its burgeoning inner-city population, 25,000 people who registered found that their names were absent from the rolls when they went to vote; throughout Pennsylvania the total was 50,000 (100,000 were similarly not processed in North Carolina and Florida). The Quaker State allows no early voting but accepts absentee ballots early, with an excuse. On Election Day, the polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., period. The system is archaic, Jackson said. The people need a fuller picture--particularly of the antics that are pulled in swing states such as Michigan, Wisconsin, and North Carolina. In Detroit, 77,000 ballots were distributed in 2016 that were missing the top line of options, the presidential candidates. Trump won the state by 11,000 votes. But we did win Virginia via get-out-the-vote phone calls, noted Andrea Miller, executive director of People Demanding Action. This year, registration there will close on October 16; there is no early voting, nor election-day registration. Thirteen states altogether, including New York and New Jersey, don't have early voting. Between 2012 and 2015, fully 285,000 voters were eliminated from rolls throughout the country. All of those in targeted categories should check and re-check their registration status every six months. Georgia in three months purged 700,000 voters via caging but was forced to restore 315,000 of them when the deed was publicized. Not enough. It is registration time. The first weekend in October is the deadline in many states that don't allow election-day registration (EDR), something most of those qualified to vote don't know. On National Registration Day, September 26, thousands of groups will work to get voters to register and help them in this process. Co-chair of the new commission Barbara Arnwine traced its predecessors to the organization she founded last year, the Transformative Justice Coalition, with its offshoot the Voting Rights Alliance. The new commission will be nonpartisan; it was the people who lost the presidential election in 2016, not the Democrats, said Rev. Jackson. This year there are major races in Virginia and New Jersey along with hundreds of mayoral races; yesterday the New York primary handed an expected Democratic victory to the popular Mayor Bill de Blasio. Voting Rights Month also reminds us of the mockery of democracy we are allowing to occur all around us--a very recent case in point the second meeting of Pence/Kobach's Commission on Election Integrity (see my report on this at https://www.opednews.com/articles/Presidential-Advisory-Comm-by-Marta-Steele-Election-Fraud_Election-History_Election-Integrity_Election-Law-Violations-170912-56.html). Falsehoods Kris Kobach, not only secretary of state of Kansas aspiring to be its governor but also a columnist for Breitbart News, has been perpetrating include his assertion that Democrat Maggie Hassan won her New Hampshire Senate seat by having Massachusetts voters bused in to the polls in her state which he said amounted to more than 5,000 fraudulent votes. Kobach claimed that students and others domiciled in New Hampshire using out-of-state driver's licenses as voter IDs were breaking the law. New Hampshire SoS Bill Gardner set him straight on that--clarifying the state law that allowed this practice for all citizens who resided in his state, no matter where they or their driver's licenses came from. "The mainstream media picked up on Kobach's [version of the truth]--we need to counter this narrative," said Arnwine. But where can articulate progressives spread the word on television? Where are the opportunities to refute the lies to a wide public? There were 11 of our new commissioners here today and we hope that thousands will join our cause in the cities we travel to, where we will rally, she said. Among these commissioners were Gary Flowers, Janice Mathis, Grace Kim, Hyepin Im, and Rev. Mark A. Thompson. Others, including Rep. Maxine Waters, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Attorney Junius Williams, Rev. Al Sharpton, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Jim Zogby, and Attorney Juan Thomas, were unable to attend today. Co-chairs of the Commission for Voter Justice will be Rev. Jackson (honorary) along with Barbara Arnwine, Pennsylvania state senator Vincent Hughes, and John Nichols, national affairs correspondent for The Nation. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). MTO IS BACK ON TRACK: Trumpeter-composer-arranger Steven Bernstein (above) put his Millennial Territory Orchestra on the shelf these past couple years while he toured with his New Orleans-flavored Steven Bernstein-Henry Butler Hot 9 and his edgy Sex Mob quartet (which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year). But on Sept. 6, Bernstein broke out the old MTO songbook for a rare one-night engagement at Dizzys Club Coca-Cola with that nine-piece band he formed in 1999. They opened with an impressionistic take on W.C. Handys St. Louis Blues that swerved into Count Basies Rusty Dusty, with Bernstein conducting his crew in an spontaneous manner that recalled Sun Ra leading his Arkestra, before returning to Handys familiar theme. Next up was an authentic reading of the bawdy 1920s number The Boy in the Boat, which featured the leader on some plunger trumpet call-and-response with swinging violinist Charles Burnham. The versatile group revealed its eclectic nature with highly stylized renditions of The Grateful Deads Ripple and The Beatles Cry Baby Cry, featuring Ron Blake (subbing for Erik Lawrence) on a potent baritone sax solo, before tackling Duke Ellingtons Flirtibird from the soundtrack to Alfred Hitchcocks Anatomy of a Murder. Only Bernstein, who doesnt discriminate at all when it comes to musical styles, would lump the Dead, the Beatles and Duke as a triumverate. OCTOGENARIANS REIGN AT BIRDFEST: Drummer Terri Lyne Carrington brought a thoughtful sociopolitical message to the Marcus Garvey Park bandstand in Harlem on Aug. 26 with her Social Science project, and tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman energized the Tompkins Square Park crowd the following day with his killer quartet (featuring drummer Marcus Gilmore, pianist Aaron Goldberg and bassist Reuben Rogers), but it was two octogenarians and one nonagenarian who almost stole the show at the 25th annual Charlie Parker Parker Jazz Festival. Eighty-year-old drummer Louis Hayes, whose main associations were with the Horace Silver Quintet in the 1950s and the Cannonball Adderley Quintet in the 60s, led a potent small group through swinging numbers from his recent Silver tribute album, Serenade for Horace, on the Blue Note label. With the fiery saxophonist Abraham Burton, trumpeter Josh Evans, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, pianist David Bryant and bassist Dezron Douglas, Hayes delivered an insistent ride-cymbal pulse on the uptempo swinger Cookin at the Continental and followed with a buoyant reading of the Cedar Walton classic, Bolivia. Nelson was featured on the Hayes original Hastings Street, named for the street in Detroit where the drummer grew up. At age 80, Hayes still has pep in his step and swings with youthful enthusiasm. Lee Konitz. (Schorle) Lee Konitz, the 89-year-old alto sax legend, followed Hayes with essentially the same set of standards that hes been playing for decades, and every time he finds different avenues to take within those familiar vehicles. Still possessing a golden tone, a fertile imagination and a wry sense of humor, Konitz imbued standards like All the Things You Are, Body and Soul, Alone Together, Stella By Starlight and Subconcious-Lee (his contrafact on What Is This Thing Called Love?) with a playful sense of adventure. At times, as on Body and Soul and a rendition of Thelonious Monks Round Midnight, he took the horn out of his mouth and improvised vocalese lines around the chords. His singing sounded oddly similar to his alto improvisations. Then on Sunday, 91-year-old Lou Donaldson, an alto player who imbues his jazz with a healthy dose of blues, was backed by the burning Hammond B-3 organ player Akiko Tsuruga, the Grant Green-inspired guitarist Eric Johnson, and swinging drummer Joe Farnsworth. Sweet Papa Lou immediately won over the Tompkins Square crowd with his funky Blues Walk, an instrumental hit for him in 1958. He followed with a pungent reading of Gershwins Summertime that had him quoting from Wade in the Water and Fats Dominos Please Dont Leave Me. Before tackling Birds chops-busting Wee, Donaldson addressed the crowd: Today we are celebrating the music of Charlie Parker. No fusion, no confusion. No Kenny G, no Najee. No 50 Cent, whos not worth a quarter. He followed with a rousing rendition of Fine and Dandy, dropping in a quote from Tchaikovskys Waltz of the Flowers along the way, and dug into Birds bluesy Parkers Mood with earthy gusto, quoting from Blues in the Night during his solo. After telling a barrage of viagra jokes, the nasty nonagenarian sang his signature blues, Whiskey Drinkin Woman, then told the crowd, Im glad to see that you appreciate classical singing. He closed out his good-time set with his funky 1970 anthem, Alligator Boogaloo, which had many in the crowd up out of their seats to strut their stuff. The two-day festival, always held right around Birds birthday (Aug. 29), drew huge crowds to the Marcus Garvey Park bandshell in Harlem and to Tompkins Square Park, just across the street from Parkers former East Village residence on 10th Street and Avenue B. HERE COMES THE DRUM KING: Another nonagenarian, 92-year-old drummer Roy Haynes (left), showed that he is still very much on top of his game in an early September appearance at the Blue Note. Sporting a paisley jacket, black bolero pants with buttons up the side and some slick shoes, Hayes made his entrance to wild applause and immediately busted out his finest tap-dancing moves. Leading his Fountain of Youth band (alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw, upright bassist David Wong, pianist Martin Bejerano), Haynes launched into Pat Methenys sprightly James, making all the intricate hits and quick-wristed fills while swinging and syncopating with authority. He played the melody to Charlie Parkers Segment on the kit before digging into an insistent ride-cymbal beat while dropping those signature, unpredictable bombs on his snare drum. His brush playing on the ballad Everything Happens to Me was sublime, perfectly underscoring Shaws lyrical, buttery-toned alto work. And Haynes signature snap-crackle-pop was very much in evidence on Monks Bemsha Swing. They closed their set with the ebullient Summer Nights, which featured an extended solo by the ageless drum master. At 92, the only living drummer who played with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane and Pat Metheny has indeed found his fountain of youth. END OF AN ERA AT AVATAR: A storied recording studio in the heart of Hells Kitchen has been acquired by the Berklee College of Music, which plans to continue the facility as a commercial operation as well as an educational component under the rebranded BerkleeNYC. The historic 33,000-square-foot recording studio, which opened in 1977 as the Power Station and re-opened in 1996 as Avatar, had been for sale for two years before being purchased for $20 million by hedge-fund manager Pete Muller, who in turn will lease the property to the Boston-based performing-arts school. Berklee plans to update the main recording studio and convert some of the building into rehearsal space, practice rooms and classrooms. We want to preserve and re-imagine the recording studio, said Berklee president Roger Brown said. We know a lot of students will be taking off from Boston and heading to New York. This will give them a smooth transition to New York and increase the odds of success. During its incarnation as the Power Station, the studio hosted recording sessions by Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Bob Dylan, David Bowie and Bon Jovi. As Avatar, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Donald Fagen, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, Bruno Mars, Sting and Esperanza Spalding recorded there. I hope this becomes the first building of a BerkleeNYC campus, Muller added. Berklee has already become one of the preeminent music institutions in the world. To not have a footprint in New York is wrong. DAFNIS PRIETOS BIG IDEA: Cuban-born drummer and longtime New York resident Dafnis Prieto (left) unveiled his dynamic big band for a three-night August engagement at The Jazz Standard, premiering material from his upcoming album, Tribute. The sprawling, 16-piece ensemble spilled off the stage and into the audience to accommodate the five trumpets, four trombones and four saxes on percolating jams like Out of the Bone and Una Vez Mas, the latter dedicated to Prietos former employer, Eddie Palmieri, and featuring guest trumpeter Brian Lynch. Conguero Roberto Quintero heated up the proceedings on the explosive Two for One, which sounded like it couldve been an outtake from Billy Cobhams Crosswinds. Featured soloists throughout the set included alto-sax burner Roman Filiu, tenor saxophonists Peter Apfelbaum and Joel Frahm, trumpeters Alex Sipiagin and Mike Rodriguez, trombonist Alan Ferber and the leader himself, who turned in a dazzling polyrhythmic gem of a solo on Two for One. Watch for this one. Its Grammy-bound. SEEN ON THE SCENE: Guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel played two weeks at the Village Vanguard, first with a trio featuring the sensational Italian bassist Dario Fromit (whose electric bass sounds more woody and upright than any other electric bass Ive ever heard) and drummer Gregory Hutchinson, then in a new quartet featuring Fromit on bass, Mark Turner on tenor sax, Israeli pianist Nitai Hershkovits and drumming phenom Marcus Gilmore (Roy Hayness grandson); Drummer Jeff Tain Watts performed an Elvin Jones 90th birthday celebration at the Jazz Standard with his Electric Elvin Band featuring guitarist Kevin Eubanks and bassist Charnett Moffett; Herbie Hancock revisited his funky electric fusion from the 70s (Actual Proof, Chameleon, Canteloupe Island) at the Beacon Theatre with guitarist Lionel Loueke, bassist James Genus, saxophonist Terrace Martin and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta; Saxophonist Joe Lovano dipped into the Tadd Dameron songbook (Hot House, Soultrane, Whatever Possessd Me) with his celebrated nonet featuring also saxophonist Steve Slagle, baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan, bassist Cameron Brown and drummer Otis Brown III in a week-long engagement at the hallowed Village Vanguard. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces captured a man that turned out to be an American citizen fighting for ISIS, according to reports today. In a report first published by The Daily Beast, the man (as yet unnamed) apparently surrendered to the Kurdish elements of the SDF, and has been detained. CNN contacted the State Department for further details, but were given none. Col. Ryan Dillon told reporters he was looking at the same reports they were, so they didnt have much information on the incident yet. CNN also points out that this isnt the first time an American citizen has been captured while fighting for ISIS, and that the number of ISIS fighters surrendering to authorities is on the rise. iGaming Bill Introduced at Michigan Hearing Offers Optimism September 13, 2017 Valerie Cross The optimism surrounding the possibility of iGaming and with it, online poker, in Michigan received another morale boost today. A new bill that would legalize online gambling in the Great Lakes state was announced earlier this week and this morning, there was a hearing about the bill before Michigans state House Regulatory Reform Committee. The Senate Regulatory Reform Committee has been the bills chief sponsor and major proponent. Rep. Brandt Iden, the committees chairman, emphasized in the hearing that it is only a matter of time before iGaming becomes legal in their state. The only question is when. As a state that has several casinos and a lottery that includes legal online lottery sales, Michigan sure seems like a suitable candidate for online gaming. The Fight for iGaming in Michigan Michigan emerged as a possible iGaming state just last year, when State Sen. Mike Kowall introduced The Lawful Internet Gaming Act (SB 889) in April 2016 to regulate online poker and online casino games within the state. Despite easily passing a Senate Regulatory Reform Committee vote with a definitive 8-1, the bill did go up for a full Senate vote. The bill argued that the proposed iGaming regulations would provide new revenue streams for the state and offer consumers and the state protection from offshore gambling sites. At an informational hearing in the following month, the Senate Regulatory Reform Committee revealed that the bill had been in the works for three years. In March 2017, another version of the iGaming bill was introduced again. Again, the bill passed to the full Senate floor, not surprising considering most of the sponsors of the bill serve as members of the committee that passed it, but the most challenging part was still ahead. Wednesdays Hearing The new version of the iGaming bill, H 4926, was the subject of todays hearing of the House Regulatory Reform Committee. The hearing was mostly informational in nature with no vote taken. According to Dustin Gouker of Online Poker Report, The tone from members on the committee who spoke or asked questions was not combative, and instead seemed focused on supporting the bill or learning more about the industry. The presenters emphasized the bill primarily as a consumer protection measure (to protect citizens against offshore and unregulated gaming sites) and secondarily, as a revenue generator. Iden stressed the consumer protection argument, while emphasizing the inevitability of the legalization of regulated iGaming. I believe it is incumbent upon this committee and this legislature to be proactive and to protect our citizens, Iden said. And it will happen. So the when is up to all of you. Some of the usual iGaming hearing representatives were in attendance including members of Stars Group (formerly Amaya), the Poker Players Alliance, and the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling. Opposition While the casinos and tribal gaming interests were not present at the hearing, the three commercial casinos in the state, MGM Grand Detroit, Greektown Casino, and MotorCity Casino, gave word that they opposed the bill as introduced by Iden. A ray of hope came from MGM, which reportedly said they support the concept of online gaming presented within the bill. The bill also has tribal gaming interests to appease that include 12 tribes which operate 23 gambling facilities. None of these interests showed up to speak at the hearing, but the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi said they opposed the bill as written but were willing to offer constructive feedback. Dave Murley of the Michigan Gaming Control Board reported that his agency was neutral on the bill, but brought up concerns about the constitutionality of the bill and existing tribal issues. Support for the Bill Former state attorney general Mike Cox spoke in support of the bill. He emphasized the collaboration with other states that have successful iGaming legislation and the validity of the bill under the state constitution. These bills are the product of collaboration Collaboration primarily with the three states that are doing it well right now, Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey, Cox said. Thankfully for us, in the state of Michigan, theyve worked out a lot of the kinks. These bills are a result of talking with their regulators and using those things that work well, incorporating them for the benefit of Michigan citizens and complementary with Michigan law. It is unclear what the next steps are in the effort to get the iGaming legislation through in Michigan with many looming obstacles in the path. But Iden remains optimistic, as demonstrated in part in his opening statement to the hearing committee. If I were a betting man, and I am, iGaming will become law at some stage in the state of Michigan. PokerNews will continue to bring you updates in the development of iGaming in Michigan. Last month the Fanohge Coalition sent a simple survey to all candidates seeking to represent Guam in I Liheslaturan Guahan, as its attorney ge Read more19 candidates take stand on CHamoru self-determination, future status, Marine buildup PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 15:25:13 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 377 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for SolGold plc--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Bishopsgate, London (FSCWire) - SolGold plc (TSX:SOLG). has issued a press release with the following headline:Additional Information Filed in CanadaTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on SolGold plc, or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/SolGold plcSource: SolGold plc (TSX: SOLG, AIM: SOLG)Date: September 14, 2017Time: 9:25 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of SolGold plc and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 09:32:01 AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Congratulates the Kingdom of Swaziland as New HIV Infections Fall by 44% AHF AFRICA MEDIA CONTACT Oluwakemi Gbadamosi Senior Manager PR and Communications Africa Bureau Oluwakemi.gbadamosi@aidshealth.org The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global HIV/AIDS organization, congratulates Swaziland on its recent HIV/AIDS response milestone. Data presented at the International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Science in Paris reveals that new HIV infections in Swaziland have fallen by 44%, and over 73% of people living with HIV in the country now have an undetectable viral load. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201709140054 AHF HIV/AIDS awareness campaign (Photo: Business Wire) According to the Joint United Nations Programme on [..], Swaziland has an HIV prevalence rate of 28.8%, with about 220,000 of its people living with HIV. With this remarkable achievement, lowering the number of new HIV infections, Swaziland has joined a select list of countries who are on track to achieving UNAIDS 90-90-90 Fast-Track goals. This is indeed a true reflection of the situation in Swaziland and I would definitely attribute it to improved treatment coverage and commitment on the part of both the government and partners like AHF who daily work to ensure that access to treatment is not hampered, enthused Dr. Nduduzo Dube, Country Program Manager AHF Swaziland. In 2008, Swaziland embarked on a major task-shifting exercise; training nurses to initiate Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), and commenced the decentralization of ART services to the most remote areas of the country. The MOH also ensured that there were no stock-outs of ARV drugs; as a result there was no delay in treatment initiation and no interruption of treatment, he added. Since 2007, AHF has supported the government of Swaziland through the Ministry of Health to provide free HIV testing and treatment services to those who need it and has pioneered innovative approaches that have contributed to the success of Swazilands HIV/AIDS response. AHF was one of the pioneers of the Outreach Testing program through its One Million Tests Campaign in 2008, the Ten Million Tests Campaign in 2009 and the Rapid Testing Program (RTP), all of which helped boost Swazilands HIV testing coverage, said Terri Ford, AHFs Chief of Global Advocacy and Policy. As AHF prepares to mark its 10 years of service delivery in Swaziland, this news serves as an icing on the cake, for an organization whose quest for global AIDS control continues to drive its vision. In Swaziland, AHF provides care and treatment to over 26,000 people living with HIV. Remarkably, since December last year AHF Swaziland has been running routine viral loads for our patients and I am proud to announce that a cross sectional analysis of the cohort has shown viral suppression between 92-94% over the last 6 months, explained Dr. Penninah Iutung, AHF Africa Bureau Chief. Viral suppression in HIV/AIDS patients is a key element in helping break the chain of new infections, as individuals successfully on treatment and with low viral loads are much less likely to pass on the infection to their partners. We are indeed proud of Swazilands recent accomplishments, a testament to the fact that political will and treatment accessibility can help us bring the epidemic under control. It is a lesson for all of us, she said. AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 807,000 individuals in 39 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201709140054 Air Ambulance Services Market PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 12:07:55 Press Information Coherent Market Insights 1001 4th Ave, #3200 Mr. Shah CEO 2067016702 email https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/air-ambulance-services-market-6 # 717 Words 1001 4th Ave, #3200CEO2067016702 Advancements in healthcare technology along with increasing patient inclination towards faster and efficient mode of delivery has led to rampant growth of efficient and on-the-time delivery air ambulance services market size. Air ambulance services refer to transport or evacuation facilities provided to patients in emergency situations at the accident site, home, or hospital. Air ambulances are equipped with advanced medical facilities, including devices used in emergencies, to provide immediate medical carei to the patient until he/she reaches the nearest hospital. Moreover, air ambulances have trained medical crew onboard to treat patients in emergency situations en route to the hospital. Air ambulance efficiently addresses the issue of long travel time and inadequate reach to remote areas faced in road ambulance service. Air ambulance services have thus become an essential component of the modern healthcare system.Request a sample pdf Copy of report @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/6 Increasing use of Helicopters in Air AmbulanceThe global air ambulance services market outlook can be analyzed on the basis of type of aircraft as follows:HelicopterAircraft/AirplaneRotary winged aircraftFixed winged aircraftSea-PlanesUse of helicopters in air ambulance is increasing owing to its convenience in landing and taking-off from a smaller ground area. Moreover, helicopter enables wider reach in remote areas compared to winged aircrafts/airplanes, which require more space for landing and take-off. Companies are also making use of sea planes and corporate planes depending on the demand and patient location.Lack of Infrastructure and Inadequate Number of Aircraft in Developing Regions are Key Challenges for Growth of Air Ambulance MarketOn the basis of geography, the global air ambulance services market scenario can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Rest of the World. Developed infrastructure, defined regulatory framework and favorable reimbursement policies are some of the factors contributing to the dominance of the air ambulance services market in North America and Europe. Developing countries of Asia Pacific, Latina America and Middle East are expected to show swift growth in the demand for air ambulance services. Factors such as rapidly growing medical tourism, improving medical infrastructure, and increasing disposable income are projected to boost growth of air ambulance services market in these regions. Air ambulance service providers in India such as Aviators Air Rescue, Aeromed, Innovation Aviation Pvt Ltd, JetSetGo, Air Ambulance Aviation, and Medantas Flying Doctors are collaborating with insurance providers to make the service affordable to all. However, lack of infrastructure and inadequate number of aircraft is deterring operators to meet demand for air ambulance in the country.Faster Reach and Onboard Assistance Driving DemandSome key global air ambulance services market drivers include its ability to faster reach compared to road ambulance and onboard medical assistance. Also, air ambulance services are widely utilized on the warfront to rescue injured soldiers and provide emergency medical care to them.Favorable reimbursement policies for air ambulance services are propelling demand for air ambulance services among patients. Certain insurance providers in Canada reimburse around 80% of the total service cost of air ambulance. This reimbursement policy is applicable for patients who require immediate hospitalization. This policy, however, excludes non-emergency patients, thus increasing cost of this service for such patients. This is a major air ambulance services market restraint. Formulation of strict safety rules by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is one of the factors anticipated to reduce profit margins of air ambulance service providers, which would also hinder the growth of air ambulance services market revenue during the forecast period (20162024).Get discount on this report @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-discount/6 Ambulance Drones: A Fast Emerging Possible NemesisAir ambulance service is a capital intensive business, which increases entry barriers for new entrants in the market. Moreover, the advent of ambulance drones will also impact demand for air ambulance in future. The high cost of availing the air ambulance service in comparison to a cheaper ambulance drone would be restrain market growth of air ambulance to a major extent.In terms of number of players, there are various small players operating with a small fleet of planes across the globe. Some of the major players in the global air ambulance services market are Air Methods Corporation, Deccan Charters, Scandinavian Air Ambulance, Air Ambulance Specialists, Air Charter Service, and Air Methods. Currently available drones are classified based on the purpose as camera, toy, and racing drones. Ambulance Drone Market PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 12:46:26 Press Information Coherent Market Insights 1001 4th Ave, #3200 ,Seattle, WA Mr Shah CEO 2067016702 email http://www.coherentmarketinsights.com # 701 Words 1001 4th Ave, #3200 ,Seattle, WACEO2067016702 Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), also known as drones, are the most exciting topic in discussion today. This new technology is believed to revolutionize various industries by enabling faster delivery, reach, and monitoring (GPS). The U.S. military is already using drones as GPS or surveillance system to track its troops movements and weapon facilities to launch attacks on terrorist organizations. With increasing research and development activities pertaining to drones, the governments and regulatory authorities in various countries are endeavoring to commercialize this new technology. Currently available drones are classified based on the purpose as camera, toy, and racing drones. Drones can be used in food delivery, product delivery, traffic monitoring, rescue operations, army activities, and delivery of goods within a selected area and many such activities.Ambulance Drones Market - Multiple Applications in HealthcareDrones hold the potential to transform the delivery of healthcare services. Drones can be especially useful in emergency situations. Applications include dropping of emergency equipment and medicines, conducting search and rescue operations, responding to natural disasters, collection of blood and tissue samples, and reaching out to remote locations for medical help. Drones are already operating in countries such as the U.S., Haiti, and some parts of Europe. Emerging economies are yet to commercialize the technology. Effective implementation of the technology would spur growth of the ambulance drones market.Request a sample copy of this report@Research in the Ambulance Drones MarketDrones can also find application in ambulance services. Ambulance drone design developed by Argodesign, Texas (U.S.) in 2015 provides a speedy emergency support in rural areas and provides quick medical aid during major traffic accident sites that are otherwise inaccessible by road. These drones are equipped with essential instruments for quick treatment at the site of traffic accidents. These drones are about the size of a compact car and do not need a pilot on location to depart. Due to its small size it can land safely on a street. The vehicle can accommodate one patient and is steered via GPS and controlled remotely.Alec Momont, a student at the Technical University of Delft, developed a prototype of a compact drone that has a small storage space in it. The drone was developed to provide essential supplies to the people on spot and also advanced life support. The first drone contained an automated external defibrillator. This small ambulance drone is not affected by the current road infrastructures and can fly at a speed of 60 miles per hour. It transport a defibrillator to a patient within 12 sq. km. zone within a minute. The drone tracks the emergency mobile calls and uses GPS to navigate to the patient site. However, there are certain things such as steering mechanism and legal issues which needs to be cleared off for a smooth transitioning of the ambulance drones market.Ambulance Drones Market plagued with regulatory issuesThere are many legal and infrastructure issues that need to be tackled before full scale commercialization of ambulance drones. Clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), regulatory authorities, medical authorities, and defining the flight levels are essential to prevent any hindrances during flight operations. Extensive tests need to be conducted to provide complete assurance of the safe and efficient operations of all related processes of ambulance drone. Moreover, risks that need to be considered include the loss or damage to any component while in transit and avoidance of collisions between drones. Regulatory and environmental clearance would pave way for rampant growth of the global ambulance drones market.The global ambulance drones market is expected to see its first product being commercialized by 2020. A push up to this new technology would enable for a faster and cheaper method of healthcare emergency service delivery during emergency situations.Get Discount on this Report@About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@ coherentmarketinsights.com PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:06:14 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 402 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Anglo Pacific Group PLC--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---London England (FSCWire) - Anglo Pacific Group PLC (LSE:APF). has issued a press release with the following headline:Anglo Pacific Group PLC Acquisition of a Royalty on the Piau[[111]] Nickel - Cobalt ProjectTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Anglo Pacific Group PLC, or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Anglo Pacific Group PLCSource: Anglo Pacific Group PLC (LSE: APF, TSX: APY, WKN: 871733, ISIN: GB0006449366)Date: September 14, 2017Time: 2:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Anglo Pacific Group PLC and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) The La Crosse Police Department arrested 56-year-old Daniel Lee Halverson of Caledonia Aug. 28 in La Crosse where he was found to be in possession of 18 grams of methamphetamine. Halverson was transported to Houston County where he remains in custody on felony level charges for first degree sale of methamphetamine. Halverson is alleged to have made two previous sales of meth earlier in August in Houston County. One sale was for 3.7 ounces of meth and the second sale was for 17 grams. Another Caledonia resident, 31-year-old Andrew James Roach, is in custody at the Houston County Jail on charges of fourth degree sale of a narcotic. This stems from his alleged involvement in two previous Houston County sales of methamphetamine in connection with Halverson. Roach has two previous convictions for controlled substance crimes and currently has one case pending for felony controlled substance crimes in Houston County. According to Houston County Sheriff Mark Inglett, this was the result of good police work by the drug task force in putting this case together and great cooperation between Houston County Sheriffs Office and La Crosse Police Department. Research Trades has team of experts who works on providing exhaustive analysis pertaining to market research on a global basis. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:42:10 Press Information Research Trades Office No.10, Wing C, Rajhans, Baner, Pune-45, India email http://www.researchtrades.com Published by Pranjal Mehta +91 7507349866 e-mail http://www.researchtrades.com/ # 420 Words Office No.10, Wing C, Rajhans, Baner, Pune-45, IndiaPranjal Mehta+91 7507349866 September Offer -Flat 20% discount on purchase of any report from 15th to 30th September @ https://www.researchtrades.com/discount/1229671 For more offers post 30th September, kindly contact us.Contact No. : +16269994607 (US)/ +91 7507349866 (IND)Email: sales@ researchtrades.com Report Overview:Geographically, this report split Asia-Pacific into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Automotive Pneumatic Actuators for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), including China, Japan, South Korea, IndiaAsia-Pacific Automotive Pneumatic Actuators market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Automotive Pneumatic Actuators sales volume, price, revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players including Continental, Robert Bosch, Denso Delphi Automotive, Schrader Duncan, Hitachi, CTS CorporationGet Exclusive sample copy @ https://www.researchtrades.com/request-sample/1229671 On the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K Units), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/Unit), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Throttle Actuator, Fuel Injection Actuator, Brake Actuator, OtherOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume (K Units), market share and growth rate of Automotive Pneumatic Actuators for each application, including Commercial Vehicles, Passenger VehiclesTable of Contents1 Automotive Pneumatic Actuators Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Automotive Pneumatic Actuators1.2 Classification of Automotive Pneumatic Actuators by Product Category1.3 Asia-Pacific Automotive Pneumatic Actuators Market by Application/End Users2 Asia-Pacific Automotive Pneumatic Actuators Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application2.1 Asia-Pacific Automotive Pneumatic Actuators Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.2 Asia-Pacific Automotive Pneumatic Actuators (Volume and Value) by Type2.3 Asia-Pacific Automotive Pneumatic Actuators (Volume) by Application3 China Automotive Pneumatic Actuators (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 China Automotive Pneumatic Actuators Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.2 China Automotive Pneumatic Actuators Sales Volume and Market Share by Type3.3 China Automotive Pneumatic Actuators Sales Volume and Market Share by Application4 Japan Automotive Pneumatic Actuators (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 Japan Automotive Pneumatic Actuators Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.2 Japan Automotive Pneumatic Actuators Sales Volume and Market Share by Type4.3 Japan Automotive Pneumatic Actuators Sales Volume and Market Share by ApplicationBrowse This Report @ https://www.researchtrades.com/report/asia-pacific-automotive-pneumatic-actuators-market-report-2017/1229671 Who we areResearch Trades has team of experts who works on providing exhaustive analysis pertaining to market research on a global basis. This comprehensive analysis is obtained by a thorough research and study of the ongoing trends and provides predictive data regarding the future estimations, which can be utilized by various organizations for growth purposes. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 09:26:11 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 374 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for SolGold plc--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---London (FSCWire) - SolGold plc (TSX:SOLG). has issued a press release with the following headline:Audited Financial StatementsTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on SolGold plc, or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/SolGold plcSource: SolGold plc (TSX: SOLG, AIM: SOLG)Date: September 14, 2017Time: 3:26 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of SolGold plc and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) Global Behavioral Therapy Market: Behavior therapy, also known as behavior analytical and psychotherapy, behavioral therapy market a term that broadly refers to the treatment that helps alter self-destructing behaviors in a patient. Behavioral Therapy Market PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 06:50:33 Press Information Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 Rohit Bhisey Head of Marketing 5186181030 email http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/behavioral-therapy-market.html # 590 Words 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207Head of Marketing5186181030 Behavior therapy, also known as behavior analytical and psychotherapy, is a term that broadly refers to the treatment that helps alter self-destructing behaviors in a patient. It is sometimes also termed as cognitive behavioral therapy or behavioral modification. Those patients who practice behavior therapy usually learn behaviors and are more specific. Medical professionals perform behavior therapy to substitute bad habits with good ones. In addition, behavior therapy also helps to manage difficult situations. This type of therapy is mostly performed to treat patients suffering from anxiety disorders. Behavior therapy is also performed to treat various mood disorders such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social phobia, schizophrenia, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and bipolar disorder.Behavior therapy is also used to treat patients suffering from eating disorders, autism, substance abuse and personality disorders. Behavior therapy can be classified into three disciplines namely social learning theory, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), applied behavior analysis (ABA). Applied behavior analysis entails operant conditioning by undertaking such measures as positive reinforcement to bring about the desired changes in behavior; this is done after a thorough functional behavior assessment of the patient. Cognitive behavior therapy focuses mainly on the feelings and thought process behind the mental health condition. Social learning therapy treats patient through complete observation and instruction.Browse Market Research Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/behavioral-therapy-market.html Therapists usually produce certain treatment plans tailored to individual medical conditions. Some exercises that a therapist may perform on patient include role playing, modifications in fear, pain and responses to anger, breathing and relaxation methods, social skills training, positive reinforcement, journal writing, activities to promote focus and discussions about coping mechanisms. Behavior therapy results in increasing quality of life of patients suffering from aforementioned medical condition. This also reduces incidence rate of self-harm, improved emotional expressions, better pain management, less outburst, improved social skills and raises the ability to recognize the urgency of various medical help.Behavioral Therapy Market: DriversThe market for behavior therapy is anticipated to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast period 2014 to 2020. Rising incidences of obsessive compulsive disorder is primarily fueling the growth of behavior therapy market. According to a reputed U.S. journal, nearly 1 in 100 children and 1 in 40 adults suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder every year. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obsessive compulsive disorder is amongst top 20 causes of illness-related disability across the globe.Fill the form to gain deeper insights on this market @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11792 Likewise, increasing cases of depression will further accentuate the growth of behavior therapy market. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has projected that around 1 in 10 adults report depression in the U.S. Moreover, changing lifestyle in terms of working culture is also expected to boost the growth of behavior therapy market throughout the forecast period.Behavioral Therapy Market: Region-wise OutlookIn 2013, North America and Europe collectively accounted for the largest share of global behavior therapy market. This is due to the presence of large patient population in the regions. Also, heavy work conditions that results in various mental medical conditions has also contributed heavily in sharing large revenue share of the global behavioral market. Asia-Pacific is expected to see highest growth rate during the forecast period owing to aging population. Aged people usually suffer from various mental disorders. In addition, increasing disposable income of the patient population enhance the affordability for receiving such medical services. All the aforementioned parameters would propel the growth of behavior therapy market in Asia-Pacific region from 2014 to 2020. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 12:01:02 780+ Employees spread across multiple locations to benefit from Digital HR Transformation at Insular Life Digitizing Employee Experience at Insular Life, Philippines Adrenalin eSystems Limited Caroline Peters, Head Marketing Caroline.p@myadrenalin.com Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/company/adrenalin-esystems Twitter: https://twitter.com/adrenalinHRMS Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/adrenalinHRMS Google+: https://plus.google.com/+AdrenalineSystemsLimited Adrenalin eSystems Limited (AeSys), a global product and software solutions company in HR automation, today announced that The Insular Life Assurance Company, Ltd. has gone live with Adrenalin, a global HCM solution internally re-branded by Insular as I-CON. This is a significant step by Insular Life towards digitizing the employee experience and accelerating the digital transformation efforts of the company. 780 + employees spread across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao to benefit from the power of single source of employee information. The Insular Life Assurance Company, Ltd. also known as Insular Life, is the first and largest Filipino life insurance company in the country. Founded on November 25, 1910, Insular Life serves the Filipino people by providing individual and group life, health and retirement insurance products. Insular Life currently employs 780+ employees and is operating across the Philippines with more than 50 field offices or branches. Insular Life deals with multiple portfolios in the insurance domain. The business is driven on market conditions; the dynamic nature of the work requires greater involvement of HR to augment the resources that will arise from time to time. Insular Life needed a comprehensive, easy to understand, centralised HR system that could help them overcome the following challenges: Optimizing value of 201 File for purposes of decision making; Facilitating benefits administration vis-a-vis separate approaches for different employee group; Providing accurate references for employee development and movements based on required and actual competency levels; and Streamlining processes and reduce paper routing in personnel administration. After rigorous evaluation process, Insular Life decided to on-board Adrenalin-Transformative Digital HR. Insular Life selected Adrenalin HR modules such as HR Foundation, Employee Life Cycle, Workforce Administration, Self Service, Reports (iReporter) to help consolidate its HR system, to put employee first and help them succeed, and to provide real time employee insights for managements decision. With I-CON powered by Adrenalin, Insular Life aims to achieve improvement in efficiency of HR processes, HR related data consolidation and data accuracy, reduction of paper use, creating a communication channel for management and the employees through employee portal and ease of access to employee related insights. Dr. Krishna G V Giri, Chairman & CEO of Adrenalin eSystems, says, The world of HR is Changing. Digitalization is changing the way HR team is managing employees in an organization and it ensures data driven insights help the team to improve overall business performance and productivity. Our partnership with Insular will ensure the HR team will achieve the business goals by exploring the infinite possibilities with Digital Technologies. Ms. Florian C. De Leon Insular Life HR Head, says, Adrenalin HCM implementation, which we collectively call at Insular Life as I-CON, is HRD's core initiative in its efforts to 'digitize employee experience.' This supports the digital transformation efforts of the company. Our vision is to become a high performance organization and ensure we have a single system across all touch points, streamline process and achieve seamless digital experience, enhanced employee experience and leverage the power of data insights to achieve business outcomes and drive organizational change. About Insular Life: The Insular Life Assurance Company, Limited, also known as Insular Life, is the first and largest Filipino life insurance company in the country. Founded in November 25, 1910, Insular Life serves the Filipino people by providing individual and group life, health and retirement insurance policy. The Company is currently headquartered at the Insular Life Corporate Centre (ILCC) building in Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City. About Adrenalin: Adrenalin is a group company of Intellect Design Arena Ltd, a global leader in Financial Technology for Banking, Insurance and other Financial Services. Adrenalin is a comprehensive, (web-based) human resource management software which automates the entire HR processes. Over 700 customers from 33+ verticals the world over & 800,000 users use Adrenalin HR Software. For more information, please visit, www.myadrenalin.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201709140056 PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 07:27:44 Press Information Published by Abhishek Budholiya +1-347-918-3531 e-mail http://www.futuremarketinsights.com # 730 Words Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531 Global Process Liquid Analyzer Market: OverviewIn the manufacturing sector, the precise measurement of liquids and gases is crucial. This report focuses on how the demand for process analyzers for liquids has changed over the years and the factors that have brought this change into effect. Process liquid analyzers may be used for measuring a wide range of dissolved ingredients, the conductivity of liquid materials, their pH levels, turbidity, or other factors that are integral to manufacturing operations.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/process-liquid-analyzer-market.html Since these devices lend themselves to a myriad of operations, their use is not limited to a particular industry. They are a ubiquitous part of the following industries: Electronics and semiconductor, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, metal and alloys, pulp and paper, textiles, waste water and water management, power and refineries, and oil and gas. Because of these wide-ranging uses of process liquid analyzers, their demand is projected to remain consistently high worldwide. TMR projects a positive outlook for the global process liquid analyzer market till 2024.With manufacturing operations being increasingly governed by demanding standards and specifications, using devices that offer accurate readings are a priority for manufacturers. This need will augur well for the global process liquid analyzer market in the years ahead.The report on the global process liquid analyzers market makes use of meticulous primary and secondary research to highlight the changes that are occurring in this space. Untapped opportunities are also determined using both qualitative and quantitative analysis. A dedicated chapter on the top players in the market helps companies map the competitive landscape.Global Process Liquid Analyzer Market: Trends, Drivers, and RestraintsThe use of process liquid analyzers has seen an uptick in recent years in developing countries where industrialization is spreading fast. Moreover, larger companies acquiring niche market players to include specialized products in their portfolios is a defining trend in the global process liquid analyzer market. The launch of smart and integrated sensors is the biggest trend currently in developed countries. The adoption of intelligent sensors may take a few years in developing markets.As the number of vendors in the global process liquid analyzer market is high, competition across the world is intense. Thus, companies that have been able to ace product differentiation have emerged as leaders. Yet, the market will have to counter forces such as a shortage of specialized process technicians and the lack of adequate professional support for maintenance projects.Global Process Liquid Analyzer Market: SegmentationThe global market for process analyzers for liquids can be segmented based on geographical regions, on the type of analyzer, and by application or end use. The key geographical segments of the market are: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World. North America currently represents the largest regional market for process liquid analyzers. The region, which is home to large industrial bases, will likely continue to exhibit a high demand for process liquid analyzers. Moreover, the massive manufacturing sectors in countries such as India and China will also boost sales in the global process liquid analyzers market.Countries in Europe are expected to fare well as far as demand for process liquid analyzers is concerned. The strong performance of the pharmaceutical and allied industries can be credited for this. The report analyzes the market for process analyzers for liquids in a detailed manner to help readers uncover emergent trends and opportunities.Fill the Form to Gain Deeper Insights on this Market @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11678 The market is characterized by a remarkably high number of vendors operating both locally and internationally. Top companies that have been profiled in the report include: Yokogawa Electric Corporation (Japan), Cemtrex Inc. (U.S), Emerson Electric Co. (U.S), ABB Ltd. (Switzerland), AMETEK Process Instruments (U.S.), and others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@ transparencymarketresearch.com Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 01:35:13 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 397 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Dorex Minerals Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - Dorex Minerals Inc. (TSX Venture:DOX). has issued a press release with the following headline:Dorex Minerals Inc. Announces Effective Date of Name Change and New Trading SymbolTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Dorex Minerals Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Dorex Minerals Inc.Source: Dorex Minerals Inc. (TSX Venture: DOX, WKN: A2DS31, ISIN: CA2582302006)Date: September 13, 2017Time: 7:35 PM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Dorex Minerals Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) Global 3D Printed Medical Devices Market PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 12:26:31 Press Information Coherent Market Insights 1001 4th Ave, #3200 Mr. Shah CEO 2067016702 email https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/global-3d-printed-medical-devices-market-29 # 665 Words 1001 4th Ave, #3200CEO2067016702 3D Printing: Ushering in the New Era of Customized Medical Devices3D printed medical devices are three-dimensional objects, created by attaching successive layers of objects through a 3D digital file. Such devices are highly customized to suit the patients unique needs, which in turn helps provide better patient outcomes. Moreover, it can also be used to develop anatomical models for medical related education and for training purposes. This is a rapidly emerging technology facilitating production of different kinds of medical products such as implants, surgical instruments, and external prosthetics. The process of 3D printed medical device manufacturing involves multiple steps. These steps depend upon the type of printing and the complexity of the equipment.Request a sample pdf Copy of report @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/29 Technological advancements making 3D-printed devices more affordableFactors driving growth of the 3D printed medical devices market include rising technological advancements through development of innovative 3D printed medical equipment and increasing healthcare spending worldwide. For instance, Stratasys Ltd. is focusing on development of extensive detailed prototypes or molds made of flexible and transparent materials for detailed study of chronic diseases. Moreover, aging population also contributes towards the demand for these devices. This is primarily due to the fact that this particular demographic group is more susceptible to osteoarthritis, gangrene, as a risk of diabetes and chronic heart disorders. Rising incidence of road and other accidents is also expected to influence market growth. However, stringent regulatory framework, high cost of 3D printed devices, and low reimbursement policies are some of the factors restraining market growth for 3D printed medical devices.Prosthetics and implants the mainstay of 3D-printed medical devicesThe global 3D printed medical devices market is segmented on the basis of product type, raw material, technology, end user, and geography. On the basis of product type, the market is segmented into implants, surgical instruments, prosthetics, tissue engineering devices, and others. Implants is sub-segmented into cranial implants, orthopedic implants, and dental implants; surgical instruments is sub-segmented into scalpels, retractors, and others; tissue engineering devices is sub-segmented into bone and cartilage scaffolds and ligament and tendon scaffolds.On the basis of raw material, the market is divided into plastics, biomaterial inks, and metal and alloys. Plastics are further divided into thermoplastics and photopolymers. Biomaterial inks include polymers, ceramics and hydrogels.On the basis of technology, the market is segmented into Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Digital Light Processing (DLP), Stereolithography (SLA), Selective Laser Melting (SLM), Electron Beam Melting (EBM), Multi Jet Fusion (MJF), and others.On the basis of end user, the market is classified into hospitals, diagnostic centers, academic institutions, and others.Burgeoning geriatric population in Europe a highly lucrative marketRegional segmentation by Coherent Market Insights comprises North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa. North America accounts for the largest market share, mainly due to presence of major players and early adoption of advanced medical technologies in countries such as U.S. and Canada. Europe is the second-largest market, owing to the large target population, especially comprising of elderly people, with high approval for use of 3D-printed medical devices. Growing disposable income and increasing awareness levels among the populace in Asia Pacific, along with a large population base is expected to position Asia Pacific as a high growth market in the near future.Get discount on this report @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-discount/29 Stratasys Ltd. is one of the major companies for 3D printed medical devices marketKey players operating the 3D medical devices market include 3D Systems, Inc., Stratasys Ltd., EOS GmbH Electro Optical Systems, Arcam AB, FabRx Ltd., Bio3D Technologies, EnvisionTEC, Cyfuse Biomedical K.K., Concept Laser GmbH, 3T RPD, Ltd., and Prodways. Major companies in the market are constantly working towards introducing innovative products and lower production costs in order to enhance profitability. For instance, in November 2016, 3D Systems extended its anatomical modeling service aimed at including pliable MultiJet Printing (MJP) material for patient-specific 3D modelling and printing services. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 09:05:12 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 397 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Great Atlantic Resources Corp.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Vancouver, British Columbia (FSCWire) - Great Atlantic Resources Corp. (TSX Venture:GR). has issued a press release with the following headline:Great Atlantic Receives Diamond Drilling Permits Golden Promise Gold Property in Central NewfoundlandTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Great Atlantic Resources Corp., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Great Atlantic Resources Corp.Source: Great Atlantic Resources Corp. (TSX Venture: GR, WKN: A1JZ4T, ISIN: CA3900871045, FWB: PH01)Date: September 14, 2017Time: 3:05 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Great Atlantic Resources Corp. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:17:38 Press Information Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany Rohit Bhisey Head Of Marketing +1-518-618-1030 email http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/grid-connected-pv-systems-market.html # 803 Words 90 State Street, Suite 700, AlbanyHead Of Marketing+1-518-618-1030 Global Grid Connected PV Systems Market: OverviewA grid connected photovoltaic power system is a solar PV system connected to utility grid that generates electricity using solar power. A grid connected PV system comprises solar panels, a power conditioning unit, grid connection equipment, and one or many inverters. These systems can range from commercial rooftop systems and small residential units to large utility-scale solar power stations. Unlike standalone solar power equipment, grid connected systems seldom constitute any integrated battery solutions. During favorable conditions, a grid connected PV system supplies superfluous power to the utility, beyond what is required for consumption of the connected load.The global grid connected PV systems market is expected to exhibit considerable growth between 2014 and 2023. These systems render easy installation, high efficiency, and improved flexibility and reliability. Due to such intrinsic advantages that grid connected PV systems offer, their demand is poised to surge exponentially in the near future. PV systems integrated with various storage technologies, such as direct load control and battery energy, offer cost efficiency and higher reliability in terms of deriving energy from solar power. More than 40 countries worldwide are expected to install over 100 MW of new solar power photovoltaic capacity, signaling the true emergence of solar power into traditional energy generation ambit.The report studies the growth trajectory likely to be exhibited by the grid connected PV systems market during the forecast period. Factors influencing the demand and supply forces in the market are analyzed in detail. The impact of the prevailing government policies and competitive pressure on the market operations is also studied in detail. The report includes exhaustive information obtained from trusted industrial sources. Insights from industry experts are also referred to for the purpose of the study.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/grid-connected-pv-systems-market.html Global Grid Connected PV Systems Market: Key Opportunities and ThreatsThe utilities scale sector accounted for the largest volume of installation in 2015, and is expected to remain the leading application segment over the forecast period. In the same years, both residential and commercial sectors are likely to exhibit significant increase in installations. The technological advancements introduced to promote power generation from renewable sources are expected to offer numerous economic and environmental benefits.Grid connected PV systems are mainly installed in inverters to offer holistic power solutions. These systems are ideal to be installed in small solar energy systems deployed in the residential sector or for providing combined solutions to an industrial complex. Grid connected PV systems are user-friendly and ensure high performance at minimum expenditure.The rising interest for combining energy storage with utility scale solar PV systems to enable integration into a grid is the prime factor driving the global grid connected PV systems market. However, the entry of market players is restricted in areas with high penetration of renewable energy sources and island grids. This, in turn, challenges the grids steadiness.Make an Enquiry @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11690 Global Grid Connected PV Systems Market: Region-wise OutlookEnterprises operating in the U.S. grid connected PV systems market are witnessing significantly rising demand. The U.S. is expected to account for the largest share in the global grid connected PV systems market by 2023. Additionally, the U.K. and Australia are also expected to deploy grid connected PV systems in their residential sectors on a large scale.Other nations such as Germany and Japan are also expected to encourage large-scale deployment of grid connected PV systems over the next few years.Global Grid Connected PV Systems Market: Vendor LandscapeTo present a comprehensive view on the prevailing competitive landscape, the report profiles companies such as Sunpower Corporation, KYOCERA Corporation, CODA Energy, Green Charge Networks, and others. Enterprises such as CODA Energy, Stem Inc., and Green Charge Networks offer their systems to consumers at no upfront cost, which is subsequently expected to amplify the demand from the market.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About Us:-Transparency Market Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers.We are privileged with highly experienced team of Analysts, Researchers and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. "Browse And Choose From Our World Class Research Reports" PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:22:26 Press Information Market Data Forecast USA Abhishek Shukla Sales Manager (International Business Development) 1-888-702-9626 email http://www.marketdataforecast.com # 505 Words USASales Manager (International Business Development)1-888-702-9626 Digestive health supplements are essential for general health of consumers of all age groups. Digestive health issues confronted by consumers gives business-chances to digestive health supplement makers fulfilling the need of consumers. Makers convey items that can cure intolerance and furthermore advance general digestive health. Digestive health supplements are foreseen to develop with single digit CAGR over the estimated period.Full report at: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-digestive-enzyme-supplements-market-3389/ Central and South America is expected to foresee substantial growth owing to increasing prevalence of digestive disorders in the region. Increasing consumer awareness regarding the harm caused to the digestive system due to the lack of supplements and nutrients in the human body is anticipated to fuel expansion.Different drivers for digestive health supplements incorporates rising digestive health worries among consumers and unhealthy ways of life, rising weight loss and eating routine worries among consumers all around. Developing awareness of consumers with respect to digestive health supplements, rising customer inclinations in regard to digestive health supplements and expanding obesity are different elements which are relied upon to fuel the development of digestive health supplements advertise sooner rather than later.Request sample: http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-digestive-enzyme-supplements-market-3389/request-sample Market Segmentation: Origin ApplicationMarket Leaders: Klaire Labs National Enzyme Company ProteoZymesTo take advantage of the popularity of the digestive health market, many companies are leveraging the strength of all three fiber, pre/probiotics and enzymes to deliver the ideal formulation. Digestive health supplements, for example, prebiotics avoid blood sugar and control healthy cholesterol levels. Regular fiber, which are non-soluble fiber anticipates constipation and to keep up typical inside capacities. Animal-derived products, for instance, pancreatic, proteases, and amylases are functional for enhancing conditions including exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer.Significant limitations identified with digestive health supplements incorporate stringent administrative environment and choices identified with portrayal of probiotics or prebiotics on names. Makers need to counsel with nearby specialists before settling on a choice on the best way to speak to digestive health supplements, for example, probiotics or prebiotics on names. Absence of awareness among consumers in regard to the regale of fiber utilization is likewise a restriction for boosting the offers of digestive health supplement items.Key players including Klaire Labs, National Enzyme Company, ProteoZymes, Metagenics, and Douglas LabsAbout Market Data Forecast:The publisher of this report is Market Data Forecast whose forte lies in Market research and Business Intelligence. Handling both individual and corporate clients across multiple business domains they offer syndicated/customized research to suit the clients research objective. Their research reports section offers a wide variety of market studies ranging from all-encompassing comprehensive market studies to product specific niche markets covering North America among other regions of the global market as well. For more info kindly visit, www.marketdataforecast.com Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit MarketDataForecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ View latest Press Releases of MDF @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases Mike Wolfe, Frank Fritz and their team are excited to return to Wisconsin. They plan to film episodes of the hit series American Pickers throughout the region in October 2017. American Pickers is a documentary series that explores the fascinating world of antique picking on History. The hit show follows Mike and Frank, two of the most skilled pickers in the business, as they hunt for Americas most valuable antiques. They are always excited to find sizeable, unique collections and learn the interesting stories behind them. As they hit the back roads from coast to coast, Mike and Frank are on a mission to recycle and rescue forgotten relics. Along the way, the Pickers want to meet characters with remarkable and exceptional items. The pair hopes to give historically significant objects a new lease on life, while learning a thing or two about Americas past along the way. Mike and Frank have seen a lot of rusty gold over the years and are always looking to discover something theyve never seen before. They are ready to find extraordinary items and hear fascinating tales about them. American Pickers is looking for leads and would love to explore your hidden treasure. If you or someone you know has a large, private collection or accumulation of antiques that the Pickers can spend the better part of the day looking through, send us your name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com or call 855-OLD-RUST or on Facebook at GotAPick. Latin America Fluoroscopy Market PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:25:38 Press Information Market Data Forecast 2nd Floor, Lakeview Plaza, Kavuri Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana 500033, India +1-888-702-9626 (U.S. TOLL FREE), contact@marketdataforecast.com Abhishek Sales Manager +1-888-702-9626 email http://www.marketdataforecast.com/ # 758 Words 2nd Floor, Lakeview Plaza, Kavuri Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana 500033, India+1-888-702-9626 (U.S. TOLL FREE), contact@marketdataforecast.comSales Manager+1-888-702-9626 The Latin America showcase for Fluoroscopy was worth USD 224.2 million in 2016 and estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 3.30%, to reach USD 263.74 million by 2021. Fluoroscopy is the imaging innovation which utilizes x-rays to get constant moving pictures of the inside of the body.View Full Report @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-fluoroscopy-market-2070/ The imaging group comprises of doctor, radiologic technologist, physicist and other therapeutic work force. During a fluoroscopy strategy, an x-ray shaft is gone through the body. The picture is transmitted to a screen so the development of a body part or of an instrument or complexity operator through the body can be found in detail.A limitless range of utilization and high demand for infrastructure in healthcare industry in developing and underdeveloped nations, are driving the fluoroscopes market. The expanding in utilization of refurbished gadgets, alongside low substitution rate of fluoroscopes, are hindering for the development of fluoroscopes market.Fluoroscopy market is segmented on the basis of type Fixed Systems, Mobile systems. On the basis of applications, the market is further divided into Biopsy, Cardiovascular medications, Orthopedic surgeries, Others. On the basis of end user market is segmented into Clinics, Hospitals, Diagnostic Centers. On the basis of geography, the Latin America market is analyzed under various regions namely Brazil, Argentina, Mexico. The Latin America fluoroscopy market is profoundly aggressive as new players are going into the market, due to expanding interest for new inventive systems in X-ray and radiology.Some of the major companies dominating the market, by their products and services include GE Healthcare., Siemens Medical Solutions, Hologic Inc., Shimadzu Corporation, Hitachi Ltd., Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation, Philips N.V., Ziehm Imaging GmbH, Amico X-ray innovations, Orthoscan Inc.Free sample of the report is available @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-fluoroscopy-market-2070/request-sample Market Segmentation1) Type Introduction Fixed systems Bio systems Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, By Type Market Attractiveness Analysis, By Type Market Share Analysis, By Type2) Application Introduction Biopsy Cardiovascularmediations Orthopedic surgeries Other Applications Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, By Application Market Attractiveness Analysis, By Application Market Share Analysis, By Application3) End User Introduction Clinics Hospitals Diagnostic centers Growth Analysis, By End Users Market Attractiveness Analysis, By End Users Market Share Analysis, By End UsersInquire before Buying at http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-fluoroscopy-market-2070/inquire Reasons to buy Latin America Fluoroscopy Market Research Report: Regional and country-level analysis and forecasts of the study market; providing Insights on the major countries/regions in which this industry is blooming and to also identify the regions that are still untapped Segment-level analysis in terms of technology, component, and type along with market size forecasts and estimations to detect key areas of industry growth in detail Identification of key drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges (DROC) in the market and their impact on shifting market dynamics Study of the effect of exogenous and endogenous factors that affect the global market; which includes broadly demographic, economics, and political, among other macro-environmental factors presented in an extensive PESTLE Analysis Study the micro environment factors that determine the overall profitability of an Industry, using Porters five forces analysis for analysing the level of competition and business strategy development A comprehensive list of key market players along with their product portfolio, current strategic interests, key financial information, legal issues, SWOT analysis and analyst overview to study and sustain the market environment Competitive landscape analysis listing out the mergers, acquisitions, collaborations in the field along with new product launches, comparative financial studies and recent developments in the market by the major companies An executive summary, abridging the entire report in such a way that decision-making personnel can rapidly become acquainted with background information, concise analysis and main conclusions Expertly devised analyst overview along with Investment opportunities to provide both individuals and organizations a strong financial foothold in the marketAbout Market Data Forecast:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, they cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. From all-encompassing umbrella markets to extremely specific niche markets covering all the major regions across the globe as part of the research scope, their research services offer one of a kind specialties with competitive pricing options.For more information, kindly visit, www.marketdataforecast.com Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit Market Data Forecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ View latest Press Releases of MDF @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases Latin America Prostate Cancer Market PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:20:03 Press Information Market Data Forecast 2nd Floor, Lakeview Plaza, Kavuri Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana 500033, India +1-888-702-9626 (U.S. TOLL FREE), contact@marketdataforecast.com Abhishek Sales Manager +1-888-702-9626 email http://www.marketdataforecast.com/ # 870 Words 2nd Floor, Lakeview Plaza, Kavuri Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana 500033, India+1-888-702-9626 (U.S. TOLL FREE), contact@marketdataforecast.comSales Manager+1-888-702-9626 The Latin America Prostate Cancer Market was worth $5.28 billion in 2016 and estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 10.32%, to reach $8.63 billion by 2021.Prostate cancer is one of the serious health issues among men that has large socioeconomic impact on the society. There has been much growth in the prostate cancer therapeutics market over the past decade, with a number of products targeting advanced forms of the disease and showing greatly increased efficacy over their antecedents.View Full Report @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-prostate-cancer-market-1620/ The Latin America prostate cancer market is poised to increase at a major pace, due to high unmet clinical need, partial survival benefits, increasing prevalence rates and fast emerging treatment modifications. The market growth would turn around the novel breakthrough treatments accountable for reaping survival benefits. The survival benefit would be instrumental in leading the peak sales and market penetration of novel approved drugs. Clinical trial challenges are obstructing the growth of the market.The Latin America Prostate Cancer market is segmented on the basis of diagnostic techniques into Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) and Prostate Specific Antigen Test (PSA). Based on surgery the market is segregated into Radical Prostatectomy, Orchidectomy and Trans Urethral Resection (TUR). By radiation therapy, the market is bifurcated into External Beam Radiation Therapy and Brachytherapy. External bean radiation therapy segment is further divided among 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy, Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy and Proton Beam Radiation Therapy. Brachytherapy segment is sub segmented into Permanent Brachytherapy and Temporary Brachytherapy. On the basis of chemotherapy, segments are Docetaxel, Etoposide, Vinblastine, Carboplatin and Vinorelbine.Free sample of the report is available @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-prostate-cancer-market-1620/request-sample Based on geography the market is analysed under various regions namely, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Mexico is leading the market and likely to grow at highest CAGR.Major companies include Sanofi S.A, GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, AbbVie, Varian Medical Systems, Elekta, Theragenics, Pfizer, Novartis, Roche, Bayer, Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, and Genentech etc. The market registered substantial growth in the recent years, due to the various strategies such as opting for agreements and collaborations, adopted by leading market players.Market Segmentation1) Diagnostic Techniques Introduction Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) Prostate Specific Antigen Test (PSA) Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, By Product Market Attractiveness Analysis, By Product Market Share Analysis, By Product2) Surgery Introduction Radical Prostatectomy Orchidectomy Trans Urethral Resection (TUR) Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, By Type Market Attractiveness Analysis, By Type Market Share Analysis, By Type3) Radiation Therapy Introduction External Beam Radiation Therapy 3D Conformal Radiation Therapy Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Proton Beam Radiation Therapy Brachytherapy Permanent Brachytherapy Temporary Brachytherapy Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, By Application Market Attractiveness Analysis, By Application Market Share Analysis, By Application4) Chemotherapy Introduction Docetaxel Etoposide Vinblastine Carboplatin Vinorelbine Y-o-Y Growth Analysis, By Disease Indications Market Attractiveness Analysis, By Disease Indications Market Share Analysis, By Disease IndicationsInquire before Buying at http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-prostate-cancer-market-1620/inquire Reasons to buy Latin America Prostate Cancer Market Research Report: Regional and country-level analysis and forecasts of the study market; providing Insights on the major countries/regions in which this industry is blooming and to also identify the regions that are still untapped Segment-level analysis in terms of technology, component, and type along with market size forecasts and estimations to detect key areas of industry growth in detail Identification of key drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges (DROC) in the market and their impact on shifting market dynamics Study of the effect of exogenous and endogenous factors that affect the global market; which includes broadly demographic, economics, and political, among other macro-environmental factors presented in an extensive PESTLE Analysis Study the micro environment factors that determine the overall profitability of an Industry, using Porters five forces analysis for analysing the level of competition and business strategy development A comprehensive list of key market players along with their product portfolio, current strategic interests, key financial information, legal issues, SWOT analysis and analyst overview to study and sustain the market environment Competitive landscape analysis listing out the mergers, acquisitions, collaborations in the field along with new product launches, comparative financial studies and recent developments in the market by the major companies An executive summary, abridging the entire report in such a way that decision-making personnel can rapidly become acquainted with background information, concise analysis and main conclusions Expertly devised analyst overview along with Investment opportunities to provide both individuals and organizations a strong financial foothold in the marketAbout Market Data Forecast:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, they cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. From all-encompassing umbrella markets to extremely specific niche markets covering all the major regions across the globe as part of the research scope, their research services offer one of a kind specialties with competitive pricing options.For more information, kindly visit, www.marketdataforecast.com Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit Market Data Forecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ View latest Press Releases of MDF @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/press-releases PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 10:28:18 Press Information Market Data Forecast Plot # 127 & 128, 2nd Floor Lake View Plaza, Amar Co-operative Society, Kavuri Hills, Madhapur, Hyderabad - 500081. Abhishek Shukla Sales Manager (International Business Development) 76809 52236 email http://www.marketdataforecast.com/ # 656 Words Plot # 127 & 128, 2nd Floor Lake View Plaza,Amar Co-operative Society, Kavuri Hills,Madhapur, Hyderabad - 500081.Sales Manager (International Business Development)76809 52236 In medicine, devices are often necessary to create suction. Suction may be utilized to clear the airway of blood, saliva, vomit, or other secretions for a patient to be able to breathe. Suctioning can prevent pulmonary aspiration, which often causes lung infections. In pulmonary hygiene, suction is utilized for removing fluids from the airways, to facilitate breathing and prevent growth of infectious microorganisms.Key factors fuelling the growth of this market are the paradigm shift to home healthcare from traditional healthcare settings and the growing need for compact and portable devices. Furthermore, the increasing adoption of home care has caused the demand for portable suction devices to rise due to their reliability, ease of use, high durability & robustness. This helps healthcare providers and patients to utilize suction devices without any assistance. The secondary factors contributing to the development of this market are augmenting geriatric population (with the rising aging population the demand for emergency care rises, which further increases the demand for handheld devices which provide instant relief to patients), falling prices of suction devices, growing incidences of chronic respiratory diseases, and increase in the number of surgical procedures (which have increased the utilization of suction devices that are specifically utilized during surgeries). Moreover, emerging markets have opened an array of opportunities for companies in the medical suction devices market.View Full Report @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/global-medical-suction-devices-market-3169/ But still, the highly commoditized market and limited reimbursement policies are very likely to hamper the growth of this market to a certain extent during the aforementioned forecast period.The global Medical Suction Devices market can be categorized into four categories: by Portability, by Type, by application and by end user. On the basis of portability, Medical Suction Devices market is classified into Handheld Suction Devices and Wall-Mounted Suction Devices. The non-portable category is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the aforementioned forecast period because of the rising number of surgical procedures and the high price of the devices. If we go by type, Medical Suction Devices market is segmented into Ac-Powered Devices, Battery-Powered Devices, Dual-Powered Devices and Manually Operated Devices. The electrically powered vacuum systems category commanded the largest market share in 2016. It is because of the widespread awareness and rising adoption of these devices in surgical settings. Further, on the basis of application the market can be categorized into Airway Clearing, Surgical Applications and Research and Diagnostics. Last but not the least, on the basis of end user the market is segmented into Hospitals and Clinics, Home Care, Prehospital and Other End Users.Get Free Sample Report @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/global-medical-suction-devices-market-3169/request-sample By geography, the global Medical Suction Devices market has been categorized into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Presently, North America accounts for the largest market share closely followed by Europe while Asia Pacific has the highest CAGR.Inquire before buying @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/global-medical-suction-devices-market-3169/inquire Major companies in the Medical Suction Devices market are Allied Healthcare Products Inc. (U.S.), ATMOS MedizinTechnik GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), Drive Medical (U.S.), INTEGRA Biosciences (Switzerland), Medela Holding AG (Switzerland), Medicop (Slovenia), Precision Medical, Inc. (U.S.), SSCOR, Inc. (U.S.), ZOLL Medical Corporation (U.S.), Weinmann Gerate fur Medizin GmbH + Co. KG (Germany), Laerdal Medical (Norway), MG Electric Ltd (Colchester), Labconco Corporation (U.S.), Welch Vacuum (U.S.), Amsino International Inc. (U.S.) and Olympus Corporation (Japan).About Market Data Forecast:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, they cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. From all-encompassing umbrella markets to extremely specific niche markets covering all the major regions across the globe as part of the research scope, their research services offer one of a kind specialities with competitive pricing options. For more information, kindly visit, www.marketdataforecast.com PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:41:12 Press Information Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany Rohit Bhisey Head Of Marketing +1-518-618-1030 email http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/medical-suction-devices-market.html # 809 Words 90 State Street, Suite 700, AlbanyHead Of Marketing+1-518-618-1030 Global Medical Suction Devices Market: Overview and ScopeSuction devices have a wide range of applications in the clinical environment and are used to remove fluid and other debris in the body with the help of a vacuum. Medical suction devices, both handheld and wall-mounted ones, are used in surgical procedures, for airway clearing, and in research and diagnostics at home, hospitals, pre-hospitals, and clinics. These devices can be manually operated or be battery-powered, AC-powered, or dual-powered.Hospitals and clinics are the most preferred settings for medical suction devices, and the soaring demand for suction devices in these areas positively impacts the demand for wall-mounted devices. While the demand for medical suction devices in surgical applications is significantly high, their application in the field of diagnostics is anticipated to gain prominence in the coming years owing to an increase in clinical research and diagnostics.The report offers clients an in-depth evaluation of the performance, contribution, and size of the medical suction devices market. The scope and dynamics of this market also form an integral part of the research study. The leading segments and players have been identified and assessed with the help of the latest market intelligence tools, including SWOT analysis, Porters Five Forces analysis model, market attractiveness analysis, and value chain analysis.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/medical-suction-devices-market.html Global Medical Suction Devices Market: Key Trends and OpportunitiesThe paradigm shift from traditional health care settings to home health care, coupled with the growing need for portable and compact devices, has significantly boosted the market for medical suction devices. Portable suction devices are easy to use, reliable, and durable and as a result, their adoption in home care settings has greatly increased. The increase in aging population is another factor boosting the market for medical suction devices. Rising geriatric population globally will result in an increased demand for emergency care and growth in surgical procedures. This, in turn, will positively impact the need for effective suction devices.Other factors driving the global medical suction devices market include declining prices of suction devices, increase in the number of surgical procedures, and growing incidences of chronic respiratory diseases.Global Medical Suction Devices Market: Region-wise OutlookGeographically, the global medical suction devices market can be segmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and Rest of the World. North America accounts for the largest share in the overall medical suction devices market and is most likely to retain its lead throughout the forecast period. One of the key factors boosting the market for medical suction devices in this region is the rising incidence of chronic diseases across the region. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that around 50% of the American population suffered from at least one chronic disease in 2014. Seven out of 10 deaths in the U.S. resulted from chronic diseases and these diseases accounted for a whopping 86% of the total health care costs in the country.The Asia Pacific market for medical suction devices is projected to gather steam in the coming years and expand at the fastest pace through 2024. The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, the increase in aging population, and the consequent increase in home care as well as surgical interventions will bolster the medical suction devices market in Asia Pacific. The growing focus of leading players on the APAC region as a strong and lucrative contender is also anticipated to benefit the medical suction devices market here.Make an Enquiry @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11720 The international medical suction devices market boasts of a number of small and large players competing at various levels. These include Laerdal Medical, Labconco Corporation, ZOLL Medical Corporation, Precision Medical, Inc., Medela Holding AG, Amsino International, Inc., INTEGRA Biosciences, Welch Vacuum, Drive Medical, Allied Healthcare Products, Inc., Olympus Corporation, MG Electric Ltd., Medicop, ATMOS Medizintechnik GmbH & Co. KG, SSCOR, Inc., and Weinmann Gerate fur Medizin GmbH + Co. KG.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About Us:-Transparency Market Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers.We are privileged with highly experienced team of Analysts, Researchers and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 15:00:18 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 398 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Mountain Lake Minerals Inc.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Wolfville, Nova Scotia (FSCWire) - Mountain Lake Minerals Inc. (CSE:MLK). has issued a press release with the following headline:Mountain Lake Agrees to Option Moosehead Gold Project in Central Newfoundland from Altius Resources Inc.To view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Mountain Lake Minerals Inc., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Mountain Lake Minerals Inc.Source: Mountain Lake Minerals Inc. (CSE: MLK)Date: September 14, 2017Time: 9:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Mountain Lake Minerals Inc. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:07:01 Katarina Nilsson, Executive Vice President of HR & Organization in Sapa, will be appointed EVP of People & HSE in Hydro. The appointment is pending merger clearance and closing of the Sapa transaction, expected in the second half of 2017. Katarina Nilsson holds a Master of Law degree from Lund University in Sweden and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chinese studies from the University of London. A Swedish national, she has broad international experience, including from Asia as head of the China offices for the law firm Vinge for several years. Nilsson joined Sapa in 2015, and has held senior management positions in Sapa since. Katarina Nilsson will replace Hanne Simensen, who has been appointed to a new position in Hydro. Investor contact Contact Stian Hasle Cellular +47 97736022 E-mail Stian.Hasle@hydro.com Press contact Contact Halvor Molland Cellular +47 92979797 E-mail Halvor.Molland@hydro.com This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq Corporate Solutions on behalf of Nasdaq Corporate Solutions clients. The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein. Source: Norsk Hydro via Globenewswire Market Data Forecast PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:53:40 Press Information Market Data Forecast USA Mr. Abhishek Shukla Sales Manager (International Business Development) Direct Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 email http://www.marketdataforecast.com # 682 Words USASales Manager (International Business Development)Direct Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 According to the report North America Apheresis Market By Product (Devices And Disposables), Procedure (Donor, Therapeutic, Photopheresis), Application (Renal Diseases, Neurology, Cancer, Hematology, Autoimmune Diseases And Cardiovascular Diseases), Technology (Centrifuge And Membrane Separation), End User (Private Blood Collection Centres, Public Blood Collection Centres And Hospitals) - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, And Forecasts (20162021) published by Market Data Forecast, the North America Apheresis Market was worth USD 0.56 billion in 2016 and estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 10.87%, to reach USD 0.94 billion by 2021.Browse report details @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-apheresis-market-3090/ Apheresis is a procedure of blood component separation using centrifugation or membrane filtration technology. This procedure is performed either for donation of a blood component or for treatment of a disease by removal of the diseased or disease-causing blood component. Whole blood is extracted from donor or patients body, processed through apheresis machine, and the desired blood components are separated based on their molecular weight, size, and affinity for particular substance.The U.S Government has been very supportive in the funding of R&D of Apheresis through its benefit programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, veterans health administration military and employee insurance programs. Medicare provides coverage for apheresis regardless of whether the procedure is performed in a hospital or a blood centre. In addition, private insurers have recently begun to closely examine apheresis procedures and issue policy statements pertaining to coverage.The rising incidence of chronic lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, kidney disorders, & respiratory diseases, increasing demand for blood components and favourable reimbursement policies for apheresis treatment are driving the equipment market share. However, the growth of the market is restrained by the scarcity of qualified donors, lack of awareness about apheresis and the high cost of these procedures.The North America Apheresis Market is segmented into Product, Procedure, Application, Technology and End user. On the basis of product, the market is segmented into Apheresis devices and disposables. Based on procedure, the market is segmented into donor/automated apheresis and therapeutic apheresis. The Application segment includes Renal Diseases, Neurology, Cancer, Hematology, Autoimmune Diseases and Cardiovascular Diseases. On the basis of technology, the market is segmented into Centrifuge and Membrane Separation. Centrifuge segment include Intermittent Flow and Continuous Flow. Based on End user, the market includes Private Blood Collection Centres, Public Blood Collection Centres and Hospitals.Get Free Sample Market Brochure of the report for more information, Request a Copy @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-apheresis-market-3090/request-sample The North America Apheresis Market has been geographically segmented into segmented into US and Canada. As of 2016, North America leads the Global Apheresis market, accounting for more than 34% of the entire market share. North America has the largest market in 2016 due to its healthcare infrastructure and high demand for plasma for production of plasma derived medicines. Disposables products segment is expected to have largest share in North America apheresis market.The key players in this market are Asahi Kasei Medical Co., Ltd., Haemonetics Corporation, Terumo BCT, Inc., Fresenius Medical Care, Kawasumi Laboratories Inc., Cerus Corporation, HemaCare Corporation, Kaneka Corporation, B. Braun Melsungen AG, and Nikkiso Co., Ltd., Therakos, Inc., and Medica S.p.A.Make an Inquiry before buying @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-apheresis-market-3090/inquire Ask any discount available @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-apheresis-market-3090/request-discount Browse other region reports:Europe Apheresis Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/europe-apheresis-market-3087/ APAC Apheresis Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-apheresis-market-3086/ Latin America Apheresis Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-apheresis-market-3088/ MEA Apheresis Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/middle-east-and-africa-apheresis-market-3089/ About Us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, we cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. Our analyst team comprises expert professionals in market research, who with their collective knowledge and skillset dedicatedly serve clients from various industries and regions.Media Contact:Abhishek ShuklaInternational Business Development ManagerMarket Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit MarketDataForecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ Market Data Forecast PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 09:12:40 Press Information Market Data Forecast USA Mr. Abhishek Shukla Sales Manager (International Business Development) Direct Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 email http://www.marketdataforecast.com # 665 Words USASales Manager (International Business Development)Direct Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 According to the report North America Hydroponics Market By Equipment (HVAC, LED Grow Light, Communication Technology, Irrigation Systems, Material Handling, Control Systems & Others), By Type (Aggregate (Closed Systems (The Water Culture System, The EBB And Flow System, Drip Systems, And The Wick System), Open Systems) & Liquid (Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), Floating Hydroponics, And Aeroponics)), By Crop Type (Tomato, Lettuce & Leafy Vegetables, Cucumber, Pepper & Strawberry), & By Input Type (Nutrients, Growth Medium), And By Region Industry Analysis, Share, Size, Growth, Trends, And Forecasts (2016-2021) published by Market Data Forecast, the North America Hydroponics Market was estimated to be USD 42.46 million in 2016 and is predicted to reach USD 94.29 million by 2021 with a CAGR of 17.3 %.Browse report details @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-hydroponics-market-2107/ Hydroponics is a part of hydroculture, the technique for developing plants without soil, utilizing mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent. Hydroponics allows you to grow any plant regardless of climate and conditions by supplying them sufficient nutrients. The supplements in hydroponics can be from fish waste, duck compost, or ordinary supplements.One of the important drivers is that hydroponics gives higher yield compared with conventional agricultural techniques. It additionally gives farmers the capacity to develop crops in regions that can't support crops in soil. Moreover, hydroponics removes the use of counterfeit maturing operators and pesticides, which helps in making nutritiously superior vegetable items. Lack of awareness about the hydroponic agriculture system and high investment are some of the factors restraining the market growth to an extent.North America Hydroponics Market is segmented based on Equipment, Type, Crop Type and Input Type. Based on Equipment, the market is segmented into HVAC, LED Grow Light, Communication Technology, Irrigation Systems, Material Handling, and Control Systems. Based on Type, the market is segmented into Aggregate & Liquid. Based on Crop Type, the market is further segmented into Tomato, Lettuce & Leafy Vegetables, Cucumber, Pepper & Strawberry. Based on Input type, the market is further segmented into Nutrients, Growth Medium. On the basis of Aggregate hydroponics systems, the market is further segmented into Closed Systems, Open Systems. Based on Liquid Hydroponic systems, the market is segmented into Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), Floating Hydroponics, and Aeroponics.Get Sample Market Brochure of the report for more information, Request a Copy @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-hydroponics-market-2107/request-sample On the basis of Closed systems, the market is further segmented into The Water Culture System, The EBB and Flow System, Drip Systems, and The Wick System. HVAC has the largest market share, followed by LED grow lights, in 2014. HVAC is dominating the market as heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning are the major elements required to create a controlled environment for hydroponic cultivation.Geographically, the market is further segmented into US and Canada. North America is the second largest market and fastest growing region in the world owing to its advanced agricultural techniques, the strong presence of major players and increasing Demand for Healthy food.Major Players dominating the North America Hydroponics Market are Argus Control Systems, Koninklijke Philips NV, Greentech Agro LLC, Logiqs B.V., and Lumigrow, Inc.Make an Inquiry before buying @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-hydroponics-market-2107/inquire Ask any discount available @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-hydroponics-market-2107/request-discount Browse other region reports:Europe Hydroponics Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/europe-hydroponics-market-2112/ APAC Hydroponics Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-hydroponics-market-2115/ Latin America Hydroponics Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-hydroponics-2118/ MEA Hydroponics Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/middle-east-and-africa-hydroponics-market-2121/ About Us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, we cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. Our analyst team comprises expert professionals in market research, who with their collective knowledge and skillset dedicatedly serve clients from various industries and regions.Media Contact:Abhishek ShuklaInternational Business Development ManagerMarket Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit MarketDataForecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ Market Data Forecast PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:59:38 Press Information Market Data Forecast USA Mr. Abhishek Shukla Sales Manager (International Business Development) Direct Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 email http://www.marketdataforecast.com # 747 Words USASales Manager (International Business Development)Direct Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 According to the report North America Nucleic Acid Isolation And Purification Market By Product ( Kits, Reagents, Instruments), Technology (Column Based, Reagent Based, Magnetic Bead Based), Application (Plasmid DNA, Genomic DNA, Micro RNA, Blood DNA, Messenger RNA, Total RNA, PCR Clean-up) And End Users(Academic And Government Research Institutes, Pharmaceutical And Biotechnology Companies, Contract Research Organizations, Hospitals And Diagnostic Centres) And By Region - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, And Forecasts (20162021) published by Market Data Forecast, the North America Nucleic Acid Isolation and Purification Market was worth USD 1.05 billion in 2016 and estimated to be growing at a CAGR of 8.96%, to reach USD 1.99 billion by 2021.Browse report details @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-nucleic-acid-isolation-and-purification-market-3109/ Nucleic acid isolation and purification is a primary step in molecular biology studies and recombinant DNAtechniques. Nucleic acid isolation and purification is a set of molecular biology techniques used for the extraction and purification of DNA and RNA for use in downstream applications.The nucleic acid isolation reduces the nucleic acid loss, helps in processing the samples in minimum time and increases the effectiveness and the efficiency of the laboratory. In addition, it helps in the purification of the nucleic acid. Other than magnetic bead-based, reagent-based and column-based, there are some vital technologies that are used in the nucleic acid isolation and purification like anion exchange-based and glass fibre-based technology.Demand of the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries for pure nucleic acids, usage of nucleic acids in the tests for the diagnosis, genetic engineering, forensics, life science research and molecular diagnostics, government funding in R&D, technological innovations, new developments in the molecular diagnostics and genotyping and the expression analysis are the key drivers of the market. However, high price of the instruments, there is low market penetration for the purification procedures and the isolation of the automated nucleic acid in the developing countries are hindering the market growth.The North America Nucleic Acid Isolation and Purification market is categorized into product, technology, application, end user, and geography. On the basis of product, the market is segmented into reagents, kits and instruments. Based on various type of technology, the market can be segmented as column based, reagent-based, magnetic bead based and others for DNA and RNA isolation and purification. Application segments of this market includes genomic DNA isolation and purification, micro RNA isolation and purification, blood DNA isolation and purification, mRNA isolation and purification, plasmid DNA isolation and purification, total RNA isolation and purification and PCR clean up. The end-users of the market are pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic and government research institutes, contract research organizations, hospitals and diagnostic centers.Get Sample Market Brochure of the report for more information, Request a copy @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-nucleic-acid-isolation-and-purification-market-3109/request-sample In the North America market, academic research organizations have the major share. The North America market has been geographically segmented into segmented into US and Canada. As of 2016, North America leads the global nucleic acid isolation and purification market, accounting for more than 34% of the entire market share. The increased government funding focused on enhancing the isolation facility is the prime growth driver for the market in this region.Key players in the North America Nucleic acid isolation and purification market are Qiagen, Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc, Illumina Inc, Agilent Technologies Inc, Thermo Fischer Scientific Inc, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, Sigma-Aldrich Co. LLC, General Electric Company, Danaher Corporation, Promega Corporation, Life Technologies, Roche Applied Sciences, Takara Bio, Inc. etc.Make an inquiry before buying @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-nucleic-acid-isolation-and-purification-market-3109/inquire Ask any discount available @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/north-america-nucleic-acid- isolation-and-purification-market-3109/request-discountBrowse other region reports:Europe Nucleic Acid Isolation and Purification Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/europe-nucleic-acid-isolation-and-purification-market-3098/ APAC Nucleic Acid Isolation and Purification Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/asia-pacific-nucleic-acid-isolation-and-purification-market-3096/ Latin America Nucleic Acid Isolation and Purification Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/latin-america-nucleic-acid-isolation-and-purification-market-3104/ MEA Nucleic Acid Isolation and Purification Market - http://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/middle-east-and-africa-nucleic-acid-isolation-and-purification-market-3107/ About Us:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, we cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. Our analyst team comprises expert professionals in market research, who with their collective knowledge and skillset dedicatedly serve clients from various industries and regions.Media Contact:Abhishek ShuklaInternational Business Development ManagerMarket Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626; Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@ marketdataforecast.com Visit MarketDataForecast Blog @ http://www.marketdataforecast.com/blog/ PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 07:14:35 Press Information Published by Abhishek Budholiya +1-347-918-3531 e-mail http://www.futuremarketinsights.com # 675 Words Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531 Global Rice Husk Ash Market: OverviewThe global rice husk ash market is expected to grow at a robust pace between 2016 and 2023. Factors such as the expansion of various end-use industries and the increasing demand for lightweight construction materials from the construction and building industry are expected to boost the global rice husk ash market.Huge quantities of rice husk is generated in rice mills during the daily milling of paddy. This rice husk is used as fuel in boilers for processing paddy. It is also used as a fuel in power generation. By weight, rice husk is 25% of the husk when burnt in a boiler.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/rice-husk-ash-market.html Based on application, the building and construction segment is expected to report the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Regionally, Asia Pacific is expected to dominate the global rice husk ash market. The region is poised to exhibit substantial growth during the forecast period. Asia Pacific is witnessing a rising demand for rice husk in the manufacturing of bricks and cement due to the rapidly increasing population in the region and the subsequent expansion of the construction industry.The report provides a comprehensive overview of the global rice husk ash market. The various factors driving and restraining the market during the forecast period are studied in detail. The report also profiles some of the leading vendors operating in the market. Their strengths and weaknesses are analyzed to study the prevailing competition in the market.Global Rice Husk Ash Market: Key Opportunities and ThreatsThe vagaries of nature and uncontrollable factors such as rainfall, the harvest period, and yield area hamper the growth of the global rice husk ash market. Directly dumping rice husk can have adverse impacts. Stringent regulations aimed at curbing the direct dumping of rice husk provide increased opportunities for its use in diverse industrial applications. Since rice producers in the developed markets of North America and Europe have to adhere to such regulations, these regions have been using rice husk ash more extensively than developing regions such as Latin America and Asia Pacific.The market is also significantly gaining from the low cost of the product, which makes it easily importable compared to substitutes such as silica fume. Using rice husk ash with cement enhances the stability and workability of concrete mixture. This helps reduce the chances of thermal cracking, plastic shrinkage of the material, and heat generation. Rice husk ash also increases the impermeability, durability, and strength of hydrated cement paste during its setting period by blocking large voids and modifying the pore structure. Thus, the intrinsic properties of rice husk ash help in improving the performance of bricks, cement, and other construction materials. This is a prime factor aiding the expansion of the global rice husk ash market.Fill the Form to Gain Deeper Insights on this Market @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11684 Global Rice Husk Ash Market: Vendor LandscapeSome of the key players operating in the global rice husk ask market are Guru Metachem Pvt. Ltd., Wadham Energy Limited Partnership, and Jasoriya Rice Mill. A majority of the leading enterprises operating in the market adhere to expansions and agreements as core strategies for gaining a competitive edge.The report profiles these companies and examines the threats and opportunities that they are expected to witness during the forecast period. The impact of government policies on their operations is also studied in the report in detail.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@ transparencymarketresearch.com Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com A Black River Falls man is facing domestic abuse charges after assaulting his ex-girlfriend after a night of drinking. Demetrius B. Marion, 29, hit his ex-girlfriend multiple times and physically abused her. The woman told officers she had a history of domestic abuse with Marion, but was letting him stay at her house. On the night of the incident, Marion was making unwanted sexual advances on the woman which she turned down. When rejected she said Marion got upset and was confrontational, after which she left to her bedroom as Marion continued drinking. Later in the night, he entered the room and hit the woman twice, once in the arm and leg. Throughout the night the woman said Marion continued to badger her about nonsense and when she tried to look away from him, he grabbed and squeezed her face causing her whole face to hurt. After leaving the home, eventually he tried to return through the window since he did not have a key to the house. Marion fled when the woman noticed him trying to break in and thats when she called police. Marion faces misdemeanor battery-domestic abuse and disorderly conduct-domestic abuse charges, but because he is a repeat offender, he could face more prison time and those charges could become felonies. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:00:13 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 409 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Rambler Metals and Mining plc--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---London, England - Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (FSCWire) - Rambler Metals and Mining plc (TSX Venture:RAB). has issued a press release with the following headline:Rambler's Surface Drill Program Intersects Copper Mineralization at Depth Returning 40 meters of 1.42% CuTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Rambler Metals and Mining plc, or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Rambler Metals and Mining plcSource: Rambler Metals and Mining plc (TSX Venture: RAB, AIM: RMM)Date: September 14, 2017Time: 2:00 AM EDT--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Rambler Metals and Mining plc and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.) PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 07:02:38 Press Information Published by Abhishek Budholiya +1-347-918-3531 e-mail http://www.futuremarketinsights.com # 953 Words Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531 Global Skin Replacement Therapy Market: SnapshotEver since its advent by John F. Burke, synthetic skin or artificial skin has proved to be a boon for victims of burns and other skin diseases. Synthetic skin protects a patient from infection and dehydration and is readily accepted by the immune system, and thus, the global skin replacement market is witnessing a growth. Synthetic skin can be easily sterilized at room temperature and is excellent for combating chronic or acute skin wounds and infections. The skin is the largest organ in the human body and serves the body in various was, but protection is its main function.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/skin-replacement-market.html The skin protects the various organs and tissues inside the human body form disease carrying bacteria, toxins, cold, heat, and similar other external threats. Thus, it is important to ensure the good health of the skin and any loss of the skin due to severe burns or trauma of any kind can pose a threat and expose the inside organs and tissues to potential dangers. This can also lead to impairment or inability of an organ to perform its functions. All these factors are slated to drive the demand for skin replacement. The large scale production of artificial skin can lead to instant availability for grafting and this will make it economical for burn patients to opt for artificial skin. Extensive research and development, growing importance for aesthetically appealing skin, and increasing disposable income are some of the factors boosting the global skin replacement market.Skin replacement therapy helps treat severe skin burns or chronic skin wounds. Skin cancer, eczema, and psoriasis are some of the skin diseases that can be painful and can compromise the quality of life led by a person. Thus arises a need for skin replacement therapy. The skin is the largest external organ of the human body and is one of the organs most vulnerable to injuries and damages. Since the skin protects the musculoskeletal system, the organs, and also helps maintain the temperature of the body, it becomes very essential for the skin to function properly. Moreover, the skin also regulates the level of fluids in the body. Thus, any skin disease or injury needs to be treated immediately as the lack of it can impact the persons ability to lead a normal life.The global skin replacement therapy market is segmented on the basis of material used, end user, and geography. On the basis of material used, the market is segmented into spider silk and collagen. By geography, the global skin replacement therapy market is segmented into Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and the Rest of the World.The report is a professional and detailed study on the current state of the market, taking into consideration historical figures. The future projections of the global skin replacement therapy market is forecast for the period from 2016 to 2024. The report offers accurate data and compiles fruitful information with the help of primary and secondary research methods, enabling enterprises and interested individuals to have a competitive edge above the rest.Overview of the Skin Replacement Therapy MarketAn increasing prevalence of skin diseases and injuries among people and subsequently the rising consciousness among them to have healthy and beautiful skin are driving the global skin replacement therapy market. The continual expansion of product range available in the market enables consumers to access specific skin replacement therapies in line with the skin condition they are suffering from. The ability of consumers to spend on these therapies or products has motivated manufacturers to develop and introduce newer products, thus helping the global skin replacement therapy market to grow.The global skin replacement therapy market is challenged by the availability of low-cost substitutes. The lack of clinical support is another probable factor that may threaten the growth of the global skin replacement therapy market. However, bio-engineered skin replacements will open new opportunities for growth in the market. These replacements are capable of closely mimicking almost all functions of the natural skin and are thus expected to be in huge demand.By geography, North America contributes a significant portion to the skin replacement therapy market revenue. The demand for skin replacement therapies in Asia Pacific is expected to rise in the coming years as many countries in the region are offering attractive medical tourism packages.Fill the Form to Gain Deeper Insights on this Market @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11672 Companies Mentioned in the ReportThe report studies key players operating in the global skin replacement therapy market. The challenges faced by companies and the strategies adopted by them have been thoroughly studied. The report includes the business and financial overviews of the companies. It also includes the recent developments regarding mergers and acquisitions of the companies, new product developments, and the product picture, price, and specifications. Such in-depth analysis of each of the companies enables readers to make smart and informed decisions regarding investments in the skin replacement therapy market. The companies profiled in the report include: Cellular Dynamics International, Tengion, Cynata Therapeutics Limited, Platelet BioGenesis, and TissueGene, Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700,Albany, NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@ transparencymarketresearch.com Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Small Animal Imaging Market PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 12:15:28 Press Information Coherent Market Insights 1001 4th Ave, #3200 Seattle, WA 98154 Mr. Shah CEO +1-206-701-6702 email https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/small-animal-imaging-market-692 # 753 Words 1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154CEO+1-206-701-6702 Small animal imaging is a technique employed using devices and reagents for imaging biological processes in animals such as rats and mice for drug development and gene expression studies. Small animal imaging devices are similar to the devices used for diagnostic purposes in human, due to the smaller size they are referred as micro devices. The system includes the whole body scan of animals that is a cost effective method for regular validation and commercialization of novel drugs. The analysis provided by using small animals imaging system can provide valuable information in preclinical or phase I stage of clinical trials and to understand the activity of pharmaceutical compounds. Small animal imaging is classification and measurement of biological processes at molecular level which involves the study of targeted molecule that is used in clinical research for drug development.Request a sample copy of this report: http://bit.ly/2h5rmDl Various upgrade in the field of molecular imaging techniques is driving the small animal imaging marketIncrease in market demand for small animal imaging techniques and technological upgrades in the field of small animal imaging techniques are the major factors that are driving the small animal imaging market. According to National Health Services (NHS) UK, diagnostic imaging data showed that around 39.8 million imaging test were registered during 2015 in England. Small animal imaging system has wide applications in oncology area and the increase in cases of cancers globally and high investments in research and diagnostics centers for cancer is the factor owing to growth of small animal imaging market. Various imaging modalities play a crucial role in researches that includes the techniques such as magnetic imaging resonance, computing tomography, micro ultrasound, PAT, and micro photoacoustic, this also helps in studying the animal model longitudinally. However, the regulations by governments regarding usage of animals in experiments and requirement of high operational and installation cost are the factors that might hinder the growth of small animal imaging market. The limitations regarding procedure and technological aspects may pose challenges in the small animal imaging market.Oncology application is dominating segment in the small animal imaging market due to increase in number of cancer diagnostics center globallyThe global small animal imaging market is segmented by modality, by applications, and by regionsOn the basis of modality, small animal imaging market is segmented intoNuclear Imaging SystemsMicro SPECTMicro-PETTrimodalityOptical Imaging systemsOptical+ X-ray optical+ CTBioluminescence/ Fluorescence Imaging systemsStandalone Fluorescence Imaging SystemsMRI systemsUltrasound SystemsCT systemsPhotoacoustic Imaging systemsMagnetic Particle Imaging systemsAsk for customization: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/692 On the basis of applications small animal imaging market is segmented intoCancer cell detectionMonitoring drug treatment responseBiomarkersEpigeneticsLongitudinal studiesBio distribution studiesIncrease preclinical studies on various drug development process to boost the North America small animal imaging marketRegional segmentation of small imaging market by Coherent Market Insights comprises North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia- Pacific, and Middle East. North America dominates in the small animal imaging market due to the factors such as vast preclinical research, and technological advancements. Europe is another region contributing to the maximum share of the small animal imaging market. The need for drug development through small animal imaging, and large number of pharmaceuticals and clinical research organizations are expected to boost the small animal imaging market in this segment. However, the increase in healthcare expenditure, investments in research and development is propelling the growth of small animal imaging market in Asia-Pacific.Click here to know more about this report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/small-animal-imaging-market-692 Advanced innovative drug identification technique to boost the revenue and hold the major share in small animal imaging marketKey players operating the global small animal imaging market includes PerkinElmer Incorporated, Bruker Corporation, Fujifilm Holdings Corporation, Mediso Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific, MR solutions Ltd., Aspect Imaging, Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Life Technologies Corporations, Trifoil Imaging, and many others. The key players are adopting the strategies to expand their geographic presence and hold the major share in the small animal imaging market that includes acquisition strategy, product enhancements, and geographic expansion. For instance, PerkinElmer Inc. has adopted the product launch, product enhancements, and geographical expansion as their key strategy to enhance the market position.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 13:08:02 SolarWinds Network Insight for Cisco ASA is now available as part of the latest versions of SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor and SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager CORK, Ireland, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SolarWinds, the worldwide leader in network management software, today announced SolarWinds Network Insight(TM) for Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA). SolarWinds Network Insight for Cisco ASA provides comprehensive monitoring-well beyond hardware health and performance-and the ability to manage access control lists (ACLs). Having the ability to see into the performance of next-generation firewalls is essential to successfully managing a hybrid IT environment. SolarWinds Network Insight for Cisco ASA is available in the latest versions of SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor and SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager, both part of the SolarWinds Orion Platform. "Devices like Cisco's Adaptive Security Appliance have complex states that cannot be understood simply by looking at tables of statistics," said Christoph Pfister, executive vice president of products, SolarWinds. "Leveraging SolarWinds' deep knowledge of networking for hybrid IT environments, we've created Network Insight for Cisco ASA to visualise the critical functions of this device and make it easier to resolve problems and mitigate threats quickly. Network Insight for Cisco ASA empowers IT pros to deliver secure and reliable connectivity for their business." "Our ability to troubleshoot IPsec using the new ASA features in NPM 12.2 has given us visibility into metrics for both remote and site-to-site VPN metrics, which have traditionally only been monitored through three or four disparate tools that were difficult to manage, or lacked historical data collection and correlation," said Nick Zourdos, network administrator and NPM 12.2 beta user. "Not only has this already shown us how we can directly impact the delivery of key business services, but NPM 12.2 has given the team a whole new monitoring experience and appreciation for that aspect of the job." SolarWinds Network Insight for Cisco ASA In modern hybrid IT environments, firewalls provide critical connectivity to cloud-based assets. Standard monitoring tools do not provide the needed visibility into key firewall metrics such as VPN tunnel connectivity and failover status and availability. SolarWinds Network Insight for Cisco ASA goes beyond basic up/down and provides network administrators with: Visibility into, and reporting and alerting for: VPN tunnel visibility (LAN-to-LAN) High availability and failover status Hardware status Interface monitoring with critical configuration data such as security level Connection count ACL Monitoring: Filter, search, and view ACLs with the firewall rule browser Show relationships with ACLs, context, and objects Snapshot, version, compare, and backup ACL configs Analyse ACL configs and highlight shadowed, redundant, and unused rules In addition to SolarWinds Network Insight for Cisco ASA, SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor and Network Configuration Manager also include support for F5 BIG-IPenvironments with SolarWinds Network Insight for F5 BIG-IP. Support for additional appliances is expected in future releases. Also New in SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor PerfStack(TM) improvements, including real-time polling for key metrics and support for additional metrics such as Syslog, UnDP, SNMP traps, and more Support for high availability (HA) multi-subnet deployments and disaster recovery Pricing and Availability Pricing for SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor starts at 2,195. Pricing for SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager starts at 2,160*. Pricing includes the first year of maintenance. For more information on SolarWinds IT management products, including downloadable, free 30-day evaluations, visit the SolarWinds website or call +353 21 500 2900. *Prices as of September 13, 2017. Pricing may vary based upon the jurisdiction and applicable currency. Please contact a local SolarWinds sales representative to find pricing specific to your jurisdiction. Additional Resources Connect with SolarWinds About the SolarWinds Orion Platform The Orion platform is a modular and scalable unified monitoring platform. It allows IT departments to add modules as their needs grow, providing ever richer visibility into their environments. While these modules are sold as individual products, they run on a unified platform, with a single web-based dashboard, centralised management and access control, unified alerting and reporting, and consolidated metrics and data, which enables context-rich dashboards that centralise data from multiple parts of the stack into an application-centric view. The SolarWinds Orion Platform is trusted by 425 of the Fortune 500 companies to monitor, visualise, and analyse the performance of networks, applications, systems, and databases on-premises, in a hybrid environment, or in the cloud. About SolarWinds SolarWinds provides powerful and affordable IT management software to customers worldwide, from Fortune 500 enterprises to small businesses, managed service providers (MSPs), government agencies, and educational institutions. We are committed to focusing exclusively on IT, MSP, and DevOps professionals, and strive to eliminate the complexity that our customers have been forced to accept from traditional enterprise software vendors. Regardless of where the IT asset or user sits, SolarWinds delivers products that are easy to find, buy, use, maintain, and scale, while providing the power to address key areas of the infrastructure from on-premises to the cloud. This focus and commitment to excellence in end-to-end hybrid IT performance management has established SolarWinds as the worldwide leader in both network management software and MSP solutions, and is driving similar growth across the full spectrum of IT management software. Our solutions are rooted in our deep connection to our user base, which interacts in our THWACK online community to solve problems, share technology and best practices, and directly participate in our product development process. Learn more today at www.solarwinds.com. The SolarWinds, SolarWinds & Design, Orion, and THWACK trademarks are the exclusive property of SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC or its affiliates, are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other countries. All other SolarWinds trademarks, service marks, and logos may be common law marks or are registered or pending registration. All other trademarks mentioned herein are used for identification purposes only and are trademarks of (and may be registered trademarks of) their respective companies. 2017 SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC. All rights reserved. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 15:46:02 Leading vendor managed inventory service complements commerce network solutions portfolio to maximize supply chain performance PITTSBURGH, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TrueCommerce, a global provider of trading partner connectivity and integration solutions, announced today that it has acquired Datalliance, the world's largest provider of technology and services to support collaborative replenishment programs such as vendor managed inventory (VMI) and related business needs. This addition complements the TrueCommerce portfolio of offerings by providing a strategic technology service that extends its commerce network into the collaborative replenishment, inventory management and demand forecasting markets. Omni-channel enablement changed the traditional ordering process by requiring more visibility and collaboration. VMI aligns business objectives and streamlines supply chain operations for both suppliers and their supply chain partners. Trading partners focused on collaboration through VMI programs are expanding at a rapid rate, using better demand signals, optimizing shipping and distribution to increase profitability and automating more of the replenishment process to drive efficiency and reduce costs. Datalliance VMI solutions allow them to scale their programs to cover more categories, more geographies, more partners and increase sales. "Our global growth strategy is founded on increasing the breadth and depth of the services that we offer to our commerce network community," said Mike Cornell, CEO of TrueCommerce. "The addition of industry leader Datalliance and their collaborative replenishment, inventory management and demand forecasting capabilities increases the value that we add for our customers, allows us access to markets that we previously didn't have and enhances our competitive position." Datalliance is a pioneer in offering VMI as a cloud-based platform and have successfully implemented VMI for hundreds of customers across multiple industries, geographies and business sizes. "We are very excited about the opportunity to join forces with TrueCommerce and the potential to create new paths to market together," said Carl Hall, President and CEO of Datalliance. "With our strategic direction to expand our commerce network offerings to adjacent, yet related solutions, we recognize the importance of vendor managed inventory as a tool to optimize order processing and collaboration between suppliers and their partners," adds Cornell. "This acquisition follows the announcement of the acquisition of HighJump Software, sister company to TrueCommerce, by Korber AG. Parent company, Accellos Holdings and its primary investor, Accel-KKR will retain TrueCommerce. The sale of HighJump allows TrueCommerce to continue to invest aggressively to grow and expand its global commerce network, as exemplified by the acquisition of Datalliance." For more information please refer to the frequently asked questions (FAQs). About Datalliance Datalliance is the world's largest provider of technology and services to support collaborative replenishment programs such as Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) and related approaches. Delivered as a cloud-based platform backed by extensive customer care, Datalliance makes it easy for trading partners to establish inventory management relationships that increase sales and profits by fully aligning business objectives, increasing on-shelf availability, optimizing turns, and reducing supply chain costs. Datalliance manages billions of dollars in orders, millions of SKUs, and tens of thousands of locations worldwide for leading companies in consumer and industrial markets. For more information about Datalliance, visit www.datalliance.com. About TrueCommerce TrueCommerce revolutionizes trading partner connectivity by linking suppliers, retail hubs and end consumers in one global commerce network. With our flexible, integrated and fully managed service solutions, customers of any size can easily connect with any trading partner while enjoying the peace of mind of a proven service platform that reliably handles tens of millions of transactions annually without the need for any customer interaction. From the factory to the warehouse, from distributor to retail storefront, achieve new levels of business connectivity and performance with the world's most complete trading partner platform. TrueCommerce: Connect. Integrate. Accelerate. For more information, visit http://www.truecommerce.com. Media Contact Yegor Kuznetsov TrueCommerce 1-703-209-0167 yegor.kuznetsov@highjump.com PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:32:07 Press Information Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany Rohit Bhisey Head Of Marketing +1-518-618-1030 email http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ultraviolet-coatings-market.html # 791 Words 90 State Street, Suite 700, AlbanyHead Of Marketing+1-518-618-1030 Global Ultraviolet (UV) Coatings MarketUltraviolet or UV cured coating refers to the application of a shiny coating on surfaces such as plastics, wood, paper, and others with the help of UV radiation to ensure excellent coverage and light stability. UV coatings are better than conventional coating techniques as they offer good abrasion resistance, high shine finish, very less drying time, and high clarity. UV coatings are also environment friendly and free of solvents. As a result, they do not emit VOCs when cured. During the coating of a surface with UV radiation, a chemical reaction in the form of chain polymerization occurs. Radiation with UV energy leads to highly reactive photoinitiators that cross-link the acrylates to form a plastic film within milliseconds.In terms of formulation, UV coatings are broadly classified into water-based and solvent-based segments. UV coatings are used on various surfaces such as metals, glass, plastic, wood, paper, and others. UV coatings on wood surface are high in demand owing to the low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, superior quality, and increasing applications of these coatings in the wood and furniture industry. The U.S., Germany, and China are the key countries driving the demand for UV wood coatings. Less curing time and the green nature of UV coatings have propelled their usage across a number of end-use sectors such as architecture, industrial, aviation, textile, automotive, marine, electronics, and others. The industrial sector is contributing significantly toward the growth of the global UV coatings market, followed by the electronics sector. The growing demand for plastic coatings for electronic parts and flooring has further pushed the growth of the market.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ultraviolet-coatings-market.html Global Ultraviolet (UV) Coatings Market: OverviewThe rapid growth of the electronics industry and growing environmental awareness have boosted the growth of the global UV coatings market. The rise in the demand for coatings across industrial applications has impacted the market positively. The superior characteristics of UV coatings such as improved resistance and higher gloss finish, along with minimum to zero percentage emission of VOCs have further fuelled the demand for UV coatings. The growing trend of graphics art on wooden, plastic, and glass surfaces is expected to aid the markets growth. The low operational cost of UV coatings also contributes significantly to the demand from the market.However, low price competitiveness and niche applications might hamper the growth of the market during the forecast period. The global UV coatings market has a huge potential for growth with the introduction of greener UV coatings applications. Market players are investing in extensive research activities to develop environment-friendly UV coatings such as bio-based UV coatings. The introduction of such coatings is expected to broaden the application scope of the global UV coatings market.Make an Enquiry @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11708 Global Ultraviolet (UV) Coatings Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global UV coatings market has been divided into four key segments: Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and Rest of the World. Among the key regions, Asia Pacific is expected to drive the demand from the market during the forecast period with countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea emerging as the biggest consumers of UV coatings. In these countries, the rapid growth of the electronics industry has fuelled the demand for high-performance UV coatings. Stringent environmental regulations have led to innovations and developments in the UV coatings market in the region.Some of the key players in the global UV coatings market are AkzoNobel N.V., The Dow Chemical Company, PPG Industries Inc., 3M, Asian Paints Ltd., The Valspar Corporation, The Sherwin-Williams Company, DIC Corporation, Axalta Coating Systems LLC, and Royal DSM N.V. The market players are focusing on new product launches as well as joint ventures and partnerships to expand their businesses.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About Us:-Transparency Market Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers.We are privileged with highly experienced team of Analysts, Researchers and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:34:50 Press Information Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany Rohit Bhisey Head Of Marketing +1-518-618-1030 email http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/varicose-vein-treatment-market.html # 816 Words 90 State Street, Suite 700, AlbanyHead Of Marketing+1-518-618-1030 Global Varicose Vein Treatment Market: Overview and ScopeThe global varicose vein treatment market is primarily driven by the rising incidence of varicose veins. This condition of enlarged, gnarled veins, appearing mostly in the feet and legs, is caused by several factors including pregnancy, hormonal changes, genetic disorders, obesity, sleep disorders, high blood pressure levels, and lifestyle-associated factors such as prolonged standing and increased stress levels.Some of the latest advances in varicose vein treatment technology are laser ablation systems, intense-pulsed-light therapy, incorporation of closure systems, radiofrequency systems, and ultrasound guided systems. These technologies and devices present a host of benefits such as fewer incisions, faster recovery rates, higher success rates, less patient trauma, low adverse side effects, improved efficacy, and fewer post-operative complications. Key varicose vein treatment products include ultrasound guided sclerotherapy devices, endovenous ablation devices, and surgical stripping devices.The research publication examines the global varicose vein treatment market by segmenting it on the basis of key parameters such as product and technology type and geography. Each segment and sub-segment has been evaluated in depth to give readers a clear understanding of the structure and scope of the market. Various market dynamics such as drivers, opportunities, and restraints have also been studied in the report. A detailed assessment of the vendor landscape makes for an interesting read and gives clients sharp insights on their competitors.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/varicose-vein-treatment-market.html Global Varicose Vein Treatment Market: Key Drivers and ChallengesThe global market for varicose vein treatment is fueled by factors such as reduced trauma, greater exposure to the site of application, high operative success rates, and faster blood flow restoration.Demand for endovenous ablation treatment devices is anticipated to expand at a rapid pace in the next few years due to factors such as short treatment time, improved blood circulation, minimal invasion, and complete closure of the treated area. Ultrasound sclerotherapy devices have also been witnessing strong demand owing to benefits such as time and cost efficiency, reduced risk of collateral damage to surrounding tissues, painless procedure, increased penetration, no requirement of anesthesia, fewer post-operative complications, less scarring, and minimal need for incisions during the procedure.In contrast, the market for varicose vein treatment faces a few challenges in the developed regions of Europe and North America. Factors such as the high cost of varicose vein treatment procedures, lack of training for vascular surgeons, implementation of health care reforms, immensely competitive market leading to difficulty in maintaining sustainability, and inconsistent reimbursement scenario pose a threat to the development of the global varicose vein treatment market.Global Varicose Vein Treatment Market: Region-wise Outlook and Vendor Landscape EvaluationThe global market for varicose vein treatment covers four key segments: Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. North America is the clear leader in the overall varicose vein treatment market. The rapid growth in this market can be attributed to a number of factors including advanced health care infrastructure, continuous lifestyle-associated changes, growing health care awareness, increasing government spending, rising prevalence of varicose veins, high disposable income, and growing significance of esthetics. In addition, favorable reimbursement policies, especially in the U.S., have significantly boosted the market for varicose vein treatment in North America.Make an Enquiry @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11714 The Asia Pacific varicose vein treatment market is anticipated to witness impressive growth in the near future owing to factors such as surge in disposable income, improvement in health care infrastructure, and increase in patient awareness about the advantage of seeking early treatment.Some of the prominent players competing in the global varicose vein treatment market are VNUS Medical Technologies, Astra Tech, Covidien PLC, Kreussler Pharma, InaVein, B.Braun Melsungen, Vascular Solutions, Dornier MedTech, and AngioDynamics. Most of these players have been adopting various strategies to gain market share. Key strategies adopted by leading companies include mergers and acquisitions, product line and geographic expansion, R&D investments, and competitive pricing policies.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About Us:-Transparency Market Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers.We are privileged with highly experienced team of Analysts, Researchers and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:36:16 Press Information Published by Abhishek Budholiya +1-347-918-3531 e-mail http://www.futuremarketinsights.com # 636 Words Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531 VRF Refrigeration Systems Market: OverviewVariable refrigerant flow (VRF) refrigeration systems provide variable flow of refrigerant into the evaporators with different capacities and configurations. This enables simultaneous heating and cooling and better heat recovery from one zone to another in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. This flow of refrigerant is controlled by VRF system.The augmenting demand from commercial and small-medium businesses for flexible design of HVAC systems due to shrinking work-spaces is the key trend driving the demand for VRF refrigeration systems. The compact design and flexible layout in terms of outdoor to indoor units are the added benefits leading to its adoption in commercial as well as residential HVAC systems.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/vrf-refrigeration-systems-market.html VRF refrigeration market is segmented on the basis of component type and end-use industry. On the basis of component type, VRF refrigeration market is further segmented into indoor units, outdoor units, controllers and parts & accessories. Most of VRF refrigerant systems consist of indoor units to deliver the processed air. Outdoor units are used for heat recovery and control the flow of refrigerant.VRF Refrigeration Systems Market: SegmentationIn terms of end-use industry, VRF refrigeration market is further classified as healthcare, commercial buildings, education institutes, government and public sector, retail, manufacturing, banking, financial sector and insurance (BFSI) and manufacturing. On a broader scale, VRF systems are deployed in commercial spaces such as small and medium businesses, shopping complexes and large organizations. This is largely due to easy installation, efficient design and high sustainability provide by the VRF systems, making them an effective choice over other HVAC systems.The demand-specific flow of refrigerant makes it energy efficient and rising cognizance of energy efficiency in developed as well as in emerging markets makes this a key factor driving the market growth. Along with this, strict government reforms which encourage the use of energy efficient HVAC systems, especially in commercial spaces, is expected to pave the market growth in near term.Make an Enquiry @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11819 VRF Refrigeration Systems Market: Region-wise OutlookLack of awareness, especially in emerging economies in Asia Pacific, Africa and Latin America region is expected to restrain its market growth. Furthermore, development of eco-friendly refrigerant for VRF systems and increasing penetration of VRF systems in residential segment can be foreseen as huge market opportunity for development of VRF systems in the future years.On a global perspective, with the earlier adoption of VRF systems in Asia Pacific and Europe regions in comparison with the markets in North America, Middle East & Africa and Latin America regions . These regions are expected to be the market leaders in terms of adoption of VRF systems, in the current scenario. However, North America is expected to surpass these markets in coming years, as a reason of vast adoption of VRF systems in the region. In terms of end-use applications, commercial buildings are expected to dominate of the VRF systems market. However, healthcare sector is expected to grow at a faster rate in comparison to the other industry verticals during the forecast period.VRF Refrigeration Systems Market: Key PlayersSome of the key manufactures in the development and manufacturing of VRF refrigeration systems are Daikin Industries, Ltd., Ingersoll-Rand plc, LG Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc., Johnson Controls, Inc., Blue Star Ltd., Voltas, Ltd., Encore Mechanical, L.L.C., Carrier Corporation, Fujitsu General Ltd., Panasonic Corporation, Lennox Industries, Inc., Haier, Inc. and Gree Electric Appliances, Inc.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments, geographies, types and applications. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:38:33 Press Information Transparency Market Research 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany Rohit Bhisey Head Of Marketing +1-518-618-1030 email http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/waterproof-textiles-market.html # 771 Words 90 State Street, Suite 700, AlbanyHead Of Marketing+1-518-618-1030 Global Waterproof Textiles MarketWaterproof textiles were first introduced in the mid-1970s. These are used to make garments that offer protection from the rain and wind as well as prevent loss of body heat. Also known as waterproof breathable textiles, these fabrics prevent the penetration and absorption of water and are actively ventilated. Repelling precipitation and providing an escape route for perspiration vapor are the two major requirements of waterproof textiles. Therefore, waterproof textiles are extensively used to manufacture sportswear and outdoor equipment.Raw materials such as polymer and polyurethane, synthetic microfilament yarn, and others including expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) are employed in the production of waterproof textiles. These raw materials are hydrophobic. For example, pores in ePTFE are smaller than the size of the smallest raindrops. However, these pores are large enough to let water vapor molecules pass through. Nowadays, waterproof textile manufacturers are shifting from harmful but high-performance formulation of C8 perfluorinated compounds toward C6 perfluorinated compounds for rainwear textiles. However, the formulation of C6 compounds is not as durable as that of C8 compounds.Based on outlook, waterproof textiles are classified into membranes, coated, and densely woven. Demand for membranes is significantly high in the market, as these offer protection against ultraviolet radiation, temperature variations, and airborne pollutants. Waterproof textiles find applications in the manufacture of work wear, sportswear, outdoor equipment, tents, leisurewear, and others. Increasing demand for antiviral, antimicrobial, and dirt/stain resistant waterproof textiles in the sportswear segment is fuelling the growth of the market.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/waterproof-textiles-market.html Global Waterproof Textiles Market: OverviewRising consumer preference for comfortable and high-performance apparel has boosted the growth of the global waterproof textiles market. Increase in disposable income coupled with growing awareness about fitness has further augmented the market. Introduction of plasma- and silicon-based technologies for manufacturing waterproof textiles is expected to create new opportunities for the growth of the market in the near future.Manufacturers are focusing on creating thin and light waterproof textiles with customizable properties such as waterproofing, windproofing, and insulation. Conventional waterproof textiles are composed of two layers, along with a liner as the third layer to improve durability. However, the presence of three layers of fabric in waterproof textiles makes them heavy. Some market players are devising techniques to create single-layered waterproof textiles that are lighter. Recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles are being increasingly used to manufacture waterproof textiles. As an initiative to counter environmental pollution due to the excessive usage of plastics, PET bottles are recycled to create polyester fiber that is further utilized to make waterproof textiles.Make an Enquiry @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11717 Global Waterproof Textiles Market: Region-wis OutlookThe global waterproof textiles market has been segmented into four key regions: Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and Rest of the World. North America has been the leading region in the market due to the presence of some of the top players. In North America, Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. drive the demand for waterproof textiles. Expansion of the sportswear market in North America has played a pivotal role in the growth of the waterproof textiles market. Europe is also contributing significantly to market growth; the U.K., France, and Germany account for major share of the market in the region. Increasing demand for waterproof textiles in China, India, and Japan has boosted the market in Asia Pacific.Key players operating in the global waterproof textiles market include Heartland Textiles Co. Ltd., Columbia Sportswear, Dow Corning, Clariant, General Electric, Huntsman Textiles Co. Ltd., APT Fabrics, Archroma, Lowe Alpine, and WL Gore & Associates, Inc. These players are focusing on developing innovative waterproof fabrics to increase their market share.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About Us:-Transparency Market Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers.We are privileged with highly experienced team of Analysts, Researchers and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:33:59 Press Information Published by Abhishek Budholiya +1-347-918-3531 e-mail http://www.futuremarketinsights.com # 671 Words Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531 Web Real Time Communication Market: OverviewWeb Real Time Communication (Web RTC) is an open source application programming interface (API) originated by World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Web RTC enables end-users with voice calling, video chat and peer to peer file sharing between browsers without the support of any external plugin. World Wide Web Consortium is the international standard organization for the development of standards world wide web. The W3C tries to establish compatibility among industry service providers for adoption of global standards developed by them. The internet protocols required for web RTC are developed, managed and standardized by Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).Web RTC comprises of three APIs, GetUserMedia (), PeerConnection () and DataChannels (). The GetUserMedia () request the user for permission to get access to input devices such as microphone and camera. The PeerConnection () establishes a connection between local device and remote device. The DataChannels () represents a bidirectional data channel between both the peers in the connection.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/web-real-time-communication-market.html Web RTC provides time efficient, easily accessible and encrypted commercial telephony system. Web RTC is an open source API, hence could be easily accessed by the application developers. This has led to heavy adoption of web RTC in developing communication solutions at a lower cost compared to traditional systems. Web RTC does not depend on platform and device on which it is integrated, thus would attract global customers.Furthermore, web RTC provides better video and audio quality at a lower cost with enhanced security level compared to other telecommunication systems, thus could drive the growth of global web RTC market. Web RTC adapts and adjusts itself according to the changing network conditions. It adjusts according to bandwidth availability and avoids network congestion, thus increases efficiency of the network. The organizations enabled with web RTC technology products could improve customer interaction, promotional activities and increase their sales in a cost-effective way. The growth in customer facing industries such as retail, healthcare and hospitality would further boost the growth of web RTC market. However, web RTC is still an emerging technology, therefore has various challenges such as privacy issues with use of public internet and data security. These issues are expected to restrain the growth of global web RTC market. With big players such as Apple Inc. and Microsoft Corporation not supporting web RTC technology, the market is expected to face a hurdle in its growth.Make an Enquiry @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11816 Web Real Time Communication Market: SegmentationWeb RTC market is broadly segmented on the basis of type, solution and geography. On the basis of type, the web RTC market can be segmented into software and services whereas, on the basis of solution it can be segmented as video calling solutions, voice solutions, messaging solutions and file sharing solutions. The software segment of the market provides software which have web RTC functionality whereas service segment provides the technology and API to integrate web RTC in their existing websites.Moreover, in terms of geographies, the global Web RTC market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America regions. Web RTC technology show its strong presence in North America as technological advancements and heavy investments are made by the players of this region. AsiaPacific and Europe are also adopting web RTC significantly due to tremendous growth seen in usage of web based applications.Web Real Time Communication Market: Key PlayersThe major participants in the web RTC market include companies such as Google Incorporation, Mozilla Corporation, Cisco Systems Inc., Opera Software ASA, TokBox, Twilio, Alcatel-Lucent S.A., Voxeo Corporation, American Telephone & Telegraph Corporation and Avaya Inc.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments, geographies, types and applications. Last-minute changes to the state budget would strip local governments in Wisconsin of the right to regulate quarries, and some fear the proposals could be expanded to take away town and county control over the frac sand mines that dot the western part of the state. The Legislatures budget-writing committee last week approved a package of changes to the spending plan. In addition to stipulations on transportation funding and policy issues, the 18-page memo includes five pages of language devoted to the regulation of quarries that supply sand and gravel for construction. Among other things, it prohibits counties and municipalities from regulating blasting, hours of operation, and noise, air and water quality. It would also limit the reach of local zoning laws. The amendment threatens 100 years of tradition of local control letting local people make land use decisions, said Timothy Zeglin, vice chairman of the Trempealeau County Board. Fellow supervisor Jeanne Nutter said without control local officials cant be accountable to their constituents. Who are they going to call? she said. If theres a problem. Are they going to call Madison? The DNR? Madison isnt always going to know whats going on in Trempealeau County. Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, a La Crosse Democrat, said in a written statement that the GOP amendment will further complicate relationships between quarry operators and residents in western Wisconsin. Rather than tying the hands of local officials, Shilling said, we should be empowering communities and residents to work directly with these companies to manage noise pollution, address transportation concerns and protect access to clean air, land and drinking water. Zeglin calls the amendment the thin end of the wedge and fears it could easily be expanded to include frac sand mines. According to records from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, more than 12 percent of the states operating frac sand mines are in Trempealeau County, which has 17 permitted sites covering more than 3,900 acres. All it would take is a one-word change and it would eliminate all local control, Zeglin said. State Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, an Alma Democrat who has previously introduced legislation to bolster regulation of the industry, worries Gov. Scott Walker could use his line-item veto to do just that. Its drafted in a way that if you remove 15 words in the definition of a quarry it could apply to sand mines, Vinehout said. This would dramatically expand what presumably the Legislature intended. Walker spokesman Tom Evenson said Tuesday he would refrain from commenting on potential vetoes/non-vetoes until the legislative process is concluded and the governor issues his veto message. In fact, the amendment included frac sand mining until two days before the Joint Finance Committee approved it by a 12-4 party line vote Tuesday, according to the Wisconsin Counties Association, which lobbied to narrow the prohibitions to aggregate mining. This bill is significantly more palatable now that frac sand is out of this, said Kyle Christianson, director of government affairs for the counties association. Christianson said WCA supports uniform statewide air and water quality regulations but believes counties should retain the ability to regulate other aspects of operation. He said his group would strongly oppose any use of a line-item veto on the language, which was agreed to by WCA and the Wisconsin Towns Association. The League of Wisconsin Municipalities, which represents cities and villages, was not included in negotiations and opposes the effort to limit local control. We dont like it, said associate director Curt Witynski. Wed prefer it to be taken out of the budget. While quarries are typically associated with rural areas, Witynski said there are many within city and village limits, including the Milwaukee County city of Franklin, which surrounds a one-square-mile limestone pit. Theres a quarry in the village of West Salem and one adjacent to the village of Holmen. As residential areas grow over time they often will bump up against the boundaries of quarries, he said. Because they have historically been regulated at the local level, the state does not maintain a comprehensive list of quarry sites. Ironically, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the business lobbying group that pushed to exempt frac sand mining, opposes the amendment on the grounds it favors one industry over another. The fix that the Legislature put in there we think creates more harm than good, said Lucas Vebber, general counsel for WMC. Our objective is to ensure solutions work for everyone. While La Crosse County has no industrial sand mines, there are 17 registered quarries with more than 200 acres of open pits, according to county records. Board chairwoman Tara Johnson said the amendment is just the latest disrespectful effort by the Legislature to supercede local control. That is their mode of operation in Madison right now especially when it comes to land-use issues, Johnson said. A one-size fits all approach is so irresponsible. Sen. Patrick Testin, of Stevens Point, said he supports the measure as written, saying over-regulation of quarries could drive up the price of road repair and construction. But Testin said he would oppose expanding the language based on local officials in Jackson and Monroe counties. If you open it to frac sand mines as well that would be a step too far, he said. Testin, a first-term Republican, said he intends to vote for the budget, which he said is not perfect but lays the groundwork for better decisions in the future on transportation. The Assembly is expected to vote on the budget bill Wednesday, while the Senate is scheduled to take it up Friday. Meanwhile, some object to the way the language was tacked onto the budget bill with little notice or debate. While the finance committee approved a plain English version, Shillings office had yet to see the statutory language as of Tuesday. This should be a stand-alone bill, Zeglin said. The amendment itself is not simply an amendment. It is a bill. It deserves full debate. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 08:31:43 Press Information Published by Abhishek Budholiya +1-347-918-3531 e-mail http://www.futuremarketinsights.com # 595 Words Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531 Loader is a type of wheeled tractor mounted with square bucket on the front, rear or sometimes at both the ends. The buckets attached are used to scoop up lose material from the ground which may include dirt, sand or gravel. Wheel loaders are primarily used to transfer stockpiled materials from one place to another. They are also used to load materials into truck, clearing rubble, placing pipes, digging and other such activities. The front load bucket capacity is much greater than the backhoe loader bucket, as the backhoe loader bucket is majorly used as a digging equipment. The backhoe digging equipment can dig deeper than the machines wheel level. Front loaders are also used to remove snow from parking areas, sidewalks and other areas in snow-prone regions. Unlike bulldozers, wheeled loaders are flexible enough to travel across any part of the roads or construction sites. Wheel loaders steering mechanism is maneuvered by articulate steering system which is hydraulically actuated. This system allows better control over the machine even under greater weight holding operations.Obtain Report Details @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/wheel-loaders-market.html Major areas deploying wheel loaders comprise of construction zones, mining vicinities, defense lands and others. Rising urbanization and industrialization has greatly supported the construction activities to grow in the last couple of decades. This has raised the adoption of wheel loaders largely in the construction sector. Deployment of armored wheel loaders in military and defense areas has proved greatly proficient as a part of combat engineering missions under hostile territories. The armored wheel loaders are also used for building bridges and bases, removing road blocks, and other allied activities. This has posed a positive impact on wheel loaders market. Moreover, there are certain activities which cant be carried out by large bulldozers due to their size, such tasks are easily carried out by wheel loaders owing to their flexibility. The Asia pacific and European regions have proven to be the major contributors of heavy duty machineries market. Thus, the market size for wheel loaders in this regions is significantly large.The global wheel loaders market can be segmented on the basis of types of wheel loader, net operating power, types of bucket, end-use application, and geography. The segmentation on the basis of types include front loader, backhoe loader, compact loader and armored wheel loader. On the basis of net operating power, the wheel loader market is segmented into 20 40 hp, 40 80 hp, 80 120 hp, 120 160 hp, and 160 hp and above. The segmentation on the basis of types of bucket equipped in the wheel loaders comprise of wedge bottom bucket, flat bottom bucket, backhoe bucket, demolition bucket, excavating buckets and others. The end-use areas deploying wheel loaders include stone quarries, mining zones, construction sites, military & defense, and public sectors. The global wheel loaders market on the basis of geography includes North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America.Make an Enquiry @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11813 Some of the key players in the global wheel loader market includes Caterpillar Inc., Hitachi Ltd., Deere & Company, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Limited, Komatsu Ltd., Larsen & Toubro Limited, and New Holland Construction.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth insights, understanding market evolution by tracking historical developments, and analyzing the present scenario and future projections based on optimistic and likely scenarios. Each research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology developments, types, applications, and the competitive landscape. PR-Inside.com: 2017-09-14 09:03:02 Zuora Powers Smart Home Subscriptions for Hive Centrica Connected Home grows its new digital Hive services with the help of leading subscription management platform LONDON, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zuora, Inc., the leading enterprise platform provider for subscription order-to-cash solutions, has been selected to power Centrica Connected Home as the business aims to grow its new Hive smart home subscription services. The smart home market reached 80 million worldwide in 2016 and is projected to broaden at a compound annual growth rate of 60 percent, reaching 477 million devices in 2020, according to information analytics firm IHS Markit. Hive products and services, from Centrica Connected Home, address the huge market opportunity by helping people make more time for the things they love by making daily living easier. The business unveiled its first Hive smart thermostat in 2013 and to date has installed more than 700,000 smart home hubs, including 30,000 in the U.S., and sold more than one million products. Hive uses the Zuora Central platform to manage all of its revenue generated by its growing monthly subscriptions. With its first subscription service, named Hive Welcome Home, the company has packaged up a selection of the company's core product line with its most essential services to enable consumers to build a series of Hive Actions triggering lighting and electronic functions, without the need for professional installation. The Hive Welcome Home Plan costs 5.99 a month per month in the UK[1] and comes with two dimmable, smart Hive Active Light bulbs, a Hive Motion Sensor, one Hive Active Plug, and the Hive hub, which connects to a router acting as a central control unit. "The key benefit of connected home services is that they give you the ability to live your life and enjoy experiences supported by truly intuitive technology. Products and services from the Hive brand are the next logical step in home utilities, to turn the home into an even more comfortable, secure and valued place for consumers," said Jo Cox, Commercial Director at Centrica Connected Home. Why Centrica Connected Home selected the Zuora platform to manage the growth of its subscription business: Subscriber Experience: Customers can use the Hive App, connected to Hive Hub, powered by Zuora through the platform's back-end to easily manage their subscription services, scaling them up, down or even pausing particular features as life events change. Customers can use the Hive App, connected to Hive Hub, powered by Zuora through the platform's back-end to easily manage their subscription services, scaling them up, down or even pausing particular features as life events change. Pricing Experimentation: Ahead of its launch into the US earlier this year, Centrica used the Zuora platform to roll-out multiple locally-launched pricing options and introductory offers across different territories simultaneously from the one centralized platform. Zuora provides Centrica with the agility to expand its global footprint through a hyperlocal strategy. Ahead of its launch into the US earlier this year, Centrica used the Zuora platform to roll-out multiple locally-launched pricing options and introductory offers across different territories simultaneously from the one centralized platform. Zuora provides Centrica with the agility to expand its global footprint through a hyperlocal strategy. Payment Support: Through Zuora's platform, Centrica Connected Home can support 20 different payment methods and 180 currencies, while also automating collections to specific and customizable times throughout the month. This ultimately grants Centrica Connected Home the freedom to focus on scaling its customer base along with its suite of services, supporting it in tackling its aspirations for growth. "The Subscription Economy is revolutionizing traditional industries such as energy, automotive, manufacturing, and home as the world shifts towards new digital services," said Tien Tzuo, CEO and Founder of Zuora. "At the heart of these transformations, Zuora is orchestrating the subscription order-to-cash operations, helping companies like Centrica Connected Home to create a holistic experience for customers." To hear directly from Centrica Connected Home and learn more about its services read the Zuora case study and register to attend the Zuora Subscribed conference in London on September 28, 2017: https://www.zuora.com/subscribed/london-2017/ [1] Also available at different price points in America, Canada and Ireland. Additional Resources "The Subscription Economy: A Business Transformation" by Tien Tzuo, CEO of Zuora SlideShare: "Drivers of Success in the Subscription Economy" MGI Research Forecast on Agile Monetization Platforms 2016-2020 Follow us online: Facebook.com/zuora @Zuora #SubscriptionEconomy The Hive experience and Centrica Connected Home The Hive smart home experience is focused on making everyday life a little easier, freeing people up to spend time doing the things they love. Through a mix of software, products and services, the Hive experience is designed to offer affordable, easy to use solutions, tailored around specific use cases to help make a difference in people's lives. The team behind the Hive brand is Centrica Connected Home, part of Centrica Consumer. Parent company Centrica plc has committed to invest 500m to take the Hive smart home experience multi-market. About Zuora, Inc. Zuora is a SaaS company and the world's foremost evangelist of the Subscription Economy. Zuora's leading enterprise platform is the only solution that automates all subscription order-to-cash operations in real-time for any business. Companies in any industry can launch new businesses, shift products to subscription, implement new pay-as-you-go pricing and packaging models, gain new insights into subscriber behavior, and disrupt market segments to gain competitive advantage. Zuora serves more than 1,000 companies around the world in a wide range of industries, including Box, Komatsu, Rogers, Schneider Electric, Toshiba, Xplornet and Zendesk. The Subscription Economy Index (SEI) demonstrates that SEI companies are growing revenues approximately nine times faster than the S&P 500. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Zuora also operates offices in Atlanta, Boston, Denver, San Francisco, London, Paris, Beijing, Sydney, Chennai and Tokyo. Media Contact: Jayne Scuncio jscuncio@zuora.com 1-408-348-1087 2017 Zuora, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Zuora and Subscription Economy are trademarks of Zuora, Inc. Third party trademarks mentioned above are owned by their respective companies. Nothing in this press release should be construed to the contrary, or as an approval, endorsement or sponsorship by any third parties of Zuora, Inc. or any aspect of this press release. To learn more about the Zuora platform, please visitwww.zuora.com. For the New World Order, a world government is just the beginning. Once in place they can engage their plan to exterminate 80% of the world's population, while enabling the "elites" to live forever with the aid of advanced technology. For the first time, crusading filmmaker ALEX JONES reveals their secret plan for humanity's extermination: Operation ENDGAME. Jones chronicles the history of the global elite's bloody rise to power and reveals how they have funded dictators and financed the bloodiest warscreating order out of chaos to pave the way for the first true world empire. Watch as Jones and his team track the elusive Bilderberg Group to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. to Ottawa and Istanbul to document their secret summits, allowing you to witness global kingpins setting the world's agenda and instigating World War III. Learn about the formation of the North America transportation control grid, which will end U.S. sovereignty forever. Discover how the practitioners of the pseudo-science eugenics have taken control of governments worldwide as a means to carry out depopulation. View the progress of the coming collapse of the United States and the formation of the North American Union. Never before has a documentary assembled all the pieces of the globalists' dark agenda. Endgame's compelling look at past atrocities committed by those attempting to steer the future delivers information that the controlling media has meticulously censored for over 60 years. It fully reveals the elite's program to dominate the earth and carry out the wicked plan in all of human history. Endgame is not conspiracy theory, it is documented fact in the elite's own words. A last-minute budget amendment has folks in Western Wisconsin very worried. Locals have spent seven years negotiating with large sand mines to reach agreements that allow neighbors and mines to co-exist. In some cases, locals decided certain sensitive and tourist areas needed protection from mines. All the careful negotiations appear poised to go out the window in a strangely evolving budget deal that seems to affect quarries or, as we often know them, gravel pits. First, in full disclosure, my farm is located next door to a quarry. My neighbor crushes rock for construction projects. The details I provide here will personally affect my family. Late Tuesday night last week, the public and minority members of the budget writing committee got their first look at a transportation deal. The deal was to break the impasse thats stymied budget passage for four months. Buried in the amendment was language that stopped all local oversight of quarries using sand, rock and gravel for road projects. The next morning, I received several calls from local government officials who wanted to know if the budget writing committee had taken away local powers to oversee sand mines and quarries. Locals worried details were never made public until after supper, when most folks were getting their little ones off to bed, and voted on the same night, when most had gone to bed. At first, no one seemed to know the origin of the idea to remove any oversight of quarries by locals. Why take away local powers related to gravel pits? There are hundreds of gravel pits across Wisconsin. Some are idle, some are large, some are very small. But they are everywhere. The budget amendment was comprehensive and dealt with many of the issues written in previous attempts to take away local oversight of sand mines. The proposal would stop locals from requiring a quarry to get a zoning permit, including a site that has not previously been developed as a mining pit. Locals could not set limits on explosives or other types of blasting, on noise, the number of trucks leaving a mining pit, and the hours of mining operation. The proposed law forbids locals from setting air or water standards, or putting any type of restrictions related to monitoring air quality or water quality or quantity. Ive heard from local elected leaders and citizens all across western Wisconsin who do not like lawmakers taking away any local powers. And they certainly did not like this. But when this proposal became public I also heard from interest groups that the plan DID NOT GO FAR ENOUGH in taking away local control. In what must be the strangest up is down memo Ive ever seen, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) and others asked lawmakers to get rid of the quarry provisions because they did not go far enough. Remember, this amendment is taking away local powers, not rewriting state laws adding more local powers. WMC wrote, there is no getting around the fact that the Republican-controlled Legislature will have granted expanded environmental regulatory powers to municipalities This Legislature has done so much to turn our state around. Now is not the time to begin turning that progress back by deciding which Wisconsin industries can be subject to significant regulatory overreach by local governments. A local county official had a very different description of what the late-night budget motion did. It comes within a 16th of an inch of including sand mines to say nothing of how it takes away our local control. They will be blasting and crushing rock all night, all summer long. Why dont they trust local officials? Who is going to take the complaints we get? Somebody went to a lot of trouble to write this amendment if all they wanted to limit were quarries. Somebody indeed. A few hours later, I learned sand mines were included in the amendment, as late as Sunday evening of Labor Day weekend. Late night secret dealings. No notice to local elected officials. No local powers to say no. An up is down memo. The public left out in the cold. The vote is no! Local author Tony Renzoni will be available to sign copies of book Connecticut Rock 'n' Roll End --Long neglected in the annals of American music, the Nutmeg State's influence on the history of rock'n'roll deserves recognition. Connecticut's musical highlights include the beautiful harmonies of New Haven's Five Satins, Gene Pitney's rise to fame, Stamford's the Fifth Estate and notable rockers such as Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, Rivers Cuomo of Weezer and Saturday Night Live Band's Christine Ohlman. Rock Hall of Famers include Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz of the Talking Heads and Dennis Dunaway of the Alice Cooper Band. Some events became legend, like Jimi Hendrix's spellbinding performance at Yale's Woolsey Hall, Jim Morrison's onstage arrest at the New Haven Arena and teenage Bob Dylan's appearance at Branford's Indian Neck Folk Festival. With in-depth interviews as well as rare, never-before-seen photos, author Tony Renzoni leads a sonic trip that captures the spirit and zenith of the local scene.A graduate of Sacred Heart University, Tony Renzoni is a rock 'n' roll enthusiast and an avid collector of rock memorabilia, amassing a record collection of over ten thousand vinyl records. He has authored over one thousand weekly guest columns published in the Connecticut Post newspaper and website. During a thirty-eight-year career with the federal government, many as a district manager in Fairfield County, Tony was a recipient of more than forty awards, including his agency's highest honor award.Barnes & Noble1375 Boston Post RoadMilford, CT 06460Saturday, September 23, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at (888)-313-2665 or online.The combination of Arcadia Publishing & The History Press creates the largest and most comprehensive publisher of local and regional content in the USA. By empowering local history and culture enthusiasts to write local stories for local audiences, we create exceptional books that are relevant on a local and personal level, enrich lives, and bring readers closer - to their community, their neighbors, and their past. Have we done a book on your town? Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com The Pardee RAND Graduate School (PardeeRAND.edu) is home to the only Ph.D. and M.Phil. programs offered at an independent public policy research organizationthe RAND Corporation. After conducting two strategic bomber flights around Taiwan in late 2016, Beijing in the last two months has significantly stepped up its operational tempo with at least another five flights circumnavigating the island, the latest of which occurred on Aug. 12. An easy explanation for this unprecedented display of military force is that China is more routinely employing the Xian H-6K long-range bomber to ratchet up pressure on Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen due to her refusal to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus. The consensus is allegedly an agreement on One China, but has differing interpretations in China and Taiwan. This view, however, is overly simplistic. Coercing Taiwan was likely an important part of Beijing's calculus, but the core objective appears to be strengthening the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) conventional strategic deterrence. China seeks to enhance the People's Liberation Army Air Force's (PLAAF) capabilities and signal Beijing's will to defend its territorial claims against the U.S. and its regional allies and partners, especially Taiwan and Japan. A Feature, Not a Bug Chinese bomber activities throughout the region numbering at least 22 separate H-6K aircraft flights since March 2015, according to our estimate are the latest manifestation of top leaders' longstanding efforts to enhance the PLAAF's airpower capabilities. The ultimate goal is to deter U.S. intervention in a regional conflict. In 1999, then-President Jiang Zemin instructed the PLAAF to prepare to struggle to build a powerful, modernized air force that is simultaneously prepared for offensive and defensive operations, giving the service an offensive strike mission. Five years later, the PLAAF officially incorporated this guidance into its first strategic concept document, with an added emphasis on the need to integrate aerospace forces to carry out operations in accordance with Beijing's strategic goals. During a visit to PLAAF headquarters in April 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping endorsed the PLAAF's vision to become a strategic air force, and that same month PLAAF commander Ma Xiaotian gave an important speech calling for the service to take a more active role in maritime security. In February 2015, Xi visited the 36th Bomber Division in Shaanxi Province. Images released afterwards by state media depicted Xi sitting in the cockpit of an H-6K bomber. Bomber flights commenced the following month.... The remainder of this commentary is available on warontherocks.com. Nathan Beauchamp-Mustafaga is a policy analyst, Derek Grossman is a senior defense analyst, and Logan Ma is a research assistant at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation. This commentary originally appeared on War on the Rocks on September 13, 2017. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. Army Capt. Jennifer Peace felt like she could finally exhale. On the television in Peace's office, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter was announcing that she could serve openly as herself. It's over, she realized. Finally over. No more male uniforms or close-cropped male hair regulations; no more subordinates awkwardly saluting her as Sir instead of Ma'am. For Peace, an intelligence officer and veteran of two combat tours, Carter's announcement opening the military to transgender people like her meant an official end to years of living in limbo. Photo courtesy Capt. Peace I really thought that I would just feel a sense of relief, that it wouldn't be as emotional as it was, said Peace, a career soldier with a dog tag tattooed onto her left shoulder, along with the blue, pink, and white stripes of the transgender pride flag. I've had to put being transgender at the top of my list of who I am, she said. Now I can be a soldier and an officer and a wife and everything else first, and let being transgender kind of fade into the background. Breaking Down Barriers The Pentagon's decision in late June to open the ranks to transgender service members was informed by months of RAND research into the costs and numbers involved. Between 1,320 and 6,630 transgender men and women already serve in active duty, the researchers estimateda fraction of one percent of the total force. The costs of letting them serve openly and access military health care would be overwhelmingly small as a percentage of military spending. No more than 140 active-duty service members a year would likely seek gender-transition hormone treatments, for example; even fewer would seek transition-related surgeries. That would add between $2.4 million and $8.4 million to an annual military health care budget of more than $6 billion, the researchers estimated. If an out group can do the job, that's really what counts. If people think you can do the job, you earn their respect, and they feel like you have their back. Agnes Gereben Schaefer, senior political scientist Those medical treatments would also limit when and where between 25 and 130 active-duty service members could deploy in any given year. For comparison, the Army alone has 50,000 active-duty soldiers who cannot deploy for other reasons. So we're talking really small numbersreally small, said Agnes Gereben Schaefer, the lead author of the study and a senior political scientist at RAND. The study was the latest commissioned from RAND by the military as it seeks to break down long-standing barriers to service. RAND research on opening the ranks to gay and lesbian service members led to the repeal of the military's don't ask, don't tell policy in 2011. More recently, a series of RAND reports have helped inform the Pentagon's decision to integrate women into combat positions. All of our work across these areas has demonstrated that if an out group can do the job, that's really what counts, said Schaefer, who has been involved in all three lines of research. If people think you can do the job, you earn their respect, and they feel like you have their back. Performance, Not Pronouns That is what drove Shane Ortega. He served two combat tours in Iraq, as a Marine, as a womanand then one more in Afghanistan, as a soldier, as a man. His transition earned him a desk job; he believes his willingness to work harder and march farther kept him in the military as one of the first openly transgender people in active duty. Seventy pushups? He'd knock out 90, chest to the floor. It becomes exhausting to fight every single day to just be identified by the correct pronoun, he saidand then pointed for an example to what happened when he was invited to speak at the Pentagon. His commanding officers at first ordered him to squeeze into a woman's blouse, citing Army regulations and the gender still listed on his military ID. It was so tight he couldn't lift his arm to salute. Photo by Kent Nishimura/The Washington Post via Getty Images This is something they can't mess up, said Ortega, who ended up wearing a camouflage field uniform to his meetings at the Pentagon, and has since left the military. Lifting the ban, he added, has to be fluid. This isn't just, 'You have to get a new uniform.' This is people's lives. Eighteen other countries already allow transgender people to serve in the military, including such close U.S. allies as Australia, Canada, Israel, and the United Kingdom. They have seen no significant effect on unit cohesion, operational effectiveness, or overall readiness since they opened their ranks, RAND researchers found. But their experiencesand especially the challenges they facedoffer some hard-learned lessons for the American military leaders now charged with implementing transgender service rules. Some of the foreign militaries RAND studied reported instances of bullying or harassment of transgender troops, for example, underscoring the need for zero-tolerance leadership and training. Researchers also found that it was easy to stumble on the details: Could medals and commendations earned pre-transition, for example, be reissued under a new name post-transition? Transgender Service: By the Numbers RAND research provided the Pentagon the most rigorous and impartial estimates available of the costs and implications of allowing transgender men and women to serve openly. 1,320 to 6,630 estimated transgender men and women now serving in active duty out of 1.3 million 25 to 130 active component service members with deployment restrictions due to transition-related medical treatments 18 other countries already allow transgender people to serve in the military Australia Austria Belgium Bolivia Canada Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Germany Israel Netherlands New Zealand Norway Spain Sweden United Kingdom Focus on Mission The Pentagon released an 18-page policy memorandum as it lifted the transgender ban that started to answer some of those questions. It says, for example, that service members will use the uniforms, housing, and bathrooms that correspond with the gender on their military ID cards, which can be changed with a doctor's order. Defense Secretary Carter also said the military will spend the next year refining its policies and training its troops. Our mission is to defend this country, he said in announcing the end of the ban, and we don't want barriers unrelated to a person's qualifications to serve preventing us from recruiting or retaining the soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine who can best accomplish the mission. Photo by Brandon Thibodeaux/The New York Times Someone, in other words, like Phyllis Frye. In 1970, she looked like the ideal Army officer: educated under an elite ROTC scholarship, trained as an engineer, committed to a military careerand male. When the military learned she was transgender, it sent her to a hypnotist who made her vomit when she wore women's clothes. It tried drugs that were so powerful they blurred her vision. In the end, she negotiated an honorable discharge, went back to school, studied law, and is now widely recognized as the grandmother of the transgender rights movement. You're going to get someone who loves the military, who wants to be a patriot, who wants to serve their country, she says now. What else do you want out of a person? The military wasted me, she adds. It paid for her education and training, gave her housing and health careand all you got out of it was about 19 months of active duty. She figures she would have retired as a lieutenant colonel after 30-plus years of military service if she had been allowed to stay. Instead, her military career ended in 1972. Forty-four years later, another Army officer, Capt. Peace, watched live on the television in her office as Secretary Carter lifted the ban that had threatened to bring her career, too, to a standstill. She and another transgender service member embraced when Carter spoke the words they had waited so long to hear: Effective immediately She talks about her commitment to the Army, about the relief of knowing she can make it a career now; she says she hopes to earn a promotion to major soon. And then she asks: Did you see the press conference after Carter's announcement? One of the first questions he got was not about health care costs or bathroom usenot about transgender people at allbut about the civil war in Syria. That's exactly how it should be, she says. The ban may be lifted, but we've got more important things to worry about. Doug Irving For Release Wednesday September 13, 2017 A new RAND Corporation report paints a bleak picture of economic life under the Islamic State. RAND estimates that the Islamic State contributed to a 23 percent reduction in the GDP of cities under its control, based on novel applications of satellite-derived data. Over the course of its peak territorial control and decline through mid-2016, the economy of the Islamic State showed clear signs of decay across multiple sectors, including in local markets, electricity, and agriculture. However, the group devoted significant resources to governing its capitals in Raqqa and Mosul. RAND estimates suggest that these cities fared better than most early in the conflict. The report offers a comprehensive assessment of the ability of the Islamic State to govern the territory and population under its control in Iraq and Syria. The report focuses on the effects of Islamic State control on local economies, because the group is reliant upon local taxation for a significant portion of its revenue and has publicly linked the appeal of its so-called caliphate to perceptions of prosperity. The Islamic State's inability to sustain a large-scale prosperous proto-state represents an institutional failure by the group to capitalize on a vast territory, historically weak governments, potentially sympathetic local populations, and a massive financial war chest, said Eric Robinson, lead author on the report and a research programmer and analyst at RAND, a nonpartisan research organization. The group had some success supporting the economies of Raqqa and Mosul early in the conflict, which were to be the heart of the caliphate that the Islamic State hoped to construct. Yet it proved unwilling or unable to support economies in less secure or contested parts of its territory. While the lack of effective governance in these areas was partly to blame, the report finds that the most consistent factor driving economic decline was the Islamic State's inability to defend its territory from military opposition. Our analysis suggests that it is too simplistic to blame stagnant economic conditions solely on the quality of the Islamic State's governance. The U.S. and coalition military campaign against the group has been integral to their failure to build prosperous local economies and develop a sustainable caliphate, said Daniel Egel, an author of the report and economist at RAND. The report offers an innovative, data-driven approach to solve the problems of measuring economic activity inside areas controlled by the Islamic State. Where traditional data are unavailable to diagnose conditions on the ground from within Islamic State-held cities, the researchers look down upon these cities from space. Using applications of commercial satellite imagery and remote sensing data, the researchers developed clear, quantitative indicators of economic activity within the Islamic State, providing insights into agricultural production, market activity, commercial vehicle traffic, industrial activity, building stock and labor supply. Furthermore, by documenting the Islamic State's economic impact throughout Iraq and Syria, this analysis offers critical insights into the stabilization needs of areas liberated from the group. The researchers also developed an interactive website to help readers visualize economic life as seen from space inside Iraq and Syria. Other authors of the report, When the Islamic State Comes to Town: The Economic Impact of Islamic State Governance in Iraq and Syria, are Patrick Johnston, Sean Mann, Alexander D. Rothenberg and David Stebbins. Funding for this research was made possible by the independent research and development provisions of RAND's contracts for the operation of its U.S. Department of Defense federally funded research and development centers. The research was conducted within the Intelligence Policy Center of the RAND National Security Research Division (NSRD). NSRD conducts research and analysis on defense and national security topics for the U.S. and allied defense, foreign policy, homeland security, and intelligence communities and foundations and other nongovernmental organizations that support defense and national security analysis. For Release Thursday September 14, 2017 Proposals to repeal or replace the federal Affordable Care Act would likely increase the demand for service in the Veterans Affairs medical system, while also increasing the number of veterans who have no insurance coverage at all, according to a new RAND Corporation report. Under legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, health coverage losses among nonelderly veterans would be concentrated among older, low-income and less-healthy veterans, according to the study. These groups of veterans are more likely than other nonelderly veterans to obtain care from the VA medical system, magnifying the potential impact of ACA repeal on demand for VA care. Repealing or significantly scaling back the Affordable Care Act is likely to increase the number of uninsured veterans, said Michael Dworsky, the study's lead author and an economist at RAND, a nonprofit research organization. Some veterans who lose health insurance coverage as a result of ACA repeal will become more likely to seek care from the VA health system, leading to additional strain on a health care system that already faces challenges in ensuring adequate capacity. Veterans are less likely to be uninsured than similar nonveterans, in large part because many have access to VA health care. As of 2013, just before the ACA's major coverage expansions took effect, 1 in 10 nonelderly veterans was uninsured and did not report having VA coverage. RAND researchers estimate that just under three in five nonelderly veterans were eligible for VA care in 2015, and not all who are eligible choose to enroll. Veterans generally qualify for VA health benefits if they have served for at least two years, have an other-than-dishonorable discharge, served during wartime or in combat, have a health condition connected to military services or have a low income. Veterans who enroll in the VA health system may choose to use other sources of care for a variety of reasons, including accessibility of care, perceived quality of care and costs. Even veterans who use the VA health system receive the majority of their health care from sources outside the VA system. Changes in non-VA insurance status are thus likely to affect VA use. RAND researchers assessed the likely effects of changes to the ACA by examining how many military veterans gained coverage under the law and their sources of health care coverage. They then modeled how proposed changes to the ACA would have affected coverage of veterans if the changes had been imposed on the veteran population that existed in 2015. The analysis broadly considered many of the changes proposed in both the American Health Care Act (passed by the House of Representatives) and the Better Care Reconciliation Act (rejected by the Senate), including reforms to the individual market and conversion of federal Medicaid funding to a capped allocation. RAND researchers found that the ACA reduced both the number of uninsured veterans and the number of VA-covered veterans who lacked non-VA insurance. They also estimate that the proportion of uninsured nonelderly veterans fell by about one-third after adoption of the Affordable Care Act, dropping from 9.1 percent in 2013 to 5.8 percent in 2015. The demographics of the nonelderly VA population are changing rapidly, with many Vietnam-era veterans aging into Medicare while the number of veterans with service in the post-9/11 era increases. VA policy also was changing rapidly over this time period. RAND researchers also estimated how state Medicaid expansion decisions affected veterans' insurance status. They found that Medicaid expansion substantially increased insurance coverage for low-income veterans in the income range targeted by Medicaid expansion. The effects on veterans and the VA of ACA repeal would vary across states. The largest impacts would be felt in states that expanded Medicaid, but differences between states in the age structure and income level of the veteran population also matter for determining which states are most exposed to ACA repeal. The increase in use of VA services due to ACA repeal would be lowest in Nebraska and largest in Arkansas. Support for the study was provided by the New York State Health Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The report, Veterans' Health Insurance Coverage Under the Affordable Care Act and Implications of Repeal for the Department of Veterans Affairs is available at www.rand.org. Other authors of the report are Carrie Farmer and Mimi Shen. RAND Health is the nation's largest independent health policy research program, with a broad research portfolio that focuses on health care costs, quality and public health preparedness, among other topics. A group of Jackson County landowners are appealing the dismissal of their unusual legal effort to block a proposed frac sand operation. In July, La Crosse County Circuit Judge Scott Horne dismissed the case brought by three families who sued to stop AllEnergy Sand of Des Moines from building the $130 million project in the town of Hixton on the grounds it would be a nuisance. Greg Krueger and his co-plaintiffs claimed the 750-acre mine, processing plant and rail terminal would generate air, water, noise and light pollution, destroy the landscape, deplete groundwater supplies and unreasonably interfere with their right to peaceful enjoyment of their land. One of two such cases filed on behalf of Jackson County residents, it is the first effort in Wisconsin to apply the idea of private nuisance that landowners cant use their lands in a way that harms neighboring property owners to the industry, which began rapidly expanding in western Wisconsin during the past decade to supply fine-grained sand for use in oil and gas wells. In support of their case the plaintiffs filed affidavits of a dozen people living near existing sand mining operations who complained of dust that causes chronic coughs and prevents them from opening windows, light, noise and vibration that keeps them up at night, cracked walls and fouled well water in spite of existing development agreements outlining terms of operations. Acknowledging the case hinges on inherent tensions in land-use decisions, Horne said that while it possible the proposed mine will result in the feared harms, the plaintiffs failed to show the mine would cause substantial harm and that a local ordinance and developers agreement will be insufficient. If an actual nuisance arises, Horne said, he would have the authority to order damages or a modification to the operating regulations. Attorney Tim Jacobson notified the court this week that he intends to ask an appeals court to determine if Horne erred in his conclusion and in setting too high a bar for evidence at an early stage in the legal process. The judge is not allowed to make credibility determinations at this stage, Jacobson said. Thats what a trial is for. Meanwhile the attorney for AllEnergy is asking that the plaintiffs be required to post a $35 million bond while the case is pending appeal, which could take more than a year. Dean Sukowatey, president and CEO of AllEnergy Sand, said that would cover the $10 million hes invested so far and $25 million in lost revenue. While there is no legal injunction stopping the project, Sukowatey said his investors will not move forward with the dark cloud of a pending court case. Sukowatey accused the plaintiffs of attempting to run out the clock and said they are exposing themselves to damage counter-claims. Thats a fight for another day, he said. Right now we just want to build a plant, and we cant build this plant with an overhang. Horne has yet to rule whether a similar case can proceed in which another group of landowners are attempting to stop a 945-acre mine, processing and loading facility proposed by OmniTrax about six miles to the east between Black River Falls and Alma Center. In light of his ruling in the AllEnergy case, Jacobson is in the process of filing additional affidavits by people alleging harm from neighboring sand mines. The OmniTrax facility would straddle a town line, though only one towns has a developers agreement with the company. We believe that the facts in the OmniTrax case are substantially different than the AllEnergy case, he said. The citizens in the adjacent community had no local officials negotiating on their behalf. The Latin American human rights commission, the Comision Interamericana de Derechos Humanos (CIDH), has publicly condemned Venezuela for closing down over 50 media companies over the last year, including several TV stations. Its report follows the closure of Caracol TV and RCN, which were removed from Venezuelan pay-TV operators on 25 August , as well as the switch-off of CNN and NTN 24 earlier this year.As reported by various organisations, at least 49 radio stations and five international TV channels have been removed from the market during 207 following governmental orders, stated the CIDH in the report The commission has used the report to remind the Venezuelan Government and telecom authority, Conatel, that any freedom of speech restriction has to be proved and cannot be used as a punishment for maintaining a specific editorial policy.Even though the State has the right to manage the radioelectric spectrum, it has to be done in accordance with basic human rights, such as freedom of speech, concluded the report.Through its statement, the CIDH is backing up Venezuelas Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Prensa, which has complained about the decreasing freedom of the press in the country. Wisconsin environmental regulators are considering new conditions for a controversial Monroe County frac sand plant that would require what environmentalists call massive wetland destruction. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued a notice Thursday regarding possible changes to a permit issued in May allowing Meteor Timber to fill 16.25 acres of wetlands for its proposed $65 million processing and loading facility. According to the notice, Meteor has requested the DNR modify the permit to reflect current construction and design specifications in satisfaction of conditions attached to the permit. The agency did not provide an explanation Thursday of the changes being sought or what conditions have been met, but a company spokeswoman said Meteor has provided additional information on hydrology of the area and plans to restore land currently used as cranberry beds. Meteor project manager Chris Mathis said in a written statement, We are continuing to work with the DNR to address all conditions of the previously issued wetland permit and enhance the environmental attractiveness of our project. Its not clear what theyre going to change or how much theyre going to change, said Evan Feinauer, staff attorney for Clean Wisconsin, which in conjunction with Midwest Environmental Advocates challenged the original permit, saying it would be the single largest destruction of Wisconsin wetlands for an industrial sand project. The DNR has scheduled a public hearing on the project for Oct. 6 in Tomah. In June the DNR granted Clean Wisconsins request for a contested case hearing on the permit, which Feinauer said will be postponed until the amended permit is issued. Feinauer said he anticipates the environmental advocacy group will roll the amended permit into the challenge. Clean Wisconsin argues that destroying the pristine forested wetlands home to several rare and endangered species would open the door to the destruction of more rare wetlands. The DNR acknowledged the permit approval may lead to increased applications to fill rare, sensitive and valuable wetland plant communities. Similar to a court trial, a contested case hearing is typically overseen by an administrative law judge and offers interested parties an opportunity to present evidence and cross-examine witnesses. Clean Wisconsin, along with the Ho-Chunk Nation, also filed court challenges to the permit, though both cases were dropped because of procedural errors. Midwest Environmental Advocates plans to act as an intervenor in the contested case hearing on behalf of the tribe. Meteor has proposed to restore and preserve more than 640 acres of other land including more than 296 acres of existing wetlands near the the 752-acre site between Warrens and Millston, which would serve two nearby mines on land the company acquired in 2014 when it purchased nearly 50,000 acres of Wisconsin forest. However, the DNR determined those mitigation efforts are not likely to fully compensate for what it calls permanent and irreversible secondary impacts from activity on the site and may not compensate for the direct loss of 13.4 acres of exceptional quality white pine and red maple swamp, which is considered an imperiled habitat. Meteor has yet to secure wetland permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is expected to issue a decision later this month. Body cameras for the Mooresville Police Department have arrived. Find out when they will be used. Finland's Foreign Ministry says a Finnish aid worker who was kidnapped in Afghanistan in May has been released. The ministry said on September 14 that the woman was working for a Swedish aid group in Kabul called Operation Mercy. A statement on the aid group's website confirmed the woman's release, saying that "the well-being of our colleague is being assessed at this time." Afghanistan's Interior Ministry said a German woman who also worked for Operation Mercy was shot dead on May 20 when the kidnappers attacked the nongovernmental organization's Kabul residence. An Afghan guard at the guest house for aid workers was beheaded by the attackers. With reporting by Reuters and CNN British oil giant BP and Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR have signed a contract that prolongs their 1994 sharing agreement for Azerbaijan's largest oil fields until 2050. BP leads a nine-country consortium that develops the giant Azeri-Ciraq-Gunesli offshore fields -- the largest in Azerbaijan's sector of the Caspian basin. President Ilham Aliyev said at the signing ceremony in Baku on September 14 that the deal provides terms more favorable for Azerbaijan than the previous existing deal, which was due to expire in 2024. "Our country will get a bonus of $3.6 billion," Aliyev said, adding that SOCAR's share in the consortium rises from 11.7 percent to 25 percent. The share held by BP, which continues to lead the consortium and serves as the operator, declined from 35.8 percent to 30.37 percent. Shares of other companies in the consortium also have been reduced. U.S.-based Chevron now has 9.56 percent, and ExxonMobil 6.79 percent, Japan's INPEX 9.31 percent and ITOCHU 3.65 percent, Norway's Statoil 7.27 percent, Turkey's TPAO has 5.73 percent, and India's ONGC Videsh holds 2.31 percent. Most of oil produced in Azerbaijan is transported to Europe through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline that goes through Georgia and Turkey, bypassing Russia. With reporting by Reuters and AFP In January, Andrei Alekseyev received a letter from religious activists warning that movie theaters like his could burn if they showed a forthcoming film about a romantic liaison of Russian Tsar Nicholas II, who has been canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. The letter, signed by a group calling itself Christian State-Holy Rus, claimed to have members across Russia prepared to sacrifice their lives for its true Orthodox Christian path and said that showing the film, titled Matilda, could lead to bloodshed and civil war. The controversy over the film, which tells of a romance between the unmarried crown prince and ballet dancer Matilda Kshesinskaya, mounted in the ensuing months, thanks in part to denunciations of the project by a controversial federal lawmaker. But the warnings of violence in the letter, which other Russian cinema owners also received, now appear ominously prescient. Over the past two weeks, unidentified assailants tossed Molotov cocktails into the St. Petersburg studio of Matilda director Aleksei Uchitel and set fire to two cars near his lawyers Moscow office, leaving behind leaflets reading, "To Burn for Matilda." Authorities also said that a man who opposed the film, set for nationwide screenings on October 26, set fire to a car at the entrance of a cinema in the city of Yekaterinburg on September 4, and that the small blaze spread to the theaters entrance. Russias largest cinema chain on September 12 announced it would not show Matilda, citing safety concerns for audiences. Alekseyev, founder of the Kinoklub Neft movie theater in the city of Yaroslavl, said the Christian State letter set off a wave of apprehension around Matilda among cinema owners. Then these so-called activists moved from words to actions, he told RFE/RL. The violence has thrust the previously obscure Christian State into the national limelight. Here are five things you need to know about the group, which denies any links to the incidents. What Is 'Christian State-Holy Rus'? Precisely when the group appeared remains unclear, though its purported leader, Aleksandr Kalinin, told RFE/RL in a September 14 telephone interview that it was formed in 2010. Kalinin, 33, claims the group has around 350 active members in 240 cities in almost every Russian region. Its first apparent mention in the media was in January following the letters to movie theaters. Kalinin, who lives in the city of Lipetsk, has been publishing religious-themed YouTube videos since 2012. In the earliest video posted on his YouTube channel, he tells of a religious transformation he had after what he says was a near-death experience: Another senior member of the group is an activist known as Miron Kravchenko, who, curiously, was the reported founder of a group in Ukraine opposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kalinin was quoted by one independent newspaper as saying in February that Kravchenko had wanted to fight on both sides of the conflict between Kyiv and Moscow over Russias seizure of Ukraines Crimea territory and alleged backing of armed separatists in eastern Ukraine. What's Its Beef With Matilda? Like other conservative opponents of Matilda, Christian State considers the film an insult to the Russian Orthodox Church and Nicholas, whose affair with Kshesinskaya was well-documented but is denied by the activists. The romance ended in 1884, when Nicholas married the German princess who became Empress Alexandra. WATCH: A trailer (in Russian) for Matilda Its not just a film. Its the beginning of a broad program to destroy the spiritual basis of our country, Kalinin told RFE/RL. What Have Russian Officials Said? Critics of Putin have accused him of helping to foster a sense of impunity among militant religious and nationalist activists, including with a 2013 law backed by conservatives that bans gay propaganda from being disseminated to children. Rights groups call the law discriminatory. In the Matilda standoff, however, the Kremlin has publicly criticized Christian State by name, accusing it of attacks against Uchitel, the films director. We specially consulted with the Justice Ministry. There is no such registered organization, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in February, adding that the director was being targeted by anonymous extremists. Two Russian lawmakers have asked the Interior Ministry and the Federal Security Service (FSB) to look into possible extremist activities by the group, Uchitels lawyer was quoted by Interfax as saying on September 13. What Does The Russian Orthodox Church Say? The church distanced itself from the group in February after the Christian State letter was sent to Russian movie theaters, with a church spokesman saying the group has no right to speak for the church and does not represent the Russian Orthodox community. Reactions to the film should not go beyond the confines of the law or be accompanied by any threats or extremist behavior, Russian Church Synod spokesman Vakhtang Kipshidze said. Asked about the groups ties to the church, Kalinin told RFE/RL that his group has good relations with Orthodox clergy throughout Russia. He claimed that Christian State works with dozens of rather serious organizations that he declined to name. What's Next? Kalinin told RFE/RL and other news outlets on September 14 that he believes a wave of anonymous bomb threats across Russia that have triggered mass evacuations in recent days are linked to anti-Matilda activists. The group claimed that it had received an anonymous e-mail on September 10, shortly before the threats began, warning of an information attack on cinemas and Russian infrastructure as part of an Orthodox campaign against the film. No information corroborating that claim has emerged. As with the recent violent attacks linked to Matilda, Kalinin denied his group was involved in the bomb threats. Explosives have not been found in any of the incidents. Aleksandr Verkhovsky, a respected Russian extremism researcher, said that he had never heard of Christian State until the Matilda dustup and that real violence is a very rare thing among Orthodox fundamentalists and ultraconservatives. Verkhovsky, head of the Moscow-based Sova Center, added that militant Orthodox activists were driven previously mostly by nationalist sentiments rather than religious ones. Acts of religiously motivated violence have happened, but we could not talk about stable violent groups of that kind -- as opposed to nationalist groups, he told RFE/RL. Maybe now things are changing. The Daily Vertical is a video primer for Russia-watchers that appears Monday through Friday. Viewers can suggest topics via Twitter @PowerVertical or on the Power Vertical Facebook page. A transcript of today's Daily Vertical can be found here. BRUSSELS -- The European Union has prolonged its asset freezes and travel bans on Russian officials and Moscow-backed separatists in Ukraine for another six months, with Russia's new ambassador to the United States remaining on the list, diplomats said. Interior ministers from the 28 EU member states decided to renew the restrictive measures until March 2018 at a meeting on September 14 in Brussels -- one day before they were due to expire. In a statement, the European Council said an assessment of the situation in Ukraine did not justify a change in the sanctions regime. Asset freezes and visa bans were first imposed by the EU on people responsible for actions against Ukraine's territorial integrity in March 2014, after Russia occupied and seized control of Crimea. Those sanctions have been extended every six months. The EU diplomats said that Russia's new ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, remains on the EU sanctions list as no country asked for his removal. Antonov, a former deputy defense minister and deputy foreign minister who arrived in Washington on August 31 to take up his post, is under EU and Canadian sanctions but not U.S. sanctions. The Russians under EU sanctions also include Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, Armed Forces General Staff chief Valery Gerasimov, and state TV presenter Dmitry Kiselyov. Brussels removed from its sanctions list four separatists who have died since the last renewal. And following a merger involving three listed entities, these entities were removed from the list and the company into which they have merged -- Crimean Sea Ports -- was added. The restrictive measures now apply to 149 people and 38 entities. The lowly ground squirrel could be the key to unlocking new cures for blood clots, heart attacks and strokes. University of Wisconsin-La Crosse biology professor Scott Cooper has been studying ground squirrels and their unique biology for more than a decade through grants from the National Institutes of Health. Cooper, with the help of his undergraduate students, has been investigating the chemistry in the squirrels blood that allows the rodent to hibernate during winter without developing blood clots. Blood clots are a serious risk to people with heart disease, those recovering from surgery and people who lead immobile or sedentary lifestyles. Limbs left immobile for long periods, especially the legs, can develop deep vein thrombosis a clot in a vein that can cause problems if it breaks off and travels to the brain or the lungs. Cooper said the research idea came out of a hunch that animals such as ground squirrels, which lower their heart rate and metabolism and become immobile for long periods of hibernation, must have developed unique adaptations to protect themselves from developing clots. Over the years, he and his students have studied these unique features to better understand how they work. Students from many disciplines work in Coopers lab, which has about 20 students this semester. Working in small groups, they study the squirrels using techniques from biochemistry, cellular biology and genetics, among other fields. Weve taken a look at a little bit of everything, Cooper said. But that is good for students of varied backgrounds. Students do a lot of the work, which Cooper said is important, as it gives them a hands-on opportunity to practice what they are learning in the classroom. This gives them a chance to see whether they really want to work in the field they are studying, as well as good experience to put on a graduate school application or a resume. Its one of the reasons the National Institutes of Healths Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has funded the program, most recently with a four-year $338,000 grant awarded in July. Application reviewers said Coopers program was unique among its peers both in terms of the subject being researched and also how much responsibility is put on the students working in the lab, with undergraduates often authoring research papers and presenting at scientific conferences. At UW-L, we think getting students involved in undergraduate research is one of those high-impact practices that get results, said Cooper, who is also the director of undergraduate research at UW-L. They really get to apply and understand what they are learning in the classroom. Senior Tyler Billman and juniors Tam Nguyen and Vanessa Mbuyi, an international student from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, make up one of the groups working in Coopers lab this semester. This year is the first in the lab for Nguyen and Mbuyi, but Billman worked last year with one of the graduate students to study the makeup and protein levels in the hibernating squirrels bones. This year, his group is looking at platelet and other protein levels in the squirrels lung tissues, with the idea coming from a similar study done on mice. The hope is to better understand the animals blood composition and whether different organs in the body have different levels of compounds. Nguyen said having this opportunity to get her hands dirty in the lab is fun, as the students have so much more freedom in the way they look at and tackle a problem. All three of the students hope to apply for medical school after graduating from UW-L and said the lab is great practice for the higher difficulty bar they will experience in their post-undergraduate studies. You learn so many different theories and techniques in class, Nguyen said. In the lab, you get to put it all together. Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbaev, who celebrated his 77th birthday in July, has signaled that he does not plan to retire from office. Speaking to journalists in Astana on September 14, Nazarbaev said he likes "his job, which requires good health and a lot of psychological and emotional energy." "My liking for this job helps deal with the pressure...It may be difficult, but I am accustomed to planning my next day, carrying it out, and, in the evening, being happy. You should do the same," Nazarbaev told journalists. Nazarbaev is the only president of a former Soviet republic who has ruled since before the collapse of the Soviet Union. After the death a year ago of another longtime leader in the former Soviet Union, Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov, many in Kazakhstan have speculated that Nazarbaev was preparing to retire and was working on choosing a successor. Nazarbaev also said on September 14 that U.S. President Donald Trump recently assured him that Western sanctions imposed on Russia would not affect Kazakhstan. Based on reporting by Tengrinews and Kazinform Police in Kosovo say they have raided premises used by Serbia's Red Cross in the country, confiscating documents suspected of being used to conduct an illegal census of ethnic Serbs. A September 14 statement said some employees were also questioned during the raids, which were carried out the previous day. It said some people in the organization were believed to have used the documents "for the registration of population...contrary to the legal dispositions, as the population census is held by Kosovo's competent institutions." The statement also said that some police officers were injured when attacked during a raid conducted in the northern city of Mitrovica. No arrests were made. There was no immediate comment from the Red Cross of Serbia, a branch of the international Red Cross that also works in Kosovo to support the ethnic Serb minority there. However, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said the raids were part of "the continuation of pressure against [Kosovar] Serbs." Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade doesn't recognize the move. The European Union has urged Pristina and Belgrade -- both with desires of joining the EU -- to normalize relations and is sponsoring talks in hopes of ending years of hostility. With reporting by AP Russia says Washingtons move to ban U.S. federal agencies from using Kaspersky Labs software products runs counter to fair competition and is designed to hurt the Russian antivirus companys global market position. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in Moscow on September 14 that U.S. actions "cast a shadow over the image of our American colleagues as reliable partners" and violate all international trade rules. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on September 13 ordered all U.S. federal agencies to phase out the use of Kaspersky products, citing ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies. The DHS also expressed concern about "requirements under Russian law that allow Russian intelligence agencies to request or compel assistance from Kaspersky and to intercept communications transiting Russian networks. Under the U.S. order, executive branch departments and agencies have 90 days to begin discontinuing use of Kaspersky software and remove the products from computer systems. Company founder Eugene Kaspersky has long denied that his company, one of Russias most successful technology firms, had connections to Russian intelligence agencies. In a September 13 statement, the Russian company again denied the accusations, saying there is "no credible evidence" to back up the claims, including the allegations of Russian government ties. Kaspersky himself for years has been under scrutiny both for his early education at a KGB-run school and because of suspicions that the company has the quiet backing of Russian security agencies, such as the Federal Security Service (FSB). The U.S. House of Representatives' Science, Space and Technology Committee on September 14 said it had invited Kaspersky to testify over the security of his company's products on September 27, along with U.S. government and private-sector cyberexperts. In an e-mail to Reuters, Kaspersky said he accepted the invitation to testify, but that he needed an expedited visa in order to do so, according to the news agency. With reporting by AP, Interfax, and Reuters Chinikhon Eralieva is packing her bags to visit her two daughters and six grandchildren in neighboring Uzbekistan. The 79-year-old retiree has lived all her life in the village of Sary Syia in southern Kyrgyzstan. But like many ethnic Uzbeks in the area, Eralieva has relatives on both sides of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border. Those Central Asian neighbors are poised any day to reopen all their shared overland checkpoints and simplify border-crossing procedures, eliminating paperwork that for years has included official invites or personal letters of invitation that locals refer to as "telegrams." Eralieva will enter Uzbekistan through Dostyk, which became the first border crossing to reopen following an agreement signed by the Uzbek and Kyrgyz presidents earlier this month in Bishkek. A handful of other checkpoints are expected to reopen any day along their 1,300-kilometer border -- which is still disputed in sections -- although no official date has been announced. Uzbekistan tightened controls on its Kyrgyz border after pro-democracy unrest ousted Kyrgyzstan's president in 2005, then closed down 12 of its 15 crossing points there after more Kyrgyz political unrest in 2010. The remaining checkpoints operated on a limited basis with tougher requirements for citizens wishing to cross. The closures came as a blow to hundreds of thousands of people with relatives on both sides of the border in this ethnically mixed swath of post-Soviet Central Asia, where family ties are strong and multiple generations frequently live under one roof. Ethnic Uzbeks make up about 15 percent of Kyrgyzstans 6 million or so citizens, and almost all of them have close relatives across the border. Uzbekistan is also home to tens of thousands of ethnic Kyrgyz with family members in Kyrgyzstan. Ive seen my daughters just twice since 2010, Eralieva says. We've missed many important events in each others lives. Our relationship has been reduced to speaking by phone. While Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan maintained visa-free travel for each others citizens, people wishing to cross overland checkpoints have been required to present official invitations for business trips or so-called telegrams -- or private invitation letters -- for personal visits. "You can only send a telegram if you're hosting a wedding or someone has died in the family," says Eralieva's elder daughter, Nazima, who asks us not to publish her surname. "Obviously, we dont have weddings every year." Speaking to RFE/RL by phone from her home in Uzbekistans eastern Shahrikhon district, the 50-year-old adds: To send a telegram, first you need to get a letter from the neighborhood committee and then you need approval from police to confirm that you really have a wedding or a funeral. Eralievas daughters married in the 1980s, when there were no border restrictions between the two Soviet republics. Much of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek frontier remained undemarcated for years after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, leading to disagreements, military standoffs near the border, and even deadly violence. In August 2016, Uzbekistan deployed troops to a disputed area -- a small mountaintop known as Ungar-Teppa in Uzbek and Unkur-Too in Kyrgyz. That standoff ended when Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev -- who took over after the death last year of strongman President Islam Karimov -- withdrew those soldiers. There are indications that ties between Bishkek and Tashkent have improved since Mirziyoev vowed that regional relations are a priority for his government. Border talks followed, and officials say they have since agreed on the demarcation of some 85 percent of the twisting, often mountainous border. Negotiations are under way for the remaining sections. Eralieva says she doesnt understand politics but, like everybody else in her neighborhood, she closely followed news about the reopening of the border posts. This is a decision that affects every family and changes lives, she says. Thousands of people turned up at the official reopening ceremony at Dostyk on September 6. Known as Dustlik in Uzbek, the checkpoint lies between the southern Kyrgyz province of Osh and the eastern Uzbek province of Andijon. From now on, your passport is all youll need to cross the border, Andijon Governor Shuhratbek Abdurahmonov told the gathering. No telegrams or other documents are required. Badridil Kamolova traveled from the provincial capital, Osh, to see the ceremony. I havent seen my relatives for six years, she says. All my relatives live on the other side of the border, in Andijon, where I grew up. I live alone in Osh. She married an Osh resident decades ago. Her husband has since died and her daughters married Andijon residents. In the Uzbek city of Kokand, Kyrgyz-born Nargyza Kudaikulova says she celebrated news of the border opening with a traditional meal of plov. She watches TV news bulletins every evening not to miss any announcement on border reopening," she adds. Officials said on September 13 that thousands of people and hundreds of vehicles have been crossing the Dostyk border crossing daily since its reopening. Around 2,500 people from each side crossed the border on September 12 alone, along with some 300 vehicles, according to Yusuf Qurbonov, the Bishkek-based coordinator for the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The international medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says the government of Pakistan is forcing it to pull out of a violence-plagued northwestern tribal region after a 14-year presence. In a statement published on September 14, MSF said the authorities have refused to issue it a no objection certificate" (NoC), leaving it unable to provide medical services in the Kurram district of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Without a valid NoC, MSF cannot continue to provide medical services in Kurram Agency, said the group, also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres. MSF is saddened by the decision from the authorities responsible for NGOs working in Kurram Agency, said Catherine Moody, the MSF country representative in Pakistan. The closure brings to an end 14 years of MSF working with the FATA Health Services in Kurram Agency, she added. MSF has most recently been providing medical services in cooperation with the Sadda and Alizai hospitals in the region. The group said it carried out 36,498 outpatient consultations in Sadda and 6,416 in Alizai last year. MSF said the necessary measures to end its operation at the hospitals and elsewhere will be completed within a week. The Kurram region near the Afghan border has been the scene of several deadly militant attacks against its Shiite population in recent years and has been the location of U.S. drone strikes on suspected extremists. In June, two explosions at a crowded market in the Kurram city of Parachinar killed at least 70 people in an attack claimed by the Sunni extremist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. MSF said it continues to provide medical care in Bajaur Agency in FATA, as well in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan provinces. A series of anonymous bomb threats phoned in to authorities across Russia has continued with new threats in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Moscow police sources say more than 9,000 people were evacuated from eight schools in the Russian capital on September 14 as a result of anonymous bomb threats. Hundreds of people were also evacuated from several shopping malls in St. Petersburg on September 14 following anonymous threats by telephone. Since September 10, similar calls have triggered mass evacuations at schools, malls, theaters, and universities in many cities and towns across Russia. Bombs have not been discovered in any of the cases. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on September 14 that the bomb threats amount to "telephone terrorism." Peskov also said that "all necessary measures are being taken" to find the perpetrators. RIA Novosti news agency quoted an unnamed security official as saying that investigators had traced the calls to people based abroad who were linked to the extremist group Islamic State and other organizations. IS militants have claimed responsibility for a series of deadly attacks in Russia, including a suicide bombing in St. Petersburg in April that killed 14 people. On September 12, Chelyabinsk regional police spokeswoman Olga Shterk called the wave of bomb threats a "spam attack." "The phone calls were made via the Internet and therefore it will be difficult to locate the site from where the calls were made, Shterk said. The first hoax bomb threats to be reported was on September 10 at the mayor's office in Omsk when an unknown caller told authorities there was a bomb in the building. On September 13, Moscow police sources say more than 100,000 people were evacuated from about 70 buildings after at least 65 anonymous bomb threats. With reporting by TASS, Interfax, Bloomberg, and AP Russia and neighboring Belarus have begun a joint military exercise near NATO's eastern flank that has fanned already deep tensions between Moscow and the West. Moscow and Minsk say the Zapad (West) 2017 exercise, scheduled from September 14-20 in Belarus and parts of western Russia, is officially set to involve 12,700 troops. But Western officials have said the maneuvers could include some 100,000 personnel in what they call a Russian show of power amid the ongoing standoff with the West over Russian aggression in Ukraine. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite was among those who voiced alarm about Zapad 2017, saying the military exercises are a sign that Russia is preparing for a serious conflict with NATO. "We are anxious about this drill...It is an open preparation for war with the West," she told reporters. "This is designed to provoke us, it's designed to test our defenses, and thats why we have to be strong, British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon told the BBC on September 10. Poland's National Security Bureau head, Pawel Soloch, told private Radio Zet that the exercises are a demonstration "of the Russian state's capacity to hold full-scale war action." Russia, meanwhile, has pushed back against what it portrays as Western alarmism over the drills, the first to be held in close proximity to NATO member states since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Moscow insists that the size of the exercise will not cross the 13,000-troop threshold that, under Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) rules known as the Vienna Document, would require it to notify other countries and open the maneuvers to observers. The chief of Russia's general staff, General Valery Gerasimov, sought to reassure his NATO counterpart late on September 14 that the exercise is purely defensive, Russian news agencies reported. In a phone call, Gerasimov informed NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe Curtis Scaparrotti that the war games had officially begun and are "exclusively defensive in nature" and "not targeted against any third parties," Russian media quoted the Russian Defense Ministry as saying. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier accused the West of "whipping up hysteria" over its military exercises. "We reject complaints of these exercises not being transparent," Peskov told a conference call with reporters. "We believe that whipping up hysteria around these exercises is a provocation." Colonel General Andrei Kartapolov, commander of Russias Western Military District, said in an interview published by the Russian military's official Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper on September 13 that the number of troops and hardware used in the drills "will fully comply with the Vienna Document." The Zapad exercise is held every four years in rotation with drills in other parts of Russia. INFOGRAPHIC: Zapad 2017 To Scale (click to view) Western governments have responded to Russias 2014 seizure of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula and backing of separatists in eastern Ukraine with several waves of economic and other sanctions targeting Moscow. NATO has also bolstered its presence in its easternmost member states that were dominated by Moscow during the Cold War and which remain concerned about the Kremlin's intentions in the region. Belarus, where part of the Zapad 2017 exercise is being held, borders Ukraine as well as NATO members Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia. The drills are also being staged in Russias western exclave of Kaliningrad, which lies between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in Estonia last week that the military alliance would send three observers. "But these invitations fall short from the transparency required by the OSCE: briefings on the exercise scenario and progress, opportunities to talk to individual soldiers, and overflights of the exercise," Stoltenberg told reporters on September 6 during his visit to a NATO contingent in Tapa, Estonia. "We will monitor the [Zapad 2017] activity closely, and we are vigilant but also calm, because we don't see any imminent threat against any NATO ally," Stoltenberg added. In an interview with Reuters in Berlin, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's foreign policy adviser Kostiantyn Yeliseyev said on September 14 that Zapad 2017 is very dangerous since they are taking place just near the border with Ukraine. Yeliseyev added that the exercises purpose is to destabilize the military situation close to the border with NATO member states and to keep as long as possible Russian military troops and weaponry near the [Ukrainian] border and then to use them as a platform for a possible future offensive operation. Russia, which has repeatedly accused NATO of stoking regional tensions through enlargement after the fall of the Iron Curtain and deployments in Eastern Europe in the aftermath of the Ukraine crisis, has called Western concerns about the Zapad drills baseless, saying the exercise is "purely defensive." Kartapolov told Krasnaya Zvezda that in addition to the stated 12,700 troops -- around 7,200 from Russia and 5,500 from Belarus -- Zapad 2017 included about 70 aircraft and up to 680 pieces of military hardware, including tanks, artillery units, and ships, During the drills, the joint Russian-Belarus operations are targeting a theoretical adversary attempting to undermine the government in Minsk and establish a separatist stronghold in western Belarus. This scenario echoes Russian concerns over what Moscow calls Western-orchestrated political revolutions in its backyard, most notably in Georgia in 2003 and in Ukraine, where President Viktor Yanukovych, a Kremlin ally, was ousted in early 2014. The United States and the European Union have repeatedly rejected such allegations, calling those events the result of grassroots anger against corrupt regimes in the former Soviet republics. With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, and dpa Russia's Investigative Committee has charged the deputy chief of the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) with embezzling 160 million rubles ($2.7 million). The Investigative Committee said on September 14 that Oleg Korshunov, who was responsible for the FSIN's contractor services, has been charged with arranging two government contracts for overpriced purchases of gasoline and food. The committee said the FSIN sustained financial losses as a result of the purchases. Korshunov was detained on September 13, reportedly at a yacht club in the Moscow region. The committee said it was continuing an investigation into what it said could be other "episodes" of embezzlement. With reporting by TASS An attack by gunmen and suicide car bombers has killed at least 52 people, including more than a dozen visiting Iranians, in southern Iraq, officials and local media say. Reports said at least 15 Iranian visitors were among those killed in the September 14 attack near the city of Nasiriyah. The Sunni extremist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack, which also wounded more than 90 people. Officials said the attacks began when gunmen opened fire on customers at a restaurant, then returned to a car and blew themselves up at a security checkpoint. The AFP news agency quoted security sources as saying the attackers were disguised as members of Hashed al-Shaabi, a paramilitary organization dominated by Iran-backed Shi'ite militias. The militia group has fought against IS militants in parts of Iraq. Officials said the attackers targeted an area used by Shiite pilgrims and visitors from Iran en route to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala. IS captured large swathes of Iraqi territory in 2014 but has been driven from most of its strongholds by U.S.-backed Iraqi forces and Shiite militias. The militants are now mainly confined to the holdout areas of Al-Qaim on the border with Syria and in Hawija north of Baghdad. Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, AFP, and dpa Protests continued overnight on November 12-13 in many Iranian cities as rights defenders warned of a climbing death and arrest tolls, while Tehran responded angrily to outside criticism of the Iranian government's eight-week crackdown. There were street demonstrations overnight in the capital, Tehran, and the cities of Arak, Shiraz, Zanjan, Sanandaj, and Sardasht. Iran has been engulfed by protests and a brutal crackdown triggered by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in mid-September after her detention by morality police for an alleged dress-code violation. Video also emerged on social media of the moment when a 17-year-old was apparently shot by security forces in the city of Karaj. The images showed Mehdi Hazrati pushing ahead of a crowd of protesters before being gunned down. Local media quoted by AFP said Iran's judiciary hadcharged 750 more people in at least three provinces over "recent riots," adding to at least 2,000 others the department has confirmed were already charged in connection with the unrest. A judicial official in the southern Hormozgan Province was quoted as saying the various charges include "incitement to killing," "injuring security forces," anti-state propaganda, and damaging public property. Elsewhere, the Hamamihan newspaper quoted a student activist as saying around 150 students at Al-Zahra University had been suspended overnight following a punishment directed at a gathering there. Al-Zahra University has been one of the hubs of student protest since the current wave of unrest began. The Iran Human Rights group, a nonprofit that operates inside and outside the country, said on November 12 that it had counted at least 326 deaths so far across 22 provinces since the start of the unrest, including 43 children. It said that November 4, when at least 16 people died after security troops appeared to fire on a crowd in the town of Khash, was one of the bloodiest days in the crackdown on two months of protests. The group repeated its call for a more decisive and urgent response from the international community to prevent Iranian deaths. Western sources suspect at least around 14,000 others have been caught up in mass arrests since the protests began. An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Qanaani, responded to criticism by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz by saying his video appeal for added pressure on Tehran was "interventionist, provocative, and undiplomatic." In a tweet, Scholz called for more EU sanctions and "to continue to step up the pressure" on the hard-line military Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and Iran's political leadership. A day earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron met with a delegation of exiled Iranian rights activists and hailed the women-led protest movement in Iran as a "revolution." France's foreign minister then accused Tehran of "dictatorial practices" and of using dual citizens as hostages, saying a total of seven French nationals are now in Iranian custody, after a video of a purported confession of spying by two French citizens was aired on Iranian television. EU foreign ministers are expected to agree on expanded sanctions against Iran when they meet on November 14. Germany and Iceland have also urged that an emergency session of the UN Human Rights Council be convened later this month on the Iranian situation. German news agency dpa reported early on November 13 that some Iranian residents of Berlin were attacked at a protest camp they set up there to show support for women's rights and democracy in their home country. Police said a 26-year-old man with a knife had destroyed banners and threatened some of the Iranian activists. No one was injured and the man was arrested, police added. The German State Protection Office that handles terrorist attacks is also involved due to suspicions that the attack was politically motivated. With reporting by dpa A $3 billion state subsidy package to lure electronics maker Foxconn to Wisconsin, the biggest of its kind in U.S. history, is now on the verge of becoming law. The bill heads to the desk of a supportive Gov. Scott Walker after passing the state Assembly Thursday, 64-31. Four Assembly Democrats voted for it: Jason Fields of Milwaukee, Corey Mason of Racine, Peter Barca of Kenosha and Tod Ohnstad of Kenosha. Two Republicans, Adam Jarchow of Balsam Lake and Todd Novak of Dodgeville, opposed it. The bill passed the Senate Tuesday, 20-13. It provides as much as $2.85 billion in refundable tax credits to Foxconn over 15 years in exchange for building a $10 billion liquid-crystal display, or LCD, screen manufacturing campus south of Milwaukee. Foxconn says the facility initially will employ 3,000 and could eventually employ as many as 13,000. Officials for Taiwan-based Foxconn released a statement minutes after Thursdays vote saying, We thank lawmakers in Madison for their vote of confidence. We are excited to see Gov. Scott Walker sign the bill to cement this partnership, the statement said. Walker hailed the vote in a statement Thursday, and his spokesman, Tom Evenson, said the governor could sign the bill as soon as next week. Advanced display technology will be made in America, right here in Wisconsin. I look forward to signing this historic bill into law soon, Walker said. Walkers signature could bring the state a step closer to what would be, by far, its biggest-ever economic development project. Foxconns plans to come to Wisconsin were made public with a splash, in a White House event in July that included remarks from President Donald Trump. Democrats warn of cost, lack of safeguards Not everyone in the Capitol is singing the deals praises. Democrats have cast it as a costly corporate handout that lacks safeguards for taxpayers, such as guarantees about how many workers the company will employ in Wisconsin. They also say the deals pricetag to state government could hinder its ability to fund core functions. Should it become law, the deal would be the largest subsidy by a U.S. state to a foreign company in history. Details of the agreement would be finalized with Foxconn, under parameters set forth in the bill, by Walkers jobs agency, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Please do not go down this road, because we will be paying for it and our children will be paying for it for decades to come, said Rep. Mark Spreitzer, D-Beloit. Assembly Republicans, during Thursdays debate, cast Democratic opposition as knee-jerk resistance to Walker, who negotiated the Foxconn deal. They say Foxconn offers a once-in-a-generation chance to transform the states tech and manufacturing sectors. In the process, they say the development could create thousands of jobs, both at Foxconn, its suppliers and companies that would provide goods and services to those employees. If a Democratic governor negotiated this deal, you would be falling all over yourselves to vote yes, said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester. The potential Foxconn campus, which Walker has dubbed Wisconn Valley, would be the first U.S. manufacturing location for the company, a contract manufacturer of iPhones and other electronics that owns plants in China. Foxconn also recently acquired the Japanese electronics company Sharp, and the screens expected to be built in Wisconsin may be used for Sharp televisions. Supporters of the deal tout the companys pledge that the average salary at the facility will be nearly $54,000 a year, plus benefits. Skeptics say that figure, being an average, could be heavily inflated by a handful of high-paid employees. Of the $2.85 billion in tax credits, $1.5 billion would be for job creation, with the total amount linked to the number of jobs created. Another $1.35 billion would be tied to the amount the company spends to build the facility. An additional $150 million in incentives would come through a sales tax break on materials used for the campus construction. The company has said it hopes to break ground in 2018 and begin operating in 2020. Democrats slammed the deal for rolling back environmental protections and lacking requirements that workers at the Foxconn plant be Wisconsinites. They sought to abolish, through an amendment rejected by the GOP majority, a provision creating a special judicial track for Foxconn-related legal appeals sending them straight to a state Supreme Court currently dominated by conservative justices. For critics, 25-year payback still a concern Democratic lawmakers also cited a study by the Legislatures nonpartisan fiscal bureau projecting state government will take 25 years to begin making back its investment on Foxconn. Rep. Jimmy Anderson, D-Fitchburg, chided Walker for having negotiated the incentive deal with Foxconn CEO Terry Gou, in part, on the back of a napkin, as shown by the release of public records. Anderson said the highly profitable Foxconn doesnt need billions in bailouts from Wisconsin taxpayers. Foxconn has not said where it would locate the campus, but sites in western Racine and Kenosha counties are believed to be top contenders. That area has a deep history in manufacturing but, like other Rust Belt communities, has seen the ranks of such jobs diminish. This has tremendous bipartisan support in our corner of the state, said Rep. Thomas Weatherston, R-Caledonia. Sen. Bob Wirch of Kenosha was the only Democratic senator to back the bill in Tuesdays vote; Sen. Rob Cowles of Green Bay was the only Republican opposed. Some skeptics of the deal say its expected proximity to Illinois and the Chicago area could be a drawback because Wisconsin taxpayers could end up subsidizing jobs filled by Illinois residents. There are no guarantees that Wisconsinites will be the ones to benefit from any jobs that may be created, said Rep. Lisa Subeck, D-Madison. A previous version of the bill already passed the Assembly but had to be reapproved with changes added by the Senate and the Legislatures budget panel. Russia's Defense Ministry says two Russian submarines in the eastern Mediterranean Sea have fired cruise missiles at Islamic State (IS) militant targets in Syria. The ministry said in a statement that a total of seven cruise missiles were fired on September 14 at IS command points, communications hubs, and weapons and ammunition depots in IS-controlled areas to the southeast of the city of Deir al-Zor. The attack came a day after a convoy of buses with some 200 IS fighters, stranded for weeks in the Syrian desert, reached IS-controlled Deir al-Zor Province under a "safe passage" deal that IS made with Iran-backed Hizballah and the Syrian government. The buses were halted for weeks by fire from drones of the U.S.-led coalition battling IS in Syria and Iraq, which had objected to Damascus's deal to provide the fighters with safe passage to Deir al-Zor in exchange for IS releasing a Hizballah prisoner. The Deir al-Zor area is the last major IS stronghold in Syria. The U.S.-led coalition says it had pulled its aircraft from the area at the request of Russian officials in order to allow Russian and Syrian government forces to travel in the area under a "deconfliction" agreement between Washington and Moscow. Under what is believed to be the first such deal with IS, Iran-backed Hizballah also retrieved the remains of some of its fighters and recovered the bodies of nine Lebanese soldiers who IS had captured in 2014. Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, TASS, and Interfax Local officials in southern Tajikistan say the director of the regional airport in the city of Khorugh has died after being thrown to the ground by a downdraft from President Emomali Rahmon's helicopter and hitting his head on a rock. Several local officials who witnessed the incident told RFE/RL's Tajik Service that Khorugh airport director Dildor Maqsudshoev was knocked to the ground by the downdraft from Rahmon's helicopter as the president was leaving the village of Yahchi Sor on September 13. They said Rahmon had just finished visiting the village in the mountainous Darvoz district of the Gorno-Badakhshan region and was returning to Dushanbe in his helicopter when the incident occurred. Gorno-Badakhshan's regional police department told RFE/RL on September 14 that Maqsudshoev died while being transported to a local hospital, and that his death was the result of "an accident." But Darvoz district chief Saidburhon Abdurahmonzoda later downplayed the role of Rahmon's helicopter in Maqsudshoev's death, telling RFE/RL on September 14 that the 60-year-old airport director fell to the ground because he had a heart condition. Maqsudshoev was among a group of local officials accompanying Rahmon during his visit to towns and villages in Gorno-Badakhshan. A book highlighting different types of families, including one headed by a lesbian couple, has been pulled from a large book fair in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv over fears of possible violence. The book, Maya And Her Moms, has sparked an outcry on social media and elsewhere, with religious-conservative and nationalist groups lambasting the book and liberals defending it. Ukrainian authorities have increased their support for gay rights since a pro-Western government took power following the Euromaidan protests in 2014. In 2015, a law was passed banning workplace discrimination against the LGBT community. In what was seen as a positive step, a gay-pride parade went off largely without incident in Kyiv in July, a far cry from a similar event in 2015. But critics say homophobic attitudes remain widespread, as illustrated by the potentially violent reaction to the book, written by the well-known Ukrainian author Larysa Denysenko. Maya And Her Moms tells the story of 17 children from 17 different types of families, including Maya's, which is headed by a lesbian couple. The book also tells the story of a child conceived through artificial insemination; another whose parents are migrants; and a child from a divorced family. I try to convey the message that a child needs a loving family where they feel protected, and it does not matter how it is labeled by anyone." Denysenko has indicated that showing that families come in different sizes and types was not her only intention. "I try to convey the message that a child needs a loving family where they feel protected, and it does not matter how it is labeled by anyone," she reportedly wrote on her Facebook page. Thanks to her efforts to promote understanding and tolerance, Denysenko -- along with two other Ukrainian authors, Iyubko Deresh and Mariana Savka, -- was named a "goodwill ambassador" of the United Nations on September 9. Maya And Her Moms was to be featured at the Lviv Book Forum on September 15 during a discussion on childrens literature but was pulled on September 11 after the event's organizers and city officials received warnings. "Publisher," the Ukrainian publishing firm behind the book, explained that 15 organizations, including a local branch of the ultranationalist Right Sector, had sent a letter to the book forums organizers earlier this month, urging them to drop the book from the event. The letter, which was also sent to local authorities in Lviv, including Mayor Andriy Sadovyy, ends with a direct threat: If you fail to act, we will be forced to take all possible measures to prevent this blatantly provocative act to take place in Lviv. Denysenko said while she was not named in the letter, it was clear the threat was directed at her. Publisher stated in a Facebook post on September 11 that "this is the first time in history of Ukrainian literature that a childrens book and its author have been threatened along with the publisher." Publisher urged "the public, media, and law enforcement agencies" to take such threats seriously and for proper security to be provided at the book fair. Writing on her Facebook page, Denysenko said she believes she was targeted because "I oppose violence and advocate tolerance." She said he had been targeted by "at least 15 ultra-right-wing organizations and the church, which calls me a 21st-century witch." Without giving specifics, Denysenko told RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service that there had been many threats and that she had expected them. One group opposed to the book was the National Corps of the Lviv Region. Writing on Facebook on September 5, the group said literature was becoming "a tool of...propaganda that not only destroys the essence of art, but also transforms it into a mechanism for the destruction of moral and universal values." The scandal gained added traction after Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, the Ukrainian deputy prime minister on European and Euroatlantic Integration, chimed in on Twitter on September 13. "Shocked by threats to participants @ lvivbookforum. Our solidarity and love are hundreds of times stronger than your hatred." She wasnt the only Ukrainian politician to defend Denysenko. Svitlana Zalishchuk, a leading member of Ukraines parliament, also stood up for the author. Also supporting the author was Myroslava Gongadze, a journalist and wife of the journalist Heorhiy Gongadze, who was abducted and murdered in 2000 in Ukraine. Writing on her Facebook page on September 12, Gondadze said: "Europeanism is civilization, it is respect for personal choices, it is the acceptance of otherness and love of neighbor, whatever the convictions, color or sexual orientation." With reporting by RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service An Iranian teenager sneaks up behind a cleric in the capital, Tehran, and knocks his turban off his head before dashing off. The incident, uploaded on social media, is part of a new tactic employed by anti-government demonstrators in Iran. Nationwide antiestablishment protests have raged across the Islamic republic since the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died on September 16 shortly after she was arrested for allegedly violating the hijab law on women's dress. As the authorities have waged a deadly crackdown on the rallies, some demonstrators have turned to new tactics to sustain the monthslong protests, including tipping off Islamic clerics' turbans in the streets. Many Iranians associate members of the clergy with Iran's Islamist regime, which many blame for the repression and corruption in the country. While some Iranians have praised the "turban throwing" as an act of resistance, others have expressed concern that low-level clerics who are not affiliated with the state could become the victims of harassment and violence. Lawmaker Mohammad Taghi Naqd Ali on November 10 called the new trend "the devil's conspiracy" and warned that young protesters tossing clerics' turbans were "playing with the lion's tail." State media reported the arrests of two people in recent days who were accused of knocking off clerics' turbans. London-based human rights lawyer Shadi Sadr said the tactic was a "brave and revolutionary act." Sadr, the co-founder of the rights group Justice for Iran, told RFE/RL that protesters were "humiliating" clerics without resorting to violence. "They're [targeting] the clergy's turban as a symbol of the crimes and corruption of the past 43 years as well as the privileges clerics have enjoyed," she said. "There is no violence in it, and it also includes youthful mischief, which highlights the spirit of the revolution," Sadr added, referring to the monthslong protests that have posed the biggest threat to the establishment in years. But Ahmad Zeidabadi, a Tehran-based journalist and former political prisoner, said that some of the clerics targeted in the streets "may be critics or even victims of [state] policies." "This phenomenon...mainly targets clerics who do not hold any government positions," he said on Twitter, adding that senior clerics in powerful positions rarely appear in public and are often protected by security guards if they do. Reformist cleric Hojatoleslam Ahmad Heidari, who was jailed in the past for his support for the opposition Green Movement, warned that the new trend could taint the "beautiful face of [the] protest movement against oppression and injustice." "You're right to be angry at those wearing turbans," Heidari wrote on the news site Esafnews.com. But he added that "those who have a hand in power and are your target" are out of reach. He said many of the clerics targeted were "young and elderly" clerics who are not sitting in "ivory towers." Attacks on clerics, particularly those who attempt to enforce Islamic codes in public, had been on rise in Iran even before the protests erupted, forcing many clerics to appear in public without their robes and turbans. Last week, a cleric was reportedly hospitalized after being wounded in Karaj, near Tehran, amid antiestablishment protests in the city. The hard-line Fars news agency claimed that protesters attacked the cleric with knives. Hassan Fereshtian, a Paris-based Iranian cleric and researcher, said the turban-throwing trend was the result of the "suppressed anger of the past four decades." "If it aims at eliminating the clergy, we could be facing the start of violence," he warned in comments to RFE/RL's Radio Farda. "In fact, the clergy should be eliminated from the centers of power. But they shouldn't be eliminated from society." Fereshtian, a student of the late dissident Grand Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri, expressed hope that Iran will reach a point "where secular people can live peacefully next to the clergy and unveiled women next to those who choose to wear the hijab." In the past year, regime supporters have knocked off the turbans of clerics who had criticized the establishment, including former Interior Minister Abdollah Nuri and former parliament speaker Mehdi Karrubi, who has been under house arrest since 2011 for disputing the 2009 reelection of former President Mahmud Ahmadinejad. Democratic lawmakers say they're investigating whether U.S. President Donald Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, secretly promoted a U.S.-Russian project to build dozens of nuclear reactors in the Middle East. "The American people deserve to know whether...Flynn was secretly promoting the private interests of these businesses while he was a [Trump] campaign adviser, transition official, or President Trump's national security adviser," Representatives Elijah Cummings and Eliot Engel said in a letter they sent to Flynn's lawyer on September 12. Robert Kelner, Flynn's lawyer, declined to comment. The lawmakers said they asked the executives of the companies involved in the project to provide by October 4 "all communications" they had with Flynn or other Trump administration officials. Cummings is the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Engel is the senior Democrat on the House Foreign Relations Committee. As members of the minority party, they do not have subpoena power. The project proposed to build 40 nuclear reactors across the Middle East that would feed a regional electric grid. The reactors were designed to be "proliferation proof," meaning they could not be used to produce fuel for nuclear weapons. A promotional slide of the project said security would be provided by Rosoboron, a Russian state-owned arms exporter that is under U.S. sanctions imposed by former President Barack Obama. The proposed project was to be funded by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states and built and run by a consortium of U.S., Russian, French, Dutch, Arab, British, Ukrainian, and Israeli firms. Cummings and Engel said Flynn failed to disclose a June 2015 trip he made to Egypt and Israel to promote the reactor project when he filed an application to renew his national security clearance. They said they believe his failure to make the disclosure was a violation of federal law, and they said they provided Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller with their findings. Thomas Cochran, an adviser to ACU Strategic Partners, which is helping to develop the project, told the lawmakers that Flynn during the Middle East trip was expected to press Egyptian officials to hold off on accepting a rival offer from Russia to finance and construct a smaller system of four reactors in Egypt. On his trip to Israel, Flynn sought to assure Tel Aviv that the project would be in its interest, Cochran said. The proposal never got beyond the planning stage. But in his response to the lawmakers, Cochran indicated that there could be support from the Trump administration, particularly because of its effort to involve both U.S. and Russian interests. Flynn is a central figure in investigations in Congress and at the Justice Department into whether Russia's attempted to interfere in the U.S. presidential election and whether Trump aides colluded or cooperated with Russia. Russia has denied interfering in the U.S. election and Trump has said there was no collusion. Flynn was pushed out of the national security job in February after a top Justice Department official warned that he could be blackmailed because Moscow knew he made misleading statements about his contacts with Russian officials. With reporting by AP and Reuters The deceased victim was shot in the head while trying to stop the suspect from carrying out the shooting. The wounded have serious injuries and are treated at Sacred Heart Medical Center. The suspect, a male student, entered campus with two firearms and began shooting in a hallway on the second floor of the school. Our hearts are broken by the events at Freeman High School this morning, Spokane Mayor David Condo n transmitted. He also said in a statement the incident was a horrendous tragedy. Authorities have not yet released the suspects identity. But numerous students, including several who witnessed the shooting, identified the shooter as Caleb Sharpe. He was being held in the countys juvenile detention center. His face was completely passive, a witness described the moment of shooting. A friend of the shooter said he never really seemed like that person who had issues. However, its known that the shooter had given his friends handwritten notes that indicated he was planning to do something stupid. Three hundred students and faculty members in school at the time of the shooting will need to be interviewed, law enforcement officials told to media. The shooting prompted lockdowns at dozens of schools in neighboring districts as well as a massive response by local, state and federal agencies. Cheers to Soumita Roy Choudhury who ventured out on her own to do what many seasoned riders havent attempted, as yet. She got on her Vespa, and rode to Bhutan. Not a ride to be taken lightly, and certainly not on a scooter. Well, think again. Curious about her choice of vehicle we asked why did you choose a Vespa? In Soumita Roy Choudhurys words, Two wheelers give me a feel of speed and freedom, which I cherish the most. I used to ride my friends bikes whenever I got a chance. But I wanted to ride something less complicated, and which matches my style too. So after much research, I decided to buy Vespa. It comes with a hardy structure, excellent quality, powerful engine, and great, stylish built. I have come across stories of people who are doing extensive travelling with their Vespa. This inspired me much for my roadtrip with Vespa. The main difficulties she endured while on the ride to Bhutan was the bad road condition in some stretches of Bengal owing to recent floods. She says travelling is her ultimate motivation for taking up this trip. She has always want to travel to different places, and meet people of different culture. So, she did the best thing. Added her love for travel with her passion for riding, and decided to embark on an adventure. For those planning to head out, theres no refueling issues along the route. Fuel stations can be found within distances of 80-100 kms. Nothing seemed difficult, and the group of riders/friends asked locals about the route and nearby fuel stations when without guidance. Group riders rode on four bikes. Bhutan is safe for travelling, even during the nights. People are very helpful, crime rates are low. On the flipside, she advises not to travel solo at night because it was difficult to find people on road after 8pm. In case you lose your way, you wont be able to ask anyone. She had been told by many that this trip was impossible on a scooter, and moreover being a girl. That didnt bother her a bit. Having seen other riders including girls going to extreme places like Khardung La, and doing unimaginable stuff with their Vespa/scooter was all she needed to inspire her. She spoke to fellow scooterists, and learnt that a riders mentality can win over any technical limitations. At first, Soumitas parents were non-enthusiastic about her long distance riding plans. She says, My mother worries a lot. But, here is a determined woman. She had her friends for company, which gave her very little cause to worry. And, shes done it with elan, conviction, and her winning nature shines through. Ladies and gentlemen, Soumita Roy Choudhury is the first Indian woman to ride to Bhutan on a Vespa. She says, No matter who you are, a guy or a girl, no matter what you ride, superbike or a scooter, your will, determination and strength can take you anywhere in the world. Believe in yourself. Ride on. She Definitely plans to ride to different parts of India, and may be abroad. Her dream ride would be to go to Ladakh and Spiti. Prior to the 1980+ km trip to Bhutan, she rode from Calcutta to Mandarmani, and back, riding a total of 360 kms. Soumita Roy Choudhurys route outline and ride dates are as follows. She began her ride at 7:00 am on 1st September, 2017, and returned at 12.30 am on 12th September, 2017. 1st Sep Kolkata Raiganj 2nd Sep Raiganj Siliguri 3rd Sep Siliguri Phuntsholing 4th Sep Phuntsholing Tsimasham 5th Sep Tsimasham Punakha 6th Sep Punakha Paro 8th Sep Paro Taktsang Trek 9th Sep Paro Mendabari 10th Sep Mendabari Raiganj 11th Sep Raiganj Kolkata Vespa said its against company policy to sponsor such trips. Soumita was on a self funded adventure. Photo and story credit: Soumita Roy Choudhury. Story source credit: Sourish Meryson. Please use another Browser It looks like you are using a browser that is not fully supported. Please note that there might be constraints on site display and usability. For the best experience we suggest that you download the newest version of a supported browser: Internet Explorer, Chrome Browser, Firefox Browser, Safari Browser Continue with the current browser Straight shot up U.S. 31 to I-94 finally open in Berrien County Last few miles had been unfinished since 2004 because of a lack of money to pay for it. NASA's Cassini spacecraft will work hard to the very end. Cassini will plummet into Saturn's atmosphere early Friday morning (Sept. 15), ending its epic 13-year stint at the ringed planet with a bang. But before that happens, the probe will snap its dying image a photograph of the precise spot where Cassini will meet its fate send home any stored data remaining in its memory, rotate its science instruments toward Saturn's onrushing air and its antenna toward Earth, and begin streaming real-time data back home. Cassini's final chapter began with its last Titan flyby, on Monday (Sept. 11), which gave the probe the nudge it needed to head toward Saturn. [Cassini's Saturn Crash 2017: How to Watch Its 'Grand Finale'] "The Titan flyby was just close enough and just the right orientation to seal Cassini's fate," Cassini program manager Earl Maize, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, said during a news conference Wednesday (Sept. 13). Milestones in Cassini's final dive toward Saturn in September 2017. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech ) Following the plan Cassini is being driven into Saturn's atmosphere to ensure that the probe doesn't contaminate the moons Titan and Enceladus both of which may be capable of supporting life with microbes from Earth. The spacecraft is nearly out of fuel, so mission managers wanted to dispose of Cassini safely while they still had control of it. While the bulk of the commands for Cassini's final hours were sent 10 weeks ago, a few last-minute tweaks were uploaded on Wednesday at 6:53 a.m. EDT (1053 GMT; 3:53 a.m. PDT), JPL's Michael Staab told Space.com. As "Cassini Ace," or person on point, Staab is one of the engineers who monitor and communicate with the spacecraft from the mission control room at JPL. Today (Sept. 14) at 3:58 p.m. EDT (1958 GMT; 12:58 p.m. PDT), Cassini will snap its final photo, targeting the patch of atmosphere where it will meet its fiery fate. (Cassini won't be taking photos during the actual death dive on Friday; information will be at a premium, and images would hog too much bandwidth, mission team members said.) After taking that picture, the probe will slowly rotate, aiming its Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer (INMS) instrument toward Saturn and the antenna on its tail toward Earth. If all goes well, Cassini will soon begin sending home the last of the information stored in its memory a lengthy process that will begin at 5:45 p.m. EDT (2145 GMT; 2:45 p.m. PDT) today and end at 4:37 a.m. EDT (0837 GMT; 1:37 a.m. PDT) Friday morning. "We will then reconfigure Cassini for its final transmissions," Maize said. With its solid-state data recorder empty, Cassini will shift into what Maize called "bent-pipe" mode all of the data flowing into the orbiter will be relayed to Earth almost immediately. "It's essentially now a real-time instrument," Maize said. (It will still take each "packet" of transmitted data about 1 hour and 23 minutes to travel from Saturn to Earth, however.) With INMS leading, Cassini will pierce Saturn's atmosphere, an area the spacecraft wasn't originally designed to explore. "Cassini is not built for the atmosphere," Maize said. "We're a deep-vacuum kind of probe." Though the spacecraft has skimmed the surface of Titan's thick atmosphere and made a few dips into Saturn's atmosphere on its last five orbits, Cassini's thrusters weren't made for the heavy drag it will encounter on the planet, Maize said. "The thrusters will be fighting extremely hard to keep the antenna pointed at Earth," he said. "It's going to do that for as long as it possibly can." As it dives transitioning from a Saturn orbiter to the very first Saturn atmosphere probe Cassini will beam home information, which will be received by the ground stations of NASA's Deep Space Network. Most of this data will arrive in Australia, though some will come in through the DSN antenna in Spain. [NASA's Deep Space Network: 50 years of Interplanetary WiFi (Video)] Cassini's foray into the atmosphere will be very short-lived. "Cassini will be vaporized in maybe two minutes," Maize said. Atmospheric models suggest that the spacecraft's last signal will be received back on Earth at 7:55:06 a.m. EDT (1155:06 GMT; 4:55:06 a.m. PDT). Most likely, that final signal will be data-only, Staab said. "It won't know that something bad has happened to it until it's already over," he said. But Staab added that it's possible that, in its final moments, the spacecraft will send out a distress message as it tumbles through the atmosphere. Not knowing that its death has been carefully scripted, Cassini may try to alert mission control that something has gone horribly wrong. Mission controllers wouldn't be able to respond to that putative signal in any meaningful way even if they wanted to; Cassini will die nearly an hour and a half before such a signal reaches our planet. "You can't intervene on a spacecraft that doesn't exist anymore," Staab said. Planning for possible problems Cassini is firmly set on its crash course into Saturn, so it shouldn't need any help reaching its final destination. But that doesn't mean nothing can go wrong. According to Cassini sequence planner Jan Berkeley, a single poorly placed event in space could cause a problem. For instance, a cosmic ray flung from the depths of space could impact the flight hardware, causing the system to go into safe mode and no longer transmit toward Earth. Berkeley and her team have spent the past few weeks programming solutions to prevent such possible problems. "We have a whole set of commands that we have ready to go," Berkeley said. According to Staab, the commands if needed would be sent to the flight operations server before being transmitted to the Cassini station at mission control. The acting Ace would then send them on to the spacecraft. The engineers would work hard to get the spacecraft back on its feet, but Staab said the process would take 10 to 12 hours. "You're racing against the clock at that point," he said. Once Cassini came back online, Staab said, the data could stream alongside the real-time observations, though the process would consume more bandwidth. Still, he expressed confidence that the mission would ride through its final hours without a problem, thanks to the Cassini team's preparation. "You plan for the worst but expect the best," he said. Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published Space.com. NASA's retro-style poster for the end of its Cassini Saturn mission drew inspiration from "Whaam!," a famous diptych created in 1963 by pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. JET PROPULSION LAB, Calif. The first spacecraft to orbit Saturn will never be available for a museum to preserve and display. Now in the final hours of a collision course with the ringed planet, NASA's Cassini spacecraft will plunge into Saturn's atmosphere on Friday (Sept. 15), where it will break apart, melt and disintegrate. After almost 20 years in space, 13 of which at Saturn, Cassini will not even leave a mark in the planet's clouds it will simply go silent and fade away. The same might be true for Cassini's place in pop culture. Since launching from Earth two decades ago, Cassini has crossed over into the zeitgeist only a few times. Although it leaves behind a rich scientific legacy, the mission's cultural artifacts are few and far between. [Cassini's Saturn Crash 2017: How to Watch Its 'Grand Finale'] "We just didn't have the understanding of how important it was to bring the public along with what we are doing," said Jim Green, NASA's planetary science director at the space agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C. "Cassini has done some pretty spectacular stuff but not many people know about it." Half-scale model of NASA's Cassini spacecraft, as displayed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. (Image credit: collectSPACE.com) "I think because it has been in the Saturn system for 13 years and it has just made discoveries and the ability for us to communicate those discoveries has exploded around it, that is now enabling us to draw attention and recognize that we really could have done a better job explaining how it got to where it is," said Green. True legacy Cassini will go down in history for being the first spacecraft to orbit Saturn. Over the course of its 294 trips around the planet, the probe took more than 450,000 images and sent back 635 gigabytes of science data, in part while achieving more than 160 targeted flybys of Saturn's moons. Its mission extended twice, Cassini's findings transformed scientists' understanding of Saturn, its rings and its moons. It revealed icy jets shooting up from the moon Enceladus, hydrocarbon lakes on the moon Titan and the changing of seasons on Saturn. The spacecraft showed the complexity of the planet's famous rings and documented a giant storm circling Saturn for the better part of a year. "Its true legacy is how NASA responds to the observations it made and then make decisions on how to utilize those in another series of missions," stated Green. "Cassini will be followed up by future missions, I am almost sure." Scientists will be analyzing the data returned by Cassini for decades to come, as engineers apply the lessons learned from the past 20 years to future probes. But outside those two communities, what will serve as the tangible reminders of the mission? Cultural impacts Although Cassini will soon cease to exist, at least one full-size representation of the venerable spacecraft will remain on display. A full-scale engineering model of Cassini, on loan from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), has been at the California Science Center in Los Angeles for longer than the mission has been at Saturn. JPL also exhibits a half-scale Cassini in its main auditorium in Pasadena, California. The closest the mission seems to have come to inspiring a commercially-produced model was in the form of a happy meal toy. In 2004, the fast food restaurants Carl's Jr. and Hardee's offered a "NASA Kids" meal that included among other toys "Cassini Meets Saturn," a pullback Cassini that "orbited" a model of the ringed planet. "I'm not sure why Cassini was never commercialized," said Todd Barber, the lead propulsion engineer for the mission, in an interview with collectSPACE.com. In 2004, Cassini became a "Cool Kids Combo" meal toy offered by Hardee's and Carl's Jr. fast food restaurants. (Image credit: NASA via collectSPACE.com) "There's a gentleman on the mission named Dave Doody and he actually built [a paper model] and it's online, so you can go print it out for free and build your own Cassini. It is as detailed and beautiful as the ones that you can buy in a gift shop," Barber said. The Cassini mission did result in several dedicated books, including a Haynes' Owners' Workshop Manual penned by Ralph Lorenz, a member of the Cassini radar team. Unlike other NASA missions to the outer planets, Cassini did not land on any U.S. postage stamps. A set of planet-themed stampsissued in May 2016 chose a Hubble Space Telescope image of Saturn over one of Cassini's images. The Royal Mail, the United Kingdom's postal service, did commemorate Cassini as part of a 2012 six stamp "Space Science" set featuring imagery from the European Space Agency's (ESA) missions. ESA's Huygens probe to the surface of Titan flew to Saturn mounted to Cassini and the agency was a partner with NASA and the Italian Space Agency, ASI, on the mission. Other Cassini stamps were issued in the Maldives, Guinea and Togo, the latter two to mark the mission's tenth year at Saturn in 2014. "In terms of cultural impacts of Cassini, I think it has had a greater influence on art," said Emily Lakdawalla, the senior editor and planetary evangelist for The Planetary Society. "I have seen a lot of visual artists take images from Saturn, primarily the rings, and use those as motifs, backgrounds or design elements in their art." "I've also seen quite a bit of music composition related to Saturn, its rings and moons. It would be interesting to do a survey on Cassini's impact on the arts," said Lakdawalla. To mark the impending end of the mission, The Planetary Society released a video of its board member, "Star Trek" actor Robert Picardo, performing the "Le Cassini Opera," a humorous, musical farewell to the spacecraft. Spectacular mission The most prevalent and perhaps lasting "souvenir" of the Cassini mission is the image archive it filled over the past 20 years. Unlike the earlier Pioneer and Voyager probes, which made quick flybys of Saturn, Cassini revealed how dynamic a world the planet really is even if the images were not always noticed by the general public. "For the kinds of people who are interested in space, for them, Cassini has been an absolutely spectacular mission, routinely producing images that just make you stop and say 'wow,'" said Lakdawalla. Sometimes that astonishment was able to reach beyond just the space community and attract the public at large, especially once social media emerged well into the Cassini mission's timeline. "Twice during the entire mission, we had the sun occulted by Saturn, so we were able to point the cameras in that direction without frying them and capture the planet with this beautiful, ghostly backlight," said Barber. "The first one was very successful and the public got fired up about it, and then I think by the time of the second one, we realized that through social media we had the opportunity to really engage the public." In response to a call from NASA, people around the world shared more than 1,400 images of themselves waving at Saturn on July 19, 2013, the same day that Cassini turned its camera back toward the direction of the Saturn-eclipsed sun and took an image of Earth in the process. The "Wave at Saturn" campaign was the first to provide earthlings with advance notice that their picture was being taken from an interplanetary distance. The backlit images of Saturn were an example of how the long-lived Cassini mission was able to provide views of the iconic planet previously unseen. "Cassini has given us these views that changed a lot over time," Lakdawalla said. "We were able to see Saturn from many different points of view." "What Cassini really changed in the public's understanding of Saturn is just how changeable and dynamic a planet it is," she said. See more example of the crossover between NASA's Cassini mission and pop cultureat collectSPACE. Follow collectSPACE.com on Facebookand on Twitter at @collectSPACE. Copyright 2017 collectSPACE.com. All rights reserved. Paris (France), Sept 13,2017 (SPS) - The Secretary General of the Association of Friends of the Saharawi People in France, Nicole Gasnier, considers that the retention of Saharawi ambassador Jadiyetu El Mojtar at the airport of the Peruvian capital Lima, a contradictory attitude to the practices that a democratic country should have, as well as the agreements that govern diplomatic work. The association, in a letter issued Tuesday, condemned the her prevention from entering the country on September 9, 2017, adding that Jadiyetu El Mojtar, is still being held at Jorge Chavez airport, without the Peruvian authorities gave explanations, according to the document of the charitable association with the Saharawi people. Finally, the Secretary General urged the Saharawi ambassador to defend her right in free movement, as guaranteed by international law and conventions. SPS 125/090/TRA D ont mess with Hesse. If ever that motto had legs, it is now, as Deutsche Borse agrees to pay Frankfurt prosecutors 10 million to settle insider-dealing charges before the aborted London Stock Exchange takeover. To recap, Borse chief executive Carsten Kengeter bought shares under his executive pay plan in December 2015. The following March, the Borse and the LSE announced their merger. German prosecutors say that represents insider dealing. Theyre wrong. Share purchase plans are common in directors salary packages, so much so that they are practically automatic. Had he refused to buy the shares, it would have sparked concerns that he had lost faith in the business or was about to quit. Besides, as far as we can tell, when he was buying the shares any talks would have been in their early stages; that tentative period of exploration when such negotiations often come to nought. Londons Takeover Panel, more grown up than anything in Frankfurt, gets such niceties. Clearly the Germans dont. Then theres the share price. When Kengeter bought the shares, they were around 74.74. After the deal was announced, they fell, as always happens to the bidder in a takeover (by November 2016, they were 66.) Surely if he was insider dealing out of greed, he would have been selling, not buying, the shares. In fact, Deutsche Borse stock only really started motoring when the deal looked dead. This always had the look of a political prosecution. German authorities launched it more than a year after the share deals, at a time politicians in Frankfurts home state of Hesse were launching increasingly jingoistic attacks on the takeover, furious at the proposed move of their beloved exchange HQ to London. So nakedly political seemed the investigation that Id always assumed it would fizzle out once the takeover collapsed. But, having made such a big deal of Kengeters supposedly evil deeds, prosecutors kept upping the ante, though it was difficult to see what concrete evidence there was. The settlement, slipped out late last night, is a face-saving effort for both sides; a fine so prosecutors could boast of a result, and a clear statement from DB that it didnt do anything wrong, but will pay up anyway to get shot of the thing. Annoying though it is to see a company cave in to such a shakedown, you cant blame the Borse. The probe was paralysing Kengeter just as he needed to focus on the next round of consolidation. Not to mention the opportunities for euro clearing after Britain leaves the EU. London banks making Brexit moves to Frankfurt, take heed. Kneel to the politicians in Hesse, or you could be next. T he special investigation this paper is conducting into modern slavery in London is intended to raise awareness of the reality that people are being held in effective servitude in this city. The problem goes beyond the sex trade: to ordinary occupations such as nail bars and car washes as well as drug trafficking and carrying. Our campaign is also intended to be a catalyst for action. Today, therefore, we brought together a think-tank of distinguished individuals to address the problem and to consider solutions about how to tackle it. It was chaired by the Archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols, who has a longstanding concern with the issue. At the start, a victim of sex trafficking addressed the panel, and what she made clear was the importance of giving a voice to the voiceless. This too is one of our aims. The think-tank, whose members include individuals from law, the media, philanthropy and business, has already raised important aspects of what Cardinal Nichols calls the dark underbelly of life in the capital. John Studzinski, an investment banker and senior partner at the Blackstone Group, observed that investors do not give sufficient thought as to how businesses are run: Pension funds and asset managers... need to ask themselves: is this profit ethical? So, responsibility for dealing with slavery goes right up to those who put money into companies where modern slave labour may play a part. Paul Polman, the CEO of Unilever, emphasised the importance of governments, companies and individuals working together to tackle modern slavery. The conclusions of the report will undoubtedly be taken seriously by government to her credit, the Prime Minister has done a great deal to raise awareness of the issue. Indeed, this investigation will work closely with the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Kevin Hyland. But Cardinal Nichols will also present the panels ideas at the Vatican in February, at the Santa Marta Groups anti-slavery conference. This is a London problem but also a global phenomenon. We can all play a part in addressing this contemporary scourge: our investigation will not only reveal what is happening but make clear how we can help. Wear a bike helmet Carmen Greenway died last year after she lost control of her bicycle, fell and fractured her skull. She wasnt wearing a helmet; had she been, her life might have been saved. Now her husband has urged riders to learn lessons from his wifes death, telling the Standard that its important for cyclists not only to think of themselves but of the consequences for those left behind after accidents such as hers. On the night of the accident Mrs Greenway had used her bike to travel only a few hundred yards but it only takes a second to suffer a bad fall. Helmets save lives and we should never cycle without one. Austens on the money Today a feminist tenner goes into circulation. That is to say, the new 10 note bears a picture of Jane Austen on one side with another woman, the Queen, on the other. The novelist is not, of course, the first woman on banknotes Elizabeth Fry, the prison reformer, was before her on the 5 note but her presence in our wallets, purses and tills is a testimony to the abiding influence of this remarkable author, whose perspective in her books was distinctively female, if not feminist. Gender balance takes many forms in contemporary life: women in common currency is one of them. T here's a great moment in the classic film All the Presidents Men when the intrepid reporter Bob Woodward (played by Robert Redford) is meeting an informant known as Deep Throat to expose the Watergate scandal. Deep Throat doesnt say much, but he utters three words that have been repeated by journalists in pretty much every political imbroglio they have investigated since then: Follow the money. Its as true in business as it is in politics if you want to know whats going on, you need to dig beneath the surface. If you look at technology start-ups in London today, you would probably assume that things are fine. With more than 10,000 digital companies in Tech City alone up from around 200 in 2010 there has been staggering growth. But if you look beyond the headlines, and follow the money, its clear that Londons digital economy is at real risk. Tech start-ups need money, lots of it. They have to hire expensive computer programmers, pay for marketing and recruit other staff , all while not generating revenue, or at least not enough to cover their costs. Whether its Google, Facebook or British success stories such as DeepMind and SwiftKey, most tech start-ups lose money for years before eventually generating lots of income, or being acquired for a big profit. This all works fine, as long as you can find investors willing to take a long-term bet on tech companies that may be unprofitable for ages. Thats why banks dont fund tech start-ups most of the money comes from venture capital funds, who write multimillion-pound cheques to help digital businesses grow, in exchange for owning a stake in the company. That way, if their bet pays off, their stake will be hugely valuable. Heres the problem. A huge amount of the funding for UK venture capital comes from the EUs European Investment Fund (2 billion in the past few years alone) and ever since Article 50 was triggered, that cash has been cut off. Without that crucial flow of capital, London start-ups cant get the cash they need to grow and everything falls apart. The brightest tech entrepreneurs from across Europe come here to build their companies; like investigative journalists, theyre following the money. But if the venture capital goes elsewhere, the start-ups will too, meaning less growth and fewer jobs in our city. Theres no time to lose in plugging this gap. The Government has to step up with funding and it has to happen now. Space mission for Chinese takeaway Ive just seen my favourite film of the year so far. Its a NASA documentary called The Farthest, about the Seventies Voyager mission which sent two probes exploring the outer reaches of our solar system. These spacecraft are now more than 10 billion miles from Earth the first human-made objects to travel so far from home. Brilliantly, just in case intelligent aliens find one of the probes, they each carry a gold disc with information about Earths location, along with greetings recorded in dozens of languages. The best greeting definitely comes from China: Friends of space, have you eaten yet? Come visit us if you have time. So if you ever spot ET dining at your local Chinese restaurant, now you know why. Bowie, a starman in the bedroom too On Monday night GQ editor Dylan Jones spoke at Second Home about his brilliant new book on David Bowie, called David Bowie: A Life. It was a fascinating talk about how creativity happens, and why its so important to remain open to new ideas and influences from other disciplines. As Jones pointed out, it took Bowie many years to be successful and yet even after all that striving he was still willing to make a radical change, and risk his success in the pursuit of something new. According to Bowie, he found it easy to keep doing the same thing and be successful and that scared him. Pretty damned inspiring. Then again, Ive got to admit that the main thing Ill remember from the event at Second Home was slightly less cerebral. Its the fact that one of Bowies early girlfriends described him as a sophisticated lover. Forget writing a hit record dont we all want to be remembered like that? Im buying into Rogerss vision Last week I was lucky enough to be at the launch of the architect Richard Rogerss new book, A Place for All People, which is full of ideas for making London more attractive and sustainable. This kind of thinking is urgently needed. As Rogers puts it: You only have to look at the appalling architecture that lines the Thames to see the impact of the cheapening of the public realm, as urban development becomes a money machine, uninterested in environmental, aesthetic and social impact. Sad but true. E velyn Waughs writing is being comprehensively re-edited at last, more than 50 years after his death. Under the general editorship of his grandson Alexander Waugh, Oxford University Press, in association with the University of Leicester, where Waughs biographer Martin Stannard is based, is publishing a Complete Works, bringing together all of Waughs extant writings and graphic art, including much that has never been seen before (some 85 per cent of his letters, for example). Its a huge undertaking and a thrilling prospect for all who love Waughs prose. There will be 43 volumes in total, all fully annotated, studying both The history of the text and The text in history, while avoiding, says Alexander Waugh, anything that will date, such as critical interpretation of thematic issues. The project began in 2009 and it was originally hoped that publication would begin in 2016 but here, published today, are the first four volumes, a slightly random selection from across the edition, which is organised first by genre, and only then by chronology. Possibly reflecting the punctuality of the various editors responsible, todays batch includes Vol 16: Rossetti, His Life and Works, edited by Michael Brennan (85), Waughs first published book; Vol 2: Vile Bodies, his second novel, edited by Martin Stannard (65); and Vol 19: A Little Learning, Waughs last book, his autobiography up to the age of 22, edited by J H Wilson and Barbara Cooke (65). This last contains some primary material that will not be familiar to non-academic Waugh readers (Wavians, it seems), including three brief drafts of the unfinished sequel to A Little Learning A Little Hope and also a collection of interviews with Waugh, some well-known but others retrieved from obscure sources. There are some stinging pronouncements here. He says in A Little Hope, for example, that when he returned to London from teaching in Wales: London seemed alight & alive with fun & variety. More than this it seemed a lovable place, dignified & beautiful, with its own inalienable character. The love was short lived. In a few years I saw it distended, despoiled & reduced to insignificant uniformity. I now shun it as do most of my acquaintance. Asked by an interviewer in 1948 if he likes England, he replies: One cant like it. I am English, it is where I belong. It is one of the inherited disadvantages of ones life. It is no use pretending one is Patagonian and going to live in Chile. To a writer, words should be an intense pleasure just as leather should be to a shoemaker, the welfare state is a pure fraud, people who believe civilisation is progressing must be locked up in lunatic asylums by now, and universal education is a waste of time. Very good. It is the first volume of Personal Writings, which brings together both his diaries and his letters, that is most revealing though. Covering the period from early childhood until he left Lancing in December 1921, headed to Oxford, cumulatively it gives a different picture of the young Waugh to that in the previous editions of the Diaries and Letters. It has always been clear that from the earliest age Waugh displayed much of the character he later developed. His very first attempt at his own history, aged seven, seems perfectly characteristic, relishing incongruity, shunning boredom: We all ways have sausages for breakfast on Sundays. I have been waching lucy fry them they do look funny befor their kooked. Daddy is a publisher he goes to Chapman and Hall office it looks a offely dull plase. Waughs vigorous sense of drama and caricature is also well conveyed by the many drawings with which he illustrated his boyish journal, already clearly by the same hand that later produced work such as the brilliant frontispiece to Vile Bodies. At Lancing, he wrote a remarkable diary entry saying We are all painting or drawing our lives and that the elect draw their design clearly and fully. His aesthetic sense was always so alive that he spontaneously criticises himself for writing a poor sentence. It turns out Michael Davie missed very few of the most rewarding entries in his cautious abbreviation of these juvenile writings in his 1976 edition of the Diaries. However, by removing the repetitions and the more humdrum day-by-day details of Waughs intense involvement in the life of Lancing, he altered their overall impression which, at least to anybody who has no direct knowledge of the public-schools, is quite horrifying. How could such an individual as Waugh spend his formative years so obsessed by the schools minute status markers, its hierarchy and manners, by sport, by the other boys? Even while cutting it, Michael Davie astutely observed that this school diary was a unique document. Public-school novels and retrospective accounts of public-school life have proliferated but Waugh seems to be the only writer of the front rank or indeed of any rank to have preserved a day-to-day record of school life while it happened. Re-reading these diaries to write A Little Learning, Waugh wrote, but did not publish, this paragraph, now included in the notes of the new edition and quoted by Alexander Waugh in his introduction: If what I wrote was a true account of myself, I was [cold-hearted, supercilious arrogant and callous] conceited, heartless & cautiously malevolent. More book reviews 1 /24 More book reviews Recovery by Russell Brand Will Russells brand of self-help prove quite so addictive? By Nicholas Lezard. Read review A Life in Questions by Jeremy Paxman Paxo refuses to answer all the really good questions, says David Sexton. Read review Politics: Between: The Extremes by Nick Clegg The basis of this book makes it impossible not to warm to Clegg, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review Serious Sweet by A L Kennedy Thank heavens for London in this tale of self-obsessed lovers. Read review The Last Royal Rebel: The Life and Death of James, Duke of Monmouth by Anna Keay Born a kings b****** and destined for a traitors death. Read review Man Up: Boys, Men and Breaking the Male Rules by Rebecca Asher Getting to the bottom of why boys will be boys. Read review The Course of Love by Alain de Botton A philosophical novel that does run smooth, says Johanna Thomas-Corr. Read review The Tree Climbers Guide: Adventures in the Urban Canopy by Jack Cooke How I gave this book a proper test and ended up with a broken ankle. Read review Reader, I Married Him: Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre Brontes classic tale in the imaginations of other writers, says Claire Harman. Read review Moranifesto by Caitlin Moran Caitlin comes clean about politics the world according to our funniest feminist. By Rosamund Urwin. Read review Spark Joy An Illustrated Guide to the Japanese Art of Tidying by Marie Kondo Theres no messing wih Marie, says Katie Law. Read review Cockfosters Stories by Helen Simpson After 50, a womans life gets better not worse. By Katie Law. Read review Stalins Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess by Andrew Lownie Joker in the spying pack. By Richard Bassett. Read review Even Dogs in the Wild by Ian Rankin The darkness that lies at the heart of the novel is offset by a lightness of touch, says Mark Sanderson. Read review Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello Elvis proves not quite so lyrical on the page, says Nick Curtis. Read review The Importance of Elsewhere: Philip Larkins Photographs by Richard Bradford His poetry paints better pictures than any camera, says David Sexton. Read review Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith Morality wins out over macabre murders, says Melanie McDonagh. Read review The Grownup by Gillian Flynn Calling all Flynnies: the con girl whos like gone girl. Read review I should like to believe that even in this private journal I was [showing off] dissembling a more generous nature; that I absurdly thought cynicism and cruelty the marks of maturity. I pray it may be so. But the evidence is there, in sentence after sentence, on page after page, of consistent caddishness. Thats a savage, precisely revised verdict on himself. But the reader may nonetheless think that what these diaries also reveal is that, from an early age, Waugh felt himself to be, as he once told his mother, lacking in love. As it emerges, this edition will surely keep us Wavians rapt for years to come. I t looks like a truffle, it smells like a rotting whale, but theres something oddly alluring about the lump of Whitechapel fatberg that Ive found myself cradling. The fatberg baby is unequivocally disgusting, yet the sheer size of the behemoth metres below my feet is awesome. The chunk has been passed up from the 19th-century Victorian sewers where Thames Waters high-pressure water jets are blasting a 140-ton mass of solid fats, oils and greases the biggest to have ever been found in the citys sewers (well, the biggest yet). Its the length of two football pitches and the weight of 11 Routemaster buses. I peek my head down the open manhole, squinting for the source of the smell, holding on to a winch rail. This is gutter journalism. Yet this primordial-seeming ooze is a very modern creation. Its covered in cracks, and it looks like it should fall apart, but it doesnt, says Alex Saunders, a waste network manager at Thames Water, here on site to help begin a four-week clear-up operation beneath the bustling market stalls of Whitechapel Road. As soon as you get inside you find theres this stitching of wet wipes, condoms, tampons and other sanitary items holding it all together. Its a perfect storm. The combination of those things create a really solid, concrete-like fatberg. 130-tonne 'fatberg' blocks sewer under London street Does this one have a name yet? Fatberg is the nickname, says David Mimms, the field manager who is leading the eight-member team here to stop the tunnels flooding into neighbouring basements. Its now in the dictionary. People have been calling this one Bertha, The Donald, and also Piers Morgan. Its just solidified fat. Its also your fault, London. This concentrated mass is the worst you have to offer, flushed and compressed into the 4ft-high sewerage system beneath us. We spend a million pounds a month on clearing blockages, across the Thames Valley, says Mimms. Its just a continuous plugging away: breaking it up, sucking it up, breaking it up, sucking it up, breaking it up. After its removed its packed off in trucks to Stratford. Matt Writtle But what lies beneath grabs us. From Ghostbusters to Stephen Kings It, we leer watchfully at the waterways beneath our metropolises. In Don DeLillos Underworld, a character argues that human civilisation began as self-defence against the unstoppable rise of garbage beneath our cities. The huge fatberg was found clogging up a sewer in Whitechapel Appropriately, the Museum of London has already made a bid to keep a piece of this fatberg for posterity. News of Londons fatbergs goes global (others in 2011 and 2013 garnered worldwide attention). Russia Today, Al Jazeera , NBC, Swedish Radio and an Italian TV station have all sent news crews. Theres a natural fascination when you can see a glimpse of something but know theres more lurking beneath. Its beneath the streets but you never quite know whats there, says Saunders. Think of icebergs and their blockbuster appeal to the Titanic-loving British public. Size impresses and appals us. Yet Saunders argues that this very real blockage also taps into the citys folklore. People see it as a monster, this evil thing lurking under the streets. Theres a fascination with London, which had the first modern sewers. Were also in Whitechapel, famed for villains like Jack the Ripper and we now have one under the street again. Its a dirty business and dangerous too. The eight-man team evacuate the tunnel rapidly just after two oclock as rain starts to fall, bringing a tidal wave of excrement along the tunnel from the surrounding tunnels. Flammable and poisonous gases, such as hydrogen sulphide, ammonia, methane and sulphur dioxide, can build up; there are deep voids hiding beneath knee-deep water to fall in to; dangerous chemicals are often dumped; tunnels are riddled with sharps, such as flushed needles, glass, bones, shopping trollies and even, in Hoxton, a machete. Then there are the rats, says Mimms. The rats are huge. The enormous fatberg weighs the same as 11 double decker busses Is this stuff harmful, I ask, wiping fatberg residue from my overalls (the pungent smell begins to fade as I get used to it it now smells faintly of clay). Worst-case scenario: you could die, says Saunders. Hes only half-joking: Weils disease is a severe form of leptospirosis that causes headaches, chills and muscle aches, which you might contract if you came into contact with the urine, blood, or tissue of rodents that are infected with the bacteria. It doesnt sound much fun. Walking the clear sewers too is a daunting experience. Youre acutely aware that your life is in the hands of the team the guys guiding you down there, and the guys up top, says Saunders. Oxygen and carbon monoxide monitors strapped to belts beep regularly. If something goes wrong you need to get your gas mask on quick. Youre sending people into a confined space where if something does go wrong, its very hard to get them out. They can be 30 metres along a tunnel although the fatberg in this tunnel, which is only three feet wide and four feet tall, is mercifully only eight metres from the manhole shaft. I sleep fine at night because we have all the right checks and send people home safe. A workman in protective clothing prepares to go into the sewer to chip away at the enormous fatberg So whos to blame for the sheer size of the fatberg? Theres already a likely suspect. Every other property is a food services establishment, says Saunders. It doesnt take a lot for them to start chucking waste fats and oils away. Flooded basements in the same properties alerted Thames Water to the lurking fatberg. If you are within 50 metres of a fast-food establishment youre eight times more likely to be flooded with sewage in our network, says Saunders. His job is also about education, as his team is called out to handle hundreds of smaller deposits a day. (Thames Water has tried to put fatbergs to good use some are converted into biodiesel fuel.) The work, though, is immensely satisfying. Colin Hewitt, who sends his crawler a camera on tracks down the tunnel first, has worked on the job for four years after coming out of retirement to do it. Ronnie Floodwater, who passes me bits of berg as he winches them up, says that with a name like his its the best job he could ask for. Once its done and once its clean, its like redeveloping a house, says Mimms. Its great seeing a before and after. You feel overwhelmed at what youve achieved. Hewitt agrees: Its an absolute nightmare, but were a team, well always be a team. Then he eats his lunch. Now we just need to christen this baby. Fatty McFatface, anyone? @fish_o_wick A businessman held at gunpoint and stabbed during an attempted robbery at his east London home told today how he tried to fight off his attackers to protect my life. Abbas Hedayati, a car dealer, was dragged from his bed and tied up by the raiders who mistakenly believed he had money stashed at his home in Walthamstow. One of the thugs laughed and misquoted a line from The Godfather - this is business, nothing personal - before plunging a knife into his back. The attempted robbery in Warner Road was organised by his former best friend of 13 years, Aso Ghadr, over money he believed was owed to him. Mr Hedayati awoke during the raid in the early hours of December 29 to feel a knife pressed to his neck and a gun against his head. He was told: Tell me wheres the money. I swear I will shoot you. The businessman was then tied up and stabbed in the shoulder and right arm. Mr Hedayati, originally from Iran, said he tried to do all he could to fight off the gang. He was ultimately saved by his friend Borwar Ahmed and his girlfriend who were asleep next door, while visiting from Manchester ahead of New Years Eve. Mr Ahmed awoke and called the police but was then also tied up and gagged. Officers arrived armed with Tasers and detained five members of the gang recovering four knives and an imitation firearm. Ringleader Ghadr was arrested three months later. Ghadr, 32, hired Andy Chu, 33, Kazm Kareem, 36, Hoopang Wong, 30, Mohammed Ramjhun, 32, and Usman Deen, 29, to break into Mr Hedayatis home. The six were jailed for a total of 63 years at Snaresbrook crown court on Monday. They were found guilty of offences including aggravated burglary, having an imitation firearm, wounding with intent and two counts of false imprisonment. Ghadr was jailed for 15 years and the others given sentences of between eight and 12 years. Mr Hedayati, who has refused to move from his home to prove he wasnt scared, said: They thought there was cash in my house but obviously there wasnt a penny. I had to defend myself and do what I had to to protect my life. Thank God my wife wasnt there at the time. If it wasnt for my guests calling the police, I dont know what would have happened. Its now all a dream. It doesnt feel real. He said of the sentencing: It couldnt have been a better result. Its a relief theres justice and I cant thank the police and the judge enough for reaching this outcome. Detective constable Lee Warrington of the Mets Flying Squad said: This was a terrifying burglary in which these defendants used extreme violence. I would like to pay tribute to the victims for their bravery, courage and support. These offenders have shown no remorse and I hope that the fact that they will collectively have 63 years to reflect on their actions brings a measure of comfort to their victims. A n investigation is underway after a police officer was filmed a telling black man: You'd be the first I'd shoot. Video footage has emerged of the officer, of West Midlands Police, asking the man "you're going to go Black Lives Matter on us, are you?" and laughing. The man, named as Jack Chambers, replies yeah before the officer says: You would be the first one I'd shoot if I had a gun, definitely." The incident was filmed by Mr Chambers while he was at his friend's house in Coventry on August 24. Police were questioning him over why he had not answered the door to the house and closed a window. They were reportedly searching for a wanted man. Mr Chambers and campaign group Justice or Else UK both posted the video on Facebook on Tuesday, where it has been viewed thousands of times. Officers from West Midlands Polices Professional Standards Department are investigating the incident. The force has also referred the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) after receiving an official complaint. Assistant Chief Constable Alex Murray said: "What was said was not right and the officer has been removed from front line duties pending further assessment. "The officer has already expressed remorse and is very apologetic over his comments. "We expect the highest standards of behaviour from all our officers and staff, and we will always take complaints from members of the public seriously." P rince William has spoken out about the very interesting week his son has had as the women arrested for trying to break into Prince George's school was released on bail. The four-year-old Prince, who started school last week, returned to Thomas's Battersea on Thursday morning where plain-clothed police officers were stationed outside. George was driven through a side entrance in a black Range Rover as police reviewed the schools security following the scare. As his father toured the Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool, he said that it had been a very interesting week, referring to George starting school and the Duchess being unwell. Prince William tells patient at Aintree he's had an 'interesting week' Speaking to patient Pagan Tordengrav, 55, William said his wife, who is suffering from severe morning sickness, was doing "very well". He added: "And George is at school. It's been a very interesting week." 'Interesting week': The Duke of Cambridge meets members of the public during his visit to Aintree University Hospital / PA A 40-year-old woman allegedly tried to get inside Thomas's Battersea, south London, on Tuesday but was reportedly detained by undercover police officers in a square just 100 yards from the school. Scotland Yard said: "Police are part of the protective security arrangements for the Prince and we will continue to work closely with the school, which is responsible for building security on its site. They added that she had been released on bail on Thursday, pending further inquiries. Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas's school 1 /16 Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas's school Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas's school in Battersea and is met by Helen Haslem head of the lower school Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas's school in Battersea and is met by Helen Haslem head of the lower school Kensington Palace Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas's school in Battersea PA Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas's school in Battersea Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas's school in Battersea Getty Images Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas's school in Battersea and is met by Helen Haslem head of the lower school. Kensington Palace Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas's school in Battersea and is met by Helen Haslem head of the lower school. Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas's school in Battersea and is met by Helen Haslem head of the lower school. Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas's school in Battersea Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Prince William accompanies his son Prince George on his first day of school at Thomas's school in Battersea, London Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas's school in Battersea and is met by Helen Haslem head of the lower school Richard Pohle/The Times/PA Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas's school in Battersea PA Describing the woman's arrest one eyewitness, who was sitting in a nearby restaurant, told the Daily Mail: "She was just sitting there really quietly with two men in ordinary clothes either side of her. "She was completely calm and passive. She was completely unfazed." Several plain-clothed officers have been spotted in the area surrounding the fee-paying school, where security is being reviewed following the scare. The incident came less than a week after George's first day on September 7. A police spokesman said they were working with the school to review its security arrangements after the incident. A n angry father has described a school uniform policy as like something from North Korea after his daughter was sent home for failing to bring the right bag. Author Daniel Culver argued the City of London Academy Highbury Grove should be concentrating on his 15-year-olds education instead of enforcing aggressive and unnecessary rules after she came home upset on the first day of term. The Year 11 pupil, Beth, was turned away on Friday because she had chosen not to bring a bag with her as she had no books to carry because she did not know her timetable yet. Earlier this year, school leaders introduced a new uniform policy, which obliges pupils to carry a rucksack embossed with a logo, after it was taken over by the City of London Academy Trust following a damning Ofsted report which threw it into special measures. Mr Culver, 39, said teachers lined up children in the playground as they arrived and checked every student was appropriately dressed and carrying the right bag. He said Beth was sent straight home and wasnt able to collect her timetable. Its like something from North Korea, he said. Its not setting the example theyre trying to set. They should be concentrating on the education. Mr Culver, a novelist who works in publishing, added: It was just very aggressive and unnecessary. Shes in her final year [of GCSEs]. They should have been concentrating on her getting her education, not sending her home. Whats next? Will it be umbrellas or branded shoelaces? Representatives for the academy, near Highbury Fields, did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but a spokesman told the Islington Gazette that parents signed and agreed to the school uniform policy in June. It includes the academy rucksack and an outdoor coat, and warns that infringements will result in children being sent home. An academy spokesman told the newspaper: We are committed to the students in the school meeting the highest standards which includes being properly prepared. We know this is an essential part of developing a high-expectation school culture, which drives improvement and attainment. T he public inquiry into the causes and response to the Grenfell Tower disaster will formally open today after months of anticipation. Survivors of the horrific blaze are set to attend the first hearing of the inquiry, where retired judge Sir Martin Moore-Bick will deliver a 45-minute statement setting out the scope of the probe. The inquiry will examine the actions of Kensington and Chelsea Council, which was heavily criticised in the wake of the disaster for its perceived failure to protect victims. No evidence will be heard at the opening at Grand Connaught Rooms in central London on Thursday, with an interim report expected by early 2018. Second vigil in Notting Hill for Grenfell Tower tragedy 1 /13 Second vigil in Notting Hill for Grenfell Tower tragedy Emotions run high as people attend a candle lit vigil outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near the 24 storey residential Grenfell Tower block in Latimer Road, West London Getty Images People light candles as they observe a vigil outside Notting hill Methodist Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower, a residential tower block in west London AFP/Getty Images People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images Friends hug each other at a vigil to those killed, dead and missing and also to the emergency services and volunteers after the Grenfell Tower block fire Nigel Howard A woman lays flowers at a vigil to those killed, dead and missing and also to the emergency services and volunteers after the Grenfell Tower block fire Nigel Howard People arrive for a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Towe Getty Images A small child tapes flowers to railings at a vigil to those killed, dead and missing and also to the emergency services and volunteers after the Grenfell Tower block fire Nigel Howard A woman leaves flowers as people arrive for a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images Reverend Mike Long leads a vigil to those killed, dead and missing and also to the emergency services and volunteers after the Grenfell Tower block fire Nigel Howard Sir Martin, the retired judge chosen by Prime Minister Theresa May to lead the inquiry, was also criticised following his appointment, with the London boroughs MP Emma Dent Coad saying he lacked credibility with victims. Campaigners had pressed for the probe to scrutinise the systemic issues underlying the cause of the tragedy on June 14, when at least 80 people died. The chairman faced anger from the community in a series of public meetings designed to help shape the terms of reference but, once these were announced, the inquiry was criticised for excluding an examination of wider social housing policy. Retired judge Sir Martin Moore-Bick will open the inquiry / PA Survivors and victims' families will be able to watch live on a screen in Notting Hill Methodist Church. A silent march is planned for later on Thursday evening at the same church where the hearing will be screened. Labour has warned the Government the inquiry should not be reason to delay improvement measures to tower blocks. Shadow housing minister John Healey, in a letter to Communities Secretary Sajid Javid, said: "Thirteen weeks after the terrible fire at Grenfell Tower, it is astonishing that ministers still cannot tell tenants and the public how many of the country's 4,000 high-rise tower blocks are not safe, that promises of financial support for urgent work have not been honoured, and that the support for Grenfell survivors is still hopelessly inadequate." On the eve of the inquiry's opening, it emerged just one in 50 - 2 per cent - of the UK's social housing tower blocks have a full sprinkler system. A Freedom of Information request by BBC Breakfast also found that 68% of the council and housing association-owned blocks have just one staircase through which to evacuate. London Fire Brigade commissioner Dany Cotton told the broadcaster she supported retrofitting towers built before 2007, when sprinklers were made compulsory in new-build high rises over 30 metres tall in England. Mr Healey urged Mr Javid to fund retrofitting sprinkler systems in light of the research. L ondon has been named Europe's live music capital, beating major cities from across the continent after it hosted nearly 20,000 concerts last year. There were a total of 19,940 live music events in the capital in 2016, according to a study published by IQ Magazine from data compiled by concert website Songkick. That was more than San Francisco (13,672), Paris (11,248) and Chicago (11,224), as well as world-renowned live music hub Austin, Texas (6,781). The study saw London finish in third place globally, behind New York, which hosted 28,529 gigs and concerts, and Los Angeles, which came second with 20,843 shows. Mayor Sadiq Khan hailed the capitals world-class music venues, telling IQ Magazine: Londons buzzing live music scene is world-renowned, having produced artists from Adele to Ed Sheeran, The Clash to The Rolling Stones. Top 12 live music venues New York (28,529) Los Angeles (20,843) London (19,940) San Francisco Bay area (13,672) Paris (11,248) Chicago (11,224) Philadelphia (8,691) Las Vegas (8,023) Denver (7,343) Washington DC (7,219) Seattle (6,893) Austin (6,781) In London, we have some of the greatest places to catch a live gig from world-class arenas to amazing grassroots music venues - and it is little wonder that music lovers come from across the globe to enjoy our citys incredible nightlife. Mr Khan last year appointed Amy Lame as the capitals night czar to act as a champion for venues and the night-time economy in the capital. The study analysed concert data from 12 major music cities, also finding London had the second most venues (1,780) behind only Los Angeles (2,002). N ow heres something that will inspire you to plough through that impenetrable Man Booker shortlist: which of the novels up for consideration contains the lines about the milky white thighs begging to be taken from behind? Last night Baroness Lola Young, chair of the prize, spoke at a party at The Serpentine Gallery celebrating the six authors who made the grade. But she also admitted that shed been reduced to blushes by the above phrase she found in one of the books. The cross-bench peer and professor wouldnt say whether it was from one on the longlist, or the final six. All I will say, she teased, is that it was one of a couple of books which could have been considered for the Bad Sex award. No book that has ever won the Man Booker has won the Bad Sex in Fiction Award, run by the Literary Review. Novelist Ben Okri has scooped both in separate years, the Booker in 1991 for The Famished Road and the Bad Sex in 2014 for The Age of Magic. Richard Flanagan, a runner-up for the Bad Sex in Fiction Award in 2014, for The Narrow Road to the Deep North, in which he wrote of slight, rose-coloured trenches, and included a sex scene interrupted by a dog slaughtering a fairy penguin. That same novel won the Booker that year, crowned as an outstanding work of literature. So which author is responsible for the thighs that caused such blushes? Judges in attendance kept schtum. The Londoner will get reading: we may have found the next, cerebral 50 Shades of Grey. --- THE Londoner once offered Sebastian Faulks a job, but he declined. Evidently, though, his way with words would have made him an ideal candidate. In this weeks Spectator the author recalls a recent trip to Iceland: It was like a crash course in geology GCSE, he writes, as our guide pointed out volcanoes, tarns, magma, calderas, tectonic plates and terminal moraine. We urged him to go further on the basis that one good tarn deserves another. --- Reviving naughty memories of Gielgud What a legacy: a plaque at John Gielgud's former home (Getty) The Southwark Playhouse is reviving A Day by the Sea by NC Hunter, the first major staging since it premiered at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 1953, directed by and starring John Gielgud. The actor was arrested for cottaging in a public convenience in Chelsea during the shows run. Back at the theatre after he was fined by a magistrate, fellow cast member Sybil Thorndike said, in a perfectly delivered double-entendre: Oh, John, you have been a silly bugger! She then led him on stage and asked the audience to show their support: he got a standing ovation. Anyone there is invited by organisers to get in touch to share recollections and attend the press night in October. --- Quote of the Day Brexit Beatle: Ringo Starr (Getty) I would have voted to get out, but dont tell Bob Geldof Ringo Starr says he would have voted for Brexit, unlike his fellow rocker --- Creative types are on the loose, and how TO New Kings Road last night for Designed at Talisman, a new exhibition showing what happens when you give eight interiors experts, artists and florists one room in a house and carte blanche. Actress Daisy Lewis, a consultant on the project, told us her next step. I am directing the first thing that I have written, with Andrea Riseborough in the lead, she said, adding that she is working with an all-female crew. Its a short film about an actress who is playing the role of an addict and she overdoses while she is on stage. Not a Friday night popcorn film, then. --- Shaken and stirred was the order of the night at The Ivy at Tower Bridge last night, as Beefeater gin toasted 50 years of its master distiller Desmond Payne. Gin is the ultimate party drink, he said. It just works. The Queen knows a thing or two, as indeed did the Queen Mother, with her tipple of gin and Dubonnet. Any secrets we should know about? The 11am is always a winner, he says. Angostura bitters, ice, gin and water. Beats a cup of tea. --- BBC's Cheesecakegate Anyone for cheesecake? Note: this isn't the slice in question (Getty) CHEESECAKE wars at the BBC. Weve all had our food swiped from the work fridge, so its nice to see that even staff at W1A arent above a bit of passive-aggressive note exchange. Earlier this week Adam Robson, a staffer at the BBC, tweeted someones missive after they discovered their dessert was missing. To the scumbag who stole my New York cheesecake, I hope you choke on it. A few hours later, an update and a new note: To the angry victim of crime, a third party wrote, Violence is not the answer. There is cheesecake for you in here. To the cheesecake pilferer, go give money to charity. The story is reminiscent of an episode from US sitcom Friends, in which Ross, a palaeontologist at a museum, is dismissed from his job after losing his temper with a colleague who eats his turkey sandwich. But can HR get involved without tracing the culprit? For now, the identities of the various protagonists are as yet unknown but weve got our eyes on Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly. --- Tweet of the Day: BREAKING: The worlds problems will not be solved by arguing with strangers on Twitter. Well update you when we have more on this story. Channel 4 had some crucial advice yesterday --- Package deal of the day: tweeter @juanbuis notes that you can fly to New York for 275, stay two nights in an Airbnb for 100 and buy the iPhone X for 830. Total 1,155. Or stay in Europe and buy it for 1,159. --- The Only Way is Nashville now... A Swift rise: Megan Mckenna with her prize (@megan_mckenna_) Last night Megan McKenna, the star of The Only Way is Essex whose unlikely foray into country music has unseated Taylor Swift from the top of the charts, won Best Newcomer at the Boisdale Music Awards at the restaurant groups Canary Whary outpost. Grammys are, surely, next. --- Follow The Londoner on Twitter and Facebook here T he boss of high street giant John Lewis today launched a stinging attack on the Government and MPs for leaving business to struggle in uncertainty over Brexit. Sir Charlie Mayfield warned: We should be under no illusions. Brexit is having an effect on the economy, no question. Theresa May will strike a positive tone when she attempts to kickstart political talks between Britain and the EU in a speech next week, sources have told the Evening Standard. She will stress her desire for a positive partnership after Brexit including close co-operation on security, while sticking closely to the terms set out in her landmark Lancaster House speech in January. Her appeal, in a speech in Florence, is intended to persuade European leaders that both sides have more to gain by accelerating talks rather than the EUs current priority of haggling over a cash withdrawal payment. Sir Charlie vented the frustration of business leaders about the continuing confusion over Britains future relations. He urged: There needs to be a serious parliamentary debate to figure out what kind of Brexit were going to have in the best interests of the country and the economy. Last night, former Bank of England governor Mervyn King also rounded on ministers over their Brexit negotiating tactics. Lord King said: I dont think that the negotiations are going in the way that we might hope. He told BBC Newsnight the Government was making a mistake by not setting out a fallback position to show how it would trade if talks on a Brexit deal fall through. If youre going to enter a negotiation, its actually very important to make sure that the other side of the table knows that you have a fallback position. Weve been waiting for over a year now and I must say that Im not terribly impressed by how much of that fallback position has actually been stated, been implemented, and whether its actually being managed properly within the civil service and the government. Inventor Sir James Dyson, who backed Leave, said not enough progress had been made on Brexit talks. But he told the BBCs Today programme that he believes uncertainty is an opportunity and went on: I suspect that we will have to leave without a deal and we will trade under WTO [World Trade Organisation] regulations, which frankly, are going to hurt the Europeans more than the British. Philip Hammond expressed optimism that there will be a bespoke deal for the City in a speech last night. The Chancellor said Brussels will not be allowed to use Brexit to introduce protectionist measures targeting Londons financial sector. Let me be clear, we will not accept protectionist agendas, disguised as arguments about financial stability, he told the UK Finance annual dinner. C ontroversial Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg claimed today the rise in use of food banks is down to the Conservative Party telling people they are there. The right-winger who is touted as a future party leader said Labour had deliberately hidden the fact support was available. He described charities giving out emergency food packages as a rather uplifting sign of a compassionate country. Speaking on LBC Radio, the Eton-education MP said: Food banks pre-date the Conservative Government. Crucially the change that look place was that the Conservative Government allowed the Job Centre Plus to tell people that food banks existed and the former Labour Government would not tell them. And that was a policy decision to stop people knowing that there was help available. I dont think the state can do everything. It tries and it provides a base of welfare that should allow people to make ends meet during the course of the week but on some occasions that will not work. To have charitable support given by people voluntarily to support their fellow citizens I think is rather uplifting and shows what a good compassionate country we are. The Trussell Trust which runs a network of 400 food banks provided 1,182,954 three-day emergency supplies to people in the UK in 2016/17 - the highest level ever recorded. Pushed by presenter Nick Ferrari on whether people are choosing to use food banks over buying their own food from shops, Mr Rees-Mogg admitted that people have found life tough but that the best way out of poverty is through employment. The Tory back-bencher and practising Catholic sparked controversy last week when he said he opposed gay marriage as well as abortion in all circumstances, even rape and incest. Today he poured cold water on rumours circulating over the summer that he has leadership ambitions. He said: Ive no wish to become leader of the Conservative party. Im fully supporting Mrs May. Labours party chairman, Ian Lavery MP, said: The real reason people are going to food banks in record numbers is because the Tories have slashed public sector jobs and living standards over the last seven years, plunging more families into poverty and homelessness. This kind of comment shows Jacob Rees Mogg really is the dictionary definition of an out of touch Tory. He also dismissed any likelihood he would serve in Mrs Mays Cabinet. Asked what Cabinet job he would like, Mr Rees-Mogg said thats not going to happen, adding that when Mrs May was asked about this she laughed for the longest amount of time since the General Election. I was delighted to bring some happiness and joy to our distinguished Prime Minister, but thats how seriously she takes it, he said. T he United States will be a "steadfast ally" to the United Kingdom during the Brexit process, Rex Tillerson has declared. The US Secretary of State, who was in London for talks with Boris Johnson and Theresa May, said Washington would stand by Britain as it faces the "unique challenges" of leaving the EU. Mr Tillerson and the Foreign Secretary held talks covering a wide range of issues including Hurricane Irma, the North Korean crisis and the situation in Libya. At a press conference with Mr Johnson, Mr Tillerson said: "Whilst Brexit does present unique challenges to the British people, please know that you have a steadfast ally in the United States. We will stand by our ally as Brexit continues to take shape." Meeting: Boris Johnson and Rex Tillerson address journalists following their meeting / AP Mr Tillerson praised the co-operation between the UK, US and France in dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean. He said: "The co-operation through that event has been extraordinary. All of us set down our own concerns and said 'what can we do to help each others' citizens' and we're very thankful for that. "We're also committed to take that same spirit into the aftermath and how can we work together and co-ordinate now to complete the recovery and begin the long, long process of reconstruction in a way that is beneficial to everyone." Mr Tillerson, who had a meeting with Mrs May's national security adviser which the Prime Minister "dropped in" on, said it was a "short but very useful" talk. He thanked the UK for its support in sending a "very strong message to North Korea" that Kim Jong Un's nuclear ambitions were "not acceptable to any member of the international community". Mr Tillerson said he discussed with Mrs May "the threat that Iran poses to the region through its destabilising activities in Yemen, in Syria and in other parts of the region". Downing Street said Mrs May also raised the Iran nuclear deal - loathed by Donald Trump - "underlining its importance in preventing Iran procuring nuclear weapons". A British woman was killed after accidentally reversing her car off a multi-storey car park. Linda al-Selmie, 53, plunged from the sixth floor of the tower in Abu Dhabi because the barriers around the edge were unsafe, an inquest into her death has ruled. She was in her BMW when it fell 24 metres from the Sheikh Khalifa Energy Complex on January 25, 2015. The coroner ruled the concrete and metal barriers around the edge of the multi-storey, which were 90cm high, did not meet safety standards, the Times reported. The barriers were too short and close to the edge. Senior coroner Crispin Oliver at Crook in County Durham said: The barrier at the edge of the building was 16.68cm too short and should have been 110cm further from the edge." In the United Arab Emirates, police have launched a probe over the death. Ms al-Selmie, who moved to Abu Dhabi from Darlington with her Iraqi engineer husband, died at the scene from a cerebral haemorrhage and crushed chest. Mr Crispin recorded a verdict of accidental death. P rince George today went to school as normal as police continued to question a 40-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of trying to break in. The four-year-old, who began at Thomass Battersea in south London last week, was driven through a side entrance in a black Range Rover. The 4x4 was tailed by a second Range Rover which appeared to be driven by a plain-clothes officer as police reviewed the schools security following the scare. The suspect was detained by undercover police officers yesterday in the grounds of the 18,000-a-year school. One eyewitness, who was sitting in a nearby restaurant, told the Daily Mail: She was just sitting there really quietly with two men in ordinary clothes either side of her. She was completely calm and passive. She was completely unfazed. The prince is attending reception classes on a half-day basis and is not thought to have been there at the time. A Met spokesman said: We are working with the school to review its security arrangements after the incident. Thomass Battersea educates 560 boys and girls aged from four to 13. Former pupils include supermodel Cara Delevingne and Florence and the Machine vocalist Florence Welch. T error-related arrests have soared to a record high as security services confront an unprecedented threat, new figures reveal. There were 379 arrests for terrorism-related offences in Britain in the year ending June 2017, a rate of more than one a day and the highest total in a year since data collection began in 2001. Dozens of individuals were held following terror swoops in the wake of the attacks in London and Manchester. Arrests jumped by 68 per cent year on year, with the increase partly driven by activity mounted amid a flurry of terrorist incidents between March 22 and June 19. The 379 total includes 57 arrests made in connection with the Westminster (12 arrests), Manchester (23 arrests), London Bridge (21 arrests) and Finsbury Park (one arrest) attacks. The figures come as former prime minister David Cameron urged the Government to be more focused on tackling extremism. The ex-Tory leader, who vowed to defeat the poison of extremist views during his own time in office said there should be no opt-outs on the issue. In a speech to the anti-Semitism charity Community Safety Trust, he said: There should be no opt-outs for combating extremism. Not for universities, not for schools, not for aid organisations, not for governments, not for communities not for anyone. He added: We all need to be far more focused on combating Islamist extremism in all its forms. We wont win this fight against extremism if we let extremist preachers come here and poison minds. Following the Manchester Arena bomb, Theresa May announced she was setting up a Commission for Countering Extremism, as well as a review of counter-terrorism powers and tackling online extremist content. A chainsaw-toting nun has won praise after being spotted tearing through fallen trees in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Sister Margaret Anns habit didnt hold her back when it came to helping with the relief effort, making her an unlikely symbol of the community clean-up. The nun used the power tool as she joined the emergency services to help clear roads blocked by debris in south-west Miami, Florida. An off-duty police officer kicked off praise for the sister. He tweeted a picture of her with chainsaw in hand and said: "Thank you Sister Margaret Ann". The 30-year-old was later told CNN: There was a need, I had the means, so I wanted to help out. Sister Margaret Ann added that she borrowed the saw from a cupboard at Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High School in West Kendall, where she teaches. She told CNN: We teach our students: Do what you can to help other people, dont think of yourselves. "The community will come out and help us. That's what we do," she said. "It's good." Miami mayor Tomas Regalado had earlier told a news conference: We have never experienced, not even with Hurricane Andrew, the amount of trees that are downed in the city. Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in 1992. T op US Democrats said they have struck a deal with Donald Trump to protect 800,000 young immigrants from deportation and boost US border security in another massive snub by the president to his own Republican Party leadership. The surprise alliance with Democrat opponents Mr Trump had previously derided as clowns and losers marked a huge move to the centre and left Republicans stunned and horrified on Capitol Hill. The bipartisan agreement was hammered out over Chinese food served at a White House dinner meeting hosted by the president for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, the top two Republicans in Congress, were not invited. Mr Trump has made no secret of his anger over the failure of Republican in Congress to get laws passed. In particular, he was frustrated by failed attempts to pass a replacement bill for the Obama-era health reforms. Backlash: US President Donald Trump's plans to scrap the scheme sparked backlash / AFP/Getty Images The Democrat-backed package will safeguard the future in the US of immigrants who were brought illegally into America as children. Known as Dreamers, their lives were turned upside down last week when Mr Trump announced he was jettisoning the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme, known as DACA, which provided temporary work permits and shielded them from deportation. Speaking after the dinner, Mrs Pelosi and Mr Schumer said they would work on a border security package excluding the presidents proposed wall along Americas border with Mexico. Former President Barack Obama introduced the Dreamers programme / Getty Images We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, thats acceptable to both sides, Mrs Pelosi and Mr Schumer said in a joint statement. However, Mr Trumps Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders took issue with the Democrats suggestion that the border wall was being abandoned. While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to, she tweeted. It was the second time in two weeks that Mr Trump has cut out Republicans to reach a deal with the Democrat leaders. Donald Trump meets Storm Harvey Victims 1 /14 Donald Trump meets Storm Harvey Victims Donald and Melania Trump help prepare meals REUTERS Donald Trump gives a thumbs up at a hurricane relief centre in Houston REUTERS Donald and Melania Trump arrive in Houston REUTERS Melania meets young victims AFP/Getty Images The First Lady hands out hotdogs AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump greets Texas Governor Greg Abbott REUTERS Donald Trump comforts a young victim REUTERS Melania Trump helps out volunteers REUTERS The President hands out food AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump speaks at a relief centre REUTERS Donald Trump meets a child affected by the hurricane AP This is a positive step toward the Presidents strong commitment to bipartisan solutions for the issues most important to all Americans, said the White House. The deal was struck just a week after the President shunned his party leaders - and his own West Wing staff - to reach an agreement with Democrats on the debt ceiling and government spending legislation. More and more were trying to work things out together, Mr Trump told reporters yesterday. While the old party foes were all smiles yesterday, Mr Trump has in the past labelled Mr Schumer a clown and criticised Mrs Pelosi as a loser. But clearly Mr Trump was not feeling the same warmth towards his presidential election rival Hillary Clinton, who has been taking shots at the President in her newly-published memoir, What Happened. Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and everything) but herself for her election loss. She lost the debates and lost her direction! Mr Trump wrote in a tweet published early today. If House Speaker Mr Ryan felt any antagonism at being ignored, he was hiding it well yesterday. He said that deporting the Dreamers was not in our nations interest, and said the president had made the right call. A row has erupted among Donald Trumps key supporters after senior Democrats suggested the President has backed a deal protecting thousands of young immigrants from deportation. Trumps backers have accused him of not being credible after it emerged that he has pledged to protect young immigrants as part of a deal that does not include the building of the much-promised US border wall. The legislative deal - the Dream Act - would allow the children of illegal immigrants to continue to study and work in the US. It would apply to the 800,000 young undocumented immigrants, dubbed Dreamers, who were protected under Barack Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) programme. Agreement: House Minority Leader Democrat Nancy Pelosi discussed DACA with reporters / EPA Trump reportedly agreed to pair the Dream Act with some form of border security, but this would not include his key campaign pledge a US-Mexico border wall. Senior Democrats, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi told reporters that they reached an agreement with President Trump to enshrine the programmes politics into law in conjunction with some form of border security. The President denied that a deal had been reached in a series of Tweets this morning, saying: Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote. He also said renovation of the border wall would continue. But later added: Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really! They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security. In response to the Democrats announcement, former Trump campaign adviser Sam Nunberg, said: The reality is sinking in that Trump administration is on the precipice of turning into an establishment presidency. And Republican Steve King tweeted about the Associated Press reports on the bipartisan deal: If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible. Conservative radio talk show host Laura Ingraham added: Exactly what @realDonaldTrump campaigned on. Not. BUILD THE WALL! BUILD THE WALL! or maybe not really. Following the meeting, a statement released by Mr Schumer and Ms Pelosi: We had a very productive meeting at the White House with the President. The discussion focused on Daca. "We agreed to enshrine the protections of Daca into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, thats acceptable to both sides. We also urged the president to make permanent the cost-sharing reduction payments, and those discussions will continue. A more vague White House statement said: President Donald Trump had a constructive working dinner with Senate and House minority leaders, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, as well as administration officials to discuss policy and legislative priorities. These topics included tax reform, border security, Daca, infrastructure and trade. This page may have been moved, deleted, or is otherwise unavailable. To help you find what you are looking for: Enter Search Term(s): Still cant find what youre looking for? Send us a message using our contact us form. To report a broken link or other problems with the website, please include the URL. Thank you for visiting state.gov. 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These groups are not restricted to one country in large part because their main source of income is smuggling (drugs, people, weapons, whatever pays.) The latest solution is a permanent regional security forces. On June 21 st the UN approved the G5 Sahel Joint Force. This authorized five (the G5) Sahel nations (Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad) to form a peacekeeping force. The G5 are now seeking regular funding from the UN or the West to maintain an international force of troops to deal with Islamic terrorism through the Sahel. The idea for this G5 force has been around since 2015 but it was only by the end of 2016 that the countries involved agreed on the details. This included who would provide what in terms of the 5,000 soldiers and police needed and where they would be based. The G5 force would be stationed in three operational areas where troops familiar with local conditions would work. Thus Sahel East would consist of troops from Chad and Niger. Sahel Central would be staffed by troops from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso while Sahel West would mainly use troops from Mali and Mauritania. France expects to see parts of the G5 force operational by the end of the year. That would enable France to begin planning to shrink and eventually disband the force of 4,000 French troops it has deployed in the Sahel since 2013 and reduce the 13,000 strong UN peacekeeper force in Mali. The peacekeepers in Mali are mainly African and mainly stationed in the north and, increasingly central Mali where there is more Islamic terror group activity, not all of it violent. The Islamic terrorists in Mali spend most of their time taking care of business, which is usually smuggling (drugs, weapons, people). This takes Mali based Islamic terrorists into neighboring countries, where the armed smugglers fight locals who get in the way. Burkina Faso and Niger have been the most frequent victims of this kind of violence. It was also agreed that the G5 countries could not pay for such a force. This is a common problem in Africa, where only a few large, oil-rich nations (like Nigeria) can fund a multi-national operations. The UN or the AU (African Union) usually raise and manage the money. This is always a difficult process because of the pervasive corruption in most of Africa and the need to closely and constantly monitor the money to ensure that is being applied as intended. The EU said earlier in 2017 it would help G5 get prepared to work in cooperation with the similar (but larger and better equipped) French force that has been operating in the Sahel (the semi-desert area south of the desert that stretches across northern Africa) since 2014. The EU (European Union) approved $56 million to establish support operations for the G5 force. That support will be based on what has already been established for the French counter-terrorism and UN peacekeeping forces in the area. The idea of a permanent Sahel counter-terror forces had its origins in a 2014 French analysis of the problem. Back then the French concluded that the Sahel was still troubled by thousands of Islamic terrorists and that this situation could not be taken care of quickly. In order to maintain pressure on the Islamic terrorists France established a special force of 3,000 troops to fight Islamic terrorists throughout the Sahel (actually just Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso). Since then the French force has grown to some 4,000 troops equipped with hundreds of armored vehicles, 20 transport and attack helicopters, six jet fighters and three large UAVs. There are also two twin engine C-160 air transports available for use within the Sahel. Supplies and reinforcements are regularly flown in using long-range transports (like the C-17) belonging to NATO allies (especially the U.S. and Britain). From the beginning the French force included a thousand French troops in Mali and the rest dispersed to other Sahel bases and ready to quickly move anywhere in the region that Islamic terrorist activity had been detected. The G5 nations already cooperated by sharing intelligence and providing quick access to their territory by the French force. In addition the Americans provided satellite and UAV surveillance and other intel services (especially analysis and access to nearly all American data on Islamic terrorist activities in the region). All this was meant to keep the Islamic terrorists in the Sahel weak and disorganized. So far that has worked, but these groups have been around since 2007, are still in business (as gangsters smuggling drugs and illegal migrants north) and getting support from Islamic terrorists in Europe and the Persian Gulf. Islamic terrorists continue to carry out attacks in Mali (mainly the north) and in the G5 states to let the world know that Islamic terrorists were still present in the area. September 5, 2017: In the north (near Kidal) a roadside bomb hit a peacekeeper convoy, killed two peacekeepers and wounded two others. The UN approved establishing a committee to designate individuals and groups responsible for interfering with the 2015 peace deal for northern Mali. This would enable the UN to impose sanctions. The difficulty here is that few of those involved (Islamic terror groups, local clan militia leaders or Mali government officials) are vulnerable to sanctions. But some of those involved are and most of those who are not are considered outlaws and being hunted by local security forces and international counter-terror groups. France sponsored this approach because, well, every little bit helps. Moreover those most vulnerable to these sanctions are local politicians and businessmen whose corrupt practices have long crippled the economy and politics in Mali. August 19, 2017: In the capital the president announced he was canceling his effort to hold a referendum on changing the constitution. This was widely seen as another blatant example of corruption as it was expected that the president would endeavor to rig the vote and then change the constitution to make him president-for-life and reward his corrupt allies. Popular opposition could not be shut down using the security forces because there are too many peacekeepers in Mali just now and the country is also dependent on foreign aid. August 14, 2017: In the north (Timbuktu) Islamic terrorist gunmen attacked the UN peacekeeper headquarters, killing five Malian security guards, a policeman and a civilian while also wounding six peacekeepers. The attackers suffered at least six dead and many wounded once the quick reaction force showed up. In central Mali (near Mopti) Islamic terrorist gunmen attacked two military camps, killing a soldier and a peacekeeper and wounding another peacekeeper. At least two of the Islamic terrorists were killed. In neighboring Burkina Faso Islamic terrorist gunmen opened fire on a popular Turkish restaurant in the capital, killing 19 people including nine foreigners. The attackers appeared to be Malian, probably Islamic terrorists from northern Mali. Violence like this is nothing new and as a result of it in January 2016 Mali signed an agreement with Burkina Faso to share intelligence on Islamic terrorists as well as coordinate security operations along their mutual border. In response to the increased Islamic terrorist violence in Burkina Faso has sent more troops to its Mali border. The success of the 2013 French-led offensive into northern Mali drove thousands of Islamic terrorists into neighboring countries and thats when the Islamic terror problem in Burkina Faso went from troublesome to terrible. Burkina Faso also still hosts over 20,000 refugees, nearly all of them from Mali. Burkina Faso is, like Mali, landlocked and has 17 million people (about 20 percent more than Mali). Burkina Faso also lacks the troublesome Tuareg/Arab minority in the north. Because Burkina Faso is south of Mali it also lacks the semi-desert north in Mali. That is where the Tuareg/Arab minority live. Burkina Faso also has more religious diversity with a quarter of the population being Christian and 60 percent Moslem. Moreover the Moslem population consists of several different schools of Islam, some of them quite hostile to Sunni Islamic terrorism as practiced by al Qaeda and ISIL. Asus is looking to bring the next big idea to Asia - not specifically one of its ideas but rather, ones from budding start-ups. The Taiwanese electronics maker has partnered with Fenox Venture Capital to launch a $50 million VC fund to bring Silicon Valley companies overseas. Asus is primarily interested in investing in companies that specialize in the fields of artificial intelligence, big data, augmented / virtual reality and the Internet of Things. Specifically, Asus is seeking companies that require hardware-software integration and could benefit from collaborating with them. In an interview with TechCrunch, Fenox CEO Anis Uzzaman said Asus has invested from its balance sheet before but now realizes that they want to take an aggressive step in the VC area. According to the publication, the typical size for a check given to a company raising a seed round is between $250,000 and $1 million. Post-Series A companies, meanwhile, can expect as much as $3 million to $5 million from the fund. In addition to mentorship, manufacturing support and financial capital, the site noted that Asus can also serve as a distribution partner to help start-ups localize their products and protect their valuable intellectual property. No word yet on which companies Asus plans to invest in first. Photo courtesy Getty Images Magic Leap, the controversial mixed reality start-up whose teaser videos look nothing short of amazing, may finally be shipping soon. Sources familiar with the matter tell Bloomberg that Magic Leap is hoping to ship its debut product to a small group of users within the next six months. The headset will reportedly sell for between $1,500 and $2,000 although the target price point could change, they added. In the interim, the company is reportedly looking to add to the more than $1.3 billion in funding it has already brought in. Sources tell the publication that Temasek Holdings Pte., an investment company out of Singapore, is considering taking part in a new round of funding of more than $500 million at a valuation of nearly $6 billion. The last funding round valued the start-up at $4.5 billion. Both Magic Leap and Temasek Holdings declined to comment. While Magic Leap hasn't shied away from demonstrating what its technology is capable of, some have criticized the company for being a bit too secretive and taking a long time to get its product to market. Insiders tell Bloomberg that Magic Leap's headset will be larger than a pair of glasses yet smaller than current-generation virtual reality headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Users will also be required to tote around a puck-shaped device that'll wirelessly feed processing and other data to the glasses. Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, and Oregon are among other states to have uncalled House races. | Read More Return Of The RS Icon: The New Audi RS 4 Avant 2.9 TFSI engine offers substantially more power and efficiency Debut for high-performance Avant in China World debut of RS 4 Avant at the IAA 2017 NECKARSULM, Germany - September 13, 2017: Audi Sport GmbH celebrates the world debut of the new Audi RS 4 Avant (combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 8.8; combined CO2 emissions in g/km: 200-199*) at the IAA 2017. It combines high performance with tremendous everyday usability. Its 2.9 TFSI engine with 331 kW (450 hp) and 600 Nm of torque makes it the sporty vanguard of the A4 family. The standard quattro drive distributes the power of the V6 biturbo to all four wheels. The Audi RS 4 Avant is our RS icon with an incomparable history, commented Stephan Winkelmann, Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH. In common with all our RS models, it blends immense power output with superlative everyday utility. In China, the Audi RS 4 will provide fresh impetus for growth as the only high-performance Avant in its segment. Roof edge spoiler creates distinctive rear end When creating the fourth generation of the Audi RS 4 Avant, the designers took inspiration from many motorsport details of the Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO. Massive air inlets with typical RS honeycomb structure and the wide, flat Singleframe grille define the front end. The optional Matrix LED headlights display tinted bezels. Compared to the Audi A4 Avant, the wheel arches are 30 millimeters (1.2 in) wider and are given added emphasis by the quattro blisters. At the rear end, the RS-specific diffuser insert, the oval tailpipes of the RS exhaust system and the RS roof edge spoiler make for a distinctive look. The exterior color Nogaro blue, pearl effect available optionally from Audi exclusive recalls the first generation of the high-performance Avant from 1999. The new Audi RS 4 Avant travels on 19-inch forged aluminum wheels as standard; 20-inch wheels are available as an option. From 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 4.1 seconds, RS sport suspension and Audi drive select as standard The V6 biturbo develops 331 kW (450 hp) in the new Audi RS 4 Avant. Its peak torque of 600 Nm (442.5 lb-ft) - 170 Nm <(125.4 lb-ft) more than the previous model - is availablee across a broad engine speed range from 1,900 to 5,000 rpm. It is key to how the Audi RS 4 is able to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 4.1 seconds. The top speed is 250 km/h (155.3 mph). With the optional RS dynamic package, the top speed increases to 280 km/h (174.0 mph). The power of the 2.9 TFSI biturbo is supplied to the permanent all-wheel drive via a sportily configured eight-speed tiptronic with optimized gear changing. Audi also offers an optional rear sport differential. Average fuel consumption is 8.8 liters per 100 kilometers (26.7 US mpg) (199 grams of CO2 per kilometer [320.3 g/mi]). That is an efficiency gain of 17 percent over the previous model. The new Audi RS 4 Avant weighs 1,790 kilograms (3,946.3 lb) 80 kilograms (176.4 lb) less than previously. The standard-fit RS sport suspension sets the Audi RS 4 Avant another seven millimeters (0.3 in) lower than the A4 basic model with sport suspension. By way of equipment options, there are RS sport suspension plus with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC), ceramic brakes and RS-specific dynamic steering. Drivers can define their own individual personal driving experience using the standard dynamic handling system Audi drive select. Interior with sophisticated materials and digital racing-style cockpit The black interior underscores the sporty character of the Audi RS 4 Avant. The RS sport seats with optional honeycomb pattern, the flat-bottomed RS leather multifunction sport steering wheel, the shift gate and the illuminated door sill trims are all adorned with the RS emblem. In the Audi virtual cockpit and head-up display, RS-specific displays indicate the g-forces, tire pressures and torque. The styling packages gloss black, carbon with aluminum attachments and carbon with black attachments provide further scope for customization. The Audi exclusive program covers just about any other special request. The Audi RS 4 Avant can be ordered from the fall onward, before arriving at dealers in Germany and other European countries from the start of 2018. The basic price will be EUR 79,800. STREET SURVIVAL; Teen Driver Safety Coming to Joliet TIRE RACK; STREET SURVIVAL; teen driver safety is coming to Joliet to stop the #1 killer of teens! WHERE: Route 66 Raceway, W Schweitzer Rd, Elwood, IL 60421 WHAT: Tire Rack Street Survival; Teen Driving School WHEN: Sunday, October 15th, 2017; 9:00am - 4:00pm HOST: Chicago Region SCCA - DETAILS Car crashes are the leading killer of American teens from ages 15 a 20, with more than 5,000 teens involved in a fatal crash each year and an additional 196,000 injured. Simple driving errors, avoidable but common among inexperienced teens, cause the majority of fatal accidents. Tire Rack Street SurvivalA is a 501c3 organization and is the largest active non-profit national driver education program that teaches teens the skills they need to stay alive behind the wheel. Unlike traditional driveras education programs based on classroom theory and simple maneuvers, the Tire Rack Street SurvivalA program improves driver competence through hands-on experiences in real-world driving situations.Students will receive a valuable classroom session and then will learn, hands-on, how to manage everyday driving hazards, obstacles and challenges in a controlled environment on an advanced driving course to ultimately aarrive alive.a Students learn emergency braking and skid control, how to control proper braking, and how to avoid accidents entirely. In select schools, in addition to spending time in the driveras seat of parked 18-wheeler to fully comprehend its massive blind spots, teenagers witness the violent detonation of an air bag, which reinforces proper hand placement on the steering wheel.Students are taught in their own cars, not specially prepared program vehicles, so the skills they learn can be directly translated to their daily driving experiences. Tire Rack Street SurvivalA challenges teenagers to understand how to control a vehicle, rather than just operate one.a Tire Rack Street SurvivalA is open to licensed and permitted drivers ages 15 a 21. Forms, schedules and more information can be found online at [http://www.streetsurvival.org]. The cost is $75 per student and some insurance companies offer premium discounts to graduates. The program is in its 15th year having trained over 20,000 new drivers. In 2016, over 100 schools were completed nationally. For the 8th year, Michelin North America is supporting the Street Survival program by providing funding for pavement rental for each school throughout the United States. That is no small task, given that this year the Tire Rack Street Survival schools plan to offer its training to teens all across the U.S. AUTO LAB TALK RADIO LIVE FROM NYC SATURDAY MORNING! 7-9 AM (SEPTEMBER 16 2017) Auto Lab Talk Radio The Auto Lab Radio Show LIVE every Saturday 7 to 9 AM On New York City's WNYM Radio AM 970 and Streamed Worldwide On The Auto Channel This Weeks Show Broadcast Date: SEPTEMBER 16, 2017 Car Question or Concern? Call Toll Free 888-692-7234 Auto Lab is a 28 year old interactive automotive-focused New York area radio call-in show hosted by Professor Harold Wolchok. Each week a cadre of experienced hands-on automotive experts are in-studio with advice for the New York area's 12 million people, providing listeners with honest, practical and street-smart car repair and buying advice. Auto Lab is also about the automotive industry, its history, and its culture, presenting the ideas and advice of leading college faculty, authors, and automotive practitioners in a relaxed, conversational interactive format. Listeners can hear the past 18 years of archived Auto Lab shows as simulcast on www.theautochannel.com. Listen - Auto Lab Page (Includes Audio-on-Demand Archives, Auto Programs at Community College Database, Guests Pictures This Weeks Show: SEPTEMBER 16, 2017 IN STUDIO: Auto Lab's Real World Experts Answer Your Questions; Discuss: Repairs, Second Opinions, Regular Maintenance, How To's, Safety, Used and New Car Buying, Ombudsmen Suggestions Harold Bendell - Major Auto Fred Bordoff - Bronx Community College Automotive Technology Department-CUNY Tim Cacace - Master Mechanix Auto Repairs David Goldsmith - Urban Classics Auto Repairs AAA NY Jerry Pastore-D & J Diagnostic Johanna Pastore-D & J Diagnostic Joanne Porcelli, Esq Michael Porcelli - Auto Mobile Services Nicholas Prague- MTA and Rockland Community College, SUNY Broadcast Date: SEPTEMBER 16, 2017 Auto Lab Correspondents Remote Interviews: Featuring Auto Safety News, New Car Reviews, Technology and Latest Auto World Information That Will Effect You! Robert Erskine, Senior European Correspondent, Suffolk England EV'S ARC THE GAP! Russ Rader, Vice President Insurance Institute for Highway Safety FOUR SMALL PICKUPS EARN TOP RATING IN IIHS SMALL OVERLAP FRONT TEST Robert Sinclair Jr.- AAA Northeast AAA REVEALS TRUE COST OF VEHICLE OWNERSHIP Dr. William Sharfman, Automotive Journalist and Consultant 2017 FORD FUSION SPORT Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/09/2017 (1887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. If the president of the Steinbach Regional Secondary School student council has his way, youth in Steinbach will have a voice not only at the school but in the community as a whole. Spencer Teetaert appeared before city council while they sat in committee on Tuesday to talk about the idea of creating a youth council to give input on local issues and municipal politics. A recent trip to Ottawa spurred the Grade 12 students vision, after he met with other youth from across the country some of whom are engaged in similar political efforts in their hometowns. GRANT BURR | THE CARILLON SRSS student council president Spencer Teetaert pitched a new political role for city youth on Tuesday night as he asked Steinbach city council to consider establishing a youth council in the city. It gives them a chance to dive into politics at a young age, he told councillors. Though the concept is uncommon in Manitoba, Teetaert noted that some other provinces have many youth councils in local municipalities. Wed be leading the pack here, he suggested. He said in practice councils can vary in size and said he believed 10 to 15 youth council members would be an optimal amount. Councils receive operating funding through their municipality which could, he said, be used at the youth councils discretion to organize events and activities. Fundraisers and other donations could add to the councils revenue stream. Teetaert said he envisioned the age of eligibility for council membership would range from age 14 to 24. Selections could be made through open applications and interview process, or through nominations and a vote. Councillor members praised Teetaert well-prepared presentation but werent signing off on the idea yet. Deputy mayor John Fehr, who chaired the meeting, said council would review Teetaerts request during their upcoming study session. Anthony Weiner. Photo: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images On Wednesday night, attorneys for Anthony Weiner asked a New York judge to spare the former congressman from prison after he pleaded guilty to sexting an underage girl. In a memo to the court, Weiners lawyers argued that he has made remarkable progress over the past year and revealed just how extensive his sexting roster was during his marriage to longtime Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin. Just before the presidential election, former FBI director James Comey announced the bureau was investigating new emails from Hillary Clintons private email server that were uncovered during a probe into claims Weiner, 53, had been sexting with a 15-year-old girl. Weiner ended up pleading guilty in May to one charge of transferring obscene material to a minor and agreed to register as a sex offender. As the New York Times reports, prosecutors asked that Weiner serve 21 to 27 months in prison. Weiner first came under fire for lewd communications with women in 2011, after he accidentally tweeted an explicit picture of himself and resigned from Congress that June. In the years since, hes admitted to sexting with several women (including the aforementioned minor). However, the new memo provides even more insight into Weiners behavior. Per the Times: The lawyers said that from 2009 through September 2016, Mr. Weiner exchanged texts and messages online with hundreds of women of varying ages. Almost always these women came to him, and not all of the conversations were of a sexual nature, they added. On top of that, the memo states that Weiner exchanged more than 1,500 messages with just one middle-aged woman over the course of two months in early 2016, according to the Times. And in the first three months of 2016, he had explicit communications with at least 19 adult women. His attorneys argue in the memo that Weiner was diagnosed with mixed personality disorder, likely stemming from childhood emotional trauma, which resulted in sex addiction and other addictive behavior. They wrote that he underwent an intensive inpatient treatment and has been vigilant with his therapy ever since. A term of imprisonment would bring Anthonys indisputably successful treatment for the sickness underlying his crime to an immediate and complete halt, the memo reads. Weiner is set to be sentenced during a September 25 hearing. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and his wife, Louise Linton. Photo: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images Before his wife, Louise Linton, bragged about her #HermesScarf on Instagram, Treasury Secretary and Man of the People Steve Mnuchin reportedly requested the use of a government jet for the couples elaborate European honeymoon in Scotland, France, and Italy earlier this summer. According to ABC, the request provoked an inquiry by the Treasury Departments Office of the Inspector General. Sources told ABC the secretarys office submitted a written request for permission to use a U.S. Air Force jet which could cost around $25,000 per hour to operate but was turned down by Treasury Department officials. A spokesperson for the department claimed Mnuchin only requested the exorbitantly expensive jet for national security purposes. The Secretary is a member of the National Security Council and has responsibility for the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, the spokesman said. It is imperative that he have access to secure communications, and it is our practice to consider a wide range of options to ensure he has these capabilities during his travel, including the possible use of military aircraft. This is the second inquiry into Mnuchins use of government aircrafts. The Treasury Departments Inspector General is already reviewing the secretarys use of a government jet to travel to Kentucky during the solar eclipse in August the same plane Linton posted a picture of herself exiting on Instagram, with the caption, Great #daytrip to #Kentucky! #nicest #people #countryside #rolandmouret pants, #tomford sunnies, #hermesscarf #valentinorockstudheels #valentino #usa. Ted Cruz. Photo: Pool/Getty Images It is with great displeasure that I share with you a piece of information that may or may not decimate your sex drive in the foreseeable future: Ted Cruz is fine with people buying sex toys. In a painfully awkward interview with CNNs Dana Bash on Wednesday, the Texas senator addressed the porn post his official Twitter account liked on Monday, before the conversation turned toward sex toys. After establishing that the porn like had indeed been an accident, and that the senators staff had identified the fella behind the incident, Bash asked: Do you appreciate the irony that you once defended a Texas law banning sales of sex toys? Cruz vehemently denied the allegation, and explained that he had simply been doing his job as solicitor general to uphold the laws passed by the state legislature: One of those laws was a law restricting the sale of sex toys, a stupid law. Listen, I am one of the most libertarian members of the Senate. I think it is idiotic, but, it is an opportunity for knuckleheads in the media to claim, oh, isnt this ironic that Cruz wants to ban these things? No, I dont. People ought to be able to do what they want in their own bedrooms. I cant believe Im going to ask you this, Bash followed up, but youre officially saying Ted Cruz is okay with people buying sex toys? I am saying consenting adults should be able to do whatever they want in their bedrooms, Cruz answered. The media and the left seem obsessed with sex. Let people do what they want! Given his record on LGBTQ rights, however, Cruzs freewheeling, sex-toy-positive attitude only seems to extend as far as the bedroom door. The senator has called same-sex marriage fundamentally illegitimate, lawless, and unconstitutional, and has been a vocal opponent of transgender rights. Read a transcript of the whole cringey interaction below, and the next time you reach for a sex toy, remember: Ted Cruz approves. Farm operations can expect to pay more for gas and diesel fuel than last winter. Thats the expectation of Jeff Bunker, director of refined fuel for Allied Cooperative. He anticipates fuel costs to be 10 to 20 percent higher this winter. Prices spiked late last month after Hurricane Harvey damaged oil refineries in the Houston area. Bunker said some of that capacity is coming back on line, which will help in the short term, but he doesnt anticipate prices returning to pre-Harvey levels. Well have a correction on that, but prices probably wont be that different next spring from where they are now, Bunker said. A lot of it has to do with factors we cant control. In the long term, pricing has to do with supply and demand. Bunker estimates 25 to 30 percent of Allied customers purchase long-term fuel contracts. Its not a guarantee of saving money, but it does lock in a price, Bunker said. Gas and diesel arent the only energy issues. Bill Halfman, Monroe County UW-Extension agent, said corn producers are concerned about LP and natural gas costs. With the corn running behind normal for maturity, there will be a need for additional drying later this fall, Halfman said. Tom Lochner, Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association executive director, said most cranberry growers are in a good shape in terms of price and supply. Growers normally pre-buy their fuel, Lochner said. They have a relationship with their fuel suppliers, and they get it for a fixed price. Halfman said energy is a major component of farming. For dairy operations, he said energy costs are $130 per cow, per year. Last-minute changes to the state budget would strip local governments in Wisconsin of the right to regulate quarries, and some fear the proposals could be expanded to take away town and county control over the frac sand mines that dot the western part of the state. The Legislatures budget-writing committee last week approved a package of changes to the spending plan. In addition to stipulations on transportation funding and policy issues, the 18-page memo includes five pages of language devoted to the regulation of quarries that supply sand and gravel for construction. Among other things, it prohibits counties and municipalities from regulating blasting, hours of operation, and noise, air and water quality. It would also limit the reach of local zoning laws. The amendment threatens 100 years of tradition of local control letting local people make land use decisions, said Timothy Zeglin, vice chairman of the Trempealeau County Board. Fellow supervisor Jeanne Nutter said without control local officials cant be accountable to their constituents. Who are they going to call? she said. If theres a problem. Are they going to call Madison? The DNR? Madison isnt always going to know whats going on in Trempealeau County. Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, a La Crosse Democrat who represents most of southern Monroe County, said in a written statement that the GOP amendment will further complicate relationships between quarry operators and residents in western Wisconsin. Rather than tying the hands of local officials, Shilling said, we should be empowering communities and residents to work directly with these companies to manage noise pollution, address transportation concerns and protect access to clean air, land and drinking water. Zeglin calls the amendment the thin end of the wedge and fears it could easily be expanded to include frac sand mines. All it would take is a one-word change and it would eliminate all local control, Zeglin said. State Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, an Alma Democrat who has previously introduced legislation to bolster regulation of the industry, worries Gov. Scott Walker could use his line-item veto to do just that. Its drafted in a way that if you remove 15 words in the definition of a quarry it could apply to sand mines, Vinehout said. This would dramatically expand what presumably the Legislature intended. Walker spokesman Tom Evenson said Tuesday he would refrain from commenting on potential vetoes/non-vetoes until the legislative process is concluded and the governor issues his veto message. In fact, the amendment included frac sand mining until two days before the Joint Finance Committee approved it by a 12-4 party line vote Tuesday, according to the Wisconsin Counties Association, which lobbied to narrow the prohibitions to aggregate mining. This bill is significantly more palatable now that frac sand is out of this, said Kyle Christianson, director of government affairs for the counties association. Christianson said WCA supports uniform statewide air and water quality regulations but believes counties should retain the ability to regulate other aspects of operation. He said his group would strongly oppose any use of a line-item veto on the language, which was agreed to by WCA and the Wisconsin Towns Association. The League of Wisconsin Municipalities, which represents cities and villages, was not included in negotiations and opposes the effort to limit local control. We dont like it, said associate director Curt Witynski. Wed prefer it to be taken out of the budget. Ironically, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the business lobbying group that pushed to exempt frac sand mining, opposes the amendment on the grounds it favors one industry over another. The fix that the Legislature put in there we think creates more harm than good, said Lucas Vebber, general counsel for WMC. Our objective is to ensure solutions work for everyone. Sen. Patrick Testin, of Stevens Point, said he supports the measure as written, saying over-regulation of quarries could drive up the price of road repair and construction. But Testin said he would oppose expanding the language based on discussions with local officials in Jackson and Monroe counties. If you open it to frac sand mines as well that would be a step too far, he said. Testin, a first-term Republican, said he intends to vote for the budget, which he said is not perfect but lays the groundwork for better decisions in the future on transportation. The Senate is scheduled to take up the budget bill today (Friday). Meanwhile, some object to the way the language was tacked onto the budget bill with little notice or debate. While the finance committee approved a plain English version, Shillings office had yet to see the statutory language as of Tuesday. This should be a stand-alone bill, Zeglin said. The amendment itself is not simply an amendment. It is a bill. It deserves full debate. This month, the Vernon County Board of Supervisors is considering a resolution in support of nonpartisan redistricting in Wisconsin. A resolution about fair maps-redistricting was to be considered at the Vernon County Legal Affairs Committee meeting Sept. 14. Fair Maps-redistricting resolution is also on the Board of Supervisors Sept. 19 agenda. Facing Forward Vernon, a local chapter of Our Wisconsin Revolution, organized a petition drive, and on Sept. 8, delivered 260 signatures of people who signed a petition in support of creating a nonpartisan procedure for the preparation of Wisconsin legislative and congressional redistricting maps to Vernon County Clerk Ron Hoff. Petitions are still being circulated, said Leslie Wegenern of Stoddard. The final push for signatures will be at the Vernon County Fair. Wegenern said a nonpartisan process legislation has been introduced in the last two or three sessions, but stalled out in committee. The Senate has not invited the public to see whether or not it is in support or not, she said. The petition lets the Board of Supervisors know we are is support of the resolution. Randy Skinner of Viroqua, who delivered the petitions Sept. 8, said its a nonpartisan issue that has support on both sides of the aisle. A new, nonpartisan model has already been introduced in Senate Bill 13 and Assembly 44, but has yet to be given a public hearing. Petitions were circulated at a variety of community events in the county. According to Wisconsin Democracy Campaign website, as of Aug. 24, 24 counties have passed Fair Maps resolutions. What's next for SD Gov. Kristi Noem as she heads into her second term? Her kin signal what Kristi Noem hopes to accomplish in her second term: strengthening South Dakota households through various efforts. It really is hard for women to break the glass ceiling . . . even at an organization whose mandate is to accomplish that very thing. For the second time in a row, Catalyst Canada, a non-profit organization that pushes for the advancement of women in the workplace, has appointed a man to chair its advisory board. The Canadian arm of the 55-year-old global institute promoting gender equity in the boardroom and the executive suite announced Thursday that CIBC chief executive Victor Dodig has replaced former chair Bill Downe, the Bank of Montreals CEO, who is retiring from the bank this year and was the Catalyst chairperson. Isnt that interesting? said Trish Hennessey, director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Ontario office, who has personally worked on the issue of income inequality for over a decade. That is kind of ironic. As an organization, you might want your leader to be a reflection of your stated mandate, she said. Its 2017 and the glass ceiling is a very real phenomenon in Canada. Jeannie Collins-Ardern, the new interim CEO of Women in Capital Markets, agreed that the optics arent the best. It would have been nice to set an example to have a woman chair the board this time around, since they had a man the last time, said Collins-Ardern. But she added that she has heard that Dodig is a very supportive individual of womens initiatives and hes done a lot of good for the community. Dodig was named the 2017 Catalyst Canada Honours Champion in recognition of his exceptional contributions to accelerating progress for women through workplace inclusion, says a release from Catalyst. He is a vocal advocate for gender diversity in the workplace and actively supports the advancement of talented women to executive roles and on boards, the release says. The groups Toronto-based executive director defended the move to name Dodig, who has been on the organizations board of directors for the last three years, as board chairman, saying hes a leader on the issue of gender diversity in the workplace. Tanya van Biesen said the decision was made after a very thoughtful process that included both male and female candidates for the position. This is a real reflection of what we believe: that its critical to engage men in the dialogue of gender balance . . . to eradicate this problem. This is not just a womens problem; its a societal problem, said van Biesen in an interview. Catalyst Canadas advisory board includes executives from top Canadian corporations, including McDonalds Canada, BCE Inc. and soup titan Campbell Company of Canada. We think he is a fantastic choice, van Biesen said. We dont have an issue with the optics at all. Hennessey questions the move, given that there is a vast pool of talented women who are extremely qualified to fill a position like that. If your mandate is to question hiring practices, you have to start at the top, said Hennessey. The website for the organization, which has its global headquarters on Wall St. in New York City, boasts that Catalyst is the most trusted resource for knowledge on gender, leadership, and inclusive leadership in the world. We (women) have to lead by example, noted Collins-Ardern, whose organization is the largest network of women in the Canadian financial industry. Of the 19 members of Catalyst Canadas advisory board, seven are women. About three per cent of Canadian-based public companies have women at the helm, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Of the 17 directors who sit on the board at CIBC, where Dodig is CEO, seven are women. Dodig was unavailable for comment Thursday, but said in a statement that he is excited to accelerate progress for women, improve gender balance in leadership roles and create more inclusive workplaces. Its by building truly inclusive organizations and harnessing everyones talent that we will strengthen the Canadian economy and enable our country to compete on the global stage, he added. SHARE: IQALUIT, NUNAVUTThe federal government has promised to contribute nearly $50 million to bring high-speed internet to Nunavut where some of the poorest and most expensive service in Canada has long been considered an economic drag. The money, together with $73 million from regional service provider Northwestel, will put satellite dishes and ground stations in all 25 Nunavut communities, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains said Thursday in Iqaluit. Were moving from megabytes to gigabytes. Everyone from local users to federal committee members has long identified poor internet as a major barrier to northern development. Current internet speeds in Nunavut are, at best, about three megabytes per second enough to transmit just one medium-sized picture. Earlier this year, a report to then-Indigenous and northern affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett found internet access to be a greater concern among northerners than environmental conservation. The drag poor internet access has had on Arctic development has been pointed out in studies dating back to 2011. Mining companies have had to courier documents to northern regulators because internet connections couldnt handle the file sizes. An Iqaluit band that recorded a music video to accompany its latest release found it couldnt be uploaded. The new satellite dishes are expected to provide speeds of between five and 15 megabytes per second. Broadband capacity is expected to increase by 20 times. The dishes will be built over a three-year period, said Northwestel vice-president Curtis Shaw. The first communities are to be hooked up by early next year. All satellites will be open access for other providers, he said. The new dishes are expected to open a broad range of possibilities for northerners, said Shaw. You think about a school having video-conferencing in the school, having distance education, a field trip to a museum. From a health-care standpoint, you can now start sending results and use the internet for diagnostic tools. For an elder, it could mean not travelling out of the community for service. Shaw said costs are also expected to come down. Were expecting costs will drop to the end user. Actual Arctic internet users were dubious about Thursdays announcement. Several pointed out on Twitter that five megabytes per second is still slow. Thats the CRTCs minimum requirement from about six years ago, tweeted someone under the name of Ryan Oliver. Another said that by the time the satellite dishes are in place, increased demand will eat up any gains in speed. Satellite is pointless, tweeted someone under the name of Kyle Sheppard. Bains said the government remains committed to a fibre-optic link for northern communities. We continue to look at that option and other options as well. We felt this was an important step in the short term to be able to use new satellite technology to provided that backbone infrastructure. Bains said the project fulfils a government promise. Its about equality of opportunity. We want people to have the tools they need to succeed. Many northerners are heavy internet users. Social media such as Facebook helps connect with relatives and friends in distant communities where travel is expensive. Such services are also widely used to trade items such as country foods. Read more about: SHARE: Your passcode can be hacked, but your face is yours and yours alone. Thats the thinking behind Apples latest security measure, which is more high-tech and a bit more intimate than anything else on the market. With Face ID, which Apple unveiled Tuesday, owners of the companys new top-of-the-line iPhone X will be able to unlock their phone, pay for products and use mobile apps just by glancing at their device. Nothing has ever been simpler, more natural and effortless, Phil Schiller, senior vice-president of worldwide marketing, said during Apples first product launch at its new headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. Face ID is the future of how we unlock our smartphones and protect our sensitive information. Though still a novel concept for many Americans, biometric technology which includes face, fingerprint, iris and retina recognition identification systems has been a hotbed of research this decade. With Apples backing, the field just got its most high-profile boost yet and could soon become the industry standard, even if many consumers arent quite comfortable with the concept. Technologists tout a futuristic experience that is more secure than entering a passcode. They predict the technology could one day be used to unlock cars, withdraw money from ATMs or enter connected homes. You can share your password. You can share your car keys. But you cant share your biometrics, said George Avetisov, chief executive of biometric security firm HYPR Corp. With Touch ID, Apples fingerprint technology, the chance that a random person could unlock your phone with his or her fingerprint is 1 in 50,000, Apple said; with Face ID, its 1 in 1 million. Both systems store biometric data locally on the device rather than on a centralized server that could be targeted by hackers. That makes biometrics attractive from a privacy and security standpoint, Avetisov said. Revenue for the biometrics scan software industry is projected to reach $5.5 billion (U.S.) this year, with estimated growth of 5.2 per cent annually for the next five years, according to a May report from IBISWorld. The market research firm noted prolific expansion since 2012 and named biometrics one of the nations five top performing niche industries. Facial recognition technology has slowly crept into everyday life, most notably with personal photos. Upload a picture to Facebook and the social media giant suggests friends to tag. Google and Apple can automatically identify faces in photos, making it easier for users to search their photos for a specific friend or relative. But Face ID takes facial recognition a step further. It works by relying on an advanced suite of tech including an infrared camera, flood illuminator, front camera, dot projector, proximity sensor and ambient light sensor packed into the front of the new iPhone X, which starts at $999. To set it up, hold your iPhone X in front of your face and move your head around slowly. That becomes the stored version on your phone. To use it, glance at the front-facing camera. The dot projector beams out more than 30,000 invisible infrared dots and the infrared camera captures an image. Apple's latest Watch has built-in cellular service and will retail for $399. The phone number on your watch will be the same as your iPhone. (The Associated Press) Apple uses the infrared image and dot pattern and pushes them through neural networks a kind of machine learning model to create a mathematical model of your face and then checks that model against the stored image captured during the setup phase. Once it detects a match, the phone unlocks; Face ID will also work with Apple Pay and third-party apps. Face ID is sophisticated enough to work in the dark and to learn your face under different circumstances so go ahead and wear those funky glasses or grow that hipster beard. Schiller said Apple also worked hard to ensure the technology cant be easily spoofed. Photographs wont fool it and Apple even worked with professional mask makers and makeup artists in Hollywood to protect against attempts to beat Face ID, he said. The tech also requires user attention your eyes have to be open and you cant be looking away (meaning theres little risk of intrusion while you sleep). Identical twins may trip up the system, but for them and anyone else averse to using their faces, the iPhone X can still be unlocked using an old-fashioned passcode. Although Apple said Face ID will provide users with more security, the technology also raises questions about unauthorized uses, particularly by law enforcement. Last year, federal officials dropped their legal fight against Apple after figuring out a way to unlock the iPhone used by an assailant in the 2015 San Bernardino terrorist attack. Apple had refused to comply with agencies request to engineer a way around the iPhones security measures, saying that doing so would set a dangerous precedent. Ultimately, FBI technology experts were aided by an outside group, which provided a backdoor technique to extract information from the phone. That left a vexing debate over a users privacy versus collective security unresolved. With Face ID set up, it is plausible that law enforcement could use a suspects face to unlock his or her iPhone, said Patrick Moorhead, principal analyst at Moor Insights and Strategy. Fatemeh Khatibloo, an analyst with Forrester Research, said authorities in the U.S. cannot compel you to provide your PIN or passcode. Faces, on the other hand, are public, so Face ID is functionally less private from a legal perspective, she said. Apple did not respond to a call for comment on the matter; the FBI referred an inquiry to the Department of Justice, which said it did not have an immediate comment. Many big tech companies have invested in facial technology in recent years. Facebook last year acquired FacioMetrics, which let smartphones analyze facial images in real time, and, in 2015, Snapchat bought Looksery, a startup that applied filters to users faces. Apple reportedly acquired two companies that were developing facial recognition technology: Israeli startup RealFace and San Diego startup Emotient, which uses artificial intelligence to read facial expressions and emotions. According to Crunchbase, RealFace was acquired this year and Emotient was bought in January 2016. Despite major investments in the biometrics field, shoppers outside a Los Angeles Apple store on Tuesday afternoon overwhelmingly said they were squeamish about the idea of facial recognition. It feels like privacy is getting scarce, said Byron Miranda, an audio visuals integrator from Los Angeles who was shopping with his family. There comes a point where you go too far. I dont want my phone recognizing me that way. Shopper Mike Strong, a 29-year-old who serves in the Navy, simply called it creepy. But just as users were quick to come around on Touch ID, the same is likely to happen with Face ID. Time and again, Apple has pushed through innovations and made them widespread while turning others obsolete. Think about what iPods did to compact discs and what the iPhone did to the BlackBerry. As Steve Jobs famously said, A lot of times, people dont know what they want until you show it to them. Read more about: SHARE: In a hotel which, until a few weeks ago, carried the name of the 45th president of the United States, I went to a party for a flick about the most famous whistleblower to ever take down a prez. Of all the many halls-of-mirrors that the film fest in Toronto can present, it was probably right up there. And not just that, but at this tiny do for Mark Felt a biopic about Deep Throat during the Watergate Scandal the first person I ran smack into was Tony Goldwyn, who, until recently, was a tele-commander-in-chief on TVs operatic Scandal. Turns out hes in Mark Felt, too playing the co-director of the FBI. Its true: the guy just cant get enough of D.C.! Catching up with him on the 31st floor of the tower on Adelaide that took down the letters T-R-U-M-P in dramatic fashion this past summer (while it waits to be turned into a St. Regis), Goldwyn told me how both of his projects were summarily affected by the election of The Donald last November. With Scandal, the writers needed to rewrite a whole arc about The Russians for fear of it being too close to reality. And then theres this movie, at TIFF, with its obvious echoes of a president facing a special prosecutor, and the whole ongoing drama with James Comey. Bob Woodward is in this movie, Goldwyn told me, filling me in on the key characters of Watergate. Carl Bernstein is not. Bonding further over our political junkie-ism, the dashing actor whos an actual heir of Sam Goldwyn, one of the founders of Hollywood, and may be best known to some audiences for his turn in the 80s classic, Ghost talked to me about an article in New York magazine by on-it columnist Frank Rich, in which Rich methodically rewound back to those days of Watergate. It took two years, Goldwyn reminded of that earlier White House tempest nearly two years from the first article written about the alleged Watergate incident to president Richard Nixons eventual resignation. We let that hang. Soon enough, the party, hosted by KPMG, was filling up with other cast from Mark Felt The Man Who Brought Down the White House, Josh Lucas and the beautiful Diane Lane among them. And, of course, the extra-tall, extra-Irish Liam Neeson. Having announced, in T.O. that hes probably done with action-hero parts and is ready to rededicate himself to dramatic roles Guys, Im sixty-f---ing-five! he said he stars as the eponymous whistleblower in this latest TIFF offering. Party watch Diane Kruger looking hubba-hubba in a silver Prabal Gurung gown stopped by Luckee, on Wellington, before darting to her TIFF entry, In the Fade. Angelina Jolie greeting well-wishers at The Chase restaurant at a Netflix-hosted reception for her directorial effort, First They Killed My Father. Drake at Sotto Sotto with actress Bria Vinaite the Lithuanian-born sexpot starring in one of TIFFs best surprises, The Florida Project. Shopping in his closet: here for his screwy new one, Downsizing, which he celebrated at Soho House, Alexander Payne let it be known that he was wearing the very same suit hed donned to the TIFF premiere of his classic Sideways 13 whole years ago. I had to let the pants out a little, admitted the director. Javier Bardem joining the parade (and parade) of stars whove partied at RBC House this week, on Duncan following his premiere of Loving Pablo. In Toronto this week, Kate Winslet went on CTVs etalk about how much she loves Canada and our PM in particular: I am obsessed with Justin Trudeau . . . and his mother (Margaret), who Ive now met. What is The Rock?: Judi Dench to a reporter at USA Today, when the subject of a certain massive action hero came up in convo this week. (God bless Judi Dench.) Mary J. Blige, and the rest of the Mudbound cast, carrying on their TIFF-lebration at Weslodge, on King West. Warren Beatty accompanying his lady, Annette Bening to the premiere of her new latest, Film Stars Dont Die in Liverpool where he even got his own standing ovation at Roy Thomson Hall! SHARE: What comes after Lock her up? If youre Hillary Clinton, apparently its Shut her up! Clinton, defeated by Donald Trump in the turbulent American presidential election 10 months ago, is in the spotlight again with her just released 400-plus page opus What Happened. While shes being interviewed everywhere, has a blockbuster tour underway and her book is already a bestseller, many Democrats and Republicans fervently wish Clinton would just go away. To the Democrats, their former presidential candidate is a painful symbol of a shocking and inexcusable failure to stop Donald Trump from becoming one of, if not the, most unfit presidents in U.S. history. To many Republicans, shes a grim reminder that they not only may have made a fatal error in electing a demagogue with chaotic leadership skills, bigoted tendencies and no known political loyalties, but one who may not have even won fair and square. A Russian politician recently stated that his countrys intelligence stole the president of the United States. Of course Republicans still love to hate Clinton with a white hot vengeance. Too bad for them theres not much to hate in her book. To the surprise of many, its pretty good. What Happened is warm, funny, smart and surprisingly forthcoming in assessing her own faults as well as other reasons why, in Clintons words, I couldnt get the job done. Read more: Martin Shkrelis bail revoked after his $5K offer for a strand of Hillary Clintons hair Hillary Clinton says shes done with being a candidate but not done with politics Wrestlings new villain has Hillary Clintons face on his shirt. He calls himself Progressive Liberal Its also a historic document: Clinton, 69, made history as the first woman candidate to be at the top of a presidential ticket. She won the popular vote by three million and she battled fierce headwinds alleged Russian involvement, FBI interference and misogyny. I, for one, want to know what it really felt like to be that woman in the eye of that storm. A woman who when she announced her candidacy, in front of a jubilant crowd at Roosevelt Island, thought, This is really happening. I am going to run for president and I am going to win. A woman who went from pollster shoo-in to lying numbly on a bed on election night as the dismal results rolled in: I blamed myself. My worst fears about my limitations as a candidate had come true. Clinton describes her story as exhilarating, joyful, humbling, infuriating and just plain baffling. As much as she tried to project a normal person vibe, Clinton was never like you or me. The former first lady, New York senator and secretary of state cant remember the last time she ever needed to make an emergency run for a quart of milk. And yet Clinton is very much like women of her era: growing up on the cusp of a feminist revolution. I wish I had claimed it more publicly and told it more proudly, she writes. So do we. Hillary Clinton was welcomed with applause at a Barnes and Noble store in Manhattan Tuesday where she signed copies of her new book 'What Happened'. (The Associated Press) Clinton was born right when everything was changing for women. Families, jobs and laws were all changing. Every thing I am, everything Ive done, so much of what I stand for flows from that happy accident of fate. Not only did it lead Clinton to her historic run at the presidency, but it forced her to confront how unfinished this revolution is. Some of the double standards women face Clinton describes in a lighthearted manner: Ive never gotten used to how much effort it takes just to be a woman in the public eye. She calculates how many hours I spent having my hair and makeup done during the campaign. It came to about 600 hours, or twenty-five days! I was so shocked, I checked the math twice. But she also offers a darker Exhibit A that misogyny played a role in the election: The flagrantly sexist candidate won. She makes a distinction between run-of-the-mill sexism, which many people have occasionally succumbed to, and misogyny which is rage. Disgust. Hatred. She was taken aback by the flood of hatred, that only seemed to grow as she neared the finish. Why was she the unlikeable one? Clinton echoes Sheryl Sandberg author of Lean In, arguing that as men become more successful they become more likeable, whereas for women its the opposite. One man in Trumps cabinet publicly called her the anti-Christ and then, in a weaselly moment during Trumps inauguration, meekly made sure his wife got to meet her. Clinton describes the unbelievably cruel trolling of women in public life. The minute a woman steps onto centre stage it begins: the analysis of her face, her body, her voice, her demeanour, the diminishment of her stature, her ideas, her accomplishments, her integrity. Contrary to what critics are saying, while Clinton doesnt hold back, she doesnt whine. She is now less guarded and more human, bravely extolling her love for her husband despite their very public marital troubles. I love him with my whole heart. Their marriage, she states crisply, is no arrangement. And she describes a private life that many women recognize a great relationship with her daughter, enchanted by grandchildren, buoyed by her women friends. Its just that on top of that, she thought shed make a damn good president. Her defeat devastated her. She admits: at every step I felt I had let people down. Most critics wont ever be satisfied that Clinton has taken enough responsibility for her disastrous defeat. And theres no question that new blood is needed in a party that is still in deep recovery. Clinton calls for a new revolution one of love, kindness and radical empathy. I wonder where that will take her. She didnt get the thing she most wanted. To cope, she did yoga and alternate nostril breathing and because shes Hillary Clinton, she gives you instructions on how to do so. She practises the discipline of gratitude. Belatedly and sadly What Happened reveals an all too human female leader who is nowhere near as unlikeable as the man who vanquished her. Judith Timson writes weekly about cultural, social and political issues. You can reach her at judith.timson@sympatico.ca and follow her on Twitter @judithtimson Read more about: SHARE: NDP leadership candidate Guy Caron says if elected prime minister he would approve pipeline projects only after the National Energy Board is reformed and First Nations whose lands were involved gave their consent. Pipeline politics is one of the first issues the new leader of the NDP will have to confront next month, and its a tense one. Two NDP premiers, Rachel Notley of Alberta and John Horgan of B.C., stand opposed to one another over it. But Caron told the Stars editorial board Wednesday hes no stranger to a challenge. I was the least known candidate in the race, Caron said of the beginning of his campaign. My goal was to be a competitor, and Id say Im exactly where I wanted to be. Caron believes that for the party to climb out of its third-place position in Parliament, it needs to win back the seats it gained in Quebec with the 2011 orange wave led by the late Jack Layton. That, for me, is unavoidable, said Caron, the only leadership candidate from Quebec. He argued hes the only leadership candidate who understands Quebec politics and believes he is bringing forward a plan to move the party in a different direction after learning from previous NDP strategies that failed to garner enough support to gain power. While NDP platforms typically focus on implementing universal programs such as pharmacare and daycare, theyre conspicuously absent from Carons platform, which focuses instead on tax reform and basic income. He called universal programs a priority but said he wanted to build his platform around actionable items for the first NDP budget, rather than programs that depend on lengthy negotiations with the provinces. Caron said if he became prime minister he would bring provinces together to discuss best practices on these issues Quebec, for example, has a universal daycare program in place. Meanwhile, he said hes bringing bold ideas about tax reform and social safety nets to the table. He said the tax reforms he proposes would bring in $31 billion in additional federal revenues, an amount he admits is ambitious, especially given the backlash the Liberals are getting for their more modest tax proposals. But Caron said hell be able to sell his plan to Canadians because its all about merit. He plans to amp up taxes on what he calls unproductive capital such as income from investments and a wealth tax while bringing more Canadians into the lowest tax bracket for labour income. I dont want to make everybody equal, but I want to use the tax system to level the playing field, Caron said. Thats also what Caron hopes to accomplish with his basic income proposal a unique component of his platform that has also garnered the most opposition from opponents. The term basic income covers a range of policies that involve the government making guaranteed payments to some, or all, of its constituents. Caron called Canadas guaranteed income supplement and child-care benefit forms of basic income already in place. The ideas detractors on the left, fellow candidate Niki Ashton for one, fear its implementation will pave the way for the dismantling of traditional social supports, including welfare and universal programs. Caron insists he wont allow that to happen. Hes proposing that anyone living below the low-income cut-off in their region including students, Indigenous people and veterans receive basic income payments in conjunction with existing social programs. It wont work if provinces are using it to off-load their expenditures, he said, adding he would end the program in provinces that used a federal basic income program in this way. He cited a Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives estimate that his proposal would cost $30 billion to $35 billion. In the long run, he believes the price tag will be worth it. When you eliminate the stress of the need to survive, he said, rates of crime, hospitalization and divorce can also be expected to drop. He said he knows his lofty plans will be met with opposition, but defended them as the right direction for a deflated NDP. When the NDP was the official Opposition under current leader Tom Mulcair it was widely viewed as a parliamentary success, he said. Caron insists that to get out of that rut the party needs both an ambitious plan and a leader who will unite Canadians including Quebecers. Read more about: SHARE: A former federal politician has lost his bid to have his convictions for electoral offences overturned. The Ontario Court of Appeal said Wednesday it is upholding Dean Del Mastros 2014 convictions on three violations of the Canada Elections Act. Del Mastro was former prime minister Stephen Harpers one-time point man on defending the Tories against allegations of electoral fraud. He was convicted of overspending, failing to report a personal contribution of $21,000 he made to his own campaign, and filing a false report during the 2008 election. Read more: MP Dean Del Mastro faces election-related charges Former MP Dean Del Mastro claims he never received services he paid $21,000 for He was sentenced to a month in jail, but has been free on bail since last year as the appeal process moved forward. Del Mastro has 60 days to decide whether to seek leave to bring his appeal before the Supreme Court. His lawyer did not respond to a request for comment. Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTONOntario might respond with its own protectionist measures if the U.S. implements the Buy American policies favoured by President Donald Trump, Premier Kathleen Wynne said Thursday. In an interview in Washington, Wynne said she had told Trump Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross an hour earlier that we will retaliate if necessary. We dont want to do that, but we will if we have to, Wynne said at the Canadian Embassy. There will be real damage done on both sides of the border if Buy America takes hold in any way across the country. And the expectation of our industry will be that we will act in accordance, and we will put in place similar barriers, she said. And thats what creates a trade war. And were not interested in that, weve managed to avoid that, we dont want to go there, but we are prepared to. Its what our businesses would expect of us. Buy American policies vary. In general terms, they require U.S. governments to use U.S. companies for government projects, shutting out companies from Canada and other countries. A similar barrier from the provincial government might limit certain Ontario projects to firms from Ontario or Canada. Wynnes Thursday remarks, after her half-hour meeting with Ross, were both her broadest and most direct trade retaliation threats to date. They came as Canadian, American and Mexican negotiators continued to try to hammer out a new North American Free Trade Agreement. Wynne, trailing in the polls to Patrick Browns Progressive Conservatives, faces a tough election in June 2018. At Queens Park, Brown said he was worried about the protectionist rhetoric in the United States. The goal is to have access to American markets. I hope that we dont get to the point that were in a trade war with our largest trading partner, Brown said in an interview. I know that the federal government is trying to ensure that we have open access to the borders and I know thats difficult with the latest push in the U.S. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said that while NAFTA needs to be renegotiated to help workers, she was worried about the risks of one-upmanship. People become hardened in their positions and we dont end up hammering out a deal thats going to work for everyone, Horwath said in an interview. I understand that (Wynne) might be put in a bit of a spot, but at the same time we all have to keep our powder dry. Trump has vowed to pursue a Buy American, Hire American agenda, and his negotiators are attempting to write Buy American policies into the new NAFTA. Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus Liberal government is resisting, saying one of its top NAFTA priorities is keeping government procurement open. Wynnes Liberal government has aggressively challenged Buy American proposals in New York and Texas. Ontarios lobbying, and threats, were widely credited for helping to defeat the New York proposal in April, though the state then approved a narrower measure. Like Trudeau, Wynne said she is trying to strengthen relationships with state-level leaders during the unpredictable Trump presidency. Dan Ujczo, an Ohio trade lawyer specializing in Canada-U.S. issues, said it is a terrible idea to threaten retaliation against state politicians who may support Buy American policies but are otherwise allied with Canada on NAFTA. This is not a time to be railing against governors and other state officials, Ujczo said, noting that Ontario itself maintains a variety of protectionist measures. Wynne, making her second trip to Washington in 2017, also met Thursday with three Republican senators: Iowas Chuck Grassley, Montanas Steve Daines and Maines Susan Collins. She delivered a lecture at Johns Hopkins University, saying there is just no question that free trade has been a net good for our people, according to her prepared remarks. Read more: Trudeau teams up with Canadian labour in push for NAFTA reforms The story of NAFTA, as told from a Canadian auto-parts plant in Mexico Everything you need to know about NAFTA END Read more about: SHARE: GJOA HAVEN, NUNAVUTA tiny dot of fuchsia bobs livid against the deep blue Arctic sea at a GPS point known only to selected researchers and the few local hunters who guard it. Anchored somewhere in Wilmot and Crampton Bay off Queen Maud Gulf, the buoy could not be more remote. Even the Inuit seem uncertain about what to call the islands mere rock-strewn smudges of sand that dot these waters. That is about to change. The buoy marks where, 10 metres down, Sir John Franklins flagship the Erebus rests on the bottom, heaving up and down in the undersea swells as if breathing. Its lonely moorage will soon be home to one of the largest and most complex archeological excavations Canada has ever mounted. Now, six archeologists camp out on a beach near the site. They dive from a small inflatable boat, subject to the vagaries of wind and wave. By this time next year, a dedicated research vessel big enough to sleep 14 will be moored here. Alongside will be a barge, loaded with everything from artifact-cleaning tables to a hyperbaric chamber for divers if they get into trouble. Vacuum dredges will suck sediment topside where workers will search it for anything from buttons to musket balls. A hydraulic crane will lift heavy items. Multibeam sonar will scan the site. Divers, wearing suits trailing air hoses and communication lines and warmed by hot water pumped from the surface, will spend hours combing the wreck. Read more: Louie Kamookak offers a theory for the whereabouts of John Franklins body Underwater camera gives first lengthy tour of HMS Erebus wreck HMS Terror, second ship from doomed Franklin Expedition, found in Terror Bay Ive never seen a case where shipwrecks have so much to contribute to a story, says Marc-Andre Bernier, head of Parks Canadas underwater archeology team. The Franklin Expedition is one of the great legends of Arctic exploration. The Erebus and its sister ship the Terror which lies in deeper water just to the north in King William Islands Terror Bay set out from England in 1845 with 129 men to search for the Northwest Passage. They never returned. A message found in 1859 by a search vessel said both ships were trapped in ice in late 1846 and remained so for about 18 months. It added that in April 1848, 105 survivors headed out on foot. None survived. More than 30 expeditions have since tried to find them. A few artifacts, graves and horrible tales of cannibalism is all they had to show. In 2008, Parks Canada joined the effort. Using a blend of Inuit oral history and systematic, high-tech surveys, the Erebus was found in 2014 to excited headlines around the world. Since then, Parks Canada has been working to understand whats down there and what light it could shed on a story that has become part of Canadian lore. The degree of preservation is astonishing, says Charles Dagneau, one of the archeologists. Typically, we deal with shipwrecks that are collapsed, split open, covered with sediment. This is a 3D structure so well preserved that you can actually see furniture in place. The helm remains in position. The latrines are still in place. The cooks galley is there, complete with stove. So is the steam engine, one of the earliest outfitted for a ship. The Erebus sailed with a 3,000-volume library, equipment to print a ships newspaper and materials to stage amateur theatricals. It held a Daguerreotype camera capturing, maybe, images from the voyage. The wreck is expected to offer compelling insight into the lives of both officers and rank-and-file seamen. There is, for example, a seamans chest, says Dagneau. They would sit on it, eat on it, but they would also store their personal belongings (in it). One of them is right next to the forward ladderway. Were going to look at excavating it and retrieving its content. Ice has crushed the deck atop Franklins cabin, but the contents should remain. Were hoping to find many things here personal artifacts that relate to individuals, but also records, documents saying what happened to the expedition after the abandonment of the vessel and why these vessels were abandoned and where they were abandoned. These will not be anonymous artifacts. The names of the ships crew are known. Government of Nunavut archeologist Doug Stenton has already developed a DNA database of 19 of them and the divers sense their presence. A belt plate has been linked to Daniel Bryant, sergeant of the Royal Marines. A boot has surfaced, well-made and decorated with seal fur. Traces of skin inside retain enough DNA to be identified. That artifact in particular was, for me, wonderful, Dagneau says. I felt like I was excavating the wardrobe of one of the officers on board. Where objects are found could also shed light on interactions with Inuit. A pile of unrelated objects found together may suggest hunters were scavenging useful items before the Erebus sank. A total of 64 artifacts, including the ships bell, have already been recovered. Many are now on display at the National Maritime Museum in London. Their ultimate fate is in dispute. As a warship, the Erebus and its contents remain the property of the Royal Navy. The United Kingdom, however, has granted Canada care and custody. Nunavut has its own claim, pointing to a clause in its land claim giving it ownership of archeological sites within its boundaries. The matter is under discussion by the Franklin Interim Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from Nunavut, Ottawa and the nearest communities. Governments used to take artifacts and simply tell the side of the story that they wanted to tell, says Parks Canada CEO Daniel Watson. This approach is to make sure that the Inuit, whove been part of this story for longer than those of us in southern Canada, are able to make sure that storys told. The stories around artifacts, what happens with the artifacts, thatll all be part of the conversations with the advisory committee. Meanwhile, the site is watched by four Inuit guardians who, from their camp beside the archeologists, are able to spot any intruders. The RCMP, Transport Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard also keep an eye out as does National Defence from satellite monitors. The likelihood of a large ship making its way to this area unobserved is small, Watson said. And its a long way out. Anybody who is coming in will have been observed. The system as a whole has a good sense of who is coming into this area and whos leaving the area. The study of the Erebus is just beginning. Its location much further south than it could possibly have drifted in sea ice has already raised questions of whether the ship was remanned after being abandoned. The real fun is about to begin, says archeologist and project manager Ryan Harris. The next step is targeted excavation, and thats the exciting bit for an archeologist. From beneath the icy waves, more than 170 years after the mystery was born, science and Inuit history are about to resurrect what may be the most well ever know about a story that poets, novelists and artists have already turned into myth. What excites me is the anthropology of these ships, the lives of these men as they went through what must have been a terrible couple of years, Harris says. In these two shipwrecks that preserve so much of the crews spaces inside, were afforded the opportunity to study the lives of these men in extremis as they stared over the precipice. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWACurrent U.S. policy directs the American military not to defend Canada if it is targeted in a ballistic missile attack, says the top Canadian officer at the North American Aerospace Defence Command. Were being told in Colorado Springs that the extant U.S. policy is not to defend Canada, said Lt.-Gen. Pierre St-Amand, deputy commander of Colorado-based Norad. That is the policy thats stated to us. So thats the fact that I can bring to the table. St-Amand delivered that revelation Thursday during an appearance before the House of Commons defence committee, which is studying the extent to which Canada is ready for an attack by North Korea. The study comes after several provocative nuclear and ballistic missile tests by North Korea, which have stoked fears Canada could end up in the middle of a confrontation between the U.S. and the so-called hermit kingdom. Read more: UN says North Korea exported $325M in violation of sanctions Egypt cuts military ties with North Korea, report says Those tests have also resurrected questions over whether Canada should join the U.S. ballistic missile defence shield, which it famously opted out of in 2005 following a divisive national debate. St-Amand said Canadian and U.S. military personnel at Norad headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., work side-by-side detecting potential airborne threats to North America. But Canada would have no role in deciding what to do if North Korea or any other country fired a missile at North America, he said. Canadian military personnel would instead be forced to sit on the sidelines and watch as U.S. officials decided how to act. The general did acknowledge that U.S. officials could ultimately decide to intervene if a missile was heading toward Canada, but that the decision would likely be made in the heat of the moment. St-Amands comments appeared to confirm the worst fears of many people who believe it is time for Canada to join the U.S. ballistic missile defence shield. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seemed to all but close the door on joining ballistic missile defence last month when he said Canadas position is not going to be changed any time soon. But that has not stopped various defence experts, retired military personnel and even some Liberal MPs from calling for Canada to embrace the missile shield to ensure the countrys protection. Earlier in the day, officials from Global Affairs Canada and National Defence warned the committee that it was likely only a matter of time before North Korea would be able to launch an attack on North America. But they also said that based on recent contacts with Pyongyang, the North Koreans do not see Canada as an enemy, but rather as a potential friend that has the ear of the U.S. Those contacts include a meeting between Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and her North Korean counterpart in August. There has been no direct threat to Canada, said Mark Gwozdecky, assistant deputy minister of international security at Global Affairs Canada. On the contrary, in recent contacts with the North Korean government ... the indications were that they perceived Canada as a peaceful and indeed a friendly country. Pyongyangs primary goal is self-preservation, the officials said, and it understands the consequences of a war with the United States or any other country. Yet the officials also said the risks of a miscalculation are high, and the Liberal government believes Canada has an important role in helping find a peaceful solution to the situation. That includes talks, but also trying to exert more pressure on the North Korean government either through diplomatic isolation or economic sanctions to give up its nuclear weapons. We must convince Pyongyang that it can achieve its goals through peaceful diplomatic means, said Mark Gwozdecky, assistant deputy minister of international security at Global Affairs Canada. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWAIts a sonic whodunit, with international ripples. Canadian and U.S. diplomats serving in Cuba have been afflicted by a weird sonic blast that has affected their health and put police agencies in both countries on the trail for the culprit. A conspiracy theorist could have a field day, said a former Canadian diplomat familiar with Cuba. This has been so strange and bizarre from the very beginning, he said, speaking on background because of the sensitivity of the issue. In March, Canadas Foreign Affairs Department began to hear reports about bizarre symptoms headaches, nosebleeds, dizziness, ringing in the ears affecting a number of its diplomats working in Havana. Canadian diplomats and family members were affected in the incidents, suggesting that residences may have been targeted as well as official embassy buildings. A Canadian government official, who spoke on background, declined to give to firm numbers on how many were affected but said, it was not a one-off. But he said Canadians involved in the incidents are in fine health now and there has not been a reoccurrence. Clearly, whatever happened affected the Americans more deeply, the official said. Its not clear whether it was some form of electronic surveillance gone awry or a deliberate attempt to target diplomats. Nor is it clear who is behind the attacks. Cubans? Russians trying to make mischief? Whats difficult to determine is what the cause was and then, who caused it . . . Anything is possible, the official said. However, he said the Cubans have been very eager to collaborate with the investigation since being alerted to the incidents. The RCMP is investigating, working in collaboration with the U.S., including the FBI, and Cuban officials. The Associated Press reported Thursday that 21 U.S. diplomats have been victims in the mystery attacks. And it reported that the attacks had a laser-like specificity seemingly able to target specific parts of a building. During the incidents, diplomats felt vibrations and heard noises like ringing, high-pitched chirping, grinding and sometimes nothing at all, The Associated Press said. Read more: Mystery deepens in Cuba over health attacks on U.S., Canadian diplomats Two more Americans were affected by health attacks in Cuba, Tillerson says At least one Canadian diplomat in Cuba also suffered hearing loss, Global Affairs says The union that represents U.S. diplomats said it has met with 10 personnel who have suffered health effects from what it called sonic harassment against the U.S. embassy in Havana. Diagnoses include mild traumatic brain injury and permanent hearing loss, and symptoms include loss of balance, severe headaches, cognitive disruption and brain swelling, the American Foreign Service Association said. The association called on Washington to ensure care for those affected and to work to ensure that these incidents cease and are not repeated. Its counterpart in Canada the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers offered no details on the incidents, saying only that it works closely with the Foreign Affairs Department to address this and other health and safety issues affecting diplomats working abroad. Contrary to earlier published reports, the Canadians did not suffer hearing loss. The Canadian diplomat said he suspects some sort of technical mistake in a surveillance operation is the blame rather than a deliberate campaign to target and harm diplomats. I think you had a surveillance operation that technologically went wrong, some sort of equipment malfunction, some mistake, he said. He said that surveillance is a fact of life for diplomats posted abroad. Lots of people engage in them. The Americans run massive signals intelligence operations around the world and spy on everybody. The Russians spy on everybody, the Chinese, the French, the Israelis, you name it, he said. And yes, even the Canadians, keeping tabs on the activities of some foreign diplomats in Ottawa, he said. If youre a foreign diplomat, especially in a place like Cuba, in your daily life you have to assume that there are surveillance activities, he said. They can be more or less intrusive, they can be more or less electronic, the former diplomat said. He said that it defies logic that the Cubans would deliberately target Canada, with whom they have long enjoyed warm relations, or Americans, at a time when President Donald Trump is re-evaluating the past administrations policy of warming ties with the Caribbean nation. He said the Cubans were always respectful of diplomatic personnel and property. There is no plausible motive to launch an aggressive campaign do to harm to foreign diplomats, he said. Last month, the U.S. State Department said American personnel in Cuba had suffered a variety of physical symptoms in incidents that date back to late 2016. Initially, when they started reporting what I will just call symptoms, it took time to figure out what it was, and this is still ongoing. So were monitoring it. We provide medical care and concern to those who believe that they have been affected by it, and we take this extremely seriously, spokesperson Heather Nauert told an August briefing. She admitted at the time of the briefing, that American officials were in the dark about the cause of the incidents. Were taking that situation seriously and its under investigation right now, she said. Yet, the U.S. government forced two Cuban diplomats to leave the embassy in Washington, apparently because two American diplomats were forced to return home from Havana. SHARE: Mississaugas affordable housing crisis has become an obsession for Councillor Carolyn Parrish. Shes trying to atone for past mistakes, she says, in this case her vote as a local MP more than two decades ago that helped download social housing from Ottawa to the provinces, and in Ontario almost immediately to municipalities. Parrish talked to the Star about a game-changing deal she just helped broker with a developer building a glitzy downtown condo project on City Centre Dr. that will be attached to units for families on the affordable housing wait list. The average wait, at more than six years, is among the longest in the province. The veteran politician talked about how she plans to change that. Q: Can you explain the deal you helped orchestrate with Daniels Corp., which was recently passed by both city and regional council? A: The reason the Daniels project is so amazing, a two-tower project right in the heart of the city with a four-storey podium that joins them with all the amenities the left tower is all going to be market (rate) condos, the right tower has been purchased by the Region of Peel, each unit for an average of less than $400,000. The region owns it. They excused the Daniels group $4.5 million in DCs (development charges) and the City of Mississauga is excusing $2.7 million in DCs. You cant not collect DCs (because of bylaw requirements) so Daniels pays them and we give them the money back in the form of grants. Q: And in return what does Daniels supply? A: Daniels will supply over 170 units, 60 per cent for rent-geared-to-income (families or couples with a combined income less than $100,000) and the other 40 per cent for families right off the housing wait list. Its an absolutely ideal situation. The transit (the citys soon-to-be-built LRT) loops into the city centre, right next to the towers. We have the other transit connections right there, GO Train, everything you would need. There will be one, two and three-bedroom units for whoever has been on the (affordable housing) wait list the longest. Q: You recently brought both motions forward to cement this deal, at regional council and at the city. How did you sell this? A: Housing is an issue for all of us. I am sick and tired of talking about (affordable housing) theories and never, ever actually implementing any of it. You need something big, you needed something symbolic. My favourite line at planning committee (and staff are fantastic, they have come up with many ideas) where you can have 40 ways to do this and everyone at the table wants to get to heaven but nobody wants to die. Nobody wants to put their hand up and say I give up DCs because then you have to figure out where youre going to get the money from. Q: How did you solve that? A: Well, myself and some staff said, do we want that property (part of a 23-acre parcel) at the heart of the city centre sitting (there) for decades when we can start collecting property taxes on hundreds and hundreds of units as soon as theyre ready. And (Mayor) Bonnie (Crombie) was totally onboard and has made housing one of her top priorities. And when (Councillor) Karen Ras, our de facto fiscal watchdog on council, looked at me and said, after I told her about my motion for giving $2.7 million for DCs, Its about time we put our money where our mouth is there wasnt any hesitation. I could have hugged Karen. I had almost given up. I was at that point. We can only say for so long that housing is important to our city, housing is important for the middle, housing is important for the families on the wait list, but every time we say, well, its going to cost you x number of dollars, and we go, no, no, no, no then put our heads down and mumble. No! It was a moment for me. It was crossing the Rubicon. Q: Why has Peel had such difficulty funding affordable housing? A: The more you can put in mixed-use housing, all generating property taxes, maybe subsidizing DCs or for the next project we (might) use a DC deferral strategy to incentivize builders, the more you do these sorts of things, the quicker we get away from the old model thats broken and doesnt work. Cities cant build and upkeep public housing stock. You cant build isolated housing in the far corners of cities away from jobs and public transit. We are better off as a city to do this, not just because were solving the affordable housing problem, but because its an economic model that works. And it works for the people who need it most. The waiting list has to come down. Some of the people have been on it for 15 years. Q: Is this mission a key part of the legacy you want for yourself? A: Yes. And its an apology to the world, to Ontario for being part of the Chretien government (as a Mississauga MP) that wasnt more careful when we downloaded social housing in the mid-90s to provinces because they said they wanted it closer to home so they could monitor it. There were alarm bells going off in my head why are we doing this? It worked out so bad in Ontario when the government here under (Premier) Mike Harris turned around and downloaded (public) housing onto the municipalities. The money that we in the federal government made available to cities for public housing, the problem was that in a place like Mississauga they knew if they took that money there would have been no way to maintain all of that housing stock. Look at the problems Toronto is in billions of dollars needed for upkeep. Now, its me turning around and trying to fix it. I think housing is a human right. Q: Is that attitude about public housing widely shared in Mississauga? A: When I got to council in 2006 people werent talking about it, it wasnt a priority, not even at the region. It started to be. When I pushed for a public housing development that was built in my ward people thought I was crazy. They said I would be finished because constituents would revolt. That didnt happen. Then Bonnie (Crombie) made it one of her platform issues (for the 2014 election). Bonnie, (Councillor George Carlson) and I were put on a housing committee that would meet down in Port Credit to look at what we could do. We met with experts planners, builders, developers, policy people, provincial staff. Attitudes and approaches were beginning to change. You cant take a nationwide problem and fix it in Mississauga, but we can take some steps here, with new approaches, and show the rest of the country what were doing. This interview has been edited for length. Read more about: SHARE: In its strategy of presenting a united front to beat out fierce competition for Amazons second North American headquarters, Toronto is partnering with three other municipalities and two mayors to put forward a single, regional bid. Three mayors Torontos John Tory, Mississaugas Bonnie Crombie and Bramptons Linda Jeffrey and chairpersons of the Durham, Halton and York regions have joined forces in the bid. The municipalities are part of Toronto Global, a new agency working to bolster efforts to attract foreign direct investment to the region. Amazon is the agencys first major project, and one that Mayor Tory believes is unparalleled in Canada when considering its possibility to generate tens of thousands of jobs, billions of dollars in investment and potentially massive spinoffs. Seattle-based Amazon announced its search for a home for Amazon HQ2 on Sept. 7. The tech giant is poised to invest more than $5 billion (U.S.) in construction and grow this second headquarters to include as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs. Its going to be a blockbuster bid because its going to have the region bidding, hopefully with some people who arent technically part of Toronto Global joining us, Tory said in an interview. Though Global Toronto was conceived to include the immediate GTA area at the time of its launch in February 2017, Tory said he hopes to partner with cities like Waterloo and Hamilton in this bid and for future projects. Tory said the timing of this agency was perfect for the Amazon bid, but creating a regional partnership to entice foreign investors is something he has been working on for years. It wasnt just about creating an organization, Tory said. It was about actually deciding that when we went forward to attract foreign direct investment, which this is, that we would do it as a region because we were stronger together. Tory referenced a Cities of Opportunity report by Price Waterhouse Cooper that showed the success of similar organizations in London, Chicago and Montreal. We are stronger when accentuating the business benefits of the entire region, said Mark Cohon, chair of the Toronto Global board of directors, in a statement to the Star. Diverse site selection, cultural diversity and quality of life across the region are factors that can leverage these opportunities, he said. Toronto isnt the only Canadian city vying to house Amazon online retail giants second home. Vancouver also signalled plans to bid, as well as other North American states and cities like Boston, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Detroit. Abdullah Snobar, executive director of Ryerson Universitys DMZ business incubator, believes having Amazon headquartered in the city would bring international exposure to Torontos tech community, but could absorb start-up talent. Its going to be a lot of work . . . to ensure that by bringing on a corporation, it does not mean that we lose the potential of building out an innovation nation of talented entrepreneurs and startups, he said. The organization has until Oct. 19 to submit its bid in the Olympics of foreign direct investment, as Tory calls it, with eyes on the gold. Were going to try to win, he said. With files from David Rider Read more about: SHARE: A Toronto factory that uses temporary workers to churn out millions of bagels and croissants for major grocery stores and fast-food chains has hired an independent auditor to review its use of temp agencies and its health and safety practices. Were committed to the well-being of everyone that comes into our facilities, all workers, said David Gelbloom, lawyer and human resources manager for Fiera Foods, an industrial bakery where a Star reporter went undercover as a temp worker earlier this year. Weve hired an independent, senior HR professional who is going to audit our HR, going to look at our procedures, health and safety, our workplace. Gelbloom said Thursday that Fiera Foods had also hired an independent auditing company to audit our use of temp agencies and to audit the agencies themselves. He refused to give the name of the HR professional or the auditing company conducting the internal reviews. Fieras announcement of the internal audit came the same day the company pleaded guilty to Ministry of Labour charges related to the death of 23-year-old temp agency worker Amina Diaby. Read more: I went undercover in a Toronto factory where a temp worker died. Heres what I found One year after this temp agency worker died at Fiera Foods, family is still searching for answers NDP slams Liberals on temp work The company was fined $300,000 under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, plus a 25-per-cent victim surcharge, following a joint submission with the Crown. (The surcharge does not go directly to the victims family, but is added to a general government fund to assist victims of crime.) The fine is double what the company paid in 2002 following the death of 17-year-old temp Ivan Golyashov. Diaby, a refugee from Guinea in West Africa, was working at Fieras Marmora St. factory Sept. 2, 2016, when her hijab became entangled in machinery, strangling her. She was hired through a temporary help agency and had been working at the plant for a little more than two weeks. Diabys husband, Sanunu Jabbi, cried quietly as the facts of the case were read out. What happened to Amina Diaby was a tragedy, Gelbloom told the Star outside court. She died at our facility and that shouldnt have happened. We take health and safety very seriously at our company. It is a top priority for us. We have to do better, and we will do better. Diaby was the third temp agency worker to die while working at Fiera Foods or one of its affiliated companies since 1999. Gelbloom said the company is going to do everything that we can to make sure something like that doesnt happen again. Crown attorney Shantanu Roy told court that Diaby was not wearing a lab coat at the time of her death, and that her hijab was not secured. It got stuck in a conveyor belt that was not adequately guarded and did not have an emergency stop button within reach. There were no witnesses to her death. Ashley Brown, the lawyer representing Fiera Foods at Thursdays hearing, said the company recognized the magnitude of the incident and had taken numerous measures to improve safety at the factory. Within the last two years the company has invested $500,000 in health and safety initiatives, she said, while they updated uniform regulations and improved training following Diabys death. I think its good because at least they will learn, said Alusine Jabbi, Diabys brother-in-law, after the sentencing. If it saves one persons life, its worth it. No representative of Fiera Foods has ever contacted Diabys family, according to her husband, Sanunu Jabbi. Eight months after Diabys death, the Star sent a reporter to work undercover at Fiera Foods for a month, as part of a yearlong investigation into the rise of temp work in Ontario. Our reporter, who was hired through a temp agency, received about five minutes of safety training, no hands-on instruction and was paid in cash at a payday lender without any documentation or deductions. Fiera Foods owners, Boris Serebryany and Alex Garber, have thus far refused interview requests from the Star. In response to the Stars investigation, some of the grocery stores that sell products made by Fiera Foods said they planned to meet with the company. Were troubled by what we read in the Toronto Star article, Sobeys spokesperson Maureen Hart wrote in an email. We have contacted Fiera and will meet with them as soon as possible to understand what corrective actions they are taking. A coalition of grocery retailers, meanwhile, told the Star they have a Supplier Code of Conduct, which includes not only health and safety but also employment standards, and they expect Fiera Foods to follow it. Our members expect all suppliers, including Fiera Foods, to adhere to all appropriate regulations and legal requirements governing their business, which includes ensuring food safety and a safe, healthy workplace for employees, wrote David Wilkes, spokesperson for the Retail Council of Canada, which provided a statement on behalf of Costco, Walmart, Metro and Loblaws. As a result of the guilty plea, the Crown withdrew charges against Diabys supervisor at the factory, as well as charges related to two other unrelated incidents that occurred at Fiera Foods in October 2015 and June 2016, when workers suffered critical arm injuries. Theres a lot of lessons to be learned out of Fiera Foods, Ontario Labour Minister Kevin Flynn said following Thursdays guilty plea. If companies think theres a shortcut, theyre fooling themselves. Theres a safe way to do the job, and theres a not-safe way to do the job. Thursday was the first court appearance on the charges related to Diabys death, and Roy, the Crown attorney, noted how extraordinary it was for the company to plead guilty so quickly. Very rarely do we have resolution on the very first day in court, he said. Toronto police are also still investigating Diabys death. To date, no charges have been laid. Diaby was assigned to work at Fiera Foods by OLA Staffing, a temporary help agency based in Woodbridge. The agency was not charged by the Ministry of Labour, but the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is still investigating the companys role in Diabys death. Geetha Thushyanthan, who runs the agency, has declined the Stars interview requests. SHARE: The NDP is proposing a stand-alone ministry to oversee services and supports for Ontarians in need of mental health help, saying the current system is failing them. A private members bill, to be debated Thursday, would create a ministry of mental health and addictions to better focus efforts and attention to the crisis, said NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, noting that currently, responsibility is spread among 11 ministries. It has become clear that the mental health care needs and the addiction needs of people in the province have not been taken care of, Horwath said at Queens Park. Too many people are falling through the cracks, too many people are in crisis, too many kids are waiting 18 months for treatment. There are 12,000 kids on waiting lists for long-term help with mental health issues. Its not acceptable, and the best way to put that focus in place is to have a separate ministry. The scattered system now in place has abjectly failed the people of Ontario, she added. Seven years ago, an all-party committee studying the issue made a number of recommendations, including a separate oversight body, but nothing has happened, said NDP Health Critic France Gelinas, who is putting forward Bill 149. Earlier this year, Gelinas was contacted by Guelph teen Noah Irvine, whose mother and father died as a result of their mental health issues. She said that rekindled the fire in my belly that I know that we dont talk about mental health and addictions in this house. It needs more attention, it needs more resources, it needs to be a focus, she said in an interview. It needs to be a priority and none of this is happening. Health Minister Eric Hoskins said he needs time to consider the bill and hear from those on the front-lines. I think any discussion or private members bill that is a positive, proactive, sincere way to address the issue of mental wellness and aspires to create a better system, thats a positive thing, he said at Queens Park. Last spring, childrens mental health advocates said emergency department visits had spiked among youth seeking mental health or substance abuse issues seeking help there because its not readily available in the community. Advocate Beth Nowosad attempted suicide as a teen, and she too ended up in hospital. The now 24-year-old said there are too many gaps in service and too-long wait-lists. The NDP government in British Columbia has recently created a separate ministry to deal with mental health and additions. Read more about: SHARE: Ontario is banning a new Big Pharma marketing scheme that uses electronic medical records to sell drugs. The prohibition comes after a Star investigation found Telus Health has been inserting electronic vouchers for brand name drugs into its popular medical record software (EMR) used by thousands of doctors across Canada. Ontario patients must have confidence that (prescribing) decisions are not influenced by marketing programs or electronic vouchers, Health Minister Dr. Eric Hoskins said in a statement. This practice is particularly concerning given its powerful influence on the brands of drugs that Ontarians receive, often without patients even being aware that this practice is happening. The electronic vouchers steer patients to brand name drugs over their less expensive generic equivalents, and have raised concerns that patients health records are being used to sell pricier drugs that can pile unnecessary costs onto private insurance plans. The voucher feature, found in medical record software owned by Telus Health and other companies, will be disabled over the coming weeks, said Hoskins. The minister said he is working on the prohibition in collaboration with OntarioMD, which oversees and certifies electronic medical record software. A Telus Health spokesperson said the company has always been careful to ensure that our EMRs comply with provincial policy as it evolves over time. The ministers directive to the industry is clear, and we are taking the necessary steps to implement the required changes. The Star had found that brand name drug companies paid Telus to digitally insert the vouchers so that the prescription is filled with their product instead of the lower-cost generic competitor that pharmacists normally reach for. The voucher works like a coupon: If a patients insurance does not cover the full cost of the pricier brand name drug, the drugs manufacturer will cover part or all of the cost difference from its generic equivalent. Doctors had to agree to the voucher feature in the Telus software before it was enabled on their systems, and physicians could opt out at any time. The Star found in some cases, doctors were unaware they had inadvertently enabled the feature. Thousands of doctors across Canada use electronic medical records to take notes during patient visits and to create a prescription to be filled by the patients pharmacy. Telus Health, a subsidiary of the telecom giant, is a dominant player in the electronic medical records field. Hamilton Dr. Monica De Benedetti applauded the ministers strong and important decision to prohibit electronic vouchers. Patient information should not be used for marketing purposes patients arent ways to make money, theyre people we care for and try to keep healthy, said De Benedetti, lead physician for the Hamilton Family Health team, a network of 165 physicians. She said some of the teams doctors were unaware the vouchers had been added to their medical record system following a 2016 software update nor were they aware that information about those vouchers was being shared with drug companies. Without the physicians being fully aware, they could not tell their patients about the program, De Benedetti said. The health team encouraged its members to turn off the voucher feature, and De Benedetti and others raised their concerns with Telus and OntarioMD, a subsidiary of the Ontario Medical Association that oversees the certification of electronic medical record software. Im very glad to hear this issue has been pushed forward not just for our patients but for all patients in Ontario, she said. Telus said drug manufacturers paying to have their vouchers in the EMR receive aggregated and anonymized, province-level statistics on the total number of vouchers printed off for their products, Telus said. No patient or physician information is shared, the company said. Paul Lepage, president of Telus Health, previously said, Protecting our customers privacy and safeguarding data is, and will always be, a cornerstone of our business. Telus Health said the voucher feature has been positively received by the majority of doctors using the software. The voucher is offered only after a physician chooses a drug by its brand name to prescribe so there is no influence on what drug the physician selects, a company spokesperson said. Meanwhile, the brand companies said the payment assistance vouchers are about giving the patient choice between brand and generic drugs without having to spend more money. Critics, however, say vouchers manipulate physicians prescribing practices, adding that many doctors use a drugs brand name when writing a prescription out of habit and arent necessarily instructing that a drug be dispensed over its generic. The vouchers also reinforce a false premise that generics are inferior in quality to the original brand name drugs, say doctors critical of the feature. Generics contain the same pharmaceutical ingredients and can cost as little as one-fifth of the brand price. To keep costs down, many drug plans encourage pharmacists to substitute a cheaper generic drug when filling a prescription for a brand drug, unless the prescribing doctor specifically requests otherwise. Without a voucher, even if a doctor uses the brand name on a prescription, pharmacists may substitute the cheaper generic. The voucher feature is offered in a number of electronic medical record systems, a Telus spokesperson said, adding that its software, which introduced vouchers in August 2016, follows ethical principles not necessarily present in other software. Telus has been a significant beneficiary of a provincial government-funded program that saw more than $340 million distributed to doctors to adopt electronic medical records in their practices. Roughly half of the doctors who received funding went with a Telus-owned EMR that now includes the voucher feature. At St. Michaels Hospital in Toronto, about 100 physicians and nurse practitioners in the family medicine unit use a Telus EMR to write prescriptions for their patients. All of them have opted out of the voucher feature. One of those doctors, Nav Persaud, said, Its good that this function has been banned because it wasnt actually helping people. It was an invasive and inappropriate marketing tool. SHARE: Ontarios move to curb foreign real estate buyers appears to be working, with a drop in the number of deals in the months after the province introduced a tax on non-residents. Slightly more than 3 per cent of real estate activity in Toronto and the Golden Horseshoe from May to August involved foreign buyers, new government statistics released Thursday show, down from 4.7 per cent the month after the tax was introduced. We put in those measures, and it shows that theyve been reduced, and it also shows that the market stability is there, Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa told reporters at Queens Park. The overall Toronto Region housing market has cooled significantly since the non-resident speculation tax was introduced, though experts agree that has more to do with the psychological impact of other new provincial policies including expanded rent controls and land for affordable housing. On its own, the tax does nothing to make homes more affordable. From May 27 to Aug. 18, approximately 3.2 per cent of 66,434 real estate transactions in the (Greater Golden Horseshoe) involved at least one foreign entity, says the government report. Out of the 35,264 transactions outside of the GGH, approximately 1.6 per cent involved at least one foreign entity. Overall, out of the 101,698 transactions in Ontario, approximately 2.6 per cent involved at least one foreign entity. Foreign buyer rates are higher in York Region, which topped the list of Ontario municipalities at 6.9 per cent of transactions from May to August, followed by the city of Toronto, where the rate was 5.6 per cent. In the month immediately after the new tax was introduced, some 4.7 per cent of those who purchased homes and condos in a wide swath stretching from Niagara through to Toronto, east to Peterborough and north to Barrie, were non-residents. However, that includes a number of previously negotiated deals that would have been grandfathered in and were unaffected by the new tax. There is no provincial data on the number of foreign buyers before the levy was introduced. While the Toronto Real Estate Board released its figure of 5 per cent of foreign investment into the regional market early this year, there was widespread skepticism among some who believed the level of overseas investment was much higher. But subsequent research, including some done by the Ontario government, has shown similar findings. Given that foreign students and those applying for landed immigrant status are exempt from the new tax, the levy only affects about 1.5 per cent of all real estate transactions, said Brad Henderson, CEO of Sothebys International Realty Canada. Its a fairly small piece, but politically it is large, he said. Thats because in global cities such as Toronto, where prices continue to escalate, people are looking for someone to blame. Foreign buyers have no voice and no vote. They can be taxed with impunity, said Henderson. York Region, where foreign investment was the highest in the province, has been particularly hard hit in the market slowdown since Ontario introduced its cooling measures last April. But because the government measures hit only investment buyers who have their choice of cities around the globe, the new tax is doing nothing to contribute to affordable housing here, Henderson added. The tax cant be blamed entirely for the slowdown in the Toronto region housing market, which is still digesting the Liberal governments 16-point Fair Housing Plan as well as tighter federal lending rules and two central bank rate hikes this summer, with speculation interest rates will continue to climb, said Henderson. Any of these individual pieces can have an effect on the market, he said. What we worry about is the confluence of factors. Theyre all intended to cool down the market. It could overshoot the target. The 15 per cent foreign-buyers tax is levied on businesses and buyers who arent citizens or permanent residents of Canada, and is similar to one in British Columbia thats been in place for more than a year. But Henderson thinks Ontario will follow Vancouver, which had to implement some of the exemptions Ontario built into its tax because the Vancouver tax was actually driving away buyers that the city wanted. A year after its new tax was introduced, Vancouver sales were up 22.3 per cent. A solid economy with strong GDP growth and high employment means both the Vancouver and Toronto housing markets will prevail, Henderson said. The Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA) praised the government for collecting data on foreign transactions but it urged Queens Park to address the supply side of the housing market. There is too much red tape on housing development that drives up the cost of new homes and limits inventory in the marketplace. Infrastructure investments should be targeted at housing ready land and we should allow greater intensification along rail and transportation corridors, the association said in a release. OREA also noted that foreign buyers represent a sliver of the property market and that the province should develop a target given that it frequently encourages off-shore investment. The government report also notes that outside of the Greater Golden Horseshoe, in the month after the tax was implemented from April 24 to May 26 1.5 per cent of transactions involved foreign buyers, rising slightly from May to August. While housing sales in Toronto area remain up year-over year, they have nevertheless declined month-to-month since the provinces new policies were ushered in. SHARE: Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown is being accused of bringing Trump-style politics to Ontario after refusing to apologize for his false claim about Premier Kathleen Wynne. Brown erroneously said the premier was on trial in the Sudbury byelection bribery case and she has threatened him with a defamation suit unless he retracts the statement. Yesterday was a sorry spectacle, Brown said Thursday, referring to Wynnes testifying as a Crown witness in a Sudbury courtroom where her former deputy chief of staff and a key Liberal activist are on trial for alleged Election Act violations. Regrettably, Kathleen Wynne compounded the problem by this threat of a lawsuit. Her baseless lawsuit will be ignored, said the PC leader, who refused to acknowledge he misspoke Tuesday when he said Ontario had a sitting premier sitting in trial and that Wynne stands trial in Sudbury. Deputy premier Deb Matthews said Brown appears to be copying U.S. President Donald Trumps politics of prevarication. There is a principle in Canada that you do not make defamatory, misleading comments about another political leader, said Matthews. In Canada, we actually expect people to be honest. There is, south of the border, a change in that culture. I do not want to see that change coming to Canada. Hes a lawyer he knows exactly what he did. He knows that he said something that was not true about the premier. In Washington, where she is meeting with U.S. officials to discuss NAFTA, Wynne said she hoped Brown would withdraw his comments before she has to proceed with a libel action. I have to say if there was a mistake that he made, I think it would be a good thing for him to step forward and say that, she said. The fact is that this whole issue has been put into the hands of the courts. And so it has become a legal issue. Her lawyer, Jack Siegel, said this conduct by Patrick Brown is extremely disappointing. As a matter of law, a full and fair retraction prevents a plaintiff from recovering punitive damages, said Siegel. Mr. Browns refusal to take that simple step therefore suggests that this was not an accident and that his remarks were deliberately made with the intention of harming the reputation of the premier. On Wednesday, he served Brown with a letter stating that he made a statement about the premier of Ontario that is false and defamatory. Contrary to your statement, Premier Wynne is not standing trial. Your statement is false and misleading and appears to have been made with the intention to harm the reputation of Ms. Wynne, wrote Siegel. As you should well know by now, especially in light of the notice letter sent to your colleague Bill Walker just last week, the premier is not subject to any charges and will not stand trial for anything, the lawyer continued, referring to the Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound Tory MPP forced to apologize for public comments he made about the premier. The letter stems from comments made by Brown at a Queens Park scrum on Tuesday with reporters from the Star, CBC, The Canadian Press, Radio-Canada, Global, CP24, CTV, Globe and Mail, QP Briefing, TFO, Queens Park Today, Fairchild, CHCH, and Newstalk 1010. Before the 2014 election, Wynne launched a similar action against former Tory leader Tim Hudak and MPP Lisa MacLeod (Nepean-Carleton). That matter was settled in 2015. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said Thursday that Brown should apologize. Both the premier and Brown seem to be in this tit-for-tat. The more important thing to be doing here is focusing on people, Horwath said. Browns snafu came six days after his chief of staff issued an edict to Tory MPPs and staffers to please refrain from commenting on the trial lest they cause the party problems. Read more about: SHARE: Its arguably the worst timing for a massive power outage in South Florida. This year is on track to be Miamis warmest on record. The month of July was the hottest the city has ever recorded. Without air conditioning, South Florida weather is oppressive at best and downright dangerous at worst. But on Monday afternoon, 6.1 million customers were without power in the wake of hurricane Irma, according to the Department of Energy. By Wednesday morning, the number of outages was down to 3.5 million but still more than a third of the state. The lack of power is by far the largest lingering effect of the storm which is now long gone. The clouds have parted and the sun is back. So is the heat. Without air conditioning, South Florida is a sauna. Its no Category 4 hurricane, but over the past decade, heat has been the second most-deadly weather phenomenon on par with flooding and tornadoes. In 1995, Chicago experienced one of the most tragic weather events in U.S. history and easily the deadliest Chicago has ever endured. More than 750 people died over the course of a week as temperatures climbed into the triple digits. Notably, overnight lows did not drop below 21 C. As the Chicago Tribune reported, the victims of heat illness tend to be mostly the poor, elderly and others on societys margins. Air conditioning could have saved these lives, but even in 1995 a large portion of the population didnt have access; thousands who had them couldnt use them because of power failures, and still others couldnt afford them, the Tribune wrote. Cook County Hospital didnt even have air conditioning, the Tribune reported. We had some patients with cardiovascular problems who literally developed heatstroke while they were in the hospital, Cory Franklin, the director of intensive care at the hospital, told the Tribune 20 years after the heat wave. That is almost unprecedented . . . the only other time Ive ever heard of that happening was during Katrina at Charity (Hospital) in New Orleans. Although utility companies are working night and day to restore power, millions are still without electricity and air conditioning this week as high temperatures approach 33 C. Overnight lows will be close to 26 C through the weekend. On any other day those temperatures wouldnt make headlines. Without electricity, theyre of critical concern, said Scott Sheridan, a professor of climatology who studies heat illness at Kent State University. At particular risk, Sheridan said, are the vulnerable groups who are used to being in a climate-controlled environment such as a nursing home or another health facility and are all of a sudden thrown into sauna-like conditions. As our bodies age, our thermoregulatory system becomes less efficient. Basically, the older we get, the less our bodies are capable of cooling. To be suddenly out of that (air conditioning) even if temperatures dont sound record-breaking it may be an environment these people are not accustomed to at all, Sheridan told The Washington Post. And the actual manifestation and impact of the heat may not be heat stroke or heat exhaustion, said Laurence Kalkstein, a voluntary professor at the University of Miamis Department of Public Health Services. People who die during heat events die of heart attacks, stroke or respiratory failure not heat stroke or exhaustion, Kalkstein told the Post. Older people are generally weaker, on medications, out of shape and living a lifestyle that is not conditioned to dealing with extreme situations, Kalkstein said. That makes them much more susceptible to begin with. On top of all that, he said, they are less aware of their surroundings and some dont even realize they are overheating. Unfortunately, prevention depends on technology, Sheridan said, particularly air conditioning. But in an emergency situation such as a hurricane, theres no redundancy in the system. But if there are power outages, it may be impossible to move to cooler location, Sheridan said. Because of the emergency itself, youre not able to move readily, youre physically unable or theres just no cooler location. In lieu of air conditioning, Sheridan recommends frequent cool baths and staying hydrated assuming there is ample clean water available. Most critically make sure people are checked up on, he noted. In large heat events, people are far more susceptible if theyre socially isolated. SHARE: SALT LAKE CITYAn investigation into the rough arrest of a Utah nurse who refused to allow a blood draw on an unconscious patient found evidence that police officers violated department policies, the mayor of Salt Lake City said Wednesday. Mayor Jackie Biskupski discussed the findings in an unusual step aimed at repairing public trust after a video surfaced of the nurse being dragged from the hospital in handcuffs on July 26. The rift this has caused in our city must be healed, the mayor said, citing threats made to 911 dispatchers and to her staff following the arrest. The internal affairs investigation found evidence that Detective Jeff Payne and Lt. James Tracy broke guidelines on arrests, ethics and officer conduct, among others. Read more: Utah officer handcuffs screaming nurse, on video, for refusing to draw blood from unconscious patient without consent Utah hospital apologizes after nurse arrested for refusing to draw blood from unconscious patient Utah police officer caught on video roughly arresting nurse fired from part-time medic job Greg Skordas, a lawyer for Payne, said he disputes some of the conclusions in the report and plans to prepare a response for the police chief. Attorney Ed Brass, who represents Tracy, didnt return messages seeking comment. Salt Lake City police chief Mike Brown will use the results of the investigation, as well as a civilian review board conclusion that policies were broken, when he decides what consequences the officers will face, the mayor said. There is no deadline for the decision. Prosecutors have also opened a criminal investigation into the conduct. An attorney for nurse Alex Wubbels said she was relieved about the findings involving the officers. These were two seasoned officers who apparently believed they had carte blanche to do exactly what they were doing, lawyer Karra Porter said. The detective who cuffed Wubbels has come under the most scrutiny. However, Porter said shes also concerned about the behaviour of Tracy, the supervisor who recommended the arrest and did not release Wubbels after he arrived at the scene to find her in handcuffs. Brass has said his client has been the target of threats since the video was released. Brass has called for people to withhold judgment until the investigations are complete. Skordas has said his client would walk away rather than put Wubbels in handcuffs, if he had it to do over again. Both officers were put on paid administrative leave after Porter and Wubbels released the video on Aug. 31. The mayor and police chief have apologized, and the department has updated its policy to match the hospital guidance that Wubbels followed when she refused to allow Payne to draw blood without formal consent or a warrant. SHARE: WASHINGTONOne by one, an American doctor, American nurse, American mother and American businessman explained to the cameras why their countrys health system is a disaster. Then Bernie Sanders called up the Canadian standing behind him. She had a kind of magic trick to perform. Dr. Danielle Martin, a family physician from Toronto, described a glorious place, just north of your border, where everyone is covered, costs are lower, outcomes are better, and people have no idea what its like to cough up cash for the privilege of delivering a child. Martin revealed her OHIP card. I just handed over this card, my Canadian health-care card, to my doctor. And that was it, Martin said. Some of the Sanders devotees sitting in the packed room on Capitol Hill murmured appreciatively, as if she had just conjured a rabbit. I wish that all of my American neighbours could experience the same simplicity in their moments of need, Martin continued. And I hope that the American people will seize this opportunity to declare to each other, and to the rest of the world, that you do believe access to health-care is a human right. The occasion was momentous: Sanders, joined by high-profile Democratic colleagues in the Senate, was introducing a Medicare for All bill to transform the U.S. health system from a patchwork of private and public insurance to a government-run single-payer system like Canadas. Read more: Bernie Sanders universal health care plan has no chance but is getting record support The doctor on a mission to heal medicare Democrats fight Trump in bid to reignite push for Canada-style health-care Health-care in America must be a right, not a privilege, he said. Today we begin the long and difficult struggle to end the international disgrace of the United States, our great nation, being the only major country on earth not to guarantee health-care to all of our people. Sanders, the Vermont social democrat who lives near the border, has made Canada central to his initial pitch. He extolled Canadas single-payer system in a New York Times op-ed on Wednesday morning and then at the rally on Wednesday afternoon. You know, I think it is high time that we started taking a look at what countries around the world were doing in providing quality care to all of their people in a far more cost-effective way than we do. And one of the examples of a single-payer system that is working well, that is popular, is the Canadian system, Sanders said in introducing Martin. Martin, a vice-president at Womens College Hospital and the former chair of Canadian Doctors for Medicare, came to the senators attention with the moment that made her an internet sensation. Testifying before a Sanders-chaired U.S. Senate committee in 2014, Martin trounced an ill-prepared Republican senator who peppered her with negative questions about Canadian care. The video has been viewed millions of times. Sanderss aides have kept in touch, and they invited her back to town for his big day. Sanders is still years, perhaps decades, from a realistic chance of a legislative victory. But the Wednesday scene showed just how much has changed in two years. Sanders campaigned on single-payer care during his 2016 campaign. Under Barack Obama, however, Democrats lined up behind the significant-but-incremental changes of the presidents Affordable Care Act, relegating Sanders to his regular place on the left-wing fringe. His position is fast become the party standard. Unsettled and energized by U.S. President Donald Trumps attempts to repeal Obamacare, and dismayed that more than 25 million people remain uninsured, much of the Democratic base is agitating for a true universal system. And now some of their most prominent elected officials are falling in line behind a proposal Hillary Clinton said will never, ever come to pass. Sanderss bill has quickly gained 16 Senate co-sponsors. Though almost all of them represent liberal states, they amount to a third of the Democratic caucus. People who are angry at Trumps election, a lot of Democratic base folks, are saying, We demand this. Were tired of tinkering with this, we want to fix it. So theyre putting huge pressure on their senators, said Minnesota State Sen. John Marty, the leading proponent of single-payer there. And these senators are saying, Oh, what am I going to do? Keep defending a broken system when my folks are saying we want something better and I know the broken system cant be fixed? Joining Sanders on Wednesday were four senators thought to be contemplating their own runs for president: Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand and Cory Booker. "I love my northern neighbour, Booker said, but it is embarrassing to me to have a Canadian stand here in the capital of the United States of America and talk about a system that takes care of their children better than we take care of our children." Sanders would create a system far more generous than Canadian provinces offer. Unlike OHIP, it would offer full coverage for vision and dental care, and partial coverage for prescription drugs, to everyone including illegal immigrants. The cost, therefore, would be higher. Sanders did not say how he would pay. His bill has no chance of passing under a Republican-controlled Congress, and he described it as a mere first step in a consultative process. Two-thirds of Americans currently have private insurance, with more than half covered through their employers. Sanders proposes a politically perilous forced transfer of these people onto the government Medicare program currently reserved for seniors. An unscripted moment soon after the Wednesday speeches underscored just how hard it may be to combat fears about what many Republicans describe as socialized, or socialist, medicine. As Martin spoke to the media, a Maryland man wearing a pro-Sanders t-shirt approached her to tell her about someone he knew in Canada who had waited more than a year for a hip replacement. The Canadian system has problems, she told him, but wait times can be improved without leaving people uninsured. Theres nothing about a publicly funded, single-payer system that necessarily leads to waits, she said. Some Republicans are still attempting to repeal Obamacare, and Trump applauded their effort, without endorsing their specific proposal, in a Wednesday statement. Press secretary Sarah Sanders called Bernie Sanderss proposal a horrible idea. I cant think of anything worse than having the government be more involved in your health care instead of less involved, she said. Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTONDemocratic leaders on Wednesday night declared that they had a deal with President Donald Trump to quickly extend protections for young unauthorized immigrants and to finalize a border security package that does not include the presidents proposed wall. After a White House dinner with the president, the Democrats Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California released a joint statement that appeared aimed at ensuring that the president would follow through after their discussions on the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. We had a very productive meeting at the White House with the president, the statement said. The discussion focused on DACA. We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, thats acceptable to both sides. In its own statement, the White House was far more muted, mentioning DACA as merely one of several things that were discussed. President Donald Trump had a constructive working dinner with Senate and House minority leaders, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, as well as administration officials to discuss policy and legislative priorities, the statement said. These topics included tax reform, border security, DACA, infrastructure and trade. This is a positive step toward the presidents strong commitment to bipartisan solutions for the issues most important to all Americans. The administration looks forward to continuing these conversations with leadership on both sides of the aisle. A White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private dinner insisted that the president had stressed his interest in seeing the border wall funded. The wall was a key campaign pledge, but Democrats are vehemently against it. According to a person briefed on the meeting, the president said at the dinner that he was not tethering wall funding to the DACA solution. Trump recently began to wind down DACA, which has provided protection from deportation for roughly 800,000 young unauthorized immigrants. But he has been torn about it, and he has made clear he would like a legislative fix. The president is pursuing a bipartisan patina as he heads into the fall legislative season with few major achievments in his first eight months in office. The meeting Wednesday night was described as a follow-up to one that Schumer and Pelosi held in the Oval Office last week with House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, at which Trump astonished and undercut his own advisers by leaping at a deal offered by Democrats to attach a stopgap spending bill and debt-ceiling increase to a package of recovery aid for areas affected by Hurricane Harvey. Read more: Toronto doctor plays starring role in selling Bernie Sanders single-payer planned U.S. Supreme Court upholds Trump administrations ban on most refugees California sues Trump administration over ending DACA, joining 15 other states, D.C. Read more about: SHARE: U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin sought to use a U.S. air force jet for his honeymoon to Europe last month for national security reasons, a request that was later withdrawn. Mnuchin and his wife, actress Louise Linton, eventually decided not to travel on a government plane, the Treasury Department said in a statement after an ABC News report on the matter. His request is now part of an inquiry by the Treasury Departments Office of Inspector General, ABC News reported Wednesday, citing unnamed officials. The cost is about $25,000 (U.S.) an hour, ABC reported, citing an Air Force spokesman. Mnuchins request for personal travel at taxpayer expense was made out of concern for him having a secure method of communications, given issues ranging from Iran to Venezuela to North Korea, a Treasury spokeswoman said. After it became apparent that other methods of protected communication were available, Mnuchin decided not to use military aircraft, she said. Read more: U.S. treasury secretarys wife Louise Linton touts designer labels, mocks Instagram critic Treasury secretaries in the past two decades have typically travelled on commercial airlines for domestic travel and have occasionally taken government aircraft on overseas trips to help facilitate their schedules or to account for security precautions. The inquiry was initiated after Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs banker and Hollywood producer, and Linton travelled Aug. 21 to Louisville, Ky., where he discussed tax policy at a public event and then toured Fort Knox. The Treasury inspector general said it is reviewing the trip to determine whether all applicable travel, ethics and appropriate laws and policies were observed in response to public inquiries. Rich Delmar, counsel to the inspector general, said by telephone Wednesday that the review is now looking at all requests for and use of government aircraft by Mnuchin. The Treasury said that Linton, 36, will reimburse the government for transportation costs when she travels with Mnuchin on official business. Inquiries into her travel with Mnuchin were triggered after she drew attention to her trip to Kentucky in an Instagram post. Linton responded condescendingly to a critic, where she had posted a photo of herself exiting a U.S. government plane, holding a handbag that sells for more than $10,000. On social media, Linton, responding to an Oregon woman who criticized her little getaway to Kentucky, wrote Im pretty sure we paid more taxes toward our day trip than you did. The actress also said shes pretty sure the amount we sacrifice per year is a lot more than youd be willing to sacrifice if the choice was yours, adding youre adorably out of touch. Linton later apologized, and while posing for the cover of Washingtonian magazine wearing a ball gown, acknowledged her Instagram post as indefensible. Read more about: SHARE: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIAA fire that blocked the only exit to an Islamic school dormitory killed 23 people, mostly teenagers, on the outskirts of Malaysias largest city early Thursday, officials said. A government official said a wall separating the victims from a second exit shouldnt have been there. Firefighters and witnesses described scenes of horror first of boys screaming for help behind barred windows as neighbours watched helplessly, and later of burned bodies huddled in corners of the room. Islamic teacher Arif Mawardy said he woke up to what he thought was a thunderstorm, only to realize it was the sound of people screaming. Firefighters rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call at 5:41 a.m. and took an hour to put out the blaze, which started on the top floor of the three-story building, Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh said. Read more:Fire at Islamic religious school in Malaysia kills 25, mostly teens Singh said 23 charred bodies were recovered 21 boys between the ages of 13 and 17 and two teachers. We believe (they died of) suffocation ... the bodies were totally burnt, he said. Singh said 14 other students and four teachers were rescued. Health Minister S. Subramaniam said six other students and a resident who went to help were hospitalized, with four of them in critical condition. He said the 23 bodies were in the Forensics Department waiting to be identified through DNA. The fire broke out near the only door to the boys dormitory, trapping the victims because the windows were barred, fire department senior official Abu Obaidat Mohamad Saithalimat said. He said the cause was believed to be an electrical short-circuit, though Singh said the investigation was continuing. Another fire department official, Soiman Jahid, said firefighters heard shouts for help when they arrived at the school. He said they found a pile of bodies in the right corner of the dorm and another pile in the left corner. Local media showed pictures of blackened bed frames in the burned dormitory. A resident, Nurhayati Abdul Halim, was quoted as saying that she saw the boys crying and screaming for help. I saw their little hands out of the grilled windows; crying for help. ... I heard their screams and cries but I could not do anything. The fire was too strong for me to do anything, she said. She added that the school had been operating in the area for the past year. Noh Omar, Malaysias minister for urban well-being, housing and local government, said the schools original architectural plan included an open top floor that allowed access to two exit staircases. But he said a wall had been built dividing that floor, leaving only one exit for the dorm. The wall shouldnt have been there, he said. He added that the school submitted an application for a fire safety permit that hadnt been approved. The school, Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, is a private Islamic centre, known as a tahfiz school, for Muslim children, mainly boys, to study and memorize the Quran. School principal Mohamad Zahid Mahmod was quoted by the Berita Harian newspaper as saying the students were being housed in a temporary building because of renovation work at the main school building. He said they were due to move back at the end of this month. Mohamad Zahid said the school has been operating for 15 years and is registered with the state Islamic religious council. He said the school had housed 42 students, six teachers and two wardens. However, an official with the state religious council said it had no record of the school. The Star newspaper said there were 519 tahfiz schools registered nationwide as of April, but many more are believed to be unregistered. Many such schools are exempt from state inspections. The newspaper said the fire department has recorded 211 fires in such private Islamic centres since 2015. In August, 16 people fled a fire at a tahfiz school in northern Kedah state. Another tahfiz school was destroyed by a fire in May but no one was hurt. The worst fire occurred in 1989 when 27 female students at a private Islamic school in Kedah state died in a blaze that gutted the school and eight wooden hostels. SHARE: After Missouri state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal posted I hope Trump is Assassinated on her Facebook page in August, numerous officials, Democrat and Republican alike, called on her to resign. But the Democratic senator, who soon deleted the post, remained adamant. She would apologize, but not resign. On Wednesday, the Republican-controlled Senate voted 28-2 to censure her, falling short of the required two-thirds majority needed to expel her, as Republican Gov. Eric Greitens had urged. She still could be expelled later, Republican Majority Leader Mike Kehoe told the St. Louis Post Dispatch. The vote marked the first censure in the Missouri Senates history, Kehoe said. The two no votes came from Democrats. Chappelle-Nadel said she posted the Facebook message out of frustration with U.S. Presidents Donald Trump response to the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville in August that left one woman dead and many others injured after a car driven by a Nazi sympathizer plowed into counterprotesters. The president initially blamed both sides for the violence. He eventually denounced white supremacists, but later defended his initial remarks. A few days after her Facebook post, Chappelle-Nadal called her comments a mistake and issued an apology to Trump. President Trump, I apologize to you and your family, Chappelle-Nadal said. I also apologize to all of the people in Missouri. I also apologize to my colleagues in the Missouri legislature for the mistake that I made. I will continue to fight for issues that are really, really important to me, said Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal. The vote to censure her was followed more calls on her to resign. Chappelle-Nadal insisted an overwhelming number of constituents encouraged her to remain in office, the Associated Press reported. Meanwhile, the Missouri House on Wednesday opted to open an ethics review of Republican State Rep. Warren Love, who is white, for an August Facebook post in which he called for those responsible for defacing a Confederate monument in Springfield, Missouri, to be hung from a tall tree with a long rope. After that post, the Missouri Democratic Party called for Loves resignation, saying his words brought to mind the lynchings of black people. Love said his words were cowboy slang and not a call for lynchings. He soon apologized to all who this post offended. Thats just a Western term and Im very much a Western man, Love told the Post-Dispatch after the backlash. You know, I dress Western. And, you know, Im the cowboy of the Capitol. The Missouri legislature was widely criticized Wednesday for the different treatment of the lawmakers. An ethics review is less serious than a censure, which is a formal reprimand. After her Facebook post, Chappelle-Nadal was stripped of committee assignments, but Love remains on committees. On Twitter, public attacks on Chappelle-Nadal were highly racial and many unfit to print. Republicans have repeatedly said whatever happens to Sen. Chappelle-Nadal should also happen to Rep. Love, and Republicans have yet to stand by that, Assistant House Democratic Leader Gina Mitten told the Associated Press. Read more about: SHARE: North Korea threatened to use a nuclear weapon against Japan and turn the U.S. into ashes and darkness for agreeing on fresh United Nations sanctions this weekrhetoric that is likely to exacerbate tensions in North Asia. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said on Thursday, citing a statement by the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee. The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche, it said, a reference to the regimes ideology of self-reliance. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga called the comments, which sent the Korean won lower, extremely provocative. If North Korea stays the course that it is on, it will increasingly become isolated from the world, he told reporters in Tokyo. Read more: UN security council accepts new sanctions against North Korea South Korean president sandwiched by Norths threat Trump doesnt want to negotiate with North Korea, but world leaders are split on strategy The comments come amid reports the regime may be preparing another missile test. There are signs North Korea has fuelled and readied for launch a rocket with an engine for liquid fuel, suggesting it may be an intercontinental ballistic missile, the Nikkei reported Thursday evening, citing a Japanese government official it did not identify. The UN sanctions follow North Koreas sixth and most powerful nuclear test earlier this month. In late August, the regime launched a ballistic missile over northern Japan in what it said was muscle-flexing to protest annual military drills between the U.S. and South Korea. Leader Kim Jong Un called it a meaningful prelude to containing Guam. North Korea previously threatened to launch rockets over Japan into the Pacific and toward the U.S. territory. A telling blow should be dealt to them who have not yet come to senses after the launch of our ICBM over the Japanese archipelago, a spokesperson for the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee said in Thursdays KCNA statement. The committee is an affiliate of the ruling Workers Party. KCNA had previously described the rocket as an intermediate-range strategic ballistic missile. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned the launch at the time, while U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated that all options were under consideration in responding to North Koreas provocations. The remarks about Japan came sandwiched between threats against the U.S. and South Korea. Now is the time to annihilate the U.S. imperialist aggressors, the statement on KCNA said. Lets vent our spite with mobilization of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now. The report said the South Korean puppet forces are traitors and dogs of the U.S. as they call for harsher sanctions on the fellow countrymen, adding that the group of pro-American traitors should be severely punished and wiped out with fire attack so that they could no longer survive. Humanitarian aid Still, South Koreas Unification Ministry is considering providing $8 million (U.S.) in humanitarian aid to North Korea through international organizations such as UNICEF, Yonhap News reported Thursday, citing the ministry. If the aid is approved by the government itd be the first time in two years that Seoul has provided such assistance to its northern neighbour. In 2015, the ministry sent $10.3 million through international bodies. When South Korean President Moon Jae-in came into power in May he promised a new era of engagement with North Korea. But hes turned more hawkish in recent weeks, seeking stronger warheads on ballistic missiles, stepping up military drills, and embracing a missile defence system hed questioned. Jim Woolsey, former director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, said Thursday the U.S. should aim to de-escalate tensions with North Korea. We cant push these things right close to the edge, especially if the president makes decisions really, really rapidly in the middle of the night, Woolsey said on Bloomberg TV. Pyongyang trip The threat to Japan comes a day after a lawmaker said some members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party were considering visiting Pyongyang for talks with North Korean leaders. In the LDP there are some people seeking dialogue, independent lawmaker Antonio Inoki told reporters in Tokyo following a trip to the North Korean capital. Theres a change in atmosphere at the moment about the need for talks rather than pressure, he said. The government in Tokyo had criticized Inokis visit, with Suga saying beforehand that all trips to North Korea by Japanese citizens are discouraged. Abe has stressed the need for pressure on Kim via sanctions, as opposed to talks. He told the Nikkei newspaper this week that Japan was in agreement with the U.S. and South Korea that dialogue would only be possible when North Korea committed to complete and verifiable denuclearization. Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTON Shortly after learning in May that a special counsel had been appointed to investigate links between his campaign associates and Russia, U.S. President Trump berated Attorney General Jeff Sessions in an Oval Office meeting and said the attorney general should resign, according to current and former administration officials and others briefed on the matter. The president blamed the appointment of the special counsel, Robert Mueller, on Sessionss decision to recuse himself from the Justice Departments Russia investigation a move Trump believes was the moment his administration effectively lost control over the inquiry. Accusing Sessions of disloyalty, Trump unleashed a string of insults on his attorney general. Ashen and emotional, Sessions told the president he would quit and sent a resignation letter to the White House, according to four people who were told details of the meeting. Sessions would later tell associates that the demeaning way the president addressed him was the most humiliating experience in decades of public life. The Oval Office meeting, details of which have not previously been reported, shows the intensity of Trumps emotions as the Russia investigation gained steam and how he appeared to immediately see Muellers appointment as a looming problem for his administration. It also illustrates the depth of antipathy Trump has had for Sessions one of his earliest campaign supporters and how the president interprets disloyalty within his circle of advisers. Trump ended up rejecting Sessionss May resignation letter after senior members of his administration argued that dismissing the attorney general would only create more problems for a president who had already fired an FBI director and a national security adviser. Trump once again, in July, told aides he wanted to remove Sessions, but for a second time didnt take action. The relationship between the two men has improved marginally since midsummer, as Sessions has made a public display of hunting for the leakers among the administrations national security officials. His allies said that despite the humiliation, the attorney general has stayed in the job because he sees a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as the nations top law enforcement official to toughen the countrys immigration policies. But he may be losing that battle as well. Sessions played a prominent role announcing the end of the Obama-era program that provided protection to the children of undocumented immigrants, only to see his boss backtrack on the policy. On Thursday morning, Trump confirmed he had reached a deal with Democrats to provide protections for the so-called Dreamers. This account is based on interviews with seven administration officials and others familiar with the interactions between Trump and Sessions in recent months who requested anonymity because they are not permitted to speak publicly about confidential conversations between the president and his aides. Politico first reported in July that Sessions had once offered his resignation letter, but the circumstances that prompted the letter and Trumps dressing down of the attorney general have not previously been reported. Spokespeople for the White House and Justice Department declined to comment. The presidents outburst came in the middle of an Oval Office meeting Trump had with top advisers on May 17, to discuss candidates to take over the FBI after the president fired its director, James Comey, earlier that month. In addition to Sessions, Vice-President Mike Pence, Donald McGahn, the White House counsel, and several other aides attended the meeting. In the middle of the meeting, McGahn received a phone call from Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general who had been overseeing the Russia investigation since Sessions recused himself from the inquiry months earlier. Sessions had stepped aside after it was revealed he had not provided accurate testimony to Congress about his meetings with the Russian ambassador during the presidential campaign. In the telephone call to McGahn, Rosenstein said he had decided to appoint Mueller to be a special counsel for the investigation. Congress had been putting pressure on Rosenstein to appoint a special counsel to put distance between the Trump administration and the Russia investigation, and just the day before The New York Times had revealed that Trump had once asked Comey to end the FBIs investigation into Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser. When the phone call ended, McGahn relayed the news to the president and his aides. Almost immediately, Trump lobbed a volley of insults at Sessions, telling the attorney general it was his fault they were in the current situation. Trump told Sessions that choosing him to be attorney general was one of the worst decisions he had made, called him an idiot, and said that he should resign. An emotional Sessions told the president he would resign and left the Oval Office. That evening, as the Justice Department publicly announced the appointment of Mueller, the attorney general wrote a brief resignation letter to the president that was later sent to the White House. A person familiar with the events raised the possibility that Sessions had become emotional because the impact of his recusal was becoming clear. In the hours after the Oval Office meeting, however, Trumps top advisers intervened to save Sessionss job. Pence, Stephen Bannon, the presidents chief strategist at the time, and Reince Priebus, his chief of staff, all advised that accepting Sessionss resignation would only sow more chaos inside the administration and rally Republicans in Congress against the president. Sessions, a former Alabama senator, served in the Senate for two decades. The president relented, and eventually returned the resignation letter to Sessions with a handwritten response on it. For Sessions, the aggressiveness with which Trump has sought his removal was a blow. The son of a general store owner in a small town in Alabama, Sessions had long wanted to be the nations top federal law enforcement official or to serve in another top law enforcement or judicial post. He earned a reputation in the Senate as someone tough on immigration, and was the first senator to back Trump in the presidential campaign. But their relationship began to deteriorate little more than a month after Trump was sworn in as president, after Sessionss announcement that he was recusing himself from the Russia inquiry caught Trump by surprise. The president spent months stewing about the recusal. In a July 19 interview with The Times, Trump said he never would have appointed Sessions to be attorney general if he knew he was going to recuse himself from the Russia investigation. Trump called the decision very unfair to the president. Days after the Times interview, Trump told aides he wanted to replace Sessions. Some of the presidents aides, not sure if Trump really wanted the attorney general gone or was just working through his anger, were able to delay the firing until the presidents anger passed. President Trump says he's disappointed in Attorney General Jeff Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation. "He should have told me before taking office and I would have quite simply picked somebody else," said Trump. (The Associated But Trump continued his public attacks in the days that followed, including taking to Twitter to call him weak a word that is among the harshest criticisms in Trumps arsenal. Administration officials and some of Trumps outside advisers have puzzled at Sessionss decision to stay on. But people close to Sessions said that he did not leave because he had a chance to have an impact on what he sees as an issue of his career: curtailing legal and illegal immigration. In recent weeks, he has spearheaded the effort to undo what he believed to be the Obama administrations dangerously lenient immigration policies, including the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals program. Sessions had no illusions about converting Trump to his side of the argument Trump remains deeply ambivalent and he had no illusions about repairing a damaged relationship he had once regarded as a friendship. But he told people he felt he had successfully pushed the president toward ending the Obama immigration policy, and thought it had given him increased leverage in the West Wing. The president agreed to terminate the program, and on Sept. 5 Sessions stood alone at a lectern a moment that seemed to be a significant victory for the attorney general. But his satisfaction was fleeting. Trump quickly undercut Sessions in a tweet by saying he would reconsider whether or not to end the program, leading the attorney general to tell allies that he was frustrated that the president had muddled months of work leading to the announcement of the new policy. On Wednesday evening, Democrats announced they had reached a deal with the president to quickly extend protections for young undocumented immigrants. On Thursday morning, taking a vastly different position than the one Sessions had announced on Sept. 5, the president tweeted about the need for protections for people brought here through no fault of their own. Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTONU.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was fairly close to a deal with congressional leaders to preserve protections for young immigrants living illegally in America but hes insisting on massive border security as part of any agreement. Trump, speaking to reporters before surveying hurricane damage in Florida, pushed back against Democratic leaders who claimed there was a deal on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative. He also said his promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border would come later. Were working on a plan subject to getting massive border controls. Were working on a plan for DACA. People want to see that happen, Trump said. He added: I think were fairly close but we have to get massive border security. After he landed in Florida, he declared repeatedly, If we dont have a wall, were doing nothing. Trump, in a series of early morning tweets, disputed the characterization of a private White House dinner on Wednesday night by his guests, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the top Democrats on Capitol Hill. Trump said there was no deal. But speaking on the Senate floor Thursday morning, Schumer insisted that both sides were in agreement and there was no dispute. If you listen to the presidents comments this morning ... it is clear that what Leader Pelosi and I put out last night was exactly accurate, said Schumer. We have reached an understanding on this issue. We have to work out details, and we can work together on a border security package with the White House and get DACA on the floor quickly. Indeed, in the face of ferocious pushback from conservative lawmakers and media outlets including Breitbart, run by former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, the White House appeared focused more on reshaping presentation of the agreement, than on denying it outright. By no means was any deal ever reached, White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters told reporters aboard Air Force One as the president travelled to Florida. This is something that Congress needs to work on Democratic aides said that although there was no final deal, an agreement had been reached. But Breitbart was already labelling Trump Amnesty Don. The Trump administration will not be discussing amnesty, Walters said. The president wants a responsible path forward in immigration reform. That could include legal citizenship over a period of time. But absolutely by no means will this White House discuss amnesty, she said, although most conservatives would consider legal citizenship over a period of time to meet the definition of amnesty. Read more: Toronto doctor plays starring role in selling Bernie Sanders single-payer plan U.S. Supreme Court upholds Trump administrations ban on most refugees California sues Trump administration over ending DACA, joining 15 other states, D.C. Schumer and Pelosi said in a statement that the details on border security needed to be negotiated, that both sides agreed the wall would not be any part of this agreement and that Trump said he would pursue the wall later. And soon after, Trump appeared to confirm that approach. The wall will come later, were right now renovating large sections of wall, massive sections, making it brand new, he told reporters before his Florida trip. He also said Republican congressional leaders, House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky favoured his approach on the immigration program. Ryan and McConnell agree with us on DACA, Trump said, adding that he had spoken to them by telephone. Trump said he had spoken to Ryan. It was a head-snapping series of events for a president whose White House campaign demonized immigrants and focused intensely on construction of a border wall that Trump insisted Mexico would pay for. During the campaign, Trump declared repeatedly that he would immediately terminate president Barack Obamas DACA executive order upon taking office. However, since then the president has not seemed comfortable with a harsh approach toward immigrants brought here illegally as kids, and he has been inclined recently to turn to Democrats to jump-start legislative imperatives. Only days ago, Trump and the Democratic leaders agreed to back a three-month extension of the debt limit in order to speed hurricane assistance. The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built, Trump tweeted early Thursday. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said she and Sen. Chuck Schumer agreed with U.S. President Trump to "move forward" on a plan to protect young immigrants living in the U.S. illegally. Speaker Paul Ryan said it was a "discussion", not an agreement. (The Associated Press) At the same time, he expressed sympathy for the hundreds of thousands of younger immigrants vulnerable to deportation even though they were brought to the United States as toddlers or children. He had announced last week that his administration was rescinding the program and gave Congress six months to come up with a legislative fix. Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military, really? Trump wrote. They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at a young age. Plus BIG border security. A person briefed on the Wednesday night meeting, who spoke on condition anonymity about the private get-together, said the deal specifies bipartisan legislation that would provide eventual citizenship for the young immigrants. House Republicans would normally rebel over such an approach, which many view as amnesty for lawbreakers. Early response from conservatives indicated their loyalty to Trump did not go so far as to allow them to embrace his immigration pact with the Democrats. The Houses foremost immigration hard-liner, GOP Rep. Steve King of Iowa, addressed Trump over Twitter, writing that if the reports were true, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible. Conservative commentator Ann Coulter said over Twitter, At this point, who DOESNT want Trump impeached? Read more about: SHARE: The Motel 6 budget lodging chain is commonly associated with its longtime slogan of welcoming hospitality: Well leave the light on. But for immigration attorneys in the Phoenix area, the motel chain has become the site of a troubling string of immigration arrests. And according to a report published Wednesday by the Phoenix New Times, employees at two Motel 6 locations may have been sending guest information directly to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. After the story published, Motel 6 released a statement saying the practice was implemented at the local level without the knowledge of senior management. When we became aware of it last week, it was discontinued, Motel 6 wrote in the statement posted on Twitter and Facebook. Immigration agents arrested at least 20 people at two Motel 6 locations between February and August, dropping by about every two weeks, the New Times reported. The actual number is likely to be even higher, the publication reported, because several court documents contained ambiguous information about arrest locations. The two Motel 6 locations are in predominately Latino neighbourhoods, not far from Mexican bakeries and restaurants. Both locations are corporate-owned neither are franchises. Phoenix Police department spokesperson Jonathan Howard confirmed to the New Times that on occasion and through informal contacts, a number of hotels and motels have shared guest lists with law enforcement officers. A spokesperson for ICEs Phoenix division told the New Times that she was unable to confirm whether the agency routinely reviews hotel guest lists or investigates tips from Motel 6 employees. Those are investigative techniques that we wouldnt be able to talk about, she said. But, she added: If hypothetically we were somewhere if we did administratively arrest some folks that happens all the time. We conduct targeted enforcement operations every day. Employees at the two respective Phoenix locations told the New Times that reporting guest lists to ICE was standard practice. We send a report every morning to ICE all the names of everybody that comes in, one front-desk clerk told the New Times. Every morning at about 5 oclock, we do the audit and we push a button and it sends it to ICE. In about a third of the arrest records reviewed by the New Times, ICE agents entered the motel without a search warrant, in what the newspaper described as a knock and talk. Officers simply knocked on the motel room door and asked to go inside. In one instance, immigration officials arrested Mexican native Manuel Rodriguez-Juarez, 33, six hours after he checked into a Motel 6. When he had reserved the room, Rodriguez-Juarez had shown the front-desk clerk his only form of identification, his Mexican voter ID card. Arrest records did not indicate how ICE had nabbed him, only that officers were following a lead. Immigration officials had received information that Rodriguez-Juarez was checked into room #214, according to Department of Homeland Security records cited by the New Times. Rodriguez-Juarezs lawyer still wonders how officials found that lead, and whether someone at Motel 6 may have reported him. Rodriguez-Juarez is currently being held at an immigration detention centre while his attorney pursues his asylum case. The revelations in the New Times article prompted ire from immigration advocates across social media, and praise from some supporters of President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown. It also stirred a debate over privacy concerns, and left many wondering: If some Motel 6 locations are tipping off ICE, could other motels or lodges nationwide be following suit? Others suggested the report could indicate racial profiling on behalf of motel employees who report certain guests to ICE. On Twitter, many people condemned Motel 6, decrying the chains vague response and calling for a more detailed explanation. The hashtag #BoytcottMotel6 began circulating Wednesday night. The American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona tweeted: Will new policy reflect this discountined practice, @motel6? We look forward to reading it. The national ACLU account also tweeted at Motel 6 asking for its company policy. Tom Bodett has been the brand spokesman for the Motel 6 chain for over 25 years, according to his website. He is the voice behind the slogan, Well leave the light on for you. On Wednesday, Bodett tweeted: If youve been vexed by the situation with @motel6 in Phoenix. Here is the response from their HQ. I had faith this was the case. Some of his followers called on him to condemn the chain. This is not the first time Motel 6 has come under scrutiny for providing police with guest lists. In Rhode Island in 2015, police implemented new protocol in which the hotel agreed to fax them a daily guest list, for authorities to check it for known criminals or suspects. The agreement came after a string of high-profile police calls to the hotel, including a prostitution arrest and a meth lab raid, according to the Providence Journal. At the time, the Rhode Island chapter of the ACLU said it was troubled by the agreement between police and the motel, calling it hardly the sort of hospitality one anticipates from such an establishment. When visitors go to a hotel for the night, they expect to be treated like guests, not potential criminals, the ACLU of Rhode Island wrote. A family on vacation should not be fearful that police may come knocking on the door in the middle of the night, courtesy of the motel, because Dad has an outstanding parking ticket he never paid. Concerned about the legal ramifications of the protocol, the Warwick Police Chief stopped the practice 16 days later, the Providence Journal reported. The following month, in June 2015, the Supreme Court struck down a Los Angeles ordinance that allowed police to inspect hotel guest records on demand. The Los Angeles city attorneys office had argued police needed the authority to prevent motels from becoming havens for criminal activity. But after a group of motel owners sued, the Supreme Court said the ordinance was unconstitutional because a hotel owner who refuses could get arrested. Justice Sonia Sotomayor said motel owners deserve the change to go to a judge and object a search. SHARE: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised a new era in relations between Canada and Indigenous peoples. As recently as August he split the Indigenous Affairs portfolio in his government in two and vowed to build a nation-to-nation relationship that would involve moving beyond the outdated Indian Act. And yet the Liberal government is insisting on passing a law that fails to fully address sex discrimination in the Indian Act. It is defending a version of the bill that goes only part way and will be vulnerable to a court challenge as soon as it is passed. Fortunately, the government is being challenged on this by members of the newly feisty Senate. They are insisting that Bill S-3, the law in question, be amended to remove all vestiges of sexist language that affects who qualifies to be legally regarded as a status Indian. Before Parliament recessed for the summer, the senators refused to back down and the issue was put off. When legislators return to work next week the struggle will resume. The government would be well advised to concede the point and make sure its bill is free of all discriminatory language. At the core of the issue are parts of the Indian Act that make it easier for First Nations men than for women to pass their Indian status along to their children and grandchildren. The governments version of the law would make things equal for men and women, but only going back to 1951, when the Indian register was created. First Nations women who lost Indian status because they married non-status men and had children before that year would still not be able to pass their status along to their children. That change means that about 35,000 additional people would be able to claim Indian status, along with the various benefits that go with it. The government argues this change should be made now, with other changes to come down the road. The senators, led by independent Marilou McPhedran, want the new law to go further right now. They want to eliminate all discrimination between men and women back to the 19th century, when the Indian Act came into effect. That would potentially allow many more people to claim Indian status estimates range wildly from 80,000 to more than 2 million. But the mechanics of it all shouldnt be the key factor. As Nunavut Sen. Dennis Patterson, a Conservative, told the Hill Times: The time for half-measures is over its time to fully rectify this inequity. The senators are right to insist on doing a thorough job of stripping sexist measures out of the Indian Act. If the government is serious about making a fundamental change on Indigenous issues, it should get on board. SHARE: Lets start with the good news. On average, most Canadians are doing considerably better than they were a decade ago. According to Statistics Canadas 2016 census, median incomes rose by an impressive 10.8 per cent over the decade from 2005 to 2015. Thats an improvement from the recent past. In the decade before that, incomes were up 9.2 per cent. And its far better than the decline of 1.8 per cent between 1985 and 1995. But hold the applause. Behind that rosy picture of prosperity are some troubling facts and figures that governments across the country must address. First, not everyone shared in the growing prosperity. In fact, the share of Canadians living in low-income households actually increased slightly to 14.2 per cent (thats 4.8 million people) from 14 per cent in 2005. Seniors fared the worst, with 14.5 per cent living in poverty, up from 12 per cent in the previous decade. And while the percentage of children living in poverty was down slightly to 17.8 from 18.8 per cent, the picture is still alarming. In seven of the countrys largest 35 urban centres, at least one in five children was living in a low-income household. Toronto barely missed that mark with a poverty rate for children of 19.7 per cent. What those figures mean is that across this prosperous land there were 1.2 million children living in households below the generally agreed-on poverty line. This, despite the landmark pledge made by the House of Commons in 1989 to end child poverty by the year 2000. Treating the symptoms of child poverty, such as urgent health care, mental health concerns, shelter costs and the criminal justice system, costs Canada an estimated $72 billion to $86 billion per year, according to Campaign 2000, which measures child poverty each year. Thats money that would be much better spent on ending it. How to do that is hardly a secret. We know from other research that government transfers are important for reducing people in low income, Andrew Heisz of Statistics Canada told the Star. More progressive transfers, such as child benefits, play an important role in reducing the low-income rate among families with children. Quebec is proof of that. Despite having the second-lowest median income level in the country, it was second only to Alberta in having the lowest percentage of children in low-income households. StatsCan says that is thanks to lower child care costs and more generous child benefits than anywhere else in the country. There is some good news on this front. Figures from 2015 dont reflect the current situation for families. The Liberal governments Canada Child Benefit, which kicked in last year, is expected to raise 300,000 children out of poverty. But there other shadows amid the growth of overall income in Canada. Ontario has fallen behind badly over the past decade. Because of the gutting of the manufacturing sector and the loss of 318,000 jobs, he median income in this province grew only by 3.8 per cent. That was the slowest growth of any province or territory over the past decade. And things may not still be as glowing in resource-rich provinces as the census numbers suggest. The jump in incomes in Canada in the last decade was largely attributed to earlier high resource prices that attracted investment and workers to Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland. Those incomes likely took a hit from the steep drop in oil prices after the census data was taken. The bottom line is that Canadian governments, provincial and federal, cannot rest on their laurels based on this new census data. There is plenty of work to do to ensure continued robust growth and to make sure its fruits are shared as widely as possible. SHARE: "North Korea is the country that the monkeys in the Wizard of Oz come from." -- Lewis Black The indices have been looking for an excuse to correct, and Kim Jong-un is providing one. A launch of missile by North Korea over Japanese airspace is putting pressure on equities and causing a move into bonds and precious metals. The indices have been showing signs of stress for a couple of weeks, but the bears have not been able to crack support. There continues to be sufficient buying support to prevent key support levels from falling, but there aren't many positive catalysts to bring in buyers to keep the uptrend running. On Monday, a big takeover in the biotechnology sector helped the bulls to hold the market up, but gold has been gaining ground lately, which is an indication that there is growing concern in the market and money looking for safe havens. The question we face this morning is whether the market is concerned that the United States and South Korea may react to the North Korea action. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the move "an unprecedented, grave and serious threat," but the chances of a military response are still quite low. Overnight, most foreign markets bounced back from early pressure. The South Korean Kospi index was down as much at 1.6% before recovering and closing down just 0.2%. Market players are well trained to buy dips, and even missiles by a rogue nation are viewed more as a potential buying opportunity than a cause for panic. The flooding in the Houston is causing tremendous suffering and misery, but it is not necessarily a market negative. It will force a surge in construction, repair and infrastructure spending without the normal governmental interference. It isn't the way anyone would use to boost the economy, but the desire of everyone to help actually creates positive growth. The big danger for the market right now is that Donald Trump will cause uncertainty with comments about dealing with North Korea. If the market believes that a military response is likely, it is going to cause some real fear. So far, the market doesn't seem too concerned, but a single tweet can change the tone of this market very fast. The dip buyers will want to do their thing. They believe that any extreme response is unlikely, but this is not a situation with much clarity. My stock of the week was to remain in cash, and that continues to be a pretty good idea this morning. (This article originally appeared at 8:01 a.m. ET Aug. 29 on Real Money, our premium site for active traders. Click here to get great columns like this from Jim Cramer, James "Rev Shark" DePorre and other writers even earlier in the trading day.) More of What's Trending on TheStreet: At the time of publication, James "Rev Shark" DePorre had no positions in the stocks mentioned. This column has been updated on Sept. 28 to note President Trump's criticism of Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg's response to it, as well as new reports about Russian Facebook activity. With nearly every passing week, there seems to be a fresh controversy about how Facebook Inc. (FB) - Get Free Report or Alphabet Inc./Google (GOOGL) - Get Free Report either regulates or fails to regulate content on their massive platform, or what content is eligible to be monetized. Though the near-term damage should be limited, the companies are facing very thorny situations. If they crack down too hard on certain types of content, they risk angering a subset of users. And if they don't crack down enough, they risk upsetting another group of users and/or advertisers. Either way, Facebook and Google's actions are likely to yield calls for greater government scrutiny of two companies whose enormous and steadily-growing role in determining what content and ads consumers see is already making many uneasy. The subject re-entered the media spotlight on Sept. 27, when President Trump tweeted that Facebook (along with certain media outlets) "was always anti-Trump." Later that day, reports emerged pointing to additional attempts by Russian operatives to use Facebook to spread misinformation and divisive political rhetoric. Facebook, for its part, is getting set to hand over to Congress about 3,000 ads it believes were purchased by Russian operatives. Mark Zuckerberg rejected Trump's assertion in a Facebook post, declaring that his company aims to "create a platform for all ideas." He also insists that Facebook's data indicates that "our broader impact -- from giving people a voice to enabling candidates to communicate directly to helping millions of people vote -- played a far bigger role in this election" than misinformation campaigns. On Sept. 13, Facebook outlined rules banning several types of content from being monetized on its platform -- whether via Instant Articles loading within Facebook's core app, "branded content" that a publisher is paid by a third party to distribute or the "mid-roll" video ads the company has begun running against professional content. Notably, Facebook says it will use both "automated and manual enforcement methods" to decide what content can't be monetized. Jim Cramer and the AAP team hold positions in Facebook and Alphabet for their Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells FB or GOOGL? Learn more now. Facebook's list of material that might not be eligible for monetization includes material related to "debated social issues." Particularly, content Facebook thinks is "incendiary, inflammatory, demeaning or disparages people, groups, or causes," or which it thinks "features or promotes attacks on people or groups." Content related to real-world tragedies might also be ineligible, even if its goal is to "promote awareness or education." Other types of ineligible material include violent content, adult content and content that features inappropriate language or misappropriates children's characters. Facebook insists those who feel their content was unfairly flagged can submit an appeal, but adds its decision is final. The move comes as Facebook -- despite attempts to deal with the problem via algorithm changes and content-flagging -- sees ongoing criticism over how its platform has been used to spread fake and misleading viral stories with a political slant. The company's recent disclosure that 470 accounts it believes to have been operated from Russia spent about $100,000 on Facebook ads focused on "amplifying divisive social and political messages" has yielded fresh scrutiny. And last year, Facebook got into hot water over perceived political bias by the editors responsible for its Trending Topics feature; it responded by putting an algorithm in charge of the feature. Google's YouTube, meanwhile, has seen criticism swell in recent weeks of its growing efforts to keep ads from running against videos that could make advertisers squeamish. Much of the "demonetized" YouTube content involves material that's politically themed and/or features colorful language. Heightening the criticism: Videos are typically flagged by an algorithm rather than employees, and it can take a long time for a reviewer to go over a creator's appeal. All of this, of course, is happening after many advertisers temporarily stopped buying YouTube ads after an expose found that ads from major brands were running against videos from extremist groups. Some conservatives have alleged that bias exists in YouTube's demonetization decisions. Google Search and Google News have seen similar allegations over the years; Google, for its part, has long denied that the algorithms powering the services have any such bias. Bias allegations aside, some of Facebook and YouTube's recent moves are clearly aimed at calming advertiser fears about what kind of material their ads run against. Fears amplified by the fact that, compared with independent ad platforms, Facebook and Google often don't share much about exactly where an ad appears. And with regards to preventing the spread of fake/misleading content, extremist material, or material that appears part of a propaganda effort by a foreign government, a failure to act decisively invites fresh scrutiny from the media and the public, and potentially also politicians. But considering how pivotal Facebook and YouTube's platforms are to the livelihoods of many publishers and independent creators, and how utterly dominant they respectively are in the realms of social media and ad-supported online video, it's easy to grasp how their recent actions can produce blowback, as well as some unintended consequences. Engadget, taking in Facebook's latest move, observed that some publishers "may choose to not post content about important but messy topics" out of a fear that ads can't be run against it. And to the extent that Facebook and YouTube users feel that corporate decisions are impacting their ability to see content that they like, their actions can add to a swelling public backlash over the power wielded by tech giants. A backlash that some politicians are lending a sympathetic ear to. "The new corporate leviathans that used to be seen as bright new avatars of American innovation are increasingly portrayed as sinister new centers of unaccountable power," wrote BuzzFeed's Ben Smith in a column about growing calls for tougher regulatory scrutiny of the biggest consumer tech companies. Short-term, this shift in sentiment isn't likely to have a big impact on Facebook or Google's top lines. Their core services are simply too dominant and pervasive for all but the most bitter of consumers to abandon them. Especially since most of these consumers aren't paying Facebook or Google a cent to use their services doesn't hurt. But it's very much in Facebook and Google's interests to proactively respond to this backlash before it's too late. In addition to PR efforts, providing more transparency about their content decisions would help, as would allowing independent auditors to review them, and providing advertisers the option to overrule the demonetization decisions of their algorithms. As Smith suggested, political backlashes toward ascendant new industries tend to happen slowly until they happen fast. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: Editors' pick: Originally published Sept. 13. Volkswagen AG (VLKAY) and its Chinese joint ventures FAW-Volkswagen and SAIC Volkswagen have been asked by a major Chinese watchdog to recall 4.86 million vehicles in the country that could have potentially faulty Takata Corp. airbags, Reuters reported. This is the latest in an ongoing saga revolving around Takata airbags, which have the potential to spray shrapnel in strong explosions and have been linked to at least 16 deaths and 180 injuries across the world. The Japanese airbag manufacturer went bankrupt earlier this summer. The recalls are the largest in automotive history. Chinese regulators asked General Motors Co. (GM) - Get Free Report and Daimler AG's (DDAIY) Mercedes-Benz to recall models with Takata airbags earlier this year. Chinese government estimates report over 20 million cars in China have Takata airbags. Volkswagen Group China told Reuters it had not received any reports of issues in its models related to the defected airbags. It was acting under the advisement of China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. The VW recall will run from March of next year into 2019, the regulators said. Volkswagen and its Chinese partners will offer free airbag replacement in the recalled vehicles. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: Bitcoin prices continued to tumble Thursday after one of China's biggest exchanges said it would stop trading the cryptocurrency later this month amid an impending crackdown directed by the country's central bank. Bitcoin prices on London's bitsmap exchange were marked 10.75% lower from Wednesday's close and changing hands at $3,450 each by 9 a.m. ET, the lowest since Aug 10. Bitcoin prices have fallen nearly 30%, or more than $1,400 from the all-time peak the virtual currency reached on Sept. 1. BTCChina, one of the country's major bitcoin exchanges, said Thursday it will "stop all trades on the digital trading platform starting Sept. 30" and indicated it would no longer accept new users as of today. The decision followed moves from authorities in China to ban so-called initial coin offerings, or ICOS, last week after more than 2.6 billion yuan ($400 million) in new cash was raised over the first six months of the year. Shortly after, reports indicated that China's central bank, the People's Bank of China, was looking to ban cryptocurrency trading across all platforms, although it would allow investors to continue to swap their digital currencies in over-the-counter transactions. Bitcoin below the $4,000 mark for the first time in a month only yesterday, in fact, amid accusations of fraud from one of Wall Street's most influential leaders, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) - Get Free Report CEO Jamie Dimon, who called the virtual currency concept a "fraud" and said he'd fire any of his traders for dealing in it. "The currency isn't going to work," Dimon told the Delivering Alpha investor conference in New York. "You can't have a business where people can invent a currency out of thin air and think that people who are buying it are really smart." "My daughter bought a bitcoin and it immediately went up, now she thinks she's a genius," Dimon said. "It's just not a real thing," Dimon said. "Eventually, it will be: 'the emperor has no clothes'." Things aren't looking good for Equifax (EFX) - Get Free Report . At one point Thursday, shares were down more than 8%. Those losses have since been cut to just a 2% loss, but still, EFX stock is down a whopping 32% since Thursday, Sept. 7. TheStreet's Jim Cramer has had enough. Speaking earlier on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" show, Cramer said Chairman and CEO Richard Smith needs to go. "What does it take to get fired in this country?" "He should be fired, the board should just fire him," Cramer continued, "what's this man doing still being CEO?" It's not only the fact that Equifax compromised incredibly sensitive personal information on more than 143 million customers, but it's also in how terribly the company handled the situation and communicated with its vendors and customers, he explained. Later, on the show's "Stop Trading" segment, Cramer opened up again, this time challenging the board of directors. He started calling out board members like Mark Templeton, who served as president and CEO of Citrix Systems, Inc. (CTXS) - Get Free Report for 14 years, and Siri Marshall, who served as general counsel, senior vice president of corporate affairs and secretary of General Mills (GIS) - Get Free Report from 1994 to 2008. Specifically, Marshall served under Stephen Sanger, who was CEO of General Mills from 1995 to 2007 and said that Wells Fargo (WFC) - Get Free Report CEO John Stumpf should step down amid the banks' swirling controversies (he did, by the way). What would Sanger say now about Equifax's CEO? Templeton ran a leading cybersecurity firm, while Marshall was in charge of legal issues, governance relations and corporate communications. Cramer asked, do these people get a pass? Are these board members giving Smith a pass? No one is paying attention to this board, said Cramer, who also manages the Action Alerts PLUS charitable trust portfolio. "[But] I'm paying attention to you and I want to know what you're doing," he challenged. Here's an idea, from Cramer to Smith: "Spend more time with your family." A rather subtle way of saying step down. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: At the time of publication, Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS had no position in any companies mentioned. Carnival Corp. (CCL) - Get Free Report announced plans Thursday to change at least six sailings of its Caribbean cruises to avoid ports of call that were devastated by Hurricane Irma a week ago, USA Today reported. The 2,974-passenger Carnival Glory will skip a stop in St. Thomas in its seven-day voyage starting out of Miami and replace it with an extra day at sea. The 3,690-passenger Carnival Magic is dropping St. Maarten from its voyage and adding Antigua in its place. The 2,056-passenger Carnival Fascination will also skip both St. Thomas and St. Maarten in a seven-night tour of the Caribbean, stopping instead in Dominica and Antigua. Three sailings that were scheduled to stop in Key West, Florida, have also been altered. Instead of visiting the South Florida tourist destination, the Carnival Breeze and Carnival Victory will substitute a day at sea and the Carnival Paradise will visit Grand Cayman Island. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL) - Get Free Report also updated voyage plans to adapt to a devastated Caribbean. The company removed St. Maarten and St. Thomas from all trips. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH) - Get Free Report will also skip the two ports of call for the next two months. It's unclear how long the destinations in the Caribbean could be kept off cruise lines' itineraries, but Instinet analyst Harry Curtis forecasted "several quarters or more" before infrastructure repairs can be completed on St. Thomas and St. Maarten. Carnival stock traded up 0.76% to $68.94 midday Thursday. Royal Caribbean shares were up 1.77% to $124.35 and Norwegian stock gained 1% to $58.37. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: President Donald Trump's decision to block Canyon Bridge Capital Partners LLP's $1.3 billion plan to acquire Lattice Semiconductor Corp. (LSCC) - Get Free Report could trip a domino effect of dealmakers calling off pending transactions. Trump's order, which follows the recommendation of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS), is among the president's first actions telegraphing how cross-border deals might be dealt with under his administration, especially when it comes to national security concerns and China. It could lead to other companies currently in the review process with CFIUS to cancel deals in anticipation they might be blocked. The Lattice deal is only the fourth transaction ever blocked by a U.S. president under the CFIUS statute. Most parties choose to terminate their deals when CFIUS recommends against them, but Lattice sought to force the president's hand, hoping his economic-growth focus might pull him in its direction and inspire him to cut past bureaucratic recommendations. The Hillsboro, Oregon-based company said in a Sept. 1 securities filing that CFIUS had recommended Trump suspend or prohibit its merger with China-backed Canyon Bridge but that it remained convinced the transaction did not raise any national security concerns, CFIUS's area of focus. Instead, Lattice said it hoped to convince Trump of the benefits of the transaction to shareholders and employees, including a pledge to double its American workforce to 700 people from 350. "Growing U.S. jobs with someone else's money -- that's a good thing for the United States and a good thing for us," Lattice CEO Darin Billerbeck said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal this week before the deal was blocked. Trump didn't buy it. The Wednesday decision "will be read by CFIUS as a vote of confidence in their analyses and recommendations," said Shawn Cooley, special counsel focusing on national security and foreign investment regulations and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in an interview with TheStreet. "That vote of confidence comes at a time when CFIUS has a deficit of politically-accountable management." None of the assistant secretaries who would typically handle day-to-day matters at CFIUS, an inter-agency committee under the Treasury Department, have been confirmed by the Senate. "The career staff at CFIUS has not been getting a lot of guidance, and this will help fill that gap," Cooley said. He observed that there is an unusually large number of transactions in a limbo similar to where Lattice found itself. Some have pulled and refiled their notifications to CFIUS to give the panel extra time to negotiate possible mitigation agreements before a recommendation has to be passed on to the president. Genworth Financial Inc. (GNW) - Get Free Report and China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co. Ltd. in July announced they had withdrawn and refiled their notification with CFIUS for a second time regarding their pending $2.7 billion deal. Broadcom Ltd. (AVGO) and Brocade Communications Systems Inc. (BRCD) and Ant Financial and MoneyGram International Inc. MGI withdrew and refiled their notifications with CFIUS that same month. China-based semiconductor investment fund Unic Capital Management's $580 million acquisition of U.S. semiconductor testing company Xcerra Corp. (XCRA) - Get Free Report is likely to get a fair degree of CFIUS scrutiny. So is HNA Group Co.'s estimated $200 million bid to buy former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci's SkyBridge Capital. "Genworth and Oceanwide continue to engage with all regulators, including CFIUS, on the pending transaction. Approval of the transaction with China Oceanwide is the best option for Genworth's stockholders and achieves the best outcome for its policyholders and other stakeholders as well as the broader LTC insurance industry," Genworth spokeswoman Julie Westermann said in a statement. "As always, Genworth is committed to serving the policyholders of its insurance companies, which includes continuing to ensure their personal information is protected to the fullest extent." Representatives for SkyBridge and Xcerra declined to comment on the state of the deals with regard to CFIUS; representatives for MoneyGram did not return request for comment. A source close to Brocade said the parties see their transaction as different from the Lattice deal and are still working with CFIUS on approval. Two other Broadcom deals have undergone successful CFIUS reviews in recent years. Following the president's decision, "I imagine some cases will take it as a negative sign and will voluntarily abandon their deals and walk away. But others might double down on trying to come up with mitigation solutions with a renewed purpose in light of a more credible threat that President Trump will accept a CFIUS recommendation to block a deal," Cooley said. "It will be interesting to see if any are willing to be the second pair of companies to roll the dice and ask the president to reject a CFIUS recommendation." President Trump has positioned himself as jobs-focused figure focused on economic growth while simultaneously taking an outward tough-on-China stance. The mere fact that Lattice and Canyon Bridge tried to make an economic argument to counter national security concerns shows others might take a similar tack if Trump or Congress expands the type of issues CFIUS must consider in judging whether a merger poses a risk to the U.S., said Stephen Paul Mahinka, a Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP partner who handles CFIUS reviews in a recent interview with TheStreet. "I did not think this approach would work in this context, but an interesting issue is whether, if employment effects are included in any future Executive Order on how CFIUS should assess filings or in new legislation, labor effects could overbalance security concerns, at least in industry contexts of less direct and consequential concern than semiconductors," he said. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: Editors' pick: Originally published Sept. 14. Derwent London plc owns 83 buildings in a commercial real estate portfolio predominantly in central London valued at 5.4 billion (including joint ventures) as at 30 June 2020, making it the largest London-focused real estate investment trust (REIT). Our experienced team has a long track record of creating value throughout the property cycle by regenerating our buildings via development or refurbishment, effective asset management and capital recycling. We typically acquire central London properties off-market with low capital values and modest rents in improving locations, most of which are either in the West End or the Tech Belt. We capitalise on the unique qualities of each of our properties - taking a fresh approach to the regeneration of every building with a focus on anticipating tenant requirements and an emphasis on design. Reflecting and supporting our long-term success, the business has a strong balance sheet with modest leverage, a robust income stream and flexible financing. As part of our commitment to lead the industry in mitigating climate change, in October 2019, Derwent London became the first UK REIT to sign a Green Revolving Credit Facility. At the same time, we also launched our Green Finance Framework and signed the Better Buildings Partnership's climate change commitment. The Group is a member of the 'RE100' which recognises Derwent London as an influential company, committed to 100% renewable power by purchasing renewable energy, a key step in becoming a net zero carbon business. Derwent London is one of only a few property companies worldwide to have science-based carbon targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Landmark schemes in our 5.6 million sq ft portfolio include 80 Charlotte Street W1, Brunel Building W2, White Collar Factory EC1, Angel Building EC1, 1-2 Stephen Street W1, Horseferry House SW1 and Tea Building E1. In 2019, the Group won several awards including EG Offices Company of the Year, the CoStar West End Deal of the Year for Brunel Building, Westminster Business Council's Best Achievement in Sustainability award and topped the real estate sector and was placed ninth overall in the Management Today 2019 awards for 'Britain's Most Admired Companies'. In 2013 the Company launched a voluntary Community Fund and has to date supported over 100 community projects in the West End and the Tech Belt. The Company is a public limited company, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange and incorporated and domiciled in the UK. The address of its registered office is 25 Savile Row, London, Robert Half International Inc. provides staffing and risk consulting services in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company operates through three segments: Temporary and Consultant Staffing, Permanent Placement Staffing, and Risk Consulting and Internal Audit Services. It places temporary services for accounting, finance, and bookkeeping; temporary and full-time office and administrative personnel consisting of executive and administrative assistants, receptionists, and customer service representatives; full-time accounting, financial, tax, and accounting operations personnel; and information technology contract professionals and full-time employees in the areas of platform systems integration to end-user technical and desktop support, including specialists in application development, networking and cloud, systems integration and deployment, database design and administration, and security and business continuity. The company also offers temporary and full-time employees in attorney, paralegal, legal administrative, and legal secretarial positions; and senior-level project professionals in the accounting and finance fields for financial systems conversions, expansion into new markets, business process re-engineering, business systems performance improvement, and post-merger financial consolidation. It is involved in serving professionals in the areas of creative, design, marketing, advertising, and public relations; and placing various positions, such as creative directors, graphics designers, web designers, media buyers, front end developers, copywriters, digital marketing managers, marketing analytics specialists, brand managers, and public relations specialists. The company provides internal audit, technology consulting, risk and compliance consulting, and business performance services. It serves clients and employment candidates. Robert Half International Inc. was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Menlo Park, California. BNL girls thump Mitchell at The Hive Bedford North Lawrence defeated Mitchell 78-20 at the Hive on Saturday evening. The win moved the Stars to 3-0 on the season. UPDATED Friday, Sept. 15, with comment from Experian. American consumers might soon have another massive data breach to worry about. At least one website run by the major credit-reporting agency Experian may be vulnerable to the same attack that caused the Equifax data breach, British security researcher Kevin Beaumont says. (Image credit: A close-up of the Experian logo displayed on a company facility in London. Credit: Experian) In a blog post Tuesday (Sept. 12), Beaumont details how holes related to a flaw that had just been disclosed in Apache Struts, a web-application development platform, were found in March on an Experian website serving consumers in India. The widely used AnnualCreditReport.com website, set up by the Big Three credit-reporting agencies to provide free credit reports, was also vulnerable, Beaumont says. Yesterday (Sept. 13), Equifax admitted that the devastating data breach it disclosed last week was made possible, at least in part, by unpatched Apache Struts implementations on its websites. MORE: Equifax Breach: Follow These Steps to Protect Yourself Equifax's big mistake was not immediately patching its Apache Struts builds. A patch for the flaw was provided by Apache in March, but Equifax has said the attack on its systems did not begin until late May. "The Struts [flaw] is common both across all the U.S. credit agencies and other Fortune 500 companies," Beaumont wrote in a Facebook posting today (Sept. 14). "For whatever reason, there has been a mass inability to apply this particular patch right now, vulnerable systems are still online." The vulnerability in question, CVE-2017-5638, was disclosed by the Apache Software Foundation on March 6, and a patch was immediately made available. Nevertheless, attacks quickly mounted on websites using Apache Struts. (The vulnerability is different from a separate Apache Struts flaw, CVE-2017-9805, that was disclosed and patched on Sept. 9 and was initially suspected of enabling the Equifax breach.) Patching Apache Struts is not a simple process. Every web app built using the framework needs to be rebuilt using the updated version of the software. But in the case of the March vulnerability, the flaw let visitors to the affected websites seize control of the back-end servers feeding data to the web apps. Beaumont told Toms Guide that he didn't find the exposed flaws on the Experian and AnnualCreditReport.com sites himself. Rather, he found reports of them on XSS.cx, a bare-bones website detailing successful cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. The reports included screenshots of the contents of Experian and AnnualCreditReport.com servers containing customer data. The Experian screenshots were dated March 12. The main Experian website currently highlights a helpful link (opens in new tab) entitled: "Concerned about the Equifax data breach? Find out how Experian can help." Equifax estimated that its breach impacted 143 million U.S. residents and an unspecified number of Canadians and Britons. Like Equifax and TransUnion, the third major credit-reporting agency, Experian, which is based in Ireland, collects and sells financial data about hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide. It's likely that the March vulnerability on the Experian server has been patched. The real question is how long the process took and how much of an opportunity it offered to data thieves who were prowling the web looking for Apache Struts vulnerabilities. The affected Experian website was tailored for Indian customers, but it's possible that someone who got into that server could have pivoted through Experian's global network. That depends on the strength of internal network-security policies. In the case of the Equifax breach, impacted consumers live in at least three different countries on both sides of the Atlantic, and the particular Equifax website that was breached has not been identified. Beaumont said Experian had not responded to his queries. Tom's Guide has reached out to Experian for comment, and we will update this story when we receive a response. UPDATE: An Experian representative provided us with this statement: "Experian uses a multi-layer approach to security. First, we use Apache Struts (on a somewhat limited basis) in various web applications. We continuously review all our systems, including applications utilizing Apache Struts, and patch or remediate any vulnerabilities as necessary, including the vulnerability referenced by Equifax, CVE-2017-5638. We applied the patch to this vulnerability in our system within days of the March discovery. As a result, we were not exposed to exploits of this vulnerability. In addition, Experian has invested in web application firewalls (WAFS) to provide another line of defense so that intrusions can be stopped at the firewall all WAFS receive automatic updates as soon as a vulnerability is discovered. Finally, a key component of our security is continuous, robust monitoring of all systems, including, for example, monitoring of traffic and processing volumes, in order to detect any anomalies and trigger alerts, which require immediate action. Were committed to operating our business in a safe and secure environment and we invest in the tools, processes and talent to safeguard our systems and our data." Cameroons Minister of Trade, Mr. Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana, has described the upcoming meeting of the Inter-Governmental Committee of Experts for Central Africa (ICE 2017) as an excellent initiative, given its focus on promoting industrialization, regional integration and the consumption of products made in Central Africa. Mr. Atangana was speaking during a meeting with Antonio Pedro, Director of ECAs Sub-Regional Office for Central Africa (SRO-CA), on 12 September 2017 in Yaounde, Cameroon. Mr. Pedro told the minister that the choice of the theme for the ICE 2017, Made in Central Africa: from a vicious to a virtuous circle, was ECAs way of responding to the decision taken on 23 December 2016 during the Extraordinary Summit of Central African heads of state of government to diversify their economies as a means to reducing the regions vulnerability to external shocks and dependence on the export of raw materials. Both personalities agreed that Central Africas rich endowments in natural resources and the market opportunities that the operationalization of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) would create provide the necessary fundamentals for sustainable structural transformation and job creation in Central Africa. They discussed progress made by other RECs in promoting intra-Africa trade, noting that Central Africa is lagging behind other sub-regions, but that its success stories should be emulated and replicated for scale and transformational change. They also concurred that by maximizing trade in intermediate goods and fostering backward and forward integration, countries in Central Africa will benefit more from trading with each other than with the external world. The Minister of Trade stated that with a population of more than 150 million, Central Africa provides a big enough market for all its member states, especially if we effectively promote free movement of goods and services. He cited a positive example of Cameroon, which imports palm oil from Gabon for its refineries that produce vegetable oils and soap. We need to do more of this, said Mr. Atangana who then deplored the fact that Cameroons textile industry does not benefit much from the countrys cotton production since, only about 4% is transformed locally. The rest is exported. Mr. Atangana said ECAs continental knowledge and expertise in structural transformation and trade issues will be of great benefit to Cameroon and the entire Central African sub region. Against this backdrop, Mr. Pedro congratulated Cameroon for its ongoing efforts to promote locally produced goods in supermarkets and other strategic areas around the country. This is in line with our own vision at ECA, he added. The ECA director reassured the minister of ECAs support, stating, ECA is available to provide evidence-based analyses on the potential of free trade areas within Africa and also support all other efforts to boost economic diversification and the productive capabilities of countries in the sub region. We look forward to collaborating with you and your ministry in advancing this agenda. Addressing the media after his meeting with the minister, Mr. Pedro said: I was pleased with my meeting with the minister. We share the same vision and agreed that it is essential to redirect our efforts towards the promotion of economic diversification in Central Africa through resource-driven and trade-induced industrialization. So weve found a very good partner in Cameroon. ICE 2017 will take place in Douala from 26-29 September 2017. It provides opportunity for high-level policy makers, captains of industry and other stakeholder to reflect on how to create resilient and globally competitive economies in Central Africa through the promotion of local production and consumption. It will bring together representatives of ministries in charge of planning, economy, industry, mines, trade, and small and medium-sized enterprises; delegates from ECCAS, CEMAC and their specialized agencies; representatives of UNIDO, FAO, UNDP, AfDB, the private sector, civil society, universities and research centres in the sub-region. Thirty-Third Meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE 2017) Douala, Cameroon, 26-29 September 2017 The overarching objective of the thirty-third session of ICE is to review regulatory issues pertaining to the mandate and functioning of the SRO-CA, enable experts to discuss economic and social development issues in Central Africa and, particularly, the development of an industrial fabric in Central Africa as well as propose strategies for accelerating structural transformation of the economies of the sub-region. The meeting also aims to take stock of the status of implementation of sub-regional, regional and international initiatives and make appropriate recommendations for inclusive and sustainable development in Central Africa. Another objective of the meeting is to review progress made in the implementation of ECA/SRO-CAs 2016 programme of work and provide directions for the implementation of the Offices 2017 programme. Participants will listen to presentations on the theme of the ICE and consider the following documents: (i) report on the socio-economic situation in Central Africa; (ii) ECA/SRO-CA activity report for 2016 and 2017 programme of work; (iii) annual progress report on regional and international programmes and other specific initiatives in the sub-region; (iv) annual report on sub-regional initiatives devoted to roaming this year; and (v) 2017 edition of the Economic Report on Africa. Featured @AUTradeIndustry tweet (from the ongoing BIAT conference in Tanzania): Intra-Africa Trade would double from the current level of ~$170bn per year to almost $400bn by addressing availability of market information Today, in Johannesburg: SACU and EAC trade ministers meeting A reminder: the launch of the Trade and Development Report 2017 takes place today (in Geneva and Addis) AU reforms update: African Union appoints Heads of the AU Institutional Reforms Unit Sachin Chaturvedi: Asia Africa Growth Corridor aims for people-centric growth strategy (Livemint) Trade facilitation is a major component of AAGC Framework. In a study conducted by the European Commission, it is found that the time taken for export and import activities is among the highest in Africa (excluding the northern region). Moreover, the documents required to export and import are also on the higher side in Africa. Thus, there is a need for customs modernization plan with focus on better organization and management, coupled with administrative, financial and technical autonomy as well as accountability. We also need to strengthen institutions and infrastructure for valuation through legislative framework, training of valuation officers, establishment of valuation offices and value information systems and databases. India has established the directorate of valuation, special valuation branch and National Import database, to improve custom valuation practices. Similar institutions can be established in other developing countries in Asia and Africa through technical assistance. Indias success in the single-window custom clearance through SWIFT could be replicated in African countries. Thomas A. Shannon: US-African Partnerships advancing common interests (US State Department) Second, as far as the United States is concerned, Africa is already a continent of allies and partners. With a few notable exceptions, the vast majority of African states share our commitment to free markets, equitable trade, democracy and the rule of law, secure borders, and effective responses to global terrorist threats. African states progress towards open markets and free trade have spurred economic growth, development, and tremendous opportunity across the continent. Indeed, six of the worlds ten fastest growing economies are in Africa. By 2030, Africa will represent almost a quarter of the worlds workforce and consumers, and by 2050 Africas population is projected to double to two billion people. And our balance of trade with Africa is near parity - thanks to booming demand for infrastructure investment, aircraft, consumer products, and services. African states consistently attract strong investor attention from American companies. [Prepared remarks by Thomas A. Shannon, Jr., Under Secretary for Political Affairs at US Institute of Peace seminar] Tanzania: No ban yet on mitumba says government (The Citizen) The government has not yet officially banned importation of second hand clothes (mitumba), a senior officer has said, reiterating that a recent import duty increase was merely a step towards nurturing the growth of the local textile industry. Speaking to The Citizen on sidelines of last weeks breakfast meeting between the Confederation of Tanzania Industry and Tanzania Revenue Authority, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Adelhelm Meru, said: This is what we told them (US trade bodies) when we met recently.We never said we are banning second-hand clothes.We only said that we are building the capacity for our local industries and that is what exactly what our team of experts said during a recent negotiation with the US trade bodies. Looking beyond the horizon: a case study of PVHs commitment in Ethiopias Hawassa Industrial Park (World Bank) The story of how the PVH Corp. came to lead a group of its top suppliers to build factories and a fabric mill in Ethiopias Hawassa Industrial Park is the study of a strong collaboration between a private company looking to optimize its business model and a government aiming to transform its economy through global strategic repositioning. The success of this story hinges upon the intersection of their goals and a shared vision of development that includes a strong commitment to social and environmental goals. PVH was motivated to invest in Ethiopia to respond to shifts in the global apparel sector, its growing desire to retool its business model and to address its concerns about compliance with social and environmental standards in its traditional sourcing locations. The case study further assesses the government of Ethiopias strategy, level of readiness, interest, and commitment, and sets out some key challenges that lie ahead for this partnership. The case study is structured in ten sections. Rwanda: Developing a coherent national policy framework on agricultural trade (RNA) To address this challenge and to assess the coherence of policy and coordination mechanisms between the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, FAO, with support from ECDPM and the Enhanced Integrated Framework facilitated a workshop yesterday in Kigali. Among the objectives of the meeting were the alignment of sectoral policy interventions and the promotion of strategic use of public and private resources. Speaking at the workshop, Dr Charles Murekezi, the DG of Agriculture Development at MINAGRI, provided a number of ways to improve agriculture and trade policy coherence in Rwanda. [Related: Cabinet approves National Strategy for Transformation 2017-2024; NAEB moves to enforce coffee zoning strategy to achieve export targets] Central Africa: ICE2017 preview (UNECA) They (Cameroons minister of trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana and Antonio Pedro, Director of ECAs Sub regional Office) discussed progress made by other RECs in promoting intra-Africa trade, noting that Central Africa is lagging behind other sub-regions, but that its success stories should be emulated and replicated for scale and transformational change. They also concurred that by maximizing trade in intermediate goods and fostering backward and forward integration, countries in Central Africa will benefit more from trading with each other than with the external world. The Minister of Trade stated that with a population of more than 150 million, Central Africa provides a big enough market for all its member states, especially if we effectively promote free movement of goods and services. He cited a positive example of Cameroon, which imports palm oil from Gabon for its refineries that produce vegetable oils and soap. We need to do more of this, said Mr. Atangana who then deplored the fact that Cameroons textile industry does not benefit much from the countrys cotton production since, only about 4% is transformed locally. The rest is exported. IGAD convenes member states and development partners for first time IGAD has brought together Member States and IGAD development partners for the first meeting of its kind aimed at facilitating interaction between development aid end recipients and donors. The objective of the meeting was to highlight achievements by IGAD within the framework of the regional programmes and country level programmes with IGAD assistance, and also to touch on the challenges and opportunities in face of the organisation. Unlocking the potential of trucking business in Southern Africa (NewsDay) Operations to and from Southern Africa are governed by bilateral agreements. Unlike West and Central Africa, the Southern African agreements do not establish quotas. This enables direct contracting between shippers and transporters and creates incentives for transporters to be more efficient. The agreements contain the following provisions, among others: South Africa: Quarterly Bulletin (Reserve Bank) The value of exported gold and merchandise goods increased at a slightly faster pace than that of merchandise imports, resulting in a widening of South Africas trade surplus with the rest of the world in the second quarter of 2017. The value of both mining and manufacturing exports increased, the latter following three successive quarterly declines. The value of mining imports increased despite a decline in the value of crude oil imports, while manufacturing imports were boosted by higher values of imported machinery, transport equipment and textiles. The shortfall on the services, income and current transfer account widened further in the second quarter of 2017, resulting in the deficit on the current account of the balance of payments widening from 2.0% of GDP in the first quarter of 2017 to 2.4% of GDP in the second quarter, despite the improved trade surplus. Extract from Quarterly Economic Review (pdf): The share of manufacturing exports to total exports increased from 35.6% in 2008 to 38.3% in 2016. In 2016, the main regional destinations of South African-manufactured exports were Europe and Africa, followed by the United States. In 2016, South Africas largest manufactured export product category was vehicles and transport equipment (35.4%), followed by machinery and electrical equipment (22.3%), chemical products (15.0%) and food, beverages and tobacco (9.4%). That same year, Germany was the single largest destination of South African manufacturing exports, comprising mostly vehicles (62.3%) and machinery (22.6%). [Various downloads available] UNCTADs Trade and Development Board meeting: profiled presentations - Investment and the digital economy (James Zhan, UNCTAD), Air connectivity in Africa, challenges and opportunities (Brian Pearce, IATA). [View the complete set of presentations, statements, updated daily, here] Short-term impact of Brexit on the United Kingdoms export of goods (World Bank) The short-term impact of Brexit on goods exports is assessed using the Overall Trade Restrictiveness Index of the UKs major trading partners. The analysis shows that in the short run, leaving the European Union may cause the United Kingdoms exports to the European Union to decrease by 2 percent, and the prospect of a major trade collapse post-Brexit is unlikely. This is because the European Unions Most Favored Nation tariffs are higher on products that are less responsive to tariffs, and lower on products that are more responsive to tariffs. The study assumes that there are no further compliance costs associated with the existing nontariff measures facing firms in the United Kingdom, should the United Kingdom leave the European Union. Indias exports to Japan halve to $3.85 billion in four years (Livemint) Amid growing bonhomie between Japan and India - Asias second and third largest economy, respectively- lies the dark reality that in just four years, Indian exports to Japan have almost halved to $3.85 billion in 2016-17, from $6.81 billion in 2013-14. An official website of the United States Government As Twitter chittered with spooked speculation over the poor sea creature, a Smithsonian biologist provides an explanation. It's not the first time to have happened; a mysterious something is found washed ashore and the crowd goes wild. There are usually hints of alien or sea monster; in the end, it usually ends up being the decayed remains of something recognizable, or, just one of the endless creatures living in the inky wilds that most of us just don't know of. In the case of the many-toothed and faceless carcass forced to shore by hurricane Harvey, the answer is one of the latter: Although some might say that a "fangtooth snake-eel" the creature in question may still be more alien or sea monster, I think it's incredible looking and is clearly a creature who has adapted perfectly to live in the environs it calls home ... which would be in muddy burrows 100 to 300 feet below the surface of the sea. The photos that made the rounds were taken by Preeti Desai, a social media manager at the National Audubon Society, who had gone with conservationists to assess the damage from the storm. The animal was spotted on a beach in Texas City, 15 miles from Galveston. Okay, biology twitter, what the heck is this?? Found on a beach in Texas City, TX. #wildlifeid Preeti Desai (@preetalina) September 6, 2017 Of her Twitter sleuthing, Desai told BBC News: I follow a lot of scientists and researchers. There's such a great community of these folks that are very helpful, especially when it comes to answering questions about the world or identifying animals and plants. Someone recommended Kenneth Tighe, a biologist with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Tighe, an eel expert, believes that the creature is most likely a fangtooth snake-eel Aplatophis chauliodus). Although it could possible also be a large-toothed conger (Bathyuroconger vicinus) or a bristletooth conger (Xenomystax congroides). All three of these species occur off Texas and have large fang-like teeth, Tighe told Earth Touch News. Too bad you can't clearly see the tip of the tail. That would differentiate between the ophichthid and the congrids. Unfortunately, the snake-eel was deceased upon discovery. I'm not sure sure it would have received the same frantic rescue efforts that were afforded to the stranded manatees and dolphins, but I'd like to think so. Aplatophis chauliodus' fate was left to the elements that brought it there in the first place; Desai told BBC News that she left the dead eel alone to "let nature take its course." RIP, fangtooth snake-eel. Via The Washington Post Self driving cars will be mobile living rooms, and the Renault Symbioz concept car has this all figured out. Renault has introduced a new concept car at the Frankfurt Auto Show. The Symbioz is a living room on wheels, so comfortable that it can even become part of your living room. Writer and urbanist Taras Grescoe is appalled: Appalled, perhaps, but not surprised; we have seen this coming. There are many prognosticators about self driving cars or autonomous vehicles (AVs) who think that they will be shared, because cars are now parked 96 percent of the time and AVs could be out doing things. I have never thought this made sense; I thought the opposite would be true. People have media rooms and dens in their homes that are empty 96 percent of the time, but people still invest in them because they want comfort and privacy. Steven M. Johnson Once AVs become common, it is likely that they will become like the big easy chair in front of the TV -- the most comfortable place in the house. Chairs in cars are already infinitely more adjustable and comfortable than chairs in homes, and the sound systems are better too. People will spend a lot of time in them, travelling long distances. As Allion Arieff has noted, If you can read your iPad, enjoy a cocktail or play a video game while commuting, time spent in the car becomes leisure time, something desirable. Long commutes are no longer a disincentive. Oooh, what a nice comfy living room! Renault is not the first to do this. We showed the Hyundai concept earlier this year. But the Symbioz is a bit more resolved. According to Car and Driver: "This is definitely nicer than a black Italian leather sofa" The Symbioz is also intended to serve as an extension of the owners living space. The video below shows that the car can drive itself in and out of a house, park itself in a room to serve as a sort of isolated pod, or park next to the house to create an added room. The Symbioz has a retracting dashboard and seats that can swing around for train-style face-to-face seating to create a sort of conversation pod. So, as the video shows, you can live far away among trees in the countryside, in your beautiful glass house. And in true TreeHugger fashion, your car is actually an elaborate piece of transformer furniture, a multi-functional living space that can take you where you want to go but also becomes like a '60s conversation pit in your living room. I vant to be alone And if you have a fight with your kids, you have another option: you can take your car/living room out onto the roof and look at the stars or whatever. Because for a lot of people, the time they have in their car is the only private happy time that they have in a day; now, Renault has made it acceptable to do it at home, and it is certainly nicer on the roof than it is inside a garage. I can imagine the spouse eventually insisting that the other spouse drive downstairs for dinner right now. I really think that that is wishful thinking. People in North America dont like sharing very much, but they do like big comfortable SUVs. A self-driving mobile living room is a dream come true, so why not actually bring it into the living room? It is probably the most comfortable, best engineered object, built with the highest quality of anything one owns, so why ever leave it? The future we want. This is truly the future we want. UPDATE: Steven M. Johnson, who already has foreseen that self-driving cars will be mobile living rooms, reminds us that back in 1984 he envisioned people bringing their cars into their living rooms (and going to work in pyjamas!). Steven M. Johnson How small is too small? We show a lot of tiny houses on TreeHugger, and recently showed some tiny apartments for rent in London, part of the co-living trend. Commenters were not impressed, thinking it barely acceptable for temporary living. But in Sao Paulo, Brazil, a developer is selling 10 square meter (107 SF) apartments with everything you need (except room to swing a cat) built in. Being a condo, it is definitely more of a long-term thing. Vitacon A few years back TreeHugger founder Graham Hills consultancy LifeEdited was talking to the developer, VITACON, and while this is a different building, it certainly has some LifeEdited touches in the common facilities. Vitacon Beside the gym, big kitchen for entertaining, and laundromat, there is the trademark tool library... Vitacon ... and, of course, a co-working space, although I would be sure to have my back to that giant clock. Vitacon The market for small units is growing; according to Raquel Rolnik, translated for ArchDaily, There is no doubt that this type of real estate is related to newest trends of family compositions. It is increasingly common for residences to be occupied by only one person, or at most two. According to data from the SEADE Foundation for 2010, in the state of Sao Paulo, almost 40% of households have these characteristic, 13% of which is made up of a single resident. Therefore, apartment buildings as small as the one that has just been released are not targeted to large families, but couples without children, emancipated young people, divorced people, or even the elderly in an increasingly aging population. This is indeed a growing market in North America as well, with a larger proportion of the population living alone. But how much space does a single person need, and how much can they get away with? Vitacon The New Hygienopolis (a commenter notes "Higienopolis is part of Sao Paulo so calling it "New Higienopolis" is quite logical") has a range of unit sizes, but the 100m2 one is the most interesting. Like the units in the collective in London, it seems to be dominated by the bathroom; I wonder why they cant learn from boats and RVs and just turn the whole toilet and sink area into a shower too. I love the video, with the invisible resident going through the activities of the day. There is clever storage under the wood floor section, a decent amount of clothing storage and a workable kitchen, all in a very small space. At some point, you have to wonder if this really makes sense. The developer is already paying for the kitchen, bathroom and common areas, so how much would it really cost to put in a few more inches of space? Is there a minimum floor area that even single people need to live in? If you subtract the kitchen and bath, this apartments living space is no bigger than the bed itself. Vitacon The theoretical key to making this all work is the communal stuff, the gym and the co-working space, and at least they can go hang out in what looks to be a terrible communal kitchen, with the stove on the island like that. No wonder the people dont look very happy. Could you live in this? Could you live in 107 square feet? It doesn't look too crazy but I would allow an extra night in Siem Reap. Angkor Park is big, and you might find Angkor Wat the biggest but it isn't the best (in my opinion) so it's nice to have a bit more time. The heat in May can be ferocious so it's nice to have half days at the temples and relaxation in the afternoon. Personally I would take out HCMC and add that time to Siem Reap, Hoi An and Hoi An but that's my choice. Not that HCMC has nothing to offer but if you can have one less place it gives you more down time and that would be my least favourite. In the May heat you will find it debilitating sometimes and less travelling the better. Also, on arrival it can take a day or two to adjust time wise. Edited: 5 years ago You will for sure need a 4x4 regardless. Not sure what the roads are like past Nosara as most people do not take this route and we don't get much feedback about the state of the roads but it will all depend on how bad the rainy season was in that area and how banged up the roads got. In general the road from Samara to Nosara is pretty bad and that is a road that is used much more often than the road from Nosara to Tamarindo. Have FunBrenda Dragonne, Owner and Founder of the Info Center in Samara & Carrillo http://wikitravel.org/en/Dar_es_Salaam By train There are two trains running out of Dar Es Salaam from different stations. Tanzania Railway Limited is a train that travels through the center of Tanzania to Dodoma and further West, even up to Mwanza; however, the train tends to be unreliable, not terribly pleasant, and thievery is a problem. Tourists should try to travel in groups, and/or buy out (full occupancy) a first class cabin. Keep the doors and windows locked, especially when sleeping. The train travels at walking pace much of the time, so it is possible to buy fresh fruit, eggs, and other items out of the windows all along the way. Tazara runs a much nicer, though not much more on-time train to the south, which goes through part of the Selous Game Reserve, through Mbeya, and down to Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia (about 2 to 3 hours from Lusaka). Tazara has a large train station just out on the edge of town. Visas for Zambia are available on the train. This is a nice but slow way to travel, as it takes about 2 days. How do I get from the airport (JFK, LGA, or EWR) to Manhattan? What To Do During Layovers? Vacation Apartment Rentals Violate NYC Laws Hotels: Kitchenettes and kitchens in 100+ Manhattan Hotels Hotels: Two queen beds plus a kitchen/kitchenette Hotels: Guests under 21 years old (but at least 18) Hotels: Which ones charge an additional Resort or Facilities Fee Hotels: When is the best time to go for cheaper rates? What are the Must-See's and Must-Do's? How Do I Ride the Subway (UPDATED)? Tips, Hint and Suggestions for First Timers SCAMS to avoid in NYC What Will the Weather Be Like During My Trip? Any Good Websites for Researching My Trip? How Safe is New York? Where to Eat in NYC Where to eat in NYC - Part 2 Celiac in the City? (gluten free) Which Area Should I Stay In? Is There Cheaper Lodging Outside Manhattan? How Much Do I Tip People? Are the New York Pass, Explorer Pass or CityPass worth it? How Do I Hail a Taxi? Public restrooms/toilets. Where do you go when you GOTTA GO? Where are the best areas for shopping? How do I find Discount Tickets for Broadway Shows? What are the NYC Halloween events for 2021? Thanksgiving 2021 in NYC: What to Do & Where to Eat Christmastime in NYC 2021: Dates for the Trees-Windows-Markets-Ice Skating+MORE! Christmas Day 2021 in NYC: What to Do & Where to Eat What Should I Do on New Year's Eve? How Will I Survive the Cold Weather? Where are the Farmers Markets and Street Fairs? What is there to see and do near WTC/SOL/Brooklyn Bridge/SI ferry? What should I know about visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum? 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This comprehensive guide will provide you with a clear understanding of how you may choose the most suitable Best Jasmine Tea available in the market. - Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu had filed a petition to remove Chief Justice David Maraga from office - Wambugu accused Maraga of spearheading a regime change plot and that he engaged in gross misconduct - According to the constitution, the removal of a judge may be initiated only by the Judicial Service Commission acting on its own motion - The petition can also be initiated by any person to the Judicial Service Commission The decision by Nyeri Town MP Ngunjiri Wambugu to file a petition to remove Chief Justice David Maraga from office comes at an interesting time. The petition filed on Thursday,September 14 was timed to coincide with the day the Supreme Court judges are giving the full ruling of a petition in which they annulled President Uhuru Kenyattas win. Wambugu has accused Maraga of spearheading a regime change plot and engaging in gross misconduct. Wambugu has filed a petition to remove CJ Maraga from office.Photo:Star. READ ALSO: Jubilee MP files petition for the removal of CJ David Maraga But the removal of a judge of a superior court is not a walk in the park. According to the constitution, the removal of a judge may be initiated only by the Judicial Service Commission(JSC) acting on its own motion or by any person to the JSC. Article 168 of the constitution says a judge of a superior court may be removed from office only on the grounds of inability to perform the functions of office arising from mental or physical incapacity, a breach of a code of conduct prescribed for judges of the superior courts by an Act of Parliament, bankruptcy, incompetence or gross misconduct or misbehaviour. READ ALSO: Chiloba comes clean on why some form 3A's lacked security features, leading to cancellation of Uhuru's win CJ Maraga. A petition has been filed for his removal.Photo:Baraka FM. READ ALSO: Fireworks at NTV as NASA's James Orengo meets Jubilee's Kindiki Kithure The petitioner is supposed to submit a written document detailing the alleged facts for the removal of the judge. The Judicial Service Commission shall consider the petition and, if it is satisfied that the petition discloses a ground for removal under clause (1), send the petition to the President, says clause 4 of Article 168. READ ALSO: Highly anticipated meeting between NASA and IEBC postponed at the last minute The president shall, within fourteen days after receiving the petition, suspend the judge from office and, acting in accordance with the recommendation of the JSC, appoint a tribunal to investigate the CJ. Should Ezra Chiloba leave IEBC? Source: TUKO.co.ke - Nairobi Woman representative Esther Passaris has recounted the chilling details of her encounter with a police officer rumoured to have killed Chris Msando - Passaris was at the Kiambu CID headquarters where she had rushed after Machakos senator Muthama was arrested for hatespeech - She claimed that she was stopped from getting inside the gate to the station although the likes of Gladys Wanga had been let in - In a viral audio that has been shared online, Passaris says that the hit squad officer singled her out for the reason that she is a Kikuyu who is supporting NASA Newly-elected Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris has come out to reveal that her life is in danger. Passaris,who floored the likes of Rachael Shebesh to clinch the top Women's seat says she recently had an altercation with a police officer said to be a known hitman. According to Passaris,the officer who is suspected to have a hand in Chris Msando's assassination barred her from accessing Kiambu CID headquarters on Monday,September 11,2017,where she had gone to bail out former Machakos Senator Jonstone Muthama. Esther Passaris ,Nairobi Women Representative.Photo: Esther Passaris/Twitter READ ALSO: One of the two NASA MPs to attend Parliament official opening explains why he did so As reported by TUKO.co.ke earlier,Johnstone Muthama was arrested alongside Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria for 'hate speech' and held at the Pangani Police station for hours before being taken to the Kiambu CID headquarters. A throng of leaders drawn from Jubilee and NASA including Hassan Joho,Esther Passaris and others made their way to the CID headquarters ,where Passaris was blocked by the said hitman ,identified as Njoroge who did not only threaten her life but also assaulted her. In an audio recording doing rounds on social media,the ODM politician narrates how she was singled out and targeted by Njoroge because of her tribe and political affiliation. Esther Passaris,Nairobi Women Rep. Photo: Nation READ ALSO: Jubilee and NASA supporters engage in ugly fight in Mwingi Passaris revealed how the hitman refused to allow her in because of her links with NASA. There was this special units guy, they said hes special squad or somethingthe guy called Njoroge a brown fella he said I will speak to you later. And I said I am the Women Representative I want to go in, Gladys Wanga had already gone in. And i saw a man that was so angry with me and I am like you look familiar but I dont really know you. So it started dawning on me that the hate he had for me was am Kikuyu how can I dare be with Nasa. So I told him I dont understand what your problem is but am the Women Representative open this gate you cant block me out I have been elected by 800,000 people.''Passaris said. Passaris goes ahead to reveal how someone behind her asked her to take caution since she was dealing with a dangerous man ,working in the Special Unit as a hitman. Kiambu CID headquarters,Kiambu. Photo: UsalamaWatch READ ALSO: 11 toughest female political figureheads in Kenya who will scare away any man I finally broke away, I dont know where I got my strength from but I broke away and I ended up on the inside. When I ended up on the inside I looked at him but he kept telling me I will show you, you are inside but am still here. But am like God whats wrong with this guy. Then somebody whispered to me and said be careful, he is on the hit squad, hes probably responsible for Msandos death or he is responsible. I just looked at him and I thought ok am going in to file a complaint that he assaulted me.'' However,the Nairobi Women Rep managed to get in but after a long struggle. Her efforts to file for an assault case hit the walls as officers at the station took her round in circles for over half an hour. Esther Passaris recounts her horrendous encounter with 'Chris Msando's killer' at the CID headquarters. Photo: Sde ''So I go in and said to the lady at the counter I wanna file a complaint, I have been assaulted by a cop and she looks at me and says no, I go to the man on the counter and he says no go see the OCS. I go see the OCS and he says go to the back somebody will take your complaints at the gender desk. I go to the gender desk nobody is willing to write down my complaint. I tried that for almost 15-20 minutes, no one was interested and I thought to myself if this is the sign of things to come, we are in trouble. In the middle of the night I saw a message from wakili Oluoch saying he has been trailed and threatened and hes worried for his life.''Passaris added. Listen to the full audio below; Rise of female gangsters in Kenya ; Source: TUKO.co.ke - A Kenyan woman has surprised the country after she paid KSh 350,000 to buy newspaper space to thank NASA leader Raila Odinga - The lady by the name Lilian, showed her gratitude to Raila by thanking the veteran opposition leader for his contribution to the country - Among other things, she thanked Raila for contributing to the fight against corruption in the country A lady has become an internet sensation after she decided to appreciate NASA leader Raila Odinga through a prime newspaper The lady, only known as Lillian, took to one of the prime pages of the local daily to send a message of gratitude to the NASA leader. NASA leader Raila Odinga. PHOTO: Nation READ ALSO: Jubilee MP files petition for the removal of CJ David Maraga Astonishingly, the thank you message scooped nearly half of the newspaper page. TUKO.co.ke has learnt that to have such an advertisement on a National newspaper, one has to part ways with between KSh 250,000 to nearly half a million. An exerpt from the Daily Nation showing a message from one Lillian to Raila Odinga. PHOTO: Twitter.com/Gabriel Oguda READ ALSO: Esther Passaris recounts her horrendous encounter with 'Chris Msando's killer' at the CID headquarters The message sent all sorts of praise towards the NASA leader , who will be having his fourth and arguably his final stab at presidency. Lillian urges Raila not to give up his quest to take the country to The promised land. She also lists a number of things which she believes have been achieved under Raila's watch, including calling out corruption and injustice in the country. "Thank you Raila for calling out corruption" the excerpt from the newspaper read in part. PHOTO: Nation READ ALSO: Alfred Mutua in a shouting match with NASA supporters in Ukambani (videos) "You were mocked and ridiculed...but the truth vindicated you. Thank you for being our voice. Do not tire...we see you. We are with you." The message read. The message is reflective of renewed hope from NASA supporters as a whole after the nullification of Uhuru Kenyattas win by the Supreme court. Raila and Uhuru will now face off again in the ballot on October 17. Have anything to add to this article or suggestions? Share with us on news@tuko.co.ke Should Ezra Chiloba leave IEBC? Source: TUKO.co.ke - Mike Sonko and his county government have coughed up millions to the Moi girls school following the fire tragedy that claimed the lives of 9 students - The governor also announced the contributions of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto which stood at KSh 5 million each The Nairobi county government alongside Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto have pumped a whopping KSh 12 million to the Moi girls High School after the fire tragedy. TUKO.co.ke has learnt that a number of dignitaries offered a lumpsome of cash to the school during the memorial service held on Thursday, September 14 at the school. Nairobi governor Mike Sonko involved in prayers at the Moi girls High school. PHOTO: Facebook.com/MikeSonko READ ALSO: Machakos lorry driver punished for blocking DP William Ruto's motorcade Nairobi governor Mike Sonko led leaders in grieving with the affected families during the programme after DNA test results finally confirmed the identity of the girls. Through his Facebook page, Sonko disclosed the whopping amount both his county government and President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy pumped for the school during the tough period. Scenes from the Moi Nairobi Girls High school Nairobi. PHOTO: Nation READ ALSO: Mother's heartfelt tribute after identifying her daughter's body among Moi Girls victims The Nairobi governor reportedly contributed KSh 2 million to Moi girls High school. This is excluding proceeds from his county government which stands at KSh 5 million. Uhuru and his Deputy each contributed KSh 5 million to the school. PHOTO: Hivisasa READ ALSO: NASA MPs are cowards with big stomachs- Raphael Tuju President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto contributed KSh 5 million each through a paybill number that was erected following the tragedy. While the President and his deputy were not present at the service physically, Sonko ensured they were well represented by sitting through most of the programme. In addition, the newly elected Nairobi governor offered to cater for the funeral expenses of any of the bereaved families in need of assistance. Have anything to add to this article or suggestions? Share with us on news@tuko.co.ke Should Ezra Chiloba leave IEBC? Source: TUKO.co.ke The Mayor of the nation's capital city says the police are working and it is not for him to assess their performance. This,. as he called on the entire society to work together on getting rid of any perception that crime is an opportunity. September 14, Zapad 2017 joint Russian and Belarusian military exercises start on seven training grounds in the territory of Belarus. As the Radio Liberty reports, the drills aim to restore the Soviet tradition of military training of the Warsaw Pact countries which got ready to confront NATO. Belarus and Russia decided to restore such military drills since 2009, although they did not name a potential enemy. The exercises are held every two years alternately on the territory of Belarus and Russia, the report says. The peculiarity of the exercises in 2017 is the changing geopolitical situation: Russia's aggressive actions against Ukraine and its confrontation with NATO, and the status of Belarus as a negotiating platform for Ukraine and Russia in discussing the Donbas problem. In addition, according to military analysts, Belarus acts as the ally of the aggressor country. According to the Belarusian Ministry of Defense, the military exercises will be held on seven training grounds and in two separate localities in the territory of Belarus. A total of 10,200 military personnel will take part in the drills: 7,000 Belarusian troops and 3,000 Russian servicemen. ol Successful tests of "Sokil" unmanned combat aerial vehicle took place today. Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov said this at Honcharivske proving ground in Chernihiv region after the tests were completed, the press service of the NSDC reported. According to him, one of the tasks set by the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine before the domestic defense-industrial complex was "to establish production of high-quality combat unmanned aerial vehicles". "The "Sokil" reconnaissance-strike system, which we have tested today, consists of one reconnaissance and three striking combat vehicles, so it can find and precisely hit targets using the high-explosive, blast-fragmentation, and thermobaric munitions, which depends on the task," Turchynov said, adding that today's tests were carried out in tough weather conditions. The secretary of the NSDC reported that this UAV was "a product of fruitful cooperation of the Ukrainian company "Chezara" with Polish partners". "The tests were successful; they demonstrated the effectiveness of these unmanned systems. The next step is to add them to an armory and use effectively in combat conditions," he said. ish The document on granting Ukraine additional trade preferences for a period of three years was signed at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on September 13. Ukraines representative to the European Union Mykola Tochytskyi posted this on Facebook. Today in Strasbourg, the EU Regulation on granting Ukraine additional EU trade preferences for a period of three years was signed by the President of the Parliament and the Estonian Chairmanship during the plenary session. The signing completes almost a year of persistent efforts of our European partners to provide Ukraine with additional preferences for a number of important goods of Ukrainian agrarian and industrial exports, Tochytskyi wrote. The official document of the EU will come into effect on October 1, 2017. At the same time, some additional trade preferences for agricultural products will be available to Ukrainian producers from January 1, 2018. Quotas for a number of agricultural products will be increased: the annual volume of additional quotas for tomatoes will be 3,000 tonnes per year; quotas for wheat 65,000 tonnes; quotas for maize 625,000 tonnes; quotas for barley 325,000 tonnes. iy President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko states that the energy sector of Ukraine has changed radically and the energy carriers are no longer used as instruments of political pressure. The President said this during a meeting with representatives of domestic and foreign business, the press service of the Head of State reports. "Nobody has the right to blackmail us after the first American ship [came to Ukraine] yesterday pursuant to my agreements with U.S. President Donald Trump on the energy security of our state, Poroshenko said. In turn, Xcoal CEO Ernie Thrasher handed a symbolic gift to the President and the Prime Minister of Ukraine the first American coal brought to Pivdennyi seaport yesterday from Pennsylvania, USA. The energy independence of our state has been secured. In 2016, we learned to live without Russian gas, today we proved to the whole world that we can live without it. Gas is no longer a political noose, but an ordinary commodity, the Head of State stressed. Overnight into September 13, the Ocean Ambitious ship, carrying 62,000 tons of US steam coal for the thermal power plants of PJSC Centrenergo, moored to the handling terminal of the Pivdenny sea commercial port. While paying the visit to the United States in June this year, President Petro Poroshenko discussed with the US leadership the opportunities for deepening cooperation in the energy sector, including the supply of American coal to Ukraine from the state of Pennsylvania. Poroshenko said then that Ukraine would purchase at least 2 million tons of coal from the US. ol The Russian court ruled to arrest for two month 19-year-old Ukrainian citizen Pavlo Hryb on August 17, prior to his arrival in the Belarusian town of Gomel where he was abducted. Hrybs lawyer Andrei Sabinin said this in a commentary to the Ukrayinska Pravda online newspaper. According to him, the court in Russia delivered a judgment to arrest Hryb on August 17, prior to his arrival in Belarus on August 24. On-the-spot arrest was registered officially on August 25. "The court ruled to arrest him for two months as early as August 17. The judgment was delivered in absentia," Sabinin said. The lawyer added that the court would have to consider decision on the future fate of Hryb after this two-month period expired. "If the investigation is completed, the court must deliver a verdict: either acquittal or conviction. However, the charges of terrorism are rather serious and it will take much time to conduct investigation. The arrest is most likely to be prolonged," he said. As reported, on August 27, a Ukrainian citizen and a former border guard officer, Ihor Hryb, appealed to the Ukrainian Embassy in Minsk with a statement that his son, Pavlo, born in 1998, disappeared in Belarus. On August 24, the young man left Chernihiv for Gomel and disappeared there. Ihor Hryb initially searched for his son in Belarus independently. Police representatives in Gomel reported that his son had been placed on the wanted list by the FSB of the Krasnodar Territory of Russia under an article "terrorist act." Ihor Hryb previously served in the Ukrainian border troops and is now involved in the creation of a chaplaincy service in law enforcement agencies. He suspects that Russia's special services kidnapped his son in Belarus. ol The deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping force in eastern Ukraine will protect citizens from armed violence and help restore the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state, U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Heather Nauert has said. "We consider that a possible means of protecting Ukrainian citizens regardless of their ethnicity, their nationality," she said at a briefing at the Washington Foreign Press Center on Wednesday, while answering a question from an Ukrinform correspondent. She added that the United States saw it potentially as a pathway to restoring Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity. Nauert also said that the mandate of the mission should extend to the entire territory under the control of pro-Russian forces. "Any such [peacekeeping] force should have a broad mandate for peace and security throughout the occupied territory of Ukraine up to and including the border with Russia in order to avoid deepening or institutionalizing the divisions inside Ukraine," she said. In this regard, Nauert emphasized that other countries, in particular Germany, agreed with the United States on this matter. She said that Washington supports the efforts of the Normandy format countries to implement the Minsk accords. She recalled that U.S. Special Representative Kurt Volker was making direct efforts in this area. According to her, the goal of these steps is to restore Ukraine's territorial integrity and also protect Ukrainians no matter what their religion is, no matter what their ethnicity is, or their language. At the same time, Nauert said that it was important to improve the security situation in the Donbas as a first step. "We've called repeatedly for Russia to ensure a real and durable ceasefire," Nauert said. She also stressed the need to withdraw heavy weapons and allow full, unfettered, and safe access to the international monitors, including the international border with Russia. "[We want to] make sure that monitors who can provide full, fair information in the field have the ability to operate in a dangerous environment safely," Nauert said. op Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin will pay a visit to Greece on September 13-14 to attend the Athens Democracy Forum. This was reported by the press service of the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine. "On September 13-14, Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin will pay a visit to the Hellenic Republic to attend the Athens Democracy Forum," the report reads. This year, the forum will be held under the slogan "Solutions for a Changing World" and will focus on the problems of globalization. "Minister Klimkin will give a speech on the threat of democracy in Central and Eastern Europe, will participate in thematic discussions. During the forum, Klimkin will hold bilateral meetings and communicate with representatives of the world media," the Foreign Ministry reported. ish The Government consistently implements a program of reforms aimed at ensuring stabilization of the situation in Ukraine and the economic growth. Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said this during a meeting with First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund David Lipton, the Governmental portal reported. "The Government appreciates cooperation with the Fund and its contribution to the reforms in Ukraine. We are determined to continue implementing our joint program with the IMF, which is extremely important for Ukraine. The reforms we carry out are necessary for Ukraine, not for the IMF," Groysman said. The head of the government also informed the interlocutor about the implementation of the education, pension, medical reforms and the reform of the management of state-owned enterprises, as well as preparation of the draft state budget for the next year. In turn, David Lipton noted that, in his opinion, Ukraine demonstrated excellent results in resolving the priority economic and social issues. "The world economy is now rising, and now it is a moment of opportunities for Ukraine that can and should be used," the IMF representative said. According to the results of the negotiations, the parties agreed to continue cooperation to determine the next steps for financial support for reforms in Ukraine by the IMF. ish Ukraine intends to continue to deepen cooperation with the European Union for the development of the state and the EU membership in the future. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said this during a meeting with representatives of national and foreign business in Kyiv, the press service of the Head of State said. "We will expand our cooperation with the European Union. I believe that we can enter the Schengen Area. I believe that we can enter the EU Customs Union. I believe that we can enter the European Energy Union. I believe that Ukraine can become a member of the European Common Aviation Area," he said. "These are the steps before the EU membership and the NATO membership will be open to us. But, firstly, we must work jointly, persistently and effectively in order to meet the criteria," Poroshenko noted. The President called the support for his initiative on the abolition of roaming charges for Ukrainians in the EU countries an example of continuation of the Ukraine-EU cooperation. "The initiative I put forward a year ago on the roaming for Ukrainians in the EU was endorsed by the European Parliament two days ago and was included into the list of documents for the Eastern Partnership Summit that will take place in Brussels this autumn," the Head of State stressed. ish A "Marshall Plan" for Ukraine, with its phased implementation plan, should be presented at the Eastern Partnership summit in late November 2017, according to former Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius, a co-author of the "Marshall Plan" for Ukraine. He said this at a joint Ukrainian-Lithuanian press briefing on long-term financial support for reforms in Ukraine on Thursday, September 14, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. "Today a very important document is being discussed at the European Parliament at [a meeting of] the Committee on Foreign Affairs - the so-called resolution on recommendations for the Eastern Partnership summit, which will be held in late November. The resolution is about what we were trying to achieve - about the Marshall Plan and about the mandate of the EIB commission so that they prepare specific documents," Kubilius said. He said that the current task was to prepare a plan with a phased scheme for its implementation. "We face a more important task. We have to prepare a more concrete project, how this plan can be implemented, and we started to work on this very intensively," Kubilius said. As Ukrinform reported, the Lithuania-initiated "Marshall Plan" for Ukraine is aimed at attracting international financial institutions and ensuring the growth of the Ukrainian economy to 5-7%. The size of annual investment in the Ukrainian economy should reach about $5 billion. op In January-June 2017, almost 700,000 foreign tourists visited Kyiv, which is 5% higher compared with the pre-crisis period in 2013. Head of the Department of Tourism of Kyiv City State Administration Anton Taranenko posted this on his Facebook page. "For the first half of 2017, the Ukrainian capital was visited by a record number of foreign tourists - almost 700 thousand people, which is 25% higher than in the same period in 2016, and 5% higher than in the pre-crisis 2013," Taranenko wrote. According to him, tourists from such countries as Israel, USA, Germany, Great Britain, France, Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan make up 58% of the total tourist flow of foreigners. iy Operated from a cramped newsroom in Phnom Penh, the Cambodia Daily has faced intimidation and lawsuits since it opened in the early 1990s. On September 4, the Daily announced its closure after the government tax department handed it a $6.3 million bill for alleged unpaid back taxes in August. For many, the closure of the paper after almost 25 years was heartbreaking and marked a dramatic attack on freedom of the press. At a meeting of Daily alumni in Washington, DC, last week, Gretchen Peters, one of the papers first managing editors, said: I am really heartbroken for Cambodia, not only because of the paper but in general. I feel so strongly that it is important for democracy to continue in Cambodia, and that is what I am worried about, added Molly Ball, who worked for the Daily between 2000 and 2002. Some 12 journalists have been killed in Cambodia since 1994, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Another challenge in building freedom of the press was to instill a mentality that Cambodian journalists have a right to go and ask tough questions, said Peters. The newspaper opened just two years after the Paris Peace Agreement was signed, ending Cambodias protracted civil war between remaining Khmer Rouge guerrillas and the newly formed coalition of the Cambodian Peoples Party and Funcinpec. Douglas Gillison, who spent six years at the Daily from 2005 to 2011, explained how the papers staff had reported on this transition. We traced stolen money. We exposed crimes. We were the chronicle of the transition from ashes of the civil war into a larger and more corrupt state, as the economy grew and as the means of power changed, he said. Ball said that working with Cambodian staff at the paper had given her a unique perspective. The reporters, particularly the Khmer reporters in Cambodia, are so much braver and are putting so much on the line than any Americans are, she said. The group of some 20 former Daily staff said they hope Cambodian journalists can continue the tradition of free media after the papers closure. I know how important it is to the functioning of any democratic government to have a free press. They just need to remember in their heart the importance of democracy and freedom of the press, she said. The Daily earned many loyal readers ranging from King Norodom Sihanouk to diplomats and business people and high-ranking members of the government, including Prime Minister Hun Sen. It was not just simply reporting and laying the groundwork for understanding reporting. It was contributing to Cambodias transition to democracy, said Elizabeth Becker, a veteran reporter and author of When the War Was Over: Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge Revolution. It affects the Cambodian press corps because the Cambodia Daily was a wonderful way for Cambodian journalism to grow and develop, she said. The recent attacks on independent media in Cambodia came as no surprise to longtime Cambodia-watcher Nate Thayer, a freelance journalist who has written for the Associated Press, the Cambodia Daily, and the Phnom Penh Post about Cambodia. That exposes how weak their political power is. They are afraid of free information and the truth from being transmitted to the population, said Thayer. Information is primarily disseminated through social media. That is what the power of Cambodias future lies, bringing the truth to the people through social media, said Thayer. Hun Sen cant stop social media. Today more than 4 million Cambodians have at least one Facebook account. Information is shared in a matter of seconds. It is not the end of the Cambodia Daily. I think it will come back in some format that probably gives the regime more trouble, said Peters. Peters said she would encourage young Cambodians to start their media business online, because that would be something that Hun Sen and any other future leaders of Cambodia wont be able to stop. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday the displacement of hundreds of thousands of members of Myanmar's Rohingya community can only be described as ethnic cleansing. "When one-third of the Rohingya population has got to flee the country, can you find a better word to describe it?" Guterres responded when he was asked if the term ethnic cleansing applied to the plight of the Rohingyas, most of whom are Muslims, in the overwhelmingly Buddhist Asian nation. "I call on Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country," Guterres said at United Nations headquarters in New York. "Muslims of Rakhine state must be granted nationality or, at least for now, a legal status so they can lead a normal life." "I believe that we are facing a very dramatic situation, and that is the reason why I appealed to the Security Council to seriously consider the situation," the secretary-general said. With concern growing worldwide about the situation in Myanmar's western Rakhine state, the country's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has canceled her original plans to travel to New York for the annual U.N. General Assembly meeting beginning next week. The former Nobel Peace Prize winner, revered for her political campaign against the military junta that formerly ruled her homeland (then Burma), has been criticized for a failure to do more to stop the current round of violence. Government officials in Myanmar consider almost all of Rohingyas to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, even those who have lived in the country for generations. Violence involving the Rohingyas has been going on for a long time, but it grew to a crisis last month. Authorities in Myanmar said a group of Rohingya militants attacked dozens of police posts and an army base on August 25, reputedly in an attempt to retaliate against persecution targeting them. About 400 people were killed in subsequent clashes, many of which were deliberate attacks by members of Myanmar's security forces, according to members of the Rohingya minority. The government said its forces were engaged in a military counteroffensive against alleged "terrorists" involved in the attacks three weeks ago. The violence has spurred an exodus among Rohingyas living in Myanmar, a community of about one million people. Nearly 400,000 have fled toward Bangladesh, which borders Rakhine state, where almost all Rohingyas live. Secretary-General Guterres wrote to the Security Council on September 2, expressing his deep concern about the unfolding crisis in Myanmar and urging the council members to take action. Following a private briefing by the United Nations political chief, the Security Council issued a statement about the Rohingyas' plight. Ethiopian Ambassador Tekeda Alemu, who is presiding over the council this month, said the 15 member nations expressed concern over the violence that occurred during the Myanmar security forces' counteroffensive. The Security Council members "called for immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, de-escalate the situation, re-establish law and order, ensure the protection of civilians, restore normal socio-economic conditions and resolve the refugee problem," the Ethiopian diplomat said. Alemu said the Security Council noted the Myanmar government's commitment to provide humanitarian assistance to all displaced individuals without discrimination, and called for that commitment to be fulfilled. The forthcoming General Assembly session is scheduled to review the situation in Myanmar during two special meetings in the coming days and weeks. Many diplomats will attend a session hosted by the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and chaired by Turkey, and a second, smaller group of foreign ministers will convene at the invitation of their British counterpart. A spokesman for the Myanmar government, Zaw Htay, confirmed Wednesday that Aung San Suu Kyi will not travel to New York but will remain in Myanmar to deal with the ongoing security situation. The spokesman said the Nobel laureate, who serves both as Myanmar's foreign minister and as a "special adviser" to the government, would deliver a televised address next week to "speak for national reconciliation and peace." The speech will be seen as her first detailed public comment about the crisis involving the Rohingyas. Aung San Suu Kyi, who was held under house arrest for years by Burma's former military rulers, has been known as an icon of democracy, but her recent comments have been seen by many as apparent indifference to the plight of her country's minority Muslims. She has dismissed many accounts of the events in Rakhine state as "fake information" designed to promote the interests of "terrorists." That stance has drawn scorn from other governments and human-rights activists, including a number of her fellow Nobel Peace laureates. The United States will stop issuing visas to high-ranking officials at the foreign ministry as part of a new raft of sanctions after Cambodia refused to accept deportees. The sanctions affect foreign ministry employees with the rank of director general and above and their families, according to an announcement on Wednesday. David Josar, a U.S. Embassy spokesman, declined to comment on the decision. In August, CNN reported that President Donald Trumps administration would impose visa sanctions on four countries, including Cambodia, over their refusal to accept deportees. Phay Siphan, a government spokesman, said the sanctions were a human rights violation. We respect U.S. sovereignty. It is an independent state. So is Cambodia... We are not the U.S.s puppet. Chum Sounry, a foreign affairs spokesman, declined to comment. Tensions between the U.S. and Cambodia have escalated since the government banned democracy promotion NGO the National Democratic Institute from the country last month and expelled its foreign staff. Cambodia later accused the United States of being behind an unsubstantiated opposition plot to overthrow the government. U.S. Ambassador William A. Heidt on Tuesday described the accusations as baseless, adding that government officials had completely, and intentionally, mischaracterized what the United States is doing in Cambodia. As Hurricane Irma unleashed 209 kph winds over Floridas thin islands known as the Keys -- the continental United States southernmost point -- most residents had evacuated, but not all. Seven people died in the surrounding county alone, and now, as residents assess the damage for the first time, the realization has hit that home may never be the same. Ramon Taylor reports. This much is known: tension between the Oromia and Somali regions of Ethiopia turned deadly last week in clashes that claimed the lives of at least 18 people in the town of Awaday. Many things remain unknown, including who exactly was killed and how they died, along with the question of what the violence might mean for Ethiopia and the federal government's long-running efforts to overcome or at least tamp down ethnic divisions. In the short run, the federal government said it is taking steps to restore peace. State media Friday quoted the communications minister, Negeri Lencho, as saying authorities have arrested nearly 200 people in Oromia in connection with the violence. Over the weekend, the governors of Oromia and Somali said they would work together to calm the situation, and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn announced that federal police would protect key roads while security forces of both regions withdrew from conflict areas to reduce tension. That may not be enough to ease the tension between Oromia and Somali. Like Ethiopia's seven other regions, Oromia and Somali were established on the basis of ethnicity and language, a system that critics say has exacerbated tensions. For years, the two regional governments have been embroiled in border conflicts stemming from disputes over grazing land and water. Those clashes have intensified in recent weeks, say residents of the border area, who report seeing heavy machine guns and professional military forces. Awaday violence The most detailed accounts of last week's violence come from spokesmen of the two regional governments, both of whom spoke to VOA's Horn of Africa service. Addisu Arega, the head of the Oromia region's communications bureau, said Friday members of the Oromo ethnic group were angered by the alleged recent detention and killing of four respected community figures by special police from the Somali region, known as the Liyou ("special" in Amharic). He said protests broke out September 12 in four Oromia towns, including Awaday, a hub for the trade in khat, a mild narcotic leaf widely consumed in the Horn of Africa. Arega said the protest in Awaday turned violent, leaving 18 people dead -- 12 ethnic Somalis and six members of the Jarso tribe of Oromo ethnicity. Idris Ismail, a spokesman for the Somali regional government, denied the Liyou killed anyone, calling the accusation "a total lie" in an interview Thursday. He put the death toll from the Awaday violence at 50, saying 30 bodies have been taken to the regional capital, Jijiga, and that 20 more are expected. Ismail pinned the blame for the violence on unnamed high-level Oromia officials, who he says are "spearheading genocide" against the people of his region. Arega called that claim irresponsible and said he doesn't believe it represents the stance of the Somali region government. He also said authorities have captured a military officer from Somalia who allegedly attacked residents in the Borana zone of Oromia. He said the officer, identified as Major Shune Kherrow Abdi, was captured in Moyale. The Somali government in Mogadishu has yet to comment on the statement. Ripple effects The violence has had effects beyond the border area. Thousands of Oromos have fled the Somali regional capital, Jijiga, and nearby towns. They are being sheltered in two Oromia region towns, Chenaksen and Babile, and the city of Harrar. Somali region spokesman Ismail said the displaced made their own decisions to leave based on unwarranted fear. One of the displaced in Chenaksen denied that account, telling VOA that Liyou police went door-to-door, beating and robbing them and ordering them to leave. Meanwhile, Ethiopan refugees living in the breakaway Republic of Somaliland say they fear for their lives because of the tension between Oromia and Somali. On Wednesday, two Ethiopian refugees were killed outside Hargeisa, the Somaliland capital. Local media reports say the men were targeted in response to the violence in Awaday. Mohamed Ibrahim Isse has lived in Hargeisa for 17 years. He says he left Ethiopia in search of a better life and to escape persecution. Now, he says, he feels threatened and has requested protection from Somaliland authorities. I was attacked with rhetoric by seven men, saying that I will be killed in revenge of what had happened in Awaday in Ethiopia. I did not go out of my home for the last two days, Isse told VOA's Somali Service. Hukun Mohamed is an Ethiopian refugee who has been living in Hargeisa for four years. She makes a living washing clothes and doing housework. But she too fears for her life. We and Somalis are brothers and sisters. We ask for the authorities to protect us. We also appeal our people in Oromia region to protect the Somalis there, Mohamed said. We need peace. There is no reason for a person to shed the blood of another fellow human. This story is based on reporting by Solomon Abate and Sora Halake of VOA's Horn of Africa Service and Mohamed Olad Hassan of VOA's Somali Service. It replaces an earlier version of the story published on September 13 which has been withdrawn because of errors and inconsistencies. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in London on Thursday to discuss issues including Hurricane Irma, North Korea and Libya, his office said. Johnson, who this week visited the British territories of Anguilla and the British Virgin islands to see the devastation caused by Irma, will discuss the international response with Tillerson and French Political Director Nicolas de Riviere. "I've seen firsthand the devastation Hurricane Irma has caused people in the Caribbean. Close coordination with our allies is vital for both the short-term and long-term recovery efforts," Johnson said in a statement ahead of the meeting. The three will also discuss the situation in North Korea, which carried out its sixth and largest nuclear test earlier this month. The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to boost sanctions on North Korea on Monday, but U.S. President Donald Trump has said they were a small step and nothing compared to what would have to happen to deal with the country's nuclear program. Johnson will also host a meeting on Libya, attended by Tillerson and other international representatives including Italian Foreign Minister Angelion Alfano, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and U.N. Libya envoy Ghassan Salame. Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told a Brazilian court Wednesday that the corruption charges against him stem form a witch hunt and questioned the impartiality of the judge. Silva's deposition in the southeastern city of Curitiba was the second time he faced off with Judge Sergio Moro, who oversees the country's sprawling investigation into bribes to politicians in return for favors to companies. In May, Brazil's former leader also struck a defiant note in court for another case and Moro eventually found him guilty, sentencing him to 9 years in prison. Silva is appealing that conviction. I am going to get home tomorrow and eat lunch with eight grandchildren, Silva said. Can I look my children in the eye and tell them that I testified in front of an impartial judge? Moro responded that he could, but Silva retorted: That wasn't what happened in the other case. In the case at hand Wednesday, the former president is accused of corruption for allegedly accepting an arrangement in which construction giant Odebrecht would buy a piece of land that was supposed to be the site of new headquarters for Silva's Instituto Lula. Several other charges are pending for Silva, who has denied any wrongdoing and says the accusations are politically motivated. This is a witch hunt, he told the court. Last week, Silva's former finance minister, Antonio Palocci, who has been in jail for a year, corroborated the accusation in this case. In court Wednesday, Silva said he pitied Palocci and said he was lying to save his own skin. Supporters of Silva, many wearing the trademark red of his Workers' Party, gave him a rock star's welcome as he made his way through the crowd to enter the court. We have to be in the streets, we have to protest because we can't accept losing a great leader of the country, said one, Richard Fogabia, adding that he thought the proceedings were a show trial. Another demonstration was staged in support of Moro. The judge and Silva are two of the major players in the near-operatic drama that is the Car Wash investigation: Each has his own staunch supporters and bitter detractors. Unjust, absurd and regrettable' Silva is just one of the senior politicians caught up in the probe, which is the largest in Brazil's history and has jailed several executives as well. Odebrecht was one of the companies at the center of the bribery scheme, But the focus has more recently switched to JBS, the world's largest meatpacker, whose executives have confessed to doling out millions to secure legislative and political favors. In exchange for their testimony, JBS chief executive Wesley Batista and his brother Joesley, the company's former chairman, have received immunity from prosecution. But prosecutors are now looking into those deals. On Wednesday, police arrested Wesley Batista amid allegations that he and his brother used their own plea bargains to gain an advantage in financial markets. Executives from JBS have provided evidence for some of the most serious allegations, including claims that President Michel Temer arranged to receive millions in payouts in exchange for helping the meatpacker. Temer denies wrongdoing. In recent days, prosecutors have questioned whether Joesley Bastista and other executives may have withheld some information, violating their plea deals. Pierpaolo Cruz Bottini, a lawyer for the Batista brothers, called the arrest unjust, absurd and regrettable. He said his clients had cooperated with authorities at every step and suggested they were being targeted by some within the government for having reached plea bargains. A warrant for Joesley Batista's arrest was also issued, but the executive has been in custody since Sunday following the questions about his plea testimony. Wednesday's accusations focused on the company's activity in the weeks before their plea deals became public. Police investigator Victor Hugo Rodrigues Alves said the Batistas knew the plea bargains would affect stock prices and cause the Brazilian real to weaken against the U.S. dollar and he alleged they used that to their advantage. Between late April and mid-May, while negotiating their plea bargains, the brothers made large purchases of dollars on the futures markets, Rodrigues Alves said. During that period, their holding company also sold hundreds of millions of dollars in JBS shares. The victims are not just JBS shareholders, Rodrigues Alves said. In a large context, the country is a victim, as the crimes shook the confidence of the market. An environmental group is highlighting discrepancies in Cambodian government data on exports of silica sand to Taiwan, in what the group's founder suggests may be a case of tax avoidance and economic fraud. Exports of another type of sand to Singapore were investigated after the same group exposed similar discrepancies in trade figures with that country last year. In a posting on its Facebook page late Monday, the group Mother Nature cited data from Taiwan's Customs Administration showing imports of 1.5 million tons of silica and quartz sand from Cambodia valued at more than $32 million between 2012 and 2016. PDF: Silica and Quartz Sands Imports, 2010-2016 But, the group says, Cambodia's Customs and Excise Department and the Ministry of Commerce records show sales to Taiwan of only 28,900 tons valued at $275,606 during that period. The sand is used in making components for electronic devices and other products. PDF: Sand Exports, 2016 Yos Monirath, director general of the Department of Mineral Resources and a spokesman for the Ministry of Mines and Energy, refused to confirm or deny any of the statistics, referring a reporter to documents the government has released. "If you take the statistics from me today, it will be different tomorrow. The formal data is what we sent to the National Assembly" in response to an opposition lawmaker's request, he said. Mother Nature's data request "just bothers the government's work," he said. 'Systematic fraud' VOA was able to examine the Cambodian export records for all but six months of the period cited by Mother Nature and has verified its figures. It has also verified the Taiwan import data, which is publicly available. Mother Nature's co-founder Alejandro Gonzalez-Davidson told VOA the figures are evidence of "systematic fraud" and pledged to pursue the case with anti-corruption authorities in Taiwan. Cambodian government officials confirmed that any undisclosed exports of sand would normally have been subject to taxes, including royalties on resource extraction and a 20 percent tax on profits. Gonzalez-Davidson went further in an interview published Wednesday in the Phnom Penh Post, saying the sand sales could not have been hidden without government complicity. "This is beyond an environmental and ecological issue; this is about fraud and tax evasion. This is an economic crime," the newspaper quoted him as saying. Mother Nature was instrumental last year in exposing a $700 million reporting gap in sales of construction sand to Singapore between 2007 and 2015, setting off a government investigation that ended with a conclusion that there was no discrepancy. The government subsequently banned exports of most types of sand, citing the threat of environmental damage, but exempted silica sand from the ban. The environmental group further disclosed Tuesday that two of its members, Hun Vannak, 36, and Douem Kundy, 22, had been arrested that morning while investigating a silica sand operation in Koh Kong province, the main source of silica sand. The Post confirmed the arrests with police in Koh Kong but was unable to get an explanation for the arrests. Two companies named The Cambodian government says it has granted licenses to export silica sand to two companies: the Mong Reththy Group owned by Senator Mong Reththy, who is close to Prime Minister Hun Sen and Sibelco Cambodia Company Limited. Senator Mong Reththy told VOA his company is not currently exporting sand, but he did not directly address the accusations made by Mother Nature. "Don't write to make people have arguments. I know this issue is sensitive," he said. Sibelco is not listed on a publicly available Ministry of Commerce companies database. But a version of the same database made public by Global Witness in 2016 suggests the firm is registered to a Belgium person or persons named Bruno Luc Annie Wauters, with a company address in Singapore. A person answering the listed phone number said the number was incorrect. In Taiwan, Chou Kuo-tung, deputy director of Taiwan's Bureau of Mines, told VOA he had no information on the companies involved in the sand imports. "Our data on these companies is incomplete. We've always wanted to look into it but have no way," he said, adding that only the Taiwan Bureau of Foreign Trade had the information a claim the trade bureau denied to VOA. Preap Kol, executive director of Transparency International Cambodia, said the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Mines and Energy need to investigate the trade figures to see if taxes were evaded. "It is not business as usual when it comes to such huge amounts of discrepancy and it happens to be not one time," he said. "It is important that government, relevant authorities take these issues seriously and citizens have the right to know what's going on." Officials at the General Department of Taxation, Ministry of Economy and Finance, and Ministry of Commerce either did not answer calls and emails or directed questions elsewhere. President Donald Trump told U.S. lawmakers Wednesday that funding for a border wall could be dealt with separately from a bill providing a permanent fix for the 800,000 undocumented young people brought to the U.S. as children. Trump rescinded the program last week, giving Congress six months to work out a permanent solution. That got peoples attention, said Rep. Kurt Schrader, a Democrat from Oregon, told reporters after the meeting between the president and congressional lawmakers from both parties. It is becoming clearer that the future of Deferred Action Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients is almost impossible for the U.S. Congress to separate from a larger, even more contentious debate over comprehensive immigration reform. Trump indicated in the meeting that he remained interested in tying additional funding for border security to any legislative fix for the DACA program, two Democratic lawmakers in the meeting told VOA. According to two of the lawmakers, Trump suggested the RAISE Act, a Senate bill co-sponsored by Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue, as the legislative solution for DACA. When House Democrats encouraged the president to support the Dream Act, he did not commit to that solution but indicated both parties could work together on a solution. The key is now can we find bipartisan agreement there? It starts by having these kinds of conversations, said Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey. Congressional negotiations House Speaker Paul Ryan, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and heads of the congressional Hispanic, Black and Asian caucuses also met Wednesday, in a first attempt to hammer out a compromise. It was a positive meeting, House Democratic Minority Whip Steny Hoyer told reporters afterwards. He would not comment on whether House Democrats would continue an attempt to force a floor vote on Dream Act legislation. Pelosi and Democratic congressional caucuses asked the House Republican leader for a meeting after a week of demands for action, saying DACA recipients, also know as Dreamers, deserved an end to their uncertain status by September 30. But House Republicans recognize that negotiations on the DACA program present an unusual opportunity for compromises on Trumps calls for increased border security and comprehensive immigration reform, a solution thats eluded past presidents and Congress. I do believe that kicking these 800,000 kids out to countries that they probably not been to since they were toddlers, in countries that speak languages they may not even know, is not in our nations interest, so I do believe that theres got to be a solution to this problem, Speaker Ryan told the Associated Press in an interview Wednesday morning. But at the same time, I think its only reasonable, it makes perfect common sense, that we deal with the problem that was the root cause of this, which is we do not have operational control of our borders, Ryan said. Republicans said it would be impossible to find a permanent fix for DACA recipients, while failing to resolve the status of the nearly 12 million undocumented people now living in the United States. The message has to be in six months, were going to start enforcing the law, Rep. Raul Labrador, an Idaho Republican from the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said Wednesday morning. Because thats where the leverage comes from. Labrador said conservative House Republicans would never vote for a so-called clean legislative fix for DACA, a move that would address only that program. The president gave us a golden opportunity with the announcement he made about DACA the Democrats have to get on board, Labrador said. Theyre not going to get anything they want if they dont help us fix the border security issues and interior security issues. Early in negotiations But at this early stage in negotiations, both parties are still looking for the upper hand. There are always some members who are going to be pushing the goal posts. I dont think we do comprehensive reform well on anything, said Representative Charlie Dent, a Republican from Pennsylvania and a chairman of the so-called Tuesday Group of House moderates. We should do some kind of incremental change on immigration to start. We should have a comprehensive process but do incremental bills. We should attach some DACA and border security together thats easy to do. Dent said he supports the Recognizing Americas Children Act, sponsored by Florida Republican Carlos Curbelo. If passed, the legislation would provide the 800,000 undocumented young people with three pathways toward five-year conditional status through service in the armed forces, higher education or work authorization. After those five years, they would be eligible to reapply for five-year permanent status. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York warned in a press conference with Pelosi last week that congressional Democrats would attach DACA legislation to other bills if Republican leadership did not bring it up for a vote in September. Schumer and Pelosi had dinner with Trump Wednesday night to discuss the fall legislative agenda, including legislative fixes for DACA. The meeting between the president and the top congressional Democrats follows their deal last week to tie together a rise of the debt ceiling with short-term government funding. House Republicans did advance immigration legislation this week, introducing a bill requiring U.S. employers to use E-Verify, an internet-based system that allows businesses to determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States. They also scheduled a Thursday vote on the Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act. If passed, the measure would deny criminal alien gang members entry to the United States and make them ineligible for asylum, special immigrant juvenile status, temporary protected status, and, with limited exceptions for law enforcement purposes, parole. In a Croatian port sits a boat built to carry bananas from Africa to Italy, that laid mines for Nazi Germany and was sunk by Allied planes before it was salvaged as the personal yacht of a globe-trotting communist leader. Josip Broz Tito and the state he led - Yugoslavia - have long passed into history, and the boat, the Galeb (Seagull), was left to rust in a corner of Rijeka's once mighty docks. Now, with Rijeka readying to become European Capital of Culture in 2020, city authorities have secured European Union money to restore the 117-meter (384-feet) boat as a museum, just as debate in Croatia rages over the life and deeds of the man who graced the pink mattress in the front port-side cabin. If the Galeb was a symbol of Tito's prestige on the world stage - a communist leader welcome in ports West as well as East - its restoration is part of Croatia's own tortured process of reconciliation with its 20th century history. Villain to some, hero to others To conservatives in Croatia, Tito - who was born in what is today Croatia to a Croat father and Slovene mother - was a totalitarian dictator: to look fondly on him means to be nostalgic for a shared federal state that denied Croats their own until they forged one in a 1991-95 war. Liberals, however, recall his guerrilla fight against the Nazis and the relative freedom and prosperity of Yugoslavs compared to those who lived in the Soviet Union or in its shadow. They see in the disdain of conservatives a thinly veiled fondness for the World War II Croatian state that collaborated with the Nazis but was snuffed out with Tito's Partisan victory - sentiment that has gained a foothold in mainstream Croatian politics in recent years. It is a tug-of-war over history and identity that was encapsulated this month in the renaming by Zagreb's city council of the capital's Marshal Tito Square to Republic of Croatia square. Days later, the government ordered the removal of a plaque near the site of a World War II concentration camp that bore a notorious slogan associated with the Nazi puppet regime in Croatia. "We live in a time when history is being reinvented retroactively," said Ivan Sarar, who as head of culture at Rijeka's city council is in charge of its 2020 makeover. "It's interesting that just by undertaking this [restoration] we have already been declared revisionists," he told Reuters. Quasi-cultural exhibitionism After years of false-starts, work on restoring the Galeb is imminent - a mammoth, multi-million-euro task to recreate the 1950s chic of Tito's floating palace, host to over 100 heads of state and some of Hollywood's finest. Some of the furniture remains - in Tito's cabin, his turquoise-tiled bathroom and the adjacent salon with doors that open to the deck. But the ship itself is little more than a rotting hull. The Galeb was the stage for Tito's major contribution to history, said Sarar, a showcase for the non-aligned movement he helped found in answer to the East-West polarization of the Cold War. But Sarar stressed: "We won't be soft on anyone." He noted Tito's cosy ties with dictators around the world, the exodus of Italian residents of Rijeka when he took the city as part of Yugoslavia, and his denial of democracy during 35 years of one-man rule until his death in 1980. Yugoslavia fell apart in war a decade later and some 135,000 people were killed. It was Tito's seizure of Rijeka and the Istrian peninsula that cemented his status in this part of Croatia as a liberator. Dozens of streets in Istria still bear his name, as do others in the Balkans - most notably in Serbia, once the dominant republic in Yugoslavia. Conservatives, however, struck a blow with the renaming of Zagreb's Marshal Tito Square, part of a deal struck by the mayor to secure his majority in the city assembly. The man behind the initiative, leading right-wing politician Zlatko Hasanbegovic, told Reuters that while Tito was "undeniably a significant historical figure," so were Napoleon, Stalin and Lenin. "In all countries, streets and squares bear the names of those who embody the values with which the entire nation identifies itself," he said, describing the restoration of the Galeb as part of an attempt to revive the cult of Tito. "Those insisting on it should ask themselves how the tens of thousands of victims of Yugoslav communism look on that kind of quasi-cultural exhibitionism." In Rijeka, Sarar denied planning any kind of homage to Tito. "We want to create a place for dialogue, away from the current situation of extreme black, white and red truths that lead nowhere," he said. "It's bound to be difficult." Hollywood celebrities may have been the first to host a telethon to raise money for Hurricane Irma victims, but the idea is not theirs alone. Dutch TV and radio stations also are banding together for an evening-long broadcast aimed at showing solidarity and gathering donations for victims on the island of St. Martin / St. Maarten, Netherlands Ambassador to the U.S. Henne Schuwer told VOA in an interview. We dont have as many [radio and TV] stations as you have here in the United States, so itll be easier to arrange, Schuwer said with a smile. A cherished exotic part of the whole Asked how the Dutch people on the mainland feel about the disaster happening half a world away, Schuwer insists that his nation is firmly united with all its citizens. Its part of our kingdom that has been hit, the smallest part, but its the Netherlands, the kingdom, that has been hit; theyre part of us. The ambassador describes the island as an exotic part of us but one that the Dutch are happy to have. WATCH: Ambassador Schuwer on rebuilding after Irma The Caribbean island, divided between Dutch St. Maarten and French St. Martin, is less than 100 square kilometers located roughly 241 kilometers southeast of Puerto Rico. The island got its name when Christopher Columbus spotted it in 1493 on the feast day of the eponymous Catholic saint. An island that prides itself as a destination where ones limits are the sky in one direction and the bottom of the sea in the other now finds itself struggling to survive. Daily crisis meeting The Dutch government conducts a crisis meeting every day in The Hague, chaired by the prime minister, and the initial focus is on the basic necessities. Get the sewage system back working again, hopefully that can be done quite quickly; the drinking water system, that needs to be back on line again very, very quickly; luckily, thats not as heavily damaged as could have been, as far as we can see, Schuwer said. Addressing health care issues, preventing outbreaks of infectious diseases and getting St. Maartens hospital up and running again, are also high on the agenda. Schuwer says reported looting on St. Maarten is now under control. All looting is bad, he said, but theres a difference between taking a bottle of water from the store because one needs it, versus walking off with a television set for which he says theres no excuse, under any circumstances. An enhanced military presence, with a target number of around 550 total, is being deployed to St. Maarten. Friend in need Schuwer said his country is grateful for the help the United States immediately offered and almost just as immediately provided, after the hurricane hit the island. WATCH: Ambassador Schuwer on US relief aid It was wonderful to see that in a moment like this, youre here as an ambassador, and one of the first phone calls you get is from your colleague in the State Department, with a very simple message: If you need something, just ask. Schuwer credits close bilateral ties, including strong military cooperation, as having laid the foundation for the show of support in time of crisis. The U.S. military also asked immediately: Can we help? he said. Schuwer said the U.S. has assets in the Caribbean which we either dont have or only have in smaller numbers, such as military transport planes. He credits the Americans with helping clear the runway for the main airport on the island. We asked them for help on Saturday, on Sunday we got our reply and they were there, that was fantastic; theyre there now helping us with air traffic control, he said, which is crucial as planes arrive to evacuate individuals with medical conditions, followed by tourists, and then local permanent residents. Now the difficult part starts Dutch authorities hope the majority of St. Maartens permanent residents will decide to stay and begin rebuilding the island quickly, Schuwer said, but added: If they want to get out, we cannot stop them, but well talk to them, and say that this is your island, now the difficult part starts. The ambassador said the Dutch government understands that tourism, the islands main source of income, will probably be paralyzed for months, so it is considering incentives to encourage residents to stay on and rebuild. King Willem-Alexander has visited the Dutch half of St. Maarten and chose to stay there overnight to demonstrate his commitment and support for the rebuilding effort. Above all, the ambassador said, there is solidarity linking all Dutch people in other parts of the kingdom with the Sint Maarteners. Schuwer said the message is: Youre part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. We are with you. You have suffered very badly; we will get you through the first few days and, more importantly, we will remain with you after the television cameras are gone. The Latin phrase semper progrediens, always progressing, is St. Maartens official motto. The islands residents may have cause to recall that sentiment in the weeks and months ahead, as they weather the aftereffects from Hurricane Irma. A political delegation from El Salvador, led by its foreign minister, is meeting here this week with U.S. lawmakers to seek their help in extending two programs that shield the country's nationals in the United States from deportation. Our main concern is the 28,000 young people who are protected by DACA, Foreign Minister Hugo Martinez said in a phone interview Wednesday, speaking about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Those young Salvadorans are among almost 800,000 undocumented young people who were brought to the United States as children. The U.S. Justice Department announced last week that it would rescind the 2012 Obama-era program whose registrants have been allowed to study and work in the United States. President Donald Trump met with top congressional Democrats -- Senator Charles Schumer and Representative Nancy Pelosi -- over dinner Wednesday at the White House to discuss DACA and other issues. In meetings scheduled Wednesday through Friday, the delegation also is lobbying for extension of temporary protected status, or TPS, for roughly 200,000 Salvadoran nationals. Their status is set to expire March 9. El Salvador is among 10 countries currently designated by Homeland Security for TPS because of dangerous conditions, such as ongoing conflict or natural or environmental disasters. It was the first to receive TPS after the program's 1990 start, because of the country's civil war, and in 2001 after a series of earthquakes. Each country undergoes periodic review to determine whether its citizens living in the United States still should qualify for the status and work authorization. Collaboration planned "We as country initiated a bilateral strategy, Martinez said, adding that in the next few weeks his country would collaborate with others nations having the same problem with TPS and DACA. The other nine countries with TPS designation include Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen. As for DACA, El Salvador has the second-largest group of recipients (28,371) after Mexico (618,342), according to New York Times calculations. Mexico's foreign minister, Luis Videgaray Caso, said Monday that his country would welcome back the dreamers as "a blessing" and would support their continued higher education and help them find work. At a news conference in California's state capital, Sacramento, Videgaray noted his government also has been lobbying U.S. lawmakers to revise immigration laws because "these young people want to stay in America." In Washington, the Salvadoran delegation included the president of its congress, Guillermo Gallegos, and representatives of several political parties. Martinez told VOA that Salvadorans protected by TPS represent "an important labor force," with most adults holding jobs and paying taxes. He also said his government's efforts to fight drug trafficking and transnational gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, shows a commitment to strong relations with the United States and a "strategic alliance in security." This report originated in VOA's Spanish Service. An early morning fire at a private religious school in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur killed 23 people Thursday, most of them teenage boys. Fire officials say the pre-dawn blaze at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah broke out in the top floor of the dormitory building where the students were sleeping. The victims 21 boys between the ages of 13 and 17, and two adult teachers were unable to escape because the only entrance to the sleeping quarters was blocked by the fire, and the windows were covered by iron grills. Witnesses looked on helplessly as they heard the students screaming for help as the fire raged. Their bodies were later found huddled in two corners of the burned-out room. Fire officials say they likely died of smoke inhalation. Eighteen other residents in the school were rescued, with six of them hospitalized in critical condition. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but officials believe it was started by an electrical short circuit. The Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah is one of hundreds of schools in Malaysia known as "tahfiz" where children study and memorize the Koran. Many of the schools are unregulated by the government. The Star newspaper says the fire department has recorded 211 fires at tahfiz schools since 2015. Sixteen people escaped a fire at a tahfiz in northern Kedah state back in August. Religious schools have come under further scrutiny since an 11-year-old boy died after allegedly suffering abuse in the southern state of Johor. The Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah had just submitted a request with city officials for fire safety approval for the building. Women's rights activists in Malawi's capital, Lilongwe, braved hot weather Thursday to protest recent domestic violence in which seven women were slain or disfigured by their partners. The protesters, many of them women, wore black attire, and at one point they lay in the street to symbolize mourning. They carried banners and placards that read: "Violence against women is an offense, not a private issue," "Ending gender violence starts with me, I stand against it;" and "Don't be silent, speak up against intimate partners' violence." Emma Kaliya, national coordinator for an NGO called Gender Coordination Network, an umbrella body of women's rights organizations in Malawi, told VOA that domestic violence is not an isolated occurrence in Malawi, but what is most worrying is the form it now has taken. "Maybe in the old days, we used to know the beating, maybe the shouting, and also maybe stalking," she said. "But now we are seeing a different one, where people are literally using small arms to harm others. Like, they are using guns, they are using knives, stabbing women, or literally using an ax." Incidents that triggered the protests included the death of a young mother who was killed by her husband in southern Malawi for refusing to open the door for him when he returned from from a night of drinking; and deep cuts on the face a police officer's wife in Lilongwe, who was beaten by her husband because he suspected her of dating another man. And there was the tragic death of Miriam Siula, 30, who was stabbed with a knife by her ex-boyfriend in Lilongwe after she ended the relationship. Siula's relatives on Thursday gave the marchers graphic details of how her ex-boyfriend, now charged with murder, stabbed her three times in the chest and stomach while her helpless mother was watching. Marcel Chisi, national chairman of Men for Gender Equality Now, a male-dominated NGO that works to stop violence against women, told VOA that men are sometimes driven to commit domestic violence because of the entrenched patriarchal nature of Malawi society, in which men regard themselves as decision-makers on behalf of women. "And I think the more women are getting empowered and are beginning to question [some decisions by men], you know, [in a] very honorable way of questioning," he said. Chisi said ongoing sensitization meetings by women's rights campaigners on the subject have resulted in more women reporting violent incidents to law enforcement agencies for action. National Police spokesman James Kadadzera agreed. "We do receive cases of domestic violence on a daily basis in all our police stations across the country," he said. "It may seem that numbers are increasing, [but it's] just because there is that sensitization to members of the public, and they quickly come to police and they report." Statistics by the Ministry of Gender show that 53 percent of married women report their current husbands as the perpetrators of the violence they face. But Kadadzera said many women withdraw cases involving their husbands because of fears of financial insecurity, and that allows many perpetrators to escape punishment. Domestic violence in Malawi is an offense punishable by a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. Legal experts say some women fail to report domestic violence cases largely because of the high illiteracy rate among women, currently at 71 percent. The Women Lawyers Association of Malawi has offered to provide free legal assistance to female victims of domestic violence. Sarai Chisala-Templehoff, national chairwoman of the association, said, "We have received over 10 cases almost always, physical violence is involved. One woman's house was burned down entirely, and other family of the ex-husband sold the house they used to stay in." Several current cases, she added, involve battery. Chisala-Templehoff said the services provided by her organization include legal representation, litigation and referrals. In a petition, the protesters demanded that government institutions fire any public officer who engaged in any form of violence against women. They also called upon Malawi President Peter Mutharika "as a champion and ambassador for the HeForShe campaign," to issue a statement to condemn violence in all its forms. HeForShe is a campaign for women's advancement, initiated by the U.N. Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women. It seeks to make men and boys agents of change, urging them to act against the inequality women and girls face. Deputy Minister of Gender Clement Mukumbwa received the protesters' petition and promised that the government would look into all issues raised. Guatemala's Congress on Wednesday approved a "national emergency" decree to curb penalties for illegal election financing after the country's president was linked to suspected irregularities during his 2015 election campaign. The change eliminates criminal responsibility for "authorizing" electoral funds that prove to be illegal and makes party accountants responsible for irregularities rather than party leaders. The reform, approved by a vote of 105-19, also reduces the penalty for illegal election financing from a maximum of 12 years to 10 and allows for paying a fine in order to avoid jail time. The decree was the latest blow to the prosecutor's office and the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) after Congress this week voted to preserve President Jimmy Morales' immunity from prosecution. Prosecutors had sought to remove Morales' immunity to investigate him over some $800,000 in allegedly unexplained campaign funds when he was the head of his party. Prosecutors are also investigating Guatemala's other major parties. Under the leadership of Ivan Velasquez, a veteran Colombian prosecutor, the CICIG has caused problems for Morales, first investigating his son and brother, and then seeking to prosecute him over the allegedly unexplained campaign funds. The U.S. ambassador to Guatemala, Todd Robinson, expressed his disappointment in a message on Twitter. "Years of malnutrition, insecurity, crime, corruption. Congress? No action. Amazing how fast they act to protect selves from prosecution," he said in a post. "Really? National emergency? What a shame!" U.S. human rights groups are suing the federal government over warrantless searches of phones and computers at the U.S. border. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation announced Wednesday that they have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security on behalf of 10 American citizens and one U.S. permanent resident whose smartphones and laptops were searched without warrants. Several, but not all, of those named in the suit are Muslims. One of them said he was physically restrained while being questioned. None of them have been accused of wrongdoing. The lawsuit calls for stricter legal guidelines for searches of electronic devices. People now store their whole lives, including extremely sensitive personal and business matters, on their phones, tablets and laptops, and its reasonable for them to carry these with them when they travel, said EFF Staff Attorney Sophia Cope in a statement. Its high time that the courts require the government to stop treating the border as a place where they can end-run the Constitution. The suit says the number of such searches has grown sharply in recent years and will likely hit 30,000 this year, compared with 8,503 in 2015 and 19,033 in 2016. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, which conducts the searches at airports and U.S. borders, says the increase is driven by its mission to protect the American people and enforce the nations laws in this digital age. But the rights organizations say that argument doesnt hold water. The government cannot use the border as a dragnet to search through our private data, ACLU attorney Esha Bhandari said in a statement. The Fourth Amendment (of the U.S. Constitution which protects against unreasonable searches) requires that the government get a warrant before it can search the contents of smartphones and laptops at the border. The Northland area of Columbus, Ohio was booming in the 1960s and 70s. About 65 square kilometers, the area was a shopping and dining destination. Its centerpiece was the Northland Mall on Morse Road. You couldnt get a parking space at the mall at Christmas time, Dave Cooper, president of the Northland Area Business Association, told Columbusalive.com. In the early 2000s, the area fell on hard times. Retailers began to desert the mall Columbuss oldest for newer shopping centers and in 2002, Northland Mall closed, ushering the whole Morse Road corridor into a period of increasing crime and vacant storefronts. The city of Columbus went into action, creating special commissions and offering tax incentives. But when help arrived, it came from an unexpected quarter. As the old mall was closing, immigrants and refugees were opening up small shops and restaurants along Morse Road. A group of Somali refugees opened Global Mall just five blocks away, offering new space opportunities for startup entrepreneurs. Part shopping center, part community gathering place, Global Mall today hosts all sorts of businesses. And Global was just the beginning of what has become a corridor of immigrant and refugee businesses along Morse Road. Some refugees or some immigrants have great business skills. So they got into the business without help of the government and they flourished, says Somali business owner Ahmed O. Haji. Saraga Grocery I bought ramen noodles and extra hot peppers. I like the fact that there is a big variety from all different places around the world, says Ron Kosa, a customer at the Saraga International Grocery, which is located in a former Toys R Us building on Morse Road. Korean immigrant John Sung opened the 5,000 square-meter grocery four years ago. "We have products from five continents, Africa, Asia, South America, Europe all over the world basically, Sung says, adding that his 80 employees are similarly from all over the world. In addition to selling groceries, Saraga provides space for individual merchants, hosting a halal butcher, a Mexican bakery and a Nepali food stand among others. Jubba Value Center Mall About two kilometers away from Saraga grocery is Jubba Value Center Mall where Somali refugees and immigrants have small shops and help each other bring in new customers. Columbus has the second largest Somali community in the U.S. after Minneapolis, MN. Morse Road is a very strategic location, says Haji who started the Jubba Travel agency nine years ago. It's one of the highest revenue generated ZIP codes in Columbus. It's a great location. Morse has very diverse ethnic people that live in this area. The influx of refugees and immigrants kept the population of the Northland area from declining in the first years of the new millennium. From 2007 to 2012, immigrant entrepreneurship rose citywide by 41.5%. Native born entrepreneurship declined by 1.2 percent during the same time period. Based on a recent study, we could account for over 900 businesses that were opened specifically by the refugee community, said Guadalupe Velasquez, Assistant Director of the Department of Neighborhoods for the city of Columbus. And they then in turn employ over 23,000 individuals. The total contribution of refugees to the city's economy is $1.6 billion, Velasquez added. Travel Agency I did not have an incentive move or any advice from the city, says Haji about opening his travel agency. What drove me to start the business was the need for my immigrant people predominantly Somali people who are going back home. And the means of transportation is an airline. So I thought that was a lucrative business to get into. Since the presidents executive order limiting travel from six countries, including Somalia, took effect in June, Haji says his business has declined dramatically. But he will keep at it. "The city is very welcoming. Columbus, I've been here for almost 21 years now, and I am not going to go anywhere else." Iraq's parliament on Thursday voted to dismiss the Kurdish governor of the ethnically mixed Kirkuk province, in a move that could escalate tensions ahead of a planned Kurdish referendum on independence. To the south of Baghdad, meanwhile, militants attacked a checkpoint and nearby restaurant in southern Thi Qar province, killing at least 60 people and wounding 83, according to provincial Gov. Yahya al-Nassiri. The so-called Islamic State group, through its Amaq news agency, claimed responsibility. Iraq's Kurds plan to hold the vote on Sept. 25 in three governorates that make up their autonomous region as well as disputed areas like Kirkuk that are controlled by Kurdish forces but claimed by Baghdad. Late last month, Kirkuk's provincial council voted to take part in the referendum. Iraq's central government has rejected the polls as unconstitutional and illegal. Lawmaker Hussein al-Maliki said parliament voted to dismiss Kirkuk Gov. Najmiddin Karim based on consultations with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. Mohammed al-Karboli, another Arab lawmaker, said Karim "threatens the country's unity and civil peace in Kirkuk." All Kurdish members boycotted Thursday's session, while 187 mainly Arab and Turkmen legislators voted in favor, the two lawmakers said. The governor has the right to appeal the decision, al-Karboli added. Shortly after the session, the Kirkuk governor rejected the parliament decision in a statement, describing it as "invalid" and insisting that he'll stay in office. "The parliament decision ... doesn't mean anything to Kirkuk and its governor who is still in office," said the statement. Brett McGurk, U.S. special presidential envoy to the anti-Islamic State coalition calling on Kurdish leaders in Iraq to halt the referendum in favor of an alternative. McGurk said at a news conference in Irbil that Brussels, Washington, Paris, London and Baghdad had cooperatively developed an alternative plan to the contentious referendum. While providing no details on the alternative, he said he has presented it to Kurdish leaders. "There's an alternative on the table. It's decision time," he said. Oil-rich Kirkuk is home to a mix of Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen and Christians. Kurdish forces took control of the province and other disputed areas in the summer of 2014, when the Islamic State group swept across northern and central Iraq and the Iraqi armed forces crumbled. Iraq's Kurdish region has enjoyed a high degree of autonomy since the U.S. imposed a no-fly zone over northern Iraq after the 1990 Gulf War. It has its own parliament and armed forces, flies its own flag, and has been a close U.S. ally against IS and other militant groups. But relations with Baghdad have grown strained in recent years over oil and the disputed areas. The attack in Nasiriyah in Thi Qar province started with militants opening fire at the checkpoint and the restaurant on the main highway that links Baghdad with the southern provinces, al-Nassiri said. That was followed by two suicide bombers, including one driving an explosives-laden car, he added. Three policemen were among the dead and the majority of those killed were expected to be Iranian pilgrims en route to visiting religious shrines who were resting inside the restaurant, he said. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said later in a statement it condemned the attack. "This attack is yet another example of the cowardice of (the Islamic State group) and other extremist groups targeting innocent civilians in their desperate attempts to sow discord among the people of Iraq while they face overwhelming defeat on battlefield," the statement said. Shiite Muslim-dominate Thi Qar is located about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast of Baghdad. Larry and Elida Dimas didn't have much to begin with, and Hurricane Irma left them with even less. The storm peeled open the roof of the old mobile home where they live with their 18-year-old twins, and it destroyed another one they rented to migrant workers in Immokalee, one of Florida's poorest communities. Someone from the government already has promised aid, but Dimas' chin quivers at the thought of accepting it. I don't want the help, said Dimas, 55. But I need it. Dimas is one of millions of Floridians who live in poverty, and an untold number of them have seen their lives up-ended by Irma. Their options, already limited, were narrowed even further when the hurricane destroyed possessions, increased expenses and knocked them out of work. Not far from Dimas in impoverished Immokalee, located on the edge of the Everglades, Haitian immigrant Woodchy Darius, a junior at Immokalee High School, must decide whether to return to class when school reopens or head to the fields to pick berries once the land is dry enough to work again. The rent is $375, and if I don't have the money they'll kick us out, said Darius, 17. He lives in a grubby apartment building with bare concrete floors, burglar-proof doors and cinder-block walls that make it resemble a jail more than home. The Census Bureau estimates about 3.3 million people live in poverty in Florida - nearly 16 percent of the state's 20.6 million population. For them, the amusement parks of Orlando or President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach might as well be on Mars. Many work by the hour in restaurants, gas stations, hotels, stores and other businesses forced to close for days after Irma, depriving them of paychecks. Others are day laborers or migrants who earn money by the pound picking produce that's sold in stores nationwide. Still others are retirees on fixed incomes or disability checks whose budgets already were tight before Irma. Fleeing Irma wasn't an option for those who lacked transportation to get to a shelter, couldn't afford gas to drive north and couldn't rent a hotel room. The likely costs associated with cleaning up or finding a new place to live pushed them closer to the edge than ever. After Irma, Gwen Bush scrambled to find a place just to sleep after flood waters rose around her home. A security worker for Amway Center in Orlando, Bush hadn't worked in the days leading up to Irma because concerts and other events had been canceled as the storm approached. It's not certain when the arena will be open for business, and she was down to her final $10 before the storm. I've been through some hurricanes and some storms living here but I can say on my life this is the worst I've ever seen, said Bush, 50, a lifelong resident of Orlando. How do you recover from this, losing all of your stuff? David and Andrea Jewell survive on disability checks and live on a sailboat they bought for $1,000 on eBay years ago. David Jewell, 51, can't imagine now living on land; both consider the ocean - like the dolphins they watch - their only real neighbors. After the storm, the Jewells stayed on cots in the gym at a community center in Jacksonville. They tried to figure out if they could get a new boat if theirs was destroyed. Maybe, they decided, they could just cut back on food and find another cheap one with their next disability checks. There aren't any answers, he said, so I guess I'll have to roll with it. But in one bit of good news, they later learned from a friend that their boat is still floating. For some poor people, there's at least a little upside to the devastation. Guatemalan immigrant Aura Gaspar totaled up storm-related expenses of about $600 while using a twig-fired grill to stew chicken on her front stoop in Immokalee; she has three school-age children to feed and a 2-week-old baby. But Gaspar said husband Juan Francisco got a job cleaning up storm debris in the Fort Myers and Naples area. He needed to get busy, she said through a translator: Their storm preparations cost nearly twice as much as his weekly pay of $320. We had to prepare the house so it would protect us, said Gaspar, 28. Beside his ruined Immokalee mobile home, Dimas is trying to get back on his feet, but it's tough. Dimas earns a meager living cooking hamburgers and chicken in a food truck parked by his home, and some customers already have returned - he said he sold all 40 of the hamburgers that were still safe to cook Tuesday. Dimas needs to replace the income from his rental trailer, already condemned after being split open by the wind. Dimas had used that money to help feed his two teenagers and pay for the rescue inhalers he needs for his asthma. Losing it will only make it harder for Dimas to do what he says is one of his favorite things - providing free or cut-rate food to those who have even less. Coping with Irma's aftermath is only making life tougher for people with little who live in places including unincorporated Immokalee, said Dimas. A lot of people work. They work hard here. They don't ask for nothing. They just go to work, come home and something like this happens, it's ...., Dimas said. I don't know what to say. He stopped talking and turned away to keep from crying. Wrapping up a two-day visit to India, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for strict enforcement of a U.N. resolution against North Korea over its latest nuclear test. After holding talks Thursday with his Indian counterpart, Abe said, Id like to appeal to the world, together with Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi, that we need to have North Korea change its policy through the thorough implementation of the newly adopted Security Council resolution by the international community. Saying North Korea will have to roll back its missile and nuclear program, Abe said that Japan and India will take firm steps against the challenges coming from there. He said both leaders had agreed on the need to make North Korea change its policies. In a joint statement, the two prime ministers strongly urged North Korea to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and not to take any further provocative actions. Transportation projects Earlier in the day, Abe inaugurated Indias first bullet train project in the western city of Ahmedabad and told a cheering audience the Indo-Japan friendship has developed into a strategic and global partnership in the Indian-Pacific region. "A strong India is in Japan's interest and a strong Japan is in India's interest," he said. The $17 billion high-speed train project is the most visible signal of tightening ties between two Asian countries that are wary of an increasingly assertive China. The train will make the 508-kilometer journey between Ahmedabad and the financial hub of Mumbai in a little more than two hours, boosting connectivity in one of Indias most industrialized and developed regions. Pointing out that Japan has given virtually an interest free loan to cover most of the high-speed trains cost, Modi called it a big gift. Fending off criticism that India should focus on overhauling its creaky, aging rail network instead of building expensive trains, Modi said the bullet train project will bring great speed, great development and great technology to the country," and create thousands of jobs. Defense partnership The two countries signed 15 agreements and discussed strengthening their defense partnership and expanding cooperation in civil nuclear energy. We see really Japan as a very significant partner in nuclear power projects, which we will be doing with other countries as well, according to foreign secretary Subrahmanyam Shivshankar. He said connectivity projects will be a special focus in India's remote, underdeveloped northeastern states that border China and Myanmar, and in East Asia. The two countries also plan to implement infrastructure projects in African countries. Japan and India recently launched an initiative called the Asia Africa Growth corridor that is seen as a counter to Chinas One Belt One Road initiative. Analysts say there has been a huge transformation in relations between the two countries in recent years and point out Japan was the only country that openly supported Indias stand during a recent border standoff with China. Prime Minister Modi told reporters that mutual trust, dependability and an understanding of each others concerns are the hallmark of our friendship. In the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan region, traffic cameras nail speeders, and trash thrown on the street is whisked away by morning. High-level officials from all over the country dine in five-star hotels, and parks, malls and cafes are packed on nights and weekends. People speak Kurdish, listen to Kurdish music, marry Kurdish spouses and eat Kurdish food. There are plenty of Arab residents and visitors, but they come with permission from Kurdish authorities, and after passing through Kurdish military checkpoints. For many people here, the upcoming referendum on Kurdish independence from Iraq is obvious. "Any region that has its own culture and language has the right to be independent," says Saman Sadq, the owner of a nuts and sweets shop. "Forget politics. We need to think of our future as Kurdish people." Opponents of the referendum are many and varied. The Iraqi parliament, opposition parties within the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, Western leaders, and Iraq's neighboring countries have come out against the vote. Some want the referendum canceled; others want it postponed. Karzan Gardi, who heads the Irbil election office for Gorran, one of Kurdistan's main opposition parties, says, "There are many signs there will be a backlash." WATCH: Iraqi Kurds Prepare for Independence Vote, Despite Opposition To vote or not to vote? The Gorran party, like many Western countries, wants to postpone the ballot. The Kurdish opposition sees the referendum as ill-timed and potentially a catalyst for conflict. Many Western countries are also lobbying for postponement. They see the referendum as potentially damaging to the fight with Islamic State militants, who still hold portions of Iraq. Kurdish and Iraqi forces have been allies against IS, but a vote for independence would skyrocket tensions, and possibly incite violence within Iraq. Both the Kurdish government and Baghdad claim parts of Iraq, including Kirkuk, one of the country's biggest oil cities. Additionally, the vote would certainly anger Iraq's neighbors, also allied against IS. The Iraqi parliament in Baghdad voted this week to reject the vote, promising to use "any means necessary" to prevent the referendum. On Thursday, representatives from the United Nations, the United States and Britain met with Kurdish President Masoud Barzani, asking him to postpone the referendum. In the past, Barzani has been defiant against calls for postponement. Barzani, however, has also noted the international community may be able to persuade his government to postpone the ballot, if it offers an alternate plan, and some kind of guarantee to help Kurdistan transition into independence safely. After the meeting, a Kurdistan president's office statement said the international delegation had proposed an alternative to a September 25 vote that Kurdish leaders will discuss and will announce a "stance in the near future." The staunchest opponents Western officials fear the referendum will destabilize the region, as Iraq's neighbors Turkey, Iran and Syria oppose the ballot, apparently worried a "yes" vote will fuel established Kurdish independence movements at home. Among these movements are militant groups like the PKK, recognized internationally as a terrorist organization and the Turkish government's enemy No. 1. Other Kurdish groups, like the YPG in Syria, are viewed as terrorists by Turkey and are armed and trained against IS by the United States. Turkey's Foreign Ministry called the referendum a "historic mistake" on Thursday, warning Kurdish Iraq will "pay a price" if it goes through with the vote. The only country in the region that supports the referendum outright is Israel, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying Thursday that Israel "supports the legitimate efforts of the Kurdish people to achieve their own state." Israel has no official diplomatic ties to Baghdad. According to Barzani, foreign opposition and threats are not factors in the decision on whether to hold the referendum. "If someone wants to try to break the will of the people of Kurdistan by force," he said Thursday, according to local news, "the field is open for them to come and give it a try." Independence dream Kurdistan is a historical and cultural region overlapping the borders of Syria, Turkey, Iraq and Iran. Divided by an early 20th century European deal to divvy up "spheres of influence" in the Middle East, Kurdish people are known for harboring a near-universal dream of an independent state. "The Kurdish people have suffered so much destruction," explains Ari Nanakali, a senior member of the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party in his office in Irbil. "I expect all Kurdish people here will vote, and 75 percent will vote 'yes.'" Under President Saddam Hussein in the late 1980s, Kurdish people in Iraq suffered genocide, chemical attacks, mass displacements and forced disappearances. As many as 182,000 Kurdish people were murdered during the campaign. Kurdistan in Iraq is one of the most secure places in the region, with an economy that was expanding rapidly until recent years. Kurds believe it can start growing again. "When we are a country, we will make international trade agreements," adds Nanakali. "It will make us stronger." Mexicans dislike President Donald Trump. Mucho. According to a new poll, just 5 percent of Mexicans trust Trump's judgment in international affairs. That's the American leader's lowest rating among citizens of more than three dozen nations polled earlier this year. The survey released Thursday by the Pew Research Center said 93 percent of Mexicans had "no confidence in the U.S. president to do the right thing regarding world affairs." The approval south of the border for Trump pales in comparison to former President Barack Obama's marks. Pew said he had the confidence of 49 percent of Mexicans in its last survey, slightly more than those who had no confidence in him. His lowest score was a 38 percent vote of confidence in 2011. "Views in Mexico are pretty made up," Margaret Vice, the center's senior researcher and co-author of the survey, told The Associated Press. Trump's criticism of America's neighbors has been far from subtle. He announced his run for the White House in 2015 calling Mexican immigrants "criminals" and "rapists." And a signature issue in his campaign was the promise that he would build a wall along the border, and that Mexico would pay for it. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has refused to foot the bill. An overwhelming 94 percent of Mexicans oppose the wall, according to the Pew poll. For Mexicans, negative attitudes about America go beyond Trump. Nearly two in three now have a poor opinion of the United States, the highest mark at any point in the past decade and a half. The number has more than doubled in the last two years. At a time when Trump has channeled American frustrations over U.S. trade relations with Mexico, Mexicans have similar feelings about the economic relationship. Slightly more than half now say such ties to the U.S. are good for their country, down from 70 percent in 2013. Mexico has been a top trade partner of the U.S. ever since the North American Free Trade Agreement was reached in the 1990s. Trump has begun a process of renegotiating the deal, alleging that it is unfair to American workers. Canada is also part of the accord. Despite the negative perceptions of the U.S., the number of Mexicans who believe their lot would improve on the other side of the border has increased by 7 percentage points since 2015. Fifty-five percent say Mexicans who've moved to the U.S. enjoy a better life. That reflects increased dissatisfaction among Mexicans about their own country and their own president. More than eight in 10 Mexicans disapprove of the way things are going. Just over a quarter of the population has a favorable view of Pena Nieto, down from a peak of 61 percent in 2011. It's his lowest approval rating since Pew began polling on the question six years ago. Favorability of his party, PRI, has almost halved to 27 percent. The opposition party, MORENA, is viewed favorably by 37 percent. "Things are so bad in Mexico and they seem to be getting worse for a lot of Mexicans," Vice said. Pew Research Center conducted its survey among 1,000 respondents in Mexico from March 2 to April 10. The margin of error is 4.4 percentage points. Trucks carrying emergency supplies to children affected by the Rohingya refugee crisis are making their way to Bangladesh, where hundreds of thousands of members of Myanmar's Rohingya community have fled for safety, the U.N.s childrens agency said Thursday. Up to 400,000 Rohingya so far have fled Myanmar for Bangladesh and, according to UNICEF, about 60 percent of them are children. There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water, said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEFs Representative in Bangladesh. Conditions on the ground place children at risk of high risk of water-borne disease. We have a monumental task ahead of us to protect these extremely vulnerable children. The aid sent by UNICEF includes water, sanitation supplies, clothing and other essentials, the agency said, with more supplies scheduled to arrive throughout the coming weeks. UN chief speaks of ethnic cleansing The aid announcement comes a day after U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the situation as tantamount to the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya community. "When one-third of the Rohingya population has got to flee the country, can you find a better word to describe it?" Guterres responded when he was asked specifically if the term ethnic cleansing applied to the plight of the Rohingyas, most of whom are Muslims, in the overwhelmingly Buddhist Asian nation. "I call on Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country," Guterres said at United Nations headquarters in New York. "Muslims of Rakhine State must be granted nationality or, at least for now, a legal status so they can lead a normal life." With concern growing worldwide about the situation in Myanmar's western Rakhine State, the country's de-facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has canceled her original plans to travel to New York for annual U.N. General Assembly meeting beginning next week. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, revered for her political campaign against the military junta that formerly ruled her homeland (formerly Burma) has been criticized for a failure to do more to stop the current round of violence. Government officials in Myanmar consider almost all of Rohingyas illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, even those who have lived in the country for generations. Violence involving the Rohingyas has been going on for a long time, but it grew to a crisis last month. Authorities in Myanmar said a group of Rohingya militants attacked dozens of police posts and an army base on August 25, reputedly in an attempt to retaliate against persecution targeting them. About 400 people were killed in subsequent clashes, many of which were deliberate attacks by members of Myanmar's security forces, according to members of the Rohingya minority. The government said its forces were engaged in a military counteroffensive against alleged "terrorists" involved in the attacks three weeks ago. The violence has spurred an exodus among Rohingyas living in Myanmar, a community of about one million people. Nearly 400,000 have fled toward Bangladesh, which borders Rakhine State, where almost all Rohingyas live. Defining moment Aung San Suu Kyi, who was held under house arrest for years by Burma's former military rulers, has been known as an icon of democracy, but her recent comments have been seen by some as apparent indifference to the plight of her country's minority Muslims. She has dismissed many accounts of the events in Rakhine State as fake information designed to promote the interests of terrorists," and that stance has drawn scorn from other governments and human-rights activists, including a number of her fellow Nobel Peace laureates. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday called the Rohingya situation a defining moment for Myanmars fledgling democracy and said the violence against the Rohingya people must stop. We need to support Aung San Suu Kyi and her leadership, but also be very clear, unequivocal to the military power sharing in that government, that this is unacceptable, he said. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he spoke Wednesday night with Aung San Suu Kyi, and she explained that by law, her civilian government has virtually no authority over the Burmese military. According to the Burmese constitution, the army is essentially autonomous and has control on the ground of the Rohingya situation, McConnell said. Unfounded criticism of [Aung San] Suu Kyi exaggerates her ability to command the military, which the Burmese constitution does not actually allow her to do. McConnell said she is working to improve access for humanitarian aid, and Aung San Suu Kyi agrees there is a pressing need to pursue peace and reconciliation among the communities in Rakhine state. A forthcoming General Assembly session is scheduled to review the situation in Myanmar during two special meetings in the coming days and weeks. Many diplomats will attend a session hosted by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and chaired by Turkey, and a second, smaller group of foreign ministers will convene at the invitation of their British counterpart. A spokesman for the Myanmar government, Zaw Htay, confirmed Wednesday that Aung San Suu Kyi will not travel to New York but will remain in Myanmar to deal with the ongoing security situation. The spokesman said the Nobel laureate, who serves both as Myanmar's foreign minister and as a "special adviser" to the government, would deliver a televised address next week to "speak for national reconciliation and peace." The speech will be seen as her first detailed public comment about the crisis involving the Rohingya minority. Overwhelmed and underfunded, aid agencies in Bangladesh are at a breaking point. But nearly three weeks into Rakhine States bloody conflict and the humanitarian crisis shows no signs of relenting. Around 400,000 Rohingya Muslims have now sought refuge in the country's southern state of Chitagong, with the UNs top human rights official saying Myanmar is carrying out 'a textbook example of ethnic cleansing' against the Rohingya. With refugee camps at full capacity and insufficient support from aid agencies, Bangladesh makes for an inhospitable home. Too many Rohingya have arrived, so there is not enough room of us in the camps," said Noor Mohammed, a Rohingya refugee. "We do not know where else to go so we are sleeping on the side of the road. It is very miserable. New arrivals are clearing hectares of forest to make space for the spontaneous settlements that are springing up across the countrys southern border. Rumors of a new camp quickly spreads among the roadside population, sparking a desperate scramble for the limited space. With little or no access to basic humanitarian services, conditions in these makeshift camps are dire, with some unable to access the life saving assistance required after days walking through the Myanmar jungle. I have been in the camp for three days with my five children, the youngest one is very ill and suffering from malnutrition," said Ansar Begum, while holding her baby in her arms. "I am worried that my child will die if I stay in the camp because we are not getting any support or medical aid. Save for a few tarpaulin sheets, an official humanitarian response is difficult to find among the new Rohingya settlements.With a shortfall of $77 million, the United Nations admits it is unprepared to meet the demands of the growing refugee population. A water delivery draws a large crowd. Despite lining up for hours, some of the men in line will go home empty handed. We are struggling," said Azmat Ulla of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent. "I believe like many other agencies here, we are struggling for resources. We need resources fast. While the aid organizations wait for their funding to trickle in, it has fallen on the people of Bangladesh to meet the needs of the desperate Rohingya population. Every day, hundreds of citizens rally together to distribute food, water and clothing bought from the local market. But their generosity will not sustain a refugee population that is growing day by day. Unless the official response is scaled up soon, this humanitarian crisis might turn into another humanitarian disaster. Mali and Niger, two of the West African nations hit hardest by jihadist violence, appealed Wednesday for international funding for a regional force they have set up to counter Islamist insurgencies. Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Niger's Mahamadou Issoufou said the force assembled by the G5 Sahel bloc Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad was crucial to fighting a threat that went well beyond their borders. "We bring this combat against terrorism not only to protect our own people and countries but for the whole world," Issoufou said at a news conference in Niger's capital, Niamey. "For terrorism knows no border. It will go to Europe, it will go to the United States," he said. "The world has to be mobilized." The idea of the G5 force was conceived in 2015, but only in July last year did the countries set it up. It is expected to comprise around 5,000 troops. French President Emmanuel Macron has said he expects it to be operational by the autumn. Islamist groups, some with links to al-Qaida, seized Mali's desert north in 2012. French-led forces scattered them the following year, but they still attack peacekeepers, soldiers and civilian targets in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. Issoufou said a multinational force in the Lake Chad region, including soldiers from Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon, had had some success against Islamist Boko Haram militants, but that this was financed by Africa's biggest economy, Nigeria. No country in the G5 had sufficient resources. "It is important that the international community takes note of this and gets together to give us resources to ensure our mission can be accomplished," he said. Analysts see the G5 force as the basis of an eventual exit strategy for around 4,000 French troops deployed to the region on counterinsurgency missions, mostly in Mali. "We have only limited means, but if we mutualize our power, our sovereign elements will have more force, more vitality than we imagine," Keita said. Issoufou said the force would be divided into three deployments across the Sahel region: an eastern one consisting of Chadian and Nigerien forces; a central one with forces from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso; and a Western one with troops from Mali and Mauritania. While debate continues in Washington about how the latest round of sanctions against North Korea could have been tougher, and U.S. President Donald Trumps administration ponders additional actions, patience is wearing thin in China with the countrys longtime ally and communist neighbor. On the streets and in academic circles, some are beginning to see the North Korea problem not just as a threat to South Korea, Japan and the United States, but to China as well. WATCH: North Korea Pushing Longtime Ally Beijing Into Corner Not a good neighbor Its dangerous. This is all happening right next door, says one woman surnamed Song, a foreign trader who lives in Beijing. North Korea has been researching and developing nuclear weapons for a long time and almost all of the international community is opposed to that effort, and yet it continues to go its own way. Song says that while China has done a lot to selflessly help North Korea, Pyongyang has done little to repay Beijing. In fact, it has done just the opposite, she adds. It is a country that clearly has no bottom line, she says. Earlier this week, China and Russia, along with other members of the United Nations Security Council, approved a fresh round of sanctions on North Korea that included caps on oil and natural gas imports and a ban on textile exports. The U.S.-drafted resolution included new measures that will prohibit North Koreans from working overseas. The United States wanted an all-out embargo on oil exports, but China and Russia refused to go along with that proposal. Lu Chao, a North Korea expert at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences in northeast China, says an all-out ban on oil exports to the North would collapse its economy; but, the compromise the two sides reached is still significant, he adds. Cutting energy exports [to the North] by 30 percent will hit North Koreas economy and society hard. That will push Pyongyang to ponder whether it should suspend its nuclear missile tests in order to re-engage with the international society, Lu says. Chinas basic position on North Korea has long been one of no war, no nukes and no instability; but, with North Koreas repeated missile and ICBM launches, as well as its latest nuclear test, Beijing increasingly is finding itself with less and less room to maneuver. Analysts estimate that if exports to the North were completely cut off, it would only have enough reserves to last about 12 months or less. China is the Norths biggest supplier of oil, which is delivered by rail, air and an underground pipeline. Of all the routes, the pipeline is the biggest source of crude oil. And that oil, Lu says, comes from China's Daqing Oil Field. The oil contains a higher level of wax, which could clog or damage the pipeline if it is shut down. The cut of oil supplies by 30 percent, however, will not be an issue for the pipeline, he says. That is, if North Korea, does not take any further action. If it does, sanctions could be tightened even further and a growing chorus of scholars here is advocating that Beijing take a tougher stance. Without a doubt, Chinas relations with the North Korea have hit rock bottom [and] are at a historic low, Lu says. The only roadblock to their relationship is Pyongyangs insistence in nuclear development a red line that China will never, ever tolerate. The United States has indicated it could add further sanctions, if the current U.N. resolution is not fully implemented. In an interview Wednesday with Fox News, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin warned that the U.S. was prepared to stop trade with any country that did not follow through with the new measures. Tougher approach Among the public in China, some see a need for a tougher approach, even though there is skepticism about the effectiveness of sanctions or whether North Korean leaders Kim Jong Un means what he says. [I support sanctions] if they dont impact the people of North Korea that much. [Sanctions] on the leadership should be tougher, says one man with the last name of Yang, who is a retired engineer. Some see Kims rhetoric as nothing but talk, but also see little room for China to sit by idly. I dont think hell necessarily do what he says. Start a nuclear war or something. Its all political posturing, says another man, surnamed Yang, who works in the financial industry. He says that as a neighbor, Beijing has little choice but to speak up and let North Korea know China disagrees with what it is doing. The best thing would be for everyone to sit down and talk. And I think China should play a mediating role adds one woman, surnamed Wang, who is a doctor and resident in Beijing. The Chinese government has long advocated a return to talks on denuclearization, but those have been stalled for nearly a decade and North Korea has shown no sign it is interested in giving up its weapons. Illicit evasion and a thriving black market continue to mitigate the impact of sanctions intended to deprive North Korea of billions of dollars in revenue and needed components for its nuclear program. The latest round of United Nations sanctions imposed on North Korea this week for conducting its sixth nuclear test, and the restrictions put in place in August for repeated ballistic missile launches, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) tests, could potentially have significant impact. Potential impact The North Korean gross domestic product (GDP) in 2016 was $28.50 billion, according to the Bank of Korea in Seoul. The August sanctions would cut the GDP by $3 billion by banning coal, iron, lead and seafood export industries. The newest restrictions could cost another $800 million by banning textile exports. And reductions in oil and gas imports and limits on worker permits would also cut off needed fuel and funds for North Koreas weapons programs. If fully enforced I think that the amount of hard currency that North Korea would lose would be enough to certainly concern that leadership, because they dont have very much hard currency and this will cause significant problems for them, said David Straub, a North Korea analyst with the Sejong Institute. A significant reduction in hard currency revenue would make it difficult for the military to purchase weapons components and sow discord between leader Kim Jong Un and the elite in the country, whose loyalty is bought to a degree with imported luxury goods. Evasion tactics However few expect these measures to be vigorously enforced as the Kim Jong Un government has become adept over the years in evading sanctions, and North Koreas trading partners, especially China and Russia, have been complicit in permitting illicit transactions to continue despite official support for sanctions. Both countries have gotten away for far too long and have faced too few consequences for turning a blind eye to the sanctions busting business activities of their citizens and those of North Korea, said David Albright, a nuclear proliferation analyst with the Institute for Science and International Security, at a U.S. Congressional hearing Wednesday. To get around sanctions and avoid detection, ships suspected of illicitly transporting North Korean coal have reportedly switched off their satellite GPS navigation devices when in Korean waters. The U.S. sought U.N. authorization to interdict ships suspected of smuggling banned items, but this measure was dropped to gain Chinese and Russian sanctions support. North Korea also uses trusted agents and third party companies located in other countries to facilitate prohibited trade. Anthony Ruggiero, a former U.S. Treasury Department official who is now an analyst with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, described how North Korea and Russia tried to cover up a clandestine oil deal. A U.S bank would not process this transaction between sanctioned parties. To avoid this scrutiny the front companies were created in Singapore to obscure the nature of the transaction, allowing almost $7 million in payments for this transfer, said Ruggiero during his congressional testimony. According to Bruce Klingner, a former CIA analyst who is now senior research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, North Koreas trading system consists of 5,000 companies that are centralized in China and run by a limited number of trusted individuals. Although the shell companies can be swiftly changed, the individuals responsible for establishing and managing them have remained often for years, Klingner told the congressional hearing. Lax enforcement While there are reports of Russian smugglers exporting oil and other sanctioned goods to North Korea, 90 percent of all North Korean trade goes through China. The Chinese say they are implementing sanctions along the border, but they have not been forthcoming in issuing clear restrictions to trading companies, or in reporting how required inspections of all goods crossing the North Korean border are being implemented. In recent months at least the Chinese have not even been putting the statistics for oil exports to North Korea in their official records. So we really do need for China to be much more transparent, said Straub with the Sejong Institute. This week China reportedly stopped some of its major state-owned banks from providing financial services to new North Korean clients, in what could be a sign of increased sanctions enforcement to prevent any U.S. retaliation. But sanctions advocates say that ultimately compelling full compliance from China, Russia, and other countries that undermine U.N. sanctions, will require the U.S. to levy secondary sanctions. The administration of President Donald Trump has indicated it will consider secondary sanctions if the U.N. sanctions are not fully implemented. Banning Chinese companies, and other entities from third party countries that do business with North Korea, from the U.S. financial system could cause real economic pain for all involved, but may be the only way make sanctions effective. Whether the new U.N. sanctions against North Korea will curb Pyongyangs nuclear ambitions, experts on the Koreas and members of President Donald Trumps administration say placing limits on the Kim Jong Un regimes oil imports amounts to a significant step forward. After the underground nuclear explosion Sept. 3 that North Korea said was a successful test of a hydrogen bomb, the United Nations Security Council agreed unanimously this week to adopt the strongest sanctions ever imposed on North Korea. The sanctions are intended to further isolate the country economically and reduce the hard currency the regime uses to finance its banned nuclear weapons activity. Notable sanction: oil imports The Security Council also banned North Korean textile exports and barred Pyongyang from sending its citizens to work abroad. Foreign remittances had been another key source of hard currency for Kim. The new measures are in addition to embargoes enacted last month for Pyongyangs most lucrative exports coal, iron, lead and seafood. The most notable part of the package of multiple sanctions, however, placed a limit on North Koreas imports of refined petroleum products. Beijing and Moscow, North Koreas two main oil suppliers, insisted on allowing some imports to continue 2 million barrels per year, which the Security Council is said to have interpreted as a 30 percent reduction from current levels in order to derail the Trump administrations original call for an embargo on all oil trade with Kims regime. Many opponents of Pyongyangs increasingly belligerent behavior and threats aimed at the U.S. and its allies expressed disappointment that the U.N. sanctions did not go further. However, policy experts noted the significance of Chinas support for oil sanctions of any kind against North Korea a first for Beijing. The oil sanction [is] important because it marks the first time that restrictions have been placed on exports of oil to North Korea, said Bonnie Glaser, a senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). She noted that Chinas dissatisfaction with its North Korean ally has become apparent as Kims regime disregarded Beijings repeated warnings not to conduct further missile and nuclear tests. Perhaps future North Korean nuclear tests will persuade China to further limit oil supplies to North Korea, Glaser said. Room to add more William Brown, an adjunct professor at Georgetown Universitys School of Foreign Service, closely follows the Korean economies. Since China has previously refused to consider sanctions against a sacrosanct sector of North Koreas economy, Brown said, Beijings yes vote for sanctions on oil products has intensified the confrontation between North Korea and the international community. I am not too happy with these sanctions, Brown told VOA, saying that he saw a 2-million-barrel cap on oil imports as only a 10 percent reduction for North Korea. However, Brown added, the plus side of the latest Security Council action was Chinas willingness to agree to any oil reduction for Pyongyang. They have always said thats the lifeline for North Korea and [they] wouldnt touch it, the American expert said. A 2-million-barrel cap on oil products going to North Korea represents a 10 percent cut, Brown said, since published Chinese customs data indicate Pyongyangs annual imports total 2.2 million barrels. Agreeing to put a ceiling on oil sales to North Korea, rather than an outright ban, also could be seen as another partial step by China, leaving room for still greater pressure on Pyongyang in the future, if necessary, Brown added. He cited international action on North Koreas coal exports as a parallel: the full ban that the Security Council approved last month tightened two lesser sanctions adopted last year. The first action in 2016 allowed exceptions to the coal export ban assured the livelihood of North Korean workers. The second imposed a cap, or ceiling, not on North Korea, but on its trading partners, who were forbidden from importing more than 7.5 million tons, or $400,000 worth of coal, per year. In the same way, Brown said, the next time [the North Koreans] do a missile test or a nuclear test, China can turn the screw and reduce the oil. A floor, not a ceiling The State Department told VOAs Korean Service Tuesday that the new U.N. sanctions are only the beginning of what is to come, and called on all U.N. member states to do more to deter North Koreas military expansion. We see U.N. Security Council resolutions as the floor, not the ceiling, on what the international community can do to respond to North Koreas continued provocations, said Grace Choi of the State Departments East Asian and Pacific affairs bureau. No one U.N. resolution will compel North Korea to give up its nuclear program. We need countries to take additional action to pressure and to persuade [the North Koreans] that they need to reconsider the path they are currently on, and think about engaging in meaningful dialogue about a different future. Joshua Stanton, a Washington-based lawyer and North Korea sanctions expert, said the U.N. measures, if they are enforced, could be coupled with U.S. sanctions that impose legal consequences on individuals engaged in illicit business with North Korea, and would be another method of discouraging North Koreas pursuit of nuclear weapons. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, speaking in New York Tuesday, said that if Beijing fails to comply with the new U.N. restrictions, Washington would take action against Chinese individuals or entities that support the Kim regimes nuclear and missile programs, by preventing their access to the international system of dollar credits, deposits and trade. Baik Sungwon contributed to this report. An American citizen fighting for Islamic State in Syria is in U.S. custody after surrendering to coalition-backed Syrian fighters. Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) turned over an American citizen who surrendered to SDF on or around Sept. 12, Defense spokesman Marine Maj. Adrian Rankine-Galloway told VOA on Thursday. Defense Department personnel have detained the American as a known enemy combatant and say they will transport the captive humanely, according to Rankine-Galloway. We will pursue ISIS fighters regardless of nationality, he added, referring any further questions to the U.S. Justice Department. There are conflicting reports as to where the American terrorist fighter turned himself in, with some saying the fighter surrendered in Raqqa and others saying he did so in Deir el-Zour. Deir el-Zour Meanwhile, coalition-backed fighters battling Islamic State in eastern Syrian do not intend to enter the city of Deir el-Zour, a U.S. military spokesman said, lessening the potential for clashes between coalition partners and Syrian government forces there. The plan right now is not to go into the city, U.S. Army Col. Ryan Dillon, the spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition, told reporters Thursday via video conference from Baghdad. The Syrian army recently broke an Islamic State siege of Deir el-Zour and are still fighting ISIS terrorists, who have had three years to set up defenses in the area. The latest advances place the Syrian army within about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) of the SDF. Dillon said the coalition's Arab and Kurdish local partners in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are focused on their offensive to take and clear the nearby Khabur River valley from Islamic State. He said the SDF would keep pressure on Islamic State and eventually push further on down the Middle Euphrates River Valley into the cities of Mayadin and Abu Kamal. There are plenty of ISIS fighters and resources and leaders that continue to have holdouts throughout the Middle Euphrates River Valley, Dillon said. Peru's prime minister challenged the opposition-ruled Congress on Wednesday to dismiss the entire cabinet amid plans by lawmakers to oust a third minister, a move that would bring President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski closer to being able to call for new legislative elections. Prime Minister Fernando Zavala, who also doubles as finance minister, accused Congress of trying to sabotage the government's education reforms by preparing to censure a second education minister in a year. The president can constitutionally dissolve Congress if on two separate occasions it votes to dismisses the cabinet. "We're presenting this question of confidence because nothing and no one should undermine the implementation of state policies," Zavala said in televised comments as he read from a prepared statement, flanked by the rest of the cabinet. If Congress dismisses the cabinet, Kuczynski, whose approval rating has slipped to around 20 percent in recent polls, would have to appoint 19 new ministers. But it would give him a freer hand in governing by forcing lawmakers to risk losing their seats if they threaten to censure another minister. A prime minister has not challenged Congress to renew its confidence in a cabinet in decades, said political analyst Fernando Tuesta - underscoring how rapidly relations between the executive branch and Congress have deteriorated in Kuczynski's year-old government. Kuczynski took office last year after narrowly beating the longtime favorite, Keiko Fujimori, the eldest daughter of jailed former leader Alberto Fujimori. But Kuczynski's party won less than 15 percent of congressional seats while Fujimori's party, Popular Force, won an absolute majority. Popular Force lawmakers have denied obstructing the government's plans and have urged Education Minister Marilu Martens to resign for not negotiating a quicker end to a teachers strike that dragged on for more than 2 months. Martens was appointed in December to replace the previous education minister, Jaime Saavedra, who had been sacked by Congress five months into Kuczynski's term. At the time, some of Kuczynski's supporters urged him to turn the censure into a vote of confidence in the cabinet in order to defend Saavedra, who is now a senior education director at the World Bank, and to limit the opposition's powers. A 10-year anniversary of the United Nations' landmark recognition of indigenous rights finds slow progress in Brazil, which has the largest diversity of native people in the world, leaders and advocates said Wednesday. Tribal people struggle in the South American nation, where many lack property rights and face violence from miners, ranchers and loggers eyeing their land, they say. Financial constraints hamper indigenous protection as well, they say. Brazil is home to about 900,000 indigenous people, spread among 300 tribes speaking nearly as many languages. It also has at least two dozen so-called uncontacted tribes. More than 10 percent of its land mass is recognized territory for the indigenous population, and most of that land is located in the giant Amazon rainforest. "We see our rights being violated all the time," Brazilian indigenous leader Alberto Terena told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Many tribes do not have rights to their land, said Terena, who is executive coordinator of the Articulation of the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, known as Apib, an umbrella group of several advocacy groups. Adopted on September 13, 2007, the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was a sweeping, historic move to assess the situation of indigenous people and lay out standards for their survival and well-being. The declaration helped give visibility to violations of indigenous rights in Brazil and boosted support for demarcation, which provides land rights, advocates say. "We depend on the land to live," said Terena. "With no demarcation, there is no health, no education. There is just a piece of land with heaps of people." Stepped-up threats The process of land demarcation to protect against property encroachment since the declaration has spawned violence, said Joana Chiavari, a senior analyst at the Climate Policy Initiative in Brazil. "Threats have been intensified since then, including proposals to change the demarcation process of indigenous lands, as well as to allow mining activities in these areas, in addition to budget cuts to institutions in charge of protecting indigenous peoples," Chiavari said. The number of killings of indigenous people in 25 nations doubled to 281 in 2016 compared with 2015, said Erika Yamada, a U.N. expert on indigenous rights. "For 2017, the number is likely to be even more alarming," Yamada said. Brazil's indigenous affairs agency, Funai, did not respond to a request for comment. Indigenous tribes are increasingly facing threats from miners in the Amazon rainforest amid budget cuts to Funai, local officials and activists say. Land incursions on indigenous territory have been increasing amid the budget cuts, part of austerity measures aimed at lifting Brazil out of its worst recession in decades, they say. A federal prosecutor in Brazil's Amazonas state recently began investigating a reported massacre of at least 10 members of an uncontacted tribe by gold miners in a remote area along the Jandiatuba river, close to Peru's border. Funai officials in Amazonas said they received an audio clip with miners bragging about the crime. Turkey said Thursday it wants Qatar and its Arab neighbors to overcome differences through dialogue and a "brotherly" manner as Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani was set to arrive in Ankara on his first foreign trip since a diplomatic crisis erupted. Al-Thani is scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss ties as well as the three-month-old diplomatic rift between the Gulf neighbors. "We support a resolution of the crisis through a brotherly manner and through dialogue," Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogan's spokesman, told reporters. "This crisis only serves the enemies of this region." Turkey has been trying to mediate between Qatar and its Gulf neighbors but has also shown solidarity with Doha in the crisis by delivering food and other supplies and boosting military ties, including sending troops to a Turkish base there. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates cut ties with Qatar in June over its close ties to Iran and its alleged support for extremists. Qatar has denied supporting extremism, saying the crisis is politically motivated. The prime minister of Kuwait, which is mediating the crisis, was also in Ankara on Thursday for talks with Turkish leaders. It was not clear if Al Thani and Kuwait's Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah would meet in Ankara. Al-Thani is scheduled to travel on to Germany for a meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged China to cut oil exports to North Korea to force Pyongyang to rein in its nuclear weapons program during his visit to London on Thursday. Tillerson's trip to Britain comes days after the United Nations Security Council imposed new sanctions on North Korea. He said he had hoped for stronger measures from the U.N., and urged Beijing to use its leverage. "I am hopeful that China, as a great country, as a world power, will decide on their own and will take it upon themselves to use that very powerful tool of oil supply to persuade North Korea to reconsider its current path toward weapons development, reconsider its approach to dialogue and negotiations in the future," he told reporters following meetings with his British and French counterparts. Tillerson also had strong words for Iran, which he said was "clearly in default" of its expectations over the nuclear agreement. Britain supports the deal, but the United States accuses Tehran of breaching the terms. "We must take into account the totality of Iranian threats not just Iran's nuclear capabilities, that is one piece of our posture toward Iran," Tillerson told reporters. Alongside his British hosts, Tillerson attended a summit on Libya with the country's U.N. special representative, and delegations from France, the United Arab Emirates, Italy and Egypt. He said the United Nations has Washington's full backing in seeking a political settlement. "What we don't want to see happen is Libya becoming a place to birth additional terrorist organizations, or provide opportunities for ISIS to re-emerge in a different part of the world. We are all committed to helping the Libyans find a Libyan solution that will lead to their future," Tillerson said. ISIS is an acronym for Islamic State. WATCH: In London, U.S. Secretary of State Chides Iran, Urges China to Block North Korean Oil British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson expressed hope that elections could be held in Libya within a year. "It's very important, however, that you don't do it too fast, and that you get the political groundwork done first. There has to be a constitution, there has to be an accepted basis for those elections to take place," Johnson said. Islamic State There are growing fears, though, that the Islamic State terror group is making a comeback after being ousted in December from its stronghold city of Sirte, Libya. Militias are exploiting the standoff between the internationally recognized Tripoli-based government and its rival administration in the east, said Riccardo Fabiani of the Eurasia Group. "Those militiamen and jihadis that were part of the group were going to reform at some point somewhere, and to mount new attacks. So this is not something that is going to disappear overnight and will continue to be there as long as there is insecurity and instability in Libya," Fabiani said. Rohingya Muslims Tillerson also was questioned on U.S. support for the Myanmar government in the wake of the attacks on ethnic Rohingya Muslims. He said the military should take the blame. "This violence must stop. This persecution must stop. It's been characterized by many as ethnic cleansing that must stop," Tillerson said. "And we need to support [Myanmar State Counselor] Aung San Suu Kyi and her leadership. But also be very clear and unequivocal to the military power-sharing government that this is unacceptable." In closing remarks, Tillerson said Britain faced challenges over Brexit, but reiterated that the United States would be a steadfast ally. Analysts said Britain is keen to underline its ambitions of remaining a global player after its exit from the European Union. London sees its relationship with the United States as key to that goal. Military officials in Belarus have sought to calm Western fears about major war games with Russia involving thousands of troops, tanks and aircraft, just hours before they are due to get underway. The Zapad (West) 2017 maneuvers, mainly in Belarus this year, have caused concern at NATO and in neighboring countries. Some members of the alliance, including the Baltic states and Poland, have criticized a lack of transparency about the exercises and questioned Moscow's real intentions. We are not threatening anyone, Oleg Voinov, an adviser to the Belarusian Defense Minister, told journalists Thursday. We have chosen military bases that are significantly removed from the borders with Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. Russia-West relations have hit their lowest point since the Cold War following Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and continuing fighting between Russian-backed separatists and troops loyal to Kyiv in eastern Ukraine. Western worries about the planned maneuvers have ranged from allegations that Russia could use them to permanently deploy its forces to Belarus to fears of a surprise attack on the Baltics. Poland's National Security Bureau head, Pawel Soloch, said Thursday that the exercises were a demonstration of the Russian state's capacity to hold full-scale war action. The degree of mobilization is really impressive, Soloch said on private Radio Zet. The war games are scheduled to kick-off Thursday evening. Russia and Belarus have said the exercises, which last until September 20, will involve 5,500 Russian and 7,200 Belarusian troops. Russian military officials have said up to 70 aircraft and about 250 tanks, 200 artillery systems and 10 navy ships will also be involved. Russia's Defense Ministry said Thursday that elite parachute units in several Russian cities had been placed on alert to be deployed during the exercises. Organizers have invented three aggressor countries - Veishnoriya, Lubeniya and Vesbasriya - to whose attacks the Russian and Belarusian militaries will simulate a response. The Baltic States and Poland fear that these monikers are just poorly disguised terms for their own countries. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told NATO troops in Estonia last week that the alliance will be closely monitoring the war games. Despite assurances from Moscow, Russia's neighbors expect the drills to be much greater in scope than officially declared. Estonian Defense Minister Juri Luik has said that Moscow could deploy up to 100,000 troops. There is also unease in Kyiv, and Ukraine is currently conducting its own military exercises, called Unflinching Tenacity, scheduled to end Friday. The Zapad maneuvers have also been criticized by Belarusian opposition leaders, who say Russia could use the occasion to position a large, permanent contingent of troops in Belarus, leaving the country at the mercy of any armed confrontation involving Moscow. The most recent Zapad exercises, which occur every few years, took place in 2013, just before Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea. Russia had leased a naval base in Crimea from Ukraine prior to its seizure, and used troops deployed there to quickly take over the Black Sea peninsula. A new analysis by the Harvard Business School outlines why U.S. voters are so frustrated with their political leaders there is a lack of genuine competition between Republicans and Democrats to deliver actual results on major policies such as education, health care, taxes and infrastructure. The two major U.S. political parties have distorted the rules of elections and the legislative process to avoid competing directly with each other, according to the analysis released Wednesday. This has created a political leadership that increasingly emphasizes differences rather than common goals, while focusing more on the interests of donors, special interests and primary voters than the country as a whole. If the competition were healthy between the parties, the analysis said, political leaders and policymakers would be competing to deliver better outcomes for voters and also be held accountable for any results. Fundamental weakness "The political system is now America's most fundamental weakness and it used to be one of our greatest strengths," said Michael Porter, a Harvard professor and economist who co-authored the analysis. "The system is designed not to collaborate, not to find common ground." The findings build on previous surveys and reports by Harvard Business School on declining U.S. competitiveness compared to much of the world. The political system, infrastructure, taxes, health care and education were each identified as weaknesses for the U.S. economy that are worsening. Academic research has shown that the broader U.S. economy is becoming less competitive, with profitable companies becoming less likely to make new investments and a decline in the rate of entrepreneurs forming new companies. But the Harvard analysis suggests that government dysfunction helps to explain why many Americans and business leaders feel that the United States is slipping. Low approval ratings Multiple surveys show a level of voter dissatisfaction with the status quo. Congress holds an approval rating of 16 percent, according to survey data released Wednesday by the Gallup Organization. The House and Senate received equally abysmal ratings from Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated voters. Several surveys show that the majority of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump. Some voters in 2016 elected Trump in the hopes that he would break the dominant grip of both political parties. But after a series of bold promises, his administration has struggled to move any major bills through Congress that would meaningfully help the business environment in the long term. Both Porter and his co-author Katherine Gehl, the former head of Gehl Foods and a political activist, said that Trump's election did little to create a healthier competition among political leaders. The analysis includes recommendations to change the election process so that states have a single primary ballot and allow the top four vote-getters to then participate in the general election, as well as redistricting to prevent candidates from gerrymandering, rewriting campaign finance rules and starting a commission to develop new rules for legislatures. The Lebanese Hezbollah group has declared victory in Syria and promised to remake a greater Middle East as the Syrian army and allied Shiite militias, supported by Iran and Russia, continue to advance against the Islamic State (IS) and several Syrian rebel groups. We are well aware of our command in this battle and our martyrs, our wounded, our families, and our people will change the equations and make history for not only Lebanon but the entire region, said Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah, which has sent thousands of fighters to Syria since 2011 to support the government of Bashar al-Assad. Speaking at a religious gathering held in preparation for the holy Shiite ceremony of Ashura, Nasrallah said the opponents of the Assad regime have failed in Syria and are seeking to negotiate for some gains. We have won the war [in Syria] and what is left are some sporadic battles, he told the gathering, according to Lebanese media. Making gains The Syrian army and allied Shiite militias have recently made significant gains against IS in its last Syrian stronghold of Deir el-Zour. Videos published by Hezbollahs al-Manar website show Hezbollah militants marching in the city alongside the Syrian army and waving Hezbollahs flags in areas captured from IS. Elsewhere in Syria, Hezbollahs support has proved critical for Assad to crush IS militants and other opponents of the regime. The group has helped the regime troops to capture much of the rebel enclaves in Damascus, Aleppo and Homs. It recently brokered a controversial agreement with IS that allowed hundreds of IS fighters and their families, escorted by the Syrian army, to leave the Syrian-Lebanese border and travel toward eastern Syria. Since it was established in the 1980s, Hezbollah has mainly portrayed itself as the defender of Lebanon and a challenger of Israel. After the events of the Arab Spring in 2010, however, it shifted its focus toward other countries of the Middle East where its main sponsor, Iran, has been engaged in a fierce competition with Sunni regional powers. Hezbollah has metamorphosed from a known homegrown resistance movement into a puppet of Islamic Republic and acts as a proxy of Tehran in the region, Hessam Dastpish, a political analyst at Salahaddin University in Irbil, told VOA. Iran used the situation and fear of IS to bolster its ambition in the region and Hezbollah shadowed Tehran, Dastpish added. A regional proxy Today, in addition to Syria, the group is helping Shiite Popular Mobilization forces in Iraq, backing Houthi rebels in Yemen, and has helped organize Liwa Fatemiyoun from Afghanistan. Seth Frantzman, a researcher at the Rubin Center for Research in International Affairs in Israel, said Hezbollah portrays itself as a defender of minorities in the region, including Christians. It uses this to whitewash its role in the Syrian conflict, pretending that it is only fighting IS and al-Qaida even though it is also fighting the opposition groups, Frantzman told VOA. He added that the growing influence of the group has inspired Iran to support establishing several similar Shiite militias across the region to showcase the Iranian model of governance in the region. Irans proxies, such as Hezbollah, have not built any civilian infrastructure, universities or anything that supports moderation, democracy and liberal values in the wake of IS. Shiite crescent Some experts charge that the empowerment of groups like Hezbollah will help accomplish what is known as the Shiite Crescent a project that extends the Iranian sphere of influence from Tehran through Baghdad and Damascus to Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea. They warn that the growing influence of the Iranian-backed groups can add to the complexity of the conflict in the region, particularly when the interests of local communities diverge with those of Iran. In places like Yemen, the influence of Hezbollah and Iran has added to those complexities. The foreign players have changed the balance in Yemen and took a toll on the people of Yemen to fulfill their regional goals or political ambitions, Cairo-based Yemeni affairs analyst Maysaa Shuja Aldeen told VOA. In Iraq, Hezbollahs decision to transfer hundreds of IS fighters from the Syrian-Lebanese border toward the Iraq border rattled Baghdad last month. In Syria, opposition to Hezbollahs robust presence is growing. There is no difference between Hezbollah and other foreign forces that are in the country against the Syrians will, Riad Mousa al-Asaad, a commander of the Free Syrian Army, told VOA. He accused Hezbollah of occupying Syrian territories on the Lebanese border and changing the demography of the area by forcing the Sunni population to flee. U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he is "fairly close" to a deal with congressional leaders to protect hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from being deported years after their parents illegally brought them into the United States, but that any agreement must include "massive border security." "Well we're working on a plan, subject to getting massive border control," Trump said as he left for Florida for a first-hand look at the devastation wrought by Hurricane Irma. "People want to see that happen ...," Trump said, "young people brought here, no fault of their own, so we're working on a plan. We'll see how it works out, but we're going to get massive border security as part of that, and I think something can happen, we'll see what happens, but something will happen." Trump's remarks came not long after he said on Twitter that he had not made a deal with the top House and Senate Democratic leaders on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program that the Trump administration rescinded last week, while giving Congress six months to vote on the issue. WATCH: Trump on DACA deal Democrats' take on conversation House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer had said after a White House dinner with Trump on Wednesday night that they had agreed to quickly put in place protections for the young immigrants who registered under DACA, former president Barack Obama's program that protected them from deportation. While Trump said no specific deal had been reached, he expressed his sentiments for allowing the young people, many of whom have been studying and working in the U.S. and serving in its military, to remain in the country. "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!" he said. Border security, wall During Trump's run for the White House last year, his supporters cheered loudest for his plan to build a wall on the southern U.S. border with Mexico, but Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans are opposed and it has not been funded. In a tweet, Trump said the wall, "which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built." As he left for Florida, Trump said, "The wall will come later....We're building four different samples of the wall, to see which one we're going to choose, and the wall is going to be built. It'll be funded a little bit later." Landing in Florida, he said, "Very important is the wall ... very important is the wall." Regarding the young immigrants, Trump added, "We're not looking at citizenship. We're not looking at amnesty. We're looking at allowing people to stay here." WATCH: Trump on Border Wall 'Not inconsistent' Schumer and Pelosi said Trump's latest comments on the undocumented immigrants were "not inconsistent with the agreement reached last night" and stressed that there was no final deal yet. "We agreed that the president would support enshrining DACA protections into law, and encourage the House and Senate to act," the statement said. "What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security, with a mutual goal of finalizing all details as soon as possible." Trump also indicated that he believes both Republican congressional leaders, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, are "on board" with a deal regarding DACA and border security. Ryan, while he has expressed support for the young immigrants staying in the U.S., questioned whether an immigration deal was near. I think the president understands he has to work with the congressional majorities to get any kind of legislative solution, Ryan said at a news conference. The president had told a group of lawmakers from both parties Wednesday that funding for a border wall could be dealt with separately from a bill providing a permanent fix for the people who had registered under DACA. The program allowed them to continue working or studying in the U.S. temporarily without the fear of deportation. Trump's move toward protection of the young immigrants, many of whom have never known a home country other than the United States, has angered hardline immigration foes in the Republican party. Breitbart News, a far-right Internet news site headed by Trump's former White House chief strategist, Stephen Bannon, called the president "Amnesty Don" for his stance to protect the immigrants and said he was engaging in "a full-fledged cave" on the issue. U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he did not make a deal with the House and Senate Democratic leaders regarding the undocumented immigrants who came to the country as children and were protected from deportation by an Obama-era program Trump canceled last week. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer had said after meeting with Trump Wednesday night that they agreed to quickly put in place protections for the 800,000 people who registered under the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). WATCH: Trump on DACA deal Pelosi and Schumer said the plan would involve working out a border security package that did not include Trump's desired wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. "No deal was made last night on DACA," Trump wrote on Twitter early Thursday. "Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote." He said the wall "will continue to be built." He also expressed support for those who were covered under DACA, after following through on his campaign pledge to do away with the program he previously criticized as "amnesty." "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really! They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security." WATCH: Trump on Border Wall Trump's canceling of DACA included giving Congress six months to work out a permanent solution. Border wall The president told a group of lawmakers from both parties Wednesday that funding for a border wall could be dealt with separately from a bill providing a permanent fix for the people who had registered under DACA. The program allowed them to continue working or studying in the U.S. temporarily without the fear of deportation. "That got people's attention," said Rep. Kurt Schrader, a Democrat from Oregon, told reporters after the meeting. It is becoming clearer that the future of DACA recipients is almost impossible for the U.S. Congress to separate from a larger, even more contentious debate over comprehensive immigration reform. President Trump indicated in the bipartisan meeting that he remained interested in tying additional funding for border security to any legislative fix for the DACA program, two Democratic lawmakers in the meeting told VOA. According to two of the lawmakers, Trump suggested the RAISE Act, a Senate bill co-sponsored by Senators Tom Cotton and David Perdue, as the legislative solution for DACA. When House Democrats encouraged the president to support the Dream Act, he did not commit to that solution but indicated both parties could work together on a solution. "The key is now can we find bipartisan agreement there? It starts by having these kinds of conversations," said Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat from New Jersey. Congressional negotiations House Speaker Paul Ryan, Rep. Pelosi and heads of the congressional Hispanic, Black and Asian caucuses also met Wednesday, in a first attempt to hammer out a compromise. "It was a positive meeting," House Democratic Minority Whip Steny Hoyer told reporters afterwards. He would not comment on whether House Democrats would continue an attempt to force a floor vote on Dream Act legislation. Pelosi and Democratic congressional caucuses asked the House Republican leader for a meeting after a week of demands for action, saying DACA recipients, also know as "Dreamers," deserved an end to their uncertain status by September 30. But House Republicans recognize that negotiations on the DACA program present an unusual opportunity for compromises on Trump's calls for increased border security and comprehensive immigration reform, a solution that's eluded past presidents and Congress. President Trump says he won't rule out decertifying Colombia as a partner in the drug war after a record jump in cocaine production in the South American nation. The surprise rebuke for Washington's staunchest ally in Latin America came Wednesday in the White House's annual designation of nations it deems major drug-producing or transit zones. Of the 22 nations on the list only two, Venezuela and Bolivia, were deemed not to be fulfilling their international obligations to combat drug production and trafficking. In a statement, Trump said he "seriously considered'' adding Colombia to the list of negligent countries but decided against that due to the country's status as a strong security partner of the U.S. Coca production in Colombia has surged more than 200 percent since 2013. Nearly eight months into his presidency, Donald Trump appears intent on reshaping his image into one of a bipartisan deal maker. On Thursday, Trump told reporters he and Democratic congressional leaders are fairly close to reaching a deal to extend protections for hundreds of thousands of young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Trumps comments came a day after he hosted a White House dinner for Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, the latest example of what appears to be a concerted Trump strategy shift to work more with opposition Democrats, something the president largely avoided during his early months in office. WATCH: Trump's Outreach to Democrats Carries Risk and Reward Risk versus reward But this fragile political detente carries the prospect of both great political reward and high risk. Trump told a bipartisan group of lawmakers at the White House Wednesday his intent to work with Democrats is more than a fleeting gesture. If you look at some of the greatest legislation ever passed, it was done in a bipartisan manner, Trump told a group convened to discuss tax reform. And well see what we can do and if it works out, great, and if it doesnt work out great, hopefully well be able to do it anyways as Republicans. Okay? Wednesday's dinner focused on the plight of the so-called dreamers, young immigrants who came into the country illegally as children with their parents.The two sides gave varying accounts of what was agreed to during the dinner, but early Thursday the president said that before they can agree we have to get massive border security. On the Senate floor, Schumer described the meeting with Trump as constructive, but added theres still much to be done. Schumer told reporters earlier in the week his party will continue to resist any efforts by Republicans or the White House to link any action on the dreamers to funding for a border wall with Mexico, Trumps signature campaign pledge. Look, I made it so, so clear to the president that there is not going to be a wall, said Schumer. Ive told him over and over again. At one point he said to me, Go easy on the wall. I said, No. Many Republicans oppose the presidents outreach to Democrats, which began with an agreement last week to put off fights over the budget and raising the debt ceiling. Bipartisan worries Trumps political pivot toward the Democrats could help him as he continues to struggle with public approval ratings generally below 40 percent, a low for a first-year president. This is something that is good for the president in broader terms, though working with Democrats is not something that his base will necessarily respond well to, said Brookings Institution analyst John Hudak. But ultimately it is a victory he can point to. At the same time, there are risks for Democrats in any political alliance with the Trump White House, especially given the strong anti-Trump sentiment among the Democratic grass roots base. And the Democrats are counting on a lot of energy in the base to produce a better outcome for them in the midterm elections than they have seen for quite some time, said Brookings scholar Bill Galston. By the same token, cozying up to Democrats could leave the president exposed on his right flank to angry recriminations from Republican voters who are uncomfortable with attempts to find common ground with the opposition. Rank-and-file Republicans, and deeply conservative Republicans, will not stand for that, said John Hudak. And those types of divisions are ones that can be devastating for a party, not just in terms of politics, but also in terms of future ability to make policy. A recent Morning Consult/Politico poll found Republicans are much more likely to side with the president than Republican congressional leaders in working with Democrats by a margin of 56 to 28 percent. Poll show a desire for bipartisanship Trump has spent much of his first months in office catering to his political base and showed little inclination to try to broaden his appeal among independents or Democrats. But his decision to work with Democrats could boost his ratings with voters who otherwise have not been impressed with his performance so far. Gallup pollster Frank Newport told VOA that while the country remains sharply polarized, public opinion polls have long indicated voters want the two parties to work together. When we actually ask the public, Should our officials compromise more or stick to principles?', and we just asked that question this past weekend, a strong majority said, 'No, we want our leaders to compromise, we want them to give in and not stick to principles." Any fledgling hopes of bipartisan cooperation will be put to the test in the coming weeks as congress wrestles with tax reform, health care, immigration and the budget. In the Turkish capital, Ankara, the trial of two educators charged with terrorism has started. The defendants have been on a hunger strike for more than five months to protest their firing as part of a government crackdown after last years failed coup. Their hunger strike and trial have become a focal point of government opposition. The Ankara courthouse where Semih Ozakca and Nuriye Gulmen are on trial was surrounded by a large security presence. Police outside the court prevented opposition parliamentary deputies from reading a declaration of support for the educators who are accused of supporting a prohibited left wing group. Republican Peoples Party deputy Mahmut Tanal slammed the police presence, saying the situation is this, this is a police state, an authoritative fascist system that is at full swing. This fascist system will definitely be destroyed. Video released online appeared to show riot police in the courthouse attacking supporters of Ozakca and Gulmen. Critics claim the case against the educators is politically motivated, after their peaceful campaign against the loss of their jobs as part of an ongoing government crackdown that drew national attention. More than 150,000 people have been purged from their posts since last years failed coup. Lawyers representing the two educators were arrested earlier this week on anti-terror charges. Concerns over the fairness of the trial were further heightened when neither Ozakca or Gulmen were allowed to attend Thursday's hearing. Security forces said they did not have sufficient staff to take them to court and that they were not healthy enough to attend. Political scientist Cengiz Aktar said the two educators have put the government in a difficult position. "The government, they do not like the idea of their cases becoming a kind of cause celebre and therefore they are doing everything to hide them in a way. And they were not taken to the court. Clearly, the government is unhappy with this and they are probably trying to keep them alive by all means. The only clear message is they are unhappy with it and do not know what to do with it," Aktar said. The government has strongly defended the trial, insisting the judiciary is independent and the ongoing crackdown is necessary to protect Turkish democracy. But analysts say the controversy over Ozakca and Gulmen and growing concerns about their deteriorating health could influence the government's approach to the case. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for gun and car bomb attacks that killed at least 60 people Thursday in southern Iraq. More than 80 other people were wounded in the attacks near Nasiriyah, the capital of Dhiqar province, officials said. Militants opened fire at a restaurant, and shortly afterward a suicide attack carried out by a driver in an explosives-laden vehicle struck a nearby security checkpoint, officers said. Three of the dead were police officers, while a number of others were Iranians, many of them pilgrims dining at the restaurant while en route to visit religious shrines. In its statement claiming responsibility for the attack, Islamic State said it had killed "dozens" of Shi'ites. Shi'ite-dominated Dhiqar province is 320 kilometers (200 miles) southeast of Baghdad. The United States is responding to Russian propaganda with new media efforts aimed at countering Kremlin distortions with objective news, Broadcasting Board of Governors CEO John Lansing told a Senate panel. Lansing said Thursday he has seen a global explosion of propaganda and lies, and said the government agency he oversees is now actively countering that disinformation with facts. BBG is the parent organization for VOA and other broadcast entities. Lansing detailed BBG efforts to counter Russian disinformation by reaching Russian speakers around the world. Specifically, Lansing mentioned Current Time, a Russian-language news network, which, according to a promo video played by Lansing, helps viewers tell fact from fiction. WATCH: Lansing on countering Russian propaganda The Russian strategy seeks to destroy the very idea of an objective, verifiable set of facts, Lansing said. The BBG is adapting to meet this challenge head on by offering audiences and alternatives to Russian disinformation in the form of objective, independent and professional news and information. He said Current Time documentaries have been viewed by more than 300 million people between January and July of this year, with about half the views coming from inside Russia. Election meddling Russian propaganda efforts have come under scrutiny by multiple investigations into Russia's attempt to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election and elections in Europe. Senator Cory Gardner called the U.S. response to Russian aggression in Ukraine and its use of misinformation during the 2016 presidential election feeble and said the U.S. needs to do more to combat Russias aggressive interference in Western elections. We must not let Russian activities go with impunity, we must identify and combat them utilizing every tool at our disposal, Gardner said. BBG has also launched a new project called Polygraph, which Lansing said serves as a fact-checking service to call out Kremlin distortions. The project consists of teams of journalists who analyze quotes, stories, and reports distributed by government officials, government-sponsored media and other high-profile individuals, the website says. One thing the BBG doesnt do, though, is propaganda, Lansing said. Our content is protected by a legislative firewall that prevents the U.S. government interfering into our editorial decision-making. And thats important to understand, he said. The U.S. education secretary says changes are planned to federal guidelines for how colleges and universities handle sexual assault and harassment issues. Besty DeVos' push to revisit the rules opens a debate over how schools should investigate cases of sexual assault, a process that for years has been linked to whether universities are following federal guidelines prohibiting discrimination based on gender. Critics of the current system include DeVos, who says they need to change to better balance the rights of victims and those who are accused of sexual assault. Her opponents say the current guidelines, which have been in place since 2011 are effective in explaining to colleges and universities their role in preventing and handling security harassment and violence on campus. What will change? Schools are required to offer a clear way for students and employees to file complaints and hold fair, open campus investigations and criminal investigations by local police. They must also provide special medical services for victims. If they fail to meet these and other requirements, the Education Department has the right to block their federal funding. However the federal government has not used that leverage against any school. DeVos has not explained in detail how the rules will change. She said her office will ask the public and universities for help in developing new ones. Critics of the Obama administration policy cheered the announcement, saying the rules are biased against the accused. Andrew Miltenberg, a lawyer who represents students accused of sexual assault, said he was glad to see the government recognize that schools had been mistreating the accused. Critics say that the legal processes that some schools put in place to deal with accusations of sexual assault fall short of standards of due process guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. Other groups oppose the proposed changes, saying that the process will weaken schools' commitment to prosecuting "I really fear that DeVos will take us back to the days when schools [often] violated survivors' rights and pushed sexual assault under the rug," said Sejal Singh, a policy coordinator for "Know your IX." Other members of the group said the secretary is sending a message that no one will hold schools responsible for protecting students. Other critics say the policy changes will favor men, since most accusations of sexual assault involve men as the accused. DeVos has rejected criticism that portrays the issue as one pitting men against women. "Every survivor of sexual misconduct must be taken seriously, DeVos said. Every student accused of sexual misconduct must know that guilt is not [already decided]." At the same time, she made clear that "acts of sexual misconduct are unacceptable" and must be dealt with directly. Protests on Campus When DeVos spoke on the issue last week at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, about 25 protesters gathered outside the venue. Some were women who said they had been assaulted on their campuses. Gloria Larson, the president of Bentley University near Boston, said her school would continue to follow the Obama administration rules. Terry Hartle, senior vice president of American Council on Education, an organization of about 1,800 college presidents, said many schools will likely do the same. Brown University in Rhode Island released a statement saying that because of Title IX rules under the previous administration, it and other schools had increased its response and treatment of sexual assault cases. "We are committed to ensuring that our policies and processes comply with federal requirements and guidance, and our dedication to this commitment remains strong," the press release said. "We will [maintain] a campus culture in which all community members are equally valued, respected and safe." The United States is looking to counter Iranian influence in the Middle East with a more aggressive approach in cyberspace. They operate almost entirely in what we refer to as the gray zone, that space between normal international competition and armed conflict, the commander of U.S. Central Command, General Joseph Votel, said Wednesday in Washington, calling it an area ripe for cyberspace operations. We at CENTCOM are examining ways to compete in the gray zone, he said. Integrating cyberspace operations as part of a holistic approach is clearly a critical part of that. Tehrans malign influence U.S. intelligence and military officials have long warned of Tehrans malign influence in the Middle East. And they say Iran is increasingly relying upon its cyber operations to shape both the battlefield and the information environment in places like Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Votel told an audience at the Billington CyberSecurity Summit that, like Russia, Iran has focused its attention on social media, and has seen its efforts pay off on the international stage. [Irans] ability to use cyberspace to manipulate information out there, to propagate their message, I think, is the key aspect that we deal with, Votel said. The recent disagreement between Saudi Arabia, the [United Arab] Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt with Qatar is a glaring example. Russia and China Although Votel described Iran as clearly the top threat to long-term stability in the Middle East, he said Russia and China have also been carrying out various types of cyber operations across the region. But the CENTCOM commander said he believes efforts to counter Iranian, Russian and Chinese cyber operations across the Middle East could soon get a needed boost. Votel called President Donald Trumps decision last month to elevate the status of U.S. Cyber Command very helpful, saying it would help the U.S. military to normalize the need to include a cyber component in almost all of its usual operations. CENTCOM, which is responsible for U.S. military operations spanning 20 countries from Egypt to Pakistan, is also concerned about the Islamic State terror group. Despite continued losses by IS fighters on the battlefield in Iraq and Syria, U.S. military officials worry about a strengthening virtual caliphate that continues to cultivate followers. Not all of our adversaries have tanks, fighter aircraft and warships, but they all have computers and they all have access to the web, Votel said. African countries should do more to pressure South Sudans political leaders, who seem incapable of resolving the countrys four-year civil war, a top U.S. diplomat said Wednesday. We think there is more our African colleagues can and should be doing at this point, especially in terms of focusing on leadership, that from our point of view is behaving in a way that is very irresponsible, Tom Shannon, U.S. under-secretary for political affairs at the State Department, told reporters. Manmade conflict Shannon, speaking on the sidelines of a U.S-African Partnerships event at the U.S. Institute of Peace, said Washington had grown intolerant of South Sudans leaders and the challenge was to work with African countries that are interested in seeing an end to the conflict. This is a manmade conflict of horrific dimensions, which is about political leaders measuring each other through force at the cost of their populations, Shannon said. His remarks come after the new USAID administrator, Mark Green, traveled to Juba Sept. 2 to meet with South Sudans President Salva Kiir and deliver a message from Washington that the United States was reviewing its relationship with his government. US sanctions The Trump administration last week imposed sanctions on two senior South Sudanese officials and the former army chief for their role in the conflict, atrocities against civilians and attacks against international missions in South Sudan. South Sudan became the worlds newest nation when it gained independence from Sudan in 2011. War broke out in late 2013 and more than a quarter of its population of 12 million have fled their homes. A confidential report by the United Nations last week said competing efforts to end South Sudans civil war were allowing Kiirs government to exploit divisions among the international brokers. East African leaders said in June they want the warring sides to recommit to a peace deal they abandoned more than a year ago. Among the international bodies trying to end the conflict are regional block IGAD, the U.N. Security Council, a troika of South Sudans main Western backers before independence and an African Union panel. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dismissed U.S. concerns about his government's recent decision to buy an S-400 missile defense system from Russia. In a speech Wednesday to mayors from his ruling AK Party, Erdogan said of the U.S., "They went crazy because we made the S-400 agreement. What were we supposed to do? Wait for you? We are taking and will take all our measures on the security front," he added. The multibillion-dollar missile purchase has dealt another blow to deeply strained relations with the United States, which spent months lobbying against the deal. "We have relayed our concerns to Turkish officials regarding the potential purchase of the S-400. A NATO interoperable missile defense system remains the best option to defend Turkey from the full range of threats in its region," Pentagon spokesman Johnny Michael said in a statement. Compatibility issue Turkey has also pushed back over concerns about whether the Russian weapons are compatible with those within NATO. Turkey's NATO allies have warned Ankara that all members are obligated to use weapons that can be integrated with each other's systems, and that Russian arms do not meet the criteria. Turkey countered by pointing to fellow NATO member Greece's purchase several years ago of an S-300 Russian defense system. Erdogan, however, indicated that his country's controversial deal was in part influenced by current strains with Western allies. The German government recently decided to curtail some weapons sales to Turkey, citing growing concerns about human rights in light of a failed coup against Erdogan last year. Germany has been critical of mass arrests in Turkey, refused to extradite people whom Turkey accuses of involvement in the attempted coup and demanded the release of German or Turkish-German citizens arrested in recent months. Ankara maintains that the deal has given Turkey the best value for its money as well as a unique offer of technology transfer. Turkey is rapidly expanding its defense industry and is one of the top 10 weapons producers in the world. Turkey, Russia getting cozy Analysts warn that the missile deal between Russia and Turkey is another step by Moscow to weaken the NATO alliance. Russian presidential adviser Vladimir Kozhin appeared to stoke such concerns when he said, "I can only guarantee that all decisions taken on this contract strictly comply with our strategic interests." Turkish-Russian relations have been warming since rapprochement efforts were launched last year. Bilateral ties became strained after a Turkish jet downed a Russian bomber operating from a Syrian airbase in November 2015. Following the announcement of the missile deal, Moscow announced the easing of a Turkish tomato import ban, a sanction that had hit thousands of farmers hard. The Turkey-Russia rapprochement coincides with escalating tensions with Washington. The U.S.'s increasing support for Syrian Kurdish group the YPG, in its fight against Islamic State, has infuriated Turkey because it considers the YPG a terrorist group. Ankara accuses the YPG of being an offshoot of the Kurdish rebel group PKK, which has been waging a decades-long insurgency in Turkey. The United States and Turkey have listed the PKK as a terrorist organization. Washington, however, has not done so in the case of the YPG. Additionally, U.S.-Turkey relations are reeling after a U.S. court last week indicted a former head of a Turkish state bank and a former minister with close ties to Erdogan in an Iran sanctions violations case. "There is a general crisis of confidence," warns political columnist Semih Idiz of the al-Monitor website, "and now the indictments for Iranian sanction busting will feed into this definitely." Erdogan criticized the court's decision, with a thinly veiled claim it was politically motivated. The Turkish president declared he would take up the issue during his planned trip to New York this week to attend the U.N. General Assembly. Analysts warn that Erdogan needs to tread carefully given the high stakes involved. "If Turkey decides to criticize the U.S. on the basis of this indictment being a political decision, that would make the diplomatic relationship more difficult because there is no backtracking from this position," said Sinan Ulgen, a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe in Brussels. "Turkey has to face a set of very difficult security challenges in its own neighborhood the possible [Iraqi] Kurdish independence referendum, the fact that the Syrian crisis is ongoing, the fight against Islamic State is ongoing therefore Turkey's ability to address those challenges can only be enhanced if it's in a position to have better and more solid alliances with its Western partners." As Congress looks into ways to fix the immigration system, often with the goal of safeguarding job opportunities for U.S. workers, at least one immigration organization argues that current federal regulations fail to protect foreign visa holders from job misrepresentation, recruitment fees, exploitation, fraud and discrimination. Four women who came to the U.S. on temporary visas were part of a panel discussion Tuesday in Washington to raise awareness of a system they said often treats human beings like commodities. "In the workplace, there were about 80 of us, women, and we had a hard time," Adareli Hernandez, a former H-2B worker, said in Spanish during a discussion hosted by the Center for Migrant Rights (CDM), a Mexico-based organization with an office in Baltimore, Maryland. Hernandez, who is from Hidalgo, Mexico, looked for two years before she was finally able to get a H-2B seasonal non-farm work visa to work at a chocolate packing factory in Louisiana. Inequality in workplace While men who worked at the factory earned higher wages by carrying and stacking boxes, women were relegated to packing chocolates on assembly lines with no time off for illness. "We weren't able to make complaints, because if we did make complaints, we were threatened by the manager. We were told we didn't have a right to file complaints, because we didn't have rights here in the United States," she said. But after four seasons as an H-2B visa worker, Hernandez fought for better labor conditions along with 70 colleagues. She said though work conditions improved, the company decided not to rehire her or co-workers. Hernandez's testimony is one of the 34 detailed worker stories featured in a CDM report, Engendering Exploitation: Gender Inequality in U.S. Labor Migration Programs. Though the report focuses on women migrant workers, CDM policy recommendations say, "All temporary labor migration programs should be subjected to the same rules and protection so that unscrupulous employers and recruiters do not use the patchwork of visa regulations to evade liability." According to the Economic Policy Institute, about 1.4 million people are recruited to work in the U.S. each year through temporary work visas, including H-1B (specialty occupations), H-2B, J-1 (exchange visitor program) and TN (Canadians and Mexicans in certain occupations under the North American Free Trade Agreement). The visas may vary, but immigration and labor organizations report that recruited foreign workers face common patterns of abuses. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor and Department of Homeland Security cracked down on abuse within the H-2B system, hoping to prevent the exploitation of workers and to ensure U.S. workers' awareness of available jobs. Rosa's story A licensed veterinarian, who asked to be called only Rosa for fear of retaliation, submitted a statement that was read during CDM's discussion. Rosa was unable to join the panel because the U.S. government rejected her application for a tourist visa. "Although the U.S. government had no problem offering me a TN work visa at the employer's request, it won't allow me to visit the country as a tourist. Anyway, that's not going to stop me from sharing my story," Rosa's statement said. Rosa is a former TN visa worker who was hired for an animal scientist position in Wisconsin. She was "thrilled" for the opportunity to work at a place where she would put in practice the skills she acquired as a recent graduate from a top Mexican university. TN visas were created within NAFTA to allow U.S. employers to hire Canadian and Mexican workers for specialized jobs. "I was deceived by my employer. They promised me a salary that they failed to pay, a contract they didn't respect," Rosa's statement said. "The supervisors would yell at us constantly and tell us that our visa was only good for obeying orders. I cleaned animal troughs, unloaded them from trucks. As the only woman, they would also give me jobs they considered 'women's work,' cleaning the bathroom or the kitchen," she said. Protecting American workers Rachel Micah-Jones, CDM's executive director, said there is a need to ensure workers have basic protections, including the right to understand a contract before entering into an agreement with a U.S. company. Immigration hard-liners agree about the need to protect visa workers, but they also express concern about the welfare of American workers. Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, said though she agrees these visa programs "can be beneficial to certain employees for legitimate purposes," there is a "big problem" with employers abusing the system as a way to bring in "workers who can be paid less, and who end up replacing American and legal immigrant workers." "The solution is not necessarily to end the program, but to reform it and for the government agencies that are responsible for these programs to do a better job of oversight to make sure that they are not abused," Vaughan told VOA. Vaughan was scheduled to speak about guest worker visa programs at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that had been scheduled for Wednesday. The hearing was postponed because government officials were focused on hurricane response and recovery efforts after two storms struck in Texas and Florida. Tanzania's government has been cracking down on irregularities in the mining sector, most recently confiscating diamonds worth $15 million from British company Petra Diamonds, accusing it of devaluing exports. And in July, the government demanded gold miner Acacia pay $190 billion in what it asserted were unpaid taxes, saying the company had underreported its exports. "They are stealing from us. It's strange, and some who were involved are our people," said Tanzanian President John Magufuli. Chatham House Africa program research assistant Rebekka Rumpel says that Tanzania's government previously allowed international financial institutions a greater amount of input into the country's mining laws. Now, she says, Magufuli is trying to walk them back. "I think, you know, he is trying to reject that period of greater foreign involvement and also greater liberalization of the '90s and 2000s," Rumpel said. "And you know, it's very much framed as a kind of 'I'm on the side of ordinary Tanzanians standing up against people who would deny us our true natural wealth.'" Tanzanian mining sector expert Fatma Karume says there was a reason past administrations liberalized the rules for the mining industry. "Nobody wanted to invest in Tanzania, given previous nationalization exercises that we had undertaken, and therefore, for people to invest, the [Benjamin] Mkapa administration in particular, had to make it an attractive proposition," Karume said. Aubrey Hruby, a senior fellow at the Africa Center at the Atlantic Council, says the current developments in the mining sector in Tanzania are part of a much larger trend in the Magufuli administration, which prioritizes the state as the principle generator of economic activity. But, she says, this trajectory is already having a significant impact on investment. "I think all too often, large investors, institutional investors who invest in the mining companies through stock exchanges, or otherwise, they see this as 'Oh, it's another reason why doing business in Africa is riddled with risk.' So, unfortunately, people tend to make this micro-experience in Tanzania part of the macro-narrative of investing in Africa," Hruby said. Karume agrees that the government's measures have investors concerned. "These are savvy investors. They're not uneducated people, they're savvy investors who have been banked by savvy bankers, who have lawyers working for them," she said. "They're going to put their money in a place where they think it's going to be secure. It's as simple as that." And, she says, the government's demands are unreasonable. "I think it's vastly exaggerated, the $190 billion tax bill, is vastly exaggerated," Karume said. Several attempts to contact Benjamin Mchwampaka, Tanzania's commissioner for minerals, for comment were unsuccessful. An earlier version of this story misidentified Benjamin Mchwampaka as minister for energy and minerals. VOA regrets the error. Zimbabwe on Thursday officially kicked off its election registration process, though no election date has been set. President Robert Mugabe was among the first to register with the newly acquired Biometric Voter Registration kits or BVR, together with his wife, Grace, and other officials, in full view of the media at his residence. On the advice of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, I duly proclaimed today as the first day upon which the biometric voter registration will officially commence." This is the first time Zimbabwe is using the BVR kits, provided by a Chinese company Laxton Group Limited. The country is expected to receive a total of 3,000 kits by the end of the year, in preparation for the elections scheduled sometime in 2018. President Mugabe said his government was fulfilling its mandate by making the kits, funded by the United Nations Development Agency (UNDP), available. As government we stand guided by our constitution and ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) on how elections are to be run in this country. The constitution of Zimbabwe enjoins the government to play a facilitating role in terms of resourcing and protecting the independence, and partiality and integrity of such institution. Despite allegations by the opposition and other civil society groups that the voter registration process lacks transparency, and that Thursdays kick off was illegal, the head of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, Justice Rita Makarau, says theyve been open to the public about the proceedings. She assured President Mugabe that her organization is ready to conduct the election, though only 400 of the expected 3,000 kits are in the country. We would not have sought your advice to issue the proclamation if we were not ready. Again, we are ready financially, we have the resources, our people have been trained on how to use the kits, and they are ready to register all Zimbabweans at the 63-district offices that I have mentioned. Opposition parties have refuted her claims amid allegations that the process is fraudulent. They also argue that Zimbabwe has not secured the servers needed to store the collected voters information, adding that this may be tempered with resulting in the conduction of fraudulent elections next year. The opposition has noted that children turning 18 after January 15 next year wont be able to vote in the next elections as the voters roll will be closed for the elections expected to be conducted in July 2017. The opposition party Movement for Democratic Change led by former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, is challenging the proclamation in court. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is expected in the next four months to register at least 7 million voters using a new system widely criticized by opposition parties and some stakeholders. On Nov. 1, Linn Benton Food Shares warehouse in Tangent received two truckloads of food and household supplies arranged by the local branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tim Getman, left, and Howard Shalwitz in Max Frischs The Arsonists at Woolly Mammoth. (Scott Suchman) Theater critic Cable TV news provides the apocalyptic backdrop for Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company's jarring new production of "The Arsonists," a 1950s political warning that hasn't burned out yet. Two guests from hell drop in on a naive hair tonic salesman named George Betterman, invading his home and threatening to singe the wider social fabric. In the backdrop, we see up-to-the-minute news footage and talking heads on Betterman's flat-screen TV, as well as the catchphrases of our current torchlit moment "both sides," "fire and fury." This staging of "The Arsonists" is an unmistakable response to the stunning and, to many, alarming Trump electoral victory last fall, and it's clear why director Michael John Garces and Woolly Artistic Director Howard Shalwitz decided to stage it almost as soon as the November results were tallied. Max Frisch's 1958 play, which evolved over nearly a decade and was a response to European countries succumbing to varieties of odious political domination, isn't an explicit knockoff of a single party, ideology or leader. Its real target is any citizenry that rather lazily doesn't respond. The woozy, woolly-headed populace is represented by Betterman, an everyman played by Shalwitz (who will retire at the end of this season) in a rare return to acting. It's a vivid portrait in Jell-O as Shalwitz shimmies both physically and emotionally, stammering and grinning as Betterman shucks away from responsibility. Betterman badly wants to be liked, first by the hulking brute who shows up hungry at his door, even though the figure, played with maximum intimidation by tall Tim Getman, is obviously a menace. Frischs script, more absurd drama than comedy, will indeed strike you as obvious at times. Of course a play called The Arsonists is going to almost literally catch fire, and of course the nebbish Betterman is going to have a hard time snapping to his senses. But to Frisch, obviousness and obliviousness are exactly the point. Its why he even deploys a Greek-style chorus to call Betterman out. Flammable toys in the attic: Howard Shalwitz and Kimberly Gilbert in The Arsonists. (Scott Suchman ) Garcess superb chorus is played by Akeem Davis, Peter Howard, Sue Jin Song, Jose Joaquin Perez and Emily Townley, and the quintet, moving in stylized slow motion and swapping lines, gets some of the shows most penetrating passages. Warnings abound; the news is full of stories about arsonists who masquerade as ordinary folks at your door needing help, and next thing you know theres a fire in your attic. The chorus reports, frets and even presses Betterman. Cornered, he blurts, I have the right not to think anything at all! Garces and designer Misha Kachman get a smart town-square effect by using a thrust stage that juts deep into the audience. The chorus frequently addresses the crowd (so does the gray, desperate Betterman, in one of Shalwitzs funniest moments), and you never know where in the theater theyll turn up. The lights by Colin K. Bills even illuminate the outer walls behind the patrons; the performance surrounds you. Woolly, as led by Shalwitz since 1980, typically rockets beyond realism, and the actors embrace this heightened style. Yet while Getman plays a crude Neanderthal and Kimberly Gilbert chirps merrily as the more sophisticated arsonist Billie Irons (who arrives to nest in Betterman's attic), the show never careens into mockery. Bahni Turpin, as Betterman's wife, and Regina Aquino, as their housekeeper, both offer wry, grounded turns, and the chorus maintains a frame of moral perplexity while the news footage applies Betterman's dilemma to right now. It's plainly set right here, too; Alistair Beaton's relatively recent translation is now seasoned with fleeting references to D.C. restaurants. The two-hour parable flattens a little before the climax, and the Tom and Jerry antics with dynamite on that background TV become a bit of a distraction. But the nearly 60-year-old play, a rare choice for the new-works hothouse Woolly, is a reminder of how seldom the rich seams of world drama are deeply mined in Washington. And the stark, high-relief image of an everyman refusing to acknowledge the fuse burning under his nose will probably keep The Arsonists glowing in mind long after youve seen it. The Arsonists, by Max Frisch, translated by Alistair Beaton. Directed by Michael John Garces. Costumes, Ivania Stack; sound design, James Bigbee Garver; video design, Jared Mezzocchi; composer, Chad Clark; choreographer, Stacy Printz. About two hours. Through Oct. 8 at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D St. NW. Tickets: $34-$69. Call 202-393-3939 or visit woollymammoth.net. Senior editor, style Ken Burns and Lynn Novicks astounding and sobering 10-episode PBS documentary The Vietnam War (airing Sunday through Sept. 28 on PBS stations) took a decade to research, film, edit and ultimately perfect. It clocks in at 18 hours a length as daunting as its subject, yet worth every single minute of your time. Ill go so far as to call it required viewing, before you watch anything else on TV that will come (and probably go) this fall season, especially all those new fictional dramas that celebrate special-ops teams quietly taking out Americas terrorist enemies with little muss and no fuss. As an account of both the war and its political and cultural legacies, The Vietnam War is about as complete and evenhanded as it could possibly get, which, of course, means it wont please everyone. Theres also the ongoing problem of our corroded attention spans and increasing inability to separate fact from opinions or lies. This makes The Vietnam War even more valuable right now. Do your best to stay with it an episode here, another episode later and open both your heart and your mind. This is the real stuff. Even now, as we still elect leaders who are old enough to need to explain their whereabouts in the Vietnam years (as a young man, President Trump reportedly received multiple deferments, including one for bone spurs in one of his feet), the subject remains an argumentative, open fissure in American society a "war begun in secrecy [in the 1940s]," intones the film's narrator, Peter Coyote. "It ended 30 years later in failure, witnessed by the entire world." The nation's relationship to the war is "like living in a family with an alcoholic father," observes Marine veteran Karl Marlantes. [Opinion: Ken Burnss The Vietnam War documentary tries to unite America under Trump] Although our preferred means for ripping into one another these days lean heavily on the Civil War (the subject of Burns's 1990 documentary, which remains his defining masterpiece), a great deal of our national anxiety in 2017 follows a straight line from the 1960s and early '70s. Burns and Novick's film doesn't come out and say so in a blunt way, but you'd be a fool not to pick up on the echoes. The Vietnam War is never truly over (and at times it will feel to a viewer like The Vietnam War is never over, either), but, as Bao Ninh, a writer who fought for the communist North Vietnamese army, thoughtfully observes in the films opening moments: It has been 40 years. . . . In war, no one wins or loses. There is only destruction. Only those who have never fought like to argue about who won and who lost. ONE-TIME USE ONLY: Kenny Park for The Washington Post (Kenny Park for The Washington Post) In that spirit, The Vietnam War is a mighty attempt to get ones arms around the whole hideous, tangled history of it perhaps with a sense that it can be finished, or at least converted to the past, despite its ability to cling to the present. The experience of watching The Vietnam War includes terror, horror, disbelief, discovery, disgust, marvel, pride, ambivalence and tears. Youll lose count of how many times youll have to pick your jaw up off the floor even when the facts ring vaguely familiar. We thought we were the exceptions to history the Americans, says journalist Neil Sheehan, whose 1971 reporting for the New York Times of the Pentagon Papers helped a nation comprehend the decades of deception and delusion that fed the war. History didnt apply to us. We could never fight a bad war, we could never represent the wrong cause we were Americans. [Vietnam] proved that we were not an exception to history. [Fall TV 2017: 10 new shows worth checking out (and 5 you can totally skip)] Some viewers will remember the war like it was yesterday. Those of us who came later absorbed its many lasting lessons, sounds and images: Eddie Adamss photo of South Vietnams national police chief shooting a Viet Cong captain point-blank in the head; Nick Uts photo of the naked girl burned by Napalm running down a paved road in search of relief; American teenager Mary Ann Vecchio kneeling over the body of Jeffrey Miller, a Kent State student shot dead by the Ohio National Guard. Young or old, viewers will probably find a wealth of new insight here, as well as the thing Burns, Novick and their team have always done best: context. Mary Ann Vecchio kneels over the body of Jeffrey Miller, a student who was killed by Ohio National Guard troops during a 1970 anti-war demonstration at Kent State University. (John Filo/Getty Images) Whats most striking immediately and throughout is the filmmakers determination to find people and stories that illustrate the war from both sides. There are numerous, deeply personal interviews with men and women who fought in the North Vietnamese army or the Viet Cong, those who fought in South Vietnamese forces, and other citizens. Their memories and humanity supply a missing piece in our usual narrative of the war even in upsetting moments, such as when Northern veterans gloat about how tall and slow American soldiers were and how easy they were to track and kill. (They left trails of cigarette butts everywhere, one North Vietnamese veteran explains in Episode 5. They were easy to pick off in the field because of their sworn duty not to leave behind their wounded or dead, observes another.) If, like me, your basic working knowledge of the Vietnam War is largely based on American cinema ("Apocalypse Now," "Coming Home," "The Deer Hunter," "Platoon," "Good Morning, Vietnam" etc.), then the actual North and South Vietnamese people have always been nameless extras playing the enemy or suspicious bystanders, referred to by U.S. soldiers only by nicknames and slurs. That sort of dehumanizing was an essential experience for American soldiers. My hatred for them was pure. Pure, recalls John Musgrave, a Marine who was stationed close to the demilitarized zone between North and South Vietnam gruesomely nicknamed the Dead Marine Zone. I made my deal with the devil, in that I said, I will never kill another human being as long as Im in Vietnam. However, I will waste as many gooks as I can find. Ill wax as many dinks as I can find. Ill smoke as many zips as I can find but I aint gonna kill anybody. You know, turn a subject into an object. Its Racism 101. A young John Musgrave, left, and a friend attend a surprise going-away party before entering the Marine Corps. (John Musgrave and John) Thats not all we hear from Musgrave, however. Although most people think of the camera panning across old photographs when someone says the Ken Burns style, what most distinguishes his films is a commitment to find the half-dozen or so small stories that speak to the epic quality of history, whether tracing an Upstate New York family who lost their son and brother, Army Pfc. Denton Mogie Crocker Jr., in 1966, up to the moment in the final episode when his kid sister, Carol, first visited Maya Lins effective Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington; or in the story of Viet Cong soldier Nguyen Thanh Tung, who lost all eight of her brothers in the war, beginning in the 1950s, and then lost both her sons in ongoing skirmishes in 1975. And though PBS and the filmmakers hinted that The Vietnam War would be a noticeable departure in form and format, its somehow a relief to see that its not. There are appropriate stylistic touches that express a 60s-level anxiety along with impressive contrasts in imagery. There is ample use of the endless (if stomach-turning) hours of taped Oval Office phone calls from the Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard M. Nixon years in which both presidents played cynically and callously with the lives of thousands. [Fall TV 2017: Return of The Crown, Stranger Things, Curb Your Enthusiasm and more] The Vietnam War era comes with its own ready-made soundtrack of rock, pop and soul hits of the day the Rolling Stones Gimme Shelter has a way of appearing just where you think it might but to this, Burns and Novick have smartly added the sounds of Vietnamese folk songs by the Silk Road Ensemble and Yo-Yo Ma, as well as an unsettlingly memorable score from Nine Inch Nails Trent Reznor and his collaborator, Atticus Ross. Reznor and Rosss music lends The Vietnam War a needed, metallic taste of tension and raw nerves. We follow John Musgrave from his idealistic youth and decision to volunteer in the Marines and fight in Vietnam and through his harrowing duty. Then we follow him home, down into a pit of despair, and continue, in later episodes about the protest movement, as he begins to view the war differently and joins other veterans who toss their medals in protest onto the Capitol steps. What Burns and Novick prove yet again is the catharsis that can be found in telling our stories to one another and the absolute value in getting these stories right. The Vietnam War (10 episodes; 18 hours) begins at 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, on PBS stations and continues nightly through Thursday, Sept. 21. Episodes 6-10 will air Sept. 24-28. Mei Xiang, the female panda at the National Zoo, is not pregnant, according to an announcement Thursday from the zoo. She had been showing signs that a cub might be on the way. (Smithsonian's National Zoo) Panda-watchers can exhale. There will be no baby panda in Washington this year, the National Zoo announced Thursday. Mei Xiang (pronounced may-SHONG), the National Zoos female giant panda, is not expecting, the zoo announced in a news release. In May, she had undergone a medical procedure to help her become pregnant. But panda pregnancies are difficult to detect. Zookeepers had been watching Mei for several weeks because her behavior and rising hormone levels suggested she might have a cub on the way. [Zookeepers talk about what they have learned about panda breeding.] Sometimes zoo veterinarians can spot a cub on an ultrasound, a test that human moms get that shows a picture of an unborn baby. Back in August, zoo research veterinarian Pierre Comizzoli explained to KidsPost why performing an ultrasound on a giant panda isnt as helpful as with people. Shes a pretty large animal, and the fetal development is pretty tiny, Comizzoli said. (At birth, a giant panda is usually four to six ounces, about the size of a stick of butter.) The zoo reported that Meis hormone levels were back to normal Thursday. That means her body either reabsorbed a tiny embryo or she had pseudopregnancy (SOO-doh-preg-nan-cee), which is when a panda acts pregnant but isnt, the zoo said. Mei Xiang is 19 years old, which is near the age when she will no longer be able to have cubs. She has given birth to three surviving cubs: Tai Shan (ty-SHON), who is 12; Bao Bao (rhymes with now-now), who is 4; and Bei Bei (bay-bay), who is 2. [Mei Xiangs 2015 delivery was twins, but she favored one.] China, which lent Mei Xiang and adult male Tian Tian (t-YEN t-YEN) to the National Zoo in 2000, requires that all giant panda cubs be sent to its panda research center about the time they turn 4. Tai Shan and Bao Bao both live in China, but Bei Bei will stay at the National Zoo for the next 18 months or so. [Watch a video of Bao Baos adorable moments.] The zoos panda house, which had been closed since September 1 to give Mei some quiet time, will reopen Saturday. Scott Greenberger, 48, is a journalist and the author of "The Unexpected President: The Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur." He lives with his wife and two children in Takoma Park, Md. Whats the most common response you get when you tell someone youve written a book about Chester Arthur? You do get the occasional, Who? And you do get a lot of people who say, "Isn't he the guy with the mustache?" He's become known through the ages for that facial hair. I sort of tried to use his obscurity to my advantage. Hardly anybody knows anything about the guy. What drew you to him? I wanted to do something that hadnt been done before, and he certainly qualifies. No one had really done a full-length biography of him since 1975. And I think the Gilded Age is a really interesting period and relatively unexamined. It is the period where you can detect the beginning of the country and the society that we know today. You had corporations and concerns about the influence of money in politics and rapid industrialization. And, of course, now people talk about us living in a second Gilded Age, and one of the things that happened then that is happening now is very dramatic income inequality. So I thought it was an interesting period to explore because of that parallel. He was not particularly admired as a politician when he was selected as James Garfields running mate. No, Arthur was a machine politician, a hack who ended up on the ticket for purely political reasons, and no one thought anything of him. If they thought about him at all they considered him to be unqualified for the presidency. And then Garfield was shot and Arthur became president, and he surprised everyone by embracing the cause of civil service reform, which, at the time, was the big issue in the United States. Does he immediately redeem himself as president? Its sort of a gradual process. When Garfield was lying on his bed in agony, it had a profound effect on Arthur. It really shook him and made him reevaluate what he had been up to that point in his political career. And he really did begin to grasp the enormity of the job he was stepping into and the responsibility that he had not to just his faction of the Republican Party and not just to the Republican Party, but to everybody, to all Americans. He received a letter from a young woman in New York named Julia Sand, who was a housebound young woman and a political junkie, but this was when women werent allowed to vote or participate in any meaningful way in politics. And she wrote a letter urging Arthur to rise to the occasion, to be a better person and trying to make him see that now that this great office had been thrust upon him, he needed to be better. She urged him to return to his idealistic younger self, and these letters had a profound effect on him. As a biographer, when youve spent months and years working on a subject, is it weird to be done with the book and have to end that relationship? It's a little weird. There's a statue of him in Madison Square Park in New York City, and everyone passes it by, and no one notices it or pays attention. And I do feel like I have this strange connection with him through the ages. There aren't many people who have delved into his life. Reading people's personal letters is really a fascinating experience. It's a strange sensation when you think about someone 150 years ago sitting down to write to their sister or best friend or fiancee, and here you are in 2017 reading over his shoulder. But it's something that I really enjoy about the process. Do you think Lin-Manuel Miranda could turn your biography of Arthur into a hit Broadway musical? I could only hope. Obviously Im biased, but it really does have compelling characters, larger-than-life characters. Theres violence and sex, and it has all the things that you think would be appealing to him, so Ill just hope he reads this interview. More Just Asking For stories, features such as Date Lab, Gene Weingarten and more, visit WP Magazine. Follow the Magazine on Twitter. Like us on Facebook. Email us at wpmagazine@washpost.com. Reader: After close to a decade in my current job, I started applying to new jobs because my salary has remained stagnant, and I was concerned about layoffs. I have accepted a job offer in the public sector. A few hours after I gave my two-week notice, one of the VPs and the director of a different division at my current employer made me an incredible counter-offer to work in a new position under the director. I feel like the pros and cons are pretty equal. My current employer is offering me more money with an incentive program; its a new and exciting position with room for growth; and I already have a great reputation here and wouldnt have to start from the ground up. The other job is in the public sector, so currently theres a guaranteed raise every year; I could get a pension; and its more stable than the industry Im in now. I have read that you should never accept a counter offer, because your boss will lose all respect for you. In my case, its not my boss making the offer, and it wouldnt be the same position. Also, would it be unethical or illegal for me to turn down the new job? Ive sent in some paperwork, but I havent signed a contract yet. Plus, I feel almost guilty because the other employer will have to start the hiring process all over again. Am I being silly in thinking that way? WASHINGTON DC - APRIL 21: Karla L. Miller is a columnist, writing about surviving the ups and downs of the modern workplace for The Washington Post in Washington, DC on April, 21, 2017. (Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) Karla: As I've noted before ("They don't want new jobs, just more money," Sept. 4, 2016), research shows that discontented workers lured back with higher pay often end up leaving within a year, anyway. But you wouldn't be slinking back to your old job; you'd be entering a new job with a new boss, with the bonus of institutional knowledge and a reputation that sends VPs chasing after you. And you already have inside connections to help you investigate what you'd be getting into. As for legal repercussions, I wouldnt worry too much unless youve signed a contract promising to perform for a specified period or received some financial incentive that youd have to repay. That doesnt mean that backing out is without other consequences: You will burn some bridges with the other employer. And its not silly to be mindful of inconveniencing that employer but it would be a bit naive to think that those doing the hiring dont have second-string candidates lined up. The best you can do is avoid wasting more of their time by making and communicating your decision quickly. So the remaining question is, which offer will you accept? The public-sector job may well offer more security and predictability. But its clearly not the one youre excited about. Thanks to managing partner Declan Leonard of business law firm Berenzweig Leonard. Ask Karla Miller about your work dramas and traumas by emailing wpmagazine@washpost.com. Read more Work Advice columns. For stories, features such as Date Lab, Gene Weingarten and more, visit The Washington Post Magazine. Follow the Magazine on Twitter. Like us on Facebook. Email us at wpmagazine@washpost.com. The Continental Congress met in the Colonial Courthouse in York, Pa., for nine months from 1777-1778. The building on view today is a reconstruction. (Becca Milfeld/For The Washington Post) In the city of York, Pa., a statue of the Marquis de Lafayette the famous French major general in the Revolutionary War smiles wryly. His facial features are overexaggerated; he bears some semblance to a cartoon. One arm is outstretched with a drink in mid-toast. Made of bronze and wearing a blue-tinted officers coat with red trim, the marquis could almost be mistaken for a street performer, the kind who are gilt head-to-toe and suddenly come alive. If I could only drop Lafayette a few quarters and make him divulge his secrets, I would. I had, for a while, been planning to visit the city and soak up its early American history. York, located on the edge of Amish country, was the capital for a brief time in 1777 and 1778 while the Continental Congress met there. But as I prepared for my trip, the historical minutiae began to fade into the background while a far richer story emerged. It was a tale of abiding friendship, deep loyalty and a toast mixed with a bit of mystery and I resolved to get to the bottom of it. Founding frenemies The winter of 1777-1778, when the Continental Congress was stationed in York, was probably the most unpopular [George] Washington ever was as a public figure, Dan Roe, the vice president of interpretation at the York County History Center, told me. He mentioned this over coffee at the citys Central Market, an imposing Romanesque Revival building that has been used by local farmers for more than 125 years. It offers full breakfasts and lunches as well as fresh produce, meat and baked goods, which would have been more food than Washington and his men could have fathomed while they lived cold, half-naked and starving 75 miles away at Valley Forge. And that wasnt Washingtons only problem. The eponymous animals from Alpacas of York stroll the grounds in Mount Wolf, Pa. (Becca Milfeld/For The Washington Post) The British had captured Philadelphia, forcing the Continental Congress to flee to York around the same time that Washington suffered Pennsylvania-based defeats at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. A much-needed victory came when the ambitious American Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates won the second Battle of Saratoga, a major turning point in the war. However, the optics werent great for Washington, who was upstaged by his underling. On top of that, Gates had the gall to twist the knife, sending word of his victory directly to the Continental Congress home to an anti-Washington contingent over his commander in chiefs head. The smartest route to Pittsburgh: The one with no shortcuts Historians debate the extent to which delegates and officers were colluding to replace Washington with Gates, but suffice it to say, the behind-the-scenes wrangling and nasty letter-writing by candlelight was out of control. The toast If York once was notable for its small swarm of officers and congressmen, today it has herds of baby animals. In nearby Mount Wolf, theres Alpacas of York, where 40 long-necked beasts, including a handful of their adolescents, capered about last November when I visited. And at Perrydell Farm Dairy, patrons are encouraged to pet the calves. And dont forget the hogs motorcycles being built at Yorks Harley-Davidson factory, where visitors tour an orderly jungle of fenders, gas tanks and frames, all to the cacophony of constantly beeping machinery. Unlike the animals of York, Washington never had children and Lafayette was about as close to a son as he got. The idealistic 20-year-old, oozing with military ambition and Revolutionary enthusiasm, no doubt reminded Washington of himself. Thats why its not surprising that one night that winter, at Gatess home in York, in front of a crowd of Washingtons detractors some of whom were thought to be attempting to woo the marquis to their side Lafayette raised a glass to honor his commander. Its been touted as the toast that saved America, said Dara Kane, who led my tour through Yorks Colonial Complex, a cluster of ancient downtown buildings, including a re-creation of the courthouse where Congress met and the Gates House, where the Saratoga hero lived that winter. The Lafayette statue stands out front. The deep silence then grew deeper. None dared refuse the toast, but some merely raised their glasses to their lips, while others cautiously put them down untasted, Lafayette recounted in his memoir, according to a 1907 history of York County. With that, he had signaled to Washingtons detractors where his loyalties lie and shamed them for backstabbing their commander. Fact or fiction? The Continental Congresss nine months in York were heady: The delegates adopted the Articles of Confederation and France signed an alliance, joining the war. These are facts which have been heavily documented. But as it would turn out, Lafayettes toast was not. As Roe explained, none of the other men recorded the toast, and Lafayette only mentioned it in a memoir published after his death. Even more apocryphal, the story didnt gain traction until the 1800s and only then in local historiography and lore. So did it happen? As Kane said: Youll have to decide on that on your own. After the turmoil of forming a nation, citizens of York County spent later years engaged in lighter pursuits, like the 1940s shoe salesman in Hellam Township who built a house in the shape of a giant work boot, which today doubles as an ice-cream parlor. The Haines Shoe House is open to the public seasonally and also serves ice cream. (Becca Milfeld/For The Washington Post) During my time in York, I happened to cross paths with a French documentary crew, which I assumed was filming something like the curious, nearby Haines Shoe House or perhaps the Lafayette statue. As it would turn out, they were filming a family that had moved to York from Uganda. If the tale of the York toast is one of friendship, its also a story of the struggle to build a lasting and prosperous nation. I wondered whether Washington and his shoeless men at Valley Forge ever fathomed that there would be a giant boot near York or that people would travel from such far-flung places to get to the country they were fighting to create. It made me smile as I imagined Lafayette raising his glass. Milfeld is a writer based in the District and Atlanta. Find her on Twitter: @GWcallsShotgun. More from Travel: History buffs trace the steps of a young George Washington through the DMV Washington slept here no, really From his gravesite to where he met his end, fans are flocking to Hamilton's New York This post has been updated to include the most current information on hurricane recovery. No question, Hurricane Irma was a heartless beast. Over the past week, the storm clawed its way up a chain of Caribbean islands before knocking down the door into Florida. The natural disaster, now a tropical depression, has left behind a war zone of roofless homes, toppled trees, crumbled hotels and flooded streets. Many destinations will need months to recover, while others have already started to bounce back. "The affected countries are getting on with the business of rebuilding," said Hugh Riley, secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organization. "By the end of this week, many will have a better assessment of their damage." Riley reminds travelers that the Caribbean encompasses a large swath of tropical real estate and that Irma grazed only a small portion of it. You dont want people thinking they should stay away from the whole region, he said. The whole Caribbean has not been closed for business. [What you need to know before returning to tourist sites after disasters] The Caribbean and Florida have just started their recovery efforts, and status updates are changing daily. For the most current reports, we reached out to the Caribbean Tourism Organization, CheapCaribbean.com, Intrepid Travel and Lisa Grubba, an environmental writer for Florida Field Notes. Of course, before you book a trip to an Irma-blown destination, contact your hotel to confirm that it is fully intact. In addition, reach out to the local tourism office for the most timely information on transportation, road and beach conditions and operating hours for attractions. The Caribbean Anguilla: The airport has resumed service. Good prognosis for several of the major hotels and resorts. Antigua: The airport is open and electricity has been restored in the capital of St. John's and most parts of the island. Businesses are operating, including most excursions. No structural damage to hotels; limited flooding. Beach cleanup is in progress. The Bahamas: The Nassau/Paradise Island and Grand Bahama airports are open. The Port of Nassau is expected to welcome cruise ships midweek. Properties including Atlantis, Warwick Paradise Island and Sandals Emerald Bay on Great Exuma are ready for guests. Barbuda: Massive damage to homes (90 percent), hotels and tourism infrastructure. Not ready for visitors. British Virgin Islands: Widespread damage on Tortola and Virgin Gorda, which has ordered a 6 a.m.-to-9 p.m. curfew. Not ready for visitors. Cuba: Power is returning in many areas of the island. Some flooding in Havana, including the neighborhoods of Vedado and Centro Habana, but water is receding. Destinations such as Vinales, Soroa, Trinidad, Santiago de Cuba and Baracoa are operating as normal, though some excursions, such as hikes to waterfalls, may remain closed for a few more days. Dominican Republic: Airports are open, as are hotels and businesses. Puerto Rico: Port and airport are open. The majority of mainland hotels and resorts are back in service. Cleanup efforts are taking place at parks and beaches. St. Barts: Saint-Jean Airport and the port are open, and the 25 Quarter restaurant and bar is serving cocktails. The star-studded Eden Roc is delaying its usual October reopening, due to damage. St. Martin : Extensive destruction. Not ready for tourists. St. Kitts and Nevis: Doing well. Turks and Caicos: The Providenciales airport has resumed flights. Several of the island's top resorts, such as the Sands at Grace Bay and the Shore Club, plan to reopen by the end of the month. Cruise ships are returning to the port on Grand Turk Island. South Caicos Island suffered significant damage. U.S. Virgin Islands: St. Croix, which reopened its airport last week, avoided serious damage, but its sister islands weren't so lucky. The U.S. Virgin Islands' tourism office is "requesting the postponement of all scheduled visits to St. Thomas and St. John." CheapCaribbean.com notes that all hotels on St. Thomas and St. John are closed through Sept. 30. Florida Most Sunshine State destinations are fully or partially up and running, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and the Walt Disney World theme parks with the exception of Water Parks, which will reopen later this week. The Florida Keys, however, are closed. The tourism office requests visitors postpone trips to the islands but expects to open in time for Fantasy Fest in Key West on Oct. 20. More from Travel: Before and after Hurricane Irma Hurricane Irma What you need to know before returning to tourist sites after disasters Our readers share tales of their ramblings around the world. Who: Margaret Huddy (the author) and her husband, Norman Huddy, of Frederick, Md.; Kathleen, John, Will and David Sperduto, all of Middletown, N.J.; Bernadette, Charles, Maddy, Peter, Matthew and Lara Geis, all of Boston; John Huddy and Tracy Black of Purcellville, Va.; and Terry Huddy and Mark Bell of Melbourne. Where, when, why: We spent one week in Ireland in August. Margaret, the only pure Irish person in the family, had previously visited cousins who are living on the farm in County Kerry where their mutual great-great-grandmothers were born. She wanted to introduce her family to them and Norman wanted to try to find some link to his great-grandfather, who emigrated from County Mayo in 1870. With the help of a great travel agent, they hired a bus and a driver for the week. Following some thick fog, the author got a clear view of the Cliffs of Moher in Irelands County Clare. (Margaret Huddy) The group landed in Dublin (where the bus picked us up) and drove us to Kinsale, where a newly found cousin joined us for dinner. He brought with him photographs of Margaret's great-grandmother and other members of her family. We explored Cobh, from which most of the emigrants of our family departed, and then drove along the wild West Coast of Ireland with a stop in Killarney. We stretched our legs in the city's national park then headed to meet more cousins in Moyvane. From there, we went to Doolin, where we heard traditional Irish music and hiked along the Cliffs of Moher before spending the night in Galway. Finally, we ended our journey in the village of Cong, where we discovered one remaining Huddy family member. After a night in Dromoland Castle, we were deposited at Shannon airport and returned home. Highlights and high points: The Cliffs of Moher and the unexpected brilliant sunshine were spectacular. Cultural connection or disconnect: All 16 of us diligently searched the ancient cemetery in Cong looking for the name Huddy. There were very few Huddys in Ireland: They had come over from England with King William to fight in the Battle of the Boyne and were left behind. Finally we gave up and split up to shop, have coffee and hike. Margaret went into a pub and asked if anyone knew of any Huddy family and, lo and behold, they did. They gave us the phone number of Patrick Huddy, a nearby farmer. That night, our last in Ireland, we called him up. He was excited and wanted to meet us, but we had a 5:30 a.m. departure. Fortunately our daughter, Terry, and her husband, Mark, were able to take him to lunch. Patrick was sure that we are related, as there were only three Huddy families in County Mayo. We were truly amazed to find him. Biggest laugh or cry: Grandma Margaret went to the ladies' room, which was between two pubs, turned the wrong direction and wound up on the wrong street. When she retraced her steps and finally found her way back to the group, all of whom had begun to worry about her, we quipped, "We need a new app for our smartphones: Find My Grandma." [] How unexpected: Each time 16 Americans descended on a crowded pub to listen to local Irish music, everyone would squeeze and make as much room as they possibly could for us out-of-towners and introduce themselves. By the end of the night, we had traded life stories and made friends for life. Their kindness and generosity was overwhelming. Favorite memento or memory: Our greatest gift was having our whole family together for an entire week with no one having to cook or clean house (except our poor Irish cousins). Also, the fact that we are still getting along after seven days of traveling together on a bus. To tell us about your own trip, go to washingtonpost.com/travel and fill out the What a Trip form with your fondest memories, finest moments and favorite photos. More from Travel: Enchantment under the sea with whales in Tahiti Family history comes alive in Finland Honeymooning in Middle Earth: Leaving current events behind to explore New Zealand Self-described antifa activists John Cookenboo, left, and Vincent Yochelson in Oakland, Calif. (Nick Otto/For The Washington Post) On the morning of the protest, Sean Hines woke with a sense of purpose he'd seldom felt. He was a 20-year-old high school dropout with no car, no job and no money. A year and a half ago, he'd been arrested for a drunken brawl. Now Hines was about to be arrested again, but for something he believed in. In his Santa Rosa halfway house, Hines dressed in all black. He chugged an energy drink, popped some nicotine gum and climbed into a friends car that blasted German punk rock as it barreled toward Berkeley. Alerta, alerta, anti-fascista! the chorus shrieked. It was a call to arms for militant anti-fascists, or antifa and Hines was heeding it. But the Aug. 27 protest in Berkeley did not go according to plan. Police quickly arrested Hines and 12 others. Then, in images broadcast across the country, more than 100 antifa activists leapt over barricades and stormed Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, attacking a handful of President Trump supporters and right-wing activists. Left-wing counterprotesters clashed with right-wing protesters and Trump supporters on Aug. 27 in Berkeley, Calif. Violence erupted when a small group of masked antifa and anarchists attacked right-wing demonstrators. A month earlier, few Americans had heard of antifa. Then came Charlottesville, where antifa activists were credited with protecting clergy members from attacks by white supremacists. The violence in Berkeley led to a backlash, including from the left. The citys mayor, a Democrat, called for antifa to be classified as a gang and for the University of California at Berkeley to cancel conservative speeches later this month to avoid more violence. [Black-clad antifa members attack right-wing demonstrators in Berkeley] In Washington, where antifa smashed storefronts and torched a limousine on Inauguration Day, authorities fear the far-left activists will strike again Saturday, when the Mall will host the Juggalo March a gathering of fans of the rap group Insane Clown Posse and a pro-Trump event dubbed the Mother of All Rallies. If Trumps election has emboldened the far right, then it has also energized its enemies. Hidden behind masks, however, antifa activists remain mysterious. Are they everyday citizens guarding against the rise of a Fourth Reich? Or are they, as Trump has claimed, merely the alt-left a lawless mirror image of the white supremacists they oppose? On Thursday, Trump claimed recent antifa antics had justified his much-criticized response to Charlottesville, in which he blamed the violence on both sides. I think, especially in light of the advent of antifa, if you look at whats going on there, you have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also, and essentially thats what I said, he told reporters Thursday. Interviews with a dozen antifa activists show they come from a variety of backgrounds and are only loosely affiliated. Some, like Hines, are youths in search of a cause. Others have been demonstrating for decades. Many are anarchists, although some vote. They employ a range of peaceful tactics, including doxing, or exposing, white supremacists. While they are all open to using violence, some embrace it even glorify it. What unites them is the belief that free speech is secondary to squashing fascism before it takes root in the United States. If everyone is punching a Nazi, its eventually going to create a mass militant movement based around anti-fascist, Hines said. That hopefully will be enough to stop them from gaining power. Were each others enemy Sean Hines, member of Antifa in Northern California. (Nick Otto/For The Washington Post) Among the scores of antifa who stormed the park that day in California were John Cookenboo, 27, and Vincent Yochelson, 23. The Bay Area natives began protesting against racism in 2009 when Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old African American, was shot in the back by a white Bay Area Rapid Transit officer. In the years since, they have attended dozens of demonstrations, including Occupy Oakland and Black Lives Matter marches. Two years ago, Trumps presidential campaign changed everything. White supremacists began holding rallies in the Bay Area. Antifa began confronting them with force. There has been a galvanization of both sides, Yochelson said. Were each others enemy. The same thing was happening across the country. On Inauguration Day, two incidents 2,000 miles apart hinted that the conflict dating to standoffs between skinheads and anti-racists in the 1980s had intensified. [Anarchists and antifa: The history of the activists Trump calls the alt-left] In Washington, a masked antifa sucker-punched Richard Spencer, a leader of the alt-right movement that seeks to create a whites-only ethno-state. Footage of the attack spawned Internet memes as well as a question many Americans seemed to take seriously: Is it okay to punch a fascist? The same day, an anti-fascist protester was shot in the stomach, allegedly by a Trump supporter, during demonstrations against a speech by right-wing blogger Milo Yiannopoulos at the University of Washington in Seattle. Whether Americans had heard of antifa or not, violence involving the far left and far right suddenly seemed to be everywhere. Nowhere was it as intense and frequent as in Berkeley. On Feb. 1, dozens of antifa smashed windows and lit fires on the UC-Berkeley campus, leading the school to cancel a speech by Yiannopoulos. A month later, Trump supporters and white supremacists responded by gathering in MLK Park for a free-speech rally. Armed with military-grade riot gear, shields and walkie-talkies, Cookenboo and Yochelson were among the antifa to meet the rallygoers in what would become known as the first Battle of Berkeley. Videos from the March 4 melee show both sides carrying weapons. Kyle Chapman, the founder of the right-wing group the Fraternal Order of Alt-Knights, was later charged with a felony for allegedly wielding a leaded stick. I cant get into too many specifics, but there was definitely an atmosphere of violence that day, Cookenboo said. Several people were injured, and me and Vincent pulled some people back from the line, pretty bloodied up. On April 15, Cookenboo and Yochelson were walking to the same park to confront many of the same right-wing protesters when they were arrested on suspicion of wearing masks while committing a criminal offense. Police also suspected Cookenboo of inciting a riot and possessing a switchblade knife. Charges have yet to be filed. I think they saw a group of people walking toward the protest in a lot of gear and felt that this point was the only time theyd really be able to interdict us, Cookenboo said. While they were in custody, Hines was in the fray for the first time. I did get pepper-sprayed in the face once, but I enjoyed it, he said of the second Battle of Berkeley. Im a bit of an adrenaline junkie, so things like that kind of excite me. For Hines, antifa is the latest in a succession of left-wing causes. He first took an interest in anarchism four years ago. At one point, he was aligned with the Irish Republican Army. He now calls himself a libertarian socialist, communist and antifa. He said the movement has helped him through a difficult 18 months. In April 2016, he dropped out of high school about the time he assaulted a Whole Foods security guard. I tried to steal a bottle, he said. I was pretty out of it. Hines, who said he suffers from addiction, completed a diversion program and the charges were dropped. He has spent the past six months in halfway houses, where he has a curfew and must pass nightly breathalyzer tests. He was logging hours each day on Facebook, debating politics. Eventually, he decided to stop debating and act. I wanted a purpose. I wanted an identity. Thats the reason why I became part of antifa, he said. I wanted to fight for something. Like many in the antifa movement, Hines says that had more people joined far-left militants in fighting fascists in prewar Germany and Italy, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini never would have come to power. Asked whether that comparison glorified todays antifa violence, Hines said: It needs to be glorified. We need to attract people to our side. He was unconcerned that skirmishes could escalate into shootouts. At least in that way wed be able to fight back, he said. Antifa veterans are wary of newcomers raring for a fight, however. A lot of people are coming into antifa because of the thrill of violence, and thats not what were about, said Mike Isaacson, an anarchist PhD student and adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Anti-fascists are community oriented, and we do make the effort to keep everyone as safe as possible. In some cases, antifa have unwittingly attacked bystanders, even sympathizers. Cookenboo is keenly aware that not everyone on the other side is a fascist his father voted for Trump. He and Yochelson grew up in middle-class households, attended some community college and hold steady jobs: Cookenboo at a marijuana processing plant, Yochelson at a catering company and a Unitarian church, where he is a chef. The antifa movement isnt some strange, cloaked organization, Yochelson said. Its your neighbors. He and Cookenboo say a feeling of powerlessness drives the antifa movement and its opponents. The people on the far right have . . . a sense that their country is being stolen from them, and thats what Donald Trump has seized upon, Cookenboo said. On the left, its an opposite but different story, he continued. I see all these videos of people being very racist to minorities on public transit or in grocery stores or anywhere that they can. We see this resurgence. And I cant do anything to help those people, though I want to. So the only thing I can really do when these things happen is to go out and march in the street. Crawl back into the rat holes they came out of When Cookenboo and Yochelson arrived early to survey the scene on Aug. 27, they found MLK Park quiet. A No to Marxism in America rally had been canceled, and there were few right-wing protesters. So they decided to leave their riot gear in the car. A few hours later, thousands of counterprotesters, including clergy members and a Holocaust survivor, peacefully marched to the park. Then antifa arrived. It was actually a really great event. There was tons of solidarity and tons of people from across the political spectrum, said Molly Armstrong, co-chair of the East Bay chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, who gave a speech linking white supremacy to capitalist alienation. But a handful of people were violent, and thats what everyone wants to focus on. The violence didnt just overshadow the counterprotest, however. It exposed a deep divide within the left over the antifa movement. Antifa were more concerned with "elevating their self-image" and "appearing heroic" than doing "less glamorous" work that might lead to real change, anti-capitalist columnist Chris Hedges wrote for Truthdig. In a student newspaper op-ed, UC-Berkeley alumnus Mitchell Zimmerman compared the antifa movement to the Weathermen, a leftist extremist group that carried out bombings in protest of the Vietnam War. "We've seen it before," he wrote, "young people whose infatuation with violence undermines the progressive cause." Rather than prevent fascism, antifa violence could further it, argued Laurie Marhoefer, an assistant professor at the University of Washington who has studied Hitlers rise. "Violent confrontations with antifascists gave the Nazis a chance to paint themselves as the victims of a pugnacious, lawless left," she wrote for the Conversation. "They seized it." Yvette Felarca, at center with microphone, a middle school teacher in Oakland, leads a protest against President Trump in Berkeley. (Michael Miller/The Washington Post) Yvette Felarca denies the antifa movement plays into its enemies hands. The diminutive middle school teacher has become the face of anti-fascism in the Bay Area. She said she was cut on the arm when her group, By Any Means Necessary, and antifa activists confronted white supremacists in Sacramento last year. She is facing a felony assault charge over the clash. Speaking shortly before she led a protest on Berkeleys campus this month, Felarca said antifa aggression on Aug. 27 ensured she wasnt attacked again. They should be forced to crawl back into the rat holes they came out of, she said of white supremacists. Charlottesville showed [they are dangerous]. We cant have another Heather Heyer a reference to the woman killed when a vehicle plowed through counterprotesters there. The antifa movement should be seen in the context of rising intolerance on the left, particularly on college campuses, said Mark Peterson, a professor of public policy, political science and law at UCLA. This intolerance is ironic, he said, because decades ago, it was suspected leftists who were barred from universities and blacklisted from Hollywood. So it cant simply be left to a young and not particularly well historically informed group of people to say, We get to determine whos a fascist and . . . do whatever we want to them, he said. Cookenboo and Yochelson said they didnt witness the Aug. 27 attacks but acknowledged they probably werent necessary. In this particular instance, it looked a little bit whats the word? Cookenboo asked. Excitable, Yochelson said. The backlash spurred them to speak to the media about antifa, but that then led to death threats. Yochelson, who wears a bullet as an earring, said he wasnt worried. Neither was his friend. Ive taken steps to protect myself, Cookenboo said, adding that he owns a shotgun and an AR-15 rifle. But the violence also tarnished the 13 people arrested on mostly minor charges that day. None of the arrests was in connection to the dramatic assaults captured on camera, which happened after police had retreated, allowing antifa to overrun the park. The news coverage the next day was all about violent antifa and then they showed our mug shots, said James Dominic, 23. The son of a Marine veteran, Dominic said he is anti-fascist but not antifa. He went to the park as a medic in case anyone was attacked by white supremacists and was arrested for handing out surgical masks. He blamed the media, not antifa. Hines said he didnt mind being connected to the mayhem. When he was detained for wearing a mask in violation of city code and resisting arrest, a journalist asked him whether he had come to be violent. I can neither confirm nor deny that, he said with a smile. Four days later, Hines said his only regret was that he was arrested before things got interesting. Most people I know love me now, he said, sitting on a couch in his halfway house in front of a bowl of cigarette butts. Im not trying to brag, but Ive become pretty popular. Perry Stein and Julie Tate contributed to this report. The U.S. House on Thursday passed a spending bill that would block five laws affecting the District of Columbia, including the citys new assisted-suicide law. The bill would also block the District from spending money to subsidize abortion for low-income residents; regulate the sale of marijuana; or carry out a law that says employers cannot discriminate against workers based on their reproductive decisions, such as whether to take birth control or seek an abortion. Another measure would prevent the city from spending money without federal permission, what city advocates call budget autonomy. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), the Districts nonvoting representative in Congress, must now rely on the Senate to not take up and approve identical measures. If the Senate does not act, it would effectively stall for another year congressional efforts to rein in the District through spending-related measures. House Republicans express endless love of local control of local affairs, their central party principle, except when it comes to the District of Columbia, Norton said in a statement. They preach the constitutional principle of federalism, yet use the big foot of the federal government to undemocratically overturn and block local D.C. policies they disagree with, solely on a political basis. Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ga.), chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee that has jurisdiction over the District, said Congress by law has extensive power over the District but has allowed the city to assume more power over time. The District of Columbia has plenty of autonomy, he said in a floor debate Wednesday. When it comes to spending, that is the role of Congress given to us through the U.S. Constitution. Thursdays vote marks the first time either congressional chamber has voted to repeal the Districts Death With Dignity Act, which Bowser signed into law in December. District officials are watching for action from Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), who tried unsuccessfully to block the assisted-suicide bill earlier this year and is now chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee with jurisdiction over the District. Lankfords office did not return a message seeking comment Thursday. Tomas Talamante, who oversees congressional appropriations in the D.C. Office of Federal and Regional Affairs, said Bowser is hopeful Lankford will drop his objections to the law. Congress had ample time during the congressional review period to reject the Death With Dignity Act, he said. They did not act, so we are hopeful they will not act on repealing this law. The D.C. Council passed the assisted-suicide law by an 11-to-2 vote after more than a year of discussion and lobbying on the part of lawmakers, advocates and opponents. Advocates support the measure because it would allow terminally ill patients to choose the timing and manner of their deaths. But social conservatives oppose assisted suicide because they see it as undermining the sanctity of life. The legislation was modeled after the nations first physician-assisted suicide law, enacted in Oregon in 1997. It would allow doctors to prescribe fatal medication to patients believed to have less than six months to live. Patients would have to make two requests over two weeks and ingest the drugs themselves. Another piece of D.C. legislation that House Republicans are trying to stop is the Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Amendment Act. For the third straight year, the House voted to block funding needed to enforce a 2014 law that says employers cannot discriminate against workers based on their decisions about whether to take birth control or have an abortion, or other reproductive-health decisions. The House also denied Nortons effort to give the city a right to spend its own tax dollars as it wishes. Immigration advocates take part in a march to the White House on Thursday called by the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda to defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) The leaders of five Maryland school systems have called on Gov. Larry Hogan and state lawmakers to continue protecting the rights of undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children. The unusual joint appeal this week came in response to President Trump's decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in six months if Congress doesn't act. [Ryan and Pelosi to huddle on Dream Act to protect DACA recipients] The education leaders from Prince Georges, Montgomery, Anne Arundel and Howard counties, and Baltimore City wrote that the end of the program would have direct and damaging effects on Maryland students. It is a direct threat to Marylands economic stability and safety, as it will strip students of their ability to work and drive legally, pay taxes and pursue postsecondary opportunities, the education officials said. Parents who lose work authorizations will face deportation or be moved into a dangerous underground economy, causing financial uncertainty for their families and harmful stress on their children our students. [Ending DACA will change thousands of lives. Heres how it already upended one.] Other education leaders nationally have spoken out about the DACA rollback. Chiefs for Change, a bipartisan group of school leaders, issued a statement last week saying its members are deeply troubled by the decision to scrap protections for DACA beneficiaries, widely called "dreamers." Pushing these young people into the shadows will hurt our schools and communities. the group said. The Obama administration created DACA in 2012 to allow undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children to legally work and live in the country. But critics say Obama overstepped his authority, and they assert DACA drains jobs and other benefits from legal residents. Nationally, 690,000 people are enrolled. In Maryland, the five schools chiefs said ending DACA could take a toll on educators ability to motivate students. Family instability and fear of deportation can disrupt learning, school officials said, and students who dont see a path to the future may question the value of education. Exactly how many Maryland students are part of DACA is unclear because federal numbers do not delineate age or school enrollment. But based on other research, Randy Capps, of the nonprofit Migration Policy Institute, a Washington think tank, estimated that 2,800 to 3,200 students in K-12 schools in Maryland are DACA beneficiaries. An additional 1,500 to 2,500 undocumented Maryland students ages 10 to 14 would have become eligible for DACA in coming years as they turned 15, the minimum age for the program, Capps said. Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh (D) announced Monday that his office had joined three other states in filing a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from winding down DACA. Last week, 15 states and the District of Columbia filed similar legal action. [Frosh joins lawsuit against DACA rollback] The education leaders sent their letter the next day, addressing it to Hogan (R), Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) and House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel). They pointed to the state's emphasis on equity and asked for continuing support of the Maryland Dream Act, which provides in-state tuition breaks for undocumented immigrants. [Voters approve Maryland Dream Act] Amelia Chasse, a spokeswoman for Hogan, said the governor did not support the Trump administrations action on DACA and strongly believes Congress needs to act. Hogan has consistently said securing the nations borders must be a priority, his spokeswoman said, but focusing immigration efforts on children and young people, many of whom have never known another home and came to this country by no fault of their own, should not be where enforcement efforts are concentrated. Instead of targeting innocent kids, we should be targeting criminals. Miller and Busch also issued statements voicing concern for students. These children are part of our school community, and are here through no fault of their own, Miller said. They should remain as students in the school system, and we should do whatever we can at the state level to protect them. Busch said on Wednesday that no one wants to see immigration agents pulling kids out of classrooms in Maryland. We should not back away from these students who are in Maryland through no fault of their own, trying to better themselves and contribute to our state, he said. The five school district leaders signing are Kevin Maxwell, chief executive in Prince Georges County; Jack Smith, superintendent in Montgomery County; George Arlotto, superintendent in Anne Arundel County; Sonja Brookins Santelises, chief executive in Baltimore City; and Michael Martirano, interim superintendent in Howard County. Maxwell, who initiated the effort, said in an interview that he was concerned about student attendance and family uncertainty in the wake of Trumps action. The district has not noticed a spike in absences, but he said increases are hard to detect so early in the school year. We want to make sure our families know our schools are a safe place for them, he said. Columnist This weekend in the nations capital will be insane. The marchers descending on Washington support a leader who paints his face an unnatural color, who talks often and openly about his genitals, who brags about grabbing womens genitals, who lords over unruly crowds that punch and fight, who has tangled with the FBI and whos been a regular on the Howard Stern show for decades, yukking it up about his exploits. No. Not him. Im talking about two guys, actually, Violent J (Joseph Bruce) and Shaggy 2 Dope (Joseph Utsler), the duo that is the band Insane Clown Posse. But yeah, I could see how you might think I was talking about the commander in chief. And it just so happens that theres a pro-Trump march planned for the same day, also on the Mall. In that space of American protest, where war veterans and Martin Luther King Jr. and suffragists gave rise to their voices, the Insane Clown Posse will march for the rights of their followers: the Juggalos. They will be the ones wearing clown makeup, but their beef with the federal government is actually pretty serious and it has nothing to do with Trump. [Insane Clown Posse fans are outrageous, but are they a gang?] Juggalos spray sticky-sweet, cheap soda on each other and sing along to the Posses hip-hop lyrics, which sound like a profane, pornographic and violent Alfred E. Neuman took crystal meth and stole the microphone. They are over-the-top, violent and nasty satirists whose lyrics middle-finger all of polite society and champion the misfits, the underdogs, the oddballs. And six years ago, the FBI linked enough crimes committed by fans of the music to call them a gang. From there the clown-paint posse landed on the federal watch list of Security Threat Groups. The posse and the Juggalos thought this was hilarious at first. They joked about it on stage. They were now officially societys ultimate outcasts. But by 2012, Juggalos began coming up to band members at their concerts with stories about the legal problems they were having thanks to that federal watch list. People were telling them that they were losing custody of their kids, they couldnt get housing, they were being dishonorably discharged from the military, said Farris F. Haddad, their attorney (and a Juggalo since he was 12). All of those things were triggered by a tattoo, a T-shirt, a car sticker or a poster that had the Insane Clown posse name or logo. So at the next festival, where thousands showed up, the posse set up a little trailer for Haddad, where Juggalos could sit down and tell him their stories. It was supposed to take a couple hours, Haddad said. I was there for two days, with a line all the way out the door, all day long. Haddad whittled the group to four representative cases and partnered with the American Civil Liberties Union to file a lawsuit against the FBI in a Michigan court, where the Posse is based. The case has been stalled there for years, getting kicked out, victorious on appeal, then kicked out again. Its back in court next month. Branding hundreds of thousands of music fans as gang members based on the acts of a few individuals defies logic and violates our most cherished of constitutional rights, Michael J. Steinberg, the ACLU of Michigans legal director, said when the suit was filed in 2014. The judge, Haddad said, argued that the suit should be against the agencies the military, local housing authorities, child and family services departments that denied his clients services based on their affiliation with Juggalos, not the FBI. But Haddad said these agencies were following procedure, adhering to their policies based on gang affiliation. Its the FBIs categorization of the band and its listeners as a gang thats the problem. [Meet one the couples getting married between a protest and a rally] Six years later, the problems continue. Jessica Bonometti, 34, of Woodbridge, Va., was a college student with a 3.9 grade-point average who believed the corrections system should be just that corrective. She worked as a probation officer for the Virginia Department of Corrections and posted on her Facebook page about her job, how she aimed to help released prisoners truly and legally reintegrate into society. She is also a Juggalo or Juggalette, as female followers of the band like to be called. And her Facebook page also had Juggalo likes, other Juggalos and Juggalo slogans like Wicked for Life. That was enough to get her fired last year, she said. Specifically, you are in violation of this policy due to your posting pictures, images or information suggesting identification with a Security Threat Group (Juggalos) or which portray security threat group in a positive and appealing manner, said the memo she got in March as she lost her job. The boss who wrote the memo, Tracey Lavely, said she is not authorized to speak about the case. Bonometti worries that shell never be able to work in her field again, because Juggalos have been branded as a threat. Theres also Shawn Wolf, who says he never got custody of one of his kids because of the posters, T-shirts and car stickers a social worker saw during a home visit in Arizona. Haddad worked on his case, too. Or Laura King, 30, who is about to graduate from George Mason University and enter the workforce trailed by an official gang affiliation document attached to her DUI charge. According to the Department of Corrections document, she would be in violation of her probation if she ever wore an Insane Clown Posse T-shirt or put a band sticker on her car. Yes, this is insane. The Juggalos want only one thing out of their lawsuit and march. They want the FBI to rescind the 2011 status and officially state that anyone who is a fan of their music is not a gang member. They simply want what the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression. As for that other rally on the mall this Saturday? We still dont know what they want. Twitter: @petulad Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) is being targeted by Emilys List in 2018. (Stephan Savoia/AP) Emily's List, a political action committee that pushes to elect Democratic female candidates who support abortion rights, says it is putting Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) "on notice" for 2018. The political group says it will back a candidate to run against Hogan next year, and raise money for that campaign, because Hogan vetoed a bill that required companies with 15 or more employees to provide paid sick leave and because he appointed Robert E. Moffit, a critic of President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, as chairman of the state's health-care commission. Gov. Larry Hogan has amassed a shameful record of turning his back on womens rights and shortchanging Maryland families, said Emily Cain, executive director of Emilys List, in a statement. The statement also asserts that Hogan "failed to protect Planned Parenthood funding." In fact, Hogan declined to block a 2016 bill that requires Maryland to reimburse Planned Parenthood clinics for their services if Congress defunds the organization. The governor allowed the measure to become law without his signature. Bryan Lesswing, a spokesman for Emilys List, said the group viewed Hogans refusal to sign the measure as turning his back on the funding. The governors record of supporting common-sense paid sick leave and passionately fighting for all Marylanders speaks for itself, said Amelia Chasse, a spokeswoman for Hogan. This is nothing more than false political rhetoric from a partisan political organization. Emily's List would not say whether it supports Krishanti Vignarajah, who entered the race last month. Vignarajah is a former aide to Michelle Obama. Its early in the cycle, and the field is not defined yet, Lesswing said. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, a policy consultant who is married to U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), has said she is considering a run. In addition to Vignarajah, the field of Democrats vying to challenge Hogan in 2018 so far includes five men: Prince Georges County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, former NAACP chairman Benjamin Jealous, state Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr., entrepreneur Alec Ross and lawyer Jim Shea. The filing deadline is in February. Hogan is one of three Republican governors whom Emilys List has put on notice. The others are Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu. "Women candidates and women voters are stepping up at historic levels and will change the tide in states across the country this election cycle," Cain said in the statement."Voters know that women and families deserve better from their state elected officials than these legislators and officials, who have sought to drastically limit and in some cases outright ban reproductive health options, end critical workplace protections, and roll back voting rights." Emily's List got its start 30 years ago by backing then-Rep. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) for U.S. Senate. Last year, after Mikulski announced her retirement, the group unsuccessfully threw its weight behind then-Rep. Donna F. Edwards (D-Md.) to become Mikulski's successor. Edwards lost in the Democratic primary to then-Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who went on to win the general election. Arnold Sagalyn, a onetime assistant to crime-fighter Eliot Ness, who later used his positions in federal law enforcement to advocate for nonlethal police practices and a centralized call system, which led to the creation of the 911 emergency number, died Sept. 11 at his home in Washington. He was 99. His wife, Louise Sagalyn, confirmed the death but did not provide a specific cause. After stints in journalism, law enforcement and business, Mr. Sagalyn was named director of the Treasury Departments Office of Law Enforcement Coordination in 1961. In that position, he directed Treasury enforcement policies in the Coast Guard, Internal Revenue Service, Secret Service and the former Bureau of Narcotics and Bureau of Customs. He served as the U.S. representative to Interpol, the international policing agency, and later had a staff position with the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, also known as the Kerner Commission for its chairman, Gov. Otto Kerner (D-Ill.). Among other things, the panel examined the cause of riots that had engulfed cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago and Detroit in the 1960s. In March 1968, the commission issued a report about the root causes of urban crime, notably institutional racism and poverty, and concluded that the country is moving toward two societies, one black, one white separate and unequal. The report, which recommended neighborhood-building and civil rights initiatives, became a best-selling volume in paperback, but its impact was blunted by a new set of riots after the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4. Throughout the 1960s, Mr. Sagalyn became known for speaking and writing nationally in support of nonlethal force in police procedures. He advocated for the use of mace or other debilitating spray propellants to immobilize suspects and the use of paint pellets fired from guns to identify fleeing suspects and getaway cars. He also helped draw up recommendations for a nationwide emergency response number, using his frustrating experience of waiting up to 75 rings without an operator responding, as he wrote in an unpublished memoir. Mr. Sagalyn included his findings in letters to the Federal Communications Commission, which spurred action ultimately leading to the establishment of the 911 emergency calling system. Arnold Sagalyn was born March 2, 1918, in Springfield, Mass., where his father was a businessman. He graduated in 1939 from Oberlin College in Ohio, then went to work in Cleveland for Ness, who was the citys director of public safety at the time. Ness had previously been a U.S. Treasury agent who helped bring down Al Capone and other crime lords during the Prohibition era and who was portrayed by Robert Stack on the hit 1959-63 television show "The Untouchables" and later by Kevin Costner in a 1987 film version. Mr. Sagalyn first came to Washington in 1942 to organize a national law enforcement effort to curtail prostitution. Later, he served as an Army officer, helping to reestablish civilian order in Germany after World War II. From 1947 to 1954, he held reporting and editing jobs with Life magazine, the New York Times and NBC News. He then spent three years in the lumber business in Oregon before returning to the Washington area in 1957 as a part-owner and editorial page editor of the Northern Virginia Sun, a daily newspaper based in Arlington. He left the money-losing paper in 1961 to take the law enforcement job at Treasury. 1 of 66 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Notable deaths in 2017 View Photos Remembering those who died in 2017. Caption Remembering those who died in 2017. Katherine Frey Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue. In the 1970s, he was a staff member of a House of Representatives panel investigating the possible impeachment of President Richard M. Nixon. Mr. Sagalyn operated a consulting firm, Security Planning Corp., from 1970 until his retirement in 1990. Survivors include his wife of 59 years, the former Louise Edelman London of Washington, and their daughter, Lisbeth Stone of Chicago. Mr. Sagalyn adopted his wifes three daughters, Laurie Sagalyn of New York City, Rita London of Brooklyn and Dana Sagalyn, who died in 1986. Other survivors include three grandchildren. The memory of a beloved pet inspires one couple's fight against injustice. Frank Vincent, a veteran character actor who often played tough guys, including mob boss Phil Leotardo on The Sopranos, died Sept. 13 in New Jersey. He was 80, according to the Associated Press, citing a family statement, although some people put his age at 78. No further details were available. Besides Leotardo, the ruthless New York mob boss who frequently clashed with Tony Soprano on the popular HBO drama and who was memorably whacked at a service station, Mr. Vincent portrayed gangsters for director Martin Scorsese. He appeared in "Raging Bull" (1980) and "Goodfellas" (1990) where he played Billy Batts, a made man in the Gambino crime family who insults Joe Pesci's character to fatal consequence. In "Casino" (1995), he played Frank Marino, based on real-life gangster Frank Cullotta. Mr. Vincent had small roles in two Spike Lee films, Do the Right Thing (1989) and Jungle Fever (1991), among his more than 50 movies. Frank Vincent Gattuso was born in North Adams, Mass., and raised in Jersey City, where he acted in school plays and learned piano, trumpet and drums. He told The Washington Post that he spent his early adult life playing music in bars and lounges that sometimes catered to mob clientele. Actors Vincent Pastore, left, and Frank Vincent rough around for photographers in 2004. (Frank Franklin II/AP) You got to see them at their best and their worst, Mr. Vincent said. The best is that they have social grace, and theyre accommodating and humorous and polite. . . . And they make you [think] they care about what youre feeling. And the worst is that they can turn on a dime, he said. Theyre very sensitive to insult. Or if you said the wrong thing to them, you could get into a little bit of trouble. In 1976, he made his feature film acting debut in The Death Collector, where he was spotted by Scorsese. In 2006, Mr. Vincent published the book "A Guy's Guide to Being a Man's Man." Survivors include his wife, Katherine; three children; three siblings; and two grandchildren. Mr. Vincent was less a household name than a household face, instantly recognizable for his many gangster roles. He once told The Post that he was on location for a film shoot in Rhode Island when a 12-year-old boy asked for his autograph. You know who I am? Mr. Vincent asked. 1 of 66 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Notable deaths in 2017 View Photos Remembering those who died in 2017. Caption Remembering those who died in 2017. Katherine Frey Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue. He wasnt prepared when the boy answered, Youre a made man. (Latest updates: Boyfriend of Md. teacher held without bond after body was found in shallow grave) On Monday, Tyler Tessier soulfully pleaded for the safe return of his then-missing pregnant girlfriend, Laura Wallen, and held hands at a news conference with Wallens mother. But by then, Wallen already had been killed by Tessier, according to police, who charged him Wednesday in the death of the 31-year-old high school teacher, whose body was found in a shallow grave in Damascus. Tessier also was believed to be the father of Wallens unborn child, police said. She was four months pregnant. Wallen, of Olney, was a social studies teacher at Wilde Lake High School in Howard County, where she taught since 2014. Since she was reported missing early last week, the case has received widespread attention. Wallen was excited about the school year starting and didnt seem at all like a person who would take off on her own, family and friends said. Laura Elizabeth Wallen (Montgomery County Police Department ) Behind the scenes, detectives were in constant contact with the boyfriend, Tessier, who gave inconsistent stories about his interactions with Wallen before shed gone missing, police said. When police held the news conference to ask the public for help finding Wallen, investigators made a calculated decision to allow Tessier to attend, Montgomery Police Chief Tom Manger said Wednesday night. Tessier sat next to Wallens mother and father. Detectives were curious what he would say and how he would say it, according to Manger, who said the family was aware of that decision. When Tessier spoke in front of a bank of cameras, he pleaded for Wallen to contact her family and asked for her safe return, saying, Laura, if youre listening, it doesnt matter whats happened. It doesnt matter what type of trouble. Theres nothing we cant fix together. Manger said there were no signs on Wallens remains to suggest how she was killed. During the investigation, police learned Tessier was spending a lot of time in an area of Damascus and came to believe they should search there for Wallens body, police said. Police searched the area on Wednesday with cadaver dogs and found a freshly dug area, according to police, and in plain view saw a purple piece of fabric. Police said they believe Wallen was killed Sept. 3, a day after a surveillance video at a grocery store showed her and Tessier together. Tyler Tessier (Montgomery County Police) Wallens sister received several odd texts from Wallens phone on Sept. 4, stating that the child she was carrying was not Tessiers and suggesting it might be that of a previous boyfriend, Manger said. Manger said that police determined those texts had been sent by Tessier. I am like 95 percent sure Tyler is not the father, one of the texts said, according to police. Im probably going to lose my job over this, said another. And yet another text stated: "Tyler is never going to forgive me. If he tries to call you, please tell him he's a great guy because I know I really hurt his feelings." On Sept. 7, police found Wallens car unoccupied and parked in an apartment complex in the 10600 block of Gramercy Place in Columbia, a five-minute drive from the school. Police said Tessier brought the car there after removing the front license plate. [Family of missing pregnant teacher offering $25,000 reward to locate her] When Tessier spoke Monday at the news conference, in his appeal for Wallen, his voice occasionally broke as he said: We havent slept, we havent eaten, were just looking, were praying that youre safe. Im asking you to just let us know that youre safe. If somebody has her, please understand that youve taken away a huge person in so many peoples lives. Wallens body was found near Prices Distillery Road in Damascus on private property, police said. The property owner has no involvement in the investigation, Manger said. Wallens father, Mark Wallen, had said he became certain something was awry when he called Wilde Lake High School on Tuesday morning to check if his daughter had arrived and was told she had not. He then asked if she had arranged for a substitute teacher and was told no a lapse he said he was sure she would not have made had she known she would be absent. He knew she had been preparing her classroom for two weeks and had a "joy in her heart" for her job, Mark Wallen said. Tessier, at the news conference asking for public help in locating Wallen, said she was "super excited" for the start of the school year and called her disappearance a "complete shock." He said the two had gone to doctor appointments together and that she was happy about the pregnancy. Police said Laura Wallen had sent her sister a series of texts Sept. 2 saying Tyler has me on an adventure in the country. . . . dont know why Im here but its for something. Her sister asked, Really where are you? Laura Wallen replied, according to police, Im waiting in a field. Her sister told her to take a picture. Police said the picture Wallen sent was of a large field with a tree line and that the photograph appears to be the same field where the clandestine grave was discovered. WASHINGTON , DC - AUGUST 6: Colorful row houses line the streets in the Trinidad neighborhood of Washington, DC, on August 6, 2013. (Maddie Meyer/The Washington Post) D.C. police detectives arrested a 14-year-old boy Wednesday for the fatal shooting of a construction worker last month in Northeast Washington. Officials did not identify the teen who was arrested on a charge of First-Degree Murder Felony Murder While Armed for the killing of 34-year-old Balmore Mauricio Fuentes on Aug. 23. [Construction Worker Shot in Head during renovation in D.C. neighborhood] Neighbors said that Fuentes had overseen the renovation of at least eight rowhouses in the Trinidad neighborhood and that afternoon he was working at another home in the 1100 block of Oates Street NE. Police found Fuentes shot in the head about 1:45 p.m. that day. Authorities were investigating whether he was killed during a robbery attempt in the alley near the home. Officials did not release any details about the investigation Wednesday night. From the time Laura Wallen went missing 11 days ago, her family had suspicions about Tyler Tessier, her longtime on-again, off-again boyfriend. They knew he was the last person seen with the well-liked high school teacher. They believed that a series of text messages sent from Wallens phone were actually written by Tessier in an attempt to cover his tracks. So several days ago, when Montgomery County detectives asked the family about having Tessier, 32, come to a planned news conference on the case a tactic designed in part to see what he might say in front of TV cameras the family was more than willing to go along. Even if they knew that it meant sitting next to him and feigning that everyone was pulling together. [Homicide is a top cause of death for pregnant women] It was all we could do to be seen as a unified family with him, Wallens father, Mark, said Thursday. And it was absolutely the hardest thing that my wife could do would be to sit next to him and hold his hand. And she had to hold his hand with two hands because she was shaking so badly. Laura Wallen and Tyler Tessier (Photos from Montgomery County Police) On Wednesday, two days after the news conference, police found Wallens body in a shallow grave in the northern part of the county. Hours later, Tessier was under arrest, charged with first-degree murder. He is a monster and he is a liar, Mark Wallen said. An autopsy shows that Laura Wallen, 31, had been shot in the back of the head, Montgomery police said late Thursday. Since she was reported missing on Sept. 4, her case has received widespread attention. Wallen was four months pregnant, lived in the D.C. suburb of Olney, Md., and had taught social studies at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia since 2014. She was excited about the school year starting and didnt seem at all like a person who would take off on her own, family and friends said. Behind the scenes, detectives were in constant contact with Tessier, a landscaper believed to be the father of Wallens unborn child. They said he couldnt keep his story straight, was slow to reveal he had recently become engaged to another woman, and was making unexplained trips to a wooded area in the northern part of the county. A police search team, with cadaver-sniffing dogs, scoured the area Wednesday. They found recent tire tracks, followed them and came across a freshly dug area, according to police. Thats where they found Wallens body, they said. In court Thursday Tessiers first appearance in the case an attorney representing him, Victoria Kawecki, did not comment on the police allegations. But she noted that Tessier had no criminal record and had an extended family who supported him. She asked the judge to set a bond that would allow him to be released from custody pending further court proceedings. Prosecutor Donna Fenton laid out the states case against Tessier, saying he had admitted sending the fake text messages from Wallens phone, tried to hide Wallens car and gave detectives hundreds of inconsistencies. District Judge Zuberi B. Williams ordered Tessier held without bond. I do think that you are a danger to the community, Williams said. In court papers, detectives said Wallen and Tessiers new fiancee both believed he was dating them exclusively. The detectives said that may point to a motive for Tessier to kill Wallen. The two women apparently were in contact recently, the court papers show. On Aug. 28, about a week before Wallen disappeared, she sent a text to the fiancee, stating: "It's important that some things are cleared up and I would imagine that if you were in my position, you'd want some answers as well. By no means is this an attempt at confrontation, just looking for an explanation . . . woman to woman." At Tessiers bond hearing, Wallens family sat in the front row. Afterward, they talked about their support for the detectives efforts, including the news conference that helped draw more attention to the case. We were pretty sure it was Tyler, but we didnt know where she was, Mark Wallen said of his daughter. He said detectives worked the case with supreme precision and during this whole process kept us as updated as they possibly could. . . . We were praying for a good, old-fashioned miracle. God did not give us the miracle that I asked for, but he did give us a miracle nonetheless. We have our daughter back. [Boyfriend arrested in slaying of missing pregnant Maryland teacher, police say] On Wednesday night, Montgomery Police Chief Tom Manger said investigators made a calculated decision to allow Tessier to attend the news conference. When Tessier spoke, he pleaded for Wallen to contact her family and asked for her safe return, saying: Laura, if youre listening, it doesnt matter whats happened. It doesnt matter what type of trouble. Theres nothing we cant fix together. In Olney, a neighbor of Laura Wallens, Beth Clay, said in the days after Wallens disappearance that boxes from Old Navy and Bed Bath & Beyond began piling up at Wallens door. Clay, 56, who has lived beside Wallen for five years, took them inside for safekeeping and alerted Wallens family, all the while thinking that this is not a girl that was going to hurt herself. The two had talked regularly, and over the summer Wallen often would be on her second-floor patio making jewelry, sometimes scurrying down to Clays patio below to retrieve a bead she had dropped. Throughout Alicia Waxmans five-year friendship with Wallen, they would discuss her relationship with Tessier, Waxman said Thursday. Her eldest son is a former student of Wallens. Waxman said the couple had been off and on for about 10 years, and Wallen had talked about his reluctance to propose or make a commitment to her. In Waxmans mind. the pair were a strange, mismatched couple, with Tessier very cold and Wallen an angel who literally spread light and love. At Wilde Lake High on Thursday, Wallen was recalled as gregarious, encouraging and supportive. One student recalled how she would open wide her arms, wiggling them as a greeting. Come here, give me the jellyfish hug, Wallen would tell her students in Howard County, according to a former student, Aiyanah Moore. The almost daily hugs had students referring to her as "Wallaby with the jellyfish hugs," said Moore, 18, who took Wallen's world history class as a senior last year. Moore said Wallen paid equal attention to students who needed more help and those who, like her, quietly did their work. Wallen encouraged Moore to pursue her goal of becoming a Navy pilot, even when the student doubted she could do it. "She just had the personality that kind of draws your attention," Moore said. "Ms. Wallen, she actually cares about her students." Another former student, Hamad Wasti, remembered his first day of class as a junior at Wilde Lake in 2015. When Wallen conducted attendance, Wasti jokingly told her he wanted to be called "OG" shorthand for "original gangster." Wasti, now at Howard County Community College, said Wallen used the nickname the rest of the school year. "She called me OG every day and only referred to me as OG to make me happy," Wasti wrote in a message on Twitter. "It would put a smile on my face every time. She was such an amazing lady. She did whatever she could to make us happy." Tessier worked for Ruppert Landscape for about 2 years, leaving the company in 2011, said Amy Snyder, a spokeswoman for Ruppert, a business that has been in Montgomery County for about 45 years. She declined to say more about Tessier. "We're just sorry this happened," Snyder said. "Our hearts go out to the Wallen family and everyone in the community who has been affected by this." [Family of missing pregnant teacher offering $25,000 reward to locate her] On Sept. 7, police found Wallen's car unoccupied and parked in an apartment complex in the 10600 block of Gramercy Place in Columbia, a five-minute drive from the school. Police said Tessier brought the car there after removing the front license plate . Police said they believe Wallen was killed Sept. 3, a day after a surveillance video at a grocery store showed her and Tessier together. Wallen's sister received several texts from Wallen's phone on Sept. 4, stating that the child she was carrying probably was not Tessier's but might be that of a previous boyfriend, Manger said. The chief said police determined those texts had been sent by Tessier. A woman was killed, and two other people including a man who was said to be a suspect were wounded in a stabbing Thursday morning in Alexandria, police said. Police identified the woman as Dasheria Barksdale, 30, of Alexandria. Police said that about 1:30 a.m. they went to a home in the 900 block of North Henry Street not far from the Braddock Road Metro stop. When they arrived, they found Barksdale and a man suffering from stab wounds. Both were taken to hospitals. Barksdale died. Police said the 27-year-old man had life-threatening wounds and remained in critical condition. Police said the suspect is a 23-year-old Alexandria man who is hospitalized with self-inflicted wounds and also is in critical condition. Police did not name the suspect, who had not yet been charged. Barksdales father, Darrell Barbour, said: She was funny. She was bright. She always wanted to work, wanted to help people. Barksdale was a huge animal lover, he said, with a menagerie of pets in her home cats, dogs, two ferrets, snakes, birds, everything. He last saw his daughter at a cookout on the Fourth of July, her 30th birthday. She was a female me, he said. She talked the way I talk. She would tell a joke the way I tell a joke. She was a real good person. The incident remained under investigation. A U.S. district judge this week dismissed a class-action lawsuit that alleged that the District failed to comply with a federal mandate to move eligible and interested Medicaid recipients out of nursing homes and into the community. U.S. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle ruled that a single injunction could not remedy the problems experienced by the elderly and disabled nursing home residents because barriers to moving them back into the community extended beyond the systems shortfalls with transition services. Principle among them: a lack of affordable and accessible housing in the District. Other barriers included few wheelchair-accessible units, and, for some residents, poor credit history or criminal records that made it harder to secure housing. "The District has little to be proud of regarding its historic inability to comply with Olmstead's integration mandate," said Huvelle in her 91-page ruling, referring to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that public entities must provide community-based services to people with disabilities whenever possible, and that keeping them institutionalized is a form of discrimination. However, plaintiffs have failed to demonstrate the existence of a concrete, systemic failure that entitles them to class-wide relief, she said. An advocate for the plaintiffs said they were still trying to understand the judges ruling Wednesday afternoon. We are incredibly disappointed, said Kelly Bagby, an attorney with AARP Foundation who represents the plaintiffs. She said she fundamentally disagreed with the ruling and that one solution a better system of transition services to help the disabled nursing home residents would have remedied the plaintiffs common complaint. [A lot of our plaintiffs have died waiting to get out of the nursing home] Claudia Schlosberg, state Medicaid director for the District, said in a statement Wednesday that the Districts Medicaid program is dedicated to providing qualified residents with disabilities access to services and supports in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. We know, however, that some individuals who wish to transition back to the community are still living in nursing homes, the statement read. As the Court recognized, there are individualized barriers that prevent these individuals from being able to transition out of the nursing home and into the community. Housing is one of the most common barriers. We are fully committed to the principles of the Olmstead decision and will continue our efforts to increase access to long term care services and supports in the community. The suit was filed in 2010 by University Legal Services, AARP Foundation Litigation and the private law firm of Arent Fox. In 2013, the plaintiffs were certified as a class, a designation that was appealed by the District. Thursdays ruling came exactly one year after the case went to trial. The plaintiffs were nursing home residents in the District who receive Medicaid and are entitled to in-home care. Federally and state-funded waivers for Medicaid recipients who are elderly or have physical disabilities allow people to receive up to 16 hours a day of in-home services and case management if they need help with at least two activities of daily living such as bathing, eating or dressing. If they need 24-hour care, they can get an additional eight hours through the D.C. Medicaid Personal Care Assistance program. Surveys consistently show that older people prefer to stay in their homes for as long as they can. Serving people at home is also significantly more cost-effective, advocates say. The plaintiffs complaint alleged that between 500 and 2,900 people with disabilities in the District are unnecessarily institutionalized in nursing facilities, segregated and isolated from their families and friends and that these individuals desperately want to return to their communities. Legal records show just a small number of nursing home patients were moved successfully back into the community each year, including only a fraction of those who were accepted into a federal program that helps Medicaid recipients move out of nursing homes and receive services in the community. But the District alleged and, the judge agreed, that the lack of available, affordable and accessible housing was a major barrier to serving these residents in the community. More than 80 percent of nursing facility residents who wanted to move to the community needed publicly funded or subsidized housing, court records say. Waiting lists are exceedingly long, and the availability of wheelchair accessible units is even more limited. Court documents noted that people with private housing were able to transition much more quickly than those who needed to secure subsidized housing. Plaintiffs argued in court that the city should be responsible for helping residents to secure housing. In response to the judges ruling on Wednesday, Bagby noted that unnecessarily lengthy nursing home stays, due to poor transition services, were part of the problem because they exacerbated plaintiffs housing problems. These are people who are on Medicaid and have been institutionalized. Of course they dont have private housing. After 10 years of living in the District, Zach Lipson and his wife, Stacey, moved to Bethesda to have a baby. They now have an 11-week-old daughter, Elle. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post) In a development that caught some local leaders by surprise, the District of Columbia is one in just a handful of urban centers in the United States that did not enjoy gains in median household income in 2016, according to Census Bureau statistics released Thursday. The slight decline from $76,233 to $75,506 followed at least eight years of income growth as the city became a magnet for young professionals across the country. Theories for the plateau abound. Among them are the citys lack of affordability for even relatively high-earning families and a drop in the number of high-paying government jobs. But the news was better for the Washington region: Loudoun County in the D.C. suburbs again ranked as the highest-income county in the nation. Three other Washington-area counties also made the nations Top 10 list: Howard County in the No. 2 spot, Fairfax County in third place and Arlington County in sixth. The Washington Post analyzed data from the American Community Survey, released to the public on Thursday, to examine the change in median household income from 2015 to 2016 across the 68 counties that the Census Bureau defines as biggest city core counties. Only seven of the 68 counties saw declines in median income. The largest drop was in the wealthy D.C. suburb of Alexandria, Va. , where median household income declined more than 3 percent, from $90,848 to $87,920. The others included the District and five areas with lower incomes than the District: Harris County, Tex., which includes Houston; New Orleans's parish of Orleans; Hartford County, Conn.; Philadelphia County, Pa.; and Monroe County, N.Y., which includes Rochester. None of the declines was large enough to be statistically significant, but all of these areas missed out on the statistically significant gains that 27 counties recorded, in contrast. Twelve of the 68 urban-core counties, including the Bronx; Mecklenburg and Wake counties in North Carolina; and Suffolk County, which includes Boston, saw median incomes rise at least 6 percent. The largest increase in median household income was in San Francisco, where median incomes rose 11.7 percent to reach $103,801. The city of Baltimore saw a 5.4 percent increase to a median income of $47,350. Median income in Wayne County, Mich., which includes Detroit, grew 3.1 percent, to $43,464. D.C. Council member David Grosso (I-At Large) said he was surprised to hear that the Districts median household income was not rising after several boom years. It seems like a fairly small number to me right off the bat. At the same time, its something we need to keep an eye on, he said. Spokesmen for the chief financial officer in the District and for the city of Alexandria cast doubt on the significance of the census findings. Alexandrias Craig Fifer raised questions about the reliability of the data, including whether the sample size was large enough in a small city. A spokeswoman for D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) did not respond to a request for comment. But for Stephen Fuller who runs the Stephen S. Fuller Institute for Research on the Washington Regions Economic Future at George Mason University the sluggish growth didnt come as a surprise. Its slow slippage. We are a wealthy metro area, so we dont notice around the edges that were actually getting a little tattered, he said. The D.C. government needs to recognize the problem. . . . A lot of people are in denial because we look rich. See all the cranes on the skyline? How could we not be doing well? Those cranes mask the reality that the District has fewer high-paying government jobs and more moderate-income hospitality, restaurant and education jobs than it did just a few years ago. Weve specialized in generating more moderate-wage jobs, he said. It catches up to you. You can only grow slower than the other people for so long before you drop behind them. Youve lost your advantage. Grosso said he thinks the Districts demographics are at the root of the census numbers: Young people with just-out-of-college salaries flock to the city, but as they start families and their incomes grow, the high-earning couples with children tend to leave for more affordable D.C. suburbs or other regions of the country. He hopes the Districts new paid family leave policy and improving public schools can persuade parents to stay put. It is an indicator that we need to keep an eye on this, encourage people to live and make their families and make their homes here in the District of Columbia, he said. Kyley McGeeney, a former resident of the District, left when she wanted to raise children, just as Grosso said is common. She came to the District at 23 to work as a statistician and eagerly moved into an apartment on nightlife-filled U Street. Then she met someone in the District and married him. At 26, hoping to have children and seeking a more spacious home to raise them in, McGeeney and her new husband bought a house in Silver Spring. I used to joke, We cant have a stroller on U Street, she said. She remembers renting a Zipcar to go take a look at the suburbs and driving into the neighborhood where she now lives. There were five birthday parties. Two block parties. Moon bounces! People were walking around drinking wine. I was like, Is this real life? Now the McGeeneys have a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old, and theyre building an addition on the house. Zach Lipson, a real estate agent, said he works with families like the McGeeneys frequently. A lot of them are moving out of the city as they get into their early to mid-30s, he said. Lipson, 34, knows the pattern personally. After 10 years of living in the District, he moved to Bethesda with his wife last year because they wanted to have a baby. They now have an 11-week-old daughter. Its mostly the high price of city housing, the lack of space and the schools, Lipson said. But theres another factor unique to the District that he says may play a small part in motivating middle-class D.C. renters to become suburban buyers: They dont want to settle down permanently as homeowners in a place where they dont have congressional representation. In the back of your mind, theres some sort of impact, he said. At the end of the day in D.C., where do your tax dollars go? Kind of at the federal governments will. William Frey, a demographer in the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institution, said the region is full of families like the McGeeneys and Lipsons. D.C. is probably most distinctive of any city in the country because of the young people that come here. I always like to say that D.C. rents people; they dont own them, he said. His theory is that the poor job market following the 2009 recession caused those young people to stay in the District longer than they otherwise would have and, in some cases, delay starting families. Now that jobs are back in many other parts of the country, many of those residents are leaving the District and moving to the suburbs or elsewhere. The District held on to a lot more of those people who couldnt get mortgages or maybe put off having families, he said. Everything about this is unique to D.C. Demographers and politicians alike frequently debate which peers the District can fairly be compared to it is not a state but more of an independent entity than any other city in the nation. Grosso said he thought the urban-core counties were a good choice for comparing household incomes. Frey suggested the 50 largest cities in the nation would be a better basis of comparison and said that on that list, too, the District fell behind slightly while almost all other cities gained: Just six cities out of 50 saw their median household income fall in this years American Community Survey. Frey pointed out that the changing fortunes of D.C. residents did not affect everyone equally. The median household income of white residents, who make up 36 percent of the District, rose $2,568, to $127,369, while the median income of black residents, who make up 46 percent, fell $3,631, to $37,891. This drastic inequality was mirrored in some but not all of the largest cities in the nation: The median black family makes $104,722 less than the median white family in San Francisco but $16,809 less in Jacksonville, Fla. Andy Schaudt is an invisible man. He is wearing a seat suit to make it look like his Ford Transit Connect van is driving itself. His bespectacled face is obscured by a fake headrest hood. His torso is tucked behind custom-sewn upholstery armor, like the pads protecting a Yankees catcher but in meticulously chosen black and stone leather hues to mirror Ford Motors usually inanimate seats. The automaker is trying to devise a standard visual language so its self-driving cars can communicate with humans. The company is testing a bar of flashing white lights on the windshield meant to replace the little nods and go-ahead half-waves that keep people from getting into crashes. And that means some deception in the service of progress. Researcher Andy Schaudt disguised himself as a car seat to test reactions of other drivers and pedestrians to a driversless vehicle. (Zhiyan Zhong/THE WASHINGTON POST) Ford tapped a half-dozen Virginia Tech Transportation Institute researchers, Schaudt among them, to spend August tooling around Arlington pretending not to be there. They drove more than 1,800 miles and collected 150 hours of 360-degree video from six cameras mounted on their gray van. Its satisfying work, but it can be uncomfortable at times, jolting usual conventions in the way strangers interact. One of Schaudts colleagues apparently didnt get going quickly enough when a light turned green, prompting another motorist to speed around to the right and begin to yell. Then he saw nobody there and said it out loud theres nobody driving this car, Schaudt said. Aggressive drivers want to employ communication methods that arent exactly required for navigation, Schaudt noted. So when they conclude theres nobody there to scream at, its a jaw dropping moment. Other times, its Schaudt and his colleagues who can get a bit thrown. [A researcher disguised himself as a car seat to teach driverless cars how to talk] Its kind of awkward when you are in the vehicle and somebodys looking right in the window at you. And its okay for you to look at them, because youre behind this hood and they dont see you, Schaudt said. But you still kind of look away. The Virginia experiment was the brainchild of Ford engineer John Shutko, who has been pushing the idea of the light bar with colleagues from other car companies around the world. He said Ford doesnt see a competitive advantage in the research, but instead wants to share its findings as a way to improve safety and get people more comfortable with driverless vehicles. Shutko had been spending his days thinking about the inside of autonomous cars and how passengers will react to having no driver. How would the car need to communicate with them if it needed to change routes because of a backup, something an Uber driver could just mention casually? As he burned through those questions, he came up with another big one. When you pull the driver, hows that going to impact civilians and others on the outside of the vehicle? Shutko said. It was somewhere between an aha! moment and an Oh no! moment. It was like an Oh goodness! Now were going to have to think about something beyond what we normally think about, Shutko said. Its an opportunity, he said, years before going into production, to start to understand how people will behave around this type of technology. Although Ford is among many automakers and tech firms already running self-driving cars in the country, they went with the seat-suit ruse because it was cheaper and easier. Duke robotics expert Missy Cummings who has raised safety concerns about a hasty driverless rollout applauded the idea of publicly identifying the vehicles. I want them painted flashy hot pink or something really obvious, so I know and can give them due deference, she said. The Virginia researchers said that they hadnt seen evidence of people fearfully avoiding, or toying with, the van. Shutko and his team discarded the idea of using words on the outside of the van to signal people, saying they were too confusing in a multilingual world. And he said symbols, too, can be ambiguous. Research has shown, for example, that all sorts of people dont know what the symbol for rear defrost in their car means, he said. So they went with lights. A solid white light is meant to signal the van is driving autonomously. A flashing light means it will be accelerating. And when two lights move side to side some of the researchers call that the Hoff Signal, as in David Hasselhoff from Knight Rider it means the van is yielding. On a drive Wednesday to demonstrate the setup, the blue sleeves of Schaudts Virginia Tech shirt poked out by his knees. But he held the wheel down low so people couldnt see them. And they didnt. A cook at Cheesetique, taking a smoke break on an Arlington sidewalk, stared through the rolling vans front windshield. Nothing. You could tell no one was actually driving the car, Travis Hicks said. Sooner or later, its going to be back to the future. Many people didnt even seem to see the van. An elderly woman with a dog didn't look up as it rolled toward her. The jaywalker on her phone didn't even notice Schaudt was there. For the most part, people are busy. Theyre going about their day. Theyre on their phone, and theyre just kind of moving through the world, Schaudt said. Sometimes you could drive for a few hours and nothing out of the ordinary would happen, which is a finding in and of itself. Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, the campaign arm of one of the nations biggest gun control groups, announced Thursday that it would spend at least $1 million in Virginia as part of an initial investment to elect Democrats in November. The fund is donating $450,000 directly to gubernatorial contender Ralph Northam, and spending $250,000 on mailers on his behalf. Its also giving $300,000 to Attorney General Mark Herring for his re-election bid, as he faces attack advertising from the National Rifle Association. We are making this initial investment because Ralph Northam and Mark Herring have been forceful champions for gun violence prevention in Virginia, while their opponents subscribe to a dangerous guns everywhere agenda, Brynne Craig, a senior strategist for Everytown, said in a statement. Everytown, a New York-based advocacy group largely bankrolled by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has been a big spender in recent Virginia contests. [Bloomberg gun control group endorses Democratic ticket in Virginia] In this Monday, Sept 4, 2017 photo, Democratic candidate for Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax, right, talks during a Democratic breakfast, with Attorney General Mark Herring, sitting from left, gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam and U.S. Sen Tim Kaine, on Labor Day in Buena Vista, Va. (Bob Brown/AP) In 2015, it spent more than $2 million on television ads supporting Democratic candidates for state senate as the party unsuccessfully sought to regain control of the chamber. Virginia allows gun owners to carry concealed firearms as long as they have a permit. Everytown, its affiliated grassroots group, Moms Demand Action, and Northam are opposed to constitutional carry, or the right to carry concealed guns without a permit. Northam also favors a ban on assault weapons, expanded background checks and wants to restore a state law that limited handgun purchases to one each month, among other measures. The Republican candidate in the Nov. 7 election, Ed Gillespie, is opposed to any further gun control. Everytown is supporting Northam despite the fact that the group has clashed with his ally, Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), over a deal McAuliffe forged with Republican lawmakers to expand the rights of concealed carry permit holders in exchange for tigher restrictions on gun ownership by domestic abusers and voluntary background checks at gun shows. Northam stood with McAuliffe last year as he signed the gun compromise into law. Everytown pilloried the deal as a gift to the gun lobby, criticism that McAuliffe shrugged off. Now, volunteers with Moms Demand Action in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area plan to canvass and to make phone calls for Northam and other Democrats. They stand with the majority of Virginians who know that our Second Amendment rights come with responsibilities to keep guns out of dangerous hands, said Amy McPike, a Loudoun County volunteer for the group. Americans for Responsible Solutions, a gun control group led by former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, has endorsed the Democratic ticket in Virginia, but has yet to announce any donations. It has spent more than $700,000 on Virginia campaigns in recent years, according to data compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project. On the other side of the gun debate, the National Rifle Association - headquartered in Virginia - has endorsed all three Republicans running for statewide office. The organization's political arm funded an ad in support of GOP attorney general nominee John Adams that also accused Herring of taking "away the rights of gun owners to protect themselves." This is a reference to Herring's decision to stop recognizing out-of-state concealed carry permits, since reversed by McAuliffe's gun deal. A spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association declined to comment on the ad or how much it cost. Adam Zuckerman, Herrings campaign manager, said the fact that the NRA is going all in to elect John Adams shows that they know hell be the attorney general for the gun lobby, not Virginia families. Virginias gubernatorial contest is the nations marquee race this year. That status, plus lax campaign finance laws, has attracted a blizzard of outside spending. Political arms of Planned Parenthood, the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, a Democratic redistricting group backed by former President Barack Obama and California billionaire Tom Steyers NextGen American have commited to spend more than $8 million to support Northam and other Democrats. The same groups, along with Priorities USA - which spent more than $200 million on behalf of Hillary Clinton and Democrats running for the Senate in 2016 - announced Thursday they will spend $2 million to coordinate with Northam on a digital ad campaign. Virginias campaign finance laws allows candidates to coordinate with outside spending groups. That campaign, designed to reach more than 1.2 million voters before Election Day, will mark the first time that Democratic groups are pooling resources and data to reach voters online, organizers said. They described their coordinated campaign as first of its kind for Democratic groups in the way they are pooling resources and data to reach voters online. On the Republican side, the Republican Governors' Association has put in $8 million behind Gillespie and the Koch-funded Americans for Prosperity has launched an ad campaign against Northam worth at least $1.4 million. WASHINGTON, DC - (L-R) Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-WA), Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA) at a news conference at the Capitol last year. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) The House on Thursday passed a bill introduced by Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-Va.) that would expand the authority of the federal government to deport or detain non-citizen immigrants who are gang members or suspected of gang activity. The legislation, offered as a response to an increase in killings perpetuated by the resurgent MS-13 gang in the Washington region and nationally, would allow officials to take action against suspected gang members, regardless of whether theyve been convicted of a crime. The bill was slammed by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued it would promote racial profiling, erode due process and unintentionally affect others, such as clergy who try to help gang members. The Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act was approved 233 to 175. It drew opposition from the four Democrats who serve alongside Comstock in the Virginia delegation. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), whose district borders Comstock's, spoke against it on the House floor. Six of the seven Republicans in the delegation voted in support; Rep. Thomas Garrett did not cast a ballot. Although the bill is unlikely to pass the Senate in its current form, the White House said in a statement that President Trump's advisers would recommend he sign it as is. The bill is in keeping with a strategy used by Comstock, who is seeking reelection in 2018 to a third term, to focus on local issues important to her suburban Northern Virginia district, such as crime and transportation. The approach helped her keep her seat last year while sharing a ballot with President Trump, who lost her district by 10 points. Democrats and Republicans say Comstocks district could be among the most competitive in the 2018 midterm elections, which are expected to be a referendum on Trump. The presidents unpopularity in the district, which stretches from the Washington suburbs to rural counties along the West Virginia border and is anchored by Loudoun County, motivated eight Democrats to seek the party nomination to challenge the congresswoman. Comstock has said she wants to continue work done by her predecessor, longtime congressman Frank Wolf, to combat gang violence. In a speech on the House floor Thursday, she said the bill will ensure that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents can act immediately when they identify a known MS-13 gang member. "We don't have to wait until these brutal killers wield their machete or leave a body on a children's playground," she said, referring to the November 2015 murder of a man whose body was found in Alexandria's Beverly Park. He died of stab wounds to the head and neck. Since November 2016, Comstock said, authorities have tied at least eight murders in Northern Virginia to MS-13, and the Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force believes as many as 4,000 gang members live in the Washington region. [With two young people killed, two more bodies found, police see rising gang threat] Comstocks bill was sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Raul R. Labrador (R-Idaho), who spoke in favor of it. Goodlatte said whether immigrants are here illegally or have visas or permanent resident status, it is time to send the message that this behavior simply will not be tolerated. King said MS-13 had turned his district into killing fields, where 17 young people have been murdered by gang members in the past year and a half. The New York City Police Department and the Sergeants Benevolent Association endorsed the bill, he said. We cannot allow gang members to be taking advantage of loopholes in our immigration laws, King said. Democrats speaking against the bill said they agreed there must be a way to curtail MS-13, but Comstocks bill would have unintended consequences and face legal challenges. We all agree MS-13 is a problem and I think shed be better served by working in a bipartisan manner to find a responsible solution rather than doing something on her own thats probably dead on arrival in the Senate, Beyer said after the vote. Immigrant advocates objected to the bill, saying it would give law enforcement wide latitude in designating groups of people as gangs and seeking to deport, detain or block their asylum before a crime has been committed. This feels just like yet another barely thinly veiled attempt to criminalize and demonize immigrants in order to justify what this administration has consistently promoted as their commitment to a massive deportation regime, said Avideh Moussavian, a senior policy attorney at the National Immigration Law Center. She called it a shameful slapping of labels on immigrants to justify infractions of due process and human rights. Lawmakers debated the bill on Capitol Hill as President Trump and top Democrats in Congress gave competing accounts of a Wednesday night dinner over which they discussed a deal to potentially protect "dreamers," undocumented immigrants brought to this country as children. Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.) said congressional Democrats should not accept amnesty for the dreamers in exchange for new restrictions on immigrants as described in Comstocks bill. I am committed to not exchanging the safety of dreamers for more deportations or further restricting legal immigration so that there are no available legal avenues for immigrants who help feed us, build our communities and serve our country, he said in a statement. Gothenburg, Nebraska, September 13, 2017 Home Agency owners, Jim and Sharri Baldonado, announced that their family along with The Home Agency are donating $100,000 to the Gothenburg Health Foundation to build the Gothenburg YMCA. The Baldonado family along with the Home Agency is known for their philanthropic culture in Gothenburg and nearby communities, states Becky Jobman, Gothenburg Health Foundation Director, Its heartwarming to see a local business step up to this level of generosity in a way that will benefit Gothenburg for generations to come. We are grateful for the opportunity to support the Gothenburg YMCA project, remarked Jim Baldonado. Since 1990, The Home Agency has had a presence in Gothenburg, building many great relationships and business partners. Gothenburg has played a significant role in our success and ability to grow into being one of the largest writers of crop insurance in the nation, we are excited for this opportunity to give back to a community that has given so much to us. We are committed to Gothenburg and see this as a special occasion to intentionally invest in the communitys future. We also hope this encourages others in Gothenburg to step up and help fund this great project. The Home Agency is using this opportunity to honor the memory of Gothenburg Sergeant Glenn Haas. When completed, the YMCA will feature a tribute memorializing Sergeant Haas on behalf of the Home Agency. I didnt get to know Mr. Haas very well as he was killed six months after we opened our office in Gothenburg, states Baldonado. His wife, Janet Haas, has been a very important part of our success in Gothenburg and we feel like this is something Janet and her family will be very proud of. Groundbreaking for the $4.95 million project has occurred and completion is scheduled for April 2018. This contribution from The Home Agency moves the fundraising needle past $4.3 million leaving less than $650,000 to fundraise. The YMCA will be connected to Gothenburg Health as part of a joint project featuring a hospital renovation. The Gothenburg YMCA will have year-round recreation opportunities for all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. When complete, the facility will include a high school regulation size gymnasium with two cross-courts; a four-lane swimming pool with space for kids play and physical therapy; an indoor walking track; a wellness center with weights and cardio machines; a spacious group exercise room; mens, womens and family locker rooms; a fun and educational child watch room, and a comfortable social lobby with free Wi-Fi access. In addition to all these planned components, there will be an abundance of educational space which include the potential for mentorship programs, early childhood development, after-school programs and career development opportunities for students; depending on community wants and needs. Ed Gillespie, left, is a Republican running for governor of Virginia. His Democratic rival is Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) When it comes to politicians promising tax cuts, fiscal beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. A Richmond think tank estimated this week that the tax cut promoted by Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie would cost $1.4 billion when fully implemented and would result in only modest savings for middle-income Virginians. That's because the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis rejected some of the revenue assumptions built into Gillespie's plan and used a stricter definition of middle-income. [Gillespie touts income tax cut in first TV ad of his campaign for governor] The left-leaning institute also found that the more modest tax cut floated by Democratic candidate Ralph Northam could drain $381 million from state coffers when fully implemented and could hit local governments to the tune of $254 million. Tax cuts sound good in a campaign platform, but their costs in foregone investment or cuts to public services must also be considered. Failure to do so amounts to basing public policy on nothing more than wishful thinking, the institutes research director, Laura Goren, said in the report. The nonpartisan institute, based in Richmond, focuses on social issues that affect low- and moderate-income people. Its report refused to accept some of the projections in Gillespies plan for a 10 percent across-the-board tax cut; that proposal was written in consultation with the right-leaning Beacon Hill Institute, a Boston think tank. Gillespies plan says the tax cut would take $1.3 billion from projected state revenue growth essentially the same cost identified by the Commonwealth Institute. But the candidate says that would leave enough revenue growth to continue funding obligations such as education and public safety, and he promises to build in triggers that would make the cuts contingent on revenue hitting certain levels. The Commonwealth Institute said such triggers address only when to implement the cuts, not whether they would make fiscal sense, and said there is no way to know how obligations will grow and whether the states anemic revenue flow would be able to absorb such a cut. Gillespie also promised that his cut would lead to $1,285 in additional disposable income for a household of four when fully enacted. Some fellow Republicans, including primary challenger state Sen. Frank W. Wagner (Virginia Beach), have questioned that math, pointing out that its based on an annual household income of $135,000. Average household income in Virginia is about $90,000. Median income the midpoint that some critics call a more meaningful measure because it is not skewed by extremes in wealth or poverty is about $65,000. View Graphic The latest stories and details on the 2017 Virginia general election and race for governor. The Commonwealth Institute brushed off Gillespies income assumption, as well as the idea of basing the projections on macroeconomic stimulus effects that are controversial among economists such as the idea that cuts will lead to more growth that will lead to more revenue. The report also looked at the business and income tax cut proposals of Libertarian Party candidate Cliff Hyra, which go even further. Depending on specifics that the institute said are not clear in Hyras plan, his cuts could carry a price tag of between $3.1 billion and $5.2 billion. Republicans have criticized Northams tax proposal as vague and lacking specifics. [Virginia Republicans to Democrat Ralph Northam: Wheres your tax plan?] The Democrat has called for eliminating the states 2.5 percent grocery tax for low-income people and wants to form a bipartisan commission to study comprehensive tax reform. The institute found that Northams proposal would be difficult to implement because retailers would have to be able to identify low-income customers. Simply eliminating the tax across the board could cost the state and localities nearly $650 million per year. A low-income household would get about $63 in annual savings, and a middle-income household about $136. Rather than look at cuts, the institute suggested considering what might be paid for with that money hiring teachers and substance abuse counselors, assisting with student financial aid, funding local improvement projects and more. Laura Vozzella contributed to this report. Health and Human Services officials have informed grass-roots groups that assist with enrollment under the Affordable Care Act that their funding will be reduced by as much as 92 percent, a move that could upend outreach efforts across the country. The groups, which fund organizations known as "navigators," had been braced for the cuts since the Trump administration announced two weeks ago that it would shrink overall program funding by 41 percent and slash the department's ACA advertising budget from $100 million to $10 million. At the time of the announcement, HHS officials said the outreach wasted taxpayers' money. But advocates of the navigator program, including congressional Democrats and some Republicans from rural states, said Thursday that the deep cuts would undermine work to help consumers get insurance coverage once open enrollment begins on Nov. 1. And the depth of some funding reductions, which were made official late Wednesday, raised questions about those state programs viability and the fairness of the administrations method for deciding how much money each group gets. There is no way you can run what we had on $328,000, said Sarah Sessoms of Insure Georgia, which was hit with a massive cut from the $2.2 million it received last year. The HHS email notice arrived at 11:53 p.m. Wednesday, and I thought it was disbelief that something had to be wrong. Enroll Michigan executive director Dizzy Warren, whose group serves all of the states 83 counties though a network of more than two dozen groups, is contemplating shutting down within a matter of months now that its $1.2 million grant was slashed to $129,899. As you can imagine, this decimates our entire organization, he wrote in an email. The collective effort there enrolled 16,290 Michiganders in health plans last year. Navigator groups perform a range of services during the ACAs annual enrollment season and throughout the year. They help individuals learn which health plans offered on state and federal insurance exchanges would best suit them, walk consumers through the sign-up process and conduct general outreach to communities about how to obtain coverage under the law. The programs supporters argue that it is particularly critical during the upcoming six-week enrollment period, which is half as long as last year and comes after Republicans high-profile attempt to repeal the 2010 health-care law. I dont know how the people who need this help are going to get it, said Sessoms, adding that Insure Georgia is now exploring its options, including potentially legal ones. [Five governors, friends and foes of ACA, urge Congress to bolster its market] HHS officials in the Trump administration have repeatedly questioned the value of paying navigators. They note that these groups received $62.5 million last year but signed up less than 1 percent of total enrollees. Seventeen of them enrolled less than 100 consumers each, according to the department, at an average cost of nearly $5,000 per enrollee. Navigators have been notified of their awards for the upcoming open enrollment period, HHS spokesman Matt Lloyd, and the next step is for the grantees to work to align their activities to the awarded amount and accept the terms of the contract. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee said in a statement Thursday that the cuts reflected the presidents broader effort to undermine the ACA. This is nothing short of sabotage, Baldwin said. The Trump administration is actively creating chaos and making it harder for Wisconsinites in communities across the state to get covered. Thats just wrong, and it will further destabilize the market and can lead to higher costs for everyone. But some conservatives backed the administrations action. The administration clearly has done a cost-benefit analysis in determining if the money that had been spent on the navigator program produced the needed results, Grace-Marie Turner, president of the Galen Institute, said in an email. Programs were significantly under performing in their cost per enrollee. Although Lloyd said the metric used to determine grant levels was the number of people a group had enrolled in ACA health plans, some organizations that reached past enrollment goals are facing major cuts while others were not touched. The Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved, where officials said all targets had been met, received full funding, as did Planned Parenthood of St. Louis. Yet Karen Pollitz, a senior fellow at the Kaiser Family Foundation, said New Jerseys Center for Family Services had its grant go from $805,000 to $291,000 despite the fact that they exceeded all of their numbers. There doesnt seem to be a pattern, she said. It looks like this could drastically cut back on the availability of in-person assistance in a lot of the heavily impacted states. At the Missouri Association of Area Agencies on Aging, which spread nearly $920,000 in navigator money among seven agencies across the state last year, executive director Catherine Edwards learned early Thursday morning that amount would be cut by 62 percent to just under $350,000. Take Care Utah, a network of nonprofits with roughly 90 navigators, enrollment specialists and insurance brokers, suffered a 61 percent cut, from $740,000 to $289,584. Its director, Randal Serr, noted that Utah had the countrys third-highest increase in federal marketplace enrollment last year, behind Hawaii and South Dakota. We will have to make some tough decisions, theres no way around it, he said in an email. At this point, navigators are scrambling to rework their approach for this falls enrollment period. As recently as May, federal officials had told Edwards that her association in Missouri could expect to receive a similar grant as last year. Having prepared a budget based on its 2016 award, she now is wondering how she can proceed with the digital and social media campaign planned, especially if many individual navigators are at risk of being laid off. At what point does it become ineffective to do any of that? she asked. [A GOP Senate leader calls for bipartisan compromise on ACA marketplaces] Even before the emails began popping up in organizations inboxes, HHSs abrupt announcement about an overall drop in funding had created havoc for enrollment helpers around the country. It came at the exact time of year when their work becomes intense, ramping up for the always feverish enrollment season, and left them with no money to spend during the first two weeks of September because their previous grants had expired as of Sept. 1. According to notices sent to organizations late Wednesday, these groups now have just two weeks to send HHS a revised budget and work plan, which federal officials then must approve. They will be allowed to use 10 percent of their award to cover costs they have incurred since Sept. 2, and the reimbursement will be restricted to certain expenses. HHS informed recipients that their award figures are considered private and confidential and should not be shared. In addition to enrolling consumers, navigators typically advise consumers on how to provide proof of health coverage when filing their taxes; how to find a primary doctor and how to address issues related to premium payments and insurance billing. They also work with employers on fulfilling their obligations under the ACA. They dont count all the other ways we help people, Serr emailed from Utah. This is completely a political decision, and not a decision made by people who do this for a living. While congressional Democrats have been most critical of the administrations plan to cut navigator cuts, some GOP officials have warned it could hurt their constituents as well. Lori Wing-Heier, director of the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Developments insurance division, testified on Capitol Hill last week that in some remote parts of the state theres not an insurance broker or a consultant to be found. We are very concerned that it will have a major impact on our enrollment, Wing-Heier told the Senate hearing. This would be devastating, to our population. Funding for the states two navigator groups, Alaska Primary Care Association and United Way of Anchorage, were cut by 24 percent and 27 percent, respectively. Houston police officers watch a flyover during the funeral for Houston Police Sgt. Steve Perez on Wednesday. Perez drowned last month after being trapped in Hurricane Harvey-related flooding while driving to work. (David J. Phillip/AP) WASHINGTON School shooting leaves 1 dead, 3 wounded A student carrying two guns opened fire at his high school near Spokane, Wash., Wednesday, killing one classmate and injuring three others before he was apprehended by a staff member, the local sheriff said. The slain student was trying to persuade the shooter, whose first gun had jammed, not to carry out the morning rampage when he was shot dead, Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich told reporters. The gunman then fired on three other students in a second-floor hallway of Freeman High School in Rockford, Wash., Knezovich said. The surviving victims, who were in their midteens, were listed in stable condition, a hospital said. Knezovich declined to identify the suspect or discuss what may have motivated the gun violence in detail. Reuters OHIO State performs second execution for 2017 Ohio put to death a double murderer on Wednesday, its second execution in 2017 after a three-year hiatus because of legal challenges and difficulties obtaining lethal injection drugs. Gary Otte, 45, who was found guilty of shooting a man and a woman in the head at a suburban Cleveland apartment complex in 1992, died at 10:54 a.m. by injection at a prison in Lucasville, Ohio, prison officials said. Ottes appeal for a stay on the grounds that it is unconstitutional to execute inmates who were younger than 21 at the time of their crimes was denied by the Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday morning. The U.S. Supreme Court previously outlawed executions for those under 18 at the time of their crimes. Otte was convicted of shooting Robert Wasikowski, 61, on Feb. 12, 1992, and Sharon Kostura, 45, the following day. Otte stole $413 from Wasikowski and $45, a car and a checkbook from Kostura, according to court documents. Reuters NEW JERSEY 3 officers arrested for hazing colleagues Three U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers were arrested Wednesday after allegedly using a rape table to haze two of their male colleagues at Newark Liberty International Airport, federal prosecutors said. The officers Tito Catota, 38, of Lyndhurst, N.J.; Parmenio Perez, 40, of Hawthorne, N.J.; and Michael Papagni, 32, of Staten Island, N.Y. made their initial court appearances Wednesday afternoon and were released on bond. They were charged with forcibly assaulting, impeding, intimidating and interfering with the two victims. The three indicted officers were members of a unit responsible for identifying dangerous contraband and threats to national security, acting U.S. attorney William Fitzpatrick said. They were on duty when the alleged attacks occurred, he said. Associated Press 15 Marines hurt in training accident: An amphibious vehicle caught fire during a training exercise at a Southern California base Wednesday and 15 Marines were taken to area hospitals, including several with serious injuries, military officials said. Marine 1st Lt. Paul Gainey told the Associated Press that at about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, an amphibious assault vehicle caught fire while the Marines were conducting a battalion training exercise on a beach at the base, north of San Diego. Former prison guard sentenced: A former guard at New York's Rikers Island jail was sentenced to 30 years in prison Wednesday for violating the civil rights of a restrained, ailing inmate when he kicked him to death outside a jail doctor's office. Brian Coll, of Smithtown, N.Y., was convicted in the December 2012 death of Ronald Spear, 52. He was pinned by other guards while Coll kicked him, causing brain bleeding, evidence showed. Coll also was convicted of obstruction of justice, falsifying records and conspiring to cover up the beating. New Jersey votes to return schools control to Newark: Newark, New Jersey's largest city, is regaining control of its public schools after 22 years of state oversight. The New Jersey Board of Education voted Wednesday to return control of the schools with more than 35,000 students, nj.com reported. The state has controlled Newark's public schools since 1995 because of academic underperformance and management and budget issues. From news services Deanna Rose Gubser-Bell Cox, 61, of Carthage, Mo., died Monday, Sept. 4, 2017, at Mercy Hospital in Joplin, Mo. It was Deannas wishes for cremation. The family has honored those wishes. There will be no visitation. A Memorial Celebration of Life will be Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. at the Reynolds-Love Funeral Chapel in Lexington with Pastor Jerry White officiating. Inurnment will be in the Greenwood Cemetery at Lexington. It was Deannas wishes for cremation. The family has honored those wishes. There will be no visitation. A Memorial Celebration of Life will be Saturday, Sept. 23, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. at the Reynolds-Love Funeral Chapel in Lexington with Pastor Jerry White officiating. Inurnment will be in the Greenwood Cemetery at Lexington. Deanna was born March 25, 1956, in Lexington, to Frank V. and Marilyn Kay (Fellers) Gubser. She lived most of her life in California where she attended school and graduated from Napa Valley High School in 1974, in Napa Valley, Calif. During her high school years she always had a lot of friends. There were many sleep overs, and the house always smelled of homemade pizza. She was always a bright star in her mothers life. They shared many good talks, happy memories, and funny stories. Deanna was united in marriage to Michael Bell on April 6, 1991. Two sons were born to this marriage, James Robert Bell and William Michael Bell. She became disabled from many health issues. But, but this never kept her down. She reached out daily to friends and relatives with her phone, and through Facebook. She brought a smile to so many. They could feel her warmth and caring through their phone conversations. She always remembered everyones birthday, or anniversary. Her doctors and nurses said it was a pleasure to take care of her. She made them laugh all the time, even though she was very sick. Deanna adored her sons, her extended family, and many friends. Her family wishes to thank everyone who sent cards, have given gifts of food, placed encouraging phone calls, offered prayers, as these sustained her during the past months and were so appreciated more than words can express. She is survived by her sons; James (Courtney) Bell of Irving, Texas, and William Bell of Joplin, Mo.; four grandsons, Tony, Hayden, Gabriel, and Christopher, her mother and stepfather, Marilyn Kay (Don) White of Elwood; father and stepmother, Frank (Carolyn) Gubser of Irving, Texas; stepbrothers and stepsisters, Richard Gubser of Irving, Texas, Elizabeth Torres of Irving, Texas, Jerry (June) White of Jewell, Kan., Mark White of Cozad, Mike (Karen) White of Elwood, Wes and Jullie Poggendorf of Elwood and Walt (Lorrie) Kerbel of Stratton. She is also survived by many cousins, extended family and a host of friends. Deanna was preceded in death by her stepbrother, Steve White; grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation. Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington is assisting the family with arrangements. To share online condolences, please visit: reynoldslovefuneralhome.com. Kiran Raj was senior counsel to the deputy attorney general at the Justice Department from 2013 to 2016 and deputy general counsel of the Department of Homeland Security from 2016 to 2017. He is now a partner at OMelveny & Myers. Paul OBrien was deputy assistant attorney general for the Justice Departments Criminal Division from 2012 to 2016. Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently announced that the Justice Department would review his agency's media guidelines, reportedly looking to make it easier to obtain information from members of the media in leak investigations. This includes more aggressively going after unauthorized disclosures of classified information. Such a move is unnecessary for successful prosecutions, and it could have long-term negative consequences on the free press. Federal prosecutors and agents have an obligation to aggressively pursue the unlawful disclosure of classified information even if the disclosure is made to a journalist. But when the governments interest in identifying leakers conflicts with journalists need to protect their sources, the government must carefully balance both its interest in delivering justice as well as the legitimate and crucial newsgathering function of the media. Striking that delicate balance is not easy. We should know this was the task we undertook at the Justice Department from 2013 to 2015. We led a team that, after a nearly two-year review, updated the departments media guidelines to allow prosecutors to do their jobs effectively while simultaneously safeguarding the free press and its role in government accountability. We are confident we developed a process that respects the concerns of journalists while allowing prosecutors to investigate national security concerns. Indeed, our review included input from stakeholders both inside and outside the department, including career prosecutors and representatives of the news media. The changes to the media guidelines we implemented in 2015 were long- overdue. The Justice Department last made major revisions in 1980 after the Supreme Court upheld the government's power to execute a warrant on a newspaper. Indeed, the debate over the department's subpoena of Associated Press phone records prompted President Barack Obama in 2013 to ask Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. to review the media guidelines. The resulting changes we made were both significant and necessary. The new policy expressly stated that a member of the news media will be notified before the department uses legal process such as subpoenas and warrants to obtain records, unless the attorney general determines that such notice would pose a substantial threat to an investigation's integrity, risk grave harm to national security or present an imminent risk of death or serious bodily harm. Even if the attorney general makes that determination, notice can be delayed for only 90 days a rule intended to recognize that news media records should be sought only as a last resort. The guidelines also added higher-level approvals and reviews of legal process served on the media. Senior Justice leaders including the chief privacy and civil liberties officer and the director of the Office of Public Affairs now must pressure-test the necessity of issuing subpoenas for journalists records, assuring that the entire department leadership has considered both the need and the potential harm before any subpoena is issued. In some cases, the revisions made it easier on prosecutors. For example, the guidelines do not apply if there is reason to believe that an individual or entity is working for a foreign power or providing material support for a terrorist organization. In such rare instances, the individuals or entities in question do not deserve the protection we afford to members of the news media. The department also improved transparency by committing to release statistical data on an annual basis regarding the use of media-related process. The current media guidelines reflect the belief that there are tough choices to make among oft-competing values. The updated guidelines ensure that any attempt to obtain information from journalists in significant leak investigations occurs in extreme cases where all other reasonable options have failed. At the conclusion of our review, we were gratified that the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press issued a statement to welcome the changes and praise the process by which we arrived at our revisions. Sessions is well within his authority to order another review of the media guidelines, but it is difficult to see a legitimate need for additional changes. If the department does move forward with a review, any changes should include discussions with key stakeholders, including members of the news media. In any case, Sessions must work to preserve the departments long-standing respect for freedom of the press. JUST DAYS after a woman walked out of a D.C. courtroom after being charged with dousing a Metrobus driver with a cup of urine, another driver was spat on by a passenger. The incidents are among a rising number of assaults on Metrobus operators that have raised questions about whether enough is being done to combat the problem. The issue demands attention because an assault on a bus driver puts not only the victim at risk but also everyone else on the bus. Last month's incident in which 38-year-old Opal Brown allegedly hurled urine at a driver who told her to have a good day got much publicity because the nature of the assault was so unusual and so vile. Unfortunately, though, it is not uncommon for drivers to come under attack, including being spat on, slapped, pelted with food, struck with objects, pepper-sprayed and even stabbed. So far this year, Metro authorities have recorded 58 incidents in which a Metrobus operator was assaulted, compared with 48 for the same period last year. A federal review of the issue in 2015 prompted Metro to implement a number of changes, including installation on buses of clear plastic guards to try to shield drivers, training to help drivers de-escalate situations and assigning transit police to troubled routes, mainly in the District. But this year's 21 percent increase in assaults on drivers at a time when overall crime on Metro is down 20 percent has prompted discussion about what else should be done. Metro officials believe that one avenue that should be pursued is legislation to stiffen the penalties for attacks on front-line transit operators. They see the misdemeanor charge of simple assault against Ms. Brown as insufficient, minimizing the harm done and the risk that was posed to passengers on the bus. They point to jurisdictions such as New York City, where assaults on front-line transit operators are classified as felonies, punishable by as much as seven years in prison. The maximum penalty for Ms. Brown, if she is convicted and if prosecutors seek an enhancement at sentencing, would be 270 days in jail. It also rankled Metro officials that prosecutors sought a court order that barred Ms. Brown, who has pleaded not guilty, from only one bus route rather than the entire system. Would stiffer charges be an effective deterrent? Should Metro have the ability, as do other transit agencies (including Ride On in Montgomery County), to temporarily bar individuals who are convicted of repeat offenses of certain crimes? Metro tried to broach these ideas with members of the D.C. Council about two years ago, but there was no interest even in holding hearings. Metro officials want to revisit that decision, and its important that they be heard. Columnist When Bernie Sanders launched his bid for the Democratic nomination, he was often asked whether he, a democratic socialist, would actually become a Democrat. Now, more than a year after he ignited a movement with his unsuccessful bid, that question is moot. The Democrats have become socialists. This became official, more or less, Wednesday afternoon, when Sanders rolled out his socialized health-care plan, Medicare for All, and he was supported by 16 of his Senate Democratic colleagues who signed on as co-sponsors, including the partys rising stars and potential presidential candidates in 2020: Elizabeth Warren. Cory Booker. Kamala Harris. Kirsten Gillibrand. Several of them dutifully joined Sanders, who is threatening another presidential run himself, at the rollout event in one of the largest hearing rooms on Capitol Hill and praised the guru of the single-payer movement for government-run universal health care. Im all in on this. Thank you, Bernie, said Sen. Jeff Merkley (Ore.). Gillibrand (N.Y.): I will be standing with Bernie. Warren (Mass.): I want to say thank you to Bernie for all that you have done. The reason we have a chance to achieve single-payer health care, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), is because of advocates like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. This is a dramatic shift. In 2013, when Sanders introduced similar legislation, he didnt have a single co-sponsor. By contrast, you could have been forgiven for thinking Wednesdays rollout, with Sanders, Warren, Booker, Harris and Gillibrand testing their messages, was the first Democratic cattle call of the 2020 campaign. There were a couple hundred liberal activists in the room (many of them veterans of the Sanders campaign and a few wearing Join the Political Revolution Sanders T-shirts) and another 50 in an overflow room. This embrace of an unabashedly socialist position by the Democrats delights nobody more than the original socialists, the Democratic Socialists of America. David Duhalde, the groups deputy director, was one of the first in line for the event, carrying a Medicare-for-All sign. Socialism has been most successful in this country when its ideas have been adopted by other parties, he said, listing the enactment of labor laws, Social Security and Medicare. But this is a high water mark, he said. In the short term, Ive argued, this development is a bad thing for Democrats. The nations focus has been on divisions among Republicans and their inability to enact any sort of agenda under President Trump. The single-payer issue highlights Democratic divisions and united Republicans. Notably, only one Democrat who faces a competitive reelection, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (Wis.), signed on with Sanders. The socialized-medicine bill is popular with the Democratic base but is a liability for Democratic candidates in the swing districts and Republican states that Democrats need to win to retake the House and Senate. The divisions were on display Wednesday: As Harris spoke, a member of the left-wing group Code Pink held up a large cutout of the head of Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who is up for reelection and doesnt support the Sanders bill. Beneath Feinsteins photo were the words Healthcare Denier. (Luckily for Democrats, Sanders told The Washington Posts David Weigel that he doesnt plan to make the issue a litmus test.) The Republican National Committee, seizing the rare opportunity to play offense, sent out a news release and a video attacking the plan: Legislation does NOT include how to pay for the $32 trillion program. . . Plans of 156M(!!) Americans would be upended. And Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), announcing yet another attempt at repealing Obamacare on Wednesday, tried to use the Sanders plan to revive the moribund effort. He said his bill was Republicans best and only chance to prevent single-payer health care. Its not hard to see Grahams prophecy coming true over time, particularly if Republicans, unable to replace Obamacare, continue to sabotage the program and let it fall apart, leaving millions without health care. Republicans have another problem fighting single-payer care now. Because they called Obamacare socialized medicine, even though its a market-based plan, they have nothing worse to fire at Democrats for embracing the real thing. Sanders lost the nomination battle to Hillary Clinton (who favored a more incremental approach to health care and gives the single-payer debate little mention in her new book about the campaign). But he seems to be winning the war over the direction of the Democratic agenda. Sanders now has 35 percent of the Senate Democratic Caucus, and some of the biggest names in the party, embracing his call. So when he predicts, as he did Wednesday, that this nation, sooner than people believe, will in fact pass a Medicare-for-All, single-payer system, it doesnt sound as crazy as it once did. Twitter: @Milbank Read more from Dana Milbank's archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. James G. Stavridis was the 16th supreme allied commander at NATO and is dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Johan Bergenas is senior director for public policy at Vulcan Inc. Lawmakers are finally catching up to something that the Navy and Coast Guard have known for a long time: The escalating conflict over fishing could lead to a "global fish war." This week, as part of the pending National Defense Authorization Act, Congress asked the Navy to help fight illegal fishing. This is an important step. Greater military and diplomatic efforts must follow. Indeed, history is full of natural-resource wars, including over sugar, spices, textiles, minerals, opium and oil. Looking at current dynamics, fish scarcity could be the next catalyst. The decline in nearly half of global fish stocks in recent decades is a growing and existential threat to roughly 1 billion people around the world who rely on seafood as their primary source of protein. No other country is more concerned about the increasingly empty oceans than China, whose people eat twice as much fish as the global average. Beijing is also the world's largest exporter of fish, with 14 million fishers in a sector producing billions of dollars a year. In order to keep its people fed and employed, the Chinese government provides hundreds of millions of dollars a year in subsidies to its distant-water fishing fleet. And in the South China Sea, it is common for its ships to receive Chinese Coast Guard escorts when illegally entering other countries' fishing waters. As such, the Chinese government is directly enabling and militarizing the worldwide robbing of ocean resources. The deployment of both hard and soft power to acquire natural resources is nothing short of hybrid warfare. Countries on the receiving end of Chinese actions are responding in kind: Indonesia has blown up hundreds of vessels fishing in their waters illegally; Argentina sank a Chinese vessel illegally fishing in its waters last year; and South Africa continues to clash with Beijing over fishing practices. Recently, Ecuador summoned the Chinese ambassador to condemn China's fishing in Ecuadoran maritime territory following the seizure of 300 tons of illegally sourced fish. The United States could be next. Chinese vessels are increasingly fishing near our waters and are seeking to expand their footprint in the Caribbean. U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Jay Caputo recently underscored this point: "It is imperative that the Coast Guard be prepared for when the Chinese fishing militia approaches the U.S. [exclusive economic zone]." Emptier oceans also lead to increased transnational crimes. The commander of the Navy's 5th Fleet noted this year that "out-of-work fishermen" are often involved in weapons smuggling for countries such as Iran. Drug traffickers also use fishing vessels around the world, including U.S. waters. This summer in Miami, U.S. Customs and Border Protection interdicted a fishing vessel from the Bahamas carrying 150 pounds of cocaine. These practices are rampant in Central and South America. Dozens of international treaties govern the protection of marine resources, but significant enforcement gaps exist that substantially reduce their effectiveness. The U.S. Navy is better suited to help close this gap than any other institution in the world. And while the Navy already recognized in its 2015 strategic blueprint that combating illegal fishing is part of its mission, the recent congressional action provides an opportunity for the Navy and partners to increase its role. To that end, the Navy should expand its partnership with the Coast Guard through the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative, which allows both military branches to enforce fisheries laws, combat transnational organized crime and enhance regional security in the Central and South Pacific. This program should be replicated in other ocean territories. The United States can also revitalize efforts by including fighting illegal fishing as part of the mission of the Combined Maritime Forces, a voluntary maritime security initiative with 32 member nations that operates to combat terrorism and piracy and provide overall maritime security. Fighting illegal fishing is not part of the group's mission, but in light of the geostrategic challenges associated with it today, member countries should reconsider its inclusion. Diplomatic efforts must be increased as well, starting with elevating environmental-crime issues, such as illegal fishing, within the U.S. government. President Trump began that process this year by incorporating wildlife crime as part of an executive order on combating transnational organized crime. Trump should also recognize illegal fishing as a direct threat to U.S. interests in his National Security Strategy this fall. Coupled with the congressional defense authorization, this would send a strong message to countries and criminals that the pillaging of our oceans is a serious threat to the United States one that we must confront. ON WEDNESDAY, the Senate did what it had previously failed to do for the past decade and a half: vote on authorizing the use of force against U.S. enemies. The proposal to withdraw congressional authorization for U.S. military operations abroad failed as it should have. But the debate was an important first step toward the legislative branch's taking responsibility for the nation's wars. The deployment of U.S. forces abroad has long been authorized under two statutes: one giving approval to efforts in Iraq, and one to military operations against al-Qaeda, the Taliban and their associated forces. Two presidencies and more than 15 years later, the shape of the battle against terrorism has changed but the legal authorization hasn't. An effort by President Barack Obama to gain explicit congressional approval for efforts against the Islamic State went nowhere. Congress was all too happy to keep its hands clean, while the administration tried to have its cake and eat it too by arguing that it already had the authority to battle the Islamic State under the 2001 authorization of military force (AUMF) against al-Qaeda. The amendment voted down by the Senate on Wednesday would have solved none of these problems. Sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a longtime critic of U.S. efforts abroad, it called for the repeal of the 2001 AUMF and the 2002 authorization of force in Iraq on a six-month delay. While the amendments supporters argued that the ticking clock would have forced lawmakers to collaborate in drafting an improved, revised AUMF, theres no guarantee that a gridlocked Congress would have been able to produce a bill in time. And stripping away congressional authorization without a replacement would have hampered the executive branchs ability to prosecute an ongoing conflict or led to a concerning expansion of presidential power if the Trump administration sought to continue counterterrorism efforts in the absence of Congresss blessing. So it's good news that Mr. Paul's amendment to the annual defense spending bill failed. But it's also good news that it reached the Senate floor and garnered as many votes as it did including from Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who proposed a revised AUMF with Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) this year. Notably, several of the senators who voted against the amendment among them Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) indicated that they supported AUMF reform but were unwilling to risk withdrawing the authorization without a replacement in hand. The debate and vote showed a welcome willingness on the part of the Senate to finally shoulder its duty of oversight. The Senate must now do the hard work of following through particularly the Foreign Relations Committee, which Mr. Kaine has asked to take up the debate. Mr. Kaine and Mr. Flake's draft AUMF provides a place from which the committee can begin its work. Now that the vote on Mr. Paul's amendment has opened the door for a bipartisan effort to reform the authorization, there is no excuse not to walk through it. Columnist It is neither paranoid nor alarmist to begin asking if the Trump administration plans to rationalize blocking a large number of voters who oppose the president from casting ballots in 2018 and 2020. And it is imperative that the civic-minded of all parties demand the disbanding of a government commission whose very existence is based on a lie. The lying doesn't stop. Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state, is vice chairman of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. Its name reminds us why the adjective "Orwellian" was invented. Kobach chose to use a meeting of the commission held in New Hampshire on Tuesday to continue to cast doubt on the state's election results even after his charges of voter fraud had fallen apart. It was an object lesson into how Trumpists will twist, cook and distort facts about voting to manufacture numbers that sound ominous but vanish into the ether as soon as theyre examined. That Kobach had initially made his case on Breitbart, the right-wing website, is a sign that the man in charge of what is supposed to be a sober inquiry is simply a propagandist. (Vice President Pence is the nominal chair of the commission, but he has a few other things to do.) Heres how Kobach confected his Breitbart tale. New Hampshire allows would-be voters to register on Election Day. Kobach noted that 6,540 same-day registrants used out-of-state drivers licenses to verify their identity. This is perfectly legal under New Hampshire law, but Kobach's "aha!" moment was to reveal that "nearly ten months after the election" (the damning italics are his), only 1,227 of the 6,540 had either obtained New Hampshire driver's licenses or registered a vehicle. Ergo, Kobach concluded of the remainder, "It seems that they never were bona fide residents of the state." And then he took several more leaps. First he labeled the 5,313 as fraudulent votes. Then he noted that Democrat Maggie Hassan defeated then-incumbent Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte by 1,017 votes. His explosive claim: If 59.2 percent or more of these fake voters went for Hassan, the election was stolen through voter fraud. Yes, he wrote stolen. Kobach pegged Hillary Clintons margin over Donald Trump in the state at 2,732, so by his reckoning, she could have been put over the top if 74.8 percent of these alleged fraudsters went her way. It all sounds nice and scientific. Here's the problem: Backed by other election law specialists, New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner, a Democratic member of the commission, noted that Kobach simply ignored what the state's election law actually says. It allows voting by those "domiciled" in the state people who spend most of their nights in New Hampshire and not just "residents." Yes, they can vote even if they have driver's licenses from other states. This category includes college students, and New Hampshire Public Radio found that the highest rates of voting using out-of-state IDs occurred in college towns. So Kobach's charges of fraud are themselves fraudulent, but he can't seem to admit outright that he was simply wrong. Instead, sounding like a novelist, he said at the commission meeting Tuesday that he might not have found "the right word" to describe the situation. He asked plaintively "if it's possible to condense a complex legal issue into an 800-word column." Such after-the-fact humility doesnt explain his willingness to shoot first and check the facts later, or why he was still questioning the 2016 result. Absent more data, he said, we will never know the answer regarding the legitimacy of this particular election. But we do know the answer. It was legitimate. We also know the answer to the question about the existence of in-person voter fraud: There is almost none of it. This is true despite Trump's groundless post-election claim that 3 million to 5 million illegal votes were cast in 2016. When he could not produce a shred of evidence, he named a commission that would concoct some. We should, indeed, be discussing ways of making our elections much better. We could build on the 2014 report from a genuinely bipartisan commission led by two battle-hardened election lawyers, Republican Ben Ginsberg and Democrat Bob Bauer. Kobachs commission, however, is just looking for ways to justify new barriers to voting by groups (those students, for example) not inclined to support Trump, and it doesnt care what the facts are. We do not need an official government body whose job is to spin fictional horror stories. Read more from E.J. Dionne's archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. President Trump meets with a bipartisan group of members of Congress, including Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Tom Reed, at the White House Wednesday. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) President Trump on Wednesday vowed not to cut taxes for the wealthy, extolled the virtues of bipartisanship as leading to some of the greatest legislation ever passed and then in a surprise move announced deep into the night agreed to cut a deal with Democrats saving hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants from deportation. That Trump did all of that while declaring himself a conservative only heightened the sense of surrealism that has wafted through the nations capital over the past eight days, as the president has expressed a newfound, if tentative, willingness to work across the aisle a development that has left many Republicans chagrined and some Democrats cautiously optimistic. Trumps outreach suggested that an unexpected deal he reached last week with Democrats may not have been an aberration. This weeks effort began Tuesday at a bipartisan White House dinner with senators and proceeded to a gathering of House Democrats and Republicans on Wednesday afternoon. It was finally capped off Wednesday night by a presidential meal with the nations two top Democrats, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), during which they reached the contours of an immigration deal and discussed Beijing trade issues over a menu of Chinese cuisine. Calling the dinner very productive, Schumer and Pelosi said in a statement late Wednesday that Trump had agreed to enshrine the protections of a Barack Obama-era executive order into law quickly, protecting about 700,000 illegal immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. They would also work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, thats acceptable to both sides, the statement said. In a separate statement, the White House said the gathering was constructive and that it focused on immigration, infrastructure and trade. Bottom line: There really is a new strategy coming out of the White House, said Rep. Henry Cuellar, a moderate Texas Democrat who had turned down previous White House invites but decided to attend Wednesdays afternoon session. He meets with the bipartisan senators last night. He meets with us. He meets with Pelosi and Schumer today. There is a new strategy in place. Rep. Tom Reed (R-N.Y.), a Trump supporter who also attended the afternoon gathering, said the president has seen the theater up here and learned the lesson: Extremes on both the right and left are problematic to getting his agenda accomplished. You cant run a partisan bill to the finish line, so he knows he has to have his Plan B ready. After eight months of pursuing a mostly hard-right, pro-Republican agenda with limited success, Trump is flirting with fulfilling his campaign promises to govern as a bipartisan dealmaker including the possibility of legalizing thousands of undocumented immigrants after running stridently against the idea as a candidate. Trump could also be signaling the return of a recently bygone era when lawmakers of both parties dining and working with the president was hardly abnormal. But, then, these are not normal times. Its up is down and down is up, said Jim Manley, a Democrat and former longtime Senate aide. No doubt about it. Last Wednesday, Trump shocked and angered Republican leaders by agreeing with Schumer and Pelosi to provide Hurricane Harvey relief while raising the federal borrowing limit and funding the government through December. Then came Tuesdays bipartisan dinner for senators, which included talk of infrastructure projects and featured three Democrats up for reelection in 2018 in states that Trump carried: Sens. Joe Donnelly (Ind.), Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.) and Joe Manchin III (W.Va.). After the afternoon meeting, several House Democrats expressed hope that they can work with the president. He was very explicit in saying that there would be no tax cut in this package for the wealthy, said Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), referring to a pledge by Trump on Wednesday that would mark a notable departure from his previous proposals. At one point, he said they may have to pay a little more. Still, Trump has done little to reach out to Democrats until the past week and has often openly derided them and Obama. Trump has begun dismantling Obama-era regulations and protections on issues including health care, labor and the environment. Last week, he also rescinded protections for 700,000 young undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children and known as dreamers the same group he now says he wants to protect. Even on Wednesday, as the president played host to two bipartisan meetings, Trump and his team continued to equivocate. He expressed support for another Republican health-care plan spearheaded by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) aimed at sharply curtailing Medicaid and other parts of the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare. In her daily press briefing, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders argued that Trump is always working on behalf of Republicans. "The president is the leader of the Republican Party and was elected by Republicans," Sanders said. "He beat out 16 other candidates to take that mantle on. And certainly I think one of the strongest voices. And so the idea that the Republican Party ideas are not represented in that room is just ridiculous." Trump's reasons for engaging with lawmakers beyond the Republican leadership is deeply shaped by his experience on health-care legislation, which has so far stalled in the Senate after months of fits and starts, according to two people familiar with the issue who have spoken with him recently. Trump remains unhappy with GOP leaders for promising success earlier in the year, only to see the effort fall apart, said the people, who insisted on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly. Trump now believes that Republicans who control both the House and the Senate cannot be trusted to carry bills to passage by themselves and views it as his burden to create a better environment for his legislative agenda to garner support. What matters to him, one Republican lawmaker said, is putting wins on the board not the specifics. Instead of relentlessly courting members of the conservative, and often intractable, House Freedom Caucus, as he did on health care, Trump wants them to feel the burn a little bit, the lawmaker added, framing the new outreach as Trumps way of reminding conservatives in both chambers that he likes them but does not need them. Theyre not the only player hes willing to play with, said Michael Steele, the former Republican National Committee chairman. Hes saying to them, Ill be a free-range president. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who attended Tuesday's dinner, said jump-starting talks on tax cuts and other potential changes remains at the top of Trump's agenda. He said Trump wants to focus cuts on brackets that affect middle-class people. "Let's face it: If you want tax reform, you want to avoid pitfalls that make it impossible," Johnson said of Trump's approach on this priority. "Selling tax cuts for the wealthy is pretty impossible." "What I saw from the president was a genuine process to find bipartisan agreement on taxes and infrastructure," Johnson added. "My guess is some Democrats definitely agree with him." Manchin said the Tuesday dinner was a very good, productive meeting and said he believes the president, who was once a registered Democrat, is simply entering his legislative comfort zone. The president seemed more at ease, more comfortable, talking about finding a bipartisan solution than trying to have to defend a rigid, one-side-only works, Manchin said. I think hes able to approach legislation in a total sphere, not just one side. Moderate Republicans, in particular, have cheered this development, after long feeling sidelined inside the House as Freedom Caucus members and other conservatives have rebelled against their partys leadership. Trump's conservative critics, however, said his latest gestures reflect his liberal instincts on some issues and his intense desire for popularity. "He's always had that itch to liberate himself from the Republican Party," said William Kristol, a Trump critic and editor at large of the Weekly Standard magazine. "He ran against it in 2015 and 2016, and has attacked it in 2017. He wants to win and doesn't care about the substance of winning." Kristol added, "Democratic voters may loathe Trump, but he could conceivably give them lots of policy victories." Democrats say they are focused only on working with the president on areas where they believe they can get what they want in terms of their priorities, including protections for the dreamers and federal health-care subsidies for Obamacare. They have vowed not to trade dreamer protections for Trumps long-promised wall at the southern border and in recent days the White House has indicated the two issues do not have to be linked. On other issues and with this president, many Democrats remain wary. Donnelly, despite being wooed by Trump and up for reelection next year, said he feels no pressure to vote for the Republican tax plan if he thinks its a bad deal. If the tax package makes sense, Ill support, Donnelly said. If not, Ill pass. The halting forays into bipartisanship have proved a new experience for many. At Tuesdays dinner, Manchin was presented with yet another surprise in a week full of them: an apple strudel topped with what looked to be a delicate white egg. Im thinking, Boy, what do I do with this? Manchin said. But Im thinking, When in Rome, so I take a bite, and, lo and behold, its ice cream. Such is the dilemma facing Democrats in this moment of Trumpian outreach: The perks are enticing, but they are not entirely sure what theyre dipping their spoon into. Donnelly, however, said he had no doubt. I knew it was ice cream from the start, he said. Mike DeBonis, Ed OKeefe and David Nakamura contributed to this report. Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.) is perhaps best known for earning his seat in Congress in 2014 by defeating then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. What some may have forgotten is that the stunning upset came not long after Cantor uttered these words in a 2013 speech about the KIDS Act, legislation he had introduced to provide legal status for undocumented immigrants: "We ought to have the compassion to say these kids shouldn't be kids without a country." President Trump, meet Eric Cantor. They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own brought in by parents at young age, the president tweeted Thursday morning. He was trying to explain his effort to seek a deal with Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) over the legislative framework to protect about 700,000 people benefiting from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an executive action President Obama took in 2012 to grant these individuals legal status. Trump, still on Twitter, touted these immigrants as good, educated and accomplished young people. After running a nativist presidential campaign anchored around a pledge to build a wall along the Mexican border, Trump is now touting a position that is squarely in line with what establishment Republicans have been pushing for several years allowing the most sympathetic among undocumented immigrants to receive at least permanent legal status. But dont expect a clear reaction from the right wing of the GOP nor a clean picture of whether this helps or hurts the disrupter in chief. Brat, for instance, was flummoxed by Trumps move. He had blasted Cantors plan as a version of amnesty. Co-sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), the Judiciary Committee chairman, the legislation had proposed granting legal status but not full citizenship. Trumps initial comments suggested that he would back at least that much. But on Thursday, Brat said he needed to know more. Was Trump advocating amnesty? Brat paused for four seconds, then started to talk, then stopped, then started again. Theres no good answer I can give you to what theyve been talking about, he said, requesting to know more details. Youd have to give me what is it? before I elaborate. But the presidents moves confounded many other Republicans, with few sure what his final position might be and many uneasy about disagreeing with Trump or crossing an electorate that has remained steadfastly loyal through his first eight months in office. Throughout a hectic day, Trump went back and forth about what he would demand before finalizing a deal with Schumer and Pelosi. At times, his aides agreed with Pelosis assertion that DACA beneficiaries would have a path to full citizenship, but then Trump told White House reporters traveling with him to Florida that he supported only legal status. And back in Washington, the president told reporters that he would not agree to a deal unless it included very heavy security at the border. Either way, Trump embraced the central tenet of a policy proposal that Cantors opponent dubbed amnesty back in 2014: some form of permanent, legal status for dreamers. That position by Cantor galvanized some of the activists who would go on to become Trumps most outspoken supporters. Once Cantor lost, talks on a broader bipartisan immigration bill imploded as Republicans retreated out of fear of facing a similar conservative backlash in their own primaries. The question now is whether Trump who until now has retained a deep reservoir of support among conservatives can actually be enough of a salesman to douse the flames of what has been the most divisive domestic policy issue for Republicans over the past decade. [Conservatives unleash anger over Trumps willingness to pursue deal] House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), whose immigration views have hewed close to establishment Republican orthodoxy, believes that Trump is so popular among conservatives that his support would galvanize the votes needed to pass legislation. Our members support President Trump, Ryan told reporters Thursday at his weekly news conference. The issue is so contentious that, as he locked up enough votes to claim the gavel two years ago, Ryan made a private pledge to conservatives that he would allow a vote on a comprehensive immigration bill only if it attracted majority support within the Republican caucus. Ever since then, only conservative immigration legislation has advanced including a bill Thursday that would allow a crackdown on undocumented immigrants suspected of being in criminal gangs. Rank-and-file Republicans fell all over the map on what Trump was doing. Rep. Bill Flores (R-Texas), who last year chaired the Republican Study Committee, a conservative caucus, suggested that he could support a deal combining tough border security and enshrining DACA into law. Flores does not mind that Trump is willing to punt on funding for a border wall in some future negotiation. We can always come back and revisit the wall later, he told The Posts Mike DeBonis. But Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), a member of the more conservative House Freedom Caucus, said he wanted assurances of funding for the wall, given that it was such a key part of Trumps campaign. Thats clearly the sentiment of his base, Palmer said, noting that it was still Trumps position a week ago. Id be shocked that the president did a deal that there would not be a wall. Brats highest-profile supporter in 2014, conservative radio host Laura Ingraham, was apoplectic Wednesday night as Schumer and Pelosi announced the construct of what they were negotiating with Trump. Ingraham noted that Trump was being praised by David Axelrod, Obama's onetime top political adviser, tweeting: "What does that tell you abt any "deal" cut over #DACA?" But the president tweeted Thursday morning that he wanted a compassionate policy for people who are now in college and serving in the military: "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!" Cantor couldnt have said it better himself. In fact, he did. We want to make sure were compassionate and sensitive to their plight, he said on NBCs Meet the Press in 2013. These kids know no other place as home. Read more from Paul Kane's archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says the tradition of blue slips should not be an opportunity to blackball judicial nominees for appeals courts. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters) The top Republican in the Senate is ready to formally dispense with a long-running practice that gives senators an early chance to block federal judicial nominees who would have jurisdiction over their states at least at the appeals court level. In an interview with the New York Times this week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he wants to get rid of individual senators' power to block nominees to the appeals courts the dozen powerful circuits just one notch below the Supreme Court from being considered. My personal view is that the blue slip, with regard to circuit court appointments, ought to simply be a notification of how youre going to vote, not the opportunity to blackball, Mr. McConnell said on the Times The New Washington podcast, referring to the custom senators from affected states need to sign off on a physical blue slip before a nominee can formally start the congressional vetting process. McConnell did not advocate ending the blue slip process for district court nominees, whose jurisdictions are entirely within one state. Senate Republicans have been hinting for months they may change the blue slip rules if Democrats stood in the way of Trump's nominees. Fairly strict adherence to the blue slip process is one of the reasons the Senate had so much difficulty confirming former president Barack Obama's judicial nominees, leaving the federal bench with over 120 vacancies when President Trump took office. But this is the first time the majority leader has formally endorsed such a change and his comments were met with immediate backlash from his Democratic counterpart. Getting rid of the blue slip would be a mistake, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in an emailed statement. Preserving some of the minoritys power in the Senate has broad support because every one of us knows there are times when well be there. Republicans have already been there. In 2009, Republican senators sent the Obama administration a letter warning him when it comes to the practice of blue slips referred to in the letter as observing senatorial courtesy they as a Conference, expect it to be observed, even-handedly and regardless of party affiliation. But if the GOP makes good on McConnells wishes, it would not be the first time this year Republicans have changed the traditional rules about how judicial nominees are considered. In April, Senate Republicans voted for a rule change to remove the procedural 60-vote threshold necessary for Supreme Court nominees to clear the way for the confirmation of Neil M. Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, over Democratic objections. Republican leaders have been particularly frustrated by Democratic senators recent objections to appellate court judges, the most recent example being Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), who on Tuesday announced he would not return the blue slip for Minnesota Supreme Court Judge David Stras, who had been nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit Court. The 8th Circuit covers Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska. Last week, Oregon Democrats Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden also said they would not return blue slips for prosecutor Ryan Bounds, whom Trump nominated to sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. Democrats complain Trumps nominees are too conservative. But Republicans argue the president should have more latitude to appoint judges to the appeals courts, each of which encompass a more geographically and politically diverse region than the federal district courts. The blue slip consultation process typically grants the President greater deference on circuit court nominees than at the district level, Taylor Foy, a Judiciary Committee spokesman for Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), said in a statement. But, he added, just because the blue slip process isnt absolute for appeals court nominees, it doesnt mean senators shouldnt still be consulted. The blue slip process was always intended to ensure consultation, and Grassley fully expects senators to continue to abide by that tradition, Foy said. Ed OKeefe contributed to this report. Read more at PowerPost President Trumps effort to strike an immigration deal with Democrats attracted cautious support from lawmakers of both parties Thursday even as it prompted a swift backlash from scattered conservatives and an attempt by irritated Republican leaders to reassert their authority. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) dismissed the potential deal negotiated late Wednesday over dinner at the White House between Trump and Capitol Hills top two Democrats as little more than a preliminary discussion and insisted that any agreement must have buy-in from GOP leaders. Yet Ryan agreed in broad terms with the presidents goal of protecting hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants while postponing talk of a border wall but toughening U.S. border security in other ways. If we have the support of President Trump on the kinds of things I just said, getting security and enforcement along with the solution here [for dreamers], that I believe will get a majority of our members, because our members support President Trump, he said. Ryan and his Senate counterpart, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), have been in limbo since Trump turned to Democrats last week, brokering a deal to raise the debt ceiling and fund the government and effectively forcing GOP leaders to the sidelines. Their uncomfortable position was obvious Thursday, when Ryan confirmed that he didnt learn of the potential deal with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) until Thursday morning, when Trump and White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly confirmed it in phone conversations from Air Force One more than 12 hours after the dinner meeting. Ryan stated that any discussion of a Dream Act to protect undocumented immigrants brought into the country as children must originate with House Republicans. There is no agreement, he said at a news conference on Capitol Hill. The president understands he has to work with the congressional majorities to get any kind of legislative solution, he added. McConnell remained noncommittal about a possible deal and put the onus on the White House to come up with a proposal. We look forward to receiving the Trump administrations legislative proposal as we continue our work on these issues, he said in a statement. Despite these comments, many rank-and-file Republicans indicated that they are open to whatever the president supports, particularly if it includes stronger border controls and interior enforcement. I know theres a hue and cry from around the country as relates to what happened last night Im sorry, said Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.). Ive been here 10 years and eight months now, theres been way, way too much gridlock here, and if the president can sit down with leaders of the other party and bring consensus on an issue like he did last night, Im all for it. Yet Trumps unpredictability remained a constant throughout the day, as he repeatedly stated that he wasnt considering allowing dreamers undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children to become citizens. This stance put him at odds with Schumer and Pelosi, who believed he supported the idea. Were not looking at citizenship, Trump told reporters on an airport tarmac in Florida, where he toured relief efforts following Hurricane Irma. Were not looking at amnesty. Were looking at allowing people to stay here. . . . Were talking about taking care of people, people who were brought here, people whove done a good job. [A new strategy for Trump? Democrats cautious but encouraged by fresh outreach.] Schumer said that was not his understanding from the White House dinner the previous evening. There was no debate about that. We discussed the ramifications of the bill and there was no dissent, no oh, we cant support this part or that part. That hasnt changed. No one has said that wont happen, Schumer said. A path to citizenship could complicate the debate for many Republicans, said Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. But most GOP members seemed to adopt a wait-and-see attitude as the White House hammered out its plan. Some Democrats expressed concern about trusting Trump. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) spoke for many Democrats when he urged leaders to proceed with caution. Ive no idea how Donald Trumps brain works. All I know is, hes caused a lot of concern and anxiety among 800,000 people, and weve got to find a way to fix this, McGovern said. I know where his heart is, and its not where mine is. So were all a little bit skeptical because of who he is. When it comes to immigrants, hes not a very nice person. Schumer and Pelosi, however, appeared encouraged by their new position of influence at a time when Republicans control the White House and both houses of Congress. On Thursday morning, an energetic Schumer was caught on a hot mic on the Senate floor reflecting on the previous nights dinner. He likes us, Schumer appeared to say about the president. He likes me, anyway. . . . Heres what I told him: Mr. President, youre much better off if you do one step right, and one step left. If you just step in one direction, youre boxed. He gets that. Schumer said that Democrats should trust that in this case Trump is negotiating in good faith. He said he would do this and I take him at his word that he will, the senator said, adding later: We thought we had an opportunity to get something good and lets see what happens. Were very hopeful that they will keep their word. Specific talks on border security are expected to begin in the coming days, Schumer said. He and Pelosi said border security measures in the final agreement could include drones, sensor technology, road repairs and other strategies that were included in a bipartisan bill in 2013 that instructed federal officials to draft a plan ensuring apprehension of 90 percent of all illegal border-crossers within five years. Some Republicans want tougher immigration enforcement and mandatory use of the E-Verify employment eligibility system as part of a final deal. But even immigration hard-liners such as Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.) seemed open to hearing what the White House comes up with. We want to have compassion for these children. At the same time, the American people need to be brought into this too. What will they get? Barletta asked. He said hes not disappointed in Trump. Hes kept his promises on the campaign trail. I have no reason to believe hes not going to, Barletta said. [Is Trump advocating amnesty? Ask one conservative lawmaker, and watch him squirm.] Hard-line conservatives had initially reacted to Trumps agreement with shock and outrage. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) tweeted Wednesday night that the deal would ensure that Trumps base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. King elaborated Thursday. He hasnt had enough voices reminding him of his campaign promises, and I want to remind him, King said, acknowledging that its harder to resist the president of your own party. Trump said Thursday that he would agree to a deal only if it includes extreme security. We want to get massive border security. And I think that both Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, I think they agree with it, Trump said on the Florida tarmac. Look, 92 percent of the people agree on DACA, but what we want is very, very powerful border security, okay? No matter where the negotiations go in the coming weeks, they will not include serious consideration of a GOP plan to limit legal immigration. The Raise Act, proposed by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.), would halve legal immigration levels over the next decade and cap annual refugee admissions at 50,000. While the bill is popular with Trumps most ardent supporters and conservative lawmakers, it is widely opposed by Democrats and many Republicans, who see it as potentially harmful to the economy and a break with decades of American tradition. Trump supports the measure, but he agreed Wednesday not to include it as part of any Dream Act agreement, according to multiple people familiar with the meeting who asked for anonymity to speak candidly about it. Regardless, the path ahead could be perilous for Democrats. Rep. Raul Grijalva, vice chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said he worries that the White House is sending mixed messages about Trumps true intentions on immigration. The discussion of border security appears to be drifting away, Grijalva said, from investing in new border-monitoring technology and toward more aggressive enforcement tactics. The Arizona Democrat said many members are worried that pairing border security with protections for immigrants in a single bill could put Democrats in the difficult position of deciding whether to vote for a Dream Act that includes security measures they oppose. I really believe that every one of us is going to face a crucible where there is going to be something in the security package that we have opposed, Grijalva said. In the House, these concerns led members of the minority to discuss working with GOP leaders to allow separate votes on proposals to protect young immigrants and bolster border security. But those familiar with the idea, who asked for anonymity to speak frankly about the talks, stressed that it is in the preliminary stages and may ultimately not be feasible. Paul Kane, Kelsey Snell and Amber Phillips contributed to this report. Read more at PowerPost Doctors perform a legal liver transplant from a voluntary donor at Beijing Friendship Hospital in January. (Giulia Marchi/For The Washington Post) Chinas organ-transplant system was once a cause of international scorn and outrage, as doctors harvested organs from prisoners condemned to death by criminal courts and transplanted them into patients who often paid dearly for the privilege. After years of denials, China now acknowledges that history and has declared that the practice no longer occurs largely thanks to the perseverance of a health official who, with the quiet backing of an American transplant surgeon, turned the system around over the span of a decade. That official, Huang Jiefu, built a register of voluntary donors, overcoming both entrenched interests that profited from the old ways and a traditional Chinese aversion to dismemberment after death. In true modern Chinese fashion, donors can sign up through a link and app available through the ubiquitous Alipay online payment system. More than 230,000 people have done so, and a computerized database matches donors with compatible potential recipients, alerting doctors by text message as soon as organs become available. Leading transplant experts outside China, including once-severe critics, have slowly been won over. There has been a substantial change in China which has been in the right direction, said Jeremy Chapman, a leading Australian physician and former president of the Transplantation Society who in the past had harshly censured Chinese transplantation practices. Yet skeptics still abound, and a darkly sinister accusation continues to be heard. Just last year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution condemning state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting in China, and accusing the Communist Party of killing prisoners of conscience held in secret, outside the usual criminal prisons to feed the transplant industry. Huang and his allies in the transplant industry around the world dismiss those allegations. In their eyes, the China that has emerged on the world stage as a financial and technological power, with a rising and increasingly sophisticated middle class, has successfully done away with a wicked practice from the past. When corruption ruled The use of prisoners organs had left China a global pariah in the transplant field. Relying on prisoners caught in a corrupt and inhumane legal system, China had built the worlds second-largest transplant industry after the United States. It was effectively an unregulated system in which organs were being delivered not to the most deserving recipients but to the highest bidders. Vast profits were generated as medical ethics were set aside. Financial interests were driving malpractice, Huang said. The allocation of organs had become a game of wealth and power, with no social justice. Thousands of organs were being harvested from executed prisoners every year, but over the course of a decade, Huang has garnered support at the highest levels of government and succeeded in pushing Chinas medical establishment into dropping the often-lucrative practice. Since 2010, Huang has slowly built the register of voluntary donors, who now meet the needs of patients who require transplants. Such a register is a breakthrough for China. Tianjin First Center Hospital, right, and the Oriental Organ Transplant Center, left, in Tianjin. (Simon Denyer/The Washington Post) Proceeds of malpractice The turn toward reform began in 2006, when Huang was the first to publicly acknowledge an open secret in the medical industry that prisoners organs were the basis of the nations fast-growing transplant industry. Huangs efforts to clean up the system, with the quiet backing of University of Chicago transplant surgeon Michael Millis, surmounted stiff resistance and met with skepticism and sometimes lurid allegations that continue to dog their work. It has been very tough going over 10 years, Huang said in an interview in his office in Beijing, as he described his battle against powerful vested interests. Huang and Millis both work for medical centers with close links to the Rockefeller Foundation and its spinoff the China Medical Board (CMB). They met at a Rockefeller-CMB-sponsored meeting nearly a decade ago. They discovered a shared concern about the workings of Chinas transplant industry. The pair agreed that an abrupt end to the use of prisoners organs was not feasible and would only create a black market. Instead, they resolved to work for gradual change. With a grant from the CMB, and with Millis as Huangs main consultant, they began to investigate alternative approaches. China had more than 600 organ transplant centers in a sprawling, unregulated system. That number was whittled down to about 160 registered and approved centers in 2007, when legislation was also introduced to outlaw organ trafficking and ban foreigners from coming to the country to receive Chinese organs. The public was brought on board with the help of the Chinese Red Cross, and skeptics in Chinas medical profession were gradually won over by Huangs persistence and his ability to secure official support. Last year, Huang said, 4,080 donors supplied organs after their deaths, and 2,201 living donors gave organs to relatives. In total, China performed 13,238 organ transplant operations, mostly of kidneys and livers, but a few hundred hearts and lungs, too. None of those came from prisoners, Huang said. Our system is transparent and traceable, he said. We know where every organ comes from and where every organ goes. That may overstate the reality, but Huangs allies say that irregularities are now the exception rather than the rule. Huang Jiefu, a former vice minister for health, has been the public face of Chinas reforms in organ transplantation. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) Executed prisoners Chinese law does not explicitly rule out using organs of prisoners condemned to death by the criminal courts, and Huang himself was quoted in Chinese media in late 2014 and early 2015 as saying prisoners could "voluntarily" donate organs. Huang now disavows those comments, insisting there is "zero tolerance" for using any prisoners' organs in the hospital system. But in a country of 1.3 billion people, he said at a Vatican conference in February, "I am sure, definitely, there is some violation of the law." Lawyer Yu Wensheng said that one of his clients had shared a Beijing prison cell with a man facing the death penalty last November and that the condemned man was given a form to sign to voluntarily donate his organs. Death-row prisoners, he said, were given the choice not to sign the forms, but they would receive much more mistreatment and suffer much more. If they sign, their last days of life would pass more easily. Yet the supply of organs from executed prisoners seems to have been drying up because the number of death sentences appears to have fallen dramatically after a 2007 mandate requiring the Supreme Court to review all capital cases. [China urged to come clean about grotesque level of capital punishment] Bloody Harvest When she introduced the House resolution condemning Chinas organ-transplant system, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) declared, We cannot allow these crimes to continue. She accused the ruthless dictatorship running China of persecuting peaceful practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual movement, and of the sickening and unethical practice of harvesting organs without consent. The basis for this allegation is research compiled over many years by David Matas, a Canadian human rights lawyer, David Kilgour, a former Canadian politician, and Ethan Gutmann, a journalist, who assert that China is secretly carrying out 60,000 to 100,000 organ transplants a year, mostly with organs taken from Falun Gong practitioners held in secret detention since a crackdown on the movement in 1999. But research and reporting by The Washington Post undercut these allegations. Tianyi, 5, sits quietly as his mother and a doctor, Zhu Zhijun, discuss his liver-transplant case at Beijing Friendship Hospital. After awaiting a transplant since April 2016, Tianyi was to receive liver tissue in a legal donation by his father. (Giulia Marchi/For The Washington Post) Transplant patients must take immunosuppressant drugs for life to prevent their bodies from rejecting their transplanted organs. Data compiled by Quintiles IMS, an American health-care-information company, and supplied to The Post, shows Chinas share of global demand for immunosuppressants is roughly in line with the proportion of the worlds transplants China says it carries out. Xu Jiapeng, an account manager at Quintiles IMS in Beijing, said the data included Chinese generic drugs. It was unthinkable, he said, that China was operating a clandestine system that the data did not pick up. Critics counter that China may also be secretly serving large numbers of foreign transplant tourists, whose use of immunosuppressant drugs would not appear in Chinese data. But this assertion does not stand up to scrutiny. Jose Nunez, head of the transplantation program at the World Health Organization, which collects information on transplants worldwide, says that in 2015 the number of foreigners going to China for transplants was really very low, compared with the traffic to India, Pakistan or the United States, or in comparison with transplant-visitor numbers in Chinas past. Chapman and Millis say it is not plausible that China could be doing many times more transplants than, for instance, the United States, where about 24,000 transplants take place every year, without that information leaking out as it did when China used condemned prisoners organs. And lawyers who have defended Falun Gong practitioners also reject allegations that those prisoners organs are being harvested. I have never heard of organs being taken from live prisoners, said Liang Xiaojun, who said he had defended 300 to 400 Falun Gong practitioners in civil cases and knew of only three or four deaths in prison. In China, despite state repression, family members can be determined in speaking out and seeking justice when relatives vanish. If tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners were being executed every year, that information would emerge, experts say. A U.S. congressional commission on China, the State Department and the Falun Gong community website have separately tried to estimate the number of political prisoners in China, and the figures range from 1,397 to tens of thousands and even that upper number is significantly lower than the 500,000 to 1 million claimed by Gutmann and others. A corridor in the surgical department of the Beijing Friendship Hospital. (Giulia Marchi/For The Washington Post) She always liked to help others The symbolic focal point of China's organ transplant industry is the Oriental Organ Transplant Center, a gleaming 14-story building in the northeastern city of Tianjin that is the largest of its kind in Asia. In the lobby, a sleek promotional video advertises the centers expertise in supplying livers, lungs, hearts and pancreases to save thousands of lives every year. On a recent visit, a handful of patients from Pakistan, Libya and the Middle East were observed in transplant wards. Two Pakistani families said they had brought their own donors with them, although one admitted that the donor was not related to the recipient, in breach of Chinese law. The families said they were paying $70,000 to $80,000 each for the operations. Wei Guoxin, public relations director at Tianjin First Center Hospital, which runs the transplant center, said accusations that China used organs from Falun Gong practitioners were ridiculous and part of a conspiracy against the country. But she did not respond to subsequent requests for data on the transplants carried out at the center or the number of foreign patients served. But in Beijing, doctors say a steady stream of organs is flowing in from voluntary sources. When 72-year-old Lu Wen suffered a brain hemorrhage on New Years Eve and was put on life support, her husband, Zhao Hongxi, had no hesitation in agreeing that her organs be used to save others lives. She always liked to help others and wanted to contribute, said Zhao, a retired engineer in the Peoples Liberation Army and a loyal Communist Party member. If the organs are usable, they should be used to help others, as a way of lengthening her life. Zhao Hongxi, with his daughters, Zhao Wei, left, and Zhao Yan in his Beijing apartment in January, donated some of his wifes organs when she died that month of a brain hemorrhage. (Simon Denyer/The Washington Post) His two daughters soon agreed, although 47-year-old Zhao Wei said she hesitated at first: She had imagined holding her mothers hand when the life support system was turned off, but the need to swiftly remove her organs made that impossible. Still, she said, she soon came around to the idea, her Christian faith helping her to accept her familys decision. While I waited downstairs in the hospital for my mother to die, I felt huge love, she said. Congcong Zhang contributed to this report. Read more: China urged to come clean about grotesque level of capital punishment China admits it also tortures, days after slamming U.S. hypocrisy To catch a spy: Beijing offers $70,000 reward and a cartoon video to help Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news Karim Mussilhy, whose uncle died in the Grenfell Tower fire, speaks to the media in central London on Thursday. (Mary Turner/Reuters) A government-ordered public inquiry into the London fire that killed at least 80 people formally opened Thursday with the head of the investigation vowing to find answers to how a tragedy of such magnitude could occur. The public inquiry can and will provide answers to the pressing questions of how a disaster of this kind could occur in 21st-century London, said Martin Moore-Bick, a retired judge who is heading the investigation. On June 14 a fire that started in the kitchen of an apartment spread rapidly through Grenfell Tower, a 24-story high-rise in one of London's richest boroughs. It was the countrys deadliest fire in over a century. It also focused attention on inequality in London. The area around Grenfell Tower is one of the poorest in the country, yet a short stroll away is Notting Hill, one of the citys poshest neighborhoods. The residents of the high-rise, many of whom are low-income immigrants, had previously raised concerns about fire-safety issues in the tower. Thursdays inquiry began with a minutes silence in memory of those who died. Police say at least 80 people died in the inferno, though some residents believe the real figure is higher. Many of those who lost their homes are still waiting for a new one. About 150 families who lost their homes as a result of the fire are still living in hotels throughout London. Only two families have moved into permanent housing. The venue for Thursdays opening session a luxury hotel in central London was chosen, Moore-Bick said, because it was big enough to accommodate the 300 people in attendance. But it was deemed inappropriate by some of the people who were there, including the member of Parliament for Kensington, Labours Emma Dent Coad. Speaking to reporters outside the hotel, she said that sitting in a ballroom dripping with chandeliers says it all, actually that we are from a different world and we are going to do this for you little people. The inquiry will be divided into two phases the first will assess the cause of the fire and why it spread so rapidly. The second phase will examine the design of the building and the response to the disaster. Moore-Bick said there was a sense of urgency to complete the first phase, because if there are similar defects in other high-rise buildings, steps must be taken quickly to ensure those who live in them are kept safe. He also rejected an appeal for a Grenfell resident to join his investigating team, saying that it would compromise the inquirys impartiality. At the end of his 45-minute statement, the retired judge stood up and walked out of the room. He did not respond when a lawyer representing some of the victims asked a question. David Lammy, a Labour lawmaker who lost a friend in the fire, said that Moore-Bick has to gain the trust of the local community if it is to have confidence in the inquirys conclusions and recommendations. Hes got off to a bumpy start with victims and families, Lammy told the BBC. On Thursday evening, hundreds gathered for a silent march on the streets surrounding Grenfell, now a charred ruin. Zeyad Cred, one of the organizers, said that locals didnt have much faith in the inquiry. If I had faith in the system and the system worked, we wouldnt be in this situation in the first place, he said moments after hugging a woman who lost her sister and nephew in the fire. The judge read a set piece, left the room and didnt take questions - it left us feeling so despondent, said a woman at the march who declined to give her name. Her brother died in the fire, she said, adding that she was talking to him on the phone when he was trapped inside until his phone went dead. Moore-Bick said that he aimed to begin the first public evidence hearings by the end of the year. Investigators hope to publish their first report by Easter 2018, he said. In his opening statement, Moore-Bick paid tribute to the fortitude and resilience of the local community, noting that some schoolchildren who lived in Grenfell escaped the inferno and took exams only hours later. Ines Alves, a 16-year-old student, fled the burning tower in the middle of the night, clutching her chemistry notes and cellphone. The following morning she showed up at school still wearing the same clothes she escaped the building in and took her chemistry exam. Last month she found out she got an A on the test. Read more: As Britain cracks down on weapons, criminals turn to acid attacks Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai to study at Oxford Just a few more bongs for Big Ben before London bell is silenced for four years Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news A coordinated attack on a restaurant and a security checkpoint in southern Iraq killed more than 80 people Thursday, police and health officials said, in a rare spasm of violence targeting a route used by Shiite pilgrims to visit their holiest shrines. Gunmen wearing military uniforms stormed into a restaurant in Nasiriyah, about 200 miles south of Baghdad, around lunchtime and opened fire, the head of the provincial health department said. Patrons in the eatery included Iranian and Iraqi pilgrims traveling north toward the Shiite shrines in Karbala and Najaf. Moments later, a car driven by a suicide bomber exploded at a police checkpoint near the restaurant, which sits along Highway 1, the road that connects Baghdad with Dhi Qar province, where the attack took place. An additional 93 people were injured in the double attack, for which the Islamic State later claimed responsibility in a statement released online by its propaganda arm. The terrorist group has been steadily losing territory, most recently Mosul, its largest stronghold, and the smaller city of Tal Afar, but it has shown an ability to launch insurgent-style raids in areas it once held. [ISIS is near defeat in Iraq. Now comes the hard part.] Iraqi officials have voiced fears that the group would step up its attacks on civilians as its grip on territory weakens. Because the south is home to Iraqs most revered Shiite shrines, it is among the best-secured areas of the country and has rarely been the target of large-scale attacks. At the same time, though, many security forces assigned to the south have been drawn into battles against the Islamic State in the north and west, leaving some holes that terrorists have exploited. Jassim al-Khalidi, the director of the Dhi Qar Health Department, said that 83 people were killed Thursday, most of them inside the restaurant, Fadak, a popular pit stop for pilgrims. This restaurant is well-known for being crowded every day because anyone who goes to Najaf and Karbala from the south stops there for lunch, he said in a telephone interview. Khalidi said witnesses told him the gunmen came in three cars and began spraying the building with bullets from automatic weapons. The gunmen escaped, he said. Videos posted on social media showed people frantically searching a hospital ward for their relatives. One man spoke to the camera, saying he had dropped off his family at the restaurant, then was trying to fix something in his car when the shooting erupted. He said he saw the gunmen flee in black cars. I went back to the restaurant and found my entire family dead, he said. U.S. officials said the Islamic State has been severely degraded since it lost 90 percent of the territory it seized in a 2014 blitz across Iraq. The cities and towns it once held contained factories for making car bombs and improvised explosive devices, and the loss of those facilities has reduced the group's use of explosives in its attacks on security forces and civilians. Attacks involving mainly automatic weapons remain a major challenge, however. Gunmen have been able to breach security lines in cities reclaimed by Iraqi forces, such as Tikrit and Fallujah, often by wearing military uniforms and taking advantage of lax protocols at checkpoints. In Mosul, residents have complained that some of the militants who patrolled their neighborhoods have reappeared unarmed and are quietly living among them. Although Iraq has detained and is in the process of prosecuting many people suspected of joining the Islamic State, corruption in the police and judiciary has allowed some to avoid arrest. [After victory over ISIS, Mosul discovers the cost: Homes were turned into graves] Some analysts say losing territory has not significantly affected the Islamic States ability to wage terror on a smaller but still deadly scale. The group is moving into a new, insurgent phase, said Michael Knights, a military analyst and Persian Gulf expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a nonpartisan think tank. ISIS is not a movement in disarray, he said, using an acronym for the group. It has undertaken a smooth transition into insurgency, and doesnt seem greatly disrupted by the loss of terrain. Read more: ISIS: A catastrophe for Sunnis In one Iraqi town, a visit to the first bar to reopen after Islamic State rule Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news An American citizen fighting with the Islamic State in Syria has been captured by local forces and turned over to the U.S. military in that country, the Pentagon said Thursday. Syrian Democratic Forces turned over an American citizen who surrendered to SDF on or around Sept. 12 to U.S. forces, said a Pentagon spokesman, Marine Maj. Adrian Rankine-Galloway. The U.S. citizen is being legally detained by Department of Defense personnel as a known enemy combatant. We refer further questions on this matter to the Department of Justice. The detainee was not identified, and further details of his surrender and detention were not made available. The Justice Department did not respond to requests for information, and the State Department said it had none. The Syrian Democratic Forces, composed of Kurds and Arabs, are the main body of local U.S. allies fighting against the Islamic State in Syria. U.S. forces are advising them and providing air support and other backing as they push into militant territory. U.S. officials have estimated that 40,000 foreign fighters have flowed to Iraq and Syria to join the Islamic State and other groups since the conflict there began. The vast majority have been from the Middle East and North Africa, with substantial numbers from Europe and former Soviet republics with large Muslim populations. [ISIS is near defeat in Iraq. Now comes the hard part.] Then-FBI Director James B. Comey estimated in late 2015 that more than 200 Americans had tried to join the militants in Syria or provided support to those who joined. According to the New America think tank, 44 succeeded in reaching the Islamic State or other groups in Syria. Foreign fighters captured in Iraq have been held by the Iraqi military, which has said it would try them this week it sentenced a Russian-born Islamic State fighter to death. European governments and others have said that any of their nationals captured should be returned for trial at home. A Virginia man, Mohamad Khweis, was convicted in federal court in June of supporting terrorism after he surrendered in early 2016 to Kurdish forces in Iraq who turned him over to the American military there. Khweis, due to be sentenced next month, said he had traveled undetected from Fairfax County to join the Islamic State in Syria but at the time of his capture had deserted the militants and was trying to make his way home. The Pentagons referral to the Justice Department indicated that the new American detainee would also be turned over to federal courts. The prisoner whose detention was announced Thursday is the first known to have been captured under the Trump administration. His capture was first reported by the Daily Beast. Although President Trump said during his presidential campaign that he would be fine with sending U.S. citizens captured on the terrorism battlefield to the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to be tried by military commissions, such proceedings are, by statute, authorized only for foreigners. During his campaign, Trump opposed President Barack Obama's determination to close the Guantanamo prison; 41 prisoners remained there at the end of his term, and none has been transferred since. Trump and members of his administration have said they hoped to send newly captured enemy combatants to the prison. In March, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said it was just a very fine place for holding these kind of dangerous criminals. In general, I dont think were better off bringing these people to federal court, where they are represented by court-appointed lawyers and given discovery rights to find out our intelligence, Sessions said. But the first foreign terrorism suspect to face trial under the administration was brought to the United States for civilian trial. Ali Charaf Damache, an Algerian-born Irish citizen accused of conspiring to support terrorists, was captured in 2015 in Spain and extradited here early this year on a 2011 indictment from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Dan Lamothe contributed to this report. British Prime Minister Theresa May greets Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in London on Thursday. May supports the Iran nuclear deal. (Pool photo/U.S. Embassy/Reuters) The United States on Thursday waived sanctions on Iran in what was characterized as a holding action until the White House decides next month whether to continue with the landmark nuclear agreement by certifying Iran is meeting its commitments. At the same time, the White House signaled its determination to confront Tehran over actions the United States considers in defiance of the intent of the 2015 deal. The administration seeks to bring a change in Irans behavior, said a senior administration official who insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. The official cited Irans ballistic-missile tests, support for terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad, backing of militias fighting in neighboring countries and human rights abuses, including the detention of several U.S. citizens. Officials in the Obama administration who negotiated the nuclear agreement acknowledged that the other issues were problematic but said it was preferable to confront an Iran that is not armed with nuclear weapons. [Fix or nix the Iran nuclear deal, Netanyahu demands ahead of Trump meeting] By Oct. 15, President Trump must decide whether to certify Irans compliance with the deal, which was negotiated with the United States and five other world powers. Trump has said he is leaning toward not certifying it, which would give Congress the job of determining whether to reimpose sanctions and effectively walk away from the deal. The timing would place the debate in the middle of budget deliberations. Eight times since the agreement took effect last year, the International Atomic Energy Agency has said Iran has fully upheld its end. But administration officials repeatedly have accused Iran of violating the deals spirit and undermining the goal of peace. Youll see what Im going to be doing very shortly in October, said Trump on Thursday. He has been increasingly irritated at having to renew parts of a deal he had vowed to dismantle. We are not going to stand what they are doing with our country, Trump said. Theyve violated so many different elements, and theyve also violated the spirit of that deal. In London, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Thursday that the deal had failed to stop Iran from being a destabilizing factor in the region. In our view, Iran is clearly in default of the expectations, Tillerson said. [Mattis now convinced the Pentagon must keep three ways of launching a nuclear attack] While the agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was narrowly defined as one that limited Irans nuclear program, administration officials frequently point to an aspirational sentence in the preface to make the case Iran is not living up to its commitments. It says the participants anticipate that full implementation of this JCPOA will positively contribute to regional and international peace and security. Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, laid out the case for decertification earlier this month, saying the agreement does not serve U.S. national interests. When the U.N. General Assembly meets next week, U.S. officials are expected to discuss the deal with negotiating partner countries Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia. Some U.S. officials hope for support to modify the agreement. But France has ruled it out, Iran has said it has no interest in reopening talks and British Prime Minister Theresa May told Tillerson that the deal prevents Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Opponents of the deal are telling Trump that extreme measures may be needed. A memo obtained by Foreign Policy urges Trump to declare that Tehran is not complying with the agreement, and threaten a "de-facto global economic embargo" on Iran if it does not satisfy U.S. demands. According to the magazine, the embargo would reimpose sanctions lifted under the deal and add more. Foreshadowing more sanctions, the Treasury Department on Thursday imposed financial sanctions on companies and people who mostly had ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a hard-line branch of the armed forces that has opposed the nuclear deal and aspires to keep Iran free of Western influences. The new sanctions cover companies that provided cranes and airline services to Revolutionary Guard units and two private Iranian computer security companies that allegedly attacked U.S. banks and stock exchanges in 2011 and 2012. Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said he is preparing for a change in U.S. policy. Were working hand in hand with the White House and with the State Department to be prepared, to be prepared to deal with this issue depending on the outcome, he said. Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report. North Korea fired another missile over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Friday morning, just a day after Pyongyang said that Japan "should be sunken into the sea" with a nuclear bomb and that the United States should be "beaten to death" with a stick "fit for a rabid dog." This was the second time in less than three weeks that North Korea sent a ballistic missile over Japan, and the launch came less than two weeks after North Korea exploded what was widely believed to be a hydrogen bomb. The latest launch immediately sparked angry reactions from Tokyo and Seoul. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the international community had to unite to punish Kim Jong Uns regime, calling this weeks U.N. Security Council sanctions the floor, not the ceiling. China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labor, Tillerson said in a statement, naming the two veto-wielding members of the Security Council that are also the closest thing to allies that North Korea has. China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own, he said. The missile was launched from the Sunan airfield just north of Pyongyang about 6:30 a.m. local time, South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said. It flew 2,300 miles over 17 minutes, passing over Hokkaido and landing some 1,200 miles to the east in the Pacific Ocean. The launch immediately triggered emergency alerts in Japan, with text messages and loudspeakers telling residents beneath the missiles potential flight path to seek shelter. The Japanese government warned people not to approach any debris or other suspicious-looking material, a reflection of the fact that North Korean missiles sometimes break up in flight. Echoing Tillerson, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the international community must firmly unite to send out a clear message to Pyongyang. We need to have North Korea understand that they will have no bright future if they keep going this way, he said. But Japan did not try to shoot down the missile. South Korea, however, immediately fired two of its Hyunmoo-II missiles 155 miles into the sea the same distance they would have had to travel to reach the Sunan airfield. In Seoul, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has been staunchly in favor of engagement with North Korea, said that dialogue was impossible in a situation like this. In Washington, the White House said President Trump was briefed on the latest North Korean missile launch by his chief of staff, John F. Kelly. The missile did not pose a threat to North America or to the U.S. territory of Guam, the U.S. Pacific Command said. The Pacific island of Guam is home to large Air Force and Navy bases and was the target of recent rhetorical threats from North Korea. We continue to monitor North Koreas actions closely, the Pacific Command said in a statement. In Beijing, Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told reporters Friday that China opposed the test, but she called the situation on the Korean Peninsula complicated, sensitive and severe and urged all sides to exercise restraint. The Global Times, a Chinese Communist Party-controlled tabloid known for its nationalist tone, said in a Friday editorial that, although North Korea is the troublemaker, it is the United States and South Korea that can change the status quo. North Koreas current nuclear and missile activities seem unstoppable, the channel for resolving the problem via negotiation is still missing, the editorial read. David Wright, co-director of the global security program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the latest missile launch was worrying. The range of this test was significant since North Korea demonstrated that it could reach Guam with this missile, he said, although he noted it is not known whether the missile was carrying a payload, something that influences range. Guam lies 2,100 miles from North Korea, well within technical reach of the intermediate-range missile. [North Korean missile flies over Japan, escalating tensions ] Fridays launch appeared similar to the previous launch, on Aug. 29. On that day, North Korea fired a Hwasong-12 an intermediate-range ballistic missile technically capable of flying 3,000 miles, enough to reach Guam from the Sunan airfield. But it also flew to the east, over Hokkaido and into the Pacific Ocean, rather than southward toward Guam. Analysts said that after testing its missiles by firing them straight up and having them crash into the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, North Korea was apparently testing its missiles flight on a normal trajectory without crossing a red line of aiming at the United States. On Thursday, a North Korean state agency had issued an alarming threat to what it offensively called the wicked Japs. The four islands of the [Japanese] archipelago should be sunken into the sea by [our] nuclear bomb, a spokesman for the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee said in a statement carried by the official news agency. Hokkaido is the northernmost of Japans four main islands. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us, the committee spokesman said. This is the first missile launch since North Korea conducted a huge nuclear test Sept. 3, which analysts say appeared to live up to Pyongyangs claim that the device involved was a hydrogen bomb, exponentially more powerful than a normal atomic device. That test, combined with the rapid pace of missile launches and North Koreas stated goal of wanting to be able to strike the mainland United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, has caused alarm around the world. The U.N. Security Council imposed its toughest sanctions to date against North Korea on Monday, setting limits on its oil imports and banning its textile exports. But the new sanctions were a compromise. To win the support of China and Russia, the United States had to tone down its demands, which included a total oil embargo and a global travel ban on Kim. Tillersons statement reflected the Trump administrations frustration with the reluctance of Beijing and Moscow to inflict real pain on Pyongyang. The North Korean statement that lashed out at Japan on Thursday also displayed Pyongyangs anger at what it called the heinous sanctions resolution. The North Korean people and military wanted the Yankees, chief culprit in cooking up the sanctions resolution, [to] be beaten to death as a stick is fit for a rabid dog, said the committee statement delivered through the spokesman. The Sept. 3 nuclear test, North Koreas sixth, is now widely assumed to have been a test of a hydrogen bomb, as Pyongyang claimed in its state propaganda. The Japanese government estimates that the force of that explosion was 160 kilotons more than 10 times the size of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 but some analysts have said its yield could have been as much as 250 kilotons. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, traveling from Washington to view U.S. nuclear weapons at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., said Wednesday that the North Korean nuclear test appeared to be 100 kilotons or more. Its a large one, he said. Earlier, Air Force Gen. John Hyten, chief of U.S. Strategic Command, said that he had to assume that North Korea had probably tested a hydrogen bomb, judging by the size of the explosion. Speaking just before the Norths latest missile launch, Hyten, who oversees U.S. nuclear forces and monitors North Korea, told reporters that the size, yield and other indications in North Koreas most recent nuclear test equates to a hydrogen bomb. [What is North Korea trying to hit?] He said he could not confirm that a hydrogen bomb was tested but said the test was significant because of the sheer destruction and damage you can use and create with a weapon of that size. The change from the original atomic bomb to the hydrogen [bomb] changed our entire deterrent relationship with the Soviet Union, Hyten said. It is significantly of concern not just to Strategic Command but to everybody in the free world. It should be of concern to people in the neighborhood, which is Japan and Korea, as well as China and Russia. Hyten said that if North Korea can mount a bomb of that power on a missile, it could potentially destroy a city. The United States has the ability to deter a nuclear attack on itself or its allies because of the nuclear weapons it maintains, Hyten said, but its a different question whether the United States can stop North Korea from building nuclear weapons. Hyten said that the United States still has not seen North Korea put everything together with a nuclear warhead mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile but that it is only a matter of time before the North Koreans do so. Whether they have the ability, I dont have any insight into that, Hyten said. I can just look at historic examples and say that it could be within months or it could be within years. Lamothe reported from Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. David Nakamura in Washington and Luna Lin and Shirley Feng in Beijing contributed to this report. Read more: North Koreas latest nuclear test was so powerful it reshaped the mountain above it In latest test, North Korea detonates its most powerful nuclear device yet Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news President Trump stands in the Red Room before speaking at an event in the White House on July 24. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) South Korea's trade community is on the defensive after President Trump's renewed call to terminate a free-trade agreement with the country, which many experts here see as a puzzling move during an inopportune time of heightened tensions over North Korea's nuclear and missile program. Earlier this month, Trump instructed advisers to prepare to withdraw from the agreement, also known as Korus. He seemed to be making good on a threat he had floated since April, when he claimed that the deal, now in its fifth year, was "horrible" and left America "destroyed." The man who negotiated the free-trade agreement, or FTA, for South Korea vigorously disputes that, and argues that the timing couldnt be worse. South Korea has been an adamant ally to the United States for the last 70 years. Now, North Korea is provoking and China is expanding their power, flexing muscles, said Choi Seok-young. We dont quite understand what is the main purpose of Mr. Trump attacking Korea by terminating Korea-U.S. FTA at this critical time. His American counterpart in the negotiations, Wendy Cutler, warns that a U.S. pullout from the agreement would probably drive South Korea into a closer economic relationship with China. The White House has not made a formal announcement on terminating the deal. In fact, days after reports surfaced of Trumps move to withdraw, U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer contradicted Trump, telling reporters that the administration wants to renegotiate the deal and make some amendments instead. South Korean President Moon Jae-in speaks during a news conference marking his first 100 days in office at the presidential house in Seoul on Aug. 17. (Pool/Reuters) The uncertainty may be why, at least in part, the administration of South Korean President Moon Jae-in has not yet publicly responded to Trumps latest threat. Since Trumps election, officials here have stressed that the agreement, while not perfect, is designed to be mutually beneficial. Trumps consistent criticism of the deal has left South Korean trade officials and experts rejecting his characterization of it as a U.S. job killer, and instead highlighting gains that the United States has made in the Korean market, sometimes to the detriment of Korean workers. The U.S. argument to renegotiate the Korus FTA is very difficult to understand from the Korean perspective, Choi said. He called it a revolutionary move. That makes me wonder: How can we trust the United States? They pushed it very strongly 10 years ago, he said, and after a while, they come back to abolish it. Its a matter of trust, and this kind of attitude does not help in strengthening allies. The agreement was negotiated and signed under President George W. Bush. It was ratified by Congress in 2011 and took effect in 2012. It wasnt universally acclaimed in South Korea. Both in 2008 when the agreement was signed and in 2011 when Congress ratified it, there was strong opposition here to the deal. There were daily demonstrations by Korean workers, particularly farmers who opposed increased U.S. beef imports. In 2011, an opposition leader set off tear gas on the parliament floor in protest. Since 2012, Korus has produced mixed results for the United States. The U.S. merchandise trade deficit with South Korea more than doubled, which is the basis of Trumps rejection of the deal, even though economists generally agree that trade imbalances are a result of broader macroeconomic factors and not simply because of bilateral trade of goods and services. Overall, Korea accounts for only 2.5 percent of the 2017 U.S. trade deficit in goods and services. The trade growth on both sides has been slower than initially anticipated. Some major U.S. industries, including beef and dairy, have benefited. South Korean experts note that the increase in imports of cheap, high-quality U.S. agriculture and dairy products has hurt Korean agricultural workers. The U.S. service surplus with Korea increased under Korus. So far in 2017, U.S. merchandise exports to Korea have seen a sharp increase compared with 2016, while U.S. imports from Korea have been flat, noted Jeffrey Schott at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. The South Korean government-funded Korea Institute for International Economic Policy says that if Korus was terminated, the United States would lose its advantage in auto, manufacturing, agriculture and service sectors in Korea. The research institute estimated that if the United States withdrew from the deal, its exports would drop 2 percent while U.S. imports would drop 4.3 percent. Korus removed car tariffs in 2016, allowing rapid growth of U.S. car exports to Korea. Imports have been taking a larger share of the Korean car market over the past five years, and since 2012, the sale of U.S.-made cars in Korea increased by almost 90 percent, according to Schott. This isnt helping the Korean car market, which already is struggling to compete with European and Japanese imports, said Kim Jong-bum, an international trade law professor at Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies. For example, Hyundai is facing more competition in the Korean market because the markets are open to the E.U. and U.S. cars. And they are very high-quality cars, Kim said. But its not been all bad, as the Korean auto market also has benefited from exports to the United States, he said. Government data released this week showed that Korean auto exports to North America and Europe rose sharply in August. If the United States abolishes the trade agreement, its major trading partners, such as the European Union and Canada, would enjoy duty-free access, said Cutler, while American goods might face an average 14 percent tariff. Our companies and farmers would quickly lose the important inroads that they have made in the Korean market, said Cutler, who is vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute. Cutler said 2016 was "a record year for Korean investment in the United States, which has resulted in tens of thousands of high- paying U.S. jobs. It's hard to believe that this trend would continue without Korus." Read more: It was March 2020, and the world was closing down as the COVID-19 pandemic spread. At first, the news of... Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/09/2017 (1888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Toronto Looking at the trailer and poster for Darren Aronofskys new film mother! and you might suppose the film is some kind of cross between Rosemarys Baby and The Amityville Horror. We can ascertain all the action is set in a single, rambling, rustic house. The disturbed heroine, played by Jennifer Lawrence, is doing her best to make a good life with her brooding poet husband (Javier Bardem). But the serenity of this idyllic existence is under siege, whether by the poets secretive ways (he refuses to let his wife into his office when hes not there) or his casual disregard for her feelings. When the couple receive a visit from a sickly surgeon (Ed Harris) and his bristling, bitchy wife (Michelle Pfeiffer), the menace becomes very real. Then, just when the danger seems passed, an apocalypse reckoning waits in the wings. So is it really a horror film? At the Toronto International Film Festival last weekend, Aronofsky and Lawrence engaged in a press conference to talk about the film, and for his part, Aronofsky tried to keep the subject ambiguous. The whole (marketing) campaign has been about mystery and I think the film plays out very much like a mystery, says the director of equally enigmatic fare such as Black Swan and The Fountain. Youre watching it and you think youre watching one thing and then it shifts and becomes something else, and shifts and becomes another thing. Aronofsky admits he likes that and says he doesnt want to give too much away about what it is, so he-encourages people to avoid spoilers. And if youre up for the roller-coaster ride, come take it, he says. Its really weird and different and so just tell people its an experience to have. Thats what I want. Paramount Pictures Javier Bardem and Jennifer Lawrence star in the thriller mother!. The film does come with a warning, however. Its a very intense ride and only take it if you want to see something very new and very different, he says. Perhaps its because Lawrence is an actor that she is inclined to be less ambiguous when it comes to what the movie is, as much as she too was admittedly nonplussed by it initially. When he told me the ideas that were floating around in his head, I immediately said yes. Once I got a script, I read it and threw it across the room and told him he had severe psychological problems, she says. But its a masterpiece and I didnt have any hesitations. Lawrence says the film is allegorical with huge universal and biblical metaphors; and Aronofsky has created a narrative through them, placing them all in the house. It was just incredible and unique and I had never heard anything like it, she says. Jennifer Lawrence in mother!, from Paramount Pictures and Protozoa Pictures. Certainly, for Lawrence, the film was as punishing as a horror film when it came to making demands on its star. Lawrence is literally the focal point of almost the entire film, which was shot either over her shoulder, on her face or what shes looking at, Aronofsky says. Ive never been on a movie where the camera is so close to my damn face, Lawrence says. Sixty-six minutes of a two-hour film is a close-up of Jennifer, Aronofsky helpfully interjects. And youre never bored and youre never claustrophobic and thats all because of her. This movie kind of pulled me apart and put me back together, Lawrence says. Working with Darren, it was just a completely different character from everything that Ive ever done and it was just inside me. mother! opens in theatres on Friday, Sept. 15. randall.king@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @FreepKing If you value coverage of Manitobas arts scene, help us do more. Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow the Free Press to deepen our reporting on theatre, dance, music and galleries while also ensuring the broadest possible audience can access our arts journalism. BECOME AN ARTS JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project. Paramount Pictures Jennifer Lawrence portrays Grace, a disturbed housewife. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/09/2017 (1888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The North West Company has reopened its main store in the hurricane-damaged British Virgin Islands (BVI) and expects to have five of its other nine stores on the islands open within the next two days. The Winnipeg-based company said Wednesday the stores are operating with on-site power generation and full staff complements. Product resupply is also underway. As communications and security stabilizes we are getting a clearer picture of where we can act, whether through donations or by getting stores back into operation, quickly and safely, said company president and CEO Edward Kennedy. WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES North West Company CEO Edward Kennedy I am very proud of the dedication and determination being shown by our people as they pull together to support each other and to serve our customers and communities. The company said it has been in contact with almost all of its employees in the three most affected territories and countries St. Thomas, the BVI and St. Maarten and all are safe. Processes are being put in place to ensure that all associates are paid, working closely with local banks, it added. Water and other essential supplies are also being provided. The company said it still faces access, communications and securities challenges in the more heavily damaged islands of St. Thomas and St. Maarten. Thats preventing it from assessing the full extent of the damage to its two Cost-U-Less stores on the islands. It said late last week that early indications were the store in St. Maarten wouldnt be operational for at least a few weeks and the store in St. Thomas may be the most damaged of all of its stores in the Caribbean. North West has a total of 12 stores in the Caribbean, which was hit hard last week by hurricane Irma. The junior department store operator is a leading retailer of food and everyday products in Canada, Alaska, the South Pacific and the Caribbean. It operates a total of 243 stores under the trading names Northern, NorthMart, Giant Tiger (in Western Canada), Alaska Commercial Company, Cost-U-Less and RiteWay Food Markets. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/09/2017 (1887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Winnipegs downtown was looking busy and smart as Susan Ainley of the Downtown Business Improvement Zone took a group of about 30 downtown economic development officials from all over the world on a walking tour. Some of the 600 delegates from the International Downtown Associations conference in Winnipeg this week strolled up Carlton Street past the True North Square construction site with St. Marys Cathedral in the background, past Bell MTS Place and over to the Cube at Old Market Square and the Esplanade Riel. On a warm, late-summer day, the organizing host committee including the Downtown BIZ, Exchange District BIZ and West End BIZ could not have asked for a better day to show the city off. Rennie Zegalski, chairman of the West End BIZ and a principal at Capital Commercial Real Estate Services, said while there was justifiably a lot of attention and public awareness for this years Canada Summer Games, the significance of landing the IDA conference isnt lost on the citys community economic development professionals. Weve got 600 of the most influential folks in downtown industry internationally, he said. They come here, they blog, they are experts, they shape conversation. These people are here looking at every corner, every experience, every piece of litter, every homeless person. Its a great opportunity to give that one-time first impression. Wednesday saw a series of events leading into the conference, including an information-packed workshop called The Future of Physical Retail in the Age of Online. But mostly delegates had a number of organized tours of the city to choose from. MARTIN CASH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Carla Duval-Tyler chair of the Riversdale Business Improvement Zone in Saskatoon. Carla Duval-Tyler, chairwoman of the Riversdale Business Improvement Zone in Saskatoon, was impressed with the Exchange District. It was lovely to see all the great historic buildings and the vibrancy of that area and we had a great little breakfast at Clementine, she said. Seeing the old buildings being utilized was good because our area in Saskatoon is up and coming the same way. Its an older neighborhood in the process of resurgence and revitalization. The Winnipeg organizing committee pitched the IDA on the success of the public-private partnerships in downtowns development and decided on Authenticity as the theme of the event. Kay Miller, executive director of Biloxi Main Street, from Biloxi, Miss., was a little bit disappointed that the weather here was not much different than southern Mississippi. Susie Salisbury, vice-president of community development from Charleston Area Alliance of Charleston, W.Va., loved Assiniboine Park. You can tell the city is under rebuild, Salisbury said during the walking tour. Theres lots of history here, lots of the 1960s too and (looking at the True North Square construction site) you can also see lots of the future. Stan Henry, operations manager at the Kansas City Main Street Corridor Development Corp., said there are peculiar issues to every city that they have to deal with, but there are also many that are common to the downtown revitalization process everywhere. You guys have different ways of doing things in Canada because of infrastructure and government, but the reality is I think everyone understands for downtown revitalization there are some certain elements you are going to have to have, he said. You need to create more housing and the struggle is to be able to make it equal, to include affordable housing. Henry said a new light-rapid-rail transit line into the Kansas City downtown is already having a positive impact on what he referred to as nuisance housing. Its also encouraging corporate headquarters to move downtown after having vacated to the suburbs. Walking along Graham Avenue during the lunch hour, with the usual mix of pedestrian traffic, Henry said, one thing I appreciate about every Canadian city I have been to is the embracement of immigrant communities. I see it and you get that sense that they have a level of ownership in the community, he said. martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca MARTIN CASH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Some 600 delegates are in Winnipeg this week for an International Downtown Association conference. About 30 of them went for a walking tour through the core on Wednesday with Susan Ainley (centre, in stripes) of the Downtown BIZ. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/09/2017 (1887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Its a given that Paul Jordan, the guy who started at The Forks mowing the grass 26 years ago and became its chief executive officer, knows most of the recent secrets at the ancient Indigenous meeting place. Sitting in the facilitys Food Hall, in the bar area known as the Common, talking about what he calls the secret to the unconventionally reinvented destinations success, Jordan said it was now OK to speak about something else that had been hush-hush. McNally Robinson Booksellers is opening a second Winnipeg location at The Forks, hopefully before Christmas. It will be a boutique bookstore, about 900 square feet, situated on the second floor overlooking the Common. It will have a large Indigenous and local writers presence, plus a special space for children and families. PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Lori Baker and Chris Hall at the Common at The Forks. They own McNally Robinson Booksellers. Chris Hall, who co-owns the iconic Winnipeg business with Lori Baker, acknowledged they had been looking to expand into the Exchange District. Then they took a closer look at The Forks and its four million visitors a year and calculated much of that traffic is what he refers to as local tourists who make the trek from the suburbs, whether it be summer or winter. What particularly impressed Hall was the Food Hall. McNally Robinson wasnt interested in opening another big store in the age of Amazon and, with the food court and bar already on site, there was no need to have an in-store restaurant for events. Which brings us to the secret of why the space works and how it came to be in a uniquely Winnipeg way. The concept began in 2014, around the time Jordan was promoted to CEO. The Forks North Portage Partnership board chairman Rick Bel driven in part by the need to finally make a self-funded organization self-sustaining was already imagining the reinvention of the uninspiring hodgepodge of food court kiosks. Jordan didnt have to imagine what Bel had in mind, after the CEO extended his annual spring bicycle tour in the south of France and took a side trip to Scandinavia, where, in places such as Helsinki and Oslo, he kept seeing combination food and beer halls full of families. All these winter cities were already doing it, Jordan said. And Im going, Why cant we do it here? Well, actually, there was one major reason they couldnt: restrictive liquor laws that made European-style food halls impossible in Winnipeg because you had to buy a meal to buy a beer. Then the legislation changed. That allowed us to be able to do it. The bar didnt have to produce food; the food just had to be available, Jordan explained. The Forks liquor licence could be expanded to the entire main-floor area. But Bel had more in mind than the basic European food hall model he needed to create a uniquely Winnipeg model to make it work financially. Bel started by sourcing local, proven restaurants, including a food truck and coffee shop that had quality product. So, Jordan said, he was fine with dark places and empty spaces while we created this thing. Insisting on quality is part of the secret of the Food Halls success. But there was an added clever ingredient that seemed so far outside the traditional model of landlord and tenant that, at first, wasnt an easy sell. We had to start looking at different ways of doing things, Jordan said of the Food Hall, in reference to year after year of losing money. And, in the past, we were trying to do it on the expenses side. Trying to do it on the cheap; get the tenants to pay for it. Thats where Rick made a breakthrough. Lets spend some money and get the tenants coming in where they didnt have to spend money. He wanted them not to fail. That led to the model. The Forks would create and pay an average of $200,000 for a space in the Food Hall with high-quality equipment; offer a three-year lease that was renewable if the operation was doing well; then collect the rent on the back end, by taking 15 per cent of the gross or, if it was higher, a basic operating and common-cost minimum rent. Doing it that way had a huge upside for the tenant; the risk of investing their money in a startup and then eating the expenditure if the concept failed had been eliminated. Its more a partnership than a landlord-tenant relationship, Jordan said. We are now working with you, as hard as you are, trying to increase your sales. So how successful has it been? After investing over $2 million on Phase 1, The Forks is in the midst of spending another $2 million on two more restaurant setups opening mid-October, a dish-washing pit so food can be served on real dishes rather than paper plates, plus new washrooms. And whats interesting, Jordan said, by way of answering the question directly, is that $4-million outlay from the board the board has to approve all of this is being paid back at the rate of 25 to 30 per cent Within four years, well have all the money back. Not only that, Jordan said, The Forks is now getting inquiries about the secret from Edmonton and Calgary. And where Bel and Jordan initially had to convince and coax reluctant restaurants to give the Food Hall a try, other chefs and family-run operations are beginning to line up in hopes of being granted the next available space. Coincidentally, on Wednesday afternoon, Jordan was able to proudly show off The Forks success when he played host and gave the welcoming address to delegates of the International Downtown Association. They may not realize it, because Jordan may not tell the visitors, but what Bel, he and the board at large have created is a food hall variation of a Field of Dreams theme. If we build it and pay for it they will come. Both the restaurants and customers. McNally Robinson is coming, too, of course, but using the traditional tenant-rental model because of the nature of its business. Still, Hall calls the concept Bel conceived and Jordan has been implementing, really brilliant. If any city needs to play by different rules, Hall said as the voice of experience, its Winnipeg. gordon.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/09/2017 (1887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. When he arrived in Winnipeg in 2015, the Rohingya Muslim refugee told the Free Press he was relieved to be in a safe country and he was determined to do something for those still in peril in Myanmar. Now, Mohamed Tayeb is doing something: hes calling on fellow Canadians to speak out against the ethnic cleansing thats claimed the life of his cousin and sent close to 300,000 Rohingya in Myanmar fleeing for their lives to neighbouring countries. He was killed three days ago by the military, Tayeb said Wednesday of his cousin, whose son died as well. They were trying to escape, and they shot and killed them. PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Mohamed Tayeb lost two relatives last week to the ongoing bloodshed in Myanmar. Advocates for the Rohingya, an oppressed Muslim minority in overwhelmingly Buddhist Myanmar, say hundreds of Rohingya civilians have been killed by security forces. Myanmars government has repeatedly denied claims the Rohingya are facing genocide. It has brushed away evidence of human rights violations as fake news and propaganda. The UN human rights chief said this week at the start of a UN Human Rights Council session that the violence and injustice faced by the ethnic Rohingya minority in Myanmar, where UN rights investigators have been barred from entry, seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. Zeid Raad al-Hussein, a Jordanian prince, noted that the UN refugee agency has reported that 270,000 people have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh in the last three weeks, and pointed to satellite imagery and reports of security forces and local militia burning Rohingya villages and extrajudicial killings. He said he was further appalled by reports of Myanmar authorities planting land mines along the border. The Myanmar government should stop pretending that the Rohingya are setting fire to their own homes and laying waste to their own villages, he said, calling it a complete denial of reality that hurts the standing of a country that recently enjoyed immense good will. The country is facing criticism from around the world. In Canada, a petition urging the Trudeau government to revoke honorary Canadian citizenship to Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, has garnered nearly 17,000 signatures since it was posted on Change.org a week ago. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Suu Kyi on Wednesday to express deep concerns over treatment of Muslims and other ethnic minorities in her country. The Prime Ministers Office was silent on the issue of citizenship in its summary of the call, issued shortly after Trudeau took questions from the media at a cabinet retreat in St. Johns, N.L. The timing meant reporters were unable to ask the prime minister about his conversation with Suu Kyi. When Canada bestowed honorary citizenship on her in 2007, Fareed Khan said he was hopeful Suu Kyi would stand up for persecuted minorities in Myanmar. A decade later, the man in Gatineau, Que., launched a petition asking for her citizenship to be revoked. When you get someone like that whos been given a peace prize, you think they are going to be a symbol and serve as an example of how to address issues in society relating to protecting civil liberties, that they will stand up when atrocities are taking place, Khan said. She has fallen so far from that pedestal. I think thats tragic in itself. Trudeau and Suu Kyi discussed the need to defend and protect the rights of all minorities and Trudeau offered Canadas support to help build a peaceful and stable society in Myanmar, the summary said. Suu Kyi will skip this months UN General Assembly meetings to address the problems at home, Myanmars government said Wednesday. The crisis erupted on Aug. 25, when an insurgent Rohingya group attacked police outposts in Myanmars Rakhine state. That prompted Myanmars military to launch clearance operations against the rebels, setting off a wave of violence that has left hundreds dead and thousands of homes burned mostly Rohingya in both cases. Tayeb was not surprised Suu Kyi has done nothing to protect the Rohingya in Myanmar. When he arrived in Winnipeg in 2015, it was shortly after elections swept the former human rights heros opposition party to power. I dont think (it) will improve Rohingya lives, Tayeb said at the time. Before fleeing Myanmar, Tayebs family was thrust into hardship when the government confiscated their property. It sent him to do forced labour in a prawn fishery. He fled to Cambodia. Before I left, I was beaten, said Tayeb, who was born in Myanmar but, like most other Rohingya Muslims, had no rights. On Wednesday, during a lunch break from his full-time factory job in Winnipeg, the permanent resident of Canada said he was glad to sign the petition calling for Suu Kyis Canadian citizenship to be revoked. He said shes turned a blind eye to ethnic cleansing in Myanmar, leaving many innocent people at risk. Its absolutely not safe, said Tayeb, who has been trying to connect with relatives who fled to Bangladesh and others hiding from the military in Myanmar close to the border. Khan, who volunteers with the National Council of Canadian Muslims, said he plans to present the petition to Trudeau and hopes it pushes Canada to take action. In my lifetime, Ive seen genocide three times in Cambodia, Rwanda and the Balkans, Khan said. After the genocide by Nazi Germany, they said never again. Do those words have any meaning? carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 13/09/2017 (1888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A former jazz professor at the University of Manitoba who quietly resigned this summer has been hired by one of the most prestigious music schools in the world which says it didnt know he left Winnipeg under a cloud of concerns described as sexual in nature. Steve Kirby, who was director of jazz studies in the Desautels Faculty of Music before leaving the job June 27, was recently hired by the Berklee College of Music. The Boston college is best known for its jazz and modern American music programs and boasts famous alumni including Diana Krall, Bruce Cockburn, John Mayer, Quincy Jones, Branford Marsalis, Melissa Etheridge and Donald Fagen. The colleges website says 114 of its alumni have garnered 275 Grammy Awards for their musical contributions. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Steve Kirby, seen here performing with the band Jazz on Wheels in 2015 in Winnipeg, has been hired by the Berklee College of Music. However, Jay Kennedy, Berklee vice-president for academic affairs and vice-provost, said in a statement Wednesday afternoon, the college just recently learned of these reports. We take seriously allegations of any type of sexual misconduct. Berklee is committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment for all members of our community and will continue to gather information on this matter. The Free Press confirmed Tuesday the 61-year-old Kirby, who came to the university in 2003, had suddenly resigned this summer. When contacted, the university would only confirm Kirby, a bassist who earlier in his career performed and recorded with some of the modern giants in jazz including Wynton Marsalis, Elvin Jones, and Abbey Lincoln, had retired in June. However, a source who spoke to the Free Press said the university met earlier this summer with several female students to look into concerns described as sexual in nature. John Danakas, U of M executive director of public affairs, said Wednesday any investigation it may make into complaints against a staff member has to remain confidential because of provincial privacy laws. As well, Danakas said under the institutions respectful work and learning environment policy and its sexual-assault policy, the university cannot confirm whether a complaint has been made nor whether it is investigating a staff member, in order to protect confidentiality for all parties. Danakas said the policies were developed after consultation with the university community. Ongoing awareness-building and education ensure that individuals understand the options available to them and how to report any incidents. He verified neither the universitys human resources department nor its faculty of music office have been asked by any institution for a reference regarding Kirby. During his years in Winnipeg, Kirby became a force in the local jazz community, not only playing concerts or with arts organizations such as the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, but also as editor of dig!, a local jazz magazine, and serving as artistic director of the Izzy Asper Jazz Performances. Kirby is scheduled to play Sept. 30 at a session for the Winnipeg International Writers Festival. No one from the festival could be reached for comment Wednesday. An email sent to subscribers of the Asper jazz series by Jeffrey Morry, senior program director of the Asper Foundation, and Debbie Figowy, cultural arts and adult services program co-ordinator of the Rady Jewish Community Centre, says Kirby had gone to Berklee to join its jazz composition department. Neither Morry nor Figowy could be reached Wednesday for comment. We are confident that you agree Steve has made a huge contribution to the growth of the jazz scene in Winnipeg, the email says. His vision and leadership have been vital to the success of our series. He was and is much-loved and will be greatly missed. We wish him well in his new position and hope he will return to visit often. kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/09/2017 (1887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba Public Insurance announced a new public education campaign against drug-impaired driving on Thursday, with a focus on impairment by cannabis ahead of the expected legalization of that drug next year. The campaign, launched in cooperation with Mothers Against Drunk Driving Canada, will include messaging focused on new teen drivers, youth in general, the medical community, and the general public, with taglines such as Think youre a better driver when youre high? Think again. MPI vice-president and chief administrative officer Ward Keith said the campaign was developed in response to a number of things that are lining up to give us real concerns about the risk of cannabis-impaired driving after legalization. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Ward Keith, chief administrative officer for Manitoba Public Insurance, Premier Brian Pallister, Crown Services Minister Cliff Cullen and MADD Canada CEO Andrew Murie at a press conference announcing MPI drug awareness campaign Thursday. Our concern is that, through the surveys that we did in the fall, we know that there is significant drug use among Manitoba drivers. In our view, those are accidents, collisions waiting to happen, said Keith, speaking at a press conference alongside Premier Brian Pallister, Crown Services Minister Cliff Cullen, and MADD Canada CEO Andrew Murie. Keith was referring to a voluntary roadside survey conducted by MPI in 2016, in which 1,230 drivers submitted breath and saliva samples for analysis. Ten per cent of those drivers tested positive for drugs, of which 53 per cent tested positive for cannabis. The MPI survey did not establish whether drivers who tested positive for drugs were impaired while they were driving. The survey, said Keith, revealed significant misconceptions about how cannabis can affect driving among Manitoba drivers, which the new campaign is designed to counter. Thoughts, particularly from young drivers, about how cannabis use can actually improve driving ability because youre more focused and youre and more concentrated completely, completely unreasonable based on the empirical evidence. Manitobans will receive MPIs new messaging through radio, television, billboards, newspapers, and theatres, as well as at school assemblies and through drivers education courses for high school students. Social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube will also be used to spread the message, Keith said. The campaign will also include messaging around prescription drug use, including medical marijuana. Were going to do this in partnership with the medical community in Manitoba, to encourage physicians to continue having conversations with their patients about how prescription medications can affect concentration, reaction time, and driving focus, all of which increase the risk of being involved in a collision, said Keith. At the press conference, Premier Brian Pallister described road safety and enforcement as a leading area of concern for his government as cannabis legalization approaches. An online survey launched by the provincial government on Wednesday as part of its pre-budget consultations includes questions about cannabis legalization. Educating our youth, new, and current drivers is imperative if we hope to change peoples attitudes, behaviours, and the misconceptions around the use of marijuana while driving, said Pallister. As we worked for decades, and will continue to do so, to change the attitude towards drinking and driving, now we must do the same in advance of the legalization of cannabis. solomon.israel@freepress.mb.ca @sol_israel Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/09/2017 (1887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. More than a hundred Manitobans are hospitalized every year for significant opioid poisoning, according to a new report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. While Manitobas hospitalization rate is considerably lower than most other provinces and relatively stable, experts caution that the figure alone is not indicative of the seriousness of the provinces opioid issues. To understand the full extent of the Canadian health crisis, people need to factor in emergency room visits as well as deaths related to opioids, said Michael Gaucher, director of pharmaceuticals and health workforce information services with CIHI. Jonathan Hayward / The Canadian Press A Naloxone anti-overdose kit like the ones used by Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Services workers to block the effects of an opioid overdose. The positive is that the rate is certainly lower than some other provinces and it doesnt seem to be growing significantly, he said, but its those three measures that really give the full picture. Still, CIHIs report on opioid poisonings requiring hospitalization paints a grim picture. The Canadian rate has more than doubled in the last decade with the bulk of the increase happening in the last three years alone. Right now, an average of 16 people are hospitalized across Canada every day. Whats happened over the last three years is quite significant, Gaucher said. The problems not just in the downtown areas, its really in the suburbs and rural areas of the country as well. According to information released Thursday by Health Canada, 2,816 deaths across the country last year were related to opioids, with nearly 1,000 people dying in British Columbia and nearly 900 in Ontario. In Manitoba, 69 deaths were connected to opioids. A lot of these harms are preventable, said Gaucher, who noted that even in cities and provinces, like Winnipeg and Manitoba, where hospitalization rates and the death toll are lower, there is work to be done. Its important to continue to monitor the situation, he said, because certainly the situation could change. Better tracking is one of Manitobas priorities, according to the Winnipeg Regional Health Authoritys medical director of health, Dr. Joss Reimer. The WRHA has been working with Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service to more actively track when a paramedic is administering Naloxone, a drug that blocks the effects of an overdose, as well as tracking emergency room visits prompted by drug overdoses. But its not possible for the hospital to see which drug numbers are specifically related to opioids. That, in conjunction with the fact that some people arrive unconscious or arent clearly deemed to be overdosing, means in some ways we may be undercounting at the same time were over counting, Reimer said. Its also hard to tell right now, she said, whether Manitobas opioid problems are linked more to prescription drugs or illegal ones. Although, she does hear anecdotal stories from health care workers in the ER. Theyre seeing an increase in some of the illegal forms being the cause of the overdose and theyre seeing people coming in with a more severe level of overdose, she said, so unconscious, not breathing and requiring higher doses of Naloxone to counteract the overdose. Still, there are no hard and fast numbers, Reimer said, and Its tough to say with any level of certainty. jane.gerster@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/09/2017 (1887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Portage and Main was closed to pedestrians nearly 40 years ago, but Mayor Brian Bowman remains convinced reopening the intersection is necessary for Winnipegs growth. Opening up Portage and Main has never been only about tearing up barriers and throwing pedestrians into the mix and hoping for the best, Bowman told reporters Wednesday. Its about studying how we can integrate with what is already happening in our downtown and create a vision based on partnering with the businesses and the community to develop a plan to make a transformation-only intersection everyone-friendly, not just car-friendly. The citys iconic intersection was closed to pedestrians on Feb. 24, 1979. Bowman said he doesnt imagine it transforming into a version of New York Citys Times Square, which was what former mayor Glen Murray hoped could be achieved when he initiated an international design competition in 2003. Murrays competition drew submissions from around the world. But Murray was gone from the city when the winning design was chosen in 2005 and when a $10.5-million proposal was eventually presented to council in 2007, which incorporated the design changes and suggested the intersection be open on evenings and weekends, then-mayor Sam Katz wanted no part of it. To see some of the submissions, go online to: wfp.to/portageandmain. The winning design, #073, was submitted by Toronto architect Janet Rosenberg & Associates, in collaboration with local firm Corbett Cibinel Architects. While opinion surveys show a slight majority of Winnipeggers is opposed to reopening the intersection, Bowman said he believes the initiative is necessary. Were not building a Times Square at Portage and Main, but we are working to study and understand ways to better connect our city, work with property owners in the area and create a vision that works for Winnipeg, Bowman said. I continue to believe our Portage and Main intersection can be more and can do more for our downtown and our city. It can help us better connect our city. It can help build a better sense of belonging, and it can become a more engaging destination. aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca Portage and Main Design Boards Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/09/2017 (1887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. For those of you scoring at home, its now officially a revenue problem. In pursuit of a balanced budget, Premier Brian Pallister has insisted Manitobas chronic deficit was the result of years of financial mismanagement at the hands of the former NDP government, not anemic revenues. This was his mantra before, during and after the 2016 election campaign. It was the perspective cited repeatedly by Finance Minister Cameron Friesen every moment the deficit was being discussed. JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister It was the same message offered by the provinces hand-picked fiscal-performance advisory panel, which has been studying the provinces finances: We must recognize our province has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. It is time to get back to living within our means. True to that form, whenever the issue of revenues came up, Pallister quickly dismissed any suggestion he would go to Manitobans for more money to balance the budget. His government even committed to a law that requires a referendum on any major tax hike. And then, suddenly, a moment of clarity. On Wednesday, at a hastily called news conference to discuss pre-budget consultations, Pallister revealed he is considering the implementation of health care premiums. For the uninitiated, these are annual fees charged by provinces such as British Columbia and Ontario for access to the health-care system. Pallister told reporters his government had reached a point where, without additional revenue from premiums, Manitobans would have to prepare for significant cuts in service. Its a stark reality, but its the reality, the premier said. This is a watershed moment for the Pallister government. After 17 months of focusing on expenditures and shunning any suggestion of tax increases, the premier has reversed course in dramatic fashion. His change in tack will have a wide range of fiscal and political consequences. Politics first. Introducing a new health tax and to his credit, Pallister conceded health premiums are a form of taxation would put him in conflict with his pledge to give Manitobans the opportunity to vote on any major tax increase. At the very least, he would be in conflict with the spirit of that pledge. Pallister limited the referendum law to increases in income, payroll and sales taxes, but there is little doubt health premiums qualify as a major form of taxation. If he tries to insist health premiums fall outside the spirit of his original promise, the premier can expect no end of trouble from opposition critics. The premier has been careful not to get caught on this point. During the election, he explicitly refused to rule out future tax increases, even though he made it quite clear lowering taxes was among his chief goals. Pallisters constant rhetoric on what he considers to be Manitobas intolerably high level of taxation made it clear he would rather be drawn and quartered than introduce a tax hike. Despite increasing evidence it will be impossible to deliver, he is holding firm to his commitment to cutting the provincial sales tax to seven per cent before the 2020 election. Now that he has decided to embrace the possibility of a tax increase, Pallister is steering dangerously close to the iceberg that claimed the political career of former premier Greg Selinger. Selinger categorically ruled out tax increases in the 2011 election, only to do an about-face two years later, when he introduced a one-point hike in the PST to fund infrastructure. While in opposition, Pallister seized on Selingers flip-flop like a malnourished shark on fresh chum, accusing him of breaking a solemn promise to taxpayers. Those attacks cannot be forgotten now that Pallister is the one readying himself to raise taxes. There is always a possibility Pallister is floating the idea of premiums to divert attention away from the cutbacks in health services his government have already delivered. Despite promising during the last election he would not cut front-line services, Pallister has done just that. And not just in health care. Hundreds of government workers have lost their jobs and services across many departments have either been discontinued to trimmed. Perhaps the prospect of premiums is being used to show Manitobans there are things worse than service cuts. Perhaps. However, even if this is a bit of misdirection on the premiers part, there is no doubt the province has a revenue problem. Manitobas economy is relatively stable given the volatility in other areas of the country, but it is not dynamic enough to create huge windfalls in own-source revenue necessary to dig the budget out of deficit through growth alone. Pallister said Ottawas decision to reduce the annual increase in health funding to three per cent from six per cent was the main reason for raising the possibility of health premiums. However, when you look into the provinces balance sheet, that is hardly the only revenue problem facing Manitoba. Pallister may have finally learned his dream of balancing the budget through efficiencies and cost savings is not realistic. The provinces that have escaped deficit-financing B.C. and Quebec, in particular used a combination of revenue measures and expenditure controls. Any province that attempts to balance the budget solely through spending cuts is doomed to fail. So, perhaps this is Pallisters first acknowledgement he was wrong, maybe even a bit naive, about his original deficit-slaying plan. Perhaps this is the first sign he is willing to take a more pragmatic approach that will help him attack the deficit while truly protecting the essence of core government services. Some will call it a broken promise or a flip-flop. But it would still qualify as progress. dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/09/2017 (1887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. During the past 65 years of military rule in Burma (Mayanmar), the army has killed thousands of people from almost every one of the countrys numerous minorities: Shans, Karens, Kachins, Karennis, Mon, Chin and many smaller groups. But the only ones who have faced a genocide are the Rohingya and it is happening right now. Only two-thirds of Burmas 52 million people are ethnic Burmese and almost all the other groups have rebelled from time to time because they have no autonomy. Indeed, the original military takeover in 1962 occurred to stop an elected civilian leader from creating a federal state where the minorities would have some control over their own affairs. But the 1.1 million Rohingya are special, because they are almost all Muslim. The other minorities are all Buddhist, at least in theory, and the army only kills enough of them to quell their revolts. The Rohingya never revolted, but Muslims are feared and reviled by the Burmese majority. Now the army claims that the Rohingya are all recent immigrants from Bangladesh and is trying to drive them out of the country. Fareed Khan / The Associated Press Files Supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami, a Pakistani religious group, rally in Karachi Sunday to condemn violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar. The ancestors of the Rohingya migrated from what is now Bangladesh between the 14th and 18th centuries and settled in the Rakhine (Arakan) region of Burma. They were mostly poor farmers, just like their Buddhist neighbours, and their right to Burmese citizenship was unquestioned until the Burmese military seized power in 1962. Since then, they have been treated as aliens and enemies. The ultra-nationalist military regime launched its first open attacks on the Rohingya in 1978 and drove some 200,000 of them across the border into Bangladesh, in a campaign marked by widespread killings, mass rape and the destruction of mosques. Even then, their civilian Buddhist neighbours in Rakhine helped in the attacks. The Rohingyas citizenship was revoked in 1982 and other new laws forbade them to travel without official permission, banned them from owning land and required newly married couples to sign a commitment to have no more than two children. Another military campaign drove a further quarter-million Rohingyas into Bangladesh in 1990-91. Then things went relatively quiet until 2013. The trouble this time started with anti-Muslim riots in Burmas cities, where there are around a million other Muslims, mostly descended from people who immigrated from British-ruled India after Burma was conquered and incorporated into the empire in the mid-19th century. These urban Muslims, many of whom owned shops or other small businesses, attracted the envy and resentment of poorer Burmese, and have been the targets of sporadic rioting and looting throughout the past century. Since independence, the Burmese army has often supported these riots or even incited them. What lies behind all this hostility is a deep-seated fear that Islam is going to displace Buddhism in Burma as it has done in other once-Buddhist countries from Afghanistan to Indonesia. It is a completely unfounded fear Muslims are just four per cent of Burmas population but many Buddhist Burmese are obsessed by this fear. When the Taliban blew up the giant sixth-century statues of Buddha at Bamiyan in Afghanistan in 2001, the Burmese army retaliated by bulldozing the ancient Han Tha Mosque in the city of Taungoo. In the same year Burmese monks began distributing an anti-Muslim pamphlet called The Fear of Losing Ones Race, and since then Buddhist monks have been in the forefront of the attacks on Muslims including in Rakhine. The poor Rohingya farmers of Rakhine have little in common with the Muslim merchants of Burmas big cities, but they are now the main target of the armys wrath. This is probably because Rakhine is the only province of Burma where Muslims are or more precisely, were, until recently almost half the population. The attacks on the Rohingya, initially explained as part of intercommunal rioting between them and the local Buddhist population, have escalated until this year they have become straightforward ethnic cleansing. The army does not aim to kill them all, just enough of them to force the rest to flee across the border into Bangladesh but that is still genocide. Its now well on the way to accomplishing its goal, thanks to a small group of misguided young Rohingya men who formed a ramshackle resistance group called the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army and attacked several police posts on Aug. 25, killing 12 people. They were armed with homemade black-powder muskets and swords, but the Burmese government has proclaimed that it is under terrorist attack and launched a counter-offensive that is the local version of a final solution. About 300,000 Rohingya have fled across the border into Bangladesh in the past couple of weeks, leaving behind an unknown number of dead in their burned-out villages. The remaining Rohingyas in Burma, probably still more than half a million, are almost all in refugee camps that the regime carefully does not call concentration camps. And what about Burmas secular saint, Aung San Suu Kyi, now in practice the head of a democratically elected government (although one still subject to a military veto on security matters)? She denies there is anything wrong going on. Gwynne Dyer is an independent journalist whose articles are published in 45 countries. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 14/09/2017 (1887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. On September 1, an agency of the Government of Canada directed nearly $100 million to support local television news in Canada. Suddenly, more local television reporters are working stories on more broadcasts across Canada. But why just television? Why not newspapers or digital-only publications? Its the reporting of news thats important, not the platform on which it resides. The answer is purely bureaucratic. Television is regulated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, which collects a levy on the revenues of cable and satellite distributors and then re-directs the funds into producing content deemed to serve the public good, such as television news. Other parts of the Government of Canada, supported by the same taxpayers, have so far resisted measures to bolster an industry that plays an essential role in our democracy, one thats even explicitly written into the Charter of Rights. The situation is bad and getting worse. More and more newspaper jobs are disappearing at least one in three since 2010 by our count and newspaper closures in more than 200 federal ridings have loosened the social glue news provides to communities. These reporter-intensive organizations are the tributaries for much of the news about democratic institutions generated in Canada, both in print and online. Digital news start-ups in Canada, with a few exceptions, so far have been unable to fill the growing deficit in reporting capacity. Please adjust the dial. Theres something wrong with this picture. As the sources of verifiable news dry up, fake news, designed to disorient and disillusion the public, proliferates. Making something up or simply distorting facts costs a fraction of real reporting. Whether for commercial, partisan, ideological or geopolitical reasons, it represents a direct assault on our democracy. This isnt a good time to allow the weakening of news organizations. We are seeing in the United States the critical role newspaper companies, particularly the New York Times and Washington Post, are playing in keeping the public informed about deep stresses in their democracy. The classic relationship between whistleblowers and reporters cant work if the latter become an endangered species. In Canada, the threat is more acute because the market is smaller. Canadian daily newspapers have seen more than half their ad revenues about $1.5 billion bleed away over the past decade, most of it going to Google and Facebook, which together served up more than eight out of 10 digital ads in Canada last year. Unfortunately, they dont invest in generating news. Meanwhile, as the sources of verifiable news dry up, fake news, designed to disorient and disillusion the public, proliferates. Making something up or simply distorting facts costs a fraction of real reporting. Whether for commercial, partisan, ideological or geopolitical reasons, it represents a direct assault on our democracy. Again, theres something wrong with this picture. In many places, calling the mayor the day after council meetings for an account of what happened constitutes coverage of city hall. Even in provincial capitals, some governments go uncovered between legislative sessions, and fewer specialists work the corridors of power in Ottawa. From a public-policy point of view, this raises vexing questions. Nobody wants to give governments leverage over the reporters meant to hold them to account. That said, the CBC is both publicly funded and independent, so its not an impossible task. We see two problems that cry out for attention: getting more reporters on the ground and financing innovation so that news producers can keep up with ever-evolving consumption habits. Last April, on the heels of The Shattered Mirror report on news, democracy and truth in Canada, the Public Policy Forum brought together about 40 news organizations and unions to propose solutions that would support employment of reporters and investment in innovation without sacrificing media independence or shutting out new competitors. Out of this process came a proposal to add a new component to the well-established Canadian Periodical Fund, one that would support journalism of a civic or democratic-enhancing nature. This new Canadian Journalism Fund would feature a pre-programmed formula to cover 30 per cent of the costs of reporting, creating an incentive to hire rather than fire reporters, and, critically, denying governments the discretion to play favourites. Weve established a definition for who qualifies, and an appeals process independent of government. As well, companies would be forbidden from diverting the funds to dividends, bonuses and debt payments. There are those who rightly worry any government involvement would compromise a free press. But a broke press isnt much of a free press. Others contend its best to wait for news organizations to go bankrupt and then pick up the pieces. But once in bankruptcy court, it is the debtholders and not the public interests that are served, as we saw in 2010 when Postmedia emerged from bankruptcy proceedings with bondholders as owners and an unbearable burden of debt. Finally, some say the companies seeking assistance are doomed in any case. That may be true, but established news companies and startups should be given five years to prove they can make a go of it. The alternative of more and more fake news and less and less reported news is antithetical to the precepts of a healthy democracy. Bob Cox is chairman of News Media Canada and publisher of the Winnipeg Free Press, Jerry Dias is national president of Unifor, and Edward Greenspon is president of the Public Policy Forum. Over the past weeks, nervous commentaries in the financial press, from international banks and major property developers, have warned that a downturn of the Australian housing market could trigger a financial crisis. Indices of soaring mortgage debt, declining wages and falling investor confidence have pointed to the fragility of the property bubble, which is built on a mountain of debt and parasitic financial speculation. There are symptoms of a slowdown that some commentators warn could mark the beginning of the end for record high house prices. Figures from CoreLogic showed that auction clearance rates for the first week of September were at their lowest level in over a year, at 66.4 percent across the country. Falls were recorded in Sydney and Melbourne, the countrys two biggest cities and the centres of the east coast property boom. Prices were stagnant during August in Sydney, and grew by just 0.5 percent in Melbourne. This marked a shift from growth rates that had seen prices double in both cities since 2009. Average prices reached over $1 million in Sydney this year and more than $900,000 in Melbourne. The downturn in the apartment sector is far more pronounced. In Brisbane, the third largest city, apartment sales from a plan fell from 1,600 in the December quarter of 2014, to just 300 in the June quarter of 2017, according to CoreLogic. In the March quarter, some 25 percent of Brisbane apartments already on the market were resold at a loss. Unit values fell by 3.2 percent over the year to the end of last month. Tim Lawless, CoreLogics research head, described the Brisbane apartment market as quite problematic and said similar processes were underway in Melbourne and Perth. Harry Triguboff, the multi-billionaire property developer whose Meriton Group is the countrys largest apartment builder, told the Australian on Monday that prices in the sector had fallen by as much as 10 percent over the past six months. The falling prices will have a big impact on the economy, he said, Australians could lose an enormous amount of wealth. BIS Oxford Economics last month estimated that high-density residential completions could fall by 50 percent in the two years to 202021. The research group also forecast a 31 percent fall in new residential building starts over the next three years. This would jeopardise the jobs of tens of thousands of construction workers, and have far broader implications. BIS managing director Robert Mellor said that with the downturn, national economic growth rates would be below the 3 percent projected by the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Turnbull government. The Westpac-Melbourne Institute consumer sentiment report for September said confidence in the property market had fallen to its lowest level since the survey began 40 years ago. Only one tenth of respondents said real estate was the best area to invest savings, while the time to buy a dwelling sub-index had fallen by 13 percent this year. Underlying the concerns are a sharp growth of mortgage debt and declining wages. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data this week showed that in Sydney alone, 407,000 households with mortgages or other housing loans are over-indebted. A household with debt three times greater or more than income is classified as holding excessive debt. The average debt among such households in Sydney is over $765,000. Across the country, over-indebtedness among young homeowners is endemic62 percent among 2435 year-olds and 51 percent among 3544 year-olds. Total household debt has almost doubled since 2003. It now stands at 189 percent of income, the second highest ratio in the world. Modelling by Digital Finance Analytics late last month found that up to 820,000 households, a quarter of those holding a mortgage across the country, are in mortgage stress. About 32,000 of those are in severe stress, unable to meet their repayments with their current income, while 52,000 are at risk of defaulting on their loan by May. The pressures on mortgage-holders are being driven by record low wage growth, which has been just 1.5 percent over the past year, according to one measure. Household savings levels in June were 4.6 percent of income, the lowest since 2008, and the figure has not risen for 14 consecutive quarters. Because of rising living costs and stagnant or declining incomes, broad sections of the population are suffering financial hardship. They could be pushed over the edge by the loss of a job, or any other unexpected expense. Commenting on the ABS debt figures, Robert Gottliebsen, the Australians business columnist wrote today: If ever property falls in Australia the effects will not just be directed to the over-borrowed parts of the society ... but it will spread through the wealth of the community. The major banks would be heavily exposed to any housing sector slowdown, with around 60 percent of their assets composed of mortgage debt. International investment bank UBS this week called into question the quality of much of that debt. It estimated that up to $500 billion of outstanding mortgage loans could be based on incorrect information, including about the borrowers income, debts and assets. In a UBS survey of 900 mortgage holders, only 67 percent said their mortgage application was completely factual and accurate. If UBSs extrapolation is correct, 29 percent of all mortgage debt, and 18 percent of private debt across the board may be based on false information. The figures have prompted media denunciations of dishonest household borrowers, with headlines warning of liar loans. In reality, the banks and mortgage brokers have aggressively pushed risky housing loans, as part of a broader promotion of the speculative housing bubble, including by governments and regulatory authorities. Last month, for instance, a former broker told the Australian Broadcasting Corporations Four Corners program the previous industry standard was for loans to be no more than three to four times gross income, but it was now common for loans to amount to seven or eight times income. Having promoted the boom, the authorities are trapped in a dilemma, with any move to rein it in threatening a precipitous fall in lending and a rush of mortgage defaults, risking broader economic turbulence. The death of eight elderly residents of a nursing home in Hollywood, Florida, north of Miami, after suffering for several days in sweltering heat without air conditioning following Hurricane Irma, is not only a horrific tragedy, it is a social crime. The heat index in southeast Florida overnight Tuesday into Wednesday was around 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius), unbearable for many of the residents of the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills. One person who visited her mother at the home on Tuesday afternoon said that it felt like 110 degrees. Staff called police early Wednesday after residents woke up sick, and at least one person was found unresponsive. Four residents died at the nursing home, and another four died after being sent to the hospital. At least 115 residents were evacuated by Hollywood Fire Rescue. Repairman Dave Long told Local 10 News that he had been fighting with Florida Power and Light (FPL), the power company, since Monday to send someone to fix a fuse on the nursing homes air conditioning unit that had popped during the storm. Theres nothing we can do, Long said. Weve been calling and calling. ... It just doesn't seem to be going anywhere and I cant do anything until we get that fuse popped back in. Another woman quoted anonymously by Local 10 News said that she had called FPL on behalf of her mother who was in the facility repeatedly since Monday demanding to know when the air conditioning would be turned back on. I kept calling, she said. And I said, This is life-threatening. The residents were left to suffer in the suffocating heat and humidity even as the hospital across the street, Memorial Regional Hospital, maintained power throughout the storm and in its aftermath. While the nursing home had a backup power generator, it was used only for cooking food. FPL spokesman Rob Gould sought to pass the blame, stating at a press conference on Wednesday that the nursing home had not been identified prior to the current Hurricane season as a high priority facility by officials from Broward County, where Hollywood is located. They identified which facilities were to be critical top infrastructure facilities, this was not one of them, Gould said. The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, which is affiliated with Larkin Community Hospital, received a health inspection rating of much below average from the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration after a review in March found unsanitary conditions and poor food. Beyond the immediate responsibility of FPL and local authorities, the deaths at the Hollywood nursing home are a byproduct of the criminal levels of neglect on the part of the ruling class revealed in the response to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. In both cases, no systematic measures were taken to facilitate evacuations, particularly of the elderly and infirm who are not able to drive. Florida authorities clearly had nothing in place to ensure that its most vulnerable residents were safe after the storm. At the same time, the massive power outage itself is the product of decades of neglect of basic social infrastructure. Some 10 million people, or about half the population of Florida, are still without power, which in some areas may not be restored for weeks. There have been extremely limited efforts to place power lines underground and fortify aboveground substations to protect the electrical network from wind and falling trees. This is a privilege limited to only the wealthiest neighborhoods. There is a danger that the deaths in Hollywood will be repeated. The Florida Health Care Association reported that one quarter of all licensed nursing homes in the state were without electricity as of Tuesday and were relying on generators to supply power. The elderly, the infirm and those recovering from surgeries are among the most vulnerable to illness and death in the aftermath of major storms. Those in nursing homes are especially at risk as they may rely on oxygen, ventilators and refrigeration for medication to stay alive. There are some 73,000 nursing home residents across the state, and there are approximately 3.6 million senior citizens in Florida, many of whom live on their own or with some form of assisted living. More than half of Century Village, a large retirement community in Pembroke Pines, Florida, west of Hollywood, was still without power and under a boil-water advisory Wednesday. Residents and their relatives sent out desperate pleas for assistance on Twitter and Facebook. With the elevators not functioning, those confined to wheelchairs were stuck in their upstairs apartments with no air conditioning as temperatures rose throughout the day rose to an unbearable 94 degrees Fahrenheit. So far, there have been 36 deaths in the US related to Irma and 43 more across the Caribbean. Multiple deaths in the US have been ascribed to carbon monoxide poisoning from generators operated inside homes or garages, often out of fear that they could be stolen if left unattended outside. A seven-year-old girl in Lakeland, east of Tampa, died of carbon monoxide poisoning on Wednesday. In Orange County, three members of a family were killed and four more were sickened after a generator was left running in their home. Even as the death toll continues to mount in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey, the mainstream media has hailed the governments response, giving the Trump administration a pass and covering up the criminal negligence that has left millions without power and at the mercy of sweltering heat. The New York Times proclaimed in a headline Tuesday: Amid Chaos of Storms, US Shows It Has Improved Its Response. The article ascribed the surprisingly contained death toll to lessons supposedly learned in the aftermath of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, including the formation and massive growth of the Department of Homeland Security. The Washington Post proclaimed that the Trump administration had won cautious praise for its response to both Harvey and Irma. The attempt to whitewash the government response to the hurricanes is bound up with concerns that the devastation wrought by the storms could fuel social anger. Both the Democrats and Republicans, moreover, are anxious to move on to other priorities. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, both Democrats, dined with Trump Wednesday night at the White House, where they discussed how they could extend their political alliance on domestic legislation. The main aim of an agreement between the Democrats and Trump would be to push through major tax cuts for corporations, which the Trump administration has defined as its most important domestic priority. The plight of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims fleeing the Burmese militarys rampage in the western state of Rakhine is a devastating exposure of the fraud of human rights imperialism practiced by the US and its allies and their chief political asset in Burma (Myanmar)Aung San Suu Kyi. The brutality and scale of the military operations have occasioned a great deal of hypocritical handwringing in the UN and by those who have aggressively promoted Suu Kyi as a democracy icon. Despite the media and humanitarian agencies being barred from the operational area, there is substantial and mounting evidence that the Burmese army has been systematically torching villages and there are numerous eyewitness accounts of soldiers gunning down civilians. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres yesterday described what was taking place in Rakhine state as ethnic cleansing, saying: When one-third of the Rohingya population had to flee the country, could you find a better word to describe it? The UN Security Council issued a statement that expressed concern about reports of excessive violence and appealed for steps to de-escalate the situation, protect civilians and resolve the refugee problem. British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson last week joined the chorus of international appeals to Suu Kyi to use her influence to rein in the military. Aung San Suu Kyi is rightly regarded as one of the most inspiring figures of our age, but the treatment of the Rohingya is alas besmirching the reputation of Burma, he declared. If the militarys ethnic cleansing had taken place a decade ago, when the Burmese junta had Suu Kyi under house arrest, the reaction would have been quite different. There would have been ringing condemnations from Western imperialism of the rogue regime, denunciations of its long history of human rights abuses and moves for even tougher diplomatic and economic sanctions against Burma. Why is Washington now soft-peddling the latest military outrages in Burma? As is the case around the world, the US has never had the slightest interest in promoting basic democratic rights in Burma. Rather, its attitude toward the Burmese military dictatorship was always determined by economic and strategic interestsin particular, Washingtons hostility to the juntas close ties with China. As the Obama administration began to ramp up its pivot to Asia against China throughout the Asia Pacific, the Burmese junta, facing a mounting economic and social crisis at home, signalled a shift away from Beijing in 2011 and a willingness to find a political role for Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD). It was as if a switch had been flicked. Virtually overnight, Burma was designated in the US and international media not as a rogue state, but as a "developing democracy." A string of top American officials trooped in, culminating in a visit by President Barack Obama in 2012. Sanctions were progressively dropped and Suu Kyi became a roving ambassador for the junta, hustling for investment and aid. The victory of the NLD in the carefully managed elections in 2016 and installation of Suu Kyi as de facto head of government was universally hailed by the establishment media, middle-class liberals and various pseudo-left organisations as the flowering of democracy. In reality, the military remains in charge: it appointed officers to a quarter of the parliamentary seats and installed serving generals to the key cabinet posts of defence, home affairs and border affairs. Suu Kyi and the NLD went along with this charade because their basic concern was never with democratic rights as such. Rather, the NLD represents those sections of the Burmese bourgeoisie whose economic interests were stifled under the military junta. Aligned with Western imperialism, they sought to open up the country to investment. Moreover, the NLD, Suu Kyi included, is just as mired as the military in the reactionary ideology of Burmese Buddhist supremacism, which has repeatedly been exploited to sow religious and ethnic divisions among working people. As hopes for an economic boom in Burma have faded, the military, with the NLDs backing, has escalated violence against Muslim Rohingyas, who long have been used as a scapegoat for the countrys problems. Suu Kyi and the NLD have taken no steps to address the lack of fundamental rights for the Rohingya minority, who are branded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Despite having lived, in many cases for generations, in Burma, they are not citizens and thus have no rights or access to social services. Suu Kyi has openly defended the militarys ethnic cleansing campaign, justified in the name of the war on terrorism and the need to suppress Rohingya militias that have sprung up in response to the armys outrages. After criticism from the Turkish president last week, Suu Kyi lashed out against fake news photographs and a huge iceberg of misinformation that creates problems with the aim of promoting the interest of the terrorists. The events in Burma are a graphic example of the cynical use of human rights to promote the interests of imperialism. But it is far from the only one. Time and again, the demonisation of leaders and regimes over human rights has been exploited as the pretext for illegal wars of aggression and regime-change operations. The US and its allies, supported by various liberals and pseudo-left groups, have laid waste to Iraq, Libya and Syria, leading to millions of deaths in a bid to shore up American hegemony in the strategic, energy-rich Middle East. The situation in Burma underscores the basic conclusion drawn by Leon Trotsky more than a century ago in his Theory of Permanent Revolution, and confirmed by the Russian Revolution in 1917: the organic inability of any section of the bourgeoisie in countries with a belated capitalist development that are dominated by imperialism, such as Burma, to establish basic democratic rights. That task falls to the working class, in the fight to take power at the head of a revolutionary movement as an integral component of the struggle for socialism internationally. A political crisis of rule is rapidly developing in Peru involving all of the major parties. It stretches from the internal fissures within the extreme right-wing parties, like the ruling Partido por el Kambio of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (PPK) and the fujimorista Fuerza Popular, all the way to the pseudo-left Frente Amplio. Kuczynskis first year has been generally assessed within the media as somewhere between disappointing and near catastrophic. His performance has been characterized by continuous cabinet shakeups, inability to deal with the Fuerza Popular-controlled Congress and the mega-scandal related to kickbacks by the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht, which is having strong negative repercussions for the nations economic growth. The government has blamed the fall of the economy during the first part of this year on the devastation produced by the so-called Nino costero, affecting most of the country, especially the northern region with heavy rain and widespread flooding. While it is true that the floods in the north damaged agricultural production and distribution, the governments response to this catastrophe has been to ensure that private companies profit from the reconstruction to come with a fund of 25.7 billion soles (US$7.7 billion) to invest in the damaged areas. Though metal prices are experiencing an upswing in the world commodities markets, it may come too late to reactivate the Peruvian economy, which has been slowing down for almost two years. But, as in many other countries facing problems in the growth of the real economy, the Peruvian stock exchange has increased 13.7 percent so far in 2017. According to Gestion, the only growth this year has been in informal jobs; those which are kept off the books, paying no taxes to the central government, nor benefits to workers. 332,600 informal jobs were created in the past 12 months. The Odebrecht scandalwhich is bound up with the massive Lava Jato bribes and kickbacks operation surrounding Brazils state-run energy conglomerate Petrobrasis threatening to put two other former presidents behind bars: Alejandro Toledo (2001-2006), accused of having received US$20 million from the Brazilian company, and Alan Garcia (2006-2011). Former president Toledo is living comfortably in the San Francisco Bay Area, employed by Stanford University. But in recent days, prosecutors have been preparing a dossier for Washington, which has signaled that it will extradite Toledo if proof of his misdeeds is presented by the Peruvian government. Toledos position was weakened when his longtime associate, Israeli multimillionaire Josef Maiman, agreed to collaborate with prosecutors. Maiman revealed that he was part of a transaction of US$3 million in the Ecoveta case; a scandal involving a multi-million-dollar acquisition of real estate in Lima by Eva Fernenbug, mother of Toledos wife Elaine Karp. Other collaborators have indicated they will testify about other schemes used by Toledo to hide US$20 million in kickbacks requested from Odebrecht. Among the several mega-construction projects that Odebrecht bid for and won through bribes, the most significant was for the construction of the southern portion of the Interoceanic Highway, an ambitious plan to create an overland link between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. During recent years, in addition to multi-billion-dollar mining projects, Perus fortunes have relied heavily on construction, an industry that Odebrecht dominated. As a result of the bribery scandal, many major projects are now paralyzed. The dilemma of PPKs government is that it is forced to pretend that it is battling corruption, but bringing Toledo before the Peruvian courts would jeopardize the political future of Kuczynski himself, who was prime minister under Toledo. Toledo has declared that PPK was a participant in the meeting that approved contracting Odebrecht to construct the Interoceanic Highway. PPKs approval rating is deteriorating rapidly, from 40 percent in the last week of August to a meager 19 percent today. No president in Peruvian history has suffered such a collapse in popularity during his first year in office. Recently, a government prosecutor announced that he will question PPK over his involvement in the Odebrecht scandal. PPK is not the only high profile figure the prosecutors are after. The leader of Fuerza Popular, Keiko Fujimori, has been accused of receiving presidential campaign contributions from Odebrecht. Thus, Keikothe daughter of Perus jailed former dictatorial president Alberto Fujimori sentenced to 25 years in prison for crimes against humanity in the 1990smight end up serving an 18-month term of preventive imprisonment. Former president Ollanta Humala and his wife Nadine Heredia have been in jail since July 2017 under a similar preventive detention order. In its September 7 edition, La Republica, reported that Human Rights Watch submitted a report stating that there is new evidence that the former president [Humala] was involved in atrocities committed during the armed conflict in the 1990s. Alongside the corruption allegations, Fuerza Popular, which controls Congress, is suffering divisions within its ranks conditioned by a political struggle between Keiko and her brother Kenji. The courts are also preparing to interrogate and present evidence against the last two mayors of Lima: the pseudo-left-backed Susana Villaran; and the current mayor, Luis Castaneda Lossio, known for the corrupt deals that characterized his first term as mayor (20032010). Then there is the pseudo-left coalition Frente Amplio, which has been split between those aligned with Marco Arana of the Tierra y Libertad party, and those backing former left presidential candidate Veronika Mendoza, who is building her own party in preparation for the next presidential elections. Each faction has 10 representatives in Congress. Lately there have been rumors about the possibility of declaring a vacancia presidencial for Kuczynski, a constitutional measure that Congress can employ to force a democratically elected president to resign the presidency. Though such an extreme measure is normally reserved for only extraordinary circumstances, such as when a president is physically incapacitated, some factions of the ruling class clearly fear that having an extremely unpopular president under conditions of a stagnant economy and the wholesale discrediting of the political establishment by corruption scandals is creating a dangerous and unacceptable situation for bourgeois rule. These fears are well-founded. Over the course of this year, Peru has seen a growing wave of working class and peasant struggles. Beginning on June 15, 400,000 public school teachers went on a national strikealongside strikes in the public health sector and the mines along with 24 or 48-hour regional stoppages. From mid-July onwards, in the combative southern region, teachers adopted the tactics traditionally used by miners and peasants, blocking roads with stones and burning tires and holding massive marches in all the major cities, followed by bloody confrontations with the police. More than 15,000 teachers, students and parents, coming from all corners of the country, congregated in Plaza San Martin in the capital, Lima. The teachers have valiantly resisted the governments repression and its provocative accusations that they are terrorists, staging protests near the government headquarters every single day until the end of August. On August 4, the government announced an agreement on some of the issues raised in the strike and called upon teachers to return to classes. According to Telesur, the government will raise the basic salary of teachers to US$ 617 per month by December 2017. Teachers leaders agreed to resume activities in all schools across the country beginning August 7. Regional governments also promised to allocate 70 percent of their budgets to the education sector by 2018. The strike has also seen the major teachers trade union, SUTEP, for decades under the control of the Maoist movement Patria Roja, gradually lose control over the majority of teachers to a new movement led by members opposed to the SUTEP bureaucracy, which collaborated with the government, even joining it in accusing the strikers of terrorism. Across the country, teachers have created Defense Committees independent of the union. The mom of a 1-year-old who was asked to breastfeed her daughter in her gyms bathroom has spoken out, prompting swift local action that included an apology from management and a nurse-in by supportive mothers. Ive been assured that the company intends to retrain all employees with regards to breastfeeding laws, and the front desk operator will definitely not be asking future breastfeeding moms to nurse in the restroom, Ruha Tacey, of Athens, Ala., tells Yahoo Beauty about the incident she found so upsetting that she canceled her gym membership at SportsFit on the spot. The regional manager apologized to me on behalf of the company and regrets that I was made to feel unwelcome and/or ashamed. The trouble began on Monday, when Tacey tried hitting the gym for the first time since having her daughter. When her baby had a hard time in the childcare room, Tacey sat there and breastfed her, as she explained in a bummed Facebook post on Tuesday. She was still distressed when I tried to leave again, so we left and came back this morning, she wrote. When I badged into the front door, the very friendly guy at the front desk said, Hey, can I talk to you about something really quick? In terms of feeding your child, when you need to do that, could you just use the restroom? The restroom? I asked. I have absolutely never been asked to do that, I said. Well, were a family friendly facility, you see, and yesterday while you were feeding her a man walked by the window. Tacey and her daughter, left, found support from other breastfeeding moms in Alabama. (Photo: Courtesy of Tacey Ruha) Taceys post continued, I told him a man shouldnt feel shame when he sees a woman breastfeeding. And especially if youre family friendly, you should be super-pro breastfeeding! He said, Im not telling you not to breastfeed, I just think a little discretion is in order. What a shame, I said. Can I cancel my membership? She added, Its hard enough getting to the gym and trying to work out despite a child with lots of separation anxiety. Beyond that, the gym employees request was against the law, as Alabama Code Section 22 1-13 allows for breastfeeding in any public or private location where the mother is otherwise authorized to be. Story continues On Wednesday morning, a handful of moms joined Tacey to send a message to the gym with a nurse-in, she says, adding that she regrets the gym taking such a beating in the local press, when the situation was really the fault of one employee and his immediate supervisor. Yahoo Beauty could not reach anyone at the gym by phone (which appeared to not be working properly on Wednesday) and did not receive a reply to the email sent to the company for comment. Tacey, while not 100 percent satisfied, as the front desk operator wasnt prepared to apologize yet, says shes feeling much better about the whole ordeal. The main message Id like to get across to the public, she says, is that breastfeeding is natural, its normal, and it is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Individuals are welcome to have their own opinions about whether a nursing mother offends them, but I would hope that they could think of the child first. Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty. Estranged Husband Killed Wife and 7 Friends During Dallas Cowboys Viewing Party: 'He Wasn't Moving On and She Was' The estranged husband of a 27-year-old Plano, Texas, woman has been named as the gunman who went on a deadly rampage and fatally shot his soon-to-be ex-wife and seven of her friends Sunday night at a Dallas Cowboys viewing party she hosted, PEOPLE confirms. The Plano Police Department identified Spencer Hight, 32, as the gunman who took the lives of his estranged wife, Meredith Emily Hight, and seven of her friends in the worst mass shooting in the citys history. Two other victims survived the shooting and were taken to the hospital, where one later died, say police. In addition to Lane, the deceased victims have been identified as Anthony Michael Cross, 33; Olivia Nicole Deffner, 24; James Richard Dunlop, 29; Darryl William Hawkins, 22; Rion Christopher Morgan, 31; Myah Sade Bass, 28; and Caleb Seth Edwards, 25. Plano shooting victims. Top row, L-R: Meredith Lane Hight, Rion Morgan, Tony Cross, Olivia Deffner. Bottom row, L-R: Myah Bass, Caleb Edwards, James Dunlop, Darryl Hawkins The mass shooting rocked the normally peaceful Dallas suburb. Weve never had a shooting of this magnitude, Plano Police Chief Gregory Rushin said at a press conference Monday afternoon. Were one of the safest cities in the country. Its just a terrible event, and our hearts go out to the families and loved ones. Next of kin have been notified, say police. All victims were located in the backyard or the inside of the home. No children were involved in the shooting. Police did not specify which victim died at the hospital. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Hight was shot and killed by an officer who responded immediately to several reports of multiple gunshots at the residence, the chief said. Lanes family is devastated. She was our only child, her father, Gene Lane told The Washington Post. All we know is she is gone. Story continues Trying to Build a New Life After getting married in May 2011, Meredith and Spencer bought a house together about two years ago the home where the shooting took place, her mother, Debbie Lane, told the Dallas Morning News. The couples relationship began to deteriorate a couple years ago, Debbie Lane told local news station NBC 5 Dallas Fort Worth. Debbie Lane had traveled from Georgia to help Meredith set up the party. It was officially out with the old and in with the new, Debbie Lane told local news station WFAA. It was her reclaiming her life, and she was thrilled to be doing that. It was the happiest shed been in years. Years. I think he saw our comfort, ease, and happiness and her embracing new life, and resented it to the maximum and responded the way he did, Debbie Lane told the news station. He was not moving on, she said. And she was. A Gathering Marred by Horrific Violence At about 8 p.m. Sunday night, an officer responded to calls about multiple shots being fired at the home, say police. When the officer entered the backyard, he found two victims outside. When he went inside the house, he saw more shooting victims, say police. The officer found the suspect inside and ended his shooting spree, the chief said. Spencer Hight came to the party with numerous weapons, Rushin said. Police are still investigating the incident. PEOPLEs special edition True Crime Stories: 35 Real Cases That Inspired the ShowLaw & Orderis on sale now. One of the victims, Caleb Edwards, was Merediths roommate. Another victim, James Dunlop, was a longtime friend. Rion Morgan was in Merediths wedding party. They were fine, fine young men. The best. The best, Lane told the news station. Lane said her daughter was a supervisor at Coca-Cola. She earned a math degree from University of Texas at Dallas, she said. She was one of those people who felt life was a gift, Lane said. PEOPLEs calls for comment to the Plano Police Department and to the Lane and Hight families were not immediately returned. Tourists who rode out Hurricane Irma on the island of St. Thomas were left stranded after a ship contracted by Marriott Hotels refused to allow non-hotel guests to board. Cody Howard, a professional storm chaser who was shooting footage on the island with a partner, said it was some tourists last hope. It was really hard to see people with kids and elderly people who dont have anywhere to stay get turned away by this boat, he told The Washington Post. For some people, that was the only [glimmer] of hope. After the boat left, they just felt hopeless and helpless. In a statement to PEOPLE, Marriott said the boat team did not have the authorization to take additional passengers. There were a number of additional people gathered at the dock who were not our guests who also expressed a desire to leave St. Thomas. We very much wanted to assist these other travelers to Puerto Rico, however, the Marriott team on-the-ground was told they had no authorization to board additional passengers, they said. With Hurricane Jose on a path to St. Thomas, the ferry had a tight window to pick up passengers and safely depart. They continued, As a company, Marriott places a priority on the safety and security of our guests, but we also have a long tradition of looking out for the greater community. In this case, we werent able to help and as grateful as we are that we were able to transport our guests, we are saddened that we were not able to do the same for more people. We continue to work with local authorities in St. Thomas to help support the relief efforts there. The abandoned tourists feared they would have no way to safety as a second storm, Hurricane Jose, approached the island, which was running low on supplies. (Jose did change course and largely avoided St. Thomas.) Howard and Ayala both alleged that the CEO of Marriott did not want to take the liability of bringing non-hotel guests. Ayala eventually found safe passage on a private evacuation boat to Puerto Rico, where she caught a flight to Texas, according to her social media posts. Police say the estranged husband of a 27-year-old Plano, Texas, woman stormed the home they once shared and fatally shot her and seven of her friends on Sunday night at a Dallas Cowboys viewing party she hosted. The gunman, identified as 32-year-old Spencer Hight, was having trouble moving on from the split, victim Meredith Hights mother has said. Here are five things to know about the case, which is the worst mass shooting in Planos history. Spencer Hight 1. A Friendly Gathering Turns Deadly On Sunday night at about 8 p.m., a police officer responded to multiple reports of gunshots being fired at a home in a usually quiet neighborhood in Plano, authorities have said. She was our only child, Merediths father, Gene Lane, told the Washington Post. All we know is she is gone. Besides Meredith, the deceased victims have been identified as Anthony Michael Cross, 33; Olivia Nicole Deffner, 24; James Richard Dunlop, 29; Darryl William Hawkins, 22; Rion Christopher Morgan, 31; Myah Sade Bass, 28; and 25-year-old Caleb Seth Edwards. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Top row, from left: Meredith Hight, Rion Morgan, Tony Cross and Olivia Deffner. Bottom row, from left: Myah Bass, Caleb Edwards, James Dunlop and Darryl Hawkins 2. Gunman Killed at the Scene The officer who responded to Merediths Plano home found two shooting victims in the backyard, according to police. Inside the house, he found more victims and came face to face with Spencer Hight, who was heavily armed with numerous weapons, police said. Spencer was shot and killed on the spot. The officer found the suspect inside and ended his shooting spree, Plano Police Chief Gregory Rushin said at a news conference Monday. Police are still investigating. The home where police say Spencer Hight killed his ex-wife, Meredith, and seven of her friends 3. Before the Shooting, a Deteriorating Marriage Meredith and Spencer Hight reportedly got married in May 2011, just after she graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas. The couple bought a house together about two years ago the same residence where the shooting took place, Merediths mother, Debbie Lane, told the Dallas Morning News. Story continues Two years ago or so, though, the couples relationship began to sour, Debbie told local TV station KXAS, with Meredith filing for divorce from Spencer in July. The marriage, Debbie said, was marked by alcoholism and violence. Leaving made her daughter the happiest shed been in years, she told local station WFAA. Years. 4. Suspect Was Not Moving on While Spencer had moved out months before, he had only collected the rest of his belongings in the past few days, Debbie told WFAA. PEOPLEs special edition True Crime Stories: 35 Real Cases That Inspired the Show Law & Order is on sale now. I think he saw our comfort, ease and happiness and her [Meredith] embracing new life, and resented it to the maximum and responded the way he did, Debbie told the station. He was not moving on, she said. And she was. 5. Estranged Husbands Family Is Sorry Spencers father, Chester Hight, said his family is devastated by the shooting grieving the deaths of his son, daughter-in-law and those killed at the party. Im so sorry, Chester said, according to CBS News. We knew some of those kids. The family, he told the Dallas Morning News, is living a nightmare. South Park returned for its 21st season Wednesday night, and with its history of tackling controversial current events, it was no surprise that the premiere was centered on white supremacists. But the episode wasnt as much about racism as it was about blue-collar workers losing their jobs to cheaper labor. The line, They took our jobs! has been a long-running joke on the show. Confederate flag-waving people took to the streets of the tiny Colorado town to protest, saying devices like the Amazon Echo and Google Home are taking their jobs. Randy interrupted their protest, saying, Will you a**holes knock it off? Dont you know every time you wave Confederate flags around you make the rest of us look stupid? The episode also poked fun at house renovation shows Randy started his own show called White People Renovating Houses. The two storylines crossed when Randy decided to have the blue-collar workers replace virtual assistants Siri and Alexa. As if he were talking to Alexa, Randy said, Hey, Darryl, add Carrara subway tile to my shopping list. But Darryls response was I aint doin it! This job is degrading and menial! And thats when the show took a sharp dig at some fading blue-collar industries. Randy said, Hey Darryl coal mining and truck driving are not exactly jobs of the future, so add Carrara subway tile to my f***ing shopping list! Comedic and sometimes absurd social commentary is what weve come to expect from South Park. Despite rumors that the show would distance itself from controversial current events, this season doesnt appear to be any different. South Park airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on Comedy Central. Watch the full episode of South Park here. Read more from Yahoo TV: Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. French model Thylane Blondeau first made headlines as a little girl, walking the Jean Paul Gaultier runway when she was just 4 years old. Then, at 6, she starred on the cover of Vogue Enfants a supplement that ran in Vogue Paris featuring childrens fashion. It was then that the media began to call her the most beautiful girl in the world. In 2011 at age 10, she stirred up controversy after posing for Vogue Paris for a series of images that some critics said sexualized the girl. Now a teenager, Thylane has signed with IMG, is a brand ambassador for LOreal, and has been named the face of a perfume by French designer Lolita Lempicka. She also scored a front row seat at Michael Kors NYFW show. Sitting near the likes of Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts and Catherine Zeta-Jones, Thylane was dressed head-to-toe by Kors in a beautiful outfit worth $10,640, including a $1,395 shirt and a $8,000 crocodile handbag. More highlights from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty. As Texans are still picking up the pieces left from Hurricane Harvey just two weeks ago, now our Florida neighbors are looking towards the long road to recovery they are facing after one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record ravaged throughout the entire state over three very long days. Hurricane Irma struck the U.S. as massive, category 5 storm and completely destroyed homes all across Florida, from top to bottom, coast to coast. From the demolished homes and businesses in the Keys to the unexpected flooding in Jacksonville, this storm was deadly, fierce, unpredictable and unforgiving. Floridians will be rebuilding for years to come and now that the storm has finally let go of its grasp on the Sunshine State and that glorious sun is shining once more, its time for the work to begin. Below is a list of several organizations that have already hit the ground in Florida and rolled up their sleeves. Southern Living has vetted these groups and you can trust that when you contribute to their efforts, your money will go to help those in need. The American Red Cross As with most natural disasters, The Red Cross is typically the first relief organization on the scene providing food, shelter and necessary supplies to storm evacuees. This storm was no exception. Before Irma even made landfall on U.S. soil, The Red Cross mobilized and established just shy of 600 shelters all over the state of Florida. As the storm moved north, so too did the efforts of the Red Cross. They provided evacuation centers for people in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee. You can donate directly to their efforts by texting IRMA to 9099 to make a $10 donation. There is also a need for blood donation. Due to the storm, many scheduled blood drives were cancelled across several states. If you are healthy and eligible, please considering helping in that way. Team Rubicon Team Rubicon is an incredible organization that serves a double purpose. Mostly comprised of combat veterans, it offers a way for those veterans to continue the fulfill the sense of duty, the need to serve that fuels the brave men and women of the U.S. military even after theyre military duties are complete. This group has a unique perspective to bring to recovery and relief efforts in natural disasters. A combat background provides these folks with a valuable skill set to help their fellow Americans when Mother Nature strikes. They were in Houston right after Harvey and they are in Florida now. They will be clearing debris and helping those whove lost everything. You can help their efforts by donating here. Story continues Cajun Navy As the tragic and frightening scene of rapidly rising flood waters in Houston played out live on our television screens, we all saw the real life heroes arrive by boat, straight from Cajun Country. Thats right, the group of good Samaritans and their boats, known as the Cajun Navy, showed up in Houston just in the knick of time for so many stranded in their homes. Now they are headed to Florida to help in the aftermath of Irma. These brave folks are out there on their own boats, using their own money to pay for the gas to get them there, all for the sake of saving the lives of strangers. You can help them continue to their efforts by donating here. Operation BBQ Relief A group of BBQ pit masters may not be your first idea of relief aid. But these guys have been showing up to fill the bellies of first responders and offer a little comfort to people who really need it, disaster after disaster since the Joplin Tornado hit in May of 2011. Stan Hays and his crew have been tirelessly serving hot, hearty meals to police officers, first responders and filling large orders for shelters since Harvey hit Houston two weeks ago. They have now mobilized a team and they too are headed to Florida. Hays told Southern Living that a team is en route and will set up in southwest Florida as soon as they are able to get through the traffic. The cleanup and recovery efforts will be long, grueling work and for the men and women who roll their sleeves up to help, Operation BBQ Relief will be there with a plate full of compassionand ribs. This group has served over 40 communities in 22 states and they can continue to do so, with your help. United Way of Miami-Dade United Way responds to disaster by giving those affected assistance in recovering and rebuilding after natural disasters like Irma. They have a chapter based in Miami so they are already on the ground helping those in need. If you are able, you can volunteer in the cleanup efforts or you can simply aid by donating. WATCH: Ernest Hemingway's Famous Six-Toed Cats Come Out of Hurricane Irma Without a Scratch Samaritans Purse Samaritans Purse currently has two teams on the ground in Florida to assist homeowners in the hard-hit communities of Naples and Ft. Meyers. My prayers are with the many who have seen their homes and businesses devastated by Irmas wind and water. They will now be facing an overwhelming clean-up, said Samaritans Purse President Franklin Graham in a statement. In addition to helping those in Florida, Samaritans Purse is sending blankets, hygiene kits, water purification systems and other supplies to the devastated islands in the Caribbean. Assist their efforts by donating here. Categories Travel I love my husband, Jerry, and I value my alone time with him. You know those couples that always need other people around to have a good time? That's not us. But on what's supposed to be the most romantic trip we'll ever take (yes I'm talking about our honeymoon), we decide to travel around Italy with 30 complete strangers. When choosing where to go and how, the one thing I'm adamant about is booking a group tour. I've traveled with Go Ahead Tours three times (to Costa Rica, Guatemala and Belize) and with its sister company EF Tours to Spain. They just make planning so easyI recommend them to everybody. Between a full-time job and planning a wedding, I've had zero time to research the best sights, not to mention where to stay and how to get around. I do wonder how much of a romance killer it might be to travel with so many people, but the fact that everything (flights, hotels, itinerary, tour guides and transportation) is done for us means we're signing up regardless. We pick Venice, Florence and Rome and get ready to say arrivederci. @stephanie_montes @stephanie_montes Being on the tour gives me the opportunity to experience my husband in a new waydifferent than any other solo vacation we've ever taken. After much anticipation, we land in Venice and are greeted by our tour guide who has a boat fired up and ready to take us down the Grand Canal to our hotel (how George and Amal of us, I know). Once we arrive, we meet the people with whom we're about to spend the next two weeks. We have a big family dinnerVenetian styleand get to know the group (ranging from teens to over-60s). I travel and dine with strangers all the time for work, so Ive gotten pretty good at not-so-small small talk, but it's interesting to see Jerry out of his element. He can be shy at times, so seeing him in this vulnerable state is a new experience for me even though we've been together for nine years (we have all the same friends). I catch myself staring at him as he slowly breaks out of his shell. But my favorite thing is sitting next to my hubby on the bus en route to the next city or landmark. I know, I know! There's a whole country to be discovered and I'm enjoying myself on a bus? But it feels almost like sitting next to your crush on a field trip. Being on the tour gives me the opportunity to experience my husband in a new waydifferent than any other solo vacation weve ever taken. Story continues Off the bus, we head from landmark to landmark as a group. Sure, it's weird at first, but the group quickly becomes our security blanket in a foreign place. We even begin to get protective of one another when locals or other tourists try to mess with us! When you're all each other has, it's easy to get real close, real quick. In Sorrento (our last stop, so at this point we're nice and chummy), some of our hotel rooms are nestled in a corner on the ground floor of the resort. Before we know it, we're jumping over one another's walls to share a balconywe turn up the music and hang out before dinner. @stephanie_montes @stephanie_montes I know what you're thinkingdo we ever get any time alone? It is our honeymoon after all! The answer is yes. We take a romantic gondola ride in Venice, throw coins in the Trevi Fountain, siesta for hours, share a gelato on the Spanish Steps, all on our own. While wine tasting in Tuscany we sneak off and get lost for a while. We even take a day off from exploring with the group to learn how to make pasta in Rome. However, as much as I love our solo strolls through romantic alleys, who doesn't need space every now and again? That's where the group comes in. We have a blast getting to know people from all walks of life we wouldn't normally encounter at homenot to mention the genius travel tips and hilarious stories. And truthfully we enjoy the family feeling of coming back for dinnertime, especially since we're so far from home. Now that we're back, I'm thankful for the time we had in Italy. Jerry and I joke about how we've never taken a honeymoon before but this has to be the best one ever. We can't believe how much we saw in two weeks. Ever since tripping with Go Ahead Tours for the first time, I swore I'd never travel any other way, and now that I've used them to plan my honeymoon, I know I won't. And let's be real, if worse comes to worse, you can always count on your new friends to be around when you've had enough of your significant other. Sorry, Jerry! Related Articles A pair of identical twin sisters say they used their twin power to deliver their babies only hours apart. New England sisters Rachael McGeoch and Beccy Pistone both became pregnant at the same time with their due dates only two weeks apart. We talked about how awesome it would be to go into labor the same day and be in the same place, McGeoch told local news station WHDH. The problem? The sisters live 87 miles apart in Massachusetts, with McGeoch in Charlestown and Pistone in Brewster. When McGeoch didnt make her Aug. 1 due date, she decided to get induced on the 13th which was her sisters due date. So Pistone and her husband made the two-hour drive to meet McGeoch at Mount Auburn hospital in Cambridge, where soon after, Pistone started feeling contractions. We thought if we could just get together then we would both go into labor, McGeoch told WHDH. And they were right! Twin power at its finest. McGeoch and Pistone did not return Yahoo Beautys request for comment; however, WHDH reports that after laboring in side-by-side rooms McGeoch delivered William Charles Bubenicek at 10:41 p.m. on Aug. 15 and Pistone birthed Andi Isabella Pistone at 6:54 p.m. on Aug. 16. Amazingly, the sisters experience isnt unique. In 2014, a pair of British identical twins named Sarah Fidler and Heather Richardson became pregnant on the same day. They ended up giving birth 13 hours apart, despite their differing due dates. According to the Daily Mail, Sarah said, To me it feels as though weve had twins ourselves. Not only have I got a son, but Ive got a daughter as well. And in 2016, Sarah Mariuz and Leah Rodgers, identical twins who live in La Jolla, Calif., and Denver, respectively, gave birth on the same day in their own cities both at 1:18 a.m. Rogers told Today that she knew her sister was expecting before she divulged. And I had this crazy twin intuition I call it my twintuition and I knew she was pregnant too, she said. Story continues These sisters uncanny experience isnt reserved for twins. Sisters Corey Struve Talbott and Katie Struve Morgan delivered their babies whom they call twin cousins 15 minutes apart, and the children even share similar names: Ryatt Rae and Indie Mae. In August, Corey told Cosmopolitan about the two baby girls: Theyve been together since day one, and they have a really cute little bond almost like twins the way they act and react to each other. Theyre really natural with each other; you can tell they definitely know each other almost like sisters. As coincidental as these cases seem, Natalie Diaz, author of What to Do When Youre Having Two and founder of Twiniversity, an online support network for parents of multiples, isnt that surprised. The bond between twins goes beyond anything a parent can teach them, Diaz, a mother of 12-year-old fraternal twins, tells Yahoo Beauty. The truth is, we dont know why a set of twins would give birth so closely together. We just know the occurrence is not that rare. According to Diaz, twins often plan their pregnancies together, which could account for joint births. In other cases, an induction on the other sisters due date, as with McGeoch and Beccy Pistone, could result in well-timed deliveries. Or, since twins often have a strong sense of empathy toward each other, who is to say that one sisters labor cant trigger the same event in the other? My kids barely feel their own shots at the doctor, says Diaz. But when one is in pain, the other cries. Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty. I want spring to happen right now, exclaimed Catherine Zeta-Jones after viewing Michael Kors spring 2018 offering on Wednesday. Balmy temperatures in New York belied the impending onset of fall, but the scene was sunny in every sense of the word as models including Gigi Hadid, Kendall Jenner and Kate Upton paraded down Kors boardwalk runway at Spring Studios. Fashion shows are certainly nothing new for the Welsh actress, but the morning event marked the first of its kind for her 14-year-old daughter, Carys Zeta-Douglas. I loved it first show ever. Im so happy, exclaimed the daughter of Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas, who looked understandably bewildered by an encircling swarm of photographers and security. [The show] was really uplifting the combination of the music and the clothes, observed Naomi Watts of a live soundtrack provided by Sara Bareilles and her band from Waitress on Broadway. The 48-year-old Gypsy actress sat beside Nicole Kidman in a roped-off VIP section of the front row, which was steadfastly guarded by a militant layer of security. The long-term pals, whose friendship first blossomed on the 1991 set of Flirting, held hands almost entirely throughout the shows 74 looks. Kidman, who is up for an Emmy for Big Little Lies at this weekends ceremony, kept her hand firmly upon Watts knee as they both sang along to Bareilles rendition of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman. As they exited, the 5 foot, 5 inch Watts jokingly instructed her towering friend to stay on the lower tier of the raised runway. Mario Testino, who sat alongside the group of actresses, admitted to keeping his front row attendance to a minimum each season. I have a funny situation within the fashion business because I work while the shows are going on, remarked the photographer ahead of the show. Im working class. I work everyday so I try to go to a couple of [shows], but I dont see much. The 62-year-old Peruvian native is of the opinion that New York Fashion Week is going through a good moment, despite the decision of brands including Rodarte and Thom Browne to show in Europe. I like this idea of Tom Ford coming back, Rihanna doing Puma and all mixed with Michael Kors and Carolina Herrera. Story continues Shaking things up is always healthy, he added. Its a come and go, no? Change is good in our business. Launch Gallery: Front Row at Michael Kors RTW Spring 2018 Related stories Leonardo DiCaprio Joins the Model Pack at Capitale for Unitas Gala Dinner in Ralph's Garage Model Jacquelyn Jablonski Hosts Autism Tomorrow Fund-raiser Photo credit: Facebook/Cori Caverly Atkins From Country Living A bug bite and a little bit of floodwater can be a potentially deadly combination. On Aug. 29, former firefighter and paramedic J.R. Atkins of Missouri City, Texas, paddled through his flooded neighborhood in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, looking for anyone who might need medicine, food, or other assistance. He wore a jacket, waterproof pants, and rain boots, but no gloves because he didn't plan to leave his canoe and didn't have any open cuts on his hands, according to People. Posted by J.R. Atkins on Tuesday, August 29, 2017 He didn't plan on being bitten by an insect, either, but that's exactly what happened, unbeknownst to Atkins at the time. The bite, on his hand, came into contact with Hurricane Harvey floodwater shortly after, and by the next day, his hand and arm were swollen and red. His wife took him to the emergency room immediately and he spent 10 days in the hospital (five of those in ICU) undergoing three surgeries. Apparently, the hole in the skin left by the bug bite was large enough to allow Strep A-infected water in, resulting in bacteria growth that causes necrotizing fasciitis, more commonly known as "flesh-eating bacteria," Atkins told People. Doctors told Atkins' wife his condition was limb- and life-threatening: necrotizing fasciitisis is fatal in more than 25 percent of cases. Atkins was fortune that his training as a first responder tipped him off to the symptoms and that he got to the hospital quickly. He's back home now, hand completely intact, and is expected to make a full recovery. Understandably, Atkins wants to make sure no one else goes through the same ordeal. "You want to stay dry," he said. "Completely cover your skin with waterproof clothes and make sure any open wounds are sealed with material that water cannot penetrate." He especially stresses the importance of wearing a mask to prevent breathing in water droplets or mist: "No one wants flesh-eating bacteria in their lungs." Story continues (h/t People) You Might Also Like The new Hellboy has been unveiled and he looks just like the old one. Fans of the devilish hero have been quick to point out that David Harbour in his full make up is an absolute dead ringer for his predecessor Ron Perlman. The Stranger Things star was announced for the role back in May, after it transpired that Perlman and director Guillermo Del Toro would not be making a third movie in the series. But the fact that Harbour looks the spitting image of Perlman has some fans slightly perplexed. Left: the new #Hellboy. Right: del Toro's #Hellboy. Or wait, maybe del Toro's is on the left remind me why we're doing this again? pic.twitter.com/ZxBgAS8CqU Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) September 13, 2017 But mostly, the reaction is a positive one Not too dissimilar from Ron Perlman's version. But that's a good thing b/c this version looks pretty darn terrific. #Hellboy pic.twitter.com/XOWJec1B6j Manta-Bluray (@MantaBluRay) September 13, 2017 Neil Marshall, the British director behind The Descent and two of the best ever episodes of Game of Thrones, will be at the helm of the new movie. Story continues It will find Hellboy tackling Nimue, the Queen of Blood, set to be played by Milla Jovovich. (Credit: Lionsgate) Also on the bill will be Ian McShane taking over the role of Professor Broom played by the late John Hurt in Del Toros movies and Daniel Dae Kim, playing Major Ben Daimio. Kim was recently announced for the role after original actor Ed Skrein stepped down, following criticism that the role had been whitewashed. Theres no release date confirmed for the Hellboy reboot as yet. Read more Harrison Ford spotted angrily directing NY traffic Autumns best films that arent sequels or remakes IT breaking box office records Officials say one student was killed and three more were injured in a shooting Wednesday morning at Freeman High School outside Spokane, Washington. The shooting began shortly after 10 a.m., the Spokesman-Review reports. Spokane Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer confirmed the casualties at a news conference later Wednesday. A suspect who has not been identified has been taken into custody, Schaeffer said. Investigators plan on speaking with 300 people. The shooter is in the back seat of a patrol car right now, Spokane County, Washington, Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said afterward, according to the Spokesman-Review. The four victims were not further identified by authorities. The three survivors are in stable condition, Schaeffer said. Other details were not immediately available. Were all hands on deck, Dr. Jeff Collins, the chief physician at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, told the Spokesman-Review. We train for this regularly. A very active scene at Freeman High School. @KHQLocalNews pic.twitter.com/yyDI1nibkr Peter Maxwell (@KHQPeterMaxwell) September 13, 2017 At Freeman elementary currently. I am a junior, evacuated from the high school. At least 4 shots. pic.twitter.com/RnGbbbahbK Christina?????? (@TheChristinaXX) September 13, 2017 The paper described an anxious scene outside Freeman, which reportedly has about 330 students, as parents gathered by caution tape trying to reach their children while a procession of emergency vehicles law enforcement, firefighters and ambulances surrounded the scene. At 10:30 a.m., a Twitter user claiming to be a junior at Freeman High shared a photo of purported classmates sitting on the floor. At Freeman elementary currently. I am a junior, evacuated from the high school. At least 4 shots, they wrote in the post. Story continues One parent told the Spokesman-Review that her son, a freshman at Freeman, had called her from inside the school that morning. He called me and said, Mom, there are gunshots, she said. He sounded so scared. Ive never heard him like that. You never think about something happening like this at a small school. In a statement, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee extended the states thoughts and gratitude, according to the Spokesman-Review. All Washingtonians are thinking of the victims and their families, and are grateful for the service of school staff and first responders working to keep our students safe, Inslee said. As Spokane County officials continue their investigation to get the answers to the questions so many of us have during these unthinkable tragedies, the Washington State Patrol and all state agencies will do whatever we can to help provide support and comfort in the days and weeks to come. This is a breaking news story. Please return for updates. Twenty-three people, mostly children, were killed Thursday by a blaze that tore through a Malaysian religious school, trapping them in a dormitory with metal grilles barring its windows. Pupils and teachers inside the Islamic study centre in downtown Kuala Lumpur screamed for help as neighbours looked on helplessly. Many of the bodies of the victims -- who included 21 boys mostly in their teens -- were found piled on top of one another, indicating there may have been a stampede as the students sought to escape the inferno, which erupted before dawn. Firefighters rushed to the scene and the blaze was out within an hour but it wreaked terrible devastation. Pictures showed ash-covered, fire-blackened beds in the students' sleeping quarters. The accident will increase scrutiny of the religious schools known as tahfiz, where many Muslim Malaysians send their children to study the Koran but which are not regulated by education authorities and often operate illegally. Norhayati Abdul Halim, who lives opposite the school, told AFP she heard screams as the morning call to prayer rang out. "I thought there were people fighting," the 46-year-old said. "I opened the window to my house and I could see the school on fire -- they cried for help but I couldn't do anything." By the time firefighters arrived at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah school in the heart of the capital, "the screams had stopped", she added. Officials said that the children were unable to escape the fire because the blaze blocked the only door to the top-floor dormitory and the windows were closed off with metal security grilles. Fourteen students managed to get out, and seven are being treated in hospital. "They escaped by breaking through a grille, and then jumping down, some of them came down holding onto (drain) pipes," said Health Minister S. Subramaniam. Fire officials said they suspected the blaze -- one of the deadliest in Malaysia for two decades -- was caused by an electrical short circuit, or a mosquito repelling device. Story continues Officials said the school was operating without the correct licences and Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, during a visit to the centre, announced authorities had launched an investigation. He said the premises had been only temporary but those running the school should nevertheless have followed safety requirements. - Controversial religious schools - Subramaniam said the bodies of 21 students and two staff members had been recovered, revising down an earlier official death toll of 24. The bodies, many severely burned, were being identified by DNA tests, he said. Nik Azlan Nik Abdul Kadir, who lost a 12-year-old in the fire, hugged his sobbing wife outside the school, and said he had seen his son only the previous evening. "He was in a jovial mood -- he loved studying here," he told AFP, adding another of his sons had been "saved" as he had refused to attend the school for the past fortnight. The accident will add to mounting concerns about the religious study centres. They are already facing scrutiny in the wake of the death of an 11-year-old boy who had allegedly been beaten at one of the institutions last year. Deputy Prime Minister Zahid said fire department records showed there had been 31 blazes at tahfiz since 2011. The latest tragedy was "the consequence of the absence of enforcement, and the failure to abide by rules and regulations by the operators of the religious school", said Chandra Muzaffar, a political scientist who promotes Islamic reform. Religious schools are not "above the law. One should close down schools which do not abide by the rules", he added. More than 60 percent of multicultural Malaysia's population of about 30 million are Muslim Malay, and the country is also home to substantial religious and ethnic minorities. Riyadh (AFP) - A Saudi pilot was killed in Yemen while providing air support for an operation against Al-Qaeda militants, a Saudi-led coalition backing the government said on Thursday. The Saudi Royal Air Force plane crashed in the southern province of Abyan on Wednesday night "due to a technical failure," coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki told the official Saudi Press Agency. On the ground, coalition-backed Yemeni forces managed to drive Al-Qaeda militants from Abyan's Wadea district on Thursday, symbolic as the birthplace of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. Abyan was a no-go zone for pro-government troops for months after Al-Qaeda fighters regrouped there following a similar offensive in neighbouring Shabwa province last month. Security sources told AFP the jihadists had not put up much resistance but instead withdrew -- a now familiar pattern for Al-Qaeda in Yemen. "Most of the organisation's leaders fled ... and headed towards the nearby Muhafid district," the sources said, referring to an Al-Qaeda stronghold on the edge of Abyan province. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, seen by the United States as the network's most dangerous branch, has exploited years of conflict between the government and Shiite rebels who control the capital to expand its presence. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015, when Hadi fled into exile as the rebels threatened to overrun his last stronghold. Despite the support of the coalition's firepower, the writ of Hadi's government is still largely confined to the south and areas along the Saudi border. Miami (AFP) - Shocked Americans were struggling on Thursday to understand how eight elderly people in a Florida retirement home -- directly across the street from a hospital -- could have died in the days following Hurricane Irma's devastating passage. The matter is now in the hands of the law. Making the drama even more shocking, the deaths could perhaps have been prevented by hooking up an emergency generator to keep air conditioners working in the stifling hot home after it lost electricity in the storm. The deaths, coming at a time when millions of Floridians remain without power, have fueled new fears. Florida is the US state with the largest proportion of elderly residents, spread among nearly 700 retirement homes. With temperatures soaring inside the ill-fated home this week, three people in their seventies, two in their eighties and three in their nineties apparently suffered at length before dying, some of them after being transported -- too late -- to the nearby hospital. Authorities fear others taken there might not survive. The home -- the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, just north of Miami -- seemed prepared for a range of storm-related difficulties: hunger, thirst, isolation and flooding. It had stocked a week's worth of food, and late last year conducted a hurricane drill. But it evidently was unprepared for the intense heat and debilitating humidity that had made Floridians miserable before the widespread advent of air conditioning -- the kind of wilting heat that can prove deadly to the elderly. The temperature Thursday in the region was 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees centigrade). In uncooled rooms in the retirement home it would have soared far higher. Irma swept through the area on Sunday, but the first emergency call from the home did not come until Wednesday at 3:00 a.m., after residents had suffered through three miserably hot days. The crisis was sparked when the storm knocked out a transformer that powered the retirement home's air-conditioning system. Story continues At that point, said nursing home administrator Jorge Carballo, "Staff set up mobile cooling units and fans to cool the facility and continually checked on our residents' well-being to ensure they were hydrated." - 'Save your oxygen' - But the temperature continued to rise, reaching unendurable levels. Residents seeking respite flocked into the hallways and gathered around the small -- too-small -- portable air conditioners. Jean Johnson described her last visit to a friend, 84-year-old Betty Hibbard, who was later to die in the hospital. "It was hot in there," she told CNN, adding that her friend "couldn't hardly talk." "So I said, 'Look, honey, we are gonna leave because I don't want you talking, you've got to save your oxygen.'" Shaking her head, Johnson added, "What a terrible price to pay." Randy Katz, medical director for the emergency department at Memorial Regional Hospital, across the street from the home, described the chaotic scene he encountered when he arrived there Wednesday: dozens of elderly people severely dehydrated or in respiratory distress, suffering in a sweltering atmosphere. Three had already died. Some 115 retirees have now been evacuated from the home, one-third of them hospitalized. Florida Governor Rick Scott denounced the tragedy as "unfathomable." He ordered the closing of the retirement home while an official investigation is conducted. As investigators work to apportion blame, the management of the Hollywood Hills home and the electric utility that supplies it, Florida Power & Light, have been pointing fingers at each other. In a statement, the utility noted that part of the retirement home had kept power through the storm, that the facility should have had a working backup generator, and that it could have sent vulnerable residents across the street to the hospital. The home has had its problems. It was purchased at auction in 2015 after its previous owner was jailed for Medicare fraud, the Miami Herald reported. But the latest state inspection found no deficiencies in its emergency readiness. - Lack of communication - Count mayor Barbara Sharief has criticized the facility for being slow to react when its residents' health was in peril. The home's staff also seemed to have fallen short in communicating with residents' families. "Why they don't call me?" when the air conditioning went out, Carmen Fernandez, a neighbor who took care of 99-year-old Albertina Vega, asked on CBS. "I'd have brought her here." Jeffrey Nova learned of his mother's death from a journalist, after having tried in vain since Sunday to reach the home's nursing staff. "I'm not quite clear on how this happened," he told CNN, adding that even before the hurricane it had been like "pulling teeth" to get answers. Michael Duffy, an expert in negligence and liability law, said the actions -- or inaction -- of the home's managers and staff had gone beyond simple negligence. "Their indifference crossed the line and was clearly criminal," he said. Anti-immigration conservatives flipped out over news that President Donald Trump made a deal with Democratic leaders on immigration. Following dinner at the White House on Wednesday night, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced that Trump had agreed to legislation that would save the countrys 800,000 Dreamers from deportation. The U.S.-Mexico border wall a central Trump campaign promise was not part of this deal, they said. The meeting was the result of widespread backlash over the administrations decision earlier this month to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a program created during former president Barack Obamas administration that protects undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. Trump on Thursday denied that the group had reached a firm agreement, and both White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Schumers communications director have said the president would continue to push for the wall in other agreements. Conservative pundits still cried betrayal, though. Far-right news outlet Breitbart News ran with the headline, Amnesty Don. President Trump signaled a full-fledged cave on the issue of giving amnesty to nearly 800,000 illegal aliens currently protected by an Obama-created executive immigration program, Breitbart reporter John Binder wrote. Fox News host and Trump ally Sean Hannity, who blamed Republican leaders, said that its over for the president if he abandons his hardline immigration stance. Weak R's have betrayed voters. @POTUS needs to stay the course and keep his promises or it's over! Pelosi and Schumer can never be trusted. https://t.co/ky0NWvZoBv Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) September 14, 2017 And if @POTUS doesn't keep that promise, and goes for amnesty, it will be the political equivalent or "read my lips, no new taxes" https://t.co/WxBSHYMxv6 Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) September 14, 2017 Rep. Steve King (Iowa), one of Congress most vocal immigration opponents, warned that Trump supporters would be disillusioned beyond repair if reports of the deal were true. Story continues @RealDonaldTrump If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible. https://t.co/uJjxk6uX5g Steve King (@SteveKingIA) September 14, 2017 When Trump tweeted on Thursday that Dreamers were in the U.S. through no fault of their own, conservative firebrand Ann Coulter wondered, who DOESNT want Trump impeached? At this point, who DOESN'T want Trump impeached? https://t.co/g1mMhmm8ng Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) September 14, 2017 Fox Business host Lou Dobbs called the reported deal a huge loss, while former Illinois congressman Joe Walsh (R) said that Trump screwed his base. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. No wall. DACA enshrined. Trump didn't make a deal w Chuck and Nancy. Trump got screwed by Chuck and Nancy. Trump just screwed his base. Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) September 14, 2017 Not all conservatives are on the same page, however. Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake (R), usually an outspoken Trump critic, offered the president kudos. Kudos to @POTUS for pursuing agreement that will protect #Dreamers from deportation https://t.co/2nRYOv82RO Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) September 14, 2017 In an interview with The Associated Press published on Wednesday, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) maintained his position that the deportation of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers was not in our nations interest. Ryans comments reflect what is largely a consensus among prominent establishment Republicans, including Arizona Sen. John McCain and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, that deporting Dreamers is a bad idea. Even former White House strategist Steve Bannon, another immigration hardliner, said he disagreed with the presidents decision to rescind DACA. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. HGTV fans will soon have a new reason to shop at Target. The Minnesota-based retail giant unveiled plans this week for a new home decor collection called Hearth & Hand with Magnolia. The line, which is slated to hit stores Nov. 5, will be a partnership with Chip and Joanna Gaines, the hosts of HGTVs Fixer Upper. News of the collaboration though lauded by some appears to have incensed a number of Fixer Upper viewers. Some blasted the news on Twitter, arguing that the couple, who are evangelical Christians, should reconsider their partnership with Target as the retailer allows transgender employees and customers to use restrooms and fitting rooms that best align with their gender identity. Why are u using Target?I thought youll were Christians.My friends & thousands of others r boycotting them because of their bathroom policies Tom Henderson (@TomHenderson17) September 13, 2017 We don't shop there because of there anti- Christian ways. Also at Target your a target! Don't allow second Amendment rights. Love you guys Pattrick Yockey (@pattrickyockey) September 12, 2017 Really disappointed you guys would partner with a company that exalts what God specifically condemns. Shane Camp (@Shane_A_Camp) September 12, 2017 I don't shop Target anymore. I wish you would had followed your Christian values instead of the almighty dollar. Lost a little respect gange (@czubeck) September 14, 2017 Response to the Gaines Facebook post announcing the line was similarly split. As much as I love Chip and Joanna, not even their product will get me to shop at Target again. Sorry, Ill look for another place to buy your product, one person wrote. Added another: Why would you sell at Target when so many wonderful shops would love to have your merchandise? Sorry I wont be able to buy it, havent set foot in there since they announced either gender can use dressing rooms and bathrooms. In 2016, American Family Association called for a boycott of Target after the company announced that trans staff and patrons would be welcome to use bathrooms and fitting room facilities that correspond with their gender identity. We stand for equality and equity, Target officials said at the time, and strive to make our guests and team members feel accepted, respected and welcomed in our stores and workplaces every day. Similarly, the Gaineses found themselves at the epicenter of a media firestorm last year after a BuzzFeed article reported that they attended an anti-LGBTQ church. In January, Chip Gaines appeared to respond to the controversy in an impassioned blog. Joanna and I have personal convictions, he wrote. One of them is this: we care about you for the simple fact that you are a person, our neighbor on planet earth. Its not about what color your skin is, how much money you have in the bank, your political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender, nationality or faith. HuffPost has reached out to a representative for the Gaineses seeking comment. Meanwhile, Chip Gaines said he and Joanna were jubilant about the partnership in a Tuesday blog post on the couples official website. Despite our initial insecurities about partnering with a large retailer, Target has exceeded our expectations every step of the way, he wrote. With our friends, our family and with the people we do business with, we are serious about continually finding common ground. We are thankful to get to work side by side with the people at Target. He then added, We believe we are going to build something really beautiful together and that our positive impact will be far greater now than it would ever be apart. Catch the latest in LGBTQ news by subscribing to the Queer Voices newsletter. Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. NEW YORK, NY - CIRCA 1980: Gay Pride demonstration circa 1980 in New York City. (Photo by Arpadi/IMAGES/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - CIRCA 1980: Gay Pride demonstration circa 1980 in New York City. (Photo by Arpadi/IMAGES/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - CIRCA 1983: Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade circa 1983 in New York City. (Photo by PL Gould/IMAGES/Getty Images) A gay rights march in New York in favour of the 1968 Civil Rights Act being amended to include gay rights. (Photo by Peter Keegan/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 25: Participants in the 25 April 1993 gay rights march, held back by a line of parade marshals, scream and yell at a number of religious counter-demonstrators along the parade route. Hundreds of thousands of gay men and women joined in the march and rally to demand acceptance and equal rights. (Photo credit should read ARYEH RABINOVICH/AFP/Getty Images) View along 6th Avenue as hundreds of people march (and drive) towards Central Park in a Gay Pride Parade, New York, New York, June 26, 1975. (Photo by Allan Tannenbaum/Getty Images) JUN 25 1978, JUN 26 1978; Marchers For Homosexual Rights Gather At Civic Center Pavilion; More than 1,000 men and women participated in march from Cheesman Park to the center for their rally. The group has a platform calling for an end of alleged police harassment, leggislative support of lesbian-gay rights and an end to discrimination based on sexual preference. It also asks that homosexuals be allowed to raise children. The marchers carried signs and chanted slogans during their march, which began at about noon Sunday.; (Photo By Kenn Bisio/The Denver Post via Getty Images) View of the gay pride parade in Boston, Massachusetts, 1977. (Photo by Spencer Grant/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - CIRCA 1979: Gay Rights Demonstrators circa 1979 in New York City. (Photo by Images Press/IMAGES/Getty Images) A crowd of gay rights protesters, including two priests, marching in the New York Gay Day Parade. (Photo by Peter Keegan/Getty Images) This article originally appeared on HuffPost. For people with schizophrenia, "hearing voices" is a common symptom that can be disturbing. But a new study from France suggests that stimulating a precise spot in such patients' brains may ease these auditory hallucinations. The study involved 59 patients with schizophrenia who said they heard voices that other people could not perceive. The people in the study answered questions about the nature of these voices, including whether the voices were friendly or threatening, happened frequently or only occasionally, or were "internal" (perceived as coming from inside a patient's head) or "external" (perceived as coming from outside a patient's head). Based on the participants' answers, the individuals were given an "auditory hallucinations" score, with higher scores indicating more-severe hallucinations. The researchers then used a therapy called high-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which sends magnetic pulses through a person's scalp to stimulate brain cells. The scientists targeted a specific part of the brain that is linked with people's understanding and production of language, within an area known as the temporal lobe. [10 Things You Didn't Know About the Brain] Patients were randomly assigned to receive either TMS or a "sham" treatment that was not expected to have an effect. Each group underwent two sessions of their treatment a day, for two days. About 35 percent of patients in the TMS group showed a significant response to the therapy, compared to just 9 percent of patients in the sham group. A significant response was defined as a more than 30 percent decrease in the auditory hallucinations score. "'Hearing voices' can be a disturbing symptom of schizophrenia, both for patients and for those close to sufferers," said study author Sonia Dollfus, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Caen in France, said in a statement. "We have shown that treatment with high-frequency TMS makes a difference to at least some sufferers," Dollfus said. However, she noted that more research is needed to determine whether TMS is the best way to treat these patients in the long term. Story continues The study was presented Sept. 5 at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP). Previous studies have suggested that TMS could treat auditory hallucinations in people with schizophrenia, but those studies were less rigorous than the current one. The new study is "the first controlled trial to show an improvement in these patients by targeting a specific area of the brain and using high-frequency TMS," Dollfus said. (A controlled trial is one that includes a "control group," i.e., a group that did not get the TMS treatment.) Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg, director of the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim, Germany, who was not involved in the study, said that the research builds on previous work suggesting that this brain region plays a critical role in the generation of voice hallucinations in schizophrenia. Although the percentage of people whose symptoms improved from the therapy was moderate, "TMS is a welcome addition to the therapeutic repertoire [for schizophrenia patients], especially for patients who do not respond to medication," Meyer-Lindenberg said in a statement. (Meyer-Lindenberg is a member of the ECNP executive board.) The study has been accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed journal Schizophrenia Bulletin. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations There's no way that the "Trading Spaces" revival can disappoint. It's back on its original network with OG host Paige Davis -- and, TLC announced Wednesday, a slew of other familiar faces are making their return! Fans of the 2000 - 2008 home makeover show will be relived to learn who's heading back: We're talking Doug Wilson, Hildi Santo-Tomas, Genevieve Gorder, Frank Bielic, Laurie Smith and -- yes! -- Ty Pennington and Carter Oosterhouse. While we know for sure that Heidi and Doug will be designers, it's not clear yet what exactly everyone else will be doing when the show debuts in spring 2018. There's also a stacked lineup of "Trading Spaces" newcomers waiting in the wings, and you might recognize them from past projects. Sabrina Soto was a judge on "HGTV Star," John Gidding hosted "Curb Appeal," Kahi Lee is a celeb home designer, and Brett Tutor and Joanie Sprague are carpenters. By the way: Casting for "Trading Spaces" is still underway! Here's how to apply. Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel laureate who now leads Myanmar, plans to sit out this years U.N. General Assembly as her government faces growing criticism over its handling of a humanitarian crisis on the countrys western border, where about 370,000 Rohingya refugees have fled military violence in recent weeks. Government spokesman Zaw Htay told Reuters that Suu Kyi, who delivered a landmark address at last years assembly as Myanmars first civilian leader in decades, is trying to control the security situation, to have internal peace and stability, and to prevent the spread of communal conflict. Suu Kyi and the Myanmar armed forces which she does not command have faced searing criticism since a deadly attack by Rohingya insurgents on Aug. 25 triggered a devastating military reprisal against militants and civilians alike. In the weeks since, Suu Kyi has failed to either condemn or rein in the armed forces as they carried out what they call clearance operations, sending hundreds of thousands of civilians fleeing across the border into Bangladesh. Read more: The Villages are Burning Down. Fear and Fire Send Rohingya Fleeing to Bangladesh Refugees claim their villages have been burned to the ground and that security forces have indiscriminately killed villagers during the operation. The military has also been accused of laying landmines along the border as refugees attempt to flee. The Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority that has been subjected to decades of persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they are viewed as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. Zeid Raad al-Hussein, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, said Monday that the crisis appears to be a textbook example of ethnic cleansing. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe SARAJEVO (Reuters) - Police in the Balkans have arrested 21 men suspected of smuggling close to 200 Turks to the European Union, officials said on Thursday. The suspects, including a Turkish national who is believed to be the ring leader, are accused of taking advantage of visa -free travel between Turkey and Bosnia and Montenegro to transfer migrants by plane from Istanbul to Sarajevo and Podgorica. They were then smuggled into EU member Croatia and further on to Western Europe, said police who ran a joint operation involving officers from Bosnia, Croatia and Montenegro. The suspected smugglers, who are nationals of Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia, charged migrants 3,500 to 5,000 euros per person to reach EU member states, said Adnan Kosovac, a Bosnian border police official. Kosovac said that as well as the arrests on Wednesday, the police also raided several houses in western Bosnia and neighboring Croatia where the gang kept illegal migrants and seized mobile phones, SIM cards and money. (Reporting by Maja Zuvela; Editing by Daria Sito-Sucic and Alison Williams) Wall Street attracts a certain breed of individual. If you like brands maybe you work at P&G. If you like apparel maybe youll go to Nike or Under Armour. If you like software, theres Silicon Valley. And so who goes to Wall Street? People who want to make money and lots of it. Succeeding there requires a special type of person. Excess is not uncommon. All of that creates a rich environment for stories, as the following best books on Wall Street bear out. This is our second in the series on great business books. In the first installment we listed great investing books. Here we list great books on Wall Street. Our final list will be great general books about business. Best books about Wall Street Liars Poker by Michael Lewis, 1989 Nearly thirty years later, its still a must read. This bookwhich kind of came out of nowherenot only launched the career of Michael Lewis, it also presaged the fall of Salomon Brothers and engendered a rocky episode for Warren Buffett. No small things there. Liars is a semi-autobiographical account of a clueless Lewis leaving Princeton, going to work on Wall Street, finding it to be a rats nest and then decamping to become a writer. All manner of people have tried to tell this kind of story over the years, but Lewis succeeded because of his great eye, his storytelling (which some find excessive) and his turn of phrase. Of course Lewis has gone on to become one of the most prominent non-fiction business writers of our time. (See also The Big Short, and Moneyball among others.) Michael Lewis. (Photo by T.J. Kirkpatrick/Getty Images) Greed and Glory on Wall Street: The Fall of the House of Lehman by Ken Auletta, 1986 Transcends its Genre, wrote one reviewer back then, and its true. Ken Auletta, another lion of a writer, tells of the rise and fall of Lehman 1.0. Not only is this book a great history/snapshot of Wall Street, but it also introduces us to the likes of Pete Peterson, Steve Schwarzman, Eric Gleacher, Roger Altman, Dick Fuld and many others. Greed and Glory is a classic struggle between old and new Wall Streeta tug of war that would be repeated dozens of times over the years. (See Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, etc.) In this narrative Lehman basically diedand was later rebornonly to expire again in 2008. Will Lehman rise one more time? Dont bet against it. (See also Three Blind Mice: How the TV networks lost their way.) Story continues Den of Thieves, by Jim Stewart, 1992 Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jim Stewartlike Auletta and Lewisalmost deserves his own category hes written so many epic business books, but this book stands out because it covers so much ground and does it so expertly. Den is the definitive work about the 1980s insider trading scandals (Ivan Boesky) and excesses and rise and fall of Drexel Burnham Lambert. I remember not being able to put it down. (See also Disney War.) Reminiscences of a Stock Operator by Edwin Lefevre, 1923 While Reminiscences of a Stock Operator was originally published almost a century ago, its amazing how relevant it is today. The book is a thinly veiled biography of Jesse Livermore, a renowned trader who began his career speculating in bucket shops at the start of the 20th century. As entertaining as it is educational, Lefevres work of historical fiction showcases the nuances of the stock market and the psychology of trading and offers timeless advice on the markets. Justine Underhill, Yahoo Finance reporter Billionaire investor George Soros. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) More Money Than God Sebastian Mallaby, 2010 Mallabys More Money Than God provides a detailed history of the industry from the first hedged fund launched by Alfred Winslow Jones in 1949 to the titans of today. Mallaby dedicates a chapter to each of the major hedge fund legends, including Julian Robertson, Stanley Druckenmiller, George Soros, and others. Its one of the best resources to gaining an insight into some of these larger-than-life personalities. Julia La Roche, Yahoo Finance reporter Too Big To Fail Andrew Ross Sorkin, 2009 Too Big To Fail is perhaps the most comprehensive account of the 2008 financial crisis. Sorkin provides a detailed, behind-the-scenes account leading up to the financial meltdown and its immediate aftermath. Its a must-read for anyone starting out in business journalism.Julia La Roche, Yahoo Finance reporter (Serwer note: I asked Sorkin for something people didnt know about his book and he emailed this: The book almost wasnt called Too Big to Fail. I had proposed that title when I sold it to penguin, but the editor didnt love it I liked it because I thought it worked on so many levels still, for much of the time I was writing the book, I was also trying to come up a new title the alternative title I proposed was Failure of Imagination. But clearly, Too Big to Fail was better! I suspect Ill be able to use Failure of Imagination for another book!) (L-R) Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, FDIC Chairman Sheila Bair, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro visit after the open portion of a meeting of the Financial Stability Oversight Council November 23, 2010. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Bailout by Neil Barofsky, 2012 Bailout is a page-turning account of how the financial crisis unfolded in Washington. Neil Barofsky, a former prosecutor in the US Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York, details his work as the special inspector general overseeing the $700 billion TARP bailout fund. In a shocking behind-the-scenes account, Barofsky discusses the mishandling of TARP funds, the roadblocks he encountered from Treasury officials and how Wall Street and Washington worked together to bailout the banks. Justine Underhill, Yahoo Finance reporter When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management by Roger Lowenstein, 2000 This is an amazing book for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it tells the story of one John Meriwether, a hedge fund manager who was tied to that scandal at Salomon Brothers (see Liars Poker above), who also created a juggernaut hedge, Long Term Capitalreplete with Nobel Prize-winning economists which subsequently blew up and rocked the financial markets. Later, Meriwether founded JWM Partners, which was battered by the financial crisis of 2008, and closed the following year. Meriwether launched a new firm and fund, JM Advisors with less success. Genius has its limits, I guess. (See also Buffett: The Making of an American Capitalist, and Americas Bank: The Epic Struggle to Create the Federal Reserve.) (Yahoo Finances Justine Underhill and Julia La Roche contributed to this piece) WASHINGTON The U.S. Air Force on Tuesday awarded Boeing a contract worth just less than $600 million to begin the preliminary design of the next Air Force One planes. As the Republican presidential candidate, President Donald Trump critiqued the cost of the program, bringing much public attention to one of the Air Forces smaller procurement efforts. But while the service has stated that it was able to get a good deal on the two Boeing 747-8s that will become the next Air Force Ones, it reiterated that cost-saving work will continue during the preliminary design phase. Maj. Gen. Duke Richardson, the program executive officer of the Presidential Airlift Recapitalization effort the services name for the Air Force One replacement program said the preliminary design phase marks the next major step forward toward ensuring an overall affordable program. The Air Force added in a statement to reporters: Those [cost-saving] opportunities identified will be reviewed to ensure mission capabilities are not degraded. The entire preliminary design effort will keep a focus on affordability. The Air Force is committed to working with Boeing to ensure the PAR program meets presidential airlift mission requirements, as well as the presidents affordability expectations. Due to the attention from Trump, the Air Force and White House worked together to re-evaluate the Air Force requirements with an eye on shearing off expensive and non-vital capabilities. The service has disclosed some changes to the overall design, such as nixing a requirement for aerial refueling. However, for the most part, it has kept mum about how requirements have changed and how much money has been saved on the program. As part of the preliminary design phase, Boeing will design modifications to a baseline commercial Boeing 747, including the integration of military-specific communication systems, electrical power upgrades, medical facilities, self-defense systems, an executive interior complete with medical facilities and autonomous ground operations capabilities, according to the Air Force news release. Story continues The September award was one of two major contract modifications expected to be allocated before the end of fiscal 2017. In August, the Air Force awarded Boeing a contract for two 747-8 airliners, making the unorthodox decision to buy two previously built planes sitting on Boeings production line at a discounted rate. The service did not disclose the value of the deal because it could lower the companys asking price in future commercial deals. We got a good price, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson told Defense News during an Aug. 29 interview. Speaking about future opportunities for cutting cost on the program, she added: There will be a fair amount of negotiation to make sure that were getting good value for money. We have that obligation no matter what the program is, and every dollar that we spend was earned by somebody, and we need to make sure that we get good value for money on everything that we buy. The next big upcoming milestone is the contract for engineering and manufacturing development, where Boeing will continue to refine its design, modify and test the two new Air Force One aircraft, and then deliver them. Boeing is expected to start aircraft modifications in 2019, and the new Air Force One planes could begin replacing the aging VC-25A models as early as 2024. When Bose accidentally leaked a new pair of headphones in an email newsletter of all places, no one quite knew what the cans' mysterious action button was for. Well, now we do: activating Google Assistant. The upcoming Quiet Comfort 35 II over-ear cans will feature Mountain View's digital assistant and be among the first headphones to do so. 9to5Google confirmed this via Bose documentation, and a Reddit user spotted them in retail packaging as well. Back in May at Google's annual I/O developer show, the company said it was releasing an SDK for Assistant so it'd start showing up in more places. "The new Google Assistant SDK easily allows a manufacturer to build the Google Assistant into any hardware," the company's Scott Huffman said at the time. Google bolstered that stance last month with its showing at IFA, where the search juggernaut announced that in the not-too-distant future Assistant would appear in washers, dryers and even vacuum cleaners. None of those have shown up yet, and we don't have an official date for when the Quiet Comfort 35 II will, but with a Pixel event scheduled for early next month, maybe expect more news then. A pregnant teacher who vanished a week ago has been found dead and her boyfriend, who was among those begging for her safe return as news cameras rolled, has been arrested. Laura Wallan and her unborn baby were discovered in a shallow grave earlier this week, Maryland authorities said Wednesday. Read: Dead Body Found Stashed in Refrigerator That Was Left on City Street Wallen's boyfriend, Tyler Tessier, was arrested Wednesday afternoon and charged with murder in her death. In the days since Sept. 5, when the high school teacher failed to show up to work, Wallan's family, community, and most notably Tessier rallied behind authorities working to find the mom-to-be. Tessier was with Wallen's parents as they spoke at a news conference Monday and announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to her return. Tessier held the parents' hands and cried while giving his own brief statement. But police now believe he killed Wallan and buried her in a shallow grave near Damascus, Md. Tom Manger, Chief of Montgomery County Police, said at a news conference Wednesday night that Tessier has provided investigators with evidence suggesting his involvement and that it was determined he drove Wallen's car and removed its front tag. Tessier also texted an acquaintance asking for a ride to Baltimore and help to "clean up a mess," which the acquaintance declined to do, Manger said. A vigil was scheduled for Wednesday night but was canceled as the news of her murder emerged. Instead, current and former students from Wilde Lake High School gathered with others at Wilde Lake Interfaith Center in Columbia to share their grief. "It's unreal. It's like one of them bad Lifetime movies that you just like yeah I know what's going to happen in the next five minutes of the movie, like it's not real," one speaker said. A student who knew Wallan described her as a teacher who went above and beyond for the good of her pupils. Story continues "She's influenced us to be better in life," the student said. "Not just in school in life." Watch: Man Missing From Party Found Stabbed to Death Inside Shallow Grave Wallan's pastor also spoke, saying, "While all of our hearts are broken, they know that their dear Lauren is secure in the arms of God and they are holding onto the faith," the pastor said. Police are now awaiting autopsy results on her cause of death. Manger said they have not yet determined a motive. Watch: Missing College Student's Remains Found in Shallow Grave, Boyfriend Charged Related Articles: Long gone are the days of stuffing your cell phone, money and odds and ends into your bra when you go out and cant bear to bring a purse. Well, sort of. Thanks to Helmut Lang, you can now stuff it all in a purse that just looks like a bra. At the designers Seen By Shayne Oliver show at New York Fashion week on Monday, bra purses made an appearances on the runway. Now you can just throw your belongings directly into your bra bag, thanks to the handy zippers stitched to the inside of them. Check out the zippers on the inside of the bag. (Photo: Antonio de Moraes Barros Filho via Getty Images) Wear the bag with or without a shirt. (Photo: Catwalking via Getty Images) According to the Associated Press, the bra bag is meant to literally act as a purse and is intended for wear on the outside of ones clothing, just like the models wore them. In case you need more storage than your bra bag can provide, this model is also carrying a clutch. (Photo: Catwalking via Getty Images) What a statement. (Photo: Catwalking via Getty Images) Though the bra bags were the best part of Langs show, the best part of NYFW came from Namilia. The Berlin-based design houses My Pussy, My Choice collection, which featured clothing covered in vulvas, was a clear favorite among the fashion crowd: Quite the look. (Photo: Frazer Harrison via Getty Images) A model walks the runway at the Namilia fashion show during New York Fashion Week on Sept. 9, 2017 in New York City. (Photo: Frazer Harrison via Getty Images) Were already counting down the days to the next NYFW. Catch us there wearing our massive, oversized robes from Vaqueras show and our new bra bags. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. Related... There Were A Lot Of Vulvas Showing At Namilia's New York Fashion Week Show Jim Carrey's Awkward NYFW Interview Could Make You Question Everything Massive Bath Robe On The Runway Takes The Pajama Trend To New Heights Also on HuffPost This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Curitiba (Brazil) (AFP) - Brazil's once hugely popular president Luis Inacio Lula da Silva underwent a new grilling Wednesday by the country's chief anti-corruption judge, Sergio Moro, in a case that could decide whether Lula can return to power. Moro spent more than two hours questioning Lula in the southern city of Curitiba about alleged bribe taking from the scandal-plagued Odebrecht construction giant. Lula, a frontrunner in the October 2018 presidential election despite multiple corruption charges, was as combative as ever, calling himself the victim of a "witch hunt." "Despite considering this trial illegitimate and unfair, I prefer to speak," he told Moro, calling himself "the person who is more interested in the truth." The 71-year-old, who was born in poverty and served two terms between 2003 and 2010, was greeted by several hundred leftist supporters on arrival at the courthouse. Demonstrators wearing red shirts crowded around, shouting encouragement. About 1,500 police officers kept a close watch. Moro is a key figure in the mammoth "Car Wash" anti-graft drive which has uncovered systemic bribery by corporations of Brazil's political class, as well as mass embezzlement from state oil company Petrobras. Lula, arguably Moro's biggest target, is already a defendant in four other corruption trials. And in July, Moro sentenced Lula to 9.5 years in prison after being convicted in a sixth trial of receiving a seaside apartment from the OAS construction company in return for help obtaining lucrative contracts with Petrobras. The founder of Brazil's leftist Workers' Party, Lula is free pending appeal of that sentence and hopes to string out or defeat the other cases so that he can run for a third term next year. But problems are mounting for the man whose presidency made him Latin America's new leftist giant. - Corruption 'blood pact' - Although Lula tops the polls, that is partly because campaigning hasn't started and name recognition gives him a head start. Also, his negative ratings are far higher than for other candidates. Story continues A recent bus tour of his electoral heartland in the north-east of Brazil drew core supporters but not the kind of massive crowds that might have made judges afraid of tough action. Lula says the corruption charges are concocted to prevent his return. However, he has been hurt by testimony from his former economy minister and right hand man, Antonio Palocci, who told Moro last week that "the facts related in (the latest case involving Lula) are true." Lula is accused of having Odebrecht buy the land for his Sao Paulo institute and provide him with an apartment in nearby Sao Bernardo do Campo. Palocci said a "blood pact" was reached between the Workers' Party and Odebrecht in 2010 when Lula was handing over to his successor Dilma Rousseff, with the company giving the party the equivalent at that time of $171 million. Lula says that Palocci, who has been sentenced to 12 years prison, is testifying falsely under pressure. "Palocci has a right to want to be freed..., but what you can't do is put the blame on others if you don't want to assume responsibility for your own illegal acts," Lula testified Wednesday. Lula was expected to address supporters in Curitiba after his court appearance. The crowd was considerably smaller than the 7,000 turnout for Lula when he was questioned by Moro in a previous case in May. Despite Lula's claims to be a victim of a plot by Brazil's right to prevent any repeat of the left's decade in power, "Car Wash" prosecutors have gone after major figures across the political spectrum. President Michel Temer, who took power last year after the impeachment of Rousseff, is himself currently fighting off multiple corruption probes. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Wednesday urged Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi to end the violence which has seen nearly 380,000 Rohingya Muslims flee to neighboring Bangladesh. During a phone call, Trudeau stressed Suu Kyi's role as a "moral and political leader" for the nation, as he voiced his "deep concerns over the situation in Rakhine state for Rohingya Muslims," his office said in a statement. According to human rights organizations, 379,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar so far amid the army's ongoing violent response to attacks by Rohingya militants in Rakhine state last month. Trudeau called upon Myanmar's military and civilian leaders to "take a strong stand in ending the violence, promoting the protection of civilians and promoting unimpeded access for the UN and international humanitarian actors." The UN has described the army's violent crackdown as a "textbook example of ethnic cleansing", and called for "immediate steps" to end the violence Wednesday. Suu Kyi, an honorary citizen of Canada and Nobel laureate, has been criticized for her ambiguous position on the Rohingya crisis. At a press conference late Wednesday, government spokesman Zaw Htay announced Suu Kyi will address citizens next week with a message of peace and national reconciliation. The Myanmar leader has cancelled a trip to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly to tackle the crisis unfurling at home. On Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Murphy Brown star Candice Bergen discussed the date she went on with now President Donald Trump. The Trump-Bergen courtship took place during their college years when Candice was 18 years old and when Trump was a much snappier dresser. He was wearing a three-piece burgundy suit and burgundy patent leather loafers, said Bergen, And he arrived in a burgundy limousine. With Bergen rocking a Free Melania sweater youd think that this date went particularly bad but really it was a bit of a bust. The blind date was a bit of a bust and something Bergen did mainly out of sheer boredom. When Cohen asked if there was any chemistry, Bergen said, No I was home very early. There was no physical contact whatsoever. Although the president struck out those many years ago with Candice, at least she had one nice thing to say about him. He was a good-looking guy, she said, And a douche. Candice Bergen is making a statement. The actress appeared on Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" on Wednesday night, and the two-word message on her sweatshirt dominated conversation online. SEE ALSO: Selena Gomez reveals she underwent a secret kidney transplant earlier this year "Free Melania," it read in freehand cursive. And the Trump-talk didn't stop at just her sweater. Candice Bergen wore a "Free Melania" sweater on #WWHLpic.twitter.com/mRZnp7L1vl Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) September 14, 2017 Bergen appeared on "WWHL" with her "Home Again" costar Reese Witherspoon, who kept her clothing out of the political conversation in a simple black dress and heels. While Witherspoon and Bergen were playing a game called Candidly Candice, though, the conversation quickly turned back to the Trump family after it was revealed that Bergen went on a date with Donald Trump in college. "He was wearing a three-piece burgundy suit and burgundy patent leather loafers in a burgundy limousine," she remembered. See more photos of Candice Bergen: Was there chemistry between them? "No, I was home very early," she said with a sly smile. "There was no physical contact whatsoever. "He was a good looking guy," she concluded. "And a douche!" Bergen isn't the only celebrity to have gone on a date with Donald Trump before he was married to Melania. Former "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Kim Richards also once when on a date with the future president, while British actress Emma Thompson famously turned down a date with the real estate mogul. Watch Candice Bergen detail her date with Donald Trump below: Story continues Watch the trailer for "Home Again" at the top of the page. RELATED: See photos of Melania Trump: More from AOL.com: Heidi Klum and boyfriend Vito Schnabel are taking a break: 'Things have been difficult recently' Kellie Pickler daytime talk show from Faith Hill lands at CMT Emma Stone goes glam in see-through top to support pal Jennifer Lawrence at 'Mother!' premiere: Pics! Washington (AFP) - NASA's Cassini probe is counting its final hours before one last plunge into Saturn on Friday that will cap a fruitful 13-year mission that greatly expanded knowledge about the gas giant. While orbiting Saturn nearly 300 times, Cassini made major discoveries, such as the liquid methane seas of the planet's giant moon Titan and the sprawling subsurface ocean of Enceladus, a small Saturn moon. "Cassini-Huygens is an extraordinary mission of discovery that has revolutionized our understanding of the outer solar system," said Alexander Hayes, assistant professor of astronomy at Cornell University. Data collected by Cassini's spectrometer while passing through a vapor plume at Enceladus's south pole showed hydrogen shooting up through cracks in its ice layer. The gas was a sign of hydrothermal activity favorable to life, scientists said in April when they unveiled the finding. Launched in 1997 and equipped with a dozen scientific instruments, the 2.5-tonne probe entered Saturn's orbit in 2004, landing on Titan in December of that year. On April 22, it began the maneuvers for its final journey. Moving closer to Titan, the spacecraft took advantage of the massive moon's gravitational push to make the first of 22 weekly dives between Saturn and its rings -- venturing for the first time into the uncharted 1,700-mile (2,700-kilometer) space. Cassini's last five orbits will take it through Saturn's uppermost atmosphere, before a final plunge directly into the planet on September 15. - Last goodbyes - Cassini flew by Titan one last time on Tuesday before transmitting images and scientific data from the flight. Mission engineers will use the information gathered from the encounter they dubbed "the goodbye kiss" to make sure the vessel is following the right path to plunge into the gas giant's atmosphere. "The Cassini mission has been packed full of scientific firsts, and our unique planetary revelations will continue to the very end of the mission as Cassini becomes Saturn's first planetary probe, sampling Saturn's atmosphere up until the last second," said Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Story continues "We'll be sending data in near real time as we rush headlong into the atmosphere -- it's truly a first-of-its-kind event at Saturn." Cassini is expected to lose communications with Earth one or two minutes into its final dive, but 10 of its 12 scientific instruments will be working right up until the last moment to analyze the atmosphere's composition. That data could help understand how the planet formed and evolved. On the eve of its final descent, other instruments will make detailed observations of Saturn's aurora borealis, temperatures and polar storms. - Grand finale - Cassini's final maneuvers begin at 0714 GMT Friday, although the signal will only reach NASA 86 minutes later. At 1031 GMT, the spacecraft is due to enter Saturn's atmosphere with its antennas pointed toward Earth and its motors running full blast in order to hold its trajectory. Just a minute later, at some 940 miles (1,510 kilometers) above Saturn's clouds, the probe's communications will stop before Cassini begins to disintegrate moments later, NASA predicts. "The Grand Finale represents the culmination of a seven-year plan to use the spacecraft's remaining resources in the most scientifically productive way possible," said Earl Maize, Cassini project manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "By safely disposing of the spacecraft in Saturn's atmosphere, we avoid any possibility Cassini could impact one of Saturn's moons somewhere down the road, keeping them pristine for future exploration." The mission is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Italy's space agency. NASA's European and Italian partners built the Huygens probe Cassini carried until dropping it on Titan. The Cassini-Huygens mission's total cost is about $3.26 billion, including $1.4 billion for pre-launch development, $704 million for mission operations, $54 million for tracking and $422 million for the launch vehicle. The United States contributed $2.6 billion to the project, the European Space Agency $500 million and the Italian Space Agency $160 million. Italian astronomer Giovanni Cassini discovered four of Saturn moons in the 17th century, although scientists have since identified more than 60. During the same era, Dutch mathematician Christiaan Huygens found that Saturn had rings. He also was the first person to observe Titan. A nun with a chainsaw has been praised for pitching in to help her local community rebuild following Hurricane Irma. Kind-hearted Sister Margaret Ann was seen cutting up a tree which had fallen down on a road in storm-hit Florida. Sister Margaret said of her kind actions: Do what you can to help other people, dont think of yourself. The Miami Dade police shared the footage on Facebook, explaining: One of our off duty officers was happy to find Sister Margaret Ann pitching in by cutting trees to clear the neighbourhood roadways. As we recover from Hurricane Irma, these acts of kindness remind us all that we are one community in Miami Dade County! Thank you Sister and all of our neighbours that are working together to get through this! #MiamiDadeStrong. The clip has been a hit online, racking up more than 500,000 views, with one commenting: Prayers are great, but prayer accompanied by action is powerful. She's is truly an awesome example of a companionate servant of God. Thank you Sister Margaret Ann!, wrote another. Annette Zayas added: She attends my parish and always has this warm smile with everyone she meets. Some major streets in Miami turned into rivers after flooding caused by the deadly Hurricane Irma. Hurricane Irma leaves path of destruction in Caribbean as it smashes into Cuba, in pictures BOSTON (Reuters) - Chelsea Manning, the transgender U.S. Army soldier who served seven years in prison for leaking classified data, and former White House spokesman Sean Spicer have been named visiting fellows at Harvard University, the school said Wednesday. "Broadening the range and depth of opportunity for students to hear from and engage with experts, leaders and policy-shapers is a cornerstone of the Institute of Politics," said Bill Delhunt, acting director of the institute at the Harvard Kennedy School. "We welcome the breadth of thought-provoking viewpoints on race, gender, politics and the media." The two are part of a group of a dozen political leaders and journalists who will serve as visiting fellows at the school for the 2017-2018 academic year. Manning, 29, was released in May from a U.S. military prison in Kansas where she had been serving time for passing secrets to the WikiLeaks website in the biggest breach of classified data in the history of the United States. Spicer served as President Donald Trump's first press secretary, bursting onto the public stage in January with a scolding rant against reporters, accusing them of lowballing the size of the Inauguration Day crowd. He was frequently parodied on "Saturday Night Live." A former functionary for the Republican National Committee, Spicer left the White House this summer, amid a shuffling of staff that included the brief tenure of former hedge fund executive Anthony Scaramucci as communications director. (Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) By Serajul Quadir and Wa Lone DHAKA/YANGON (Reuters) - The United Nations appealed on Thursday for massive help for nearly 400,000 Muslims from Myanmar who have fled to Bangladesh, with concern growing that the number could keep rising, unless Myanmar ends what critics denounce as "ethnic cleansing". The Rohingya are fleeing from a Myanmar military offensive in the western state of Rakhine that began after a series of guerrilla attacks on Aug. 25 on security posts and an army camp in which about a dozen people were killed. "We urge the international community to step up humanitarian support and come up with help," Mohammed Abdiker, director of operations and emergencies for the International Organisation for Migration, told a news conference in the Bangladeshi capital. The need was "massive", he added. The violence in Rakhine and the exodus of refugees is the most pressing problem Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has faced since becoming national leader last year. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday urged Myanmar to end the violence, which he said was best described as ethnic cleansing. The government of Buddhist-majority Myanmar rejects such accusations, saying it is targeting "terrorists". Numerous Rohingya villages in the north of Rakhine have been torched but authorities have denied that security forces or Buddhist civilians set the fires. They blame the insurgents, and say 30,000 non-Muslim villagers were also displaced. Smoke was rising from at least five places on the Myanmar side of the border on Thursday, a Reuters reporter in Bangladesh said. It was not clear what was burning or who set the fires. "Ethnic cleansing" is not recognized as an independent crime under international law, the U.N. Office on Genocide Prevention says, but it has been used in U.N. resolutions and acknowledged in judgments and indictments of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. A U.N. panel of experts defined it as "rendering an area ethnically homogeneous by using force or intimidation to remove persons of given groups". The crisis has raised questions about Suu Kyi's commitment to human rights, and could strain relations with Western backers supporting her leadership of Myanmar's transition from decades of strict military rule and economic isolation. Critics have called for her to be stripped of her Nobel prize for failing to do more to halt the strife, though national security remains firmly in the hands of the military. Suu Kyi is due to address the nation on Tuesday. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday he had spoken with Suu Kyi and that she said she was working to get aid to areas affected by violence. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Patrick Murphy had what one U.S. official called a "tough conversation" with Myanmar's ambassador to the United States on Wednesday ahead of Murphy's trip to Yangon this weekend. Murphy will be meeting with Myanmar government officials next week to voice concern about the state of the Rohingya people and to press for greater access for humanitarian workers and reporters, the State Department said. 'INTERNAL AFFAIR' China, which competes with the United States for influence in Myanmar, endorses the offensive against the insurgents and deemed it an "internal affair", Myanmar state media said. "The counterattacks of Myanmar security forces against extremist terrorists and the governments undertakings to provide assistance to the people are strongly welcomed," the Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper quoted China's ambassador, Hong Liang, as telling government officials. But at the United Nations in New York, China set a different tone, joining a Security Council expression of concern about reports of violence and urging steps to end it. The council met on Wednesday to discuss the crisis and later "expressed concern about reports of excessive violence ... and called for immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, de-escalate the situation, re-establish law and order, ensure the protection of civilians ... and resolve the refugee problem". This week, the Trump administration called for protection of civilians. Bangladesh says the refugees will have to go home and has called for safe zones in Myanmar. Myanmar says safe zones are unacceptable. The IOM's Abdiker declined to say how many refugees he thought might end up in Bangladesh. "The number may rise to 600,000, 700,000, even one million if the situation in Myanmar does not improve," he said. The most important thing was that the refugees be able to go home safely, said George William Okoth-Obbo, assistant high commissioner for operations at the U.N. refugee agency. "The international community has to support to ensure their return ... peacefully and with safety," he told the news conference. On Wednesday, the Myanmar government said 45 places had been burned. It did not provide details, but a spokesman said out of 471 villages in the north of Rakhine, 176 had been deserted and at least some people had left 34 more. The spokesman, Zaw Htay, said the people going to Bangladesh were either linked to the insurgents, or women and children fleeing conflict. Government figures show 432 people have been killed, most of them insurgents, since Aug. 25. (Additonal reporting by Simon Lewis In COX'S BAZAR, Ruma Paul in DHAKA, Michelle Nichols in NEW YORK, David Alexander in Washington; Writing by Robert Birsel; Editing by Nick Macfie, Clarence Fernandez, Grant McCool) Abidjan (AFP) - The chocolate industry is indirectly driving massive and illegal deforestation in Ivory Coast, fuelling a catastrophic decline in wildlife, a green group said Wednesday. "In several national parks and other protected areas, 90 percent or more of the land mass has been converted to cocoa," the group Mighty Earth said in its investigation. "Less than four percent of Ivory Coast remains densely forested," it said. "The chocolate companies laissez-faire approach to sourcing has driven extensive deforestation in Ghana as well." Habitat loss has been disastrous for protected species, ranging from chimpanzees and leopards to pygmy hippos and elephants, it said. The animals are forced into ever-smaller areas, making it easier for them to be tracked down and slaughtered by poachers. In Ivory Coast, the world's biggest cocoa producer, accounting for 40 percent of world output, "deforestation has pushed chimpanzees into just a few small pockets, and reduced the countrys elephant population from several hundred thousand to about 200-400," the report said. It said major chocolate brands were indirectly involved in a "shocking" trade, in which growers produced cocoa in national parks, who sold it to middle men, who then sold it on to a handful of firms that control roughly half of the world's market. From there, it was sold to big chocolate companies. "According to our analysis, 291,254 acres (117,900 hectares) of protected areas were cleared between 2001 and 2014," Mighty Earth said. Over the same period, Ghana, another big West African producer, lost 7,000 square kilometers (2,700 square miles) of forest, or about 10 percent of its entire tree cover. Around a quarter of that deforestation in Ghana was connected to the chocolate industry, the report charged. Traders Cargill, Olam and Barry Callebaut, which are named in the report, say on their websites that they are aware of the problem of deforestation in the cocoa sector, and have set up to programmes for deforestation-free supply chains. Story continues Leading chocolate and cocoa companies, under an initiative launched by Britain's Prince Charles, have promised to come up with a "framework of action" to end deforestation in the industry. Their project is due to be unveiled for the world climate conference in Bonn in November. Deforestation is not only destroys habitat, but is also a major contribution to global warming. The world demand for chocolate stands at around three million tonnes annually, a figure that rises between two and five percent each year, in a market worth around $100 billion (84 billion), according to the report. Most of it is is manufactured and consumed in Europe and North America. Hillary Clinton hit back at President Trump on Twitter Thursday after both he and the White House slammed the 2016 Democratic nominees explanation in her new campaign memoir explaining her election loss. The night before, Trump revived his Crooked Hillary Clinton moniker for her and declared that she had no game. If you didnt like that book, try this one, Clinton tweeted to Trump with a forthcoming childrens version of her 1996 tome It Takes a Village attached. Some good lessons in here about working together to solve problems. Happy to send a copy. If you didn't like that book, try this one some good lessons in here about working together to solve problems. Happy to send a copy. pic.twitter.com/7dmVJ44mZu Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 14, 2017 In What Happened, which was released Tuesday, Clinton places partial blame for her loss on many factors outside of her own campaign, including the Russian intervention, Bernie Sanders, the media, Trumps reality-show-like run and former FBI Director James Comeys letter to Congress alerting lawmakers he had reopened the bureaus investigation into her emails just 11 days before the election. Clinton also describes Trump as a clear and present danger to the country and the world and a perfect Trojan horse for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Earlier this week, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was asked by Yahoo News if Trump had plans to read it. Whether or not hes going to read Hillary Clintons book, I am not sure, but I would think that hes pretty well versed on what happened. I think its pretty clear to all of America, Sanders said. I think its sad that, after Hillary Clinton ran one of the most negative campaigns in history and lost, and the last chapter of her public life is going to be now defined by propping up book sales with false and reckless attacks. I think that thats a sad way for her to continue. Story continues Trump subsequently made it clear that he was no fan. The "deplorables" came back to haunt Hillary.They expressed their feelings loud and clear. She spent big money but, in the end, had no game! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and every thing) but herself for her election loss. She lost the debates and lost her direction! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and every thing) but herself for her election loss. She lost the debates and lost her direction! Trump tweeted. The deplorables came back to haunt Hillary. They expressed their feelings loud and clear. She spent big money but, in the end, had no game! Read more from Yahoo News: Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton. (Photos: Evan Vucci/AP, Dennis Van Tine/starmaxinc.com via AP) President Trump has such a limited understanding of the world, that he has opened himself up to be played by authoritarians like North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to his former presidential rival Hillary Clinton. He admires authoritarians, Clinton said in an interview with the New Yorker. In fact, before this crisis with North Korea, he was praising Kim Jong Un. He clearly has a bromance toward Putin, whom he lauds as a great leader. Hes being played by the Putins and the Kim Jong Uns of the world. Im not even sure hes aware of that, she continued. Because he has such a limited understanding of the world. Everything is in relation to how it makes him feel. And therefore he has little objective distance, which a leader must have. Making decisions in the Oval Office requires a level of dispassionate, reasoned analysis. Weve seen no evidence hes capable of that. Indeed, Trump has praised Kim as a smart cookie and said he would be honored to meet with the North Korean leader, though both of those comments came before the latest escalations in the countrys missile program. Of course, Trumps affinity for Putin is well documented, despite, or perhaps because of, the Kremlins meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton was in asked in the interview to describe her former opponent as a human being, which she indulged with a scathing analysis. Trump, she said, is immature, with poor impulse control, unqualified for the position that he holds, reactive, not proactive, not strategic, either at home or on the world stage. And I think he is unpredictable, which, at the end of the description one can give of him, makes him dangerous, Clinton added. After losing the election, Clinton largely stepped away from the spotlight, but shes recently made media appearances in conjunction with the release of her book What Happened, a memoir reflecting on the campaign. Lome (AFP) - Lawmakers in Togo will begin to look at a constitutional reform bill from as soon as the end of this week, the head of the National Assembly said on Wednesday. Parliamentary groups and commissions met to read the government proposals, which came after opposition calls for a two-term limit for presidents and a two-round voting system. Opposition parties had hoped the bill would be on the agenda when lawmakers met for an extraordinary session on Tuesday, only to find it left off the day's order paper. Consultation for constitutional reform risks being a drawn-out process but National Assembly president Dama Dramani said: "We are in an urgent situation. "That's why we are going to disregard our procedures to end the (current parliamentary) session tomorrow (Thursday) and Friday we will look at the government's bill," he added. Dramani called on the constitutional law commission that examines proposed changes to look at the bill and make its recommendations as quickly as possible. On Monday, he had told state television that a proper debate on constitutional reform could not be held at short notice. The main opposition National Alliance for Change (ANC) said constitutional change was the only issue the public wanted to talk about. "We need to discuss, study and adopt the bill... as the Togolese people want," said ANC lawmaker Isabelle Ameganvi. Togo's opposition has been calling for changes for more than a decade. Last week, hundreds of thousands took to the streets across the country calling for reform. Faure Gnassingbe has been president since 2005 after taking over from his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who assumed power in 1967. By Andrew Innerarity HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (Reuters) - Eight elderly patients died after being left inside a stifling South Florida nursing home that lost power during Hurricane Irma, officials said on Wednesday, prompting a criminal probe and adding to the mounting loss of life from the storm. The overall death toll from Irma climbed to 81 on Wednesday, with several hard-hit Caribbean islands accounting for more than half the fatalities, and officials continued to assess damage inflicted by the second major hurricane to strike the U.S. mainland this year. Irma killed at least 31 people in Florida, plus seven more in Georgia and South Carolina combined, authorities said. One of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, Irma bore down on the Caribbean with devastating force as it raked the northern shore of Cuba last week before barreling into the Florida Keys island chain on Sunday, packing sustained winds of up to 130 miles per hour (215 km per hour). It then plowed north up the Gulf Coast of the state before dissipating. In addition to severe flooding across Florida and extensive property damage in the Keys, residents faced widespread power outages that initially plunged more than half the state into darkness. Some 4.3 million homes and businesses were still without power on Wednesday in Florida and neighboring states, down from 7.4 million customers on Monday. Three elderly residents were found dead on Wednesday inside a nursing home in Hollywood, Florida, north of Miami. The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hill had been operating with little or no air conditioning, officials said. Four more patients died at or en route to a nearby hospital and a fifth was later identified as having died the night before. Governor Rick Scott called the tragedy "unfathomable," and police said they had opened a criminal investigation, sealing off the building after the remaining patients were transferred to hospitals. City officials described the interior as "excessively hot," despite portable air coolers and fans that, according to state records, had been placed throughout the facility. Story continues The eight who died ranged in age from 71 to 99, according to the Broward County medical examiner's office. The cause of their deaths has yet to be determined. But most of the survivors were treated for "respiratory distress, dehydration and heat-related issues," Memorial Regional Hospital's emergency medical director, Dr. Randy Katz, told reporters. Representatives of the for-profit nursing home, which had received a "below average" grade from Medicare's rating system for such facilities, could not immediately be reached for comment. The physician listed in state records as its manager, Jack Michel, previously ran afoul of state and federal regulators over assisted-living facilities that he partially owned. In 2006, he and three co-defendants paid $15.4 million to settle Medicare and Medicaid fraud claims against them, according to the U.S. Justice Department. TRUMP TO VISIT KEYS Florida Power & Light provided electricity to parts of the nursing home but the facility was not on a county top-tier list for emergency power restoration, the utility said. Total insured losses from the storm are expected to run about $25 billion, including $18 billion in the United States and $7 billion in the Caribbean, catastrophe modeler Karen Clark & Company estimated on Wednesday. The Florida Keys were particularly hard hit, with federal officials saying 90 percent of its homes were destroyed or heavily damaged. The remote island chain stretches nearly 100 miles (160 km) into the Gulf of Mexico from Florida's southern tip, connected by a single highway and series of bridges. On Key West, at the end of the archipelago, hundreds of residents who had refused evacuation orders lined up on Wednesday outside the island's Salvation Army outpost for water and military-style rations after enduring days of intense heat with little water, power or contact with the outside world. The stench of dead fish and decaying seaweed permeated the air. Elizabeth Martinez, 61, said the ordeal, including losing part of the roof of her home, had convinced her it was time to leave the island. "I'm saving my money up and moving out of here," she said. But David Sheidy, a 58-year-old painter, predicted Key West would bounce back quickly. "That's what we do," he said. "This is a small community where everybody knows each other and takes care of each other." President Donald Trump was due to visit Florida on Thursday. Irma wreaked utter devastation on several of the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, where at least 43 people have died. Irma hit Florida about two weeks after Hurricane Harvey plowed into Houston, killing about 60 and causing some $180 billion in damage, mostly from flooding. (Additional reporting by Zachary Fagenson in Key West,; Daniel Trotta in Orlando, Florida; Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Letitia Stein in Detroit, Keith Coffman in Denver,; Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem, North Carolina,; Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Gina Cherelus, Peter Szekeley, Scott DiSavino and Joseph Ax in New York; Writing by Scott Malone and Steve Gorman; Editing by Diane Craft and Lisa Shumaker) Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer - AP The top House and Senate Democrats said on Wednesday they had reached agreement with Donald Trump to protect thousands of younger immigrants from deportation and fund some border security enhancements, which the president has since denied. The deal announced by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi following a White House dinner would enshrine protections for the nearly 800,000 immigrants brought illegally to this country as kids who had benefited from former President Barack Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, programme. The programme provided temporary work permits and protection from deportation. However, Mr Trump has said that no deal was struck. In a tweet, he said: "No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote." Democrats said the discussions did not include the president's long-sought border wall, but Mr Trump said the that construction was still going ahead. "The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built," he tweeted. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Credit: AP Mr Trump ended the programme earlier this month and had given Congress six months to come up with a legislative fix before the statuses of the so-called "Dreamers" begin to expire. "We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, thats acceptable to both sides," Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement. However, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders threw doubt on the agreement to exclude the wall. "While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to," she tweeted. While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to. Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) September 14, 2017 The announcement angered hardline Republicans. Congressman Steve King, an Iowa Republican who believes that DACA is unconstitutional, tweeted: "@RealDonaldTrump Unbelievable! Amnesty is a pardon for immigration law breakers coupled with the reward of the objective of their crime." Story continues @RealDonaldTrump Unbelievable! Amnesty is a pardon for immigration law breakers coupled with the reward of the objective of their crime. https://t.co/uJjxk6uX5g Steve King (@SteveKingIA) September 14, 2017 It was the second time in two weeks that Mr Trump cut out Republicans to reach a deal with Ms Pelosi and Mr Schumer. A person briefed on the meeting told AP the deal specified bipartisan legislation called the DREAM Act that provides eventual citizenship for the young immigrants. The White House said in its own statement that the president had had "a constructive working dinner" with Schumer, Pelosi and administration officials "to discuss policy and legislative priorities," including DACA. "This is a positive step toward the Presidents strong commitment to bipartisan solutions for the issues most important to all Americans," the White House said. During a White House meeting with moderate House members from both parties earlier Wednesday, Mr Trump had urged lawmakers to come up with a bipartisan solution. "We dont want to forget DACA," the president told the members at the meeting. "We want to see if we can do something in a bipartisan fashion so that we can solve the DACA problem and other immigration problems." What is Daca and who are the Dreamers? If struck, the apparent deal would be the latest example of Mr Trumps sudden pivot to bipartisanship after months of railing against Democrats as "obstructionist." He has urged them to join him in overhauling the nations tax code, among other priorities. Mr Trump, who was deeply disappointed by Republicans failure to pass a health care overhaul, infuriated many in his party when he reached a three-month deal with Schumer and Pelosi to raise the debt ceiling, keep the government running and speed relief to states affected by recent hurricanes. "More and more were trying to work things out together," Mr Trump explained on Wednesday, calling the development a "positive thing" for both parties. "If you look at some of the greatest legislation ever passed, it was done on a bipartisan manner. And so thats what were going to give a shot," he said. The thorny issue of immigration has been vexing lawmakers for years. Funding for Mr Trumps promised wall had been thought to be a major point of contention between Republicans and Democrats as they attempted to forge a deal. WASHINGTON As President Donald Trump sends mixed signals about how he wants to help young undocumented immigrants and Republican leaders make vague pronouncements about taking action, Democrats are clear on what they want to do: pass the Dream Act. Democratic leaders are insisting in every conversation with the speaker, with the president, with the Dreamers, that it will be the Dream Act, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said at a press conference on Thursday. They view the bill, which would grant legal status to undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and are now undocumented so-called Dreamers as the best solution after Trump put hundreds of thousands of them at risk of deportation by ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. And Democrats believe they can get Trump on board or that they already have. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Thursday that Trump privately agreed to support the Dream Act. Pelosi said as much to HuffPost in a Tuesday interview, too. Both of the top Democrats even got their own dinner with the president on Wednesday, and emerged with victorious talk of an agreement by Trump to support enshrining DACA protections into law. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) werent invited. Instead, Trump updated them on what happened in a Thursday call. Details on what a final DACA deal might look like are still murky. Trump is insisting on attaching increased border security to whatever agreement they reach, and hes made vague comments about making Dreamer protections contingent on funding for border wall, which Democrats firmly oppose. And despite his apparent private support for the Dream Act, its not clear if Trumps ready to get behind it publicly. On Thursday, Trump said he was not looking at citizenship or amnesty. GOP leaders, too, havent said if they can accept the bill or if theyll push for something more palatable to conservatives. Story continues Democrats in the House are pushing to get a vote on the floor, even if it means forcing a vote through a discharge petition, should Ryan refuse to bring up the bill. If they went that route, though, they would need at least two dozen Republicans to join all Democrats in bypassing GOP leadership and forcing a floor vote. Their goal is to get a vote on the bill, whatever it takes. Pelosi said Thursday theres no question that if we put the bill on the floor, it would win. The Dream Act has bipartisan support in both chambers, although it skews Democratic, particularly in the House, where sponsors recently lifted an informal rule that lawmakers could only join in pairs of one Republican and one Democrat. The House Dream Act now has the support of almost every House Democrat, as well four Republicans after picking up two more supporters on Wednesday: GOP Reps. David Valadao and Jeff Denham of California. In the Senate, four Republicans and six Democrats are co-sponsoring the Dream Act. Democrats would need 12 Republicans to join them in voting for the bill to avoid a filibuster. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday they had made an agreement with President Donald Trump on the broad strokes of a deal on Dreamers. (Photo: Aaron P. Bernstein via Getty Images) Another bill, the Recognizing Americas Children Act, has considerably more GOP support in the House with 32 backers, all of them Republicans. That bill would also allow certain Dreamers to gain legal status and eventual citizenship, but would apply to a narrower population: only those who came to the U.S. before they were 16, compared to 18 in the Dream Act. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) is expected to introduce the bill in the Senate. But that bill is unacceptable to Democrats, Pelosi told HuffPost in the Tuesday interview. Her caucus will only support the Dream Act, she said, and wont settle for anything less. She also has her doubts that the Republican bill will gain much traction. With all due respect, I dont think something is picking up steam when they have 28 people and we have 193, she said, referring to the RAC Acts sponsorship numbers at that time. They have 225 more people that arent on the bill. Democrats have immigrant rights advocates on their side. United We Dream, the largest Dreamer activist network, is specifically pushing for the Dream Act, executive director Cristina Jimenez said. Although they believe other bills are helpful in that they show Republicans support protecting Dreamers, the group is firmly behind a bipartisan Dream Act. Thats where were throwing all of our energy and resources and attention, Jimenez said. Theres broad support among Americans for passing legislation that gives Dreamers the ability to stay in the country. Fifty-four percent of voters would support a path to citizenship for DACA recipients, while 19 percent would support allowing them to stay without citizenship, according to a POLITICO/Morning Consult poll conducted after the DACA announcement. Immigration advocates are drumming up energy around the Dream Act, attempting to mobilize and keep the pressure on Congress. The question now is what kind of DACA bill Ryan and McConnell will accept, and how quickly theyll give it a vote. Pelosi said Trump assured her that hes ready to apply pressure. He said he will help get votes for it. I said, But what we need you to do is help us get a vote, Pelosi told HuffPost. He said, Youll be surprised at some of the votes that youll get on this. Also on HuffPost April 2015 At an event hosted by Texas Patriots PAC: Everythings coming across the border: the illegals, the cars, the whole thing. Its like a big mess. Blah. Its like vomit. June 2015 At a speech announcing his campaign: "When Mexico sends its people, theyre not sending their best. Theyre not sending you. Theyre not sending you. Theyre sending people that have lots of problems, and theyre bringing those problems with us. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists. And some, I assume, are good people." August 2015 On NBC's "Meet the Press": Were going to keep the families together, we have to keep the families together, but they have to go." September 2015 On CBS's "60 Minutes": Were rounding em up in a very humane way, in a very nice way. And theyre going to be happy because they want to be legalized. And, by the way, I know it doesnt sound nice. But not everything is nice. November 2015 On MSNBC's "Morning Joe": You are going to have a deportation force, and you are going to do it humanely." February 2016 At a GOP primary debate: We have at least 11 million people in this country that came in illegally. They will go out. They will come back some will come back, the best, through a process. March 2016 At a press conference when asked if he would consider allowing undocumented immigrants to stay: "We either have a country or we dont. We either have a country or we dont. We have borders or we dont have borders. And at this moment, the answer is absolutely not. April 2016 At an event hosted by NBC's "Today Show": Theyre going to go, and were going to create a path where we can get them into this country legally, OK? But it has to be done legally. ... Theyre going to go, and then come back and come back legally. July 2016 At the Republican National Convention: "Tonight, I want every American whose demands for immigration security have been denied and every politician who has denied them to listen very closely to the words I am about to say. On January 21st of 2017, the day after I take the oath of office, Americans will finally wake up in a country where the laws of the United States are enforced." September 2016 At a rally: Anyone who has entered the United States illegally is subject to deportation. That is what it means to have laws and to have a country. Otherwise we dont have a country. September 2016 On "The Dr. Oz Show": Well, under my plan the undocumented or, as you would say, illegal immigrant wouldnt be in the country. They only come in the country legally. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images The Justice Department is reportedly blocking Senate investigators from speaking with FBI officials who may provide first-hand testimony about Donald Trump's firing of ex-FBI chief James Comey. It is the latest sign that Special Counsel Robert Mueller could be investigating the sacking as part of his Russia-related probe. Mr Mueller is trying to determine if Mr Trump's campaign advisers colluded with the Russian government to influence the 2016 US election. That investigation also reportedly involves a probe into whether the President obstructed justice when he allegedly asked Mr Comey to drop an inquiry into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's possible ties to Russia. Mr Flynn was dismissed from his role in February after it was revealed that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about his interactions with a Russian official. Multiple congressional committees are also investigating Russia's meddling in last year's presidential race and any improper interference with the FBI's investigation. The heads of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chairman Chuck Grassley and the ranking Democrat Dianne Feinstein, have repeatedly asked two senior FBI officials Carl Ghattas and James Rybicki to sit down for a transcribed interview to discuss the Comey firing, according to CNN. But the Justice Department has refused, citing "the appointment of Robert S. Mueller III to serve" as special counsel, the media outlet reported. "Under these circumstances and consistent with the Department's long-standing policy regarding the confidentiality and sensitivity of information relating to pending matters, the Department cannot make Mr. Ghattas nor Mr. Rybicki available for transcribed interviews at this time," according to a July letter signed by Acting Assistant Attorney General Samuel Ramer, which was reviewed by CNN. The Justice Department's response has apparently irked the committee, CNN said. Story continues It was reported last week that Mr Mueller hopes to speak with several of the Presidents current and former top aides who were privy to episodes relevant to his investigation. Mr Mueller is said to have alerted the White House that he wants to interview former press secretary Sean Spicer, ex-Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, and current communications director Hope Hicks, among others, according to the Washington Post. Each of the advisers are alleged to have been involved or aware of internal discussions that have drawn the interest of Mr Mueller during his investigation, including the conversations that led to Mr Trump's firing of ex-FBI chief James Comey and the dismissal of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. Manila (AFP) - After launching his political career from a jail cell, Philippine Senator Antonio Trillanes believes it could end in a grave thanks to a relentless campaign against his "hitman" president. But the former Navy officer with a history of coup attempts appears to thrive on the pressures that have come with regularly accusing President Rodrigo Duterte of being a corrupt mass murderer. "This man is a sociopath and he has the mindset of a hitman," Trillanes, 46, told AFP in an interview on Wednesday from his senate office, offering a typically incendiary assessment of his rival. Duterte won last year's presidential elections on a brutal law-and-order platform in which he promised an unprecedented campaign to eradicate illegal drugs in society by killing up to 100,000 traffickers and addicts. He vowed so many bodies would be dumped in Manila Bay that the fish would grow fat from feeding on them, and said he would pardon police if they were found guilty of rights abuses while enacting his drug war. Since Duterte assumed office in the middle of last year, police have reported killing more than 3,800 people while thousands of others have been murdered in unexplained circumstances. Many Filipinos looking for quick solutions to crime continue to support Duterte, according to polls, and he enjoys majority backing in both houses of Congress. - Dictatorship fears - However a climate of fear has also emerged, with critics warning the president is determined to silence dissenters and drag the Philippines back into a dictatorship three decades after a "People Power" revolution ousted Ferdinand Marcos. Duterte has launched tirades against the Supreme Court chief justice, the Commission on Human Rights, the Catholic Church and critical media outlets. He and his allies have then started campaigns to curb their powers or discredit them. Senator Leila de Lima, who had been one of the most vocal critics alongside Trillanes, was in February jailed on drug trafficking charges she says were fabricated. Rights groups describe her as a political prisoner. Story continues On the weekend Duterte made Trillanes his new top target. "I will destroy him or he will destroy me," Duterte told reporters. This came after Trillanes had Duterte's son, Paolo, brought before a Senate inquiry last week to face allegations he was involved in drug trafficking. Trillanes accused the younger Duterte of being a member of a Chinese triad that imported huge amounts of methamphetamines into the Philippines, and challenged him to show a tattoo on his back that allegedly proved he was a member of the gang. Paolo Duterte acknowledged he did have a tattoo on his back, but refused to show it and rejected all accusations against him. Since Duterte's "destroy" remark, his officials and social media supporters have accused Trillanes of hiding ill-gotten wealth in secret bank accounts. Trillanes denied those accusations, telling AFP they were an expected part of Duterte's counter-offensive, and that worse could come. "Duterte actually ordered a hit on me. He wants me killed. Aside from the fact he wants cases fabricated so I can be put away (in jail) like Senator De Lima," the father-of-two teenagers said. Even though he has called for so many killings, Duterte has repeatedly insisted that he would not act outside the law nor allow state-sponsored murders. - Crazy brave - Trillanes showed no signs in the interview of being intimidated by Duterte, likely drawing on his many years of experience in the Philippines' bare-knuckled democratic ring. As a young naval officer, Trillanes helped lead two brief coup attempts against then-president Gloria Arroyo in 2003 and 2007. Trillanes and his military allies accused Arroyo of corruption, state-sponsored terrorism and subverting democracy on multiple fronts. He was jailed for seven years but, in what was widely seen as an anti-Arroyo vote, became the first person to be elected a senator while in jail. Duterte's predecessor, an Arroyo critic, pardoned Trillanes and other coup plotters in 2010. This allowed Trillanes to pursue his senate career at full throttle -- and he became well-known for digging up dirt on a range of powerful politicians. To his supporters, Trillanes became a crazy brave anti-graft crusader. His critics saw him as a publicity hound chiefly concerned with advancing his political career. Trillanes rejected those accusations, insisting he would walk away from politics when his Senate term ended in 2019 to initially pursue a masters degree in international relations. "In this political fight with Duterte, there is no forthcoming election for me," Trillanes said as he defended his motives. "And most importantly my life is at stake here. So I believe no political ambition could ever match up to that." President Donald Trumps son Donald Trump Jr. took to Twitter Tuesday to question why it took five allegations of sexual abuse against Ed Murray for the embattled Seattle mayor to resign. It took 5? the eldest of the presidents children wrote on Twitter, sharing a CNBC tweet reporting the news of Murrays resignation and pointing out that Murray is a Democratic Party politician: Also: Ed Murray (D) fyi. Murray, the citys first openly gay mayor and a Democrat who fiercely opposed Donald Trump, resigned on Tuesday after his younger cousin, Joseph Dyer, became the fifth person to accuse him of child sexual abuse, The Seattle Times reported. Murray denies the accusations. The mayor first faced formal accusations of child abuse in a lawsuit reported in April. Delvonn Heckard claimed Murray had sexually assaulted him, paying $10 or $20 at a time, in 1986, when he was a 15-year-old drug addict. The lawsuit was dropped in June with the intention of refiling after Murrays term in office ended, as the mayor announced he would not be seeking re-election. However, Heckard filed a claim for up to $3 million in damages against the city of Seattle, claiming Murray used the public office to defame him. Another alleged victim, Maurice Lavon Jones, is in prison. He told The Seattle Times Murray paid him for sex when he was a drug-addicted teen and a close friend of Heckards. The newspaper also further investigated claims made by two other men a decade ago, which the newspaper did not report at the time. Jeff Simpson and Lloyd Anderson claimed Murray abused them in the 1980s. Simpson was put under Murrays foster care in 1982 and initially made abuse allegations in 1984. While his caseworker believed himas documents the Oregon Child Protective Services released to The Seattle Times showedno charges were brought. The investigation was dropped because of Simpsons emotional instability and history of manipulative behavior. Story continues At the time, Murrays spokesman, Jeff Reading, dismissed the mens allegations as politically motivated. The two older accusations were promoted by extreme right-wing anti-gay activists in the midst of the marriage equality campaign, and were thoroughly investigated and dismissed by both law enforcement authorities and the media, he said. The spokesman also rejected the lawsuits allegations as categorically false, saying, Mayor Murray has never engaged in an inappropriate relationship with any minor. Mayor Murray will vigorously fight these allegations in court. Until this Tuesday, Murray resisted numerous calls to step down, including one from the Seattle LGBTQ Commission. Dyers allegations effectively ended his almost two-decade-long career in state politics, in which Murray prided himself of having introduced a landmark gay civil rights bill, same-sex-marriage legislation and a $15 minimum hourly wage. His resignation will become effective on Wednesday afternoon. In a statement to the press, the mayor said, While the allegations against me are not true, it is important that my personal issues do not affect the ability of our city government to conduct the publics business. Murray denied Dyers allegations, blaming them on a family rift, Reuters reports. His cousin has accused him of abusing a boy at a Catholic group home where he worked. 09_13_Trump Jr. Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters Critics on Twitter pointed out that Trump Jr.'s father has faced more than 10 accusations of sexual assault, ranging from groping to nonconsensual kissingallegations Trump either denied or ignored, The Guardian noted, after a tape recording of him boasting about committing sexual assault came out last October. How many will it take your dad? one Twitter user wrote. Related Articles Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. In a major storm's aftermath, how you deal with your homeowners and flood insurers can have a major impact on how easily you get your life back. Do the insurance claims process properlyhave the right carrier, make the right calls, submit the right forms, ask the right questionsand you stand a better chance of restoring or replacing the physical property you lost. Do it wrong, and achieving that goal may mean digging into savings or going into debt. Heres what you should do to get the most out of your homeowners and flood insurance coverage. Communicate Promptly A first step is to get in touch with the insurer or the agent who sold you the coverage. The insurance company will then assign an adjuster to document the damage youve suffered and submit it for review by your insurer. But you need to act quickly and ask the right questions. Theres a risk that you could get less than whats due to you if you dont make sure the adjuster has accounted for all your losses and if you fail to back up your claim with evidence. Follow these tips to make sure you get everything youre entitled to as quickly as possible. Be Vigilant With the Adjuster Document all losses. An insurance adjuster sent by your insurer will assess your property damage, then estimate how much it will cost to either repair or rebuild your property while also replacing your storm-damaged possessions. Many insurers ask policyholders to submit an inventory of storm-damaged items. So before the adjuster arrives, take photographs and write down each items approximate purchase date and estimated value, says Michael Barry, a spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute, which represents the property and casualty insurance industry. Collect the receipts from when you bought these items, as well, if you still have them, Barry says. Story continues Verify the adjusters identity. If youve signed up for your insurers text message service, your insurer can provide details in writing about the adjuster assigned to your claim. Or ask the adjuster for proof of his or her affiliation with your insurer. Beware, too, of contractors asking for cash down payments on repair work. It is an unfortunate fact of life that criminals attempt to take advantage of people struggling to recover after a storm, Barry says. Show the adjuster all the damage. Make sure that you are home when the adjuster visits and that he or she sees all the loss and damage. Document all contact with the insurance company. That should include times, dates, and what was discussed. Note when an adjuster visits as well as any missed appointments, unreturned phone calls, or rude behavior. You might need the notes if, worst case, you have to sue. Make copies of all documents. Copy everything you give the adjuster, such as a list of lost or damaged property. If the adjuster advises you to start repairs, get that permission in writing, says Amber Mostyn, an attorney in Houston who represents consumers against insurers. So get the adjusters email address and communicate using email so that you have a record. In fact, she says, its best to communicate in writing as much as possible. In an emergency situation, she observes, the first adjuster may be replaced by a new one during the claims process. Theres often not a good handoff of information when the next adjuster comes in, she says. Get additional estimates if necessary. If you have custom work in your house, insist on an outside estimate by an appropriate contractor. And dont accept lower-quality replacements. Consider Hiring a Public Adjuster If you have a very large claim, a public adjuster might save you hassles and help you get a higher payment. A public adjuster is an independent adjuster who works on your behalf and represents you on the claim. But be aware of the associated fees. In some states these are capped, typically at 10 to 12 percent of the insurance payout. In other states there are no caps. In some statesLouisiana, for instanceadjusters must charge a flat fee. To find a public adjuster, check the National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters. When you make contact, insist on references from past clients, several years of experience as a public adjuster, and a state license where required. In the five states where no licensing is requiredAlabama, Alaska, Arkansas, South Dakota, and Wisconsincontact an attorney who works with catastrophe victims to help you find a reputable adjuster, says Diane Swerling, vice president of Swerling Milton Winnick Public Insurance Adjusters in Wellesley, Mass. Standard flood policies for homeowners are capped at $250,000 for the dwelling and $100,000 for contents. Theyre limited in terms of what they cover. Most dont cover personal items stored in a basement. (Some private insurers will sell policies with higher limits.) Swerling says that it could make sense for a flood victim to hire a public adjuster, even with their coverage limitations. Flood losses are very difficult losses to adjust, she says. Deal With Roadblocks Head-On The adjuster may hand you a check on the spot to cover immediate costs like the replacement of clothes and medicine. But it could take weeks to get a full estimate of your damages and a final check. So keep on top of where your claim is in the pipeline. Once the adjuster finishes the report, review it for mistakes before signing. For more on whats involved in the flood claims processincluding whats covered and whats notcheck the Flood Insurance Claims Handbook published by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMAs guideline for delivering an estimate of damage to the flood policyholder is no longer than 45 days, says Maureen Westling, managing director of claims at National Flood Services, a provider of flood insurance business solutions based in Kalispell, Mont. But once work begins on your home, youre entitled to add to your claim if you or your contractor discover more damage or loss. Theres nothing to prevent you from doing that even after the claim is closed, Westling says. Youve signed that statement of loss to say, At this time, to the best of my knowledge, this is correct. That doesnt mean it cant change. What happens if your insurer maintains that your policy doesnt cover the damages or the offer is too low? Ask the carriers representative to point out the exclusion or limit in your policy in writing. If youre not satisfied with the dollar amount being offered for your flood claim, check the NFIPs page on flood claim appeals and guidance. FEMA also has consumer advocates who may be able to help. If you think youve been misled by the policy wording, contact a local plaintiffs attorney who specializes in insurance law. The Consumer Federation of America notes that courts have consistently ruled in favor of policyholders on policy ambiguities. File a complaint with your states department of insurance. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright 2019, Consumer Reports, Inc. Paris (AFP) - Like escaped convicts, elephants in eastern Africa have learned to travel at night and hide during the day to avoid poachers who are hunting tuskers into extinction, researchers reported Wednesday. Normally elephants forage for food and migrate in daylight, while resting under cover of darkness. But a sharp increase in illegal hunting driven by the global trade in ivory has forced the massive land mammals -- against their nature -- to upend their usual habits. "As most poaching occurs during the daytime, their transition to nocturnal behaviour appears to be a direct result of prevailing poaching levels," said Festus Ihwagi, a researcher at the University of Twente in The Netherlands. In an upcoming study, Ihwagi details his findings, based on data gathered from 60 elephants in northern Kenya tracked with GPS devices for up to three years during the period 2002 to 2012. Working with the NGO Save the Elephants, which has fitted more than 100 of the animals with GPS collars, Ihwagi monitored the movements of 28 females and 32 males in and around the Laikipa-Samburu ecosystem. Females live in close-knit families and often have young calves at their side, while bulls tend to be more solitary. To determine how, and to what extent, poaching had changed elephant behaviour, he compared two sets of data. The first measured the distances travelled during the day and at night, and was logged as a ratio between the two. The second -- drawing from the Illegal Killing of Elephant programme database -- identified zones and time periods when poaching was more or less severe. - Slaughtered for ivory - "Simultaneous elephant tracking and monitoring of causes of death presented a perfect 'natural laboratory'," said Ihwagi. The nighttime movements of the elephants increased significantly in sync with poaching levels, especially for females. In high-danger zones, females reduced daytime activity by about 50 percent on average compared to low-danger zones, Ihwagi told AFP. Story continues Changing their behaviour in this way may help keep elephants alive in the short run, but could have long term implications for their survival, he added. Despite their intelligence, deeply ingrained foraging strategies and mating patterns developed on an evolutionary timescale may limit the capacity to adapt. "For mothers with very young calves, the risk of predation of the calves by lions or hyenas would be higher at night," Ihwagi said. "For the mature elephants, it implies an alteration of their normal social life." The real-time data from GPS devices could be used as an early warning system to alert environmentalists and park rangers, the researchers noted. A sudden uptick in nocturnal travel, for example, could signal that elephants feel threatened. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the number of African elephants has fallen by around 111,000 to 415,000 over the past decade. The killing shows no sign of abating with around 30,000 elephants slaughtered for their ivory every year, mainly to satisfy demand in the Asian market for products coveted as a traditional medicine or as status symbols. "The escalation of poaching has become the greatest immediate threat to the survival of elephants," Ihwagi said. The findings will appear in the January issue of the Journal of Ecological Indicators. Brussels (AFP) - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Thursday he did not envisage Britain leaving the EU in 2019 without a deal for future trade ties in a so-called "hard Brexit". During a question and answer session with young YouTube users, Juncker also denied that he was threatening Britain when he said in a flagship speech this week that it would "regret" Brexit. His comments came as a senior European Commissioner separately rejected suggestions that Britain would be at the back of the queue when it came to a future trade deal. "My working hypothesis is that there will be a deal," Juncker said. "I don't want to imagine a situation where Britain will leave like that, saying goodbye without there being an arrangement for the future. I don't envisage what people call a 'hard Brexit'." Britain and the EU are currently in negotiations on its departure from the bloc on March 29, 2019, following its shock referendum decision to leave last year. But the EU has refused to discuss a trade pact until there has been progress on the terms of the divorce -- including the bill it says Britain must pay -- raising concerns about whether there will be enough time to reach a deal by Brexit Day. Without a deal Britain faces a "hard Brexit" with trade tariffs and a range of other problems including immigration and travel difficulties. Former Luxembourg premier Juncker said in his annual State of the Union speech on Wednesday that "we will regret it (Brexit), but you will regret it too". - 'Keep calm, don't panic' - He said that it was "not a threat" but a "response to an interruption by the far-right" in parliament who cheered when he mentioned Britain leaving the EU. "I don't want to punish, sanction or make Britain suffer", Juncker said, adding that "I like the English too much". But he insisted that "the day the UK leaves the EU it will not have the same status in the EU or internationally". Story continues Juncker's speech put a priority on striking trade deals with Australia and New Zealand before his mandate ends in 2019, but Jyrki Katainen, the European Commission vice-president who oversees investment issues, said this did not mean a British deal was not also important. "I've read (news)papers which sometimes refer to some of us saying the UK is the last possible partner with whom we want to negotiate trade. Forget this nonsense," Katainen told a news conference. "As soon as we know when we can start negotiating about the future arrangement, (trade) negotiations will start then. From our side there is no political priority that we want to keep the UK last in the row," he said. EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem added: "Keep calm, don't panic." Video footage of two extremely rare white reticulated giraffes that have been found living in eastern Kenya is melting the hearts of wildlife fans around the world. Conservationists filmed the ghostly looking mother and her adorable calf who both have the pigmentation-inhibiting genetic condition of leucism walking together on the Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy in Garissa County in June. They were so close and extremely calm and seemed not disturbed by our presence, the Hirola Conservation Program, which manages the area, wrote on its blog. The staff had been tipped off by locals about the animals location. The mother kept pacing back and forth a few yards in front of us while signaling the baby giraffe to hide behind the bushes - a characteristic of most wildlife mothers in the wild to prevent the predation of their young, it added. The conservancy first shared the 64-second clip online in August, but it picked up traction this week and is now going viral. Its only the third known sighting of white giraffes (also known as leucistic giraffes) in recent years, per the organization. A white giraffe who has since been named Omo was found living in Tanzanias Tarangire National Park in 2015, while another sighting of a white giraffe was reported in March 2016 on the same Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy where the mother and calf were found. Its unclear how many white giraffes are currently living in the wild, although the giraffe species as a whole is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Their current population is believed to be less than 80,000, with reticulated giraffes accounting for fewer than 8,700 of that. Related Coverage Internet Has Heated Debate Over How A Giraffe Should Wear A Tie Some Giraffes May Be Closer To Extinction Than You Realize 'Giraffe Mom' Meets April The Giraffe Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Back in 2014, many Facebook users became incensed when Facebook Messenger was spun out into a separate app people had to download if they wanted to continue sending messages. Three years later, many Facebook users have embraced the app that once annoyed them. The popular messaging platform told Yahoo Finance that 1.3 billion people are using it now every month to send messages to friends as far-flung as Germany, Nigeria, Peru and Turkey up from 1.2 billion in April. And for the first time, Messenger revealed how its Snapchat Stories-like feature, Messenger Day, is actually doing. Up to 70 million people use the feature each and every day to post video and photo updates that disappear in 24 hours, according to Head of Messenger David Marcus. But if the road to 1 billion-plus users was paved by a slew of features aimed at consumers, whats next? The key to growth: getting businesses on board Head of Messenger David Marcus contends the secret to unlocking the next billion users lies in getting as many businesses to use Messenger as possible. Of the roughly 70 million businesses currently on Facebook, over 20 million of those respond to customers via Messenger, hundreds of thousands of which do so through virtual bots that shoppers can interact with to learn, say, the status of their orders. And while Messenger remains in the early stages of making it a major go-to hub for customer service, its clear Marcus has huge ambitions there. I really, really feel that its going to be essential for us to be the go-to messaging app when you really want to interact with businesses, explained Marcus, who added that 65% of interactions with large businesses still occur over the phone, whether customers like it or not. Messenger just hit 1.3 billion monthly active users. Source: Facebook Does he envision a day when businesses via bot replace the traditional customer service representative or call center? Yes, absolutely this is possible, and very likely! he adds optimistically. But Id say its not about bots taking over customer care its about messaging being the place where people will be the most comfortable communicating and interacting with businesses. Other channels are slow, often require your full attention, and dont offer a consolidated view of all your past interaction. With Messenger, both you and the company have perfect context and never have to re-establish it again. Plus, I personally cant wait to never, ever have to dial a 1-800 number again! Story continues Charlene Li, principal analyst and founder of the San Francisco-based Altimeter Group, suggests the virtual assistant M remains a huge trove of untapped potential. It may make minor recommendations now Spotify tracks to play, digital stickers to send but in a few years, M could evolve into a savvy virtual assistant that helps you truly navigate your day-to-day: booking travel, keeping track of appointments, and other administrative tasks you wish you could delegate. Startups like Magic and Fin, a venture from former Facebook executive Sam Lessin, are also developing affordable A.I.-powered virtual assistants that could one day replace the traditional executive assistant. I think theres promise in an all-knowing app that can know what you are doing and anticipate what kind of questions you want to ask by looking at your calendar and other things, Li contends. Those are all things, I think, theres potential for, because of our relationship with apps, and in particular an app like Facebook Messenger. JP Mangalindan is a senior correspondent for Yahoo Finance covering the intersection of tech and business. Email story tips and musings to jpm@oath.com. Follow him on Twitter or Facebook. More from JP: A mysterious fang-toothed creature was discovered last week on the Gulf Coast of Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Preeti Desai, a social media manager for the National Audubon Society, a nonprofit bird conservation group, was assessing the damage of Harvey when she spotted the decomposing creature in Texas City, Texas. She then posted several pictures of it on Twitter to learn its identity. "Okay, biology twitter, what the heck is this?? Found on a beach in Texas City, TX. #wildlifeid," Desai wrote on Twitter. "This thing wasn't frightening, wasn't colossal, and wasn't a monster. It was just a d sea creature trying to live its life." Okay, biology twitter, what the heck is this?? Found on a beach in Texas City, TX. #wildlifeidpic.twitter.com/9IUuuL65qh Preeti Desai_ (@preetalina) September 6, 2017 Hey guys, so this thing wasn't frightening, wasn't colossal, and wasn't a monster. It was just a damn sea creature trying to live its life. https://t.co/r3AeFYzLjJ Preeti Desai_ (@preetalina) September 13, 2017 Several experts on Twitter struggled to identify the fish. "Hard to tell given position and decomposition, but teeth and body shape makes me think some kind of eel," Andrew Thaler, a marine science and conservation consultant, wrote in a tweet. "In the second photo, it looks like something from a horror movie. Other users commented with thoughts like "it looks like something from a horror movie" and "First glance? Maybe blacktail moray." Biologist Dr. Kenneth Tighe of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History was able to answer Desai's question after the request was passed along to him. Tighe believed the creature to be an Aplatophis chauliodus, which is also known as a fangtooth snake-eel or tusky eel. The toothy creature's scientific name translates to "terrible serpent." Story continues "It might be [a] Bathyuroconger vicinus or Xenomystax congroides," Tighe told EarthTouch News on Thursday. "All three of these species occur off Texas and have large fang-like teeth. Too bad you can't clearly see the tip of the tail. That would differentiate between the ophichthid and the congrids." The eel appears to be without a face, possessing no visible eyes or visible nose. It's a part of the Ophichthinae family, meaning snake eels. "It was completely unexpected, it's not something that you'd typically see on a beach," Desai told BBC. "I thought it could be something from the deep sea that might have washed on to shore. "My main reaction was curiosity, to figure out what the heck it was. I follow a lot of scientists and researchers. There's such a great community of these folks that are very helpful, especially when it comes to answering questions about the world or identifying animals and plants." Desai, instead of alerting local authorities, let nature take its course. She left the animal behind to decompose. When a fangtooth eel decays, its squishy tissues are the first thing to perish. It's still hard to determine whether Desai's discovery was beached because of Harvey. Since fangtooth snake-eels often live in shallow waters, they can wash up on beaches even without storms. A representative for Tighe did not immediately return International Business Times' request for comment. This toothy creature is primarily found in the Western Atlantic. This would include regions ranging from the Gulf of Mexico to French Guiana. It occupies waters between 30 and 90 meters deep, but it will reside in permanent or semi-permanent burrows as it seeks other fishes and crustaceans for consumption. The beached fangtooth snake-eel stands out for having very small eyes, which can be seen by examining where the snout meets its head. Related: Follow me on Twitter @dory_jackson Related Articles President Donald Trump holds the Texas flag after receiving a briefing on Tropical Storm Harvey relief efforts in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Aug. 29, 2017. (Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters) WASHINGTON As President Donald Trump basks in positive assessments of his handling of hurricanes Harvey and Irma, he might consider two words to help explain things: Thanks, Obama. While hes at it, he could probably also thank the so-called deep state and offer a wave of gratitude out the window of Air Force One over Gainesville, Florida home of former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate as he flies to Naples, the site of much of Irmas devastation, on Thursday. Because while Trump has enjoyed praise from frequent critics for his leadership during the storms, two of his favorite nemeses are making his job a lot easier. Then-President Barack Obama appointed Fugate to turn around the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the system he left behind is the one Trump inherited heading into this years hurricane season. Trumps riding on the shoulders of Obama, said James Fraser, a Vanderbilt University professor who has done research on disaster mitigation. Its heartening to know that in this case, the Trump administration is not trying to undo something the Obama administration did to help people. Trump has lauded his own FEMA administrator, Brock Long, for his running of the agency. But Trump did not even nominate Long for the job until April 28, and Long didnt begin at FEMA until June 20, after the start of hurricane season. And of the 23 slots available for political appointees at the agency, only 12 have been filled, counting Longs. The other responsibilities are being handled by nonpolitical career employees. Trump didnt even nominate people for the two other FEMA positions that require Senate confirmation until mid-July. One of those, Daniel Craig, withdrew his nomination after NBC News reported on a federal investigation of Craig during his earlier stint at FEMA from 2002 to 2005. The probe found that Craig appeared to have improperly lobbied his former co-workers within a year after leaving the agency, helping secure more than $1 billion in contracts for a client as part of the Hurricane Katrina recovery. Story continues It was FEMAs performance during and after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, in fact, that became a watershed moment for the agency. Then-President George W. Bush famously praised his FEMA administrator, Michael Brown Brownie, youre doing a heck of a job even as complaints spread that Brown and the agency had been woefully unprepared to manage the storm and the massive flooding it caused in New Orleans. The Katrina response, combined with a failed attempt to partially privatize Social Security and the continuing war in Iraq, largely ended Bushs effectiveness in his second term and set up wave elections that brought a Democratic Congress in 2006 and a Democratic president in 2008. And it was that president who, taking the lessons of Katrina to heart, sought out the emergency management chief that Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) had appointed in that state. Eight years previously, Fugate was appointed to the top job at the Florida Division of Emergency Management, even though hed served as deputy there under the previous governor, Democrat Lawton Chiles. Jebs older brother, by contrast, installed his campaign manager Joe Allbaugh to run FEMA in 2001. Allbaugh had recruited a good friend as his deputy even though Browns last job had been judging a show horse competition and he had no experience in emergency management. Brown came under withering criticism after Katrina and soon resigned. Under the Obama administration, FEMA dramatically shifted to something much more responsive, Vanderbilts Fraser said. Fugate brought with him the strategy he had developed in Florida, which emphasized pre-planning as storms approached and staging large quantities of relief supplies a short distance from expected landfalls. This was followed by efforts to restore a communitys food stores, gas stations and power grids as quickly as possible, and to bring in help from even far-away counties to minimize the length of time the state had to remain in the supply business. The Obama administration also adopted Floridas practice of declaring disasters in affected areas quickly sometimes even in advance to hasten federal relief dollars. FEMA has retained all of these techniques under Long, including the near-instantaneous disaster declarations signed by Trump. One of the strong commonalities between Fugate and Long is that they both had experience as state emergency managers, said Tricia Wachtendorf, from the University of Delawares Disaster Research Center. Certainly this is a positive factor for the current state of FEMA, both coming from Fugates lead and now with Long heading up the agency. Even Tom Bossert, Trumps homeland security adviser, was quick to compliment Fugate and the work he did to integrate the local, state and federal disaster response, although he also praised Trumps FEMA pick, who has been in the field since college and ran Alabamas emergency management agency for three years. Craig deserves a lot of credit. He deserves a ton of credit for his leadership, Bossert said, and then added, But dont underestimate Brock Long. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. By Rozanna Latiff and A. Ananthalakshmi KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A blaze at an Islamic boarding school in the Malaysian capital killed at least 23 people on Thursday, most of them teenage boys who cried for help from barred windows, officials and witnesses said. The fire broke out at around 5.40 a.m. in a top-floor dormitory in the three-storey building, firemen said, where most of the students were sleeping in bunk beds, with many of the windows covered by metal grills. One survivor said there was just one window the boys managed to open. Two teachers were also killed in the fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, a 15-minute drive from the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, police said, adding that most of the victims died from smoke inhalation. The youngest was just seven, media said. The disaster has renewed calls for greater scrutiny of so-called "tahfiz" schools, where students learn to memorise the Quran. They are unregulated by the education ministry, being the responsibility of the religious department. Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said at least 31 fires had been reported at such schools in Malaysia since 2011, adding that they must follow safety regulations. "We will continue to carry out investigations, especially through forensics, as we found that there was some security features that should have been complied with but weren't," Zahid told reporters outside the school. Fire department operations deputy director Soiman Jahid said the cause was likely a short circuit or a mosquito repellent coil. The dormitory had only one entrance, leaving many of the victims trapped, he said. "The building was surrounded by metal grills that could not be opened from the inside. The students, after realising the fire and heavy smoke, tried to escape through the window," Soiman said outside the school. "But because of the grills, they could not escape." Soiman said the school had submitted a request for fire safety approval but no new checks had been carried out as the request was still being processed. "The pupils all got locked in and they couldn't escape and got burnt," Nadia Azalan, sister of a 13-year-old victim, told Reuters in tears as distraught family members gathered outside the building. "Safety should come first." Mohamad Arif Mawardi, 24, who was sleeping on one of the lower floors, said he realised there was a fire only after he heard people shouting. "We wanted to help the others but we couldn't because the fire was rampant. There was nothing we could do," he said. About 13 boys managed to open a window and escape, Arif said. "Only those 13 who had access to that open window could escape," he said. A man identified only as Hazin, who lived next door to the school, said his son called the fire department after they heard screams and saw the flames. "The children were crying for help, but I couldn't help them as the door was already on fire," he said. Viewed from outside, the only tell-tale signs of disaster were the blackened upper-floor windows, otherwise the tin-roofed building appeared unscathed, with a Malaysian flag hanging limply from the yellow wall. Only inside did the intensity of the inferno become clear. The dormitory was blackened, lined with the charred frames of bunk beds. Tahfiz schools have been under scrutiny since earlier this year when an 11-year-old boy died after reported abuse in Johor, north of Singapore. (Additional reporting by Joseph Sipalan, Liz Lee and Tavleen Tarrant; Editing by Praveen Menon and Nick Macfie) A Florida first responder was spotted dashing out into the storm to pick up an American flag as the area was pummeled by Hurricane Irma. Read: As Journalists Report on Hurricane Irma, Are They Putting Themselves in Danger? For Joseph Schiavo, who searching for victims as the storm raged, the windswept flag was just as worthy of being rescued. Schiavo, 42, who was part of a crew of firefighters and trained medics scouting for people in Coral Springs, was caught on dashcam getting out of a vehicle during the storm to pick up a fallen flag he spotted on the streets. "I just thought at the moment that it would be a disgrace to let that lay on the ground," Schiavo told ABC News. He explained that when the team saw the flag on the ground, they made the collective decision to stop and shake it off. Read: 2 Law Enforcement Officials Working During Hurricane Irma Killed in Head-On Crash It felt like an honorable thing to do, Schiavo said. It just represented every first responder. The Coral Springs police department later tweeted video of the patriotic rescue: "Even in the midst of a storm, we are reminded of the love for our country and community. Watch: Back-to-Back Natural Disasters Spark Wild Theories: 'It's a Judgment on America' Related Articles: It's not often the internet finds something it can wholeheartedly agree on. SEE ALSO: The internet descends upon this super hot selfie of the Queen's former page boy This Facebook photo of three members of Florida's Gainesville Police Department really seems to have brought people together, though: That picture was originally posted on Sunday. At the time of writing it's been shared almost 200,000 times, and received over 334,000 reactions. If you can't guess why, a quick glance over the comments section should clear things up: Image: facebook/gainesville police department Image: facebook/gainesville police department Image: facebook/gainesville police department Image: facebook/gainesville police department Image: facebook/gainesville police department Image: facebook/gainesville police department Image: facebook/gainesville police department The image went so impressively viral that Gainesville Police Department shared the following update: Image: facebook/gainesville police department In the days since, they've been sharing more photos of their officers. Image: facebook/gainseville police department Image: facebook That calendar is going to sell well. HOLLYWOOD, Fla. Almost every night, Jacqueline Ventura makes the five-minute drive from her house to the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills to see her mother, who is 82 and has dementia. The visits have become second nature to Ventura, and mainly involve feeding her mother, who starts to get confused and nervous if she goes a few days without seeing her daughter. But Tuesday night was different. Her mother looked weaker than ever that night, as temperatures in the building rose even higher than the muggy air outside. There hadnt been air conditioning in the facility since Hurricane Irma hit on Sunday, and Venturas mom was sweating. Staff promised Ventura that portable fans and air conditioning units would provide temporary relief for patients while they waited for the utility company to fix a broken fuse. She trusted the nursing home staff were doing all they could given the circumstances, but she couldnt shake the bad feeling she had. Venturas nervousness didnt go unnoticed at home. Whats wrong with you? her husband asked when she returned that night. Im just a little worried, she replied. First thing in the morning, Im going to go back. Ventura was right to be worried. Late Tuesday night, a patient died at the nursing home. By early Wednesday, rescue crews had responded to several calls from the rehab center about individual patients in distress, prompting law enforcement officials to order an evacuation of the centers 141 residents, plus an additional four from a neighboring complex. (Photo: Reuters) Public buses and ambulances, sent to transport patients, filled the nursing homes parking lot by 8 a.m. Wednesday, according to a hospital employee who could not provide his name because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. More than 100 patients were wheeled across the street to Memorial Regional Hospital, which happens to be one of the countrys largest hospitals. But just a few hours after evacuations began, a total of eight patients were dead. Story continues Ventura was still in her pajamas when she arrived with her family Wednesday morning to find the nursing homes parking lot roped off. She soon found her mother across the street, sitting in a wheelchair in the hospitals parking garage. They lined them all up in the garage, Ventura said. They were giving them water and juice. They were blowing the big fans, so they were OK. Actually, the bottom of [the] garage was cooler than inside [the rehab center]. (Photo: Travis Waldron/HuffPost) Inside the hospital, Ventura said, multiple staff members were similarly flummoxed by the situation. Two of them told Ventura that they had repeatedly called the nursing home to check on residents and offer assistance if the center needed it but each time, they told Ventura, the nursing homes employees insisted they had everything under control. By Thursday, a day after Hollywood Hills became the center of a full-blown crisis, victims family members and friends, as well as local law enforcement agents, were searching for answers as to why staff at a nursing home less than a block from a major hospital failed to act sooner when it became apparent patients were falling ill due to extreme heat. The area outside Hollywood Hills had become a crime scene by Wednesday morning. Under the sweltering South Florida sun, yellow police tape had replaced the rope blocking off the centers parking lot, and the Hollywood Police Department had set up a mobile command center in a trailer. One man whose father had been transferred to the hospital next door stopped by the center in an unsuccessful attempt to collect clothes and belongings. (A spokeswoman for the city of Hollywood later said police were working with families to return such items.) Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. (Photo: Travis Waldron/HuffPost) The situation is both mind-boggling and heartbreaking to Gary Farmer, a Democratic state senator who represents the area. The tragedy could and should have been prevented, he told HuffPost on Thursday. We know now that... there was an extreme level of malevolence and reckless disregard for the life, health and safety of the residents of this home, Farmer said. The Hollywood Police Department launched a criminal investigation into the matter and obtained a search warrant for the property Wednesday. But Farmer, along with fellow Floridians state Sen. Lauren Book (D) and state Rep. Shevrin Jones (D), are asking the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to take over the process so more resources can be allocated to the investigation. State, local and federal agencies are cooperating to conduct an ongoing investigation, city of Hollywood spokesperson Raelin Storey said during a Wednesday press conference. Many people, including Farmer, are disturbed by Hollywood Hills prior violations as well as the legal record of its owner, Dr. Jack Michel. In 2006, Michel was forced to pay part of a $15.4 million fraud settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice after being accused of conspiring to admit patients to another facility for unnecessary medical treatments. (Hollywood Hills did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this article.) These are [the] most frail and vulnerable patients, Farmer said. These are our parents, our grandparents... We have an obligation to these people. Unfortunately, the regulatory systems here in Florida and elsewhere are such that were really just licensing death warehouses not nursing and care facilities. (Photo: Amy Beth Bennett/Sun Sentinel via Getty Images) Ventura is haunted by what could have happened, especially after finding out an elderly man who sat at the same table as her mother was one of the victims. I thank God my mom is OK, but Im sad, Ventura said. Im angry... You bring your family for care, and this is the care you get? Its really disgusting. Now, Ventura is searching for a new facility for her mother. But she says the horrifying ordeal at Hollywood Hills makes it difficult to trust another facility with her mothers well-being. We dont choose to have our family members in a nursing home, she said, tears falling down her cheeks. We do it because we have to. I work all day. My husband works all day. My mother needs 24/7 care. When you have someone who is defenseless, who cant walk, you bring them to somewhere safe, she went on. I kept telling everyone My mom is in the best place that shes right by the hospital if anything happens. Its bullshit. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Michael Morell, former deputy director of the CIA, and Chelsea Manning. (Photos: David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images and Heidi Gutman/ABC via Getty Images) Former acting CIA Director Michael Morell on Thursday resigned from Harvards Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs to protest the appointment of convicted leaker Chelsea Manning to a fellowship at the universitys Kennedy School. I cannot be part of an organization The Kennedy School that honors a convicted felon and leaker of classified information, Ms. Chelsea Manning, Morell wrote in a letter to Kennedy School Dean Douglas Elmendorf. CBS News tweeted the letter, and Morell confirmed its authenticity to Yahoo News. In an odd twist, Morells letter emerged on the same day that CIA Director Mike Pompeo was scheduled to give a talk at the Belfer Center. Manning was convicted and sentenced to 35 years in prison for leaking U.S. military incident logs and diplomatic cables, among other secret government documents, to WikiLeaks, in 2010. President Barack Obama commuted her sentence just before leaving office in January, and she was freed in May. Harvard announced on Wednesday that she was joining the Kennedy School as a visiting fellow. In his letter, Morell said Manning was guilty of serious crimes and noted that Pompeo has said WikiLeaks operates like an adversarial foreign intelligence service. As an institution, the Kennedy Schools decision will assist Ms. Manning in her long-standing effort to legitimize the criminal path that she took to prominence, an attempt that may encourage others to leak classified information as well, Morell wrote. I have an obligation to my conscience and I believe to the country to stand up against any efforts to justify the leaks of sensitive national security information. For this reason, I have decided to resign my position at Belfer. Morell said in the letter that he fully supports Mannings rights as a transgender American, including the right to serve our country in the US military, and the Kennedy Schools right to invite whomever it chooses. But, Morell said, it is my right, indeed my duty to argue that the decision to give her a fellowship is wholly inappropriate and that leaking classified information is disgraceful and damaging. Story continues The Belfer Center features a number of national security figures among its experts, including former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former national security adviser Susan Rice, former Defense Secretary Ash Carter, and former Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy. Read more from Yahoo News: CHICAGO (Reuters) - The former superintendent of a suburban-Chicago public high school district has been indicted on federal fraud charges involving the misuse of proceeds from a bond sale, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois announced on Thursday. Lawrence Wyllie, 79, who retired in June 2013 from the position of superintendent of Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210, was charged with five counts of wire fraud and one count of embezzlement. Wyllie has denied the charges. The district sold $29 million of bonds in 2009 with $10 million of the proceeds earmarked for capital expenditures. According the indictment, Wyllie used at least $7 million of those proceeds to instead pay for school operating expenses. The move concealed the district's true financial health from the school board and the public "by fraudulently appearing to lower the districts net operating expenditures in its audited financial statements and its reported cost-per-pupil calculation," the indictment said. Federal officials also alleged that at least $50,000 was used by Wyllie to build and operate a dog obedience training facility "that provided no benefit" to the district's four high schools. The indictment said Wyllie also misappropriated at least $30,500 in school funds for his own benefit. Wyllie denied the charges, according to a statement from his attorneys Dan Webb and Bob Trevarthen. "Dr. Wyllie did not receive any funds or profit as a result of the bonds issued by the school district," the statement said. "All of the bond money referenced in the indictment was expended on school related issues." Each wire fraud charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, while the embezzlement charge could lead to a maximum sentence of 10 years. Wyllie's arraignment on the charges has not yet been scheduled. (Reporting by Karen Pierog; Editing by Matthew Lewis) ANKARA (Reuters) - France's foreign minister called on Thursday for a rapid resolution in the case of a French journalist seized by Turkish security forces on the Iraqi border last month, so that he can return to his family. Loup Bureau was held by Turkish border guards on the frontier with Iraq in early August after he was found to have photographs and interviews with Kurdish militia fighters among his possessions. "We have asked for a swift trial so that our citizen can return to France and rejoin his family," Jean-Yves Le Drian told a news conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in the Turkish capital. "We have also asked for Loup Bureau's family to be granted access to visit him and you (Cavusoglu) have confirmed this to me and we have asked for an improvement in his prison conditions," Le Drian said. Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his concerns about Bureau's detention in a telephone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey considers the Kurdish YPG militia, with which Bureau is accused of having links, to be an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militant group. The PKK has fought a three-decade insurgency in southeast Turkey and is designated a terrorist organization by Ankara, the United States and European Union. (Writing by Daren Butler; editing by Ralph Boulton) A leader of the German far-right, anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany is under fire this week over accusations that she illegally employed a Syrian refugee. The German newspaper Die Zeit reported on Wednesday that Alternative for Germanys Alice Weidel, one of the partys two top candidates in the countrys election this month, gave cash payments to a Syrian woman to do housework at Weidels home in Switzerland. Weidel, who lives with her Swiss partner Sarah Brossard and two sons in Biel, Switzerland, allegedly paid the Syrian woman the equivalent of just under $26 an hour but had no formal contract for the arrangement. The wage is around standard in Switzerland, according to Die Zeit. Weidel has denied the report, tweeting that it is fake news, but the story has gained traction in the German media. Weidels lawyer issued a statement to Die Zeit after publication of the article, saying that the Alternative for Germany leader has friendly relations with an asylum seeker who was a guest at her house, but that the person was not employed there. The Die Zeit report also comes amid another scandal involving a racist email allegedly from Weidel, which claims Germany is being overrun by culturally alien peoples such as Arabs, Sinti and Roma. The email calls the ruling government pigs who are puppets of the governments that won World War II. Weidels lawyer denied that she wrote the leaked letter, which German newspaper Welt am Sonntag reported was sent to one of her associates in 2013. Alice Weidel (L) and Alexander Gauland of the anti-immigration party Alternative for Germany (AFD) react before they address a news conference in Berlin, Germany August 21, 2017. (Photo: Fabrizio Bensch / Reuters) Alternative for Germany, also known as the AfD, has extremely strict views on immigration often using xenophobic and Islamophobic rhetoric surrounding the Syrian refugee crisis as a means of stirring up support for the party. Weidel has said that Germanys immigration policy would destroy the country and called for a parliamentary investigation into Merkels move to take in asylum seekers during the refugee crisis. The AfDs other top candidate, 76-year-old Alexander Gauland, also drew outrage on Thursday when he said in a speech to supporters that Germany had the right to be proud of the achievements of its soldiers in both world wars. Story continues Party officials have also previously faced criticism for downplaying Nazi crimes and objecting to Germanys continued atonement for its past atrocities. Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel earlier this week compared AfD party members to Nazis, an insult very seldom used in German politics. But despite criticism, the AfD has carved out a significant portion of support from the German electorate since its founding in 2013. Opinion polls released on Thursday show that the AfD is currently on track to become Germanys third largest party following the countrys election on Sept. 24. The AfD will be far behind Chancellor Angela Merkels Christian Democratic Union, however, in an election that is essentially a lock to give Merkel a fourth term. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. The Google logo is shown reflected on an adjacent office building in Irvine, California, U.S. August 7, 2017: REUTERS/Mike Blake Three female former employees of Google filed a lawsuit on Thursday accusing the tech company of discriminating against women in pay and promotions. Brought on behalf of all women working at Google, the class action suit alleges that the company systematically pays women less than men for substantially similar work - a violation of California law, which mandates equal pay in that situation. Women at Google face diminished career prospects compared to their male counterparts, the suit alleges, saying the company has a record of keeping women in job ladders and levels with lower compensation ceilings and advancement opportunities while promoting fewer women and promoting women more slowly than comparable men. I have come forward to correct a pervasive problem of gender bias at Google, Kelly Ellis, a former Google software engineer who is one of the plaintiffs said in a press release. It is time to stop ignoring these issues in tech. According to the lawsuit, Ms Ellis was consistently paid less than male coworkers with similar backgrounds. It says she was hired at a lower pay level than a male team member who had comparable experience and that, by the time she was promoted to the next rung of the pay scale, her male counterparts were on their way to even higher levels and compensation for similar work, ensuring that she could never catch up on the gender pay gap. In a statement, Google spokeswoman Gina Scigliano said the company was still reviewing the suit but that we disagree with the central allegations. Job levels and promotions are determined through rigorous hiring and promotion committees, and must pass multiple levels of review, including checks to make sure there is no gender bias in these decisions, Ms Scigliano said. And we have extensive systems in place to ensure that we pay fairly. But on all these topics, if we ever see individual discrepancies or problems, we work to fix them, because Google has always sought to be a great employer, for every one of our employees. Story continues The lawsuit amplifies a chorus describing a culture of sexism in Silicon Valley, with women coming forward in increasing numbers to recount discrimination and struggles with career advancement in a male-dominated industry. Google is already under a spotlight for how much it pays female employees, with the US Department of Labor suing the tech giant in an attempt to obtain more data on compensation. That federal scrutiny is cited in Ms Ellis' lawsuit, which quotes Department of Labor Regional Director Janette Wipper's statement in court that we found systemic compensation disparities against women pretty much across the entire workforce. As it has clashed with federal labor regulators, Google has strongly denied allegations of pay inequity. A recent ruling went Google's way, with a judge ruling in July that Google was not compelled to turn over all the information sought by the labor department. The company fired a male engineer earlier this year for circulating a memo that asserted biological reasons for fewer women working in the tech industry and slammed diversity programs as arbitrary social engineering. James Damore has claimed he was silenced in the name of political correctness and retained a law firm that is seeking Google employees who feel they were discriminated against for conservative beliefs. Accusations of sexism have dogged Silicon Valley for years, generating lawsuits against a lineup of prominent tech companies and more recently toppling executives. Former employees have sued Microsoft, Facebook (later dropped) and Twitter for gender discrimination, and the Department of Labor sued Oracle in January for paying white men more. Multiple influential Silicon Valley investors have resigned this year after women accused them of harassment, and an investigation spurred by a former Uber engineers viral blog post recounting pervasive sexism contributed to the downfall of former CEO Travis Kalanick. Google is increasing its focus on India with plans to introduce a localized digital payment service as soon as next week, according to a report from India-based news site The Ken. The publication claims Google 'Tez' -- meaning fast in India -- will offer a comprehensive set of payment options beyond existing products like Google Wallet or Android Pay. Tez, for one thing, will include support for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) -- a payment system backed by the government -- and other consumer payment services including Paytm and MobiKwik. Apparently it will be a dedicated app when it arrives. Google declined to comment. This is a big deal because Google hasn't made a big push into payments outside of the U.S. and, while it has a strong consumer presence in India, revenue from the country is nothing to write home about. Yet. There's plenty to be bullish on. Beyond India's fast growing internet user base and phone sales, which have already made it the world's second largest smartphone market, the digital payments space is tipped to rocket to $500 billion per year by 2020 -- that's according to a report from BCG and (dum dum dum...) Google. That potential has already attracted tech companies like Flipkart, WhatsApp and Truecaller which are moving into, or have already entered the space. But a more thorough product, combined with its reach through consumer services and Android -- India's dominant operating system for smartphones -- could give Google an upper hand. Beyond information provided by sources, The Ken dug up government filings that show Google is indeed planning to release a product named Tez in India. In addition, and rather interestingly, it looks there could be international expansion plans, too, since the search giant has registered trademarks for Tez in at least Indonesia and the Philippines. Google Inc's application for 'Tez' in the Controller General of Patents, Design and Trademarks. More here. https://t.co/3gg2TPYDyw pic.twitter.com/jvsSQrgR0p Venkat Ananth (@venkatananth) September 14, 2017 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Google has spent significant resources developing its services in India and more recently Southeast Asia via its Next Billion Users (NBU) program. That includes free public/train station Wi-Fi, a data-optimized version of YouTube, and the Android One and Android Go operating systems for affordable devices. It also made talent acquisitions in India and Singapore to develop its NBU teams and sharpen local tech chops. Athens (AFP) - Greece's merchant marine minister defended on Thursday the government's response to an oil spill that has spread across beaches near Athens following criticism from environmentalists and calls for his resignation. Panagiotis Kouroublis said ecological damage from the spill is limited and conditions are getting better. "Day by day the situation is improving," the minister told a news conference after touring areas across the Saronic Gulf affected by the sinking of the tanker Agia Zoni II early on Sunday. "One doesn't see mass destruction among birds and fish," Kouroublis said, adding that around 20 anti-pollution vessels had been assigned to the clean-up task, expected to take close to a month. "In 25-30 days the (situation) will have changed completely," the minister said. "A giant effort is under way." Main opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis had earlier said that Kouroublis, who was attending a shipping conference in London as the incident unfolded and did not return until Thursday, had to go. "The prime minister should accept his resignation," Mitsotakis said, as Kouroublis claimed that "the entire affair will be forgotten in a few days." Kouroublis said the tanker sank in only 15 minutes and that a coastguard anti-pollution ship was in the area within three hours. Anti-pollution barriers were erected six hours after the sinking, but the oil apparently coagulated and slipped away under the surface of the sea, the minister said. "We too were wondering how the leak occurred as barriers were in place," he said. Environmental groups were scathing in their criticism of the government's response. "This (oil) leak happened near the country's biggest harbour, just miles away from the operation centre of the ministry tasked with addressing such disasters," Dimitris Ibrahim, campaign director at Greenpeace Greece, told news portal in.gr. Story continues Adding insult to injury, the amount of oil in question was "relatively small," Ibrahim said. WWF Greece was likewise incredulous that "a country with heavy tanker traffic has proven unable to protect its maritime wealth and beaches from an initially small-scale incident." "Clearly, this crash test of readiness was a failed one," WWF Greece general manager Dimitris Karavelas later told Skai TV. "And we have no idea what is happening on the seabed," he said. The oil spill on Sunday initially compromised beaches just on the island of Salamis and officials were confident that it could be contained given mild wind conditions. But by Thursday, parts of the slick had drifted miles away to the affluent coastal Athens suburb of Glyfada and was threatening the popular beaches of Voula and Vouliagmeni. "Nobody thought the slick would reach us," Glyfada mayor Yiorgos Papanikolaou told Skai TV. "If someone had warned us even on Tuesday, we would have taken precautions," said Papanikolaou. "We must act quickly to prevent long-term damage," At beaches along the coast, clean-up crews on Thursday were collecting blackened sand and dumping it in tanker trucks. Local mayors have issued beach warnings and fishermen have been advised to avoid the area at present. The European Union has contributed an anti-pollution ship. The 45-year-old vessel Agia Zoni II sank on Sunday near the island of Salamis while under anchor. The cause is still unknown. "How can a ship sink in the harbour in mild conditions?" wondered Mitsotakis. The Greek-flagged tanker was carrying around 2,500 tonnes of fuel. The only people on board at the time, the tanker's captain and chief engineer, were charged with negligence and released pending trial. The ship's owners said the tanker was fully seaworthy and all its documentation was in order. An operation is under way to drain the fuel remaining on board. Athens (AFP) - Greek officials fumbled their response to a minor oil spill that is now threatening beaches near Athens five days after the suspicious sinking of a tanker, environmental groups said Thursday. "This leak happened near the country's biggest harbour, just miles away from the operation centre of the ministry tasked with addressing such disasters," Dimitris Ibrahim, campaign director at Greenpeace Greece, told news portal in.gr. Adding insult to injury, the amount of oil in question was "relatively small," Ibrahim said. The oil spill on Sunday compromised beaches on the island of Salamis and officials were confident that it could be contained given mild wind conditions. But by Thursday, parts of the slick had drifted miles away to the Athens coastal resort of Glyfada and was threatening the popular beaches of Voula and Vouliagmeni. WWF Greece was likewise incredulous that "a country with heavy tankers traffic has proven unable to protect its beaches from an initially small-scale incident." "Nobody thought the slick would reach us," Glyfada mayor Yiorgos Papanikolaou told Skai TV. "If someone had warned us even on Tuesday, we would have taken precautions," said Papanikolaou. "We must act quickly to prevent long-term damage," Mayors across the coast have issued beach warnings and fishermen have been advised to avoid the area at present. Merchant marine minister Panagiotis Kouroublis, who was attending a shipping conference in London -- and is under fire for not interrupting the trip -- is visiting the area on Thursday. He insists that every available resource has been thrown at the oil slick. "A giant operation is under way," he told state agency ANA. "Everything will be clean in 20-25 days." The European Union has contributed an anti-pollution ship. The 45-year-old vessel Agia Zoni II sank on Sunday near the island of Salamis while under anchor. The cause is still unknown. Story continues The Greek-flagged tanker was carrying around 2,500 tonnes of fuel. The only people on board at the time, the tanker's captain and chief engineer, were charged with negligence and released pending trial. The ship's owners said the tanker was fully seaworthy and all its documentation was in order. An operation is under way to drain the fuel remaining on board. After what were likely several months of very one-sided board meetings, Hampton Creek has filled the empty seats that chief executive Josh Tetrick may have been talking to. No longer monologuing, Tetrick has added an assortment of impressive-seeming new directors to the company's board and announced the company's acquisition of patents related to lab grown meat. Without addressing any of the reasons why the old members of the board left, Tetrick announced new directors with "a powerful mix of experience in international business, agriculture and sustainability who could work alongside our talented team to tackle some of the most pressing problems facing the global food system." The new members are... Jim Borel, a former executive vice president at Dupont, who oversaw the company's Pioneer, Crop Protection and Nutrition and Health businesses until his retirement in 2016. Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal, has invested in a number of different industries through early and late stage investment vehicles. He's an investor in Square Inc through KBW Investments (a firm he founded) and has made angel investments in companies like Zeel and Memebox. Larry Kopald founded The Carbon Underground, which looks to reverse climate change by restoring farmland, after a long career in advertising as a way to directly pursue his passion for sustainable development. Kopald is a senior fellow at the Marshall School of Business and served on the Obama Administration's Panel on Social Innovation. Cliff Coles serves as president of California Microbiological Consulting, after a 50 year career in food safety working for companies like Heinz, Del Monte, and R.J. Reynolds/Nabisco. In addition to the new board, Hampton Creek is touting some wins on the patent front. The company received a patent for its machine learning-based analysis of plant parts for potential products. Tetrick wrote that the technology could help food companies find ingredients for products. Story continues Through corporate partnerships, Hampton Creek has managed to land some sweet deals that have the company's products served in comissaries from Tesla to Texas A&M, according to a company statement. And it's still in good shape from a capital perspective. "The company has solid strategic and financial support from major investors across the world, including Khosla Ventures, Mitsui, Nan Fung Group, and Temasek Holdings. We're fortunate to have the capital to grow today and access to additional capital, if required, in the years to come," a spokesperson said in an email. Through a "relationship" with Jon Vein, a new advisor to the company, Hampton Creek also picked up some patents around "clean meat" technology for producing the meat and making it at industrial scale.Hampton Creek has had a rollercoaster year. in March, the Justice Department and the SEC concluded an investigation into the company. That good news was followed by the blockbuster report that three executives had been fired from the company. That news was quickly followed by the resignation of the entire board, which issued the following statement after reports of the departures came to light. We continue to fully support Hampton Creek and its CEO Josh in their exciting and important mission to change the food industry for the better of all people. We will advise Josh and the team on strategies across all areas of its business moving forward." This announcement marks the latest turn on the rollercoaster ride for a company whose destination has always seemed to outshine the business decisions its executive team has used to get there. Perhaps with the board issue now settled, Hampton Creek can get back on track in its (admittedly laudable) goal of making the food business more sustainable. MOSCOW (Reuters) - General Valery Gerasimov, the chief of Russia's general staff, told Curtis Scaparrotti, a U.S general who is NATO Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, that Moscow's latest military exercise was purely defensive, the RIA news agency reported. RIA said that Gerasimov was referring to the exercise, codenamed "Zapad", or "West", which began on Thursday and will last until Sept. 20. It is being conducted on military ranges in Belarus, western Russia, Russia's exclave of Kaliningrad and in the Baltic Sea. NATO is closely watching the exercises and says they are larger than the 12,700 servicemen Moscow has publicized, actually numbering some 100,000 troops, and involve firing nuclear-capable ballistic missiles. (Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Andrew Osborn) By Meng Meng and Henning Gloystein BEIJING/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China, blighted by pollution and long known for churning out cheap manufactured goods, is looking to dominate the high-end of a major growth market: solar power. Under a new program, China is pushing the industry to mass market high-performance solar cells so far used mainly in high-tech products like satellites. Making these cells more affordable will likely further boost a sector that has already disrupted global electricity generation. It will also put pressure on international solar cell makers such as Canadian Solar, REC Solar, Sharp and Sunpower which compete with Chinese leaders including LONGi Green Energy Technology, Trina Solar and JA Solar Holdings. Under its 2017 "Top Runner Program", China's National Energy Administration (NEA) plans to add 8-10 gigawatt (GW) of solar capacity to its existing 80 GW. "This shift ... could have far-reaching implications for the global solar industry, especially vaulting China into the top ranks of countries pursuing solar R&D," Stanford University said in its 2017 report on the solar industry. MULTI OUT, MONO IN World solar power generation capacity has ballooned to around 300 GW from just 1 GW in 2000, according to International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) data - and is set to double again by 2020. That growth has largely relied on multi-crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells - sometimes called polycrystalline - in which solar units consist of multiple silicon crystallines. These have been cheaper to produce than the more efficient mono-crystalline cells, which are made from single crystalline units. The price of multi-crystalline cells has dropped to well below 50 cents per watt from $80 in 1980. But prices are now converging as China scales up production of mono-crystalline cells. Energy Trend, a consultancy, says the average price of a Chinese high-efficiency, multi-crystalline cell is now $0.225 per watt, compared to just $0.319 for high-efficiency, mono-crystalline cells. "With poly-silicon products, we have seen the (development) ceiling. Now, we are ramping up investment of mono-solar," said Xie Tian, director of quality management at LONGi Green Energy Technology. "Mono-crystalline can take more than 50 percent of the market," he said, up from around a fifth today. Analysts say demand for mono-crystalline panels is already strong. "Many panel makers... can't meet orders. Their bookings are full until next year," said Jason Tsai of Energy Trend. NOT NEW, BUT BETTER Mono-crystalline technology is not new, but because of its cost, has mainly been used in high-tech space products. But its use is likely to increase as the cost differential narrows, meaning a higher efficiency can be had at a similar price. Under the "Top Runner" program, pay-outs known as Feed-in-Tariffs will favour high-efficiency projects. "It's much easier to meet the requirements on mono, therefore it (the program) is accelerating investment in mono," said Steve O'Neil, CEO of REC Solar, a Singapore-based panel maker owned by Chinese state-owned ChemChina. Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy, a leader in solar development, said in July the record laboratory efficiency for mono-crystalline was 26.7 percent per cell, versus 21.9 percent for multi-crystalline. While China is driving the shift into mono-crystalline, producers globally are adapting. REC, for example, says it is starting to move into mono-crystallines after focusing largely on multi-crystalline cells. "We've been looking into mono to further improve power output. In early July, we started production of a... mono solar panel specifically designed for Japan's residential market," O'Neil said. Solar cell development doesn't end with mono-crystalline cells, and China's competitors aren't sitting idle. Fraunhofer has developed so-called multi-junction cells with an efficiency of 46 percent, and U.S. aerospace giant Boeing's Spectrolab is developing cells with similar efficiency. ($1 = 6.5045 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Additional reporting by Muyu Xu in BEIJING; Editing by Ian Geoghegan) Hillary Clinton isnt here for Sarah Huckabee Sanders book review of the former secretary of states new memoir, What Happened. During an appearance on The View on Wednesday morning, co-host Sunny Hostin asked Clinton to respond to what President Trumps press secretary said the previous day at the White House press briefing. Hostin quoted Sanders as saying of Clinton: Its sad that the last chapter of your public life is going to be defined by propping up book sales with false and reckless attacks. [Clinton] ran one of the most negative campaigns in history. Clinton responded: You know, I honestly dont pay much attention to what she says. And she went on to fault Sanders for her performance disseminating information about the president and his policies. I think unfortunately I dont say this with any glee were not getting the kind of information from this White House that we should have, Clinton said. Whether you agree or disagree, whatever your party affiliation might be. A democracy depends upon people debating and disagreeing but on the basis of reality on the basis of facts and evidence. Lets not take all these important issues that were facing and try to put them into the alternative reality world of alternate facts. Earlier Wednesday morning, the former first lady, senator and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee appeared on the Today show to discuss her new campaign memoir, What Happened, which hit shelves on Tuesday. While on the show, Clinton scoffed at Donald Trump Jr.s latest explanation for meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer during the presidential campaign. Its ridiculous, Clinton said of Trump Jr.s recent statement claiming he met with the lawyer in an effort to determine Clintons fitness to be president. Its another absurd lie to cover up what really was going on, which I hope we uncover and understand, Clinton added. She also said in an interview with USA Today on Monday that shes convinced some Trump associates colluded with Russia during the election. There certainly was communication and there certainly was an understanding of some sort, she said. Ahmedabad (India) (AFP) - Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday inaugurated India's first bullet train project -- a $19 billion line in the home state of Indian leader Narendra Modi. The initiative is a major step toward reviving India's accident-prone delapidated rail network but is also seen as emblematic of fast warming relations between New Delhi and Tokyo. Both want to combat China's growing influence. The line, using Japanese trains and technology, will link Ahmedabad to India's financial capital Mumbai and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2023. The 500 kilometre (310 mile) journey will be cut from eight hours now to just over two hours when services start. "I hope to enjoy the beauty of India through the windows of the bullet train with Modi on my side when I come to India in a few years," Abe told a ceremony in Ahmedabad. "It marks the beginning of a new chapter in ties between India and Japan." Abe's visit comes just after a border standoff between India and China in a disputed and strategically important Himalayan area. The two prime ministers both hailed the strengthened ties between their countries. "The Indo-Japan relationship is not just about bilateral trade. It has developed into a strategic and global partnership in the Indian-Pacific region," said Abe. - Giant step for India - Modi has pledged billions of dollars for modernising India's creaking railway system that remains the main form of travel for millions. The bullet train is one of his pet projects. "Today India has taken a giant step in fulfilling a long cherished dream," Modi said to loud cheers from the audience. "The bullet train project will bring great speed, great development and great technology to the country." The new train with a capacity to carry 750 passengers is a bright spot for the world's fourth largest network by track length. More than 22 million passengers commute daily on some 9,000 trains across the British colonial-era network despite frequent accidents and delays. Story continues Trail derailments have already killed more than 200 people this year, including one last month in which 23 died in northern Uttar Pradesh state. Japan is a pioneer in high-speed rail networks and the project is a joint venture between Indian Railways and Japan's Shinkansen Technology. Japan proudly hails its ultra-efficient Shinkansen for its punctuality and zero-accident record. The train has a top speed of up to 350 kilometres (217 miles) an hour -- more than double the maximum speed of the fastest Indian trains. Japan, which is providing some 85 percent of the cost of the new train link in soft loans, will also facilitate transfer of technology and training of local engineers. The two leaders also signed 15 bilateral agreements as part of the annual India-Japan summit in diverse areas including civil aviation and science and technology. The premiers welcomed efforts to develop industrial corridors for growth in Asia and Africa. These will be rivals to China's so-called One Belt, One Road (OBOR) infrastructure initiative. Infrastructure linking different countries and regions must show "respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the rule of law and environment", the leaders said in a joint statement. India has opposed China's multi-billion dollar building of roads, ports and other infrastructure. It particularly highlights one corridor from China to Pakistan which passes through Kashmir, a territory disputed by India and Pakistan. On Wednesday, Modi welcomed Abe at the airport with his traditional big hug before the Japanese premier and his wife changed into Indian dress. The leaders are known to share personal camaraderie that has accelerated crucial ties between two of Asia's biggest democracies. The internet is having a field day with President Trump's latest fashion faux pas -- a mismatched suit. The president met Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C. to discuss race relations in the wake of the Charlottesville protest on Wednesday. If you recall, Trump sparked outrage over his remarks following the protest that killed 3 people and injured 35 others. Photos of the meeting surfaced online, and the internet was quick to point out the president's cringeworthy style crime. Trump donned navy blue jacket, a bright blue tie and black slacks. Meanwhile,Scott was praised for his look, which was composed of a black jacket and trousers, a gold tie and some colorful dress socks. "Trump is wearing a horribly mismatched suit. Scott on the other hand, with the A+ socks," one Twitter user wrote. Another person posted: "During a meeting with Tim Scott, Trump wore a blue suit jacket with black suit pants, completely unaware of the error he made." NEW!!! During a meeting with Tim Scott, Trump wore a blue suit jacket with black suit pants, completely unaware of the error he made. pic.twitter.com/03ccsHrixf Christopher Bouzy (@cbouzy) September 13, 2017 U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to board Air Force One for travel to Philadelphia from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, U.S. January 26, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst One observant user also compared Trump's faux pas to a similar incident involving former president Barack Obama. While he was still in office, Obama wore a tan suit that caused massive uproar: "Is Trump wearing a navy suit jacket and black pants?!?!?! This is the next tan suit gate." Is Trump wearing a navy suit jacket and black pants?!?!?! This is the next tan suit gate pic.twitter.com/l7Tw3GQ1j5 Emily C. Singer (@CahnEmily) September 13, 2017 This isn't the first time that Trump has made headlines for his fashion. Back in December 2016, the internet noticed something about his ties. As he got off the plane, the wind caught his tie and revealed he uses scotch tape to hold his tie together. Story continues Months later in March 2017, a similar incident occurred revealing that he still uses scotch tape for his ties! Another one of President Trump's signature style staples are his hats embroidered with phrases like "MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN." More on that in the video above. RELATED: Melania Trump's style as FLOTUS: Opponents of the Iran nuclear deal are pushing a proposal that calls for President Donald Trump to declare that Tehran has failed to comply with the agreement and to threaten an unprecedented economic embargo designed to rattle the regime. The document, which has been circulating on Capitol Hill and in the White House, says the president should declare to Congress next month that the deal is no longer in the national security interest of the United States. Then the president would make clear his readiness to hit Iran with a de-facto global economic embargo if it failed to meet certain conditions over a 90-day period, including opening military sites to international inspectors. This would be a 21st century financial version of [John F.] Kennedys Cuba quarantine, according to a copy of the proposal obtained by Foreign Policy. The embargo would involve reimposing sanctions lifted under the deal, as well as additional measures including restrictions on oil exports. The unsigned memo was written by Richard Goldberg, a former Republican congressional aide who has long advocated tough action against Iran. The document has been shared with officials in the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers in Congress, sources familiar with the memo told FP. This is a hand grenade thrown into the middle of the Iran debate, said a source who has discussed the proposal with congressional offices. The leaked memo is the latest bid by critics of the nuclear deal to shape the White House debate on the issue after a number of Iran hawks were forced out of the White House, including chief strategist Steve Bannon and Derek Harvey, who served on the National Security Council. Another prominent neoconservative and opponent of the Iran deal, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, opted to publish his own policy memo last month after acknowledging that he no longer had access to the Oval Office. The memo from Goldberg, who was a senior aide to former Republican Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois, is designed to help key policymakers in the administration think outside the box and spur more creative conversations, said a second source familiar with the discussions behind the document. Story continues Senior officials in the Trump administration, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary James Mattis, have so far advised the president to stick to the nuclear deal, even though he repeatedly denounced it as a presidential candidate and vowed to tear it up. The 2015 Iran nuclear accord, negotiated between Tehran and world powers including the United States, imposed restrictions and inspections on the countrys nuclear program in return for the lifting of an array of crippling economic sanctions. Under a congressional law separate from the deal, the president must certify to lawmakers every 90 days whether Iran is abiding by the deal and whether lifting sanctions remains in the countrys national security interest. Trump has previously certified that Iran was in compliance with the accord, but he did so reluctantly, complaining to aides about the options presented to him. He has signaled that he might decertify Iran at the next deadline in mid-October. Tillerson told reporters on Thursday that the Trump administration has yet to make a decision. President Trump has made it clear. We must take into account the totality of Iranian threats, not just Irans nuclear capabilities that is one piece of our posture towards Iran, he said, speaking alongside British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson from London. In our view, Iran is clearly in default of these expectations of the nuclear deal, he added. Trump faced another deadline on Thursday on the nuclear accord. The president decided to continue to waive a series of economic sanctions that were lifted under the deal. The State Department said the move would allow the United States to maintain some flexibility. But speaking to reporters Thursday aboard Air Force One, Trump once again slammed the nuclear agreement and hinted at a possible change in course next month. Youll see what Im going to be doing very shortly in October, said Trump, en route to Washington after visiting storm-hit areas in Florida. The Iran deal is not a fair deal to this country. Its a deal that should not have ever been made. We are not going to stand what they are doing with our country. Theyve violated so many different elements and theyve also violated the spirit of that deal. One source who has advised the White House on the issue told FP that the presidents staffers are struggling to thread the needle and provide him with options that allow him to put more pressure on Iran and break with the policies of the Barack Obama administration while avoiding a precipitous withdrawal from the nuclear deal. White House and Defense Department officials are deeply concerned about the potential risks of Iranian retaliation against thousands of U.S. troops deployed in Iraq and Syria who are in close proximity to Tehran-backed militias. With more hawkish voices no longer holding senior positions in the White House and the deadline fast approaching, opponents are vying for the presidents ear, promoting their stance in the public arena. In a speech last month, Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., made the case why the administration would be justified in decertifying Iran under U.S. legislation. Haley suggested that Congress could then debate whether to reimpose sanctions on Iran. But the memo leaked Thursday calls for going a step further by threatening a large-scale economic embargo if Iran did not open access to more nuclear sites or step back from its pursuit of ballistic missile technology. The President is looking for a path to decertification that can build consensus among his national security advisers, especially those who fear the question: what next? the memo states. Establishing a credible threat of a total U.S. financial embargo in-waiting would enhance U.S. diplomatic leverage to curb Iranian illicit behavior and allow for a period of further evaluation at the end of the next 90-day period. The memo also argues that the threat of a massive economic embargo would need to persuade Iran that it would not have enough time to break out and build a nuclear weapon in 12 months before sanctions strangled its economy and threatened the regimes stability. Iran must believe that if the U.S. pursues an immediate global sanctions embargo, the timeline of regime instability and economic collapse could be faster than nuclear breakout, it notes. The proposal is designed to address a range of concerns about decertification, including the big What happens next? question, said the source who had discussed the memo with congressional offices. Its a sign that the debate is moving from whether to decertify to how to decertify. Meanwhile, supporters of the deal, including former senior officials and diplomats in the Obama administration, are engaged in their own political lobbying effort. They argue that international inspectors have found Iran to be complying with the nuclear agreement, and that any attempt by the Trump administration to withdraw or undermine the deal through unilateral action would have disastrous consequences and possibly lead to a military confrontation. Colin Kahl, who served as former Vice President Joe Bidens national security advisor, told reporters in a teleconference on Wednesday that unilateral U.S. sanctions would be opposed by European allies and would not have the same impact as those introduced with international support before the 2015 deal. China, India, and other countries could decide to buy oil despite U.S. warnings and sanctions, and Washington could find itself in a trade war with some of the worlds biggest economies, Kahl said. This is precisely a scenario that the hard-liners in Iran might love, he said. That is, using the fact that the U.S. is out of step with the rest of the international community to drive a wedge between us and Europe, between us and the Chinese and the Russians on this issue. FPs Robbie Gramer contributed to this article. This article was updated with State Department comments on extending sanctions relief and President Trumps remarks to reporters. Photo credit: ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images Nasiriyah (Iraq) (AFP) - Gunmen and suicide car bombers killed at least 74 people Thursday near the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, in the deadliest attack claimed by the Islamic State group since it lost second city Mosul. The assailants struck at midday, opening fire on a restaurant before getting into a car and blowing themselves up at a nearby security checkpoint, officials said. They left a trail of destruction, with charred bodies scattered on the ground near the burnt-out wrecks of cars, buses and trucks, an AFP correspondent on the spot said. The attack was quickly claimed by the Islamic State group, which appears to be switching to insurgent attacks after suffering a string of setbacks on the battlefield. The Sunni extremists have been sliding from defeat to defeat in Iraq and Syria, three years after declaring a cross-border "caliphate". Thursday's attack killed at least 74 people, including seven Iranians, and left another 93 wounded, said Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy health chief for the mainly Shiite province of Dhiqar. Security sources said the attackers were disguised as members of the Hashed al-Shaabi, a mainly Shiite paramilitary alliance which has fought alongside the army and police against IS in northern Iraq. Rescue workers and members of the security forces placed bodies in ambulances and cleared away rubble and the carcasses of burnt-out cars from the site. Nearby shelters built of corrugated metal were reduced to scraps of metal, twisted by heat. The area targeted is on a highway used by Shiite pilgrims and visitors from neighbouring Iran to travel to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala further north, although Dhiqar has previously been spared the worst of Iraq's violence. - IS claim - IS claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement carried by its Amaq propaganda arm. It said several suicide bombers had staged the assault on a restaurant and a security checkpoint, killing "dozens of Shiites". Story continues The Sunni extremist group regularly stages attacks in Iraq, where it has lost swathes of territory to US-backed pro-government forces. Iraqi forces recaptured the city of Tal Afar and the surrounding region from IS on August 31, adding to the pressure on the jihadists. Thursday's attacks come as Iraqi forces backed by tribal fighters closed in one of the last IS bastions in the country: the Al-Qaim area on the border with war-ravaged Syria. On Wednesday, an AFP correspondent in that area saw several artillery units positioned around the towns of Rawa and Anna, 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the border with Syria. The group's only other stronghold is Hawija, in Kirkuk province some 300 kilometres north of Baghdad. But despite these setbacks, the extremist group still has hundreds of fighters ready to carry out suicide attacks. In addition, any military offensive in Hawija is expected to be postponed due to a planned referendum on Kurdish independence on September 25. Acting at the request of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the Iraqi parliament on Thursday sacked the governor of Kirkuk over his decision for the northern province to also take part in the Kurdish referendum. Al-Sagra (Irak) (AFP) - Iraqi forces backed by tribal fighters are manoeuvring into position in the western desert bordering Syria to launch an offensive against one of the last bastions of the Islamic State group. The jihadist group has suffered a string of defeats on the battlefield that have left in tatters its "caliphate", three years after it was declared. After driving IS out of Nineveh province earlier this year, the Iraqi government set its eyes on Hawija, north of Baghdad, as well as the towns of Al-Qaim, Rawa and Anna in the western desert. On Tuesday an AFP correspondent who toured the region saw several artillery units positioning themselves around Rawa and Anna, around 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the border with Syria. Moving in clouds of dust, gunners set up their equipment in the rugged terrain and dug trenches before test-firing mortar rounds. Further in the distance the infantry deployed, backed by tribal fighters. Sheikh Qatari Kahlan, who commands one of the tribal units, said his forces were ready for battle. "All the tribes wanted to take part to liberate the region and fight against IS," he told AFP. "Tribe members inside Anna and Rawa are giving us information and assuring us that the battle will be ferocious but quick," he added, pointing an automatic rifle at the horizon. Up ahead a few palm trees dotted an otherwise desert landscape, through which runs an asphalt road. An Iraqi general, who declined to be named, estimated that "more than 1,500 jihadists" were in Anna, Rawa and Al-Qaim. Al-Qaim lies closer to the Syria border and just across from Deir Ezzor province where IS jihadists are facing separate offensives from US-led Arab-Kurdish forces and government troops backed by Russia. The Iraqi general said the battle for the three towns could begin after an expected assault on Hawija -- 300 kilometres (185 miles) -- or simultaneously. - 'We know their methods' - Story continues Another Iraqi commander, Qotaiba Assaad, said he expected the offensive to retake Rawa, Anna and Al-Qaim to be "quick and to our advantage". "We have fought IS for three years and we know their methods: car bombs, snipers and bombs," said Assaad, who set up his unit in Al-Sagra a few kilometres away from Rawa and Anna. Lieutenant Colonel Jamal Amr said huge efforts and "a real coordination between all our forces" are needed to keep the jihadists from across the porous Iraq-Syria border. The battle for Hawija is expected to be more complicated because of its location in oil-rich Kirkuk province, which is at the centre of a long-running dispute between the Iraqi federal government in Baghdad and regional Kurdish authorities. An offensive targeting Hawija could also be postponed due to a referendum on Kurdish independence planned for September 25 -- which Baghdad has called "unconstitutional" and "untimely". On Tuesday Iraq's parliament voted against plans by Kurdish leaders to hold the referendum. Iraqi forces and paramilitary units announced plans to retake Hawija on September 1, a day after recapturing Tal Afar and weeks after ousting IS jihadists from second city Mosul. IS once held almost one-third of Iraq's territory, but the US-led coalition supporting the fight against them said after the fall of Tal Afar that the jihadists were left with no more than 10 percent of that. Baghdad (AFP) - Iraq and Turkey on Thursday stepped up the pressure on Iraqi Kurdistan over its planned independence referendum, as the governor of oil-rich Kirkuk province that decided to take part in the vote was sacked. Parliament, at Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's request, fired the governor of the northern province, Najm Eddine Karim, in a unanimous vote by 173 MPs present in the house. With tensions rising, the Iraqi parliament this week also voted to oppose plans by leaders of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq to hold the non-binding September 25 referendum. The independence vote has faced strong opposition from the federal government in Baghdad as well as neighbouring Iran and Turkey, which fear it will stoke separatist aspirations among their own sizeable Kurdish minorities. Critics of the vote include the United States, the European Union and even some members of Iraq's 5.5 million-strong Kurdish minority. Turkey, a strong opponent, warned Iraqi Kurdish leaders on Thursday that any referendum would "have a cost". Their "insistence on the referendum despite all friendly advice will definitely have a cost", the foreign ministry in Ankara said, criticising their "erroneous approach". Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin urged the Iraqi Kurdish regional government to "return from this wrong decision as soon as possible". The move would push Iraqi Kurdistan into "bigger isolation", he said. - Kurds defiant - The provincial council of Kirkuk -- a region disputed by Baghdad and autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan and home to diverse communities, including Arabs and Turkmen -- voted at the end of August to take part in the controversial referendum. Arab and Turkmen members of the council boycotted that vote, while Kurdish MPs in Baghdad walked out of Thursday's hearing in parliament at which the Kirkuk government was dismissed. World powers have proposed alternatives to a referendum to Iraqi Kurdish leader Massud Barzani, his office said Thursday. Story continues "If they have a stronger alternative to the referendum, the Kurdish leadership will look at it, but if they want to postpone the vote with no alternatives, we won't," Barzani was quoted as saying. On Friday, the parliament in the Kurdish regional capital of Arbil is to hold its first session in more than two years to give "a legal framework" for the referendum, according to its spokesman, Tariq Jawhar. The fired Kirkuk governor also struck a defiant note, saying: "It is the provincial council which has given me a vote of confidence, and it alone can dismiss me, not the Iraqi premier or parliament." Disputed zones such as Kirkuk are a highly sensitive issue in ethnically fragmented Iraq, with its Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad and large Sunni Arab and Kurdish communities. In Kirkuk province, the different communities have been arming themselves while numerous paramilitary forces have taken up positions north and west of Baghdad as joint units advance against retreating Islamic State group jihadists. - Civil war fears - In the city of Kirkuk, Kurdish peshmerga fighters have taken charge of security, while Shiite paramilitary units have been deployed on the outskirts. Hadi al-Ameri, head of the powerful Iranian-backed Badr organisation, has warned that the Kurdish referendum could lead to partition and civil war, vowing to defend the unity of Iraq. Barzani, who called the referendum, has said the vote would go ahead because "all other bids" to secure Kurdish rights had failed. The referendum could lead to the independence of Iraqi Kurdistan, an oil-rich region in the country's rugged, mountainous north which gained de facto autonomy in 1991. The region, whose people were brutally repressed under Saddam Hussein, won autonomy in 2005 after the dictator's ouster under a constitution which set up a federal republic in Iraq. Iraqi Kurdistan, home to around 5.5 million Kurds, is made up of three provinces that are run by an autonomous regional government and protected by their own security services. The referendum would "not necessarily lead to (an) immediate declaration of statehood, but rather to know the will and opinion of the people of Kurdistan about their future", Barzani said in February. Kurdish leaders have since reiterated that a "yes" vote would pave the way for the start of "serious negotiations" with the Baghdad government. The devastation of Hurricane Irma has highlighted racial tensions on the Caribbean island of St. Martin, according to some residents, who claim white tourists were given priority during evacuation. Black and mixed-race residents of the island, where there is a disparity in wealth between white and non-white people, said they had seen white tourists rescued from the category-4 storm ahead of needy mothers and children who were not prioritized by rescuers. One St. Martin resident, Johana Soudiagom, told the Associated Press she was among a small minority of non-white people who were evacuated to Guadeloupe as the hurricane hit. "It's selective. Excuse me, but we saw only mainlanders," Soudiagom told Guadeloupe 1ere television. "That's a way of saying, 'I'm sorry, only whites. There are only whites on the boat.'" Nine people were killed on the French part of the island following the storm, which destroyed buildings and claimed the lives of at least 37 people across the Caribbean and a further seven people in the U.S. "In my eyes, Irma is for the French Antilles what Hurricane Katrina was for Louisiana in the U.S.an exposer of racial and social inequalities," France's Representative Council of Black Associations spokesman, Louis-Georges Tin, told the AP. The group has demanded the French government hold an inquiry into why people evacuated from St. Martin were not necessarily the most in distress. "In Florida, there were more than 1 million evacuated, and France says that with four days' notice they couldn't evacuate a much smaller number," Tin said. "The question must be asked: Does it have to do with racism? he added. But the French government has claimed it is far more difficult to arrange evacuation from islands than it is on a mainland where people can use their own vehicles to drive to safety. At least 1,200 Americans were evacuated from St. Martin, while some who remained on the island describing instances of lootingsomethingalso seen in Florida, with a group of alleged looters arrested in Fort Lauderdale on Sunday. Story continues Areas in the Caribbean and in the U.S. affected by Hurricane Irma are now facing massive cleanup operations, dealing with damage to buildings, injuries and a price tag expected to run into billions of dollars. Related Articles President Trump kisses his daughter Ivanka during a tax-reform rally in Mandan, N.D., on Sept. 6. (Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images) Ivanka Trump is pushing back against people who criticize her for not publicly condemning President Trumps caustic statements and controversial proposals. Some people have created unrealistic expectations of what they expect from me, Ivanka, first daughter and special White House adviser, said in an interview published Thursday in the Financial Times. That my presence in and of itself would carry so much weight with my father that he would abandon his core values and the agenda that the American people voted for when they elected him. Its not going to happen. To those critics, shy of turning my father into a liberal, Id be a failure to them. Both Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, also a senior White House adviser, have come under fire for not speaking out publicly against the presidents controversial statements and policies. In an interview with Refinery 29 earlier this week, Hillary Clinton was asked whether Ivanka Trump is complicit in the administrations actions. Clinton said that while President Trump should ultimately be held responsible for trying to impose a political agenda that turns the clock back on American values, everyone associated with him theyre either on board with that, or theyre not. Related: Shes complicit: Ivanka Trump torched by ScarJo on SNL And if theyre not, they need to be speaking out or leaving, the former Democratic nominee added. But if they remain silent and just give lip service to contrary points of views, then they are part of his agenda and should be judged and held accountable for that. But Ivanka Trump says that speaking out against her father is not an option if she wants to remain in the White House. To voice dissent publicly would mean Im not part of the team, she said. When youre part of a team, youre part of a team. That doesnt mean everyone in the White House has homogeneous views we dont, and I think thats good and healthy but that doesnt mean were publicly undermining [each other] and this administration. Story continues An interview with Ivanka Trump: the first daughter sits down with the FT to talk about life on team Trump https://t.co/nESo8UbJ0Q pic.twitter.com/C7lOeuq9mR Financial Times (@FT) September 14, 2017 Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon who reportedly clashed with both Jared and Ivanka inside the West Wing expressed a similar view in an interview with CBSs 60 Minutes on Sunday. When you side with a man, you side with him, Bannon said. The good and the bad. You can criticize him behind [closed doors], but when you side with him, you have to side with him. You can tell him, Hey, maybe you can do it a better way, Bannon added. If youre going to break, then resign. If you find it unacceptable, you should resign. Kushner told the Financial Times that his wife tries to be supportive of her father and I think that she is able to both agree and disagree with him in private and share her feedback with him honestly and respectfully. We know at the end of the day we will judge our experience based on the results, Kushner said. We are not going to look back when this thing is over and say, Oh, theres a bad story or We had a bad meeting with that person. Were going to look back and say, Did we achieve our goals? Ivanka added: Whether my contribution ultimately lives up to the expectations of some of the harshest critics? Only time will tell. But I will not be distracted by the noise. Read more from Yahoo News: Well, it certainly took them long enough! After a lengthy "mother!" press tour and a year of dating, Jennifer Lawrence and Darren Aronofsky finally gave the cameras what they wanted: Romantic photos of just the two of them. Lawrence stars in Aronofsky's new psychological horror film, and they reportedly started an official relationship after filming wrapped -- but they've painstakingly avoided discussing or photographing the romance. That changed Wednesday night at the New York City premiere. NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 13: Actress Jennifer Lawrence and filmmaker, Darren Aronofsky attend 'mother!' New York Premiere at Radio City Music Hall on September 13, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic) At 48, Aronofsky is more than 20 years older than Lawrence, but the actress seems unfazed by the age difference. Ive been in relationships before where I am just confused, she told People. And Im never confused with him. Really, it's no wonder Aronofsky wanted photographic proof of their relationship status: How incredible does Lawrence look in that white tulle gown?! She's truly outdone herself at every single "mother!" premiere, starting at the Venice Film Festival, where she left crowds stunned in a mauve and nude ballgown. Then, in the UK, she wowed in a sheer, figure-hugging crystal ensemble, before upping her game yet again in Paris. Take a look at all of Lawrence's stunning "mother!" premiere looks in the gallery below. After years of denying a romance, Jamie Foxx and Katie Holmes seemingly confirmed their relationship earlier this month, and now it looks like the stars are focused on strengthening their bond. Although the couple has been rumored to have been dating for over four years, sources close to the duo now say that the romance actually began a few months ago. Theyve been friends for years, a friend of Foxx told People. That blossomed into a wonderful relationship that they both enjoy, the insider added. While sources insist Foxx and Holmes are enjoying one anothers company, a pal close to the actress said that the two arent as serious as people may think. They remain friends and while Katie is in Los Angeles, she is happy to spend time with him, as well as many other friends. Jamie Foxx Photo: Getty Images Meanwhile, sources close to Foxx believe that the two are taking things slow with no mention of anything serious like marriage. Neither seems to be in a rush to take it further, the friend told the publication. Earlier in the month, the two were spotted holding hands at a beach in Malibu, California. While there, the pair walked in the sand and ran into the water, enjoying the day. Although they may not be preparing to ride off into the sunset just yet, Holmes and Foxx do enjoy spending time together and prefer to keep their romance low-key. They usually stay in, a source close to the two said. Katie often picks up groceries and Jamie brings over dessert, an insider revealed. In August, the Baby Driver actor was seen at a frozen yogurt shop in California where he picked up some sweets. He was later spotted entering Holmes gated community where she lives with her 11-year-old daughter, Suri Cruise. Jamie is very fond of Katie, said the Foxx source. They are both very happy. Story continues In May, the actress flew to Paris to visit her boyfriend, who was filming his upcoming movie Robin Hood. Although the two did their best not to attract attention, they were spotted boarding the same private jet. At the time, a source told Us Weekly that they two were in love and that the actress would gush over her beau while talking to friends. Shes head over heels for him, the insider said. In 2015, a source told People even though the stars were fond of each other, they had no plans on taking a huge leap in their relationship. This is not some intense romance, the insider explained. Jamie and Katie are friends and have been for a long time. They are two adults who are attractive and single, and so apparently conclusions will be drawn But contrary to those conclusions, theyre not about to run off and make some serious commitment, the source added. Foxx and Holmes were first romantically linked together in 2013, after they were seen dancing while attending a charity event in the Hamptons. The actress relationship with Foxx marks her first serious romance since divorcing Tom Cruise in 2012. Katie Holmes Photo: Getty Images Related Articles In the wake of Kenneka Jenkins death, fake GoFundMe accounts were created by scammers to make money off the teens death. Her mother, Tereasa Martin, took to Facebook Live Tuesday to let her followers know she hadnt set up an account, but would let everyone know when she did. Im coming out here to let yall know theres a whole lot of people using my name [for GoFundMe accounts, Martin said. I thank yall so much for yall support and everything that yall doing for me. I really appreciate yall. But theres a whole lot of [fake] GoFundMe accounts that are running around with my name on it. Im going to make one. But I do not have one. So if you see one thats already been made, when I get one, Ill put it live. One of the popular phony accounts claimed the money was going to be used to pay for Jenkins death and to seek justice. This is a page set up for Kenneka Jenkins to help get justice for my baby girl, the hoaxer wrote. As many of you may know, On Sunday morning, Neka was found dead in a walk in freezer at Crowne Point Hotel in Rosemont, Illinois. We believe there is more to the story. Since this is still under investigation, there isnt much I can say. The donations will cover funeral cost arrangements, also to help with the investigation. Anything helps. Help me get justice for her! God Bless. The page has since been removed. The teenager was found dead inside a walk-in freezer Sunday. While police said there werent any signs of foul play, netizens claimed she was raped and killed by her friends. Police did not name her friends as suspects in Jenkins death. Her cause of death was not revealed. Police would not reveal if lacerations were found on her body. New video released by Facebook user Randall Jordan Tuesday showed Jenkins partying with friends in the Chicago hotel room. Jordan reportedly released the video because he wanted to prove he was at Crowne Plaza Chicago OHare Hotel & Conference Center in Rosemont, Illinois the night she died. Story continues Dis another live video with all them n----- & females who was in that room with all know some! She was seen at 1:38sec & 3:34 ...... R.i.P Kenneka Martin #kennekajenkins #WATCH, Jordan captioned the video. The clip has since amassed more than 50,000 views. Hundreds of comments poured in, with people telling their version of events. Some claimed they witnessed partygoers put something in Jenkins drink, which is a new theory sparked by social media users. One of the most popular theories on the internet about Jenkins is that her friends set her up to be raped and killed. In a video posted by friend Irene Roberts to Monifah Sheltons Facebook page, netizens claimed they could hear Jenkins say help me. Another tale from social media is that man can be heard saying, Were gonna murder someone. Police said they didnt find evidence of foul play. Shelton and Roberts were not named as suspects. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Follow me on Twitter @mariamzzarella Related Articles The death of Kenneka Jenkins is still fresh in the minds of most netizens, yet what really happened to the 19-year-old Saturday at Crowne Plaza Chicago OHare Hotel & Conference Center in Rosemont, Illinois, is still unknown some claimed. As far as police are concerned, there isnt enough evidence to indicate her death was a homicide. They said she was intoxicated, walked into a walk-in freezer at the hotel and died. An autopsy has not yet been complete and authorities werent reveal if there were lacerations on her body. Social media users, on the other hand, concocted a much more sinister tale. Based off a Facebook Live video posted to one of her friends accounts, netziens fabricated various stories about Jenkins final moments. The common claim is that Jenkins friends, Monifah Shelton and Irene Roberts, set her up to be raped and killed. They were supposedly paid $200 for their services. Some people claimed that Jenkins could be seen in the reflection of Roberts glasses while she was filming the video. Another story is that Jenkins yelled, help me, in the background and then Roberts turned up the music so her friends apparent cries for help couldnt be heard. The final theory is that a man in the background seemingly says, were going to murder someone tonight. The video was viewed millions of times. Kenneka Jenkins Photo: Facebook/Kenneka Jenkins Neither Roberts nor Shelton have issued statements since their friend died. Though Shelton did post about her friend when she was missing early Saturday morning. Come home so I could see yo big ass smile. idk how to feel right now I'm literally sick to my stomach. I love u so much & I hate this even happening to you right now I'm over here praying for you baby wherever u at I hope u okay god got you, she wrote. Story continues Jenkins mother, Tereasa Martin, was convinced someone at the hotel killed her daughter. I believe someone in this hotel killed my child, Martin told WGN-TV Sunday. (I'm) horrified. It's something that no one could ever imagine. It's unbelievable. Jenkins sister, Leonore Harris, added to the network: The freezer door is heavy. So there's no way. If they're saying she's drunk, she don't have no strength. If she had enough strength to open that freezer door, she would have had enough strength to walk straight. There is no proof of this and police did not name Shelton or Roberts as suspects in Jenkins death. Still, authorities said they were looking at the video for evidence and pursuing any possible leads. Yes, theyve looked at it and continue to look at it and all the other social media videos and posts. They are leaving no stone unturned as far as trying to corral everyone they can and talk to them and interview them about what happened and what was going on that night, Rosemont Police spokesman Gary Mack told the Chicago Tribune Monday. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. Follow me on Twitter @mariamzzarella Related Articles Reuters LONDON (Reuters) -Russia's Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, said on Sunday that a former mercenary who was filmed being executed by a sledgehammer blow to the head after changing sides in the Ukraine war was a traitor. Prigozhin, a Russian businessman who founded the Wagner private military group, was responding to an unverified video distributed on Telegram that showed a man identified as a former Wagner mercenary being executed after admitting that he had changed sides in September to "fight against the Russians". In the footage, the man, who gave his name as Yevgenny Nuzhin, 55, was shown with his head taped to a brick wall. MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia accused the West on Thursday of "whipping up hysteria" over large-scale military exercises underway in eastern Europe and denied charges that they were being conducted with a lack of transparency. The exercises, codenamed "Zapad", or "West", started on Thursday and will last until Sept. 20. They are being conducted on military ranges in Belarus, western Russia, Russia's exclave of Kaliningrad and in the Baltic Sea. (For graphic, click http://tmsnrt.rs/2iIkjEU) "We reject complaints of these exercises not being transparent," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters. "We believe that whipping up hysteria around these exercises is a provocation." "It is a normal practice for any country to hold such exercises. Everything is being held in line with international law," Peskov said. Russian President Vladimir Putin may visit one of the stages of these drills, he said. NATO is closely watching the exercises and says they are larger than the 12,700 servicemen Moscow has publicized, actually numbering some 100,000 troops, and involve firing nuclear-capable ballistic missiles. Russia's defense ministry reiterated on Thursday that the exercises are of a purely defensive nature and are not a threat to any third country or group of countries. But NATO officials say the drills will simulate a conflict with the U.S.-led alliance intended to show Russia's ability to mass large numbers of troops at short notice in the event of a conflict. In a statement, the Pentagon said that while Russia and Belarus had taken some steps towards providing transparency, there were concerns about the official estimate of troop numbers. "We urge Russia to share information regarding its exercises and operations in NATO's vicinity to clearly convey its intentions and minimize any misunderstandings," Lieutenant Colonel Michelle Baldanza, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said in a statement. "In response to this uncertainty, the U.S. has built a joint, persistent rotational presence of air, land, and sea presence in the region to support our Allies," she added. Amid allegations about Moscow's aggressive ambitions from its post-communist neighbors, Russia's defense ministry has said that it does not intend to use the drills as a springboard to attack Lithuania, Poland or Ukraine. Moscow says it is the West that threatens stability in eastern Europe, because NATO has put a 4,000-strong multinational force in the Baltics and Poland. Russia's defense ministry said the current drills involve some 7,200 troops from Belarus and 5,500 from Russia, up to 70 aircraft and helicopters, up to 680 units of military hardware, including 250 tanks, up to 200 artillery pieces, multiple rocket launchers and mortars, and up to 10 warships. (Reporting by Polina Nikolskaya; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Larry King and Alistair Bell) Lamborghini plans to release a very limited-edition supercar, which is at the time of writing still unnamed. As the company's R&D director Maurizio Reggiani said to CarAdvice in an interview, "Soon we will present to our most important customers a new version of what we call a one-off." By "one-off," Reggiani says the company means a short run of experimental cars created to showcase a new design direction and to introduce new technology, like the Lamborghini Centenario did. Call the resulting supercar a sellable concept car, if you will. In the Centenario, Lamborghini brought out rear-wheel steering. The new car would show the design direction of the Aventador's eventual replacement. What's more, Reggiani expects the upcoming car to be sold out by the time it is announced, just as the Reventon and its roadster version, the Veneno and the Sesto Elemento did. " We will announce it with our loyal customers that wait for this, we don't need to do more, we arrive at the motor show and the production is already sold out." CarAdvice deduces that the new car will be announced at the Geneva Motor Show next March, where Lamborghini will also show the new Urus which will break cover in December. It will be a plug-in hybrid with a twin-turbo V8 engine. When Reggiani discussed the Urus with Autocar in December, he said that Lamborghini will keep turbocharging out of its supercars; the Urus needs the grunt that turbos provide, but the supercars will need the responsiveness of a naturally aspirated engine. Whether the "one-off" series car will still be naturally aspirated remains to be seen. Related Video: About ten days after a teacher at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Maryland, went missing, her body was found Wednesday in a shallow grave in a secluded field in Damascus. Police have arrested her boyfriend for her murder. According to Montgomery State Police, Tyler Tessier, 31-year-old Laura Wallen's boyfriend, will be charged with murder, although the medical examiners are yet to perform an autopsy on the body to determine the exact cause of death, the Baltimore Sun reported. Wallen was said to be four-months pregnant when she went missing Sept. 5 and she was last seen with Tessier. Both of them were captured together on surveillance video at a grocery store near Wallen's home on Sept. 2. A missing persons report was filed in her name when she did not show up for work. Police believe she was killed on Sept. 3. This arrest does provide some answers, but Im aware of the impact on Ms. Wallens community, said Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger in a press conference on Wednesday. I know many of you are grieving with Lauras family tonight. After the high school teacher went missing, the case had received widespread attention. In the days leading up to the discovery of Wallens body, Tessier stood by Wallens family as the distraught boyfriend and appeared in a press conference on Monday claiming he knew nothing about his girlfriends whereabouts, reports said. I pray that shes safe and that she comes back, Tessier told the gathered reporters. Its just a complete shock.... I think leading up to the weekend that shes missing, I dont believe that anybody has any inclination to believe that somethings wrong. The police had been suspicious about Tessier's involvement in the murder. The decision to allow him to participate in that news conference was a calculated decision made by the detectives in this case done with the approval and knowledge of the victims family, the police chief said. Tessier rose to the top of the suspects list when the police discovered that there was a property on Prices Distillery Road in Damascus, owned by an acquaintance of Wallens boyfriend, where he would frequently spend time. After the police searched the open woods and surrounding grounds with a search warrant, they were led to Wallens corpse inside a freshly dug grave on a nearby property. The police also discovered tire tracks leading up to the grave. Story continues According to the Washington Post, Wallens sister had received a number of odd texts from her sister on Sept. 4, which the police believe were sent by Tessier after he allegedly killed Wallen. In the texts, Wallen stated she was pregnant with her ex-boyfriends child, not Tessiers. Wallen also texted a friend, informing her that Tessier was taking her to the woods and she suspected it was because he wanted to propose her. Around the same time, Tessier texted one of his acquaintances to help him clean a mess," police said. The acquaintance refused to assist him. The police stated Tessier has already admitted to removing the front tag from Wallens car and disposing of her iPhone and drivers license. Although investigations are currently under way regarding the possible motive behind the murder, speculations are doing rounds regarding Tessiers possible involvement with another woman, who was also interviewed by the police, Heavy.com reported. Related Articles By Ahmed Aboulenein CAIRO (Reuters) - An Egyptian lawyer who is helping investigate the case of murdered Italian student Giulio Regeni was prevented from flying to a U.N. conference and detained by a special prosecutor, his supporters and a security source said. Ibrahim Metwaly, who founded the Association of the Families of the Disappeared after his son disappeared in suspicious circumstances four years ago, himself went missing while heading for his flight to Geneva on Sunday. Members of his group said he was taken from Cairo airport by airport security and he was not heard from until Wednesday when a state security prosecutor ordered him detained for 15 days on charges of "joining a group founded illegally", judicial sources said. There was no comment from the Interior Ministry. A security source said Metwaly was legally arrested and not subjected to any violations. Rights activists say Egyptian security forces resort to kidnapping government opponents and keeping them in secret jails where they can spend weeks, months, or years without charge. The authorities deny the accusation. Italian graduate student Giulio Regeni, who was conducting research on Egyptian trade unions, disappeared in Cairo on Jan. 25 last year. His body was discovered in a ditch on the outskirts of the Egyptian capital on Feb. 3, showing signs of extensive torture. Metwaly has been assisting lawyers working on the Regeni case as an expert on enforced disappearances, according to one of the lawyers. "I have no doubts Ibrahim's arrest was in connection to the Regeni case and his upcoming trip," a source at the Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms (ECRF), a Cairo-based NGO, told Reuters. ECRF lawyers are providing legal representation for the Regeni family in Egypt. Metwaly's son Abdelmoniem Metwaly said his father was now in a Cairo jail and that he was also charged with "conducting espionage on behalf of a foreign entity", something he said referred to the U.N. Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances which he was due to address in Geneva. There was no immediate comment from the U.N. body. Regeni's murder has strained ties between Italy and Egypt, traditional Mediterranean allies with strong economic ties. Security and intelligence sources said Regeni was arrested the day he vanished and taken into custody. Egyptian officials have denied any involvement in his death. Italy recalled its ambassador in April 2016 as it sought to obtain evidence from Egypt to solve the murder. Magistrates in Rome and Cairo have met half a dozen times over the past year but no one has been charged. A new Italian ambassador arrived in Cairo on Wednesday. Pier Antonio Panzeri, an Italian lawmaker who chairs the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Human Rights, said in a statement: "I am disturbed by alleged reports that lawyer Ibrahim Metwaly was arrested ... while he was about to fly to Geneva to address the U.N. Working Group." (Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein; Additional reporting by Haitham Ahmed; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) On Wednesday, the White House released a statement and photo from President Donald Trumps meeting with South Carolina Senator Tim Scott. The statement said the two spoke about improving race relations, among other important topics, but most people could only focus on one thing: Trumps navy blue suit jacket and black pants. WH releases photo of Trump meeting w/ Sen Tim Scott, saying in statement: "President Trump remains committed to positive race relations..." pic.twitter.com/lXpITsTmaV Jim Acosta (@Acosta) September 13, 2017 It drew quite the response from some people on the internet: ...is Trump wearing a navy jacket with black pants? https://t.co/t5C0XniOft Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) September 13, 2017 He found the one thing worse than his tie length, and he destroyed that, too. Brian Adam Jones (@brian_a_jones_) September 13, 2017 And Obama's tan suit was an outrage Thomas E. Riley (@thomaseriley) September 13, 2017 First of all, its important to keep in mind that there are far more important things to criticize the president for (such as his defense of white supremacists in Charlottesville, his travel ban to bar refugees from Muslim countries, his ban of new transgender service members, etc.). His choice of suits shouldnt be at the top of that list. Secondly, while most Twitter users are united in their disapproval of Trumps blue and black outfit, he isnt technically violating any White House style rules. And mixing blue and black isnt always a cringeworthy offense, according to some style experts. Story continues Dean Handspiker, vice president of design at Indochino, a mens suit company, agreed with Jones take. You absolutely can [combine navy and black], but the look has to be intentional and perfectly polished, he told HuffPost. For example, combining a slim black turtleneck with a great-fitting navy blazer and black pants is smart and sophisticated. But, if you havent considered the details and the fit and fabrics are out of style, then it will look like you got dressed in the dark. Lorenzo Liverani, a fashion influencer and traveler with 179,000 Instagram followers, echoed Handspikers take but was a bit more critical of Trumps particular look. Im a big fan of blue and black, but in this case the final result is horrible! the Your Mirror Style blogger said. Blue and black are perfect [together when you wear] a suit with blue velvet blazer and black pants. In this case his look is a color mistake (maybe that morning he was confused, wearing the pants of another suit). Celebs like Liv Tyler, Kate Hudson and Jessica Alba are among the many stars that dont mind breaking navy-and-black style rules every now and then. Perhaps Trump could take style cues from them: Liv Tyler mixing blue and black at the Dior Cruise Collection 2014 show on May 18, 2013 in Monaco. (Photo: Pascal Le Segretain via Getty Images) Kate Hudson wearing a navy top and leather skits at the "Late Show With David Letterman" on April 24, 2013 in New York City. (Photo: James Devaney via Getty Images) Jessica Alba mixing and matching at the Christian Dior show on Feb. 28, 2014 in Paris, France. (Photo: Rindoff Petroff/Dufour via Getty Images) Related... Sarah Palin Just Single-Handedly Ruined Off-The-Shoulder Tops For Half Of America Remember When All We Cared About Was President Obama's Tan Suit? Become A Member Of The Trump Family With These DIY Halloween Costumes Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. (Photo: Getty/Twitter) A writer for Lifehacker, a popular tech and lifestyle blog, has issued an apology after running a short article about chopsticks that stirred up some feelings within the Asian community. Claire Lower published the article for Skillet, a blog that operates under the Lifehacker umbrella, on Monday. Her piece, Chopsticks Are an Underrated Kitchen Tool, attempted to introduce chopsticks as a do-it-all utensil that is typically kept in a kitchen junk drawer. Ethnic groups across Asia have been using chopsticks for literally thousands of years, and, to this day, Asian communities living in Western countries, including the U.S., continue to use chopsticks for eating, cooking, cutting and picking up a variety of messy ingredients. So when a couple of prominent Asian social media influencers shared the article with their followers, people were both confused and annoyed. Edward Anderson, a researcher at the Centre of South Asian Studies in Cambridge, England, pointed out in a tweet that Lowes piece was Textbook Columbus Syndrome, a phrase used to describe when people of a dominant culture claim theyve discovered something that has already existed elsewhere. Who approved this article about "discovering" the utility of #chopsticks? LULLZZZZ cc @hooleil Jenny Yang (@jennyyangtv) September 12, 2017 I see the whites discovered chopsticks tonight. Quick, while they're in a listening mood, someone tell them about salt PK in BK (@NotLikeFreddy) September 12, 2017 It takes some kinda gall to pretend you discovered chopsticks, is all I'm saying PK in BK (@NotLikeFreddy) September 12, 2017 oh my god here we go again THIS JUST IN A WHITE PERSON DISCOVERED CHOPSTICKS https://t.co/GNgjlypmSg @clairelizzie @lifehacker Ryan Ko (@ryanko) September 12, 2017 i have literally been doing all that since i was a kid. also, i was mocked for eating cheetoes with chopsticks, but now it's a "life hack" Maria Ma (@guacamolebio) September 12, 2017 I guess asians are the ultimate hipsters Jasmine Pak (@JasminePak) September 13, 2017 Thanks, I needed that laugh. pic.twitter.com/RTbCfyRBLh Candice Dayoan (@candicecd) September 12, 2017 She's gonna lose it when she finds out about rice cookers. Christine Pasalo (@ChristinePasalo) September 12, 2017 A day after running the article, Lower owned up to her mistake and tweeted that she was embarrassed about how I framed this story. Story continues I promise Ill do better, and apologize for the Columbusing, she wrote. I know better and it wont happen again. I am very embarrassed about how I framed this story, have heard and appreciate the feedback, and regret any pain it has caused. Claire Lower (@clairelizzie) September 12, 2017 I promise I'll do better, and apologize for the Columbusing. I know better and it won't happen again. (3/3) Claire Lower (@clairelizzie) September 12, 2017 Skillet also updated the original story by adding an editorial note at the end that addressed the backlash. This story frames chopsticks as something thats not in everyday use in peoples kitchens, the note reads. Readers have pointed out that this framing depicts the experience of a huge swath of people as outside the norm, the note continues. We regret any pain this post has caused, and commit to do better in the future. Lowes quick response to her readers reaction was simple and sweet, and as comedian Jenny Yang put it, we hope its lesson learned! Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. WOOPS! @lifehacker posted an editorial update apologizing for this framing of #chopsticks as outside the norm. Hope it's lesson learned! pic.twitter.com/yd8O7460K4 Jenny Yang (@jennyyangtv) September 12, 2017 Also on HuffPost "Ramen Queen" T-Shirt Ramen Queen T-Shirt $25.00+, Etsy. Indian Spice Kit Indian Spice Kit $34.95, Etsy. Maki Pushpins Maki Tacks, Sushi Pushpins $8.95, High Fashion Home. "I'm A Wok Star" Cross-Stitch Pattern. I'm A Wok Star: Funny Cross-Stitch Pattern $3.00, Etsy. Dumpling Charm Silver Dumpling Charm $24.00+, Etsy. Light Saber Chopsticks Star Wars Light Up Chop Sabers Wok And Accessories Set Joyce Chen 10-Piece Wok Set $79.95, Crate & Barrel. Thai Food Pyramid Mug Thai Food Pyramid Mug $9.95, Cafe Press. Sake Set Polished Earthen Green Authentic Sake Set $34.25, Mrs. Lin's Kitchen. Pineapple Curry Tote Bag Pineapple Curry Tote Bag $16.20, Society6. Indian Foods Tea Towel Indian Foods Tea Towel $6.51, Etsy. "Keep Calm And Order Takeout" Art Keep Calm Takeout Art Print 8 x 10 $10.00, Etsy. Dumpling Recipe Book Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More $20.00, Amazon. Bao Art Baobasaur Print $15.30, Society6. Rhubarb Ginger Achaar Rhubarb Ginger Achaar $8.75, Brooklyn Delhi. Mochi Maker Tiger Corporation SMJ-A18U 10-Cup Rice Cake Mochi Maker $205.57, Amazon. Squirrel Rice Paddle Plastic Squirrel Shaped Non-Stick Rice Paddle $3.89, Amazon. Panda Rice Mold 4 in 1 Bento Accessories Baby Panda Mold $9.99, Amazon. Halo-Halo Art Halo Halo Kitchen Art $10.00+, Etsy. Stone Bibimbap Bowl Crazy Korean Cooking Korean Stone Bowl $38.00, Amazon. Salmon Sushi Earrings Salmon Sushi Earrings $15.00, Etsy. Buy it here. Sriracha Mug 20 Ounce Sriracha Mug $13.00, Sriracha2Go. "Pho Real" T-Shirt Pho Real Funny T-Shirt $14.95, Etsy. Chapati Board Vintage Handcarved Chapati Board $80.00, Etsy. Japanese Snack Gift Box Japanese Snack Gift Box $39.99, Cost Plus World Market. Kimchi Seasoning Blend Kimchi Seasoning Blend $6.50+, Etsy. "Take Out" Oven Mitt/Pot Holder/Kitchen Towels Set Chinese Take Out Kitchen Towel Oven Mitt Pot Holder Set $24.99, Amazon. Spam And Rice Art Filipino Breakfast - Spam and Rice - Food Art $24.99+, Etsy. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. From September 2 until yesterday, the Electoral Affairs Commission (CAEAL) received over 50 reports of election infractions, more than ten of which were forwarded to the Public Security Police Force (PSP). PSP reported to us that it has collected evidence regarding 14 of the cases, having prosecuted them, including the ones forwarded by us and the ones identified by the PSP itself, CAEAL president Tong Hio Fong told journalists yesterday on the sidelines of the commissions meeting. Following investigations, those found guilty of destroying candidates election publicity materials have been arrested. Most of the infractions consisted of candidates carrying out propaganda illegally: they either did not display their posters at permitted locations, or attach the publicity materials inside buildings but without the approval of the buildings owners committee, explained Tong. CAEAL has yet to receive reports of electoral bribery. PSP was recently notified of publicity materials posted inside a shop, in violation of election regulations. If the shop owners had agreed to put the posters inside their premises, it would have been OK. But the posters cannot be seen from the outside, said Tong. Lawmakers Song Pek Kei, Ella Lei and Pereira Coutinho, among others, have claimed to have been defamed during the campaign. If anyone disobeys the election regulations, we will handle it according to the law. We will even request the related department to issue the punishment, said Tong. As for the alleged defamation, he said, it cannot be solved by CAEAL simply putting out a few words saying whether the defamation exists or not. Any accusation, whether true or not, ought to be verified. Otherwise, we do not have the ability to judge whether the related statements are real or false. If the people involved think that they have been somehow insulted by these words, they should report it to the police. Tong noted that CAEAL received around ten reports of defamation. The commission informed the complainants to report the cases to the police. Individual cases are difficult to handle, said Tong, who explained that CAEAL can handle cases which obviously violate the regulations, or concern false accusations that candidates violated the election regulations. A candidate had previously applied to organize an assembly next to the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM). IACM rejected the application and the candidate appealed to the court. Regarding the courts ruling, Tong agreed with IACMs decision. We have reviewed the court ruling. Indeed, there are some flaws in IACMs refusal document where IACM did not explain the reasons for the refusal. The court ruling clearly states that one assembly should not affect other candidates in carrying out their election campaign. From the ruling, we know that the assembly locations cannot overlap [with] the locations which IACM gave CAEAL for it to distribute to different candidates, said Tong. September 15 is the last day on which election candidates are permitted to display publicity materials. All election-related campaigning material must be removed Tong Hio Fong said that election teams are required to remove before Saturday all campaigning material, including that posted online via the Internet. The instruction concerns material posted during the official campaign period running from September 2 to 15 by any election team member, including candidates and trustees of nomination committees. The rule does not apply to anyone else that might have posted election-related information online said the president of the commission. As Asia Pacific countries (APAC) rapidly become the fastest-growing ones in terms of global travel, regional travelers are becoming service providers most important target market. Speaking on the sidelines of The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Forum yesterday, Jackson Pek, vice president and general counsel of Amadeus, Asia Pacific, stressed that travelers from China are large contributors to this growth, although only 10 percent of Chinese nationals have passports. According to him, the APAC regions potential is incredible and makes APAC travelers the most important target market. If only 10 percent of Chinese nationals have passports and yet they are already the largest contingent, then at the end of the day, the potential is just huge, said Pek. A research paper presented by Pek, titled Journey of Me. Insights: What Asia Pacific Travelers Want, demonstrated that these travelers wish to feel safe and secure, happy and informed. Sixty-four percent of APAC travelers were open to sharing personal information with travel service providers for more relevant offers and personalized services. However, being able to address individual travelers and provide them with personalized services remains an industry-wide challenge given some tourists reluctance to provide their personal information. With developments in data science and artificial intelligence, service providers are likely to have accurate profiles of each traveler over time. Travelers may eventually be able to decide what personal data is used to create their profiles. But once that profile is made, then we can target offers across the spectrum, whether being airline or hotel or tour operator. They will know what this person wants and hope to delight them and exceed their expectations. That is the challenge and with technology, its getting closer, explained Pek. Data-based personalization is also vital in drawing millennial consumers to a destination, as well as the overall experience of a travelers stay in a region. The research shows that travelers are now more savvy and better-informed, thus making it more challenging for tourism operators to create elements of surprise. Meanwhile, growth in the middle-class population also remains a factor in the rise of APAC travelers, along with the availability of low-cost carriers. Both factors provide opportunities to people who have not travelled before. Although affluent tourists have changed the landscape of travel, low-cost carriers such as AirAsia now offer accommodation such as Tune Hotels, which targets travelers who cannot afford higher- end hotels in certain regions. With the regions steady growth in tourists, Pek commended Macau for its infrastructure, particularly in Cotai, where travelers can walk through several integrated resorts within the same building. Theres always a sense of wonder when you come to Macau because everything is sort of larger than life here, Pek said. The expert also noticed that there have been significant changes in how the region welcomes travelers, including text messages to tourists promoting offers from different gaming operators an effective strategy, in his opinion. [Macau] is sort of a Vegas of Asia but I guess it goes beyond that because the culture here is something and people are very warm, and you can trust that maybe with Vegas, which is a little bit more transactional, Pek concluded. The government pledged to devote its fullest efforts to cooperation with experts gathered by the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office of the State Council and the National Commission for Disaster Reduction, regarding the improvement of the response measures for any public emergencies. The Chief Executive, Chui Sai On, made the remarks yesterday during a meeting at the government headquarters with a team of 22 experts coordinated by the above mentioned entities. Fire outbreak burns motorbikes A fire from a motorbike broke out at R. Tres do Bairro Va Ta early yesterday morning, spreading to three nearby motorbikes and burning them. Two cars in the vicinity suffered partial damage and the door of a nearby shop was also burned. The Fire Services Bureau inspected the scene and consider the fires cause to be suspicious. Five residents near the fire escaped to a nearby balcony with no injuries. The case has been forwarded to the Judiciary Police for further investigation. Macau robot design lab launched The Macau Design Center and the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) have launched a robot industry designing lab. The center will be located in the Macau Design Center and receive technological support from a telecommunications technology company. Both this company and the Macau Design Center will teach courses on robot design and production for talented professionals in the field to upgrade their skills. A researcher from MUST recently also designed and produced a robot inspired by an earlier visual concept from the Macau Design Center. Real Estate day to be held annually The Federal General Commercial Association of Macau Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) has proposed the establishment of a Real Estate Day to review the development of Macaus real estate industry in the second half of every year. According to the association, 70 percent of the 220,000 Macau residents who are currently employed have bought properties. These residents are mainly middle-class, including SME employees and civil servants. The Real Estate Day will be jointly organized by other associations, including the Macau Real Estate Association. Tigerair announces more flights Budget carrier Tigerair will operate more flights between Taiwan and other regions, according to a report by Real Daily. From December 16, there will be two flights daily between Kaohsiung and Macau. There is currently only one flight connecting the two cities. Flights between Taoyuan and Busan operate on Monday, Thursday and Sunday. Starting from December 16, the flights will be available on Wednesday and Saturday as well. Daily flights between Taoyuan and Fukuoka will start on October 29. On Sunday afternoon, a man driving a black Chevrolet Silverado adorned with American flags and a Confederate flag sticker shifted his truck into reverse and drove toward a crowd of anti-fascists who were protesting a right-wing rally in downtown Vancouver, Washington. It was almost exactly one month after a man drove his car into a crowd of anti-racist protesters at a white supremacy rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and killed 32-year-old Heather Heyer. Some of the people present felt they had just witnessed an attempted copycat attack. He tried to run people over, said David Mason, 34, an anti-fascist who watched the events unfold. Car-ramming and subsequently claiming self-defense has become a tactic encouraged by white nationalists, Mason noted. One reporter present at the incident wrote that the echoes of Charlottesville are hard to miss. But the driver of the truck, 31-year-old Billy Wilson, insists he wasnt looking for trouble. Wilson lives in Portland, Oregon, where he works at an auto salvage shop. On Sunday, he drove to downtown Vancouver, about 10 miles away, to attend what he says he believed was an American flag rally to collect donations for victims of fires that had ravaged the area. So far, Vancouver police have sided with Wilson. Police briefly detained him, but contrary to some reports, he was not actually arrested on Sunday. Kim Kapp, a Vancouver police spokeswoman, declined to name Wilson, but confirmed that police released the driver of the truck after questioning him and concluding there was no cause for arrest. The only arrests made at the Vancouver rally on Sunday were of two counterprotesters accused of reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Its disturbing that the cops seem very heavily focused on arresting people who are protesting white nationalism and white supremacy, even as Wilson and members of the Proud Boys a right-wing nationalistic fraternity left without punishment, Mason said. Story continues Police are still reviewing video footage from the rally and could make more arrests in the future, Kapp said. But the incident on Sunday and the early, false reports that Wilson was arrested show the potential for chaos in clashes between protesters and counterprotesters, and how hard it can be, later, to determine what actually happened. According to Wilson, he never even made it to the rally, which was organized by Patriot Prayer, a right-wing nationalist group that holds rallies across the Pacific Northwest. The groups leader, Joey Gibson, has said neo-Nazis are not welcome at his events, but his rallies often attract white nationalist supporters and anti-fascist counterprotesters. Days before the rally, Gibson urged his supporters on Facebook to bring donations for fire victims, reminded people of their right to carry a gun and warned that they would face anti-fascists. Wilson claims anti-fascists started throwing rocks and water bottles at his truck as soon as he arrived, and that he put his truck in reverse in a frantic attempt to escape. But Mason disputes that account, claiming that Wilson parked his truck in the parking lot and chatted with people nearby for about 20 minutes before leaving the lot and driving his truck backward towards counterprotesters. A local reporter from Willamette Week described Wilson driving slowly down a street with counterprotesters on either side of the road. As he drove by, anti-fascists filled the street behind him and threw rocks and water bottles at his truck. Suddenly, Wilson shifted into reverse and drove quickly backward, toward the protesters, for about one block. People jumped out of the way. Wilson then drove off, but soon re-emerged near the counterprotesters, where police blocked off his truck, handcuffed him and detained him nearby. I was definitely scared for my safety. I did not expect this at all, Wilson said of the anti-fascists who threw objects at his car. I was all discombobulated. Mason says Wilsons account doesnt make sense. If he feared for his life... he could have more easily gotten clear from the crowd by moving forward, Mason said. Instead he squealed his tires and tried to back into a bunch of people. Based on video footage, there appeared to be no reason for Wilson to reverse quickly toward counterprotesters several of whom had to jump out of his way if his intention was to escape anti-fascists. Freelance journalist Mike Bivins, who showed up to the rally just before Wilson drove his car in reverse, said it was hard to determine Wilsons motives, but it was definitely a dangerous situation. Whoa, dangerous stuff. People throwing stuff at this truck pic.twitter.com/9PJvK31euB Mike Bivins (@itsmikebivins) September 10, 2017 When Wilson got home Sunday evening, he climbed atop his truck, held up an American flag and appeared to brag about evading punishment. No jail for this proud USA patriot! he said in a video filmed by his wife and posted to his Facebook. Wilson says he posted the video after seeing people on Facebook accuse him of being a Nazi and claim that he was in jail. My adrenaline was high... It made me angry because its not the truth, he said. He took the video down, but a Facebook account called The Fascist Watch posted a copy again Sunday night. It now has more than 5,000 views. Anti-fascists have shared Wilsons contact information online, along with information about his employer and photos of his house and wife. He and his wife shut down their Facebook pages and turned off their phones after being inundated with harassment and death threats, he says. The auto salvage shop where Wilson works has been hit with one-star reviews on Yelp as punishment for not firing him. Garry Gossett, the manager of the auto salvage shop, says he doesnt believe the allegations against Wilson, but chose to suspend him indefinitely on Wednesday after three people showed up at the shop threatening to stage a protest. An online petition calling for Wilson to be charged with attempted vehicular homicide has more than 2,300 signatures. Wilson insists he isnt a white supremacist, and says he has never heard of Patriot Prayer or any of the other far-right groups whose members appeared at the rally. To him, the Confederate flag represents pride in his familys Southern ancestry, he said. Wilson himself was born in Vancouver, Washington. Gossett says Wilson, who starting working at the auto salvage shop 11 years ago, is being portrayed unfairly but he admits that appearances are working against his employee. In addition to the Confederate flag sticker on his car, Wilson has a tattoo of the Stars and Bars on his right bicep. The tattoo was originally a Chevrolet logo, Gossett said, but at some point Wilson added the Confederate symbol. I havent had the chance to sit down and ask Billy what that symbolizes for him, Gossett said. Wilson says he plans to take the Confederate flag sticker off his car. I love the flag to death, but its not worth it. It just sends a lot of mixed signals, Wilson said. I know what it means to me. I dont need to show it off. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. A Missouri man angered his neighbors by posting a Slaves 4 Sale sign right above his Confederate flag. Richard Geisenheyners rationale for the racist sign next to the racist flag is a little bizarre: He wanted to show that hes no racist. Geisenheyner regularly flies a Confederate flag in front of his home in Liberty, Missouri. As a result, many people have assumed that he is a white supremacist and that makes him angry. If people actually believe that a Confederate flag stands for slavery, well, I might as well be just as stupid as they are, he told Kansas City TV station WDAF. Geisenheyner, who reportedly has biracial grandchildren, insists that he flies the Confederate flag to make a political statement that has nothing to do with supporting slavery at all. It is for people that are tired of the government telling them what to do and what to think, he said. That is what a Southern rebel is. This was the recent display at Richard Geisenheyner's house. (Photo: WDAF TV) Not surprisingly, Geisenheyners neighbors dont agree with the hanging of the sign or the reasoning behind it. Steve Plowman told the Kansas City Star that he was appalled by his neighbors message. I think its wrong, very wrong, Plowman said. I think somebody needs to have a serious talk with him. Other neighbors told WDAF that the flag and the Slaves 4 Sale sign were offensive reminders of the pre-civil rights era. I remember the signs on the wall that says White only. I am that old, one neighbor who asked not to be identified told the station. I remember the signs on the wall that says Negroes only entrance here. An unidentified woman who also lives near Geisenheyner thought he should be more empathetic toward others. I havent called you a racist so you have got to think about the other people in the community, she said. Geisenheyner thought he might as well be "just as stupid" as the people he disagrees with. (Photo: WDAF TV) Luckily, for every person like Geisenheyner who tries to argue that Confederate flags and monuments are simply historical artifacts or symbols of anti-government protest, there is someone like New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. Story continues Back in May, Landrieu shredded the Civil War was about states rights, not slavery argument with a powerful speech. These statues are not just stone and metal, Landrieu told a crowd at New Orleans Gallier Hall. They are not just innocent remembrances of a benign history. These monuments purposefully celebrate a fictional, sanitized Confederacy, ignoring the death, ignoring the enslavement and the terror that it actually stood for. On Tuesday, Geisenheyner took down the Slaves 4 Sale sign, telling WDAF that his point had been made. His neighbors likely hope he finds a different way to express himself in the future. Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. Militia groups, KKK members, the Sons of Confederate Veterans and other far-right groups gathered at the Civil War battlefield in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on July 1, 2017, and spoke out against the removal of Confederate monuments across the U.S. Billy Snuffer (right), the Imperial Wizard for the Rebel Brigade of the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, stands on the Gettysburg battlefield with another Klan member. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. People are upset about the head wraps worn at the Marc Jacobs Spring 2018 show. (Photo: Getty Images) Hands down, Marc Jacobs has one of the most anticipated shows during New York Fashion Week. One would think its because of all the elaborate designs that parade across his runway, season after season. But in recent years, all eyes have been on the hair and for mostly controversial reasons. Interestingly enough, for his Spring 2018 show, there wasnt any hair shown at all and it still has people speculating. On Wednesday, models for Jacobss fashion show included Kendall Jenner, Winnie Harlow, and the Hadid sisters. Each model wore a stylish head wrap by British milliner Stephen Jones, who has made dramatic toppers for Moschino and Dior. Lead hairstylist Guido Palau shared with a group of beauty editors backstage before the show that he had a goal to simply get rid of the hair. Rewinding back roughly a year ago, hair was a prominent addition to the looks of the Spring 2017 show, where the designer was called out for putting multicolored faux dreadlocks on white women. Yahoo Beauty learned from Palau that Jacobss muse was Lana Wachowski, the transgender director behind films such as The Matrix, who appeared in the designers Fall 2016 ad campaign. Many people, specifically women of color, believed the runway hairstyle was a clear form of cultural appropriation. For Jacobss most controversial runway hairstyle yet, models of all ethnicities wore multicolored faux dreadlocks. (Photo: AP Images) The designer attempted to rebound for his Fall 2017 show with a diverse cast of models showing off individuality and wearing head-to-toe looks inspired by New York City street culture and 90s hip-hop. Palau, referring to the models, explained, She owns that look because thats who she is. The girl with curls thats her look. She has no hair, but got major attitude with the lipstick, which you love about her. But all together, youve got one cool gang of people. For this show, models sported everything from large bucket hats to animal-print accessories, and to say the least, people were under the impression that Jacobs may have learned his lesson. Marc Jacobs models wore natural hair textures and sported oversized beanies and newsboy caps. (Photo: AP Images) Now, with everyone ready to see what the hair would look like at Marc Jacobs this season, we all got a surprise. Palau didnt have any tips to give, as there wasnt an official hairstyle, but regarding the scarves used, he said: I think its street and couture kind of themed. I think it gives you instant style, and its a completely finished look. He went on to share, I cant really say where his [Marc Jacobs] real inspiration came from for this character, but it does feel a little couture-y. The shapes are very sporty. So, its a great clash of style. He also wrapped each models hair underneath, using Redken Hardwear Gel, hairspray, and water, depending on the texture attempting to get it to lie as flat as possible. Story continues #MJSS18 A post shared by Marc Jacobs (@marcjacobs) on Sep 13, 2017 at 5:01pm PDT Palau said that he was inspired by fashion icons Pat Cleveland and Grace Jones, who were often photographed wearing extravagant headdresses. While these legendary women of color were noted as being muses for the look, lots of people still werent all that into it. Grace Jones wears an orange headdress while performing in London in 2013. (Photo: Getty) One Twitter user wrote, Why is literally every editor @ the @marcjacobs show celebrating the genius of no music instead of questioning the cultural appropriation?? Another individual shared similar sentiments, noting, marc jacobs doesnt give af anymore, the cultural appropriation is so blatant. marc jacobs doesnt give af anymore, the cultural appropriation is so blatant. https://t.co/bnYS3YFFVC (@retinoids_) September 14, 2017 Oh check it Marc Jacobs with the cultural appropriation again. When will this guy learn Rachel Wong (@rachelwong206) September 14, 2017 Marc Jacobs and Pepsi Jenner cannot seem to wrap their heads around cultural appropriation #NYFW pic.twitter.com/8tpfNYeIHw Maya Fleming (@mayanfleming) September 14, 2017 You think Marc Jacobs would've checked himself before putting all his models in turbans after last years' cultural appropriation at #NYFW. Etak Onamas (@kittykateface) September 14, 2017 Why is literally every editor @ the @marcjacobs show celebrating the genius of no music instead of questioning the cultural appropriation?? Gabriella Bower (@gabriellabower) September 14, 2017 Currently looking at Marc Jacobs collection, it was basically these looks on white women.Smh #NYFW #MarcJacobs pic.twitter.com/j4cNS9X9CJ Somebody who tweets. (@LaDiva1245) September 14, 2017 If you are wondering why people feel so strongly about the the decision for Marc Jacobs models to wear head wraps this season, a HuffPost article breaks down the sensitive ties that the head wrap has to American slavery: Historically in the U.S., head wraps were imposed on black women as a badge of enslavement by white masters. In this way, the head covering was used to distinguish between black people without power from those who held it. The article also goes on to explain the head wraps deep-rooted connection back to South Africa, where women have been known to wear doeks (printed or solid-color head wraps) as an outward sign that they are engaged, married, or bereaved. What are your thoughts on this seasons look at Marc Jacobs? Did Marc miss the mark (again)? Sound off in the comments section below. Read more at Yahoo Style + Beauty: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty. Several tourists on the island of Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, alleged that they were left stranded, before Hurricane Jose, when a rescue ferry evacuating guests of the Marriott hotel on the island turned away non-guests. An angry tourist, Naomi Michial Ayala, took to Facebook to say that Marriott Hotels refused to let more than 30 people onto the boat that was leaving the island to go to San Juan, Puerto Rico, even though the boat had open seats and the boat had said yes to taking non-guests. Ayala also posted a video of the ferry docked near the hotel with the pier lights turned off and said: It was Marriotts decisionMarriott did not let us on this boat to get to San Juan to get on flights back home. Instead, we have to ride out Hurricane Jose on St. Thomas when we just went through Hurricane Irma a couple of days ago. We do not have food or water or places to go. We are stranded here. According to FOX19, Ohioan Staci Terry, her husband and six others had contacted the Coast Guard in Puerto Rico. Terry said a lieutenant told her a boat would be coming to the Marriott near the hotel they were staying in. "[The lieutenant] told us it was kind of a first-come first-serve. Never mentioned that it was for Marriott guests only," Terry said. She added: "Once we got to the docks and learned that it was for, Marriott guests only, they told us that we could get in a different line and wait so we got the impression that we would, if there was room, they would let us on. Another tourist, Cody Howard shared the same experience on Facebook and said: Marriott has just left us and 35 people on the dock in St.Thomas, they had 200 seats still on board but since we didn't have a Marriott reservation, we weren't allowed on the boat . Both Howard and Ayala in their posts alleged that the when the people in-charge on the boat had called the CEO of Marriott, the reply was that he did not want to take the liability. Story continues Ayala eventually found safe passage on a private evacuation boat to Puerto Rico, reported the Mirror. In a statement to FOX19, Marriott said the team on-the-ground did not have the authorization to board additional passengers. "On Friday, Marriott was able to secure a ferry to transport about 600 of our guests from St. Thomas to Puerto Rico. These were guests who had to stay behind after the airport closed in advance of Hurricane Irma. The ferry departed St. Thomas Friday, September 8, with the Marriott guests on board. There were a number of additional people gathered at the dock who were not our guests who also expressed a desire to leave St. Thomas. We very much wanted to assist these other travelers to Puerto Rico, however, the Marriott team on-the-ground was told they had no authorization to board additional passengers. With Hurricane Jose on a path to St. Thomas, the ferry had a tight window to pick up passengers and safely depart. As a company, Marriott places a priority on the safety and security of our guests, but we also have a long tradition of looking out for the greater community. In this case, we werent able to help and as grateful as we are that we were able to transport our guests, we are saddened that we were not able to do the same for more people. We continue to work with local authorities in St. Thomas to help support the relief efforts there." Marriott Hotel did not respond to International Business Times' request for a direct comment on the incident at the time of publishing this article. Related Articles Police in Maryland say the boyfriend of a missing high school teacher has been charged with her murder, after the 31-year-olds body was discovered in a shallow grave Wednesday. The Washington Post reports that Laura Wallen, who had taught social studies in a Howard County high school since 2014, was first reported missing Sept. 4. She was four months pregnant. According to the Post, police found Wallens unoccupied car on Sept. 7, parked minutes away from her workplace. Police now say that Wallen may have been killed on Sept. 3. Police believed the suspect Tyler Tessier, Wallers boyfriend, was the father of her unborn child, though her sister had reportedly received texts messages from her phone on Sept. 4 suggesting that the baby was not his. Police determined that the messages were likely sent by Tessier from Wallers phone. Tessier appeared at a press conference with Wallens family on Monday, pleading for for her safe return. Laura, if youre listening, it doesnt matter whats happened, he reportedly said. It doesnt matter what type of trouble. Theres nothing we cant fix together. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Sept. 12. (Photo: Joshua Roberts/Reuters) WASHINGTON Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday warned against unfounded criticism aimed at Myanmar leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi for not doing enough to halt systematic violence targeting her countrys Rohinyga Muslim minority. McConnell also said he had discussed the escalating crisis with Suu Kyi in a telephone call on Wednesday. Publicly condemning Aung San Suu Kyi the best hope for democratic reform in Burma is not constructive, McConnell, arguably Congresss leading voice on Myanmar, said in a speech on the Senate floor. Burmas path to representative government is not certain, and it is not over, and attacking the single political leader who has worked to further democracy within Burma is likely to hinder that objective in the long run, the senator said. Related slideshow: Rohingya flee to Bangladesh after Myanmar attacks >>> Suu Kyi, long her countrys top advocate for democracy and human rights, has drawn fire for not speaking out forcefully during the unfolding crisis, which has seen some 400,000 Rohingya feel their homes and race into neighboring Bangladesh. The long-simmering humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, also known as Burma, escalated sharply with a military crackdown on Aug. 25 in the northern Rakhine State in response to attacks by Rohingya militants. Right now, the most important thing is for the violence in Rakhine State to stop and to try to ensure the rapid flow of humanitarian aid through both Burma and Bangladesh to the affected areas to help the Rohingya refugees and internally displaced persons, McConnell said. Recently arrived Rohingya refugees wait to receive aid donations in Bangladesh. (Photo: Allison Joyce/Getty Images) McConnell underlined that Suu Kyi, Myanmars first civilian leader after a half-century of military rule, has no control over the armed forces. Unfounded criticism of Suu Kyi exaggerates her ability to command the military which the Burmese Constitution does not actually allow her to do and the political evolution of representative government is not over, the Kentucky senator said. She must and is working to promote peace and reconciliation within her national context, but Burmas path to a more democratic government is not yet complete, and will not miraculously occur overnight. Story continues During their telephone call, Suu Kyi agreed with the need for immediate and improved access of humanitarian assistance to the region, particularly by the International Red Cross, and she conveyed that she is working toward that end, McConnell said. She reiterated her view of the universality of human dignity and of the pressing need to pursue peace and reconciliation among the communities in Rakhine State. Suu Kyis spokesman has said she will skip the annual U.N. General Assembly. The gathering, held in New York City next week, is expected to address the crisis. Instead, she will make a speech on peace and reconciliation in Myanmar, Agence France-Presse reported. McConnell cautiously supported outreach to Myanmar under President Barack Obama, who eased economic sanctions on that country despite its regular repression of the Rohingya. Read more from Yahoo News: Michael Flynn Michael Flynn Jr., the son of former national security adviser Michael Flynn, is now a subject in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into whether President Donald Trump's campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 election, NBC News reported Wednesday. The focus on Flynn Jr. has to do in part with work he did for Flynn Intel Group, the lobbying firm he and his father founded after Flynn retired from the military, according to NBC News. The group has come under increased scrutiny for its ties to Turkey's increasingly authoritarian president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, through one of its clients, Kamil Ekim Alptekin. Flynn was paid $530,000 as part of his firm's work for Alptekin, which included efforts to discredit exiled Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen, who currently resides in Pennsylvania. Erdogan has blamed Gulen for mounting last summer's failed coup against him and for fomenting dissent within Turkey. Flynn is under a separate FBI investigation for failing to register as a foreign lobbyist when he provided his services to the Turkish government. Flynn Jr. appears to have been closely associated with his father's work. In addition to co-founding and working for Flynn Intel Group, he joined Flynn during a trip to Moscow in December 2015, NBC News reported, during which Flynn was paid $34,000 to deliver a speech at an event celebrating the state-sponsored news agency RT. A former business associate of Michael Flynn's told NBC News that Flynn Jr. had a prominent role in Flynn Intel Group's day-to-day operations and served as his father's chief of staff. The fact that Flynn Jr. was described as a "subject" of Mueller's investigation indicates that his actions likely lie within the scope of the inquiry, wrote former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti. "As a practical matter, what that means is that Mueller is looking at Flynn's son and he may have some criminal liability," Mariotti wrote. Story continues However, it could also be that Mueller's focus on Flynn Jr. is an attempt to coerce his father's cooperation in the investigation, legal experts have said. This possibility may be especially significant given that Flynn declined a new request on Tuesday to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Jens David Ohlin, a criminal law expert and vice dean at Cornell Law School, said that while it's difficult to evaluate "the factual or legal strength" of a possible case against Flynn Jr., it's clear that Mueller "is following a classic prosecutorial strategy: start along the perimeter and work your way to the center." "The weakest link is usually the furthest away from the center of gravity," Ohlin added. Mueller has already employed tactics to compel the cooperation of other key figures in the controversy. Last month, it was reported that he had teamed up with New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman as part of his investigation into the business dealings of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who is also a subject of the Russia probe. Mueller's investigation is focusing on federal crimes, which Trump could exercise his pardon power over. He has no executive authority over state crimes, however, and sources told Politico last month that Mueller working with Schneiderman to probe Manafort's business dealings was part of an effort to coax him to cooperate with investigators. Mueller has also recruited Andrew Weissman, a prosecutor who's particularly skilled at compelling witnesses to "flip" in criminal investigations. Mariotti noted that it was "more likely" that Mueller was zeroing in on Flynn Jr. to prompt his father's cooperation, which is known as "vicarious cooperation." "The idea is that Flynn would cooperate and his son" would benefit, possibly from immunity or a reduced prison sentence, Mariotti said. Flynn was ousted as national security adviser in February, when it emerged that he had misled Vice President Mike Pence about contacts he'd had with Sergey Kislyak, Russia's former ambassador to the US, during the transition period. Flynn ultimately resigned after The Washington Post reported on his conversation with Kislyak. NOW WATCH: How Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson could make a real run as president according to someone who's known him since 1999 More From Business Insider The White House reorganized its communications shop Tuesday, making longtime Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks the permanent communications director, bringing in Bush White House veteran Mercedes Schlapp to run strategic communications, and promoting a pair of longtime aides to fill other vacancies. The new structure gives the White House communications team a historic concentration of women in senior roles, with Press Secretary Sarah Sanders already at the podium. The tide is turning for Silicon Valley in Washington and across the country, as the wonder of invention yields to new concerns over privacy, economic displacement, and inequality. The White House has refugee admissions in the crosshairs, as it weighs limiting entrants to the lowest levels in a generation. And Trumps voter commission head relies on bogus information. Here are your must reads: Must Reads Theres Blood In The Water In Silicon Valley The bad new politics of big tech [BuzzFeed] Teflon Don Confounds Democrats Democrats have attacked the president every which way, but polling and focus groups show none of its working [Politico] White House Weighs Lowering Refugee Quota to Below 50,000 Lowest in a generation [New York Times] Trump Ambassador Qualifications: Wrote a Cookbook, Sang in a Church Choir What they told Congress [Yahoo] Trumps Push for Tax Cuts Is Coming Up Against a Familiar Challenge: Divided GOP Factionalized party still has no plan [Washington Post] Sound Off The President was 100 percent right in firing James Comey. He knew at the time that it could be bad for him politically but he also knew and felt he had an obligation to do what was right, and do what was right for the American people and certainly the men and women at the FBI. I think there is no secret Comey, by his own self-admission, leaked privileged government information. Weeks before President Trump fired him, Comey testified that an FBI agent engaged in the same practice; they face serious repercussions. I think he set his own stage for himself on that front. His actions were improper and likely could have been illegal. Comey leaked memos to the New York Times, your own outlet. He politicized an investigation by signaling he would exonerate Hillary Clinton before he ever interviewed her or other key witnesses. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, who came prepared Tuesday to attack the former FBI director Story continues Bits and Bites House leaders to meet on future of Dreamers [Politico] Top White House Official to Discuss Climate Change at U.N. [New York Times] Top Dems say Flynn left Mideast trip off security clearance [Associated Press] From Trump hotel lobby to White House, Malaysian prime minister gets VIP treatment [Washington Post] Senate Intel slips sentence into bill that could lead to spying on US citizens [McClatchy] Fact check: Kris Kobachs bogus proof of voter fraud [USA Today] Hillarys best Bernie bashing [Axios] WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday he had spoken with Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi and that she said she was working to get aid to the Rohingya Muslim areas in the Southeast Asian nation that were affected by violence. Suu Kyi "agreed with the need for immediate and improved access of humanitarian assistance to the region, particularly by the International Red Cross, and she conveyed that she is working toward that end," McConnell said on the Senate floor. McConnell, whose Republicans control majorities in both houses of Congress, repeated earlier criticism of a resolution introduced in the U.S. Senate urging Suu Kyi to do more for Myanmar's ethnic minority Rohingya population, and lessening the chance that any such measure could pass. McConnell has had close ties to Suu Kyi for years. He said Suu Kyi, a Nobel prize laureate and de facto head of the government in Myanmar, also known as Burma, told him when they spoke on Wednesday that violations of human rights would need to be addressed. Attacks by Rohingya militants on security posts last month triggered an army operation that has killed more than 400 people, destroyed over 6,800 houses and sent nearly 400,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh. Suu Kyi has been a target of criticism from fellow Nobel laureates and religious leaders across the world for failing to condemn human rights abuses against the Rohingya during the military's fierce response to Rohingya militant attacks. The United Nations appealed Thursday for massive help for the nearly 400,000 who fled to Bangladesh, amid concern the number could keep rising unless Myanmar ends what critics denounce as ethnic cleansing. McConnell said Suu Kyi's position in the government was "exceedingly difficult" and that as a civilian, she had virtually no authority over the military. He warned that weakening her could interfere with the country's transition from decades of military rule. McConnell said he expected a briefing soon from Suu Kyi's office and that she was "trying very hard to improve conditions" for the Rohingya. "Burma's path to representative government is not at all certain and is certainly not over. And attacking the single political leader who has worked to further democracy within Burma is likely to hinder the objective over the long run," McConnell concluded. (Reporting by Susan Cornwell and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Bernadette Baum) A New Zealand lawmaker who was born in China said yesterday he taught Chinese spies while working at that nations elite military colleges but had never engaged in any intelligence activities himself and was loyal to his new nation. Jian Yang told reporters hed never tried to hide his background but hadnt always highlighted it either because New Zealanders might feel sensitive about his ties to the Chinese military. Once you understand the system and the universities, then Im not a spy, just a teacher, he said. Yang said hed taught university students English language and American studies. He said some of his students were trained to collect, monitor and interpret information. If you define those cadets, or students, as spies, yes, then I was teaching spies, he said. Yang also said he was a member of the Communist Party while living in China but was no longer a member. Yang was responding to a report in the Financial Times newspaper that hed spent a decade training and teaching at elite Chinese military colleges and had been investigated by New Zealands Security Intelligence Service. The intelligence agency said it doesnt comment on specific cases or individuals and Yang said he was not aware of any investigation of him. In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang poured scorn on the FT article but said China wouldnt comment on other countries domestic matters. We firmly oppose the false reports issued by certain media that make up stories on hearsay evidence or out of thin air, Geng said. He said questions about Yang should be addressed to the New Zealand authorities and that China upholds the principle of not interfering in others internal affairs. Yang said he was proud to call himself a New Zealander and contribute to his new country. He said hed been upfront and transparent about his education and employment and was the victim of a smear campaign 10 days before a general election. Yang has been a lawmaker with New Zealands ruling National Party since 2011. His current portfolio covers ethnic communities, and he previously sat on the select committee for foreign affairs, defense and trade. Yang said he had been a student and teacher at the Air Force Engineering College and at the Luoyang Foreign Languages Institute. The Financial Times said the latter institution specializes in training military intelligence officers and deep cover agents. I can understand that people can be concerned because they do not understand the Chinese system, Yang said. But once they understand the system, they should be assured that this is nothing, really, you should be concerned about. China is one of New Zealands top trading partners. It has become a key export market for New Zealands milk and agricultural products and also contributes to New Zealands growing tourism industry. Nick Perry, Wellington, AP By Boureima Balima NIAMEY (Reuters) - Mali and Niger, two of the West African nations worst affected by jihadist violence, appealed on Wednesday for international funding for a regional force they have set up to counter Islamist insurgencies. Mali's President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and Niger's Mahamadou Issoufou said the force assembled by the G5 Sahel bloc -- Mali, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad -- was crucial to fighting a threat that went well beyong their borders. "We bring this combat against terrorism not only to protect our own people and countries but for the whole world," Issoufou told a news conference in Niger's capital Niamey. "For terrorism knows no border. It will go to Europe, it will go to the United States," he said. "The world has to be mobilised." The idea of the G5 force was first dreamed up in 2015, but only in July last year did the countries set it up. It is expected to comprise around 5,000 troops. French President Emmanuel Macron has said he expects it to be operational by the autumn. Islamist groups, some with links to al Qaeda, seized Mali's desert north in 2012. French-led forces scattered them the following year but they still attack peacekeepers, soldiers and civilian targets in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast. Issoufou said a multinational force in the Lake Chad region, including soldiers from Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon, had had some success against Islamist Boko Haram militants, but that this was financed by Africa's biggest economy, Nigeria, whereas no country in the G5 had sufficient resources. "It is important that the international community takes note of this and gets together to give us resources to ensure our mission can be accomplished," he said. Analysts see the G5 force as the basis of an eventual exit strategy for around 4,000 French troops deployed to the region on counter-insurgency missions, mostly in Mali. "We have only limited means, but if we mutualise our power, our sovereign elements will have more force, more vitality than we imagine," Malian President Keita said. Issoufou said the force would be divided into three deployments across the Sahel region: an eastern one consisting of Chadian and Nigerien forces, a central one with forces from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, and a Western one with troops from Mali and Mauritania. (Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) North Korea launched an intermediate range missile from Pyongyang over Japan on Thursday, South Koreas Yonhap News agency reported, the latest in a series of recent provocative actions by the country that also included an underground detonation of a nuclear device. The missile reportedly reached an altitude of about 770 km (480 miles) and flew over a distance of about 3,700 km (2,300 miles), the South Korean military said, according to Reuters. The U.S. military announced that it had detected an intermediate range ballistic missile and said the projectile did not pose a threat to North America. Japans chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, swiftly condemned the launch. These repeated provocations on the part of North Korea are unpermissible and we protest in the strongest words, he said. North Koreas latest action is likely to further escalate tensions with the international community, which has increasingly tried to rein in Kim Jong Uns regime as it advances its nuclear and missile programs. The United Nations Security Council announced it would convene an emergency meeting on Friday in response to Thursdays missile launch. It is the second time in a month that North Korea has launched a missile over Japan, the last instance coming in late August. Pyongyang also conducted its most powerful nuclear detonation to date on Sept. 3, which the regime claimed was a hydrogen bomb. The Security Council passed new sanctions against the isolated kingdom on Monday, but so far attempts to pressure Pyongyang to halt its weapons tests have failed. North Korea responded to the vicious sanctions by vowing to inflict the greatest pain the U.S. has ever suffered. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson condemned the launch in a statement released Thursday evening. These continued provocations only deepen North Koreas diplomatic and economic isolation, he warned, adding that the recent U.N. sanctions represent the floor, not the ceiling, of the action we should take. Story continues Tillerson also called directly on China and Russia to indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also urged the international community to come together and send a clear message to North Korea that it is threatening world peace with its actions. Despite years of international pressure, North Korea has made rapid technological advancements in its nuclear and missile capabilities, particularly this year. President Donald Trump has responded to past North Korea nuclear and missile tests with a series of threats against Pyongyang, including a vow to meet its aggression with fire and fury. He has also said he was considering cutting off trade with any country that does business with North Korea. White House officials have often tried to walk back Trumps more volatile statements. The U.S. has been testing missile defense systems throughout the year and, as part of such efforts, in late August shot down an intermediate range ballistic missile near Hawaii. On Sept. 7, the U.S. deployed more missile defense launchers for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, or THAAD, to South Korea amid objections from China. This is a developing story. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. For their Spring 2018 collection, BCBGMAXAZRIA takes us to the "City of Angels." It was the first for the brand's new creative director, Bernd Kroeber, who currently oversees BCBGMAXAZRIA, Herve Leger and BCBGeneration. For Kroeber, the flirty and lively line serves as homage to the beauty and glitz of Southern California, with Los Angeles inspiring the collection. The collection, separated in three parts, is emblematic of varying Los Angeles landscape. While the "City of Angels" merely refers to the duality of the city, both its urban and seaside characteristics, "Victoria Canyon" is indicative of Los Angeles' incredible nature. Lastly, titled "Nostalgia Beach," the third delivery refers to the imagery and nature of Malibu. "My vision for this collection was the beauty of Los Angeles -- a tribute to our hometown. We are tapping back into our contemporary roots and our mission to make women always feel beautiful and effortless," Kroeber explained. For the ready-to-wear collection, Kroeber stays true to these three different themes, playing on different color palates, textures and materials. For the first, he employed nautical blues and sunrise shades of pink, a chromatic decision we loved in particular. Playing off of these bohemian styles, the whole presentation evoked a sense of liberation for the audience, who at their leisure, were able to examine the designs more closely. Kroeber's revitalization of the brand makes many of their pieces a closet staple come spring, when we're all about lace dresses, light bombers and cold-shoulder ensembles. Philippine lawmakers have voted to reduce the annual budget of the Commission on Human Rights the body tasked with investigating the countrys brutal war on drugs to about $20. The move to defund the commission, which was easily passed by Representatives and now awaits approval by the Senate, coincides with another proposal to cut spending on drug rehabilitation programs by about 75%, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer. The measures are reportedly backed by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, whose party controls a majority in both chambers. The rights commission which was established in 1987 following the ouster of dictator Ferdinand Marcos already faces considerable challenges to its mandate. While journalists and investigators have exposed numerous cases of suspicious killings by police, the commission says that only one case has yet reached the court. Commission chairman Jose Luis Martin Gascon called defunding the body a capricious display of vindictiveness by supporters of Duterte, who since taking office last year launched a gruesome war on drugs that has led to thousands of deaths and come under criticism by rights advocates and Western governments. Read more: Investigators Say Philippine Police Murdered Teenager and Planted Evidence on His Body Meanwhile, the administrations plan to slash public funds for drug rehabilitation amounts to a $45.23 million reduction in this years allocation, according to Reuters, contradicting a public health-based approach to drug addiction advocated by Vice President Leni Robredo. Duterte, who has said he would be happy to slaughter 3 million drug users, has previously questioned the efficacy of rehabilitation. In a speech last August he said that those who had used methamphetamine for more than a year would be no longer viable for rehabilitation because their brains had shrunk, according to Reuters. (ROY, Utah) A small plane struck a car and burst into flames when it made an emergency landing on a busy northern Utah roadway Tuesday afternoon but authorities said both the pilot and driver did not appear to have major injuries. The single-engine plane took off from the Ogden-Hinckley Airport in the northern Utah city of Roy, 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Salt Lake City but soon after made an emergency landing on the five-lane State Route 126, a major artery in the area, and hit a car, according to Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Allen Kenitzer. Roy Police Sgt. Matthew Gwynn said the pilot, a 63-year-old man, and the driver, a 42-year-old woman, were both walking around and talking to emergency responders after the crash. Both people were taken to the hospital as a precaution. A single-engine plane bursts into flames after it crashed into a neighborhood in Roy, Utah on Sept. 12, 2017. Authorities did not have more details about the pilot or drivers identity, where the plane was headed or the pilots licensing status. Kenitzer said the FAA is still investigating why the pilot of the Beech A24 Sierra aircraft crashed shortly after leaving the Ogden-Hinckley Airport. Tuesdays crash was less than a mile from the scene of a similar crash in July, when a small plane crashed on another highway, narrowly missing cars but killing two vacationing couples on board the aircraft. That plane went down shortly after taking off from the same airport, popular with private pilots. A investigator looks at the wreckage of a small plane that struck a car when it crashed into a neighborhood in Roy, Utah on Sept. 12, 2017. Ogden-Hinckley Airport manager Jon Greiner said the two crashes onto nearby highways seven weeks apart were just coincidence. He said theres plenty of space on the runway and surrounding the airport. Greiner said he doesnt know the pilot or what caused Tuesdays crash but said he believed the aircraft was not flown frequently and may have been sitting on the tarmac for several years. After emergency responders extinguished flames on the burning plane Tuesday, planes charred wings, propeller and burnt-out fuselage sat in the middle of the street, a short distance away from the car that the aircraft struck. The cars rear bumper was hanging off on the ground and the roof was heavily damaged. UPDATE: 8:30 a.m. EDT A representative from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport told International Business Times in an emailed statement that Terminal E was not closed after American Airlines flight 5233 collided with a tug vehicle on the tarmac Wednesday. This incident occurred at approximately 4pm (EST) Wednesday afternoon on the ramp. The scene was cleared within the hour. The terminal never closed and the Airport remained open and operational. Some regional gates were impacted and not available during the incident, the statement reads. Original story: An American Airlines flight which landed at the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, North Carolina, collided with a tug vehicle on the tarmac on Wednesday which injured the driver of the vehicle and caused Terminal E of the airport to close down, reports said. The incident occurred after Flight #5233 of the American Airlines flying in from Charleston, West Virginia, landed at the airport at 3:40 p.m. EDT. While pulling into Gate E35, it collided with a tug vehicle on a ramp near Terminal E. According to NBC affiliate WCNC, there were 31 passengers and three crew members on the plane at the time. One of them took the following photo of the crash and shared it on social media. As seen in the picture, the wing which crashed into the tug vehicle was damaged. While none of the people present on the flight at the time were harmed, the woman who was driving the tug vehicle at the time had to be hospitalized. The woman was later said to be in a stable condition. According to multiple witnesses present on the scene, the female driver made a sharp turn while steering the vehicle and as a result collided with the planes wing. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is investigating the incident, said in a statement: PSA Airlines 5223, CL600-2B aircraft, and a tug collided on the north ramp at Charlotte Douglas International Airport at 4:35 pm today. The collision occurred while the aircraft was taxiing to the gate after landing. The aircraft and tug are blocking several gates. Story continues The fire department, along with medical personnel, responded immediately, and the tug driver was transported to the hospital in stable condition, American Airlines said in a statement, Patch reported. "Customers should expect some residual flight delays for regional flights departing and arriving Charlotte." Flights which were scheduled to take off from the terminal were also delayed due to the serious incident at the airport. YouTuber and author Chris Strub was on one of the American Airlines flights that were delayed following the incident at the airport. According to his stream of tweets, the airlines gave the passengers the option to deplane after the incident at the airport. Many of the flights which were scheduled to depart from Gate E35 had to be delayed due to the emergency services gathered at the scene, reports said. North part of Terminal E was expected to remain closed until the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board complete their investigation. International Business Times has reached out to Charlotte International Airport for a statement regarding the latest update on the matter. Most recently, American Airlines was forced to cancel thousands of flights between Sept. 7 and Sept. 11 due to Hurricane Irma that wrecked the Caribbean Islands before weakening and moving toward Florida and other parts of the United States. Earlier this week, a number of flights flying out from North Carolina to Tampa and Orlando were canceled due to severe weathering conditions. The airlines said in a statement to Global News at the time that it will continue to evaluate operations at other Florida airports, including Sarasota and Tampa, and will make adjustments as necessary. Related Articles Photo credit: Getty Images From Harpers Bazaar UK A 40-year-old woman has been arrested for attempting to break into Prince George's school. The young Prince began his education at Thomas's prep school in Battersea on Thursday last week. The Metropolitan Police have confirmed the incident and subsequent arrest. A 40yo woman has been arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary at #Battersea school https://t.co/ytPEoAk9CV pic.twitter.com/rvKOqn1btR - Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) September 13, 2017 "A 40-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary in Battersea, south London," read an official statement by the police force. "The arrest at 14:15hrs on Wednesday, 13 September relates to an incident at Thomas' Battersea School on Tuesday, 12 September when an individual gained access to its premises." The statement continued, saying: "The woman was arrested in the vicinity of the school and has been taken to a south London police station where she remains in custody. "We are working with the school, which is attended by His Royal Highness Prince George, to review its security arrangements after the incident." According to the statement, police officers attended the scene immediately after being alerted. It remains to be seen what the intruder's full intentions were for gaining entry into the school. You Might Also Like This is truly worth stopping traffic for. A traffic police officer in the Chinese city of Putian ran into the middle of a busy street to rescue a kitten, and the footage is going viral. SEE ALSO: Athletic, adorable kitten crashes baseball game The video shows several motorbikes stopping at a crossing while a small white kitten slowly walks in front of them. The officer, who has been named as Yuhe Tan, then notices and rushes over, scooping the little animal up in one arm, before quickly leaving the scene. Tan later told news outlet the Global Times that a driver had yelled at him, saying there was a cat. "I immediately rushed over," he said. Many took to social media to praise the officer's actions. "This traffic police officer is so great, we need more people like this in the world," said a user on Chinese social media website Weibo. "I bet this officer has a cat himself at home," one added. By Alvin Baez SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) - Saddled with economic problems and its own damage from Hurricane Irma, Puerto Rico is taking thousands of refugees from the U.S. Virgin Islands whose homes were destroyed by the storm, with a cruise ship carrying up to 2,000 more due to set sail for the U.S. territory on Wednesday. Visibly shaken residents from St. Martin and the Virgin Islands arrived on Tuesday on U.S. military aircraft, bringing tales of terrifying winds and a breakdown of law and order. "The people of Puerto Rico - what big hearts you guys got because our (local) government did nothing - nothing," said William Vonfabrice, 61, from St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. "People coming at us with machetes, offering bullets and saying 'There is more for you,' breaking into houses, hurting people." Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas cruise ship was expected to depart the badly damaged St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, on Wednesday evening bound for San Juan, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands commissioner of tourism Beverly Nicholson-Doty said. Irma skirted Puerto Rico last week, knocking out power to 70 percent of the island, damaging buildings and killing at least three people, but the destruction was not nearly as bad as elsewhere in the Caribbean. The storm's 185 mph (297 km/h) winds hammered a string of tiny Caribbean islands that are territories of Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United States. Homes, hotels, hospitals, marinas and airports were badly damaged and the extent of the chaos seemed to catch the wealthy nations off guard. Britain's government said local authorities had imposed a curfew on the British Virgin islands, where locals complained of widespread looting and violent crime after Irma. U.K. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson visited the islands on Wednesday, calling them a "scene of utter devastation" on Twitter as his government announced 25 billion ($33 billion) in extra aid for its territories. The nations all have launched military relief operations but locals and tourists have criticized the response for being too slow and not reaching everybody evenly. Visiting the French Caribbean on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron promised to quickly rebuild St. Martin, a French territory shared with the Netherlands. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson met with security officials in Anguilla. Dutch King Willem-Alexander said the destruction he saw in St. Martin was on a scale he "had never seen before." 'THE END OF SINT MAARTEN' Charles Morrison, 89, an evacuee from the Dutch part of the island, Sint Maarten, said one person was killed when the hotel he was staying in was flooded and partially destroyed. Morrison then took shelter in a friend's more secure place. "The fact is, that's the end of Sint Maarten," he said as he was pushed through San Juan's Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in a wheelchair. Puerto Rico has $70 billion in debt, a poverty rate above 46 percent, and near-insolvent pension and health systems, a fact not lost on the arrivals. "God bless Puerto Rico and the hearts because you guys are struggling. And from the hardest struggle, that's where the real people come out," Vonfabrice said, thanking Puerto Rico for sending food, water and ships to the Virgin Islands. A Puerto Rico government spokeswoman said the financial situation and expected length of stay of the 2,000 refugees due to arrive in San Juan was still unclear, but that expenses would be covered by emergency federal funding. Puerto Rico has set up a large convention center to house refugees who cannot afford to go to a hotel. Other countries in the region also helped. St. Lucia has agreed to house prisoners from the Turks and Caicos Islands and the British Virgin Islands, after the storm damaged the prisons in those British territories. The Cayman Islands has sent police to help reinforce security in the British Virgin Islands after more than 100 prisoners escaped when the storm breached the prison. Mexico's foreign minister Luis Videgaray instructed his diplomats in the Caribbean to offer unspecified help to Puerto Rico and Cuba even as it seeks to cope with the fallout from a massive earthquake. St. Thomas resident Laci Rivers, 33, was waiting on board the Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas, eager to bring her two small children to safety after days of uncertainty. "Everyone is stressed and hungry and confused," she said. Rivers said her car was broken into with a hammer, items were stolen from the flattened sushi restaurant where she worked, and she saw fights break out in St. Thomas among increasingly desperate people jostling for food and water. She was under no illusions about what would happen to her home in western St. Thomas. "We've already realized it's going to be looted while we're gone," she said. ($1 = 0.7571 pounds) (Additional reporting by Daina Beth Solomon in Mexico City, Sarah Peter in Castries, St. Lucia, and Tracy Rucinski in Chicago; Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Bill Trott and Phil Berlowitz) AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes said that Macau is the low-cost airlines number one priority in North Asia and that new routes are expected to be added very soon. The first route to be introduced will link Macau with the Malaysian city of Johor Bahru, which shares a border with Singapore. Fernandes was one of the speakers at the PATA Youth Symposium, which was hosted by the Institute for Tourism Studies yesterday. He mentioned other routes being planned between Macau, Thailand, Malaysia and The Philippines and even to the US territory of Guam. According to a TDM report, Fernandes hopes to significantly increase the number of AirAsia passengers stopping in Macau from 800,000 yearly to 5 million, benefiting from the bridge linking Macau to Hong Kong. Questioned on the need to expand the local airport, Fernandes said that the current capacity of the existing infrastructure is sufficient in the short term. However, he added that an expansion would be excellent. With the new bridge and the border [the arrangement to have AirAsia customers from mainland China entering Macau via a convenient channel], Macau can be a hub with a big dimension. One of the major problems in the tourism industry is that sometimes governments forget airports. I hope there are plans [to expand the airport], Fernandes said, adding that he will meet with the Macau Airport Company representatives while in town. ANKARA (Reuters) - Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will hold talks in Ankara on Thursday with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, an ally of Doha in its dispute with Gulf Arab neighbors. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and trade links with Qatar three months ago, suspending air and shipping routes with the world's biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas. They say Qatar supports regional foe Iran and Islamists. Qatar denies the charges and says the economic boycott aims at neutering an independent foreign policy it says promotes peaceful regional reform and fighting terrorism. Last month Turkey held joint military exercises with Qatari forces in the Gulf state. It has said it will deploy 3,000 troops at a military base there and has increased trade with Qatar since the start of the embargo. Turkey's presidency announced Sheikh Tamim's trip in a statement on Wednesday but gave no details of the talks, which will coincide with a visit to Ankara by the prime minister of Kuwait, which has sought to mediate in the Gulf Arab dispute. (Reporting by Ece Toksabay and Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Dominic Evans) In just the third sighting of its kind, these extremely rare white giraffes have been filmed in Kenya. Conservation rangers were left stunned by the discovery near the Ishaqbini conservation in Garissa County. Read: Albino Kangaroo Gives Instagrammer Some Tough Love as He Hugs and Punches Him After hearing rumors about the pair, the rangers finally spotted them in June. "They were so close and extremely calm and seemed not disturbed by our presence," experts with the Hirola Conservation Program wrote in a blog post. "The mother kept pacing back and forth a few yards in front of us while signaling the baby giraffe to hide behind the bushes a characteristic of most wildlife mothers in the wild to prevent the predation of their young." Experts say the condition, known as leucism, is a result of the partial loss of the pigmentation of the giraffes' original color. During the June sighting, rangers got a close-up of the barely there patterns or reticulates on the animals' skin. Read: Tiger Cub Smuggled to U.S. From Mexico Makes New Friend at the Zoo "While observing the magnificent long-necked animal looking at us, I could not help but see the fading reticulates on their skin," they wrote. "It was evident that the coloration, especially on the mother giraffe, was not as conspicuous as the baby." It's only the third sighting of a white giraffe. The first reports were in January 2016 in Tarangire National park in Tanzania. Then in March 2016, there were reports of another sighting in the same area where the mama giraffe and her calf were seen this summer. Watch: Rare Albino Orangutan Gets Rescued After She's Separated From Her Mom Related Articles: Who's laughing now? (Photo: FX) Everybody knows Billy Eichner can scream. He launched his career asking unassuming strangers questions about Debra Messing and Julianne Moore in his signature shrill on Billy on the Street, only to perfect it later on Parks & Recreation. Over the course of his arc on the NBC sitcom and three seasons of Difficult People, weve seen that Eichner is just as nimble of a performer as he is an interviewer, though his characters tend to lean into his real-life persona: unapologetic, hilarious and pop culture-obsessed. He should feel right at home in American Horror Story: Cult, which produces more yelps per minute than any other show on air, but here, they arent played for laughs. The comedian made his debut on FXs horror anthology series Tuesday night as Harrison Wilton, next-door neighbor to Sarah Paulsons Trump-hating and clown-fearing protagonist. The second chapter in the election-themed installment not only marks a further descent into her troubled psyche, but also a new one for the actor whos trying his hand at more serious material, sans his go-to counterpart Julie Klausner. The real question now is: Can Eichner really act? Weve only had a taste of his AHS character, a beekeeper with a scarily prolific gun collection, but its already a match made in peak TV heaven. Eichners knack for comedic timing and the power of his slightly manic glare make him an undeniably compelling addition to the show. Theres something about watching a traditionally comic actor go dark that makes things that much more terrifying think Robin Williams in One Hour Photo and Eichner is certainly up for the task. It also doesnt hurt that hes one-part of a gay fantasy TV draft dream team with Popular favorite Leslie Grossman at his side. The two play husband and wife (and co-vice presidents of the Michigan chapter of the Nicole Kidman fan club, naturally), whove been best friends since high school. Despite their lack of sexual attraction for each other Eichners character is gay they followed through on a pact to marry each other if they hadnt already found a spouse by age 35. The two seem to revel in playing against type, burying the characters of days past in the sheer insanity that is a season of American Horror Story. Story continues Watching Eichner do away with his typical bag of tricks might startle fans who find comfort in his confrontational comedy, but the role actually falls more in line with his original career path. Before he was Hollywoods comedian of the moment, Eichner attended Northwestern Universitys famed drama school with hopes of becoming a dramatic actor. Im not sure people knew that acting was in my bag of tricks, Eichner told The Washington Post in a recent interview about the role. But no one grows up saying I want to do Billy on the Street. That was just a funny idea I had, and thank God it got me in the door. But when I was growing up, I wanted to be some combination of Nathan Lane and John Malkovich. Now, Eichner is skewing closer to this peculiar combination, and theres no better fit for an actor looking to redefine themselves than an American Horror Story role. The series, in many ways, is the ideal testing ground for those hoping to expand the publics perception of their talents. With its dedication to genre-mixing and a tendency to be all over the map tonally, American Horror Story is a come-one, come-all affair. Creator Ryan Murphy and his cohort are all about taking chances, throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks and enlisting unlikely actors like Lady Gaga to join in on the fun. And if Gagas turn is any indication she picked up a Golden Globe for her performance out-of-left-field castings can make for cult favorites. Now, its Billy Eichners turn to be taken, well, seriously. American Horror Story: Cult airs every Tuesday on FX. (Photo: HuffPost) You can be highbrow. You can be lowbrow. But can you ever just be brow? Welcome to Middlebrow, a weekly examination of pop culture. Read more here. Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. After the mysterious death of 19-year-old Kenneka Jenkins, whose body was found in a freezer early Sunday at Crowne Plaza Chicago OHare Hotel & Conference Center in Rosemont, Illinois, theories have continued to pour in on the microblogging site, Twitter. The teenager's death took the internet by storm Monday as social media users tried to find what really happened to the girl, who was attending a party at the hotel with her friends before she went missing. While the circumstances of her death are being investigated, rumors have surfaced that suggest Jenkins was set up by her friends to be raped and killed for money. In a cryptic video posted to Facebook on Saturday, the teenager could apparently be heard saying, Help me, in the background. Many believe the video, which has now gone viral, could hold key details about Jenkins death. Initially, it was reported that Jenkins may have accidentally stumbled into the freezer while she was intoxicated. But Twitter users and Jenkins' family alleged foul play. Social media users shared a video that the teenager's friend Irene Roberts filmed and posted to another friend Monifah Sheltons Facebook page early Saturday. According to some Twitter users, Roberts seemingly turned up the music in the video right after Jenkins called out for help. The social media users also blamed the police for not doing enough to find the real story behind the mysterious death. Below are some of the tweets by users where they have expressed outrage over the incident. Right before Jenkins' body was found, Shelton shared a clip of herself with her friend. Come home so I could see yo big a-- smile. idk how to feel right now I'm literally sick to my stomach. I love u so much & I hate this even happening to you right now I'm over here praying for you baby wherever u at I hope u okay god got you, she wrote. Story continues Jenkins mother Tereasa Martin held a press conference Monday where she said she was not convinced her daughter walked into a freezer because she was drunk. I believe someone in this hotel killed my child, Martin told WGN-TV. (I'm) horrified. It's something that no one could ever imagine. It's unbelievable. Jenkins sister Leonore Harris, while speaking to WGN-TV, also raised doubts about her sister stumbling inside the freezer due to intoxication. "The freezer door is heavy. So theres no way. If theyre saying shes drunk, she dont have no strength. ... If she had enough strength to open that freezer door, she would have had enough strength to walk straight," she said. It's not just the internet users who think Jenkins' friends might be guilty. Best friend, no friend, youre a suspect, you was in there, just come forward. You was happy enough to put yourself on Facebook, now be happy enough to come over here and tell these detectives what happened. Everyone that was in that room should march down to the police department. Somebody inside that room knows what happened, Andrew Holmes, an activist who is working with Jenkins family, told WGN-TV. Police are investigating the Facebook video and also questioning those close to Jenkins. Shelton and Roberts have not been named as suspects yet. Yes, theyve looked at it and continue to look at it and all the other social media videos and posts, Rosemont Police spokesman Gary Mack told the Chicago Tribune about the Facebook Live video Monday. They are leaving no stone unturned as far as trying to corral everyone they can and talk to them and interview them about what happened and what was going on that night. Related Articles Montreal (AFP) - Half of the vertebrate populations in Canada are in staggering decline, despite the country's vast outback, according to a WWF report Thursday that highlighted threats to beluga whales and caribou. The World Wildlife Fund in its Living Planet Report pointed to 451 shrinking animal populations out of 903 monitored over a 45-year period that ended in 2014. They included mammals, fish, birds, amphibians and reptiles. Many have declined up to 83 percent, WWF-Canada found. "It's easy to assume shocking figures of wildlife decline don't apply here in Canada," said WWF-Canada president David Miller. "Ours, after all, is a country of wide open spaces with ample room for grizzlies and gannets, belugas and bass, salamanders and swift foxes -- isn't it?" But the reality, Miller added, is that "wildlife loss is not someone else's problem. It's a Canadian problem." Habitat loss from forestry, agriculture, urbanization and industrial development remains the greatest threat to wildlife in Canada, according to the report. But pollution, climate change and invasive species were also factors cited by the conservation group. A southernmost population of beluga whales in the Saint Lawrence seaway was listed as endangered this year after several delays in protecting its habitat. Several died last month in apparent collisions with cargo ships and entanglements with fishing gear. Fewer than 900 are left. The Barren-ground caribou's numbers, meanwhile, have plummeted from more than two million in 1990 to about 800,000. Their decline has been blamed on a warming Arctic that has brought unseasonal rains to the tundra that freeze and glaze ice over the lichen and plants the caribou eat to survive. Mining, shipping and tourism have also disturbed calving grounds. In July, a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that more than 30 percent of vertebrates around the world are in decline, both in terms of population figures and their geographic spread. Donald Trump's former advisor Steve Bannon says the firing of FBI director James Comey may have been the worst mistake in 'modern political history': AP/Evan Vucci Republicans reportedly believe special counsel Robert Mueller is "going for the kill" in his investigation into links between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russian election interference. Mr Mueller has hired lawyers experienced in handling money-laundering cases and the Mafia in his pursuit of witnesses and evidence, Axios reported. The US President has previously warned Mr Mueller not to look into his family's finances beyond the scope of his investigation, saying it would be crossing a red line. Members of the GOP are concerned the new hires suggest Mr Mueller will begin looking into Mr Trump's financial dealings, including a proposal made during his election campaign to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. It comes after Mr Trump's former advisor Steve Bannon told 60 Minutes the President's firing of FBI director James Comey may have been the worst mistake in "modern political history." The website reports close White House allies believe Mr Mueller could use events concerning the firing to make an obstruction of justice case against Mr Trump. The firing of Mr Comey led to the appointment of Mr Mueller to oversee the investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. An "angry, meandering" draft letter justifying the firing of Mr Comey, which was never released but Mr Mueller has acquired, could be used as evidence, Axios also said. The Trump administration has reportedly already started handing over documents to Mr Mueller's team after the special prosecutor requested the White House preserve a number of documents relating to various members of Mr Trump's campaign team. He also asked the White House to preserve evidence relating to former general Michael Flynn, who was forced to resign as Mr Trump's national security adviser, and a June 2016 meeting between a Russian lawyer linked to the Kremlin and the President's eldest son, son-in-law and campaign manager. The mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims fleeing Burma in just under three weeks is now triple the number of refugees who have tried to enter Europe across the Mediterranean so far this year, leaving aid agencies overwhelmed by the crisis. An estimated 370,000 have escaped from Burmas northern Rakhine state to overcrowded Bangladeshi refugee camps since August 25, compared to 128,012 people seeking to cross the Mediterranean since January. International organizations have reported claims of human rights violations and summary executions allegedly carried out by the Myanmar army Credit: EPA Burmas government has admitted that 176 out of 471 ethnic Rohingya villages are now empty. Antonio Guterres, UN secretary-general,on Wednesday called on authorities in Burma to end the violence against the Rohingya and acknowledged the situation there is best described as ethnic cleansing. Many of the Rohingya fleeing the violence in Myanmar had travelled by boat to find refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh Credit: EPA The humanitarian situation in Burma was "catastrophic," Mr Guterres said, and called on all countries to do what they could to supply aid. The Burmese government said on Wednesday its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, will skip next week's UN General Assembly meetings, and give a domestic speech to address the crisis, amid growing international outrage at her refusal to condemn the killings. Rohingyas have said their homes were set on fire and family members shot, slashed or burned to death. This is the fastest growing refugee crisis in the past five years, with serious human rights concerns, a UNHCR spokesperson told the Telegraph. Rohingya Refugees disembark from a boat at the shore of Naf river Credit: EPA Chris Lom, a UN aid worker in Coxs Bazar, on the frontline of the humanitarian disaster, said people were very vulnerable, traumatised, while relief agencies struggled. UN agencies and the government were expecting the possibility that as many as 100,000 more people could come across when there were already 600,000 Rohingyas in Bangladesh, he told UN News. Rohingya refugees carry an old man towards the shore of Naf river as people arrive by boats, in Teknaf, Bangladesh Credit: EPA "But I dont think anyone expected a mass exodus like this, unprecedented in terms of value and speed, he said. On Wednesday one Red Cross mobile medical team at the makeshift Balukhali camp managed to treat 100 people suffering from diarrhoea, old bullet wounds and burns before its supplies ran out. Story continues No-one expected this explosion of people, and there is unfathomable need. It is beyond the capacity of international actors to scale up this fast, said Misada Saif of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Isolated rural locations with narrow, muddy roads, made worse by heavy rains and throngs of displaced people present major obstacles to supplying aid. Increasingly desperate refugees, weak from hunger, are clambering onto the few trucks that do get through, trying to claim whatever supplies they can, causing fights to break out. Aid that arrived by air earlier this week would not cover a tenth of refugee needs, said officials, estimating the relief effort would cost at least $77m [58m]. Children being brought to an Action Against Hunger centre are being increasingly diagnosed as malnourished. One mother, Rozia Begum, arrived with her four infant children, after travelling for four days. I had nothing to give my children, who were so hungry and thirsty they were crying. All I could do was give them river water to drink, even though I knew it was dirty and might make them sick, she said. Another woman, Sara Khatun, grieving the murder of her husband and daughter, said she had been so desperate for food that she had eaten tree bark. The scale of the humanitarian crisis has led to comparisons with the Rwandan exodus of 1994 when over two million people fled to neighbouring countries after a brutal genocide. Nigerias government on Tuesday expressed deep regret at the horrendous human suffering of the Rohingya, adding that it was very reminiscent of what happened in Rwanda in 1994 and in Bosnia Herzegovina in 1995. Meanwhile, terrorist group Al Qaeda issued a statement warning Burma it would face punishment for its crimes, calling for Muslims across the region to help secure Rohingya rights by force. (NORTH HAVERHILL, N.H.) A Rhode Island man accused of fatally shooting his mother in the intensive care unit of New Hampshires largest hospital was set to be arraigned Wednesday on murder charges. Travis Frink signed into the visitor center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon and went to the intensive care unit, authorities said. Soon after, Lebanon police received an emergency call reporting shots had been fired there. Attorney General Gordon MacDonald identified the shooting victim as Frinks 70-year-old mother, Pamela Ferriere, of Groton. He said the 49-year-old Frink, of Warwick, Rhode Island, went to the hospital with the intent of killing her. The facts gathered to this point reveal that the purpose of Mr. Frinks visit to the hospital today was to kill his mother, MacDonald said. He said more than one shot had been fired but no other patients, visitors or workers were physically injured. Frink was detained as he tried to leave the grounds of Dartmouth-Hitchcock, authorities said. He was in custody and couldnt be reached for comment. No possible motive for the shooting was released. Ferrieres husband, Robert, said in a brief phone interview that he had no idea why it happened. He said, Im not a mind reader, before hanging up. Frink was scheduled to be arraigned at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Grafton Superior Court in North Haverhill, New Hampshire. Authorities released very little information about Frink, though police in Rhode Island said in 2013 that his wife and 3-year-old son were found dead inside a running car at an apartment complex. Police said that when officers opened the door of the running car with fogged windows, they found the inside of the vehicle very hot and smelling of alcohol and vomit. Officials said the body of Frinks wife was found in the drivers seat and the body of his son was found on the floor in the back of the car. Police suspected alcohol played in a role. Frinks Facebook page shows he got engaged last December. His LinkedIn page includes a long list of experience in computer systems administration and technical support jobs in Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. Messages left with the company listed as his current employer werent immediately returned. Story continues Several of Frinks neighbors in Warwick said he mostly kept to himself. Tuesdays shooting sparked panic at the hospital as employees and patients were evacuated into the parking lot. People were told to avoid the area around the hospital, and traffic was stopped on a route leading to it. An employee reported that an employee said all workers received an email from the hospital about a code silver, indicating a violent situation is unfolding, telling them to get out if possible or to shelter in place. Susan Flynn, who was about to have surgery at the hospital, told WCAX-TV she and her husband escaped to a patio soon after the shooting. We were sitting in this patio area and two police came running out with guns and those shields that they wear and said, Run, run! So we ran out of there as fast as we could and on to next location and kept moving and moving to different locations until they put us in a secure location, Flynn said. Joanne Conroy, the president of Dartmouth-Hitchcock, praised her staff for its response and said everyone had taken part in several active-shooter trainings in the past. Today was an incredibly stressful day and a tragic day for the affected family, she said. We had the best outcome from this. Nobody else was hurt, and that is all we can ask for. By Robin Emmott and Andrius Sytas TALLINN/VILNIUS (Reuters) - From planes, radars and ships in the Baltics, NATO officials say they are watching Russia's biggest war games since 2013 with "calm and confidence", but many are unnerved about what they see as Moscow testing its ability to wage war against the West. NATO believes the exercises, officially starting on Thursday in Belarus, the Baltic Sea, western Russia and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, are already underway. It says they are larger than Moscow has publicized, numbering some 100,000 troops, and involve firing nuclear-capable ballistic missiles. Codenamed Zapad or "West", NATO officials say the drills will simulate a conflict with the U.S.-led alliance intended to show Russia's ability to mass large numbers of troops at very short notice in the event of a conflict. "NATO remains calm and vigilant," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said last week during a visit to an Estonian army base where British troops have been stationed since March. But Lithuania's Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis was less sanguine, voicing widely-felt fears that the drills risk triggering an accidental conflict or could allow Moscow to leave troops in neighboring Belarus. "We can't be totally calm. There is a large foreign army massed next to Lithuanian territory," he told Reuters. Some Western officials including the head of the U.S. Army in Europe, Gen. Ben Hodges, have raised concerns that Russia might use the drills as a "Trojan horse" to make incursions into Poland and Russian-speaking regions in the Baltics. The Kremlin firmly rejects any such plans. Russia says some 13,000 troops from Russia and Belarus will be involved in the Sept. 14-20 drills, below an international threshold that requires large numbers of outside observers. NATO will send three experts to so-called 'visitor days' during the exercises, but a NATO official said these were no substitute for meeting internationally-agreed norms at such exercises that include talking to soldiers and briefings. Moscow says it is the West that threatens stability in eastern Europe because the U.S.-led NATO alliance has put a 4,000-strong multinational force in the Baltics and Poland. Wrong-footed by Moscow in the recent past, with Russia's seizure of Crimea in 2014 and its intervention in Syria's war in 2015, NATO is distrustful of the Kremlin's public message. In Crimea, Moscow proved a master of "hybrid warfare", with its mix of cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns and use of Russian and local forces without insignia. One senior European security official said Zapad would merge manoeuvres across Russia's four western military districts in a "complex, multi-dimensional aggressive, anti-NATO exercise". "It is all smoke and mirrors," the official said, adding that the Soviet-era Zapad exercises that were revived in 1999 had included simulated nuclear strikes on Europe. NATO officials say they have been watching Russia's preparations for months, including the use of hundreds of rail cars to carry tanks and other heavy equipment into Belarus. As a precaution, the U.S. Army has moved 600 paratroopers to the Baltics during Zapad and has taken over guardianship of the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which lack capable air forces and air defense systems. NATO'S NEXT MOVE? Russia's military show of force raises some uncomfortable questions for the alliance because NATO cannot yet mass large numbers of troops quickly, despite the United States' military might, NATO officials and diplomats said. NATO, a 29-nation defense pact created in 1949 to deter the Soviet threat, has already begun its biggest modernization since the Cold War, sending four battalions to the Baltics and Poland, setting up an agile, high-readiness spearhead force, and developing its cyberspace defenses. But NATO has deliberately taken a slowly-slowly approach to its military build-up to avoid being sucked into a new arms race, even as Russia has stationed anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles in Kaliningrad, the Black Sea and Syria. "The last thing we want is a military escalation with Russia," said one senior NATO official involved in military planning, referring to Zapad. In the event of any potential Russian incursion into the Baltics or Poland, NATO's new multinational forces would quickly need large reinforcements. But a 40,000-strong force agreed in 2015 is still being developed, officials say. Lithuania's Karoblis said he hoped to see progress by the next summit of NATO leaders in July 2018. Baltic politicians want more discretion given to NATO to fight any aggressor in the event of an attack, without waiting for the go-ahead from allied governments. During Zapad, NATO is taking a low-key approach by running few exercises, including an annual sniper exercise in Lithuania. Only non-NATO member Sweden is holding a large-scale drill. NATO Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe James Everard told Reuters there was no need to mirror Zapad. "It's not a competition," he said during a visit to NATO forces in Latvia. (Additional reporting by Gederts Gelzis in Latvia; Editing by Gareth Jones) Baghdads central criminal court sentenced a Russian national to death by hanging for his membership in the Islamic State group, the court said in a statement. The man was arrested as Iraqi forces pushed the extremist group out of Mosuls western half, according to the statement released yesterday [Macau time]. The fight for Mosuls west was the second phase of the operation to retake Iraqs second largest city from IS that was launched in October of last year and declared complete in July. The individual was tried under Iraqs anti-terrorism law and confessed to carrying out terrorist operations against Iraqi security forces since 2015, said Abdul-Sattar Bayrkdar, spokesman for Iraqs supreme judicial council. Earlier this week, Iraqi forces announced they were holding more than 1,300 foreign women and children from 14 countries at a camp for displaced people in northern Iraq. The individuals from 14 countries surrendered to Kurdish forces at the end of August after an Iraqi offensive drove the extremist group from the northern town of Tal Afar, near Mosul, Iraqi security officials said. The women and children will not be charged with crimes and will likely be repatriated to their home countries, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. In 2016, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi attempted to fast-track death sentences as his government faced growing anti-government protests demanding reform. However, he United Nations warned the move would likely result in gross, irreversible miscarriages of justice [] given the weaknesses of the Iraqi justice system, according to a statement from U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein. Rights groups criticize Iraqs widespread use of the death penalty. In 2016, Iraq executed more than 88 people, topped only by Saudi Arabia, Iran and China, according to Amnesty international. Qassim Abdul-Zahra, Baghdad, AP Madrid (AFP) - A northern Spanish city is under fire for distributing advice on how to safely snort cocaine. Plastic cards the size of credit cards -- a tool of choice for cocaine users -- were handed out by the health department in Bilbao. They bore messages such as: "Cut your line well... If it is not well cut, you could damage your nostrils". The cards were distributed to people singled out as users or potential users during week-long festivities last month, a spokesman for the department told AFP. "We didn't hand them out to just anyone," he said, adding that each recipient was warned about the dangers of drugs. News of the controversial campaign emerged this week, sparking criticism from the conservative Popular Party in Bilbao. The party said it was "real nonsense to hand out a kind of consumption 'kit' with such a flippant and frivolous message." The city council's health chief, Yolanda Diez, said the advice simply sought to reduce the risks associated with taking cocaine. A health service spokesman told AFP that around a hundred leaflets had been distributed. Spain has the highest rate of cocaine consumption in Europe after Britain, according to the EU's 2017 European Drug Report. The latest figures, compiled for 2015, found 9.1 percent of Spaniards aged 15-64 had used cocaine in their lifetime. Within Europe, only Britain posted a higher rate, at 9.7 percent. Top Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin and her estranged husband, disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner, appeared before a judge on Wednesday for their first hearing in divorce court. The former couple, who share a 5-year-old son, wore solemn faces as they were pictured leaving court, where they reportedly asked for privacy in their divorce case. Because theres a child involved, wed like to keep these proceedings secret to the extent your honor will allow, said Abedins attorney, Amy Donehower, according to the Huffington Post. The judge denied a motion to bar photographers from the proceedings, however, saying, It doesnt appear that this is possible. Abedin filed for divorce from her already estranged husband on May 19, the same day the embattled former congressman pleaded guilty to transferring obscene material to a minor in his latest of several sexting scandals. He will be sentenced later this month. The FBI investigation into Weiners illicit text messages to the minor, a 15-year-old girl from North Carolina, led to the discovery of emails between Abedin and Clinton on Weiners computer and resulted in then-FBI Director James Comey reopening the agencys probe into Clintons use of a private email server just days before the 2016 presidential election. In her new campaign memoir, What Happened, Clinton recalls the moment Abedin burst into tears after learning that her husband was behind Comeys October surprise. When we heard this Huma looked stricken, Clinton wrote. Anthony had already caused so much heartache. And now this. This man is going to be the death of me, [Huma] said, bursting into tears. Best dresses (Photo: ImaxTree) Fashion month is finally over. Lets take a look back at all of the most memorable dresses to come down the catwalk across Paris, Milan, London and New York. Whereas some designers created gowns that were comfortable and casual, others went for glamorous and sexy, but a few designers embraced fantasy by creating dresses that could only exist on the runway. Click through the gallery above to see all of the best dress highlights from fashion week. Read More from Yahoo Lifestyle: Chanel debuts fancy PVC boots in Paris One designer just dressed models in travel tags for Paris Fashion Week Meet the man behind New York Fashion Weeks $7 million pop-up show Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Selena Gomez got personal on Instagram Thursday, revealing that she received a kidney transplant over the summer. The 25-year-olds post is far from the first time she has opened up to fans. From body-shaming to Justin Bieber to growing up in the spotlight and her struggles with Lupus, these are all the times Gomez shared her truth. Im surrounded by people who are supposed to guide me, and some of them have and others havent. They pressure me. Theres so much pressure. Youve gotta be sexy, youve gotta be cute, youve gotta be nice, youve gotta be all these things They tell me what to wear, how to look, what I should say, how I should be. Until recently, I had given into that pressure. I lost sight of who I was. I listened to opinions of people, and I tried to change who I am. Because I thought others would accept me for it. And I realized I dont know how to be anything but myself. in a speech at WE Day California in 2014 People piss me off so much. Im half Mexican. Ive got the fire in me for sure. on her previous record executive trying to keep her in a box, to Elle in September 2015 Ill forever support [Justin Bieber] and love him in a way that We grew up together. I think people want it to be different. Were too young for that. Nobody was married. There was no I respect him. And I think he respects me, in a healthy manner. to Elle Im growing up. Im not saying, This is it: Ive got life figured out, everybody. Im going to fall on my face continuously. But Im excited to have this sense of control of my life. on the message behind Revival, to Elle Im so fing nice to everybody, and everyone is so vile to me. Ive been working since I was 7. Ive been a UNICEF ambassador since I was 17. Its so disappointing that Ive become a tabloid story. It took away everything I loved about this business. on the constant negative gossip, to Billboard in October 2015 No. This is my time. Ive deserved this. I earned it. This is all me. on whether she took any inspiration from Biebers career reinvention for Revival, to Billboard Story continues I hated the quiet moments. I feel like I couldve lived with my parents forever. on why she lived with roommates after moving out of her mother and stepfathers house in 2014 I wanted so badly to say, You guys have no idea. Im in chemotherapy. Youre aholes. But I was angry I even felt the need to say that. Its awful walking into a restaurant and having the whole room look at you, knowing what theyre saying. I locked myself away until I was confident and comfortable again. on the rumors about being in rehab when she was actually undergoing treatment for lupus I felt like Id lost everything. Just because its not plastered everywhere doesnt mean I didnt have my rock bottom. Ive had my moments, and its almost unsafe for me to even talk about them, because Ill be taken advantage of. to Billboard I was in a bikini and got publicly ripped for being overweight. That was the first time Id experienced body-shaming like that. I believed some of the words they were saying. on being body-shamed by the media during a trip to Mexico in 2015 I think people really wanted to see me fail. Id sit down in an interview and get the most harshly asked questions. Of course I got my heart broken. Of course I was pissed about it. There, everybody has it. I was so disappointed, because I never wanted my career to be a tabloid story. on the tabloid response to her breakup with Bieber, to Refinery29 in October 2015 People have seen most of the choices that Ive made in my life. And I love every choice that Ive made. Because now I understand how to apply that to my music. This is who I am. Im glad my life was never perfect. on how her music reflects the ups and downs of her life, to Rolling Stone in January 2016 Once Disney was over, I was like, Oh, s. I didnt know what I wanted to be. I had to learn to be myself. to W, in February 2016 Im so exhausted. I honestly am so done. I care about his health and well-being. But I cant do it anymore. on talking about Bieber Its either of two extremes. Either youre going to succumb to it and be surrounded by all the noise and enjoy it and get the rush from it, or youre going to be so far off of it because you dont trust anyone or think any of its genuine. Thats the girl that I am. on the way she views fame, to GQ in April 2016 First off, this is something that everyone always wants to fixate on. I got diagnosed with lupus. My mom had a very public miscarriage. So I had to cancel my tour. I needed time to just be okay Its really frustrating, because I am 100 percent allowed to have that, but I think people just want to have some sort of I understand what youre asking, but Im just saying, I dont think it really matters. on why she doesnt want to address the rehab rumors anymore, to GQ There was this kid that wouldnt look me in the eye at all. And I wear my emotions on my face, as you just have witnessed. And I dont care, thats who I am. I wanted to get his attention, even though maybe it was too much. So I just said, Ask me anything you want. And he was the first person that I told, besides my best friend and family, because he asked me, Have you ever dealt with anything like this? And I said, I have lupus. I was in the ICU for two and a half weeks. I was in this exact same room. And it was the first time that he looked at me. revealing that the first stranger she told about being diagnosed with lupus was a patient that she was visiting at a childrens hospital, to GQ I dont ever really like to sit and dwell on what that experience was. Was it fun? No. Is it fun to have it? No. on getting treated for lupus, to GQ Were easy targets. Every single kid who was brought up like this is an easy target. Its disgusting, because its interesting to grown adults that these kids go through weird things because theyre figuring out, Do I like this? Do I love this? Maybe I love this person. Oh, Im exposed to this, people are reporting my every move and this and that because of Instagram and Twitter, and you can find out everything.' on the effects of growing up in the spotlight Congrats, @selenagomez! ???? Here she is with a sweet message when accepting the #AMAs for Favorite Female Artist- Pop/Rock! pic.twitter.com/JCeE9IijDU AMAs (@AMAs) November 21, 2016 I think its safe to say that most of you know a lot of my life, whether I like it or not. I had to stop, cause I had everything and I was absolutely broken inside. I kept it all together enough to where I would never let you down, but I kept it too much together to where I let myself down. tearfully accepting the 2016 American Music Award for Favorite Female Artist Pop/Rock after taking a break from the spotlight People so badly wanted me to be authentic, and when that happened, finally, it was a huge release. Im not different from what I put out there. Ive been very vulnerable with my fans, and sometimes I say things I shouldnt. But I have to be honest with them. I feel thats a huge part of why Im where I am. to Vogue in March 2017 Tours are a really lonely place for me. My self-esteem was shot. I was depressed, anxious. I started to have panic attacks right before getting onstage, or right after leaving the stage. Basically I felt I wasnt good enough, wasnt capable. I felt I wasnt giving my fans anything, and they could see it which, I think, was a complete distortion. I was so used to performing for kids. At concerts I used to make the entire crowd raise up their pinkies and make a pinky promise never to allow anybody to make them feel that they werent good enough. Suddenly I have kids smoking and drinking at my shows, people in their 20s, 30s, and Im looking into their eyes, and I dont know what to say. I couldnt say, Everybody, lets pinky-promise that youre beautiful! It doesnt work that way, and I know it because Im dealing with the same s theyre dealing with. What I wanted to say is that life is so stressful, and I get the desire to just escape it. But I wasnt figuring my own stuff out, so I felt I had no wisdom to share. And so maybe I thought everybody out there was thinking, This is a waste of time. on what pushed her to cancel her tour and enter treatment for depression and anxiety You have no idea how incredible it felt to just be with six girls, real people who couldnt give two ss about who I was, who were fighting for their lives. It was one of the hardest things Ive done, but it was the best thing Ive done. on undergoing treatment in Tennessee My mom gave up her whole life for me. Where were from, you dont really leave. So when I started gaining all this success, there was a guilt that came with it. I thought, Do I deserve this? on becoming so famous at such a young age I wish more people would talk about therapy. We girls, were taught to be almost too resilient, to be strong and sexy and cool and laid-back, the girl whos down. We also need to feel allowed to fall apart. on the decision to be open about her mental health struggles Look, I love what I do, and Im aware of how lucky I am, but how can I say this without sounding weird? I just really cant wait for people to forget about me. on struggling with balancing her private nature with being a celebrity Morning walks A post shared by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) on Feb 11, 2017 at 11:59am PST Everything I cared about, I stopped caring about. I came out, and it felt like, OK, I can only go forward. And there are still days. I go to therapy. I believe in that and talking about where you are. But Im in a really, really healthy place. I was in the countryside and never did my hair; I took part in equine therapy, which is so beautiful. And it was hard, obviously. But I knew what my heart was saying, and I thought, OK, I think this has helped me become stronger for other people.' opening up about her time in treatment in Tennessee, to InStyle in July 2017 A post shared by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) on Dec 8, 2015 at 6:36pm PST Thats what I work on in therapy the most. Because of social media, because of all the pressure that girls have, its so difficult. Its good to be connected, to see things, and to get a sense of what your friends are up to. But it also allows people to think they need to look or be a certain way. I remember when I had my Disney show, I was just running around and not caring and making kids laugh. I was all over the place. And now it feels more zoomed-in you have ugly people trying to get negative things from you, and the energy makes you feel bad about yourself. You cant help it. Its very hard to find out who you are during all that mess and pressure. on battling insecurity as a result of her social media presence I had a choice to let it drive me crazy and tear me down or just allow myself to have real conversations with people. So I came to a place where its like, I have this platform, and I can still do what I love and connect to people who feel like they grew up with me. I wont share things that I dont want to. on deciding to be open and honest about her struggles I dont depend on one area of my life to make me happy. Its really important for me to love and nourish my friends and family and to make sure that I never get influenced by a guy. Ive wanted to be in a strong headspace for years, and I really wasnt. Before, I was so young and easily influenced, and Id feel insecure. You want someone to add to your life, not to complete you, if that makes sense. Im lucky because hes more of a best friend than anything else. on her relationship with The Weeknd There arent words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa. She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. on her kidney transplant in summer 2017 A version of this story originally appeared on PEOPLE.com. GOP candidate for U.S. Senate Roy Moore speaks during a candidates' forum in Valley, Ala., on Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017. (Photo: Bill Clark via Getty Images) A U.S. Senate candidate and former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice has repeatedly appeared on the radio show of a fiercely homophobic pastor who believes being gay is worthy of death, according to a new CNN report. Roy Moore, the front-runner in Alabamas upcoming Senate contest, has appeared at least five times on Generations Radio, run by Colorado-based pastor Kevin Swanson who preaches that the Bible says people should receive the death penalty for being gay. In November 2015, Swanson hosted a conference attended by then-Republican presidential candidates Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), former Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, during which the pastor made the anti-gay remarks. Yes, Leviticus 20:13 calls for the death penalty for homosexuals, Swanson said during a speech at the event. He said he was willing to go to jail for standing on the truth of the word of God. The pastor added that he didnt think such a policy should be enacted immediately, but rather that gay individuals should have an opportunity to repent. If one of his own children were to marry someone of the same sex, Swanson said he would sit in cow manure at the entrance of the church. The pastor has also said that he believes Christians should be wary of letting their daughters attend college. The university for the most part doesnt understand a biblical vision for womanhood, Swanson said during a 2012 episode of his show. He added that women should focus on being a keeper in the home and a help-meet for her inevitable husband. The pastor most recently made headlines by claiming that Hurricane Harvey was tied Houston having a very, very aggressively pro-homosexual mayor. Moore did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his appearances with Swanson. But the judges spokesperson, Brett Doster, told CNN: Appearing in any interview is never an endorsement of the interviewer. Responding to CNN is a great example. Story continues Moore has expressed his own anti-gay attitudes over the years. In a 2002 child custody case, he called being gay an inherent evil and abhorrent, immoral, detestable, a crime against nature and a violation of the laws of nature and of natures God. After the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across all 50 states in 2016, Moore was suspended as Alabama chief justice for telling judges to deny marriage licenses to gay couples. It was the second time in his tenure atop the Alabama Supreme Court that he was suspended for judicial ethics violations. In his most recent appearance on Swansons show, which aired on Feb. 16, 2017, Moore didnt address his beliefs about LGBTQ orientation or same-sex marriage. But he and Swanson discussed what they feel to be a lack of Bible-based leadership in the U.S. Our problem today is were denying that there is even a God or that he has sovereignty over our country, Moore told Swanson. The pastor later posed the question: What does one do when Gods laws conflict with mans laws? Moore, who has also called Islam a false religion, responded that Gods laws are always superior to mans laws. Also on HuffPost 1. Amazon 2. PBS 3. Netflix 4. YouTube 5. Dawn 6. Target 7. Google 8. Aleve 9. Trader Joe's 10. Toyota Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Yahoo News photo Illustration; photos: Getty, Simon & Schuster Ltd. I took my kids to New York for last Novembers election, so they could experience the hum of a newsroom and help color in Yahoos giant red-and-blue map with chalk. The outcome devastated my 8-year-old daughter. She was excited by the idea of a Hillary Clinton presidency and had never understood why I was less so. On the train back to Washington the next day, as I sat writing my column, I noticed that she had left off with whatever Disney show shed been watching and was staring numbly at the passing scenery. I leaned toward her and said quietly, Youll see a woman president in your lifetime. I promise. She looked up at me totally unsurprised, as if I had read her thoughts. In your lifetime, too? she asked. Its hard for me to relive that exchange, even now. There was so much wrapped up in that question not least her doubts about whether the country could ever be ready for her own limitless ambition, and how long it might take for us to really get there. That same question runs like a treacherous current through Clintons much-anticipated campaign memoir, which I read this week. In general, I detest the entire genre of political memoirs, which are almost always hopelessly banal tracts published for the purpose of getting their nominal authors on TV. I expected nothing less from Clinton, who has written her share of the same. In fact, What Happened is more raw and therapeutic than that. I agree with my colleague Jennifer Senior, who reviewed the book favorably for the New York Times, that this may be as close to the real Hillary as any of us are ever going to get. As others have noted, Clinton blames a lot of other people for her loss. As ever, she is really good at declaratively stating that she takes responsibility for things that go wrong, but she doesnt get what it actually means to take responsibility for things that go wrong. Invariably, at an interval of what feels like every two pages, Clintons momentary mea culpas are followed by a but, and then by an explanation of why someone else the media, the FBI, the Russians, the voters was really at fault. Story continues Perhaps the most consistent lament that runs through all of this, though, aside from Clintons inexhaustible contempt for the president who beat her, has to do with sexism embedded in the electorate and in the media, which Clinton clearly sees as the one towering obstacle she couldnt shove aside. I suspect that for many of us more than we might think it feels somehow off to picture a woman sitting in the Oval Office or the Situation Room, Clinton writes at one point. And in another blunt passage: Again, I wonder what it is about me that mystifies people, when there are so many men in politics who are far less known, scrutinized, interviewed, photographed, and tested. Yet theyre asked so much less frequently to open up, reveal themselves, prove that theyre real. Clinton can and does point to plenty of evidence to suggest that attitudes toward women skewed the election against her. Start with the fact that the winner was a pretty blatant misogynist who incessantly mocked women for their appearances and who was caught on tape boasting about his forcible advances on them. According to data from Pew Research, Trump bested Clinton by 12 points among men, which was among the largest margins in the last 50 years. Among white voters without a college degree, Clinton lost by an astounding 39 points. But its also true that a lot of recent Democratic candidates, all of them men, performed only incrementally better among these groups. And as Clinton herself notes, she also lost among white women, which at least complicates the gender argument. To the extent that Clinton or some of her supporters see sexism as the principal answer here, then I think maybe theyre asking the wrong question. The relevant issue isnt really whether gender matters in politics or in the society generally (it clearly does), but rather whether its the thing that matters most. This is difficult for a guy to write about I understand that. Ill never have the personal experience with sexism that Clinton or other women in politics do. Thats just the peril of trying to understand politics from ones own, limited perspective, which is what Im charged to do. History is instructive, however, when it comes to tracing the arc of systemic prejudices. I wrote about this at some length in 2008, when a lot of commentators were saying that Barack Obama couldnt possibly win over enough working-class white voters to make him president. When Al Smith ran for president in 1928, Catholicism was a defining (and ultimately disqualifying) trait in American politics; he was the Catholic candidate, and he lost. By the time John Kennedy ran three decades later, being Catholic was still a factor, but only a factor. Kennedy was a candidate who happened to be Catholic, and that was a different thing. When Jesse Jackson ran in 1984 and again in 1988, he was widely viewed as the black candidate for president, and his failure was a foregone conclusion. But the door Jackson kicked ajar swung open wider for Obama 20 years later, when race was still an issue, regrettably, but no longer a defining one. The same is true, I think, for being a woman. The congresswomen Shirley Chisholm and Pat Schroeder were considered almost novelties when they ran for president (and, as Clinton notes, Schroeder was treated as a joke when she displayed the temerity to cry publicly). But Clinton entered the 2016 primaries as the establishment candidate and the overwhelming favorite, not just the female one. Gender, while always an added challenge, never defined Clintons candidacy. And on the list of challenges that made Clinton a less than ideal candidate her age, her perceived entitlement, her family history of scandal, her limited skill as a persuader the fact that she was a woman probably hovered somewhere near the bottom. In fact, you could make a reasonable case that, just as race actually helped Obama by giving white voters a chance to feel they were turning the page on an ugly historical chapter, gender probably benefited Clinton to some degree, too. A lot of women who werent so excited by her personally were nonetheless inspired to support her candidacy anyway, because of the change she symbolized. That passion, more than anything else, probably enabled her to hold off Bernie Sanderss ideological insurgency in the primaries. I raise all of this, and the fury I know it will provoke among some readers, not because Clinton isnt entitled to take away her own lessons from the 2016 election, but because I think its critical for Americans and especially girls like my daughter to get those lessons right. And the right lesson, near as I can tell, is that if a woman can run as the overwhelming favorite of a major party, and win the nomination, and then go on to win the popular vote, then being a woman at the highest level in American politics isnt a deal breaker anymore, or even a notable disadvantage. Its just something else to factor in. For Clinton, the totality of those factors was too much to overcome. But if she wasnt the right woman for the moment, she has made it all that less remarkable for another woman to run and win. In my lifetime, too? The answer, I feel sure, is yes. The sole black Republican in the Senate, Tim Scott, tried to explain racism in the U.S. to President Donald Trump Wednesday following the events of Charlottesville, Va. that left a woman dead in the wake of a white nationalist rally last month. Scott, who represents South Carolina, called Trumps response to the violence sterile and sought to lecture the President on Americas centuries-long history of racism, according to the New York Times. White House staff said Trumps decision to take the meeting at the Oval Office was an example of the Presidents commitment to positive race relations, the report said. Following the meeting, Scott told reporters that he sat down with Trump to express his grievances with the Presidents claim that both sides white nationalists and counter-protestors were responsible for the violence. My response was that, while thats true, I mean I think if you look at it from a sterile perspective, there was an antagonist on the other side, Scott said, the Times reported. However, the real picture has nothing to do with who is on the other side, he added. It has to do with the affirmation of hate groups who over three centuries of this countrys history have made it their mission to create upheaval in minority communities as their reason for existence, Scott continued. I shared my thoughts of the last three centuries of challenges from white supremacists, white nationalists, KKK, Nazis. So theres no way to find an equilibrium when you have three centuries of history versus the situation that is occurring today. White House officials emailed reporters a photograph of Trump Wednesday afternoon listening intently to Scotts argument. The White Houses caption misidentified him as Tom Scott, rather than Tim. Madrid (AFP) - The terror cell that carried out deadly attacks in Spain in August had been planning to use 100 kilos of TATP explosive to cause even more carnage, a Catalan daily reported Thursday. This is far higher than any of the known seizures in Europe of the easy-to-make explosive known as the "mother of Satan" and used by jihadists everywhere from Paris and Brussels to the battlefields of Syria and Iraq. According to the Periodico de Catalunya daily, Mohamed Houli Chemlal, the only survivor of an explosion in a house used as a bomb factory by the cell, told a judge investigating the attacks they were making 100 kilos of the explosive. Asked by reporters, Interior Minister Juan Ignacio Zoido refused to confirm the information, as did Spain's National Court, which deals with terror cases. Chemlal told the judge that the blast happened when members of the terror cell were in the final stage of making the explosives, which they wanted to put into 20 bags divided into three vans to wreak havoc near famous landmarks, the daily said. TATP has become the explosive of choice for the Islamic State group, as it can easily be made from ingredients such as acetone and oxygenated water that are easily available in high street stores. Investigators found 15 kilos of the explosive in a flat near Brussels after suicide attacks at the Belgian capital's airport in March 2016. It was also used in attacks in Paris in November 2015 and in Manchester in May. According to the Catalan daily, the first floor of the house in Alcanar used by the terror cell "was completely covered with the substance that was drying." But something went wrong and the house exploded, prompting the surviving members of the cell to carry out their vehicle rampage attacks in Barcelona and the seaside resort of Cambrils on August 17 and 18. The attacks left 16 people dead. Macaus most high-profile political activist has said that this years smear campaign against democrats running for the Legislative Assembly is the worst he has ever seen. Political activist and former AL candidate Jason Chao told the Times yesterday that while helping out as a volunteer for the New Macau Progressives this month, he has witnessed the most oppressive smear campaign against them. Smear campaigns against New Macau [are conducted] in every election, but this time, the extent of the oppression is the worst it has ever been, added Chao, who was president of the association between 2010 and 2014. The oppression, say advocates of democracy, takes the form of online rumors concerning their candidate- lawmakers, as well as a disproportionate tendency for democrats to be targeted by law enforcement authorities. Democrats in Macau have long complained about the unfair treatment of their campaign activities by election and municipal authorities. They claim that authorities are encouraged to go after democrat associations, but have a greater tolerance for the wrongdoings of pan-establishment groups. Former lawmaker Paul Chan, the second candidate on Sulu Sous New Macau Progressives list, was reportedly taken in for questioning by the police this week after an unknown person allegedly put up a campaign flag on a public fence in Fai Chi Kei. He is potentially facing charges of aggravated disobedience on the basis of violating election campaign rules. Earlier this week, the Court of Final Appeal slammed the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau for preventing the New Macau Progressives from holding certain campaign events on the basis of an administrative technicality that judicial authorities quickly ruled irrelevant. While the Commission Against Corruption has announced a probe into vote-buying dinners allegedly linked to prominent pro-establishment lawmakers (more on p3), the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Legislative Assembly Election (CAEAL) said it would not investigate three private schools that sent letters to parents lobbying for a preferred candidate. It is also refusing to look into a personal attack made against democrat lawmaker Pereira Coutinho by pro-establishment lawmaker Song Pek Kei during a televised debate on TDM last week. During the heated exchange, Song accused Coutinho of being unable to handle family affairs after his two sons were arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking, and of failing them as a father. Chao, who at the start of the month appraised the conduct of the CAEAL in its election monitoring duties, said that it gets overly tough during the later stages of the campaign. The degree of law enforcement is reaching the point of violating political and civil rights, including freedom of expression, he warned. New Macau is by far the most radical and outspoken group of the major associations comprising the so-called pan-democrat camp in the MSAR. Unlike in neighboring Hong Kong, the scarcity of democrats in Macau means that only two major political forces can be considered pro-democratic. Centrist candidates that are sympathetic to calls for greater suffrage do not belong to the pan-establishment camp, but it is equally hard to box them in with the democrats. I have doubts about the representation of the pan-democratic camp, Chao said yesterday. He proposed that it was less a case of voters choosing pro-democrats, and more a case of them electing lawmakers who later turn out to be democrats. Voters often remain loyal to the same lawmakers or candidates without considering if they are in favor of greater democratization, he argued. Legislators are elected by people who share a particular background, regardless of whether they happen to be a promoter of democracy of not. As in the previous Legislative Assembly election in 2013, veteran pro-democratic lawmakers Ng Kuok Cheong and Au Kam San are each running on their own list on Sunday, while the younger members of the New Macau clan have entered their own electoral ticket under the name, New Macau Progressives. In 2013, both Au and Ng retained their seats with a large margin, while former New Macau presidents Jason Chao and Scott Chiang fell considerably short of securing even one seat. Meanwhile, a matter of 32 votes enabled Coutinhos New Hope to pick up a second seat in the legislature at the expense of Angela Leongs New Union for Macaus Development. Chao wont share election prediction During an interview with the Times yesterday, political activist Jason Chao expressed a reluctance to share his prediction for Sundays election. It is not safe to share my prediction [for the election results], because it is not allowed, under the electoral rules, to conduct or share a survey, he said, and I am not sure whether this would be interpreted [by electoral authorities] as violating those rules. [] As always, I recommend considering past words and actions of all candidates before voters cast their ballots. Two weeks ago, Chao launched a new website to serve as a database for social media posts made by electoral candidates so that the public can evaluate candidates records before casing their ballots. This will help local citizens to know [whether] their words [match] their actions, he told the Times earlier this month. The Hand in Hand telethon for hurricane relief on Monday night raised more than $44 million in total to benefit the victims of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma. The star-studded benefit raised more than $14.5 million during the hour-long televised event. And it drew in more than $44 million in total, according to ABC News. The telethons participants included Beyonce, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Barbara Streisand and Oprah Winfrey, featuring performances by Stevie Wonder and George Strait, among others. Natural disasters dont discriminate. They dont see if youre an immigrant, black or white, Hispanic or Asian, Jewish or Muslim, wealthy or poor, Beyonce said in a fundraising video. Were all in this together. Proceeds for the telethon will benefit a range of organizations, including the Rebuild Texas fund, Habitat for Humanity, Save the Children, United Way and Direct Relief. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has defended asking to use a government plane for his honeymoon travel this summer, claiming his request was purely a national security issue. As ABC News reported Wednesday, the former Goldman Sachs banker requested the use of a U.S. Air Force jet during his honeymoon travel in France, Italy and Scotland. (Mnuchin married the Scottish actress Louise Linton in June.) According to the report, using such an aircraft could have cost taxpayers as much as $25,000 per hour. In an interview with Politico Live on Thursday, Mnuchin said his staff made the request so he could have access to secure communication throughout his trip. This had nothing to do with convenience, he said. This was purely a national security issue. Mnuchin said that due to spending over 50 percent of his time working on national security, he needed a secure communication facility to continue to conduct business while on his honeymoon. I speak to, almost on a daily basis, either the president, the secretary of state, the national security adviser, [Defense Secretary] General [James] Mattis, he said. We are dealing with, as you know, some of the most complicated issues right now, whether it be North Korea, Iran, Venezuela or anywhere else. At the time my staff wanted to make sure I constantly had access to secure communication and secure information, he continued. This was one of the things we explored, so they put in a request to consider the use of an aircraft not so much just for flying, but effectively it was a portable office so that I could be available. A Treasury spokesperson gave a similar explanation on Wednesday. Mnuchin said his staff withdrew the request after finding another way to give him access to secure communication channels. Im very sensitive to the use of government funds, he said. Mnuchin also claimed the ABC News story about his request was quite misreported, but did not specifically dispute any of the details in the report. Story continues Asked on controversy over requesting a government plane for his honeymoon, @stevenmnuchin1 says it was national security issue #PROSUMMIT pic.twitter.com/1YQpz6kYms POLITICO Live (@POLITICOLive) September 14, 2017 Its unusual for Treasury secretaries to travel on official government planes, due to the high cost of doing so. Such travel is typically reserved for Cabinet members more directly involved in national security matters, such as the defense secretary. Mnuchins request is now under review by the Treasurys Office of the Inspector General, which already investigating Mnuchins trip to Louisville and Fort Knox, Kentucky, last month. During that trip, Mnuchin and Linton flew on an Air Force jet and viewed the solar eclipse. That trip also sparked controversy, particularly after Linton posted an Instagram showing the couple descending the jets staircase and included the names of the high-end designers she was wearing at the time. She also attacked an Instagram user, Jenni Miller of Portland, Oregon, whod commented on the post criticizing the couple for taking the trip on taxpayer funds. (A Treasury official later clarified that the couple had reimbursed the government for Lintons transportation expenses.) Did you think this was a personal trip?! Adorable! Linton commented on the now-deleted post. Do you think the US govt paid for our honeymoon or personal travel?! Lololol. Linton later apologized for her response, calling her own post indefensible. Its clear that I was the one who was truly out of touch and my response was reactionary and condescending, she said. CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly listed the cost estimate to operate a U.S. Air Force jet as $25,000 per day; that is an estimated hourly cost. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. By Ahmed Rasheed and Aref Mohammed BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Three suicide attacks claimed by Islamic State killed at least 60 people in southern Iraq on Thursday, a health official and police sources said, suggesting a shift in the ultra-hardline group's tactics since it lost control of its stronghold in Mosul. Iraqi and Kurdish security officials say the Sunni militants are likely to wage a guerrilla war in Iraq after their self-proclaimed caliphate in Mosul collapsed. Islamic State is also under siege in the Syrian city of Raqqa, its operational base for attacks in the Middle East and the West. Security officials described Thursday's attacks as an attempt to send a message to Islamic State followers that the group is still strong and can operate in other parts of Iraq following its territorial losses. "After losing the war in Iraq and the shrinking of its power, Daesh returned back to its old style of an insurgency, by carrying out suicide attacks, which is a clear sign that the terrorist group is retreating," said police intelligence colonel Murtatha al-Yassiri. IS activity is usually concentrated in western and northern Iraq. Bomb attacks in the mostly Shi'ite south, where the bulk of the country's oil is produced and security forces hold a tighter grip, have so far been relatively rare. Like its predecessor in Iraq, al Qaeda, Islamic State seeks to create sectarian tensions as a way to destabilize the OPEC oil producer. "We expect more alike terrorist operations in future. Daesh is trying to desperately pretend among followers that it's still strong," al-Yassiri said. Daesh is an Arabic acronym for Islamic State, which is also known as ISIS. Wearing security force uniforms and driving stolen army vehicles, the attackers targeted a police checkpoint and two restaurants on a highway near the city of Nassiriya, using car bombs and suicide vests, the sources said. At least 100 people were injured, the police said in a statement. Islamic State claimed responsibility in a statement on its Amaq news agency. The group said it had killed "dozens of Shi'ites". The head of Nassiriya's health directorate, Jassim al-Khalidi, said the city's hospital had received 50 bodies and the death toll could rise because some of the wounded were in critical condition. Hospital sources said at least 10 Iranian pilgrims, who were visiting holy Shi'ite shrines, were among the dead. The deadliest attack was at a restaurant west of Nassiriya. "One attacker blew up his suicide vest inside the crowded restaurant while a group of other gunmen started to throw grenades and fire at diners," said police colonel Ali Abdul Hussain. Police sources said some police officers had died in the checkpoint attack, but the toll from that incident remained unclear. Security sources said forces were placed on alert in most of the southern provinces, including the oil city of Basra, in case of similar attacks. (Reporting by Aref Mohammed and Ahmed Rasheed; Editing by Michael Georgy and Hugh Lawson) Parents gather at Freeman High School where a suspect has been arrested after shooting a student dead - KHQ via AP A shooter opened fire at a high school in Washington state Wednesday, killing one person and injuring at least three others, authorities said. Brian Schaeffer of the Spokane Fire Department told reporters that one person died at Freeman High School in the tiny town of Rockford, south of Spokane, and three injured victims were taken to a hospital. Providence Sacred Heart Medical Centre and Children's Hospital received three paediatric patients, spokeswoman Nicole Stewart said. They were in stable condition, and family members were with them, she said. Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said at the scene that the shooter was in custody, The Spokesman-Review newspaper reported. Heartbreaking headlines out of Spokane county. My thoughts are w/ students, teachers, parents, 1st responders & the entire community. -PM Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) September 13, 2017 Worried parents rushed to the school in the town of about 500 people near the Idaho border. The two-lane road into town was clogged as people sped to the school. Cheryl Moser said her son, a freshman at Freeman High School, called her from a classroom after hearing shots fired. "He called me and said, 'Mom there are gunshots.' He sounded so scared. I've never heard him like that," Mrs Moser told the newspaper. "You never think about something happening like this at a small school." Ambulances and a medical helicopter were sent to the school. Prayers for the 6 people shot at Freeman High School in Spokane, Washington! God bless the First Responders! pic.twitter.com/jjT6AXTdlg Brunell Donald-Kyei, (@brunelldonald) September 13, 2017 Stephanie Lutje said that she was relieved to hear her son was safe after his high school near Freeman was put on lockdown. She commended the school district for its communication with parents. Story continues "It's been amazing, within probably 15-20 minutes of hearing about it, I'd already received a phone call, I'd already received a text message saying that their school is OK," she said. She still worried for others she knew, including a co-worker who had yet to hear from her son, a sophomore at Freeman. "My stomach's in knots right now," she said. Jay Inslee, state governor, said in a statement that "all Washingtonians are thinking of the victims and their families, and are grateful for the service of school staff and first responders working to keep our students safe." Berlin (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel is the clear frontrunner in general elections 10 days away, but a sleepy campaign is now heating up as other parties jostle to rule with her. The battle over the make-up of Merkel's fourth government would potentially impact Berlin policy on everything from immigration and Russia relations to climate. "The coalition building process will be more exciting than the vote itself because there are many possible coalitions," political analyst Oskar Niedermayer said, adding that this "will pose difficulties". Merkel's conservative CDU/CSU bloc holds a double-digit poll lead, but it is short of an absolute majority that would allow it to rule alone. Now all eyes are on the smaller parties. Would Germany keep its right-left "grand coalition" of the past four years -- where the junior partner is the centre-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) of Merkel challenger Martin Schulz? Or could the chancellor team up with just one small party -- either the liberal and pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), who plan a comeback after dismal results in 2013, or the left-leaning and ecologist Greens? Or would she need both the FDP and Greens for what in Germany's colour-coded politics is called a "Jamaica coalition", grouping the Caribbean country's national colours black (CDU), yellow (FDP) and, well, Green. Timo Lochocki of the German Marshall Fund think-tank said it is unclear whether Merkel will need just one or two smaller parties to govern. "Because the statistical error in the opinion polls is between 2.5 and 3 percent, Merkel's CDU could theoretically still get 41 percent and with that, it would only need one small party," he told AFP. As small parties are poised to make a big difference, undecided voters could drastically change the picture, Lochocki said, meaning the election "is way more volatile than it seems currently". Story continues - 'Grosse Koalition' - A new grand coalition -- known in German by the uncharming shortform GroKo for "Grosse Koalition" -- would guarantee Merkel stability because of a crushing parliamentary majority. But the SPD is lukewarm about staying on as Merkel's sidekick, a role that has damaged its voter appeal. While both sides have been aligned on major policies, the SPD has seen support plunge as it has been unable to shine in "Mutti's" shadow. Fears are also growing that the cosy centrist partnership, by depriving Germany of a real opposition, is driving disgruntled voters to the fringes. For the first time, the right-wing populist and nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) is poised to clinch seats in the election, on the back of an Islamophobic and anti-migrant campaign. The AfD is expected to be a pariah party in the Bundestag -- all mainstream parties already shun the group -- but some observers fear this will only help the party which sees itself as an anti-establishment force. "If Merkel forms a new alliance with the SPD, there's a threat that over the next four years, the right will grow where the AfD is already proliferating wildly," warned news weekly Die Zeit. - 'No-one with no-one' - Most Germans now are lukewarm about another GroKo, with only 16.1 percent hoping for such a big-party lineup, a survey commissioned by Bild daily showed. The most popular duo seems to be of the CDU/CSU and FDP, with the survey showing 18.4 percent in favour. But current polls suggest that they would fall short of, or only narrowly reach, a majority -- which means such a coalition risks instability. The FDP is traditionally a natural fit for the conservative CDU, and its young and photogenic leader Christian Lindner won praise from Merkel's Bavarian allies CSU over his call for an "overhaul" of migration policy. But the party may not benefit from an alliance as "it's going to be most tricky to tell their voters they are starting out as an anti-establishment party but then they join the government," said Lochocki. If, on the other hand, the Greens are needed for a "Jamaica" coalition, Germany could expect a quarrelsome government as the three parties have different visions on issues from eurozone integration to migration. The FDP's tough migration policy and criticism of clean-power wind farms, for example, are jarring to the Greens. The environmentalist party in turn would make uncomfortable bedfellows for the conservative CSU, protectors of Germany's scandal-tainted automobile sector. "No-one with no-one, that seems to be the motto," said the Spiegel weekly. It added, however, that the parties' statements now are mostly tactical as campaign-mode politicians try to "drive up the price for their participation in any government". The U.S. Air Force has deployed an aircraft unit to Texas tackle swarms of mosquitos that have proliferated in coastal regions after Hurricane Harvey caused severe flooding. Reuters reports that U.S. Air Force C-130 cargo planes had sprayed insecticides over an area amounting to about 1.85 million acres across three eastern Texas counties. Insecticide spraying trucks have also been dispatched nightly in afflicted areas of Harris County which encompasses Houston since Sept. 4. According to Reuters, the Air Force program will be extended further across Texas to lower the risk of waterborne diseases such as the West Nile and Zika viruses, which can be transmitted through mosquito bites. C-130s were similarly used to control mosquito populations the wake of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Gustav. Although few of the post-flood mosquitos are the disease-carrying variety, swarms of them can still inhibit relief efforts, local health officials say. Residents in affected areas have reportedly been advised to throw away standing water, use repellent, and cover exposed skin. Read more: What It Was Like to Live Through Hurricane Irma Besides aerial spray missions in Texas, Reserve Citizen Airmen are also involved in separate weather reconnaissance and airborne firefighting missions in storm-affected areas. For the first time in the nearly 70-year history of the Air Force Reserve, all three special mission units have been called to action simultaneously due to a series of catastrophic events that have affected wide swaths of the U.S., Air Force Captain Jeff Kelly said in an press statement. Hurricane Harvey dumped record breaking amounts on rain on the continental U.S., killed 70 people and caused up to $180 billion worth of damage to over 200,000 homes when it barreled into the Texas coast last month By Devika Krishna Kumar HOUSTON (Reuters) - Texas has launched aerial attacks on mosquitoes swarming coastal regions of the state and threatening to spread disease and hinder disaster recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. U.S. Air Force C-130 cargo planes began spraying insecticides over three eastern Texas counties over the weekend and will expand to other areas over the next two weeks, officials from the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) said. About 1.85 million acres have been treated as of Tuesday, according to the department. Officials hope the spraying can avoid outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases. Texas reported 441 human cases of West Nile virus and 21 deaths since the start of 2016, according to figures released on Tuesday. It reported 342 cases of Zika virus during the same period, including one likely spread by a mosquito bite this year. Most mosquitoes that appear after floods are not the disease-carrying varieties but can hurt recovery operations by swarming residents and disaster workers during cleanup efforts, said DSHS spokesman Chris Van Deusen. Harris County, the state's most populous county and home to Houston, is expected to begin night-time spraying soon, said Dr. Mustapha Debboun, director of the Mosquito and Vector Control division of Harris County Public Health. "Under the circumstances, when you have a hurricane of a magnitude like this, we would like them to spray the whole county ... everyone was affected," Debboun said. Harris County identified areas with dense mosquito groupings and dispatched fogging trucks every night since Sept. 4. Typically, trucks are sent only to areas with disease-carrying mosquito populations, he said. Harvey plowed into Houston last month, killing at least 70 people and causing about $180 billion in damages, largely through flooding. Trillions of gallons of water fell on the region and led to a surge in mosquitoes, prompting officials to seek U.S. Air Force help. The C-130 cargo planes operating from an air force base in San Antonio joined two smaller aircraft that sprayed in south Texas last week. The big planes also were used to help control mosquitoes after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Gustav. In Jefferson County on the eastern Texas coast, aerial spraying began Sunday and could end Tuesday, the county's mosquito control division director told Reuters. Residents were alerted to the flights and beekeepers were asked to cover hives, he said. State officials urged residents to dispose of standing water, use repellant and wear long-sleeved clothing outdoors. (Reporting by Devika Krishna Kumar in Houston; Editing by Dan Grebler) GOODLAND, Fla. - As Florida begins to recover from the impact of Hurricane Irma, residents of some small communities want the public to know that its not only large cities like Miami or Tampa that were hit hard by the storm. Were less than a dot on the map, Kelly Kirk told HuffPost. Kirk and her parents are the owners of Kirk Fish Company, a retail and wholesale seafood company in Goodland, which has about 400 year-round residents. So its easy to look at big cities that are highly populated and see that, and its not as easy to see us down here, she added. Fallen trees in Goodland, Florida, after Hurricane Irma. (Photo: David Lohr/HuffPost) Goodland lies on the southeastern corner of Marco Island, which is located in the Gulf off the coast of Southwest Florida. Its a small community that has traditionally been a fishing village, and now also has a significant population of retirees. Irma hit the community on Sunday, causing extensive damage. As of Wednesday, there was no electricity and cellphone service was spotty. Residents were told it could take up to two weeks to restore power. Officials were attempting to get the towns water back up and running. Hurricane Irma left a path of destruction in Goodland, Florida. (Photo: David Lohr/HuffPost) Powerlines stretched across the streets, trees on top of houses and cars. Many of the streets were still covered in mud, a remnant of the flooding from Irma. Some residents had up to 4 feet of water in their homes. Many houses had damaged roofs and broken windows Kirk said that her familys fleet of fishing boat survived the storm, but the damage to the business was extensive. A damaged shed used by Kirk Fish Company. (Photo: David Lohr/HuffPost) Everything inside our building was flooded, she said. All of our compressors, all four display cases, our cooker that we cook the stone crabs with. An antenna that the business had used to communicate with fishermen at sea was in a big pile of rubble out front. Resident Jay McMillen was one of the few who opted to stay in town and ride out the storm citing a need to take care of not only his physical property, but also his dogs and a fish tank. McMillen said Irma was probably the 10th or 11th hurricane hes been through, Story continues I sort of knew what to prepare for, he said. Everything but the storm surge ... I didnt realize how massive and how pretty intense [it would be.] Those preparations included stocking up on gas and having a generator ready. Im pretty sure Im the only house with air conditioning on Goodland right now, he added. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. Fallen trees and debris in Goodland, Florida. (Photo: David Lohr/HuffPost) Another resident, Renee Nadolink, evacuated for the storm and came back to find her home severely damaged. Every tree in Goodland seems to be in my yard and overturned, she said. I just really wish we could get power back and get back to normal. Renee Nadolink's home post-Irma. (Photo: David Lohr/HuffPost) Getting air conditioning back on quick is crucial to prevent even more problems inside waterlogged homes, she said. Its hot, we need power, she said. Everythings going to mildew. In the meantime, the local community is pulling together to help each other get through the aftermath. Denis and Lisa Meurgue, who own the Bistro Soleil restaurant in the city of Marco Island, met up with Naples Glass and Aluminum owner Kevin Flynn to distribute food from the restaurant to anyone who needed it. Denis Meurgue estimated they, and other volunteers, had served between 200 and 250 people. Volunteers help serve food in Goodland, Florida. (Photo: David Lohr/HuffPost) Kirk also said that local resources have been helpful and that many customers of her familys business have been checking up on them. [Theres an] outpouring of people coming in, she said. Our friends are all here helping us, our local community is here helping us. Everyones doing their best and were all kind of picking up together and putting it all back in pieces. And thats all we can do. An encouraging makeshift sign in Goodland encourages those trying to recover from the storm. (Photo: David Lohr/HuffPost) Also on HuffPost This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Ankara (AFP) - A Turkish court on Thursday ordered two teachers who have been on hunger strike for six months to protest their sacking in a mass purge to stay in jail, despite growing alarm among supporters over their health. The case of Nuriye Gulmen and Semih Ozakca, who have been jailed since May, has become a rallying cause for critics of the crackdown that followed a failed coup in July 2016 that sought to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Neither Gulmen, an academic, nor Ozakca, a former primary school teacher, were present as their trial on "terror" charges got under way in Ankara. The defence said the authorities had cited health and security grounds for not bringing them to court, AFP correspondents said. The pair were arrested in May on charges of belonging to the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), an outlawed group that has carried out sporadic attacks in recent years and has a fiercely anti-Western agenda. Their lawyers urged the court to release them but the judge ruled they would remain in custody, a lawyer from the defence team told AFP. The trial was adjourned to September 28, with the next hearing to take place in Sincan near Ankara where the pair are being held, defence lawyer Omer Faruk Eminagaoglu told AFP. Earlier, chaotic scenes unfolded outside the courtroom as dozens battled to find space in the cramped hall, with police using riot shields and batons to restore order. Before the trial started, lawmakers from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) gathered outside the courthouse to make statements in support of the pair, backed by dozens of supporters. "We will destroy this oppressive regime. Without democracy and freedom, nothing will be possible in this country," vowed CHP lawmaker Mahmut Tanal. Police intervened to stop them, later using tear gas to roughly disperse supporters shouting: "Nuriye and Semih are not alone!" Story continues Two dozens protesters were arrested and an AFP correspondent saw police dragging several of them away, their shirts ripped. - 'Terror propaganda' - Gulmen and Ozakca are just two of more than 140,000 public sector employees who have been suspended or sacked under the state of emergency imposed after last year's attempted putsch. After their dismissal in late 2016, they protested daily in central Ankara then began a hunger strike on March 9. They were arrested two months later and charged with belonging to "an armed terrorist organisation" and "making the propaganda" for it, the indictment shows. Gulmen and Ozakca vehemently deny the charges, with supporters saying they were targeted because of their protest and hunger strike. But the government insists they have a history of militant behaviour, accusing them of attending "unlawful" gatherings and demonstrations, and creating "terrorist" propaganda. And just two days before the trial, at least 15 lawyers from the Office of People's Rights (HHB), which is representing the pair, were detained on "terror" charges, creating further tensions. Around 150 lawyers turned up on Thursday to show their support, but the courtroom was so full that many were unable to enter. - 'Not well' - The pair are only consuming salted or sugared water, herbal teas and vitamin B1, and family members and supporters have expressed concerns over their health. Beyza Gulmen, Nuriye's sister, told Hurriyet daily her sister was "not well". "Her legs, neck and shoulders hurt. She has heart rhythm issues. She cannot walk now. She is sensitive to light," the sister added, quoted on Wednesday. Ozakca's mother Sultan Ozakca said her son had difficulties walking -- experiencing similar issues as Gulmen -- but also had a "slow pulse" and "intense stomach pain". "They try to make us believe they take care of Nuriye and Semih in jail. "But actually they are afraid we would see them as they really are," supporter Yasemin Barlas said outside the court. After the failed coup, authorities sacked prosecutors, civil servants, judges and academics, accusing them of links to Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen whom Ankara claims ordered the putsch -- something he vehemently denies. But critics say the crackdown has gone well beyond the alleged plotters to include anyone who dares oppose Erdogan. By Liana B. Baker (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump blocked a Chinese-backed private equity firm from buying a U.S.-based chipmaker on Wednesday, sending a clear signal to Beijing that Washington will oppose takeover deals that involve technologies with potential military applications. Canyon Bridge Capital Partners' planned $1.3 billion acquisition of Lattice Semiconductor Corp was one of the largest attempted by a Chinese-backed firm in the U.S. microchip sector and was the first announced deal for the buyout fund, which launched last year with a focus on technology investment. U.S. regulatory scrutiny grew after Reuters reported in November that Canyon Bridge was funded partly by capital from China's central government and had indirect links to its space program. U.S. defense officials subsequently raised concerns about the Lattice acquisition by a firm backed by the Chinese government. Portland, Oregon-based Lattice makes chips known as field-programmable gate arrays, which allow companies to put their own software on silicon chips for different uses. It said it no longer sells chips to the U.S. military, unlike its two biggest rivals, Xilinx Inc and Intel Corp's Altera. Trump said in an executive order that Lattice and Canyon Bridge "shall take all steps necessary to fully and permanently abandon the proposed transaction" within 30 days. Trump's decision chimes with the views of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which scrutinizes deals for potential national security threats. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement following the decision that "CFIUS and the president assess that the transaction poses a risk to the national security of the United States that cannot be resolved through mitigation." Mnuchin added that the national security risk was related to the transfer of intellectual property, the Chinese government's role in supporting the deal, the importance of semiconductor supply chain integrity to the U.S. government and the U.S. government's use of Lattice products. China expressed concern about the decision. "We believe conducting security examinations of investments in sensitive sectors is a country's legitimate right, but it should not become a tool for advancing protectionism," Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesman Gao Feng told a press briefing on Thursday. Gao said he hoped the United States could view Chinese firms' acquisitions objectively and provide fair treatment to what was their "normal commercial behavior". Lattice and Canyon Bridge said in a joint statement late on Wednesday they had terminated the proposed deal. Lattice also said it is committed to achieving profitable growth. Canyon Bridge had said in an earlier statement that it was disappointed in the decision, and called the proposed transaction "an excellent deal for Lattice's shareholders and its employees." SENSITIVE MOMENT The announcement comes at a sensitive time for U.S.-China relations, which are already strained over trade issues and North Korea. The Chinese Communist Party is also preparing to hold its once-every-five-years Congress in October. Trumps decision ends a prolonged campaign by Canyon Bridge and Lattice to seal the deal. Canyon Bridge and Lattice had spent more than eight months trying in vain to persuade CFIUS to clear the acquisition. Both companies had said the deal did not pose any security risks and Canyon Bridge told CFIUS it would double the number of Lattice's employees in a bid to make the deal more palatable, according to people familiar with the matter who declined to be identified because details of the regulatory process are confidential. The companies' decision to appeal directly to Trump was a last-ditch gamble. It was the first such deal to hit Trump's desk and only the fourth time in three decades that an acquisition was put in front of a president after CFIUS recommended against it. Trump has hewed to the presidential tradition of following the advice of national security officials on deals. The U.S. refusal potentially hurts Canyon Bridge's ability to acquire other Western semiconductor companies. Most of its acquisition targets have U.S. operations, making them subject to a CFIUS review. Palo Alto, California-based Canyon Bridge has been working on a bid for British semiconductor company Imagination Technology Group, sources have previously said. If Canyon Bridge clinches that deal, it would also be subject to CFIUS review since Imagination Technologies acquired U.S. chip designer MIPS in 2013. While Canyon Bridge could choose to divest MIPS, which accounts for a small fraction of Imagination Technologies' business, there is no certainty that would be enough to resolve all CFIUS issues, according to the sources. Imagination Technologies declined to comment. Investors have been skeptical the Lattice deal would get passed since it was announced last November. Lattice shares have been trading below the deal's $8.30 offer price and were down 1.6 percent in after-hours trading on Wednesday. Chinese deals awaiting approval include Ant Financial's $1.2 billion purchase of U.S. money transfer company MoneyGram International Inc and China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co Ltd's $2.7 billion acquisition of U.S. insurer Genworth Financial Inc. Unic Capital Management's $580 million acquisition of U.S. semiconductor testing company Xcerra Corp is also awaiting approval, while HNA needs to get CFIUS clearance to buy hedge fund SkyBridge Capital LLC from Anthony Scaramucci, the Trump administration's former communications director. HNA, the Chinese airline-to-financials group, also needs CFIUS approval for its purchase of a 25 percent stake in Old Mutual's U.S. fund management arm. A person close to HNA said the two deals are "on track". Ant Financial, which resubmitted the deal for U.S. review in mid-July, is still actively engaged with CFIUS, a person familiar with the matter said. "We are not commenting on the CFIUS process, but we are continuing to work with the various regulatory agencies and remain focused on closing the transaction by the end of the year," Ant Financial said in a statement. HNA did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. (Reporting by Liana B. Baker in New York, Additional reporting by Diane Bartz in Washington, Elias Glenn in Beijing and Kane Wu in Hong Kong; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Stephen Coates) With Myanmar drawing condemnation for violence that has driven at least 370,000 Rohingya to flee the country, the government said yesterday its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, will skip this months U.N. General Assembly. Suu Kyi will miss the assembly, which opened yesterday [Macau time] and runs through Sept. 25, in order to address domestic security issues, according to presidential office spokesman Zaw Htay. Her appearance at last years General Assembly was a landmark: her first since her party won elections in 2015 and replaced a military-dominated government. Even then, however, she faced criticism over Myanmars treatment of Rohingya Muslims, whose name she did not utter. Members of the ethnic group are commonly referred to as Bengalis by many in Buddhist-majority Myanmar who insist they migrated illegally from Bangladesh. Suu Kyi is not Myanmars president her official titles are state counselor and foreign minister but she effectively serves as leader of the Southeast Asian nation. Zaw Htay said that, with President Htin Kyaw hospitalized, second Vice President Henry Van Tio would attend the U.N. meeting. The first reason [Suu Kyi cannot attend] is because of the Rakhine terrorist attacks, Zaw Htay said. The state counselor is focusing to calm the situation in Rakhine state. There are circumstances. The second reason is, there are people inciting riots in some areas. We are trying to take care of the security issue in many other places. The third is that we are hearing that there will be terrorist attacks and we are trying to address this issue. The crisis erupted on Aug. 25, when an insurgent Rohingya group attacked police outposts in Myanmars Rakhine state. That prompted Myanmars military to launch clearance operations against the rebels, setting off a wave of violence that has left hundreds dead and thousands of homes burned mostly Rohingya in both cases. Zaw Htay said of 471 Bengali villages in three townships, 176 are now completely empty and at least 34 others are partially abandoned. He said there had been at least 86 clashes through Sept. 5, but none since then. What that means is, when the security forces are trying to stabilize the region, they have succeeded to a point, he said. The government blames Rohingya for the violence, but journalists who visited the region found evidence that raises doubts about its claims that Rohingya set fire to their own homes. Many of the Rohingya who flooded into refugee camps in Bangladesh told of Myanmar soldiers shooting indiscriminately, burning their homes and warning them to leave or die. Others said they were attacked by Buddhist mobs. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who lived under house arrest for many years under a military junta that ultimately gave way to an elected government, has faced a torrent of international criticism and pressure since the crisis erupted. Hundreds of people marched in Indias capital yesterday demanding an end to violence against Rohingya in Myanmar. Police stopped the group some distance from Myanmars embassy. The protesters criticized Suu Kyi, asking whether she had received the Nobel Prize for promoting peace or for persecuting Rohingya. Bangladesh has been overwhelmed with the massive influx of Rohingya, many of whom arrived hungry and traumatized after walking for days through jungles or being packed into rickety wooden boats. Thousands lined up yesterday outside a makeshift relief center in Coxs Bazar district that was distributing rice, sugar and other relief materials. Mamunur Rashid of the International Organization for Migration said the supplies would be enough to help about 5,000 of the roughly 370,000 Rohingya who have arrived in Bangladesh in recent weeks. Before Aug. 25, Bangladesh had already been housing some 500,000 Rohingya refugees who fled earlier flashes of violence including anti-Muslim riots in 2012. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has pledged to help the new arrivals, but demanded that Myanmar take their nationals back. Many of the new arrivals were staying in schools, or were huddling under tarps in makeshift settlements along roads and in open fields. Basic resources were scarce, including food, clean water and medical aid. Julhas Alam, Coxs Bazar, AP Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump on Wednesday blocked attempts by a Chinese state-owned firm to acquire an American semiconductor manufacturer on national security concerns, drawing a rebuke from Beijing. The acquisition of Lattice Semiconductor Corporation, a publicly-traded Oregon company, by Chinese-owned Canyon Bridge Fund could endanger the US government's use of sensitive products the company produces, the Treasury Department said in a statement. The Trump administration has adopted an aggressive stance towards China on trade and national security matters, launching wide-ranging investigations into the national security ramifications of Beijing's trade in aluminum and steel. Trump has the authority to block foreign investments he deems national security threats through the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States, an interagency committee. In the case of Lattice, CFIUS and the president decided "the transaction poses a risk to the national security of the United States that cannot be resolved through mitigation," the Treasury said in a statement. The decision prohibited Canyon Bridge, its partner Yitai Capital and Yitai's parent, the China Venture Capital Fund Corp (CVCF), from purchasing the US firm, which serves the consumer, communications and industrial markets. The Treasury said the deal posed a national security risk due to Beijing's support for the transaction, the potential transfer of intellectual property to the foreign investors, and the importance of the semiconductor supply to the US government, including Lattice's products. China's Ministry of Commerce expressed "concern" over the decision Thursday. Spokesman Gao Feng told reporters at a regular press briefing that while each country has a right to probe investments in "sensitive fields", the power should not be used as "an instrument for implementing protectionism." China "hopes relevant countries can treat Chinese companies' overseas acquisitions objectively and impartially, give fair treatment to such normal business practices, and create a reasonable and transparent business environment to avoid impacting investors' confidence," he said, according to a transcript of the remarks on the ministry's website. Story continues Lattice manufactures programmable logic devices, which are semiconductors that can be programmed to provide functions similar to chips, the statement said. Trump personally intervened in the process after the companies appealed to him directly to overrule the CFIUS ruling, according to The Wall Street Journal. Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, had also intervened to prevent a similar deal involving semiconductors on security concerns last year. Chinese government-backed Grand Chip Investment scrapped plans to buy German semiconductor equipment maker Aixtron in December after Washington rejected the inclusion of Aixtron's US unit over fears it could put sensitive technology with potential military applications in Chinese hands. "It is important to note that the US government has been particularly concerned with foreign investment, particularly Chinese investment, into the US semiconductor industry for years," said Lawrence Ward, a partner at the international law firm Dorsey & Whitney in global business focusing on US national security law. "It is likely premature to think that the Trump administration is taking a hawkish approach to Chinese investment across all industry sectors but, of course, only time will tell," Ward said. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media before boarding Marine One: AP After hours of denial from the White House, President Donald Trump confirmed he is working on a plan with Democrats to protect young immigrants without guaranteeing money for his border wall. Departing for Florida to coordinate hurricane recovery efforts, the President stopped to brief reporters on the news of the day. Over the roar of helicopter engines, Mr Trump said he is working on a plan to save Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and implement massive border controls. Funding for the wall, he said, will come later. Rumours of such a plan had swirled since the night before, when top congressional Democrats claimed they had reached an agreement with Mr Trump on DACA an Obama-era policy that protects some childhood immigrants brought illegally to the United States. The deal, Democrats said, would enshrine protections of DACA into law. It would not contain funding for the border wall. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders quickly pushed back, tweeting: While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to. But Mr Trump's latest statement, in which he also promised "massive border security," indicated that funding for the border wall was indeed off the table for the moment. Mr Trump described the parameters of an agreement on the fate of the roughly 800,000 so-called Dreamers - those protected under DACA to learn, work and lieve in the US without fear of deportation - reached in his White House meeting on Wednesday evening with top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer and top House of Representatives Democrat Nancy Pelosi. We have to have an understanding that, whether it's in the budget or some other vehicle, in a very short period of time the wall will be funded. Otherwise, we're not doing anything, Mr Trump said after landing in Florida to survey hurricane damage. Mr Schumer and Ms Pelosi reiterated their opposition to the wall, and Democrats in the past have promised to block funding for it. Story continues Mr Trump said that we're not looking at citizenship for the Dreamers, a comment that differed with how Ms Pelosi and Mr Schumer described their understanding with the president. They told reporters Mr Trump had embraced the provisions of a bipartisan proposal called the Dream Act that would grant permanent legal resident status to Dreamers who qualify, allowing them to attend college, work and serve in the US military without fear of deportation. It also would provide a pathway to U.S. citizenship after at least eight years. Before Mr Trump made his comment on citizenship, a White House spokeswoman, Lindsay Walters, told reporters travelling with him to Florida that the administration would discuss a responsible path forward that could include legal citizenship over a period of time. Working with Democrats to preserve DACA especially without significant progress on the border wall could be politically disastrous for Mr Trump. While most Americans support some form of protections for Dreamers, the idea is highly unpopular with Mr Trumps nationalist base. One White House aide told Politico that if Mr Trump floundered on border security, conservatives would revolt. A headline on Breitbart, home to Mr Trumps former adviser, Steve Bannon, read: Dems Declare Victory as Trump Caves on DACA. After the Associated Press broke the news of the deal last night, Republican Representative Steve King blasted the President on Twitter. If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair, he wrote. @RealDonaldTrump If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible. https://t.co/uJjxk6uX5g Steve King (@SteveKingIA) September 14, 2017 Republican leadership, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Pail Ryan, both of whom have had a tense relationship with Mr Trump, also made comments that suggested they might not be on board, as the president said. There is no agreement, Ryan told reporters about DACA. I think the president understands that he's got to work the congressional majority, he told reporters, referring to Republicans, adding that we have not begun negotiations, although he expected a compromise to be reached. As Congress debates the best ways to address illegal immigration through strong border security and interior enforcement, DACA should be part of those discussions. We look forward to receiving the Trump administration's legislative proposal as we continue our work on these issues, Mr McConnell said in a statement. But working with Democrats Mr Schumer and Ms Pelosi has become something of a trend for Mr Trump. Last week, he agreed to a Democratic debt ceiling deal that astounded his fellow Republicans with its leniency. After he announced the repeal of DACA earlier this month, Ms Pelosi reportedly convinced him to tweet that the Dreamers had nothing to worry about. On Thursday morning, following a late-night dinner meeting with Ms Pelosi and Mr Schumer, the President tweeted out uncharacteristic sympathy for DACA recipients. Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Mr Trump wrote. Really! They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age. But when his helicopters landed in Florida, Mr Trump made sure to clarify that building the wall is still very important to his agenda even if it isn't included in this particular deal. "Very important is the wall," he said, according to pool reports. "It doesnt have to be here, but [Democrats] cant obstruct the wall if its in a budget or anything else. However, while the DACA issue had been the main topic throughout the day for Mr Trump, comments on Air Force One as he was returning to Washington overshadowed the debate. Talking to reporters Mr Trump revived his assertions that he thought there were bad dudes among the people who assembled to oppose a white nationalist protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, last month. Mr Trump latest comments came one day after he met in private with Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, the Senate's lone black Republican, at the White House. The two discussed the president's past remarks blaming many sides for the violence around a Confederate statue protest. Recounting his conversation with Mr Scott, Mr Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday: I think especially in light of the advent of antifa [an umbrella term for far left anti-fascist groups], if you look at what's going on there, you know, you have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also. And essentially that's what I said. A lot of people are saying in fact a lot of people have actually written, 'Gee Trump might have a point,' Mr Trump said. I said, 'You got some very bad people on the other side also,' which is true. Mr Trump last month said there were very fine people among the nationalists and neo-Nazis protesting the possible removal of a Confederate statue in Charlottesville. A woman, Heather Heyer, died amid violence after a car was driven into a crowd of counter-protesters. A man has been charged over her killing. Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump on Thursday infuriated some of his staunchest supporters by appearing to back away from vows to curb illegal immigration and embracing a deal with opposition Democrats. Longtime allies dubbed Trump "Amnesty Don" and warned he risked fracturing his political base, after the enigmatic president opened the door for hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants to stay in the United States. Trump said he was "fairly close" to reaching a deal with Democrats to allow immigrants brought to the United States as children to stay, even without a direct commitment to fund his much-vaunted border wall. "You have 800,000 young people, brought here, no fault of their own. So we're working on a plan," Trump said, hours after hosting a working dinner with top congressional Democrats on the so-called "Dreamers," who were protected from deportation under an Obama-era scheme called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) . Anti-immigration Republican Congressman Steve King responded furiously, saying such a deal would mean the "Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." Breitbart News, a far-right website run by former chief White House strategist Steve Bannon, disparaged him as "Amnesty Don" and screamed betrayal. A handful of indignant Republican activists even called for Trump's impeachment. - Damage limitation - Tackling illegal immigration was a core tenet of Trump's political platform and perhaps the only issue that united his conservative, evangelical and nationalist supporters. But nine months into his presidency and in dire need of political wins, Trump has moved to embrace Democrats, hosing Senate leader Chuck Schumer and House of Representatives top Democrat Nancy Pelosi at the White House Wednesday. "We agreed that the President would support enshrining DACA protections into law" the pair said in a joint statement, adding that no funding for Trump's long-promised wall on the US-Mexico border would be in the deal. Story continues The working dinner was the second time in a week that Trump huddled with Democrats. Last week, in a move that vexed Republican conservatives, he struck a deal with Democrats on bundling hurricane relief with raising the debt ceiling and extending government funding. The White House leapt into damage limitation mode early Thursday, assuring furious Republicans that no deal had been reached and insisting Democrats must agree to fund border security measures. Trump later changed his message stressing "the wall is going to be built and it will be funded later." While claiming "my relationship with the Republicans is excellent" and insisting "many of them agree with what I'm doing," Trump also issued a warning. "We have to get things passed, and if we can't get things passed then we have to go a different route." "If they (Republicans) are unable to stick together then I'm going to have to get a little help from the Democrats." - The wall - Trump delighted his own camp last week by rescinding the DACA protections decreed by his predecessor Barack Obama -- but then urged Congress to craft a legal solution within the next six months. As the DACA discussion swirled, it appeared Trump and his White House were not on the same page. "We are not looking at citizenship. We are not looking at amnesty" of DACA immigrants, Trump said in Florida, where he was surveying the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. But a White House spokeswoman, Lindsay Walters, said the administration was considering a path to immigration reform "that could include legal citizenship over a period of time." White House advisor Helen Aguirre Ferre said any deal "would have to include massive border security, internal enforcement and surveillance." The White House is pressing for 15,000 new immigration officials and the package could include the use of drones, air support and new technology including sensors. - Furious - Trump's apparent willingness to work with Democrats "Chuck and Nancy" rather than his own party's leaders who control Congress, and his repeated attacks on Republicans, has fueled suggestions he is striking out on his own, all too willing to leave his party in the dust. Even prior to the DACA dealmaking, Trump signaled an independent streak not seen in a US president in generations. He has hammered Republicans for failing to repeal the Affordable Care Act, sacked his chief of staff Reince Priebus -- a powerful former party boss -- and warned Republican lawmakers he will oppose their re-election if they defy his populist agenda. "Frankly, this is still a reality show president" who thrives on good reviews, John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told AFP. "He found that when he's worked with Democrats, he has gotten better reviews, better ratings," he added. "He seems inclined to continue doing that." House Speaker Paul Ryan has expressed support for legalizing the Dreamers, but insisted Thursday that negotiations had yet to begin. "These were discussions, not negotiations," he said of Trump's talks with Pelosi and Schumer. "There isn't an agreement." Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced he intends to visit China, Japan and South Korea later this year, a blockbuster maiden presidential visit to Asia. Trump said aboard Air Force One that a US delegation would likely make the trip in November, adding that he will "possibly" go to the APEC summit in Vietnam at the same time. The announcement sets the stage for a wildly ambitious first visit to a region that is vital to US economic and security interests. The visit is likely to focus heavily on trade and North Korea's nuclear and ballistic weapons programs, one of Trump's biggest security challenges since coming to office. Trump has repeatedly said that he will not tolerate Pyongyang developing the capability of hitting the United States with a thermonuclear weapon, threatening to rain down "fire and fury" if necessary. But with North Korea on the cusp of marrying nuclear warhead and intercontinental ballistic missile technology, Trump has struggled to get China to buy in to biting sanctions. The visit will be another opportunity for Trump to press his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, and crucially will come after an October Congress of the Communist Party. Privately, US officials admit Xi is unlikely to back tougher sanctions before that meeting, which sets the course for China's leadership in the next five years. Vice President Mike Pence had earlier announced that Trump would also visit the Philippines in November for an ASEAN summit, but the president was more cool to the idea. Trump said only that "he invited us so we're going to see," apparently referring to controversial President Rodrigo Duterte. Police have reported killing more than 3,800 people to fulfil Duterte's vow to rid the country of narcotics, with the 15-month crackdown triggering wider violence that has seen thousands of other people found dead in unexplained circumstances. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Thursday stood by his belief that both sides were to blame for violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Aug. 12 between white supremacists and counterprotesters. Trump had drawn criticism for not initially condemning white supremacists who organized the event with even some of his fellow Republicans expressing dismay at his opinion. Trump spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One a day after a meeting with South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott, an African-American who had expressed concern about Trump's comments. "We had a great talk yesterday," he said of his meeting with Scott. "I think especially in the light of the advent of antifa, if you look at whats going on there. You have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also. And essentially that's what I said." Trump said anti-fascist groups known as the "antifa" must share blame for neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan fighting with anti-racism protesters in the streets. One woman was killed when a suspected white nationalist crashed his car into demonstrators. In Berkeley, California, on Aug. 27, violence erupted when a small group of masked antifa and left-wing protesters attacked right-wing demonstrators. "Now because of whats happened since then with antifa. You look at really whats happened since Charlottesville. A lot of people are saying, in fact a lot of people have actually written, 'Gee, Trump might have a point,'" he said. (Reporting by James Oliphant and Steve Holland; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) Donald Trump, border wall between Arizona and Mexico, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer. (Yahoo News photo illustration; photos: Evan Vucci/AP, Susan Schulman/Barcroft Images/Barcroft Media via Getty Images, J. Scott Applewhite/AP, Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Getty Images) Following a dinner meeting at the White House Wednesday, President Trump and Democratic leaders seemed close to a compromise on extending the Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in exchange for increased border security. The two sides later exchanged statements politely disagreeing on whether a deal or agreement or plan had been arrived at, but it seemed clear that progress had been made on the substantive issues. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Wednesday in a joint statement that they had a very productive meeting with the president. We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, thats acceptable to both sides, they said. A White House statement, however, downplayed DACA, saying it was one of a number of topics discussed, along with tax reform, border security, infrastructure and trade. There was no mention of a deal. President Trump said Thursday morning that no deal has been made on DACA. But Trump also questioned whether anybody supported the deportation of good, educated and accomplished undocumented immigrants protected by DACA. Doing just that, on day one, had been a key promise of his campaign, along with securing the border with an actual physical wall, not just enhanced security measures. No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!.. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 Schumer and Pelosi responded that Trumps tweets were not inconsistent with the agreement reached last night. There was, they emphasized, no final deal. Story continues We agreed that the president would support enshrining DACA protections into law, and encourage the House and Senate to act, they said. What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security, with a mutual goal of finalizing all details as soon as possible. Schumer and Pelosi also stated that both sides agreed that the wall would not be any part of this agreement. Trump told reporters Thursday that the wall will come later. That seemed to contradict his own press secretary, who tweeted after the meeting that excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to. While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to. Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) September 14, 2017 Trump continued, Were working on a plan subject to getting massive border controls. Were working on a plan for DACA. People want to see that happen. You have 800,000 young people, brought here, no fault of their own, he added. So were working on a plan; well see how it works out. Were going to get massive border security as part of that. And I think something can happen; well see what happens, but something will happen. The dinner Wednesday came a week after an Oval Office meeting with congressional leaders during which Trump struck a surprise deal with the Democrats to raise the debt ceiling and avoid a government shutdown. The administration this month announced the end of the DACA program, giving Congress six months to pass the policy into law. Trump said he would revisit DACA at the end of that period. The Obama-era policy was enacted through executive action in 2012. It benefits an estimated 800,000 young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is likely to make a stop in China in November during his first official visit to Asia, a U.S. official said on Tuesday, a trip that will come amid tensions over North Korea's nuclear tests. Washington and its allies have said there is a growing urgency for China, North Koreas top ally and trading partner, to apply more pressure on its already isolated neighbor to get it to back down on its nuclear weapons and missiles programs. Chinese President Xi Jinping had invited Trump to visit China during their meeting in April in Palm Beach, Florida. The two leaders also met on the sidelines on the G20 summit in July. Trump is set to attend the U.S.-ASEAN summit and the East Asia summit in the Philippines in November, as well as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vietnam. China's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on a potential trip by Trump to the Asian country. On Monday, the U.N. Security Council unanimously voted to step up sanctions on North Korea, with its profitable textile exports now banned and fuel supplies capped. After several days of negotiations on the resolution, Washington dropped several measures to win the support of Russia and China, including a bid for an oil embargo and the blacklisting of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the national airline. In Hong Kong, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon told the South China Morning Post the results of a U.S.-led investigation into alleged Chinese intellectual property theft would be announced before the Beijing summit to reset bilateral trade. The far-right architect of Trump's 2016 election victory, Bannon told an investor conference, organized by a unit of China's largest brokerage, that Trump and Xi had a rapport that should enable them to work out differences, said an attendee at the meeting which was closed to the press. Bannon, who was let go by Trump last month, told a private lunch gathering in Hong Kong that he still "speaks with President Donald Trump every two to three days," the Wall Street Journal reported. (Reporting by Steve Holland, Roberta Rampton, David Brunnstom in Washington, Michelle Nichols at the United Nations; Additional reporting by Michael Martina in Beijing, Venus Wu, Julie Zhu, Stefanie McIntyre and Oscar Chan in Hong Kong; Editing by W Simon and Howard Goller) By James Oliphant FORT MYERS, Fla. (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump praised first responders in storm-ravaged Florida on Thursday for limiting the U.S. death toll from devastating Hurricane Irma, the second major storm to hit the United States this year. Trump's visit came the day after police in Hollywood, Florida, launched an criminal investigation into a nursing home where eight patients died after the facility lost power and continued to operate with little or no air conditioning in sweltering heat. The death toll from Irma stood at 81 on Thursday, including 38 in the United States, with several hard-hit Caribbean islands including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands accounting for more than half of the fatalities. Florida officials including Governor Rick Scott and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio greeted Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in Fort Myers, Florida. The president, wearing a white baseball cap with "USA" written on it, later visited Naples, near where Irma first reached the U.S. mainland on Sunday, handed out sandwiches to resident at a feeding station under a blue shade pavilion. Trump praised first responders and local officials for their handling of the storm. "When you think of the incredible power of that storm, and while people unfortunately passed, it was such a small number," Trump said. "People thought thousands and thousands of people may have their lives ended and the number is a very small number, which is a great tribute to you." The visit marked Trump's third visit to a storm-hit part of the United States in the past three weeks, following two visits to Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey's record flooding. It was seen as a clear bid to avoid the criticism that Republican President George W. Bush received for his administration's slow and inefficient response to 2005's Hurricane Katrina. That storm killed 1,800 people around New Orleans. Firefighters and medics responding to a Wednesday emergency call in Hollywood north of Miami found three people dead inside a building whose second floor the police chief later described as "extremely hot." Story continues Hollywood officials said eight people aged 71 to 99 died at the for-profit Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, but the causes were not yet determined. "We're looking into the temperature inside the facility, the staffing inside the facility, and all the conditions inside the facility in the hours leading up to this situation," Hollywood city spokeswoman Raelin Storey told a news conference on Thursday. MORE THAN 3 MILLION WITHOUT POWER Irma rampaged through the Caribbean, devastating several islands and raking the northern shore of Cuba last week. It barreled into the Florida Keys island chain on Sunday, packing sustained winds of up to 130 miles per hour (215 km per hour) before plowing up the Gulf Coast of the state and dissipating. Some 3.1 million homes and businesses, representing close to one-third of the state's population, were without power on Thursday in Florida and neighboring states. Some 20 percent of Florida's gas stations had no fuel on Thursday, down from a peak of 46 percent, according to fuel information service Gas Buddy. Total insured losses from the storm are expected to run about $25 billion, including $18 billion in the United States and $7 billion in the Caribbean, catastrophe modeler Karen Clark & Co estimated on Wednesday. About 25 percent of homes in the Keys were destroyed and 65 percent heavily damaged, according to federal officials. Irma hit Florida about two weeks after Hurricane Harvey plowed into Houston, killing about 60 people and causing some $180 billion in damage, mostly from flooding. (Additional reporting by David Alexander in Washington, Zachary Fagenson in Miami, Letitia Stein in Detroit, Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Gina Cherelus, Jessica Resnick-Ault and Scott DiSavino in New York; Writing by Scott Malone; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) Trump touches down in Florida to survey Hurricane Irma damage President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, right, tour Naples Estates, a neighborhood impacted by Hurricane Irma, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, in Naples, Fla. (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP) President Donald Trump visits hurricane-ravaged Florida on Thursday where police are probing the deaths of eight patients inside a nursing home as Hurricane Irma left millions in the state without power. Police in Hollywood, north of Miami, opened a criminal investigation on Wednesday after finding three dead patients at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hill, a facility that had been operating with little or no air conditioning. Four more patients died at or en route to hospital and a fifth was later identified as having died the night before, officials said. The death toll from Irma stood at 81, with several hard-hit Caribbean islands accounting for more than half the fatalities, and officials continued to assess damage inflicted by the second major hurricane to strike the U.S. mainland this year. Trump will visit Fort Myers in southwest Florida, an area hard hit by the storm, for a briefing on Hurricane Irma. He will then travel south to Naples, Florida to meet with residents tackling the aftermath of storm, the White House said in a statement. The devastation left by Hurricane Irma was far greater, at least in certain locations, than anyone thought but amazing people working hard! the president said in a Tweet on Tuesday. One of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, Irma bore down on the Caribbean with devastating force as it raked the northern shore of Cuba last week. (Reuters) See more Irma-related Yahoo News originals here. See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Twitter and Tumblr. Sen. Bernie Sanders and President Trump. (Yahoo News photo Illustration; Drew Angerer/Getty Images; Chris Kleponis-Pool/Getty Images) President Trump to Republican senators: I told you so. The commander in chief lamented on Thursday afternoon that the Republicans have been unable to follow through on their campaign promises of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. In a series of tweets, he suggested this failure gave Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders an opening to advance his plan for a single-payer health care system, also known as Medicare for All, which Trump denounced as a curse on the United States and the American people. But Trump assured fellow Republicans that he would save the country from this fate by vetoing any single-payer health care legislation that comes across his desk. Bernie Sanders is pushing hard for a single payer healthcare plan a curse on the U.S. & its people Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 I told Republicans to approve healthcare fast or this would happen. But don't worry, I will veto because I love our country & its people. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 This is far from the first time Trump has chided Republicans in Congress for coming up short in their efforts toward health care reform or attacked Sanders for his Democratic Socialist ideals and proposals. Earlier Thursday, aboard Air Force One from Fort Myers, Fla., to Washington, D.C., Trump criticized Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for the health care defeat. In late July, McCain effectively killed the GOP replacement plan, known as the Health Care Freedom Act, by joining two other Republicans (Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska) who opposed the plan ending in a 49-51 vote. It was a very unpleasant surprise, Trump told reporters. Now we have people talking about single-payer. So Republicans have to stick together better. We had the votes. John McCain changed his mind, pure and simple. If the Republicans dont stick together, then Im going to have to do more and more. Story continues Sanders has long been a supporter of universal health care and introduced his Medicare for All bill in the Senate on Wednesday, boasting that it already has 15 co-sponsors and the support of dozens of grassroots organizations. Now I know that taking on the insurance companies and Wall Street and the drug companies and the medical equipment suppliers all those people who profit off our dysfunctional health care system is not going to be easy fight, he said in a video. And the only way that we win this is when the American people stand up as they are and demand real change. Read more from Yahoo News: The Philippine president refused a demand by his most vocal critic to publicly release details of his bank accounts to disprove allegations that he had large sums of undeclared money. President Rodrigo Duterte said in a news conference yesterday that if opposition Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV wanted to get evidence, do not get it from my mouth. You must be stupid [] Why would I give you the pleasure? Trillanes first alleged Duterte had unexplained wealth during the presidential campaign last year. In February, he publicly raised the issue again because he said Duterte had not yet revealed details of the more than 2 billion pesos (USD39 million) he allegedly kept in bank accounts as a former city mayor. Duterte inadvertently brought the issue back to public focus recently when he alleged Trillanes has several undeclared joint bank accounts with unidentified Chinese men in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Australia and the United States. Trillanes denied it and signed about a dozen waivers for authorities to look into the alleged bank accounts and demanded that Duterte do the same. Duterte went on a personal attack against Trillanes, one of his harshest critics and a former navy officer once detained for a failed coup plot. He mocked Trillanes for losing the vice presidential race last year and alleged that the senator keeps huge funds in his bank accounts in amounts just below the level that could spark a Central Bank inquiry. Duterte said a move by another senator to file an ethical complaint against Trillanes could lead to his ouster from the chamber because of his behavior. Trillanes is among key officials critical of some of Dutertes policies who are facing ouster attempts by the presidents political allies who overwhelmingly dominate the Philippine Congress. Yesterday, the majority of the members of the Justice Committee of the House of Representatives voted to declare an impeachment complaint against Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno sufficient to investigate her. On Tuesday, lawmakers voted to slash the annual budget of the Commission on Human Rights to 1,000 pesos ($20) for next year, although the decision can still be changed. Critics were alarmed by the move, which they said could effectively abolish the agency, which was created under the constitution to investigate human rights violations. The agency was seeking an annual budget of 649 million pesos ($12.7 million). Commission Chairman Chito Gascon has been a vocal critic of Dutertes bloody crackdown on illegal drugs that has left thousands of people dead. U.N. rights expert Agnes Callamard said the move to massively cut the rights agencys budget was reprehensible and unconscionable. Filipino Rep. Edcel Lagman said the congressional move that could virtually abolish a constitutional commission was unconstitutional. AP By Guy Faulconbridge LONDON (Reuters) - Turkey feels betrayed by European Union leaders who have called for the end of accession talks but it still hopes eventually to join the bloc, Turkish EU Minister Omer Celik said on Thursday. The European Union has become increasingly critical of Turkey's membership drive since President Tayyip Erdogan launched a crackdown on critics - including journalists and academics - after a failed 2016 coup. Erdogan accused Berlin of "Nazi-like" tactics in March when it prevented Turkish ministers speaking at rallies in Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel said in an election debate ten days ago that it was clear Turkey should not join the EU and accession talks should end, despite it being a crucial NATO ally. Celik chided European Union leaders over their statements on Turkish accession and said some, such as Merkel, were using the criticism to deflect attention away from the EU's internal problems such as Brexit, migration and reform. "They put all those aside and they stoke antagonism towards Turkey in order to cover up their vital internal problems," Celik told Reuters in an interview. "We are indeed disappointed by Merkel and some others in the EU: at one of the hardest times in our history we were left alone by our friends and allies," he said through a translator. When asked if Turkey felt betrayed, he said: "Yes". The abortive coup, in which more than 260 people were killed as mutinous soldiers commandeered fighter jets, helicopters and tanks in a bid to seize power, has deepened a rift between Ankara and its Western allies. Turkish officials said some Western allies were far too slow in showing solidarity with Erdogan after the coup which they cast as a well-planned attempt to subvert Turkish democracy. Since then, some 50,000 people including journalists, opposition figures, civil servants and others have been detained. The crackdown has alarmed rights groups and some of Turkeys Western allies. GIANT STRIDES Celik said that EU leaders such as Merkel had failed to keep their promises to Turkey on its EU bid which began in 1987 with an application to join what was then the European Economic Community. Turkey's accession negotiations began in 2005. "The EU has failed to keep all of its promises whereas Turkey has delivered on all of the promises it made," Celik said. Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, said on Wednesday he saw no prospect of Turkey joining the EU in "the foreseeable future". What has Mr Junker done, what giant strides has he made, to find solutions to bring the EU and Turkey closer? That is my question for Mr Juncker," Celik said. If Germany keeps giving orders to the EU institutions such as cutting negotiations with Turkey then it will strengthen the hand of racist groups in Europe," he said. Formally ending Turkey's accession negotiations would require unanimity among EU states, which is lacking, though majority backing is enough to suspend them. Celik suggested that a leaders summit of the EU and Turkey be called to improve relations. Turkey has not given up on its target to be a full member of the EU: We are eager and willing to find solutions to move forward," he said. EU leaders will discuss Turkey at a summit in Brussels in October, though any formal decision on its future may not come before next spring. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Michael Holden and Ralph Boulton) LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Thursday he was hopeful that China would come to its own decision to decide to use the "powerful tool" of oil supplies to persuade North Korea to reconsider its "current path". On a visit to London where he met British Prime Minister Theresa May and foreign minister, Boris Johnson, Tillerson said the United States had wanted to see a much stronger resolution from the United Nations which agreed a new round of sanctions on Monday. "It's clear that with respect to oil, and a complete embargo on oil from the U.N. Security Council, that's going to be very difficult," he said. "In effect, that is directed at China alone because China supplies essentially all of North Korea's oil," he told a joint news conference with Johnson. "I am hopeful that China, as a great country, a world power, will decide on their own, will take it upon themselves to use that very powerful tool of oil supply to persuade North Korea to reconsider its current path toward weapons development, reconsider its approach to dialogue and negotiations in the future." (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Stephen Addison) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday said it will reconsider a rule regulating coal ash waste from power plants in a win for utility industry groups that petitioned for changes. The EPA, the lead environmental regulator in the United States, said it will reconsider specific provisions of the coal ash rule that took effect in 2015 that regulates how power plants manage and dispose of coal ash in waste pits. The EPA said it is in the "public's interest to reconsider specific provisions" of the regulation and figure out how to amend it to give states more leeway in how they tailor their permit programs to comply with the rule. "EPA is not committing to changing any part of the rule, or agreeing with the merits of the petition the Agency is simply granting petitions to reconsider specific provisions," the EPA said in a press release. Environmental groups warned that if EPA rolls back the safeguards, it would put the public at risk because coal ash pits are located near waterways and groundwater. The Sierra Club said in a press release the move was "widely considered to be a ploy to scrap the protections entirely." The petitioners, the Utility Solid Waste Activities Group (USWAG) and AES Puerto Rico LLP, are Washington-based groups representing power companies. USWAG argued in its petition the rules should be changed because a new law enacted after they were put in place made them unduly burdensome. It gives states the authority to police utilities disposing of coal ash waste, but the EPA rule currently prevents authorities from customizing its application. USWAG President Jim Rower said his group did not expect the EPA to scrap the rules but rather to try to give states the authority to tailor them to specific conditions on the ground. He said a draft proposal the EPA was considering before it issued the final rule gave states flexibility while the final version did not. "It makes good sense to put the flexibility back in," he said. (Reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Cynthia Osterman) By Dustin Volz and Susan Heavey WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Thursday it was investigating Equifax Inc's massive data breach, and a top Democrat suggested the credit-monitoring company's corporate leaders might need to resign. Shares of Equifax fell 2.4 percent on Thursday and trading volume hit a record high. The shares have lost 32 percent since the company disclosed the hack on Sept. 7. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer compared Equifax to Enron, the U.S. energy company that filed for bankruptcy in 2001 after revelations of a widespread accounting fraud. "It's one of the most egregious examples of corporate malfeasances since Enron," Schumer said, calling Equifax's treatment of consumers "disgusting" and its inability to protect data "deeply troubling." FTC spokesman Peter Kaplan said that his agency normally would not comment on an Equifax probe. "However, in light of the intense public interest and the potential impact of this matter, I can confirm that FTC staff is investigating the Equifax data breach," he said in an email statement. The company has tangled with the FTC over consumers' efforts to correct errors in credit reports. In 2012, it settled FTC allegations that it had improperly sold data on consumers who were behind on their mortgages. Schumer said Equifax's chief executive officer and board might need to resign if the company does not take concrete steps within the next week to protect consumers. "We need to get to the bottom of this - the very bottom, the murky bottom, the dirty bottom," he said. House Republican Lamar Smith of Texas, who chairs the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and South Carolina Republican Trey Gowdy, who chairs the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said both committees would investigate the Equifax hack. They requested documents relating to the hack, the decision to publicize it, the company's cybersecurity and federal contracts from the company by Sept. 28. Equifax CEO Richard Smith has agreed to testify on Oct. 3 before a U.S. House of Representatives panel. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has opened an investigation into the breach, and nearly 40 states have joined a probe of Equifax's handling of the situation. Equifax did not respond to requests for comment. The company, which disclosed the breach more than a month after it learned of it on July 29, said at the time that thieves may have stolen the personal information of 143 million Americans in one of the largest hacks ever. On Thursday, at least three bills were introduced in response to the hack. Four Democratic senators, including Ed Markey of Massachusetts, sponsored legislation that would require Equifax and other data brokers be held accountable for errors. "This bill requires data brokers to put in place comprehensive privacy and data security programs so that consumers in Massachusetts and throughout the country do not experience another Equifax," Markey said. Confirming what many cyber security experts expected, Equifax said late on Wednesday that hackers used a flaw in its open-source Struts software, distributed by the nonprofit Apache Software Foundation, to break into its systems. A patch for the vulnerability was issued in March, two months before Equifax said hackers began siphoning data. The decision to not install that patch was "beyond troubling," said U.S. PIRG, a grassroots advocacy group which has recommended that consumers put freezes on their credit. Consumers Union sent a letter to Equifax's chief executive, saying the company's response to the massive breach was "wholly inadequate." Consumers Union urged Equifax to pay for credit freezes for consumers, give free extended credit monitoring, provide details about the breach and create a fund to compensate consumers who were harmed when their data was exposed. Despite shares of Equifax heading for their biggest weekly drop since July 2001, most of Wall Street still recommended buying the stock. Of 15 analysts covering the stock, four rate it a 'strong buy' while eight rate it a 'buy' and just three have a neutral rating, according to the latest data from Thomson Reuters. (Reporting by Dustin Volz, Susan Heavey; Additional reporting by Diane Bartz, Jim Finkle, David Shepardson and Dan Burns; Editing by Chris Sanders and Leslie Adler) By William James LONDON (Reuters) - The United States must consider the full threat it says Iran poses to the Middle East when formulating its new policy toward Tehran, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Thursday, adding that Iran had breached the spirit of a 2015 nuclear deal. Tillerson, made the comments during a visit to Britain to see Prime Minister Theresa May and foreign minister Boris Johnson. The trip was billed as focusing on the relief effort after Hurricane Irma, how to respond to North Korea's nuclear test, and resolving the political deadlock in Libya. But he was outspoken in his criticism of Iran when asked whether he believed it was meeting the obligations of a 2015 international nuclear agreement designed to curb an Iranian nuclear program in return for lifting most Western sanctions. Tillerson cited the preface of the nuclear deal, which calls on Iran to contribute positively to regional security. "In our view, Iran is clearly in default of these expectations ... through their actions to prop up the Assad regime (in Syria), to engage in malicious activities in the region, including cyber activities, aggressively developing ballistic missiles," he told a news conference. "We have to consider the totality of Iran's activities and not let our view be defined solely by the nuclear agreement." He was speaking before the United States announced it had imposed sanctions on seven Iranian individuals and two entities, alleging involvement in either malicious cyber activities or enabling Tehran's ballistic missile program. U.S. President Donald Trump has previously expressed doubts about the nuclear deal, and in April his administration said it would review whether the lifting of sanctions against Iran was in the United States' national security interest. Trump is weighing a strategy that could allow more aggressive U.S. responses to Iran's forces, its Shi'ite Muslim proxies in Iraq and Syria, and its support for militant groups. NORTH KOREA Earlier on Thursday, a North Korean state agency threatened to reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test. Tillerson said he was hopeful that China would decide to use the "powerful tool" of oil supplies to put pressure on Pyongyang, but conceded that it would be difficult to agree an oil embargo through the United Nations Security Council. North Korea carried out its sixth and largest nuclear test earlier this month. "I am hopeful that China, as a great country, a world power, will decide on their own, will take it upon themselves to use that very powerful tool of oil supply to persuade North Korea to reconsider its current path towards weapons development, reconsider its approach to dialogue and negotiations in the future," he said. Commenting on violence in Myanmar against the minority Rohingya population, Tillerson said the country faced a defining moment. "I think it is important that the global community speak out in support of what we all know the expectation is for the treatment of people regardless of their ethnicity," he added. "This violence must stop, this persecution must stop." He said he understood that Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel prize laureate and de facto head of the government in Myanmar, was in a power-sharing agreement with the military and it was a "complex situation" in which she found herself. (Corrects seventh paragraph to say ballistic missile program, not nuclear program.) (Additional reporting by Elizabeth Piper and Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Alison Williams) Washington (AFP) - The United States agreed Thursday to continue for now to exempt Iran from nuclear-related sanctions but slapped new measures on targets accused of cyber attacks or destabilizing the region. The decision to continue to waive the sanctions was expected, but the new sanctions and some tough words from President Donald Trump will be seen as a victory for opponents of the Iran nuclear deal. Trump is due to decide before October 15 whether Iran has breached the 2015 nuclear agreement, and critics fear he may abandon an accord they think prevents Tehran from building a nuclear bomb. "You'll see what I'm going to be doing very shortly in October," Trump told reporters traveling with him on Air Force One. "The Iran deal is one of the worst deals I've ever seen. "Certainly at a minimum the spirit of the deal is atrociously kept. The Iran deal is not a fair deal to this country. It's a deal that should not have ever been made." Policy hawks welcomed the US Treasury's announcement of new sanctions on non-nuclear issues, and officials were at pains to show they had waived nuclear sanctions only grudgingly. "The administration did approve waivers in order to maintain some flexibility," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, called the waiver "a holding action." "This is the action that the US is taking in the interim," he said, "while the president and his cabinet come to a final decision in consultation among themselves and in consultation with allies." The 2015 Iran deal, approved by Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, was implemented under a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, and enshrined in UN Security Council Resolution 2231. Under the JCPOA, Iran surrendered much of its enriched uranium, dismantled a reactor and submitted nuclear sites to UN inspection, while Washington and Europe lifted some sanctions. Story continues The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) says that Iran has lived up to the terms of the nuclear agreement, but Washington and its allies have been angered by Tehran's other actions. Tehran continues to develop and test ballistic missile technology banned under previous UN resolutions, and its Revolutionary Guard Corps supports militias in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. - Iranian threats - Trump has declared the deal a disaster and there are growing signs that next month he may declare that he thinks Iran has broken its promises -- opening the way to new US sanctions. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, speaking in London, said Trump would "take into account the totality of Iranian threats, not just Iran's nuclear capabilities." He argued that the JCPOA expects the signatories to "positively contribute to regional and international peace and security. "In our view, Iran is clearly in default of these expectations," he added speaking alongside British foreign secretary Boris Johnson. Tillerson noted that Iran continues to support Bashar al-Assad's brutal regime in Syria, to develop ballistic missiles and to carry out cyber attacks -- threatening Middle East security. But Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, insisted that Tehran would not be bullied into renegotiating the JCPOA, tweeting: "A 'better' deal is pure fantasy. About time for US to stop spinning and begin complying, just like Iran." In Washington, some observers welcomed Trump's tough talk. Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, which has long criticized the Iran accord, has dubbed the approach of keeping the deal's relief while imposing new measures "waive-and-slap." "It is the first step in a process under which the contours of the administration's pressure campaign will come into sharper relief." But the former Obama administration officials who negotiated the deal issued a stark warning that if Trump declares Iran to be in violation of the deal it could collapse. This could alienate the powers that co-signed the accord -- Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia -- and allow Iran to quickly resume the quest for a viable nuclear weapon. And this would undermine America's credibility as it attempts to cajole North Korea into giving up its own nuclear arsenal. - 'Train wreck' - Former senior White House official Colin Kahl said Iran could have enough enriched fuel for a bomb within a year of the deal collapsing, dubbing the Trump policy a "train wreck." "You won't have a diplomatic option because in the event that we get blamed for blowing up the deal we won't be able to reconstitute international consensus," he said. "And as the guy who used to have oversight for war plans against Iran in the Obama administration, I can tell you that there's no military option that buys you a fraction of the time that this deal does, or a fraction of constraints. "So it puts the United States in a terrible position of an almost inevitable march to war at great distraction from every other challenge we face, to include North Korea but also China and Russia, and everything else. It's just completely unnecessary." Th US Treasury imposed economic sanctions on 11 individuals and companies accused of supporting Iran's Revolutionary Guards or engaging in cyber attacks against US banks. These targeted an engineering company, two air transport firms and an IT company accused of carrying out denial-of-service attacks on at least nine American financial institutions. dg-dc-vmt-arb/mdo Washington (AFP) - A US consumer protection watchdog agency said Thursday it has begun an investigation into a massive data breach at credit bureau Equifax that may have leaked sensitive information on 143 million people. The Federal Trade Commission joins US congressional committees promising to probe the causes and implications of what could be the worst breach of personal information in the United States. "The FTC typically does not comment on ongoing investigations," said Peter Kaplan, the agency's acting director of public affairs. "However, in light of the intense public interest and the potential impact of this matter, I can confirm that FTC staff is investigating the Equifax data breach." The hack disclosed last week at Equifax, one of the three major credit bureaus that collect consumer financial data, potentially affects more than half the adult population. While not the largest breach -- Yahoo attacks leaked data on as many as one billion accounts -- the Equifax incident could be the most damaging because of the nature of data collected: bank and social security numbers and personal information of value to hackers and others. US lawmakers have expressed concern over the implications of the hack and have called for hearings. The House Energy and Commerce Committee announced it would hold an October 3 hearing with Equifax chief executive Richard Smith. "We know members on both sides of the aisle appreciate Mr Smith's willingness to come before the committee and explain how our constituents might be impacted and what steps are being taken to rectify this situation," said a statement from Senators Greg Walden and Bob Latta. Smith earlier this week offered an expanded apology to consumers in a column in USA Today. "Consumers and media have raised legitimate concerns about the services we offered and the operations of our call center and website. We accept the criticism and are working to address a range of issues," Smith wrote. Story continues "We are devoting extraordinary resources to make sure this kind of incident doesn't happen again." Equifax said in a "progress report" on its website that criminals exploited a vulnerability in a website application called Apache Struts. Security researcher Kevin Beaumont said in a blog post that he warned of the vulnerability in March and urged companies to fix it. "I kept reissuing warnings," Beaumont said in a blog this week. "And then I gave up. Many Fortune 500 companies are still running these systems." South Korea said Wednesday it conducted its first live-fire drill for an advanced air-launched cruise missile it says will strengthen its pre-emptive strike capability against North Korea in the event of crisis. South Korea's military said the Taurus missile fired from an F-15 fighter jet traveled through obstacles at low altitudes before hitting a target off the country's western coast. The missile, manufactured by Germany's Taurus Systems, has a maximum range of 500 kilometers (310 miles) and is equipped with stealth characteristics that will allow it to avoid radar detection before hitting North Korean targets, according to Seoul's Defence Ministry. A Taurus missile is about to hit the target Credit: South Korea Defense Ministry via AP South Korea has been accelerating efforts to ramp up its military capabilities in face of a torrent of nuclear weapons tests by North Korea, which on September 3 conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date. Shortly after the nuke test, Seoul announced it reached an agreement with Washington to remove the warhead weight limits on South Korean ballistic missiles, which under a bilateral guideline could be built for a maximum range of 800 kilometers (497 miles). The missile, fired from a South Korean air force F-15K fighter jet, hits the target Credit: South Korea Defense Ministry via AP A pre-emptive strike against Pyongyang's leadership would be difficult to undertake, but it's widely seen as the most realistic of the limited military options Seoul has to deny a nuclear attack from its rival. The North said its latest nuclear test was a detonation of a thermonuclear weapon built for its developmental intercontinental ballistic missiles that were flight tested twice in July. Bang on - the Taurus missile blows through the middle of the target Credit: South Korea Defense Ministry via AP The country is also developing solid-fuel missiles that could be fired from land mobile launchers or submarines. It flew a powerful new midrange missile over northern Japan last month while declaring more missile tests targeting the Pacific Ocean. Steve Mnuchin Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told Fox News anchor Bret Baier on Wednesday that he has drafted an executive order for President Donald Trump that would stop trade with any country doing business with North Korea including the US' largest trading partner, China. The draft order comes amid increasing nuclear threats from North Korea. Earlier this month, in a tweet, Trump threatened to cut off all US trade with any country that does business with the rogue nation. "I was just at the White House this morning talking to the president about North Korea, talking to him about sanctions, as I've suggested, I've worked on an executive order that's ready if the president wants to use it," Mnuchin told Baier, the host of Fox News' "Special Report." "We can stop trade with any country that does business with North Korea. We're going to be careful in using these tools, but the president is committed. We will use economic sanctions to bring North Korea to the table." Pressed by Baier on whether he specifically meant stopping trade with China, Mnuchin said the executive order would apply to "anybody" who trades with North Korea. "Stopping trade with anybody," Mnuchin said. "Nobody would be off the table." That option, while seemingly unlikely to happen, would be a major disaster for both the US and global economies. Many countries have some level of trade relations with North Korea. While China dominates the North Korean trade market, a number of other prominent US trading partners have a minimal economic relationship with the country. At least 10 of the top 30 trading partners of the US do some level of business in North Korea. Those 10 nations include five of the top 10 US trading partners, and two of those are in the top three. Ending all trade with those nations would lead to the halting of roughly $1.6 trillion in total trade, according to 2016 data, and of more than $520 billion in US exports. Story continues China, the nation both Trump and Mnuchin appeared to be most closely putting on notice, accounts for roughly $600 billion in trade with the US on an annual basis. Other countries that would be affected by such a move include India, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Chile, Brazil, France, Germany, Thailand, and Russia. 2015 data showed that those countries were importing goods such as silver, fork-lifts, and computers from North Korea while exporting things like pesticides, felt machinery, and sculptures. NOW WATCH: Trump is 'strongly considering' pardoning Sheriff Joe Arpaio here's why he's so controversial More From Business Insider Spains top prosecutor is investigating more than 700 Catalan mayors for cooperating with a planned referendum on the regions independence after the nations constitutional court ordered the vote put on hold, the prosecutors office said yesterday. Catalonias regional police force is under orders to arrest the mayors if they refuse to appear for questioning, State Prosecutor Jose Manuel Mazas office said. The announcement significantly raised the stakes in an increasingly tense standoff between Catalan independence supporters and national authorities over the referendum planned for Oct. 1. If mayors and their municipalities cannot help organize balloting, the vote is unlikely to proceed. Mazas order also puts regional police officers in the uneasy position of carrying out commands from Madrid in their towns and cities. The pro-independence coalition ruling Catalonia has vowed to hold the referendum, defying a prohibition by Spains Constitutional Court. It has asked the 947 mayors in the northeastern region to provide voting facilities. Maza ordered the prosecutors in Spains 17 provinces to investigate the 712 mayors who already have offered to provide municipal premises as polling stations. Most of Catalonias mayors have said they would cooperate with the referendum. However, the willing mayors represent less than half of the regions voting-age population. Urban support is key for the pro-independence movement, especially the Catalan capital of Barcelona, which is home to around 20 percent of voters. AP One of the big surprises at this year's Frankfurt auto show is the Honda Urban EV concept. Not only was Honda able to keep the car under wraps right up to the reveal, but the styling was a significant departure from what we expected of a future electric car designed for Europe. Instead of a funky, one-box urban pod, Honda gave the Urban EV sporty, retro looks. It looks like a cross between a first-generation Honda Civic (the thick, raked C-pillar and front fascia), crossed with a classic Mini Cooper (the tiny size, low stance and flared fender arches). This design is such a success because it both bucks the trend of EVs primarily being ultra-futuristic and aerodynamic machines, and it does that with classically attractive design cues. It allows the Urban EV to stand out from slippery-looking amalgam of Hyundai Ioniqs, Chevy Volts and Bolts, Teslas, Nissan Leafs (Leaves?), and even Honda's own Clarity line. And it shows that traditionally appealing elements like wide fenders and a low, forward-leaning stance that have been successful on internal combustion cars for ages can work just as well on an electric car. We love the design, and many of us would love to see the car in the United States. It's very unlikely to happen though, and, as hard as it is to admit, that's probably the right move for Honda. Americans seem to be uninterested in subcompact hatchbacks, unless they're lifted with cladding or have a Mini badge. But the thing is, there's no reason Honda can't transfer what it's learned with the Urban EV to something with a more American-friendly body style. At the bare-minimum, Honda could scale up the Urban EV to be sized similarly to a Civic, add a couple doors, lift it an inch or two, and paint the fender flares in a matte black. Then they could call it a crossover, but retain most of the Urban EV's slick, old-school looks. Honda could also create a sedan with some of the same, crisp, squared-off lines of the Urban EV. Keep the C-pillar raked forward, leave the body as straight and unadorned as possible save for some aggressive wheel arches, and emphasize width in the front and rear fascias. It could be Civic or Accord sized, or somewhere in-between, and would make for a lean, mean sedan. In the end, Honda has something really sweet in the Urban EV. It would be a shame if Europe was the only beneficiary, and there are clearly ways Honda can bring the same aesthetic here, too. WASHINGTON President Trump again sent shockwaves through his own party when Democratic leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi announced late Wednesday night they had reached an agreement with him over dinner to enshrine protections for young unauthorized immigrants. But in the light of day Thursday, it quickly became less clear what exactly that deal was. Trump denied there was an agreement at all on Twitter, and Democrats and the president seemed to disagree on the fundamental issue of whether any eventual bill would include a path to citizenship. Earlier this month, the president ended the Obama-era DACA program, which protected from deportation 800,000 unauthorized immigrants who were brought to the country as children and have no criminal record. He urged Congress to take action to protect the group, and signaled he would not insist that funding for his long-promised border wall be attached to the measure. Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters Thursday she believes the president understands that Congress must pass the DREAM Act, which provides a lengthy path to citizenship for the young immigrants who join the military, pursue higher education or are employed. But Trump told reporters after landing in Florida to tour the hurricane-battered state that he was not interested in any bill that provides citizenship to the group. Were not looking at citizenship, Trump said. Were not looking at amnesty. Were looking at allowing people to stay here. Pelosi pushed back on this. Thats what the bill is its an earned path to citizenship, she said. Immigrants and supporters on Sept. 10 chant during a We Rise for the Dream rally on the Las Vegas Strip to oppose President Trumps order to end DACA. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Its unclear if the difference is simply a semantic misunderstanding or a more fundamental policy divide. The Democratic minority leader said Trump doesnt like the name DREAM Act. The president likes to call it DACA, she said. And a White House spokesman told CNN the deal could include a responsible path to citizenship. But its also possible that Trump prefers that Congress codify the DACA program he ended by simply allowing the young immigrants to apply for temporary renewable status that never offers the possibility of citizenship. Story continues Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., the chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and an ally of the president, said a path to citizenship would not sit well with most House Republicans. I think [citizenship is] a problem for the majority of the Republican conference, but I dont want to negotiate the legislation, since a lot of those conversations have just started in earnest within the last few days, Meadows told Yahoo News. Lets not put too much emphasis on a one-time meeting. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi answers questions during her weekly press conference at the Capitol Sept. 14. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., insisted that no deal had been made or formal negotiations conducted between the president and Democrats. He reminded the president he would need Ryan and his Republican caucus to pass anything. I think the president understands hes going to have to work with congressional majorities to get any legislative solution, Ryan said. What is clear is that Trump is satisfied with attaching significant non-wall border security funding to the bill, and will not demand cutting legal immigration levels as part of the package, though he will push that later, Pelosi said. Last week, Trump cut a surprise deal with Schumer and Pelosi, over Republican objections, to fund the government and lift the debt ceiling for just three months. On Wednesday, Trump met with the bipartisan House Problem Solvers Caucus and told members he wanted to try passing bills with the support of both parties, according to one attendee. Lets see if this works, Trump told the group, according to Rep. Josh Gottheimer, R-N.J. The president is aware he must build some trust with wary Democrats if he wants them to work with him, Pelosi said. We needed to establish some trust and confidence going forward, and one path of establishing that trust is the DREAM Act, Pelosi said. Read more from Yahoo News: Shanghai (AFP) - The world's oldest captive giant panda has died at the ripe old age of 37 -- more than 100 in human years -- her handlers in China said on Thursday as they gave "Basi" an emotional send-off. The Straits Giant Panda Research and Exchange Center in southeastern China, where she has lived for 33 years, bid a heartfelt farewell to the bear, with a memorial service that featured Basi's body surrounded by yellow flowers with the tip of her tongue sticking playfully out. "With a heavy heart, we solemnly announce today that the original model of 'Pan Pan', the mascot for the first Asian Games (in China, 1990), and an angel of friendship both at home and abroad, giant panda star Basi died at 8:50am on September 13, 2017 at the age of 37," the centre said. White roses, arranged in the shape of a heart, also were laid in front of Basis favourite tree. "She once brought us joy here, and we wish to leave the fragrance here for her," Xiu Yunfang, deputy director of the facility in the city of Fuzhou, told state television. Basi outlived most of her peers by nearly two decades -- pandas in the wild have an average lifespan of about 20 years, but those in captivity generally live longer. She died of old age, liver cirrhosis and kidney failure, said the centre, which also serves as a zoo known as Fuzhou Panda World. Besides her longevity, Basi was beloved for her athletic feats, which became the inspiration for the 1990 Asian Games official mascot. She could ride a bike, dunk a ball through a lowered basketball hoop, lift weights, and twirl a baton in her forepaws while balancing on a see-sawing wooden board. - Saved from a river - Basi also wowed American crowds in 1987 while on six-month loan to the San Diego Zoo. "Basi has left, but her beautiful image and Basi spirit will forever be in our hearts," the panda centre's director Chen Yucun said in a eulogy sent to AFP, describing her as "legendary". Story continues Basi became something of a celebrity in China over the years and has been photographed together with current first lady Peng Liyuan. Her birthdays were often celebrated with gusto. For her 35th, the zoo erected a two-metre stone statue of her, and earlier this year she dug into a birthday cake while wearing a red crown. "Such a big loss for the panda world. Thank you for the sweet memories," said one user on Chinas Twitter-like Weibo platform. Basi was rescued from the wild after falling into a river in southwestern China when she was around four and has lived at the Fuzhou facility ever since. She was named after the valley where she was found. Giant pandas have a notoriously low reproductive rate, a key factor -- along with habitat loss -- in their status as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of threatened species. Basi also broke ground as the first panda to have cataract surgery and also the first diagnosed with hypertension. Her body will be kept preserved for display in a planed "Basi Museum" at the zoo. Last December, the world's oldest captive male panda, "Pan Pan", died in southwestern China at the age of 31. He also was notable for having sired more than 130 descendants -- one quarter of all the captive-bred pandas on the planet, officials said at the time. Israeli security forces seized NIS 48,000 overnight Wednesday apparently meant for the rebuilding of a terrorist's home. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The money was allegedly given by Hamas to the family of the terrorist who murdered Dafna Meir outside her home in Otniel. The 16-year-old terrorist was sentenced to life in prison in November. The terrorist was ordered to pay a NIS 1.75 million fine, and his parents' home was demolished. IDF demolishes the terrorist's home (Photo: IDF Spokesman's Office) In the time leading up to the attack, the teenager watched Palestinian television, where Israel was presented as a country that "kills young Palestinians." On the day of the attack, he sought to murder a Jew. He chose Otniel for his attack due to the settlement's close proximity to his place of residence. The terrorist Dafna Meir, a mother of six, was outside her house painting her door when the teenage attacker assaulted her, stabbing her several times. She fought him off in an effort to keep him away from her children. Her daughter's screams scared him away, and he fled towards Khirbet el-Karmil, a Palestinian village on the outskirts of Yatta. Security forces scrambled to comb the area for the attacker, who was caught two days later by the Shin Bet, IDF and elite Duvdevan forces. Dafna Meir In addition to the seizure of the money for the terrorist's family, IDF, Shin Bet, Border Police and police forces seized thousands of shekels held by an unrecognized charity group associated with Hamas. Furthermore, eight wanted suspects were arrested in the overnight raid. Five of them are suspected of involvement in terror activity and violent rioting. Day 2 of the maiden Accra Independent Social Media Week (SMWiAccra) set the stage by giving participants an introduction in potential career possibilities in the digital profession, and social media best practices. For more of the latest local news on YEN click here That done, Day 3 sought to give participants a more in-depth look into social media, what the media will look like in times to come, and what some successful startups in Ghana have done to get to where they are. READ ALSO: Social media week: Day 2 First on the card was a presentation dubbed "Twitter Master Class", by representatives of Ad Dynamo, Twitter's advertising sales partner in Africa who were represented by Phil Coetzer and Erryn Gracey. Pay Attention: Get all the latest news on YEN.com.gh Left to right: Erryn Gracey, Phillip Coetzer, Ad Dynamo representatives giving "Twitter Master Class" presentation Just as the title implies, the presentation sought to give participants more best practices, ideas, and tips on better utilizing what is the ever powerful platform that is Twitter. Pay Attention: Get news whenever and wherever you go with YEN NEW Next up was a session titled "The Future of Media", a session that saw several individuals like Gary Al-Smith (internationally recognized broadcast journalist with the BBC), and Mic Fox (Director of Emmis Communications). This session sought to give more information about what the media landscape may look like in the near future. A glance through the following tweets can give readers a gist of what was said in session...which is mobile. This was followed by the session titled "The Ghana case study", where presentations touched on what some successful startups have done to get to their current state. In this session, presentations were given by Kajsa Hallberg Adu Phd (Academic Writing lecturer at Ashesi University College) OmgVoice, and Yen.com.gh... Yes, Yen too had a chance to tell some of its own success stories. To wrap this up, the final session was one sponsored by Vodafone and titled "Women in Business", that saw the likes of Anita Erskin, and Angela Mensah-Poku (among others) speak. Check out tweets below concerning the session. READ ALSO: DKB criticizes Afia Schwarz and Funny Face Do you have any story to share with YEN? Get featured! We are available on Facebook Source: YEN.com.gh Former business associates of Michael Flynn have told lawmakers that he traveled to the Middle East in 2015 as part of a private proposal to build nuclear power plants across the region, a trip that the former Trump administration national security adviser never disclosed during his security clearance process. In a letter released yesterday, two top House Democrats reveal that companies involved in the proposal provided details of Flynns trip in June 2015 that suggest he also failed to report contacts with Israeli and Egyptian government officials. The lawmakers Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland and Rep. Eliot Engel of New York are now asking the companies and Flynn to provide the names and nationalities of any officials he met with during the trip abroad. The information released by the lawmakers is the latest evidence that Flynn didnt fully account for his foreign contacts and business entanglements even though he was liable for possible federal criminal penalties for lying or omitting such information. Security clearance questionnaires specifically ask applicants to report any meetings abroad or contacts with foreign government officials that occurred in the previous seven years. As a former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Flynn maintained a security clearance. His last renewal was in early 2016. Flynn has been dogged by questions about his lack of disclosure of a Turkish lobbying operation and of foreign payments he accepted after leaving the military in 2014. Flynn also was forced to resign his Trump administration post in February after White House officials determined that he had misled them about the nature of diplomatic conversations with Russias ambassador to the U.S. Special counsel Robert Mueller is scrutinizing Flynns foreign interactions as part of his probe into Russias meddling in the 2016 election and any possible coordination with Trump associates. Earlier this year, that investigation incorporated an ongoing federal probe into Flynns lobbying for a Turkish businessman during the final months of the presidential campaign. Flynns attorney, Robert Kelner, declined to comment on the letter. Flynns legal team has previously said that hed like to cooperate with Congress but only intended to respond to subpoenas that compel him to do so. As members of the minority party, Cummings, the ranking member on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Engel, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs committee, do not have subpoena power. Cummings and Engel first raised concerns in June about Flynns 2015 Mideast trip after Newsweek reported that Flynn had worked with companies angling to persuade foreign governments and companies to join in a plan to build a cluster of 40 nuclear plants in the Mideast for civilian power needs. The lawmakers also seized on a comment Flynn made in congressional testimony in the summer of 2015, in which he said that he had just returned from the Middle East. In their latest letter, Cummings and Engel write that it appears that General Flynn violated federal law by omitting this trip and these foreign contacts from his security clearance renewal application in 2016 and concealing them from security clearance investigators who interviewed him as part of the background check process. Because of the potential for a criminal violation, the two lawmakers say they are providing Mueller with the responses from the companies. According to the letter and documents released by Cummings and Engel, Flynns Mideast trip was backed by ACU Strategic Partners, a U.S. firm that sent him to persuade officials to support a plan involving companies from the U.S., Russia, France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ukraine, Israel and several Persian Gulf nations. Dr. Thomas Cochran, an adviser to ACU Strategic Partners, told the lawmakers that Flynn was expected to press Egyptian and other officials to hold off on accepting a rival offer from Russia to finance and construct a smaller system of four reactors in Egypt and two in Jordan. Flynns Egypt visit was to convince the government at least to postpone accepting the Russian offer to finance and build four reactors in order to carefully consider the ACU alternative, Cochran said in his response. Flynn also traveled to Israel where, Cochran said, he sought to assure Israel that the project would be in its interest. The proposal has never gotten beyond the planning stage. But in his response, Cochran indicated that there could be support from the Trump administration, particularly in its effort to involve both U.S. and Russian interests. The ACU project gives President Trump and Secretary [Rex] Tillerson a valuable private sector mechanism for helping stabilize and improve relations with Russia as well as helping accelerate U.S.-Russia cooperation in the Middle East, Cochran said. In a separate response to the congressmen, ACU Managing Director Alex Copson confirmed that ACU paid Flynns travel expenses and wrote him a USD25,000 check for loss of income and business opportunities resulting from this trip. But Copson told the lawmakers that banks records show Flynn never cashed the check. Flynn had previously not disclosed his compensation on his government financial disclosure filed earlier this year, but in August, he filed an amended disclosure that listed he had received more than $5,000 from ACU. Flynn also listed that he was a consultant to another company, IronBridge Group, which was connected to the project. An attorney for retired Rear Adm. Michael Hewitt, the chairman of IronBridge, confirmed to lawmakers that Flynn took the trip, but did not provide details of his foreign contacts. Thomas Egan, an attorney for ACU, said Tuesday that he had received the lawmakers letter, but the company had not yet decided whether it would respond. Michael Summersgill, an attorney for IronBridge, did not respond to a telephone message Tuesday seeking comment. Since the late 1990s, Copson has promoted a series of international nuclear-related projects that have not come to fruition. The House letter cites an April 2016 email forwarded from Copson to Hewitt and several others showing that Copson initially envisioned the U.S. and Russia as developing the reactor project. But turbulence in Syria and the Iran nuclear deal led Copson to propose bringing in other partners, including China. Chad Day & Stephen Braun, Washington, AP The congressman whose district spans the Magic Valley said Wednesday he would closely monitor reports a Facebook group created by Russian agents tried to organize an anti-refugee rally in Twin Falls, while one of the states senators said it was concerning, yet not surprising and that he expects the use of social media to feature in the findings of the investigation into Russias attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election. I am disturbed to learn that a foreign agent attempted to influence a narrative in Idaho, said U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho. Luckily, this attempt appears to have had very little impact in our community. I will closely monitor this situation and hope that awareness of this incident can serve to prevent future issues like this. U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, who is on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Russia has used similar tactics numerous times in the past in the U.S. and other countries. The Senate Intelligence Committee has been and is continuing to investigate Russias attempted interference in our 2016 elections, including their methods and means, Risch continued. Their apparent use of social media will certainly be included in the investigations findings. Since January, the committee has been gathering information and conducting interviews including interactions with social media platforms regarding Russian actions. However, until the investigations have concluded, I cannot comment on any potential next steps or findings. U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, pointed to Rischs statement. The Daily Beast first reported Monday night that a Facebook group called Secured Borders, which Facebook removed after it was identified in March 2017 as a creation of a St. Petersburg troll farm that pushes the Russian government line online, had created a rally called Citizens before refugees that was supposed to take place on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2016, at the City Council chambers in Twin Falls. Russia was involved in numerous online efforts to disrupt the 2016 election and sway it in President Donald Trumps favor according to U.S. intelligence agencies. Facebook said a week ago that a Russian company linked to the Kremlin used fake accounts to buy $100,000 worth of political ads during the past two years, most of them on hot-button issues such as gun control, gay and transgender rights and immigration, and also that it had identified a further $50,000 in ads that it was less certain about but may have been bought by Russians. However, news that Russians tried to organize a live event in Twin Falls is a new twist in the story. The attempt doesnt appear to have been successful city officials said Tuesday they didnt recall any such rally happening, and given the City Council chambers location near the police station a large gathering likely wouldnt have passed unnoticed. Their targeting of Twin Falls didnt come in a vacuum refugee resettlement had been a hot topic in the area since early 2015, attracting international press attention. The Citizens before refugees event came about two months after three refugee boys had been arrested and accused of sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl, and at a time when anti-Islamic and anti-refugee activists and media were playing close attention to Twin Falls. BUHL The first Buhl Public Library book talk for fall of 2017 coincides with the American Library Associations (ALA) Banned Books Week (September 24-30th). Banned Books Week is an annual ALA event celebrating the freedom to read. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information. Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers in shared support of the freedom to seek and express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. The book being discussed at the Buhl library, 215 Broadway Ave North, on Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 7-9 p.m. is a book that has made the banned books list a number of times John Steinbecks Of Mice and Men. Written in 1937, it chronicles the adventures of two migrant workers in the Salinas Valley who are working toward a dream of a one-acre plot and a shack to call home. George is a small man and Lennie a huge man with the mind of a child. George has taught Lennie many things, but he cannot guard against all outside forces or predict how Lennie will react to them. The discussion is being led by Ellen Asay. Sherri George will be back Tuesday, October 24, 2017 from 7-9 p.m., to lead the discussion on Bill Brysons non-fiction work, A Walk in the Woods Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail. After many years abroad humorist Bill Bryson decides to reacquaint himself with America by taking a 2,100-mile hike with a friend along the Appalachian Trail. The book records his observations of the trail its history and the region, the people they meet along the way, and his thoughts on conserving one of Americas last great wildernesses. The Martian by Andy Weir is a story about an astronaut surviving an accident but is left stranded on Mars until a rescue mission can be mounted from Earth. This science fiction work portrays the harrowing experiences of being the only survivor left behind on the red planet and trying to let NASA know that he is still alive but having difficulties creating an environment in which he can survive. Curt Asay will lead the discussion from 7-9 p.m. on Nov. 21. The book talks are free and open to everyone. If you have any questions about the programs or the books, please call the Buhl Public Library at 208-543-6500. TWIN FALLS A elderly man accused of murdering an 81-year-old woman in August 2015 has died. Paul Welch, 88, was ruled incompetent to assist in his own defense and never stood trial in the death of Barbara Sue Chitwood. He had been indicted by a grand jury on a charge of first-degree murder. He was moved from the Twin Falls County Jail to State Hospital Souths Syringa Chalet Nursing Facility in Blackfoot, and the case had been put on inactive status. Judge Richard Bevan had ordered Welch to undergo treatment aimed at restoring his competence, but lawyers said in December that Welch suffered from dementia and other late-life ailments and that he would likely die before the case was resolved. Welch died Sept. 6 at State Hospital South, Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs said. His death ends the criminal case. He was buried in Twin Falls Cemetery, according to a notice of his funeral service. In her will, Chitwood described Welch as a good friend. According to neighbors, the two lived together after Welchs wife died in 2012. Authorities said he shot Chitwood to death in the home they shared. Welchs health led the trial to be delayed, and Bevan ordered the mental competency evaluation in January 2016. A series of errors and miscommunications led to further delay. Bevan ruled in September 2016, based on doctors reports, that Welch was incompetent. Bevan moved the case to inactive status and appointed a Washington man who was described as a close friend who was like his son, to be Welchs legal guardian and conservator. Loebs said last year that the case would remain active as long as there was a chance that Welch could become competent, but Welchs lawyers said treatment aimed at restoring competency were a long-shot. We anticipate hell be there until he passes away, Deputy Attorney General Justin Seamons said late last year. Police found Chitwood dead of a gunshot wound to the head on Aug. 21, 2015. That night, Welch was taken to a hospital with unknown injuries. In court documents filed that week, Welch told police he would attempt to kill himself again if set free. At the time, a neighbor described the two as both nice people. Detectives reported finding a pistol and ammunition belonging to Welch, and said he was the only other person in the house at the time of the shooting. JEROME You can track your pizza, you can track your Uber. But can you track your kid? A shortage of school bus drivers at North Side Bus Co. has led to drivers taking on two routes at once and delayed buses. Thats caused confusion and frustration among parents who are left wondering when their child will arrive home. A new program aims to allow Jerome parents to have easy access to more information. Last week, the Jerome School District started using a program called Z Pass, developed by Zonar Systems. It allows about 1,300 elementary schoolers who ride a school bus to use an electronic card to check on and off the bus. The new program will give more information to parents at least enough to know whether their child made it on or off a school bus. So far, weve had a very positive response from parents, Superintendent Dale Layne said. The program doesnt track children all the time, only when they get on or off a school bus. Its not going to track the kid wherever they go, Layne said. School officials can see the time students get on and off a school bus. And next week, the Jerome district plans to distribute information to parents about how they can use an phone application or receive email or text alerts to check on their students whereabouts. If a parent leaves for work before their child gets on a school bus, for example, theyll be able to use the app to ensure their child made it to school. Or they can monitor if school buses are running late. But it doesnt prevent a child from getting on the wrong school bus or getting off at the wrong stop. School districts occasionally run into situations where a child doesnt arrive at home and a parent calls the police department. In January 2015, a Jerome 6-year-old who fell asleep on a school bus was left alone for about two hours before a firefighter found her roaming the streets. This summer, the school district started a parent committee to get feedback and surveyed elementary school parents. Layne also talked with a school district in Wyoming that uses the program. For the first year, the Jerome district is paying about $20,000 for the program and is using state safety money. The purchase includes electronic card readers for school buses, key cards for students and a monthly cost for the use of cellular data. In future years, it will cost about $4,000 annually. Its optional for families to sign up, Layne said. But so far, only one parent has opted out their child. Editors note: This feature first ran Aug. 8, 2013, in the Times-News and at Magicvalley.com. For 50 years after the federal government told it to disband, the local Ku Klux Klan laid low until its resurgence in the 1920s, when the Klan came to town to recruit members. By 1922, the KKK had become a minor political power in the West, with a focus on white Protestant dominance over blacks, Catholics and Jews. The movement got a foothold in California, then spread to Oregon and Washington. The Klan pushed to increase its membership that year, claiming 35,000 members in Oregon alone, wrote Eckard V. Toy in The Invisible Empire in the West: Toward a New Historical Appraisal of the Ku Klux Klan of the 1920s. In January 1923, the Rev. Lew Burger, a KKK leader and motivational speaker from New York, spoke at the IOOF Hall in Buhl. The Buhl Herald praised Burgers speaking style and said a dozen hooded Klansmen handed out membership forms at two of his lectures. Klan dues were $3.50 a year, plus a $10 joining fee. The newspaper did not report whether a Buhl branch or klavern was formed. The next month, Burger spoke to a group in Idaho Falls and claimed that 38 members of Congress were Klan members. Curiously, H.W. Evans, imperial wizard of the Klan, declared that he had never heard of Burger and that no member of the Klan was allowed to discuss Klan membership, says a Feb. 15, 1923, Associated Press news article. Later that year, the KKK came close to taking control of the Twin Falls city election; Klan candidates were narrowly defeated. In 1924, about 150 men and women in full Klan regalia held a day-long rally at the Twin Falls County Fairgrounds. A year later, Buhls only black resident received a threat from the Klan. Henry Field had run a shoeshine parlor in town since 1915. Field discussed the state of local banks after the post-WWI agricultural depression. Apparently, the Klan didnt approve of the discussion and threatened him in a letter. Although others had joined in the conversation, Field was the only one threatened. HAILEY A Wood River Valley woman is in critical condition after a crash on Idaho 75 north of Hailey. About 9:20 p.m. Lindi D. Mattinson, 21, was southbound in a 2002 Honda Accord near Buttercup Road when she drove off the shoulder, overcorrected and crossed into oncoming traffic, the Blaine County Sheriffs Office said in a statement. The Honda hit a northbound 2001 Ford F350 that was hauling a flatbed trailer with a backhoe on it. The force of the collision tore the front of Mattinsons vehicle off and it became lodged against the front of the Ford F350 truck, driven by 47-year-old Eberto B. Zavala of Hailey. Mattinson and Zavala were taken to St. Lukes Wood River Medical Center for their injuries. Mattinson was flown to St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise where she remains in critical condition. All lanes of Idaho 75 was re-opened by 12:30 p.m. Italy Wednesday dispatched a new envoy to Egypt more than a year after it recalled its ambassador to protest Cairos slowness in establishing truth about the death of Italian PhD student Giulio Regeni. The new envoy, Giampaolo Cantini, landed in the Egyptian capital on Wednesday, according Cairo airport officials. Rome last year in a fit of disapproval of investigations over the death of 28-year old Giulio Regeni, whose body was found mutilated in Cairo, recalled its envoy. The doctoral student who was doing research on Egypts trade unions was found dead on February 3 after going missing on January 25, 2016, commemorating the 5th anniversary of the Egyptian revolution. Security forces invaded streets that day to quell demonstrations. Egyptian officials gave different theories of the killing, before pointing out that Regeni was victim of an accident. Rome refused to accept the accounts demanding that the Italian students corpse be sent back for new autopsy. Italian experts confirmed that the 28-year old student was tortured to death, and his broken bones suggest he had been hit with fists, batons and hammers. Regenis family demanded that Rome squeezes Cairo to shed light on the death as they suspected that Egyptian authorities might have been involved in the crime. The family protested against Romes August decision to re-send an envoy to Cairo although Regenis death has not been elucidated yet. Relatedly, Egyptian authorities arrested Ibrahim Metwally, a lawyer assisting Regenis family in the investigations. He was arrested Sunday at Cairo airport on his way to Geneva to attend a UN conference on enforced disappearances. The Egyptian prosecutors have accused him of disseminating false news and dealing with foreign parties. Metwally is held in Cairos Tora Prison complex pending investigations, reports say. The World Bank (WB) announced Tuesday it granted Tunisia a $60 million that will be used to back underprivileged youths and incite entrepreneurship among the countrys youngsters living in economically poor parts of the North African country. Directed to youths living in centre-West, North-West, South, Sfax governorate and Manouba in Greater Tunis, the loan is earmarked for a job creation scheme to be supervised by several departments including the ministry of employment and professional training. Carine Clert, co-head of the scheme and Chief expert of Social Protection and employment at the WB indicated that the loan translates the WBs resolve to support the North African country in its new strategy to give new hope to youth, underprivileged, women in particular and create opportunities for them. Tunisia has been facing economic hardship since 2011, year of removal of autocratic leader Ben Ali. Millions of Tunisian took to the street to call for better life conditions. The hopes, which drove the revolution, were quickly smashed exasperating the situation. Thousands of young Tunisians mostly in poor areas joined terrorist groups in Libya, Syria and Iraq. Around 600,000 Tunisian graduates are unemployed and unemployment rate has been put at 13 per cent, representing a record high. Israels foreign ministry director-general has played down cancellation of the Togo Africa-Israel summit arguing that Israel has proved that it is making headway into the African continent as he points at Arab pressure behind the event scrapping. Togo this week informed Israel that it was postponing sine-die the October 23-27 event for elaborate preparations. Yuval Rotem told Times of Israel that pressure from Arab countries on the Togolese President to cancel the summit was a clear sign that Israel is on a good track on the African continent. His comments followed confidence expressed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last month that pro-Palestinian efforts were being made to oppose holding of the event. This is not taking place without contrary pressure, Netanyahu told his cabinet ministers, referring to the summit. Various pressures have been placed on the Togolese president to cancel the conference. These pressures are the best testimony to the success of our policy, of Israels presence in Africa. Rotem also noted that Israel will soon start looking for another country to host the event. We need to build a better coalition to allow all the players that support Israel a little bit of boldness for this process. And I think were doing not badly, Rotem told Times of Israel. Fourteen African heads of the state had signed up for the cancelled summit. Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank. France has called on Chadian President Idriss Deby to organize long-delayed parliamentary elections in the central African nation. A statement released by the French foreign ministry urged Chadian authorities to announce dates for the elections saying Legislative elections are an important part of democratic life. Chadian President Idriss Deby had earlier this year postponed indefinitely the countrys parliamentary elections due to lack of resources. When we say we cannot have the elections, it is because we do not have the means. In times of low, we cannot do anything, and when we have resources, we can hold parliamentary elections, President Deby said at a press conference in February. President Idriss Deby Itno also called for a dialogue with the Chadian opposition to solve the countrys problems. Deby was reelected in April 2016 amid a climate of repression. Opponents of the regime were jailed for organizing peaceful protests. Amnesty International and a local rights group have said that at least twenty military and police officers have gone missing since the poll. In a new report released on Thursday (Sept. 14), Amnesty International revealed that Human rights defenders, citizens movements, unionists and journalists critical of the government are facing growing danger as the government increasingly uses repressive laws and intelligence service to muzzle critics and hamper their work. In 2016 alone, Amnesty International documented at least 13 ministerial decrees banning peaceful protests. More than 65 associations told Amnesty International they had not been granted permission to organize a protest between 2014 and 2016. Unregistered social movements and platforms have been declared illegal by the Chadian Minister of Public Security and Immigration, and this has been used to justify the arrest of civil society leaders such as Nadjo Kaina and Bertrand Solloh of Iyina, AI stated. The human rights watchdog singled out for criticism the national agency for security (ANS), which is at the heart of much of the repression in the country and which has often acted in defiance of Chadian law. The ANSs mandate was expanded in January this year allowing its agents to target and arrest human rights defenders on the grounds of national security. The ANS had already been illegally arresting people and detaining them in unofficial detention facilities, without allowing access to families and lawyers, AI noted. UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman warned that the fight against the terrorist Boko haram group is not over, although the coordinated efforts among the regions Governments, including through the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) had without question yielded encouraging progress in the fight against the group. Addressing the UN Security Council this week, the top UN political official conceded that the efforts of the Governments in Africas Lake Chad Basin have diminished Boko Harams combat capacity in the region, but the terrorist group has changed its tactics, increasing the use of suicide attacks. Unfortunately, the fight is far from over, he said. The group had shifted its tactics in the wake of these efforts, and some 130 attacks attributed to Boko Haram in the four affected countries Nigeria, followed by Cameroon, Niger and Chad in June and July resulted in 284 civilian fatalities, a significant increase compared to 146 attacks and 107 civilian fatalities in April and May. At the political level, he said that the UN Special Representatives for Central and West Africa and the Sahel proposed a regional strategy to address the root causes of the Lake Chad Basin crisis. The strategy would be based on ownership by the countries and sub-regional organizations concerned: the Economic Community for Central African States (ECOWAS) and the Lake Chad Basin Commission. On the development front, Feltman noted that the current crisis has wreaked havoc on basic infrastructure, as well as on government resources and services. Indeed, insecurity has sparked large-scale unemployment and left one million school-age children deprived of education. The substantial economic impact of the crisis has reached nearly $9 billion across northeast Nigeria alone. Poverty, weak state authority, insecurity and climate change explain this situation, with women and girls being the first victims, he said, also noting that conflicts along with all this displacement has eroded, or even broken, intercommunity and intra-community ties. He warned that without robust efforts in peacebuilding, the reintegration of ex-combatants, including Boko Haram and vigilante groups, additional tensions could flare up. Meanwhile, humanitarian needs are staggering, with 10.7 million people in the region requiring assistance, Feltman told the Security Council, noting that the bulk of burden is in Nigerias northeast. Yet, funding continues to be insufficient, as the appeal for $1.5 billion in 2017 for the region, is only funded at 40 per cent. The UN official also raised concerns about human rights violations by Boko Haram, and also about violations committed in the context of counter-terrorism operations, stressing that perpetrators must be brought to justice. Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan eager to raise trade turnover Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan intend to increase their trade turnover up to $500 million a year.The announcement was voiced by representatives of both countries during the business forum held in Bishkek within the framework of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyevs visit.An Uzbek delegation including representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade, State Committee for Investments, Chamber of Commerce and Industry and businessmen visited Kyrgyzstan to take part in the forum. More than 20 companies of Uzbekistan and 40 companies of Kyrgyzstan participated in the business forum.The parties noted that the two countries have all the prerequisites and economic opportunities for further development of trade and economic cooperation.The two countries trade turnover rose by twofold in 1H17 and it is expected that the volume of bilateral trade will total $280 million in late 2017.Uzbekistan is ready to import the products of mining enterprises, create joint ventures for the production of confectionery products, processing of automobile tires, food products and household appliances, said Adham Ikramov, chairman of Uzbekistans Chamber of Commerce and Industry.Following the business forum, the two countries companies agreed to implement projects worth $115 million.During President Mirziyoyev visit to Bishkek, the two countries discussed key issues for advancing the bilateral ties, prospects for expanding and deepening cooperation in the political, trade-economic, transport-communication, cultural, humanitarian and other areas, enhancing the ties between the border regions of the two countries, as well as current international and regional problems.Several agreements were signed, including a pact on the demarcation of more than 80 percent of the countries' long border.The presidents of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan signed an agreement on the demarcation of 1,170 kilometers of their shared border. The two sides also agreed to achieve a resolution soon on the remaining 200 kilometers of the disputed border.The visit comes ahead of an October 15 presidential election in Kyrgyzstan, where Atambayev is barred for running by term limits.Mirziyoyev, by contrast, was elected to a five-year term in December. Overview on development of draft constitutional amendments By Khatia Kardava In the beginning of August, the Venice Commission under the Council of Europe made its announcement about the cancellation of meeting in Strasbourg that was scheduled in September and initiated by the head of Venice Commission, Gianni Buquicchio. The meeting should have brought together Georgias ruling party and opposition to reach a final agreement on the Constitutional Amendments.The Venice Commission made it clear, it will proceed with the preparation of an opinion about the revised draft constitution for Octobers plenary session and urged the Georgian Parliament for a dialogue before finally adopting the draft.On December 15, 2016, the Parliament of Georgia created the State Constitutional Commission consisting of 73 members, including experts and representatives of seven political parties, government agencies and non-governmental organizations . The commission was chaired by Speaker of Parliament, Irakli Kobakhidze. The aim of the State Commission was to revise the Draft Constitution of Georgia in the interests of long-term democratic development of the country. Speaker of Parliament Kobakhidze said the format of the new commission will be similar to the previous one launched in 2013, which at that time failed to come up with a final draft.Regarding the process of constitutional reform, the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, an observer to the State Constitutional Commission, underlined that all stakeholders should seek to reach the widest possible consensus for this major constitutional reform.However, on the contrary, the process of drafting the constitutional amendments has intensified polarized opinions among the stakeholders.The two most contentious issues between the political sides have been: whether to introduce indirect presidential election and when to replace the existing mixed system of parliamentary elections to the proportional system. Though, the majority and opposition have both agreed the move to the proportional system of elections is essential, the debates continue about the timeframe.The process of constitutional amendments began with the controversy between the Presidents office and the Parliament. The President Giorgi Margvelashvilis initial proposal that the commission be jointly co-chaired by himself, Prime Minister, and Speaker of Parliament was ignored. The controversy between the two bodies ended in boycotting the work of the commission by the Presidents administration. This decision of the President was later criticized by the ruling party indicating to the reluctance to cooperate and discrediting the commission.On March 13, the President Giorgi Margvelashvili launched a campaign Constitution Belongs to All promising to visit each region to listen to the views and positions of the society about the constitution. According to him, the campaign aimed to increase public participation in the constitutional amendment process before its final approval.The Presidents campaign was not hailed by the ruling party, which considered that initially, the draft constitution should be developed and only afterwards, the public discussion should be launched. According to the law, the Parliament of Georgia is the initiator and organizer of this discussion, stated Speaker of Parliament, Irakli Kobakhidze.The confrontation between the Speaker of Parliament and the President increased when the idea of indirect presidential elections was proposed by the Constitutional Commission, which later, was softened by Speaker of Parliament stressing this change would not affect President Margvelashvilis term in office. Margvelashvili argued with this change the Georgian Dream intended to reduce the Presidents authority.Further, the Speaker of Parliament announced another concession stating movement to fully proportional system as envisioned by the draft constitution will be postponed until 2024 when Georgia feels most ready for it. However, this move was seen as an attempt to win next parliamentary elections by the ruling party, according to opponents.After months of uneasy debates and rounds of discussions, the parliament voted for the amended draft constitution in the first and second readings on June 22 and 23.The particular criticism of some civil society organizations (CSOs) and the opposition was dedicated to the decision of the ruling party to postpone proportional electoral system until 2024, which as opponents say guarantees the ruling party to win the most seats in Parliament similarly as its predecessor the United National Movement (UNM) did in previous years.On August 15, the Georgian Dream party called on the opposition to resume discussions over the constitutional amendments. The opposition parties underlined they were ready to participate in the discussion if the ruling party refuses to abolish direct presidential elections and maintains the constitutional amendment, which envisages movement to the proportional system in 2020.The opposition also suggested holding a plebiscite to make a final decision regarding the rule of presidential elections, which is envisaged to be held indirectly starting from 2023 with the new amendment. These demands were assessed as ultimatums from the side of the Georgian Dream.The oppositions approach is counterproductive and leads us to think the goal of the opposition parties is to avoid a constructive dialogue and consensus, stated the ruling party on August 25.In the statement published by the government on September 1, it was announced the discussions over the constitutional amendments will entirely move to the legislative body, which is expected to cast a third vote on the draft in fall session.The statement issued by the ruling team stipulates the reasons for the lack of a dialogue with the opposition:"Despite repeated attempts by the leaders of the parliamentary majority, the opposition parties did not answer to the parliamentary majority in what cases they would support the constitutional amendments. Instead the opposition presented several ultimatums as the precondition for renovation of the dialogue with the parliamentary majority. Such counterproductive actions by the opposition parties made it impossible to hold consultations with the parliamentary majority and, therefore, renovate the dialogue," it is stressed in the document.The opposition parties have responded to the accusations by blaming the government for unilateral cessation of the negotiations. Ten parliamentary and non-parliamentary opposition parties sent a joint letter to the President of Venice Commission, Gianni Buquicchio, on September 5, where they lay full responsibility on the ruling Georgian Dream party for the failure to reach the political consensus.The Venice Commission will provide the final assessment of the draft constitution by the end of October, although the dialogue between the ruling party and opposition has been grounded more on defining controversies rather than reaching a consensus over this period, the majority is certain the assessment of the Commission of the Council of Europe regarding the content of the draft will be positive. Where To Go When Your Local Emergency Room Goes Bankrupt?" During the past ten years 84 California hospitals have declared bankruptcy and closed their Emergency Rooms forever. Financially crippled by legislative and judicial mandates to treat illegal aliens have bankrupted hospitals! In 2010, in Los Angeles County alone, over 2 million illegal aliens recorded visits to county emergency rooms for both routine and emergency care. The cost is $1,000 dollars for every taxpayer. VIVA LA RAZA? @alextdaugherty Puerto Rican Gov. Ricardo Rossello said Thursday that President Donald Trump will visit Puerto Rico along with the U.S. Virgin Islands to view Hurricane Irma relief efforts in the territories first hand. Details of Trumps trip are forthcoming, Rossello said. The governor also said that Puerto Rico will host about 3,000 victims of Irma from the U.S. Virgin Islands and other Caribbean countries that suffered a direct hit from what was then a e Category 5 storm. We have been working to ensure that other U.S. citizens in the Virgin Islands and elsewhere can have safe passage, have shelter in Puerto Rico and restart their rebuilding process, Rossello said. Over 500,000 people lost power in Puerto Rico, which avoided a direct hit from Hurricane Irma after the storm tracked just north of the island. But hurricane force winds in some places reached 100 miles per hour, causing a crumbling power grid to falter, and officials warned it could take months to fully restore power in parts of the island. Rossello said Thursday that power has been restored to more than 90 percent of Puerto Rico after 75 percent of the island lost power when Irma passed just north of San Juan on Sept. 6. Hes been in regular communication with the White House over the past week and said that White House officials have pledged to support Puerto Ricos needs. Puerto Rico sustained an estimated $1 billion in damage from Irma, up from an initial estimate of $600 million. That damage will play a role when Congress discusses an Irma relief package, which will cost billions of dollars after Irma moved through the Keys and along Floridas Gulf Coast. We will start making the proper arrangements so that we can mitigate future impacts, Rossello said, adding that he has talked with Trump, Speaker Paul Ryan and other leaders in Congress about Puerto Ricos needs. Some of these infrastructures were designed for 155mph winds, they dont do that anymore so we really need to make sure that whatever efforts and whatever funding were getting we can use...it to mitigate in the future. Rossello was in Washington on Thursday with Puerto Ricos Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez and a host of other current and former senior officials from the territory. Their message, in addition to making sure that Puerto Rico gets enough federal help after Irma, is that Congress must act to ensure that the territorys health care system remains solvent and that the territory must be included if Congress passes an overhaul of the nations tax system. Read more here. Flathead Audubon and Lone Pine State Park will host the 11th annual Raptor Day celebration on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. The day begins with bird hikes at 7:30 a.m., with exhibits, booths and programs beginning at 9:30 a.m. U.S. Forest Service, Glacier National Park, Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, Montana Audubon and many other organizations will be there with fun activities. Outdoor Educational Booths and Fun Activities run from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. They include eagle and owl face painting, bird arts, crafts and activities for the whole family. Family Education/Entertainment Programs: 10 a.m: Glaciers Mystery Bird Montana Audubons Amy Seaman shares her backcountry adventures searching for the elusive Black Swift. 11 a.m.: Bird Brains The oddball Professor Avian Guano shares some amazing stories about bird intelligence. Noon: The Montana Bird Lady Kari Gabriel with LIVE HAWKS (and a tiny Saw-whet Owl). 1 p.m.: Bird Stress and Survival Dr. Creagh Bruener from the University of Montana shares her research about how birds cope in a changing world. From 2 to 4 p.m.: Flathead Audubon will offer Hawk Watch Volunteer Training, a video-based orientation training for those who would like to help with counting hundreds of migrating hawks and eagles this fall. The training is for those with some birding skills and interests, and are able to hike to the Mt. Aeneas Ridge above the Flathead Valley. This event is free and open to the public. Lunch is available for purchase. For more information, visit the Flathead Audubon at flatheadaudubon.org. The federal government has announced a program to provide $1.3 billion in debt relief for about 36,000 farmers who have fallen behind on loan payments or face foreclosure. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the farm loan relief program funded from $3.1 billion set aside in the Inflation Reduction Act allocated toward assisting distressed borrowers of direct or guaranteed loans administered by USDA. The law was passed by Congress and signed by Biden in August. The money anounced Tuesday is the first round of payments designed to help farmers hard hit by pandemic-induced market disruptions or climate-driven natural disasters including drought stay in business or re-enter farming. The USDA says additional programs are to come. The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed Kurt Alme of Billings as the new U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana, more than two months the White House nominated him to fill the post. Alme a former First Assistant U.S. Attorney currently runs the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation. In late June the White House announced the nomination of Alme after Sen. Steve Daines Montanas senior Republican congressman recommended him. Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, joined Daines in supporting Alme for the role. Kurt Alme is the right man for the job and Im thrilled to see bipartisan support for this well-qualified public servant, Daines said in a statement after the Senate vote. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the largest geographic federal court district in the lower 48 states. Alme must still be sworn in by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Former U.S. Attorney for Montana Michael Cotter along with 45 other U.S. attorneys across the country who were appointed during the Obama administration was asked to resign by President Donald Trump in March. Almes nomination garnered statements of support from the likes of former Montana U.S. Attorney William Mercer and Attorney General Tim Fox. A Montana native, Alme went to high school in Miles City and graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1992. He clerked for U.S. District Court Judge Charles Lovell before joining the Crowley Law Firm in Billings. There he practiced nonprofit law, business and estate planning, and tax law, eventually becoming a partner at the firm. In 2001, he was named director of the Montana Department of Revenue before joining the U.S. Attorneys office. He left the office in 2010 to become general counsel at the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation an organization that provides tax and charitable planning to help support the ranch, which works with emotionally troubled youth and became its president in 2013. As talk of national tax reform efforts heat up at the federal level, the fate of a federal tax credit program that has played a crucial role in several large economic development projects in Missoula is up in the air. The head of a local community development finance institution is even headed to Washington, D.C., to try to convince Congress that Montana has benefited greatly from the program. Dave Glaser, president of the nonprofit Montana Idaho Community Development Corp. (MICDC) in Missoula, said that the New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act of 2017 is supported by both of Montanas U.S. senators Democrat Jon Tester and Republican Steve Daines and is especially important for rural states. Its important for people to understand the big impacts that can come out of tax reform and what does it actually mean on the ground, he said. There are ways of utilizing the tax code, like New Markets Tax Credits, that benefit rural, low-income communities like ours here in Montana and Idaho. The MICDC partners with private investors to turn New Markets Tax Credits into money to finance new businesses, expansions or even community facilities that serve low-income people. In Missoula, the tax credits were used to build the new Missoula Food Bank, the Poverello Center homeless shelter and the huge Garlington, Lohn and Robinson law firm building downtown. Since 2009, Glaser said $322 million in tax credits have been used to catalyze more than $445 million in investments in more than two dozen projects such as an aquatics facility in Polson, an armory building in Helena and a remodeled historic hotel in Butte that have created more than 2,500 jobs. The Senate version of the bill, S. 384, has been co-sponsored by Daines, who praised the MICDC last year when it was approved for a $90 million NMTC award from the federal government. Through the New Markets Tax Credit we can continue to create good-paying jobs right here in Montana, Daines said in a statement. I am pleased to see that MICDC has once again received this award and am excited to see what work the credits will make possible. Tester has indicated he will support the bill, which would extend the program indefinitely. I have seen firsthand the important role New Market Tax Credits play in Montanas economy, and I will continue to ensure that the folks at the Montana & Idaho Community Development Corporation are able to access this critical tool to help create jobs and increase economic activity, Tester said in a statement. The NMTC program has also been backed by Aaron Brock, the executive director of the newly built Missoula Food Bank. This is a big project and we turned over every rock we could in terms of financial support, Brock said. Montana and Idaho CDCs ability to bring New Markets Tax Credits to the table was an essential component. Without New Markets Tax Credits, this project would not have happened on the same timeline or scale as it did. Although the tax credits have large bipartisan support, the only question is whether a major tax overhaul, which is on President Donald Trumps agenda, would include New Markets Tax Credits. Bob Rapoza of Rapoza Associates, a Washington, D.C., lobbying and government relations firm, said a dozen U.S. senators have indicated theyll support the bill, along with 72 cosponsors of the U.S. House version of the bill, H.R. 1098. However, one of the priorities of the Republican-led Congress is tax cuts, which by definition dont leave a lot of room in the budget for other things. Theres a lot of interest in cutting the corporate tax rate, and thats expensive, Rapoza explained. (Theres also interest) in cutting the personal tax rate and doing other things that would reduce the cost to businesses of their tax liability. There is also a desire to pass a tax bill which does not add to the federal budget deficit. The calculation is how far, how much do all those things cost and then can we add in something in like the New Markets Tax Credits? Congress extended NMTCs for five years as part of The Path Act in 2015, and Glaser would like to see the program permanently put in place. Low-income, rural communities are left outside the financial mainstream, he said. Its really hard for us to attract business and capital, and New Markets Tax Credits gives us this big magnet to attract flexible capital to attract investment in our state. There are two main criteria for qualifying for the tax credits from the MICDC: the project has to be over $4 million, and the project wont happen without the help of the tax credit subsidy. Glaser said the MICDC still has a fairly large amount of tax credits available for people with ideas for projects, as long as they fit those two criteria. The NMTCs are a small part of the tax code that get lumped in with other things, Glaser said. Its important for all of us in Montana to understand what parts of the tax code are important for rural states. There are so many examples of projects here that benefit every Montanan and benefit Montana businesses that didnt have the capital or services to expand without New Markets Tax Credits. Ward 2 encompasses the Westside, Captain John Mullan and Grant Creek neighborhoods. Incumbents Jordan Hess and Ruth Swaney are both running unopposed. Ruth Swaney did not return a questionnaire. 1. What is one positive aspect and one negative aspect of your ward? What would you do to change the negative? How would you foster more of the positive? Ward 2 is a microcosm of Missoula. Our ward is diverse we are people from varied incomes and backgrounds living in a mix of housing styles in neighborhoods with very different characteristics. Our diversity is our strength, but representing such a ward is difficult, because it is not homogeneous. My approach to cultivating the positive while changing the negative is to listen to the residents of the ward and represent their concerns. 2. Is there a way to change the current budgeting process to better benefit citizens? The city provides an array of services at a great value, but we need to find alternatives to property taxes to pay for these services. Local option sales taxes, gas taxes, or other mechanisms to capture revenue from visitors and out-of-town residents would require action from the Montana Legislature, but cities and towns across the state would benefit from them. As a state, we need to diversify the revenue sources available to cities and towns. Public participation in the complex and nuanced budget process is critical, and we need feedback about what programs are important to residents. 3. What are your thoughts on restriping proposed by the Fifth and Sixth streets study and the Higgins Avenue study is there a better way to serve all modes of transportation on some of our busiest streets? While the proposed Higgins Avenue study has not been funded, we dont need to look much past a Saturday Farmers Market to realize that Higgins is the lifeblood of our community and the center of active transportation. We can surely create a streetscape that functions better for all users and supports the Hip Strip businesses. Our transportation network is a complex ecosystem of drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders. Every person who chooses to bike, walk, or ride the bus makes our roadways more accessible for all users. We need to plan for and accommodate all modes of transportation. The City of Missoulas Complete Streets Policy directs the city to support safety and mobility for all modes of transportation. I fully support its implementation. 4. What are your views on the citys recent purchase of two private entities Mountain Water Company and EKO Compost and subsequent promises to invest heavily to upgrade them, ultimately bettering services for the community. Is this the job of the city, or is it overreaching? Beyond essential life-supporting utilities, I believe that government should step in to provide services that are not adequately provided by the private sector. EKO Compost, a willing seller, sold their business to the City of Missoula. The compost operation is critical to our wastewater treatment operations and is an important part of the citys energy and climate goals. Like the water purchase, the purchase of EKO Compost is revenue-neutral to the citys General Fund. Before the city acquired its water utility, 128 of 129 cities and towns in Montana owned their own water supply systems. The acquisition of Mountain Water will not raise taxes, will provide stability in our water distribution system, and allows the city to bring the system up to industry standards. Ownership of our water supply will benefit our future generations. 5. Affordable housing is a near-constant concern in Missoula. What can (or should) the city do to help make housing more affordable? Our zoning code should be refined to support affordability. Tax increment financing should prioritize development of affordable housing. Transportation infrastructure investments should make it easier and cheaper to get around Missoula. The city should encourage wage growth to support home ownership while supporting private and non-profit developers that provide affordable housing. I support the mayors effort to create a comprehensive housing policy; every development decision the City Council makes should support housing affordability. 6. Missoulas full of outdoors opportunities and killer restaurants and breweries. Whats your favorite outdoor activity in town and wheres your favorite place to get food or a drink afterwards? Ward 5 includes the southwest section of the Southgate Triangle, South 39th Street, Miller Creek and Moose Can Gully neighborhoods. Cathy Deschamps and Stacie Anderson are running for the seat vacated by one-term representative Annelise Hedahl. Cathy Deschamps did not return a questionnaire. 1. What is one positive aspect and one negative aspect of your ward? What would you do to change the negative? How would you foster more of the positive? One of Ward 5s most exciting and positive aspects is its growth. With the new housing development slated to go in next to the new Cold Springs Elementary school, my neighborhood will be the epicenter of new home development in Missoula. With Missoulas affordable housing inventory continuously shrinking, these new developments are more essential than ever. However, with additional growth comes additional traffic and congestion. One solution I would propose is an increase of Mountain Line services to the arterial routes within Miller Creek and Linda Vista to help alleviate traffic congestion. 2. Is there a way to change the current budgeting process to better benefit citizens? Creating more transparency throughout the budgeting process should be a goal of the City Council. If elected, I would work to open up the budgeting process by planning workshops to solicit community input and ideas on what programs Missoulians feel should be prioritized and how their tax dollars should be allocated. Additionally, I want to work with the mayor and city department heads on a proposed idea of a comprehensive online dashboard, where citizens can quickly see where their money is being invested. Budget decisions should in part be data-driven, but also reflect our communitys values. 3. What are your thoughts on restriping proposed by the Fifth and Sixth streets study and the Higgins Avenue study is there a better way to serve all modes of transportation on some of our busiest streets? These studies were proposed because the neighborhood felt it was increasingly unsafe to cross the street due to speed. This is an example of a grassroots effort by a neighborhood trying to address a local problem. We have to be creative in accommodating all modes of transportation. Doing so will benefit the entire city in terms of both air quality and traffic congestion. It is important that the gateways to our downtown area remain open. If we can facilitate more bike and pedestrian traffic from the neighborhoods surrounding downtown, this would alleviate car traffic and make it easier for people from Ward 5 to get downtown and find parking. 4. What are your views on the citys recent purchase of two private entities Mountain Water Company and EKO Compost and subsequent promises to invest heavily to upgrade them, ultimately bettering services for the community. Is this the job of the city, or is it overreaching? I believe the city of Missoula is one of the most important economic generators in Missoula County and the purchase of Mountain Water is in the best long-term interest of Missoula. Our community needs to have local control of its natural resources and be able to control the quality and price of a necessary service. In the case of EKO Compost, the owner approached the city to inquire whether there was interest in purchasing the business. This is an important bridge between the private and public sectors in business, as well as an opportunity to make sure this resource continues to be there as a benefit for all Missoulians. 5. Affordable housing is a near-constant concern in Missoula. What can (or should) the city do to help make housing more affordable? The lack of affordable housing in Missoula requires a multi-pronged approach. We must support and incentivize programs like the Montana Idaho Community Development Corporation and other programs that provide education, resources and financial support to Missoulians looking to own a home. Missoula must also look at city zoning and regulations and invest in a variety of housing options, including duplexes, single-family homes and revitalizing older homes. Additionally, we should look at streamlining and incentivizing building permits for developers who are working on affordable housing projects. Missoula is not a one-size-fits-all city and the City Council should be an advocate for solutions that best serve Missoula. 6. Missoulas full of outdoors opportunities and killer restaurants and breweries. Whats your favorite outdoor activity in town and wheres your favorite place to get food or a drink afterwards? For Missoula, the Clark Fork River is the actual river that runs through it. Missoula counts on a clean Clark Fork as it is a central fixture of our environment, economy and identity. When a century of mining and smelting released toxic mine waste into the Clark Fork, the contaminants traveled far downstream, piling up behind the Milltown Dam and poisoning the ground and water with arsenic and copper. With Missoulas aquifer at risk, there really was no option but to take action. Millions of tons of contaminated sediments had to be dug up and hauled off. It was a big operation, but the Milltown Dam and the tailings behind it were removed to prevent further pollution. For that we can thank the Environmental Protection Agencys Superfund program. Missoula and Montana could simply never afford the cleanup costs on our own. No other program has the scope to deal with the severity of pollution at sites like this. Though the Clark Fork cleanup and restoration work is ongoing, we already see remarkable improvements. Missoulas aquifer is safe and our drinking water clean. The floodplain upstream from the confluence with the Blackfoot is restored, fishing is improving and Milltown State Park development is underway, making Missoula a safer and more enjoyable place to live, work and play. Like many communities in Montana, Missoula has counted on the EPAs Superfund program. We counted on it to secure the health of the Clark Fork upstream, and we are counting on it to secure the rivers health downstream as it flows past the former Smurfit-Stone site. Many Montana communities continue to live with the pollution of yesteryear, and are also counting on Superfund to build a brighter future. Despite this obvious need, the Trump administration is proposing to slash $326 million from the Superfund program approximately a quarter of its budget. Without adequate funding, we are concerned that the EPA will fail to meet its basic obligation to protect communities impacted by harmful pollution. Fortunately, both of Montanas senators, representing both sides of the political aisle and occupying seats on the Senate Appropriations Committee, have come out in strong opposition to these severe cuts. Now, we urge a vote for full funding for EPAs Superfund program. There is no time to waste: The current federal budget expires on Sept. 30. The Superfund program has helped many Montana communities hard-hit by pollution recover and grow their economies. Cutting funding for the continued cleanup of the Clark Fork would undermine all our great progress. A strong and effective Superfund program can keep Missoulas land and water clean and safe. Let our senators know you support full funding of the Superfund program. Montana is on fire, we've been breathing smoke for months, and it's human nature to look for someone or something to blame, such as environmentalists or the U.S. Forest Service. But the fact is we cant log our way out, we cant fight our way out, we can only burn our way out through ongoing fuels treatments. Forest management is complex: *** Logging vs. wildfire: Its not a matter of timber sales or catastrophic wildfire. Logging is a component of forest management but without controlled, prescribed fire, timber sales alone do not significantly reduce the threat of wildfire. Our western forests are fire-dependent and have decades of undergrowth due to extreme fire suppression practices. Timber harvests are an important component of wise forest management, but do not address the level and type of fuel reduction needed to resist catastrophic wildfires. What will reduce fire potential is removing fuels through prescribed burning. Studies of over 3,000 fuel treatments that had wildfires in the past decade show an 89 percent reduced fire intensity. In other words we have to fight fire with fire. The presidents 2018 budget cut Forest Service suppression, pre-suppression and fuels treatment by $320 million. This is the opposite approach of what is necessary to fight fires and preventively reduce fuels. *** Climate change: It is real, it is not a hoax. The global temperature is increasing and the climate is changing due to the greenhouse gas emissions we have already produced leading to a rise in wildfires. Fact wildfires have been increasing in frequency and duration over the last 30 years. They occur four times more often, burning more than six times the land area, and last five times as long. Snowpack is 20 percent lower than it was 60 years ago. Peak runoff comes two or more weeks earlier on average; March temperatures across Montana are, on average, about 5 degrees warmer than in the 1950s. Since 1970, temperatures in the West have increased almost twice the global average. Extended drought and the stress caused by the reduced water availability make the forests that once were resilient now vulnerable to mountain beetle attack. This adds to the fuels ready for wildfire ignition. We could clear-cut Montana and would still experience fire; one only needs to look to the east side fires (280,000 acres burned) this year to see that. *** Money: Due to budget cuts to the Forest Service and the realignment of funds to fire management due in large part to effects of climate change, 51 percent of the Forest Service budget now goes wildfire compared to 16 percent in 1995. As more of the agencys budget goes to aircraft and suppression, less money is available to do restoration and fuels reduction work that would reduce the threat of wildfires. *** Wildland Urban Interface (WUI): Counties have a responsibility when issuing permits for subdivisions along forest boundaries. Fire-wise requirements, zoning and transportation planning all need to be done on private property along the boundary if fuels treatments and periodic prescribed fires are going to be successful in protecting homes from fire risk. The responsibility to protect homes should not fall on the shoulders of the Forest Service. We can improve this situation if we work together, avoid blame and accept established scientific research. We all breathe the same air, recreate on national forest lands and depend on dollars generated from timber, recreation, fish and wildlife in our state. Lets vote for leaders who seek long-term solutions based on facts and science, rather than knee-jerk, superficial solutions. As western Montana and many other parts of the West burn in a desiccating season that is one major wind event away from a repeat of the 1910 Great Burn, that smell in the air from forests cremated into micro soot is the stink of human-caused climate change denial. When U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke Montanans, Republicans and climate change deniers one and all recently, and cynically, used the nearby Lolo Peak fire as a photo opportunity to blame environmentalists and their lawsuits for the fires, I thought, O Lord, wheres a load of slurry when you need one? If they could blame environmentalists for super hurricanes Harvey and Irma and what other horrors the Atlantic storm season will bring, surely they would. Dont you know? The 270,000-acre fire in eastern Montana this summer was because environmentalists wouldnt let the feds cut more grass. The Great Burn of 1910 little environmentalism but lots of logging. What mattered was nature prolonged heat and drought followed by a cold front with extreme winds that whipped widespread fires into a wall of flame. Climate change makes the first two conditions much more prevalent, as we are seeing this year. Climate change makes super hurricanes much more prevalent, with unusually warm water in the seas feeding the storms. In Montana, 1 million acres burned. 1,700 fires. Unhealthy to hazardous smoke choking the valleys in which we live. A total cost well over $220 million and counting. What is the cost to tourism? To the health of our lungs? And this is just Montana, as nine Western states battle drought and fires. 2014, 2015, 2016. Each year a new record for global surface temperatures, with 2017 on track to be at least the second-hottest. A steady rise in temperature, decade after decade since the 1970s, matching the steady rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide, released by humans, now over 400 ppm. But you wont hear a peep of concern from our Republican representatives and the Republican president of the United States, who cheeps climate change is a Chinese hoax. Whether glib or plain stupid, what they are saying by their inaction is that they dont take the lives of Montanans, the lives of Americans and lives across the globe seriously. What matters to them is money, business as usual and votes, and who can blame the near half of America that denies climate change and casts their votes accordingly, when they are misled by politicians who dont care about science, or pretend they dont. By not taking what climate scientists have been telling us for decades seriously, by not educating themselves on the science of climate change, our politicians are not taking our lives seriously, nor our childrens lives, nor the lives of generations to come. And they mislead their electorate into voting for carriers of the staff of ignorance. Heres a place to start educating: coal. The stupidest use of coal is to dig up all that carbon reserve stripped from the atmosphere, burn it and release that carbon back into our atmosphere to warm the Earth. And then cynically defend "business as usual" by denying climate change exists and merely crying Jobs! The unremitting pumping of carbon into our atmosphere "leads" us towards a global future of unnecessary suffering, conflict and death. Climate change will educate us that the 2010s are a mere prelude to the devastation to come. Zinke, Daines, Gianforte: you and so many others fiddle away while the world burns. If youre paying attention to Montanas runaway fire season, youve heard the alternative facts peddled to the public in order to line industrys pockets. Unlike what some elected officials would have you believe, more logging and criticism of so-called environmental extremists are not evidence-based solutions to our problem with wildfires. The Lodgepole Complex fire alone burned over 270,000 acres of mostly prairie and agricultural land. Will our representatives blame the ranchers cattle for not grazing enough? The evidence is clear: our fire seasons are growing longer and more intense while being fueled by our changing climate, and our kids health is hanging in the balance. My daughters doctor appointment was canceled last week because the clinic closed due to hazardous indoor air quality. Florences Homecoming week has been postponed for a month; too smoky. And forget about recess outside. Too many of our elected officials have their heads in the sand while our air quality has plummeted across the state this summer. Tell our Montana representatives that we need more than logging to keep our air safe and our way of life intact. Until they address our changing climate, theyre just playing with fire. Marirose Kuhlman, Florence The Sept. 9 Missoulian devotes well-deserved attention to the work of Norman Maclean and to the festival held in his honor in Missoula and Seeley Lake. (Thank you!) One comment of mine quoted in the article, however, needs clarification. When I said Maclean "talked about being bipolar," I was employing a metaphor Maclean himself used to describe being torn between his two homes in Chicago and Montana. Maclean himself did not literally suffer from this disorder. Editor's note: This is part of a series of stories about local people dealing with cancer. The stories are running this week in conjunction with the Relay for Life fundraiser, which is Saturday in the Butte Plaza Mall. When Jenean Kujawa takes her first step in Saturdays Relay for Life, it will be not only for her a cancer survivor since 2006 but for all the people who have fought this devastating disease. Kujawa, advertising director for The Montana Standard, is also this years director of the Relay for Life. The annual event unites survivors across the globe as it also remembers loved ones lost to cancer and takes action for lifesaving change. One in two men, and one in three women are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Cancer Society. Kujawa is one of them. As was her grandmother, and her father. Diagnosed in 2006, Kujawa was only 28 at the time, with her whole life ahead of her. It is a lot to wrap your mind around. I was told that I had the best kind of cancer you can get really, is that an option with cancer? For me it was: Papillary Thyroid Cancer can be controlled and managed with surgeries I had three in 2006 and 2007,'' she said. Her most recent surgery was last year 10 years after the diagnosis. Through her treatment, she received numerous rounds of radiation over months until my body stopped responding. She remembers the feelings of fear and despair walking into an isolated room to receive radiation. There, people were dressed in protective clothing, and were wearing gloves and masks to limit their exposure to what they are asking you to put in your body. At home, after the treatments, she had to stay in an isolated room for three days, with limited human contact. It was a lot to take in at any age, she said. But Kujawa didnt dwell on herself her treatment brought her in contact with other cancer patients, some who eventually lost their lives. I was lucky, she said. I am still here and fighting. I feel good, and for the most part, my life is only altered from a pill I take daily, routine checkups, ultrasounds, body scans, blood draws and anything else Im told to do to keep my disease managed." She said its a small price to pay for life. Kujawas experience has been followed by family members who were diagnosed with cancer. Her maternal grandmother diagnosed with Cholangiocarcinoma in the summer of 2013 lost her battle in August 2013. Most recently, her dad, Pete Salle, was diagnosed with prostate cancer and successfully treated. This does not include the family members and friends some who lost their battle and some who are still fighting. This does not include the dozens of acquaintances, neighbors and community members whose story is so much worse than mine. Walk MS Saturday at local park Butte Walk MS is Saturday, Sept. 16, at Father Sheehan Park. The site opens at 9 a.m., and the walk begins at 10 a.m. Money raised goes toward stopping multiple sclerosis. Walk MS is the seventh largest fundraising walk in the United States, raising nearly $50 million each year, according to the MS website. For details, visitwww.nationalmssociety.org; or, according to the website, contact Danielle O'Shea, 406-373-7495, danielle.oshea@nmss.org St. Marks offers Sunday school for kids St. Mark Lutheran Church, 223 W. Montana St., offers Sunday School for children ages 4 through high school starting Sunday, Sept. 17. It runs 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. Students will study the Old Testament, and have a craft time. Parents can drop off their children and pick them up at 10:15 a.m., or stay for worship from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Kids church is also planned during this time. Rides for children going to Sunday School are a possibility by calling 406-782-5935. Registration forms will be available for parents to fill out. Salvage sale slated Sept. 20 in Uptown Butte Citizens for Preservation and Revitalization will have their next salvage sale from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20, in the alley behind the Piccadilly Museum, 20 W. Broadway St. Items include new doors, cast iron tubs and hot water heating radiator, kitchen and bathroom sinks, brass cabinet hardware (knobs and bin pulls that have never been used), odds and ends of wood trim and floorings and lots of windows. Proceeds support the Historic Improvement Program grants, and go directly back into the community. Volunteers are welcome. Just drop in at the sale site. Bring a tape measure and work gloves. Donations? Email to info@buttecpr.org Car seat safety clinic is Sept. 21 The monthly car seat safety clinic will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, at the Uptown Fire Station, Montana and Mercury. This month its in conjunction with National Child Passenger Safety Week. Some new technicians will finish up their certification by installing seats at the clinic. Details: Mary Stosich, Butte-Silver Bow Health Department, 406-497-5016. Research focus of Sept. 28 talk at Tech Lori Lambert, Ph.D, of Montana State University, will give a free, public lecture at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, in Montana Techs ELC-202. Her topic is: Indigenous Methods of Research: Beyond Community-Based Participatory Research. The talk examines the role that place-based indigenous research plays in informing western science and explores the purpose and current theories. Lambert holds degrees in Nursing, Health Education, Recreation Therapy, Environmental Science, and certificates in Education and Technology and Mikmaq Studies. After teaching 22 years at the Salish Kootenai College, she joined MSUs Center for Translation Research. For a complete Montana Tech Public Lecture Series schedule, visit www.mtech.edu/academics/public-lecture-series Tech professors article to be published John W. Ray, Ph.D, of Montana Techs Liberal Studies Department, has had an article accepted for publication as a chapter in the forthcoming book "Rhetorics of Evidence." His article is titled: An Analysis and Criticism of Chaim Perelmans Approach to Evidence and Argument as Developed in The New Rhetoric. The book is being published under the auspices of the University of Heidelberg and the University of Tubingen in Germany. Ray teaches classes at Tech in political science and communications. He has had several publications and presentations on the ethical nature of rhetorical audiences. Editor's note: This story was revised on September 18 to reflect the following information: In a story on Page A1 of The Montana Standard on September 14, the position of a state Department of Environmental Quality scientist was mischaracterized. David Bowers said at a September 12 public meeting that the dioxin portion of the Montana Pole and Treating Plant cleanup has been less effective than expected, but the overall cleanup at the site remains on schedule, according to a DEQ spokesperson. Also, information about the lack of effectiveness of the dioxin cleanup was included in a 2011 five-year review and in a presentation to the Montana Pole Citizens Technical Advisory Committee in 2013, according to the DEQ. Many of those in attendance at the September 12 meeting, though, including professionals and people closely involved in the project, said they were unaware of the issue until last month. Cleaning up dioxin at the Montana Pole and Treating Plant in Butte has not worked as well as expected, a state environmental scientist said at a public meeting Tuesday. David Bowers, of the Department of Environmental Quality, told how the site became a 40-acre federal Superfund site riddled with dioxin, pentachlorophenol, or PCP, and other hazardous chemicals and how DEQ has spent the last 21 years trying to clean those chemicals up. It is a story that many in the audience know well or so they thought. But for the past 18 years, DEQ knew something that many at the meeting said they were unaware of until last month: that the effort to treat contaminated soil on the site was not sufficiently remediating the presence of highly toxic dioxin. DEQ was aware that its efforts to rid the sites soil of dioxin were not working when it offloaded and tested the first batch of treated soil in 1999. While DEQ said that ineffectiveness was mentioned the 2011 five-year review and again in a presentation to a citizens' technical group in 2013, most of those at the meeting, including professionals with close contact with the project, were not aware of the cleanup deficiency until the agency released its latest five-year review, on Aug. 16 of this year. Bowers said the delay in informing the public had to do with DEQs desire to await test results that would show exactly what the risks of dioxin were. After the risks were known, Bowers said, DEQ planned to deal with the dioxin. But those test results did not come back until 2012. As a result, information about the failure to sufficiently remediate the dioxin was not widely shared until this August, when DEQ presented the fourth five-year report and its findings about the continued presence of dioxin to the Butte-Silver Bow Council of Commissioners. Tuesdays meeting was the first that aimed to discuss the new findings with the general public, and some in the room appeared bewildered by what Bowers was telling them. After the meeting, Jon Sesso, the countys planning director and Superfund coordinator, said, I mean, what did we wait 20 years for, if it (the remediation process) was going to fail in the first place? THE CONCERNS Sesso, who has been involved in deciding how to clean up the site since the beginning, said the county has been under the impression since the beginning that the land would be remediated to a level that would be suitable for industrial or commercial use. After the meeting, Sesso said the county set aside $10,000 a year for 30 years to take care of the area, and then submitted a land-use plan that had commercial uses and industrial uses." Sesso also said the county was contemplating an industrial use for the site as recently as 2015. Sesso expressed displeasure with DEQs failure to disclose more widely the problems with the agencys approach to cleaning the contaminated soil on site, using the bioremediation process outlined in 1993 Record of Decision. We had, I think, a reasonable expectation that when they chose bioremediation technology as the treatment approach that it was gonna work, Sesso said. But its perplexing to me that apparently it was known that the technology choice was not operating. Bowers, however, defended DEQs efforts. While acknowledging that the work to remediate dioxin has not been successful, Bowers pointed out that the efforts to mitigate PCP have worked. So from that perspective, it has been a success, he said. He also noted that contamination in the groundwater was meeting acceptable levels until a recent change in DEQ standards that rendered the water from the Montana Pole site unsafe. I can tell you from a contaminant perspective what it looked like (in the 1980s), Bowers said. Its got a long ways to go, but I dont think its an awful mess anymore. While defending DEQs work, Bowers acknowledged that the continued presence of dioxins in the soil represented a shortcoming of the cleanup, as intended by the 1993 Record of Decision, and that it meant plans for the site would have to change. With the release of the dioxin report, Bowers said, we had to reevaluate what were doing. As a result of that reevaluation, DEQ now plans to engineer a cap that will contain the waste onsite. This cap will essentially bury the dioxin-contaminated soil below layers of gravel, clean soil, a membrane, a grading layer and an intermediate cover layer. Below the contaminated waste soil will lie the sites groundwater, which will continue to be treated at the wastewater treatment plant on the north side of the site. Once the cap is in place, the site will be cleaned to the recreational level, meaning it could be used only for playing fields, a park or similar purposes. But that plan concerned Sesso and others attending Tuesdays meeting, including John Ray, who expressed alarm at DEQs intention to cap the dioxin on site rather than remove it from the property and to clean the property only to a recreation level. Ray is with the Citizens Technical Environmental Committee. Arguing that the community has been sold a bill of goods, Ray said, When all is said and done, 30 years of essentially failure, with the fallback position of cap it and we cant use it. I just dont know how anyone could present this and say this is a satisfactory clean-up effort. GOING FORWARD Similar concerns led Sesso to wonder aloud about whether there was time for DEQ to change course and do more remediation work that would make the site suitable for industrial rather than just recreational use. But Bowers expressed significant doubts about the likelihood of doing so, in large part due to monetary constraints. The governments settlement with the parties responsible for the sites contamination granted $35 million for cleanup. Currently, about $29 million of that money remains for a project expected to drag out for another 30 years and that means there is not enough money on hand to do more than what DEQ already has planned for the site. While Butte-Silver Bow could invest more in the site after DEQ is done remediating it to a level suitable for recreational use, Sesso acknowledged that was impracticable, calling it a non-starter for our community. I mean, were not going to take this land and then take on a liability to use it for a purpose we thought we were going to have in the first place, Sesso said. Seeking some way to remediate the Montana Pole site so it might serve some beneficial use that the community could actually use, Sesso asked Bowers whether DEQ was considering other alternatives that would take the land from an open-space-concentration level to an industrial level. Bowers said the DEQ is working on a report called an Explanation of Significant Difference that will serve as the starting point for that discussion. That report will detail the changes to the Record of Decision, including revisions to the cleanup levels and a description of how it will alter its approach going forward. Bowers indicated that DEQ expects this report to be released this fall. While Bowers strenuously defended DEQs efforts and plans, he acknowledged the validity of Sessos, Rays and others concerns. You should always be concerned about the management of waste in your backyard, Bowers said. It would be ridiculous not to. BOZEMAN A Montana man whose dogs attacked and killed a woman in June will have to pay more than $15,500 in restitution, with part of that going to the state and the rest to the family of the victim. The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports Wayne Bartlett was ordered to pay the restitution Wednesday morning. Justice Court Judge Rick West asked Bartlett if he had any objections to the amount, to which Bartlett said "No. None at all." Bartlett's dogs attacked 65-year-old Melissa Barnes as she was working in her yard. Bartlett was a tenant within Barnes' property at the time. He pleaded guilty to two counts each of vicious and dangerous dogs and failure to have rabies vaccinations. The Gallatin County Sheriff's Office states the dogs were voluntarily euthanized. PLAINS Several dozen homes in western Montana remained under evacuation orders Wednesday as the potential season-ending rain approached from the west. The most recent mandatory evacuation came in Sanders County at the Sheep Gap fire, between Plains and Thompson Falls, in the Highway 200 Complex. On Tuesday night, 24 homes on Swamp Creek Road from Four Corners to the intersection of East and West Fork of Swamp Creek were ordered abandoned. And on Wednesday, an evacuation warning was issued for the Apgar area in Glacier National Park because of the Sprague fire. Approaching rain or not, firefighters and managers kept shoulders to the grindstone Wednesday. As expected, winds picked up in the afternoon in the midst of a Red Flag Warning. Near Plains, helicopters, single- and double-engine planes and a DC-10 retardant tanker tried to slow the Sheep Gap fire's growth and stop it from burning homes in the area. When the fire first flared up a few weeks ago, Sanders County Sheriff Tom Rummel said the flames were so high up on the mountain ridge where the fire first started that it looked like military put a load of napalm on top of the ridge. The flames were calmer Wednesday, but single trees still looked like fireworks torching in the distance as their light cut through the heavy, drifting smoke. Jim Stokes and Bill Dorn were two residents who had been under evacuation orders. Stokes never left his place, while Dorn said he got the last motel room in town. Stokes was sleeping on a cot in his field as the evacuation order went out. He rode the fire out, but said it was a little dicey. Stokes was grateful for what the firefighters had done. Crew 2 from Prescott, Arizona, saved all my buildings, Stokes said. Im totally grateful to all of them. Theyve been so short-handed but the way theyve controlled the fire is outstanding. Sheep Gap has been burning heavily over the past few weeks and Dorn said it previously was a black plume, it looked like an atomic bomb went off. The Sheep Gap fire was at 13,400 acres Tuesday, but since the infrared camera that the incident management team uses to conduct fire-gauging flights was broken, no new estimate was available Wednesday. *** The evacuation warning Wednesday for those in Glacier's Apgar area followed a mandatory evacuation of area residents and park visitors on Sept. 3. It extends from the south end of Lake McDonald north to Logan Pass. Flathead sheriffs deputies and Glacier Park law enforcement went door to door with the evacuation warning starting at about noon. Sue Exline, a fire information officer on the Sprague fire, said the forecast called for 15 to 20 mph northeasterly winds just after sunset Wednesday, which could drive the fire in the direction of those two communities. Its less wind than what we had in early September when the fire made its last large run, but we would rather be on the safe side, Exline said. The fire is currently burning about a half-mile away from Lake McDonald Lodge. A sprinkler system has been wetting down that area for several days now to protect the historic structure. Apgar and West Glacier are about 3 to 4 miles from the fire. The approaching storm system isnt expected to bring much relief in the form of rain to the Sprague fire. The forecast is calling for most of the precipitation from this weeks storm to fall farther south and to the east of the Continental Divide, with only a few tenths of an inch expected to drop on the fire, Exline said. A second storm next week is expected to bring more rain to the area. Early Wednesday, Exline said winds were blowing out the west and southwest and the fire was creeping around the forest floor with some torching. Its the same that weve seen over the last three or four days, she said. There hasnt been any fast-moving fire at all. If the winds shift, that could change. The Sprague fire is currently at 14,795 acres. *** Approximately 56 structures, not all of them homes, are still evacuated due to the troublesome Little Hogback fire on Upper Rock Creek, part of the Sapphire Complex in Granite County. The area starts at and includes Wild Rose Loop south of Stony Creek. Farther upstream in Granite County, the Frog Pond and Moose Lake areas are still under evacuation orders at the Meyers fire. Mandatory evacuations remain in effect for residents just east of Rogers Pass, on both sides of the road. The order by the Lewis and Clark County Sheriffs Office includes the Elk Meadows/Evergreen subdivisions. In Powell County, the proximity of the Rice Ridge fire forced those in the Monture Guard Station Cabin area on the south side and the Coopers Lake area on the east end to flee. Crews on the Rice Ridge fire battled the conditions on the fourth and, they hoped, final day of burnout operations to keep the south edge of the fire away from a forest road west of Monture Cabin. The Cottonwood Lakes Road runs from the cabin to Seeley Lake. As of 2:30 p.m., aerial ignition was progressing slowly and stopping between strips of ping pong balls to keep fire intensity lower due to wind in the area. Information officer Nicole Stickney said while news of the coming rain was exciting, dont expect outward shows of emotion on the fire lines, such as sliding in whatever mud there may be. Ill tell you what, if youve never been on a burn, that ash is extremely slick, Stickney quipped. No ones counting on the first rains to quell the Lolo Peak fire, information officer Derek Ibarguen said. We really want to take advantage of the rains. Our operations folks are being told a half an inch, so were thinking that could or could not be enough to make a dent, Ibarguen said. I think firefighters are trained to be cautiously optimistic. Theres a lot of humility in this and not a lot of celebrating. It's almost too easy for politicians to talk about tax reform. It's much harder for them to tell the complete story when it comes to taxes, though. After all, who loves paying taxes? No one. Who doesn't believe that greedy ol' gov'ment should keep its dirty mitts off our hard-earned dollars? Yet as President Donald J. Trump and his administration begin to roll out tax reforms, it's important to remember the other part of the conversation -- the tax equivalent of eating our broccoli. As Trump argues for change, a key component of it is taxes paid by businesses and corporations. Much of the tax relief wouldn't necessarily be felt by individuals, but by the corporations for which they work. The idea, of course, is that by lowering taxes for companies, the money will pass through to employees in the form of higher-paying jobs or more available good jobs. However, that's not always the case. But corporations having more money isn't the problem. Many American companies are already sitting on a pile of assets overseas, estimated at between $2.5 trillion and $3 trillion. Some of those assets are liquid, some are not. But even a "tax holiday" which would allow those corporations to bring back cash at a much lower tax rate would likely have only a minimal effect on individuals and debt, according to most experts. In other words, bringing money back to America doesn't guarantee more domestic investment nor does it reduce debt significantly. And that's the problem. The federal debt will continue to grow for the next decade economists warn, increasing as much as $7 trillion. The only way to cut taxes and not risk America's future is to hope that the cuts will turbocharge the economy by creating new jobs, more consumer demand and higher wages. If that gamble doesn't work, the country's economy could stagnate, while its debt continues to mount. That's why it's so important that when considering tax cuts that citizens also demand leaders describe a realistic plan to stop the United States' mounting debt. A solution is not just increasing the debt ceiling every couple of months. Tax reform cannot be discussed without a conversation about debt. If we continue to lower taxes without addressing the debt, we will only prolong the time it takes for an economic crisis. The debts we incur shouldn't be the responsibility of our grandchildren. The other challenge with discussing tax reform is that there's a lot of misinformation and half-truths. For example, while it's (mostly) true that the United States has the highest corporate tax rate in the world, it's not the full story. The statutory tax rate for C-corporations is 39 percent. However, like all tax law, that's not what most companies pay. What companies pay is commonly referred to as the "effective tax rate" -- the real rate after all the accounting (think deductions and credits) is taken into account. When looking at effective tax rates, as National Public Radio did last week, we're not the highest -- the United Kingdom and Japan are notably higher. "U.S. corporate taxation isn't all that big compared with other countries'. As of 2014, U.S. corporate tax revenues were at around 2.2 percent of the GDP. The (highly developed economies) average was 2.8 percent," NPR reported. If tax reform is going to mean anything, Congressional leaders and those in the Trump administration must also account with two other larger business tax problems. First, not all corporations are set up the same way. The number of "S-corporations" has dramatically increased. S-corporations are usually smaller businesses which pay through the individual income tax code. Because of that shift in how businesses are set up, revenues -- the overall money collected from businesses -- has dropped. That means that businesses generally are pay less than they have been, not more. Because the amount of taxes collected has decreased, our ability to pay our debts has also diminished. If Congress continues to lower tax rates even more, at a time when the country is collecting less income, it's hard to see how America is not set up for another spectacular and devastating financial crisis, brought about by our debt. Furthermore, increasing the debt ceiling -- that is, America's ability to borrow money and add to the debt -- by tying it to hurricane relief seems like taking advantage of the public. In other words, members of Congress know that Americans want to help those hit by Hurricanes Irma and Harvey. By pairing the disaster relief package to the debt ceiling, it means relief for beleaguered victims while risking America's financial future. We could be solving one crisis while contributing to another one in the future. That's why we cannot have tax reform without a commitment to paying down debt. Instead of tax reform, how about debt reform, too? The Billings Gazette Butte-Silver Bow has received no proposals for buying and developing the sprawling, vacant NorthWestern Energy building, 40 E. Broadway St., despite months of marketing by a Billings firm that's being paid up to $17,820. Commissioners agreed in April to hire NAI Properties to market the building in Montana and nationally and proposals for buying and using it were initially due Sept. 5. The county took on the building as part of a 2014 agreement to keep NorthWestern Energys state headquarters in Butte. Community Development Director Karen Byrnes says two parties are very interested in the building complex but did not have proposals solidified by the initial deadline. Offers from them or others will still be accepted into December, she said. But if something doesnt materialize in a few weeks, she said, county officials would have to consider a next move and that could include mothballing the building during cold-weather months to avoid more costly heating bills. County Chief Executive Dave Palmer has said utility bills ran $6,000 to $7,000 a month last winter. We are not at that point of deciding yet, Byrnes said. Cindy Perdue-Dolan, who joined Jim Fisher as the only two commissioners who voted against hiring NAI last spring, said Wednesday that temporarily mothballing the complex over the winter might be the only practical move right now. We are sinking so much money into this building, and we havent gotten any responses, she said. We have gotten some small bites at the apple but nothing has come to fruition. I think being realistic, going the mothball phase for the short-term is a very realistic approach. She and Fisher suggested in April that more be done locally to find buyers and she still favors that. Fisher said the county needs to quit worrying about buyers and just get someone to take on the building and use it for something. He said he usually does not support that approach, sometimes referred to as a "developer's packet" that can mean little or no purchasing price. But, he said, "We need to get people in there who are going to be paying taxes and hiring some people." The 110,000-square-foot complex is actually five buildings joined together over many years. Its size, age and mishmash set-up are cited often as reasons it is difficult to sell. The county took ownership a year ago as part of the agreement with NorthWestern to stay in Butte. The company built a $25 million office building at Park and Main streets, keeping more than 200 employees here and pumping new property tax revenue into a special Uptown taxing district. In return, the county gave up land for the new building, is building a parking garage where some NorthWestern employees can park, and agreed to take ownership of the old building at 40 E. Broadway if the company couldnt find new owners within 18 months. NorthWestern hung onto it longer than 18 months, but early and repeated claims of optimism by the company and county officials that it would sell have not panned out. Byrnes said she has been talking with two people who are very interested in the building but did not have time to provide all details by the original Sept. 5 deadline for proposals. They both contacted me the day it was due, she said. The contract with NAI runs through December, she said, and the firm has a strategy to double-down on its efforts until then. Perdue-Dolan said she knows people have tried hard to find a buyer, but she wants to see marketing input from the Butte Local Development Corp. and its new executive director, Joe Willauer, and other local economic development groups. Fisher said if the county cannot find anyone to simply take the building, he definitely opposes paying NAI any more money to keep marketing it. And mothballing it over the winter is the only practical thing to do, he said. "We cant afford to keep paying paying the power bills," he said. "This could go on for years." NOTICE: TO BE CLEAR: WE HAVE OUTLINED UNDER OUR RECORD MAINTENANCE POLICY WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE A FAIR PROCESS FOR ALL. SIMPLY PUT: IF THE COURT SAW FIT TO EXPUNGE YOUR RECORD,SO WILL WE, FREE OF CHARGE. ARRESTS DO NOT IMPLY GUILT AND CRIMINAL CHARGES ARE MERELY ACCUSATIONS,EVERYONE IS PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW AND CONVICTED. 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OUR CONTENT REVOLVES AROUND CRIME, ARRESTS AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT. WE BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTION AND OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO PUBLISH UNPOPULAR SPEECH. OPEN RECORD LAWS WERE WRITTEN TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC; BY INFORMING THE PUBLIC OF ARRESTS AND TO HOLD LAW ENFORCEMENT ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE HUMANE TREATMENT OF ARRESTEES. MOST OF, IF NOT ALL MUGSHOT LAWS WERE CRAFTED TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM FEES FOR REMOVAL OF ONLINE MUGSHOTS AND TO FURTHER PROTECT THE PRESS FROM THOSE VERY SAME "MUGSHOT LAWS".WE DO NOT ACCEPT PAYMENT FOR REMOVAL OF ARREST INFORMATION AND/OR BOOKING PHOTOGRAPHS. MORE... Baton Rouge, LA -- A charter school principal accused of locking a kindergartner in a broom closet has been suspended and now faces arrest on felony and misdemeanor charges. Shafeeq Syid Shamsid-Deen, the 31-year-old principal at Laurel Oaks Charter, will be arrested on felony cruelty to a juvenile and misdemeanor false imprisonment charges, according to an arrest warrant signed Monday. On Aug. 22, a teacher heard a child crying and screaming, but couldn't immediately find her. Two other teachers then joined the search. It led them to a closet in the school cafeteria that was locked from the outside. Inside, they found a hysterical 5-year-old girl. Police say the closet had paint, garbage bags, a ladder and what appeared to be a small chair sitting just inside the door. The girl told investigators that Shamsid-Deen would put her in the closet when she was "bad." She said that if she screamed, he turned off the light in the closet, according to the warrant. The student told authorities it was "nasty and gross," and that the closet contained spiders and roaches. One of the teachers told police she sent an email to Shamsid-Deen objecting to using that closet as punishment. Police said Shamsid-Deen's response was "Thank you for your observation and note. We will work to make sure we have a proper time out area for scholars to reset in the cafeteria." The school board released the following statement to WBRZ Wednesday: Laurel Oaks Charter School's Board is aware of this matter and is investigating the facts surrounding this case. Principal, Mr. Shafeeq S. Shamsid-Deen has been suspended for the duration of this investigation. Laurel Oaks Charter School is committed to the safety and well being of all students. Any action that would constitute a crime or result in neglect of a child has never been the policy at Laurel Oaks Charter School and is currently not the policy. An Iowa State University educational and research facility for feed milling and grain science will be getting some substantial seed money, $14 million, from Kent Corporation, Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Sukup Manufacturing Co. Kent Corporation is committing $8 million, the Iowa Corn Promotion Board $4 million and Sukup Manufacturing Co. $2 million for the $21.2 million feed mill and grain science complex, which will be funded entirely through private giving. The commitments made by Kent Corporation and Iowa Corn Promotion Board represent the largest gifts each has ever made. Sukup Manufacturing Co.s commitment will be in-kind support, including the complexs grain storage bins. On behalf of the Kent family and Kent Corporation, we are pleased to contribute this legacy gift to Iowa State Universitys new feed mill and grain science facility, said Gage Kent, chairman and chief executive officer of the Muscatine-based Kent Corporation. Our business portfolio includes developing innovative, high-quality, value-added products from locally grown corn, Kent said. As an Iowa-based, global leader in corn wet milling, the production of animal feeds and the manufacturing of food products, it is critical that we support Iowa State in giving students valuable, real-world experiences that will benefit their future employers and industries. Our experience with Iowa States commitment to the Cultivation Corridor and their mission to promote and facilitate growth in agriculture and biosciences helped facilitate this gift. We are very proud to support this effort. The feed mill and grain complex will be located in Ames, on land that has been the site of crop research, seed operations and crop yield performance trials for more than 50 years. At the facility, courses will be taught, research conducted and feeds prepared. We are very grateful to Kent, Iowa Corn Promotion Board and Sukup Manufacturing for their lead gifts that will jump-start in-depth planning and development of our feed mill and grain science complex, said Benjamin Allen, interim president of Iowa State University. Their tremendous generosity will help make this facility a valuable addition to hands-on student learning, meaningful faculty research and extension and outreach to industry workforce. The need for such a facility is spurred by increased international demand, including the doubling of commercial feed consumption in Iowa to 15 million tons over the past decade. Iowas economy is heavily dependent upon grain and livestock production, and export trade, said Duane Aistrope, president of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board. To remain viable and competitive in the future, the grain, feed and livestock industries must continue to improve production and efficiency. Our mission is to protect and preserve the grain that feeds the world, said Charles Sukup, president of Sukup Manufacturing Co. in Sheffield, Iowa. For more information on the companies and complex, visit www.kentww.com, www.iowacorn.org, and www.sukup.com. Members of the Louisa County Board of Health learned Wednesday it will likely need to speed up the search to find a replacement for Medical Director Dr. Brian Masonholder. Masonholder, who is one of five members on the BOH, agreed to serve earlier this year on a temporary basis after former Medical Director Dr. Thomas Boyd decided not to seek re-appointment. Since then, BOH members and staff have been seeking a replacement for the position, which under state law must be filled by a licensed physician. During the boards August meeting, Louisa County Public Health Service (LCPHS) Office Manager Brandy Blow said she had contacted Dr. Paul Towner, Louisa Countys current medical examiner and a Washington physician, about assuming the medical directors position. Although Towner had not made any commitment, Blow had indicated she was optimistic he would consider. However, at Wednesdays meeting LCPHS Interim Administrator Roxanne Smith and other staff reported there had not been any additional contact with Towner on the idea. BOH Chair Brad Quigley, who is also a member of the Louisa County Board of Supervisors, said he would contact Towner for a definitive response. If Towner declines to serve, Quigley said he would contact a Muscatine physician about serving. Masonholder, who attended Wednesdays BOH meeting by telephone, assured other members that his retirement plans had not changed and a replacement would soon be needed. Youd better get on it, he suggested to the BOH members. The position is critical to county public health services, which cannot perform some activities, such as immunizations, without approval from their medical directors. Other Business In other action, Smith reported an environmental health complaint had been raised over the use of an incinerator toilet on a rural acreage southwest of Columbus Junction. She said a review of county records indicated a permit for a temporary use of the toilet had previously been issued. She also said county officials had discussed the toilet with state environmental officials and determined the original permit should not have been issued. Smith said County Sanitarian Bruce Hudson had attempted to conduct an on-site inspection, but had been ordered off the property by the owner. She said County Attorney Adam Parsons had been advised of the issue. The BOH also met with Amanda McKee and Fabiola Manyi-Orellana, Lutheran Services of Iowa (LSI), for a report on child abuse prevention activities in the county. Under a contract with Louisa County, LSI operates the county program through The Nest of Louisa County. The two updated the BOH on grant funding and also distributed a report from Prevent Child Abuse Iowa that mapped out child maltreatment statistics for the state. It showed Louisa County ranked high at 83rd in the state for children at risk for child abuse, but dropped to 47th in rank for confirmed or founded child abuse reports. Other rankings also showed variations, including: child neglect (88th); children living in poverty (64th); and child abuse prevention spending (33rd). In final action, Smith asked BOH members to consider holding the BOHs monthly meetings on a day other than Wednesday, because Hudson is unable to attend on Wednesdays. The board agreed to begin meeting on Thursdays, starting Oct. 12. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes [] The banker at Wells Fargo looked across her desk at me with the pained expression of somebody who wants to sell you something but cant. I see you already have several accounts with us, Mr. Armstrong, she said. Are you sure youre a new customer? I was and I wasnt. I had accounts everywhere, and most of them werent mine. This wasnt the first time, and I was sure it wouldnt be the last. Between 2013, when my identity was stolen, and this May, I tried to prove to credit bureaus and banks that I was me and not the thief. The fake accounts he created shut me out of crucial parts of the consumer finance economy. I was denied credit cards, got harassed by collection agencies, and was told not to bother putting my name on a mortgage application for a house my wife and I were trying to buy. The other me was living it up. Back in August 2013, wielding a drivers license with my name and his picture, he opened accounts at four banks in two days and got a credit card with Bank of America. He hit the exclusive Delano Hotel in Miami Beach. He shopped at Whole Foods. He sold an RV to some Texans online, didnt deliver it, then sent their $39,000 to Russia. Theres footage of him at a Wells Fargo branch, according to an indictment filed by prosecutors. He sits there posing as me, opening accounts. I got the first call from the police two months later. It would take more than three years for them to bring the case to its conclusion. In the meantime, our lives kept intersecting while the cops and the FBI followed me. Him. And it wasnt just banks. Flying to London for work, I was waiting in the business class lounge when I heard my name called over the intercom. There were two men there with badges.Are you carrying any monetary instruments? one of them asked as they went through my bags. They pulled out my credit cards and money clip. There was a single, tattered dollar the texture of suede. One dollar, cash, the border agent wrote down on a scrap of paper. Every time I entered or left the U.S., Id be pulled aside, my bags searched, and let go up to an hour later. Once it happened on the jetway as I was boarding. More often it was in a back room full of other detainees. In Atlanta, on the way back from a wedding in Brazil, I saw two customs agents looking over somebodys open Tupperware container. Its a rat, one of them said. It was, in fact, a dried rat. Eventually I explained my situation to the TSA. After I got a letter with a redress number, I traveled with it clutched in my hands like the promise of safe passage in Casablanca. I was never searched again. Mine wasnt the only life my impostor was living, and it didnt always go so well for him. He had at least one other fake ID, which raised a flag with at least one bank manager. When the manager went to make a copy, the guy ran out of the branch and jumped into a getaway vehicle, according to an affidavit filed by the FBI agent investigating the case. I spent hours on the phone with Bank of America, explaining to one representative that Id never had their card. Thank you for being a Bank of America customer, she said. Its a nightmare Americans go through every year. Theres another you out there, living it up while you wander among the financial and bureaucratic wreckage theyve left in their wake. More people are likely to be victimized after the massive hack of 143 million Americans that Equifax announced last week. In that breach, thieves took Social Security numbers, addresses, drivers license data, and birth dates. Those are the keys to the kingdom, said Bo Holland, CEO of AllClear ID, an identity-monitoring service. Once you have somebodys name, social, birth date, and address, you can go and open new accounts.Which is exactly what my guy did, according to the financial records. He had used the bureaucracy to become me, and I would have to use it to detach us. At the front end, it was so easy for the thief to get in there like a tornado, and youre left doing the cleanup, said Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit that helps people dealing with ID fraud. Theres a logic to the maze you have to run to expose fraudulent financial accounts. In an economic system where U.S. consumers carry $12.73 trillion in household debt, you shouldnt be able to just call up, say it wasnt me, and leave thousands of dollars in obligations by the wayside. But do they have to make it so hard? You have to get the language right, you have to be sure youre talking to the right department of the right agency in the right organization, Velasquez said. You have to get the right forms. At least a couple of them, youre going to have to repeat those steps, because somebody didnt get the right note or it got lost. I spent hours on the phone with Bank of America, being passed around from department to department. I explained to one (very helpful!) representative that Id never had a Bank of America credit card.Thank you for being a Bank of America customer, she said toward the end of our call. I started to say something but stopped. Heres what I sent them, in the end: a signed statement saying I was me and that the accounts were fraudulent, an affidavit Id filed with the Federal Trade Commission swearing Id had my identity stolen, copies of my drivers license, passport, and Social Security card, a lease, two phone bills, a letter from the Justice Department, the criminal complaint filed by the prosecutors, and Bank of Americas own credit card records. It occurred to me that if anyone got their hands on that, theyd have everything. BofA sent me things, too. I got a 1099-C tax form. My impostor ran up credit card bills, which the bank had written off. That counted as income, and Id need to consider it in my taxes. They also mailed me checks. They had overcharged the fake me $105.37 in fees, so they issued a refund to the real me. The checks are still in a file. I never cashed them, afraid I might re-entangle my life with my fraudsters. We are buying the house after all (my wife and I, not the guy and I), but Im not to participate in the financing process or include my assets or wages in the application. That can mean a higher rate on the loan, one credit expert told me. While I was suffering, the other me hit Miami Beach, sold a phantom RV to some Texans online, sent their $39,000 to Russia. Theres footage of him at a bank, as me, opening accounts. Resolving identity theft issues is a complicated process, said Betty Reiss, a Bank of America spokeswoman. We make every effort to work with victims and help resolve their situation as quickly as possible. There are ways to protect yourself, if you know about them, which I didnt in 2013. Consumers can set up fraud alerts with the credit bureaus, telling financial institutions to take extra care before they allow a new account. They can also ask for a credit freeze for stronger protection.Fraud alerts are free, and they alert all three bureaus and every creditor in the country, said AllClears Holland. But unfortunately not many people take the steps to use them.Part of the problem, said both Holland and Velasquez, is that we make it too easy in the U.S. to access important information or open new accounts. We demand convenience over security, Velasquez said. When you have an experience like youve had, convenience becomes less of a priority. Both suggested more use of two-factor authentication, like a password and a code sent to your cellphone, instead of easily circumvented authentication questions like confirming a high school mascot or a mothers maiden name. I got security questions very much like those when I went to the website of one of the three major rating agencies to get a copy of my credit report and entered my Social Security number and date of birth. One showed me a list of addresses and asked which Id lived at recently. There was an address in Florida and several others I didnt recognize. None of the above, I clicked. And promptly was locked out. The man who can answer that question is in prison. Yet the mess he created is probably still out there, waiting for me to walk into a new bank and find out hes been there first. Scantily clad chorus girls drape the stage in this sexy American classic. Jazz, giggle water and murder in 1920s Chicago set the city buzzing with gossip about the beautiful criminals who shot, stabbed or poisoned their lovers. Clawing publicity by any means necessary are Velma Kelly and blonde bombshell Roxie Hart, who are determined to win their freedom with the help of shady lawyer Billy Flynn. Staci Arriagas sensuous choreography has dancers kicking, flipping in acrobatic lifts and enthusiastically bouncing through the Charleston in Lucky Pennys tiny theatre, cheered by an enthusiastic audience. Jenny Angell is sensational as Roxie, purring at her husband hoping for sympathy in a melancholy tap dance and taking the stage by storm in glittering Roxie with lights flashing her name on the sets upper balcony. Her nemesis, Velma, is tirelessly energetic Tielle Baker, whose physicality in the role is extraordinary, along with comedic reactions to Roxies fame while gnashing her teeth on a cigarette, consumed with envy. Tight stage direction from Taylor Bartolucci and Barry Martin keeps the suspense building toward Roxies trial, turning actors toward each side of the theater to engage the audience. Working with a talented cast, music director Craig Burdette brings the foot-tapping numbers to life, from Razzle Dazzle to Flynn surrounded by feathers in All I Care About. Edward Hightowers smooth rendition of Flynn is elegantly unscrupulous. Phillip Percy Williams as kind-hearted reporter Mary Sunshine flirts shamelessly, waving a delicate handkerchief, bellowing A Little Bit of Good to highly amusing effect. Roxies put-upon husband, Amos Hart (Tim Setzer), garnered sympathy with a humble Mister Cellophane and quiet exit shuffling away from the limelight without a backward glance from his frivolous wife. Corrupt Matron Mamma Morton terrorizes her cell block with Jennifer Starks cynical portrayal of the justice system. She teams up with Velma for the less well known, but hilarious song Class bemoaning how the younger generation is forgetting their manners. Chicago at Lucky Penny Productions is a small-scale spectacle of dance and melodrama in this popular musical filled with trench coat clad reporters, showgirls, tommy guns and All That Jazz. This passionate evening of crime and desire will have you humming for days, sure to entertain and delight. Larry Vuckovich returns to Tucker Farm Center in Calistoga on Sunday, Oct. 1 with Orquesta El Vucko band. The group will perform a wide-ranging repertoire including Cuban, salsa, South American classics, Mexican boleros, jazz classics and selection from the Great American Songbook performed in a Latin style. Chef Michelle Mutrux of Wappo Grill will serve Life of Pie gourmet pizza. Beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages will be available. Tickets can be purchased at brownpapertickets.com and are $20 in advance, $25 at the door. For more information, visit larryvuckovich.com/schedule.htm The Petaluma Police Department is seeking help from North Bay residents in obtaining information about a fatal stabbing that occurred in the city last weekend. Two victims were located in the area between Kentucky and Keller streets in Petaluma at 1:43 a.m. Saturday, just as bars and nightclubs in the area were beginning to close, police said. One of the victims was taken to Memorial Hospital in Santa Rosa, but died from their injuries. The other was treated at the scene and taken back to the police department for questioning. Police say the suspect may have fled on foot to the Keller Street Parking Garage and entered an unknown vehicle. Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the incident, who may have video or anyone who can provide any information related to the stabbing to contact Detective Walt Spiller at wspiller@ci.petaluma.ca.us or 707-778-4372. If you want to know what Napa high school student Connor Harris is all about, just take a look at the tattoo on his wrist. While traveling solo in Asia and India this past summer, Connor, who just turned 17, got a tattoo of a map of the world. The image is a permanent reminder of that trip when he hopped from country to county volunteering for various humanitarian causes. It was a big accomplishment, but it wont be his last. Connor, a senior in high school, has spent his high school years involved in a variety of projects and humanitarian travel. He was also recently the named the 2017 Young Man of the Year by NewsDomestic Violence & Sexual Abuse Services. For 10 weeks over this summer break, Connor traveled alone to India, Nepal, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia. Using a work travel website called Work Away, he arranged his own schedule to volunteer for different teaching and related projects in each country. In exchange, he received room and board. Describing himself as creative, driven and motivated, Connor said relationships and making connections with people are the most important aspects of his life. What brings me happiness is bringing other people happiness and helping others, he said. Teaching makes him feel good, Connor said. Its satisfying seeing people grow as a person, whether by learning a language, or about creativity or emotional wellness. Its really satisfying to see students grow and flourish. Connor has always had an independent streak. When it came time to enter high school, he decided to enroll in the Napa Valley Unified School District Independent Studies program. Students in Independent Studies attend classes with teachers at a small school site near Pueblo Vista Elementary School in Napa, but for just six to eight hours a week. The majority of their school work is completed independently. Its more like a college schedule, said Connor. Its a lot more engaging, he said. Through independent studies and the freedom it gives him, I was able to discover what Im really passionate about photography and volunteering, Connor said. Connor also started his own photography business, ConnorDays.com. He takes photos for commercial customers and also documents his own travels, activities and projects. Thats how he paid for his travel this summer, he explained. Hes active on social media as well his Instagram account has 44,000 people that follow his recipe for living which includes vegan eating, travel, photography and humanitarian issues. He volunteers regularly, working with special education students in the NVUSD. Last year Connor was the student representative on the NVUSD school board. In Dec. 2015, he won first place in the Napa Valley College Youth Entrepreneurship Business Plan competition high school division for his business plan for his photography business. I really am not different from the average high school student, he insisted. While some kids like to spend time on more traditional or typical high school pursuits, Volunteering and teaching makes me happy, he said. Being creative and having relationships makes me happy. The senior, who will be graduating in December, said hes already decided to take a gap year and do more world traveling, volunteering and humanitarian work. Hes not sure a traditional university is for him, said Connor. Depending on where he gets accepted and his financial aid offers, I may reconsider, he said, but as of now, I dont see myself going to a four-year college. After graduation, Connor plans to stay in Napa at home to save up money but after that he plans to travel to Central and South America, volunteering and traveling. I want to travel slow and work on myself and my photography business, he said. Ultimately, I want to be a humanitarian photographer. He also hopes to invest in real estate and adopt a child in the future. Napan Jeni Olsen, founder of nonprofit Teens Connect, nominated Connor for the News honor. I first met Connor at an NVUSD board meeting, where he was serving as student board member, she said. I was immediately impressed with his confidence and commitment to representing the student voice. Ive since gotten to know him better as Ive had the pleasure of working with him through Teens Connect. He recently joined our Teen Council and brings so much wisdom, compassion and authenticity to our group. Olsen said Connor is unlike any other teen shes met. He follows his heart, which often leads him down the path less traveled and stands up for others with loyalty and courageousness. Connor said he was honored to be named Young Man of the Year but admitted, Im not really one for awards. I dont do what I do for any recognition. I just do it because it makes me happy to help others. More than anything I was honored to be with these other influential men. Connors mother, Vida Harris, said her son has always been mature, motivated and self-driven. I knew at a very early age, said Harris. Whatever he wants to do, he just sets his mind to do it. Its hard to say no to Connors ideas, she said. Hes famous for making power point presentations to convince her to agree to his travels and projects, she said with a laugh. As for his international trip this summer, He had it all mapped out, she said. I thought, he has this incredible head on his shoulders and he knows what he wants to do. I cant tell him no. Regardless of whether or not he attends college, Harris said she still believes her son has a bright future. I see him really making a difference, and helping others, she said. When he received the News award, I just couldnt stop crying, Vida Harris said. Oh my goodness. You cant even explain the pride you have. Independent Studies Principal Susan Wilson said Connor is one of the schools top students. A lot of our students do look up to him, saying, I could do that too, Wilson said. Hes inspiring other people. Wilson said Connor is a determined student. When he wants to know more about something he really gets himself involved with it. He believes that greatness starts within oneself, she said. While Connor was a student at her school, We got to see that grow and develop. Thats awesome. Wilson said she believes Connor will become a leader in his community. We believe he is going to make some change. A 29-year-old Richmond woman was arrested in American Canyon after providing false names to police officers on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Napa County Sheriffs Office. The woman, who was eventually identified as Ladaysha Cole, was found in a stolen vehicle in the Walmart parking lot with numerous California ID cards and AAA membership cards belonging to other people, as well as a shaved key, commonly used for stealing vehicles, officials said. Cole was arrested and booked at the Napa County jail on suspicion of taking a vehicle without the owners consent, possession of stolen property and providing false identification to an officer. The cultural firestorm over statues, flags and other symbols of the Confederacy, ignited by a violent clash of white supremacists and their opponents in Charlottesville, Virginia, would seem far removed from California. Not so. California became a state in 1850 largely because of pre-Civil War political maneuvering over slavery and the fear among northern politicians that its riches, especially gold, made it a tempting target for southern sympathizers, who were quite numerous in the soon-to-be state. Just in the last couple of years, the larger conflict flared in a successful effort to remove Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lees name from a school in San Diego and an unsuccessful effort to compel Fort Bragg, a small town on the North Coast, to change its name. Its namesake, Braxton Bragg, was a U.S. Army officer who later joined the Confederacy. Now attention has turned to other symbols of other historic events, particularly what happened to native peoples after North America was discovered or invaded by European explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries. In August, the Los Angeles City Council voted to strike Columbus Day, which honored Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, from the citys calendar of recognized holidays, and replace it with a commemoration of indigenous, aboriginal and native people, thus endorsing the increasingly popular view of him as a symbol of oppression. The action was taken at the behest of Native American organizations and over the vehement objections of Italian-American groups. Chrissie Castro, vice chairwoman of the Los Angeles City-County Native American Indian Commission, told the council that they needed to dismantle a state-sponsored celebration of genocide of indigenous peoples, adding, To make us celebrate on any other day would be a further injustice. Weve been erased from education. Weve been erased from the history books, Joseph Quintana, development director for United American Indian Involvement, told the council. On behalf of the Italian community, we want to celebrate with you, said Ann Potenza, president of Federated Italo-Americans of Southern California. We just dont want it to be at the expense of Columbus Day. In the same vein, Californias new social science framework eliminates the long-standing practice of celebrating Californias early Spanish missions. Constructing model missions has long been a traditional bit of homework for the states fourth-graders. Building missions from sugar cubes or popsicle sticks does not help students understand the period and is offensive to many, the framework says. Missions were sites of conflict, conquest and forced labor. The Sacramento Bee quoted Nancy McTygue, executive director of the California History-Social Science Project, which has been conducting training on the revised approach, as saying, The mission project has outlived its usefulness. I feel we can do better. We can do it in a way that is respectful and accurate. Given changing cultural attitudes, one wonders about the fate of other venerable symbols, such as the giant statue of Father Junipero Serra, the missions founder, that looms above Interstate 280 near Hillsborough, the many schools and other public buildings named for him, or the statue of Christopher Columbus with his patron, Spanish Queen Isabella, in the Capitols rotunda. Erasing symbols does not change the history they represent. What happened, happened. And while Californias youngsters should not build mission models any more, the pedagogic pendulum should not swing too far the other way either. Californias children dont need propaganda of either stripe but rather accurate lessons in its rich history the good and the bad to understand why it is what it is today and their role in its continued evolution. A kitten that was pulled from the engine of a vehicle Wednesday in Castro Valley came out covered in grease, but was ultimately unharmed, Alameda County fire officials said. On Wednesday afternoon, a resident on Stanton Avenue reported that a stray kitten had gotten stuck in the engine area of a vehicle that was not running. Firefighters responded to the scene and were eventually able to rescue the kitten. The kitten appeared to be tired but did not suffer any injuries, according to fire officials. The owner of the vehicle nicknamed the kitten Speed Racer. The stray animal was then handed over to Alameda County Sheriffs Office Animal Control, which then took it to a shelter, fire officials said. REDWOOD CITY -- A fast-food cashier is being held on $11 million bail after prosecutors say she gave birth in a bathroom and held the newborn baby face down in the toilet last week during a shift at McDonald's in Redwood City. Sarah Lockner, 25, was arrested Sept. 4 after her co-workers called police to the restaurant at 185 Chestnut St., San Mateo County prosecutors said. Witnesses said Lockner complained about stomach pain and went to the bathroom repeatedly. One of them went into the bathroom to check on her and saw blood on the floor, which she claimed was due to a heavy period. Another co-worker looked over the wall of the bathroom stall and allegedly saw a baby face down in the toilet, according to prosecutors. "Our witness saw a hand on the back of the newborn pushing it into the water in the toilet," District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said Thursday. The witness subsequently heard the toilet flush after looking away, but it's not clear whether Lockner was attempting to flush the baby, according to Wagstaffe. When police arrived, the infant wasn't breathing and did not have a pulse. The child was transported to a hospital and placed under a medically induced coma. The baby survived, but the long-term effects of the trauma are not yet known. "What I was told by my team is that it was at or near full-term," Wagstaffe said. "They do not believe this was a premature delivery." "(Lockner) said she didn't know she was pregnant," Wagstaffe said. "We don't believe that." Lockner was arraigned Monday on charges of attempted murder and felony child endangerment, and returns to court at 1:30 p.m. next Monday to enter a plea. Her defense attorney Jonathan McDougall with San Mateo County's Private Defender Program could not immediately be reached for comment. Lawmakers and the media have devoted much of their attention recently to deaths from opioid overdoses, as well as to the broader "deaths of despair" that include suicides and deaths from alcoholic liver disease and cirrhosis. But despite the intense focus on the topic, misinformation about the epidemic runs rampant. By conventional wisdom, tackling this crisis would require extending Medicaid and improving how it functions, cracking down on prescription painkillers and getting more health-care resources into rural communities. But that's not exactly right. To correct the record, here are four points to bear in mind: Medicaid isn't the problem (and isn't the solution). Critics of Medicaid argue that the program enables the epidemic by paying for prescription opioids. In fact, Princeton University researchers Janet Currie and Molly Schnell calculate that only 8 percent of all opioid prescriptions from January 2006 to March 2015 were paid for by Medicaid, based on data from QuintilesIMS, a leading health-care information company. Medicaid can help addicts by providing a range of evidence-based therapies. This is correct and, like many others, we think treatment is a good idea. As such, we are also concerned about the effects that reductions in Medicaid could have on the epidemic. But Medicaid proponents often greatly overstate what can be expected from treatment in general, and Medicaid in particular. Many addicts deny their addiction and either do not seek or do not adhere to treatment once started. "Evidence-based" typically means there has been a randomized, controlled trial that has demonstrated effectiveness. But trials include only those who seek treatment - and say nothing about those who avoid it. A trial is deemed successful when the treatment is proved better than nothing (or at least a placebo) - even if only a few people end up benefiting from it. It is not all about opioids. Policymakers often speak as if the epidemic will be over as soon as we tackle both legal and illegal opioids. Better control of opioids is essential, but, even without opioid deaths, there would still be as many or more deaths from suicide and liver diseases. Opioids are like guns handed out in a suicide ward; they have certainly made the total epidemic much worse, but they are not the cause of the underlying depression. We suspect that deaths of despair among those without a university degree are primarily the result of a 40-year stagnation of median real wages and a long-term decline in the number of well-paying jobs for those without a bachelor's degree. Falling labor force participation, sluggish wage growth, and associated dysfunctional marriage and child-rearing patterns have undermined the meaning of working people's lives as well. The crisis has hit men and women about equally. There are competing myths that women (or men) have faced the greater brunt of the epidemic. In fact, the increase in deaths of despair has been similar for men and women. It is true that women are less likely to kill themselves than men, and they have lower death rates throughout life. As a result, the same increase in deaths among both sexes translates into a larger percentage increase for women. But the numbers of additional deaths remain similar. A focus on men appears to reflect a prejudice that the social pathologies connected to the epidemic - drinking and drugging - are primarily seen in men. That has led some to believe that men are more prone to deaths of despair, but again, the data do not support that claim. Rural Americans are not alone in this crisis. While mortality rates are somewhat lower in the suburbs of large cities than elsewhere, deaths of despair have risen in parallel in all levels of urbanization defined by the Census Bureau, from inner cities to rural areas. They have increased for middle-aged whites - not blacks or Hispanics - in every state between 1999 and 2015, with deaths concentrated among those who do not have a four-year college degree. This is a statement of fact, not a claim that more education would bring the deaths under control. There is no simple policy solution to this epidemic. In the short run, we need to develop less tolerance for the use of opioids - both legal painkillers and illegal forms of the drug, such as heroin andblack-market fentanyl. Perhaps local communities have the best chance of doing so. But the long-run solution is much harder to attain. We need higher wages and better jobs for working people. The past 40years suggest that is a far more difficult goal to attain. In answer to Chris Craiker's letter of Sept. 2 about Dunkirk. In 1919, three men in Paris laid down the terms of the peace that followed World War I. They represented the victorious nations - President Woodrow Wilson, Lloyd George of Britain, and Clemenceau of France. These three effectively decided the fate of Europe and the Middle East (with occasional help from Vittorio Orlando of Italy, another ally but one who was apt to weep when he didn't get his way). Germany wasn't even invited. It is untrue that "Britain was every bit to blame" for the mess of Dunkirk -- all the Paris participants were. President Wilson said that the Germans "should be shunned and avoided like lepers for generations to come." But turning one's back on German rearmament as isolationist America did, simply didn't work. Furthermore, Wilson failed to persuade Congress to join the new League of Nations, which might have acted as policeman. The French wanted to punish the Germans with very heavy reparations -- far more than the British $220 billion versus $120 billion. Mr. Craiker believes it was the punitive cost of reparations which caused World War II, and he may well be right - it's just that he's wrong in blaming only Britain. Clemenceau so hated the Germans that he asked to be buried standing up facing Germany -- to avoid being taken by surprise. After the searing battles of World War I, both Britain and France were determined to avoid such carnage again. The strategy of Falkenhayn at Verdun was to bleed the French white, relying on their population of 75 million to outlast France's 40 -- a grim tactic of last resort. France's determination not to expose its youth to future bloodletting on that scale is understandable; the British also suffered terrible losses; on the Somme their casualties on the first day exceeded 57,000, and that battle (one of many) lasted 4 and a half months. So all the nations involved can be excused for being gun shy. Appeasement resulted and eventually another war they weren't prepared for, and then Dunkirk and after it the Fall of France. Facing a German army already furiously rearming for six years, it was hardly surprising that the British (and French) were no match for it. The evacuation of 338,000 troops (one-third of them French) was the result. By mid-1940, Germany had occupied Czechoslovakia, Poland, and all Western Europe except for two or three non-combatants. Then, Winston Churchill came to power and inspired his nation to continue the fight. Russia and Germany were allies and the United States didn't take up arms for a further 18 months, so Britain was entirely alone. Without the retreat at Dunkirk, it is hard to see how Europe and much of the world could have been spared a horrifying fascist rule which would probably have lasted generations. Although they lost all their heavy armaments, tanks and vehicles, the bulk of the men survived to fight another day, and that was a turning point. As for the movie "Dunkirk," it completely fails to convey the global and long-term significance of the events taking place over those momentous nine days. The heroism of the 850 fishing and pleasure boat owners who came to the rescue of the remnants of the British and French armies doesn't really come across. Much of the action of the movie takes place inside the hull of an abandoned trawler where a few deserters are skulking. Against the grand tapestry of the story they don't really signify. Chris Craiker might like to read "Paris 1919" by Margaret MacMillan and "The Last Lion" by William Manchester and Paul Reid. Michael Savage (Natural News) Many Florida residents were unprepared when catastrophic hurricane Irma appeared over the Atlantic. Extensive media coverage and government warnings had many people taking action early, but long term preparedness plans were apparently not in place for families and pets alike. Store shelves were emptied in many places and gas stations ran out of fuel. Pets were abandoned in alarming numbers, tied up to trees, and left pinned up in flood risk areas. Many pet owners gave up ownership and turned their cats and dogs in to nearby shelters. The influx of abandoned pets has spurred south Florida authorities to instate felony charges for owners who left their pets behind. Emergency preparedness plans must take into consideration all living creatures under ones care. Just days before Hurricane Irma made landfall, Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control had rescued roughly 40 dogs that were abandoned as residents sought shelter. Director Dianne Sauve said there is absolutely no excuse for abandoning a pet, even in the days leading up to a hurricane. Many of the recovered animals were found tied up to trees and locked up in pens, unable to escape. This poses dangers to the pet and the public, says the Florida Department of Health. With floods imminent, chained animals become tortured animals. Authorities in Florida have pledged to crack down on pet abandonment. If they can identify owners, they could be charged with felony animal cruelty charges. This announcement will likely cause further problems. Many pet owners wont search for or claim their animals if they know that they are going to be charged with a felony. Animals that were recovered by authorities may be left in the custody of the shelters, forever detached from their original owners. Authorities say that the number of abandonments was higher during this storm than previous storms. Disappointed shelter director Dianne Sauve says the goal of the shelters is to keep families and pets together. She iterated that there are two pet-friendly shelters in Palm Beach County that many people were unaware of. The shelter took in another 40 cats and dogs that were willingly turned in and left there by their owners. The owners wont get the pets back. In Palm Beach County, when an owner willingly gives up their pet, they lose ownership for good. It will also be more difficult for the owner to adopt again in the future. After the hurricane passes, pet owners are warned not to let their animals roam. Confused pets are more prone to bite and attack humans, especially during times when they are more likely to be provoked. Debris also poses a danger to animals. Animal shelters see an uptick in wounded animals immediately following a storm and may not be able to respond to all cases at once. Displaced wildlife, such as alligators, quickly become a threat to pets, too. While felony charges are a bit extreme in situations like this, there is an apparent need for better preparedness plans for families and pets alike. This starts with communities becoming more aware of the impact of regional threats and understanding what is most important to sustain life during a crisis situation. Stay informed at Preparedness.News. Sources include: USAToday.com Preparedness.News (Natural News) Poisonous chemicals from illegal marijuana farms in Californias forests were found in the states rivers and streams, according to a report by Reuters. This finding brought fear that humans and animals may be at risk because the contaminated rivers and creeks are the sources of the states water supply. Also, the streams are also crucial sources of water for cattle, fish, and vulnerable animals such as the Pacific fisher and the Northern Spotted Owl. Thousands of acres of forests have turned into waste dumps so toxic because of these chemicals. There were cases that law enforcement officers have been hospitalized after inadvertently touching plants and equipment, and a number of animals have died. (Related: Californias hemp farms producing massive tonnage of toxic chemical runoff, polluting thousands of acres of land) Apparently, many of the illegal growers use fertilizers and pesticides long banned or restricted in the United States such as carbofuran and zinc phosphide. Carbofuran is in the water, and its not supposed to be, Mourad Gabriel, an ecologist who works with law enforcement on marijuana contamination issues, told Reuters. Carbofuran, one of the most toxic pesticides, was banned in agricultural usage by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2008. It can cause skin irritation, headaches, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain, muscle twitching, convulsions, and death, to name a few. Gabriel found another chemical in the streams called diazinon which is another pesticide that can cause respiratory paralysis, headaches, tightness in chest, blurred vision, vomiting, diarrhea, and death. These deadly pollutants present in eight northern and central California watersheds adds to the list of damages to the environment from thousands of illegal cannabis farms. According to law enforcement, many of these are run by drug cartels serving customers in other states. Carbofuran, diazinon, and other chemicals were present downstream from pot farms in Kern County in central California, Humboldt County on the states northwestern coast, Mendocino County north of Santa Rosa, and others, based on Gabriels unpublished data seen by Reuters. The waters chemical layer cake Its like a layer cake, Gabriel described. In June 2014, law enforcement shut down a pot farm at Brush Mountain in Kern County. When Gabriel tested the stream nearby the pot farm at Brush Mountain the following November and December, diazinon was present. In another testing in 2015, the stream appeared to be chemical-free. However, chemicals showed up again the next year. In 2014, a stream in Trinity County tested negative for pesticides but became positive in December 2016. They put chemical on chemical on chemical. Well find different chemicals in the water on different years, Gabriel said. These findings made Gabriel speculate that it can take months or years for chemicals to migrate through the soil. California does not have a comprehensive water testing program for marijuana contaminants, but is developing regulations for marijuana farms, including rules about water quality and pesticide use. Officials also said that the federal government, which owns much of the land where illegal pot farms are located, has not conducted stream testing near the toxic sites. Maybe six months down the road well say water quality wasnt affected all that much, Leslie Hubbard, Trinity County planning director, told Reuters. But maybe well say we have disaster on our hands, she expressed. According to estimates, more than 90 percent of illegal U.S. pot farms are found in California. There are as many as 50,000 marijuana farms in the state, although the drug was only legalized last November and only about 16,000 pot growers are expected to get their licenses when commercial cultivation becomes legalized in 2018. Follow more stories like this at CBDS.news. Sources include: Reuters.com Toxipedia.org 1 Toxipedia.org 2 PubChem.NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov (Natural News) What Lies Upstream is a documentary by Hyrax Films that includes interviews with Professor Marc Edwards at Virginia Tech and me about data fabrication by the EPA and CDC. A review by IndieWire highlights comments Director Cullen Hoback made in which he stressed the alarming implications for the future of science and reason in America under Donald Trump. (Article by David Lewis republished from DailyCaller.com) When I fielded questions for Hoback at theaters across Virginia last week, audiences didnt voice concerns over Trump, who was not President when the data fabrication occurred. They mainly just wanted to know how to protect themselves and what could be done to stop federal agencies from faking science. The public is largely unaware that federal agencies often engage in fabricating scientific data to support their policies and cover up any evidence whenever they screw up. And its not limited to EPA and the CDC by any means. Last year, for example, Deputy Inspector General Mary L. Kenda reported widespread scientific misconduct at a U.S. Geological Survey lab in Lakewood, Colorado. According to Kenda, data manipulation at the laboratory had serious and far ranging impacts on the agencys scientific integrity, and potentially undermined the USGS as a trusted scientific organization.Similarly, in 2008, Judge Anthony Alaimo of the Southern District of Georgia threw out EPAs scientific opinions in a case involving agricultural practices recommended by EPA and the USDA. Experts hired by dairy farmers discovered that EPA, the USDA and the University of Georgia had published fake environmental data to cover up cattle deaths linked to EPA and USDA policies. In his decision, Alaimo devoted several pages to discussing EPA having terminated me for exposing its fake data, and ruled that the Agencys testimony could not be trusted. Similarly, in 2008, Judge Anthony Alaimo of the Southern District of Georgia threw out EPAs scientific opinions in a case involving agricultural practices recommended by EPA and the USDA. Experts hired by dairy farmers discovered that EPA, the USDA and the University of Georgia had published fake environmental data to cover up cattle deaths linked to EPA and USDA policies. In his decision, Alaimo devoted several pages to discussing EPA having terminated me for exposing its fake data, and ruled that the Agencys testimony could not be trusted. In my experience, faking scientific data at federal agencies has become more the rule than the exception. The rule is that any scientific data published by federal scientists must support their agencies policies and protect their agencies reputations above all else. Federal agencies will also go to bat for scientists at universities who fudge data to support their policies. For example, Dr. Rufus Chaney, the USDAs top scientist, defended the publication of fabricated data. According to Chaneys testimony in the case before Judge Alaimo, faking data is permissible as long as the data are in general agreement with general patterns established in hundreds of papers. The hundreds of papers Chaney referenced were studies EPA funded under a cooperative agreement with the wastewater industry to publish data supporting the safety and efficacy of an EPA regulation concerning land application of sewage sludge. Despite Judge Alaimos ruling, and congressional hearings into the data fabrication Professor Edwards and I uncovered at the EPA, CDC and USDA, the agencies and universities they funded refuse to withdraw their bogus research from the scientific literature. What Lies Upstream ends with a clip of President Trump speaking and the narrator explaining how his EPA Administrator, Scott Pruitt, plans to dismantle the Agency. Unfortunately, fudging scientific data to support government policies has become ingrained in the federal bureaucracy. It would take a wrecking ball to fix it. Reversing this culture of corruption will require changing the dimensions and course of the river of federal funds flowing into pools of academic scientists willing to selectively publish data to support government policies and certain industry practices. So far, Donald Trump is the only President willing to take that first step. Under Pruitt, EPAs Inspector General has already begun investigating EPAs handling of the science at issue in the case involving the Georgia dairy farms. In Charlottesville, someone attending the screening asked me whether the current budgets for scientific research at EPA and the NIH are adequate. I replied that more can be done with even less funding when the research is properly focused. When I worked at EPA and served on the Graduate Faculty at the University of Georgia, I used my own personal funds to conduct studies on infection-control that I published in Lancet, Nature and Nature Medicine. The results my coauthors and I published revealed problems with decades of government-funded research. As a result, the CDC, FDA, EPA and public health organizations worldwide changed their policies. Trump can eliminate federal funding of data fabrication. It just takes putting accomplished scientists in charge, who understand both science and the federal bureaucracy from top to bottom and will do whatever is necessary. Read more at: DailyCaller.com (Natural News) Warfare is being reinvented. Like a scene out of The Terminator, the future of warfare is destined to include robot soldiers, unmanned aerial assault, and self-driving, weaponized vehicles. An $11 million contract approved by the Pentagon has been awarded to Six3 Advanced Systems. The US Department of Defense is calling on Six3 to design, develop, and validate system prototypes for a combined-arms squad. By the year 2025, experts predict that the U.S. military will have more robot soldiers than humans. According to the U.S. Department of Defense directive, the new American fighting squad is meant to combine humans and unmanned assets, ubiquitous communications and information, and advanced capabilities in all domains to maximize squad performance in increasingly complex operational environments. Unmanned, self-driving, weaponized vehicles The military aims to test a new system prototype by mid 2019. The robotic fleet may include underwater drones and unmanned Army trucks that drive themselves. The Army already has plans to test the unmanned vehicles at the Blue Water Bridge in Michigan. This will be the first time the Army has ever unleashed self-driving vehicles onto public roads. The test will take place on Interstate 69 highway in Michigan. The U.S. military is very likely to pursue forms of automation that reduce back-office costs over time, as well as remove soldiers from non-combat deployments where they might face risk from adversaries on fluid battlefields, such as in transportation, says Michael Horowitz, an expert on weaponized robots. Just as in the civilian economy, automation will likely have a big impact on military organizations in logistics and manufacturing. The US military has already cut costs using technology; for instance, warships such as the USS Zumwalt are now operated by 50 percent fewer soldiers than previous crews. The robot technology will accompany soldiers on dangerous missions and perform other important tasks such as delivering supplies, analyzing legal documents, diagnosing disease, and assisting in the operating room. The robots will also be useful for detecting mines, mapping terrain, and detecting weather hazards. John Bassett, a former British intelligence officer said, Intelligent robotic weapons theyre a reality, and they will be much more of a reality by 2030. Nothing is scarier than a fully automated $200,000 robot that can scan terrain, locate humans and shoot them up to 2 miles away. These robot prototypes could be the first vehicles to enter dangerous territories. Theres no doubt that using robots to perform certain stealth missions could spare the lives of soldiers, but using robots to more readily penetrate enemy territory could involve more risk-taking overall, leading to unintended consequences on a grander scale. Many of the new prototypes to be released in the next decade will be weaponized, leading to a new precedent in how wars are fought. How will future militaries prepare to defend against an incoming robot army? (Related: For more robot and technology news, check out Robotics.News.) Sources: DailyMail.co.uk Defense.gov SanDiegoTribune.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Data from a recent analysis published in Pest Management Science revealed that the European Union (EU) currently has fewer registered biopesticides compared with the U.S., Brazil, China, and India. According to the research team, the relative complexity of biopesticide regulations in the EU may explain why the region lags behind other countries in biopesticide research. The researchers also noted that differences between various EU regions may spur discrepancies in the development of biopesticide technology. As a result, opportunities for improvement and innovation are missed, the researchers added. Compared to the other aforementioned countries, far fewer biopesticide products are available in the EU market, mainly as a direct result of the severe regulatory factors present there. The extent to which this trend will continue depends largely on a range of interacting political and/or regulatory decisions that influence environmentally-friendly agricultural industries, the researchers said. All in all, the five regions considered include about half of the planets human population (comprising some 3.7 billion people and a total GDP of ~ $US 52 trillion), and so improving biopesticide regulation and research can, and undoubtedly will, enhance environmentally-friendly agriculture practice and performance on a global scale, the researchers were quoted in saying in AlphaGalileo.org. EPA supports use of biopesticides The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division in the Office of Pesticide Programs to accommodate the registration of biopesticides. The division, which works alongside the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program, encourages the use of biopesticide. The agency defines biopesticides as certain types of pest control taken from natural resources such as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals. These compounds are stratified into three major classes: biochemical pesticides, microbial pesticides, and plant-incorporated-protectants (PIPs). Biochemical pesticides are a naturally-occurring compounds designed to control pest though non-toxic means. Most biochemical pesticides include substances that inhibit mating, as well as various scented plant extracts that lure insects to traps. On the other hand, microbial pesticides make use of certain microorganisms such as a bacterium, fungus, virus or protozoan as the main ingredient. These pesticides are designed to induce varying effects, such as weed control and insect eradication. In addition, PIP is a biopesticide class that makes use of pesticidal substances that plants produce though exposure to a genetic material. In a nutshell, experts may derive a specific gene material such as a pesticidal protein from one plant and reintroduce it to another. In turn, the plant develops properties similar to the introduced genetic material, which it can use to stave off pests. The EPA promotes biopesticide use as the compounds pose fewer risks compared with conventional pesticides. In fact, new biopesticide products take less than a year to be registered, compared with an average registration period of more than three years for conventional pesticides. Biopesticides vs conventional pesticides Biopesticides have long been touted for their less-toxic formulation and relative safety compared with chemical pesticides. Biopesticides have been found to effectively eradicate pests while maintaining the safety of non-target species. In contrast, chemical pesticides end up affecting other non target such as birds, mammals and insects. Being naturally-produced, biopesticides pose less apparent threat to the environment. On the other hand, chemical pesticides contain highly-toxic compounds that generate high pollution levels. Biopesticides are also known to prevent the onset of resistance among pests compared with traditional pesticides. In addition, biopesticides make use of naturally-occurring materials and resources, which in turn effectively reduces the manufacturing costs. In contrast, the chemical production alone renders traditional pesticides more expensive. Demands for biopesticides have shown a significant increase over the last few years. This increase was largely attributed to the consumers increased awareness of the potential dangers of using chemical pesticides. Sources include: AlphaGalileo.org OnlineLibrary.Wiley.com EPA.gov DuduTech.com It also does not reflect the views of the Firm of which the Author is working for. Since the inception of this blog, the Author has avoided writing views and opinions of his clients or views and opinions which third parties has paid him to write. The Author has maintained editorial independence since Day One. Any individual or group affected by the opinions and views of the Author can write the author thru mangubat.patricio@gmail.com. Opinions and views expressed in this blog are personal views of the Author and does not involve organisations and companies being serviced by the Author as part of his profession as a Strategic Communications professional. - UN slams Israel over state of Palestinian economy. - Laments the high level of unemployment that has continued to shoot up. - 2017 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem The Israeli government has come under strong criticism in a new UN report where the nation was strongly slammed for the "de-development" and "deteriorating humanitarian conditions" of the Palestinian territories of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, brought about by Israel's 50-year occupation. The report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), was published on Tuesday and it deeply lamented the state of the Palestinian economy especially its high level of unemployment. "2017 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem; the longest occupation in recent history. For the Palestinian people, these were five decades of de-development, suppressed human potential and denial of the basic human right to development, with no end in sight," the report states. "Instead of the hoped-for two-State solution envisaged by the United Nations and the international community, occupation is currently even more entrenched, while its complex socioeconomic toll has worsened over time." The U.N. report also expressed concerns about the steady decline in gross domestic product (GDP) growth over the past two decades, the imposition of Palestinian economic dependence on Israel, the theft of Palestinian natural resources, and Gaza's isolation. - North Korea plans to level the United States to ashes and Darkness. - Also plans to sink Japan following their contributions to the recent sanctions imposed on them following their recent Nuclear tests. - Calls for the UN Security Council to be disbanded due to bias towards the U.S. The North Korean government has on Thursday through a state agency threatened to sink Japan and reduce the United States of America to ashes following their involvement in the recent sanctions imposed on them by the United Nations Security Council in the wake of their latest nuclear tests. The Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which handles the North's external ties and propaganda, also called for the breakup of the Security Council, which it called "a tool of evil" made up of "money-bribed" countries that move at the order of the United States. "The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," the committee said in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency. "Let's reduce the U.S. mainland into ashes and darkness. Let's vent our spite with mobilization of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now," the statement said. Despite the North's threats, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he was against having nuclear weapons in his country, either by developing its own arsenal or bringing back U.S. tactical nuclear weapons that were withdrawn in the early 1990s. "To respond to North Korea by having our own nuclear weapons will not maintain peace on the Korean peninsula and could lead to a nuclear arms race in northeast Asia," Moon said in an interview with CNN. Also, for the first time since North Korea's fourth nuclear test in January 2016, the South has pledged to contribute around $8 million to support infants and pregnant women in the North. This is in line with the nation's policy to separate humanitarian aid from politics. 11:52 Citing example of refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka residing in India, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday tore into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Government over sending the Rohingya Muslims back to Myanmar, saying that Rohingya refugess should be allowed to take shelter in the country just like other refugees are. Owaisi also mentioned about the noted Bangladeshi writer, Taslima Nasreen, who has been living in India in exile since 1994 and asserted that if the former can be the sister of Prime Minister Modi, why can't Rohingyas be his 'brothers'. "If Taslima Nasreen can stay here, why can't Rohingyas? If Taslima can be the prime minister's sister, can't Rohingyas become his brothers?" Owaisi said, while addressing a gathering here."Is this humanity to send those people back who have lost everything? This is wrong. Under which law, can the Centre send all the Rohingya refugees back?" he added. He even questioned India's wish to get a permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council."The Indian Government wants a permanent membership in the UN Security Council. Will this be there attitude as a super power? Can the Centre send back those Muslims back, who even have the permission of the Human Rights Council to stay here?" Owaisi said. Further referring to the Sri Lankan refugees staying in Tamil Nadu, Owaisi said that they were allowed to stay in India even after being accused of spreading terrorism. He even mentioned about the Chakma people of Bangladesh, who came to India in 1971 and have been living in Arunachal Pradesh, and Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, who is treated as a guest in India. "Isn't a refugee staying in the camps of Tamil Nadu, even when it was claimed that these refugees are involved in spreading terrorism? Why were they not sent back to Sri Lanka? After the formation of Bangladesh, the Chakmas came to India, and got the status of refugees," he said. Owaisi even requested the National Democratic Alliance Government to not see Rohingyas as Muslims, but to consider them are refugees. Veterans Small Business Roadshow coming to SIU by Christi Mathis CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Veterans Small Business Roadshow, an event especially for veterans and military personnel who are interested in starting a new business, or improving or expanding an existing business, is coming to Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The workshop will take place at the Illinois Small Business Development Center, 1740 Innovation Drive in Carbondale, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 26. Workshop topics include: Entrepreneurship for You! Veterans Edition, introducing the concepts and valuable information regarding small business ownership Financing Your Small Business, featuring information from the United States Small Business Administration office in Springfield Kickstart Your Business, introducing low- or no-cost ideas for improving the profitability of a business The event is open to active-duty service personnel, all veterans, and members of the National Guard and reserves as well as to military family members. Representatives from the Illinois Small Business Development Center at SIU will be on hand to provide participants with information about the business development services available to them. There is no charge to attend and lunch is provided. However, space is limited and pre-registration is required. To sign up, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/2017-veterans-small-business-road-show-tickets-36697878342. The registration deadline is Sept. 22. For more information, call 312/888-6620. The workshop at SIU is one of three that the Veterans Business Outreach Center in Chicago, with sponsorship from Allstate Insurance, is offering this month in Illinois. Another workshop is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 27 at Southwestern Illinois Colleges Liberal Arts Building, 2500 Carlyle Ave., Room 2311/2313, in Belleville. The final session is 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 28, in Minor Meyers Jr. Welcome Center Auditorium 1 at Illinois Wesleyan University, 211 Park Street in Bloomington. The Illinois Small Business Development Center/International Trade Center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and hosted by SIU. To learn more about the center and the myriad services it offers to new and expanding businesses, visit www.sbdc.siu.edu, call 618/536-2424 or email sbdc@siu.edu. University to celebrate Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month by Christi Mathis CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month 2017 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale will celebrate the diverse heritage and contributions of Hispanic and Latino peoples. The celebration kicks off Monday, Sept. 18 at 5 p.m. in the Student Centers Old Main Lounge. Chancellor Carlo Montemagno will speak at the reception, which will give people a chance to learn more about heritage month activities. The festival, which features guest speakers, music, salsa, poetry and much more, wraps up Oct. 5. All activities are free and open to the public. In addition to highlighting the Hispanic/Latino cultures and contributions, the months events will also serve to connect the ongoing immigration reform debate and its impact on the communities, according to Rene Francisco Poitein, coordinator of SIUs Hispanic/Latino Resource Center. Luis J. Rodriguez, the official 2014-2016 Poet Laureate of Los Angeles, will present the keynote address at 7 p.m. on Sept. 26 at the Student Centers Ballroom D. Rodriguez is an award-winning writer, earning international attention for his poetry, novels, memoirs, short stories and childrens books. A community and urban peace activist, mentor, youth and arts advocate, Rodriguez has won the Carl Sandburg Literary Award and other recognition for his writings. His works include the best-selling memoir Always Running, La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A. and its sequel, It Calls You Back: An Odyssey Through Love, Addiction, Revolutions and Healing. His most recent poetry book is Borrowed Bones. He is the founding editor of Tia Chucha Press and the co-founder/president of Tia Chuchas Centro Cultural & Bookstore in the San Fernando Valley. Rodriguez will also lead a poetry workshop at 11 a.m. on Sept. 25 in Morris Librarys John C. Guyon Auditorium. The Hispanic/Latino Resource Center and the University Honors Program are collaborating to bring Rodriguez to campus. Other event highlights include DACA and Immigration 101, by Murphysboro attorney Diane Speir, at 5 p.m. Sept. 28 in the upper level of Grinnell Hall. A discussion, The Experience of LGTBQ Asylum Seekers and Latinx Immigrants in the United States, led by Tania Linares Garcia, a staff attorney with the National Immigrant Justice Centers Federal Litigation Project and LGBT Immigrant Rights Initiative, will be at 4:30 p.m. Oct. 2 in the SIU School of Law Room 102. In addition, there will be live Latino music by Tierra Roja at 6 p.m. on Sept. 22 at the Carbondale City Pavilion. Each Thursday night from Sept. 21 through Oct. 5, it will be time for Ven Bailalo free salsa lessons at 7 p.m. in the lower level of Grinnell Hall. Fun cultural activities also include the pinata workshop at 5 p.m. on Sept. 29 in the Student Centers Big Muddy Room. The full schedule of events for Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month is available at smrc.siu.edu/hrc/. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-13 23:15:32|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- China will press ahead with the supply-side structural reform with more efforts focusing on reining in excessive production capacity, reducing corporate cost and improving environment for innovation. The decision is made at a State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday, after hearing a report on the fourth round of State Council nationwide inspection. The inspection, conducted by the State Council General Office in two phases between June and August, is aimed to ensure that the tasks put forwarded by the central economic work conference and the Government Work Report be implemented in full. The cutting of surplus production capacity will be prioritized, with special focus on the weeding out of substandard steel production. The government will further reduce cooperate costs by applying standards and supervision to fees levied by sectoral associations, chambers of commerce and various societies on enterprises, in a major push to put an end to unregulated excessive charging practices at the very source. Unlawful charging practices will be handled according to the law. Whistle-blowing on wrongdoings will be encouraged to strengthen public supervision. "We need to give full play to inspection in its role of spurring implementation and development, to break the bottlenecks in the last mile of policy implementation, clearing all hurdles in the way of various policies," Li said. The inspection found that the ongoing supply-side structural reform is progressing in a steady manner as the economic structure keeps optimizing. The inspection also found a number of problems in different areas, including excessive production capacity cutting in arrear, deficiencies in business environment, and bottlenecks in the transformation of R&D findings to products. "The problems found in the inspection process should be addressed as early as possible, with results to be delivered for problems such as the resurgence of shutdown production capacity, excessive fees levied on enterprises, obstacles to foreign investment and long delays for approvals of some investment programs," Li said. The report on inspection said that the government will further promote innovation-driven development, with an evaluation system to monitor the environment for innovation and entrepreneurship set to be established. The incentive mechanism for the commercialization of scientific and technological progress will be improved. The development of a business environment with global edge will be prioritized to further promote private and foreign investment. The government will develop an evaluation mechanism for business environments, and conduct timely nationwide evaluation of the environment. The government will also work on the real estate transaction registration mechanism to further reduce red tape. Local authorities will be encouraged to ensure real-time data sharing between different information platforms. "Many good experience and practices turn out to be cases for the reform to streamline administration, enhance compliance oversight, improve government service, and encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. Best practices need to be applied more extensively," Li said. "Government departments should study the feedbacks gathered. Address issues as soon and as much as possible, and provide greater support to local authorities, enterprises and the public," the premier added. The State Council launched its first round of nationwide inspection in 2014, followed by two inspections in 2015 and 2016, to keep implementation of economic and social work on schedule. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 02:21:50|Editor: yan Video Player Close ACCRA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission Thomas Kwesi Quartey on Wednesday commended the Ghanaian government for carrying out its free senior high school (SHS) policy. Speaking at a United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) - organized high level panel discussion in Geneva, Switzerland, Quartey said it was a sure way of ensuring growth of the country and Africa as a whole. He said the take-off of the flagship education program in the West African country would give greater impetus to the AU's agenda of having every African child in school by the end of the decade. "It is in that spirit that I would like to commend the government of Ghana, at the risk of sounding unduly nationalist, that the SHS program, the free compulsory secondary school program that they have introduced, is really an idea whose time has come, and Ghana is to be commended for it," the presidency quoted Quartey as saying in a release. He said the AU had an ambition of having every African child in school by the year 2020 and that it would like to have a literate and numerate Africa. "We want an Africa where illiteracy is a thing of the past. With a literate and numerate Africa, the continent would be ready now to imbibe technology, apply science and technology, and find solutions. "Any effort in this direction is therefore highly commendable, and the introduction of Free SHS in Ghana is a very welcome development," he told the gathering which also included Ghana's Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia. The government intends to spend 400 million Ghana cedis (90.31 million U.S. dollars) annually on its flagship free senior high school policy. Launching the policy in Accra Tuesday, President Nana Akufo-Addo indicated that it "will ensure that no child is denied access to secondary education." "The cost of providing free secondary school education will be cheaper than the cost of the alternative of an uneducated and unskilled workforce that has the capacity to retard our development," the president added. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 02:31:55|Editor: yan Video Player Close KAMPALA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's minister of health on Wednesday said China has been critical in boosting the development of the country's health sector. Ruth Aceng was speaking at a ceremony welcoming a new Chinese medical team at the China Uganda Friendship Hospital in the capital Kampala. "We thank China for the continued collaboration, cooperation and support. We acknowledge the good work these teams do in our hospitals," said Aceng. The medical team composed of nine experts will be based at the 100-bed hospital which was donated by China in 2012. It will offer free specialized health and medical services in the east African country for the next two years. Aceng thanked the Chinese government for the planned refurbishment and expansion of the hospital. "As you plan to expand the hospital we need to more specialists coming in as we collaborate. We need continued collaboration in training, capacity building, human resource and medical supplies," said Aceng. Zheng Zhuqiang, Chinese ambassador to Uganda said the dispatch of medical teams to Uganda has become one of the major modalities of medical and health cooperation between China and African countries. "Chinese medical teams have brought not only the high level medical treatment technology through the years, but also the traditional Chinese medical methods like acupuncture and manipulation therapy to Uganda," Zheng said. Over the last several decades China has been sending medical teams to Uganda in order to boost the country's health care. The first medical team arrived in Uganda in 1983 and since then, about 170 medical experts in different specialties ranging from urologists, gynecologists, orthopedics among others have served in the country. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 03:27:27|Editor: yan Video Player Close AMMAN, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Jordan and the Saudi Fund for Development signed a 60 million U.S. dollars grant agreement on Wednesday to conduct infrastructure projects in the Kingdom, the state-run Petra news agency reported. Jordan's Minister of Planning for International Cooperation Imad Fakhoury signed the grant with Yousef Al Bassam, the fund's representative. The minister stressed the importance of the grant, adding that it includes implementing several infrastructure projects and expanding of roads. He also voiced appreciation for Saudi Arabia's role in supporting Jordan in various fields, adding that the grant is part of a 1.25 billion U.S. dollars grant that Saudi Arabia pledged to extend to Jordan in 2012. Prime Minister Hani Mulki said the support enabled Jordan to overcome several challenges especially in light of hosting large number of Syrian refugees. According to Mulki, the bank's support to Jordan started 40 years ago. Al Bassam underlined keenness on continued cooperation and support to Jordan. Jordan received 488.1 million U.S. dollars in support from the bank since 1975 to date. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 04:22:50|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Wednesday urged Myanmar to address the current situation in Rakhine State where violence has sent more than 300,000 Rohingya civilians fleeing their homes in Myanmar. The Myanmar government should handle the situation within the ambit of the law and uphold the rights of all those living within its borders, said Clayson Monyela, spokesperson for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation. There have been reports of civilians being killed during security operations in Myanmar's Rakhine State. This latest round of violence came after the attacks on Myanmar security forces on Friday by Rohingyas, a Muslim ethnic minority denied citizenship in Myanmar. As of Sunday, 313,000 Rohingyas, mostly women and children, have left Rakhine for Bangladesh since August 25, according to UN figures. The Myanmar government regards Rohingyas, Muslims living in a Buddhist nation, as illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh. South Africa supports the recent statement by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who has appealed to the Myanmar government to provide security to affected populations, and requested for humanitarian agencies to be granted access to affected communities in need of assistance and protection, Monyela said. The South African government urges all parties to halt the violence in order to avoid further human suffering, said Monyela. The South African government is mindful of the manifold challenges confronting the government and the people of Myanmar and has full faith that the Myanmar government will continue its process of democratization and political reform in order to deliver sustainable development, stability and to contribute to national reconciliation, Monyela added. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 04:53:07|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (R) speaks during a press conference on the occasion of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly, at the UN headquarters in New York, Sept. 13, 2017. Antonio Guterres Wednesday announced two reform initiatives with regard to peace and gender equality. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Wednesday expressed "deep concern" over the situation in Rakhine State of Myanmar and called for an end to violence against the Rohingya, a mostly Muslim ethnic minority group. "The members of the Security Council expressed deep concern about the situation in Rakhine State. acknowledging the initial attack (by Rohingyas) on Myanmar security forces on Aug. 25, they condemned the subsequent violence (by Myanmar security forces), which has led to over 370,000 people being displaced," said Tekeda Alemu, president of the Security Council, in a readout of the council's agreement following closed-door consultations on Wednesday. "They expressed concern about reports of excessive violence during the security operations and called for immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, de-escalate the situation, re-establish law and order, ensure the protection of civilians, restore normal socio-economic conditions and resolve the refugee problem." Earlier Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the situation in Myanmar's Rakhine as "catastrophic." The number of refugees fleeing into Bangladesh has tripled since last week, reaching nearly 380,000. Women and children are arriving hungry and malnourished, Guterres told reporters. He called on all countries to do what they can to help the refugees. The Security Council consultations came after Guterres wrote a letter to the council to express concern. "I have condemned the attacks made by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army in Rakhine State, but there have been disturbing reports of attacks by security forces against civilians, which are completely unacceptable. Aid activities by UN agencies and international nongovernmental organizations have been severely disrupted," said Guterres. "I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law, and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country. "I urge them to ensure the delivery of vital humanitarian aid by United Nations agencies, nongovernmental organizations and others. I repeat my call for an effective action plan to address the root causes of the crisis. The Muslims of Rakhine State must be granted nationality, or at least for now, a legal status that allows them to lead a normal life, including freedom of movement and access to labor markets, education and health services." The Rohingya people are denied citizenship under a 1982 Myanmar citizenship law. The Myanmar government recognizes them as illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh. They were brought by British from Bangladesh during colonial era years as workers and settlers, since British controlled Bangladesh and Myanmar back then. Since the beginning of the latest crackdown, over a third of Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh. On Wednesday, the Security Council welcomed the Bangladeshi government's assistance to the refugees and welcomed UN and other international efforts to support the Bangladeshi government in this regard, according to Alemu, Ethiopia's ambassador to the United Nations. They called on the Myanmar government to fulfil its commitments to providing assistance to refugees without discrimination and facilitate humanitarian assistance to those in need and to ensure the protection and safety of humanitarian workers. The council members encouraged dialogue among the states concerned and agreed on the importance of a long-term solution to the problem in Rakhine. In this context, they called for the implementation of recommendations of an advisory commission on Rakhine State led by former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 04:53:08|Editor: yan Video Player Close FRANKFURT, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese companies play a leading role in world electric mobility, Matthias Zentgraf, regional chief of China's major lithium battery supplier CATL, told Xinhua at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA). "Electric mobility is one of the key topics of the IAA show. Every OEM and every company is talking about electric driving," said Zengraf. "And in this area, Chinese companies are in a leading position." He explained that China started developing electric cars "pretty much earlier" than other countries and China is the largest sales market for electric cars. CATL, headquartered in southern China's Fujian Province, for example, has a 20-year history in producing batteries. According to Zentgraf, CATL is now the third largest supplier of electric mobility batteries with a global market share of more than 20 percent. BYD, another Chinese electric mobility company, is the second largest batteries producer. Zentgraf said that CATL is the first Chinese batteries company that supplies to the global industry chain, whose customers include German major carmakers like Volkswagen and BMW. CATL not only delivers batteries to them but also develops technology with them. "Our innovation ability is very high," Zentgraf talked about CATL's competitive advantages. "We are very fast with the development of technology" thanks to a R&D team of more than 1,000 PhDs and masters of science in China. In his opinion, the batteries industry depends on the speed of innovation. Companies must response fast to the new demand coming along with the new trend happening in the automobile industry. He said, CATL is developing technologies to increase electric driving range and shorten the charging time, both of which are pursued by its international peers. For now, batteries produced by CATL can last 400 kilometers on one charge. The charging time can be as short as 15 minutes with the new products, which are very competitive world-widely. Instead of focus on Chinese market before, CATL is planning to build a new plant in Europe to meet the rising demand of the continent. "Last year, there's significant change in automobile industry of Europe, shifting from conventional engines to electric ones," Zentgraf said. He noted that the percentage of electric cars in production in Europe will increase sharply to roughly 25 percent in 2025. "It's the general trend and will be only a matter of time (to shift to electric engines)." Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 05:33:31|Editor: yan Video Player Close DOHA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Qatar Media Corporation (QMC) has organized a forum marking the 100 days of the Saudi-led siege on Qatar, Qatar news agency (QNA) reported Wednesday. During the forum, which was aired live on Qatar Television, the participants discussed issues such as Qatar's "tight-grip diplomacy," and how it has been proved productive in dealing with the crisis. Topics regarding the economic achievements and the country's development prospects were also debated. On June 5, a Saudi-led Arabic bloc cut diplomatic and communication links with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Qatar has denied all the allegations. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 05:48:37|Editor: yan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. trucking industry urged a U.S. Senate panel on Wednesday to include commercial trucks in a proposed self-driving legislation. The House of Representatives passed a bill last Wednesday to speed up introduction of self-driving cars by removing regulatory barriers. The bill, however, does not include commercial trucks. The Senate is considering drafting its own version that could include large trucks. American Trucking Associations President and Chief Executive Chris Spear said in testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday that it was critical for federal policies to include all vehicles on U.S. roads. "Providing clarity on the legislative and regulatory front will allow us, truck manufacturers, to design and validate systems that meet the future needs of our customers," said truck maker Navistar Chief Executive Troy Clarke in testimony. Automakers and technology companies, including General Motors, Ford, Alphabet's self-driving unit Waymo, Uber's Otto, have been pushing for legislations making it easier for them to deploy self-driving technology. In October last year, an Otto-outfitted self-driving truck carried 2,000 cases of Budweiser beer 200 km down Interstate 25 in the state of Colorado from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs. The truck's only human driver sat at the back of the cab without touching the vehicle's controls. Economists have long called for self-driving commercial vehicles, as the new technology could raise productivity in transportation industry enormously. Labor unions, however, have been fighting fiercely against the self-driving trend, worrying about losing human jobs to machines. U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao also has said she is "very concerned" about the impact of self-driving cars on jobs. "Large scale displacement of drivers is not likely to happen, especially in the short and medium term," Clarke said. e-commerce| 2017-09-14 05:53:41|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close COPENHAGEN, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- China's cross-border e-commerce platform Kaola.com signed an agreement on Wednesday with Denmark's supermarket chain Irma on bringing Danish brands to the Chinese market through the platform. According to the agreement, Irma, a subsidiary of Coop Denmark A/S, will in the beginning sell its own coffee, chocolate, marmalade, personal care products, and kids wear through Kaola, the e-commerce arm of Internet giant NetEase. The range will then gradually be extended, not least with ecological and eco-labeled groceries. Coop's CEO Peter Hoegsted sees huge growth potential for high-quality Danish goods in China, especially among the middle-class consumers. "Irma has a unique long history within ecological, quality assured and thoroughly controlled products. Therefore, it is in fact natural to make these products available to the Chinese consumers," Hoegsted told press at the signing ceremony at the group's headquarter in the suburb of Copenhagen. Zhang Lei, chief executive officer of the Hangzhou-based Kaola, said her company wants to bring healthy organic and guaranteed products to China and sees great benefits in Irma's strong supply chain. According to Zhang, Kaola owns the platform that operates the so-called Cross Border online stores that serve as a kind of virtual shopping center, where branded products from all over the world are sold directly to the Chinese customers from duty free stores with only 11 percent import duty. "That's why Kaola will have a great advantage at pricing when compared with traditional stores," Zhang explained. She revealed that the Danish groceries from Irma will be available at Kaola from October on trial operation. She said Kaola hopes to become the market leader in the field of organic products and non-allergenic children's clothes. Jens Visholm, executive vice president of Coop, said the company expects a turnover of three-digit million Danish kroner within a foreseeable number of years through cooperation with Kaola. "But with just under a billion potential customers -- and 27 million newborns annually -- the potential is much larger," he said, adding that the company is also testing the sales of some of Coop's private labels in China via other channels. Founded in 1886 in Copenhagen, Irma is owned by Coop, the largest grocery company in Denmark that has a history of over 150 years. File photo taken on July 29, 2013 shows an employee works near screens in the virus lab at the headquarters of Russian cyber security company Kaspersky Labs in Moscow. (Xinhua/REUTERS) WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Wednesday directed federal departments and agencies to remove Kaspersky Lab products from their information systems. "The Department is concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies," the DHS said in a statement. The U.S. department also expressed concerns that under Russian laws, Kaspersky could be requested or compelled to help Russian intelligence agencies to intercept communications transiting Russian networks. "The risk that the Russian government, whether acting on its own or in collaboration with Kaspersky, could capitalize on access provided by Kaspersky products to compromise federal information and information systems directly implicates U.S. national security," it said. The department's Binding Operational Directive was issued "after careful consideration of available information and consultation with interagency partners," the DHS said. Under the directive, all federal departments and agencies will have 30 days to identify Kaspersky products used on their information systems, 60 days to develop detailed plans to remove them, and then begin discontinuing their use within 90 days. The DHS said it will provide an opportunity for Kaspersky to submit a written response addressing the Department's concerns. Kaspersky, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Moscow, is now one of the world's leading cyber security firms. Currently, Kaspersky has three operational offices in North America and plans to open three more in 2018, but the U.S. government sales "have not been a significant part of the company's activity" in the region, it said Tuesday. In response to Wednesday's directive from the DHS, Kaspersky said it doesn't have "inappropriate ties" with any government and is "disappointed" with the U.S. government decision. "No credible evidence has been presented publicly by anyone or any organization as the accusations are based on false allegations and inaccurate assumptions, including claims about the impact of Russian regulations and policies on the company," the company said in a statement. Kaspersky said the Russian laws are being misinterpreted as they are only applicable to telecom companies and Internet Service Providers but the company doesn't provide communication services and therefore is not subject to these laws. "Kaspersky Lab has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage or offensive cyber efforts, and it's disconcerting that a private company can be considered guilty until proven innocent, due to geopolitical issues," it said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 06:34:01|Editor: yan Video Player Close SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- One student was killed and four others injured on Wednesday in a shooting at a high school near Spokane in the northwestern U.S. state of Washington. The shooting took place shortly after 10:00 a.m. local time at Freeman High School in Rockford, Spokane County, in Eastern Washington state. More than an hour later, Spokane County Sheriff's Office updated its posting on Twitter social network, announcing that "Freeman School NOT an active scene - 1 person detained." "The shooter is in the back seat of a patrol car right now," Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich was quoted as saying earlier by the Spokesman-Review, a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Spokane county. However, while the newspaper reported that the shooter is a student at the school with more than 20 staff members and 300 students, authorities have withheld the identity of the suspect as well as those killed and injured. At Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children's Hospital in Spokane, a spokeswoman said the three patients are in stable condition. Governor of Washington state Jay Inslee expressed his condolences on Twitter: "This morning's shooting at Freeman High School is heartbreaking. All Washingtonians are thinking of the victims and their families." It is not clear whether Freeman High School will open Thursday. Nobody answered the phone with a record asking the caller to leave a message during normal office hours Wednesday afternoon. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 07:14:09|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close BRASILIA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Supreme Court (STF) on Wednesday dismissed President Michel Temer's accusations against prosecutor-general Rodrigo Janot. The full STF followed the vote by Edson Fachin, the court's rapporteur on Operation Lava Jato (Car Wash), a sweeping investigation into the Petrobras corruption ring. During the vote on Wednesday afternoon, Fachin said that there was no evidence Janot had acted in a biased way or with "enmity" toward Temer, when he charged the president on grounds of corruption. Fachin said that Janot's statements to the press about the case, which formed the basis for the objection by Temer's lawyers, were not suspicious. Temer's defense team pointed to a press conference where Janot was quoted as saying "where there is bamboo, there will be arrows", a Brazilian expression meaning "no smoke without fire", and interpreted as Janot stating his belief in Temer's guilt. When addressing the STF, Temer's lawyer, Antonio Claudio Mariz, pointed to the recent arrest of Joesley and Wesley Batista, entrepreneurs who turned over evidence to Janot about Temer before seemingly illegally using their knowledge of the upcoming scandal to sell off shares in their firm. Mariz said that this situation showed Janot had not taken due care during his investigation. Evidence by the Batista brothers, including a recording in which Temer could seemingly be heard approving bribing public officials, were key to the corruption charges brought against the president by Janot. These were later dismissed by the Chamber of Deputies. Janot has announced he is preparing to file more charges against Temer for obstruction of justice and illicit association. Janot will be concluding his mandate as prosecutor-general next week, with speculation he will file this new charge against Temer before then. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 07:24:11|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian police arrested on Wednesday the executive president of the meatpacking giant, JBS, Wesley Batista, after his brother, Joesley, was detained at the weekend. These arrests are part of Operation Talon de Aquiles (Eagle Talon), which is investigating the use of privileged information to benefit from financial trades in April-May 2017. The Batista brothers are being investigated for a sale of JBS shares on the stock market by its controlling company, FB Participacoes SA, at the time. This trade came at a time when the brothers had cooperated with the police, confessed to bribing President Michel Temer and handed over a recording in which the president can seemingly be heard approving public bribes. As JBS shares dropped as a result, it is alleged the Batista brothers conspired to manipulate the market. The day before the Temer confession was made public, the Batista brothers bought a large number of U.S. dollars and sold many shares in their company. According to authorities, they knew the market turmoil the news would cause and used this advantage illegally to turn a profit. If found guilty of these charges, the two brothers face between one and five years in prison and a fine of up to three times the value of the illicit advantages perceived. The Batista confession against Temer led the president to be charged with corruption in June, although this charge was later dropped by the Chamber of Deputies. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 07:34:12|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close CHICAGO, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Unlike the poverty estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday, a study conducted by U.S. researchers concludes that U.S. poverty has fallen sharply over the decades. In the report, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates poverty in the United States at 12.7 percent for 2016, which is very close to the rate in 1980, suggesting little progress or change in the fight against poverty. Looking at poverty patterns in the United States from early 1960s to 2016, the researchers from the University of Chicago and University of Notre Dame found contradictory results to studies that have shown little improvement in poverty over time. The official poverty measure is flawed, as income statistics have become increasingly inaccurate over time and consumption more accurately reflects well-being of people, according to Bruce Meyer, the McCormick Foundation Professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and James Sullivan, Associate Professor of Economics at Notre Dame. Using consumption instead of income as benchmark to measure the poverty condition, Meyer and Sullivan on Tuesday published "Annual Report on U.S. Consumption Poverty: 2016." The report shows that between 1960 and 2016, consumption poverty fell by 27 percentage points, which means big improvement on poverty elimination for U.S. government. The researchers said changes in tax policy, along with Social Security and other transfer programs help to reduce poverty. "Many factors that are critical components of well-being, such as home ownership, car ownership, and the ability to borrow and save, are much better captured by consumption than income," Meyer said. "Our research has shown that consumption-based poverty is more highly associated with other measures of family deprivation." Meyer and Sullivan's report is based on data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Survey in more than 50 years. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 07:54:15|Editor: An Video Player Close LOS ANGELES, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Officials of the second-busiest U.S. container seaport have attached importance to China, its largest trade partner, as imports approached record levels in the port. "The trade with China is very important, not only for the United States, but also for the Port of Long Beach. China is 80 percent of our container import movement. So, obviously, that's the central focus," Mario Cordero, executive director of the Port of Long Beach, told Xinhua on Tuesday. A major gateway for U.S.-Asia trade, the Port of Long Beach in the state of California contributes to around 30,000 jobs in the city and has regional impact on 316,000 jobs in Southern California. "What we believe is a great partnership," he said. "The relationship that we have with China both in terms as a country, as a part of our most important trade realm in the nation which is a transpacific trade realm, is going to continue." Strong consumer demand for goods continued to push cargo higher at the Port of Long Beach, as imports surged more than 10 percent in August compared to the same month last year. The figure was the third-highest monthly import total in the Port's 106-year history, according to port officials. And Long Beach terminals processed 692,375 twenty-foot equivalent units in all -- 8 percent more than last August's shipments -- making it the second-busiest August ever and the third-highest container volume for any month. Cargo is up 6.6 percent for the first eight months of the year over 2016. "When you looked at the map, we are the closest proximity to China, our largest trade partner, both for Long Beach and the United States," the executive director said, adding that mutual benefits are the base of the relationship between the port and its Chinese partners. "By 2050, China would probably be the largest middle class in the world. China is going to have a lot of demands. Not only the Unite States, but also most specifically the state of California, has a lot to offer in terms of not only the standard containerised movement what we have today, but addition to greater agriculture products. Long Beach is in very good position to maximize that," said Cordero. Officials said they have already invested billions of U.S. dollars to modernize the facilities in the port, aiming to offer the best services to customers, including China COSCO and other Chinese partners. Noel Hacegaba, chief commercial officer and managing director of operations of the Port of Long Beach, told Xinhua that the development of Chinese economy has played a very significant role in the development in gross for the port of the Long Beach. "When you looked at our statistics, when you looked at where the import are coming from, China is right at the top," said Hacegaba. "Over 80 percent of our business comes form Asia, and vast majority comes from China. So there is no question that the development of Chinese economy has very positive impact on the port of Long Beach," he added. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 09:54:41|Editor: An Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi met with U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and President Donald Trump's Senior Adviser Jared Kushner here in the White House on Wednesday to promote bilateral ties. The two sides exchanged views on China-U.S. relations as well as international and regional issues of common concern. They agreed to strengthen communication at all levels, expand cooperation, work together to well prepare for Trump's state visit to China later this year at Chinese President Xi Jinping's invitation, and promote the sound and stable development of bilateral relations. Yang paid an official visit to Jamaica on Sunday and Monday and met with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday, when he stopped over in Washington. He will pay an official visit to Spain on Thursday and Friday at the invitation of the Spanish government. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 09:59:42|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close YANGON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's Second Vice President U Henry Van Thio will attend the general debate of the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the United States, an official announcement said on Thursday. Sending of Van Thio's attendance at the ongoing UNGA to speak on behalf of Myanmar came shortly after State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi cancelled her planned attendance at the UN event. Suu Kyi's cancellation of the trip was clarified as that she is busy with handling domestic affairs including management of providing humanitarian aid to displaced people in northern Rakhine state, security and stability of the region which is under terrorist threat, Taungdwingyi violence in central Magway region and domestic protest over terrorist attacks as well as the president's hospitalization case, according to the President's Office. Meanwhile, Suu Kyi will also deliver a speech to the nation on Sept. 19 on the state's basic principles on national reconciliation and peace as well as the current situation in northern Rakhine state, Director-General of the President's Office told the press late on Wednesday. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 10:14:54|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close OTTAWA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- In a phone talk with Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his deep concern about the situation in Myanmar's Rakhine State regarding Rohingya Muslims and other ethnic minorities. Trudeau stressed the state counsellor's particular importance as a moral and political leader, the Canadian Prime Minister Office said in a news release. "The Prime Minister also emphasized the urgent need for Myanmar's military and civilian leaders to take a strong stand in ending the violence, promoting the protection of civilians and promoting unimpeded access for the UN and international humanitarian actors," the office said. The two leaders discussed the need to defend and protect the rights of all minorities. Trudeau offered Canada's support to help build a peaceful and stable society in Myanmar that is respectful of the rights of all ethnic minorities, while the state counsellor expressed her appreciation of Canada's contribution to humanitarian efforts, the office added. The Canadian government has pledged 1 million Canadian dollars (810,000 U.S. dollars) in humanitarian aid for Rakhine state located on the western coast of Myanmar. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 10:30:04|Editor: An Video Player Close VIENNA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- China's envoy to UN organizations in Vienna said on Wednesday that the nuclear issue of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) should be resolved through dialogue. Shi Zhongjun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations and other international organizations in Vienna, made the remarks at a UN nuclear agency meeting. The latest nuclear test by the DPRK in disregard of repeated dissuasion of the international community including China, posed a challenge to efforts to preserve the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, severely violated UN Security Council resolutions, aggravated tension on the Korean Peninsula and undermined regional peace and stability. The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution to impose fresh sanctions on the DPRK over its nuclear test on Sept. 3 for violating previous Security Council resolutions. This is the eighth time for the United Nations to slap sanctions on Pyongyang since it carried out the first underground nuclear explosion in 2006. "It is the firm position of China to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, uphold the non-proliferation regime and maintain peace and stability in Northeast Asia," he told a board meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The Chinese envoy said China supports the Security Council's adoption of a series of resolutions and has submitted to the relevant sanctions committee of the Security Council five reports on the implementation of the resolutions on the DPRK, which presented detailed information about the tremendous efforts made by China to implement the resolutions. The nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula must be resolved peacefully and a multi-pronged approach must be taken to address the legitimate security concerns of all parties, said Shi, adding that dialogue is the only effective way to solve this issue. China is willing to work with the international community to implement relevant Security Council resolutions on the DPRK in a comprehensive and complete manner, unswervingly advance the objective of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and firmly maintain peace and stability in the region, Shi said. "We urge all parties concerned to assume due responsibilities, take effective measures to ease tension on the Korean Peninsula and bring the DPRK nuclear issue back to the track of dialogue as soon as possible," he said. The Chinese envoy called on the parties concerned to refrain from taking actions that would harm the strategic and security interests of the countries in the region as such actions would not be conducive to achieving denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as well as peace and stability in the region. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 11:35:01|Editor: An Video Player Close Photo taken on Sept. 13, 2017 shows the night view of Puyuan Town of Tongxiang City, east China's Zhejiang Province. Puyuan, the biggest knitwear center in China, gains its reputation as knitwear trade volume accounts for over 60 percent of the total amount of the country. Puyuan is now transforming and upgrading its knitwear manufacture, hoping to give a lead in innovation of the industry. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 11:05:10|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The world economy has recovered slowly out of the global financial crisis starting in 2008 and recorded moderate growth, in which China has made impressive contribution as a stabilizer and engine. The Asian country has not only managed to achieve its own economic stability and prosperity, but also offered valuable wisdom and solution to help put the global economy on the track of robust, sustainable, balanced and inclusive development. CHINA'S STRENGTH China has made remarkable economic achievements over the past 10 years as its economic aggregate has grown by 239 percent and the total value of imports and exports has risen by 73 percent, according to official figures. During the period, China has become the world's second largest economy and the lives of its 1.3 billion-plus people have significantly improved. China accounts for more than 30 percent of the world's economic growth annually since the 2008 financial crisis, official figures show. Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said China is a major driver for global economic growth, expressing his belief that China's economy will continue to grow steadily. China's economic achievements did not come by easily as its reform endeavors have entered a crucial stage, with some underlying difficulties and problems surfaced. To address tough challenges, The country is determined to deepen all-round reforms. Over the past five years, the Chinese government has adopted more than 1,500 reform measures covering all sectors, with breakthroughs made in multiple areas. The pace of economic structural adjustment and industrial upgrading has accelerated. China's economy has maintained steady and sound performance, and new drivers sustaining development have grown in strength. The tremendous economic achievements are the results of China's concepts to blaze a sustainable path featuring innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development. Those concepts will not only lead to profound changes in China's growth model, but also offer helpful insights to global development. China posted strong-than-expected economic growth of 6.9 percent in the first half of 2017, and its official Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI) stood at 51.7 in August, up from the previous month's 51.4 and well above the 51-point mark that separates growth from contraction on a monthly basis. "China is far and away the fastest growing market for Made in America. Between 2006 and 2016, goods exports rose 114 percent while services growth was over 340 percent," said a recent article carried by Forbes' website. Besides major world economies such as the United States, even some Pacific Island nations are enjoying close economic relations with China. In a recently published report, the World Bank urged Pacific Island nations to tap into the Chinese market to grow wages and create jobs. The report estimates more than 100,000 jobs could be created in tourism alone by tapping into China's growing middle class, retirees, and cruise ship and high-end resort markets. CHINA'S WISDOM While offering Chinese experiences to other countries' reforms and developments, China has also put forward its own proposals and "solutions" to help promote world economic growth and improve global governance. In recent years, the world economy and governance have been facing a multitude of new risks, including rising protectionism and unbalanced growth. Chinese leaders have put forward four proposals to address the challenges, including building an innovative world economy to generate new drivers of growth, an open world economy to expand the scope of development, an interconnected world economy to forge interactive synergy and an inclusive world economy to strengthen the foundation for win-win outcomes. The four proposals embody long-term consideration and strategies that aim to address both the symptoms and root causes of the sluggish world economy. The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, establishes a new platform for win-win cooperation among countries around the world and creates new opportunities for the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In May, China successfully hosted the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, starting to turn development concepts into action. China also initiated the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a multinational institution aiming to spur Asia's economic growth through infrastructure investment. With the tally of approved members rising to 80, the bank has so far approved 16 projects worth 2.5 billion U.S. dollars. To help finance infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS and other emerging economies and developing countries, China co-founded the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) with its headquarters in Shanghai. Moreover, China has put forward the "BRICS Plus" approach by inviting leaders of Egypt, Mexico, Thailand, Tajikistan and Guinea for a dialogue on the sidelines of the 2017 BRICS summit held in Xiamen about a week ago, sending a strong signal of strengthening South-South cooperation and world development cooperation. By putting forward the Belt and Road Initiative and showing growing willingness to play a major role in promoting globalization, China has given a shot in the arm for the flagging global economy, said Koh Chin Yee, CEO of the Longus Research Institute in Singapore. All the initiatives, from the Belt and Road to the "BRICS Plus", have shown that China is becoming a "responsible stakeholder" in the world, said Stephen A. Orlins, president of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSR). Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 11:10:13|Editor: An Video Player Close LUSAKA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The implementation of the outcome of the 2015 Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) has boosted the development of Africa and its relations with China, a Chinese envoy said on Wednesday. Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Yang Youming said Africa has developed faster over the last couple of years following the summit. He said next year will be the last year for the implementation of the Johannesburg FOCAC framework arrangement, adding that a new arrangement will have to come into effect. The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to be held next month in Beijing will inject a new impetus into China's rejuvenation drive and create good prospects for China-Africa friendly cooperation, he said. At the Johannesburg summit, China committed 60 billion U.S. dollars to fund the implementation of cooperation programs over the next three years. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 11:50:26|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close YANGON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Three more police outposts in Maungtaw, Rakhine state, have been burned down by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) extremist terrorists. The outposts, burned to the ground, are located in areas of Mee Taik Chaungwa, Nant Thar Taung Chaungwa and Thinbaw Hla Chaungwa, according to a report of the Myanmar News Agency on Thursday. Security forces have launched a clearance operation over the last two days. The security forces, while arriving at Tone Chaung Chaubgwa outpost to clear the surrounding area, also found two remote-controlled mines and a black suit with a mask attached on board a boat 100 meters from the outpost, the report said. Terrorists launched fresh attacks on police outposts in Rakhine on Aug. 25, displacing residents from a number of areas in Maungtaw district. A total of 59 villages and 6,842 houses have been burned down by terrorists with eight bridges destroyed by planted mines. Meanwhile, 371 terrorists have been reportedly killed in clashes with the security forces. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 13:05:57|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close MOSCOW, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Russia will become world's second largest gold producer with the launch of a major mining and smelting facility in the Far East, said the press service of the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East Wednesday. After the facility was launched by Russia's gold producer Poluys to develop the Natalka gold deposit in the country's Magadan Region, the volume of ore processing will exceed 10 million tons per year, while the volume of gold production will be 13 tons per year, which increases the country's gold production by 5 percent, the ministry said. This will make Russia the second largest gold producer in the world after China, the press service quoted Polyus CEO Pavel Grachev as saying. Polyus officially launched the first stage of hot commissioning of Natalka on Sept. 5. Full production is expected before the end of 2018. Natalka is located in the Tenkinskiy District of Magadan Region, about 400 km away from the city of Magadan. Natalka, initially discovered in 1942, has the largest gold deposit in Russia, yielding 25 percent of its gold. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 14:16:22|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close OTTAWA, Sept. 13 (Xinhua)-- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will lead a delegation to the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to be held on Sept. 19-21, the Canadian Prime Minister's Office said Wednesday. At the UNGA, Trudeau is scheduled to deliver an address on the afternoon of Sept. 21. Before this, the Canadian prime minister will be honored on Sept. 19 at the Atlantic Council Global Citizen Awards in New York for his leadership in advancing inclusiveness, diversity and economic growth. On Sept. 20, Trudeau will speak to more than 6,000 youths at WE Day New York to mobilize youth action on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. WE Day is the manifestation of the WE movement, an ocean of people coming together to create impact, according to the Website of the WE movement, the www.we.org. Trudeau will also participate in the Bloomberg Global Business Forum to discuss how leaders from businesses and governments can create a more transparent, equitable and sustainable framework for the global economy. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 14:21:25|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- South Korea was considering eight million U.S. dollars of humanitarian aid to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) through international organizations, local media reports said Thursday. An unidentified Unification Ministry official told local reporters that the eight-million-dollar aid to the DPRK would be discussed next Thursday during a meeting of the inter-Korean exchange and cooperation committee. The assistance reportedly involves offering 4.5 million dollars to the World Food Program (WFP) project, which helps infants and pregnant women, and 3.5 million dollars to the UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). If approved, it would mark the first South Korean humanitarian aid to the DPRK since the new government under President Moon Jae-in was launched in May. The new government maintained a basic stance that humanitarian issues would be dealt with regardless of political situations. Seoul's aid to Pyongyang was suspended after the DPRK's fourth nuclear test in January last year. On Sept. 3, the DPRK detonated what it claimed was a hydrogen bomb. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 14:51:34|Editor: liuxin Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The death toll in Thursday's boat capsizal in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh has risen to 19 as rescues are searching for the missing, police said. The boat capsized in River Yaumna in Bagpat district on the outskirts of New Delhi. "So far we have managed to fish out 19 bodies from the river," a police official posted at superintendent of police office in Bagpat told Xinhua. "Twelve persons rescued alive are undergoing treatment in local hospitals." According to the officials, the boat was carrying around 60 people when it capsized in Bagpat district falling in the National Capital Region (NCR). Following the boat capsizal in the morning, the official said they rushed police and disaster management officials to the spot to carry out rescue work. "We have pressed in our men at several spots along the stretch of the river to search for the missing," the official said. "It is feared the death toll in the tragedy might go up further." Eyewitnesses said some people had managed to swam safely to the river bank. Police said the deaths triggered anger among the villagers, who have blocked traffic on the Delhi-Saharanpur highway and vandalized some vehicles. Authorities said they have ordered an investigation into the accident though apparently overcrowding is said to be the cause. Villagers told the media the victims were daily wage labourers on their way to neighbouring Haryana state looking for work. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath has expressed grief over the tragedy and announced a compensation of 3,121 U.S. dollars to each family that have lost its member in the accident. In April this year, 13 people were drowned after a boat carrying them capsized in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 15:06:40|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close YANGON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A total of 4,220 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have returned to their villages in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state as clashes abated between the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) and security forces in the region, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Thursday. With the help of security forces, the IDPs from 15 ethnic villages in Maungtaw, Yathedaung and Buthidaung townships were escorted back to their homes. More than 90 attacks have been launched by the ARSA in Maungtaw recently. Due to the attacks, nearly 30,000 villagers fled to Sittway, Maungtaw and Buthidaung and thousands of Muslims fled to the Bangladeshi border. The authorities has called for cooperation with the government in an effort to maintain peace and stability in the region. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 15:16:45|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close Editor's Note: China is rolling out a major documentary series on its diplomatic principles, practices and achievements over the past five years. The English-language version of the program is now also available on TV and online. To help audience better understand Chinese diplomacy, Xinhua is releasing a variety of reports that include anecdotes, quotable quotes, facts and figures. BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The following is a number of anecdotes from the TV series on Chinese President Xi Jinping's foreign visits over the past five years: At the invitation of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Xi visited the UN Office in Geneva, Switzerland, and gave a keynote speech at Palace of Nations on Jan. 18, 2017. By using a local metaphor, Xi expounded on the need for the world to work together to build a community of shared future for mankind. Xi said "When I first got one Swiss army knife, I was amazed that it has so many functions. I cannot help thinking how wonderful it would be if an exquisite Swiss army knife could be made for our world." "When there is a problem, we can use one of the tools on the knife to fix it. I believe that with unremitting efforts of the international community, such a knife can be made," he added. Xi called for building a world of lasting peace through dialogue and consultation, building a world of common security for all through joint efforts, building a world of common prosperity through win-win cooperation, building an open and inclusive world through exchanges and mutual learning and making our world clean and beautiful by pursuing green and low-carbon development. "Building a community of shared future is an exciting goal, and it requires efforts from generation after generation," Xi said. "China is ready to work with all the other UN member states as well as international organizations and agencies to advance the great cause of building a community of shared future for mankind." by Ejidiah Wangui NAIROBI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan farmers could soon start growing genetically modified (GM) maize if an application by scientists for approval by regulatory agencies succeeds. The country's leading scientists have written to the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) seeking permission to release the first ever GM maize variety. Gospel Omanya, Senior Manager of Deployment at the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), told Xinhua on Tuesday that most Kenyan farmers were ready for the GM maize which is pest and disease resistant. "The farmers we interact with in Kenya and other countries where AATF operates are eagerly waiting for the genetically modified maize seeds to help them against impacts of climate change, particularly drought and protection fom insect pests such as stem borers and fall army worms," said Omanya. He said the GM maize will boost efforts to achieve food security and better incomes from small holder farmers in Kenya. Two months ago, Kenya grappled with fall armyworm (FAW) invasion which reportedly affected over 400,000 hectares of maize across the East African region. In areas where FAW infestation was reported for instance, the Tela variety which is genetically modified has been observed to have less damage in Kenya and South Africa. The combined traits, including its drought tolerance, have resulted in maize grain yields of more than 30 percent over the best commercial hybrids, Omanya told Xinhua. But even as the scientists await feedback from the country's biosafety authority, consumers still remain apprehensive over health concerns raised on genetically modified food. "As it is, we have to be open-minded as food prices continue to rise by the day, but on my part I'm still not sure if the GM maize is the solution. Maybe the concerned authorities should do more sensitization and let us know the pros and cons of having this maize grown in Kenya," said Jacob Ngetich, a small-scale farmer. He is among small-holder farmers in Kenya's Rift Valley region whose farms were affected by the FAW and his biggest worry now is to protect his farm against such an invasion in the future. "Farming is my only source of livelihood, so I will do all it takes to protect it. I know there have been debates over GM maize in the country in the past, but as a farmer who has had firsthand experience with crop loss, I would never rule out growing GM maize. I was not even aware of the application for seed approval but let us see what happens, all that matters is health safety of the consumer and of course food security," said Ngetich. According to Omanya, before such maize is released to the consumer, proper due diligence has to be done to ensure it is fit for human consumption and Kenya is not an exception. "The TELA maize that will be commercialized in Kenya and any other country must go through regulatory and biosafety systems in the target countries. This is to ensure its safety as human food. As with any new technology on the market, consumer education is essential to enlighten the farmers as well as consumers," said Omanya. Omanya believes the GM maize variety, known worldwide as Bt maize, will help farmers in Kenya increase their yield by reducing damage caused by stem borer insect pests. According to the Agricultural Sector Development Strategy, Kenyans depend on maize for their daily food and are too often threatened by hunger due to a number of constraints including voracious pests. Stem borers are known to reduce maize yield by an average of 13 percent or 400,000 tonnes, equivalent to the yearly amount of maize imported by Kenya, amounting to 70 million U.S dollars. Approval of the Bt maize will pave the way for variety release and registration through the National Performance Trials and eventual delivery to farmers through seed companies in the same manner as any other crop variety. The adoption of Bt technology has been proven to work in other countries and farmers are already benefiting from the technology with maize yields doubling annually in countries like South Africa. ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia will see a new "Silk Road" project taking root, and this time a privately-funded Chinese hospital, the first of its kind in the East African nation. On Tuesday, the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Addis Ababa Silk Road General Hospital was held in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa. The hospital will be built in two phases and have 600 beds, including 40 ICU beds, when construction is completed, with a total investment of about 30 million U.S. dollars from Seychelles Afei Holding Co., Ltd. At the conclusion of the first phase, which will involve an investment of 16 million dollars, the hospital will have 200 beds, including 12 ICU beds. Wang Jianhua, representative of Seychelles Afei, said the hospital will start operation once the first phase is completed within 12 months. The hospital will hire 45-50 doctors and specialists from China, the United States, Europe, Russia, Cuba, and South America and deploy high-tech equipment to deliver quality services, Wang said. There will be around 200 nurses at the hospital, about a quarter them from foreign countries, he told Xinhua. Ethiopian State Minister of Health Kebede Worku said the new hospital will further strengthen people-to-people relations. In remarks delivered at the groundbreaking ceremony, the minister praised China for creating opportunities for Africa in general and for Ethiopia in particular by supporting social and economic development endeavors. He noted that China has been deploying medical teams in Ethiopia over the past four decades. Liu Yu, economic and commercial counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, said the Addis Ababa Silk Road General Hospital would inject new impetus in the cooperation between the two countries in the health sector. Lin Feng, vice chairperson of the Chinese Volunteer Medical Doctors Association, said the new hospital would serve as a medical training center. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 16:01:56|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close BANGKOK, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- One Thai ranger was killed and 18 others injured after three bombs were detonated in southern Thai province of Yala on Thursday morning. The first bomb went off at a power pole at about 1:30 a.m. local time and caused no injuries. The incident was reported to local police. An Explosive Ordnance Disposal team was sent to examine the scene. They were hit by a second bomb and also attacked by insurgents, according to reports by the Bangkok Post. Later, the third bomb was detonated while officers were inspecting the scene. Latest reports said a total of 19 officers were sent to hospitals, and one of them was pronounced dead. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 16:22:09|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close WELLINGTON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand police and the chief coroner on Thursday reinforced their previous warning to communities about the dangerous consequences of using synthetic drugs. It comes following the recent deaths of two men aged 22 and 37, and a 26-year-old woman, all from West Auckland who died in separate incidents and where the coroner is investigating whether synthetic drugs were a possible cause of death, according to a police statement. "This is not just a problem in Auckland, this is affecting families and whanau (communities) across New Zealand," the statement said. Detective Inspector Scott Beard is calling on the community to tell police who is selling and manufacturing these drugs. "You may have noticed that we are not calling it synthetic cannabis... It is a dangerous drug that we know is a synthetic compound usually manufactured overseas," Beard said in the statement, adding that those taking it are taking a huge risk because "you do not know where it has come from, or the level of dosage." Chief Coroner Judge Deborah Marshall said that there had been a number of deaths potentially related to the use of synthetic drugs since a public warning was issued in July. "Using any illicit drug carries risks, and in the case of synthetic drugs, they are known to cause potentially fatal seizures," Marshall said. Detective Inspector Beard said that police have made a significant number of seizures and arrests across New Zealand and are focused on arresting those responsible for the sale and supply of the dangerous drugs. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 16:27:10|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close MEXICO CITY, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The 8.2 magnitude earthquake in Mexico last week has displaced 2.3 million people in the southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas, authorities said Wednesday. Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong estimated that around 30,000 houses have been totally or partially destroyed in the two states. In a statement, the minister said the affected area is so wide that it made the task of bringing humanitarian aid more complicated, although almost all the affected territory had been reached. Mexico was hit by the ever strongest earthquake in a century on Sept. 7, leaving at least 98 dead and severe damage to the infrastructure in the country. By 5 a.m.(1000 GMT) on Wednesday, 1,647 aftershocks were recorded, with the strongest reaching 6.1 on the Richter scale. President Enrique Pena Nieto has dispatched ministers to the disaster areas since Monday to help coordinate rescue efforts. The interior minister confirmed that the emergency remains in place as aftershocks continue to shake the area, six days after the quake, putting more buildings at risk. Doctors were sent to the earthquake-stricken area, along with water, food and beds, said the minister. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 16:32:15|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Wednesday criticized his former Finance Minister Antonio Palocci, who recently turned in evidence and told the court that Lula was deeply involved in corruption. The former president gave a long testimony earlier on Wednesday to Judge Sergio Moro, who is in charge of the corruption cases investigated by the Federal Police's Operation Carwash. He commented on the accusations made against him by his former ally, denying any involvement in corruption and other alleged crimes. After a long investigation, Palocci decided to provide information on Lula in exchange for a lenience deal. He said the former president had close ties with the construction company Odebrecht, which is at the center of the corruption scandal involving contracts with oil giant Petrobras, and received millions of dollars in bribes from Odebrecht. "Nothing in his testimony is true. The only true thing he said was that he is only making the accusations because he wants the benefits of the lenience deal," Lula said. Lula called Palocci "cold and calculating" and said the former minister only made accusations against him to get a shorter sentence. He said Odebrecht's donations to the Lula Institute are legal and documented and do not constitute bribes. He also denied Palocci's accusation of obstruction of justice, saying he would not be in politics if he did not believe in justice. "Regrettably, Palocci subjected himself to this small job, because inventing untruths to try to criminalize a person whom he knows did not commit the crimes he alleged is very unpleasant," Lula said. "I honestly do not feel anger at Palocci. I feel sorry that he ended such a brilliant career the way he did." Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 16:37:22|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close ISTANBUL, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A Roman marble sarcophagus illustrating the Twelve Labors of Hercules was sent back to Turkey overnight from Switzerland, 50 years after it was smuggled out of the country, Turkish media reported on Thursday. The three-ton ancient sarcophagus was brought to Istanbul by a cargo plane from the Swiss city of Zurich and is expected to be taken to Turkey's Mediterranean city of Antalya on Thursday, media reports said. It was widely believed that the 2nd-century stone coffin was unearthed in an illegal excavation in 1960s in Antalya and was smuggled abroad thereafter. According to press reports, the rare piece, worth several million U.S. dollars, was first seen at the Geneva Freeport warehouse complex in Switzerland in 2010 and seized by Swiss customs officials. Following efforts by the Turkish authorities, a Swiss public prosecutor ordered the return of the sarcophagus to Turkey in 2015. The sarcophagus will be displayed in Antalya Archaeological Museum. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 16:37:23|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close Zurab Pololikashvili (L front), newly-elected secretary-general of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), hugs his predecessor Taleb Rifai, in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, Sept. 14, 2017. The UNWTO General Assembly on Thursday approved the nomination of Zurab Pololikashvili, Georgian ambassador to Spain, as its next secretary-general from 2018 to 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Huan) CHENGDU, China, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly on Thursday approved the nomination of Zurab Pololikashvili, Georgian ambassador to Spain, as its next secretary-general. Pololikashvili's appointment came after the 22nd session of UNWTO General Assembly entered its second day in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province. Pololikashvili was nominated as the chief of the 156-member organization in May during the 105th meeting of the UNWTO Executive Council in Madrid, to succeed Taleb Rifai, who completes two maximum and successful four-year terms. Rifai stressed during Thursday's session that the selection was made "under clean and transparent circumstances." During that session, Zimbabwe's push for a vote on UNWTO's next chief in support of Gambia's proposal led to an open debate. Most delegates expressed their supports for a vote to maintain unity. "I was in favor of a vote... (but) It's better to show unified position and go back to consensus," which is "as legal as a vote," Rifai told a press conference after the session. For his part, Pololikashvili pledged a "productive" cooperation with Africa, vowing to "continue the way which was started by Rifai" in his future work. He highlighted one of the UNWTO priorities, that is to conduct tourism cooperation on special project concerning the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. Rifai described the UNWTO cooperation with China as a "strategic relationship" and the "best relationship we can ever have," saying the two sides are "good partners." Meanwhile, he expressed support for the China-initiated World Tourism Alliance that was established on Tuesday, as he believes it would be a support to UNWTO. More than 1,000 delegates, including tourism ministers, from more than 130 countries attended the four-day biennial UNWTO meeting this year, with focuses on sustainable development and tourism. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 16:57:32|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close KHARTOUM, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese government has said its ties with Egypt in crisis due to the issue of Halayeb triangle and restrictions by Egyptian authorities on Sudanese miners, Sudan's Ashorooq net reported Thursday. "The relation with Egypt is not good and we hope it will get better in the coming days," Hamid Mumtaz, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, was quoted as saying. "Egypt insists on affiliation of Halayeb to it without documents. It also rejects arbitration or negotiation," he added. He went on saying "we have documents proving that Halayeb is Sudan's," urging the Egyptian side to overcome minor issues to restore the relations between the two countries. The Sudanese official further reiterated Khartoum's keenness on restoring ties with Cairo, saying "we are looking for peaceful solutions, but the endeavour should be made by both parties." Sudan and Egypt have dispute over the Shalateen and Halayeb areas as both countries claim sovereignty over them. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 17:02:38|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A food delivery man has found himself in hot water in China after he was caught on camera cooking in a restaurant kitchen. In a video that went viral this week, the delivery man, apparently fed up with the cook's somewhat languid attitude, took over the wok and started making the dish by himself. In the yellow uniform and helmet of delivery company Meituan Waimai, the man can be seen tossing the food in the air and then stirring it vigorously as smoke billows around him. Two cooks beside him are obviously engrossed in making other dishes. The video immediately drew the attention of the online community and has been viewed more than 6 million times. It has attracted about 2,500 comments. "He was probably in a hurry because of the need for speed in food delivery," said one Weibo user. "He has to both cook and deliver? What a tiring job!" read another comment. "You can tell that he used to be a cook by the way he handles the wok," wrote another armchair expert. Meituan Waimai said it is investigating as delivery staff are not even allowed into restaurant kitchens. According to market researcher iiMedia, the online food delivery business was worth 166 billion yuan (about 25 billion U.S. dollars) in 2016, up 33 percent from 2015, and is expected to reach 204 billion yuan this year. Meituan Waimai controls over 40 percent of the market. While food delivery comes to the boil in China, poor management and working conditions of delivery staff has brought a nasty taste to the industry. According to in-house regulations of most delivery companies, the food must arrive at the hungry customers' doors within a certain time. If that does not happen, the delivery staff are fined. They are also fined if there are any complaints or bad reviews from customers, who usually give immediate feedback on delivery. This puts a lot of pressure on couriers like the one in the video to speed things up as much as they can. Many of them take risks in traffic and have been hit by cars, some have even been killed. In Shanghai, in the first half of 2017, 76 traffic accidents involved food deliverers. That is one hit or killed every two and half days, according to the local Labor Daily. In August, a delivery man in east China's Zhejiang Province went through a red light and crashed into a Rolls-Royce, doing enough damage for the courier to be hospitalized. Fortunately the Rolls-Royce owner did not ask for compensation, but did advise the courier to be more careful. "I often see delivery men riding on sidewalks because they are always in a hurry," said Zhang Weiqiang, a resident of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Feng Leilei, a delivery man in Beijing, said that he receives a minimum monthly wage of 3,000 yuan. For each order he delivers, he gets an extra 6 yuan, but only if there are no complaints or bad feedback. "If you want the money, you must deliver on time," Feng said. "Some customers just cannot wait one extra minute," said another delivery man Wang Long. "Once I was late and the customer not only refused the food, but also filed a complaint against me." Wang explained that it takes time to wait for the food to be cooked in restaurants and, during rush hours, they have to go on sidewalks or take shortcuts to deliver on time. "If you take more than half an hour, 2 yuan will be deducted," Wang said. "Customers should be understanding of the delivery men's problems," said Beijing resident Pu Xiao. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 17:27:48|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close MANILA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The ombudsman of the Philippines said on Thursday he has denied the request of former President Benigno Aquino III to clear him of any liability in the so-called Mamasapano massacre that resulted in the death of 44 police commandos in 2015. The ombudsman affirmed his indictment of Aquino, which was filed in July for usurpation authority and violation of graft and corrupt practices over his alleged involvement in the tragedy. In a resolution approved this week, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales rejected Aquino's motion to reconsider the ombudsman's earlier decision. Aquino has argued in his appeal that his indictment was a "misappreciation of facts and specious application of the law" and therefore warrants the outright dismissal of the complaint against him. But the ombudsman insisted Aquino was given the opportunity "to adequately address and refute the charges" against him and added that the former leader was "accorded the opportunity to be heard during conduct of (the) preliminary investigation." "In sum, the finding of probable cause against (Aquino) in relation to his participation in the violation of Article 177 of the revised Penal Code (Usurpation of Official Functions) and Section 3(a) of (Republic Act) No. 3019 stands," the consolidated ombudsman order read. Aquino's spokesman, Abigail Valte, said Aquino will meet with his legal team to discuss the ombudsman's latest order. The ombudsman of the Philippines is responsible for investigating and prosecuting Philippine government officials accused of crimes, especially graft and corruption. Also in July, the ombudsman ordered criminal charges against Aquino's co-conspirators--former Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Alan Purisima and PNP Director Getulio Napenas of the PNP Special Action Force (SAF). The charges stemmed from an incident that broke out on Jan. 24, 2015 when almost 400 highly trained commandos belonging to the elite SAF unilaterally launched operation "plan exodus" to serve standing warrants of arrest against international wanted terrorists in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in the southern Philippines. The operation alarmed local Islamic rebel groups. In the ensuing firefight between armed rebels and outnumbered SAF members that lasted several hours, 44 SAF troopers were killed in the line of duty. Purisima had been placed by the office of the ombudsman under preventive suspension at that time for anomalous Werfest deal, the resolution noted, referring to a deal forged between a courier company and the PNP's Firearms and Explosives Office. Ombudsman Morales said that "certainly a public officer who is under preventive suspension is barred from performing any public functions and from meddling into the affairs of the government." The resolution said that the ombudsman established probable cause that, with the complicity and influence of Aquino, the order of preventive suspension issued by the ombudsman was violated. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 17:37:56|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close BANGKOK, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Criminal Court sentenced the bomber responsible for the explosion at Bangkok's Phramongkutklao Hospital to four years in prison, local media reported on Thursday. According to TV Channel 7, Wattana Pummare, 62, got an eight-year jail term for illegally assembling and possessing explosives and bombing materials. Since he confessed to the prosecutions, the court lessened the jail term to four years. Wattana, a retired engineer, was found guilty in two cases, namely the hospital bombing and producing explosives at his home in Bangkok. He is also facing an accusation of attempted murder. A hearing for testimony by prosecution witnesses is scheduled on Oct. 16. Wattana planted a homemade device in the Phramongkutklao hospital which is popular with soldiers and retired military officers on May 12. The bombing injured more than 20 people. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 17:42:58|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close ANKARA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry said Thursday that there would be a cost if the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq insisted on holding the independence referendum. "The KRG should be aware that there will most certainly be a price to pay for insisting on its approach for a referendum despite all our friendly recommendations," the ministry said in a statement. "We are calling on the KRG to act with common sense and to give up its mistaken approach as soon as possible," it added. Turkey also welcomed the Iraqi parliament's decision to reject the KRG independence referendum slated for Sept. 25. Iraq's parliament voted on Tuesday in opposition to the referendum, authorizing the prime minister to take all measures to preserve Iraq's unity. The decision was a clear expression of the importance of Iraq's political unity and territorial integrity, the Turkish ministry said. Turkey also called on Baghdad and Erbil to resolve the dispute through "dialogue" and conduct ties based on constitution and justice. Since the KRG announced its plan to hold the referendum, most Western powers, including the United States and EU, have voiced concerns that the poll could ignite a new round of conflict between Baghdad and Iraqi Kurdistan, threatening regional stability and distracting from the fight against terrorism. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 17:42:59|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close BANGKOK, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Five Muslim villagers who have returned to southern Thailand from Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia have been suspected of having been infected with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), said a public health official on Thursday. According to Dr. Suvit Thammapalo, head of the Ministry of Public Health's provincial health office in Hat Yai, about 950 km south of Bangkok, the five Hajj pilgrims, who had returned from Saudi Arabia and undergone an initial medical check-up at Hat Yai international airport, have been suspected for MERS. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how the MERS might influence those Muslim villagers within a 14-day period, Dr. Suvit said. The suspected MERS patients were among a total of 289 pilgrims who had undergone medical check-up at Hat Yai airport after they had returned from the Middle East. MERS patients may obviously have coughs, high fevers and difficulties with breathing, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 17:48:00|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Over the past two years, more and more people have been seen riding yellow bikes on Chinese streets. These bikes are provided by the three-year old bike-sharing company ofo, which raised over 700 million U.S. dollars in funding in July. Dai Wei, the company's founder and CEO, established ofo with four other Peking University students, who were all born after 1990. Youth is on their side. China is producing more young entrepreneurs than ever before. The number of students starting businesses right after graduation rose from 1.6 percent in 2011 to 3 percent in 2017, according to a report by MyCOS Research and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. This means that more than 200,000 out of 7.95 million college graduates in 2017 became entrepreneurs. The China College Students' Internet Plus Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition has been held for three consecutive years and its popularity is growing fast. More than 1.5 million students from 2,241 universities and colleges took part in 2017. Dai says that the boom in student entrepreneurship is linked to the support of universities and the government. "Peking University cultivated my entrepreneurship. And central government policy supports an environment favorable for making innovations," Dai says. For Zheng Xiaojing, president of Xidian University in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, education in innovation and starting a business must be integrated into higher education. "Students' innovative spirit and entrepreneurship need to be inspired by higher education," Zheng says. Xidian University has established spaces where students can put their business ideas into practice. Entrepreneurship and innovation projects, paper publication and academic competitions are included in the university's credit point system. Such novelties in the curriculum have been popularized in higher education institutions nationwide, propelling faculty to adapt to the new environment. The Ministry of Education issued a guideline in 2016, encouraging university teachers to improve their teaching and assessment methods, transform their research into products, or even start their own businesses. By the end of 2016, the number of full-time university and college teachers specializing in innovation and entrepreneurship reached more than 26,000, and the number of part-time tutors stood at over 76,000. Besides education, students need incubators to make their dreams of entrepreneurship come true. Over the past two years, 19 demonstration bases for entrepreneurship and innovation have been set up in universities. Tsinghua University's iCenter is one of these bases. The incubator supports 3,000 students to realize their dream every year. Sichuan University in southwest China's Sichuan Province, together with a local bank, established a risk compensation fund worth 12 billion yuan (1.83 billion U.S. dollars). The fund is for college students in Sichuan to take out loans for their business projects. Science and technology parks at various universities have become a hotbed for new high-tech companies, promoting the development of companies and helping the local economy. The country's education sector is sparing no efforts to pave the way for future entrepreneurs. "I think we must, when we are young, do as much as we can to realize our dreams that are of value to the society," Dai says. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 18:23:20|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close by Bedah Mengo NAIROBI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- As political campaigns for the repeat Oct. 17 polls gather momentum in Kenya, the main presidential candidates are portraying themselves as victims of corrupt institutions in a bid to win voters. President Uhuru Kenyatta of the Jubilee Party is painting himself as a victim of "corrupt" judges at the Supreme Court, who annulled his win in Aug. 8 polls. On the other hand, his main rival, the National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate Raila Odinga is portraying himself as a victim of a "corrupt" electoral system perpetuated by the poll's body officials. "The decision by the four Supreme Court judges to nullify my win was the most painful moment of my life. Four people cannot change what Kenyans have decided. I don't and will not agree with them," Kenyatta, who initially labelled the judges crooks and promised to 'fix' the apex court if elected, said on Wednesday. He expressed the sentiments at a meeting with leaders and supporters from the Abagusii tribe, from which the Chief Justice David Maraga hails from, as he tried to win back the community's support. "It was very painful for me to accept the decision. I'm a human being and I was angry at Maraga and the Supreme Court, not the Abagusii community as Odinga would want you to believe," said Kenyatta. He defended his outbursts against the Supreme Court, asking his audience if it was wrong for him to come out and defend himself if he is robbed. "I know I won the election. Just imagine a thief is caught with your cow and then the court rules that the police did not record the crime, so the cow cannot be yours," Kenyatta said, as he propagated the victimhood narrative. On Thursday, a Jubilee Party lawmaker filed a petition at the Judicial Service Commission seeking the removal of the Chief Justice, who he accused of gross misconduct. Odinga, on the other hand, reiterated that NASA would not go to the polls with the current electoral commission officials accusing them of robbing him of victory and bungling the polls. "We will only go to an election when the playing field is level," said Odinga on Wednesday. "The last time the commission was partisan and the evidence we produced in court was enormous. We are not ready to engage in a farce." His NASA coalition announced that there would be no elections on Oct. 17 unless those who stole their victory are sacked and punished. "We wish to inform all Kenyans that there will be no polls if the concerns raised in our petition are not met," said Odinga's partner in NASA Moses Wetangula. "We will not only boycott the elections, but we will also not allow Jubilee to go to polls alone," Wetangula said. The coalition on Wednesday said it would institute private criminal prosecution of the electoral commission officials over the bungled polls in a new political tactic to stop them from managing the repeat polls. In its war against the commission, the party is targeting 11 top officials, including the chief executive and a commissioner in charge of information and communication technology. Analysts noted that playing the victim card is a strategy both Odinga and Kenyatta have perfected to galvanize their strongholds and win votes in the past elections. Henry Wandera, an economics lecturer in Nairobi, explained that someone who plays victim seeks to gain sympathy often by misrepresenting facts to create an image of persecution. In the 2013 polls, Kenyatta played victim of the International Criminal Court where he was facing crimes against humanity charges following the violent 2007 elections. Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto portrayed themselves as innocent and were being pursued by the court due to pressure from western nations so that they could not win polls. "That narrative worked well for the two and they managed to galvanize their political bases in Rift Valley and Central Kenya, where their supporters voted them to the last man," noted Wandera. However, he added the victim narrative was hard to sell ahead of the Aug. 8 polls for Kenyatta as there was nothing to cling on, therefore, he sold a development agenda. "But with the Supreme Court ruling, Kenyatta has something to use to persuade his supporters and seek sympathy. That is what he would sell during this campaign period," he noted. Odinga, on his part, has for the last three elections in 2007, 2013 and 2017 claimed that he was robbed of his victory by the electoral commission through rigging and has fought for reforms at the polls body. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 18:43:31|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close KHOST, Afghanistan, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified armed men shot dead a businessman and injured two others in the eastern Afghan province of Khost, police official Faizullah Ghairat said Thursday. The incident took place at around 7 a.m. local time in Mardikhil area of the provincial capital Khost city, 150 km southeast of Kabul, where the trader and two of his family members were on their way to Khost city. "The trader who owned a big butchery and a super store was killed and two of his family members were wounded in the attack," said the official to Xinhua. The attackers made their good escape, he added. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 18:48:32|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close TOKYO, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) has been involved in refueling U.S. warships in the Sea of Japan under new controversial security laws that came into effect last year, defense ministry sources said Thursday. According to Kyodo News, a government source confirmed that MSDF supply ships have conducted multiple refueling missions since April to U.S. Aegis ships in the Sea of Japan, marking the second time Japan's MSDF has carried out expanded operations under the new security laws. In May, the defense ministry said a Japanese destroyer escorted a U.S. naval vessel, marking the first time that such a mission had been carried out under the new contentious legislation. The new security legislation allows more flexibility to the MSDF, such as providing supplies, including oil, to U.S. warships conducting operations in the region. The legislation also applies to Japan's wider Self-Defense Forces (SDF) as part of the administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's push to broaden Japan's international military footprint. The security legislation and the government's moves to bolster the SDF's presence on a global stag, have been widely criticized at home and abroad for running contrary to Japan's postwar commitment to pacifism and the constitution that ensures it. The new security laws broadening the operational scope of the SDF came into effect last March, triggering nationwide protests slamming the Japanese government for circumnavigating the constitution. The general public, citizens' groups, legal bodies and notable scholars here also lambasted the Abe-led administration for forcing the necessary bills through both chambers of parliament and into law by way of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) overwhelming majority. In April last year, a revised agreement between Japan and the United States came into effect on logistical cooperation between the two countries' forces as part of the new broader security laws. Prior to the new laws taking effect, the SDF was limited to refueling U.S. warships only during joint Japan-U.S. exercises and on other restricted occasions requiring the enactment of a special law. Japan's top government spokesperson Yoshihide Suga on Thursday told a regular press briefing that SDF personnel have been involved in providing supplies to the U.S. military, but held back from providing specifics. "I cannot comment on the issue because it will unveil the details of the operations of the SDF and the U.S. military," Suga was quoted as saying. Such military-related moves by Japan recently, including the defense ministry's recent record budget request for Fiscal Year 2018 of 5.26 trillion yen (47.60 billion yen), with allocations for a plethora of next-generation military hardware, have unsettled the public here. Political and defense analysts here have also stated that Abe, who is steadily working toward his career goal of ultimately revising a key clause of Japan's constitution that outlaws using war as a means to settle international disputes and prohibits armed forces with war potential being maintained, is intentionally thwarting the nation's Supreme Law. Along with the majority of the public here widely opposed to Abe's plans to revise Japan's war-renouncing constitution, Japan's closest neighbors who suffered terribly at the hands of its past militarism are also concerned about Japan's bolstering of the nation's military forces and expanded operational maneuvers. Not only are such moves in direct contravention of Japan's constitution, they threaten to further strain regional ties and have the potential to severely disrupt regional peace and security, local and regional experts on the matter have attested. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 18:58:38|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close LONDON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- British official figures on Thursday showed that 379 people have been arrested for terrorism-related offences in the year ending June 2017, hitting a fresh record high in the country. The British Home Office said that the latest figures include the dozens of arrests that have been made following terrorist attacks in London and Manchester this summer. These arrests represented an increase of 68 percent over the 226 people arrested for the same period in 2016. Of those who have been arrested, 32 percent result in a charge, the Home Office said. The United Kingdom has suffered a series of terror attacks this year. Five were killed after a man drove into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge on March 22; 22 died in a suicide bomb attack on Manchester Arena on May 22; and eight were killed in the London Bridge atrocity after three men rammed a van into pedestrians and went on a knife rampage on June 3. Another man died following a van attack outside a mosque in Finsbury Park, London on June 19, 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 19:03:41|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's presidential Blue House on Thursday held a National Security Council (NSC) meeting to review overall situations after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s sixth nuclear test earlier this month. The Blue House said in a statement that the NSC meeting was chaired by Chung Eui-yong, top national security advisor to President Moon Jae-in. Those who attended the meeting included presidential chief of staff, spy agency chief and ministers of foreign affairs, defense and unification. The statement said the participants exchanged in-depth opinions on overall situations after the DPRK's sixth nuclear test and assessed the new UN Security Council resolution on Pyongyang. On Sept. 3, Pyongyang tested what it claimed was a hydrogen bomb warhead that can be loaded onto a ballistic missile with intercontinental capability. The UN Security Council unanimously approved a new resolution toughening sanctions on the DPRK, which curtails the Asian country's oil imports, bans all of its textile exports and prohibits the further authorization of work permits abroad for DPRK workers. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 19:13:44|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BERLIN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Hurricane Sebastian continued to rage over Northern Germany on Thursday, after having already caused widespread material damage and leaving at least two dead. Railway commuters faced lengthy delays on their morning journey to work, with some lines in the Hamburg area seizing to operate entirely. Hurricane "Sebastian" has achieved wind speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour, uprooting large numbers of trees in the process. A 53-year-old man in North-Rhine Westphalia suffered deadly injuries after a tree collapsed on to him. In Hamburg, a man was killed by falling scaffolding at a construction site. Another man in a wheelchair drowned in the city's Elbe river, although police are currently still refusing to rule out a suicide in his case. Due to the high-volume of weather-related deployments, Berlin firefighters temporarily declared a state of emergency on Wednesday night. The German State Railways told press that hundreds of employees were occupied with resolving storm-related damage and clearing debris left on or near tracks. Temporary accommodation had been made available or passenger stranded during their journeys. In the meanwhile, the German Meteorological Service has warned against a spreading of storm systems to South Western Germany on Wednesday. The states of Hesse, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland faced the prospect of heavy rain, flooding and landslides. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 19:23:48|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close HELSINKI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A Finnish woman worker who was kidnapped in Afghanistan in May 2017 has been freed, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday. The ministry said on Twitter that the woman is safe and her relatives have asked for respecting of their privacy. The woman working as an aid worker at the Swedish NGO, Operation Mercy was kidnapped following an attack on their residence in Kabul on May 20. A German aid worker and an Afghan bodyguard were killed in the attack. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 19:28:51|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A total of 23 people have died in a fire at a religious school in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday morning, which may had been caused by short-circuit. Noor Rashid Ibrahim, deputy inspector general of the national police, said the fire claimed the lives of 21 students and two teachers in the school. The fire department said earlier that at least 25 were killed in the fire. The fire broke out at the three-storey building not far from the city center. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene after they received a fire alert at around 5:41 a.m. local time, but by the time they arrived, "the situation has become severe with 80 to 90 percent of the building was on fire," Soiman Jahid, deputy director of the Fire and Rescue Department, told reporters at the scene. The burnt bodies of the victims were found at the third floor after they were trapped in the building, he said. The windows were sealed by fix grills so the victims could not escape, Soiman said, adding that the sole staircase is in the middle of the building, "but the smoke was very thick that they couldn't get out." The religious school, called Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, was about three kilometers from the signature Petronas Twin Towers. Videos posted on social media showed that the three-story building of the religious school was engulfed in raging fire before the firefighters' arrival. Ahmad Tarmizi, a 46-year-old local resident who lives across the school, said he was going to a nearby mosque to pray when he saw the raging fire at the third floor of the school. "I saw four boys in the third floor screaming 'too hot, too hot,'" said Ahmad, adding he later helped a boy who managed to get out the window and fell on the ground. "Before 6 o'clock, the firemen came but I think many of the people already died inside because of the smoke," Ahmad said. He said the students mainly came from the neighborhood or a nearby area called Ampang to read Quran in the school. Mohd Daniel Borhan, a 15-year-old student who survived the fire, said he woke up during the night but saw the main door area was already having fire. "I and two students broke the grills and went down using a pipe line and two more students jumped from upstairs," he added. According to Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh, a total of 36 students aged 13 to 17 and six teachers were in the building when the fire broke out. The fire was put out some one hour after the firefighters arrived. "So far we do not suspect any foul plays," he said, but added that the fire may be due to short circuit. Soiman said the fire department has started investigation and "hopefully in 2 to 3 days we could find the actual cause of the fire." He said the operator of the school had only recently submit the application for approval to the fire department, and the fire broke out before authorities could conduct the fire safety inspection. Local media reported earlier that the safety measures at unregistered and private schools were a concern to the authorities. S. Subramaniam, Malaysia's health minister, said among the survivors, some broke their legs, some had lungs or liver injuries. "We will do our best to treat the patients here. Some specialists are taking care of them," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 19:28:51|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close Lao President Bounnhang Vorachith (R), shakes hands with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan, in Vientiane, Laos, on Sept. 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Mangmang) VIENTIANE, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Lao President Bounnhang Vorachith on Thursday expressed his gratitude to the Chinese governments support and assistance. Meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan, the Lao president said in the past years, China has consistently provided valuable assistance for the Lao people, which are very importance for the Lao security and independence, and played a very important role in promoting Lao social and economic development. Bounnhang said under the current international and regional situations, it is very important to strengthen the exchange and cooperation between the two countries and the two armies. He said the China proposed Belt and Road Initiative has provided historical opportunities and real benefits for the Lao people, noting the Lao government enthusiastically supports and takes participation in this Initiative. For his part, Chang Wanquan said that the Chinese and the Lao armies have enjoyed very close and fruitful cooperation, and China is ready to enhance the high level exchanges and boost border security cooperation with Laos. The Chinese defense minister said that the Chinese army will continue to provide support and assistance for its Lao counterpart. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 19:33:54|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Commerce said Thursday that national security reviews of foreign investment should not be used as tools of protectionism. The ministry made the remarks after a U.S. federal panel that reviews foreign investment for possible security threats ruled against a Chinese company's proposed purchase of Lattice Semiconductor. China is concerned about the U.S. decision, the ministry's spokesperson Gao Feng told a press conference. Gao said each country has the right to probe foreign investment in sensitive sectors, but that power should not be used as a tool to implement protectionism. A Chinese company acquiring a foreign business is a normal market practice, which should be treated objectively and fairly, Gao said. China hopes other countries can create an equitable and transparent environment for foreign investment, and avoid impacting investors' confidence, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 19:33:55|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close CANBERRA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has on Thursday welcomed fresh statistics which show full-time employment in Australia has increased for the 11th straight month, something she attributed to the government's "comprehensive economic plan". On Thursday, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released its latest employment data, showing that a further 22,000 gained full-time employment in August, while a further 6,000 people gained part-time employment. According to ABS's chief economist, Bruce Hockman, an increase in full-time jobs had been the strongest proponent behind overall employment growth over the last year. "Full-time employment has now increased by around 253,000 persons since August 2016, and makes up the majority of the 307,000-person increase in employment over the period," Hockman said in a statement on Thursday. In a separate media release, also published on Thursday, Michaelia Cash said that employment remains at record high levels. "ABS Labour force figures for August show employment has increased for the eleventh consecutive month, demonstrating the underlying strength in the labour market and highlighting the success of the (federal) government's comprehensive economic plan," Cash said. But while the government has been quick to laud the release of the statistics, Hockman said underemployment remained at "historically high" levels for the third-consecutive quarter. "The underemployment rate is an important indicator of the spare capacity of workers in Australia, and it has remained at 8.7 percent, a historical high, for the third consecutive quarter," Hockman said. The ABS release also showed that employment levels for both male and female workers were at record highs, with female employment increasing by 146,800 since the start of the year - something the government said was the largest increase in the first eight months of a calendar year on record. Source:Xinhua| 2017-09-14 19:40:10|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close Local people bath by a river in suburb Lhasa, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Sept. 13, 2017. Local Tibetans celebrated the annual Bathing Festival, which usually falls on the first ten days of July on Tibetan calendar, in their time-honored ways. Mass bathing starts when Venus rises to the sky and ends when the star sets. Legend goes that bathing at this period is beneficial to health. (Xinhua/Chogo) Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 19:59:06|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses the opening ceremony of the 67th Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA), Germany, on Sept. 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Luo Huanhuan) BERLIN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged German car makers on Thursday to resolve the damage they had caused to the reputation of the country's car industry in a string of recent scandals. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA), Merkel said "the automotive industry must regain trust as fast as possible." The IAA is Europe's largest motor show and one of the most important global events for the automotive industry. Several leading car makers, including Nissan, Peugeot and Fiat, have decided not to attend this year. Merkel further scolded car makers for using regulatory loopholes to prevent having to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel vehicles. "Even if it only effects a handful of companies, it still destroys a lot of trust," Merkel said. German and international car makers now face the task of participating in retro-fitting measures for diesel motors to improve air quality. Nevertheless, the chancellor rejected calls for outright bans on diesel combustion engines, expressing her belief that these technologies would still be in use "for decades." Two years after the first revelations of diesel emission cheating scandals surfaced in the United States, German car makers are using the Frankfurt IAA as an opportunity to emphasize electric mobility in a bid to remake their corporate image. Amongst others, the Volkswagen Group presented plans on Tuesday to invest 20 billion euros (24 billion U.S. dollars) in the "electrification" of its vehicles until 2030. The company aims to have every one of its roughly 300 models to be available in an electric version by that date. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 19:59:07|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close NAIROBI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Kenya expects its coffee production to hit 50,000 tonnes in the 2016/2017 crop year that ends on Sept. 30, officials said on Thursday. Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Interim Head of Coffee Directorate Grenville Kiplimo Melli told Xinhua in Nairobi that output will increase from last year's 46,000 tonnes, due to increase in land under production. "In the past year, land under coffee cultivation has expanded by 1,000 hectares and this could expand harvest to 50,000 metric tons in 2017," Melli said. "We have also enhanced our efforts on training farmers on the best agronomic practices required to increase yield," he added. Kenya's coffee production has been declining since the late 1980s, when annual output hit 129,000 metric tons. The East Africa nation accounts for less than one percent of global coffee output but its Arabica variety is highly sought after to blend with coffee from other regions. He noted that the international coffee price experienced a slight decrease in the past year. "However, this has not discouraged farmers from planting more of the cash crop," he added. In order to cushion farmers from price volatility, the East African nation has launched a nationwide awareness campaign to encourage domestic consumption of coffee. Melli said that over 95 percent of production is exported, with Germany, Belgium and United States absorbing much of the output. AFA noted that most of the coffee harvest is sold internationally in semi-processed form. "This denies Kenya much needed foreign exchange earnings and so we are encouraging investors to set up factories to process the coffee locally before it's exported," he noted. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 20:04:10|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close WINDHOEK, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Brazil continues to show interest in working with Namibian entities to facilitate imports and exports between the two countries, as traction picks up on the Namibian logistics hub concept. Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG), CEO, Johny Smith on Thursday said at a recent information session hosted by the WBCG in Walvis Bay, three Brazilian companies presented their company profiles to representatives from the mining, fisheries, manufacturing and logistics sectors. "Brazil being the closest and most industrialized international market by sea to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region offers a lot of opportunities to our logistics hub initiative," he added. According to Smith, after the initial profiling session, the potential clients met with individuals from both private and public sector to identify co-operating partners based on their services and capabilities. WBCG Business Development Representative in Brazil, Ricardo Latkani, said one of the Brazilian companies, Zaltana Pescados, is interested in importing Namibian Hake to Brazil and exporting fresh water fish to SADC. "The second company, Enaex Britanite, is looking into possibilities to set up warehousing for mining detonators and explosives and investing in infrastructure projects, while the third company, Teccoil, seeks to establish an assembly line of alternators and engine starters respectively," Latkani said. Meanwhile, since setting up a branch office in Sao Paulo in 2012, WBCG has been exploring and developing the trade route as an alternative for imports and exports between South America and Southern Africa. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 20:09:14|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The government of Tanzania said on Thursday it has formed a special task force to investigate criminal incidents, including the increasing tidal wave of use of firearms. Hussein Mwinyi, the east African nation's Minister of Defence and National Service, told parliament in the political capital Dodoma that the task force comprised of members from defense and security organs. The formation of the task force came against the backdrop of shooting of a politician and a retired army major general. "I have no doubt with the capacity of our defence forces," the minister told the august House. Tundu Lissu, a Member of Parliament for Singida East constituency on the ticket of opposition Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (CHADEMA), suffered multiple gunshot wounds last week after unknown gunmen attacked the lawmaker at his home in Dodoma. Lissu was shot one bullet in the arm, two bullets in the stomach and two bullets in the legs. On September 11, Vincent Mribata, a retired major general with the Tanzania People's Defence Forces, was shot in the stomach, waist and arm shortly after coming from a bank. Following the two grisly incidents, President John Magufuli ordered security forces to launch swift criminal investigations. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 20:09:15|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close KAMPALA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Uganda on Thursday issued an oil exploration license to an Australian firm, Armour Energy Limited (AEL) in a bid to expand the country's resource base from the current 6.5 billion barrels of oil. Irene Muloni, Uganda's minister of energy and mineral development while speaking at the signing ceremony here said there have been protracted negotiations due to the sustained low oil prices. "We therefore appreciate the effort and commitment shown by Armour Energy Ltd that has been cooperative throughout the process, which shows their willingness to be a partner in the development of our oil and gas sector," Muloni said. She said the license covers a period of four years in the Kanywataba Contract Area, in the Albertine Graben. Government also signed a Production Sharing Agreement with the exploration firm. Robert Kasande, acting Permanent Secretary said one of the major achievements from this licensing round was the development of a state of the art data room which remains open to the industry to view and purchase data. The data room will also be used for future licensing rounds. "The ministry was able to generate 2.4 million U.S. dollars from the sale of data to bidders which was paid to the Uganda Petroleum Fund," he said. AEL joins China National Offshore Oil Corporation, France's Total and Britain's Tullow Oil in exploring for oil in Uganda. Uganda in May this year signed an agreement with neighboring Tanzania to kick off the construction of a crude oil pipeline from Albertine Graben to the Tanzanian seaport of Tanga. Construction of the 1,445-km oil pipeline is expected to start towards the end of this year and will last up to 2020. The first drop of crude oil is expected the other side of the pipeline by the end of 2020, according to goals set by both governments. Uganda also plans to construct an oil refinery producing initially 30,000 barrels of oil per day. Experts argue that if used well, the oil revenues are likely to fast track Uganda's economic development unlike in some African countries where the resource has turned out to be a curse. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 20:14:19|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close by Naim-Ul-Karim DHAKA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Five years after the roll-out of 3G network, Bangladesh is now all set to enter 4G era as the government has approved relevant guideline with spectrum prices, paving the way for the telecom regulator to stage an open auction at its earliest. Mohamamd Enayet Hossain, spokesman of the Bangladeshi government's Posts and Telecommunications Division, told Xinhua Thursday that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday approved the guideline for 4G or the fourth generation of mobile telecommunications technology, succeeding 3G. Hossain said the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) will now hold an open auction to distribute spectrum by next two months. "We are working on it to finalize the date (for auction)," Md.Zakir Hossain Khan, senior assistant director of BTRC's Media & Communication, told Xinhua, but did not elaborate further. In line with the approved guideline, the floor price for each megahertz of spectrum in the 2,100 band has been set at 27 million U.S. dollars and 30 million U.S. dollars in the 900 and 1,800 bands. Apart from four Bangladeshi cellphone operators, sources said local and foreign companies will also be able to take part in the auction to run 4G technology in the country where the total number of mobile phone subscribers reached 136 million at the end of June with an addition of about 10 million new users in the first six months of this year. They said currently Bangladesh's biggest operator Grameenphone has 14.6 MHz of spectrum in the 1,800 band and 7.4 MHz in the 900 band. Apart from this, they said the second largest operator Robi has a total of 26.4 MHz of spectrum while the third largest Banglalink 15 MHz and state-owned Teletalk 15.2 MHz in the two bands. BTRC has now reportedly 15MHz of unsold spectrum in the 2100MHz band, 10.6MHz in the 1800MHz band and some spectrum in the 900MHz band which came from an operator - Airtel after its merger with Robi. With the launch of the fourth generation of mobile telecommunications services, officials said Bangladesh mobile users will have access to high-speed 4G Internet through their mobile phones at a relatively lower rate. 4G system enhances the services such as multimedia, high speed mobile broadband, internet access with the ability to view video footage on mobile handset. Experts say the launch of 4G services could further bolster the government's efforts in minimizing the "digital divide" in Bangladesh, a country which is poorly served by broadband Internet services. Bangladesh in October 2012 officially entered the next generation of wireless communications. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the long-awaited 3G or third generation mobile services via a state-run cellphone operator Teletalk. The latest BTRC data showed the number of subscribers of the country's four mobile operators - Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi and Teletalk - at the end of June, 2017 stood at 61.579 million, 31.572 million, 39.570 million and 3.260 million respectively. According to the BTRC, Bangladesh has now some 70 million mobile internet users, with 35 million of them using 3G enabled handsets. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 20:24:22|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close BERLIN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Leading German industrial concern Siemens AG has decided to establish a brand-new research center for the digitalization of industry (industry 4.0) in China, the company revealed on Thursday. "Siemens is investing massively in China's future and is supporting the country and local customers on their path to digitalization", the firm's Head of Technology Roland Busch said in a statement. The center will direct Muenich-based Siemens' global research activities in autonomous robotics, placing emphases on mechatronic systems, cooperation between humans and machines, and the use of artificial intelligence in robotics control. It will be located in Beijing under a joint venture with China's prestigious Tsinghua university. Siemens did not provide detailed information about the number of staff it would employ at the new facility, but noted that it would draw "experienced experts from all over the world". Siemens has also announced to work together closely with Chinese government authorities and research institutions at the new robotics center. The company currently employs around 4,500 scientists and engineers in China. Robotics and the automatization of industry are areas which China's government is heavily promoting under the framework of its "Made in China 2025" initiative. German industry is seen as a potential partner in this context, with Chinese investors recently completing the acquisition of Augsburg-based industrial robotics firm KUKA. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 20:29:25|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close ISTANBUL, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Amid criticism against the Turkish government for not forcibly opposing an upcoming independence referendum by the Iraqi Kurds, many fear the Kurdish bid may lead to Turkey's break-up in the long run. "This referendum is a first step that will set the stage for Turkey's disintegration," Haldun Solmazturk, a retired general with the Turkish military, told Xinhua. Some world powers are known to have plans since the fall of the Ottoman Empire following World War I to create a Greater Kurdistan that would extend to several countries in the region, while the emergence of a Kurdish state is widely perceived as an existential threat to Turkey with a Kurdish population of nearly 20 million. Turkey would suffer the most from the Greater Kurdistan project, maintained Solmazturk, who currently chairs the Incek debates at the Ankara-based 21st Century Turkey Institute. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is scheduled to vote on independence on Sept. 25, despite opposition by the Iraqi central government and some neighboring countries including Turkey and Iran. The Iraqi Kurds are expected to vote in favor of secession by a large majority, although some Kurdish parties are against the move. "This referendum is not a development that would work in Turkey's favor," Hasan Koni, a professor of public international law, told Xinhua. "This process would lead in the longer run to the establishment of the Greater Kurdistan," observed Koni who teaches at Istanbul's Kultur University. The referendum result itself will not mean an automatic declaration of independence as voters are simply being asked about their views on independence from Iraq. A "yes" vote will give the KRG the green light to declare independence when circumstances are deemed suitable in the future. Top Turkish government officials have repeatedly voiced opposition to the referendum that it would lead to further instability in the turmoil-hit region. Ankara has not, however, signaled that it would take such punitive measures as closing its border with the KRG or stopping exporting Kurdish oil via Turkey should the Kurdish region press ahead with its referendum plan. Due to this fact, some remain unconvinced about the sincerity of the remarks made by Ankara regarding the independence move. The government's reaction is no more than remarks on paper that have no real significance, Ozturk Yilmaz, a deputy chairman from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), claimed on Tuesday. Yilmaz, a former diplomat, also warned that the Kurdish referendum may have dangerous consequences in the region, as he argued that the vote would open the Pandora's box. The Iraqi Arabs and Turkmens as well as neighboring Iran are strongly opposing the Kurdish attempt. On Tuesday, the Iraqi parliament rejected the proposed referendum as unconstitutional and Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi vowed the government would never allow the country to be divided. KRG President Massoud Barzani said the following day, however, that he does not recognize the parliament's decision. In an interview on Monday, Barzani also indicated that the Kurds would move to draw their own borders if the central government does not recognize the referendum. "The government may be remaining silent (about the referendum), but the risks for regional clashes to take place, which would result in an existential threat for Turkey, are getting increasingly higher," said Yilmaz. He maintained that the Turkish government is not seriously in touch neither with Iran nor Iraq about the Kurds' move. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has in recent months voiced opposition to the referendum, had chosen to apparently ignore a question about the issue this week. According to media reports on Tuesday, the president was asked by a group of journalists to comment on the KRG's refusal to back away from the referendum and on claims that Iraqi Turkmens are being encouraged to migrate to the United States. Erdogan simply replied that it would be wrong to give an emotional reaction without knowing the full details. He was only touching on the claim about the Turkmens, but leaving the referendum issue unanswered. Gursel Erol, a CHP deputy, claimed last week on local Halk TV that the Turkish government's relative silence on the issue is an indication of negotiations and a deal done between the government and Barzani. Erol also drew attention to the fact that the Kurdistan flag was raised at the airport when the KRG president arrived in Turkey last February. The Kurdish flag was raised as well when Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim met with Barzani during the visit. The government and President Erdogan would not have remained so passive toward the Kurdish referendum if it were not for promises already made to Barzani under an earlier deal, claimed Solmazturk. Arguing it is not possible for the government not to foresee the looming threat against Turkey, he added "this government is not able to move because of its engagements with Barzani." Other than Iraq and Turkey, Iran and Syria have a sizable Kurdish minority on their soils as well. The emergence of a Kurdish state in Iraq is expected to whip up the appetite for independence of the Kurds in neighboring countries. Turkey has been fighting against a Kurdish separatism at home for over 30 years, while the Kurdish militia forces in Syria, known as the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), have carved out three autonomous cantons along the Turkish border during the Syrian civil war. The area under the KRG control in northern Iraq and the cantons governed by the YPG in northern Syria are de facto linked through the border. A united Kurdish state in Iraq and Syria would not only encourage Kurdish separatism in Turkey, but also physically cut off Ankara almost totally from the Arab world. The U.S., a major ally of both the KRG and YPG, says the referendum should be postponed. Israel, for its part, supports the emergence of a Kurdish state in the region. Both Koni and Solmazturk feel that the Kurds can not have pushed for the referendum without the backing of major powers such as the U.S and Britain. The KRG seems to have got the green light from Russia as well. Under the current circumstances, neither Iraq nor Iran can take up arms against the Kurds, Koni said. The Iraqi military, already worn out by years of civil war, has been fighting against the Islamic State. Iran is a close ally of the Shiite-dominated Iraqi government. Solmazturk is expecting increasing instability in the region but not a war following a possible declaration of independence by the Iraqi Kurds. The U.S. and Israel would not allow a war while Iran cannot do anything by itself, he argued. In his view, the process of Kurdish independence is at an irreversible point for the moment. To make things worse, the Kurds are also laying claim to some territories, including oil-rich Kirkuk, which are designated as disputed in the Iraqi Constitution. Barzani warned that "if any group wants to change the reality of Kirkuk using force, they should expect that every single Kurd will be ready to fight over it." Kirkuk is currently controlled by the Kurdish peshmerga forces. "If Turkey would oppose the referendum, then it would be confronting the U.S.," Koni said, noting that Ankara's ties with Washington are already strained. "That's why the government can't raise its voice," he added. Both analysts feel that Ankara is also open to blackmail by Washington due to an ongoing legal case regarding alleged violations of a UN embargo against Iran. Reza Zarrab, a Turkish-Iranian businessman, and Hakan Atilla, deputy general manager of Turkish public bank Halkbank, are currently in jail in the U.S. facing charges of violating UN sanctions. The U.S. court handling the case has lately issued an arrest warrant for Zafer Caglayan, a former Turkish economy minister, over the same charges. Ankara, while denying any involvement in violation of the sanctions, described the arrest warrant for Caglayan as part of a "very dirty game" against Turkey. It has been circulating in recent years that the Turkish government may be hoping to unite with the Iraqi Kurds under a sort of federal structure after the Kurds break away from Baghdad. Analysts have argued, however, that such a scenario has no solid foundation at all, as the world's major powers would not allow a Turkish expansion into oil-rich northern Iraq. Turkey would not benefit from such a scenario in the long run even if it turns into a reality, many believe. The Kurds may break ties with Turkey in about 10 to 15 years and move to establish a Greater Kurdistan after getting Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast, Koni said, citing Israel's interest in Kurdish independence as "the most striking evidence for that." "Nobody who seriously knows the history of the region as well as the major powers' plans regarding the region would ever bother to discuss such a thing," observed Solmazturk. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 20:44:40|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia said on Thursday that the U.S. visa restrictions on Cambodian foreign ministry high ranking officials are "unreasonable" and against the spirit of good cooperation between the two countries. The United States on Wednesday stopped issuing some types of visa to Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs employees, with the rank of Director General and above, and their families, with limited exceptions. The United States said the restrictions came after Cambodia refused to accept or unreasonably delayed the return of its nationals, whom the United States seeks to expel. "Visa restrictions are the sovereign rights of the United States government. However, the linking of these restrictions to the repatriation of Cambodian nationals is unreasonable and contradictory to the spirit of good cooperation between Cambodia and the United States over the years in this particular matter," the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. "The reason for discontinuing the granting of visas made us even more surprised since Cambodia did not halt its cooperation nor deny/unreasonably delay accepting its nationals subject to be deported by the United States," said the statement. "Cambodia is still prepared to accept its nationals who will be deported by the U.S. and will try by all means to ensure that those Cambodians will be successfully reintegrated into society and begin their new lives with the fullest decency and dignity," it added. In April, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said Cambodia did not cancel a deportation agreement with the United States, which was signed 15 years ago, but requested the United States to amend the agreement to allow convicted Cambodians to continue living in the country after they had served their prison sentence. Under the effective agreement, Cambodians, who are permanent residents of the United States, will be deported to Cambodia if they are convicted of felony. Hun Sen said it is an immoral act to deport those convicted Cambodians, separating them from their family members for the whole life. Some 550 convicted criminals with Cambodian heritage have been deported from the United States since 2002, many of them cannot even speak Cambodian language. African students attend a graduation ceremony at the Tianjin University of Technology and Education in China's Tianjin on July 4, 2013. (Xinhua/Li Xiang) LUSAKA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The increasing number of African students seeking to further their education in China was a clear sign of the quality of education provided in China, a diplomat has said. Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Yang Youming said China was grateful over the appreciation of the country's education system by African countries and promised that the country will continue providing quality education. "The increasing number of students from Africa is a good sign on the appreciation of the people of Africa on the quality of education in China and that is why they have decided to send their children," he told reporters during a press briefing where he unveiled an appreciation letter of 11 of the 26 Zambian students who went to China last year to study singing and dancing under a program arranged by China's First Lady Peng Liyuan and her Zambian counterpart Esther Lungu. He also unveiled another letter in which the Chinese first lady responded to the letter written by the students. The envoy said China has now become a prime destination not only for Zambian youth wanting to study overseas but Africa as a whole. He said China is now second to France in attracting students from Africa. He said promotion of people-to-people exchange was important as it allows them to learn cultures of other countries, adding that China expects to see increased students from Africa seeking to study in Chinese universities. According to him, countries should develop their education systems as well as their people in order to see meaningful development. And Reuben Sakala, one of the students who studied singing and dancing at Nanjing University of the Arts and Nanjing Normal University said Zambia has a lot to learn from China's development progress in the last 50 years. He said Chinese people were committed and dedicated to their work as well as culture which has resulted in rapid development. And in her response letter to the Zambian students, the Chinese first lady said the friendship of the two countries requires the young people to carry it forward. She said young people were the future and hope of any nation and urged them to continue studying hard in order to make great contribution to Zambia's development. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 20:59:54|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people, including three Iranians, were killed on Thursday in a car bomb and a gunfire attack in Iraq's southern province of Nasriyah, a provincial security source said. Unidentified gunmen attacked a restaurant at Fadak area in west of the city of Nasriyah, some 375 km south of Baghdad, leaving four Iraqis and three Iranians killed, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The attack also left some 20 people wounded, the source said. Meanwhile, a booby-trapped car was detonated at a security checkpoint near the attacked restaurant, the source said without giving details about casualties. The attacks came as the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi paid a visit to the province and met with the provincial government and some tribal leaders. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 21:00:00|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close RIYADH, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Saudi-led coalition announced on Thursday the death of a Saudi pilot when his aircraft crashed in Abyan area in Yemen, Saudi Press Agency reported. The spokesman for the forces of coalition, Col. Turki Al Maliki said that incident occurred at 7:30 p.m. (1630 GMT) on Wednesday. The aircraft of Saudi Royal Air Forces faced a technical failure while carrying out one of the operational tasks to support the war against Al-Qaida terrorist organization. The coalition announced last month that one of its helicopters had to execute an emergency landing in the territories under the control of the Yemeni government, while its crew suffered minor injuries. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 21:15:10|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close HOHHOT, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- It is early autumn. The sun sets on the dunes of the Kubuqi desert and the air begins to cool. Mongolian herder Suilasaikhan drives his truck on a road lined by shrubbery. He loves the experience. The sight of lush patches in the middle of the vast golden sand delights him. It is a scene local herders could not have imagined four decades ago when life was a losing battle against the sand. "In the 1970s, the sand was as high as our house. You could walk straight up the dunes and onto the roof," Suilasaikhan said. "And when the wind blew, you could not see the house at all. You could only find your way home by the barking of the dogs," he said. Spanning 18,600 square kilometers, the Kubuqi desert sits on a curve of the Yellow River in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and once threatened to bury the entire region. Over the past 30 years that expansion has been curtailed and reversed. Shrubs and trees now grow on around one third of the Kubuqi. Sandstorms are much less frequent and more than 100,000 locals can no longer be considered "poor." United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) is encouraging other countries battling deserts to look to the Kubuqi for inspiration. "China is one of the most successful countries in greening the desert and has lessons to share with the world," UNEP Executive Director Erik Solheim said. This week the desert city of Ordos is hosting the 13th session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. China's efforts to build a "great green wall" began in 1978. Forestation of northern regions was meant to form a tree shield against invading sand, but reforestation is expensive and requires a large labor force. In Kubuqi, state spending has been matched with individual ambition and innovation, a system for success easier for poorer countries to emulate. THE ROAD TO SUCCESS In 1988, a low-level government clerk named Wang Wenbiao was running a saltworks in the middle of the Kubuqi. The reserves of salt were abundant, but the problem was how to get them out. Wang ordered the building of one road after another, all of which were swallowed by the sand. He soon came to realize that to do any business in the desert, dealing with the sand was always the first step. He set out on a desperate search for drought-resistant plants that could grow there. Herders recommended licorice. The herb grows well in arid land and its root hold the sand. Wang and his colleagues planted 20,000 sq km of licorice and saxaul trees along the 65 km road and it worked. As long as the road remained open to traffic, the saltworks did brisk business. But just as locals rejoiced at the prospect of jobs in the salt business, Wang had another idea entirely: ditch the saltworks and make money just from reforestation. Most people understood curbing desertification as a government-led loss-making endeavor, but not Wang. He assumed the attitude resulted from the lack of a good business model, so set out to find one. Licorice root is a medicinal herb and a common treatment for sore throats, colds, bronchitis and stomach ulcers. The Kubuqi, with no pollution, produces top quality licorice root. The saltworks was renamed Elion Resources Group. Wang gave locals licorice seedlings. The company went on to provide training and other support to help new licorice farmers. When they harvested the roots, all were bought by the company at a fair price. The business model worked. Locals earned money. Trees were planted and Elion's desert business empire grew. The group now claims to have developed thousands of varieties of medicinal products from desert crops. The company has also ventured into other sectors including tourism, clean energy, finance and carbon trading. THE SEEDS OF SUCCESS UNEP says the core of success at Kubuqi was a sustainable business model and a system that links policy, private investment and local participation. China has 2.61 million sq km of desert, the most in the world, according to Zhang Jianlong, head of the State Forestry Administration. Desert occupies 27 percent of China's landmass and affects nearly 400 million people, but has recently been shrinking by more than 2,000 square km each year, Zhang's deputy Liu Dongsheng said. In fact, Kubuqi's story has been replicated across the country. Other than licorice, people are growing goji berries, cistanches and other Chinese medicinal plants. Poverty and deserts are twins. More than one third of China's poverty-stricken counties are threatened by desertification. Zhang said that if locals do not benefit, reforestation will not succeed. In the Kubuqi, families earn seven times more now than they did ten years ago. "China sees the desert not as a problem, but as an opportunity, an opportunity for jobs and fighting poverty via greening the desert," Solheim said. The "great green wall" has grown faster recently. The Communist Party of China has put ecological development on an equal footing with the economy, politics, culture and society. Liu said the government plans to reforest all the desertified land possible by 2050. "After half a century, China has found a way to tame desertification," Zhang said. "It is a path that balances ecology and economy, reforestation and poverty reduction." Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 21:20:12|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close KABUL, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- At least six civilians were wounded, two of them critically, following an armed militants shelling on a hotel along the highway between Afghanistan's Kabul and eastern Jalalabad city on Thursday, and official said. Sarhadi Zowak, the spokesman for Laghman provincial administration said that the incident happened at around 09:00 a.m. local time in Sarkando Baba, an area located along the way between Kabul and Jalalabad, near eastern Laghman province, where a hotel called Kabul-Turkmen Hotel was hit by a mortar fired by the armed militants. The wounded had been rushed to the nearby Kakas clinic for primary treatment, and then taken to the Laghman provincial hospital, he added. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 21:25:14|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A top militant commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant outfit Abu Ismail and his associate were killed Thursday in a brief gunfight with Indian troops in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said. The gunfight between militants and a contingent of police and army broke out at village Aarigam-Nowgam in the outskirts of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. "LeT chief commander Abu Ismail along with his accomplice were today killed in brief gunfight here," a police spokesman told Xinhua. "This is a huge achievement for police and troops." Ismail according to police was among the most wanted militants active in the restive region. Police sources said he was involved in the recent attack on a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims. According to police, the government forces had prior information about Ismail's movement. Police claimed recovery of two assault rifles from the spot. Authorities have snapped internet service in Srinagar, fearing it would mobilize people to stage protests. Last month a top militant commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba Abu Dujana was killed in southern district of Pulwama. A separatist movement and guerilla war challenging New Delhi's rule is going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989. Gunfights between militants and Indian troops take place intermittently across the region. Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 21:25:15|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close LONDON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was holding high level talks in London Thursday to discuss the impact of Hurricane Irma as well as ways of tackling the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). It is Tillerson's second visit to Britain since taking up his post, and follows his visit in May after the Manchester Arena terror attack. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London said Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will hold discussions with Tillerson and the French Political Director Nicolas de Riviere. An FCO spokesperson said Britain, the U.S. and France will have a discussion on tackling what the British government described as "the aggressive and illegal actions of the North Korean regime" "The UK is at the heart of mobilising world opinion with the aim of achieving a diplomatic solution to the situation on the Korean peninsula. The international community adopted new measures on Sept. 11 which put in place the most stringent UN sanctions regime placed on any nation in the 21st century," said the FCO. Johnson was Thursday also chairing a meeting on Libya with the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General for Libya, Ghassan Salame. Tillerson and de Riviere were also expected to be at the London meeting along with Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and the United Arab Emirates Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar bin Mohamed Gargash. The FCO spokesperson added: "The Libya meeting is an opportunity to discuss how to break the political deadlock in Libya, and to build momentum in support of the efforts of the UN Secretary General and his Special Representative. "Helping to bring stability to Libya is a vital part of UK efforts to tackle the threat from terrorism and the issue of illegal migration, which exist in close proximity to Europe." Speaking ahead of the meetings the Secretary Johnson, who returned to London Thursday after a fact-finding visit to British Overseas Territories devastated by Hurricane Irma said: "Britain will continue to work closely alongside our partners to tackle the shared challenges we face worldwide." Johnson, Tillerson and de Riviere were also discussing the continued co-ordination in response to Hurricane Irma. Tillerson flew to Britain in May to deliver in person and apology after officials in the U.S. leaked details of the Manchester bombing during the sensitive earlier stages of a police investigation. The U.S. secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, has flown to the UK to deliver in person an apology for leaks by U.S. officials of details of the police investigation into the Manchester bombing. The Guardian newspaper said at the time that such a public apology by a senior U.S. politician, and flying to London specifically to make it, was unprecedented in US-UK relations. "That the Trump administration felt the need to make such a gesture illustrates the seriousness of this week's rift," said a Guardian commentary. Meeting Johnson in London, Tillerson said during his May visit: "We take full responsibility for that and we obviously regret that that happened. With respect to the release of information inappropriately ... certainly we condemn that." "This special relationship that exists between our two countries will certainly withstand this particular unfortunate event." Tillerson was greeted as his plane landed in London by U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood Johnson who posted a brief message on the London embassy's social media site, saying "Welcome back to London, Secretary Tillerson!" Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 21:30:17|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A Kurdish leading party on Thursday rejected the decision of the Iraqi parliament to remove the governor of Kirkuk province from his office. "The Iraqi government is punishing the Kurdistan region. The dismiss of Kirkuk governor is illogical, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) strongly rejects this decision," Sa'di Ahmed Biera, PUK spokesman said in a statement. "That the solution of the outstanding problems between Baghdad and the Kurdish region cannot be in this way, and the governor of Kirkuk must not pay the tax of holding referendum in Kurdistan region," Biera said. Earlier in the day, the Iraqi parliament voted with majority to remove the Kurdish governor of Kirkuk province from his post, after the parliament followed a demand from Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi asking the lawmakers to vote to remove Najm al-Din Kareem from his post. Kareem, a Kurd, has made several controversial decisions in Kirkuk, including raising the Kurdish flag in Kirkuk city and supporting the independence referendum of the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan. The Kurds want areas including the northern oil-rich province of Kirkuk as well as parts of Nineveh, Diyala and Salahudin to be incorporated into their territory, a move fiercely opposed by the Arabs, Turkmens and Baghdad. On June 7, the Kurdish President Masoud Barzani announced his intention to hold a referendum on the independence of the Kurdish region from Iraq on Sept. 25. The referendum has been opposed by Baghdad because it would threaten the integrity of Iraq and would distract the ongoing fight against the Islamic State (IS) militant group by the Iraqi forces. The neighboring countries of Turkey, Iran and Syria also feel that the move would threaten their territorial integrity, as large numbers of Kurdish population live in those countries. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 21:45:24|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close European Council President Donald Tusk (R) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker attend a press conference at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on April 29, 2017. The 27 European Union (EU) countries' leaders during their first official meeting since last month's British triggering of the Article 50 adopted unanimously the guidelines on Brexit negotiations with Britain, European Council President Donald Tusk said Saturday. (Xinhua/Gong Bing) LONDON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The negotiations between Britain and the European Union (EU) over Brexit could become a prisoner of the politics of the UK's ruling Conservative Party, according to a leading expert with world's top think tank Chatham House. As the fourth round of talks between Britain's Brexit negotiator David Davis and EU negotiator Michel Barnier looks set to go ahead on September 25 after a week's postponement, the role of Britain's ruling Conservative Party is likely to be a key input. "You have a divided Conservative parliamentary party which reflects divided Conservatives across the country -- city Conservatives, business Conservatives versus rural, older Conservatives" said Robin Niblett, director of Chatham House think-tank in central London in a recent interview with Xinhua. This reflects both a divided country, closely balanced over leave or remain, and a history of division with the Conservative Party that has been a feature of its politics for over 40 years. "I don't know what is going to happen, the next party conference will be very interesting. The risk in a nutshell is that the Brexit negotiations will again become a prisoner of Conservative Party politics," Niblett said. Conservatives meet for their conference in Manchester in October, and a weakened prime minister faces a challenge to her power from Cabinet ministers who are strong Brexiters and others who voted for remain and wish to mitigate the possible negative impact of leaving. PROBLEM FOR CONSERVATIVES The issue of the EU, or the European Economic Community (EEC) as it was known when the UK first joined it in 1973, has been an ever-present for the Conservatives. In 1975 the UK had a referendum on EEC entry, and resoundingly voted yes. Traditional party lines of left and right, Labour and Conservative were split, but the leadership and many of the senior members of both parties were in favor of EEC membership. This included Margaret Thatcher, who later became prime minister. She continued to support the UK in the EU but later turned against it. Her example inspired and gave support to Eurosceptics and an anti-EU tone in British politics. This led to the foundation of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) with the intention of getting the UK out of Europe. "The British parliament is now divided over Brexit, the idea was to have a Conservative majority in parliament leading the country into a firm Brexit," Niblett told Xinhua in an exclusive interview. "May would be leading Britain out of Europe. What you have now is a Conservative Party, the majority of whom voted for remain; remember there has not been a big turnover because they lost seats and did not gain them." May has a minority in the new parliament and governs with the support of a small party, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) from Northern Ireland. The potential for small numbers of MPs to cause trouble if they rebel is great and may prove irresistible. On one side May faces a tight but small group of determined Eurosceptics. On the other side there are the majority of her MPs, who voted and supported remain. "So, even though there are only 30 or 40 rebel MPs there are at least half the party in parliament who are sceptical about Brexit and although they accept that it will happen they do not want a silly Brexit. They think No Deal is the worst deal," said Niblett. TRANSITION DEAL A year and two months after the Brexit vote it is only now that the Conservative Party has coalesced around a view on how Brexit should be framed -- should it be a complete break or a partial break, a hard or a soft Brexit and should it be a sharp ending at the end of March 2019 or a longer, phased exit. "Britain when it leaves the EU will have to leave the single market and the customs union because there is no way the UK will ever accept a situation where it is taking rules or having its trade policy determined by other governments," said Niblett. "That might work for Iceland or some other small country, but Britain is Britain. This is about politics and identity. All this talk about hard and soft is meaningless. "There is only one type of Brexit. You could talk about transition -- on transitions you can have hard soft and say we reject the authority of the European Court of Justice from the minute Britain leaves the EU but what is rationally happening is that the Cabinet is uniting around a view that there needs to be a two- or three-year period." Negotiations will determine the details, said Niblett, but areas like farming or air traffic control could exit EU authority at different times. But a crucial demand of the Brexiters is that Brexit must happen, and Niblett said that for them their demands would be that any transition agreement would result in a full exit, not a halfway house. "The transition is now accepted," he said. And in that transition it looks like the Cabinet, those who are leave campaigners and those who are remain, seems to have agreed over the summer that a transition will be necessary. "The strong Brexit people seem to be saying as long as we are leaving and it is crystal clear and binding we have a withdrawal agreement in place by March 2019 we could wait three years for that to become crystal clear." Niblett said their position was pragmatic; they did not want to be "blamed as the people undermining the British economy they want to be the people who prove that being out of the EU is success." He added: "They want to give Brexit the best chance possible. I think a majority can live, with a period of continuing European Court of Justice (ECJ) law." "SENSIBLE" BREXIT Cameron's gamble on a referendum backfired and cost him his job. May's gamble on a general election to give her a firmer hand to negotiate and to lead her party also backfired. But she remains prime minister, and Brexit negotiations are set to continue with the aim of the UK having a deal in place by the deadline of the end of March 2019. Although May's gamble means she lost ground, it does give an opportunity for a broader consensus around what Brexit should look like. Niblett said: "you have a chance now for a more sensible Brexit; you will have to now have more parliamentary scrutiny of bills. May cannot just push things through saying either you are loyal to this country or you are not. She will have to negotiate as a chairperson, become the mediator in chief and help Britain arrive at a sensible Brexit." And tantalisingly the Brexit road is not only a complicated one, it is likely to be a long one. Niblett felt that there could be yet another referendum on whatever deal is reached. "There is a certainly a possibility of a second referendum to approve the deal because I don't think parliament has the authority any more to approve the deal," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 21:55:27|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close JUBA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A team of Chinese doctors working in South Sudan on Thursday offered free medical services for students and staff members at the University of Juba. The team of specialist doctors provided specialized medical services focusing on diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases to more than 100 students and staff members at the University of Juba Health Center. The 15-member Chinese medical team from China's Anhui Province came to South Sudan in February, and they have been providing free medical services in the country's main referral hospital, Juba Teaching Hospital and other health centers across South Sudan. For the past six years running, China has dispatched five medical teams with a total of 66 members who offered specialized medical care and surgeries for more than 50,000 patients across South Sudan. Andy Yan, a translator for the Chinese medical team, said they intend to expand their operations across South Sudan in a bid to access more people, adding that the team would be conducting more outreach services. "We want to show our responsibility and play our part to distribute the medical service to the local people and also help more people get access to services provided by the China medical team," Andy said. Carlo Obir, Head Medical Officer at University of Juba Health Center, said the Chinese doctors are doing excellent work in South Sudan. "The work the Chinese doctors are doing is very excellent. We are happy for them because they are doing good job in South Sudan. If I have some cases, will invite them (Chinese doctors) to come back," Obir said. "I came here to check for diabetes, heart and lungs function. The Chinese doctors told me that I'm fine. So I thank them for the services offered free of charge and I urge them to expand their work," 55-year old Yunis Gire told Xinhua after being attended to by the Chinese doctors. Another patient Lusia Musa said the free medical services provided by the Chinese doctors spared her from spending money to visit private clinics which are costly. "I thank the Chinese for helping us with the free medical services otherwise I would spend a lot of money if I were to go to a clinic. If they are coming back next time, they should also include testing of Malaria and cancer in their program," Musa said. Since gaining independence in 2011, China has contributed diplomatic and material support to South Sudan. In February, the two countries agreed to boost cooperation in the health sector by enhancing knowledge sharing, capacity building, and hospital to hospital collaboration. South Sudan and China have also started implementing a project for the modernization of two health facilities in the war-torn country as part of 33 million U.S. dollar medical assistance pledged by Beijing in 2013. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 21:55:28|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close by Christine Lagat NAIROBI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Countries in the Sub-Saharan African region must adopt a new strategic vision that revolves around policy reforms, innovative financing and adoption of new technologies in order to transform their health sectors, experts said on Thursday. The experts who spoke during the launch of report on status of health in Africa in Nairobi stated that a radical policy shift, visionary leadership, research, training and technology adoption are key to transforming the critical sector against a backdrop of a rising disease burden. Alex Ezeh, the Executive Director of Nairobi-based Africa Population Health Research Center (APHRC), said that a new vision for Africa's health sector is long overdue to help tackle soaring deaths linked to preventable ailments. "Though several milestones have been achieved in Africa's health sector, bold actions must be taken now to avoid a relapse into the old order marked by unacceptably high rates of infectious diseases," said Ezeh. He was a co-author of the report titled "The path to longer and healthier lives for all African by 2030 published by the Lancet Commission on the future of health in Sub-Saharan Africa. The report noted that even though Africa's health sector was grappling with numerous hiccups, there was a chance to reclaim it through application of strategic policy, regulatory and financing interventions. Ezeh noted that improved governance, capacity development and infrastructural upgrade are key to establishing well-functioning health systems in Africa. He urged creation of people centered health systems that can respond effectively to both infectious and lifestyle diseases that are responsible for high death rates among Africa's productive age segment. African states have an opportunity to revamp their health systems through enactment of robust policies, investments in research and training as well as greater collaboration with private sector. Professor Nelson Sewankambo, the immediate Principal of Makerere University's College of Health Sciences, said that strong and accountable leadership, evidence-based research and innovative financing models are required to transform primary healthcare in Africa. "It is evident that health outcomes in this Continent can be improved through state-led interventions that seek to streamline service delivery at all levels," Sewankambo remarked. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 22:05:35|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close TIRANA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- About 70 percent of the citizens in Albania think that the courts are the most corrupt institutions in the country, a survey conducted by Albanian Institute of Democracy and Mediation (IDM) showed Thursday. The courts are followed by the institution of parliament (68 percent of citizens), prosecution (67 percent), customs (66 percent) and health institutions (61 percent), according to the survey. Referring to the data of this survey, it turns out that the media and non-governmental organizations are the less corrupt in Albania. Redion Qirjazi, representative of IDM told reporters at a press conference that the citizens in Albania trust less in the state police as the confidence indicator fell to 52 percent in 2017 compared to the level of 62 percent in 2016. On the other hand, Qirjazi said that the report also showed an increasing trend of the citizens who denounce the cases of corruption from 47 percent in 2016 to 54 percent in 2017. He also noted that if the state police found a way to preserve the confidentiality of the denouncers, the indicator would increase by 30 percent. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 22:10:36|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close BAGHDAD, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Up to 50 people were killed and some 87 others wounded on Thursday in a car bomb and a gunfire attacks near the city of Nasriyah in Iraq's southern province of Dhi Qar, a provincial medical source told Xinhua. "The latest reports showed that some 50 people were killed and more than 87 others wounded in the car bomb and gunmen attacks in Fadak area," Jasim al-Khaledi, head of the provincial health department said. The attacks occurred in the afternoon when unidentified gunmen attacked a restaurant at Fadak area in west of the city of Nasriyah, some 375 km south of Baghdad, while a car bomb detonated at a security checkpoint near the attacked restaurant, according to a provincial security source. Earlier the source put the dead toll at seven, including three Iranians, and said 20 others were wounded by the two attacks. The attacks came as the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi paid a visit to the province and met with the provincial government and some tribal leaders. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 22:20:39|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close JUBA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said Thursday they have withdrawn 30 humanitarian aid workers in the wake of recent renewed fighting in Aburoc area of Upper Nile region. The head of UNMISS David Shearer said that they were forced to withdraw 30 aid workers following outbreak of fighting on Wednesday which has put thousands of civilians at risk as government troops fight to dislodge rebels from the northern town. "We are still unclear about exactly what is happening on the ground in terms of whether the fighting is ongoing or likely to carry on. What is important is for both parties to pull back, because there are a number of civilians there (Aburoc) that humanitarian organizations would have been supporting," he said in Juba. "I have been there and visited that area and the overwhelming number of them are women and children and older people. So, I would like the warring parties to pull back and allow those people to the safe sanctuary that they deserve and they need," he said. There are about 10,000 people including women and children left in the restive Aburoc area located along the Nile River banks. In May the UNMISS forces were temporary deployed there to help with delivery of humanitarian aid following fighting between warring factions. Meanwhile, Shearer also disclosed that South Sudan's worsening humanitarian crisis and peace deal revival efforts by the East African bloc, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) will be discussed at the ongoing 72nd UN General Assembly in New York. He disclosed that the meeting will also highlight the importance of ending impunity for attacks against civilians and humanitarian aid workers, adding that the number of aid workers killed in South Sudan this year totals 18 following the recent killing of a driver working with International Committee of the Red Cross in Central Equatoria. "We hope for solidarity of purpose between the UN, African Union and IGAD for those organizations to agree a steady commitment to reach political settlement, and support revitalization of the peace process. I anticipate that the discussion will seem to run plans for the upcoming IGAD revitalization forum in Addis Ababa," he added. Shearer also said that the ongoing national dialogue will also be raised in New York. The UN has already provided financial, logistical support besides bringing in a number of experts to train and advise the steering committee of the national dialogue. "The UN sees the national dialogue as positive step in the overall pursuit of peace, as well as an opportunity to inject new life into the 2015 peace agreement. However, for the national dialogue to be successful and enable free discussion and bring parties together, the cessation of hostilities is important," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 22:20:40|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close LUANDA, Sept. 14 (XINHUA) -- The ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Angola expressed Thursday in Luanda the desire to strengthen bilateral relations between his country and the Angolan government that came out of the August 23 general elections. Khaled Hassan congratulated the people of Angola for the orderly and mature participation in the electoral process, which he considered a milestone in the history of democracy in Angola. Angola held in August 23 its fourth general elections that elected a new president, after 38 years of Jose Eduardo dos Santos rule. Hassan also stressed the need for enhanced cooperation relations between the two countries in the various fields including trade, social and cultural as well as exchange of bilateral visits. Angola and Egypt have a longstanding relationship with the Egyptian government being one of the first to open its diplomatic representation in Angola in 1976, shortly after independence in November 1975. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 22:20:41|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- About 15 al-Qaida militants, including two senior commanders, were captured and several others killed during military operations by Yemeni forces to reclaim the southern villages, army officials told Xinhua Thursday. The anti-terror operations, backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), were launched Wednesday to evict militants and recapture a number of al-Qaida-controlled villages in the southern province of Abyan, according to local sources. Some villages have been liberated and the militants fled. Those militants arrested in Abyan were moved to the neighboring southern province of Aden for more investigations under the supervision of anti-terror experts, the military source said. The Yemeni troops continued their battles against al-Qaida militants in Abyan's area of Wadea and Marakishah mountains, with casualties reported from both battlefields. Earlier in the day, some families left their home in Abyan and refused to return until the area is completely safe and secure from al-Qaida militants' threats. Military intelligence sources said that more UAE Apaches had left Aden's airbase for Abyan province to support the existing troops. Meanwhile, local residents in Abyan told Xinhua that they found the wreckage of a Saudi warplane and the pilot's body in Jahin area after it crashed into a mountain Wednesday night. The Saudi warplane has been participating in the military operations and launched airstrikes to cover ground troops, according to Yemeni sources. Yemeni government forces and the UAE armed forces in the southern province of Aden have launched a new anti-terror military offensive "to root out al-Qaida militants from their strongholds in neighboring southern province of Abyan." Thousands of newly-recruited southern soldiers joined the campaign after receiving military training and financial support from the UAE forces. The Yemen-based al-Qaida branch has exploited years of deadly conflicts between Yemen's government and Houthi rebels to expand its presence, especially in Shabwa and Abyan provinces. Yemen's government, allied with a Saudi-led Arab military coalition, has for years been battling Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels for control of the impoverished country. UN statistics showed that more than 8,000 people have been killed in Yemen's conflict, most of them civilians, since the Saudi-led coalition entered the conflict in 2015. The impoverished Arab country is also suffering the world's largest cholera outbreak, where about 5,000 cases are reported every day. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 22:35:44|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Sep. 14 (Xinhua) -- Italian Ambassador to Libya, Giuseppe Perrone, on Thursday met with Libya's UN-backed Foreign Minister, Mohamed Sayala, in the Libyan capital Tripoli. The two officials discussed mutual cooperation in fighting illegal immigration and training of Libyan coastguards, Libyan news agency reported. Perrone said that the Libyan-Italian cooperation aims at achieving peace in Libya and the Mediterranean. "The unity government that defeated terrorism in Sirte is fighting another battle against illegal immigration, which is an Italian-Libyan joint battle that is still going on," Perrone told reports following the meeting. Perrone also revealed that a meeting will take place on Friday in Rome between representatives of foreign and interior ministries and coastguards from both countries. The meeting will tackle fighting illegal immigration and terrorism. The Italian ambassador on Sunday met with the mayor of the western Libyan city of Sabratha, a major departure point of migrants, and discussed security, illegal immigration, and human trafficking though the Mediterranean. The turmoil that followed the 2011 uprising caused insecurity and chaos in Libya, which led to massive flows of migrants in the Mediterranean towards Europe. The International Organization for Migration estimates that thousands of immigrants have already reached European shores in 2017 so far, while many others have drowned on the way. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 22:40:48|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Up to 82 immigrants from Burkina Faso were deported on Wednesday from Libya to their home country, Libyan authorities said on Thursday. "On Wednesday morning, anti-illegal immigration department of Tripoli deported 82 illegal immigrants from the Republic of Burkina Faso voluntarily," said the official statement. The department also said that the immigrants returned home with the assistance of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Dozens of African migrants have been deported voluntarily from Libya with the assistance of IOM last week. Libya is a preferred point of departure for immigrants intending to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe, due to the insecurity and chaos in the country following the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime. The IOM estimates that thousands of migrants have already reached European shores in 2017 so far, while many others have drowned on the way. Migrants who were rescued offshore by Libyan coastguards are detained in reception centers with poor conditions. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 22:40:48|Editor: yan Video Player Close by Christine Lagat NAIROBI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's businessman Ben Maina used to grapple with hours of traffic snarl up while driving along Nairobi's Outering Road before it was upgraded into a dual carriage way by China's SINOHYDRO Corporation. The middle aged entrepreneur regretted heavy losses incurred while transporting merchandise to his clients due to traffic gridlock that was synonymous with the road before its upgrade. During an interview with Xinhua on Wednesday Maina was upbeat as he narrated how a gridlock free drive along the 13 kilometers dual carriage way has injected fresh vitality into his printing business. "Having been an entrepreneur for the last ten years, I can say without fear of contradiction that traffic congestion along Outer ring road undermined my quest for success," Maina said. The father of three left formal employment to establish a mid-sized printing business in a working suburb located on the eastern edge of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. Maina's painful experience with traffic snarl up as he struggled to build his business from scratch never dissuaded him from dreaming for a better tomorrow. When the ministry of transport announced partial opening of Outer ring road in late July, Maina and his business associates sighed with relief aware that the days of traffic snarl up and attendant lost man hours were over. "Its upgrade into a four lane dual carriage way has nevertheless unleashed an avalanche of benefits that include ease of movement to densely populated suburbs and the industrial heartland of this capital where majority of my clients are found," he added. "Our relationship with clients has improved tremendously since it is now possible to deliver goods ahead of schedule now that traffic jam along outer ring road has been confined to the dust bin of history," said Maina. He is among thousands of Nairobi's budding entrepreneurs and working class people who are relishing the partial opening of Outer ring road. The China-built four lane dual carriage way is not only an architectural marvel but has as well revitalized urban renewal in a rapidly developing metropolis. Kenyan officials are optimistic that an upgraded outer ring road will not only revolutionize urban transport but also stimulate commerce in Nairobi's densely populated eastern suburbs. Silas Kinoti, the Acting Director General of Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), said in an opinion piece published by a local daily in August that outer ring road will pave way for fast and efficient movement of people and goods in Nairobi and its environs. "Outer ring road is expected to improve accessibility to the Eastlands area, reduce travel time for commuters and increase property value besides boosting the general business environment for informal traders," Kinoti said. His sentiments were shared by ordinary Kenyans who previously endured hours of agony in traffic gridlock while commuting to work or residential premises. James Okumbe, a real estate agent in his early 50s, said that an upgraded outer ring road has transformed his business within a short period. The father of four told Xinhua that his relationship with clients has improved since he is able to commute to their stations in record speed using a taxi or public service vehicle. "Before the outer ring road was expanded, I used to quarrel with clients since it took hours to meet them for a business transaction due to traffic jam," said Okumbe. "That chapter has now been closed with the opening of a dual carriage way where vehicular traffic jam does not arise at any time of the day," he added. The African Development Bank (AfDB) provided 80 million U.S. dollars for the upgrade of the road that commenced in late 2014 and is expected to be completed before the end of the year. It is part of a long-term master plan to revolutionize road transport in Nairobi's metropolitan region in a bid to stimulate investments in key sectors like manufacturing, retail and financial services. Kenyans who reside in the densely populated Nairobi's eastern suburbs have enjoyed a hassle free commute to their work stations since the upgraded outer ring road became operational. Albert Chagema, a middle aged financial expert, who lives in a gated neighborhood adjacent to outer ring road said its upgrade has enhanced his productivity at the workplace. "It takes half an hour to commute to the office in Nairobi's central District unlike previously when I could spend hours in traffic jam when outer ring road was very narrow and full of potholes," said Chagema. He revealed that modern apartments, glitzy shopping malls and restaurants have sprung up in areas served by the upgraded version of outer ring road. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 23:00:54|Editor: yan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Florida Thursday to survey damage caused by Hurricane Irma and learn about relief efforts. Trump will be joined by First lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence. They are expected to visit Fort Myers and Naples on Florida's southwestern coast. In a tweet Thursday morning, Trump said he is leaving for Florida to meet first responders and Coast Guards, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), and others, as they continue to deal with what the president described "a real disaster". It is the third trip that Trump has made in response to a hurricane striking the southern United States. Earlier, he made two stops in Texas after Hurricane Harvey caused massive, destructive flooding in and around Houston. The White House said Trump will visit Fort Myers in southwest Florida, one of the hardest-hit areas, for a briefing on Irma before traveling south to Naples to meet with local residents affected by the storm. Irma, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, has so far killed at least 80 people as it swept through the Caribbean and south Florida. Authorities said 29 people in Florida, four in Georgia, and three in South Carolina died from the storm and related incidents. Irma also cut power supply to over 10 million in southern America. Officials said it could take at least 10 days to fully restore power. Catastrophe modeler Karen Clark & Co estimated Wednesday that the destructive storm has caused about 25 billion U.S. dollars in insured losses, including 18 billion dollars in the United States and 7 billion dollars in the Caribbean. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 23:05:57|Editor: yan Video Player Close RIGA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics and his Danish counterpart Anders Samuelsen met here on Thursday for talks on regional security and the European Union's future, the Latvian Foreign Ministry informed. The ministers described bilateral relations and economic exchange between Latvia and Denmark as excellent. They praised good cooperation in regional formats, particularly NB-8, bringing together the three Baltic states and eight Nordic countries. The Latvian and Danish foreign ministers noted close defense cooperation between their countries. Rinkevics thanked Denmark for its contribution to strengthening Latvia's security by participating in the NATO-led airspace policing mission in the Baltics. Latvia and Denmark are participants of the multinational coalition that is fighting IS in Iraq where Latvian troops are serving with Danish forces. Both officials agreed on the need to maintain EU unity and to find ways of boosting cooperation, especially following Britain's exit from the EU. The ministers stressed the need for all member states' active involvement in the debate on the EU's future. This was Danish Foreign Minister Samuelsen's first visit to Latvia. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 23:06:00|Editor: yan Video Player Close SHENYANG, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A book published by a Japanese writer last month provides new evidence of the experiments conducted by the notorious Unit 731 on foreign captives during World War II. The book, "Behind Bayonets and Barbed Wire: the Secrets of Japanese Army Unit 731", was written by Fuyuko Nishisato, who published another book on Unit 731 in 2002. During WWII, at least 200,000 soldiers from the allied forces were caught by the Japanese. According to a document in the National Archives of the United States, in January 1945, 2,019 prisoners of war (POW) from the allied forces were kept in a concentration camp in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province. They were from the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, Holland and France. Previously a journalist, Nishisato told Xinhua that she has visited China for more than 30 times since 1997 to collect evidence. She also interviewed former members of Unit 731, doctors who helped with the tests, scientists and foreign veterans who are suspected to be survivors of the biological experiments. Unit 731 was a secret biological and chemical warfare research base established in Harbin in 1935 and the center of Japanese biological warfare in China and Southeast Asia during WWII. According to Shimada Tsunetsugi, a former member of Unit 731, in order to test for dysentery, military doctors would take germs to the concentration camp in Shenyang, put them into water and have the POWs drink it. They would then dissect the bodies to record symptoms of the disease. Nishisato managed to acquire a document used as evidence in post-war trials in Tokyo. According to document No. 3113, Umezu Yoshijiro, a Japanese general, gave an order to a military doctor. Following the order, Unit 731 sent 30 soldiers to take equipment to the concentration camp in Shenyang and to undertake tests for dysentery. Nishisato also managed to find some former POWs. An American veteran Frank James told her that he and other POWs helped move the bodies of dead POWs to the autopsy table, where Japanese military doctors first opened the chest and then the skull. The doctors then took brain samples and removed the internal organs. "The evidence shows that the Japanese army didn't follow the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War," Nishisato said. Wang Tiejun, Chinese translator of the book and vice director of the Institute of Japanese Studies at Liaoning University, noted that the book gave an in-depth account of the situation, and many documents and photos were publicized for the first time. An English version of the book will be published soon, he said. Nishisato was previously involved in the production of a BBC documentary on Unit 731. "I was discovering the true history in an academic way," she said. "Most of the POWs have passed away, so the documents are really valuable." "The history should be preserved, so that our descendants can know what happened in the past, and reflect on the cruelty of war," she said. Last month, a documentary released by Japanese public broadcaster NHK triggered heated discussion within Japanese society and calls for reflection upon the war history. The subject of Unit 731 is seldom mentioned in Japan, with authorities eager to cover up and even deny that part of history. "Japanese politicians are not fully aware of the view of international community towards Japan," Nishisato added. "I am worried about Japan's future, if they are the mainstream in governing bodies. If my book can do something to change the situation, I will be very honored." File Photo: Indonesian protesters hold a banner during a rally in reaction to the persecution of ethnic Rohingyas from Myanmar in Jakarta, Indonesia, May 27, 2015. (Xinhua/Agung Kuncahya B.) by William M. Reilly UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The plight of Myanmar's Rohingyas -- refugees alone now nearing 380,000 -- dominated on Wednesday United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' news conference preceding the annual VIP debate in the General Assembly. While first warning the Southeast Asia crisis was destabilizing the region, it was not long after that he warned about destabilization for Northeast Asia. The nuclear and missile tests by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), he said, "created great instability and tension on the Korean peninsula, throughout the region and beyond." "Our world faces major threats -- from the nuclear peril to global terrorism, from inequality to cyber-crime," Guterres said. "Hurricanes and floods around the world remind us that extreme weather events are expected to become more frequent and severe, due to climate change." "No country can meet these tests alone," the UN chief said. "But if we work together, we can chart a safer, more stable course. And that is why (next week's) General Assembly meeting is so important." This is his first General Assembly general debate since he became secretary-general on Jan. 1. CATASTROPHIC HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN MYANMAR It was his concerns over the ethnic Muslim Rohingyas, both those in Myanmar's Rakhine State and those who fled to neighboring Bangladesh, that topped his list. "Grievances that have been left to fester for decades have now escalated beyond Myanmar's borders, destabilizing the region," Guterres said. Myanmar is overwhelmingly Buddhist. "The humanitarian situation is catastrophic," he said. "When we met last week, there were 125,000 Rohingya refugees who had fled into Bangladesh," he said, adding the number of people who have left their homes and have fled to Bangladesh "has now tripled to nearly 380,000." That concern was such that Guterres, the former head of the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), said he had written an official letter to the Security Council. He said it was the first such communication between a secretary-general and the council in 28 years. The panel of 15 later had a briefing and consultations on Myanmar and emerged from the closed-door session to call for an end to discrimination and violence and restitution of law and order. Guterres said he has been talking by telephone with Aung San Suu Kyi, the de facto leader of Myanmar, but not since word came that she would not attend the General Assembly session next week. When asked if "ethnic cleansing" was the right term to apply, he asked rhetorically, "Can you find a better word?" A crackdown by Myanmar's army, launched in response to attacks by Rohingya militants on Aug. 25, has pushed vast numbers of refugees from the stateless Muslim minority across the border with Bangladesh. The violence has incubated a humanitarian crisis on both sides of the border. Suu Kyi has decided to cancel her UN trip and will make a speech on Sept. 19, urging national reconciliation and peace. OTHER GLOBAL ISSUES On Monday, the council tightened sanctions on the DPRK, squeezing oil imports and banning textile exports, following the latest nuclear test. "I call on all member states to ensure the full implementation of this and other relevant Security Council resolutions," he said, acknowledging sanctions are not the solution. "The solution can only be political," the UN chief said. "Military action could cause devastation on a scale that would take generations to overcome." Asked if the Syrian civil war was over, Guterres said there were "a number of things still happening," including fighting and violence. What he feared was "fragmentation" of the nation. Asked about what he would tell U.S. President Donald Trump, who is pulling the United States out of the Paris Agreement on climate change, Guterres said it would be no different from what he would tell anyone else. "I do believe climate change is a serious threat," he said. "I do believe that the Paris Agreement is something that must be implemented by the international community and with an enhanced ambition." On a darker note, he called attention to the situation in the Central African Republic, which has seen a 37 percent increase in refugees and displaced people in the last three months. However, he said the threat of famine in Somalia, Yemen, South Sudan and northern Nigeria has been "kept at bay," despite continuing serious food insecurity. Asked about the "rift" between Russia and the United States, Guterres said what's "important for peace and security is good relations between the United States and Russia. When relations are not good, "the whole international community suffers." UN INSTITUTIONAL REFORM During a nearly hour-long session with reporters here at the UN headquarters he discussed dozens of topics concerning the world body. As for the UN budget, under threat of drastic cuts in donations by the United States, especially for peacekeeping funding, Guterres said funding for peacekeepers' "air assets" were being trimmed 15 percent. "We cannot afford to misspend a dollar," he said. Guterres announced the launch of his gender parity strategy for the United Nations. "This roadmap fulfils an urgent need, a moral duty, an operational necessity and a personal priority," he said. "I have already started to do my part. Since January, over half of my appointments to the Senior Management Group have been women -- a total of 17 women and 15 men so far." Guterres also announced the establishment of an advisory board on mediation to take on disputes. When asked which crisis "tops the list" of candidates for mediation, he said, "I think there is an opportunity in Libya, and I appeal for all countries that have an influence in Libya and all Libyans to seize this opportunity to overcome the divisions and move in the direction of a solution." Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 23:31:07|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Experts and policymakers have urged African countries to modernize weather, water, and climate information services to promote climate resilient economic growth across the continent. Jointly hosted by the African Union (AU) and the Ethiopian government at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa from September 12 to 15, the first African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (AMCOMET) Forum envisages building consensus on modernizing information services in Africa's meteorology sector. According to figures from the World Bank, the economic cost of recorded weather-related disasters in Africa in the last 20 years is estimated at 10 billion U.S. dollars. The Bank further projected such forms of disasters to increase in frequency and intensity, mainly due to the increasing climate variability across the globe. Representatives from various African countries, academia, private sector leaders, and international organizations, who are attending the forum, argued that capacity building endeavors would help as an impetus for long-term disaster risk management and climate resilient development in the continent. Josefa Sacko, AUC Rural Economy and Agriculture Commissioner, also stressed the importance that better policies and strategies have to further enhance access to information about forecasting weather and climate conditions. Over 2,000 natural disasters, the majority of which resulted from drought-related famine, have killed more than 880,000 and affected 460 million people in Africa since 1970, according to the AU. Floods are most frequent, accounting for 42 percent of economic damages by contrast, while droughts affect 78 percent of the population, it was indicated. Experts and policymakers, who are taking part at the continental forum in Addis Ababa, argued that the need for comprehensive risk management system is the key for reducing the impact of climate change and its adverse effects imposed against Africa's development endeavors. "Unless comprehensive risk management is put in place, these risks will draw and threaten peace and development in Africa. This is possible only through end-to-end modernization for hydromet services as well as systems and services," Sacko affirmed. Sacko also expressed the role the Africa regional strategy for disaster risk reduction could play on the matter, an initiative launched in 2011 by the AU with an aim to contribute towards attaining sustainable development and poverty reduction by integrating disaster risk reduction into development programs. Sileshi Bekele, Ethiopian Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, also lauded the purpose of the forum, which brings together technical as well as ministerial participants to provide guidance on how existing weather, water and climate information strategies and programs can be strengthened. "This would help to promote sustainable development, adaptation planning and climate resilient growth," Bekele said. He also expressed the Ethiopian government's Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy as an exemplary initiative to be copied by fellow African countries with regards to developing climate resilient economic growth. The CRGE strategic plan, launched ahead of the 17th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP17) held in Durban South Africa in 2011, required an estimated 150 billion U.S. dollars in its quest to realize a climate-resilient low carbon emission middle income economy by 2025. The forum, which brings together African governments, academia, private sector leaders, and international organizations, is expected to build consensus on and momentum for modernizing weather, water, and climate information services and data. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 23:31:12|Editor: yan Video Player Close ANKARA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Roman sarcophagus of Hercules, which was smuggled abroad some 50 years ago, was returned Wednesday evening to its Turkish homeland, local Dogan News Agency reported Thursday. The sarcophagus was brought back from Geneva, Switzerland by a Turkish Airlines cargo plane and was delivered Thursday to the Antalya Museum where it will be put on display. The ancient Roman artifact was found during illegal excavations in Turkey's southern province of Antalya and smuggled out of the country in late 1960s. The marble sarcophagus, which depicts the Twelve Labors of Hercules, is authenticated to be sculpted around the end of the 2nd Century, according to experts and archeologists. In 2015, a Swiss court ruled that it should be returned to Turkey which has been seeking its return since 2011. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 23:31:13|Editor: yan Video Player Close FUZHOU, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Police in east China's Fujian Province have busted a major oil-smuggling network, arresting 99 suspects and confiscating 1,700 tonnes of smuggled fuel. The provincial border police reported Thursday that the smuggling network involving four gangs had been operating in Fujian since June 2016. They owned nine mid-size oil tankers and were well organized. Police raided the gangs as their ships set out on a new smuggling trip on Aug. 11. During the raid, police seized 7 ships, ten oil trucks and nine underground storage facilities. Initial investigations showed that the gangs have smuggled at least 180,000 tonnes of oil valued at 900 million yuan (138 million U.S. dollars) so far this year. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 23:36:17|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government announced plans on Thursday to give housing benefits to 1.1 million residents of Ethiopia's capital city Addis Ababa. Ambachew Mekonen, Minister of Ethiopian Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MoUDH), said the Ethiopian government will invest 860 million U.S. dollars to ease the capital city's housing shortages. The money in particular would be used to complete 132,000 unfinished houses in the current Ethiopian Fiscal Year 2017/18 that started July 9. The Ethiopian government has in the past 12 years constructed and transferred 175,000 houses to Addis Ababa residents in a bid to keep up with the housing needs of a rapidly growing urban population. The government has identified meeting the housing needs of its population as part of good governance pledge it made to bring long-term prosperity and stability to one of Africa's fastest growing economies. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 23:41:19|Editor: yan Video Player Close GENEVA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Tourists find marmots cute, but some authorities want to shoot the furry rodents which they say are plaguing Switzerland's famed Matterhorn region, Swiss Radio SRF reported Thursday. Visitors to the Matterhorn region love the animals and their warning whistles. In Zermatt, there is even a marmot trail, and kiosks sells postcards featuring the podgy critters. But as popular as these rodents may be in photo albums, local residents are finding they are becoming a menace. Normally, marmots live several hundred meters above the tree line. Many have, however, been making their burrows down in the village of Zermatt, damaging farmers' fields and stealing from houses. "If someone leaves a balcony door open, marmots sneak into the house. They also dig beneath retaining walls," Romy Biner-Hauser, Zermatt's mayor, told SRF. "Now we have to do something; it can't go on like this." Peter Scheibler, head of the Hunting, Fishing and Wildlife Department of Valais canton where the Matterhorn is, said, "Probably one reason for this is that they aren't hunted much." He said marmots are also "optimally protected in areas where humans live, because predators don't approach them there". Farmers in Zermatt are particularly hard hit by the influx of marmots. Shepherd and organic farmer Paul Julen can no longer use one of his fields because of all the marmot holes. "The risk of accidents is very high when there are so many marmot holes in a meadow," he told SRF, noting that he almost lost two newborn lambs that had fallen into a marmot burrow. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 23:46:21|Editor: yan Video Player Close ISTANBUL, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A newly renovated and grand art complex was just opened on Istiklal Avenue, rekindling hopes for a revival of art and culture on the iconic pedestrian street at central Istanbul. Following a four-year period of renovation, the Yapi Kredi Culture and Art Publishing House located across the historical Galatasaray High School in the middle of the avenue was formally opened on Wednesday to art enthusiasts and others. For many, Istiklal or Independence Avenue has lost its intellectual soul and glory over the last five years, as most bookstores, movie theaters and art galleries have been shut down amid a sense of political uncertainty featuring a spate of deadly terror attacks and a failed coup attempt. The area is now occupied by cosmetic shops and shopping malls appealing to rich Arab tourists but not in the radius of city intellectuals any more. "We believe this building would play a crucial role in transforming the Istiklal Avenue into an outstanding center of attraction where art is a dominant feature once again," Tulay Gungen, head of Yapi Kredi Culture and Art Publishing House, told reporters at the opening ceremony. With a unique transparent architectural design, the complex allows passersby to watch what are taking place inside as they walk by. A well-known "Mediterranean" sculpture by Turkish artist Ilhan Koman depicting an embrace with love has been placed on the third floor, which can be seen saluting the pedestrians on the street behind a glass wall. "The transparent side allows the building to intermingle with the city life," said Gungen. "And it is expected to attract anyone, even those who do not care for art and culture." The new complex houses, among others, a library, a bookstore, exhibition areas, a museum, conference halls and studios for art performances, theatrical plays and movie screenings. The library offers over 80,000 volumes including 4,000 rare books. "We will proclaim our return to Istiklal in the most and effective way possible," declared Gungen. The complex is currently hosting a contemporary art exhibition, displaying a cornucopia of sculptures, paintings, photographs, video art and ancient coins. Many are expecting it to help revive Istiklal's once vibrant cultural life and bring back the old glorious days. Photos being shared on social media are titled "Istiklal has not finished," while an article published on sanatatak.com voiced doubt by stating "The time will show how attainable this is." Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-14 23:56:23|Editor: yan Video Player Close MADRID, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The chief public prosecutor in the Catalan region of Spain has filed charges against two mayors for helping to promote and organize the independence referendum due to be held on Oct. 1, that the Spanish Constitutional Court has ruled is illegal. Mayor of Vilanova I la Geltru Neus Lloveras, also a member of the Catalan regional assembly and the president of the Association of Municipalities for Independence (AMI), and Premia de Mar Mayor Miquel Buch, who is president of the Catalan Association of Municipalities (ACM), have been charged with disobedience and the misuse of public funds. The prosecutor considers they have "clearly" carried out "acts to promote and organize" the referendum and "knew perfectly well the repeated pronouncements of the Constitutional Court." The referendum "necessarily implies the illegal use of numerous public resources and material and the mobilization of an indeterminable number of people," the prosecutor said. The Prosecutor has also asked for the AMI and ACM websites to be shut down as they "defend and promote the referendum." Lloveras and Buch are on the list of 712 Catalan mayors who were called to give evidence by Spanish State Prosecutor Jose Manuel Maza on Wednesday, after signing decrees to allow local authority buildings to be used for the referendum. Buch defended his position, saying that what he had done was "not a crime, it's the reverse: it's the democracy." Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 00:51:53|Editor: yan Video Player Close LILONGWE, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Civil Society Organisations and human rights defenders in Malawi Thursday took to the streets of the capital Lilongwe to demonstrate against increasing cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) against women. The country has, for the month of August alone, experienced an increased number of Gender Based Violence against women, two of which claimed lives while several others resulted into life threatening injuries. The parade was led by the country's Chairperson of Women's Parliamentary Caucus, Jessie Kabwira, who lashed at the GBV perpetrators, branding them cowards. She said: "This demonstration is our disapproval against the barbaric acts of gender based violence against women which are perpetrated by cowards who fear successful and independent women, and in turn resort to physical violence against them." A petition which the activists presented to the country's Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare has among others, demanded that the country's Head of State issue a statement condemning the increased cases of the gender based violence. "As concerned citizens, we are in deep shock with the recent death of a young woman; late Miriam Siula, who was murdered by her ex-partner," reads part of the petition. The petition was received by Deputy Minister for the country's Gender Ministry, Clement Mkumbwa, who promised to take it to the relevant authorities for necessary action. Also present during the presentation of the petition was Speaker of Malawi's Parliament who urged the country's men to respect women's rights. He also called for inclusive efforts between the country's citizens and stakeholders in addressing the issues of Gender Based Violence. During the march, the activists were also joined by the country's Resident Coordinator for the United Nations, Mia Seppo. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 00:56:55|Editor: yan Video Player Close KEBBI, Nigeria, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Some 53 people were believed to have perished on Thursday in a boat mishap on River Niger in Bagudo area of northern Nigeria's Kebbi, a local official said. The accident occurred when a local transport boat, believed to have been over-loaded with over 100 people, capsized mid-water, throwing all passengers overboard, most of whom were believed to have died, while rescue efforts were ongoing. Confirming the incident, Muhammad Zagga, Chairman of the Bagudo Local Government Council in Kebbi, said 53 traders were feared dead in the boat mishap. Zagga told reporters that the traders, majority of from Gaya Village in Niger Republic, were going to a market when the incident happened. "They were going to a market in Lolo area when their boat capsized," he told reporters. Zagga said out of the over 100 passengers on board the boat, 47 were rescued while others could not be accounted for. The chairman said the authorities in Niger Republic had deplored 500 divers to search for the missing. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 00:56:56|Editor: yan Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said Thursday that Pakistan will not beg for U.S. aid, and that "Pakistan have fought anti-terror war with own resources." The foreign minister made the comments during an interview with local media, in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks that the United States has given billions of dollars but Pakistan has not done its part in fighting against the groups operating in Afghanistan. "We do not need American but we want Pakistan's sacrifices against terrorism should be recognized," Asif told Geo television. Asif said he will ask the United States and the world community during his upcoming visit to New York to do more against terrorism as his country has done more than anyone. "We have conveyed to the United States to change its approach towards Pakistan and the region," Asif said. He said he will hold a series of high level meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York later this month. Meetings with Afghan president and Russia foreign minister are part of the interaction, he said. He rejected the allegations that the Taliban-linked Haqqani network has sanctuaries in Pakistan and said the group operates from eastern Afghan provinces. "Afghan Taliban have now controlled a vast areas and their fighters have a space to live there," the foreign minister said. He said the Pakistani military and civilian leaders are on the same page on all key issues, adding that Pakistan army and other law enforcement agencies have performed much better against terrorism than any other country. Asif described his recent visits to China, Iran and Turkey as successful and said he discussed all important issues during his talks. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 00:56:57|Editor: yan Video Player Close LAGOS, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian Police is adopting a three-pronged approach to resolve the outbreak of violence in some parts of southeast state of Abia, a top officer said Thursday. Ibrahim Idris, Nigeria's Inspector-General of Police, who briefed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on the violence in Abuja, said the strategy is to ensure the deployment of policemen throughout the country. He told reporters that the security agencies were in touch with the state government, adding that they were also trying to mobilize the political leadership to be able to intervene where necessary in how to reduce the tension that is already taking place in the South East. Some members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Tuesday allegedly clashed with the Hausa (Muslim) community in parts of southern Abia and Rivers States. The Oyibo section of the Aba-Port Harcourt expressway was shut down with human and vehicular movement restricted. Col. Aminu Illiyasu, the Spokesman for 6 Division of Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, who confirmed the clash to Xinhua, said troops were deployed to restore law and order in the area. Iliyasu said deployment of troops to the area was unconnected to Operation Python Dance, currently on-going in five states of the Southeast zone. In southeast city of Abia, a three-day dusk to dawn curfew was imposed in the state's commercial nerve center beginning 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., following security concerns. Okezie Ikpeazu, the state governor, has extended the three-day dusk to dawn curfew he imposed on Abia to Friday, Sept. 15. Ikpeazu, who made this known in a statement in Umuahia on Wednesday, advised residents and visitors to cooperate with security agents in order to ensure the maintenance of law and order within the commercial city and its environs. Ikpeazu expressed displeasure that people were being compelled to raise their hands while passing through security checkpoints. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has said the military exercise in the South-East, code-named "Operation Python Dance 2" was not targeted at the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu. Col. Sagir Musa, the Deputy Director, Public Relations, 82 Division, refuted speculations that the military was laying siege on Kanu, saying that the exercise is not targeted at the leader of IPOB or anybody or group. He said the main objective was to stem the tide of kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and violent agitations in the areas involved. According to him, the essence of the exercise is to ensure peace, security, unity and development of Nigeria. The army spokesman said the exercise, slated to fully take off on Sept. 15 and end on Oct. 14, would be conducted simultaneously in the affected states. He said during the period, heavy presence of military troops would be felt in major cities and towns of the states involved. According to him, the exercise would be characterized mainly by show of force, patrols and other military activities. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 01:02:00|Editor: yan Video Player Close VILNIUS, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Baltic state of Lithuania has played down the threat and fear arising from a large-scale joint Russia-Belarus military exercise called Zapad-2017, which started on Thursday. Zapad 2017, a joint strategic exercise of the Russian and Belarusian armed forces, is scheduled for Sept. 14-20. It is one of Russia's biggest military drills in the past several years. It is held on the border with Lithuania, Poland and Belarus. Lithuanian Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis said his country "has been frightened too much" about the military training by its borders. "That causes me the biggest concern. It seems that we are frightening ourselves more than the adequate situation is," Karoblis told the country's national radio LRT on Thursday. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said the Baltic country is prepared for the Zapad 2017 military exercise near its borders "better than ever before". "We are better prepared than we were during Zapad exercises in 2009 and 2013," Grybauskaite told LRT in an interview aired on Thursday. "We have more deterrence and defense instruments in our territory. We are also supported by our partners from NATO," she added. According to local media reports, Lithuania has found itself under security threat and asked for additional defense assistance from NATO amid tensions in Eastern Europe in recent years. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 01:07:05|Editor: Song Lifang Video Player Close Photo taken on Sept. 14, 2017 shows containers of a three-ton marble Hercules sarcophagus at the Antalya airport in Turkey. The Roman sarcophagus of Hercules, a valuable archeological find, returned Wednesday evening after a legal saga to its Turkish homeland from Switzerland, representing a major achievement for Ankara's aggressive effort to bring back looted Anatolian artifacts. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya) by Burak Akinci ANKARA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Roman sarcophagus of Hercules, a valuable archeological find, returned Wednesday evening after a legal saga to its Turkish homeland from Switzerland, representing a major achievement for Ankara's aggressive effort to bring back looted Anatolian artifacts. The three-ton marble sarcophagus, a "culturally priceless object" according to experts, was brought back from Geneva to Istanbul aboard a Turkish Airlines plane. A Swiss court ruled in 2015 that it should be returned to Turkey which has been seeking his return since 2011. The sarcophagus is believed to be sculpted around the end of the 2nd Century in the ancient city of Dokimion, now Antalya, when the area was under Roman rule. It was smuggled out of Turkey in the late 1960s. The ancient Roman artifact, which depicts the Twelve Labors of Hercules, was on display at the Geneva University Museum of Arts and History before returning to Turkey. It was delivered Thursday to the Antalya Museum where it will be showcased. "This is a major achievement and will constitute an example for other stolen Turkish artifacts in other countries. We are very happy that this object has finally returned to its land of origin," Turkey's Ambassador to Switzerland Ilhan Saygili told Xinhua. "There are some 30 examples of such sarcophagus in the world, and the Hercules sarcophagus is one of the two best preserved ones," the diplomat said. The owner of the sarcophagus, a Lebanese art dealer, allegedly purchased the object in the 1990s. He claimed that his father bought the artifact legally, but didn't appeal the Swiss courts decision to restitute the sculpture to Turkey. Turkey has lost many of its ancient treasures to thieves and black marketers. It has been training custom officers to identify stolen artifacts and compiled an efficient catalogue of thousands of pieces in the hands of foreign countries. Since 2003, Turkey has been pursuing legal proceedings for the retrieval of numerous artifacts. Because of Turkey's efforts and a powerful antiquities bureaucracy, some artifacts have been returned. A total of 4,269 objects have been brought back between 2003 and 2016, according to figures by the Culture and Tourism Ministry. "We have a special department and a team who are working meticulously to hunt objects that are in the hands of governments and private collectors. The task is very difficult because laws in this regard are sometimes ambiguous," a government official, who asks to remain anonymous as civil servants are not allowed to speak to the press, told Xinhua. "This time we were lucky because Switzerland doesn't have any other major Turkish artifacts and the federal justice seemed to be on our side, but this is rarely the case," he said. In April, a 5000-year-old Anatolian female marble figurine that was smuggled from Turkey, sold for 14.5 million U.S. dollars during an auction in New York, despite Turkey's legal objections which were ultimately rejected by a district judge. "I think we have managed to raise awareness in Turkey but also in foreign countries for our rightful claims of our stolen cultural property. The Culture and Tourism Ministry is very successful in this field," Saygili said, hoping that the return of the Hercules sarcophagus would constitute a "precedent" for other artifacts still abroad. While praising the government's efforts, experts believe that a global coordination and especially a cultural awareness is needed in a country that hosted so many civilizations, from the Greeks, Romans, Sumerians, Hittites, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. "We think that the government is doing a very good job but it is not enough. Education is crucial for protecting the cultural heritage of Turkey. It should be taught in schools," Dr. Soner Atesogullari, president of Turkish Archeologists Association, told Xinhua. He also expressed concern for artifacts which are on Turkish soil but have been discarded because of general lack of interest, saying much of Turkey's population does not see the value in historical monuments. A considerable number of users commented Wednesday on social media that the Hercules sarcophagus would perhaps have been better off in Switzerland as "the real tomb-diggers and robbers are generally Turkish." Each year, Turkish authorities arrest dozens of people accused of illegal excavations. Several ancient sites have been robbed or fallen victims to modern industrial schemes. One of them is the 12,000-year-old Hasankeyf settlement famous for hundreds of man-made caves, which faces imminent destruction because of a dam project. The Ilisu dam project, part of the major hydroelectric Southeast Anatolian project (GAP), is expected to raise the level of the Tigris river at Hasankeyf and submerge most of the ancient city and surrounding villages including numerous historical monuments, despite protests and opposition of locals, civil society organizations and archeology lovers. Hasankeyf is one of the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world, where some 20 civilizations flourished. The Turkish government insists that the dam is crucial and will help produce much needed energy in the necessitous and mainly Kurdish populated region. Archeology can sometimes be used as a political leverage between two countries. Germany and other EU countries have accused the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of cultural chauvinism and even blackmail when Ankara reportedly threatened to bar foreign archeologists from excavations if their governments refuse to return the artifacts smuggled abroad. Turkey is also disputing with the Louvre museum in Paris, which refused to return objects with a contested provenance and acquired through unethical circumstances during the colonial area. The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles is also being asked to return some artifacts. The Pergamon Altar, collected by a museum in Berlin, and transported to Germany during the Ottoman period, is also a contentious object. In recent years, some of Turkey's cultural property has been brought back following a legal and diplomatic battle. To name a few: the 3,300-year-old Bosporus village Sphinx, the antique Greek Heracles sculpture's upper half and the winged seahorse broach. "We are extremely happy with this restitution. There have been many objects returned to Turley but we have to know that this is really just the tip of the iceberg," Professor Havva Isik, president of the archeology department of the Akdeniz University in Antalya, told Anadolu Agency. "There are simply too many objects actually in private collections abroad that we are even not aware that they have been looted or smuggled because there is no official record," she said, implying that the Turkish hunt for its stolen history will take many more years. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 01:17:12|Editor: yan Video Player Close TEHRAN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chief of Staff of Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri and his Turkish counterpart General Hulusi Akar on Thursday warned against the "repercussions" of the scheduled Iraqi Kurds' independence referendum. In a telephone conversation on Thursday, the top generals raised concerns that the referendum would have negative impacts on the interests of regional people, according to Tasnim news agency. Such a move would be dangerous for regional security, peace and stability, Baqeri and Akar stressed. Both sides urged the Iraqis to unanimously oppose the referendum and prevent plots to divide their country. They also discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries' armed forces. Baqeri has said that any changes in the political geography of Iraq, given the imminent independence referendum of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, can start tensions and conflicts inside and outside Iraq. Iran's political and military officials have announced their opposition to the Iraqi Kurds' referendum, saying that the stable, secure and unified Iraq will help the country's progress. On June 7, Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region announced that it had planned to hold a referendum on independence on Sept. 25 to decide whether or not to secede from Iraq. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 01:22:14|Editor: yan Video Player Close LONDON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Vulnerabilities in wearable fitness trackers could threaten the privacy and security of the data they record, and manufacturers need to improve these products to better protect users' personal data, according to a study published Thursday by the University of Edinburgh. These wearable devices, which can track heart rate, steps taken and calories burned, are getting more and more popular among consumers around the world. But exploiting security weak spots in the communication procedures of some gadgets could allow unauthorized sharing of personal data with third parties, including online retailers and marketing agencies, according to the study. It was carried out by researchers from The University of Edinburgh and their colleagues in Germany and Italy. An Edinburgh team carried out an in-depth security analysis of two popular models of wearable fitness trackers made by Fitbit. They discovered a way of intercepting messages transmitted between fitness trackers and cloud servers, where data is sent for analysis. This allowed them to access personal information and create false activity records. The team even demonstrated how the system that keeps data on the devices secure -- called end-to-end encryption -- can be circumvented. By dismantling devices and modifying information stored in their memory, researchers bypassed the encryption system and gained access to stored data. In response to the findings, Fitbit has developed software patches to improve the privacy and security of its devices, according to the team. Our work demonstrates that security and privacy measures implemented in popular wearable devices continue to lag behind the pace of new technology development, said Dr. Paul Patras, from The University of Edinburgh. "We welcome Fitbit's receptiveness to our findings, their professional attitude towards understanding the vulnerabilities we identified and the timely manner in which they have improved the affected services," Patras also said. To help manufacturers remove similar weaknesses from future system designs, the team has produced specific guidelines. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 01:32:15|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close ZAGREB, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Pragmatic Croatian-Chinese cooperation has been considerably strengthened, Chinese Ambassador Hu Zhaoming said at a seminar at the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU) on Thursday. The "New idea, new opportunity, new development" seminar was organized by the Chinese Embassy, HAZU and the Croatian Foreign Ministry on the occasion of 25 years of Croatian-Chinese diplomatic relations. "Over the past 25 years, the mutual understanding of the two peoples has deepened greatly. Pragmatic cooperation between Croatia and China has gained in strength and last year our trade volume reached 1.2 billion U.S. dollars, which means that it grew over 30 times in the past 25 years," Hu said, adding that "our relations are at a new starting point, facing new historical opportunities". Although the two countries have established a comprehensive cooperative partnership, the ambassador noted that bilateral cooperation lags behind China's cooperation with Croatia's neighbors. "We must seize the opportunities we have... We must utilize the platforms which offer the best prospect for the development of bilateral relations," Hu said, The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and the Three Seas Initiative, promoted by Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, were "to a large extent compatible", according to the Chinese ambassador. The Belt and Road Initiative, put forward in 2013, is aimed at building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road through concerted efforts of related countries to benefit all participants by promoting unimpeded trade, financial integration, infrastructure connectivity and closer people-to-people exchanges. Over the Belt and Road Initiative, "Croatia has a special place in it because it is positioned at the intersection of the maritime Silk Road and continental Silk Road," Hu said. Speaking of the development of diplomatic relations with Croatia, Hu recalled that Zagreb and Beijing had supported each other on some key issues. The ambassador emphasized that China had supported Croatia's independence and its economic development. "On the other hand, Croatia has supported our core national interests such as the one-China principle. China sees Croatia as a reliable partner in the European Union," he said. The ambassador also announced for Sept. 29 a big celebration at the Pula amphitheatre at which the Chinese Embassy, in cooperation with the City of Pula and Istria County, will mark the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 01:37:18|Editor: yan Video Player Close KHARTOUM, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Sudanese army said on Thursday that it thwarted an attempt to smuggle 21 illegal immigrants across Sudanese territories to Libya. "A new human trafficking operation of 21 foreigners, including five girls, to Libya across the western road in the desert, was aborted today," the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), an affiliate of the Sudanese army, said in a statement. The arrested people have been transferred to the police station to complete the legal procedures against them, RSF added. Considered as one of the crosspoints for human trafficking and illegal immigration, Sudan has recently been witnessing increasing organized groups involved in these activities. In Oct. 2014, Sudan hosted an international conference on combating human trafficking and illegal immigration with the participation of African and European countries. Khartoum says it is maintaining high-level coordination with Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia from Africa, and Europe's Italy, Spain, France and Britain to tackle the problem. Earlier, European countries vowed support for Sudan in combatting human trafficking after Khartoum asked for logistical air and sea support to pursue multinational human smugglers. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 01:37:20|Editor: yan Video Player Close by Ejidiah Wangui NAIROBI, Sep. 14 (Xinhua) -- Beatrice Oloo and Jenifer Wanjiru have sustained their friendship since childhood and both experienced abject poverty while growing up in Kibera, the largest slum in Kenya's capital, Nairobi. However, a month ago, their two-decade-old friendship almost came to a sudden end after the results of the highly contested Kenyan presidential polls were announced. The two bosom friends, like millions of other Kenyans who took part in the elections, differed on the results announced by the country's electoral body. Nevertheless, they have put that unfortunate history behind them and are now preaching against tribalism in the slum that is always listed as a post-poll violence hot spot. Oloo and Wanjiru are both in their mid 30s and are not leaving anything to chance ahead of Kenya's repeat presidential polls on Oct. 17. They are using food, the most unifying element, to preach peace especially between Kikuyu and Luo communities where the incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta and his opposition rival, Raila Odinga hails from respectively. "I still vividly remember the horrific scenes that followed the announcement of presidential results in 2007. I and Wanjiru were going on with our usual business of selling clothes at a nearby market when a friend of mine called and told me to help Wanjiru hide as things were not good," Oloo said. "I was fearing the same could have happened last month after the opposition disputed the polls but we thank God, things weren't as bad as they were 10 years ago, as we face another poll in less than a month time, we want to prove that Kikuyus and Luos can co-exist peacefully whoever wins in the polls," Oloo told Xinhua. The two women are now using recipes borrowed from the Kikuyu and Luo cultures to cool off the high political temperatures in the slum, with an estimated population of 250,000. Kibera is made up of 13 villages crammed into a area of about 2.5 square kilometers. Even though they do not have a permanent place to pry their trade, they move from village to village selling the food on the congested alleys and they aren't shy to state their mission to whoever cares to listen. "One of our main dish is fish which is predominantly eaten in Kenya's western region and githeri, a mixture of beans and corn -- a famous meal in Kenya's Central region. We make every of our client aware of our mission and so far so good," Wanjiru said. "There are places where we have been branded the Kikuyu-Luo moving hotel and this is a clear sign our efforts are being noticed. Whether Raila or Uhuru is president, I and my friend Oloo will still go back to our pockets to pay fees and rent, and this is our message to everyone in Kibera," she added. On Oct. 17, Kenya is scheduled to hold another presidential poll and Oloo and Wanjiru's prayer is for the peace that they are enjoying now to prevail even after the outcome is announced. As Kenyan politicians go on with their vote hunt and selling their manifestos to the electorate, the two women have dedicated their time to preaching peace and unity. "It is no secret that some politicians are out to divide Kenyans along ethnic lines. We might not have the resources to reach out to all Kenyans like the politicians but we believe our little efforts will bear some fruit," said Oloo. "Peace keeping should be every resident's duty; we do not have any other place to call home. If we burn Kibera today, we will be out in the streets begging for food," added Wanjiru. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 01:47:24|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close A specialized crew member takes part in an operation to clean the oil spill from the shores of Piraeus, a southeast suburb of Athens, capital of Greece, on Sept. 14, 2017. A major clean-up operation which was underway on Thursday to address an oil spill that has spread across a large area of the Saronic Gulf will last for about three weeks, Greek Shipping Minister Panagiotis Kouroumblis told a press briefing. The environmental crisis broke out on Sunday after the sinking of small tanker "Agia Zoni II" carrying about 2,500 tons of oil, which was anchored off Salamina Island under still unclear circumstances. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) By Maria Spiliopoulou ATHENS, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A major clean-up operation which was underway on Thursday to address an oil spill that has spread across a large area of the Saronic Gulf will last for about three weeks, Greek Shipping minister Panagiotis Kouroumblis told a press briefing. As oil slicks have blackened the sea area and several shores from Salamina island to Piraeus port suburbs and Athens' southern seafront, several local mayors have warned with legal action "against whoever are responsible" for the environmental disaster, Greek national news agency AMNA reported. The environmental crisis broke out on Sunday after the sinking of small tanker "Agia Zoni II" which was anchored off Salamina Island under still unclear circumstances. In the first hours the oil leaked by the vessel affected an area of about 1.5 kilometers along the island's coasts, but due to winds in the next days it gradually spread several nautical miles further and reached Piraeus suburbs and popular beaches in southern Athens districts, such as Glyfada and Voula. Following a visit at the coastal areas of Piraeus on Thursday, the Shipping Minister Kouroumblis assured that the situation is improving. "It is truly a difficult day. A gigantic effort is underway in order to limit the consequences caused by this sinking," Kouroumblis said. He said clean-up crews have managed to seal off the submerged tanker and prevent any further leakage from Tuesday, adding that the oil still inside the ship will be pumped out within the day. The tanker was carrying about 2,500 tons of oil, according to the shipping company "Agia Zoni" which owns the ship. It was still unclear on Thursday how much quantity had leaked into the sea. "Our island has suffered a huge ecological destruction at the sea and the shores... Across two kilometers - the damage is already obvious from the air- people have left their homes... We request and we make a plea to not abandon us," Salamina's mayor Isidora Nanou told Xinhua on Thursday. The oil spill has added to the woes of an island which for several years has suffered environmental issues and economic hardship, she said. "For our part, immediately after the sinking of the ship, which is a huge blow to us, our staff and our families, we instructed the private company that undertook the work of decontamination, to do all that is humanly and technically possible to fully clean the affected area," the shipping company said in a statement. More than 60 specialized members of cleaning crews, assisted by the Greek Coast Guard and volunteers, are struggling to contain the oil spill and clean up the shores. The Coast Guard and the Shipping ministry went into action immediately after the tanker's sinking, the emergency plan came into effect 16 minutes after the incident and all available forces were mobilized, government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said in an interview with local Real FM on Thursday, responding to criticism by local authorities, residents and environmental groups for "delayed and inadequate" response to reduce the impact. Greece requested the activation of the European Mechanism of Policy Protection, asking for an anti- pollution vessel which has already started operating in the affected areas, European Commissioner of Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides said, according to a statement from the European Commission's representation offices in Athens. As cleanup crews discover many oil-soaked birds and fish, the Greek branches of environmental groups such as Greenpeace expressed concern on the long term effects on the environment, finding the Greek state "unprepared" to respond effectively to the incident which seemed small in the first hours. Biologist Markos Akylas, President of Salamina's Environmental Group PERIVOS, told Xinhua on Thursday in one of the island's blackened shores that the means available were not enough. He urged for more means and asked authorities to continue monitoring the situation after the first cleanup stage. "We want to see them monitoring the situation for a few months, for quite some time, so we can check which the impact on the food chain is, as well as monitor pollution which is not obvious in the naked eye. We want to check what is happening with heavy metals and other factors polluting the area," Akylas said. Biologist Alkis Kafetzis, responsible for informing the public regarding the marine environment at Greenpeace- Greece, called on the Greek government to cancel plans for leasing sea areas for hydrocarbon research and exploitation to avoid larger environmental destructions in the future. "Taking a glimpse at the situation in Salamina we can all imagine the extent of the problem if major scale hydrocarbon extractions start in Greece," he told Xinhua on Thursday. The mayors of Salamina, Piraeus and Glyfada have told local media that they plan to take legal action over the pollution "against whoever is responsible". Greece's Sailor Association (PENEN) said in a statement the tanker which caused the destruction was built four decades ago, was poorly maintained and was in a bad condition. The company insisted that all the necessary certificates were up to date and all inspections required under law had been done. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 01:52:27|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close MAPUTO, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Political Commission of the ruling party in Mozambique, Frelimo, has elected the current president of the country Filipe Nyusi to be the candidate for the next presidential election in 2019. According to the resolution approved by Frelimo's committee, the constant dialogue and willingness to reach an effective peace agreement with the leader of the main opposition party, Afonso Dlhakama, were important to support Nyusi to be the leader for the party and a presidential candidate for the country. The decision was made during the 95th Ordinary Session of the Frelimo Political Committee held Wednesday in Maputo. "I am very happy that my party has trusted me once again to be the candidate," Nyusi said in a press release on Thursday. President Nyusi has been repeatedly saying that he will spare no effort to reach an agreement with Renamo party and both leaders have been in frequent talks in order to keep peace in Mozambique. Filipe Nyusi took office in 2015 as the fourth president of Mozambique, after the former President Armando Guebuza stepped down due to term limits. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 01:52:28|Editor: An Video Player Close Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology Miao Wei (L) and Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov shake hands during a ministerial meeting in Kazan, Russia, Sept. 14, 2017. China and Russia held a ministerial meeting here on Thursday to discuss further cooperation in industrial and high-tech fields. (Xinhua/Evgeny Sinitsyn) KAZAN, Russia, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- China and Russia held a ministerial meeting here on Thursday to discuss further cooperation in industrial and high-tech fields. During the meeting, Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology Miao Wei and Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov discussed cooperation in civil aviation, raw materials, equipment and radio electronics. After the discussion, the two ministers witnessed the signing of an agreement on proposed Chinese investment in Russia's Republic of Tatarstan and a memorandum of understanding on holding a China-Russia innovation competition. Nearly 200 representatives from the two ministries, China's consulate-general in Kazan, enterprises and academic institutions of both countries attended the meeting. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 02:12:35|Editor: yan Video Player Close CAIRO, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian and Russian troops started on Thursday a military exercise as part of their mutual military cooperation, state-run MENA news agency reported. As many as 600 fighters participate in the joint drill, dubbed Protectors of Friendship 2, to implement several missions, including troops deployment, joint paratroop operations and military maneuvers to restore control on vital posts and purge it from terrorist elements. The drill targets finding out the tactical characteristics of the weapons, equipment and mechanisms of command and control as well as gaining necessary field skills and tactics used by both sides in implementing various tasks, according to MENA. The Egyptian-Russian war games fall within the two countries' keenness to boost strategic cooperation ties between their armed forces in many fields. MENA's report did not mention if the drills are being conducted in Russia or Egypt. Also on Thursday, the Egyptian and Saudi air forces kicked off several-day drills. Formations of the most up-to-date fighters from both sides are taking part in "Faisal 11" military exercises that include managing joint air combats via the latest tactics, MENA said. The drills aim to exchange expertise among the participating units. Egypt annually holds several military exercises with Arab, African and Western countries to boost military cooperation and exchange military expertise with friendly states. On Sunday, The Egyptian-U.S. joint military exercise "The Bright Star" kicked off at a military base in the Arab country. The 10-day military exercise, which Egypt hosts every two years, is Egypt's largest joint maneuver with a foreign country. People visit a livestock market to buy animals for the upcoming Eid al-Adha festival in Doha, Capital of Qatar, Aug. 3, 2017. (Xinhua Photo) DOHA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The lingering Gulf crisis has little impact on Qatar's sovereign wealth fund and the business is going on as usual, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) Chief Executive Officer HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud al Thani has said, Qatar news agency (QNA) reported Thursday. Sheikh Abdullah said in an address at the Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar that despite the crisis passing the 100-day mark, Qatar is still open for business and business as usual. "We are fine," he added, QNA reported. Sheikh Abdullah said the QIA's exposure to those countries leading the boycott was "very, very small," adding that the fund would continue its recent policy of targeting hi-tech and infrastructure companies in the United States. "The future is technology," he said. The health sector is one of the main sectors which the QIA was investing in using hi-tech solutions for cancer treatment, he added. In 2015, he announced that the QIA would invest up to 35 billion dollars in the United States over the following five years, after targeting high-profile acquisitions in Europe. Qatar Investment Authority is the authority which is aimed to support the development of a competitive Qatari economy, facilitating economic diversification and developing local talent. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 02:37:47|Editor: yan Video Player Close LISBON, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Portuguese government called on Thursday for an immediate end to the violence in Rakhine State of Myanmar. "The Portuguese government calls for an immediate end to the violence and hopes Myanmar authorities can quickly guarantee conditions for reestablishing humanitarian access and, at the same time, ensuring the protection of the innocent civil population," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "Portugal supports the democratic transition that is underway in Myanmar, as well as the peace and reconciliation process," it said. Portugal calls for the prompt implementation of the recommendations issued by the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, presided over by Kofi Annan, as a road map to long-term unity and stability in the country, according to the statement. On Wednesday, the UN Security Council expressed "deep concern" over the situation in RakhineState of Myanmar and called for an end to violence against the Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic minority group. "The members of the Security Council expressed deep concern about the situation in Rakhine State. acknowledging the initial attack (by Rohingyas) on Myanmar security forces on Aug. 25, they condemned the subsequent violence (by Myanmar security forces), which has led to over 370,000 people being displaced," said Tekeda Alemu, president of the Security Council for the month of September, in a readout of the council's agreement following closed-door consultations. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 02:57:52|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close BUDAPEST, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The most comprehensive and large free trade agreement (FTA) should be reached between Britain and the European Union (EU) in order to minimize the negative consequences of the Brexit, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijarto told reporters here on Thursday. He made the remarks while addressing a joint press conference after a meeting between Philip Hammond, the chancellor of the exchequer of Britain, and the ministers of foreign trade of the countries of the Visegrad 4 -- Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia. "Should we not be able to achieve such an FTA, then the World Trade Organization's regulations would prevail, meaning customs and other tariffs, and we would like to avoid that," Szijarto warned. "Our intention is also to protect the interest of EU citizens who work or study in the UK, to maintain closest security policy, treating refugee and migrant issues," he added. The ministers of the other V4 countries agreed with the Hungarian minister and recalled that close to 1.5 million citizens of the V4 countries were living and working in the UK. Szijjarto said Britain is not only one of the major economic powerhouses of the EU, but also one of the major contributors of the EU budget. To that respect, British Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond underlined that his country always honored its obligations. "The UK has been absolutely clear that it always meets its obligations, and if we have obligations we will discharge them faithfully, and honestly," the chancellor said. Hammond said, "It should be up to each country to decide if and when to join the eurozone, but it is the interest of Britain to have a prosper EU with a strong and stable currency." Even after Brexit, Britain would remain a friend of the Central and Eastern European countries, Hammond said. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 03:03:01|Editor: yan Video Player Close ANKARA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in the capital Ankara, the Turkish Presidency said. Bilateral relations between Turkey and Qatar, as well as regional and international developments were expected to be discussed in the meeting, according to a statement released by the Presidency earlier this week. Ankara has been a major supporter of Doha in the crisis that left Qatari diplomatically and economically isolated. On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed a boycott on it, accusing the tiny gas-rich country of supporting terrorism and seeking closer ties with Iran, a Saudi rival. To help its chief rally in the Gulf region, Turkey has delivered food to Qatar both by air and sea after the Arab boycott against Doha. The latest reports indicate that Turkey's exports to Qatar hiked to 165 million U.S. dollars in the past three months, with a remarkable surge of 84 percent year on year. Moreover, Ankara built a military base in Qatar and reportedly has deployed around 200 troops there. Chinese President XiJinping (R) meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is here for the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, capital of China, May 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) KAZAN, Russia, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- China and Russia held a ministerial meeting here on Thursday to discuss further cooperation in industrial and high-tech fields. During the meeting, Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology Miao Wei and Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov discussed cooperation in civil aviation, raw materials, equipment and radio electronics. After the discussion, the two ministers witnessed the signing of an agreement on proposed Chinese investment in Russia's Republic of Tatarstan and a memorandum of understanding on holding a China-Russia innovation competition. Nearly 200 representatives from the two ministries, China's consulate-general in Kazan, enterprises and academic institutions of both countries attended the meeting. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 03:28:11|Editor: ZD Video Player Close Cars pass the European Commission building in Brussels, Belgium, March 24, 2017. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan) BERLIN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Germany (CHKD) on Thursday expressed its concerns over Europe's stronger protocols for foreign investment screening. The chamber said in a statement that European and German politicians are increasingly ignoring the opportunities offered by Chinese investments. Many examples have already shown that building mutual trust-based partnerships with Chinese investors is the reason for the success of many mergers and acquisitions. "It is hard to imagine that Germany and Europe, which benefit from the open market and globalization, will in the future to prevent and restrict such business relationships that are helpful to their own economies," the statement said. Considering the European Commission's proposal and existing changes on German investment law, Chinese enterprises in Germany realized that they will face more political uncertainties and opaqueness in the future, which unnecessarily raised the risk of overseas investment, CHKD noted. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker proposed on Wednesday in his annual State of the Union address the Europe's stronger protocols for foreign investment screening, in order to protect strategic interests. The change of relevant laws and rules will probably affect the current and future investment plans of Chinese companies. It will also continuously harm the economy and investment environment of Germany and Europe, according to the statement. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 03:53:27|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim (2nd L) shakes hands with visiting Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah (1st L) during an official welcome ceremony ahead of their meeting in Ankara, Turkey, on Sept. 14, 2017. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim met his Kuwaiti counterpart in Ankara on Thursday, discussing on the further bilateral cooperation and joint efforts to solve the ongoing Gulf crisis. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya) ANKARA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim met his Kuwaiti counterpart in the capital Ankara on Thursday, discussing on the further bilateral cooperation and joint efforts to solve the ongoing Gulf crisis. Yildirim and Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah held one-on-one meeting which was followed by delegation-level talks. During the meeting, both premiers expressed their satisfaction in the level of cooperation they have reached in the fields of economy and investment and vowed to further boost it, said a joint statement issued later. They also expressed their concerns over the ongoing crisis among Gulf countries, with Turkey offering its full support to the mediation efforts carried out by Kuwait to resolve the crisis. The two countries signed six agreements on security, civil aviation, communication, youth, economy and finance late Thursday. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 04:08:32|Editor: yan Video Player Close SANAA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi on Thursday threatened to attack oil tankers in the international waters if Saudi-led military coalition attacks the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah. "Any foolish attempt to invade Hodeidah and its port will be met with steps that we did not take before, such as targeting and attacking oil tankers in the sea," al-Houthi said in a televised speech on his group satellite TV channel al-Masirah. "We have developed naval capabilities and now we can reach the Saudi ports and the other bank of the Red Sea," he said. Al-Houthi also revealed the Houthis have developed ballistic missiles, which can hit targets deep inside the United Arab Emirates (UAE). "The UAE is now in the range of our missiles, and all foreign companies in the UAE should not consider the UAE a safe country anymore," al-Houthi said. The Houthi leader said he will order "military conscription" to force more thousands of Yemeni people into the military service to defend the country against the Saudi-led coalition forces. The Yemeni army, with about 700,000 soldiers according to recent estimations by local media, is mostly loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and has refused to engage in the war against Saudi-led coalition and the internationally recognized government of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi because they have been unpaid for a year. Hodeidah port city, where 80 percent of food imports arrive, is the only port kept by Houthi rebels after the Saudi-led coalition and the Yemeni government forces recaptured the southern port city of Aden along with other southern governorates last year. In June, the United Nations proposed the withdrawal of Houthi fighters from the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah and handing it to a third neutral party under the supervision of the UN. In return, the Yemeni government would resume salary payment to the state employees, including the army. The government accuses Houthis of smuggling weapons through the Hodeidah port and of collecting custom revenues from imported goods to finance the war, which the Houthis have denied. Tens of thousands of Yemeni state employees have gone largely unpaid for several months after the government shifted the central bank from Houthi-held capital Sanaa to the southern port city of Aden last year. The Yemeni war pits dominant Shiite Houthi rebels against the internationally-recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, which is backed by Saudi-led Arab coalition. The coalition intervened in the Yemeni conflict in March 2015 after Houthi fighters captured Sanaa and expelled Hadi and his government. The war has so far killed more than 10,000 Yemenis, half of them civilians, and displaced over 3 million others, according to UN humanitarian agencies. German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses the opening ceremony of the 67th Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA), Germany, on Sept. 14, 2017. (Xinhua/Luo Huanhuan) BERLIN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged German car makers on Thursday to resolve the damage they had caused to the reputation of the country's car industry in a string of recent scandals. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA), Merkel said "the automotive industry must regain trust as fast as possible." The IAA is Europe's largest motor show and one of the most important global events for the automotive industry. Several leading car makers, including Nissan, Peugeot and Fiat, have decided not to attend this year. Merkel further scolded car makers for using regulatory loopholes to prevent having to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel vehicles. "Even if it only effects a handful of companies, it still destroys a lot of trust," Merkel said. German and international car makers now face the task of participating in retro-fitting measures for diesel motors to improve air quality. Nevertheless, the chancellor rejected calls for outright bans on diesel combustion engines, expressing her belief that these technologies would still be in use "for decades." Two years after the first revelations of diesel emission cheating scandals surfaced in the United States, German car makers are using the Frankfurt IAA as an opportunity to emphasize electric mobility in a bid to remake their corporate image. Amongst others, the Volkswagen Group presented plans on Tuesday to invest 20 billion euros (24 billion U.S. dollars) in the "electrification" of its vehicles until 2030. The company aims to have every one of its roughly 300 models to be available in an electric version by that date. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 04:23:39|Editor: yan Video Player Close JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- A report released by a global risk consultancy, Control Risks, on Thursday show that Kenya and Ethiopia might soon outshine Africa's economic giants, Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt in the competition for investment. The report Africa Risk-Reward Index, developed by Control Risks, was released in Johannesburg. The report noted that while Nigeria and South Africa have recovered, there are still some risks. Ethiopia, which is one of the fastest growing countries in the continent, outperformed all African countries in the survey. The country attracted 3.2 billion U.S. dollars of foreign direct investment in 2016. Between 2010 and 2015, economic growth averaged 10 percent and was 6.5 percent last year. "Experienced investors, not only in Africa but around the world, know that risk and reward are close companions," said Paul Gabriel, senior analyst for Africa at Control Risks and lead-author of the report. "While no serious investor should overlook the economic giants of the continent, real competitive edge can only be achieved when investors manage to stay ahead of the pack in knowing what's next," said Gabriel. "The Africa Risk-Reward Index helps investors to identify some of the more hidden investment opportunities in times where the heavy-hitters are struggling." Kenya had an average economy growth of 6 percent between 2010-2016 and is expected to be at 5.4 percent this year. The report noted that risks have to balance opportunities. The fiscal concerns and a political system that remains closely tied to ethnic affiliation risks. "A well-educated workforce and an innovative service sector, the government's continued investments in upgrading critical national infrastructure, and deepening integration with its neighbors through the East African Community (EAC) all allow the country to act as a gateway into the larger East Africa region," said the report. The reported indicated that Nigeria's energy sector gives the country an appeal. The report however noted some risks of insurgent attacks on Niger Delta and fall in oil prices. The economic growth fell from 6.3 percent in 2014 to 2.7 percent in 2015. Nigeria had a 1.6 percent economic growth and is expected to be at 1.1 percent this year. "Whilst South Africa enjoys a deserved reputation as Africa's pre-eminent constitutional democracy, several of its key institutions have gradually weakened over the past decade. Economic prospects are closely linked to the outcomes of the African national Congress (ANC)'s national conference in December. The forecasted real GDP growth of 0.5 percent for 2017 is below population growth and certainly insufficient to reduce South Africa's staggering 27.7 percent unemployment rate," said the report. The report said Egypt has stable political position but economic and security challenges remain. They noted that the government have made progress in addressing fiscal problems. Last year the country's economic growth was 4,.3 percent and is expected to grow to 3.8 percent. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 04:38:44|Editor: yan Video Player Close TEHRAN, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Thursday that Iran's nuclear deal with the powers is not renegotiable. "The #JCPOA is not (re)negotiable. A 'better' deal is pure fantasy," Zarif tweeted on Thursday, adding that it was time for the U.S. to "stop spinning and begin complying, just like Iran." Zarif's remarks followed a meeting between Iran's top diplomat and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi on Wednesday. After years of tension with the West, Iran struck a deal with the five world powers of Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States plus Germany in July 2015, under which Iran agreed to limit its uranium-enrichment activities in return for the lifting of western and international sanctions. The international agreement is facing a serious threat of collapse as tensions mounted between Washington and Tehran recently. U.S. President Donald Trump, who during his election campaign had called the Iranian nuclear deal a "disaster" and "the worst deal ever negotiated," approved new sanctions on Tehran this month for its missile program. Iran accused Washington of breaching the 2015 agreement. But Washington argued that the sanctions were not related to the nuclear deal. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 05:49:07|Editor: yan Video Player Close LJUBLJANA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Slovenian government is willing to compensate its fishermen for losses caused directly by the border disputes with Croatia, the country's national media reported on Thursday. Government representatives expressed the willingness during their meeting with Slovenian fishing fleet captains after their tour in Piran, the Slovenia's port city in the Adriatic Sea, according to the Slovenian Press Agency (STA). Those Slovenian fishermen, who might see their equipment damaged or income reduced as a direct result of the failure to implement the border arbitration award, are expected to be to provided with governmental compensation, the government representatives was quoted by STA report as saying. Slovenia has been demanding Croatia to implement an international tribunal ruling made in June this year over a decades-old border dispute between the two countries. The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruled in June that much of an area of contested waters between Slovenia and Croatia should be awarded to Ljubljana, giving Slovenia direct access to international waters. However, the ruling was rejected by Croatia, which withdrew from the arbitration process in July 2015 by invoking Article 60 of the Vienna Convention, which allows termination of an agreement in case of a grave breach. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 05:54:13|Editor: yan Video Player Close RABAT, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Morocco and the Republic of the Congo vowed here on Thursday to further deepen bilateral relations. Following a meeting with his counterpart Jean Claude Gakosso, Morocco's Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita told the press that their talks focused on the various aspects of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Bourita also said the two countries agreed on some important measures aimed at developing the relations, including the opening of a diplomatic office in Brazzaville to consolidate economic relations, political dialogue and human ties between the two countries. He also said the third session of the Joint Bilateral Commission will be held in Brazzaville, as the last session was held in Rabat in 2012. For his part, Gakosso deemed relations with Morocco as "very solid," adding that his country "has strongly supported" the return of Morocco to the African Union. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 05:59:17|Editor: yan Video Player Close GENEVA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Though nearly half the world's population is now online, some 3.9 billion people still do not have access to the Internet, rendering an ever growing digital gap worldwide, a latest UN report on broadband Internet says on Thursday. The report, the State of Broadband 2017: Broadband Catalyzing Sustainable Development, estimates by the end of 2017, some 3.58 billion people are to be online, equivalent to some 48 percent of the global population, up from 3.4 billion people or 45.9 percent at the end of 2016. As nearly half the world's population is now connected, the attention has now shifted to where people still remain unconnected. In the developing world, Internet penetration is projected to reach 41.3 percent by the end of 2017, up from 39 percent by end 2016, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU) estimates, making Internet user penetration in developing countries unlikely to reach 50 percent in a similar timeframe. In comparison, Internet penetration in developed countries is to reach 81 percent, with the world average at 48 percent. In the least developed countries, in particular, Internet user penetration is projected to reach only 17.5 percent in 2017, up from 15.6 percent in 2016, meaning it's highly unlikely that relevant targets in the UN sustainable development goals will be achieved within the timeframe of 2020. Down to specific regions, around 62 percent of all people not online are residing in the Asia-Pacific region, followed by Africa with 17.8 percent. This is pertinent to the largest demographic distribution in the Asia-Pacific, where China and India, top two countries in population, contribute more than 362 million and 660 million people respectively to the unconnected population worldwide. It's also noteworthy that China continues to top the world's Internet market with around 700 million Internet users, followed by India with 355 million. Meanwhile, the report shows that men continue to outnumber women in terms of Internet usage worldwide, despite the vice versa situation in the Americas. Recent studies, though, show the disparities in gender access are becoming wider in developing countries, especially in Africa. "Broadband is crucial to connecting people to the resources needed to improve their livelihoods, and to the world achieving the Sustainable Development Goals," said ITU Secretary-General Zhao Houlin. "The goals for education, gender equality and infrastructure include bold targets for information and communication technology. The State of Broadband 2017 report outlines how broadband is already contributing to this and makes valuable recommendations for how it can increase this contribution into the future," he added. Promoting investment in broadband connectivity from a broad range of sectors, the report notes, can help achieve the full potential of these technologies and bring the world closer to the goal of an inclusive digital society accessible by all. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 06:04:19|Editor: yan Video Player Close GENEVA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Switzerland on Thursday called on all European countries to honor their quotas as part of a EU pledge to redistribute some 160,000 asylum seekers, local media reported. At a meeting of European ministers in Brussels, Swiss Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga said Switzerland will honor its promise of taking in 1,500 refugees from Italy and Greece by the end of this year. She said the program only works if everyone acts in the same manner, and that a European migration policy cannot be achieved without solidarity. Sommaruga also called for EU members to support migrants who are willing to return to their country of origin voluntarily. Switzerland is currently providing financial support to the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programs. Over 38,000 migrants were assisted with voluntary return by the IOM in the first half of 2017, of which 73 percent were from the European Economic Area and Switzerland. In 2015, the European resettlement scheme was passed to reduce pressure on frontier countries like Italy and Greece. Mandatory quotas for accepting asylum seekers were then introduced based on a country's population size, GDP, asylum applications and unemployment rate. However, EU members like Poland and Hungary have refused to accept asylum seekers under the mandatory quota, while Hungary and Slovakia had lodged a complaint against the scheme that was recently rejected by the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 06:24:27|Editor: yan Video Player Close BRASILIA, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's President Michel Temer faced new charges of obstruction of justice and illicit association on Thursday, which was filed by prosecutor-general Rodrigo Janot to the Supreme Court. Temer was accused along with six other political allies, Janot's office said in a statement. But Temer was widely believed to have enough support in Congress to avoid being forced to face trial. This is the second time the president has been charged this year. In May, he was accused of passive corruption after meatpacking giant JBS executives turned over evidence that Temer had sought bribes from them and approved them for other politicians. However, this initial charge did not lead to a trial as it was later dropped by the Chamber of Deputies. The criminal charges must be first accepted by the Supreme Court before being sent for debate in the lower house. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 06:29:32|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close People stand beside at the site of the attacks in west of the city of Nasriyah, in Iraq's southern province of Dhi Qar, Sept. 14, 2017. Up to 50 people were killed and some 87 others wounded on Thursday in a car bomb and a gunfire attack near the city of Nasriyah in Iraq's southern province of Dhi Qar, a provincial medical source told Xinhua. (Xinhua) BAGHDAD, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Up to 83 people were killed and 93 wounded on Thursday in coordinated attacks of a car bomb and a gunfire near the city of Nasriyah in Iraq's southern province of Dhi Qar, a provincial medical source said. "The final casualties from the car bombing and gunfire attacks in Fadak area Dhi Qar province rose to 83 killed and 93 wounded, and many of them are in critical conditions," Jasim al-Khaledi, head of the provincial health department told Xinhua by telephone. Many Iranian people were among the killed and wounded, Khaledi said. Earlier Khaledi put the toll at 50 killed and 87 wounded by the two attacks. The twin attacks occurred in the afternoon when gunmen attacked a restaurant at Fadak area in west of the city of Nasriyah, some 375 km south of Baghdad, while a car bomb detonated at a security checkpoint near the attacked restaurant, according to a provincial security source. The Iraqi security forces clashes with the attackers at the scene and shot dead four of them, said the Rafidain Operations Command, which is responsible for the security in Dhi Qar province. Later in the day, the Islamic State (IS) group claimed the responsibility for the twin attacks in Fadak area near Nasriyah, saying that its suicide bombers targeted a restaurant and a security checkpoint, the group said in an online statement, which its authenticity could not be immediately verified. Hours after the attacks, the Interior Minister Qasim al-Araji sacked the intelligence chief of Dhi Qar province and referred him to interrogation after the deadly attacks that hit the province, an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua. In a statement issued by his office, the parliament Speaker Salim al-Jubouri condemned the terrorist attacks in the province, calling on the security forces and their leaders to develop security plans to ensure the protection of life and property in the province of Dhi Qar and all other provinces of Iraq. The parliamentary Sadr bloc, loyal to Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, called for intensified security measures across Iraq and to detect sleeper terrorist cells that try to cover up the defeats of IS group, the bloc said in a statement. Meanhwile, the Iraqi National Alliance (a Sunni bloc) in parliament condemned the bombings saying "these attacks indicate that the blind terror began to utter its last breath as a result of its confusion and despair due the loss of their redoubts in Iraq," said Salah al-Jubouri, head of the bloc. The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) said in a statement that it "strongly condemns the cowardly twin attacks carried out by the terrorist Daesh (IS) on a restaurant and a security checkpoint in Nasiriya in southern Iraq, which resulted in numerous civilian casualties." "The United Nations in Iraq is deeply saddened by these atrocious attacks, but this will not weaken the country's resolve in fighting terrorism, he said, calling on Iraqis to set aside their differences and unite in working together to eliminate the terrorist Daesh, which remains a threat despite suffering defeats on the battlefield," the statement said. The attacks came after the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on August 31 declared full liberation of the city of Tal Afar and surrounding areas from the extremist IS militants. "I declare to you that Tal Afar has joined the liberated Mosul and returned to the homeland," Abadi said in a statement issued by his office. The Iraqi forces still have to wage more offensives to drive out IS militants from their redoubts in Hawijah in southwestern Kirkuk, the adjacent sprawling rugged areas in eastern Salahudin province, in addition to the remaining IS strongholds in the border areas with Syria, including the cities of Aana, Rawa, and al-Qaim in the western province of Anbar province. Many blame the current chronic instability, cycle of violence, and the emergence of extremist groups, such as the IS, on the United States that invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003, under the pretext of seeking to destroy weapons of mass destruction in the country. The war led to the ouster and eventual execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but no such weapons have been found. Source: Xinhua| 2017-09-15 07:25:54|Editor: An Video Player Close NANNING, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland is willing to work with the Taiwan-based Kuomintang (KMT) party to consolidate the common political foundation of adhering to 1992 Consensus and opposing "Taiwan independence," the mainland's Taiwan affairs chief said Thursday. Zhang Zhijun, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks while meeting with Hau Lung-bin, vice chairman of the KMT in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. "We are willing to strengthen exchanges with the KMT and jointly advance relations between the two parties and cross-Strait relations," Zhang said. Hau is in Nanning to attend a Guangxi-Taiwan forum on trade and cultural cooperation. The protocol of giving The phenomenon of natural disaster demonstrates no affinity for discrimination, whilst impacting upon all walks of life, and territory. The outcome has seen devastation ranging from loss of human life in St Maarten, Cuba, Barbuda and other areas, to 95 per cent infrastructural damage in Barbuda, to untold destruction in many other areas. The impact of these natural disasters is made more challenging as there seems to be no let up considering they present one immediately following the next. This series of disastrous events naturally leads to the outpouring of support and relief efforts aimed at alleviating the hurt, trauma and suffering. The issue remains, as is heard on a number of occasions, people are not clear as to the measures that can be taken to become part of the process to assist. And as a direct result of this, many not for profit organisations pop up, that may be utilising the resources collected on administrative and other expenses, with limited getting into the hands that require the support. The thing is, the majority of people are intrinsically good, and will want to become part of a process to aid their fellow man, particularly in times of great despair. However, there are those who are intrinsically bad, and may utilise the despair of others toward their own end. As a result, I strongly recommend the compilation of a resource listing that can be tapped into for the consistent co-ordination and channelling of resources for these purposes. Once the organisation which you will be using to channel your relief has accepted same, it is always useful to be appraised of the distribution channels, and end result of such relief in other words, how many people were actually reached. I recall recently, when we in Trinidad and Tobago experienced severe flooding, particularly in the Central district, a particular non-governmental organisation (NGO) called SEWA TT, began a food drive in collaboration with a particular restaurant, and what was particularly noteworthy, is that this organisation reported almost on a daily basis on the number of people who were reached and who received a meal. This measure of accountability is exactly what must be encouraged. There are many similar distribution organisations operating in Trinidad and Tobago including, the Foundation for the Enhancement and Enrichment of Life (FEEL), Living Water Community, Is There Not a Cause (ITNAC), Network of NGOs among others, as well as hundreds of smaller NGOs that also operate with the best interest of assisting and supporting others in utilising the distribution model. The point is, that giving to and supporting others in their time of need should also be part of a moral mandate measured only by ones ability and conscience. I say this as there are those who choose to give with the expectation of getting something in return at some future point. The protocol of giving includes the measure of being selfless, and not anticipating any favours in return. It also includes a measure of humility in positioning. Another very important factor of giving is doing so without judgement of others. In other words, if you choose to give to a cause, do just that give. Do not give to be thanked, or recognised, or promoted, or publicised, or favoured. Do not give and then judge what others may have given you never know the circumstance of others. Coping with cost of natural disasters We are yet to assess and quantify the full impact of this hurricane on the Caribbean. The small island of Barbuda is said to now be barely habitable with recovery efforts expecting to take years. Other Caribbean islands also severely impacted include Anguilla, St Kitts and Nevis, the British Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, Haiti and the Dutch and French dependencies. Trinidad and Tobago has already pledged to aid some of these countries. The Caribbean is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to natural disasters, which are also a major source of macroeconomic vulnerability. Intense hurricanes can cause damage that that can in turn wipe out an entire year of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) output, leaving countries with a fractured infrastructure, thousands of people affected, and governments scrambling to put together the necessary resources to finance emergency assistance and relief, recovery, and reconstruction. The small countries that make up the Caribbean are especially vulnerable since their limited budgetary capacity prevents them from establishing sufficient financial reserves to absorb a relatively large negative shock. Additionally, the high debt level of most small economies limits their ability to access credit in the aftermath of a natural disaster, high transaction costs associated with the relatively small market limits access to private catastrophe insurance, and international assistance is often insufficient to cover the total losses. For example, when Hurricane Ivan struck the island of Grenada in 2004 causing over US $800 million in damages, the country was no longer able to finance its public service bill and was forced to introduce a number of revenue enhancing measures and delay efforts of recovery and reconstruction in order to deal with the immediate problem of the fiscal shortfall, thus likely further amplifying the long term effects of the hurricane. According to a 2016 IMF Working Paper entitled Gone with the Wind: Estimating Hurricane Climate Change Costs in the Caribbean, the total damages experienced in the region over the past 65 years amount to US$52 billion for the 148 disasters that actually had information on damages. The average disaster caused damage of US$352 million with damage from more intense storms normally causing larger damages as expected. Those storms caused damage of 82 per cent of GDP on average, and for most islands, account for more than half of all the damage they have experienced over the last 65 years. Some of the largest disasters in each island, particularly for the smaller territories, caused damage well above 100 per cent of GDP, with Montserrat leading the pack with 434 per cent of GDP in damage after hurricane Hugo hit the country in 1989. The impact of a hurricane is felt mostly in the destruction of the capital stock; that is, damage to housing, agricultural crops, roads, buildings, etc. Since the capital stock, in monetary terms, is usually larger than the total production of a country on any given year, it is possible to have disasters that destroy more than a 100 per cent of GDP. As large as tropical cyclone costs have been over the last century, they are expected to increase in this century with climate change. Climate scientists believe that there is a connection between climate change and tropical cyclone intensity. Emanuel (2005) finds a strong correlation between the potential destructiveness of hurricanes and warmer sea surface temperature. Furthermore, tropical cyclones need a deep layer of warm sea surface temperature above 26.5C to form (Landsea, 2004). Therefore, as the climate warms, and sea surface temperature warms, it is expected that the average intensity of tropical cyclones will increase. At present, there is a Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF), but operationally this is inadequate to meet the needs after a major Caribbean disaster. In addition, premium payments have to be made each year if there is no disaster after a year. This represents a loss of precious foreign exchange. More targeted solutions have to be adopted. The Caribbean needs to consider three important concepts to treat with natural disasters. First, the adoption of a stabilisation fund. The purpose of this fund is to provide fiscal stability from falling revenues brought on by natural disasters for the countries of the Caribbean, that helps them address the issue of volatile and unpredictable revenues that can arise from these disasters which destroy part or all of their productive capacity. The benefit of a Caribbean fund versus an individual fund is that it pools resources and spreads risks thus allowing access to higher levels of financing. It can be viewed as a safety net for the Caribbean given their vulnerability to natural disasters. Second, the establishment of a catastrophe fund in which Caribbean countries will contribute with assistance from international donors to address the replacement of destroyed infrastructure after a disaster without an increase in national debt. At present when a disaster hits the Caribbean and destroys infrastructure, the government in most cases must borrow to replace these. It is made worse if the government had a loan on the destroyed infrastructure. Third, authorities throughout the Caribbean must start preparing for the current and future costs of storms with efforts needed to adapt the current infrastructure to sustain the more intense conditions as well as better building codes and stricter enforcement of these. The extent to which a hazard manifests itself as a disaster inevitably depends on the capacity of a country to cope. Indeed, the economic cost of disasters in the Caribbean is high; however, the cost of inactivity is even higher. Naked schoolgirl found in shack The drama started at 5.15 pm, when the girl was accosted by a masked man who ordered her into a forested area behind her house. A neighbour who witnessed the abduction, alerted the girls mother and Cumuto police were called. Police said the child was sexually assaulted. Deputy Commissioner of Police Surujdeen Persad and Assistant Commissioner Irwin Hackshaw, on learning of the abduction, coordinated a team of officers led by Insp Ken Lutchman and including Sgt Williams and others to begin a search for the schoolgirl using the eyewitness directions in the forest. A National Security helicopter was used in the search. During the five-hour operation, police cordoned off the entire Cumuto district, monitoring all entrance and exit points as the search was underway. Hunters and villagers with extensive knowledge of the forest terrain, voluntarily joined with police in the search. At 9.30 pm, the pilot in the National Helicopter radioed to officers on the ground that he had spotted a man running into a shack built in a clearing in the forest. Several others were seen running off in different directions. When officers came upon the shack, they surrounded it. The suspect was held as he tried to flee. Inside the shack, officers found the schoolgirl naked and hiding under a bed. She was given some clothing and taken to hospital for treatment. Her mother was contacted and told that she was safe with the police. Another suspect, aged 20, was held hours later in Coryal. Deputy Commissioner Persad commended both the police officers and Cumuto villagers for working together to rescue the teen. A villager who accompanied police through the forest, told Newsday he decided to help as he was the father of a teenager and was very concerned on hearing that the girl had been snatched Shot businessman improves Gosine is responding well to medication and has regained consciousness after being placed in a medically induced coma as part of efforts by doctors to stabilise him and stop major internal bleeding near to where he was shot. I think he would be back with us soon. He is a fighter, said a relative. Although the grocery remains opened, Gosines relatives said they were living in fear, not knowing if the bandits who attacked Gosine would attempt to rob the supermarket again or if they would come to exact revenge for their accomplice Allen Walker, who was killed during a shootout with Gosine during the robbery. On Monday at 7.15 am, Gosine was at the front of the grocery preparing to open his gate, when he was ambushed by four men dressed in CEPEP uniforms, one of whom brandished a gun. Gosine pulled out his licensed firearm and engaged the bandits, shooting Walker dead while the oRELATIVES of Mahadeo Gosine, the 65-year-old grocer who was shot while protecting his Sixth Street, Barataria businessplace, yesterday said he was making good progress as he remains in hospital. Gosine is responding well to medication and has regained consciousness after being placed in a medically induced coma as part of efforts by doctors to stabilise him and stop major internal bleeding near to where he was shot. I think he would be back with us soon. He is a fighter, said a relative. Although the grocery remains opened, Gosines relatives said they were living in fear, not knowing if the bandits who attacked Gosine would attempt to rob the supermarket again or if they would come to exact revenge for their accomplice Allen Walker, who was killed during a shootout with Gosine during the robbery. On Monday at 7.15 am, Gosine was at the front of the grocery preparing to open his gate, when he was ambushed by four men dressed in CEPEP uniforms, one of whom brandished a gun. Gosine pulled out his licensed firearm and engaged the bandits, shooting Walker dead while the others ran off. Gosine was shot in his stomach. Investigators were yesterday still viewing CCTV footage of the incident hoping to identify the three suspects who remained at large. thers ran off. Gosine was shot in his stomach. Investigators were yesterday still viewing CCTV footage of the incident hoping to identify the three suspects Cop: Body cams still in infancy Daniel said that while 60 body cameras were issued to officers in Northern Division, several are in need of servicing. He also revealed that of the 12 police stations in Northern Division, only three - St Joseph, Tunapuna and Pinto Road - were selected to participate in the pilot body cam project. At the moment we have assigned a camera to one senior officer on active patrol. We were not given enough cameras to supply more and there are several issues we had with them...but our technical team is working on that aspect, Daniel said. In other policing news, Daniel drew a correlation between an increase in the number of illegal firearms seized this year to an improved detection rate and reduction in murders. He said that between January 1 to September 13, 123 firearms were seized within Northern Division, a 48% increase for the same period last year. This improvement, he said, was accompanied by a decrease in the number of murders by 17% and an increase in the detection rate by 21% within his Division. He credited the improvement in crime-fighting to a more innovative and community-based approach to policing which seeks greater dialogue between police and the public. Prisoner wrecks fittings The incidents were confirmed by Prisons Commissioner William Alexander who said an investigation has been launched and steps taken to have the damaged items replaced. Alexander denied that the incidents sparked a riot at the prison which accommodates 70 prisoners and ten other inmates deemed as high risk. Sources within the prison said complaints have been made about a pigeon infestation which has led to faeces from the birds falling into inmates food. A relative of an inmate described conditions at the facility as squalid and inhumane. The relative claimed that several inmates have fallen ill following the pigeon infestation. Commissioner Alexander said he is aware of the pigeon infestation and added that a company was contracted to install pigeon-proof coverings for the roof. On the issue of prisoners not being taken to court, Alexander said this is not the responsibility of the Prison Service and this blame cannot be attributed to prison officers. Caura Valley gets water tank farm Launched at the Activity Centre, Caura Valley on September 6, the Tank Farm consisting of ten 1,000 gallon water tanks came to fruition through the collaborative effort of the community group, WASA , the MPs office, the regional corporation, CEPEP and the Digicel Foundation. In congratulating members of the council, foundation CEO Penny Gomez stated, The proposal of a tank farm really blew us out of the water. We were impressed by the originality and by the fact that a project of this nature really addressed a basic need for the community. What made it even more special for us, was the element of sustainability by having WASA as a strategic partner. Driving the village council to continue its good work in developing Caura, Sen Clarence Rambharat, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries in his address encouraged the group to build Caura around good leadership, a media release stated. Also addressing the crowd was Deputy Speaker of the House and MP for Tunapuna Esmonde Forde who thanked the foundation for the private sector partnership noting that Digicel is in the business of linking communities. The project was done through the foundations Extraordinary Projects Impacting Communities (Epic) programme, which funds indoor and outdoor community initiatives. Seeing the opportunity to further develop the community and its environs, the village council, and the MPs office applied for an Epic grant to implement the project. While our financial input in this project rang to a tune of $40,000, it is this public private sector partnership that is the real win for us at the foundation, because we know that with the additional support, the village of Tumbasson will continue to flourish. This project acts as a model for other community groups to emulate, Gomez said. More pressure We are in perilous times but I know that we are a resilient people. I have complete faith in the people of Trinidad and Tobago, every single citizen, that we will not just rise to this occasion, but we will successfully surmount the challenges currently before us, Robinson-Regis said at a Pre-Budget public forum on gender sensitive budgeting, held by the St Augustine unit of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies. The forum, held at the Learning Resource Centre at the St Augustine campus of The University of the West Indies was titled: Budget for Gender Justice: Make households matter to the House. Organisers said it was aimed at ensuring that women, men, boys and girls have equitable access to opportunities and outcomes needed to advance peace, empowerment, rights and gender justice. In an interview following her speech, Robinson-Regis told journalists that the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP), the governments overall development programme for the country, will remain at $5 billion - the same as last year. Questioned about allocations in the budget, she said, the priorities will be maintained. We have said in our vision that there are certain priorities that we have to maintain in order to maintain a certain level of stability and we will maintain our priorities. THINGS LOOKING UP She appealed to those who were criticising government for not taking hard decisions, to consider the impact of massive retrenchment in the public service, a return of the negative list and curtailment of foreign exchange injections into the economy by the Central Bank. I ask them to imagine the extent of social dislocation that would flow naturally from that and what would be their suggestion to the government to mitigate that. I ask those who demand that they be paid all their outstanding monies today to consider the effect of that payment on the sustainability of the very positions they now occupy. I ask those who demand that diversification take place now to help the government to understand how to do that without first putting in place the necessary infrastructure. She added that the people who insist that the sacrifices should begin with those in government should check when last a government minister got a salary increase. Despite that she said that things are looking up although the challenges remain and those realities have to be taken in to account. And as a consequence of that we are not burying our heads in the sand - we are making sure that we address all of the challenges that befall us. NO UNION THREAT In response to questions about the governments ability to maintain the stability in the face of demands by the trade union movement, the Minister said she believes unions understand the current economic circumstances and will do their part to ensure TT remains stable. I dont see any threat from the unions. Robinson-Regis said forums like yesterdays are held too late to have any real impact on the budgeting process because at this time the budget is almost complete and all that remains to be done is to put on the finishing touches. Indeed, one of the repeated complaints from speakers at the forum was the lack of consultation on the shape of the budget, but Robinson-Regis said the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning and Development as early as April invited groups to make suggestions for inclusion in the budget and to meet with the ministries for consultations. However, she said that many of the invitees do not respond and if they do respond their responses are late. HOLD BUDGET EARLIER Hazel Brown, of the Network for NGOs of Trinidad and Tobago for the Advancement of women, an umbrella body for about 100 non-profit organizations advocating womens and family issues, suggested that the budget should be presented in April or May, giving the country a chance to discuss it and make suggestions for the inclusion of matters that the nation considers vitally important. Robinson-Regis said that idea did not make sense because there is a mid-year review of the budget which is essentially an amendment. Which is normal and which is what happens so that would not make any change. However, Brown said the current budgeting process has to change because it is a very flawed and inefficient process and NGOs such as hers had been advocating that idea for the last ten years, adding that their idea provides a very effective participatory way of determining what the budget expenditures and income approaches should be, for example, you get an opportunity to talk about this business about land and property tax and all of that so that those things could be incorporated into what the final budget is. She said after listening to the comments from the public it would still be up to the government to make the final decision but they would be better informed by the public discussion. Reminded that the budget is subjected to very rigorous examination during the debate in both houses of Parliament, Brown countered that all of that is political debate. What we are getting in the Parliament is not necessarily objective evaluation of the proposals, what you get is the politics, that is what you get in the debate. SWMCOL admits $M contract on friendship The revelation was made in SWMCOLs filing of a defence to a lawsuit brought by VENTEC Limited of Cascade Road, Port of Spain which is suing SWMCOL for $454,990.25 plus VAT, being the difference of a $2.4 million contract, to develop computer accounting software for SWMCOL. SWMCOL is a wholly-owned State enterprise responsible for solid and hazardous waste materials and the management of three of the countrys landfills in Beetham, Forres Park and Guanapo. In a lawsuit filed in the San Fernando High Court, VENTEC managing director Peter Moralles stated that in June 2009, he met with SWMCOLs then chairman Carlton Watson whom he stated, complained that SWMCOLs board had a limited idea of the companys expenditure and no knowledge of the true profit or loss incurred. Moralles claims he was granted a contract based on meetings he held between Anthony Taitt who was SWMCOLs chief financial officer and chairman Watson. Moralles claims he commenced developmental work on a financial software and prepared SWMCOLs monthly reports. However, when he completed the companys last monthly electronic financial report and submitted it to SWMCOL, Moralles claimed he stopped receiving communication. The market value of the contract was $2,400,000, but he received only part of that. He is suing for the rest of the money. In a defence filed in January, SWMCOL stated that the full term of the agreement between the parties was set out in a service contract entered on September 4, 2009. SWMCOL attorneys MG Daly & Company stated that Taitt was a close friend of Moralles, prior to the former being employed at SWMCOL. The case will come up for hearing next month before Justice Robin Mohammed in the San Fernando High Court. Attorney Christopher Parsad is representing Moralles while Sashi Indarsingh and Christopher Sieuchand both of MG Daly and Co are the filing and advocate attorneys respectively for SWMCOL. No more retrenchment in 2017 Making this announcement outside the Prime Ministers office in St Clair, following several hours of talks, president of the Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) Ancel Roget, said the agreement included workers in all entities controlled by the government. He said the agreement was that if government wants to retrench workers in the new year their plans would be brought to the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC) for discussion although the government would still have the right to make the final decision. Roget said the unions pulled out of NTAC because they were not satisfied with the way it was operating and the way in which the mass retrenchment of workers in the government and private sector was taking place. He added that unions and the prime minister also agreed that priority on governments legislative agenda should be given in Parliament to amendments of the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act; the Companies Act and the legislation governing the Recognition and Certification Board and the process for granting recognised majority union status to trade unions as the representative for workers at companies. He said the process for obtaining recognition is too long and the unions have recommendations for speeding up the process to allow the majority of workers in the country to get representation. He said there was also agreement on restructuring NTAC to make it more meaningful in serving its mandate and purpose and this will be tackled at the first meeting attended by the unions. And therefore at that meeting we will be able to determine who chairs it, how it functions and so on and give it a clear mandate going forward. We were not satisfied then (at the launch of NTAC) and we are not satisfied now, that NTAC is set up to achieve its stated mandate. He said the unions will invite the prime minister to attend that first meeting of the council to give him an opportunity to be part of the restart of the organisation. All three trade union federations - JTUM; the National Trade Union Centre (NATUC); and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions and Non-governmental Organisations (FITUN) - walked out of NTAC last March in protest at the governments decision to shut down the Tourism Development Corporation (TDC) without consulting the Communication Workers Union (CWU), the trade union representing the 114 employees of the company. Trini extradited to US Attorneys Netram Kowlessar and Graeme Mc Clean, acting head of the Central Authority, appeared on Sookdeos behalf. Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi gave authority to proceed with the extradition process on July 28. Sookdeo will face charges in the US which include conspiracy to defraud the US and commit theft of government funds, making false claims to the US and transporting money taken by fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. Chief Hernandez makes plea He was speaking at the launch of the First Peoples holiday at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, OMeara, Arima. Hernandez said their community receives a yearly subvention from the Government and that money is used in different aspects for the community. One of them is the celebration of the First Peoples Heritage Week. While this allocation has done much for the First Peoples it cannot by itself enable us to complement all the activities this national holiday warrants. Therefore we have to raise our own funds by our own efforts which we are engaged at present. He said to date, they have written several letters to corporate TT and have received $55,000. We know we are in difficult times, we do not expect all our expectations to be met. However, we are asking Government and the business sector to look again for ways in which to make further contributions otherwise we would have failed in our objectives for the observance of this national holiday for the First Peoples. He also appealed to government agencies and corporate TT to work together with them to fix the access road to the proposed site for their Heritage Village, Blanchisseuse Road, Arima. The First Peoples have a broad programme of activities planned including a series of lectures hosted by UTT and an essay and art competition. Heritage Week begins October 7 and ends on 15. The activities planned for this week include a symposium hosted by UTT, a childrens rally and a smoke ceremony. 40,000 Venezuelans in TT The number of asylum seekers is low, she added, because they may not have information about how to go about seeking asylum. We are not seeing a change in the situation in Venezuela and we certainly are not going to see any decrease in the numbers of Venezuelans coming to our shores any time soon, she said. Nakhid was one of several panelists who took part on Tuesday in the Regional Perspectives on the Venezuelan Crisis hosted by the Institute of International Relations at the University of the West Indies St Augustine campus. Noting there was no actual figure for the number of Venezuelans in TT, Nakhid said, it was estimated that by the end of 2015, there was less than 20,000, by 2016 the number had increased and at the time the number has increased to about 40,000. This figure, she said, was based on official and non official sources, as some people may have entered the country through officials ports of entry while others did so through the countrys porous borders. This increase in numbers was due, she said, to the breakdown in democracy and gross human rights violations that have resulted in a massive displacement of Venezuelans in the region, with large numbers also moving to Curacao and Aruba. Venezuelans are not the only immigrants to the region, she said. There has been an increase in the number of Syrians, Bangladeshis, and Cubans seeking asylum as well, she said. She said Venezuelans are the second largest group, after the Cubans, seeking asylum in TT. With the number of Cubans seeking asylum due to reach a plateau, Nakhid said, it is expected that the number of Venezuelans seeking political asylum will exceed the Cubans next year. Ministry contacts drowned Trinis family I figured they wanted to start to work on locating the body but we have not heard anything from them since then (up to news time), Pasqual said. Pasqual said the family also learnt from a family friend that a local military extraction team was being sent to St Martin to assist with relief efforts. So, we are hoping that he would get some information to assist on the ground about what is happening with the body. Salvary-Doyle, 64, and her grandson Oliver Robert-Gedio, three, drowned after being pulled into the sea during Irmas onslaught on St Martin last week. The woman who lived in San Fernando, was visiting her daughter Daphne (Olivers mother), at the time of the tragedy. Daphne lived at 32 A Rue Round The Pond French Quarters. Daphne was not at home at the time of the incident. Pasqual said the family was told that when the house that Salvary- Doyle was in began falling apart after Irma made landfall in St Martin, she and the rest of the family decided to leave for another house a short distance away. She said as Salvary-Doyle and her grandson were about to reach the house came in and the waves took them. Tewarie: Let BIR probe oil firm He made the call as a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which sat at Tower D, International Waterfront Centre in Port of Spain. Saying the company has under-supplied yet was overpaid, Tewarie said the saga was disturbing. At the PAC meeting where senior staffers from the Ministry of Energy were questioned, while officials from the Auditor Generals Office looked on, Tewarie pointed out, I find the casual nature of the conversation is even more disturbing. Earlier, he asked if the Energy Ministry and Minister Franklin Khan knew of the fake oil scandal before it became public information, to which the Ministrys Permanent Secretary Selwyn Lashley replied, The preliminary report had no details. Theres a report circulating right now in the public space. Those details are part of a final report that is still to come to the ministry. Lashley declined to speculate on why the ministry would not yet possess a report that is already public. Tewarie asked, So prior to the public exposure of this report, you did not have knowledge? Lashley replied, Not at all. He said he could not speak for Energy Minister Franklin Khan, adding,It wasnt submitted to the ministry officially. Lashley later said he saw no conflict of interest in him being on Petrotrins board and being Permanent Secretary of Petrotrins line ministry. Tewarie later told reporters he found it hard to believe the Ministry had no report on the fake oil issue especially since it points to possible collusion to subvert the countrys resources and over-expenditure of taxpayers money. He was also scathing of revelations to the PAC that revenues for oil and aggregate from 80 quarries are paid to the ministry on the basis of trust in an honour system, without the ministry ever able to confirm the amount of each natural resource extracted. Tewarie said the fake oil scandal shows that the honour system cannot work. Theres no honour here, he quipped. Brian Caesar of the Auditor Generals Office agreed that the honour system was not tenable. You cannot manage what you cannot measure. You must strengthen controls. Dillon: Not 40,000 Venezuelans Based on information from the Immigration Department, he added, That figure (40,000) is something that we have to check because according to our estimates it is not the same. Illegal entries are estimated based on trends and patterns, Dillon said. I cannot give you a figure as to what we have right now, but it is nothing near to 40,000 as was reported. I can safely say that during the early part of this year, there has been a decrease in the number of Venezuelans coming to Trinidad and Tobago, Dillon said at a Joint Select Committee on National Security symposium at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain. Over the years, he said, both incoming and outgoing Venezuelans into TT have been monitored. Asked what was the last estimate of Venezuelans living in TT, Dillon the last estimate was in July, but he could not provide a number. He said the Chief Immigration Officer was in the process of updating the estimate right now. The areas of concern for us are the ones coming in illegally, he said. The Regiment and Coast Guard, he said, have stepped up land and sea-based patrols in rural areas especially in the south east coast of Trinidad in areas from Icacos to Moruga. Patrols have also been ongoing in areas on the north coast including Blanchisseuse. In addition, Government last year re-established bilateral cooperation with the Venezuelan authorities, so there is now direct communication between the commanding officer of the Coast Guard and their Venezuelan counterparts. On the issue of Venezuelans coming to TT because of the socio- economic and political turmoil in their homeland, being a national security threat, Dillon said it was difficult to suggest this with no empirical evidence. He added that not only Venezuelans are on the radar, but also a number of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, China, Nigeria and Ghana. A North Korean government panel threatened to sink Japan into the sea with a nuclear bomb, accusing it of taking part in U.S. efforts for the adoption of the latest U.N. Security Council sanctions resolution against Pyongyang, the Korean Central News Agency reported Thursday. In a spokesman's statement issued on Wednesday, the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee said Japan "zealously joined in the U.S. racket for sanctions," according to the state media of North Korea. It then said, "The four islands of the (Japanese) archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche." "A telling blow should be dealt to them who have not yet come to senses after the launch of our ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) over the Japanese archipelago," the statement said. The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted on Monday the U.S.-drafted resolution to impose tougher sanctions against North Korea following Pyongyang's sixth nuclear test conducted on Sept. 3. Japan is working itself to death. The frequently recurring term karoshi (death from overwork) suggests as much. It's an indirect rather than a direct cause of death, which makes statistical precision difficult, but, as a rough standard, 80 hours a month of overtime work in the months leading up to a victim's death from a heart attack or stroke or suicide will back a claim for karoshi compensation. Karoshi is generally associated with the private sector and its ruthlessly exploitative "black companies," but among workers lately toiling "borderline karoshi" overtime hours are, says Shukan Toyo Keizai (Sept. 16), professionals you might not expect to find in such a plight: public school teachers. Not all of them, but significant percentages: Nearly 60% of junior high school teachers, and 30% of their elementary school counterparts, work 60 hours or more a week, education ministry figures show. It's a relatively new development, brought on by aging teachers whose retiring ranks cannot be replaced rapidly enough, and by social change, of which more in a moment. Teachers today work on average 4.5 hours a week more than they did 10 years ago a "not counting work done at home," one teacher is quick to point out a and though only one case of officially recognized karoshi among teachers is mentioned, teachers regularly complain of endless working days and no time off. "At this rate," says one, "I'll surely break down physically." The one who succumbed a in June 2011 a was a 26-year-old Osaka-area junior high school teacher. It was his second year on the job and he was highly dedicated, maybe too much so. To teach good lessons requires preparation. He prepared. There's after-school club activity to supervise. He threw himself into that too, and into keeping in touch with parents. He was working 60-70 hours a month overtime, but actually more than that because test grading and lesson preparation are not counted as "work." One day he collapsed in his apartment. Three years later his death was officially recognized as karoshi. Public school teachers are supposed to work 38 hours, 45 minutes a week, but "I'm lucky when I get out at 8 p.m.," says one Tokyo-area teacher in her 40s who typically starts work at 8 a.m. The day begins with supervised free classroom activity, followed by the first period starting at 8:45. Lunchtime is spent wolfing down something while providing guidance or preparing. After the last class at 3:25, there's cleanup, then meetings, then club supervision and so on. By the time that's over, it's 6:30. Home? Only if she takes her remaining work home with her a more test grading, more lesson planning. Or else a parent will call, requesting, if not demanding, a consultation. Weekends are as likely as not taken up with club activities. That can be especially trying, Toyo Keizai finds. A club can be anything a music, culture, sports. Every teacher is assigned to a club. Teachers are typically asked to state a preference, and when possible the preference is taken into account, but it can't always be, and teachers who find themselves "advisors" to activities they know nothing about are in a particularly stressful situation. To address the myriad of security challenges facing the state, the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has vowed to work with relevant security agencies to reduce the incidence of crime and engender a friendly environment for investment. Obaseki said this in his keynote address at the quarterly Federal and State Security Administrators Meeting (FSSAM) holding between September 14 and 15 at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Benin City, Edo State. Narrowing down to reoccurring clashes between farmers and herdsmen, the governor said it was wrong to politicise the incidents, noting that the possession of arms by the herdsmen called for increased security measures as the herdsmen we knew in the past were only concerned about their cows, and had no business with maps. But with what we now witness, it has become imperative to seek the support of security agencies for a safe and secure business climate. Obaseki also said that the proliferation of hate speeches has become a national concern that must be nipped in the bud, as it portends unsavoury implications not just for the people but also for attracting investment. Noting that the state is committed to ensuring a safe environment for business, he said we are revamping the Operation Thunderstorm in the state, a security initiative that was set up by my predecessor, former governor Comrade Adams Oshiomole. We intend on improving the security infrastructure in the state. In this regard, we need the cooperation of members of security services who are in Edo State, including the Military, The Nigeria Police, and all others. He said that as the gateway state to the South-South section of the country, the state was committed to attracting investment and creating jobs, hence it would not take matters of security and law enforcement with levity. On the state of the prisons in the state, governor Obaseki said that the state was working on decongesting the state prisons, adding, we want to decongest the prisons. We are working to reduce the number of persons in the prisons. We want to reduce the number of inmates by 50 percent. We want to relocate the prison at Sapele road by expanding Oko prisons. Mrs. Emi Ogunboye, who represented the Permanent Secretary, Special Services at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Amb. Aminu Nabegu, said that the federal government was worried about the recent resort to hate speeches by secessionist agitators. Speaking on the imperative of national security, unity and the need to avoid divisive tendencies, she noted, The pro-Biafra group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has heightened its secessionist campaign. This has caused other youth groups in the North and South West to issue ultimatum for Igbos to leave their areas. The Federal government cautions groups and individuals involved in spreading hate to desist from the act. The continued existence of this country in our best interest. The Secretary to the Edo State government, Mr. Osarodion Ogie Esq., said the state was honoured to be hosting the event, stressing that he hoped that the participants would make recommendations that would help the government in maintaining law and order. He said, Edo state is a critical link for connecting different parts of the state. There is a connection between security and economic growth. We want to ensure that Edo state provides the right atmosphere that guarantees that investors not only come with investments, but that their investment is secure. According to her, some of the government agencies suspected to be diverting government revenues will be made to account for the past revenues. She said the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), which had been remitting N3 million annually, remitted N5 billion this year alone and disclosed that it had N3 billion more to remit to the governments purse this year. The minister also listed past management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) among the offenders. She said: Secondly, we spoke about revenue generation. The VAIDS Programme is ongoing and we are having quite a positive response in terms of tax compliance. We also reported on the progress made by a number of our agencies some of whom have reported very significant increases in the amount paid into the consolidated revenue fund. Council discussed JAMB, which recorded significant progress and NIMASA as well as others and gave us the charge to really go and look at these agencies, look in some cases the past management of those agencies and see where those agencies were leaking and to encourage agencies that havent done so to continue with efficiencies, she said. Asked to disclose the figures expected from the agencies, Mrs Adeosun said: The highest amount that JAMB has ever remitted to the consolidated revenue fund before this management was N3 million. This year, so far, they have done N5 billion and the Minister of Education reported that they have additional N3 billion that they are ready to remit, which will take this years figure alone to N8 billion. Now they have not increased their charges nor their fees. So the question that Council members were asking was that where were all these monies before? So the directive was given that we must call those who were the heads of those agencies and similar ones to account and that is what we intend to do. She added: Its a similar story with other agencies and these are the leakages which we are now blocking. These are the monies in the consolidated fund that is now being applied in the projects that really need to get the economy moving. These are the monies that are missing that has led us to the position we are in. It is the grandest looting that this administration action has come in to address. The minister also disclosed that FEC approved for Nigeria to rejoin the African Trade Insurance Agency. She said: This is an agency that is out to provide risk guarantee for private investors coming into Nigeria as well as exporters from Nigeria. It will provide risk guarantees, so instead of projects asking for sovereign guarantees, we will be able to provide that risk mitigation through the African Trade Insurance Agency. Many other countries are already members, so Nigeria will also be joining. This agency has an A rating international and is able to guarantee long term projects. So, what we see as a result of this is that there will be increased level of investments particularly PPP where every often the investors want some guarantee from the government. Instead of the government issuing sovereign guarantee directly, this agency will step in and issue it. It is very similar to MIGA, the Multi-lateral Insurance Guarantee Agency that is owned by the IFC. She went on My second activity was part of the briefing on the economy and to speak to the fiscal conditions and outlook. As you know, we are on the part way of resetting the economy and adjusting permanently to a sort of lower oil pricing. The recent announcement of the exit from recession we see as statically backed indicator that we are moving in the right direction. We recognised that there is a lot to be done. I briefed the council on various fiscal initiatives that we are pursuing. These include continued fiscal consolidation and cost efficiency, driving cost savings in government; there is still a great need to do so. I have some progress report on the work we have done with payroll where we are still seeing contraction. Every time we put agencies into our automated payroll system we see contraction and we intend to continue with that. So, in summary, the outlook is positive. We did some comparative analysis in June 2014 with oil price of $109, federation allocation was N844 billion and in June 2017 it was down to N318 billion, just to give you an idea of how much income the country has really lost in the last few years. So, we are adjusting very strongly and we believe if we continue with this trajectory not only will we stay permanently out of recession but, more importantly, we will have a positive and growing economy what works for all Nigerians which is our aim. she said Udoma Udo Udoma said his ministry briefed the Council on the recent 2017 Second Quarterly Report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). He said: We were encouraged by the GDP growth rates. The report is very encouraging for the government as it shows that we are on the right direction. The Minister of Water Resources disclosed that he briefed FEC on floods and possible threats of flood. He said there was no threat of flood in the country. The Ministry has observatory units in Niamey and Lokoja, he said, adding: If there is any indication of significant rise or threat to lives and properties, we will promptly issue warning alerts. For now, there is no cause for alarm. We cannot stop the flood but we can provide early warnings. It is the beginning of another school term and as students return to school after the long holidays, First Bank of Nigeria Limited remains committed to supporting schools with their business requirements to enhance preparations for the school year. First Bank has developed an array of products and solutions targeted at enabling schools acquire attractive educational facilities to support their business whilst empowering parents and guardians to seamlessly send their wards back to school. The Bank has set aside N15bn for private schools in Nigeria. FirstBanks educational products and solutions include the FirstEdu Loan, Operational Vehicle Loan, Term Loans for constructing new sites and extension of existing sites, Personal Loan against Salary (PLAS) and Salary Overdraft (SODA) which enhances Parents/Guardians capacity to pay their wards school fees. The FirstEdu loan is targeted at private Nursery, Secondary and A-Levels schools. The product offers opportunity for private schools to access flexible funding to meet urgent cash flow needs, replace old furniture and equipment, as well as refurbish dilapidated buildings and classroom blocks. With this product, school owners/proprietors can stay ahead of competition in providing educational services and support to the target population by maintaining acceptable standard infrastructure at all times. This product allows the customer access up to N10 million with no tangible collateral required apart from the domiciliation of school account with the Bank. This reduces the cost of borrowing to the customer and eliminates the challenges posed by the provision of additional demanding collaterals. The Operational Vehicle Loan is targeted at registered businesses. It allows the entrepreneur to acquire brand new vehicles for the day to day operation of the business. Organisations can take advantage of this facility to purchase school buses in the case of school proprietors and even upscale their staff welfare schemes through provision of staff buses. Personal Loan against Salary (PLAS) offers customers in paid employment access to cash to meet immediate financial needs such as payment of school fees, medical treatment, holiday expenses, etc. PLAS has a flexible repayment plan spread up to 48 months for customers convenience. There is no equity contribution or collateral requirement. The Salary Overdraft Account (SODA) is also available to customers who want short tenured overdraft to meet immediate financial needs. SODA can be dispensed as a one-off overdraft for 30 days with up to 40% net salary and a revolving overdraft for 180 days with 25% of applicants average previous 3 months net salary. Only a salary account will qualify you to access PLAS and SODA if you work with any of FirstBanks approved list of employers. FirstBanks educational facilities are offered without collaterals. So as the new school term resumes, the Bank has the right products just for you and is poised to constantly provide the platform to support the life styles of its teeming customers. Customers and stakeholders are enjoined to visit any FirstBank branch for further information about its school solutions. NANS laments unions strike They decried that the Federal Government allowed the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, to ground academic and non academic activities in Nigerian institutions. Communicating the outcome of their meeting with Vanguard, NANS Senate President, Comrade Taiwo Bamigbade said, The Senate meeting was well attended by the Student Union Presidents from various tertiary institutions across the six geo political zones of the federation, NANS National Executive Council members, stakeholders and concerned Nigerian students. NANS Senate condemns in totality the lack of sincerity of the Federal Government to the 2009 agreement it entered with all the academic staff unions. According to him, the inactiveness of the Federal Ministry of Education to engage the staff unions in a meaningful negotiation to avert the ongoing nationwide strike by ASUU, NASU, SSANU and NAAT calls for concern. Integrity and standard of education He implored the unions to look beyond the strike action and possibly seek justice from the court, as their only negotiation tools to press home their legitimate demands from the Federal Government to save the integrity and standard of education in Nigeria. He said: NANS is calling on the Federal Government to expedite action to bring back the striking lecturers/staff to work or consider total shut down of all major federal express roads by Nigerian students if no resumption date is fixed in the next one week. Urges FG to probe governors over Paris Club Refund The students union, at the same meeting, also called for the probe of state governors who collected the Paris Club refund but refused to pay their workers salaries. Bamigbade said: NANS is calling for an immediate probe of all state governments Paris Club refund utilisation, as the purpose to which the fund was disbursed as announced by President Muhammadu Buhari was jettisoned by many states, leaving many state civil servants and pensioners salary arrears unclear. NANS urges FG to take over LAUTECH In its communique, NANS called on the Federal Executive Council, National Assembly and the two states involved in the ownership of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, to act as a matter of urgency and to speed up the processes required to acquire Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo State by the Federal Government to save the careers of thousands of Nigerian students in the university. He added that NANS also frowned at the proposed school fees for the university by the state government. Permanent resolution of crisis Similarly, the union called on the Federal Ministry of Education to mandate all heads of institutions to key in to T-Ship programme of National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, to guarantee affordable and timely health care service for Nigerian students. Just as it also called on Health Maintainace Organizations, HMOs, to be more prudent in their dealings with Nigerian tertiary institutions and the student populace. While NANS commended Kaduna State Government for the reopening of tertiary institutions in southern Kaduna, it sues for the return of peace and order in the state and for more government attention on education. It added, The Senate congratulated the newly appointed Ondo State Executive Council Members (Commissioners) while calling on the Commissioner of Education to prioritise the permanent resolution of crisis in all state owned institutions, particularly Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo, Ondo State. Union passes vote of confidence on its president Meantime, the NANS Senate has passed vote of confidence on her national president, Comrade Chinonso Obasi, GCNS, for his tireless efforts to reposition NANS better as well as his giant strides to have re-invigorated NANS back to the Committee of Continental Students Union Bodies under All Africa Students Union, AASU, with his adequate representation in just concluded AASU Summit in Ghana, where he won an award as the most outstanding student leader in Africa. The statement said,The Senate, as a matter of urgency, implore Federal Ministry of Health and Niger State Government to come to the aid of its former NANS president Comrade Mohammed Dauda Kapon, who needs a Liver Transplant in India Hospital. The workshop which was organized by Emisha Human Rights Advocacy Society in conjunction with the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NHRC), brought workers of electricity and allied companies to discuss issues of workers and consumers in the energy industry. In her welcome address, the Director-General of Emisha Human Rights Advocacy Society, Mrs. Emily Herbert, explained that mainstreaming human rights in the operation of the different units of the power sector implied that staff become aware and enlightened about the fact that enjoyment of social amenities is a way of promoting human rights ideals as human rights are interrelated and interdependent. It is therefore imperative to sensitise government agencies on the manner their functions affect the enjoyment or otherwise of human rights. The power sector as a specialised organ needs to be abreast with knowledge of the rights and obligations of stakeholders in the sector as well as the remedies expected in the event of violation of the rights. Mrs. Herbert further hinted that the workshop was intended to create awareness among the participants of the linkages between their responsibilities and the enjoyment of human rights. Once human rights principles are incorporated into the operations of the power sector, it will advance the enjoyment of rights of the customers as well as customers with special needs such as the vulnerable group, she said. Speaking in a similar vein, Dr. Chris Nwankwo, President of Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, noted that trainings for the power sector workers had become imperative in view of the need to arm Members of staff with adequate knowledge on how to demand for their rights from their employers. He equally pointed out that the workshop would enhance the staff-customer relations in the power sector as electricity workers would also be sensitized on the rights of consumers to certain services which they must provide. For Olori Wuraola who is the former wife of the Ooni Of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the coast seems clear now for her to remarry if she wishes. Why? The customary bride price paid by the revered monarch has been returned fully from the elders of Queen Zynabs Family in Benin City, Nigeria. According to a source in Benin, the Ooni was initially reluctant to collect the bride price, but was persuaded by the Elders as a way of closing the controversial marriage and separation. Shes free now, shes free, the Ooni was quoted to have exclaimed afterwards. Recall that after the declaration of Olori Wuraola that she was done with the king, a Yoruba popular Ifa traditionalist, playwright, actor and author, Yemi Elebuibon opined on the consequence of a queen separating from a king. While noting that Ooni would not be the first Yoruba Oba to be separated from his wife, Elebuibon stressed that marriage breakup is not very common among Yoruba Obas. He said, The wife of the Oba will be asked to consult Ifa and Ifa will give directions on how she will make the necessary atonement for her cleansing. In Yoruba tradition, a woman who has been married to a king cannot lay with any other man even if the marriage breaks up. But when the right atonements have been made, there wont be problem. On the kind of problems which an Obas ex-wife might encounter if she refuses to undergo the traditional cleansing rites, Elebuibon said: For the woman, she might not really have a problem but for any man who sleeps with a queen or marries an ex-queen without the appropriate cleansing, the man may die prematurely, he may be struck with sickness or there might be retrogression in his life. He explained that if an ex-queen wants to remarry, she will have to do the cleansing with her new husband. Both of them have to take part in the atonement procedures so that they wont have any future problem. The United Kingdom government has reiterated its support to Nigeria and neighbouring countries to defeat the destructive Boko Haram terrorists in the Northeast and the Lake Chad Basin region. The countrys Permanent Representative to the UN, Matthew Rycroft, made the pledge in his statement on Wednesday at the Security Council briefing on the Lake Chad Basin. Rycroft said it was clear that the Security Council members should all redouble their efforts to implement the commitments that they made in resolution 2349 against Boko Haram. The UK will play our part. We remain committed to partnering with Nigeria and its neighbours to degrade and defeat Boko Haram. We remain committed to helping people in need in the region, having scaled up our humanitarian support to 130 million dollars this year. We also announced an additional 260 million over four years, as part of the North East Nigeria Transition to Development programme. But we all need to play our part in the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund launched in February with an appeal for one billion dollars this year. As of last month that appeal is less than half funded. As the Secretary-Generals report makes clear, insufficient funding from the donor community continues to limit the provision of food aid, development and recovery activities. And just as the international community must act, so too should governments in the region. We look to the Government of Nigeria and affected countries to provide greater resources where they can and to further prioritise the humanitarian response. We also call on them to expedite all remaining registrations for humanitarian organisations in the region, as the Secretary-Generals report notes. We welcome the increased civil-military coordination in the humanitarian effort and urge this to continue, he said. Rycroft, however, regretted that six months on from the visit of Security Council Fact Finding Mission to the Lake Chad Basin, the situation remained deeply troubling. Yes, Boko Haram has been degraded, yes territory has been reclaimed, but Boko Haram is far from a spent force. They are down but not out, shifting their tactics from land grabs to opportunistic attacks. Maiduguri now faces weekly suicide attacks, many from girls forced to be suicide bombers. Over 400 people have been killed since we visited. Boko Harams shameful, sickening abductions of young women and girls continues unabated. Those that return continue to face stigma and discrimination, which is why the UK will host a ministerial event here on the 18th of September to launch a new set of global principles to tackle such stigma. The continuing barbarity is only exacerbating the humanitarian crises. Since we visited, the number of Nigerians seeking refuge in neighbouring countries has only marginally decreased. Nearly two million people are still displaced in North East Nigeria and over eight million in need of urgent, life-saving assistance. And while the numbers of forced returns have fallen, we have seen thousands of people pressured back into areas where they dont feel safe, the UK envoy said. According to him, it is clear that a long term solution will only be found through addressing the root causes which led to Boko Harams emergence. That, I think, was the main lesson for many of us on our visit. That search for the longer term root causes requires a regional plan to address the political, economic, governance, transparency and accountability issues. So we support calls for greater funding to strengthen the UNs monitoring presence on the ground. In short, Mr President, there is a lot more that all of us need to do. Six months on from our visit, we cannot afford to lose focus, he said. If a home or other building seems to have been invaded by hundreds of flies this fall, these are likely cluster flies. While a nuisance, they do not cause any damage or harm to people or pets and they do not reproduce indoors. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Moroccos sustainable fisheries strategy was showcased at the Global Fishery Forum & Seafood Expo, which kicked off in Saint Petersbug on September 14. Speaking on this occasion, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Aziz Akhannouch offered insight on Moroccos fisheries model that combines the sustainable exploitation of fisheries with ecological imperatives In this regards, the Minister put emphasis on Moroccos Halieutis Plan, which aims at ensuring sustainability and enhancing performance and competitiveness. He said Moroccan authorities in charge of fisheries maintain a close eye against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Akhannouch also stressed the need for international cooperation to preserve sea and ocean resources. Unilateral actions are incapable of addressing the challenges linked to fisheries. Only a joint action by states can lead to defining the means to implement an efficient governance aiming at ensuring fisheries sustainability at the environmental and economic levels, the Moroccan minister made it clear. He also called for attaching utmost importance to scientific research in order to develop sustainable fishing. Over 200 Companies from Russia, Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and USA are participating in the event, presenting their product, state-of- the-art knowhow and equipment for fishery industry. The key event of the first day was the plenary session on Global focus on fishery in the seven seas: cooperation or competition?. The Peruvian Congress rejected a proposal for the creation of a friendship group with the self-proclaimed separatist entity, the Arab Sahrawi Republic. The refusal by Peruvian lawmakers marks a crushing diplomatic defeat to the polisarios efforts to re-stablish ties with Peru, which does not recognize the Algerian-backed separatist entity as a state. Indeed, the bulk majority of the members of the Foreign affairs committee at the parliament answered with a resounding Nay to the proposal to establish a parliamentary friendship group with the Polisario militia. The Chairman of the committee, Ricardo Luna, strongly opposed the creation of such a group, recalling that his country has withdrawn recognition of the Polisario in 1996. The decision of the Peruvian congress comes after the authorities of the country declared Polisaio emissary Khadijatou El Mokhtar persona non grata and proceeded to her deportation manu military to Madrid. El Mokhtar was nurturing a false hope of taking the post of the Ambassador of the Algerian-backed militia in Peru, which maintains close friendly ties with Rabat. The decision not to admit El Mukhtar as Ambassador also draws the attention of the international public opinion to the anomaly of establishing diplomatic ties with a separatist entity that threatens regional peace and security in total violation of the UN Charter. Accrediting ambassadors of the self-proclaimed Sahrawi republic is most of all a political biased decision because the entity, based in Tindouf in Southern Algeria, is lacking attributes of the state necessary for UN membership. The increasing withdrawals of recognitions deals the Polisario severe blows. An increasing number of states are coming to terms with viewing the Polisairo as totalitarian organization fed by an ideological anachronism peculiar to the Cold War era. Furthermore, as relic of the cold-war, the Polisario remains obedient and dependent financially and diplomatically on its paymaster Algeria, which uses it to achieve regional hegemony to the detriment of regional stability. Over the last years, support for the Algerian-sponsored separatist thesis in the Moroccan Sahara has been waning, as 43 countries have withdrawn their recognition of the SADR entity out of 80 that previously recognized it in a Cold War context. Schumer and Pelosi are making the most of Trumps bipartisan phase. Photo: Evan Vucci/AP A week ago, congressional leaders met with President Trump at the White House and he shocked Republicans by agreeing to a Democratic proposal to raise the debt limit and fund the government through December. On Wednesday night, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi had dinner with Trump, and emerged with a deal to extend the protections provided by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. At least, thats what the Democrats claim. In a joint statement Pelosi and Schumer said that during a very productive meeting with President Trump, We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package on border security, excluding the wall, thats acceptable to both sides. The White House and Trump personally, in a series of tweets Thursday morning disputes this characterization. The Trump administrations statement called the meeting a positive step toward the presidents strong commitment to bipartisan solutions, and merely listed DACA as one of several issues discussed. Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted that the president did not agree that there would be no funding for the wall, and White House legislative affairs director Marc Short said the Democrats statement was misleading. While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to. Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) September 14, 2017 WH leg affairs director Marc Short calls Dems' DACA statement "misleading," says no deal on DACA or border wall $$ was reached tonight. Rebecca Ballhaus (@rebeccaballhaus) September 14, 2017 Schumers communications director, Matt House, clarified that Trump didnt say he was giving up on the wall, he just wasnt tying it to extending DACA. The President made clear he would continue pushing the wall, just not as part of this agreement. https://t.co/KD1SdLAnIF Matt House (@mattwhouse) September 14, 2017 Democratic House members said Trump made the same point during a bipartisan meeting earlier on Wednesday. He said, the wall doesnt have to be necessary, said Democratic representative Henry Cuellar. He said were going to add [wall funding] somewhere else Weve told him we dont want to tie this [together]. He said, DACA, were going to do it early. Were going to do some kind of border security. He brought up the wall. He said that doesnt have to be on this DACA bill. Early Thursday, Trump tweeted that he actually hasnt reached a deal with Democratic leaders: No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 ...They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 Faced with a fake deadline from conservative attorneys general, last week Trump announced that he would end the Obama-era program offering young immigrants protection from deportation. However, he seemed taken aback by the backlash, and quickly walked back his position. Hours after the official announcement, he said he has great love for Dreamers, and he then undercut his own efforts to spur Congress into action by tweeting that he would revisit the issue in six months if they fail to act. A number of bipartisan bills under consideration would not only save DACA, but would expand it by making the protections law and possibly offering Dreamers a pathway to citizenship. If Trump has agreed to back such legislation, rather than solving his immigration woes, hes created a new backlash from the right. Representative Steve King, who famously suggested the DREAM Act would protect many drug smugglers with cantaloupe-size calves, said the damage to Trumps relationship with his supporters would be irreparable. @RealDonaldTrump If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible. https://t.co/uJjxk6uX5g Steve King (@SteveKingIA) September 14, 2017 And others on the right lamented the possibility that Trump is already betraying his core campaign promise: No wall. DACA enshrined. Trump didn't make a deal w Chuck and Nancy. Trump got screwed by Chuck and Nancy. Trump just screwed his base. Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) September 14, 2017 .@realDonaldTrump will lose his base if he goes down this road. And I don't want to hear "4D chess" nonsense. This is bad. #BuildTheWall https://t.co/qzsrFOGgms John Cardillo (@johncardillo) September 14, 2017 Deep State Wins, Huge Loss for #MAGA No Countrvailing WH Force to Globalists Gary Cohn, Dina Powell, Gen. Kelly, Mark Short @POTUS Betrayed https://t.co/cZzWUlUJw2 Lou Dobbs (@LouDobbs) September 14, 2017 "BUILD THE WALL! BUILD THE WALL!"...or...maybe...not really. Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) September 14, 2017 As Chuck Schumer did with Bubbles Rubio, he is trying to make @realDonaldTrump his bitch. Mr. President, are you Chuck Schumer's bitch? Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) September 14, 2017 Sean Hannity, however, knew whos really to blame: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, who werent even at the dinner: Well Mitch GREAT JOB! You failed so miserably with Healthcare and "excessive expectations" now @POTUS has to deal with Dem Leaders! Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) September 14, 2017 And if @POTUS doesn't keep that promise, and goes for amnesty, it will be the political equivalent or "read my lips, no new taxes" https://t.co/WxBSHYMxv6 Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) September 14, 2017 Weak R's have betrayed voters. @POTUS needs to stay the course and keep his promises or it's over! Pelosi and Schumer can never be trusted. https://t.co/ky0NWvZoBv Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) September 14, 2017 If reports true 100%. I blame R's. They caused this. They wanted him to fail and now pushed him into arms of political suicide--IF TRUE. https://t.co/WTqe6jzfa9 Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) September 14, 2017 Representative Cuellar told the Washington Post that during his meeting with Trump on Wednesday, he told the president that the DREAM Act had enough support to pass and the White House should be pushing for a vote. He says Trump replied, Oh, it will be on the floor. Even before Wednesdays dinner, there was disagreement between Trump and Republican leaders on when the plight of the Dreamers would be addressed. Trump said he expected Congress to act real soon, but Ryan said it would take weeks to hammer out the issue. Of course, Trump doesnt decide what legislation Congress votes on, and before becoming speaker, Paul Ryan promised that he wouldnt allow a vote on any immigration reform measure unless it had the support of a majority of Republicans. But its hard to imagine Ryan taking a bold stand against his partys popular president. A source briefed on the dinner told BuzzFeed they didnt foresee the speaker being an issue: Ryan would have to put that on the floor, but his partys president backs it, so presumably that will be fine, the person said. This post has been updated to include Trumps tweets. Lattice semiconductor. Photo: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images Donald Trumps nationalist instincts on economic matters typically put him at odds with the D.C. Establishment. But on Wednesday, the president executed two significant acts of protectionism, just by following the deep states advice. One of these measures allowed Trump to get tough on China. Canyon Bridge Capital Partners LLC, a private-equity firm with ties to the Chinese state, had been trying to purchase an Oregon-based computer-chip manufacturer called Lattice Semiconductor Corp for nearly a year. But the deal had been held up by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., a regulatory panel comprised of senior officials from the departments of Treasury, Homeland Security, and Defense. The American security state isnt crazy about the idea of the Chinese government stealing our nations computer technology by buying up U.S. firms. And major U.S. corporations dont love the idea of the worlds largest chip market becoming less reliant on imports. Thus, the committee indicated to Lattice that the deal was a no-go. Typically, when companies receive a thumbs-down from the committee, they abandon their plans. Technically, the president can overrule the secretive panels recommendation, but thats never actually happened. Since 1990, only three companies have attempted to secure such a veto, and all failed. This time, however, Lattice thought it might be able to win over Trump by promising that the deal would save American jobs, Bloomberg reports. Trump sided with the Establishment, and now the deal is dead. Officially, the White House opposed the acquisition because the Chinese governments role in supporting this transaction, the importance of semiconductor supply chain integrity to the United States government, and the use of Lattice products by the United States government all represented risks to Americas national security. Meanwhile, the administration is subjecting several other proposed Chinese takeovers of American businesses to heightened scrutiny including the agreement between Chinese conglomerate HNA Group Co. and SkyBridge Capital LLC, a financial company founded by short-lived White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci. Also on Wednesday, the White House dealt a blow to a Russian security-software firm and, possibly, Kremlin spies. Months ago, the General Services Administration, a federal agency that oversees government purchasing, removed the Russian company Kaspersky Lab from its list of approved vendors. The GSA did so out of concern that Kasperskys software might be compromising federal cybersecurity, instead of enhancing it, by providing the Kremlin with backdoor access to the systems its supposed to protect. Earlier today, acting Homeland Security secretary Elaine Duke ordered the governments civilian agencies to identify any Kaspersky Lab software used on their networks and, unless directed otherwise in 90 days, to remove that software. The U.S. government is concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies, and requirements under Russian law that allow Russian intelligence agencies to request or compel assistance from Kaspersky and to intercept communications transiting Russian networks, according to a DHS statement. The risk that the Russian government, whether acting on its own or in collaboration with Kaspersky, could capitalize on access provided by Kaspersky products to compromise federal information and information systems directly implicates U.S. national security. Kaspersky strenuously denies that it has ever helped any government in the world with its cyberespionage or offensive cyber efforts. The company now has about three months to prove that, beyond the Trump administrations reasonable doubts. Tainted glove. Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images President Trump, whos been dealing with smart alecks making fun of his gerbil hands since he was a fixture in Spy magazine, made a show of not being able to fit into a pair of rubber gloves on Thursday, the second time hes done so in as many weeks. During his trip to hurricane-ravaged Naples, Florida, Trump, along with the First Lady, vice-president, and others, passed out lunch to people working to clean up the coastal town. According to the White House pool report, Trump positioned himself behind a tray of sandwiches, where he attempted to put on a pair of rubber gloves. He struggled to fit them over his mitts, declaring, Theyre too small. After the glove on his right hand ripped, Trump decided to recommend hoagies rather than actually pass them out. Heres a nice one, he told one diner. Many members of the Trump administration have been criticized for their incompetence, perhaps no one more than Trump himself, but if theres one person whos clearly doing their job, its the aide who has apparently been tasked with following Trump to disaster zones and replacing all the regular-size rubber gloves with those made for children. It might take an intense investigative hunt to find people in New Jersey who think Christie should go to the Senate if the Menendez seat comes open in 2017. Photo: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images It takes several hypotheticals to get to a scenario where the least popular governor in America, New Jerseys Chris Christie, appoints himself to the United States Senate. First of all, embattled Democratic senator Robert Menendez would have to be convicted in his ongoing corruption trial. Then Menendez would have either to resign (very unlikely) or be expelled (not impossible but tricky) by the Senate before Chris Christie leaves the governorship in January. And technically, even then Christie could not appoint himself: Hed have to resign with the understanding that his lieutenant governor, Kim Guadagno, would ascend to the governorship and then send her mentor to Washington. That adds another variable to the equation: If the Senate opening were to occur before November 7, the 2017 election day in New Jersey, it seems a mite improbable that Guadagno, who as the GOP nominee to succeed Christie has been struggling to separate herself from the incumbent, would choose to indelibly link herself to him until the end of time by giving him a Senate appointment. So lets stipulate its all a very long shot. If it were to happen, however, New Jersey voters would not smile upon the development, according to a new poll from Quinnipiac: Only 3 percent of voters say Gov. Christie should appoint himself as U.S. Senator if Sen. Robert Menendez is forced to leave the Senate. Another 24 percent say Christie should appoint someone else and 68 percent say Christie should wait for the new governor to appoint a Senator to replace Menendez. You dont have to be a data geek to understand that 3 percent approaches the absolute minimum of support a polling proposition can receive, if only because of random response errors. Im not sure Ive ever seen a lower number for anybody or anything. This represents a kind of experiment in combining a bad idea involving an immensely unpopular politician. Governors appointing themselves (or having themselves appointed by hand-picked successors) to the Senate have in eight of nine cases the sole exception being Kentuckys Happy Chandler in 1940 lost the next time they faced voters. And many of them were popular before making the fatal move. But Chris Christie has lost interest in his popularity of late, probably regarding it as the ultimate lost cause. When asked about the possibility of appointing himself to the Senate last month, he responded as though it were a decision that didnt involve him personally: I dont see that happening, he said. I really do believe that some of us are built for executive positions and some of us are built for legislative positions. Not exactly a Sherman Statement, is it? My guess is that if the stars aligned, and Menendez was out of the way and Kim Guadagno was a lame duck who decided shed like to end her career as a governor and knew sending Christie to Washington would be the only way to make that happen, then Christie would look deep within himself and find some previously unknown legislative capacity. Sure, hed be gone by November 2018 at the latest, but hed have a nice resume-enhancer for the rest of his life. Who would have though Trump could be leading the kind of immigration reform effort for which he savaged Marco Rubio? Photo: Getty Images If you step back from all the chaos and erratic presidential behavior surrounding the sorta kinda deal Donald Trump seems to have cut with congressional Democratic leaders that encompasses a new DREAM Act and border security measures, its a very old tale. Deals to legalize undocumented immigrants in exchange for more border security or other steps to tighten the immigration system were the essence of the interminable and ultimately futile stabs at comprehensive immigration reform that failed during the Bush and Obama administrations. In the end, the unwillingness of a significant segment of conservatives in Congress and around the country to accept amnesty killed these efforts. The question now is whether Dreamers are a sufficiently small and sympathetic class of beneficiaries to make a deal less toxic, particularly with Donald Trump, of all people, leading the way. To some extent Trump is playing the same role in this drive for a miniature version of immigration reform that was performed by George W. Bush in 2007 and Marco Rubio in 2013 with respect to larger and more complicated initiatives. Rubios leadership of the so-called Gang of Eight (a bipartisan group of senators supporting comprehensive immigration reform) led to the same ignominious defeat in Congress that Bush experienced eight years earlier, and significantly handicapped his 2016 presidential campaign (even though Rubio spent many months backing away from his earlier positions on immigration). The main difference other than the scope of the bargain is that Trumps predecessors pursued bipartisan initiatives through normal legislative channels, not a sudden oral agreement with leaders of the opposing party over Chinese food at the White House. Lest we forget, Trump assailed Little Marco mercilessly on the 2016 campaign trail for his treacherous role in promoting Obamas amnesty (in addition, of course. to mocking him for wearing heeled boots). But now Trumps in the deal-making catbird seat. To the extent that conservatives take the position long held by former White House Chief Strategist Stephen Bannon, the scope of the deal and even the quid pro quo dont matter: [T]heres no path to citizenship, no path to a green card and no amnesty. Amnesty is non-negotiable, Steve Bannon said to [Charlie] Rose in his first TV interview since departing from the Trump administration and returning to Breitbart News last month. No wonder Bannons Breitbart News is greeting the reported deal with cries of Amnesty Don. And they arent alone: @RealDonaldTrump If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible. https://t.co/uJjxk6uX5g Steve King (@SteveKingIA) September 14, 2017 Trump himself is trying to squirm out of the position hes placed himself in by expressing confusion over the meaning of words like amnesty and citizenship: WH spox: Trump 'will not be discussing amnesty' but will discuss 'legal citizenship over a period of time' Dan Merica (@merica) September 14, 2017 This is, of course, the age-old argument that Trump supporters are accustomed to mocking: attaching conditions to a path to citizenship means its not really amnesty. When Marco Rubio tried this dodge, he was barbecued for it, as this PolitiFact assessment noted: Rubio opposed amnesty while running for Senate in 2010. He flatly said that he would oppose granting blanket, legalization, amnesty in an interview with a conservative blogger. In a CNN debate that year, he again opposed amnesty and linked it to a path to citizenship when he said that an earned path to citizenship is basically code for amnesty and that it would be unfair to create an alternative pathway for individuals who entered illegally and knowingly did so. But in 2013, he was one of eight authors of a Senate bill that included a path to citizenship and declared that it was not amnesty. Trumps apparent flip-flop in the opposite direction is vastly more egregious. In the wake of the deal with Pelosi and Schumer, the Daily Caller quickly identified Sixty-Nine Times Trump Attacked Amnesty. Most notably, in his big immigration policy speech in Arizona last August, Trump not only denounced any approach other than enforcement of current laws as amnesty, but specifically used the a-word to describe DACA, the DREAMer-protecting action he is now endorsing in the form of legislation. Sure, Trump as president is a lot more powerful than Rubio the U.S. Senator, and you can make the Nixon-to-China argument that only someone with Trumps nativist background can pull off the kind of immigration deal that has eluded his predecessors. But George W. Bush was president as well, and was once beloved of his partys conservative base. Its odd Trump would test his supporters fidelity so directly and with so relatively little to gain from it. Little Marco must be very amused today to discover Donald Trump walking in his boots. The State minister of Finance for Privatization and Investment, Evelyn Anite has warned the opposition members of parliament and others opposed to lifting of the presidential age limit that the ruling party has the numbers and the national army on their side. Addressing the media today, the over 18 National Resistance Movement (NRM) MPs said the won't be cowed by threats from the opposition or the general population. On Tuesday, NRM legislators overwhelmingly agreed to start a process for the amendment of Article 102(b) of the Constitution which caps the presidential age at between 35 and 75 years. At least 271 MPs have now endorsed a proposal for a private members bill seeking to lift the age limits. Under the current provision, President Yoweri Museveni would not be eligible to contest for the presidency in 2021, when Ugandans return to the polls. NRM MPs dressed in 'Kick Age Limit Out of the Constitution' t-shirts Born in 1944, Museveni who has ruled Uganda for more than 31 years will hit the limit before the next presidential election. However, the plan mooted by NRM legislators would allow Museveni to contest for the presidency at 77. The NRM MPs' move has drawn angry reactions from opposition MPs, who have threatened not to allow debate of the bill on the floor of parliament once tabled next week as scheduled. NRM MPs say they are ready for the fight. "I want to make it very clear to them again that you can not intimidate a ruling party. Because if you go looking for support, we don't go looking for support. Were the party in government. We have the support of the magyee [army]. I want to make it very clear that weve the support but that is not the martial that we want to use. This is a debate in the house. A member of parliaments role is to do legislation. That is why you see us 'touch' that Constitution. You cannot tell us Togikwatako [do not touch it], when that is my role. So youre telling me; dont do your job", Anite said. Minister Evelyn Anite has warned those against #AgeLimit debate & intimidating NRM MPs, that they have the support of the army #Uganda pic.twitter.com/jNgD1M3kfw The Observer (@observerug) September 14, 2017 Usuk County MP Peter Ogwang, another of the main proponents of the age limits removal, claims he will be glad to die a martyr while fighting for the removal of the provision. He says he does not fear to give the opposition his address, in case they want to fight him. "I want to ask any of them if what were doing is not among the key fundamental principals which are in the Constitution? [If not] Then I would apologise to the country but if what were doing is within the four fundamental principals of the Constitution, then I want to state here categorically state that you stated that you wanted to burn our grandchildren, to kill our children. Actually were ready to provide you with addresses so that you dont have to look for me, you go to my home and do it", he said. This is the first time that NRM MPs have officially come up with a position on the matter, though most of them have been promoting it individually. The move evokes memories of 12 years ago when the 7th parliament voted, on September 30, 2005, to amend Article 105 of the constitution to remove the two-term limit for the president. Opposition members of parliament claim they are going to disorganise the house, and fight the process. The opposition MPs have also vowed to mobilise masses to isolate MPs supporting the amendment. Robinah Nabbanja, a parliamentary commissioner and Kakumiro Woman MP (NRM), says death is meant for everyone and they cannot therefore be threatened by fellow MPs. She says they will stand by their decision to remove age limits no matter what. Although it was much anticipated that a private member would today, Thursday, move a motion introducing the bill seeking to remove the age limits, URN has learnt that the NRM MPs are seeking to present the matter next week after a caucus meeting. Kabula County MP James Kakooza, a proponent of the bill, says that the entire caucus has to agree or disagree with the intended amendment before they can bring it into the house for debate. There has been a debate in Uganda on the possibility of NRM using numerical strength in parliament to push for the removal of age limits to allow President Museveni hold onto power when his current mandate expires in 2021. 'DISHONOURABLE MEANS' Addressing the media today, the Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) a youth wing of the Democratic Party (DP) said little numbers in parliament is not excuse enough for opposition MPs not to fight the age limit amendment bill. The youth said the opposition MPs can now resort to 'dishonourable' means such as tearing up the bill, heckling, standing on table since the majority NRM MPs have taken the 'dishonourable' route of amending the Constitution to favour a single individual, President Museveni. Yesterday, Kampala Central MP, Muhammad Nsereko said they will do anything to stop the debate of the bill from taking place. President Yoweri Museveni recently dismissed the age limit debate as rumours propagated by "people who don't have what to do." "Those debating age limit, what are you debating? Who has brought that proposal? Don't waste your time with people who don't have what to do, I have heard them but I am busy with my work," Museveni told journalists at State House, Entebbe. "I don't have time for speculation," he added. On the last day of summer 2017, Russias Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev held a government session dedicated to the development of the countrys territories in the Arctic. After months of speculation and rumors about significant funding cuts to the Arctic development program, the government pledged to invest RUB160 billion (over U.S.$2.75 billion) by 2025 in the development of the Arctic shelf and the socio-economic needs of the local area. The news broke as Russian Deputy Minister of Energy Kirill Molodtsov revealed plans to increase Arctic oil production by 10 percent up to 730-774 million barrels in 2017. Despite state support, companies that operate in the Russian Arctic likely face significant challenges beyond the often-mentioned remoteness of the area, harsh climate, high operational costs, and the need for sophisticated technologies. Companies interested in developing the Arctics hydrocarbons often battle bureaucratic hurdles, political exposure, patronage, lobbying and power struggles between different elite groups known to pursue their own agenda. Impact Points While Prime Minister Medvedev invited Russias businesses to more actively participate in Arctic exploration in the form of state private partnerships, key energy players in the Arctic appear to remain in opposition to the idea. Russias Arctic rush should be monitored, as it is likely to showcase the arsenal informal mechanisms the Kremlin and state-owned companies use to promote their agenda. Background After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia largely abandoned its Arctic development programs. However, with its conventional oil reserves in its production heartlands gradually depleting, Russia has long had its eye on the Arctic as a key growth area in terms of oil production. The governments interest in exploring the Arctics hydrocarbon resource potential was translated into action after the release of a widely quoted U.S. Geological Survey in 2009. The survey found that the Arctic held 30 percent of the worlds undiscovered gas and 13 percent of the worlds undiscovered oil. More importantly, over 60 percent of the Arctics undiscovered hydrocarbons were expected to be found in Russia, mostly offshore within its exclusive economic zone. Related: Is Russia Pushing Saudi Arabia Out Of Asia? The Kremlin pledged to convert the Arctic into a strategic resource base, and declared the Arctics energy reserves a security guarantee for the future domestic development and international reputation of the country. Normally this means two things for companies: (1) relative long-term certainty for corporate operations and, of course, (2) state support, both financial and political, in most cases with no strings attached. Now this support has obtained a more tangible shape. While the state will continue pushing for the development of Arctic resources, much of the funding is expected to come from private sources in the form of state-private partnership. Access for the Few There is consensus between the Russian government and the oil and gas industry that development of hydrocarbon reserves in Russias frontier regions, particularly the Arctic, would be impossible without support from the state. To encourage energy companies to invest in development projects, especially in the offshore Arctic, the Russian government introduced financial incentives like preferential tax breaks and deduction of research and exploration costs from taxable profits. However, these perks arent available to everyone. Despite the difficult operating conditions, many energy companies recognized the resource potential of the Arctic and expressed their interest in obtaining exploration licenses for the Arctic shelf. The ultimate goal for companies: reserve replacement and new production to offset declining output from their brownfields. However, their ambitions were contested by state-owned Rosneft and Gazprom, both of whom have been de facto monopolists of the Arctic shelf for almost a decade. In 2008, the Russian government approved amendments to the Federal Law on Subsoil Use which restricted access to the Arctic shelf to companies that are majority owned by the state, and have worked on the shelf for at least 5 years. That meant that any company would have to partner up with Rosneft or Gazprom to acquire access to the Arctic shelf. Executives of Rosneft and Gazprom argued that privately-owned companies would not be able to afford to explore the Arctic. But strictly speaking, that wasnt true. At least one privately-owned company, LUKOIL, had the necessary capital, experience and technologies, having operated offshore, including on the Norwegian continental shelf. Lobbyism Against Liberalization The amendments were likely a strategic move made by Igor Sechin and Alexei Miller, the respective CEOs of Rosneft and Gazprom, who wanted to secure control over what was perceived as a new oil and gas El Dorado. By 2015, Rosneft and Gazprom controlled almost 80 percent of the Arctic shelf, with many exploration licenses received without auctions and tendersinferred privileged access. The remaining 20 percent were yet to be distributed. Such protectionism has inevitably hampered the speed of development of hydrocarbons in the Arctic, with low oil prices and limited financial resources meaning that neither Rosneft nor Gazprom have been able to meet their exploration license commitments. Although liberalization of the shelf was supported by both privately-owned energy players and public officialsincluding Minister of Energy Aleksandr Novak and Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology Sergei Donskoyany attempts to liberalize access have failed due to the successful lobbying efforts of Rosneft and Gazprom. Both companies are energy industry heavyweights that are known to have used their political ties and access to informal mechanisms (including manipulation of the legal and regulatory environment) to pursue their business goals. In 2012, the CEOs of LUKOIL and Bashneft, and the then-executive director of TNK-BP, wrote a letter to President Putin requesting to ease access to the resources of the Arctic shelf to help fulfil the state programme for the development of the continental shelf. In response, Sechin and Miller wrote letters to the President opposing the liberalisation initiative. Igor Sechin even threatened to claim compensation from the government should the liberalization initiative translate into practice. Putin reacted immediately by demanding that the State grant Rosneft and Gazprom the exploration licenses they requested. In 2015, the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources, with the support of the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Economic Development, made another attempt to liberalize access to the Arctic shelf. Western sanctions against Russia following its involvement in the Ukrainian crisis resulted in the foreign partners of Rosneft and Gazprom leaving the Arctic, taking funding and technologies with them. Naturally, this led to a further slowing of Arctic exploration. To address the issue, in April 2015, the Ministry of Natural Resources temporarily postponed granting exploration licenses for the Arctic shelf and suggested to use the Norwegian model of developing the shelf, in which energy companies that intended to obtain licences formed consortiums approved by the state. Sergei Donskoy also proposed to stop granting exploration licenses to state-owned companies without auctions. However, the initiative was strongly opposed by Rosneft, who accused the Ministry of Natural Resources of lobbying the interests of privately owned oil companies. Rosnefts official representative Mikhail Leontiyev even claimed that the proposed initiative was developed specifically to favour LUKOIL. Unsurprisingly, the initiative was never approved. The Power Plays Continue Private energy companies are not the only subjects of the power struggles vis-a-vis the Arctics hydrocarbons. The fierce competition between Rosneft and Gazprom, which frequently dispute each others claims for license blocks on the Arctic shelf, led to a race in bids for exploration licenses. At the same time, the two companies often failed to meet their obligations for developing the blocks they already had. In August 2016, the Ministry of Natural Resources imposed a moratorium that suspended new licenses rounds on the shelf until at least 2020. However, it looks like Rosneft has yet again found a way to counteract the government through lobbying and its CEOs access to the President. In July 2017, after Rosnefts first oil discovery in the Laptev Sea on the Eastern Arctic shelf, Igor Sechin wrote a letter to Vladimir Putin suggesting restarting license rounds, and to conduct tender auctions for the license block near its oil discovery. Importantly, Sechin suggested that successful candidates should already hold an exploration license on the Arctic shelf. The President yet again supported Sechins suggestion. It is likely that the requirement was aimed at shutting LUKOIL out of the auction. Rosneft and Gazprom are the only holder of exploration licenses on the Arctic shelf. However, the license blocks in question, Khara-Tumus and Beregichevsky, are located onshore not far from LUKOILs East-Taimyr oilfield; and thus could potentially be interesting for the privately owned company. LUKOIL went through many hardships to secure a license to explore the East Taimyr oilfield, which was contested by Rosneft. Rosneft planned to monopolize control over the area by acquiring licenses to explore the East Taimyr field as well as the fields in the neighboring waters of the Laptev Sea and the Khatanga bay. Related: The $10 Trillion Resource North Korea Can't Tap When LUKOIL won the East Taimyr license, Rosneft decided to dispute the decision in court, which ruled in LUKOILs favor. Yet one detail marred the effect of LUKOILs victory over Rosneft: the total price it paid for the license was 600 times higher than the tender starting price. LUKOIL seems to have learned its lesson, and has, for now, abandoned further attempts to acquire licenses on the Russian Arctic shelf. Instead, it has focused on participating in shelf projects abroad. For example, in May 2016, Norway awarded LUKOIL a 20 percent stake in a license block at the Fedynsky High along the Norwegian-Russian maritime border. The situation vis-a-vis the development of the Arctics resource potential represents an interesting paradox. On the one hand, the Prime Minister calls for private investors to take the financial burden of sponsoring Arctic energy projects of the state. On the other, the key state-controlled energy players in the Arctic have made it clear that private companies are unwelcome in the High North. Instead, privately owned energy companies appear to be switching their focus to developing reserves abroad, where there is less patronage and fewer bureaucratic hurdles. The Kremlin should make a clear difference between its strategic development goals and the personal agendas of energy sector power players if it really wants to see its sky-high Arctic ambitions become a reality. By Shadow Governance Intel More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: OPEC and Russia are coordinating the first joint OPEC/non-OPEC deal to curb oil output since 2001, but the apparent unity in the face of lower-for-longer oil prices doesnt disguise the fact that the cartel and Russia have separate agendas for production, expansion, and global market shares. Earlier this week, in its latest Monthly Oil Market Report, OPEC revised down its forecast for Russias oil supply growth by 70,000 bpd for 2018. This means an anticipated net increase of 60,000 bpd for Russias oil output in 2018. OPEC didnt change its forecast for Russias quarterly oil supply at 10.98 million bpd for 3Q17, 4Q17 and 1Q18, assuming production of 300,000 bpd below October levels. This leads to expectations of 30,000 bpd growth this year, when OPEC projects average Russian production at 11.12 million bpd. The expected growth figures are a tiny fraction of the production of the worlds biggest oil producer. Non-OPEC Russia, like OPECs de facto leader Saudi Arabia and most of the other cartel members, entered the joint deal at a very high level of production, which took much of the sting out of the cuts. In the last quarter of 2016, Russias production hit a post-Soviet era high, while year over year in 2016, production grew to 10.96 million bpd, from 10.72 million bpd in 2015. Russias pledge in the OPEC/non-OPEC deal is to shave off 300,000 bpd from the October 2016 level, which was the highest in almost 30 years. Related: OPEC Production Falls Despite A Dip In Compliance Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia committed to cut nearly 500,000 bpd (486,000 bpd, to be precise) and is fulfilling its promise. In the first months of the deal, it was eager to show the market that it was leading by example and over-complying with the cuts. But a few months later, exasperated by non-complying OPEC members, the persisting glut, and the lower-than-expected oil prices, and faced with higher oil demand at home in the summer, Saudi Arabia abandoned the overcompliance and is now merely complying. Russia is also complying with its promises. The energy ministrys website features a statement by Energy Minister Alexander Novak that said in August 2017, Russia had cut 344,900 bpd from its October level. Russias oil production last month dropped to a one-year low, to 10.91 million bpd from 10.95 million bpd in July, due to Gazprom Neft suspending output at Russias only Arctic production platform to carry out maintenance. In the winter months, it was severe Siberian weather that helped Russia cut its production. Then there was the spring maintenance at some fields, and now its the Arctic maintenance. So Russias oil producers are not shouldering the whole 300,000 bpd of cuts; maintenance schedules also help Russia boast conformity with the deal, cutting from record high production levels. But while its leading the non-OPEC nations party in the production cut pact, Russia hasnt abandoned its plans to continue to pursue Arctic exploration, and has not given up on boosting its market share in the biggest demand growth nationsoil-hungry China and India. Developing its Arctic resources is one of the priorities in Russias energy policy for the medium and long term. Despite the Western sanctions that prohibit the export of goods that might help Russias biggest oil firms to develop Arctic offshore projects, the Russian companies continue their exploration. The biggest oil producer, Rosneft, struck first oil in the Laptev Sea in the Eastern Arctic in June. Just recently, Russia signed a strategic deal with the somewhat mysterious CEFC China Energy Company for the joint development of oil and gas projects in Siberia. Last week, CEFC China Energy Company also bought a 14.16 percent stake in Rosneft from Glencore and Qatar Investment Authority. Related: Can Putin Bring Peace To The Korean Peninsula? Last year, Russia overtook Saudi Arabia as Chinas biggest supplier of crude oil, thanks in large part to increased demand from independent refineries. And now Russia is securing more oil trade with China as part of the CEFC-Rosneft deal, further solidifying its top-supplier spot and poaching Saudi Arabias coveted market share. Russia claims that it can live forever on US$40 oil, and Rosneft is preparing for such levels next year. Meanwhile OPEC hopes for oil prices at around US$60 per barrel in order to bring balance to budgets. Even if OPECs estimate for Russias oil output growth next year of just 60,000 bpd turns out to be accurate, Russias strategic push for deals with Asia to sell its oil would leave it much less scathedif at allby the OPEC/non-OPEC production cut deal, regardless of whether its extended beyond March 2018. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: A BP-led consortium today inked an extension to its production sharing agreement with the Azeri government for the development of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli oil field group until 2050, BP said in a press release. The contract was Azerbaijans first offshore oil production sharing agreement with Western majors, and was originally due to expire in 2024. It was signed 23 years ago, and since then the consortium has invested US$33 billion in the fields development and has extracted 440 million tons of crude oil, or 3.2 billion barrels. In the next 32 years, investments could reach US$40 billion, BP said. First oil from the ACG blocks flowed in 1997. In the first half if 2017, the average daily output from the field stood at 585,000 barrels. There are six production platforms in the ACG block at the moment, and two processing ones. The consortium is considering the addition of one more production platform as well, BP said in the press release. BP and its partners spent more than US$230 million on operating expenditure and some US$601 million in capital expenditure on ACG activities between January and June this year, BP said last month. Related: Is Russia Pushing Saudi Arabia Out Of Asia? The Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli block is the biggest oil formation in Azerbaijan. Since the signing of the initial contract, state revenues from its development have reached $125 billion, the president of the state oil company, SOCAR, said. Now, as part of the extension deal, Baku will also receive a one-off bonus payment of US$3.6 billion. The consortium that develops the field includes, besides BP as operator, also SOCAR, Japanese Inpex and Itochu, Turkish Petroleum, Statoil, Exxon, Chevron, and Indian ONGC Videsh. The extension involved a reshuffle in the stakeholding, with SOCAR increasing its share in the consortium to 25 percent from 11.65 percent and BP cutting its own from 35.8 percent to 30.37 percent. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Japans biggest refiner has just imported two of Angolas crude grades for the first time in three years in a move that non-traditional buyers of Angolan oil like Japan could replicate soon, due to the narrow spreads that now exist between Brent and Dubai, and to lower freight rates, Platts reported on Thursday, citing industry sources. This month, JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy imported a very large crude carrier (VLCC) loaded with Angolas Cabinda and Kissanje grades, the first Japanese import of the Cabinda variety since 2012 and the first such acquisition of Kissanje since 2014. In May this year, Idemitsu imported 998,135 barrels of the Girassol crude grade, the first such import since April 2012, and the most recent Japanese import of Angolan oil before JXTG Nippon Oil & Energys delivery this month. The narrowing quality spread between low-sulfur varieties and the Middle Easts high-sulfur grades has made low sulfur grades more appealing economically to non-traditional buyers of West African crudes in the East, sources told Platts. I dont see [Japan] overly active in the market but theres been an odd cargo here or there, one West African crude trader told Platts, while another described JXTGs latest acquisition as likely opportunistic. Due to narrower spreads between the Brent and Dubai benchmarks, and to lower prices amid rising refining margins, West African oil grades have become more competitive over the past month, and spot demand has picked up. Related: The $10 Trillion Resource North Korea Can't Tap Asian demand for grades other than those from the Middle East has increased overall, not only for West African crude, with cargoes from the U.S., Latin America, and South America also managing to sell well, according to Platts. Meanwhile, Angolas oil exports are expected to hit a 13-month high of 1.7 million bpd in October, Reuters reported last month, citing a loading program. Angolas September cargoes sold very well due to robust demand in Asia, lower Venezuelan exports, and rising refining margins. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Houthi leader Abdel-Malek al-Houthi said his rebel alliance would begin attacking Saudi oil tankers should the Kingdom begin an offensive against the key Yemeni port of Hodeidah, according to a new report by Reuters. We could target Saudi oil tankers and we could do anything, we have not done this before, he said. The speech, which was televised across the Houthi leaders territory, added that Yemeni missiles could reach the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi, as well as anywhere in Saudi Arabia, though Reuters reports that the groups technical capability to enforce such a threat is questionable. Abdel Malek insisted that Yemen fired a test missile towards Abu Dhabi earlier this month. The UAE is no longer safe for the countrys citizens, the leader said. Two years of civil war between Houthi rebels and Saudi-backed President Abdrabbuh Hadi has left Yemens economy wrecked. The KSA is on a mission to evict the Houthis from cities they had captured back in 2014 and 2015. Today the port of Hodeidah is being threatened and we cannot turn a blind eye to that, Abdel Malek said. If the Saudi regime and with a green light from the U.S. attack Hodeidah then we have to take steps that we havent taken before. Related: Super Critical Coal Shortage Sends India Scrambling For NatGas Humanitarian relief efforts to a Yemeni population facing a cholera outbreak and widespread famine have been thwarted by political efforts to control the Hodeidah port. The United Nations wants the port to become a neutral zone so that 80 percent of Yemens food imports can arrive without uncertainty. Hadi believes the Houthis are using their power over Hodeidah to smuggle weapons from Iran and to charge illegal customs duties to fund their regime. The rebels continue to deny these allegations to maintain the legitimacy of their operation. By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Iranian and Syrian media have reported the signing, by officials from the two countries, of several agreements that would allow Iran to improve the production and distribution of electricity in war-torn Syria. One agreement reportedly includes the building of a 540-megawatt power plant in the Latakia province, while another targets the restoration of the main control center of Syrias power grid in the capital, Damascus. A third agreement reportedly lays the groundwork for Iranian power supply to Aleppo city, which the Syrian military and its allies retook last year. Mounting talk of reconstruction comes as the Syrian army is said to be making consistent progress in recent months in wresting control of cities and towns from Islamic State (ISIS). Last week, the Syrian Arab Army staged an offensive to recapture oil-rich areas of the Al-Raqqa governorate that had fallen to ISIS. This area is home to the Jararih oilfield near Salaam Alaykum village, a military report said. An attack by Syrian President Bashar al-Assads military eliminated ISIS elements from the field in late August. Prior to that, Syrias army advanced against ISIS forces in the central Homs province, and has encircled terrorists in the al-Hael oilfield near the ancient city of Palmyra. At the beginning of this year, Iran and Syria signed five memorandums of understanding (MoU), one of them relating to the construction of oil and gas storage facilities and terminals in Syria. Another plan in the discussion phase would see Iran export electricity to Syria, hooking up Irans national grid to the national grids of both Iraq and Lebanon. Related: How Will Venezuela Deal With A PDVSA Default? The recent spate of agreements is being interpreted as a nod of Iranian support for the Assad-led government and Syrian political initiatives. These agreements are in line with agreements that were in force or sealed years ago. In May 2013, Iran agreed to provide Syria with a $3.6 billion credit line to imports goods and commodities. Iranian firms are already involved in a series of electricity generation projects. By Damir Kaletovic for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Seadrill Limited filed for bankruptcy protection on Wednesday after the companys senior officials figured out a strategy to inject the company with $1 billion in new funds, according to a new report by Bloomberg. Billionaire John Fredriksen controls the company, but the venture is deeply in debtdebt which will now not mature until 2020. If lower-ranking lenders join in, it could raise $2.3 billion in unsecured bonds, which could convert to a maximum of a 15 percent equity stake in the offshore driller. The deal gives us a great liquidity cushion, allowing Seadrill to survive the mother of all downturns, CEO Anton Dibowitz told Bloomberg over the phone. Fredriksens investment company, Hemen Holding Ltd., along with Centerbridge Partnerswould together supply the new $1 billion in capital, which would consist of $860 million in secured notes and $200 million in equity. So far, 40 percent of bondholders and 97 percent of the companys secured lenders support the plan. If the plan works, Seadrill should be out of Chapter 11 in six to nine months, by which time investors and oil experts expect oil prices to be closer to recovery. We are excited to invest alongside Hemen, Jed Hart of Centerbridge Partners Europe, which will be in the restructuring deal, said in an email. We view Seadrill as a high-quality, global business with a top-tier employee base that will be well positioned when the industry recovers. Related: OPEC Unfazed By Falling U.S. Oil Demand Other analysts are concerned that the Chapter 11 process will be difficult, reducing the likelihood that existing stakeholders will benefit from the deal to any great extent. We see significant risk of the final words not being said yet and the Chapter 11 process might be a long and painful process, analysts said in a note by Clarksons Platou Securities AS. By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Whats been dubbed the biggest IPO in history, Saudi Aramcos 5-percent listing, could take place later than initially planned, sources familiar with the deal told Bloomberg. The sources did not go into detail as to what could delay the listing but, as Bloomberg notes, there are still several issues to be settled ahead of the listing, which was originally scheduled for the second half of 2018. To begin with, Aramco has yet to announce the location of its secondary listing, which would be abroad. At the moment, the London Stock Exchange is the frontrunner for the deal, after the UKs financial markets watchdog decided to tweak its listing rules to accommodate the Saudi company. However, this had led to a backlash from corporate governance groups and members of parliament, questioning the motivation behind the FCAs proposal to add a special category for Aramco in its premium listing rules. These require the listing of at least 25 percent, which is far from what Aramco plans to list. The decision on the secondary listing will likely come in October. The companys valuation is also turning into a problem. Riyadh has valued its state oil company at between US$1 and US$2 trillion, but external estimates peg the companys worth much lower. The valuation of Aramco is directly tied to oil prices, so any new rout could deal a severe blow to Riyadhs hopes for a windfall from the IPO a windfall it needs to plug its budget hole and fund the ambitious Vision 2030 diversification program. If the US$2-trillion valuation becomes a reality, the IPO could bring in US$100 billion, which would make Aramcos IPO the biggest in history, beating Chinese Alibabas US$25-billion IPO. The chances of this happening, however, are slim, given the oil price environment and Aramcos reputation as one of the opaquest companies in the industry. Investors are bound to be wary of this opacity, even though Riyadh is putting a lot of effort into making Aramco more transparent. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Nawaz Sharif did receive salary as chairman of Capital FZE: SC The documents provided by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) looking into the Sharif family's businesses show that Nawaz Sharif did receive salary as the chairman of Capital FZE, said the Supreme Court judges on Thursday while hearing the review petitions against the Panama verdict. The five-judge bench that decided upon the Panama case, headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, continued hearing the review petitions filed by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his children and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar against the July 28 judgement. The bench also comprises justices Gulzar Ahmed, Ejaz Afzal, Azmat Saeed and Ijazul Ahsan. Justice Ejaz Afzal said that the employment agreement stated that a salary of 10,000 dirhams had been set for Sharif. "The JIT documents tell us that Sharif had an account to receive the salary," said Justice Ahsan, adding that according to the findings, [Sharif's] first salary was drawn on August 01, 2013. Senior counsel Khawaja Haris, representing Nawaz Sharif, said that although his client was not backtracking from the employment agreement, he did not have a bank account for the purpose. "The question is, how can the court accept verbally that Nawaz Sharif did not receive the salary?" questioned Justice Afzal, adding that a statement could not be accepted without scrutiny under the law of evidence. Not every salary constitutes is an asset, Haris argued, adding that a salary is either in cash or deposited into bank. "If a person eats a burger from an amount of money, the asset would belong to the burger-seller," Justice Saeed observed. The counsel said he had been unable to find any precedents in which the court had applied Article 62(1)(f) to disqualify a public representative for not disclosing assets. The consitution does not specify the life-time limit of disqualification under Article 62, he claimed. "Sharif did not merit disqualification only on the basis that although he had not withdrawn salary [from Capital FZE], it still consituted an asset [due to being a receivable]," he said. The counsel contended that references could not be filed against the Sharif family on the basis of the JIT report, which he said was "incomplete". "We did not issue the verdict in light of the JIT report," Justice Afzal responded, adding that court does not accept the report as credible evidence. He said the petitioners have the full right of defence in the accountability court. The SC verdict of July 28 would not become a hindrance if some new revelation came on record during the trial, observed Justice Afzal. 'Disqualified for life?' During Wednesday's hearing, the heated debate on whether disqualification under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution is for life briefly surfaced in the apex court. The issue cropped up when Justice Afzal asked Haris to cite a precedent for permanent disqualification, when such a decision was handed down under Article 62(1)(f). Article 62(1)(f) is a new insertion in the Constitution, with its own implications and connotations that have far-reaching effects, Justice Afzal had said, expressing the desire to hear out the counsel. The issue came up when Haris asked why the apex court had handed down a lasting disqualification against his client in the Panama Papers case for merely receiving a salary as the chairman of Capital FZE, bypassing a fair trial without giving him the benefit of an appeal. This was done even though the petitioners never highlighted Capital FZE in their petition, he had said. Three suspects have been arrested by the Agona Nkwanta Police in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region for robbing the Ghana Rubber Estate Limited (GREL), on Tuesday The three are said to have raided the chemical store of the company on Tuesday dawn and made away with a quantity of chemicals, spraying equipment and other farm imputs. The suspects, Kwadwo Bentum, 20, Justice Adiyia, 20, and Nicholas Nartey,19, were arrested by the police at Abaase while escaping with some of the stolen items. Apart from the items found on them, three boxes of motor spraying machines, two boxes of wellington boots, 11 boxes of agro insecticides, three machetes and 30 bottles of Caprofix Afro chemicals were retrieved from a bush at Tumatu. The Western Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Olivia Ewurabena Adiku, confirmed the story to the Ghanaian Times. The police PRO said a security officer at GREL, Thomas Andoh, reported to the Abura Police that at about 2am, seven armed men, wearing masks and wielding machetes, attacked him while on duty at the companys chemical store, tied him with rope and stole quantity of assorted items. ASP Adiku said the various units were alerted about the crime, following which, Bentum, Adiyiah and Nartey were arrested the same day at Abbase with some of the stolen items. She said that Nartey was first grabbed, leading to the arrest of the others. ASP Adiku said the police retrieved some of the stolen items, including the spraying machines, wellington boots and chemicals from Tumantu in the Bamiankor corridor. Suspects are currently in custody at the Agona Nkwanta Police command while efforts are being made to arrest the other four, she said. Source: The Ghanaian Times Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video " " Residents of Denmark are consistently ranked among the happiest in the world. LeoPatrizi/Getty Images Denmark is famous for being the "happiest country in the world." Its stereotype is that of a semi-socialist paradise where healthcare is free, students are paid by the government to go to college, and the national pastime is cuddling in front of a roaring fire with a glass of red wine and a good book. In 2017, Denmark was bumped from the top spot in the World Happiness Report by neighboring Norway, but Danes have ranked No. 1 in happiness for three of the past five years. Nordic countries have ruled the world happiness rankings since the first World Happiness Report came out in 2012, and this year is no different. All five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) ranked in the top 10 based on six key criteria: freedom, generosity, health, social support, income and trustworthy governance. Even though GDP is higher in the United States than all Nordic countries, Americans are still only the 14th happiest people on the planet. Advertisement So why exactly are those LEGO-playing, pastry-eating Danes winning the happiness race? We reached out to Helen Russell, author of The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country, to get the scoop from a lifelong Londoner who moved to Denmark five years ago and fell unexpectedly for its stoic, comfort-loving culture. Here are Russell's five reasons why Danes are happier than you. Michael Goot night and weekend editor Follow Michael Goot Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today As you may or may not have heard Common Core is out and the Next Generation Learning Standards are in. The Board of Regents on Monday approved the changes to the English and math standards following a two-year process to get input from educators, parents and other interested parties including more than 4,000 public comments. This came on the heels of criticism that the Common Core standards were not developmentally appropriate and too difficult. State officials say the new standards will still be high. The standards we adopted today continue to be rigorous, to challenge New Yorks students to do more and to prepare them for life in the 21st century, said Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa in a news release. Throughout the entire process, we worked collaboratively and transparently, receiving valuable input from educators and parents, as well as experts in teaching English language learners, students with disabilities and our youngest learners. And we will continue to listen as the standards are implemented. We are committed to getting this right for our kids and evolving the standards over time as necessary to do that. State tests will not be based on the new standards until the spring of 2021 to give teachers time to undergo professional development. Among some of the changes are to ensure that play is incorporated into the classroom in the early grades and to spell out and clarify the reading expectations at each grade level. Changes to the math standards include clearly delineating the high school courses that cover certain standards. Hopefully, the expectations remain high for students. It is important to set lofty goals. The state education Department will work with local superintendents, school districts, teachers and staff to implement the new standards. FORT EDWARD A farm worker who is in the U.S. illegally has been indicted on three charges for alleged sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl earlier this summer. Ricardo Barajas-Suarez, 33, was charged with first-degree criminal sexual act, second-degree criminal sexual act and first-degree sexual abuse in an indictment handed up by a Washington County grand jury. The charges accuse him of sexually assaulting the teen in a home in southern Washington County, near a farm where he had been working. He was charged with a single criminal sexual act count in July after an investigation by State Police from the Greenwich station. State Police were called after the girl, with whom the defendant was acquainted, ran from her room screaming about the attack, authorities said. She suffered no apparent physical injuries, police said. Police said Barajas-Suarez is a native of Mexico who had been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Washington County last November when he was found to have overstayed a work visa, but he was released a short time later because he did not meet the (federal) administration requirements for deportation at the time, officials said. State Police did not identify the farm where Barajas-Suarez or the other immigrants who were detained during the investigation had been working. Barajas-Suarez has pleaded not guilty to the indictment and is being held in Washington County Jail pending further court action. He faces up to 32 years in state prison. A fundraiser motorcycle ride and dinner will be held Sunday for a Saratoga County sheriff's officer who is battling cancer. The event will raise money to help Deputy Andrew Gravelle with bills as he fights cancer. The ride will start at Abeel's Restaurant in Ballston Spa at 11:30 a.m., with registration beginning at 10 a.m. at the Rock City Road eatery. The ride will be followed by a 2 p.m. buffet meal at Abeel's. Tickets are $20. For more information, email abeelsrestaurant@yahoo.com. Gravelle, 33, has been partially paralyzed by a cancerous growth on his spine. Post-Star newspartner NewsChannel 13 filed this report on his battle earlier this week. LAKE GEORGE The 24-foot-long canoe sculpture has such impressive detail, it looks it could float on Lake George instead of merely sitting on a site that overlooks the lake. The sculpture by Paul Stark depicts five American Indians paddling a canoe with colonial frontiersman and British soldier Robert Rogers, who wrote his Rules of Ranging while stationed at Fort Edward. It was officially unveiled Thursday during a brief ceremony at the site near the dock in front of Fort William Henry. Dignitaries, friends and interested onlookers gathered. The project was the brainchild of Lake George residents Kim and Rod Cornelius, who had hired Stark to do some art at their house when he shared his dream of creating a sculpture to honor the regions history in the French and Indian War. About $80,000 was collected in donations to pay for the sculpture, including contributions from the town and village of Lake George. Stark began the project in late May and completed it in late August. He said he was proud of the finished product. It feels very good, he said. Im really happy with it, he added. The eastern white pine tree used for the sculpture was 29 feet long and weighed 14,000 pounds before Stark started carving. He modeled his depiction of Rogers after paintings and tried to design the American Indians wearing traditional outfits. He created the heads with somewhat exaggerated expressions. I want it to come to life somehow, he said. The French and Indian War Society provided assistance with assuring the historical correctness of the figures. Parts of the sculpture that jut out are reinforced with steel beams inside. Stark said he hopes his sculpture encourages other artists to create more. The most difficult part of the process was finding the tree, according to Rod Cornelius. It was donated by Steve Dubvrosky of Bethel, developer of the 4,500-acre Chapin Estate. They actually cut down four or five trees before they found one that wasnt rotted in the middle, Cornelius said. Village Mayor Robert Blais said he was initially skeptical about the Corneliuses dream. They proved him wrong. With determination, perseverance and dedication to what they believed and what they know they love Lake George they were able to pull this magnificent project off, he said. Its very attractive, said town Supervisor Dennis Dickinson. It will be a real draw for people who are really interested in the history; and thats what were all about in Lake George, is history. Gina Mintzer, executive director of the Lake George Chamber of Commerce and Convention Visitors Bureau, thanked Stark for interpreting history so artfully and said the sculpture will be a treasure for the region. Thousands of visitors will make that their monumental photograph when they come here, she said. Blais said the village is going to put a roof over the sculpture to protect it. Rod Cornelius said the sculpture depicts a bloody time in American history. Its the principal reason that Im probably speaking English rather than French now, he said. He added that a general named John Stark no relation to Paul was trained under Rogers and learned his method of fighting. Kim Cornelius thanked Stark for giving her 15-year-old son Tyler a chance to help with the project and learn about wood carving. She said this project is not the end of public art. She and her husband have created a nonprofit organization called Lake George Historical Arts Council. We hope to be able to assist the Lake George village and the town with historical artwork in future years to come, she said. The Albany County man accused of ripping off a local church may face federal charges as State Police hear from other potential victims from around the Northeast, authorities said. Since Joseph J. Viscusis arrest was publicized Monday, State Police have heard from church representatives and businesses from around the Capital Region as well as Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and western New York. They also have learned that he had been using the tragic 2016 death of 12-year-old Greenwich boy Connor McLaughlin from a falling rock while hiking to try to convince church leaders to help him. He had no connection to the death, but when trying to solicit donations has told some churches that his son Connor from Greenwich died when hit by a rock while hiking, police said. He has been getting checks from churches all around the Northeast, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, said State Police Investigator David Mosher, who is heading the inquiry Viscusi, 61, of Coeymans, was arrested late last week on a misdemeanor scheme to defraud count for allegations he lied to convince the clergy at St.Josephs Church in Greenwich to give him $225, but police believe he has raked in thousands of dollars from churches all over the Northeast in recent years by giving church leaders false tales of woe. Many of the church victims had the checks they gave Viscusi made out to the businesses with which he claimed he had debts, such as for car repairs or insurance, Mosher said. They would not issue checks to him personally or to cash. One car repair business in Rensselaer County reported getting checks from 12 different churches around the Northeast from Viscusi to pay off his repair bill. One church that contacted police indicated it had made a $56 check out to a car insurance company after getting one of Viscusis requests, police said. State Police have heard from churches in Schuylerville, Colonie and Schenectady that were apparently victimized locally, and they believe there are others that he visited as well. Possible victims outside the region have come forward after a Catholic news website posted information about the case, Mosher said. Viscusi was also prosecuted in Massachusetts for a similar scheme in 2014, but charges were dropped amid concerns about his mental health, authorities said. Mosher said State Police believe there is enough evidence to elevate the misdemeanor charge to a felony, and they plan to check with the U.S. Attorneys Office to see if a federal prosecution of Viscusi is possible under the allegations. Anyone with information in the case is asked to call Mosher at 518-692-3016. Viscusi is free on his own recognizance and was represented at his arraignment last week by the Washington County Public Defenders Office. Public Defender Michael Mercure could not be reached Thursday. QUEENSBURY A poll worker made a key mistake Tuesday night by handing the wrong ballot to a voter. But by the time he realized his error, the ballot had been fed into the machine, and it was too late to replace it. The ballot that was supposed to be cast was the only ballot for the Womens Equality Party line in Tuesdays primary. Without that ballot, the official record shows that no ballots were cast for that party. Luckily, three members of the party filed absentee ballots, so the party will be on the general election ballot with a candidates name. (Queensbury supervisor candidate Rachel Seeber believes those absentees are for her, although they wont be opened and counted until next week.) But the mistake raised questions about the primary voting process. In a different election, that one mistaken ballot could have made the difference in a race. Thank God it wont change the outcome in this race, said Warren County Board of Elections Commissioner Bill Van Ness. But he still called the state Board of Elections to ask for help. Theres nothing we can do, he said, adding that the mistake was discovered while the voter was still in the room. The poll worker immediately took responsibility for it, Van Ness said. But an inquiry quickly found that there was no way to rectify it. She was not allowed to get another ballot. The problem is, it had been fed into the machine, he said. Its impossible to get the ballot back, at that point, and voters cannot vote twice. If the mistake had potentially changed the outcome of a race, Van Ness said, theyd all be heading to court to sort it out. Hes not sure what would happen then. Now they will use the experience to double-down on their poll worker training. They were already aware of the potential for error, particularly in primaries, where two different ballots are sometimes on the same table, handled by one set of poll workers. We train heavily on it for primaries, said Warren County Board of Elections Commissioner Beth McLaughlin. They were supposed to have the poll books with the ballots underneath. She doesnt plan to separate primaries in the future, which would be a costly endeavor as each different location would need to be staffed by poll workers. Instead, shell focus on training. We just have to stress this, she said. The commissioners had deliberately decided to put the Womens Equality Party with the Conservative and Republican primaries to protect voters privacy. Three of the six party members had already voted by absentee, leaving a maximum of three people to come to the polls. In the end, only one person came to vote in the Womens Equality Party primary. Since the results are posted by party, anyone who saw who entered the building would have known how she voted. So as to ensure their privacy, thats why we did it together, Van Ness said. In the future, the county may move to electronic poll books, if the technology is approved by the state, McLaughlin said. An electronic system was tested Tuesday, but it was not used for every voter. In the future, that system would also tell poll workers which ballot to use, as a way to double-check they were giving voters the right one. Electronic poll books in North Carolina may have been hacked in the last presidential election, and the state is investigating. Warren Countys test involved laptops that were not connected to the Internet, however. The commissioners used a thumb drive to transfer the poll book data from their county computers to each laptop. They believe that system will be safe, although they will not rely solely on electronic poll books until that is approved by the state. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg Best Travel Apps For 2022 Finding Peace of Mind: Discover These Five Places in Europe to Unwind Iowa's annual youth deer hunting season begins Saturday, and 7-year-old Jensen Mier is gearing up for it on his family's land in west Davenport. This is his first year pulling the trigger, his father, Shaine Mier, said. Hes been out with me the last couple of deer seasons. State officials expect about 10,000 youth hunters to participate in the hunt this fall, which coincides with the disabled hunter deer season. Each season ends Oct. 1. The two-week window provides novice hunters an opportunity to learn safe hunting practices and wildlife behavior under the watchful eye of a licensed adult, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Under the guidance of his father, who has been hunting for 20-plus years, Jensen will be using a new .50 caliber muzzleloader, which they have been practicing with this week on their land in Davenport. The duo plans to hunt this weekend on that same property. During the early muzzleloader season in October 2016, Mier harvested a buck on private land in Muscatine, and his son experienced the action firsthand. DNR officials stressed that during the youth season, harvesting a deer should be considered a bonus, not define the success of the hunt. This season is all about creating a positive experience for the hunter," said Jim Coffey, forest wildlife research biologist for the DNR. "Its a learning season where mentors work one on one with the youth teaching hunting ethics and woodsmanship skills." Mier, who owns Veteran's Choice Contracting out of Blue Grass, said his 11-year-old daughter, Riley, shot her first deer at age 8. He and his wife, Jennifer, also have a 9-year-old daughter, Aubrey. All deer taken must be reported using the harvest reporting system by midnight the day after the deer is recovered. Hunters may report their deer on the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov, by calling the toll free reporting number 1-800-771-4692, or at a licensed vendor. Q. Who is responsible for maintaining the concrete median on Kimberly Road, especially between Harrison Street and Marquette Street? The grass/weeds in the cracks are nearly two feet tall and there are numerous large chunks of broken concrete laying on the median. This is very unsightly and reminiscent of some of the abandon sections of a larger city. Merle A. We contacted the city of Davenport regarding your question. Nicole Gleason, public works director/assistant city administrator, responded: "Thanks for the question, Merle! The pavement/concrete is maintained by the Iowa DOT and we have passed along this concern. "The city of Davenport is responsible for mowing and generally sprays two times per year (spring and mid- to late-summer), we are getting ready to spray this area again." Q. Will the new Iowa license plates continue having the 0's with the slashes through them? With these current plates, if I tried to report a hit-and-run vehicle with 8's and 0's to the authorities, I'd have a hard time telling an 8 from a 0. A zero should look like a zero. -- Mike, Davenport A. We contacted the Iowa Department of Transportation regarding your question. Tracey Bramble with the Iowa DOT responded: "Hi Mike the current number/letter system will not change on the new plates." Q. When was Dohse Pool, originally Hayes Pool in Davenport, opened? -- Elaine A. According to a story published in the Quad-City Times, Hayes Pool opened on Saturday, June 7, 1975. Times photographer, Bill McConnell, was there to capture the opening. The caption in his photo read, "Towels, Suits And Smiles: It was a great day to open a new swimming pool, and these youngsters were among those who took advantage of the sun at Davenport's Hayes pool, McKinley Avenue and Concord Street." Do you recognize anyone or yourself in the photo? Visit qctimes.com/askthetimes to read more about Dohse Pool formerly Hayes Pool in Davenport. A story published on Tuesday, April 16, 1974, in the Quad-City Times, reported groundbreaking for Hayes Pool. Then-Mayor Kathryn Kirschbaum, members of the Davenport Board of Education, city aldermen and members of the Davenport Board of Park Commissioners were on hand for the groundbreaking ceremonies of the $160,000 neighborhood swimming pool. Stories published Thursday, March 19, 1981, in the Quad-City Times, reported that on Wednesday, March 18, 1981, "In other business, the council renamed Hayes Pool. 'Pete Dohse Pool,' in honor of the former 1st Ward alderman who died last month at the age of 66. "Dohse served as alderman of the west end ward that includes the pool from 1971 to 1979. He was a Davenport policeman for nearly 23 years, and had run unsuccessfully for Scott County sheriff and supervisor," the story said. A Davenport felon has been charged in federal court with possessing a firearm that court documents say is linked to the shooting death of Pierre Davis. Deunate Trivay Alexander, 26, made his first appearance Wednesday in U.S. District Court, Davenport, on one count of felon in possession of firearm. The charge carries a possible prison sentence of up to 10 years. He will be back in court Sept. 18 for preliminary and detention hearings. Alexander's brother, Du'Jor S. Simpson, was fatally shot last month. Alexander was arrested Aug. 9 and charged in Scott County District Court. Those charges were dismissed Sept. 12 after he was charged by federal prosecutors. His arrest came four days after Davis, 25, was found dead in a grassy area near the 100 block of 55th Street in Davenport, according to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint. Evidence at the scene, as well as autopsy results, indicate that Davis was shot and then run over by his own vehicle, according to the complaint. No one has been charged in his death as of Wednesday and police have not publicly named a suspect or suspects in the case. According to the affidavit, which was unsealed Wednesday: After Davis was run over, a person then drove the vehicle previously driven by Davis from the scene. Surveillance video recovered during the investigation show that during the alleged time of the shooting, a vehicle resembling a Chevrolet Equinox and a vehicle matching the description of the one last used by Davis were observed leaving the scene. Witnesses told police that Simpson, Alexanders brother, had access to and used a Chevrolet Equinox. Through witness statements and cell phone records, the investigation determined that Davis and Simpson were friends. The vehicle driven by Davis later was found abandoned in the 5200 block of Ripley Street. The vehicle had a bullet hole on the drivers side door and two fired 9mm cartridges were recovered. Blood and suspected body tissue were recovered from underneath the vehicle. Davis autopsy concluded that he was shot at least once in addition to being struck and run over by a vehicle. Around 12 p.m. Aug. 8, detectives were conducting surveillance in the 1000 block of East 14th Street in connection with the homicide. Simpson was identified as residing in the neighborhood. Detectives watched an Equinox arrive and park in front of the home. They approached the vehicle and identified Alexander in possession of a red draw-string bag, which he placed inside the vehicle. Once he was told the car would be searched, Alexander asked for permission to re-enter the vehicle to remove his identification card. Officers saw him get inside and step away a short time later. The car was towed to a local towing business, where police searched it. Alexander, his girlfriend, and Simpson arrived at the business as detectives waited for additional staff to assist in the search. Employees saw Alexander enter a restricted garage bay by ducking under a partially opening garage door. They alerted detectives, who then made contact with Alexander and Simpson as they tried to leave the property. Alexander said his cousin called him and said that detective had located his identification card, which was false. He said he could not access the vehicle and left the property. Police searched the vehicle and found the draw-string bag that was located inside a backpack in the backseat. Inside the bag was a CAI 7.62X25 pistol and two magazines. Sixteen rounds of 9mm ammunition and one round of 7.62X25 was inside the bag. Blood evidence also was located on the undercarriage of the vehicle. Alexander has a felony theft conviction in Iowa and is prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm. After his arrest on Aug. 9, Alexander told detectives that he received the firearm from his brother, Simpson, on Aug. 5. Simpson told him the firearm was hot, or stolen. Alexander said he took the firearm and placed it in the trunk of a vehicle belonging to his girlfriend. She refused to have the bag in the vehicle and he returned to his home on East 14th Street and hid the firearm and bag near a fence and dumpster behind the residence. He told detectives that when police arrived to his home on Aug. 8, he placed the firearm and bag inside the Equinox. Alexander said he did not realize that the vehicle was going to be searched. He admitted that he tried to remove the firearm from the vehicle on two separate occasions while the vehicle was in police custody. A search of the web history on Alexanders phone found three entries looking for 7.62X25 ammunition for sale on July 29. That ammunition is the same caliber required by the pistol that was seized from the Equinox. The recovered pistol was sent to the Peoria (Illinois) Police Department for examination. An ATF officer, who also is a Rock Island Police officer, assisted. He reported that the recovered 9mm cartridges recovered from Davis vehicle was fired from the recovered gun. A further review of Alexanders phone records showed that there were five calls between his and Simpsons phone on Aug. 5 and Aug. 6. The web history on Simpsons phone found multiple searches between Aug. 2 and Aug. 5 for 9mm ammunition and world war 2. Police believe that the web searches are consistent with someone that tried to fire 9mm ammunition from the recovered pistol. A further check of the firearm found that it was not manufactured in Iowa and therefore traveled in and affected interstate commerce, according to the criminal affidavit. Simpson, 22, was fatally shot around 9 a.m. Aug. 19 in the 500 block of West 14th Street. No arrests have been made in his death and police have released few details. A Davenport woman was arrested Tuesday night after police say they found more than five grams of crystal methamphetamine in her possession earlier this month. Melinda Rochelle Heyvaert, last known address in the 2600 block of Pacific Street, faces one count of controlled substance violation, a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison. Bond was set Wednesday at $50,000 cash or surety. She will be arraigned Oct. 5. At 10:20 p.m. Sept. 4, Davenport police conducted a traffic stop in the 1400 block of Division Street on a vehicle that had a driver side taillight that was not working. According to an arrest affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Heyvaert had 1.35 grams of crystal methamphetamine hidden in a calculator in her purse and 3.95 grams of the drug in her bra. She also possessed a digital scale with methamphetamine residue and packing material, according to the affidavit. The stories sounded almost the same. Peter Mangieri of Peoria, Illinois, invested $500,000 with longtime Quad-Cities developer Todd Raufeisen for a hotel development in Galesburg, Illinois, in September 2013. He was promised that he would be paid back with interest in 36 months. That didn't happen. Raufeisen, Mangieri said Thursday from the witness stand in a federal courtroom, played me and my family like a fiddle." The financial hit was devastating, he said, and he was forced to close his construction business earlier this year. Mangieri said he went from having a staff of 12 to working alone in his basement to try and make sure his family did not lose their possessions. I no longer have the ability to trust anyone outside of my immediate family, he said as he choked up with emotion. Duncan Cameron, former owner of Vanguard Distribution Corp. in Davenport, said he invested $200,000 with Raufeisen with the goal of using his repaid money to build a college education fund for his nine grandchildren. He said Raufeisen presented him with a contract that had a guaranteed investment of two successful downstate Illinois businessmen. Little did I know that Mr. Raufeisen forged signatures of the (businessmen), he said. This was not an innocent mistake. ... This was an intentional act. Mangieri and Cameron talked about the excuses Raufeisen gave as to why he didn't have their money. He blamed the banks. He cited family illness, they said. Investor Jim Hudgins, whose written statement was read aloud by his brother and fellow investor, Joseph Hudgins, said that Raufeisen told him in February 2015 that he had to take his wife to the Mayo Clinic for treatment of ovarian cancer. In reality, according to the investor, he had taken his wife and son on a grand vacation to Australia to visit his daughter. Cameron said that Raufeisen at no time told him that he could not repay him or live up to his contractual obligations. "I now know that I have been taken by Mr. Raufeisen," he said. Five of the 22 investors whom Raufeisen admitted to defrauding of $1.7 million over a six-year period gave emotional statements to Judge Sara Darrow Thursday during a two-hour sentencing hearing for Raufeisen in U.S. District Court, Rock Island. Raufeisen, 56, showed little emotion as they talked about the emotional and financial toll the fraud had taken on themselves and their family. When it was his turn to address the judge, Raufeisen apologized to the victims and said he never intended to hurt anybody, including his own family. The pain my heart and soul will never go away, he said. The mistakes I made will stay with me the rest of my life. Darrow sentenced Raufeisen to six years in federal prison on charges of wire fraud and money laundering. He must pay $1,723,606.26 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release once he completes his prison sentence. There is no parole in the federal prison system. Darrow further ordered Raufeisen to turn himself in Oct. 23 to begin serving the sentence. Although he faced up to 30 years in prison, the sentence Darrow imposed was one month more than the high end of his federal recommended sentencing guideline calculation. The calculation takes into account the seriousness of the offense, his criminal history, and other aggravating and mitigating factors. In a sentencing commentary filed earlier this week, defense attorney J. Steven Beckett did not seek to minimize Raufeisen's criminal offenses. Rather, he urged the judge to consider his "positive" family and community background and that this was a non-violent offense. "Todd Raufeisen needed money for the development of projects to succeed and to support his family," Beckett wrote. "He chose the wrong way to obtain the money and things only got worse. He 'Ponzied' funds for early investors and then had to juggle the later investors." The further in debt Raufeisen got, Beckett wrote, the more money he needed and the stress he created on himself to succeed was exacerbated by legal problems with projects, such as a development with the Moline airport. Beckett asked the judge to consider sentencing Raufeisen to probation and home confinement or, if she believed that prison was appropriate, a minimal prison sentence. The sentencing memorandum also included letters of support from friends and family. One such letter was from David Werning of Moline, who also gave a victim impact statement during the hearing. He said Thursday that he invested in Frye Lake National Golf Club in Sherrard with Raufeisen with the clear understanding that he would not get his money back until the golf course was sold. Werning acknowledged that he made a bad decision in investing with Raufeisen, but said Raufeisen had done everything he promised to do. Werning said he has continued confidence in Raufeisein and that he is currently his developer on a Starbucks that he owns in Dubuque that is scheduled to be completed in October. He added that he intends to do additional projects with Raufeisen in the future, if possible. "I'm moving forward with Todd if that is a possibility," Werning said. "Hopefully, you give me that opportunity." Assistant United States Attorney Don Allegro argued that Raufeisen engaged in a six-year pattern of fraud, deceit and cover-up to maintain a lavish lifestyle and to keep up the appearance that he was a big time real estate developer. He argued that despite being confronted by law enforcement a year ago, Raufeisen took no steps to right the wrong and pay back the investors that he owed. Darrow, in handing down her sentence, called Raufeisen's actions a "classic Ponzi scheme" and said that he capitalized on the trust of people "who weren't strangers to you" and the status he had built in the community. "For six years, you manipulated, deceived and stole from your friends, acquaintances and family," she said, and added that his actions were not the result of a business mistake. She agreed with Allegro's contention that Raufeisen's community involvement, such as chairing the John Deere Classic, was to further his own business interests. Allegro declined comment after the hearing. After the hearing, Beckett said that the judges sentence was predictable but a little harsher than he thought it would be. He said he was a little surprised that the judge took Raufeisen's community involvement as a negative. Heres a guy who, when he did the Deere Classic and he was chair, raised more money than any of his predecessors, Beckett said. How that becomes a negative is difficult to explain, but overall its difficult to argue at all with her assessment and certainly the sentence was close to being within the guidelines." He added, Hes still a good man. Hes got a lot to live for, a good family, and I have high hopes for him. Davenport woman faces meth charges A Davenport woman was arrested Tuesday night after police say they found more than five grams of crystal methamphetamine in her possession earlier this month. Melinda Rochelle Heyvaert, last known address in the 2600 block of Pacific Street, faces one count of controlled substance violation, a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison. Bond was set Wednesday at $50,000 cash or surety. She will be arraigned Oct. 5. At 10:20 p.m. Sept. 4, Davenport police conducted a traffic stop in the 1400 block of Division Street on a vehicle that had a driver side taillight that was not working. According to an arrest affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Heyvaert had 1.35 grams of crystal methamphetamine hidden in a calculator in her purse and 3.95 grams of the drug in her bra. She also possessed a digital scale with methamphetamine residue and packing material, according to the affidavit. --Tara Becker Ohio man charged in Davenport convenience store theft Bond was set Wednesday at $10,000 cash or surety for a Middletown, Ohio, man accused of stealing more than $1,500 from a Davenport convenience store. Joshua Ariel Jones, 25, faces one count of first-degree theft, a Class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. He will be arraigned Oct. 5. He remained in the Scott County Jail Wednesday afternoon on the charge and on a warrant out of Johnson County. Davenport police responded at 8:55 p.m. Monday to Brady Mart, 3107 Brady Street, after Jones reached over the counter and took $1,560 cash, according to an arrest affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint. The cash was within five feet of the clerk. Officers pulled surveillance video and were able to identify Jones using his license plate, according to the affidavit. They also used photographs in local records, according to the affidavit. Jones was located in the suspect vehicle Tuesday in the 1100 block of West Locust Street. He had $1,286 in his pockets at the time of his arrest, according to the affidavit. --Tara Becker Others shots fired incidents have occurred in the 4700 block of Rockingham Road, at Centennial Park along the Mississippi River, Davenport Memorial Park on East 39th Street, and in the 5900 block of Elmore Avenue." Three former executives of the now-failed Valley Bank have paid a total of $3.025 million for their roles in the bank's demise. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. asserts in a settlement agreement that the failure caused $30.7 million in damages to the bank. The three are Larry C. Henson, CEO of the bank formerly headquartered in Moline; Michael R. Henson, eastern regional president and Larry Henson's son; and Robert C. Fick, a board member who is president and CEO of Mel Foster Co., Davenport. In agreeing, the three deny liability for the FDIC's claims, but "deem it in their best interests to enter into (the) agreement to avoid the uncertainty and expense of litigation," according to the settlement posted on the FDIC website. Of the amount, $1.025 million was paid on July 5, and the remaining $2 million was paid on Aug. 31, an FDIC representative said. The liability settlement agreement was reached June 30. The agreement does not waive "any claims that could be brought ... through the Department of Justice, the United States Attorney's Office ... or any other department or agency of the United States." The settlement also does not release any of the three from liability from any promissory note owed to the FDIC in its role as the receiver of Valley Bank. None of the three involved in the agreement returned messages from the Quad-City Times seeking comment. Professional liability settlement agreements are the result of action brought by the FDIC against professionals "who have acted negligently and contributed to the failure of an insured institution," according to the FDIC website. They are an attempt to "maximize recoveries for creditors of the failed bank and the FDIC itself." The FDIC is claiming $30.7 million in damages to Valley Bank "arising from the ... defendants' alleged conduct from May 2009 through June 2013," according to the settlement. The FDIC is making the claim as the receiver for Valley Bank. A review of the bank's failure by the FDIC's Office of the Inspector General released in August 2015 stated that the failure of Valley Bank cost the FDIC insurance fund at least $51.4 million. An FDIC representative declined comment on how it arrived at the amount of $30.7 million. The May 2009 date refers to when the FDIC issued its first "cease and desist" order against Valley Bank because of its financial condition, and the June 2013 date refers to when Larry C. Henson was forced to resign. His departure followed a routine FDIC examination in which examiners began to see the full scope of the bank's deteriorating condition and how Henson had tried to mask that condition by continuing to make loans in violation of previous FDIC "cease and desist" orders. But, by then, the bank's financial condition was so bad that regulators ultimately determined that it could not be saved, and it was closed on June 20, 2014. The FDIC stepped in as the receiver to protect depositors and arranged for Great Southern Bank to take over. When it was closed because of its "critically deficient capital condition," Valley had offices in the Quad-Cities and elsewhere in Iowa and Florida. Professional liability settlements are made to "avoid costly and protracted litigation and result in greater recoveries," according to the FDIC website. Although banks carry insurance on its directors and officers in the event they are sued, it is not likely that insurance would pay out in a case in which the directors and officers are being sued for contributing to the failure of the bank, said Charles E. Thacker, a retired regional director for the FDIC in Kansas City. The same goes for individual insurance, Thacker said. Nationwide, the FDIC pursued claims against directors and officers in 39 percent of all bank failures that happened between 2008 through 2015, according to its website. Reports of an apparent deal between President Donald Trump and Democratic congressional leaders on the fate of hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants alarmed some Iowa Republicans. However, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said Thursday morning he was reassured by a tweet from the president that there is no deal, even as the president gave conflicting signals throughout the day. Democrats drew the wrong conclusion," Grassley told reporters in Washington, D.C., early Thursday. The exact details of what transpired between the president and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., at a White House meeting Wednesday weren't clear. Late Wednesday, news reports said the Democrats reported they had a deal with Trump to protect the immigrants and strengthen border security, but without a wall. The reports drew a sharp response from some Republicans and Trump supporters. During the campaign, Trump promised to build a wall, at Mexico's expense, and he took a hard line on immigration. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, reacting to an Associated Press report, tweeted late Wednesday: "If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." Grassley, in his own tweet Thursday morning, also expressed concerns. There are efforts ongoing in Congress to come to an agreement and Grassley suggested in a tweet Thursday morning this would have undermined those efforts. After Trump tweeted Thursday that "no deal was made last night" and that "massive border security" would have to be part of any agreement, Grassley told reporters he was no longer concerned. "If the report had been right, and it wasn't right, that he had reached an agreement with the Democrats, that would have undercut us. But I'm satisfied with the president's tweet that he has not," Grassley said. Democrats, though, stood their ground. Pelosi and Schumer said Thursday that, while details on border security still needed to be worked out, "we agreed that the President would support enshrining DACA protections into law, and encourage the House and Senate to act." For his part, the president said on Twitter that he would continue to push for building a wall, but he also questioned why anybody would "really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!....." A request for Sen. Joni Ernst's thoughts on the matter was answered with an email from a spokesperson. "Senator Ernst will review any finalized proposals as they become available. Until we see such legislation, it is difficult to know exactly what it would entail," the email said. The Trump administration moved a little more than a week ago to rescind the Obama-era executive order called DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, and urged Congress to take up the matter. The program allows young immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children to remain on a temporary basis and work or go to school. About 800,000 are in the program. Divisions between the GOP-controlled White House and Congress, and opposition from minority Democrats on immigration, tax and health care overhauls may get the headlines, Sen. Chuck Grassley said, but he insists bipartisan reforms are being addressed. Examples A and B, according to Iowas senior senator and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, include unanimous passage of bills he sponsored with Democrats to address human trafficking and farm bankruptcies. Bipartisan work pays off, but controversy gets the attention, the Iowa Republican said Wednesday. The Senate recently gave unanimous approval to a bill he and California Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein worked on to renew existing programs that make federal resources available to human trafficking victims and establish new prevention, prosecution and collaboration initiatives to help bring the perpetrators to justice. The tragedy of human trafficking happens in communities across our country right under our noses, he said. So our successful, bipartisan work will help Iowans, Californians and all Americans address this problem. Likewise, he worked with Minnesota Democrat Sen. Al Franken on the Family Farmer Bankruptcy Clarification Act, which the Senate approved unanimously. Many farmers assets are tied up in land, making it hard to reorganize debt without filing for bankruptcy, Grassley said. That led some farmers in Iowa and Minnesota and elsewhere to lose businesses that had been in the family for generations, he said. So despite some of our disagreements and headlines and remember that controversy makes news more than people getting along the Senate still is plugging away with bipartisan reforms that will help Americans. The fate of the bills becoming law is uncertain. Grassley also told reporters he expects Senate action on DACA or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals that has protected from deportation about 800,000 people who were brought illegally to the United States as children by their immigrant families. A hearing on legislation addressing former President Barack Obamas 2012 executive order could be held in the next few weeks. Hes aware of at least two staff-level meetings on DACA legislation, and earlier Wednesday he met with a senator, who Grassley would not name, who is sponsoring DACA legislation. Grassley has not discussed DACA with the White House, but staff members have talked to those in the administration who deal with it. I dont feel left out because this bill has to go through my committee and I dont have to pay too much attention to the White House, Grassley said. Im willing to listen to their points of view, but what Ive got to do is put together a bill that can get 60 votes. Although legislation can be passed with a simple majority, in most cases, Senate rules require 60 votes to a bill to the floor. SIOUX CITY U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, in late Wednesday night tweets blasted President Donald Trump, a fellow Republican, over possible immigration policy moves. King tweeted that Trump would blow up his base of conservative support and have no credibility, if the president takes what King considers a soft stance on immigration. King, a firebrand conservative who has the quest to build a wall at the Mexican border as one of his top issues, was responding to an Associated Press account on a possible deal with Democrats regarding the wall or people affected by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. By Thursday morning, the president wrote a series of tweets to try to explain where immigration pieces stand. King on Wednesday night retweeted an AP story tweet, which cited Democratic leaders and read, "BREAKING: Schumer, Pelosi announce deal with Trump to protect young immigrants; will include border security, but no wall." King then topped that tweet with his own take, writing, "@RealDonaldTrump If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." In another tweet a few minutes after the first one at about 10 p.m. Wednesday, King wrote, "@RealDonaldTrump Mr. President, I support your agenda, especially your no amnesty agenda. MAGA!" King tweeted once more on the topic, with a Thursday morning tweet that still remains, in which he recounts actions he calls amnesty during past presidencies. King tweeted, "Reagan led with Amnesty, 1986. Bush43 led with Amnesty '06, Obama led with Amnesty '13. All failed so...Trump leads with DACA Amnesty 2017." With the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals initiative in force since 2012, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security does not deport certain undocumented youth who came to the U.S. as children with relatives. Trump also used Twitter to lay out his positions Thursday morning. In the first such tweet from his @realDonaldTrump account, the president wrote, "No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote." Another Trump tweet said, "The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built." His fourth and final tweet on the topic Thursday morning appeared to indicate that Trump may not seek deportation of some of the undocumented young people. Trump wrote, "...They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security." Also on Thursday, White House Spokeswoman Lindsay Walters repeated the presidents assertion that no deal was made on protections for young immigrants during a dinner Wednesday night between the president and Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story said King had deleted the two Wednesday tweets. Kings tweets started with the @realdonaldtrump tag, so they show up under the Tweets & Replies area, not in the general Tweets timeline. MidAmerican Energy Company has sent more than 250 employees and contractors to Florida to help repair utility infrastructure and restore power in the wake of Hurricane Irma. The workers began heading south on Friday, before the storm made landfall, so as to be in place and prepared. In conjunction with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Locals 109 and 499, MidAmerican Energy released 90 electric line workers including contractors, 16 support staff and 150 contract tree trimmers, according to a news release. These employees and contractors are coming from across MidAmerican's service territory, and they are expected to be in place for several weeks, the company said. We are well-prepared and pleased to honor requests for assistance when a natural disaster or severe, widespread weather event occurs," James Dougherty, vice president of electric delivery, said in the release. Customer service in MidAmerican's home communities will not be impacted as local crews will have expanded hours," the company said. MidAmerican, headquartered in Des Moines, is an energy provider serving 760,000 electric customers and 742,000 natural gas customers in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota. Crews from Alliant Energy also are helping to restore power. The evening of Aug. 25, Donald Trump pardoned Joe Arpaio, former sheriff of Maricopa County, Arizona. It is not the presidential pardon itself that is controversial; this is a constitutionally assigned power given to the president. It is the circumstances surrounding the pardon that are questionable. I am not here to debate the crimes Arpaio was convicted of, but instead Trumps failure to follow the correct process to be used in a pardon. In the case of Arpaio, Trump pardoned him before the case had been completed. While Arpaio had been found guilty of criminal contempt of court by a federal court in July, he was not due for sentencing until October. The premature nature of the pardon in itself is unusual. What makes this act even more unusual is the pardon did not go through any judicial review by the U.S. Justice Department. This premature nature and the fact he did not submit the case to judicial review demonstrates that Trump does not respect the constitutional system of checks and balances. This system of checks and balances protects our democracy from falling victim to the abuse of power by any one branch. By doing this, he has set precedence that a president could prevent supporters from being held accountable for wrong-doing. I urge anyone who wants to ensure our democracy is protected to contact your representative in the U.S. House and Senate. It is important that we urge Congress to use its constitutional powers to block any further abuses by Trump. Bill Becker Roscoe, Illinois PIERRE, S.D. At the request of the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs, Gov. Dennis Daugaard has proclaimed Sept. 15, 2017, as POW/MIA Recognition Day, calling on all South Dakotans to honor those men and women who fought bravely for our freedoms. While we are grateful to all of those who have served our nation, this day is designated to remember and recognize the sacrifices endured by those members of the Armed Forces of the United States who were held as prisoners of war or remain missing in action, the Governor said. The state of South Dakota continues to support efforts to account for every service member classified as Missing in Action. Larry Zimmerman, Secretary of the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs, encourages all South Dakotans to set aside time Sept. 15 to honor the POW/MIAs who fought to protect our freedoms and lost theirs, as well as remember those engaged in today's struggle to guard our way of life for future generations. In their service to our country, former prisoners of war and those missing in action have sacrificed mightily to maintain the promise of liberty that we hold dear, said Zimmerman. POW/MIA day affords all of us a great opportunity to reaffirm our vow to never forget the courage of our nations staunchest defenders our former POWs and MIAs. We owe them and their families our gratitude. Almost one in four Americans werent yet born when the towers fell and the Pentagon was struck on September 11, 2001. For them, the threat of terrorism has always been present, security always enhanced, and shoes always removed at airport security checkpoints. Sometimes I forget that Booker, born less than a year after the attack, is one of these people. He learns about it in history class, but the pages of a textbook can never quite convey what it was like to live through that day. I remember exactly where I was. Like so many other mornings, it started off as such a normal Tuesday. Get the girls up and off to school, jump in the pickup, and flip on the radio. But then the reports started coming in A plane strikes the World Trade Center in New York City. A second tower is hit. The Pentagon too. And then, that chilling moment when New York Citys streets fill with dust, the images of which can never be forgotten; the first tower had collapsed. Minutes later, we learn another plane crashed in Pennsylvania. The second tower falls. And America unites in grief, determination, and prayer. Many of us might even still remember President Bushs words just hours after: Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America [W]ere the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining. Sixteen years later, radical Islamic terrorists continue to make threats on this beacon of freedom even waging an attack on our embassy in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012. ISIL, the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and others have sought to expand their physical boundaries and the reach of their violent ideology. These groups are convicted to destroy, not only towers and embassies, but our people and values. They will not succeed. [America] will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail a promise made by President Bush days after the attack and safeguarded by our men and women in uniform every single day. The attacks of September 11 were intended to break our spirit. Instead, we have emerged stronger and more united, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said in December 2001. Its undeniable that individual Americans will always have ideological differences, but for those of us who lived through that day, the memory of September 11 binds us together. Particularly in this day and age, thats a message the next generation could benefit from hearing. When I talk to Booker about September 11, I want him to understand that we mark this day, not only because of the terror carried out, but because of Americas resiliency in the face of terror. We were and continue to be the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. No one not the terrorists who piloted those planes, not those who attacked our embassy in Benghazi, not those waging war in the Middle East today will keep that light from shining. HOT SPRINGS Hot Springs Middle School and High School will host a presentation on the danger of child pornography and cyberbullying on cell phones on Thursday, Sept. 14, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Tays Center. Brent Gromer, Supervisory Special Agent with the S.D. Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children, will discuss dangers repercussions of illegal, immoral, and improper use of cell phones. High School Principal Mary Weiss said the students will have an opportunity during the school day on Sept. 14 to hear the program as well, followed by the evening session for parents and community members. Parents can also choose to hear the program with their children, based on the following schedule: 6th -7th graders 1-2pm; 8-9th graders 2-3pm; 10th -12th graders 3-4pm For more information, call the middle school office at 745-4146 or the high school office at 745-4147. PIERRE | An upstream landowner who said his basement flooded and his haying and calving were damaged the year after a neighboring farm put drain tile on its property won a victory in the South Dakota Supreme Court last week. The five justices ruled unanimously for Albert Delany. He filed a drainage complaint in Brule County claiming Surat Farms LLC partially blocked an intermittent watercourse. The properties are on opposite sides of County Road 352 near the Bijou Hills area. A culvert drains from Delanys land onto land owned by Surat Farms. Surat Farms contracted in 2013 for a drainage system with a subsurface inlet just beyond where the culvert empties onto its land. Delany claimed in 2014 that water began entering his basement. The inlet stood 15 inches higher than the ground in its natural state. Delany filed a complaint against Surat Farms and an upstream landowner. A Brule County drainage official visited Delanys property and saw cattails, reeds, dead brush and trees that she believed might block the flow. Delany cleared up the area, but still had water backing up, according to Justice Steven Zinter. Delany filed a second complaint against Surat Farms. "The Brule County Board of Commissioners held a hearing and found that Surat impermissibly altered the watercourse," Justice Steven Zinter wrote. The justice said Circuit Judge Bruce Anderson didnt err when he affirmed the county boards decision. Among steps Judge Anderson took was visiting the site and considering evidence from both sides. The court found that the soil elevation near the drain tile inlet was acting as a dam, backing up water onto Delanys land, Zinter wrote. He continued: The court also found that the minimal differences in elevation along the watercourse meant that even a minor backup of water could significantly impact an upstream landowner. Finally, Zinter added, the court found Delany credible when he testified that the backed-up water had rendered portions of his land unsuitable for calving and haying. The justice said Surats evidence was far from compelling. The aerial photographs indicated that the watercourse flowed from the culvert in years prior to 2013, but the image from 2015 shows the damming complained of by Delany. Zinter said the county board and the circuit court only ordered enforcement of the drainage easement that Delany held for the watercourse across Surats land. This was appropriate injunctive relief, Zinter wrote. A thick blanket of smoke has settled in the Black Hills after several wildfires popped up this the week. Crews are battling two large wildfires in the Southern Hills. The biggest is the Rankin Fire in the northern section of Wind Cave National Park. That wildfire was started Monday afternoon by lightning and has burned more than 1,100 acres. As of Thursday afternoon, the fire was 90 percent contained. Because of the complexity of the fire, a Type II incident management team was called in Thursday to coordinate an attack plan. Crews patrolled the established containment lines that were set up earlier in the week and mopped up hot spots. The second blaze is the Beaver Fire, located roughly five miles west of the Rankin Fire. It started around 2 p.m. Wednesday and has burned 400 acres. The fire was initially believed to have been started by humans, but officials now say the cause is under investigation, according to Great Plains Fire Dispatch. The fire is approximately 50 percent contained. Ten structures are threatened and an additional 20 are within a mile of the fire. Custer County Road 391 from U.S. Highway 385 to S.D. Highway 87 has been shut down because of the fire. Cooler temperatures and rain are forecast for the next several days, and that should help firefighting operations. The smoke from the wildfires is also affecting air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency's air quality monitor flagged the air as unhealthy for much of western South Dakota and warned that people with heart or lung disease, older adults and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outside. Three other smaller fires were reported Wednesday, after at least seven were started Tuesday by lightning. Fire crews continued Wednesday to battle a wildfire that was caused by lightning Monday afternoon in Wind Cave National Park. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Rankin Fire in Wind Cave was estimated to have burned 1,000 acres, or approximately 1.5 square miles. The fire was still at zero percent containment Wednesday evening, and the number of acres burned was expected to grow. The fire was first reported at 1:57 p.m. Monday near the northern border of Wind Cave National Park, where it meets Custer State Park along Highway 89. The fire is burning in steep, rocky terrain fueled by grass and timber. A Type III incident management team has been overseeing the work of approximately 85 firefighters and an aerial attack, but a Type II team was set to take over command Thursday morning. Crews worked throughout Tuesday night burning out the southern portion of the fire, according to Great Plains Fire Dispatch. On Wednesday, lines on the east and west boundaries of the fire were dug, according to Wind Cave public information officer Tom Farrell. Farrell said firefighters had the support of a heavy air tanker and a South Dakota National Guard helicopter during Wednesday's attack of the fire. September and October are historically when we have the biggest fires in the park, Park Superintendent Vidal Davila said in a news release. We encourage everyone to be extra cautious with their outdoor activities due to the hot and dry conditions we are experiencing. As of WEdnesday the only closures were the northern segment of NPS 5 and all backcountry hiking trails north of Wind Cave Canyon. The park visitor center remained open with cave tours leaving from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. throughout the day. According to Great Plains Fire Information, lightning accounted for at least seven fires on Tuesday. The largest of those was the Coffee Fire near Montrose, Neb., which burned 750 acres; a fire near Badlands National Park burned more than 150 acres. All seven of those fires have been contained. Editor's note: This is the last in a four-part series on the candidates for governor of South Dakota. Billie Sutton is Democratic leader in South Dakotas state Senate and is a candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018. Why hes running: Sutton officially declared his candidacy for governor May 31 at his familys ranch near Burke along the Missouri River. His announcement settled two questions. Sutton, a banker, rancher and former rodeo rider, had decided what to pursue next. And Democrats had one of the strongest contenders since Lars Herseth nearly topped Republican George S. Mickelson in the 1986 contest between two sons of past governors. Term limits come into play on two levels in the 2018 election. They prevent Dennis Daugaard, a Republican, from seeking election to a third consecutive term as governor. And they prevent Sutton from seeking election to a fifth consecutive term as a senator. The 1974 election of incumbent Gov. Dick Kneip marked the last time a Democrat won the governorship in South Dakota. In a State Fair interview, Sutton didnt emphasize that he is a Democrat. But if elected governor, Sutton said, he would evaluate a Cabinet he described as kind of stale and look for people who think outside the box, able to deliver more efficiency and more accountability. That doesnt mean it is going to be somebody from one party alone, Sutton said. Sutton said that as governor he would seek funding for early childhood education that would start during preschool years. Backed by Daugaard, Republican lawmakers on a party-line committee vote this year killed Suttons bill proposing a pilot pre-K program. Sutton indicated hed seek more resources for job training, career and technical education, health care and scholarships and offer a balanced budget. But with Republicans unlikely to lose control of the two legislative chambers, he probably would need to see what he could get. Democrats won six of 35 Senate seats in the 2016 election. They re-elected Sutton as caucus leader. The House of Representatives strongly favored one party too, with 60 Republicans and 10 Democrats. Sutton said he and Kelsea, his wife, spoke last winter, before the 2017 legislative session began, about what Democratic legislators could accomplish in the next two years. One topic was what could happen with legislative probes and criminal investigations into EB-5 and GEAR UP. The programs quietly spread a decade ago while Republican Mike Rounds was governor. He won election to the U.S. Senate in 2014. Those management scandals publicly surfaced in 2013 and 2015, three and five years, respectively, into Daugaards current administration Then came Initiated Measure 22. South Dakota voters approved the ballot measures variety of restrictions on legislators and lobbyists in the 2016 general election. Republican legislators and Daugaard refused to accept the new limits and went to court Dec. 8, but Republicans then used their legislative supermajorities to repeal IM 22. The Legislature later passed laws replicating many parts of IM 22, often with bipartisan majorities, but that didnt stop protests by citizens who felt wronged. Sutton said Sunday he would have let IM 22 take effect. I just feel theres a real need for checks and balances, he said. Sutton said seven years as a legislator changed how he approaches decisions. You have this assumption everything is going to be black and white, he said. What Ive learned is pretty much every issue is more complicated than meets the eye. How hes organized his campaign: Sutton said he still spends 35 to 40 hours a week as a financial adviser at the bank in Burke and tries to campaign 20 to 30 hours a week, especially on weekends. Family is the most important thing to me and my wife, he said. They have a 16-month-old son. We really work hard to earmark family time. How hes raising money: Were going to do well, I think, Sutton said. He didnt offer a number. Well get there, he said. How he greets people: There was a smattering of people Sunday in the Democratic hall. So, Sutton, who has used a wheelchair since he was paralyzed a decade ago in a rodeo accident, rolled down Midway Avenue and met folks at the Republican hall. Typically, the beginning of the school year is a time of exuberance and lofty expectations. Students are reunited with friends and look forward to the classes and extracurricular activities that will help shape bright futures. This year, however, that enthusiasm has been tempered by tragedy for the Rapid City school district. According to Superintendent Lori Simon, eight students and a teacher have died since mid-July. Three of the students took their own lives. Rather than brush aside a topic most people would rather not talk about, the school district decided to address youth suicide in a public forum and encourage the community to confront the loss of innocent lives. Rapid City, however, is not alone dealing with what has become a national crisis. In August, the National Center for Health Statistics reported that the suicide rate for girls between the ages of 15 and 19 reached a 40-year high in 2015 and had doubled since 2007. For boys, the suicide rate increased by 31 percent over those eight years. According to the Parent Resource Program, 3,470 high school students attempt suicide every day in the U.S. Youth suicide was so prevalent in 2015 on the Pine Ridge Reservation that an emergency declaration was made by tribal officials. Overall, suicide is the third-leading cause of death for those between the ages of 10 and 24, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another study published in 2013 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal said that 12 and 13 year olds exposed to a classmates suicide were five times more likely to have suicidal thoughts. Faced with three suicides in two months, the Rapid City school district chose to go public with the issue rather than hope it would get lost in the hustle and bustle of the school year's first days. School officials held a town hall meeting on Wednesday night at city council chambers. Mental health experts and law enforcement personnel were there to talk to parents and others about risk factors, warning signs, and coping strategies for youth and their parents. While it may be difficult for adults to understand why those with their entire lives before them would kill themselves, it happens every day in this nation leaving an almost unbearable tidal wave of grief in its wake. Its also apparent that ignoring the problem wont solve it. In fact, one can argue that not talking about it makes it worse for youth who are struggling with their self-esteem and sense of worth in a more complicated and transparent society. Supt. Simon and the school district deserve credit for bringing this sensitive topic to the forefront in this community. But Wednesday nights public meeting should only be considered the first step in what should be an ongoing effort to save childrens lives. Other school districts also should take steps to educate their students and parents about how to identify the warning signs and prevent youth suicide. These are life lessons that are just as important as anything taught in the classroom. Our children need to dream and pursue all the possibilities that life has to offer. If they don't see hope and suffer in silence, society has failed them and what does that say about the rest of us. Russia to settle Sakhalin-I tax dispute with ExxonMobil subsidiary Context ExxonMobil initiates arbitration proceedings against Russia over tax issues MOSCOW, September 14 (RAPSI) Russias government will sign an amicable agreement with Exxon Neftegas Limited controlled by the U.S. oil and gas corporation oil and gas company ExxonMobil in a tax dispute over the Sakhalin-I project. The relevant decree was signed by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and published on the official website of legal information. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov was ordered to sign the settlement on behalf of the Russian Federation, the document reads. Last week, President Vladimir Putin said that the Russian government negotiated with ExxonMobil about problematic points related to the Sakhalin-I project. Exxon Neftegas Limited has lodged a lawsuit with the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC) seeking tax refund which the company claims to have overpaid over the past seven years under the Sakhalin-I Production Sharing Agreement. Reportedly, the agreement was signed in the mid-1990s when Russian legislation stipulated 35% profit tax rates that were reduced to 20% in 2009. Russian authorities claimed that provisions were not subject to change. The first 12 days of September registered the worst period of air quality all summer in the Bitterroot Valley, but the beginning of the end is in the forecast for Thursday and Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Its a dramatic change compared to what weve been experiencing over the last couple months, said Trent Smith, a meteorologist at the NWS in Missoula. It should improve air quality dramatically; it will put a damper on all fires, and the precipitation will pull the smoke out of the air as these two low-pressure systems move through. The NWS has issued a winter storm watch for the higher elevations, where mountains above 6,000 feet could expect a few inches of snow, according to Smith. Widespread precipitation is expected throughout the Bitterroot Valley Thursday and Friday, as well as next week from Monday through Thursday. In addition to the first significant precipitation event in months, the temperatures will also drop between 30 and 40 degrees around the valley Friday. The NWS expects a hard frost to occur Saturday night through Sunday morning, with temperatures in the high 20s to mid 30s. Air quality in the Bitterroot Valley during the past few weeks has caused residents to reconsider their behavior, particularly when it comes to childrens exercise at school. The first 12 days of September the 24-hour average concentration of particulate matter of less than 2.5 microns in diameter was nearly 80 micrograms per cubic meter, a quantity well within the unhealthy categorization from the Department of Environmental Quality. A micron is 25 times smaller than the width of a human hair, which is why most dust and particle masks are incapable of protecting lungs from the damage caused by wildfire smoke. Nine of the first 12 days of September had a 24-hour average concentration of particulate matter in the unhealthy category, two days were unhealthy for sensitive groups, and one day had moderate air. Kristen Martin, an air quality meteorologist with the DEQ, said during a briefing Wednesday that most of Montana will still be dealing with air quality impacts on Thursday morning. We still have high levels of particulates in close proximity to active fires, and were not expecting too much improvement today, Martin said. The big change is expected tomorrow with widespread rain over most of Montana. Most areas should see good air quality by Friday morning, generally good air quality for the weekend, and overall were hopefully on the downward trend for air quality impacts. The best advice from air quality specialists is to avoid any strenuous aerobic activity when the air is unhealthy, and around the Bitterroot, people have been altering their normal behavior. Daly Elementary School Principal Nate Lant had a creative way of dealing with the air pollution and lack of exercise and free play opportunities for the young students - he had bouncy houses set up in the school on Monday, a better air day. In nine days of school we had one day of outside recess, Lant said. The kids had done a great job - they just hunkered down but it was hard - they had played outside all summer then had to stay indoors when school started. Lant said the students were feeling cooped up. The lack of movement is not great for learning and doesnt make them more excited for school, he said. This was a way to get them moving and reward them for doing a great job. Each student in second and third grade at Daly got an hour of bouncy house play, and students in fourth and fifth grade went to a water park in Missoula for two hours. Mondays air quality was good enough to have sack lunches outside. Lant said the extravagant fun is something usually reserved for the end of the year, but with testing coming up the students needed to be re-energized and motivated for learning. We have 7 to 11 year olds, and being cooped up that long is hard, he said. We brought in the bouncy houses for their well-being and health both mentally and physically. They were sweating and had a great time. Children are not the only people affected by the poor air quality in the Bitterroot Valley. Air quality affects the elderly and those with pulmonary sensitivities. Dominic Farrenkopf, the activities director at Sapphire Lutheran Homes, said residents have thought twice about outdoor activity lately. We still offer all of our outdoor activities, but weve have had lower participation in outdoor activities, Farrenkopf said. People who are affected by the smoke choose to stay home inside. We also close the windows in the common rooms. Looking forward to fire seasons to come, Katie Scholl, a Ravalli County Public Health Board member, recommended at a board of health meeting installing air scrubber systems in all the schools in the Bitterroot Valley. "This would be a costly endeavor, but we should look into grants to pay for them," Scholl said. The scrubbers Scholl recommends to be put in Bitterroot schools are built by a company called Air Scrubber Plus, the only company that sells scrubbers approved by the California EPA. An air scrubber system that cleans the air of particulates for a 3,000 square foot room costs around $800. The Corvallis School Board members are visiting with local community groups to start discuss the proposed levy Corvallis voters will decide on Nov. 7. They also have scheduled several open meetings and facility tours to provide voters with information. The $1,725,000 levy would allow the school to purchase 21.23 acres with buildings that currently belong to the Ravalli Electric Cooperative and are adjacent to the middle school. The school has been renting six of the acres for the past 30 years. The levy would cost $345,000 per year for five years, which is when it would be fully paid off, ending the tax obligation. Board member Tonia Bloom said the purchase would give the school immediate usable office space, storage, parking for buses, event parking and potential instructional space. Even though the school board does not have immediate plans for building, the property provides room for growth. Bloom said that allowing the school to purchase the property would ensure the school would have a neighborhood that is a positive environment for school children. The purchase would include 25,000-square-feet of buildings - including the 7,200-square-foot REC Building - and the valuable land. In comparison, the 7,000-square-foot Industrial Arts Building at the high school cost $1 million to build. Three informational meeting are set for: Sept. 21 - 8 to 10 a.m. at Memories Cafe; Sept. 27 - a walking tour of the REC beginning at 6 p.m., followed by a meeting 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the CHS Library; Oct. 24 - 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the new Fins Tap House, 352 Woodside Cutoff Road. Bloom said board members also would be happy to attend meetings or events to provide details of the levy. Corvallis Superintendent Tim Johnson added that they want to answer all of the community's questions. This district belongs to its residents and it's our responsibility to plan together for today's needs and for the facility needs of our future students, Johnson said. Each school office has voter registration information and cards. The school website has a calculator for figuring the taxes on home, land or business at http://www.corvallis.k12.mt.us. Follow the link under the CSD Facilities icon. For a home with a taxable market value of $100,000, taxes would increases by about $35. Johnson said the opportunity is unique because of the location of the property. Bloom added that the vote on the levy is critical. I think this is the most consequential decision that the Corvallis community has ever been asked to make about the school district, she said. It is possibly our only chance to purchase significant property that is adjacent to existing school property. Plus, then we wont lose the six acres that we have used for 30 years. That would be a real loss. Missoula County Sheriff T.J. McDermott has identified the two bodies found in the basement of a house on Strand Avenue last month as 15-year-old Marilyn Pickett and 24-year-old Jackson Wiles, both of Missoula. Tiffanie Pierce and Augustus Standingrock have been charged with deliberate homicide in the deaths of Pickett and Wiles after their bodies were found Aug. 17 in tubs of chemicals. Members of law enforcement working on the case say the condition in which the bodies were found made it difficult to identify them. Detective Capt. David Conway said in late August that the Montana State Crime Lab was brought in to help identify the pair using dental and DNA records. A missing persons report for Pickett was filed the same day the bodies were found. The only information released at the time was that she was last seen with Wiles and had gone missing under suspicious circumstances. The pairs vehicle was found at the Weigh Station fishing access near Bonner the morning of Aug. 17, the same day officers searched the Strand Avenue home. Court records indicate that deputies found bloody clothing in plastic garbage bags in the water near the boat ramp. Wiles phone and wallet were found in the car, as was Picketts phone, which was also covered in blood. The rest of the car did not have blood in it, and deputies determined that whatever injury had caused the bleeding did not occur in the vehicle. KALISPELL Threats sent via email and text closed all but two schools in Flathead County Thursday, including the Flathead Valley Community College. The threats started with the Columbia Falls school district and eventually spread throughout the evening and early morning hours to others. The Flathead Sheriffs Office, Columbia Falls Police Department and FBI worked through the night to investigate the threats and are continuing to follow up on leads. They have identified and are speaking with persons of interest, according to Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry. Additional law enforcement patrols around schools were taking place Thursday. The threats followed news of a school shooting in Spokane that killed one student and injured others. Its kind of strange, Flathead Valley Superintendent of Schools Jack Eggensperger said. You have to wonder if its not some kind of copycat who used that incident as a license to do something like this. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Flathead County detective division at 758-5610. Eggensperger said he was contacted about 10 p.m. Wednesday by the Columbia Falls superintendent with the announcement that schools in that community would close due to a threat generated through a text message. Since then Eggensperger learned that other schools received similar threats. The threats were general in nature against the schools rather than being directed toward any specific individuals. Its really sad, Eggensperger said. This will impact thousands of kids, teachers and parents who have to find day care for their children just because some weirdo hit the send button without any thought of the disruptions that would be caused by it. The only two schools not affected by the closures were Pleasant Valley and Smith Valley, he said. Last year, there were 15,774 students enrolled in the public school system in Flathead Valley. Eggensperger said it will be up to individual school districts to determine when schools will reopen. In a letter to parents, Whitefish School Superintendent Heather Davis Schmidt said school administrators in Columbia Falls, Kalispell and Whitefish received the anonymous threats via text message and email. Many threats directed at schools are made with the intent of disrupting education, Davis Schmidt wrote. Threats like these breed fear, anxiety and frustration for us all. While the vast majority of these threats turn out to be hoaxes, they have to be investigated and taken seriously. The safety and welfare of our students and staff is our highest priority. All school activities and athletics were also canceled. Bridgeview Crossing 2017 Retailers never opened at Bridgeview Crossing, a 70-acre proposed office-and-retail development that fizzled during the financial crisis. The property has been tied up in court since 2009. (Thomas Ondrey/The Plain Dealer) GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio - A California retail developer finally is poised to take control of the failed Bridgeview Crossing project in Garfield Heights, where 70 acres have been sitting fallow since the start of the Great Recession in 2008. On Wednesday, a local judge paved the way for the site to change hands as soon as next week. Craig Realty Group, a Newport Beach-based outlet-mall developer that bought distressed debt on Bridgeview in 2011, will take possession of the property to avoid a foreclosure. After dropping plans to bring outlet shopping to the site, developer Steve Craig hasn't said what he aims to do with the property, at Interstate 480 and Transportation Boulevard. He didn't respond to a request for comment. Attorney Rob Glickman, who appeared on Craig's behalf in court, said he didn't know the details. On Thursday, Mayor Vic Collova applauded the court's decision, saying the transfer of the property to Craig needs to happen before a planned road-widening project along Transportation Boulevard can begin. "I think this is a stepping stone in the right direction," Collova said. The mayor has talked about the possibility of retail and other development rising at Bridgeview, with the potential to support 900 jobs. He's stopped short of identifying tenants, though rumors abound that Swedish furniture retailer Ikea is eyeing part of the site. An Ikea spokesman told The Plain Dealer late last month that the company still hopes to open a Northeast Ohio store. But Ikea hasn't committed to a location. "I can only say that, truly and sincerely, they aren't telling me anything," Collova said of Craig. "I don't get a whole lot ... other than that things are moving along smoothly." Bridgeview Crossing was a casualty of the financial crisis and a nationwide pullback by lenders and retailers. Then-partners David Snider and Sam Cannata prepared the site for a $90 million office-and-retail project, anchored by JCPenney, Target and Lowe's. But they lost their financing and, gradually, their tenants as the turmoil of the housing bust spread to other parts of the economy. For eight years, the land has yielded only delinquent property-tax bills and frustration for Garfield Heights and Cuyahoga County. On Wednesday, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge John Sutula signed off on a motion giving the court-appointed receiver in charge of the property the authority to transfer it to Craig. No one showed up in court to protest that course of action, and the hearing turned out to be more of a behind-the-scenes conference between attorneys. A copy of the judge's order had not appeared on the court docket by Thursday afternoon, but Glickman and receiver David Browning confirmed the details. The final filing on the matter should appear by Sept. 22, triggering an immediate real estate transaction, said Glickman, who is a principal with the McCarthy, Lebit, Crystal & Liffman law firm in downtown Cleveland. Browning, managing director of the CBRE real estate brokerage in Cleveland, confirmed that timeline. He, also, declined to comment on what Craig might be planning. The Bridgeview Crossing litigation, initiated by contractors hired for the original project, started in August 2009. A similarly long-running real estate dispute, over the largely vacant City View Center retail project across the freeway from Bridgeview, also showed some life this week. On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge James Gwin approved a request to let a new plaintiff - who recently bought the note on City View at a deep discount - step into that case. The big-box shopping center, built on former municipal landfills, has been in receivership since 2009. A filing late last month identified George Simon, an entrepreneur and attorney who has a relationship with McCarthy Lebit, as counsel for the new lender on the property. The sinking parking lot, past environmental concerns and stigmas cast by departed tenants including Walmart make City View a tougher redevelopment proposition than the Bridegview site. Let's just say the neighbors are nervous. And why not! Russia's massive military exercise with Belarus was scheduled to begin today. The war games may have as many as 100,000 Russian and Belarusian troops operating near the Baltic States and Poland. For these frontline NATO states, the concern is very real. Some believe that the week-long "Zapad-17" (Russian for West-2017) exercises that Moscow and Minsk are embarking on could be the biggest military training evolution in that part of the world since the Cold War's end. That's significant. Russia and Belarus insist that troop numbers will be just 12,000 - not the 100,000 others are reporting. Their insistence might have something to do with the fact that if those forces exceed 13,000, international agreements require that they provide "confidence and security-building measures" (in other words, outside observers). That doesn't seem to be happening in a meaningful way. The exercise scenario is also worrisome. It has Russia and Belarus battling three mythical regional countries, "Vesarbia," "Lubenia" and "Veishnoria," according to Germany's Deutsche Welle. Further, the public broadcasting service reports that the notional enemies control a land corridor which connects (the not-at-all notional) Belarus with (the not-at-all notional) Russian enclave of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea. (Kaliningrad is a chunk of Russian land wedged between NATO members Poland and Lithuania.) Plus, the (not-at-all notional) land corridor that runs from Belarus to Kaliningrad is known as the Suwalki Gap - which also serves as the border between Vilnius and Warsaw. Actually, the scenario isn't very notional at all, is it? One possible concern (and one that preceded Zapad-17) is that Moscow wants the strategic Suwalki Gap and will use these maneuvers to seize it, geographically dividing NATO and connecting Kaliningrad and Minsk. It's not far-fetched: Russia used large exercises to divert attention from, or as staging grounds for, Moscow's interventions into Georgia (2008) and Crimea, Ukraine (2014). Others are troubled that some Russian forces and/or equipment deployed to Belarus for Zapad-17 will stay behind in that country to put them closer to NATO borders, Kaliningrad or Ukraine. So what's going to happen this next week? It's doubtful that Russian President Vladimir Putin (with or without Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko) will make a military move on the Suwalki Gap, activating NATO's Article 5 - a clause that stipulates that an attack on one is an attack on all. The same applies to attacking other NATO states. Frankly, taking on the U.S.-led, 29-member NATO alliance is risky and a much heavier lift than taking on individual countries such as Georgia or Ukraine. Moreover, Putin is already running an insurgency in Ukraine and supporting the Syrian regime, all while Russia suffers from low global oil and natural gas prices that aren't filling government coffers as much as usual. What happens with Russian troops/gear in Belarus is unclear. The United States, of course, should be loaded for "bear" while Zapad-17 flexes its military might. There's also the possibility of an incident during the war games (such as accidentally or intentionally crossing a border) that could lead to a crisis. But beyond any possible intentional or unintentional hostilities, it's also critically important that we keep our eyes and ears open to study and assess current Russian military doctrine, readiness and capabilities. Hopefully, it won't ever be needed, but it'll sure be helpful if it ever is. Peter Brookes is a Heritage Foundation senior fellow and a former deputy assistant secretary of defense. Follow him on Twitter @Brookes_Peter. Guwahati : Security forces had apprehended an arms dealer in Nagaland/s Dimapur. Assam Rifle's PRO Lt Col Amitabh Sharma said that, based on specific information regarding presence of an arms dealer, 32 Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (North) along with police representative launched an operation in general area Signal Basti, Dimapur and apprehended the arms dealer. The apprehended person was identified as Puloka Achumi and security personnel had recovered a Made in Germany point 32 mm pistol with magazine, 480 SP capsules in possession from him. Later the person along with the recovered items was handed over to Urban Police Station, Dimapur for further investigation.* (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Guwahati: Journalists' Forum Assam (JFA) expressed serious concern over the shutting down of a largely circulated Urdu newspaper at Rawlakot in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) by the Islamabad based government for publishing a survey report showing that majority respondents rejected Islamabad's domination over their land. It may be noted that Daily Mujadala conducted a survey asking people if they wanted to continue living under Pakistan, where over 73% of the respondents denounced it and demanded freedom from the occupation of Islamabad. Haris Qadeer, editor of Daily Mujadala, while responding to JFA queries informed that most of the respondents wanted Kashmir to get restored as it was in 1948. They opined that they are Kashmiris and so they insisted on their independence. The young editor also confirmed that his newspaper office was sealed by the authority. It may also be mentioned that India's foreign minister Sushma Swaraj had recently asserted that Pakistan administered PoK is an integral part of the country. She was loud and clear while commenting that the entire PoK had been illegally occupied by Islamabad. 'The recognized media outlets should enjoy the right to print, broadcast or telecast various point of views in relation with the public. The local authorities at Rawlakot should honour the freedom of the newspaper to publish the survey report even though it was not comfortable for them,'A said a statement issued by JFA president Rupam Barua and secretary Nava Thakuria. 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Citizens protest in front of Ministry of Water Resources against the decision to inaugurate the Sardar Sarovar Dam on Modias Birthday More than 40,000 families are yet to be rehabilitated; More than 40000 Kms of Narmada Canals yet to be constructed. Narmada Mahotsav is nothing but a politics for votes, Modi Govt. telling lie to people of Gujarat and the Narmada Valley. New Delhi | September 14, 2017: Today, a group of citizens protested in front of Ministry of Water Resources and submitted memorandum to the Secretary. Hannan Mollah, former Member of Parliament; Richa Singh (NAPM), Krishna Prasad (All India Kisan Sabha), Vimal Bhai (Matu Jansangathan), and many others came together and protested against the Govtas decision of inaugurating the Sardar Sarovar Dam formally and dedicating it to the nation on Modias birthday. It cannot be more than a cruel joke with the people of Narmada Valley, where more than 40000 families are still waiting for complete and just rehabilitation as per the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal (NWDT) Award, liberalised rehabilitation policy of Madhya Pradesh and many court judgments. Govts response and apathy on the issue is shameless and completely undemocratic. It seems that they can go to any extent for winning elections. In Gujarat, Canals are incomplete, Govt. has reduced the planned irrigation command area from 18 lakh hectares to mere 12 lakh hectares last year. Even then they are only able to irrigate mere 3 lakh hectares till this year. The length of Narmada Canal reduced consistently and silently. From earlier planned 90389 Kms, it has reduced to approximately 71000 Kms, of which still they need to construct 42000 Kms of Canal network. Thus, by closing gates of Sardar Sarovar Dam, and submerging people of Narmada valley, to whom are they providing water without canals? Narmada Mahotsav is planned by Govt. only to highlight their lies and a mere campaign for vote politics. This cannot be more shameful for the people of this country to watch the mass murder being planned by the peopleas representatives and the same Government is showing it as a celebration to the people. It is painful to watch the concerned ministries, and state govt. of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and especially Madhya Pradesh having surrendered to boost the image makeover event for Modi after people of the country have rejected messures like demonetisation and GST. During the protest, people talked about the realities and impending threats over adivasis, farmers, workers, fishworkers, women, children, potters, artisans and others living in the valley. Water level is rising day by day and the Government is also putting pressure to the concerned authorities to release water from other dams into the Sardar Sarovar Reservoir. Shivraj Singh Chouhan has no moral authority to be in the post of Chief Minister anymore, if he cannot protect the interest of lakhs of people of his state. Vimal Bhai, and Richa Singh went to submit the memorandum to Shri Nitin Gadkari, who was not present in the ministry, thus secretary Sanjay Ji came to meet both. We gave the memorandum and briefed him about the current situation and gross violations of human and environmental rights and when we asked for the minutes and report of Environment Sub Group and Resettlement & Rehabilitation Sub Group, on the basis of which the decision has been taken to close the gates of Sardar Sarovar Dam. He was unable to provide and shamelessly said in the end that we need to take a decision at the end no matter what is the reality. We always criticised this approach of governance that they cannot murder people in the name of completing a project. If a project is showing adverse impacts, we need to immediately shut it down. We cannot risk lives of lakhs of people. This is what happening in the case of Sardar Sarovar Dam and Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, must answer the critical questions before cutting the cake of his birthday on September 17. People protested for more than an hour, where Sunita sang revolutionary songs demanding rights and asking people to come together and fight against the state oppression. Hannan Mollah (All India Kisan Sabha and Bhumi Adhikar Andolan), Vimal Bhai (Matu Jansangathan), Krishna Prasad (All India Kisan Sabha), Avijit Vasi (AIUFWP), Sanjeev (DSG), Faisal Khan, Inamul Hassan (Khudai Khidmatgar), Suresh Rathore (Saajha Sanskriti Manch), Richa Singh (NAPM), Uma (NAPM), Saurav (DSG), and Amit (NAPM) spoke about the impending threat of submergence in the valley and the continued state oppression. The lies of state and violent attacks by the state led police forces in the Narmada Valley are now exposed. We stand in solidarity with the people fighting with high spirit in the Valley and condemn the notorious plans of inaugurating Sardar Sarovar Dam when the Project is incomplete without complete rehabilitation of all the oustees, and many other pending works. Uma, Ayaz, Antara, Asha Delhi Solidarity Group | National Alliance of Peopleas Movements 9971058735 | 9958797409 Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Sheltering in place can be a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't decision. In general, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, people should shelter in place "when conditions require that you seek immediate protection in your home, place of employment, school or other location when disaster strikes ... local officials are the best source of information when determining whether to evacuate or shelter in place." Staying put can be a smart move, or in the case of one couple, a really dumb thing to do. The couple tried to ride out Irma, get this, on their sailboat off Jensen Beach north of Palm Beach. The inevitable happened. Sheriff's deputies had to rescue the pair before the storm struck with all its fury. Advertisement Despite such a poor decision, there are many sensible reasons why people choose to stay during major storms. For one, they might have no place to go. That generally occurs when emergencies pop up quickly. Tornados, for example, can roar through a neighborhood with little notice, forcing people to seek refuge in their homes, at work or at school. In other instances, people cannot afford to leave, or they might not have transportation out of town. And as was the case before Hurricane Irma, most major freeways were jammed with traffic and fuel was in short supply, and all flights out of Florida were booked, leaving people with few options. " " Traffic crawled on the northbound lanes of Florida's Turnpike near the intersection of I-75 north of Orlando on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017 as people evacuated from Hurricane Irma. Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel/Getty Images A traffic nightmare scenario was part of the reason Texas didn't order Houston residents to evacuate before Hurricane Harvey hit in August. Officials there were afraid a mass evacuation would be worse than the storm itself. That's because in 2005, 60 of the 118 storm-related deaths from Hurricane Rita in Texas were people trapped during the evacuation. Harvey ended up dumping more than 50 inches of rain, ultimately flooding the entire city of Houston and displacing more than 32,000 people. So, when officials do issue mandatory evacuations and people are too stubborn, or in the words of Rubin, "too stupid" to leave even though the threat is imminent and dangerous, what then? "Often people say 'I survived the last hurricane/flood/whatever and I will be fine this time if I shelter-in-place,'" Rubin says. "Usually, that is a mistake since characteristics of each threat [and] hazard is different." Gender and age play a role in the decision to leave, too. "Men behave differently than women," Rubin says, "and older people are reluctant or unable to move quickly or dread relocation." Rubin says communities need to prepare if residents shelter in place. Some communities plan for a "vertical evacuation." In other words, they shelter people in buildings that have been designated safe, like schools or in Irma's case, the Miami-Dade County Fair Expo Center. Public safety officers and other first responders also hunker down in these buildings. "It makes sense to create or designate safe structures," Rubin says. Still, there are emergencies when Rubin says sheltering in place should always be avoided, such as during a wildfire or dangerous chemical spill, unless authorities say otherwise. Now That's Smart If you are going to shelter in place, first make sure your pantry is stocked with food and water. Have an emergency supply kit. Most importantly, put enough space between you and the disaster. Get into an interior room away from doors and windows. Check out ready.gov for more tips. Seguin, TX (78155) Today Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High 58F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Some clouds. Low near 40F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. In sentencing filing, Anthony Weiner asks for probation and community service after guilty plea to transferring obscene material to a minor | Main | "Fragmentation and Democracy in the Constitutional Law of Punishment" As reported in this Washington Post piece, headlined "Kushner to gather bipartisan group to come up with ideas for federal prisons," an event scheduled for today in the White House suggests criminal justice reform issues are not completely dormant at the federal level. Here are the details: President Trumps son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, will convene a roundtable Thursday at the White House to gather recommendations for improving mentoring and job training in federal prisons, a departure from the administrations focus on more punitive crime-fighting measures. A bipartisan group of about two dozen elected officials, religious leaders and business leaders were invited to the first major criminal justice-related event held by the Kushner-led Office of American Innovation, which in recent months has brought together technology executives to search for ways to make government more efficient. Kushners interest in corrections policy is personal: His father, Charles Kushner, a real estate executive, was sentenced in 2005 to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion. Jared Kushner has said the experience gave him a glimpse of the challenges inmates and their families face in and outside of prison. There is a lot of agreement from the left and the center and the right that once a person has committed a crime we should make sure we give them the best opportunities to try to live a productive life after serving their time, Kushner told The Washington Post in a telephone interview. Were not looking to train better criminals. The event, which had not been officially announced as of Wednesday morning, comes after a months-long push by Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions for more aggressive prosecution of drug offenders and illegal immigrants. In May, Sessions jettisoned an Obama administration policy that instructed federal prosecutors to avoid charging low-level criminals with drug offenses that would trigger severe mandatory-minimum sentences, a shift projected to boost the prison population. Those efforts are at odds with a growing consensus that the mandatory-minimum sentences that proliferated during the war on drugs fueled crowded, costly prisons that unduly burden taxpayers and do not improve public safety. A number of states, including several led by Republicans, are curbing their inmate populations and even closing prisons by reducing mandatory-minimum sentences and expanding parole and probation. Kushners private discussions in recent months with members of Congress and outside groups have included sentencing reform, according to participants, but Thursdays meeting is more narrowly focused on preparing inmates to reenter society. Neither Sessions nor his newly appointed Bureau of Prisons director, retired Army Gen. Mark S. Inch, will attend, although some Justice Department officials are expected to participate. Criminal justice advocates invited to the roundtable said the gathering is a positive first step, and they called for expanding drug and mental health treatment, vocational training, mentoring programs and placement in halfway houses. Regardless of what you think about who goes to prison or how long they need to be there, most people come out eventually, so lets make sure they are better off than when they came in, said Mark Holden, general counsel for Koch Industries, a leading conservative proponent of reducing incarceration levels. Of course I want to see the dialogue on criminal justice issues continue and looked at comprehensively. We need a holistic solution. The federal prison population is expected to grow by 2 percent over the coming year, rising by 4,171 inmates, to a total of 191,493, and reversing the downward trend of the past four years, according to the Trump administrations proposed budget. Yet the proposal calls for a 14 percent reduction in federal prison jobs, including 1,850 fewer corrections officers. Many of those positions are vacant. The Justice Department is seeking $10 million to cover the costs of food, health care, transportation and programs for the additional inmates, but its unclear how much money would be allocated to education and vocational training.... Asked about federal funding, Kushner said, Were not at a place where we are prescribing solutions. Were bringing people together and generating ideas. If prisoner reentry programs are successfully executed, its usually a good investment. A request for recommendations from participants before the conference said, While suggestions for the investment of Federal resources are appreciated, please also be sure to highlight opportunities that do not require Federal funding. On Capitol Hill, Rep. Douglas A. Collins (R-Ga.) has introduced a bill that would require federal prisons to assess inmates needs and offer rehabilitation programs. Co-sponsored by House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), the measure requests $250 million over the next five years for prison education programs. Among the elected officials slated to participate in Thursdays program are Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.), Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Republican Govs. Matt Bevin of Kentucky and Sam Brownback of Kansas. "It was always unclear to me whether we were helping or perpetuating violence in a particular part of the country." https://t.co/9zcmP7YLlH Ars Technica (@arstechnica) September 13, 2017 Just as we hear Edward Snowden chiming in on the possible privacy-encroachment issues with Apple's new Face ID technology, fellow data leaker turned privacy pundit Chelsea Manning is emerging from her recent imprisonment to give her thoughts on the "eerily banal dystopian novel" that our world has become. That's the phrase she uses in an op-ed in the New York Times today, which comes on the heels of a Tuesday night appearance at the Noisebridge hackerspace in San Francisco. As Ars Technica reports, Manning appeared "Dressed in all black and a metallic necklace with a # sign," and talked about "eating a lot of pizza and Tex-Mex as comfort foods" since her release from the federal clink. She also mentioned having just bought a coffee table as part of rebuilding her life, but it's unclear where she's currently living. In this, one of her first public appearances since her release, she also spoke on the topic of the "huge datasets with all kinds of personal data" on us that are now out there, and how this ought to be more cause for concern than it currently is. Speaking in conversation with Noisebridge cofounder Mitch Altman, Manning said, "As a coder, I know that you can build a system and it works, but youre thinking about the immediate result, youre not thinking about that this particular code could be misused, or it could be used in a different manner." Capping off our 10th Year Anniversary with a very special speaker at Noisebridge, Chelsea Manning. pic.twitter.com/K8JUMZJixW Noisebridge (@noisebridge) September 13, 2017 She was also asked the question many people would probably want to ask her, which is "Would you do it again if you could go back?" "I don't know," she said, per Ars Technica. "I don't like to go back in time and second guess myself. You make the decision that you make and you live with that." In the Times, Manning elaborated on her concerns about Big Data, noting that with the ubiquity of smartphones in 2017, "virtually everything we do causes us to bleed digital information, putting us at the mercy of invisible algorithms that threaten to consume our freedom." She notes how we are now being relentlessly tracked, knowingly or not, and "We agree to cryptic terms-of-service agreements that obscure the true nature and scope of these transactions." And she points to her personal experience as a recently incarcerated transwoman who has had trouble getting banking and governmental systems to recognize her very existence. "These systems leave no room for humanity, yet they define our daily lives," she writes. "When I began rebuilding my life this summer, I painfully discovered that they have no time for people who have fallen off the grid such nuance eludes them." Her larger point, she's saying, is that we have very quickly been giving over our humanity, information, and privacy to an enormous machine that most of us can't fathom, the myriad consequences of which are yet to be seen. This may end up being a focus of her work as she embarks as a Visiting Fellow at Harvard this fall. As The Hill reports, Manning was just named among a group of fellows at Harvard which also includes former White House press secretary Sean Spicer and Hillary Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook. The fellows, according to Harvard, are supposed to bring "thought-provoking viewpoints" to the school. Previously: Video: Chelsea Manning Gives First Post-Prison Interview Bay Area Air District cites now-closed #SF #Russian consulate for smoke violation on Spare the Air day https://t.co/GFekKSMqP8 pic.twitter.com/bfjv7LM9AF KRON4 News (@kron4news) September 12, 2017 Remember how on the Friday of the heatwave there was noxious black smoke pouring out of the chimney at the Russian Consulate in Pacific Heights, not coincidentally a day ahead of a US-imposed closure of the facility? A rep for the consulate told the SF Fire Department they were simply burning "unknown items" in the fireplace, no big whoop. But this was a Spare the Air Day, and now the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued the Notice of Violation to the consulate for "burning inappropriate materials," as the Mercury News reports, and the Russians are having none of it. We hear via the Russian news agency TASS, per the SF Chronicle, that Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, called the citation "another Russophobic stunt," and she said "An anti-Russian performance in the United States is taking place." "The show running at the moment is called Russians Poison San-Francisco. Why?" asked Zakharova sarcastically. She reportedly took issue with the air district for failing to mention the sum of the fine. "One of the reasons behind it is to excuse the barbaric actions by US secret services on the premises of the Russian consulate general," she said. A BAAQMD spokesperson, Lisa Fasano, told the Mercury News that there was no specific fine attached to the notice, and "both entities will reach a settlement on the proper punishment." The violation was not specific to Spare the Air Days and would have been issued on any day, Fasano explains. The rule broken, Regulation 6-3-309, pertains to the burning of garbage or "any material not intended by a manufacturer for use as a fuel in a wood-burning device." The smoke billowing out of the consulate's chimney made national headlines on September 1, amid 106-degree temperatures in San Francisco, and one day after the Trump Administration had given the Russians 48 hours to vacate and shutter the consulate. The SF consulate, the largest and oldest of Russia's outposts in the US, was one of four ordered closed in retaliation for the closure of some American facilities on Russian soil. This was seen by some as an escalation of diplomatic tensions that began with revelations about Russian meddling in the November election, after which President Obama ordered several dozen Russian intelligence agents out of the country, at least a few of whom were based at the SF consulate. As part of the recent order from the State Department, an inspection of the consulate by federal agents was promised on September 2, as soon as the Russians vacated. Investigators with the BAAQMD spoke with the fire department and reviewed photographs, and as Fasano says, "With such black smoke it was clear something other than wood was being burned, and that usually means garbage." Previously: Video: Russian Consulate In SF Burns God Knows What As They Prepare To Close It's the crime reporters' version of Groundhog Day, to write what seems like the same confounding report again and again. But here we are, once more talking about a law enforcement officer who makes the astonishing decision to leave his or her gun in their car as they park in San Francisco, only to have it stolen and used in a crime. This time, the victim was 23 year-old Abel Enrique Esquivel, Jr., who police said via press release Wednesday was shot at 2 a.m. near 26th Street and South Van Ness Avenue on August 15. Transported to San Francisco General Hospital, Esquivel died the following day. On Monday, police arrested two suspects in the case, and on Tuesday a third. All three men 18-year-old Erick Garcia Pineda and 24-year-old Jesus Perez-Araujo were nabbed at 16th and Mission, police say, and 18-year-old Daniel Cruz, arrested on the 2600 block of Mission are SF residents who the San Francisco Police Department says were allegedly "responsible for several robberies that occurred in the Mission District between August 13th and August 15th," as well as an aggravated assault. According to a GoFundMe page established by members of Esquivel's family, the victim was killed in one such robbery, when while walking home from his work as a night staffer at a local market, two hooded individuals who attempted to rob him fired the fatal shots. According to the Chron, "Esquivel was a compassionate young man who volunteered at a community center in the Mission District." It's towards the bottom of the SFPD press release that you see the clock flip. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that the weapon used in the homicide was a personal firearm registered to a San Francisco Police officer that was stolen from his personal vehicle on August 12, 2017. The Department is conducting an internal investigation into the circumstance of the theft of the firearm. Where have we heard this, or something like this, before? Oh, I know: In this most recent case, the San Francisco Police Officers Association followed up the SFPD release with a statement that took things from bad to worse, saying that the officer was apparently so freewheeling with his car gun that he didn't even know it was gone: A few weeks ago, a vehicle belonging to an SFPD officer was burglarized and the officer's personal firearm was stolen, unbeknownst to him. There were no visible signs of the burglary, and the officer did not realize that the vehicle had been broken into, nor that the firearm had been stolen. Days after the burglary, that firearm was used in a gang-related homicide. The officer, a highly-decorated veteran, is devastated. He is working with the Department to fully comply with its investigation into this case. Police have not released where they believe the theft to have occurred (though, how could they know, if the police officer didn't even notice his gun was gone?), nor any details on the officer. Following Wednesday night's Police Commission meeting, SFPD chief Bill Scott said little was known regarding the crime. As far as our department policy, there is a department policy on storage of weapons in vehicles, its pretty clear, Scott told CBS 5. The weapon is supposed to be stored in a locked container that is affixed to the vehicle. So, I dont have the details for that because the investigation is ongoing, but there is a policy for that. Former Supervisor David Campos, who launched the locked container regulations back in 2015, told NBC Bay Area that his law was proposed specifically to avoid tragedies like this one. "The idea was to make sure that every person in the city, every San Franciscan, knows if they have a responsibility if they have a gun and they leave it in a vehicle, it has to be secured." "If anything," Campos said, "there's an expectation that police officers would be held to a higher standard." SF Police Commissioner Petra DeJesus appears to agree with Campos regarding standards for officers, telling CBS that when she heard the news of the homicide weapon's origins, "I was surprised." Given the fact that guns in officers cars have been in the news in the last 18 months and crime being committed by that," DeJesus said, "I was concerned and surprised that there wouldnt be more care in leaving a gun in a car. If the gun was indeed unsecured, Mission District Supervisor Hilary Ronen says The officer needs to be held accountable." Speaking with the Ex, Ronen says If anyone should be setting an example of how to safely store weapons in vehicles especially given a number of tragedies that have occurred it is sworn police officers. They should be setting an example. Meanwhile, the suspects in Esquivel's death are currently off the streets and in custody at San Francisco County Jail. Pineda faces charges of "homicide, multiple counts of robbery, conspiracy, burglary and attempted murder," the SFPD says. Perez-Araujo was booked on multiple counts of robbery, burglary, and conspiracy, and Cruz faces homicide, conspiracy, robbery and possession of stolen property charges. Related: Tuesday Night Shooting Sends San Francisco's Homicide Count To 48 SIOUX CITY | Chris Ver Steeg is in the process of establishing a brand new church in Sioux City, with the help of a team of people that have faith in him and his vision. Ver Steeg, a Sioux City resident and a pastor for 14 years, conducted the first services of his Elevate Community Church last Sunday. The church does not yet have a house of worship to call its own, so Ver Steeg preaches in a large room in the Siouxland Center for Active Generations, 313 Cook St. About 300 attended the first services on Sunday, the first in a series of monthly services that will continue through 2017. Beginning in January, they'll become weekly services. "This is really my first experience of launching a church," Ver Steeg said. Before this, he was on staff at Sunnybrook Community Church in Sioux City. The church found the space it occupies through a member of its launch team, who happened to be on the board of directors at the center. "He called me up and said, 'Hey, you need to come check out the Siouxland Center for Active Generations,' and my initial thought was, 'Eh, I don't know, it kind of sounds like a nursing home,'" Ver Steeg said. "We came and checked it out, and walked in here, and I was like, 'Wow, they've really done a nice job of remodeling this place, and it's not what I expected it to be.'" So, impressed as he was with the space, the church found a home. It may be a bit early to talk about finding its own space, Ver Steeg said, given that they haven't even started weekly services. "We're taking this journey one step at a time," he said. 'Grow in their faith' An abbreviated motto of the new church, which is nondenominational, is "Know, Grow, Go," Ver Steeg said. "Elevate Community Church exists to help people know Jesus Christ, grow in their faith and go make a difference in the world," he said. Not belonging to a synod or any other formal grouping of churches, Ver Steeg said, gives Elevate Community Church a lot of room to do its own thing. "If you get attached to a denomination, right away you kind of begin to exclude people," Ver Steeg said. "People go, 'Well, if I'm not Lutheran, I can't go to that church. If I'm not Baptist, I can't go to that church.' We want to present a church that's open to anybody and everybody." So, rather than go by rules set by a group of churches, Elevate Community Church is governed by a board called a "consistory," made up of six people who make the rules for the church. Ver Steeg said there were a number of different signals that told him a new church was needed. "I think God's been preparing me to maybe lead a church," he said. "We've had some friends come to us, and just say, 'Hey Chris, you should think about starting a church.' We've visited multiple other different churches in town and just recognized that there's probably room for another thriving church in Sioux City. Ultimately, my wife and I, along with some close friends, spent a lot of time praying about it and just felt like God was opening a door." Sioux City is a place, Ver Steeg said, where too many people remain "unchurched" -- not affiliated with a church, or not religious in general. Sensing this, Ver Steeg hopes his church can reach those people and bring them into the fold. "I'm not called to judge people, I'm not called to change people, I'm called to love people," he said. "It's God's job to change people." The church is trying to reach out to two groups of people -- college students and those in the neighborhood. "College is a place in life where a lot of people walk away from their faith," Ver Steeg said. The church already has a man in the trenches, on campus -- Ethan Stofferan, a clinical assistant at CNOS in Dakota Dunes and the church's college ministry director. His role in the church, he said, will involve leading Bible study sessions for college students. Even though college may constitute several years of non-religious behavior for most students, Stofferan said ministry has a place on campus. "If you talk about Jesus, he goes into some of the craziest places on Earth," Stofferan said. Elevate Community Church will hold services at the Siouxland Center for Active Generations on October 1 at 10 a.m. SOUTH SIOUX CITY | The parents of the South Sioux City woman who was shot and killed last week have opened a benefit account for her children. Mei (Sue) Huang, 33, died Sept. 6 at a Sioux City hospital after police say her husband shot her outside of the Law Enforcement Center in South Sioux City. The benefit account has been established by her parents Carrie Durant and Sara Bowman at Siouxland Federal Credit Union for her two children under the benefit account "Maddie and Noah," a press release said. A memorial for her will be 4 to 5 p.m. Oct. 1 at the gym in Augustana Lutheran Church at 600 Court St. in Sioux City. Her funeral services will be at Kwan Ying Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles Sept. 22. Her obituary says Huang was born on March 6, 1984, in Guangdong, China to Ruxiong Huang and Ming Juian Wu. She attended and graduated school in China. When she was 22 years old she moved to the United States where she lived in Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska. In 2014, she moved to South Sioux City to take over the restaurant Panda Palace, 2601 Cornhusker Drive. In the morning of Sept. 6, police inside the Law Enforcement Center, at 710 W. 29th St., heard two gunshots coming from outside. When they went out to investigate, they found Huang lying on the ground with gunshot wounds. A firearm was recovered at the scene. Her husband, Beisheng Chen, 41, of South Sioux City, was found in the vicinity and taken into custody for questioning. He has since been charged with first-degree murder. His first court appearance has been set for Sept. 19. SIOUX CITY | An Alta, Iowa, man has been arrested, after police said he assaulted a man and broke into a home by breaking out a window. Enrique Diaz III, 23, of Alta, was arrested on the felony charges of first-degree attempted burglary and going armed with intent. A Storm Lake Police Department release said police responded to a disturbance call just before 10 p.m. Wednesday in the 600 block of Superior Street. Police said Diaz was found intoxicated and bloody in the yard at the site. Police said witnesses described Diaz assaulting a person at a party in the home, then leaving. Diaz reportedly returned and removed the cross bar of a clothesline and used it to break out a window in the attempt to get in the residence again. Police said Diaz was tackled and held until authorities arrived. Diaz is being held on $10,000 bond in Buena Vista County Jail. SIOUX CITY | The 129-year-old former home of Sioux City's Everett Elementary would become a 20-unit apartment complex under renovation plans by a Woodbine, Iowa-based developer. Arch Icon Development, which specializes in historic renovation projects, has requested a rezoning of the former Everett Elementary property at 1314 W. Third St., which it purchased last year, to re-purpose the building. The rezoning passed by a vote of 5-0 during Tuesday's Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. A separate vote for the city to vacate an alley in the area also passed. Both items will head to the Sioux City Council Sept. 25. Based on some community feedback, the commission stipulated that a site plan must also be approved by the commission at a later date. This Arch Icon project will be in addition to another Sioux City project to renovate the former Central High School annex on Jackson Street into 46 apartments ranging from one to four bedrooms. Rent there is projected to range from $375 to $800 per month. The project received a boost from an award of over $688,000 in tax credits from the Iowa Finance Authority in March. The project is an $11 million investment. An Arch Icon representative was not available for comment Wednesday. Everett Elementary opened in 1888 as the "Davis Addition School," named for the subdivision in which it was built. The school board renamed the school "Everett" in February 1889 -- possibly after Edward Everett, a U.S. senator from Massachusetts who gave the main speech the day Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. The original four-room structure originally cost $12,500 to build. In 1917, the district added more rooms and a gymnasium. It underwent subsequent modernization projects, and an auditorium was added in 1940. The school celebrated the building's centennial in 1988 and kept it in use for 23 more years. The building closed in 2011 along with Smith Elementary, with the students from the two schools going to the new Liberty Elementary, 1623 Rebecca St. Arch Icon Development purchased the building from the Sioux City school district in October for $67,500. Everett joins several former schools that are undergoing renovations into housing. Fourteen years ago, the renovated Central High School building across the street re-opened as Castle on the Hill apartments. Sioux City-based Old School Properties is renovating the former Joy Elementary School, 3409 Indiana Ave., into a 21-unit apartment complex. It is planning to do the same to the former Whittier Elementary School, 4820 Fourth Ave. SIOUX CITY | U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, in late Wednesday night tweets blasted President Donald Trump, a fellow Republican, over possible immigration policy moves. King tweeted that Trump would blow up his base of conservative support and have no credibility, if the president takes what King considers a soft stance on immigration. King, a firebrand conservative who has the quest to build a wall at the Mexican border as one of his top issues, was responding to an Associated Press account of a possible deal with Democrats regarding the wall or people affected by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. By Thursday morning, the president wrote a series of tweets to try to explain where immigration pieces stand. King on Wednesday night retweeted an AP story tweet, which cited Democratic leaders and read, "BREAKING: Schumer, Pelosi announce deal with Trump to protect young immigrants; will include border security, but no wall." King then topped that tweet with his own take, writing, "@RealDonaldTrump If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." In another tweet a few minutes after the first one at about 10 p.m. Wednesday, King wrote, "@RealDonaldTrump Mr. President, I support your agenda, especially your no amnesty agenda. MAGA!" King tweeted once more on the topic, with a Thursday morning tweet that still remains, in which he recounts actions he calls amnesty during past presidencies. King tweeted, "Reagan led with Amnesty, 1986. Bush43 led with Amnesty '06, Obama led with Amnesty '13. All failed so...Trump leads with DACA Amnesty 2017." With the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals initiative in force since 2012, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security does not deport certain undocumented youth who came to the U.S. as children with relatives. Trump also used Twitter to lay out his positions Thursday morning. In the first such tweet from his @realDonaldTrump account, the president wrote, "No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote." Another Trump tweet said, "The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built." His fourth and final tweet on the topic Thursday morning appeared to indicate that Trump may not seek deportation of some of the undocumented young people. Trump wrote, "...They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security." Also on Thursday, White House Spokeswoman Lindsay Walters repeated the presidents assertion that no deal was made on protections for young immigrants during a dinner Wednesday night between the president and Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story said King had deleted the two Wednesday tweets. Kings tweets started with the @realdonaldtrump tag, so they show up under the Tweets & Replies area, not in the general Tweets timeline. SIOUX CITY | When she was younger, Kayla Cooper wasn't grossed out by the medical shows she watched on TV, but fascinated by the sometimes stomach-churning procedures. Still, the Orange City, Iowa, native didn't see herself pursuing a career in the profession until one of her aunts encouraged her and her twin sister, Kelsey, to work in a nursing home. It didn't take long for Kayla to fall in love with patient care. "It's really nice to see how (patients) can improve so fast and that you've made an impact," said the 22-year-old, who graduated with an associate degree in nursing from St. Luke's College in May and is pursing her bachelor of science in nursing degree online through the Sioux City college. Unlike her sister, Kelsey Cooper said she always knew she wanted to work in the medical field, but she said she didn't know what sub-specialty would be right for her until she learned more about radiology. "That sounded really interesting and fun to me," said Kelsey, who also received her associate degree in the spring. "You do shadow days where you just go in and watch them and I ended up really loving it once I got to see everything they actually do in the X-ray department." After graduating from Unity Christian High School in May 2015, the twins opted to enroll in classes at St. Luke's College in Sioux City, which two of their aunts had attended. The college, located on UnityPoint Health-St. Luke's campus, offers bachelor of science degrees in nursing and health science; associate degrees in nursing, radiologic technology and respiratory care and certificate programs in medical laboratory science and phlebotomy. "It was one of those things where it was last-minute," Kayla said of her and her twin's decisions. "We grew up doing everything together, so it's almost that little security that you have -- if you have a bad day, she's going to be there." Although the twins went to the same college and pursued medical careers, the sisters have different likes. Kayla prefers being outdoors, active and traveling, while Kelsey is more into books and movies. Kayla said the two saw being able to live together as a definite perk, but she said it wasn't the main reason why they decided to attend the same college. "I ended up really liking the instructors and really liking the facility. We're right across from the hospital," Kayla said of St. Luke's College. Kelsey said she liked the way the radiologic technology program allowed her to get hands-on experience early on in the hospital setting. "Some programs don't really do clinicals until the end," she said. "We got to actually take X-rays the whole two years we were actually here." While in school at the same time, Kelsey said she and Kayla went their separate ways as they pursued two different educational tracks. "We weren't always around each other, because she was always busy with her nursing stuff and I was always busy with my radiology stuff," she said. Sherry McCarthy, enrollment management and marketing coordinator for St. Luke's College, said seven sets of siblings are currently attending the college. While having a set of twins as students is unique, she said it's not unusual for family members to attend at the same time. Some are in the same programs, while others pursue different educational tracks. "I don't think we've ever had twins before, not at least at the same time," she said. Kayla and Kelsey aren't the only twins in the family. They have sisters who are also twins. There's a chance that their younger sister Ashley could eventually wind up at the college. She and her twin sister Amber will be attending Western Iowa Tech Community College in the fall. Kayla says Ashley is torn between becoming a paramedic or a nurse, while Amber wants to get into law enforcement. After graduation, Kelsey decided to study cardiac ultrasound full-time at Southeast Tech in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Not surprisingly, Kayla agreed to live with her sister again, after landing a nursing job at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center. "I was really debating whether I wanted to stay here or move up to Sioux Falls with her. She wasn't sure what she was going to do for room and living situation up there, so I was like, 'I can come there. That's fine,'" Kayla said. "For me, nursing's hard, so it's super nice to have her with me. She's a huge support." Nalini Krishans most well-known film role is one in which she has no lines to speak. Nevertheless, this one part has changed her life forever. The Fiji-born Australian actress was cast in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. Her character, named Barriss Offee, is a Jedi Padawan in the second film of the prequel trilogy. The fictional characters backstory would be further developed in other Star Wars properties, like the animated TV series The Clone Wars. With the franchise rejuvenated with the help of films like Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Krishan finds herself attending more and more Star Wars conventions. In anticipation of her guest appearance Saturday (Sept. 16) at ACME Comics & Collectibles Mini Con 7, The Weekender spoke to Krishan about her experience in the franchise that takes place in a galaxy far, far away. Whats life like for you now that the Star Wars franchise has been reinvigorated with new movies? I have to say that since the new movies have come out -- that first year when The Force Awakens came out in 2015 -- I did more shows in that year than I had done in a while. I also just moved to the United States permanently at that time. I noticed I was doing a lot more signings and being asked for more interviews. And I was certainly off to do more conventions. This year has really picked up for conventions as well. When youre going to these conventions, are fans picking you out and recognizing you and your character? The fans of my character will definitely know me because they follow me on Instagram or Facebook. There are lots of different people that come and see you, but typically the fans always know. They may not know the face, but they know the name of the actor and character. Theres definitely that recognition. Were you a fan of Star Wars before you were cast in Attack of the Clones? I always was! I watched the repeats on TV as a child. I watched Ewok Adventures on TV. I loved all of it. I definitely watched them growing up. I also watched Star Trek. I watched them both. You were of fan of both Star Wars and Star Trek? Well they always played the repeats on television. And when youre a child and you watch something like that, its very fascinating to watch. I watched [Star Trek] and really grew to love it as a child. I probably didnt understand much of what was happening. But I really loved watching it. It resonated with me as a child. The popularity of Star Wars has kind of developed its own culture. Whats it like to be a part of that? Oh my goodness I cant really explain it in words. Im part of a saga. Im part of a franchise. Im a Jedi. I can tell you there is a very, very, very minuscule amount of people have actually say theyve been a Jedi in a film and travelled to conventions. Im one of the small actors that had no speaking and my fight scenes were cut out and so forth. But even being in that small part of Star Wars, I feel so privileged and very blessed. This will stick with me until I die. I will be travelling all my life doing this like all the other actors in Star Wars that do this. I dont know how to describe just how blessed I am. I never take it for granted. Did you have any sort of expectations that this lifestyle change would happen when you found out you were cast in the movie? No, I did not. I didnt even know what was going on. I was hired and did a lot of fight scenes more than anything else. They didnt really tell us what we were doing. They kept it so secret. I was captivated by what was going to happen. I remember giving an interview on set and they asked, How do you feel playing this person? and I thought, Who? I didnt know who I was playing. Thats how secret it was. There were no expectations; just a whole lot of anticipation and excitement. Did you feel compelled to learn more about your character? I did! I did have to learn about her, per se, since I didnt have any speaking parts [in Attack of the Clones], but I learned about her watching The Clone Wars and things like that. I learned from conversations. There is so much written about her in the Star Wars universe. They really filled up these characters. It seems like every character in the background and foreground of the films has some sort of huge back story and fan base. Exactly! Star Wars has changed my life. You feel very much engaged with your fans and whats going on. I dont know any actor [in Attack of the Clones] whose life hasnt changed or hasnt been to a convention. Im sure there are some who dont do it. What do you enjoy most about being able to go to conventions and make guest appearances? I like to make people happy. If signing an autograph makes people happy, Ill do it all day long every day. The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless. The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well. By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism. ANNAPOLIS (Sept. 14, 2017)Maryland legislators learned last week the state's electronic balloting system may need better security measures to protect voters' information and that the lawmakers must be the ones to add those protections. The state's electoral board told lawmakers Sept. 6 that they are powerless to make those changes, and that any security changes must directly come from the legislative body. Last year, the state's Board of Elections voted 4-1 to certify a new system for online ballots, even though experts in cybersecurity and computer science publicly objected. While nearly all states have a system in place for signature verification, the General Assembly did not vote last year on the topic so there was no verification system in place, leaving Maryland as the only state in the nation without one, according to a report last year by Capital News Service. State officials last week acknowledged the importance of election security in the wake of the 2016 presidential race, after which reports indicated that Russian hackers obtained information from the Democratic campaign illegally. Former director of the FBI Robert Mueller is leading a Justice Department probe into the Trump campaign's possible collusion with the Russians. But, State Sen. Steve Waugh, R-Calvert and St. Mary's, says he believes there is no need for Maryland voters to worry that their ballots were modified last fall. "(The Russians) want to destabilize America by delegitimizing our government," Waugh said. "I firmly believe though that Russian interference had zero to do with ballot outcomes anywhere in the state or the nation for that matter." Linda Lamone, administrator at the Maryland State Board of Elections, said at the hearing that there has been no evidence found of election interference in the state, but that extra security precautions would be good. No new security measures are imminent, but Waugh and his peers are committed to finding a bipartisan solution that won't cost the state too many tax dollars, he said. "I believe everyone in state and local elections, as well as outside contractors, have their hearts in the right place and want some change," Waugh said. Issues surrounding the process of absentee balloting were the main point of concern throughout the three-hour hearing. The current process for requesting an absentee ballot can be done online only if a voter has a Motor Vehicle Administration ID number, the date of issue, and the last four digits of their Social Security number, according to Director of Voter Registration Mary Cramer Washington. One flaw was a program error that allowed voters to submit their full Social Security numbers. While there is no evidence that any personal data was stolen, the nine-digit identification numbers for 14 percent of Maryland voters were at risk, according to an analysis, performed by the Office of Legislative Audits from October 2015 to April 2016, which covered information from August 2012 to October 2015. If security isn't restrictive enough, personal information could leak, which happened at the University of Maryland when hackers stole more than 300,000 personal records from the university's personal information database. The Maryland State Board of Elections ran a program to remove the extra digits from the database and the program has been modified to allow only four numbers to be entered, according to Nikki Charlson, deputy administrator at the board. This issue and others were caused by a lack of oversight from the electoral board, which did not ensure the accuracy or security of data in some cases, according to Steve Jersey and Adam Westover, who both led the audit. Jersey and Westover recommended the electoral board send a letter to Attorney General Brian Frosh in order to quickly implement changes, according to Charlson. Legislators and auditors also criticized the information needed to obtain an absentee ballot. In the current system, voters can obtain a ballot by mail without their driver's license information or any part of their Social Security number. The information that is requiredincluding date of birth and addressis often publicly available, which could enable identify thieves. Charlson and Lamone told legislators that Frosh said in a letter that further security measures must be mandated in a law crafted by legislators. "Ultimately it is their decision," Charlson said. "We can, and will, offer our opinion of the administrative impact of the bill, but the attorney general told us it is not in our control." Directly after the hearing, a handful of delegates and senators briefly met to begin discussions about a possible bill to add that security, Waugh said. The first steps will be to figure out where to focus and how to allocate resources efficiently, he said. Even though the General Assembly won't reconvene until Jan. 10, these discussions will continue out of session, Waugh said. With a gubernatorial election slated for next fall, election security is a hot topic among Maryland legislators, Waugh said. There was concern from some lawmakers about protecting municipal elections, which occur in the state every year, so the legislative body wants to get this completed quickly, Waugh said. "There's a general consensus that things must change," Waugh said. "A tighter and more secure system is better for the state and our citizens." WASHINGTON (Sept. 14, 2017)The fight to put Harriet Tubman on the face of the $20 bill by 2020 has been revived with the introduction of bipartisan legislation in the House co-sponsored by Rep. Elijah , D-Baltimore. "Too often, our nation does not do enough to honor the contributions of women in American history, especially women of color," Cummings said. "I am proud to introduce this bill with Rep. (John) Katko (R-N.Y.) to honor Harriet Tubman's role in making America a more free and more equal society." The bill comes almost 17 months after then-Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced that Tubman, a famous Underground Railroad abolitionist who was born as a Maryland slave, would replace Andrew Jackson as the face of the $20 bill. Lew's department pledged support to putting women on American currency through changes to the $5 and $10 bills as well. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., originally sponsored a bill in 2015, directing the Department of the Treasury to put Tubman on the face of the $10 bill, replacing Alexander Hamilton. But the switch to the $20 occurred after historians and fans of the musical "Hamilton" objected to altering the $10 bill. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin faced criticism from legislators after a Aug. 31 CNBC interview when he didn't directly say if he would continue with the Obama administration's plan to put Tubman on the $20 bill. "People have been on the bills for a long period of time," Mnuchin said when asked if he supports the change. "This is something we'll consider. Right now, we have a lot more important issues to focus on." Cummings said in a statement on his bill with Katko that "Harriet Tubman was called the Moses of her people, because after she escaped slavery, she courageously made 19 trips to the South to free more than 300 enslaved African Americans." "Her courage, conviction and commitment to equality represent the best of America and it is long past time we recognize her place in history," the congressman said. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland, spoke out against Mnuchin's vague response on the same day of the secretary's interview. "The Trump Administration is refusing to commit to moving forward with the plan to put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill? Disgraceful" he tweeted. "Tubman is a true American hero and deserves to be honored on the $20 bill." Van Hollen sent a letter with fellow Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, on the same day, urging Mnuchin to move forward with honoring Tubman on the currency. "We were concerned when you refused to commit to taking this notable step to put a woman on our currency and recognize an American hero," the senators wrote. "Those we honor on currency make a statement about our nation and our values. We urge you to move forward to honor Harriet Tubman and make a strong statement about our nation's commitment to equality and justice." In February, both Maryland senators announced they were sponsoring legislation to commemorate Tubman in the form of a statue in front of the United States Capitol. Five years ago, the Maryland General Assembly passed legislation allowing state officials to fundraise and commission an artist to sculpt the statue. As far as the $20 bill is concerned, the senator said on Aug. 31 through Twitter that he would let everyone know when Mnuchin responds to the letter. Van Hollen has not yet received a response. (SS) Power to all but the unluckiest few will be restored by the time the weekend is over. Florida Power & Light made the bold promise Tuesday morning, leaving enough wiggle room to concede it may take a little longer for homes and businesses affected by tornadoes, flooding and other severe damage. While pointing out that 2.3 million out of 5 million outages have already been restored by a force of 20,000 workers operating throughout the state, FPL spokesman Rob Gould said officials are aware how difficult it is for those who remain without power. We understand what it means to be in the dark, what it means to be hot and without air conditioning, he said. We want to get the lights back on as fast as possible. For more than half of South Florida, coping without power for a third straight day posed challenges ranging from trying to keep kids entertained without electronics to more dire risks associated with routine medical treatment intended to avoid emergencies. If they could, they sought refuge at the beach, in bars and shopping plazas or just in the shade. At the Praxis apartment complex in Deerfield Beach, Nancy Biglin, 83, and her 14-year-old pug Tootsie struggled to climb the stairs to Biglins fourth-floor apartment. The elevator wasnt working because the power still was out. Praxis, a 55-plus complex, has no back-up generator, despite the fact that many of its residents are disabled, infirm and on limited incomes. The smelly concrete stairwell, with missing windows that had let in Irmas rains, was stifling. Biglin and Tootsie both had to stop at every landing. Its going to kill my dog, going up and down the stairs, said Biglin, breathing heavily. She has had heart surgery and walking is difficult. She and other residents were flattened when they heard FPL had said Sunday was the target date for full power restoration. We cant wait until then, said Biglin. Well all be dead. The concern was similar at Century Village in Pembroke Pines. Theres no water for quite a while and no air-conditioning, said resident Seymour Blyman, 90. Theres some very old people, including myself, who can hardly breathe in the apartments here. Blyman said he was reluctant to call for medical emergency assistance and hoped that FPLs restoration priority list would deliver relief soon to the retirement community. They have a priority for hospitals first. These people in Century Village should be right after the hospitals, he said. Im very weak, very tired. I cant wait to get back to myself, and I dont want to go to the hospital. If I get some air Ill feel better. Non-emergency medical calls should be directed at 311, said Candy Sims, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Health in Broward County. (EDGE) Amid a year where his organization has seen withering donations, a humiliating "free speech bus tour," and a rally in Washington that failed to draw triple digits in attendees, Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) will do anything for a little love these days. That's why the leader of the cash-strapped anti-LGBTQ group is drawing on the "excitement" of its base in the Cotton State around the run-off election for the republican nomination for the US Senate seat from Alabama left vacant by US Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Unsurprisingly, NOM is throwing what's left of its weight behind the nomination of rabidly anti-LGBTQ disgraced State Supreme Court Justice Roy Moore. "Roy Moore is a champion for marriage, life, and religious liberty. As Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Judge Moore strongly denounced the US Supreme Court for their anti-constitutional, illegitimate imposition of gay 'marriage' on the nation," Brown wrote. "He also directed Alabama probate judges to recognize the state's definition of marriage, one man and one woman, to the maximum extent possible. His election to the Senate will be a big boost for us, giving us a proven champion who is willing to act, and not just talk." "Please watch our endorsement video now, share it with all your friends and family, and consider making a direct donation to support Judge Moore's campaign," Brown wrote. "The runoff election is September 26th so please act today." Brown also encouraged his followers to watch his organization's love letter of a YouTube video dedicated to Moore in addition to making a campaign contribution to the anti-LGBTQ candidate. The NOM endorsement follows a blistering video opinion piece published by Alabama's largest newspaper the Birmingham News, in which narrator, columnist Kyle Whitmore called Moore "spiritually corrupt," and encouraged voters to "send Moore packing again." (WB) French authorities have thwarted a terrorist plot against gay nightclubs in Paris. Interior Minister Gerard Collomb on Tuesday said during a hearing at the French National Assembly that authorities uncovered the plot on Aug. 22. BFM TV, a French television station, reported Collomb told lawmakers the plot targeted Parisian nightclubs and gay establishments in particular. Collomb did not name the specific nightclubs that had been targeted. He told lawmakers that authorities have thwarted 12 terrorist plots in France since the beginning of the year. This is what Daesh wants: To divide the national community and ensure that in our country there are clashes among the French people, said Collomb, referring to the so-called Islamic State as BFM TV reported. This is a trap that we must not fall for. France has been under a state of emergency since a series of terrorist attacks at the Bataclan concert hall and other locations throughout Paris on Nov. 13, 2015, left more than 100 people dead. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place less than a year after gunman with ties to Islamic extremist groups killed the editor of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and 11 others when they stormed its Paris offices. ISIS also described the man who killed more than 80 people in the city of Nice on July 14, 2016, when he drove a large truck into crowds during Bastille Day celebrations as a soldier of the Islamic State. ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack on the Champs-Elysees in April that left Xavier Jugele, a gay Paris police officer, dead and two others injured. Jugele was among the police officers who responded to the Bataclan concert hall. ISIS claimed responsibility for last months terrorist attack in the Spanish city of Barcelonathat left more than a dozen people dead. The gunman who killed 49 people inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., in 2016 pledged his allegiance to ISIS, but there is no evidence to suggest the group directed him to carry out the massacre. This could have been the French Orlando and is a reminder that the struggle for equality and dignity of LGBTI people is by no means over in France, Fabrice Houdart, a gay man from Paris who works for the U.N. in New York, told the Washington Blade on Wednesday. ISIS has publicly executed men in Syria and Iraq who have been accused of committing sodomy. An LGBT rights advocate in Lebanon told the Blade in a previous interview that ISIS militants once hanged a transgender woman by her breasts in a suburb of the Syrian capital of Damascus. Houdart pointed out to the Blade that French advocacy groups have reported a major increase in verbal and physical violence of a homophobic nature since the debate over whether to extend marriage and adoption rights to same-sex couples in the country. The law that allows them to marry and adopt children in France took effect in 2013. More than ever, France and President (Emmanuel) Macron must be engaged with this issue as a global struggle, said Houdart. Michael K. Lavers, Washington Blade courtesy of the National LGBTQ Media Association. Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza. Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres. It is unusual for a horse to have his first major stakes win come in the Maple Leaf Trot, but six-year-old Mambo Lindy will try to do it Saturday. If he does, he will join impressive company. The most recent horse to win the Maple Leaf Trot without any prior unrestricted major stakes experience was San Pail in 2009. It was the first of three consecutive victories in the Maple Leaf Trot for San Pail, who in 2011 was named Horse of the Year in both the U.S. and Canada and finished his career with $3 million in purses. Mambo Lindy, who was unraced at ages two and three, will attempt to join San Pail in moving from winning predominately at the open level of competition to capturing one of harness racings top events for older trotters. Last week, Mambo Lindy won his Maple Leaf Trot elimination at odds of 26-1 in a lifetime-best 1:52.2. He is 9-2 on the morning line for Saturdays $593,000 final at Ontarios Mohawk Racetrack. Hannelore Hanover, a five-year-old mare who won the first of the two Maple Leaf Trot eliminations in 1:52, is the 5-2 favourite. Swedish-bred mare Pasithea Face, also a five-year-old, is the 4-1 second choice. Hannelore Hanover finished second to Resolve in last years Maple Leaf Trot. Resolve failed to advance to this years final. Scott Zeron will drive Mambo Lindy in the Maple Leaf Trot. Tim Tetrick drove the gelding in his elimination, but will drive Pasithea Face in the final. I think hes coming in as sharp as anyone in there, as far as current form, said Frank M. Antonacci, the co-owner and trainer of Mambo Lindy. I wouldnt want him sitting on my back turning for home. He knows how to go by horses in the stretch, so if hes anywhere in striking distance I would be surprised if hes not moving forward. If its enough to get him the win, I dont know. But hes a real good honest horse. Weve mainly been racing him every other week. This time hes racing in back-to-back weeks and whenever hes done that before hes put forth a razor-sharp effort. Hopefully thats the case again. Mambo Lindy, a son of 2007 Horse of the Year Donato Hanover out of the Dan Patch Award-winning mare Rum Boogie, has spent the majority of his career competing at Plainridge Park in Massachusetts. He has won 22 of 36 career races, with 19 of the victories coming in his 30 starts at Plainridge. He has earned $169,260 in lifetime purses. A lack of maturity and an injury prevented Mambo Lindy, owned by the Antonacci familys GreatHorse stable, from getting to the races until he was a four-year-old. He was very difficult to get going as a two-year-old, Antonacci said. He always had high speed, but he paid attention to everything but his business. We knew he had a lot of talent, so it was very frustrating. We gelded him, and that was one thing that made a big difference. But I think its really just age. We worked him through the ranks at Plainridge and he learned how to be a nice horse and win races. Now hes the ultimate professional; you can do anything you want with him. Hes the pride of Massachusetts. Hes just a really cool horse. Antonacci credited driver Greg Merton, who has driven Mambo Lindy regularly at Plainridge, for assisting with the horses development. Hes always taken care of him, put him in the right spots, let him learn how to be a racehorse, Antonacci said. Hes done a really good job bringing him along as well. Although this will be Mambo Lindys first major stakes appearance, it is not for a lack of trying. Antonacci hoped to send Mambo Lindy to the Spirit of Massachusetts and the John Cashman Memorial, but the horse was shut out because those races were filled based on earnings. Its a pet peeve of mine, Antonacci said. I think too many of these races have gone to the earnings instead of eliminations. A horse like this guy, he hasnt had a chance to race anybody because those open races are based on lifetime earnings. I understand the reason some races are like that, but Im glad the Maple Leaf is not one of them. In addition to the Maple Leaf Trot, Antonacci will have his eyes on the $684,000 Canadian Trotting Classic for three-year-old trotters. Antonaccis International Moni is the 3-1 morning-line favourite from post five and his Lindy The Great is 15-1 from the outside post 10. I think International Moni is in a great spot, Antonacci said. He shows up every week. Hes just a tough, consistent horse. I think hell be right there. Hes had a good week and he seems good and healthy right now. I expect him to be good. I would have liked a better draw with Lindy The Great, but hes a pretty fresh horse. If he can somehow find a trip and work it out, hes a big strong powerful fresh horse that can unleash some big miles the rest of the year. Following is the field in post order for the Maple Leaf Trot, with drivers, trainers and morning line. $593,000 Maple Leaf Trot (PP/Horse/Driver/Trainer/Morning Line) 1. Windsun Revenge - Rick Zeron - Jeff Durham - 8/1 2. Odds On Amethyst - Pat Hudon - Pat Hudon - 20/1 3. Pasithea Face S - Tim Tetrick - Jimmy Takter - 4/1 4. Mambo Lindy - Scott Zeron - Frank Antonacci - 9/2 5. Hannelore Hanover - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke - 5/2 6. JL Cruze - David Miller - Eric Ell - 8/1 7. Warrawee Roo - Sylvain Filion - Luc Blais - 12/1 8. Homicide Hunter - Brett Miller - Chris Oakes - 5/1 9. Musical Rhythm - Mario Baillargeon - Benoit Baillargeon - 12/1 10. Gural Hanover - Matt Kakaley - Ron Burke - 15/1 To view the full list of entries for Saturday's card of harness racing at Mohawk, which also includes the finals of the Milton and Elegantimage stakes, plus eliminations for the Metro Pace, click the following link: Saturday Entries Mohawk Racetrack. This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com. Historic Breakthrough in Biblical Prophecy Confirms the Great Sign of Revelation 12 Taking Place in September 2017 Contact: Jamison Broome, Lay Evangelist, Revelation 12 Ministries , 850-902-8459, Info@R12M.com CRESTVIEW, Fla., Sept. 14, 2017 / Standard Newswire / -- One of the hottest topics trending on Google this year has been the Great Astronomic Sign of Revelation 12 . This grand celestial song and dance is set to occur between September 21-23, 2017 in conjunction with the annual Jewish Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah).The discussion and anticipation has literally taken the world of biblical prophecy by storm, with many calling it the most prophetic event since May 14, 1948 when the modern State of Israel was reborn. Still, others consider this Great Sign in the heavens a divine revelation dating back to creation itself.Thousands of websites, articles, books, videos, and Facebook groups have united the online Christian community world-wide in heralding the soon return of Jesus Christ. But haven't we been here before? So why all the fuss this time around?In short, this prophetic signwhich was sealed up on the INSIDE of the seven-sealed bookwas revealed to Christ by God the Father Himself after He fulfilled His earthly mission and ascended back to heaven. This GREAT SIGN in the sun, moon, and stars constitutes: "the REVELATION of Jesus Christ that GOD GAVE UNTO HIM to show unto His servant things that must SOON TAKE PLACE, and He sent and SIGNIFIED IT by His angel unto his servant John" (Revelation 1:1).In "The Final Harbinger," author Jamison Broome details a prophetic journey that began in the spring of 2014 and shares over 3.5 years (7000 hours) of intense biblical study and research into one of the most fascinating and symbolic passages of the entire Bible. Presented in great detail whilst upholding the highest regard for Scripture, "The Final Harbinger" contains unprecedented BIBLICAL, SCIENTIFIC, and ARCHAEOLOGICAL confirmation surrounding the Great Sign of Revelation 12.Could this be the "Star of Bethlehem" heralding Christ's second coming?In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus foretold of "great signs from heaven" and "signs in the sun, moon, and stars" (Luke 21:11, 25). Even more astounding, however, is the convergence of the Great Sign of Revelation 12 with other prophetic signs found on the earth.Author Jamison Broome describes this discovery stating: "this whole thing is a miracle 6000 years in the making. The 'Great Sign' of Revelation 12 aligning with the 'Great Pyramid' and 'Great Sphinx' in September 2017 is the fulfillment of the ALTAR and PILLAR in the land of Egypt prophesied in Isaiah 19:19-20. To understand the convergence of these prophetic signs signaling the time of the end, we have to go all the way back to the beginningback to Genesis 1:1 when God created the HEAVENS and the EARTH. These three 'GREAT' signs prove the very existence of God and show that He has literally "declared the end from the beginning, and from ANCIENT TIMES things not yet done (Isaiah 46:10)."Chapter excerpts from "The Final Harbinger" are available via secure PDF download Vesuvius is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, due to the large population in the surrounding area. Officials are now drawing up a plan to get 700,000 people from wrath of a Vesuvius volcanic eruption. Vesuvius is a problem of gigantic proportions. Officials say most of the updated evacuation plan is almost ready. There are currently 25 towns in the so-called red zone. The red zone is the area at highest risk if Vesuvius were to erupt, due to destructive pyroclastic flows. Last year, 7 new towns in the Campi Flegrei between Pozzuoli and east Naples were high-risk area, which now concerns more than 672,000 residents. Nonetheless, the entire area would not be in immediate danger in the case of eruption, as the flows would likely go in a single direction. But just how do you get everyone in those towns out safely? According to the new plan, the evacuation of the red zone would only take 72 hours using, cars, trains and buses. Different towns would be asked to use different modes of transport depending on their destination. Pompei residents would take boats to Sardinia, while Neapolitans would board trains to Lazio. There is currently no problems, but it is our duty to be prepared. It is important to take advantage of the fact that Vesuvius is currently dormant, that its giving no sign of movement, in order to prepare to cope with the emergency, should it wake up. So what about Yellowstone or the Cascade volcanoes? Is there a plan existing? GET PREPARED FOR THE WORST! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter Maura Healey will be the first openly lesbian governor in U.S. history. Here's a look at 20 candidates who made history in the 2022 midterms. News In Brief Tillerson visits London for talks on N Korea, Libya AP, London Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is in London for talks Thursday on international efforts to pressure North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs, and on the chaos in Libya. Tillerson was meeting first with senior British and French officials. All three nations are permanent members of the U.N. Security Council which this week approved new sanctions to punish Pyongyang's Sept. 3 atomic test, its largest to date. Russia launches war games AFP, Moscow Russia On Thursday began major joint military exercises with Belarus along the European Union's eastern flank-a show of strength that has rattled nervous NATO members. Named Zapad-2017 (West-2017), the manoeuvres, scheduled to last until September 20, are taking place on the territory of Moscow's closest ally Belarus, in Russia's European exclave of Kaliningrad and in its frontier Pskov and Leningrad regions. 19 killed, 10 missing in Indian boat capsize Reuters, New Delhi At least 19 people drowned and 10 are missing after a boat capsized in the Yamuna river in northern Indian on Thursday, a police officer said. The boat capsized on Thursday morning while farmers were being ferried to their farmlands. Dharavath Pradeep Kumar, a senior police officer who was leading rescue operations, said the boat was carrying 40 people, many more than its capacity of 25. Irma death toll rises to 31 in US Good Morning America The death toll from Hurricane Irma in the United States continued to climb Thursday, with at least 31 dead across three states. In Florida, 24 people have died in connection with the storm, including a weather-related car accident in the Florida Keys and the eight people who died after Irma knocked out air conditioning at a nursing home in Hollywood. The latest death blamed on Irma was announced on Wednesday night by the Polk County Sheriff's Office, which said a 7-year-old died from carbon monoxide poisoning after a generator was used inside her home. Officials in Monroe County, Florida, which includes the Keys, said today that seven others died in the county during Irma but it was unclear how many of the deaths were storm-related. Four people died in South Carolina and three in Georgia, officials said. The county said search-and-rescue teams are going door to door today in the hardest hit areas of the Keys and that military personnel are helping with the search. GAZIPUR: The meeting of the Managing Committee of Shaheed Ahsanullah Master General Hospital was held in Gazipur on Tuesday. EWU welcomes freshers in Fall Semester Dr Mohammed Farashuddin, Chairperson of Board of Trustees of East West University speaks at an orientation program of the University held on Tuesday at its Aftabnagar campus in the city. Campus Report : The orientation program of the newly admitted students for fall Semester 2017 was held in different academic programs of East West University (EWU) campus at Aftabnagar, Dhaka Tuesday. Nearly 1000 students were admitted to graduate and undergraduate programs in 14 different departments this semester. Each Department of EWU arranged individual programs for their newly admitted students. The objective of the programs was to welcome new students and introduce them to university facilities, faculty members, the academic system and the rules and regulations of the institution. Those programs were attended by Dr Mohammed Farashuddin, Chairperson of Board of Trustees (BoT), EWU and Former Governor of Bangladesh Bank, Syed Manzur Elahi, Member, Board of Trustees, EWU, Prof Dr MM Shahidul Hassan, Vice Chancellor, Prof Dr Fakrul Alam, Pro Vice Chancellor and the Deans of the University. Speakers welcomed the freshers to the EWU campus and encouraged them to try to work harder and be worthy citizens of the country. They also urged the newly admitted students to make the best use of university resources and emphasize the need for higher ethical standards. Fire Fighting Exercise at BUP Campus Report : Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP) arranged the 1st Fire Fighting Exercise on Wednesday at its campus. The exercise organized in cooperation with 6 independent ADA Brigade, Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense and BUP on fire resistance, extinguishments, rescue, first aid and emergency exit from BUP multi-storied building and so on. All officers, teachers, employees and students have been evacuated from two multi-storied buildings to a safe place in a short time after the fire alarms. All members of BUP and students took part in the exercise. Tiny Himachal hamlet is a perfect getaway from city life What will also enchant you is the walk amidst the path wrapped in a thick blanket of mist and fog while the pine and deodar trees rustle with the passage of chilly winds through them. Himachal Pradesh is also home to rich architectural structures, most of which usually go unnoticed Weekend Plus Desk : If you are looking for an escape from the cacophony of maddening city life, head to this tiny village located in the lap of Banjar Valley in Kullu district. Pristine and undisturbed, serenity and calmness linger in the air of Jibhi, a lesser known destination in Himachal Pradesh. Ever wondered how serene and soothing mornings can be? Imagine waking up to a misty morning and watching a bunch of clouds trapped between high and erect mountain ranges with sudden drizzles! There can certainly be no better way to start a day in this tiny Himalayan hamlet. This village is not exactly a tourist destination, which is perhaps the best aspect about this place that may appeal to travellers. What this village offers is peace - no sign of commercialisation - it has ability to propel the raw appeal of nature's beauty and will never fail to offer the solace you are probably seeking. The virgin village, which stands an hour away from the Great Himalayan National Park, is an abode of mother nature's blessings, a sheer token of beauty, that will hypnotize the very moment you touch down the valley. Just walk down a few extra miles along the curvy roads where maple leaves pave a carpet and sudden showers frequently lash down. Surrounded by hills on all sides, the tall deodar and pine trees towering on the hills dwarf the tiny surrounding huts. As I proceeded along the path - full of promise and excitement - there was a symphonic harmony in the silence that the valley offered. The constant crackling sound as the Beas river rushes along, as also the rapturous call of the cuckoos and sweet melodies of other little birds, left me enchanted. As the sun settles down behind the hills and the tops blush in a reddish hue, warm yourself over a cup of tea or set up bonfire. With the night's arrival, the entire valley adorns a different look, especially if it's full moon time. There is nothing more blissful than watching it shine bright, casting a shimmery silver shadow over the hillsides. Praising Jibhi only for its scenic charm will be injustice as the place has more in store for travellers. Take a day and trek to the Jalori Pass. And a slightly tedious trek of around five-six kilometres will take you to the Serolsar Lake. What will also enchant you is the walk amidst the path wrapped in a thick blanket of mist and fog while the pine and deodar trees rustle with the passage of chilly winds through them. Himachal Pradesh is also home to rich architectural structures, most of which usually go unnoticed. The peculiar identity of Himachali monuments lies in their unique craft and woodworks. Go for a stroll across the Chaini village, some four kilometres from Jibhi, and you will encounter a slightly tilted Chaini tower. Opposite to it stands a Krishna temple which has been converted from an almost ruined Chaini Fort. Trout fishing is another attraction for the travellers over here. Although you need permission, the guest-house authorities will easily be able to help you in procuring it. One can also get the permit from the Fisheries Office near Banjar. Accommodation in the village is pretty affordable; from luxurious cottages to cheap homestays, there are a lot options for travellers. You can even set up your tent (youll have to take your own) near the river bank. However, dont hope for a good restaurant. If one is looking for fancy meals then Jibhi is perhaps not the place to be. JD's Cafe in upper Jibhi and Dollis Guest House in lower Jibhi are some exceptions that serve delicacies to the visitors. Extremely stiff and too many sharp turns make the road from Aut quite an adventurous ride. Although the road is smooth, it is advised to have an experienced local driver at the wheel. Reaching there: Take the Mandi-Manali route and divert from Aut. If travelling by bus, take any which is till Kullu or Manali and get down at Aut, and take another bus till Jibhi. Time taken: From Delhi, it takes around 14 hours. Best time to visit: Avoid winter as road remains mostly closed owing to snowfall. Summer is pleasant otherwise and the monsoon keeps the place cool. Morocco's relief materials arrive in Ctg Airport Chittagong Bureau : African Muslim country -Morrocco send relief materials of about 15 tons foodstuffs for Rohingya refugees took shelter in Cox'sBazar and Bandarban district. A flight of Morrocco Airways carried these relief materials at Chittagong Airport yesterday morning. Out of the total reliefs includes tents, blanket, medicines, milk powder, pillows, mattress and 4 tons rice. On behalf of the Bangladesh Govt, Additional Deputy commissioner of Chittagong Habibur Rahman received these reliefs in presence of the Morrocan ambassador in Bangladesh, a reliable sources said. Golovkin ready to hit the jackpot in Las Vegas AFP, Las Vegas : Gennady Golovkin is undaunted by the challenge of fighting for the first time in Las Vegas, saying defending his titles against Canelo Alvarez will be like going on a date with a beautiful girl. Three belt champion Golovkin will be the underdog when he faces Mexico's hard-hitting Alvarez on Saturday in a 12-round mega world title fight at the T-Moblie Arena. "It is like you are going with your new girlfriend, Oh yeah," he said of his excitement about the fight for middleweight supremacy. Paris, Los Angeles confirmed as Olympic hosts AFP, Lima : Paris and Los Angeles celebrated their coronation as host cities for the 2024 and 2028 Olympics here Wednesday, delivering a jolt of good news for the International Olympic Committee as it battles escalating corruption allegations. In a drama-free conclusion to a three-year bidding race, IOC members voted unanimously to rubber-stamp a deal hashed out in July for Paris to be given 2024 and Los Angeles 2028. The pre-ordained outcome did not dampen the celebrations inside the Lima Convention Centre as the Paris and Los Angeles delegations cheered and congratulated each other. IOC President Thomas Bach -- a driving force behind the decision to award 2024 and 2028 at the same time -- hailed the joint award as a "win-win-win." "It's a magical, unique victory," said jubilant Paris 2024 bid co-leader Tony Estanguet as French President Emmanuel Macron saluted a "victory for France." Los Angeles 2028 leaders were similarly ecstatic. "This was the right answer, it was about fraternity, it was about friendship, it was about finding a win-win," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told AFP. IOC chief Bach meanwhile said the Olympic movement had secured the result "we were looking for." Bid to minimize sufferings of refugees Int'l agencies scale up operation Kazi Zahidul Hasan : The United Nations aid agencies and international organizations have scaled up their operation in Cox's Bazar to provide emergency humanitarian assistance among the Rohingya people who have fled violence in Rakhine state of Myanmar. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Save the Children are among the agencies which are scaling up their efforts to minimize the suffering of people fleeing Myanmar violence, officials said on Thursday. At least 379,000 Rohingya refugees have entered Bangladesh since the latest spell of violence erupted in the Rakhine state, said the IOM on Thursday. Rohingya refugees have already taken shelter in the makeshift settlements in Ukhia of Cox's Bazar district in southern Bangladesh where a humanitarian crisis was unfolding following their mass exodus, said the United Nations (UN) while appealing for urgent aid to deal with the situation. The IOM is continuing to work closely with the Bangladesh government and is rapidly scaling up its response to the humanitarian crisis that has left existing support structures in Cox's Bazar reeling. "More than 300,000 Rohingya refugees have fled across the border from Rakhine State into Bangladesh since 25 August. With the recent influx of Rohingyas, more than 80 per cent of them are children and women. The latest influx comes on top of 87,000 Rohingyas who fled to Bangladesh from October 2016 to July 2017. "In Bangladesh, the demand for humanitarian assistance has increased and UNICEF is scaling up its response to provide refugee children with protection, nutrition, health, water and sanitation support," said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake in a statement. UNICEF has initiated the screening of children for malnutrition, and the vaccination of children aged 9-59 months against Measles and Rubella - in the makeshift settlements and hard-to-reach host communities. "It is providing the access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation facilities in host communities and builds Child Friendly Spaces (CFS) for Rohingya children and adolescents, providing children with psychosocial and recreational support," said Anthony Lake. The UNHCR also steps up its operation in Bangladesh to respond to the humanitarian crisis of Rohingya refugees. Two emergency aid flights of the UN human rights body have already landed in Dhaka with emergency relief supplies for Rohingya refugees. The first aid flight landed with 91 metric tonnes of aid, including much needed shelter materials, jerry cans, blankets, sleeping mats and other essential items from UNHCR's global stockpile in Dubai, while the second flight, donated to UNHCR by United Arab Emirates (UAE), has brought in some 1,700 family tents. The two emergency flights are meant to meet the immediate aid needs of some 25,000 refugees. Further flights are being planned, ultimately delivering emergency aid for some 120,000 refugees in total, said UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards. The cargoes have been sent to the makeshift refugee camps in Kutupalong and Nayapara camps, where Rohingya refugees continue to arrive amid escalating in Myanmar. "The UNHCR is operating in these camps as the number of Rohingya population has more than doubled since 25 August. We have opened public buildings and set up large tents to accommodate the new arrivals," said Adrian Edwards. In an effort to minimize the suffering of people fleeing violence from Myanmar, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Bangladesh is scaling up its aid efforts. The international organization has already begun delivering food and water and medical care to the Rohingya families who fled their homes to escape torture and death. The ICRC and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) have been supporting two Bangladesh government health facilities in Teknaf and Ukhiya since the beginning of the influx of people into the Cox's Bazar. "The ICRC is working closely with the BDRCS and community volunteers to respond to this emergency," according to a statement of ICRC's Regional Director for Asia and Pacific Boris Michel. The ICRC has been operating in Cox's Bazar of Bangladesh since 2014. Save the Children, a global children's charity organization, is now intensifying its relief work in and around Cox's Bazar to support the needs of displaced Rohingya families. It has distributed hundreds of shelter kits, set up CFS to support children's emotional wellbeing and provide a safe space to play, and is running child protection services and providing support to unaccompanied children. "It is working to expand these operations significantly," said Save the Children's Director of Humanitarian Policy, George Graham in a statement. Apart from these agencies, many countries and international and local NGOs have also extended their support to the destitute Rohingya refugees. No `safe zone` Myanmar defiant: BD to raise Rohingya issue in UNGA: FM to meet Myanmar minister in NY: Myanmar denies accusations that 400,000 Rohingyas fled to BD Kutupalong refugee camp on Thursday witnessed long queues of Rohingyas as the Bangladesh government has started recording their biometric data. Special Correspondent : No 'safe zone'; Myanmar is adamant. The government of Myanmar has turned down a proposal of Bangladesh to create 'safe zone' for the Rohingya ethnic minorities in the Rakhine State, formally known as Arakan province. U Zaw Htay, Deputy Director General at the Ministry of the State Counsellor Office and also spokesperson of Myanmar President's Office, in a recent statement said Myanmar government has rejected the 'safe zone' proposal fearing possible interference by the 'international actors'. Quoting statement of U Zaw Htay, The Myanmar Times on Thursday reported: "The government rejects the plan to create a safety zone. The international actors will exert control if such zone is ever established." Usually, the Myanmar government does not recognize the Muslims in Rakhine who call themselves as Rohingyas, but often refer them as "Bengalis" to indicate them illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, however, refrained from making any comment when he was asked about the rejection of the 'safe zone' proposal. "A minister of the Myanmar State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's department has wanted to meet me in New York. As Bangladesh wants to discuss the Rohingya issue with Myanmar government, so I've decided to meet the Myanmar Minister," he said on Thursday. Earlier, Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid on September 10 proposed that a "safe zone" for the displaced Myanmar nationals should be created under the initiatives and supports of the United Nations and organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation [OIC]. He came up with the call at a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sideline of the OIC summit in Kazakhstan. Later, a report published by Reuters last week said that Bangladeshi government sent the proposal about creating a "safety zone" to the Myanmar government through the International Committee of the Red Cross. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali yesterday further said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina taking part in the 72nd United Nations General Assembly will propose to create pressure on Myanmar to implement Kofi Annan Commission's recommendations. "Bangladesh will constantly try to create international pressure on Myanmar government to take back the Rohingya refugees. The PM Sheikh Hasina will propose the international community to get a solution over the Rohingya crisis.About 400,000 Rohingyas, mostly women, children and elderly persons, have so far entered the country," Mahmood Ali said. Interestingly, Myanmar leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has decided to skip the UNGA event in the wake of widespread criticism over ethnic cleansing in Rakhine State. The Myanmar Times added: "U Zaw Htay also explained in a press briefing on Wednesday in Nay Pyi Taw, why Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in her capacity as Foreign Minister and State Counsellor, decided not to attend the upcoming UNGA in New York. U Zaw Htay said she is cancelling the trip to take care of the internal stability, to pursue and prioritise security, as information concerning terrorist attacks has been received and also due to the health conditions of President U Htin Kyaw. Vice president, U Henry Van Thio will attend the UN conference. State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is scheduled to deliver a state of the union address about the National Reconciliation and Peace Process on September 19 to discuss the situation in Rakhine State, The Myanmar Times added. The media also reported that Myanmar government has denied the accusations that about 400,000 Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh from Myanmar after government security forces allegedly committed human rights violations. U Zaw Htay said that of the 417 Muslim villages in Rakhine State, residents from 34 villages have either fled or remained, while residents from 176 villages abandoned their homes. However, 260 villages are still inhabited by the Muslims who reject the ideology or persuasion of terrorists. The decades-old conflict in Rakhine flared recently on August 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked several police posts and an army base. Since then, an estimated 400,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, joining more than 500,000 others already living there in the refugee camps since the early 1990s. Take stand on Rohingya crisis AP : Prime Minister Justin Trudeau phoned Myanmar's beleaguered leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday to press her on the violence against Rohingya Muslims in her country, which has triggered a massive exodus of the ethnic minority. Nearly 380,000 Rohingya have fled to Bangladesh since Aug. 25, saying they are being shot at indiscriminately by Myanmar soldiers and attacked by Buddhist mobs. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said ethnic cleansing is taking place against the minority in Rakhine State. "The humanitarian situation is catastrophic," he said. "People are dying and suffering in horrible numbers and we need to stop it." Ms. Suu Kyi cancelled plans to attend this month's UN General Assembly meetings in order to address domestic security issues. During their phone call, Mr. Trudeau expressed "deep concerns" to Ms. Suu Kyi, Myanmar's de facto leader over the treatment of Rohingya, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office. He stressed her role "as a moral and political leader," even though she does not have the constitutional authority to control the military. Mr. Trudeau called on Myanmar's military, which retains significant power in the country, and civilian leaders "to take a strong stand in ending the violence, promoting the protection of civilians and promoting unimpeded access for the UN and international humanitarian actors." Amnesty International Canada and Human Rights Watch have urged the government to step up pressure on Ms. Suu Kyi and her government to co-operate with a UN Human Rights Council's fact-finding mission, whose members have been denied visas by Myanmar, and allow humanitarian aid into the country. Mr. Trudeau and Ms. Suu Kyi discussed the need to "defend and protect the rights of all minorities" and the Prime Minister offered Canada's support to "help build a peaceful and stable society in Myanmar," his office said. The conversation comes three months after Mr. Trudeau used a one-on-one meeting with Ms. Suu Kyi in Ottawa to raise the plight of Rohingya Muslims. They have faced decades of discrimination and persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where they are denied citizenship despite centuries-old roots in the country. Ms. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and honorary Canadian citizen, has recently faced a sustained chorus of international criticism for her failure to condemn the treatment of Rohingya. A petition calling on the Canadian government to revoke Ms. Suu Kyi's honorary Canadian citizenship has garnered more than 19,000 signatures as of Wednesday. It was bestowed upon her by the former Conservative government for her "long struggle for freedom and democracy in her country." Instead of attending the UN General Assembly's ministerial sessions, which open on Tuesday and run through Sept. 25, Ms. Suu Kyi will give a speech in Myanmar next week that will cover the same topics she would have addressed at the United Nations, presidential office spokesman Zaw Htay said. Her appearance at last year's General Assembly was a landmark: her first since her party won elections in 2015 and replaced a military-dominated government. Even then, however, she faced criticism over Myanmar's treatment of Rohingya Muslims, whose name she did not utter. The UN Security Council on Wednesday condemned the violence in Rakhine State that sparked the mass exodus of Rohingya. Members called for "immediate steps to end the violence" and efforts to de-escalate the situation, ensure protection of civilians and resolve the refugee problem. Britain's UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said the council's press statement, which followed closed-door consultations, was the first statement the UN's most powerful body has made in nine years on the situation in Myanmar. He called it "an important first step." The current outbreak of violence in Myanmar began last month after Rohingya insurgents attacked dozens of police posts and an army base in Rakhine. Give Rohingyas citizenship UN Chief asks Myanmar for quick steps to end violence Sr Special Correspondent : United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday reiterated his call for granting nationality to Muslims from Myanmar's Rakhine state or at least a legal status that would allow them to lead a normal life. He also urged the international community to help provide assistance for the nearly 380,000 people who have fled into Bangladesh amid military operation in Rakhine state of Myanmar. "I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law, and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country," the Secretary-General said at a press conference held in New York. Guterres repeated his call for "an effective action plan" to address the root causes of the situation, which he said they have been left to fester for decades and has now escalated beyond Myanmar's borders, destabilizing the region, according to the UN News Center. Asked if he agreed that the Rohingya population was being ethnically cleansed, he replied: "When one-third of the Rohingya population has got to flee the country, can you find a better word to describe it?" "The humanitarian situation is catastrophic," he said, noting that at the time of his briefing to the press last week, there were 125,000 Rohingya who had fled into Bangladesh. That number has now tripled to nearly 380,000 and people are arriving hungry and malnourished and finding shelter in makeshift settlements or with host communities. "I urge all countries to do what they can for humanitarian assistance to be provided," Guterres said. He also called on Myanmar authorities to ensure delivery of aid by UN agencies, non-governmental organizations and others. Myanmar's government said on Wednesday that 176 Rohingya villages were completely empty, as residents fled the recent upsurge in violence. "This is a dramatic tragedy," Guterres said. "People are dying and suffering at horrible numbers and we need to stop it. That is my main concern. The Rohingya have suffered years of discrimination and have been denied citizenship in Myanmar since 1982. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council also met on Wednesday to discuss the Myanmar situation. The 15-member Security Council met behind closed doors at the request of Sweden and Britiain and agreed to publicly condemn the situation, report agencies. It expressed concern about reports of excessive violence during the security operations in Rakhine state and called on Myanmar's government to immediately stop violence against the Rohingya Muslims. British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said that it was the first time in nine years that the Security Council was able to agree on a common stance on Myanmar. "We were united in our concern about the situation after hearing from UN officials who briefed the council on the 'catastrophe' that is befalling Rakhine state and the Rohingya there," said Rycroft. The council called on the authorities to allow the UN and NGOs into Rakhine State to provide humanitarian aid. Eviction drive for Mirpur canal Staff Reporter : The Dhaka district administration conducted a eviction drive in Mirpur on Thursday to recover grabbed land of city canal. Ilias Mehedi, the Executive Magistrate of the Dhaka district administration led the team. "We have evicted 30 illegal installations from the land of the canal in the Baishtek area of Mirpur," Ilias Mehedi told the journalists. He said, "Such drives were conducted several times in the past. The administration will evict all the illegal installations." The Executive Magistrate said that the Dhaka North City Corporation and the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) associated the drive. He firmly assured that the administration would conduct such eviction drives to recover grabbed canals in the city. "Canal grabbing is the main reason of water stagnant in the city. So, we must recover all canals from the illegal grabbers. Before completing the recovery of all canals, we cannot stop," he said. Pallabi Police were present during the drive. Dadan Kabir, the Officer-in-Charge of Pallabi Police Station, said, "We are here to support the administration. If any quarter tries to create obstruction, we must take action." Corrective measures needed to halt widening trade gap THE trade deficit is ever increasing with other nations due to high volume of import against decreasing export volume and also earnings over the years as the government has failed to address the situation. Bangladesh's competitors are entering the global market with new commodities marginalizing our market shares. But investment in the county in private sector is not picking up to set up new industries. This in turn is slowing down productivity and exports. On the other hand dishonest business houses are resorting to over-invoicing in the make of fake import of capital machineries making huge capital flight regularly. It is causing more outgoing payment than incoming earnings making trade deficit ever growing. Central Bank data revealed that the trade deficit increased by 347.45 per cent to $1.05 billion in July, the first month of this fiscal year (2017-18), compared with that of $236 million in the same month a fiscal year ago. Trade deficit is usual for developing nations, but the country's recent trend is unusual. Since fiscal 2012-13, trade deficit has been hovering around $6 billion, but in fiscal 2016-17, it made a 47 percent year-on-year jump on the back of a wide mismatch between export and import growth. The latest monetary policy statement has forecasted that the deficit may nearly double to 12.72 billion in fiscal 2017-18 as imports continue to surge. Experts said the huge trade deficit in July was not a good sign for the country as it might put an adverse impact on the macroeconomic situation in the days to come. The government should take initiative to create a balance between the import payments and the export earnings to narrow the trade gap. The current account balance set foot in the negative territory for the first time in four years in the first quarter of fiscal 2016-17, when the deficit stood at $504 million. It has been expanding since then. The last time the current account was in the deficit was way back in fiscal 2011-12. The overall surplus shrank to $3.17 billion last fiscal year, which was $5.03 billion a year earlier. The rising trade deficit could put some pressure on exchange rates. The mounting trade deficit, which results from unplanned trade liberalization without strengthening local economy to face newer challenges. Now the country needs to do the needful to increase export to cope with the growing trade deficit. Pursuing trade diplomacy with right earnest can go a long way to recovering export market in the gloomy scenario of global trade. But the performance of Bangladesh's missions abroad remains disappointing. They do not function properly because the officials who are posted for promoting trade and investment are mostly inefficient as nominees of influential persons in the government. We must put in place new action plans to revamp exports and rein in fake imports to narrow the trade gap. This can't be left unattended any more. Rohingyas spreading across country 20 refugees held in Manikganj Md Joynal Abedin Khan : The Rohingya refugees are trying to spread across the country by crossing the boundary of Chittagong Hill Tracts districts and some south-eastern parts of the state while Myanmar government claimed that more than 176 villages were completely deserted Contd on page-2 Col-6 Rohingyas spreading in Rakhine State in recent days. Police also detained 20 Rohingyas from Manikganj district on Thursday, around 60 kilometers west from the capital. They went there illegally and they have tried to live in the area by dodging the law enforces. The migrated people might be involved in serious crimes, including yaba smuggling and human trafficking, law enforcers said. Earlier, the government claimed that they have taken all necessary steps to check the Rohingya spreading from their shelters. Around seven lakh Rohingyas migrated from Myanmar following the joint force torture since August 25 this year. "A ongoing census of Rohingya refugees have already found that the persecuted ethnic minority people of Myanmar have spread across Bangladesh and they are now in almost all of the 64 districts," said Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics official who conducted the recent census. "When field workers employed in conducting post-enumeration survey went door to door at Leda makeshift camp of Teknaf in Cox's Bazar, they found the shelters filled to the brim with newcomers," he said. 'Household interviews revealed that refugees have started to live in the rest 58 districts leaving the six districts under census in search of shelter and employment,' the BBS official said. The household interviews revealed that refugees have started to live in Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachhari, Chittagong and Patuakhali, the primary destinations of the Rohingya refugees. It is believed that 3-5 lakh Rohingya refugees live in Bangladesh. The first influx of Rohingyas from Myanmar into Bangladesh was seen in 1978 and the 2nd and 3rd influx in 1992 and 2012, according to the official. Additional Cox's Bazar District Magistrate Khaled Mahmud said the authorities started working to "stop the Rohingyas from getting mixed up with Bangladeshis." "We will register them with their biometric details at 17 points," he said. He also said they would strengthen monitoring to stop the Rohingyas from spreading to other parts of the country. According to the UN, around 4,00,000 Rohingyas had entered Bangladesh since Aug 25, when the Myanmar Army launched a counter-offensive in response to reported attacks on police posts and an army base in Rakhine. Tanjim Uddin Khan, Assistant Professor of International Relation Department of Dhaka University, told The New Nation on Thursday, "The proper diplomatic policy only can solve the Rohingya crisis. If the government fails to solve the influx, then they will be spread across the country to sustain their daily lives Mahbubur Rahman, Mayor of Cox's Bazar Municipality, said an estimated 17,000,00 newly arrived Rohingyas have already taken shelters in the district and its nearby hill tract areas, mainly Chittagong, Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachhari. Rohingyas of Myanmar have been taking refuge in Bangladesh after fleeing persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar for decades. The estimated number of Rohingyas already living in refugee camps in Bangladesh is around 10,00,000, locals said. The authorities in Cox's Bazar have strengthened security following the new wave of Rohingya influx, according to them. Security personnel were seen patrolling the streets in the district, especially at Teknaf Upazila near the border with Myanmar, they said. The authorities claim the new refugees are not being allowed to cross Ukhiya, but many Rohingyas are reportedly entering further into Bangladesh, they added. The Rohingyas, who have money, do not face any problem to travel to any part of Bangladesh, as per their speculation. Salima Khatun, a Rohingya woman from Akiyab in Rakhine, said that the widow of one of her relatives killed in the recent violence in the Myanmar state moved to Cox's Bazar town and other district. Sharif Hossain, a Rohingya man from Maungdaw in Myanmar, was walking towards Kutupalong refugee camp in Teknaf from Ukhiya. He said that he tried to go to Cox's Bazar, but Border Guard Bangladesh personnel stopped him at Ukhiya. Commanding Officer (CO) of RAB-7 Lt Colonel Miftah Uddin said, "The Myanmar citizens come to Bangladesh territory easily and returned back within short time after delivering the drugs to the smugglers." Lieutenant Colonel S M Ariful Islam, Commanding Officer of the Border Guard Bangladesh in Teknaf, said. "Twenty Rohingya refugees, who entered Bangladesh to escape persecution in Myanmar, were found in Manikganj, around 450 kilometres away from Cox's Bazar camps." "We shall remain alert about the Rohingya people as a good number of them were detained for their alleged involvement for drug smuggling and human trafficking," he said. The Rohingyas were rescued from different areas in Singair upazila of the district on Thursday, said Mahfuzur Rahman, Superintendent of Police of Manikganj. The rescued Rohingyas -- three men, six women, and 11 children -- have been kept at Singair Pilot High School under police custody and will be sent to Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar on Saturday, the police official also said. A total of 176 out of 471 Rohingya villages in the northern area of Rakhine State of Myanmar are now completely empty after 'the whole village fled', said government spokesman Zaw Htay. He also said that 36 other villages were partly deserted or intact. European Parliament threatens Myanmar with sanctions over Rohingya crisis The European Parliament has adopted a resolution threatening Myanmar with taking punitive sanctions following the Rakhine State crisis that is forcing hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas into Bangladesh. It has called on the vice-president of the European Commission or High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) and the EU Member States to significantly increase their pressure on the Myanmar government and security forces. This is to push the Myanmar rulers to stop violence, fully cooperate with UN investigators and international humanitarian agencies and ensure accountability for grave violations of international law. The parliament also called on the European Commission, in this regard for the VP/HR and the EU member states, to take an active role in supporting immediate action at UN level and making clear that the EU stands ready to consider targeted punitive sanctions against individuals and entities. The members of the European Parliament also called on the commission to consider consequences in the context of the trade preferences Myanmar enjoys, should grave violations in international law continue with impunity. Armed preparations needed for success of diplomacy and for our security There is no doubt Bangladesh is bracing an insidious aggression from Myanmar military as it is evicting the Rohingyas from their land and sending them to flee to Bangladesh for shelter. What is important is armed preparations are necessary for international diplomatics efforts to have a chance to succeed. Whether Myanmar agrees or not Rohingyas are not stateless, they belonged to Rakhine State when Burmese warlords occupied the Rakhine State. But they were denied citizenship in 1988. No state can make its citizens stateless, and we have no hesitation in calling the military operations in Myanmar as Nazi kind of ethnic extinction. The world must not tolerate another Hitler regime. The entire world also recognizes Rohingyas as Myanmar citizens. But they are being evicted now as part of a final solution for ethnic cleansing by Myanmar military for the purity of Buddhist race. They are coming to Bangladesh in thousands every day and their rehabilitation in the Ukhiya and other locations on Bangladesh side of Myanmar border is creating a satellite Burmese state within the state. It is going to be a big security threat for Bangladesh but Myanmar is achieving its goal of ethnic cleansing without caring world opinion. Defense analysts explained how the surge of Rohingyas could be a security threat for Bangladesh. We are sure Rohingya crisis will not be settled peacefully through diplomacy unless we are at least regionally organised for a military response. Our government has no clear policy for other than saying Myanmar has to take back the refugees. The government is conspiring for election victory which is in its pocket. It will not hold election without being fully in control of its results. The government is only highlighting the refugee crisis and calling for aid. They also want full control over foreign aid distribution which is not to be. But the bigger crisis that is remaining out of focus is how to protect the country from the military defiance of Myanmar. Concerned quarters believe armed preparedness is vital to face the situation and give boost to diplomacy to bring the issue to the global community that Bangladesh is facing aggression and it deserve the rights to defeat conspiracies. The country must be able to deal the issue from a stronger position and should not allow the war-mongers across the border to create trouble for Bangladesh. Most young Rohingyas have been killed as a matter of ethnic cleansing policy. There is terrorism. It is known to have been organised by the Myanmar military. Defense analyst Major Gen (Retd) ANM Moniruzzaman in an interview in a Bengali national daily on Thursday warned of a critical situation in the region around the Rakhine State as more violence may destabilize the area having common border of Bangladesh, India and Myanmar. He pointed out that foreign fighters might join Rohingyas soon to fight for the cause of their existence. New recruits are being trained in Indonesia and Malaysia while many Arab countries are extending financial help to help them organize. Meanwhile some Western countries like Germany have cut economic ties with Myanmar bracing it for new isolation. It is so disappointing that the government is busy to annihilate the judiciary and unnecessary election campaign. Rohingya crisis is not important enough though knowing how disorganised the government is. The Undead Archives I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world. : , , . If you are looking for the new Immoral Minority posts, you should know that they can be found here at our new home Please stop by to get caught up on politics, join the conversations, or simply check out the new digs. For Evin Betts, the key to a good music festival is good people. I like being around artistic people and people who can influence you in a positive way. I think music festivals are a great way to do that, and I want other people to be inspired to be what they want to be, Betts said. Betts, who founded Bentons Sugar Creek Music Festival four years ago, spends his summers traveling to other festivals all over the country and handpicking interesting people to invite to his own from music-lovers to artists to fire performers. I usually feel them out and find out what kind of people they are, and if theyre people I want at my event, I hand them a flyer and tell them what Im doing, Betts said. The three-night music, arts and camping event will be held Sept. 21-23 at Camp Manitowa, adjacent to Rend Lake in Franklin County. This years lineup features Aaron Kamm & the One Drops, of St. Louis; Texas prog rockers Spoonfed Tribe; Earphorik, of Fort Wayne, Indiana; Calabash of Evansville, Indiana; Carbondales Porch Fire, a jam-grass group; Big Atomic of Murray, Kentucky; Chromophonic, of Carbondale; Decaturs Woodland Remedy; psychedelic blues-rock group Alabaster; Jeni B.; Petes Sake; and Jerry Rigged. A Thursday night pre-party will include performances by the Tie Dye Family Band and Blue Fruit Snacks. In addition, Carbondale musician Bongo Pablo will host a soopa jam during the pre-party and festival at a location separate from the main stage. The open jam is one of Betts favorite parts of the festival. All these bands get together and just throw down they dont even know whats going to come of it. Its not rehearsed or anything. Thats one of the coolest things ever to see happen, Betts said. The festival boasts a long list of interactive activities, including a high-ropes course, zip-lining, kayaking and canoeing, yoga, guided meditation, fire-spinning performances and a workshop on hula-hoop tricks. Multiple live artists will be painting throughout the musical performances. Its very uplifting. People are just really chill and welcoming basically its like one big family, is how I think of things out there, Betts said. The festival is family friendly and children are welcome, Betts said. Restrooms and showers are available onsite. Camping is included in the ticket price, and RV passes are available for an additional $25 charge. Yurts are also available for rent through Camp Manitowa for $200; they sleep 14. Tickets are $50 in advance or $60 at the gate; the pre-party costs an extra $10. Saturday one-day passes are available for $30. Tickets can be purchased at tickets.sugarcreekmusicfestival.com or at one of the following locations: Hempies in Cape Girardeau, Missouri; Longbranch Cafe & Bakery in Carbondale; Makanda Trading Company in Makanda; and Sunshine Daydream in Fairview Heights and St. Louis, Missouri. CHICAGO Waiting for someone from Housing and Urban Development to come down and make an appearance outside the towering Ralph H. Metcalfe Federal Building, a wide-eyed 12-year-old Latrece Brooker soaked in the big-city sights. Though she traveled from a town of about 2,400 people to one with more than 2.7 million, Brooker said Wednesday she was not intimidated about knocking on the federal government's door and asking that it do more for her home community of Cairo located 370 miles to the south, at the bottom tip of Illinois. Brooker said she gets the sense that federal housing officials care about her and the other children who live at Elmwood and McBride, which HUD plans to tear down after relocating 185 families. I think theyre on our side, she said. But I think they could do a little more. Brooker, who is in the seventh grade, said she doesnt want to have to leave her hometown and start over in a new school. Neither does her brother, 9-year-old Angelo Brooker. Im sad that I have to move from my friends. I want to stay in the same school because I wont know anybody in a different school, he said. James Sampson, age 7, also said hes hoping more might be done to help his family. He said he wishes he could speak to President Donald Trump about it. If could talk to the president, Id tell him, Dont knock down Elmwood because my whole family lives there, he said. Sampson also had been living there until only recently. The letter Sampson wrote to the federal housing agency read, Dear HUD, Dont close my home. My cousins live here. Sincerely, James, 2nd grade. He also drew federal housing officials a picture to go along with his letter. It was of a heart with an arrow through it. Below the heart, he wrote, No love. Pawar-Coleman host press conference Before the children and the dozen or so adults with them walked to HUDs Region V office to deliver the childrens notes, Mayor Tyrone Coleman and Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Ameya Pawar hosted a joint news conference at Chicago City Hall. The trip was organized and paid for by Pawar's campaign. It was sparsely attended by the Chicago-based media even though campaign staff delayed it by close to a half hour in hopes that journalists covering a soda tax debate by the Cook County Board would also drop in after that concluded. Most of them took a pass. Pawar, Chicagos 47th Ward alderman, is running in a field of nine Democrats seeking the primary nod in March. He faces better financed candidates in a crowded field. Pawar said he selected Coleman as his running mate after visiting Cairo on several occasions in response to news reports about the housing crisis. He's had similar concerns about HUD policies breaking up neighborhoods in Chicago, he said. The theme of his campaign is that a lack of equitable government investment in vulnerable communities is leaving them and their people further behind. Pawar made only brief remarks, calling it an "abomination" that some communities have to beg for resources that others more freely receive. At HUD's headquarters, Pawar hung in the background, letting the Cairo citizens take charge of their message. In response to the criticisms of HUD's Cairo plan raised at Wednesday's event, HUD spokesman Jereon Brown said, Were listening and if a developer comes, well do what we can, but right now building in Cairo is not an option. The reason, Brown has said, is that the economy of Cairo is so depressed that its not possible to attract a private developer and HUD no longer builds public housing with federal taxpayer dollars alone. Brown said the federal agency is doing its best to keep as much of the public housing authority intact as possible. HUD announced in April, more than a year after the federal agency placed the housing authority into administrative receivership, that it was going to eventually tear down the two large family public housing complexes in Cairo because they are no longer safe. HUD is offering residents Tenant Protection Vouchers that subsidize rent paid to a private landlord. They also are to receive assistance with moving both in terms of finding a new place that suits their needs and with financial help to relocate their belongings. But HUD doesnt plan to rebuild in Cairo, which means families are being asked to look at housing options in other cities because there is a shortage of private rental homes within the city limits that would meet HUD's safety guidelines. For some, leaving behind Cairo's economic challenges is a welcome change, and some families have moved or are in the process of doing so. But there are others who do not want to leave their beloved city, or uproot their children from school especially in the middle of the academic year. 'We're still here' Some of the Cairo residents who traveled to Chicago held signs proclaiming, Were still here. They wore T-shirts that read, Dont Close Our Communities," which is the name of the campaign initiative Coleman and Pawar kicked off with the event in Chicago. Coleman plans to hold solo campaign events in several other downstate cities, including Urbana, East St. Louis, Brookport, Eldorado, Chester and Kaskaskia, in the coming days. The two plan to hold a joint rally in Cairo on Friday afternoon at one of the public housing complexes. The message they are sending is that while the specific configuration of the economic, housing and related issues facing Cairo may be unique, the small Midwestern city of about 2,400 also tells a common story about whats happening in disadvantaged cities and urban neighborhoods across the state. When Englewood (Chicago) falls, we fall. When Cairo falls, we all fall. When East St. Louis falls, we all fall, Coleman said. We must unite. We must fight. We must be heard. We need a government that will believe in us like we believe in each other. Coleman concluded his remarks with a plea directly to HUD Secretary Ben Carson: To Dr. Carson, I say to you, Dont close our communities. Lisa Childs Thomas, the principal of Cairo Junior/Senior High School, said at the news conference that it would be very, very much appreciated if HUD would find a way to preserve some of the structures at Elmwood and McBride, or build something new in the community to keep families in the city who want to stay. Think about it, mostly everyone in this country has an opportunity to decide what city they live in, Thomas said. Why cant our residents have that same opportunity if they are choosing to want to stay in Cairo? Why cant we find options for them to stay? Aaliyah Johnson, 17, is just entering her junior year at Cairo High. She said shes been in school with the same small, tight-knit group of classmates since Pre-K. Some of the friendships date back even further, to the daycare days, she said. Johnson said she wants to go to college after graduation, and she expects she will leave Cairo at that time at least, she said, while earning her post-secondary education. Johnson said she knows shell make new friends and experiences when that time comes. But she isnt ready to go yet. When its time to don cap and gown next year, she wants to be standing by her best friends for that rite of passage that symbolizes the beginning of adulthood, the way they always imagined it would be. I dont want to start over making friends, she said. Of HUD, she said the agency wanting to change things and break down buildings is not fair to families, especially families like mine. Johnson lives at the McBride complex with numerous siblings and cousins, some of which only recently moved back. We came back together as a family, and if we have to move, we are going to be torn apart. Coleman: 'Families are suffering' Mayor Coleman said its difficult to hear the heartbreak the residents speak of about the housing crisis in Cairo. Families are suffering, he said. Secretary Carson, in a Senate hearing, referred to our community as a dying community, he said, during the City Hall press conference. Yet, rather than investing in our community, the department of Housing and Urban Development is choosing, or has chosen, to relocate 185 families totaling a number of 400 individuals who are family, friends and neighbors. What Secretary Carson knows is that we are not a dying community. We are a strong and resilient community history has recorded that, and we want to stay that way. Coretta Cornelius, a resident of McBride who has been outspoken in her opposition to HUDs relocation plan, noted that Housing and Urban Development shares some of the responsibility for what has happened to the public housing in Cairo because it did not take action sooner to correct the alleged mismanagement of the past housing directors. Its been a problem for many years. HUD knew since at least 2013, she said. Cornelius, who has a young daughter, said she worries about the children ending up in another community that is not as supportive as Cairo is to its children. In Cairo, everyone knows everybody and many look out for one another, she said. They know where they come from, and they know where they get the love from. And they know if they go somewhere else theyre not going to get it returned. So why send them into a community or into a world that theyre not prepared for? Why send them to a place where they are going to be heartbroken? We should all be treated as one. I just feel like they need to help us, she said. HUD director greets residents At the HUD Region V headquarters building, Regional Deputy Director Jim Cunningham came out to greet the Cairo residents and accepted the students letters. He spent a half hour or so speaking with them about their concerns, all of which he had heard before. Cunningham has visited Cairo on numerous occasions since HUD staff has been assigned to the day-to-day operations there in early 2016. Mostly he listened with patience, offering at one point, Were doing everything we can to help you guys make a successful move. The demonstration was cordial, and though a few people spoke passionately, the mood was light and the exchange friendly. Segan Humble, who lives in Chicago, was one of the few people who didnt ride the bus up from Cairo to meet up in support of them. Humble grew up in Mound City and graduated from Meridian High School in 2006, and when she read about the event online, decided she was going to show up to stand in solidarity to their cause and concerns. Humble left her small Pulaski County town, which sits about 10 miles north of Cairo, after completing her degree at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The decision came down to a lack of job opportunities, she said. She works as a housing specialist for the Cook County Housing Authority, and also has worked for a contractor of the Chicago Housing Authority. I didnt move here because I wanted to relocate to Chicago she said. I felt like I kind of had to relocate because there are no jobs there. Though keenly aware of the economic hardships facing Illinois' southernmost counties, Humble said its been gut-wrenching to read about the housing situation in Cairo. I hate to see an area with so much history and good people be abandoned and left behind like that, she said. Of the region that raised her, Humble said, I feel like were overlooked a lot. Humble said if there was ever a revival of the economy, she would make a beeline south, leaving behind the city lights for the small-town hospitality and family she misses. Humble said Chicago has a lot to offer, but its the little things she longs for such as the way its common for everyone to wave at each other. After only a few hours in Chicago, the Cairo residents boarded their bus to make the six hour drive back home. Kristen Simelton, who lives at Elmwood, brought her grandchildren along for the trip. Simelton said she was glad she came and that the residents made their voices heard. It's worth a shot, she said. But reflecting on the day on the ride back, she said via text message that she was not optimistic that it was going to make a lot of difference in changing the outcome of what HUD has already set into motion. It was a good day, she said. But I doubt they care enough to help us. CARBONDALE Thai Taste remains closed for repairs after a vehicle crashed into the restaurants north wall Thursday evening. Owner Tam Rachatanavin said he hopes to be back open by the weekend and that he doesnt yet have an estimate for the cost of the repairs. Workers finished demoing out the damage Wednesday morning, he said. The Carbondale Police Department said that Kevin Barker of Marion was driving west on West Main Street shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday when he apparently ran a red light, driving into the intersection of West Main and crashing into another vehicle. Another vehicle traveling north on South Illinois Avenue crashed into Barkers vehicle, sending it crashing into the north wall of the restaurant, police said in a news release. The car shattered the window and caused some damage to the brickwork and masonry around it; it also dislodged a cast-iron storm drainpipe that ran from the roof to the street and ties into the city sewage system. (When we reopen) depends on how much damage there is to that drainpipe, Rachatanavin said. After the crash, one person inside the restaurant was taken by Jackson County Ambulance to Memorial Hospital of Carbondale to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Rachatanavin said the individual was a customer who was sitting with his back to the window, and that he wasnt directly hit by the vehicle; the wall hit his chair and he suffered cuts and bruises. Weve been in contact with him and his family, Rachatanavin said. Its not the first time a vehicle crashed into the restaurant. About five years ago, Rachatanavin said, a car was coming down Illinois Avenue the wrong way, was struck by another vehicle at the intersection, jumped the curb and knocked a city wastebasket into the brick wall. That incident didnt cause significant damage, just some bulging of the brick wall. It was nothing like this, Rachatanavin said. Still, although the incident left the staff shaken up, Rachatanavin is undaunted and eager to get back to work. We hope to be back up and running as soon as possible, Rachatanavin said. CARBONDALE There is a lot of talk about green vehicles, such as electric cars or hybrid vehicles, but one local dealership is going green in a different way. Vogler Motor Company is nearing completion of a $1 million solar project at its seven businesses throughout Southern Illinois. Dennis Rathjen, owner of Vogler, said the project is expected to pay for itself within five years. Green energy is a big deal to a lot of people, Dennis Rathjen said. Going green makes sense and dollars and cents. In addition to saving money on power, the project will pay for itself. The project included installing solar panels at Vogler Ford, Vogler Ford Collision Center and VMC Chinese Parts, all in Carbondale, and NAPA Auto Parts in Carbondale, Murphysboro, Herrin and Marion. The project includes more than 1,650 solar panels or more than 20,000 square feet of solar panels. All seven locations will be completely solar powered, but that is not the only energy-saving improvements made to the businesses. All locations also replaced existing light fixtures indoors and outdoors with LED lighting, equipped with motion sensors. Dennis Rathjen said the lights run at 20 percent during the night, but automatically go to 100 percent when they sense someone is present. They turn off 90 seconds after the person leaves. They work on a lot less power, and theyre a lot brighter, John Rathjen said. Burke Electric in Murphysboro is the contractor for the projects. The panels were installed on the building roofs, about three or four inches from the roof. Vogler will actually put power into the grid, Bill Burke of Burke Electric said. Ameren will certify that it can tie into the grid. Burke said the system at Vogler Ford will definitely over produce power, and every bit of power that is produced beyond what they use will be purchased back by the state of Illinois. He expects as many as four of the locations to produce more power than they use. This is the biggest solar operation in the area, Burke said. We are the first commercial contractor to do this scale project. He added that Vogler has decreased its power consumption to about one-fourth of what it was using by installing LED lights. The LED light fixtures also have a life span of around 15 years. Dennis Rathjen said they were replacing several light bulbs each month before the switch. Rather than becoming a polluter, they are using less energy, and it doesnt affect the environment, Burke said. Burke said he has been looking into solar energy since 1999, but found it too cost prohibitive in the early years. The value was not there. Finally, technology has caught up to a point it is worth installing. Theres been huge advancements in the last five years that make it economically advisable. That doesnt mean its cheap, just doable. Once we evaluate this project, we can tell people what the real cost is and the real value, Burke said. MURPHYSBORO Saying he had been researching city statutes, the Murphysboro Police Chief thinks he has found a way the city can earn $6,000 a year. Chief Chad Roberts told the Murphysboro City Council on Tuesday night that his research had indicated the city could impose a fee of up to $20 from every arrested person who posts bail from the Jackson County Jail. The city is able to do that from Illinois Municipal Code 65 ILCS 5/1-2-12.1. The state passed the law in 2011 and several cities currently take advantage of it, Roberts said. Based on Roberts' estimate, the city of Murphysboro could net $6,000 a year from such fee assessments. Roberts presented his findings to the City Council, asking aldermen to allocate the funds to the Murphysboro Police Department, to enable it to buy much-needed items. Councilman Dan Bratton objected to the request to earmark funds for the police department, suggesting the money go to the City's General Fund and allocations for the police department be made from that. He was outvoted by fellow members, who decided 8-2 to create the Muncipal Bond Fee ordinance, allowing the money to go to the Police Department. In addition to Bratton, City Council Gary McComb objected to the specific allocation to the police department. After the meeting, Roberts said the funds could help the Murphysboro Police Department do such things as buy a more up-to-date fingerprint scanner, valued at $12,000, and purchase evidence-management software that is more compatible with the state crime lab. Also at the meeting, on behalf of the Murphysboro Police Department, Mayor Will Stephens presented awards to Chris Mueller State Farm Agency and State Farm Foundation and to Walmart general manager Kim Busby. State Farm awarded the police department a $42,000 grant that allowed administrators to buy new computers, putting 19 ultrabook laptops in patrol vehicles and upgrading about one-third of the desk computers, Roberts said. A cash grant from Walmart allowed the department to make additional technology updates, he said. An Anna man was sentenced to state prison after pleading guilty for his role in an April home invasion and robbery in Dongola, according to a Thursday news release from Union County States Attorney Tyler Edmonds. Braedon R. Smalley, 28, was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of home invasion. The release states that Smalley was arrested in June 2017 after an investigation by the Union County Sheriffs Office. The Southern After receiving a call from a concerned citizen, Metropolis police arrested a man for attempted aggravated robbery on Wednesday. Adam R. Zace, 33, of Metropolis, was charged with attempted aggravated robbery, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. At about 2:15 p.m., an individual called the Metropolis Police Department to report a suspicious person hanging around an alley at Fifth and Butler streets. The caller said the man was wearing some type of mask and was dressed funny, according to a news release from the department. When officers arrived, they found that the suspects face was concealed and his hands and feet were covered by plastic and sealed off with duct tape. Zace fled on a bicycle and a short chase ensued. An Illinois State Police trooper and deputies with the Massac County Sheriffs office assisted in the pursuit. Once Zace was boxed in, he attempted to flee on foot but was quickly caught, police said. A search revealed that Zace was in possession of a toy gun and a robbery note, which apparently contained directions for a bank teller to follow. Officers later learned that Zace was on parole from the Illinois Department of Corrections. He is currently being held at Massac County Detention Center. In the release, Police Chief Harold Masse praised the actions of the caller and encouraged people to report suspicious activity. CHICAGO Most public universities in Illinois have seen enrollment decreases this year as they recover from a two-year state budget impasse, but enrollment continues to increase at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The state operated without a budget from July 2015 until this July, when the Legislature overrode Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's veto of a spending plan and tax increase, the Chicago Tribune reported . Universities, such as Southern Illinois at Carbondale and Eastern Illinois University, saw a dip in enrollment this year. Both schools saw double-digit declines with their incoming freshman classes. Western Illinois University's incoming freshman enrollment also dropped from nearly 1,530 students to more than 1,200. "Students and parents were concerned about public higher education in Illinois, and many made their college decisions before the budget impasse resolved," said Jack Thomas, president of Western Illinois University. Public university officials said the budget battle in Springfield is a critical factor in the declines. They said that although the budget crisis has been resolved for now, it will take years to schools to recover. "It's turning a fairly large ship," said Rob Anderson, president of State Higher Education Executive Officers Association in Boulder, Colorado. "Students right now are making their enrollment decisions for next fall. Some will feel bolstered and might want to choose an Illinois college where they wouldn't before, and others might want to see how this trend plays out." The University of Illinois still saw a nearly 3 percent increase in enrollment from nearly 81,000 to more than 83,300 students. President Tim Killeen said the increase reflects the university's push to provide life-changing opportunities for more students and build on a pipeline of world-class graduates. "Our commitment to affordability, access and academic quality fosters a global reputation for excellence that continues to attract the best-and-brightest students from across our state and nation and from around the world," Killeen said. Earlier this summer, I was disappointed that Congress and the White House failed to come together in a bipartisan fashion to shore up the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. Republicans have spent nearly the last decade decrying that Democrats originally passed Obamacare without their input. A valid concern, for sure. But Republicans just tried to do the same thing only they failed. In my view, that failure was tied to their unwillingness to work across the aisle to produce legislation that would have improved the lives of millions of Americans. By making peoples lives better, there would have been more political support for their efforts from both Democrats and Republicans. As the nation tries to figure out how to move forward, both Congress and the White House are again looking at other laws and policies impacting health care like the 340B Discount Drug program. Now, lawmakers are considering changing the rules around a program that is absolutely critical for many rural hospitals across the nation, including those in Southern Illinois. The 340B program, helps hospitals to provide access to critical medicines for low-income individuals. Without 340B program, many Americans would risk losing access to drugs for important illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and dementia. Across Illinois 15th Congressional District, which covers a large portion of southern Illinois and is currently represented by John Shimkus, there are close to 20 hospitals that rely on the 340B program. This includes Ferrell Hospital in my hometown of Eldorado. Across the entire state, more than 50 hospitals rely on the 340B program, as it is critical in many urban settings as well, where they treat high numbers of low-income patients. To be fair, and to present both sides of the argument, opponents of the 340B program assert that it raises drug prices in the United States. Their position is that in order to make up for losses they take in the 340B program, that drug makers are forced to raise their prices on their other products, or the same product sold to patients with insurance. There may be some truth to this, however I believe the pharmaceutical companies have a moral obligation to ensure that everyone can have access to their life-saving treatments. If drug makers around the nation were going out of business, I would reassess my opinion of the 340B program. But the fact is, many drug companies are making massive or even record profits. Alternatively, according to a recent report by the National Rural Healthcare Association, more than 70 rural hospitals have closed in America since 2010, and another 700 are at risk of closing. To me, it is pretty clear that we must prioritize the 340B program without severely affecting the profit levels of the drug companies. As the former Chairman of the Healthcare Committee in the Illinois House of Representatives, I know firsthand just how difficult it is to legislate on health care. In fact, I worked with then State Sen. Barack Obama on an important healthcare bill. We were successful because we both understood that rural and urban poor needed access to medical care and providing that healthcare improved lives and strengthened communities. It is my hope that decision makers in Washington will follow that ideal, and ensure that the 340B program remains viable. Our rural hospitals are depending on it. DENMARK Moses Washington of the Washington Foundation recently distributed more than 169 book bags filled with school supplies to Denmark area students in grades four through 12. In addition, Washington, who grew up in Denmark, announced he is launching the "Corridor of Shame Initiative" to establish a scholarship fund that will rotate between 36 rural high schools located primarily along Interstate 95 in South Carolina. If our children dont have the right supplies, then they will be unable to get the job done in the classroom," said Washington, a 20-year-old junior majoring in political science at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. "This is the same with any occupation if you dont have the tools you need for your job, then you cant perform it. He said the recent Back-to-School Bash was established to serve as a source of motivation to the children and the community because motivation to do well in school is another part of the puzzle to succeeding. Another purpose of the Washington Foundation is to combat the stigma of the Corridor of Shame, Washington said. The rural school districts that make up the corridor have been traditionally neglected by the state of South Carolina. My school district, Bamberg School District Two, is included, he said. Washington said he learned about the Corridor of Shame when he was being educated in Denmark, and he took the issue of equity in funding for the state's school districts to heart. I think that it became even more pressing to see our school districts proposed plan of a new school get vetoed by the former governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, and to see politicians use our town/the Corridor of Shame for publicity reasons without planning to make change, or knowing what it feels like to have limited opportunities based on your zip code," he added. Therefore, I decided to stop talking and do whatever small thing I can to address this issue and be the change. Washington continued, (Denmark is) the place I call home, its the place I love, and its the place where I would like to make change. My background in Denmark drives my passion for the Washington Foundation because I know the struggles firsthand." Citing the 2016 Bamberg School District Two Executive Summary, he said the district ranked fourth out of 86 school districts in families below the poverty line (29.59 percent), their unemployment rate was below state average (9.1 percent) and the median household income was $26,697. The thing is the statistics arent just a number to me its something that I live out because I am a part of the number which drives me, Washington said. The Washington Foundation became a registered nonprofit corporation in South Carolina on April 19, 2017. Washington serves on the Morehouse College Board of Trustees. He is also an intern for Teach for America on the campus and a Gates Millennium Scholar. He said he hopes to pursue a law degree at a top university. Washington's mother, Gloria Gilbert, and his father, Charles Washington, are Denmark natives. Family Health Centers will receive a federal grant to help fund substance abuse and mental health services. The Health Resources and Services Administration announced Thursday it awarded $3.6 million to 21 health centers in South Carolina. Orangeburg-based FHC will receive $175,700. No corner of our country, from rural areas to urban centers, has escaped the scourge of the opioid crisis, said HHS Secretary Tom Price, M.D. The Trump Administration is taking strong, decisive action to respond to the crisis caused by the opioid epidemic. These grants from HRSA go directly to local organizations, which are best situated to address substance abuse and mental health issues in their own communities. The expanded funding is part of the Department of Health and Human Services five-point strategy to fight the opioid epidemic by: Improving access to treatment and recovery services. Targeting use of overdose-reversing drugs. Strengthening the understanding of the epidemic through better public health surveillance. Providing support for cutting-edge research on pain and addiction. Advancing better practices for pain management. SPRINGFIELD The Town of Springfield has hired a new police chief and three new officers. Police Chief Brian H. Gray was selected to lead the Springfield Police Department, which includes newly hired officers Lt. Joshua Orth, Patrolman Jason Conley and Staff Sgt. Chris Funk. Gray has 12 years of experience in law enforcement with the Blackville and Williston police departments and the Aiken County Sheriffs Office. He replaces former Springfield police chief Lacra Jenkins, who resigned in July after allegations surfaced of misconduct in office while he was employed as a deputy with the OCSO. Jenkins was since been charged. On the Springfield Police Department Facebook page, Gray wrote, As your chief of police I pledge to protect the lives and property of the town of Springfield to the best of my ability, establish law and order (and) build a department (so) the citizens of our community will feel safe as they leave for work and lay their heads down at night." I am pleased with the direction in which he is taking the protection and safety of our citizens," Mayor Edward Furtick said of Gray. All of the Springfield Police Department's new officers underwent background checks, all have associates degrees or bachelors degrees in criminal justice and all have at least a decade of experience in law enforcement, Gray said. Orth served as a master at arms in the Navy, worked with the United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service and is a veteran officer, he said. The new police chief said he and his officers have been sprucing up the outside and inside of the police headquarters, including painting Springfield Police Department above the police station entrance. Its an entrance for citizens instead of just an employee entrance now, Gray said. I want Springfield to be just like Mayberry (the fictional small North Carolina town in TV's The Andy Griffith Show"). I want the citizens to be able to come to me like I am part of their family, he added. Gray said he believes in community policing, noting that he and his officers are getting out and talking to people in the community and communicating not only in person, but through Facebook announcements as well. We go to different restaurants to meet people. We go to meet people and greet people and shake hands," Orth said. In response to recent thefts in Springfield, including a four-wheeler, Gray reported he installed cameras in key locations in the town to address the issue. I bought body cameras, too," the police chief said. "I want accountability not only for us, but for the citizens." With the increase in the police force, the department is cracking down on tractor-trailers speeding through the town, Gray reported. He has also addressed problems with hunters running dogs within the town limits. On the department's Facebook page, Gray noted, I'm sure you all are aware that it is hunting season, and we have a lot of complaints about hunters from out of town that like to run dogs (that) have been getting into town. We have an ordinance against hunting in the city limits. I like to hunt like the next person, but let's be respectful of other people's land. We have also had several complaints of these hunters flying down the roads on four-wheelers," he said. "Again, from what I'm getting, this is an out of town group." Gray added, Day one when I took office, I contacted several close friends I have with DNR (who have) and are currently working the area very forcefully. Several (hunters) have been cited The new chief said he established contact with Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Kenneth Kinsey and told him that the OCSO can use his department as a substation when necessary and that his door is always open. He said he also set up a meeting with the Town of Salley in Aiken County to arrange a mutual aid agreement between the two towns. If you didnt like to sing, you were out of luck at meetings of the Orangeburg Kiwanis Club. As an active member of Kiwanis for four decades, William Thomas Bill Taylor Sr. was the Orangeburg clubs song leader, meaning that as part of every meeting he led the members in singing patriotic songs. He expected people to sing and let that be known. And sing the Kiwanians and guests did. Taylor, who died Sept. 5 at age 83, had a gift of music, using his voice, the harmonica and the piano to entertain. Plus he knew how to talk and make people laugh. His ability to entertain went beyond music. As the auctioneer for the Orangeburg Rotary Clubs scholarship auction for many years, he was named an honorary member of the group that meets at noon on Tuesdays. Taylor was also an integral part of the Orangeburg business community for years. He was president and owner of Hospitality Management Associates Inc. and, over a period of more than 40 years, developed, owned and operated over 30 hotels in the Southeast. These properties included Holiday Inns, Hampton Inns, Best Westerns, Quality Inns and others. Taylor was also involved in the apartment business through his investments with Meridia, Inc. In this capacity, he was involved in the development and ownership of over 3,000 apartment units in North and South Carolina. He and his late wife, Peggy, were founding members of Trinity Presbyterian Church and active members for 30-plus years. Lift your voice to heaven and sing. Bill Taylor did. And he would expect all to join in. Help available for substance-use disorder Individuals with a mental health and/or substance use disorder often times feel isolated, alone and shunned. Yet every year, approximately 21 million people in the United States live with these conditions. In the tri-county area of Orangeburg, Bamberg and Calhoun counties, it is estimated there are 12,000 individuals who have a substance-use disorder and are in need of help and support. The stigma associated with a substance-use disorder is a major barrier to people seeking treatment. At a time when individuals need the support of their family, friends, co-workers and community, often times they get ridiculed and shamed. That is counterproductive and actually exacerbates the situation leading to individuals using more of the substances to cope with the feelings of shame, isolation and hopelessness. September has been declared Recovery Month both nationally and in South Carolina. We know that people can and do recover from substance-use disorders. Many get their start in recovery by entering professional treatment and sustaining it through self-help groups like Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, etc. In the tri-county area, we have a strong professional treatment program, the Tri-County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, and a strong self-help community. With offices in Orangeburg, Santee, Bamberg and St. Matthews, we can provide quality treatment in our communities. But we cannot do it alone. Individuals struggling with a substance-use disorder need their families, friends, co-workers and the community to rally around them to support their engagement in treatment and their quest for a healthier life. We need to help them understand that recovery is possible, treatment does work and there is hope. As a professional in the field for the past 27 years, I personally have seen countless individuals come in with little to no hope as they battle their addiction. Through treatment and support, they realized a better life. A life of recovery that leads to better health; improved relationships with family and friends; stable and fulfilling employment; and a serenity that allows them to move forward each day with hope and positivity. Please join me in supporting those who struggle with a substance-use disorder. Reach out to them and let them know you care and are willing to assist them in any way possible. For more information about or to schedule and assessment, call our office at 803-536-4900 or log on to www.tccada.com. To learn more about Recovery Month, go to https://www.recoverymonth.gov/home Mike Dennis Executive Director Tri-County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse William J. McCord Adolescent Treatment Facility Orangeburg Demand protection of media Regarding the letter to the editor of Aug. 31, Media not allies of people, please dont disregard the media just because they do not represent your narrow world view. If all news is labeled false news, then there is NO news. The Dalai Lama says, When you talk, you are only representing what you already know, but, if you listen, you may learn something new. The first thing totalitarians do is silence the media. Beware of this and demand protection of the media. Larry Barwick, Cameron A signing ceremony of the Amended and Restated Agreement on the Joint Development and Production Sharing for the Azeri and Chirag fields and the Deep Water Portion of the Gunashli field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea is being held at the Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and first lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the ceremony. The president made a speech at the event. Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Berat Albayrak read out President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's message of congratulation to the event participants. Minister of State of the United Kingdom Alan Duncan read out Prime Minister Theresa May's message of congratulation, while Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili's message of congratulation was read out by the country's Energy Minister Elia Eloshvili. By Azernews The sixth round of Astana talks on Syrian issue with all parties involved kicked off on September 14. Turkey, Russia and Iran are the initiators of the Astana talks. All participants, including 24 representatives of the armed opposition, of the Astana-6 meeting have arrived to attend the talks on Syria, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry reported. The Russian delegation is headed by President's special representative for the Syrian settlement Alexander Lavrentiev, while Turkish and Iranian delegations are led by Deputy Foreign Ministers Sedat Onal and Jaber Ansari, respectively. Special representative of the UN Secretary General for Syria Staffan De Mistura has also arrived. The U.S. observer delegation is headed by David Satterfield, the Assistant Secretary of State for the Middle East settlement while the Jordanian delegation is led by advisor to the Foreign Ministry on political issues Nawaf Ousfi. The twenty-four authorized representatives of the Syrian armed opposition representing its various groups have also arrived, the Kaz Ministry reported. Negotiations on September 14-15 are expected to take place in accordance with the previously agreed agenda and the results of expert consultations that were held in Astana on the eve. The agenda includes consideration of a number of documents regulating the activity of the control forces of de-escalation as well as continuation of work on coordinating the composition of the control forces in Idlib. The participants are expected to approve maps of de-escalation zones in the provinces of Idlib, Homs and East Gut, draft regulations on the Coordination Center, the working group on the release of detainees/hostages, the transfer of dead bodies and the search for missing persons, according to the guarantor countries. To date, five rounds of negotiations on the ongoing Syrian conflict were held in Astana. Guarantors of a nationwide Syrian ceasefire regime - Russia, Turkey and Iran - had agreed on May 4 in the Kazakh capital, Astana, to establish "de-escalation zones" in war-torn Syria. The zones would cover the city of Idlib and certain parts of Latakia, Homs, Aleppo and Hama as well as Damascus, Eastern Ghouta, Daraa and Quneitra. Syria has been locked in civil war since March 2011. According to UN's special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, around 400,000 people have died in the conflict while half the population has been driven from their homes. Mastercard, a leading technology company in the global payments industry, has announced the appointment of J K Khalil as the companys country manager for Saudi Arabia. Khalil will be in charge of promoting strategic growth, enhancing Mastercards operations in the Kingdom and maximizing value to its local customers in the market, one of the companys largest markets in the Middle East and Africa region. Basel El-Tell, general manager, Saudi Arabia and Levant, Mastercard, said:The Saudi market is one of the most important pillars of our strategic growth plans for Middle East and Africa. Khalils appointment comes at a time when we are actively working towards expanding the reach of our products and services in this booming market, in line with the goals of the National Transformation Program 2020 and Saudi Vision 2030. In view of the Kingdoms strong push for digital transformation and heavy investments in advanced technologies, we are looking ahead to contributing towards the Kingdoms overarching economic goals, and playing a bigger role in shaping the future of its payments ecosystem. Khalil joined Mastercard in 2016 armed with 13 years of experience spanning financial services, technology and payment solutions. Prior to joining Mastercard, Khalil served as senior manager at Booz & Company and has also worked with a number of international banking groups such as BNP Paribas and Barclays. Khalil holds an MBA from the University of Chicago as well as a bachelors degree in Computer Systems and Software from the Faculty of Engineering at the St Joseph University of Beirut. TradeArabia News Service Drake & Scull International, a regional market leader in engineering and construction services, has appointed Abdulla Atatreh as the new chairman replacing Majid Saif Al Ghurair who recently quit his post, citing personal reasons. Independent member Ahmed Saeed Al Hamiri has been named the new vice chairman, while another member Mohammed Atatreh will take over as the managing director. Abdulla Fareed Algurg has been inducted into the board in the place of Al Ghurair. The announcement was made by the board of directors which met for the first time yesterday (September 12) following the resignation of Al Ghurair. During the meeting, the board emphasized the completion of DSIs capital restructuring program as a top priority to boost liquidity and stabilise the business. It also concurred on establishing a clear strategy for recovery and growth that will capitalise on the groups healthy project pipeline, industry stature, and the bullish industry outlook for the region. The members of DSIs audit, nomination, remuneration, and investment committees and the secretary of the board of directors have been appointed as well. In his first address as chairman, Atatreh said: "The first official act of the new board is to position the company for new growth by establishing and following strict governance standards across all operating sectors to ensure consistent transparency, control and quality." "We have also strategically appointed people that embody our vision of renewed growth for DSI. We want to adopt the right corporate mindset to ensure the swift and efficient completion of the groups turnaround strategy, which is currently in the final stages of the capital restructuring phase," stated Atatreh. The boards immediate goals include further organizational restructuring to achieve higher levels of efficiency, synergy and resilience. It is currently planning additional executive appointments to support DSIs comprehensive turnaround strategy, he added.-TradeArabia News Service The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Medical University of Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain) this week welcomed new undergraduate students in medicine and nursing as part of its annual Orientation Week. Organised by the student services and events team, the orientation programme aimed to introduce new-joining students to both academic and extra-curricular aspects of life at RCSI Bahrain. Over the course of the week, the students were introduced to key members of the universitys academic and administrative staff, including president, Professor Sameer Otoom; head of School of Nursing and Midwifery Professor Seamus Cowman; head of School of Medicine Professor Joe McMenamin; and chief operating officer Stephen Harrison-Mirfield. Professor Otoom said: Since the establishment of RCSI Bahrain in 2004, our student body has grown to over 1,300, and I am pleased to say that this years cohort is of a very high standard both academically and personally we expect to see great things from them. Through our students and staff, we remain committed to our promise of advancing healthcare in the Middle East region, and creating a different calibre of medical graduate, who will join an increasing alumni network of over 15,000 students. Harrison-Mirfield commented: Bahrain is a growing destination for education, with the establishment of many international Universities bringing knowledge into the country, and RCSI Bahrain is proud to be at the forefront of this best practice. Orientation has aimed to show our students not only the academic side of their experience, but also that our campus is constantly alive with events run by more than 40 clubs and societies across fitness, arts, culture, technology, community engagement and much more. Assigned to their Buddy mentor groups, the newcomers also received introductions to academic programmes and university rules and procedures, as well as an extensive tour of the campus facilities. The active programme concluded with the Orientation Open Day featuring a number of locally-based service providers coming on campus and Welcome Mixer a social event organised by the Student Council. The 2017-2018 academic year intake at RCSI Bahrain consists of future doctors from almost 20 different nationalities, including those from Bahrain, GCC neighbours Kuwait, UAE and Oman, the wider Middle East region, North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. The curriculum the students will study is identical to that being delivered in Ireland, and RCSI Bahrains faculty are a mix of the best international and local expertise available in the medical field, RCSI said. RCSI Bahrain is a constituent university of RCSI in Dublin, which was established in 1784. Like its Irish counterpart, RCSI Bahrain is a not-for-profit health sciences institution focused on education and research to drive positive change in all areas of human health worldwide, and shape future healthcare leaders, it added. TradeArabia News Service Around 800 leading educators from 68 countries are expected to discuss transformational, behavioural and technology trends in education at an upcoming teachers forum in Abu Dhabi, UAE. To be held under the theme of Teaching for Tomorrow Qudwa 2017 will take place on October 7 and 8 at Emirates Palace. A global survey of registered participants for this years forum revealed that teachers view soft skills, like understanding individual needs of students; knowledge and enthusiasm for subject matter; and strong communication skills, as the top priority skills for teachers to succeed in the future. Harder skills that focus on knowledge and understanding of technology were less critical success factors. One key finding showed that while 90.16 per cent of teachers use laptops or tablets in their classrooms and 78.24 per cent use social media for educational purposes, only 18.89 per cent agreed that an excellent command of current and future technologies was the most important factor for teachers to succeed in the classroom of the future. Almost half of the respondents, 45.57 per cent, however recognized strong knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject matter as the top success factor. A similar question further validated this insight, revealing that 41.40 per cent of participants recognized good knowledge of technology (laptops, tablets) to increase student performance as the least important factor to teacher success, whereas 66.01 per cent agreed that an ability to understand the individual needs of each student was the most important teaching skill of the future. Mohamed Khalifa Al Neaimi, director of Education Affairs Office at the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi said: These are exactly the types of surprising insights we want to uncover at Qudwa. We need to better understand this perceived disconnect and make sure we are preparing teachers with the right balance of technical know-how that this digital age demands, and the emotional intelligence to make learning a truly personal experience for everyone. The event is organized under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. TradeArabia News Service The role of Asia in the global oil market, the oversupply of crude worldwide and its impact on key Asian storage hubs will be highlighted through discussions at the Tank Storage Asia, to be held later this month in Singapore. The event will take place on September 27 and 28, at the Marina Bay Sands. This years event is particularly timely in light of the latest events coming out of the US, demonstrating the potential vulnerabilities of the crude oil and refined products market and the impact that natural setbacks can have on the global supply chain, said a statement. For Asian producers and refineries this is likely to mean increased crude and petroleum supply to markets normally resourced from US stocks, it said. The conference programme will include a keynote presentation by Olivier Lejeune, Oil Storage Market Analyst at the International Energy Agency, (IEA), who will explore global demand and supply and storage trends both highly relevant topics at this time, it added. Hormuzd Karanjia, director of IHS Chemical Industry Consulting, will continue the global discussion, looking at worldwide petrochemical developments and the impact on storage. Attendees will also get specific regional perspectives from Anderson Ang, deputy general manager of chemical distributor and terminal operator PT, Taruna Bina Sarana (Linc Group) who will examine the outlook for Indonesias storage market, Ai Lin Leaw, executive director at Benalec Holdings who will be providing an update on storage developments in Malaysia and Mukesh Parikh, senior consultant at SmartHead Consulting who will discuss the threats, risks and opportunities for tank storage terminals in India. Bulk liquid storage, an industry with an inherent degree of risk and safety, remains a key focus area in many emerging markets. Darmawan A Mukharror, process safety expert from the Indonesian Institute for Process Safety will look at the requirements for safety integrity, with specific reference to the results of a real-world analysis looking at multiple layer protection over fourteen storage tanks. Other topics will include spotting new storage development opportunities across South East Asia, legal issues around terminal transactions and structuring and financing of projects, among others. Nick Powell, divisional director, Tank Storage Asia, said: We have a compelling line up of speakers this year and it will be particularly interesting to see what the experts have to say about the current and future position of the storage market both globally and across Asia. We have already had an overwhelming response to this years programme, with delegates quick to book their seats in the conference theatre. We urge anyone looking to attend the conference to book soon in order to avoid missing out, he added. TradeArabia News Service Dubai will host the 5th Arab Robotics Conference, an Arab scientific conference specialised in the field of robotics and artificial intelligence, next month. The event will take place from October 3 to 5, and will be a joint effort of the Emirates Science Club, the Cultural and Scientific Association and the Arab Robotics Association, reported state news agency Wam. Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, the conference will run at the Cultural and Scientific Association premises with key participation of Arab and international delegations, including a selection of the finest experts and specialists in robotics and artificial intelligence. Sultan Saqr Al Suwaidi, chairman Culture and Science Symposium, said in a press briefing that the conference is aimed at raising awareness about the science of robotics and artificial intelligence and their role in scientific and technological progress, translating the paramount importance attached by the UAE to R&D and human development. The event also seeks to exchange Arab and international experience in areas of robotics and artificial intelligence, exploring the possibility of implementing joint projects and encouraging pan-Arab initiatives in this field, added the report. WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 has announced the signing of an agreement with Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company, naming Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) as its National Premium Partner and official host. Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, the first Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region edition of the event will run at Adnec from October 14 to 19. The agreement was signed by Mubarak Saeed Al Shamsi, director general of Abu Dhabi Centre for technical and vocational education and training (ACTVET), the organisers of the event, and Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, group CEO at Adnec, in the presence of senior officials from both entities, said a statement. Al Shamsi said: We are delighted to welcome Adnec as our national premium partner and official host. The event is about global excellence and education across a wide range of skills and Adnec represents both as a well-known hub that hosts pioneering and mind-stimulating events. Al Dhaheri said: It is our honour and privilege to support the dreams of young professionals around the world through supporting the event. We believe that this competitive event is a good breakthrough to enable us to mine skilled talent in the UAE and across the Middle East. Al Dhaheri added: To diversify the existing exhibition portfolio and host cutting-edge and innovative events, Adnec, over the span of the last four years, visited previous editions of events in Brazil and in Germany and strategically worked towards hosting an edition in Abu Dhabi. Adnecs 133,000-sq-m of interconnected floor space and modern and advanced facilities reinforce our capability to ensure the events success, he said. The latest edition will include the staging of 51 skill competitions, as well as deliver a range of interactive events for visitors. Ali Al Marzouqi, president of WorldSkills Abu Dhabi, said: The centres support of the event demonstrates its exceptional commitment to developing skilled talent around the world. Adnec understands the critical role the industry plays in equipping youth with the knowledge, tools, competitive skills, and innovations to lead strong professional careers, he said. More than 100,000 visitors from across the UAE and around the world are expected to visit Abu Dhabi. A key objective is to raise awareness of technical and vocational education while showcasing the worlds largest vocational skills competition, it stated. TradeArabia News Service FireEye, an intelligence-led security company, held its Cyber Defense Live event in Dubai, UAE, this week to discuss best practices for GCC organisations as they seek to address the evolving threat landscape in the region. The event, held with the endorsement of the UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), brought together global and regional FireEye executives as well as experts from the TRA, Etisalat Digital, other specialist companies, and customers. Majed Al Mesmar, acting director general of the TRA, delivered the opening keynote address, and speakers and panelists during the day-long event included Abdelaziz Al Zarooni, senior security engineer at TRA; Kamran Ahsan, senior director of digital security solutions at Etisalat Digital; Kevin Taylor, vice president EMEA, FireEye; Tony Cole, vice president, global government CTO, FireEye; and Stuart Davis, director EMEA, Mandiant (a FireEye company). The discussions offered organisations threat intelligence and insights gleaned from FireEyes team of analysts that help organisations defend themselves against the latest attacks. A noteworthy comparison was on the dwell time of a security incident in EMEA organisations from infiltration to identification which has come down from an average of 416 days a few years ago to just 99 days now. According to FireEye, this is still 96 days too long as it only takes a few days for hackers to cause serious damage. This shows the need to bring the response time down to hours rather than days so as to ensure minimal impact from cyber threats, the company said. - TradeArabia News Service Business France will be hosting 20 leading French technology companies at the upcoming Gitex Technology Week, a major event for the IT industry, in Dubai, UAE. The 37th edition of the event which will be held from October 8 to 12 in Dubai World Trade Center (DWTC). The innovative and pioneering companies will be introducing their expertise in areas including 5G networks, smart cities, the Internet of Things, virtual reality/augmented reality and artificial intelligence at the French Tech pavilion. Within the Internet of Things sector, breakthrough French technologies will be presenting the latest accessories in the field such as the Wistiki Bluetooth tracker, live video solutions from a smartphone developed by Plussh, a personal multi-user cloud that can save data in a private partitioned space via Helixee by Novathings, and Kerlinks machine-to-machine communication solutions. Amongst the group of companies exhibiting, 10 French start-ups will also be making the trip to present advanced novelties and to meet the decision makers and investors attending the show. We see Gitex to be the regions strongest platform to share knowledge and to showcase the best in French technologies and are offering the exhibitors a tailored program to support their development in the Gulf. By taking part in Gitex, strong ties will be developed with local leaders while also introducing French innovation throughout the world of technology, said Fayssal Majid, head of the French Tech pavilion at Business France. According to the Frances professional trade-union Syntec Numerique, the French digital sector is forecast to increase by 3 per cent in 2017, after growing by 2.9 per cent in 2016, as a result of the digital transformation of the economy. Market growth for software exceeded expectations last year (+3.4 per cent) and is expected to grow even faster in 2018 (+4.2 per cent), which represents 1,800 companies in the digital sector. The SaaS model (use of remote cloud-based software) in particular is expected to account for 2.1 billion in 2017, i.e. 18 per cent of the market. TradeArabia News Service National Auto, part of the Al Ghandi Group and the exclusive dealer of Fiat in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, has announced the expected arrival of the special anniversary limited edition Fiat 500-60th model in the third quarter of 2017. Out of the 560 models produced worldwide, National Auto will make available only 10 cars of the Fiat 500-60th model, which are expected to be available at its showroom by November. David Fraser, sales manager for Fiat at National Auto, said: National Auto is delighted to celebrate the 60th anniversary milestone and make available for its valued customers in Dubai and the Northern Emirates 10 of the limited-edition Fiat 500-60th model. As Fiats longest standing dealer in the region, it gives us immense pleasure to display in our showroom the iconic Fiat 500-60 model, alongside Fiats remarkable range of models that have been a testament of our firm relationship with this Italian brand. Our customers in Dubai and the Northern Emirates will revel with global Fiat enthusiasts the special edition convertible model that will come with a two-tone paintwork and matching alloys, as well as other retro features, as part of the 60-years celebrations, he added. With over six million units of the Fiat 500 sold across the world over the past 60 years, the new models set to arrive in Dubai will be complete with an individually numbered limited edition plate and certificate of authenticity. TradeArabia News Service GE has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) that will bring GE Digitals breakthrough digital industrial solutions at scale to the Middle East, Africa and Turkey. The three-year agreement with HPE, is the first collaboration of this scale and scope in the region, and will focus primarily on cyber security solutions in operational technology, with the potential to move into other digital solution in the future, said a statement. One of the first solutions this partnership will focus on is OpShield from GE Digital. OpShield was created specifically to protect critical infrastructure, drawing on years of embedded device testing and assessments of hundreds of industrial facilities, it said. The solution reduces risk of cyber-related unplanned downtime; improves asset protection from cyber-related damage; helps safeguard protected health information (PHI); reduces risk of damage to reputation and intellectual property theft due to cyber incidents; and increases customers confidence to connect and optimise assets, it added. In the first year of the partnership, GE Digital Cyber Security solutions will be distributed through the HPE Channel Partner Network across the MEA &T region, with a particular focus on the Gulf, Levant, Northern Africa, South Africa, and Turkey, said a statement. By using this existing Partner Network with more than 1,500 partners in the region today, HPE and GED together will bring critical digital and cyber security solutions to industrial controls and infrastructure networks. To enable this outreach, the HPE Partner Ready Program (recognised as the industrys number one partner program in EMEA) will ensure that more than 340 HPE specialists and Channel Partner technical and sales resources will be trained and certified on GE Digital solutions to deliver the solution on HPE storage and server infrastructure. In addition, HPEs own security capabilities for information technology infrastructure will complement the solutions provided by GE for the operational technology environment. Ali Saleh, senior vice president and chief commercial officer for GE Digital MEA, said: This partnership will enable our most important customers and partners in the region to begin the journey of digital transformation in a secure environment. HPE has the strongest partner program among peers to manage a partnership of this scope and scale, to bolster a secure digital ecosystem, and reach customers quickly through an innovative business model, he said. Johannes Koch, managing director, Middle East and Africa for HPE, said: This agreement for Middle East, Africa & Turkey builds on our global partnership with GE to help our customers and partners take advantage of the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) and drive digital transformation across their business. The requirement for security in both information technology and operational technology environments, and the need to protect critical infrastructures, makes this an ideal opportunity for our partners, he said. GE Digital and Hewlett Packard Enterprise have also agreed to discussions around bringing Predix-based applications to the market. Predix is the platform for the Industrial Internet of Things connecting machines, data, and people to power the digital industrial companies of the future. It is the foundation that enables industrial businesses to securely collect and analyse data in real time so they can operate faster, smarter, and more efficiently. Specifically, GE Digital and HPE will look at on premise Predix-based applications. Predix is the only platform that provides connectivity capabilities from machines, to full premises, and all the way to the cloud for a complete, integrated view of a companys devices, processes, and people. GE has introduced its advanced digital capabilities in the Middle East, Africa and Turkey through several landmark agreements announced over the last year. With a presence of over 80 years, GE has more than 20,000 employees in the region driving the aviation, digital, healthcare, oil & gas, power and transportation businesses, it stated. TradeArabia News Service Janus Global Operations (JGO) has been selected by an integrated oil and gas multinational corporation based in Malaysia, to provide security and risk management services for the company's operations in central Iraq. Some 600 JGO US and foreign national employees will be responsible, during the two-year contract, for security and risk management for the Malaysian International Oil Company's (IOC) oil exploration and development programme in central Iraq, including the company's base camp, facilities, and also mobile security for company personnel. "We're proud that the Malaysian IOC has selected JGO for this security responsibility," said Matt Kaye, JGO's chief executive officer. "JGO has worked in Iraq with commercial and government clients for more than 13 years on demining and unexploded remnants of war clearance, munitions management, security and risk management, and other tasks critical to clients' operations." The Malaysian IOC has a 10-year relationship with JGO, Kaye added. "We've worked hard to keep and earn the company's trust," Kaye said. "Its investment in these projects is significant, and the environment of central Iraq can, at times, be quite challenging. We're appreciative of the company's confidence in JGO." Janus Global Operations is an integrated international stability operations company with thousands of employees serving clients in North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Janus' services include munitions response, demining, intelligence support, logistics, life support, risk management, communications, and other services in some of the world's most challenging and hostile environments. - TradeArabia News Service The TransGriot is available for speaking engagements, college lectures, panel discussions, media interviews, conferences or Trans 101 education efforts for your school, business or professional organizations. For local Houston area, Texas or national events, you can e-mail me at transgriot@yahoo.com For events outside the Houston metro area, I ask that my travel and lodging expenses be covered. This is separate from my speaking fee. If you are interested in having me appear as a speaker or panelist, you can e-mail me with the date and details of your proposed event. Please book as early as possible because my speaking and event calendar slots during the year rapidly fill up. Sage grouse. A fat bird with riveting plumage that continues to disrupt the West. The birds are both a treasure and a challenge in states like Wyoming, where their declining numbers have brought to light the potential conflicts between vital industries and cherished wildlife in the sagebrush sea. State and federal plans to protect the grouse staved off an endangered species listing in 2015 that would have greatly inhibited development of energy projects from oil and gas to wind. But that strategy may be changed under the Trump Administration. With each news story, the lengthening history of the birds conservation in Wyoming is recapped, perhaps losing rich details in the retelling. Here is a primer of sorts, a collection of key points on the sage grouse timeline, interesting facts or discoveries concerning the grouse and some of the most pressing issues in sage grouse management today in Wyoming. The dreaded ESA No one wants it. Not the state, not the oil and gas companies, not the ranchers or the environmentalists. Early one morning in September 2015, Interior Secretary Sally Jewel announced the iconic sage grouse would not be listed as an endangered species. It marked, at the time, an end of a rocky political road. Amid the many pats on the back, sighs of relief and glowing statements about public and private partnership, the controversy over the grouse was momentarily sidelined. But, conservation has been controversial. In many cases, the oil and gas industry has been the most frustrated. In others, ranchers have bristled about grazing limitations, while many environmentalists have argued that the plans fall short of protecting the bird. In June, Secretary Ryan Zinke said he would review the plans. Though many voiced doubts over what a review would mean for the bird, the man may have had a point. There has been frustration and anger. Wyoming Stock Growers file legal challenge to fed's sage grouse plan The Wyoming Stock Growers Association has filed a legal challenge to a series of recently co Industry and environmentalists share dislike for federal sage grouse plan Environmentalists, ranchers and oil companies have found a rare point of consensus. All stro Parlance In Wyoming its core." In the federal vocabulary its priority." The words describe virtually the same thing: an area of sage grouse habitat where there are a lot of birds. The approach developed in Wyoming and largely adopted by federal agencies, is to find crucial habitat and surround it with the highest protections. Within those established boundaries saving the sage grouse is supposed to be prioritized. Outside those lines, oil and gas (and other industries) are supposed to be prioritized. Since the "core" strategy was implemented in Wyoming in 2008, surface disturbance in those areas has dropped by 80 percent, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The move to reduce noise, construction and boots-on-the-ground in the places where large numbers of sage grouse nest or mate has also coincided with changes in drilling practices. As opposed to a decade ago, the majority of drilling now is directional, meaning wells are drilled straight down and then out horizontally for miles. The benefit for sage grouse conservation is that horizontal drilling reduces the amount of activity on the surface. Additionally more wells can be drilled from the same surface location, also limiting surface disturbance by cutting back on the number of roads needed in a field and the number of well pads on the landscape. That's not to say the balance is easy to maintain, particularly in Wyoming, home to 37 percent of the bird's population. According to a 2017 study by outdoor conservation group Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, about 10 percent of the birds priority habitat in Wyoming is currently leased for oil and gas. That's 3,005 leases, compared to more than 100 in Colorado, the second largest state by grouse population. More than 30 percent of priority habitat in Wyoming has a high potential for oil and gas development as well. Industry has been a key player in developing state and federal plans in Wyoming, advocating that the bird and their business can coexist. Jonah Energy, which is developing a 3,000 well project that will overlap with wintering sage grouse habitat, delayed its plans to build in greater protections for the bird during parts of the year. However, an energy-centric ideology for federal land has some concerned that the bird's protections are being dismantled. How to trigger an environmentalist: Suggest managing to population targets Wyoming governor critical of federal changes to sage grouse management Gov. Matt Mead criticized on Monday a key aspect of the federal governments new plan for ma Conservation of threatened species over the decades has led to important discoveries about what works and what doesnt. The heart of management today is widely considered to be habitat. Give the wild things a place to grow, and they will, say the biologists. Two studies reveal importance of sagebrush to animals, economy Wyomings sagebrush steppe brings millions of dollars to the state each year through hunting On the other end of the spectrum is the idea of managing to numbers. After all, the population is declining, so some say, the problem is one of mathematics. The idea was floated more than once by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, who initiated a 60-day review of the federal plans in 2017, that ended with an open door to population targets if states so choose. For the majority of sage grouse experts, population targets are a red flag, upending years of work to establish habitat-based thinking about wildlife. No matter how many birds are placed on the ground, the habitat will only support what it can. The rest of the birds will leave or die, they say. Population targets have a fair share of dissenters including Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead, the Audubon Society and the Wilderness Society. End of the line or ingenious? Farming the grouse There is one other matter of contention about the grouse today -- whether it can be bred in captivity. Though Wyoming has been the unquestionable leader of sage grouse management and sage grouse science, the state Legislature has also agreed to let game-bird farmers try this controversial approach. It wont necessarily save the grouse, but it couldnt hurt either, proponents say. It could, say biologists, who fear a slippery slope towards privatized wildlife. Captive breeding does have a place in species management. Its a last chance move in the majority of cases -- once a species is likely to disappear. Key dates 2004 Interior Department decides the greater sage grouse does not warrant an endangered species listing, despite reports of rapidly declining numbers 2007 Court decides Interior decision was politically motivated 2007 Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal creates the Sage Grouse Implementation Team to come up with a strategy to save the bird 2008 Freudenthal adopts the core area strategy: prioritize conservation in some areas, development in others 2010 The Bureau of Land Management decides to use Wyoming's core plan on all federal land within the state 2010 U.S. Fish and Wildlife decides the grouse warrants a listing, but delays decision 2011 Lawsuit brought by environmental groups ends in settlement: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife must decide whether to list the grouse by 2015 2015 Interior Department says the bird will not be listed, thanks to a reasonable expectation of success from state and federal management strategies 2017 Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke says states were not given enough control over managing the bird, initiates review of federal plans Oddballs: Eating dirt Natrona County residents charged with alcohol-related offenses will continue to have their matters heard at the alcohol court after Casper City Council unanimously moved to keep the court open at their Tuesday night work session. The alcohol court, which is a part of the municipal court, was established in December 2012 to ensure that those convicted of driving under the influence receive consistently strict punishments, closely supervised probation and counseling services to prevent them from reoffending. The council discussed Tuesday whether this new tactic of handling DUI cases has been effective. Municipal Court Judge Keith Nachbar told council the alcohol court has made significant progress: Natrona County had 544 DUI arrests in 2012 and 304 DUI arrests in 2016. Although the judge acknowledged that its impossible to prove that the lower DUI rate is directly related to the creation of the alcohol court, he said it was a logical conclusion to reach. What [else] have we done differently? he asked. Stating that alcohol abuse is a big problem in Natrona County, Councilman Charlie Powell said he favored keeping the court open. Powell said hes noticed more cars remain parked at bars in the early morning hours, which he think indicates people are taking driving home drunk more seriously. The first DUI is a four fire alarm, he added, explaining that people have usually driven drunk dozens of times before they get caught. Councilman Chris Walsh agreed and passionately warned council that closing the alcohol court would send a message to citizens that the city is apathetic towards drunk driving. Walsh, a former police chief, was among the officials who initially pushed council to create the court in 2012. Although Councilman Dallas Laird ultimately supported keeping the court open, he said it needs to employee full-time judges. Three part-time judges currently preside over the court, which Laird said was unprofessional. Part-time judges are a thing of the past, said Laird, who is also a local attorney. He also pointed out that many of Wyomings younger residents have been moving out of the state in recent years, which he said may have played a role in the falling DUI rates. However, Laird also agreed with the rest of council that alcohol-related crime is a serious problem. Determining whether the alcohol court saves or costs the city money is difficult, according to public memo from Pete Meyers, the citys assistant support services director. Closing the court might reduce staffing needs, said Meyers, but if it led to more DUIs, those cases would cost the city money to prosecute. However, Vice Mayor Ray Pacheco said Tuesday that the issue of cost is irrelevant, because protecting citizens from being killed by a drunk driver is essential. The rest of council concurred. Midwest Avenue isnt the safest or most attractive street in downtown Casper. Narrow sidewalks and crumbling curbs line the roadway, while electrical wiring hangs overhead, and theres not a potted plant or tree in sight. But as Liz Becher stared out at the avenue on a recent afternoon, she didnt see its current dilapidated state instead, she envisioned its potential. The community development director said the city plans to start renovating Midwest Avenue in January by adding street lights, widening the sidewalks and moving the electrical wiring underground. Were going to totally reconstruct it, just like we did with West Yellowstone, she explained. Well have park benches and bike racks, and at the corners well have planters with trees and flowers. The city will work on the project two blocks at a time and will begin accepting contractor bids this fall. City leaders have worked for years to make downtown livelier and more appealing. Officials hoped the David Street Station a downtown plaza that opened last month would encourage new businesses to pop up in the surrounding area. And their plan appears to be working. New shops and restaurants have recently opened downtown including Raccas Pizzeria Napoletana, Urban Bottle and the Gaslight Social bar. The city was able to show off these changes during the Wyoming Eclipse Festival last month, which brought tens of thousands of tourists to Casper. Explaining that the festival was a great success, Mayor Kenyne Humphrey previously told the Star-Tribune that the city hopes to hold other large-scale events in the future. But now that residents and tourists are starting to spend more time in the citys center, Becher said its important to make sure they can safely make their way around. Pointing to the spacious, well-lit sidewalks and crabapple trees that frame West Yellowstone, Becher said she hopes that will be the outcome for Midwest. Now this this is walkable, she said. Matt Galloway, the co-owner of the Gaslight Social which is located along Midwest Avenue said hes grateful to city officials for working to renovate the streets downtown. Although construction can be a bit of a nuisance, Galloway said theres always a price to pay for progress. Bring on the construction lets get her done, he remarked. Out of all the changes planned for Midwest, Galloway thinks its especially essential for the city to improve the sidewalks and lighting, because he worries about his patrons walking along the unlit street at night. Dark brings out the bad in people, he said, explaining that he believes street lights will be a crime deterrent. Galloway added that he hopes the city will work on Ash Street once the renovations on Midwest are completed. Steven Schnell, the executive director of The Science Zone museum which is also located on Midwest said the nearby sidewalks are in dire of need of repairs. There are sections where essentially there are no sidewalks anymore its just a dirt patch, he explained. However, the executive director also added that hes interested in learning the cost of these repairs. The city will be able to provide a cost estimate for the renovation project once they start reviewing bids, according to Becher. A mobile food pantry will be in Glenrock from 10 a.m. to noon on Monday at the Glenrock Volunteer Fire Department, 704 W. Birch St. The food distribution is provided by Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies with help from an anonymous sponsor. Glenrock, like many small Wyoming towns, has just one grocery store. Recently, a pound of ground beef there was priced at $3.99, while a package of bologna was $3.79. One of two convenience stores in town closed over Labor Day weekend, leaving no food availability at all from 10 p.m., when the other closes, to 5:30 a.m., when it reopens. More than 2,000 people live in Glenrock, which is midway between Douglas to the south and Casper to the north. Many residents work in Wyomings energy industry and have suffered since northeast coal mines reduced their workforces in March 2016. The food bank is planning to have enough food for 150 families, which is approximately 3,000 pounds of food, equivalent to 2,425 meals to Converse County families in need. There are no requirements other than self-identified need to receive food. Items include fresh fruits and vegetables, canned fruits and vegetables, meat and other food/personal products from the statewide distribution center in Mills. The food bank is in need of volunteers for set up, distribution and clean up. If youre interested in volunteering, please contact Ashley Nickolai at 232-4016 or anickolai@foodbankrockies.org. Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies is the only food bank in Wyoming. The group distributed 10,106,299 pounds of food 8,169,258 meals throughout the state this year in partnership with 245 pantries, from cupboards in small churches to larger facilities run by other nonprofits. The search for a new Casper police chief is generating a lot of interest, the man in charge of hiring said recently. Casper City Manager Carter Napier said the city had received 21 applications for the job by Monday morning, a week and a half after the position was posted on the citys website. Napier said he was impressed with the applications he had already seen and characterized the high degree of interest as encouraging. The city will continue to accept applications through Sept. 24. The opening, which was officially announced Sept. 1, requires applicants to have spent five years in law enforcement and at least three in an administrative and supervisory role, to be the recipient of a Wyoming peace officers certificate and to hold a bachelors degree. A masters degree is listed as preferred. The posting describes a job with essential duties that include coordinating with other departments and agencies, maintaining a customer service demeanor with the public and directing implementation of changes to department methods, systems and procedures. As the city managers office looks through applications, it is also awaiting the results of an external review of the police department. The office expects the results of that review around the time a new chief is hired or shortly thereafter. Napier said he has had preliminary conversations with the outside evaluation agency and expects the final analysis to be encyclopedic. The report will also make recommendations for changes to the department, but the department will not be bound by them. The department has been without a permanent chief since Jim Wetzel was dismissed in May after a series of problems in the police department became public. A survey released in early April by the local branch of the Fraternal Order of Police described a toxic environment in the department. Shortly thereafter, a majority of officers gave a vote of no confidence to Wetzels leadership. He was dismissed from his at-will position in May. No cause for dismissal was given. The new chief will be paid between $105,000 and $126,000 annually, according to the job posting. Wetzel was paid about $112,000 in 2016. State utility regular Doug Little is leaving to take a job in the Trump administration. Little, elected by voters to a four-year term on the Arizona Corporation Commission in 2014, will become deputy assistant secretary for intergovernmental and external affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy. There, Little said he will be working in sync with the president and his administration in maintaining fossil base-load generation to ensure that electricity remains both available and reliable. That means coal. Ive been talking about that myself for six months already, he said. But Little, in an extensive interview Wednesday with Capitol Media Services, said that does not mean eliminating or minimizing renewable resources like wind or solar. What it does mean, he said, is making sure the merits of each are properly measured. For example, he said, when virtually all the energy came from base loads like coal, that automatically ensured reliability and even maintaining the voltage levels in the entire grid. But solar and wind, he said, do not, something that has to be factored in when weighing them against coal. None of that makes Little a foe of renewable energy. In fact, last year he proposed a major revamp of the commission-imposed requirements of how much of their power electric utilities get from renewable resources. The current standard, adopted a decade ago, requires regulated electric companies to get 15 percent of their power from renewables by 2025. Little argued that advances in technology have dramatically lowered costs, suggesting boosting that goal to 30 percent, albeit by 2030. Little said his big regret on leaving now is the failure to gain a complete review of the renewable energy standard. But he does leave behind an open docket item on the issue which awaits feedback from various interests. Im hoping that one of our current commissioners may pick that up and run with it, Little said. Little became chairman of the commission in late 2015 after Susan Bitter Smith was forced out after Attorney General Mark Brnovich charged that her role as a consultant for the cable industry created an illegal conflict of interest. He said there were obviously a lot of morale issues at the commission and he is proud of his role in helping to keep the panel running, even as all the major utilities were looking for rate hikes. But Little found himself embroiled in a separate controversy after two dark money groups spent $3.2 million in 2014 to elect him and fellow Republican Tom Forese. The groups are refusing to disclose the source of the funds and Arizona Public Service, the states largest electric utility which had a pending rate case before the commission at the time, will neither confirm nor deny it provided all or much of that cash. Little said he did nothing wrong, noting he ran for office with public funds and had no legal right to control what others spent on his behalf. More recently, APS admitted it spent another $4.2 million in the 2016 race to ensure the commission remained an all-Republican affair. That raised questions about whether utilities should be financially involved in helping elect regulators. Little sidestepped the issue, saying campaign finance laws and disclosure requirements are not within the purview of the commission. If somebody thinks there needs to be a different set of rules for the commission to operate under, then that needs to come from the Legislature, he said. They need to figure out what they think should happen. There is an alternative to electing commissioners and allowing outsiders and utilities to flood the race with dollars: appointment. But Little, who said hes met regulators chosen under both systems from across the country said hes not convinced one method is better than the other. Ive known some appointed guys that were absolutely fantastic and were great regulators, he said. Ive also known some appointed regulators that were kind of a warm bag of spit. Ditto, he said, among elected commissioners he has known. If I had to say, I would always prefer someone who is elected by the people versus someone who is appointed by a single individual, he said. As it turns out, thats whats going to happen next: The remainder of Littles term will be filled by someone appointed by Gov. Doug Ducey. This is an important position and Gov. Ducey will take a thoughtful approach to filling this vacancy with an individual who is qualified to do the job, said gubernatorial press aide Daniel Scarpinato. Tucson is launching its courtship of online retail giant Amazon by sending a plant a really big plant. On Wednesday, Sun Corridor Inc. loaded a 21-foot saguaro cactus on a flatbed truck to deliver to founder Jeff Bezos at Amazon in Seattle, in a bid to bring Amazons planned second headquarters to Tucson. This will be a very competitive process nationally, said Joe Snell, president and CEO of Sun Corridor, the Tucson regions main economic-development agency. We want to break through the clutter and be noticed by Amazon, he said of the saguaro gift, which cost about $2,000 and was privately funded. The hope is Amazon will keep the gift saguaro and plant it in the gardens of a massive biodome complex the company is building as part of its new headquarters in Seattle. Amazon announced last week that it is planning to build a second corporate headquarters location and says it is considering metropolitan areas with more than 1 million in population. Snell said Sun Corridor is working with state, regional and local partners, to gather information for a bid including an expected package of state and local financial incentives to Amazon. The company says it will hire as many as 50,000 new full-time employees over the next 10 to 15 years and invest more than $5 billion in capital in its second headquarters. The new location will include a site that is urban or suburban and require 8 million square feet of space. Amazon is expected to attract several bids, including some with rich financial incentives. Since Amazon announced its plans last week, Chicago, Philadelphia and Toronto have announced they will submit bids. Proposals are due Oct. 19, with a decision expected in 2018. Snell said Sun Corridor, which derives 80 percent of its funding from private sources, will work with Gov. Doug Ducey and the Arizona Commerce Authority to submit a strong case for Amazon to pick Tucson. The state offers a variety of tax breaks and other incentives in most cases conditionally based on new jobs created and capital invested that could add up to millions of dollars for Amazon over time. The city of Tucson may offer inducements such as its Primary Jobs Incentive Program, which provides construction sales-tax offsets for eligible costs including job training costs and impact fees. Other city incentives are targeted at development downtown, which may lack the open space Amazon needs. Given the size of Amazons project and its potential benefits, Tucson cant afford to sit on the sidelines, said Dave Hutchens, chairman of Sun Corridor Inc. and president and CEO of UNS Energy Corp. and Tucson Electric Power Co. Were going to not only get their attention, but were going to put together an attractive package, Hutchens said. We gotta take this shot its a big community-changing opportunity. Needless to say, this is the biggest economic-development deal in several decades, Sun Corridors Snell said. This will transform the economy of any community they select. Snell and local officials including Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and Pima County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bronson said Tucson can compete and win. They point to Raytheon Missile Systems decision to add some 2,000 jobs here in the next five years, and the citys successful campaign to land Caterpillars new Surface Mining and Technology Division headquarters, which is under construction downtown. When Tucson made the short list for Teslas electric-car battery gigafactory last year, Snell said, the experience woke many people up to the citys potential, even though Tesla eventually chose a site in Nevada. With our experience with Tesla, and how close we came thats why were here today, he said. This isnt just a pipe dream, Hutchens said, adding that Tucson is right-sized for Amazons requirement. In 2015, the population of the entire Tucson metropolitan statistical area comprising all of Pima County was an estimated 998,537, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. For its part, TEP stands ready to help Amazon with sustainable power, renewable-energy options and emerging battery storage technologies, Hutchens said, noting that TEP is in the top tier of utilities in its class for reliability. Hutchens said Tucsons location as a commercial crossroads between California and Texas and its proximity to Mexico makes it a prime logistics location, while its warm, sunny weather and plethora of outdoor activities make for a high quality of life that is attractive to employees. The University of Arizona offers a top-ranked Management Information Systems program in its Eller College of Management and graduates thousands of students each year, providing Amazon a ready pipeline of talent, Hutchens said. Thats what I hope will make Amazon dig a little deeper, he said. Tucson appears somewhat deficient under Amazons requirements in at least a couple of areas, including airline service and mass transit. Hutchens said Tucson International Airport already has nonstop flights to Seattle-Tacoma on Alaska Airlines and seasonally on Delta Air Lines, as well as nonstops to the San Francisco Bay Area. Tucson lost an American Airlines nonstop flight to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport launched last fall after failing to fill enough seats, costing local supporters $3 million in airline revenue guarantees. But the airport recently celebrated the return of nonstops to San Jose, California, on Alaska. But Hutchens said airport and business leaders are still working to get new nonstops to New York and other destinations cited by Amazon, including Washington, D.C., while an influx of Amazon workers would help support new flights. We will have enough critical mass to support those flights, he said. Tucson may lag other competing cities for mass-transit services, which are specifically mentioned in Amazons requirements for the new site. Though Tucson lacks a network of commuter trains like many larger cities, it has citywide bus service and the Sun Link streetcar downtown, which could be expanded, Snell said. A federal appeals court has once again rebuffed a bid by a previously convicted pedophile to overturn his conviction for the 1984 death of a 7-year-old Tucson girl. In an extensive ruling, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said the claims by Frank Jarvis Atwood that his trial counsel was ineffective hold no water. Judge Sandra Ikuta, writing for the appellate court, said there were legitimate reasons for decisions made by attorney Stanton Bloom in how to conduct the defense. And the judges said, in essence, Atwoods theory that police and prosecutors planted evidence was so far-fetched as to have no credibility. Wednesdays ruling could finally bring Atwood, who has been on death row for 30 years, close to the end of exhausting all of his appeals. Atwood, released on parole in California in 1984 after serving his second prison term for sex acts with children, traveled with a companion to Tucson where, on the morning of Sept. 17, he was seen at De Anza Park. Later that day, Vicki Lynne Hoskinson disappeared while riding her pink bicycle. Authorities eventually tracked Atwood to Texas, where he was arrested on charges of kidnapping, with murder charges added after Vickis skull and some bones were found in the desert northwest of Tucson the following year. At trial, witnesses for the state testified that pink paint on the front bumper of Atwoods car had come from the victims bike or from another source exactly like the bike and that Vickis bicycle had nickel particles on it that were consistent with metal from the bumper. Atwoods convictions on murder and kidnapping charges were affirmed by the Arizona Supreme Court and in repeated federal court hearings, with the U.S. Supreme Court denying review. But he has pursued a series of claims, including those that resulted in Wednesdays appellate court ruling. One of those issues was his claim that a state judge improperly dismissed his contention that FBI agents and Pima County prosecutors planted the pink paint from Vickis bicycle on the bumper of his car. Ikuta, in the 56-page ruling, said Atwoods theory is that Pima investigators, in collusion with the FBI, removed both bumpers from his car in Texas, where they found it, and transported them as luggage on a commercial airline to Tucson. There, Atwood claims, investigators scraped pink paint off the bicycle and planted it on the front bumper. And then, he said, investigators collected scrapings from the pink paint they had applied to the bumpers, combined those with scrapings from an unrelated pink paint smear on the bumper, and substituted the combined sample in the evidence log. And after that, according to Atwood, the Pima County investigators used water-soluable paint to cover up the scrape marks created while collecting the sample, transported the bumpers from Tucson back to the FBI impound garage in Texas, and reattached them to Atwoods car. It was at that point, he said, agents took photos of the pink paint on the bumpers and substituted those photos for original ones taken earlier. Ikuta said the general implausibility of Atwoods theory supports the conclusion of the state court that an evidentiary hearing was not necessary. There was no reason for the Pima County investigators, as part of a clandestine operation to take both bumpers to Tucson (when they needed only one for the alleged fabrication), to check these bulk items as baggage on a commercial airline, or to take photos of the bumpers during the fabrication process, the judge wrote. She also pointed out that the police were in the middle of the investigation, as they did not know at that time whether Vicki was alive or dead. Atwoods claim that at this point state and federal officers would have concocted an elaborate plot to fabricate evidence is simply not credible, Ikuta wrote. The appellate court also rebuffed Atwoods contention that Bloom should have presented evidence from mental health experts regarding the defendants drug abuse and the traumatic effects of his own childhood molestation. But Ikuta noted that Bloom had seen records from multiple social workers, psychiatrists and psychologists from one of his prior incarcerations and that none indicated Atwood had any significant mental impairment or disease. Bloom also could have reasonably concluded that if he adopted a mental health defense, that would open the door to prosecutors seeking testimony that Atwood has pedophilic and antisocial personality disorders, testimony that could be highly damaging to the case, the judge wrote. As President Trump prepares to end the DACA program, the TUSD governing board on Tuesday debated dueling resolutions aimed at assuaging fears from undocumented students and parents, but ultimately decided to approve the one that didnt specifically mention dreamers. The board had two options: a resolution that stated the district will support all students equally, whether their immigration status is documented or undocumented and another that said the exact same thing, but also included a line stating Arizona is home to 28,000 DACA recipients who contribute to our economy, our social fabric, and represent the best of our values. But that, to some board members, was too much of a political statement. Instead, the board unanimously adopted the other resolution, which didnt specifically mention the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The resolution the board adopted Tuesday was essentially the same one adopted in December, except it had an additional line stating no staff member of TUSD may make any threats or statements pertaining to a students or parents immigrations status. Trump recently announced he would be ending the DACA program, which was enacted via executive order by former President Obama and gives undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children temporary legal status, provided they meet qualifications. Instead, Trump said Congress should address the issue before he allows the program to sunset in March 2018. That decision puts in jeopardy the legal status of roughly 800,000 DACA recipients nationwide. Board member Rachael Sedgwick chided her fellow board members who pushed the resolution that mentioned DACA, and noted that the governing board has an ethics policy warning board members not to use their positions for partisan gain. I think this conversation risks taking us off the agenda, and onto a completely different, completely unrelated, very political subject, she said at the meeting. Board member Mark Stegeman agreed, saying he opposed the DACA resolution because he has a policy of voting against making political statements that go beyond the boards immediate education concerns. I think it goes beyond what pertains to TUSD and makes a general political statement, he said. But Adelita Grijalva, said she brought the resolution forward not to create division on the board, but because DACA recipients have asked the district, the city and the county to specifically address DACA because they feel theyre being targeted by the federal government. Board member Kristel Foster said she was incredibly shocked that the board majority wouldnt support the resolution that specifically mentions DACA, noting that the district likely has many high school students who are DACA recipients. These are young people who have committed no crime. They have passed more tests than anybody to stay here, in this country, the only country theyve known.... We need to stand up for these students, she said, adding that she would support the other resolution instead, since Grijalva obviously didnt have the votes to pass. But Board president Michael Hicks, who proposed the resolution that did not directly address the DACA program, noted that by mentioning that the district supports all immigrants, the resolution already covers DACA recipients. This resolution does say all immigrant families. That incorporates the DACA (recipients). To insinuate that this does not involve DACA, or anyone else, whether theyre from Mexico or Siberia or wherever, I find that offensive, he said. Turmoil continues to well up in the sheriff's department because the scandal isn't all the way over. Why don't moralists, or those we call politicians, care that Saudi Arabia is bombing Yemen's women and children, and Israel is slowly murdering the people of Gaza? Both with U.S. support. Oh, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson waived human rights requirements to allow arms sales to Bahrain. The article quotes Dianne Feinstein as saying, "dogma and law are two different things." Later, an archbishop is quoted saying, "People of faith, whatever faith they may hold, should not be disqualified because of that faith from serving the public good." It seems to me the issue at hand here is how the public good is defined. There are plenty of religious wackos of all stripes out there whose beliefs about truth and justice, and indeed all aspects of human life, are based entirely on their religion. For them, dogma is the law. For me, the public good and our laws are something we all decide on by rational debate. This precludes all argument based on religious faith, no matter how sincerely it is held. Re: the Sept. 6 letter to the editor "Berlin Wall holds forgotten lessons." Thank you, David Williams, for reminding me about the Berlin Wall in your letter to the editor. I remember well what we and our students experienced the day we spent in East Berlin in summer of 1989. Our motivation was both to visit the two museums, of importance to our University of Arizona humanities study abroad trip, and, also, to satisfy our curiosity. We accomplished both, although the museums had no reproductions, no postcards, no posters, to purchase and to be carried home as mementos. Our mementos were and are of a sterile, lifeless place, and the vivid memory of being scrutinized intensely by a man staring alternatively at my passport and at me, over and over, acting on the suspicion that I might have been an East German trying to escape to the West. The wall built to keep others out may also limit the lives of those within. Donna Swaim East side AzMERIT scores are in and Catalina Foothills School District performs well. Along with this story comes several letters to the editor minimizing the students' accomplishments, citing the socio-economic status of the district. What goes unreported is that the district teaches students that hail from over many different zip codes; it services the full spectrum of special needs and its English Language Learners speak many different languages. The district has a non-selective enrollment process, receives the same per-student funding as all other districts and less federal money. Instead of discounting the students' accomplishments, I say "great job" to the students who actively choose to get the most from their education. I say "congratulations" to the CFSD staff who work hard to prepare students for life beyond high school. And thank you to CFSD residents who recognize public education matters and actively support it. Jane Hagerty Foothills Re: the Sept. 12 article "Regents' chief fires back in tiff on tuition." It is absolutely insane to think that the Board of Regents has any control over how much the Legislature gives them to fund education. Sue the governor and state legislature NOT the Board of Regents. The governor and legislators have no respect for teachers or education in Arizona and as a retired educator, I am appalled that we allow this debacle to continue. Our governor is giving huge tax cuts to corporations and gives nothing to education. We are at the mercy of Betsy DeVos and the Koch brothers. We the tax payers do not want vouchers that will fund private schools and for-profit charter schools at the expense of public schools. We do not want the Koch brothers funding a University of Arizona and ASU program that we the tax payers must also fund. Save or schools! Rachel Rulmyr Oro Valley Thai VietJet Air, a subsidiary of budget carrier VietJet Air, is suspended from operating international flights until new operator certificates are issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT), the Bangkok Post reported on Wednesday. The airline is among 12 small carriers together accounting for just two percent of Thailands air market affected by an order issued late Tuesday by Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, the English-language newspaper said. The airlines are still permitted to fly domestic routes, but all international flights operated by the affected carriers are to be put on hold, according to the article. The affected airlines include Thai VietJet Air, Orient Thai Airlines, Mjets, K-Mile, Jet Asia Airways, AC Aviation, Siam Land Flying, Asia Atlantic, VIP Jets, HS Aviation, Advance Aviation and Skyview Airways. A VietJet Air representative confirmed the suspension to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Wednesday evening, though it stressed that the suspension of its Thai subsidiary's international routes would have little impact on the parent company in Vietnam. Thai VietJet Air currently operates international routes between Thailand and the Vietnamese cities of Hanoi, Hai Phong, and Ho Chi Minh City at a frequency of a couple of flights weekly, he said. These flights will be temporarily operated by VietJet until the Thai branch has its certificate renewed, he added. Reuters quoted a CAAT representative clarifying that the reasoning behind the suspension order was not that they failed the assessment, but that the assessment has not been completed yet, a reference to Thailands auditing of commercial airlines to ensure they meet standards set forth by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). "They can resume their flights as soon as they pass the assessment, Chula Sukmanop, director general of CAAT, was quoted by Reuters as saying. Thai VietJet Air is jointly owned by Vietnams VietJet Air and Thailands Kan Air, with the Vietnamese low-cost airline holding 49 percent of the shares. The carrier was first authorized in November 2014, and operated its first flight in 2015. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Cuong Vu, a Vietnamese- American trumpet player and two-time Grammy winner, is scheduled to attend a series of musical events and programs in Vietnam this week. Born in Saigon on September 19, 1969, Vu immigrated to Seattle with his family when he was six and began playing the trumpet at age 11. As a member of the Pat Metheny Group, a renowned jazz band, Cuong won two Grammy awards for Best Contemporary Jazz Album for Speaking of Now in 2003 and The Way Up in 2006. In 2006, Cuong was recognized as one of the worlds 50 leading jazz musicians. His album Come and Plant with Me is also listed among the 100 greatest jazz albums of all time by Amazon.com. The Vietnamese-American musician has performed alongside internationally famous musicians including Pat Metheny, Laurie Anderson, David Bowie, Dave Douglas, Myra Melford, Cibo Matto, and Mitchell Froom. Cuong Vu during a musical performance Currently, Cuong serves as an associate professor and chair of Jazz Studies at the University of Washington. During his stay in Vietnam this week, Cuong will hold his Soul Connects: Be CreARTive workshop with Vietnamese youths to discuss creativity and the journey toward personal inspiration. The SOUL Connects program is a series of inspirational speeches and performances by accomplished musicians and artists. The workshop is scheduled to take place at the SOUL Live Project performance venue (214 - 216 Pasteur Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City) at 7:00 pm on Friday, September 15. Tickets cost VND200,000 (US$8.77) each. A 20 percent discount will be applied to students and groups of four and above. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Good morning from Tuoi Tre News! Society -- Emergency response measures are being taken by provinces along the central and northern coast of Vietnam as category-12 tropical storm Doksuri, the tenth and strongest yet to hit the country this year, is forecast to reach the mainland on Saturday night. -- Two prisoners on death row have escaped from their solitary confinement at a Ministry of Public Security detention center in Hanois Thanh Oai District since Sunday and are currently on the run, a source from the ministry told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Wednesday. -- Japanese contractors of Ho Chi Minh Citys first metro line, set to open in 2020, are withdrawing their experts, slowing down construction rate and taking steps to file a lawsuit against the projects developer for failure to allocate capital in due time. -- Vietnamese men may soon have to look to foreign countries for a spouse as the nation continues to report noticeable sex imbalances at birth, lawmaker Tran Van Tuy warned during a session of the Standing Committee of Vietnam's National Assembly on Wednesday. -- A Vietnamese passenger arriving from Dubai was detained at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday for allegedly smuggling 77 leopard fangs and African lion claws, hidden in his luggage, into the country. -- Vietnam and China on Wednesday opened a VND330 billion ($14.52 million) bridge connecting Mong Cai City in Vietnams northern Quang Ninh Province with Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Business -- Ho Chi Minh City has proposed to categorize ride-hailing services Grab and Uber as "a new style of taxi" that would be subject to different regulations than traditional taxicabs, according to a recent dispatch sent to the Ministry of Transport. -- Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade on Wednesday said it would take disciplinary actions against four former leaders of state-run Vietnam National Chemical Group (Vinachem) for their role in the groups investments in multiple projects that have incurred over VND4.2 trillion ($184.8 million) in losses. -- Vietnamese Chairwoman of the lawmaking National Assembly on Wednesday reportedly objected to a proposal from the Ministry of Finance to raise the countrys environmental tax on gas by up to two times the current rates. -- Over 1,200 Mercedes-Benz vehicles of different models produced between 2014 and 2017 are being recalled in Vietnam due to issues with their fuses and power steering systems, according to the countrys vehicle quality and safety certification agency Vietnam Register. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Two prisoners are on the run after escaping death row at a detention center in Hanoi on Sunday, a source from the Ministry of Public Security told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Wednesday. The T16 detention center, located in Hanois rural Thanh Oai District, is under the ministrys management. The inmates, Le Van Tho and Nguyen Van Tinh, were being held in solitary confinement at the facility while awaiting execution. According to a corrections officer at the T16 detention center, the inmates were reported missing on Sunday evening. The Ministry of Public Security has been briefed on the incident and plans are being executed to search for the dangerous criminals, he added. Tho, 37, received the death penalty in May when the Peoples Court of Ha Nam Province in northern Vietnam found him guilty of dealing in narcotics, murder, and property appropriation. His previous convictions included murder, kidnapping for ransom, illegal use of military firearms, bribery, robbery, and property appropriation. While imprisoned, Tho was found to be instructing his cohorts on the outside to carry out murders, fraud, and drug deals, according to court documents. Meanwhile, Tinh, 28, was sentenced to death by the Peoples Court of Hanoi in April for his involvement in a narcotics ring. Tinhs previous offense was harboring or consuming property acquired through the commission of crime by others. A representative from the detention center refused to elaborate on the method of escape, but underscored that officers are working on options to have them arrested." Hanoi police have also issued a notice on the search for these criminals. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! More delays are expected for the construction of Ho Chi Minh Citys first metro line due to the insufficient provision of capital. Le Nguyen Minh Quang, head of the citys Management Authority for Urban Railways, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the citys Metro Line No.1 project continues to face mounting challenges related to investment. Stretching 19.7 kilometers across the city, Metro Line No.1 connects Ben Thanh Terminal in District 1 with Suoi Tien in District 9, with stops in District 2, Binh Thanh District, and Thu Duc District. The goal of inaugurating the metro line in 2020 could be seriously affected by some contractors opting to put construction progress on hold and others considering terminating their contracts, all due to insufficient investment from the projects developers. If construction progress is stalled, contractors will be unable to keep their workers and experts, the official said, adding that human resources will have to be rehired when construction resumes, at additional costs for the companies involved. Several contractors are concerned over the rationale behind such an issue, particularly in light of the financial support from the Japanese government. The slow disbursement of official development assistance (ODA) provided by Japan has hurt the trust of the projects contractors, Quang elaborated. Vietnam has signed three ODA deals worth over VND31.2 trillion (US$47.4 billion) with the East Asian country, of which only VND10.8 trillion (US$1.37 billion), about 34 percent, had been disbursed since April. The amount is expected to rise a meager four percent by September. While the investment needed for the project in 2017 is estimated at VND5.42 trillion ($238 million), the Ministry of Planning and Investment has only allocated VND2.1 trillion ($92.2 million), Quang said. To aid the process, the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee has been forced to advance VND500 billion ($21.9 million) to the project management. Le Nguyen Minh Quang, head of the Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways. Photo: Tuoi Tre Snail-paced procedures The original estimate in 2006 stated that the metro line project would cost about $1.4 billion, Quang said, adding that experts from Japan later recalculated estimations to $2.491 billion in 2008. Following several reports by the Ho Chi Minh City administration, the new investment budget was approved by the central government in 2011. The prime minister then requested the Ministry of Planning and Investment coordinate with relevant agencies to report the adjusted plan to the lawmaking National Assembly. However, the repot has yet to be submitted to the National Assembly and the planning ministry said it cannot do anything without a decision from the lawmaking body. In order to eliminate the problem, Quang suggested the Ministry of Planning and Investment follow the direction of the prime minister, and approve the provision of investment for Ho Chi Minh City within the 2016-20 period. For a permanent solution, Quang says the amount of ODA loans that have been agreed between Vietnam and Japan should be disbursed in accordance with necessity and the progress of the project. The measure has been proposed by Japanese authorities and supported by the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee. If the disbursement requires a decision from the National Assembly, the premier should have such authority and competent authorities will have to comply with his direction, Quang said. We cannot fail to keep our promises with international partners just because of problems with internal procedures, the official asserted. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Tropical Storm Doksuri is picking up strength as it nears north-central Vietnam and is expected to make landfall this weekend. During an online conference on Thursday morning, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said that it is the strongest storm to have hit Vietnam during the past 10 years. Doksuri was just140 kilometers southeast of Vietnam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago at 4:00 am on Thursday, carrying winds of 90 to 100km per hour and squalls at up to 149km per hour. The storm is forecast to travel southwestward at a velocity of 15 to 20km an hour over the next 24 hours, according to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. By 4:00 am on Friday, Doksuri is forecast to reach 190 kilometers east of the coastline from Nghe An to Quang Tri Provinces in north-central Vietnam, with even stronger wind speeds of 135 and 150km an hour and gusts topping 183km per hour. Waves in the northern part of the East Vietnam Sea will stretch a towering 10 meters high during this period. An online conference was organized on Thursday morning to prepare for Storm Doksuri. Photo: Tuoi Tre Landfall is expected between Friday night and Saturday morning while the storm continues on its southwest journey toward Laos, where it will weaken into a tropical depression. Strong winds and heavy downpours are in the forecast in the north-central provinces from Quang Ngai to Thanh Hoa, and several northern localities. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc urged competent authorities on Wednesday to begin preparations for the potential consequences brought about by the typhoon, calling it a strong and complicated storm that requires close attention and early forecasting. Provinces in the affected areas should prepare for prompt evacuations, fortify embankments and local constructions to minimize damage, and be ready to deal with potential flash floods and landslides. Local authorities have notified over 287,300 fishermen on 69,500 fishing boats to shelter and distance themselves from dangerous areas. Fishing boats take shelter in Quang Xuong District, located in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa. Photo: Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A Vietnamese man was detained at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday for allegedly smuggling leopard fangs and lion claws into the country. The passenger had arrived on a flight from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to Tan Son Nhat customs, the 22-year-old Vietnamese man was attempting to exit the airport through the green gate at the airports arrival terminal, intended for passengers with no goods to declare, when he was stopped for inspection. A thorough search conducted by airport authorities and environmental police officers found 77 leopard fangs andlion claws hidden inside the mans luggage. Le Tuan Binh, deputy head of Tan Son Nhat customs, said it has requested that the Peoples Procuracy of Ho Chi Minh City prosecute the passenger on charges of transporting illegal goods. Binh noted that passengers on international flights arriving in Vietnam must go through the red gate if carrying goods that need to be declared, including over VND15 million (US$660) in cash, foreign currencies worth over US$5,000, and goods considered to be conditional imports. Passengers with checked-in luggage that does not arrive with them on the same flight must also make a declaration with airport customs, according to Vietnams regulations. Only passengers with nothing to declare can exit through the green gate, Binh said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! On the day Canberra was debating the best way forward for media organisations and consumers across Australia, Nines broadcast tower in Darwin was being dismantled. It follows news Nine was relocating its Darwin bulletin to Brisbane studios. A Nine spokesperson previously told TV Tonight, The people of Darwin will continue to get the best local news service from Nine, with reporters on the ground in Darwin covering all the breaking local news, sport and weather, mixed with the important national and international stories from the Nine team of reporters around the country and the world. It follows a roll-out of regional bulletins in Canberra, NSW, Victoria and Queensland, produced in conjunction with Southern Cross Austereo, from Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane bases. Photo: News Corp Help India! By Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net This year in Varanasis Book Fair organised by National Book Trust, one can grab literatire citing Hindrances in the formation of a Hindu Rashtra . The staff at the stall also has advise to offerBeware of communists as they are killing the people. Support TwoCircles This is the most striking feature in the Book Fair where publisher Sanatan Sanstha has set up its stall. It is one of the prime suspects in the murders of Govind Pansare, Narendra Dabholkar and MM Kalburgi, the rationalist writers who were the targets of radical Hindu outfits since long before their murders. The stall of Sanatan Sanstha is filled with the literature citing and What is needed for the formation of a Hindu nation. One representative Sanjay Singh from Sanatan Sanstha told TwoCircles.net, The book fair is a great opportunity for us to make people aware of what we really are. We cannot thank the people in words who gave us the moment to sell our literature. The Book Fair is organised at Varanasis Town Hall which is a place for fairs and citys oldest Durga Puja. Since past few years, a book fair is being organized in the premises of the same Town Hall where various booksellers and publishers put up their stalls. But this years book fair is different. Organized by the National Book Trust along with the participation of Banaras Hindu University, this years Sanskrit-themed book fair is covertly, yet openly, propagating the Hindutva agenda. According to the NBT officers, the book fairs theme was decided around April this year, after the pressure from the top. But it is also a fact that officers were calling the fair as Nationalist themed, rather than Hindutva themed. It becomes evident when one visits the stall of Rampur Raza Library, where the Ramayana is put on the front counter, while other important books are pushed to the back. The person managing the counter told us that as the fair is focused on Sanskrit, they had to put Ramayana on the front for sale. However, the scene does not look the same. The hall has publishers who publish most of their works in Sanskrit. Banarasi Das Prakashan, Chaukhambha Sanskrit Sansthan and Kalidas Sanskrit Academy from Ujjain are some of the key Sanskrit books publishers which are present in the fair. But apart from the prominent ones, like Gitapress, there are many outlets who have not put any book which could serve the purpose of Sanskrit language. Such books were religious, written in Hindi. Often served the purpose of propagating idols of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and other allied organizations. The book fair, which is spread along two large halls, has just two stalls which can be spotted selling few progressive literature and one of them is doing a hard time selling such books. Janchetna, not a publication, is a social movement started back in the 90s has set up a stall in the hall selling literature of leftists writers and thinkers. Stalls manager Shvaita Kaul told TwoCircles.net, We did not have any problem while getting a slot for our publication. But after that random person are coming and asking us questions which are not related at all to what we are representing here. While we were at the Janchetnas stall two random men came and clicked the images of the stall. This left the stall managers worried as what may come next. Kaul said, This is a new normal here. We are seeing random people taking useless interests in our plannings. While the NBT officials did not want to comment on the record, one officer told us on the condition of the anonymity, We had applied for the book fair last year, but we got no response. NBT got an invitation to set up a book fair around Mid March this year. BHU imparted the only role to join the planning team of NBT. The officer said, BHU has not played any role in this book fair apart from providing few staff . Help India! By Yogesh Maitreya, TwoCircles.net The question of land ownership for people who work and toil on it has been asked for over 50 years now in Maharashtra, but it is clear that despite many protests and struggles, the government is yet to act on this issue. Support TwoCircles According to the 2001 census, 61.39% Dalits (Scheduled Castes) are forced to take up agricultural work in which they remain underpaid and are often subjected to humiliation. In fact, it would not be wrong to suggest that the reason for their plight in rural Maharashtra is their landlessness. Raju Adagale, Assistant Professor with BARTI (Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute) Pune explains the issue in detail. Grazing land is one of the categories included in wastelands. This land, if allocated equitably among the marginalised, can contribute significantly to their livelihood security. Of course, the significance of Dalit access to common lands goes beyond livelihood; it is an instrument for the assertion of their rights and dignity, he says. However, Dalits assertion for their rights and dignity has not always been straightforward and/or smooth. It is important to remember that Dadasaheb Gaikwad, a close associate of Babasaheb Ambedkar, had been a pioneer for the movement of land for Dalits. This struggle was started as early as 1959 and, in the convention which took place on May 14 and 15, 1959 organised by Dadasaheb Gaikwad led RPI (Republication Party of India), a resolution was passed, saying: The ownership of all lands should be possessed by the government and let those toil it who want to toil it. After deducting all the expenditures, the profit should be divided equally. But little seems to have changed in the present age. To understand the gravity of grazing land issue and how it is related to the phenomena of atrocity especially in rural Maharashtra, TwoCircles.net spoke with Kadudas Kamble, Maharashtra Region President of National Confederation of Dalit Adivasi Organisation (NADAO). Kamble said, Since many Buddhists have had social and political movements, they have managed to acquire Gairan land on their names. But similar movements did not emerge in the case of other castes like Matangs (also called as Mang) and so they were unable to acquire these lands despite government provisions. Ironically, Dalit movement in Maharashtra fought for all Dalits; all castes within SC category to acquire land, but only a few of them have managed to acquire land due to the divisive nature of the structure of caste and rigid attitude that hinders the solidarity among all castes within the category of Scheduled Caste. On the other hand, according to Kamble, Maharashtra government has allocated these Gairan lands to cotton spinning factories, sugar factories as well as the forest department whereas as per the rule, all encroachment on Gairan lands by Dalits before the 1990s should be legalised and given to them but this isnt happening. The issue is more complex. Buddhists and Matangs those who have managed to acquire land have faced discrimination and violence. Once they got land, Maratha and Dhangar communities found it difficult to get Dalits to work for them hence Marathas and Dhangars more often trouble the Buddhist and Matang community in villages. Acquisition of land between Buddhist and Matangs is also not equal. Many Buddhists have managed to get land which is not the case with Matang community in rural Maharashtra. Despite the complexity regarding the acquisition of Gairan land by all castes among Dalits, Kamble through his organisation is creating awareness about how to acquire these lands and fighting for the rights of Dalits. In Beed, one of the atrocity-prone districts in Maharashtra, Kambles organisation and Gairan Hakka Sanghrash Samiti, Gevrai (Gairan Right Struggle Committee) are planning to lead a huge protest in the coming days to the local Tehsil Office. While it is expected that such protests will increase awareness, the truth is that Dalits have been denied what is rightfully theirs for decades. Help India! By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter New Delhi: Human rights organisation Amnesty International India has asked for an immediate prohibition on use of Pellet-firing shotguns which blinded hundreds during 2016 protests in Kashmir and even lead to death of many civilians. Support TwoCircles Pellet-firing shotguns, which have been responsible for blinding, killing and traumatising hundreds of people in Kashmir, must be immediately banned, said AI on Wednesday September 13 during a briefing, Losing Sight in Kashmir: The Impact of Pellet-Firing Shotguns. The briefing presents the cases of 88 people whose eyesight were damaged by metal pellets fired from pump-action shotguns used by the Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) between 2014 and 2017. In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that change in Kashmir will not come from guns or abuses na goli, na gali. If the government truly means this, they must end the use of pellet-firing shotguns, which have caused immense suffering in Kashmir, said Aakar Patel, Executive Director at Amnesty International India. Authorities claim the pellet shotgun is not lethal, but the injuries and deaths caused by this cruel weapon bear testimony to how dangerous, inaccurate and indiscriminate it is. There is no proper way to use pellet-firing shotguns. It is irresponsible of authorities to continue the use of these shotguns despite being aware of the damage they do. The pellet is a non-spherical projectile made of a malleable material, usually lead or lead alloy, designed to travel at subsonic speeds when fired from gun. The pellet guns used by the J&K Police and the CRPF in Kashmir are manufactured by Indian Ordnance Factory Ammunition Factory, Khadki (Pune). The pellets shots used in Kashmir are made up of lead-antimony alloy which are proving pestilent thus inflicting multiple organ injuries and subsequent years have seen a surge in cases of people with loss of eyesight due to its use from a very close range. Zahoor Wani, Senior Campaigner at Amnesty International India, said, In some cases, those injured by pellet-firing shotguns still have the metal pellets lodged in their skulls, near their eyes. Doctors have been afraid to remove the pellets, fearing that it will affect eyesight, but they are not sure what the long-term effects will be. Unfortunately the central government has turned down requests for information about pellet shotguns. It is unclear if the shotguns have been properly tested, or their effects and risks assessed, or whether there is even any protocol about how they must be used. The government of Jammu and Kashmir has done little to support those injured and disabled by this weapon. Amnesty International India also obtained information through Right to Information applications which suggests that the use of the inherently inaccurate pellet-firing shotguns by security forces has injured other security force personnel. At least 16 personnel from the Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police were treated for pellet injuries in Kupwara in 2016. Amnesty International India wrote to the JKP and CRPF for further information, but no responses were received. The AI also started a campaign to seek a ban on the use of pellet guns in the valley. The campaign urges the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Home Minister to immediately end the use of pellet-firing shotguns to police demonstrations; provide full reparation, including compensation and rehabilitation, to survivors; and initiate investigations into allegations of excessive use of force in cases of deaths or serious injuries by pellet-firing shotguns. The Amnesty has also asked for Government of Jammu and Kashmir to initiate prompt, independent and impartial civilian investigations into all incidents where the use of pellet-firing shotguns led to deaths or injuries to establish whether arbitrary or excessive force was used, and where sufficient evidence is found, prosecute those suspected of responsibility in civilian courts. Help India! By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net New Delhi: The Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) administration is increasingly becoming intolerant to the idea of students and teachers expressing themselves on any issue. A few days after it sent a show-cause notice to a student over a Facebook post, it has now cancelled a public meeting because the students had invited faculty from JNU and DU to speak. This comes a day after the administration had given permission for the meeting. Support TwoCircles The public meeting on Shrinking democratic spaces in universities was supposed to be held on September 14 at the Safdar Hashmi open air theatre. The meeting was to be addressed by nine speakers which included SAM Pasha (Professor, JMI), Neshat Quaisar (Professor, JMI), Apoorvanand (Professor DU) , Saroj Giri (Professor, DU), A.K. Rama Krishnan (Professor, JNU) , Harish Dhawan (PUDR), Subhashini Shreya (Pinjra Tod), Sushil Kumar (DSU) and Ehtamamul Haque (DISSC). Initially they had given us all the permission, but suddenly yesterday we received an intimation from Proctor and DSW office that we cant hold the event. They asked us to drop the speakers who were not from the university and offered us a go ahead if we have three speakers that too from Jamia only, said Md Aman Qurashi, Jamia student and one of the organisers. The students on Thursday held a protest against Jamia authorities outside central canteen, where speakers castigated the stifling of free speech in the campus. By denying us the permission to hold the event, Jamia authorities have shown that they are trying to choke free speech in the campus and we wont let that happen. When a person like Indresh Kumar is allowed on the campus, why not professors from JNU and DU, said Student activist Talha Rehman. Besides, the university on Tuesday, September 12 issued a notification wherein it declared the administrative having offices of vice chancellor besides other administrative officers out of bounds for Dharnas, demonstration and procession by the students. The Lammy report recently delivered, is a document that displays the anti white, perpetrator excusing, damaging nonsense that we have come to expect from this worthy fellow. The paper highlights his belief that statistically people from Black and Ethnic Minority (BEM) backgrounds are treated more harshly within the UK justice system. How odd these points were omitted Lammy conveniently omits a few salient facts, these include the far higher ratio of black and particularly Caribbean Young males in London who are part of the violent gang culture and the comparatively high percentage of Asian Muslim males involved in the illegal sexual exploitation of white girls across the country. Involvement in this type of activity will inevitably and rightly mean proportionately more of those groups will be imprisoned. He cites poverty as a key player but very few of the people he is concerned for were placed in custody for stealing steak pies and bread from Tesco. This is something I might do if my family were hungry, or stealing body warmers or other protective clothing as might be expected if they were cold. Another important fact is that not even Lammy claimed that the actions of the police or judiciary were actually wrong. After all, there are very strict sentencing guidelines in place and it would be easy to spot any inappropriate sentencing. In the same way, all custody cells are monitored with CCTV as are many of the actions of the police relating to stop and search. No, Lammy seems concerned that the officials have acted within the law, but have used their permitted discretion to disadvantage certain groups. Tellingly he also makes no mention of how UK white nationals are treated when they break the law in some of these BME countries. Any contravention of Islamic law in an Islamic majority country is treated very harshly indeed, but that does not concern the great man. Looking at real justice never has. Groundbreaking project. Outstanding results He can, however, be comforted by the broadening of a trial that has already taken place by many millions of people of Oriental origin residing in the UK. This trial has now been taken up by millions of other BEM citizens and has produced fantastic results. These people, many from very disadvantaged backgrounds, have become involved with a trial that has very simple requirements. They simply have determined to not break the law. They have refused to carry knives or guns, become members of hate filled gangs, take illegal drugs or excessive alcohol or become involved in burglary or car theft to fund these loathsome activities. Irrespective of how many times they have been stopped and searched they have had nothing illegal found on them. They have chosen to behave in a cooperative, non abusive way with the police and have seen many encounters end with much less upsetting results. They have scuppered the ability of the police or judiciary to disadvantage them. Feedback from both the CPS and the police welcomes this initiative. If only more people took this approach instead of whining when they were caught, spitting at officers and having imbeciles write reports excusing awful behaviour, the entire country, including these individuals, would do a whole lot better. Don't excuse terrible behaviour People generally have little sympathy for any law breaker white, black or green moaning about how badly they have been treated when they are caught. This may be because it is their property being violated or their community attacked. Live in the real world Mr. Lammy. During last year's EU Referendum, numerous financial institutions came out in support of Britain's membership of the trading bloc. As Michael Gove highlighted in last year's Sky News' live debate, it is difficult to listen to experts these days. There is much merit behind that statement as they failed to anticipate the 2007-08 Recession and predicted the economy would suffer if the UK opted to leave the EU. The latter outcome never happened. The extent to which financial institutions influence European banking policy is truly horrifying As discussed already, former chancellor Alistair Darling is correct to say Brexit was partially caused by the Great Recession. Yet voters are right to combine banks and the EU under the same category of powerful institutions that have created an "us and them" culture Nicky Morgan mentioned. That is because the extent to which financial institutions influence European banking policy is truly horrifying. In recent years, banks spent 123,000,000 euros to lobby Brussels. This is more than NGOs, trade unions and consumer organisations combined, who can only muster 4,000,000 euros to influence MEPs. Also, 70 per cent of the European Commission's experts have links to the banking industry. Deutsche Bank is one of the most powerful banks in Europe Deutsche Bank is one of the most powerful banks in Europe. The are linked to numerous international federations that include the European Banking Federation. Afore Consulting are paid by them to lobby these EU institutions. Goldman Sachs has links to consulting companies Kreab Gavin Anderson and Afore Consulting, both of whom accumulated bills of 1,675,000 euros and 2,175,000 euros respectively to lobby Brussels. Barclays, HSBC and JP Morgan all pay lobbying group Flieshmann-Hillard to determine European banking policy. All three organisations awarded them with 4,900,000 euros to do so. The EU is responsible for a Transparency Register that all banks are meant to register with by law. Yet the ALTER-EU Civil Society Coalition discovered that 100 companies failed to register onto it in 2013. Dozens of stereotypical Brexit voters were interviewed by media outlets following last year's referendum. They were typical of those who felt betrayed by years of European integration, claiming they felt left behind. Their arguments carry much substance. It is apparent the EU is nothing more than an elitist club where large companies are listened to and smaller businesses squeezed. Brussels has failed all 27 of its member states. Their regulations are completely inadequate. This trading bloc has no place in governing this continent's financial institutions. This is why Britain made the right decision last year. Hillary Clinton released her new book titled "What Happened?" this week which covers her experience during the 2016 presidential election. As expected, Donald Trump decided to give his thoughts on social media. Trump on Hillary When Donald Trump announced his plan to run for president back in June 2015, he do so on the floor of his own Trump Tower in New York City. With his family behind him, the former host of "The Apprentice" declared his candidacy official as a member of the Republican Party, but quickly made headlines during his speech by labeling illegal immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" and "murderers." In the months that followed, Trump picked up steam and surprised many by beating out his 16 GOP challengers on his way to a primary victory. On the flip side, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton faced an unexpected tough challenge in Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Clinton was pushed to her limits, with many questioning the motives of the Democratic National Committee in her victory. In the general election, the consensus was that Clinton would defeat Trump in a landslide. However, reported election interference from Russia, Clinton's decision not to campaign earlier in key swing states, former FBI Director James Comey's move to bring up the infamous email scandal, as well as other issues helped Trump become the new president. In response, Clinton released a book about what took place, leading to Trump firing back in a pair of tweets on September 13. Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and every thing) but herself for her election loss. She lost the debates and lost her direction! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 Taking to Twitter on Wednesday night was Donald Trump who broke his silence on Hillary Clinton's book about the election. "Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and every thing) but herself for her election loss," Trump tweeted out, before adding, "She lost the debates and lost her direction!" The "deplorables" came back to haunt Hillary.They expressed their feelings loud and clear. She spent big money but, in the end, had no game! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 Not stopping there, Donald Trump continued with a follow-up tweet, this time referencing Hillary Clinton's remarks during the campaign where she referred to supporters of the billionaire real estate mogul as being "deplorables." "The 'deplorables' came back to haunt Hillary.They expressed their feelings loud and clear," Trump posted. "She spent big money but, in the end, had no game!" the president concluded. Moving forward In the last week, Hillary Clinton has taken a lot of criticism over some of the content in her book, and not just from Donald Trump and Republicans. Clinton attacked Bernie Sanders and his supporters for not backing her strongly in the general election, which only highlighted the current divide on the political left that isn't showing signs of improving at anytime in the near future. In a new report, it has been claimed that the Russians had contacted the Trump administration in the very first weeks of his presidency so as to normalize ties and restore diplomatic ties. On Wednesday, the Kremlin confirmed that Russia had indeed made contact for the restoration of ties with the United States. The report initially surfaced on Buzzfeed, who obtained a copy of the document in which the Russians had made the proposal. Russian contact A 12 September report by Buzzfeed News had claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had tried to make up with the United States and had contacted the trump administration through diplomatic channels in the early days of the administration. Buzzfeed had also obtained a copy of the proposal document and instead of denying the approach outright, Kremlin had no other option but to confirm the veracity of the report. Despite Moscow's efforts to normalize ties and cash in on the early days of the Trump presidency, the whole thing came to nothing as the Trump administration did not reciprocate to the overtures. Having already confirmed that the documents were, in fact, authentic, a Russian official at Kremlin expressed dismay at the continued leaking of documents from inside the Trump administration and went on to say that the latest revelations prove that Russia is working hard towards normalizing relations. Russia confirms approach When it comes to leaks related to diplomatic negotiations, it is usually assumed that the concerned nations would strongly deny that they ever took place but Russia did not do so. It seems that the existence of the documents has forced their hand to acknowledge that they had indeed contacted the Trump administration regarding normalization of relations. Dimitry Peskov, who is a Kremlin spokesperson confirmed the approach and went on to state that the Russian approach met with no response. According to CNN, he said, "Moscow systematically advocated for a resumption of the dialogue, for an exchange of opinion and for attempts at finding joint solutions. But, unfortunately, it saw no reciprocity." The proposal document earmarked what the Russians wanted and one of the most interesting proposals was a one on one meeting between the highest ranking national security officials of both countries. The Russians also proposed some sort of collaboration with the United States with respect to information security. However, the Trump administration did not even respond. Just two weeks after Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of Texas, yet another storm is making its way to the southern part of the United States. As Florida braces for Hurricane Irma, Donald Trump decided to comment on social media. Trump on Irma When Hurricane Harvey touched down in Texas, hitting the city of Houston worst of all, it was the first test for Donald Trump his administration to deal with a major storm. Hurricane Harvey was labeled a Category 4, rushing into the Lone Star State with winds up to 130 mph. The storm was responsible for dozens of deaths, while leaving thousands displaced as many fled their homes for safer grounds. Trump commented on the situation on numerous occasions on social media, though critics didn't take kindly to how the president reacted to the storm as if it was a celebratory event. Trump first stopped in the state just days after the storm hit, but was met with heavy criticism for holding a campaign-style event. The president and First Lady Melania Trump returned to Texas the following weekend, making their way to Houston where the majority of the damage took place. With Hurricane Irma just days away from making landfall, the five remaining former president have put together a fund for hurricane relief, which Trump mentioned during a September 7 tweet. We will confront ANY challenge, no matter how strong the winds or high the water. Im proud to stand with Presidents for #OneAmericaAppeal. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 8, 2017 Taking to his Twitter account on Thursday night, Donald Trump addressed the issue of yet another hurricane, before noting that he stands with the other presidents in working together to provide relief. "We will confront ANY challenge, no matter how strong the winds or high the water. Im proud to stand with Presidents for #OneAmericaAppeal," Trump tweeted. Former presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush, and George H.W. Bush have all come together to help those in the aftermath of hurricane damage. Former US Presidents band together to launch 'One America Appeal' to help hurricane victims https://t.co/oGPAmkTzQY pic.twitter.com/Rau3dbeLj2 ABC News (@ABC) September 8, 2017 Twitter reacts Not long after Donald Trump expressed his support for the "One America Appeal" put together by the five living presidents, critics of the former host of "The Apprentice" were quick to lash out on Twitter. "The only other five living Presidents got together, didn't want you there, and you were so embarrassed you felt compelled to tweet 'me too,'" Alex Zalben tweeted. This is like if you weren't invited to a birthday party, then lurked outside the window on the off chance you might photobomb a selfie. Alex Zalben (@azalben) September 8, 2017 It's like being forced to take your misbehaving little brother to the mall. Gerren Peterson (@GerrenPeterson) September 8, 2017 "Surely they don't want your company," another Twitter user wrote, before adding, "It's like being forced to take your misbehaving little brother to the mall." "Are you hurt that they did the video without you. Maybe if you did anything normally they would have invited you," an additional tweet noted. He was standing behind a (lowercase) bush. Evie (@evietoo) September 8, 2017 Are you hurt that they did the video without you. Maybe if you did anything normally they would have invited you bryan lasky (@BoneyDiego) September 8, 2017 Wait a sec.... they didn't ask you to join them, did they? You trying to crash their party? Their REAL PRESIDENT party? Sad. Go watch Fox. Anne Owen (@anneowenphd) September 8, 2017 "Strange, I've watched the #OneAmericaAppeal video several times, and I just don't see you. Were you standing behind a Wall?" yet another tweet added. As the backlash continued, it was clear that the opposition to Donald Trump was not going to end anytime soon. Israeli National News is reporting that a member of the Saudi Royal family visited the State of Israel in secret to discuss advancing regional peace between the Jewish state and the Arab world. Various sources have identified the Saudi royal as Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the Defense Minister of Saudi Arabia and heir apparent to the throne. To be sure, some of the discussions involved an effort to revive peace talks with the Palestinians. However, a couple of other reasons exist for an Israel Saudi Arabian rapprochement. The Iranian threat The threat posed by Iran, with its support for terrorism and its pursuit of a nuclear arsenal, has focused the Arab Gulf States on where their interests actually reside. The long war with Israel has not brought the Arab states any benefits, indeed quite to the contrary. When Barack Obama was still president, he pursued a fantastically ill-advised attempt at establishing detente with the Islamic Republic of Iran. At that point, the Gulf States, including Saudi Arabia, started to reach out to Israel to create a secret alliance of convenience. Israeli military power and Saudi money and the geographic position have become a potent counter weight against Irans drive to reestablish the Persian Empire in the Middle East. An economic alliance in a post-OPEC world The other development that is driving Israel and the Gulf States together is the end of OPEC dominance in the Oil And Gas markets. The fracking boom has free the United States from dependence on oil and gas imports and has made that country a net fossil fuel exporter. The growth of renewable energy is also bound to cut into market share for petroleum products. Hence, Saudi Arabia and the other Arab Gulf States are moving into technology investments as a way to keep their economies potent. Oddly enough, Israel has become a kind of Middle Eastern Silicon Valley, with a host of high tech start-ups sprouting up. Saudi money married to Israeli expertise is a natural arrangement that could cause a boom of prosperity to arise in the region. The bottom line Naturally, the initial steps for such an alliance have to be taken gingerly and clandestinely. Hatred of Israel has become engrained in the cultures of many of her Middle Eastern neighbors. If the populations of the Arab states are suddenly called upon to regard the Israelis as friends, the process may be a little wrenching for some. Most remember the price that Egyptian President Anwar Sadat paid for making peace with Israel, which was to be assassinated by his own troops. Neither Crown Prince bin Salman nor anyone else wants to be a martyr for peace. It is not only the U.S. that sees the potential of school shootings. An unidentified 15-year-old boy took a double-barreled shotgun into the Higham Lane School in Nuneaton in the U.K. on June 13, intending to do some serious damage to his schoolmates. He was fortunately talked down from his plans by an emergency dispatch operator, which has now led to him on Friday receiving a six-year sentence for his crime at the Warwick Crown Court. The teen will spend at least half his sentence behind bars and the remainder on license. Teenager plans shooting spree at his school As reported by the Nuneaton News, the 15-year-old, who had allegedly been bullied at the school, took a double-barreled shotgun from a secure cabinet in the home of one of his family members. He also took 200 cartridges and a knife. He then headed to Higham Lane School in Nuneaton, fully prepared to launch a deadly attack. Boy, 15, sentenced to six years in prison for planning mass school shooting in Nuneaton https://t.co/6uj6Jjiowd #UK #UKBiz #UKBiz (@ukbizz) September 9, 2017 The teenager was reportedly just second away from opening fire on his fellow students when he made a call to the police. An emergency call handler then averted disaster by convincing the teen to disassemble his weapon, while officers headed to the scene. The school was placed on lockdown at approximately 9:15 a.m., while the police took the teenager into custody. The International Business Times quotes Judge Andrew Lockhart QC of the Warwick Crown Court as saying the teenager had been a moment away from committing a heinous crime. The judge spoke to the teenager, saying he had his face covered, a knife and shotgun in hand and was preparing to shoot at anyone in the school. Lockhart said that anyone who would have been his target would have been a wholly innocent victim. Impossible to predict how many would have been shot The judge went on to tell the teenager that if he had opened fire, he had no doubt death and serious injury would have occurred, while saying it was impossible for him to predict how many victims would have been affected. Lockhart said only a moment in time had separated both students and school staff from being a victim of a terrible event and a crime that would have been added to the history of wicked crimes committed in the U.K. Nuneaton schoolboy who backed out of mass shooting detained: The boy, who was armed with a shotgun, had been https://t.co/NLbaHqrBEs pic.twitter.com/8wtfk3iGz4 tvxtratest (@tvxtratest) September 8, 2017 Lockhart went on to praise the emergency call handler who talked the teenager down from his plans, saying his actions had been "exemplary." The judge added that the call handler acted in such a way that a potential disaster was averted. Defense said incident caused by loss of good sense In the teenagers defense, Delroy Henry said that the boys plans to launch a Shooting Spree resulted from a "loss of good sense," adding that a prison term would not benefit his mental health. He added that the teenager had ultimately cooperated with police and taken the decision not to proceed. Fellow students at Higham Lane School claimed at the time that the teenager had been the subject of bullying and believed this may be why he made the decision to bring a shotgun into the school. The teen is receiving mental health treatment to aid in his rehabilitation. The 15-year-old will serve at least half of his six-year sentence in jail, followed by release on license for the remainder of his sentence. According to the Offenders Families Helpline, this means the teen must adhere to certain rules and will not be allowed to travel outside of the U.K. China has appointed the former chief of the general office of the Central Military Commission as the new political commissar of the People's Liberation Army Navy, media reports said. Lieutenant General Qin Shengxiang appeared on Wednesday in his new role at a ceremony in Qingdao, Shandong province, to send off a Navy flotilla for military exercises with Russia, CCTV reported. Qin, 60, had been chief of the general office of the commission since December 2012. The commission is the top military ruling body in China, with President Xi Jinping as its chairman. After the structural reform of the commission was completed in January 2016, Qin also became head of the new Office for Reform and Organizational Structure. General Miao Hua, the former political commissar of the PLA Navy, was recently named head of the commission's Political Work Department. Lieutenant General Shen Jinlong, the current commander of the Navy, was appointed in January. Meanwhile, General Song Puxuan became the new head of the commission's Logistics Support Department. PLA Daily reported that Song was at a meeting discussing logistics reform as head of the department on Wednesday. Song, 63, was named commander of China's Northern Theater Command in February 2016. He also was the chief commander of the military parade held in Beijing in September 2015. A series of shuffles of top-ranking PLA officers have taken place since August. The PLA has promoted several senior officers to top posts. General Li Zuocheng, 63, was named chief of staff at the PLA Joint Staff Department. General Han Weiguo, 61, succeeded Li as commander of the PLA Ground Force. And Lieutenant General Ding Laihang, 59, was appointed head of the PLA Air Force. cuijia@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily 09/14/2017 page4) Chaoyang, Beijing's central business district - or CBD - has now become the No1 foreign-related district in China, according to Wang Hao, head of the Chaoyang district government. "Chaoyang is home to 40 percent of total foreign capital and total imports and exports, 45 percent of Fortune 500 enterprise investment projects, 70 percent of transnational regional headquarters, 80 percent of the international chambers of commerce, 80 percent of international organizations and 90 percent of international media organizations in Beijing, said Wang, at the 2017 Beijing CBD International Forum. The forum - themed Deepening service industry and opening up comprehensive pilot district, optimizing upgrading, accelerating the transformation of driving forces, building a world-class CBD into high standards- was held on Sept 13 in Beijing. Wu Guiying, Party chief of the Chaoyang district, and Xu Zhijun, deputy secretary-general of Beijing municipal government, also spoke at the forum. According to Wu, the GDP of Chaoyang mounted to 500.16 billion yuan ($72.66 billion) in 2016, accounting for 20.1 percent of Beijing's total. Chaoyang's major economic indicators, including retail sales of consumer goods, utilized foreign capital and the district's import and export volumes, also top any other district in Beijing. According to the central government, as China's capital, Beijing must be the political center, cultural center, international communication center and technology innovation center of China. A report to the meeting said that, as the central business district of Beijing, Chaoyang will concentrate on fulfilling three tasks in the future: Coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the strategy of building Beijing into four centers and creating an international advanced and livable capital. It will coordinately advance the building of an open supporting zone for service industries, a demonstration zone for national culture integration and innovation, as well as a leading zone for global exchanges. The district will also act in accordance with the Belt and Road Initiative to enhance its internationalization. The forum was organized by Development Research Center of the State Council and co-hosted by Chaoyang district government, Beijing CBD Administration Committee and China Development Press. Two hundred representatives of government bodies, international organizations, multinational companies attended the forum, including those from Belarus, France and Malaysia. Editor's Note: This year marks the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations. Three scholars share their views on the current state of Beijing-Tokyo ties with China Daily's Cui Shoufeng. Excerpts follow: Contradictory Abe policy to blame for cold relations For Beijing and Tokyo, the 45th anniversary of the normalization of their ties is an occasion worth celebrating, so long as Tokyo refrains from doing something similar to what it did on the eve of the 40th anniversary. As China was preparing a string of major celebrations in 2012, then Japanese prime minister Yoshihiko Noda tacitly gave the green light to the audacious proposal to "purchase" and "nationalize" China's Diaoyu Islands. Since then bilateral ties have deteriorated, because Japan's ambitious agenda seems aimed at harming China's strategic interests. There is hope, though, that the two sides will put their relations back on the right track. China remains Japan's largest trade partner with Japan being the second-largest trade partner of China. Amid diplomatic and security tensions, trade exchanges at such a scale will keep acting as a stabilizing factor for China-Japan ties. People-to-people exchanges, too, remain relatively high thanks to China's surging demand for Japanese environmental protection facilities and many Chinese holidaymakers' preference for Japan as an overseas destination. To some extent, this suggests notable potentials are yet to be tapped to cash in on the economic complementarity of the two neighbors. Although known for its belligerent China policy, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's administration has been explicit about his pursuit of a meeting with President Xi Jinping and improved China-Japan ties. The contradiction between Abe's wish for better bilateral ties and his China-containing maneuvers is exactly what is wrong with his policies. Zhou Yongsheng, a professor of Japan studies at China Foreign Affairs University Tokyo's Indo-Pacific strategy is a problem China-Japan ties have considerably ebbed since Tokyo "nationalized" China's Diaoyu Islands. The Shinzo Abe administration has not only approved the visits by some of its top officials to Yasukuni Shrine, which, among others, honors 14 Class-A World War II criminals, but also inched very close to getting Japan the right to exercise collective self-defense through constitutional revisions. On the diplomatic front, Japan has worked hard to expand its overseas presence, so as to compete with and contain China. And its contradictory China policy makes it impossible for Beijing, which also favors better bilateral ties, to respond to the "friendly gestures" of Abe to improve Beijing-Tokyo relations. The Abe administration's rightist stance and reluctance to face up to Japan's notorious wartime past are to blame for the cold political exchanges. Bilateral relations could improve if Abe sees China's rise as an opportunity for rather than a threat to Japan. That Japan remains a popular overseas destination for Chinese tourists shows that despite the persisting political tensions, the citizens of the two countries are not ready to let bilateral ties to deteriorate further. And we hope such exchanges will eventually show the Japanese public how absurd some Japanese right-wing forces' competition-oriented theories are. Constant trade competitions are a fact accepted by all countries. But China is set to promote a different approach to global trade through its Belt and Road Initiative and President Xi Jinping's vision of building a community of shared destiny, which have made early gains in Africa and Asia. In contrast, Japan's Indo-Pacific strategy is essentially for its own benefit with hostile implications for China's major-country diplomacy. Which is not good news for China-Japan relations. Pang Zhongpeng, an associate researcher at the Japan Studies Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Reconciliation doesn't seem to be within reach Japan's China policy may take an unexpected twist as its economic growth is yet to pick up and its population is aging. The rise of right-wing forces under Abe's watch also means historic issues, especially the Japanese leadership's refusal to atone for its war crimes, will continue to impede the development of China-Japan ties. However, Japan remains a major player in the world arena. As for China-Japan relations, the old "pattern" of moderate ups and downs risks being broken, as tensions have kept escalating over the past five years. Moreover, opinion polls show the number of Japanese citizens that have a good impression of China has been declining over the years. As such, the stable flow of Chinese tourists to Japan does not necessarily mean reconciliation is within reach. Rather, it has more to do with Chinese citizens' shopping preference given the reputation of Japanese products and the extra customs duty they have to pay for the same products in China, as well as the cultural proximity of the two nations. Yu Qiang, a researcher of Japan studies at University of International Relations in Beijing While Boeing is usually the first company mentioned as a potential casualty if the US and China engaged in a trade showdown, for now business between the American aircraft giant and China is booming, reciprocal and cordial. Boeing competes with France's Airbus SE - often mentioned as the likely winner in the event of a US-China trade standoff - to sell passenger jets to Chinese airlines, which is quite the market. China will need 7,240 new planes valued at almost $1.1 trillion through 2036, Boeing said on Sept 6. That compares with its projections last September for 6,810 aircraft through 2035. "China's continuous economic growth, significant investment in infrastructure, growing middle class and evolving airline business models support this long-term outlook," Randy Tinseth, vice-president of marketing, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said last week. "China's fleet size is expected to grow at a pace well above the world average, and almost 20 percent of global new airplane demand will be from airlines based in China," Tinseth said. Tinseth said China's outbound travel market is trending toward 200 million passengers annually, and more than 50 percent of all the commercial jetliners operating in China are made by Boeing, the company said, which requires a lot of workers. About 150,000 US aviation jobs depend on the Chinese market, according to Ray Conner, vice-chairman of Boeing. But Boeing also provides manufacturing and maintenance jobs to Chinese. China has a component role on every current Boeing commercial airplane - the Next-Generation 737, 747, 767, 777, as well as the world's most technologically advanced airplane, the 787 Dreamliner. More than 9,000 Boeing airplanes fly around the world with integrated China-built parts and assemblies. There's big business in aircraft maintenance, too. On Aug 30, joint venture Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services Co Ltd (Boeing Shanghai) and Xiamen Air celebrated the completion of the first 787-8 base maintenance check, also known as a C-check, and Wi-Fi modification at Pudong Airport. "We are very pleased with the 787 C-check and Wi-Fi modification performed by Boeing Shanghai," said Tang Jianqi, Xiamen Air general manager of aircraft maintenance and engineering. A C-check is an extensive review of the airplane's systems and components. "The successful completion is a testament to Boeing Shanghai's capability in the 787 maintenance and modification market," said Dermot Swan, CEO of Boeing Shanghai. Xiamen's Dreamliners fly between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and China's high-tech center of Shenzen. China Southern Airlines Co is seeking to expand from about 700 planes to more than 1,000 by the end of the decade, while Hainan Airlines is bringing in the Dreamliner to help it launch nonstop flights from smaller Chinese cities. China itself will likely compete in the next 20 years to supply passenger jets, with Commercial Aircraft Corp of China having conducted the maiden test flight for its C919 narrow-body jet in May. The company says it has received more than 600 orders. In fact, China's Global Times reported on Monday that the domestically made Changjiang-1000 engine is under development and will eventually replace imported foreign engines for the C919, according to Cao Chunxiao, a researcher with Aero Engine Corp of China Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials. Bloomberg contributed to this story. Contact the writer at williamhennelly@chinadailyusa.com US President Donald Trump on Wednesday blocked a Chinese-backed investor from buying chipmaker Lattice Semiconductor Corp. "Consistent with the administrations commitment to take all actions necessary to ensure the protection of US national security, the president issued an order prohibiting the acquisition," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. Canyon Bridge Capital Partners planned $1.3-billion acquisition of Semiconductor Corp was one of the largest attempted by a Chinese-backed firm in the US chip sector and was the first announced deal for the Palo Alto, California-based firm, which launched last year with a focus on technology investments. Portland, Oregon-based Lattice makes chips known as field-programmable gate arrays, which allow companies to put their own software on silicon chips for different uses. It no longer sells chips to the US military. It was just the fourth time in a quarter century that a US president has ordered a foreign takeover of an American firm stopped because of national-security risks. The Trump administration has maintained the USs tough stance against Chinese takeovers of American businesses even as it seeks Chinas help to resolve the DPRK nuclear crisis. Other Chinese deals under review include MoneyGram International Inc.s proposed sale to Ant Financial, the financial-services company controlled by Chinese billionaire Jack Ma. The government is also examining an agreement by Chinese conglomerate HNA Group Co. to buy a stake in SkyBridge Capital LLC, the fund-management company founded by Anthony Scaramucci, who was briefly Trumps White House communications director. Trump said in an executive order that Lattice and Canyon Bridge shall take all steps necessary to fully and permanently abandon the proposed transaction, within 30 days. Bloomberg, Reuters A security guard blocks the entrance to the State Department Store, GUM, due to a bomb threat in central Moscow, Russia Sept 13, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] MOSCOW - Over 20,000 people were evacuated from more than 30 facilities here on Wednesday, following "almost simultaneous" anonymous phone calls with bomb threats, Russian news agencies reported. Police and sappers checked over 30 facilities in Moscow, including three railway stations, major shopping malls and hotels in various parts of the city, Tass news agency reported, quoting a source in the emergency services of the Russian capital. Interfax news agency reported that law enforcement bodies were checking a phone call stating that a bomb was planted in Moscow's central Red Square. The phone calls are still coming in, according to the Tass source. Each of the phone calls is being checked, but no official information referring to the calls has been published so far. According to Russian news agency RIA Novosti, such bomb threat calls were recorded in 22 cities in Russia in the last three days, during which more than 45,000 people had been evacuated from 205 objects with a massive stay. All such calls proved to be hoaxes, and the sources said that most of the calls could be coming from neighboring Ukraine, which accuses Russia of involvement in hostilities in the south of the country, the agencies said. The law enforcement agencies continued active search for the callers, RIA Novosti said. China's "app for everything" spread its message in New York on Tuesday. As a leading social network and Internet platform with global reach, Tencent's WeChat is looking to fulfill the increasing needs of China's outbound tourists. Some 300 American businesspeople from tourism-related industries in the Greater New York area attended a seminar to introduce the multifunctional app to local merchants who serve the growing numbers of Chinese tourists. "The whole China community is already involved in mobile internet, even faster than the United States," said Eagle Yi, director of WeChat Pay and WeChat Marketing. With more than 963 million active users and 600 million WeChat Pay transactions daily, "Chinese people use WeChat in daily working, studying and entertaining," Yi said. "If there is a term that could describe the super app, you cannot find a better match than WeChat," Yi added. Now with the growing number of Chinese outbound tourists - in 2016, more than 120 million Chinese tourists traveled outside of China - WeChat is aspiring to expand its network to follow those intrepid voyagers. "We want to be seen as a facility to help you build the bridge and to provide the best service possible to our outbound tourists and tourists around the world," said Sherry Xie, senior business development manager for Tencent. Yi also introduced WeChat Payment, a digital wallet service that allows users to make mobile payments and send money between contacts. "For WeChat Payment, it has become a part of the social media network, and over 1 million stores already are connected and support WeChat Pay in China," Yi said. According to Yi, because WeChat doesn't have the authority to process financial transactions in the United States, "we are working with our authorized payment service providers, who can legally conduct money transfers working with local merchants here", he said. "I knew a little bit of WeChat because I did live in China for several years," said Joel Ward, general manager of New York Wheel LLC, a tourist attraction being built on Staten Island. "As we think of tourists being a lot of groups coming over, but the FIT (foreign independent tourists) travelers are such an important part of this market, particularly with WeChat, that allowing them to pay through WeChat Pay, it's going to be a huge benefit to the tourism business here," Ward said. xiaohong@chinadailyusa.com Arizona is best known for the Grand Canyon, but this natural landmark is only a taste of what the state has to offer. Other desert highlights include the Hoover Dam, which borders Arizona and Nevada, and the Colorado River, which is perhaps at its most stunning at the Horseshoe Bend where its course curves near the heights of the Glen Canyon Dam. Arizona is famous for its desert expanses and gorgeous red sandstone rock formations and, thanks to its dry climate, the night sky here is often clear and ripe for stargazing. We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times. 1. Grand Canyon National Park Courtesy of Bon - Fotolia.com Grand Canyon National Park is a national treasure of the United States and one of the most stunning examples of the natural landscape of the Southwest. The canyon has steep sides that lead down to the Colorado River and it has been inhabited for thousands of years by various Native American groups, including the Pueblo people, who considered the canyon to be a religious site. One of the canyon's most beautiful features is the view of its many coloured layers, which formed over time through geological erosion. Each layer represents a different age in the life of the stone. Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023, Phone: 928-638-7888 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona" Back to Top 2. Things to Do in Arizona: Musical Instrument Museum Musical Instrument Museum The Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix houses the largest collection of instruments in the world and is a must-see for music lovers. This colossal set of exhibits contains over 15,000 pieces comprising both musical instruments and related items. The museum is highly interactive; one of its floors is dedicated to letting visitors touch and play instruments from different cultures, while another allows them to watch the instrument preservation and restoration processes as they happen. On its upper level, the museum is divided by geographical area, showcasing the musical traditions of ancient and modern cultures from across the globe. Things to Do in Phoenix 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, AZ 85050, Phone: 480-478-6000 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona" Back to Top 3. Things to Do in Arizona: Titan Missile Museum Titan Missile Museum The Titan Missile Museum is a historical and technological exhibit that shows off a real Titan II nuclear missile complex, one of 54 that existed on United States territory during the Cold War and which was on alert between 1963 and 1982. As the missile was never fueled for launch, it can be safely viewed. The 301-foot missile sits in its silo and has a hole cut into its side to prove it is inert. The facility also includes a three-floor control center and an outdoor antenna, and guided tours of the entire missile system can be requested. Best Things to Do in Green Valley 1580 W. Duval Mine Rd., Sahuarita, AZ 85614, Phone: 520-625-7736 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona" Back to Top 4. What to Do in Arizona: Desert Botanical Garden Desert Botanical Garden The Desert Botanical Garden is located in Phoenix, Arizona, and presents a diverse collection of over 21,000 plants, including a number of representative species from the unique southwestern desert ecosystem. Given special status as a Phoenix Point of Pride, this series of gardens doubles as an exhibit and a conservation facility. All the plants here are meticulously cared for in the desert conditions they need in order to thrive. Of particular interest is its extensive collection of agave and cactus plants. The Desert Botanical Garden has five different permanent curated walking trails, as well as seasonal events and temporary exhibits that change regularly. 1201 N. Galvin Parkway Phoenix, AZ 85008, Phone: 480-941-1225 -- You are reading "Fun Things to Do in Arizona this Weekend with Friends" -- You are reading "Fun Things to Do in Arizona this Weekend with Friends" Back to Top 5. Things to See Near Me: Pima Air & Space Museum Pima Air & Space Museum The Pima Air and Space Museum is a private museum collection with almost 300 different aircraft spread across its 80 acres. In addition to its vast outdoor space, it also has several colossal hangar spaces with different display items. Although this museum's most impressive artifacts are its airplanes, which range from World War II era military craft to modern commercial airliners, it also has two galleries devoted to space travel and the machines that have made flights into space possible. In addition, the facility is home to the fondly named Boneyard, the largest airplane preservation and storage site in the world. The Boneyard is also open to visitors and can be reached by shuttle from the main museum complex. 6000 E. Valencia Rd., Tucson, AZ 85756, Phone: 520-574-0462 -- You are reading "What to Do in Arizona this Weekend" -- You are reading "What to Do in Arizona this Weekend" Back to Top 6. Activities Near Me: The Phoenix Symphony Lukas Gojda/stock.adobe.com The Phoenix Symphony was originally founded in 1947 as an occasional musician group, prior to the city's population explosion in the mid-2oth century. Since 1972, the symphony has offered performances at the 2,312-seat Phoenix Symphony Hall, which was fully renovated in 2005. Today, the symphony serves as Arizona's only full-time professional orchestra, funded by the National Endowment of the Arts and the Arizona Commission on the Arts. Guests can attend annual performances by the 76-member ensemble throughout the year, which often feature guest artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Midori, James Galway, Sarah Chang, and Itzhak Perlman. Past guest pops artists have included luminaries such as Marvin Hamlisch, Michael Feinstein, and Andrea Marcovicci. Since 2014, the symphony has been under the supervision of music director Tito Munoz. 75 N 2nd St, Phoenix, AZ 85004, Phone: 800-776-9080 -- You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in Arizona" -- You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in Arizona" Back to Top 7. Fun Things to Do in Arizona: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson was founded in 1952 as a place to exhibit the unique wildlife of Arizona's Sonora Desert. The museum prides itself on its unusual zoological and plant exhibitions which foster interaction with the natural world. Here one can find tens of thousands of living plants and animals in its zoo, botanical gardens, and extensive network of trails covering over two miles in total. Guests can either traverse the museum's enormous territory independently or enjoy guided tours, live animal presentations, aquarium touch tanks, and even a one-of-a-kind demonstration of the flight paths of raptors and other birds of prey. Read more 2021 N. Kinney Rd., Tucson, AZ 85743, Phone: 520-883-2702 , From LA -- You are reading "What is There to Do with Kids in Arizona" Back to Top 8. Desert Caballeros Western Museum Desert Caballeros Western Museum The Desert Caballeros Western Museum is a multi-purpose museum that exhibits works of art and historical artifacts from the American West. The museum was founded in 1960 as a hometown museum for its town of Wickenburg. It has since grown to include a number of items that tell the story of both the small town and the state of Arizona as a whole. Its works of art include paintings by the famous founder of the Cowboy Artists of America, Joe Beeler, while children can enjoy a special exhibit dedicated to the typical Main Street found in Old Western towns. Best Things to Do in Wickenburg 21 North Frontier Street, Wickenburg, AZ 85390, Phone: 928-684-2272 9. Arizona Things to Do: Heard Museum Heard Museum The Heard Museum of Native Cultures and Art is a designated Phoenix Point of Pride located in the city of Phoenix, Arizona. Originally the personal collection of the Heard family, which owned a number of Native American archaeological artifacts from the La Ciudad ruin, the museum was opened to the public in 1929. An affiliate of the Smithsonian Program, today the museum is a huge collection of over 40,000 Native American artifacts from the southwestern United States. One exhibit of note is its Barry Goldwater Collection, which contains over 437 traditional Hopi Kachina dolls. The museum also hosts the annual Mercado de los Artes Festival each year, during which Hispanic artists from the region sell their work and mariachi bands play traditional music. 2301 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004, Phone: 602-252-8840 -- "Best Things to Do in Arizona for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" -- "Best Things to Do in Arizona for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" Back to Top 10. Kartchner Caverns State Park CheriAlguire/stock.adobe.com Kartchner Caverns State Park is a great place to spend a few days exploring with friends and family. The massive network of caves was discovered in 1974 by 2 young cavers who quickly realized that they had stumbled onto something very special. The caverns are made up of upper and lower segments and some of the remarkable and fragile stone formations have been growing for more than 10 thousand years. To see the incredible formations you will need to join a guided cave tour there are 3 different tours available, one of which gives you the option to explore the caves with a helmet and torch. There is an on-site campground and cabins and there are several local area attractions. 2980 S. Highway 90, Benson, AZ 85602, 877 697 2757 11. Activities Near Me: Wildland Trekking Wildland Trekking The Wildland Trekking company provides full-service backpacking and hiking excursions through many of Arizona's most famous natural sites. The company states that its mission is to provide exceptional hiking adventures and contribute to conservation efforts through its work. Their destinations include the Grand Canyon, Havasu Falls, the Paria Canyon as well as several red sandstone areas in the popular Sedona region. This company offers a number of different kinds of treks, from classic backpacking journeys to inn-based and basecamp hikes. One particularly unique offering from Wildland is its stock- and porter-supported treks, where hikers' baggage and equipment are carried by llamas, mules, or porters. Best Things to Do in Flagstaff 4025 East Huntington, Suite 150, Flagstaff, AZ 86004, Phone: 800-715-4453 -- "New cool stuff to do in Arizona" -- "New cool stuff to do in Arizona" Back to Top or Romantic Getaways 12. Western Destinations Canyon Creek Ranch Tours Western Destinations Canyon Creek Ranch Tours Canyon Creek Ranch is a western-themed model ranch located forty miles to the north of Phoenix, Arizona. A visit to Canyon Creek transports guests to the Old Southwest in a desert setting and against the beautiful backdrop of the Bradshaw Mountains. The village has a mission, a shooting range, a saloon, a blacksmith shop, and other quintessential buildings one might find in an old Western settlement. Activities at Canyon Creek include horseback riding, skeet shooting, and cowboy games. Visitors can also explore the area around the ranch on foot or on an organized Jeep tour. Tours are also available for children, families, and corporate groups. 22100 E. Tara Springs Rd., Black Canyon City, AZ 85324, Phone: 623-374-5245 13. Places of Interest in Arizona: Mission San Xavier del Bac Courtesy of ricschmitz - Fotolia.com The Mission San Xavier del Bac is a working mission with Spanish Catholic roots situated on the Tohono O'odham San Xavier Indian Reservation approximately 10 miles to the south of Tucson, Arizona. Although the mission itself was founded in 1692, the building that stands there today was constructed between 1783 and 1797, making it Arizona's oldest European building. The mission building has a very interesting architectural style that combines influences from both New Spain and Native American cultures. The outer facade is white with Moorish design elements and a massive and detailed door, while the inside is particularly ornate, covered in frescoes and other paintings. 1950 W San Xavier Rd, Tucson, AZ 85746, Phone: 520-294-2624 14. Things to Do in Arizona: Phoenix Art Museum Phoenix Art Museum The Phoenix Art Museum, opened in 1959, is the largest visual arts museum in the entire southwestern United States. Its 18,000 works of art from North America, Asia, Europe, and Latin America span a number of media, including photography, fashion design, paintings, and art installations. The pieces are housed in a complex covering 285,000 square feet. The Phoenix Art Museum goes beyond the mere display of works of art; it also hosts musical performances, film screenings, and educational programs. Outdoors, it has a curated sculpture garden and it has even incorporated a special children's program called PhxArtKids into its repertoire. 1625 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85004, Phone: 602-257-1880 15. Arizona Attractions: Arizona Copper Art Museum Arizona Copper Art Museum The Arizona Copper Art Museum is a young museum that marries history and art in its exhibition of beautiful copper works. The museum is located in Clarkdale, Arizona, which was once a company town that made its livelihood producing copper goods for industrial purposes in the early and mid-twentieth century. The exhibits here tell the story of copper and coppersmithing with artifacts from the 16th to 21st centuries. Most of the pieces are works of art hewn from the red metal by artists from the United States and Europe. They are divided into several categories, including military art, kitchenware and drinkware, and distillery and winery paraphernalia. 849 Main St., Clarkdale, AZ 86324, Phone: 928-649-1858 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona" Back to Top or Amazing things to do around me 16. Arizona vacation: Sedona Star Gazing Courtesy of natureguy - Fotolia.com Called a cosmic journey by the New York Times, a Sedona Star Gazing tour takes its participants on a fascinating trip through the night sky. This tour provider offers guided educational tours of the many constellations visible in Sedona's dark, clear sky, which owes its great views to a lack of light pollution, a dry climate, and its high altitude. Sedona Star Gazing ensures an informative and personal experience by keeping its tour group numbers low. The company has a number of telescopes for guests to use and there are staff astronomers on hand for guidance during the stargazing experience. P.O. Box 46,3 Sedona, AZ 86339, Phone: 928-853-9778 17. Things to Do in AZ: Mesa Arts Center Mesa Arts Center The post-modern, glass-heavy architecture of the Mesa Arts Center makes it a focal point of the downtown Mesa area. This venue is a grandiose performing and visual arts space that was opened in 2005. It incorporates four theaters of varying sizes, from the intimate 99-seat Farnsworth Studio Theater to the expansive 1,600-person Ikeda Theater. The Mesa Arts Center also contains five art galleries and 16 studio spaces for classes and educational presentations. Both its exhibition spaces and its theater settings have rotating schedules with an ever-changing lineup of musical and theatrical performances and different works of traditional and applied art. Best Things to Do in Mesa One East Main St, Mesa, AZ 85201, Phone: 480-644-6560 (museum), 480-644-6500 (box office), -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona" Back to Top 18. Children's Museum of Phoenix Children's Museum of Phoenix The highly-regarded Children's Museum of Phoenix, which caters to children up to 10 years old, has been listed as one of the top three children's museums in the country. Located in the former Monroe School building, it has more than 300 interactive activities spread across its three stories. The exhibits are all meant to be touched and played with, with experiences that feature art, block building, a noodle forest, and many other themed areas. The museum is divided by age category so that children can partake in those games and activities that are developmentally appropriate for them. 215 N. 7th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034, Phone: 602-253-0501 19. Commemorative Air Force Museum Commemorative Air Force Museum The Commemorative Air Force Airbase Arizona, often shortened to CAF, houses a collection of historical combat aircraft known as the CAF Ghost Squadron. The museum is in the open air, with the airplanes spread across a wide field. Some of its most famous planes include the F4 Phantom and the 1944 B-17G Bomber. There are friendly staff on hand to answer any questions guests may have as they roam around and get up close and personal with the giant airplanes strewn throughout the museum. And for the true aircraft enthusiast, hour-long rides around the nearby Superstition Mountains are available in seven of the museum's historic planes. 2017 N. Greenfield Road, Mesa, AZ 85215, Phone: 480-924-1940 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona" Back to Top 20. Activities Near Me: Lowell Observatory Lowell Observatory Lowell Observatory is a not-for-profit astronomical research facility founded by the mathematician Percival Lowell in 1894. Located in Flagstaff, Arizona, this institution dedicates itself to furthering the study of the solar system while providing education and interesting science exhibits to visitors from the general population. Patrons can come in and use the observatory's specialized equipment to look at the sun and the stars. There are both day and nighttime programs, including a deep space tour, telescope viewings, and presentations on the different galactic bodies. History buffs can also enjoy a tour of Percival Lowell's personal artifacts from the 19th century, which are housed in another exhibition hall at the observatory. 1400 W Mars Hill Rd, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, Phone: 928-774-3358 21. The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures As the name suggests, the Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures is home to displays of 300 miniature models of historical and contemporary homes. The models vary in size, but each is meticulously constructed with intricate detail. The museum is divided into three sections: one is dedicated to a magical woodland with fairytale creatures, another to historical U.S. homes from the 18th century to the present, and a third to different cultures and miniatures from all across the world. Children and adults alike can roam for hours through this extensive collection of tiny homes and their equally tiny interiors. 4455 East Camp Lowell Dr., Tucson, AZ 85712, Phone: 520-881-0606 22. Arizona Tourist Attractions: Sharlot Hall Museum Sharlot Hall Museum The Sharlot Hall Museum located in the small town of Prescott, Arizona, is an open-air museum facility devoted to educating visitors about local traditions and folklore. The buildings and structures themselves are historic artifacts as they include the Governor's Mansion, Fort Misery (Arizona's oldest log cabin), and the Iron Turbine Windmill. The museum's permanent collection features models of animals from the local ecosystem, over 400 Native American baskets, a building with historical modes of transportation from the Old West, and a display of old local photographs. The Living History program hosts festivals and events where visitors can learn how the people of the Southwest lived centuries ago. Best Things to Do in Prescott 415 W. Gurley Street, Prescott, AZ 86301, Phone: 928-445-3122 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona" Back to Top 23. Fun Things to Do in Arizona: Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium is Arizona's largest collection of exotic animals. Located just outside Phoenix in Litchfield Park, Arizona, Wildlife World stretches over 215 acres and is home to over 600 species. The zoo also has a large aquarium facility and a safari park with many African and South American animals. At the safari park, visitors can take a train ride through the open-space animal habitat. One of the zoo's newest areas is called Adventureland, which includes four different rides and its own dedicated restaurant. The zoo also incorporates such interactive exhibits as a baby animal nursery and a lory (exotic bird) feeding area. 16501 W Northern Ave, Litchfield Park, AZ 85340, Phone: 623-935-9453 24. Arizona Activities: All-Star Grand Canyon Tours All-Star Grand Canyon Tours All-Star Grand Canyon Tours is a private tour company based in Flagstaff, Arizona. All-Star provides full-service guided tours to the Grand Canyon and the Four Corners Region of Arizona. The company offers different packages, depending on how visitors would like to travel and how much time they want to spend in the canyon. There are day hikes, private tours including VIP experiences from Phoenix and Las Vegas, luxury multi-day excursions, extended backpacking trips, and student and corporate group options. All-Star employs a number of nature-loving guides who ensure guest safety and offer a one-of-a-kind experience of Arizona's natural beauty. 2420 N. 3rd St., Suite D, Flagstaff, AZ 86004, Phone: 928-814-8887 25. Things to Do in Arizona: Pink Jeep Tours Sedona Pink Jeep Tours Sedona Pink Jeep Tours takes its group participants on exciting off-road adventures through Arizona in its signature pink Jeeps. The company has been in operation for over 50 years, bringing visitors up-close and personal to the Sedona outback. Several tours are on offer, including a Grand Canyon tour, a Diamondback Gulch tour, and an Ancient Ruin tour, which leads to some of Sedona and the Verde Valley's ancient historical sites such as the Honanki Ruin and Montezuma's Well. For animal lovers, these excursions can also be combined with horseback riding trips. 204 AZ-89A, Sedona, AZ 86336, Phone: 928-282-5000 25 Best Things to Do in Arizona More ideas: Grand Canyon Railway The winding wooden tracks of the Grand Canyon Railway were built in 1901 and have been transporting visitors to the beautiful Grand Canyon ever since. This railway through the past has been listed on the U.S. Register of Historic Places; although it is well maintained, the railroad and its train cars have a distinct Old West feel. The train journey moves slowly so that passengers can take in the beauty of their surroundings on their approach to the canyon, which lasts about two hours and fifteen minutes. Each train has personal stewards to provide information, and there is onboard entertainment during the ride. Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023, Phone: 800-843-8724 You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in Arizona " Back to Top Most people come to South Dakota to visit Mount Rushmore National Monument and to view the stark beauty of the Badlands or the towering Black Hills, where the South Dakota Gold Rush took place. The state has excellent museums, interesting historic sites and pioneer villages, great resorts, and many attractions that focus on South Dakotas Native American heritage. Here are the best things to do in South Dakota. We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times. 1. Mammoth Site Mammoth Site Mammoth Site is a museum and an ongoing paleontological dig outside Hot Springs, North Dakota. In the Pleistocene Era, commonly known as the Ice Age, some 26,000 years ago, woolly and Columbian mammoths stopped to drink at the spring-fed waters here, and fell into a sinkhole. Not until 1974 were their remains found by an eagle-eyed construction worker. Also found at the site were remains of American camels, llamas, coyotes, birds, wolves, and shrub oxen, and more fossils are discovered regularly. The museum has an impressive collection of mammoth fossils and is both fun and educational. This is a fascinating place to bring children, and there are knowledgeable docents and a gift shop. 1800 U.S. Highway Bypass, Hot Springs, SD 57747, Phone: 605-745-6017 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota" Back to Top 2. Crazy Horse Memorial Courtesy of Rex Wholster - Fotolia.com Crazy Horse Memorial was established in 1948 by Korczak Ziolkowski as a 501 c3 non profit foundation to honor the Indians of North America. Crazy Horse (c. 1842-1877) was a war leader of the Oglala Lakota people who is perhaps best known for his role in the Battle of Little Bighorn in June of 1876. The mountain monument in the Black Hills of South Dakota is immense and has been under construction since the 1940s; visitors can watch as the work continues. The site includes the monument on Thunderhead Mountain, a museum that tells the story of the Native American tribes, the Indian University of North America, and a gift shop. Bus tours to the sculpture face are available for visitors. 12151 Avenue of the Chiefs, Crazy Horse, SD 57730, Phone: 605-673-4681 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota" Back to Top 3. Storybook Island Storybook Island Storybook Island is an admission-free childrens theme park with a mission to inspire imagination and provide fun and education for children and families. All through the park there are sets, statues, playhouses, and rides based on beloved characters from fables, nursery rhymes, and fairy tales. It is an ideal place to bring children and young teens; even the under-five set can play in the area dedicated to the very young. There is a lovely carousel, a beautifully maintained miniature railroad to ride on, and benches and shade for weary park-goers. Storybook Island has a small snack bar, although picnickers are welcome, and there is also a gift shop selling souvenirs. The park is open from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day, and there are daily shows in its theater. 1301 Sheridan Lake Road, Rapid City, SD 57702, Phone: 605-342-6357 Next read: 20 Best Things to Do in Pierre, South Dakota -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota" Back to Top 4. Activities Near Me: Bear Country USA Bear Country USA Bear Country USA is a family-owned and operated animal park in the Black Hills of South Dakota. From the safety of their car, visitors may drive along a 3-mile trail set among towering pine trees and rolling meadows that brings them face-to-face with many of North Americas mammals, including buffalo, black bear, lynx, bobcats, mountain goats, cougars, reindeer, arctic wolves, bighorn sheep, elk, and pronghorns. There is a walk-through area of the park where visitors can watch the delightful antics of bear cubs. The park has a cafe, a grill, a picnic area, a large gift shop, and offers free stroller rentals. 13820 S. Highway 16, Rapid City, SD 57702, Phone: 605-343-2290 Next read: Mount Rushmore National Monument -- You are reading "Fun Things to Do in South Dakota this Weekend with Friends" -- You are reading "Fun Things to Do in South Dakota this Weekend with Friends" Back to Top 5. Things to Do in South Dakota: McCrory Gardens McCrory Gardens McCrory Gardens is on the campus of South Dakota State University in Brookings; the gardens are run and tended by the horticultural department of the university. There are 25 acres of formal gardens, including gardens dedicated to irises, lilies, peonies, perennials, herbs, and pharmaceutical plants. The arboretum covers 45 acres and has a wide variety of shrubs, trees, and ornamental grasses. Much of what is planted is adapted to the harsh plains winters, but staff scientists also use the gardens to test new plant cultivars for hardiness. The gardens place a focus on public education and offer lectures and workshops. 631 22nd Avenue, Brookings, SD 57007, Phone: 605-688-6707 -- You are reading "What to Do in South Dakota this Weekend" -- You are reading "What to Do in South Dakota this Weekend" Back to Top 6. South Dakota Attractions: Ingalls Homestead Ingalls Homestead The Ingalls Homestead was the family home of author Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the Little House on the Prairie books, which are American classics and inspired a television show of the same name. The Ingalls moved to the De Smet area in 1879, lured by the promise of free land, and built a home on a 157-acre plot in 1880. Laura herself lived here until her marriage in 1885. The Ingalls Homestead is a wonderful place to learn about pioneer life and is geared towards educating children, who can participate in a variety of activities. Children and adults can drive a covered wagon or pony cart, wash clothes on a washboard, twist hay into sticks for fuel, and make a jump rope and a corn cob doll to take home. There is also a one-room schoolhouse where everybody can join in a typical 19th-century pioneer classroom in period clothing. 20812 Homestead Road, De Smet, SD 57231, Phone: 800-776-3594 -- You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in South Dakota" -- You are reading "Top Romantic Tourist Attractions in South Dakota" Back to Top 7. What to Do in South Dakota: Prairie Homestead Historic Site Prairie Homestead Historic Site The Prairie Homestead Historic Site is a house built by homesteader Ed Brown and his wife in 1909. It is made of sod bricks and has a grass roof; many pioneers lived this way, but the majority of such houses have since sunk into the earth, and this is one of the few remaining. Self-guided tours take visitors through the sod house and to the outbuildings, which include a barn, an outhouse, a cave, and a chicken coop. Barnyard animals are on hand, as are countless prairie dogs. The site has a small museum with a video presentation and early farm implements, and there is a very nice gift shop. Visitors may opt to dress in pioneer clothing while they tour the property. 21070 SD Highway 240, Philip, SD 57567, Phone: 605-433-5400 -- You are reading "What is There to Do with Kids in South Dakota" -- You are reading "What is There to Do with Kids in South Dakota" Back to Top 8. Fun Things to Do in South Dakota: Reptile Gardens Reptile Gardens The Reptile Gardens in Rapid City, South Dakota, is the worlds largest reptile zoo. Founded in 1937, the Reptile Gardens are brimming with animals crocodiles, alligators, lizards, snakes, prairie dogs, tropical birds, and giant tortoises. The gardens promise enjoyment and environmental education and take excellent care of their animals. They also have an indoor jungle containing tropical plants, including orchids, and a replica of the largest tortoise fossil ever found. Every day there are snake shows, bird shows, and the opportunity to watch the keepers feed the crocodiles and alligators. Everyone can pet a giant tortoise. Family-friendly, the Reptile Gardens are an excellent place to bring children. 8955 S. Highway 16, Rapid City, SD 57702, Phone: 605-342-5873 9. South Dakota Air and Space Museum South Dakota Air and Space Museum The South Dakota Air and Space Museum is a free attraction just outside the gates of the Ellsworth Air Force Base near Rapid City, South Dakota. Both educational and entertaining, there are over 30 planes kept both outdoors and inside hangars, dating from World War II to the present, including a B-52 Bomber and a B-1B Lancer. The museum is full of interactive displays and presents a history of aviation in the United States. There are exhibits on the Cold War, on aerospace technology, on aviation pioneers, and another focusing on the history of Ellsworth AFB. The exhibits include a flight simulator and an interactive aircraft cockpit. Museumgoers may also take a short bus tour around the air force base, which includes a stop at a Minuteman missile training facility. The museum has a small gift shop. 2890 Davis Drive, Rapid City, SD 57706, Phone: 605-385-5189 -- "Best Things to Do in South Dakota for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" -- "Best Things to Do in South Dakota for Locals & Tourists - Restaurants, Hotels" Back to Top 10. Things to Do in South Dakota: 1880 Town 1880 Town 1880s Town is a family-owned and operated heritage village that allows visitors to step back in time and learn about what life was like for South Dakota pioneers. The town has more than 30 original buildings from the years 1880-1920, including a farm, a blacksmith shop, a saloon, a one-room schoolhouse, a church, a jail, a post office, and a bank. There is a museum about Casey Tibbs, an area man who was World Champion Rodeo Cowboy nine times. In the main building are dozens of props from the Academy Award winning film, Dances with Wolves, which was shot in the town and the surrounding countryside. Hungry visitors will appreciate the 1950s railway dining car, a former Santa Fe train turned into a diner serving breakfast, lunch, and dessert, and decorated with 1950s memorabilia. Interstate 90, Exit 170, Murdo, SD 57559, Phone: 605-344-2236 11. South Dakota Things to Do: Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village The Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village is a working archeological dig of the only reliably dated remains of the Woodland and Mississippian cultures from 1,100 years ago. The first structures were uncovered by a university student in 1910 and since then the site has become a prominent summer archeological field school that is attended and worked by students from all over the world. The people who inhabited this site hunted bison and were skilled farmers, tending fields of sunflowers, tobacco, beans, squash, amaranth, and corn. They lived in earthen lodges on a bluff overlooking a creek, and over 80 of these lodges have been uncovered. Visitors can watch the dig in progress, ask questions of a docent, view life-sized replicas of the people and their dwellings, and shop at the small gift store. 3200 Indian Village Road, Mitchell, SD 57301, Phone: 605-996-5473 -- "New cool stuff to do in South Dakota" -- "New cool stuff to do in South Dakota" Back to Top or Romantic Getaways 12. Places of Interest in South Dakota: Minuteman Missile National Historic Site NPS Photo During the Cold War era, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) were hidden in missile silos across the United States, armed and ready to defend the country against Soviet attacks. In 1991, Presidents George Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, and the missiles were disarmed and decommissioned. The Minuteman Missile National Historic Site gives visitors the unique opportunity of viewing a missile silo and a launch control site. Inside the Delta-09 missile silo is a disarmed weapon. The visitor center has excellent historical displays on the arms race, the Cold War, and the development of ICBMs. 24545 Cottonwood Road, Philip, SD 57567, Phone: 605-433-5552 13. Things to Do in South Dakota: Petrified Wood Park Courtesy of wollertz - Fotolia Petrified Wood Park is a tourist attraction in Lemmon, South Dakota, built entirely out of petrified wood, fossils, and stones, and is creative, interesting, and definitely worth visiting. Petrified wood is the fossilized remains of vegetation. This attraction was built in the early 1930s and contains more than a hundred objects, including statues, a wishing well, a waterfall, and a 300-ton castle with turrets and spires made entirely out of petrified wood. The park has two museums, one of which has a petrified wood floor, in which dinosaur footprints, bird tracks, and fossilized snakes can be clearly seen. The museums contain antiques and artifacts from the Lemmon area. Even the well-stocked gift shop is made of petrified wood. 500 Main Avenue, Lemmon, SD 57638, Phone: 605-374-3964 14. South Dakota Tourist Attractions: Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center Akta Lakota Museum & Cultural Center Akta Lakota means to honor the people, and this is exactly that which the museum and cultural center strive to do. An outreach program of the St. Josephs Indian School, the museum presents artifacts and exhibits relevant to the lives of the northern Plains Indians, past and present. Opened in 1991, the museum uses art, movies, exhibits, and educational displays to examine Plains Indians lives before European contact, the first contacts between Indians and Europeans, the U.S. Governments breaking of treaties and removal of land, and the way in which modern Plains Indians are conserving their heritage. The excellent gift shop is stocked with locally made items. 1301 N. Main Street, Chamberlain, SD 57325 15. South Dakota Vacation: Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum of Natural History Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum of Natural History The Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls is a medium-sized institution dedicated to education and conservation. Of particular note are its breeding projects with the critically endangered Amur tiger and the eastern black rhinoceros. Its 45 acres feature displays that all families will enjoy, with animals including snow monkeys, reticulated giraffes, Grevys zebra, Galapagos tortoises, colobus monkeys, lemurs, and gibbons. There is a petting zoo that offers face-to-face encounters with sheep and goats in addition to a camel ride and a carousel. The Delbridge Museum houses 150 mounted specimens hunted by Henry Brockhouse from the 1940s to the 1960s, when hunting these now-endangered animals was quite legal. 805 S. Kiwanis Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104, Phone: 605-367-7003 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota" Back to Top or Amazing things to do around me 16. South Dakota Attractions: National Music Museum National Music Museum The National Music Museum is on the campus of the University of South Dakota and housed in a former Carnegie Library. The museums extensive holdings are among the most pre-eminent in the world, and comprise some 15,000 instruments from the United States, Europe, and from non-Western sources. Some of the jewels of the collection are five Stradivarius stringed instruments, 17th and 18th-century Dutch woodwinds, 17th and 18th-century German wind instruments, three 17th-century Flemish harpsichords, and two 18th-century grand pianos. Johnny Cashs guitar is also in the museum, along with musical instruments belonging to Bob Dylan. The second largest harmonica collection in the world is in this museum, as is the worlds oldest cello. The museum has a small gift shop. University of South Dakota, 414 East Clark Street, Vermilion, SD 57069, Phone: 605-677-5306 17. South Dakota Activities: Prairie Edge Trading Company & Galleries Prairie Edge Trading Company & Galleries Prairie Edge Trading Company & Galleries is a must-see in Rapid City, South Dakota. A cut above traditional gift shops, this store has a strong Native American theme and deals in fine art. Just walking through the shop will make any visitor more knowledgeable about Native American history. In gallery after gallery and up and down the Escher-like staircases, shoppers will find a wide variety of items for sale, including native art, books, music, clothing, jewelry, medicinal herbs, jams and jellies, and home furnishings. There is a particularly fine selection of beading supplies, both locally crafted and sourced from Italy. The friendly and well-informed staff add to the appeal of this popular store. 606 Main Street, Rapid City, SD 57701, Phone: 800-541-2388 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota" Back to Top 18. Must Do in South Dakota: Butterfly House & Marine Cove Butterfly House & Marine Cove Butterfly House & Marine Cove is an attraction designed to educate visitors about the diversity of butterfly and sea life around the world. The Butterfly House is a 3,600-square-foot indoor tropical garden where more than 800 species of butterflies from Australia, Africa, and Central and South America fly freely. Chrysalises hang from walls and ceilings, and eagle-eyed visitors may have the opportunity to see butterflies emerging. Marine Cove has hundreds of species of fish and coral from around the world, including clownfish, tangs, eels, seahorses, sea stars, and sharks. A shark and stingray touch pool is a great hands-on learning area for adults and children, and visitors delight in the southern stingrays, which swim eagerly to greet visitors. The complex has a gift shop and welcomes school groups. 4320 Oxbow Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57106, Phone: 605-334-9466 19. Things to Do in South Dakota: Adams Museum Adams Museum The Adams Museum is set in an elegant Queen Anne-style home in Deadwood that was built in 1892. The former Deadwood mayor and businessman bought the house in 1920 to turn it into a museum honoring Black Hills pioneers. The three floors of exhibits, all of which are wheelchair accessible, pay tribute to the gold miners and the Lakota Indians whose land was stolen by the miners. It also contains curiosities like Potato Creek Johnnys gold nugget and a priceless pencil sketch of Wild Bill Hickok by N.C. Wyeth. The family-friendly museum features displays about Wild Bill, Calamity Jane, and Deadwood Dick as well as the rough-and-tumble lifestyle of 19th-century Deadwood. The museum contains an old steam engine that was once used to haul ore in the Black Hills mines. An excellent bookstore focusing on the American West is located on the first floor. 54 Sherman Street, Deadwood, SD 57732, Phone: 605-578-1714 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota" Back to Top 20. Activities Near Me: Terry Peak Ski Area Terry Peak Ski Area The Terry Peak Ski Area is a skiing and snowboarding destination on the highest peak of the Northern Black Hills and is also open to snowmobilers. The area was first used as a ski hill in 1936, and the first chair lifts were added in 1954. Now, the mountain has three high-speed chair lifts and one traditional lift. The ski hill has 30 runs, offers ski and snowboard rentals, and has skiing lessons for every age group, adults included. Stewart Lodge offers a cafe and bar, and the Nevada Gulch Lodge is famous for its Dark Horse Saloon, which serves alcoholic beverages and delicious meals in a nostalgic setting warmed by open fireplaces. 21120 Stewart Slope Road, Lead, SD 57754, Phone: 605-584-2165 21. South Dakota points of interest: Dinosaur Park Courtesy of julietrenee - Fotolia.com Dinosaur Park is a free attraction on a hill overlooking Rapid City, South Dakota, which features five dinosaur sculptures made in the 1930s from black iron pipe, with wire mesh frames and concrete skin, all painted bright green with white undersides. The dinosaurs are a period piece and represent what people of the time thought dinosaurs looked like. There is an apatosaurus, a Tyrannosaurus rex, a triceratops, a stegosaurus, and an edmontosaurus. The park is family friendly and children love climbing on the dinosaurs; adults come for the dazzling view of Rapid City and the Black Hills. The park is reached by climbing steep flagstone steps and is not wheelchair accessible. 940 Skyline Drive, Rapid City, SD 57701, Phone: 605-343-8687 22. Things to See in South Dakota: Corn Palace Corn Palace In Mitchell, South Dakota, stands the worlds only corn palace. It is a Moorish Revival building topped with Moorish minarets and Russian-style onion domes, decorated inside and out entirely and impressively with murals and mosaics of crop art, using corn and other grains. The original Corn Palace was built in 1892 to show off South Dakotas fine soil in an attempt to attract settlers; the current palace was built in 1921. It is used as a venue for concerts, community events, and sports, but free guided tours are available from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. The Corn Palace has a childrens activity area, a corn-themed gift shop, and a concession selling popcorn balls, corn on the cob, burgers, hot dogs, and soft drinks. 601 North Main Street, Mitchell, SD 57301, Phone: 605-995-8427 -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota" -- You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota" Back to Top 23. Things to Do in South Dakota: Rushmore Cave Rushmore Cave Rushmore Cave is a subterranean cave in the Black Hills of South Dakota. To access it, one must gain admission to Rush Mountain Adventure Park, a theme park featuring roller coasters and other rides. The cave tour takes one hour and requires the ability to climb up and down stairs and to stoop under low ceilings. The limestone caves have beautiful natural formations such as stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and flowstone, and there are many rooms to be explored during the tour. The cave was discovered in 1876, when a chute carrying water to a mine overflowed into a small hole. The miners explored it and an entrance was formed. 13662 Highway 40, Keystone, SD 57751, Phone: 605-255-4384 24. Things to See Near Me: Black Hills Central Railroad (1880s Train) Courtesy of arturko - Fotolia.com The Black Hills Central Railroad is a heritage railroad and the oldest continuously operating tourist train. Two-hour, 20-mile train rides are offered on the 1880 Train; the ride is a slow one due to the steep grades and the sharp curves in the line. The ride is a round trip between Keystone and Hill City, South Dakota, and is run along the Keystone Branch of the Burlington Northern Railroad, which was a mining railroad during the 1880s and was later used to deliver supplies during the carving of Mount Rushmore. The train journeys through forests, meadows, and wooded canyons, and animal life is often spotted; there are many white-tailed deer, mule deer, cottontail rabbits, and wild turkeys along the way. The train runs from May to early October and is wheelchair accessible. 222 Railroad Avenue, Hill City, SD 57745, Phone: 605-574-2222 25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota You are reading "25 Best Things to Do in South Dakota " Back to Top The Colby Museum of Art, located on the campus of Colby College, is a teaching and collecting museum that possesses a diverse art collection with an emphasis on contemporary and American art. Among its holdings is the American Heritage Collection, which includes 76 works of art by American folk artists. In 2013, the museum received the Lunder Collection, one of the most important art collections donated to a liberal arts college. The collection provides a significant complement to earlier pieces of 19th, 20th, and 21st-century American sculpture, American paintings of the late 19th century, the Stieglitz Circle, and contemporary art. Some of the major artists included in the collection are Georgia O'Keeffe, William Merritt Chase, Robert Henri, Mary Cassatt, and John Singleton Copley. The artwork of important American artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, such as Alex Katz, Terry Winters, Marsden Hartley, Fairfield Porter, George Bellows, and John Marin, can also be found among the art collection of the Colby Museum of Art. The impressive contemporary collection of the museum includes site-specific sculpture by Sol LeWitt and Richard Serra as well as works by Lois Dodd, Jennifer Bartlett, Elizabeth Murray, Adolph Gottlieb, Chuck Close, and Rudy Burckhardt, which were given as gifts from the Alex Katz Foundation. The contemporary collection is made up of over 8,000 works of art in all media, making the museum one of the premier institutions of American art in the country. Alex Katz donated over 400 pieces of his artwork to the Colby Museum of Art in 1992. His works are now displayed in the Paul J. Schupf Wing, making the museum one of only a few in the country to have a wing devoted solely to the artwork of a single living artist. A number of major works of art by Katz were also given to the museum by Schupf, including Pas de Deux, a large-scale iconic painting from 1983. The museum's collection now comprises of almost 900 works by Katz. The Colby Museum of Art's Bernard Langlais Collection features 183 works of art that trace the remarkable career Langlais, from his days at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture to his late years in Maine. The museum acquired 175 works by Langlais in 2010 from his estate, including over 90 works on paper, 65 works in wood, and twenty-one oil paintings. The John Marin Collection displays a retrospective collection of watercolors, paintings, photographs, etchings, and drawings. The career of the artist from 1888 to 1953 is represented through 24 works of art that were given to the Colby Museum by John Marin Jr. and Norma B. Marin in 1973. This core collection is ranked next to the collection of the National Gallery of Art in terms of size and media variety. The complete print works of Terry Winters can also be seen at the Colby Museum of Art. In 1982, Winters started creating prints with Universal Limited Art Editions, and has worked in the full range of print techniques since his lithograph, Ova. His prints are often organized in serial groupings, displaying clusters of grids, knots, and spirals or free floating cellular structures. 5600 Mayflower Hill Drive, Waterville, ME 04901, website, Phone: 207-859-5600 More Art museums Every year, as the Jewish holidays approach, someone seeks me out because theyre struggling with forgiveness. Maybe this person is the adult child of a narcissist who was a cruel and self-centered parent. Maybe this person feels betrayed by an authority figure, a mentor or teacher who let them down. There are many variations. What they have in common is, they dont feel able to forgive someone who hurt them, and theyre worried about what their inability to forgive says about them. What does Judaism teach about the obligation to forgive, and why is this coming up for everyone now?... Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. HA NOI Viet Nam exported US$228 billion worth of goods to Algeria this year as of early September, up 26 per cent year-on-year, according to the Vietnamese Trade Office in Algeria. Among the major staples exported are coffee beans, with a turnover of $84.31 million, phones and phone parts at $58.8 million and rice at $11.53 million. Other key export items are pepper, steel products, seafood and computers, as well as electronics and their components, machinery and other equipment and tools. Algeria is now the fourth-largest consumer of Vietnamese goods in Africa, behind South Africa, Ghana and Egypt. Bilateral economic co-operation has room to develop, with Algerian consumers becoming increasingly familiar with Vietnamese goods, while Algerian animal feed, medicine and natural minerals are sold in Viet Nam, trade experts said. The office said it has organised a range of trade promotion activities including business seminars and fairs in a move to celebrate the 55th year of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Viet Nams shipments to Algeria reached $271.42 million in 2016, a year-on-year increase of 37 per cent, with most of the revenue coming from coffee and rice. VNS Over the last five years, Hai Phong has developed a strategy to attract investment from corporations across ASEAN and build sustainable cooperative ties with them. Le Tri Vu, director of the Hai Phong Investment, Trade, Tourism and Tourism Promotion Centre speaks to the Vietnam News Agency about the issues. How has the ASEAN Economic Community impacted the economic development of Hai Phong? ASEAN is considered the third largest economy in Asia, the sixth largest in the world, and one of the most dynamically developing markets. Increasing investment among ASEAN countries in general and from ASEAN to Viet Nam in particular has played a key role in the process of attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) for Viet Nams economic growth. For Hai Phong, the city has attracted some FDI projects from ASEAN countries, mainly from Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. Of which, Singapore has made the largest investment in Hai Phong, with nearly 30 projects, and total investment capital of US$700 million, ranking fifth among 36 countries and territories investing in the city. One of the successful projects invested by ASEAN countries is the development of the VSIP Hai Phong urban, industrial and service zone of VSIP Hai Phong Co, Ltd. The Singaporean-invested company is one of the most efficient infrastructure firms in the city and its zone has attracted great investment from large corporations such as Nipro Pharma and Fuji Xerox. Up to now, the zone has managed to fill more than 50 per cent of its area. In addition, some large investors doing business in ASEAN countries have gradually expanded their production and business in Hai Phong. To attract FDI from foreign countries in general and from ASEAN countries in particular, the city approved Hai Phongs strategy on attracting FDI in the period 2016-20 on January 4, 2017 and the investment promotion strategy in the period 2016-20 on February 2, 2017. Those strategies involve targets and measures in attracting investment from foreign countries and territories, including ASEAN countries, by 2020. How has economic cooperation with countries in ASEAN pushed Hai Phong to develop its advantages? The infrastructure of Hai Phong has developed rapidly, now boasting the largest seaport system in northern Viet Nam. The city is carrying out the investment project of Lach Huyen deep-water port, which is the international gateway port of the North. It can receive 100,000-tonne ships, which is very convenient for the development of services relating to seaports. Other large infrastructure projects will turn Hai Phong into a centre for all export and import activities by enterprises in the North and nation wide. These projects include the Ha Noi - Hai Phong expressway, Cat Bi international airport, Tan Vu Lach Huyen road, Hai Phong Ha Long highway and coastal roads. Therefore, the city has advantages to attract foreign investors in the field of seaport services and logistics from Singapore. In addition, Hai Phong is one of the five centrally governed cities of Viet Nam with a population of about 2 million. Its urban population accounts for more than 46 per cent and the city is enjoying rapid urbanisation. This northern city is one of the most promising markets for investment in real estate, business and retail sectors from ASEAN countries such as Singapore and Thailand. Taking advantage of reduced tariffs among ASEAN countries, investors in the bloc have poured capital into Viet Nam, including Hai Phong, by acquiring some FDI retail firms such as Metro and Big C to enter the retail market. By taking advantage of geopolitical, cultural and cooperation opportunities between Hai Phong and ASEAN countries, the city will promote the development of its strong fields, including the development of seaports, seaport services, infrastructure development, industrial real estate, coastal tourism and commercial activities. How does Hai Phong plan to attract more investment from ASEAN countries? ASEAN is an important market so Hai Phong is focusing on some key activities to attract more investment from ASEAN countries. Hai Phong will develop research and assessment of market potential, trends and investors from ASEAN neighbours that have already made large investments, such as Singapore and Thailand. Then, the city will develop plans to strengthen the confidence of existing investors and attract new investors to the region. The city will build a database for investment promotion activities and enhance the operational efficiency of the citys portal and website of the Hai Phong Investment, Trade, Tourism and Tourism Promotion Centre. It will also provide information about the potential, strengths, and policies of the city for domestic and foreign businesses to help them fix investment targets and projects for the city. In addition, it will continuously review, adjust and build a list of sectors calling on investment to create favourable conditions for foreign investors, including ASEAN enterprises. Investment attraction will focus on sectors with advantages such as high-tech agriculture, infrastructure, construction materials, consumer goods, food and automobiles (for Thailand); real estate business, manufacturing, manufacturing, construction and logistics (for Singapore). The city will have more investment promotion activities in key markets of ASEAN countries and promote air routes linking Cat Bi airport with other regional airports, firstly launching flights to Singapore. It will pay attention to the training of qualified human resource in the field of investment promotion. Hai Phong will give support to investors during the development of projects and promote dialogue between municipal authorities, enterprises and investors to solve difficulties they face during investment, production and business activity in the city. - VNS BANGKOK More efforts are needed to strengthen and support collaboration among ASEAN countries and China to combat the increasing wildlife smuggling and poaching of endangered wildlife, the 4th Regional Dialogue on Combating Trafficking of Wild Fauna and Flora heard in Bangkok on Wednesday. Thailands Minister of Natural Resources and Environment General Surasak Kanjanarat said: Despite a domestic decline in illegal cases, the illegal international trades still exist. No matter how much we can do by ourselves at the national level, it is never enough. Only through the spirit of collaboration among ASEAN member states, China and concerned partners in an action-oriented effort can this problem be effectively addressed throughout the entire supply chain. Thanya Netithammakun, director general of the Thai Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said in his opening speech: [The dialogue] focuses on exchange of information, including best practices and challenges to strengthen regional collaboration in the context of illegal trafficking of CITES-listed species of wild fauna and flora and their products, especially tiger, pangolin, ivory and rhino horn. The two-day event will see country updates, presentations, and group and panel discussions by 40 delegates from ASEAN countries and China and some 80 representatives from various local and international agencies. Recently Viet Nam has emerged as a destination for many illegal wildlife products. David Lawson, USAID Saving Species Projects Chief of Party told Viet Nam News: Its probably related to the fact that Viet Nam is becoming a wealthier country, so now people can afford things they cant before. And one of the things culturally people want to get are things like rhino horns and ivory, and because of the limited population of rhinos and elephants, thats where the problem is. Viet Nam in July has approved a penal code, and that is a really good illustration because the penalty for illegally possessing rhino horn and ivory now is much greater. That penal code will come into action in early 2018. But part of that process then is to assist in producing the guidelines and things for prosecutors and judges to do training programmes for police and customs. I think that the dialogues are important to raise awareness at a high level. I mean you got some senior people here in all 10 countries, and these sorts of dialogues do help keep the picture alive." Vuong Tien Manh, deputy director of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) Management Authority and head of the Vietnamese delegation, said: Viet Nam greatly welcomes the dialogue because efforts from one nation cannot stop the cross-border crime. We came to the dialogue, learnt and shared our experience in making and enforcing laws, increasing awareness and reducing demand for wildlife products. Pham Tien Trinh, a customs official, said: The most important thing is that through dialogue Viet Nam can set up a network to exchange information with other nations to deal with illegal wildlife trafficking in the fastest and most effective way. VNS HA NOI Experts shared the methodology and preliminary calculation of the national potential of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic in Viet Nam at a workshop held on Thursday in Ha Noi. The workshop National assessment of development potential of grid-connected solar photovoltaic projects in Viet Nam until 2020 with a vision to 2030 attracted 50 representatives from 12 provincial government, investors and other stakeholders. The workshop has been organised within the framework of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (4E) Project, which is jointly implemented by the Power and Renewable Energy Agency, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development. Preliminary results were calculated using geographical information system software, applying different criteria such as solar radiation, land use, road and grid networks. The national assessment of development potential of solar energy in Viet Nam is crucial as it will not only enable us to have a better understanding of the potential, but also help us to know where solar project developers are working, Sonia Lioret, head of GIZs 4E project, said. At the same time, it will facilitate the work for investors and provide inputs for the government to develop the national solar development plan, she said. During the workshop, experts shared experiences on solar energy planning and the booming solar industry. According to the governments targets, solar photovoltaic is expected to be the main renewable energy source with installed capacity to be increased from some 6-7MW by the end of 2015 to 850MW by 2020 equivalent to 1.6 per cent of the countrys power generation and 12,000GW by 2030 equivalent to 3.3 per cent of the countrys power generation. Since April this year, with the publication of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phucs Decision 11/2017, solar power projects have been allowed to sell electricity at a fixed price of US$9.35 cents/kWh. The Ministry of Industry and Trade on September 12 published the circular required to begin implementing the decision. VNS The British Business Group Vietnam will host the 17th annual Fun Run for Charity in District 7 on September 24. The organiser expects 10,000 runners to attempt the three-kilometre run this year. It will start at 8 am at Tan Trao Street in the Phu My Hung Urban Area. There will be food, games and music performances at the venue. All proceeds will go to charity programmes in Viet Nam. Participants can register for the run at the BBGV office at 25 Le Duan Street in District 1 or at www.ticketbox.vn. More information on donations and registration is available at www.bbgv.org. VNS HA NOI The Government and people of Viet Nam attach importance to strengthening traditional relations with Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told visiting Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov yesterday in Ha Noi. PM Phuc lauded the positive outcomes of the talks between Minister Mammadyarov and Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh. The Azerbaijani Ministers visit will open up a new chapter for ties in different fields between Viet Nam and Azerbaijan, he said. Having expressed satisfaction with the political ties, PM Phuc said economic and trade relations remain modest, failing to meet the expectations of both sides. Both countries need to review their regulations and policies to remove difficulties and facilitate trade and investment ties, the PM said, underlining the important role of enterprises in the work. The PM suggested the two sides continue exchanging delegations while maintaining and promoting the Inter-Governmental Committee for Economic-Commercial and Scientific-Technological Co-operation, saying this mechanism is expected to identify and promote co-operation in the fields of their strengths, including energy, tourism, education and culture. Viet Nam is willing to export its key products to Azerbaijan, such as agricultural and aquatic products, computers and components, and import machines, equipment and spare parts, crude oil, and crude oil-based products, he said. For his part, Mammadyarov said his talks with Deputy PM, Foreign Pham Binh Minh and his working session with Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh showed that the two nations are on the right track to enhance ties. Highlighting the successful co-operation in oil and gas, he said Azerbaijan will make greater efforts to boost relations with Viet Nam in traditional fields and new spheres. PM Phuc acknowledged the guests idea of a new sea shipping route, pledging that he will assign agencies to study the proposal soon. New measures discussed Earlier the day Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and his counterpart Mammadyarov discussed measures to boost co-operation between the two nations, particularly in oil and gas, education, culture and tourism. They expressed their delight at the steady growth of two-way trade in recent years, which hit US$104 million in 2016 and surged to $114 million in the first half of this year. The ministers also welcomed the successful organisation of the first meeting of the Viet Nam Azerbaijan Intergovernmental Committee for Economic-Commercial and Scientific-Technological Cooperation in January 2017. They said that the foreign ministries of Viet Nam and Azerbaijan should continue co-ordinating by holding regular dialogues and consultations on issues of mutual concern. On regional and global issues, the ministers agreed that territorial disputes must be settled through peaceful measures in line with international law, contributing to maintaining peace, stability and development. VNS All coastal provinces, especially in the central region, have scrambled to prepare for the 10th tropical storm of the yearthe strongest to hit the East Sea in three years. Photo soha.vn HA NOI All coastal provinces, especially in the central region, have scrambled to prepare for the 10th tropical storm of the yearthe strongest to hit the East Sea in three years. The National Centre for Hydro-meteorology Forecasting yesterday said the storm, internationally named Doksuri, was forecast to gain strength and make landfall on the central coastal provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri early Saturday. Its current strongest wind speed is 90 km per hour. In Nghe An Province, the local administration yesterday informed all vessels about the storm, mobilised all sources to supervise vessels voyage schedules and prepared its emergency response plans. The province had ordered farmers to quickly harvest rice and crops and protect their aqua farms before the storm came in order to minimize damage. The local administration also said that in some remote areas, the lack of television and radio made it difficult for the authorities to inform people about the development of the storm. In the meantime, in Thanh Hoa Province , some 3,478 of 4,726 vessels had already found safe anchorage to avoid the storm by 2pm yesterday. The authorities continued updating vessels on the development of the storm and alerted them about dangerous areas to ensure their safety. Relevant agencies had checked areas with high risks of landslides and flash floods to make plans for evacuating local residents to safe places. Urgent meeting Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc yesterday afternoon sent an urgent message to ministries and localities to direct them to prepare for the storm. Phuc said it would be a strong storm and ordered all relevant agencies to cancel all non-urgent meetings to be on full elert. In response to the situation, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and Central Steering Committee on Natural Disasters Prevention and Control Nguyen Xuan Cuong hold an urgent meeting yesterday morning to ask the localities to prepare to cope with the storm. Cuong said, The situation now is very urgent because it is a strong storm and its impact scale could reach 500-600km. He required all coastal provinces from Quang Ninh to Binh inh to ban seafaring beginning Thursday (September 14) to ensure safety for both people and vehicles. The fishing surveillance force was told to immediately report the number of vessels on the sea and quickly inform the vessels about the dangers of the storm, he said. The localities were told to check their reservoirs to make preparations for potential floods, he added. Cuong said the water level of Hong (Red) River was now high while reservoirs in the north and north-central were nearly full. Major hydro-power plants reservoirs in the north opened six floodgates. If torrential rains occur during the storm, the Hoa Binh Reservoir might have to open five floodgates. This could threaten the safety of local people living in the downstream area of Hong (Red) River, he said. Cuong ordered the Viet Nam Television, the Vietnam News Agency and the Voice of Viet Nam to provide constant updates on the storms development so that people could actively prepare for the storm. Major General Truong Trong Nghia, chief of the National Committee for Search and Rescues Office, said the committee was ready to cope with the storm. Nghia said the committee had sent teams to localities to co-operate with local administrations to better prepare for the storm. Storm developments By 7pm yesterday, the storm was at 380km to the east of Hoang Sa (Paracel) Archipelago, with the highest wind speed of 90 km per hour, said the national centre for hydro-meteorology forecasting. The storm, moving at 15-20km, was expected to gain strength and by 4pm on Thursday reach its strongest wind speed of up to 135km per hour. Due to the storm, torrential rains with rainfall of up to 400mm were predicted to hit the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri on Friday and Saturday. At the same time, provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Ngai would be blanketed by heavy rains with the rainfall of 300mm. Floods were forecast to occur in river systems from Thanh Hoa Province to Quang Ngai Province between Friday and Sunday, the centre said. Provinces of Hoa Binh, Son La, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien Hue, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri were put on high alert for landslides and flash floods. Urban areas of Ha Noi, Vinh, Ha Tinh, ong Hoi and Hue were warned about inundation triggered by heavy rains, the centre said. HCM CITY A number of New Zealand educational institutions currently offer co-delivered programmes in partnership with Vietnamese counterparts, according to that countrys government agency for international education, Education New Zealand. The Victoria University of Wellington offers a Bachelor of Commerce degree along with the HCM City University of Economics, a Bachelor of International Relations degree with the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam, and a masters degree in Teaching English to Speakers in Other Languages with the HCM City University of Pedagogy. Massey University also has a number of partnerships with the HCM City University of Economics, including pathway programmes for Master of Finance, Master of Business Studies and Bachelor of Business degrees. Massey Universitys other partnerships with Vietnamese institutions range from collaborations on study tours and exchanges with Viet uc High School to initiatives such as faculty development and short courses in education and language pedagogy with An Giang University. Auckland University of Technology, the University of Waikato, and the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology are other universities with tie-ups in Viet Nam. John Laxon, Education New Zealands regional director for South, South East Asia & the Middle East, said these collaborations reiterate New Zealand universities commitment to providing Vietnamese students with holistic and valuable learning experiences. New Zealand has emerged as an increasingly popular education destination for Vietnamese students, with a 64 per cent increase [year-on-year] in the numbers of Vietnamese students choosing New Zealand as their study destination in the first eight months of 2017. Viet Nam is one of the top three ASEAN source countries for New Zealand. Last year there were 131,000 international students studying in New Zealand, including 2,200 Vietnamese. New Zealand has eight state-funded universities, 16 institutes of technology and polytechnics and about 550 private training establishments. Nearly 40 of them will showcase their internationally recognised study programmes at education fairs to be held in HCM City on September 23 and Ha Noi on September 24. VNS ABC/Andrea McCallinAfter breaking his leg during a concert in Gothenburg, Sweden, Dave Grohl was able to finish the concert thanks to a member of the venue's on-site medical team, who helped prop up his leg so he could finish the show. Now, Grohl and the medic have run into each other again. On their Twitter account, Foo Fighters shared a photo of Grohl and the medic onstage during the fateful day in 2015 next to a new picture of them smiling together. "REUNITED!" the caption reads, in all caps. After the Sweden show, Foo Fighters canceled the rest of their European tour so that Grohl could recover. Less than a month later, the band launched their U.S. tour as scheduled, and Grohl sat in a giant motorized throne throughout the trek. A long-since-healed Grohl and the rest of the Foo Fighters will kick off a North American tour in October in support of their upcoming album Concrete and Gold, which will be released this Friday, September 15. Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Deal struck for Cam Ranh-Seoul air service for tourists The Nha Trang-Khanh Hoa Tourism Association and South Koreas Jeju Air signed a deal last week to launch air service between Cam Ranh and the Korean capital Seoul. Starting later this year there will be a daily flight. Each trip will take around five hours. The tourism association will work with local tour operators and hotels to develop services and human resources to serve Korean tourists. It will also seek to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese travellers to visit Korea. The association conducted a survey of the South Korean market, found it had great potential for growth and reached out to its Korean partner. The association also intends to add new markets beyond the already-robust Chinese and Russian tourist flow. FRANKFURT AM MAIN Insolvent Air Berlin has cancelled dozens more flights as pilots again called in sick, despite warnings from the airline that the wildcat action could jeopardise rescue talks. The mass "sick-out" comes ahead of a Friday deadline for potential investors to submit bids for Air Berlin assets. "More than 30 flights" had to be scrapped early on Wednesday as some 150 pilots handed in sick notices for a second day, an Air Berlin spokeswoman said. Duesseldorf and Berlin-Tegel airports were worst hit by the cancellations, she said, advising affected passengers "not to come to the airport". Thousands of travellers were already left stranded on Tuesday when some 200 of Air Berlins 1,500 pilots suddenly called in sick, forcing the cancellation of around 100 flights. Air Berlin has accused the absent pilots of "threatening the existence" of the airline, warning that the turmoil could scare off investors. Lufthansas low-cost subsidiary Eurowings, which leases Air Berlin aircraft and crew, was also affected for a second day. Air Berlin filed for insolvency in mid-August, after its main shareholder, Gulf carrier Etihad Airways, unexpectedly pulled the plug on its cash lifeline. The airline has long struggled for survival, and booked losses amounting to 1.2 billion euros (US$1.4 billion) over the past two years. Germanys giant services sector union Verdi on Tuesday expressed solidarity with the absent pilots. "All the conversations surrounding insolvent Air Berlin are always about its economic interests, never about the jobs of its more than 8,000 employees," said Verdi board member Christine Behle. Meanwhile, German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt urged the pilots to end their "risky manoeuvre" and return to work for the sake of Air Berlins roughly 8,000 employees. "I can only appeal to everyone to come to their senses and let the flights take place. This is necessary to make a transition to new owners possible," he said at a press conference. German flagship carrier Lufthansa -- which already leases 38 of Air Berlins 140 planes -- is seen as the favourite to take over the bulk of the stricken carriers assets. Other interested suitors cited in media reports include package holiday firm TUI, British low-cost carrier EasyJet and Thomas Cook subsidiary Condor, as well as Bavarian entrepreneur Hans Rudolf Woehrl. Chinas LinkGlobal, which operates Parchim airport in northern Germany, also plans to join the scramble for Air Berlin assets, Bild reported on Wednesday. Late Wednesday, Austrian former Formula One champion Niki Lauda was quoted as saying that he too would bid for parts of Air Berlin as well as its Austrian subsidiary Niki, which he founded. "I am going to make a bid together with Thomas Cook and Condor," Lauda, 68, told the Austrian daily Kurier in an article to be published on Thursday. He will own 51 per cent in the consortium, he said. AFP MOSCOW More than 15,000 people were evacuated on Wednesday from several shopping centres, universities and train stations in Moscow after a series of bomb threats, Russian media reported. A source in the emergency services told state-run TASS news agency that over 30 prominent locations including the famed GUM shopping centre on Red Square were temporarily emptied after anonymous telephone threats. Interfax news agency cited a source as saying that over 15,000 people around the sprawling city were evacuated. Neither the emergency services in Moscow nor the police could immediately confirm the incidents to AFP. A representative for GUM said that employees had been allowed back inside the building. The spate of threats came after two days of similar calls caused disruptions in cities across Russia, with the state-run RIA Novosti news service reporting some 45,000 people were evacuated nationwide. No bombs were found at any of the locations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday said the countrys intelligence services were investigating the threats. AFP WATERLOO Authorities have revoked the probation of a Cedar Falls man who was convicted of abusing children in 2007. The Iowa Attorney Generals Office also is asking the court to commit Cass Lawrence Hesse to treatment as a sexually violent predator. Hesse is currently in custody at the Clarinda Correction Facility following a Sept. 6 probable cause hearing in Black Hawk County District Court where a judge ruled the committal case can move forward. Trail is tentatively set for November. Hesse, 38, was convicted of three counts of indecent contact with a child in 2007 for allegedly fondling three boys ages 3, 5 and 6 over several years. He was sentenced to six years in prison and was released from prison in 2011. At that time he began serving a 10-year stint on supervised probation. In June, corrections officials moved to revoke Hesses probation after he allegedly admitted to accidently touching a 12-year-old while the two were alone in a tent in 2016, court records state. Court records state the tent incident appears to have occurred while he was participating in sex offender aftercare. It came to light in April 2017 during a polygraph examination. He completed sex offender treatment in 2011, and he admitted to molesting other children in cases where he wasnt caught, court records state. The Attorney Generals Office said William Schmitt, a Wisconsin psychologist who evaluates sex offenders, has reviewed Hesses file and believes he suffers from pedophilic disorder and is at above average risk to reoffend, court records state. One injured in Waterloo shooting WATERLOO A Waterloo man was treated for a gunshot wound following an early morning shooting Wednesday. Michael Carter showed up at UnityPoint-Allen Hospital around 4:15 a.m. Wednesday with a bullet wound to his left arm. The injuries arent considered life threatening, police said. Police believe the shooting happened in the area of Sullivan Avenue and West Third and Bayard streets. Clarksville woman killed in crash CLARKSVILLE Authorities have released details in the Tuesday morning crash that killed a Clarksville woman. Dannette D. Hildebrant, 49, died after her Jeep Wrangler and a Ford F-250 pickup truck collided on C-33 outside Clarksville shortly before 8 a.m., according to the Iowa State Patrol. According to the preliminary accident report, the pickup driver, David W. Kramer, 81, of Clarksville, was traveling east and slowed to turn left into a private farm driveway. The Jeep attempted to pass the slowing pickup on the left, and the vehicle collided, the report states. The Jeep rolled several times, according to the State Patrol. In addition to the State Patrol, crews from Clarksville fire, EMS and police, Waverly Ambulance and the Butler County Sheriffs Office responded to the crash. Waterloo teen beaten in robbery WATERLOO A Waterloo teen was beaten and robbed by other youths who broke into her home Tuesday afternoon. The 17-year-old girl was taken to a local hospital and suffered a concussion, black eyes, bloody nose, cut lip and other minor injuries in the attack, which took place at her mobile home on Montero Drive around 2 p.m., according to police reports. It was malicious. It was like some sick setup. For no reason. She didnt do anything to anybody, said one person close to the family who asked not to be identified. A group of youths entered the residence after kicking in the door and began assaulting the girl while she was sleeping. She attempted to lock herself in the bathroom, but that door was broken open. The attackers then dragged the girl outside where the assault continued. One of the suspects took her cell phone and an iPad before fleeing. No arrests have been made in the attack, and the incident is under investigation, police said. Teen charged in photo investigation CEDAR FALLS A teen has been charged in the investigation into photos of a teenage girl changing clothes. A 16-year-old male was charged Sept. 8 with dissemination of obscene material to minors and exploitation of a minor, both misdemeanors. The case was referred to juvenile court. The incident took place in 2016 when a 13-year-old girl was photographed with an electronic device while changing, according to police. The images were then shared with others through their electronic devices, police said. Dinner planned at Odd Fellows CEDAR FALLS Cedar Valley Odd Fellow Lodge and Happy Thought Rebekah Lodge will have a Swiss steak and ham dinner from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at the Odd Fellows Hall, corner of Second and Franklin streets. The meal will be served family style and include homemade pies and cakes. Cost is $9 for adults, $4 for children ages 5 to 12 and free for ages 4 and younger. Beyond Pink event slated CEDAR FALLS The Beyond Pink TEAM will host its next Meet, Mingle and Learn event from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists building, 3912 Cedar Heights Drive. This months topic will be What is Cancer Rehabilitation? Speaker will be Jennifer Nus, DPT. This free event is open to women living with any type of cancer diagnosis. Activities are planned from 4:30 to 7 p.m., but the presentation will be from 6 to 6:45 p.m. There will be light refreshments provided by funding from Sams Club in Waterloo. For more information, call Gabbi DeWitt at 292-2225 or Dee Hughes at 235-3179; or go to www.cedarvalleybreastcancer.org. Orphan train story to be told CEDAR FALLS The Northeast Iowa Genealogical Society will host Cedar Falls resident Santha Kerns at its meeting set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Cedar Falls Library. Kerns will share her mothers story of being an orphan train child. Blood drive set at school WATERLOO An American Red Cross blood drive is planned for 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Columbus High School gym. Schedule an appointment at redcrossblood.org or (800) 733-2767. Hartman hosts artist programs CEDAR FALLS -- Hartman Reserves Artist-In-Residence, Malin Palani will offer three public programs, all of which are free and family-friendly, beginning Sept. 22. The theme behind the programs is Home is Here, Home is Hartman. Palani is a performance artist and a visiting professor from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. On Sept. 22, at anytime between 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., the public may participate in a self-guided walk at Hartman Reserve Nature Center. Maps/activity booklets will be available at each trail entrance and along the route. Palani will walk from sunrise Friday to sunrise Saturday. On Sept. 23 at 1:30 p.m., Palani will lead a post-walk discussion at the Hearst Center for the Arts in Cedar Falls. Guests at this discussion neednt have participated in the previous days walk. Palani also will walk within the Hearst garden area and lead a similar, shorter version of the previous days walk. On Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m., Palani will perform at the Waterloo Center for the Arts. The programs are sponsored by Cedar Falls Art and Culture Board, Waterloo Center for the Arts, University Book & Supply and the Friends of Hartman Reserve. For more information, go to www.HartmanReserve.org or call 277-2187. Legion post sets several events WATERLOO American Legion Post 138 at 728 Commercial St. has several events planned. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, tenderloin, hamburger and two-for-one drinks will be served. No bingo will be played Tuesday. Tenderloins, grilled chicken sandwich, hot dogs, salad and chips will be available at 11 a.m. Wednesday. A pepper tournament will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, with the Iowa football game at 6:30 p.m. Bring snacks to share. On Sunday, bingo is planned at 1:15 and 2 p.m.. WATERLOO One person has been charged the beating and robbery of a Waterloo teen on Tuesday. Waterloo police on Wednesday took Tyteria Arielle Jackson, 16, of Waterloo, into custody on charges of second-degree robbery and first-degree burglary. Jackson is being charged as an adult. The investigation into the attack is ongoing, and other arrests are expected, said Capt. David Mohlis with the Waterloo Police Department. Police said the victim knew some of the suspects in the assault. According to police, at least three youths entered a 17-year-old girls mobile home on Montero Drive around 2 p.m. Tuesday. The intruders began punching and kicking her while she was in bed, and she was dragged onto the mobile homes porch where the attack continued. The girl suffered a concussion, black eyes and other injuries, according to a source close to the family. The attackers also took the girls phone during the incident. WATERLOO A Saudi Arabian citizen is back in jail after pleading to a reduced charge for attacking a woman at her Cedar Falls home in 2013. Hamad Abdul Aziz Alsalman, 27, had initially pleaded to first-degree burglary and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse in 2014 and was sentenced to up to 25 years in prison. Alsalman believed he would deported back to his home country --- and avoid prison time --- if he pleaded, according to court records. But when immigration authorities let him linger in prison, he appealed, and the plea was overturned in July 2016. Deportation failure means trial in Cedar Falls attack CEDAR FALLS -- A Saudi Arabian citizen accused of forcing his way into a Cedar Falls home an The case was put back on the court docket with an August 2017 trial date. But Alsalman entered a plea to assault with intent to commit sexual assault and reduced charge second-degree burglary before trail was scheduled to begin. He was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for burglary with a concurrent five years for the assault charge, and he was given credit for time served. He is currently in the Newton Correctional Facility and will have to register as a sex offender when he is released. NEW DETAILS: Man arrested in attack following crash CEDAR FALLS | A Cedar Falls man has been arrested after he allegedly forced his way into a h Authorities said Alsalman, a university student, had been drinking and crashed his vehicle around 3 a.m. on Dec. 31, 2013. He then walked to a nearby home and attacked the woman who answered the door, telling her he planned to have sex with her and killer her, court records state. The womans 4-year-old child woke to the commotion. When she tried to flee, Alsalman tackled her and thrust her head into the snow. SIOUX CITY U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, in late Wednesday night tweets blasted President Donald Trump, a fellow Republican, over possible immigration policy moves. King tweeted Trump would blow up his base of conservative support and have no credibility, if the president takes what King considers a soft stance on immigration. King, a firebrand conservative who has the quest to build a wall at the Mexican border as one of his top issues, was responding to an Associated Press account on a possible deal with Democrats regarding the wall or people affected by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. By Thursday morning, the president wrote a series of tweets to try to explain where immigration pieces stand. King on Wednesday night retweeted an AP story tweet, which cited Democratic leaders and read, BREAKING: Schumer, Pelosi announce deal with Trump to protect young immigrants; will include border security, but no wall. King then topped that tweet with his own take, writing, @RealDonaldTrump If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible. In another tweet a few minutes after the first one about 10 p.m. Wednesday, King wrote, @RealDonaldTrump Mr. President, I support your agenda, especially your no amnesty agenda. MAGA! King tweeted once more on the topic Thursday morning in which he recounts actions he calls amnesty during past presidencies. King tweeted, Reagan led with Amnesty, 1986. Bush43 led with Amnesty 06, Obama led with Amnesty 13. All failed so...Trump leads with DACA Amnesty 2017. With the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals initiative in force since 2012, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security does not deport certain undocumented youths who came to the U.S. as children with relatives. Trump also used Twitter to lay out his positions Thursday morning. In the first such tweet from his @realDonaldTrump account, the president wrote, No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote. Another Trump tweet said, The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built. His fourth and final tweet on the topic Thursday morning appeared to indicate Trump may not seek deportation of some of the undocumented young people. Trump wrote, ...They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their ownbrought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security. Also on Thursday, White House Spokeswoman Lindsay Walters repeated the presidents assertion no deal was made on protections for young immigrants during a dinner Wednesday night between the president and Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. WATERLOO A group of 100 Waterloo-based Iowa Army National Guard soldiers are part of a 500-soldier force from four states including 390 from Iowa being deployed to provide aviation support for the U.S. Central Command in the Middle East. It is the largest overseas deployment since more than 3,300 Iowa Army National Guard soldiers, including the Waterloo-headquartered 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry regiment, were deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, Guard officials said. A sendoff for the 100 to-be-deployed Waterloo soldiers is set for 2 p.m. Sept. 29 at the West Gymnasium on the University of Northern Iowa campus. Other sendoffs are set that day for soldiers deploying from Davenport, Muscatine and Boone. All are elements of the Iowa Guards 248th Aviation Support Battalion. The 248th ASB is comprised of aircraft maintainers, test pilots and logistical support personnel, Guard officials said in a release. Other detachments are being deployed from Louisiana, Maryland, Tennessee and Wisconsin. These soldiers will travel to their mobilization station at Fort Hood, Texas, for additional training before assignment to overseas locations in the U.S. Central Command theater of operation, the release continued. Such deployments are usually for about one year, officials have said. The battalions mission is to provide aviation maintenance and logistical support to a combat aviation brigade, which includes aircraft diagnostics, repair, maintenance, refueling, medical support, supply support activities, ground maintenance and testing, officials said. Units within the 248th ASB have previously mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001-2002, 2003, and 2004; Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2008-09; and as part of a peacekeeping force in Kosovo in 2013-14. In August, 35 soldiers with Detachment 1, Company C, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion in Waterloo also were deployed. The Iowa Guard has a helicopter air aviation support facility on Big Rock Road north of the Waterloo Regional Airport. Some political tastes linger in the mouth like spoiled milk or a bad oyster. Consider the shockingly shabby treatment recently accorded by some Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to a law professor at Notre Dame who is being considered for a position on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Her questioners displayed a confusion of the intellect so profound, a disregard for constitutional values so reckless, that it amounts to anti-religious bigotry. Barrett is an instructive test case of secular, liberal unease with earnest faith, particularly in its Catholic variety. She is, in the description of a letter signed by every full-time member of the Notre Dame law school faculty, a brilliant teacher and scholar, and a warm and generous colleague. She possesses in abundance all of the other qualities that shape extraordinary jurists: discipline, intellect, wisdom, impeccable temperament, and above all, fundamental decency and humanity. Barrett is also, not coincidentally, a serious Christian believer who has spoken like one in public. This was enough to make Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, a fellow Catholic, wary. Do you consider yourself an orthodox Catholic? he asked Barrett, evidently on the theory publicly acceptable religion must come in small, diluted doses. It fell to California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, however, to explicitly declare Barrett part of a suspect class. Dogma and law are two different things, she lectured. And I think whatever a religion is, it has its own dogma. The law is totally different. ... When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you. And thats of concern when you come to big issues that large numbers of people have fought for for years in this country. Translation: Dont let your dogma mess with my dogma. Where to start? How about with the fact Feinsteins line of questioning was itself a violation of the Constitution? Here is constitutional scholar and Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber: By prohibiting religious tests, the Constitution makes it impermissible to deny any person a national, state or local office on the basis of their religious convictions or lack thereof. Because religious belief is constitutionally irrelevant to the qualifications for a federal judgeship, the Senate should not interrogate any nominee about those beliefs. I believe, more specifically, that the questions directed to professor Barrett about her faith were not consistent with the principle set forth in the Constitutions no religious test clause. How about Feinsteins indifference to the sordid history of anti-Catholic bias? Feinstein leapt past 20th-century suspicions of Catholic allegiances, legal scholar John Inazu told me, to 19th-century bigotry toward Catholic identity: Who you are as a Catholic is of concern. How about Feinsteins ignorance of religion itself? In defending her animus, she called particular attention to Barretts statement Christians should be building the kingdom of God. That would be the kingdom Jesus insisted is not of this world, much to the confusion of 1st-century politicians. It is a description of transformed hearts, not a prescription for theocracy. But the deeper problem is a certain type of liberal thinking that seeks to declare secular ideas the only valid basis for public engagement. A neutral public square, in this view, must be a secular public square. Since religious ideas and motivations are fundamentally illiberal, they must be contained entirely to the private sphere. This is a thin and sickly sort of pluralism. It is permissible, in this approach, to advocate for human rights because John Locke says so, but not because of a theological belief the image of God is found in every human being. If your views on a just society are informed by John Stuart Mill, they are allowed to triumph in politics. If your views on a just society are informed by your deepest beliefs about the cosmos, you can never prevail because this represents the imposition of religion. This is hardly neutrality. It is a conception of pluralism that silences millions of people and reaches back into history to invalidate the abolition movement, the civil rights movement and many other causes informed by boisterous religious belief. In effect, Feinstein would make her secularism the state religion, complete with its own doctrine and Holy Office. A judge is bound by the Constitution, not by any creed as Barrett has affirmed again and again. But having a conscience and a character shaped by faith is not a problem; it is part of a rich and positive American tradition. Someone should inform the grand inquisitor. President Trumps sudden pivot to cooperation with congressional leaders to advance hurricane relief and raise the federal debt limit signals a potential disintegration of the Republican Party, as two conservative factions intensify their opposition to its diminishing moderate wing. Both the House Freedom Caucus, which stands firm against federal expansionism, and Stephen Bannons Breitbart News, the ultranationlist and populist website now flexing its muscles, are making rebellious noises. They are aimed not only at Trump but also at House Speaker Paul Ryan as keeper of the GOP establishment flame. Trumps decision to start doing business with Capitol Hill Democrats underscored his focus on personal political success over party principles and philosophy. His long losing streak in legislative objectives, from the failure to repeal Obamacare to the failure to finance construction of a wall on the Mexican border, has moved him to unaccustomed bipartisanship. Ryan so far has seemed to turn the other cheek, saying of Trumps new willingness to play ball with the equally frustrated congressional Democrats the president can speak for himself. Ryan suggested that Trump, judging the sour public mood, had decided we needed to come together, not to create a picture of divisiveness at a time of genuine national crisis. But coming together does not appear to reflect the desires of either the House Freedom Caucus or Bannons re-emerging monkey wrench on the political spectrums far right. At least for now, the most vocal Trump voting base seems more willing to fight than to switch. This internal Republican conflict has begun to fan speculation of yet another of the GOP resurrections that over party history have briefly flared up over the past century and a half. In the 1860s, Republican congressional foes bucked President Andrew Johnsons post-Civil War reconstruction plans as too accommodating toward the defeated Southern states. The Senate failed to impeach him by a single vote, and he finished his term but yielded the presidency in 1868 to General U.S. Grant, easily nominated by the Republicans. In 1912, another GOP breach occurred when former President Theodore Roosevelt broke with his anointed successor President William Howard Taft and started the Progressive or Bull Moose Party. But both lost in the Republican split to Democrat Woodrow Wilson. In 1992, Texas businessman tycoon Ross Perot formed the independent Reform Party and won 19 percent of the vote but ran third after Democratic winner Bill Clinton and Republican George H.W. Bush. Also in 1992, former Richard Nixon aide Patrick Buchanan ran against Bush for the Republican nomination but lost after winning 3 million votes in the party primaries. Four years later Buchanan ran again on the Reform Party ticket and won the New Hampshire primary, but lost the GOP nomination to Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas. In 2016, Trump as a former nominal Democrat took on a large field of hopeful Republicans against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. It was led by early frontrunner and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush of the Republican family dynasty. Trump, in a slashing and brutal personal campaign against the youngest son and brother of the two Bush presidents, humiliated him as a low-energy candidate and routed him with the rest of the Republican field en route to his 2016 election over Clinton. Her own campaign was marred by a Democratic split wherein affirmed party socialist candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders drew heavy liberal support. Clinton won the presidential popular vote by about 3 million ballots but lost to Trump in the Electoral College. He later blamed that defeat on voter fraud, an allegation widely repudiated by state elections officials. Trump entered the presidency on the strength of his personal appeal to voters frustrated by partisan Washington divisions and vowing to drain the swamp of them. But his failure to do so has now led him to make least temporary accommodation with the congressional Democratic minority, to break the long legislative deadlock. At stake may now be not only the Trump agenda and presidency but also the future of the Grand Old Party, born out of civil war and sustained until now despite frequent internal ideological skirmishes, like the one now emerging. The super PAC set up by allies of Sen. Mitch McConnell to keep Republicans in power has spent almost $5 million in this election cycle. Under normal circumstances, that would be good news for the party, an indication of its financial strength and tactical savvy. Today its bad news, because more than 80 percent of the money has gone to attacking Republican rebels who are challenging party incumbents. Much of the cash has been pouring in to a special Senate contest in Alabama, where a far-right challenger to McConnells favored candidate is leading in a race to replace Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Theres a similar dynamic at play in Arizona, where a McConnell-friendly Republican is facing a formidable insurgent in 2018. Other tests are ahead. At the White House, President Donald Trump does more to provoke party combat than to make peace; he has no allegiance to Republicans. Steve Bannon, his venomous alt-right political guru, told Charlie Rose last week on 60 Minutes hes eager to take out Republicans he considers too moderate or insufficiently supportive of Trump. The consequences for next years elections are to imperil Republican control of the House and put Senate leaders on the defensive. Instead of focusing on four races where they thought they could add to their two-seat majority, they have to guard against losing a couple. A prime indicator of this bitter divide is the way the McConnell-controlled political action committee spends its money. At this stage two years ago, the Senate Leadership Fund hadnt spent a penny on election contests, and for the entire 2016 cycle it doled out just $482,000 against Republican challengers. Its already spent eight times that much this year against Republicans. The Alabama primary is where McConnell is trying to protect Sen. Luther Strange, appointed after Sessions went to the Justice Department. But Strange is trailing the right-wing former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Roy Moore. Moore was removed twice from his judicial post, once for defying a federal judges order to move a Ten Commandments monument from his courtroom and then for ordering state judges to withhold marriage licenses from gay and lesbian couples despite a U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex unions. The two Senate Republican incumbents most vulnerable to Democrats in 2018, Jeff Flake of Arizona and Dean Heller of Nevada, also face primary challenges from Trumpist candidates. Flakes outspoken criticism has earned him special enmity from the White House, and McConnells PAC is attacking his main primary challenger, Kelli Ward. Bannon met last week with Danny Tarkanian, the Nevada Republican whom hes supporting in a primary challenge against Heller. The Trump confidant, who left the White House last month but remains close to the president, said in the 60 Minutes interview he considered McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan to be political enemies, accused the Roman Catholic church of pandering to illegal aliens and charged that three foreign-policy advisers to Republican presidents, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and Brent Scowcroft, are idiots. Initially, Republicans thought theyd be able to focus their energy on adding to their Senate majority by going after Democratic incumbents in states that went overwhelmingly for Trump, like West Virginia, Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota. Bitter Republican primaries could jeopardize these prospects. The civil war also is threatening the party in House elections. Some House moderates, like Pennsylvanias Charlie Dent, are retiring, sick of fighting the Trump element. Look for more Republican retirements in the weeks ahead. Heres another indicator: In 2015, House Republicans turned to Ryan to unify the party after pushing out Speaker John Boehner. Trump, however, has not hidden his disdain for Ryan. Thats had an effect. At a candidate forum at the Minnesota State Fair in August, four Republican candidates in swing districts refused to commit themselves to supporting Ryans re-election as speaker. L * * * ADDRESS OF POPE FRANCIS TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF CELAM BOGOTA, 7 SEPTEMBER 2017 D ike it or not, as the enduring image of last week's five-day trek to Colombia will end up being the shiner to Francis' left eye after a sudden Popemobile stop, given his quick rebound from the head-bump, the old Timex watch slogan comes to mind: in this case, "He takes a licking and keeps on ticking."Then again, considering the daily bruising to which he's openly subjected just from within the church you already knew that.Speaking of ticking, with his fifth anniversary on Peter's chair now just six months away, it's an allegory of Jorge Bergoglio's methodical consistency of chipping away at things that the visit marked his 20th overseas jaunt as Bishop of Rome. Two more are already in the works the latter of which, slated for January, brings another return to Latin America (this time, Chile and Peru )... and with it, at least the possibility of what'd immediately become his most profound and far-reaching act on his home continent: a last-minute swing to El Salvador to canonize Blessed Oscar Romero, whose reported miracle to be cleared for sainthood was forwarded to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in March. (As 2017 marks the centenary of the Salvadoran martyr's birth which the Pope already observed with a historic red hat to the keeper of Romero's flame at home last month the cause's postulator, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, tipped the canonization to come within the year. Back to the present, while the Colombia tour brought its usual share of the now-expected evocative and freewheeling reflections, on the programmatic front, one address in particular stands out. So even for the usual input overload these visits tend to be in the moment, for the long haul, it's important that it not be lost in the sea of all the rest.For the wider world and, indeed, the host-nation itself the trip's main emphasis was on reconciliation, in light of last year's hard-won peace accord which ended the decades-long scourge of violence by left-wing guerrillas. In church terms, however, the core element lay elsewhere, its ramifications likely to spread across the continent and beyond.One of global Catholicism's five largest outposts at least until 2002, when three additional dioceses were spun off from it today's "downsized" see of Bogota still comprises some 4 million members. In more ways than one, though, on the continent which claims a plurality of the worldwide fold of 1.2 billion, Colombia's lead metropolis is thecapital of the Latin American church; a distinction first born from the countrys historic standing as a bastion of learning and culture, but now owed in particular to Bogotas place as the headquarters of CELAM the mega-conference of the regions 1,500-odd bishops.In all, CELAM encompasses the 21 national benches of Latin America and the Caribbean, which between them lead some 500 million faithful. Yet while each country retains its own proper conference, to view the wider body as some kind of weak confederation would be a grave mistake if anything, its the closest thing the global church has to a ministry lab, policy shop and megaphone at the broadest possible level, and this pontificate has only served to amplify its unique role all the more.Interestingly enough, on the death of the retired English prelate Cardinal Cormac Murphy-OConnor earlier this month, the insight resurfaced that the now widely-known St Gallen group of progressive red-hats committed to Vatican IIs call for enhanced collegiality only saw its inception after John Paul IIs Curia sought to clip the wings of CELAM and its less-formidable European counterpart, the CCEE . As circumstances would have it, though, the 2013 Conclave saw the pendulum swing their way: in the watershed choice of the primate of Argentina, the lead architect of the Latin American bishops current operative charter built upon the concept of a church in a permanent state of mission garnered the mandate to bring the rest of the global fold under its umbrella.Six years after the now-Pope led the drafting of said Message at Aparecida, Francis universal adaptation of it came in then as now, the blueprint of his ministry as the church's "Supreme Pastor." Accordingly, just as the preview of that overarching program was shared at Rio de Janiero months after his election during an address to CELAMs leadership, so last week in Bogota, another major talk to the conferences summoned top brass serves as both a progress-check and an eye to whats ahead.In that light, a couple context notes bear recalling.First, when it comes to Papa Bergoglios ideal of a more synodal church at every level most palpably expressed by him on the 50th anniversary of the Roman Synod in 2015 for Francis, the Latin conference is the template which best embodies the goal. It was CELAM, after all, which made the imperative of the preferential option for the poor not just part of the lexicon of the modern church, but one which has bled into wider society.Second, as the wider groups direction hinges upon its principal figures in the member-countries, arguably the whole of Latin America is currently on tenterhooks as it awaits the major decision currently pending before the pontiff: Francis' appointment of the next archbishop of Mexico City the global churchs largest diocese all told, not to mention the center of gravity for Catholicisms second-largest national bloc, its 95 million members surpassed only by Brazil's 130 million. (Fittingly, the impact said choice will have was foreshadowed by the 8.0 magnitude earthquake which struck the Pacific coast there last week, the shockwaves reported to have reached the capital.)And lastly, while Francis himself mused to his old confreres that "the treasure of Aparecida" remains "to be fully exploited," it is curious that with CELAM essentially toting a blank check for whatever it wants from Rome these days seemingly no groundwork has yet been plotted for a next plenary of the entire Latin American episcopate, which have tended to occur roughly every decade and a half.Convoked by the Pope at the behest of the body, then with several more years spent in preparation, the five CELAM assemblies have each served to reorient a continent-wide church around a shared vision and set of general priorities. While thats no small feat in itself, given a Stateside church whose present and future are driven more from points South than East, what ensues on that front in due course will have an unprecedented effect above the Rio Grande a state of affairs which only grows with each passing day.All that said, marking an opening to some interesting possibilities at least, if its operative word is heeded as delivered last week at the Bogota Nunciature, heres the full English () of Francis Blueprint 2.0, intended both for his home-turf and far afield.ear Brothers,I thank you for our meeting and for the warm words of welcome by the President of the Latin American Episcopal Council. Were it not for the tight demands of my schedule, I would have liked to visit you at the CELAM offices. I thank you for your thoughtfulness in meeting me here.I appreciate your efforts to make this continental Episcopal Conference a home at the service of communion and the mission of the Church in Latin America, as well as a centre for fostering a sense of discipleship and missionary spirit. Over these decades of service to communion, CELAM has also become a vital point of reference for the development of a deeper understanding of. I take this occasion to encourage your recent efforts to express this collegial concern through theFour years ago, in Rio de Janeiro, I spoke to you about the pastoral legacy of Aparecida, the last synodal event of the Church in Latin America and the Caribbean. I stressed the continuing need to learn from its method, marked in essence by the participation of the local Churches and attuned to Gods pilgrim people as they seek his humble face revealed in the. That method is also reflected in the, which is not meant to be a collection of programmes that fill agendas and waste precious energies. Instead, it is meant to place the mission of Jesus at the heart of the Church, making it the criterion for measuring the effectiveness of her structures, the results of her labours, the fruitfulness of her ministers and the joy they awaken. For without joy, we attract no one. I went on to mention the ever-present temptations of making the Gospel an ideology, ecclesial functionalism and clericalism. At stake is the salvation that Christ brings us, which has to touch the hearts of men and women by its power and appealing to their freedom, inviting them to a permanent exodus from themselves and their self-absorption, towards fellowship with God and with our brothers and sisters.When God speaks to us in Jesus, he does not nod vaguely to us as if we were strangers, or deliver an impersonal summons like a solicitor, or lay down rules to be followed like certain functionaries of the sacred. God speaks with the unmistakable voice of the Father to his children; he respects the mystery of man because he formed us with his own hands and gave us a meaningful purpose. Our great challenge as a Church is to speak to men and women about this closeness of God, who considers us his sons and daughters, even when we reject his fatherhood. For him, we are always children to be encountered anew.The Gospel, then, cannot be reduced to a programme at the service of a trendy gnosticism, a project of social improvement or the Church conceived as a comfortable bureaucracy, any more than she can be reduced to an organization run according to modern business models by a clerical caste.The Church is the community of Jesus disciples. The Church is a Mystery (cf., 5) and a People (cf. ibid., 9). Better yet, in the Church the Mystery becomes present through Gods People.Hence my insistence that missionary discipleship is a call from God for todays busy and complicated world, awith Jesus, in order to know how and where the Master lives. When we set out with him, we come to know the will of the Father who is always waiting for us. Only a Church which is Bride, Mother and Servant, one that has renounced the claim to control what is not her ownbut Gods, can remain with Jesus, even when the only place he can lay his head is the cross.Closeness and encounter are the means used by God, who in Christ has drawn near to us to continually meet us. The mystery of the Church is to be the sacrament of this divine intimacy and the perennial place of this encounter. Hence, the need for the bishop to be close to God, for in God he finds the source of his freedom, his steadfastness as a pastor and the closeness of the holy people entrusted to his care. In this closeness, the soul of the apostle learns how to make tangible God's passion for his children.is a treasure yet to be fully exploited. I am certain that each of you has seen how its richness has taken root in the Churches you hold in your hearts. Like the first disciples sent forth by Jesus on mission, we too can recount with enthusiasm(cf.6:30).Nonetheless, we have to be attentive. The essential things in life and in the Church are never written in stone, but remain a living legacy. It is all too easy to turn them into memories and anniversaries to be celebrated: fifty years since Medellin, twenty since, ten since Aparecida! Something more is required: by cherishing the richness of this patrimony () and allowing it to flourish, we exercise theof our episcopal paternity towards the Church in our continent.As you well know, the renewed awareness born of an encounter with the living Christ requires that his disciples foster their relationship with him; otherwise, the face of the Lord is obscured, the mission is weakened, pastoral conversion falters. To pray and to foster our relationship with him: these are the most essential and urgent activities to be carried out in our pastoral mission.When the disciples returned excited by the mission they had carried out, Jesus said to them: Come away by yourselves to a lonely place (6:31). How greatly we need toin order to encounter anew the heart of the Churchs mission in Latin America at the present time. How greatly we need to be recollected, within and without! Our crowded schedules, the fragmentation of reality, the rapid pace of our lives: all these things might make us lose our focus and end up in a vacuum. Recovering unity is imperative.Where do we find unity? Always in Jesus. What makes the mission last is not the generosity and enthusiasm that burn in the heart of the missionary, even though these are always necessary. It is rather the companionship of Jesus in his Spirit. If we do not we set out with him on our mission, we quickly become lost and risk confusing our vain needs with his cause. If our reason for setting out is not Jesus, it becomes easy to grow discouraged by the fatigue of the journey, or the resistance we meet, by constantly changing scenarios or by the weariness brought on by subtle but persistent ploys of theIt is not part of the mission to yield to discouragement, once our initial enthusiasm has faded and the time comes when touching the flesh of Christ becomes. In situations like this, Jesus does not feed our fears. We know very well that to him alone can we go, for he alone has the words of eternal life (cf.6:68). So we need to understand and appreciate more deeply the fact that he has chosen us.Concretely, what does it mean to set out on mission with Jesus today, here in Latin America? The word concretely is not a mere figure of speech: it goes to the very heart of the matter. The Gospel is always concrete, and never an exercise in fruitless speculation. We are well aware of the recurring temptation to get lost in the cavils of the, to wonder how far we can go without losing control over our own bailiwick or our petty portion of power.We often hear it said thatis. Setting out with Jesus is the condition for this. Setting out, yes, but with Jesus. The Gospel speaks of Jesus who, having proceeded from the Father, journeys with his disciples through the fields and the towns of Galilee. His journeying is not meaningless. As Jesus walks, he encounters people. When he meets people, he draws near to them. When he draws near to them, he talks to them. When he talks to them, he touches them with his power. When he touches them, he brings them healing and salvation. His aim inis to lead the people he meets to the Father. We must never stop reflecting on this and examining our consciences. The Church has to re-appropriate the verbs that the Word of God conjugates as he carries out his divine mission. To go forth to meet without keeping a safe distance; to take rest without being idle; to touch others without fear. It is a matter of working by day in the, where Gods people, entrusted to your care, live their lives. We cannot let ourselves be paralyzed by our air-conditioned offices, our statistics and our strategies. We have to speak to men and women in their concrete situations; we cannot avert our gaze from them. The mission is always carried out bycontact.What lack of focus we see all around us! I am referring not only to the squandering of our continents rich diversity, but also to a constant process of disintegration. We need to be attentive lest we let ourselves fall into these traps. The Church is not present in Latin America with her suitcases in hand, ready, like so many others over time, to abandon it after having plundered it. Such people look with a sense of superiority and scorn on itsface; they want to colonize its soul with the same failed and recycled visions of man and life; they repeat the same old recipes that kill thewhile lining the pockets of the. They ignore the deepest concerns present in the heart of its people, the visions and the myths that give strength in spite of frequent disappointments and failures. They manipulate politics and betray hopes, leaving behind scorched land and a terrain ready for more of the same, albeit under a new guise. Powerful figures and utopian dreams have promised magic solutions, instant answers, immediate effects. The Church, without human pretensions, respects the varied face of the continent, which she sees not as an impediment but rather a perennial source of wealth. She must continue working quietly to serve the true good of the men and women of Latin America. She must work tirelessly to build bridges, to tear down walls, to integrate diversity, to promote the culture of encounter and dialogue, to teach forgiveness and reconciliation, the sense of justice, the rejection of violence. No lasting construction in Latin America can do without this unseen yet essential foundation.The Church appreciates like few others the deep-rooted shared wisdom that is the basis of every reality in Latin America. She lives daily with that reserve of moral values on which the life of the continent rests. I am sure that, even as I say this, you can put a name on this reality. We must constantly be in dialogue with it. We cannot lose contact with this moral substratum, with this rich soil present in the heart of our people, wherein we see the subtle yet eloquent elements that make up itsface not merely indigenous, Hispanic, Portuguese or African, but: Latin American!andare programmatic signs of the divine creativity that has bought this about and that underlies the popular piety of our people, which is part of its anthropological uniqueness and a gift by which God wants our people to come to know him. The most luminous pages of our Churchs history were written precisely when she knew how to be nourished by this richness and to speak to this hidden heart. For it guards, like a small spark beneath a coat of ashes, the sense of God and of his transcendence, a recognition of the sacredness of life, respect for creation, bonds of human solidarity, the sheer joy of living, the ability to find happiness without conditions.To speak to this deepest soul, to speak to the most profound reality of Latin America, the Church has no other way than to continually learn from Jesus. The Gospel tells us that he spoke(cf.4:34). He used images that engaged those who heard his word and made them characters in his divine stories. Gods holy and faithful people in Latin America understand no other way of speaking about him. We are called to set out on mission not with cold and abstract concepts, but with images that keep multiplying and unfolding their power in human hearts, making them grain sown on good ground, yeast that makes the bread rise from the dough, and seed with the power to become a fruitful tree.Many people decry a certain deficit of hope in todays Latin America. We cannot take part in their moaning, because we possess a hope from on high. We know all too well that the Latin American heart has been taught by hope. As a Brazilian songwriter has said, hope dances on the tightrope with an umbrella (Joao Bosco,). Once you think hope is gone, it returns where we least expect it. Our people have learned that no disappointment can crush it. It follows Christ in his meekness, even under the scourge. It knows how to rest and wait for the dawn, trusting in victory, because deep down it knows that it does not belong completely to this world.The Church in these lands is, without a doubt and in a special way, a sacrament of hope. Still, there is a need to watch over how that hope takes concrete shape. The loftier it is, the more it needs to be seen on the faces of those who possess it. In asking you to keep watch over the expression of hope, I would now like to speak of some of its traits that are already visible in the Latin American Church.We often speak of young people and we often hear statistics about ours being the continent of the future. Some point to supposed shortcomings and a lack of motivation on the part of the young, while others eye their value as potential consumers. Others would enlist them in drug trafficking and violence. Pay no attention to these caricatures of young people. Look them in the eye and seek in them the courage of hope. It is not true that they want to return to the past. Make real room for them in your local Churches, invest time and resources in training them. Offer them incisive and practical educational programmes, and demand of them, as fathers demand of their children, that they use their gifts well. Teach them the joy born of living life to the full, and not superficially. Do not be content with the palaver and the proposals found in pastoral plans that never get put into practice.I purposely chose Panama, the isthmus of this continent, as the site of the 2019 World Youth Day, which will propose the example of the Virgin Mary, who speaks of herself as a servant and is completely open to all that is asked of her (cf.1:38). I am certain that in all young people there is hidden an isthmus, that in the heart of every young person there iswhich can serve as a path leading them to a future that God alone knows and holds for them. It is our task us to present the young with lofty ideals and to encourage them to stake their lives on God, in imitation of the openness shown by Our Lady.I need not dwell on the role of women on our continent and in our Church. From their lips we learned the faith, and with their milk we took on the features of oursoul and our immunity to despair. I think of indigenous or black mothers, I think of mothers in our cities working three jobs, I think of elderly women who serve as catechists, and I think of consecrated woman and those who quietly go about doing so much good. Without women, the Church of this continent would lose its power to be continually reborn. It is women who keep patiently kindling the flame of faith. We have a grave obligation to understand, respect, appreciate and promote the ecclesial and social impact of all that women do. They accompanied Jesus on his mission; they did not abandon him at the foot of the cross; they alone awaited for the night of death to give back the Lord of life; they flooded the world with the proclamation of his risen presence. If we hope for a new and living chapter of faith in this continent, we will not get it without women. Please, do not let them be reduced to servants of our ingrained clericalism. For they are on the front lines of the Latin American Church, in their setting out with Jesus, in their persevering amid the sufferings of their people, in their clinging to the hope that conquers death, and in their joyful way of proclaiming to the world that Christ is alive and risen.I would like to repeat something I recently said to the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. It is imperative to overcome the clericalism that treats theas children and impoverishes the identity of ordained ministers.Though much effort has been invested and some steps have been taken, the great challenges of the continent are still on the table. They still await the quiet, responsible, competent, visionary, articulated and conscious growth of a Christian laity. Men and women believers, who are prepared to contribute to the spread of an authentic human development, the strengthening of political and social democracy, the overturning of structures of endemic poverty and the creation of an inclusive prosperity based on lasting reforms capable of preserving the common good. So too, the overcoming of inequality and the preservation of stability, the shaping of models of sustainable economic development that respect nature and the genuine future of mankind, which unfettered consumerism cannot ensure, and the rejection of violence and the defence of peace.One more thing: in this sense, hope must always look at the world with the eyes of the poor and from the situation of the poor. Hope is poor, like the grain of wheat that dies (cf.12:24), yet has the power to make Gods plans take root and spread.Wealth, and the sense of self-sufficiency it brings, frequently blind us to both the reality of the desert and the oases hidden therein. It offers textbook answers and repeats platitudes; it babbles about its own empty ideas and concerns, without even coming close to reality. I am certain that in this difficult and confused, yet provisional moment that we are experiencing, we will find the solutions to the complex problems we face in that Christian simplicity hidden to the powerful yet revealed to the lowly. The simplicity of straightforward faith in the risen Lord, the warmth of communion with him, fraternity, generosity, and the concrete solidarity that likewise wells up from our friendship with him.I would like to sum up all of this in a phrase that I leave to you as a synthesis, a synthesis and reminder of this meeting.this Latin America of ours from CELAM,, a passion that nowadays is often lacking. We need to put our heart into everything we do. We need to have the passion of young lovers and of wise elders, a passion that turns ideas into viable utopias, a passion for the work of our hands, a passion that makes us constant pilgrims in our Churches. May I say that we need to be like Saint Toribius of Mogrovejo, who was never reallyin his see: of the twenty-four years of his episcopacy, eighteen were passed visiting the towns of his diocese. My brothers, please, I ask you for passion, the passion of evangelization.I commend you, my brother bishops of CELAM, the local Churches that you represent, and all the people of Latin America and the Caribbean, I commend you to the protection of Our Lady under the titles of Guadalupe and Aparecida. I do so, in the serene certainty that God who spoke to this continent with theand black features of his Mother, will surely make his kindly light shine in the lives of all. 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16 (23) Jan 15 (30) Jan 14 (20) Jan 13 (18) Jan 12 (24) Jan 11 (11) Jan 10 (23) Jan 09 (22) Jan 08 (17) Jan 07 (17) Jan 06 (9) Jan 05 (18) Jan 04 (15) Jan 03 (19) Jan 02 (14) Jan 01 (6) Dec 31 (12) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (15) Dec 28 (11) Dec 27 (7) Dec 26 (10) Dec 25 (16) Dec 24 (13) Dec 23 (16) Dec 22 (11) Dec 21 (26) Dec 20 (28) Dec 19 (14) Dec 18 (25) Dec 17 (23) Dec 16 (19) Dec 15 (22) Dec 14 (38) Dec 13 (26) Dec 12 (25) Dec 11 (27) Dec 10 (31) Dec 09 (15) Dec 08 (30) Dec 07 (31) Dec 06 (27) Dec 05 (38) Dec 04 (25) Dec 03 (27) Dec 02 (15) Dec 01 (36) Nov 30 (23) Nov 29 (17) Nov 28 (23) Nov 27 (13) Nov 26 (16) Nov 25 (14) Nov 24 (18) Nov 23 (21) Nov 22 (21) Nov 21 (24) Nov 20 (20) Nov 19 (23) Nov 18 (17) Nov 17 (17) Nov 16 (34) Nov 15 (25) Nov 14 (17) Nov 13 (21) Nov 12 (18) Nov 11 (9) Nov 10 (15) Nov 09 (9) Nov 08 (9) Nov 07 (12) Nov 06 (8) Nov 05 (4) Oct 29 (1) Oct 01 (1) Jul 29 (1) May 11 (1) Jul 11 (1) He is back. Sassy (Mikheil Saakashvili) was kicked out of Ukraine [contentcards url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-saakashvili/saakashvili-plans-to-unite-ukraine-opposition-against-president-idUSKCN1BM21Z] Forced? No helped and escorted to his new destiny. Paid for by US taxpayers Mikheil Saakashvili and Yulia Tymoshenko team up? But not long ago Since I follow what this US Puppet does in life. It seems he has come back to Ukraine to start a new revolution [contentcards url=http://www.fort-russ.com/2017/09/saakashvili-vs-poroshenko-new-political.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FortRuss+%28Fort+Russ%29] I have written about this interesting character many times I wrote two years ago (below) about the fact that Sassy could very well be a future president of Ukraine. He is now illegally crossed into Ukraine and has huge support of his actions. Porky (Ukraine President Poroshenko) is no longer useful to America and or Europe and Sassy is always the ass kissing special puppet to put in place, when needed It is starting to look like a new Maidan is forming? For why else would a USA Puppet called Sassy, reenter Ukraine illegally and it seems with much support, even from the border patrol? And yes even that famous US puppet Yulia Tymoshenko is dancing in the spotlight again Yes I follow Mikheil Saakashvili and his antics. It is as much out of curiosity as it is animosity toward him Actually you have to admire his tenacity Lets just keep an eye out on this guy and as I always say, Lets hope I am wrong! WtR SAN FRANCISCO, CA, September 14, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The famous European artist Max Papeschi is coming in U.S. with The Leader is Present, his crazy solo-show focusing on Kim Jong Un. On view from September 16, 2017 to October 14, 2017 at The McLoughlin Gallery, 49 Geary Street, San Francisco, in collaboration with Amnesty International and the Italian Institute of Culture, it will be not a conventional art exhibit. As a pioneer of the strongest irreverent digital art, Papeschi simulates to be an art curator who calls the masters (both live and dead) of modern/contemporary art - BANKSY, Marina Abramovic, Damien Hirst, Lucio Fontana and many others - to honor the dictator with Kim-side-specific revisions of their most famous masterpieces. This exhibition is part of the multimedia project Welcome to North Korea that Papeschi has created with the Project Manager Flavia Vago and with the support of Amnesty International to make known the human rights violations perpetrated in North Korea. Pretending to be the Ambassador of North Korea's propaganda, Papeschi has organized a fake sympathetic campaign for Kim Jong Un's dictatorship (www.welcometonorthkorea.org), that actually, it aims to show the regime horrors through a playful and satiric key. Using installations, videos, art shows, performances, games, Max Papeschi recreates North Korea's dystopian reality. The concentration camp is a funny jumper-inflatable called Pyongyang Playground, the mascot is the colorful bomb SpongeBomb, the video-game Kim-Pong is a very psychological torture, seeing is believing! The face of the leader is everywhere and it infects everything: art, TV, music and games. Max Papeschi raises awareness about fundamental and difficult issues, in that way succeeding in something that only art can do: to make the world understand through emotions. Sometimes a laugh is worth more than a thousand speeches! Welcome to North Korea Tour started in Milan on April 2016, it staged in several cities including Como, Turin, Paris. After S.F. it will go to Leipzig (Germany) on March 2018. Opening event: September 16, 2017, 03:00 p.m. - 05:30 p.m., The McLoughlin Gallery, suite 200, 49 Geary Street, San Francisco CA. MAX PAPESCHI After his career as author and director for theatre, TV and cinema, the Italian artist Papeschi began with digital art in 2008, obtaining an immediate success among critics and public. His Politically Incorrect art shows a globalized and consumerist society, revealing its dark side in a realistic and ironic way. He is one of the most renowned and appreciated artists in Europe and, in only nine years, he has shown his works in over 150 exhibitions, more than 50 solo-shows, in 17 countries on 3 continents. In 2014 he published his biography with Sperling & Kupfer (Mondadori Group). From April 2016 he's showing his cultural-humanitarian project Welcome to North Korea around the world in collaboration with Amnesty International. www.maxpapeschi.com # # # Sep 14, 2017 | By Benedict Francesca Burr, a British artist and model, has had part of her skull rebuilt with a 3D printer after suffering a horrific injury that left her with a hole in the head. The then 27-year-old suffered memory loss, even forgetting her own middle name. Francesca Burr, 28, suffered a horrific accident 10 months ago You can make a lot of things with a 3D printer, but part of a persons head is one of the rarer things squeezed out of an additive manufacturing machine. Francesca Burr isnt complaining about that though, having had her life saved by doctors using 3D printing tech. Ten months ago, Burr fell down the stairs at home after suffering a seizure caused by Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS), a rare inherited condition that affects connective tissue. She fractured her skull in five places, cracked her jaw, and broke her nose. Her mother and stepfather came home to the grim scene, with their dog barking like mad and blood everywhere. The British model now has a 3D printed titanium plate in her head At first, her mother couldnt open the door because Burr was laying in front of it, but recognizing the severity of the incident, the concerned parent quickly phoned for emergency help. Doctors arrived quickly and airlifted Burr away in a helicopter, but warned the family that there was little hope. Shortly after Burr was brought to the hospital, surgeons performed a seven-hour operation on her head, scraping out bits of skull that had fallen into her brain. The patient then lay in an induced coma at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, for nearly a month, because doctors deduced that the patient had suffered brain damage. Before the operation I looked like a cartoon character because my head was so swollen, Burr told the Mirror, a British newspaper. So they shaved my head and peeled back my skin to take out all the broken skull. What was left was a massive hole in my head. Burr was in an induced coma for a month Amazingly, Burr did eventually wake up after the coma. But when she did, she had forgotten lots of important things: her middle name, the fact her parents had divorced 10 years prior, and even the identify of a man she had just started dating. In the months afterwards I really struggled thinking of the right words for things, even though I've always been academic and confident in that area, Burr recalled. It's like suddenly you realize you're no longer built the way you were born. And Burr now really is different from the way she was born, having been fitted with an incredible 3D printed titanium plate in her skull. Burr, a model and artist, before the accident They got a 3D printer to create a titanium plate to fit in my head, Burr said. I mean, that's some real James Bond s***. I was amazed when they told me that. I actually met the neurosurgeon who did a few weeks ago and he shook my hand. Although Burrs brain is now held together with metal pins, limiting what she can do from day to day, the 3D printed titanium plate in her skull has basically saved her life. Of course, the patient still has a few regrets about what she has lost since the accidentmemories, bits of her personality, even basic skills. Even now people tell me I am different to how I was before, she said. I don't remember, which is convenient I suppose, but it's also sad to think about what my family and friends have gone through. Happier times In fact, Burr is refreshingly honest about how life-saving surgery isnt actually the fairytale ending its sometimes cracked up to be. "I was a high-achieving, ambitious person, and now I'm a 28-year-old with no work or social life, living in Halford with my mum, she said. I'm so isolated and can only leave the house if I'm not too dizzy. I also go to the doctors twice a week and can't drive so I'm very dependent. Hopefully, Burr will eventually get back to work and retain some of her former independence. Until then, we wish her the speediest of recoveries. Earlier this year, a hospital in Swansea, Wales, became the first British hospital to appoint a dedicated 3D printing technician. Posted in 3D Printing Application Source: Mirror Maybe you also like: Shehryar Fazli in the Los Angeles Review of Books: A Youtube search of Salman Rushdie seemingly returns fresh hits by the week, of some new lecture, interview, or panel discussion. Its worth taking a moment to appreciate that this indispensable writer, who spent an earlier decade under a state-sanctioned death threat, is able to share his literary and cultural preoccupations as openly and frequently as he does. But ubiquity in public life can be risky for a novelist. In Rushdies latest, The Golden House, we encounter so many of those preoccupations that it often reads like the eponymous Goldens are less a family than an extension of a conversation weve been having with the author for years. Nero Golden and his three sons flee to the United States after losing Neros wife to the November 2008 Bombay (or Mumbai) terrorist attacks by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, which claimed hundreds of lives. They arrive in Manhattan on the day of Barack Obamas inauguration. We learn early that Nero had more dubious reasons for leaving India, where he clearly kept shady company. Classic noir, where the forces threatening the protagonists existence at home ultimately reappear and continue to do so in his new life. In this case, the protagonist hides not in an obscure town but in the worlds capital. More here. Multiple endings Unique blend of action, point and click and Russia Get fingered for murder" Lust auf einen wilden Genremix im noch wilderen Osten? Das in PC-Stores wie Steam erhaltliche Retro-Adventure DreamBreak von Entwickler Aist ist gestern auch als Download fur PS4 erschienen; am morgigen Freitag folgt zudem eine Xbox-One-Fassung. Der Titel malt sich das Jahr 2013 in einer Welt aus, in welcher der "Kalte Krieg" der atomaren Aufrustung anders verlaufen ist. Der Spieler wird unter Mordervdacht vom autoritaren Staat gejagt und muss sich neben typischen Adventure-Aufgaben offenbar auch in allerlei Actionsequenzen beweisen.Neben der Vollversion ist auf Steam auch eine "Soviet Bloc"-Edition mit Soundtrack, diversen Extras sowie einem Walkthrough in Russisch und absichtlich gebrochenem Englisch erhaltlich. Wer aufgrund der nur ausgeglichenen Nutzerwertung skeptisch ist, kann sich erst einmal im offiziellen Trailer einen Einblick in den spielbaren Thriller verschaffen:"'This looks like the most terrible mix of differing types of gameplay. I must have it!' - RPS CommenterAn authoritarian state pacifying the masses with propaganda. A brutal police force that shoots first then shoots some more.An ordinary everyman named Eugene, dragged by coincidence and circumstance from a life of mundane menial tasks into a baffling world of sudden, inexplicable murder, hidden conspiracy and unrelentingly lethal robots with nasty sharp pincers and lasers coming out of everywhere.Depicted in a distinctive Cyrillic pixel art style the cyberpunk city crackles with tech-noir intrigue and neo-digital deceptions. Using every tool at your disposal help Eugene to unpick the knot of mystery that he has become enmeshed within your equilibrium will be rocked as you point and click a path through this briar patch of tangled meaning and unexpected quixotic quirks.Will Eugene make sense of the conundrum that unfolds before him, learn who is an ally or a foe and collect lots of vinyl records for his listening pleasure? He'll race rapid hover bikes to earn sub-cultural respect, rub shoulders with high society in a post-modern nightclub, hack the brains of pursuing drone cops in thrill-packed chase sequences, strive to survive tense shootouts with merciless law enforcers and enjoy some 8-bit cowboy coin-op action in a dingy dive bar with a broken toilet. Less than two weeks after record-shattering rainfall from Hurricane Harvey devastated parts of Texas and Louisiana, Irma ravaged the Caribbean and southeastern United States with significant storm surge flooding, damaging winds and rains. Reports from Florida indicate that tens of thousands were left homeless and many communities were virtually destroyed. Many people returning home after evacuating will find their neighborhoods without power and their residences a shambles. In some communities, the restoration of power and the rebuilding of homes will takes weeks or months. The Miami Dolphins Special Teams powered by AARP Foundation volunteer program will help with rebuilding projects in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. This volunteer program was created to enlist, mobilize and support community efforts in times of emergency. Working with AARP state offices in the southeastern United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with organizations in other parts of the Caribbean, AARP will direct 100 percent of the funds to groups providing relief and recovery support to disaster victims. A similar relief fund was created in the wake of Harvey's devastation in coastal Texas and Louisiana. Euroconsult Awarded Speedcast "Strategic M&A Transaction of the Year" During 2017 World Satellite Business Week for Harris CapRock Acquisition Honored at 14th Annual Awards for Excellence in Satellite Communications Paris, Sep 14, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Speedcast International Limited ( ASX:SDA ), the world's most trusted provider of highly reliable, fully managed, remote communication and IT solutions, announced today that it has been honored as the winner of the "Strategic M&A Transaction of the Year" award for its acquisition of Harris CapRock at Euroconsult's 14th Annual Awards for Excellence in Satellite Communications. "We are thrilled to be honored by Euroconsult for our acquisition of Harris CapRock," said Pierre-Jean Beylier, CEO, Speedcast. "The deal altered the landscape of communications solutions provided to the energy and cruise industries. Customers now have access to more coverage, a greater local presence, increased flexibility, a broader array of product and services options, as well as a clear pathway for them to upgrade their communications as the markets require." The awards recognize companies and their leaders who are transforming and driving the satellite industry, as well as contributing to growth and innovation. They are based on a performance analysis of the market players and assessed by a jury of experts from Satellite Finance and Space News, as well as Euroconsult's analyst team. Quantitative and qualitative indicators are taken into account in the assessment. The awards ceremony took place Sept. 13 in Paris, during the 21st World Summit for Satellite Financing. For more information about Speedcast, visit http://www.Speedcast.com About Speedcast International Ltd Speedcast International Ltd (ASX:SDA) is the world's most trusted communications and IT services provider, delivering critical communications solutions to the Maritime, Energy, Mining, Media, Telecom, Cruise, NGO, Government, and Enterprise sectors. With more satellite capacity than any other provider, Speedcast enables faster, seamless pole-to-pole coverage from a global hybrid satellite, fiber, cellular, microwave, MPLS, and IP transport network with direct access to public cloud platforms. The company also integrates differentiated technology offerings that provide smarter ways to communicate and distribute content, manage network and remote operations, protect and secure investments, and improve the crew and guest experience. With a passionate customer focus and a strong safety culture, Speedcast serves more than 3,200 customers in over 140 countries. Learn more at www.speedcast.com. James Bay Drilling - Significant Mineralisation Extended Perth, Sep 14, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Galaxy Resources Limited ("Galaxy" or the "Company") ( ASX:GXY ) ( GALXF:OTCMKTS ) is pleased to announce further assays from its 2017 drilling campaign at its James Bay Project ("James Bay "), Quebec, Canada. In late March, the Galaxy James Bay team commenced a ~33,000m diamond drilling campaign to extend and develop the existing James Bay spodumene resource in Quebec, Canada - the program is now complete. All assays are expected to be finalized by the end of September 2017. All intercepts below are reported downhole. Highlights from this round of drilling and assay are: - 56.6m at 1.61% Li2O from 89.3m to 145.9m (drill hole JBL17- 09) - 49.6m at 1.60% Li2O from 17.0m to 66.6m (drill hole JBL17- 30) - 34.5m at 1.63% Li2O from 68.8m to 103.3m (drill hole JBL17-104) - 35.9m at 1.54 % Li2O from 2.0m to 37.9m (drill holeJBL17-105) and 53.5m at 1.72 % Li2O from 68.5m to 122.0m - 41.0m at 1.81 % Li2O from 25.8m to 66.8m (drill hole JBL17-106) and 88.4m at 1.46 % Li2O from 204.1m to 292.5 m - 34.2m at 1.29 at % Li2O from 86.0m to 120.2m (drill hole JBL17-60) Assays (Tables 1 and 2, see the link below) have been received for a further 49 diamond holes for 10,111m of NQ drilling (collars, Table 1, see the link below). Drilling has been both resource infill and resource extensional in type. All drilling is diamond (core). Pegmatites outcrop at surface and the drill program has targeted approximately 1,850m of pegmatite outcrop westward of the James Bay Highway. The first three drill holes east of the highway returned economic grades in pegmatite. The resource remains open and largely untested east of the James Bay Highway. Thicker pegmatites at the western extremity of the known mineralization remain open and untested below the limits of the current drilling. The now-completed drilling program will be used for a mineral resource re-estimate and upgrade, which is expected to be finalised by the end of October 2017. Galaxy's Managing Director and CEO, Anthony Tse, commented "The results from this last set of assays are very good and reaffirm the potential of James Bay, as a long-life high grade spodumene project. We look forward to the outcome of the resource upgrade which will follow. The Project Notice, which outlines the scope of the project, is expected to be submitted shortly to the relevant departments in both the Quebec Government and the Federal Government of Canada. " Further assay results will be released as they are received over the coming weeks. All results are listed in Table 2, see the link below. ABOUT THE JAMES BAY PROJECT The James Bay Pegmatite swarm is located 10km south of the Eastmain River and 100 kilometers east of James Bay. The property is accessible by paved road from the James Bay Road which cuts through the property close to the 381km road marker on the highway Route/109 from Val d'Or, Quebec, Canada. Val d'Or is approximately 526km westward from Montreal, Quebec. A large, multi-service truck stop is located at marker 381. Discovered in the 1960's and then known as the Cyr property the site consists of a swarm of 33 pegmatite dykes that belong to the rare-element 'class', the LCT (Li-Cs- Ta) 'family' and the albite-spodumene 'type' per the classification by Cerny (1991). Two new major pegmatite dykes have been discovered in this current campaign as well as smaller swarms eastward of the known extent. The mineralised pegmatite is open at depth and to the east. The lithium bearing mineral contained in the pegmatites is spodumene LiAl(Si2O6), a member of the pyroxene group of minerals. A classified resource was reported at cut-off grade of 0.75% Li2O of 11.75Mt @ 1.30% Li2O (Indicated) and 10.47Mt @ 1.20% Li2O (Inferred) within a conceptual pit shell using a lithium carbonate price of USD 6,000/t, metallurgical and process recovery of 70%, mining and process costs of USD 64 per tonne and overall pit slope of 45 degrees. The current resource is based on 14,457m of diamond drilling and 201.3m of horizontal channel sampling. The pegmatite swarms have dip direction ~N 103 degrees E., dip steeply at ~60 degrees westward and forms a corridor of discontinuous dykes about ~4km in length and ~300m wide. This outcrop is to about 15-20m above the surrounding muskeg/swamp. This phase of drilling is complete. To view tables and figures, please visit: http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/KPVQY78H About Galaxy Resources Limited Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX:GXY) (OTCMKTS:GALXF) is an international S&P / ASX 200 Index company with lithium production facilities, hard rock mines and brine assets in Australia, Canada and Argentina. It wholly owns and operates the Mt Cattlin mine in Ravensthorpe Western Australia, which is currently producing spodumene and tantalum concentrate, and the James Bay lithium pegmatite project in Quebec, Canada. Galaxy is advancing plans to develop the Sal de Vida lithium and potash brine project in Argentina situated in the lithium triangle (where Chile, Argentina and Bolivia meet), which is currently the source of 60% of global lithium production. Sal de Vida has excellent potential as a low cost brine-based lithium carbonate production facility. Lithium compounds are used in the manufacture of ceramics, glass, and consumer electronics and are an essential cathode material for long life lithium-ion batteries used in hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as mass energy storage systems. Galaxy is bullish about the global lithium demand outlook and is aiming to become a major producer of lithium products. Acquires Bynoe Lithium Project from Liontown Resources Adelaide, Sep 14, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Core Exploration Limited ( ASX:CXO ) ("Core" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the Bynoe Lithium Project directly adjacent to Core's Finniss Lithium Project in the NT near Darwin from Liontown Resources Ltd ( ASX:LTR ). HIGHLIGHTS - Core has consolidated the Northern Territory's leading lithium projects near Darwin through an acquisition of additional tenements in the Bynoe province from Liontown Resources - New Bynoe Project acquisition is highly complementary to Core's Finniss Project, being directly adjacent and proximal to Core's high-grade Lithium Resource at Grants and high grade discovery at BP33 - The Bynoe Project contains the extension to Core's high-grade lithium BP33 pegmatite drilled by Core (including 38m @ 1.5% Li2O) - The acquisition adds a large number of untested, highly prospective lithium pegmatite targets to Core's portfolio, including over 50 historic pegmatite prospects - Previous drilling has confirmed widespread spodumene related lithium mineralisation above 1% Li2O within the Bynoe Project - Broad zones of ore grade already discovered at other prospects including Sandras prospect (42m @1.0% Li2O) - The acquisition includes an Existing Mining Lease over historic tin pegmatite mine near Grants has potential to provide fast-track to DSO production - Exploration on new Bynoe Lithium Project to commence immediately Core's consolidation of the two leading Lithium Projects (Finniss and Bynoe) in the Northern Territory marks a key commercial step to building an expanded project of global significance in an ideal location to service accelerating lithium demand. These lithium assets are complimentary and add substantial value and upside to Core's immediate development plans within the Bynoe Pegmatite Field, where Core is seeking to establish a Direct Shipping Ore (DSO) operation in the near term, and has recently announced the signing of a framework agreement to negotiate DSO offtake with a subsidiary of leading Chinese lithium producer, Sichuan Yahua Industrial Group Co. Ltd. Core's aspiration is to build on the early development of the high-grade Grants Resource as a DSO project and build a substantive resource holding upon which to base long term supply of spodumene DSO concentrate and lithium products leveraging the logistics, infrastructure, technologies and skills advantages provided by a capital city within 1 hrs drive from the mining project. The Finniss and new Bynoe Lithium Projects cover a combined area over 500km2 of granted tenements near Darwin. The new Bynoe acquisition provides a large number of additional lithium pegmatite targets and more than 50 historic pegmatite prospects to Core's portfolio. The new Bynoe tenements includes a granted Mining Lease, Extractive Mining Lease and three Exploration Licences. The granted mining leases are over historic tin mining and concentrate operations once operated by Greenbushes. The Mining Lease is 1km from Grants and potentially provides Core with an opportunity to expedite development and expand capacity for spodumene production. Early results confirmed that primary, ore grade lithium mineralisation is widespread within the Bynoe Project, highlighting the prospectivity of the tenements, with numerous highly prospective pegmatites yet to be drill tested. The Bynoe Lithium Project includes the northern extension of Core's high grade BP33 lithium pegmatite. Core's first drilling at BP33 in 2016 intersected 38m @ 1.50% Li2O from 70m, including 8m @ 2.0% Li2O. With the whole of BP33 now consolidated under one owner, Core intends to conduct a second phase of drilling at BP33 to confirm continuity of mineralisation and scale. Drilling at the Sandras Prospect has intersected a 300m long, large pegmatite body with a true width up to 35m which remains open along strike and largely untested at depth included intercepts of up to 42m at 1.0% Li20 from 93m. A similar, larger (~700m long) magnetic feature is located 200m south of Sandras beneath transported cover. Amongst many other undrilled pegmatite prospects within the new Bynoe tenements, the >1km Litchfield Prospect is located ~2km SSW on the same mineralised trend as Core Exploration's high-grade Grants Resource. Soil sampling has recorded strongly elevated lithium values and field traversing has observed numerous historical workings and extensive sub-cropping pegmatites at Litchfield. Core's exploration team and office in Darwin is well placed to immediately commence exploration on the new Bynoe Lithium Project tenure. The Company is well funded and in a position to prioritise exploration on a series of high quality lithium pegmatite targets within a large tenement position close to infrastructure supporting development. Stephen Biggins, Core's Managing Director commented: "Core's consolidation of the large number of lithium mineralised pegmatites in the Bynoe Pegmatite Field places Core in an ideal position to take full advantage of the excellent logistics close to Darwin - Australia's nearest port to China. In light of reports this week that Chinese regulators are working on a timetable to set a deadline for automakers to end sales of fossil-fuel powered vehicles in China, similar to plans already in place in Europe, Core is making aggressive steps to build and develop the Northern Territory's first lithium mine. Core's recent placement to Yahua, one of China's largest lithium producers, highlights the strength and potential impact of Core's Lithium Projects in the NT." Agreement Terms Key terms of the Agreement between Core and Liontown are: - Core to purchase 100% of Liontown's Bynoe Project comprising tenements EL 29699, EL 30015, EL 30012, ML 16 and EML 28651. - Completion of the transaction is conditional on the grant of Ministerial and other consents. - At Completion, Core must pay Liontown $1,500,000 in cash and issue 39,232,025 CXO shares with a value of $2,000,000 (based on 10-day VWAP prior to the date of the Agreement). - Shares issued to Liontown will be subject to a 12-month voluntary escrow. Liontown may sell one third of the shares 4 months after the date of issue and every 4 months thereafter. - Upon defining a JORC-compliant Mineral Resource totalling 5Mt within the Bynoe Project area, Core must to pay Liontown $1,500,000 in cash or CXO shares (at Core's election) subject to shareholder approval. Liontown has granted Core a licence to access and explore the Bynoe Project area prior to Completion. To view figures, please visit: http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/87P2C9T5 About Core Lithium Ltd Core Lithium Ltd (ASX:CXO) is an emerging lithium producer focused on development of its Finniss Project near Darwin in the Northern Territory. Core owns 100% of Finniss, a major developing project that lies close to existing infrastructure such as the Darwin Port, grid power, gas and rail infrastructure. The Finniss Project covers a 500km2 tenement holding and 25 historic pegmatite mines. The project area is about 80km from Darwin Port. Exploration work has generated a near term development timeline, with feasibility studies to be completed over the course of 2018 ahead of receipt of approvals in early 2019 and planned first production during 2019. An aggressive exploration program is under way, which has confirmed the high quality prospectivity across much of the Finniss Project area. Core's stated ambition is to upgrade Finniss' resource base to fast-track commercialisation options. Web Toolbar by Wibiya Hudson's Bay Company, the Canadian retail giant, is expanding its business brand to the Netherlands. The iconic retailer's first store in the Netherlands will be opened on Tuesday 12 September, 2017. This is the first time that Hbc has expanded its business outside of Canada. Jerry Storch, the chief executive of Hudson's Bay Co. says that bringing the iconic department store brand to the Netherlands wasn't his original plan, but feedback from local shoppers suggested the country could use more Canadiana and a few of those Bay blankets, as reported by CBC News. The company will also open nine more stores in the Netherlands this month anf will further open five more in 2018. The chief executive of the company acknowledges that this move is an aggressive push into new territory. However, they could not miss the opportunity to fill the void created by bankrupt Dutch chain V&D. The condition seems right to quickly draw the attention of the local customer base. "There was a big gap in the Dutch market between a very high-end luxury player and the discount chains," Jerry Storch said. "We looked at all the markets in the country." Initially, the company executives were planning to simply expand the business of their Belgium-based retail chain, Inno, into the Netherlands. However, they realized that not everyone in the Netherlands favoured the idea of a neighbouring country setting up shop on its home turf. Hence, they decided to expand Hbc's business into the western European country. "The Dutch people kept telling us, 'We don't want the Inno brand,"' Storch said. "We couldn't believe it. Even the guys at the hotel restaurant would tell us, 'No, bring Hudson's Bay here."' So Hbc, which owns a number of other banners including Saks and Lord & Taylor, chose to make Hudson's Bay its top priority in the region. Another two discount stores under the Saks Off 5th name will open before the end of the year. Hbc is Canada's largest diversified general merchandise retailer with over 600 retail locations and nearly 60,000 associates located in every province in Canada. Hbc's four banners are the Bay, Zellers, Home Outfitters and Fields. The Bay is the department store division of Hbc. With locations from coast to coast to coast, the Bay is a full line department store chain concentrating on exclusive fashion merchandise in apparel, accessories and soft home categories. Consumers in the Netherlands can now access the same quality merchandise offered by Hbc across its stores. Source: CBC News Image source The annual CSRA College Night is from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14 at the James Brown Arena in Augusta. The event is free and open to the public. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Assyrian Priest Kidnapped and Tortured By ISIS Praises Australia Assyrian Iraqi priest Fr Douglas Bazi. ( CNS) An Iraqi-born priest who was kidnapped and tortured by Islamic extremists for nine days says Australia is seen as "the promise land" for thousands of Christians still suffering from genocide in the Middle East. Bagdhad-born Fr Douglas Bazi of the Chaldean Catholic Church told The Catholic Leader that Australia was leading the way in welcoming thousands of Christians forced to exile their homes because of Islamic State. "I appreciate people from Australia for one, their prayers, two, opening their hearts before their arms, and three, opening the gates to our people, our people who have suffered from this violence," Fr Bazi said. "My people look to Australia as the promise land. "My message to the people of Australia is my people are going to forget those who put us under a genocide, but we are never going to forget the people who stand for us, especially those of you in Australia." The message from Fr Bazi, who will visit Brisbane next month to speak about his kidnapping in 2006, comes more than a year after he pleaded with the Australian Catholic Bishops to prioritise taking in Middle Eastern Christian refugees. In late 2015, while Fr Bazi was living in Erbil, Iraq, he received a visit from seven Australian Catholic Bishops including Melkite Eparch Robbert Rabbat and Chaldean Archbishop Amel Shamon Nona. As his parishioners talked of the suffering and hardship faced by Iraqi Christians, Fr Bazi offered an emotional plea to the visiting episcopate. "I told the Australian Bishops that I'm proud that I am an Iraqi, and I would never think one day that I'm going to leave my country," Fr Bazi said. "I always think like a soldier, to give all my blood until the very last drop, but now I have to think of my kids as a mother. "I said to the Bishops, 'I beg you to open your gates to my people'." Fr Bazi said he was grateful that the Australian Bishops had welcomed hundreds of Iraqi refugees fleeing their homeland into parishes around the country, including communities who arrived in Brisbane. But he warned that this was no time to stop praying. "We have to keep praying and make the government to accept more cases," he said. "There are thousands still suffering." Prayer is more than just a token action for Fr Bazi, who said he only survived a kidnapping and eventual release from a group of fundamentalist Muslims by the power of prayer. Born and ordained a priest in Baghdad, Fr Bazi said his kidnapping, which made headlines around the world, was linked with violent attacks on Iraqi Christians following the US army's invasion into Iraq in 2003. The extremists bombed Fr Bazi's church and twice he survived gunfire attacks on his parish community. One of those times, he watched at the front gate of his church as the Shiia Militia opened fire on the sacred building. He looked down to see "a fountain of blood up from my leg". Two months later, Fr Bazi was driving down the highway having visited friends following his Sunday Mass when a group of armed men with covered faces stopped his car. He was removed from the drivers' seat and thrown into the boot of his car and taken to an unknown location. On the first night one of the kidnappers broke his nose and he was locked in an "ugly, smelly" chamber with his hands tied by chains. "I used the chains to pray the Rosary," Fr Bazi said. "There was a big lock in the middle which I used for the Our Father, and then chains left from that which I used to say the Rosary. "Before when I have to pray the Rosary, I always look to the finish. "I don't remember when I finished the Rosary in that chamber, probably hundreds. "It was not because I was afraid, more it would make me relaxed, it would strengthen me." He did this for nine days, and said if his torturer's goal was to destroy him, as a Catholic priest "it would take decades". Fr Bazi went without water for four days and was repeatedly questioned about being involved in suspicious espionage activity. He said his abductors tortured him everyday but over time he became like a spiritual father, listening to their problems. "They asked me for forgiveness," Fr Bazi said. "I told them 'I'm a free man, and if I'm not going to forgive them, I will be like you'. "As a Christian, we have to forgive. "They could not understand me." An attempt to locate Fr Bazi riled the captors, and the following night the Chaldean priest had a hammer ploughed into his face, back and knees smashing his teeth, breaking two discs in his spine and breaking his patella. Nine days after his capture, his archdiocese paid a sum of money for his safe return and he was released. He left his cell, walked to the nearby church and was greeted by a priest who hugged him and said: 'You are brave, my son'. "I started to cry a lot," Fr Bazi said. Eleven years since his capture, the Chaldean priest still has nightmares "from time to time". He sleeps with a bottle of water next to his bed so when he wakes he knows he is still alive. For years he couldn't smile because of the injuries to his face and has only recently had the courage to take a selfie. One of his first was taken last July as he stood in Mosul, the city of ISIS, with the flag of his new home, New Zealand, where he is leading a Chaldean community of 300 families. His prayers are now directed at changing policies in New Zealand to allow Iraqi refugee children to live in his new home and he is using Australia as a blueprint. The latest campaign is called Project 52, and aims to sponsor 71 disabled children living in Iraq to come to New Zealand. "I try my best to knock on doors to make the government of New Zealand open its doors," Fr Bazi said. "I had many meetings in our Archdiocese and I'm always using the Catholic Church of Australia as an example of how we are able to do that," Fr Bazi said. Fr Bazi will make his first speaking appearance at Brisbane's annual Spirit in the City conference on October 7 and will also be speaking to Australian media during his visit. Spirit in the City will also include talks by Archbishop Mark Coleridge, Oratory priest Fr Adrian Sharp, South Brisbane parish priest Capuchin Father Lam Vu, and young Catholic Ora Duffley who volunteered with a Christian organisation supporting Iraqi refugees, among others. Founded by staff and clergy associated with the Queensland University of Technology in 2014, Spirit in the City is a popular Christian conference tackling questions of faith, culture and public affairs. This year the conference has been consecrated to Our Lady of Fatima and the Feast of the Rosary. Assyrian Leader Raises Concern At UN Human Rights Council Ms Attiya Gamri, the president of the Assyrian Confederation of Europe. Geneva (AINA) -- In an address to the United Nations in Geneva on Thursday, Attiya Gamri, president of the Assyrian Confederation of Europe, voiced concerns on the world's lack of support for the Assyrians in Iraq and Syria. "A century ago there were millions of Assyrians in the area and today very few remain, and the United Nations has not asked the Kurdish leader Mr Barzani or Iraqi leaders about their policies while people have been fleeing." The event in Geneva was organized by the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) in a new session of the Human Rights Council. A special invitation was sent to the Assyrian Confederation to speak at the event and give voice to the victims of the ethnic cleansing witnessed in Iraq since the war in 2003, and culminating in acts of genocide in 2014 by the so called Islamic State against Assyrians and Yazidis. The Assyrian Confederation of Europe, based in the European capital Brussels, represents the Assyrian national federations in Europe and works to influence European policy on the Middle East. Cargolux has transferred its handling operation in Dubai to Emirates SkyCargo as the two companies ramp-up their cargo partnership. In May, the two airlines signed a co-operation agreement that sees them share space on each others aircraft. The move to the same handling company in Dubai World Central Complex (DWC) will facilitate the movement of cargo between the two carriers. At Cargoluxs Luxembourg hub, both airlines are already handled by Cargolux partner Luxair Cargo. Cargolux said that customers would benefit from access to Emirates "state-of-the-art facilities" with the most "modern and up-to-date tools and equipment", which is especially important given the airlines focus on delicate pharma traffic. "As a GDP-certified company, Cargolux insists on delivering the best possible service for its customers; an important reason for the cooperation with Emirates SkyCargo at its new Dubai facility. "In Luxembourg, Luxair Cargo operates one of the most modern healthcare centers in Europe, which is also GDP-certified," Cargolux said. Emirates DWC facilities have dedicated temperature controlled areas, cold storage rooms, cool cells and pharmaceutical storage room, while a fleet of trucks connect DWC to all other UAE airports, including Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the Jebel Ali Free Zone. When signing the co-operation agreement in May, the airlines reasoned that interline agreements give customers a wider range of services and destinations. "The hub connectivity between Dubai and Luxembourg also contributes to boost the position of both locations as major logistics hubs and distribution centers in their respective region," they added. Read more freighter operator news Share this story Qatar Airways Cargo will become the first international airline to offer a freighter service to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when a new operation gets underway next month. The airline said that when the new B777F service is launched, on October 11, it will become the fifth freighter destination in the Americas added this year and the thirteenth in total. "The new Doha-Luxembourg-Atlanta-Pittsburgh-Luxembourg-Doha route will not only connect Pittsburgh with European markets via [Qatar]s European hub in Luxembourg, but also link trade businesses in Asia and Middle East through an easy transit at its state-of-the-art home base in Doha, Qatar," the airline explained. Qatar Airways Cargo currently transports over 100 tonnes of bellyhold cargo each week on the daily wide-body A350 passenger flights to Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania. Products expected to be transported into and out of Pittsburgh include heavy electronics, high-value manufactured goods and pharmaceuticals. The introduction of freighters to Pittsburgh will inject an additional 200 tonnes of weekly capacity. Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker said: Our business strategy is based on consultation and building productive relationships with local government and business leaders, to provide global airfreight connectivity that benefits the city, region and state. Pittsburgh International Airport chief executive Christina Cassotis added: "Qatar Airways all-cargo flights mark the first time this region has had a dedicated international air cargo service. Qatar Airways Cargo has presented a huge opportunity for our region. Wed like to thank our partners at Qatar Airways Cargo for recognising the economic opportunity in Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh, located in Allegheny County in the western part of Pennsylvania, is known as the Steel City for its many steel-related businesses. The manufacturing sector in Pittsburgh has diversified over the years, with cutting-edge companies in life sciences, robotics, health care, information technology, nuclear engineering and energy, joining leading firms in traditional industries such as steel and chemicals. Qatar Airways Cargo carrier serves seventeen belly and freighter destinations in the Americas, four of which are served exclusively with Boeing 777 freighters: Mexico City, Mexico; Halifax, Canada; Quito, Ecuador and Pittsburgh. Read more freighter operator news Share this story DHL Express has opened new facilities at Budapest Airport as part of the 160m BUD:2020 Development Programme. The new warehouse and office complexes offer automated sorting systems and a total land development area of more than 60,000 sq m. DHL Express is the latest company to launch operations at the new facility. The express firm currently operates with two large and several smaller feeder aircraft on a daily basis: an Airbus A300-600F links Budapest with the express carriers European hub in Leipzig, while a Boeing 737F transports goods to Hungary from Brussels. DHL Express has already been present in Hungary for more than 25 years. The new lease agreement between Budapest Airport and DHL Express for another 15 years clearly reflects the commitment of Deutsche Post DHL Group to Hungary and the airport, said Zoltan Bandli, managing director, DHL Express Hungary. The 6,000 sq m warehouse capacity will give DHL space to accommodate the volume growth of our business, with the new state-of-the-art sorting technology, which includes fully automatic shipment processing, allowing us to process more than 6,000 pieces per hour, which is three times our current capacity. More than 600 employees will be based at the two new express complexes, which are located in the area next to Terminal 1. The next freight phase of the BUD:2020 Development Programme will be the development of Cargo City next to Terminal 2, due to be completed in 2019. The new facilities will provide centralised cargo operations, and expand the Hungarian hubs cargo handling capacity to 250,000 tonnes per year. We are pleased to kick start a new era for cargo at Budapest Airport with the opening of our new express facilities, said Rene Droese, director property and cargo, Budapest Airport. We have seen strong cargo growth during the last 18 months, and we look forward to further establishing Budapest Airport as the ideal location for air cargo distribution in Central Europe. Budapest Airport handled a record volume of 72,161 tonnes of air cargo from January to July 2017, an increase of 19.6 per cent on 2016. Read more express operator news Share this story September 13, 2017 The US Senate today considered repealing the war authorization passed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks for the first time since its passage 16 years ago. Despite a growing chorus of voices who worry that the original mandate against al-Qaeda has been twisted to justify US interventions across the Middle East and beyond, rescinding it proved too controversial in the middle of a global war against the Islamic State (IS). In the end, the amendment to the annual defense authorization bill from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., failed 61-36. We have fought the longest war in US history under an original authorization to go after the people who attacked us on 9/11, Paul said on the Senate floor before todays vote. That war is long since over, the war has long since lost its purpose and its long time we have a debate in Congress about whether we should be at war or not. Critics, however, forcefully argued that repealing the 2001 war authorization, along with the 2002 authorization against Saddam Hussein in Iraq, was ill-timed. It would mean we immediately need to begin winding down operations, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said on the Senate floor. It is not in our national security interests. Paul had threatened to hold up the defense bill unless the Senate leadership allowed the floor to vote on his amendment, which would repeal the George W. Bush-era war authorizations after six months. The broad 2001 authorization gives the president authority to use appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons. Despite the amendments defeat, a growing number of members of the House and Senate continue to argue that the 2001 war authorization is both overly expansive and outdated. They point out that both the Barack Obama and the Donald Trump administrations have used it as the legal basis to target IS and other terrorist groups across seven countries, despite their lack of involvement in the Sept. 11 attacks. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., the only member of Congress to vote against the 2001 war authorization, called it a blank check at the time it was passed. After 16 years of war and counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and Libya, many other members have come around to her way of thinking. In June, the House Appropriations Committee unexpectedly added an amendment from Lee to end the 2001 authorization in its annual spending bill for the Department of Defense. However, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., removed the amendment before it came to the House floor. Unfortunately Speaker Ryan took it out in a very underhanded way, Lee told Al-Monitor. He just took it out in the middle of the night. Ryan has said that while hes open to debating a new war authorization, the House likely wouldnt take up the issue this year. Lee told Al-Monitor that she has worked with Paul on his Senate amendment. Were building bipartisan support for this and sooner or later its going to happen, Lee said. Their detractors argue that repealing the 2001 war authorization without legislation to immediately replace it would pose a national security risk. I have long supported a new AUMF [authorization for the use of military force] focused on defeating [the Islamic State] and radical Islamic terrorism and I believe there should be an open debate in Congress on our wartime strategy, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said in a statement. But simply repealing the 2001 and 2002 authorizations without providing for consideration of an alternative plan could put our brave servicemen and women in uniform at risk and jeopardize our current missions abroad. Others such as Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who offered an amendment to the defense authorization bill that would sunset the 2001 war authorization in three years, argued that its futile to expect Congress to get serious about a new war authorization until the current one is on the chopping block. I dont think Congress is going to take an AUMF debate seriously until we sunset the existing AUMF, Murphy told Al-Monitor. While various members of Congress are proposing their own replacements, a proposed war authorization that explicitly targets IS has gained the most traction. Sens. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., introduced the bill in May. In addition to explicitly authorizing the president to attack the Islamic State, the Taliban and al-Qaeda and its affiliates, the bill would give legislators the opportunity to overrule the president if Congress deems that groups targeted by the executive branch are not associated forces of the three aforementioned groups. Those restrictions come amid signs that the Trump administration may seek to target Iranian forces in Syria and Iraq after the defeat of IS. The Flake/Kaine bill would also require the president to submit a report to Congress if he targets a group outside of Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Libya or Yemen. While Flake voted against Pauls amendment, Kaine voted in favor as a means to hasten debate on his own proposal. The authorizations have essentially been interpreted first by the Bush administration, second by the Obama administration, now by the Trump administration in a very broad way, Kaine said from the Senate floor Tuesday. I would argue that the current interpretation of the authorizations essentially allows an American president, without any approval from Congress, to wage war anywhere, against any terrorist group, for however long they want to. That was not the intention of the authorizations when they were originally drafted. However, even senators who want to repeal the 2001 war authorization without a replacement do not necessarily support the Flake-Kaine proposal in its current iteration. I have some concerns with Kaine-Flake, but I support a process that allows us to deal with that via some amendments, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told Al-Monitor. In particular, Cardin, who also voted for the Paul amendment, voiced concerns with the lack of stipulations on ground forces in the Flake-Kaine bill. Murphy voiced similar concerns. I think the Kaine-Flake [bill] is a vast improvement on what we have today, but I look forward to having a full debate to make it even better, Murphy told Al-Monitor. When Al-Monitor asked Murphy in August if he would support a war authorization that limits forces on the ground, he said he would insist on it. Paul told Al-Monitor this week that he does not support the Flake-Kaine bill. A similar debate over ground troop limitations ensured that a war authorization proposal from the Obama White House to target IS never gained traction in Congress. Congressional hawks did not want to include the proposed ground force limitations, while doves objected to the fact that the Obama proposal did not ensure limitations on which countries the United States would be allowed to target terrorist groups. Furthermore, it remains unclear when or if the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will actually take up the Flake-Kaine bill. While Flake said Corker is committed to moving the authorization bill, the chairman has not announced a concrete date for a markup. Were beginning the formal process of getting [Secretary of State Rex] Tillerson and [Secretary of Defense Jim] Mattis in specifically on that issue, Corker told Al-Monitor when asked if he had a set date for a markup. We want to get them up and then proceed with attempting to do that. Corker, however, already held a classified hearing on the subject in August where Tillerson and Mattis both testified. Further complicating matters is the fact that on Tuesday the White House said it did not want Congress moving on a new war authorization, let alone terminating the current one. Trump, like Obama, maintains that the 2001 authorization allows him to carry out the anti-IS campaign. And although Mattis and TIllerson told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in August that they support congressional efforts to write a new authorization, Cardin said that the two have recently backtracked. I left [the August hearing] with the impression that there was room for Congress to work with the administration on authorization of force, Cardin said on the floor today. Just recently we received notice from Secretary Tillerson and Secretary Mattis that the president does not want Congress to adjust the authorizations because he has adequate authority to do what he needs to do. September 13, 2017 WASHINGTON Washingtons European allies are urging the Donald Trump administration to stick with the Iran nuclear deal, while offering to collaborate on other ways to address outstanding issues such as Tehrans support for militant proxy groups in the region and its ballistic missile program. The conversations between Washington and its close European allies come ahead of a Sept. 14 deadline for the US administration to issue a waiver suspending nuclear-related oil sanctions as required under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and ahead of the next quarterly deadline, on Oct. 15, for the Trump administration to certify to Congress whether Iran is complying with the accord. They also come as the Trump administration is finalizing an interagency review of its broader policy toward Iran, of which the JCPOA is just one aspect. Trump has reiterated to aides just in the past few days that he wants to get tougher on Iran, but it is not clear how, said a US official, speaking not for attribution. A nearly completed US interagency review of broader policy on Iran recommends sticking with the JCPOA, but to find ways to be tough on Iran. The challenge is how. The US official said he thought that the administration is leaning toward certifying Irans compliance with the JCPOA to Congress next month, but he cautioned that could change. And Trumps former White House strategist Steve Bannon, a critic of the deal, said over the weekend that he would not count on Trump certifying. I wouldnt bet on that, Bannon said in a 60 Minutes interview Sunday on CBS. The apparatus wants him to certify. President Trump wants to get out of the deal and either go make a better deal or just view it from the outside. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported again this week that Iran continues to abide by the accord, which went into effect in January 2016. European allies are making the case to Trump administration officials that they should keep the JCPOA, and work with them to explore options to try to address other aspects of the Iranian threat. Iran is a strategic threat, a senior European official whose government was among those that negotiated the landmark 2015 Iran nuclear deal said Monday. The nuclear deal is one part of a broader strategy, the senior European official said. His government sees it as one tool to deal with a broader problem that stops Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. We agree with the IAEA that Iran is in compliance with the letter of the deal, the European official said. We dont think JCPOA is perfect, he added, but its severe restrictions stop the threat for over a decade. It prevented a nuclear arms race in the region. His government proposes that we police the agreement more vigorously. Use the joint commission to ensure rigorous policing of the deal. Another option European officials said they would be willing to discuss would be not to reopen the JCPOA, but to explore prospects for trying to negotiate an additional agreement with Iran. But diplomats cautioned that any follow-on agreement asking for additional concessions from Iran would require the international community to offer Iran further concessions as well. And they repeatedly stressed that renegotiating the JCPOA itself was a non-starter. France doesn't support the reopening of the deal. It should be rigorously implemented as it is now, Frances Ambassador to the United States Gerard Araud tweeted Tuesday. How many times should we repeat it? We adamantly refuse to reopen the agreement, Araud said in a subsequent tweet. On this basis, we can discuss other issues. Uncertainty over the Trump administrations intentions toward the Iran nuclear deal has cast something of a pall over the gathering next week of world leaders and ministers for the United Nations General Assembly opening session. Trump is expected to address the gathering on Tuesday. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will also travel to New York for the opening session. Plans for a ministerial level meeting of the six world powers and Iran that negotiated the 2015 nuclear accord are still unclear. There are tentative expectations for a meeting of the Joint Commission overseeing implementation of the accord to be held next week, possibly on Sept. 20, but nothing has been announced. Former US nuclear negotiator Wendy Sherman said that if the United States breaches the accord, it would lose its international leverage as a member of the Joint Commission overseeing implementation of the deal, as well as international credibility with its allies. If the Trump administration fails to reissue the sanctions waivers later this week, it would constitute a material breach of JCPOA, Sherman said on a call today hosted by the pro-deal advocacy group Diplomacy Works. There would be serious consequences. If the United States doesnt certify Irans compliance with the deal next month, it will be viewed as the US pulling out, Sherman said. If we do that, even if Iran does not immediately pull out of deal we will have no leverage for enforcement. We wont be members of the Joint Commission. We will have no levers for enforcement of any of the sanctions we might reimpose. Iran is abiding by the terms of the JCPOA, IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano said this week. The nuclear-related commitments undertaken by Iran under the JCPOA are being implemented, Amano told the IAEA board of directors Monday. The agency continues to verify the non-diversion of nuclear material declared by Iran under its Safeguards Agreement. Evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran remain ongoing. September 13, 2017 Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has announced that a member of the Islamic State (IS) who was seeking to organize a new series of attacks has been arrested in Tehran province. Col. Amin Yamini, the IRGC commander in Shahriar, a suburb of the capital, Tehran, said Sept. 13 that a member of Ajnad Al-Sham, the Syrian branch of IS, has been detained and was planning to organize 300 terrorists to carry out suicide attacks during the holy month of Muharram. Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar and starts Oct. 1. During this holy month, Shiites in Iran hold memorial ceremonies to mourn the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the prophet of Islam, who was martyred by the Umayyad Caliph Yazid in the Battle of Karbala in 680 A.D. The IRGC commander added that Iranian security forces had disguised themselves as IS terrorists and contacted the target to set a meeting with him. This member of Ajnad al-Sham belonging to IS has made remarkable confessions so far and had sought to organize 300 terrorists to carry out suicide operations during the mourning days of Muharram, said the IRGC commander. He continued, Very important information has been extracted from his cellphone, and currently, the unknown soldiers of the IRGC intelligence organization are interrogating him. By unknown soldiers, he means the security forces whose identities must be kept hidden. The security and intelligence apparatus of the holy system of the Islamic Republic of Iran is monitoring the movements of these currents and terrorist groups precisely, and [at] the time [the terrorists] arrive in Iran, [the security forces] monitor and control all of their actions and movements, said Col. Yamini, adding that sometimes the operation to capture [the terrorists] are done with delay in order for the identifying process of the leaders and associates of [terrorist groups] to be completed. According to security officials of Iran, in recent years terrorists have sought to plan attacks during occasions on which people take part in ceremonies across Iran. For instance, on July 12, 2016, Mahmoud Alavi, Irans Intelligence minister, said that six individuals belonging to terrorist groups had been detained and were planning to carry out attacks on the Night of Power falling toward the end of the holy month of Ramadan and Quds Day, the last Friday of Ramadan in which Iranians take to the streets to rally for the liberation of Palestine from Israeli occupation. In another instance, on Dec. 24, 2014, Alavi stated that three terrorist leaders who were planning to carry out suicide attacks targeting Shiite mourning ceremonies during the last days of the Islamic month of Safar had been arrested. On June 7 this year, two simultaneous terrorist attacks claimed by IS targeted Irans parliament building and the mausoleum of the founder of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Those attacks left 17 people dead. In other news, Mahmood Vaezi, the Iranian presidents chief of staff, told a group of reporters that Hassan Rouhanis trip to New York to attend the UN General Assembly would be brief. The chief of staff said on Sept. 13, Rouhani will have a short trip [to New York], and he has different [plans] on his schedule including addressing the UN General Assembly, a summit with Muslims, a meeting with Iranian residents of New York and [a summit with] Americas elites. He will also have meetings with a number of presidents of important countries. September 14, 2017 Mlitary commanders and diplomats from both Iran and the United States are swarming Iraqi Kurdistan in a last-ditch attempt to convince the Kurds, an important ally in the war against the Islamic State (IS), to either postpone the planned Sept. 25 referendum for independence or cancel it all together. Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Irans powerful Quds Force, and Brett McGurk, the US special anti-IS envoy accompanied by US Ambassador Douglas Silliman, were shuttling this week between Baghdad, Erbil and Sulaimaniyah to convince all sides to come to an agreement. "Both the Iranians and the Americans were in agreement about the referendum and reiterated that it should not take place," a source briefed about the Patriotic Union of Kurdistans (PUK) separate meetings with American and Iranian officials on Sept. 11 told Al-Monitor. Both Iran and the United States also separately conveyed similar messages to Gorran movement officials. The latter believe that the referendum should be postponed until regional and international support is secured. "We will not support you, and you will be on your own," a Gorran official told Al-Monitor when recounting a meeting with the American ambassador. Indeed, The United States is 100% opposed to the referendum on September 25, Weshyar Omar, who was part of the Gorran delegation meeting with the Americans on Sept. 13, quoted McGurk as saying. "Until now, we have held back the [Hashid Shaabi, or Popular Mobilization Units (PMU)] from attacking, but I will not bother to do that anymore," Soleimani warned the senior PUK officials, the source briefed on the meeting told Al-Monitor. "Just look at Mandali and what happened there. That is the beginning," he cautioned, referring to the Sept. 11 incident in which a group of over a hundred Iranian-backed Iraqi militia fighters arrived in the disputed subdistrict of Mandali in Diyala province, 100 kilometers (62 miles) northeast of Baghdad, and forced the Kurdish head of the towns council out of his job and announced that the town will not be included in the Kurdistan referendum. The incident came three days after Hadi Ameri, the head of the Badr Brigade an important component of the PMU warned that Iraq will stay united and if the Kurdistan referendum went ahead it could create a civil war in the country. In a direct challenge to the Kurds, on Sept. 12 and 13 respectively, Diyala and Salahuddin provincial councils canceled the plans to hold the referendum in disputed areas within their provincial boundaries. Meanwhile, the de facto president of the Kurdistan region and the man behind the referendum push, Massoud Barzani, said on Sept. 13 in a speech in the city of Akre near Erbil that no alternatives have been presented for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to reconsider its decision to hold the referendum later this month. We want to extend the hand of brotherhood to all sides, but if any side wants to fight us, they can try it, Barzani warned while standing underneath a sign that read Yes to the State of Kurdistan, 25/9/2017. While both Iran and the United States object to the referendum, their reasoning appears to be different. Washington is worried that the plebiscite will weaken the position of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ahead of the April 2018 general elections. The logic of the United States is that any loss for Abadi will be a gain for Iran and its supporters including the PMU. Tehran, on the other hand, is worried that the referendum is an American and Israeli ploy to create further instability in the region and endanger Irans security by influencing its 8-million strong Kurdish population. The logic of the United States is that any loss for Abadi will be a gain for Iran and its supporters. Given how much Barzani and his Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) have invested in the referendum, it appears that the only option available to the United States and Iran to convince the Kurdish president to postpone the plebiscite while saving face is through an internal Kurdish agreement. McGurk hinted at this during his meeting with the Gorran officials, saying that the referendum should be postponed through the KRG parliament. He coated his warning, according to Weshyar Omar, who attended the meeting, by reassuring the Kurds that with help from France and Britain, Washington would give guarantees to the Kurds to resolve all the outstanding issues with Baghdad if they were to postpone the referendum. McGurks pressure bore fruit when he managed to convince the PUK and the KDP to postpone the first session of the Kurdish parliament from Sept. 14 to the following day to allow Gorran sufficient time to discuss the issue at its General Council meeting, which took place on the evening of Sept. 13, according to a senior Gorran official who attended the gathering. McGurk is said to be pushing for an agreement among the Kurdish parties, who in turn will officially request through the Kurdish parliament that Barzani postpone the vote to another time after Iraqi's elections in April 2018. Barzani will then concede to postponing the plebiscite on the basis that it is the wish of the representatives of the Kurdish people. Tehran and Washington will get their way, and Barzani will be able to back down while saving face. Indeed, on Sept. 14 the website of the Kurdish presidency announced that the United States, the UK and the United Nations had presented an alternative to holding the Sept. 25 plebiscite on the same day to Barzani, and that Barzani had responded that he will consult with the political leadership in Kurdistan and respond shortly. If Gorran does not reach an agreement with other Kurdish parties, the PUK, KDP and their partners could technically resume the work of the Kurdish parliament as they hold the majority of seats 81 out of 111 and still hold the referendum. This option will be catastrophic for the Kurdistan region, according to another Gorran official who attended the meeting with McGurk. It is not clear what the Kurds will come to agree on in the days leading up to Sept. 25. But if history is anything to go by, the stubbornness of the Kurdish leadership could create yet another headache for the Kurdish people and Washington. Indeed, the words of a prominent American diplomat made persona non grata by Saddam Husseins regime over his persistent contacts with the Kurds may prove to be particularly relevant these days. The Kurds themselves are so incredibly badly split [that] if you were to hand them their independence tomorrow, they would be unable to sustain it. This virtually happened, as you know, after the Gulf War [1991] when we took over Iraqi Kurdistan and essentially said to the Iraqi Kurds, Here you are. Please set up the state. Of course, we didn't say those words and we would never admit to such a thing, but that's effectively what happened," lamented Haywood Rankin in a 1998 interview. "The individual Kurdish leaders have all been incapable of compromise. That has been the story for years and years and years," Rankin concluded. September 13, 2017 "The prime minister must demand from President [Donald] Trump that he freeze, change or cancel the Iranian nuclear agreement," began Israel's Minister of Intelligence and Transportation Yisrael Katz's speech to the Institute for Counter Terrorism's 17th annual conference in Herzliya on Sept. 11. Katz devoted almost his entire speech to the issue, describing Iran as "the new North Korea." He emphasized, "We need to act now so we won't be sorry tomorrow about what we didn't do yesterday." Katz's comments were quoted extensively by the international press. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu jumped into the fray the next day. At the start of his meeting with Argentinian President Mauricio Macri, the prime minister told reporters, "Our position is straightforward. This is a bad deal either fix it or cancel it. This is Israel's position." Netanyahu is expected to highlight the issue in his upcoming meeting with Trump at the UN General Assembly meeting in New York. While Netanyahu was making his comments in Argentina, Reuters released a contradictory report. It quoted sources in the US administration as claiming that Israel is not asking for the termination of the nuclear deal with Iran and that Saudi Arabia is opposed to the cancellation of the deal. Senior US officials, including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, hold that the deal should not be touched. Instead, they want to see strategic planning to increase pressure on Iran on issues unrelated to the deal, such as support for terrorism, its ballistic missile project and the precision rocket and missile project in Syria and Lebanon. The Americans hope that this plan will mitigate Israeli concerns. It will not. Katz's speech, Netanyahu's comments and the Reuters quotes reveal a sharp disagreement between Israel's political and military leadership over the Iranian issue. It is not a strategic argument, either. The top brass of the IDF, Military Intelligence and Mossad all realize that the Iranians have not shelved their ambition to become a nuclear power nor will they. The difference is that the defense establishment has accepted the nuclear deal as a fact and managed to find certain positive opportunities in it. The IDF has reorganized in accordance with the new situation, and its multiyear planning program "Gideon" has been formulated on the assumption that the Iranian nuclear threat has been placed in the deep freeze for a decade. Senior Israeli defense officials have emphasized the opportunity it affords Israel to deal with other problems, reprioritize and take advantage of this window in Iran's nuclear schedule. The political leadership, particularly Netanyahu and Katz, sees things very differently. Katz, who meets weekly with the heads of Israel's various intelligence branches, also maintains a close relationship with his American counterparts. He has reiterated his position on numerous occasions, to both Trump's Cabinet and in direct talks with American officials. Netanyahu is an experienced alarmist who shares this position. So apparently does Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman. Given these circumstances, Israel's military leadership will have no choice but to acquiesce to the position of the political leadership, which is the ultimate authority in the matter. The Sept. 7 bombing of the missile factory in Syria, attributed to Israel, is seen as part of such a strategic response, with Israel trying to send clear messages to the world, the region and particularly to Russia and the United States that it will not accept the situation that is being forced on it along its northern border. Shortly after Trump's victory in the US election, I predicted that Netanyahu would stress to Trump the importance of dealing with North Korea's nuclearization project as a means of applying pressure on Iran. In background briefings, Netanyahu said that the Iranians watch North Korea and everything happening around it with avid interest. If the United States acts clearly and with determination in dealing with North Korea, Tehran will get the hint. Jerusalem is panicking over the remarkable events in North Korea and the way that the United States has lost control of the situation as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un rushes toward nuclear armaments. "US impotence in dealing with North Korea is a strategic incident," one Cabinet member told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. "We must aim high in our relationship with the United States. There are doubts about the nuclear deal with Iran in the United States as well. The president himself supports canceling or freezing it, but he is surrounded by people who believe that it must be left in place. We must make the implications that this will have on the region perfectly clear to him, and we must do it now." Israel is following the agreement that is taking shape between Iran and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with great consternation. That agreement, which is modeled on the agreement between Russia and Syria, would formalize a long-term Iranian presence in Syria. The beginnings of a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran are also being watched closely by Jerusalem. Reports that the Saudi defense minister visited Israel recently are perhaps related to this development. Given this situation, Israel is concerned about being isolated regionally, now that the Saudis may be drawing closer to Iran, even if it is by lack of choice. The current US administration is losing interest in the region and stepping away, while Iran is continuing to expand its influence and will be able to jump-start its nuclear program again in eight years. All this will be at the center of discussions in Netanyahu's upcoming meeting with Trump in New York. Eight months after Trump entered the White House, Israel still does not fully understand what the president hopes to achieve from his policy. In terms of the Palestinian issue, Israel's greatest concerns have been replaced by a certain level of satisfaction as the president's peace initiative and his dream of reaching the "ultimate deal" dissipate rapidly. On the other hand, on the Iranian file, Trump has been a major disappointment to the Israelis. The rushed US exit from the Syrian conflict without blocking Iran's race to the Mediterranean and the Golan Heights are disconcerting to Jerusalem. The same is true of the helplessness that the United States is showing toward North Korea. Normally, it takes a lot less to get Netanyahu to panic. September 13, 2017 Jerusalem, Israels contested capital, is a city in conflict. Its crowded neighborhoods jut up against fault lines both political and personal. Its tribes Jewish and Muslim, secular, extremist and all the colors in between rub shoulders uncomfortably on the citys buses and trains, but mostly stick to the corners of the city they have claimed for their own. But Karen Brunwasser wants you to look closer. The Jerusalem she knows and loves, she says, is a place filled with diverse, boundary-defying people. As the deputy director of the Jerusalem Season of Culture, Brunwasser spearheads an annual summer festival of music, dance and performance art that has been calling citizens out of the woodwork since 2010. This year, after a monthlong calendar that included artistic installations across city rooftops; an all-night dance party that combined Jewish soul music with Arabic liturgy; and a live art performance that doubled as a sociology experiment, she is confident that others are beginning to recognize the change in Jerusalem as well. Jerusalem is a place where people have all sorts of preconceived notions about what it is and what its problems are, but when you come and encounter the place you realize the city is filled with human beings who cant be boxed in, and they challenge your preconceptions, she told Al-Monitor. The festival is all about taking that and putting it on stage. Brunwasser, a native of Philadelphia, Penn., has lived in Jerusalem for 12 years. In 2010, while working with the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, one of the worlds largest and most influential Jewish charities, she helped dream up the Jerusalem Season of Culture as an organization that would electrify the age-old city with modern creative energy. Last year, the Jerusalem Season of Culture launched Mekudeshet, a citywide arts festival that attempts to straddle both East and West Jerusalem and unite the many factions of the city Palestinian and Israeli, and those of every shade of religious devotion under the welcoming umbrella of arts and expression. The festival, which launched Aug. 23 and closes Sept. 15, brought thousands of Jerusalemites from across the spectrum together to take in a broad range of events, each expressing an entirely different type of art. Night Stroll offered intimate music and reflection among the hushed alleys of the Tower of David, but only in the wee hours between midnight and sunrise. Found, which demanded audience participation, breathed new life into a communal lost-and-found practice, based on the ancient Jewish ritual of the claiming stone. And Above and Beyond, a bird's-eye tour of Jerusalem across the citys rooftops, took the standard Jerusalem city tour and raised it several stories, forcing a shift in perspective. Theres something about going on a roof even if its in a place that youre familiar with, Brunwasser said. Theres this moment of disorientation, that moment where your assumptions are challenges, and this is a moment that we think artistically is very important. The events ecstatic peak occurred Sept. 7 with Kulna, which brought together international electronic artists from not just Jerusalem but also Ramallah, Jericho, Hebron and Shuafat, for a celebration of all flavors of Middle Eastern music, held in the open air on the seamline of East and West Jerusalem. Mekudeshet wraps up on Sept. 15, but Brunwasser believes that with each passing season, the stereotype of a divided, frozen Jerusalem is chipping further away. There are all sorts of rules about life in this city, about what youre supposed to do and what youre not supposed to do, she said. But whats happening more and more is people are saying: Screw it. Enough. Were living in a real place with real people, and thats what we want to focus on. September 13, 2017 GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip For the first time since 2007, a sewing company in Gaza has exported a shipment of ready-made clothes to the Israeli market through the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing on Aug. 28. The Israeli decision to allow this shipment came after meetings and understandings between Palestinian and Israeli trade delegations at the Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip on Nov. 23, 2015. The goal was to overcome obstacles to the transportation and marketing of clothing products exported from the Gaza Strip to Israel. An agreement was reached at the time to allow transportation of clothes from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank to then be transferred to Israel. This came within the scope of the economic and living facilities announced by Israel to the residents of Gaza after the end of the 2014 Israeli-Gaza war. Indeed, this agreement was implemented until Aug. 28, when a shipment of clothes went directly from the Gaza Strip to Israel for the first time since 2007. Bashir al-Bawwab, the head of UniPal 2000, the sewing company that exported the shipment, told Al-Monitor that the shipment included 3,500 pieces of ready-made clothes for the fall and winter seasons, including 2,100 pieces of long-sleeved blouses and blazers, 800 pieces of jeans and trousers, and 600 pieces of childrens clothing. This is likely to restore the lost confidence between the Palestinian and Israeli suppliers, Bawwab said. According to stakeholders in the clothing sector, the Gaza Strip will be allowed to directly export one shipment of clothing to the Israeli market each week, and this will take effect as of mid-September. The stakeholders told Al-Monitor that the quantities of the next shipments will be the same as of that of the first shipment, with a value between 50,000 shekels (around $14,000) and 70,000 shekels (around $20,000). Ever since Hamas took over the reins of power in Gaza following the Palestinian division in July 2007, the garment factories stopped exporting their products to foreign markets due to the siege imposed by Israel on the coastal enclave. This caused many sewing factories and companies to close down, as they relied heavily on exporting their products as a major source of revenues. Of note, on Feb. 25, 2015, Israel permitted the export of clothing from Gaza to the West Bank through the Kerem Shalom crossing for the first time since 2007. Back then, the Palestine Trade Center (PalTrade), the owners of sewing and textile factories in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, agreed with Israel to make shipments of ready-made clothes from Gaza to the West Bank on a weekly basis, which is still the case today. Ziad Abu Audi, the secretary-general of the Union of Palestinian Textile Industries, told Al-Monitor, This first shipment of clothes to Israel from Gaza aimed to boost the textile sector in Gaza and was the result of the Unions tenacious efforts in cooperation with the private sector and the representatives of the Civil Administration and Crossings Department in the Palestinian government in Ramallah. On Nov. 25, 2015, a meeting was held with the Israeli stakeholders in Beit Hanoun [Erez] to revive the garment sector in Gaza, which has suffered over the past 10 years losses over $150 million as factories stopped operating. The number of clothing factories dropped from 400 operating factories in 2007 to less than 110 in 2017, operating at one-quarter of their operational capacity. It should be noted that the former head of the Textile and Garments Union in Gaza, Mohammed Abu Shanab, had stated on Dec. 17, 2014, that the losses of the sewing sector since the imposition of the siege on Gaza are estimated at $6 million per month. Contacts have been underway between the Textile and Garments Union and the representatives of the Israeli side to make the second shipment of ready-made clothes for the fall and winter, Audi added, noting that he expects the shipment to be made with the same quantity as the first one by mid-September. Audi expected this step to boost the vital economic sectors in Gaza, as sewing companies and factories began to order clothing materials from India, China and Turkey. There are between 20 and 25 factories in Gaza that are ready to supply ready-made clothes to the West Bank and Israel for the fall and winter seasons. The number of factories is likely to rise to 40 a year from now, he said. According to statements in 2016 by the head of the Textile and Garments Union, Tayseer Al-Ostath, to the newspaper al-Hayat al-Jadida, in 2000 there were 900 factories in the Gaza Strip employing about 36,000 workers in Gaza, but in 2005 this number had dropped to 400 factories. Today, the number of garment factories in Gaza stands at 110, with no more than 4,000 workers, operating with limited capacities to meet the needs of the small Palestinian clothing market. Owners of sewing factories hope that they would go back to work after a hiatus of more than 10 years to compensate for the losses they incurred during this period. In turn, Maher Tabbaa, the head of the relations and media department at the Gaza Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, The most important challenges facing the garment sector in Gaza is that countries such as Turkey, China and India are strongly competitive in the Middle East, including the Palestinian and Israeli markets. Their products are modern, fashionable and cheap. This will pose yet another challenge to Gazan owners of sewing factories, pushing them to exert greater efforts to regain the confidence of the Israeli traders and suppliers torn between Gazan products and the products of these countries. Tabbaa added, The Palestinian governments in Ramallah and Gaza are required to support Palestinian traders by lifting customs off imported raw materials and organizing training sessions to rehabilitate workers [in this sector] to be able to show good performance. September 12, 2017 RAMALLAH, West Bank Palestinian activists restored some good cheer to primary school students in Jub al-Thib as they set about rebuilding their school over the night of Sept. 9-10 using concrete blocks. On Aug. 22, Israeli authorities had demolished the only school in this West Bank village, located east of Bethlehem, a day before the start of the new school year. Israel has practically banned construction by Palestinians in Area C, where Jub al-Thib is located, denying them permits to do so and prohibiting the use of concrete. It destroyed the school building on the grounds of being constructed without a permit. Area C is completely controlled by Israel, as set out in the Oslo Accord. The demolition left some of the 64 students in grades one through four in tears. The children had previously attended classes in warehouses and had been looking forward to a new school building. The residents of Jub al-Thib worked for months to build the since-destroyed school, the first to be erected in their village. The European Union provided financial support for the project, and construction proceeded under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Education and Higher Education. In an Aug. 23 statement, the Norwegian Refugee Council said, Right now, some 55 schools in the West Bank are threatened with demolition and stop-work orders by Israeli authorities. Shadi Othman, EU spokesperson in Palestine, said that 20 of the schools are EU-funded, and four, including Jub al-Thib, have been destroyed. The EU has taken a firm decision to provide financial support for development projects in these areas and provide all possible humanitarian services, despite the demolition threat, Othman told Al-Monitor. Our decision to work in Area C and implement 20 million euros worth of projects falls within the EU's priorities. The EU will intervene immediately to find alternatives for demolished schools until new school buildings are reconstructed. Israel's prohibition on construction, threats of demolition and stop-work orders all stand to negatively affect Palestinian students ability to obtain an education. Given the lack of resources available, West Bank municipal councils, anti-settlement committees, and other local organizations and prominent figures in Area C work in cooperation with foreign donors in efforts to counter such actions and find alternatives and solutions. In the case of Jub al-Thib, for instance, to get around the prohibition on concrete, residents had seized on teaching students in warehouses before the proper school building, which had a steel frame, could be erected. After Israel demolished the school, tents were erected on the site so students could continue to attend classes. In the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar, in East Jerusalem, 170 students are studying in a school that was built out of tires and mud in 2009 after Israel banned construction with cement. They were inspired by such buildings in poor and marginalized areas elsewhere in the world, such as in parts of Colombia. This, however, did not stop Israels multiple demolition threats, said Uday Abu Khamis, community spokesperson for the Bedouin in East Jerusalem. Before building this school, the village had no school. The nearest one was 15 kilometers [9 miles] away. Given the poor means of transportation, it was difficult for students to commute and get to their classes, especially girls. The school, cobbled together from mud and used tires, gives our children the opportunity of having an education up to the ninth grade. According to Sadek Khodor, spokesman for the PA Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the ban and demolition threats force the ministry to operate within the margins allowed and to expend energy finding quick alternatives to much-needed schools in cooperation with parents and the local communities threatened with demolition orders. He told Al-Monitor that the structures the communities do manage to construct are called schools of defiance. Khodor added, The government does not apply to these schools the same standards that apply to other schools. We give priority to filling all their needs irrespective of the cost. Sometimes we even assign one teacher [when there are only] two or three students, as is the case in the Arab Kaabneh Bedouin elementary school in Jericho. The government hopes that by showing flexibility, it will encourage other communities to open educational facilities regardless of the number of students and type of facility. Stressing the importance of finding alternatives for demolished schools, Khodor emphasized that his ministry is determined to prevent demolition orders from cutting short the educational process. He explained that when a school receives a demolition notice or a construction moratorium, legal follow-up is provided through a ministerial defense committee and contacts with international bodies to pressure Israel into withdrawing the order. Typically, the courts might postpone a demolition order, but not cancel it. Although not ideal, the classroom work-arounds so far developed are better than having no schools at all. For the students and their families, the schools are one more means to fight Israeli attempts to force them off of their land. September 14, 2017 Since the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced in June that it will hold a referendum on declaring independence from Iraq, the Turkish government has maintained a coolheaded approach until now. As the Sept. 25 referendum approaches, Ankara seems to be toughening its stance against Iraqi Kurdistan independence. The Turkish Foreign Ministry posted a press release on its website Sept. 14 supporting the Iraqi parliament's Sept. 12 resolution rejecting the KRGs vote on independence. The ministry release read, We welcome the decision taken by the Iraqi Council of Representatives as the clear expression of the importance given to Iraqs political unity and territorial integrity and we strongly support the said decision. The statement added, Despite the warnings of Turkey and all the members of the international community who act with common sense, we are concerned by the KRG leaderships persistence and its increasingly emotional statements on the referendum. We would like to stress that [the] KRG should keep in mind that continued insistence on carrying out this referendum despite all the friendly advice to the contrary shall have a cost. In that regard, we invite the KRG to act with common sense and to give up its erroneous stance. An interesting aspect of the media coverage of the Foreign Ministry statement is that even though the statement used the more neutral phrase shall have a cost, Turkish and regional news outlets have claimed Turkey threatened that the KRG will most certainly pay a price if it goes ahead with the Sept. 24 referendum. Turkeys governmental-owned news organization TRT, the countrys pro-government media and the Iraqi Kurdish news outlet Rudaw all used the tougher wording, which interestingly does not exist in the English-language version of the Foreign Ministry announcement. The Turkish version of the press release is even less threatening than the English version. To be sure, Ankara publicly opposes both the referendum and the idea of an independent Kurdistan. But as Al-Monitor columnist Amberin Zamans stories show, Turkeys position swings from outright opposition to the referendum to tacit support and private nods for the KRG asserting its position in the region. KRG President Massoud Barzani told Zaman in March 2016 that the ruling Justice and Development Party is the only Turkish government that could ever acquiesce to an independent Kurdistan. At any rate, Iraqi Kurds bigger problem is not Turkey or Iran or the United States or even the central government in Baghdad, but the political divisions among themselves. If anything, events in the run-up to Sept. 25 will complicate rather than resolve the problems facing the Kurdistan Region and the rest of Iraq. Disrespect for the dead In more tragic and foreboding news for Turkey, a mob attacked the funeral procession of the deceased mother of a Kurdish politician in the capital, Ankara, on Sept. 13. Aysel Tugluk, the deputy co-chair of the predominantly Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) who has been in detention since December, was temporarily released to bury her late mother, Hatun Tugluk. At the funeral, she and other HDP members faced an ultranationalist mob that apparently yelled, This is a Sunni cemetery. Alevis cannot be buried here. This is Turkish soil, not Armenian. We do not want Armenians here. News reports pointed out that police units at the scene initially did not intervene. The furor got so bad that the buried body had to be exhumed and taken away to be interred elsewhere. Karabekir Akkoyunlu, an assistant professor at the University of Graz in Austria, told Al-Monitor that such incidents are reminiscent of the tragic events of Sept. 6-7, 1955, when ultranationalist mobs carried out pogroms against the Armenian, Greek and Jewish communities in Istanbul. Recently, on the anniversary of Sept. 6-7, people shared memes that read, Crimes that are not investigated will be repeated. But by tolerating evil acts and covering them, we have created a gang that could spew such hatred to a funeral. Although the government is the source of the hatred, certain elements of society have internalized this degeneration. And this is threatening our ability to be a society. Akkoyunlu tweeted, Such intense hatred, just like a black hole, will suck up all the light, energy and life around it and destroy it until it collapses on itself. In all fairness, the Turkish authorities have opened an investigation into the heartbreaking affair and the presidency has condemned the attack. But empty political statements will not be enough for Turkey to bring back the barest amount of decency and respect for the dead. September 13, 2017 President Recep Tayyip Erdogans headaches with the United States are growing rather than decreasing under President Donald Trumps administration, with serious implications for Ankaras already tense ties with Washington. The cause of his latest annoyance, however, has nothing to do with Syria or Iraq, where Ankara and Washington remain at loggerheads over key issues. Erdogan, who is accused of stifling the independence of the judiciary at home in order to consolidate his power, is increasingly up against the independent US judiciary, which last week indicted a minister of his for taking millions of dollars in bribes in order to help Iran circumvent US sanctions. The case is also expected to cause political complications for Erdogan at home if he cant find a way to contain developments in the United States that are beyond his control. Erdogans supporters have little doubt who the real target in this case is. Hurriyet columnist Abdulkadir Selvi, who has close ties within government circles, reported that the indictment of Zafer Caglayan, Erdogans economy minister from 2011-2013, has caused demoralization in Ankara. He wrote in his column Sept. 13 that this case pointed to the continuing influence of anti-Turkish forces in the United States. They know that as long as there is Erdogan, they will be unable to carry out an operation against Turkey. Therefore, their only target is Erdogan, Selvi maintained, expressing a widely held view in official circles. Caglayan was indicted in a case first opened by Preet Bharara, US attorney for the Southern District of New York, against Reza Zarrab, a Turkish businessman of Iranian-Azeri origin who enjoyed close ties with Erdogans ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Zarrab, who was the prime suspect in Bhararas indictment, was arrested as he tried to enter the United States in Florida with his family in March 2016. He was charged with engaging in "hundreds of millions of dollars-worth of transactions on behalf of the government of Iran and other Iranian entities, which were barred by US sanctions, laundering the proceeds of those illegal transactions and defrauding several financial institutions by concealing the true nature of these transactions. Suleyman Aslan, the former general manager of the Turkish state-owned Halkbank, was also indicted in the United States in connection with this case, leading to alarm in Ankara that new indictments could follow. Hakan Atilla, Aslan's former deputy in Halkbank, is currently under arrest in the United States, standing trial with Zarrab Caglayan and Zarrab also faced corruption accusations in Turkey in 2013, together with three other government ministers. Statements by Turkish government officials show that the initial belief that Donald Trumps presidency would be good for Erdogan and Turkey were misplaced. To the contrary, the mood against Erdogan in the United States turned uglier after his bodyguards beat pro-Kurdish demonstrators outside the Turkish Embassy during his visit to Washington in May. The mood against Erdogan in the United States turned uglier after his bodyguards beat pro-Kurdish demonstrators outside the Turkish Embassy. Nineteen members of Erdogans security team have since been indicted and face arrest if they enter the United States. The dismissal of Bharara by Trump momentarily raised hopes in Ankara that this case against Zarrab and Aslan would be dropped. Meanwhile, Ankara hired the services of former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in its effort to try and broker a deal with the Trump administration to have this case thrown out. This effort, however, has not succeeded and may even have backfired, given the outcry in the US Congress against Erdogan after the violent display of his bodyguards on US soil. Calling on the US court to review its charges against Caglayan, Erdogan argued Sept. 8 that this was a politically motivated case against the Turkish Republic. There are very peculiar smells coming from this issue, Erdogan told reporters before flying to Kazakhstan for an official visit. He referred to this case as illogical. Erdogan also emphasized that Turkey was not bound by US sanctions against Iran and said he would bring the matter up during his visit to the United States later this month when he is due to travel to New York for UN General Assembly meetings. You may be a big nation but being a just nation requires the legal system to work fairly, he said, referring to the United States. While referring to the sanctions against Iran, he made no mention of the bribery charges in Caglayans indictment. Within hours of Erdogans remarks, New York prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Caglayan. He is facing various types of counts in the case including conspiring to commit bank fraud, which has a maximum sentence of 30 years, conspiring to commit money laundering and to evade US sanctions on Iran, which have maximum sentences of 20 years, and conspiring to defraud the United States, which has a maximum sentence of five years.. Meanwhile, the uncertainty around the question of whether Erdogan will meet Trump in New York gained clarity after Erdogan held a phone conversation with Trump while in Kazakhstan. The two are scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session. Murat Yetkin, editor-in-chief of the English-language Hurriyet Daily News and a columnist for Hurriyet, believes there is not much Trump can do to please Erdogan at this stage. He referred in an article to the mistaken belief in AKP circles that Turkeys current problems in Washington are being caused by leftovers from the former administration. The Trump administration is in a very difficult and lonely position today, and supporting Turkey and Erdogan at any cost is not one of his [Trump's] priorities, Yetkin wrote in Hurriyet. The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), for its part, is not convinced by Erdogans argument that this is a political case against Turkey. Yurter Ozcan, the CHPs representative in Washington who is following the case closely, told the Turkish media that this was a purely legal case. US Treasury officials have repeatedly warned Halkbank since 2013, but could not get through, Ozcan told a private Turkish channel. He also pointed to the 2015 case against BNP Paribas, the international banking group that had to pay $9 billion in fines for circumventing sanctions, and indicated that Halkbank could face a similar situation. Ozcan also expects the number of those indicted in this case to increase in the coming period. Ankara, however, insists that this case involves a conspiracy that includes supporters of Fethullah Gulen, the Turkish cleric residing in the United States who is accused of masterminding last year's failed coup attempt against Erdogan. In December 2013, Gulen supporters in the Turkish judiciary were accused by Erdogan and the AKP of starting the corruption probes against Zarrab and Caglayan, as well as former EU Minister Egemen Bagis, Interior Minister Muammer Guler and Urban Planning Minister Erdogan Bayraktar, with the aim of toppling the government. Erdogans son Bilal was also mentioned in connection with these charges. All of the charges were subsequently dropped under pressure from the government on the grounds that they had been fabricated by anti-government elements. Opposition parties and papers continue to say this was a major cover-up operation aimed ultimately at protecting Erdogan. The purge of thousands of suspected Gulen supporters continues across the board today, over a year after the failed coup attempt. Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said the indictment against Caglayan in the United States was tantamount to another coup attempt against Erdogan spearheaded by Gulen supporters. Nedim Sener, an award-winning investigative reporter who served a prison sentence for his reporting on official conspiracies while Erdogan was prime minister, is among those who believe the ultimate target of this case is Erdogan. The case, which was opened in the United States and which continues to grow, is merely a reflection of the many differences of opinion between the United States and Turkey, Sener maintained. He argued in an article for daily Posta that if the government ministers and their associates, including Caglayan and Zarrab, had been held to account for their crimes in Turkey at the time instead of receiving official protection, matters between Ankara and Washington would have been different today. September 14, 2017 WASHINGTON The Donald Trump administration waived nuclear-related sanctions on Iran today, even as senior administration officials stressed the action should not be seen as a sign that the president will ultimately support his predecessors nuclear agreement with Tehran. Trump has not yet decided whether he will certify Irans continued compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) next month, US officials said. We have to consider the totality of Irans activities and not let our view be defined solely by the nuclear agreement, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told journalists at a media appearance with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in London today. No final decisions been made, Tillerson said, referring to the US interagency review of its broader policy on Iran. In a sign of Trumps deep ambivalence about the deal, the sanctions waivers were announced today by US officials on a background call where they also announced that the Treasury Department has blacklisted 11 Iranian entities and individuals allegedly linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ballistic missile program and cyberhacking of US financial institutions prior to 2013. Seven of the alleged hackers designated today were originally charged by the Justice Department in 2016 during the Barack Obama administration. The Trump administration is fully committed to addressing the totality of malign activities attributable to the Iran regime and its proxies, a senior administration official, speaking not for attribution, told journalists on the call today. It seeks to bring about a change in the Iranian regimes behavior. The JCPOA is just one of Irans activities to address, the US official said. We believe the previous policy was focused too much on nuclear, not the totality [including] destabilizing activities of the IRGC. An interagency review of Iran policy is largely done but awaits some presidential decisions, he said. In terms of the policy review, the president has not yet made a final decision on the shape of the new policy, the senior administration official said. There are still a few key areas where he and the principals are exploring options, including the ultimate decision pertaining to JCPOA. However, later in the day, Trump derided the deal as one of the worst hed ever seen. We are not going to stand for what they are doing to this country, Trump told reporters traveling with him on Air Force One. They have violated so many different elements, but theyve also violated the spirit of that deal. And you will see what well be doing in October. It will be very evident. Tillerson, speaking in London after conferring with British counterparts about Libya, Syria, Iran, North Korea and Hurricane Irma, said broader US Iran policy should not be dictated by the nuclear deal. But Johnson said it is important for Iran to see that economic benefits result from the nuclear deal. He also said that upholding the Iran nuclear agreement was important as the international community seeks to grapple with the North Korean nuclear threat. The North Korean crisis shows the importance of having arrangements such as the JCPOA, Johnson said. Thats why its important that we make it work and that we keep it alive. And there are two aspects to this, Johnson said. As Secretary Tillerson has just said, the Iranians have got to behave and fulfill their side of the bargain. And, of course, on the other side, we in the UK think it very important that Iran should see that there are benefits, economic benefits from the JCPOA as well. So we in the UK want to keep that alive, and thats certainly a point that we have been making to Rex and others in the US. Conecuh Ridge Distillery plans to build an $13.5 million artisan distillery, rack houses and a bottling hub in Troy. The makers of Clyde May craft whiskey also plan a "tasting experience center" for tourists, and will employ 50 within five years, according to an announcement from the Alabama Department of Commerce. Gov. Kay Ivey said the announcement "affirms that our state's sound business climate." "In addition to the 50 jobs being created, we are excited about the potential economic impact this company will have in Pike County as this becomes a tourist destination for the official spirit of Alabama," she said. Conecuh Ridge Alabama Fine Whiskey, an aged moonshine whiskey, was named the state's official spirit in 2004. It is modeled after "Christmas whiskey" produced by Alabama moonshiner and bootlegger Clyde May. During May's heyday, he was said to produce up to 300 gallons of whiskey a week at his still near Almeria. He died in 1990 and his son, Kenny, took his father's recipe and Alabama Conecuh Ridge water to Kentucky for distilling. The finished product was brought back to Alabama for distribution. The company has since changed hands several times. Conecuh Ridge Distillery, which is actually based in Long Island, N.Y., will distill and bottle the whiskey in Troy. One of the goals of the company was to develop an artisan distillery in Alabama, with an interactive way for visitors to see how it is crafted. The average wage of jobs there will be $54,000, according to the Alabama Commerce Department. Roy Danis, president and CEO of Conecuh Ridge Distillery, said it was a decision in keeping with the whiskey's namesake. "We continuously market our Clyde May's brand in the spirit of our founder, Clyde May," he said. "His values of quality, integrity and craftsmanship are the building blocks of our company today. Coming home to Troy, Alabama, where the brand got its start, reinforces these values and makes all of us who work for this great brand so very proud." Troy Mayor Jason Reeves said the project will make the city a destination location. "This will be a creative addition to Troy's diverse manufacturing base as well as another wonderfully unique reason to visit Troy," he said. Conecuh Ridge Whiskey did not become Alabama's only official spirit without controversy. The bill was sent to then-Gov. Bob Riley, who opposed naming a commercial product to represent the state. He voted the measure, but the House and Senate overrode the veto. The House later tried unsuccessfully to overturn the measure. The spouse of a woman who was killed when she was pulled into a machine at a Helena plant has filed suit in her death. Catalina Estillado, aka Eva Saenz, died Aug. 16 while at work at ABC Polymer Industries. Shelby County 911 received an emergency call from the business at 545 Elm Street in Helena at 6:41 p.m., said Helena Police Chief Pete Folmar. Once on the scene, Helena police and firefighters found Estillado had been pulled into an industrial machine. Fire medics pronounced her dead on the scene. The lawsuit against ABC Polymer Industries was filed late Wednesday in Jefferson County Circuit Court by attorneys Freddy Rubio, Leslie A. Wright, William P. Traylor III and Jason L. Yearout on behalf of Estillado's spouse, Crescensio Pablo. Estillado was performing her job duties and responsibilities when she suffered catastrophic injuries which led to her death. The suit contends that she was assigned to work in close proximity of a machine, which was in an "unreasonably dangerous condition as designed, manufactured, maintained and installed." "These defendants, upon information and belief, were guilty of 'wilful conduct''' as defined by Alabama law. Pablo, according to the suit, is entitled to receive workers' compensation. A Missouri murder suspect was taken into custody in Alabama Wednesday night. Andre Lemoyne Williams, 32, was captured about 7:30 p.m., said Greene County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Jeremy Rancher. The 17th Judicial Circuit's Drug Task Force and Eutaw police officers assisted in the arrest. Williams is charged in St. Louis with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the Aug. 31 shooting death of 34-year-old Eugene Roberts. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Roberts was fatally shot about 9:30 p.m. that Thursday in the 4500 block of Adelaide Avenue near West Florissant Avenue. According to the publication, Roberts was killed with a high-caliber weapon and a "secret witness" identified Williams as the shooter. Rancher said they received a call about 4 p.m. from investigators with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department seeking help finding Williams, who they believed to be in the Boligee area. "We had a good idea where he was,'' Rancher said. "Luckily, we were able to move in and get him without incident considering what he was wanted for." Williams is being held in the Greene County Jail on a $1 million cash bond awaiting extradition to Missouri. "We would like to thank all of the agencies that assisted us with this apprehension, including the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit," Rancher said. "This is a prime example of what can be achieved when we all work together as one." A poll on Alabama's Republican Senate runoff produced for the Luther Strange-backing Senate Leadership Fund indicates a dead heat between the senator and challenger Roy Moore. The poll still has Moore with a slight lead, albeit by just 1 percent. With a margin of error of 4 percent, the race is essentially a statistical tie, according to the poll. The SLF, closely tied to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, has pumped millions of dollars into attack ads against Strange's top primary challengers - Moore and, previously, U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks. A memo on the poll's results, conducted by Jan R. von Lohuizen, said Moore was polling at 41 percent while Strange was at 40 percent. The poll was conducted by telephone Sept. 9-10 and sampled 604 primary voters. The memo said the race has tightened since the last poll taken Aug. 21-23. That race, too, had the candidates in a statistical tie with Strange trailing by 4 percent. Other polls independent of the SLF has consistently had Moore with a double-digit lead over Strange. No poll since the Aug. 15 primary has reflected Strange in the lead. The memo also said that Moore's unfavorable rating had risen 8 percent over the past two weeks. The memo made no mention of Strange's unfavorable rating among poll participants. The poll also said that President Trump had an 83 percent favorable rating. The Alabama Education Association filed a lawsuit today against now-resigned State Superintendent Michael Sentance challenging actions taken during the intervention into the Montgomery County school system. Sentance and Reginald Eggleston, appointed by Sentance as chief education officer for Montgomery schools, are named as defendants in the lawsuit, filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court. The lawsuit alleges that the intervention into Montgomery schools is not being carried out in accordance with state law or with agreements made with the Montgomery County Board of Education. The plaintiffs claim that Sentance wrongly blocked the Montgomery County BOE from hiring a superintendent and an in-house attorney after those who previously held those positions left. And they claim that Eggleston is illegally performing the duties of the Montgomery County superintendent. The lawsuit also claims that Sentance hired unnecessary and highly-paid employees for the intervention at the expense of needed resources for Montgomery students. The state Board of Education approved the intervention into the Montgomery school system in February. The resolution for the intervention said the intent was to "correct deficiencies" including budgeting, accountability, student transportation, academic achievement, and graduation rate. The Montgomery County BOE did not oppose the intervention at the time. But Montgomery BOE President Robert Porterfield said today that the intervention has not been the collaborative effort that was promised, but more of a dictatorship by the state. AEA filed the lawsuit today on behalf of four Montgomery school employees -- three custodians and an education specialist. The lawsuit says those employees were not given due process rights granted under a state law called the Students First Act when their jobs were changed by transfers or proposed transfers as part of the intervention. Montgomery County Circuit Judge Greg Griffin held a hearing today and granted the plaintiffs a temporary restraining order blocking the transfers. Attorney James "Spud" Seale, who represented Sentance and Eggleston at the hearing, told Griffin that the custodians would remain at the same schools and that the "transfers" in question were only a reorganization, placing them under the supervision of the school system's logistics department rather than the principals of the schools where they worked. AEA attached to the lawsuit a copy of the letters the custodians received informing them they would be "transferred" to logistics. Seale said the term "transferred" was used incorrectly in the letters and assured the judge that the custodians would not be moved to other schools. AEA attorney Theron Stokes urged the judge not to accept Seale's assurances or his argument that the word "transferred" was used in error. Griffin said he was concerned that the Montgomery school system, with no in-house counsel, had no lawyer representing it at the court hearing. "So how am I going to trust that they will do what they say?" the judge asked before granting the temporary restraining order requested by the plaintiffs. Today's hearing covered only the request for the temporary restraining order for the four employees, not the other issues in the AEA lawsuit. Alabama Department of Education General Counsel Julianna Dean also attended the hearing. Dean said the department had no immediate response to the claims in the lawsuit. Alabama's poverty rate is decreasing, according to recently released government report. The Income and Poverty in the United States report for 2016, released by the U.S. Census Bureau Tuesday, shows that the Yellowhammer State's poverty rate has dropped from 18.2 percent over 2013-2014 to 16.8 percent in 2015-2016, going by two year averages. Despite progress, Alabama ranks among one of the poorest states in country and is still above the national average of 12.7 percent, according to the report. The national average decreased from 14.8 percent in 2013-2014. "Alabama, like the rest of the U.S., has had a slight reduction in poverty in the last few years due to the improving economy, but the fact remains both the state and the nation still have higher poverty than before the recession," said Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, a New York-based non-profit advocacy group that aims to end domestic hunger. "We are the only industrialized Western nation that has this massive poverty problem, and the time is long overdue to solve it." Alabama ranks in the bottom 10 overall for poverty, ahead of other southern states such as Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, which have poverty rates of 20.1, 18.8 and 19.4 percent, respectively. More than 40.6 million people in the United States were living in poverty last year, 2.5 million fewer than in 2015 and 6.0 million fewer than in 2014, the Census said. However, poverty on a national level has still not recovered to pre-recession levels. In 2007, the poverty rate was 12.5 percent. Alabama's poverty level pre-recession was 16.6 percent. A vast majority of Alabama's 67 counties have poverty levels above the national average, according to Census Bureau data. The census report also showed that median incomes across the country reached a record high of $59,000 in 2016, surpassing the previous high of $58,665 in 1999 when the country enjoyed a record 10-year economic expansion. "Real median household income has finally completed its nine-year slog of digging out of the ditch," IHS Markit Executive Director Chris Christopher said Gov. Kay Ivey said today that she changed her position on the status of State Superintendent Michael Sentance because of additional information but did not go into what that was. A month ago, as dissatisfaction with Sentance stirred among some members of the state Board of Education, Ivey called for allowing the superintendent more time to develop his initiatives. But on Wednesday, Ivey accepted Sentance's resignation and presided over the state board meeting today that made it official. Sentance, a former secretary of education in Massachusetts whose hiring in Alabama was controversial from the outset, is gone after one year on the job. "Things changed. More information came to the table," Ivey said. "And after that it was clear that Mr. Sentance was doing the right thing by sending his letter of resignation to me and the governor's office. I think it was the right thing for him to do." Asked what was the new information, Ivey would only say: "Various members of the board got various kinds of information that they were no longer comfortable with his service." Ivey is president of the board by virtue of her office but has not attended most of the board's meetings since becoming governor in April. To some extent, she had stayed out of the controversy over Sentance's job performance until Wednesday. Ivey did not submit an evaluation when most of the other board members gave Sentance low scores on evaluations in July. Today, the governor was eager to turn the page. "That's old news, folks," Ivey said. "The board made a strong statement today. Accepted the resignation and adopted the separation agreement and appointed a strong interim superintendent, Dr. [Ed] Richardson. "So let's move forward and go forward and think on positive things of what we can do." The board voted 9-0 to accept Sentance's resignation, which is effective immediately. The board voted 8-0 to approve a separation agreement that calls for Sentance to receive his salary for the remainder of the year, which will amount to $57,750, plus $19,836 for 18 months of COBRA health insurance coverage and $900 for 18 months of dental coverage. The board voted 8-1 to hire Richardson as interim, with Board member Betty Peters, R-Dothan, voting no. Richardson is a former state superintendent and former president of Auburn University. Most recently, he has served as chairman of the Alabama Public Charter School Commission, a position from which he has resigned to take the interim job. Sentance did not attend today's meeting. Had he not resigned, the board might have voted to fire him today. His contract was on the agenda for the board's meeting today. Board Vice President Stephanie Bell, R-Montgomery, said Sentance's resignation had been in the works for almost two weeks. "He came to us, came to our attorney about a week and a half ago, almost two weeks, and had already decided that it was time for him to resign," Bell said. The board's decision to hire Sentance last year drew some criticism, partly because Sentance had never been a teacher, principal or local superintendent. "At the time of the selection, the board obviously thought that they had the right person," Bell said. "We had a wonderful first couple of months. And I just think that at that point there were a couple of things where you had disagreements perhaps. But we are now looking for the future and looking forward to the next step." Bell has known Richardson for a long time. She said Richardson was principal at Montgomery's Cloverdale Junior High School when she was a student there. Bell was on the state board during Richardson's tenure as state superintendent. "Dr. Richardson, I talked to him yesterday, was playing his last game of tennis for a while," Bell said. "He understands that this is going to be a lot of work. And I'm thankful for that. Because knowing him, as I do from past working together, he gets into the situation and he gives it more than 100 percent." Sentance still had his supporters. Ann Eubank of Hoover, who regularly attends board meetings and has advocated for the repeal of the Common Core standards, said she was disappointed that Sentance is gone. "He came here to give us better standards and a better quality of education that Alabama desperately needs," Eubank said. "Reformers are not welcomed in Alabama." James Gallini, a Birmingham attorney who specializes in obtaining individualized educational services for children with special needs, said Sentance needed to be given more time. "I just don't believe at this point there was enough justification to fire him, or pressure him into a resignation," Gallini said. "He's been there one year. I know how all this works. It took him traveling around the state, meeting with educators to come up with his plan for the future, similar to every other superintendent. How much money did we waste on the Michael Sentance plan that they had put together?" Gallini said some of the criticisms of Sentance, such as that he had caused a deficit at the Department of Education by hiring too many high-dollar administrators, were not backed up by the numbers. Sentance has also drawn criticism for his handling of an intervention into Montgomery schools. But Gallini said teachers and parents he's heard from like what they're seeing. "I'm just not seeing a smoking gun, other than the fact that he was from Massachusetts," Gallini said. Sen. Quinton Ross, D-Montgomery, said it's important for the state board to get the next hire right because public schools need clear leadership. Ross, a former high school principal in Montgomery who was just chosen as president at Alabama State University, said the state board should be able to find strong candidates. "You don't have to go outside," Ross said. "You can look right here in Alabama for great leadership that can take Alabama to the next level." Updated at 4:36 p.m. to add comments from Stephanie Bell, Ann Eubank and Quinton Ross. Updated at 5:35 p.m. to add comments from James Gallini. Update 7:38 p.m.: Now the Moore campaign is walking back its previous statement. They have agreed to a debate with Strange sans moderator. "We are glad Luther Strange has agreed to our challenge of an honest and open debate, with no conditions," the Moore campaign said. A Moore campaign spokeswoman said the details haven't been worked out yet. Meanwhile, a spokesman for Strange said Moore's camp hasn't responded to Strange's open letter. Update 5:45 p.m.: The Moore campaign rejected Strange's agreement for the Lincoln-Douglas-style debate, claiming that Strange's request contained "additional demands and sarcasm." "Our open debate offer stands," the Moore campaign said in an email. "We urge Luther Strange to man up and participate in a real conversation with the people of Alabama." But the Strange campaign said they were agreeing to Moore's preferred debate format, and that it only "strongly encouraged" -- not demanded -- Moore to agree to an additional moderated debate. Original story: Sen. Luther's Strange campaign has agreed to hold a debate with challenger Roy Moore without a moderator, although the incumbent senator slammed his opponent for having "ridiculous demands." "The Strange for Senate Campaign is extremely disappointed in how Roy Moore has handled the basic request to debate the issues for Alabama voters. That said, we are committed to the voters and will accommodate Mr. Moore's ridiculous demands if that is the only way to get him to come out of hiding," Strange campaign spokesman Cameron Foster wrote in an open letter sent to the Moore campaign. Earlier Wednesday, Moore said he would only have a debate with Strange styled after the Lincoln-Douglas debates of the 1850s, with the two candidates going back and forth on the issues without a moderator. Moore's request came after he backed out of a candidates' forum scheduled for Sept. 21 at Samford University and sponsored by the Alabama Policy Institute. Moore said he reneged on agreeing to that debate because the institute's president is also treasurer for the Mitch McConnell-controlled super PAC that has been running negative ads against Moore. The Strange campaign suggested that the two candidates in the Republican runoff for U.S. Senate hold the debate on the 21st since both campaigns initially committed to the Samford debate on that date. But the campaign also strongly encouraged Moore to also participate in a moderated debate with Raycom Media that is in the planning stages. The Moore campaign could not immediately be reached for comment. The party primaries are almost nine months away, but some political observers already say it will be a formidable task to dislodge Gov. Kay Ivey from her position as front-runner in the governor's race. Ivey announced last week that she would run, a move that was expected after she had already raised $1 million in campaign contributions for the race. Ivey became governor April 10 when Robert Bentley resigned from the state's top office. Jess Brown, retired professor of political science at Athens State University, said Ivey stands to benefit politically from following Bentley, who resigned over allegations that he used state resources to cover up an extramarital affair with an advisor. "Almost any time, whether it's federal level, local level, state level, if you have something that's viewed as a scandal or a tragedy that leads to a new person in office, you kind of give well wishes and the benefit of the doubt to the new person on the job because they're not associated in any way with the prior incumbent or administration," Brown said. Natalie Davis, a retired political science professor from Birmingham-Southern College, said Ivey has both political savvy and a public persona that is likely to find favor with Alabama voters. "I think she's viewed in the mold of women in the South who have been successful," Davis said. "Tough, straightforward. She certainly knows the Montgomery game." Ivey was in her second term as lieutenant governor when she replaced Bentley. Voters twice elected her state treasurer. Before that, she was a lobbyist for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. "She knows how to navigate politics," Davis said. "She's been around it, really for most of her life in one way or another. So, I've got a sense that she's in pretty good shape on the Republican side." Two would-be Republican challengers have left the race since it became clear Ivey would run -- Public Service Commission President Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh, who switched to the lieutenant governor's race, and Jefferson County Commissioner David Carrington. Republicans who are running or raising campaign money include Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Birmingham evangelist Scott Dawson, state Sen. Bill Hightower of Mobile, Birmingham businessman Joshua Jones, state corrections officer and former Morgan County Commissioner Stacy Lee George and Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan. Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb is running for the Democratic nomination, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox is considering whether to enter the Democratic primary. Steve Flowers, a former state lawmaker and author of "Of Goats and Governors: Six Decades of Colorful Alabama Political Stories," said Ivey will be hard to beat. "I would say she is the clear front-runner," Flowers said. "I wouldn't say she's a prohibitive favorite. But she's the clear front-runner and she's doing the right things. She's looking gubernatorial. She's traveling the state. Obviously, she's doing a good job raising money, too. She hit that million-dollar threshold in just a few weeks' time." Despite Ivey's advantages, Brown believes the governor needs to do more than coast to the primary. Brown said she needs to show scandal-weary voters that she is serious about ethics. "Because of what's transpired in our state government, and I don't mean an event but a combination of events, the politician who runs in this next election cycle who does not understand the saliency of the ethics issue is a fool," Brown said. "You better understand the saliency, the importance to voters, of ethics. And right now in Alabama I'm convinced it's higher than ever and cynicism among Alabama voters is probably very high right now." Brown said Ivey needs to take on one of the issues left unresolved by her predecessors, such as problems with prisons, education, the General Fund and roads. "She needs a legislative initiative so she can show she's got the political management skills, that she's not merely just a nice person who's governor, a nice person who hopes we'll do better, but that she's got the political management skills to make positive things happen," Brown said. "Because one of the frustrations now, whether it's Montgomery or Washington, is everybody talks about a problem and nobody makes anything positive happen." The legislative session begins in January, five months before the primary. Davis said the results of that first full legislative session of Ivey's administration could affect the governor's race. But Davis said also said Alabama voters don't generally base their allegiances to a candidate on specific policies or accomplishments. "Our history is one where we vote for people we like rather than people we necessarily agree with," Davis said. "We really don't seem to reward performance in this state. I guess that's an understatement." Ivey supports a gasoline tax increase to fund road and bridge projects. Some of the state's business groups have advocated for the state's first gas tax increase since 1992. But the gas tax bills have stalled in the State House. Flowers is not convinced Ivey will champion an issue as potentially controversial as a gas tax increase during an election-year session. "She may not want to rock the boat," Flowers said. "If she sees she's in good shape politically, then she may not feel like she needs to have any initiative. It's tough to pass anything during an election-year session. My guess is she wouldn't try to do anything dramatic." As lieutenant governor, Ivey wielded little power but had a chance to build relationships with lawmakers as the president of the Senate. Flowers said that put her in good standing with lawmakers. For example, Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said he considered running for governor but would not run if Ivey did. Marsh decided to run for reelection. "That's what makes things work in the Legislature, is having relationships," Flowers said. As for the rest of the Republican field, Flowers said Battle is a potentially strong challenger, partly because of the growth and prosperity of Huntsville as compared to most of the rest of Alabama. "It is the crown jewel of this state," Flowers said. Battle was the top fundraiser among the candidates until Ivey entered the race. Brown said Battle has strengths as a candidate but questions whether he can overcome Ivey's advantages as the sitting governor. "She's already got statewide name recognition," Brown said. "All that money Battle has raised, he'd need far more than that just to spend early in the campaign just to get to where she is on name recognition." William Stewart, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Alabama and author of "Alabama Politics in the Twenty-First Century," said Ivey's assets at this point outweigh any liabilities. "Ivey has handicaps such as being single and not having a photogenic family to put pictures of in her brochures," Stewart said in an email. "However, she is a smart and capable politician and leader and is fully capable of winning a full term. She would be aided if she could make an announcement about a new industry which would bring new jobs to Alabama and help increase the amount of revenue available to fund essential government programs. Since she most likely would only serve one term she could take some political risks that governors expecting to run again would not be inclined to take." Republicans have won seven of the last eight governor's races, with Don Siegelman's win in 1998 the only exception. Flowers said Cobb and Maddox give the Democrats two legitimate candidates in 2018. But he's skeptical that any Democrat can get more than 45 percent of the vote in the general election. "They're both viable candidates," Flowers said. "They're very well qualified. They would be more viable candidates if they ran as Republicans. But they probably philosophically believe, and you've got admire them for it, they believe they're Democrats." Davis, who was a Democratic candidate for Congress in 1996, said the special election for the U.S. Senate in December will be an indicator of whether Cobb or Maddox have a realistic shot. In the Senate race, Democratic nominee Doug Jones faces the winner of the GOP runoff between Roy Moore and Luther Strange. "If Doug were to win or come very close, I think it would give voters a sense that it might be OK to vote for a Democrat," Davis said. "If he gets blown away, I think that could very well affect this race." President Trump will travel to Florida Thursday to survey damage from Hurricane Irma. In a Wednesday morning tweet, the president said he will be meeting with representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, first responders and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The White House has not announced where in Florida the president will go. According to The Hill, the Federal Aviation Administration posted a travel advisory Tuesday that covers Fort Myers, a step that typically proceeds a presidential visit. First Lady Melania Trump is expected to accompany the president. The President and the First Lady made two trips to Texas last month in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. Earlier in the week, the president sent a message to Florida hurricane victims. "We are here for you. Now is the time to unit as one America," the president said. The president listed national disaster relief organizations for those wanting to donate to help hurricane victims: * Save The Children * The American Red Cross * Salvation Army * UNICEF * The ASPCA * Best Friends Animal Society * The Humane Society * Samaritan's Purse U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore said Wednesday that he was not backing down from a debate with incumbent Sen. Luther Strange, and challenged his opponent in the Republican runoff to a Lincoln-Douglas-style debate without a moderator. Earlier this week, Moore pulled out of a candidates' forum with Strange scheduled for Sept. 21 at Samford University in Birmingham, but the campaign did not give a reason when contacted by AL.com,. The debate, sponsored by the Alabama Policy Institute, was to be moderated by AL.com columnist Cameron Smith, a former vice president of the institute. At a press conference at Grille 29 in Mountain Brook, Moore said Strange's campaign was distorting the record by saying he was hiding. In a letter released Wednesday -- and sent by the Moore campaign to the Alabama Policy Institute dated Friday -- Moore said he was withdrawing from the forum because the institute's president, Caleb Crosby, also serves as the treasurer of the Senate Leadership Fund -- a super PAC controlled by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that has been airing attack ads against Moore. "I'm not hiding from anything, ladies and gentlemen. I'm a Vietnam veteran. I'm a West Point graduate. I don't hide," Moore said at the news conference. "I didn't hide when they tried to take the Ten Commandments down ... I didn't hide when they tried to push on us same-sex marriage ... I'm not one to hide and I'm not one to run. What we've seen here is an inaccurate way to hold a debate." Moore said he would only agree to a debate with Strange without a moderator, like the Lincoln-Douglas debates of the 1850s, with any topic being fair game. "I want him to talk the truth about his appointment to the Senate. I want him to talk about why he sided with Mitch McConnell on the 60-vote rule up till just a week or so ago when he switched his position," Moore said, referring to Strange being tapped for the seat by then-Gov. Robert Bentley, who was being investigated by Strange's district attorney office, and the filibuster rule in the Senate, which Strange made an about-face on and sided with Trump's desire to see the filibuster eliminated so his agenda could pass through Congress. Earlier Wednesday, the Strange campaign said it was "telling" and "a little embarrassing" that Moore didn't want a debate with questions from the press, and listed more than a dozen possible moderators with their proposal. "Arguing over petty issues like format, topics, or moderators is a political game Democrats play and should have no place in this election. The voters deserve a debate, so our campaign will do whatever we can to make sure that happens," the Strange campaign said in a statement. Moore said a Lincoln-Douglas debate would be the only format he'll accept, and accused the Strange campaign of having a hand in stacking the deck against him in the now-canceled Samford debate. "Once you catch a child sticking his hand into a cookie jar, you slap his rest. You don't go back, keep letting him stick his hand in a cookie jar," Moore said. "We will have a Lincoln-Douglas style debate with him on the 21st. We will submit to no other debates. I see their tricks, I know what they're doing." As climate change makes their lives increasingly precarious, Nepalis reflect on the US withdrawal from the Paris Accord. Saipu, Nepal Three weeks after US President Donald Trump announced that as of today, the United States will cease all implementation of the Paris Accord, Shiva, a subsistence farmer in the Nepali village of Saipu, says: Its like God is mad and has disappeared and something evil is taking over the sky. Look at my corn. Its thirsty, but there is no water any more. He pauses and then quietly adds, climate change. The people who are causing this are killing us. Trump promised to end the draconian financial and economic burdens the agreement imposes on our country because we dont want other countries laughing at us any more. But Shiva and his fellow farmers arent laughing as they speak about how climate change is threatening them all. We were in Saipu to research the politics of reconstruction in post-earthquake Nepal. More than 80 percent of the structures in Saipu were rendered uninhabitable by the earthquakes of April and May 2015. Only about 20 percent have been repaired or rebuilt with the aid of government grants and loans that have burdened many with excessive debt. The whole cycle of life is changing Despite the suffering that they have endured for more than two years, Shiva and the other subsistence farmers who have gathered know that climate change is the real danger. The earthquakes destroyed our homes, school and health clinic, but those we will eventually rebuild, a man named Gopal interjects. But erratic weather with little rain is already bringing the final disaster. Anguished expressions settle on their faces as the conversation escalates. It rained heavily in March when we needed dry weather to plant corn, a woman named Kalpana adds. And then it was dry in April and May when planted corn needed water. Its never been this way. The corn is small. We should be harvesting it now and getting ready to plant rice, but everything is running behind. The whole cycle of life is changing. She looks up at the cloudless sky, which should be dark and full of life-giving rain at the beginning of the monsoon season. She knows that the rhythm of subsistence farming that has evolved over the centuries is not some arbitrary human choice, but is dependent upon reasonably predictable natural cycles. Her observations about climate change are not made causally. They are the result of traditional knowledge of a topic that has always been a matter of survival. Farmer after farmer tells the same story: it rains when its supposed to be dry, and its dry when its supposed to rain; rotating crops of corn, millet, rice and vegetables requires weather predictability which is no more; mountain streams that make agriculture possible on the steep slopes and which provide drinking water are drying up; days are warmer, making mosquitoes flourish and goats and cattle sick. Climate change: A catastrophic reality In this village with no electricity, where the basic fuel is wood, and there are no vehicles aside from a couple of tractors and four-wheel drives to ferry people and supplies up and down the landslide-prone road, residents know they contribute nothing to the factors creating climate change and, yet, are on the receiving end of its consequences. According to the World Bank, Nepals entire CO2 output in 2013 was only 0.2 of a metric tonne. Before 1995, it was less than 0.1 of a metric tonne per year. Despite Trumps claim that the United States is the worlds leader in environmental policy, the World Bank says that in 2013 the US contributed 16.4 metric tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere. According to Statista, a website that compiles statistics on a variety of topics, in 2016 the US produced 15.99 percent of global CO2 emissions, second only to China. The Berkeley Energy and Resource Collaborative in 2014 concluded that the US had contributed more than 20 percent of all global warming since pre-industrial times. The subsistence farmers of Nepal, like billions of vulnerable people across the globe, are the victims of the excesses of a bloated global economy that fattens the few at the expense of the many. For these people, climate change is not some abstract, debatable idea that a country like the US can wish out of existence. For them, it is a catastrophic reality. Floods in the US, floods in South Asia The August 2017 floods in Nepal, India and Bangladesh are a case in point. While the US and much of the global news media focused on the floods in Houston, Texas, the human cost of the flooding in South Asia was largely overlooked. Although the calculation of the damage is still mounting, at least 200 people died as a result of the floods in Nepal, and 1.7 million have been severely affected, as 65,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. As many as 40 million people have been directly impacted across Nepal, India and Bangladesh. While monsoon rains are part of the normal climatic cycle in the region, there is little doubt that the ferocity of the rain increased dramatically as a result of climate change. READ MORE: European heatwave deaths could skyrocket climate study The farmers of Saipu do what they can. They protect their forests with the razor-thin hope that this might mitigate the fury of climate change. They conserve as much water as possible hoping that the rain will fall normally once again. They plant seeds hoping that, against all the odds, the crops will produce enough to sustain them. But they know that it is the decisions made in distant places that truly determine their fate. Shiva finally exhibits the satirical humour for which Nepali farmers are famous. Now that the US has decided not to cooperate in stopping climate change, he smiles, alluding to Trumps announcement, they have only two choices: reverse the decision and stop putting pollution into the sky, or move everything and everybody from Nepal to the US. Everyone around him laughs. For a moment, the anger and frustration they feel disappear. But then the laughter fades, and a momentary quiet takes over. We recall the statement US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt made at the Paris Accord withdrawal ceremony: We owe no apologies to other nations for our environmental stewardship. We wonder whether Pruitt could bring himself to tell these Nepali farmers that. Then an elderly man named Devi, who has so far remained silent, speaks softly. I used to think the USA was smart, but now I know that they are just selfish and irresponsible, he says. Everyone nods in agreement. Gregory Reck is a professor in the Department of Anthropology at Appalachian State University in the US. He has conducted ethnographic field research in rural Mexico, India, Nepal and the Appalachian region of the US. His diverse research interests are unified by his interest in investigating the complex ways that global capitalism penetrates and exploits rural communities around the world. Dinesh Paudel is an assistant professor in the Department of Sustainable Development at Appalachian State University. His current research explores the politics of post-disaster reconstruction in Nepal, the geopolitical dynamics of Himalayan environmental changes and the relationship between international development interventions and political transformations in Nepal and the Himalayas. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policies. Palestinian landowners are following up with their efforts to stop the construction of the Amichai settlement. With his face pale, his cheeks hollow and his eyes weary, Fawzi Ibrahim sat on a sofa, waiting for his ride to the doctors office. The 62-year-old held his head in his hands as though it were too heavy for his neck to carry. The agony he felt wasnt merely physical, he explained. I got used to sorrow, Ibrahim said. I used to walk a 15km stretch from north to south on my land [but] not any more. The Ibrahims owned around 800 hectares of land in the Palestinian village of Jalud, south of Nablus. They have been planting barley, chickpeas and sesame on it for generations. But over the last couple of decades, more than 90 percent of their land has been taken over by Israel. Now, they struggle to access the little land that remains because of the illegal Israeli settlements and outposts that dot the area. READ MORE: West Bank One day on my land is worth a lifetime Strangled by settlements The Ibrahims arent the only ones who have been affected. Close to 1,600 hectares of land in Jalud is off limits to its Palestinian owners either as a result of official Israeli confiscation orders or because Israeli settlers have intimidated, harassed and attacked Palestinian farmers and taken over locals land to plant vineyards and olive groves of their own. Israels solution to the settler violence has been to ban Palestinian farmers from accessing their land without prior coordination, enabling them to plough, plant, reap and harvest under military escort only a few days a year. An officer once told me hed allow me a whole week to harvest my olive trees, I told him Ill give you a week to count my trees, Ibrahim recalled. We used to work in the land for two months with tens of workers. Jalud is strangled by a ring of eight illegal settlements and outposts, soon to be nine. In June, Amichai was approved as the first official Israeli government-approved settlement in over two decades. It is reportedly intended to house 40 settler families evacuated from the outpost of Amona last February, in 100 housing units. On September 3, the Israeli government also approved a budget of nearly $17 million for the construction of the settlement. Work resumed there on Monday. The idea behind this location of settlements and outposts is to rule and divide the Palestinian population, said Dror Etkes of Kerem Navot, an Israeli NGO monitoring settlement activity. We have to remember that 50 years after the Israeli settlement enterprise started, still over 85 percent of the population in the West Bank is Palestinian, Etkes continued. The challenge that the Israeli settlement architecture will have to deal with is how to compensate for the demographic supremacy of the Palestinians. The answer is very simple: its by creating an artificial, violent, geographical supremacy for the small Jewish Israeli minority who lives in the West Bank. Going to the International Criminal Court Two weeks ago, Palestinian landowners, three village heads and the Israeli rights organisations Bimkom and Haqel filed an objection to the Israeli Civil Administration, a military governing body in the West Bank, in a bid to prevent the approval of the Amichai building plan. They said that the new settlement would harm Palestinians, prevent them accessing their land, limit future expansion of the three nearby villages, and greenlight further land theft by settlers. In the objection discussed on Thursday, Palestinians also questioned the Israeli plan to build a new settlement less than 1.5 kilometres away from the illegal settlement of Shilo. READ MORE: Palestinians brace for new West Bank settlement The Palestinian leadership is also gearing up to take the settlement issue to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The decision is taken, the documentation is ready and the evidence is ready and the letter is signed by the president, we believe its a matter of timing now, Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organizations (PLO) executive committee, told Al Jazeera. We pay the price if we try to hold Israel accountable and in the meantime, Israel acts with full impunity to continue its land theft and destruction of the Palestinian state. Were still picking the olives But Fawzi Ibrahim was not the kind of person to give up without a fight. Qamar Mashriki-Assad of Haqel recently filed her fourth petition to the Israeli Supreme Court on his behalf. In this petition concerning Amichai, she argues that part of the settlement will be built on land that Ibrahim privately owned and had been cultivating. The civil administration, the petition points out, confiscated more of Ibrahims land without officially informing him. Back in Jalud, Mahmoud Ibrahim, Fawzis son, can see the bulldozers digging into his familys land from the rooftop of their home. The new settlement did not only take over his land, but will leave the Palestinians who live here further isolated. Despite this grim reality, Mahmoud seeks comfort in the past and his fathers words: The Turkish army sat under the olive trees during the first world war, the Brits followed, then the Jordanians and the Israelis They all left and were still picking the olives, just like our grandparents did and our grandchildren will do. Fawzi Ibrahim died of heart complications shortly after he was interviewed for this story. Antofagasta region, northern Chile Juan Carlos Galvez and two other men are travelling in a run-down car along the coast of the Pacific Ocean searching for guano the excrement of seabirds. They will sell what they find to shops that supply farmers who use the nutrient-rich excrement as fertiliser. When they spot a white rock on the shore or on islands close to the mainland, their work begins. To reach one of the islands they must wait until the sea is calm. Then, they use the inflated inner tubes of a tyre, covered with a net, and a long rope to cross the ocean. They scrape the surface with large, sharp picks, filling bags with the guano. Each man can collect between five and 15 bags a day, depending on how difficult the surface is to scrape and navigate. It can take anywhere from a week to a few months to clear one area. The more difficult the spot is to reach, the longer it may take, as the men often have to wait for the right conditions to cross the sea. According to Juan, one 25kg bag of guano sells for 7,000 Chilean Pesos (about $10). The men share the money between them according to the number of days they worked. When an area is scraped clean, the men must leave it for six months or so until it is again covered in guano. And that means moving on to another spot. The work can be hard and it comes with dangers. Collecting guano is illegal in Chile because it can disturb the natural habitat of the seabirds. Those caught doing it face arrest and risk having the bags of guano they have worked so hard to collect emptied into the ocean, buried in the ground or given away by the police. The more remote the spots they work on, the less likely they are to be caught by the police. But this brings its own dangers. The men have to cross rough seas to reach remote island rocks. They dont all always make it. There have been cases of guano collectors drowning, Juan says, although there is no data on the exact number. And there is the risk of falling from one of the rocks. Guano covered rocks can be slippery and men have been known to be badly injured or even killed falling from them. But because their work is illegal, their deaths arent always reported. Still, Juan and his team say they will continue working as guano collectors because they have few other options available to them in the coastal towns from which they come and they must make a living somehow. Last August, Palestinians commemorated the three-year anniversary of the end of Israels devastating war against the Gaza Strip. The war killed over 2,200 Palestinians the vast majority among them civilians and 71 Israelis, the majority of them soldiers. The war left Gaza in ruins with over 17,000 homes completely destroyed, and thousands of other buildings, including hospitals, schools and factories, destroyed or severely damaged. The war fully shattered whatever semblance of an economy the Gaza Strip had. Today, 80 percent of all Palestinians in Gaza live below the poverty line, the majority of whom are dependent on humanitarian aid. INTERACTIVE: Palestine in Motion The story of Palestine through the eyes of its people There is a whole generation of Palestinians in Gaza that grew up knowing nothing but war and siege and have never seen the world beyond Gazas deadly borders. These are the voices of some of these young Gazans, who shared their tragic personal stories, hoping that the world would heed their calls for freedom and for justice. Our recurring Nakba Shahd Abusalama a Palestinian artist, blogger and a PhD candidate at Sheffield Hallam University This is not just a commemoration of the catastrophic human, material and emotional costs that Israel inflicted on Gaza in its deadliest attack during the summer of 2014. This is a remembrance of an ongoing Nakba which Palestinians have experienced since 1948. I am a third-generation refugee, born and raised in one of Palestines largest refugee camps, Jabalia, originally from Beit-Jerja, my grandparents evergreen home village which they had to flee under Israeli fire nearly 70 years ago. I was born a survivor my mother went into labour during a curfew that Israeli military forces imposed on Jabalia, the place from which the first Intifada erupted a few years before I was born. While fearing for her life and her yet-to-be-born child, she walked through Jabalias alleys, leaning on my grandmother who held a white piece of cloth and a lantern, hoping for mercy from the Israeli soldiers who shot at everyone that dared break the curfew. This is just my birth story in short, and this piece would not be enough to cover the immense trauma that I shared with the population of Gaza ever since. In Gaza, no family could escape the grief of having a relative killed, wounded, detained or exiled mine is no exception. This context is necessary to remind everyone of the uninterrupted cycle of violence we endured since Israels inception. Such stories, as harrowing as they may sound, are Palestinians daily reality for the past 70 years. How can a whole population, locked in an inescapable ghetto, be subjected to such brutality for this long, as the whole world looks the other way? One would expect that such an inhumane reality would encourage world governments to impose sanctions on Israel. Instead, world leaders compete over sponsoring Israels lethal security apparatus, asserting Israels right to self-defence on every possible occasion. They accept Israels misleading media narrative at face value and justify its crimes against my people, who are portrayed as terrorists, effectively blaming the oppressed for legitimately resisting their colonial oppressor, so that they may attain their right to live in dignity and freedom. My identity: Defined, fragmented Sondos Alqutat a Palestinian social worker; holds a Bachelors degree in English Literature The ongoing Israeli occupation and siege made me understand the occupier the way it proudly portrays itself: Israeli, Zionist, Jewish. This has heightened my sense of identity as a Palestinian, Arab, Muslim. But new factors emerged following the decade-long siege imposed on Gaza. Now, I also feel Gazan. Like two million other Palestinians, I belong to this coastal enclave which is subjected to daily suffering. The political division, due to the absence of one unified leadership representing both Gaza and the West Bank, has accentuated the geographical and cultural differences between both locations. The gap gets wider every day, resulting in a separate identity for me, and many other young Gazans, compared with that held by those living in the West Bank. Gaza is under a tight siege, yet despite all the hardships, there is a collective sense of autonomy. On the other hand, the West Bank has a semblance of freedom, while in reality every aspect of life, there is controlled by Israel. Over the course of years, my sense of national identity has fragmented. But whether in the West Bank or Gaza, we must not forget, we both struggle against the same military occupier, and will always remain linked through our resistance. Only through resistance to injustice, our identity can, once more, become one. Gaza women are not a stereotype Sarah Ali a teacher working in Gaza; holds a Masters degree in English Literary Studies from Durham University For years, Palestinian women have been part of the struggle against the Israeli occupation. Yet it remains hard to escape the stereotypical depictions surrounding them, with many commentators incessantly indulging in Orientalist tropes, constantly referring to rooted patriarchy in Palestinian society to score political points, thus justify Israeli aggression. The Gaza Strip, wrecked by the Israeli siege and repeated wars, is no haven for Palestinian men. But life for women is harder still. In a culture that conforms to traditional gender roles, where females do most of the housework, women in Gaza bear the brunt of the effects of the siege on the household. Due to daily power-cuts, women frequently have to wake up in the middle of the night to use the sparse hours of electricity to wash clothes, iron, vacuum and bake bread. Breast cancer patients who are referred to Israeli hospitals have to endure a long and bureaucratic process to get Israeli permits to leave Gaza through the Erez Crossing [known to Palestinians Beit Hanoun]. Israeli authorities frequently delay permits and send patients back to Gaza between therapy sessions. Female patients who cant leave Gaza suffer from the shortage of healthcare equipment and medicine. During the 2014 Israeli attack on Gaza, when hundreds of families fled their homes for relatives houses, women would cook for large groups of men and children every day, provide shelter for relatives and strangers alike. Nowadays, although still underrepresented in the workforce and positions of power, and despite the Israeli blockade that continues to strangle Palestinian education and economy, thousands of Palestinian young women in Gaza go to university. Thousands go on to become teachers, doctors, architects, nurses, housewives, mothers, political activists, educators, and social workers. I am from there. I am from here Yousef M Aljamal a Palestinian PhD candidate at the Middle East Institute of the University of Sakarya in Turkey Being Palestinian means living in a state of worry over the situation in Palestine, whether you are in Palestine or outside. When I am in my temporary home, my Gaza refugee camp my home is the village of Aqir in historic Palestine I feel the combined pressures of siege and war, and the constant desire to leave. Many Gazan youth feel the same way. The people of Gaza live under extremely abnormal conditions where basic services and human rights, such as clean water, electricity and the freedom to travel are a privilege, not a right. Nothing is taken for granted there, even the right to receive life-saving medical treatment. Many Palestinians in Gaza want to see the world past the confines of that tiny strip, but if they ever do, they become trapped. They want to stay outside Gaza, due to the difficult conditions at home, and the difficulty of adapting to life outside. I too feel stuck between this feeling of entrapment in Gaza and feeling exiled outside it; this heavy feeling of alienation and exile is not unique to me. Most Palestinians feel it, Gazans especially. This feeling is part of the complexity of the Palestinian identity after nearly 70 years of displacement following the Nakba our collective catastrophe, when Israel was established atop the ruins of our homes. This feeling of alienation and exile is passed from one generation to the next, and will continue to get more complicated as the situation in Palestine gets more difficult. As the Gazas siege enters its 11th year, and Israels active apartheid system in the West Bank is becoming more entrenched, the Palestinian identity will get more painful and intricate, where the concept of home and exile will be even harder to define. I am afraid that this feeling of alienation and exile will continue to shadow Palestinians, wherever they go. Rafah: My salvation, my curse Ahmed Salah (not his real name) a Palestinian student I am a Palestinian from Gaza. I got a scholarship to do a Masters degree in a European country. I was supposed to travel after the war, but the Egyptian authorities at the Rafah border refused to grant entry to me. All the devastation death caused by Israel left many young people like me in a state despair and shock. But it also gave us greater determination to oppose the lethal, colonial Zionist enterprise, and those who support it. For a while, there were talks about opening an airport or a seaport. The idea was quite uplifting for it seemed to offer a way out of the Gazan open-air prison. But the Palestinian Authority, led by Mahmoud Abbas, along with Egypt made that impossible. Instead, they collaborated to tighten the noose around Gazas neck. Each Palestinian of the two million people living in Gaza is punished for being Palestinian and for resisting occupation and siege. When I tried to travel through the Rafah border crossing, the Egyptian authorities sent me back without any reason. After months of waiting and long hours of being vetted on the Egyptian side of the border, I was sent back without even an explanation. I was one of about 100 people, mostly students, but there were also some who were gravely ill and others who were wounded in the war. I was determined to try again, a process that would take at least four months because at that time the border was opened by Egypt merely three days every two or three months. But then, I was advised by a friend that Egyptian officers at the border ban as many Gaza travellers as possible to force them to bribe their way out. And that is precisely what I did. I contacted a border coordinator who told me I am blacklisted by the Egyptians because they have a report about me, and that the only way to travel is to pay $2,000 US. And just like that, I paid the money and, miraculously was no longer a security threat. I left Gaza, and I am yet to go back. For me and many like me, the Rafah border crossing has become an unbreakable curse. For now, I plan to continue my studies abroad. The decision is painful because it means I will not be able to see my family or my home anytime soon. Hope through my oud Mohammed Ahmad Ballour a Palestinian musician I am 22-year-old Palestinian refugee from Gaza and I love to play the oud. For me, it is not only an instrument of music, but of hope as well. Youth in Gaza somehow manage to remain hopeful despite the lack of opportunity and a decade-long siege. We have no other option but to remain empowered. We are the future of this place, and we cannot submit to oppression or defeat. At times, we take on social media to convey our stories, our hopes and our pain to anyone who cares to listen. For me, I combine both music and social media to send a positive message from Gaza. Music inspires me. It is a universal language. It is effortless to understand. All it takes is an open heart. And its relatable by everyone regardless of age, gender or background. I play my oud and share my videos online. I want the world to know that in Gaza we live to the fullest every day and we find ways to survive, to live and to grow. We dont have to accept that pain is our destiny. I feel happy and empowered when I hold on my oud and convey the story of my people through music to the world. We will survive this and we will fight to challenge and, eventually change our painful reality, no matter the pain or the passing of time. Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, author and editor of Palestine Chronicle. His forthcoming book is The Last Earth: A Palestinian Story (Pluto Press). Baroud has a PhD in Palestine Studies from the University of Exeter and is a non-resident scholar at Orfalea Center for Global and International Studies, University of California. Visit his website: www.ramzybaroud.net Yousef Aljamal contributed to this article. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Comparisons between citizens fighting against fascism and tiki-torch wielding anti-Semites are absurd and dangerous. Recently, a fresh pathogen, which poses an urgent threat to public safety and discourse, has appeared suddenly on the political landscape. A batch of liberals, saddled with fragile sensibilities, have warned that liberty and lives are being threatened by ordinary, largely anonymous people seized with the duty to confront the ignorance and hate that Hurricane Donald and his abominable acolytes brandish routinely with impunity. Predictably, the historically illiterate, ubiquitous members of the right-wing commentariat in America and beyond have attempted to tar the Antifa (anti-fascists) for resisting, and, if need be, defending itself against, the delinquents that march en masse at night with torches and mow down innocents in daylight with automobiles. Its an old trick: to negate real evil by manufacturing a phantom villain as a convenient foil or facile distraction. Regrettably, but not surprisingly, this transparent rhetorical slight of hand is magnified repeatedly by an amnesiac establishment media that habitually finds and amplifies moral and intellectual equivalences where none exist. In their attacks on the Antifa, these liberals have joined a pack of conservatives who apart from accusing anti-fascists of fascism howl on TV and elsewhere that climate change is a pan-scientific hoax, that Saddam Hussein certainly possessed weapons of mass destruction, that Iraq will eventually be liberated, and that Trump will indeed make America great again. IN PICTURES: US anti-racists counter hate Given their unconscionable record, isnt it about time these charlatans were disqualified permanently from passing judgment on the motives and conduct of others since they forfeited long ago any claim to enjoy any measure of seriousness or subtlety. These days, it's fashionable among the predominately white, male liberal intelligentsia to join the hysterical assault on the Antifa by insisting that, in effect, Danielsson's and Menash-Schramm's 'violent' 'law-breaking' must be condemned, rather than applauded, because it mirrors the malignant modus operandi of the fascists they defied. by Of course, the legion of unrepentant hucksters and their enablers will never recognise, let alone acknowledge, their complicity in trafficking in such calamitous lies and disastrous designs. So, instead of taking up perpetual residence in pundit purgatory, they have been rewarded with an unfettered licence on elite media to continue to defame people who were on the right of history and decency yesterday and are on the right side of history and decency today. Women like Danuta Danielsson, the Polish-Swedish daughter of a Holocaust survivor who famously swatted her handbag at a gang of neo-Nazi skinheads strutting through a square in Vaxjo, Sweden in 1985. I challenge the smear merchants to impugn Danielsson and desecrate the memory of the anguish her family endured at the homicidal hands of Nazis by describing her and, in particular, her remembrance-fuelled, spontaneous act, as the personification of fascism. The same challenge applies to Irmela Mensah-Schramm, a 70-year-old anti-fascist who has devoted the past 31 years to defacing neo-Nazi graffiti and propaganda in public spaces principally across Germany. Mensah-Schramms act of resistance landed her in court, where she was fined for vandalism and ordered to stop. Her reply: shes not going to stop, nor pay the fine. LISTEN: The Debrief Antifa Granny (12:37) These days, its fashionable among the predominately white, male liberal intelligentsia to join the hysterical assault on the Antifa by insisting that, in effect, Danielssons and Menash-Schramms violent law-breaking must be condemned, rather than applauded, because it mirrors the malignant modus operandi of the fascists they defied. This is absurd. Even a cursory understanding of recent history reveals that individual and collective acts of resistance by progressive forces have traditionally been the target of these generic, hyperbolic attacks which are designed to delegitimise legitimate protest and marginalise the protesters. From the 1960s freedom riders through to Occupy Wall Street, and the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and Black Lives Matter movements, the same tired polemicists have employed the same tired polemics to try to deflect attention and guilt from the oppressors onto the oppressed. Words and phrases like: outsiders, agitators, provocateurs, Crypto-Marxists or fascists, bent on mayhem and violence are the decades-old, cliched staples of this pedantic lot. Liberals pining for a bucolic anti-fascist campaign will quibble in vain because while the vast majority of anti-fascists are peaceable, they will always be reduced to an ugly caricature by rabid reactionaries who customarily point an accusatory finger at everyone but themselves. Still, in a windy, densely worded column dripping with condescension, one prominent liberal writer not only castigated the Antifa for squandering its moral authority, but claimed without offering an ounce of empirical evidence in support that neo-Nazis are victims of the exploitative corporate state too, thus requiring our sympathy and consideration. OPINION: The American roots of Donald Trumps fascism Intended or not, this astonishing logic such as it is resembles Trumps rambling, semi-coherent assertion that many sides were responsible for the violence that took Heather Heyers life in Charlottesville, Virginia in early August and that among the army of tiki-torch wielding anti-Semites were some misunderstood fine people. Neo-Nazis are not fine people, nor are they victims. They are, aptly put, scum. There must be no equivocation, no obfuscation, no shading on this score from any quarter, at any time, for any reason. To do otherwise is to provide succour to the philosophical descendants of genocidal murderers, who, given the opportunity, would relish enslaving and, once again, executing, wholesale, Jews, Muslims, Roma, homosexuals, the infirm, other vulnerable minorities and, yes, liberals. Richard Spencer and his verminous brethren are, no doubt, chortling at the profoundly preposterous but increasingly popular media-propelled construct that the Antifa is as pathological as the fascists it reviles. These are bizarre and dangerous times. Andrew Mitrovica is an award-winning investigative reporter and journalism instructor. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Rakhine-based Rohingya fighters, who emerged in October last year, say they have no ties to any terrorist group. The Arakan Rohingya Solidarity Army (ARSA), a small group of men fighting in Myanmars western region of Rakhine, have rejected accusations they have links with al-Qaeda, ISIL (also known as ISIS) or other armed groups; and warned foreign fighters against entering the troubled region. In a statement released on Thursday, ARSA said it had no links with al-Qaeda, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), Lashkar-e-Taiba or any other transnational terrorist group. In its statement, ARSA used ISIS to refer to the armed ISIL group. It said it did not welcome the involvement of any of those entities in the conflict and called on countries in the region to prevent terrorists from entering Arakan and making a bad situation worse. Arakan is another term for Rakhine, the western state of Myanmar where most of the countrys 800,000 Rohingya live. The statement also said the group was concerned about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Rakhine and called on aid groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to visit the area and provide life-saving assistance to those that had been affected by the violence. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a Rohingya living in Rakhines embattled township of Buthidaung told Al Jazeera that it was unlikely that ARSAs latest announcement would sway international support in favour of the Rohingya. For years the international community has known that there are no terrorist groups in Rakhine. Even though ARSA has distanced itself from such groups today, its clear, our neighbours and the world has no interest in coming to our defence. More than 370,000 Rohingya have fled from Rakhine to neighbouring Bangladesh after the military launched a counteroffensive following attacks by ARSA on 30 police posts and an army base last month. READ MORE: Who are the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army? Witnesses told Al Jazeera that entire Rohingya villages had been burned to the ground since the start of the security forces operation, while Antonio Guterres, UN secretary-general, warned of the risk of ethnic cleansing, appealing to the countrys authorities to end violence against the majority-Muslim Rohingya in Rakhine. The Myanmar army has put the death toll at around 400, saying most of those killed were fighters. Residents, however, say it is more than 3,000 people. Despite facing decades of oppression, the predominantly Muslim Rohingya had largely refrained from violence. Systematic abuses ARSA, formerly known as Harakatul Yakeen, first emerged in October 2016 when it attacked three police outposts in the Maungdaw and Rathedaung townships, killing nine police officers. In an 18-minute video statement released last October, Ataullah Abu Amar Jununi, the groups leader, defended the assault, blaming the Myanmar army for inciting the violence. For over 75 years there have been various crimes and atrocities committed against the Rohingya thats why we carried out the October 9, 2016, attack to send a message that if the violence is not stopped, we have the right to defend ourselves, he said. Maung Zarni, a non-resident fellow at the European Centre for the Study of Extremism, told Al Jazeera that the groups actions were borne out of systematic abuses of genocidal proportions by the Myanmar military. WATCH: The Hidden Genocide A special Al Jazeera investigation Theyre a group of hopeless men who decided to form some kind of self-defence group and protect their people who are living in conditions akin to a Nazi concentration camp, he said. ARSAs actions resemble Jewish inmates at Auschwitz who rose up against the Nazis in October 1944. An extensive report issued last December by the International Crisis Group said ARSA is led by a committee of Rohingya emigres in Saudi Arabia and is commanded on the ground by Rohingya with international training and experience in modern guerrilla war tactics. It said the group did not appear to have extremist motivations, and enjoyed considerable sympathy and backing from Muslims in northern Rakhine state. Follow Faisal Edroos on Twitter: @FaisalEdroos New leader to face pressure to boost revenue in Asias youngest democracy where unemployment and poverty remain high. East Timor, Asias youngest democracy, is set to swear in Mari Alkatiri for a second stint as prime minister. President Francisco Lu-Olo Guterres said on Thursday in the capital Dili that he expected Alkatiris swearing-in to be held either later in the day or on Friday. Alkatiri, the secretary-general of the Fretilin party, was East Timors first prime minister after independence from Indonesia in 2002. He stood down in 2006 after a wave of unrest prompted by the sacking of 600 soldiers. Today I announce to all the people that the president of the republic has nominated Dr Mari Alkatiri to become the prime minister, Guterres said. He called for people to remain calm and said Alkatiri would form a minority government. The most important thing is the politicians need to think about how to maintain government stability in the future and ensure peace, Guterres said. Stiff challenges East Timor faces stiff challenges to boost a flagging economy heavily reliant on oil and gas. Fretilin, or the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor, won the most votes in Julys election but failed to get an outright majority. It intends to form a coalition with the small Democratic Party. It had been in a de-facto coalition since 2015 with the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction, a party founded by former independence fighter Xanana Gusmao. Alkatiri, who is a Muslim in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation, spent several decades living in exile in Mozambique during East Timors struggle for independence. As prime minister, he will face pressure to increase oil production in the tiny nation of 1.3 million people, where unemployment and poverty remain high. Dwindling output from existing oil and gas fields, compounded by the slumping prices of the commodities, have hit the governments budget and curbed its ambition to develop manufacturing as an engine for economic growth. Australia and East Timor reached a breakthrough agreement earlier this month on a maritime border, ending a decade-old dispute that has stalled a $40bn offshore gas project. The long-running dispute has led the owners of the Greater Sunrise fields Woodside Petroleum, ConocoPhillips, Royal Dutch Shell and Japans Osaka Gas to shelve the project. The United Nations is in the process of expanding its role in southern Yemen amid a humanitarian crisis after a nearly two-and-half year war in the country. UN humanitarian coordinator Jamie McGoldrick, while on a visit to the capital Aden, met Yemens prime minister Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr to discuss the humanitarian situation and logistics in the war-torn Arab nation. We are bringing in more internationals to be based here and also to go to the provinces to support the humanitarian needs in those places, McGoldrick told reporters on Thursday at Aden airport. WATCH: Is the Saudi-led coalition failing in Yemen? A Saudi-led military coalition was formed in March 2015 to support Yemens internationally recognised government in fighting the Iran-aligned Houthi armed group. The conflict has killed more than 10,000 people and has injured more than 40,000 to date, according to the UN. The war and its economic effects are driving the largest food security emergency in the world with more than 17 million people facing dire food shortages. Nearly seven million of those are one step away from famine in Yemen. The situation has been worsened by a cholera outbreak in the country that has claimed 1,5000 lives, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). McGoldrick expressed the need for Yemeni ministries to have sufficient budgets to be able to function properly. The UN and international community cannot replace these ministries, the UN official said, highlighting the countrys cholera epidemic and food security. Were only here for the emergency side of things. READ MORE: Yemen The worlds largest humanitarian crisis The government last year moved the central bank from rebel-held Sanaa to Aden, a move the UN said caused more than one million civil servants to stop receiving their salaries, pushing more families towards starvation. McGoldrick said he met officials from the Arab coalition. We visited the Emirati base and met with the coalition forces the Emiratis and the Saudis and we had a chat about the current situation and our expansion plans and what their own activities look like, he said, without elaborating. The UN ranks the conflict in Yemen as one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises. In a recent report published last month, the UN accused the Saudi-led coalition of failing to mitigate the impact of its operations on civilians. Meanwhile, the US-based Human Rights Watch group on Tuesday said that Saudi-led air raids in Yemen over the last month amount to war crimes. Early morning blaze kills at least 23 students and two teachers at Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah school in Kuala Lumpur. At least 25 people, mostly students, were killed after a blaze broke out early on Thursday at a religious school in Kuala Lumpur the deadliest fire in decades in Malaysia. The fire at Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah a tahfiz boarding school where students learn to memorise the Quran was reported at 5:40am (21:40 GMT) Wednesday, according to a statement from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department. Khirudin Drahman, director of Kuala Lumpurs fire and rescue department, told AFP news agency the number of confirmed dead is 23 students and two teachers. It really does not make sense for so many to die in the fire, he said. I think it is one of the countrys worst fire disasters in the past 20 years. We are now investigating the cause of the fire. Seven people were taken to a nearby hospital for injuries, while 11 others were rescued. Firefighters rushed to the scene, and the blaze was out within an hour, but not before it wreaked terrible devastation pictures in local media showed ash-covered, fire-blackened beds. Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Amar Singh told reporters the boys who died were aged 13-17, and that they probably suffocated due to smoke inhalation. The dormitory had only one entrance, leaving many of the victims trapped inside, he said. An official said bodies were piled on top of each other, indicating a possible stampede as people tried to flee the fire. Some witnesses said they had heard the students crying for help after the fire broke out. Theyre still counting the bodies, which were piled on top of each other in a corner, Singh said. Hundreds of people, including families of some victims, gathered outside the school as more bodies were being removed by fire officials. The blaze began in the sleeping quarters on the top floor of the three-storey school building, fire officials said. The police chief said no foul play was suspected. Abu Obaidat bin Mohamad Saithalimat, deputy director of the fire department, told reporters outside the school the fire was likely caused by an electrical short circuit. Loga Bala Mohan, the governments federal territories deputy minister, said: We sympathise with the families. It is one of the worst fires involving so many lives. We urgently want the authorities to quickly probe the cause of the deadly fire so that we will be able to prevent future disasters. Tahfiz schools usually teach students between the ages of five and 18. There were 519 tahfiz schools registered across the country as of April, but many more are believed to be operating unregistered. Such schools are unregulated by the education ministry and fall under the purview of the religious department. Athens, Greece The fate of one of Greeces biggest foreign investments hung in the balance on Wednesday as relations between the government and Canadas Eldorado Gold Corporation reached a breaking point. Push, literally, came to shove outside the energy and environment ministry as dozens of yellow-vested miners tried to force their way past a blue wall of riot police to gain an audience with Energy Minister Yiorgos Stathakis. The miners are going crazy. They dont know whats going to happen tomorrow, said Yiorgos Hatzis, a senior member of one of the four unions that chartered overnight buses from northern Greece to picket the ministry. At stake are 2,400 jobs and a $3bn investment into what was once touted as Europes largest gold-mining operation. Instead, says Eldorado, it is becoming a bottomless pit of expenditure and delay that now threatens to suck in the Greek governments reputation for attracting desperately needed investment. The trouble began on Monday when Eldorado announced it would suspend all its operations, located chiefly on the Kassandra peninsula in Chalkidike, because the government has held back operating licenses. WATCH: The Greek Resistance Massive, rock-pulverising machinery is sitting in crates at its Skouries mine, and the company recently cancelled the unveiling of a new processing plant at its Olympias operation, because its temporary operating license runs out on September 21. Between them, the two locations are thought to contain eight million ounces of gold, currently worth more than $10bn, as well as silver, copper and lead. Should we not receive these permits, we will be suspending our investment and moving into full care and maintenance mode beginning September 22nd, said Eldorado President and CEO George Burns. Stathakis on Wednesday told workers the government would be renewing the Olympias permit, obviating a shutdown. Thats news to us, commented a senior company official. We await the pending permits for Olympias and Skouries imminently, said a company statement. Workers remained unconvinced. We will continue our struggle because we havent been fully vindicated, said Christos Zafeiroudas, a union leader. He announced the miners would encamp outside the ministry until permits are issued. The dispute triggered the involvement on the Canadian government on Wednesday. I will always intervene and always will have the back of Canadian companies when they face unfair situations around the world, Canadas trade minister Francois-Philippe Champagne told Bloomberg. A mixed marriage The Syriza-led government campaigned against the development of the Kassandra mines ever since Eldorado bought the concessions in 2012. The party embraces a strong environmental ideology, which Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras gave voice to on Sunday at the Thessaloniki International Fair a forum where Greek leaders traditionally spell out their economic vision for the year ahead. We believe the production model of the country can better succeed if we invest not in labour intensity but knowledge intensity and the comparative advantages of this country, which is nature. The Greek natural environment, quality agricultural goods, and locations in this country offer the prospect of a high flow of tourism. But if we destroy the natural environment and our human resources well have no production in the country, Tsipras said. Eldorado has proposed earth-moving works on a scale not seen in Greece in recent decades. It faced severe scrutiny on its environmental impact assessment, which took seven years to approve. Then there is Syrizas traditional stance against privatisation. When it came to power on January 25, 2015, it was quick to nail its colours to the mast. As ministers were sworn in on the 27th, they publicly proclaimed the cancellation of two high-profile privatisations then under way the Public Power Corporation and the Piraeus Port Authority. WATCH: Greek economy struggles to rebound The Athens Stock Exchange collapsed as foreign institutional investors pulled out, and Deputy Prime Minister Yannis Dragasakis scrambled onto the airwaves late at night to announce that Syriza would come up with its own privatisation plan. It was the first indication that the reality of markets could sway the ideology of Syriza, but it was also an example of how tin-eared the inexperienced Syriza could be towards markets. That is a lesson CEO George Burns took to heart on June 8, a day after he met with Stathakis. Speaking to Al Jazeera, he sounded stricken as he related the tale. Ive got a group of analysts at the investment, touring them around, to show them how proud we are of the work, how far weve been advancing since the last time they visited, and to paint a picture of how this is going to be a great investment for our investors and for the country actually doing exactly what the prime minister is wanting, trying to develop interest and confidence that Greece is a great place to invest. And he put a press release out that day announcing that he is going to take us to arbitration and we got hammered that day in the market, said Burns. The arbitration process, due to begin on Friday, concerns the most contested of Eldorados proposals to build a flash-melting plant at Stratoni that is to produce bars of gold and would mark the final phase of the investment. The government is sceptical about the companys ability to adapt flash-melting technology, which avoids the use of poisonous cyanide, and has demanded rigorous technical and environmental explanations. The company has done a proposition, said the ministry source on condition of anonymity. The ministry returned this study of the company with an extensive list of technical notes, which did not satisfy the ministry, in July 2016. Eldorado ultimately chose to appeal to the Council of State, Greeces top administrative court, where it has won 18 cases against challengers, including the government. The government responded by taking Eldorado to arbitration. According to the initial agreement, we should go through an arbitration process for issues that cannot be resolved because this is the best way to do it. The process is binding for both sides, said the ministry source. Tsipras has dragged his party towards the political centre ever since he saw a realistic prospect of winning power. In 2012, Syriza dropped its pro-Grexit stance and embraced the euro. After battling creditors in 2015, it embraced austerity. But these about-turns produced defections and embarrassment, which Syriza has yet to make up by increased prosperity or social spending. Greeces growth did reach 0.4 percent and 0.8 percent in the first two quarters of the year after a flat performance last year, but with unemployment at 23 percent, the Federation of Hellenic Industry called it a recovery that did not meet expectations. READ MORE: Eurozone ministers agree on Greece bailout payment Some Eldorado officials believe Syriza chose the arbitration process to extricate itself from its own political left wing, and this is part of the process of moving the party to the centre. Burns agrees the problem is one of severing political alliances that have outlived their use. I think there is a connection between the anti-mining interests and the reluctance for the government to be openly supportive, he told Al Jazeera. In every jurisdiction there are people who are ideologically against mining At some point the government says Okay, weve given people who dont want the mine to move forward all the chances theyre going to get, and now were going to be supportive to the investment. Thats what typically happens. It hasnt happened yet here. The ministry source disagreed. We do not read it as a political issue but as a legal-environmental issue. The government points out that Greece earned $3.3bn in foreign investments last year, an eight-year high. Eldorados relations with Syriza reached a low point in February 2016, after the company again threatened to pull out, causing its share price to fall 19 percent. Then-environment minister Panos Skourletis accused CEO Paul Wright of shorting his own company, triggering a lawsuit. There were echoes of that tone on Monday, when the prime ministers strategic planning advisor called on Greeks to encourage Eldorado to leave Greece. Good riddance, Eldorado. May you find no footing anywhere, Nikos Karanikas tweeted. The tweet was later deleted. Burns wont publicly put a figure on losses suffered in Greece, but said the delays have impacted cash flow and share price. The Kassandra mines first privatisation to another Canadian miner, TVX Gold, ultimately failed because of the permitting process, bankrupting the company. Asked if he would consider a pullout, however, Burns said, I am confident these mines will be built. These are fantastic assets. Japanese premier Shinzo Abe hails new strategic and global partnership in the Indian-Pacific region. India will invest $17bn to build its first high-speed train system, having reached a deal with Japan to help finance the project. The network, which will run 508km between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, was announced on Thursday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is the new India, and the flight of its dreams is endless, he said. The bullet train project will bring speed and employment. It is human-friendly and eco-friendly. READ MORE: Japan invests $12bn for Indias first bullet train Japan will fund more than 80 percent, nearly $1.4bn, of the projects cost, providing a 0.1 percent interest loan due to be repaid over the next 50 years. Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, said the development a joint venture between Indian Railways and Japans Shinkansen Technology will prove beneficial for both nations. A strong India is good for Japan, and a strong Japan is good for India We are fully committed to supporting this initiative, he said on Thursday. Abe said the deal marks increasing levels of cooperation between the two regional powers. The Indo-Japan relationship is not just about bilateral trade. It has developed into a strategic and global partnership in the Indian-Pacific region, he said. READ MORE: Japan, India sign agreement on civil nuclear power The line, which will use Japanese bullet trains and technology, is expected to be complete by 2023 and will cut travel time between the two cities from eight hours currently to around three. The new train will carry 750 passengers at an average speed of 250 kilometres per hour and a top speed of about 320 km/h, double the top speed of the fastest train in India. Modi has promised to invest billions of dollars to modernise Indias railway system, which carries more than 22 million passengers daily. On Thursday, the two sides also signed agreements covering science and technology, investment promotion, disaster management and civil aviation cooperation after the discussions. The Japanese leaders visit and the launch of the projects are seen as symbolic of the growing ties between New Delhi and Tokyo amid Chinas growing assertiveness in the region. Move to remove Najm Eddine Karim follows parliamentarians rejection of Kurdish plans to hold independence referendum. Iraqs parliament has voted to remove the governor of Kurdish-controlled Kirkuk from office, according to legislators present at the vote. Thursdays decision to remove Najm Eddine Karim followed parliamentarians rejection of Kurdish plans to hold an independence referendum on Tuesday. Haider al-Abadi, Iraqs prime minister, requested the removal of Karim as leader of the oil-rich province, said Hussein al-Maliki, member of parliament. All Kurdish legislators boycotted Thursdays session, while Arab parliamentarians voted in favour of Karims deposition, he said. READ MORE: Iraq parliament rejects Kurdish independence referendum A breakdown of the vote was not immediately available. Al Jazeeras Imran Khan, reporting from Erbil, said the vote was very significant, and was another move to try and put pressure on the Kurds. The governor of Kirkuk has been a very vocal supporter of Kurdish independence, and this was a direct call from Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi saying that this man should be removed from office, he said. A number of political parties have protested against the vote, claiming the signatures required to remove Karim from office are not valid, he said. [They say] Karim will remain in office despite what the Iraqis think and that this vote [on independence] will go ahead. Kirkuks provincial council voted last month to take part in the referendum on independence, which is scheduled to be held on September 25. READ MORE: Kirkuk votes to take part in Kurdish independence poll Ownership of Kirkuk has long been disputed between Iraq and the Kurdish authorities. Though not part of the recognised Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the province has a large Kurdish population and is under Kurdish military control. Kurds had pushed for a state of their own since the conclusion of World War I when Kurdish-populated areas were split between modern-day Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria as boundaries across the Middle East were redrawn. The Kurdish parliament is expected to meet tomorrow to discuss the planned ballot on independence. Tension over North Koreas nuclear programme has led to a dispute over education in Japan. North Korean students there attend schools that receive support from Pyongyang. Tension over North Koreas nuclear programme has led to a dispute over education in Japan. North Korean students there attend schools that receive support from Pyongyang. They have lost a lawsuit against the Japanese governments decision to withhold school subsidies. Al Jazeeras Craig Leeson reports from Tokyo. Funding gaps prevented 500,000 Syrian children in Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey from attending school in 2016, HRW says. Governments and aid agencies have been unable to account for millions of dollars in school aid for Syrian refugees, frustrating efforts to meet schooling needs for children in Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey, according to a rights group. More than 500,000 school-age Syrian refugees in the three countries were out of school last year, in part because of severe funding gaps, says the report released by the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday. There are at least 1.6 million Syrian children refugees in the region. READ MORE: Syrias lost generation Refugee children at work In Lebanon, classes for Syrian refugee children are packed, and students attend school in half-day shifts to free up classroom space for more enrolment. Even so, more than half the school-age Syrians in the country are not attending school, according to Lisa Abou Khaled, a communications officer for the UN refugee agency UNHCR. The challenges include pulling impoverished children away from work, finding money to pay for their transportation and supplies, and helping students feel safe and comfortable in schools. HRW says late or missing aid has compounded those problems. The US government aid agency USAID, for example, reported it had given $248m in school aid to Jordan last year, but Jordans government only reported receiving $13m. A separate USAID database only tracked $82m in disbursements that year. Aid agencies in Lebanon are trying to fill a $25m budget deficit to get students back in school this year, Abou Khaled said. Short of aid pledges HRW says donor countries fell $97m short of their pledges to provide $250m for schooling in Lebanon in 2016. The six largest donors are the EU, the US, Germany, the UK, Japan, and Norway. Simon Rau, an HRW researcher and one of the authors of the report, says more transparency is needed to identify the funding gaps. Donors and host countries have promised that Syrian children will not become a lost generation, said Rau. But this is exactly what is happening. Amnesty accuses Myanmar army of carrying out ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya, as nearly 400,000 flee to Bangladesh. Security forces and vigilante mobs in Myanmar are carrying out a scorched-earth policy in the majority-Muslim region of Rakhine State, burning down entire Rohingya villages and shooting at people as they try to flee, Amnesty International has said. According to new satellite imagery, fire-detection data, photographs and videos from the ground, the human rights group said on Thursday that there were at least 80 large-scale fires in inhabited areas across northern Rakhine State since 25 August. The evidence is irrefutable the Myanmar security forces are setting northern Rakhine State ablaze in a targeted campaign to push the Rohingya people out of Myanmar, said Tirana Hassan, Amnesty Internationals Crisis Response Director. Make no mistake: this is ethnic cleansing. At least 370,000 Rohingya are estimated to have fled from Rakhine State to neighbouring Bangladesh after fighters from the Arakan Rohingya Solidarity Army (ARSA) attacked police posts, sparking a major military backlash. Myanmars government said on Wednesday that nearly 40 percent of Rohingya villages had been targeted by the army in so-called clearance operations, with 176 out of 471 villages empty of people, and an additional 34 villages partially abandoned. READ MORE: Who are the Rohingya? According to the report, Rohingya said that soldiers, police and vigilante groups would sometimes encircle a village and fire into the air before entering, but would often just storm in and start firing in all directions. When the military came, they started shooting at people who got very scared and started running. I saw the military shoot many people and kill two young boys. They used weapons to burn our houses, one survivor said. There used to be 900 houses in our village; now only 80 are left. There is no one left to even bury the bodies. Amnesty said it was able to corroborate the burning by analysing photographs taken from across the Naf River in Bangladesh, showing huge pillars of smoke rising inside Myanmar. The international rights organisation said that in some areas, local authorities warned villages in advance that their homes would be burned, a clear indication that the attacks were both deliberate and planned. WATCH: The Hidden Genocide A special Al Jazeera investigation One witness from Pan Kyiang village in Rathedaung township described how in the early morning of September 4, the military came with the village administrator: He said by 10am today we had better leave since everything would be set on fire. As his family was packing up their belongings, he saw what he described as a ball of fire hitting his house, at which point they fled in panic. Villagers who hid in a nearby paddy field witnessed soldiers burning houses using what appears to be rocket launchers. Amnesty said the exact number of fires and extent of property destruction could be much higher, as cloud cover during the monsoon season has made it difficult for satellites to pick up all burnings. Security has deteriorated sharply in Rakhine since Aung San Suu Kyis government sent thousands of troops into Rohingya villages and hamlets last October after nine policemen were killed by ARSA. The security forces offensive has been beset by allegations of arson, killings and rape; with Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, warning of the risk of ethnic cleansing. Aung San Suu Kyi has been widely condemned for lack of moral leadership and compassion in the face of the crisis, denting the Nobel Peace Prize laureates reputation. Launch of intermediate-range ballistic missile comes day after it warned Japan and US over new UN sanctions. North Korea has fired a ballistic missile from the capital Pyongyang that has flown over northern Japan, drawing strong reactions from its neighbours and the US. Yoshihide Sug, Japans chief cabinet secretary, said the projectile was launched at 6:57am local time on Friday (21:57 GMT Thursday) and flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido before falling into the Pacific Ocean 2,000km east of Cape Erimo. It splashed down at 7:16am local time (22:16 GMT). Japan protests the latest launch in the strongest terms and will take appropriate and timely action at the United Nations and elsewhere, staying in close contact with the United States and South Korea, Suga said. The country can never tolerate this repeated extreme provocative action. North Korea: All you need to know explained in graphics South Koreas defence ministry said the missile travelled about 3,700km and reached a maximum altitude of 770km both higher and further than previous tests. The ministry said the Souths military conducted a live-fire ballistic missile drill in response to the Norths launch. The US military said it detected a single intermediate-range ballistic missile. It did not pose a threat to North America or the US Pacific territory of Guam, Commander Dave Benham, a spokesman for US Pacific Command, said in a statement, citing an initial assessment. The South Korean and US militaries are analysing details of the launch, the South Koreas Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. South Koreas presidential Blue House called an urgent National Security Council meeting. North Koreas launch came a day after it threatened to sink Japan and reduce the US to ashes and darkness for supporting a UN Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions against it for its September 3 nuclear test. Anger over sanctions Lawrence Korb, a former US assistant secretary of defence, told Al Jazeera the missile launch came as no surprise as the North was seeking to show its anger over the latest UN sanctions. Basically we knew they were up to something because they were moving things to where they usually launch missiles. Its very clear that this was in defiance, he said. READ MORE: North Korea tensions All the latest updates The UN Security Council voted unanimously on a US-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions on Monday, banning North Koreas textile exports and capping fuel supplies. US President Donald Trump has pledged that North Korea will never be allowed to threaten the US with a nuclear-tipped missile. The US and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. Korb suggested that direct talks with North Korea and an offer to formally end the Korean war could work to deter its provocations. Eventually thats how youre going to settle this. Youre going to have to recognise North Korea as a nuclear power you want to stop it where they are and guarantee their sovereignty, Korb said. They think they need these weapons to protect themselves from an invasion by the South or the United States, which is not true, but in their mind it is. Hell-bent attitude Robert Kelly, associate professor of political science at Pusan National University in South Korea, said it remained to be seen if Pyongyang could be deterred from pursuing its goals. The North Koreans have shown a hell-bent attitude towards nuclearisation, come hell or high water. Thats the problem the North really wants these things, and theres not much we can give them that would encourage them to actually de-nuclearise, Kelly told Al Jazeera. North Korea previously launched a ballistic missile from Sunan near the capital on August 29, which flew over Japans Hokkaido island and landed in the Pacific waters. North Korea has raised tensions in the region with its rapid progress in weapons technology under leader Kim Jong-un, who is closely associated with the programme and regularly photographed by state media overseeing launches and visiting facilities. Threat to turn US to ashes and sink Japan into the sea with nuclear bomb follows adoption of latest UN sanctions. North Korea has threatened to sink Japan and reduce the US to ashes and darkness for leading the latest UN Security Council sanctions imposed on the country. The Security Council on Monday unanimously approved a US-drafted resolution, which bans Kim Jong-uns government from exporting textiles and restricts the shipment of oil products. Reacting to the vote on Thursday, North Korea said the US ought to be beaten to death for spearheading the penalties. The Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which handles Pyongyangs external ties and propaganda, also singled out Tokyo for dancing to the tune of the US-led resolution. The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us, a statement carried by North Koreas state media organisation, the Korean Central News Agency (KNCA), said. Japanese officials strongly condemned the statement, labelling it extremely provocative and egregious. It is something that markedly heightens regional tension and is absolutely unacceptable, Yoshihide Suga, Japans chief cabinet secretary, said on Thursday. Tensions have risen in the area in recent weeks following North Koreas sixth, and most powerful, nuclear test to date on September 3. The sanctions, which also make it illegal for foreign firms to form commercial agreements with North Korean organisations, were approved by all 15 members of the Security Council, including China and Russia. Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, claimed the measures which are a watered-down version of the original US-drafted plan will starve North Korea of at least $1.3bn in annual revenues. She told the Security Council on Monday that the US continues to seek a peaceful resolution to the crisis, saying North Korea has not yet passed the point of no return. If it [North Korea] agrees to stop its nuclear programme, it can reclaim its future. If it proves it can live in peace, the world will live in peace with it, she said. Turkeys leader has been a major supporter of Doha since June 5 when a Saudi-led bloc cut ties and blockaded Qatar. Qatars Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will visit Turkey on Thursday to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in his first trip abroad since the start of the Gulf diplomatic crisis. Sheikh Tamim will hold talks on bilateral ties and regional issues as well as international developments, Turkeys presidential office said in a statement. Erdogan has been a major supporter of Doha since June 5, when Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt cut ties and blockaded Qatar, accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their rival Iran. Qatar vehemently denies the accusations. Erdogan has strongly spoken out against the sanctions applied by the four countries. In a show of solidarity, Turkey has also sent cargo ships and hundreds of planes loaded with food to break the blockade. Ankara has a military base in Qatar and deployed more troops after the hostilities erupted. The closure of the Turkish base was one of 13 conditions demanded by the Saudi-led bloc. After visiting Turkey, Qatars leader will visit Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Representatives of the Syrian government and opposition groups are meeting in the capital of Kazakhstan for a sixth round of talks to end the civil war. Representatives of the Syrian government and opposition groups are meeting in the capital of Kazakhstan for a sixth round of talks to end the civil war. The talks in Astana are brokered by Russia, Turkey and Iran. However, many victims of the war are critical of the representatives at the talks, saying they are too far removed from the situation on the ground. Al Jazeeras Caroline Malone explains. Decision follows ruling by federal panel against proposed $1.3bn deal between Lattice Semiconductor and Canyon Bridge. US President Donald Trump has blocked a Chinese government-financed firms acquisition of an Oregon semiconductor maker on national security grounds. A federal panel that reviews foreign investment in the US for possible security threats ruled against the proposed $1.3bn purchase last week of Lattice Semiconductor, a Portland, Oregon-based company. In his executive order on Wednesday, Trump said that Lattice and Canyon Bridge shall take all steps necessary to fully and permanently abandon the proposed transaction, within 30 days. Credible evidence leads me to believe the buyers of Lattice might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States. Following Trumps announcement, Lattice said it was cancelling the proposed sale. Trumps announcement comes at a sensitive time for US-China relations. Relations are already strained between Washington and Beijing over trade and North Korea, and the Chinese Communist Party is preparing to hold its once-every-five-years congress in October. Defence concerns US regulatory scrutiny grew after Reuters news agency reported in November that Canyon Bridge was funded partly by cash from Chinas central government and had indirect links to its space programme. US defence officials subsequently raised concerns about the Lattice acquisition by a firm backed by the Chinese government. Lattice makes chips known as field-programmable gate arrays, which allow companies to put their own software on silicon chips for different uses. It no longer sells chips to the US military, but its two biggest rivals, Xilinx Inc and Intel Corps Altera, do. A statement from the White House press secretary cited the importance of semiconductor supply chain integrity to US security, the Chinese governments role in supporting the transaction and the potential transfer of intellectual property to a foreign buyer. Trump has expressed concern about the status of US manufacturing and its ability to meet national security needs. In July, he issued an order for a review to be led by the defence department. He also has asked the commerce department to look into whether to raise tariffs on imported steel on national security grounds. Eight-month campaign Lattice manufactures a relatively low-tech class of programmable computer chips that can be adapted for a variety of uses. It had 1,000 employees worldwide at the end of the last year, but that number dwindled after Lattice sold a division in India and laid off workers. Trumps decision chimes with the views of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS), which scrutinises deals for potential national security threats. Canyon Bridge and Lattice spent eight months trying in vain to persuade CFIUS to clear the acquisition. Both companies said the deal did not pose any security risks and Canyon Bridge had told CFIUS it would double the number of Lattices employees in a bid to make the deal more palatable, according to people familiar with the matter. They declined to be identified because details of the regulatory process are confidential. Trumps decision ends a prolonged campaign by Canyon Bridge and Lattice to seal the deal. It was the first such deal to hit Trumps desk and only the fourth time in three decades that an acquisition was put in front of a president after CFIUS recommended against it. Chinese companies are on a global buying spree to acquire technology and brands. Most acquisitions in the US and Europe go through without incident, but some purchases of high-tech companies have prompted criticism they might represent security threats or the loss of important national assets. Dozens wounded in addition to deaths in shooting inside restaurant and car bombing of security checkpoint in Thi Qar. At least 60 people have been killed and dozens more wounded in two gun-and-car bomb attacks near the city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq. The attacks in the southern province of Thi Qar on Thursday started with unidentified assailants opening fire inside a restaurant on the main highway that links the capital Baghdad with the southern provinces. Shortly afterwards, an explosives-laden car targeted a security checkpoint in the same area. Thi Qar is located about 320km southeast of Baghdad. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group claimed responsibility for the suicide attacks, according to the groups Amaq propaganda website. Yahya al-Nassiri, the provinces governor, told AP news agency the majority of the dead were probably Iranian visitors who were inside the restaurant. Series of setbacks Al Jazeeras Imran Khan, reporting from the northern city of Erbil, said southern Iraq had been spared much of the violence that the rest of the country has suffered, particularly in the west and north. The latest attacks follow a series of setbacks that ISIL has faced at the hands of US-backed Iraqi forces. In July, Iraq retook control of Mosul, a key ISIL stronghold in the north, after a campaign of nearly nine months. In August, Iraqi forces dislodged ISIL from 70 percent of Tal Afar in northwest Iraq. ISIL still controls the town of Hawija in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk and western areas in the countrys largest province of Anbar. This is a message really from the ISIL group saying that you may have beaten us in Tal Afar and Mosul and surrounded us in Hawija, but we are still able to attack you in places that you wouldnt expect, Al Jazeeras Khan. This is a real challenge for the Iraqis do they move troops to the south or continue their battle up in Hawija? State Secretary Rex Tillerson says US hopes China will decide to impose oil embargo on Pyongyang. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said it is very difficult to get China to agree to an oil embargo on North Korea, but he is hopeful that the great country will decide to use its powerful tool of oil supplies to persuade Pyongyang to reconsider its development of nuclear weapons. Tillersons remarks came on Thursday at a joint news conference with UKs Foreign Minister Boris Johnson in London where he met British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron. He said the United States has sought an embargo on oil imports to North Korea at the UN Security Council in response to North Koreas most powerful nuclear test to date. But the UN agreed last week to weaker measures against Pyongyang although the UN is banning ban textile exports, an important source of revenue for North Korea. Its clear that with respect to oil, and a complete embargo on oil from the UN Security Council, thats going to be very difficult, he said. In effect, that is directed at China alone because China supplies essentially all of North Koreas oil. I am hopeful that China, as a great country, a world power, will decide on their own, will take it upon themselves to use that very powerful tool of oil supply to persuade North Korea to reconsider its current path towards weapons development, reconsider its approach to dialogue and negotiations in the future, he said. Al Jazeeras senior political analyst Marwan Bishara, speaking from London, said China and Russia believe that stripping North Korea of everything will push Pyongyang to war. All in all the use of threatening words towards China is of course counterproductive. And at the end of the day everyone knows that the solution is diplomatic and you cannot have a diplomatic solution without China. Since Hurricane Irma hit Alachua County on Sunday, the Santa Fe River has risen, causing road closures and another mandatory evacuation. The unprecedented flooding could lead to the closure of Interstate 75 and major traffic delays as vehicles are rerouted, according to a press release. The rising waters, which were caused by heavy rainfall during the hurricane, have already led to the closure of bridges on U.S. 27 and U.S. 41 on Wednesday. The Santa Fe River that runs under a bridge on I-75 at mile marker 408 has risen 15 feet in the past 36 hours, according to a Florida Department of Transportation press release. If the water level continues to rise as its expected to, the bridge will become impassable. This would result in I-75 closing south of Interstate 10 and north U.S. 441 in Alachua. Alachua County officials denied rumors that I-75 would close at 2 p.m. Wednesday, but said a closure could still happen. If I-75 is closed, FDOT will reroute traffic to U.S. 19, U.S. 301 and Interstate 95, according to the press release. Other roads that could be impacted are Florida State Road 47 and U.S. 121. The flooding has led Alachua County to issue a mandatory evacuation order for those who live near the Santa Fe River and residents north of U.S. 441 who live on streams or creeks, said Mark Sexton, the communications and legislative affairs director. The evacuation order primarily affects those who live in High Springs, Alachua and LaCrosse. Its time for folks to take this really seriously and be safe, he said. Nothing can be done to control the flooding, and its uncertain how long residents will be displaced, Sexton said. The county has opened three shelters for residents who are being forced to evacuate. The two general population shelters include Fellowship Church, located at 16916 NW U.S. 441 in High Springs, and Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center, located at 1028 NE 14th St. There is also a special needs shelter at the Alachua County Senior Recreation Center, located at 5701 NW 34th Blvd. The shelters should be used as a last resort, and none are at capacity yet, Sexton said. The City of Gainesville and Alachua County are asking residents to return sandbags, filled or empty, to help those in High Springs who are experiencing flooding from the Santa Fe River, according to a Gainesville press release. Sandbags can be returned to High Springs Memorial Park, located at 17380 NW U.S. 441, and will be redistributed to those in need near the river. If the north and southbound lanes of I-75 were to close, FDOT warns traffic could continue to be affected until Saturday. UF classes are still scheduled to resume Thursday. UF Public Affairs sent out a message to all UF students warning them of the road closures and anticipated delays. Julia Aiello, a UF computer science sophomore, left her home in Tampa at 8 a.m. Wednesday to avoid traffic on I-75 caused by Hurricane Irma. Aiello considers herself one of the lucky ones. She said she couldnt imagine trying to make it back to Gainesville if I-75 closes. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now I still have a lot of friends that are having trouble getting back, the 19-year-old said. Aiello was surprised that UF didnt cancel classes for the rest of the week, especially considering the traffic delays and flooding. All we want to do is get back to campus, go to our classes, and we cant, she said. @jessica_giles_ jgiles@alligator.org It took Caroline Wright three canceled flights before she could reunite with her 8-month-old puppy, Blair, on Wednesday. Wright, a UF biochemistry senior, flew to Colorado for a pre-planned vacation on Friday, coincidentally escaping Hurricane Irma as it battered Florida. But like many others, the 20-year-old was forced to adjust her plans to the storm. Because of Hurricane Irma, UF canceled classes Friday through Wednesday. However, the university is not planning to alter its academic calendar to make up for the days missed, UF spokesperson Janine Sikes wrote in an email. Because of the short time UF was out, the administration believes students will be able to catch up on the coursework, Sikes said. Unlike some schools, which are expected to be out eight or more days. When Wright went to Estes Park, Colorado, she dropped off Blair, her mixed Labrador-pit bull puppy, at Shores Animal Hospital in Gainesville. She initially planned to pick her up Sunday. After the airline canceled her original flight, as well as the one she booked for the Monday after that, she bought a ticket for Tuesday. However, the airline also canceled the Tuesday flight right as Wright was about to board the plane. It was super stressful, Wright said. I was stranded in a place wondering if I was ever going back home. I definitely underestimated the storm. Wright said she spent Tuesday night at the Denver International Airport and flew to Orlando on Wednesday. She then took a bus to Gainesville and finally picked up Blair, three days later than scheduled. Although shes glad she got a few extra days off, Wright said shes worried about catching up with her class work. She said all of her professors sent out emails during the days the hurricane hit, reminding students about shifting due dates. They were very strict, she said. They were emailing us about office hours. I think they didnt realize some of us werent back yet. Christopher Smith, a UF assistant professor of Japanese, said he had to cancel some less crucial or interesting readings and push some of the shorter readings together on the same day for his classes to make up for the days missed. Smith teaches both Introduction to Japanese Culture and Readings in Japanese Literature on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now It is hard to miss a whole week of class, Smith said. But you just have to be flexible. You cant complain about mother nature. He said he advised students to go over the readings if they were sitting in their houses without power. Overall I think students will still get everything out of the class they would have if Irma had not struck, Smith said. @taveljimena jtavel@alligator.org The lights were out for weeks in Diezmero, Cuba, after Hurricane Charley hit in 2004. Ariel Gutierrez thinks about the 2004 outage as he wonders about what his aunts, uncles and cousins living in Diezmero and Cotorro, Cuba, are facing after Category 5 Hurricane Irma tore through the island nation Saturday. They sounded like they didnt expect what was happening, the 21-year-old UF mechanical engineering senior said . We didnt expect what was happening. Gutierrez said his mother spoke with their family in Cuba last week as they were trying to prepare for the storm, but few resources were available. He said he hasnt spoken with his family in Cuba, who still dont have power, since then. Gutierrez, who immigrated to the United States in 2007, said the Cuban and American governments handle hurricane preparation very differently. He said although Cuban newscasters inform people that a serious storm is on the way, the government does little to supply the equipment necessary to prepare homes and businesses for the high winds and flooding. Its more they tell you what to do, but they dont assist you, he said of the Cuban government. Because of this, he said food shortages and a lack of health care assistance were the most serious issues he faced after Hurricane Charley and what he fears most for his family impacted by Irma. During Hurricane Charley, the front fence at Gutierrezs house in Cuba fell onto his fathers foot, he said, and they had to take him to a hospital. But there were not many resources, he said. He almost lost his leg. His parents now live in Hialeah, Florida, where they currently do not have power or cell phone service because of damage caused by Irma. He said his situation is better than the one his family in Cuba is facing. Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox Subscribe Now People would ask me, How can your parents live without power for four days? Gutierrez said. But for them, thats nothing. Gutierrez said he doesnt know when he can contact his family in Cuba. It is very sad seeing the pictures, he said. I wish I could really help, but its so many obstacles to get there. *** Eric Higbie looked at a small, blurry rectangle on his phone. It had a roof. The Key West native said although it is too soon to know how damaged his house might be, the fact that satellite images showed that the roof was intact was a good sign. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, about 25 percent of homes on the island are destroyed because of damage caused by Hurricane Irma. We havent communicated with anyone thats looked at our property, but its still there, Higbie, a 19-year-old UF political science sophomore, said. Were not sure what kind of damage there will be when we come back. Higbies parents, who have lived in Key West since 1985, said even though they have lived through many hurricanes and have evacuated before, they were especially concerned with Irma. They evacuated Friday morning to Gainesville to stay with their son. John Higbie, Erics father, said the fact that the storm was a Category 5 concerned him. Anything over a Category 3, youre putting your own lives at risk, he said. Because theres not a lot of land. With the island evacuated, the family is relying on a satellite photos from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to judge the extent of the damage. Officials have stated the earliest residents can return to the Keys will be in a week, but the Higbie family said they are not looking forward to the cleanup process. When we came back from Hurricane Georges, there was about my height worth of debris in my yard, said Valerie Sprieser-Higbie, who is 5 feet 6 inches tall. We literally had to cut through with a machete to get to the front door. So Im prepared for that, she said. I got my machete and my saw. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite images show Eric Higbie's Key West home home, center. The photo is the only way his family can judge the property's damage until they return to the island. IOM, the United Nations Migration Agency, in partnership with International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), on 11 and 12 September held consultations with non-governmental organizations in East and Horn of Africa. The consultations explored ways to work better together to protect and assist people in need including those in crisis and displaced populations. The consultations []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric... It has become conventional wisdom to prematurely claim that the days of American presence in Asia Pacific are numbered, and that the region will eventually be incorporated into Sino-centric system where, of course, Beijing will be ascendant. Proponents of this argument are quick to point out the halting of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Obamas Pivot to Asia, which failed to come to fruition. It is true that Americas relative influence is declining and its ability to have an impact on internal developments among the regions actors will be limited. But is America ready to exit the region, and are allies in the Pacific willing to live without her presence? The answer is: hold your horses. America will remain in the region for quite a while. For the sake of a fair argument, Beijing indeed has carried out rather successful economic policies to attract its smaller neighbors, including those who have for decades been under Americas umbrella. Among the most noteworthy achievements is the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) which opts for reducing the influence of institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) as well as accelerating Beijings wider economic ambitions. Furthermore, the collapse of the TPP has created a vacuum which will most likely be filled by a new proposed trade agreement: the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The purpose of the deal is to promote trade relations between ASEAN countries and six partner states: Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, and South Korea. Needless to say, China has been vehemently advocating for the materialization of the project. But does Chinas economic integration alone signify a fundamental change in regional geopolitics where American presence is seen as obsolete or unwelcome? Yes, if you only ask China. Most Asian countries have benefited greatly from an American liberal international order in which maintaining peace and guaranteeing the free flow of goods have been crucial. Additionally, unresolved territorial disputes, nationalism, and conflicting values will be major barriers in creating a sustainable integrated strategic system in Asia. In short, dont expect Asia-Pacific to become something akin to the European Union, at least in the immediate horizon. The regional balance-of-power will continue to persist and those not able to handle the Chinese advance will seek Americas protection. Take one of the powerhouses in Asia: India. The latter has never been an official U.S. ally and will not be one in the near future. This primarily has to do with Indias national nightmare, which of course is the crippling legacy of colonialism. As the British Empire ceased to exist, Indian leadership was adamant that the U.S. would attempt to replace Britain as the new colonizing force, which did not happen. Add to this Americas support for Pakistan during the Soviet-Afghan War, and youll understand why New Delhi has traditionally favored Moscow as an alternative source of power. But times are changing and so is India, as manifested by Narendra Modis foreign policy. Unlike previous prime ministers, Modi is not particularly interested in exposing the crimes of Western colonialists. He even signaled the final departure from Indias traditional Arab solidarity by visiting Israel in July of 2017. Historically, New Delhi had been reluctant to initiate any diplomatic relations with Israel for two reasons: the first being the policy of Third World solidarity in the Middle East which included supporting the Palestinians; and of course, the fear of upsetting Indias large Muslim population. In 1992, however, India established diplomatic relations with Israel, and in 2017 Modi became the first Indian prime minister to visit the country. In a word, Modi seems to be embracing pragmatic realpolitik given the geopolitical situation with China and Pakistan. Apart from the territorial dispute in the Himalayas, New Delhi is increasingly worried about Chinas ambitions in the Indian Ocean, which is commonly known as the String of Pearls strategy. The idea is that China wants to establish a military and commercial network of sea lanes of communications stretching from mainland China to Africa. Beijing already has an overseas base in Djibouti and there are good reasons to believe that the number of bases will continue rising. New Delhi realizes that it cannot contain China in the Indian Ocean without the help of the superb U.S. Navy. Therefore, the U.S.-India partnership is poised to deepen and the latest Malabar naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal is an evidence to this. Japan is another Asian power that very much appreciates Americas naval presence. The country has unresolved territorial disputes with Russia over the Kuril Islands and views Chinas advancement as a strategic threat. Hypothetically speaking, Americas total withdrawal from the region would instantly spark a new conflict between Tokyo and Beijing. In order to balance China, Japan would have to militarize, which could potentially include developing nuclear weapons. The idea of a nuclear Japan obviously wouldnt fly either with China or Russia, and the immediate outcome would be a regional conflict. Apart from military cooperation, the U.S. unilaterally has overseen the reconstruction of Japan, which included fundamental changes in Japanese society and its economy as well as governmental and administrative agencies. After all, it was Shogun MacArthur who drafted Japans post-WWII constitution and helped to transform Japan into an enduring liberal democracy. One wouldnt be wrong to assume that the U.S. and Japan now have the true special relationship. One indicator of this was Prime Minister Shinzo Abes instant trip to Washington days after Donald Trump was elected president to assure his American counterpart that Tokyo is still a viable ally despite talk of killing the TPP. Moreover, Abe arrived in Washington with an alternative to TPP known as the US-Japan Growth and Employment Initiative geared towards boosting Japanese expenditure on U.S. infrastructure and cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence. Additionally, the U.S. is the number one choice for Japanese foreign direct investment totaling $370 billion in 2014 alone. But its not the economic benefits that will keep Japan in Americas arms but the security threats that keep Tokyo on constant alert. The recent reckless actions of North Korea (NK) which oversaw the launch of a missile over Hokkaido Island violating Japans airspace, will further bring Washington and Tokyo closer in addressing the security threats in the region. Apart from aerial threats, Japan has pressing concerns over its territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands that are claimed by China and have witnessed the intrusion of Chinese ships before. Along with the historical commitment to allies in the region, the U.S. has vital national interests. Asia Pacific is home to key sea lanes of communication which serve as an economic lifeline for the United States, considering the number of shipments that pass through this region. Any minor conflict in the South China Sea such as a contest over the Spratly Islands could easily imperil Americas economic interests. For the record, close to $5 trillion of world trade goes through the South China Sea. In case of a major threat the U.S. would be compelled to intervene to protect the Straits of Malacca and Lombok even if it required a temporary blockade. Despite its growing assertiveness, China realizes that it cannot confront the U.S. Navy, which serves as a deterrent to any aggression in the region. What China needs now is a long and undisturbed period of economic growth, and any military confrontation could paralyze Chinas economy. Hence, Beijings massive railroad construction to reduce the maritime dependence. Although it is quite impressive what China has achieved in terms of railroad extension, there is a big question mark hanging over its efficiency. Yes, Chinas economic statecraft is a powerful tool that can dramatically alter the regional status quo, and South Korea (ROK) is a vivid example. The countrys physical security is in the hands of American men and women in uniform stationed across South Korea. And make no mistake, if the threat from North Korea were neutralized once and for all and the American presence was no longer needed, South Korea would most likely get sucked into the Chinese economy and become the latters client state. Being an export-based economy, ROK is heavily dependent on China, which as of 2015 absorbed 26.1% of ROKs goods and services, making Beijing its most important trading partner. Therefore, Seoul is quite cautious not to antagonize China and tries to maintain friendly relations with Beijing. But in the light of NKs aggression, Seoul too has been forced to risk its economic relations with China, given the continued deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. It should come as no surprise that Beijing responded by utilizing its economic leverage and indirectly hitting Korean firms operating in China. Among the targets was the giant Lotte Group that arranged its lands in ROK for the placement of THAAD. Nonetheless, Seoul was smart enough to prioritize the security matters and not to succumb to Chinas economic provocations. As mentioned, Americas ability to unilaterally control the events in the region will suffer a relative decline. But that doesnt warrant a complete withdrawal given the economic factors involved as well as the network of alliances that Washington has built up during the past several decades. America should not be expected to bear the burden of maintaining order in the region alone. Therefore, Washington ought to strengthen the network of allies to foster cooperation among friendly nations and engage allies that share Americas strategic vision. Erik Khzmalyan is a Senior Fellow at the Eurasian Research and Analysis Institute and an MA Candidate in Statecraft and National Security Affairs at the Institute of World Politics. He tweets @erik_kmn When Watergate brought down Richard Nixon, I was a sort of puzzled but fascinated young watcher. But I didn't question the process, except when Sam Dash, the Senate Committee attorney, admitted that he had been leaking to the media at every single step of what was supposed to be an objective process. In fact, Watergate was a hysterical pressure campaign against Nixon, to force him to resign under no legal compulsion at all. Lyndon B. Johnson had done worse than Nixon, but Nixon infuriated the Deep State/ Democrat/ Left Media alliance. Nixon came from the generation that still had some shame, and so he resigned. Mueller's appointment as a special prosecutor, based on a blatantly false and pornographic "dossier" launched by British spies against a duly elected POTUS, with the malignant and corrupt support of Obama appointments Clapper, Comey, and Brennan, is not going to pull the wool over our eyes. There is no Constitutional provision for a special prosecutor, and there are no triggering criteria set in law. The establishment can demand a special prosecutor by plain lies and disinformation, as it has done with Donald Trump. Mueller is running a plain witch-hunt under false colors of law. If Mueller should charge Jared Kushner with getting entangled with Russian powermongers long before Trump's presidential campaign, His own credibility will be zero or less. Mueller will go down in history like the Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins Which would be a good thing, because the special prosecutor is nothing but a leftist partisan hack anyway, a witch-hunter in the tradition of Hopkins. The most recent victims of SP's include Scooter Libby and Martha Stewart. The first was nailed on a process crime, in the ages-old anti-Constitutional tradition of finding a scapegoat, any scapegoat, to satisfy the establishment lust for blood; and Martha Stewart was convicted of insider trading, exactly what Dianne Feinstein and most Congress members seem to do every year, by using their inside knowledge of forthcoming legislation to line their own pockets. Elected congressional members earn a modest salary but manage to come out as millionaires using insider trading, and abusing confidential Congressional knowledge. This is too disgusting for words, and nailing another human being on that bloody cross of the special prosecutor is repugnant to the moral sense. The whole machinery of corruption and chicanery, the whole inversion of the justice system to serve the power class, must be torn down and rebuilt again into a clean, credible, and untainted system. We see uncorrupted political systems occasionally abroad, and some U.S. states used to be uncorrupted. But they have turned increasingly rotten. Since all politicians by now are smeared with the same mud, we will have to reach outside of politics to clean up the sleazy mess, and may even require a new constitutional convention. If the legally appointed witch hunters against POTUS have committed crimes, like Comey obviously has (perjury and probably worse), many Americans will demand justice. The stinking Augean stables really need to be torn down and rebuilt with modern sanitation. I don't know if that is possible, but there will be many, many Americans who will demand it. The Trump campaign was a clear signal to the political class that we've had enough. The rotating door between politics and lobbying will also have to be slammed. Somehow, sabotage money from the Saudis and Iranians, the Chinese and maybe the Russians will have to be blocked. Many thousands of tenured bureaucrats will have to be forcibly retired. We will need an FBI head of unquestioned integrity, certainly not like Comey or his ilk. The historical way to control intelligence agencies is to make them compete against each other. After 9/11 the U.S. bureaucracy did exactly the opposite by creating the Director of National Intelligence, which simply centralized and expanded the secret power pyramid in DC. Today, it may well be true that the GCHQ, the British codebreaking agency, was the first to drop the "Moscow prostitutes urinating on Obama's bed" disinformation, which circulated in DC for months to give the "grounds" for the Mueller witch hunt. In the age of the web, not only are CIA and FBI and DNI a closed cult, but so are the Brits. You can't tell them apart. Our intelligence laws were written, not exactly in the horse 'n buggy days, but in the automobile and propeller airplane days of FDR. Our head intelligence mavens seem to do more plotting against duly elected POTUS than they protect us against Jihad, China, Russia, and all the rest. Donald Trump pulled his most trusted leaders from the military, a good idea in a time of widespread civilian corruption. These are combat-tested general officers, people who have proven their loyalty in combat. But we cannot rely on the military forever. Do we have a pool of trusted public servants we can call upon to work at the highest levels of government to protect the United States? Are priests, ministers and rabbis to be trusted these days? Are small business people, like Harry Truman, to be trusted? The answer is no. Our schools no longer even teach Civics, so that college students are astonishingly ignorant. Richard Dreyfuss has started a web movement to unite citizens to promote the restoration of Civics teaching throughout the schools and colleges. The historical and intellectual case for constitutionalism is stronger than ever, but our campuses are "islands of tyranny in a sea of freedom." We can thank our enemies on the left for "marching through the Institutions" in the 1960s and 70s, as urged by Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci. The United States is in deep, deep trouble. Our Democrat presidents are often rooted in Machine Politics: Even Harry Truman came from the Pendergast Machine in Kansas City. Obama was mentored by Emil Jones, the Grandfather of the Illinois Machine. The lines between politics and organized crime have blurred. We desperately need deep reform. The people want it, and a Mueller corrupt indictment may become the signal for a popular revolt. One of the best known moments in the great Greek mythological legends is the story of the decision by the Greek hero Odysseus on how to sail his ship safely without considerable loss of life between two hazards, the equally dangerous sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis, threatening all who seek to pass. Today, Russian president Vladimir Putin is in a similar perilous situation, navigating between two political hazards in deciding how to commemorate the Russian revolutions of 1917. What is to be celebrated: fervor for revolutionary change or stability? The decision, important for internal and external reasons, is important within the country and also for those trying to understand Russia today. President Putin has proudly asserted that "we are a single people, a united people. We have only one Russia." The problem is that not everyone in the population agrees with this view. The disagreement was symbolized at an art exhibition in St. Petersburg in November 2016, when a picture was shown with a dual canvas, Tsar Nicholas II on one side and Vladimir Lenin on the other, the old and the new. The issue has again come to the fore with the controversy over the showing of a film that was cleared for public exhibition by the Russian culture minister. The film, Matilda, directed by Alexei Uchitel, is the story of a passionate love affair between the last tsar, Nicholas II, and a ballet dancer named Matilda Kshesinskaya, the half-Polish teenage ballerina at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, a lady who was also the mistress of three grand dukes. Banning of the film was suggested by conservative and religious critics, especially the Christian State-Holy Rus because it would offend the feelings of religious believers. Insults of this kind were made a criminal offense in 2013. Russia's largest cinema chain has decided not to show the film for fear of attacks on cinemagoers. President Vladimir Putin, however, has said that no official is trying to ban the movie. On the contrary, he called for dialogue about it, though a dialogue conducted within the framework of decency and within the law. He is political president, but he is also the defender of traditional Orthodox Christian values. The problem is compounded by two facts. One is that Tsar Nicholas, who was murdered with his family in July 1918, was canonized by the Orthodox Church in 2000. The other is that favorable sentiments toward the old tsarist regime have been increasing. Monuments to the tsar have been going up. On the 99th anniversary of the murder of the tsar and his family, thousands of pilgrims, carrying icons, crosses, and portraits of Nicholas, walked 13 miles to the place of execution near Ekaterinburg. Lenin did not organize the executions but approved them after they occurred. Somewhat surprisingly to outsiders, a certain number of Russians favor the restoration of monarchy. A special school, named St. Basil the Great School, has been established in a Moscow suburb to teach tsarist history. This is interesting not only in itself, but also because the school was founded by Konstantin Malofeyev, a multimillionaire, an "Orthodox oligarch" close to the Kremlin and Putin's associates and sometimes called "Putin's Soros." He funded the rebels in East Ukraine, has an Orthodox TV channel, and asserts that he is preparing a "new elite." His own office in Moscow contains Orthodox icons and a large portrait of Tsar Alexander III, a fierce opponent of representative government and supporter of Russian nationalism and of Orthodoxy. Malofeyev's St. Basil the Great Foundation is Russia's largest Orthodox charity, and his aim is to restore Orthodoxy not only in Russia, but in the world. Equally, he has pointed out that seven of the ten wealthiest countries in the world are monarchies. Malofeyev is supported by like-minded individuals. Probably the most significant are Leonid Peshetnikov and Vladimir Yakunin. Peshetnikov is an ex-general of the KGB and SVR and head of the foreign intelligence service, the Institute of Strategic Studies, and now head of a group in Moscow called the Double-Headed Eagle Society. He is anti-American and asserts that it was the U.S., not Stalin, who was responsible for the Iron Curtain and that a strong Russia is a guarantor of justice. In unusual fashion, he compares the two countries. In the Russian civilization, unlike the American, the spiritual has always predominated over the material. Yakunin, head of Russian Railways until recently and a close friend of Putin, is a significant figure in the Orthodox fraternity, as well as a believer in the return of the Russian Empire. More significant is Malofeyev's fulsome praise of Putin: "Who would have guessed that Putin would come to us and Russia would start becoming Russia again?" Other praise is more surprising. In the U.S., every child up to age 70 has seen the film Lord of the Rings based on JRR Tolkien's novel, which, though a fantasy adventure tale, has affected modern culture. Malofeyev says he is influenced by it, perhaps by the spectacle of unequivocal protagonists preparing for One Ring to rule the other Rings of Power. Putin has been careful in not adhering to a particular position, not lauding the tsarists and not endorsing the Soviet Union. Like Scylla and Charybdis, his choice is whether the Bolshevik Revolution was a great historic event or a tragedy for Russia. For him indeed, the memories and echoes of the revolutionary years remain. Perhaps Putin does not travel by subway, but stations in Moscow 's metro system are named after October and after Pyotr Voikov, who arranged the execution of the tsar. Putin must ponder his path now that in a recent survey of the population, a majority of respondents had a favorable view of Lenin. Illinois Rep. Luis Gutierrez, who represents the 4th Congressional district a gerrymandered snake-shaped district designed to protect his vitriolic incumbency, has doubled down on his criticism of DHS head Gen. John Kelly as being unfit to wear his uniform for opposing the illegal and unconstitutional DACA program rejected by a Congress in which Gutierrez sat: Illinois Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D) responded to Gen. John Kelly [Ret.], after the White House chief of staff dismissed the Chicagoan's first round of criticisms. Gutierrez said Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general, is "a politician, OK, not a general." "What could be more mean and more vicious than to say 'you've got six months to pack up... and leave the United States'?" Gutierrez asked of Kelly. "I don't see [him wearing] a uniform," Gutierrez told the Washington Post. And we dont see Rep. Gutierrez ever wearing a uniform, unlike Gen Kellys son Robert, who gave his life for his country in Afghanistan fighting to protect America and the freedom of Muslims seeking liberation from the depraved tyranny of the Taliban: Robert Kelly, 29, was killed in a roadside bomb blast in 2010 during a foot patrol in Afghanistan's Helmand province. Like his son, who gave his life for others who did not look like him or shared many of his beliefs, Gen. Kelly served with and commanded and witnessed the sacrifice of soldiers of all races, ethnicities, and genders. He is not a bigot, but a patriot who deserved better for seeking enforcement of the nations laws and Constitution than what Rep. Gutierrez gave him: The Washington Examiner reported that U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, a Democrat, took personal aim at Kelly because Kelly once reportedly spoke favorably about the program. House members reported in July that Kelly told Latino lawmakers in a closed-door meeting that he was supportive of the program, but pointed out that it was probably illegal General Kelly is a hypocrite who is a disgrace to the uniform he used to wear, the congressman said in a statement. "General Kelly, when he was the head of Homeland Security, lied straight to the faces of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus about preventing the mass deportation of DREAMers," Gutierrez also said. "He has no honor and should be drummed out of the White House along with the white supremacists and those enabling the president's actions by just following orders.'" It is Rep. Gutierrez who has no honor, as well as no respect for American citizenship, the nations laws, and the Constitution he was sworn to uphold. Gutierrez has long supported open borders and even supported expanding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to illegal parents: For Democrats such as Grijalva and Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., amnesty and the political benefits stemming from it are inevitable. They are quite willing to use children to exploit the inherent compassion of the American people if it means ensuring the political future of the Democratic Party through the gratitude of millions of illegal aliens allowed to come here and stay. Gutierrez recently told a La Raza conference that it was only a "down payment" that President Obama gave the Latino community with his Deferred Action for Children Arrivals (DACA) program that halted the deportation of 600,000 of "our people": "Now it is time for the president in the United States... (to) free the mom and dads of the DREAMers and to go further -- be broad and expansive and generous." Unlike Rep. Luis Gutierrez, Gen. John Kelly has long his country honorably: Gutierrez is a career politician living on the taxpayers dime while, like Bill and Hillary Clinton, using his office to personally enrich himself: In Chicago, where a decade long building boom has reshaped neighborhoods, politicians have come to rely on real estate interests to donate to their campaigns. But the Democratic congressman's financial relationship with some contributors goes beyond campaign cash, according to records and interviews. In half a dozen deals with campaign supporters since 2002, Gutierrez has made about $421,000 by investing his money in real estate deals and exiting a short time later. The congressman says he made a profit in five of those deals but lost a small amount of money on the sixth Gutierrez has bought and sold properties with five campaign donors, including convicted political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko The demise of DACA would be a deserved end to a magnet for illegal immigration based on an unconstitutional executive order by President Barack Hussein Obama who was frustrated that Congress failed to pass it as legislation named the DREAM Act. As syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer observed on Fox News Special Report at the time: You can have executive orders that implement already existing laws. What Obama has done in the DREAM Act, which is exactly what you've talked about. Essentially he passed a law by executive order that the Congress had rejected, wouldn't pass, that is unbelievably unconstitutional. It's as if a Republican ran and said I don't like the capital gains tax, Congress rejects an abolition of that tax and then he orders the IRS not to collect it. People would be up in arms and would be impeaching. He's doing that over and over again on immigration Even President Obama said he didnt have the authority to do what he eventually did -- enact the Congressionally rejected DREAM Act through executive order: With respect to the notion that I can just suspend deportations through executive order, thats just not the case, because there are laws on the books that Congress has passed -- and I know that everybody here at Bell is studying hard so you know that weve got three branches of government. Congress passes the law. The executive branchs job is to enforce and implement those laws. And then the judiciary has to interpret the laws. There are enough laws on the books by Congress that are very clear in terms of how we have to enforce our immigration system that for me to simply through executive order ignore those congressional mandates would not conform with my appropriate role as President. Was President Obama also a dishonorable hypocrite for saying the executive order on DACA had no legitimacy in the law or Constitution? Thankfully, unlike Gutierrez, we still have Americans like John Kelly and his son Robert willing to serve their country honorably even to the point of making the ultimate sacrifice. Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investors Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications Remember Anthony Weiner? The onetime New York congressman who was hailed as one of the Democratic Party's brightest upcoming stars? The man Hillary Clinton introduced to her top aide, Huma Abedin, as marriage material, before Bill Clinton presided over their nuptials? The onetime front-running candidate for New York mayor a man who almost became mayor of New York? At a minimum, this guy almost became a presence in the White House, given Clinton's close ties to Abedin and the possibility of Hillary becoming president. Turns out he's a blithering puddle of mush, whining through his lawyer that he's a "weak man" in a "self-destructive spiral," according to the New York Post in a bid to plead with courts to keep out of prison after multiple incidents of text-messaging photos of his private parts to underage girls. "This crime is a product of a sickness," the memo read. "No one can dispute that Anthony's operatic self-destruction, of which the instant case has been but the final act, was born of deep sickness." The memo filed in Manhattan Federal Court were in preparation for Weiner's Sept 25 sentencing. The lawyers asked for no jail time as their filing brags about his "remarkable career in public service" and laments his "troubled childhood." The point of this is to show that the media hype about some of these people is pretty darned inaccurate. Instead of being a leader or doing great things for people or engaging in anything that might lead to greatness, as his earliest press coverage suggested, Weiner has shown that his only notable trait is for compulsive perversion, endangering underage girls, and then trying to get off scot-free once (or in his case, more than once) he got caught. His political legacy is so toxic that he's the person who brought Bill de Blasio to the mayor's office in New York City and triggered events that blame-happy Hillary Clinton thinks cost her the election of 2016. Now Weiner is showing himself to be nothing but a whiner, trying to say anything to stay out of jail. In a way, it's a full circle. Weiner represents the responsibility-evading that is so evident in typical Democrats, and his downfall is the blame-casting we see in Democrats when they lose, too. We don't see these traits nearly as often in Republicans, and that must say something. What a pathetic picture Weiner represents for his party as its once adored standard-bearer come to a bad end. California's illegal alien-supporting attorney general, Xavier Becerra, has been curiously silent about that fake server he handed over to cops to obstruct their Imran Awan investigation, according to a new report from the Daily Caller. The broader scandal was outlined in this piece by Thomas Lifson yesterday. Becerra's role is worth noting because he is considered top Democratic talent, a Democratic Party star, with many Democratic leadership positions, including a seat on the House Ways and Means committee, chairmanship of the House Democratic Caucus (now at the center of the Imran Awan secret server scandal) and lately a post as the California state attorney general, where he is leading the state's effort to stop President Trump from ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals executive order. He shows a pattern as one gamy player, not the least because of his fake server role in the House server scandal associated with the Awan Pakistani tech family, and former Democratic National Committee chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. According to the Daily Caller News Foundation: On Jan. 24, 2017, Becerra vacated his congressional seat to become California's attorney general. "He wanted to wipe his server, and we [a 'senior official'] brought to his attention it was under investigation. The light-off was we asked for an image of the server, and they deliberately turned over a fake server," the senior official said. A fake server? Wouldn't that take some serious planning? How long and how much effort would it take to construct fake server? What kind of information, then, was on the real server, the one former congressional I.T. aide Imran Awan made off with and maybe handed over to hostile intelligence sources for big money? Why would Becerra hand over a fake server in this investigation instead of angrily get to the bottom of what could easily be called a betrayal of the House Democratic Caucus, which Becerra led, by bad actors? And more to the point, why is he clamming up, even as he stays noisily in the public view? It just goes to show that corrupt and questionable practices are part of Becerra's makeup. His nominated appointment to the position of President Obama's U.S. Trade Representative was squelched in 2008 after it emerged that Becerra has written a letter urging President Clinton to pardon a cocaine dealer who then shoveled cash into his campaign coffers: [Becerra] was widely criticized for being among a number of politicians who pressed President Clinton to consider whether to commute the prison term of Carlos Vignali, who was convicted in 1994 for his role in a cocaine drug ring. Becerra wrote a letter supporting a review of Vignali's case after Vignali's father, Horacio, a Los Angeles businessman, contributed $14,000 to Becerra's campaign committee. He was also known for his dirty tricks when he challenged Anthony Villaraigosa, according to the same Los Angeles Times report. He was never punished for any of this. Now he's caught giving a fake server to lawmen in the hopes that the real server would never see the light of day. The lawmen, according to the Daily Caller report, describe it as obstruction of justice. This had better not be another one of these cases where egregious lawbreaking by high public officials gets dismissed as a nothingburger. Becerra has been getting away with a lot of corruption for a long time. This time, Becerra needs to be on the grill. California is a one-party state, with Democrats running everything and no prospect of the GOP ever changing that. One-party states trend in the direction of autocracy and corruption for obvious reasons. The Democrats of California have run public education there for generations, and their allies in the media dominate the public's information landscape. The consequences of the indoctrination they have conducted are visible in the shocking results of a poll of registered voters conducted by the U.C. Berkeley Institute of Government. Julia Prodis Sulek reports in the San Jose Mercury-News: [A] full 53 percent of California's Democratic voters, believe we have gone too far in allowing those demonstrations. Some 50 percent of California Republicans, meanwhile, believe the right to demonstrate should not be restricted, compared with 39 percent of Democrats. The article contains discussion of the context of this result and is worth a read. But there is no mistaking the landmark nature of this datum. Why would Governor Jerry Brown want to lift a finger to help the City of Berkeley deal with the speech tonight by Ben Shapiro? That event is taking place at Zellerbach Hall, the very U.C. Berkeley venue that was trashed when armed and masked thugs took over. The city's response (AP): For the first time in 20 years, police in the city of Berkeley can use pepper spray on violent demonstrators. The City Council voted 6-3 Tuesday to allow police to use pepper spray to repel attacks on officers and others during the kind of violent protests that have rocked the city this year. They still may not use it as an overall crowd-control method. The university's response (AP): Authorities plan to seal off the campus' central hub, Sproul Plaza, with a "closed perimeter" around several buildings including where Shapiro is scheduled to speak to a sold-out, 1,000-person audience. There will be "an increased and highly visible police presence," the university said in a statement. A lot of people are going to be watching. And the thugs know what to expect. This is not your grandfather's Democratic Party. It is not liberal. The California Democrats have engineered a hard-left electorate via immigration (unimpeded by borders) and cultural dominance. They see California as a model for the rest of the country, and now they are making a move to help one of their own, Kamala Harris or Eric Garcetti, capture the presidential nomination of the party in 2020. Having lived right off the water in Pensacola for thirteen years and lived through several hurricanes, my wife and I have learned to be wary of the media when it comes to these storms. First, they always exaggerate the deadly potential of approaching storms, which some might consider a good thing, as it motivates citizens to prepare their property and possessions and to evacuate from vulnerable areas. However, there's the risk that such overselling a storm's threat creates a future risk that the citizenry will ignore warnings of a true killer storm. What I find unforgivable is the way the mainstream media, and that includes Fox News nowadays, exaggerate the damage and destruction in a storm's aftermath, creating huge anxieties in those displaced citizens unable to return to their homes until authorities give them permission. I well recall how fearful and anxious we were as evacuees up in Alabama, hearing the media use terms like total devastation to describe hurricane damage to the Pensacola area, and how worried we were as we drove back, expecting to find little remaining of our waterfront suburb, only to find minor wind damage, trees and fences blown down, shingles blown off, etc. What the media do is find one area that has been heavily damaged, perhaps from a tornado embedded in the hurricane, and then repeatedly show differing views of the same area from multiple angles to give an impression of much more widespread destruction. That is apparently the case now with the effects of Hurricane Irma on the Florida Keys. Yes, there was some heavy damage to a few mobile home parks, with total destruction of some homes there. But most site-built homes, which far outnumber the mobile homes, weathered the storm well, with the usual roof damage and siding blown away. The way I know this is that NOAA has posted high-resolution satellite photography on the web that allows Keys homeowners to check out their property. Using this tool, I have been up and down the Keys, an area I know fairly well, having worked there for years, and the damage I have found is far from the total devastation being described by the media. There is plenty of marine damage, as is to be expected from any hurricane, but the home damage is limited. And if you go down to Key West, the population center of the Keys, you will see even less destruction. Doubt me? See for yourself: NOAA High Resolution Aerial View of Florida Keys. Use the plus and minus and your mouse or arrow keys to navigate the map. One caveat: This satellite view does not include Cudjoe Key, which is reportedly heavily damaged, but I remain skeptical. From what we can see, there are lots of boats blown about, carried ashore by wind and storm surge, but that's expected from even small hurricanes. There is indeed total destruction of some mobile homes, but even there, more mobile homes in the same parks are still intact and standing. Look at site-built homes, and you will find only roof damage, although I'm sure there are missing shutters, fences, and decks washed away. The point is, there is absolutely nothing in those Keys that constitutes the total devastation the media are hawking. A lesson learned decades ago: never, ever trust the mainstream media on politics or hurricanes. Could Hurricane Irma take down the communist military dictatorship in Cuba? Some amazing photos , several of them, from Babalu blog, show thousands of angry Cubans gathering and protesting, on the hurricane-ravaged streets of Havana. Cuba was slammed by Hurricane Irma and Cubans have been protesting the failure of the government to give them any assistance after tens of thousands of them lost their shambling homes and all their meager possessions and threw them out on the streets of the already decayed, crumbling capital city. It didn't take much to blow that shambling rattrap of a city over - and Irma was a monster. What's more, news had to have spread through Havana and beyond that the Castroite princelings partied royally with "mojitos, caviar, squid and salmon" in a church no less, celebrating Our Lady of Charity of Cobre, Virgen de la Caridad, while millions of Cubans suffered under the terrifying storm. All of this was ignored by the mainstream media, which is under Castro's thumb, refusing to report anything but good news about the regime or else lose their visas. It's too soon to say whether such protests really can bring down the hellish communist regime. Protests over nearly 20 years have done nothing for Venezuela's beleaguered citizens under the socialist dictatorship there, and Venezuela is a Cuban satellite. All the same, natural disasters have been known to be the beginning of regime change in many places - a relatively recent one was the advent of the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua following a devastating earthquake in 1972. The Sandinista revolution didn't happen overnight but it did happen. The sense of there being nothing better coming and the despair of a slow response often does lead to revolutionary regime change. Cubans as of now, have been left to fend for themelves in the rubble. What do they have to lose? As Ziva Sahl over at Babalu puts it" Imagine: No local police to help No government support No building supplies No electricity, some for over a year No fresh water No Mercy No Freedom What would you do? Go see the photos and reports here. The Department of Homeland Security announced that the U.S. would impose sanctions on four countries for not accepting their nationals who have been deported from the United States. Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea, and Sierra Leone will not be allowed to issue visas for various classes of individuals. The sanctions had been discussed for several months, as the U.S. is at odds with several countries over returning their nationals who entered the country illegally. Fox News: "International law obligates each country to accept the return of its nationals ordered removed from the United States," Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke said in a statement. "Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea, and Sierra Leone have failed in that responsibility," she added, noting that the "one-way street ends with these sanctions." Under the sanctions, the U.S. will stop issuing all category B visas for tourism and business to citizens of Eritrea, a nation of about 5 million people. In Cambodia (15.7 million), top government officials and their family members will be denied entry to the U.S. on a business or travel visa. In Guinea (12.6 million), top government officials will no longer be able to obtain category B nor student and cultural exchange visas. In Sierra Leone (6.4 million), Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials and immigration officials will not receive tourism and business visas. "Without an appropriate response from the impacted countries, the scope of these sanctions may be expanded to a wider population," Duke said in the statement. ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan claimed the reluctance of other countries to accept their citizens meant that "American citizens have been harmed" because ICE was forced to release more than 2,000 Guinean and around 800 Sierra Leone citizens, many of whom have serious criminal convictions, into U.S. communities. Roughly 700 Eritreans and around 1,900 Cambodians were also released, despite most having serious criminal convictions, including violent and sex offenses. "These sanctions will ensure that the problem these countries pose will get no worse as ICE continues its work to remove dangerous criminals from the United States," Homan added. Other nations that may be targeted for sanctions include China, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, Iran, Burma, Morocco, Hong Kong, and South Sudan. Denying visas to various groups in those countries is a slap on the wrist, but the promise of additional sanctions might do the trick. At least the sanctions show that the U.S. is serious about the issue and has limited patience with nations that won't cooperate. It's unclear if Central American countries with hundreds of thousands of their citizens in the U.S. illegally will give their full cooperation in accepting their nationals after being deported from the U.S. So far, the numbers have been relatively small. But if Trump ramps up efforts to deport illegals, I'm sure some of those countries will balk at the huge number of their citizens sent back with no job, and many of them with no place to live. I'm sure those Central American countries are watching what we do with uncooperative nations very closely. Will Hurricane Irma be the death of the Castroite regime? The angry protests are starting... Could Hurricane Irma take down the communist military dictatorship in Cuba? Some amazing photos, several of them from the Babalu blog, show thousands of angry Cubans gathering and protesting on the hurricane-ravaged streets of Havana. Cuba was slammed by Hurricane Irma, and Cubans have been protesting the failure of the government to give them any assistance after tens of thousands of them lost their shambling homes and all their meager possessions, whereupon they were thrown out on the streets of the already decayed, crumbling capital city. It didn't take much to blow that shambling rat trap of a city over and Irma was a monster. What's more, news had to have spread through Havana and beyond that the Castroite princelings partied royally with "mojitos, caviar, squid, and salmon," in a church, no less, celebrating Our Lady of Charity of Cobre, Virgen de la Caridad, while millions of Cubans suffered under the terrifying storm. All of this was ignored by the mainstream media, which are under Castro's thumb, refusing to report anything but good news about the regime or else lose their visas. It's too soon to say whether such protests really can bring down the hellish communist regime. Protests over nearly 20 years have done nothing for Venezuela's beleaguered citizens under the socialist dictatorship there, and Venezuela is a Cuban satellite. All the same, natural disasters have been known to be the beginning of regime change in many places a relatively recent one was the advent of the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua following a devastating earthquake in 1972. The Sandinista revolution didn't happen overnight, but it did happen. The sense of there being nothing better coming and the despair of a slow response often do lead to revolutionary regime change. Cubans as of now have been left to fend for themselves in the rubble. What do they have to lose? As Ziva Sahl over at Babalu puts it: Imagine: No local police to help No government support No building supplies No electricity, some for over a year No fresh water No Mercy No Freedom What would you do? Go see the photos and reports here. We have a little time this week to catch up with Venezuela, which is back in the news. It looks as if Venezuela's first lady may have to visit her nephews in a U.S. jail. This is from Reuters: Two nephews of Venezuela's first lady should serve at least 30 years in prison for their convictions in the United States on drug trafficking charges, U.S. prosecutors said on Monday. They said in a filing in federal court in Manhattan that the two men, Franqui Francisco Flores de Freitas and Efrain Antonio Campo Flores, tried to make $20 million through drug trafficking so as to keep their family in power and to "enrich themselves while their countrymen starved in the streets." The men are nephews of Cilia Flores, the wife of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. I am not shocked that a couple of Mrs. Maduro's nephews would diversify by going into the drug business. After all, everything else has collapsed in Venezuela. It's tough to make an honest living in that country, as we hear from people who have to find creative ways just to get milk for their children. Maduro naturally blasted the convictions. What's new about that? We do give thumbs up here to the DEA and regional support. Somebody passed this info to the DEA, and that shows that cooperation is happening with many countries in the region. The tip apparently came from the Dominican Republic, but we will never know for sure. Someone obviously knew that the two men were on a particular plane headed for a particular destination. The whole thing must have been a shock to President and Mrs. Maduro, who thought the DEA was no longer a problem for them. We recall that President Hugo Chavez expelled the DEA in 2005. Nevertheless, the DEA indicted two former officials in absentia and followed that with Pedro Luis Martin Olivares, ex-chief of finance and anti-drug tsar, Jesus Alfredo Itriago. As the article points out, the arrests of the first lady's nephews show that the DEA has gotten up close and personal. It also shows that someone "tipped" the DEA. My guess is that a few other countries in the region are getting tired of Maduro, too. PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. (ANSAmed) - CORFU (GREECE), SEPTEMBER 14 - Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni called for modifying European Union rules on migration, speaking Thursday on the Greek island of Corfu where he met with Greek President Alexis Tsipras. Gentiloni said there's a need to "adapt the rules, because it's right that the weight doesn't fall only on some countries", adding that "this principle should be translated into modification of the rules". "Steps forward have been made on migrants, but they are limited and fragile; we must be conscious of them both on the central as well as the eastern Mediterranean routes. We have to continually cultivate steps forward, translating them into more advanced rules. This is the message that we will also bring to the meeting in Nicosia in October," Gentiloni said, referring to the EU Med Group Conference of seven countries of the Mediterranean scheduled for October 10 on the island of Cyprus.(ANSAmed). EIB, private investments key for development Med countries 600 mn for firms in Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia (ANSAmed) - NAPLES, SEPTEMBER 14 - The drive for jobs and growth in the Mediterranean region should be led by the private sectors, said participants of an international conference held by the European Investment Bank (EIB) in Cairo. The conference was dedicated to ''Boosting investments in the Mediterranean region'', in partnership with the Ministry of International Cooperation and Investment, the European Union Delegation to Egypt and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). The conference participants discussed regional challenges and opportunities in the context of the Bank's recent efforts to mobilize finance to build economic resilience in Mediterranean countries and offer new opportunities, particularly for young people and women under its new Economic Resilience Initiative. The EU bank in 2016 allocated funding for 1.7 billion euros to support private sector development in the southern Mediterranean region to support small, medium-sized and large companies. Government officials, investors, bankers, and researchers from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia discussed potential drivers of economic growth in the region. ''We believe the role that the private sector plays in boosting economic activity and creating jobs for the unemployed and new entrants to the labor market is absolutely key. This is why the EIB is stepping up its support to the private sector under its Economic Resilience Initiative. We recently approved 600 million euros for SME finance in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia and Morocco under the new initiative. Now we are looking at more good projects to support'', Dario Scannapieco, Vice-President of the EIB, was quoted as saying by the bank's website. Ambassador Ivan Surko, the head of the European Union Delegation to Egypt, stressed that the EU is expected to mobilize over 1.2 billion euros for the development of small and medium-sized companies in the region through the ''EU Initiative for Financial Inclusion'' during the period 2016-2020. He said that this will be done by pooling resources between the European Commission Neighbourhood Investment Facility (NIF) and European finance institutions. The head of the EU delegation was also quoted as saying by the bank's website as announcing the new initiative called the European External Investment Plan (EIP), which will cover the MENA region and is aimed at leveraging public and private funds from the EU. (ANSAmed). (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV - Egyptian intelligence officials have offered to mediate a new prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas, according to Palestinian daily al-Quds. The news hasn't been officially confirmed by the Israeli or Palestinian governments. The Egyptian proposal begins with Israel providing a goodwill gesture by delivering the remains of 39 Palestinian militants, 19 of whom were Hamas killed in attacks. At that point, Hamas would provide details on four Israelis in Gaza: two soldiers killed in combat in 2014 and two civilians who spontaneously entered Gaza. Israel would then free 54 Hamas militants who had already been released years ago in exchange for the freedom of Corporal Ghilad Shalit but were newly arrested. With the completion of this phase, actual negotiations on a new prisoner exchange could begin, al-Quds said.(ANSAmed). (ANSAmed) - CORFU (GREECE) - Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni called for modifying European Union rules on migration, speaking Thursday on the Greek island of Corfu where he met with Greek President Alexis Tsipras. Gentiloni said there's a need to "adapt the rules, because it's right that the weight doesn't fall only on some countries", adding that "this principle should be translated into modification of the rules". "Steps forward have been made on migrants, but they are limited and fragile; we must be conscious of them both on the central as well as the eastern Mediterranean routes. We have to continually cultivate steps forward, translating them into more advanced rules. This is the message that we will also bring to the meeting in Nicosia in October," Gentiloni said, referring to the EU Med Group Conference of seven countries of the Mediterranean scheduled for October 10 on the island of Cyprus. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Italy and Greece have "paid a very high price" for the migration crisis, which he said "is European, not Greek or Italian", following a meeting with Italian Premier Paolo Gentiloni on the island of Corfu. "We have shown the essential solidarity and taught Europe that our values are always alive," Tsipras said. "Europe must understand that these crises aren't handled with walls but with more solidarity" (ANSAmed). Israel: Lebanon 'will return to stone age' in case of attack Minister tells Hezbollah: future 'Iran-Russia tension on Syria' (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, SEPTEMBER 4 - Israeli Housing Minister Yoav Galant on Thursday said Lebanon will ''return to stone age'' if Hezbollah drags Israel into a conflict while a military drill simulating a large-scale attack from Lebanon was ongoing. ''Hezbollah are today an extremely atypical enemy because there aren't many in the world to have 100,000 missiles and forces trained to strike civilians'', observed Galant, a reserve general who in 2008 was deployed as a commander in the southern military area when Israel conducted Operation Cast Led in Gaza against Hamas. In a radio interview, Galant also revealed that Iran is gradually gaining control of an area between the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean. Replying to a question, he observed that Russian forces in Syria are hostile to Israel. ''The day isn't far when tensions will arise (in Syria) between Russians and Iranians''. (ANSAmed). Migrants: EU, no behind-the-scenes talks in Libya 'Full transparency'. Le Monde, Rome accused of paying militias (ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, SEPTEMBER 14 - The decreasing number of migrants along the central Mediterranean route is ''the outcome of a well-coordinated cooperation with countries in the region and Italy's role as pioneer, with minister Minniti. Everything was done with clarity and transparency, there were no hidden channels or behind-the-scenes talks'', said Dimitris Avramopoulos, the EU commissioner for migration, home affairs and citizenship. The commissioner was responding to allegations about Europe funding militias in Libya to stop the inflow of migrants. ''On migration we have gone from uncontrolled to controlled flows. We must now consolidate'' the situation, said the commissioner, citing three priorities: ''continuing efforts inside and around Libya; boosting repatriations; and improving channels for the protection of migrants and legal pathways''. ''Now contributions to the Fund for Africa are necessary; we must improve the condition and human rights in centers in Libya, which are unacceptable; we must continue to boost the capacity of Libyan coast guards and in parallel continue to work for the country's stability'', said Avramopoulos. Thursday's afternoon edition of Le Monde published a front-page article with a headline reading: ''Migrants: Italy is accused of negotiating with Libyan traffickers''. The newspaper also dedicated pages two and three reports on the issue. In the front-page report, which picked up allegations published over the past few weeks by some international news outlets and categorically denied by the Italian government, the daily said Rome is suspected of paying for the services of Libyan militias to stop the arrival of migrants on its coasts. The government has denied the reports, saying that boats are intercepted at sea and therefore the number of Mediterranean crossings towards Lampedusa has slumped in August. Meanwhile Libya has warned Italy that it should not ''get involved in Libya's domestic affairs'', said the representative of General Haftar, Ahmed al-Mismari, who was in Moscow today for meetings at the defense ministry. (ANSAmed). ROME - Participants in a peace process in Astana are close to signing an agreement on 'de-escalation' zones in Syria, according to Russian delegation chief Alexander Lavrentyev. ''We are very close to signing an agreement on the creation of all four de-escalation areas'', he was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies. Lavrentyev added that Russia, Turkey and Iran will control the activation of the de-escalation area in Idlib province in Syria, where various jihadist groups have moved with their families. Observers from all three countries acting as guarantors will participate, Lavrentyev said in Astana, explaining that ''everything is still in a phase of elaboration''. The head of the Russian delegation also said that the next meeting in Astana on Syria could take place at the end of October and bring to an increase in observer countries in de-escalation areas. According to Moscow's representative, ''the pillars of Astana talks are the activities of the three guarantor countries, Russia, Turkey and Iran. For the role of observers we could consider the candidature of other countries like China, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon and Kazakhstan''. TUNIS - Tunisian parliamentarians voted on Wednesday night to approve the final version of the controversial "economic and financial reconciliation law", following a complex process and heated discussions. The law, which was proposed by Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi in 2015, was presented as a necessary step to break with the past and as a show of patriotic conscience, but opposition and civil society see the law as a masked amnesty for leaders in the former Ben Ali regime. The law is aimed at ending the dispute linked to officials of the past regime and grants reprieve to some businessmen linked to the ousted former president. That has drawn lively debate in Tunisia, with hardline reactions from some opposition parties that continue to call for the law to be removed, and from civil society, which through the "Manich Masameh" (I Don't Forgive) collective, has staged protests in front of the parliament building, including on Wednesday. Immediately following the vote, Slim Azzabi, director of the presidential cabinet, said, "Tunisia needs reconciliation, consensus and national unity". He said the new version of the approved law is "the one with the most possible consensus", and that Essebsi put forward the bill in order to "free energy in the public administration, relaunch the economy, and encourage development projects suspended by the weak performance of public officials". Azzabi said the law "doesn't aim to give amnesty to the corrupt". "The concessions on the numerous articles in the law were motivated by the willingness to obtain the maximum consensus," he said. He said the final version of the bill passed into law only considers public officials who didn't obtain direct or indirect personal benefits, while removing articles on infractions of the exchanges law. Azzabi said the law should affect about 2,000 officials and generate an increase of 1.2% in GDP. Opposition groups have vowed to mount an appeal against the law, which they consider unconstitutional because it would favor impunity and inequality of citizens before the law, as well as encourage the renewal of corruption and absolution for the corrupt. If youre considering a subscription to the Disney Plus streaming service, you may be wondering how much it costs. The service is available on both BarcelonaOn Wednesday Spains Attorney General Jose Manuel Maza ordered Catalonias district attorneys to summon over 700 Catalan mayors who have offered municipal premises as polling stations for the referendum. Maza has instructed the Mossos dEsquadra Catalonias police force to arrest any mayor who skips their court date. The public prosecution has summoned the mayors over their role as accessories to the organisation of the vote. Also on Wednesday Barcelonas DA, Ana Maria Magaldi, ordered Catalonias local police forces to serve as judicial police and take action against referendum preparations. Given the sheer number of local governments that support the referendum on independence, Mazas instructions to the DAs of Barcelona, Tarragona, Lleida and Girona are to initiate proceedings against the larger municipalities first. The prosecutor has asked to probe the mayors whose names appear on the list of towns and villages that have offered municipal venues as polling stations, a list compiled by the Association of Municipalities for Independence (AMI in Catalan). The prosecutor has chosen to work from the list as published on Tuesday afternoon, which featured a total of 712 local councils. Missing from the list are the towns where the local government has announced that it will support the referendum but are not AMI members. A case in point is Sabadell, one of the largest cities that have agreed to aid in the holding of the independence ballot. Mazas instructions state that the local governments involved include a sizeable number of mayors who have issued a decree lending the Catalan government the public venues required to hold the independence ballot. As for Magaldis order, following in the steps of Mazas statement last week, the Barcelona DA has asked the Mossos to give every local police chief an order to take action and stop the referendum. The DA has urged local police forces to take the necessary steps to seize the items and instruments used to prepare or hold the ballot, such as ballot boxes, voting envelopes, instruction manuals for staff manning polling stations, election forms and digital media. Magaldis order also demands a report in writing of any action conducive to holding the referendum which local police might witness. Such reports must be sent urgently to the regional DA's office and to the Catalan police. Bringing the mayors before the prosecutor Mazas Wednesday order establishes that, as judicial police, the Mossos must bring in for questioning as soon as possible any mayor that fails to appear in court once summoned by the prosecution. Jose Manuel Maza has indicated that mayors are to be questioned as part of the ongoing investigation while accompanied by their legal counsel. The AGs letter stresses that the Catalan government has not halted referendum preparations and has urged local governments to provide venues for the vote. This is another step by the Spanish public prosecution in its struggle to stop the ballot on October 1. Last Tuesday, Catalan police boss Josep Lluis Trapero was summoned for instructions from Maza to try to block the independence vote. Trapero attended a meeting with the top brass of Spains Guardia Civil and Policia Nacional in Catalonia where they were all given Mazas orders ahead of the ballot. Following the meeting, Trapero conveyed Romero de Tejadas instructions to all units under his command. In an internal police memo, he informed the Catalan police force that the General Information Division would centralise any actions in connection with the AGs request. This police division is tasked with intelligence work to do with jihadist terrorism, far-right and anti-system groups. The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale for the aircraft with support. The potential $2.785 billion order would also include M61 Vulcan 20mm Gun Systems, APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array Radars and LAU-129 Launchers, as well as AN/APX-126 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF) system or equivalent, twenty-two (22) cryptographic appliques, secure communication equipment, spares and repair parts, personnel training and training equipment, simulators, publications and technical documentation Bahrain already has 20 older F-16 Block 40s. Gama has been so encouraged by the steadily rising traffic to its spectacular FBO at Sharjah that, working with the airport authority, it is embarking on a major $25 million-plus investment in developing the business aviation facilities. Operators have seen the benefits of being at an international airport thats close to Dubai city centre but has no restrictions over slots. Its about time, to be honest, said Richard Lineveldt, new managing director of Gama Aviation UAE. Thats tremendous. As ever, we qualify that by saying were heading into the summer now so it will probably even out over the next few months but were very pleased with progress so far. We started at Sharjah in 2012 as the exclusive provider of business aviation services and opened our FBO terminal in 2014. Since then, weve seen a really good and healthy increase, which has accelerated from the beginning of 2017. We believe that is the result of a very clear and focussed awareness campaign, rather than for any operational reason in the region. The reason for the move [from Dubai International] was that it was running out of space. The group made a decision to move to Sharjah, north of Dubai International, for the future as the airport is relatively close to the centre of Dubai but also doesnt suffer from the capacity problems at Dubai International. Weve been successful from the start in attracting people from the region as they compare Sharjah to the busier airports in Dubai. Theyve seen the benefits of a more relaxed airport, with no slot restrictions at all, and ample parking. Its not just local operators who are taking advantage of Sharjahs welcome. Others further afield, encouraged by the Gama FBOs international standard for business aircraft handlers (IS-BAH) approval as well as the facilities, are coming. When you talk to European or North American operators, who are looking for a fuel or tech stop in the region, Dubai would be the natural choice. But they havent been able to get in for whatever reason, continued Lineveldt. They look wider and Sharjah comes up. Weve made a really concentrated marketing effort in getting the word out and it seems to have worked. Of course, having all that space and no restriction is all very well, but clients then have to get into Dubai, and thats taken a special effort working with the national government. Road access, in particular, has been a sore point. In the past, its been difficult because there was only one major road between Dubai and Sharjah. Historically its been very busy and congested with traffic. The government has now invested in two additional highways between the two emirates and one of them links up to Sharjah International Airport. Traffic now, although I would admit its busy, is nothing like it used to be five or six years ago. We also offer a helicopter shuttle but there isnt enough demand and understanding of the benefits from the clients at the moment. However, this is definitely something were working on. When we build the new business aviation centre, it will have both a landside and an airside helicopter landing pad and, obviously, we would like that facility to be used by our clients. The new Gama Sharjah Business Aviation Centre will be a secure, gated facility that will have 10,000sqm of hangarage space and 20,000sqm of external apron parking. The hangarage will be used for heavy maintenance, parking and storage, as well as housing Gamas engineering company, Gama FZE Services. The FBO will be expanded and the new building will also have Gamas our offices as well. So we will have one central facility, which will run the entire Gama Middle East operation at Sharjah International Airport, said Lineveldt. We are aiming to open in the last quarter of 2018. The facility will have direct road access from the airport road, it will basically be a Gama signature design and follow the aesthetics of our existing facilities in Glasgow. It will have enough space to accommodate the growing desire or need for covered parking. Aircraft owners in the region are becoming more aware of the value of parking inside an air-conditioned hangar, especially during the summer months, and there is really a lack of facilities (in the region) to handle these aircraft. Gama is working with the Sharjah International Airport Authority to enable growth of the business aviation industry in the region, explained Lineveldt. In so doing, we hope to motivate people to move their aircraft and operations to Sharjah. We can assist them in all aspects of handling the aircraft, looking after the crew and passengers, and obviously maintaining the aircraft and parking it for them. We can take anything up to a BBJ or ACJ and well have ample ramp parking to take care of the larger corporate airliners. While expanding the facility at Sharjah, Gama is also growing its fleet of managed aircraft. Two new Learjets, a 60 and a 60XR, have been added recently, bringing the total to 11 managed aircraft. The Learjets are operated as executive charter but we think a very good application for them will be in the field of air ambulance. Both have the capabilities to re-role into medevac configuration, said Lineveldt. Based on regional instability, the ramping up of military conflicts and the support services that are normally required around those, I think we are going to be well-positioned to offer air ambulance services into the region and back into Dubai. Dubais health industry is starting to become known as a centre of excellence, and insurance companies are happy to take patients there. There is only one air ambulance based in the UAE at the moment the others are mostly by European operators so the insurance companies are very excited by the prospect of using these aircraft. Lineveldt has been part of Gamas operations in the Middle East since the beginning, back in 2008, when he was the very first employee. Since then hes risen through the ranks to manage various parts of the business, becoming managing director earlier this year just as Gama received a local award for best Middle East business aviation provider and also a strategic partnership award by the Sharjah Aviation Authority. The agreement builds on a successful long-term strategic relationship between the two companies and will bring new levels of safety and operational efficiency to the aviation industry. SB-S is the first secure communications system for the flightdeck and meets stringent aviation requirements for safety and operational data exchange with the ground. Its global coverage is Future Air Navigation System (FANS) 1/A compliant and delivers Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) and safety and operational services over a robust, secured IP data link as well as multiple voice channels. SB-S hardware is smaller, lighter and has a lower cost of ownership than other market alternatives, saving space and weight, reducing fuel burn and making it suitable for all single-aisle and wide-bodied aircraft. This new connection between the flightdeck, aircraft systems and the ground provides a range of benefits to airlines, including enhanced situational awareness across their entire operation, more informed real-time decision making, enhanced real-time performance monitoring, high resolution weather updates, and other data critical to modernising the safety and efficiency of airline and air traffic control (ATC) flight operations. Rockwell Collins has provided and managed Inmarsats high-quality legacy cockpit services to a majority of the worlds transoceanic widebody and business aircraft fleet. Under the new agreement, it will collaborate with airlines to implement the new digital SB-S technology on future and existing fleets, along with additional value added applications and services. The advent of the next generation connected cockpit brings with it a new set of requirements in terms of service reliability, availability and security for aviation communications, said Michael DiGeorge, Vice President of Commercial Aviation and Network Services at Rockwell Collins. Rockwell Collins investment in meeting these stringent requirements and understanding the unique needs of the aviation industry is critical to enabling airlines to reap the benefits of SB-S for safe, secure and effective communications with key industry stakeholders, including ATC, flight dispatch centres and value added resellers. As the airlines data and voice service provider and Inmarsat distribution partner, we have enabled many breakthrough firsts with industry leading airlines. This agreement reinforces our leadership position and commitment to the enhancement of aviation communications technology and to our airline partners success. Captain Mary McMillan, Vice President of Aviation Safety and Operational Services at Inmarsat, said: This new distribution agreement with our valued strategic reseller Rockwell Collins marks a huge milestone in our strategy to bring the digital revolution to the flightdeck. According to our recent study with Helios, aeronautical satellite communications are estimated to have saved the worlds airlines US$3 billion over the past 15 years, through reduced oceanic separation and critical operational communications. We look forward to working with Rockwell Collins on this important paradigm shift, together helping the global air transport industry to integrate digital technology in the cockpit. This 21st century concept of operations will be powered by the high-speed, cost effective capabilities of SB-S and the new applications and services it enables. The results confirmed the usability of the rotary wing aircraft in extremely high temperatures. The tests were performed within the memorandum signed this May by JSC Russian Helicopters (part of Rostec State orporation) and IHSRC at the international exhibition HeliRussia. The objective of those tests was to prove the usability of the Ka-226T at ambient temperatures of up to +50oC. Several Middle-Eastern countries, including Iran, are interested in light multirole helicopters for firefighting, patrolling, evacuation and medical tasks. The accomplished tests of the Ka-226T proved that the helicopter can operate in critical temperatures, which is definitely important for potential users. I hope that we will soon reach a number of agreements regarding supplies of these helicopters, said Andrey Boginsky, CEO of Russian Helicopters. The light multirole helicopter Ka-226T has a coaxial main twin-rotor system, its maximum takeoff weight is 3.6 tons, and it is able to transport up to 1 ton of payload. The main distinctive feature of the helicopter is its modular design a transport cabin that can carry up to 6 people or modules with special equipment can be easily installed on the Ka-226T. Improved aircraft performance characteristics of the Ka-226T, environmental friendliness, cost effectiveness, advanced avionics and additional flight safety solutions make this helicopter one of the best models in its class. Pittsburgh will be Qatar Airways Cargos fifth freighter destination in the Americas launched this year, strengthening the cargo carriers commitment to supporting the American air trade and supply chain industry. Commenting on this milestone announcement, Qatar Airways Group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: Qatar Airways is proud to be supporting the US economy by opening yet another major US commercial region to global markets. Our business strategy is based on consultation and building productive relationships with local government and business leaders, to provide global air freight connectivity that benefits the city, region and state. In doing so, we support the regional economy, create jobs, help grow local businesses and increase export capacity. We look forward to connecting Pennsylvania to the rest of our global network. Qatar Airways chief officer cargo, Ulrich Ogiermann, said: Qatar Airways Cargo takes great pride in adding another freighter destination to our expanding network in the Americas, which is a significant market for us. We believe that air freight is a key enabler of international trade. Through the announcement of Pittsburgh as our thirteenth freighter destination in the Americas, we have taken our commitment to the business community, freight forwarders and shippers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to a new level. During our second time exhibiting at the MEBAA Show Morocco, we were thrilled to meet HE Mr. Mohammed Sajid, Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Crafts and Social Economy said Mohammed El Masaoudi, CEO Air Ocean Maroc. We were pleased to have the opportunity to speak to him face to face and discuss Moroccos business aviation industry. The second edition of the MEBAA Show Morocco has been an amazing success, says Ali Alnaqbi, Founding & Executive Chairman of the Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA). With the move to Marrakech Menara Airport, we have seen a larger contingent of visitors from Morocco and further around the region. This growth has been reflected in the quality of networking opportunities and business done at the event. Among those supporting the show were sponsors Bombardier and Gulfstream, plus a number of exhibitors from Morocco and further afield. The static display of the latest business aircraft featured a Gulfstream G550 and a Bombardier Challenger 650, both of which were popular with visitors keen to tour the onboard facilities. Morocco is high traffic market for both business and leisure private aviation travel, and benefits from an ideal geographic location, governmental industry support and political stability, making it an ideal for development into an aviation hub. We are proud to have been involved in the second edition of the MEBAA Show Morocco, said Zouhair El Aoufir, CEO of Office National des Aeroports (ONDA). He continued, And of course we are already looking forward to the next edition in 2019 as we work towards encouraging the aviation industry as a whole to grow across Morocco and beyond. The MEBAA Show Morocco was held under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. The MEBAA Show Morocco 2019 will take place at Marrakech Menara Airport from 17-18 September 2019. The candidature of Zurab Pololikashvili was presented by his country, Georgia, in accordance with the UNWTO statutes. Zurab Pololikashvili was elected by consensus at the 22nd UNWTO General Assembly being held in Chengdu, China, following the recommendation of the 105th UNWTO Executive Council. Zurab Pololikashvili was Minister of Economic Development of Georgia (2009-2010) and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (2005-2006). A joint report published yesterday by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Program (OCCRP) and the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) alleged that the Pentagon is supplying up to $2.2 billion worth of Soviet-style arms and ammunition to Syrian rebels. This may come as a shock to some, as President Donald Trump just announced in late July that he was ending a covert CIA program that funded Syrian rebels, which seemed like a regime change for the U.S. government. The CIA has been creating, arming, and funding terrorists and rebels for a very long time. This isnt new information, but many had hoped that this practice would come to an end after Trumps latest decision. Nevertheless, the Pentagon continues to funnel record breaking amounts of weaponry into Syria. Whats worse, the U.S. government is attempting to cover it up by allegedly falsifying the paperwork. OCCRP Report Reveals Pentagons Involvement in Syrian War Through analyzing procurement records, shipping information, official reports, leaked emails, and interviewing insiders, the OCCRP and BIRN discovered how the Pentagon is fuelling the Syrian war. Please keep in mind that this is entirely separate from the CIA program Trump just ended that was funding Syrian rebels as well. The report states that the U.S. strategically uses vaguely worded legal documents that makes it difficult to establish where the weapons actually end up, which could potentially hinder efforts to stop arms trafficking and puts the Eastern European governments who sell the weapons and ammunition at risk of breaching international law. The program sidesteps long-established checks on international weapons trafficking, the report alleges, and appears to be turbocharging a shadowy world of Eastern European arms dealers. . . . According to the report, many of the weapons suppliers primarily in Eastern Europe but also in the former Soviet republics, including Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Ukraine have both links to organized crime throughout Eastern Europe and spotty business records. You can refer to the below diagram to get a better understanding of how much the Pentagon is planning to spend on arming Syrian rebels: Although the reporters were able to track down most of the purchases, one large purchase that was made to the tune of $479.6 million specifies no end destination at all. The reporters analysis of said purchase suggested that it will likely end up in Syria, but its still strange that no end destination stated. Part of the evidence suggesting that it will end up in Syria lies in multiple contracts signed in September 2016 that originally cited Syria, but these references were deleted from public record when the researchers contacted the Pentagon to ask about them in March. When asked about this specific purchase, the Pentagon refused to comment. The researchers did, however, make copies of both the documents before and after the Pentagon altered them. You can see the before and after documents below: Balkan Insight , which is hosting the original investigative report, explained: Seven US procurement documents were whitewashed to remove reference to Syria after reporters contacted the Pentagon to enquire about whether the exporting countries Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine and Georgia had been informed of the destination. Another issue this report and the Syrian war in general helped to shed light on was the U.S. governments change in quality requirements for weaponry. Previously, the Pentagon required suppliers to provide them with weapons that were no older than five years old, but the U.S. recently changed these requirements given the scarcity of supplies in the surrounding area. These lower standards havent come without a price, however. A Pentagon contractor died in 2015 from a decades-old RPG exploding at a firing range in Bulgaria. The contractor was supposed to train Syrian rebels, but died as a result of these older, lower quality weapons. Not only is the U.S. still using older weaponry, but theyre still using that same contractor involved in the incident as well. The Pentagon was also caught allegedly undermining the arms control systems. The report reads : In supplying the Syrian rebels, the Pentagon has used highly unusual and misleading legal documentation that exploits a loophole in the system designed to prevent diversions of arms to terrorists, embargoed groups, or war criminals. A Deeper Look at U.S. Involvement in the Syrian War The U.S. government played a role in funding Al Qaeda, the Islamic State (previously known as ISIS), and rebels in the past, and the government clearly has a vested interest in the Syrian war given all of the misinformation its been spreading. This was brought to light late last year when the Pentagon paid a PR firm over $500 million to create fake terrorists videos and when the White Helmets were caught staging and filming fake rescue scenes (you can watch a video on this here ). there was never any chemical weapons attack in Syria in April. It was simply a fabricated story perpetuated all over mainstream media (MSM). Higher-ups in the military and the CIA actually Another example was when President Trump claimed there was a chemical weapons attack in Syria earlier this year, and mainstream media was quick to paint it all over the news, when in realityIt was simply a fabricated story perpetuated all over mainstream media (MSM). Higher-ups in the military and the CIA actually communicated this to Trump , yet he refused to listen to them and still launched 50 missiles at a Syrian military base. falsified data and reported that Russia bombed a hospital in Syria, when in reality that hospital still stands. The fake Lets not forget when North American MSMdata and reported that Russia bombed a hospital in Syria, when in reality that hospital still stands. The fake al Quds hospital news story was reported by CNN and PBS, stating that Russian airstrikes took down the hospital in April 2015, killing innocent civilians none of which is true. In fact, Russia released satellite imagery proving that the hospital was still standing later in the year. Plus, you have the White Helmets , a group posing as independently-funded aid-workers that MSM praises but is, in reality, tied up with the very terrorists they claim to stand against and funded by the West. Vanessa Beeley , an independent researcher and journalist, explained the White Helmets situation in the following statement: What we are seeing here is an eradication of Syrian state institutions and the implantation of a Syrian shadow state by predominantly the UK and the US, but also supported by EU governments. In other words, Beeley believes that the White Helmets were created and funded by the West in order for them to represent a shadow government on the grounds. Beeley states that the White Helmets are in fact multi-million funded, conservatively speaking, a hundred million dollars, from the US $23 million via USAID; UK around $65 million; France is supplying equipment. There has been a heavy propaganda campaign surrounding the Syrian war, one that North Americans have been eating up and eagerly listening to via mainstream media and the U.S. government. If you watch the media, you probably blame Assad or the Islamic State for whats going on, but whos really to blame for it? The U.S. government certainly is in part, because theyve helped fuel the chaos on both ends by funding Syrian rebels and selling weapons to the Islamic State. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard even proposed a bill recently in an effort to put an end to this government corruption, titled the Stop Arming Terrorists Act , which only received an alarming 13 supporters. Gabbard was quoted as saying that the CIA has also been funnelling weapons and money through Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar and others who provide direct and indirect support to groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda. This support has allowed al-Qaeda and their fellow terrorist organizations to establish strongholds throughout Syria, including in Aleppo. Even Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. spoke out about the Pentagons ties to terrorists, explaining The RBI has been repeatedly cautioning everyone about the usage of cryptocurrencies. According to some media reports, there has been a growing number of investors in such currencies over the last few years. Mumbai: The Reserve Bank is uncomfortable with non-fiat cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, its executive director Sudarshan Sen said on Wednesday. As regards non-fiat cryptocurrencies, I think we are not comfortable, Mr Sen said addressing the India Fintech Day conference here. Elaborating on what is a non-fiat cryptocurrency, Mr Sen said, Bitcoins for example. Thats a private cryptocurrency. The fiat cryptocurrency is a digital currency which will be issued by the Reserve Bank in place of the physical one at present, he said, adding that the central bank is studying this aspect at present. Right now, we have a group of people who are looking at fiat cryptocurrencies. Something that is an alternative to the Indian rupee, so to speak. We are looking at that closely, Mr Sen said. RBI had not previously disclosed its plans on cryptocurrencies and Mr Sen did not provide any details on where discussions on the issue stand. It was unclear whether the group at the RBI plan to issue a recommendation on cryptocurrencies to the government, or if the review is at an early or advanced stage. However, the RBI has been repeatedly cautioning everyone about the usage of cryptocurrencies, flagging a slew of concerns. According to some media reports, there has been a growing number of investors in such currencies over the last few years, especially with the huge spurt in the value of a few of them since the Donald Trump administration came in the US. Any user, holder, investor or trader dealing with virtual currencies is doing it at their own risk, the RBI had cautioned on its website in February this year. The RBI has been repeatedly flagging concerns on virtual currencies like Bitcoins, stating that they pose potential financial, legal, customer protection and security-related risks. I believe its potential is being overstated. We can see that in these types of solutions for virtual currency, there is no central bank or monetary authority, RBIs then deputy governor R. Gandhi had said on March 2 this year. Value seems to be a matter of speculation. Legal status is definitely not there. While this is a purported objective of a VC, it puts a natural limit for its progression. And finally, the usage of VCs for illicit and illegal activities has been reported as uncomfortably large, Mr Gandhi had said. Earlier this week, JPMorgan Chase & Co chief executive officer Jamie Dimon also came out strongly against bitcoin dubbing it a fraud, and adding that it will blow up. The virtual currency, not backed by any government, has more than quadrupled in value since December to more than $4,100. The First 75 projects that are expected to be offered under this model aggregate a length of 4,500 km. The TOT model involves leasing out of operational NH for long periods to collect toll revenue in return for a one-time upfront payment to the government. Mumbai: Investments in road projects are expected to double over the next five years to Rs 10 lakh crore with investments in national highways (NH) likely to grow the fastest at about three times following the governments focus on the sector through several new initiatives. While the investments would largely be driven by public funds through the Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) and Hybrid Annuity Model, Crisil said that toll-operate-transfer (TOT), the new PPP model introduced by the government if implemented successfully could attract investment worth Rs 40,000 crore until FY19 from new as well as existing investors. Over next five years, the NHAIs funding through cess is expected to remain low at 18 per cent compared to 35 per cent in the previous corresponding period. In this scenario, the ability of NHAI to consistently raise debt through external sources is a key monitorable, the Crisil said. The TOT model involves leasing out of operational NH for long periods to collect toll revenue in return for a one-time upfront payment to the government. Operation and maintenance players in the country are shying away from existing models for maintenance as a result of problems faced in the past. TOT hence targets a new category of investors who are averse towards construction risk but are interested in making long-term investment in infrastructure, Crisil said. She said 'Pahuna' is the first-ever film to have emerged from Sikkim as it's a "very troubled" region. Mumbai: Priyanka Chopra has been slammed onsocial media for calling Sikkim an "insurgency affected state". The actor, who recently presented her home production 'Pahuna', a Sikkimese language film, at the ongoing Toronto international film festival, claimed in an interview with ET Canada that it was the first-ever film to have emerged from Sikkim as it's a "very troubled" region. "This is a Sikkimese film. Sikkim is a small state in the North East of India which never had a film industry or anyone who made films from there. And this is the first film ever that's come out of that region because it's very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations. I'm very excited," the actor said in the interview. Soon after her interview resurfaced, many Twitter users started slamming the actor for being "politically illiterate". Biswatosh Sinha, a screenwriter from Assam, posted, "Dear Priyanka Chopra, Sikkim is a peaceful place and #Pahuna is not the first film from the region. Please get the facts right about Northeast." One user wrote, "Does she know the difference between Sikkim and othr NE States? This is how India is defamed...." Nine others, however, continue to face criminal charges in connection with Khan's killing, according to officials. 55-year-old Pehlu Khan was beaten to death on April 1 in Rajasthan's Alwar district by a mob of gau rakshaks. (Photo: Screengrab) Jaipur: Five months after the alleged murder of Pehlu Khan by cow vigilantes, Rajasthan police have found no case against six accused. However, nine others will continue to face the charge. The state CID-Crime Branch, which took over investigations in July, has concluded that the six men were not present when Pehlu Khan was attacked. The police have said that these six men are also not seen in photos or video footage of the attack and that their mobile phone records show they were about 4 km away during the attack. "Six persons have been given a clean chit in the investigation into the Pehlu Khan case. Nine others, however, will face criminal charges," ADG (CID-CB), Pankaj Kumar Singh said. The six people given clean chit by the police include Hukum Chand, Om Prakash, Sudhir Yadav, Rahul Saini, Navin Sharma and Jagmal Yadav. The police have also withdrawn the Rs 5000 reward announced on each of the six accused. However, before his death Pehlu Khan had reportedly named these six persons in his statement among those who attacked him and those accompanying him. He had identified them as they were calling each other by their name at the time of attack. They also claimed that they were members of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang dal. According to his statement, they told the victims that anyone carrying cows through Behror would meet the same fate. Pehlu Khan, a dairy farmer along with some of his family members was transporting cattle to Haryana on April 1, when their vehicles were intercepted by cow vigilantes in Behror, in Alwar district of Rajasthan bordering Haryana and Delhi. They were mercilessly beaten up by the mob. Khan, later succumbed to his injuries. The police had arrested seven people after the attack based on video footage; all but two were released on bail. Meanwhile, patron of Alwar district Meo panchayat Sher Mohammed has said that the police have acted under pressure of Hindu organisations. He said that the community will now take the matter to the high court to seek justice. After Pehlu Khan's death, the state home minister Gulab Chand Kataria not only down played the incident by claiming that both the sides were guilty but also claimed that Pehlu Khan was a cow smuggler. Immediately after Pehlu Khans death he had said, Dono side se hai jab malum hai ki Rajasthan se gau taskari nhi ho sakti kanoon bana hua hai. Later, when the leader of opposition raised the matter in the state assembly, Kataria alleged that Pehlu Khan had three cases of cow smuggling against him. "Anyone carrying cattle illegally is a smuggler. Khan did not have valid documents. He already had three cases of cow smuggling registered against him," he said. Although, much later, chief minister Vasundhara Raje after a letter of protest from bureaucrats and civil society activists, said "such activities won't be tolerated in Rajasthan". However, in a newspaper article in July, she had defended action taken by her government claiming that seven suspects have been arrested, cases registered, and court challans filed. When proven guilty, they will face punishment. In the same article, she also took exception to link mob violence with the BJP. Id like to make the case that the notion that anybody or any political party supports mob violence based on religion, caste, or eating habits is at best, prejudice and at worst, dishonesty, she wrote. Centre files affidavit in Supreme Court claiming Rohingyas 'a threat to national security'. Rohingya Muslim girl Afeefa Bebi, who recently crossed over from Myanmar into Bangladesh, holds her few-hours-old brother as doctors check her mother Yasmeen Ara at a community hospital in Kutupalong refugee camp. (Photo: AP) New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that 'Rohingyas are a threat to national security'. The central government was responding to the apex court's questions on deportation of Rohingya refugees in a PIL filed in the court. The Centre on Wednesday, while granting Indian citizenship to Chakma and Hajong refugees, maintained its stand saying that Rohingyas are illegal. Home Minister Rajnath Singh had indicated that some action will be taken with regard to deportation of Rohingyas, who are considered to be a security threat to Jammu and Kashmir. Minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju, who belongs to Arunachal Pradesh, had said Rohingyas were illegal immigrants. He also said that India absorbed the maximum number of refugees in the world. On Monday, in Geneva, UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein flayed any attempts by India to deport Rohingyas to Myanmar when the ethnic minority community was facing violence in their country. Rijiju said a middle ground was being worked out in the wake of a 2015 Supreme Court directive. New Delhi: The Centre, on Wednesday decided to grant citizenship to all Chakma and Hajong refugees, who largely live in the Northeast. However, it has assured that it will make sure that the rights of indigenous people living in the region would not be affected in any way. The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by home minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday and was also attended by NSA Ajit Doval, Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu, minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju and other senior home ministry officials. Following the meeting, Mr Rijiju said a middle ground was being worked out in the wake of a 2015 Supreme Court directive. While we have to honour the Supreme Court order for Chakmas and Hanjong refugees who are settled in Arunachal Pradesh since 1964, we will ensure that scheduled tribe status and other rights of indigenous people living in the area are not diluted in any way, he said. The government is likely to file a fresh petition in the Supreme Court soon informing it about the decision. The move comes close on the heels of the governments proposal to deport illegal Rohingya Muslim migrants who entered India following persecution in Maynmar, a move which has been strongly criticised by the UN human rights chief Zeid Raad al-Hussein. Organisations in Arunachal Pradesh have opposed citizenship to the Chakma and Hajong refugees on the grounds that it would alter the states demography. The Centre has said that it will try and keep the balance by making sure the refugees dont get scheduled tribe status or other rights like land ownership. But these refugees are likely to be granted inner line permits required for non-locals in Arunachal Pradesh to travel and work. Mr Rijiju blamed the Congress for the current refugee crisis saying that the then government had settled them in Arunachal Pradesh without any consultations with the local population. The minister said that Congress had done a great injustice to the local population and now the government was left trying to do the balancing act. Both Chakmas and Hajongs are originally from Chittagong hill tracts in erstwhile East Pakistan and were forced to leave due to religious persecution and because the area was submerged by the Kaptai dam project in the 1960s. As of now there are an estimated one lakh such refugees in the Northeast, with a majority of them settled in Arunachal Pradesh. Meanwhile, Mr Rijiju criticised attempts to label India as a villain on the Rohingya controversy as these illegal migrants have been described as a potential security threat. Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Mr Rijiju said, This chorus of branding India as a villain on the Rohingya issue is a calibrated design to tarnish Indias image. It (such statements) undermines Indias security. Earlier, the minister had claimed that India had absorbed the maximum number of refugees anywhere in the world. Mr Rijiju had also clarified a few days ago that one should not demonise India on the issue as it would be following due process of laws on deportation rather than throwing the illegal migrants into an ocean or shooting them down. The home minister has already asked the state governments to identify the illegal Rohingya migrants branding them a burden on the countrys limited resources. India has maintained that they also pose a potential security hazard. The team inspected Indiras four-acre farmhouse in Nelmangala on the outskirts of Bengaluru, reportedly in search of some documents. Bengaluru: The special investigation team (SIT), which is probing the murder of journalist, editor and activist Gauri Lankesh on September 5 outside her house in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, has reportedly got some leads, which may suggest financial and personal reasons behind her murder. They, however, need to be verified, said an official source on condition of anonymity. On Wednesday, the team inspected Indiras four-acre farmhouse in Nelmangala on the outskirts of Bengaluru, reportedly in search of some documents. They questioned Indrajit with whom Gauri didnt share a good rapport after a public spat between them in 2005 over the ownership of Lankesh Patrike. According to informed sources, the SIT met Gauris mother Indira Lankesh last weekend and reportedly asked her for the property documents, which will throw light on how the family property and assets have been divided; among her and her three children Gauri and her siblings Indrajit and Kavita. The SIT, which is exploring the three prominent angles behind her murder, of the alleged involvement of the Right or Left wings or people close to her, has reportedly got some important clues, which allegedly suggest financial and personal reasons behind her murder, the officer said. Sources told this newspaper that someone who knew her and her movements had reportedly informed her killers that fatal evening. Who would have most benefitted with her death and what could have been the motive, behind her elimination are the key questions that need to be investigated. Though Gauri was a very well-known figure, her growing political clout; whether it was for government advertisements, which were reportedly committed to her for her weekly tabloid after she met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently or her political views on the controversial issue of minority tag for her community the Lingayats may have aggravated the frayed nerves of some people, who may have felt insecure or threatened by her growing stature, he said. Modi said India Post and Japan Post will start a 'cool box service' for Japanese in India which will help them order food from Japan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe condemned in the strongest terms North Korea's continued development of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. (Photo: PTI) Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is the lifeline of new India. Thanking his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, Modi said Japan is the third largest investor in India. Modi said, "In 2016-17, Japan has invested 4.7 billion dollars, an amount 80 per cent higher than the previous year's investment, in our country." Also read, Why Modi, Abe's bullet train project is a win-win for both India and Japan Prime Minister Narendra Modi and PM Abe called for Pakistan to bring to justice perpetrators of terror attacks including 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot attacks. Modi and Abe are looking forward to convene 5th Japan-India consultation on terrorism and to strengthen cooperation against terrorists threats from groups including al-Qaida, ISIS, JeM, LeT and their affiliates. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe condemned in the strongest terms North Korea's continued development of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. India and Japan on Thursday signed 15 agreements/documents during the 12th India-Japan Annual Summit. The agreements/documents will deepen the special strategic and global partnership between both Asian nations. Deepening the Special Strategic & Global Partnership. #IndiaJapan sign 15 agreements/documents during the 12th India Japan Annual Summit pic.twitter.com/4WwSFR5n0M Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) September 14, 2017 Modi wholeheartedly welcomed the agreements that were signed between India and Japan on Thursday. He further said, the pact will strengthen partnership between the two countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also hailed the transformation of India. The PM said may it be the 'Make in India' drive or 'Skill India' or easy business, the country is indeed moving ahead. Read: Hope Abe's visit to Gujarat not for political purposes: Congress Delivering press statement after the signing of agreements, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India Post and Japan Post will soon start a 'cool box service' for Japanese residing in India which will help them order their favorite food from Japan. Modi also urged Japanese business community to open maximum number of Japanese restaurant chains in India. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also addressed the press statement and reiterated his strong support to initiatives like Make In India, Digital India and others and also appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi' economic reforms especially Goods and Services Tax (GST). The visiting prime minister thanked India for its hospitality. He said, "We appreciate the warm welcome and hospitality. Dhanyawaad". The 15 agreements/documents inked between India and Japan are: There may be specific discussions on the long-pending Indian proposal to buy the US-2 amphibious aircraft from Japan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, who arrived in Ahmedabad on Wednesday on a two-day visit. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe are likely to deliberate extensively on bolstering defence and security ties during the annual summit talks being held in Gandhinagar on Thursday in the backdrop of China's growing assertiveness in the region There may be specific discussions on the long-pending Indian proposal to buy the US-2 amphibious aircraft from Japan and joint development of military equipment to further deepen the defence ties in sync with strategic partnership between the two countries, official sources said. The annual Indo-Japan summit is taking place amid escalating tension in the region following the nuclear test by North Korea and China's combative posturing in the resource-rich South China Sea, and Modi and Abe are expected to deliberate on them. The two prime ministers may also explore ways to further deepen ties between the navies of the two countries to check China's heightened activities in the Indian Ocean. Read: Modi welcomes Japanese PM Abe with warm hug, road show begins Reflecting growing congruence in ties, Japan had thrown its weight behind India during the Doklam standoff. Ahead of Abe's visit here, the India-Japan annual defence ministerial dialogue had taken place in Tokyo during which co-production of military equipment, dual use technologies and New Delhi's proposal to buy the US-2 ShinMaywa aircraft were discussed. Last year, China had reacted angrily to reports that Japan plans to sell weapons to India at cheaper prices, saying that such a move was disgraceful. There are indications that the joint statement by the two countries after Modi-Abe talks will have certain components relating to defence cooperation. At the defence dialogue, the two sides had also agreed to commence technical discussions for research collaboration in the areas of Unmanned Ground Vehicles and Robotics. Modi and Abe are expected to deliberate on cooperation in the nuclear energy sector as well. A landmark civil nuclear deal between the two countries providing for collaboration between their industries in the field had come into force in July. The nuclear cooperation agreement was signed last November during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Tokyo. The deal allows Japan to export nuclear technology to India, making it the first non-NPT signatory to have such a deal with Tokyo. There was political resistance in Japan - the only country to suffer atomic bombings during the World War II - against a nuclear deal with India, particularly after the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2011. Japan is a major player in the nuclear energy market and an atomic deal with it will make it easier for US-based nuclear plant makers Westinghouse Electric Corporation and GE Energy Inc to set up atomic plants in India as both these conglomerates have Japanese investments. The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people. India will provide 7,000 tonnes of food and other items. The MEA added, India has always responded readily and swiftly to any crisis in Bangladesh, in keeping with the close ties of friendship between the peoples of India and Bangladesh. India stands ready to provide any assistance required by Bangladesh in this hour of need. (Photo: Representational Image/AFP) New Delhi: Under fire from the UN on its policy towards the Rohingya Muslims, India on Thursday launched Operation Insaniyat (humanity), and helping hand to eastern neighbour Bangladesh to tackle the crisis on account of the influx of Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh from Myanmar. This follows the meeting held last Saturday when the Bangladesh high commissioner to India reportedly discussed the crisis facing his country on this score with foreign secretary S. Jaishankar. Describing the exercise as Operation Insaniyat Humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh on account of influx of refugees, the MEA said, In response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh, India has decided to extend assistance to Bangladesh. The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets, etc. The relief material will be delivered in multiple consignments, the first tranche of which will be brought to Chittagong by an Indian Air Force plane on 14th September 2017. The MEA added, India has always responded readily and swiftly to any crisis in Bangladesh, in keeping with the close ties of friendship between the peoples of India and Bangladesh. India stands ready to provide any assistance required by Bangladesh in this hour of need. Last Saturday, Bangladesh high commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali called on foreign secretary S. Jaishankar and discussed the issue of Rohingya Muslims in detail. This averages over 17 killings of hardcore militants every month for this year. New Delhi: In the last eight and a half months of 2017, 148 hardcore militants have been gunned down by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, including the July 10 Amarnath Yatra bus attack mastermind Abu Ismail on Thursday. It is easily the highest kill figure of militants as compared to the previous two periods of unrest in 2008 and 2010, a top official source in the government told this newspaper. This averages over 17 killings of hardcore militants every month for this year. These eliminations are all significant because we have been consciously going after the leaders. The figures are bound to increase as about 180-190 militants are still operating in the state, and our operations will continue, the source said on condition of anonymity. Also, the earlier period of unrest came to an end because the government appointed interlocutors for peace. This time, the government has gone in for a tough response and on the contrary has only strengthened operations, the official added. If one considers the major incidents of unrest in J&K, there are three distinct periods 2008, 2010, and the ongoing one in 2016-17. By far, the ongoing period is the longest one that sparked off after the gunning down of Hizbul Mujahideen militant leader Burhan Wani on July 9 last year. In the 2010 unrest, 110 militants were killed while the entire year totaled a huge 232 deaths, averaging more than 19 kills a month. The official attributed the unprecedented success to huge strides in technical intelligence, which implies hacking into the communication apparatus of the militants, especially mobile phones and other modes. However, a new trend this time is that while the earlier unrests were focused on the cities and in areas along the national highways, this time the focal areas of unrest were mainly in the suburbs and far-flung areas. That is why the number of kills in Srinagar is much less than before and instead the terrorist hubs have been places like Kulgam, Traal, Pulwama, Budgam, and Shopian, the official underscored. The top official suggested that this may be the best time to go in for a lucrative surrender policy. This is the time that the terrorists are under pressure. It can work wonders now, he said. Militants, who surrender, get Rs 1.5 lakh from the government and another additional amount depending on the type of weapons they hand over. As of now if the terrorist turn in a pistol or a revolver, they are given another Rs 2,000 or so, which are decade-old rates. It is time to upgrade the offers, the official said. A new surrender policy is hanging fire after the defence ministry had written to the Union home ministry on the issue. This newspaper had earlier reported in May how the Army, in a major shift in the counter insurgency tactics to toughen the rules of engagement in Kashmir, had decided to operate in a seek and engage mode and bring back Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) that were abandoned in 2002 after a public hue and cry over rights violations. The change in tactics was necessitated because militants were believed to be hiding among the civilian populace and using them as human shields while many civilians have been found to be harbouring militants. The CBI, however, contradicted his claims and said that the investigation is still on. New Delhi: Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union finance minister P. Chidambaram, on Thursday refused to appear before the CBI for questioning in connection with a probe pertaining to alleged wrongdoings in the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance given to the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006. Karti Chidambaram, through his lawyer, refused to appear before the agency saying a special court had discharged all the accused and terminated proceedings in the matter. The CBI, however, contradicted his claims and said that the investigation is still on. The agency, sources said, will issue fresh summons to Karti for questioning. All proceedings connected with the case were terminated. After the discharge of the accused and termination of the proceedings, the CBI will not have jurisdiction to issue summons, Karti Chidambaram said. The CBI is looking into the alleged investments made by firms controlled by Karti Chidambaram into Aircel while the FIPB clearance issue was under the consideration of finance ministry headed by his father. In August 2014, the CBI had chargesheeted former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi, Malaysian business tycoon T. Ananda Krishnan, Malaysian national Ralph Marshall and four firms. On February 2 this year, a special CBI court had discharged Dayanidhi Maran, his brother Kalanithi and two firms, saying the charges were without any legal basis. The CBI challenged the order of discharge in the Delhi High Court on May 11 this year. The agency is also probing Karti Chidambarams role in another case related to the alleged misuse of foreign investments by INX Media. A case has also been registered against former Ulfa leader Jiten Dutta who also spoke at the rally in Moran. Guwahati: Assam police, on Thursday, arrested noted RTI activist Akhil Gogoi on charges of allegedly instigating people to take up arms in Upper Assams Dibrugarh district. Mr Gogoi, who also heads the peasants rights organisation, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), was picked up on September 13 from the Golaghat office. Police said: Mr Gogoi, who addressed a gathering jointly with Jiten Dutta, a leader of pro-talk faction of Ulfa, instigated the common people to wage war against the nation and also delivered a speech against communal harmony. It said, They also announced that they would go for use of arms on non-fulfillment of their demands and they are ready to use Hangdang (sword) and AK-47 rifle in their movement against the government. The arrest, made by a team of Dibrugarh police, was in reference to an FIR lodged at the Moran police station on September 13 against Mr Gogois public speech a day before. The police said that besides Section 124 A, Mr Gogoi has also been charged under IPC Sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging or attempting to wage war against India), 109 (abetment of an offence), 153 (communal disharmony), and 153 A (hate speech). A case has also been registered against former Ulfa leader Jiten Dutta who also spoke at the rally in Moran. He has been at the forefront of a state-wide protest after some businessmen assaulted surrendered Ulfa rebels who went to collect donation for flood relief in Nagaon. Meanwhile, supporters of RTI activist has started protesting the arrest at various places and threatened to intensify it if Mr Gogoi is not released. There may be discussion on buying the US-2 amphibious aircraft from Japan, joint development of military equipment. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe are likely to deliberate extensively on bolstering defence and security ties during the annual summit talks being held in Gandhinagar on Thursday in the backdrop of Chinas growing assertiveness in the region. There may be specific discussions on the long-pending Indian proposal to buy the US-2 amphibious aircraft from Japan and joint development of military equipment to further deepen the defence ties in sync with strategic partnership between the two countries, official sources said. The annual Indo-Japan summit is taking place amid escalating tension in the region following the nuclear test by North Korea and Chinas combative posturing in the resource-rich South China Sea, and Modi and Abe are expected to deliberate on them. The two prime ministers may also explore ways to further deepen ties between the navies of the two countries to check Chinas heightened activities in the Indian Ocean. Reflecting growing congruence in ties, Japan had thrown its weight behind India during the Dokalam standoff. Ahead of Mr Abes visit here, the India-Japan annual defence ministerial dialogue had taken place in Tokyo during which co-production of military equipment, dual use technologies and New Delhis proposal to buy the US-2 ShinMaywa aircraft were discussed. Last year, China had reacted angrily to reports that Japan plans to sell weapons to India at cheaper prices, saying that such a move was disgraceful. There are indications that the joint statement by the two countries after Modi-Abe talks will have certain components relating to defence cooperation. At the defence dialogue, the two sides had also agreed to commence technical discussions for research collaboration in the areas of Unmanned Ground Vehicles and Robotics. Mr Modi and Mr Abe are expected to deliberate on cooperation in the nuclear energy sector as well. A landmark civil nuclear deal between the two countries providing for collaboration between their industries in the field had come into force in July. The nuclear cooperation agreement was signed last November during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Tokyo. The deal allows Japan to export nuclear technology to India, making it the first non-NPT signatory to have such a deal with Tokyo. There was political resistance in Japan the only country to suffer atomic bombings during the World War II against a nuclear deal with India, particularly after the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in 2011. Japan is a major player in the nuclear energy market and an atomic deal with it will make it easier for US-based nuclear plant makers Westinghouse Electric Corporation and GE Energy Inc to set up atomic plants in India as both these conglomerates have Japanese investments. For both the Congress and the BJP, Dusu polls are a significant indicator of the mood of the youth in the national capital. Congress president Sonia Gandhi meets NSUIs winning candidates Rocky Tusseed (left) and Kunal Sehrawat at her residence in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Shockwaves ran through the saffron camp on Wednesday as the National Students Union of India (NSUI) made a stunning comeback by winning two posts, including that of the president, in the Dusu (Delhi University Students Union) elections. For both the Congress and the BJP, Dusu polls are a significant indicator of the mood of the youth in the national capital. Till Tuesday night, the BJP was confident that RSS-affiliated Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which has a strong grip over Dusu, would capture all the four seats. But early on Wednesday, the election office declared that NSUI had won three posts, but revised the result later. NSUI said that it will go to the Delhi high court to challenge the result, insisting that it had been manipulated by the right-wing ABVP. It is reliably learnt that BJP chief Amit Shah is not happy with the poll results. Overwhelmed by the stunning performance of the partys student wing, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi thanked the students of DU for reposing faith in Congress ideology. Winners of the top two posts president Rocky Tuseed and vice-president Kunal Sehrawat also met Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Just recently the the BJP had suffered a humiliating defeat by loosing the by-polls in the Bawana Assembly seat in Delhi. The seat had fallen vacant after AAP legislator Ved Prakash had resigned to join the BJP ahead of civic elections in Delhi. The DUSU results are a clear indication that the Congress has been regaining its hold among the youth. Earlier, the youth wing of the Congress had won the student elections in Rajasthan, which is ruled by the BJP, and in Punjab, where the Congress registered a resounding victory in the Assembly elections. Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken, who was actively monitoring NSUIs poll campaign, attributed the victory to Mr Gandhis recent speech in the United States. AIADMK faction asked the poll panel to declare Sasikala ouster by opposite faction as invalid. New Delhi: Members of the AIADMK faction, led by ousted leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran, on Thursday asked the Election Commission of India to declare the partys general council meeting, in which V.K. Sasikala was removed as general secretary, as invalid. A memorandum containing the party laws, figures and facts has been submitted to the poll body to back the claim, AIADMK Rajya Sabha member Vijila Sathyananth told the media after meeting the EC officials. On Tuesday, the merged factions of the AIADMK, under Edappadi Palaniswami and O. Panneerselvam, declared late chief minister J. Jayalalithaa as the partys permanent general secretary and declared as null and void the appointment of Ms Sasikala as the interim general secretary. Ms Sathyanath said the meeting and decisions taken in it cant be considered as valid as the Madras high court verdict said that any decisions taken in the meeting will be subject to the final outcome in the appeal. A single judge of the Madras HC dismissed the plea of the Dhinakaran faction for a stay on the general council meeting. Following this, they approached the division bench, which, too, refused to interfere with the formers conclusion. The representatives, who met the EC on Thursday, also included MPs Vasanthi Murugesan, N. Gokula Krishnan and B. Senguttuvan. They said a general council meeting would be convened by ousted party deputy general secretary Mr Dhinakaran with the permission of Ms Sasikala. Offspring of expectant mothers who live near farms that apply heaviest concentrations of pesticides are most at risk, research shows. Relationship between pesticides and premature birth and low birth weight has been observed in previous studies as well. (File image) Women exposed to the highest quantities of agricultural pesticides in Californias San Joaquin Valley while pregnant were at heightened risk of giving birth prematurely and delivering low-weight infants, a new study found. Offspring of expectant mothers who lived near farms that applied the heaviest concentrations of pesticides were most at risk, the research showed. Mothers who lived in close proximity to agricultural operations using the highest percentage of pesticides - the top 1 percent - had an 11 percent increased probability of preterm delivery and a 20 percent increased probability of having a low birth-weight baby. For most women, living near farms growing fruits, nuts and vegetables failed to increase the possibility of low birth weight and preterm delivery, the research found. But an examination of the areas exposed to the heaviest concentrations of pesticides applied showed magnified fetal vulnerability. There is a smaller subset that seems to be bearing the burden, said lead author Ashley Larsen, a professor at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Hopefully we can pinpoint how to reduce these very high levels, she said in a phone interview. Larsen and her team coupled birth certificate records for more than 500,000 San Joaquin Valley births between 1997 and 2011 with pesticide-use data to examine how exposure by trimester and pesticide concentration might influence birth weight and gestational length. The San Joaquin Valley is Californias most productive agricultural region. The new study found that women exposed to the top 25 percent of pesticide loads in the San Joaquin Valley had babies with no detectable effect. But those in the top 5 percent of exposures had increases in the range of 5 to 9 percent in adverse outcomes, according to the report in the journal Nature Communications. Larsen said she would like to see educators and policymakers work with farmers to reduce extreme pesticide concentrations. But Robert Gunier of the Center for Environmental Research and Childrens Health in Berkeley, California, said he doubted such a change would reduce adverse birth outcomes. Although he agreed that reducing pesticide use in the highest use areas could eliminate adverse birth outcomes, he said in an email: Unfortunately, combining all pesticides in the analysis obscures the relationships with specific pesticides or pesticide mixtures, preventing concrete policy changes. I would bet that if a law was passed to limit pesticide use in high pesticide-use areas, the reduction would be for the most heavily used and often least toxic pesticides, and this would not eliminate adverse birth outcomes related to agricultural pesticide use, he said. Gunier, an environmental health researcher, was not involved with the new study. Future studies should evaluate pesticide mixtures to identify substances of concern, he said. Prior research on the effects of pesticides on birth outcomes has been inconclusive, the studys authors write. But the relationship between pesticides and premature birth and low birth weight has been observed in previous studies, Gunier said. In 2013, he was involved in a study that found that exposure to methyl bromide, a fungicide used in cultivating strawberries, during the second trimester was associated with markers of restricted fetal growth. With Rishi Kapoor lashing out at Rahul Gandhi for saying that riding on dynasty power is an essential part of India. In an interaction with students at Berkley on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi lashed out at those who say that he is where he is only because of dynasty power. Rahul said, Most parties in India have that problem...Mr Akhilesh Yadav is a dynast. Mr Stalin (son of M Karunanidhi of DMK) is a dynast... even Abhishek Bachchan is a dynast. So, thats how India runs. So, dont get after me because thats how India is run. (sic) Aside from politics, the film industry is one that is known for its dynasties. Rishi Kapoor, part of one of the biggest and most powerful film dynasties lasting four generations, spoke up against the politician, claiming that just a family backing is not enough, but that one needs to earn respect as well just as he, Randhir, and Ranbir Kapoor all have. In the 106 years of Indian cinema of India, the Kapoors contribution is 90 years. And each generation is chosen by public on merit, he tweeted, adding, You have to earn peoples respect and love through hard work not zabardasti and gundagardi. (sic) Rahul Gandhi Dynastic monopolies are present in all fields in India. Even as the spotlight firmly shines on the Nehru dynasty in politics and the two Kapoor dynasties (Raj Kapoor and Surindher Kapoor) in films, it hardly ends there. In fields other than these, family power goes a long way. Just take the Supreme Court judges for instance, who are usually at such a high rung of the justice system because of family influence. Rishis own son, Ranbir, admits freely that he is himself in the film industry thanks to his familys influence. I am here today because of my parents. My father got an opportunity because of his father so I would like to believe if my children choose to be actors I would like to give them a platform, he says, adding that he believed that acting is simply the family business. Yes, it is unfair to a lot of people who is way more talented than us but we do get opportunity, we do get attention, he openly admits. However, while family may get you in the door, it is merit that finally sees you through. This has been proved time and again in the film industry, says film historian S.M.M. Ausaja. If you look at Ranbir Kapoor or Sonam Kapoor for that matter, they have managed to make it in the film industry due to their own merit. This is why Rishi Kapoor and Randhir Kapoor both did quite well while Rajiv Kapoor never managed to get that kind of fame. Hema Malinis daughter, Ahana Deol, also couldnt make it beyond a side role in one film (Na Tum Jaano Na Hum). If after coming from such big names, they couldnt make it in the industry, then how can anyone else? Ultimately, all that family name is able to get you is a launch, he says. Kasthuri Bobby Deol, who found it difficult to sustain a career in the film industry despite being from a film background, says that it is only hard work and grit that can see you through. I dont think there is any backing. When you are an actor you have to be professional and work hard and see to it you choose the right kind of films. I have never believed that star actors get a lot of benefit or a non-star actor gets less push I think both have to struggle and work hard and make a mark, he says. Despite being associated with India, dynastic politics and nepotism actually stretches across international borders, says Manushyaputhiran, a poet and a social thinker from Tamil Nadu. The phenomenon of dynasty power or influence is not just restricted to India didnt we see George H. W. Bushs son entering politics and eventually become the president in the US? Now coming back to Indian politics, you see Rahul Gandhi, but how many prime ministers have you seen, who came only because of family heritage wasnt there Manmohan Singh for instance? he challenges. I feel the term dynasty or nepotism is often exaggerated. One has to be criticised or commented on, only for their functioning, contribution and nothing else, he adds. Ultimately, it is merit that sees you through, no matter the family backing, whether it is in films, politics or any other field, says actress, speaker and anchor Kasthuri. Having a background definitely helps in getting a right opening in any profession, but when you are out there, you need to work for it and prove yourself. Privilege can get you position, but if you fail at your task, you will fall from great heights. And it is equally difficult for people who enter into any industry with a background. It is extremely difficult to successfully follow their ancestors footsteps. It doesnt work well in such cases, she signs off. Delhi police said the tail lights of a 14-wheel truck ahead of the auto were not working. Auto driver Naresh Kumar could not see the rods protruding from the truck and rammed into them. (Representational Image) New Delhi: A 40-year-old auto-rickshaw driver was killed early on Thursday after his vehicle rammed into a truck carrying iron rods pierced through his body, the police said. A 14-wheel truck, whose tail lights were not on, was ahead of the auto-rickshaw. Naresh Kumar could not see the protruding rods and rammed into them, police said. The rods pierced through the auto-rickshaw and his body, killing him on the spot, the police said. The accident occurred on the Nizamuddin Bridge around 4.30am. He was going towards Noida with a few passengers, who also suffered minor injuries, they said. The SIT clicked photos and shot videos of the suspected places to examine the nature of the crime again. Sources said the CBSE team will submit its report to the human resources development ministry on Class 2 student Pradhuman Thakurs murder inside the school toilet on September 8. (Photo: PTI) Gurgaon: Five days after the gruesome murder of a seven-year-old Gurgaon schoolboy, SIT teams on Wednesday searched the Ryan International School here for clues to the crime, while a CBSE panel also inspected the premises to examine loopholes in security arrangements. Also, a high-level meeting between Union ministers Maneka Gandhi and Prakash Javadekar scheduled for Wednesday to develop a protocol for educational institutions to ensure safety of students has been deferred. The Gurgaon polices Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the crime also took samples of fingerprints and shoes at the crime scene, including the toilet, a day after recr-eating the sequence of events there. The SIT clicked photos and shot videos of the suspected places to examine the nature of the crime again. The SIT does not want to spare a single piece of evidence which can be important and work as a key breakthrough for us to solve this case. With three days left for the submission of charge sheet in court, we have got possible positive leads against the accused school bus conductor Ashok Kumar, a senior SIT officer said. The five-member CBSE team, headed by D. Arun Kumar, deputy director, CBSE (security), inspected every corner of the sch-ool in Bhondsi to examine the security loopholes inside the school, clicked photographs and videographed the lapses found. The team reached the school at around 10 am and inspected the school till 1 pm. However, it ignored the media glare. Sources said the CBSE team will submit its report to the human resources development ministry on Class 2 student Pradhuman Thakurs murder inside the school toilet on September 8. With just three days left for the SIT to submit its final chargesheet before the Sohna court on Satur-day, four SIT teams also reached the school for forensic analysis and FSL samples. We have sent Kumars blood samples, his clothes and garment samples for DNA test and forensic examination at the Forensic Laboratory in Madhuban at Karnal. His potency test was also conducted for legal reasons, the SIT officer said. Two students whose stat-ements were recorded as eyewitnesses before a duty magistrate in the Sohna court, have been given police protection outside their homes, he said. The officer added besi-des this, parallel questioning of all suspects who are on the police radar whether it is the suspended school principal, senior management officials, or staff members, is being conducted. The government is presently waiting for NOCs from concerned agencies to provide their land for this project, Mr Jain said. New Delhi: Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday said that the AAP government has identified sites for setting up 800 mohalla clinics across the city. He said the government was waiting for no objection certificates (NOC) from concerned agencies like the DDA, PWD and DJB for setting up these clinics on their land. The statement comes a day after the Delhi high court asked the Centre, the AAP government and the civic bodies to explore the possibility of setting up mohalla clinics in all parts of the city. The court had also issued notice and directed the government and other agencies to file feasibility reports with regard to the land falling in their jurisdiction within two weeks. Mohalla clinic is a flagship project of the Arvind Kejriwal government, aimed at providing free primary healthcare to city residents near their homes. We have identified 800 sites for such clinics across the city. The government is presently waiting for NOCs from concerned agencies to provide their land for this project, Mr Jain said. He said there are 272 municipal wards in Delhi and three to four mohalla clinics will come up in every ward. Once we get the NOCs, the government will start setting up these clinics, the minister added. According to Mr Jain, 158 mohalla clinics are presently operational in Delhi. The government has set a target of 1,000 clinics to provide better health facility to citizens in their neighbourhood. Earlier this month, lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal had approved the AAP governments ambitious proposal to set up additional such clinics. The L-Gs approval had come four days after 45 AAP MLAs camped outside his office for several hours, insisting clearance of the mohalla clinics file, an act his office termed as laying siege to the office of a constitutional functionary. Mr Baijal had in February cleared a proposal of setting up around 300 mohalla clinics in government-run schools. The Delhi high court bench had on Wednesday warned of strict action against the authorities in case they failed to comply with the direction and file the status reports before the next date hearing on October 30. The Delhi government counsel said that the proposal for neighbourhood health facility scheme has been approved by the competent authority. The safety of all students in our affiliated schools and institutions is of utmost importance and concern to the CISCE. Welcoming the move, the general secretary of the Association of Heads of ICSE Schools, Bengal, Nabarun Dey told PTI I am requesting all schools to furnish whatever safety measures they follow to the council by September 16 as stipulated. Safety issue is of utmost importance. (Photo: PTI) Kolkata: The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has sent a message to all affiliated institutions to accord priority to safety and furnish details of safety audit measures in the wake of the killing of a boy in a school in Gurgaon. The safety of all students in our affiliated schools and institutions is of utmost importance and concern to the CISCE. Heads are requested to keep this safety aspect as a priority in their responsibility and duty while administering their respective schools, CISCE chief executive and secretary Gerry Arathoon said in a communique to the affiliate schools on Tuesday. Kindly furnish the safety audit measures that are presently being followed by your school. The information is urgently required and must be emailed to council@cisce.org not later than September 16, 2017, it said. The letter was also posted on the councils website on Tuesday. Welcoming the move, the general secretary of the Association of Heads of ICSE Schools, Bengal, Nabarun Dey told PTI I am requesting all schools to furnish whatever safety measures they follow to the council by September 16 as stipulated. Safety issue is of utmost importance. The government has chalked out an ambitious plan to raise money by developing 24 new cities along the highway. Mumbai: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis chaired a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the ambitious Samruddhi Mahamarg project. All top officials of the state attended the meeting. The officials made a presentation to bankers, appealing to them to extend low-interest loans for the ambitious project. On Wednesday, CM Fadnavis, peoples work department (PWD) minister Chandrakant Patil, Maharashtra State Road Development minister Eknath Shinde, chief secretary Sumit Malik and senior officials met bankers from nationalised and private banks. Mr Fadnavis appealed to all bankers to form a consortium of banks and extend loans to the state government. The states industrial sector will get long term benefits from the project, and there will be urban growth. It will connect Mumbai to Nagpur. If banks helped this project, real change could be seen by 2020, said Mr Fadnavis. Samruddhi Mahamarg will be 701 km long highway. The initial cost of the project will be around Rs 48,000 crore. The government has chalked out an ambitious plan to raise money by developing 24 new cities along the highway. According to sources, only seven to eight banks have come forward to extend the loans for this project. The banks are ready to disburse Rs 7000 crore loan. But the problem is, we need more money. Banks are not ready to give that much of amount. So, the government gave them a model of revenue in the meeting, said an officer present there. In the meeting, CM Fadnavis assured bank officials that the government will repay the loan. The high-speed train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is expected to be completed by 2022. Mumbai: The Shiv Sena has criticised the MumbaiAhmedabad bullet train project, alleging it will benefit only Gujarat and not Maharashtra. It has also alleged that the Japan government has refused to give jobs to locals in the project and hence local employment will not get a boost from the ambitious project, which will cost more than Rs 1 lakh crore. The Sena, which is a part of the National Democratic Alliance, said the project was not a dream of the common man but that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena sought to know if the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed train project really fits into the needs of the country. The criticism came on a day when Mr Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe laid the foundation stone of Indias first bullet train project in Ahmedabad. We are getting a bullet train without asking for it. We do not know exactly which problem will this solve. Former Prime Minister Pandit Nehru laid the foundation of several projects, from Bhakra Nangal to Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, to ensure the country advances in technology and science. All these projects were needed for the nation. Does this bullet train fit into the needs of the country? the Sena asked. Out of the estimated Rs 1,08,000 crore cost of the project, at least Rs 30,000 crore would have to be shelled out by the Maharashtra government, it said. The demands for loan waiver of farmers were being made since many years. Nobody sought a bullet train. Modis dream is not of the common man but of the rich and industrialists, the Sena said. Arguments that the bullet train project will create employment were false, because Japan would bring everything required, right from the machinery to labourers for the project, the editorial said. The high-speed train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is expected to be completed by 2022. The train is expected to cut the journey time from the current six hours to less than three hours. Of the 508-km route and 12 stations of the bullet train, 120 km and four stations will fall in Maharashtra. Japan has extended a soft loan for the ambitious project conceptualised by Mr Modi. PROTEST AT BOISAR RAILWAY Agroup of farmers staged a protest on Thursday outside Boisar railway station in Palghar district, against the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, expressing fear that they would lose their land on account of it. The protest coincided with the launch of the project by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Ahmedabad. The farmers, who waved black flags and raised slogans against the project outside the railway station, said they would be ruined if their agricultural lands were taken for the project, which runs through the area. Hopes to bankroll ambitious pet project, Samruddhi Mahamarg. Mumbai: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is eagerly looking out for funds to bankroll the ambitious Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Marg project. After finding it difficult to gather loans locally, he now intends to seek help from South Korea during his visit to the country from September 25. He will also be visiting Singapore to sign MoUs for the Nagpur and the newly proposed Pune airports. Mr Fadnavis tour was planned a long while ago but was postponed on a few occasions due to political developments. However, this pet project of the CM has met with a lot of opposition from farmers over land acquisition. Samruddhi Maha-marg will be 701 km long highway and its initial cost is projected to be around `48,000 crore. The government has chalked out an ambitious plan to raise money by developing 24 new cities along the highway. The CM will be visiting South Korea and Sing-apore from September 25. The government will be seeking a loan from a South Korean bank, Korea Land and Housing Corporation, for the Samruddhi Mahamarg. A special purpose vehicle will be created for the project, said an official from the CMO. According to sources, only seven to eight banks came forward to extend loans for this project during a meeting on Wednesday attended by the CM. The banks were ready to disburse a `7000 crore loan, but it was not sufficient. Banks are not ready to lend that kind of money. So, the government presented a revenue model in the meeting, the official added. After the local banks inability to disburse loan, it was decided to check out options from the South Korean bank. Along with the Samruddhi Mahamarg, the government is also going to seek South Koreas financial assistance to redevelop the Mhada government colony in Bandra and a newly proposed township in suburban Kalyan-Dombivali area, the official added. The government intends to develop the Nagpur and Pune airports and will be signing MoUs with Singapores Changi airport, one of the biggest in the world. Crimes against children increased from 14,975 in 2005 to 94,172 in 2015. Violent crimes against children are grabbing headlines. The latest is the sexual assault and murder of a student in a private schools toilet in Haryanas Bhondsi, near Gurgaon. However, Haryana is not the most dangerous state for kids. That dubious distinction belongs to Delhi, with a crime rate (crimes against children per 100,000 population) of 169. Chandigarh follows at 68. The safest states for kids, per the National Crime Records Bureau data, are Jharkhand, with a child crime rate of just three, followed by Bihar, at four. The World Health Organisation estimates that in developed countries, six per cent of adult depression, alcohol and drug abuse; eight per cent of suicide attempts; 10 per cent of panic disorders and 27 per cent of post-traumatic stress disorders are due to abuse during the first decade of the victims life. But there is scanty scientific evidence, in developing countries, of the drivers the sources and location of child abuse. David Finkelhor, a sociologist, tellingly comments that there is more experimental science in the toilet paper we use every day, than in what we have to offer abused children or families at risk of abuse. In India, where the general standards of personal security and protection of human rights are low and public resources are stretched, child abuse can easily become just another statistic. Crimes against children increased from 14,975 in 2005 to 94,172 in 2015. Over the same period, violent crimes increased at the rate of 5.5 per cent per year much faster than the growth of the population. Sadly, the proportion of crimes against children to total violent crimes, increased from seven per cent in 2005 to 28 per cent in 2015. Our children are increasingly more unsafe. Preventing such crimes is a shared responsibility. Initiatives include regular oversight and counselling of risky families by specialised agencies; early identification of high-risk adolescents to aid them through high school; imparting life skills training to make children streetsmart and reducing access to alcohol, drugs and weapons. Inevitably, poorer kids are more at risk than rich kids. The same applies to other population segments at risk senior citizens and women. The well-off can cocoon themselves from a prevailing ecosystem of insecurity. But for other vulnerable groups, it is the State which must step in to offer protection. First, increasing the effectiveness of policing aimed specifically at controlling crime on the street and in public spaces is the key. Predators seek out low-security havens parks, lonely lanes and unoccupied spaces to strike. India is historically under-policed. The UN standard is 222 police personnel for every 100,000 population. India has never crossed 140. Singapore that haven of orderliness, which all Indians marvel at has 1,074; disciplined Japan has 207; the European Union has around 347 policemen per 100,000 population. Even this aggregate data exaggerates the level of police available for citizen centric, local policing beat patrols, traffic management, crime prevention, detection and investigation. In India 60 per cent of the police are occupied guarding government buildings and assets (such as CISF & RPF); patrolling the borders (BSF, ITBP, SSB); quelling riots, fighting insurgency or doing VIP bandobast (CRPF and state armed police). Local policing must be strengthened much, much more. Comprehensive police reform has never been tackled seriously despite a series of commissions starting with the National Commission on Police Reform, 1978, and ending with the Second Administrative Reforms Commission, 2007, all of which recommend broadly similar measures. The police mandate is fractured between states and the Centre, leading to silo functioning. The Central police forces are significantly better resourced than the state police forces, though the latter are directly concerned with controlling crime. The buck often stops with the police. But they are poorly led. Senior police officers skip from helming one complex area to another, where they may have no prior experience and no long-term allegiance to the specialised force they command. Even junior officers and constables are neither specifically recruited nor are they permanently slotted in specialised areas, like crime detection and investigation; communications; community policing; traffic management; cyber security or intelligence and riot control. Second, the use of technology to identify high-risk locations and victim behaviour and profile potential predators is constrained by the low educational qualifications of the personnel. 86 per cent of the force consists of constables who have merely passed their Class 10 or at best Class 12 exams. The officer cadre is thin and inadequately skilled. Service conditions are terrible. Police personnel regularly do 10-hour to 14-hour long shifts, with no weekly time off. Police housing, of indifferent quality, is available only for just one-third of the personnel. Worse, the police force is highly politicised and tends to rely on fear and the use of brute force, rather than by earning the respect of citizens a colonial hangover. These conditions are not conducive to attract committed, qualified recruits. Third, improving the first responder reaction, can save lives and minimise damage by getting victims to healthcare facilities. But there are just 15,500 police stations across more than 650,000 villages and road links may not be the best. Of these nearly 10 per cent lack even a wireless link. There are only 164,000 vehicles with the state police forces. Their spread across locations is likely to be highly uneven and concentrated in the major cities. Other than improving policing, viable short-term options include better oversight by the government education departments over school administrations. Value-add community participation, like authorising Parent Teacher Associations to certify the schools adherence to minimum safety and security standards, can help. But the biggest bang for the buck is if kids themselves use technology to collaborate and collectively enhance their own security. Readers may remember the captivating proactivity of kids in outwitting, admittedly bumbling, adult, minor criminals from the 1950s era, in Enid Blytons Secret Seven and Famous Five series. Fiction can become a reality once the imagination and interest of the kids is ignited. Herein lies the fastest and most effective route to making our kids safe. Suu Kyi is certainly not the only leader who can be accused of hypocrisy. What are the chances that the appalling humanitarian crisis in Myanmars Rakhine state could readily have been resolved had Aung San Suu Kyi at least attempted to live up to the ideals she so eloquently articulated during her decades of victimisation at the behest of the nations military junta? Given that she eventually entered into a power-sharing arrangement with the military, which continues to exercise considerable control, not least in matters related to security, speaking up for the human rights of the Rohingya would in all likelihood have made precious little difference on the ground. That is, of course, an inadequate excuse for not speaking up. The fact that far too many people in Myanmar tend to regard the Rohingya as unworthy of any rights only serves to underline the imperative to provide moral leadership. Far more troubling, however, are persistent indications that Suu Kyi really does not give a damn. All her comments in recent months conform with the unsustainable official narrative of fake news, even fake rape, and the egregious lie undermined by the BBCs Jonathan Head that the Rohingya are burning down their own villages before fleeing to Bangladesh. Her attitude is not all that far removed from that of the Army colonel who responded to a query about the militarys sexual violence by lashing out with the comment: Look at those women who are making these claims would anyone want to rape them? Suu Kyis stance has widely been condemned internationally by fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureates including Desmond Tutu and Malala Yousafzai, as well as many others who unequivocally stood by her during her tribulations and welcomed her elevation two years ago to the post of state counsellor and foreign minister, which made her the de facto Prime Minister of Myanmar. In reprimanding his dearly beloved younger sister, Tutu pointed out: If the political price of your ascension to the highest office in Myanmar is your silence, the price is surely too steep. Most of the critics are entirely justified in calling out the person who admitted in her book Freedom from Fear, Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it. And in the acceptance speech she was able to give long after receiving the Nobel, she declared: Wherever suffering is ignored, there will be seeds of conflict, for suffering degrades and embitters and enrages. That sentiment certainly helps to explain the emergence of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army whose terrorist actions in recent months seem to have provided an excuse for accelerated ethnic cleansing. Not much is known about Arsa, although some reports suggest its leadership has Saudi roots, Pakistani training and Afghan experience. That may prove hard to verify, but its not implausible. After all, Islamist militants are adept at insinuating themselves into situations where they become part of the problem. Nonetheless, the question of who created the space for Arsa to become a part of the equation points straight back to the authorities in Myanmar, who have gained another excuse for their atrocities. Meanwhile, the charge that some of the international solidarity for the Rohingya comes from sources that are themselves guilty of persecuting ethnic, religious or sectarian minorities is perfectly valid, not least in the case of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose attitude towards Turkeys Kurdish minority echoes that of the Myanmar authorities towards the Rohingya. Suu Kyi is certainly not the only leader who can be accused of hypocrisy. Its not just Turkey, by any means. Several other Muslim countries where popular mobilisations against the maltreatment of the Rohingya have occurred also have a great deal to answer for, not least Pakistan. In the latter case, in fact, there are direct parallels. The plight of the Rohingya has been compared with that of Bosnian Muslims and Rwandan Tutsis in the 1990s, but it is also reminiscent, albeit on a relatively limited scale, of what the people of Bangladesh endured at the hands of the Pakistani armed forces in 1971. Suu Kyi is among those who have sought to deny the Rohingya their nomenclature alongside various other rights, notwithstanding evidence that they have been part of the Burmese ethnic mosaic for centuries. As the New York Times Nicholas Kristof points out, they featured in ethno-linguist Francis Buchanans Asiatic researches as far back as 1799. He referred to Muslims long settled in Arakan who call themselves Rooinga and call the country Rovingaw. The nations ethnic diversity was accepted by newly independent Burmas founding fathers, who prominently included Suu Kyis dad, Gen Aung San. Its denial 70 years on reflects sadly on Myanmars evolution. But the priority for the moment must be to offer as much succour as possible to the ruthlessly brutalised, the displaced and the dispossessed, and so far there is not enough evidence of that. By arrangement with Dawn The United Nations humanitarian wing, he said, has done emergency planning for about 300,000 Rohingya refugees. A Rohingya refugee carries two children in buckets as they arrive at Shah Porir Dwip in Teknaf, Bangladesh. (Photo: AFP) New York: The UN has appealed to the international community to keep aside politics and support the ongoing humanitarian efforts to help Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar. Expressing concern over the situation, Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson to the UN secretary-general said: The reports were getting, the pictures all of us are seeing are heart-breaking to say the least. I think the entire international community should support the ongoing humanitarian efforts, regardless of politics. These are people in need. These are very vulnerable people who have crossed the border, whove, as we said, are hungry and are malnourished and deserve to be helped, he said. The United Nations humanitarian wing, he said, has done emergency planning for about 300,000 Rohingya refugees. We are urgently appealing for more funds (for assistance), he said. Are you disappointed that major regional players, including in India, in particular, have actually sort of made their stand about this Rohingya crisis very clear and actually not come out and supported when their support could have been quite crucial? he was asked.. Khawaja Harris said that the point on which his client was sacked was not enough and that his client deserved a chance of fair trial. Islamabad: Pakistans Supreme Court on Tuesday told former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs lawyer Khawaja Harris that the Panama verdict against Mr Sharif was unanimous. The larger bench of apex court, while hearing the review petitions filed by Mr Sharifs family, told the lawyer the decision of April 20 in which two judges ousted Mr Sharif and other three ordered to form Joint investigation Team was not challenged, which means that it was accepted by your client. A five-member bench comprising Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan conducted the hearing of the case during which, the bench said that there could be various reasons behind ousting Mr Sharif. Khawaja Harris said that the point on which his client was sacked was not enough and that his client deserved a chance of fair trial. Khawaja Harris said that the two judges, who suggested to disqualify Nawaz Sharif, were in minority and the court accepted verdict of majority. If the issue will be sent to trial court, then it will return to SC after proper inquiry, he added. He said that the court should have asked National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to hold investigation as per law, adding the judge who announced the decision was made supervisor. The lawyer continued that the court appreciated JITs verdict over which Justice Azmat Saeed said that we also cherished your stance. Khawaja Harris said that SC had become complainant in Panamagate case while Justice Ejaz Afzal remarked that proceeding in trial court will give chance for arguments on evidence and JIT members. Justice Ijaz said was on record that Iqama (work permit) has never been cancelled. Khawaja Harris asked that Article 62 f (A) was applicable on not showing salary over which, Justice Azmat said that the salary deposited in the bank account is also included in the asset. Its necessary to provide bank accounts details in the nomination papers, added Khawaja Harris. Subsequently, the court directed the lawyer to complete arguments till Thursday as the bench will not be available after Friday. The UNHRC had said that 3,70,000 Rohingyas have fled violence-affected Myanmar's Rakhine state and sought refuge in Bangladesh. Members of Myanmar's Muslim Rohingya minority sit in a boat to cross a canal at Shah Porir Deep, in Teknak, Bangladesh. (Photo: AP) New Delhi/Dhaka: New Delhi has decided to send consignments of humanitarian assistance to Dhaka, in response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh. This development comes days after Bangladesh briefed India about the problems faced by it due to the influx of refugees from Myanmar following the ethnic violence in the Buddhist-majority nation. "The 'Operation Insaniyat' is launched to help Rohingya Muslim refugees in Dhaka, to provide relief material that will be delivered in multiple consignments. The first tranche will be brought to Chittagong by an Indian Air Force plane on September 14," a press statement read. "The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets etc," the statement added. The statement further read that India stands ready to provide any assistance required by Bangladesh in the hour of need. The United Nations refugee agency, the UNHCR, had said that at least 3,70,000 Rohingya refugees have fled from the violence-affected Myanmar's Northern Rakhine state and sought refuge in Bangladesh where the limited shelter capacity is already exhausted. Abbasi said that Pakistan was ready to work with the US in the fight against terrorism Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that his country was willing to set up joint patrols with Afghanistan to combat militants along their porous border. His remarks came weeks after US President Donald Trump criticised Pakistan for providing safe havens to militants. Mr Abbasi said that Pakistan was committed to peaceful resolution of the Afghan issue. We are open for joint patrolling (along the border with Afghanistan), Mr Abbasi said. He also referred to fencing of the 2,600-km-long border with Afghanistan, which has already started. We will put up a fence there (on our side of border). The Afghans are welcome to put up another fence on their side, he said. He said that Pakistan was open to bilateral verifications and joint patrols to screen the visitors who cross the border every day. Pakistan has suffered massively due to instability in Afghanistan and believes that the solution to the Afghan conflict should be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned, he said. He rejected the allegations about terrorists sanctuaries inside Pakistan and said Islamabad was fighting to eliminate militancy. He claimed the militants were actually based in Afghanistan and carry out cross border attacks in Pakistan. Abbasi said that Pakistan was ready to work with the US in the fight against terrorism and the two sides should address any concern on the subject through dialogue. The violence has incubated a humanitarian crisis on both sides of the border and piled global pressure on Suu Kyi. Yangon: Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi will not attend the United Nations General Assembly this week, her spokesman said on Wednesday, as the Nobel laureate faces a barrage of criticism over her failure to speak up for Rohingya Muslims fleeing Rakhine state in huge numbers. Ms Suu Kyi will also address the crisis engulfing Rakhine state next week, according to her spokesman Zaw Htay. Mr Zaw said that Ms Suu Kyi will speak for national reconciliation and peace in a televised address on September 19. According to Mr Zaw, Ms Suu Kyi is needed in Myanmar to manage humanitarian assistance and security concerns caused by the violence, as competing rumours ratchet up anti-Muslim rhetoric across the Buddhist-majority country. Mr Zaw said that the Nobel laureate, who has been pilloried by rights groups for failing to speak up in the defence of the Rohinyga minority, would skip the United Nations assembly next week to tackle the crisis unfurling at home. Ms Suu Kyis decision to skip the UN assembly comes hours before the Security Council is set to discuss the refugee crisis behind closed doors, with China expected to shoot down any efforts to censure its strategically pivotal Southeast Asian ally. The state counsellor wont attend the meeting of the UN General Assembly, Mr Zaw Htay said, using Ms Suu Kyis formal title. He did not explain the decision but said that vice president Henry Van Thio would attend the summit, which runs through next week. A crackdown by Myanmars Army, launched in response to Rohingya militant attacks on August 25, has sent some 379,000 Rohingya refugees scrambling across the border to Bangladesh in less than three weeks. The violence has incubated a humanitarian crisis on both sides of the border and piled global pressure on Ms Suu Kyi. China is also concerned about Japan getting the first bullet train project in India between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Beijing: China on Thursday hoped that the growing ties between India and Japan would be conducive to the peace and stability and insisted that the countries in the region should work for partnership instead of forming an alliance. The comments by the Chinese foreign ministry come as New Delhi and Tokyo sought to firm up their close ties during Japanese Prime Minister Shizo Abes visit to India. India and Japan inked 15 agreements to further broad-base their strategic partnership and agreed to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region where China is increasing its assertiveness. Asked about the growing Indo-Japan strategic partnership, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, We advocate that regional countries should stand for dialogue without confrontation and work for partnership instead of alliance. Ms Hua was replying to a question about Mr Abes visit to India. Ms Hua, however, declined to comment on specific issue like Japans plans to sell US-2 amphibious aircraft to India, saying she would like to wait till a detailed readout from the two countries following a meeting between Mr Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Japans plans to sell the amphibious aircraft to India raised eyebrows here as this is first such move by Tokyo to sell defence equipment to any country. China is also concerned about Japan getting the first bullet train project in India between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. China too is vying for high speed rail projects in India, specially the New Delhi-Chennai corridor. China and Japan also have a longstanding dispute over islands in the East China Sea. Chinese ties with Japan have also been strained by what Beijing see as Japanese leaders reluctance to atone for the countrys wartime past. Ms Hua said China will stay open and welcome normal development of relations between the countries in the region, as long as they are conducive to peace and stability in the region. We hope that relations will be conducive to regional peace and stability and can play a constructive role in this regard, she said. Commenting on Abes visit to India, Chinese think-tanks expressed concern over the Freedom Corridor, as well as several joint infrastructure projects being launched by India and Japan together in different countries as strategic move by the two countries to counterbalance Chinas ambitious multi- billion Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Indo-Japanese initiative, called the Freedom Corridor, stretching from Asia-Pacific to Africa, aims at stabilising the region. The Freedom Corridor, designed to serve as a counterbalance to Chinas BRI is expected to figure prominently in talks between Abe and Modi, Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences told state-run Global Times today. However, the Japanese-Indian initiative is just a beginning. It is unlikely to reach the same level as the BRI, Chu Yin, an associate professor at the University of International Relations said. The Chinese analysts also referred to report that India and Japan were embarking on multiple infrastructure projects across Africa, Iran, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia in what could be viewed as pushback against Chinas unilateral infrastructure initiatives connecting it with Europe and Africa. India boycotted the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) held this year due to its sovereignty concerns over the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Though India objects to CPEC, Indias real reason is that it doesnt want to see Chinas influence in South Asia and refuses to open its domestic market to China, Ye Hailin, director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences National Institute of International Strategy, said. Also the Global Times tabloid, in an editorial titled India-Japan intimacy no threat to China said in a changing world, the India-Japan intimacy is more like a contrivance. It said Japan is unlikely to challenge China as it has strong bilateral trade relations with Beijing. Under the international relations logic of the 21st century, closer India-Japan ties wont pose grave threats to China because many of their emotional moves to console each other wont produce any real effects in challenging China, it said. Khan's remarks came amidst tension in ties between the US, Pakistan after Trump accused the country of providing safe havens to terrorists. Pakistan Defence Minister Khan said on Wednesday that it was not possible for Pakistan to satisfy the US. (File Photo) Islamabad: Pakistan is "reassessing" ties with the US, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan has said and accused Washington of ignoring the "threats" to his country from India. Khan's remarks came amidst tension in ties between the US and Pakistan after President Donald Trump accused the country of providing safe havens to terrorists. Khan said on Wednesday that it was not possible for Pakistan to satisfy the US, Dawn reported. "We are here to give our point of view logically and with evidence. We will explain our position. But it's not for us to satisfy them," he told the media. The government, he said, was "reassessing ties with the US", and has simultaneously undertaken a regional outreach ahead of talks with Americans on future bilateral engagement. Khan said the two countries needed a frank and candid dialogue on the issues concerning them, as differences between them would reflect in Afghanistan and other regional issues. The defence minister expressed discontent that the US did not share Pakistan's threat perception about India. He also claimed that a nexus existed between the US, India and Afghanistan that was threatening Pakistan. "The US knows all, but ignores the threats faced by us because of its strategic interests." He said Pakistan would keep raising concerns about India in future engagements with the US. "The United States cannot ignore the threat to us from India. It is [a] serious [situation]," he underscored, adding that it would be major challenge for the Pakistani side to get it acknowledged in the upcoming talks. Khan said the other challenge for Pakistan was the fact that the US "keeps changing the goalposts". Pakistan, he said, would advise the US that intensifying kinetic operations (lethal or offensive combat missions) in Afghanistan would not work and the only way forward lay in a politically negotiated settlement of the conflict. Dawn reported that Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif would accompanying Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to the UN General Assembly session in New York next week and is expected to use the opportunity to visit Washington for a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Asif's meeting with Tillerson was originally scheduled for mid-August, but was postponed on Pakistan's request after Trump's policy statement on Afghanistan and South Asia. Asif is currently visiting several countries to garner support for Pakistan's point of view regarding Afghanistan. As referendum day, 25 September, approaches tensions between Erbil and Baghdad rise. Mar Sako calls on "moderate" voices to defuse tensions. A new military confrontation would have "disastrous" consequences. Minorities are growing fearful. Source tells AsiaNews that the situation is even more delicate. Baghdad (AsiaNews) Chaldean Patriarch Mar Louis Raphael Sako has sent a heartfelt plea to AsiaNews for further distribution about the growing tensions in Iraq (as well as the region and among Western diplomats) concerning the Kurdistan independence referendum at the end of this month. The prelate calls the situation delicate and in need of reconciliation in order to reach social harmony and civil peace, already undermined by the rise of the Islamic State and jihadi violence. It is necessary, he added, to be aware of the gravity" of the situation before it is "too late". Mar Louis Raphael Sako calls on the "moderate" voices of those who work to "defuse the crisis" to speak out because a new war would be indefensible "for the central government" as well as "the Kurdish region". Against a backdrop "growing tensions", "new fears" are emerging in the population. In case of an escalation, a "military confrontation" cannot be excluded, which would have "disastrous" consequences for everyone, "especially minorities. During an official visit on Tuesday to oil-rich Kirkuk, Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani defended the Kurdistans independence referendum on 25 September. The president of Iraq's Kurdish region insisted that holding the referendum in Kirkuk and in the governorates of Dohuk, Erbil and Sulaimaniya is "entirely legal." In case of a "yes" vote, "Kirkuk will remain as safe and secure as it is now, kept safe by the peshmerga," Barzani said. The latter are the Kurdish forces that control the city. "We will not compromise Kirkuk's identity. We would rather give up our own rights than to compromise the rights of the ethnic minorities that live here." In a non-binding resolution, Iraq's parliament rejected the referendum, calling it "unconstitutional" and a threat to the country's unity, which is guaranteed by the constitution. The resolution calls on the central government to "shoulder its responsibility to protect the unity of Iraq and to take all necessary measures to preserve that unity." "This is a very delicate issue, an anonymous source told AsiaNews. The central government has not hesitated from issuing threats and putting pressures. "We cannot rule out the risk of a new, catastrophic war." With respect to Christians, "the situation is even more delicate, he said, because whatever position they take, they will antagonise the other side, and there is a risk of retaliation. A lot of prudence is needed." Kurds represent the fourth largest ethnic group in the Middle East, but they have never had their own stable, independent state. They represent 15-20 per cent of Iraqs population of 37 million. They were subjected to brutal repression by the Iraqi army under Saddam Hussein's regime in the 1980s and 1990s. Kurdish lawmakers in the Iraqi parliament walked out of Tuesdays vote against the referendum. Turkey and Iran, concerned about separatist leanings among their own Kurdish populations, are also opposed to the referendum. The United Nations mission to Iraq has said it will not be "engaged in any way or form" in the vote. "We have no intention to start a fight," Barzani said. "But we have the right to defend ourselves. Those who launch a war have to expect a response." In light of parliaments resolution, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi will be able to take all the necessary steps to preserve Iraqs territorial integrity, effectively blocking Kurdistans secession. Meanwhile, several Turkish media outlets have reported that Barzani reached a secret deal with the Israeli government to resettle Jewish Israelis of Kurdish origin some 200,000 people from Israel to Iraqi Kurdistan in case the Yes side wins the independence referendum later this month. Many Iraqi Kurds believe that the support of Israel and US Jewish lobby for the referendum could push Washington to back Kurdish independence. In reality, for the White House views such a step could only upset the regions delicate balance. (DS) by Santosh Digal The war on drugs is nothing but extra-judicial killing". More than 12,000 people have died in police operations. Church outreach towards addicts and families includes relief and rehabilitation. Government figures about drug addiction are inflated. Manila (AsiaNews) "The Philippine government has no moral responsibility nor political right to kill people on the basis of mere suspicions, said Mgr Broderick Soncuaco Pabillo, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Manila, speaking to AsiaNews. What about peoples inalienable human right to defend their position with due process? he asks. According to the latest data, more than 12,000 people have died since President Rodrigo Duterte launched his war on drugs. The latter has sparked widespread protests by Church leaders, civil society groups, human rights organisations, social activists, journalists, students, academics and ordinary people. Several international organisations have also criticised the Filipino government. The Catholic Church of the Philippines has tried to offer relief and rehabilitation programmes to families who lost members killed by police. Since Duterte became president in 2016, police have killed 3,451 people in drug-related cases, the governments own data show. According to police, more than 2,000 people were additionally killed in drug-related crimes and thousands have been killed in unclear circumstances. For Mgr Pabillo, the police and other government agencies cannot have a free hand to kill people just because they think they might be involved in drug-related crimes. This is morally and politically wrong, he said. Any person who is said to be a drug suspect in the eyes of the government must have an opportunity to defend themselves in a right and lawful court with due process, accessing the judicial system. The government cannot apprehend people without proper investigation and facts, he added. Concerning drug addicts, the government should give priority to treatment and rehabilitation programmes. It should give them a chance to live in society with full human dignity and respect rather than eliminating them without mercy and violating their right to exist. The governments relentless war against drug is nothing but extra-judicial killing, which is uncalled for. It is nothing but an abuse of power, said the bishop. Duterte has claimed that the country has about 4 million drug addicts. According to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency "one in every eight households has a drug personality (sic)", that comes to 2.5 million people in a country of 20 million households. The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism also noted that a national government survey of 5,000 people conducted between December 2015 to February 2016 found that that 94 per cent of respondents are non-users or never used drugs before. The school had not been registered and did not comply with fire safety regulations. The victims tried to escape through the windows, but were stopped by fixed grills. Tahfiz (religious) schools are regulated by the Religious Department, not the Education Ministry. Fear surrounds unregistered schools. Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews/Agencies) The Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Tahfiz Centre in Jalan Datuk Keramat, in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, was gutted in an early morning fire, killing 24. In a statement, the Fire Department said that 22 students - all boys aged between 13 and 17 - and two teachers died in the blaze. A short circuit could be the cause, the police said. Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Amar Singh Ishar Singh explained that the building was occupied by 36 students and six teachers. Early findings indicate that the school had not registered with the Education Ministry and was not in compliance with fire safety regulations. The school also does not have any licence from the local religious authorities, said Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor. Initial investigations found that the victims "tried to escape through the windows but were stopped due to the fixed grilles on the windows, said Department Deputy Director-General (Operations) Datuk Soiman Jahid. Firefighters rushed to the scene and the blaze was put out within an hour but it had already spread to the students sleeping quarters. Investigators believe that the fire started near the buildings only entrance, trapping the boys. All Islamic religious schools must register with authorities and follow fire safety requirements, said Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi after the tragedy. Regardless of whether the centre is privately run or not, there will be no compromise as it involves the deaths of many children," he was quoted as saying. This is not the first time such incident has happened. Hence, this issue must be addressed, he added. He urged all privately run religious schools and centres to register with their respective states Islamic religious councils. Tahfiz (religious) schools usually teach students between the ages of five and 18. Such facilities are not regulated by the Education Ministry and fall under the purview of the Religious Department. Some 519 Tahfiz schools are registered across the country as of April, but many more are believed to be unregistered. The Fire and Rescue Department had raised concerns about fire safety measures at unregistered and private Tahfiz, and had recorded 211 fires at such institutions since 2015. Israeli troops stormed the village with tear gas and grenades. For Palestinian Education Ministry, rebuilding the school is a challenge to Israels colonial policies. Five schools are at risk in the area. Jerusalem (AsiaNews/Agencies) The new school of Jubbet al-Dhib, a village in the Bethlehem district, was inaugurated yesterday morning. The structure had been dismantled a month ago by Israeli soldiers. Activists and employees of the Palestinian Education Ministry rebuilt the facility overnight Friday, a day before the start of the school year. For Israel, the school is illegal" because it is built without the necessary permits. Israeli forces stormed the village Saturday evening, surrounded the construction site, and attacked activists with tear gas, stun grenades, and bullets, sparking fears that Israeli authorities might destroy the school once again. A spokesperson for the Israeli Civil Administration said that "work tools were confiscated" as a result of the raid, but that for now, the structure is still standing. The newly rebuilt school was named Challenge 5 School, because it was the fifth school to be built by the Ministry in areas threatened by Israeli settlement construction. These schools are within Area C, which is under Israeli military control, near military outposts and Jewish settlements. For Palestinian Education Minister Sabri Saydam, rebuilding the school was a challenge to the "occupation's policies, which seek to deprive the schoolchildren of safe education." Jubbet al-Dhibs school is the third West Bank school to be demolished or deprived of equipment since August after the demolition of the only Bedouin kindergarten in Jabal al-Baba and the confiscation of solar panels from a school in the village of Abu Nuwar. In July, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that Israeli restrictions in Area C had made it virtually impossible for Palestinians to obtain building permits there. According to OCHA, as a result of such Israeli policies, more than a third of Palestinian communities in Area C lack primary schools. For its part, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) noted that some 55 schools in the occupied West Bank are threatened with demolition and stop-work orders by Israeli authorities, many of them built with funding from the European Union member states. The priest, released after 18 months of kidnapping in Yemen, will remain in the Vatican "to secure his wellbeing and allow for his full recovery." Father Tom tried to kiss Pope Francis' feet, who raised him and kissed his hands. "I've always felt Jesus next to me." Renewed thanks to the sultan of Oman. The Major Rector: No ransom was paid. Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, the priest kidnapped for 18 months in Yemen and released two days ago, will remain in the Vatican for medical treatment, a guest of the Salesian House in the Holy See area. In a statement released by the Salesian Agency (Ans), announces that his Congregation "has taken that decision considering it the most suitable place to secure his wellbeing and allow for his full recovery." The priest will return to India when the doctors consider it appropriate. Fr. Tom was abducted on March 4, 2016 in Mother Teresas hospice in Aden. In the attack by probable Qaedaists, four nuns and 12 others were killed. Yesterday morning, Fr. Tom met Pope Francis. In coverage of the event by lOsservatore Romano, following Indian custom, Fr. Tom bent down to kiss the feet of the pontiff, who immediately helped him to get up, kissed his hands and blessed him (see photo). The priest confided to the Pope that he prayed daily for him, "offering his sufferings precisely for his mission and for the good of the Church." He also said that during the period of his kidnapping he could never celebrate Mass, but that "every day I repeated within me, in my heart, all the words of the celebration." Card. Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, who accompanied him to the Pope, said Fr. Tom is in good health and that "during the prison time he had no particular problems and was treated well." In the evening Fr. Tom met with some members of the Salesian community, including the Vicar of the Rector Major, Don Francesco Cereda and Don Thomas Anchukandam, who was Fr. Uzhunnalil's professor in Bangalore and responsible for sending him to Yemen. Fr Tom asked to celebrate Mass, but he was forced to postpone while waiting for the necessary medical examinations. He also asked to be confessed, which he had been unable to do since his kidnapping. The Ans report states that "Fr. Uzhunnalil appeared calm and helpful, and without dwelling on the details he answered his confreres questions. He confirmed that when the assailants kidnapped him he was in the chapel of the community of the Missionaries of Charity of Aden. He also said that after the kidnapping he was never mistreated and that because of his rapid weight loss the kidnappers also started providing him with the diabetes medication he needed. " During the entire period of imprisonment he had the same clothes and his abductors-who spoke Arabic-communicated with a bit of English; and during the seizure he was transferred two or three times, but in such circumstances he was always blindfolded. During his sequester, the kidnappers posted two videos in December 2016 and another a few months ago, where Fr. Tom said he was "forgotten" by everyone and asked the Pope and the world's Catholics to do everything possible for his release. The missionary stated that he had "never thought he would be killed" and that "every day, I felt Jesus next to me, I always knew and felt in my heart that I was not alone." The dynamics of his release, as well as the identity of those who kidnapped him, remain obscure. It is only known that the priest was found and released thanks to the commitment of the sultan of Oman, to whom the Vatican, the Apostolic Vicar of South Arabia and the Salesian community have expressed their thanks. A message sent yesterday by the chief rector of the Salesians, Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, states: "There are many things that we ourselves do not know. It is certain that the release and delivery took place through a humanitarian, communication and connection with the Sultanate of Oman. " Fr. Artime adds that "the Salesian Congregation has not been asked to pay any ransom, and we have no news of any payments having been made." The dissident died in jail four years ago. She had been tortured and denied medical care. Deputy Public Security Minister Fu Zhenghua and Beijings Municipal Public Security Bureau deputy head Tao Jing stand accused. Hong Kong (AsiaNews/Agencies) An international coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has called on the United States government to impose sanctions against Chinese public security officials responsible for the detention, torture and death of activist Cao Shunli, who died four years ago. The NGOs want the Human Rights Accountability Act (also known as the Global Magnitsky Act) to be applied on officials for human rights violations and high-level corruption around the world. For this reason, 23 groups wrote a letter to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin calling for action against officials in the Ukraine, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Central Asian nations and China. At the explicit request of the China Human Rights Defenders (CHRD), the list includes Chinese officials like Chinas Deputy Public Security Minister Fu Zhenghua and Beijings Municipal Public Security Bureau deputy head Tao Jing, who are accused in connection with the death of dissident Cao Shunli. Cao was detained exactly four years ago, on 14 Sept 2013, on her way to attend a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva ahead of the its universal periodic review on China. Cao disappeared for five weeks before police confirmed that she was being held under criminal detention. Cao's repeated applications for medical bail were refused in spite of her worsening health, and she died six months later, in police custody, on 14 March 2014. China has always refused an independent investigation into Cao's death and has detained her supporters, threatened her family, and persecuted her lawyers. Based on the evidence the CHRD collected, both Fu and Tao are held responsible for Caos torture and death. At the time, Fu was the head of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, whilst Tao was Public Security Sub-Bureau Chief in Chaoyang District where Cao was held. The two are responsible for her death also because they covered up the case and failed to punish any of their subordinate police officers involved in her abuses. For CHRD, It is inconceivable that either official was unaware of the gross human rights violations in Cao Shunlis case. (Photo: HRIC) by Kamran Chaudhry Sharoon Masih was murdered by his classmates on the third day of school. For the National Commission for Justice and Peace, the boys murder is the fault of school authorities. His death was not the result of a fight among teenagers, but in fact it was caused by intolerance, discrimination and inhuman attitude. Lahore (AsiaNews) "He was my eldest son. We thought the city school, 6 kilometres away from our village, would help him further his studies. I took a loan and we went together to buy his new uniform. He wore it only for one day and it became his shroud, said Elyab Masih, father of Sharoon Masih, the Christian student killed by classmates in Burewala, Punjab, who spoke to AsiaNews about his son killed in an act of religious racism. I could not even have a close look at his body, he lamented. The boys murder has shocked Pakistans Christian community. Yesterday, the National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Pakistan responded to the latest episode of anti-Christian intolerance. In a joint statement, the Church organisations said that "discrimination and negligence of school authorities" are the cause of the murder. It is unfortunate to observe that the Government of Pakistan seems more concerned with the infrastructure of schools and physical security of buildings than with the qualitative aspect of the education system. We and our children are living in a society where hatred, discrimination, bullying and ill feeling towards caste, creed, religion and social status is ingrained amongst pupils. NCJP president Mgr Joseph Arshad, NCJP national director Fr Emmanuel Yousaf Mani, and NCJP executive director S. Cecil Chaudhry bemoan the fact that Sharoon, 17, died only three days after he started attending the Government MC High School. In a class of 70 students, he was the only Christian. The Catholic leaders added that Raza Ahmed, the Muslim classmate who sparked the attack and is now under investigation for murder, belongs to the Kumhar, a feudal caste. On his first day of school, he (the Christian pupil) faced bullying and taunts from classmates, which intensified on the day of his death. According to teachers Ahmed had anger management issues, the NCJP officials noted. This may seem as a fight among teenagers, but in fact it was caused by intolerance, discrimination and inhuman attitude towards the minority and marginalised communities, they added. The Commission stressed that Sharoon "was a boy who sought to educate himself. It was the duty of the teachers to control and stop such incidents of discrimination in the classroom. The teachers should have been supportive and understanding towards students, especially when one is being bullied due to his faith. Unfortunately, in Sharoons case, we saw that there was no human value among his classmates. For Fr Mani, "the only example of hope was the attitude of the students who took Sharoon to the hospital. They are indeed an inspiration of hope and true example of Gods teachings of humanity. Mgr Arshad said that the NCJP would provide legal aid to the boys family, urging the authorities to do justice by them. Erik de Castro/AFP/Getty Images(LONDON) -- Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in London on Thursday ahead of a special summit hosted by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to discuss North Korea and Libya. Tillerson was greeted by U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Woody Johnson, who is also the owner of the NFL's New York Jets. Welcome back to London, Secretary Tillerson! pic.twitter.com/FVxM3Yyeqq Ambassador Johnson (@USAmbUK) September 13, 2017 Fresh off the latest United Nation sanctions, Tillerson will meet with Johnson and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to talk North Korea.State Department Director of Policy Planning Brian Hook said Tillerson "never misses an opportunity in bilateral, multilateral settings to raise North Korea and the need to increase pressure," including calling on all nations to end guest worker visas for North Korean citizens.However, the focus of the summit will be on achieving peace in Libya, where the U.S. is aiming for some movement. Attendees include U.N. Special Representative for Libya Ghassan Salame of Lebanon -- appointed in June -- and delegations from France, the United Arab Emirates, Italy and Egypt."You are seeing a lot of unity in terms of where we need to go and how we can get there," Hook said.With a new U.S. administration and a new U.N. special representative, Hook said, "We are trying to give structure and energy and encouragement to all of the factions in Libya and are hopeful that new players will help achieve that, although it will ultimately be a Libyan-led process.Libya has been fractured since a 2011 uprising toppled dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Gadhafi was later seized and executed by rebels in October 2011.The country is currently split into east and west with separate militias and political factions.Copyright 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. By Ed Kruzins, Facilities Program Director Nasa Operations Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex , CSIRO NASA/JPL-Caltech When the Cassini space probe makes its final descent into Saturn later today, data from the final nine hours of the mission will be sent back to NASAs tracking station in Canberra, Australia. As the probe descends, it will capture images and data from Saturn and its atmosphere, revealing more of the planets secrets. Under the spacecrafts normal operations, its instruments first store and later forward images and data to Earth. But in Cassinis final hours, it will be transmitting home in real time, with the signals picked up by the CSIRO-managed Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC). Read more: The secrets of Titan: Cassini searched for the building blocks of life on Saturns largest moon The CDSCC is part of NASAs Deep Space Network, one of three tracking stations around the world that provide vital two-way radio contact with Cassini and 30 other spacecraft including Voyagers 1 and 2. NASA/JPL-Caltech/CSIRO Cassinis final bonanza of data, transmitted as weak radio signals, will take 83 minutes to travel 1.5 billion km at the speed of light to reach the giant dish antennas in Canberra. At an estimated 9:54pm AEST tonight (September 15), CSIROs team at CDSCC will capture the final signals as Cassini, travelling at more than 111,000km per hour, plunges into Saturns atmosphere. How to destroy the probe NASA decided to safely dispose of Cassini into Saturn, ending its mission as a shooting star. With the spacecraft nearly out of fuel and possible loss of control, this plan will prevent accidental collisions with any of Saturns moons and potential biological contamination by microbial stowaways from Earth. Viewed from Saturn, the last moments of Cassini would look similar to a meteor entering Earths atmosphere. NASA/JPL-Caltech From Earth, the world will await the bittersweet moment when NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory mission control announces loss of signal. Cassinis final call home will have been made. It will mark the end of a 20-year mission, a joint venture between NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. Mission objectives Inspired by the earlier flypast by the twin Voyager spacecraft, the two-part mission was actually known as the Cassini-Huygens mission. The main craft was designed to study Saturn and its environs, while the piggybacking Huygens probe was to land on Titan, the planets largest moon. Throughout its odyssey, every step of Cassinis journey has been followed by the dishes at CDSCC in Canberra. It was the first tracking station to make contact with Cassini after its launch from Cape Canaveral in October 1997. NASA It then tracked Cassini throughout its seven-year journey to Saturn, handling the vital communications as it arrived and was placed into orbit around the planet in July 2004. As the first spacecraft to orbit Saturn, it has studied the planet, its rings and its 62 moons, seven of which were discovered by Cassini. In 2005 the Huygens probe transmitted data as it landed safely on the surface of Titan. This was the first landing on a world in the outer Solar System. Saturns wonders revealed Cassini has now witnessed almost half a Saturn year, which is 29 Earth years long. While Voyagers 1 and 2 had spectacular encounters with the outer planets interspersed by years of travel, Cassini has delivered science on a daily basis. Like a Swiss Army Knife of spacecraft, Cassini has a plethora of scientific instruments on board. NASA/JPL-Caltech While the most inspiring data is the images, for staff at CDSCC the excitement has centred around performing dozens of unique radio science experiments with the Cassini team. Using a process called bistatic radar, which is the deep space version of sonar, the data received made it possible to measure the size and distribution of particles in Saturns rings. NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute It was also used to map the terrain and depths of ethane and methane lakes on the surface of Titan. For Cassinis final bistatic observations of Titan earlier this year, key members of Cassinis science team travelled to Canberra to witness the data coming into CDSCC first-hand. Staff found it exhilarating to watch the pure excitement on the faces of Cassinis team standing in their Canberra control room as the spacecrafts faint signals were being received. To some of us, the data may have appeared as not much more than a slightly higher peak in a hash of radio noise, but to the mission team it meant discovering a shoreline or a lake bottom on the surface of a world more than a billion kilometres away. Being a part of these discoveries was a proud moment for CDSCC and its CSIRO team. The rest of the probes As we say goodbye to Cassini, CDSCC continues to track more than 30 other spacecraft, not only NASA probes but also those of other international space agencies in Europe, Japan and India. The Canberra antennas still support both Voyager spacecraft for several hours each day, receiving data from the edge of the Solar System and beyond. CSIRO CDSCC NASAs Juno has only just begun its primary mission, transmitting scientific data as it orbits Jupiter. Its highly elliptical orbit brings the spacecraft dangerously close to Jupiter (5,000km) before retreating away from the radiation-intense planet. New Horizons, which flew past Pluto in 2015, has set a course for an encounter with a Kuiper Belt object on January 1, 2019. The spacecraft is periodically woken from hibernation to check system functions before being returned to slumber. The next few years will see a quantum shift as the Deep Space Network moves to supporting proposed human missions to the Moon, asteroids and Mars. NASA/JPL-Caltech For now though, CDSCC is concentrating on Cassinis final moments, delivering its last breath of data to NASA scientists who will continue to study the information for decades to come. Read more: A look back at Cassinis incredible mission to Saturn before its final plunge into the planet Using the big 70-metre antenna dish at CDSCC as the prime receiver, it will be backed up by a smaller 34m dish. To add even further redundancy into the system, the European Space Agency has a 35m dish in New Norcia, Western Australia, which will also listen to Cassinis radio whispers. Cassinis final hours will be a bittersweet moment for the CDSCC team, losing a spacecraft that for 20 years had become a daily part of our lives. We will say a fond farewell to an incredible mission, safe in the knowledge that weve been a part of an adventure that revealed Saturn as a real place, full of wonders, for future generations to explore. There are a several ways to watch Cassinis final hours, including: You can also follow Cassini on Twitter @CassiniSaturn and Facebook at NASACassini. Facilities Program Director NASA Operations Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex , CSIRO Richard Stephenson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above. Originally published in The Conversation. (coolendelkid/Bigstock.com) (coolendelkid/Bigstock.com) Two British backpackers who were underpaid for working on a crocodile farm in Australia have not been put off the country and are set to apply for another visa to spend a second year in the country.The British youngsters have been awarded more than $13,000 in back pay following an investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman after being paid flat weekly rates that were below the legal amount they were entitled to.Fortunately, they were aware of their rights and the backpackers contacted the Fair Work Ombudsman after becoming concerned their working arrangements at the farm might not satisfy the requirements for second year visas.Under amendments made to the Migration Regulations 1994 in 2015, working holiday visa holders must be able to demonstrate they have been remunerated in accordance with Australian workplace laws during their 88 days of regional work when applying for their second year visa.Following the Fair Work Ombudsman's investigation, the workers were back paid their outstanding wages. One of the workers has since successfully applied for a second year 417 visa and the other worker intends to apply soon.The Fair Work Ombudsman also put the crocodile farm on notice to pay employees correctly and comply with its record keeping and payslip obligations in future.The backpackers, who were in Australia on 417 working holiday visas, worked as casuals at the farm for four months in 2016 in order to complete the 88 days of regional work required to be eligible to stay in Australia for a second year on their visas.The workers' duties included feeding crocodiles, cleaning crocodile pens, preparing crocodile feed, and undertaking general maintenance and manual labour at the farm, which supplies crocodile skins to high end European fashion manufacturers.They generally worked about 37 hours per week and were each paid a flat rate of $324 per week, with one of the workers later receiving a pay increase to $463 per week after he started driving a dump truck on the farm. The workers were entitled to receive up to $22.13 for ordinary hours, up to $26.55 for overtime hours and up to $35.40 on public holidays.'Employers need to be aware that we treat the underpayment of migrant workers particularly seriously and will not hesitate to take appropriate action to enforce the law when we become aware of an employer deliberately taking advantage of vulnerable workers,' said Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James.She pointed out that visa holders are entitled to receive the same minimum rates and entitlements that apply to all workers in Australia and the rates are not negotiable. 'Employers cannot undercut minimum wages, even if employees offer to accept lower rates,' she said.She praised the backpackers for being aware of their rights and added that overseas workers can anonymously report workplace issues and the agency has Record My Hours smartphone app which is aimed at helping young and migrant workers to keep records of the hours they work and is available for download from iTunes and the Google Play store.The Fair Work Ombudsman last year completed an enquiry into the experiences of 417 working holiday visa holders in regional Australia and found that the requirement to do 88 days of specified, regional paid work to qualify for a second year visa was unintentionally creating an environment where some unscrupulous operators are exploiting overseas workers, who are often reluctant to complain. BC Hydro delivers electricity to 95% of British Columbias population. Its Fleet Services business unit manages approximately 3,100 assets, providing maintenance and support services at five facilities throughout the province. Photo: Chevin Chevin Fleet Solutions will provide its FleetWave fleet management solution to Canadian utility BC Hydro, the software provider announced. BC Hydro has adopted FleetWave to meet flexible reporting capabilities, quick and effective analytical means, and access to key performance indicators over the complete lifecycle of vehicles. Additionally, the utility is also using FleetWave to enable integrations with third-party suppliers and other internal management solutions. BC Hydro delivers electricity to 95% of British Columbias population. Its Fleet Services business unit manages approximately 3,100 assets, providing maintenance and support services at five facilities throughout the province. Other utility fleets that have partnered with Chevin include Hydro Ottawa in Canada, the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority, Washington Gas, Central Hudson Gas & Electric, and Eversource. Photo courtesy of Verizon. Connected vehicles have become a leading investment target in the Internet of Things (IoT), a growing movement to connect vehicles, homes, offices, security cameras, and utility grids to the internet, according to a new Verizon report. While manufacturing companies made the largest investment in 2017 with $183 billion, transportation companies invested $85 billion and utilities invested $66 billion, according to Verizon's "State of the Market: Internet of Things 2017." The report was released Sept. 12. "Manufacturing, transportation and utilities are leading the way with IoT investments in 2017. Yet insurance, consumer and cross-industry IoT investments, such as connected vehicles and smart buildings, will see the fastest spending growth," according to the report. Other findings of the report include that transit saw a 40% boost in IoT spending from 2016 to 2017. A case study analyzes how Columbus Yellow Cab is working with Verizon Share to automate and streamline its fleet reservation and payment process. Verizon has made a heavy push into the fleet telematics industry in the past year, by acquiring Fleetmatics in November of 2016 and Telogis in June of 2016. In the report, Verizon outlines its own IoT initiatives and products. Verizon Share solutions include a platform that integrates data and functionality needed to track and manage shared assets from large construction equipment to campus-based bicycles. Verizon's Intelligent Track and Trace platform offers GPS location tracking and temperature monitoring of shipments through the supply chain, especially for healthcare companies that ship vaccines and other temperature-sensitive goods. Download the report here. A Polk County charter school is now figuring out how to rebuild after Hurricane Irma completely destroyed the roof to one of its buildings. Hurricane Irma causes flooding at Polk charter school Bok Academy working to recover from Irma damage School in need of help/donations to rebuild On Wednesday, most of the ceiling tiles inside Bok Academys Administrative building had been removed, as water dripped from above. Puddles spotted the art classroom. Dozens of volunteers salvaged whatever furniture and books they could. Others moved musical instruments to another classroom, hoping they could be saved. Principal Damien Moses said he was shocked to see the destruction when he entered the building after the storm had passed. His first thoughts were, Oh my gosh. How are we going to continue our school year? Moses said the building houses the school's offices, and music and art classes. Visual arts teacher Tiffany Weaver was holding back tears. She knew the roof wasn't in great condition prior to the storm, but she never expected this level of destruction. "What gets me is the kids' artwork," Weaver said. "You know I don't want to throw anything away. The art teacher in me wants to keep everything so it's hard to, it's a little overwhelming to decide what to keep what not to keep." In another classroom, Agriculture Teacher Paul Rigel was working to save the instruments. The cases got wet so now I'm trying to dry them out, said Paul Rigel. We're trying to salvage them all. The wooden clarinets and the oboes might be in trouble." Hurricane Irma also ripped to shreds the school's new radio telescope. So now, those astronomy lessons will have to be put on hold. "It is heartbreaking. It is difficult when you have such an extraordinary project, such a unique project and so many community partners to see the destruction, said STEM teacher David Lockett. Lockett said the radio telescope and astronomy classes were a new project the school and its students were working on with NASA and the Museum Astronomical Resource Society. "We will rebuild and we'll refocus our energy for our students to learn and grow from this experience, Lockett said. While the school's principal believes classes will still be able to be held on campus in the school's other buildings, sixth grader Mary Leigh Hardman wondered how that was possible. "It's just so sad to see such a beautiful school being torn to pieces and trash everywhere, Mary Leigh Hardman said. Damien Moses plans to resume classes at the school Monday. Anyone wishing to help the school rebuild should contact the Lake Wales Charter Schools Foundation. GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. Workers process aluminum materials in a Zhongwang workshop in Liaoning province. [Photo/Xinhua] Hong Kong-listed China Zhongwang Holding announced the acquisition of Germany's Aluminiumwerk Unna AG (Alunna) on Wednesday, as its latest effort to grab a share of the global market. Alunna, a well-established aluminium extrusion maker based in Unna, Germany, provides high-end extrusion products, mainly seamless tubes, to such world-leading manufacturers as Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. The deal, via a solely-owned subsidiary, is the company's first overseas purchase and allows it to own a 99.72 percent stake of Alunna. The deal's value has yet to be disclosed. Lu Changqing, president of Zhongwang, said the acquisition marks a milestone in international expansion and a major step in complementing the company's business. "The transaction would also substantially enhance China Zhongwang's production capability in seamless extruded aluminium tubes in further optimising our product mix. We look forward to supporting Alunna in accelerating its expansion in the long run with extended resources and financial flexibility," Lu said. In recent years, Liaoning-based Zhongwang has been increasing its presence in foreign markets, especially Europe, and has set up sales offices in Germany to support overseas sales business. Qin Gaowu, China's top metal materials expert and dean of the materials science and engineering school of Dongbei University, said the acquisition would improve Zhongwang's aviation aluminum products and "is of great significance in promoting the nation's aviation industry". Thomas Wiese, CEO of Alunna, said: "We are especially pleased about this acquisition by China Zhongwang, a reliable strategic shareholder." Zhongwang's net profit dropped 8 percent year-on-year to 1.26 billion yuan ($200 million) in the first half, and its revenue fell 4.6 percent, according to a report filed with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In July, TLC's "The Little Couple" stars Bill Klein and Jennifer Arnold revealed that they were moving from Houston to St. Petersburg, Fla. to pursue a job opportunity and now they are selling their Houston home for $1.225 million. While the flood waters of Hurricane Harvey damaged nearly 200,000 houses throughout the Houston area, the 3,655-square-foot home in the Braeswood neighborhood was undamaged in any way. In fact, the four-bedroom, four-bathroom property was just renovated. THE FIGURES: These are the latest numbers that show the extent of Harvey damage "We un-customized the home we made for us and re-customized it for the prospective new homeowners," Klein told Chron.com through email. "When we built the home 6 years ago, we made many cabinets, counters, and fixtures low in order for us to be comfortable in our space." Now Playing: Bill Klein and Jennifer Arnold, known from TCL's "The Little Couple," open up about their move from Houston to Florida during the summer of 2017. Video: Houston Chronicle Arnold, who is three-feet, two-inches tall, and Klein, who is four-feet tall, passed along the renovated photos of their home to Chron.com for an exclusive feature with all of the listings photos. (Go through the pictures above to see the beautiful home being sold by "The Little Couple" stars.) Klein told Chron.com that during the renovations, they tried to keep the style of the home as similar as possible to how his wife created it, but upgraded some spaces, including giving the master bathroom a total remodel and expanding the kitchen's pantry space. If interested in the home, contact Lisa Kornhauser with John Daugherty Realtors through the HAR listing site here. The ninth season of "The Little Couple" premieres on TLC Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. CST and they give their fans an inside look to how their family adjusted to moving from Houston to Florida. Check out a preview of that transition in the video above. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate With 14,000 damaged dwellings in Jefferson County alone, homeowners facing repairs in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey are encountering a limited choice of supplies and longer wait times on deliveries. Contractors hired to help with the rebuilding, like Stanley Whitehead, owner of Advanced Contractors and Remodeling, have been picking up customers daily for jobs installing gypsum wallboard, flooring and house siding. "I've been going around like crazy," said Whitehead, who figures he is adding 10 customers a week. "Some places are worse off than others, but there is a lot of damage all around the Golden Triangle." Once residents finished mopping up after more than 50 inches of rain fell on and around Jefferson County, they had to contend with mold. "Nobody was expecting this," said Kim Mullins of M&D Supply in Vidor. "This is true and straight damage from rainwater." Hardware stores have plenty of cleaning supplies and tools now that roads to and from Houston are open. They can meet the demand for masks, contractors bags, dehumidifiers and carpet removing tools, though the variety of options might be limited, Mullins said. M&D Supply in Beaumont has received six extra truck deliveries of merchandise this week, assistant manager Crystal Castillo said. Mold control has been the No. 1 priority for homeowners tossing soiled furniture and ripping out carpeting and gypsum wallboard. Many are getting an unpleasant surprise as they prepare to disinfect and treat mold, said Joe Dougharty, operations manager of GuardTech Pest Management in Beaumont. "It's when people are ripping out wet Sheetrock that they end up finding out they have termites, which requires professional help," Dougharty said. With floodwaters has come an influx of ants, roaches, spiders and snakes. "There are spiders," Dougharty said. "Spiders everywhere. All over the place. Four out of five of all of our calls are about spiders." Floors underneath wet carpeting must dry out for several days before new flooring can be installed, said Diane Eaves, of Porter's Flooring America. That isn't likely to be an issue for many, since there is currently at least a 21-day delay on orders and installation. "Normally we're booked about a week to a week and a half out," Eaves said. "But right now it's looking like three weeks." Harry's Appliance and Service had to rip out carpeting in its location in Orange but was able to remain open while customers bought all of its washers and dryers. "I can't even open the front door without a flow of customers," said owner Harry Stephens. The store plans to get more merchandise within the next 10 days following a successful sale geared toward Harvey victims. The storm's havoc wasn't confined to indoors. Swimming pools filled up with muddy water and debris, said Michelle Hardy, owner of Dale Pools. The company has chlorine, nets and other cleaning supplies in stock but is running low on salt, necessary for the area's many saltwater pools, which were diluted by the major rainfall, she said. Equipment is an issue too. "Pumps and motors have definitely been our hottest ticket items," Hardy said. "We have a lot of back orders because we normally only keep a few in the store at a time." Texas Bed Company could not escape Harvey's floodwaters, which ruined mattresses inside its Mid-County store and warehouse. Some damaged goods ended up in the hands of people who collected the destroyed inventory and tried to sell it in parking lots and on social media, the store's Peter Roberts said. That was reported to authorities, and the company is working on getting its Nederland store back up and running. Mattresses were the first order of business for customers at Howell Furniture in Beaumont, co-owner Shawn Hanley said. After cleaning up some water and debris in its own store, Howell Furniture operated on generator power for days, selling mattresses off the showroom floor. The store has truckloads of mattresses in stock "for a grab and go" customer, Hanley said. "We've had vendors reaching out and saying, 'What can we do? How can we help?,'" Hanley said. Serta and Furniture First have donated 170 twin mattress sets that will be distributed next week through the local United Way chapters. People can call (409) 835-4575 to be placed on a list, Hanley said. Howell Furniture has computer records of receipts dating nearly 20 years for those in need of records for insurance claims, Hanley said. "Some people have come in and want to repurchase exactly what they had because they liked it so much, but other people are using this as a new beginning to start all over," Hanley said. MGstalter@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/morgGstalt Exxon Mobil announced Thursday the company is "developing plans for restarting the Beaumont refinery, and the chemical plant continues to make progress toward a restart." "The blending and packaging lubricants plant is back up and running, and ramping up to full production capacity," the company said in a statement. "Meanwhile, workers are initiating start-up activities at the polyethylene plant." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Port Arthur residents looking for temporary shelter are still in limbo, after barges that Mayor Derrick Freeman announced would house up to 600 displaced people failed Coast Guard inspections. The barges, which were located in Houma, Louisiana, had broken guardrails and "all kinds of safety violations," Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick said Thursday. Port Arthur spokeswoman Risa Carpenter said the city is "working with all of our local, federal and state partners trying to find the most agreeable solutions," but said she couldn't provide details. Branick said he was told FEMA is now considering two locations in Port Arthur for temporary housing, but said the process is "fluid" and could change. As an example, on Thursday morning, he said Ford Park was an option. By Thursday afternoon, the entertainment complex on Interstate 10 in Beaumont was off the table. Freeman, who did not respond to requests for comment, said in a Facebook post Wednesday night that about 270 people are still sheltered at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. In a post on the Port Arthur ISD website on Monday, Superintendent Mark Porterie said the evacuees will be moved from the school before classes begin on Monday. "It wasn't a permanent fix, it was temporary," he said of the shelter. Another 300 residents are in Dallas, San Antonio and Garland, Freeman said. He estimated that another 250 or more have been displaced since they were evicted from their apartments after the storm. Freeman estimated that more than 4,000 people are sheltering in their homes. Branick said Wednesday that local city and county officials were expecting to receive information on housing options from FEMA to determine the best fit for each municipality. FEMA received almost 100,000 disaster assistance registrations from Jefferson, Hardin, Orange, Jasper, Newton and Tyler counties as of Tuesday. More than half were from Jefferson County, and about one-quarter from Orange County. Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas expects to seek more than $50 billion in federal housing funding after Harvey, The Associated Press reported. Abbott said at a news conference Thursday that those displaced by the storm can seek help via community development grants covering long-term housing needs as well as temporary costs while waiting for their homes to be repaired. The governor said he's been told by the White House and members of Congress that as many as three more federal aid packages for Harvey victims may be approved before the end of the year. Congress already passed $15.3 billion for initial Harvey recovery. Abbott said nearly 4,000 Texas homes and other facilities still don't have power after Harvey, which killed more than 70 people. LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/LizTeitz This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Little Cypress-Mauriceville students will have half-days when classes start next week while four campuses damaged by flooding are repaired, the district announced. Almost all of LC-M's campuses had "extensive damage" from Tropical Storm Harvey, leaving the district with just two schools to house more than 3,000 students. Students will have split schedules at LC-M High School, Little Cypress Intermediate School and North Orange Baptist Church, with students attending for about four hours each day. Classes are scheduled to begin Wednesday. Preschool through second-graders will be at the North Orange Baptist Church, third- through fifth-graders at the LCI campus, and middle and high school at the high school. Mauriceville Elementary and Middle School and Little Cypress Junior High will attend classes from 7:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. The afternoon session, for Little Cypress Elementary, Intermediate and LC-M High School, will start at 11:45 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. High school students will have four one-hour class periods each day. "The LC-M CISD Board and Administration realizes these temporary times and changes in locations are not optimal," the district said, but determined it was the best option available to start school soonest. "We greatly appreciate (North Orange Baptist Church) for making this possible." The Rev. Rusty Dollar said the district reached out to the church about using its facilities. The elementary students will be in rooms used for Sunday school and other activities that will be set up to hold classes, he said. "We're going to do everything we can to be flexible for our church and to be a school during the week." Buses will run for both shifts, LC-M said. The district will announce times and locations later this week, after making changes to accommodate the new schedules and some roads that are now inaccessible by bus because of debris. Vidor to make changes also Vidor ISD will place students on other campuses while repairing the district's two flooded schools and installing portable buildings. Classes in Vidor ISD begin on Tuesday. Oak Forest students will be divided between Pine Forest and Vidor Elementary Schools based on their addresses. Vidor Middle School fifth-graders will go to Vidor High School "in a separate, secure wing," and sixth-graders will go to Vidor Junior High. District spokeswoman Sally Andrews said the fifth-graders will be isolated from the high school students and will have a security officer at the entrance to the wing. They'll eat lunch before the high school students to avoid overlap, she said. Both buildings will take "several months" to be repaired, the district said. Oak Forest had more than one foot of water inside. The plan is temporary, until portable buildings can be secured, the district said. Andrews said bus routes will run to the new locations as usual. Superintendent Jay Killgo estimated last week that 90 percent of the town's homes had some water damage. Districts taking donations for students Both Vidor and LC-M school districts, like many in the area, are accepting donations of supplies for schools and students. More than 40 entities have contacted Andrews about helping Vidor ISD replace supplies, materials and personal belongings students lost in the flood, she said, including schools from Pennsylvania and Virginia. West Orange-Cove CISD will start school on Tuesday. The middle school was the only campus damaged by flooding. Orangefield ISD will be the last in the county to start school again, when classes resume on Sept. 25. The district "received extensive flooding" to about 100,000 square feet of classroom space, officials said. Repairs are "well underway and should be completed in a timely manner." Bridge City ISD returned to school on Monday. LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.comTwitter.com/LizTeitz A 36-year-old alleged pimp was arrested Wednesday after police said he blackmailed one of the women who used to work for him into having sex with him when she told him she was pregnant and would move out. The suspect, Nicholas Hart, faces a charge of sexual assault. He remains in the Bexar County Jail on a $50,000 bond. RELATED: Man who killed San Antonio police officer had a sinister tattoo According to his arrest affidavit, the 22-year-old victim and Hart had dated before, but their relationship ended in December 2016. The following month, however, the victim moved in with him in an apartment in the 6800 block of Seco Creek and began prostituting herself on Craigslist for him, authorities said. Now Playing: 5 news videos of the week Video: San Antonio Express-News In March, she told Hart she no longer wanted to sell her body for sex for him, but wanted to continue being roommates, police said. Sometime in July, she began dating another man and soon became pregnant by him. The victim broke the news to Hart on Wednesday and informed him that she would be moving into a place with her new boyfriend, the affidavit said. Hart became "very mad and upset," according to the affidavit. He told her she couldn't move out and that if she did, he would "ruin [her] life by revealing that she was an escort for him," the affidavit says. Hart also allegedly threatened to harm her new boyfriend. He continued to berate her, and then lay on his bed naked and forced the victim to take her clothes off, according to the affidavit. RELATED: Police ID alleged drunk driver accused of striking, killing pedestrian on Northeast Side The victim "felt that she was being black mailed; that her current relationship with her boyfriend was being threatened if she did not comply with [Hart's] demands and threats," so she complied, police said. Hart sexually assaulted the victim as she cried and begged him to stop, the affidavit says. At some point, he became angry and allegedly grabbed her by the back of the neck and forced her face into the mattress. Afterwards, he said he would force her to have an abortion and said he was going to find her boyfriend, authorities said. He left the apartment, at which point the victim called a friend, who then informed police. Officers went to Hart's apartment, and about an hour later, Hart returned and was arrested. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com cdowns@mysa.com Twitter: @calebjdowns This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Port Arthur Police and the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office served a criminal search warrant at a Port Arthur nursing home Thursday, alleging that its administrator was criminally negligent in evacuating residents during Tropical Storm Harvey. According to the search warrant signed by Jefferson County Criminal District Court Judge John Stevens, Lake Arthur Place administrator Jeff Rosetta's failure to evacuate residents or execute a safety plan before the storm hit and his behavior during a police-supervised evacuation on Aug. 30 "resulted in the injury of patients under the care of his facility." The Port Arthur nursing home and rehabilitation facility flooded during the storm, and patients were evacuated in boats and trucks by officials and volunteers to the Port Arthur Little Theatre before being taken to area hospitals. > > PDF: Read the warrant here In an affidavit attached to the search warrant, PAPD Detective Brian Fannette wrote that "there were several days of warning, and several days to prepare a plan and have the resources in place to execute the evacuation or any plan that would have provided adequate safety and living conditions for those elderly individuals" who live in the facility. Despite forecasters' warnings of "catastrophic flooding," he wrote, "appropriate action by Rosetta did not timely occur." Fannette wrote that PAPD Detective Mike Hebert arrived in a boat at the facility about noon on Wednesday, Aug. 30, and found 10 to 12 inches water inside the building. Patients were in beds and wheelchairs in their rooms and in hallways, Hebert said, and ones in wheelchairs "had their lower extremities submerged in the floodwaters." "Det. Hebert said it was obvious that the patients needed immediate assistance to evacuate and be placed out of harm's way," Fannette wrote. Rosetta, however, accused Hebert of being a "fake cop" and told him to leave the facility, Fannette said. Hebert began working with the director of nursing to begin the evacuation, and Rosetta pushed Hebert out of the way to try to reach a patient who was being evacuated, he wrote. Hebert and another PAPD officer "had to physically restrain Rosetta with handcuffs" to stop him from interfering with the evacuation, Fannette wrote. He said Rosetta continued to call the detectives "fake cops," and "made it clear he was not willing to allow the patients to leave or assist the Port Arthur Police Department to find a solution." Volunteers who tried to help with boats were told by Rosetta that they couldn't evacuate anyone, and that the National Guard "was on the way," Fannette wrote. Hebert was not aware of National Guard involvement. According to the affidavit, "medical documents will show some of the individuals sustained injury as a direct result of the catastrophic flooding and the evacuation finally orchestrated at the last minute by citizens," Fannette wrote. The warrant included computer systems, medical records and waste management containers at Lake Arthur Place, as well as Rosetta's cell phone and any communications "including but not limited to text messages and email communications" between Rosetta and the Senior Care Centers corporate office since Aug. 18 regarding the facility's evacuation plan. Hebert said Thursday that no arrests have been made but said a physical altercation occurred with an unnamed employee while the warrant was being executed. That employee was detained and released, he said. Officers removed filing cabinets and computers from the building. Hebert was unable to confirm whether there had been any deaths related to the facility or the evacuation and said officers "are still following up with family members right now." He called the experience "very traumatic" for residents, their families and the officers who responded on Aug. 30. He said returning there Thursday was emotional. "I don't go to sleep at night without thinking about this facility," he said. He called the volunteers who came with boats to help with the evacuation heroes. Senior Care Centers said Tuesday that the company does not comment on pending litigation. They referred a request for comment to statements on their Facebook page, which defended staff's actions. "On Aug. 30, unknown volunteers forcibly removed our residents. Our team was not informed of the volunteers' authority or proper training to do so, and our caregivers, who were trying to protect our residents in the chaos of the situation, were physically restrained during the evacuation," president Andrew Kerr said in the statement. The statement alleged that volunteers were not coordinating with authorities. Residents of Lake Arthur Place and Cypress Glen, both owned and operated by the Amarillo-based company, have applied for and been granted restraining orders against the facilities. The orders will preserve evidence the residents say is needed for possible future actions. The applications for the orders accuse the administrators and company of failure to timely evacuate patients and causing injuries. LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/LizTeitz Read previous article here. Nashville, Tenn.-based PhyMed Healthcare Group named Marty Bonick its CEO. Here's what you should know: 1. Mr. Bonick has more than 20 years of leadership experience. 2. He has extensive experience with physician practices, specifically in creating new anesthesia groups. 3. Mr. Bonick most recently was the president of division operations at Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems, where he oversaw a $4.5 billion portfolio of hospitals and associated centers. 4. PhyMed Board of Directors Chairman Chris Ferrara said in a release, "[Mr. Bonick's] perspective will give us invaluable insight into the hospital side of our business so that we can continue to meet the needs of our hospital partners." Steven Sonenreich serves as president and CEO of Miami Beach-based Mount Sinai Medical Center, south Florida's largest private independent nonprofit teaching hospital. In this role, he was recently tasked with helping guide his organization through preparedness for and the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. Mount Sinai never shuttered services during the storm and took in patients referred to the medical center by county officials. Mr. Sonenreich recently answered questions from Becker's Hospital Review about lessons learned from this experience and Mount Sinai's preparedness efforts. Note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity. Question: How did Mount Sinai prepare for Irma? Steven Sonenreich: Our attitude about hurricane preparedness and resiliency really starts going back to 2005 with Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Wilma a very active hurricane period in our state's history and we decided back then that it's time to make certain our facilities were as hurricane proof as possible. So for the last 12 years we've embarked upon a program to install hurricane-resistant windows and roofs and make major changes to our infrastructure to withstand hurricane-force winds. And we, probably most importantly, built a major power plant facility which can withstand winds of 185 miles per hour where our generators are raised over 30 feet above ... the flood plain. So power, as I believe everyone is recognizing, is the most important aspect of having a safe environment for our patients. And the steps we took beginning in 2005 proved to be the right steps so we were able to be here, to be of service to ... patients here at our hospital and to have a safe environment for our patients and employees who were here during the storm period. Q: What kind of effect can Irma have on healthcare in affected areas? SS: I believe you'll see institutions that are in areas like our own are going to begin to [do], if they haven't already, what we've done over the past 12 years and that is attempt to hurricane-harden their facilities and that's a very expensive undertaking. Since hospitals by their very nature are extraordinarily capital intensive year in and year out, there's a commitment to technology and to electronic health records. There's so much competition for capital on a normal basis in hospitals. This adds an enormous capital burden to those who decide the importance of being hurricane hardened. But it's not just hospitals, it extends to long-term care facilities as well. Q: What lessons have you learned through this experience? SS: Your priority in leading an institution is patient safety and the safety of the employees. We keep that as our priority and as our guiding light if you will, and we're very committed to continuing to do that on an ongoing basis. More articles on leadership: RAND: Texas hospitals can expect greater demand for care for chronic conditions, mental health post-Harvey 3 ways leaders can get personally involved in talent development GOP only has simple-majority vote until end of month, parliamentarian rules A man shot and killed his 70-year-old mother in the ICU of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., Tuesday afternoon. The incident, which occurred on the hospital's fourth floor at approximately 2 p.m. EST, left the academic medical center issuing a Code Silver alert, evacuating ambulatory patients and staff, and going into lockdown, according to Dartmouth-Hitchcock spokesperson Mike Barwell. More than 100 first responders attended to the area. Police apprehended the suspect, 49-year-old Travis Frink of Rhode Island, by 2:49 p.m. EST as he was trying to leave the hospital campus and took him into custody. He is charged with first-degree murder and expected to face a judge in Grafton County Superior Court Wednesday, according to WMUR Manchester. Investigators have not released information about Mr. Frink's motive, although New Hampshire Attorney General Gordon MacDonald did note Mr. Frink's main purpose in visiting the hospital was apparently to shoot his mother, according to WMUR. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the patient who died," Dartmouth-Hitchcock President and CEO Joanne Conroy, MD, wrote in a memo to staff. "We will work closely with local and state law enforcement to learn how this happened, so that we can ensure this will never happen to one of our patients ever again." Dr. Conroy applauded the D-H team for following instruction and abiding by their training for emergencies as they either evacuated the hospital premises or sheltered in place indoors. The hospital was cleared by police and security and the building reopened around 5:10 p.m. EST. "You became very creative over the hoursone team set up a MASH unit in the parking lot and saw over 40 patients, removed stitches, changed dressings and scheduled those patients to return later this week for follow-up," she wrote. "For those that sheltered in place, thank you for the care and comfort you gave to patients and their families during this stressful time." Resources are being deployed to assist physicians, nurses and other staff who witnessed the incident and may be impacted, Mr. Barwell said. Dr. Conroy is hosting a town hall meeting Wednesday to discuss next steps for employees in recovery from the event. All clinical operations at the hospital have resumed as normal. A joint venture between Nashville, Tenn.-based Ardent Health Services and Austin-based The University of Texas System will acquire Tyler-based East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System, officials announced Sept. 13. Under the proposed agreement, Ardent Health will assume majority ownership and manage daily operations at the combined entity once the deal is finalized. The deal includes ETMC's nine hospitals and 39 clinics, and several facilities belonging to the UT system, including Tyler-based UT Health Northeast and 12 physician clinics. As per the proposed agreement, the three organizations will create a board of directors to govern the combined entity. The organizations will also invest $150 million for improvements during the next five years. Proceeds from the transaction will be used to create a local foundation to further improve the health and wellness of residents in east Texas. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval. ETMC officials began their search for a strategic partner in February 2017. CVS will acquire six of Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica's outpatient pharmacies with plans to close five of them, according to WTOL. The five pharmacies CVS will close are in Toledo and Sylvania, Ohio. The companies will announce closure dates in coming weeks. In November, CVS will begin operating the pharmacy it acquired in Oregon, Ohio. "ProMedica and CVS Pharmacy are working closely together to ensure patients experience a seamless transition of services and that their access to pharmacy care is not interrupted," said Neeraj Kanwal, MD, senior vice president of inpatient and retail pharmacy at ProMedica. "We're confident our patients will benefit from CVS Pharmacy's unique clinical services." More articles on healthcare industry transactions: Quorum finalizes deal to sell Illinois hospital, marking second divestiture this week Yale New Haven, Connecticut Children's Medical Center table partnership talks Quorum Health signs definitive agreement to divest Alabama hospital Ticonderoga, N.Y.-based Moses-Ludington Hospital will reportedly merge with Elizabethtown (N.Y.) Community Hospital, an affiliate of Burlington-based The University of Vermont Health Network, according to the VTDigger. Moses-Ludington is owned and operated by the financially struggling Inter-Lakes Health in Ticonderoga. As part of the proposed agreement, UVHN will pay rent to Inter-Lakes Health to use the hospital facility, according to the report. A spokesperson for Burlington-based University of Vermont Medical Center, also a part of UVHN, told the VTDigger Tuesday the health network "is not acquiring Moses-Ludington Hospital [rather] a current member, Elizabethtown Community Hospital, will assume responsibility of outpatient services on the [Moses-Ludington] campus," the report states. John Remillard, president of Elizabethtown Community Hospital and Inter-Lakes Health, told the publication ECH and Moses-Ludington began integrating operations "a few years ago." A spokesperson for ECH confirmed the integration, stating the two hospital facilities "have been sharing administrative staff, including a CEO, CFO, CIO and other vice presidents and managers." UVHN officials said they expect to receive regulatory approval for the proposed merger this fall, according to the report. The man police say shot and killed his 70-year-old mother in the intensive care unit of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., pleaded not guilty Wednesday, according to CBS Boston. The incident, which occurred on the hospital's fourth floor at approximately 2 p.m. Tuesday, left the academic medical center issuing a Code Silver alert, evacuating ambulatory patients and staff, and going into lockdown, according to Dartmouth-Hitchcock spokesperson Mike Barwell. Police apprehended the suspect, 48-year-old Travis Frink, by 2:49 p.m. Tuesday. He is charged with first-degree murder. The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office released the results of the victim's autopsy Wednesday, which found she died of blood loss from four gunshot wounds, according to the Valley News. Following his appearance in Grafton Superior Court on Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Frink was ordered held without bail, according to the Valley News. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Female physicians sue Carolinas HealthCare over discriminatory pay practices Owner of medical debt collection business gets prison time for embezzling $800k South Carolina family practice chain reaches $2M settlement over alleged Medicare billing scheme MediSys Health Network, which owns and operates two New York City hospitals, has agreed to pay $4 million to settle allegations it violated the False Claims Act and Stark Law, according to the Department of Justice. The government alleged MediSys, which operates Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and Flushing Hospital Medical Center, had improper financial relationships with referring physicians that did not comply with the requirements of Stark Law. The government further alleged MediSys submitted false claims to Medicare for services provided to patients referred by physicians it had improper financial connections with. The allegations against MediSys were originally brought under the qui tam, or whistle-blower, provisions of the False Claims Act. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Female physicians sue Carolinas HealthCare over discriminatory pay practices Owner of medical debt collection business gets prison time for embezzling $800k South Carolina family practice chain reaches $2M settlement over alleged Medicare billing scheme The following payers made headlines this week, beginning with the most recent. 1. Anthem considers exiting more ACA exchanges Indianapolis-based Anthem is contemplating its 2018 participation in some states' ACA marketplaces as filing deadlines approach later this month. 2. Centene to absorb Fidelis in $3.75B deal Centene Corp., a managed care and commercial payer in St. Louis, will acquire Fidelis Care, a Rego Park, N.Y.-based nonprofit managed Medicaid and Medicare plan, for $3.75 billion. 3. Analysis: 63% of weekly social media mentions of health insurers are about Aetna The five largest U.S. commercial health insurers Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Humana and UnitedHealth Group were mentioned on social media and in publications 26,700 times during the last week of August. 4. Mayo Clinic joins Security Health Plan's provider network, partners for employer product Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic Health System providers in Wisconsin and Minnesota are now considered in-network for Marshfield, Wis.-based Security Health Plan's policyholders. 5. Ochsner Health System, BCBS of Louisiana to offer joint health plan New Orleans-based Ochsner Health System and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana partnered to provide a joint health plan. 6. UnitedHealth proposes buying Chilean healthcare company Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth Group signed a nonbinding agreement to purchase all shares of Banmedica SA, a health insurance and clinic operator in Chile. 7. Northwest Health, UnitedHealthcare rate negotiations stall Between 100 and 200 Springdale, Ark.-based Northwest Health physicians went out-of-network with UnitedHealthcare Aug. 1 following a contract dispute that could affect the network status of the system's hospitals if unresolved. 8. BCBS of Alabama hit with $8M penalty for charging unapproved rates Birmingham-based Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama faces an $8 million penalty from the Alabama Department of Insurance for selling policies at rates discrepant from those approved between 2005 and 2013. 9. CarePoint Health, Horizon BCBS resolve $76M billing dispute Jersey City, N.J.-based CarePoint Health and Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield resolved a more than 2-year-old contract dispute and $76 million lawsuit over billing in late August. The New York State Department of Health is advising patients who received an infusion, injection or blood draw at Tomorrow Medicine's two locations in Westchester County to be tested hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV. New York Commissioner of Health Howard Zucker, MD, ordered the owner of the clinics, Timothy Morley, DO, to cease practicing medicine for violating public health laws and failing to produce records pertaining to a state and local investigation. Local health officials initiated the investigation after four patients treated at Dr. Morley's practice tested positive for the same strain of hepatitis C. "Dr. Timothy Morley's medical license was suspended following the discovery of a series of inappropriate infection control practices and concerns regarding the preservation, preparation, handling and administration of medication," said the state health department Monday. "The order to immediately cease operation was issued out of concern that further lapses in infection control practices could put additional patients at risk." Brad Hutton, New York's deputy commissioner of public health, told The Journal News more than 20 people sought testing as of Tuesday afternoon. "We think hundreds [may have been exposed] based on the current volume at the practice," Mr. Hutton told the publication. More articles on infection control: D.C. health officials to investigate sewage leaking into ORs at Medstar Washington Hospital Center Parasitic infection severity changes with time of infection, study shows Electronic alert in pediatric ER ups severe sepsis detection by 13% Eight patients at a nursing home in Hollywood, Fla., died after spending days without air conditioning amid power outages caused by Hurricane Irma, according to CBS News. The nursing home, the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, had electricity following the hurricane but experienced "prolonged power failure to the transformer which powered the facility's air conditioning," Jorge Carballo, the nursing home administrator, said in a statement to NBC 6. Three patients died at the nursing home, three others were pronounced dead Wednesday morning after being transported to the hospital, and the Broward County Medical Examiner announced two more patient deaths Wednesday afternoon, according to CBS News. Police opened a criminal investigation Wednesday into the deaths. "I am going to aggressively demand answers on how this tragic event took place," Florida Gov. Rick Scott said Wednesday. "Although the details of these reported deaths are still under investigation, this situation is unfathomable. Every facility that is charged with caring for patients must take every action and precaution to keep their patients safe especially patients that are in poor health. " Authorities evacuated more than 100 patients from the nursing home. Many of the patients were transported to Memorial Regional Hospital. The hospital's medical director of emergency services, Randy Katz, DO, told The New York Times most of the patients were treated for dehydration, respiratory distress and heat-related issues. More articles on clinical quality and infection control: Death toll increases to 16 in San Diego County hepatitis A outbreak 8 tips for high-quality hand-offs from The Joint Commission 5 thoughts from MD Anderson CMO Dr. Karen Lu on caring for patients and employees in Harvey's aftermath Marc Eichler, MD, a former neurosurgeon in Minot, N.D., received a three-year prison sentence in a federal sex abuse case, according to kfgo.com. Here are four key points: 1. Dr. Eichler faced federal sex abuse charges for sending sexually explicit texts and photos to both a 12-year-old girl and 13-year old girl in 2015. 2. Additionally, he faced accusations of giving one girl gifts and funding hotel rooms for her and her friends. 3. On May 25, Dr. Eichler pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court of one count of possessing child pornography. Prosecutors dropped other charges. 4. The North Dakota medical board had previously suspended Dr. Eichler's license, noting unprofessional conduct. To continue following the latest news and information for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, simply enter your full postcode below Pakistan's defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan on Wednesday said Islamabad is currently reassessing ties with Washington, say reports. Khan was quoted as saying, We are here to give our point of view logically and with evidence. We will explain our position. But it's not for us to satisfy them. His statement comes amidst Donald Trumps threat to suspend aid unless Pakistan falls in line and cracks down on terror. Noel Fielding in the fridge in the Great British Bake Off. The Great British Bake Off is under fire after showing presenter Noel Fielding hiding in a fridge. The programme, which recently moved to Channel 4 from the BBC, was shown at 8pm - which many pointed out was before the watershed at 9pm. It was bread week and during one of the challenges it showed host Sandi Toksvig open a fridge door with fellow comic presenter Noel crouched inside. Read More Channel 4 further highlighted the point of the show by tweeting it with the caption "just when you thought Noel Fielding couldn't get any cooler". Among those voicing their concern was TUV Newtownabbey councillor David Hollis who has lodged an official complaint against Channel 4. He took to social media and said: "Noel Fielding on last nights Great British Bake Off was seen to be hiding in a fridge and the door was opened by a fellow presenter. The fridge door was then closed on him and locked, with Fielding inside - all before the 9:00 oclock showdown. "Many children have, in the past, lost their lives in accidents involving fridges. I have made a complaint to Channel 4. They need to put this right by stating the dangers and get rid of this non-entity Noel Fielding immediately. Mr Hollis told the Belfast Telegraph: "It was before the 9.30pm watershed when children could be watching. Here we have a presenter opening a fridge with another presenter inside it. "And then they move it on to adverts and next thing is the doors is closed on him again. "Children are liable to try something like that for fun or play. The suction on the doors - children would have great difficulty trying to get open again. "We've had deaths in the past and it's very irresponsible. "I have made an official complaint to them." Fellow viewers also complained online with some branding the stunt "irresponsible" and "dangerous". While others jumped to the defence of the programme arguing that children wouldn't be watching the programme. After Mr Hollis contacted Channel 4, a spokesperson replied: Thank you for your email regarding the light-hearted piece by the presenters in last nights The Great British Bake Off. We appreciate your concerns, however, modern day fridges are designed to be pushed open from the inside to minimise any possible risk. In addition and in order to alleviate viewers potential concerns, Sandi was holding the door at all times so that the door was never fully closed. Nevertheless, please be assured that all your comments have been logged and noted for the attention of those responsible for our programming. Thank you again for taking the time to contact us. We appreciate all feedback from our viewers, complimentary or otherwise. High five: Jacqui Seymour with her grandchildren, (from left) Grace, Joe, who was born with a heart condition, Daniel and Dylan Before they raise money for Chest, Heart and Stroke with the Wake Up Pyjama Walk at Stormont, Kerry McKittrick talks to Julie McAllister, who had a heart attack five years ago, and Jacqui Seymour, whose little grandson was diagnosed with a heart defect before he was born. Wearing pyjamas in public? That's a sure-fire way to hit the headlines these days. Even just nipping into the supermarket in your dressing gown will earn you raised eyebrows and 20 minutes on a phone-in radio show. Imagine the furore there will be then on September 30 when hundreds of men, women and children gather at the Stormont Estate at 9.30am in their pyjamas. This time, however, it'll be for a good cause. The walk is part of Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke's Wake Up campaign, which aims to highlight the fact that heart disease has been one of the biggest killer here for the past 25 years. The charity is aiming to make this a full-on family event, so anyone can take part. There will be music, face painting, balloon modelling and a healthy brunch, sponsored by Mace, for all participants. The route is dog and family-friendly, so there's no reason not to take part. Here we talk to two women about their reasons for taking part in the Wake Up Pyjama Walk. Before going to hospital I said goodbye to my kids because I didnt think I would make it Healthcare assistant Julie McAllister (45) lives in Carrickfergus with husband Derek. They have four children, Gemma (25), Darren (21), Jamie (18), and Emily (8). She says: I've always done a lot of walking. When my niece started a Tae Bo class and asked if I wanted to go along, I joined and really enjoyed it. I am a healthy eater and never drank much, but I did smoke about 10 cigarettes a day. I always classed myself as a healthy smoker. Six years ago, though, I was at a Tae Bo class when I started feeling a bit sick. I walked over to get some water and, as I reached down, I felt a pain in my chest. It felt like an elephant was sitting on me. The pain went along both arms and settled in my jaw. I phoned my husband and told him to come and get me - our house is five minutes away. When he arrived I told him to take me home and call an ambulance. I wanted to see my children in case I didn't make it. A rapid response paramedic came, gave me aspirin and said it might be muscle pain. But I thought it was something else because I had never felt anything like it before. After a doctor had seen me at Antrim Area Hospital, it was confirmed that I'd suffered a heart attack. The doctor wasn't happy with my condition, so I was sent to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast for a dye test in the cath lab. This revealed that I'd had a spontaneous coronary artery dissection and I was rushed into theatre for a triple bypass. It was really scary. I kept thinking, 'This is an old person's operation, so how could it happen to me?' My family were brought in so they could see me before I went in for surgery. The next two days I was in intensive care and another day in a high dependency unit before being admitted to a general ward. It was a week later before I was discharged from hospital, and the medics felt I could go home because I had good family support. Three months prior to having a heart attack I completed a CPR training course, where I learned how to identify all the signs of a heart attack. All of them happened to me - the heaviness in my chest, the pain in my arm and jaw and the sickness. I actually said goodbye to my children in the house before going to hospital because I really didn't think I would survive it. It can take six months for your breastbone to heal where they cut through it (prior to surgery), but I had some problems with the site where the doctors took a vein from my leg for the heart bypass, which meant I had nearly a year off work. What I do can be quite physical - lifting patients in beds and that sort of thing. I think it was hardest on my family. My husband had to learn how to do CPR and care for me. He worked nights and didn't know if I would even be breathing when he came home. I'm in good health now, but it's always in the back of my mind - if it happened once, it can happen again. Expand Close Julie out running / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Julie out running My GP sees me regularly, as well as specialists at the Royal. Now I know the signs and all I would need to do is ring 999. I haven't touched a cigarette since that day and I go to the gym and walk about four nights a week. I try not to eat anything unhealthy at all these days. Otherwise I feel back to normal and I enjoy playing with my grandson, Kobi. This year marked five years since I had a heart attack. I've started fundraising for Chest, Heart and Stroke because I want to do as much as I can. All of the money raised is going into research and support groups." 'My grandson Joe had his first operation at just six days old' Jacqui Seymour (61) is a teacher and lives in Larne. She is married to Jim and has three children, Jonathan (37), Kerri (35) and Laura (34), and four grandchildren, Joe, Grace, Daniel (all four) and one-year-old Dylan. Joe was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which was diagnosed before he was born She says: Joe is my first grandchild and he has just turned four. My other grandchildren, Grace and Daniel, are also four and Dylan was born about a year ago. There has never been any kind of heart condition on either side of the family. My grandparents had heart attacks when they got older, but that was due to their age and lifestyle factors. We have no idea where this came from, which is why I got involved with Chest, Heart and Stroke - they were doing a baby's heart study and they even used Joe's photo for fundraising - to try and find out where this comes from. Kerri and William found out when she had a 20-week scan that there was a problem with Joe's heart. The midwives attempted to measure the baby's heart valve but had difficulty finding it during the scan. At the time they thought there may have been an issue with the scanning equipment. Kerri was referred to see a consultant at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, where Joe was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome before he was even born. Essentially, the left side of his heart didn't develop properly, so it can't pump the blood around his body too well. This means the right side of his heart does all the work. Expand Close High five: Jacqui Seymour with her grandchildren, (from left) Grace, Joe, who was born with a heart condition, Daniel and Dylan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp High five: Jacqui Seymour with her grandchildren, (from left) Grace, Joe, who was born with a heart condition, Daniel and Dylan At least knowing things were going to be difficult let Kerri and William prepare themselves before Joe actually arrived. He was born on a Monday and then taken over to a hospital in Birmingham for surgery just two days later. He had his first operation at six days old and sailed through it. However, he got an infection that was quite serious, so he was in hospital for weeks - firstly in Birmingham and then at the Royal, until the medics could manage his condition. He had another operation at nine months old and, again, he got an infection that nearly killed him. He was in Birmingham again and the hospital staff were really fastidious with his care - only consultants were allowed to tend the wound and change the dressing, and he was on antibiotics. He has to have more surgery next year. While none of the operations will fix the problem with his heart, they make things a bit easier for Joe. The thing that will really help him is a heart transplant, which won't be done until he's an adult. We're hoping that by then there will be 3D printer hearts and he won't have to wait for one. Joe is grand. I mind him every Friday. My three eldest grandchildren were all born within a few months of each other. When they come over to visit, they run and jump around the place. Joe can't keep up with them because he gets out of breath very quickly, but otherwise he can do all the usual things kids do such as drawing, painting and reading - just like everyone else. He's starting to slow down a bit now and sleeps longer than he used to. Sometimes he can go a bit grey because his heart can't pump enough oxygen into his blood. Next year's surgery should help with that. It will be the biggest and most severe operation yet, and the toughest one for him to recover from. Since he's four now, he knows what's going on and I think that's makes it more difficult for him. It's not the case that there's no hope for Joe. If Kerri had been born with this condition, she would have been called a blue baby and would have been dead in five days. The medics couldn't have done anything for her. Now, though, there is the technology to keep Joe alive until they can fix it. That's why I support and raise money for the Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke. It's a local charity, so all the money raised stays in Northern Ireland. Everything it does is for people here, so that's why we're all doing the pyjama walk. Kerri and I will be doing it with Joe in the buggy." The Wake Up Pyjama Walk is at the Stormont Estate on Saturday, September 30 at 9.30am. Entry is 10 per adult and children go free. To take part or find out more details, visit nichs.org.uk An artists impression showing how the planned waste facility will look A civil servant's decision to allow a 240m waste incinerator for Co Antrim has been blasted as a "disgrace" and "fundamentally flawed". Arc21, the umbrella waste management group for 11 councils in the east of Northern Ireland, wants to construct the incinerator and waste sorting plant at Hightown Quarry on Newtownabbey's Boghill Road. The scheme was subject to more than 4,000 letters of objection. However, it was given the green light by the Department for Infrastructure following a Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) hearing last October. In 2015 Stormont's then Environment Minister Mark H Durkan refused the application following residents' complaints. Yesterday he tweeted: "Disappointed and angered at the approval of Hightown incinerator. I listened to local people and refused it as SDLP/DoE minister." Ulster Unionist MLA Steve Aiken said the decision should not have been taken by "an unelected, unaccountable civil servant" due to a lack of devolved government. "It is outrageous that such a decision has been made at this time. Why was this regionally significant decision made now, rather than wait for either a devolved or direct rule minister to take the decision?" he asked. DUP MLA Pam Cameron said the decision was "a devastating blow to the greater Mallusk community and the thousands of people who lodged formal objections to the plans". And North Belfast Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly also hit out at the green light being given. "The decision by the Department for Infrastructure to grant planning permission for an incinerator at Hightown in Glengormley is a disgrace and has serious environmental, health and safety issues for the area," he said. The department received 4,021 letters of objection and one petition of objection with 836 signatures. The incinerator will deal with "waste from a significant portion of the population", according to the department. It said it had "carefully considered and agreed with the independent report and recommendations". "The planning conditions attached to the permission also take account of the PAC's considerations," it added. "The department considers that it is in the public interest to take this decision, without further delay, given the strategic importance of the project for the region." It said that the PAC report "includes full consideration of the planning issues and recommends that permission is granted". "Importantly, the report endorses the strategic need for the facility, its compliance with regional policy and the significant environmental benefit in terms of meeting waste management/treatment targets and assisting in the battle against waste crime," it said. A school bus service that was controversially lost as part of cuts to the education budget has been reinstated for the new academic year. Almost 40 children at Taughmonagh Primary School in south Belfast were facing the prospect of having to walk almost a mile to reach school after the transport was stopped. The news only emerged at the end of the last academic year. However, the service is expected to resume by the end of this month and continue for the rest of the school year. Further discussions will then take place with the Education Authority (EA) to seek a permanent resolution. The Belfast Telegraph had highlighted the issue last week. Children from the Suffolk area of west Belfast have been attending Taughmonagh PS since 2009 after the local primary school shut. Parents and staff at the school contend that part of the agreement for the children to transfer to Taughmonagh was an assurance that a bus service would be provided. But, as part of the cutbacks in education, they were told that they were only entitled to a bus service to the school closest to them, which is Finaghy Primary School. This year Finaghy school only had one free place available, and to rule out acceptance the children from Suffolk were also told they had to officially apply and be rejected before the reinstatement of the bus service could be considered. In the interim period the caretaker at Taughmonagh had been using the school minibus to transport the children to and from Suffolk. Otherwise, the 38 children, aged from 4 to 11, would have been forced to get a Metro bus from Blacks Road to the Upper Malone Road. However, that still meant a walk of a mile to finally reach their classes. DUP MLA Christopher Stalford intervened on behalf of parents affected by the move. He welcomed news that the bus service would continue for the next year. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, Mr Stalford said: "I met with the Education Authority and they have agreed that the service will return no later than Monday, September 25. "It will remain in place until next June, but there will have to be further discussions to make sure it is reinstated permanently. "In this case it was having a very negative impact on a very isolated community who have already lost their primary school. "It's not right that children and parents should be put in this position." A statement from the Education Authority reiterated its position that the provision of the bus service from Suffolk to Taughmonagh Primary School was never intended to be a permanent arrangement. It said: "The EA can confirm that children enrolled at Suffolk PS when it closed in 2009 were provided with transport to Taughmonagh PS as part of the closure arrangements. This entitlement applied only to those pupils enrolled at Suffolk PS at the time. "The EA advised Taughmonagh PS in June 2017 that as all pupils eligible to benefit from this arrangement had now left the school, transport would only be provided in line with statutory entitlements." Tragic choking victim Sherry Campbell was "beautiful inside as well as outside" and "achieved much in becoming the person she was", mourners at the Groomsport woman's funeral were told yesterday. St Comgall's Church in Bangor was filled to capacity as family, friends, work colleagues and pupils gathered to celebrate the life of the Strangford College special needs teaching assistant. Sherry (29), an only child, was found dead in the kitchen of her family home by her father Shannon after choking to death in the early hours of last Thursday. Read More She would have celebrated her 30th birthday on October 12. Yesterday, as the rain poured down relentlessly, mourners filed into the family's church, which was decorated with displays of flowers Sherry loved. The altar was flanked by two large sprays of purple and white blooms, while a lone red, yellow and white bouquet sat in front of the coffin. As the Campbell family took their seats at the front of the church her grief-stricken father paused for a moment, resting his hand on his only child's coffin before making his way into the pew. Father Joseph Gunn extended a particular welcome to the young pupils from Strangford College, who were dotted throughout the congregation, and for whom he said Sherry's passing might be their "first experience of death and a funeral". He added: "Sudden death, sudden mercy; that is our consolation as we contemplate the death of Sherry at the age of 29. "A young death shocks and affronts us. "In the depths of her grief, Sherry's mother Fionuala said that Sherry was beautiful inside as well as outside, and many people have spoken to me of Sherry's great generosity, her kindness in school and her love of life. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Sherry Campbells mother Fionuala Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Sherry Campbells father Shannon Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Other mourners at the funeral service for the 29-year-old Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Other mourners at the funeral service for the 29-year-old Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Other mourners at the funeral service for the 29-year-old Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Sherry Campbell Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Shannon Campbell The funeral of Strangford College teaching assistant Sherry Campbell takes place in Bangor on September 14th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of Strangford College teaching assistant Sherry Campbell takes place in Bangor on September 14th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of Strangford College teaching assistant Sherry Campbell takes place in Bangor on September 14th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of Strangford College teaching assistant Sherry Campbell takes place in Bangor on September 14th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of Strangford College teaching assistant Sherry Campbell takes place in Bangor on September 14th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of Strangford College teaching assistant Sherry Campbell takes place in Bangor on September 14th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of Strangford College teaching assistant Sherry Campbell takes place in Bangor on September 14th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph The funeral of Strangford College teaching assistant Sherry Campbell takes place in Bangor on September 14th 2017 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sherry Campbells mother Fionuala "In those few words we hear so much. "She had achieved much in becoming the person she was. "The only antidote to this loss is hope; hope in the mercy of God, hope in eternal life." One of the Bible readings was given by Strangford College history teacher Gareth Boal, who had taught Sherry as a pupil at the school before she returned to take up her "dream job" there. In a poignant tribute from the Book of Wisdom, he read: "The upright, even if he dies before his time, will be at rest. "Honourable age does not depend on length of days, nor is the number of years a true measure of life." Later in the service Mr Boal joined with Strangford College colleague Donna Moore, who teaches English, to sing a touching Irish blessing. As the music echoed around the church heartbroken members of Sherry's family gathered around her coffin sobbing. Her parents then bent down to bestow a last kiss upon the casket, which was flanked by a guard of honour comprised of 12 senior pupils from the college as it left the church. At the roadside family members consoled each other as the coffin was loaded into a hearse packed with flowers. The family then travelled to Ballyvestry Cemetery at Edgewater, outside Millisle, where Sherry was laid to rest beside her grandparents. This was followed by refreshments in Sherry's favourite restaurant, Pier 36 in Donaghadee, which had been decorated in bright colours and flowers in her honour. The Campbell family intend to create a charitable foundation in Sherry's name, which will raise awareness of how to cope with choking when alone, as well as fundraise for a special needs teaching assistant at Strangford College. To donate to Sherry's cause, visit the foundation's JustGiving page The damaged organ, reputed to be one of the most beautiful in Ireland, in Christ Church in Londonderry A shocking case of vandalism to a church in Londonderry has drawn cross-community condemnation. Vandals broke into Christ Church in the city, smashing their way through the stained glass windows, defecating and urinating on the premises, ripping apart the organ and stealing a crystal teardrop decanter created in memory of a little girl who had died. It is believed the incident happened some time between Sunday and Tuesday. The culprits gained entry to the church on Infirmary Road by breaking a stained glass window dating back to the 1800s. They damaged the organ, ripping out the internal elements using a broken bottle. They defecated and urinated around the church, smearing faeces on a psalm book before making off with a crystal decanter used for Holy Communion. Archdeacon Robert Miller spent yesterday cleaning up his church and reassuring shocked and appalled parishioners. "Whoever this was, they were determined to get in given that they broke through a metal grille, storm glazing and stained glass," he told the Belfast Telegraph. "We think they must have thought they were caught on CCTV cameras so they smashed their way into the organ to remove the recording. They cut their way into the back of the organ using a broken bottle, leaving considerable damage. "We are hopeful that none of the pipes are damaged. It's just mindless destruction." Archdeacon Miller said the support of the community was heartening. "There is a very real sense for us of 'We are with you' on this," he added. "I've had people from all sides, - politicians, community members and church colleagues - contact me and visit the church today to say they are thinking of and praying for us, and asking how they can help. There is a real thankfulness for that support." The Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, Rev Ken Good, described the incident as 'sacrilege'. Bishop Donal McKeown from nearby St Eugene's Cathedral said the incident was an attack 'on all of us'. "We have a very strong bond here," he said. "This is an attack on all of us, we all feel it. It is a huge blow for the small community here in Christ Church and it is important that they feel supported by all of us." Sinn Fein's Raymond McCartney said: "It's difficult to think of the circumstances where anyone would think this is something they should be involved in. We have to condemn it outright." SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan said he was "appalled" by what had happened. The Government has rejected calls for a UK reparations fund for victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA attacks. Compensation claims are a private matter and the Foreign Office is helping those affected pursue claims with the North African country's authorities, the official response added. MPs said it would be "deeply disappointing" to victims of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi-sponsored republican terrorism. Kate Hoey, a senior Labour member of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster, said: "The Government response is as unsurprising as it is unacceptable. "They are telling people to seek justice on their own, to bear the cost and overcome the language barrier of obtaining compensation directly from the Libyan Government. "There is a duty to represent the victims, just as the US and German governments fought for compensation for their citizens." A previous Libyan regime armed the Provisionals with massive amounts of weaponry, extending the Northern Ireland conflict and causing enormous human suffering, the committee said in a report published earlier this year, which recommended the reparations fund be established. It held lengthy hearings with victims of IRA bombings which used Libyan Semtex plastic explosives. These included the bombing of a Harrods department store in 1983, the bombing of a Enniskillen Remembrance Day ceremony in 1987 and bombings in Warrington in 1993, and in London's Docklands in 1996. The bereaved and injured are pressing for UK Government support in their campaign for compensation paid out of the large number of frozen assets seized from the toppled Gaddafi administration. While the USA, France and Germany negotiated multi-million-pound settlements with Gaddafi for its citizens impacted by Libyan-sponsored terrorism, the previous Labour government in the UK has been heavily criticised for not striking a similar deal. The current Government said it considers compensation claims to be private matters and that the Foreign Office facilitates victims to engage with the Libyan authorities to pursue compensation. The official response said it was not in the UK's national interest to use political or financial support to Libya as leverage to secure recompense for victims. A Government statement said: "The Government notes the committee's recommendation that the UK should establish a fund to provide financial compensation and support specifically to the victims of Gaddafi-sponsored terrorism, while simultaneously taking forward negotiations with the Libyan authorities. "HMG has considered in detail the feasibility of establishing such a fund and at this stage has concluded that it is not a viable option. "The Government also notes the potential challenges of making additional UK resources available specifically to the victims of Gaddafi-sponsored IRA terrorism, which would need to be considered carefully against Government support to victims of terrorism more generally, including in Northern Ireland." It said it continued to raise the issue of compensation for victims of Gaddafi-sponsored IRA terrorism with the Libyan Government at the highest levels. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson most recently raised this with Prime Minister Fayez al Serraj during his visit to Libya on 4 May 2017 and again when visiting Tripoli on 23 August 2017. The official response said compensation from Libya was possible in cases like the Lockerbie aircraft bombing because of evidence the attacks were planned and executed directly by the Libyans. It added: "By contrast, Libya was a third party in IRA terrorism: the Gaddafi regime provided support to the IRA but did not direct or carry out the attacks itself. "This in no way lessens Libyan responsibility, but makes it more challenging to pursue compensation." James Brokenshire said it decisions over local services like health, education, transport and economic development should be taken by local politicians The Right Honourable James Brokenshire MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland speaks in The Great Hall at Queen's. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye. Northern Ireland is on a "glide path" toward greater UK intervention without a political deal, James Brokenshire has warned. If the parties at Stormont do not reach agreement on restoring powersharing within a short number of weeks more decision-making powers could be assumed by Westminster - starting with the passing of a budget for public services, the Northern Ireland Secretary said. The DUP and Sinn Fein have held intensive private talks over recent weeks to establish whether there is any prospect of agreement on issues like passing an Irish language act. Mr Brokenshire said: "If things don't change we are on a glide path to greater and greater UK government intervention. "But I believe we can change course. "This can be achieved with political leadership and with support of the people of Northern Ireland - including communities and businesses." For nine months government has been effectively in the hands of civil servants rather than accountable politicians who cannot agree on returning to devolved coalition government. Mr Brokenshire added: "This has meant there has been no political direction to tackle the fundamental challenges facing Northern Ireland - including the reform and transformation of critical public services." He said passing a budget at Westminster for public services in Northern Ireland this year would be profoundly a backward step. "But in the continuing absence of devolution the UK Government retains ultimate responsibility for good governance and political stability in Northern Ireland as part of the UK - and we will not shirk from the necessary measures to deliver that." The main parties have been deadlocked over cultural issues like passing an Irish language act to protect its use in public settings plus measures to deal with the legacy of decades of violence. Late Sinn Fein deputy first minister Martin McGuinness resigned at the start of the year and plunged the devolved institutions led by his party and the Democratic Unionists into crisis. Political leaders at Stormont have been attempting to restore them ever since. Mr Brokenshire told business leaders at an event at Queen's University in Belfast it was right that decisions over local services like health, education, transport and economic development were taken by local politicians. He said that was why he was working intensively to secure the re-establishment of inclusive and stable devolution. Ian Paisley said the article was defamatory, devoid of fact or logic. The parliamentary standards watchdog has launched an investigation into claims DUP MP Ian Paisley didn't declare luxury holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government. Mr Paisley reported himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Hudson over claims that he didn't declare 100,000 in hospitality from the Sri Lankans. Ms Hudson confirmed on Thursday that the formal inquiry is now underway. Libel lawyer Paul Tweed said the North Antrim MP had provided a full explanation to the parliamentary watchdog. The Daily Telegraph claimed last week that Mr Paisley accepted two all-expenses paid holidays to the Indian Ocean island in 2013. It alleged that he met with Sri Lankan officials to discuss possible post-Brexit trade deals. However, the DUP representative took to social media to declare the article "devoid of fact or logic". Mr Tweed issued a statement on behalf of the politician. The lawyer said: "My client totally denies the defamatory inferences arising from the article in today's Daily Telegraph, including those relating to his registration obligations as an MP. "He has now referred this matter, and a full explanation, to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards." The two main parties have been at loggerheads for most of the year. New polling has revealed just what DUP and Sinn Fein voters think of their respective parties' stance on the current political impasse. Polling experts LucidTalk run a series of tracker polls to gauge public opinion across a wide-range of issues. Its over 10,000 strong panel of people are asked a range of questions with the results boiled down to 2,080 responses to get a representative sample of Northern Ireland public opinion. Polling was carried out by the Belfast-based polling company over an 80 hour period between September 8 and September 11. Sinn Fein has consistently said it will not return to the Executive unless there is an Irish language act. LucidTalk polling reveals over 70% of nationalist voters back the party in its demand with 55% saying they could not support the party if it dropped its red line. For DUP voters over 86% back the party in its stance on opposing an Irish language act. When asked if they would support the party if it dropped its opposition, 50% said they couldn't support it. Of all the recipients, when asked if they understood, or partially understood, what an Irish language act entailed, over 75% said yes. The latest polling also suggests support for the DUP and Sinn Fein is growing. The DUP has had over 7% more support, the survey predicts, than at the time of the Assembly election in March. With Sinn Fein experiencing a jump of just over 3%. And on the question of if the Executive should be reformed, 52% said yes; 19% said a form of temporary direct rule should be imposed to allow more talks while 6% said it should be permanent. Another 20% said a form of joint authority between Dublin and London should be implemented. On the question of if same-sex marriage should be legalised, 60% agreed there should be a change on the statute books. Over half of unionists (56%) said the law should remain unchanged. The number of passengers passing through Belfast International Airport's terminals jumped to 5.1 million Northern Ireland's largest airport has seen profits soar as passengers from the Republic take advantage of the Brexit sterling slump. The number of people from south of the border using Belfast International Airport is thought to have doubled last year, thanks to better value for their euros. The airport's profits for last year totalled almost 2.9 million - six times the numbers for 2015, according the company's annual report. The number of passengers passing through the airport's terminals also jumped from 4.3 million to 5.1 million. Following the UK's vote to leave the European Union, the airport ran a publicity campaign themed around the Leave vote. It called on passengers from the Republic of Ireland to "Vote leave - choose BEXIT when you EXIT from Belfast International". Managing director Graham Keddie said: "This has been helped by the euro/sterling exchange. We now have 12% of our passengers from the Republic of Ireland, which has probably doubled in the last year. "Our business is ever-changing and what we're seeing is a sustained effort leading to tremendous growth. "On top of that, we have seen an additional 800 jobs actually created by our businesses. We're an economic and employment success story for Northern Ireland, but we're only at the start of our exciting journey. "We will add hundreds more jobs in 2018 with major investments that are in the pipeline. He added: "We are offering a real alternative to Dublin which is suffering from a strong euro and we will continue to draw more lucrative business from the Republic of Ireland in 2018." The company will hold a number of jobs fairs in the coming months in order to recruit for new vacancies. Letting agents in Northern Ireland are charging students fees for securing accommodation - a practice which has been outlawed in the rest of the UK Letting agents in Northern Ireland are charging students fees for securing accommodation - a practice which has been outlawed in the rest of the UK. The Belfast Telegraph has learned that students here are subject to non-refundable 'administration' or 'application' fees - which, in some cases, are levied just for viewing properties. Charges vary but, in the Belfast area at least, the add-ons are understood to start at 30 per student, up to as much as 45. In many cases angry students say they are being given an inadequate explanation from the letting agents as to what they are paying for. Former Queen's Students Union vice-president Paul Loughran, who is undertaking a Masters degree, has been hit with these fees on more than one occasion. "Practically all the Belfast letting agents are doing it," he said. "Some charge more than others ... if you ever challenge the letting agents as to what the fees are actually for, a lot don't even have a justification for it." Paul and two housemates were each charged a 30 'admin' fee by Piney Rentals LTD in 2014-15 for a property in Stranmillis. The following year, he was charged 36 by F5 Properties. Again, he and two friends opted for a house in Stranmillis and, this time, they were each charged what the agency referred to as an 'application fee'. Belfast-based student Mary Gill recently took out a lease with Property People and she revealed she was also charged a 45 'admin fee'. The Belfast Telegraph contacted some letting agents yesterday to enquire about these charges. Hastings Campbell, at Piney Rentals, said the fee, payable per person per property, is only due if the tenant is accepted. Property People boss Colin Moran said the admin fee relates to "increased human resource costs". He also said the company was working on an online system to improve efficiency. No one from F5 Properties was available for comment. Belfast City councillor Declan Boyle, who has several properties that he rents out to students, said he does not charge his tenants application fees. "I don't know what it's for," he said. "This fee has been removed in other parts of the UK, although I know it continues to be levied here. Personally, I am not in favour of it." Theresa May is to make a high-profile speech on Brexit in Florence (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Theresa May is to travel to a historic European city to unveil further details of her vision for Britains future outside the EU. The Prime Ministers high-profile Brexit speech in the Italian city of Florence on September 22 is likely to be seen as a bid to break the deadlock in withdrawal negotiations, which resume in Brussels three days later. It comes amid warnings progress in talks on the UKs divorce deal has been too slow for discussions to move on to the question of a future trading relationship as Britain desires. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said no decisive progress was made on issues like citizens rights and Britains financial settlement in the last round of talks in August. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference The state of talks was quite far from being advanced enough for the leaders of the 27 remaining EU nations to authorise the opening of negotiations on the future relationship in October as planned, he warned. Former European Council president Herman van Rompuy said the chances of moving to the second phase of negotiations next month were in the neighbourhood of zero. Downing Street declined to discuss the content of Mrs Mays speech, beyond saying she will give an update on Brexit negotiations so far and will underline the Governments wish for a deep and special partnership with the European Union once the UK leaves the EU. Speculation is rife she will seek to use the opportunity to make a breakthrough on some of the areas which are blocking progress in talks, such as the EUs demand for payments of 50 billion or more to cover remaining UK liabilities. The fourth round of formal talks had initially been pencilled in for the week of September 18 but Mrs Mays official spokesman denied the delay was caused by the timing of the PMs speech. Expand Close Michel Barnier has said no "decisive progress" was made on issues like citizens' rights (Liam McBurney/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Michel Barnier has said no "decisive progress" was made on issues like citizens' rights (Liam McBurney/PA) Both sides settled on the date for that round after discussions between senior officials in recognition that more time would give negotiators flexibility to make further progress, he said. Explaining her choice of venue, the spokesman said: The PM wanted to give a speech on the UKs future relationship with Europe in its historical heart. The UK has had deep cultural and economic ties spanning centuries with Florence, a city known for its historical trading power. As the UK leaves the EU we will retain those close ties. As the Prime Minister has said many times, we are leaving the EU, not Europe. Expand Close Theresa May is to deliver a Brexit speech in the picturesque Italian city of Florence (John Walton/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Theresa May is to deliver a Brexit speech in the picturesque Italian city of Florence (John Walton/PA) Mrs May travelled to Italy within days of taking office in July 2016 for talks with then prime minister Matteo Renzi on her plans for Brexit. She was hosted by Renzis successor Paolo Gentiloni for this years G7 summit in Sicily and then spent part of her summer holiday walking in the mountains of northern Italy. Downing Street declined to say whether Mrs May would hold talks with Mr Gentiloni during her visit or whether the Italian PM would attend her speech. Former Beatle Ringo Starr has reiterated his backing for Brexit as he urged Prime Minister Theresa May to "get on with" pulling the UK out of the EU. The musician said he supported withdrawal from the EU because it was a "good move". He told BBC Newsnight: "The people voted and they have to get on with it. Suddenly, it's like, 'Oh well, we don't like that vote'. "What do you mean you don't like that vote? "You've had that vote. This is what won, let's get on with it." He added: "I didn't vote. I was out of the country. I would've voted for Brexit. "Yeah, I would've voted to get out. "But don't tell Bob Geldof." Prince Harry watched on as school children got soaked during a visit to a conservation project (Arthur Edwards/The Sun/PA) Prince Harry watched on as school children got soaked during a visit to a conservation project that aims to teach youngsters to value the countryside. The royal joked with one group as they were drenched by a bucket of water while testing a supposedly waterproof shelter as part of the Chatham Green Project at the Wilderness Foundation in Chatham Green, near Chelmsford in Essex. Children from Felsted School in Felsted had built shelters between trees using sticks, rope and tarpaulin as part of a survival course. An instructor threw a bucket of water over one shelter as children sat inside it to test whether it was waterproof, and there were shrieks and giggles from the children as water poured through a hole in the roof and drenched them. As children clambered out of the den Harry shook the instructors hand and said thats cruel! One of the children quipped we survived. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference The Prince, joking with the children, said: How did you allow this to happen? Im serious, look, how did you allow that to happen? I think what you need to do is you need to remake it and then put him (the instructor) in it. Harry also spoke to youngsters making nettle and mint tea, and saw children lighting fires. The children were taking part in the Chatham Green Project and the days theme was Survival and Nature Connection. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference The project is an education programme which aims to teach more than 3,000 pupils each year to take action to protect the countryside and our wider environment. Harry, who will celebrate his 33rd birthday on Friday, was told about the work of the Wilderness Foundation and some of its key conservation projects in the UK and abroad. He also met teenagers who were taking part in the charitys TurnAround programme, which uses outdoor adventures and intensive mentoring to help young people aged 15 to 21 to overcome family, social and personal problems. Expand Close Prince Harry chats round a camp fire while visiting the Chatham Green Project, a conservation, education and sustainability initiative at the Wilderness Foundation in Chatham Green, Essex ( David Rose/Daily Telegraph/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Prince Harry chats round a camp fire while visiting the Chatham Green Project, a conservation, education and sustainability initiative at the Wilderness Foundation in Chatham Green, Essex ( David Rose/Daily Telegraph/PA) The Prince spoke to a group as they sat around a bonfire together, and afterwards one 15-year-old, who gave his name only as Henry, said they had discussed how the outdoor project had helped them. An average of 83% of TurnArounds graduates enter further education or employment and sustain this into the future. Italy's Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and UN Special Representative Ghassan Salame from Lebanon before their meeting on Libya at Lancaster House in London (Matt Dunham/PA) The United States will be a steadfast ally to the United Kingdom during the Brexit process, Rex Tillerson has declared. The US Secretary of State, who was in London for talks with Boris Johnson and Theresa May, said Washington would stand by Britain as it faces the unique challenges of leaving the EU. Mr Tillerson and the Foreign Secretary held talks covering a wide range of issues including Hurricane Irma, the North Korean crisis and the situation in Libya. Expand Close US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks at the US Embassy in London (Hannah McKay/AP/PA) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks at the US Embassy in London (Hannah McKay/AP/PA) At a press conference with Mr Johnson, Mr Tillerson said: Whilst Brexit does present unique challenges to the British people, please know that you have a steadfast ally in the United States. We will stand by our ally as Brexit continues to take shape. Mr Tillerson praised the co-operation between the UK, US and France in dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean. Expand Close Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson during a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at Lancaster House in London (Tolga Akmen/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson during a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at Lancaster House in London (Tolga Akmen/PA) He said: The co-operation through that event has been extraordinary. All of us set down our own concerns and said what can we do to help each others citizens and were very thankful for that. Were also committed to take that same spirit into the aftermath and how can we work together and co-ordinate now to complete the recovery and begin the long, long process of reconstruction in a way that is beneficial to everyone. Mr Tillerson, who had a meeting with Mrs Mays national security adviser which the Prime Minister dropped in on, said it was a short but very useful talk. Expand Close US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson leaves 10 Downing Street after a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May (Stefan Rousseau/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson leaves 10 Downing Street after a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May (Stefan Rousseau/PA) He thanked the UK for its support in sending a very strong message to North Korea that Kim Jong Uns nuclear ambitions were not acceptable to any member of the international community. Mr Tillerson said he discussed with Mrs May the threat that Iran poses to the region through its destabilising activities in Yemen, in Syria and in other parts of the region. Downing Street said Mrs May also raised the Iran nuclear deal loathed by Donald Trump underlining its importance in preventing Iran procuring nuclear weapons. A woman spent more than $200,000 (151,440) of public money on personal purchases including a diamond bracelet and a dog tuxedo for her pet pug. Kristi Goss, from Arkansas, had access to a Garland County credit card in her role as an administrative assistant for Judge Rick Davis. The 44-year-old splashed out on things for herself as well as the fancy suit for her dog and pet insurance. Expand Close US Dollars PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp US Dollars Other purchases included tickets to Arkansas Razorbacks sporting events, sequined throw pillows and utility bills. Goss had been due to stand trial accused of fraud this week but changed her plea to guilty and will be sentenced on November 22. Two of the charges relate to amounts of more than $25,000 (about 19,000), The Sentinel-Record reported. Expand Close Pug in a tuxedo(WilleeCole/Getty Images) Getty Images/iStockphoto / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pug in a tuxedo(WilleeCole/Getty Images) Goss had been employed by Garland County since 2004 in Hot Springs, about 45 miles south west of state capital Little Rock. Her employment was officially terminated on June 3 last year but she had left her position in May when the fraud allegations came to light. Garland County Comptroller Susan Ashmore discovered the discrepancies after Goss was found to be not paying county bills on time and not executing her duties in a timely manner. A Rohingya Muslim family, who crossed over from Burma into Bangladesh (AP) Nearly three weeks into a mass exodus of Rohingya fleeing violence in Burma, thousands are still flooding across the border in search of help and safety in teeming refugee settlements in Bangladesh. The crisis has drawn global condemnation, with UN officials demanding Burma halt what they described as a campaign of ethnic cleansing that has driven some 400,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee Rakhine state. One of the dozens of boats carrying Rohingya to the Bangladeshi border town of Teknaf capsized on Thursday and at least two people drowned, police said. That brought known drownings in the Naf River to 88 since the crisis began. Those who arrived in wooden boats to beaches near Shah Puri Dwip fishing village on Wednesday described ongoing violence in Burma, where smoke could be seen billowing from a burning village - suggesting more Rohingya homes had been set alight. One Rohingya man who arrived on Wednesday said his village of Rashidong had been attacked six days earlier by Burmese soldiers and police. "When military and police surrounded our village and attacked us with rocket launchers to set fire, we got away from our village and fled away to any direction we could manage," Abdul Goffar said. Burma's presidential office spokesman Zaw Htay said that, out of 471 "Bengali" villages in three Rakhine townships, 176 were now completely empty while at least 34 more were partially abandoned. Many in Burma use the term "Bengali" as part of the long-standing refusal to accept Rohingya as citizens of the country. Burma has accused the Rohingya of burning their own homes and villages - a claim the UN human rights chief criticised as a "complete denial of reality". The crisis and refugee exodus began on August 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts. Burma's military retaliated with "clearance operations" to root out the rebels, but the fleeing Rohingya say Burmese soldiers shot indiscriminately, burned their homes and warned them to leave or die. Others have said they were attacked by Buddhist mobs. Hundreds have died, mostly Rohingya, and some of the refugees have needed treatment for bullet wounds. Facing growing condemnation globally, Burma's leader Aung San Suu Kyi will not attend UN General Assembly meetings between September 19-25 to instead deal with what the government said were domestic security issues. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters on Wednesday that ethnic cleansing was taking place against Rohingya in Rakhine state. The term "ethnic cleansing" is defined as an effort to rid an area of an unwanted ethnic group - by displacement, deportation or even killing. The UN Security Council called for "immediate steps to end the violence" and ensure civilian protections. Rohingya have faced decades of persecution in Buddhist-majority Burma, and are denied citizenship despite centuries-old roots in the Rakhine region. The thousands of Rohingya flooding into Bangladesh every day have arrived hungry and traumatised. Many need urgent medical care for violence-related injuries, severe infections or childbirth. "The women who are coming for check-ups all have a terrified and exhausted look," said Sumaya, a midwife at the Nayapara refugee camp working in association with the UN population fund. "We keep hearing stories from them of walking through jungles and across hills for days without food, their children carried over their shoulders. They've lost their homes." Two existing refugee camps were packed beyond capacity, and Bangladesh has said it would free land to build a third. Many of the new arrivals were huddling in makeshift shelters along roads or in open fields. Near the camp of Balukhali, some were setting up tents made of bamboo and plastic along hillsides muddy from days of rain. Children walked uphill to capture rainwater before it spilled into the teeming settlements below. Food, clean water and other necessities were scarce. Panic erupted on Thursday along roadsides where local volunteers were distributing food, water and other supplies haphazardly from parked vehicles. Local officials shouted through bullhorns for volunteers to co-ordinate their efforts with aid agencies to avoid spreading chaos. "There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water," Unicef's country representative Edouard Beigbeder said. Bangladesh was already housing some 500,000 Rohingya who fled earlier flashes of violence including anti-Muslim riots in 2012. Rakhine state had up to one million Rohingya before the latest violence. AP Workers walk between the radioactive waste in Tomioka, Fukushima Prefecture, north-eastern Japan, in 2016 (AP) Japan's nuclear policy-setting Atomic Energy Commission has called for nuclear power to remain a key component of the country's energy supply despite broad public support for a less nuclear-reliant society. The commission recommended in a report that nuclear power account for at least 20% of Japan's energy supply in 2030, citing a previous government energy plan. It said rising utility costs caused by expensive fossil fuel imports and slow reactor restarts have affected Japan's economy. The 322-page "nuclear white paper" is the commission's first since a serious accident at a nuclear plant in Fukushima in 2011. Much of it explains government efforts to clean up the damaged plant and tighten safety standards. The resumption of the nuclear policy report is a sign of Japan's accelerating efforts to restart more reactors. "The government should make clear the long-term benefit of nuclear power generation and consider measures that need to be taken," the report said. Japan shut down all its nuclear reactors after the 2011 accident but has restarted five of them. With up to four reactors operating last year, they accounted for less than 2% of the country's power. A massive March 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused meltdowns at three reactors in the Fukushima nuclear plant, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate due to radiation leaks or concerns about the impact on health. Government, parliamentary and private investigations blamed an inadequate safety culture at the plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco), as well as its collusion with regulators, leading to nuclear safety and regulatory reforms. Thursday's report comes as regulators are making final preparations to certify the safety of two reactors at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear plant in northern Japan, also operated by Tepco. The utility says restarting the Kashiwazaki plant, one of its three nuclear plants, is vital to finance the massive cost of the Fukushima clean-up and compensation for disaster-hit residents. The Nuclear Regulation Authority on Wednesday deemed Tepco "competent" to run the plant safely and its final greenlight is expected within weeks, though its actual restart could be months away, after an on-site inspection and local consent. Many Japanese oppose the Kashiwazaki plant's restart, saying Tepco should not be allowed to operate a nuclear plant until it fully investigates the cause of the Fukushima accident and completes the clean-up. The report also endorsed Japan's ambitious pursuit of a nuclear fuel cycle programme using plutonium, despite a decision last year to scrap the Monju reactor, a centrepiece of the plutonium fuel programme, following decades of poor safety records and technical problems. Japan faces growing international scrutiny over its plutonium stockpile because the element can be used to make atomic weapons. The country currently has a stockpile of 47 tons of plutonium - 10 tons at home and the rest in Britain and France, which reprocess and store spent fuel for Japan. Japan plans to start up its controversial Rokkasho reprocessing plant next year, but critics say that would only add to the problem. Without the prospect of achieving a plutonium-burning fast reactor, Japan has resorted to burning a mixture of plutonium and uranium fuel called MOX in conventional reactors as a last-ditch measure to consume plutonium. The report calls it "the only realistic method of making use of plutonium". The need to reduce its plutonium stockpile adds to Japan's push for reactor restarts. It would require 16 to 18 reactors to burn enough MOX to keep its plutonium stockpile from growing, according to a pre-Fukushima accident target set by the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan, an umbrella group for Japanese utilities. The target is unchanged, though widely seen as too optimistic. AP A Nobel peace prize winner from Northern Ireland has told Aung San Suu Kyi she has a personal and moral responsibility to defend the Rohingya people in Burma. In a letter, Peace People founder Mairead Maguire and four other female laureates accuse the de-facto Burmese leader of indifference over the plight of the Muslim minority - thousands of whom have been killed while hundreds of thousands of others fled to neighbouring Bangladesh. "As a fellow Nobel Laureate, a worldwide icon for the universal freedom and human rights, and now State Counsellor and de-facto Prime Minister of Burma, you have a personal and moral responsibility to uphold and defend the rights of your citizens," the Nobel Women's Initiative wrote. "How many Rohingya have to die; how many Rohingya women will be raped; how many communities will be razed before you raise your voice in defence of those who have no voice? Your silence is not in line with the vision of 'democracy' for your country that you outlined to us, and for which we all supported you over the years." Five Nobel laureates signed the letter earlier this week - Ms Maguire; Jody Williams from the US; Shirin Ebadi from Iran; Leymah Gbowee from Liberia; and Tawakkol Karman from Yemen. Maguire co-founded Women for Peace, which later became the Community for Peace People, which was dedicated to encouraging a peaceful resolution of the Troubles. She and co-founder Betty Williams were awarded the 1976 Nobel Peace Prize. It was announced yesterday that Aung San Suu Kyi, will skip this month's UN General Assembly meetings. According to the United Nations 270,000 Rohingya Muslims have crossed into neighbouring Bangladesh in the past two weeks. The exodus began after Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts in Burma, leading the military to respond with "clearance operations" to root out fighters hiding in villages in Rakhine state, prompting accusations of ethnic cleansing. Ms Maguire said the Nobel Women's Initiative had been in contact with Ms Suu Kyi since her release in 2010 and raised concerns about the Rohingya people with her in person at the UN last year. "We have been trying really to do something and speak on their behalf," Ms Maguire said. "We will continue to do that. "We just hope out of her conscience she will realise that she has to speak and that this is ethnic cleansing that is going on." The test launch of a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile in Pyongyang, according to the North Korean government (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP) North Korea has fired an unidentified missile from its capital Pyongyang in a continuation of weapons tests, according to the South Korean military. Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul said the missile was launched from Sunan, the site of Pyongyang's international airport on Friday. North Korea used the same airport to fire a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile that flew over northern Japan in what it declared as a "meaningful prelude" to containing the US Pacific island territory of Guam. Residents were warned via alerts to take shelter. Meanwhile, South Korea's Defence Ministry says the country's military conducted a live-fire ballistic missile drill in response to the North's launch. The South's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the South Korean and U.S. militaries are analysing details of the launch. A car carrying a group of British volunteers has crashed into a tree in Romania, killing one and injuring three others, officials said. Marius Rus, spokesman for the Bistrita emergency services, told The Associated Press the driver lost control of the vehicle in the northern village of Saratel early on Thursday and veered off the road. He said the driver was dead when emergency workers reached him. Officials freed the three passengers who were trapped, including a 17-year-old boy. All were Britons who were in Romania to build a house for deprived Romanians, Mr Rus said. One was seriously injured and transported to a hospital by helicopter, while the other two were in a stable condition. Mr Rus said other British volunteers who were travelling in the car behind suffered panic attacks. AP Police and rescue personnel work at school cordoned off after the fire on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur (AP) A fire that blocked the only exit to an Islamic school dormitory has killed 23 people, mostly teenagers, on the outskirts of Malaysia's largest city, officials said. A government official said a wall separating the victims from a second exit "shouldn't have been there". Firefighters and witnesses described scenes of horror - first of boys screaming for help behind barred windows as neighbours watched helplessly, and later of burned bodies huddled in corners of the room. Islamic teacher Arif Mawardy said he woke up to what he thought was a thunderstorm, only to realise it was the sound of people screaming. Firefighters rushed to the scene in Kuala Lumpur after receiving a distress call at 5.41am and took an hour to put out the blaze, which started on the top floor of the three-storey building, Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh said. Mr Singh said 23 charred bodies were recovered - 21 boys between the ages of 13 and 17 and two teachers. "We believe (they died of) suffocation... the bodies were totally burnt," he said. Mr Singh said 14 other students and four teachers were rescued. Health Minister S Subramaniam said six other students and a resident who went to help were taken to hospital, with four of them in critical condition. He said the 23 bodies were in the Forensics Department waiting to be identified through DNA. The fire broke out near the only door to the boys' dormitory, trapping the victims because the windows were barred, fire department senior official Abu Obaidat Mohamad Saithalimat said. He said the cause was believed to be an electrical short-circuit, although Mr Singh said the investigation was continuing. Another fire department official, Soiman Jahid, said firefighters heard shouts for help when they arrived at the school. He said they found a pile of bodies in the right corner of the dorm and another pile in the left corner. Local media showed pictures of blackened bed frames in the burned dormitory. A resident, Nurhayati Abdul Halim, was quoted as saying that she saw the boys crying and screaming for help. "I saw their little hands out of the grilled windows; crying for help. "I heard their screams and cries but I could not do anything. "The fire was too strong for me to do anything," she said. She added that the school had been operating in the area for the past year. Noh Omar, Malaysia's minister for urban well-being, housing and local government, said the school's original architectural plan included an open top floor that allowed access to two exit staircases. However, he said a wall had been built dividing that floor, leaving only one exit for the dorm. "The wall shouldn't have been there," he said. He added that the school submitted an application for a fire safety permit that had not been approved. The school, Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, is a private Islamic centre, known as a "tahfiz" school, for Muslim children, mainly boys, to study and memorise the Koran. School principal Mohamad Zahid Mahmod was quoted by the Berita Harian newspaper as saying the students were being housed in a temporary building because of renovation work at the main school building. He said they were due to move back at the end of this month. Mohamad Zahid said the school has been operating for 15 years and is registered with the state Islamic religious council. He said the school had housed 42 students, six teachers and two wardens. However, an official with the state religious council said it had no record of the school. The Star newspaper said there were 519 tahfiz schools registered nationwide as of April, but many more are believed to be unregistered. Many such schools are exempt from state inspections. The newspaper said the fire department has recorded 211 fires in such private Islamic centres since 2015. In August, 16 people fled a fire at a tahfiz school in northern Kedah state. Another tahfiz school was destroyed by a fire in May but no one was hurt. The worst fire occurred in 1989 when 27 female students at a private Islamic school in Kedah state died in a blaze that gutted the school and eight wooden hostels. AP The current issue of The Ulster-Scot newspaper has an important article by DUP leader Arlene Foster. It is a thoughtful consideration of culture and identity in Northern Ireland and, in particular, the regional aspects of culture and identity. The article is entitled A rightful place for Ulster-Scots in Northern Irelands new century and, in it, she writes warmly about Ulster-Scots culture, heritage and language. She draws on examples and illustrations from her home county of Fermanagh and she affirms the value and validity of this tradition. She also writes about various cultural traditions as cultural wealth and a cultural tapestry, but at the same time recognises that issues of culture and identity have too often been associated with division and dispute, and I would add the word deadlock. We are approaching the centenary of Northern Ireland and the title of her article refers to Northern Irelands new century. In a few years we will be entering that second century, so this is a forward-looking article. She writes: I want the story of Northern Irelands next 100 years to be of a place and people that thrive within the United Kingdom. And I believe that cultural security and confidence are vital to this new, more positive chapter in our history. She is right when she says that we cannot afford to settle for short-term patches, or political expediency and that we need to investigate, reflect and plan for a better future together. For some years now the public discourse about regional cultures has been dominated by Sinn Feins demand for an Irish Language Act. Unfortunately, that has prevented us having the sort of reflective conversation about cultural diversity that is needed. That is why she says we must establish a new cultural deal to provide a comprehensive and long-term approach to cultural identity. So, what are the core elements in the cultural vision, or cultural framework, that Arlene Foster sets out in the article? The answer is that they are well-established concepts such as cultural diversity, cultural equity and good relations. The concepts are not new, but the important fact is that this is the first time that such a senior politician has brought them together in a coherent way and proposed that they form the framework for an agreed cultural vision. She recognises our historic cultural diversity, whereby English, Irish and Scottish influences have shaped modern Ulster. Indeed, she illustrates that by reference to her own home county and the towns of Brookeborough, Maguiresbridge and Irvinestown the Brookes were an English family, the Maguires were Irish and the Irvines were Scottish. Of course, if we are to build a shared and better future for all our people then that needs to be based on a sound foundation of good relations, and it was exactly 20 years ago that academics at the-then University of Ulster put forward the good relations model of equity, diversity and interdependence. That simply means that all our cultural traditions and our cultural communities should be treated on a basis of equity. In her article, Mrs Foster writes: In practical terms, government actions and policy should be built around respect, recognition, representation and resource; another well-established model that helps us to understand equity. It is about addressing inequality in those four areas. Around that same time, another University of Ulster project recommended that, in managing diversity no one sector of society can, or should, be looked at on its own. We need what they called a holistic approach. The demand for an Irish Language Act, with special treatment and special provisions for the Irish language, runs contrary to that holistic approach. That, in itself, setting aside all the other issues, is a sound enough reason to reject the Sinn Fein approach. Mrs Foster has set out a coherent vision for culture and a framework for addressing cultural issues in Northern Ireland. For that she deserves credit. It is a significant article that deserves to be circulated widely and considered carefully, not just by political negotiators and cultural activists, but by communities, commentators, civil servants and, indeed, everyone with an interest in this part of the United Kingdom. Nearly 50 foreign diplomats on Wednesday visited refugee camps in southeastern Bangladesh overflowing because of a massive new influx of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, and some expressed shock as they heard eyewitness accounts of alleged atrocities across the border. Forty-six ambassadors and diplomats from at least 18 countries toured camps in Coxs Bazar district and met with Rohingya Muslims. The refugees were among some 380,000 people who have fled to Bangladesh since late August, according to the latest estimates from the United Nations, whose secretary general on Wednesday described the humanitarian situation along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border as catastrophic. During the tour hosted by Bangladeshs government, the group of international visitors saw thousands of people living in squalid conditions in makeshift shelters. Off in the distance, smoke could be seen billowing from Rohingya villages in Myanmars Rakhine state, which lies across the Naf River that separates the two countries. Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali led the foreign dignitaries to the U.N.-run Kutupalong refugee camp to meet with Rohingya, who had abandoned their homes in Rakhine as they escaped from the latest cycle of violence there. I had been here two months ago. But of course, it is much more devastating now too many people its a humanitarian crisis, and we have to treat it like that, Dutch Ambassador Leoni Cuelenaere told reporters. I must compliment the government of Bangladesh for receiving all these people with such a big warm heart. Italian Ambassador Mario Palma thanked Bangladesh for giving shelter to tens of thousands of refugees. In the future, we have to think about a lasting solution, he told reporters. They need to have their own country. He called on Myanmar to grant citizenship rights to Rohingya. The visitors represented India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Pakistan, Nepal, the United States, Canada, Russia, China, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, North Korea and other resident missions in Dhaka. Chinese Ambassador Ma Mingqiang was among 46 foreign envoys and diplomats who visited southeastern Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district to get a close-up view of the humanitarian crisis fueled by an influx of Rohingya refugees, Sept. 13, 2017. [Jesmin Papri/BenarNews] Could you find a better word to describe it: UN chief In New York, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on U.N. member states to create an urgent and effective action plan to tackle the root causes forcing Rohingya to flee Myanmar. The humanitarian situation is catastrophic, Guterres said in a statement posted on the U.N.s news website. He noted that people were arriving hungry and malnourished and finding shelter in makeshift settlements or with host communities. I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country, he said. Asked if the situation could be described as ethnic cleansing, he told a press briefing at U.N. headquarters, Well, I would answer your question with another question: When one-third of the Rohingya population had to flee the country, could you find a better word to describe it. This is a dramatic tragedy. People are dying and suffering at horrible numbers and we need to stop it. That is my main concern, Guterres added. Later on Wednesday, following a closed-door meeting of the U.N. Security Council to discuss the issue, the body issued a unanimous statement expressing concern about excessive force used by security forces in the Rakhine state and called for immediate steps to end the violence, Agence France-Presse reported. Diplomats visit In southeastern Bangladesh earlier in the day, the group of 46 diplomats headed to the Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhia, after landing at Coxs Bazar airport. District Deputy Commissioner Ali Hossain told the diplomats that refugees in large numbers started crossing into Bangladesh in the aftermath of attacks on security checkpoints in Myanmar by Rohingya insurgents on Aug. 25. The new influx of refugees has brought the total Rohingya refugee population in southeastern Bangladesh to just over 800,000, including people who fled from earlier cycles of violence in Rakhine. At least 100 people have died since late August mostly from drowning while trying to cross the border into Bangladesh, local officials told BenarNews. The Myanmar government has blamed Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) insurgents for fomenting the latest cycle and for burning Rohingya villages, although eyewitnesses have reported that members of the military and local militia were targeting Rohingya civilians. Joined by journalists, the diplomats listened as refugees recounted tales of horrors allegedly suffered at the hands of Myanmar security forces. Some diplomats were heard muttering, inhuman, inhuman ... oh, my God. Around 1:30 p.m. as they prepared to leave, the diplomats could see smoke billowing from Rohingya villages on the other side of the Naf River. Some used their mobile phones to shoot video of the devastation. They also visited Ghundum point along the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Naikhangchhari, where landmines had been discovered. Actions against humanity On Wednesday, the government was registering new refugee arrivals and collecting biometric data from them, Bangladeshi State Foreign Affairs Minister Shahriar Alam told reporters in Ukhia. The Rohingya will be repatriated once the situation stabilizes, he said. The ambassadors visit to the camps could help lead to other countries mounting diplomatic pressure on Myanmar to resolve the crisis, he said. Now they witnessed the actions against humanity. This will help us expedite diplomatic initiatives, Alam told BenarNews. Hopefully, they will message their headquarters that repatriation of Rohingya is the only solution, Alam said. Indonesia aid Meanwhile, four C-130 cargo planes took off on Wednesday from Jakartas Halim Perdanakusuma Airforce Base to deliver 34 tons of rice, ready-to-eat food, water tanks, refugee tents, childrens clothing and blankets to the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, Indonesian government officials said. We are doing this after I commissioned and sent the foreign minister to talk with the governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar about what humanitarian aid they need, Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said. He and other officials inspected the cargo before the mercy flights took off for Chittagong, the largest city in southeastern Bangladesh. Indonesia plans to send additional aid to the refugees. The Indonesian airlift occurred a day after the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) chartered a Boeing 777 to deliver 100 tons of supplies, including shelter material, jerry cans, blankets, sleeping mats and other essential items for 25,000 refugees. A second delivery included about 1,700 tents for families. U.N. officials said. Ismira Lutfia Tisnadibrata in Jakarta contributed to this report. Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi will not attend the annual U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York this month because of pressing security and humanitarian concerns in her countrys northern Rakhine state, a government spokesperson said today. The de facto national leader, whose official titles are state counselor and foreign minister, will send Myanmars vice president Henry Van Tio to New York in her place so that she can better focus on calming the situation in Rakhine, spokesperson Zaw Htay said Nearly 380,000 mostly Muslim Rohingya residents of Rakhine have fled to Bangladesh in the wake of Aug. 25 attacks against Myanmar border police posts by an Islamic insurgent group, with about 1,000 people killed in subsequent clashes and security sweeps by the countrys military, according to U.N. estimates. Of 471 Rohingya villages in three townships in Rakhine, 176 are completely empty, with about 34 others partly deserted, Zaw Htay said, using the pejorative term Bengali to describe the Rohingya, who are widely viewed in majority-Buddhist Myanmar as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, though many have lived in Myanmar for generations. Myanmars handling of the crisis and perceived persecution of the Rohingya have drawn sharp international criticism, with Bangladesh accusing Myanmar forces of carrying out a genocide against the officially stateless Muslim minority group. The U.N. Security Council was slated to hold a closed-door meeting on Wednesday, its second such meeting over the Rakhine crisis. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday described the humanitarian situation in Myanmar as "catastrophic," and called on Myanmars army to end the violence and other countries to do what they can to supply aid, Reuters news agency reported. "I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country," Guterres said at a news conference. A different view Members of Myanmars 88 Generation Students group of 1988 democracy activists, however, underscored the starkly different view of the crisis held by many in Myanmar. Media reports on the crisis in Rakhine have been largely one-sided, members of the group told BenarNews sister agency Radio Free Asias Myanmar Service following a trip to Rakhines Maungdaw township to help deliver supplies to residents in need. The media should write about the situation of all who are in danger, group member Nilar Thein said. Ethnic groups other than the Rohingya are also suffering in the region, she said, asserting that news reports have said nothing or little about their plight. I would ask local and foreign-based media to fairly present the facts, she said. The worlds view of what is happening in Rakhine has been shaped by the medias reporting the situation in whatever way they like, former student activist and 88 Generation member Min Ko Naing said. To present a complete picture, the media must be involved, but it should do its work free from pressure and bias, he said. Committee formed Myanmars president Htin Kyaw, now undergoing medical treatment in a hospital in neighboring Thailand, has meanwhile formed a committee to implement recommendations put forward by a commission led by former U.N. secretary general Kofi Annan to examine the causes of unrest in Rakhine. The nine-member Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, appointed by Aung San Suu Kyi in August 2016, has called for reviews of the countrys citizenship law and for an end to restrictions on the Rohingya in order to prevent further violence in the beleaguered region. We will look at all the available facts on the ground and deliver programs to meet the needs and desires of the people, said Union Minister for Relief and Resettlement Win Myat Aye, appointed to lead the committee, which will publish reports on its findings every four months. As we are going to employ personnel from various government departments, we will be able to work together cohesively, Win Myat Aye said. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak (left) meets with President Donald Trump (right) and other U.S. government officials at the White House, Sept. 12, 2017. Wrapping up a controversial visit to Washington, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Rajak accused his political opponents of exaggerating the problems of scandal-ridden state fund 1MDB and even of sabotaging it as part of a failed attempt to topple his government. Najib made the allegations hours after his first visit to the White House, where he and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed a range of bilateral issues including the North Korean nuclear threat, cooperation in counter-terrorism, and the Rohingya refugee crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh. I know that some of the audience will have heard some less positive stories about the Malaysian economy, particularly about 1MDB, Najib said during a speech on Tuesday night to Southeast Asian and U.S. business executives in the American capital. [W]hile there were issues, certain opposition politicians in our country blew them out of proportion. The prime minister was alluding to a multi-billion dollar corruption and financial mismanagement scandal linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad, which he founded in 2009 as a vehicle for attracting investments and spurring economic growth in his country. The 1MDB affair has beleaguered Najib since July 2015 and led to calls back home for his resignation, but the issue did not come up during his meeting with Trump, according to the White House press office. The Trump administration was criticized in Malaysia and the United States for inviting Najib to the White House despite a criminal investigation by the U.S. Justice Department into allegations that businessmen associated with 1MDB had diverted and laundered $4.5 billion from the fund. Najib has been implicated because nearly $700 million of money linked to 1MDB was deposited into his private banks accounts in 2013. He has denied any criminal wrong doing, saying this money was donated by the Saudi royal family and not used for his personal gain. Indeed, there was a campaign to deliberately sabotage the company and undermine investor confidence in our economy in a failed attempt to topple the government in-between election cycles, he said, without providing details. He did not name his political rivals. While in Washington, Najib and his entourage stayed at the at the ritzy Trump International Hotel, a 263-room hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue that Donald Trump owns through a trust, according to American newspaper reports. No place for WMDs Prior to their closed-door meeting at the White House, Najib talked at length about Malaysias counter-terrorism efforts, and Trump praised the prime minister for playing a major role in supporting international efforts to stop IS and other groups from spreading extremism. On Wednesday, the third and final day of his U.S. visit, Najib acknowledged in a speech to a Washington think-tank that IS had succeeded in carrying out one attack on Malaysian soil a grenade blast that injured eight people at a nightclub in the Kuala Lumpur area in June 2016. But, he noted, Malaysian authorities had also thwarted at least 13 major terrorist attacks since 2012. In his remarks to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), he also said that he and Trump had discussed North Koreas recent test of a hydrogen bomb. The communist state, which has been under U.N. sanctions since 2006 over its missile launches, tested what it claimed was an H-bomb on Sept. 3, just days after it tested a ballistic missile that flew over the Japanese island of Hokkaido. President Trump and I discussed this at length yesterday, and Malaysia offers its full support and assistance in resolving the current very dangerous tension over North Korea, Najib told the audience at the CSIS. Let me be very clear there can be no place for the use or proliferation of WMDs, he said, referring to weapons of mass destruction. Asia must not be held hostage over the prospect of either a WMD or conventional war breaking out in our midst. The stakes are simply too high. Trump welcomed Najibs commitment to go beyond the U.N. resolutions, including through a review of its diplomatic relations and business links with North Korea, according to a joint statement issued by the White House, which also said the two leaders discussed the need to end the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. In addition, the two leaders touched on a flare-up of violence in Myanmars Rakhine state, which followed attacks by Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) insurgents on Myanmar border police posts last month, the statement said. The violence has unleased an exodus of at least 380,000 Rohingya Muslims into neighboring Bangladesh, according to the United Nations. The White House statement said Trump and Najib urged the Myanmar government to end the violence against innocents and ensure that humanitarian relief reached the victims immediately. The Rohingya people have had their community identity denied for decades and been forced to flee their homes in Myanmar to flee persecution and brutal attacks, Najib told his CSIS audience, according to a transcript posted on his website. Many have said that the atrocities committed against them could be rightly described as constituting ethnic cleansing or genocide." Najib said. I believe the world is almost completely united in being appalled by the latest wave of violence which also has the potential to radicalize desperate young people enraged by their governments treatment of them, Najib said. A protester sits in handcuffs after being detained by Malaysian police in Kuala Lumpur, Aug. 30, 2017. Malaysian authorities on Thursday announced the arrests of three suspected Islamic State (IS) militants, including a man linked to two other terrorist organizations, in separate raids last weekend. Police Inspector-General Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the suspects, all Malaysians, were picked up by counter-terrorism officials in raids in three states between Sept. 8 and 10. The announcement occurred two days after Prime Minister Najib Razak and U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to strengthen bilateral cooperation to combat growing terrorist threats around the region during Najibs visit to Washington. The first suspect, a 21-year-old man, was detained in Bagan Serai, Perak on Sept 8. The unemployed suspect swore allegiance to IS at the beginning of this year. He has also established connections with al-Qaeda and the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), Fuzi, Malaysias new police chief, said in a statement Thursday. The suspect, Fuzi said, confessed to receiving guidance from Mahmud Ahmad, who allegedly is a conduit for IS funds coming from the Middle East, and a Saudi Arabian bomb expert to produce improvised explosive devices (IED) on a large scale. Police did not release the names of any of the suspects. Mahmud was actively involved in the siege of Marawi city in the southern Philippines together with ASG commander Isnilon Hapilon, who is the recognized IS regional leader. From the teachings, the suspect tried to make the IED bombs three times. He has also received orders from a senior Malaysian IS militant in Syria to buy a pistol, M-16 rifle, AK-47 and a hand grenade from a neighboring country to launch attacks on non-Muslim places of worship, Fuzi said. We seized bomb-making chemicals at the suspects house during the raid, he added. Two other suspects, a 38-year-old local drink (cendol) seller and a 41-year-old bus driver were arrested in the state of Melaka and Selangor, both on Sept. 10. The suspect was active in producing and distributing IS flags to promote the terror groups ideology, Fuzi said of the drink seller. He allegedly planned to join an IS faction in the southern Philippines or a militant group in Rakhine, Myanmar. The third suspect who was arrested in the town of Petaling Jaya, Selangor, allegedly planned to join IS in Syria by the end of this year. All three suspects were being held under the Security Offenses (Special Measures) Act 2012, Fuzis statement said. The act allows police to hold suspects for 28 days without charges. IS links Since 2013, Malaysian authorities have arrested 332 people suspected of having links to IS, of whom 66 have since been freed, according to government figures compiled by BenarNews. IS successfully carried out its first terrorist attack on Malaysian soil a grenade blast that injured eight patrons at a nightclub near Kuala Lumpur in June 2016. Earlier this month, Malaysian authorities said they had foiled a plot to launch a terror attack during the Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur by arresting 19 suspected terrorists. Eight of the suspects two Philippine nationals and six Malaysians who were ASG members were arrested in Kuala Lumpur and several states from early July till late August, police said on Sept. 5. Authorities said the raids were launched to thwart a terror plot to disrupt last months games and the countrys 60th Independence Day celebration, on Aug. 31. US visit During a visit to the White House on Tuesday, Prime Minister Najib said he talked at length with President Trump about Malaysias counter-terrorism efforts. In addition, Malaysia had pledged $1 million for humanitarian assistance in areas liberated from IS. In a joint statement released on Wednesday, Najibs office said the two leaders vowed to strengthen cooperation to counter growing threats of IS in Southeast Asia. Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of promoting community resilience and mutual respect across religious and ethnic boundaries, the statement said. Ray Sherman in Kuala Lumpur contributed to the report. Philippine police commandos unload bags containing bodies of comrades killed in a clash with Muslim rebels in the southern town of Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, Jan. 26, 2015. Former Philippine President Benigno Aquino will stand trial for a bungled police raid in the south that left 44 commandos and 17 rebels dead two years ago, according to a ruling made public on Thursday by the top graft prosecutor. There was probable cause to charge Aquino with one count of graft and corruption, and another count of usurpation of official functions for ordering the operation in the southern town of Mamasapano that also killed Malaysian terror suspect Zulkifli bin Hir (alias Marwan), Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said. The deaths in January 2015 were the biggest single-day combat loss for government forces in recent memory. It also damaged Aquinos popularity, which was already at a low. Aquino and two of his former top police generals allegedly launched the police operation in the remote town in Maguindanao province without the knowledge of other police and military officials. Retreating policemen faced an overwhelming force from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the countrys biggest former Muslim rebel group that signed a peace deal with Manila, but was caught unawares by the raid. MILF controlled the area where the operation took place, but said there was no coordination prior to the raid, in violation of the earlier agreement. Seventeen MILF rebels also died in the clash, according to the group. In June 2017, the Office of the Ombudsman decided to press charges against Aquino, his then-national police chief Alan Purisima and Special Action Force head Getulio Napenas for criminal negligence. Aquino immediately filed an appeal. But in an order dated Monday and publicly released Thursday, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales denied Aquinos appeal and said the case would go to the Sandiganbayan graft court. If convicted, Aquino and his two officials could face up to six years in jail. Morales on Thursday insisted that Aquino had ordered Purisima to carry out the planned operation, codenamed Oplan Exodus, despite the latter being suspended for an unrelated graft case. This act constituted an act of persuading, inducing or influencing another public officer to perform acts constituting a violation of the order of preventive suspension. President Aquino has repeatedly admitted and asserted in his counter-affidavit and in the instant motion that he utilized the services of Purisima for Oplan Exodus, albeit he is insisting that it was only for a limited role of a resource person, Morales said. But evidence on record revealed Purisimas actual participation in Oplan Exodus and that he was certainly much more than a mere resource person. That President Aquino utilized the services of the preventively suspended Purisima, prior to and during the implementation, thereby giving Purisima an active role in Oplan Exodus as he was exercising a degree of authority and discretion over Napenas, is the crux of the finding of probable cause against President Aquino, she said. A government of laws, not of men Aquino, in his earlier court filings, said he was within his rights when he ordered Purisima to carry out the raid, and argued that there was nothing irregular about his order. He said his only intent was to utilize the expertise of the disgraced former police chief in carrying out the planned raid. But Morales dismissed Aquinos claims that he was denied due process, and emphasized that the former president was given every opportunity to be heard during the preliminary investigation of the case. While a president of the republic is certainly possessed with broad discretionary powers, the exercise thereof must not, however, be done in violation of a law or laws, much less when such exercise constitutes a crime, Morales said. Every public official and office is expected under the law to fully comply with it, without any form of circumvention, run-around, equivocation or pretense. Obedience to the rule of law forms the bedrock of our system of justice. A government of laws, not of men, excludes the exercise of broad discretionary powers by those acting under its authority, she said. Aquinos spokeswoman, Abigail Valte, said the former president was consulting with his lawyers, but no immediate statement was forthcoming. Despite the high death toll, the operation succeeded in neutralizing Marwan, one of the regions most-wanted militants who had a bounty of $5 million on his head offered by the United States. But it also came at a steep political price for Aquino, whose popularity rating was at a low toward the end of his six-year term as president, which ended in June 2016. Philippine troops look for militant snipers as they patrol the ruined area of Mapandi village, near the ground-zero of the fighting in the southern city of Marawi, Sept. 14, 2017. Weary Philippine troops on Thursday pushed their way closer to enemy-held territory amid the ruins of Marawi, as the military appeared to have seized strategic positions almost four months after Islamic State-linked militants took over this southern city. Troops allowed BenarNews reporters to join them inside Marawis main battle area, giving them permission to observe U.S.-trained Filipino commandos while they moved around the districts of Mapandi and Lilod, two areas controlled by the gunmen from May 23 until recently. We have reduced their maneuver space, Brig. Gen. Rolando Bautista, commander of the ground troops, told reporters, referring to the areas under control of the militants. That is our final push. We concentrate whatever personnel, whatever capability we have. As dusk settled on the ruined city, Maj. Rick Ganuelas of the Marines 1st Brigade scanned the horizon with night-vision goggles and told his men to remain vigilant against Abu Sayyaf and Maute group fighters. In the distance, heavy exchange of gunfire could be heard as an American P-3 Orion flew overhead and gathered intelligence information, which would be relayed to the Philippine troops on the ground. The dull thud of bombs being dropped by Philippine Air Force planes shook the ground and rattled steel frames of windows. We have separate men assigned in daytime, as well nighttime, Ganuelas told BenarNews, referring to the incessant firefights. He described the fight as intense, but troops on the frontline were continuing to advance slowly. We lost two of our boys the other day during an assault, he said. A destroyed city Besides him, troops took positions on pockmarked ruins that used to be homes, before Marawi was abandoned by its estimated 200,000 residents. Nearby, the citys old Grand Mosque stands abandoned, guarded by troops who had pushed out a rebel unit that took refuge in the concrete building before they fled two weeks ago. Its once vibrant-green color has been scarred, and while the building stands erect, its main dome and turrets bore evidence of the heavy exchange of fire. Abandoned vehicles lay in ruins, torched by the gunmen or destroyed by the constant bombing runs that so far had failed to dislodge the militants from their positions. Stray dogs gnawed on scattered human bones, which were later gathered by military forensics experts, BenarNews reporters said. Philippine troops search for militant fighters in an area of Mapandi village near the ground-zero of fighting in the southern city of Marawi, Sept. 14, 2017. [Jeoffrey Maitem/BenarNews] Uncertain of number of enemies still fighting The military believes that Isnilon Hapilon, a leader of one faction of the local Abu Sayyaf group and the acknowledged head of the Islamic State here, is carrying on with fighting in the area. He is believed to be backed by fighters from the Middle East and Southeast Asia, as well as local fighters from the Maute group, a small gang founded by members of a local Filipino Muslim family. The military estimates that about 40 to 60 militants are still engaged in the fighting. While the heavy firepower from the militant side has ebbed, they are still able to push back soldiers, with strategically positioned snipers able to pin down government assault units. Fate of hostages unknown Col. Romeo Brawner, commander of the Joint Task Group Marawi, said the sustained bombardment from airstrikes and daily assaults were being carried out carefully to ensure that no hostages were harmed. But there was no word about the fate of the dozens of hostages believed to be held by the gunmen. One of them was Marawis Roman Catholic priest, who was last seen on a video pleading to President Rodrigo Duterte to stop the air raids. On Thursday morning, the Marines marched on streets littered with debris from the battle, and made sure that none of the shattered buildings were re-occupied by the gunmen. At least 148 soldiers and 660 militants have died since the fighting began. At least 45 civilians were also killed by militants, officials said. The United States and Australia are helping in intelligence gathering, and Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore have offered counter-terror support through marine patrols to ensure that militants from Marawi do not cross sea borders. At least two jet fighters carried out air strikes in the area early Thursday, Brawner, the task force commander, said. Our airstrikes against our enemies defense positions continue on a daily basis, but we are careful not to hit the mosques, Brawner said. Their hostages are indispensable, he said. As much as possible, they will keep their hostages alive to use them as their human shields. A ranger stands near a pickup truck fired on by militants in Yalas Yaha district, Sept. 14, 2017. A Thai soldier and a police officer were killed and 26 others including civilians were injured in roadside bombings and shootings in the Deep South early on Thursday, security officials said. The violence began around 1:30 a.m. when a bomb exploded next to a utility pole in Yalas Kabang district. No one was injured and officials waited until daylight to send a crew to assess the damage. Later, an explosive ordnance disposal team was dispatched to the scene. They were traveling through nearby Yaha district at around 9 a.m. when a second bomb exploded. As a security team rushed to the scene to aid those injured minutes earlier, another bomb exploded and militants began shooting at their vehicles. I believe the bombings were carried out by the insurgents, Yaha Police Station chief Col. Tawat Sunthornpoj told reporters as he inspected the ambush scenes. The soldier and police officer died after being taken to a hospital, according to officials with the regional military command, ISOC 4. Of the 26 people wounded, four were seriously injured, they said. Officials did not give a breakdown of how many people were hurt in each attack. The attacks took place only two days after government officials and members of MARA Patani, a panel representing rebel groups, met in Kuala Lumpur to discuss technical issues involved in establishing a proposed safety zone in a Deep South district. The peace talk efforts seek to resolve the 13-year-old armed conflict that has killed nearly 7,000 people in Yala and its neighboring southern provinces, Pattani and Narathiwat. In August, police in the Deep South killed a suspected insurgent after seven men stole pickup trucks from a used-car dealership, intending to convert into car bombs. The suspects also took four employees hostage, killing one and injuring another. In May, insurgents set off two car bombs near the Big C department store in Pattani town, wounding more than 80 people. After an 18-year run in Goose Creek and unforeseen challenges presented by COVID-19, Dreamalot Books has gradually but decidedly gained a steady foothold in the Moncks Corner community as a welcoming haven of second-hand books for both area bibliophiles and those traveling in from Myrtle Read moreThe 'happy place' for used books: Dreamalot Books emerging as a go-to hot spot in Moncks Corner ein Google-Unternehmen Google-Dienste anzubieten und zu betreiben Ausfalle zu prufen und Manahmen gegen Spam, Betrug und Missbrauch zu ergreifen Daten zu Zielgruppeninteraktionen und Websitestatistiken zu erheben. 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Sofern relevant, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auerdem, um Inhalte und Werbung altersgerecht zu gestalten. Wir verwenden Cookies und Daten, umWenn Sie Alle akzeptieren auswahlen, verwenden wir Cookies und Daten auch, umWahlen Sie Weitere Optionen aus, um sich zusatzliche Informationen anzusehen, einschlielich Details zum Verwalten Ihrer Datenschutzeinstellungen. Sie konnen auch jederzeit g.co/privacytools besuchen. President Xi Jinping holds a welcoming ceremony for Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah in Beijing on Wednesday. WU ZHIYI / CHINA DAILY Infrastructure, health and defense affairs are among highlights of the cooperative documents signed following the meeting on Wednesday between President Xi Jinping and Brunei's visiting Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. During their meeting, Xi said the two countries should reinforce the exchange of governing experience, the synergy of their development strategies as well as pragmatic cooperation in various fields. Both countries should strengthen cooperation in areas such as infrastructure construction, energy, halal food, agriculture, fisheries and digital economy. Hassanal, who is both the sultan and prime minister, said his country supports the Belt and Road Initiative and it will continue honoring the one-China policy. Brunei welcomes Chinese enterprises making investments and developing business there, and the country is ready to further maintain high-level contacts with China and expand cultural exchanges. Hassanal was making his second state visit to China the first was in 2013. Wednesday's talk was amicable, and the outcomes were fruitful, said Xiao Qian, director-general of the Foreign Ministry's Department of Asian Affairs. Speaking about the South China Sea, Xi said the current situation is increasingly stable and cooling, and it shows a positive momentum of development. China is ready to work with parties concerned, including Brunei, to make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation, Xi said. Brunei is ready to work with China to champion peace and stability in the South China Sea and continue to nurture the ties between ASEAN and China, Hassanal said. Before arriving in Beijing, Hassanal attended the 14th China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. China appreciates Brunei pushing forward the development of the China-ASEAN relationship, Xi said. China is willing to strengthen the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the development plans of ASEAN, promote and upgrade their ties and boost the buildup of the ASEAN Community, Xi said. zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn For Immediate Release, September 14, 2017 Contact: Brett Hartl, (202) 817-8121, bhartl@biologicaldiversity.org Forest Service Dragged Heels Assessing Threats to Canada Lynx Habitat Delay Undermines Pretext for Daines-Tester Legislation Weakening Endangered Species Act WASHINGTON A document recently obtained by the Center for Biological Diversity shows that the U.S. Forest Services Northern Rockies office took eight months to complete a routine assessment of the impacts of logging and mining on critical habitat for the threatened Canada lynx. The extensive delay on a process that could have been completed in just a few weeks undermines justifications for a new effort in the U.S. Senate to weaken the Endangered Species Act. Citing logging projects delayed by the lynx assessment, Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) introduced sweeping legislation that would dismantle key endangered species protections on public lands. The Forest Service really acted in bad faith on the Canada lynx, said Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center. The agency dragged its feet for months on this crucial assessment, attempting to give Montanas senators an excuse for trying to gut the Endangered Species Act. This document show how ridiculous that pretext really is. Wildlife on the brink shouldnt have to suffer from this cynical behavior. These types of routine assessments are the initial steps in the consultation process required to ensure that agencies properly protect endangered species. They normally take weeks or a month at the most to complete. Once they are complete, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can then finish the consultation process, which scientific research has shown is usually completed within the 90-day timeframe required under law. Delays by the Forest Service here have further imperiled the lynx. In 2015 the Forest Service lost a case in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The court upheld the long-standing requirement that the agency ensures its actions do not destroy critical habitat for the Canada lynx. The Forest Service then tried appealing the decision to the Supreme Court. In October 2016 the appeal was rejected, ending all legal challenges. With no recourse available except a Congressional bailout, the Forest Service moved extremely slowly in complying with the Endangered Species Act, completing the lynx habitat assessment in July. The Forest Service appears to have manufactured a crisis in hopes that Congress would step in. The legislation introduced by Danes and Tester would eliminate the requirement within the Endangered Species Act for the Forest Service and other agencies to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the landscape or programmatic level when, for example, the forest service is developing its national forest plans. Under this legislation, if a forest management plan is already complete, federal agencies do not need to revise their plans if critical habitat for an endangered species is later designated or revised or even if an additional species is designated as threatened or endangered on those lands. Montanas senators want to undermine the Endangered Species Act just because the Forest Service was slow to act, said Hartl. The Canada lynx and other species threatened by mining and logging shouldnt go unprotected because of one highly unusual delay. There is ample evidence, such as documents previously obtained by the Center, showing that if the Forest Service is on the ball, these consultations can be completed quickly. In June the nine national forests of the Sierra Nevada region completed a programmatic consultation in just 10 days following the designation of critical habitat for Yosemite toads and Sierra Nevada and mountain yellow-legged frogs. These programmatic consultations are really important for species because they require the Forest Service and other agencies to consider the cumulative impacts of their actions across the landscape on wide-ranging endangered species like the lynx, said Hartl. This prevents animals from being driven extinct in death-by-a-thousand-cuts scenarios, which is precisely the danger the lynx faces. For Immediate Release, September 14, 2017 Contact: Randy Serraglio, (520) 784-1504, rserraglio@biologicaldiversity.org Tadeo Pfister, (520) 901-0259, tpfister@paulofreireschool.org New Video Shows Wild Jaguar in Arizona TUCSON, Ariz. The Center for Biological Diversity released new video today of a wild jaguar currently living in the United States, named Sombra by students of the Paulo Freire Freedom School in Tucson. Captured on remote sensor cameras in the Chiricahua Mountains of southern Arizona, the footage shows what appears to be the same jaguar photographed in the nearby Dos Cabezas Mountains in November 2016. This beautiful cat has now appeared in images taken seven months apart, said Randy Serraglio, conservation advocate with the Center. It seems that its established residence in excellent habitat more than 50 miles north of the border, which is great news for jaguar recovery. Our kids benefit from an educational philosophy that connects them to their world in a concrete and hands-on way, said Tadeo Pfister, a science teacher at Paulo Freire. They love studying these big cats, and its thrilling to know that theyre helping to shape a future that includes jaguars. The footage, shot this summer, is the first publicly released video of this jaguar. Individual jaguars spot patterns are unique, and biologists have compared the photographic evidence to determine that this is the same cat that was photographed last year by a camera maintained by the Bureau of Land Management. In response to the Centers video release, Arizona Game and Fish Department officials confirmed that Sombra is a male, based on previously unreleased photographic evidence. Jaguars continue to move into Arizona from a small, vulnerable population in northern Mexico. Seven jaguars have been confirmed by photographs in the United States in the past 20 years, including most recently: The jaguar named El Jefe by Tucson middle school students was photographed by trail cameras more than 100 times in the Santa Rita Mountains near Tucson between 2012 and 2015. Video footage of El Jefe released in February 2016 went viral and was seen by millions of people around the globe. A male jaguar, named Yoko by students at Hiaki High School on the Pascua Yaqui reservation, has been photographed repeatedly between December 2016 and May 2017 by trail cameras in the Huachuca Mountains in southern Arizona. Yoko appears to have established a territory on the Fort Huachuca military reservation. Sombra, which is Spanish for shadow, is the third U.S. jaguar detected in the past three years, originally photographed in November 2016 in the Dos Cabezas Mountains just north of the Chiricahuas. Part of ensuring the survival and recovery of the northern jaguar population is stopping Trumps horrendous border wall, said Serraglio. These cats must be able to move back and forth across the border as they travel long distances to find mates and establish new territories. Background Jaguars are the third-largest cats in the world after tigers and lions. They once lived throughout the American Southwest, with historical records on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, the mountains of Southern California and as far east as Louisiana. Jaguars virtually disappeared from this part of their range over the past 150 years, primarily due to hunting, habitat loss and U.S. government-sponsored predator eradication programs intended to benefit the livestock industry. In 2014 the Center secured more than 750,000 acres of federally protected critical habitat for U.S. jaguar recovery. Todays new jaguar footage was captured well outside of that designated area. The Center has mapped millions of acres of U.S. habitat suitable for jaguars. Kenya boasts diverse destinations that remain major attractions for tourists from across the world. From the classic wildlife safaris to the sandy beaches at the coast and metropolis cities full of vibrant life, this east African country has a full bucket list of marvels to explore. David Kuria As part of its Destination Campaign aimed at accentuating Africa's tourist destinations, Jumia Travel talked to David Kuria, the managing director of Olumara Camp, who expounds on the hotel business in the Masai Mara. Located within the National Reserve, the camp is an exemplary destination to enjoy Kenya's wild as it is designed to blend with the natural surroundings. In the interview, Kuria highlights performance during the migration season and election period, domestic vs. international tourism receipts as well as challenges of operating a hotel business in Kenya's Savanna. How is your bed occupancy performance during this years Great Migration season? This time it coincided with the general elections period making it a little shaky. However, we maintained a 40% rate in bed occupancy from mid-August. Between June and July, our numbers stood at 70% when the migration was at its peak in the Masai Mara. How would you classify your guests, particularly in percentages of domestic vs. foreign tourists? We appreciate that over the years we have experienced a rise in domestic guests seeking to visit the Mara as compared to earlier years when we primarily received mostly foreigners. But, it is noticeable that the numbers still vary greatly, with 20% and 80% resident and non-resident guests respectively. Families and groups of friends frequent more during the holidays such as Easter and Christmas, while solo travelers and couples are our more frequent guests at Olumara. We tend to attribute these trends to some factors such as poor infrastructure, forcing most tourists to the Mara to opt for flights which are quite expensive. Take for instance a family of five paying for a flight, accommodation, and meals for a minimum two nights, not to mention the exorbitantly high park fees that range about $80 (Kshs 8,000) for non-residents and approximately $10 (Kshs 1,000) for Kenyan citizens. These will require plenty of planning and saving, especially for locals, with most of them opting for other destinations such as the Kenyan coast. Thankfully, travel agencies such as Jumia Travel are easing the hustle to travel to the Mara, with their exclusive resident rates, as well as discounts and affordable packages. Olumara Camp (Image Supplied) The Masai Mara is reckoned as the jewel of Kenyas wildlife viewing areas. Are you satisfied with the maintenance of the reserve, and if not, what would you say needs to be done? The Masai Mara ecosystem is a collection of parks and conservancies, the creation of which was a great idea because it helped solve the problem of the Masai Mara National Reserve being penned in by private development, giving the animals migration space. But what was once a very good idea has now become unproductive, in that many segments of the conservancies are fencing themselves off and limiting movement of wildlife within the entire Masai Mara - Serengeti ecosystem. Also, of great concern is the over-development of lodges and tents especially in Talek. Further, the MICE industry has not fully exploited conferencing products in the wild, which in our opinion is a good corporate getaway giving ambience for productive deliberations. Access to the Mara by road is a big challenge especially past Narok. Two airlines dominate fly-in safaris - Safarilink and Airkenya Express - with recent entries like Governors Aviation and Mombasa Air. Yet, the conservancy remains out of reach for the average East African guest in terms of cost. A lot needs to be done, with roads development being at the top of the list, if the ecosystem is to enjoy more diverse and frequent guests. Multinational beverage and brewing company Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (AB InBev) is providing agronomists and food scientists of Stellenbosch University with R6m in funding, allowing them to tackle issues related to the production of barley or the next three years. It will include crops such as cassava and sorghum that is often used in beer making in many African countries. Research group (Image Supplied) Their endeavours are being funded through the new AB InBev Research Chair in Agronomy held by Prof Nick Kotze of the SU Department of Agronomy. According to Kotze, bursaries worth R1m will be provided to six undergraduate and four postgraduate MSc students at SU. A further R1m is being set aside to fund various research projects. According to Dr Nikki Else, research and development manager: agriculture Africa at AB InBev, it is the biggest investment yet in a South African university by AB InBev Research, or by SAB Miller Ltd - with which it merged in October 2016. Beers such as Budweiser, Stella Artois, and Corona, as well as local brands such as Castle Lager, Castle Lite, Carling Black Label, Lion Lager and Hansa Pilsener count among the popular AB InBev brands. Research to help mitigate risk in supply chain We are excited about the partnership, and believe that the research will mitigate potential risks within the supply chain, demonstrating our commitment to South Africa whilst ensuring the required quality that meets the needs of our brewers and our customers, says Else. Much of the work will focus on barley, used in malt production, which is a core ingredient in many a beer brewed worldwide. Different analytical tests will be developed to detect pre-germination in barley seeds as well as some identified barley defects. These parameters all have an influence on the eventual quality of the barley to be used to produce malt, and which influences the supply of barley within the supply chain. From the research, we hope to put forward recommendations to predict the storage potential of pre-germinated grains, to ensure that crops are not lost completely, says Kotze. Cassava, sorghum research to help AB InBev increase its reach in Africas local beer market Cassava and sorghum research will also be conducted where several varieties will be evaluated against agronomic and quality criteria. Various trial sites in Africa for selected varieties will be identified in order to determine different climatic and soil conditions on production. According to Else, projects related to cassava and sorghum will help AB InBev increase its reach in Africas local beer market. Through this project, we hope to provide guidelines to producers in these countries on the production techniques that work best to grow quality sorghum, says Kotze. Another project involves food scientists at Stellenbosch University which will focus on the detection of a quality compound issue found in the cassava plant. The project consists of Prof Kotze, Dr Stefan Hayward and Prof Pieter Gouws of the Department of Food Science at Stellenbosch University, as well as Dr Else of AB InBev. Laboratory facilities to do such tests are not always available in the remote areas where cassava is typically produced, explains Prof Gouws. Therefore, wed like to develop a kit that is easy and quick to use in the field. The SU researchers will, therefore, be looking into ways to adapt the available corrin-based chemosensor technique that can currently only be performed in a laboratory. It's been a rough few years for the retail industry. Major US department stores J.C. Penney and Macy's announced hundreds of store closures, while back home Nine West and Mango shut its standalone stores and we witnessed the death of the 159-year-old Stuttafords Americas shopping malls are in crisis, with 50% of them expected to close by 2023. In his Dead Mall Series filmmaker Dan Bell tours the country offering an interesting look into these once-bustling retail spaces that now lie mostly abandoned. But the reasons for this retail apocalypse, as its been called, extend beyond Amazon; the industry is in flux. Retail futurist Howard Saunders was in Cape Town for the South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC) Annual Congress, and in his keynote titled The future is scary, he delved into some of the shifts we're experiencing in consumer mindset and retail brand innovation. The ME age Howard Saunders The financial crisis of 2007 marked a change in thinking that brought about what Saunders dubbed The ME age. We watched the banks collapse; we no longer trusted them or the government. We wanted to rebuild and we wanted a new way of doing things. "And then the smartphone arrived and overnight we were all connected and we suddenly knew that we were the centre of the universe. We knew that we were in charge and wanted things done our way. He said that the ME age is the death of mediocrity. Customers want the product, not a product. This sky-rocketing of our expectations as consumers has given way to the rise in bespoke, customised products and personalised experiences. In this age, if you're not talking directly to your consumer in a way that's relevant to them, they're not interested. The artisan revolution Saunders noted that big brands like Starbucks and Cadburys are not scared of other big brands, theyre scared of the artisans. McDonalds isnt worried about what Burger King is doing, theyre worried about the owner-run salad bar on the corner. Small-scale producers, whether in coffee, cheese, chocolate or leather goods, are having their moment. Its David and Goliath time folks. These big brands know that whats eroding their sales is the artisan revolution. You tour the little factory, you see it being made, you taste it and you talk about it. The rise of food markets Tying into the popularity of artisanal goods is the rise of markets. According to Saunders, the number of food markets in the US has increased fivefold, from approximately 10,000 to 50,000. But what is their appeal if theyre not necessarily known for their speed or efficiency? Theyre real, he said, a far cry from the dull and detached atmosphere of ones average food court. You see them making stuff and you want to connect with them. Theyre smart entrepreneurs full of energy and theyre happy to serve you. Its a food revolution. Mercato Metropolitano is a buzzing market in London. The brand playground In the age of online retail, were no longer venturing out in search of stuff, instead we expect it to come to us. This begs the question: what do we do with physical stores? Saunders said they need to become brand playgrounds engaging spaces with immersive experiences that make customers feel like theyre part of a community. The new retail space needs to morph from a warehouse to more of an interactive social venue. As an example, in New Yorks Meatpacking District the Samsung 837 building boasts an event space, cafe and hi-tech theatre, but there isnt a Samsung product available to purchase. And in London, Dyson offers a museum-like experience where customers are able to see how products are designed and tested. By the time youve made your way through this new retail space, youve fallen in love with the brand. This is the new retail. Dyson store in London. Stores are dead because they store things. We dont want to walk around your warehouse of neatly packaged products. We want a playground, we want to learn and have fun. We want social spaces, food halls, markets, brand playgrounds. Thats what retail is about, its for our communities. It's all about connection now. The South African Wind Energy Association (Sawea) is disappointed at Eskom's delaying tactics at the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) hearing into the utility's heel dragging in fulfilling its renewable power purchase agreement obligations. The South African Wind Energy Association (Sawea) declared a power procurement dispute in October 2016, requesting the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to undertake an investigation into Eskoms continued unwillingness to fulfil its mandate as purchaser of power duly procured by the Department of Energy. In March 2017, the regulator responded to this complaint by launching a formal investigation into Eskoms conduct. A hearing for both parties to make submissions was scheduled 14 September 2017. Communications challenges The hearing began on two disappointing notes: Firstly, Eskom arrived with a plea for postponement, citing communications challenges that had prevented the national utility from adequately preparing its submissions, both written and verbal, despite several correspondences between Nersa and the parties, clearly indicating the timeframes to be adhered to. Secondly, Nersa had declared the hearing closed to the public, and would not allow members of media who had arrived, to join the hearing, Sawea said in a statement. Sawea and its legal counsel objected strongly to both these points, arguing that in the first case Eskom had had a total of 11 months to take the necessary steps to engage with this matter, and that in the second case, refusing to open the hearing to the public would be inconsistent with constitutional principles of openness, transparency and fairness, as well as Nersas own legislation. The hearing that was meant to take place today, 11 months after Saweas complaint was first submitted, has now been postponed by two weeks. It is worth noting that Nersa cautioned Eskom to adhere to this timeframe, given the prejudice already suffered by those whose interests Sawea represents. Sawea added that it was disappointed that the national utility has not taken seriously the major negative effects of the ongoing delay on South Africas young renewable energy Industry. It is an indication of the depth of poor governance at Eskom, that such a serious matter has suffered the fate of being a casualty of communications challenges at this state-owned enterprise. The reasons provided by Eskom for its long-standing refusal to honour duly procured power purchases must surely be deemed to be in the national interest, the association said. About 4,000 lower-income households in Cape Town are expected to benefit from affordable housing developments on well-located city-owned land. Building inclusive communities through reversing the spatial legacy of apartheid is a key priority of this government, the citys mayoral committee member on transport and urban development, Councillor Brett Herron, said on Wednesday, 13 September. Herron said the city will this month commence with the development of affordable housing opportunities at scale on well-located city-owned land. The importance of this occasion cannot be overstated. Developing prime land for lower-income residents in Cape Town is a momentous occasion. These sites are less than five kilometres away from the Cape Town central business district (CBD), he said. They are located within the Voortrekker Road Corridor Integration Zone (VRCIZ) one of three integration zones where the city will, during its term of office, spend the bulk of its capital budget on infrastructure aimed to transform Cape Towns spatial reality. The VRCIZ will link the Bellville, Maitland, Parow, Goodwood and Salt River CBDs with the Cape Town CBD via Voortrekker Road. The announcement of the location of these city-owned sites is in line with the commitment in our Organisational Development and Transformation Plan to do everything possible to reverse the impact of apartheid spatial planning. With the development of these sites, we are beginning to create a new urban fabric based on access and inclusivity, Herron said. Apart from their proximity to CBDs, these sites are within walking distance of public transport, social amenities, schools, hospitals, and clinics. Mayor of Cape Town Patricia de Lille said the city established the Transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA) in an explicit move to bring the functions of urban planning, formal housing and transport together. Key to achieving our goals of spatial transformation is for TDA to implement the citys transit-oriented development (TOD) strategy which aims to create a compact and connected city. We will do this by bringing people closer to economic development and providing affordable housing located close to public transport corridors. The aim is further to build integrated communities where households have economic and operational resilience, she said. South African architect Heidi van Eeden was announced the winner in the Next Generation category of the Regional LafargeHolcim Awards held recently in Nairobi, Kenya. The awards celebrates projects and visions for sustainable construction. Heidi van Eeden Van Eeden was recognised for her work in developing new sustainable methods of brick-making in the Soshanguve township in Gauteng, proving that brick-making can be both technically sustainable and deliver a social contribution to community-making. Visionary projects The Next Generation category for students and professionals up to 30 years of age has become increasingly popular. The category seeks visionary projects and bold ideas, and gives young professionals public exposure and a platform to achieve recognition. For the first time in the history of the LafargeHolcim Awards, more projects were submitted in the Next Generation category than in the main category. Van Eedens project Brick-Works is based on an analysis of unsustainable practices in the production of fired bricks, proposing a set of principles to improve the viable operation of the brick-making industry. Brick-Works offers a sensitive, bottom-up approach to community development through sustainable industry. Lafarge South Africa congratulates Heidi van Eeden on this remarkable achievement. At Lafarge, it is important for us as a company to identify and foster innovation through young and upcoming entrepreneurs in our communities, says Nompilo Morafo, country head: corporate affairs, communications and sustainable development for Lafarge South Africa. Apple's new "spaceship" headquarters peeked above a nearby hillside as the sun shined gloriously through towering glass walls of the entryway to Steve Jobs Theater. Apple Park The smell of freshly turned soil was heavy in the warming air even as the site was inaugurated with the unveiling of a 10th anniversary iPhone at Apple Park in Silicon Valley. "Apple Park has been built to reflect Apple's values for technology and the environment," chief executive Tim Cook said after paying tribute to late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs at the first-ever media event at the new campus Tuesday, 12 September. "The park itself was converted from a sea of asphalt to a green space with more than 9,000 trees; designed to be transparent with nature and bring the outside in." Glass walls give the feeling of remaining in nature even after stepping inside. Plants and trees taking root throughout the grand campus are native to California, and drought-resistant. All the electricity needed to run the campus comes from an on-site solar power system, one of the largest in the world. Light streams down onto a curved stairway made of gold-toned stone leading down to Steve Jobs Theater built into the hill. "Steve Jobs was an incredibly detail-oriented person, and this was his baby," said Creative Strategies analyst and Silicon Valley veteran Tim Bajarin. "This should be a crown jewel in the sense of design." Apple Park was created with "extraordinary attention to detail and materials," according to Cook. A visitors centre that will open to the public later this year features an augmented reality experience to virtually explore the campus. About six months ago, workers began boarding the futuristic new campus, fulfilling a vision set out by Jobs, the company's late founder. The process of moving more than 12,000 people to a new campus that Jobs envisioned as a "centre for creativity and collaboration" was expected to continue late into the year. A theatre on the new Apple Park campus was named in honor of Jobs, who died six years ago after a battle with pancreatic cancer. "Steve's vision for Apple stretched far beyond his time with us," Cook said in a release earlier this year. "He intended Apple Park to be the home of innovation for generations to come." The 70ha campus with a ring-shaped main building clad in giant panels of curved glass blends workspaces and parkland. "I was amazed at the landscape," Bajarin said after leaving Apple Park. "It was staggering how huge the campus is." The ring design is aimed at fostering better collaboration among those working inside. "It is a unique design; very different that what you think of with a Silicon Valley campus," analyst Bajarin said. "We are used to campuses where there are multistory buildings close together - Apple broke with convention." Campus features include a fitness centre, foot paths, research labs and an orchard. "We have approached the design, engineering and making of our new campus with the same enthusiasm and design principles that characterise our products," Apple chief design officer Jony Ive said in a statement. Apple celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. The Silicon Valley legend sprang out of Jobs's garage to reshape modern life with trend-setting gadgets. Jobs, a tech-savvy marketing genius, and Steve Wozniak, who invented the Apple computer, formed what would become the world's largest corporation with eye-popping annual profits. The two college dropouts created the company that has changed the way people use computers, listen to music, communicate on the go, and made people at home in a world of "apps" tailored for work, play, education, health and more. Apple's hit products command a cult-like following, long after the company's humble beginning in Jobs's Cupertino, California garage on 1 April 1976. The new campus is in Cupertino as well, with the Jobs Theater on a hilltop overlooking meadows and the main building. "Steve (Jobs) was exhilarated, and inspired, by the California landscape, by its light and its expansiveness," his widow Laurene Powell Jobs said. "It was his favourite setting for thought. Apple Park captures his spirit uncannily well." Cook began the first-ever media event in the theatre with a tribute to Steve Jobs, whose image and words were shared with the audience. "I love hearing his voice, and his inspiring message," Cook said. "We dedicated this theatre to Steve because we loved him and because he loved days like this." Cook hosted an event at which Apple laid claim to the future of the smartphone with a 10th anniversary iPhone X, featuring facial recognition unlocking, augmented reality capabilities and other refinements, the star of the presentation. Source: AFP In a job creation partnership between social enterprise, Lulaway, and the National Library of South Africa (NLSA), Mzansi Libraries Online, a Job Readiness Centre, was launched at the Sharpeville Library in Gauteng on 12 September 2017. The partnership will initially see 27 community libraries house Job Readiness Centres, with a further 600 earmarked for rollout in 2018. Each of these job centres will offer job seekers the opportunity to register their full CVs at no charge on the Lulaway online database and apply for available vacancies. These job seekers will instantly be connected to a range of employers nationally, enabling them to access a diverse range of job opportunities. Establishing the job centres is an extension of NLSAs multi-million rand Mzansi-Libraries Online project, which received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations Global Libraries Initiative. The grant was given to help strengthen public libraries in South Africa through the provision of new technologies (computers, data, software) and training in ICT to uplift local communities. With hundreds of national libraries equipped with the latest technology and data connections, it made sense for the NLSA to appoint Lulaway to establish job centres at 27 of these libraries as an additional service to the communities. Accessing opportunities Lulaway chairman, Andile Mkhosana, says as the economy battles to pull itself out of a recession and 14-year high unemployment rate, many individuals efforts to find work are stymied. Job creation initiatives are more critical than ever for empowering the millions of unemployed people in South Africa. The current structure of finding jobs for entry-level employees is costly, inefficient and leaves job seekers feeling at a loss of where to turn next. While there are more employment opportunities than most realize, equitable and affordable job access is almost non-existent. Jobs are not posted in central locations and employers pick whoever shows up on their doorstep. Job seekers do not know where to start looking and, with no income, they cannot afford the associated costs. Sixty-five graduates of the NLSA BCX Graduate Internship Programme will manage these job centres. The previously unemployed youth completed the training programme where they acquired ICT skills and training. Through the internship programme, they also received training on how to assist job seekers on the Lulaway Portal. ICT skills play a critical role in helping the youth create more opportunities for themselves in terms of employment and entrepreneurship. This collaboration between the NLSA and Lulaway will play a significant role in contributing to skills development amongst the youth. This initiative will provide unemployed youth with access to technology and information, allowing them to take advantage of employment opportunities as well as align libraries as information hubs contributing to the developmental needs of the communities. Mkhosana says Lulaway was founded to level the playing field of the job seeker ecosystem. We have one goal: to connect job seekers to job opportunities, and thereby enable them to find sustainable employment. The entry-level recruitment landscape is complex. We cannot sit and wait for people to email their CVs or register on their own computers. We have a deep understanding of the grassroots challenges and we constantly look for ways to increase job access. We have created an infrastructure where job seekers are not excluded from opportunities due to their location. We aim to bring job access to the people, rather than force job seekers to resort to ineffective and unaffordable methods. Libraries offer freedom Mkhosana says that the location of these job centres is profoundly significant in a democratic South Africa. Libraries represent what we as South Africans will never take for granted: the freedom to learn, the freedom to choose and the freedom to share our ideas. It is where anyone, no matter what their background, can engage with the greatest minds of all ages. In a library, everyone is equal. Libraries are anchors in communities. They offer hope and exposure to global ideas. Because of this, the libraries project is more than finding new locations for job centres. Rather, it represents the possibility of what can be done when all parties work in synergy. It represents free and fair economic transformation for every South African. These libraries will now become hubs of hope for the unemployed. They will provide free access to economic growth and will play a pivotal role in bridging the divide between the unemployed and the private sector. This partnership demonstrates what is possible when all parties join forces for the greater good, concludes Mkhosana. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA has funded R6m over the next three years for an AB InBev Research Chair in Agronomy, held by Prof Nick Kotze of the Stellenbosch University Department of Agronomy. The funding allows it to tackle specific issues related to the production of barley. It will also include crops such as cassava and sorghum that is often used in beer making in many African countries. According to Prof Kotze, bursaries worth R1m will be provided to six undergraduate and four postgraduate MSc students at SU. A further R1m is being set aside to fund various research projects. According to Dr Nikki Else, research and development manager: Agriculture Africa at AB InBev, it is the biggest investment yet in a South African university by AB InBev Research or by SAB Miller, with which it merged in October 2016. We are excited about the partnership and believe that the research will mitigate potential risks within the supply chain, demonstrating our commitment to South Africa whilst ensuring the required quality that meets the needs of our brewers and our customers, says Dr Else. Focus on barley Much of the work will focus on barley, used in malt production, which is a core ingredient in many a beer brewed worldwide. Different analytical tests will be developed to detect pre-germination in barley seeds as well as some identified barley defects. These parameters all have an influence on the eventual quality of the barley to be used to produce malt, which influences the supply of barley within the supply chain. From the research, we hope to put forward recommendations to predict the storage potential of pre-germinated grains, to ensure that crops are not lost completely, says Prof Kotze. Local beer ingredients Cassava and sorghum research will also be conducted where several varieties will be evaluated against agronomic and quality criteria. Various trial sites in Africa for selected varieties will be identified in order to determine different climatic and soil conditions on production. According to Dr Else, projects related to cassava and sorghum will help AB InBev increase its reach in Africas local beer market. Through this project we hope to provide guidelines to producers in these countries on the production techniques that work best to grow quality sorghum, says Prof Kotze. Another project involves food scientists at Stellenbosch University, which will focus on the detection of a quality compound issue found in the cassava plant. The project consists of Prof Kotze, Dr Stefan Hayward and Prof Pieter Gouws of the Department of Food Science at Stellenbosch University, as well as Dr Else of AB InBev. Laboratory facilities to do such tests are not always available in the remote areas where cassava is typically produced, explains Prof Gouws. Therefore, wed like to develop a kit that is easy and quick to use in the field. The SU researchers will therefore be looking into ways to adapt the available corrin-based chemosensor technique that can currently only be performed in a laboratory. Walter Sisulu University will reopen its Mthatha campus today. The campus has been closed for the past two weeks after a protest over National Student Financial Aid Scheme allowances turned violent. Students were then ordered to vacate university premises. In a letter by university vice-chancellor Rob Midgley, addressed to the "Mthatha campus community", he said the campus would reopen today. He said he believed the situation on the campus was now conducive for academic activity to recommence. "Staff are requested to continue performing their duties as they have done this week. "Students will be allowed back onto the campus from [today] and the normal academic programme will commence on Monday." Source: Herald Blogging is a great way to substantiate your income and perhaps even do it as a full-time profession of choice. While social media and mass media is quick to position bloggers as social influencers and promote this profession to aspiring bloggers; the reality is that cutting it in the industry is downright difficult. Stokpic via Pexels The norm is to use the same renowned bloggers over and over as brand ambassadors, paid/sponsored bloggers and for whatever opportunities are out there. A lot of free resources are available to help one set up a blog and hit the ground running. Yet if many are honest, youll be lucky to receive a free product to review or make a buck here and there from it. Here are some tried and tested tips to up your chances of adding an extra digit to whatever income you are making from blogging. 1. Have a press kit It took me nearly five years of blogging to finally compile a press kit. This is like a CV for bloggers. When you approach a well reputable brand or they are thinking of working with a blogger, the make or break it factor will be what is contained in your press kit. It speaks on your behalf. It contains information about you, your audience, unique visitors, visits, hits, readers demographics, brands you have worked with and so forth. This is what your prospective employer is interested in. 2. Diversify streams of income A few Google searches are quick to highlight stories of how bloggers generated six-digit incomes from blogging. The reality is that it is not the norm. Dont just rely on sponsored blog posts to generate income. If you may within the ambit of the contracts you engage in simultaneously also incorporate affiliate marketing links, Google ads, e-commerce opportunities, YouTube videos and various other potential income avenues. 3. Move with the times You need to see yourself as a business. Take your blogging seriously. Set up a blogging schedule and timetable. Look into setting up newsletter subscriber forms (yes, that means producing a newsletter). Incorporate a pop-up chat on your blogs strategic places, such as where your press kit or your lets collaborate page is. 4. Get personal Remember that there are laws regarding contacting users. So you need to first get their permission. So assuming you have all that in place (and are within the ambit of the law), send a birthday SMS to subscribers or an e-Christmas card to your top clients. Post flowers to the brand managers your work with when you hear they have a new-born baby or are in the hospital. Send a thank you note after a campaign. Forging and nurturing relations on social media, the blog and so forth is important. 5. Follow your heart Without your heart, it is difficult to sustain this blogging passion. Instead of joining web influencer/blogging PR companies and waiting for a brief that may or may never happen, believe in yourself. Take that step and also send your press kit out to the brands you have always dreamt of working with. 6. Learn to say no Your heart will affirm your worth and toughen you up to say no thanks to exploitive collaborative deals. Some beauty bloggers get into contracts where you are expected to write up to five product reviews in exchange for a lipstick. Ive had international travel blogging invitations where I was expected to pay for my flights, accommodation, car rental, food, activities Plus being expected to blog and punt it on social media. All in exchange for a 30-minute media tour showcasing the hotels offerings. Had they been nearer and at least offered me accommodation and a meal, it could have been a different outcome. 7. Identify opportunities vs expenses The same goes for the many free conference speaking opportunities bloggers get from time to time Learn to differentiate between an opportunity versus an expense. Knowing that will help you focus on activities that are productive and can add real value as opposed to acting out of desperation, simply to make a quick buck or to get a freebie. The line-up for the 20th annual Standard Bank Joy of Jazz has been announced. The 2017 Standard Bank Joy of Jazz will be held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 28-30 September 2017. The three-day event will feature over 30 performances on four different stages Dinaledi, Conga, Mbira, and Diphala. Several established and up-and-coming international and South African jazz musicians have been included in this years line-up. Event executive producer Peter Tladi of T-Musicman believes its a line-up that fits the occasion and will project the meaning of the hard work and passion that went into building one of Africas jazz festivals. Tladi said: We, as festival producers, spend a great deal of time both here and overseas seeking out artists who we believe will appeal to a wide spectrum of music fans. We want to present a diverse range of jazz styles inclusive of the giants of jazz and the upcoming young lions. There is something for everyone in this years line-up which, we believe, is international and truly inspirational. Lining them up Six-time Grammy award nominee Nnenna Freelon will be one of the performing artists on the opening night of Standard Bank Joy of Jazz. Freelon will share the Dinaledi stage with South African jazz vocalist Tutu Puoane and the Thandiswa Mazwai Belede Jazz Project, along with the Ramsey Lewis versus Roy Ayers musical concept. Nnenna Freelon The line-up also includes three-time Grammy award-winner Branford Marsalis, sax maestro Joshua Redman and his quartet, The Clayton Brothers as well as the MAC Power Trio with David Murray, Geri Allen, and Terri Lyne Carrington. Other international names featured in the line-up include the five time Grammy award-winning American virtuoso bassist Christian McBride and Dutch jazz pianist Peter Beets. South African performers in the line-up are legends Abdullah Ibrahim, Hugh Masekela, Jonas Gwangwa, and Caiphus Semenya. Younger generation artists such as Zoe Modiga, Benjamin Jephta, Brenda Mtambo, and the Mabida Bay Jazz Orchestra will also feature. Other highlights will include performances by the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Band and South African guitarist, composer, producer, and teacher Selaelo Selota. Artists joining from the rest of the continent include Mali superstar Salif Keita, Uganda's Somi, Lesotho's Tsepo Tshola, Maleh, and Bhudaza Mapefane. Tickets are on sale at Computicket. Boeing and Malaysia Airlines today signed a Memorandum of Understanding for 16 aeroplanes. The announcement includes eight 787-9 Dreamliners by converting eight of Malaysia Airlines' existing order of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and eight additional purchase rights of the 737 MAX 8s as well as Boeing's Global Fleet Care service to maintain the national carrier's current and future Boeing aeroplanes. Said Peter Bellew, managing director and chief executive officer of Malaysia Airlines: "New widebody aircraft are a key to making Malaysia Airlines a premium airline offering a five-star product again. The range of the 787-9 gives an ability to operate to any point in Europe and some USA destinations in the future from Kuala Lumpur. "The MoU with Boeing on its Global Fleet Care programme will allow the two companies to build a world class MRO for the 737 MAX, 787 and 737NG based on Malaysia's existing facilities in Kuala Lumpur." Comedian and radio personality Tumi Morake has lifted the lid on racial slurs she's been receiving since joining the Jacaranda Breakfast radio show. Tumi Morake with her co-host Martin Bester. Tumi, who joined the station three months ago, said the racist comments were amplified after she, along with her co-host Martin Bester, discussed Steve Hofmeyr's cancelled New Zealand gig on air on Tuesday. "You are the most annoying person on radio...please resign and go to the bush," read one of the messages. "You must resign and leave our land alone. You black South Africans mess up everything in our beautiful land. With your government, crime and swaarheaid [sic]," read another message. Steve is set to headline the annual Afrikaans is Lekker tour to Australia and New Zealand. However, a show in Wellington was cancelled and it was reported it was because of protests from residents there. Team Steve denied this and said the show was cancelled because of venue prices. While Tumi and Martin discussed the issue, it soon turned into a race debate. The TV presenter stood firm and dismissed the fact that the so-called New Zealand "boycott" was a racial issue but pointed out that the colour of her skin soon became the target. "As a black woman - I know already and I'm saying this from a place of experience of being on the show for the past two and half months - that I did get a lot of comments that were not about how terrible I am on radio, but were very much about me not being where I belong. That was very clear," she said. The radio personality went on to challenge listeners to be honest about where their "anger" stems from. "Be honest about how it disturbs you that there is a black voice that stands up and acknowledges its blackness. We want to move on to a non-racial South Africa. My lived experience is that I do get treated first and seen first as a black woman then as a South African. Being pro-black doesn't automatically mean I am anti-white. I was very clear on that," she said. Tumi said she would not apologise for loving her country and that people who claim to love South Africa couldn't do so without loving the people in the country. The plans of Hosken Consolidated Investment's (HCI) to restructure gaming assets held in two of its subsidiaries, Tsogo Sun and Niveus, were thrown into disarray on Tuesday following a ruling by the Competition Tribunal that will require HCI to seek competition approval for the planned restructuring. The ruling was issued just 36 hours before Niveus and Tsogo Sun shareholders were due to vote on the restructuring. Kheng Ho Toh 123RF.com HCI chairman Johnny Copelyn indicated on Wednesday that the two meetings would be going ahead. But given the possibility that the competition authorities could impose conditions on the restructuring, there was some uncertainty about what would be voted on. A Niveus shareholder said he was looking forward to attending the meeting, which he expected to be "very interesting". HCI did not approach the competition authorities for approval in December 2016, when it first announced the restructuring. It told the tribunal it believed the restructuring proposal did not constitute a merger and was merely a consolidation of its gaming interests. HCI argued that, as it already had a controlling shareholding in Tsogo and a controlling interest in Niveus, the transaction amounted to an internal restructuring. It sought an advisory opinion from the commission in July, confirming the restructuring was not a notifiable transaction. On August 17, the commission advised HCI that the proposed restructuring had to be notified as a merger. This was the day after Niveus issued a long circular to shareholders, providing details of the deal and the shareholders' meeting. That circular makes no reference to the need to secure the competition authorities' approval. The conditions precedent include approval from the Takeover Regulation Panel and the Northern Cape Gambling Board, but not from the competition authorities. Two areas of concern for the commission are likely to be that the deal bumps HCI's holding in Tsogo up to 51%, from 47.6% and the possibility that it will affect employment or other publicinterest matters. Instead of notifying the commission, HCI turned to the tribunal with an urgent application, seeking a ruling from it that the proposed transaction was not notifiable. On Tuesday, the tribunal dismissed the application. The transaction must, therefore, be notified. The proposed transaction would let Tsogo Sun, which holds numerous casino licences, acquire Niveus's limited-payout machine operations and its electronic bingo terminal operations. The alternative-gaming assets have been packaged into the entity Gameco, which will be unbundled to Niveus shareholders. Tsogo will acquire HCI's nearly 50% in Gameco and will offer to buy out Gameco minority shareholders. Source: Business Day We invite you to join us with Brett Minchington, chairman/CEO Employer Brand International in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 12 October 2017 for a hands-on, practical International Employer Brand Leadership Masterclass as part of his global tour which has been to more than 50 cities in 34 countries. Seldom is one presented with such a great opportunity to gather first-hand knowledge from a global thought leader who has trained thousands of leaders from companies such as Google, Amazon, Starbucks, Nike and LinkedIn. The masterclass experience for delegates will include: A recent study by the Metro Chair of Innovation at the Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne (EHL) on the use of digital solutions in the hospitality industry, takes a look behind the scenes of the hospitality sector and offers new insights on the use of technology in the restaurant industry in Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Forty-six percent of the respondents rated technology as important or very important, with 15% planning investments. Wavebreak Media Ltd via 123RF Currently, about one-third of restaurant operators in Germany, France, Italy and Spain use digital technologies to facilitate their business processes. The first study comprised of questions that included, how do restaurants use digital solutions or why do they refrain from using them? What are their demands, and why is it worth it to drive digitisation in an industry that is still largely operated in the analogue world? Do restaurant owners in Europe actually want to be assisted by digital solutions? What does a steak on the menu have to with digitisation? When the restaurant operator can focus on his core business, for example, on preparing and serving a good steak, while state-of-the-art technologies facilitate or even completely take over other tasks related to his business, which barriers need to be overcome and which process in restaurants can be improved by means of digital? Joining forces under the Metro Chair of Innovation, the new study by Metro AG and the Swiss hotel management school EHL provides useful information, investigating the digital future of the restaurant industry. We conducted a quantitative survey in order to analyse the level of digitisation in the restaurant industry. Indeed, it is essential to understand the situation before being able to identify solutions. This is why the Metro Chair of Innovation at EHL has undertaken this study which brings concrete recommendations to restaurant owners, with the intent to help them face their three main challenges: attract new customers, meet their clients needs and manage their costs, says Christine Demen Meier, head of the Metro Chair of Innovation. Potential for technological support In the first study, 2,746 independent restaurateurs in Germany, France, Italy and Spain were surveyed, with 31% of the restaurant owners already making use of technologies at an intermediate and expert level. Forty-six percent that is almost half of the respondents are open to the use of digital technologies, with 15% planning concrete investments. The main reasons for the four countries, which keep the restaurant operators from investing into digital support, include lack of priority, high costs and development strategy. Olaf Koch, chairman of the management board of Metro AG, explains why his company wants to support the European restaurant industry. Our goal is nothing less than the digitisation of the hospitality industry. We are convinced that especially for small and medium-sized businesses, this will create substantial opportunities to become even more successful. We are talking about two million businesses in Europe generating around 400bn in sales. If we help to digitise 10% of these companies in the long-term perspective, we can make a substantial contribution to transforming the industry. Digital innovation ideas A vast number of innovations to enhance productivity, service and competitiveness in the hospitality sector to intensify customer relationships are already available today. Metro AG has taken on the task of supporting the digitisation of restaurant businesses, which constitute one of the key customer groups of this B2B company as their partner. To this end, the wholesale and food specialists created a new business unit and launched an accelerator programme promoting startups for the third consecutive year in 2017. The business unit, HoReCa Digital brings innovative technologies that improve the business processes and customer relations management of small and medium-sized hotels, restaurants and catering businesses to market maturity. The Metro Accelerator for Hospitality supports the matching innovations by leading selected startups from all over the world to success. The new study and those that will follow creates the foundation for achieving this goal as fast and purposeful as possible. Going forward, it will enable European restaurant owners to focus on what is really important to them: their core business. Kabyar Wa Beach in southern Ye township has become an increasingly popular destination, especially for domestic tourism, according to local tour operators. In response to the visitor influx, beachside shops and restaurants have cropped up, as have boat and motorcycle rental shops. Trash has become an increasing environmental concern. [The beach] has received many visitors. Even though it has become more developed, its still not systematically managed yet. The traditional [shops] of the local residents are in disorder, said U Aung Naing Win, secretary of Ye townships social services office. The state government should start to manage the beach before peak season in order to keep it clean, he added. Located just 45-minutes outside of Ye town, Kabyar Wa Beach is increasingly eyed as the next Ngwesaung or Ngapali. Aurum Company Limited from Yangon has even entered into discussions over a proposed US$12 million beach resort, although negotiations with the previous government were reportedly waylaid by a land ownership dispute. Ko Tun Linn Aung, operation manager from Flower Land Travels & Tour, runs a tour package to the beach. [Kabyar Wa Beach] first became popular online, he said. Among the tour programs we have arranged, this one is the most popular among the guests. When we shared [photos of the beach on Facebook], we received many likes and comments. I believe it will attract more visitors in the future. It has a good prospect. Local officials say they are doing what they can to try to preserve the beach, but have called for backup from the government. We have established the Kabyar Wa Beach Beautification and Natural Environment Conservation Group, said U Tin Nyunt, Ye township administrator. We submitted this group to the government [for official approval] via the district [administration]. If it is approved, the group will protect the natural resources of the beach. It will make sure visitors neatly dump their food and trash. It will protect the visitors from harm and it will ensure the shops are set up in an organized way so that the public can have a peaceful place to relax. The committee was established at the state government offices on September 12. State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has said the government is up against an iceberg of misinformation, especially in terms of coverage on the crisis in Rakhine State. The governments messaging has come under fire internationally however, with the UN human rights chief calling some of the statements irresponsible, with the potential of enflaming further violence. During a committee organizing meeting, Mon State Minister of Security and Border Affairs Colonel Win Naing Oo said social media rumors have stirred public concern and even panic across the country. The government decided to establish the committee in order to deflate the rumors, he said. The Mon State True News and Information Committee is chaired by the states Minister of Security and Border Affairs and includes the secretary of the Mon State government as vice-chair, the director of the Mon State government as secretary, and officials from the General Administrative Department, the Department of Special Investigation, the Police Special Branch and the States Department of Information and Public Relations. Ko Kyaw Soe, an executive member of the Southern Myanmar Journalist Network, said local media professionals were invited to join the committee but opted out in order to retain independence. Journalists have standards and ethics. By joining one side, they would deviate from a neutral nature. Impartiality is an important factor [in newsgathering], he said. We didnt join [the committee] because we are concerned about deviating from the principle of neutrality. He nevertheless welcomed the committee as a way to boost government transparency. Its important for the governments information committee to release up-to-date news concerning rumors. My advice to them is that the government already has their own official websites. If they can release up-to-date information [on those sites], then we can [use them to cover the news], said Ko Kyaw Soe. U Myint Kyaw from the Myanmar Press Council, said independent journalists should not be involved in the governments PR production. It would cause a conflict of interests, he said. Sometimes, the statements may be biased or may take into consideration only [one sides] interest. Its unnatural for journalists to be included in an information committee. The entire village of Syn Inn Gyi had fled due to the brutal killings by the Military Council. All the villagers had fled except for an 88-year-old... Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? Noticias de Ultima hora Boletin Cierre de Mercado Boletin analisis tecnico Boletin Fundsnews Debe seleccionar un tipo de boletin Acepto la Politica de privacidad Debe aceptar la politica de privacidad Responsable EMPRESAS DEL GRUPO WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Finalidad La remision de informacion, novedades y promociones Establecimiento o mantenimiento de Relaciones Comerciales. Legitimacion Consentimiento del interesado. Interes legitimo en el desarrollo de la relacion comercial Destinatario Empresas del Grupo WEB FINANCIAL GROUP Derechos Acceso, rectificacion, supresion, limitacion, oposicion y portabilidad Informacion adicional Politica de Privacidad de nuestra pagina Web + INFORMACION China, Russia in final stages of talks to jointly produce aerial workhorse China and Russia are close to inking a cooperation agreement on the joint development and production of a heavy-lift helicopter, according to a senior Chinese helicopter designer. Aviation Industry Corp of China, the State-owned aircraft giant, and Russian Helicopters, Russia's only helicopter manufacturer, have had 17 rounds of talks on the subject. All of the technological requirements, work assignments, collaboration methods and schedules have been finalized, said Huang Chuanyue, deputy chief engineer at Avicopter, AVIC's helicopter branch. "Our talks are in the final stage. The helicopter will be jointly developed and manufactured. The research, development and assembly will be in China, while the production of some key parts will be in Russia," Huang told reporters on the sidelines of the 2017 China Helicopter Development Forum in Tianjin. More than 300 government officials, company representatives and experts in the helicopter industry took part in the event, which was hosted by AVIC and the Tianjin government. Huang said the new helicopter's technologies will be unique compared with other heavy-lift models in the world because it will be designed completely in accordance with China's requirements and geographic conditions. "China has multiple landforms including plateaus, mountainous regions and plains, so the helicopter must be able to operate in every landform. Foreign helicopters have not met our needs, especially those in plateaus and mountains," he said. This is very important because China has vast plateau areas and mountainous terrain, as well as many islands that are difficult to access by other means. That has been an extremely serious problem because China is often hit by natural disasters, the designer said, adding that the helicopter will also be of value for building infrastructure in mountainous terrain and on islands. Huang noted that it will be more robust than all other helicopters in China in terms of carrying capacity. "It will be capable of taking 10 metric tons of cargo, or more than 100 people inside the cabin, or carry 15 tons of freight in an external sling. By comparison, the AC313, currently the strongest type, can carry four tons inside the cabin or lift five tons outside the body," he said. According to AVIC, the helicopter will have a maximum takeoff weight of 38.2 metric tons and a maximum cruising speed of 300 kilometers per hour. It will be capable of flying at altitudes up to 5,700 meters and have a range of 630 km. Currently, heavy-lift helicopters in use include the United States' Boeing CH-47 Chinook, the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion and Russia's Mil Mi-26 series. The US and Russia continue to upgrade these types and aspire to maintain their dominance of the heavy-lift helicopter market, observers said. Nineteen extra charges have been brought against an Aer Lingus worker accused of money-laundering and organising people-smuggling at Dublin Airport, writes Tom Tuite. Peter Kernan, 57, of the Old Rectory Lodge, Celbridge, Co. Kildare has been remanded on continuing bail pending the preparation of a book of evidence. He had been charged earlier with unlawfully facilitating the entry of two non-nationals into the State on January 9 and January 22 last. He also had a charge alleging that from January 17 until January 23 last at a premises at Clane Road, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, he had proceeds from criminal conduct: 10,000, 790 Stg and US $284, contrary to the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act. He is to face trial on indictment, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has decided, meaning he will be tried before a judge and jury in the circuit court. However, he appeared again at Dublin District Court where Judge Cormac Dunne heard that the book of evidence was not yet ready. Judge Dunne was also told that 19 new charges have been brought against the accused and they will also be part of the same case. Det Garda Mark Henebry told the court that Mr Kernan made no reply when the new charges were put to Mr Kernan. The accused did not address the court and his solicitor Michelle Finan said there was consent to the adjournment. Judge Dunne granted a time extension to the DPP to complete the book of evidence and remanded Mr Kernan on bail to appear again in six weeks. In the new charges there are additional counts for facilitating the entry of another five more non-nationals into the State at the airport on December 29 and January 1 last. The other 14 charges are under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act for having the proceeds of criminal conduct totalling 40,354 at various locations including the GPO on OConnell Street in Dublin, post offices in Celbridge, Co. Kildare and in Enniscorthy in Co. Wexford, and at a business premises in the Ilac Centre in Dublin. These offences are alleged to have occurred on dates from November 2014 until January this year. He was arrested as part of an investigation by the Garda National Immigration Bureau. Gardai have seized his passport and his bail terms state he has to reside at his home address and notify gardai of any change, sign on three times a week at Leixlip Garda station, provide gardai with a mobile phone number on which he can be contacted at all times, not apply for a new passport and have no contact directly or indirectly with co-accused Frederick Cham. Aer Lingus employee, Mr Cham, 61, of Railway Cottages, Hazelhatch, Celbridge but originally from Hong Kong, was served with a book of evidence in July and has been sent forward for trial to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. They have not yet indicated how they will plead. AIB have confirmed that the mislaid documentation relating to 500 customers in Co Galway has been found. The bag containing the documents was handed in to a business in Galway city very soon after it was lost, a journalist told RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta. The European Parliament has approved an extra 500m to help unemployed young people in the EU. The funds will go to the EUs Youth Employment Initiative which was set up in 2013 to tackle the high rate of unemployment among young people. A Dublin man has had a murder charge against him struck out. Jason Keating was told he was free to go after originally facing a murder charge in connection with the death of Noel Duck Egg Kirwan. Kirwan, 62, who was a friend of Gerry the Monk Hutch, was shot dead outside his home in Clondalkin in West Dublin a few days before Christmas last year. Keating, 26, with an address at Lower Main Street, Rush in Dublin was charged with his murder earlier this year and had been sent before the non-jury Special Criminal Court to face trial. He appeared before that court today and a State solicitor applied to have the murder charge struck out. Mr Keatings barrister told the three judges he understood there was some difficulty with the certificate and charge sheet which were initially before the district court. He said he understood it was the intention of the State to restart proceedings against his client. The charge was stuck out and Judge Tony Hunt told Jason Keating he was free to go. Revenue officers at Cork Airport seized more than 21,000 in cash when they stopped and searched a passenger on an outbound flight this morning. "The Lithuanian national was questioned and the cash, suspected to be the proceeds of, or intended for use in, criminal activity, was seized in accordance with the proceeds of crime legislation," a statement from Revenue read. A slimming company has apologised after school children in Co Antrim were given flyers about a weight-loss club. Pupils at Tonagh Primary School in Lisburn were given the Slimming World leaflets in their homework folders earlier this month. The material included a picture of a slim woman, with the caption: "Live Happy! With Slimming World." Parent hits out at Lisburn primary school after pupils are sent home with flyers advertising Slimming World - https://t.co/heDN3ZDRaS pic.twitter.com/g5aRdvr47m Ulster Star (@LisburnStar) September 6, 2017 Both the school and Slimming World said the initiative was not intended to cause offence and that the material was targeted at parents, rather than children. Tonagh Primary School principal Alison Stevenson said: "The school periodically receives requests to distribute information to parents. "These requests are typically from organisations that provide services to the local community. "Tonagh Primary School distributes information where it may be of interest to the school community and/or parents. "It is certainly not our intention to cause any offence to parents or children of this school." A Slimming World spokesperson said: "There was never any offence intended by the placement of these leaflets and both we and the local consultant in Lisburn are truly sorry for any upset caused. "Slimming World consultants work hard to make people within their local community aware of the support they provide for those who want to lose weight, and these leaflets were intended for parents, not the children of Tonagh Primary School." A parent of one of the children at Tonagh, who asked to remain anonymous, contacted the Ulster Star newspaper to express her concerns that the material could undermine the healthy body image of her children who attend the school. She said: "Kids, especially younger girls, see how women are judged by their size every day, more so with online social media. "Primary school children who are learning to read shouldn't be given promotional advertising suggesting happy lives are for slim people." Other parents praised the school and the initiative and also the work of Slimming World. Less than two in five Irish hospitals are providing free car parking to cancer patients, according to a recent survey. The Irish Cancer Society study of all 26 public hospitals that offer treatment to patients also shows just over one in five hospitals offer reduced rates. Donal Buggy, head of services and advocacy at the Irish Cancer Society said he warmly welcomed the number of public hospitals offering free or reduced car parking to cancer patients while theyre having treatment but warned, however, that there is still some way to go on this issue. While ten hospitals offer free car parking and a further six offer concessions on a daily or weekly basis the other ten hospitals still charge patients full costs, meaning patients can face charges of up to 63 per week when theyre having treatment. Patients have told us that they simply cant manage the cost of parking on top of the plethora of other expenses they face. Individual hospitals have the authority to abolish charges for cancer patients. The Irish Cancer Society believes, however, that the HSE needs to publish national guidelines that ensure that cancer patients are treated fairly and equally across the country. Mr. Buggy said: Its unfair that one patient being treated in Connolly Hospital goes free, when another, 15 minutes down the Navan Road, pays up to 15 a day in the Mater Hospital, or that patients in Waterford pay 8, when those in Kilkenny pay nothing. The HSE needs to publish and issue to hospitals a set of guidelines weve proposed, which will not only ensure compassion and care at a difficult time for patients and their families, but will ensure wider awareness of concessions where they exist and will bring about transparency in how parking revenue is used. Currently, the only national policy that exists in relation to car parking is that hospitals must set a daily maximum charge, however, there is no upper limit on this charge. Latest: A man has died following a fire in Rathmines in Dublin. Up to 20 firefighters were involved in the rescue effort. Three people were taken to St James' Hospital and one was subsequently pronounced dead. The other two remain in hospital and are not thought to be seriously injured. Grove Road remains closed and diversions are in place in the area. A number of units from Dublin Fire Brigade were called to deal with a fire at a house in Rathmines that has left three people injured pic.twitter.com/ArPTSCTrBA RTE News (@rtenews) September 14, 2017 Update 8.51am: The fire broke out in a two story red brick terrace house according to a report on Morning Ireland. Residents said they were not sure of how many people were living there. There was eight separate doorbells at the premises. Residents said some people were escaping out of windows. The blaze has caused serious traffic back ups and one person is said to be in a serious condition due to smoke inhalation. Earlier: Emergency services are at the scene of a fire in Dublin this morning. According to the Dublin Fire Brigade, three people have been injured in the blaze at Grove Road, Rathmines, one of which is described as being in a serious condition. The blaze broke out around 7am this morning. The fire has been extinguished, while traffic restrictions are in place in the area. Eight units of Dublin fire brigade were at the scene. The fire in Grove Road is now extinguished and all persond are accounted for. Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) September 14, 2017 Crews are treating three causalities at the scene of Grove Road. One casualty is in serious conditions Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) September 14, 2017 A prominent Belfast victims campaigner has implored the Northern Ireland Secretary not to lift the ban on the Red Hand Commando (RHC). Raymond McCord alleged the fringe loyalist grouping represented gangsters who should disband. Associates of the RHC have said its application to the government for legalisation was made in good faith. Mr McCord's son Raymond McCord Jnr, 22, was a former RAF radar operator who was beaten to death by the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) in north Belfast in 1997. He claimed: "These are gangsters, disband, disband. "They are not a community organisation, they represent no one except themselves, they are still involved in crime." The RHC was associated with the UVF during the conflict. The UVF was blamed for around 500 murders and was one of the most deadly and feared terror groups in Northern Ireland during violence stretching from the late 1960s until the formal end of its armed campaign in 2007. In its submission to the government the RHC repeated its 1994 ceasefire apology and said it hoped the measure could lay out a road map for the transformation of loyalist groups in general. PUP leader Billy Hutchinson said it was a positive step in the right direction which might help change society. Mr McCord said he did not believe loyalist assurances and had written to James Brokenshire to implore him not to lift the ban. He added: "There is no need for them, the unionist people don't want them, so disband." Mr McCord has been a trenchant critic of the paramilitaries since at least the death of his son, whose body was found dumped in a quarry. The killing was at the centre of a critical 2007 report by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland which found evidence that rogue police officers colluded with the gang. Mr McCord has called for an independent probe into the actions of the RUC's Special Branch. A film about the IRA's Maze prison escape shows that dialogue is the best way forward, the lead actor has said. Tom Vaughan-Lawlor plays the republican prisoner who organised the biggest jail break in British and Irish prison history in 1983, when 38 inmates fled one of the highest security prisons in Europe. 'Maze' centres on the relationship between Vaughan Lawlor's character and a warder. played by Barry Ward. Vaughan-Lawlor met many of the escapees while researching the part and said the "dance" between the characters helped show that talking was the best way forward. He said: "I don't mean that in a flippant way, I just mean people being in rooms, talking face to face, and reading each other's sensibilities and flaws and weaknesses and fears and listening, and that is the journey of this film. "That it charts that journey of two men who are brought together and realise that dialogue reflects back on you your own shortcomings and your own strengths and how that can hopefully bring about the resolution of conflict." The film received its premiere in Belfast today. In the movie, a warder is befriended by a prisoner trying to better understand prison procedures and identify weaknesses which could allow an escape, but who is also depicted as wanting a better future for his family. The prison officer is rendered a virtual prisoner at home after a failed attack on him while out with his family left him needing enhanced security. Vaughan-Lawlor said the "commonality" between the pair was shown without them necessarily understanding or realising it themselves. Their family lives were mirrored in the effect their political choices had on their loved ones, the ordeal they endured while they were inside the famous H Block cells near Belfast, he added. He said: "There is counterpoint between the two characters but there always is very great common ground and that that dialogue is this kind of dance of them trying to understand each other." Ward said they forced each other to self-reflect. In real life, one prison officer was killed and another seriously injured during the episode. Vaughan-Lawlor said it was not a sentimentalised or dewy-eyed account. "There is detail and complexity and rigour and frustration and it is always an ongoing dialogue." He said it was not a piece of propaganda. "The heart of the film for me is this relationship and if that was not there and it was just a straight story about a prison escape I would not have had any interest in doing it, because it would have been a very slight, insensitive, boring film." It was about understanding that dialogue is fundamentally the best way forward, he said. Vaughan-Lawlor added: "That until people sit down and speak to each other and see the humanity in each other, that that is the only way to progress. "And what I think is clever about this film is that it has a universality, in that unfortunately conflicts everywhere in the world have similarities and the potential to resolve always comes down to people sitting in a room, having a cup of tea and conversing." Vaughan-Lawlor is arguably best known for his role in the RTE broadcaster's series Love/Hate. Nearly three weeks into a mass exodus of Rohingya fleeing violence in Burma, thousands are still flooding across the border in search of help and safety in teeming refugee settlements in Bangladesh. The crisis has drawn global condemnation, with UN officials demanding Burma halt what they described as a campaign of ethnic cleansing that has driven some 400,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee Rakhine state. One of the dozens of boats carrying Rohingya to the Bangladeshi border town of Teknaf capsized on Thursday and at least two people drowned, police said. That brought known drownings in the Naf River to 88 since the crisis began. Those who arrived in wooden boats to beaches near Shah Puri Dwip fishing village on Wednesday described ongoing violence in Burma, where smoke could be seen billowing from a burning village - suggesting more Rohingya homes had been set alight. One Rohingya man who arrived on Wednesday said his village of Rashidong had been attacked six days earlier by Burmese soldiers and police. "When military and police surrounded our village and attacked us with rocket launchers to set fire, we got away from our village and fled away to any direction we could manage," Abdul Goffar said. Burma's presidential office spokesman Zaw Htay said that, out of 471 "Bengali" villages in three Rakhine townships, 176 were now completely empty while at least 34 more were partially abandoned. Many in Burma use the term "Bengali" as part of the long-standing refusal to accept Rohingya as citizens of the country. Burma has accused the Rohingya of burning their own homes and villages - a claim the UN human rights chief criticised as a "complete denial of reality". The crisis and refugee exodus began on August 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts. Burma's military retaliated with "clearance operations" to root out the rebels, but the fleeing Rohingya say Burmese soldiers shot indiscriminately, burned their homes and warned them to leave or die. Others have said they were attacked by Buddhist mobs. Hundreds have died, mostly Rohingya, and some of the refugees have needed treatment for bullet wounds. Facing growing condemnation globally, Burma's leader Aung San Suu Kyi will not attend UN General Assembly meetings between September 19-25 to instead deal with what the government said were domestic security issues. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters on Wednesday that ethnic cleansing was taking place against Rohingya in Rakhine state. The term "ethnic cleansing" is defined as an effort to rid an area of an unwanted ethnic group - by displacement, deportation or even killing. The UN Security Council called for "immediate steps to end the violence" and ensure civilian protections. Rohingya have faced decades of persecution in Buddhist-majority Burma, and are denied citizenship despite centuries-old roots in the Rakhine region. The thousands of Rohingya flooding into Bangladesh every day have arrived hungry and traumatised. Many need urgent medical care for violence-related injuries, severe infections or childbirth. "The women who are coming for check-ups all have a terrified and exhausted look," said Sumaya, a midwife at the Nayapara refugee camp working in association with the UN population fund. "We keep hearing stories from them of walking through jungles and across hills for days without food, their children carried over their shoulders. They've lost their homes." Two existing refugee camps were packed beyond capacity, and Bangladesh has said it would free land to build a third. Many of the new arrivals were huddling in makeshift shelters along roads or in open fields. Near the camp of Balukhali, some were setting up tents made of bamboo and plastic along hillsides muddy from days of rain. Children walked uphill to capture rainwater before it spilled into the teeming settlements below. Food, clean water and other necessities were scarce. Panic erupted on Thursday along roadsides where local volunteers were distributing food, water and other supplies haphazardly from parked vehicles. Local officials shouted through bullhorns for volunteers to co-ordinate their efforts with aid agencies to avoid spreading chaos. "There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water," Unicef's country representative Edouard Beigbeder said. Bangladesh was already housing some 500,000 Rohingya who fled earlier flashes of violence including anti-Muslim riots in 2012. Rakhine state had up to one million Rohingya before the latest violence. AP Update 1.30pm:The first hearing of the Grenfell Tower public inquiry concluded to a chorus of heckles after a prominent lawyer attempted to quiz the probe's chairman. But the controversy which has dogged the probe was not far behind, as Michael Mansfield, who represents several survivors, attempted to challenge chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick. Discontent had begun brewing when the inquiry head rejected calls for residents to be included as one of his team of assessors, telling the inquiry it would "risk undermining my impartiality". As the meeting drew to a close, Mr Mansfield QC said: "Sir, before departing, I wonder if I may make a quick request on behalf of survivors." He was ignored by the judge as he exited the room to shouts of "hello?" and "rubbish" from gathered residents. Speaking afterwards, the lawyer dismissed Sir Martin's decision to opt for assessors and branded his departure "disrespectful". He told the Press Association: "I was making a request on behalf of survivors for another preliminary meeting when they would be there as key participants, as they are all going to be core participants, with designated lawyers to sort out reservations and concerns that they have had from the beginning about this whole process. "One of them can be encapsulated in the absence of any mention of the establishment of a panel or any panel to sit with him to take decisions, there are other issues, but that's a big one. "Assessors are quite separate." Asked about Sir Martin's decision to leave the room, he said: "I feel it is disrespectful to survivors." Hamid, a former resident of the tower's 16th floor, was also among those watching Sir Martin's opening statement. He said: "I think it is rubbish, nothing special, this is a serious matter, it is not good. "Everything is missing, they never gave us a chance to make a point." Chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick also faced criticism for the "tasteless" choice of the Grand Connaught Rooms as a venue for the hearing. Emma Dent Coad, MP for Kensington, described the hearings as a "cold and clinical process". Speaking outside, she told the Press Association: "There has been huge anxiety about how this would happen. "A lot of anxiety - and some people have literally come out here today for the first time. They've been stuck, they've been within their community. "They made a huge effort to come here and then what do we have - it was a very cold, clinical process and then the judge got up and walked out. "It was very odd, I found it quite strange." Ms Dent Coad said while she believes Sir Martin will do a "meticulous" job, the inquiry into the blaze would not provide a "full answer" for those affected. She said: "We are not going to get justice from this. This will come up with some answers, but this is not part of that legal process which will lead to justice." The Labour MP described the venue - a grand room lit with chandeliers - as "tasteless". She said: "It was very strange for us to come to a ballroom with glittering chandeliers to start this inquiry. "I thought it was quite inappropriate and kind of set the tone between the 'us and them' aspect. I don't think that went down very well with a lot of people." Yvette Williams, co-ordinater for Justice for Grenfell, said the hearing had been easy to follow and understand. But she criticised Sir Martin for failing to appoint a community adviser to the panel's top team and ignoring a question from Michael Mansfield QC, who represents some survivors. She said: "At the end, to not even give 15 minutes to questions is appalling. "So I'm hoping that the civil service advisers have gone back to him now and said actually that was a bit of a faux pas." Update 11.24pm: The chairman of the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire has reassured those affected by the disaster that the probe "can and will provide answers". Sir Martin Moore-Bick told the packed Grand Connaught Rooms in Holborn, central London, that he hoped the inquiry would "provide a measure of solace" to the survivors and the families of those caught up in the blaze, which claimed at least 80 lives. Leading a minute's silence before opening the hearing, impeccably held by those present including those affected by the disaster on June 14, the former Court of Appeal Judge said: "The inquiry can and will provide answers to the pressing questions of how a disaster of this kind could occur in 21st century London." Sir Martin Moore Bick Sir Martin acknowledged the "great sense of anger and betrayal" felt by survivors of the fire and those touched by the tragedy - but indicated he would endeavour to examine evidence "calmly and rationally". He said the probe's terms of reference had been "deliberately cast in broad terms in order to give me the scope to pursue any line of inquiry that seems fruitful". Among the issues to be examined in detail are the causes of the fire, the response of the council and the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower which is suspected of exacerbating the blaze. Sir Martin said: "My job isn't to decide which two or more parties had the best case. "It is simply to get to the truth with the help of all those who have relevant evidence to give. "The process should be seen as essentially co-operative." He said: "I'm well aware that the past few months have turned the world of those who live in North Kensington upside down and that former residents of the tower and local people feel a great sense of anger and betrayal. "That is entirely natural and understandable, but if the inquiry is to get to the truth of what happened, it must seek out all the evidence and examine it calmly and rationally. " Signalling his intent to examine how flammable material was installed on Grenfell Tower, Sir Martin said the inquiry would examine what "motivated" decisions about its design. It has been alleged that combustible cladding was wrapped around the 24-storey block to cut costs during the 8.6 million refit. Sir Martin said he would not "shrink" from making findings which could affect criminal prosecutions or civil actions. He said: "Section Two of the Enquiries Act 2005 prohibits me from ruling on or determining anyone's civil or criminal liability. "However the same section also expressly provides that I am not to be inhibited by the likelihood of liability being inferred from any findings or recommendations that I may make. "I shall therefore not shrink from making any findings or recommendations that are justified by the evidence simply because someone else may at a later date consider that they form the basis of civil or criminal liability. "The police are of course conducting their own investigation into possible criminal offences." Sir Martin said it "may take some time" to decide whether applications for core participant status - allowing them privileges such as access to evidence and asking questions during the inquiry - would be granted. He issued a plea for those who may have evidence regarding the disaster to "do whatever they can to preserve the material and inform the inquiry team at once". Earlier: The chairman of the public inquiry into the causes of the Grenfell Tower fire in London will deliver his opening statement in the first public hearing of the contentious probe. Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the retired judge chosen by British Prime Minister Theresa May to lead the inquiry, will give his address at the Grand Connaught Rooms in central London. The former UK Court of Appeal judge will not take questions following the hearing, which is expected to last around 45 minutes. Survivors and victims' families will be able to watch live on a screen in Notting Hill Methodist Church, where they are likely to be listening intently to the language and tone of Sir Martin's opening. The chairman faced anger from the community in a series of public meetings designed to help shape the terms of reference but, once these were announced, the inquiry was criticised for excluding an examination of wider social housing policy. Campaigners had pressed for the probe to scrutinise the systemic issues underlying the cause of the tragedy on June 14, when at least 80 people died. A silent march is planned for later on Thursday evening at the same church where the hearing will be screened. The UK Labour party has warned the Government the inquiry should not be reason to delay improvement measures to tower blocks. UK shadow housing minister John Healey, in a letter to Communities Secretary Sajid Javid, said: "Thirteen weeks after the terrible fire at Grenfell Tower, it is astonishing that ministers still cannot tell tenants and the public how many of the country's 4,000 high-rise tower blocks are not safe, that promises of financial support for urgent work have not been honoured, and that the support for Grenfell survivors is still hopelessly inadequate." On the eve of the inquiry's opening, it emerged just one in 50 (2%) of the UK's social housing tower blocks has a full sprinkler system. A Freedom of Information request by BBC Breakfast also found that 68% of the council and housing association-owned blocks have just one staircase through which to evacuate. London Fire Brigade commissioner Dany Cotton told the broadcaster she supported retrofitting towers built before 2007, when sprinklers were made compulsory in new-build high rises over 30 metres tall in England. Mr Healey urged Mr Javid to fund retrofitting sprinkler systems in light of the research. British Virgin Islanders say they are "terrified" of the prisoners who escaped because of the damage caused by Hurricane Irma. Around 100 "very serious" prisoners fled prison on Tortola, foreign minister Sir Alan Duncan told the Commons on Tuesday. He said the convicts pose a "serious threat of the complete breakdown of law and order". Those living on the British Virgin Island have said looting has been "terrible" and that escaped prisoners have committed a rape while they have been on the loose. Shanelle Williams has taken 15 people into her home following the fury the hurricane unleashed on the island, leaving others without somewhere to live. She said: "You go into the town, they crash and they open up and stealing everything. "But since the military came it has calmed down, but the only issue right now is these prisoners are out. "They have already raped someone and they have already tried to steal from people, it is terrifying." Bibi Alli, 37, said everything in her house has gone and that along with her daughter Nerrize, 14, they hid in the bathroom during the hurricane. "It sounded like a tornado, when the windows went everything was gone. I will never forget that in my life," she added. She has been taken in by Ms Williams, along with Manicka Mangaroo who was also left homeless when her property was destroyed. Of her decision to help out others, Ms Williams said: "You can't just sit down and watch persons out there suffering, it was so crazy there were people running on the road. "I have lived through one hurricane in the 90s and it was never like this... this is the worst." One woman who did not want to be named said Irma was "one of the most traumatic experiences of a lifetime". "Every time the pressure went down your ears pop... then the winds came and you would hear windows shattering and you would hear banging. "Every roof in my area went, even those that had hurricane shutters and were boarded up... And the water, the wind and the rain, people were screaming. "All my neighbours came and sheltered in my bedroom. It was very traumatic." Describing the scenes after the storm had passed she said there was galvanised steel "all over the place", but that "people came together, cleared the roads and made them passable". She added: "(Later) looters were on the streets and no government officials... there were people breaking into jewellery stores and supermarkets. "Then a couple of nights ago one family had a generator and five men with guns stick them up and took the generator away. "You do not feel safe. "The prisoners came and they were walking around, people were raped, I've heard there was rape and now they're trying to round them up." She said there should have been an emergency plan ready, but that credit needed to be given to the British troops with how they have helped in the aftermath. AP Tunisia's parliament has adopted a hotly disputed law giving amnesty to thousands of people linked to corruption under its former authoritarian regime. Hundreds of demonstrators protested outside the legislature saying they fear a return to Tunisia's pre-Arab Spring past. After an unusually angry debate and opposition walkout over the measure, it passed by 117 votes to nine in a Wednesday night vote. The full amnesty only concerns those who followed orders from corrupt leaders but did not make personal gains. Those who made money off corrupt dealings can pay back embezzled sums, along with a penalty, in exchange for freedom from prosecution. President Beji Caid Essebsi - a 90-year-old moderate who served under the former regime - argued the "economic reconciliation" law will improve the investment climate and help the country move forward after a rocky several years following the 2011 Arab Spring revolution. Many of those accused of corruption under former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's leadership were important economic players, and Tunisia's economy has struggled ever since his ouster. However, the law's critics say it is a step backwards and an effort to whitewash the entrenched corruption that powered the public anger behind the Arab Spring. Opposition lawmaker Faycal Tebbini accused the president of pushing the law as a favour to those who helped bring him to power in 2014 elections. Soufiane Toubal, the head of the governing Nida Tounes parliamentary group, argued for passage of the law, pleading for "a tolerant Tunisia that unites all its children and bans hate and rancour". North Korea has fired an unidentified missile from its capital Pyongyang in a continuation of weapons tests, according to the South Korean military. Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul said the missile was launched from Sunan, the site of Pyongyang's international airport on Friday. President Donald Trump is heading to Florida to survey the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. The president is travelling to the hurricane-stricken state today to meet with those affected by the storm and learn more about relief efforts. He will be stopping at Fort Myers and Naples on the south-western coast. This is Mr Trump's third visit in less than three weeks to a hurricane-damaged state. He visited Texas and Louisiana after Harvey struck. Mr Trump tweeted yesterday that he planned to meet "with our great Coast Guard, Fema and many of the brave first responders & others". The president monitored the storm over the weekend from Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has said that ethnic cleansing is taking place in Burma against the Rohingya Muslim minority. His comments came as the UN Security Council condemned the violence that has led nearly 380,000 Rohingyas to flee to Bangladesh. Britain's UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said the council's press statement, following closed-door consultations, was the first statement the UN's most powerful body has made in nine years on the situation in Burma. He called it "an important first step". The secretary-general has been outspoken about calling for an end to the violence in Burma's Rakhine state, and sent the Security Council an official letter raising his concerns about a crisis - the first time a UN chief has done so since 1989. The Security Council has not agreed on a Burma statement since 2008 when the country was in a transition to democracy, mainly because of neighbouring China's support for the government and its military. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International had accused the Security Council on Tuesday of ignoring large-scale "ethnic cleansing" of the Rohingyas and demanded that it hold an open meeting and urge an end to the violence. "It's a first step, but the council needs to escalate this to the level that a crisis that bears the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing deserves," Human Rights Watch's UN Director Louis Charbonneau said after the council statement. "We haven't seen that yet." Mr Guterres at a wide-ranging press conference called Burma one of two world issues "at the top of global concerns", along with North Korea. "Grievances that have been left to fester for decades have now escalated beyond Myanmar's borders, destabilising the region," the secretary-general warned. "The humanitarian situation is catastrophic." Last week there were 125,000 Rohingya refugees who had fled to Bangladesh and "the number has now tripled to nearly 380,000", he said. Mr Guterres was asked whether he agreed with UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein that what is happening in Rakhine State is ethnic cleansing. He answered with a question: "When one-third of the Rohingya population had to flee the country, can you find a better word to describe it?" Rohingya have faced decades of discrimination and persecution by the majority Buddhist population in Burma, where they are denied citizenship despite centuries-old roots in the country. The current crisis erupted on August 25, when an insurgent Rohingya group attacked police outposts in Burma's Rakhine state, killing a dozen security personnel. That prompted Myanmar's military to launch "clearance operations" against the rebels, setting off a wave of violence that has left hundreds dead, thousands of homes burned, and tens of thousands fleeing to Bangladesh. Mr Guterres reiterated his condemnations of the attacks by the insurgent Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army but said reported attacks by security forces against civilians "are completely unacceptable". The secretary-general called on Burma's authorities "to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law, and recognise the right of return of all those who had to leave the country." He also reiterated his call for the government to grant the Rohingyas nationality or at least legal status so they can get jobs, education and health care. AP Military officials in Belarus have sought to calm Western fears about major war games with Russia involving thousands of troops, tanks and aircraft, just hours before they are due to get under way. The Zapad (West) 2017 manoeuvres that will be focused in Belarus have caused concern at Nato and in neighbouring countries. Some members of the alliance, including the Baltic States and Poland, have criticised a lack of transparency and questioned Moscow's real intentions. "We are not threatening anyone," Oleg Voinov, an adviser to the Belarusian Defence Minister, told journalists on Thursday. "We have chosen military bases that are significantly removed from the borders with Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia." Russia-West relations have hit their lowest point since the Cold War following Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and continuing fighting between Russian-backed separatists and troops loyal to Kiev in eastern Ukraine. Western worries about the planned manoeuvres have ranged from allegations Russia could use them to permanently deploy its forces to Belarus to fears of a surprise attack on the Baltics. The war games are scheduled to kick off on Thursday evening. Russia and Belarus have said that the exercises, which last until September 20, will involve 5,500 Russian and 7,200 Belarusian troops. Russian military officials have said up to 70 aircraft and about 250 tanks, 200 artillery systems and 10 navy ships will also be involved. Russia's Defence Ministry said on Thursday that elite parachute units in several Russian cities had been placed on alert to be deployed during the exercises. Organisers have invented three "aggressor countries" - Veishnoriya, Lubeniya and Vesbasriya - to whose attacks the Russian and Belarusian militaries will simulate a response. The Baltic States and Poland fear that these monikers are just poorly disguised terms for their own countries. Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said the alliance will be closely monitoring the war games. Despite assurances from Moscow, Russia's neighbours expect the drills to be much greater in scope than officially declared. Estonian Defence Minister Juri Luik has said Moscow could deploy up to 100,000 troops. There is also unease in Kiev, and Ukraine is currently conducting its own military exercises, called Unflinching Tenacity, scheduled to end on Friday. The Zapad manoeuvres have been criticised by Belarusian opposition leaders, who have said that Russia could use the occasion to position a large, permanent contingent of troops in Belarus, leaving the country at the mercy of any armed confrontation involving Moscow. The most recent Zapad exercises, which occur every few years, took place in 2013, just before Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea. Russia had leased a naval base in Crimea prior to its seizure, and used troops deployed there to quickly take over the Black Sea peninsula. AP The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) has revealed further details about its cost recovery model and annual levies that will affect all industry sectors under ASICs regulatory jurisdictions.ASIC senior executive leader of deposit takers, credit & insurers Michael Saadat spoke on the scheme at the Credit & Investments Ombudsmans (CIOs) Dispute Resolution Conference 2017 in Sydney on Tuesday (12 September).He revealed that certain entities under ASIC will be slugged with two levies and gave a rough estimate of how much credit intermediaries will be charged per credit rep. These changes were good for the industry, he said.Industry funding for ASIC will increase transparency, making industry more accountable for its behaviour by ensuring that those who are creating the need for regulation bear the costs. It is a critical component of the governments plan to improve consumer outcomes in the financial services sector.For credit providers, there will be a minimum levy of $2,000 plus 15 cents per $10,000 of credit provided greater than $100m, excluding small amount credit contracts.For licensed credit intermediaries, there will be a $1,000 minimum levy plus a graduated component based on the number of authorised representatives under the intermediary as of 30 June 2018.The graduated component had yet to be fully determined, Saadat said.Its based on the total number of credit reps that will be in place at the end of June next year. As a guide, we expect it to be between $150 and $250.Licensees that act as credit providers and intermediaries will pay both levies, he added.Responding to questions about how costs will be determined, Saadat said that ASIC had no control over the levies as the cost recovery scheme was a government initiative.Our budget allocation is set by the government. The government then has passed legislation to recover those costs from the sectors that we regulate. It is a government decision.While further details will be released in the coming months, Saadat also gave a rough guide to how the scheme will be implemented. In January 2018, an online portal will be launched to collect information from ASICs regulated population to allow invoices to be calculated.Invoices will be based on the number of regulated entities in a sector and other information provided by industry via the portal.In April 2018, ASIC will then publish indicative levies for FY17/18. Between July and October 2018, all regulated entities will complete an online form for that financial year.In January 2019, the first invoices recovering costs for ASICs regulatory services for the 2017/18 financial year will be issued and entities will have until the end of February 2019 to pay their invoice, Saadat said.This reflects that the model is an ex-post model, he added, meaning that invoices will be based on actual costs incurred in the previous year rather than estimates of future costs. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams Tuesdays primary elections were largely a victory for incumbents, who won over rivals in the races for mayor, public advocate, and district attorney, as well as every city Council contest in which one competed. But the deep-blue countys Democratic Party machine suffered some losses, in the form of two civil-court seats that went to one insurgent and one independent candidate. Heres our recap of the local primary election results. 38th Council District Freshman Councilman Carlos Menchaca (DSunset Park) will likely get to keep his seat for another four years after defeating a quartet of Democratic-primary rivals, including his predecessor and the local Assemblyman. Menchaca who faced a stiff challenge from Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (DSunset Park), former Councilwoman Sara Gonzalez, and attorneys Chris Miao and Delvis Valdes secured 4,102 votes, just less than half of all ballots cast. Ortiz placed second with 2,777 votes, according to the citys Board of Elections data. The incumbent took heat from his constituents and challengers for focusing too heavily on national politics rather than his own district, and for the way he handled superstorm Sandys aftermath. The influential Patrolmens Benevolent Association also threw its support and cash behind Ortiz in an attempt to oust Menchaca, claiming he did not support New Yorks Finest enough. But Menchaca secured some key endorsements, including that of the New York Times, and ultimately claimed victory. He will go on to face Green Party candidate Carmen Hulburt in Novembers general election. 35th Council District Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo (DCrown Heights) also cinched victory on Tuesday, after a contentious campaign to retain her seat against second-time challenger Ede Fox, who lost the same race to Cumbo in 2013. The race drew the second-largest voter turnout in the city, with more than 17,500 votes. The incumbent, who secured 10,116 votes to Foxs 7,304, faced criticism for her late public opposition to the mayors controversial plan to turn the city-owned Bedford-Union Armory into luxury condos and apartments. Fox, who fiercely opposed the project, made it her campaigns main platform, which earned her the support of several large unions and political clubs. But Cumbo enjoyed strong support from Mayor DeBlasio. She will go on to face Green Party candidate Jabari Brisport and Republican Christine Parker in Novembers general election. In 2013, Cumbo won the seat with 7,561 votes compared to Foxs 5,340, according to city records. 43rd Council District Bay Ridge native Justin Brannan, a former staffer to term-limited Councilman Vincent Gentile (DBay Ridge) and the DeBlasio administration, claimed victory over his four Democratic primary competitors, winning a little less than 40 percent of the votes, with 3,561. The runner-up, Rev. Khader El-Yateem, ran a fierce grass-roots campaign with little institutional support, which earned him 2,879 votes. And long-time state Sen. Marty Golden (RBay Ridge) staffer John Quaglione won the Republican primary with 1,789 votes. Liam McCabe, a former staffer to Rep. Dan Donovan (RBay Ridge), came in second with 1,153 votes. Brannan and Quaglione will now duke it out to win Novembers general election, campaigning for the seat in a district many say is among the boroughs most conservative, despite it going for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 general election. 34th Council District Incumbent Councilman Antonio Reynoso (DWilliamsburg) defeated his sole challenger, Bushwick district leader Tommy Torres, and will retain his seat after winning 6,452 votes compared to Torress 3527. 40th Council District Incumbent Mathieu Eugene (DFlatbush) staved off challenges from three rivals to keep his seat. He received 5,414 votes and challenger Brian Cunningham placed second with 3,991. 41st Council District Brownsville native Alicka Ampry-Samuel cruised to victory over her eight competitors to succeed term-limited Councilwoman Darlene Mealy (DBedford-Stuyvesant) . The former chief-of-staff to Assemblywoman Latrice Walker (DBrownsville) got 3,320 votes. Second place went to Henry Butler, the district manager of Community Board 3, with 2,318 votes. 42nd Council District Incumbent Councilwoman Inez Barron (DCanarsie) will keep her seat after beating challenger Mawuli Hormeku with 7,253 votes, compared to Hormekus 1,392. 44th Council District Councilman David Greenfield (DMidwood) announced his resignation from Council earlier this summer, but did so too late to allow for a Democratic primary, which allowed him to hand-pick ally Kalman Yeger as his Democratic successor. But Yeger still faces competition from Yoni Hikind the son of Assemblyman Dov Hikind (DMidwood) who will run on the independent Our Neighborhood party line in Novembers election. 45th Council District Incumbent Councilman Jumaane Williams (DMidwood) easily fended off rival Lou Cespedes, earning 8,588 votes compared to his competitors 904. 48th Council District Incumbent Councilman Chaim Deutsch (DSheepshead Bay) cruised to victory over challenger Marat Filler, with 3,563 votes compared to Fillers 829. Deutsch will go on to face Republican Steve Saperstein in Novembers general election. Civil Court So-called insurgent candidate Sandra Roper and independent attorney Ellen Edwards won two seats on the civil-court bench, dealing a small blow to Brooklyn Democratic Party boss Frank Seddio, who pushed to fill the five seats up for re-election with incumbents. Party-backed candidates Robin Sheares, Frederick Arriaga, David Pepper, Connie Melendez, and Patria Frias-Colon faced challenges from Edwards who ran on her own and the rival slate of insurgents headed by Gary Tilzer, which included Roper, Patrick Haynes, Isiris Isella Isaac, Thomas Kennedy, and John OHara. In addition to Roper and Edwards, voters also selected Robin Sheares, Connie Melendez, and Patria Frias-Colon. Eagles can tie franchise record, but first they have to fix one issue State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) presented a check to Yardley Borough Police Chief Joseph Kelly for $68,600 for the purchase of a new police vehicle and motorcycle during a visit to the station. Our police put themselves on the line every day to keep our community safe, said Sen. Santarsiero. Dating back to when I was a Lower Makefield Township Supervisor more than... latest news October 31, 2022 Buddy TV In November, there are hundreds of new and returning TV showsit can be overwhelming to try and choose what to watch. That's why we've selected some of the best options... Stopcocks hosted the first Women Installers Together Conference yesterday in London. It brought together female plumbers and gas engineers from across the UK and Europe to discuss being a female in the industry, learn new skills and network. Women make up approximately just 1% of all plumbers and 1 in 300 of gas engineers, and this was the first event dedicated to celebrate the achievements of these women. Hattie Hasan headlined the event with a speech about Making it in a Mans World and discussed her experiences, from not being accepted from over 400 companies when she first qualified, to her current passion of inspiring more women to join the industry. Other key topics from Hatties engaging speech were difficulties entering the industry, sexism from both colleagues and customers, and encouraging young people to join the industry by creating role models. Hattie said: I just wanted to be a plumber, and all these things just kept coming to me and at the time it was like you are different and I thought, why am I different? Im just a plumber but we [female plumbers] are different. I know that equal opportunities will tell us that youre all the same but actually equal opportunities does not mean we are the same. Equal opportunities means equal opportunities and to have a climate so you can reach those equal opportunities. In the morning, Jazz Jones from Polypipe spoke about dealing with conflict at work. The presentation went through the different conflict styles and how best to work and resolve conflict with different types of people for both colleagues and customers. Katie Beesley from SLG Marketing held a short presentations about The Power of Branding, and how to use a brand to get more customers and build a good reputation. After lunch and Hatties speech, there was a chance to network with the sponsor brands and other attendees. Sponsors present at the event included Fernox, Polypipe, Vaillant, Spirotech, Bristan, Roca, and John Lewis Home Solutions. With more women's sports on TV, more fans are tuning in Bankers are taking a keen interest in how the Synergies Dooray Automative resolution case unfolds. For, this could create a precedent for the next set of cases at insolvency proceedings and decide how successful the resolution story turns out to be for lenders. Warning that any move to lower the inter-connect usage charges (IUCs) would turn the entire telecom industry sick barring Reliance Jio, Aditya Birla Group-owned on Thursday urged the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to put industry call minutes into two buckets for a correct assessment of costs and then decide on the merits of reducing IUCs. Recapitalisation is a major issue for state-run banks owing to the massive non-performing assets (NPAs), or bad loans, accumulated by them and they are now exploring various sources of raising capital, according to a leading public sector bank (PSB). "Banks' capitalisation is a major issue for PSBs. We have to make high provisions, also now with the NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) cases," UCO Bank Chief Executive RK Thakkar told BTVi channel. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has identified the second batch of large accounts which have defaulted in repayment of loans and has advised banks to resolve them. In June, the RBI had come out with a list of 12 large accounts, which totalled about 25 per cent of the current gross NPAs of the banking system for reference to the NCLT under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). "We are trying various source to raise capital... We have requested the government for support, but for the balance beyond the budgetary support we have to go to the market, depending on the appropriate time," Thakkar said. He said the UCO Bank's capital requirement for the current fiscal is to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore and "with the provisioning required for the NCLT cases the requirement may go up to another Rs 500-600 crore." The RBI has also advised banks to make higher provisions for the accounts to be referred under the IBC. This was intended to improve bank provision coverage ratios and to ensure that banks are fully protected against likely losses in the resolution process. Thakkar said that he expected the first tranche of the government support to arrive to the bank in a month's time. He also said that recapitalisation bonds would be one of the possible instruments to explore in the efforts to supplement the government recapitalisation. The PSBs have accumulated a high ratio of NPAs, going up to 17-18 per cent of their loan portfolio. The government has committed Rs 70,000 crore for banks' recapitalisation over five years, of which Rs 10,000 crore remains to be disbursed for the current fiscal. After Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati urged the Centre to adopt a humanitarian approach towards thousands of Rohingya families seeking asylum in India, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday said that the Government of India cannot allow a security situation of the country to suffer for the sake of allowing illegal immigrants on regional and religious consideration. Speaking to ANI, BJP leader GVL Narsimha Rao said that the Centre is fulfilling all its humanitarian obligations but it cannot overlook the manner in which a large number of illegal immigrants have been residing here and posing a challenge to the security of the country. "Parties like the BSP and leaders like Mayawati should not indulge in appeasement politics even over issue like the illegal immigration. The problem with Rohingya is that it has a serious security dimensions and this country cannot overlook the manner in which a large number of illegal immigrants have already been residing here and posing a challenge to the security," he said. He further added: "Government is certainly fulfilling all its humanitarian obligations but at the same time Government of India cannot consider religion and vote bank politics that BSP, SP and Congress are involved in. We cannot allow a security situation of the country to suffer for the sake of allowing illegal immigrants on regional and religious consideration." In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mayawati said that the Centre should not force state governments to adopt a stern stand towards Rohingya refugees. She advised the Centre to talk to governments of Myanmar and Bangladesh to resolve their problems. "The Indian government should follow the country's tradition and adopt a humane view towards Rohingyas," the former UP Chief Minister said. "In neighbouring Myanmar, lakhs of Rohingya Muslims have taken refuge in Bangladesh and in some states of India due to continued unrest in their homeland. The confusion over a clear policy of the Centre on allowing refugees to stay in India has worsened the situation," she said. The Muslim Rohingyas have been fleeing from Myanmar (Burma) by the thousands. The Rohingya are a minority ethnic group located in Myanmar's western Rakhine state and are considered to be a variation of the Sunni religion. Since the Rohingya are considered to be illegal Bengali immigrants and were denied recognition as a religion by the government of Myanmar, the dominant group, the Rakhine, rejects the label "Rohingya" and have started to persecute the Rohingya. As Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits India, a Chinese daily has said that close ties between New Delhi and Tokyo posed no "grave threat" to Beijing. China has always been wary of growing proximity between India and Japan with whom it has territorial disputes. The state-run Chinese media has often been critical of fast developing ties between India and Japan. An op-ed in the Global Times said "the India-Japan intimacy is more like a contrivance" and both were "are unlikely to challenge China without giving it a serious thought". It said China would never follow India and Japan "who have somewhat lost themselves". "Under the international relations logic of the 21st century, closer India-Japan ties won't pose grave threats to China because many of their emotional moves to console each other won't produce any real effects in challenging China. "A strong China has the confidence that no Asian country can substantially challenge China's security nor can they by grouping together. China has been in the core of economic cooperation in Asia. Geopolitics is unlikely to go against the geo-economic situation." This is the 10th meeting between Modi and Abe in the past three years. This time, Modi invited the Japanese leader to Ahmedabad. In 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the city in Gujarat where Modi was once the Chief Minister. Both leaders are likely to beef up their defence and security ties. The sale of US-2 amphibious aircraft is also likely to come up. Last year, China had angrily reacted to the prospective sale of these aircraft to India. The newspaper said after the Doklam border row, Indian experts and media have emphasised the need to forge deeper ties with the US and Japan to counter China. "This has exposed the vulnerable feeling of the Indian strategic circle in front of China," the article said. "They want to encourage themselves by calling for India's alliance with the US and Japan to showcase India's strategic potential to China. This suits the desperate needs of Indian society's mentality." "As long as Chinese society is mentally strong enough, calls in the Indian and Japanese media for them to draw closer will be in vain. India and Japan are unlikely to form a military and political alliance with the US. "China's vast trade with Japan and India greatly dwarfs bilateral trade between India and Japan. Given this, Tokyo and New Delhi are unlikely to challenge China without giving it serious thought." The daily added: "China wants to solve problems when it has disagreements with India on specific issues. China won't actively seek strategic confrontation with India or Japan." The Congress on Wednesday raised questions over Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's state visit to Ahmedabad and not the country's capital and hoped it would not be used for political purposes in view of the forthcoming Gujarat assembly elections. India and Japan today discussed a host of issues of regional and global importance and strongly condemned North Korea over its continued development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, said a senior government official. Briefing the media after the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe here, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said the recent Doklam stand- off between India and China was not discussed specifically by the two leaders. A joint statement was issued after the talks. "Doklam was not specifically mentioned in the statement. But all important regional and global issues were discussed," Jaishankar said. Japan was the only country which openly supported India during the Doklam crisis. The two leaders condemned, in the strongest terms, North Korea's continued development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, the foreign secretary said. "On the recent developments in North Korea, Japan and India stand firm on their resolve to force the country to change its course of action and fully comply with the UNSC resolution (calling for a halt to nuclear weapons and missile programmes)," the statement said. Modi and Abe affirmed a strong commitment for a "free, open and prosperous" Indo-Pacific region. However, there was no mention of the South China Sea in the document, unlike last year's joint statement. "When we talk of the Indo-Pacific region, the South China Sea is a part of it. This is not a position specific to any geography, this is our principled position regarding any part of the world," Jaishankar said when asked why the South China Sea was not mentioned in the statement. He said the two leaders decided to continue with the talks on Japan's sale of US-2 amphibian aircraft to India, adding that New Delhi and Tokyo also decided to increase the cooperation between the Indian Army and Indian Air Force and their Japanese counterparts. Till now, defence cooperation between the two countries was largely restricted to their naval forces. "These are serious discussions (going on). I am not in the know of what the issues are as I am not one of the negotiators," Jaishankar said, in reply to a question on the delay in sealing the US-2 amphibian aircraft deal. At his briefing, the Director General of Press and Public Diplomacy of Japan, Norio Maruyama, when asked about Doklam, said, "Important strategic issues concerning India were discussed, but I will not name them. Asked why the South China Sea was not mentioned in the joint statement, he said, "What is important is the spirit of the statement." Maruyama said the two countries proposed to improve the connectivity between Asia and Africa and promote the stability and prosperity of the region as a whole. Japan had agreed to push for development in India's north-east and signed an agreement for road connectivity improvement in the region, Jaishankar said. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Thursday participate in the ground breaking ceremony of the Rs 1.08-lakh crore ($17 billion) Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project near the Sabarmati railway station in Ahmedabad. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday condemned violence against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar as "unacceptable", as thousands of refugees continue to stream across the border into Bangladesh. "We need to support Aung San Suu Kyi and her leadership but also be very clear and unequivocal to the military power sharing in that government that this is unacceptable," Tillerson said. "This violence must stop. This persecution must stop. It has been characterised by many as ethnic cleansing. That must stop," he said during a visit to London, speaking alongside British counterpart Boris Johnson. "I think it is a defining moment in many ways for this new emerging democracy," Tillerson said, acknowledging that Myanmar's leader Suu Kyi found herself in a "difficult and complex situation". A crackdown by Myanmar's army, launched in response to attacks by Rohingya militants on August 25, has pushed vast numbers of refugees from the stateless Muslim minority across the border. Some 389,000 are estimated to have crossed since then. As the ambitious Naga peace talks reach the final stage, civil society representatives and a top politician in Nagaland have said that the assembly polls, due in March 2018, could get pushed back as an interim government gets into the saddle after the accord is signed. Many expect a final solution to the six-decade-long Naga conflict by the end of 2017. An interim government, it is said, will help in adjusting and stabilising the administrative and political system in the state, which may get some political autonomy as part of the overall solution. "If the Naga solution comes before the assembly election then there will be an interim government for a brief period as many things will be happening and things will fall into place. And then, only later on can we talk about the next elections," Neiphiu Rio, former Nagaland Chief Minister and current Lok Sabha member from the state, told IANS. Stating that the Naga people want a settlement at any cost, Rio stated that he himself had repeatedly said in parliament that the central government should pursue the talks and the settlement should come before the assembly elections. According to a former Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), state polls can be delayed only through a special request, which is possible in the case of Nagaland due to the Naga Framework Agreement. "The Election Commission cannot postpone the elections on its own, until a special request is made by the party (the Centre and State). This is usually done when there are natural calamities and law and order issues. However, in the case of Nagaland, where negotiations are going on, a special request can be made before the assembly's term gets over," former CEC H.S. Brahma told IANS. Civil society groups such as the powerful Naga Hoho and Eastern Nagaland's People Organisation (ENPO) have clearly stated that if the government wants to find an amicable solution in Nagaland, it has to be before the next assembly elections. Some go to the extent of saying that the Nagas themselves would conduct the next elections. "As of now we don't expect another Indian election to happen in Nagaland. During the recent visit of Naga Peace Talks interlocutor R.N. Ravi to Nagaland, we have clearly told him that if the Government of India is willing to make any amicable solution, then it has to be before the next assembly elections," Naga Hoho President Chuba Ozukum told IANS. According to Ozukum, holding the assembly elections without finding a solution to the Naga issue will create a lot of problems. "We cannot continue the peace process forever. Peace talks for 20 years are more than enough. The people aren't comfortable, we are becoming restless," said Ozukum, adding that if a political solution was not found before the assembly elections, the Naga people will themselves decide what is to be done. The assembly elections will be the first after the Naga Framework Agreement was signed on Aug 3, 2015. The agreement, inked between the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) -- the biggest and most powerful faction of NSCN -- and the Centre is an attempt to find a final settlement to the vexed Naga issue. Initially about sovereignty, the demand is now for a Greater Nagalim by integrating the Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Khoiwang Konyak, President of the ENPO, said it was a time to wait and watch. "Basically, the Naga people are waiting and observing what will come first, a solution or an election. If the election comes first then we will join the election, but if the solution comes before, we will go for it and support it fully," Konyak told IANS. Ryan International Group's northern zone head Francis Thomas was on Wednesday sent to three days police custody while the school's human resource head Jeyus Thomas to five days judicial custody by a Sohna court in connection with the murder of a seven-year-old student. The Gurgaon Police had arrested Francis and Jeyus, under relevant sections of the IPC and Juvenile Justice Act, following the gruesome murder of Pradhuman on Friday last. The schoolboy's body was found in a washroom with the throat slit. Francis was sent to police custody till September 16 while Jeyus to judicial custody till September 18 by the court, an SIT officer said. Earlier in the day, five days after the gruesome murder, SIT teams searched the school premises for clues to the crime while a CBSE panel also inspected it to examine loopholes in the security arrangements. The Gurgaon Police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the crime also took samples of fingerprints and shoes at the crime scene, including the toilet, a day after recreating the sequence of events there. The SIT clicked photos and shot videos of the suspected places to examine the nature of the crime again. Twelve colleges of Tamil Nadu made it to the list of top "Swachhta" institutions released by the HRD Ministry today, while no Delhi college could make the cut. Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said no government institution could secure a spot in the top 50. Therefore, the ministry made a separate category for them. A total of 3,500 institutions applied for the first edition of "Swachhta Rankings" introduced by the HRD ministry. 174 were shortlisted. Following an inspection, the top 25 were selected for awards. "No government institution figured in the top 50. Hence we created a separate category for them," Javadekar said at an event where the top institutions in four categories university, colleges, technical and government were awarded. The participating institutions were judged on the basis of student-toilet ratio, water purity and pipeline systems, availability of running water, kitchen hygiene and garbage disposal system, among others. While OP Jindal Global University in Sonipat topped the universities category; Kongu Arts and Science College in Erode, Tamil Nadu, was ranked first in the colleges' category. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, and GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology were declared the best in the technical and government institutions categories. Other Tamil Nadu colleges that made it to the list are: Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College (Chennai), Vivekananda College of Arts and Science (Tiruchengode), SNR Sons College (Coimbatore), KG College of Arts and Science (Coimbatore), Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (Coimbatore). Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute (Chennai), Vivekananda College of Engineering for Women (Tiruchengode), RMD Engineering College and RMK Engineering College (Chennai), Madurai Kamaraj University (Madurai) and Alagappa University (Karaikudi). Asked about Delhi colleges failing to find a spot in the list, a senior HRD Ministry official said, "The colleges were shortlisted from a number of applications received. So, it is possible not many colleges in Delhi applied for it." However, no data was immediately available about the number of applications received from Delhi. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Authorities in the United Kingdom have seized properties belonging to fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim, the media reported on Wednesday. Dawood Ibrahim's name appears on the latest UK Treasury Department's "Consolidated List of Financial Sanctions Targets", the Birmingham Mail reported. Even as India's Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir welcomed the development, opposition Congress welcomed the development but said it was a litmus test for the Indian government to bring him back. The assets frozen include properties in Midlands. owns a hotel in Warwickshire and residential properties across the Midlands, according to the report. The Treasury sanction document lists three recorded addresses of in Pakistan, including 'The White House' in the seaside Clifton area in Karachi. It also lists 21 aliases used by the don. The sanctions prohibit the transfer of funds to anyone on the list and freezes any assets the targets may hold in the UK. The Indian investigators had been pursuing Dawood's assets in the UK and also visited the Midlands in 2015. According to an Enforcement Directorate official, a large chunk of Dawood's money has been invested in the UK, Dubai, and India. Dawood is also reported to have properties in Dartford and Essex and in central London. The opposition Congress asked the Narendra Modi government to "walk the walk" and bring the fugitive don back to India. "If Dawood assets have been attached, that is a welcome step, but the litmus test is getting Dawood back and those were the commitments this government made to the people of India in the run-up to the 2014 (Lok Sabha elections) campaign," Congress Spokesperson Manish Tewari said. "We expect them to walk the walk... it is incumbent upon every government to do whatever they possibly can to get Dawood back," he added. Dawood is on India's Most Wanted list for his role in the 1993 Mumbai blasts. United Nations documents identify him as an accomplice of al Qaeda while the US Treasury Department declared him a "global terrorist" in 2013. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Thursday laid the foundation stone for the proposed Ahmedabad-Mumbai High-Speed Rail Network, commonly known as the bullet train, in the Gujarat city. "My good friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a far-sighted leader. He took a decision two years ago to bring high-speed train in India and to create a new India," he said. India and Japan today committed to resist protectionism while making a strong case for rule based multilateral trading system for sustainable growth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe held strategic discussions on a wide range of issues under the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between the two countries. "The two Prime Ministers underlined the crucial role of the rules-based multilateral trading system, and enhancing free, fair, and open trade, for achieving sustainable growth and development. "They committed to resist protectionism including unfair trade practices and underlined the need to remove trade-distorting measures," said a joint statement issued after the meeting. Modi and Abe reaffirmed their commitment to work together to implement the Bali and Nairobi Ministerial decisions and make the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference a success. They also decided to steadily implement WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement. Japan reaffirmed its support to India's membership in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), a forum for 21 Pacific Rim member economies. The two leaders decided to work towards liberalisation and facilitation of trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region. "They reaffirmed to cooperate towards the conclusion of a modern, comprehensive, high quality and mutually beneficial Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement, in order to achieve a balanced outcome," the statement said. Modi and Abey also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation and to working with partners to tackle excess capacity in steel. In this regard, they called for the removal of market-distorting subsidies and other types of support by governments and related entities. "They also reaffirmed their commitment to developing concrete policy solutions at the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity by November 2017," the statement said. They welcomed the progress made in the bilateral IT and IoT cooperation through the bilateral Joint Working Group on IT and Electronics, in particular by the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NASSCOM and IoT Acceleration Consortium (ITAC) of Japan. The two leaders also welcomed the opening of the first lithium-ion battery factory in India by a joint venture of three Japanese companies Suzuki, Toshiba and Denso as well as a new automotive factory this year. It was also decided to further promote public and private sector collaboration to make environmentally friendly and energy efficient technologies accessible and affordable to the general public. They underlined the importance of support measures to promote eco-friendly vehicles including in terms of 'Make in India' and transfer of technology. Modi updated Abe about his government's efforts for the country's economic and social development. Prime Minister Abe reiterated Japan's strong support for the initiatives such as 'Make in India', 'Digital India', and 'Skill India'. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With a slew of reported glitches in the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN, the ministerial panel on the subject will meet on Saturday in Bengaluru to examine the information technology (IT) challenges plaguing the uniform tax regime. India and Japan on Thursday signed 15 memorandums of understanding (MoUs), which dealt with wide-ranging issues such as bilateral relations, defence and security cooperation, and supporting each other for a permanent seat in the United Nations expanded Security Council. While no figure was released on how much Japanese companies planned to invest in India, some sources said it would be around Rs 5 lakh crore, including the flagship bullet train project. One of the more import MoUs was on civil aviation cooperation and open skies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe laid the foundation stone for the bullet train in Ahmedabad on Thursday. They said the growing bilateral relations between the two countries could play a stabilising role in South Asia. This is important as both India and Japan are trying to counter Chinas growing influence in the region. ALSO READ: Modi, Abe bonhomie on display as they kick-off bullet train project Apart from fresh investment proposals at the summit, Modi claimed Japans foreign direct investment (FDI) to India had actually trebled in the past few years, a testimony to the growing economic ties. So far, around $25.7 billion has flown in as FDI from Japan; the plan now is to double this by 2019. Modi and Abe also used the summit to jointly condemn North Koreas latest nuclear test and uranium enrichment activities, urging the hermit nation to comply with UNSC resolutions. MoUs were signed in the areas of disaster risk management, skill development, connectivity for the Northeast, and open-sky civil aviation, among others. Deals were also inked to bring fresh food from Japan to India for Japanese expats, apart from infrastructure development in Gujarats Mandal Bechraj-Khoraj region. The two PMs welcomed the start of the first four Japan-India Institutes for Manufacturing (JIMs) in Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu in 2017. ALSO READ: Suzuki Motor starts work on lithium ion battery unit Abe said the two countries had agreed upon a Japan-India investment support road map. But, one of the most significant joint announcements was when the two called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens. India and Japan vowed to cooperate to tackle terrorist groups and the joint statement by the two countries mentioned names such as Al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Jaish-e-Mohammed. The two leaders also demanded Pakistan to initiate action against terrorist outfits responsible for attacks in Mumbai (2008) and Pathankot (2016). The joint statement said, They (Modi and Abe) looked forward to convening the fifth Japan-India Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats. ALSO READ: Akie Abe in Gandhinagar: From culinary delights to trip down memory lane Besides entering into agreement for cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, Japan and India also welcomed the renewed momentum for trilateral cooperation with the US and Australia, and resolved to work with regional partners to ensure a rule-based order in the Indo-Pacific Region. The talks, however, were not just confined to economic and diplomatic cooperation. Japan has agreed to help India build a convention centre in Varanasi. Calling it a symbol of cultural cooperation between the two countries, Modi said Abe had conceptualised it during his last visit to the town. ALSO READ: What do India, Japan trade, and what it means for India All that has changed is where he will live. In all other aspects, it is as if time had stood still for Sushil Kumar Modi, who is going to swap places with Tejashwi Yadav to move into his bungalow at 5 Desh Ratna Marg, Patna, while Yadav shifts to Modis current house at 1 Polo Road. Modi is deputy chief minister and finance minister of Bihar and is more or less back in his old job of soothing feathers ruffled by the goods and services tax (GST). Bank unions today claimed the bankruptcy process initiated by various lenders for NPA resolution will not help in bringing the money back. Bankruptcy process is not going to yield desired results in terms of NPA resolution as recovery is likely to be very low, All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) General Secretary C H Vekatchalam said. "Banking Regulations Act has been amended to resort to Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code against big defaulters but this litigation route is time consuming and there is no guarantee of banks getting back the entire loans. Banks will incur further losses on account of these accounts," he said. RBI recently identified 12 accounts with non-performing assets (NPAs) of about Rs 2.5 lakh crore and asked various banks to initiate bankruptcy process against these firms. He added that United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) will hold a protest march here tomorrow against various government policies, including privatisation of PSU banks. Adequate capital should be provided by the government to public sector banks to strengthen their balance sheet and the administration should desist from any move towards privatisation, UFBU Convenor Sanjeev Bandlish said. Effective measures are to be taken to recover the huge bad loans and banks should not be consolidated, amalgamated or merged, said All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC) Joint General Secretary Ravinder Gupta. The protest march will begin from Ram Leela Maidan and culminate at Sansad Marg police station, he added. "Poor people, students and farmers are being harassed for non-repayment of loans but big corporates are enjoying all concessions. This is anti-people," he said. This article first appeared on Business Standard on 14.09.2017. Why is it that politicians seem more human and even a bit more honest when they are addressing audiences abroad than in India? Narendra Modi plays with children, takes selfies, and beats the drum with gay abandon, thus displaying his human side, when abroad, while at home he displays stern seriousness. Rahul Gandhi, while delivering well-tutored lines in parliament (suit-boot-ki-sarkar) and hackneyed lines (Paytm is Pay To Modi) back home, comes across as more believable when speaking to audiences outside India. Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard. A senior US official on Thursday sought to allay India's concerns on the programme, which is being "reviewed" by the Trump administration, saying there are no "restrictions" in place. The official said around 70 per cent of the visas issued under the H-1B category over the past nine months have gone to Indians and that a record 1.2 million visas of Indians were adjudicated by the US last year. The year-over-year increase in terms of issuance of H-1B visas and L1 visas (work permit) to Indians is six per cent each, the official said. "The President (Donald Trump) spoke about review. There are no restrictions but it (H-1B) is under review," he said, adding the issue was not on the agenda for the upcoming Indo- US bilateral dialogue on consular relations, but it may come up in the course of the talks. The issue of the repealing of the Deferred Action for Children Arrival (DACA) programme, which has hit more than 7,000 Indian-Americans, may also figure in the talks scheduled to be held on September 27 in Washington. Trump had signed an executive order in April for tightening the rules of the programme to stop "visa abuses". The DACA amnesty programme granted work permits to immigrants who arrived in the country illegally as children. The official also said the US processed around 88,000 student visa applications last year, which is an increase of 15 per cent over 2015. Currently, there are around 1.6 lakh Indian students in the US, which is the second highest number of students, after China. Indian citizens made up six per cent of worldwide immigrant visa applicants, making them the fifth largest group of new immigrants after those from China, Philippines, Dominican Republic and Mexico. The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. Indian technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year for their US operations. Volkswagen AG and its Chinese joint ventures FAW-Volkswagen and SAIC Volkswagen will recall 4.86 million vehicles due to issues with air bags supplied by bankrupt auto parts maker Takata Corp, China's quality watchdog said on Thursday. The recall comes after the watchdog asked the German automaker, General Motors Co and Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz earlier this year to recall vehicles equipped with . The watchdog estimated over 20 million cars in China had air bags made by Takata, which have been linked to at least 16 deaths and 180 injuries globally. The air bags have the potential to explode with too much force and spray shrapnel. China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said VW China would recall 103,573 vehicles, FAW-Volkswagen 2.35 million vehicles and SAIC Volkswagen 2.4 million vehicles. The watchdog said the recall would begin in March next year and continue into 2019. Volkswagen officials did not provide immediate comment when contacted by Reuters. Of 37 vehicle manufacturers affected by the faulty air bag issue in China, 24 had recalled 10.59 million cars as at the end of June. A further five had made plans to recall 1.26 million vehicles. Volkswagen delivered 3.98 million vehicles in China last year, an increase of 12.2 percent on 2015, making it the biggest foreign automaker in the country. The robot was perched over a bin filled with random objects, from a box of instant oatmeal to a small toy shark. This two-armed automaton did not recognize any of this stuff, but that did not matter. It reached into the pile and started picking things up, one after another after another. US President on Thursday refuted reports that he had struck a deal with top Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer to provide a pathway to citizenship for young immigrants, known as "Dreamers", tweeting that "no deal was made last night". "No deal was made last night on DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals)," Trump tweeted, contradicting a statement by his guests, Senator Schumer and House Minority Leader Pelosi, about the issues discussed at a private White House dinner on Wednesday night that he hosted. "Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to the vote," the President said in one of a series of posts on his Twitter account. "The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built," Trump said in another tweet. Hours earlier, shortly after the conclusion of the dinner, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders had pushed back against the Schumer-Pelosi statement embracing the claim of a deal. Sanders reiterated that point on Thursday, saying: "While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to." Trump scrapped the DACA programme earlier this month. The Barack Obama-era DACA scheme was put in place to protect so-called "Dreamers" migrants brought to the US illegally as children from deportation. The measures, which protect some 800,000 people in the US, also provide temporary permits for work and study. Trump announced on September 4 that he would cancel the scheme while giving Congress six months to enact a replacement plan for DACA recipients. The President also voiced sympathy for the hundreds of thousands of younger immigrants vulnerable to deportation. "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military, really?" he tweeted. "They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own -- brought in by parents at a young age. Plus BIG border security." Following talks, Schumer and Pelosi said they had "a very productive meeting at the White House with the President". The discussion focused on DACA. "We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides," the pair was quoted as saying by the Washington Post. Democrats have repeatedly said that they will block any legislation that contains funding for the border wall. On Thursday, Trump suggested that the "Dreamers" deal and boosting border security would be subjected to a vote. Breitbart, the news outlet headed by former Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannon, called reports of an immigration deal a "full-fledged cave" by Trump on "amnesty" for the Dreamers. Representative Steve King, Republican of Iowa, wrote on Twitter: "Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The countrys leader, Kim Jong-un (second from left), celebrated the national holiday on Saturday by bringing his nuclear scientists and engineers to Pyongyang and holding a banquet | Photo: Reuters Pakistan Airlines (PIA), said on Wednesday that the former acting chief executive officer (CEO) of the airline, Bernd Hildenbrand, a German national, had taken PIAs missing plane home while leaving Pakistan. PIA confirmed that it had not sold its missing A-310 aircraft to any museum in Germany and the one present there belonged to them. The country does not exist, so it has neither an army nor any real citizens, though it has acquired a feisty following of would-be patriots online. Starting on Thursday, however, the fictional state, Veishnoriya, a distillation of the Kremlins darkest fears about the West, becomes the target of the combined military might of Russia and its ally Belarus. Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app. Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006. Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more. Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them. 26 years of website archives. The Trump administration has imposed visa sanctions against four countries that have refused to take back citizens who were convicted of crimes in the United States and ordered deported, officials said on Wednesday. Top House and Senate Democrats have announced agreement with President Donald Trump to protect certain immigrants brought illegally to the US under the DACA programme, media reports said. The agreement was announced in a joint statement from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York. It was following a dinner the pair had with Trump on Wednesday at the White House, New York Post reported. The statement said they and Trump have "agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides", Fox News said. The agreement would specifically not include Trump's long-sought border wall, the Fox report said. It would enshrine protection for the nearly 800,000 immigrants who benefited from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program created by former President Barack Obama that Trump has announced he would be ending. The Trump administration had earlier announced it was winding down the program over the next six months, putting pressure on the Congress to pass a legislative solution. "We had a very productive meeting at the White House with the President," the two Democrats said. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, however, pushed back on that assessment: "While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to." A person briefed on the meeting said that the President and the Democratic leaders agreed to legislatively pair the bipartisan DREAM Act with some border security, excluding the wall, CNN reported. The meeting follows an unexpected deal between Trump, Schumer and Pelosi last week that would temporarily raise the debt ceiling -- leaving the GOP and some of Trump's closest allies flabbergasted. The deal is the latest example of Trump's sudden pivot to bipartisanship after months of railing against Democrats as "obstructionist", Fox News said. The are caught in a severe downturn. Annual aggregate volumes in have fallen to their lowest level since 2010 and, at Rs 178.5 trillion (Rs 1 trillion = Rs 1 lakh crore), are a third of the peak seen in 2011-12. A few months after cheap pepper imports from Vietnam came under the scanner of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for suspected contamination, the Spice Board has recommended a ban on the imports over quality concerns. The development comes at a time when cheap imports have brought down the pepper price to Rs 400 a kg, from Rs 650 a kg about a year ago. At least 50 people were killed, including some Iranian pilgrims, and over 80 more got injured, when the Islamic State jihadists carried out twin attacks in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah. One ISIS attacker detonated his explosive vest inside a restaurant, south-west of Nasiriyah in the Thi Qar province, while three to four others opened fire at the people inside, the Independent quoted police sources as saying. Yahya al-Nassiri, the area's governor, said that the attack began with the jihadists opening fire at the checkpoint and the restaurant on the main highway that links Baghdad with the southern provinces. Shortly afterward, two suicide bombers, including one driving a car rigged with explosives, blew themselves, Iraqi officials said. The attack occurred as Iraqi forces battled to defeat ISIS terrorists in areas under their control. ISIS claimed the twin attacks through its propaganda agency Amaq. Nasiriyah is the capital of Dhi Qar Governorate, which has a large Shiite population. Nassiri said that the majority of the dead were expected to be Iranian pilgrims who were inside the restaurant. Three police officers are among the dead. Shiites and other ethnic and religious minorities have often been targets of Sunni militants in Iraq, including al-Qaeda and Islamic State . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday highlighted several aspects of India-Japan partnership and said that 21st century is Asia's century and the growing convergence between Japan and India on strategic and economic issues has capacity to stimulate the global economy. Speaking at the India-Japan Annual Summit in Gujarat, Prime Minister Modi said, "When I first visited Japan as Chief Minister of Gujarat, I had said that I want to see a mini Japan in Gujarat. Today, that dream has come true." "Japan can benefit tremendously with the size and scale of our potential and skilled hands that India offers and 21st century was of Asia's and it had emerged as the new centre of global growth." "Gujarat's industry and government still cherish the fact that Japan became the first partner country in Vibrant Gujarat event," Prime Minister Modi added. The Prime Minister said that four locations have been finalised in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu for development of Japanese Industrial Townships. Hailing the strength of India-Japan friendship and trust, the Prime Minister invited more Japanese people and companies to come, live and work in India. Prime Minister Modi even apprised Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about his government's efforts for the country's economic and social development. Prime Minister Abe reiterated Japan's strong support for the initiatives such as "Make in India", "Digital India", "Skill India", "Smart City", "Clean India," and "Start-Up India". Pm Modi said, "Over the last three years, we have worked very hard on the front of Ease of Doing Business. A series of administrative reforms have significantly improved the business sentiment in the country. These reforms and initiatives are all aimed at preparing India for the 21st century. They are aimed at transforming the country and making a New India. Powered by the energy of our youth, we are positioning India as a global manufacturing hub. For this purpose, we have launched the 'Make in India' campaign. We are also developing India into a knowledge based, skill supported and technology driven society." Prime Minister Abe highly appreciated Prime Minister Modi's economic reforms, especially the historic introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), which facilitates ease of doing business and promotes market integration in India by realising a simple, efficient and nation-wide indirect tax system. Prime Minister Modi said a series of administrative reforms have significantly improved the business sentiment in the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Big V Telecom, the leading Cloud Telephony Company and the first one to be incubated by TATA ELXSI, is well geared up to extend services in Delhi/North Capital Region. In response to the new "Digital India" initiative considered as a priority by our Hon. Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, the company has decided to extend its outreach in the Capital region of India with fully functional infrastructure set-up and a full-fledged operations and sales team. A brainchild of Mr. Keshor Daga, Big V Telecom sets out to deliver "Technology with a Purpose", to aid the realm of telephony for a greater extent. Founded in 2008, Big V Telecom is the first company in India incubated by TATA ELXSI, a part of the USD 100 Billion Tata Group, with a penchant for excelling in the realm of cloud telephony that has already served a wide range of businesses at over 60 locations across India. Analysing the growth of SMEs and corporate organizations opting to be headquartered out of New Delhi, Big V Telecom is all set to expand its operations in the city. With over two decades of expertise in technology and telephony solutions, Big V Telecom is fully prepared to provide services to Government and Private sector in India. Sharing insights on the subject, Keshor Daga, Managing Director, Big V Telecom said, "We are delighted to announce our expansion in the Capital region and are very excited to showcase our services, with the conviction to contribute in fulfilling the mission by providing easily accessible and affordable cloud telephony services. Our programmes and campaigns are conceptualised and implemented in a way that also promotes GOI initiatives like Start-Up India, Digital India and Make in India." Big V Telecom's uniqueness lies in the high end customization and 360 degree solutions which include cloud telephony powered products leveraging multiple communication channels. The organization enables faster adaptability of cutting edge technology through fast deployment of APIs for businesses of all sizes and segments. It even helps quantify and gauge effectiveness of media campaigns and advertisement channels. Customer focused, result oriented and cost-effective solutions have been its forte, which work as the foundation of the process. Efficient, Strong and Customized telephony solutions are today's need which strengthen the foundation of every bringing growth to the organization. With a wide range of innovative telephony solutions, Big V Telecom proves to be the ideal partner assisting to transform your opportunities into successful ventures. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the Bombay High Court rejected the anticipatory bail applications of Augustine Pinto, Grace Pinto and Ryan Pinto during a hearing on Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABAs) on Thursday; Pinto family's lawyer Gunaratne Sadawarte called the judgment "intellectual". "The ratio which is followed by the earlier judgment that transit bail is not a bail and it is not a legislative intent by the virtue of Article 438 of the CrPc and that's why I will say that the court has issued restrictions, given the virtue of the judgment of Supreme Court earlier," the lawyer told ANI. Sadawarte also said that the court was anticipating and has fairly told that there might be a possibility that the present applicant may fly away on its own and hence has said that the Pinto family's passport shall be taken away by 9 p.m. today. On the other hand, Sushil Tekriwal, the lawyer of victim's father Barun Thakur, said that this is a matter of happiness. "It's a matter of happiness that the transit anticipatory bail has been rejected by the Bombay High Court, only with the limited purpose of granting the relief till 5 p.m. with respect to the arrest till tomorrow subject to their depositing the passport today by 9 p.m. failing which this interim relief will automatically stand vacated," he told ANI. He also said that the court has no jurisdiction and "this question of law was being argued for more than two hours." Earlier in the day, the Bombay High Court rejected the anticipatory bail applications of Augustine Pinto, Grace Pinto and Ryan Pinto during a hearing on ABAs. The High Court will give Pinto family the interim protection from arrest till tomorrow, only if they submit their passports by nine pm today. The High Court is hearing the arguments on the aspect of the maintainability of applications in its jurisdiction because the interveners and public prosecutor have claimed that these applications are not maintainable. A Special Investigation Team (SIT), constituted to look into the murder case of the seven-year-old Gurugram student, had pointed out serious security lapses in the school. The SIT averred that the school did not have any separate toilet for staffs like drivers and conductors, while adding that the administration even did not get their employees identification verified. The report by the investigative team also highlighted that the some of the CCTV cameras of the school were neither working properly. Also, the fire extinguishers had expired. It was also revealed that the school establishment had broken boundary walls. The report further said that there were no separate toilets for conductors and drivers and the wall behind the school remained unfinished, which easily allowed anyone to enter the school premises without permission. It added that a proper police verification of employees, working at Ryan International School, was not done by the school authorities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court on Thursday refused to stay the tunneling work for the proposed Metro III line along the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz route. The High Court refused to give stay on the Metro work but has said that it will seek a report from the structural experts if tunneling of the metro work affects the heritage structures. Earlier a petition was filed by the trustees of JN Petit institute, which is housed in a 119 year old building at DN road of Mumbai, argued that the construction work of metro is affecting several heritage buildings. On August 25, the petitioners told the court that a heavy limestone finial adorning a portion of the JN Petit building's ceiling had fallen down due to the constant vibrations from the ongoing tunneling work for the Metro. While on Thursday, they told the court that while they were not opposed to the Metro work, it must be halted at least till a 'comprehensive survey of all buildings in Fort area is conducted by an independent structural engineer'. The Colaba-Bandra-Seepz route is Mumbai's first underground Metro rail corridor. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday mocked the Narendra Modi Government at the Centre over its latest project of launching bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai and said that the introduction of the bullet train will not end unemployment in the country. "It's not as if the bullet train can end unemployment," Akhilesh said. Referring to earlier allegations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)/Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that most of the development was limited to his ancestral village of Saifai during his government in the state, Akhilesh claimed that Prime Minister Modi was guilty of the same fault by introducing bullet train in his home state. "During elections, they used to say that all the development has gone into Saifai, but from where he is launching the bullet train, he can't say the same now," said Yadav. He also said that bullet train should also start running from Delhi to Lucknow, Varanasi, Bihar, and Bengal, where there is high population. "The cost is high, but they should also tell how much the fare will be," he further added. Speaking about Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's address at the University of California, Berkeley, Akhilesh defended Gandhi's controversial comment on the prominence of political families' dynasts in Indian politics. "Wherever one person has emerged from a family, another has followed steps," he said. He further asserted that the Samajwadi Party would keep its friendship with the Congress. He also slammed the BJP Government in Uttar Pradesh, and said that it has failed to do any work there. Taking another potshot at the BJP Government, Akhilesh said that the public opinion was proof enough of the party's reputation, and the criticism can be seen across the social media platforms. "Those who conspired in the media before are now worrying over their image on the social media," he said, hinting at BJP. The Samajwadi Party leader was speaking on the occasion of Hindi Diwas, in Lucknow. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Wednesday said that Burmese security forces must respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of civilians in Rakhine State. Muslima Rohingyas are a minority ethnic group located in Myanmar's western Rakhine state and are considered to be a variation of the Sunni religion. The Muslim Rohingyas have been fleeing from Myanmar (Burma) by the thousands. Haley expressed her views on Twitter. Since August 25, more than 370,000 of Burma's Rohingya population has been forced to flee, she tweeted. Haley also demanded that UN Humanitarian Agency should get access in Rakhine state. We need to see the restoration of @UN humanitarian agency access in Rakhine State, Haley tweeted. She said that "today, the UN Security Council was united in calling for an end to violence against innocent civilians in Rakhine State". "If the reports of killings, rapes and landmines are true, these are egregious and unacceptable acts," she tweeted. She also thanked Bangladesh for hosting Rohingya refugees. We thank Bangladesh for hosting hundreds of thousands of refugees, fleeing violence, with nowhere to go, she tweeted. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday also reiterated his call for Muslims from Myanmar's Rakhine state to be granted nationality or at least a legal status that would allow them to lead a normal life, while also urging the international community to help provide assistance for the nearly 380,000 people who have fled into Bangladesh. "I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law, and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country," the Secretary-General said in his first press conference since the opening of the 72nd session of the General Assembly. Guterres repeated his call for "an effective action plan" to address the root causes of the situation, which he said he been left to fester for decades and has now escalated beyond Myanmar's borders, destabilizing the region. Since the Rohingya are considered to be illegal Bengali immigrants and were denied recognition as a religion by the government of Myanmar, the dominant group, the Rakhine, rejects the label "Rohingya" and have started to persecute the Rohingya. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), on Thursday issued circular mentioning guidelines to be adopted by all schools for ensuring safety of the students. CBSE in its circular has directed schools to install CCTV cameras, ensure police verification of staff and regulate entry of outsiders in school building. This comes in the backdrop of the Supreme Court issuing notice to CBSE in wake of Gurugram student murder case. The Supreme Court earlier had issued notice to the Centre, the Haryana government and the state's Director General (DG) of police, the CBSE and the CBI on a plea seeking a probe by the central agency into the murder of a seven-year-old boy inside Ryan International School last week. Seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur was found dead inside the toilet of the Ryan International school, with his throat slit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day after Uttar Pradesh government barred 46 madrassas to get grant, the Congress Party accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of not respecting any religion. Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the saffron part does not respect any religion. "The basic difference between our and BJP's ideology is that the Congress party respects every religion but BJP and its leadership do not support this," Azad told ANI. The Yogi government on Wednesday stopped grants to 46 madrasas across Uttar Pradesh after irregularities were reported in their functioning. The grant to the 46 defaulter madrasas has been stopped from April 2017. The madrasas whose grant has been stopped by the government are from Kanpur, Kushinagar, Kannauj, Mau, Azamgarh, Maharajganj, Siddhartha Nagar, Mahoba, Shravasti, Banaras, Faizabad, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Barabanki, Sant Kobirnagar, Jhansi districts. At present, 560 madrassas are given grants by the state government across Uttar Pradesh. A joint committee of District Magistrate, District Inspector of Schools and District Minority Welfare Officers was investigating the matter. Following a detailed two months investigation the government barred the 46 madrassas to get government grant. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After the official confirmation about Daniel Dae Kim joining the cast of Lionsgate and Millennium's 'Hellboy' reboot, the actor has finally issued a statement on the whole Whitewashing Outcry with Ed Skrein. Dae Kim thanked the movie's producers and Ed Skrein for stepping aside so that a culturally appropriate person could take the role, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Kim shared, "I applaud the producers and, in particular, Ed Skrein for championing the notion that Asian characters should be played by Asian or Asian American actors. He could not have addressed the issue more elegantly and I remain indebted to him for his strength of character." The 'Hawaii five-0' actor will portray Major Ben Daimio, a rugged military member of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense who, due to a supernatural encounter, can turn into a jaguar when angered or in pain. The character is Japanese-American in the Hellboy comics by creator Mike Mignola. In his statement, Kim noted, "I'm excited to confirm that I've officially joined the cast of Hellboy. We start shooting today and I'll be playing Ben Daimio, alongside our very talented cast, headed by David Harbour, and director, Neil Marshall. Thank you for all the supportive tweets and comments, especially in light of the recent events surrounding its original casting." In August, Skrein was cast in the part but, after an outcry over whitewashing an Asian-American character, he made the unprecedented move to step down later that month. "It is clear that representing this character in culturally accurate way holds significance for people, and that to neglect this responsibility would continue a worrying tendency to obscure ethnic minority stories and voice in the Arts. I feel it is important to honor and respect that," Skrein said at that time. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court will on Thursday hear bail application of separatist leader Shabbir Shah's close aide and an alleged hawala dealer Mohammad Aslam Wani in connection with terror funding case. The Delhi court had on August 6 sent Wani to Enforcement Directorate (ED) remand till August 14. The ED had earlier on August 6 arrested Wani from Srinagar with the help of the Jammu and Kashmir police. Reportedly, Wani was arrested allegedly with Rs 63 lakh, received through 'hawala' channels from the Middle East, and a large cache of ammunition, on August 26, 2005. The Investigation Agency (NIA) has been tough on separatists regarding the alleged funding by Pakistan for illegal activities in Kashmir. On July 24, the NIA had arrested seven separatists over money laundering charges, for funding terror in the Kashmir Valley. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A special team of the Delhi Police on Thursday arrested most wanted criminal Sonu Dariyapur from the city's Narela area. Delhi Police Special Cell officer Sanjeev Kumar Yadav told media, "A brief encounter took place between Sonu and the Delhi Police Special Team when the team intercepted Sonu's car. He fired at police after which the team retaliated in defence." Sonu was carrying a bounty of Rs. 5 lakh on him. He was wanted in many shootouts; the major one was in April this year, where he murdered his former accomplice gangster Monu and three others. Monu was previously a member of Sonu Dariyapur's gang, but rivalry emerged between the two when the former married Sonu's cousin. In 2006, Sonu attempted murder of the couple in which the two suffered injuries while another person was killed. After the case, Monu was provided security by the Delhi police. Sonu was arrested in 2009 but he jumped parole and was absconding since then. On April 30 this year, Sonu with the help of Haryana based gang, succeeded in murdering his former gang member. DCP Yadav further said, "Six accused were already arrested by the special team earlier in the case while the master mind was arrested near 5.30 in the morning today when he was arrived in Delhi from Himachal. A special team based in Himachal informed the Delhi Police about Sonu's movement." Two sophisticated pistols and 17 rounds were recovered from the arrested. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A European Parliament delegation has postponed its planned visit to Myanmar to an unknown date due to the Rohingya crisis. Anadolu quoted Bernd Lange, head of the EP's Committee on International Trade, as saying that the group "decided to postpone the delegation to Myanmar to an unknown date as it was clear that the current political and human rights situation in the country... does not allow for a fruitful discussion on a potential EU-Myanmar investment agreement". "It is clear that under these conditions, the ratification of an investment agreement with Myanmar is not possible," he added. Earlier on Thursday the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on the "military and security forces in Myanmar to immediately cease the killings, harassment, and rape of the Rohingya people, and the burning of their homes". The Myanmar government "and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in particular, should condemn unequivocally all incitement to racial or religious hatred and combat social discrimination and hostilities against the Rohingya minority," said the resolution. UNICEF said on Thursday that about 400,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar since Aug. 25, some 60 percent of them children. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday reiterated his call for Muslims from Myanmar's Rakhine state to be granted nationality or at least a legal status that would allow them to lead a normal life. "I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law, and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country," the Secretary-General said in his first press conference since the opening of the 72nd session of the General Assembly. Guterres repeated his call for "an effective action plan" to address the root causes of the situation, which he said he been left to fester for decades and has now escalated beyond Myanmar's borders, destabilizing the region. The refugees are fleeing a fresh security operation in which security forces and Buddhist mobs have killed men, women and children, looted homes, and torched Rohingya villages. According to the government of Bangladesh -- where thousands of Rohingya have fled -- around 3,000 Rohingya have been killed in the crackdown. The Rohingya, described by the UN as among the world's most persecuted peoples, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012. The Rohingya are a minority ethnic group located in Myanmar's western Rakhine state and are considered to be a variation of the Sunni religion. Since the Rohingya are considered to be illegal Bengali immigrants and were denied recognition as a religion by the government of Myanmar, the dominant group, the Rakhine, rejects the label "Rohingya" and have started to persecute the Rohingya. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Thursday rubbished the speculations of sidelined All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dinakaran joining hands with them and added that same interest doesn't mean joining hands together. Speaking to ANI, DMK leader A. Saravanan said it is a fallacy to say that the party is going to join hands with them. "The AIADMK is a party which was formed as an opposition to the DMK. They don't have any independent ideology..just because their demand is also the same and our demand is also the same, our intensions are same that doesn't mean that we are going to join/work together. Their interest may be greed, self-interest, or probably going to capture the party but our intention and reason is different," he said. Saravanan further said that the party wants the present state government to go because they are destroying the state of Tamil Nadu and in these last six months they have done nothing. "The social and economical aspects are not looked into. .. So, it is a fallacy to say that we are going to join hands with them," he added. Dinakaran on Wednesday said that he would never go with the DMK, amid speculations that his faction would part ways from the merged factions of chief minister E. Palanisamy and his predecessor O. Panneerselvam. "I have told the governor to ask Palanisamy to prove their majority. To protect our party, I will go to any extent," he said, adding that his faction has 21 MLAs on its side. Earlier on Tuesday, Dinakaran invited the EPS-OPS faction of the AIADMK for a face fresh election, if they believe they have the majority in support. "Most ministers (Tamil Nadu) are fearing that they will lose elections, that is why they are accusing us of conniving with the DMK," Dinakaran said. "You (EPS-OPS) claim you have support of party workers, so if you have the guts, let us face fresh elections," he said. Dinakaran even swore to throw the ruling Tamil Nadu Government out of power. The AIADMK, in its general council meeting, passed a resolution, according to which jailed party general secretary V.K. Sasikala stands expelled from the party and the post of the temporary general secretary forfeited. The resolution further said that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, E. Palanisamy and his deputy, O. Panneerselvam, shall retrieve the party and its symbol. Other terms of the resolution state that all announcements by T.T.V. Dinakaran stand cancelled. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 23 students and two wardens were left dead after a massive fire broke out at a religious school, Pusat Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, at Jalan Keramat Ujung in Myanmar, on Thursday. The Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said that six students and a member of the public were injured in the incident, The Malaysian Times reported. The topmost floor of the three-storey building was still burning during the call (azan) of the morning prayer, according to videos made by onlookers. Further details are awaited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A graduate employee of Air India SATS was arrested on Thursday in a case of baggage theft at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. The arrested, identified as Arnab Ghosal, 23, was arrested by the IGI Airport Unit. On September 11, an employee of Air India SATS was deputed for getting custom clearance of nine bags. After getting them cleared, he went to Domestic Arrival for in-line induction. Later on, he noticed that one of the nine bags was missing from there after which he reported the matter to his seniors. Thereafter, a case was registered at the IGI Airport Police Station and the investigation was taken up. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said that New Delhi is fully geared and equipped to combat any untoward situation. Answering posers on the Doklam stand-off and incessant ceasefire violations by Pakistan, Sitharaman said that the defence forces, along with the Centre, are monitoring every situation very closely. "I assure the people of the nation that we are prepared to deal with every kind of situation. The Defence Ministry, along with the Indian Army, is all decked up. We are monitoring every situation very diligently and closely," said Sitharaman. According to recent developments, as part of the disengagement, the Chinese troops have left the dispute area of Doklam along with bulldozers and removed the tents which they had pitched. Reportedly, there were about 1700-1800 Chinese troops in the area where they proposed to build a road and all of them have left. Meanwhile, the Pakistani troops have violated the ceasefire more than three times in this month. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the civil nuclear pact between India and Japan would open a new chapter in cooperation in the clean energy sector between both countries. Addressing a joint press event with Japanese Prime minister Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister Modi said Indo-Japan ties were not limited to bilateral or regional spheres. The two sides also closely cooperated on key global issues and discussed ways to deepen ties in trade, security and civil nuclear energy. The two Prime Ministers expressed satisfaction "at the entry into force of the agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of Japan for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy. They looked forward to a working group to strengthen bilateral cooperation in this field and reiterated their shared view that the agreement reflects a new level of mutual confidence and strategic partnership in the cause of clean energy, economic development and a peaceful and secure world,"the joint statement stated. With the completion of the civil nuclear deal, India is looking for more collaboration between nuclear companies of the two countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "We had signed a historical pact for peaceful use of nuclear energy during my visit to Japan last year. I am whole-heartedly thanking Japan's parliament, its people and particularly Prime Minister Abe for its ratification." Recognising the need to access to reliable, clean and affordable energy is critical for the economic growth of both countries, both the leaders in their joint statement "decided to strengthen bilateral energy cooperation and welcomed the India-Japan Energy Partnership Initiative as well as early convening of 9th Energy dialogue. They appreciated Japan's proposal for India-Japan Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency Cooperation Plan." "They also welcomed the efforts to promote renewable energy, including the establishment of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), and the progress of New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)'s demonstration project such as a micro grid system using solar power in Neemrana. They looked forward to further acceleration of cooperation in areas of energy saving, energy efficiency and energy storage as well as manufacturing of eco-friendly vehicles including hybrid and electric vehicles," the joint statement said. The nuclear cooperation agreement was signed last November during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Tokyo. The deal allows Japan to export nuclear technology to India, making it the first non-NPT signatory to have such a deal with Tokyo. During the talks between the two leaders, India and Japan inked 15 pacts to give a boost to cooperation in various key sectors, including civil aviation, trade, and science and technology. "We have just signed a joint statement which will serve as a milestone to open a new era for Japan-India relationship... based on that we will strongly promote Japan-India special strategic and global partnership to drive peace and prosperity for Indo-Pacific region and the whole world," Prime Minister Abe said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir), Sep 14 (ANI) Ismail was involved in Amarnath attack earlier this year. Talking to the media here, Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar said, "This is a huge achievement. The terrorist was responsible for the attack on Amarnath Yatra." As many as seven people were killed and fifteen others injured after a group of terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying 17 pilgrims from Baltal to Mir Bazar on July 10. The authorities have blocked 4G mobile internet services in the city following the killing of LeT commander. More details are awaited in this regard. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Liquor Baron Vijay Mallya on Thursday will appear in a United Kingdom court for a hearing in the ongoing extradition case over economic offences in India. In a June hearing at the London court, in a major setback to India, the court had expressed that the New Delhi had not provided evidence to Mallya yet, who is battling a slew of cases in India over his default case involving Rs. 9,000 crore worth loans to a clutch of public sector banks. The 61-year-old liquor baron has been out on bail, since his arrest in April in London. The Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on July 6 heard the extradition case of Mallya and had set the next date for September 14. Earlier, at least 53 persons, including Mallya, faced prosecution complaints from the Directorate of Enforcement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and they are absconding, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said in July. The Ministry of Home Affairs, the nodal ministry for Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) in Criminal Matters, had conveyed that the India-U.K. MLAT in criminal matters does not cover the subject to bring back persons under investigation. However, the CBI had submitted extradition request in respect of Mallya regarding the case under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860 and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for his extradition from the U.K. The extradition request was sent to the U.K. for their consideration under bilateral extradition treaty. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], Sept. 14 (ANI): The surrenders by Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) Adil Dar and Arif Sofi have come as a positive result to the government's recent strategy adopted in the Kashmir Valley. Also, this is bound to make the terrorist organisations insecure. The success is being attributed to the government's approach towards handling terrorism in the violence-hit state of Jammu and Kashmir. LeT cadre Adil Hussain Dar was captured by the security forces during an encounter on September 10, in South Kashmir's Shopian area. His two associates were also gunned down in the encounter. In a separate operation in neighbouring Kulgam, an Over Ground Worker (OGW) Arif Ahmad Sofi surrendered before the police, during an operation that also left two militants dead. As many as 146 terrorists have been killed since January this year, the Modi Government has kept the pressure high with active operations in the hinterland. The Indian Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jammu and Kashmir Police have stepped up the heat on militancy in the Kashmir Valley. This is in conjunction with the sharp vigil along the borders. The policy seems to be paying dividends. The people are also fed up with the continuous blockades and lock outs and they want to see peace returning to the valley. "People are fed up now. They are facing the trouble and have also realized that a large number of youth have been lured or were forced by these terrorists into picking up weapons. Now these young boys are getting disenchanted with the kind of life they have been leading," told a senior army officer, who did not wish to be quoted. This officer's words get verified by the two recent surrenders. It is because of this disenchantment that there was no report of stone pelting or blockade in Shopian and Kulgam districts during the recent counter-terrorist operations. The security forces have also made it public that they will assist the terrorists who are reconsidering to join the mainstream. Jammu and Kashmir Inspector General Police (IGP) Muneer Khan on Monday announced that such terrorists of local origin who wish to join the mainstream will be given a safe passage and rehabilitation. "It's (the successful surrenders) a clear message to others who have been lured into all this that if they come, we will receive them with open hearts," Khan said. "The surrendered terrorist Adil could've been killed by forces, but we preferred to give him chance to live and come to mainstream. That's why caught him alive," he added. "There are many terrorists who are waiting for the right time to leave violence and join mainstream to lead a normal life," he added. The onus of the success on one side goes to the relentless pursuit of the security personnel and also to the intelligence inputs, both human and the technical, which have led to the precise location and the terrorists. It is the effect of the pressure that terrorists are on the run and resorting to desperate measures like snatching weapons and robbing banks. Now, the new entrants are opting to surrender during encounters so as to escape the pressure and intimidation from their seniors. As of now, the surrendered terrorists get an immediate grant of Rs. 1.50 lakh to be kept in the shape of a Fixed Deposit Receipt (FDR) in a bank in the name of surrenderee for a period of three years which can be drawn by him only on completion of three year period and subject to good behaviour. They are also given Rs. 2000/- as monthly stipend for three years after surrender and vocational training for self employment the cost of which is borne by the government. This policy is basically for those who crossed over to Pakistan during times of peak militancy but the same can be extended to the locals who are being lured into terrorism now feel experts. "This is the right time that the surrender policy is made more lucrative as the terrorists are under pressure," Security Analyst Major General DK Mehta told ANI. Experst across the board feel that given the condition that is presently obtainable in the valley a human policy towards those misled into terrorism is bound to pay handsome dividends and is the best way forward. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Madhya Pradesh School Education Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah said that the state government will recommend for cancellation of recognition of schools, in case of negligence of students' safety. He further said that the state government will cancel the recognition of educational institutions if they don't appoint female attendant in school buses by October 1. Shah also asked the schools and institutions to be cautious about the children's safety. Shah was reviewing the safety measures being taken by the schools for students' safety, during a meeting. During the meeting, it was also decided that the teachers will carry out inspection in the schools of their respective areas. Shah also directed for the monthly health check up of the students in schools. School Education Minister's direction comes days after a seven-year-old child was killed by a bus conductor in Gurugram's Ryan International Public School. The incident has invited a nationwide outrage putting question mark on the safety of students in schools. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday met the family of senior Supreme Court lawyer Pavani Parameswara Rao, who passed away yesterday after suffering a cardiac arrest. He also offered floral tribute to Rao. Considered a prominent name in the law fraternity, Rao had argued a number of landmark cases before the Supreme Court. Born on July 1, 1933, he completed his LL.B. and LL.M. from Osmania University, Hyderabad. He started his career teaching law in Delhi University in 1961. He was enrolled as an Advocate by the Bar Council of Delhi in 1967 and, thereafter, started practice in the Supreme Court. In 1991, he was elected the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association and in 2006, he was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan. In 2014, President Pranab Mukherjee approved Rao's selection as a jurist member of the selection committee of the Lokpal. Rao had appeared before the apex court in several landmark cases including Kesavananda Bharati, S.R. Bommai, Unnikrishnan V. State of AP, T.M.A. Pai, P.A. Inamdar, and the Babri Masjid demolition case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Election Commission of Pakistan's recent refusal to recognize the Muslim Milli League (MML), the new political party started by the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the social welfare arm of the militant Lashkar-e-Taiba, has revealed that Pakistan isn't ready to terrorist organizations contest polls. The election commission has also warned independent candidates not to use the MML's s name in campaigns. According to Stephen Tankel, the author of "Storming the Stage: The Story of Lashkar-e-Taiba," and an Assistant Professor at American University, "It would be naive to think that the election commission's decision is a harbinger of a shift in terms of Pakistan's policy of supporting and tolerating militant groups." In an opinion piece for the New York Times (NYT), Tankel says he believes that the men who lead these proscribed (militant) organizations under different names will find some way to "continue contesting elections as independent candidates." It is a well known fact that Pakistan is home to many Islamist terrorist groups and that some enjoy a permissive environment despite being banned by the state technically, and this has enabled them to acquire political power. Tankel reveals that in his conversations with people in Pakistan politics, he has been told that terrorist leaders are often used to turn out voters for a politician, and encouraging such men to get into politics is seen as being a better option than seeing them remain involved in terrorism. "If the (election) commission had recognized the Muslim Milli League, that would have in effect allowed a terrorist organization to contest elections. It could have opened the door for other militant groups in Pakistan - and several militant groups were already gearing up to establish their own political parties. Pakistan still differentiates between Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is banned, and Jamaat ud Dawa, which is not. In reality, they remain two sides of a single organization, led by the same individuals. The military and the intelligence service still support the group. It remains their most reliable terrorist ally against India, sends fighters to Afghanistan, and has helped to combat separatists in Baluchistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan. Apart from militancy, this group is also dedicated to proselytizing and pursuing non-violent reformism intended to turn Pakistan into a "pure" Islamic state. Recasting their organization as a political party could have provided LeT and JuD founder Hafiz Saeed and other leaders with more influence over how the state deals with their group. It also would have given them greater freedom to operate, especially when it comes to raising money. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The None Of The Above (NOTA) option has also shined in the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections. In fact, it has emerged as a Third Student Union in the DUSU elections. NOTA is a ballot option designed to allow the voter to indicate disapproval of all of the candidates in a voting system. The Congress-backed Students Union of India (NSUI) on Wednesday won two seats in the DUSU elections giving a major blow to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which also won two seats. The ABVP held three posts in the outgoing panel. For the post of President, NOTA stood at third position and secured 5162 votes. Winner Rocky Tuseer secured 16299 votes and runner up Rajat Choudhary got 14709 votes. ABVP's Amit Tanwar will be replaced as Delhi University president by NSUI's Rocky Tuseer. The NSUI has won the DUSU president's post for the first time since 2012. For the post of Secretary NOTA was in fourth position and got 7891 votes. Winner Mahamedha Nagar got 17156 votes, runner up Minakshi Meena got 14532 votes and second runner up Jai Shree got 8035 votes. For the post of Joint Secretary, NOTA was again in third position. Winner Uma Shankar got 16691 votes and runner up Avinash Yadav secured 16349 votes. NOTA got 9028 votes. For the post of Vice President, NOTA was in fourth position. Winner Kunal Sehrawat got 16431 votes, Paarth Rana 16256 votes, Aditya Baibahav 7765 votes, and NOTA 7684 votes. Not only this, NOTA also became students' third choice in the Jawaharlal Nehru University elections, where the Left Alliance won all the four seats by defeating ABVP. More students voted for NOTA than the NSUI. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Expressing happiness over the Students Union of India's (NSUI) win in the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections, the Congress Party on Thursday said the victory indicates that people are not ready to get misguided by the Modi government anymore. The Congress-backed NSUI on Wednesday won the Delhi student union election giving a major blow to RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said that NSUI's victory in is an indication of 2019 Lok Sabha elections results. "We can clearly see the results of upcoming 2019 elections. This clearly indicates that people are not ready to get misguided anymore. They have now understood Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government. The public have rejected the Modi government. We don't have any fear when the young generation is with us," Aiyar said. The NSUI made a comeback in the Delhi University Students Union, bagging two of the four crucial DUSU posts including that of the President and Vice-president in the elections which were held on September 12. Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad, which has a stronghold in DUSU, bagged two seats, that of the Joint Secretary and the General Secretary. A total of 43 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the held on Wednesday. Last year, the ABVP bagged three posts while the NSUI won the post of Joint Secretary. Following the results, Congress president Sonia Gandhi met winning candidates from NSUI outside her residence. The NSUI also held a victory rally at North Campus of varsity. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also hailed the Congress ideology and congratulated the union on Twitter. "Congratulations @nsui on a stellar performance & Pres win in DUSU! Thank students of DU for reposing faith in Congress ideology," he tweeted. Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Randeep Surjewala also hailed the NSUI victory as "a triumph of liberal values and wake-up call for Prime Minister Narendra Modi". Following the results, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said it does not see the defeat on two posts in DUSU election as an indicator of party's popularity graph. Punjab Government has opposed the release of Jamaat-ud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and said he is a threat to public safety. Punjab Home Department has said if Jamaat-ud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed is released from detention, his activities will pose great threats to public safety and cause breach of public order, reported The Tribune. Punjab Home Department claimed this in a report submitted before the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday in connection with a petition filed by JuD leaders, including Saeed, challenging their detention. However, LHC judge Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi adjourned hearing of the petition till Sept 19 as the JuD counsel sought time to go through the home department's report, reported The Tribune. Saeed and other JuD leaders - Abdullah Ubaid of Faisalabad, Zafar Iqbal and Abdul Rehman Abid of Markaz-e-Tayyaba Muridke and Kashif Niazi of Multan - were placed under house arrest on Jan 30. Saeed's banned outfit JuD, a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba, had launched the Milli Muslim League last month, but the Election Commission of Pakistan refused to register it as a political party. He is an internationally designated terrorist even though he is influential in Pakistan among certain religious groups. In April 2012, the United States announced a bounty of $10 million on Saeed, for his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 164 civilians were killed including 6 American citizens. India considers him as one of its most wanted terrorists because of his alleged ties with Lashkar-e-Taiba and his alleged involvement in attacks in India such as the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, 2006 Mumbai train bombings and 2001 Indian Parliament attack . (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for a political solution to the situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). He said that nuclear and missile tests by the county created "great instability and tension" on the Korean peninsula, throughout the region and beyond. "Unity in the Security Council is critical. This week's unanimous adoption of a new resolution sends a clear message that the DPRK must comply fully with its international obligations," Guterres said referring to new sanctions, which among other measures, limit the imports of crude oil and oil products, ban textile exports, and prevent new visas for DPRK workers overseas. Despite calling on countries to ensure full implementation of this and other relevant Security Council resolutions, Guterres urged the Council to use diplomacy whenever possible. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test on 3 September 2017, stating it was its first test of a thermonuclear weapon (hydrogen bomb). The North Korean government said it has detonated a hydrogen bomb that could be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Photographs of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspecting a device resembling a thermonuclear weapon warhead were released a few hours before the test. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sagar Diamonds Limited, an ISO 9001 The issue opens on Thursday and closes on Monday. Gretex Corporate Services Private Limited is the sole lead manager to the issue and Bigshare Services Private Limited is the registrar to the issue. The proceeds of the issue will be utilized for working capital requirements, general corporate purposes and issue expenses. The company is planning to import the raw diamond and convert into the polished diamond. The company exports to Hong Kong, Europe and so on. The gems and jewellery sector plays a significant role in Indian economy. It is one of the fastest growing sectors. The government has recently undertaken various measures to promote investments and to upgrade technology and skills to promote 'Brand India' in the international market. India's gems and jewellery exports jumped by 8.95 per cent for financial year 2016-17 on recovery in demand from the United States (US), Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the three destinations accounting for over 75 per cent of India's overall shipment of precious ornaments by value. India is the world's largest cutting and polishing centre for diamonds, with the cutting and polishing industry being well supported by government policies. Moreover, India exports 95 per cent of the world's diamonds, as per statistics from the Gems and Jewelry Export promotion Council (GJEPC). India's gems and jewellery sector has been contributing in a big way to the country's foreign exchange earnings (FEEs). The Government of India has viewed the sector as a thrust area for export promotion. The improvement in availability along with the reintroduction of low cost gold metal loans and likely stabilisation of gold prices at lower levels is expected to drive volume growth for jewellers over short to medium term. The demand for jewellery is expected to be significantly supported by the recent positive developments in the industry which would benefit Sagar Daimonds substantially. The promoter, Vaibhav Dipak Shah, was doing the of manufacturing and trading of diamonds, gold, precious stones and so on in his proprietary firm M/s. Sagar Gems since 2010. The company has acquired the of the firm in April 2017 in a view of corporatization of promoters' . The revenue from operations of the firm has increased to Rs. 35,523.34Lakh in fiscal 2017 as compared to Rs. 6,860.14Lakh in fiscal 2016. The revenue from operations of the company has increased to Rs. 999.89 Lakh in fiscal 2017 as compared to fiscal 2016 and further in the period ended 20 June, 2017, the revenue from operations increased to Rs.1,028.56 Lakh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court will on Wednesday continue hearing the Cauvery water dispute involving the tussle between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The apex court on July 11 commenced final hearing on the appeals filed by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala against the 2007 Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) final award. A bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Dipak Misra, had earlier directed the Karnataka Government to provide 2000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu till its further order. The top court, earlier in January, dismissed the plea seeking compensation from both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Governments for the loss of property during the Cauvery water related dispute between both the states. Siva Kumar, a Tamil Nadu based activist, had earlier filed the petition in the apex court on the same. On January 9, the Tamil Nadu Government sought a compensation of Rs. 2,480 crores from Karnataka for not releasing water to the state despite getting the Supreme Court directive to do so. The lawyer from the side of Tamil Nadu, Shekhar Naphade, urged the three-judge bench to bring the matter to a logical end for which there should be a continuous hearing. On December 9 last year, the apex court upheld its constitutional power and right to hear appeals filed by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The announcement of Japan and India's joint bullet train project has been received with much disapproval by the Shiv Sena. In the editorial of its mouthpiece, Saamna, the party on Thursday claimed that a bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is unnecessary when the Indian Railways and the Mumbai local trains are already suffering, and the basic problems of the country are going unresolved. "Even as Mumbai suburb's local trains suffer daily, a bullet train will be running between Ahmedabad and Mumbai," commented the Shiv Sena. The editorial also pointed that the bullet train project is being fulfilled over and above the demands of Maharashtra for rail projects for Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Konkan. "The MLAs and the Parliament of Maharashtra are making demands for rail projects for Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Konkan, but they are being ignored. Instead, we are getting a bullet train without having asked for it," the Sena added. "It is not entirely certain, as to which problem the bullet train is a solution for," continued the sarcastic attack on the Centre's latest project. Saamna also questioned if the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train stood among the needs of the country. In the light of farmers' distress going unaddressed, and no debt relief being provided to them, samna declared that bullet train was unnecessary. It added that the project would require land from Maharashtra. "Without a doubt, the bullet train will be running over the livelihood of farmers," it commented. The editorial claimed that the Japan Government was supposed to incur the cost of the project, but now the Indian Government will be spending Rs. 1,08,000 crore for the project, while the Maharashtra Government will have to spend at least Rs. 30,000 crore for no good reason than for the 'wealthy dream' of the Prime Minister. "The Prime Minister's dream is not of the common man, but for the interest of the wealthy and the business class, and this is the reason for making Piyush Goyal the railway minister. The budget for the project will be increasing in the coming days. Goyal is also the treasurer of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), so there must be transparency in this regard," said the editorial. "Suresh Prabhu resigned because of train derailments, but within 15 days of induction of Piyush Goyal, seven trains have already derailed, and have increased the problems of passengers," the party pointed out. "Japan will be providing all the resources, including labour. The bottom line here is that, the land and the fund will come from the Maharashtra and the Gujarat governments, while the profits will go to Japan. This is loot, yet we are congratulating the Prime Minister on his dream-fulfilling project," the Sena further alleged. "The Gujarat elections are round the corner, so the business class must be fed something, right?" concluded the Shiv Sena's mouthpiece. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Moved by 2012 Nirbhaya rape case, a 18-year-old high school graduate designed 'ElectroShoe' - a product for women to prevent themselves from perpetrators of crimes. Speaking to ANI, Siddharth Mandala explained the concept behind the 'ElectroShoe' and said that his invention can help women protect themselves. "I was 12 years old when the Delhi rape incident took place. I remember my mom joining the march for the Nirbhaya. Then I thought why I shouldn't work on something productive rather than playing games, I have taken it as a challenge I thought it as a game and defeating it. I explained my concept to my friend Abhishek and we started it, while testing it I got electric shocks and my friend also received an injury. But, keeping all aside we have made it successful," he added. He also said that on average the ElectroShoe can produce 0.1 amp electricity which helps in electrocuting the perpetrators of crime, whenever someone tries to attack a woman she just need to kick him and it gives him strong electric shock and sends an alert message to nearby police station and family members. "The power source required to run the shoe is the more woman walks it produces mechanical energy and converts into electrical energy and stores into the rechargeable battery. My main motive was that it has to be with woman every time because they can forget carrying pepper spray or electrical devices but they will surely wear footwear while moving out," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Thursday arrested three Bangladeshi nationals, who were living illegally in India with fake identify proofs. The squad has recovered fake Aadhar cards from them, manufactured from fake identity and address---for which they were arrested. Asim Arun, IG, ATS, told ANI that the ATS team arrested the three from Lucknow's Charbagh Railway Station on Thursday. The three arrested, identified as Mohammad Imran, Rajiduddin and Mohammad Firdaus, are real brothers and residents of Jessore District of Bangladesh. The arrested were later on produced before the court. The UP ATS had earlier arrested Ansarullah Bangla Team's militant Bangladeshi Abdullah al-Mamun from Kutesera area of Muzaffarnagar on August 5. After interrogating Abdullah, his other colleagues also came to light in the inquiry, whose search was initiated on September 12 and for which Deoband Madrasasas were also questioned. Later on, it came into notice that three boys (a teacher and his two brothers) have fled from a Deoband madrasa. The three absconding were later caught and taken off the Howrah Amritsar Express from the Lucknow Railway Station and were quizzed. They then revealed their identity as Bangladeshi nationals and told that they have been living illegally in India. ATS DSP Manish Sonkar will further interrogate the arrested and will inquire their affiliation with any terrorist organisation and the reason they fled Deoband. Ansarullah Bangla Team is an Islamic extremist group in Bangladesh which is inspired by Al Qaeda. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday refuted reports that he had struck a deal with Democrats on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi declared they reached a tentative pact with him to pursue to a legislative fix on the DACA. "No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote," Trump said in a series of tweets. "The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built," he wrote. e to be built," he wrote. The Trump administration announced last week that it was ending former President Barack Obama's program of DACA that offered a temporary reprieve from deportation to certain young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. On Wednesday night, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, said in a statement, following a dinner with Trump that they agreed to "enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides." The White House quickly reacted, saying that while border security and DACA were discussed, the President didn't agree to exclude funding for the border wall from the package. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have arrived in the Gulf coast of Florida on Thursday to survey the widespread destruction caused by the Hurricane Irma, one of the strongest ones ever reported in the Atlantic, and the relief operations. "Millions are still without power across the southeastern US as recovery efforts continue. We all want our power back," Florida Governor Rick Scott said while speaking alongside President Trump, the First Lady and Vice President Mark Pence, CNN reported. Scott added that more than 4 million customers now have power, but there are still more than 2 million without it across the state. But as soon as President Trump arrived in Fort Myers, he first spoke on the runway about DACA and the border wall. "We are not looking at citizenship. We are not looking at amnesty,We are looking at allowing people to stay here. We are working with everybody," Trump said. "Ultimately, we have to have the wall. If we don't have the wall, we're doing nothing," he said. Before leaving for Florida, Trump tweeted, "Am leaving now for Florida to see our GREAT first responders and to thank the U.S. Coast Guard, FEMA etc. A real disaster, much work to do." Speaking to first responders in Florida, Trump thanked them for the their work after Irma. "The job that everybody done is incredible," Trump said. He added that Irma's death toll was a "very small number," considering the power of the storm. The death toll from Hurricane Irma is at least 24 in the U.S. - that number includes three deaths in Puerto Rico and four deaths in the U.S. Virgin Islands. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two soldiers were killed and 20 others got injured, including two civilians in a gun attack by suspected Muslim insurgents that began after roadside bomb struck an army patrol vehicle in Thailand's violence-stricken Yala province on Thursday. Security forces said that the blasts occurred in Yala, in a Malay Muslim province in the south, where a separatist insurgency dragged on for decades, with more than 6,500 killed since 2004 alone, local media reported. The attack began when a roadside bomb struck a vehicle carrying the army rangers in a remote village in the Yaha district of Yala Province but it did not result in any casualties. A second bomb exploded half an hour later as bomb squad experts arrived to clear the scene, followed by a shootout in which suspected militants killed one soldier and wounded 18 soldiers. Pramote Prom-in, a spokesman for regional security forces said, "It is believed to be the work of violent groups already creating incidents in the area." Pattani, along with Yala and Narathiwat, is the three southernmost provinces of Thailand that are haunted by explosions and attacks. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The U.S. State Department announced on Thursday that as of now Trump administration has decided to extend sanctions relief for Iran under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JPCOA) but the deadline for United States President Donald Trump's decision is mid-October. "Waving some of those sanctions should not be seen as an indication of President Trump or his administration's position on the JCPOA nor is the waver giving the Iranian regime a pass on its broad range malign behaviour. Again, no decisions have been made on the final JCPOA. We still have some time for that," State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a briefing on Thursday. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters in London that President Trump "has made clear to those of us who are helping him develop this policy that we must take into account the totality of Iranian threats, not just Iran's nuclear capabilities," Sputnik reported. Meanwhile, Trump's administration is doubtful of Iran meeting expectations of the JCPOA and Tillerson stressed that danger posed by Iran must be viewed not only from the point of nuclear threats but also its cyber activity and ballistic missile program must be taken into account. On Thursday, the U.S .Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed new non-nuclear sanctions against seven Iranian individuals for allegedly participating in cyberattacks against the US and two entities related to the country's missile program. Tillerson repeatedly emphasised the US decision of whether to end the agreement signed in 2015 will be based on a wider assessment of Iranian behaviour - including in Yemen and Syria - and not just whether Tehran is complying with the strict terms of the deal. President Donald Trump questions Iran's compliance with the JCPOA. During his presidential campaign Trump threatened to end the agreement calling it the worst deal ever negotiated. However, International Atomic Energy Agency experts say that Iran fully abides by obligations under the nuclear deal. If Trump abandons the deal without clear evidence of Iran noncompliance with the agreement it may trigger the revival of Iran's nuclear activity which in turn could lead to escalating tensions in the Middle East. On July 14, 2015, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany, collectively referred to as the P5+1 group, signed the JCPOA with Iran on the latter's nuclear program. The deal pre-supposes a gradual lifting of anti-Iran sanctions as long as Iran takes steps to dismantle its nuclear program. The US government has to waive sanctions for periods up to 120 days if Iran proves its compliance. Trump's administration has renewed the waivers for the first time on May 17. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) This week, Britain remembered and paid tribute to 21 British Indian Army sepoys (Sikh soldiers) who died in a last stand against 10,000 Afghan tribesmen while defending the Saragarhi outpost in the hills of the North West Frontier Province, now Pakistan, which was then part of British India. Around 200 military, civilian and Sikh community leaders, including Colonel Richard Maybery, Deputy Commander of Donnington based 11th Signal and West Midlands Brigade, Mr. Ian Dudson, Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire, and members of the British Armed Forces Sikh Association (BAFSA) gathered at the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA) Sikh memorial for a service paying tribute on September 12, the 120th anniversary of the day on which these Sikh soldiers displayed their legendary heroism at the Battle of Saragarhi in Staffordshire. The commemoration servicech was led by Mrs. Mandeep Kaur, Sikh Chaplain to the Armed Forces, and took place in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy Sikh scripture, regarded as the Supreme Spiritual Authority and Head of the Sikh religion. The arrival of the Guru at the Sikh memorial was heralded by the Jaikara war cry given by Captain Makand Singh of Coventry-based 159 Regiment RLC. It is an integral part of Sikh liturgy and is traditionally shouted at the end of prayers or said in holy congregation. Readings and prayers from the Guru Granth Sahib by Mrs Kaur, were followed by the playing of the Last Post by a bugler from the Band of the Royal Armoured Corps, as well as a one minute's silence in honour of the epic bravery of the 21 men who fought to the end against such monumental odds. Senior representatives of the Armed Forces, the British Armed Forces Sikh Association, and the Lord Lieutenant also laid a wreath at the memorial. Speaking after the poignant service, Mrs Kaur said: "It gives me immense gratification to say that the British Armed Forces commemorated the 120th anniversary of the Saragarhi Battle - an icon of bravery, in the pious presence of Guru Granth Sahib ji - the eternal Guru. "Thinking of the 21 brave soldiers and their source of strength - their Guru- the day inspired many to be true to faith values, humanity, service, extraordinary bravery and actions beyond imagination". Colonel Richard Maybery, Deputy Commander of 11th Signal and West Midlands Brigade, said: "It's been a privilege today to host the Saraghari commemoration at the NMA, to remember the incredible actions and sacrifice that took place and to mark the long association between the Sikhs and the British Army. I am delighted that so many people were able to attend and mark this very poignant event." Captain Jay Singh Sohal, a serving Army Reservist, who's factual film, "Saragarhi: The True Story", was premiered at the event, also paid tribute to the bravery of the Sikh soldiers who were remembered at the commemoration. He said: "The Sikhs who fought for Britain on the frontier were rightly rewarded and honoured for their bravery and devotion to duty at that time; today we must continue to remember the sacrifices they and others made in such conflicts which might not be so well known but are vitally important. "We must share it with others, celebrate our long and rich connection to our country, and motivate young people to learn from their historic lessons to take up such acts of public service." "It's been a long but fulfilling journey to research, film and promote for the first time the bravery of the 21 Sikhs at Saragarhi. "It's a personal endeavour; I have myself been inspired to serve my country by it because it speaks to the shared history and values that make me proud to be both British and Sikh, and I know many others in my community feel the same." Captain Makand Singh, of Coventry based 159 Royal Logistics Corps (RLC) added: "It was great to see so many people from across the country at the NMA to commemorate the Battle of Saragarhi. "This has become a prominent event in our calendar. I think it is very important to remember our forefathers that made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live in peace and harmony. This battle was a show of true grit upholding Sikh and Army values and standards. On behalf of the British Armed Forces I would like to thank all members of the community that joined us today to commemorate the battle. The event also saw Capt Singh Sohal give a presentation on the history of the battle to invited guests, a presentation by the Army Engagement Group about the British Army of today, and a key note speech by the Lord Lieutenant There was also a panel session by the British Armed Forces Sikh Association at which serving Sikhs discussed their experience of and took questions about their experience of life in the British Armed Forces today. The battle took place 12th September 1897 in Tirah region of North-West Frontier Province, now in Pakistan. Saragarhi was a mud-walled signalling post that connected British India forts of Lockhart and Gulistan on the border areas of Afghanistan with a garrison of 20 men under Havildar Ishar Singh. An estimated 10,000 Afghan tribesmen attacked in mass to block relief and take the signalling post. The Sikhs knew that the mud walls of the post wouldn't stand for long and soon they would be exposed to the brutal might of Afghans. The morning of 12 September 1897 brought with it an army of 10,000 Afghans. The odds were striking. It would have taken more than just courage to face such a challenge where death was certain. There are countless tales of the bravery of the Sikhs in battle, but perhaps none is as inspiring as that of Saragarhi in 1897, which saw the 21 sepoys fight to the death against impossible odds. Today, these warriors have rightly passed into the heroic legend of the Sikhs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan, who returned from London, was all smiles at the Mumbai airport as he led a suave walk into the city. Hrithik was seen in his chilled out avatar donning a statement sweatshirt. While in London, Hrithik partied the night away in the company of his Bollywood folks. The actor, who had been away from Mumbai for a couple of days, looked his dapper best as he flashed a happy smile for the shutterbugs. With an indifferent look, the actor seemed unfazed by his name being dragged in controversies. Before leaving for London, the actor was seen in high spirits as he reunited with the 'Kaabil' team, for his father Rakesh Roshan's birthday. Hrithik not only played a perfect host to the party but also lighted the event with his entertaining prowess. A video of Hrithik singing away with glee had gone viral on the internet. With a series of celebrations, the actor seems to be steering clear from all the negativity that has been surrounding his name in the recent past. The actor is currently busy with work for his fitness brand HRX. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States has condemned terror attack in Iraq on Thursday in which at least 60 people were killed. Addressing a press conference, State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert said that "we condemn in the strongest terms the barbaric terrorist attacks that took place in Nassiriya, Iraq". At least 60 people were killed, including some Iranian pilgrims, and over 100 more got injured, when the Islamic State (IS) suicide bombers carried out twin attacks in the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya. Wearing security force uniforms and driving stolen army vehicles, the attackers targeted a police checkpoint and two restaurants on a highway near the city of Nassiriya, using car bombs, guns and suicide vests. The head of Nassiriya's health directorate, Jasim al-Khalidi, said the city's hospital had received 50 bodies while warning that the death toll could rise due to the critical condition of some of the wounded. Quoting hospital sources, the ABC News reported that at least 10 Iranian pilgrims, who were visiting holy Shiite shrines, were among the dead. One IS attacker detonated his explosive vest inside a restaurant, south-west of Nassiriya in the Thi Qar province, while three to four others opened fire at the people inside, the Independent quoted police sources as saying. Yahya al-Nassiri, the area's governor, said that the attack began with the jihadists opening fire at the checkpoint and the restaurant on the main highway that links Baghdad with the southern provinces. Shortly afterward, two suicide bombers, including one driving a car rigged with explosives, blew themselves, Iraqi officials said. The attack occurred as Iraqi forces battled to defeat IS terrorists in areas under their control. IS was quick to claim responsibility for the attack on its official online Amaq publication - the ultra-hardline Sunni Muslim militant group said it had killed "dozens of Shiites". "After losing the war in Iraq and the shrinking of its power, Daesh [Islamic State] returned back to its old style of an insurgency by carrying out suicide attacks, which is a clear sign that the terrorist group is retreating," the ABC News quoted police intelligence colonel Murtatha al-Yassiri as saying. Nasiriyah is the capital of Dhi Qar Governorate, which has a large Shiite population. Shiites and other ethnic and religious minorities have often been targets of Sunni militants in Iraq, including al-Qaeda and Islamic State. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Thursday fixed November 20 as the date for the next hearing of liquor baron Vijay Mallya in the ongoing extradition case over economic offences in India. In a June hearing at the London court, in a major setback to India, the court had expressed that New Delhi had not provided evidence to Mallya yet, who is battling a slew of cases in India over his default case involving Rs. 9,000 crore worth loans to a clutch of public sector banks. The 61-year-old liquor baron has been out on bail since his arrest in April in London. Earlier, at least 53 persons, including Mallya, faced prosecution complaints from the Directorate of Enforcement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, and they are absconding, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said in July. The Ministry of Home Affairs, the nodal ministry for Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) in Criminal Matters, had conveyed that the India-U.K. MLAT in criminal matters does not cover the subject to bring back persons under investigation. However, the CBI had submitted extradition request in respect of Mallya regarding the case under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860 and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for his extradition from the U.K. The extradition request was sent to the U.K. for their consideration under bilateral extradition treaty. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday said that violence in Myanmar must stop. Talking to reporters here, Tillerson also likened the violence against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims to ethnic cleansing. Replying a question about his views what is taking place in Myanmar and Bangladesh, and the behavior of Aung San Suu Kyi, Tillerson said this violence must stop; this persecution must stop. It's been characterized by many as ethnic cleansing. That must stop. "I think it is important that the global community speak out in support of what we all know the expectation is towards the treatment of people, regardless of their ethnicity, and that we must - this violence must stop; this persecution must stop. It's been characterized by many as ethnic cleansing. That must stop," Tillerson said. He directed the blame toward Myanmar's powerful military, which is responsible for security operations that have seen nearly 400,000 people flee to neighbouring Bangladesh in the past three weeks after Rohingya insurgents launched coordinated attacks on government forces. "With respect to the horrors that we are witnessing occurring in Burma, I think it is a defining moment in many ways for this new emerging democracy, although it is a power-sharing arrangement. We all clearly understand that. And so we appreciate the difficult and complex situation Aung San Suu Kyi finds herself in. And we need to support Aung San Suu Kyi and her leadership, but also be very clear and unequivocal to the military share - power-sharing in that government that this is unacceptable. And this is going to, in many ways, I think, define the direction that Burma will take. We - they need our strong support. We should give them our strong support," Tillerson said. Violence in Myanmar has invited reactions from around the . Earlier on Thursday the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on the "military and security forces in Myanmar to immediately cease the killings, harassment, and rape of the Rohingya people, and the burning of their homes". The Myanmar government "and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in particular, should condemn unequivocally all incitement to racial or religious hatred and combat social discrimination and hostilities against the Rohingya minority," said the resolution. UNICEF said on Thursday that about 400,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar since Aug. 25, some 60 percent of them children. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday reiterated his call for Muslims from Myanmar's Rakhine state to be granted nationality or at least a legal status that would allow them to lead a normal life. "I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law, and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country," the Secretary-General said in his first press conference since the opening of the 72nd session of the General Assembly. Guterres repeated his call for "an effective action plan" to address the root causes of the situation, which he said he been left to fester for decades and has now escalated beyond Myanmar's borders, destabilizing the region. The refugees are fleeing a fresh security operation in which security forces and Buddhist mobs have killed men, women and children, looted homes, and torched Rohingya villages. According to the government of Bangladesh -- where thousands of Rohingya have fled -- around 3,000 Rohingya have been killed in the crackdown. The Rohingya, described by the UN as among the world's most persecuted peoples, have faced heightened fears of attack since dozens were killed in communal violence in 2012. The Rohingya are a minority ethnic group located in Myanmar's western Rakhine state and are considered to be a variation of the Sunni religion. Since the Rohingya are considered to be illegal Bengali immigrants and were denied recognition as a religion by the government of Myanmar, the dominant group, the Rakhine, rejects the label "Rohingya" and have started to persecute the Rohingya. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a major success for security forces, a wanted in 2014 Burdwan blast case has been arrested by Special Task Force (STF) unit of Kolkata on Thursday. The arrested has been identified as Burhan, who was apprehended from Bepin Behari Ganguly Street from Kolkata's Muchipara. The Investigative Agency (NIA) had announced a bounty of Rs. 3, 00,000 on his head. On October 2, 2014, an explosion occurred in a house in the Khagragarh locality of West Bengal's Burdwan, which, as per reports, was considered as militant group Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh's (JMB) operating point. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A wildfire is a fire in an area of combustible vegetation that occurs in the countryside or rural area. These are common in summer in the temperate boreal forest, rarer at high altitudes, and unheard of in an ice age at high altitudes, until now. According to a new study, evidence of wildfires dating back 20,000 years were discovered in the heart of the French Alps, 2,240 metres above sea level. A second area located further north, in the Massif de la Vanoise (Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes) where sediment accumulated during the Last Glacial Maximum, showed no trace of vegetation. No evidence of wildfires was found in this area, because without vegetation to burn, fire couldn't spread. Blarquez said, "This discovery is not trivial." Blarques further added, "It echoes the recent wildfires in the Arctic tundra, where [the presence of] trees have become increasingly common. The situation has drawn the attention of the scientific community because of its significant impact on the [Earth's] carbon cycle. Changes in high mountain forest cover due to global warming, and especially the abandonment of agricultural land, risk exacerbating the spread of wildfires in the coming years." During research, Blarquez and Carcaillet reconstructed wildland fire frequency and forest composition of over past 20,000 years, including the Last Glacial Maximum, when ice sheets were at their greatest extension. The study suggests that there was a tree glacial refugium during this period, when wildfires were able to break out. Also, they consider the complex long-term interactions between fires, vegetation and climate. Carcaillet, co-director of the Laboratoire international associe franco-canadien MONTABOR shared, "Wildfires spread when fuel is available and the climate is dry." "It is therefore counterintuitive to imagine wildland fires in periglacial, subpolar or mountain areas. And yet [the discovery of] high mountain lacustrine sediments revealed just that. Wildfires were indeed rare, but the presence of wood charcoal confirmed that they did occur, even during glacial and postglacial periods." In the Queyras, Swiss stone pines and larches formed an isolated tree glacial refugium, "like an island in the middle of an ocean of ice," according to the study. Carcaillet noted, "This study demonstrates that a periglacial climate does not preclude wildfires." Continuing, "Trees - in this case, Swiss stone pines - are necessary for fires to burn in high mountains. The climate affects the frequency of fires, and in return, fires affect tree diversity." The study was published in journal New Phytologist. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharat Heavy Electricals spurted 5.7% to Rs 140.10 at 13:35 IST on BSE after report suggested that the company and Kawasaki will make rolling stock for the country's first bullet train from Ahmedabad to Mumbai. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 31.03 points or 0.1% at 32,223.65. Huge volumes were witnessed on the counter. On the BSE, 35.35 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 4.32 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 145.80 and a low of Rs 132.25 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 182.65 on 25 April 2017 and a 52-week low of Rs 116.15 on 27 December 2016. The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 489.52 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe laid the foundation stone for Rs 1.1 lakh crore bullet train project today, 14 September 2017. Railways Minister Piyush Goyal said that PM Modi wants the train to start a year ahead of schedule, on 15 August 2022, when India completes 75 years of Independence. Bharat Heavy Electricals' net profit rose 3.9% to Rs 80.82 crore on 2.4% decline in net sales to Rs 5380.60 crore in Q1 June 2017 over Q1 June 2016. The Government of India holds 63.06% stake in Bhel (as per the shareholding pattern as on 31 March 2017). Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At meeting held on 13 September 2017 The Board of Kabra Extrusion Technik has accorded its in-principal approval to the proposal of Joint Venture to be entered by the Company with Mecanor OY, Finland ('MO') to manufacture Belling Machines in India with MO technology through Joint Venture Company to be incorporated. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) On 14 September 2017 Chennai Ferrous Industries will hold a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company on 14 September 2017, for approval of un-audited financial statements for the quarter ended 30th June 2017. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sales rise 9.92% to Rs 5648.87 crore Net profit of Jet Airways (India) rose 106.72% to Rs 53.50 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 25.88 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016. Sales rose 9.92% to Rs 5648.87 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 5138.86 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016.5648.875138.862.565.63254.29284.97110.07106.7753.5025.88 Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jubilant FoodWorks rose 3.42% to Rs 1,367 at 10:15 IST on BSE after the company reassured that all its food ingredients are safe for consumption. The company issued the clarification after market hours yesterday, 13 September 2017, with respect to news report suggesting that live bugs were found in Domino's Pizza seasoning sachet. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 111.66 points or 0.35% at 32,298.07. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index rose 145.01 points or 0.91% at 16,071.71. On the BSE, 81,329 shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 87,060 shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 1,380 and a low of Rs 1,347.05 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 1,475 on 12 September 2017. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 761 on 26 December 2016. The mid-cap company has equity capital of Rs 65.98 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10. Jubilant FoodWorks said that it has not received any other complaint of this nature. The news report was with respect to a consumer complaint received on 11 September 2017, regarding oregano sachets, supplied by one of its vendors, in an outlet in Gurugram. The company has since carried out a comprehensive inspection across vendors and stores and gave the above reassurance. The company said that it values its consumers experience and would like to reassure all its consumers about best quality products, service and a great Domino's experience at all times. Jubilant FoodWorks' net profit rose 25.5% to Rs 23.84 crore on 11.5% growth in net sales to Rs 678.82 crore in Q1 June 2017 over Q1 June 2016. Jubilant FoodWorks is part of Jubilant Bhartia group and India's largest food service company with a network of Domino's Pizza restaurants pan India. The company & its subsidiary have the exclusive rights to develop and operate Domino's Pizza brand in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. The company also has exclusive rights for developing and operating Dunkin' Donuts restaurants for India. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sales rise 119.90% to Rs 4798.94 crore Net profit of State Trading Corporation of India declined 42.28% to Rs 12.63 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 21.88 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016. Sales rose 119.90% to Rs 4798.94 crore in the quarter ended June 2017 as against Rs 2182.30 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2016.4798.942182.30-0.45-1.2013.96-0.2810.03-4.3012.6321.88 Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tata Chemicals rose 1.57% to Rs 646.30 at 9:49 IST on BSE after the company said it is in advanced stages of discussions for potential sale of its phosphatic fertiliser business. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 13 September 2017. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 130.93 points or 0.41% at 32,317.34. On the BSE, 28,000 shares were traded on the counter so far as against the average daily volumes of 44,929 shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 653.45 and a low of Rs 646.15 so far during the day. The stock had hit a record high of Rs 665.10 on 4 May 2017 and a 52-week low of Rs 445.50 on 21 November 2016. The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 254.76 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10. Tata Chemicals said that it is in advanced stages of discussions and negotiations with Indorama Holdings BV, Netherlands (subsidiary of Indorama Corporation, Singapore), for the potential sale of its Phosphatic Fertiliser Business located at Haldia and the trading business comprising of bulk and non-bulk fertilisers. The parties have a mutually agreed exclusivity agreement in this regard which expires on 31 October 2017. The potential transaction would be subject to due diligence, agreement on the definitive documents and approvals from the Board, Shareholders and Regulatory Authorities as may be required, and there is no certainty of the transaction being completed. The transaction if materialized would involve transfer of Haldia Plant, Trading Business along with immovable, movable properties, working capital and product brands but excluding outstanding subsidy amounts. The company is expected to receive consideration in the range of Rs 400 crore to Rs 500 crore. On a consolidated basis, Tata Chemicals' net profit fell 13.5% to Rs 241.77 crore on 20% decline in net sales to Rs 2572.37 crore in Q1 June 2017 over Q1 June 2016. Tata Chemicals is a global company with interests in businesses that focus on LIFE-living, industrial and farm essentials. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) From West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency Ujaas Energy has received Letter of Award of contract from WBREDA (West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency) for installation and commissioning of 150 nos. Rooftop Grid Connected Solar PV Power Plants each in array capacity of 10Kwp at various locations of West Bengal. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An overcrowded boat filled with labourers capsized in the Yamuna river in Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh early on Thursday, killing at least 22 people, officials said. Locals blamed overcrowding for the tragedy. Police and Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) divers began taking out the bodies and rescuing the survivors, an official told IANS. A few who were rescued were admitted to a nearby medical facility. Angry that an overcrowded boat was allowed to ply, villagers jammed a highway and set a few vehicles on fire, witnesses said. District Magistrate Bhawani Singh and his officials tried to pacify the mob which refused to allow the bodies to be taken for autopsy. They allowed five bodies to be taken by the police. But when more bodies were taken out, they started dumping them on the river bank. Local officials say more than 60 people were in the boat when it capsized. The labourers were reportedly headed for Haryana. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has expressed his condolences over the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the dead, Principal Secretary (Information) Awanish Kumar Awasthi said. --IANS md/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 23 people were killed in a fire at a religious school in the Malaysian capital on Thursday, officials said. A police official said 21 students and two teachers were killed in the fire. The Fire Department said earlier that at least 25 were killed in the fire which broke out at around 5.41 a.m, BBC reported. Ten people were taken to hospital, and four were reported to have serious injuries. "Based on our initial investigations, the position the victims were found in indicated that they tried to escape through the windows but were prevented due to the fixed grills on the windows," Fire and Rescue Department Operations Deputy Director Soiman Jahid said. He said police were still investigating what caused the fire but that it likely was caused by an electrical short circuit or a lit mosquito repellent coil. Videos posted on social media showed that the three-storey building of the religious school was engulfed in raging fire before the firefighters' arrival. Ahmad Tarmizi, a 46-year-old local resident who lives across the school, said he was going to a nearby mosque to pray when he saw the raging fire on the third floor of the school. "I saw four boys in the third floor screaming 'too hot, too hot,'" said Ahmad, adding he later helped a boy who managed to get out of the window and fell on the ground. "Before 6 o'clock, the firemen came but I think many of the people already died inside because of the smoke," Ahmad said. He said the students mainly came from the neighbourhood to read Quran in the school. According to Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh, a total of 36 students aged 13 to 17 and six teachers were in the building when the fire broke out. The fire was put out some one hour after the firefighters arrived. Local media reports said the school could have been operating against government regulations, because its fire safety permit application was allegedly still pending. Malaysia's Health Minister S. Subramaniam said that among the survivors, some broke their legs, some had lung or liver injuries. "We will do our best to treat the patients here. Some specialists are taking care of them," he said. --IANS soni/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 25 persons, including students and teachers, were killed in a fire at a religious school in the Malaysian capital here on Thursday, officials said. The fire at the Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah broke out in the early hours, BBC reported. A victim list released by the authorities showed 22 of the deceased were students while three others were religious teachers, Xinhua news agency reported. Prime Minister Najib Razak tweeted his condolences. A Minister said the incident should be quickly investigated, the BBC report said. Officials said fire engines were at the site within minutes, and the blaze was put out within an hour. In Islamic tahfiz schools -- where children study the Quran -- students often live in the schools. Images and videos circulating online showed the upper floor of the school, where students would have been sleeping, ablaze. A number of students were also taken to the hospital, some suffering from smoke inhalation. Videos posted on Twitter showed the three-story building was engulfed in raging fire before the fire fighters arrived, Xinhua reported. The caused of the blaze is not yet clear. --IANS pgh/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 50 people, including three Iranian pilgrims, have lost their lives in twin car bomb and gun attacks striking the countrys southern province of Dhi Qar. Jasim al-Khalidi, a senior health official, said more than 87 people had sustained injuries in the attacks, one of which occurred close to a restaurant near the city of Nasiriyah, situated about 370 km southeast of the capital, Baghdad, on Thursday afternoon, Press TV reported. He added that the death toll could rise due to the critical condition of some of the wounded. Iraqi Interior Ministry Spokesman Saad Maan also said a car bomb in the same area targeted a security checkpoint shortly afterwards. There were no immediate claims of responsibility for the deadly attacks, but such assaults bear the hallmarks of those carried out by the Islamic State. According to the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), a total of 125 Iraqi civilians lost their lives, and 188 others were injured as a result of terrorist attacks and other acts of violence across Iraq in the month of August. The UN mission, however, did not mention the number of Iraqi police forces, who were killed or sustained injuries during last month's acts of violence. A large number of the fatalities were recorded in the capital province of Baghdad, where 45 civilians were killed and 135 others wounded during the same period. Iraqi army and pro-government fighters from the Popular Mobilization Units, commonly known as Hashd al-Sha'abi, are engaged in joint operations to win back militant-held areas of the country. Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on August 31 that the northern city of Tal Afar and the entire Nineveh province had been purged of Daesh Takfiri terrorist group. The recapture of Tal Afar was made possible with the help of the Iraqi army, Federal Police, counter-terrorism units, volunteer troops, and Rapid Response Forces, Abadi added. --IANS ahm/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least seven people, including three Iranians, were killed on Thursday in a car bomb and gun attack in Iraq's southern province of Nasriyah, a provincial security source said. Unidentified gunmen attacked a restaurant at Fadak area in west of the city of Nasriyah, some 375 km south of Baghdad, leaving four Iraqis and three Iranians killed, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The attack also left some 20 people wounded, the source said. Meanwhile, a booby-trapped car was detonated at a security checkpoint near the attacked restaurant, the source said without giving details about casualties. The attacks came as the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi paid a visit to the province and met the provincial government and some tribal leaders. --IANS ahm/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Thursday that if his National Conference party was in power, the BJP would not dare talk about Article 35A of the Constitution. Abdullah blamed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for allowing the Centre to talk about 35A, putting into jeopardy the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah said the formation of the PDP was to weaken the National Conference after it passed the autonomy resolution in the state assembly in 2000. "We (NC) would not even allow them to talk about Article 35A if we would have been in power. They do not like it when we take oath on our own constitution. If there is an attack on Article 35A it is because the NC is out of power," Abdullah told the media. He said the passing of the autonomy resolution created a flutter in the corridors of the Indian government. "They started seeing NC as a threat. This gave birth to the PDP." --IANS sq/ahm/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Australian navy base at Jervis Bay was evacuated on Thursday after a forest fire along the southeast coast of the country spiralled out of control, officials said. The Rural Fire Service of New South Wales issued an emergency warning advising people to evacuate as the fire advanced towards the Jervis Bay Village in the Booderee National Park, Efe news reported. Authorities also evacuated campsites in the area and shut down major roads close to the village of 250 residents. The naval base had kept military personnel and helicopters on alert to provide help in emergency operations, ABC news reported. Recent scientific studies had warned about increased risk of forest fires in Australia due to extreme heat waves and higher carbon dioxide emissions. The forest fire seasons vary a lot in Australia depending on the region and meteorological conditions. --IANS soni/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Members from various bank associations, including the All India Bank Employees Association, will march to Parliament on Friday opposing the government's new banking policies. The protest will be held against the government's decisions such as merger of banks, privatisation of public sector banks and write-off of corporate bad loans. The agitation will be held under the umbrella of United Forum of Bank Unions and will have members from National Confederation of Bank Employees, All India Bank Officers Confederation and All India Bank Officers Association among others. Functioning of banks will not be affected. According to United Forum of Bank Unions, government's decision to merge banks is not in public favour. "What is the need for merger of banks? Instead, there is a need to further strengthen our public sector banks and open more and more branches to serve the people," Sanjeev K. Bandlish, Convenor of United Forum of Bank Unions, told reporters here on Thursday. He said that merger will prevent new recruitment in banking sector. After the agitation, members from the forum will also submit their memorandum of demands to the Prime Minister's Office and Finance Minister. The forum also urged the government to stop write-off of corporate bad loans and start their recovery. Stating that currently the country has a bad laon of Rs 15 lakh crore, the forum said that bulk of bad loans are due from private companies, business houses and corporate. "What is required today is recovery of bad loans from the private companies and not hand over the banks to the very same private sector," said K.K. Nair, Chairman, United Forum of Bank Unions. According to the body, 80 per cent of the loan defaulters are from 89 top borrowers, which are the corporate houses. "Due to these bad loans not fetching any interest, there is a loss of interest income to the banks to the tune of around Rs 1,50,000 crore. So, the profits are also depressed due to this loss of revenue. In addition, banks are also providing and writing-off huge sums from the profits," said the body in a statement issued after the media briefing. --IANS rup/qd/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharti Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bharti Enterprises, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Punjab government to jointly provide over 50,000 toilets for rural households in Amritsar district. The MoU was signed on Wednesday by the Foundation with the Department of Water Supply and Sanitation of Punjab government, a spokesperson said here. Bharti Foundation will be collaborating with the state government under the Satya Bharti Abhiyan, its well-known sanitation initiative. "Under the MoU, Bharti Foundation will join hands with DWSS and will provide financial assistance for the construction of 20,000 toilets in four blocks (Chogawan, Majitha, Ajnala and Harsha Chhina) with an investment of up to Rs 30 crore. The remaining 30,000 plus toilets will be provided by DWSS in five blocks (Attari, Jandiala, Rayya, Tarsika and Verka)," the spokesperson said. "On completion, the joint initiative will impact over 2.5 lakh individuals. The initiative will be supported by grants from two group companies - Bharti Airtel Limited and Bharti Infratel Limited," the spokesperson added. "The Public-Private Partnership model has proven to be an effective approach to promote inclusive and sustainable development. Bharti Foundation has a rich legacy of actively supporting the government's social development agenda through its various initiatives. We are happy to be partnering with the district administration of Amritsar and the Government of Punjab to contribute towards alleviating the challenges of sanitation in the district," Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Co-Chairman, Bharti Foundation said. Under the Satya Bharti Abhiyan, over 87,000 individuals across Punjab's Ludhiana district benefited during the firs phase of the campaign, which helpedALudhiana (rural) to become the second self-declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) district of Punjab in November 2016, the spokesperson said. The campaign was launched by Bharti Foundation in August 2014. --IANS js/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the setting up of a new India Japan Act East Forum, Japan is set to play a more proactive role in the development of northeastern India. Among the 15 agreements signed after the annual India-Japan bilateral summit here on Thursday, one is on setting up the India Japan Act East Forum "to enhance connectivity and promote developmental projects in the northeastern region of India in an efficient and effective manner". A joint statement issued following the discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe said both leaders "welcomed the India-Japan cooperation on development of India's northeastern region as a concrete symbol of developing synergies between India's Act East policy and Japan's Free and Open Indo Pacific Strategy". "In this context, they noted with satisfaction the setting up of the India Japan Act East Forum," it stated. According to the statement , Modi and Abe appreciated the cooperation between Japan and northeastern India, ranging from key infrastructure such as road connectivity, electricity, water supply and sewage, to social and environmental sustainability such as afforestation and community empowerment, as well as people-to-people exchanges, including inviting youth from the the Northeast to Japan. "We agreed to work in a much more focused and substantive way in the Northeast," Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said while briefing the media after the summit. "To that end, we agreed on a India Japan Act East Forum which will essentially explore the possibilities of involving Japan in northeastern infrastructure," Jaishankar said. He said that development of infrastructure in the northeastern region would help India open out much more to Myanmar, Bangladesh and beyond. "So it would in a practical way it really give legs to our Act East Policy," the Foreign Secretary said. He said that though Japan has been assisting northeastern India in road infrastructure, the intent this time was to take it to a much higher level. --IANS ab/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The AAP on Thursday accused the BJP government of shielding the Ryan International School management in the murder of a seven-year-old boy inside the school premises in Gurugram. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also said that the owner of the Ryan International Schools, Grace Pinto, was named the Director of an organisation under the Ministry of Textiles by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at Centre. AAP's national spokesperson Ashutosh said that even as parents across the country were pained by the gruesome murder of a young boy at Ryan School in Gurugram, the school's owners were being protected by the BJP government. "Not only is Grace Pinto a member of the BJP, she has also reportedly organised a membership drive for teachers and children in her schools," Ashutosh said. "With the BJP's blessings, she was also appointed as a Director at The Cotton Corporation of India on February 2, 2017." Seven-year-old Pradhuman Thakur was found murdered on September 8 at Ryan International School in Bhondsi area on the Sohna Road in Haryana's Gurugram district. The murder of the boy has caused widespread outrage across the country. Ashutosh said that the school was directly at fault for sheer negligence in the matter, but the management of the school had found support from the BJP governments in Haryana and at the Centre. "The BJP provides patronage to such people on a regular basis and rewards them by appointing them to top positions in government-run corporations. Now it is also protecting Pinto after the murder of a child in one of her schools," the AAP leader said. --IANS am/him/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed concern over the attacks on Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar and urged the country's leadership to end the violence. Trudeau made the observations during a telephonic call to Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Trudeau stressed Suu Kyi's importance as a moral and political leader in resolving the crisis that has sent thousands of Rohingyas fleeing to Bangladesh, the Canadian Prime Minister Office said on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported. "The Prime Minister also emphasized the urgent need for Myanmar's military and civilian leaders to take a strong stand in ending the violence, promoting the protection of civilians and promoting unimpeded access for the UN and international humanitarian actors," the office said. Trudeau offered Canada's support to help build a peaceful and stable Myanmar that is respectful of the rights of all ethnic minorities. The Canadian government has pledged 1 million Canadian dollars ($810,000) in humanitarian aid for Rakhine state, located on the western coast of Myanmar where the violence has erupted. --IANS pgh/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Egyptian and Russian troops started a military exercise as part of their mutual military cooperation, media reports said. As many as 600 fighters participate in the joint drill on Thursday, dubbed Protectors of Friendship 2, to implement several missions, including troops deployment, joint paratroop operations and military maneuvers to restore control on vital posts and purge it from terrorist elements, Xinhua news agency reported. According to state-run MENA news agency, the drill targets finding out the tactical characteristics of the weapons, equipment and mechanisms of command and control as well as gaining necessary field skills and tactics used by both sides in implementing various tasks The Egyptian-Russian war games fall within the two countries' keenness to boost strategic cooperation ties between their armed forces in many fields. Also on Thursday, the Egyptian and Saudi air forces kicked off several-day drills. Formations of the most up-to-date fighters from both sides are taking part in "Faisal 11" military exercises that include managing joint air combats via the latest tactics. The drills aim to exchange expertise among the participating units. Egypt annually holds several military exercises with Arab, African and Western countries to boost military cooperation and exchange military expertise with friendly states. On Sunday, The Egyptian-US joint military exercise "The Bright Star" kicked off at a military base in the Arab country. The 10-day military exercise, which Egypt hosts every two years, is Egypt's largest joint maneuver with a foreign country. --IANS vgu/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) McLaren's Fernando Alonso on Thursday said he wanted to win with whichever Formula 1 team he races for in 2018. The Spaniard's future at McLaren was in the balance as he found himself in the 15th spot of the 2017 Driver Standings on just 10 points out of 13 races so far, reports Efe news agency. "Whatever I do next year will be because I want to win. I will not be in any series to be fighting for top 10, top 15, nothing like that," Alonso said at a press conference ahead of Sunday's Singapore GP. "There are many options I'm studying and looking at. Formula 1 is my first and only priority. I will wait to make a decision on that before making decisions on other series," the two-time world champion added. Alonso said that Indianapolis 500 was an option for him since he already took part in this year's edition of the race, missing the Monaco GP. --IANS sam/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Government agencies are aware and working to resolve the issues of un-engineered garbage dumping sites like the Ghazipur landfill here, a part of which collapsed earlier this month killing two persons, said a Sanitation Ministry official here on Thursday. Parameswaran Iyer, Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, was talking about a 15-day-long campaign "Swachhta Hi Sewa" (Sanitation is Service) to mark the third anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious project Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The campaign will be launched by President Ram Nath Kovind in Kanpur Rural on Friday. It will mark a series of events, including mass and voluntary cleaning drive of iconic places that would include several celebrities. During the fortnight, issues like garbage landfills, open defecation and others will be discussed. The campaign would conclude on Mahatma Gandhi's birthday on October 2. "Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is focusing, among other things, on this as well. Landfills and dumping ground will all be under focus during that time," Iyer said. Asked about the migrant labourers in urban areas like Delhi who are forced to defecate in open, the Secretary said it's an area that needs focus. "Migrant population is a reality mostly in urban areas but also in peri-urban areas. Efforts are being made to deal with it, though it requires attention," Iyer said. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan aims to make India open defecation free by 2019, and Iyer said: "India is on track to achieve sanitation goals." Sharing some data of the achievements during the last three years, the Secretary said that five states including Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Haryana and Uttarakhand had been declared open defecation free (ODF), and 10 others will become ODF by March 2018. He added that 4.6 crore household toilets had been constructed and sanitation cover has gone up from 39 per cent to 67.5 per cent since launch of the mission. "Every ministry had been allotted an additional adaptation budget to implement Swachh Bharat Abhiyan," Iyer said. According to the official data, 76 ministries are implementing Action Plans worth over Rs 12,000 crore with a specific budget code for cleanliness. However, the official said that public awareness will be the focus of the campaign. "It is not about creating infrastructure, its about changing people's mindset," he added. --IANS kd/him/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Unidentified motorcycle borne criminals on Thursday shot dead a former councillor in Ghaziabad, Haji Harun. The incident occurred in Maharajpur locality near the Delhi border. The police said two criminals shot dead Harun when he was going to a mosque. The assailants sped away. Harun took four bullets. As news of the murder spread, locals jammed traffic in the area. Senior Superintendent of Police H.N. Singh suspended three policemen who were on duty there. "We will make arrests soon," said H.N. Singh. --IANS sps/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mercedes' British driver Lewis Hamilton on Thursday said he hoped McLaren driver Fernando Alonso would fight for the Formula One title in 2018. The two-time world champion Alonso has been struggling with his Honda this season, collecting just 10 points with 7 races to go, amid rumors of an imminent split between McLaren and the Japanese car manufacturer, reports Efe news agency. "I hope that he's got a car to fight with us next year," said Hamilton at a press conference ahead of the Singapore GP. "I think not only we expect a challenge, but we want to see the best drivers in the best teams up there and it's been a shame not to have McLaren where they historically have been," the 2017 Driver Standings' leader and three-time world champion added. Hamilton said that heading into the race with a three-point lead over his main title rival, Ferrari's German driver Sebastian Vettel, was very important. He also predicted that Red Bull would provide a challenge this weekend. --IANS sam/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Harrison Ford has commented on his affair with late actress Carrie Fisher, but remained wary of talking too much on it especially after her demise. They were dating during the filming of 1977 film "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope". Fisher passed away on December 27, 2016. She had revealed her secret affair with Ford in her memoir "The Princess Diarist" in 2016. She had said Ford and she were dating while he was married to his then wife Mary Marquardt. "It was strange. For me," Ford told GQ magazine, reports dailymail.co.uk. Asked if he was given any advance warning about the content of Fisher's book, Ford said: "Um, to a degree. Yes." Keeping his answers short, the 75-year-old refused to talk further about his affair with Fisher. "You know, with Carrie's untimely passing, I don't really feel that it's a subject that I want to discuss," he said. --IANS sas/rb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Centre to file a status report on appointments to the NGT after the government said the process of appointing judicial and expert members had been started. A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar asked the government to expedite the process of appointments on the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The court posted for October 31 a public interest litigation that sought filling up of the NGT vacancies and asked the Centre to file a status report on the appointments. The Ministry of Environment and Forest said it had issued two media advertisements to invite applications for the posts of NGT members. The advertisement pertain to five vacant posts of judicial members and seven of expert members. The last date for receiving applications is September 18. Earlier, the court expressed concern over impending NGT vacancies. Currently, there are eight judicial members and six expert members on the NGT. The number of expert members on the tribunal would come down to two in December owing to retirement of members. Only three judicial members would be left on the panel after February 13, 2018, lawyer-petitioner Gaurav Bansal said. His counsel Sumeer Sodhi told the court that non-appointment of expert and judicial members hampered the smooth functioning of the tribunal. "This hinders dispensation of justice," said the petitioner, adding that a fine judicial institution like the NGT was heading towards premature death due to bureaucratic red tape. He told the court that on account of retirement of most of its members, two zonal benches of the National Green Tribunal would stop functioning by October. "Non-appointment of NGT members also amounts to interference in the independence of judiciary. More so, the idea of having specialised tribunals adjudicating upon matters of particular fields would be defeated if the tribunals are not given the manpower and resources to diligently discharge their functions and duties," he said in his petition. --IANS gt/tsb/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Thursday extended humanitarian assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh by flying down food and other essential items to the neighbour to help it deal with the huge influx of Rohingyas who have fled from Myanmar. The relief material will be delivered in multiple consignments under "Operation Insaniyat", with the first tranche to be flown to Chittagong by an Indian Air Force plane later on Thursday evening. The assistance, according to an External Affairs Ministry statement, was extended in response to the "humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh". Dhaka had earlier sought New Delhi's help in addressing the problems faced by the Bangladesh government as hundreds of thousands of have entered that country after fleeing persecution in Myanmar's restive Rakhine state. The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets, the statement said. "India has always responded readily and swiftly to any crisis in Bangladesh, in keeping with the close ties of friendship between the peoples of India and Bangladesh. "India stands ready to provide any assistance required by the government of Bangladesh in this hour of need," the statement said. India and Japan on Thursday condemned "in the strongest terms" North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes. "The two Prime Ministers condemned in the strongest terms North Korea's continued development of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, including the latest nuclear test conducted by North Korea on September 3 as well as its uranium enrichment activities," said a joint statement issued following the annual bilateral summit here between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. "Recognising that North Korea's continued pursuit of nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and its proliferation links, including the launch of a ballistic missile flying over Japanese territory on August 29 2017, pose grave and real threat to international peace and stability and the international non-proliferation efforts, the two Prime Ministers strongly urged North Korea to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and not to take any further provocative actions, and to fully comply with its international obligations under relevant UNSC resolutions including the newly and unanimously adopted resolution 2375, and other international commitments," it stated. According to the statement, both leaders agreed to work together to deal with the current serious situation and called on the international community to rigorously and fully implement relevant UN Security Council resolutions to maximise pressure on North Korea. "They stressed the importance of holding accountable all parties that have supported North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes," it said. Briefing the media after the summit, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said that India was always concerned over nuclear proliferation reports. "The fact that the North Korean programme has come under sharp and closer scrutiny, that warrants some examination of its backward linkages," Jaishankar said. "You know as well as I know what those linkages are," he added. --IANS ab/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Japan discussed a deal to buy Japanese ShinMaywa US-2 amphibious aircraft, but no final decision was arrived at during the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe here. The two sides also discussed cooperation in maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region. The Doklam standoff between India and China is also expected to have figured in the talks, though it was not mentioned in the joint statement. India has been in talks for the purchase of 12 amphibious aircraft, in a $1.30 billion deal, for the Indian Navy. Later 18 more aircraft are to be bought under the Make in India initiative. "There is an ongoing issue on the US-2 amphibian aircraft. Those discussions continue," Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said at a media briefing after the Modi-Abe annual summit talks. Discussions on the deal for the amphibious aircraft had also figured during former Defence Minister Arun Jaitley's visit to Japan earlier this month for a bilateral dialogue on defence. The deal is said to be stuck on the issue of price, even after ShinMaywa company reduced the price to around $113 million per aircraft. The earlier price was $.1.65 billion for 12 aircraft. "Japan's readiness to provide its state-of-the-art US-2 amphibian aircraft was appreciated as symbolising the high degree of trust between the two countries. The two governments decided to continue their discussion in this regard," said the joint statement. Jaishankar added that the two sides are also looking at technology cooperation in the field of defence. "We were really looking in terms of technology cooperation and equipment collaboration both in defence and dual use technology," he said. The two sides "commended" the "significant progress" achieved in maritime security cooperation, which the joint statement said was evidenced by the expansion in the scale and complexity of the Malabar exercise between India, US and Japan in the Bay of Bengal. Growing cooperation between the Indian Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force in different areas, including anti-submarine aspects was discussed. "They also acknowledged the importance of bilateral cooperation in maritime security by strengthening and enhancing exchanges in expanding maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific region," the joint statement said. Asked why the South China Sea was not mentioned, Jaishankar said it is a part of the Indo-Pacific region. "In terms of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea when you are referring to Indo-Pacific, the South China Sea is a part of the Indo-Pacific. When you are referring to a full set, sub-sets are covered," Jaishankar said. "Freedom of navigation and support for unimpeded commerce is not a matter on which we have a position in reference to a particular geography. It is a principle position which applies everywhere," he said. Expansion of joint exercises and cooperation in areas like humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping operations, and counter terrorism were discussed, and a joint exercise between the Indian Army and Japan Ground Self-Defence Force may be held in 2018. --IANS ao/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Breaking the ground for the ambitious Rs 1 lakh crore Bullet Train with major Japanese aid, India and Japan on Thursday elevated their bilateral ties to new levels and called for a free and open Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international laws are respected, in an apparent message to China which has disputes with most neighbours in the South China region. A day after staging an unusual road show in Ahmedabad, which critics said was done with an eye on upcoming Gujarat polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held his annual bilateral summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and came out with a 13-page joint statement titled "Toward a Free, Open and Prosperous Indo-Pacific" laying out the new contours of the relationship. In a snub to Pakistan, the two countries urged it to bring to justice the masterminds behind the Mumbai and Pathankot terror attacks. They pressed all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terror networks and financing and halting cross-border movement of terrorists. The joint statement denounced North Korea's nuclear programme and its continued development of its weapons and ballistic missile programmes including its latest nuclear test. The highlight of the day was the commencement of the work on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai High Speed Rail Project, modelled on the lines of the famous Shinkansen (Bullet Train) technology by symbolic digging of the earth at the Sabarmati railway station. Modi hailed the project that will help passengers cover 500 km in three hours at a speed of over 300 km per hour as a "new pace" in India's progress to achieve a "new India" by 2022. The project adds to the growing list of major India-Japan infrastructure cooperation projects. The discussions between the two leaders covered the entire gamut of special, strategic and global partnership and dealt with various issues including the recent Doklam military standoff between India and China that ended ahead of Modi's visit to China for the BRICS Summit. "The two Prime Ministers affirmed strong commitment to their values-based partnership in achieving a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international law are respected, and differences are resolved through dialogue, and where all countries, large or small, enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight, sustainable development, and a free, fair and open trade and investment system," said the joint statement. "The two Prime Ministers underlined that India and Japan could play a central role in safeguarding and strengthening such a rules-based order." Both the leaders agreed to align Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy with India's Act East Policy, including through enhancing maritime security cooperation, improving connectivity in the wider Indo-Pacific region, strengthening cooperation with Asean, and promoting discussions between strategists and experts of the two countries. Briefing the media after the summit, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said both sides agreed to root out safe havens for terrorists and cooperate against terrorist threats from groups like Al Qaeda, Islamic State, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Both also agreed to enhance defence and security cooperation and dialogues, including the Malabar maritime and other joint exercises, defence equipment and technology cooperation in such areas as surveillance and unmanned system technologies. According to Jaishankar, so far this cooperation had been limited to the maritime sector. Now this will be expanded to their armies, air forces and coast guards. Modi and Abe reiterated their support for each other country's candidature in the UN Security Council "based on the firmly shared recognition that India and Japan are legitimate candidates for permanent membership in an expanded Security Council". Addressing the media, Modi said this was not just the start of a high-speed rail. "Keeping in mind our needs in the future, I believe this new railway philosophy will be the lifeline to a new India," he said. "India's continuing development has now been linked to high speed." In his remarks at the ground-breaking ceremony of the rail project, Abe said "a strong India is in Japan's interest, and a strong Japan is in India's interest. Today, on this day, that part of the bright future is seen in solid form". Modi thanked the people and Parliament of Japan for ratifying the civil nuclear agreement signed during his visit to that country. "This will open a new chapter in our cooperation on clean energy and climate change." Modi said Japan invested $4.7 billion in 2016-17, an 80 per cent rise from the previous year. "This makes Japan the third largest investor in India. Connectivity was a key issue in this year's summit, with a new India Japan Act East Forum being set up that will see Tokyo play a more pro-active role in developing India's northeast. Jaishankar said that though Japan had been assisting the Northeast in developing the road infrastructure, "this time the intent was take it to a much higher level". After the summit, India and Japan signed 15 agreements including in the areas of connectivity, disaster management, skills development and investments. --IANS ab/vsc/mr/soni (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 10 crore Indians suffering from blindness-related ailments have no access to a pair of glasses, mainly due to lack of optometrists in tier III and tier IV cities and villages, said an expert. India Vision Institute (IVI) CEO Vinod Daniel told IANS that although the cost of a pair of glasses is as low as Rs 250, the lack of access has made the problem of preventable blindness acute in India. In most cases, a pair of glasses is all required for those suffering from blindness-related ailments, including refractive error. He attributes the situation to a range of factors, including lack of awareness and lack of human resources. India has one-third of the people it requires in optometry. "We need 130,00 people but have only 45,000. They include optometrists, ophthalmic assistants and people who do primary eye care," he said. The need in India is huge. "Once you turn 40-45, you need a pair of glasses. Five to seven per cent of children in India are myopic and they need glasses to study better. For older people, it's a huge issue, especially in villages. The problem becomes more acute for those who work with hands," he said. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that India loses more than a lakh crore in productivity every year due to preventable blindness. Research shows the cost of glasses is in fact very cheap but it is awareness and access to an optometric or an optical outlet that is an issue India needs to address. Many colleges offer four-year standard optometry course. They also offer two-year diploma. In some institutions, there is a one-year course for machine technicians. He feels there is not only the need for more colleges but also more mechanisms to deliver the courses. There is also a need for online courses and to increase the intake of students. Optometry as a profession is still evolving in India while it is well developed in countries like the United States, Britain and Australia. "Some countries are struggling. India is probably at half way," he said. He, however, believes that India is at a very exciting stage as in the last 10 years there has been a lot of interest with regard to optometry and how it could assist in eye care. He is confident that optometry is a profession that would pay as people entering in the sphere will get jobs. "Once upon a time everybody wanted to be a doctor or an engineer. Then the dental profession started and I hope optometry will be like that. There is a market and finding jobs will be easier." The second World Congress of Optometry, which concluded here on Wednesday, saw the world's leading eye health experts discussing new ideas, sharing research and knowledge from various facets of optometry. About 1,300 delegates from 45 countries attended the conference with the theme "accessible, quality vision and eye health". The WHO estimates 285 million to be visually impaired, of which 39 million are blind and 246 million have low vision. Globally, uncorrected refractive errors are the main cause of moderate and severe visual impairment. Cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness in middle and low income countries. The WHO aims to reduce by 2019 the prevalence of avoidable visual impairment by 25 per cent. The World Council of Optometry (WCO) envisions accomplishing this by placing a strong and equitable eye health system within which optometry plays a valuable and essential role. --IANS ms/amit/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Inter National Institute of Fashion Design (INIFD) and London School of Trends (LST) in collaboration with Fashion Scout London will celebrate the craftsmanship of emerging Indian fashion designers on India Day being celebrated at Fashion Scout during London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2018 on September 19. The initiative is in tandem with the 5 "F" formula given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Farm to Fiber, Fiber to Fabric, Fabric to Fashion, Fashion to Foreign, said a statement. For the event, 32 young designers selected from all across India will showcase the rich cultural heritage of India through their designs at prestigious Fashion Scout, which is the only platform supported by Mayor of London to provide an opportunity to Non UK resident designers to showcase during the London Fashion Week. A full day is dedicated to Indian designers to exhibit their creations in presence of global buyers and Glitterati of London. There will also be a dance performance by Atisha Pratap Singh, a young Kuchipudi classical dancer from Delhi who will mark the start of the India Day. She will also perform before the grand finale at London. Designer Masaba Gupta will be a star of grand finale with her latest collection "Nosy Be", while another leading designer Priyanka Khosla will kick start the Fashion shows on India Day by presenting her new collection "Malmal Tadka". There will also be six young Indian designers who will display their spring summer collection at different shows during the India Day. To carry forward the slogan of New India initiated by Modi, 24 INIFD student designers will showcase their creations at two dedicated GenNext Shows named "The New Rashtra". These 24 student designers were selected by a jury in London amongst 1200 applicants who submitted their entries from all across India for this prestigious event. Ace designer Manish Malhotra, who is also the Chief Mentor of London School of Trends in India, handed over the selection tickets to 24 student designers and guided them to carry forward the rich legacy of Indian culture and show the World the emergence of Fashion in New India at this Global Event. --IANS nv/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Iraqi parliament on Thursday voted with majority to remove the Kurdish governor of Kirkuk province from his post, the Iraqi official television reported. Earlier in the day, the parliament received a demand from Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi asking the lawmakers to vote to remove Najm al-Din Kareem from his post as governor of Kirkuk province, the state-run Iraqiya Channel said. Kareem, a Kurd, has made several controversial decisions in Kirkuk, including raising the Kurdish flag in Kirkuk city and supporting the independence referendum of the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan. The Kurds want areas including the northern oil-rich province of Kirkuk as well as parts of Nineveh, Diyala and Salahudin to be incorporated into their territory, a move fiercely opposed by the Arabs, Turkmens and Baghdad. On June 7, the Kurdish President Masoud Barzani announced his intention to hold a referendum on the independence of the Kurdish region from Iraq on September 25. The referendum has been opposed by Baghdad because it would threaten the integrity of Iraq and would distract the ongoing fight against the Islamic State by the Iraqi forces. The neighboring countries of Turkey, Iran and Syria also feel that the move would threaten their territorial integrity, as large numbers of Kurdish population live in those countries. A Kurdish leading party on Thursday rejected the decision of the move. "The Iraqi government is punishing the Kurdistan region. The dismiss of Kirkuk governor is illogical, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) strongly rejects this decision," Sa'di Ahmed Biera, PUK spokesman said in a statement. --IANS ahm/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sikkim MP Prem Das Rai on Thursday said Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra's comment that the state was insurgency-troubled was a mistake and there was no need to sensationalise the issue. During an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where she was promoting her Sikkimese film "Pahuna: The Little Visitors", the National Award winning actress called the hilly state "insurgency troubled". She faced backlash for the comment. Rai said she should be forgiven. "She definitely doesn't have her facts correct. Sikkim has been an insurgency free state for three decades but she didn't know that," he said. "She has made some regrets about it. "She is a star in her own right and Sikkim is a star in its own right. We should bury this issue without sensationalising it any further," he added. According to Rai, what Chopra said was a mistake and this was not the general perception of Sikkim in mainland India. "She is travelling internationally is perhaps why she doesn't have much knowledge about what is happening here back in India. "We should not make a mountain out of a molehill. Yes, she made a factually incorrect statement about an Indian state on the international platform, but everybody makes mistakes. It's okay," he said. --IANS mg/rb/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karti Chidambaram, son of former Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, on Thursday refused to appear before the CBI in connection with a case related to FIPB clearance in 2006 in the Aircel Maxis deal when his father was Finance Minister. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in its summon issued on Wednesday, had asked Karti Chidambaram to appear at its headquarters in the CGO complex in south Delhi's Lodhi Road area for questioning today (Thursday). In his written response through a courier service, Karti's lawyer Arun Natarajan informed the agency that his client would not present himself for questioning as directed, saying a special court had discharged all the accused in the matter. Natarajan said the response had been sent through fax and email also. "All proceedings connected with the said (case)... were also terminated," the response said. It said after the discharge of the accused and "termination" of the proceedings, the CBI will not have jurisdiction to issue summons in connection with the case. In its response, the CBI said its summons to Karti was "valid" and his claim on quashing of proceedings by the court was "wrong". The CBI said an appeal was made in the High Court in May against Dayanidhi Maran, Kalanithi Maran, and two companies discharged by a trial court. The CBI said its investigation on points mentioned in its chargesheet continued, including Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance on a quid pro quo basis. "The proceeding in the trial court is on. Karti's claim that the case has been quashed is wrong." "Four individuals and four companies were charge-sheeted. An Interpol notice against two Malaysian individuals and two Malaysian companies has been issued. So, the investigation in the case is still on and Karti was summoned as part of the ongoing probe," a CBI official said. The CBI wants to question Karti over the alleged money laundering through his firms in the Aircel-Maxis tie-up in 2008, the official said. The summons come days after Karti Chidambaram was directed by the Supreme Court to present himself before the CBI in relation to the INX Media case, wherein he was accused of securing FIPB clearance for certain FDI investment. According to the CBI charge sheet submitted in a special court, Mauritius-based Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd, a subsidiary of Maxis, had sought approval for an investment of $800 million in Aircel. Though it was the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, headed by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which was competent to grant the approval, it was cleared by the then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy had alleged that Chidambaram then had tweaked FIPB norms for clearing the Aircel-Maxis deal in 2006. Seeking a probe into the role of P. Chidambaram, Swamy had referred to the Comptroller and Auditor General's 2015 report that pointed to two alleged illegalities. According to Swamy, the CAG cited the illegality of FIPB approving Maxis' acquisition of 93.3 per cent stake in Aircel Tele Ventures Ltd through its wholly-owned subsidiary, the GCSHL, well in excess of the then ceiling of 74 per cent investment by a foreign entity. The second illegality, Swamy said, was that since the foreign investment in Aircel was more than Rs 600 crore, it should have gone to the Cabinet Committee for Economic Affairs for approval but was cleared by the FIPB. --IANS rak/tsb/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The killing of top LeT commander Abu Ismail and his Pakistani associate on Thursday is a major setback for the terror outfit, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said. Director General of Police S.P. Vaid said: "Police was after him for quite some time and finally we have been able to gun him down." Addressing the media separately, Inspector General of Police Munir Ahmad Khan said the elimination of Abu Ismail and his Pakistani associate was a major setback for the Pakistan-backed LeT. The officer said people across the board had wished that those responsible for the dastardly attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in July that killed eight people should get deserving punishment. Khan said following intelligence inputs about the presence of Abu Ismail in Aarigam (Nowgam) area on the outskirts of Srinagar, an operation was immediately launched. "We could establish contact with the hiding militants around 4.15 p.m and after a brief encounter both terrorists were killed," he said. The officer said other details of the operation cannot be shared now. Abu Ismail planned and carried out the attack on a bus of Amarnath Yatris in Anantnag district on July 10 this year, police said. Eight pilgrims were killed and 13 others injured in the attack. --IANS sq/nir/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lucknow Central" is by far the most engaging thinking man's thriller of the year. Ballsy and brave, it penetrates the politics of prison life without relinquishing the right to engage us in a solid storytelling spree where a clever cat-and-mouse game is played out between a sadistic jailor(Ronit Roy, in top form) and a non-guilty prisoner(Farhan Akhtar) who is hellbent on getting his liberty at any cost. The smartly thoughtfully written script (by Ranjit Tiwari, Aseem Arora) delves into the dynamics of freedom and comes up with a super-chic musical with wings that often allow vivid characters to fly higher than prison dramas generally do in India.Undoubtedly "Lucknow Central" is a prison-break drama on a par with Franklin Schaffner's 1973 classic "Papillon" and certainly superior in its intellectual political and spiritual ramifications to the overrated "Shawshank Redemption". Redemption in "Lucknow Central" is a scarce commodity. This, its protagonist Kishen discovers as he journeys from a dreamer in the streets of a small town in UP to a convict within 20 minutes of this gripping film's playing-time. Debutant director Ranjit Tiwari is an astoundingly selfassured storyteller. For a debutant, he shows scant regard for commercial trappings.When was the last time we saw a prison drama without an item song? Or a film about injustice where the hero doesn't get to raise his voice or lower his fists on corrupt jaws? Farhan Akhtar's Kishen is so soft-hearted and kind, we wonder how he will survive in prison for a crime he never committed. Early on there is a heart-stopping sequence of prison violence where Kishen is offered 'protection' by an imposing goon(Manav Vij, wordlessly sinister). Farhan plays Kishen as a dreamer-musician coping with a crisis beyond his comprehension or endurance but determined to slum it out even if it means breaking some laws. This is his bravest most soul-baring performance to date. Scenes of his breakdown in solitary confinement will remain with us long after the last episode of Prison Break is over. The steel-willed screenplay provides Farhan with solid support, flinging forth one deftly written scene after another. Early on in one of the most authentic courtroom scenes, I've seen in an Indian film since Chaitanya Tamhane's Court and Vetrimaran's Visaaranai the smirking Judge's verdict on Kishen's faith will shock you by its sheer casualness. Let's not beat around the bush, an indulgence that this film is assuredly not guilty of thanks to Charushree Roy's editing which weaves in and out of the inmates' lives with the expertise of a trapeze artiste. What starts off as Farhan's story soon becomes the story of four other prison inmates each played by an actor who has rare insight into human nature and the conditions that impose themselves on a man's free will rendering his actions unacceptable to society. Talent like Rajesh Sharma, Imaanulhaq and Deepak Dobriyal never lets a film down. Here they have so much meat to chew on, it is a feast of fury for them. As Farhan's band-baja party they are seasoned troupers in a particularly inspired environment. And when Gippy Garewal joins them as a Sardarji pining for his sweetheart singing soul-penetrating songs of separation, we know we are in this for keeps. Then there Ravi Kissen a hoot as UP's calm, cynical Chief Minister with a sense of humour who keeps reminding khaki-clad bureaucrats that the journey from officer to traffic police is just a signature way. God knows we need jokey politicians to get through present-day politics. "Lucknow Central" sucks is into its human drama. It gives a flying hoot about commercial trappings, keeps the frames stark, bare and daunting. No concession is made to glamorous props.And if Diana Penty playing a kind of self-important activist prison-reformist that would otherwise seem satirical, happens to be naturally glamorous, it's just too bad. Cinematographer Tushar Kanti Ray looks for corners and crevices in the human heart to shoot feelings behind prison walls. When in the second-half the flexible narrative moves effortlessly into a philosophical mode we are prepared for the transition much in the same way that Kishen prepares himself for prison life. An ongoing sense of inclusiveness runs through the film. We feel so much part of the goings-on that we cry, laugh, sing and dance with Kishen and his four band members. Their Kabootar song in the prison compound is arguably the best-choreographed dance number seen in a Hindi film in recent times. It looks so unrehearsed so spontaneous....just like the film where the characters probably existed long before the writer and director thought about them. We just didn't know or care. Incumbent German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday rejected a proposal by Martin Schulz to hold another TV debate between herself and Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader before national elections next week. "Everything on this subject has already been said," Xinhua cited a statement from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party headquarters as saying. Merkel had been "happy to be participative" in the first duel, a well-proven format, and did not intend to appear in another confrontation. When addressing audience questions on ZDF national television on Tuesday night, Schulz complained that there were many subjects, including digitalisation, labour, retirement and education, which he had still not been able to discuss directly with Merkel. "I have therefore written a letter to Ms. Merkel and challenged her to accept another duel with me," he was quoted as saying. Schulz wrote in the document that "citizens deserved to hear a comprehensive debate concerning the central questions surrounding the country's future." The former president of the European Parliament further said that he was ready to participate in another debate "anytime." Having received Merkel's rejection of the proposal via the CDU party offices, Schulz replied that he was "astonished" that the chancellor had not made the effort to respond to him directly. --IANS sku/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Thursday laid the foundation stone for India's first bullet train project, the ambitious Rs 1.08 lakh crore ($17 billion) Ahmedabad-Mumbai line, based on Japan's Shinkansen super speed train technology. In his address after the ceremony for the 508-km rail line, that adds to the list of major India-Japan infrastructure cooperation projects, Modi said the bullet train would add pace to the country's development, and would also help in empowerment of the poor. Modi said that no country can grow if they don't dream big. "To grow one needs to expand his dreams and decide his strength to achieve that." "It's new India which has to fly high," the Prime Minister said. "Bullet train is a project that will provide pace to development. Along with new technology it will also bring results faster." The Japanese Prime Minister said "a strong India is in Japan's interest, and a strong Japan is in India's interest. Today, on this day, that part of the bright future is seen in solid form." He said that Japan's Shinkansen Technology, which will power India's bullet train project, has changed his country's economy, society and people's lives. Abe expressed the hope that he will soon enjoy the beautiful green scenery of India through the windows of bullet train "when I come back here in a few years". Modi in his speech said that with the foundation laying of the project India has fulfilled its very old dream. "Bullet train will bring employment as well as speed. The Bullet train project is human friendly and eco friendly." Modi also expressed gratitude to Japan for providing technology and financial assistance of Rs 88,000 crore at 0.1 per cent interest. He emphasised that the Bullet train is in a way a big gift from Japan to India. "It is in a way a project being constructed for free. And I will once again thank Japan for helping India with technological and economical support," Modi said. The Prime Minister said the bullet train will also help bring people of the two cities together and will be environment friendly as it will reduce the burden of vehicles on highways and reduce fuel consumption. Highlighting the benefits of the bullet train, Modi said "A new economic system will also develop on this route (Ahmedabad-Mumbai). The entire area between the two cities will change into a single economic zone. A high speed corridor will also help develop India and give speed to economic progress." He said the bullet train technology will help in fighting poverty. "There is concern that new technology is meant for the rich only. But technology can also be used for empowerment of the poor. Our aim is to make technology so affordable through maximum use that it becomes associated with the life of the poor," he pointed out. The Prime Minister said the high speed training institute for the bullet train coming up in Vadodara, the foundation stone for which was also laid on Thursday, is also important. Abe in his speech praised Modi as a "farsighted leader". "My good friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a farsighted leader. And he took a decision two years ago to bring high speed rail in India and to create a New India. And then our country decided to fully support Modi's vision, culminating in the progress of the project," the Japanese Prime Minister said. Besides Modi and Abe, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha, Gujarat Governor O.P. Kohli, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were also present. The high speed rail project that is scheduled to be completed by 2022, has been financed by Japan. Of the Rs 1.08 lakh crore, Japan is giving a loan of Rs 88,000 crore at a minimal interest of 0.1 per cent for 50 years. And the repayment will begin only after 15 years. The first tranche of the loan, Rs 6,000 crore, would be released immediately, while the remaining tranches will come after the completion of land acquisition. About 825 hectares of land would be acquired for the project. Of the 508 km stretch, 92 per cent (468 km) of the route will be elevated, six per cent (27 km) in tunnels and the remaining two per cent (13 km) will be on the ground . The high speed train would also pass through the country's longest tunnel of 21 km, of which seven km will be under the sea. Twelve stations have been proposed that include Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati. The distance will be covered in two hours and seven minutes if the train stops at four stations -- Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Mumbai. If the train stops at all 12 stations, it will cover the distance in two hours and fifty-eight minutes. According to Railway Ministry officials, the operating speed of the bullet train would be 320 kmph and the maximum speed would be 350 kmph. (Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in) --IANS aks/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With India and Japan declaring that the key to global economic progress lies in the development of both the Indian and Pacific Ocean regions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday invited more Japanese investments in India even as agreements were announced for setting up four Japanese industrial townships in India. "I invite more and more Japanese to come live and work in India," Modi said in his address at the India-Japan Business Plenary here in the presence of Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is on a two-day official visit to India. "Today, four locations have been announced... Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu... for setting up Japanese industrial townships," he said while also noting that the number of Japanese companies working in India had grown substantially over the years. Modi referred to the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high speed rail project, the ground-breaking ceremony for which earlier in the day in Ahmedabad was attended by both Prime Ministers Following delegation-level talks between the Prime Ministers on Thursday morning, an agreement was signed between the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to accelerate and facilitate Japanese investments in India. In his address at the business plenary earlier, Abe said the "key to global economic development in the future is the development of the two seas... Indian Ocean and the Pacific, which would touch a wide region extending from Asia to Africa." Abe said that Japan's state-of-the-art technology combined with "India's vast talent pool" would enable both to have the competitive edge in the global marketplace. Abe also said that carmaker Suzuki, which has a 2.5 lakh annual capacity in Gujarat, will increase its overall production capacity in the state to 7.5 lakh units annually. Maruti's Japanese partner Suzuki will also set up lithium-ion battery unit at Hansalpur in Gujarat in partnership with Denso and Toshiba, which will start production by 2020. The partners will invest $180 million in the plant to produce batteries for electric vehicles. At the business plenary, it was announced that 15 Japanese companies had entered into agreements to invest in Gujarat. Modi announced that India was the highest recipient of Japanese official development assistance (ODI) last year By strengthening all-round cooperation with Myanmar, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to contain China's influence in Asia, a Chinese newspaper has said.Modi met Myanmar's President Htin Kyaw and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi during a three-day visit to Nay Pyi Taw this month after the BRICS Summit in China. strengthening all-round cooperation with Myanmar, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to contain China's influence in Asia, a Chinese newspaper has said. Modi met Myanmar's President Htin Kyaw and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi during a three-day visit to Nay Pyi Taw this month after the BRICS Summit in China. An article in the state-run Global Times said Modi's visit to Myanmar was aimed at checking China on economic and security matters, hamper Beijing's Belt and Road initiative and contain China's influences in Asia. Sitting between China and India in geography, Myanmar was susceptible to influences from both countries, it said. 'Befriending the two neighbours is a strategic choice that best conforms to its national interests.' Thus far, the article said, Myanmar had already profited from the Sino-Indian game. Myanmar depends on India as a part of its navy modernization, reaching consensus with India on joint patrols and taking an open attitude toward India's border corridors. By clinching the above deals, Myanmar's utmost motive was to win itself advanced technologies and commercial resources, rather than forging an alliance with other countries. By cooperating with China, Myanmar can involve itself in China's value chain of production and export its goods and services to the Chinese market, the daily said. Therefore, although militarily supported by India, Myanmar was highly dependent on China in economic terms, the daily said. --IANS mr/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) North Korea has condemned Japan and South Korea for their support of the US and the new sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council (UNSC), the North Korean media said. In a statement released on Wednesday night, a spokesperson for the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee stressed the need to strike "a telling blow" on Japan, which "has not yet come to its senses after the launch of ICBM over the Japanese archipelago", and threatened to sink Japan into the sea with "the nuclear bomb of Juche", state news agency KCNA said, Efe news reported Pyongyang fired a mid-range ballistic missile on August 29 that flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido before landing in the Pacific Ocean. The North Korean committee also accused Seoul of being "traitors" and "dogs of the US" for the South Korean government's support for US-backed tougher sanctions on their "fellow countrymen". "The group of pro-American traitors should be severely punished and wiped out with fire attack so that they could no longer survive", said the statement, adding "only then, the entire Korean nation can thrive in a reunified territory". Pyongyang also said it was "enraged" by the neighbouring countries that showed support for the new sanctions imposed by the UNSC on Monday. The Kim Jong-un regime accused the UN body of becoming "a tool of evil which does not ensure global peace and security but ruthlessly wrecks them". "The UNSC is made up of those unprincipled countries and, accordingly, such a useless tool should be disbanded at once," the statement concluded. The UN Security Council on Monday imposed a new package of sanctions on North Korea aimed at further stifling its economy after Pyongyang detonated a hydrogen bomb on September 3, its sixth and most powerful weapon test to date. --IANS pgh/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday said there was no state in India like Uttar Pradesh -- the land which both Lord Rama and Lord Krishna chose to be born in and where many places symbolised communal harmony. Many places in the state like Agra, Ayodhya, Varanasi, Sarnath and Fatehpur Sikri were living examples of communal harmony between the Hindus and the Muslims, he said. "Lord Buddha had great attachment with Uttar Pradesh. It is a miracle of this land that events like the Kumbh Mela are held here successfully over the years not by the government but public faith," Kovind said while speaking at a felicitation function at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan here. The President was felicitated by the Legislative Council Chairman Ramesh Yadav, Deputy Chief Ministers Dinesh Sharma and Keshav Prasad Maurya and state BJP chief Mahendra Nath Pandey. Kovind said he was honoured to belong to Uttar Pradesh and promised to visit it as often as he could. He mourned the death of 22 persons in a boat tragedy in Baghpat earlier in the day. Earlier in the evening, Kovind arrived here on a two-day state visit and was received at the Chowdhary Charan Singh Airport by Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and several Ministers. On his maiden visit after becoming the President, Kovind drove to the Ambedkar Mahasabha complex opposite the Vidhan Sabha and paid floral tributes to an urn holding the ashes of Bhimrao Ambedkar, the father of the Indian Constitution. He also planted a sapling at the complex. He was scheduled to attend a dinner at the Chief Minister's official residence in the evening. Kovind would visit Kanpur, his home district, on Friday before leaving for the national capital late in the day. --IANS md/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a strong rebuttal of the US charge that it was not adequately acting against terrorist sanctuaries on its soil, Pakistan has said that the onus of satisfying Washington about its concerns was not on Islamabad, the media reported on Thursday. "We are here to give our point of view logically and with evidence. We will explain our position. But it's not for us to satisfy them," Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir told reporters on Wednesday at the defence ministry. The government was currently "reassessing ties with the US", and has simultaneously undertaken a regional outreach ahead of talks with the US on future bilateral engagement, he was quoted by Dawn as saying. Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, after accompanying Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to the UN General Assembly session in New York next week, is expected to visit Washington for a much awaited meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Asif's meeting with Tillerson was originally scheduled for mid-August, but was postponed on Pakistan's request after US President Donald Trump's policy statement on Afghanistan and South Asia. The statement was seen here as demeaning to Pakistan, dismissive of its sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and indifferent to Pakistan's security concerns. Trump's speech, in which he accused Pakistan of not adequately acting against terrorist sanctuaries on its soil, was roundly condemned in Pakistan, and the National Security Committee initiated a review to finalise the strategy for dealing with the US ahead of Asif's upcoming visit to Washington. Despite all reservations, however, consensus generally exists here at all levels that a rupture in relations with the US is not an option. Dastgir said the two countries needed a frank and candid dialogue on the issues concerning them, as differences between them would reflect in Afghanistan and other regional issues. The minister expressed discontent over the US not sharing Pakistan's threat perception about India "which is not only indulging in warmongering but also building up its military capabilities". He also noted that a nexus between the US, India and Afghanistan in Kabul threatened Pakistan. "The US knows all, but ignores the threats faced by us because of its strategic interests." He said Pakistan would keep raising concerns about India in future engagements with the US. "The US cannot ignore the threat to us from India. It is (a) serious (situation)," he added. --IANS ahm/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The NSUI on Thursday approached the Delhi University Grievance Cell demanding a recounting of votes polled for the post of Joint Secretary in the students' body election held on Tuesday. "We have given our complaint to the grievance cell. We are also planning to move the High Court, depending on the decision of the cell," the Congress party's student wing member Neeraj Mishra told IANS. The NSUI supporters have been demonstrating outside the cell since Wednesday, he said. "They (the grievance cell) have given us time till today evening. If we are not satisfied with their decision we will move the High Court," the National Students Union of India member added. In a major comeback after five years, the NSUI on Wednesday bagged the posts of President and Vice President of the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU), while its arch-rival ABVP secured the posts of Secretary and Joint Secretary. The NSUI has been alleging malpractice in the counting of votes for the Joint Secretary post in which Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad's Uma Shankar defeated Avinash Yadav of the NSUI by a slim margin of 342 votes. It had been earlier announced that the NSUI candidate had won, but the result was reversed later. The NSUI has alleged rigging of votes for the post. In the results announced on Wednesday, Rocky Tuseed and Kunal Sehrawat were elected President and Vice President, and Mahamedhaa Nagar of ABVP was announced Secretary of the DUSU for the next one year. --IANS vn/in/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi Police Head Constable was found dead with gunshot wounds outside the Vijay Vihar police station in west Delhi where he was posted, police said on Thursday. His family has alleged he was murdered. Rajesh Kumar, 47, was on night duty when he was found shot around 10.30 p.m. on Wednesday near the police station's gate in Rohini, Deputy Commissioner of Police Rishi Pal said. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead. "Rajesh and another Head Constable were conversing in the police station's parking area when a gunshot was heard by other staffers who rushed to the spot and found Rajesh lying in a pool of blood. The other Head Constable who was present is being questioned," Pal said. He said initial inputs pointed towards suicide but the dead man's family alleged he had been murdered. A case of murder was registered and investigation handed over to the Crime Branch. --IANS sp/tsb/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, who has produced a Sikkimese film, came under attack after calling the hill state insurgency-troubled. She has apologized to the Sikkim government, which wants another apology in more "clear-cut terms". Netizens on Thursday slammed Priyanka for being "politically illiterate" after she spoke about Sikkim in an interview on the sidelines of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). She was discussing "Pahuna: The Little Visitors", her Sikkimese production which premiered at the gala. Sikkim Tourism Secretary C. Zangpo Bhutia told IANS: "We have received an apology note from Priyanka Chopra for her comments, where she has written 'I tender an apology'. But we are not satisfied. We have asked her to send us another letter in more clear-cut terms." Asked what the Sikkim government felt about Priyanka's comments, he said: "Whatever she said is totally unacceptable. This has tarnished the image of our state. So we asked her to take back her statement and apologize to us. But as we are not satisfied with her first letter. We are waiting for a fresh note from her." Priyanka, who now divides her time in the US and India, is yet to issue an official statement. Sikkim MP Prem Das Rai said her comment was a mistake and there was no need to sensationalise the issue. "She definitely doesn't have her facts correct. Sikkim has been an insurgency free state for three decades but she didn't know that," he said. "She is a star in her own right and Sikkim is a star in its own right. We should bury this issue." Priyanka's film "Pahuna..." is about three Nepalese children who get separated from their parents, escape the Maoists in Nepal and flee to Sikkim. Talking about the movie to ET Canada, Priyanka said: "This is a Sikkimese film. Sikkim is a small state in the northeast of India which never had a film industry or anyone who made films from there. And this is the first film ever that's come out of that region because it's very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations." This remark was widely slammed. "Sikkim is one of the most peaceful states, dear Priyanka. We don't have any insurgency here. Please comment responsibly," tweeted Santosh Subban from Gangtok, the capital of Sikkim. Tawqeer Hussain added: "Celebs like her are 'politically illiterate'. Earlier, many celebs (didn't) know the name of the President of India. So don't expect them to be politically correct." Biswatosh Sinha, a scriptwriter from Assam, wrote: "Dear Priyanka Chopra, Sikkim is a peaceful place and Pahuna is not the first film from the region. Plz get the facts right." Incidentally, Priyanka is the tourism ambassador of BJP-ruled Assam. Directed by first-timer Paakhi A. Tyrewala, the "Pahuna..." was launched as an association between Priyanka and her mother Madhu Chopra's banner Purple Pebble Pictures and Ministry of Tourism Sikkim. The National Award winning actress, a former Miss World, is a known face globally courtesy American television show "Quantico". --IANS rb-ssp-mg/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has asked a British architectural firm to take inputs from well-known Telugu filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli in finalising designs for some key government buildings in upcoming state capital Amaravati. Naidu suggested that Rajamouli, famous for his blockbusters 'Baahubali' and 'Baahubali 2: The Conclusion' be flown to London in the coming weeks for his inputs to Foster and Partners firm. The Chief Minister will visit the firm in London on October 25 to finalise the designs, during his tour to Britain and United Arab Emirates. The firm on Thursday submitted final models of the buildings for the assembly and the High Court. According to a statement from the chief minister's office, he was happy with the waterfront, the layout and the interior designing of the legislative assembly. He, however, felt the facade can look much better to reflect world-class architecture. The High Court designs too, will be revisited, and the firm will present their next draft in the following weeks, it said. --IANS ms/tsb/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Roy Villa, an over a century old heritage building in West Bengal's Darjeeling where Sister Nivedita breathed her last, was ransacked and a few of her personal items were stolen, police said on Thursday. "We received a report of ransacking and burglary at the Roy Villa on Wednesday night. The case is being investigated. No one has been detained or arrested yet in the incident," Darjeeling Superintendent of Police (SP) Akhilesh Kumar Chaturvedi told IANS. The villa, on Lebong Cart Road, houses Ramakrishna Mission Nivedita Educational and Cultural Centre, a branch centre of Ramakrishna Mission Belur Math, Howrah. Sister Nivedita died here on October 13, 1911. According to Swami Nityasatyananda, Secretary of the Centre, the Thakur Ghar (shrine of Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda) and the Scots-Irish social worker's personal room were broken into and certain items like a radio set, watch, typewriter, were stolen. Sister Nivedita's 150th birth anniversary is being marked across the country. "Some of her personal items from the room where she breathed her last were stolen. Some wood work was vandalised. Even the donation box was broken and around Rs 60,000 may have been taken. This is probably the first such incident in a long time in a Ramakrishna Mission building," the Secretary told IANS. He said the police had assured them of additional security. "There are usually three security officials in the building. The structure is also under renovation now. The miscreants damaged the gate and entered. Our staff alerted us when they entered on Thursday morning," Swami Nityasatyananda said, adding there were no initial suspects. "Somebody is probably trying to malign the organisation's name," he said. Nivedita was born Margaret Elizabeth Noble. She was a social worker, author, teacher and a disciple of Swami Vivekananda. --IANS mgr-sgh/nir/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A US government decision to stop using security software from Kaspersky Lab is "regrettable", the Kremlin said on Thursday. The Russian statement came in response to the 90-day deadline given to US federal agencies to remove the software. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Wednesday directed federal departments and agencies to remove Kaspersky Lab products from their information systems. Kaspersky, founded in 1997 and headquartered in Moscow, is now one of the world's leading cyber security firms. The US Department of Homeland Security said it was concerned about ties between company officials and the Russian intelligence services. Kaspersky Lab denied that it has ties to the Kremlin, BBC reported. Reacting to the US government's move, Kaspersky Lab's CEO Eugene Kaspersky said: "Given that Kaspersky Lab doesn't have inappropriate ties with any government, the company is disappointed with the decision by the US Department of Homeland Security, and we will use this opportunity to provide additional information to the agency in order to confirm that these allegations are completely unfounded." "No credible evidence has been presented publicly by anyone or any organisation as the accusations are based on false allegations and inaccurate assumptions, including the claims about Russian regulations and policies impacting the company." The Russian statement issued by its embassy in New York said that the move would prolong an ongoing diplomatic dispute between the two nations. "These steps can only evoke regrets. They only move back the prospects of bilateral ties recovery," it said. The decision to force the removal of Kaspersky anti-virus and security software was revealed by acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke. The move comes ahead of a vote in the US Senate this week to prohibit use of the company's products by government. Kaspersky has more than 400 million customers worldwide, but it has never succeeded in becoming a major supplier to the US government. The allegations have led to a number of US retailers withdrawing its products from sale. The latest is electronics retailer Best Buy which said there were "too many unanswered questions" about the firm's software. Kaspersky products will now be withdrawn from stores and the firm's website. --IANS soni/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two Russian submarines fired seven Kalibr sea-based cruise missiles at crucial facilities of the Islamic State in Syria from underwater positions in the eastern Mediterranean, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Thursday. The diesel-electric attack submarines Veliky Novgorod and Kolpino struck control points, communication centres, and weapons and ammunition depots in the IS-controlled areas southeast of the city of Deir ez-Zor located in northeastern Syria from a distance of 670 km, the ministry said in a statement, Xinhua reported. All targeted objects were hit, the ministry said. Syrian government troops supported by Russian air and naval strikes are successfully advancing in various parts of the war-torn country, having liberated most of it from the IS and other terrorist groups. --IANS ahm/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Malayalam actress Miya George, who is making her Telugu debut with forthcoming romantic-comedy "Ungarala Rambabu", says being part of the project has been a pleasant and learning experience. In the film, directed by Kranthi Madhav, she is paired with Sunil. "This is a film with lot of positive energy. I was quite impressed by Kranthi's narration and I immediately said yes to the project. Being part of this project has been a pleasant experience and it made my foray into Telugu filmdom memorable," Miya told IANS. She plays a character called Savitri. "She's not a typical heroine. Her character has been written with a purpose and that's what got me excited. In the second half, my character changes with the situations and I liked how Kranthi has treated her transformation," she said. Asked how she managed with the language barrier, she said: "My director and Sunil helped me with my dialogues. They would narrate a scene and let me understand it fully and only then will we shoot. I still don't know Telugu but if not for their support, I would've had a very tough time." Miya is open to doing more Telugu projects. --IANS hp/rb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was close to reaching a deal with Congress to protect the "Dreamers", as children brought into the US illegally by their parents are known. "We're working on a plan for DACA. People want to see that happen," Trump said, referring to the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme created via executive order by his predecessor, Barack Obama. Trump terminated the programme last week and gave Congress a six-month deadline to solve the problem through legislation. DACA offered deportation reprieves to nearly 800,000 immigrants and allows them to apply for work permits. The deal being negotiated with Congressional Democratic leaders "is subject to getting massive border controls", the President told reporters at the White House before heading to Florida to tour areas devastated by Hurricane Irma, Efe reported. Trump, who discussed DACA over dinner on Wednesday with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), said Democratic leaders agree on the need to secure the border with Mexico. After dinner, Schumer and Pelosi said in a statement that they had "agreed to enshrine the protections of (the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme) into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides." "What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security, with a mutual goal of finalizing all details as soon as possible," the Democratic leaders said, adding that "both sides agreed that the wall would not be any part of this agreement." However, early on Thursday, Trump, who for more than 18 months has been vowing to build a wall along the US-Mexican border, insisted that "no deal was made" on DACA. Schumer and Pelosi later issued a statement clarifying that what was agreed upon was Trump supporting Congressional actions to put DACA protections into law. Trump told reporters that "the wall will come later". --IANS ahm/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Trucks loaded with supplies including soap, diapers, towels and slippers were headed to Bangladeshi refugee camps sheltering nearly 380,000 Rohingyas, the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) said on Thursday. According to Unicef estimates, children and adolescents made up 60 per cent of the 379,000 Rohingyas who arrived in Bangladesh since August 25, fleeing violence in Myanmar, among whom 23 per cent were below the age of 5, Efe news reported. "We have a monumental task ahead of us to protect these extremely vulnerable children," said Edouard Beigbeder, Unicef's Representative in Bangladesh. The current humanitarian crisis began following an August 25 attack by the insurgent Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) on police and military posts in the northwestern state of Rakhine that had led to a violent offensive by the Myanmar Army. Meanwhile, ARSA's offer of a month-long ceasefire last week to allow the entry of humanitarian assistance was rejected by the Myanmar government. A similar incident in October between rebels and Myanmar security forces triggered an exodus of more than 80,000 Rohingyas. Before the crisis erupted, between 300,000 and 500,000 Rohingyas were living in Bangladesh, out of whom only 32,000 enjoyed refugee status, living concentrated in refugee camps in the Cox's Bazar district. --IANS soni/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Frank Vincent, veteran actor who is known for his role in films like "The Sopranos" and "Goodfellas'", died during open heart surgery in New Jersey. Vincent, who has been acting for four decades, suffered a heart attack last week and underwent surgery at a Jersey hospital on Wednesday. He died during the surgery, he was 78-years-old, reports dailymail.co.uk. Vincent's filmography is extensive. He most notably appeared as Tony Soprano's arch nemesis, Phil Leotardo in the "The Sopranos" starting in season five and until the series' conclusion in 2007. James Gandolfini, who played the lead in the HBO series "The Sopranos" died of a heart attack in 2013. Vincent also plated Billy Batts in Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas" (1990). He also played Frank Marino in Scorsese's "Casino" with Pesci. Vincent has noted his career floundered for a time, and he didn't catch a break until 1978 when he would run into Pesci at a Manhattan bar. Vincent was married to his first wife in the 1960's, that marriage bore him two children, He would eventually divorce and re-marry. He leaves behind his wife Katherine, their son Anthony Vincent, and his two children from his previous marriage. --IANS nv/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With Rajasthan Police giving a clean chit to all the six accused named by Pehlu Khan in his dying declaration, the family of the dairy farmer from Haryana's Muslim-dominated Nuh district who was brutally beaten by cow vigilantes in April this year said they will fight to get justice for him. Khan's son, Irshad, told the media in his village Jaisinghpur, 15 km from Nuh town, that they will ensure that those behind his murder get punished. He said they will move the Supreme Court to seek justice for Khan. His comments follow reports that the Crime Investigation Department-Crime Branch (CID-CB) of Rajasthan Police has given a clean chit to the six accused, who were named in the case by Khan and others in neighbouring Rajasthan's Alwar district in April. "These six accused were the main people who stopped our vehicle and started beating us up. They were joined by 15-20 others. We tried to show them papers that we were dairy farmers who were bringing the cows for dairy farming from a government fair (mela) but they tore up the papers and attacked us," Irshad Khan said. Pehlu Khan, 55, died in hospital after being brutally beaten by the cow vigilantes on the Behror Highway near Alwar while he alongwith others was transporting cattle purchased from Rajasthan to Haryana. Others, including his sons, received serious injuries in the unprovoked attack. Pankaj Kumar Singh, Additional Director General of Police, CID-CB told IANS: "We conducted detailed investigations and probed call details and mobile locations, and even recorded statements after which we found no proof against the six persons." "We have recommended closing case against the six accused," Singh said. However, he said that evidence against two other persons has been found in the case and they are yet to be arrested. The chargesheet was filed against seven persons, including two minors, in the case. With two new names cropping up the figure stands at nine now. Having seen his father being mercilessly beaten with sticks, rods and belts by the vigilantes, Irshad says he is even now unable to comprehend why all this happened with them. "They targetted us for being Muslims. Our father was beaten to death in front of our eyes. We had done nothing wrong. The cows were being brought for dairy farming," Irshad had said earlier. Pehlu Khan is survived by his wife, who has suffered a paralytic attack, and eight children, the youngest ones aged seven and five. Both Rajasthan, where the attack took place, and Haryana have Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments and Hindu activist groups are active in these states. The Nuh district in southwest Haryana is Muslim dominated. Of the nearly 11 lakh population of the district in the 2011 Census, nearly 80 per cent is that of Muslims. The district headquarter town of Nuh is located around 70 km from New Delhi. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in a tweet expressed shock over closing of the case against the accused. "Shocking! What has happened to our law and order machinery? What kind of inquiry is this, in which all culprits are given a clean chit? Such investigations only raise suspicions and erode people's faith in the system," he posted. CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury in a tweet said, "No one killed Pehlu Khan, despite his dying statement and other proof available. Dear BJP-RSS, a cover-up amounts to complicity in lynching." --IANS js-as/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Left Front government will rule Tripura for just four to five more months and then the BJP will come to power, BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav said here on Thursday. "The CPI-M government's life is for just four to five months, then it will be ousted and the BJP will come to power in the state," Ram Madhav told party meetings in different parts of the state, a Bharatiya Janata Party statement said. Without naming leaders of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, he said: "You can fracture my hands and legs, break furniture at our party offices, but you cannot shatter the spirit of our party workers and members." Ram Madhav, who is the party in-charge of northeastern states, arrived here on Wednesday. He met the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members injured in clashes during the college student council elections. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated ABVP for the first time secured 27 of the total 778 seats in 22 college student councils for which elections were held on Tuesday. He said this was an indication that the CPI-M was facing a challenge from the BJP ahead of the assembly elections due in February next year. "This time the election will be a battle for change in the real sense. The people of all sections are determined to oust the Left government." --IANS sc/him/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) This is with reference to the statement of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights that India cannot carry out collective expulsions, or return people to a place where they risk torture or other serious violations. Expectations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would take up the issue of the Rohingyas during his visit to Myanmar were belied. Not only should he have discussed the issue, but he should also have condemned the alleged terrorist attack launched against the security forces of Myanmar. The Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has decided to abolish local purchase of medicines and medicinal equipment in order to break the illegal nexus between corrupt officials and the drug mafia. Union Tourism Minister Alphons Kannanthanam on Thursday said 14 out of 16 loss-making hotels owned by state-run ITDC will be sold off to private parties as running money-making hotel business is not a government job. The minister, however, said that he wished to retain the prestigious Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi under government control and make it a "very good" international hotel in the national capital. "It has been decided to sell off 14 hotels owned by ITDC as running money-making businesses like hotels are not good for a government. The decision to sell off the hotels was taken much earlier." "One or two hotels will be retained under government control...I have a wish...To retain Ashoka hotel in New Delhi under government control and make it a very good international hotel," the minister told a meet-the-press programme organised by the Ernakulam Press Club here. India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) is a public sector undertaking that currently runs 16 hotels in Delhi, Patna, Jammu, Ranchi, Bhubaneswar, Puri, Bhopal, Bharatpur, Jaipur, Guwahati, Mysore, Puducherry and Itanagar. Kannanthanam also said steps would be taken to open high-end restaurants and provide better amenities at important tourist attractions like Qutub Minar as it was necessary to attract more foreign tourists to the country. "We will light up the areas around Qutub Minar... We will start high-end restaurants at such tourism destinations without damaging the environment," he said. Noting that better amenities were being provided at international tourism destinations likeEiffel Tower and Louvre in France, the minister said such facilities should be provided at tourist spots in India too so that more tourists could be attracted there. Lamenting that only 8.8 million foreign tourists visit India annually which is a very ancient civilisation, the minister said India's rich cultural heritage has to be showcased in a better way to attract more tourists and generate more revenue from the sector. He said India is a fantastic place to visit as it is also "beyond incredible". Fifteen Japanese firms signed pacts expressing their intention to invest in Gujarat at the 12th India-Japan Annual Summit here today. These companies include Moresco, Toyoda Gosei, Topre and Murakami. On the concluding day of the summit today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe also did remote inauguration of Suzuki Motor Corporation's car manufacturing facility expansion work at Hansalpur village near here. This facility is Suzuki Motor Corp's first wholly-owned unit in India producing 2,50,000 cars every year. "That will be tripled to 7,50,000 units in the future," announced Abe. Speaking at the 'India-Japan Business Leaders Forum', Abe said he supports Prime Minister Modi's vision of 'Make in India' and Japan is committed to help the country in this direction. "Strong Japan is good for India and strong India is good for Japan," Abe said in his speech at the plenary session marking the end of the two-day summit. On the occasion, both the leaders also performed symbolic ground breaking for an upcoming plant at Hansalpur for the production of lithium-ion car batteries, the first such plant in India. Both the leaders also inaugurated four 'Japan India Institutes of Manufacturing (JIM)'. One such institute has been set by Maruti Suzuki at Ganpat Vidyanagar in Mehsana. Speaking at the session, Gujarat Chief Secretary J N Singh informed the audience about the upcoming 'Japan Industrial Township' at Khoraj in Ahmedabad, which is aimed at "facilitating industrial opportunities for the Japanese companies". Singh said the proposed township will be spread across 1,750 acres, having industrial, commercial, residential and recreational areas. In his speech, Modi said his dream of seeing a mini-Japan in Gujarat is finally fulfilled. "When I first visited Japan as Chief Minister of Gujarat, I had said that I want to see a mini-Japan in Gujarat. Today, that dream has come true. I am happy to see so many friends from Japan happily living and doing business in Gujarat," said Modi. He also thanked Japan and Abe for providing financial assistance for the upcoming Convention Centre at Varanasi, his constituency in Uttar Pradesh. "You know that the ancient and holy city of Varanasi is my second home. The project of Varanasi Convention Centre is a symbol of cultural co-operation between Kyoto city of Japan and Varanasi. It was conceived by Prime Minister Abe and me when we visited Varanasi together in 2015," he said. Responding to Abe's comment on India-Japan relations, Modi said that growing convergence between the two countries on strategic and economic issues has the capacity to stimulate the global economy. "I am confident that strong India and strong Japan will also be a stabilising factor in Asia and the world. In this mutual and global pursuit, I thank Prime Minister Abe and Japan for being a perfect partner," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Allaying fears of telecom captains, including Reliance Communications Chairman Anil Ambani, IT and Telecom Secretary Aruna Sundararajan today said in the next seven years, more than 25 million jobs could be created in digital infrastructure space. "If Internet of Things alone can create 10-15 million jobs, the digital infrastructure space will create more than 25 million jobs in next five to seven years, not only in telecom space, but in digital infrastructure space," she told PTI on the sidelines of IoT India Congress here. In an interview to a business daily in June, Ambani had said the telecom industry had cut 10,000 jobs last year and the stress would further lead to reducing 30,000 to 40,000 jobs more this year. Though the telecom sector is in consolidation and stabilisation phase, the Centre government believed in the huge potential of creating jobs, she said. "Just look at the scenario - we are still importing 90 per cent of our equipments from abroad. We still need a million wifi hotspots. There are requirements in cloud-based telecom services and many startups are catering these services. So, as far as jobs are concerned, there is huge potential. Just we need to start skilling people in all these new areas," she said. Updating skills in the midst of new emerging technologies was the most important anti-dote for tackling joblessness, she said. "When we say technology is disruptive, what do we mean? Some technologies and conventional jobs will disappear, but new technologies will appear. So, we have to keep ourselves updated on technological front," she said. Asked whether spectrum auction will happen by this year, Sundararajan said it all depended on TRAI recommendations. "TRAI has started their consultations. Let us see what emerges from there. Sometimes, they complete the consultations pretty fast. We have seen it happening in two months also. It all depends upon what feedback the industry gets," she said. Replying to a query, Sundararajan said foreign players like Google and Facebook were already looking at investing in tower infrastructure and cloud-based services. "There are foreign players, for example like Google. They are interested in wifi hotspots. Facebook wants to come up with new technologies," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least seven people including three Iranians were killed today in twin gun and car bomb attacks in southern Iraq, officials said. Another 50 people were wounded in one of the attacks close to a restaurant near Nasiriyah, said a senior provincial health official, Jassem al-Khalidi. A car bomb in the same area targeted a security checkpoint shortly afterwards, according to interior ministry spokesman Saad Maan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 37 people including Iranians were killed today in twin gun and car bomb attacks in southern Iraq, according to a new toll. Another 87 people were wounded in the attacks near Nasiriyah, the capital of Dhiqar province, said senior provincial health official Jassem al-Khalidi. The first attack struck close to a restaurant while shortly afterwards a car bomb targeted a security checkpoint in the same area, officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gunmen and suicide car bombers killed at least 74 people, including seven Iranians, near the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriya today, an official said, giving an updated toll. "There are now 74 deaths and 93 wounded," Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy health chief for the mainly Shiite province of Dhiqar, said of the attack claimed by the Islamic State group. That was up from the previous toll of 52 dead and 91 wounded in what was already the deadliest IS attack in Iraq since pro-government forces drove the jihadists out of second city Mosul in July. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three suspected terrorists, including an accused in the 2008 bomb blast in Ahmedabad have been arrested here, police said today. Tausheek Ahmad, the bomb blast case accused, and his associate Sanaah Khan were arrested from a cyber cafe in Rajendra Ashram locality in Gaya town last night after they were found making some objectionable post on social media, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Alok Kumar Singh said. Gaya is about 100 km from state capital Patna. The arrest was made by a police team led by Station House Officer (SHO) of the Civil Lines police station Hari Ojha, the DSP said. On the basis of information gathered from the two, another person Shahber Khan of Shahdeo Khap village has been arrested for giving shelter to Tausheek Ahmad, the DSP said. Inspector General of Police, Patna zone, N H Khan, said Tausheek Ahmad is an accused in 2008 Ahmedabad bomb blast. Sanaah Khan hails from Shahdeo Khap village of Gaya. The IGP said NIA, RAW, ATS, IB and Bihar Police personnel are questioning the three. The DSP said that during questioning it emerged that Tausheek Ahmad, a B.Tech in Computer and Electronics from a private university in Maharashtra, has been visiting Gaya since 2009 and staying at Shahdeo Khap village at a shelter provided by Shahber Khan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) SP chief Akhilesh Yadav today defended Congress leader for his remark that India was being run by dynasties, saying world history was replete with examples of people taking a plunge into politics due to their family background. Yadav was speaking at a press conference at the party headquarters when he was asked to comment on Gandhi's speech. The Congress vice president had cited examples of the SP, the DMK and even Bollywood to buttress his point that several prominent Indians were born into famous families. The Samajwadi Party is an alliance partner of the Congress and the two parties had contested the Assembly elections jointly. Yadav said across the world, there were a number of examples where people got the opportunity to come to politics due to their family. "Whatever has been said for dynastic politics, the BJP is extremely worried. Rahul is my friend, whatever he said would have been in the context of UP and politics," he said. "Had he been asked about US politics, he would have mentioned said that in America there was a president whose son also became a president. Then there was one president, whose wife also wanted to be a president. There are number of such examples in world democracy," he said. History was replete with examples of people taking a plunge into politics due to their family background, he said. Replying to a question Akhilesh stressed, "Rahul is my friend and the friendship will continue." On Tuesday, addressing students at the University of California, Berkeley, Gandhi had said, "Most parties in India have that problem So...Mr Akhilesh Yadav is a dynast. Mr Stalin (son of M Karunanidhi in DMK) is a dynast...Even Abhishek Bachchhan is a dynast." "So that's how India runs. So don't get after me because that's how they India is run. By the way, last, I recall, Mr Ambanis are running the business. That's also going on in Infosys. So that's what happens in India," he had said. Akhilesh, taking potshots at the BJP government in UP, alleged, "The budget has hampered development. No new project has been started in the past six months." The former chief minister challenged the present government to work better than him. On family feud and his equations with father Mulayam Singh Yadav and uncle Shivpal Yadav, Akhilesh ducked the question saying, "I will not say anything." Akhilesh also attacked the Yogi Adityanath government for stopping his Gomti riverfront project and said the government should have developed another stretch more beautiful than the existing one. "Our Gomti river front is more beautiful than Sabarmati," he said. Referring to the launch of the bullet train project in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, he also hit out at the BJP on the allegations that were raised against him for launching schemes for Saifai (Etawah), his native place. "They (BJP) used to say that I launch schemes for Saifai. I have relation with the place. But now they will not be able to say this," he said. When asked about reports of "meagre compensation" to farmers, he said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself has promised entire loan waiver of farmers but it was not done." "CM (Adityanath) has approached the PM, the Niti Ayog, the finance minister and the RBI but with no help from anyone has waived loan (up to Rs one lakh) from his own resources. This is insufficient and farmers are disappointed," he claimed. "The expenses on advertisement, arrangement of laon waiver programmes etc would have been more that the loan disbursal," he claimed. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Ismail, the mastermind behind the July 10 attack on Amarnath yatra pilgrims, was among two terrorists killed in an encounter with security forces here today, police said. The identity of the second terrorist is being ascertained, a police official said. The encounter took place at Aribagh in Nowgam area on the outskirts of Srinagar, the official said. Director General of Police (DGP) S P Vaid said police had specific intelligence input about the presence of foreign terrorists in the area and an operation was launched to neutralise them. "We had information about the presence of two foreign terrorists, including Abu Ismail. Both have been neutralised and the bodies have been taken for identification," he said. Ismail was the mastermind of the 10 July attack on a bus carrying Amarnath yatra pilgrims in south Kashmir's Anantnag district. The attack left eight pilgrims dead. Another clerk of the BRD Medical College was arrested today in the wake of deaths of scores of children in the state-run facility last month, police said. With this, eight of the nine persons named in the FIR have been held. "Clerk Uday Pratap Sharma was nabbed near Gorakhpur railway station," Gorakhpur Senior Superintendent of Police Anirudh Sidhartha Pankaj told PTI. Former chief pharmacist of the medical college, Gajanan Jaiswal, had surrendered in a city court yesterday and sent him to 14-day judicial custody. The Uttar Pradesh Police had on Wednesday arrested clerk Sanjay Tripathi while another clerk Sudhir Pandey was arrested near Khajanchi Chowk area here last week. Earlier, the former head of the anaesthesia department, Dr Satish, had surrendered in the anti-corruption court here. On September 2, ex-chief of the encephalitis wing of the hospital, Dr Kafeel Khan was arrested, while the UP Special Task Force had arrested ex-principal Rajiv Mishra and his wife Purnima Shukla on August 29. Mishra was suspended as principal of the medical college on August 12 after the deaths were reported. He had resigned the same day taking moral responsibility. The ninth accused against whom non-bailable warrant had been issued is oxygen supplier Manish Bhandari. A committee headed by Chief Secretary Rajive Kumar probing the Gorakhpur tragedy had recommended initiating criminal action against Mishra, Dr Satish, Dr Khan and Pushpa Sales, the supplier of oxygen cylinders. More than 60 children, mostly infants, had died at the hospital within a week last month. There were allegations that the deaths occurred due to a disruption in oxygen supply over unpaid bills to the vendor. The state government had vehemently denied that shortage of oxygen led to the deaths. Mishra was accused of sitting over the issue of payments to the vendor supplying oxygen to the hospital. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi today suggested appointing women drivers and helpers in school buses as a way to prevent any attacks on children by the bus personnel. Gandhi made the suggestion during a meeting with Telangana women and child welfare department officials here, according to an official release. She made the suggestion in the wake of an attack and killing of a student of a private school by a bus helper in New Delhi recently, it said. Gandhi suggested that women drivers and helpers can be appointed in school buses to prevent such incidents, it said. The Union Minister also assured the state government that the Centre would provide funds for the training of women drivers and bus helpers, the release said. She discussed a number of issues concerning women and child welfare in Telangana, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Australian Olympic swimmer Jarrod Poort has been banned for 12 months for failing to make himself available for doping tests, officials said Thursday. Poort, who swam in the 1500m at the 2012 London Olympics but switched to the open water events at Rio last year, waived his right to appeal. "At the end of the day people make mistakes and that's what I did," said Poort, who won hearts with a gutsy effort in the 10km open water race in Rio, leading the first 9km before being caught on the final lap to finish 20th. "It was remiss of me to neglect a management system that must be shown the full respect it deserves and it is a very embarrassing situation to now be in." Under anti-doping rules, athletes are required to keep authorities informed about their location for one hour every day so they can be quickly found for out-of-competition testing. Poort neglected to do so three times. Swimming Australia chief executive Mark Anderson said his organisation had long been a strong and vocal advocate for clean sport and swimmers must follow the rules. "Both Swimming Australia and our athletes have been very clear on our position both here in Australia and internationally," he said. "Jarrod has taken responsibility for his filing errors and we continue to work with and support Jarrod as best we can to support him through this process." Fellow Olympic swimmer Thomas Fraser-Homes suffered a similar fate in June, while Australia's Rio Olympic silver medallist Madeleine Groves could also face a ban for the same offence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The West Bengal government today gave its nod to increase its existing share of 11.12 per cent to 26 per cent at Bengal Aerotropolis Projects Ltd (BAPL), -- a move which is believed to save the country's first greenfield private airport. The cabinet sub committee on Industry today at a meeting held at the secretariat decided to infuse Rs 180 crore besides, Rs 120-crore as loan repayment into the project, a senior official of the state said. BAPL, the promoter of the private airport at Andal, had sent a request to the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) seeking financial assistance. WBIDC, is one of the stakeholders of BAPL, along with Changi Airport International which currently has a share of 36.72 per cent while IL&FS has 11 per cent and the remaining stakes held by other promoters. In the letter, the BAPL had proposed increasing the state's share at the airport and a grant of Rs 300 crore loan to them, a senior official of the state government said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said that his government is giving top priority to development of information technology in the state and has initiated several steps in this direction. The CM was addressing "Bihar IT and ITeS Investment Conclave 2017" which was attended among others by Union IT Minister Ravishankar Prasad. He said that a 100 acre piece of land has been given for setting up of an IT city at Rajgir near Nalanda International University. In addition to this, land has been made available for IT park at Bihta in Patna district and in Patna city land has been provided for setting up the IT Tower. The CM said there was tremendous scope for software or hardware sectors. In the industrial policy of 2016 priority has been given to IT, food processing and readymade garments manufacturing. The state government, he said, will give top priority to industry set up for software or hardware manufacturing at investment below Rs five crore and in which more than 50 people are engaged in core activities. "Such units would be given special concession provided they finish investment process within three years," Kumar said. Ravishankar Prasad announced that an institution related to cyber security would be be set up in Patna. The proposed centre would deal with subjects like digital policing, training in cyber security and digital forensic among others, he added. Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, who is also IT minister of Bihar, said youths are being encouraged to join the IT sector. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Stepping up its campaign for official celebration of the day of merger of erstwhile Nizam state with the Indian Union in 1948, the BJP's Telangana unit today submitted a memorandum to Governor E S L Narasimhan, urging him to direct the TRS government to accept the demand. The erstwhile Hyderabad State of Nizam was merged with the Indian Union on September 17, 1948 following the intervention of the country's first Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Patel. Describing September 17 as 'Telangana Liberation Day', the BJP has been demanding that the day be celebrated officially. In a memorandum submitted to the governor today, the opposition party also demanded that the Telangana freedom movement be made part of the school syllabus. It's other demands included installation of the statue of Shoiabullah Khan, a journalist who was reportedly killed for speaking against the Nizam rule, at Necklace Road here and developing places of historical significance as "inspiration centres". Telangana BJP president K Laxman had recently undertaken a week-long yatra in different districts of the state, demanding that the day be celebrated officially. The BJP proposes to organise a public meeting on September 17 on the issue. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A BSF personnel was killed near the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas today when he tried to stop a mini truck smuggling cows across the border. Superintendent of police P Sudhakar said Tushar Kanti Das of BSF 64 Battalion had spotted the minitruck at Gaighata in the morning and had given it a chase on a cycle along with a local. He was hit fatally by the fleeing truck and was rushed to a local hospital, which declared him brought dead. The truck also hit against a wayside shop while speeding away and the driver jumped down and escaped. The helper was caught by the locals and handed over to the police. The truck with four cows was seized by the police, Sudhakar added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police have registered a case of 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder' against unnamed officials of the Saifi Burhani Upliftment Trust (SBUT) in connection with the collapse of a five-story building in south Mumbai last month in which 33 people were killed. "We registered a case against the officials of SBUT and others yesterday," said senior inspector Shirish Gaikwad of J J Marg police station. "As the personal responsibility is yet to be fixed, we did not mention any names in the case," he said. The case was registered under IPC sections 304 (2) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others). Five-story Husaini Building on Pakmodia Street in Dongri area collapsed on August 31, killing 33 persons. Sixteen others were injured. The dilapidated building, which was more than hundred years old, had been declared dangerous to live in. SBUT is supposed to redevelop several buildings in the area under 'cluster redevelopment' scheme. It is alleged that the trust failed to get the building vacated in time despite getting permission to pull it down in March 2011. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Placing the onus on schools for safety of students on their premises, the CBSE today issued new security-related guidelines that included a psychometric test for teaching and non-teaching staff. The board has asked schools to complete the evaluation process within two months and implement the other guidelines, failing which they would face derecognition. The board's directive comes amid increased concerns about safety of students in school premises following the killing of a seven-year-old student in a Gurgaon school and the rape of a five-year-old girl by a school peon in Delhi. "Such verification and evaluation for non-teaching staff such as bus drivers, conductors, peon, and other support staff may be done very carefully and in a detailed manner. This may be complied and reported online on CBSE website within two months of receipt of this circular," the CBSE directive states. Safety audits, installation of CCTV cameras, police verification, constitution of parent-teacher-students committees to address safety needs of the students and taking regular feedback from parents are among the other measures prescribed by the board. "The onus for safety and security of children in school campus shall solely lie upon the school authorities. It is a fundamental right of a child to engage and study in an environment where he/she feels safe and is free from any form of physical or emotional abuse or harassment," the directive further says. It also says that access to the school building by outsiders should be controlled and visitors monitored. "Training should be provided to the school staff to address their responsibilities to protect children from any form of abuse. "Any violation/lapses with regard to safety and well being of children in school campus would invite appropriate action including the disaffiliation of the school as per the provisions under affiliation by-laws of the board," it adds. Schools have also been asked to constitute separate committees for redressal of grievances of the public, staff, parents and students, an Internal Complaints committee to deal with sexual harassment, and committees under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offence) Act, 2012. "Details of the these committees along with contact details shall be displayed prominently on school notice board and conspicuously on the school website for information of all stakeholders," the communication sent to schools says. Ensuring employment of support staff only from authorised agencies and maintenance of proper records is another one of the guidelines. The CBSE last Saturday formed a panel to probe whether the student's death in Gurgaon occurred due to negligence on the part of the school authorities and if the school had adopted all safety measures as per CBSE affiliation by-laws. The panel's report, which is to be submitted within 30 days, will also dwell on whether the authorities reported the incident to police and the district education officer, besides the circumstances leading to the death of the student. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China's economy revealed fresh signs of headwinds in August as data showed today that industrial output and retail sales unexpectedly slowed for a second consecutive month. The readings follow disappointing export figures released last week, a one-two punch for the Asian giant, as an official pointed to weak overseas demand and warned the domestic economy still faces "many hidden concerns". Output at factories and workshops expanded six percent last month, the lowest recorded this year and well below the 6.6 percent forecast in a Bloomberg survey. Retails sales slowed slightly to 10.1 percent while fixed asset investment increased 7.8 percent in the January-August period -- both well below expectations. "In general, the national economy in August kept the momentum of steady increase," national statistics bureau spokeswoman Liu Aihua said at a conference. "But we should also see that there are still many instabilities and uncertainties in the international circumstance, and the domestic economy ... Still faces many hidden concerns." The data comes as the government seeks to rein in huge debt and excess capacity left over from massive government- backed infrastructure spending at the height of the global financial crisis. The Chinese economy enjoyed better-than-expected growth in the first two quarters of the year thanks to debt-fuelled investment in infrastructure and real estate, although warnings of a potential financial crisis have spurred Beijing to clamp down. "The main culprit was a slowdown in infrastructure investment, which also weighed on industrial output," Julian Evans-Pritchard, China economist at Capital Economics, said in a research note. "In particular, infrastructure spending has now begun to cool as the front-loading of fiscal spending this year ahead of the Party Congress means that local governments are now having to pair back their outlays," Evans-Pritchard wrote, referring to the twice-a-decade gathering of the ruling Communist Party in October at which President Xi Jinping is expected to be given a second term. The long-term outlook remains clouded by geopolitical tensions linked to the North Korea nuclear crisis as well as US President Donald Trump's anti-globalisation rhetoric and threats to slap China with tariffs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four Chinese navy ships have departed for joint drills with Russia in the latest sign of growing cooperation between the two militaries that could challenge the US armed forces' role in the Asia-Pacific. A destroyer, missile frigate, supply ship and submarine rescue ship departed Wednesday from the port of Qingdao, home to China's north sea fleet, the official Xinhua Agency reported. The drills are being held in the Sea of Japan near the Korean Peninsula and the Sea of Okhotsk off the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, Xinhua said. The exercises are the second stage of an annual joint drill, the first part of which was held July 22-27 in the Baltic Sea - the first time the countries had exercised together in the northern European waterbody. Russia and China are closely aligned on many diplomatic and security issues, with both countries calling for a negotiated settlement of tensions on the Korean Peninsula, preceded by North Korea suspending its nuclear and missile activities in return for the U.S. And South Korea halting their regular large-scale wargames. July's joint drills in the Baltic stirred concern among countries in the region, where tensions are already high over increased displays of military force by both Moscow and NATO. Both Russia and China say the exercises are not directed at any third parties. The Chinese ships taking part in the exercises are among the country's most advanced, components of a growing fleet that poses a significant challenge to the U.S. Navy's traditional dominance in the Asia-Pacific. Beijing has long chafed at the American presence and is a strong critic of its alliances with Japan, Australia and other countries in the region. China already has the world's largest navy, with slightly over 300 vessels, compared to the US Navy's 277 "deployable battle force ships," according to the US Naval War College's China Maritime Studies Institute. The US Office of Naval Intelligence forecasts it will have 313-342 warships by 2020. While China's ships are technologically inferior to those of the US Navy, their sheer numbers allow China a significant presence on the open sea, institute professor Andrew S. Erickson wrote in a recent study. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition Congress today alleged embezzlement of Rs 10,000 crore by the BJP government in Arunachal Pradesh and demanded a CBI probe into it. "The Pema Khandu-led government has embezzled funds to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore through Revised Estimate (RE) and Special Infrastructure Development Fund (SIDF) during 2016-17 and through composite schemes in 2017-18 financial year," Arunachal Pradesh PCC president Takam Sanjoy told reporters here. Armed with an official letter written by Chief Secretary Shakuntala Doley Gamlin to Finance Commissioner Ashis Kundra recently, he alleged criminal conspiracies in embezzling government fund on the pretext of composite sanction by the government. Gamlin's letter, a copy of which was made available to the press stated, stated "The office memorandums ibid are violative of the doctrine of checks and balances and militate against the very principles of financial propriety and the basic tenets of financial prudence. "Therefore, it is imperative that the procedure laid out for financial year 2016-17 is reviewed urgently with a view to address the issues raised in this note," it said. Sanjoy said that under composite sanction schemes of departments do not have any particular detailed project report (DPR) but sanctions were made for cluster of schemes in one file. "In such a situation how will one scrutinise schemes and who is the appropriate authority to go for expenditure sanction?" he asked. Sanjoy said, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, who is also the finance minister, passed all the composite schemes. Urging the governor, the prime minister and the president for initiating a CBI investigation into the embezzlement, he said that Khandu should own moral responsibility and resign as chief minister. He alleged that Khandu accompanied by Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju had recently met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi and requested him to immediately remove the chief secretary from the state. Congress he said would not "tolerate" such a step. "We will expose all the evil designs of the BJP government in the state before the people. The embezzlement formula is to capture pocket money for the BJP, share of which is being enjoyed by the central leadership of the party," Sanjoy alleged and added that Congress has full proof of the scam. Lashing out at the Khandu government, Sanjoy alleged that 60 per cent of budgetary allocation went to two Tawang and Namsai districts which are represented by the chief minister and deputy chief minister. He also alleged that the the law and order situation in Arunachal under BJP is fast deteriorating and people are living in fear. Sanjoy also criticized the Centre's beef ban policy saying that beef is an integral part of the food of tribal communities and demanded that it be lifted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A court here today sentenced a Congress legislator, two former MLAs and nine other party workers to six months' imprisonment in a case of rioting. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on each of them, said Assistant Public Prosecutor Punam Verma. Judicial Magistrate Abhishek Saxena convicted Congress MLA from Kailaras, Ram Singh Yadav; former MLAs Harivallabh Shukla and Virendra Raghuvanshi and nine others. "The court found them guilty under IPC sections 353 (assault to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 148 (rioting) and 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others)," Verma said. They were also held guilty under the Prevention of Damage to Public Properties Act. The incident had taken place on September 30, 2011 when Congress workers staged a protest at the district collector's office. It was alleged that protesters threw stones at District Collector John Kingsly and created a ruckus in the campus. A special court today denied bail to two businessmen in an alleged bank fraud case involving over Rs 24 crore, saying the accused could hamper the ongoing investigation if granted the relief. Special CBI judge Virender Kumar Goyal dismissed the bail applications of Sumit Singla and Vikas Singla, directors of a Delhi-based firm M/s Raksha Global Steel Private Ltd. The court noted that the same modus operandi was used in various bank fraud cases by the accused and there were over 20 cheque bounce cases pending against them. Public Prosecutor Manoj Shukla had opposed their pleas, alleging that the accused had cheated around Rs 108 crore from various banks. The accused persons had moved the bail applications claiming that since the charge sheet has already been filed by the CBI, there was no apprehension that they would hamper the ongoing investigation. The CBI, in its final report filed against the private firm, its two directors, some unknown public servants and private persons, claimed that the case related to alleged fraud of Rs 24.64 crore in Canara Bank. The CBI alleged that the company and its directors had cheated the Canara Bank at Connaught Circus and caused a loss of Rs 24.64 crore. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ruling CPI(M) has turned Kerala, god's own land, into "goon's own land", BJP leader Sambhit Patra said today, blaming the state government for murderous attacks on RSS workers there. Patra alleged that for the sake of their ideology, Marxists could work against the state and divide the country. "The state known for its rich culture and heritage is now being seen in a bad light because of state-sponsored violence against nationalists," he said. He was speaking at a conference here on 'Red-Green Terrorism verses Nationalism in Kerala', organised by a group called the Hindu Sangharsh Samiti. "Kerala, which is known as God's own land, has now been turned into goon's own land by the ruling CPI(M) and its cadres. They are killing all those who oppose their ideology, especially RSS workers, in the state," Patra said. He attacked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for the violence, and described the Congress as the ideological partner of the CPI(M). "If the Left party is the cow then the Congress is its calf" when it comes to ideology, he said. He also assailed Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi over his recent speech in Berkeley, calling him a "dynastic yuvraj" (prince). "Rahul Gandhi feels that only he and his party can rule this country and is frustrated because Narendra Modi has become the Prime Minister," Patra added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Darjeeling hills were limping back to normalcy as several shops, markets, government offices and government-aided schools reopened today, while GJM chief Bimal Gurung asked his partymen to intensify the bandh that started 92 days ago. The shops and markets opened, defying the indefinite bandh, sponsored by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) for a separate Gorkhaland. The state-run North Bengal State Transport Corporation plied a few buses, which were escorted by the security forces. The buses plied from Siliguri to Darjeeling and back via Kurseong, besides between Siliguri and Mirik in Darjeeling district, official sources said. Several government and government-aided schools have started functioning and teachers have been asked to join immediately. The sources said the situation in the hills remained tense but incident-free despite threats and intimidation by the GJM. For the sixth day in a row, the police, along with the administration, appealed to the locals via public address systems to open shops and restore normalcy in the hills. Expelled GJM leader Binay Tamang said that normalcy was returning in the hills. Tamang is one of the key GJM leaders who had represented the party in the two rounds of dialogues with the state government to discuss the Darjeeling issue. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had appealed to the hill parties to withdraw the bandh and restore peace and normalcy. Gurung, who is in hiding, had rejected Banerjee's appeal and said that the bandh will continue till the Centre holds a tripartite meeting on the Gorkhaland issue. He threatened that if the tripartite meeting is not called soon the situation will worsen in the days to come. In an audio statement released from a secret location, Gurung said if something untoward happens in future, the state government would be responsible for it. He also asked the GJM cadre to intensify the bandh in the hills and ensure that no one made an attempt to break it. Peace rallies were taken out by residents in Kurseong, Darjeeling and Mirik. The GJM supporters took out rallies in some parts of Darjeeling, Sonada and Kalimpong supporting creation of Gorkhaland and the ongoing shutdown, the sources said. Internet services remain suspended in the hills since June 18. Meanwhile, unidentified miscreants raided 'Roy Villa', a heritage house in Darjeeling last night where Sister Nivedita, social worker and disciple of Swami Vivekananda, had died. The miscreants damaged it and took away some cash, police said, adding that investigation is on. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Congress today hit out at the BJP-ruled Centre and the AAP government for the "historic" rise in prices of petrol and diesel. The party will launch a campaign to collect one million signatures against hike in the fuel prices and hold a mega demonstration at Jantar Mantar on September 20, said Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken. "The prices of petrol and diesel have touched the highest levels in the history of the country despite a fall in the prices of crude oil in the international market. This is a cruel joke by the BJP and AAP governments," he said in a press conference. Petrol and diesel, worth Rs 100 each, include Rs 51.78 and Rs 44.40, respectively, as taxes(excise and VAT), he said. "Both BJP and AAP have been ruthless in levying such high taxes in Delhi," he said. Arvind Kejriwal government increased the VAT "twice" by making amendment in the law while the BJP led central government raised excise duty "five times", causing "unprecedented hike" in prices of petrol and diesel, Maken claimed. "Total excise plus VAT increase on petrol in Delhi as on today is 104.42 per cent while taxes on diesel were pegged at 226.02 per cent," he said. While petrol prices have increased by Rs 7.32 to reach Rs 70.38 a litre in Delhi, the highest since August 2014, diesel rates have risen by Rs 5.36 to Rs 58.72. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One of the most wanted criminals of Delhi Sonu Dariyapur, who carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, was arrested from Narela today following a brief exchange of fire, the police said. Thirty-eight-year-old Satyawan alias Sonu Dariyapur was involved in more than 10 cases of murder, extortion and abduction in Delhi and Haryana. He also faced cases under the Arms Act. Delhi Police had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh on information leading to his arrest. Haryana Police too announced a reward of Rs 50,000. He was arrested this morning when he was returning to Delhi from Himachal Pradesh, where he had been hiding, police said. In a shootout on April 30, gangster Monu Dariyapur, his personal security officers -- Delhi Police ASI Vijay Kumar and constable Kuldeep, and two others -- Arun Shastri and Yogesh, were attacked in outer Delhi's Mianwali Nagar. Some armed men, including Sonu Dariyapur, had fired more than three dozen bullets leading to the deaths of Monu, Kumar and Shastri. Monu was previously a member of Sonu Dariyapur's gang. Both of them were friends but the relationship got bitter after Monu fell in love with Sonu's cousin and subsequently married her. Enraged at the alliance, Sonu had vowed to kill Monu. A team of Delhi Police's Special Cell had been been working for the past few months to arrest Sonu. Police were keeping a tab on his social media profiles that he had created in fictitious names. An officer privy to the investigation said that he used to interact with his accomplices through Facebook Messenger. He had created a Facebook account using a fake name. He mainly used Whatsapp calling to avoid his calls being intercepted by the police. He also used the Telegram app to interact with his gang members, the officer said. In the four months after the shootout, the police teams were sent to different places of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to nab the accused. He kept on changing locations and was surviving on financial aid from the rents on properties he had bought in fake names. He was maintaining a low-profile ever since the first arrest was made in the shootout, but his accomplices were carrying on his extortion business. A team was stationed in Himachal Pradesh since he was hiding there but it was learnt yesterday that the accused is leaving for Delhi from there. The police teams were deployed at strategic locations in cars and on motorcycles to nab the accused. Meanwhile, the team from Himachal Pradesh also reached here. At about 5 am today, the staff deployed on motorcycles at Singhu Border informed that Sonu Dariyapur had been spotted in a white i20 car with a Haryana registration number, said Sanjeev Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell). He was seen heading towards Delhi from Haryana side. The accused person's car was stopped by police teams near NIT Road, Narela. When he could not find any way to escape, he immediately took out his pistol and fired two bullets at the police team, but both the bullets hit the bulletproof jackets of an assistant sub-inspector and an inspector, said the officer. The police team also fired in retaliation. The team nabbed Sonu Dariyapur and snatched his pistol which was found loaded with 13 live cartridges. Police also found another pistol loaded with four live cartridges from beneath the driver's seat. The white colour car in which he was travelling was the one in which he had arrived and killed Monu and others in April, he said. Sonu Dariyapur's arrest comes after a series of arrests made in the sensational Mianwali Nagar shoot-out case, the police said. Six accused persons -- Naveen Khatri, Sandee, Sonu alias Kejriwal, Sumit alias Palotra, Satish and Rajesh alias Rajje -- had been arrested by the Special Cell earlier but the mastermind, Sonu Dariyapur, remained on the run. A reward of Rs one lakh was declared on each of the associates. One of his other associates, Vijay Lamba, wanted in the shoot-out case, was still on the run. In 2006, Sonu Dariyapur tried to kill his cousin and Monu by firing at them. But, the couple had a narrow and lucky escape but one person, Braham, was killed in the incident. In 2009, Sonu Dariyapur and his associates killed Monu Dariyapur's brother Sudhir Kumar in Najafgarh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A UK court today gave the go-ahead to British authorities for selling an Indian ship detained in Scotland last year to recover the unpaid wages of 11-member Indian crew. The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) believes that the crew, still aboard the vessel 'Malaviya Seven', are now owed more than 600,000 pounds ($803,760). It expects that the sale of the ship by an auction will cover the unpaid wages of the 11-member Indian crew. The vessel's owner Mumbai's GOL Offshore Limited is now in liquidation. A writ had been served earlier which prevented the ship from leaving Aberdeen Harbour in Scotland. "When a ship is found to be not in compliance with applicable convention requirements, a deficiency may be raised. If any of their deficiencies are so serious they have to be rectified before departure, then the ship will be detained," the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said in a statement. The Indian crew have been supported by local charities during their stay in Scotland, including Aberdeen's Catholic community. They have refused to leave the ship over fears that they may never be paid and said while they have missed their families, they had found local people very welcoming. 'Malaviya Seven' chief officer Bamadev Swain told BBC Scotland: "My daughter keeps asking every now and then: 'When is papa coming back?' It's very difficult". The 'Malaviya' was detained twice last year over unpaid wages, first in June 2016 after being contracted to BP. The crew were eventually paid and the ship was released but it returned to Aberdeen under a different contract two months later and detained on identical charges. Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard there has already been interest in the vessel, which will be advertised for sale around the world. One estimate puts its sale price at 850,000 pounds ($1.1 million) and scrap value at 670,000 pounds ($896,955), while the union representing the crew believes it may be worth up to 1.1 million pounds ($1.47 million). Aberdeen Harbour hopes to recover some of its costs to pay for the ship's long stay at the port but has said it will not take the funds out of the crew's wages. The UK is part of a regional agreement known as the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control under which information on all ships inspected is held centrally in an electronic database. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Kolkata-based writer-director Bornila Chatterjee's "The Hungry", an audacious, unsettlingly blood-splattered adaptation of one of William Shakespeare's lesser-known plays (Titus Andronicus), takes the theme of vengeance to an all-new plane where shocks are delivered thick and fast. The film, playing as part of the Special Presentations section of the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival, premieres on Thursday, bringing to the event a heightened slice of contemporary Delhi life. "The entire world is in the midst of disturbing times in which violence is sought to be normalised. The approach that I've taken is aimed to ask the question: is it all worth it?," says the director. Chatterjee, who is in town with co-writer and producer Tanaji Dasgupta and cast members Tisca Chopra, Sayani Gupta and Antonio Aakeel, taps the essence of one of the bard's most violent tragedies and creates a dark, intense drama set in a cocooned, affluent world overrun by power, corruption revenge and utter disregard for human decency. Aided by striking contributions from director pf photography Nick Cooke and music composer Benedict Taylor, the director pulls off a daring high-wire act with great aplomb. In his introduction to "The Hungry", TIFF artistic director Cameron Bailey has described Chatterjee as "one of the boldest filmmakers to come out of India in years." High praise that, but wholly deserved. "I love going to dark spaces," says Chatterjee, who lived and worked in New York for close to a decade before shifting back to her hometown in 2016. "The Hungry" cast is headed by Naseeruddin Shah and includes Neeraj Kabi, Jayant Kripalami and Suraj Sharma. Naseeruddin, the director reveals, wasn't particularly keen to be a part of the film to begin with. Why are you doing Titus Andronicus, I don't like the play, the veteran actor had told the writing duo of Chatterjee and Dasgupta. "But once he read the script, he was quickly on board," says the director who mad her feature debut in 2012 with "Let's Be Out, The Sun is Shining". "It was an absolute treat working with Naseeruddin Shah," says Chatterjee. "He added elements not just to his character but to the drama as a whole. He knows how to suffuse the theme of a film with layers of gestures and emotions." "The Hungry" follows a mother (Tisca Chopra) gearing up for a second marriage with the good-for-nothing son of a politically connected entrepreneur (Naseeruddin Shah) against the backdrop of the brutal murder of her elder son (Suraj Sharma). Other members in the two business families, which have been partners for years, are inexorably sucked into the bloody conflict. Among them are the tycoon's footloose daughter (Sayani Gupta) and the would-be bride's younger son (Antonio Aakeel). Chatterjee says she was drawn to Titus Andronicus precisely because it hasn't had the kind of exposure that Shakespeare's more famous tragedies have had. "I find the play oddly interesting; there is a certain freshness to it. It was written by Shakespeare in his 20s." "The action," she says, "takes place in fairy tale-like atmosphere, in a bubble in which the characters are barely aware of the world that exists outside their charmed circle." "The Hungry" explores the power dynamics between the exalted and the excluded in an increasingly unstable world. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani today held talks in Turkey with the emirate's chief ally President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his first visit abroad since the start of a diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia. The talks got underway at Erdogan's presidential palace in the capital Ankara, the Turkish presidency said. Erdogan has been a major supporter of Doha in the crisis that has seen Qatar left diplomatically and economically isolated. On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut ties with Qatar accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their Shiite rival Iran. Doha, however, denies the claims and Ankara has insisted there is absolutely no evidence to back the allegations. Erdogan has strongly spoken out against the sanctions applied by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt against Doha. In a show of solidarity, Turkey has also sent cargo ships and hundreds of planes loaded with food products to break the embargo on Doha. After visiting Turkey, the emir is due to visit Berlin tomorrow for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, his first trip to a western capital since the crisis began. Erdogan in July embarked on a regional tour of the Gulf countries, with visits to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar in a bid to defuse the crisis. But his visit ended without any sign of a breakthrough and Ankara has shown signs of preferring to leave mediation efforts to Kuwait. Yesterday, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah met with Erdogan at his presidential palace. Over the last years, Qatar has emerged as Turkey's number one ally in the Middle East, with Ankara and Doha closely coordinating their positions on a number of issues including the Syria conflict where both are staunch foes of President Bashar al-Assad. Ankara has built a military base in Qatar and reportedly already deployed around 200 troops there. The closure of the base was one of the conditions laid by the Saudi-led bloc for the lifting of the sanctions, which was rejected by Doha. But Turkey also does not want to wreck its own relations with regional kingpin Saudi Arabia and its hugely powerful new Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Erdogan has carefully worked to improve Ankara's relations with Riyadh which took a blow over the 2013 ousting of president Mohamed Morsi in Egypt, a close ally of Ankara. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump said today that he was "fairly close" to a deal with the Democrats that would allow 800,000 young immigrants, including from India, to stay in the US. "I think we are fairly close but we have to get massive border security," Trump said after a dinner meeting last night with top Democratic lawmakers Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi and Schumer had earlier claimed that they had reached a deal with Trump to protect about 800,000 young immigrants who came to America illegally as children and were given protection by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme. Trump had scrapped the DACA programme earlier this month. The DACA measures also provided temporary permits for work and study. Trump had said he would cancel the scheme, while giving Congress six months to enact a replacement plan for DACA recipients. Trump, while speaking to reporters, said, "I think we are fairly close but we have to get massive border security." "We are working on a plan for DACA. People want to see that happen," Trump said in response to questions. "You have 800,000 young people brought here, so we are working on a plan and we will see how it works out. We will see what happens. Something will happen," the US president said as he headed to storm-ravaged Florida. Following talks over dinner at the White House, House Minority Leader Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Schumer said, "We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall (Mexican), that's acceptable to both sides." "We also urged the President to make permanent the cost-sharing reduction payments, and those discussions will continue," they said in a joint statement. While Democratic leaders sought to declare the deal as a victory for their priorities, Republican votes will be needed for any immigration overhaul. Earlier, Trump in a series of tweets had denied that a deal had been reached with the Democrats. "No deal was made last night on DACA," the president tweeted. "Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote," he wrote. "The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built," Trump said, referring to the proposed barrier along the US-Mexico border. The White House had also pushed back on the account of the agreement provided by the Democratic leaders. "While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. Trump wants to build a wall along the United States' border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants and the issue was central to his election campaign. According to a White House official, Trump had a constructive working dinner with the Senate and House Minority Leaders as well as administration officials to discuss policy and legislative priorities. "These topics included tax reform, border security, DACA, infrastructure and trade. This is a positive step toward the President's strong commitment to bipartisan solutions for the issues most important to all Americans," the official said. "The Administration looks forward to continuing these conversations with leadership on both sides of the aisle," said the White House official. According to South Asian Americans Living Together (SAALT), a non-profit organisation, over 27,000 Asian Americans, including 5,500 Indians and Pakistanis, have already received DACA. An additional estimated 17,000 individuals from India and 6,000 Pakistan respectively are eligible for DACA, placing India in the top ten countries for DACA eligibility, it said. With the termination of DACA, as announced by the Trump administration, these individuals could face deportation at the discretion of the administration, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe today launched the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, a group of farmers from Boisar in Palghar district protested against the project fearing acquisition of their lands. The farmers, who held the demonstration outside Boisar railway station, said they will be ruined if their agricultural lands are acquired for the project. During the protest, which was jointly organised by Shetkari Sangarsha Samiti and Advasi Ekta Parisahd, the protesters waved black flags and raised slogans against the project. Kaluram Dodhade of Bhoomi Sena, who took part in the protest, said, "There are mostly small farmers in Palghar and if their lands are acquired for the project, they will be ruined." The protesters also alleged that the BJP-led government was going ahead with the project without taking the farmers into consideration. Palghar DSP Majunath Shinge said, "It was a symbolic protest and there was no law and order situation." When contacted, Palghar district collector Prashant Narnavre said the agitation was carried out peaceful. The bullet train project was launched by Modi and Abe in Ahmedabad this morning. Modi described the ambitious Rs 1.10 lakh crore project, which will cut travel time between the two cities from seven hours to less than three, as a "big gift from Japan to India". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sushi, sashimi or soba? For Japanese nationals in India who are missing their food, here is some "cool" that will appeal to their taste buds. The two countries have inked a pact for a "cool box service" which will ferry food from Japan to India. As part of an agreement signed today between the two countries, India Post and Japan Post will start a postal service that will allow the Japanese community in India to order their favourite food from back home. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe held wide-ranging talks here on key bilateral, regional and international issues and discussed ways to deepen ties in trade, security and civil nuclear energy. "Japan invested USD 4.7 billion in India in 2016-17 which is 80 per cent higher than last year. Now, Japan is the third largest investor in India... And, looking at this investment, one can anticipate that in times to come, besides the business ties, people-to-people ties would also grow," Modi said. And now, through the partnership of the two postal services, the "cool box service" is going to be started, so that the Japanese people in India can order their food straight from Japan, he said. Modi also appealed to the Japanese business community to open more restaurants offering cuisine of that country in India. Japanese food is gaining popularity in India. Among the many delicacies on offer here are sushi or rice-wrapped rolls, sashimi or raw meat or fish, soba or buckwheat noodles, miso soup, a traditional broth, and various kinds of seafood. "The two prime ministers also shared the importance of strengthening cooperation in the fields of agricultural and food related sectors. They welcomed Japan's participation in World Food India 2017 as a partner country," said the joint statement of the two leaders. The two sides renewed their commitment to strengthening human and cultural ties commensurate with their Special Strategic and Global Partnership. "In this context, the two prime ministers welcomed a series of cultural events successfully held through the Year of India-Japan Friendly Exchanges in 2017," the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State-owned Coal India Ltd (CIL) today said diversification into new metals and minerals will not hinder or cause any conflict with coal production targets. Coal India had been contemplating a foray into new minerals and metals like iron-ore, nickel, bauxite and copper to harness its mining expertise. "Doesn't matter. It is like two verticals. Coal group will look into coal while a new group can focus on new areas," Coal India chairman Gopal Singh told PTI when asked if foraying into new minerals was feasible. "We have to grow the company and we are working on diversification plans. We will come back with greater details," Singh said on the sidelines of the 43rd annual general meeting of the company. Singh said Coal India will stick to its target of producing 1 billion tonnes of coal by 2020. He, however, denied that Coal India lacks internal expertise in mining even as it expands its mineral portfolio. Our core strength is mining, be it coal or iron ore or anything else, and Indians are experts in these and have been sucessful in whatever mining ventures are undertaken, Singh said. Singh expressed optimism on the growth prospects of coal as thermal power sector grew at 17 per cent in August when hydel and nuclear generation down by 12 and 36 per cent respectively. He said there is a need for more coal production which will in turn generate more employment. Singh added that the share of coal in India's commercial primary energy supply was 55 per cent in 2015-16, and is expected to remain high at 48-54 per cent, even in 2040. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind today asked Hindi-speaking people to give more respect and space to regional languages and their speakers in a bid to make Hindi more popular across the country. Addressing a function on the occasion of 'Hindi Divas' here, the President said Hindi continued to face opposition in some parts of the country even though it became an official language many decades ago. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was also present at the function organised by his ministry, said in his address that Hindi could be enriched further if its speakers also used words from other languages. Referring to recent incidents on the Bangalore Metro, where a pro-Kannada group opposed Hindi signboards in the train service, and earlier agitations against Hindi in Tamil Nadu, President Kovind said there was a feeling among some people that Hindi was being imposed on them. "Non-Hindi speaking people desire that we (Hindi-speaking people) give attention to their languages. Those who speak Hindi should give space to other languages. We all have the responsibility to give respect to non-Hindi speaking people and regional languages," he said. Kovind suggested that those who speak Hindi should greet a Tamilian with a 'vanakkam', a Sikh with 'Sat Sri Akal' and a Muslim with an 'Adaab' -- words of greeting in Tamil, among Sikhs and in Urdu respectively. They should use the word 'Garu' (sir) while addressing a Telugu-speaking person, he said. The adoption of other languages and cultures will help unite the people and the country, he said. The president said he had used the Russian word 'spasiba' (thank you) while ending his speech at a state banquet during the recent visit of Belarus President A G Lukashenko. The guest was so delighted that he spontaneously responded with a 'Jai Hind'. The Belarus president also announced that Hindi would be taught in that country's state university from this month. Kovind also asked lawyers and doctors to use Hindi and other regional languages at work. "In India people don't understand the language of lawyers and doctors. In courts, now, gradually Hindi and other languages are being spoken. Similarly, if the doctors start giving prescriptions in Devanagari and other languages, the doctor-patient distance will be reduced," he said. In his address, the home minister said Hindi was the unifying language for the country and had helped bring people of different regions together during India's freedom struggle. "We (Hindi-speaking people) should accept and use popular words of regional languages. If we do that, it will enrich the language," he said. Singh said the contribution of non-Hindi speaking people such as Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak was immense in making Hindi an official language of the country. He also questioned those who said English was required for India to become an economic power. "I want to ask those who say that without English India can't be an economic power, how come China has become an economic power by speaking Mandarin," he said. In his welcome speech, Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said even though Hindi was not his mother tongue, he felt immense pride while speaking the language. "In my native state (Arunachal Pradesh), Hindi is widely spoken and used by common people from all walks of life," he said. All the speakers spoke in Hindi at the function. Hindi is the mother tongue of the president and the Union home minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The GST glitches faced by the domestic food processing industry are only "teething issues" and are expected to be sorted out in the next 3-4 months, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said today. Badal, the Minister for Food Processing Industries, also made a pitch for greater flexibility in the foreign direct investment for homecare products to make it more attractive for the investors. "The GST (Goods and Services Tax) is no doubt one of the biggest economic reforms. It is having its teething issues. In the next 3-4 months, these issues will be settled down," the minister told reporters on the sidelines of 12th edition of Annapoorna World of Food India Exhibition and Conference, hosted by the industry body Ficci here. She said there has been a 40 per cent increase in investment in the food processing industry from the last year, adding "big companies like Amazon, Grofers, Metro and Big Basket are putting in investment in next three years." There is no doubt that if a little bit of flexibility in FDI policy is given, particularly for homecare products, it will boost the investment in the sector, Badal said. The government had in February 2016 allowed 100 per cent FDI in locally-produced and manufactured food products. The minister said that world-over the model is 'food plus homecare products' because margins on food products are relatively very small. "So when you put up the infrastructure but you can't meet the cost...Which is why the industry has been saying that it should be allowed to keep homecare products as well," she said. Badal said she already had a meeting with the new Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu on the issue, adding "I am hoping for a decision shortly." "The sector will have USD 10 billion investment in the next couple of years if there is flexibility in FDI," she said. The minister said the government has approved a Rs 6,000 crore central scheme, 'SAMPADA', for the 2016-20 period, which aims at boosting processing of marine and agriculture produce, and it can leverage investments to the tune of Rs 31,000 crore. The scheme is expected to benefit 20 lakh farmers and generate little over 5.30 lakh direct and indirect employment in the country by 2019-20. It is shocking that the country processes only 10 per cent of the food it produces, unlike some countries which process up to 80 per cent of domestically produced food, she said, and added that India needs to triple the food processing proportion. Countries such as the UAE and Japan are keen to source from India for food processing, she said. Badal also said that out of 42 mega food parks planned in the country, nine are operational today and a 10th, coming up in Maharashtra, is expected to be up and functional next month. The number of operating food parks would go up to 12 by this year end, she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll, necessitated following the death of actor and BJP MP Vinod Khanna, will witness a triangular contest among BJP, Congress and AAP. While the ruling Congress, buoyed by its victory in the assembly elections earlier this year, is confident of continuing its winning streak, the BJP would pull out all stops to retain the seat. "We will surely retain our Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat," Punjab BJP secretary Vineet Joshi said today. The main opposition party, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), is also looking to increase its tally, having secured just 20 seats in the assembly polls. The bypoll has been scheduled for October 11 and results will be declared on October 15. While all the three political parties have stepped up electioneering, the race for tickets has also picked up the pace. In the ruling Congress, the name of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sunil Jakhar has been doing the rounds with several MLAs backing him. However, Qadian MLA Fateh Jang Bajwa, brother of MP Partap Singh Bajwa, has reportedly pitched for a local face. "Sunil Jakhar is a good choice for the ticket," said Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, an MLA from Fatehgarh Churian. Jakhar, however, said the party high command would take a call on it. A recommendation will be made to the high command only after Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh returns from London, party sources said. In the BJP, two names -- Kavita Khanna, wife of Vinod Khanna, and businessman Swaran Salaria -- have come to the fore. "The name of the candidate will be announced soon," said Joshi. The AAP, too, held a meeting of its MLAs and office- bearers today to finalise the names of the candidates, which will then be sent to the party's political affairs committee for approval. "We want a clean, educated and honest candidate for the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat," AAP MLA and leader of opposition Sukhpal Khaira said. The parliamentary seat has nine assembly segments. The BJP managed to secure just one assembly seat in Sujanpur, out of the four it had contested earlier this year. The Congress, however, bagged seven seats -- Bhoa, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Dinanagar, Qadian and Fathegarh Churian. Batala seat went to Shiromani Akali Dal. Both the BJP and the AAP are likely to attack the ruling Congress over its failure to implement farm loan waiver. The Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat has been a stronghold of the BJP so far. Actor-turned-politician Vinod Khanna, who passed away in April this year, won the seat four times. After joining the BJP in 1997, Khanna was fielded from the Gurdaspur parliamentary seat in 1998. He defeated Congress candidate and five-time MP Sukhbans Kaur Bhinder and repeated his performance in the 1999 and 2004 Lok Sabha polls. The actor-turned-politician got his first taste of defeat in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections when he was trounced by Congress candidate Partap Singh Bajwa. In 2014, however, Khanna avenged his defeat by thrashing Bajwa with over 1.30 lakh votes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Hauz Khas Village in south Delhi is "a ticking time bomb", the Delhi High Court has said. It also observed that neither the government agencies, nor the restaurant owners of the area have responded to its queries on safety and other issues. A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal warned the associations of restaurants owners that they will not be allowed escape civil and criminal liability in case any unfortunate incident takes place, as there was virtually no space for emergency vehicles to enter the area. The bench which also comprised Justice C Hari Shankar was worried about how the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Services and other agencies, had allowed commercialisation of the village which had led to public nuisance and health hazards. "The reports of Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, SDMC and the Delhi Jal Board illustrate that the Hauz Khas village is a ticking time bomb without essential civic and emergency services. "Our repeated queries regarding quantum of solid waste (garbage) and sewage generated by these restaurants (pubs,bars and cafes in Hauz Khas village) evoked no response from either the authorities or the restaurant owners," it observed. The court's observation came during hearing of PILs filed by social activist Pankaj Sharma and advocate Anuja Kapur, who alleged that over 120 restaurants and pubs were running in the Hauz Khas Village without any approved building plans or no objection certificate (NOC) from the authorities including the fire department. They also alleged that the streets in the village were not wide enough for a fire tender to move easily in case of an emergency and only five restaurants had fire clearance. This prompted the bench to say that the licences for the pubs and restaurants at the village, which is in the heart of a densely populated residential area, were granted by the civic bodies without checking the ground realities. The sewage system, the bench noted, was also not robust enough to take the load from the kitchen and bathrooms of various restaurants and pubs. "The adverse impact on the hygiene and environment so far as the citizenry is concerned thereby, would be insurmountable and irreversible," it said, adding that "more worrying" fact was that in case of an emergency, it would be impossible to reach the buildings inside the Hauz Khas Village. "This position is also highlighted from the affidavit of the Deputy Commissioner of Police pointing out that during a mock-drill for a terrorist attack, the NSG commandos could not reach the destination within the village," the order said. The bench observed that the plea entail the examination of the rights of the restaurant owners as against the rights of the members of the public. The bench further said that the restaurant owners "have been put to full notice of the dangers involved in the activities which are being run and also of the fact that in case of any unfortunate eventuality, emergency vehicles would not be able to reach the place of the incident. "In the circumstances and the reports placed before us, whatever be the final decision, we have no manner of doubt that in case there is a mishap or any loss of life or limb in the present case, the restaurant owners will not be permitted or allowed to escape the liability, civil and criminal for the same," the bench said. It was critical of how the repeated queries regarding quantum of solid waste and sewage generated by these restaurants, evoked no response from either the authorities or the restaurant owners. "It appears from the material place that no comprehensive solid waste management and sewage disposal evaluation has even entered the minds of the concerned experts or the municipal authorities while permitting such activities or granting licence," it said. The bench asked Delhi Jal Board to inspect each premises in Hauz Khas village with regard to water supply (including whether it is commercial / residential) as well as borewells, which may have been dug in these properties within three days. "To our mind, the situation and the issues are of serious nature and need immediate action," the bench said and listed the matter for September 26. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Not granting citizenship rights is the "worst possible kind" of deprivation, the Delhi High Court has said, paving the way for an Indian couple, living in exile for 23 years as they were denied passports, to return home. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar directed the Centre to issue valid passports to the couple, who were Naga human rights activists, and said it was "extremely distressing that two Indian citizens have been constrained to seek refuge from the United Nations Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)" before they applied for and got Canadian citizenship. "Can these deprivations ever be adequately compensated in any terms? The answer has to be a clear no," the bench said. "The deprivation in the present case is of the worst possible kind. The citizens of India have actually, in effect, been exiled from their own country for a long period of almost 23 years from July 2, 1994 when the petitioner no.2 lost her passport and duplicate thereof was denied to her which would have enabled her to travel back. "As a result, this couple has been deprived from associating with their close family members and friends and compelled to live in foreign countries without break, till visas were issued to them in the present case," it said. The court's judgment came on the plea of the couple from Manipur challenging revocation of their citizenship and impounding of passport in 1995 when they were overseas. The woman, Peingamla Luithui, had lost her passport while in Thailand in 1994, but was never issued a duplicate one by the Indian authorities. Her husband Luingam Luithui was forced to join her in Thailand, as he could not leave her alone. His passport too was impounded when he went to get additional pages. No reason or order was ever communicated to him. The government had said that Luingam was associated with the NSCN(I-M), then a banned outfit, but no case was ever found to have been registered against him. The Indian authorities later took a defence in the court that the couple had acquired Canadian citizenship. The court, in its order, said this case manifests the failure to abide by the statutory mandate as well as ignorance about the correct procedure and the rights of the citizens, which led to gross errors having serious repercussions for the persons affected. "We also find that the orders which may be correct or warranted in a case, would get criticised upon a judicial review because of procedural infractions. Acts and omissions of the respondents, as in this case, also have international ramifications. These could result in embarrassment of the State across boundaries. "Therefore, sensitisation of their officials on the issues, awareness and training about the basic and relevant laws as well as procedures, both statutorily prescribed or laid down by judicial precedents, deserves the immediate attention of the authorities to ensure that such errors are not repeated," the bench said. According to the couple's plea, they were allowed to visit India only on tourist visas to see their family in case of any illness and that too, under court orders. They had also sought full restoration of their civil rights, including the right of permanent residence in India as citizens of the country by birth. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) He started off with petty street crimes and soon became one of Delhi's most wanted criminals. Along the way, he robbed, extorted and killed, not even sparing his best friend-turned-rival and a police officer. Sonu Dariyapur's story may read like a pulp thriller, but the 38-year-old ran out of luck when he was arrested by the Delhi Police's Special Cell from Narela today after being on the run for several years. He was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, the highest for any criminal in Delhi. The Haryana Police too announced a reward of Rs 50,000. In a shoot-out on April 30, gangster Monu Dariyapur, his personal security officers, Delhi Police assistant sub- inspector Vijay Kumar and constable Kuldeep, and two others, Arun Shastri and Yogesh, were attacked in outer Delhi's Mianwali Nagar. Some armed men, including Sonu Dariyapur, had fired more than three dozen bullets leading to the deaths of Monu, Kumar and Shastri and injuries to the other two. Monu was previously a member of Sonu Dariyapur's gang. Both of them were friends but the relationship got bitter after Monu fell in love with Sonu's cousin and subsequently married her. Enraged at the alliance, Sonu had vowed to kill Monu. "Following the sensational shoot-out in which he killed one police personnel and injured another, he became one of the most wanted criminals on our list. All the units of the Delhi Police were looking for him and there was not any official meeting where his case was not discussed," said a senior officer with the Special Cell. Even the police forces of other states were keeping a tab on his movements. Another officer said that no other criminal has ever carried such a high reward in Delhi. Terrorists like Indian Mujahideen leader Amir Raza Khan were carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakh on their, head but a criminal has never carried such a high reward on his head, said the second officer. The shoot-out case was subsequently transferred from the local police to the Special Cell, which also got non-bailable warrants issued against Sonu Dariyapur. After the killing of his arch-rival and subsequent arrests of his accomplices, Sonu Dariyapur had been maintaining a low profile and kept changing locations between Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh frequently. He would keep changing the number plates of the cars in which he travelled between different cities to avoid detection, said the second police officer. For the last 15 days, a team was stationed in Himachal Pradesh, the police said. However, he was nabbed in the early hours today following a brief exchange of fire with the police team on the basis of a tip-off. In 2006, Sonu had attacked his cousin and Monu in Punjabi Bagh but while they had a narrow escape, another person accompanying the couple was killed. Sonu was arrested in the case but later jumped parole and went on to kill Monu's brother Sudhir Kumar in Najafgarh in 2009. He also confessed to having killed a man, named Chand, in Bhiwani, Haryana in 2009, the police said. He was involved in the killing of Sanjay Sarpanch of Sonipat and Jasbir of Narela in 2010. He was the mastermind of these killings and was assisted by his gang members -- Naveen Khatri, Sandeep, Sonu alias Kejriwal, Sumit alias Palotra, and Satish. He used to raise funds for his gang members through extortion from businessmen and property dealers from different parts of outer, southwest Delhi and neighbouring parts of Haryana, the police said. One of the businessmen had even gone ahead and filed an extortion case against Sonu Dariyapur in northwest Delhi's Rani Bagh last year. He had widened his gang by merging with Rajesh alias Rajje's gang. Rajesh wanted to kill an alleged gangster Ramesh Lohar and Sonu Dariyapur wanted to kill Monu. Rajesh and Daryapur joined hands to eliminate their rivals and formed a new alliance. Rajesh was also arrested in connection with the Mianwali Nagar shoot-out in July. Sonu had started off by committing petty crimes in Bawana in 2000. He has one brother Anil Pahalwan, who is at present lodged in jail. He has been married twice, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Himachal Pradesh Governor Acharya Devvrat today asked people of the state to promote Hindi as the national and functional language of the country. The language should be promoted so that it could be a bond to unite the nation. "It is an irony in India that no serious efforts have been made to give due status to Hindi," he said. The Governor also expressed concern over the injustice being done to Hindi in higher education institutes where priority was being given to foreign languages. Devvrat presented the Raj Bhasha Puraskar to officers and employees of various departments and corporations at the Raj Bhasha Hindi Samman Samaroh organised by the Art, Language and Culture Department here. Nations such as Japan and Israel have shown the way to the world by relying on their own languages, he said. "Hindi is spoken in more than 123 countries and there was need for adopting a practical approach for promoting it, instead of just fulfilling formalities," Devvrat said. The governor released the annual magazine of the department and gave away prizes to students who won various competitions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Strongly pitching for a "zero- tolerance" approach towards terrorism, India and Japan today agreed to strengthen cooperation against terror groups like Al-Qaida and Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe asked Islamabad to bring to book the perpetrators of terror strikes, including those involved in the Mumbai (2008) and Pathankot (2016) attacks, according to a joint statement issued after their annual summit. The two leaders also condemned in the "strongest terms" the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism, it said. "They shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that must be forcefully combated through concerted global action in the spirit of 'zero tolerance'," the document said. The two prime ministers called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. "They looked forward to the convening of the fifth Japan-India Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaida, ISIS, JeM, LeT and their affiliates," the statement added. Modi and Abe called upon all UN member countries to implement UNSC resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions dealing with the designation of terrorist entities, the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Deepening their strategic ties further, India and Japan today agreed to boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region in the midst of China's growing assertiveness and pitched for a "zero-tolerance" in combating terrorism including towards Pakistan-based groups JeM and LeT. The two countries signed 15 deals in key areas, including civil aviation, trade after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe as they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in strategic areas of defence, security, trade and civil nuclear energy. The two leaders also deliberated upon important regional and global issues and affirmed strong commitment to their values-based partnership in achieving a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international law are respected, and differences are resolved through dialogue, and where all countries, large or small, enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight. But significantly, the joint statement issued after their talks did not mention South China Sea directly unlike last year's joint statement. After the 2016 summit during Modi's visit to Japan, the joint statement had said, "regarding the South China Sea, the two Prime Ministers stressed the importance of resolving the disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law including the UNCLOS." Addressing a joint press event with Abe, Modi said, "the range of special strategic and global partnership is not just limited to bilateral and regional sphere. We have close cooperation on global issues as well." In an apparent message to Pakistan, the two sides also called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists. The two prime ministers also called for Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorist attacks including those involved in Mumbai (2008) and the Pathankot (2016) strikes. "They looked forward to the convening of the fifth India-Japan Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups including Al-Qaida, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lakshar-e-Taiba (LeT), and their affiliates," said a joint statement issued after the Modi-Abe talks. It said Modi and Abe condemned in the "strongest terms" the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism and shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that must be forcefully combated through concerted global action in the spirit of "zero tolerance". "Accordingly, the two Prime Ministers called upon all UN member countries to implement the UNSC Resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions designating terrorist entities," said the joint statement. The reference also assume significance in the backdrop of China repeatedly blocking India's move to declared JeM chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist by the UN. On his part, Abe said, "we have just signed a joint statement which will serve as a milestone to open a new era for Japan-India relationship... Based on that we will strongly promote Japan-India special strategic and global partnership to drive peace and prosperity for Indo-Pacific region and the whole world." Modi and Abe underlined that the two countries could play a central role in safeguarding and strengthening a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific and to this end, they pledged to reinforce their efforts to enhance defence and security cooperation and dialogues, including the MALABAR and other joint exercises, the statement said. During his press statement, Abe also referred to the recent Malabar Japan-India-US naval exercise and said cooperation would be further strengthened. They also agreed for defence equipment and technology cooperation in such areas as surveillance and unmanned system technologies, and defence industry cooperation apart from aligning Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy with India's Act East Policy, including through enhancing maritime security cooperation and improving connectivity in the wider Indo-Pacific region, it added. Japan's readiness to provide its state-of-the-art US-2 amphibian aircraft was appreciated as symbolising the high degree of trust between the two countries, which agreed to continue their discussions in this regard. Earlier, the two leaders launched the bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Modi described the Rs 1.10 lakh crore project, which will cut travel time between the two cities from seven hours to less than three, as a "big gift from Japan to India". Asked if the recent Dokalam episode between India and China was discussed during Modi-Abe meeting, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said it was not specifically discussed but there was a discussion on regional and global developments in broader sense. Japan was the only country, which had publicly spoken about Dokalam incident, pitching for a peaceful resolution. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Japan today stressed on enhancing space cooperation and working together on global challenges like climate change. The two countries also signed three agreements in the science and technology sector to prepare an exchange programme for their young scientists and promote joint research. "The two prime ministers acknowledged that outer space is an ever-expanding frontier of human endeavour and welcomed the deepening of cooperation between the space agencies of the two countries in the field of earth observation, satellite based navigation, space sciences and lunar exploration," a joint statement released after the delegation-level talks said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe welcomed the signing of the MoU between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in November last year. The two leaders also noted the progress made in IT and Internet of Things (IoT) cooperation through the bilateral Joint Working Group on IT and Electronics. They welcomed the successful holding of the 9th India- Japan Joint Committee on Science and Technology Cooperation in January 2017 in Delhi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Pakistan today started high-level talks on technical issues of the here, a senior World Bank official said. "These meetings are a continuation of a discussion on how to safeguard the Treaty for the benefit of the people in both countries," a World Bank spokesperson told PTI. The meetings between India and Pakistan on the technical issues of the (IWT) are taking place in Washington on September 14-15, the spokesperson added. The World Bank in August had said that under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India, it had said in a fact sheet issued at the conclusion of secretary-level talks between the two countries over the IWT. The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. The World Bank's role in relation to "differences" and "disputes" is limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties, the fact sheet said. India today rushed 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh and pledged all help to Dhaka in tackling the humanitarian crisis after nearly 400,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees fled to the country from Myanmar following the ethnic violence in the Buddhist-majority nation. "Operation Insaniyat: High Commission handed over 1st consignment humanitarian assistance by India to Bangladesh," the Indian mission here tweeted. The first Indian consignment comes days after Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar last week and briefed him about the problems faced by Dhaka due to the influx of the refugees. "India stands ready to provide any assistance required by Government of Bangladesh in this hour of need," an Indian External Affairs Ministry statement said today. It said New Delhi always responded readily and swiftly to any crisis in Bangladesh, in keeping with the close ties of friendship between the peoples of the two countries. "In response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh, Government of India has decided to extend assistance to Bangladesh," the ministry said. The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets, tents etc. High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla said India will provide 7,000 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh. Shringla handed over the relief materials to Bangladesh's Road Transport Minister and ruling Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader after an Indian aircraft carrying the assistance landed at southeastern port city of Chittagong. Bangladesh had said it required India's assistance in its efforts to handle the situation. Shringla said India has expressed "deep concern" at the recent spate of violence in Myanmar, resulting in the outflow of a huge number of refugees into Bangladesh. "This has created unprecedented challenges for Bangladesh," he said. The envoy said India appreciated Bangladesh for "making every effort to deal with the urgent requirements of food, clothing and shelter for the large number of refugees that have placed a huge demand on its resources". He said the situation prompted India to provide urgent humanitarian assistance in consultation with Bangladesh. "We are arranging to supply to each and every family of newly arrived refugees a 15-kg pack consisting of parboiled rice, lentils, sugar, salt, biscuits, milk powder and other edibles, in addition to soap, mosquito nets and other items of utility," he said. He said several additional planeloads with relief supplies were expected to arrive over the next few weeks in coordination with the Government of Bangladesh. The Indian mission said Quader likened the aid to India's assistance to Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War. Bangladesh, which is facing a big influx of Rohingyas from Myanmar, has called on the international community to intervene and put pressure on Myanmar to address the exodus. According to the UN estimates, around 400,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state into Bangladesh since August 25 when fresh wave of violence erupted. According to reports, the violence began when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Myanmar's Rakhine state. Rohingya residents - a stateless mostly Muslim minority in a Buddhist-majority nation - allege that the military and Rakhine Buddhists responded with a brutal campaign against them, according to the reports. Bangladesh has stepped up diplomacy to get support of the major stakeholders like China and Russia in mounting pressure on Myanmar to stop atrocities in the Rakhine state and take back their nationals. The UN Security Council with China being one of its five permanent members yesterday took a unanimous resolution expressing "deep concern" about violence in Myanmar. Bangladesh had earlier said the new influx of Rohingya refugees is an unbearable additional burden on the country which has been hosting around 400,000 Myanmar nationals who had to leave their country in the past due to communal violence and repeated military operations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India today sent 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh for Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar, who poured into this country following the ethnic violence in the neighbouring Buddhist-majority nation. The first consignment of India's assistance comes days after Dhaka briefed New Delhi about the problems faced by it due to the influx of these refugees. Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali had met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar last week and discussed the issue of Rohingyas in detail. "In response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh, Government of India has decided to extend assistance to Bangladesh," External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi said in a statement. The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets etc, it said. "Operation Insaniyat:High Commission handed over 1st consignment humanitarian assistance by India to Bangladesh," the mission tweeted. "1st consignment of #Indian humanitarian assistance of 53 MT for #Bangladeshi arrives under Operation #Insaniyat @SushmaSwaraj," it said. India will provide 7,000 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh. Bangladesh's Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader received the materials from Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla after an Indian aircraft carrying the assistance landed at southeastern port city of Chittagong. The mission said Quader likened the aid to India's assistance to Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War. Bangladesh, which is facing a big influx of Rohingyas from Myanmar, has called on the international community to intervene and put pressure on Myanmar to address the exodus. According to the UN estimates, over 379,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state into Bangladesh since August 25 when fresh wave of violence erupted. According to media reports, the violence began when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state. Rohingya residents - a stateless mostly Muslim minority in a Buddhist-majority nation - allege that the military and Rakhine Buddhists responded with a brutal campaign against them, according to the reports. Bangladesh had earlier said the new influx of Rohingya refugees is an unbearable additional burden on the country which has been hosting around 400,000 Myanmar nationals who had to leave their country in the past due to communal violence and repeated military operations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi was today appointed to a leadership position in the Democratic party's new task force on economy. Representing a Congressional district in Chicago, Krishnamoorthi, 44, will serve as co-chair for the New Economy Task Force along with his Congressional colleagues Susan DelBene, Debbie Dingell, and Darren Soto. This is unified effort from the House Democratic Caucus to craft a legislative agenda that will benefit hardworking Americans and middle-class families, a statement has said. "Fundamentally, building the economy of the future means ensuring that our workers have the in-demand skills they need to thrive and that businesses have the advanced infrastructure they need to grow. On the New Economy Task Force, I look forward to working with my colleagues to accomplish both these goals," Krishnamoorthi said. With a rapidly changing economy and new challenges facing American workers, the task force will take a forward-leaning approach to job growth, looking at rapidly advancing technology, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and ensuring workers are trained for the jobs of tomorrow, he said. The task force is one of five Democratic Caucus Jobs for America Task Forces aimed at identifying opportunities and solutions for American workers in five key areas: Rebuilding America, Jobs With Dignity, Access to Jobs, New Economy, and Reinvesting in Our Returning Heroes. In the coming months, co-chairs of each task force will meet with business and labour leaders, issue experts, and American workers to develop policy goals and solutions that will benefit all Americans. The effort was launched by the House Democratic Caucus. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Irked by a reporter's question on the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad describing him as a "fake" sadhu, self-styled godman Asaram today said he belonged to the category of "donkeys". Asaram, who is facing a court trial here for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage girl, was asked to react to the parishad's decision when he was brought to the court premises. The reporter wanted to know that since the parishad, the apex body of Hindu saints in the country, had made it clear that Asaram was neither a "saint" nor a "preacher", which category did he belong to. "The category of donkeys," the self-styled godman said while climbing the stairs of the trial court, where he is being produced on a daily basis in connection with the case. Asaram had not been talking to the media during his court appearances of late in the wake of a petition filed in the high court, objecting to the presence of his devotees on the court premises. The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad has recently come up with a list of "fake babas", cautioning the countrymen against them. The names of Asaram and his son Narayan Sai feature in it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israel's Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon today met Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and discussed two agricultural research centres being built by the Jwish nation in the state. The Israeli Ambassador met Kumar at his 1, Anne Marg residence here, an official statement said. Carmon told Kumar about his country extending help to India in building agricultural research centres. Two such "centre of excellence" are coming up in Bihar. While one would come up at Nalanda on research in vegetables the second such centre would be in Vaishali related to research in the field of mango and litchis. The farmers would be trained in the newer technology in the farm sector at these centres. The Israeli Ambassdor evinced interest in extending assistance to Bihar in the field of new technology, the statement said. Principal Secretary Chanchal Kumar and Secretary in the CMO Atish Chandra were present on the occasion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japan's first lady Akie Abe had a busy schedule today as she visited institutes here and interacted with visually impaired members of an NGO as well as college and school students. While her husband, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, inaugurated the country's first bullet train project along with his counterpart Narendra Modi and attended the 12th India -Japan Annual Summit, she had a packed schedule that included meeting people and attending events. Abe and his wife arrived here yesterday on a two-day visit. Akie Abe started the day with a visit to the Andhjan Mandal (the Blind People's Association), where she interacted with the visually impaired members of the NGO who are being trained in a Japanese massage therapy. Experts from Japan's Tsukuba University are providing them training in the Japanese Massage Manual Therapy (JMMT). She received a warm musical welcome as the members sang for her upon her arrival at the NGO premises at Vastrapur. Akie Abe then went to the Gujarat University where she interacted with students from Japan who are studying at the varsity under an exchange programme. The first lady also interacted with students learning the Japaneses language at the university in Navrangpura. She addressed the students on the topic of climate change. "I am delighted to visit Gujarat University. Best wishes," she wrote in the visitor's book before leaving the varsity premises. A university employee presented a portrait of the first lady drawn by him to her on which she signed with a message, "Good luck". "The Gujarat University is going to start an interpretation centre with the support of the Japanese government. It has been named the Technology Heritage Preservation Interpretation Centre. "As part of an arrangement, a student working on his dissertation at the centre can visit any company in Japan and use its available resources for his research," said GU vice- chancellor Himanshu Pandya. Akie Abe inaugurated an 'Origami Mahotsav' organised at the Ahmedabad Management Association by the Indo-Japan Friendship Association. School students are taking part in the mahotsav (festival). Origami is a Japanese paper folding art. A 10-year-old student, Darsh Soni, welcomed Akie Abe and displayed his Origami artwork to her. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Before he jumped off to his death from a high-rise building here, Bengaluru musician Karan Joseph had called two of his friends who were then abroad, police probe has revealed. Joseph had called two of his friends, a woman and a man, an hour before committing suicide, a senior official from the suburban Bandra police station said today. Both calls lasted for less than a minute, he said. Police have summoned both of them for recording statements. One of them is already back in India and has been asked to visit the Bandra police station, the official added. Karan (29), an acclaimed pianist, allegedly jumped from the window of a 12th floor flat in a building on Bullock Road in Bandra on Saturday morning. The flat is owned by a company where his friend works. Initially a case of accidental death was registered. However, two days ago Bandra police registered a case of abetment of suicide under section 306 of the IPC, after Karan's parents Tina and Thomas Joseph alleged that some unknown person was harassing their son. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The displaced Kashmiri Pandits today observed martyrs' day and dedicated a memorial here to hundreds of their community leaders and members killed by Pakistani raiders and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir since 1947. The memorial was set up on the banks of the Ranbir canal, a tributary of the river Chanderbagga popularly known as river Chinab. The memorial was inaugurated by Swami Kumar G and BJP MLC G L Raina who were flanked by British leader Lakshmi Kauland former Jammu Municipal Corporation Commissioner Kiran Watal at a function here. "We have setup a martyr memorial at banks of Ranbir canal as a tribute to martyrs of Kashmiri Pandits (KP) since 1947. It is a tribute to our community members including leaders, academicians, judges, journalists, teachers, poets and bureaucrats killed by terrorists and Pakistan raiders since 1947", Atharot organisation Chief Kanwal Peshin said. Meanwhile in Kashmir, Kashmiri Pandits observed the "martyrs' day" in Verinag in the South Kashmir's Anantnag district. They paid tributes to those killed in violence in the state. A large gathering shoutedslogans and paid floral tributes toKashmiri Hindus and Kashmiri Pandits killed in the Valley. Since 1990, Kashmiri Pandits all across the globe have beenobserving this day to pay homage to allthose who laid down their lives while battlingterrorist in Kashmir. "It is for the first time that KPs have observed Balidan divas in Kashmir. We paid tributes to martyrs of the community at Verinag spring in Anantnag in South Kashmir", said Vinood Pandita who led All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) activists. "We have paid tributes to KP members killed by terrorists, Pakistan raiders and anti-community violence since 1931", Pandita said. It was on this day 28 years ago when Pandit Tika Lal Tiploo, a fearless leader of Kasmiri Panditsfellto the assassins' bullets in the streets of Kashmir and the dayhas acquired a reverential status since then, he added. All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) organised a programme in Jammu and paid tributes to martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause of the country since militancy started in the State particularly in Kashmir. Rich tributes where paid to martyrs especially two veteran pandit leaders - Tika Lal Taploo and Prem Nath Bhat. ASKPC president Ravinder Raina said that September 14th was dedicated to the memory of Kashmiri Pandit martyrs. "It was on this day that the first Kashmiri Pandit Tika Lal Taploo fell to the assassin's bullet after the terrorists had declared psychological war on the minority Hindu population in Kashmir Valley," he said. Many innocent lives were lost to terrorist violence after that day and within a few months the entire Hindu population left the Valley, he said. "How can this day of significance in the history of Kashmiri Pandits be forgotten? Let this year's Balidan Divas be the reminder of our resolve to keep our culture and traditions alive, wherever we may live," Rina said. "Let us pay our homage to our martyrs and show solidarity for our motherland (Maej Kasheer). We should organise prayer services at local Temples also," he added. The observance of the September 14 as the Martyrs' Day reminds the community of the historical facts regarding its ethnic cleansing. Chairman Kashmiri Pandit Joint ActionAshwani Kumar Chrungoo said that the issues related to the genocide and ethnic cleansing of the pandit community were very sensitive and emotional. "We have demanded the setting up of a Special Crimes Tribunal that would investigate all those cases of murder, mayhem and persecution of Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir and also fix responsibility on the perpetrators of such crimes against humanity and bring them to justice," Chrungoo said. The issue related to the resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits was also brought before Home Minister Rajnath Singh. It was made clear that Kashmiri Pandits can only be resettled in Kashmir by addressing their geo political aspirations as envisaged in the historical Margdarshan Resolution in the form of a separate homeland with free flow of the Indian Constitution and without Art 370 and 35-A, Chrungoo said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Oceanic administrators from 13 island countries, including Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Mauritius, will gather in southeast China's Fujian Province on September 21 to discuss cooperation in sustainable development. Participants will discuss sustainable economic development, environmental protection, climate change and disaster prevention and reduction, and sea water desalination at the round-table conference in Pingtan, an island in Fujian, state-run Xinhua agency reported. Twenty-nine foreign representatives from 13 island countries including Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Mauritius and Fiji have confirmed attendance at the conference Gu Wu, head of the legal affairs and islands department under the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) said. Island countries are facing great environmental challenges, including climate change, rising sea levels and ocean acidification, Gu said. "The conference will boost pragmatic cooperation between China and island countries, and help establish a blue partnership based on marine cooperation," said Gu. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Abu Ismail, the Lashkar-e-Taiba commander who masterminded the deadly attack on Amarnath yatra pilgrims in July, was killed by security forces here today along with another Pakistani terrorist, police said. The two were gunned down after a brief encounter that saw the duo running for their lives. "On specific information, a joint operation was launched in Aribagh in Nowgam area on the outskirts of Srinagar city. It was around 4:15 pm that a contact was established with the two hiding terrorists in a house there. In a very brief encounter, both the terrorists were killed," Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Munir Khan said. He was addressing a joint press conference along with general officer commanding of the Army's Victor Force, Major General B S Raju, and IG CRPF Ravideep Singh Sahi. Khan said the other terrorist has been identified as Abu Qasim alias Chota Qasim. "The bodies of the slain terrorists have been kept at the appropriate place for appropriate disposal," he said. The IGP said two AK rifles, UBGLs and other material were recovered from them. He said Ismail was involved in 15 cases including the July 10 attack on a bus carrying Amarnath yatra pilgrims in south Kashmir's Anantnag district which left eight of them dead. "After the elimination of Abu Dujana, he (Ismail) had taken over as the chief of LeT in the valley. He was involved in around 15 criminal cases in valley which included murder, dacoities and other militancy related incidents. So, I compliment our teams for executing a wonderful operation with no collateral damage," Khan said. "The day they (militants) killed yatris, the people said that such they should be brought to justice and today they have been brought to justice. It is a great success for the security forces. A chapter of these terrorists has been closed. Tomorrow will be a new day for us. We will start our work afresh. "When the attack took place, there was total condemnation of the act committed by terrorists from all sections of the society and people said loud and clear that these killers must be killed. So, from that day onwards, these killers were our targets and our teams - whether they be police, army or the CRPF - were looking for them," he said. He thanked the people for "expressing that sentiment that time because that was against Kashmiriyat. No Kashmiri liked that". Asked whether all the militants behind the attack have been neutralised, the IGP said "One foreign and one local terrorists are left." He said Ismail was an "A++" category militant while Qasim was "A+" category, but refused to share further details of the operation. "It is better not to ask such questions because they are operational details which we do not want to divulge. It is not that whole militancy has been wiped out by their killing. So, it is better not to divulge the details," he said. Khan said the priority of the security forces is to neutralise the militant leadership in the valley. "Militant leadership is important to be neutralised. That has to be eliminated because they not only are militants but also provoke and motivate children. The priority is to neutralise the militant leadership. You know who are the leaders and they will be our next target," he said. He, however, said "we have a long way to go and we will keep on trying." Maj Gen Raju said Ismail's killing is extremely important because he was responsible for the death of about 14 security forces personnel and eight civilians. "This success is also important because we are expecting vacuum in the foreign terrorists' leadership of the LeT. After the death of Abu Qasim, then Abu Dujana and now Ismail. In between we also killed (Abu) Ali. Now, we are looking at a serious deficiency in their leadership which should give us more opportunities," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Maldives may seek Sri Lanka's help to deport former president Mohamed Nasheed, the country's envoy said today, a day after the exiled leader's lawyer raised fears for his safety. Male's ambassador-designate to Colombo, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, in a statement said that Nasheed, the first democratically elected president, is a "fugitive" and left the Maldives midway through a 13-year-jail sentence after being allowed to seek medical treatment abroad. "It is ironic that Nasheed and his legal team are accusing others of attempted kidnapping when he himself is a fugitive from the law for the well-publicised kidnapping of a chief judge," he said. "Should a relevant authority in the Maldives request the Embassy to seek the assistance of relevant authorities in Sri Lanka to return him or any other fugitive in accordance with our constitution and laws, all avenues available through diplomatic channels will be utilised to fulfil the obligation," Shareef said. Amal Clooney, international legal counsel representing Nasheed, yesterday raised concerns about a threat made by the Maldivian ambassador-designate to Colombo to detain their client in Sri Lanka and forcibly return him to the Maldives. Clooney said any attempt by a Maldivian diplomat to detain Nasheed in Sri Lanka would constitute a violation of international law as well as Sri Lankan criminal law. She had said that Nasheed should not be returned to the Maldives to serve a sentence that resulted from a "sham trial", and it is incumbent on the Sri Lankan authorities to ensure that his rights are respected while he is in their country. The new Maldivian envoy to Sri Lanka told a local television station that he would have Nasheed arrested in Colombo should he visit and would deport him. Nasheed travelled to London in January last year on prison leave for medical treatment and has since then remained in self-imposed exile. He travels frequently to Sri Lanka. The envoy alleged that Nasheed and his supporters have continuously attempted to create diplomatic friction between Sri Lanka and the Maldives, including assertions of bias by the Sri Lankan Government. "Our ties with Sri Lanka are multi-layered and based on an age-old practice of non-interference in each others domestic politics. The close ties between our two governments and responsibility of officials on both sides have been instrumental in avoiding misunderstanding in spite of erroneous claims by Nasheed and senior officials in his 2008- 2013 regime. The Maldives has faced tough international criticism over the jailing in March 2015 of Nasheed following a rushed trial which the UN said was politically motivated. Yameen, who came to power following a controversial run- off against Nasheed in November 2013 faces international censure over his crackdown on dissidents. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A UK court today fixed November 20 as the date for the pre-trial hearing in the extradition case of Vijay Mallya, the embattled tycoon wanted in India on loan defaults to several banks amounting to nearly Rs 9,000-crore. The flamboyant businessman, out on bail on an extradition warrant, is exempt from appearing for hearings before his trial is scheduled to start on December 4 and chose not to attend today's hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court here. This is the first hearing the 61-year-old former chief of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines has missed in the case involving economic offences in India and was represented in court by a female member of his family. Mallya's defence team told the court that they have provided a list of six experts they intend to rely upon in their evidence. The list includes experts from the field of airlines, banking, politics and law, including an Indian lawyer. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing on behalf of the Indian government, expressed disappointment at the hard copy format in which the defence had presented their documents. "We received the physical box of evidence on Monday which has to be scanned to be sent to India. We were disappointed to receive physical evidence in 2017. It lost us a week," said CPS barrister Mark Summers. The judge, Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, sympathised with the CPS on the issue and said it was "slightly unfortunate in 2017" and requested CPS to provide her with scanned copies as well. The judge also asked the prosecution if the relevant evidence had been sought from India on prison conditions in the country, which she highlighted as a concern that has been "raised in extraditions to India before". The CPS told the court that the "Indian authorities had foreseen this as an issue and have been engaged on the matter" and provided detailed assurances and photographs by email relating to prison conditions where Mallya is likely to be held. The prosecution also confirmed they had received most documents from Mallya's defence team and are awaiting two further documents and at this stage are not sure if the Indian authorities would require any additional time to respond. The extradition trial to bring Mallya to face court proceedings in India is scheduled for two weeks starting on December 4. However, it was raised in court today that the trial would not be sitting on two dates during that period - December 6 and 15. Both sides agreed to leave the trial dates as they are but additional dates may be required to be added on at a later stage. If additional dates are required to be scheduled in for the trial, the case may spill over into January 2018 if it clashes with the UK court's Christmas break period. The Indian authorities believe their case is on a strong footing and all the evidence has been presented to the CPS to argue for Mallya to be extradited. "Evidence presented makes out a strong prima facie case against . Despite delaying tactics, it has been possible to have an indicated date in December 2017 for the hearing and the UK counsel CPS will continue to work towards an expeditious hearing of the entire case," the Indian High Commission had said in a statement. In addition to the charge-sheets filed by CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also filed a charge-sheet against Mallya. The businessman, who has been based in the UK since he left India in March last year, is wanted in India for his erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines' default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crores. He had been arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on behalf of the Indian authorities on April 18. He had attended a central London police station for his arrest and was released on conditional bail a few hours later after providing a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds, assuring the court of abiding by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, such as the surrender of his passport and a ban on him possessing any travel documents. The first hearing in the case took place on June 13, when December 4 had been pencilled in as a tentative final hearing date. If the Chief Magistrate rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK home secretary must order Mallya's extradition within two months of the appropriate day. However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion. India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992 and in force since November 1993, under which recently a Bangladeshi wanted in the UK on murder charges was to be extradited from India. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 23-year-old Air India (AI) SATS employee was arrested for allegedly stealing a passenger's bag at the India Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here, the police said today. Arnab Ghosal, a customer service agent with the company for more than a year, was arrested on the basis of a complaint lodged by AI SATS assistant manager (security) Satish Kumar on September 11, DCP (IGI Airport) Sanjay Bhatia said. Air India SATS is the ground service handling arm of Air India. Bhatia said that a case was registered after one of the nine bags, which were put under custom clearance, was missing. "During analysis of the CCTV footage, the suspected person was identified as Ghosal and he was carrying the stolen bag. On September 12, a raid was conducted in Mahipalpur area," he said. Bhatia said that Ghosal was apprehended and interrogated during which he had confessed to the crime. The stolen bag was recovered from his rented accommodation. "One more bag was also found from his room and on questioning, he said he had stolen it earlier. The bags have been seized," the DCP said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An international arbitration panel has directed appointment of experts to determine a fair value of the joint venture between McDonald's India and Vikram Bakshi so that the US fast food chain can buy out its estranged partner. The partners had resorted to arbitration after McDonald's in November 2013 issued a notice to terminate partnership with Bakshi for setting up and operating its popular fast food outlets in northern and eastern India. A three-member arbitration tribunal on September 12 directed determination of a fair market value and purchase price of share of Vikram Bakshi and Bakshi Holding Pvt Ltd in Connaught Plaza Restaurants Ltd (CPRL) for transfer to joint venture partner McDonald's India Pvt Lt (MIPL), persons familiar with the order said. The value so determined will be placed before the tribunal, which asked Bakshi to provide necessary cooperation and assistance in such determination, they said. McDonald's appointed London-based judge Ian Hunter on the panel while Bakshi had appointed Justice Vikramajit Sen. Albert Jan Van Den Berg was the chairman of the tribunal. Sen did not sign the award, the persons said, adding that the 2:1 majority award asked Bakshi and the holding firm not to exercise any voting rights in the 1,45,600 shares held by them in CPRL. The international arbitration tribunal in London has also rejected Bakshi's claim that McDonald's India did not validly terminate the JV. CPRL, a JV between Bakshi and MIPL, the Indian subsidiary of McDonald's Corporation, operates 169 McDonald's restaurants in north and east India. Of these, 43 outlets operating in Delhi are shut due to non-renewal of eating house licences. As part of the licence termination, CPRL was asked to stop using McDonald's name, system, trademark, designs and its associated intellectual property, among others, with effect from September 6. The LCIA (London Court of International Arbitration) also noted that all shares held by Bakshi are liable to be transferred and registered in McDonald's India upon payment of price determined in accordance with the methodology set out by the JV agreement, according to the persons in the know. The arbitrator appointed by McDonald's and the chairman, who was selected jointly by both the parties, have ruled in favour of McDonald's India while Bakshi's nominee had a dissenting opinion, they added. The LCIA has also rejected Bakshi's relief seeking a declaration that the JV agreement remains in force and effect, they said. It has also asked Bakshi to cooperate with McDonald's in obtaining all approvals under the applicable law. A McDonald's spokesperson had yesterday said: "We are pleased with the decision by the tribunal in what has been a protracted legal dispute with a former partner. Our intention now is to take the appropriate steps to enforce the award, which we believe is right for the business and our customers." However, comments from Bakshi could not be ascertained at the time of filing of this story. Bakshi has been at loggerheads with McDonald's since 2013. He had approached the NCLT -- previously Company Law Board -- after McDonald's removed him from the post of MD of CPRL in 2013. In July this year, the tribunal restored him to his position. It was challenged by McDonald's in the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) where the appeal is pending. Simultaneously, Bakshi also challenged the termination of franchise licence by McDonald's at the NCLAT, but was refused any interim relief. Both the appeals filed by the parties are listed for hearing on September 21. Except the 43 outlets in the national capital that were shut in June due to non-renewal of eating house licences, the remaining ones continue to operate. Earlier, Bakshi had on August 30 requested the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) to direct the buy-out of shares of either of his side or MIPL in CPRL at fair market value. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is "very disturbed" at the casualties resulting from border skirmishes and is doing her best to ensure people do not have to suffer from ceasefire violations, a senior PDP leader said today. The remarks from Minister for Rural Development Abdul Haq Khan came a day after five persons, including two BSF jawans, were injured in firing and shelling by Pakistani troops in violation of ceasefire along the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting forces here to retaliate. "Chief Minister is very disturbed at casualties resulting from border skirmishes and is doing her best to see that people do not suffer any more from Indo-Pak confrontation", Khan said while addressing a public rally in Rajouri. Haq said he was satisfied that the local administration was doing its best to provide relief to people affected due to firing along the LoC by Pakistani troops. PDP Vice President Mohmmad Sartaj Madni said that Mehbooba was taking personal interest in addressing the important issues, including peace at borders. He said it was an emotional issues and termed it a backlog of partition. Madni said thatthe Pir Panchal region had played a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of Jammu and Kashmir and thesacrifices offered by the people for integrity and mutual brotherhood remaina valuableassetwhich futuregenerations can take pride in. Madani said despite the sufferings arising from partition and confrontation between India and Pakistan, people have shown tremendous resilience to defeat communal politics. He said the hard work of the people of Rajouri and theirnomadic ethos enriched the state's economy and civilization. Madani said former Chief Minister Mufti Mohmmad Syed had love for the region and remained wedded to its development and progress all his life. He said establishing Baba Gulam Shah University was Syed'scherished dream accomplished to lift the region at social andeducational level. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched his ambitious today, insisting it would bring "convenience and safety, employment and speed", he was bombarded with criticism by friends and foes alike. The main opposition Congress called the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed train an "election bullet train" project launched with an eye on the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls, BJP's ally Shiv Sena said it might be a dream project of Modi but not for the common man. "It's not the time to move forward slowly as time doesn't wait. The bullet train will bring in convenience and safety, employment and speed," he said as he launched the Rs 1.10 lakh crore venture with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Ahmedabad. However, ally Shiv Sena was far from impressed. "We are getting a bullet train without asking for it. We do not know exactly which problem will this problem solve," the Sena said in an editorial in the party's mouthpiece 'Saamana'. Pandit (Jawaharlal) Nehru laid the foundation of several projects, from Bhakra Nangal to Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, to ensure the country advances in technology and science. All these projects were needed for the nation, it said. "Does this bullet train fit into the needs of the country?" it asked and raked up the issue of agrarian distress in some states. It said the demand for waiver of farm loans was being made for the last several years and that nobody sought a bullet train. "The demand for loan waiver of farmers was being made for the last several years. Nobody sought a bullet train. Modi's dream is not of the common man but of the rich and industrialists," the Sena, which shares power with BJP both in Maharashtra and at the Centre, said. The opposition Congress, too, mounted a scalding offensive against Modi, saying the launch of the venture ahead of the Gujarat election followed a pattern of the prime minister announcing economic packages and projects before state polls. Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi government of "completely abdicating" its responsibility towards the safety of passengers. He also claimed that the project was conceptualised by the previous UPA government. "It is a matter of deep concern that while the prime minister once again adopted a UPA (government) project, it took him three-and-a-half years to come to this stage of laying the foundation stone. It is only timed with the Gujarat elections in mind...This is nothing but a 'chunavi bullet train'," Kharge told reporters in New Delhi. He claimed the government had allocated only five per cent of the Rs 1.1 lakh crore required for railway safety despite "horrific" train accidents taking place in the last couple of years. Congress spokesperson RPN Singh alleged that the BJP government was ignoring railway safety even though 259 passengers have been killed and 973 injured in 29 major railway accidents since the Modi dispensation assumed office. "They (the government) is unable to set right the faults which are causing ordinary trains to jump the tracks. Imagine what would happen if a bullet train gets off the rails," another Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said. However, Abe lauded Modi for being a "farsighted" leader in thinking of bringing the high-speed train to India. "My good friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a farsighted leader. He took a decision two years ago to bring a high-speed train in India and to create a new India," he said. In his speech after the launch of the project, Modi took on those who were criticising him over it. "When earlier I talked about bringing bullet train, they (opposition) used to say when will it be done. Now that we are bringing it, they are asking why," he said. "Our stress is now on high-speed connectivity which will improve speed, reduce distance and ensure economic progress," he added. He termed as a "big gift" from "friend" Japan the project, which when completed, would see the train covering the distance of 500 km between the two cities in less than three hours instead of the usual seven now. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court today refused to stay the tunnelling work for the proposed Metro III line along the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz route. The court, however, said that it will consult specialists from the IIT-Bombay over examining the effect of such tunnelling and drilling work on the foundation of the several heritage buildings in South Mumbai. A bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice N M Jamdar was hearing a petition filed against the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the Maharashtra government and the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) by the trustees of the J N Petit Institute that is housed in a 119-year-old heritage building on D N Road. The petition, filed through advocate Fredun De'Vitre, seeks a stay on the ongoing work at the proposed Hutatma Chowk metro rail station along line III on the ground that the work was causing damage to the old buildings, including several heritage structures in the area. According to the petitioners, on August 25, a heavy limestone finial adorning a portion of the JN Petit building's ceiling had fallen down due to the constant vibrations from the ongoing tunnelling work for the metro. The petitioners told the court today that while they were not opposed to the metro work, it must be halted at least till a "comprehensive survey of all buildings in Fort area is conducted by an independent structural engineer". "The court can direct any capable structural engineering firm or conservation architect to conduct a survey on the condition of these buildings and the effect that the metro work will have on the foundation of these buildings," advocate De'Vitre said. The petitioners also argued that while the metro authorities claimed that these vibrations reaching the buildings were within the prescribed limits of 5 mm per sec, "in reality, the vibrations emanating from the metro work were up to 20 mm per second". At this, Chellur said while the court could not stop the metro work altogether, she will consult specialists from the IIT-Bombay, who are scheduled to visit the HC this evening. "We have entrusted the survey of the high court building to IIT-Bombay. We can ask them to conduct this survey. Or, if they have their hands full, then they can suggest some other specialist," Justice Chellur said. "We are concerned about the safety of the citizens. But, stopping the work altogether is no solution since the metro is meant for the welfare of the people," she said. "The MMRDA and Mumbai Metro should also not oppose such a survey. Let us not go by our egos. All parties should accept this with an open mind," Justice Chellur said. Meanwhile, while hearing another petition opposing the Metro work, this one on the ground of "indiscriminate felling of trees," Justice Chellur granted permission to the MMRDA to cut 216 trees along the stretch between Andheri (East) and Dahisar (East) to make way for the Metro 7 line. She, however, directed the court-appointed grievance redressal committee to look into the apprehensions of the petitioner, Zoru Bhatena, over the felling of such trees. Bhatena had argued that while about "1,000 trees were to be felled along the above stretch for Metro 7 line, the authorities had failed to identify these trees." "Instead, they are recklessly felling whichever tree they feel like," Bhatena said. The High Court, however, said that the public must let the administration do its work. "If the public sits on the administration's head for everything, no work will be done. There is a specific committee to look into all tree felling complaints. Take your apprehensions to them," Justice Chellur said. "However, if you feel that there is any arbitrariness in the administration's exercise of power, then you are welcome to approach the court," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Days ahead of the inauguration of the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat, a group of activists and labourers today protested in the national capital alleging that 40,000 affected families are yet to rehabilitated. Members of NGOs like the Medha Patkar-led National Alliance of People's movements (NAPM), All India Union of Forest Working People, Khudai Khidmatgar, and other support groups, along with several workers, mostly women, demonstrated in front of the Shram Shakti Bhawan, which houses the Ministry of Water Resources. "We have prepared a memorandum addressed to the Union Water Minister Nitin Gadkari and our colleagues have gone to his office to submit it," a NAPM member said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to inaugurate the newly-constructed gates of ambitious Narmada Dam on September 17 on his birthday. The new gates raise the height of the dam to 138.68 metres. The Narmada Control Authority in June granted permission to the state government to close the gates, which will raise water level in the Sardar Sarovar reservoir, after being convinced that rehabilitation of the people displaced due to the project was complete. "We right to you (Gadkari) with deepest concern an appeal to your conscience to save the life and livelihood of lakhs of people in the Narmada Valley. We strongly condemn the unprecedented closure of the Sardar Sarovar Dam gates while there are more than 40,000 families yet to be rehabilitated," says the memorandum. "Even with closure of dam gates, without the construction of Narmada canals, water cannot reach to the intended beneficiaries for irrigation and drinking purposes," it claims. The protesters held placards and shouted slogans, demanding rehabilitation for the affected families. Veteran CPI(M) leader and former MP, Hannan Mollah, also joined the protest and expressed his concern about the inundation that will follow the closure of the dam gates. "People who are affected by the project must be rehabilitated properly," he said. Assembly elections are due in Gujarat by year-end. Ahead of Modi's visit, the state will organise Narmada Mahotsav Yatra from September 6 to September 15. "The Narmada Mahotsav can only be celebrated by the people of the Narmada Valley when dam gates are are set open, allowing the water level to recede till the rehabilitation of the 40,000 families is done," the memorandum says. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition National Conference said today it willnot allow "some forces" to succeed in their "nefarious designs" to trifurcate Jammu and Kashmir, as the party pitched for autonomy of the three regions of the state. "We proposed greater autonomy as a road-map for a solution to the Kashmir imbroglio and regional autonomy for Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh. While the greater autonomy document is alive with Centre, the regional autonomy report prepared by Balraj Puri committee in 1996 is lying with the state government," said Devender Singh Rana, National Conference's (NC) provincial president. "We understand that in the prevailing situation, the model of regional autonomy should be implemented forthwith which will pave way for political and economic empowerment of the people of all the three regions of the state," Rana told reporters here. He said people of all the three regions were of the opinion that they were being discriminated and disempowered and were not getting equal rights. Rana alleged that the development in the state since the formation of the PDP-BJP government had relegated to almost zero because of the "governance deficit". "There is no governance in the state. This (regional autonomy) is the model which we feel is a way forward," Rana said, adding he had recently discussed the concept with visiting Home Minister Rajnath Singh and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led policy and planning group of Congress. He said National Conference stands on its demand for restoration of greater autonomy of the state within the Constitution of India. "This is the only document passed by the state legislature in 2000 and is alive with the centre though kept in cold storage. The government should study the document and if there is any better solution than the proposed autonomy, we are ready to accept it if it is acceptable to all the stakeholders in the state," he said. Without identifying anyone but apparently referring to right wing groups, the NC leader said "some forces in Jammu and Kashmirwant trifurcation of the state". "National Conference has always worked and upheld the unity of the state and strongly believes in unity in diversity. Jammu and Kashmir is like a bouquet with different flowers and should be maintained like that," he said, adding that his party will not allow trifurcation of the state. "The forces are highlighting discrimination to raise passions and National Conference believes that implementation of regional autonomy will defeat the nefarious designs of such people," he said, adding regional autonomy would address the aspirations of the people of all the three regions collectively and separately. He also talked about sub-regional aspirations and said administrative units like Leh and Kargil autonomous hill development councils should be created in all the districts for overall development of the state. "The single administration concept of NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah should be strengthened to take the state to new heights of development," he said. Reiterating his party's stand on Article 35A of the Constitution, Rana said "we will fight for every state subject of the state, irrespective of creed, colour, cast and religion". Describing the refugees who have come from Pakistan- occupied Kashmir as the "state subjects" of the state, Rana said Omar Abdullah led National Conference government had submitted a proposal of Rs 9,025 crore package for their one- time settlement. "This government (NDA) announced a package of Rs 2,000 crore but it is not being implemented. The time will come when we get the package we have conceived because this government is at its last legs and rejected by the people," he said. On the issue of Rohingya, he said they are foreign nationals and his party would not intervene if the Centre deports them from here. "They were settled here by Congress led government and if the NDA led government at the Centre wants them to deport, we will not intervene and will support any decision on them," he said. However, we will fight for the rights of every state subject and Rohingyas are not the state subjects of the state, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Green Tribunal has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to protect the flora and fauna in Greater Noida's Dadri wetlands and ensure that there is no encroachment in the eco-sensitive area. Refusing to cancel the environment clearance granted to Uttam Steels and Associates (Consortium) and the Shiv Nadar University, the green panel directed both to preserve the existing low-lying land in the area. "We direct that the area which are low-lying, should be protected by Respondent No 5 (Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority), 6 (Uttam Steels) and 7 (University). UP government should also give an undertaking for preservation of the habitat of the aquatic flora and fauna. "It should be strictly ensured that no encroachment takes place. Both these institutions need to be saddled with the responsibility of preserving the low-lying area in perpetuity, while running their institutions, so that the avian habitat is preserved for good," the bench said. The tribunal refused to agree with the claim by the petitioners that two of their buildings were located on wetlands as the area is not declared as a wetland as per the rules by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF). It noted that the UP government had acquired this land in 2006-07 and allocated it through UPSIDC for construction of the Hi-Tech University and Shiv Nadar University and there was no justification to seek withdrawal of the environment clearance granted to these entities. The NGT directed the forest department of UP to carry out suitable afforestation in the marshy areas of the region and ordered setting up of a monitoring committee by the state government to ensure compliance of environmental norms in the Dadri area to prevent any further encroachment. "No domestic sewage should be permitted to flow into the water bodies and any domestic sewage flowing into the Beels should be diverted into the sewerage network or trapped by constructing individual septic tanks by the households, the township and the University, as the case may be. This shall be enforced in consultation with the UP Jal Nigam. Both M/s HiTech Township and Shiv Nadar University will give an undertaking to this effect," it said. The judgement was pronounced on the plea of two environment activists Akash Vashishtha and Vikrant Tongad who had alleged that the Dadri wetlands are being destroyed due to activity of builders and others. The wetlands, also called as Bil Akbarpur wildlife habitat, is home to the protected black buck species, Nilgai and over 200 species of migratory and resident birds. In their petition, they had accused the government of inaction and "dragging their feet" in the matter and not doing anything to prevent the "massive damage to these wetlands" caused by the builders. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The police have arrested a 31-year-old Nigerian national for allegedly duping a woman of Rs 1.57 lakh after posting a fake profile on a matrimonial site. Last month, the man posed as an Indian and posted the fake profile on the matrimonial site. The woman, who was looking for a suitable match, interacted with him online, the city police said in a release issued here today. The man gradually gained confidence of the woman by chatting with her and some days later called her up saying he had arrived at the airport in New Delhi. He told the woman that since he carried excess luggage, he needed to pay for it in the Indian currency to the customs officials. He then sought money from her to pay for the excess luggage, the police said. The woman, not suspecting anything amiss, allegedly transferred Rs 1.57 lakh into the account number provided by the man. However, later she could not contact the man and realised that he had duped her, the police said. Subsequently, she filed a complaint with the Wagle Estate police who registered an offence under IPC section 320 (cheating). The cyber unit of the Thane police's crime branch probed the offence, and after gathering details about the man from the matrimonial site, the sleuths went to New Delhi and arrested the Nigerian from there on September 11. The police also seized a laptop, five mobile phones, a modem, three SIM cards, two ATM cards of different banks, three passports and Rs 66,000 cash from an apartment where the man was staying in the national capital. The police said the investigation conducted so far in the case revealed that the man cheated two more women in the same manner. The police brought to accused to Thane and yesterday produced him before a magistrate who remanded him in police custody till September 18, the release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ten days after the cold-blooded murder of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, the SIT probing the case is yet to get any clear lead into the killing that had sparked outrage across the country. The Karnataka government today said it does not want to share any details pertaining to the killing of the journalist, who was gunned down at her residence by unidentified assailants on September 5 night. "Right now, we don't want to share anything with the media. We don't want to discuss the FSL report, for now," Home Minister Ramlinga Reddy told reporters here. There were reports that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) would today receive the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report that would, among other things, also indicate the type of weapon used in the crime. The SIT has said that it was also looking into whether any right-wing organisation was involved or was it the handiwork of naxals, who were unhappy with the efforts of Gauri to bring them into the mainstream. The journalist's brother Indrajit Lankesh was questioned by the SIT yesterday, based on a complaint filed by Gauri in 2005 accusing him of threatening her with a gun over a property dispute. Indrajit had earlier said, "Every angle has to be probed whether it is right-wing extremists or naxalites... It has to be probed as Gauri was rehabilitating naxals..." A 21-member SIT headed by IGP (Intelligence) B K Singh is probing the case and the state government has also announced a Rs 10 lakh reward to anyoneproviding clues about the killing. Some intellectuals have also said that they would move the Supreme Court if the SIT failed to crack the case quickly. Noted writer and thinker Dr K Marulasiddappa on September 10 had demanded that the case should be probed by a Supreme Court-monitored special investigation team so that the investigation is free of political influence. Civil rights activists have been expressing concern that the incident should not meet the fate of the M M Kalburgi murder case. The rationalist was shot dead at his residence in Dharwad in August 2015. Reddy yesterday had dismissed as "mere speculations" reports about the modus operandi of the assailants and that the same type of weapon used to kill Kalburgi was used to murder 55-year-old Gauri also. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia's Kaspersky Lab, which faces US allegations of having links with Russian intelligence agencies, today said it does not have "inappropriate ties" with any government nor has it helped anyone with cyber espionage. The US has asked federal agencies to stop using Kaspersky software on concerns of possible ties between the company's officials, the Kremlin and Russian intelligence services, which it said could potentially risk US national security. The move comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and the US over allegations of Moscow interfering in last year's US presidential election. US-based electronics retailer Best Buy has reportedly said it will no longer sell software made by the Russian company. "Given that Kaspersky Lab doesn't have inappropriate ties with any government, the company is disappointed with the decision by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS)," the company's Chief Executive Eugene Kaspersky said in a statement. He added that the company will provide additional information to the agency in order to confirm that these allegations are completely unfounded. "No credible evidence has been presented publicly by anyone or any organisation as the accusations are based on false allegations and inaccurate assumptions, including the claims about Russian regulations and policies impacting the company," he said. Kaspersky, whose security solutions are also available in India, said over 85 per cent of its revenue comes from outside of Russia. This further demonstrates that working inappropriately with any government would be detrimental to the company's bottom line, it highlighted. "Kaspersky Lab has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage or offensive cyber efforts and it's disconcerting that a private company can be considered guilty until proven innocent, due to geopolitical issues," it said. It added that a deeper examination will substantiate that "these allegations are without merit". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), the nodal agency for central government's advertisements, has suspended over 20 newspapers from its panel for a two-month period for publishing "paid" news, according to an advisory issued by it. Around 30 more newspapers, which were not on the panel, would also not be allowed to get empanelled during the period, the advisory said. This means these publications will not receive any central government advertisement for this period. The development comes in the wake of the Press Council of India (PCI) censuring 52 newspapers for various reasons, mostly for publishing "paid" . "The publications, which are already on the panel, have been suspended for two months -- from September 13, 2017 to November 12, 2017," DAVP Director R C Joshi said in the advisory. He added that it had also been decided by the Director General, DAVP that the publications, which were not on the panel and had been censured by the PCI, would not be empanelled or re-empanelled for the period. Of the 52 newspapers, 37 were censured by the PCI for publishing "paid" news, three were censured for breach of journalistic norms, including one for publishing "obscene" photographs. Two publications were censured for "casting severe insinuation against the complainant and no justification for publication of impugned item", while one newspaper each was pulled up for "irresponsible and an act of mala fide reporting", "inaccurate and disrespectful reports" and "publishing false and concocted impugned news item" respectively. One newspaper each was censured for publishing a "false news item with an intention to blackmail", "demanding money for publishing advertisement without authorisation" and "aggrieved by a news item and newspaper not admitting the mistake" respectively. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan today expressed concern over the sale of 22 Guardian drones to India by the US and said it would result in strategic imbalance in the region. Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Nafees Zakaria, during his weekly media briefing, highlighted that during India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US in June, a major deal for sale of Guardian unmanned aerial vehicles (submarine drones) was finalised. "We had expressed our concerns on the sale of advanced military technologies to India. We believe that such sales accentuate military imbalances in the region and undermine strategic stability in South Asia," Zakaria said. He said it emboldens India to adopt aggressive military doctrines and even contemplate military adventurism. "Transfers of modern military hardware and technologies as well as repeated exceptions made for India have dis- incentivised India to engage in efforts to establish a strategic restraint regime and durable security architecture in the region," he said. To a question about a senior Indian military official calling the Line of Control (LoC) as an "imaginary line" which India could cross any time for surgical strikes, Zakaria said that Indian Army often makes false claims in order to gain popularity among the Indian public and media which reflects the long prevailing Indian mindset. "Pakistan, on the other hand, has encouraged peaceful engagement with India and emphasised confidence building measures. However, our good gestures have not been reciprocated by India," he added. The US in June cleared the sale of 22 predator drones to India in a deal estimated to be worth USD 2 to 3 billion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan is "reassessing" ties with the US, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan has said and accused Washington of ignoring the "threats" to his country from India. Khan's remarks came amidst tension in ties between the US and Pakistan after President Donald Trump accused the country of providing safe havens to terrorists. Khan said on Wednesday that it was not possible for Pakistan to satisfy the US, Dawn reported. "We are here to give our point of view logically and with evidence. We will explain our position. But it's not for us to satisfy them," he told the media. The government, he said, was "reassessing ties with the US", and has simultaneously undertaken a regional outreach ahead of talks with Americans on future bilateral engagement. Khan said the two countries needed a frank and candid dialogue on the issues concerning them, as differences between them would reflect in Afghanistan and other regional issues. The defence minister expressed discontent that the US did not share Pakistan's threat perception about India. He also claimed that a nexus existed between the US, India and Afghanistan that was threatening Pakistan. "The US knows all, but ignores the threats faced by us because of its strategic interests." He said Pakistan would keep raising concerns about India in future engagements with the US. "The United States cannot ignore the threat to us from India. It is [a] serious [situation]," he underscored, adding that it would be major challenge for the Pakistani side to get it acknowledged in the upcoming talks. Khan said the other challenge for Pakistan was the fact that the US "keeps changing the goalposts". Pakistan, he said, would advise the US that intensifying kinetic operations (lethal or offensive combat missions) in Afghanistan would not work and the only way forward lay in a politically negotiated settlement of the conflict. Dawn reported that Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif would accompanying Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to the UN General Assembly session in New York next week and is expected to use the opportunity to visit Washington for a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Asif's meeting with Tillerson was originally scheduled for mid-August, but was postponed on Pakistan's request after Trump's policy statement on Afghanistan and South Asia. Asif is currently visiting several countries to garner support for Pakistan's point of view regarding Afghanistan. A Pakistani man with links to a US-designated terrorist group is among four politicians running for a seat in parliament vacated by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after he was disqualified from holding office under a recent court order. Sheikh Yaqub today was seen addressing an election rally ahead of this weekend's election in Lahore. Yaqub has little chance of success given that Kulsoom Nawaz, Sharif's wife, is expected to easily win Sunday's vote. Yaqub's supporters have displayed posters, showing him with Hafiz Saeed, the founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group. Saeed has a USD 10 million US bounty on his head for his alleged involvement in the killing of more than 160 people in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Thane Crime Branch has arrested five more persons, including a technician from Odisha, in connection with the petrol pilferage racket that came to light in June this year, a senior official said today. According to the official, with these arrests in the last couple of days, the number of people arrested in the case has gone up to 29. The official also informed that total 176 petrol pumps in Maharashtra and two in Odisha have been raided in this connection so far. "So far as many as 29 persons-- five petrol pump owners, six managers, seven private technicians, eight official technicians, one former software engineer, one IC manufacturer and one agent-- have been arrested," senior police inspector of Thane Crime Branch, Unit-I, Nitin Thackeray said. He said, the five accused arrested in the last couple of days were identified as Vinod Ahire, a technician from Raigad district, Jaydas Tare, owner of Samartha Kripa petrol pump in Raigad, Sanjaykumar Sarjuprasad Yadav, Sai Katai petrol pump dealer in Kalyan, Balaram Gaikwad of owner Sadguru petrol pump at Hajimalang in Kalyan and Dambrudhar Mohanto, a technician from Odisha. According to Thackeray, as part of the investigation, raids were conducted at as many as 176 petrol pumps in 21 districts of Maharashtra-- Thane, Mumbai, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Nashik, Pune, Satara, Dhule, Jalgaon, Aurangabad, Nagpur, Chandrapur, Yavatmal, Amravati, Kolhapur, Sangli, Palghar, Ahmednagar, Solapur, Osmanabad and Latur. Besides, two petrol pumps in Odisha were also raided as part of the probe. "The raids were conducted at 87 Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) pumps, 69 Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) pumps, 14 Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) pumps and eight ESSAR ones," he said. Thackeray said in June, a complaint about petrol pilferage racket operating in Maharashtra had been filed at Manpada police station in Thane and the Crime Branch had taken up the investigation. "As part of the probe, police conducted raids and found that the calibration of the dispensers in the pump was tampered with, which ensured that the quantity of petrol dispensed would be a little less than what the display panel on the machine showed," he said. The accused changed the programme in the ICs (integrated circuits) placed in the dispensers by tampering with the pulsar cards, mother boards, control cards and key pads, and ensured dispensing of less fuel from the dispensers to the customers, the official added. The accused have been booked under different IPC sections, including section 265 (fraudulent use of false weight or measure), 267 (making or selling false weight or measure), 420 (cheating), 465 (forgery), 471, 473 (Making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc, with intent to commit forgery), Thackeray said. They have also been booked under Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Regulation of Supply and Distribution and Prevention of Malpractices) Order, 2005 and under different sections of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, he said. Further investigation into the case is on. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The probe into the alleged rape of a five-year-old girl in a school in Gandhi Nagar has been transferred to the Crime Branch, police today said. The development comes after the Delhi government wrote to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal in this regard yesterday. Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain had received complaints through Gandhi Nagar MLA Anil Bajpai about alleged "inaction" by the authorities concerned. The minister then wrote to Baijal demanding transfer of the case from local police to the Crime Branch for a fair and transparent probe. Baijal spoke to Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik yesterday. Subsequently, the case was transferred from Shahdara district police to the Crime Branch last night, an officer said on the condition of anonymity. The girl was allegedly raped by a peon on the premises of a private school in Shahdara here last week. The accused was arrested the same day. A senior officer of the Crime Branch said the unit will probe whether there were lapses on the school's part. It will also probe the charge that a teacher asked the girl and her parents not to report the matter to police. The Delhi government had recently ordered a magisterial probe into the alleged rape of the girl. Following the rape incident, Patnaik had instructed all district deputy commissioners of police to ensure that schools in their areas have adequate security measures in place. The instructions had come amid increased concerns over the safety on school premises after the killing of a seven- year-old student in Gurugram's Ryan International School. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) here said today that there have been certain "procedural lapses" in cancellation of its FCRA license, preventing it from receiving foreign funds. The IIT Delhi is among several hundred organisations whose registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA) has been cancelled by the Home Ministry as they have failed to file their annual returns for five consecutive years. Senior officials at the institution said they were exempted from registration under the FCRA as it was set up through an Act of Parliament and is audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). "We have been filing our returns as per deadlines. There are certain procedural lapses in cancellation of the license and we will take up the issue with the Home Ministry," IIT Delhi Director V Ramgopal Rao told PTI. Rao said the institute was receiving foreign funding through two mechanisms. "There are two accounts, one in which we receive donations form alumni and second in which we receive project funding. While we sort out the issue of the project funding license, we can continue receiving funds from alumni," he added. "Under the FCRA norms, if an institute is set up through an Act of Parliament or a state legislature or if its accounts are audited by CAG it does not need to register under FCRA to accept foreign funding," IIT Delhi Registrar Sandeep Chaterjee said. "Even after the exemption, we have been filing all our returns traditionally hence the question of being a defaulter on the list does not arise," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sloganeering by students at a city college in February this year was not for an "uprising", a Delhi court said today while asking a lawyer not to escalate the controversy surrounding a clash between student groups. "Let us not escalate the 'vivaad' (controversy). It was not for any uprising," Metropolitan Magistrate Abhilash Malhotra said after advocate Vivek Garg argued that the police was delaying the probe despite its report confirming the presence of a large number of students who, he alleged, were raising anti-national slogans. The court also said it would have to see whether the incident related to freedom of expression. The court was hearing Garg's plea seeking a separate FIR into the alleged anti-national slogan-shouting by members of the All India Students' Association (AISA) and the Students Federation of India (SFI) at the Ramjas College in Delhi Unversity on February 21 this year. Commencing his arguments on sedition, the lawyer today claimed in the court that the offence was made out as hundreds of participants came under the leadership of teachers and shouted slogans "Kashmir maange azaadi, Bastar maange azaadi". The court, however, said "we have to see if this was a protest for freedom of expression. We need to consider what was the direct consequence leading to this situation. You are over-simplifying the argument." It also rejected the argument of the lawyer that it was a lapse on the part of the police and it was not investigating the matter. "We cannot say that delay by police was unnecessary as investigation in such cases takes time," the court said. Garg claimed that the students raised slogans not against any government but the nation. "It threatens the sovereignty and integrity of the country. After the incident, terrorist groups got motivated and it led to unrest in Kashmir," the lawyer argued. When he asked the investigating officer whether the slogans were raised or not, the court cautioned him that "this is not cross-examination." "It was an alleged incident. Why do you (Garg) need confirmation of the incident from the investigating officer. This is not cross-examination," the magistrate said. Garg then referred to the action taken report of the police and said 100 students of the SFI, with several from JNU and various colleges including Ramjas, raised slogans after the cancellation of the literary festival. The court posted the matter for further arguments on October 7. On the last date of hearing, the court had warned Garg against mixing this incident with the JNU case in which sedition charge were slapped against some students. The JNU incident of February 2016 had hogged the limelight after the arrest of its student leaders, including then JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar, while the Ramjas college case involved the raising of slogans and a clash between the students owing allegiance to the ABVP and Left organisations AISA and SFI. On February 21, members of RSS student wing ABVP had gathered outside the college and shouted slogans in protest against a seminar for which JNU students Umar Khalid and Shehla Rashid were invited. The ABVP members allegedly pelted stones, vandalised the venue and disrupted the seminar. The next day violent clashes had erupted between the Left and the ABVP students leaving several of them and three teachers injured. The court's remarks today were aimed at advocate Vivek Garg, who had raised the Ramjas college incident and sought a direction to the police to supply him a copy of the charge sheet filed in the JNU matter The court had on August 29 observed that sedition charges cannot be pressed on the basis of an unauthenticated and unreliable video, after it was shown a footage of alleged "anti-national" sloganeering held on February 21 this year at the Ramjas College here. The magistrate had said that the authenticity of the video was to be ascertained by the police. The plea, which sought registration of an FIR for alleged offences of sedition, criminal conspiracy, waging war against the State and defamation under the IPC, also demanded action against Delhi Police officials for not lodging the complaint. The police had on August 3 submitted an action taken report in the matter and said it was examining students and teachers to identify the culprits involved in the Ramjas College clashes that broke out between the ABVP and Left- affiliated student bodies. In the report, the police had said they had lodged an FIR at the Maurice Nagar police station on February 22 for the alleged offences or rioting and obstruction, causing hurt and assault to deter public servant from discharging duty However, the complaint had alleged that "anti-national slogans/activities were being carried out by leaders/students of AISA/SFI in Ramjas College, shamelessly and openly which supported India's enemy Pakistan. The criminal acts of accused were also boosting the morale of terrorists against our country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China today hoped that the growing ties between India and Japan would be conducive to the peace and stability and insisted that the countries in the region should work for partnership instead of forming an alliance. The comments by the Chinese Foreign Ministry came as New Delhi and Tokyo sought to firm up their close ties during Japanese Prime Minister Shizo Abe's visit to India. India and Japan inked 15 agreements to further broad-base their strategic partnership and agreed to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region where China is increasing its assertiveness. Asked about the growing Indo-Japan strategic partnership, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, "We advocate that regional countries should stand for dialogue without confrontation and work for partnership instead of alliance." Hua was replying to a question about Abe's visit to India. Hua, however, declined to comment on specific issue like Japan's plans to sell US-2 amphibious aircraft to India, saying she would like to wait till a detailed readout from the two countries following a meeting between Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Japan's plans to sell the amphibious aircraft to India raised eyebrows here as this is first such move by Tokyo to sell defence equipment to any country. China is also concerned about Japan getting the first bullet train project in India between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. China too is vying for high speed rail projects in India, specially the New Delhi-Chennai corridor. China and Japan also have a longstanding dispute over islands in the East China Sea. Chinese ties with Japan have also been strained by what Beijing see as Japanese leaders' reluctance to atone for the country's wartime past. Hua said China will "stay open and welcome normal development of relations between the countries in the region", as long as they are conducive to peace and stability in the region. "We hope that relations will be conducive to regional peace and stability and can play a constructive role in this regard," she said. Commenting on Abe's visit to India, Chinese think-tanks expressed concern over the "Freedom Corridor", as well as several joint infrastructure projects being launched by India and Japan together in different countries as strategic move by the two countries to counterbalance China's ambitious multi- billion Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The Indo-Japanese initiative, called the 'Freedom Corridor', stretching from Asia-Pacific to Africa, aims at stabilising the region. "The Freedom Corridor, designed to serve as a counterbalance to China's BRI is expected to figure prominently in talks between Abe and Modi," Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow at the Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences told state-run Global Times today. However, the Japanese-Indian initiative is just a beginning. It is unlikely to reach the same level as the BRI, Chu Yin, an associate professor at the University of International Relations said. The Chinese analysts also referred to report that India and Japan were embarking on multiple infrastructure projects across Africa, Iran, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia in what could be viewed as pushback against China's unilateral infrastructure initiatives connecting it with Europe and Africa. India boycotted the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) held this year due to its sovereignty concerns over the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. "Though India objects to CPEC, India's real reason is that it doesn't want to see China's influence in South Asia and refuses to open its domestic market to China," Ye Hailin, director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' National Institute of International Strategy, said. Also the Global Times tabloid, in an editorial titled 'India-Japan intimacy no threat to China' said "in a changing world, the India-Japan intimacy is more like a contrivance". It said Japan is unlikely to challenge China as it has strong bilateral trade relations with Beijing. "Under the international relations logic of the 21st century, closer India-Japan ties won't pose grave threats to China because many of their emotional moves to console each other won't produce any real effects in challenging China," it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Centre has approved a total investment of about Rs 11,000 crore under various programmes in the last three years to improve infrastructure and living conditions in urban areas of Punjab, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said today. The Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs said that central assistance of about Rs 4,000 crore has been approved for Punjab for implementation of new urban missions like - Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Smart City, Swachh Bharat, Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban). "This is likely to further increase as we go along," he said at a press conference here. This scale of investments was not provided for urban development in the past, he said. The minister stated that only 7,037 houses were sanctioned for urban poor in Punjab during the ten years between 2004 and 2014, while the Modi government has already sanctioned 42,497 houses for Punjab with an investment of Rs 1,182 crore. "There is substantial scope for more such investments since the demand for affordable housing in urban areas of the state is reported to be about 4 lakh houses," Puri said. To begin with, the central government is focusing on improving basic urban infrastructure related to water supply, sewerage and drainage networks, non-motorised transport, parks and open spaces, power supply, health and education facilities, sanitation, road infrastructure etc in urban areas with a population of above one lakh each. This is being done under Atal Mission and Smart City Mission, he said. The minister further said that 'Swachh Bharat Mission' and 'Housing for All mission' are being implemented in all the 4,041 statutory cities and towns of the country, including in Punjab. In Punjab, there are 163 such statutory cities and towns that have an elected local body. Of these, 16 cities and towns with a population of over one lakh each have been included in Atal Mission. These include Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Punjab which are included in Smart City Mission as well. These 16 cities and towns account for 60 per cent of urban population of Punjab. A substantial investment of Rs 9,471 crore has been approved for five years for these 16 cities for improving basic urban infrastructure. This comes to about Rs 16,270 per head and it will further increase when more and more housing projects get approved in due course, he added. Puri said, "For Amritsar, a total investment of Rs 3,754 crore has so far been approved under new urban missions. These include Rs 3,430 crore under Smart City Mission, Rs 247 crore under Atal Mission, Rs 77 crore for affordable housing and Rs 60 crore under HRIDAY scheme. This comes to Rs 30,300 per head which is quite substantial." "During the last three years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought about a radical change in the way we think and approach the Mission of 'Making Of a Developed India (MODI)'. This is based on a paradigm shift in our attitudes and strategies," Puri said. Puri said, "The purpose of my visit to Amritsar and Punjab is to assure the state government and the people of Punjab that the government of India will work shoulder to shoulder with the state government in the development of the state and particularly, in improving the state of affairs in cities and towns." The minister further said, "Atal Mission, Smart City Mission and the Housing for All Mission in urban areas were launched in June 2015 which is little over two years back. Thereafter, the then state government started working on converting approved action plans into specific projects for execution on ground. Then came the election time for the State Assembly. As a result, Punjab is lagging behind in providing necessary momentum for implementation of the new urban missions. "I would like to appeal to the state government and in particular to Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to focus on speedy execution of these important urban missions which would go a long way in making a difference to the quality of life in the cities and towns of the state," he said. Puri said that he was planning a detailed joint review soon with the chief minister, concerned ministers and senior officials of the state government to discuss progress of the schemes and further speedy execution. The minister began his visit to Amritsar with paying obeisance at the Golden Temple. He also visited the Jallianwala Bagh and paid tributes to the martyrs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The deputy head of Russia's prison service has been arrested and charged with embezzling some USD 2.8 million, investigators said today, the latest eye-catching graft case in the country. Oleg Korshunov is accused of syphoning off funds from a major state contract to supply fuel and food to prisons between 2015-2016, Russia's powerful Investigative Committee said. The official was detained yesterday by the FSB intelligence agency at his yacht club, TASS agency reported. Russia's prison system is often criticised by rights activists for poor conditions and abuses. Official graft is rampant in Russia and Korshunov is just the latest high-profile official to be arrested for allegedly stealing large sums. President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly pledged to crack down on the scourge, but despite occasional high-profile arrests critics accuse him of using his rule to enrich close friends and allies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. The Supreme Court today agreed to hear on Monday the plea of a man, whose 9-year-old son died last month allegedly under mysterious circumstances in a private school in Ghaziabad, seeking a CBI probe in the case. The plea has been filed amid an ongoing uproar over the death of a 7-year-old boy in the toilet of Ryan International School in Gurgaon who was found with his throat slit on September 8. The matter relating to the death of class IV student Arman Sehgal at G D Goenka Public School at Indirapuram in Ghaziabad district on August 1 was today mentioned before a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra. The bench, also comprising Justices Amitava Roy and A M Khanwilkar, said the plea would be heard on September 18. Gulshan Sehgal, father of the victim, has claimed in his plea that a probe by CBI or a special investigation team was required for a "thorough and fair investigation" as the school management has already "destroyed" evidence in the case. The plea said some members of the school management, including the chairman, director and principal, have moved the Allahabad High Court seeking quashing of the FIR and the court had granted them interim protection from arrest and directed that no coercive action should be taken against them. It has also sought a stay against the interim orders of the high court issued on August 11 and September 6. "The high court failed to appreciate the fact that the police officials reached the scene of crime almost four hours late and by that time the school authorities had destroyed and tampered with crucial evidence," the petition, filed through advocate Gurmeet Singh, said. It also alleged that the Uttar Pradesh Police had not probed the case properly due to which the school authorities had tampered with the scene of crime and removed all evidence. "The high court failed to appreciate the fact that the expert opinion suggests that the cause of death cannot be from a fall on the corridor and to the contrary, the expert opinion suggests that the injuries caused should be from a fall of atleast 20 feet height," the plea said. It also alleged that CCTV footage of the school was not kept according to the rules and certain videos were deleted from the record. The petitioner said even after 45 days of the incident, he does not know the reason and circumstances under which his son died. He said on August 1, they had received a call from the school that his son had fallen in the corridor and was being taken to a hospital. But when he reached the hospital, they were told that the boy was declared 'brought dead'. "The respondents deliberately and with criminal intent of mind, wiped away and caused to disappear all evidence pertaining to the occurrence. In this connection, it is submitted that the CCTV cameras were removed and so was the recording of the cameras," the plea alleged. "The post mortem report of the deceased clearly indicates fracture of the base of skull and fracture of the nasal bone," it said, adding that these injuries cannot be possibly caused by a fall in the corridor. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Scarlett Johansson and Romain Dauriac have finalised their divorce and settled their custody battle over three-year-old daughter, Rose. The 32-year-old actor filed for divorce from the French journalist in March this year after marrying in 2014, and have now reached an agreement on both the terms of their divorce, and the custody of their daughter. According to New York Post's Page Six column, the former couple submitted a sealed settlement to Manhattan Supreme Court on September 12, which detailed the terms of their separation. And in a joint statement after the document was delivered, Scarlett and Romain confirmed they would now be working on successfully co-parenting their tot. The statement read, "We remain close friends and co- parents with a shared commitment to raising our daughter in a loving and compassionate environment." Terms of the settlement and custody agreement are unknown as of the time of writing, but when the "Ghost In The Shell" actor filed for divorce, she asked for sole custody of Rose. Romain, 35, later "implored" his former wife to try to re-negotiate the terms of her custody filing. He said in March, "I would implore her to withdraw her action promptly and go back, as uncomfortable as it might be, to the negotiating table. We are the parents of a lovely daughter whom we will continue to co-parent for many years and share her joys and sorrows as only a parent can." However, it is unlikely the terms of their agreement will ever be made public, as the "Lucy" star previously insisted she will not comment on her marriage, out of respect to her daughter. "As a devoted mother and private person and with complete awareness that my daughter will one day be old enough to read the about herself, I would only like to say that I will never, ever be commenting on the dissolution of my marriage," she had said. "Out of respect for my desires as a parent and out of respect for all working moms, it is with kindness that I ask other parties involved and the media to do the same. Thank you. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bombay High Court today rejected the anticipatory bail pleas of three trustees of Ryan International Group in connection with the murder of a boy in its Gurgaon school, but granted them interim protection from arrest till tomorrow evening. Justice Ajey Gadkari also directed the applicants -- group's CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents Augustine Pinto, founding chairman, and Grace Pinto, the group's managing director -- to submit their passports to the Mumbai police commissioner by tonight or the interim protection will be withdrawn. The court granted interim protection till tomorrow so that the Pintos could approach "higher court", said their lawyer. The Pintos, who are based in Mumbai, approached the high court here as they apprehended arrest in the case after the school was accused of negligence. The lawyers of Barun Thakur, the father of seven-year-old Pradhuman who was murdered in a toilet of a school run by the Ryan group in Gurgaon, Haryana, and the Maharashtra government today vehemently opposed Pintos' applications. Thakur's lawyer voiced apprehension that the Pintos might try to flee or even tamper with evidence. "The applications filed by the three stand rejected. The interim relief granted to them earlier shall continue till tomorrow 5 pm. The applicants have to submit their passports to the commissioner by 9 pm today. If they fail to do so then the interim protection shall stand vacated," the court said. They sought protection from arrest till they could approach the appropriate court in Haryana. "Transit bail should not be granted in such cases where the offence is of serious nature," additional public prosecutor Aruna Kamat Pai said. She also cited a judgement of a full bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court which says that anticipatory bail pleas should be considered only by the courts which have "territorial jurisdiction". Thakur's lawyer Sushil Tekriwal expressed apprehension that if granted bail, the Pintos may flee. Thakur had filed an intervening application opposing the Pintos' pleas. "The applicants are influential people in the (Ryan) group.... There are already allegations that the crime scene has been wiped clean. If they are granted bail they would tamper with evidence or try to influence witnesses," he said. "Let them approach the high court of Punjab and Haryana and seek anticipatory bail," Tekriwal said. Pintos' counsel Niteen Pradhan said his clients have full sympathy for the victim's family, and were ready to cooperate fully with the police. "No doubt the incident of murder is disturbing. The applicants are only seeking protection from arrest so that they can approach the court concerned where (under whose jurisdiction) the offence is registered. The applicants are ready to cooperate with the probe," Pradhan said. The Haryana Police, which visited the group's office in Kandivali in Mumbai two days ago, gave the Pintos a five-page questionnaire and demanded "all kinds of documents", Pradhan said. "It will take them some time to find the documents and submit them," he added. Justice Gadkari said he would pass a detailed order giving reasons for rejecting the pre-arrest bail pleas later. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Patna district administration today held a meeting with principals of over 150 schools and directed them to maintain high security standards. District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Aggarwal ordered closure of two schools for not installing CCTV cameras despite an earlier instruction. "Instructions for reopening the two schools would be given only after they install CCTV cameras as directed earlier," it said. The district magistrate formed four teams would carry out "surprise" inspections of schools to ascertain whether their authorities are abiding by security instructions like installation of CCTV cameras, installation of GPS in school buses and proper boundary wall around the school building. He also directed the schools to put up a suggestion box within 15 days for parents to give advise. The key of the suggestion box should be with the principal and videography be done while opening it on a regular basis, he said. Besides a committee should be constituted under POSCO Act in every school and awareness session should be organised for students on security among others. "Special classes should be held to make girl students aware about good touch and bad touch," the DM said. The schools should provide necessary information to parents through SMS and they should keep updating the school website to keep them abreast with happenings in the school, the statement added. The steps follow the brutal killing of a seven-year-old student at Ryan International School at Gurugram last week. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP chief Amit Shah today met the party's core group leaders from Bihar, in the first such meeting held after it allied with the JD(U) and joined the Nitish Kumar-led government. Sources said Shah asked the state leaders to work to ensure that government schemes reach their target beneficiaries. BJP ministers in the state government should meet the public at the party's office in Patna on Mondays and Tuesdays, he is learnt to have told them. "The meeting focussed on issues related to the party organisation as well as the government. Shah also stressed on the need to strengthen the party further in the state," Shah said. Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, state BJP chief Nityanand Rai, former state chiefs Mangal Pandey, Nand Kishore Yadav, several Union ministers from the state, Radha Mohan Singh, Giriraj Singh and Ashwini Choubey among others, attended the meeting. The BJP had won 22 and its allies nine seats in Bihar in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in which the Kumar-led JD(U) won only two out of total 40 seats. Till 2013, when the JD(U) broke ties with the BJP, the former was the senior partner in the Lok Sabha as well the Assembly. Though the BJP has not commented on the matter officially, sources have said it will seek to contest more seats than the JD(U) in the next Lok Sabha polls due to its massive victory in the last election. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Sharad Yadav faction of the JD(U) on Thursday filed a fresh claim before the Election Commission for the party's symbol and sought four weeks' time to submit relevant documents. The EC had on Tuesday refused to take cognizance of its previous plea citing lack of documents to support its assertion. Arun Kumar Shrivastav, a close aid of Yadav and the party's general secretary before its president Nitish Kumar removed him from the post, told a press conference that the party's national executive will meet in the national capital on Sunday. The meeting, he claimed, will show Yadav's support in the party and it will be followed by the national council meeting on October 8. Shrivastav claimed that most of the state units are with Yadav in his fight against Kumar. "It will be clear on September 17 how much support Sharad Yadav has in the party. It is Bihar Chief Minister Kumar and not Yadav who strayed from the party's avowed position and betrayed it by joining hands with the BJP," he said. In its application before the EC, the Yadav faction also registered its protest against its earlier decision, claiming it was based on "hyper-technical" ground and the Commission should have allowed them a hearing. The JD(U) leaders backing Kumar have claimed that an overwhelming number of popularly elected members of the party and its office bearers are with the Bihar CM, and Yadav enjoys little support. They had also submitted affidavits of the leaders supporting Kumar with the Commission. The Bombay High Court has asked the Goa government to file an affidavit by September 18 in connection with the transfer of the state's environmental cases from the Pune bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to the Delhi bench. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had last month issued a notification excluding Goa from the jurisdiction of the Pune bench of the NGT, and brought it under the Delhi bench. The Bombay High Court had earlier issued a notice to the state government taking suo motu cognisance of the notification. The Goa bench comprising Justices Nutan Sardessai and G S Patel on Tuesday asked the Goa government to file the affidavit by September 18. It also fixed September 29 for hearing the petitions filed by several social activists in connection with the issue. "Despite clear directions in our order of September 5, 2017, we have as yet no affidavit in reply from the state government," the bench said. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has already filed its affidavit before the high court. The court said that the affidavit has pointed out the issue of inconvenient connectivity between Goa and Puneand also that Goa government does not have adequate legal infrastructure and representation in Pune. "While there is little which can be done about connectivity, the second argument is singularly without appeal. In the four years or so since the NGT started its western zone bench in Pune, the state government has surely had sufficient time to establish whatever infrastructure it requires in Pune, and to set up a legal team," the HC said. The HC said that the state government should also address the demand for setting up a circuit bench of NGT in Goa. The court observed that 40 per cent of the filings before the NGT western zone are from Goa. Notably, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar earlier this month said the Centre decided to transfer the state's environmental cases from the Pune bench of the NGT to the Delhi bench on the request made by his government. He had said the change was sought given that Pune was inconvenient as far as travelling was concerned for pursuing the cases and that the state government didn't have a "legal set-up" in that city which it had in Delhi. He said all the procedures were followed while asking the Centre to shift the jurisdiction. Justifying the choice of Delhi, he had said the national capital has an excellent connectivity. The opposition Congress had written to Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan protesting the central notification. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government has identified sites for setting up 800 'mohalla clinics' across the city, Health Minister Satyendar Jain said today. He said the government was waiting for No Objection Certificates (NOC) from concerned agencies like DDA, PWD and DJB for setting up these clinics on their land. It comes a day after the Delhi High Court asked the Centre, the AAP government and the civic bodies to explore the possibility of setting up mohalla clinics in all parts of the city. The court had also issued notice and directed the government and other agencies to file feasibility reports with regard to the land falling in their jurisdiction within two weeks. 'Mohalla Clinic' is a flagship project of the Arvind Kejriwal government, aimed at providing free primary healthcare to city residents near their homes. "We have identified 800 sites for such clinics across the city. The government is presently waiting for NOCs from concerned agencies to provide their land for this project," Jain told reporters here. He said there are 272 municipal wards in Delhi and three to four mohalla clinics will come up in every ward. "Once we get the NOCs, the government will start setting up these clinics," the minister added. According to Jain, 158 mohalla clinics are presently operational in Delhi. The government has set a target of 1,000 clinics to provide better health facility to citizens in their neighbourhood. Earlier this month, Lt Governor Anil Baijal had approved the AAP government's ambitious proposal to set up additional such clinics. The LG's approval had come four days after 45 AAP MLAs camped outside his office for several hours, insisting clearance of the 'mohalla clinics' file, an act his office termed as "laying siege" to the office of a "constitutional functionary". Baijal had in February cleared a proposal of setting up around 300 mohalla clinics in government-run schools. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six members of a family, including a two-year-old girl, were killed in a road accident in Andhra Pradesh's West Godavari district this afternoon, police said. The deceased, all females, were returning to their native village in neighbouring Krishna district after attending a function when the SUV they were travelling in lost control and plunged into a roadside pond, police said. The driver of the vehicle was suspected to be in an inebriated condition and this led to the mishap, they said. The driver, however, jumped out of the vehicle in time and saved himself. However, police later took him into custody. The accident happened at Kovvali village under Denduluru mandal, about 70km from here, and the deceased belonged to Mallavalli village in Krishna district. Two other passengers in the ill-fated SUV had a providential escape. YSR Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy expressed grief over the accident and conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved family. Deputy Chief Minister N Chinarajappa, who handles home portfolio, spoke to the West Godavari district superintendent of police and enquired about the accident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) McDonald's estranged partner Vikram Bakshi today said his side is looking into the "partial award" given by an international arbitration panel, its implications and legal options. Stressing that his side would "look to the rule of law to protect investment" of various parties involved in the fast food chain business, Bakshi also said his side was ready "to collaborate with anyone in order to achieve a positive outcome for all stakeholders". A three-member arbitration tribunal on September 12 directed determination of a fair market value and purchase price of share of Bakshi and Bakshi Holding Pvt Ltd in Connaught Plaza Restaurants Ltd (CPRL) for transfer to joint venture partner McDonald's India Pvt Ltd (MIPL), persons familiar with the order said. The international arbitration tribunal in London has also rejected Bakshi's claim that McDonald's India did not validly terminate the JV. Bakshi said: "We are carefully considering the partial award given by the tribunal, its implications as well as our legal options." However, reiterating the verdict of the NCLT of July 13, 2017, which reinstated him as the MD of CPRL, Bakshi said the order "speaks for itself". Stating that CPRL's business involved "thousands of Indian employees, suppliers, landlords and their business associates", he said: "We look to the rule of law to protect and safeguard theirs and our investment." Bakshi further said: "We stand ready to collaborate with anyone in order to achieve a positive outcome for all stakeholders. As'ad's Bio As'ad AbuKhalil, born March 16, 1960. From Tyre, Lebanon, grew up in Beirut. Received his BA and MA from American University of Beirut in pol sc. Came to US in 1983 and received his PhD in comparative government from Georgetown University. Taught at Tufts University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Colorado College, and Randolph-Macon Woman's College. Served as a Scholar-in-Residence at Middle East Institute in Washington DC. He served as free-lance Middle East consultant for NBC News and ABC News, an experience that only served to increase his disdain for maintream US media. He is now professor of political science at California State University, Stanislaus. His favorite food is fried eggplants. Pune police have arrested a private tuition teacher for allegedly beating up a two and half-year-old boy here. According to police, the boy was beaten up on Monday by the woman teacher, who runs tuition classes at home, on his scalp with a wooden scale so brutally that his eyes and face got swollen and the boy had to be hospitalised after the incident. "We have registered a case against the teacher- Bhagyashree Pillay under section 324 (causing hurt by dangerous weapons) of IPC and section 75 of Juvenile Justice Act (punishment for cruelty to child)," said station duty officer of Sangavi police station. The parents of the boy live in the same locality where Pillay stays in Pimple Saudagar area and work as labourers. They used to send their son to Pillay for tuition. He said that on Monday the child had gone to Pillay's house for tuition. When his parents returned home after work, they saw that the face and eyes of the boy were badly swollen. "Upon asking him, what had happened, he said that the teacher hit him with wooden scale on his hand, back and head," he said. He added that the parents were in two minds whether to register a case against the teacher as it was she, who bore the medical expenses of the child, however, on Wednesday, the mother of the child registered a case against the teacher. "We have arrested the teacher and she was produced before the court today where she has been remanded police custody for one day," informed the police. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Haryana Police today said it has arrested three policemen who allegedly conspired to help Dera Sacha Sauda head escape after his conviction. The policemen two head constables and a constable were part of the Dera chief's security detail during his appearance before a CBI court which held him guilty of raping two of his followers. The cops were arrested in Panchkula where they were called to join the investigation, said Panchkula Deputy Commissioner of Police Manbir Singh. They have been booked under the relevant sections of the IPC, including the sedition charge, said Singh. "We have arrested three Haryana policemen who were part of the Dera sect chief's security on August 25," he said. They have been in arrested in connection with the conspiracy to free Ram Rahim on August 25 after he was convicted by the Special CBI Court in Panchkula, he added. The DCP said Head Constable Amit, Head Constable Rajesh and Constable Rajesh "were produced in the local court today and have been remanded in police custody for three days". The Haryana Police had dismissed five policemen who were also part of the Dera chief's security detail. Besides them, three cops from the Punjab police had also been arrested. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has blocked the sale of an American semiconductor company to a Chinese-backed firm, citing national security concerns, the White House has said. Trump issued an order prohibiting the acquisition of Lattice Semiconductor Corporation (Lattice) by, among others, China Venture Capital Fund Corporation Limited (CVCF), White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said yesterday. CVCF is a Chinese corporation owned by Chinese state- owned entities that manages industrial investments and venture capital. Trump made the decision under Defense Production Act which authorises him to suspend or prohibit certain acquisitions that result in foreign control of an American business if he concludes, among other things, that there is credible evidence that the foreign interest exercising control might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the US, Sanders said. Trump reached this decision upon consideration of the appropriate factors and a review of a recommendation from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US. "The national-security risk posed by the transaction relates to, among other things, the potential transfer of intellectual property to the foreign acquirer, the Chinese government's role in supporting this transaction, the importance of semiconductor supply chain integrity to the US government, and the use of Lattice products by the United States government," Sanders said. In his order Trump said there is "credible evidence" that leads him to believe that this acquisition might result in action that threatens toimpair the national security of the US. The US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin welcomed the presidential decision. He is also chairman of Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). "CFIUS and the President assess that the transaction poses a risk to the national security of the US that cannot be resolved through mitigation," Mnuchin said. "The national security risk posed by the transaction relates to, among other things, the potential transfer of intellectual property to the foreign acquirer, the Chinese government's role in supporting this transaction, the importance of semiconductor supply chain integrity to the US government, and the use of Lattice products by the US government," Mnuchin said. CVCF is a Chinese corporation owned by Chinese state- owned entities that manages industrial investments and venture capital. Lattice is a publicly traded company headquartered in Oregon that manufactures semiconductors for the consumer, communications, and industrial markets. Lattice's primary semiconductor product lines are programmable logic devices, which are general purpose semiconductors that customers can program to provide functionality similar to chips that are designed and produced for specific applications. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump said today that he was looking to allow people to stay here, but not ready for citizenship or amnesty, an announcement that may benefit 800,000 young immigrants, including those from India. Trump's statement came a day after top Democratic lawmakers Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi claimed that they had reached a deal with the president to protect about 800,000 young immigrants who came to America illegally as children and were given protection by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme. Trump had scrapped the DACA programme earlier this month. "We are not looking at citizenship. We are not looking at amnesty. We are looking at allowing people to stay here," Trump told reporters. Trump said he is very close to a deal on DACA. "I just spoke with Paul Ryan, everybody's on board... We are talking about taking care of people, people who were brought here, people who have done a good job. We will only do it if we get extreme security, not only surveillance but everything that goes with surveillance. If there is not a wall, we are doing nothing," he said. In a statement after dinner with Trump at the White House, Schumer and Pelosi said that they have reached a deal with him on DACA. "We had a very productive meeting at the White House with the president. The discussion focused on DACA. We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that is acceptable to both sides," Schumer and Pelosi said. In a tweet early this morning, Trump however said that no deal has been reached. "No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote," he said, refuting claims being made by the Democratic leaders. Pelosi tended to disagree at a news conference at the Capitol Hill. "I do believe that there is an understanding that down the road, there is an eventual path to citizenship in the DREAM Act, and that overwhelmingly, the American people support that," she said. "In a poll today, over 50 per cent, and then, you know, 12 per cent want to send them back, and then others somewhere in the middle. But it came up in the context of the suggestion that there might be other bills to be considered, and that did not last long," Pelosi said. The atmosphere during the White House dinner last night, she said, was very friendly. "We made it clear from the start that there were certain concerns that we had about some of the president's statements relating to the Muslim ban, Charlottesville, DACA decision and that we needed to establish some trust and confidence as we go forward. "One path to building that confidence and trust would be the DREAM Act, DACA. The president likes to call it DACA. I believe that we have had enough conversation with the president with enough reiteration of his commitment to protect the dreamers, in fact, publicly. You saw his statements, today, that it would not be wise to send these young people back," Pelosi added. From judging reality shows to promoting his films on daily soaps, actor Akshay Kumar has been frequent on the small screen and believes TV actors work harder than film stars and deserve a better pay package. The 50-year-old star says television artistes have to continuously be on their toes and deliver their best in a short span of time. "I admire television artistes more than people from my industry as their job is hard. We (film actors) don't do one fourth of the hard work that television actors do. I respect them a lot. They work much harder and I feel they should be paid more (than the film stars). If not more, they should get at least what we are paid. "They have to read 12-15 pages of script, which is given to them minutes back from the writer. But what will a writer do in this as he has orders from (his bosses) and change things. Everything happens so fast, they (writers) think on the spot and change things," Akshay says in an interview here. The "Toilet: Ek Prem Katha" star says he closely saw how TV actors work hard endlessly, while he went on film promotions on the small screen. "Television is not easy as you work continuously. There are several cameras monitoring you. I have learnt to admire people who work on television shows, be it the artiste or other team members. We film actors don't value things," he says. Without naming any show, Akshay reveals his mother is an ardent fan of some television serials. "My mother watches lot of television shows. She is glued to television, she doesn't watch films with so much interest as she sees television shows." After "Khatron Ke Khiladi", "Master Chef" and "Dare to Dance", the National Award-winning actor now returns to television with "Great Indian Laughter Challenge" as a judge. The show is making a comeback after nine years with its fifth season, with popular comedians such as Zakir Khan, Mallika Dua and Hussain Dalal as mentors. Akshay says he used to follow the show earlier as he is a huge fan of the comedy genre. The show goes on air on Star Plus from September 30. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said that there can be no military solution to the problem in Afghanistan and it should work for creating political solution in the country. "I believe it is important in Afghanistan to invest in the conditions to create a political solution. I believe that is possible," Guterres told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York. He was responding to a question on resolving the lingering crisis in Afghanistan. "I don't think there is a military solution to the crisis in Afghanistan, as I don't think there is a military solution for practically any crisis in the world," he said. Guterres said he believes that investing in creating such a condition means the engagement in dialogue with the relevant parties. "Even when the US have announced their surge, they were also saying that they believe a political solution is necessary," he said. "So, it is clear for me that, independently of short-term measures that might be taken, the political solution is the long-term road that we need all to move on," Guterres said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A top Indian-American Congressman has said that American lawmakers should make sure that the H-1B visa programme, popular among Indian techies, is not abused to undercut the US job market and attract the best and the brightest into the country. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. H-1B visa is the most sought after by Indian IT professionals. "There are people who are now leading huge tech companies that started out on H-1B visas. They are creating jobs and they're creating innovation. We want to make sure that talent is coming to the US, because we know that most H-1B visas when you look at those studies are job creators. They are not job takers," said Congressman Ro Khanna who represents the Silicon Valley in the House of Representatives. "But we want to make sure that it's being done with proper compensation. That they are not being underpaid that they're not that they're being paid a wage that is the prevailing wage," he said. He was speaking at an event organised by the South Asia Centre of Atlantic Council, a top American think-tank. There are several legislative proposals pending in the US Congress - both in the House of Representatives and the Senate - in this regard, with Khanna himself being author of one of them. "But the gist of it is we want to make sure that folks are coming on and H1-B visa are paid a high wage so that it's not undercutting the American market and people are not mistaking H-1B visa holders as something that benefits corporations and putting downward pressure on American wages. That they're really looking at it is a programme that's going to help get the best and brightest into the United States to create jobs in the US," Khanna said. Responding to a question, Khanna said obviously it would be illegal to single out any company based on nationality or based on race or religion. "I certainly don't believe in doing that. So the question is just about having a wage floor," he said. "If it turns out that you know a lot of the tech companies Apple and Google and Facebook if you look at their filings their H-1B filings are paying about and USD 120,000- 130,000 on average. If other companies are doing that that's fine. Indian-Americans, he said, has extraordinary contributions in Silicon Valley. "I mean you've got people like Vinod Khosla, Sunder Pichai, at Google. I mean the list is endless in terms of individuals," he said. Asserting that immigration strengthens America's economic competitiveness, he also said the recent move of the US President Donald Trump on issues related to this has tried to undermine the conception of America. "I have always believed that our advantage is that we are a country that welcomes anyone to be American. That's not a Democratic idea that was Ronald Reagan's idea... This president in recent times has probably tried to undermine that conception of America more than any president certainly in my lifetime," Khanna said. Immigration, he said, obviously strengthens this country. "It strengthens it in terms of a lot of the innovation where I represent Silicon Valley. I think it would be hard pressed to argue that we would have Silicon Valley if it weren't for being a magnet for the best and brightest from around the world. It's one of the things that makes the value unique," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US will press India to join the Hague Convention dealing with inter-parental child abduction, a senior US official said here today, asserting that the second highest number of such cases in America involved Indian families. The issue will be the focus of the upcoming Indo-US bilateral consular duologue scheduled to be held in Washington on September 27, where officials from the Ministry of External Affairs and Women and Child Development Ministry among others will represent India. With 94 reported cases, India is placed second after Mexico when it comes to children being forced to return to the country by a parent in cases of marital discord, The official said, adding that the number is "rising". "We are hoping India would accede to the convention, of which the US is among the 96 signatories. We want the laws of the country where the child resides to prevail," the official said. The Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (1980), signed by 96 countries, provides for a mechanism to return a child internationally abducted by a parent from one member country to another. The US' position assumes significance as New Delhi has made it clear that it will not join the convention in its current form, arguing that it would mandate the government to send back women, who have escaped bad marriages abroad and brought their child along with them to India, to the country of their husbands' residence. When asked the reason behind US' insistence, the official said such cases have grown in the recent years, with Punjab topping the charts among the Indian states. According to a Women and Child Development ministry official, India is deliberating on proposing caveats to the convention to make it more suitable to the local situation. Labour laws will also figure in the talks, the official said, when queried about the 2013 case involving Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragde, who was charged with visa fraud involving her maid. The incident had triggered a diplomatic row between the two nations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Violent clashes fuelled by old rivalry broke out between two groups of villagers in Shamli district, injuring at least 12 people, police said. The incident occurred last evening in Mohammadpur Rai village, Kairana Police Station SHO Dharmender Singh said. The trouble started between two locals, Zahur and Arif, over allotment of a fair price shop and it soon turned into a violent scuffle. People allegedly attacked each other with sharp-edged weapons and sticks, he said. Singh said the situation was brought under control after police reached the spot. The injured were taken to a hospital. Police have tightened security in the village and extra personnel have been deployed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Volkswagen will recall almost 4.86 million vehicles in China over airbag concerns, Chinese authorities said today, dealing a new blow to the German automaker in the world's largest car market. VW and its joint ventures with Chinese partners FAW and SAIC will withdraw 4.86 million vehicles fitted with airbags made by Japan's bankrupt airbag giant Takata, according to China's top consumer watchdog. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 54-year-old woman pilgrim from Bihar has died of cardiac arrest after paying obeisance at the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu's Katra town, police said today. Geeta Devi, a resident of West Champaran in Bihar, was returning after offering prayers when she collapsed at gate number three inside the Bhawan of the shrine yesterday, a police official said. He said she was rushed to a nearby dispensary where she was declared brought dead by doctors. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices are expected to hold between $50 and $60 a barrel as bloated global stocks fall after a deal between OPEC and other producers to trim output, BP Chief Executive Bob Dudley said on Thursday. "It was always going to take quite a while for stocks to come down. But for the OPEC and non-OPEC producer agreement, from everything we see, there is broadly compliance in place and stock levels are coming down," Dudley said in an interview with . "We don't expect a spike up in prices nor do we expect a big drop in prices. So we're all trying to make our way in this world of between $50 and $60 and I would expect that to continue." The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other producers, including Russia, are reducing crude output by about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) until next March in an attempt to support prices by cutting a glut of crude oil on world markets. OPEC top producer Saudi Arabia and several other countries have held talks in recent days on a possible extension of the deal. (Reporting by Ron Bousso, Dmitry Zhdannikov and Karolin Schaps; editing by Jason Neely) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) HONG KONG (Reuters) - SoftBank Vision Fund, the world's largest private equity fund, is considering a $500 million investment in the Hong Kong initial public offering of ZhongAn Online Property and Casualty Insurance Co Ltd, China's first internet-only insurer, IFR reported on Thursday, citing people close to the deal. The fund is likely to be a so-called cornerstone investor in ZhongAn's up to $1.5 billion IPO, added IFR, a Thomson publication. The IPO, the biggest by a financial technology company in the city, is expected to launch as early as Sept. 18. SoftBank and ZhongAn declined to comment when contacted by . Vision Fund, which has raised over $93 billion to invest in technology sectors such as artificial intelligence and robotics, is backed by Japanese billionaire Masayoshi Son's SoftBank Group Corp <9984.T>, Saudi Arabia's main sovereign wealth fund and companies including Apple Inc and Qualcomm. (Reporting by Fiona Lau of IFR; Writing by Elzio Barreto; Editing by Richard Pullin) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Gwenaelle Barzic, Stefano Rebaudo and Stephen Jewkes PARIS/MILAN (Reuters) - An Italian watchdog ruling that Vivendi has de facto control of Telecom Italia has strengthened Rome's hand as it considers using special powers that could trigger asset sales. Billionaire Vincent Bollore's Vivendi, which owns 24 percent of Telecom Italia (TIM) and controls two-thirds of its board, denies it controls the former monopoly. Vivendi's influence in Italy came under close political and regulatory scrutiny after it became No. 2 shareholder in Italy's biggest private broadcaster Mediaset with a 29 percent stake. Italy's government is looking into whether Vivendi breached an obligation to notify it of its effective control of TIM, which is considered a strategic national asset. If de facto control of TIM is shown, the government may conclude it can exercise so-called "golden powers", ranging from a fine to possibly demanding key assets be sold. Market watchdog Consob ruled on Wednesday that the French group did exercise de facto control over TIM and a source close to the matter said on Thursday this played into Rome's hands. "If there's no control there's no way the government can use golden powers against Vivendi," the source said. Vivendi is about to notify Rome on its position in TIM but will reiterate it exercises only "management and coordination", a French source said. Any acknowledgement of de facto control could force the French group to consolidate TIM's net debt pile of around 25 billion euros ($30 billion). French markets watchdog AMF said on Thursday it had asked Vivendi to provide a detailed analysis to explain why it does not believe it controls Telecom Italia. ASSET SALES A forced sale of TIM's assets would be politically and commercially sensitive. Politicians have been calling on and off since 2006 for TIM's prized backbone telecom network to be transferred to a state-controlled entity to create a neutral platform. Meanwhile, TIM faces an assault on its core business from state-controlled utility Enel which is rolling out a fast internet network. Service provider Sparkle is seen as a particularly sensitive asset because of its submarine network which connects to countries in Europe, the Mediterranean and the Americas. A French source close to the matter said on Thursday that selling TIM's backbone network was not on the agenda, but added there were several options for Sparkle. "It could be sold or it could become a separate entity within TIM under the leadership of an Italian leader," the source said. PARIS MIS-MATCH Rome, currently caught up in a row with Paris over a deal to take control of France's STX shipyards, is expected to decide later this month on whether it should have been notified. The French source said if a deal is reached between Italy and France over STX it would ease pressure on Vivendi over TIM and some analysts have said Vivendi is likely to name an Italian as TIM's CEO to appease Rome. Separately, Italy's communications regulator AGCOM has called on Vivendi to cut its holding in either Mediaset or TIM to below 10 percent arguing having both breached Italian rules meant to prevent concentration of power. Vivendi, which has appealed the ruling, has told AGCOM it will take a series of measures to meet the watchdog's concern, including transferring a stake of at least 19.19 percent of Mediaset shares to a trust. ($1 = 0.8415 euros) (Additional reporting by Mathieu Rosemain in Paris and Alberto Sisto in Rome; Editing by Toby Chopra and Alexander Smith) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New phone launches have long offered carriers a chance to gain market share by offering incentives such as free service and discounts. But customer defection rates fell to record lows in the last quarter as most people already have cell phones, a situation that creates less urgency to launch costly promotions to lure customers, analysts said. Deals for the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X have been pared back from the deals offered for the iPhone 7. (http://tmsnrt.rs/2f2Gche) "In retrospect, there's some regret on how promotional they were," said Craig Moffett, a telecom analyst at MoffettNathanson. The iPhone 7 trade-in offers were too easily copied by rivals, resulting in a costly move that offered no competitive advantage, he said. The iPhone 8 model starts at $699, while the iPhone X will start at $999, Apple announced on Tuesday. T-Mobile US Inc said Tuesday it will give customers $300 off a new iPhone if they trade in an iPhone 6 or newer. Meanwhile, Sprint Corp customers can save 50 percent off the monthly lease price of the iPhone 8 if they trade in an iPhone 6 or newer, as well as eligible Android devices. AT&T Inc said it will include a 32GB iPad for $100 if customers buy the iPhone 8 or 8 Plus on a plan that allows subscribers to upgrade their phones as frequently as every year. Verizon Communications Inc , the No. 1 wireless carrier, said customers can get $300 off the iPhone 8 or 8 Plus when they sign up for unlimited and trade in select phones. But the offers are less rich than last year, when all four major carriers offered up to a $650 credit if they traded in an iPhone 6, 6S or high-end Android device, BTIG Research said. Jefferies analysts characterized the latest round of offers as a "more rational" approach in a note on Wednesday, as last year's free iPhone deals weighed heavily on the carriers' margins. Representatives for T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint did not provide additional details on their marketing plans, such as whether they will offer incentives for the iPhone X. Even with less generous promotions, the new iPhones should attract enough high-income consumers, including wealthy customers in China, said Brian White, analyst at Drexel Hamilton. "It's great for Apple because they're starting to segment the market more, and now the consumers have more options," he said. (Reporting by Sheila Dang in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At 78 per cent, concern over uncertainty is high across the country and has increased in the last four years. 83 per cent people living in metros feel uncertain about life as compared to 67 per cent people in non-metros, highlighting a considerable difference between the two. Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance conducted an online Protection Survey, which highlights the people's concerns and their financial preparedness for future. Major highlights are as below: Child education is top priority; Stable income is biggest worry According to the study, providing for child's education is the top priority trigger of uncertainty for Indians followed by living a healthy and active life. It was observed that while the highest area of concern amongst male respondents was their child's education (36%); women across the country are most concerned about protecting their health and having an active life (35%). The survey identified that the focus has largely shifted from rising prices to stability of jobs and health in the last 4 years. Stability of jobs and income is the biggest worry for men and women both. Earning family members rise In terms of preparedness to face any form of financial uncertainty, 76 per cent of the respondents are aware of the need to protect their family against uncertainties. The awareness is equal amongst metro and non-metro residents. Corroborating this fact, the survey reflected that in the last four years, the number of people earning per family has considerably risen. 51 per cent of the respondents now have 2 persons earning in the family as compared to 31 per cent in 2013. Saving and investment rose The survey also unveiled that the focus towards savings has witnessed a whopping rise in the last four years. With more inflow of money, the monthly saving of 25 percent or more of the monthly income for the respondents of the nation has seen over a two-fold growth. Along with savings, more people are investing close to 20 percent or more as compared to 4 years ago. Financial preparedness escalates The study states that more people in the country are planning for their retirement as soon as they start earning. The number has increased by 12 percent in the last 4 years. As compared to 2013, more people are confident and completely prepared to face uncertainties as compared to 2013. However, a large number of the population are not completely prepared. 60 per cent of the respondents hold intent to purchase life insurance solutions as their preferred choice of financial investment. Underinsurance remains the biggest trouble As per research, the average life cover that an individual should have is just double the income which should ideally be 10 times of ones' income. The Survey unveils that 41 percent of people in India realize that they have life cover lesser than required; whereas another 50 percent feel that they have enough cover. 'Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance online Protection Survey' was conducted among 1,540 people in the age-group of 22-50 years including both males and females. The study is a comparative study between the year 2013 and 2017, assessing the gradual shift of consumer sentiments around their future and how they plan to deal with these concerns from a financial perspective. India and Japan today signed 15 agreements to give a boost to cooperation in various key sectors, including academics, civil aviation and science and technology. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe talked about regional and international issues and discussed ways to deepen ties in trade, security and civil nuclear energy. Here's the complete list of agreement that India-Japan signed today Disaster Risk Management The agreement aims to cooperate and collaborate in the field of disaster risk reduction and to share the experiences, knowledge and policies on disaster prevention. Skills Development With this pact, the government wants to further strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation in the field of Japanese language education in India. Connectivity The agreement has been signed to enhance connectivity and promote developmental projects in the North Eastern Region of India in an efficient and effective manner Economic and Commercial The Memorandum of Understanding or MOU aims at implementing the commercial arrangement of "Cool EMS" service between the Japan Post and India Post through which fresh food can be sent from Japan to India in cool boxes to facilitate for the Japanese expatriates in India Investment in Gujarat Two agreements have been signed for the investment in Gujarat. The pact is to facilitate and accelerate the Japanese investments in India. It also aims to cooperate in infrastructure development programmes in the Mandal Bechraj-Khorajregion. Civil Aviation After this agreement, Indian and Japanese carriers can mount now unlimited number of flights to the selected cities of each other's countries. Academics / Think Tank This is to promote institutional cooperation between RIS and IDE-JETRO to strengthen the capacity of research and effectiveness of dissemination of research findings Science and Technology India and Japan signed three agreements under science and technology. First agreement aims to establish a Joint Exchange Program to identify and foster talented young scientists from both the countries to collaborate in the field of theoretical biology. Second agreement is signed to conduct joint research and to establish an International Center named as "DBT-AIST International Center for Translational and Environmental Research (DAICENTER)" at AIST, Japan in order to promote science and technology in both the institutions and countries. Third pact is signed to promote research collaboration between DBT Research Institutes and AIST in the field of Life Science and Biotechnology. Thirty per cent of banking jobs will disappear in the next five years, Citibank ex CEO Vikram Pandit said in an interview to Bloomberg Television in Singapore. "Artificial intelligence and robotics reduce the need for staff in roles such as back-office functions," said Pandit. Pandit resigned in 2012 after leading Citi through a financial crisis. He has since founded a private equity firm called Orogen Group, where he today serves as CEO. His views have been echoed by many other former and current finance executives in the last few months. According to Axel Lehmann, COO of Swiss bank UBS, said, AI would "fundamentally change the banking business." "Low-end back office jobs like data entries will no longer be required in the next three years. The rate of growth of new jobs in the banking sector will definitely come down," says Saurabh Tripathi, senior partner and director at BCG. The automation phenomenon has already found its foothold within the Indian banking industry. India's biggest public sector bank State Bank of India (SBI) has come up with its own Artificial Intelligence-powered chatbot to take care of customer queries by giving out information on SBI's range of products and services. HDFC Bank too has launched an electronic virtual assistant (EVA) a few months ago. In 2016, ICICI Bank launched 'Software Robotics' which imitates human actions and is in over 200 business processes across its various operations. Axis Bank, another private bank, has partnered with a Singapore-based fintech to launch chatbots to offer mobile services. "It is not that we are asking people to resign and go away," says Paresh Sukthankar, DMD, HDFC Bank. "Now we are saying while we will still add in certain areas as required, if based on productivity improvements you have people who are not gainfully employed in one particular function, you redeploy them in other areas. But after doing all that if we don't have the need for a certain number of people, we will not hire as many," he further said. A group of diverse but like-minded individuals, the members of ARC have come together in their common desire to fight hatred, bigotry, intolerance and violence because of the harm these antisocial behaviors cause to our society. In that effort, we will not use or sanction the use of illegal actions (such as violence or intimidation) in pursuit of our desired aims and if we learn of anyone who does use these unethical methods we will report those individuals to the authorities. Instead, we will use the guarantees found in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that ensure freedom of legal speech and expression. On Tuesday, the Utah Department of Health presented to lawmakers some sobering numbers. That with still three-and-a-half months to go, the state is already on pace to beat the total number of suicides in all of 2016. Vulnerable demographics include men, teens and young people between the ages of 20 to 25. On KVNUs For the People program on Wednesday, Emily Pugsley of the Bear River Health Department said the figures send a warning signal that education is needed. From a health educator prevention standpoint, its hard to just look at the numbers when we want to help people right away. Understanding that the trend is increasing should send a message to each one of us that we need to be educated about suicide, and what resources are available, according to Pugsley. She said the health department has been working with the community to find gaps in services and promoting education on how to identify someone who might be struggling. She said resources are available but its also important for family and friends to not be afraid to address the subject with one they suspect may be considering suicide, but doing so in a non-judgmental way. USU Extension is actually offering an amazing class coming up on October 14th (called) Youth Mental Health First Aid. Its an eight-hour course that teaches adults how to recognize the signs of a mental health concern in young people and how to respond effectively. A lot like Q.P.R. but it does a whole day training, so if anyone wants more information they can call USU Extension or the health department. Q-P-R stands for Question, Persuade, Refer which are three important steps concerned individuals can learn to help prevent suicide. Pugsley said its important to not just push it under the rug thinking its just a phase someone is going through. Waukesha The day after their daughter's 12th birthday sleepover, Angie Geyser and her husband, Matt, found themselves in a Waukesha police station, hoping to pick her up and take her home. Officers had shown up earlier at their house looking for their daughter, Morgan, who had gone with her friends to a park after breakfast. Angie Geyser on how she found out about Morgan's arrest Angie Geyser, the mother of Morgan Geyser, talks about how the police notified her of Morgans arrest. Now 14, Morgan was charged in the 2014 stabbing of her sixth-grade classmate to appease Slender Man, a fictional internet character. Video by Mike De Sisti "They wouldn't tell us anything," Geyser said, except that one of the girls was hurt, and Morgan and the other girl weren't with her. The parents were told to wait, and an officer stayed until they received notification that Morgan had been found, was OK, and that police just needed her to clear up some questions. The Geysers headed to the station, assuming that whatever had happened, they would probably have to punish Morgan. Their thought was to cancel a trip to a Star Trek convention. "That's how clueless we were," Angie Geyser said in an interview. Finally, an officer came to the lobby and told the parents they could not take Morgan home. She was being charged with attempted homicide. "I sobbed. I ran to the bathroom and threw up. It didn't seem possible," Geyser said. The 36-year-old mother of two she has a younger son spoke with a reporter for the first time since Morgan and her friend Anissa Weier made international headlines in May 2014. The Waukesha sixth-graders were charged as adults with trying to kill their friend to impress or appease Slender Man, a fictional internet character. Suffering from 19 stab wounds, Payton Leutner crawled to the edge of some woods, where she was found by a passing bicyclist. The girls were arrested hours later, trying to walk to a northern Wisconsin forest where they believed Slender Man lived in a mansion. Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser are charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide for what police say was a plot, planned over months, to kill their classmate, Payton Leutner. Weier and Geyser reportedly stabbed their victim 19 times with a five-inch blade. Go to section Two years later, they remained at the Washington County Juvenile Detention Center on $500,000 bail. But early this month, a judge returned Morgan to a state mental hospital where she had earlier gotten treatment for rare early onset schizophrenia, which had been diagnosed while she was in custody. The Geysers are still waiting to find out what will happen to Morgan. The case has plodded along through competency evaluations, an extensive preliminary examination, hearings on whether the girls should be transferred to juvenile court, and now an appeal after Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren denied that transfer. The experience has galvanized Angie Geyser into something of an advocate for reforms in mental illness and juvenile crime laws, and prompted her to finally share her perspective. "I was shocked to learn 12-year-olds could be charged as adults," she said. "Some of the comments on stories say 'Adult crime, adult time.' That's BS," she said. "These are children." She also was surprised at how hard it was to get her daughter psychiatric treatment and was recently mentioned in a House floor speech by a Pennsylvania congressman pushing a bill to revamp the nation's approach to addressing mental illness. Timeline: The Slender Man Stabbing Case 'Where have you been?' Family photo Morgan Geyser decorates cupcakes on her 12th birthday, two weeks before her arrest. Geyser shared her thoughts at a picnic table in Frame Park, where she often took Morgan as a younger child. "She was always the kid going up the slide," she said. She said Morgan has changed a lot in the past two years. For one, she's grown into a teenager, taller and more mature at 14 than she appeared at 12, when the world first saw her, handcuffed, in court. But the most dramatic shift, Geyser said, came after Morgan's initial commitment to the state mental hospital. That began in December, more than a year after doctors had diagnosed Morgan with early onset schizophrenia, a condition experts say worsens faster without treatment. "When the medication finally worked, it was like a switch went on, like, 'There you are! Where have you been?'" Before, Geyser said, "We never knew which Morgan we'd get" during visits. "She was floridly psychotic for 19 months." During that time, Morgan played with ants, talked to hallucinations, and watched the Weather Channel for hours. But after treatment, she began to show appropriate emotions like remorse and for the first time told her mother she missed her. After Morgan's condition was stabilized during her winter stay at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, she was returned to the juvenile detention center in West Bend. Because the facility is designed to hold juveniles only a few days, it has no windows and doesn't allow regular access to the outdoors. "That's detrimental to any child," Geyser said. Cycle of deterioration Angie Geyser on how Morgan is doing now Angie Geyser, the mother of Morgan Geyser, talks about how her daughter is doing currently. Video by Mike De Sisti Morgan's attorney, Anthony Cotton, tried to persuade Bohren to modify her bail to a signature bond and release Morgan to live with her grandfather, a retired police chief living in Manitowoc County. She could continue getting treatment and therapy in a better environment than the jail, while subject to GPS monitoring and around-the-clock supervision. Bohren denied that request, and Morgan's condition began to deteriorate again, her mother said. After she gouged her arm with a broken colored pencil in late May, jail policies required she be put on a suicide watch, kept alone for nearly a week wearing only a padded gown. "She couldn't have books or drawing materials or even her glasses," Geyser said, or utensils to eat meals. "I find the thought of her sitting in solitary, blind, eating with her hands like an animal extremely disturbing," Geyser said. That led the judge hearing the parents' request for a civil commitment separate from Bohren's handling of the criminal case to order her back to Winnebago on June 3. "My preference is that she stay up there," Geyser said. "It's the best place for her. She's a mentally ill child." Today, Morgan can sit with her extended family from 5 to 7 p.m., and Geyser said someone visits her about every other day. Geyser said there's a downside to her daughter's regained insight and emotional connection. "With lucidity comes awareness of the gravity of the situation," she said. "I try to help her be hopeful, saying: 'When you come home, when you go to college.' She responds: If she does those things." The whole process to get Morgan committed took six months, time she went untreated. Geyser thinks that process designed to protect patients' rights also needs reform. She doesn't know how long Morgan will stay at the mental health hospital. It will depend on when doctors feel she's stable enough to return to the least restrictive setting which in her case is the juvenile jail. Her mother fears a return to West Bend will just start the cycle of deterioration over again. Adult or juvenile? Angie Geyser on Morgan being charged as an adult Angie Geyser, the mother of Morgan Geyser, talks about her daughter being charged as an adult. Video by Mike De Sisti Meanwhile, Geyser waits on the Court of Appeals to determine whether Morgan's case will remain in adult court. She has the court's docket bookmarked on her smartphone and checks it several times a day. Robert Henak, an appellate lawyer, said it's not unusual for a case to take this long nine months or much longer to be decided. But he, too, said he assumes the court would try to move more quickly since the criminal case is on hold pending the decision, and the nature of the relief sought. The District 2 Court of Appeals panel in Waukesha is deciding the appeal. Judge Mark Gundrum recused himself from even considering whether the panel should accept the appeal. He has not said why. An appeals judge from Wausau, Lisa Stark, will replace him on a panel with Judges Paul Reilly and Lisa Neubauer. More than 70 people have written to the court urging the case be transferred to juvenile court, mostly via form letters at Slender Chance, a website set up by a friend of Geyser. State law required the girls be charged as adults because of the crime attempted first-degree intentional homicide. If the court were to reverse Bohren and transfer the case to juvenile court, the girls would likely quickly enter negotiated pleas and start sentences within the juvenile system. Advertisement They would face up to three years in the state's troubled juvenile prison followed by close community supervision until age 18. If they remain in adult court, they would face trial and possible sentences of up to 45 years in prison, plus many more years of extended supervision. Either might raise an insanity defense, which if successful would land them in Winnebago for treatment for an indefinite number of years. Geyser said she dreads a trial and just focuses on the appeals court for now. 'How didn't I know?' Angie Geyser on Morgans loss of privacy Angie Geyser, the mother of Morgan Geyser, talks about Morgans loss of privacy. Video by Mike De Sisti Geyser said she decided to talk with a reporter to let the world know Morgan is not a monster. She said she wanted to from the beginning, when TV crews were camped outside their home. "I wanted to defend my daughter, tell them about the Morgan we knew" who loved animals, reading and performing in front of her parents' video camera, but were advised by lawyers to stay silent, she said. She did later speak at length on camera for a documentary, "Beware the Slenderman," which has only been screened at a festival, but is planned for release on HBO next year. She said that early on, the family was subjected to hateful online comments, calls and letters especially after an ABC 20/20 episode about the victim's recovery. "Like 'You should rot in hell,' and that kind of thing," she said. That vitriol has largely subsided. Angie Geyser on seeing signs of Morgans schizophrenia Angie Geyser, the mother of Morgan Geyser, talks about seeing signs of Morgans schizophrenia. Video by Mike De Sisti She admitted she and Morgan's father did engage in some second-guessing. "A big part of parenting in general is second-guessing. 'How didn't I know she was sick?' " They attributed behavior that, in hindsight, may have been symptomatic of problems, on puberty, middle-school goofiness and Morgan's quirky personality. "There were no glaring, obvious signs she was ill." And while they were aware that Morgan's father's own schizophrenia increased her chances of affliction, they weren't expecting to start looking for signs for another five or six years, when the disease more typically begins to manifest. She also disputes that Morgan ever refused treatment and medication after her arrest, saying it was never really offered, only discussed. Morgan's comments to psychologists during competency reviews that she didn't want to lose "friends" she hallucinated was not the same as refusing treatment, her mother said. She also thinks many people support the idea that Morgan and Anissa should be moved to juvenile court, but are afraid to say so. "There's some feeling that if you show compassion for the girls, you're somehow lessening what happened to Bella," using Payton's nickname. Geyser has not met with the victim or her family. Still, she said, "We love Bella and feel horrible about what happened to her. I can't imagine... "When it comes down to it, they're all children." twitter.com/ProofHearsay bvielmetti@journalsentinel.com This is a key housing market to follow since Phoenix saw a large bubble / bust followed by strong investor buying. The Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service (ARMLS) reports (table below): 1) Overall sales in August were up 0.4% year-over-year. 2) Active inventory is now down 7.4% year-over-year. More inventory (a theme in most of 2014) - and less investor buying - suggested price increases would slow sharply in 2014. And prices increases did slow in 2014, only increasing 2.4% according to Case-Shiller. In 2015, with falling inventory, prices increased a little faster. Prices were up 6.3% in 2015 according to Case-Shiller. With flat inventory in 2016, prices were up 4.8%. This is the tenth consecutive month with a YoY decrease in inventory, and prices are rising a little faster this year (2.8% through June or 5.7% annual rate). August Residential Sales and Inventory, Greater Phoenix Area, ARMLS Sales YoY Change Sales Cash Sales Percent Cash Active Inventory YoY Change Inventory Aug-08 5,660 --- 1,004 17.7% 53,5691 --- Aug-09 8,008 41.5% 2,849 35.6% 38,085 -28.9% Aug-10 7,358 -8.1% 3,129 42.5% 44,307 16.3% Aug-11 8,712 18.4% 3,953 45.4% 26,983 -39.1% Aug-12 7,574 -13.1% 3,382 44.7% 20,934 -22.4% Aug-13 7,055 -6.9% 2,409 34.1% 21,444 2.4% Aug-14 6,431 -8.8% 1,621 25.2% 26,138 21.9% Aug-15 7,023 9.2% 1,588 22.6% 22,554 -13.7% Aug-16 7,975 13.6% 1,616 20.3% 23,318 3.4% Aug-17 8,010 0.4% 1,541 19.2% 21,590 -7.4% 1 August 2008 probably includes pending listings blog of the State Geologist of Arizona I have found in my travels that few understand the history of West Papua, and concerned with the growing number of nations voicing their support for the United Nations to revisit the flawed plebiscite, I decided to write this story, part-fact, mostly fiction, in an attempt to offer an insight into a scenario that could bring Australia and Indonesia into conflict. IT was towards the end of my tour at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta when, in 1969, West Papua became the twenty-sixth province of Indonesia after the so-called Act of Free Choice sponsored by the UN saw the transfer of official administration from the Netherlands to Indonesia. Kerry Collison is an author and Asia desk foreign correspondent for Washingtons Defence and Strategic Affairs. You can find out more about his books here . Kerry's latest book Rockefeller and the Demise of Ibu Pertiwi will soon be available in hard copy and as an ebook Jakarta should indeed be concerned that they could eventually lose the resource-rich territory an event that could drag Australia into conflict with its restive neighbour. Over the five decades that Indonesia has held official control of West Papua, the indigenous population has endured a repressive and unjust system of Javanese-colonial occupation. Based on reports filed by church organizations, missionaries and West Papuan diaspora, Indonesian security forces continue to commit gross human rights abuses against the indigenous population with estimates of civilians killed reaching half a million since occupation commenced. There has always been a deeply-felt sense of kinship and common heritage amongst the Melanesian Spearhead Group of nations towards West Papua. Vanuatu has always been a place of refuge for West Papuan dissidents and independence activists. Indonesia has been aware of this support within the Vanuatu body politic for many years, and has recently sought to counter it. This open diplomatic confrontation was evidence that Indonesias diplomatic offensive over West Papua was well underway. The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) came into being on July 17, 1986 as a result of an informal meeting of Heads of Government of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and a representative of the Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS). The member states are Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, the Kanak and Socialist Liberation Front of New Caledonia. In 2015, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) a coalition of West Papuan organisations was made an observer of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG). The ULMWP had since applied for full membership, hoping it would give their movement greater political recognition. This is unlikely to succeed as the leaders of the MSG voted to make Indonesia an associate member, paving the way for stronger cooperation between Jakarta and Melanesian countries. Indonesias membership of the MSG has giving them a greater influence in Melanesian politics than the ULMWP. In January 2017 the MSG commenced discussions to provide full membership to the United Liberation Movement for West Papua. Although the MSGs core philosophy supports decolonisation and greater independence in Melanesia the potential inclusion of the ULMWP is problematic with Indonesias associate membership (granted on the basis of the Melanesian identity of five of its provinces). Currently, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu openly favour the ULMWPs inclusion whilst Fiji and Papua New Guinea remain undecided. Papua New Guinea and Fijis hesitancy can be understood as Fiji continues to share strong trade links with Indonesia and currently receives aid for the MSGs regional police academy in Fiji. Papua New Guineans support West Papuan liberation. However, as PNG has extensive trade and border relations with Indonesia and would wish to maintain these without any diplomatic disturbances Port Moresby continues to vacillate on the issue. In September 2016 history was made for West Papua at the United Nations General Assembly when seven Pacific Island nations raised the issue of West Papuan independence. These countries were Nauru,Marshall Islands, Tuvalu ,Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Palau. Ireland, Guinea and the Netherlands have now added their voices to the cause. In April of this year a global petition for West Papuan self-determination was launched in Papua New Guinea. This historic petition was originally launched at the British parliament in Westminster on January 27, 2017. The petition calls upon the UN Secretary General to appoint a Special Representative to investigate the human rights situation in West Papua; put West Papua back on the Decolonisation Committee agenda and ensure their right to self-determination denied to them in 1969 is respected by holding an Internationally Supervised Vote (in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolutions 1514 and 1541 (XV)). Political support in New Zealand for an independent West Papua also continues to grow after eleven members of Parliament from across four political parties signed the Westminster Declaration in May 2017, calling for West Papuas right to self-determination to be legally recognised through an indigenous Papuan vote. October 19, 2011 five thousand academics, politicians, church leaders, and senior tribal leaders established the Federal Republic of West Papua (FRWP) during the 3rd Papua Congress. They determined its objectives, and elected a president and a prime minister. The Indonesian government immediately charged the President, Prime Minister and organizers of the Congress, with subversion, and they were all incarcerated. ASEAN member states remain reluctant in acknowledging the growing possibility that Indonesia may be challenged with losing yet another of its provinces following former President Habibies misstep that precipitated East Timors gaining independence from its Javanese, colonial masters. Indonesia continues to pressure Australia to caution its Pacific Island neighbours against interfering in the West Papua issue and to urge them to withdraw support for West Papuan membership of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, warning that the issue could pose a stumbling block to closer bilateral ties if Canberra fails to adopt a stronger public defence of Indonesias position. Although all Australian governments since 1962 have supported Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua, the growing international support for independence is highly likely to continue to negatively impact upon Australia-Indonesia relations in the future, recalling Australias support for East Timors independence from Indonesia in 1999. Jakarta believes that Australia will eventually support West Papuan independence or has strategic designs on the province. We can be certain that Jakarta would not readily surrender West Papua as it did East Timor. Papua New Guinea could also become victim to any conflict arising from a territorial fight and that would certainly invoke existing arrangements between PNG and Australia requiring boots on the ground to protect its borders. Fossils discovered in sediment in the Corumba region of western Brazil, near the border with Bolivia. University of Manchester Scientists have discovered traces of life more than half-a-billion years old that could change the way we think about how all animals evolved on earth. The international team, including palaeontologist from The University of Manchester, found a new set of trace fossils left by some of the first ever organisms capable of active movement. Trace fossils are the tracks and burrows left by living organisms, not physical remains such as bones or body parts. The fossils were discovered in sediment in the Corumba region of western Brazil, near the border with Bolivia. The burrows measure from under 50 to 600 micrometres or microns (m) in diameter, meaning the creatures that made them were similar in size to a human hair which can range from 40 to 300 microns in width. One micrometre is just one thousandth of a millimetre. Dr Russell Garwood, from Manchesters School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, said: This is an especially exciting find due to the age of the rocks these fossils are found in rock layers which actually pre-date the oldest fossils of complex animals at least that is what all current fossil records would suggest. The fossils found date back to a geological and evolutionary period known as the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition. This was when the Ediacaran Period, which spanned 94 million years from the end of the Cryogenian Period, 635 million years ago, moved into the Cambrian Period around 541 million years ago. To put that into context, dinosaurs lived between 230 and 65 million years ago in the Mesozoic Era. The Ediacaran-Cambrian transition is seen as extremely important period in evolutionary science and theory. Dr Garwood explains: The evolutionary events during the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition are unparalleled in Earth history. Thats because current fossil records suggests that many animal groups alive today appeared in a really short time interval. However, the team suggest these burrows were created by nematoid-like organisms, similar to a modern-day roundworm, that used an undulating locomotion to move through the sediment, leaving these trace fossils behind. This is important because current DNA studies, known as molecular clocks, which are used to estimate how long ago a group animals originated, suggests the first animals appeared before these burrows. But this research, which has been published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, shows these trace fossils pre-date similar animals currently found in the fossil record. Luke Parry, lead author from the University of Bristol, added: Our new fossils show that complex animals with muscle control were around approximately 550 million years ago, and they may have been overlooked previously because they are so tiny. The fossils that we describe were made by quite complex animals that we call bilaterians. These are all animals that are more closely related to humans, rather than to simple creatures like jellyfish. Most fossils of bilaterian animals are younger, first appearing in the Cambrian period. To find such tiny fossils the team used X-ray microtomography, a special technique that uses X-rays to create a virtual, 3D model of something without destroying the original object. Luke added: Our discovery highlights an unexplored window for tracking animal evolution in deep time. In her new book recounting the 2016 presidential campaign, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shares a story from an earlier period of her life: One of her visits to the Harriet Tubman Home in Auburn. Clinton's book, "What Happened," was released Tuesday. On the page before the author's note she wrote is a quote that's attributed to Tubman. "If you are tired, keep going. If you are scared, keep going. If you are hungry, keep going. If you want to taste freedom, keep going." While there's no evidence Tubman actually uttered those words, the quote served as a lead-in to Clinton's explanation why she wrote the book. At the conclusion of the note, she recalled her visit to the historic Tubman property in Cayuga County. "Twenty years ago, I watched a group of children perform a play about her life at (Tubman's) former homestead in Auburn, New York," Clinton wrote. "They were so excited about this courageous, determined woman who led slaves to freedom against all odds. Despite everything she faced, she never lost her faith in a simple but powerful motto: Keep going. That's what we have to do now, too." According to The Citizen's archive, Clinton visited the Tubman home in 1998 when she embarked on a four-day "Save America's Treasures" tour, which included several stops in upstate New York. The play she referenced in "What Happened" was performed by a group of Tubman's descendants. "This is a special place indeed," Clinton said in July 1998. "Harriet Tubman's story is one of personal triumph and extraordinary courage ... Once torn from her own home, she spent the last years of her life establishing this home for others the old, the poor, the destitute. She spoke for all of them and she continues to speak to all of us because above all, Harriet Tubman is a symbol of the enduring story of this nation." Clinton also visited the Tubman home in 1999 when her family vacationed in central New York. She was a leading advocate for the landmark during her tenure as one of New York's U.S. senators from 2001 to 2009. She visited the Tubman property again in September 2004, according to The Citizen's archive. In 2008, Clinton helped introduce legislation that would establish the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park in Auburn and another park honoring the abolitionist in Maryland. She wasn't in the Senate when the bill eventually passed as part of an annual defense bill in December 2014. The Tubman park in Auburn was formally established at a ceremony in January. The final paragraph of Clinton's author's note mentions the announcement made in 2016 that Tubman would be the face of a newly designed $20 bill. The process would take years to complete, but the civil rights icon would eventually appear on U.S. paper currency. "If you need proof that America can still get it right, there it is," Clinton wrote. The book was printed before current Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin wouldn't commit to adding Tubman's likeness to the new $20 bill. His comments were made during an interview earlier this month on CNBC. Two Auburnians are among 94 seniors recognized for their volunteerism by the New York State Office for the Aging as part of its Older New York | BY Ricki Green | Clemenger BBDO Sydney today kicks off its search for its 2018 Clems Grads. Applications close 15th Oct 2017. The chosen Clems Grads start in Jan 2018. The highly sought-after Clemenger Group Program has welcomed 115 Grads over the last 11 years, with over 100 staying on to work full time, of which an impressive 34 are still with Clemenger today. The Program ranks #1 by Grad Australia in its overall list of Australian employers for media, marketing and PR category in 2015. The Clems Grads Program, offers five full-time positions to curious, tenacious and creative newcomers looking to make their mark in communication Industry. The successful applicants will rotate between Clemenger BBDO Sydney, TKT Sydney and Traffik, giving them the opportunity to work across multiple clients and exposing them to everything from strategic planning, user experience, digital, experiential, content and creative production and account management. Says Maddie Marsh, head of account management: Clems Grads has delivered many of our finest Clemenger people, and not only in Account Management, but also in the Planning and creative departments. The program puts the grads through their paces and gives them the chance to witness and play a crucial part in the creative process. This year our continued focus is on diversity and we are casting a wide net to ensure we capture the best and most diverse talent regardless of educational background. Says Rob Harding Smith, planner at Clemenger BBDO Sydney and 2012 Clems Grad: Im not from a marketing or advertising background, in fact the only thing I knew back in 2012 was that I wanted to work in communications. Thinking back on it, joining Clems as a grad was the best thing that I could have done to get me to where I am today. Starting in account management as part of the grad program gave me a great introduction to advertising. It helped me understand what ad agencies actually do, how they do it, and who they work with. This start provided me with a focus of where I actually wanted to work, and where I wanted to take my career. Its the sort of knowledge you cant really find out until youve worked in the industry. Its a bloody fascinating career path if youre interested in everything from media, to marketing, to tech, to management consulting.. To apply, candidates must complete two tasks, the first is a written component solving a client problem and the second is video submission introducing themselves. A shortlist of applicants will be invited for a face-to-face interview before the final five are announced. | BY Ricki Green | Today sees the launch of Parallel Parks, Australias first Virtual Reality (VR) project to enable people with disability and other mobility issues to experience previously inaccessible parts of our National Parks and so feel immersed in nature. Parallel Parks was conceived by creative and technology agency Mammal Sydney for not-for-profit client New Horizons. It is designed to unlock the potential of VR to foster greater connection, inclusivity and access to the outdoors all key elements of creating a sense of wellbeing, and all fundamental to happiness and positive mental health. Over 12 months has been spent on development to date, with a crowd funding campaign now launching on new non-profit platform Enablr. Contributions will help to shoot additional VR footage and to assist with co-designing and refining of the VR product by people with disability. To showcase the projects potential, Sydneys Martin Place has been transformed into a virtual park event, where members of the public can explore four of Australias finest national parks in virtual reality: Uluru-Kata Tjuta, Great Barrier Reef, Kangaroo Island and Murray River. The project to date has involved significant collaboration between agencies, disability services, academia, government departments and environmental bodies. Sponsorship and support has been provided by numerous organisations, including NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), People & Parks Foundation (PPF), Tourism Australia, Hamilton Island, Qantas and Telstra. New Horizons Clareville Villas resident Catherine Smith (pictured left) has tested the Parallel Parks prototype, saying: I want more of it. Youre on the right track with the development, its a big thumbs-up from me. Another Clareville resident, William Quong, adds: My favourite is visiting the Great Barrier Reef. I love that you can go under water in that one, especially as I cant take my wheelchair in the water I cant get it wet! Attendance at todays launch event is free, with VR booths open in Martin Place from 8.30am to 4.30pm. All members of the public are welcome to come and experience the potential for VR to contribute to the wellbeing of anyone with mobility issues. Mammal Sydney Creative James Gillespie, Daffers Little-Jones, Mike Watts, Luke Chess Design Mark Moss, Sam Princi, Dane Kirkland Production and Project Management Belle Oliva, Adrian Leppard New Horizons Head of Marketing Ryan Watson Corporate Partnerships Manager Kim Gracey VR Development Frameless Interactive Public Relations Louise Nealon CP Communications Event Management Sold Out Events Event Fit-out ExpoNet Campaign Video Prints by Reginald Gammon that explore aspects of African American life and history. Runs through 9/30. Reginald Gammon (1921-2005), originally from Philadelphia, moved to New York City in 1951. He taught in the New York public schools and for 21 years at Western Michigan University. When he retired to New Mexico in 1992 he became active in the arts scene here. Gammon's paintings and prints often explore aspects of African American life and history. He was a member of the black artists' collective, Spiral, with Romare Bearden, Norman Lewis, Hale Woodruff and Emma Amos, among others. He was an avid jazz fan and saw many concerts in New York. Gammon made his own bold interpretations of such artists such as Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong and Lester Young performing. The expressiveness of his lines and color suggest the sounds and cadences of the performances represented on these silent sheets of paper. The juxtaposition of his sensuous nudes with the jazz portraits in this exhibition reflect the multisensory element of jazz syncopation. Gammon once said, "The human physiognomy is as great a landscape as you can find or as great a still life as you can find." These prints were created at New Grounds Print Workshop & Gallery in Albuquerque located just blocks from the Outpost. Gammon was a founding member of New Grounds in 1996. While in New York the artist had worked as a commercial artist, painter and printmaker. Known mainly as a painter, Gammon revived his interest in making prints when he moved to Albuquerque. In 2007-8 New Grounds Gallery and the Albuquerque Museum and the African American Performing Arts Center held exhibitions to honor Gammon and his legacy. In 1997 Gammon showed in the original Inpost Artspace Gallery at the old Outpost on Morningside Dr. Dr. Kymberly Pinder, Dean of the College of Fine Arts at the University of New Mexico has the curated this show on the 20th Anniversary of Gammon's last Inpost Artspace show. FREE! The Cato-Meridian Central School District is in the early stages of planning a capital project taxpayers could vote for by year's end. The $3 million to $5 million project and the possible referendum for it were discussed at a district board of education meeting Monday. District Superintendent Noel Patterson said Tuesday that although the exact costs and scope haven't been determined yet, the project will focus on updating and renovating district facilities. The three main items the district wants to cover are replacing the district pool's dehumidification system, resurfacing the track and replacing a portion of the Cato-Meridian Community Recreation Center's roof, Patterson said. He said the district would also like to fit in renovations like work on various classrooms and lockers. Patterson said he will be meeting with financial advisers in the hopes of having "much more concrete numbers" and other details fleshed out by the next board meeting on Sept. 26. By October, the district would like to have the board vote on whether to hold a public referendum on the project, and, if approved, hold that vote for taxpayers in December, he said. The endeavor is intended to have no financial impact on the district's tax levy, Patterson said. If it gets the green light from voters, the state education department would then review the proposal. The district's estimated building aid from the state for the 2017-2018 school year is around 88 percent, Patterson said, and if the extent of the project is found to fall within aid eligibility, the costs will be aided at that level. The superintendent said the replaced dehumidification system would be for the pool in the recreation center attached to the elementary school. He also said the district's track was first installed in 2005 and has been patched numerous times in the following years, especially from water damage. He noted that resurfacing the area would allow the district to avoid more patching. Taxpayers approved the creation of a capital reserve of a maximum amount of $5 million back in May to fund future projects. The school board approved the transfer of $1,208,111 from the district's unappropriated fund balance to the capital fund balance Monday. | BY Ricki Green | Production Alley is now open for business in its brand new audio complex in Rogers St, Port Melbourne. The team have spent months planning and designing the new complex from the ground up. Built around a state of the art control room and booth, the complex also has a pre / post production suite and digital links to its Cremorne and Gisborne studios meaning the team at Production Alley are able to offer great flexibility for booking sessions and can always accomodate fast turn arounds and last minute revisions. Productions Alleys clients were front of mind throughout the build, the studio offers a dedicated client workstation, client viewing area, on-site free parking with coffee and catering available on request. Not one to relax and enjoy the new surrounds, company director Rodney Lowe is already working on the next phase of Production Alley. Construction is currently underway on a second, larger studio within the complex to accommodate Production Alleys growing stable of sound designers and composers. The team are ecstatic with the new studio and would love industry folk to come down and hear the difference. | BY Lynchy | BBDO Indonesia has appointed Vaishali Sarkar to the role of Chief Executive Officer. Having spent her first 16 years at OgilvyOne India, and the last decade in Indonesia, she has been instrumental in building profitable business units that include OgilvyOne, Soho Square and most recently Ogilvy Advertising. The last decade has seen her bring about significant growth and success for the Indonesia agency, and she has been at the helm of multi-channel campaigns for both local and global brands. Over her tenure at Ogilvy, she has led work that resulted in multiple awards including Gold Echo awards and Cannes Lions. Furthermore, she was the recipient of the prestigious David Ogilvy Award for Excellence. Sarkar (pictured) was drawn to BBDO for their unwavering belief that The Work is at the heart of everything they do. Her appointment signals a new era of leadership for the agency and given her extensive market knowledge and integrated background, she will help shape the next chapter of BBDO Indonesias success. Sarkar said, Im really excited about joining the BBDO family at a time when the need for media neutral marketing is growing in Indonesia. Not only do I feel a great cultural fit with BBDO, I also see an opportunity for us to strengthen our multi-channel offering in an environment that encourages collaboration in the pursuit of creative excellence. Im looking forward to working with the team to bring about the best results for our clients locally and regionally. Richard Fraser, President of BBDO Southeast Asia commented, Vaishali is a proven and highly respected business leader with extensive global and local experience, which made her the standout CEO choice for our Agency in Indonesia. Her vast omnichannel experience, passion for creative excellence, and history of building strong long-term relationships will give us a major advantage as we shape our business to match the ever-evolving needs of our clients in this growth market. We are delighted to have her on board. This announcement comes as Managing Director, Intan Mokhnar leaves Indonesia after a successful career at BBDO to pursue new interests. Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 3:33AM The Galaxy Note8 is almost here but just ahead of its release Samsung just pushed a firmware update for the phone (version N950FXXU1AQI1). Some of the things the update brings to the Note8 include camera software improvement as well as wireless charging optimization. The August security patch is also included in the update, which as Samsung Mobile Security blog enumerates include 32 critical or high-level fixes. There is also a preview of the September security patch on said blog that fixes 46 vulnerabilities in Android and 12 in Samsung Experience. Source: Android Authority He said the development, comprising 11,500 houses over four suburbs, and the cost of the advertising campaign was competitive when compared to the cost of marketing a single suburb, and would be amortised across the life of the 30-year project. He writes that Canberra households had the second highest weekly expenditure of all capital cities ($1670.19), and while the ACT's housing costs were below the Australian average, most other expenses were above the national average. "The Canberra Liberals support the belief that all Canberrans, regardless of their views, should be treated with respect and should enjoy democratic freedoms to express ideas and voice opinions," he said. "The government has a very clear agenda and we're going to be increasing harm minimisation and reducing the impact of problem gambling. We have invited people from the clubs, from the academic experts, from the advocates and from the people with lived experience. We believe all of those will come together with good ideas to help the government with its agenda," Mr Ramsay said. AUBURN Cayuga County could join a multi-county lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies that sell opioids. County legislators at both Judicial and Public Safety and Government Operations Committees discussed the possibility Wednesday night, and ultimately decided to schedule a meeting with two New York City law firms spearheading the lawsuit. Cayuga County Attorney Fred Westphal said the lawsuit was originally filed by Nassau County. Since then at least nine other New York counties have joined, hoping to recoup costs associated with drug addiction and overdoses. According to Cayuga County Coroner Adam Duckett's monthly report to the Legislature, five of 50 deaths he has investigated this year were from drug overdoses. District Attorney Jon Budelmann said when doctors write a prescription for pain medication, a patient can easily become addicted. "We're left cleaning up the mess, which is young kids dying, rehab, which is $30,000 a month plus, prosecutions," he listed. "The drug trafficking drives a huge amount of the crime we see." Government Operations Committee Chair Ryan Foley said there's also costs associated with emergency responders using Narcan, an opioid inhibitor. Foley added that should the county join and the lawsuit succeeds, there would not be a windfall of money to the county. There's a cap to how much counties can get for each statistic they add to the lawsuit, he said. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is in touch with one of the law firms to collect data, Westphal said, though it was unclear if the state would pursue anything. Collecting data, Westphal continued, is an unknown cost to the county at this point. Considering that the district attorney's office, the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office, the department of social services, the probation department, and others would all have to examine the cost effects of the opioid epidemic on their county departments going back a maximum of six years, it could be a significant commitment. That concerned Legislator Tucker Whitman and Legislator Aileen-McNabb Coleman. They both wanted to know whether the information departments would need to supply would examine things like heroin deals on the street, or be as wide-ranging as someone getting dental surgery and using pain killers after. "It sounds like a lot of weeds to be digging through to try to pick up some nickels," Whitman said. "There's a lot of unknowns, and I didn't know the parameters of which they're going to investigate this,"McNabb-Coleman added. Legislator Andy Dennison and Tim Lattimore discussed how there could be a benefit to joining the lawsuit now because the pharmaceutical companies could decide to settle before taking it to court. "If eight other counties have already looked into this and agree to it, I think we should research it and get into it," Lattimore said. Westphal said he would reach out to the law firms involved in the suit. Legislators hope they will present at the next Government Operations Committee meeting in October. "The governments been holding out for about eight or nine years refusing to introduce anti-consorting laws and, throughout that time, what we've seen is an increase in bikie violence in our suburbs," Mr Hanson said. "She said to me 'Oh Stuart, what's this?' And I looked at it, and was like, 'Oh no, that's a new species.' I just knew straight away," Mr Harris said. THIS WEEK IN CAPE BRETON: Raising the peace flag, reviewing future plans for Centre 200 and more SYDNEY During a time of conflict around the world and with racial tensions on the rise in many parts, its clear there are those who want to find a bright, positive light wherever they can. Over the next several days, the YMCA of Cape Breton will ... All wine lovers know red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel and Syrah (Shiraz). And add Sangiovese and Tempranillo to this list, although most people call them Chianti and Rioja, respectively. Wines from these seven grapes may seem like plenty of variety, but there are many lesser-known red wine grapes that will greatly enhance anyones enjoyment and appreciation of wine. Wines made from lesser-known grapes not only expand horizons but they often are less expensive, thereby providing better value. An excellent example of a lesser-known, fine-value red is Malbec. It is rapidly growing in popularity in the U.S. as fine, inexpensive bottlings are increasingly available. But Malbec is just one of many lesser-known red wine grapes, and here are highly attractive wines that provide fine introductions to others: Wines $10 to $19 Juan Gil 2014 Monastrell, Silver Label, Jumilla, Spain ($15): Monastrell is better known as Mourvedre, and the Juan Gil features compelling strength, complexity and persona on nose and palate, coupled with a core of medium-soft tannins. An excellent value. Atalaya 2014 red blend del Camino, Almansa, Spain ($16): This blend of Garnacha Tintorera and Monastrell (aka Alicante Bouchet and Mourvedre) is an exceptional value with forward character appealing especially to wine lovers who enjoy powerful wines. Should be available in Arizona beginning next week. Zenato 2013 red blend Valpolicella Superiore, Italy ($16): Very attractive in the glass, this well-priced blend of mostly the Corvina grape is impressive in the glass and strong on the palate, where it features full body, smooth texture, well balanced fruit and an extended finish. Johanneshof Reinisch 2012 St. Laurent Thermenregion, Austria ($19.50): This bottling of St. Laurent provides a tasting experience resembling Pinot Noir thanks to forward, rich, well-balanced fruit and medium-soft tannins. Notable complexity and length. Imported by an Arizona-based company. Wines $20 to $29 Bernabeleva 2014 Grenache Navaherreros, San Martin de Valdeiglesias, Spain ($20): Grenache is easy to love, and this fine example has fruit, strength and complexity on nose and palate. Its strong personality includes tannins that suggest serving with red meat. Tapiz 2014 Malbec Alta Collection, Mendoza, Argentina ($20): This forward but refined Malbec is an excellent buy with its purple-tinged color, strength and complexity on the nose, and beautiful fruit coupled with finely tuned balance and well-integrated tannins. Weninger 2015 Kekfrankos Balf, Sopron, Hungary ($21.50): Impressive across the board, this fine Kekfrankos (aka Blaufrankisch) has ample fruit yet is a bit lean in style with notable balance as well as complexity on both nose and palate. Quite a bargain. Imported by an Arizona-based company. Georges Dubeouf 2014 Gamay Chateau des Capitans, Julienas, Beaujolais, France ($22): Beaujolais is known for its rich, highly pleasing fruit, but theres much more to this fine example, including luminescent color in the glass and a robust nose. Strength, balance and integration characterize the palate. Heitz 2014 Grignolino Napa Valley ($22): Heitz is renowned for its Cabs, but its Grignolino is little known despite being a tasting experience thanks to an upfront personality that includes being lean and expressive on the palate and featuring great length on the finish. Pascual Toso 2015 Malbec Reserva, Barrancas Vineyards, Mendoza, Argentina ($22): Strong all-around, but with an especially impressive nose. The forward, full-bodied fruit comes across a bit leaner than many Malbecs, but there is terrific balance and a long-lingering finish. Cline 2015 Carignane Ancient Vines, Contra Costa County ($23): Brimming with character yet striking notes familiar to lovers of more common red varietals, this Carignane has great color depth, a complex nose, full body, expressive fruit and an extended length. VDR 2014 red blend Hames Valley, Monterey ($28): This blend of Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah is deeply colored (VDR = Very Dark Red) and expresses parallel strength and power on the nose. Strong, rich, full-bodied fruit leads to beautiful development of complexity and a lingering length. Wines $30 and higher Frank Family 2013 Petite Sirah Napa Valley ($35): This is the most refined Petite Sirah Ive had in years! Great color depth and hue, along with an impressively complex nose. Excels on the palate, especially with its wonderfully refined, satiny smooth texture and lengthy finish Scheid 2014 Tannat Hames Valley Vineyard, Monterey ($36): This Tannat experience is a highly polished one. It is strong, fruity and powerfully complex on the nose and full-bodied, excellently balanced, finely integrated and lengthy on the finish. Only available online. kukkula 2014 red blend Aatto, Adelaida District ($40): This blend of Counoise, Mourvedre and Grenache is beautifully textured on the palate thanks to medium-soft tannins interacting with forward fruit, fine balance and impressive refinement. Only available online. Michelle Chiarlo 2013 La Court, Barbera dAsti Superiore Nizza, Italy ($50): Barbera is one of the worlds great grapes, especially when grown in the Piedmont region. This terrific example features strength and complexity, full body, excellent balance, unobtrusive tannins and notable integration and refinement. Murrietas Well 2015 red blend Zarzuela, Small Lot, Livermore Valley ($60): This blend of Touriga, Tempranillo and Souzao has amazing color depth. I also loved its satiny texture on the attack, followed by development of fruit, power and complexity that linger on the finish. Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. Subaru just dusted off a nameplate they havent used in a while: the Rex. This time though, its not being attached to a sub-compact mini or... Want to know whats up at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show? Look no further as weve done all the hard work for you compiling the webs most comprehensive list of world and European production and concept car premieres. Taking place at the Frankfurt Messe, the 67th edition of the show, otherwise known as the Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung or IAA, kicks off with the press days on 12-13 September followed by the trade days on 14-15 September, before letting the public in on 16-24 September. As you would expect, German brands and their affiliate marques are in full force at the Frankfurt motor show. There are way too many new cars and studies to list, but some of the highlights include Audis autonomous concept, BMWs Concept i Vision Dynamic and X7, Mercedes-AMGs highly-anticipated Project One hypercar and VWs T-Roc. And while some international brands like Alfa Romeo, DS, Fiat, Infiniti, Jeep, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot and Volvo decided to skip this years event, theres no shortage of debuts from other foreign automakers. The new Ferrari Portafino, Hyundai i30N and Honda Urban EV Concept are just a few of the newcomers. Flick and click through the A-Z listings below to read details about all the new presentations. Well be adding more debuts and updates in the coming days, so stay tuned for more! Note: F/L = Facelift PRODUCTION CARS CONCEPT MODELS SPECIAL COVERAGE Bentley and Bugatti chief executive Wolfgang Durheimer has revealed that electrification is a major priority for the British automaker he leads. Speaking to Car&Driver at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Durheimer confirmed that both the third-generation Continental GT and Bentayga SUV will be offered in plug-in hybrid guises and that all-electric models will follow shortly after. Beyond Bentleys electrified future, the outspoken executive indicated that both lone-wheelbase and coupe variants of the Bentayga are being considered. Additionally, he said a four-door version of the new Continental GT could also see the light of day and be dubbed the Continental Type R. Meanwhile, Durheimer said the Bugatti Chiron is sold out for the next four years with 300 of the 500 units accounted for. He admitted that electrification for the Chirons likely successor is possible but said a decision on whether or not to replace the hypercar wont be made until 2019. In the meantime, Durheimer is expected to relinquish his position as Bugatti boss to Audi Sport chief and former Lamborghini head honcho Stephan Winkelmann. PHOTO GALLERY Mercedes-Benz intends on cutting costs by $4.8 billion as it pushes forward with its ambitious electric vehicle goals. Speaking to AutoNews on the eve of the Frankfurt Motor Show, Mercedes chief financial officer Frank Lindenberg said the automaker will sacrifice short term profits in favor of higher electric vehicle sales. We will still be aiming at 10 percent return on sales, but we have to be prepared for a corridor of 8 percent to 10 percent, he said. By 2025, the brand believes up to 25 per cent of its sedan, coupe and utility vehicle sales will be accounted by all-electric vehicles. Lindenberg also said that about three-quarters of the future EVs from Mercedes-Benz will replace traditional internal combustion engine powered offerings. Daimler admits that electric vehicles will have lower profit margins at the beginning of their life cycle but believes they will eventually become just as profitable as ICEs. PHOTO GALLERY Although the next-generation BMW 1-Series will switch to front-wheel drive, the automaker has confirmed to press at the Frankfurt Motor Show that the next two-door models of the 2-Series will retain its rear-wheel drive setup. During a discussion with Motoring, BMW board member for development Dr Klaus Frolich said it only makes sense for the 2-Series (including of course, the M2) to remain rear driven. I think it (M2) is such a good car, it has such a success in the market, we cant make enough cars and we are running out of engines at the moment. I think it would be a very good idea to continue that legacy (current 2 Series), he said. Responding to the confirmation given by his colleague, BMW Australia boss Marc Werner expressed his delight about the carmakers decision. As far as rear-wheel drive is concerned, you heard it from the horses mouth today, so thats interesting. If thats going to happen I think its the right way forward, he said. The new 2-Series is expected to launch in 2020 but before it arrives, the next-generation 1-Series will hit the market. It will be underpinned by the automakers UKL platform and therefore switch from RWD to FWD. It would have been simple for BMW to use the same platform in the new two-door 2-Series (as it does on todays 2-Series Active Tourer models) but we cant imagine anyone complaining about RWD remaining. PHOTO GALLERY Nobody likes to sit in traffic, especially when there is no obvious reason like an accident or funeral procession. When its simply a case of too many vehicles on too little pavement at the same time as during rush hour or a snowplay holiday weekend drivers who cant find a detour start looking for someone to blame. In Flagstaff, the fingers are pointed at elected officials who have overseen more growth than the road system can handle. The blame might be misplaced instead of, say, the city council or supervisors, look to the Regents and their enrollment growth strategy and affordable four-wheel drive vehicles for the reasons behind congestion near NAU and the Highway 180 corridor, respectively. But officials are taking the complaints to heart, with a transportation tax extension aimed at expanding road capacity and plans for No parking enforcement along Highway 180 this winter. But what about temporary inconvenience tied to road construction that, ultimately, will benefit everyone. Two summers ago, North Leroux and Verde streets were torn up; this year it is North Beaver, Lockett and Zuni, among others. Residents along those streets are inconvenienced and so are drivers asked to squeeze onto already crowded detour roads. Eventually, though, the work is finished and the neighbors as well as the through drivers are made whole until the next round of repairs. But what about during construction what obligation does the city have to contain the impact of a project to as limited an area as possible or spread it around so no single block or street bears an unfair burden? Those are the questions swirling around the reconstruction of North Beaver between Columbus and, ultimately, Birch. Because it is one-way southbound, all of the traffic that used to be in two lanes is forced into one southbound lane on Humphreys, which already has its full share of vehicles at rush hour. Now, Humphreys is backed up several light cycles at Aspen and then Route 66 for most of the day, partly because what used to be another southbound corridor San Francisco Street has been converted to northbound only. Some have suggested that the city should temporarily switch San Francisco back to two lanes while North Beaver is closed. But that would require removing dozens of one-way and right- and left-turn only signs, plus re-educating a generation of drivers, many of whom have never driven southbound on San Francisco. And then, in just a year, they would all have to unlearn those new driving habits. Others are taking matters into their own hands and using Leroux, which is 11 feet narrower, as a southbound through street to avoid the backups on Humphreys. Neighbors complained of similar shortcuts more than a decade ago when the one-way streets were implemented on either side of Leroux, and the city responded. It installed a concrete island at the head of the street to keep drivers on Columbus from whipping into a turn without slowing down. And it prohibited downhill lefthand turns across traffic from Columbus into Leroux to increase safety for drivers and pedestrians alike. But after Leroux residents complained that too many short-cutters were making illegal turns, police set up patrols and started issuing tickets. If they had their way, said some, theyd set up Local Traffic Only barriers for the duration of the project. Drivers have pushed back on social media, asking why Leroux residents deserve a nearly empty street when two blocks away southbound Humphreys is nearly a parking lot for most of the day? Our sense is that there may be a solution midway between the two extremes. Since our front-page story last week publicized the citations and the concerns of neighbors, illegal left turns have gone down. But more drivers are now aware of the detour (it is still legal to make a right turn into Leroux if heading eastbound on Columbus), so we doubt that net traffic volume has decreased much. We always maintained that residential streets should be for local traffic only once through-drivers start using them as shortcuts, the main arterials will never get expanded until even the neighborhoods are jammed. But what if during Beaver construction, the city allows left turns but lowers the speed limit on Leroux to 15 mph and installs speed humps to enforce the new limit? And for good measure, the city should install stop signs at every cross street, not every other one. Yes, the extra traffic for the next year would mean children riding bikes or playing ball in the roadway would need to be more careful wed take a one-year timeout, were we a parent living on the street. But after Beaver is reopened, what if the speed humps and extra stop signs remained, but left turns were again made illegal? And for good measure, the concrete median, dubbed the submarine by neighbors, could be widened even more only a NASCAR driver could weave his way around it at high speed without losing a fender. So far, the only enforcement mechanism has been the left-hand turn tickets by police. But the city traffic commission has the power to do more, or at least to recommend further measures to the council. Short of putting up traffic barriers, Leroux is going to have through traffic during the Beaver project through next summer, like it or not. Why not take further action to slow it down before someone gets seriously hurt. Whenever a new electric vehicle is launched, someone somewhere will try to cover a distance longer than its official range, on a single charge. This is the case of an Opel Ampera-e, which set out on a 750km (466 miles) trip, from Germanys most westerly city, Aachen, to the most easterly city, Gorlitz, under the guidance of a local TV crew. The two journalists took turns at the wheel and patiently reeled off kilometer after kilometer, maintaining an average speed between 40 and 50km/h (25-31mph), and after 25 hours and 30 minutes the odometer eventually indicated 754.9km (469.07miles). However, due to the 20km (miles) extended route, the duo failed to reach the Aachen town sign, but nevertheless, this is still an impressive achievement for the electric vehicle, which has a NEDC estimated range of 520km (323miles), and a combined WLTP range of 380km (236miles). Buying an Opel Ampera-e in Germany will set you back for at least 39,330 ($47,268), while its North American sibling, developed by GM before Opels departure to PSA, the Chevrolet Bolt, has a starting price of $37,495, before the federal tax credit, and $29,995 after. PHOTO GALLERY A drag strip in the Houston suburb of Baytown has opened up its gates as a temporary storage and processing facility for vehicles ravaged by Hurricane Harvey. Royal Purple Raceway has offered up 400 acres of its lands and as of the start of this week, around 30,000 vehicles were already being stored there with many more arriving daily. Track vice president and general manager Seth Angel says insurance adjusters will assess the damage of vehicles and process claims from the raceway. Once a vehicle has been assessed, it will either be returned to its owner, be named a salvage and sold online through Copart or be sent to the scrapyard for demolition. Speaking to Autoweek, Angel said Its been a wild past few weeks. Copart needs places to store all the cars. Insurance adjusters simply cant go to every car across the city. Its going to be a very long process. Vehicles will be stored at the facility for the next six months meaning all racing events at Royal Purple Raceway have been suspended until February. FLOODED CARS: From exotic cars to mini vans, nearly 10-thousand now at the grave-yard car lot at the Royal Purple Raceway. pic.twitter.com/nFvrRHNqH2 Foti Kallergis (@FotiABC13) September 4, 2017 VIDEO Porsche is continuing to put the final touches on the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS and recently brought a number of pre-production vehicles to the Nurburgring. Whats most interesting about the video below are the colors of these RS models. One is painted Racing Yellow, one Guards Red, another GT Silver Metallic, the fourth Black and most impressively, Miami Blue, the first time weve seen the 700 hp 911 in this color. 2018 GT2 RS prototypes have been testing at the Nurburgring for well over a year and it seems inevitable that the German brand will look to set a sub-7-minute lap time in the car. Heck, for all we know, the car may have already set a lap record but Porsche has yet to announce anything. In early July, Porsche Motorsport boss Frank-Steffen Walliser said the car will lap the circuit in under 7 minutes but failed to specify if it would beat the 6:57 of the Porsche 918 Spyder. If a record for a globally-homologated road car is in the carmakers sights, the GT2 RS will need to beat the 6 minute 52 second lap of the Lamborghini Huracan Performante. VIDEO Were not looking at trademarks or leaks just yet, but at the four finalist names that have been chosen by Seat to be used on their upcoming flagship SUV. Announced during the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show by the brands head honcho, Luca de Meo, these are: Alboran, Aranda, Avila, and Tarraco, and they come from the westernmost portion of the Mediterranean Sea, two cities in the region of Castile and Leon, and the name of a former Roman city, respectively. Alboran, Aranda, Avila, and Tarraco meet all the necessary requirements for becoming another one of Seats emblems, Luca de Meo said. The project has been a clear success and we would again like to thank all of the more than 133,000 fans in 106 countries who collaborated on the initiative. All that remains now is the final stage, and we encourage everyone to participate in the vote. The name of Seats new SUV will be announced on October 15, and it will join 13 other vehicles in the companys lineup, whose names were taken from the Spanish geography. Details surrounding the SUV are still scarce, but from previous sources we know that it will be assembled at the Volkswagen plant, in Wolfsburg. It will be larger than the Ateca, and its expected to be offered in two configurations 5 and 7 seats, underpinned by the MQB A2 platform. PHOTO GALLERY Volvo has announced its purchase of U.S.-based premium valet and concierge service Luxe. No price has been publicized about the deal but Luxe was formed just four short years ago and allows users to arrange a driver to park, wash and refuel their car through the companys dedicated smartphone app. Volvo says Luxes service will join the Swedish automakers digital organization in Silicon Valley as will Luxe data scientists, app developers and software engineers. Speaking about the acquisition, Volvo chief digital officer Atif Rafiq said: Our vision is a future in which technology simplifies life so you never have to stop at a petrol station, go to a car wash or even take your car in for service ever again. The acquisition of Luxe is a step towards realising that ambition. I look forward to working closely with the highly talented team at Luxe who created its advanced technology from the ground up. Volvo says the acquisition will allow it to accelerate its ability to offer pick-up and drop-off services to customers. Additionally, Luxe will provide the carmaker with advanced algorithms in the areas of routing, logistics planning and arrival time prediction. PHOTO GALLERY One of the film production companies that produced the film, Lunohod, shared the message they received from Youtube on their Facebook page, adding that they would not appeal. What can we say We are not going to argue with them, the company wrote. Here is the full text of the message Youtube sent them: Hi LUNOHOD, As you may know, our Community Guidelines describe which content we allow and dont allow on YouTube. Your video Villa Antropoff was flagged for review. Upon review, weve determined that it violates our guidelines. Weve removed it from YouTube and assigned a Community Guidelines strike, or temporary penalty, to your account. Video content restrictions If a video contains nudity, pornography, or other sexually provocative content, its less likely to be allowed on YouTube. YouTube reviews content on a case by case basis and will make limited exceptions for appropriate educational, documentary, artistic, and scientific contexts. In such cases, we may apply an age restriction so that only viewers over a certain age can view the content. Learn more here. The impact of strikes This is the first strike applied to your account. We understand that users seldom intend to violate our policies. Thats why strikes dont last forever this strike will expire in three months. However, its important to remember that additional strikes could prevent you from posting content to YouTube or even lead to your account being terminated. How you can respond If you believe this was a mistake, wed like to hear from you. Please follow both of these steps as simply deleting the video wont resolve the strike on your account. The next time you sign in you will be asked to acknowledge this strike on your account. If you would like to appeal this strike, please submit this form. Our team will thoroughly review your appeal and will contact you again very soon. We value your opinions and feedback. Please take a few minutes to fill out our survey. Sincerely, - The YouTube Team While Villa Antropoff contains a few short scenes of cartoon nudity, Youtube makes clear exceptions in its policies for works that are presented in artistic contexts. The fact that a Youtube employee could have reviewed this film and not recognized the films artistic context illustrates a serious breakdown in the companys ability to police content based on its own policies. Youtube indeed has a category for age-restricted content that would have allowed this film to remain online. In cases where videos do not cross the line, but still contain sexual content, we may apply an age-restriction so that only viewers over a certain age can view the content, the company writes in its policy guide, adding that Videos containing nudity or dramatized sexual conduct may be age-restricted when the context is appropriately educational, documentary, scientific or artistic. In another recent instance, Kirsten Lepores smash-hit Hi Stranger was deemed by Youtube employees to contain adult-content and was slapped with an age-restricted tag on the video. However, there are dozens of other copies of Lepores film floating around Youtube that do not have the age-restricted tag. Since Youtubes algorithms prioritize safe content over age-restricted content, the unauthorized uploads of Lepores film that havent been hit with the age-restricted tag appear above her official copy on the sites search results. Youtubes parent company, Google, applies this same policy to its own Google Search results. Further, since age-restricted videos cannot be monetized with ads, Lepore has been unable to earn any income from Youtube with her film. But she discovered that some unauthorized uploads of her film, which hadnt been marked with the age-restricted tag, were enabling ads and monetizing her film. Since their uploads havent been flagged, theyre able to make ad money off my video which I think is completely unfair, Lepore tells Cartoon Brew. Ive either messaged those people, issued takedowns, or just flagged them for nudity myself so they couldnt make money like me. While the simplest answer would be to simply advise animation filmmakers to share their work on other web video platforms, that is not a long-term solution nor does it benefit filmmakers. The relatively filmmaker-friendly Vimeo, for example, is the 92nd most-visited website in the U.S. compared to Youtubes #3 position. The eyeballs are on Youtube, and the company should increase its efforts to understand and engage with the creative community, especially since it relies so heavily on their content for its success. (h/t, Zippy Frames for alerting us to the story) Photo: Contributed A man and woman from out of province were arrested after they stole someone's credit card and went on a shopping spree in West Kelowna. RCMP were notified by a store employee who reported a suspicious couple Monday evening. Police arrested a 30-year-old man in the store and the 23-year-old woman who fled to the parking lot after police arrived. The credit card was in another person's name. Both male and female spent the night in jail, and they will be appearing in court ... to face a variety of charges including identity theft, identity fraud, impersonation and obstruction, said Cpl. Tania Carroll. The couple are believed to have committed similar frauds in other locations. Anyone with information is asked to contact Const. John Brown at 250-768-2880 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Photo: photographyblogger.net I recently read an article about spiders and their place in different cultures. As some of you may already know, I do not like spiders. They scare the snot out of me. In my teen years, my then-girlfriend thought it would be great fun to throw a rather large, ugly spider at me. I am not ashamed to admit I screamed like a frightened school girl in a haunted house. I then did the spider dance and was generally creeped out for the rest of the day. There are many articles that talk about how beneficial the little critters are. I have never argued their benefit to the world, I have just demanded their execution on sight. No trial, no jury and no mercy, just straight to the death chamber commonly known as the bottom of my shoe. The only good spider is a spider that has been smashed into a unrecognizable pile of goo. Now, that's my kind of arachnid. The article talked about how spiders are revered in some cultures. Let's just say I am not from that culture. Some cultures eat spiders, and I say go ahead because remember a dead spider is a good spider, just don't invite me over for dinner. No, thank you, I'm full. I ate when I left Canada. Some people keep spiders as pets. Friends had a teen-ager who had a tarantula as a pet. One day, she was talking to my wife and said the tarantula had escaped its enclosure. My wife asked how many times that had happened. Slamming my foot to the ground as hard as I could my answer was, Once. And I meant it. If I were at their house and the eight-legged horror was walking across the room, they would have one less pet to feed (and a carpet to clean.) The article said Hindus in eastern Bengal collect spiders and let them go at weddings as a sign of good luck. Who in the blue hell thinks a small army of spiders crawling all over the place is good luck? I would rather have the wedding guests stick pencils up my nose and make me bark like a walrus for good luck. It might be good luck for my wife though, because she could start our marriage by cashing in my life insurance. If there are 100 people at the wedding and each one let even one spider go, that would be it for me. I would see all these little eight-legged nasties running around and I would be out of there so fast the wind from me leaving would knock people over. But if you think that is bad, the article went on to describe another tradition in Egypt where it is common practice to place a spider in the bed of the newly married couple. OK, hold it. Stop right there. Folks, you have just crossed the line. Putting a spider in my bed is quite possibly the worst idea I have ever heard. Can you imagine being all in love and happy about the nuptials only to find a bug-eyed monster staring back at you from the honeymoon love lounger? It would be the shortest honeymoon in the history of honeymoons. Honey, why don't you pull the sheets back. I'll be right there. Why yes my love, that sounds like a great plan. Honey, what was that high-pitched scream? Honey? Honey? The next sound would be the door breaking as I ran through it to get out of the room. Throwing rice and toilet-papering the car is quite enough of a wedding tradition for me, thank you. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: ctvnews.ca The proposed tax changes being contemplated by the Trudeau Liberal government remain the single largest concern that I hear about on a daily basis. Although I have heard some support for these potential tax increases, the overwhelming response has been strongly opposed. I have also heard some specific concerns from a number of local accountants. When the prime minister was in Kelowna last week, he stated that people who make $50,000 should not pay more taxes than people who make $250,000." I believe most would agree with that statement. Unfortunately, as many accountants have taken the time to share with me, this statement is not even remotely true or even close to being accurate. In reality, a small business owner, doctor or other person would indeed be paying tens of thousands more than one who earns $50,000 per year. This is one of the reasons why there is such outrage from many small business owners who feel that the prime minister either does not understand the impacts of our existing tax laws or is intentionally misstating them in an effort to draw public support for the proposed tax increases. I will grant the prime minister the benefit of the doubt and assume he misspoke as can inadvertently occur with any elected official. For the record, I will continue to oppose these tax changes in Ottawa and encourage the Liberal government to be more transparent with their talking points. For an update on another matter I have raised in a previous reports. Some of you may recall I have mentioned that the federal agency responsible for regulating banks and other financial institutions has issued new enforcement regulations, a blanket prohibition on the use of terms such as bank, banker, and banking by basically any entity other than the big banks. Credit unions, which have traditionally been allowed to use these common words, would no longer be allowed to do so. This would not only create consumer confusion, it would also impose more costs and regulatory compliance burdens on credit unions that in turn would be passed onto credit union members. Suffice to say these proposed restrictions also generated overwhelming public opposition throughout our region as well as many other regions across Canada. As a result the Financial Regulator has temporarily suspended this enforcement action while it begins a series of consultations. I believe this should be taken a step further. I am working on a bill that would amend the Bank Act to make it clear that credit unions can continue to use bank, banker, and banking without fear of The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) coming after them. I had hoped the Liberal government would introduce similar legislation but in the absence of any my only recourse would be this private member's bill. My question this week: Would you support a private member's bill to amend the Bank Act and allow credit unions the continued use of words such as bank, banker, and banking? I can be reached at [email protected] or call toll free 1-800-665-8711. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: CTV/Warren Hobart The man behind the wheel of a vehicle involved in a fatal crash Monday on Highway 3 east of Hope may have been involved in a robbery. CTV reports his female passenger, who died in the crash, may have been an accomplice. Police believe the two were involved in an early morning robbery at Ted Allan's Jewellery in Nelson. About $30,000 worth of merchandise was stolen. "We don't believe that the events are directly related to each other, but we do feel very strongly that the same parties are involved," Sgt. Nate Holt of the Nelson Police Department told CTV. Holt said the suspect has been identified, but the name of the man is not being released. He said investigators also believe the woman who died in the crash, Danielle "Deedee" Charlton, was also involved. Police say the suspects are believed to have fled in a stolen Chevrolet Equinox. A similar vehicle was involved in the crash near Hope. Following the crash, the male suspect fled the scene, stealing a BC Wildfire Service truck from an employee who stopped to assist. with files from CTV Vancouver Before Hurricane Harvey battered Texas and the Gulf Coast, animal sheltershaving experience from Hurricane Katrina in 2005began transporting animals to shelters in states that would be unaffected by the storm. On Wednesday, a group of animals from Corpus Christi, Texas arrived at the Beatrice Humane Society after a nine-hour drive. Knowing that the heavy flooding and damage would mean a second flood of displaced and abandoned animals arriving in Gulf Coast shelters, Tall Tails Rescue and Transport in Texas began sending shelter animalsall vetted with health certificates and ready to goacross the country. The Beatrice Humane Society was the second animal shelter in Nebraska to receive displaced animals, after a shelter in Norfolk, said shelter manager Bryce Caulk. The truck arrived shortly before noon on Wednesday with 12 dogs and one ferret named Freddie. As of Wednesday afternoon, four of the dogs had already been adopted, Caulk said. Lauren Hubka, who had been looking for a dog to adopt came to the Beatrice Humane Society after seeing the shelters post about the hurricane dogs on Facebook. Thats where she met Rita, a lab-mix with floppy ears and big, tired eyes. Hubkas mother, Shelli Hubka, was also at the shelter on Wednesday. Just after entering one of the pens, Rita put her paw on Shellis hand. I want to take them all, she said. They're going to go so fast. Thats what the Beatrice Animal Shelter hopes, Caulk said. The maltipoo, two chihuahuas, two miniature pinscher puppies and six lab-mix puppies are all in need of homes. Freddie the ferret is another animal ready for adoption. They're doing pretty good, Caulk said. They all seem to be in pretty friendly spirits. They all are getting settled in. The new animals are in a good home, he said. The Beatrice Humane Society recently obtained status as a no-kill shelter, the first shelter in Nebraska to do so. That means less than 10 percent of the animals taken in are euthanized, Caulk said. The ones that have to be put down are only euthanized as a last resort--in the case of an incurable illness or injury. Moving into their new location on Highway 136, across from Southeast Community College, was what allowed the shelter to bring in the hurricane animals, Caulk said. The old location downtown would not have provided enough space to take them in. I really don't think that we could have, Caulk said. Which is why we're very excited that we had the community support to build this building and so far we've had a lot of support from the community welcoming these animals in, which we're very thankful for. The animals from the hurricaneas well as local animalsare up for adoption now. Those who are unable to adopt but still want to help can make donations either in person or online at www.beatricehumanesociety.org. The shelter also has an Amazon wishlist which will deliver items right to their door. Right now, Caulk said, the shelter is most in need of Iams adult dog food, bleach and cat litter, or gift cards to places like Tractor Supply Co., Wal-mart or PetSmart. Caulk said the shelter is trying to get the word out about the animals on Facebook and theyre planning on accepting another group of hurricane dogs in the near future. But, for the moment, their main concern is finding homes for the current batch. To come out of a situation like that, we're hoping that they won't have to stay in another shelter and prolong their adoption, Caulk said. We're hoping the community comes together, we get these babies homes and save a couple more. Photo: Contributed At just 18 months old, tiny Alice was diagnosed with leukemia. It was news no parent wants to hear: your child has cancer. But that is the devastating news a Salmon Arm family is dealing with. At just 18 months old, tiny Alice was diagnosed with leukemia. Parents Jeff and Korinna, rushed to Vancouver Children's Hospital with their baby, to begin a journey no parent ever wants to embark on. With both parents staying close to Alice, daily household bills and medical expenses are piling up, creating an added worry for the young family. A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money to help the family in this time of crisis. They say it takes a village, so it's time for us to rally together as a community, said a post on the page. Please help us in joining the fight to get this sweet, sweet girl back to health and happiness. Any amount is greatly appreciated. Photo: The Canadian Press A fire that blocked the only exit to an Islamic school dormitory killed 23 people, mostly teenagers, on the outskirts of Malaysia's largest city early Thursday, officials said. A government official said a wall separating the victims from a second exit "shouldn't have been there." Firefighters and witnesses described scenes of horror first of boys screaming for help behind barred windows as neighbours watched helplessly, and later of burned bodies huddled in corners of the room. Islamic teacher Arif Mawardy said he woke up to what he thought was a thunderstorm, only to realize it was the sound of people screaming. Firefighters rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call at 5:41 a.m. and took an hour to put out the blaze, which started on the top floor of the three-story building, Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh said. Singh said 23 charred bodies were recovered 21 boys between the ages of 13 and 17 and two teachers. "We believe (they died of) suffocation ... the bodies were totally burnt," he said. Singh said 14 other students and four teachers were rescued. Health Minister S. Subramaniam said six other students and a resident who went to help were hospitalized, with four of them in critical condition. He said the 23 bodies were in the Forensics Department waiting to be identified through DNA. The fire broke out near the only door to the boys' dormitory, trapping the victims because the windows were barred, fire department senior official Abu Obaidat Mohamad Saithalimat said. He said the cause was believed to be an electrical short-circuit, though Singh said the investigation was continuing. Another fire department official, Soiman Jahid, said firefighters heard shouts for help when they arrived at the school. He said they found a pile of bodies in the right corner of the dorm and another pile in the left corner. Photo: File photo Vancouver Coastal Health is warning teens and young adults to ensure they are protected against the mumps as cases of the viral illness continue to swell. The health authority says there have been 13 new cases of mumps across the region in the last month and 80 since February, well above the average of 32 illnesses annually between 2011 and 2015. Public health officials say the latest patients range in age from 18 to 33. As students return to high school, college or university and live in shared spaces, often with close personal contact, officials say they are at increased risk of contracting the airborne illness, which frequently causes uncomfortable swelling of salivary glands. The health authority says mumps is spread by contact with saliva or mucus from the mouth, nose or throat of an infected person and can be transmitted by a cough, sneeze, or kissing, as well as by sharing food, drinks, or cigarettes. Vaccination is an effective protection, but only if young people have received the correct number of doses, and public health experts say anyone who is uncertain is urged to contact the health authority for another dose, which is safe and better than being unprotected. "We continue to see mumps in increasing numbers, and these outbreaks will continue unless young adults between the ages of 23 and 47 receive two doses of vaccine so they are fully protected," Vancouver Coastal's medical health officer Dr. Althea Hayden says in a news release. Photo: RCMP B.C.'s Crown prosecutors' office says it will not file an appeal of a judge's decision rejecting a high-risk designation for a man who killed his three children. Allan Schoenborn was convicted of the first-degree murders of his daughter and two sons in February 2010, but a judge ruled he was not criminally responsible on account of a mental disorder. A review board ruled in 2015 that Schoenborn should have escorted access outside of the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital where he's being held in Port Coquitlam, and the prosecution service announced it had applied to have him designated a high-risk accused. A B.C. Supreme Court judge decided last month that Schoenborn didn't fit the criteria for the high-risk label, and while the killings were brutal, they were committed because of the man's delusional state. The prosecutors' office now says in a news release that after a thorough review it has determined there is no legal basis for an appeal. The office says Schoenborn hasn't yet been permitted to go on escorted outings, his detention will continue to be reviewed, and the Crown will appear at the review hearings to advocate for the public interest. Photo: Police photo A man who told his parole board hearing that he worried he might harm someone if he was released from prison has now pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of a B.C. teenager. Raymond Caissie entered the plea Thursday before Justice Gregory Bowden in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster. Caissie served his entire 22-year sentence for a violent sexual assault and kidnapping in Abbotsford, B.C., and had been out of prison for just 18 months in September 2014 when he was charged with the slaying of 17-year-old Serena Vermeersch. The body of the teenager was found along railway tracks in Surrey, one day after she was reported missing. Surrey RCMP had issued a warning about Caissie when he was released from prison in 2013, calling him a "high-risk sexual and violent offender." Eight years of parole board documents made public after Vermeersch's death revealed Caissie had refused to participate in treatment programs, had repeatedly said he feared being released and also feared he would reoffend. A 2010 board decision said he spoke openly about his anxiety of returning to society and how he was more comfortable within a highly structured prison environment. "You spoke of how you do not have the skills to live on your own, which you have never done, and how you cannot even shop for the basic necessities of life. You stated you were afraid of being returned to prison, if released, because you could not cope with the stress of living in society," the board said in its written decision. Caissie later denied making those statements to a psychologist and, when he was released in March 2013 after serving his time for the Abbotsford attack, the board noted he had spent most of his adult life behind bars. Photo: Contributed The new head of British Columbia's police watchdog agency is a lawyer from Nova Scotia with experience investigating the actions of police. Ron MacDonald has been named the new civilian director of the Independent Investigations office, which probes all cases where police in B.C. are involved in a death or serious injury. He previously held a similar role as head of the Serious Incident Response Team in Nova Scotia. B.C.'s Attorney General, David Eby, says MacDonald has been a lawyer for more than 30 years and much of his career has been spent working within the criminal justice system as both Crown counsel and defence lawyer. MacDonald told a news conference today that he will endeavour to conduct prompt and complete investigations into police-related incidents and plans to seek dialogue with communities who may interact with the police. The civilian-run Independent Investigations Office turns five years old this month and was first formed following a public inquiry into the death of Robert Dziekanski who died at Vancouver's airport in October 2007 after being shocked with conducted energy weapons by RCMP officers. If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,... A contraband search over four days at the Nebraska State Penitentiary turned up what the Department of Correctional Services is calling a significant amount of drugs, a cellphone and three weapons in a cell. The search came after Director Scott Frakes called for an intense and organized look at several specific areas of the prisons, said spokeswoman Dawn-Renee Smith. Searches have been stepped up in general since an inmate who died after being found unresponsive in his cell in late May tested positive at the hospital for methamphetamine and Ecstasy. Daelan Lamere, 22, died June 6 at Bryan West Campus in Lincoln. In this search, 60 staff members searched all shop areas and all employees coming into the penitentiary on Aug. 29 through Sept. 1. During the area searches they found homemade weapons and prison-brewed alcohol, Smith said. Smith would not say what drugs were found because a criminal investigation is being conducted, but she said the quantities were large enough to indicate they were not for one person, but would be sold to others. "These types of searches allow us to identify potential and real security threats and identify them quickly," Smith said. All windows and door frames were checked in housing units. The drugs that were recovered from the cell were found hidden inside the steel casing of a window, she said. "Contraband in prison is dangerous and puts staff and inmates at risk," Frakes said. The prisons' centralized intelligence team allows the staff to find and respond better to information about contraband and other security concerns, he said. Frakes said the staff members involved in the searches did great work. The department will continue to look at its security practices and enhance its policies and practices to keep drugs, alcohol and cellphones out of the prisons, Smith said. "Large-scale staff searches are inconvenient but necessary," she said. "Staff members appreciate that we are looking for the contraband and working to stop it from coming in." Inspector General for Corrections Doug Koebernick has said the department opened criminal investigations on eight cases involving staff members and seven involving visitors in 2016. Through July of this year, it had opened no cases involving staff and four involving visitors. Prison staff, when surveyed by Koebernick this summer, had their own suggestions on controlling contraband, including that the department use more drug dogs, search staff more often as they enter the prisons and increase prosecution or discipline for those caught bringing in illegal drugs or other contraband. Films about emerging issues and topics affecting Hispanic-Latino cultures and landscapes in N.M. and beyond. Find a full list of films and venues online. Instituto Cervantes is proud to present Cine Magnifico! to the New Mexican community once again. This festival has become an important event in our community it marks a transition time between summer and autumn, when families are returning to the routine of the school year. These films provide inspiration as the aroma of roasting green chile lofts into the late summer air. These films remind us to savor the most subtle, elegant and profound aspects of our daily lives here in our beautiful communities of New Mexico, and to enjoy your time at the cinema. Opening night has evolved into a lively community event on South 4th Street & Bridge Street, in the beautiful National Hispanic Cultural Center, with its iconic vaulted ceilings & stunning architecture. Families, academics, students, filmmakers, artists, community leaders and so many more all mingle about before the theater opens, holding beverages and food from the best restaurants in our community, cameras flashing. It has truly evolved into a beautiful event. This year, our team has selected a lineup of films which perfectly illustrates enriching points of view about emerging issues and topics that shape the current Hispanic-Latino cultures and landscapes both here in New Mexico, and beyond. This years screenings will take place at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, UNM and the Guild Cinema. Central themes include immigration, childrens film, as well as New Mexico films. This years festival features films from Spain, Cuba, Argentina, Honduras, Chile, Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil and USA. Cine Magnifico!s vision is to present the newest films by and about Latinos to promote our culture through film and enrich our local art community. We showcase a diverse set of films, from award-winning to local and up-and-coming filmmakers. We also offer year round film programming. Thank you for supporting Cine Magnifico! Enjoy the show! For more information please go to the Cine Magnifico! website http://cinemagnifico.com/ or call the Instituto Cervantes at 505-724-4777 Thursday, September 14th: 7:00 PM El Ciudadano Ilustre @ The NHCC in partnership with Globalquerque. FREE Friday, September 15th: 10:00 AM Mi Mama Lora / My Mom the Parrot (Argentina) @ The NHCC. FREE 6:00 PM Somos Lengua (Mexico) @ The Guild Cinema. FREE 7:00 PM New Mexico Short Films Program @ The NHCC. $5 9:00 PM Fiesta Latina at Rio Bravo Brewing Company with Reviva! Saturday, September 16th: 11:00 AM Voices Beyond the Wall (Honduras) @ The NHCC. $10 12:00 PM Vidas con Sabor Documentary (Mexico) + Culinary Class @ The NHCC. $25 2:00 PM Que Dios nos Perdone/May God Save Us (Spain) @ The Guild 4:15 PM Esteban (Cuba) @ The Guild Cinema. $10 6:30 PM El Jugador de Ajedrez/The Chess Player (Spain) @ The Guild Cinema. $10 Sunday, September 17th: 2:00 PM Mala Junta/Bad Influence (Chile) @ The Guild Cinema 4:15 PM Tamara (Venezuela) @ The Guild Cinema 6:30 PM El Revenge (Brazil) @ The Guild Cinema TBA Immigration Program @ UNM, Student Union Building. FREE After Hurricane Harvey plowed through east Texas with roof-peeling winds and never-before-seen rain, millions of Americans were left not knowing what to do or where to turn. President Donald J. Trump made two trips to the flattened, flooded region. In his first drop-in, most observers noted, the president failed to cry with any bereaved, comfort any afflicted or even hug one displaced victim. A second, more empathetic trip followed a few days later. After his Texas two-stop, the president moved from visiting one natural disaster to drumming up his own unnatural disaster. Frustrated that Americas trade partners, Canada and Mexico, actually want to negotiate instead of rubber-stamping his proposed changes to the generation-old North American Free Trade Agreement, Trump took to Twitter to chastise our partners and undermine our negotiators. "We are in the NAFTA (worst trade deal ever made) renegotiation process with Mexico & Canada. Both being very difficult, may have to terminate?" Wrote the Twitterer-in-Chief. American farm leaders, who watch this Trump trade melodrama almost weekly, rolled their eyes, bit their lips and said little. Soon, however, the president, a compulsive commenter, let his fingers do even more trade trash talking. First, he Twitter-whipped one of Americas biggest, richest ag importers, South Korea. Next he threatened to break with any U.S. trading partner who had anything to do with North Korea, arguably the worlds most pressing nuclear threat. The presidential huffing and puffing finally became too much for some American ag leaders who were witnessing decades of righteous trade preaching shredded by tweets from a seething heretic who wouldnt know the difference between a wagon and a Wagyu. On Sunday, Sept. 3, the American Soybean Association (ASA) publicly acted. In a toughly worded stern warning, it cautioned the president that his threatened withdrawal from the South Korea-U.S. trade deal and his larger strategy of brinkmanship with regard to trade agreements could have disastrous consequences for American farmers and ranchers. And, the ASA added, As American soybean farmers, we demand that the U.S. remain in KORUSthe U.S.-South Korea trade dealand that we move forward to negotiate new trade agreements rather than retreating from existing ones. This call-out of our tweet-before-thinking president could be a turning point for ag leaders. As such, now is a good time for them to stop lining up to have their pictures taken with Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and, instead, start lining up to take control of a rural-focused new farm billa bill that balances trade, immigration and tax reform with rural development, climate change and local food programs. The clear, obvious need for an improved rural America should, after all, come before the foggy, unfocused needs of a ranting, stop-and-go White House. Or so one hopes. But hope can be fleeting. On Tuesday, Sept. 5, the White House, through Attorney General Jeff Sessions, started a six-month clock for Congress to act on DACA, the controversial (Sessions says unconstitutional) Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an executive order from the Obama Administration. On its own, DACA is an easy call for a majority of the Congress. Most voters and representatives agree that allowing the children of undocumented immigrants to stay in the United States is an example of what this nation does best; it fulfills dreams. American dreams. But, says the "build that wall" wing of the Republican party, DACA is just a backdoor to broader immigration reform that candidate Trump swore to fight, and they intend to hold his feet to that roaring fire. American farmers and ranchers could play a crucial role in deciding DACA, also, because at least one-half of all U.S. agricultural workers today are undocumented. Loudly and publicly demanding broader immigration reformjust as the ASA demanded on tradewould send the White House the clear message that it needs to fix todays most persistent farm and ranch problems, not create new ones. It might also move Congress to do the same; fix whats broken in the nations cities and fields, rather than silently wait to see what the White House will break next. Sign up for our newsletter This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions A lecture and book-signing with nature writer Gary Ferguson will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16 at the Billings Public Library. The event is free and open to the public. It is presented by The Writers Voice and the Billings Public Library. Ferguson said there have always been the occasional big fires, but they have been far more common since roughly 2000. Ferguson says we are facing a perfect storm when it comes to wildfires. Climate change has led to less snow, longer droughts and more wind, and theres a lot of fuel on the forest floors. The result is 10 more weeks of fire season than we saw in the early 1970s, and those fires are hotter and often beyond control. Ferguson talks about the role fire should play in a healthy ecosystem and the new reality of wildfire in the West. Fergusons book "Land on Fire: The New Reality of Wildfire in the West" explores the science behind this phenomenon and the ongoing research to find a solution and details how years of fire suppression and chronic drought have combined to make the situation so dire. Ferguson also brings to life the extraordinary efforts of those responsible for fighting wildfires and explains how nature reacts in the aftermath of flames. Ferguson has written more than 20 nonfiction books on nature and science, including "Hawks Rest" and "The Carry Home." As a nature writer, his books focus on issues of ecology and conservation, with a particular focus on how people interact with nature. State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said on Thursday that Georgia set a record in August for total jobs, surpassing 4.5 million for the first time. Other key indicators like new unemployment claims, increasing workforce and the total number of employed residents showed Georgias economy continues to be strong, Mr. Butler said. The August numbers show Georgias economy and outlook for employment remains healthy, he said. This is a great time to live, work and invest in Georgia. The August unemployment rate was unchanged from July at 4.7 percent. That compares favorably to last August when the rate was 5.3 percent. From July to August, Georgia gained 19,800 jobs, a 0.4 percent rise, which increased the total number of jobs to 4,510,200. Since August 2016, Georgia has gained 116,500 jobs, a 2.7 percent growth rate. The state is outpacing the national job growth rate of 1.4 percent. The top monthly job growth came in professional/business services, government and manufacturing. Seasonal job losses came in leisure and hospitality, 2,000. The total number of employed residents rose by 9,910 to 4,811,281 from July to August. There are 141,592 more Georgians employed now than in August 2016. Georgia continues to be one of the leaders in job creation and employment, Mr. Butler said. It's great to see our employers continue to create jobs. But it's even better to see more Georgians going back to work. Georgias year-over-year job growth came mostly in professional/business services, leisure and hospitality and trade, transportation and warehousing. Construction lost 1,500 jobs. At the same time, unemployment claims were down by 4,622, or 16.3 percent, to 23,803 another good sign for Georgias economy. Manufacturing had the most claims last month. But August saw 3,500 fewer claims filed in that sector. Over the year, unemployment claims were down by 3,435, or 12.6 percent, from 27,238 in August 2016. Employ Georgia, the GDOLs online job listing service at employgeorgia.com, showed 70,306 new job postings statewide for August. Visit dol.georgia.gov to learn more about career opportunities, Employ Georgia and other GDOL services for job seekers and employers and to connect with on social media. In 2012, the Tennessee General Assembly adopted the Tennessee Excellence, Accountability, and Management Act of 2012, which comprehensively addressed the hiring and termination of state employees. The TEAM Act replaced the prior Civil Service Act. The TEAM Act established two categories of state employees, executive service employees and preferred service employees. The Tennessee Supreme Court now has determined that the TEAM Act does not create a protected property interest for preferred service employees for continued employment in their positions and that preferred service employees challenging a dismissal bear the burden of proof during the appeals process. The case arose when the defendant, Mr. Pressley, a preferred service employee of the Tennessee Department of Correction, received notification from the prison warden that his employment had been terminated. The letter of notification alleged that Mr. Pressley had allowed inmates to steal a large quantity of food from the prison kitchen while he was supervising the cleaning of the kitchen, in violation of applicable rules and procedures. Mr. Pressley sought review of his dismissal under the provisions of the TEAM Act. Mr. Pressleys termination was upheld in the first two stages of review, but in the third stage before the Board of Review, an administrative law judge, determined that the Department, not the employee, bore the burden of proof. In reliance upon this ruling by the ALJ, the Board concluded that the Department failed to meet its burden on all but one charge. Both parties challenged the Boards decision in Chancery Court. The Chancery Court concluded that the Board erred in placing the burden of proof on the Department. The Court of Appeals then reversed the Chancery Court, determining that preferred service employees have a protected property interest in continued employment. As a result, the Court of Appeals concluded that the Department does bear the burden of proof. The Supreme Court granted the Departments appeal to determine which party bears the burden of proof in challenges to a dismissal or a suspension under the TEAM Act. As a part of the analysis of that issue, the Court had to determine whether preferred service employees maintain a protected property interest in their continued employment. In a unanimous opinion authored by Chief Justice Jeff Bivins, the Court first determined that preferred service employees are not entitled to a protected property interest in their State employment. In reaching this conclusion, the Court specifically noted that the prior Civil Service Act contained a provision that expressly granted a civil service employee a property right in continued state employment. The TEAM Act, on the other hand, contains no such provision. The Court also held that, based upon the provisions of the TEAM Act, Mr. Pressley, rather than the Department, bore the burden of proof before the Board. As a result, the Court reversed the decision of the Court of Appeals and remanded the case to the Board to apply the appropriate burden of proof. To read the Supreme Courts opinion in Tennessee Department of Correction v. David Pressley, authored by Chief Justice Jeff Bivins, go to the opinions section of TNCourts.gov. Merck recognized four student chemists for their research and innovations in synthetic organic chemistry as part of the Alfred R. Bader Student Chemistry Symposium. Merck recognized four student chemists for their research and innovations in synthetic organic chemistry as part of the Alfred R. Bader Student Chemistry Symposium at the companys global headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany. At the close of the event, students presented their research to an audience of Merck staff and guests, and a panel of judges selected Thomas McTeague from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the $5,000 grand prize. Following is a list of the finalists and their research topics: Thomas McTeague, Photoredox Activation of SF6 for Fluorination, $5,000 grand prize winner, plus $500 prize winner. Other winners of $500 prizes were: Robynne Neff, Design and Development of a New Commercially Viable Pd(0)-Catalyst. Keita Tanaka, Palladium-catalyzed Remote CH Activation with Bifunctional Template. Jennifer Matsui, Photoredox-Mediated Dual Catalysis and Metal-Free CH Alkylation: Incorporating New Radical Precursors and Utilizing Complex Alkyltrifluoroborates for Late-Stage Functionalization. Were proud to recognize young chemists and their innovative research, said Udit Batra, Member of the Merck Executive Board and CEO, Life Science. Novel compound discoveries in synthetic organic chemistry can transform pharmaceutical, agriculture, and manufacturing industries. As a longstanding leader and collaborator in the chemistry space, these discoveries align with our objective to continue fostering curiosity and accelerating innovation. McTeagues presentation elaborated on his search for a new fluoride source using the inert but common SF6 gas in chemical synthesis. While he was not fully successful in naming a new source, he did disprove prevailing thought about SF6 and lay important ground for reducing costs of organofluorine compounds in many pharma and agrochemical applications. Organofluorines are found in at least 30 percent of agrochemicals and as many as one-fifth of pharmaceuticals. The Alfred R. Bader Award for Student Innovation competition was open to advanced graduate students (3+ years) in synthetic organic chemistry from around the world and recognizes the big ideas of up-and-coming chemists whose work is expected to accelerate progress in chemistry. The contest theme this year was the development of instrumentation broadly applicable to synthetic organic chemistry and the reactive use of current reagents, catalysts and ligands in methodology or total synthesis projects. The award is named for Sigma-Aldrich co-founder Alfred R. Bader. For more than a decade, Merck has developed partnerships with academic chemists and their students in recognition of innovative chemistry through philanthropic contributions to the field. Bodo Moller Chemie continues its global expansion by setting up two subsidiaries in the United States and Mexico. Bodo Moller (Bodo Moeller Chemie Corp) is centrally located in Atlanta, Georgia, close to key transportation manufacturers and Tier1 suppliers. The Bodo Moller subsidiary (Bodo Moller Chemie Mexicana S. de R.L) is located in Mexico City. The companies will focus on the distribution of the Dow Automotive adhesives and other technologies. Dow Automotive adhesives in the NAFTA region Bodo Moller is viewed as a specialty chemicals expert. They have seen dramatic growth as they continue to expand their global presence. Bodo Moller will distribute for the BETAMATE, BETALINK, BETACLEAN, BETAPRIME, BETASEAL and BETAFOAM branded materials from Dow Automotive. With this step, Bodo Moller Chemie is deepening its long-term partnership with DOW in the USA, Mexico and Canada. The products are used in the transportation industry and general vehicle construction. Andreas Moser, Marketing Director Formulated Systems, describes the motivation: "The American market is very exciting for us due to its absolute size and growth perspective as well as the dynamism of E-Mobility products. Future-oriented manufacturers and suppliers are aware, that there is a high potential for innovation and the demand for modern products and services." Bodo Moller Chemie not only acts as a global distributor, but also as a solution provider, which adds extensive know-how to the customer projects. "In the age of e-mobility and extreme lightweight construction, manufacturing companies from the transportation industry are faced with high demands," explains Frank Haug, CEO of the Bodo Moller Chemie Group, "they are rarely able to test products for sealing, bonding or glazing themselves comprehensively. This competence lies with us as a distributor and consultant. After extensive business development in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, now this strategy is being implemented in North America. Liz Thompson, from left, Don Thompson and Ben Horowitz talk during the opening keynote conversation at the Chicago Venture Summit. (Kristan Lieb / Blue Sky) It's showtime for many in the startup community as the Chicago Venture Summit puts the city's innovation economy in the spotlight for two days. The summit kicked off Wednesday with industry sessions and mini startup pitches spread across 1871, Matter, the Polsky Center, TechNexus and food incubator Cleveland Avenue. Advertisement Thursday's agenda: A more traditional conference hosted at Google's Chicago headquarters featuring presentations from some of Chicago's most prominent startups and investors. Speakers included Grubhub founder Matt Maloney , Uptake founder Brad Keywell , Jellyvision CEO Amanda Lannert , and Outcome Health co-founder Shradha Agarwal . The Thursday morning keynote featured Silicon Valley investor Ben Horowitz, co-founder of powerhouse Silicon Valley investment firm Andreessen Horowitz, backed Facebook and Twitter. Horowitz spoke alongside ex-McDonald's CEO Don Thompson, who's now founded Cleveland Avenue with wife Liz Thompson. Advertisement "We want to find a good idea that looks like it's a bad idea," Horowitz said, recounting how he was turned onto Airbnb. "If it looks like a good idea, it's not innovative enough, because other people can see it. Apple and Samsung can see it. And they've got way more money and they're going to compete you out of the market." In some cases, he said, getting an Andreessen Horowitz investment can actually be bad for startups too many folks will spot it and try to compete. Chicago on stage J.B. Pritzker , now a Democratic candidate for governor, was a key figure in launching the event in 2014 and luring VCs back for the second summit in 2016. Speaking Thursday afternoon, he spent about 25 minutes ticking off successes of Chicago's startup community. He described Chicago in the early 2000s as an investor desert. "At that point, we had nothing to lose. Leaders had to think big," he said. "It would become a moment when we began to transform Chicago." Fast forward to 2016, when more than 180 Chicago tech companies raised more than $1.7 billion and when 55 companies had exits totaling another $1.7 billion, he said. All the successes make Chicago distinct, he said and not needing to mimic Silicon Valley. "I do not want to be silicon anything," Pritzker said. "We are trying to build something unique here." When Chicago's startups haven't worked out, it's still been a boon for the city's heavyweights like Grubhub, said Matt Maloney. It's a result of the growth of the startup ecosystem getting to the point where so many entrepreneurs are taking chances, he said in a closing keynote with ChicagoNext chairman Mark Tebbe . Advertisement "We've had some great hires picking through the remnants of startups that didn't work," he said. "When I was building, I was pulling people out of banks and it was really hard." Maloney has already mapped out his Plan B in case things go south with Grubhub: He's a fan of restaurant-booking startup Tock. "If I got fired, I'd ask them for a job," he said. Outsiders or insiders? Many of the tech leaders, venture capitalists, corporate VCs and angel investors checking out the emerging tech companies for funding opportunities appear familiar with each other. About 70 percent of the 450 attendees are from the Chicago area, organizers said. About 125 people were at the 1871 program Wednesday for tours and presentations and heard from startups connected with Techstars Chicago, the Impact Engine investment fund and the BMO Harris-sponsored FinTech program. Much of the action was in the hallway outside of sessions. Speakers were often hemmed up by hives of people for 30 minutes straight. Karen Kerr from GE Ventures was pretty popular in one corner after appearing on a panel about industries of the future: After one group chatted her up, then a man from a security startup approached her, followed by an mHub executive. Advertisement And inside the auditorium where the panels and presentations take place, almost every panel has had a shout-out to 1871, sometimes multiple times per session. Jeff Rinvelt, from Renaissance Venture Capital Fund in Ann Arbor, Mich., said these meetings are important for the prospecting new investments. "In the public market space, everybody has the same information. Little bits of information can mean a lot to your investment strategy and the way you invest. You're looking here for little bits of information that you can use to make big moves in your company," he said during a reception at TechNexus. "We come to these knowing that 90 percent of the time it's useless. But the 10 percent is why we keep going." Patricia Glaza, vice president at Invest Detroit Ventures, said she appreciates the opportunity to meet with other investors. "We're connecting with accelerator programs and the other venture firms we can share deals with or pass along as our companies mature and pass them along," she said. "It's building relationships. The stronger you have relationships, the easier it is to dialogue." She was a fan of the rapid-fire pitches on the first day. Advertisement "We're a broad investor in lots of different industries. It gives me a chance to connect and interact with lots of different groups throughout the day," she said. "It's always interesting to see what's happening in different parts of Chicago. Seeing all the different startups and coworking spaces and accelerators and programs that were available is almost like a mini city tour." Minal Shankar, a senior investment associate at a San Francisco venture capital firm, said her firm hasn't traditionally looked much in the Midwest. "It's great to see Chicago has a very healthy and flourishing venture ecosystem and startup ecosystem. For us, getting those 30-second snippets of as many companies as possible gives you a lot of data points really quickly to be able to see what fits our criteria." Cheryl V. Jackson is a freelance writer. Twitter @CherylVJackson UPDATES: 4:45 p.m.: Adds comment from J.B. Pritzker and more details from throughout Thursday. Advertisement 6:05 p.m.: Adds comment from Matt Maloney. Originally posted 11:15 a.m. Every instinct as an investor tells me to stay away from bitcoin, the online "crypto" currency invented by some mystery man and criticized by JPMorgan Chase chief executive Jamie Dimon on Tuesday as a "fraud." Dimon, one of the most powerful voices on Wall Street, said he would fire anyone trading in it because it's "stupid." "It's worse than tulip bulbs," said Dimon, referring to the 17th-century mania that ended in collapse. "It won't end well. It will blow up." Like most American investors, I am into vanilla savings like mutual funds, stocks, bonds and cold, hard cash. I don't buy gold. I don't trade in options. No derivatives for me. I don't know how to trade in currencies. I don't even buy lottery tickets. I don't know what to make of bitcoin. You can't eat it, wash in it, wear it, drive it. But you definitely can spend it. The price had risen 300 percent this year to more than $4,000, but bitcoin's value slipped Wednesday following Dimon's comments. "It's quite speculative," said Arthur Levitt, former commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission. "I would consider investing in companies that use bitcoin, or trade in bitcoin. I'm not sure I would invest in bitcoin itself. It fluctuates for reasons that are hard to understand." But crypto-currency is with us for the future, he said. "I don't know whether it will be bitcoin or ethereum, to name just two. But it's here to stay because of the disparity between countries where a monetary system is robust and countries where there is virtually no monetary system, this comes up as an alternative currency." It was created by an unknown person in 2009 under the alias of Satoshi Nakamoto. Bitcoins can be used to buy merchandise anonymously, involving lower or no fees and no banks. The currency is traded on "bitcoin exchanges" where people can buy and sell using various currencies. Bitcoins are a product of something called "blockchain technology," and they are stored in digital wallets that exist in the cloud or on people's computers. The currency is unregulated and its future is uncertain. It is not tied to any government or country. "I'm a bull about the technology behind bitcoin, but I don't buy it because I don't have confidence that I can predict the price," said Kevin Werbach, professor of legal studies and business ethics at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. One adviser, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he did not want to publicly endorse it as an investment, said he would encourage people to buy small amounts in case the price goes wild. "It's clearly a speculative bubble," Werbach said. "There is nothing that has happened that would justify the short-term run-up in the price. But that doesn't prove it's a bad investment. It may be we are seeing early signs of a long-term set of uses that will justify this price or a much higher price." CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin said on "Squawk Box" Wednesday that he didn't know where to come down on Bitcoin. Allianz economist Mohamed El-Erian, one of the show's guests, said bitcoin has value but its price is inflated because it is not going to see widespread adoption. It's worth "at least half of what it is, a third of what it is," El-Erian said. He called it a "disruptive" technology but said it won't see widespread use. Christian Catalini, an expert on the economics of digitalization, said most cryto-currencies today will probably not exist a decade from now. "These are highly speculative assets, and extremely risky investment vehicles," said Catalini, as assistant professor for technological innovation at the MIT Sloan School of Management. "Right now there is a very high level of enthusiasm about crypto tokens and blockchain, and this has resulted in unrealistic expectations about the value of some of these tokens." Catalini cautioned that "it's easy to dismiss Bitcoin unless you focus on what the major technological breakthrough behind it means for digital platforms. With Bitcoin, you have the ability to exchange a scarce, digital token across the globe without having to rely on an intermediary. This is a fundamental change in how we transfer value across the globe and how we design marketplaces." "You can't advise anyone you like to buy bitcoin," Michael Farr, a Washington investment manager, said. "Upside volatility is always seductive. Downside volatility is excruciating. With no way to determine intrinsic value, any purchase is just gambling. If you want to gamble, go to Vegas. At least they'll give you a free drink when you lose." Its a tall order portraying two rock gods, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton. Two Montana musicians Grant Ferguson, of Roberts, and Steve Brown, of Bozeman are bringing the music of Beck and Clapton to the Babcock Theatre at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16. Tickets are $18 in advance at brownpapertickets.com or $22 at the door. There is a little angst over the show. Brown, who grew up in Billings and has performed in some iconic Montana rock bands himself including the Tyler Burnett Band and Cure for the Common, is taking on Clapton. Ferguson, who has recorded three albums and toured the country, will feature Becks music with a few of his originals thrown into the set. Ferguson has been honoring his music hero Beck for years, playing his original tunes with a few of Beck's songs. After a recent invite to play a Beck tribute show in Arizona, Ferguson began to think the idea might go over in Billings, too. In 2015, Ferguson teamed up with two other Carbon County musicians to perform a night of original rock at the Babcock. The show was such a success, they took it on a short Montana tour. One of my biggest compliments is when people come up to me and say, Your playing reminds me of Jeff Beck. Im always grateful they dont say it reminds them of their 15-year-old brother who is just learning guitar. Ferguson was 15 when the guitar bug hit. His mother is from the Shetland Islands ,where music is an important part of the culture. When he was a teenager, Ferguson visited his mother's homeland with her and took in the music scene, especially enjoying his late uncles guitar music. That got in my bones. I went home to Colorado, bought a guitar and literally played it until my fingers bled, Ferguson said. Ferguson discovered Beck soon after that, appreciating the way Beck plays with his fingers instead of a pick and uses his whammy bar for vibrato. I play Jeff Beck the way I play it. Its an homage to him, not an imitation, Ferguson said. Through mutual musician friends, Ferguson discovered Brown and invited him to perform a Clapton set. Brown took on a challenging role several years ago to perform in a NOVA production featuring the music of another star, Hank Williams. Brown said it was intense for him because the role of Hank was just a little too close to where Brown was at at the time. This has been different, Brown said. I am immersed in the nuances of the music, not the person. I am doing my best to emulate his sound, but I dont want to do an imitation of it. For the gig, Brown recruited two special people in his life, his father Bob Brown and one of his earliest guitar teachers, Rich Lutton from Bucky Beaver and the Ground Grippers. Lutton will also help on vocals and Clay Green will play percussion. Its a tall order, Brown said. Clapton is a great vocalist and a legendary guitar player. Im trying to do justice to him and feel good about the performance. Brown and his dad traveled to see Clapton perform live in Denver in 2001. Claptons catalog is deep and Brown did a lot of research to find the right songs. My first thoughts approaching the show was not to do the typical stuff. I was going through Claptons set lists over the years. He has a core set of tunes he does. We wanted a broad span of years. Brown and Lutton will even perform a song Lutton worked on with Brown when he was teaching him guitar. Brown wants it to be a surprise for the audience. I think its going to be great. Im excited about it, but I definitely have some pre-show jitters. I want to bring my best. Im super excited to have my dad performing with me. John Ellmann, 59, of Highwood, speaks about his struggle with affording his medicine; his health insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, has put limits on coupons he uses for his copay. (Alyssa Pointer/Chicago Tribune) (Alyssa Pointer / Chicago Tribune) With many drug prices rising, consumers often pull out coupons or discount cards from drugmakers to save money when they buy medications at pharmacies. But some insurers, including in Illinois, are limiting how those discounts may be applied amid concerns they're driving up health care costs for everyone. Curbing the coupons could mean more money out of consumers' pockets in the short term, but in the long run could also help hold down drug prices and health care costs, say critics of the cards and coupons. Advertisement Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois told its members with individual plans this year they can still take advantage of the discounts, but they won't get credit toward their deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums. Cigna only allows coupons to be used for specialty drugs medications used to treat rare or complex conditions. UnitedHealthcare and Aetna declined to comment on their policies on the discounts. A number of experts and advocates for lower drug prices applaud any actions aimed at stemming the use of copay cards and coupons, which are available online, through the mail or from doctors. Advertisement Typically, patients with individual and employer-based plans can use the cards or coupons to save money on their insurance copays for certain prescription medications at the pharmacy. While a coupon can reduce all or part of a patient's copay, the insurance company still has to pay its full portion for what might be a high-priced drug a cost that opponents of the discounts say is ultimately passed on to all consumers in the form of higher insurance premiums. Such discounts made news last year amid outcry over the skyrocketing costs of EpiPens, sold by Mylan. As part of its response to the uproar, Mylan offered $300 savings cards to patients with nongovernment insurance to help lower their out-of-pocket costs. Mylan still faced criticism that the discounts wouldn't help everyone as much as simply lowering the price would. "The copay coupons are a scam by the drug companies," said David Mitchell, president and founder of Patients for Affordable Drugs, a nonprofit that doesn't take money from drug companies or insurers. "Effectively we wind up, all of us, paying a higher price for our health insurance because they just steered us to a more expensive drug that ultimately gets paid for by someone." Pharmacy benefit managers, which act as middlemen between pharmacies and insurance companies, don't like the coupons either. The coupons are often used to drive patients to higher-cost brand drugs instead of generics, said Mark Merritt, president of the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association. Drug companies, however, defend the practice as a way to make sure patients have access to the medications they need. The coupons "can provide a valuable source of assistance for many commercially insured patients to afford out-of-pocket costs associated with insurance coverage for their medications," said Holly Campbell, a spokeswoman for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, in an email. Patients like John Ellmann, of Highwood, know how much help such cards and coupons can be. Ellmann, 59, uses a copay card for a prescription migraine medication he said would otherwise cost him $100 out-of-pocket for a month's supply, with insurance. "That would be a barrier to me filling my prescription," he said. The copay card from the drugmaker takes his out-of-pocket cost down to $10 a month, he said. Advertisement Ellmann was among the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois members with individual plans who were informed earlier this year that the insurer would not apply the value of the discounts toward deductibles or out-of-pocket maximums. Colleen Miller, a spokeswoman for the company, said in an email that Blue Cross put the policy in place in accordance with federal rules and guidance as well as industry concerns over use of the cards and coupons. "This policy helps to ensure that the individual health insurance market is more stable and affordable for all of our members," Miller said. That's in line with the federal government's position on the matter. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in the federal register in 2014 that it encourages insurers offering individual plans to reject cost-sharing payments from companies. A concern, especially in the individual market, is the discounts could offset the balance of healthy versus sick people who sign up for insurance plans by attracting more sick people who might use the discounts to those plans, said Harvard Business School Professor Leemore Dafny. That could lead to higher insurance premiums across those plans, she said. The discounts cause other issues as well, she said. In a recent study, Dafny and her co-authors found the prices for drugs with coupons grew more quickly than prices for drugs without coupons. They also found that coupons for 23 branded drugs, for which generics were available, led to increased spending of $700 million to $2.7 billion for those branded drugs over five years, according to the study published in the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy this year. Dafny said she's glad to see insurers taking steps to curb the uses of copay coupons and cards, but she'd like to see them and others go even further. Advertisement Lawmakers in some states already are taking action. The California legislature just passed a bill that would prohibit the use of coupons for drugs, under certain circumstances, when other, less expensive drugs are available. A New Jersey lawmaker introduced a similar bill last year. Massachusetts already bans coupons for branded drugs with generic equivalents. Medicare recipients also are prohibited from using the discounts. Dafny acknowledged, however, that limitations on the use of copay coupons and cards can be difficult for consumers to swallow, even if they're for the collective good. "It's about time that the payer industry puts in place a restriction to prevent the abuse of the insurance coverage in this way, but there will certainly be individuals who suffer some significant setbacks as a result," Dafny said. "There aren't free lunches." Ellmann, the Highwood man with migraines, said he's not upset with Blue Cross' new policy not to allow the value of his copay card to count toward his deductible. It would be nice, he said, but he understands the policy, given that the $90 he's saving through the discount isn't coming out of his pocket. He said he'll still likely use the card, unless he's getting close to his deductible. He said he appreciates the card because it allows him to "choose the better treatment." Advertisement Ellmann believes the controversy over drug copay coupons and cards is just one small part of the ongoing battle between insurers and drug companies when it comes to who's responsible for holding down health care costs. lschencker@chicagotribune.com Twitter @lschencker A man seeks donations on Michigan Avenue in March 2017. According to the Census Bureau, poverty fell and median income rose substantially last year in both Chicago and Illinois. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune ) Poverty fell and median income rose substantially last year in Chicago and Illinois, mirroring national trends that suggest Americans were reclaiming financial strength after a long recovery from the Great Recession. The Chicago metro area saw its poverty rate drop to 12.4 percent in 2016 from 13.3 percent the year before, according to American Community Survey data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau. Among the top 25 most populous metro areas whose poverty rates ranged from 15.4 percent in Miami to 8.4 percent in the District of Columbia 17 saw significant declines in the number of people living under the poverty line and the rest saw no statistically significant change. Advertisement Meanwhile, median household income increased 3.2 percent in the Chicago metro area, to $66,020. Nearly all of the other metro areas saw increases as well, with one of the largest in the San Francisco metro area, where an 8.1 percent jump to $96,677 gave it the highest median income in the country, surpassing Washington, D.C. Illinois experienced slightly more modest improvements. The state's poverty rate declined to 13 percent from 13.6 percent, and median household income in the state rose to $60,960, up 1.4 percent from the year before. Advertisement Black Illinoisans had substantial gains, with median income rising 4.6 percent to $35,517, the most significant increase after years of sluggish growth. The black poverty rate dropped to 26.5 percent, lower than it was before the recession. Illinois' overall poverty rate remains higher than its pre-recession level of 11.9 percent in 2007. Other states' poverty rates range from 7.3 percent in New Hampshire to 20.8 percent in Mississippi. Nearly all states saw declines last year, while Vermont was the sole state to see its poverty rate increase. Income inequality did not budge in Illinois or in most states. Anti-poverty advocates said they were glad to see the numbers generally moving in the right direction, but fell short of celebrating. More than 1.6 million people in Illinois, and nearly 1.2 million in the Chicago metro area, lived below the poverty line last year, many of them children, and minorities continued to fare markedly worse than whites. Though Illinois' black population saw marked improvement last year, its poverty rate is nearly triple that of whites, which was 9.7 percent, and its median income is about half that of whites, which was $66,582. Latinos had a poverty rate of 17.2 percent and median income of $51,706. Many more people not below the official poverty line which is about $12,200 for a single person or $24,500 for a family of four don't earn enough to make ends meet, said John Bouman, president of the Chicago-based Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law. The organization believes the poverty line should be at twice the official threshold. Bouman said it is "good that (the poverty rate) improved slightly, and we hope that continues." But he worries the numbers don't yet reflect the fallout from Illinois' budget impasse, which for months curbed funding for job training, community mental health and other services that help the poor. "We have to be careful what we find out next year and pay attention to how we build those systems back up," he said. Advertisement Bouman attributes the gains to general economic improvements nationally as well as the expansion of health care coverage enabled by the Affordable Care Act. Efforts to repeal that law and squeeze other programs that foster access to education, affordable housing and economic activity in blighted neighborhoods are "dangerous to the ability of folks to leave poverty," he said. aelejalderuiz@chicagotribune.com Twitter @alexiaer JPMorgan Chase plans to invest $40 million in Chicagos historically underserved South and West sides in an effort to tackle the citys poverty and violence through economic growth. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) JPMorgan Chase plans to invest $40 million in Chicago's historically underserved South and West sides in an effort to tackle the city's poverty and violence through economic growth. The three-year initiative by the nation's largest bank is its second-biggest commitment to a single city, following an infusion of $150 million into Detroit. It amounts to a 50 percent increase in JPMorgan Chase's philanthropic contributions in Chicago. The bank typically has invested $8 million to $9 million annually. Advertisement The challenge: turning that $40 million into meaningful changes in neighborhoods that have seen decades of decline and uncertain outcomes from previous philanthropic efforts. Grants from Chase to community groups will fund job training, small businesses expansion, neighborhood revitalization and personal financial health programs through a variety of community partners already working in Chicago. To ensure the money is having an impact, it is funding third-party evaluations and has a local team of Chase experts monitoring the investments along the way to change course if necessary. Opening bank branches in the target communities is not part of the plan. Advertisement Chase is following the model it used in Detroit, where promising early results prompted the bank to add $50 million to its initial $100 million commitment. As in Detroit, the bank believes its funding initiative will succeed in Chicago because of the collaboration it sees between the public, private and nonprofit sectors. "We're not arrogant enough to think that we're going to come in and solve a problem," said Peter Scher, head of the bank's global corporate responsibility initiatives. "But we do think that when you have that kind of collaboration on the ground, there are things that we can bring in terms of our resources and expertise that can help accelerate and catalyze a lot of that growth and opportunity." Most of the $40 million has yet to be allocated. The local Chase team plans to host a roundtable Thursday in the Little Village neighborhood with local business, nonprofit and community leaders to start to identify programs and specific neighborhoods to receive funding. So far Chase has allocated $3.7 million, and those beneficiaries offer a sense of the work it may continue to promote. The largest grant, $2 million, has gone to a new initiative from Heartland Alliance that with the help of community groups will identify individuals at highest risk of gun violence and pay them to work in 18-month transitional jobs, mostly in work crews doing tasks like neighborhood cleanup, paired with cognitive behavioral therapy and other support. The goal is to connect 400 people with transitional jobs in the first year. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 10 JP Morgan Chase is investing $40 million in Chicago and one of the largest recipients is BSD Industries, which stands for Building Self Determination. Jamel Gault, 24, is a student in one of its programs and is learning to work on a circuit board that used in making the company's plastic cutlery. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) The University of Chicago Crime Lab will measure whether the intervention is working by tracking if participants are involved in fewer shooting and homicides than a control group, as well as labor market outcomes. There's no certainty the model will work on such a high-risk population, and "one of the reasons we have enjoyed partnering with (Chase) is that they're in, they think this is really worth trying," said Heartland Alliance President Evelyn Diaz. Another $500,000 is going to the Brazier Foundation to help expand BSD Industries, a robotics technology training program designed to prepare Chicagoans for jobs in advanced manufacturing. BSD, which stands for Building Self Determination, launched a pilot in 2015 with money from Chase and this week started its second class of nearly 50 students. A pillar of the 13-month program is a paid apprenticeship at BSD's new plastics manufacturing facility in the Calumet Heights neighborhood on the South Side, which officially opens next month and already has clients lined up to buy its compostable plastic cutlery. Advertisement "I will be super excited when we get people working and we get people's lives transformed and we really and truly get people empowered by this manufacturing opportunity," said Trista Bonds, vice president of manufacturing operations and training for BSD. Chase said 95 percent of the $40 million will be awarded in the form of grants, with a small slice set aside to fund programs like sending Chase employees to consult with nonprofits. Even when grants provide funding for partner organizations to provide loans, Chase doesn't profit. Still, Scher says there's a business case to be made. "If the economy is growing for everyone, that's a good long-term bet for our shareholders," he said. Chase's Chicago and Detroit investments reflect a shift in the bank's approach to philanthropic giving after a review five years ago revealed that writing big checks wasn't having a proportionally big impact, Scher said. JP Morgan Chase is investing $40 million in Chicago and one of the largest recipients is BSD Industries, which stands for Building Self Determination. Jamel Gault, 24, and Rochelle White, 27, are students in the program and learning to work on a circuit board that is used in making the company's plastic cutlery. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) Today, Chase takes a data-driven approach that more strategically allocates its annual $250 million in philanthropic investments. It also measures whether the projects it funds are delivering the promised impact for instance, whether participants in workforce initiatives land and keep jobs and whether small businesses receiving investments can make new hires and pay off their loans. In Detroit, Chase initially focused its funding on small business incubators, but ended up investing more in minority-owned businesses after discovering the real challenge for business owners was access to capital. Advertisement "The key is to have a learning agenda, always be evaluating, and if something's not working, move on," said Whitney Smith, executive director of global philanthropy for the Midwest region at Chase, who joined the bank after 10 years at the Joyce Foundation. Chicago is rife with groups trying to tackle neighborhood development but many residents are still waiting for results. Just this year, the city made its first round of grants, totaling about $8.2 million, through two programs funding small-business renovation and expansion in specific South and West side neighborhoods. Benefit Chicago a partnership between the MacArthur Foundation, Chicago Community Trust and Calvert Foundation that is building a $100 million fund to invest in Chicago-area nonprofits and social enterprises invested $12 million in six projects, including an East Garfield Park vegetable farm and efforts to bring a mix of national and local retail to the Pullman neighborhood. Four years ago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a five-year drive to raise $50 million from the private sector to combat neighborhood violence, an effort led by the CEOs of Allstate and Chicago Loop Capital and managed by the private foundation Get In Chicago. In its 2016 annual report, Get In said it had awarded more than $33 million in grants to more than 60 nonprofits, and is concentrating its efforts on connecting "acutely high-risk" youth to service providers in seven community areas responsible for a third of the city's violence. But the project had gotten off to a rocky start. A 2015 Tribune investigation found only $3.7 million of the funds raised had been disbursed to youth programs and initial plans to measure outcomes through controlled trials had gone by the wayside. Having that many groups already at work on the city's problems even where there's a desire to work together can present its own set of hurdles. Advertisement "What I see us struggling with in Chicago is how to get so many actors all working together and pushing in the same direction," said Matt Bruce, executive director of the Chicagoland Workforce Funder Alliance. But Bruce is optimistic about the added value Chase brings to the effort, including the data that helps fuel its investment decisions. There also is the question of how much is enough. When private investments are targeted at neighborhoods that are already at a tipping point, a few million dollars can make all the difference, said Meghan Harte, executive director of LISC Chicago, a nonprofit community development group. "But there are a significant number of neighborhoods in Chicago that need investment well beyond a couple million more like a billion," Harte said. North Lawndale, which has among the highest poverty, crime and unemployment rates in the city, still reels from the closure more than 40 years ago of the Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalog printing facility, which provided some 20,000 jobs in the area. Its needs are myriad after decades of disinvestment, said Zack Schrantz, CEO of UCan, which provides social services to youth and families in the neighborhood. But he recalls the three priorities residents asked for at his first community meeting: "jobs, jobs and jobs." There is a high level of skepticism in certain communities toward outsiders bearing big checks, said Claude Robinson, executive vice president at UCan. Forging a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship, such as by having employees serve as volunteer mentors to youth in the community, tends to yield a stronger impact, he said. But even then, corporate philanthropy can't make up for thinning public budgets that make up the vast bulk of social services funding. Advertisement Even when investments help, they rarely make a dent in the big-picture challenges Chicago's West Side neighborhoods are facing, said Marvin Austin, senior director of community economic development at Bethel New Life in the Austin neighborhood. Entrepreneurs in the community have access to capital through initiatives like The PrivateBank's microloan program. But loans don't help community members get the education to prepare them to run a business, a network of mentors or in-community access to technology that can inspire businesses with the most potential to grow and create jobs, he said. "There's work taking place, but there has to be larger-scale comprehensive planning, with not just economic development but education, housing, environment and infrastructure," he said. "You're not going to have business development and investment in the community if the other domains and component parts don't become healthy." Deputy Mayor Andrea Zopp agreed that business renovation grants alone won't move the needle, but with more than 20 neighborhoods on the South and West sides, developing comprehensive, coordinated strategic plans for each area presents its own set of challenges. "What we're trying to do is at least be aware of where we're putting those dollars, and be more strategic where we have the opportunity to do that," said Zopp, the city's chief neighborhood development officer. The Englewood Whole Foods Market, now part of a larger shopping center development, brought retail jobs and a commitment from the grocery chain to source some products from local businesses. Advertisement In Pullman, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives led redevelopment of a 180-acre, $125 million mixed-use site now occupied by Walmart, other retailers, a Method manufacturing facility and Gotham Greens. A Whole Foods distribution center is expected to open at the end of the year. Housing renovation accompanied the business development, and a community and recreational center is under construction nearby, along with a second retail area designed to combine national and local businesses. That retail site, on 111th Street, will have a Potbelly Sandwich Works community members had long been asking for a restaurant, CNI President David Doig said and space for local businesses, including a dry cleaner and 'Laine's Bake Shop. Separate from the $40 million, CNI last year received $1 million in Chase funding intended for its microfinance arm. The money doubled the size of its balance sheet and let the group increase the size of its loans up to $50,000, from $25,000. About a third of the grant has been distributed in loans to 11 small businesses that created or helped maintain 30 jobs. "I think we've all seen situations where you check back a couple years (after a big investment announcement), and what do you have to show for it? It's just the opposite with this," Doig said. "We're getting the money deployed and putting it into businesses that have a meaningful impact on their neighborhood." Zopp said she hopes the bank's investment will encourage other private donors to follow suit. "People pay attention when JPMorgan makes an investment," Zopp said. Those investments will be more likely to succeed when the private donor works in partnership with established community groups that represent a full cross-section of the community, not just better-connected nonprofits with access to the city's movers and shakers, said Winifred Curran, associate professor at DePaul University. Advertisement Chase says it has those relationships in Chicago, where it is already an active donor. Last year, for instance, it provided funding for a new Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce startup incubator. The chamber partnered with Chicago's 1871 startup community on the program, designed to help close the tech sector's diversity gap. Of the 25 businesses that have gone through the program so far, two have been accepted into startup accelerators, said Omar Duque, the chamber's president and CEO. "When a funder comes to you and says, 'What problems are you trying to solve' and positions themselves as a real partner in that work ... that's incredibly important," Duque said. aelejalderuiz@chicagotribune.com lzumbach@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Twitter @alexiaer Twitter @laurenzumbach Naperville is holding an open house seeking public input on the Washington Street bridge replacement from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday in Meeting Room A of the Naperville Municipal Center. (City of Naperville) Naperville officials are again asking for community input on the future of the Washington Street bridge or what the city calls the "gateway to downtown." The construction project, which could cost about $6 million, won't begin until 2020, but the city is in a planning phase for replacing the bridge. Advertisement Washington Street bridge, as a main link to the major thoroughfare into downtown Naperville, carries an average of nearly 30,000 vehicles over the DuPage River daily, according to city documents. Proposals that will be available at a public open house Wednesday, Sept. 20, include overhead signage options welcoming motorists and pedestrians to downtown Naperville, a wider road and additional turn lanes on the bridge. "This is a great opportunity for infrastructure and to do these gateway add-ons," said Linda LaCloche, spokeswoman for the City of Naperville. "It's the gateway to downtown, so signage would bring awareness for visitors." Advertisement The Washington Street bridge currently includes two northbound lanes and two southbound lanes. Proposals add a fifth lane that would extend the northbound left-turn lane onto Chicago Avenue further south to the bridge allowing for vehicles to stack into the turn lane earlier. In conjunction with the bridge replacement, the city plans to add another left turn lane on eastbound Aurora Avenue at the Washington Street and Aurora Avenue intersection. The additional turn lanes should help alleviate congestion that often builds at the intersections immediately north and south of the bridge, said Yifang Lu, project engineer with the city's Transportation, Engineering and Development department. Width of sidewalks on the bridge, lighting and signage under the bridge and a design that matches downtown aesthetics were main concerns of residents who participated in a February public comment period. Many respondents suggested looking to the design of downtown's Main Street bridge as an example. Nearly all of the 16 people who commented on the project's time line in February suggested a full road closure, as opposed to closing only segments at a time, to get the construction done quicker. But a full road closure is not an option, Lu said, as the alternate routes would not be able to handle the increased traffic. During the expected 11-month construction period in 2020, crews will likely close two lanes of the bridge at a time and complete work in stages. About 80 percent of the construction cost will be funded by the Federal Bridge Program through the Illinois Department of Transportation. The city will pay for the remaining 20 percent. A weight cap for vehicles traveling over the bridge was set at 15 tons in December 2015 to ensure the road's safety. Trucks over that weight use alternate routes, including Ogden Avenue, Route 59, Route 53 and Yackley Avenue/College Road. The Sept. 20 open house is open to the public and will run from 4 to 7 p.m. in Meeting Room A of the Naperville Municipal Center. Advertisement ehegarty@tribpub.com Grace Tarnow plays the blonde high school teen lead Toffee opposite leather jacket rebel Jonny, played by Geo Tapia, in the musical Zombie Prom playing weekend performances Sept 29-Oct. 7 at LaPorte Little Theatre. ( LaPorte Little Theatre/HANDOUT ) Katy Gartland, a cast member in LaPorte Little Theatre's fall musical comedy "Zombie Prom," is sworn to secrecy about the zombie make-up design everyone keeps asking her about. "Even our advance publicity photos taken from rehearsals don't give any hints about what's in store for audiences," said Katy Gartland, who stars as a stern anti-zombie high school principal named Miss Strict. Advertisement "The look of our zombie star is just one of the added surprises about this show." Running weekends Sept. 29 to Oct. 8, Gartland is sharing the stage with her husband Tim Gartland, who plays a nosy reporter eager to expose something spooky and suspicious unfolding at a local high school preparing to host the students' annual prom. Advertisement Katy Gartland, the president of LaPorte Little Theatre Club, joined her husband and 10 other members of the organization earlier in the year to trek to Kalamazoo, Mich. to see another community theater's production of "Zombie Prom." She said the road adventure resulted with the entire group "falling in love with the story and characters." Directed by Matt Robinson, the two-hour musical features a cast of 30 people, including Geo Tapia as Jonny and Grace Tarnow as Toffee, the unconventional and undead high school couple the love story centers around. "It's a little bit like 'Romeo and Juliet,' but with the plot twist of a nuclear power plant and the resulting radiation," Katy Gartland said. In "Zombie Prom," a school rebel named Jonny falls in love with his classmate Toffee just before the senior prom. When Toffee's parents forbid their daughter to date Jonny and attend the prom with him, he decides to end his life by riding his motorcycle into the nuclear power plant near the school and crashing it into the nuclear generator. Soon after, he returns to the school resurrected in zombie form and still in love with the grieving Toffee, who unlike the rest of the school, is not repulsed by his decaying human form. "Even though it's a fun and silly show, there are still also important messages about acceptance and teenage struggles," Katy Gartland said. "One of the aspects audiences will love about this musical is that it is set in the 1950s, so the fashions are fun and all of the songs in the musical numbers have a doo-wop style and sound." First produced in 1993, "Zombie Prom" was written by John Dempsey, who also created the lyrics for the songs with music written by Dana P. Rowe. It premiered Off-Broadway in New York City in 1996 and even played a run in London in 2009. Advertisement Some of the all-original songs featured in the musical include "Forbidden Love," "How Can I Say Good-Bye," "It's Alive" and "Jonny Don't Go." "We found this to be a very popular show when we did our auditions, which is one of the reasons we have such a large cast," Katy Gartland said. "Our production includes the members of both our teen chorus and our youth chorus." Katy Gartland also emphasizes "Zombie Prom" is a family-friendly show which she said is "more comical and colorful rather than scary." "One of the subplots in this musical has my principal character falling in love with the newspaper reporter character my husband Tim is playing," she said. "In one of the scenes, our characters have to dance the Tango together, which meant I had to learn the Tango and spend weeks practicing, since my husband also didn't know the dance steps." Advertisement Following the Friday night performances, a "post prom" is included with the ticket admission price, offering the opportunity for the audience to remain after the show to dance with the cast, including full-make-up zombie Jonny. "We are encouraging our audiences to dress up in their favorite formal prom attire to join us in the fun," Katy Gartland said. "When guests leave, we want them to tell everyone that our 'Zombie Prom' is more fun than what they remember from their own high school prom memories." Philip Potempa is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. "Zombie Prom" When: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29-30 and Oct. 6-7 and 2 p.m. Oct. 1 and 8 Where: LaPorte Little Theatre, 218 A St., La Porte Advertisement Cost: $15 and $12 for students John Haben, owner of the family-run Haben Funeral Home in downtown Skokie, third from right, accepted the Business of the Year award Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017 from Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen at a Skokie Village Board meeting. ( Mike Isaacs/Pioneer Press ) One of the oldest businesses in downtown Skokie has been named Business of the Year by the village's Consumer Affairs Commission under revamped rules for the award in recent years. Haben Funeral Home, 8057 Niles Center Road, has been a fixture in the downtown for many decades. Advertisement "Since I've been on the Consumer Affairs Commission, one of the more difficult experiences has been helping with Business of the Year selection," Consumer Affairs Commission Chairwoman Joanne Haeberlin said at the Sept. 5 Village Board meeting when the awards were presented. "The difficulty lay not in not having a business that deserves this award but just in having so many," she said. "What an awesome problem to have." Advertisement Two years ago, the Consumer Affairs Commission changed its format, and the name "Business of the Year" replaced "Merchant of the Year" so the award was "more inclusive," she said. Nominations are still made by people who frequent Skokie businesses, Haeberlin said, but then questionnaires are sent to all nominees asking for information and why that business would make a worthy winner. The commission decides the business of the year, which receives a trophy with a name inscription to put on display. This year, the commission received more than 100 nominations and 18 businesses returned completed questionnaires, Haeberlin said. Three runner-up businesses to the Business of the Year award this year included Tolziens Auto Service, which has been at its current location since 1978 and opened in 1952; Ace Hardware, independently owned and operating in downtown since 1928, one of the oldest continuous businesses in Skokie; and the Skokie Theatre, another key downtown attraction. Haben Funeral Home has been located in Skokie and in the Haben family since 1923, according to the Habens. The funeral home was also a founding member of the Skokie Chamber of Commerce, Haeberlin said. "We're local owned and operated, we're part of the community, we live, work and worship in the community," said John Haben. "We treat all client families with dignity, professionalism and respect." Haben Funeral Home is only a few years away from celebrating a century of service in downtown Skokie. Advertisement Haeberlin said the commission decided on Haben, realizing it is not only a business but it deals "caringly well with people in a very emotionally fragile part of their lives." Skokie Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Howard Meyer said John Haben's grandfather, Ray, helped found the Skokie Chamber in 1925 and played key roles in development of the organization. "The Haben family is arguably Skokie's first family the Kennedys of Skokie," Meyer said, adding that Haben Funeral Home "touches the lives of its customers when they are at their lowest and most vulnerable, when things are at their most difficult." John Haben asked the funeral home staff and their families to join him when he accepted the award. "We hope to bring the same values into the next century of business," he said. misaacs@pioneerlocal.com Advertisement @SKReview_Mike Salty cheese and ham plus the weight of a rich cheese-enhanced soup inspire wine pairings of every color: white, rose and red. The food Advertisement Cheddar potato-beer soup with shredded ham Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 10 baby carrots, 5 peeled red potatoes, chopped, and 1 sliced onion. Cook, stirring until lightly browned; 10 minutes. Season with salt and red pepper flakes to taste. Add 1 bottle beer; heat to a boil, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Add 2 cans low-sodium chicken broth; simmer until vegetables are tender, 12 minutes. Puree soup in a blender. Return to saucepan. Stir in 2 1/2 cups grated cheddar; stir until melted. Served topped with shredded ham. Advertisement Makes: 6 servings Recipe by Carol Mighton Haddix The wines Pairings by Arthur Hon, wine director at Sepia in Chicago, as told to Michael Austin: 2010 Trimbach Pinot Gris Reserve, Alsace: The texture of this soup is rather silky with the slightly richer weight coming from the melted cheese. The flavors of butter-browned root vegetables work really well with the round and yellow fruit-driven profile of Alsatian pinot gris. The natural saltiness of the cheddar and the ham work well with those fruity flavors, a play on the classic combo of sweet and salty. 2013 iOTA Cellars Pinot Noir Rose "Phyllis," Willamette Valley: I like roses with root vegetables, especially back vintages. Along with one year of additional bottle age, this rose has seen some barrel aging, adding another layer of texture and complementing the texture of the soup. The strawberry and licorice flavors of this wine will draw out the inherent sweetness of the potatoes and carrots. At the same time, the natural high acidity of pinot noir will balance the cheddar and the weight of the dish. 2011 Dragonette Cellars Grenache, Santa Barbara County: I want to push the envelope a little with a red wine pairing. The trick here is to dial back on the oak and tannins, and maintain the refreshing acidity that will cut through the soup's texture. This vibrant, light-bodied red has fresh raspberry and strawberry flavors, along with a fluffy texture. It has a comfort factor similar to the soup's, so it is more of a conceptual pairing, but rest assured, it is still based directly on food and wine pairing guidelines. There are old favorites, like Daniel Burnham's sweeping vision for Chicago. And there are unexpected gems, like the glossy prefab kitchen and bathroom units of a French architect intent on making once-elite ski resorts affordable to the masses. These are among the eye-catching objects in the Art Institute of Chicago's new installation of its permanent architecture and design collection. It is the most extensive display the museum has ever mounted of its vast holdings in these areas. But the objects alone aren't what makes the show worth seeing. Advertisement Rather, it's the skill with which the pieces are framed within a larger narrative of how architecture and design have shaped and continue to shape how we live. While there are some lapses in that story, the exhibition, titled "Past Forward: Architecture and Design at the Art Institute," is, for the most part, freshly and intelligently told. Throughout, a major theme is that architecture and design are idea-driven fields engaged in the making of experimental visions, not just the tangible reality of a brick bungalow or a tubular steel chair. That cerebral view will likely provoke a world-weary dismissal from those who have witnessed the costs, both human and financial, of designers' failed visions. Think demolished public housing projects. But there is no denying the revolutionary, often uplifting impact that architecture and design have made during the past nearly 120 years. Advertisement The show, to its credit, explores both sides of this coin. Organized by Zoe Ryan, the museum's chief architecture and design curator, "Past Forward" occupies most of the architecture and design galleries in the museum's Renzo Piano-designed Modern Wing. (The rest of those galleries will be devoted to temporary shows). As in the rest of the Modern Wing, the displayed material drawings, models, pieces of furniture, posters, videos and more covers the period from 1900 to the present. It is the first time, Ryan said, that the museum has jointly exhibited its holdings of modern and contemporary architecture and design. They number an estimated 250,000 objects. But this is a different sort of permanent installation. Some of the show's contents, especially light-sensitive architectural drawings and textiles, must only be displayed for a few months at a time to prevent fading. So go now if you want see a drawing like Ludwig Hilberseimer's chillingly seductive 1924 vision of a city whose residents live in high-rises and work in factories directly below. The installation designed by Julia Di Castri, who teaches at the University of Illinois at Chicago's architecture school neatly accommodates the need for the exhibition's ever-changing contents. In the bargain, it underscores architecture's unique capacity to frame space and gives visitors multiple paths through the show. Diagonally arranged, 12-foot-high walls create a compelling tension with the Modern Wing's right-angled geometry and shape a series of roomlike spaces that contain the show's thematic sections. Openings in the walls create alluring, down-the-alley views that showcase prime exhibit material, like a multicolored, stenciled wall covering by Chicago architect Louis Sullivan. The best of the sections make intriguing connections among their fields and the world at large. The one on workplaces, for example, demonstrates how the expansive, column-free interiors of innovative structures like Skidmore, Owings & Merrill's 1955 Inland Steel Building in Chicago pushed designers to create lighter, more flexible office environments. Unfortunately, one such effort flopped, leading, the lucid wall text notes, to "what we now know as the ubiquitous and dull cubicle." A more satisfying outcome can be seen in the aforementioned prefab kitchen and bath units, which French architect Charlotte Perriand designed in the 1970s for the Les Arcs ski resort in the French Alps. The fiberglass units were plugged into small apartments, holding down costs and helping to democratize a previously exclusive leisure activity. Advertisement "Past Forward" also succeeds at pulling back the curtain on how architects transform their concepts into material reality, a process nicely illustrated by architect David Adjaye's drawings and mock-up models for his National Museum of African American History and Culture. And we see design's importance in shaping a city's image, evident in the artfully simple posters that the modernist graphic designer John Massey did in 1966 to promote Lincoln Park and Lake Michigan. Still, there are weaknesses, and they are partly rooted in the reality that curators are like card players they have to play the hand they're dealt. The Art Institute's architecture and design holdings, as extensive as they are, are not all-encompassing, and that leads to some frustrating gaps. The section on contemporary museum design, for example, has nothing to say about the powerfully sculpted, digitally enabled museums of Frank Gehry, whose Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, dazzled the world and changed the course of museum design when it opened 20 years ago. Even when the collection is strong, it is not always well-handled. The show's treatment of postmodernism is fragmented and unfocused. Stanley Tigerman's iconic "Titanic" collage, which portrays Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's Crown Hall sinking into Lake Michigan, appears in one section while some of the postmodern "Late Entries" to the Chicago Tribune Tower competition of 1922 are in another. Given the current resurgence of interest in postmodernism, the show's inability to draw together these important pieces is a disappointment. Some of the design objects on display seem a little kooky, despite their provocative contemporary relevance. A huggable, toylike version of a mushroom cloud? A bench, shaped like a cow's torso, which reminds us of the animal origins of leather furniture? Such designs bring to mind Mies' famous line: "I don't want to be interesting; I want to be good." It is far more moving to see one of the molded leg splints that California designers Charles and Ray Eames developed for wounded soldiers during World War II. The splint was a significant step toward the sculptural molded plywood furniture that the Eameses designed after the war. Architecture and design are at their best, this example suggests, when ideas aren't conceived for their own sake but to enrich and elevate human experience. Advertisement bkamin@chicagotribune.com Twitter @BlairKamin The meaning and precise amount of "dark" varies. But Jennifer Reeder writer, director and University of Illinois at Chicago moving image professor as well as current head of the UIC art and art history department says she gravitates toward "dark stories that involve children and maniacal or at least mistake-making parents." She smiles as she says this; she know that sounds a little relentless. Her short and midlength films, though, work in other ways: There's a dreamy, searching quality to her visual landscapes, and her technique (slow zooms, dissolves, an unusually intuitive way of capturing faces young and older) has developed in short films about young girls in tough circumstances navigating adolescence. Advertisement Most everything she's done can be found on her website, www.thejenniferreeder.com. Her latest feature is "Signature Move," and for nearly a year now this Chicago-set and Chicago-financed microbudget project starring Fawzia Mirza has traveled the interntational festival circuit, most recently to the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic. We met the day she got back. "Signature Move" is Reeder's most conventionally structured and narratively rom-commy picture by several miles, as well as the first of her films she didn't write (Mirza co-wrote with Lisa Donato). Yet it's full of the tensions and breaking points found in everything Reeder has done. Mirza plays a tightly wound Pakistani Muslim lesbian immigration lawyer, falling in love but keeping it a secret from her tradition-bound mother (Shabana Azmi). Meantime Mirza's character discovers the wonders of the Lucha Libre wrestling world. She's used to wearing masks in her life, metaphorically; why not don a real one? Advertisement "It was interesting to take on someone else's material," Reeder says, "to try to do it justice but also bring myself to it. The first couple of drafts felt like sketches written for Fawzia's web series, they had more of that energy and tone, and the jokes were fast." Rewrites took "Signature Move" to a smoother blend of tones and styles. Reeder shot it last August. It was the inaugural effort funded by Newcity, Brian Hieggelke and the Chicago Film Project. It's dominated by striking female talent of every variety; in addition to Mirza and Azmi, the cast includes Sari Sanchez and Charin Alvarez. Chicago is a co-star as well, with location shooting taking the story from Devon Avenue to the site of what Reeder calls "the classic rom-com moment," the big kiss between the central lovers. The script called for a make-out on a median on Lake Shore Drive; time and money dictated another location, the lawn in front of the Adler Planetarium, with the skyline behind the lovers. "We'd been shooting in Pilsen that day," Reeder remembers, "and everybody wanted to come see the last-day wrap-up with this shot. We pull up in front of the planetarium, two big movie trucks, 9 o'clock on a Sunday night, nice and quiet, right? Wrong: There were, like, a thousand people wandering around looking at their phones. It was a Pokemon Go hot spot!" (That does seem like a long time ago.) Reeder's next feature, likely to be the second under the Newcity/Chicago Film Project banner, is a "Southern Gothic teen noir" titled "As With Knives and Skin," about the disappearance of a rural Kentucky girl and how the incident defines several high school girls' lives. Reeder is scouting locations and along with Chicago talent, she's looking to use some actors from New York and LA. "I'm committed to narrative now in a way that I wasn't before," she says, though it's clear her interests and preoccupations have served her well so far. "How do kids, girls and boys, survive adolescence? Through friendship. A lot of my films are about friendship as a survival strategy, because that's what it can be." The Chicago engagement of "Signature Move" is Sept. 28-Oct. 5, at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave. For more information go to www.musicboxtheatre.com/films/signature-move. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Twitter @phillipstribune [ 10 fall movies to save the world (maybe) ] [ "Signature Move" star Fawzia Mirza's fictional alter ego: the illegitimate Muslim daughter of Donald Trump ] [ Indie films to look for this fall ] Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) For a brief moment at the beginning of "First They Killed My Father," we glimpse a white reporter taking snapshots of the Khmer Rouge as they roll into Phnom Penh in April 1975, but for the rest of the movie, not a single Caucasian appears on screen in this appropriately Cambodian story. That alone represents a significant innovation in Angelina Jolie's sprawling made-for-Netflix (but, if we're really being honest, made-for-the-big-screen) adaptation of Loung Ung's survivor's memoir, considering that Western films like "The Killing Fields" have almost always privileged the white man's POV on this and other atrocities. Still, like "Beasts of No Nation" (the film this most closely resembles), a lack of stars and surfeit of suffering will inevitably limit the reach of this essential story. Advertisement There's a simple, practical reason that other movies take the outsider-looking-in approach, and it's not one that's so easily reduced to charges of America's white-savior complex as some critics seem to think: For those who don't already know the radically different foreign culture in which such exotic stories are set, it's enormously helpful to experience them through the eyes of someone who is also trying to make sense of such potentially confusing circumstances. In that respect, Jolie's film offers a valid alternative solution, by assuming the POV of five-year-old Loung, whose childlike inability to process the events unfolding around her theoretically mirrors our own, providing a natural point of identification for this overwhelming and often-ghastly depiction of the Khmer Rouge's torture and murder of their fellow Cambodians in the wake of brutal civil war. No mention is made of the civil war here, whereas Jolie directly implicates the United States' secret bombing of Cambodia (which borders Vietnam to the west) under Nixon. Advertisement What's clear from the archival montage Jolie includes at the outset is that Nixon effectively managed to disinterest Americans in a country that suffered enormously during the Vietnam War, and to a large extent, that interest has never returned which, of course, is what Jolie hopes to correct by reenacting this painful chapter in the history of the country where her adopted son Maddox (an executive producer on the film) was born, leveraging her personal reputation and devoting her own already-impressive directorial skills to that end. The trouble is, Jolie clearly has a far bigger heart than most witness her brood of children and quiver of causes and she already cares about the Cambodian genocide, whereas the average viewer needs a bit more hand-holding to be drawn in to such a difficult story. After all, there's no worse feeling than realizing that one is bored midway through such a weighty tour of miserablism, though the risk is real when we lack for context. Dramatically speaking, apart from the fact that no child should experience what Loung had to witness, she's not an especially compelling character although Jolie's interest in her is almost parental, and unconditional, creating a dynamic of presupposed empathy different from the vast majority of male-directed movies. Foreign-language films (this one is performed mostly in Khmer) with kid protagonists frequently benefit from the fact that audiences can't judge the line readings, relying instead on the facial expressions of adorable urchins but even these don't communicate quite enough in this case. The film is so understated with regard to Loung's basic predicament that we don't recognize her driving desire simply, to be reunited with her siblings until the movie is over. Otherwise, Loung's chief concern is to survive, and apart from the fact that she lived to write a book about it, the odds don't look good after the Khmer Rouge round up her family and begin to execute those with ties to the old government. Misleading title aside, there's quite a bit the Khmer Communist Party does to make the Ungs' lives miserable before Loung's father is finally dragged off and shot (his execution is depicted entirely in Loung's imagination, and haunts her repeatedly throughout the rest of the film). Together with her two brothers, two sisters and parents, Loung rides out of Phnom Penh in the family pickup truck. This exodus, made under false pretenses (the threat of an American bombing that never comes), is stunning to witnesses, as the civilians walk in one direction carrying umbrellas while soldiers march in the other carrying rifles and rocket launchers. In yet another example of 20th-century communism gone horribly wrong, Cambodia's new rulers attempted to confiscate private property and collectivize the country, forcing the Ung family including the kids to work the fields where food is cultivated for the soldiers, surviving on thin gruel and whatever insects they can capture and eat. Under camp rules, should a starving child so much as a steal a green bean for herself, she might be ruthlessly punished. It's a scary thought that Loung's quality of life actually improves somewhat when she escapes and finds herself reassigned to another camp, where she is trained as a child soldier, which in turn leads to the film's most horrifying scene, in which Loung finds herself standing in the middle of a minefield as her less fortunate peers vaporize around her. "First They Killed My Father" 2.5 stars No MPAA rating Advertisement Running time: 2:16 Opens: Friday RELATED: 'Mother!' review: Trouble in paradise, starring Jennifer Lawrence 'American Assassin' review: Grief therapy, black ops division 10 fall movies to save the world (maybe) Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) Wow, there is a lot to report about Joey's Foundation. First off, Joey's is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Yes, Joey's has been around for 10 years and has become a positive force in northeast Wyoming and southern Montana. Joey's has introduced hundreds of area youngsters to fly fishing and to the wonders of the great outdoors. The foundation has teamed up with local schools to teach rod building, conservation, fly tying and fish biology. Along the way, Joey's has encouraged students to mentor, to help newcomers and be involved in promoting fishing and enjoying the out of doors. In late August, Safeco and Hub International Insurance announced that Joey's Foundation had been awarded a $5,000 grant, which would be doubled if the local Hub Insurance Team could demonstrate community support by their story being shared on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn at least 50 times. Well, that came about and so Joey's was awarded $10,000! According to a news release, Joey's Foundation will use their newly awarded funds to enlist additional support staff to accommodate the growing number of local children who look to the the nonprofit as a safe haven. The funding will also provided support for new after-school programs, updated equipment, materials and educational tools. Sheila Blackburn, executive director of Joey's Foundation, said in a statement that, Financial donations are vital, because requests are increasing and no child is turned away. It's a far cry from 2007, when Joey's Foundation started with yard-sale fishing gear and a few friends putting on a camp. Joey's Foundation has a big weekend coming up. The Fall Fly V event starts Friday with a little friendly fly-fishing competition between the volunteer guides who will assist the teams on Saturday. The legends tournament entitles the winning guide team to have bragging rights for about a day. On Friday, Sept. 15, a benefit fundraiser will be held at the Sheridan County Fairgrounds Exhibit building. Activities will include sponsor recognition; contestant, landowner, donor and sponsor introductions; the draw for water; the Great Fly Buy; the team Calcutta; silent auction, live auction, rod raffle, dinner, drinks and more. The event is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Joey's Foundation, 109 S. Main St., Sheridan, or at the door. The tournament will be held on the North Tongue River. The teams will consist of a youth and a sponsor. The groups are limited to two flies plus those that were bought at the great fly buy on Friday evening. A controller (aka, guide) will accompany the team to their assigned beat. The teams will have from 9:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. All trout that are landed will count two points. In addition, trout 10 inches and larger will garner additional points. For instance, a 15-inch trout will have a point total of two plus 80 points. All trout landed will count to the team's score. The controller keeps track of the trout landed and their respective lengths. The controller has the flies that the team uses and doles them out as requested by the contestants. If a trout is killed, that point value is deducted from the overall score. If two trout are killed, the team is disqualified. A team can sharpen a broken hook to make it functional. They can also glue flies back together. At the conclusion of the fishing event the teams will be served lunch and awards will be presented. As I said, there is a lot happening at Joey's Foundation, so if you can find the time why not attend the banquet Friday evening and wish Joey and his crew a happy 10th anniversary? Also wish Joey's a long and vital life in the region; the foundation has surely helped so many. A post-script at the end of "Rebel in the Rye" states that legendary "Catcher in the Rye" author J.D. Salinger's seclusion and refusal to publish only made him more famous and revered. It's tempting to raise the curtain on that mystery, but it's like pulling back the curtain on the Wizard of Oz. Ultimately, what's revealed in the new biopic of young Salinger, written and directed by Danny Strong, poses some interesting questions, but doesn't live up to the power of the mystery around the man itself. Strong draws on Kenneth Slawenski's biography, "J.D. Salinger: A Life," to provide the details about what shaped the young upstart writer in the early 1940s. The young British actor Nicholas Hoult steps into the role of smart-mouthed Jerry Salinger, who's bad at school, chases women and lives to write, despite the protestations of his father (Victor Garber). Kevin Spacey plays Whit Burnett, Jerry's writing professor at Columbia, and their connection proves the central relationship to the story. Advertisement One of the main and most intriguing questions posed by the film is "why write?" It's a question Whit demands of Jerry, but it's almost rhetorical. In the puritanical form of writing that Whit teaches, and that Jerry adopts, the motivation to write is simply the writing. Write because you must, because you can't stand not to write. Don't write to "be a writer." This nearly religious approach to writing comes into sharp focus in the back half of the film, after Jerry's chased every girl and literary magazine out of his league. After a bleak stint in the war, ravaged by PTSD, Jerry discovers meditation and begins to apply its tenants to eliminate the distractions of modern life. His monk-like approach to his work transforms his writing into an almost religious devotional experience, and he retreats to New Hampshire, eventually becoming a recluse and ceasing to publish his work altogether. Advertisement That emphasis on writing for writing's sake and his obsessive sacred pursuit is fascinating and enigmatic. A philosophical, existential deep dive into this would have been truly original and striking. But Strong has laid out all-too-easy answers for this essentially curious question, offering war trauma and PTSD, as well as romantic rejection and an aversion to fame for the reasons that Jerry escapes to the woods. But wouldn't it be more interesting if it wasn't so neatly spelled out? Hoult is such a strong actor that he capably commands the screen and holds attention, even when "Rebel in the Rye" is a screenplay desperately in need of some focus. We're whisked back and forth in time with unnecessary flashbacks, and while the first half of the film is a romp, we're quickly dashed through the horrors of war in order to watch the rest of the story unfold. The film often feels like it doesn't know where to tell you to look, or needlessly over explains in a reductive manner. It ends with a clunk, because ultimately, when the curtain is pulled back on the Wizard, isn't it always a bit of a let down? "Rebel in the Rye" 2 stars MPAA rating: PG-13 (for thematic elements, language including sexual references, some violence, and smoking throughout) Running time: 1:46 Opens: Friday RELATED: 'Mother!' review: Trouble in paradise, starring Jennifer Lawrence Advertisement 'American Assassin' review: Grief therapy, black ops division 10 fall movies to save the world (maybe) Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) Working at a museum, for Joy Bivins, wasn't really the plan. The South Sider from Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School went to grad school, at Cornell, thinking she'd become a history professor. But here she is, in 2017, with 15 years at the Chicago History Museum, essentially her entire professional career, under her belt. Advertisement In addition to her administrative duties as director of curatorial affairs, Bivins lately has been working on programming to augment "Race: Are We So Different?," a science exhibition coming to the museum in November and aimed squarely at still-existing prejudices in American society that have been underscored in recent years. "The exhibition is fixed," she said, but a good museum's job is to amplify a traveling show, to localize it and contextualize it through talks, tours, seminars and other ancillary programs. Advertisement "What we're trying to explore is what are the ways that race has really impacted the city," Bivins said. "And one of the critical ways is housing segregation. And so that's something we'll be exploring pretty intensely in our programs. "As you know, housing doesn't just impact where you live. It informs where you go to school and what kind of schools are in your neighborhood and your interaction with the police. So I think the exhibition, beyond being a really good learning tool, is a great platform for us to discuss contemporary issues that are important to our city. And those are national in scope, but they're also very local." And for next year, she's curating a history museum-produced exhibition that'll also be both nationally significant but intensely local. The look at Chicago blues will be the museum's first major show on the topic. "It's called 'Amplified: Chicago Blues,' and it is a way to look at this great cultural export that we've gifted the world and the people who made that possible," Bivins said. "There are stories that people expect that we would tell here. And the blues is one of them." Telling such stories to a broader audience is one of the reasons her career path turned, she said. After growing up in West Englewood and graduating from McAuley, she earned a degree from Michigan in history and Afro-American and African studies. Her master's from Cornell was in Africana studies, "looking at visual culture and history intersections," she said. "I thought, I don't know that I want to do this my whole life," said Bivins, now 41. "And so in talking to my adviser, he suggested that I look at museums because I told him I was interested in education, but I was also interested in a kind of broader audience than just the academic." She wanted to return to Chicago, she said, and applied for an open Chicago History Museum position "on a whim." She was hired by Lonnie Bunch, who headed what was then called the Chicago Historical Society and has since gone on to become founding director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Advertisement "That's when my real training began," Bivins said. "One of the things that I learned from Lonnie, he told me you definitely should think about exhibitions as a film as opposed to kind of a text on the wall. ... You know, you're not telling everything that you know, you're not telling everything there is to know. You're making very directed decisions based on who you'd like to appeal to in terms of audience." "Joy has just grown so much as a curator," said John Russick, the museum's vice president for interpretation and education. "She really brings an insight into life in the city that not all of our curators have. She really has a sense of life in Chicago in the late part of the 20th century." Early in her career, Russick said, Bivins was lead curator of a powerful exhibition on lynching photography titled "Without Sanctuary." More recently, she helped shape the largest exhibition in the museum's history, "Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair," which chronicled the annual traveling fashion show put on by Johnson Publishing. "That exhibit was really just a tour de force," Russick said, "with a great level of insight into what Johnson Publishing did here in Chicago." Bivins called "Inspiring Beauty" "the project that is dearest to my heart. For me, that combined a lot of different interests: Chicago as this premiere city, black Chicago as a center of black American life in the 20th century. And it was really a way to explore kind of a different take on a very famed Chicago story. "So for a lot of people, it was an introduction. For some people it was a trip down memory lane. And I think if you can kind of hit that sweet spot, you're doing a good job." Advertisement That'll be the goal with the upcoming blues exhibition, too, which is centered around a trove of photographs of Chicago blues greats from the 1950s and 1960s, but will have the Great Migration as its "backbone," Bivins said. Hmmm. History and photographs are great and all, but "There will be music," Bivins assured. "You can't have a blues show without music." sajohnson@chicagotribune.com Twitter @StevenKJohnson [ RELATED: 'SNL,' Soviet artists and the dead highlight fall museum season ] [ Cool jobs: museum curator ] [ Chicago Tribune's fall arts preview 2017 ] Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) Ensemble member Keith Neagle and Sydney Charles will star in The Gift Theatres world premiere of "A Swell in the Ground." (Claire Demos) The Gift Theatre announced the cast of its world premiere production of Janine Nabers' "A Swell in the Ground" Wednesday. The nonlinear look at the lives of four college friends will star ensemble members Keith Neagle and Darci Nalepa, along with Sydney Charles and Andrew Muwonge. Chika Ike will direct. Advertisement "A Swell in the Ground" runs Oct. 13-Dec. 10 at the Gift Theatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave. @morgreene Advertisement mgreene@chicagotribune.com Enjoy someone else's drama A great theater city deserves a great theater critic. Enter Chris Jones. Subscribe now and get 4 weeks of full access for only 99. [ Former Second City cast member files racial discrimination lawsuit ] [ About Face Theatre names new artistic director ] [ Theater 30: Our long list for fall, big musicals to storefront dramas ] Watch the latest movie trailers. "The Audience" The longevity of the British monarchy as manifest for the last 64 years in the personage of Queen Elizabeth II is at the center of Peter Morgan's play "The Audience," a smart, gossipy exploration of the queen's complex, sometimes political relationship with her decades of prime ministers. Nick Bowling directs TimeLine Theatre's simple but enjoyable Chicago premiere, starring Janet Ulrich Brooks as the queen. The best scene of the night is between Brooks and Carmen Roman, who portrays a terrifying Margaret Thatcher in high dudgeon. Through Nov. 12 at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave.; $40-$49 at 773-281-8463 or timelinetheatre.com Advertisement "Barbecue" "Barbecue," directed for Strawdog Theatre by Damon Kiely, is a play by Robert O'Hara ("Bootycandy"), a skilled satirist who knows that to really lampoon the nonsense that comes out of our mouths, you have to know how people talk. His 2015 play is about two families, one white and one African-American. We meet them, at different moments, in the same picnic area of a public park. Each is working toward an intervention, trying to get a family member into rehab, even though the rest of the family should probably also come along in the suitcase. The coals of the grill are burning hot. Through Sept. 30 in Steppenwolf's 1700 Theatre, 1700 N. Halsted St.; $45 at 312-335-1650 or www.steppenwolf.org Advertisement "Blue Man Group" 1/2 "Blue Man Group" has been playing at Briar Street since 1997, a remarkable run of 20 years. There have been only two major overhauls in that time; the latest adds selfie sticks, new music and a livelier finale. I'd argue the Blue Men need a bigger overhaul they still chomp marshmallows, bang drums and paint up audience members but this remains a fine gateway for the young into the arts. If you've never had the pleasure, go. Open run at the Briar Street Theatre, 3133 N. Halsted St.; $49-$69 at www.ticketmaster.com "Bonnie & Clyde, the Musical" The musical "Bonnie & Clyde," with a book by Ivan Menchell and a score by pop composer Frank Wildhorn, is about the Depression-era bank robbers Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Champion Barrow. It didn't get much respect on Broadway in 2011, where the material seemed dated. But in the hands of director Spencer Neiman for Kokandy Productions, it taps into the book's deeper themes, like the argument that we may as well have fun, since we're all going down anyway. And happily, newcomer Desiree Gonzalez, as Bonnie, is more than up to Wildhorn's power ballads, which is what this show needs the most. You won't be bored. Through Oct. 15 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave.; $33-$38 at 773-975-8150 or www.kokandyproductions.com "Fantastic Super Great Nation Numero Uno" 1/2 "Fantastic Super Great Nation Numero Uno" is an inclusive and warmhearted new e.t.c. Theater show, directed by Ryan Bernier, that takes a broad view of the moment. There have been edgier revues on the e.t.c. stage, but this crew is so funny you worry some coastal talent-spotters soon will steal them away. Katie Klein's old-school parody of affirmative women's daytime talk shows "What's Up Girl?" is probably the richest material of the night. Open run in Second City e.t.c. Theater in Piper's Alley, 1618 N. Wells St.; $19-$46 at 312-664-4032 or www.secondcity.com "Hair" 1/2 In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love, "Hair, The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical" is now at the Mercury Theater in the Southport Corridor. Hello again, long-haired star-shines. Of all the local productions of "Hair" during the last decade, I think this one is my favorite, first and foremost because of the quality of the singing. Brenda Didier's production is an Equity show stocked with Chicago talent. Liam Quealy, who plays Claude, fully understands this show and for its quirks and dated tropes, "Hair" remains a remarkable work. Through Sept. 24 at the Mercury Theater, 3745 N. Southport Ave.; $30-$65 at 773-325-1700 or www.mercurytheaterchicago.com Advertisement "Hamilton" This Broadway show has given Chicago a Chicago-style production. The heartland "Hamilton" is performed by players mostly younger and less experienced than the original New York cast and is less flashy. But it is more in touch with the fundamental scrappiness of the early years of a rebel colony turned into a spectacular democratic experiment. And in a city whose native theater is founded on truth, it is somehow very much more human and vulnerable. That Chicago-style sensibility is led by Miguel Cervantes, the superb actor in the title role. This is a company that deserves to be embraced. Open run at PrivateBank Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St.; $65-$400 at 800-775-2000 or www.broadwayinchicago.com "Lela & Co." Steep Theatre has been set up like a European cabaret, with little tables and shaded lamps. But rather than Sally Bowles, we are there to keep the company of Lela, a woman from a remote village near an unspecified war zone. The story she tells through some unwelcome male interruptions is utterly horrific, a first-person account of sex trafficking and manipulation. This play by the young British writer Cordelia Lynn is overwhelmingly intense in Steep's tiny room. Lela is played by the Chicago actress Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel, variously funny, charming, stoic and agonized. Her work here is extraordinarily empathetic. Through Sept. 16 at Steep Theatre, 1115 W. Berwyn Ave.; $25-$35 at 773-649-3186 or www.steeptheatre.com "Machinal" "I suppose I gotta marry somebody," says Young Woman in Sophie Treadwell's "Machinal," sounding like she's acquiescing to a death sentence. "All girls do." This beauteously bitter 1928 play is now at the Greenhouse Theater Center in an outstanding new production with a blistering central performance from Heather Chrisler. Her character and story are adapted from the real-life criminal trial of a New York woman named Ruth Snyder, who died in the electric chair at Sing Sing Prison for the murder of her detested husband. Director Jacob Harvey's show takes a deep dive into the psyche of the Young Woman and forges a palpable everywoman from her misery. Through Sept. 24 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave.; $35 at 773-404-7336 or www.greenhousetheatre.org Advertisement "Rock of Ages" The Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace, long friendly confines for musicals about Dolly Levi and Momma Rose, is now the improbable host of the glam-metal jukebox show "Rock of Ages." Penned by Chris D'Arienzo with the cooperation of bands like Journey, Styx and REO Speedwagon, it both celebrates and makes fun of sexy decadence and power ballads. The volume knob at Drury Lane could use a jolt: if you're doing "Rock of Ages," you're doing "Rock of Ages." But the talent on stage is very solid and director Scott Weinstein pays attention to detail, which is key. Through Oct. 15 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace; $45-$60 at 800-745-3000 or www.drurylanetheatre.com "Spamilton" 1/2 With "Spamilton," the savvy parodist Gerard Alessandrini ("Forbidden Broadway") has come roaring back in a Chicago production that delivers nonstop laughs to anyone with enough knowledge of "Hamilton" to get the gags. The famous "blue-collar/shining beacon/Puerto Rican" is played by Yando Lopez, an actor with a better vocal instrument than Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Eric Andrew Lewis blows out the room as Aaron Burr. It's a fair criticism to say that Alessandrini is perhaps too much in love with the real "Hamilton" to really skewer the show, but there's guaranteed fun here for Miranda obsessives. Through Oct. 8 at the Royal George Cabaret Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted St.; $59-$99 at 312-988-9000 or www.spamilton.com "Tony n' Tina's Wedding" I actually had a blast at this semiscripted affair that employs 23 actors to play members of the two feuding families joining in holy matrimony. Don't judge without going. Still, I wouldn't be recommending this thing if it were just like last time. The difference this time around is that the show begins in an actual Chicago church, where the congregants are to be commended for their sense of humor, and the scale and quality of the Chicago improv community (not all of whom are in the first blush of youth) have improved vastly in the years since I last saw this show. It's a rough, tough, divisive world out there. Here, everyone was having fun. Go in a group. Open run at Resurrection Church, 3309 N. Seminary Ave.; $75-$85 at 773-327-3778 or www.tonylovestina.com Advertisement "Trevor the Musical" Trevor, the hero of the promising new musical at Writers Theatre, is a gay 13-year-old who is very easy to love. He first appeared in an Oscar-winning short film that led to the creation of the Trevor Project, a suicide-prevention hotline for LBGTQ kids. "Trevor the Musical," in a world premiere in Glencoe from writer Dan Collins and composer Julianne Wick Davis, is directed by the Broadway team of Marc Bruni and choreographer Josh Prince. It still needs work, but Trevor's story of triumphing over humiliation deserves to be a hit. Through Oct. 8 at Writers Theatre, 325 Tudor Court, Glencoe; $35-$80 at 847-242-6000 or www.writerstheatre.org Sandwiched between the 1980s teen-angst comedies of John Hughes and the famous-for-being-famous post-millennium reality television antics of the Kardashians, the kids of "Beverly Hills, 90210" staked their own claim to pop-cultural stardom. The show, which ran from 1990-2000, eventually led to other prime-time soapfests spinoffs, including "Melrose Place" and a 2008 return visit to the halls of West Beverly Hills High in "90210." (Apparently, we all knew by then where that was located, so the prefix wasn't required.) Something so campy and yet so beloved seems to cry out for a musical parody. And thus Bob and Tobly McSmith, who previously found musical fodder in such cultural gems as "Saved by the Bell" and "Showgirls," begat "90210: The Musical," now in a brief engagement at the Broadway Playhouse. Advertisement For those who religiously followed the complicated lives of Brenda, Brandon, Dylan and Kelly (as well as a host of sidekicks), the show probably offers some nostalgic wink-and-nod moments. (I confess to being a very casual viewer.) The play's high-energy cast knows how thoroughly ridiculous it all is and commits to it with endearing gusto. One just wishes that the material offered more than a nibble at the low-hanging fruit provided by the original. The jokes take shots at things that were roundly derided when the show first aired, such as the fact that some of the teens were played by actors in their mid-to-late 20s. Early on, Kelly (Alexis Kelley) rejects former beau Steve (Seth Blum but played in the original by Ian Ziering, who was 26 when it first aired) with "I remember why I broke up with you." "Why?" he questions. "Because you're clearly in your mid-30s," she retorts. Advertisement Despite Brenda's designated role as the schemer (her twin brother, Brandon, describes her as having "resting Brenda face"), Kelley's Kelly comes off as the villain in this version. Ana Marcu's Brenda, like Shannen Doherty, exits the show halfway through only to return as Emily Valentine, the manic-with-a-vengeance Pixie Dream Girl who is ready to set it off when Landon Zwick's Brandon rejects her. (The real Emily, Christine Elise, was on hand opening night for photos and autographs.) But despite Marcu's gas can, the show runs out of fuel in the second act. The songs, composed by Assaf Gleizner, have a pleasing pop-pastiche quality, including a faux doo-wop homage to the Peach Pit. (Because, as the cast notes, what would the 1990s be without fake 1950s diners?) But the storylines become a dutiful paint-by-numbers greatest-hits exploration, with some of the gibes at the original yielding fewer returns. And the first-act gloss on the accidental gun death of Scott Scanlon feels unnecessarily callous a missed opportunity to dig into how the original show itself both explored and exploited social issues of the day. Still, if you're looking to revisit the halls of West Beverly with drinks in tow, the cast will make sure you're in good hands. Caleb Dehne's Tori Spelling (who is called "Tori Spelling" here, rather than Donna) tears it up as a pre-verbal hair-flipping princess who is too dumb to be mean. Or graduate. Blum nails the repressed neurotic eroticism of newspaper editor and designated-poor-girl Andrea, never quite able to win Brandon for herself. Rob Riordan, stuck with playing the most vacuous role of all (that is of course David, originated by Brian Austin Green), achieves the difficult task of making all that emptiness somehow charming. And Alan Trinca's Dylan rocks his overalls and his never-ending daddy issues like a cross between James Dean and a Ken doll and I do mean that as a compliment. So while it definitely feels like it's going more for simulation than satire, "90210: The Musical" offers sufficient fan service for those longing to reconnect with the "drama zombies" (as one song puts it) of the most famous ZIP code in television history. Kerry Reid is a freelance critic. ctc-arts@chicagotribune.com Review: "90210: The Musical" (2 stars) Advertisement When: Through Sept. 17 Where: Broadway Playhouse, 175 E. Chestnut St. Running time: 1 hour, 50 minutes Tickets: $40-$97 at 800-775-2000 and www.broadwayinchicago.com [ RELATED: Theater 30: Our long list for fall, big musicals to storefront dramas ] [ Conor McPherson's 'The Veil' leaves mysteries unanswered ] [ Wrestling play 'Chad Deity' returns in a world that's even more foreign ] Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) A University of Kansas art installation called "What Were You Wearing?" aims to shatter the myth that sexual violence is caused by a person's clothing. (Jennifer Sprague) In a gallery space on the fourth floor of the University of Kansas' student union, a powerful art installation aims to shatter the myth that sexual violence is caused by a person's wardrobe. "What Were You Wearing?" displays 18 outfits hanging next to 18 rape survivors' stories about what they had on when they were attacked. T-shirts, exercise clothes, dresses, cargo shorts they're all there. Advertisement "We want people to be able to see themselves reflected in the installation, in the description, in the outfits," Jen Brockman, director of the university's Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Center, told me. "We're hoping students can see that this narrative they're fed that someone's clothing causes sexual violence is false." The stories were collected from university students around the Midwest, through social media campaigns and rape victim advocacy centers, in notebooks and poster boards displayed on campuses. Advertisement The exhibit is reminiscent of a #WhatWereYouWearing Twitter hashtag created by a woman named Christine Fox. In 2014, Fox posed a question on Twitter: "If there are any women on my TL who are victims of sexual assault & don't mind sharing something...what were you wearing when you were assaulted?" Thousands of women and men replied, and a campaign was born. (Fox wrote about it in xojane.) The outfits in the Kansas exhibit are not the survivors' actual clothing. Students and faculty donated items based on survivors' descriptions. "A black skirt and red sweater," one description reads. "They were my roommate's; she let me borrow them for my date. I was so excited. I really liked him. I thought he was a nice guy. But when I said slow down and cried, he didn't stop." Next to a male's T-shirt and cargo shorts: "It's funny; no one has ever asked me that before. They ask me if being raped means I'm gay or if I fought back or how I could let this happen to me; but never about my clothes." Some of the items are children's clothing. Brockman said several survivors shared stories of sexual assaults from earlier in their lives, as well as on campus. "A sundress," a sign reads, hanging next to a tiny pink, red and white striped dress. "Months later my mother would stand in front of my closet and complain about how I never wore any of my dresses anymore. I was 6 years old." Today in Lawrence: 18 innocent outfits symbolize 18 sexual assault victims in 'What Were You Wearing?' display. Story on @fox4kc at 6. pic.twitter.com/pIJrYg1SLD Rebecca Gannon (@GannonReports) September 13, 2017 The reception on campus has been overwhelmingly positive, Brockman said. Advertisement "We've had many survivors go through the installation and tell us it feels validating, that they see their own outfits reflected on the wall, that they see it wasn't their fault," she said. "We've had folks walk through and talk about how they never thought about it like this. We had a couple folks talk to us about how they've said, 'What were you wearing?' and that it didn't come from a place of malice, but they can see now what that must have felt like to the person they were speaking to." Brockman spearheaded similar installations at the University of Arkansas and the University of Iowa prior to working at Kansas. She's been working in sexual violence prevention since 2003, and she said she's seeing the needle move. "What we see from our students now is a passion for activism, not just a passion for awareness," she said. "They have a passion to effect change." "What Were You Wearing?" ends Friday, but the Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Center plans to create a virtual installation on its website later this fall. I hope it catches on at other campuses, as well. It's a message we need to shout loud and clear. And repeatedly. hstevens@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Twitter @heidistevens13 Editor's note: This article has been updated to reference Christine Fox's #WhatWereYouWearing campaign. [ Related: Dear Abby column says 'breakdown in communication' led to girl's rape ] [ The perfect response to Hurricane Harvey 'gender studies professor' tweet ] [ Abuse survivor Annie Warshaw a pioneer in better, bolder future for girls ] Former President Barack Obama's onetime senior adviser David Axelrod and Weekly Standard founder Bill Kristol may have spent their careers on opposite ends of the political spectrum, but they were united Wednesday night by distaste for the election of President Donald Trump and the absence of a stable center ground in American politics. Trump, naturally, dominated Axelrod and Kristol's onstage discussion of the 2016 election at Roosevelt University, with both men competing to come up with the most withering put-down of the president. Advertisement Axelrod hit Trump for "having no idea whatsoever what he is doing ... and I mean that in the nicest possible way." Kristol, a leader of the "never Trump" portion of the Republican Party, said attempts to understand Trump's true nature were doomed because at root, "the guy's a con man." Advertisement "Trump is not a guy who's been sitting around chafing about immigrants; he's been marrying them!" Kristol added. Still, Axelrod faulted himself for failing to predict Trump's victory, after his wife called him on the eve of the election from their vacation home in southwest Michigan and told him that all of their neighbors had Trump signs up in their yards. "These are not toothless, ignorant racists," Axelrod said of the neighbors, who will surely appreciate the compliment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday night. kjanssen@chicagotribune.com Twitter @kimjnews Jesse Jackson Jr. walks with his then wife, Sandi Jackson, as they leave the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 14, 2013, following a sentencing hearing. (Saul Loeb / Getty-AFP) Before Sandi and Jesse Jackson Jr. drag former Chicago police Superintendent Garry McCarthy and a seeming cast of thousands into their divorce case, let's find out what the Jacksons think it will add in private. That's the order of the Washington, D.C., judge tasked with handling the disgraced former power couple's increasingly bitter split. Advertisement Judge Craig Iscoe says Jackson must make a sealed filing explaining what he thinks McCarthy and two other men he wants to depose can reveal about the breakdown of his marriage. And the judge says Sandi needs to explain what 12 would-be witnesses she'd like to put under oath including Jackson's blonde onetime travel companion would add. Sandi is fighting the attempts to subpoena McCarthy, who has repeatedly said he has no idea why he is being tied to the case. Lawyers for Sandi last week characterized her estranged husband's attempts to subpoena the former superintendent and two other men as being done for the "purposes of harassment or to bring the parties negative publicity." Advertisement But Iscoe wrote in a ruling that he found that argument "somewhat surprising" given that Sandi used "exactly the same language to justify her motion for the subpoenas that she criticizes (Jackson) for using." The judge also noted that the list of witnesses Sandi wants to depose including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the owners of a strip club and a bath house, and TV reporter Tamron Hall includes "four times as many witnesses" as her estranged husband's list. "Each party must provide the court with a short but detailed statement of the relevance of each witness and why each needs to be deposed," the judge ruled, adding that "to protect the parties' privacy ... and to prevent the information being used for any improper purpose" the explanations must be made under seal. Jackson lawyer Brendan Hammer welcomed the chance to explain Jackson's case to the judge, but declined to say what McCarthy's relevance to the case is. Sandi's lawyer did not return a message seeking comment. kjanssen@chicagotribune.com Twitter @kimjnews Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle speaks about the boards delayed vote to repeal the soda tax during a recess of Wednesdays Cook County board meeting. (Lou Foglia/Chicago Tribune ) Taxpayers are rightfully angry about Toni Taxwinkle's costly and idiotic soda pop tax, though there are some hidden gems in it, too. But angry taxpayers jamming the county boardroom on Wednesday weren't looking for treasure. They were looking for vengeance on Taxwinkle for her ravenous penny-per-ounce soda pop tax. Advertisement It drives up the price of many beverages, even unsweetened drinks. It hurts business and costs jobs. The poor on food stamp programs don't pay the Toni Tax. And those wealthy enough to order expensive, fancy coffee-flavored iced frappuccinos at FiveBucks don't pay. Venti frappuccinos for the elites are Toni Tax-free. Advertisement But the working and middle class who just want a bottle of pop? They're being squeezed. About half of those waiting to testify in the hearing Wednesday just loved Toni. You could tell because they wore blue T-shirts that mentioned "Healthy Kids." The shirts didn't mention Taxwinkle's BFF and notorious New York billionaire buttinsky Michael Bloomberg and the $5 million or so he's been shelling out for TV spots to support her. And those opposed to the tax wore red T-shirts or carried signs that said "Choose Jobs," because food businesses in Cook County are bleeding customers and jobs across the county line thanks to Toni. A boisterous rally outside the Thompson Center took aim at Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and her push for a Cook County soda pop tax. Preckwinkle countered at a more sedate news conference at Provident Hospital. (Lou Foglia / Chicago Tribune) (Lou Foglia / Chicago Tribune) Some of Toni's blue-shirts were sitting against the wall, waiting to testify to the virtues of Taxwinkle. For some weird reason, I got the feeling they may have been on the county payroll. Yes, I know that's horribly cynical of me. But somehow this evil idea got in my mind. So I asked: You guys getting paid for this? "No speeke English," said a bald man in a blue pro-Toni Tax shirt. But seconds later he admitted that, yes, he indeed spoke English. "And no, I am not getting paid," he said. Not even with Bloomberg bucks? Advertisement A plump elderly woman with a fine black wig wasn't getting paid either. "Nobody's paying me," she said. "I'm for healthy kids." The same went for those opposed to the Toni Tax. Are the beverage guys or the restaurant association paying you to be here? "No," said a man supporting the beverage guys. "I'm doing this on my own." Sigh. Advertisement There I was on the fifth floor of the Cook County building with hundreds of people jamming the lobby and millions of tax dollars in the mix, not to mention businesses and jobs and Toni Taxwinkle's political health at stake and the smell of Chicago politics everywhere, and guess what? Nobody was getting paid. "I'm getting paid," said a deputy sheriff. "But this is my job. And in the end I'm probably going to get screwed one way or another, right?" Yeah, I said. Probably. Sorry. The testimony was typical, with taxpayers opposed because it was unfair and the blue T-shirts loving the Toni Tax because "it's for the children," and later a vote to repeal the Toni Tax was put off until October. Yet sadly, what may have been lost are the hidden gems, like the clarity of it all. Advertisement Taxwinkle's tax is not like other taxes, the kind Chicago Democrats love, the kind taxpayers don't really notice until they're bled dry. No. The beauty of the Toni Tax is that it's in your face, and shows up on your receipt when you buy pop, so you can see exactly where she hit you. Right in the mouth. And there's another hidden treasure in the Toni Tax, one that she probably didn't consider when she stubbornly pushed it against good advice. But most likely it's beautiful to some all the same. Because here we are, talking about her pop tax, and what of those things you're not talking about? Like Mayor Rahm Emanuel's property tax and fee increases. And Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan's 32 percent income tax increase. Rahm must love his rival, Toni, for sticking her big foot in her mouth like a size 11 EEE peppermint stick. Because as we're talking about Toni, we're not talking about City Hall's failures in the gang wars, where almost 500 have already died this year, or city taxes, or Rahm's contributors getting fat on city deals, or street gangs rolling through Lakeview, attacking and robbing women. Advertisement And if you're Boss Madigan you don't want your Democratic state representatives having to talk about how they just rammed through a huge income tax increase. Those Democratic state reps keep Madigan in power. He'd much rather have them holding neighborhood meetings on the hated Toni Tax and directing taxpayer anger elsewhere. So the Democratic leaders are all playing one game or another. Democrat Toni Taxwinkle plays with liberal Republican Bloomberg, and they tell you it's all about the health of the children, when it's really just a money grab. And Rahm and Boss Madigan play with voter attention deflection disorder. And you? If you live in Cook County, in the city or the suburbs, you know that you've got a part in all this too. You're the ones who pay. And pay. We're the chumbolones, and that's what we do around here. We pay. Advertisement Listen to The Chicago Way podcastwith John Kass and Jeff Carlinand guests Tom Bevan, publisher of RealClearPolitics.com, and Tribune editorial cartoonist Scott Stantis, here: wgnradio.com/category/wgn-plus/thechicagoway/. jskass@chicagotribune.com Twitter@John_Kass Former Chicago police Sgt. Ronald Watts, right, leaves the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on Oct. 9, 2013, after being sentenced to 22 months in prison. Watts was accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a purported drug courier who turned out to be an informant for the FBI in an undercover sting. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune) On a summer day 11 years ago, Lionel White Jr. says a group of Chicago police officers led by Sgt. Ronald Watts pushed him up against a wall, planted drugs on him and arrested him on felony charges. White alleges he was targeted by Watts at 17 just weeks after his father, Lionel Sr., filed a complaint with police accusing Watts and his crew of beating and framing him on a trumped-up drug charge as well. Advertisement On Wednesday, White joined 14 others who have made similar charges against Watts and his crew as part of a court petition that seeks to clear them all of their convictions. "Let's vacate these 15 convictions, and let's start the process of healing the damage that was inflicted on this community," attorney Joshua Tepfer said at a news conference Wednesday as he stood next to several of Watts' accusers. Advertisement White's father and four others have already had their convictions thrown out by judges. The former sergeant was convicted in 2013 of stealing money from a drug courier who'd been working as an FBI informant. Two officers who alleged they were blackballed for trying to expose Watts' corruption years ago won a $2 million settlement to their whistleblower lawsuit. Tepfer estimates at least 500 convictions were tied to the work of Watts and his tactical team in the decade-plus they operated an extensive protection racket out of South Side public housing buildings. All of those are now suspect, he said, given the officers' tarnished credibility. "There's no way to separate the wheat from the chaff," Tepfer told reporters. "This is a credibility contest. Who do we believe, the police officers, or these citizens?" The Cook County state's attorney's office said in an emailed statement that its Conviction Integrity Unit continued to review Watts-related convictions on a case-by-case basis and said appropriate action would be taken "where we have concerns about the quality and sufficiency of the evidence." For years, despite mounting allegations, Watts continued to operate amid a lengthy police Internal Affairs Division probe as well as investigations by the state's attorney's office and FBI, according to court records. When Watts was finally caught, it was on relatively minor federal charges, and he was given a break at sentencing by a federal judge who talked tough but in the end handed him only 22 months in prison. He has since been released from custody. Meanwhile, at least seven other officers who were part of Watts' team are still on the force, including one who has since been promoted to sergeant and another who was found by a jury earlier this year to have shot a teen in the back without justification. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Given those officers remain on the force, Tepfer said, it has taken courage by the 15 petitioners to come forward. Advertisement "You know what happened when they were trying to expose this?" he said. "They were retaliated against." A hearing on the petition has been scheduled for Sept. 20 at the Leighton Criminal Court Building. One of Watts' accusers told reporters he is gratified by the effort to clear his name. "I'm just glad that somebody finally listened to the situation and believed me," Jamar Lewis said. mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com Twitter @crepeau A Billings man who tried to evade law enforcement officers by hiding in a box spring mattress admitted to a federal drug charge on Thursday. Christian Joseph Nava, 31, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. Two other crimes, including possession of a stolen firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm, are to be dismissed at sentencing. Officers arrested Nava in early December after a warrant was issued for his arrest for state parole violations, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Godfrey. The Montana Violent Offender Task Force got information that Nava, who has a long state record of drug convictions, may have been living at his girlfriends residence and that there had been neighbor complaints about noise and the amount of foot traffic at the apartment, Godfrey said. Task force officers went to the apartment, where Navas girlfriend admitted he was there, he said. Officers heard thumping sounds like furniture being moved as they talked to Navas girlfriend. When officers entered a small bedroom, they found it empty but when they lifted the mattress, they found a handgun, Godfrey said. And when the officers lifted the box spring, they found Nava hiding inside, he added. During a search of the apartment, officers also found a plastic-wrapped ball of meth when they pulled the bed and box spring from a wall, Godfrey said. Navas girlfriend admitted that Nava had been staying at her apartment and that he would provide her meth, which they would use together, he said. In 2011, a state district judge sentenced Nava to more than 17 years in prison, with 10 years to be served at Montana State Prison for conviction of being a persistent felony offender for felony drug crimes. The judge also sentenced Nava to a consecutive five years for a second felony drug possession conviction and an additional two and a half years for violating parole conditions in a 2005 criminal endangerment case. Nava faces a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine on the federal crime. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Cavan said he would recommend Navas plea be accepted by U.S. District Judge Susan Watters, who will sentence Nava. Nava remains in custody. Sharon Fairley, chief administrator for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, at the agency's office on Chicago Avenue in Chicago on Sept. 7, 2017. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) As Chicago's new police oversight agency prepared to begin operations, its chief administrator led a graduation ceremony for some 40 staffers newly trained in investigating alleged misconduct by officers. The event last week took on the feel of a pep rally as Sharon Fairley summoned each trainee and gave brief, encouraging descriptions of those who will staff the Civilian Office of Police Accountability when it opens Friday. Advertisement She described one as a "female Sgt. Friday" who seeks "just the facts" while praising employees for their tenacity, inquisitiveness and unwillingness to settle for anything but the truth. Those are qualities rarely ascribed to the new agency's predecessor, the Independent Police Review Authority, which was led by Fairley and where some of those same trainees worked. That agency's tenure will end after a decade marked by questionable investigations, long delays and rare attempts at disciplining cops. Advertisement The new agency forged in the firestorm sparked 22 months ago by video of a police officer shooting black teenager Laquan McDonald is expected to have about two times the budget of its predecessor, employ about 40 more workers and wield expanded technical capabilities. For example, the agency will have its own evidence specialists. COPA has also reworked training and policies as part of its bid to emphasize its independence from the Police Department. Still, the agency remains a work in progress. COPA will open with an incomplete staff. As of the beginning of the month, it had yet to fill about 15 out of its 141 jobs, including a top deputy's post left vacant just a few months after the city trumpeted the hiring of a top New York police oversight official, agency officials said. Nearly 30 COPA staffers worked at IPRA, some of them top officials hired as the new agency ramped up, according to a Tribune analysis of city records. Eleven of those employees go back as far as the Office of Professional Standards, IPRA's predecessor, which also was broadly considered ineffective before its closing in 2007 amid scandal. Further, the city has yet to set up a community board that reform advocates have said should oversee COPA to make sure it is politically independent. Sharon Fairley, chief administrator for the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, at the agency's office on Chicago Avenue in Chicago on Sept. 7, 2017. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) The overarching question facing COPA is whether it will prove to be the first reliably effective police oversight agency in city history. At the graduation ceremony, Fairley acknowledged the scope of the mission. "The world is and will be watching us," she said. COPA's opening will mark the latest reverberation from the 2015 release of the video of an officer shooting McDonald 16 times. The ensuing controversy highlighted longstanding grievances among Chicagoans, particularly African-Americans, about their treatment by police. Advertisement IPRA's tendency to exonerate officers including in shootings added fuel to the outrage. The Chicago Tribune has detailed in a series of stories how IPRA's investigations were sometimes superficial, with interviews of officers occasionally lasting just a few minutes. The agency sometimes cleared cops despite compelling evidence of misconduct. In the rare cases in which IPRA called for discipline, it was often light. In January, the U.S. Department of Justice's report on the Police Department harshly criticized IPRA as slow, under-resourced and prone to bias in favor of officers. As the McDonald scandal hit, Mayor Rahm Emanuel forced out IPRA's Chief Administrator Scott Ando and replaced him with Fairley, a former federal prosecutor. Just months after her appointment, Emanuel's handpicked Police Accountability Task Force recommended IPRA's abolition, a position adopted by the mayor. Even as the new agency was under construction, Fairley took a more aggressive tack at IPRA. Advertisement In 2016, the agency reported finding misconduct in about 36 percent of cases that were fully investigated. That rate ranged between 10 and 20 percent from 2012 to 2015, though many sustained cases have involved minor infractions that led to light discipline. IPRA has also recently been more likely to find wrongdoing by officers in shootings. Between 2007 and early 2016, IPRA found policy violations in just two out of more than 400 shootings. In less than two years under Fairley, the agency has ruled at least five shootings by officers violated department policy. The agency has also reopened controversial cases closed before the McDonald scandal, though COPA spokeswoman Mia Sissac could not say how many. While IPRA grew more aggressive, a new leadership team at the Fraternal Order of Police, the union that represents rank-and-file officers, has complained of an "anti-police" atmosphere, rejected calls for systemic change and questioned the evidence underlying high-profile police misconduct allegations from the past. "Based on our early observations, the FOP does not believe our officers will be investigated fairly under COPA, as they have not been under IPRA," union spokesman Martin Preib wrote in an email. "Our collective bargaining agreement does not recognize the authority of COPA. Nevertheless, we have already taken steps to bolster the legal defense of our members and to go on the offense." In an interview with the Tribune at COPA's newly expanded headquarters in West Town, Fairley grew most animated when asked if the disciplinary system victimizes police. Advertisement "Oh, give me a break!" she said. "We are at a real crossroads in our city, and they are a member of this community," she said. "Just because we're holding them accountable in a way they haven't experienced before, they're squealing. I can't be sorry for that." Fairley said her goal is to create a "best-in-class civilian oversight agency" and noted that she put investigators and other staff through training sessions lasting longer than a month designed to sharpen skills such as interviewing. With an eye toward improving investigations, COPA employees will work in teams of five, while its supervisors will manage fewer investigators than at IPRA, Fairley said. It remains to be seen how the oversight agency might be affected if a consent decree a court agreement for police reforms enforced by a federal judge can be reached. Emanuel embraced the idea in January, backed away from it in June and then agreed to such an arrangement late last month as Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan sued the city to force the action. Fairley said she is pleased at the push for a consent decree. Advertisement Asked if Chicagoans can trust a police oversight agency that draws employees from its failed predecessor, Fairley said IPRA was plagued by inadequate resources and poor management. She noted that IPRA employees who wanted jobs with the new agency had to apply. Many IPRA employees left after its closing was announced. The new department is still seeking to fill key posts. Last November, agency officials trumpeted the hiring of Thomas Kim, the former chief of investigations for New York City's police review agency, as first deputy chief administrator and head of investigations. But Kim unexpectedly left the Chicago agency recently. Fairley said he had another opportunity. Kim could not be reached for comment. Another looming question is how ongoing police union contract negotiations could affect COPA investigations. Reform advocates have long pressed for the removal of contractual protections that shield cops in disciplinary cases. For example, rank-and-file officers can amend statements after reviewing video or audio of an incident. It also remains unclear how COPA will be overseen. Emanuel's task force recommended almost a year and a half ago that the city create a community oversight board to monitor law enforcement and pick COPA's leader, with the goal of insulating the agencies from politics. Emanuel said he would create the board but deferred to community groups' requests that they help design it, his aides said. A coalition of community groups has been working on recommendations, said Mecole Jordan, the coalition's coordinator. Those recommendations will come soon, said Jordan, declining to be more specific. Advertisement Ronald Safer, an attorney who worked with Emanuel's reform task force, said it would be better if the board were in place but the city couldn't hold off on creating a stronger police oversight agency. But Locke Bowman, an attorney and professor at Northwestern University law school who also aided the task force, said the lack of an independent board left him feeling skeptical about the city's commitment to strong oversight. Though the board is not in place, the city has added a layer of oversight for COPA and the Police Department a new deputy for public safety in the office of Inspector General Joseph Ferguson. That deputy is charged with auditing the agencies' practices and reviewing individual closed disciplinary cases, among other responsibilities. The mayor himself, Fairley said, has been largely uninvolved with her work. "I can count on one hand the number of times I've actually talked to the man in the 20 months that I've been here," she said. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > On Friday, COPA will seek to break the tradition of police oversight distrusted both by police and those who allege misconduct. Advertisement Ramona Hendricks, who worked for IPRA and will investigate major cases for COPA, said the staff is ready to prove itself. "The people in the community think we're friends with the police. That's not true; they hate our guts," she said. "I really want people to know we're independent," she said. Chicago Tribune's Jennifer Smith Richards contributed. dhinkel@chicagotribune.com Twitter @dhinkel A New York City woman was killed in a homicide-suicide Tuesday in Cicero, authorities determined following autopsies Wednesday. Sara Rebeca Roche Hidalgo, 38, of Bronx, New York, died from a gunshot wound to the head, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Her death was ruled a homicide. Advertisement A man, whose age was not released but who police said was in his 20s, also died from a gunshot wound to the head, but his death was ruled a suicide. Roche Hidalgo was found dead around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday along with the body the in the 5100 block of West 25th Place in Cicero, a town spokesman said. Police have released no information on the circumstances of the deaths. Advertisement No other details were immediately released by police. The principal of a Chicago Public Schools program for inmates of the Cook County Jail was barred from entering the correctional facility by Sheriff Tom Dart after the district's inspector general reported that the high school had routinely falsified academic data. "I strongly agree with the report's findings and request that an interim principal be assigned to replace Principal Sharnette Sims," Dart wrote in a letter to CPS CEO Forrest Claypool . As of Thursday, Dart wrote, "Principal Sims will not be allowed to enter the jail." Sims, who was not named in the IG's report, could not be reached for comment. Advertisement Claypool responded with a letter to Dart, saying the district had launched a separate investigation into the matter and has appointed a retired district principal to lead the program. "It is in everyone's interest including the students we all seek to serve to get the facts, and we are working to complete our investigation in a timely and thorough manner," Claypool's letter said. Advertisement Dart's letter included a demand for an immediate meeting with CPS administrators "to address the substance of educational programming provided to the detainees in my custody." Claypool's letter also requested a meeting with members of the sheriff's office. In a report issued Tuesday, Chicago Board of Education Inspector General Nicholas Schuler called for Sims' firing after concluding the York High School program fabricated enrollment, attendance and course credit data in an effort to improve its district rating. Between 2012 and 2016, hundreds of students were kept on York's rolls after their release from jail, Schuler's office discovered. Dozens of students last year were listed as being present for a full day of classes after their release. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > In one instance, a student who was shot to death a week after being released from the jail continued to be listed as present for school. The student was awarded a semester's worth of credit after his death, according to the report, even though he only briefly attended classes. That incident led investigators to a review that found attendance for other incarcerated students was also inflated, while the school often awarded credits to pupils who had not received sufficient classroom instruction. A CPS spokesman on Tuesday said the district was still reviewing Schuler's report. The IG's office said it provided the district with a summary of its findings in June. Dart also said Schuler's office confirmed long-standing concerns the sheriff's office had about the high school's operations. "The disgraceful failures identified by the Inspector General's report must be addressed," Dart's letter stated. Advertisement jjperez@chicagotribune.com Twitter @PerezJr People gather outside the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont to protest the handling of the death investigation of Kenneka Jenkins, the 19-year-old found in a walk-in freezer in a vacant part of the hotel. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Rosemont officials released some new details late Wednesday about their investigation into the death of Kenneka Jenkins and said they will share hotel surveillance video with her mother. The developments came as members of Jenkins' family and others protested in front of the hotel where the Chicago teen was found dead Sunday after attending a party there. Advertisement Earlier Wednesday, Rosemont Mayor Bradley Stephens said local police are working with outside agencies to investigate Jenkins' death but that fevered online guesswork about the case is hindering the probe. "It's unfortunate that some of that stuff's convoluting the investigation because all those leads have got to be followed up on," he said after his annual state of the village address to the Rosemont Chamber of Commerce. Advertisement "As I'm sure you've seen, there's a lot of different, conflicting speculation out there, so (police) are doing their best to come to a quick resolution, obviously. I think everybody wants to know what happened." Jenkins, 19, was attending a party in a room of the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel & Conference Center when she went missing early Saturday. Her family arrived to look for her a few hours later but said hotel staff and village police didn't join the search until the afternoon. Jenkins' body was eventually found in a walk-in freezer in a vacant part of the hotel, authorities said. She was pronounced dead just before 1 a.m. Sunday. Rosemont spokesman Gary Mack said police plan to show surveillance video from the hotel to Jenkins' mother, Tereasa Martin, on Thursday, but will not release it to the public until the investigation is finished a resolution that could be weeks away. "We're trying to be as understanding as we can to the mom and to be as compassionate as we can," he said. "Now that our detectives have had the chance to look at it, we're hopeful it will be helpful to her." Mack would not describe the contents of the video, and officials continue to say little about what they've learned about the circumstances surrounding Jenkins' death or the eventual discovery of her body. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 6 Protesters gather at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel & Conference Center in Rosemont on Sept. 13, 2017. The gathering was organized to protest the handling of the investigation of the death of Kenneka Jenkins. The 19-year-old was found dead inside a walk-in freezer in a vacant part of the hotel on Sept. 10. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) Rosemont police released a statement Wednesday describing the scope of their investigation. They said they are reviewing video from 47 surveillance cameras at the hotel, as well as videos posted on social media, and that some of the footage is being analyzed by forensic technicians. Police said they've interviewed eight people who were present at the hotel when Jenkins went missing, along with four others "who were involved in some way." Authorities are also seeking to locate and speak with four other people they have identified as having been "present the night of the gathering." Advertisement "At this time, the incident is still an active death investigation. Our detectives are working around the clock to identify, locate and interview all persons who were involved," the police statement said. Martin has said police told her that Jenkins apparently let herself into the freezer while intoxicated and died inside. The Cook County medical examiner has yet to release a cause of death. A spokeswoman said Wednesday that new information won't be available for weeks, pending further studies and the police investigation. Martin, who could not be reached for comment Wednesday, has expressed anger over what she believes was a lack of urgency by police and hotel staff when she came looking for her daughter, but Stephens said village police did a good job. Rosemont Mayor Brad Stephens speaks after a State of the Village luncheon Sept. 13, 2017. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune) (Brian Cassella) "Generally, in any missing persons case, it's 24 hours before a report is filed," he said. "So I think the public safety department is handling it well." He said village police are getting help from outside agencies a spokesman later said that includes the Cook County sheriff's office, which has offered the use of a database to help locate interview subjects and asked for patience as the investigation continues. Advertisement "This is something that's going to take some time," Stephens said. "This appears to be a one-off incident, and again, if they can get to the bottom of it sooner rather than later, I think it makes everybody have a little bit of peace." Despite the dearth of confirmed facts surrounding the case, speculation that Jenkins' death was the result of foul play has been rampant on social media. Wednesday night, frustration over the pace of the investigation investigation found voice in a several-hour protest outside the hotel that included several of Jenkins' relatives. A small but riled up group of protesters swarmed the entrance of the Crowne Plaza Hotel. About two dozen people shouted, "Justice for Kenneka!" as they pleaded with patrons of the hotel to boycott the hotel. Many in the group pounded on the windows of the hotel and held signs up to the windows, eliciting concerned looks from guests inside. "Are you really comfortable giving them your money when a 19-year-old was found dead in the freezer?" one woman said to a passing guest. Advertisement Police stood guard at the entrances and blocked protesters in several attempts to enter the building. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Relatives, including Jenkins' sister, joined the ranks in demanding answers. Some of the signs continued to propagate rumors swirling around the case, many insinuating foul play was involved. Others said they were eagerly awaiting the results of the autopsy before jumping to conclusions. Jenkins' cousin Jasmine Webster, 27, said the family was comforted by others standing with them. "I am very happy to see people out here asking for justice for my cousin," Webster said as she stood beside those lining River Road calling out to passing traffic. The Chicago Tribune's Tony Briscoe contributed. Advertisement kjanssen@chicagotribune.com jkeilman@chicagotribune.com A Chicago community activist said Thursday that surveillance video from a Rosemont hotel shows Kenneka Jenkins entering a walk-in freezer alone. (Kenneka Jenkins' family's attorney released a statement late on Friday morning claiming that they have not received video showing Jenkins entering the hotel's walk-in freezer. Read that story here.) Andrew Holmes, who has worked with many police agencies during his years of anti-violence activism, told the Tribune that Rosemont detectives showed him the video Wednesday when he showed up seeking answers on behalf of the family. Advertisement He said the video shows Jenkins, 19, waiting in the lobby of the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel after her friends apparently went up to the room in which they had been partying to retrieve some possessions. Jenkins then takes the elevator to a lower level and wanders around, opening doors in an apparently disoriented manner, he said. Finally, he said, Jenkins opens two doors in a kitchen area and enters the walk-in freezer. The doors close behind her and Jenkins is seen no more, he said. Advertisement Holmes said he was convinced no one else forced Jenkins into the area where she died. But he said the family is awaiting toxicology tests to see whether narcotics had been put into her drink. "The important part is we all wanted to know: Did anybody call her down there?" he said. "Did anybody force her down there? Was there anybody on the other side of the room when she got down there? And the answer to that is no." Holmes' account undercuts online speculation in recent days that the Chicago teen was murdered. He said the circulating theories are "just something they made up on social media," and urged people with hard information to call authorities. However, later Thursday at a protest outside the Crowne Plaza, Jenkins' mother Tereasa Martin said she was misrepresented by the activists who called the news conference. Protesters rally outside the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont on Sept. 14, 2017, where Kenneka Jenkins, 19, was pronounced dead early Sept. 10, after she was found in a walk-in freezer. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) (Armando L. Sanchez) When asked whether Holmes had been shown the video, Rosemont police spokesman Det. Joe Balogh did not answer directly, but expressed appreciation for Holmes' assistance "on behalf of the family and community pursuant to this investigation." He said the department has released the surveillance video to Jenkins' family and to the Cook County Medical Examiner, which has yet to rule on the cause and manner of Jenkins' death. Police have also interviewed numerous people involved in the case, he said. Martin told a Tribune reporter Thursday that she has not seen the video but was planning to review it with her attorney, Larry Rogers, a prominent personal injury lawyer in Chicago. He did not return messages seeking comment. Authorities say Jenkins went to a party at the Crowne Plaza on Friday night, and that she went missing early Saturday morning. Martin came to look for her, but said hotel staff and Rosemont police declined to search for hours. Advertisement Jenkins was finally found in the walk-in freezer and pronounced dead just before 1 a.m. Sunday. The medical examiner's office has performed an autopsy but has said more tests are needed before it can pronounce a cause of death a finding that could be weeks away. Jenkins' death became the focus of fevered online conjecture, with thousands of people using Facebook videos evidently taken at the hotel room party to spin theories about what happened. Many contended that Jenkins had been murdered. Rosemont Mayor Bradley Stephens complained Wednesday that such speculation was impeding the investigation by forcing detectives to chase spurious leads. Community activists seized upon the case after Martin complained about what she believed was a lack of urgency in the initial response by the hotel and police. A crowd converged on the hotel Wednesday night to demand justice, confronting guests and telling them a teen had died there under mysterious circumstances. Despite Holmes' statement, about 50 protesters gathered outside the hotel again on Thursday chanting, "No justice! No peace!" Tamika Harris, of Chicago, said the latest revelation proves the hotel was negligent for not blocking access to the unsecured area. Police, she said, weren't as forthcoming with evidence, allowing rumors to fester and run rampant. Advertisement "They could've put out more than they did," Harris said. "When her mom came out that night, they wasn't giving her no answers to help her out. So people feel like they knew but didn't tell us." One protester tried to impede traffic and stared down a cop, nose-to-nose. Protesters rushed the entrance of the hotel, prompting police to fall back before chasing them back to the sidewalk. From there, some spit on the hotel's sign and another tried to pull off the lettering. In a short Facebook Live video broadcast Thursday, Martin asked protesters to keep their demonstrations peaceful and to avoid portraying the incident as a "race thing, because it's not." Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 34 Demonstrators rally outside the Crowne Plaza Sept. 9, 2018, the one-year anniversary of the death of Kenneka Jenkins, who was found dead inside a freezer at the hotel in Rosemont. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune) "It could be your child," she said. "It could be a blue child, it could be a purple child. It doesn't matter. This is a peaceful march." Martin arrived at the hotel about 9 p.m. Thursday, thanking protesters for turning out in honor of her daughter. Martin commended a police officer for his work during the investigation. And just when it appeared the tension had died down, Martin said she was misrepresented by the activists who called the news conference earlier. Advertisement "He came out of the blue and acting ... like he was a friend," Martin said about one of the activists. "But he calls me this morning and says, 'Oh the hotel is not making any money. I think you need to go online and stop the protest.'" When asked by a woman if information given earlier at the press conference was false, she responded, "Yes." She told the crowd not to believe Facebook, but egged on jeers from the crowd when they mentioned unsubstantiated theories. "Whatever happened is going to come out," one woman told her. "Yes!" Martin said. Martin continued, "They were too hush-hush at the hotel." The crowd erupted into chants of "Justice for Kenneka!" and vowed to return to the hotel until the case was resolved. Advertisement "If there is no foul play and there is no cover up, there is no reason to deceive the citizens of the city," activist Jedidiah Brown told Martin. "I apologize for being a part of that press conference. But what I need for you to do is to call for the citizens of Chicago to be out here every day until she gets justice she deserves." Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > A spokesman for the Crowne Plaza said Thursday that the hotel has offered to pay for Jenkins' funeral. "Our hearts go out to Kenneka's mother, her family and friends," said the spokesman, Glenn Harston. "We hope covering the funeral costs provides a small bit of relief for them." Tribune reporters Madeline Buckley and Tony Briscoe contributed to this story. jkeilman@chicagotribune.com wlee@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Twitter @JohnKeilman Twitter @MidnoirCowboy Lincoln-Way projected thousands more students would be arriving to District 210. After a $225 million referendum measure in 2006 to build two new schools was passed, however, the population growth didn't materialize. (Chicago Tribune graphics) (Chicago Tribune Graphics) Lawrence Wyllie, the former Lincoln-Way superintendent who led the south suburban district into academic prominence, then set it on a course of fiscal ruin, has been charged with fraud. Federal prosecutors allege Wyllie, 79, hid the "true financial health" of Lincoln-Way High School District 210 by misusing millions in bond money and fraudulently spent school district funds on personal projects, including Superdog, a dog-training school he ordered built. Advertisement Wyllie also pocketed more than $30,000 in unused vacation days and a retirement bonus he wasn't entitled to, prosecutors charged. In 1989, Wyllie became Lincoln-Way superintendent and oversaw the district's expansion from a single school in New Lenox to four different campuses before retiring in 2013. Educators across the state considered Wyllie a leader in school finance and praised Lincoln-Way for its high achievement while spending less per pupil than most other districts. Advertisement Lincoln-Way primarily serves students from New Lenox, Frankfort, Mokena, Manhattan and Tinley Park. Within those communities, Wyllie was known for an autocratic leadership style that left little room for questioning his decisions. School officials had a saying: "Follow the LAW," meaning Lawrence A. Wyllie. The federal indictment follows a yearlong investigation by the Daily Southtown, a Tribune sister paper, that exposed questionable financial practices at Lincoln-Way, private uses of public resources and deals benefiting insiders, including Superdog. Lawrence Wyllie, the former superintendent of Lincoln-Way High School District 210. (Lincoln-Way High School District photo) Wyllie's attorneys, Dan Webb and Bob Trevarthen, released a statement Thursday maintaining Wyllie's innocence and lauding him as "a model educator in Illinois for 55 years." But prosecutors paint a far different picture of Wyllie, who they say explicitly misled the families of the children he taught while enriching himself. As Will County's population grew during the 1990s, Wyllie led Lincoln-Way. Lincoln-Way grew from one school with two campuses to two separate four-year schools and the district experienced overcrowding. In response, Wyllie pushed hard for a $225 million referendum measure in 2006 to build two new schools and accommodate growth. A community group campaigned vigorously against the proposal, arguing that the district should build one school and wait to see whether a fourth was necessary before moving forward. But voters backed Wyllie, and the district went on to issue $52 million in bonds in 2006, $123 million in 2007 and $29 million in 2009. The population growth, which was based on questionable assumptions by district officials, didn't materialize, and the district began blowing quickly through its cash reserves. Advertisement As Lincoln-Way's finances atrophied, Wyllie fraudulently used bond funds to conceal the district's true financial condition, prosecutors said. The district's problems did not become apparent to the public until 2015, when Lincoln-Way landed on the state's financial watch list and the school board voted to shutter Lincoln-Way North High School, igniting a firestorm of criticism. Between March 2010 and October 2012, Wyllie repeatedly reclassified millions and transferred bond funds from the U.S. Bank account where the district maintained them to Old Second Bank, which the district used to pay operating expenses, according to the indictment. By doing that, Wyllie "concealed the scheme and the true financial health" of the district by fraudulently "appearing to lower the district's net operating expenditures in its audited financial statements," prosecutors said. The understatement of operating expenditures and misuse of bond funds during that time was at least $7 million, prosecutors said. Wyllie's attorneys said in their statement that he "did not receive any funds or profit as a result of the bonds issued by the school district. All of the bond money referenced in the indictment was expended on school related issues." Advertisement Federal prosecutors explicitly accuse Wyllie of misleading the community about the district's financial condition. In December 2009, Wyllie told the board and public that the state of Illinois was $5 million behind on payments to the school district, but the state was not, according to the indictment. Rather, "the school district's financial challenges were a result of its expenditures exceeding its revenues," prosecutors said. Prosecutors identified at least two instances where they allege Wyllie misappropriated school district funds and resources for personal benefit. At Wyllie's direction, school officials in 2011 and 2012 transformed a barn on the district's North campus into a space fit for a dog training center whose instructor worked with Wyllie and his Australian shepherds. Federal prosecutors said the district spent at least $50,000 to build and operate the school, known as Superdog. The Southtown first reported on Superdog in January 2016 and quoted Wyllie's successor, Scott Tingley, saying the program had "no student benefit." Advertisement Wyllie's attorneys this week said he "did not profit in anyway from Superdog, which was a project constructed on school grounds without any concealment whatsoever. "The project and corresponding programs were beneficial to the schools, the park district, and the (communities) at large," they said. When Wyllie retired in 2013, prosecutors said, he misappropriated at least $16,500 of district funds by falsely representing that they were a retirement stipend. He also took $14,000 by falsely representing they were unused vacation days, prosecutors said. Last June, the Southtown reported on the retirement bonus and revealed that he wrote a memo to a payroll employee directing them to give him the payout. Payment of such a "retiree stipend" was not one of the terms of Wyllie's 2010-2015 employment contract with the district, which set his salary and benefits, the Southtown found. Wyllie's attorneys also defended Wyllie for taking the stipend, saying it's "paid to all educators who have served the district for 15 years or more." Advertisement At the time, the Southtown reported that the school district's 2012-15 teachers' contract offered educators a "retirement incentive program" with 6 percent raises each year and a one-time retirement bonus of up to $16,000 for those who gave four-years' written notice that they were going to retire. It's not clear whether Wyllie's indictment spells the end of Lincoln-Way's legal woes. In June 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission opened a separate investigation into Lincoln-Way's bonds, budgets and annual financial report. The SEC sent a letter and subpoena to Lincoln-Way alerting it to the investigation and demanding records. An SEC spokeswoman declined to comment on the investigation's status. The district hired the law firm Perkins Coie to represent it. An attorney for Perkins Coie declined comment. So far, the school district has paid $250,000 to Perkins Coie in the SEC investigation, Lincoln-Way board president Joe Kirkeeng said. Tingley did not return a message seeking comment. Advertisement Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > District spokeswoman Taryn Atwell released a statement saying the school board is "committed to protecting taxpayer dollars" and has made personnel moves to deal with financial issues. "This board is committed to continued oversight and assessment of district policies and procedures," Kirkeeng said in the statement. "The board will continue to work with the administration to move this district forward." Liz Sands, a community activist who helped form a group that exposed problems with the district's management after it landed on the watch list, called the indictment "vindication" of their criticism of management. "All of us knew in our heart of hearts it was wrong and justice needed to be served," Sands said. "I think this is a great day for the little guy." Chicago Tribune reporter Jason Meisner contributed. gpratt@chicagotribune.com Advertisement Twitter @royalpratt Felony hate crime charges have been filed against a man who was caught on video unleashing a racist tirade and turning violent outside a Chicago Starbucks three months ago, officials said. William Boucher, 24, was originally charged with misdemeanor battery June 6 after he "became irate" when someone spilled a drink on him inside the coffee shop, police said. Boucher's rant ended in his spitting and throwing a punch at apparent strangers outside the Starbucks, sending one man to the hospital, police said. Advertisement In August, a judge issued a no-bond arrest warrant for four new felony hate crime charges and four upgraded felony aggravated battery charges against Boucher, according to the Cook County state's attorney's office and court records. Boucher surrendered to Chicago police at the Central District Police Station on Friday and was booked into the Cook County Jail on Saturday, with bail set at $50,000, records show. He has since been released. If convicted, Boucher will face probation or two to five years of prison for each of the aggravated battery charges, and one to three years of prison for each of the hate crime charges, the state's attorney's office said. Advertisement The June incident started inside a Starbucks at State and Lake in the Loop, and was recorded on a cellphone camera by a local television photographer. In the video, a man later identified as Boucher can be heard shouting, "You're disgusting!" and other insults in the presence of other customers and employees. The video starts after Boucher has already begun shouting; he reportedly was enraged because someone accidentally spilled coffee on him. The incident escalated after Boucher left the Starbucks and spit on a 30-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman outside, police said. In additional video, Boucher, who is white, can be seen hurling racist insults at two black bystanders. He appears to be wearing a cream-colored suit that has visible drink stains. "Shut up, slave! Do not talk to me!" Boucher yells at the two black men. "Your children are disposable vermin!" Someone who appears to be a Starbucks employee tries to intervene, but Boucher continues yelling toward one of the men, who is walking away: "Get on all fours! Do not walk off on two legs!" Shortly after that, police said, Boucher punched a 59-year-old man without provocation. The man, who was reportedly homeless, was taken to a hospital with an eye injury, according to ABC7 News. Bystanders detained Boucher near the Starbucks until officers arrived and arrested him, police said. Advertisement Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Gerald Mitchell, the 30-year-old man who was spit on and who helped detain Boucher, told the Chicago Sun-Times in July that he hoped the belligerent man learned something from the experience. "I try to see the good in people," Mitchell told the newspaper. "I don't know his background. I would try to give him the benefit of the doubt. I just know it was downright wrong. Disgusting." A Starbucks spokeswoman told The Washington Post in June that there was "absolutely no tolerance for this type of behavior in our stores" and that they were grateful to the employee who stepped in until police arrived. Starbucks spokesman Reggie Borges said Wednesday that the company did not have further details about Boucher's case or whether he had a history as a "problem customer" at the downtown Chicago location, as some employees had suggested to local media. "It goes without saying we expect a civil engagement and peaceful discourse in all of our stores, and we want to make sure all of our customers feel welcome and have a positive experience in our stores," Borges told The Post. Boucher, of the 7600 block of North Sheridan Road, is scheduled to appear in court next Oct. 10. Advertisement The Chicago Tribune's Liam Ford contributed. Rows of computers were set up for students at Lyons Township High School to take the PARCC test. (Jennifer Bialobok / Handout) The vast majority of grade school students did not meet the passing mark on statewide reading and math exams in 2017, and performance was largely flat compared to the year before, according to preliminary data released by the state Thursday. Those results show that challenges lie ahead as the Illinois State Board of Education pushes students on a trajectory to improve, with a goal of 90 percent of third- through eighth-graders passing the state exams in 2032. Advertisement In 2017, about 35 to 40 percent of kids in each grade passed the exams called PARCC in English Language Arts, while about 27 to 39 percent of kids passed the math exams. Across all grades combined, differences compared to 2016 were not considered remarkable, according to ISBE. Overall, 37 percent of students passed the reading exams in 2017, up from 36.5 percent the year before. In math, 31.2 percent of students passed in 2017, down from 31.6 percent. Advertisement Data on how each school fared on PARCC will be released at a later date. For the first time, ISBE provided a three-year picture that allows educators to begin looking for trends in performance on the PARCC tests. PARCC, an acronym for Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, launched in 2015, focusing on critical thinking and problem solving. Educators say PARCC is considered more difficult than the old state exams, and controversy has swirled over the years about the length of the test and the push from some families for kids to opt out of the exams. The analysis between 2015 and 2017 reveals that the state's third- through eighth-graders for the most part have seen gains in math scores statewide, but a decline in English Language Arts. Patrick Nolten is the assistant superintendent for assessment and accountability in Naperville Community Unit School District 203. He said districts should proceed with caution in comparing results because the 2017 scores are still preliminary and the 2015 results were brand new, with some districts still using paper and pencil rather than online formats. ISBE said 87 percent of students took the exams online in 2016-17. As to the percent passing the exams, students have a long way to go. The 90 percent state goal, Nolten said, "is a very high bar, but it is not unattainable. I think ... we are compelled to go for it. It is important." Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > The state has not released preliminary results on the SAT given for the first time in 2017 to high school juniors, though districts do have individual student SAT scores, and are reviewing them. The state plans to release statewide SAT results in October, said ISBE spokeswoman Jackie Matthews. Advertisement ISBE has been behind on scoring state science exams, for various reasons, and districts still don't have results for those for 2016 or 2017 testing. As to PARCC, the state is administering grade school exams this school year, but there could be changes ahead as the exams evolve, according to Matthews. Here are the 2017 preliminary passing rates in each grade on PARCC: English Language Arts Grade 3, 36.2 percent; Grade 4, 37.1 percent; Grade 5, 36.6 percent; Grade 6, 34.9 percent; Grade 7, 40 percent; Grade 8, 37.4 percent. Math Grade 3, 39.2 percent; Grade 4, 30.8 percent; Grade 5, 29.6 percent; Grade 6, 28.1 percent; Grade 7, 26.9 percent, and Grade 8, 31.5 percent. drado@chicagotribune.com Welcome to Clout Street: Morning Spin, our weekday feature to catch you up with what's going on in government and politics from Chicago to Springfield. Subscribe here. Topspin A city hearing Wednesday on the fate of River North establishment Bottled Blonde's liquor license included an argument over the provenance of vomit. Advertisement David Shiba, the president of the condominium association in the building next door to Bottled Blonde, took the stand at the liquor board hearing and talked about the expertise he has developed in vomit removal since the pizzeria and bar opened in the 500 block of North Wells Street in 2015. Shiba described finding post-St. Patrick's Day throw-up in his building's garage and said Bottled Blonde workers didn't do enough to remove it. He said they simply dumped water on the barf. Advertisement "The goal is to remove the halo from the vomit that the bile from the stomach etches into the concrete," Shiba said. Bottled Blonde lawyer Timothy Fitzgerald objected, calling into question whether the vomiter came from the establishment. "No evidence or testimony ties this organic material to any patron or former patron of Bottled Blonde," he said. The hearing eventually could result in Bottled Blonde getting disciplined or having its liquor license revoked if it was found to be operating more as a night club than as a restaurant. It was continued until next week. The establishment drew attention in the spring for an unusually restrictive dress code critics said was discriminatory, but the license complaint has nothing to do with that. (John Byrne) What's on tap *Mayor Rahm Emanuel will speak at the Chicago Architecture Biennial at the Chicago Cultural Center in the late morning. At noon, he'll appear at Senior Fest at Millennium Park. *Gov. Bruce Rauner is on a trade mission to Japan and China. *The Obama Foundation will hold an evening meeting at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place about the future of the presidential center. *The City Council Zoning Committee will meet. Advertisement *The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform will include "The Summit for Action & Civic Reform" at Columbia College's Conaway Center. Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza will be on a panel. From the notebook *Biss, running mate, sponsor Equifax measure: A governor candidate who serves as a lawmaker will find times when it helps to have a running mate who is also in the legislature. That's the case for the new tag team of Evanston state Sen. Daniel Biss, a Democratic candidate for governor, and his running mate, state Rep. Litesa Wallace of Rockford. Wallace was chosen after Biss quickly cut ties with his first pick for lieutenant governor, Chicago Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa. Biss introduced legislation in the Senate prompted by the fallout over the hacking of Equifax. It would eliminate fees that credit-reporting companies are allowed to charge for imposing or lifting a credit security freeze. Wallace will join with colleagues in the House to sponsor similar legislation, the Biss campaign said. "We shouldn't have to pay to secure and access our own financial records, especially when a reckless agency has left us vulnerable to identity theft. That may have been business as usual, but that's not how business will be done in Illinois anymore," Biss said in a statement. (Rick Pearson) Advertisement *Pawar continues "Don't Close Our Communities" theme with video: Democratic governor candidate Ameya Pawar's campaign is launching a new video, highlighting its latest theme: "Don't Close Our Communities." In the video, Pawar, a North Side alderman, tries to create some distance between himself and Mayor Rahm Emanuel over the closure of city schools under the Emanuel-controlled Chicago Public Schools. "When Mayor Emanuel decided to close 50 schools, I fought him on that," Pawar says in the video. "What I argued then and continue to argue today is that when you close a school, it's like closing a community," he says. The video also highlights the problems in Cairo, at the state's southernmost point, where federal housing officials are closing a dilapidated public housing project that they maintain is beyond repair, forcing 400 people to look for new subsidized housing. "We need a governor who believes in our community the way that we believe in each other," says Cairo Mayor Tyrone Coleman, who is Pawar's running mate. Advertisement Pawar goes on to say: "Stop closing our communities. Invest in them. That's why I'm running for governor." (Rick Pearson) *Quick spins: Roses are red, violets are blue. Illinois' poet says that he's through. Gov. Rauner announced state Poet Laureate Kevin Stein is stepping down after holding the post since 2003. A committee will search for a replacement. ... Senate President John Cullerton's spokesman John Patterson showed up in GQ wearing a suit, but not in the way you'd think. He was featured in a photo gallery of The Original Redneck Fishin' Tournament, the annual event on the Illinois River in Bath where participants try to catch as many Asian carp as possible without using fishing poles. What we're writing *Kennedy picks running mate who lost son to Chicago gun violence in June. *Metra and Pace proposes raising fares for 4th year in row. *Vote to repeal soda pop tax delayed a month, but ad campaigns will continue. *Former primary challenger's lawsuit against Speaker Madigan can proceed. Advertisement *Activists plan demonstration outside Obama Presidential Library meeting. *University of Illinois posts enrollment gains, defying declines at other state campuses. *Commissioners pass ordinance banning drones from Cook County property. *Crowded field of Democrats to take on Roskam loses one candidate, adds another. *Lake County to raise minimum tobacco age to 21. What we're reading Advertisement *Chicago developer aims at Amazon with $10 billion vision for former steel plant site. *8-year divorce battle ends with multimillionaire's ex-wife getting $6.5 million, Porsche. *Compare the Chance the Rapper track with the song a lawsuit claims he sampled without permission. Follow the money *Track Illinois campaign contributions in real time here and here. Beyond Chicago *Trump, Democratic leaders move toward immigration deal. Advertisement *Health care battle in Congress resumes. *Details of GOP tax cut proposal coming soon. *Mueller looking at Flynn's son. *U.S. Virgin Islands work to recover after Irma. During the three months since his 23-year-old son was shot and killed in Woodlawn, government reform activist Ra Joy has sought out advice on moving forward with his life. "I actively sought out individuals who had experienced the sudden dramatic loss of a loved one to gun violence. Talked to a lot of people," Joy said. Advertisement Among those he spoke with was Chris Kennedy. The Democratic candidate for governor is the son of Robert F. Kennedy, who was slain in a 1968 run for the presidency, and the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. Those conversations evolved to the point that Thursday, Joy will be formally announced as the lieutenant governor candidate running alongside Kennedy. Advertisement The pairing of Kennedy and Joy, an African-American who is executive director of Change Illinois, brings a heightened focus on the issue of crime to the Democratic governor primary campaign. Their personal losses also could resonate with families in South and West Side neighborhoods afflicted by the gun violence that has racked Chicago. Xavier Joy was killed near the University of Chicago in June just blocks from his home, apparently by someone trying to steal his cellphone. He had expressed an interest in a political career. Speaking to the Tribune on the eve of the campaign's formal announcement, Ra Joy, 44, acknowledged his son's death played a role in his decision to seek the political post. "This is a decision that provides me an opportunity to turn poison into medicine and to turn pain into purpose," he said. "There are a lot of people suffering in our state and they need a stronger voice in Springfield." "This is an urgent issue now for me," he added. "This is an urgent issue for our state and it's an issue that is close to Chris, and I really appreciate the fact that he's about solutions. In addition to acknowledging problems, it's how do we solve them and this is one problem that we have to solve." Joy said "for some people, there's such a steady drumbeat around crime and violence that it's become normalized." Kennedy, though, bristled when asked if the city's gun violence was a new normal. "Hell no. Don't even think like that. No. Absolutely not," he said. Instead, Kennedy said of he and his running mate's experiences with gun violence: "We're not unique." Advertisement "I think the reality is that it's nearly impossible now to find anybody in this state whose lives haven't been touched in the way ours have been touched," he said. "We're representative of a growing family of Americans that have been devastated." In July, Kennedy proposed a plan to combat violence by improving education, increasing the number of Chicago police, toughening gun control, making widespread mental health services available and involving the state's prisons in extensive rehabilitation for inmates. He blamed gun violence on poor educational and economic opportunities, caused in part by what he called an unfair property tax system. Kennedy is looking to use the newly minted ticket to re-energize his campaign after slow early fundraising numbers and a push by the Democratic establishment and organized labor toward the camp of billionaire businessman J.B. Pritzker. Joy is among several African-Americans who have signed on as running mates for leading Democratic governor candidates, with the winning ticket in March going on to challenge Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in the November 2018 general election. Pritzker is running with state Rep. Juliana Stratton of Chicago. North Side Ald. Ameya Pawar is teamed with Cairo Mayor Tyrone Coleman. And state Sen. Daniel Biss of Evanston is now paired with Rockford state Rep. Litesa Wallace after a quick parting of ways with Chicago Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa. The importance of reaching the always crucial demographic of black voters in Chicago and suburban Cook County may be more critical to Kennedy. He is counting on strong support among African-Americans and the potential that the family name still carries strong political resonance from his father's and uncle's efforts during the struggle over civil rights in the 1960s. Advertisement Joy has been executive director for Change Illinois since January 2016, following roles as former executive director of the Illinois Arts Alliance and serving as a top staffer to U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky. Change Illinois is a coalition of a variety of civic, business and labor groups that has supported such issues as limits on campaign contributions and an unsuccessful petition-driven attempt to try to take the politics out of redrawing legislative district boundaries. The group also was behind a law Rauner signed late last month to create automatic voter registration in Illinois. The group's agenda dovetails with Kennedy's efforts to portray himself as an outsider in criticizing veteran House Speaker Michael Madigan, who also chairs the state Democratic Party, and elements of Democratic control in the city and Cook County. Kennedy said Joy's work on expanding voter registration was "a really important lesson to the young people in our state that they can get involved in politics, get engaged again and actually bring about good government changes that I think they're inspired to be a part of." Joy disdained a "status quo" that he said "has failed us miserably in Illinois." "Instead of a government that serves all people, we have this system where a small handful of insiders wield disproportionate power at the expense of ordinary voters. As a result, people are hurting all across this state from the classroom to the boardroom to the kitchen table. And, it doesn't have to be this way," he said. Advertisement "There's some people in this campaign who talk about fighting the machine," Joy said. He said that unlike others who went unnamed Kennedy was "unencumbered by puppet strings." rap30@aol.com Twitter @rap30 Hannah Manuelito Weekly Alibi: Lets start with you. Would you tell us a little bit about yourself? Jaclyn Roessel: I was born and raised on the Navajo reservation in the northeastern part of [Arizona] called Kayenta, which is a really rural part of Arizona. Growing up, so much of my experiences and identities centered around living and engaging with my family, who are a very traditional Navajo family. I grew up learning a lot of our teachings and stories, and a lot of that really solidified when I had my Kinaalda ceremony. The Kinaalda ceremony, whats that? The Kinaalda ceremony is a four-day ceremony for girls entering puberty. A family will have a Kinaalda for their young ladies when they have their first period. Over the four days, there is a really strong protocol that the young girl follows. These rules are really meant to purify her in a sense. Theres both a physical and spiritual reverence that we're challenging the girl to adopt during this four day period. So each day, before the sun comes up, she runs to the east, and then at noon she runs further. It's this constant challenging of yourself, it's about going farther and trying harder each time. So the community recognizes and celebrates this young girl entering this period of womanhood in which, if she chooses to, she could have a family. Through her, our people, our bloodline and our community can continue. It's about preparing her for her journey ahead so that she'll be strong enough. Tell us about Grownup Navajo. When did you start the blog? What was the impetus? I launched GN five years ago. It was originally a process of grieving, because I had just lost my paternal grandmother. Being the oldest granddaughter, I spent so much time with her, and through her there was such a formation of my identity both as a Navajo kid and as a woman. Then she got sick and passed really quickly, and I didnt really have time to reckon with it. I felt really shocked. I thought, "How am I going to continue to learn about my culture? I realized that there was still a lot that I didn't know. And it really hinged on the Kinaalda ceremony. When I decided that I was going to write what is now GN, it was going to be really centered on that idea: What does this ceremony mean, how has it shaped me now as an adult? At first it was just my parents reading the blog and giving me feedback, then over time more and more people began to find it. And then it began to grow to be not just about the Kinaalda, but about how at the time I was living in Phoenix, this big metropolis, and navigating how to be a traditional Navajo woman balancing my identity in a place that was very much in conflict with what I find my spirit to thrive in: a sense of peace and connection to the land. One of my friends explained it best by saying that being Navajo today is often centered on a perpetual homesickness. I have this longing to be in my homeland and be in connection to it, and that was something that I was able to write about in a lot of different ways, and that a lot of people related to. Now, GN is a company that shows the integration of Native American teachings through three means: Number one is consultation primarily with museums, arts and culture non-profits, and similar organizations. A lot of that is working from a cultural competency and sensitivity lens. Number two is the development and curation of creative projects, and then number three is youth development. What are some things youd like to do with GN in the future? Well, since I just moved to Albuquerque not too long ago, Im still very much in the making connections phase. I want to work on finding the women in the community who are making and doing important things. Id love to make a Grownup Navajo zine, and publish more of my poetry. What do you have coming up that youd like to plug? Im working on an event for women entrepreneurs called Elevate! Well have a planning meeting on Oct. 11, at Accion (2000 Zearing NW) from 6-8:30pm. Im a member of the grassroots planning committee coordinating this endeavor. The actual summit will be held in early 2018. We are inviting women in business and interested in starting their own endeavors to attend and help us put together the event. You can find Jaclyn Roessel online at grownupnavajo.com and @grownupnavajo on IG/Twitter. A new state crime lab in Billings that opened a little more than a year ago to help with an almost tripling of local drug possession cases could soon close. And plans to open a new state morgue in Billings to provide needed storage space and save Yellowstone County money could be scrapped. Thats if proposed budget cuts the Department of Justice and other agencies laid out last week are finalized. The cuts of up to 10 percent of general fund budgets have been requested in response to lower-than-expected revenues. A spokesman for the DOJ said the department is hopeful the full cuts wont go through. The plan we submitted represents the worst-case scenario, if required to cut the full 10 percent of general fund dollars from our budget, Eric Sell, a spokesman for the department, said in a statement to Lee Newspapers. If these cuts go into effect, it will clearly have a negative impact on the services we provide to the people of Montana. General fund money accounts for a third of the DOJs annual $100 million budget. So the proposed cuts would be a little more than 3 percent of the department's total budget, or $6.9 million for the current two-year budget cycle. Sell said the department would work to find special revenue funds to plug any holes created by the proposed general fund cuts. Two legislative committees will meet first to discuss revenue and spending reduction recommendations, and on Sept. 26, Gov. Steve Bullock will begin reviewing the proposed cuts. If the Legislature does not convene a special session to implement new taxes or find other areas to cut, the governor will decide how to make enough cuts to save at least $226 million in the current biennium. If the Billings crime lab did close, the staff would be consolidated with the Missoula office, the department said. Sell, the DOJ spokesman, said the three Billings employees would likely get to choose whether to move to Missoula to keep their jobs, but those details are yet to be worked out. The chief medical examiner for the state would be moved from Billings to Missoula if the cuts go through. In addition to scrapping the Billings crime lab and planned morgue, the Department of Justice would also have to cut or eliminate misconduct investigations for law enforcement officers; reduce grants that fund child pornography investigations; cease crime lab analysis of property crime evidence; and leave vacant positions in three DOJ divisions unfilled, increasing wait times for customers at the Division of Motor Vehicles, among other areas. The proposed cuts would also shift the cost of DUI, toxicology and urine analysis kits to local agencies. Currently, the DOJ covers those costs for local law enforcement. The Department of Public Health and Human Services, the states biggest agency and the hardest-hit under the lasted proposed cuts, would have to foot the bill for hair sample testing for drug-endangered children. The satellite crime lab in Billings opened in May of 2016 after complaints that long turnaround times at the Missoula lab were slowing down prosecutions. Law enforcement, prosecutors and lawmakers heralded the new labs opening as a way to deal with a spike in meth and other drug abuse in the Billings area. Yellowstone County saw 198 drug possession cases in 2012 and 546 in 2016. The lab helps Eastern Montana, too. Evidence is either mailed or driven to the crime labs, so having one in Billings meant not only more staff to handle the workload, but reduced travel times for law enforcement agencies as well. In the roughly year and half the Billings lab has been open, it's stayed busy, processing 415 cases in the last half of 2016. Local officials say if the Billings lab did close, it would put a pinch on county finances. "Needless to say that any closure of the crime lab in Billings would have a very material and negative impact on our countys finances, and would be a shortsighted decision that passes even more state responsibilities back to local government," said Kevan Bryan, Yellowstone County finance director. Scrapping plans for the new morgue would be another setback in efforts to ease pressure on an overtaxed justice system. Officials are still in the planning stage for the Billings morgue, with a request for proposals currently out. The Legislature set aside $800,000 for the project this spring, and Yellowstone County would pay $150,000. The morgue is needed to create new storage space for bodies awaiting autopsies. Currently, taxpayers must pay for storing up to three bodies at St. Vincent's Healthcare. When that's full, area funeral homes store the bodies. County Attorney Scott Twito estimated the new morgue would save the county $50,000 a year in transportation and storage fees. The Justice Department would also have to reduce or eliminate officer misconduct investigations. One such investigation this year found that an employee at the Montana Womens Prison had performed oral sex on one inmate, and told another inmate to hide a razor in a nearby prisoner's bunk as retribution. The division that handles those investigations stripped the employee of his state certification to work as a corrections officer. The 10 percent cut, if fully implemented, could be enough to drive away the chief medical examiner, the department suggested in its budget cut proposal. It is extremely difficult to recruit medical examiners with current conditions," the document reads. Under the proposed cuts, the department would also curb overtime for narcotics investigators and reduce advanced cyber security training for information technology staff. A boisterous rally outside the Thompson Center took aim at Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and her push for a Cook County soda pop tax. Preckwinkle countered at a more sedate news conference at Provident Hospital. (Lou Foglia / Chicago Tribune) (Lou Foglia / Chicago Tribune) The Cook County Board on Wednesday delayed a vote on repealing the controversial soda pop tax, ensuring at least 27 more days of mailers, radio ads and TV commercials that aim to sway public opinion on the issue. Sending the proposal to the county's Finance Committee for an Oct. 10 hearing allows time for Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's administration to conduct a financial analysis. Without one, a vote to repeal the penny-an-ounce tax on sugar- and artificially sweetened beverages could have faced a legal challenge. Advertisement "Ultimately, nobody wanted an up-or-down vote today more than myself, with the exception of nearly 90 percent of the constituents who oppose this regressive tax," said Commissioner Sean Morrison, a Palos Park Republican and lead sponsor on the repeal ordinance. But "there is no political will here today to take up a repeal vote," he added. Wednesday's anticlimactic committee referral came after more than two hours of testimony from members of the public that flooded the meeting. Scores of people who wanted to attend were turned away and left to listen to a loudspeaker broadcast in a hallway on the fifth floor of the County Building. Advertisement Beverage industry workers, retailers and suburban mayors were among the nearly 100 people who signed up to voice their opinions. Worth Village President Mary Werner said residents of her small town were driving 10 miles or more to buy their pop in Will County or Indiana. "It would be bad enough if they were only buying their beverages, but they are so mad and they are so angry and they are so fed up with the taxes in Cook County, they are doing all their shopping, and while they're there, they're buying their gas as well," Werner said. County government union representatives, doctors and health care advocates, meanwhile, called on commissioners to keep the tax. Among them was Dr. Clare Crosh, a third-year pediatric resident at Advocate Hope Children's Hospital in Oak Lawn. She talked about an 11-year-old patient battling obesity who consumes too many sugary drinks and appears to be on the path to developing Type 2 diabetes. "This tax will work," she said, noting declines in sugary-drink consumption in other locales where similar taxes have been in place longer. "I'm asking for your help. I cannot do this alone. Pediatricians and clinicians cannot do this alone." Afterward, Commissioner and Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider of Bartlett expressed confidence that tax opponents would have enough votes to pass repeal next month. But Preckwinkle had a different take. "We anticipate that we will continue to have the votes for a sweetened beverage tax," she said. Last November, she broke a rare 8-8 tie vote to approve the tax. It takes nine votes to repeal it, but at least 11 to override a Preckwinkle veto. She did not directly respond to questions about whether she would veto a repeal. Two commissioners Finance Committee Chairman John Daley, D-Chicago, and Edward Moody, D-Chicago Ridge told the Tribune they were undecided on the issue. On Wednesday, newly appointed Commissioner Dennis Deer, D-Chicago, said he was "looking at all options." Advertisement Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle speaks about the board's delayed vote to repeal the soda tax during a recess of the Cook County Board meeting Sept. 13, 2017. (John Byrne/Chicago Tribune) Whatever commissioners thought on Wednesday, their opinions could be swayed over the next month. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who supports the tax, and opponents from the beverage industry coalition Can the Tax have committed $6.4 million toward dueling radio and TV ads on the issue. Representatives for both sides said after the meeting that their ad campaigns would continue. In addition, Bloomberg has sponsored mailers backing the tax and pledged to spend "whatever it takes" to help those who voted for the tax survive any reelection challenges next year. And on Wednesday, the Illinois Manufacturers' Association announced the formation of the Government Accountability PAC, an independent expenditure committee that plans to spend money to unseat backers of the tax. The association also released examples of digital ads and mailers it was sending out. That comes on top of the Citizens for a More Affordable Cook County Political Action Committee, which has pledged to back commissioners who support repealing the tax. Its treasurer is well-known Democratic attorney Michael Kasper, who counts the American Beverage Association among his clients. And Preckwinkle has been out advocating for the tax, both to maintain county services and to help reduce sugar consumption-related ailments like obesity, diabetes and heart disease. She acknowledged Tuesday she has "work to do" to make her case before an October vote. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle speaks about the board's delayed vote to repeal the soda tax during a recess of the Cook County Board meeting Sept. 13, 2017. (Lou Foglia/Chicago Tribune) (Lou Foglia / Chicago Tribune) After a Wednesday breakfast speech at the City Club of Chicago, she told reporters she was still working to shore up the backing of the commissioners who voted in favor of the tax last time, saying she "let them know that I would be supportive and helpful of them in any way I could." She also said she spoke with Deer. He replaced the late Robert Steele, who was absent from the original vote tax vote. Advertisement And she made it clear she will try to put the onus on tax opponents to prove their own financial plans. "Those who support repeal will have to propose ways in which we will cut our programs and services to make up for the $200 million in lost revenue," she said. "We'll see what they come up with." hdardick@chicagotribune.com jebyrne@chicagotribune.com Twitter @ReporterHal Twitter @_johnbyrne First there were buttons. Now there's a campaign committee. Paperwork was filed with state elections officials Wednesday to create "GMFM Garry McCarthy for Mayor Exploratory Committee." Advertisement The purpose of the committee? "To explore the prospect of the candidacy of Garry McCarthy for Mayor of Chicago," according to the form filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections. The filing lists a web address of garryformayor.com, which is the same address listed on gold and green "GMFM" buttons that were circulating this summer. That website brings up a page that says the "domain name has just been registered" but no information on a possible campaign. Advertisement Attempts to reach McCarthy were unsuccessful Thursday. In July, McCarthy said he wasn't sure who was distributing the buttons. He told the Tribune a run for mayor was "probably unlikely." "There's a group of people who are very serious about this, and they are looking at all the angles," McCarthy said. "I haven't said 'no' yet. Let's put it that way." Mayor Rahm Emanuel fired McCarthy as the city's top cop in December 2015 amid the fallout of a judge ordering the mayor to release a video of the Laquan McDonald police shooting. Emanuel fought the video's release for more than a year in court, including during his re-election campaign. The footage of white Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting black teen McDonald led to weeks of protests, accusations of a cover-up and calls for Emanuel's resignation. The mayor initially stood by McCarthy. But as the video made national news and thousands took to the streets to demonstrate, Emanuel dismissed his top cop, citing a lack of public trust in the Police Department. Since then, McCarthy has taken up work as a security consultant while making the occasional television and radio appearance criticizing the city's leadership and the homicide rate that has soared in the last two years. Listed as president of the campaign fund was Brian McCormack at an Edgebrook address on the Far Northwest Side. The treasurer listed was Bernadette McNally at a North Center address. McCormack did not return calls left at his home, work and cell phones, or a message sent to his campaign email address listed on the form he filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections. Contacted by phone Thursday, McNally said she was in the middle of a meeting and did not immediately return the call. Advertisement Such campaign committees are required to report political contributions if they top $5,000, but the amount of money listed as available was "$0." Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the county and state would join him in an "all hands on deck approach" to try to lure Amazon's second headquarters, which could eventually bring 50,000 workers and $5 billion in investments. (John Byrne/Chicago Tribune) Mayor Rahm Emanuel laid out an ambitious full-court press on Thursday to woo Amazon to build its second headquarters in Chicago, saying the city is perfectly positioned to give the massive company everything it's seeking. In his first public comments since Amazon invited cities to vie to be its second home, Emanuel said the county and state would join him in an "all hands on deck approach" to try to lure the company that could eventually bring 50,000 workers and $5 billion in investments. Advertisement The Amazon bid presents a test of a core piece of Emanuel's economic agenda: his effort to make Chicago appealing to technology companies in part by focusing on transportation and the types of infrastructure improvements and cultural programming that could make young workers want to live here. The company's request for proposals "is very similar to the very focus we have brought to bear over the past six years on the fundamental economic strengths of the city and also the resources of the state to make that possible," he said. "If you look at their proposal, Amazon's, and you look at what they're looking for: talent, transportation, training, technology," he said, echoing a familiar alliterative "Four T's" list he frequently cites when talking about Chicago's economic strengths. Advertisement "If you focus on the fundamentals that allow, like Chicago, over the last five years, you know this, we've been the number one city for corporate relocations," Emanuel said. "Why? Because companies, in a period of tremendous uncertainty, are looking for who will have the talent and the certainty around that talent for the next 20 years? Who will have a transportation system, both public and aviation, that will give them the capacity to get everywhere in the world and get their workers to work conveniently?" Unsurprisingly, Emanuel said he would be "intimately involved" in pitching Amazon, saying Chicago presents myriad locations near downtown that could give Amazon whatever type of campus company CEO Jeff Bezos wants. The mayor said that his "priority is the site of Chicago," and that he won't play favorites on a particular location. "If you're very interested in a vertical area, that's possible, if you're interested in more of a horizontal, that's possible, all within the limits or boundaries, so to say, of a central business district," he said while speaking to reporters after an event at the Chicago Cultural Center to launch the Chicago Architecture Biennial. "So the good news is we're not, like any other city, limited to one choice." Possible locations include the old main post office site in the South Loop, the Michael Reese Hospital location in Bronzeville and the former A. Finkl & Sons steel plant site along the Chicago River northwest of downtown. The mayor also sought to give assurances the bid will be unified, given the years of partisan fighting between Chicago Democrats and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who has said he's spoken to Amazon executives. "This is of a scale that's different (from other corporate moves), therefore it's going to be Chicago, county and state with one voice and all resources, all hands on deck and all creativity to that effort," he said. "And everybody is going to be pulling in the same direction, that's the one thing I want to be clear about." Amazon said last week it plans to invest more than $5 billion on a new campus, with buildings potentially totaling more than 8 million square feet and creating 50,000 jobs over the next 10 to 15 years. The positions will pay an average of more than $100,000 annually, Amazon said. Amazon said "HQ2" will serve as a second headquarters of equal importance to its current 33-building, 8.1 million-square-foot Seattle campus. Advertisement The company didn't name any potential locations, saying only that it will consider urban or suburban locations in metropolitan areas of at least 1 million people in a "stable and business-friendly environment." Amazon said it will consider sites in and around urban areas with access to international airports, major highways and public transportation. The company said it is asking cities and metropolitan areas to turn in requests for proposals by Oct. 19, and it plans to choose a location next year. jebyrne@chicagotribune.com Twitter @_johnbyrne A woman is transported out of The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills in Hollywood, Fla., after a loss of air conditioning following Hurricane Irma on Sept. 13, 2017. (Amy Beth Bennett / AP) HOLLYWOOD, Fla. Florida seniors were ushered out of stifling assisted-living centers Thursday while caregivers fought a lack of air conditioning with Popsicles and cool compresses after eight people died at a nursing home in the post-hurricane heat. Dozens of the state's senior centers still lacked electricity in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, and several facilities were forced to evacuate. While detectives sought clues to the deaths, emergency workers went door to door to look for anyone else who was at risk. Advertisement Fifty-seven residents were moved from a suburban Fort Lauderdale assisted-living facility without power to two nearby homes where power had been restored. Owner Ralph Marrinson said all five of his Florida facilities lost electricity after Irma. Workers scrambled to keep patients cool with emergency stocks of ice and Popsicles. "FPL has got to have a better plan for power," he said, referring to the state's largest utility, Florida Power & Light. "We're supposed to be on a priority list, and it doesn't come and it doesn't come, and frankly it's very scary." Advertisement Stepped-up safety checks were conducted around the state after eight deaths at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, which shocked Florida's top leaders as they surveyed destruction from the punishing storm. Older people can be more susceptible to heat because their bodies do not adjust to temperatures as well as those of younger people. They do not sweat as much and are more likely to have medical conditions that change how the body responds to heat. They are also more likely to take medication that affects body temperature. Most people who die from high body temperature, known as hyperthermia, are over 50, according to the National Institutes of Health. Statewide, 64 nursing homes were still waiting Thursday for full power, according to the Florida Health Care Association. The separate Florida Assisted Living Association said many of its South Florida members lacked electricity. The group was working on a precise count. A day earlier near Orlando, firefighters helped relocate 122 people from two assisted-living centers that had been without power since the storm. And at the 15,000-resident Century Village retirement community in Pembroke Pines, where there were also widespread outages, rescue workers went door to door to check on residents and bring ice, water and meals. For older people living on their own, such as 94-year-old Mary Dellaratta, getting help can depend on the attentiveness of neighbors, family and local authorities. The widow evacuated her Naples condominium with the help of police the day before the hurricane. After the storm passed, a deputy took her back home and another brought her food. A deacon from her Roman Catholic church also stopped by. But with no family in the area and neighbors who are gone or unwilling to help, the New York native feels cut off from the world. "I have nobody," she said. Advertisement The electricity is out in her condo, so there's no television for news. She cannot raise the electric-powered hurricane shutters that cover her kitchen windows. Near the point of despair, remembering to take her medicine or locating her cane are almost insurmountable challenges. "I don't know what to do. How am I going to last here?" she said, as a tear rolled down her cheek. To the east, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation has been checking on elderly residents in their homes and felt a greater sense of urgency after the deaths. CEO Jacob Solomon said the group encouraged people to evacuate before the storm if they could, but now they're focused on helping them in their homes. "At this point, we're better off taking care of them where they are. They didn't leave then. They're not going to leave now. What are you going to do? You go, you check on them, you make sure they have water and food and that's it," he said. "You're not going to convince a 95-year-old Holocaust survivor to do something that she doesn't want to do." Though the number of people with electricity has improved from earlier in the week, some 4.9 million people across the peninsula continued to wait for power. Utility officials warned it could take a week or more for all areas to be back up and running. Advertisement Including the nursing home deaths, at least 26 people in Florida have died under Irma-related circumstances, and six more in South Carolina and Georgia, many of them well after the storm passed. The death toll across the Caribbean stood at 38. On Thursday, detectives were at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills after receiving a search warrant to investigate the eight patients' deaths, which police believed were heat-related. The center said the hurricane knocked out a transformer that powered the air conditioning. Broward County said the home alerted officials about the situation on Tuesday, but when asked if it had any medical needs or emergencies, it did not request help. But by early Wednesday, the center had placed three calls to report patients in distress, prompting firefighters to search the facility. They found three people dead and evacuated 145 people to hospitals, many on stretchers or in wheelchairs, authorities said. By that afternoon, five more had died. The facility's administrator, Jorge Carballo, said in a statement that it was cooperating fully with authorities. Reached by phone on Thursday, Rosemary Cooper, a licensed practical nurse at the rehabilitation center, declined to discuss specifics about the case, citing the investigation. Advertisement "The people who were working there worked hard to make a good outcome for our patients," she said. "We cared for them like family." But state records revealed a variety of problems at the center. The center showed deficiencies in maintaining fire and safety standards pertaining to exits and storage areas, as well as more serious problems with its generator maintenance and testing, according to February 2016 reports by Florida Agency for Health Care Administration inspectors. Another 2016 report found problems with respecting patient dignity and maintaining housekeeping services. The ex-husband of 71-year-old victim Gail Nova said her devastated family believes the facility should lose its license. "Someone's got to answer for this. Someone let the ball drop very, very far," Kenneth Nova said by phone from his home in Winter Haven. Reeves reported from Naples. Associated Press writers Tim Reynolds in Aventura; Brendan Farrington, Gary Fineout and Joe Reedy in Tallahassee; Adriana Gomez Licon in Homestead; Michael Melia in Hartford Connecticut and Jennifer Kay, Freida Frisaro, Curt Anderson and David Fischer in Miami contributed to this report. SEOUL, South Korea North Korea conducted its longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile Friday, sending an intermediate-range weapon hurtling over U.S. ally Japan into the northern Pacific Ocean in a launch that signals both defiance to its rivals and a big technological advance. Since President Donald Trump threatened the North with "fire and fury" in August, Pyongyang has conducted its most powerful nuclear test, threatened to send missiles into the waters around the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam and launched two missiles of increasing range over Japan. July saw its first tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles that could strike deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected. The growing frequency, power and confidence displayed by these tests seem to confirm what governments and outside experts have long feared: North Korea is closer than ever to its goal of building a military arsenal that can viably target both U.S. troops in Asia and the U.S. homeland. This, in turn, is meant to allow North Korea greater military freedom in the region by raising doubts in Seoul and Tokyo that Washington would risk the annihilation of a U.S. city to protect its Asian allies. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the latest missile traveled about 2,300 miles and reached a maximum height of 478 miles. Guam, which is the home of important U.S. military assets, is 2,112 miles away from North Korea. North Korea's weapons tests demonstrate that it can "turn the American empire into a sea in flames through sudden surprise attack from any region and area," Pyongyang's Rodong Sinmun newspaper said Friday, without mentioning the latest missile test. South Korean President Moon Jae-in, a liberal who initially pushed for talks with North Korea, said that Pyongyang's tests currently made dialogue "impossible." "The sanctions and pressure by the international community will only tighten so that North Korea has no choice but to take the path for genuine dialogue" for nuclear disarmament, Moon said. "If North Korea provokes us or our allies, we have the strength to smash the attempt at an early stage and inflict a level of damage it would be impossible to recover from." North Korea has repeatedly vowed to continue its weapons tests amid what it calls U.S. hostility by which it means the presence of nearly 80,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan and South Korea. Robust international diplomacy on the issue has been stalled for years, and there's so far little sign that senior officials from Pyongyang and Washington might sit down to discuss ways to slow the North's determined march toward inclusion among the world's nuclear weapons powers. Friday's test, which Seoul said was the 19th launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea this year, triggered sirens and warning messages in northern Japan but caused no apparent damage to aircraft or ships. It was the second missile fired over Japan in less than a month. North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3. The missile was launched from Sunan, the location of Pyongyang's international airport and the origin of the earlier missile that flew over Japan. Analysts have speculated the new test was of the same intermediate-range missile launched in that earlier flight, the Hwasong-12, and was meant to show Washington that the North can hit Guam if it chose to do so. Despite its impressive range, the North's missile probably still isn't accurate enough to destroy Guam's Andersen Air Force Base, said David Wright, a U.S. missile expert with the Union of Concerned Scientists. Such early generation missiles are often inaccurate because of guidance and control errors during the boost and re-entry phases as the warhead passes through the atmosphere late in flight, Wright said. South Korea detected North Korean launch preparations Thursday, and President Moon ordered a live-fire ballistic missile drill if the launch happened. This allowed Seoul to fire its missiles only six minutes after the North's launch Friday. One of the two missiles hit a sea target about 155 miles away, which was approximately the distance to Pyongyang's Sunan, but the other failed in flight shortly after launch, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency closed-door meeting to be held Friday afternoon in New York. Trump didn't immediately comment. North Korea initially flight-tested the Hwasong-12 and the ICBM model Hwasong-14 at highly lofted angles to reduce their range and avoid neighboring countries. The two launches over Japan indicate North Korea is moving toward using angles close to operational to determine whether its warheads can survive the harsh conditions of atmospheric re-entry and detonate properly. North Korea's August launch over Japan came weeks after it threatened to fire a salvo of Hwasong-12s toward Guam and bracket the island with "enveloping" missile fire. North Korea has been accelerating its nuclear weapons development under leader Kim Jong Un, a third-generation dictator who has conducted four of North Korea's six nuclear tests since taking power in 2011. The weapons being tested include hard-to-detect solid-fuel missiles designed to be launched from road mobile launchers or submarines. The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved new sanctions earlier this week over the nuclear test, which Pyongyang claimed was a detonation of a thermonuclear weapon built for its ICBMs. The sanctions ban all textile exports and prohibit any country from authorizing new work permits for North Korean workers two key sources of hard currency. They also prohibit North Korea from importing all natural gas liquids and condensates, and cap Pyongyang's imports of crude oil and refined petroleum products. North Korea's Foreign Ministry denounced the U.N. sanctions and said the North will "redouble its efforts to increase its strength to safeguard the country's sovereignty and right to existence." Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh Nearly three weeks into a mass exodus of Rohingya fleeing violence in Myanmar, thousands were still flooding across the border Thursday in search of help and safety in teeming refugee settlements in Bangladesh. The crisis has drawn global condemnation, with U.N. officials demanding Myanmar halt what they described as a campaign of ethnic cleansing that has driven some 400,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee Rakhine state. One of the dozens of boats carrying Rohingya to the Bangladeshi border town of Teknaf capsized Thursday and at least two people drowned, police said. That brought known drownings in the Naf River to 88 since the crisis began. Those who arrived Wednesday in wooden boats to beaches near Shah Puri Dwip fishing village described ongoing violence in Myanmar, where smoke could be seen billowing from a burning village suggesting more Rohingya homes had been set alight. One Rohingya man who arrived Wednesday said his village of Rashidong had been attacked six days earlier by Myanmar soldiers and police. "When military and police surrounded our village and attacked us with rocket launchers to set fire, we got away from our village and fled away to any direction we could manage," Abdul Goffar said. Myanmar's presidential office spokesman Zaw Htay said that, out of 471 "Bengali" villages in three Rakhine townships, 176 were now completely empty while at least 34 more were partially abandoned. Many in Myanmar use that term as part of the long-standing refusal to accept Rohingya as citizens of the country. Myanmar has accused the Rohingya of burning their own homes and villages a claim the U.N. human rights chief criticized as a "complete denial of reality." The crisis and refugee exodus began on Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts. Myanmar's military retaliated with "clearance operations" to root out the rebels, but the fleeing Rohingya say Myanmar soldiers shot indiscriminately, burned their homes and warned them to leave or die. Others have said they were attacked by Buddhist mobs. Hundreds have died, mostly Rohingya, and some of the refugees have needed treatment for bullet wounds. Facing growing condemnation globally, Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi will not attend U.N. General Assembly meetings Sept. 19-25 to instead deal with what the government said were domestic security issues. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters Wednesday that ethnic cleansing was taking place against Rohingya in Rakhine state. The term "ethnic cleansing" is defined as an effort to rid an area of an unwanted ethnic group by displacement, deportation or even killing. The U.N. Security Council called for "immediate steps to end the violence" and ensure civilian protections. Rohingya have faced decades of persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, and are denied citizenship despite centuries-old roots in the Rakhine region. The thousands of Rohingya flooding into Bangladesh every day have arrived hungry and traumatized. Many need urgent medical care for violence-related injuries, severe infections or childbirth. "The women who are coming for check-ups all have a terrified and exhausted look," said Sumaya, a midwife at the Nayapara refugee camp working in association with the U.N. population fund. "We keep hearing stories from them of walking through jungles and across hills for days without food, their children carried over their shoulders. They've lost their homes." Two existing refugee camps were packed beyond capacity, and Bangladesh has said it would free land to build a third. Many of the new arrivals were huddling in makeshift shelters along roads or in open fields. Near the camp of Balukhali, some were setting up tents made of bamboo and plastic along hillsides muddy from days of rain. Children walked uphill to capture rainwater before it spilled into the teeming settlements below. Food, clean water and other necessities were scarce. Panic erupted Thursday along roadsides where local volunteers were distributing food, water and other supplies haphazardly from parked vehicles. Local officials shouted through bullhorns for volunteers to coordinate their efforts with aid agencies to avoid spreading chaos. "There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water," UNICEF's country representative Edouard Beigbeder said. The U.N. children's agency said it needed $7.3 million to help just the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya children now at high risk of contracting water-borne diseases. On Thursday afternoon, a scuffle broke out at a makeshift relief center at Kutupalong, where some refugees tried to break into the center and were beaten back by at least four security guards wielding sticks. Those who managed to receive some aid after waiting hours in line were dismayed by the meager hand-out. "I have just got a tarpaulin sheet but no food," said 55-year-old Osman, who gave only one name. "I need rice to eat, I need to feed my family. They said they can't give us anything else. What will I eat now?" The head of the U.N. High Commission for Refugees said humanitarian assistance would increase "very, very quickly." Asked why the response has been slow, Filippo Grandi alluded to difficulties working in Bangladesh, but said he hoped this will change as the scale of the crisis becomes more apparent. It is the Myanmar government's "responsibility to ensure that security returns to Rakhine," Grandi told The Associated Press at the Stockholm Security Conference in Sweden. Bangladesh already was housing some 500,000 Rohingya who fled earlier flashes of violence including anti-Muslim riots in 2012. Rakhine state had up to 1 million Rohingya before the latest violence. Yasin reported from Shah Puri Dwip, Bangladesh. David Keyton in Stockholm, Sweden, contributed to this report White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the "alt-right" clash with counter-protesters as they enter Lee Park during the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, on on August 12, 2017. (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) The University of Virginia will give money to help pay the medical expenses of people injured during clashes with white supremacists in Charlottesville last month, in an amount equivalent to money that was pledged to the university by the Ku Klux Klan in 1921. University President Teresa Sullivan spoke to the school's Board of Visitors on Thursday about safety, the university's core values and the ongoing examination of its complicated history in the wake of the violent confrontations with white supremacists. Advertisement Hundreds of people marched through the campus on Aug. 11 carrying torches, shouting racial slurs and fighting with counterprotesters at a statue of the school's founder, Thomas Jefferson. The next day, the conflict turned deadly when a man drove into a crowd of people protesting a planned white-supremacist rally, killing one woman and injuring 19. Two police officers died when their helicopter crashed while monitoring the day's demonstrations. The violence came at a time when the university, which is preparing to celebrate its bicentennial, was delving into some of the more difficult aspects of its history, including an ongoing commission on slavery, a planned memorial to enslaved workers on campus, and other commemorations. Advertisement On Thursday, Sullivan addressed a gift that was pledged to the university by the KKK in 1921. She said the university's then-president acknowledged the pledge, but the university has no evidence it was ever paid. "We're going to acknowledge the pledge," she said in prepared remarks to the board, "and we're going do so in a way that would be as disagreeable as possible for any remnants of the KKK who may be watching. "That $1,000 pledge, if inflated to today's dollars, would be worth about $12,400. With that number in mind, I have allocated $12,500 from private sources to the 'Charlottesville Patient Support Fund,' which is managed by the UVA Health Foundation, to pay medical expenses for people who were injured during the violence in August. Any leftover funds will support care for other members of our community. "In other words, we are allocating that century-old pledge from white supremacists to heal the wounds inflicted by the dying vestiges of white supremacy that struck Charlottesville last month. I hope any remaining members of the KKK will appreciate the irony." Anissa Weier talks to a sheriff's deputy during a pause in jury selection in the trial to determine 15-year-old Weier's competency at Waukesha County Courthouse Monday, Sept 11, 2017, in Waukesha, Wis. (Morry Gash / AP) A detective who interviewed a 12-year-old girl after she was stabbed repeatedly and left for dead in a Wisconsin park in 2014 testified Wednesday that one of the two classmates accused of attacking her had been scaring her beforehand with stories about characters from a horror website. It was their devotion to the fictional horror character Slender Man that authorities say motivated sixth-grader classmate Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier to stab Payton Leutner 19 times in a Waukesha park. Leutner became so concerned about the stories Geyser was telling her that she asked her mother if they were real, Waukesha Police Detective Shelly Fisher said. Leutner told Fisher her mother tried to assure her it was all fiction, but she also told the detective that she still was uncertain and wanted to believe Geyser even after she stabbed her, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Fisher testified in the trial of Weier, now 15. Jurors will determine whether Weier was mentally ill and therefore not criminally responsible at the time. Geyser, who did the actual stabbing, is scheduled to go on trial next month. Weier told investigators she and Geyser believed they had to kill Leutner or else Slender Man would kill them and their families. Jurors saw clips Wednesday of investigators questioning Weier after the attack, during which Weier moved from apparent complete belief in Slender Man, to some doubt, to a realization by the end of her interrogation that she had been duped. "I know now it's just teenagers who really like scaring people and making them believe false things," Weier told Waukesha Detective Michelle Trussoni. In his questioning of Trussoni, Assistant District Attorney Kevin Osborne focused on the fact Weier didn't clearly tell anyone she was afraid of Slender Man's wrath until after the stabbing, reinforcing his comments in opening statements Tuesday that Weier understood that what they were doing was wrong, but that she went along with the plot to preserve her friendship with Geyser. Both Weier and Geyser were originally charged with being a party to attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Weier struck a deal with prosecutors in August in which she pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted second-degree intentional homicide, essentially acknowledging she committed all the elements of the offense. But she also pleaded not guilty due to mental illness of defect, setting up the trial on her mental status. With just 17 days left for Republicans to repeal the Affordable Care Act on a party-line vote, a quartet of GOP senators on Wednesday rolled out a plan to devolve federal health care spending into state-by-state block grants - legislation that South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham described as conservatives' last shot at reform. "It should have been our first bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, but it is now our last," Graham said at a morning news conference. "To those in the Republican Party who feel like we have not fought as hard as we could, you're right." Advertisement The Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson bill, named for co-sponsors Graham, Bill Cassidy, R-La., Dean Heller, R-Nev., and Ron Johnson, R-Wis., would turn the billions of dollars spent on the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion, tax credits and subsidies into grants managed by each state. The bill represents a fundamentally different approach to overturning much of the sprawling 2010 health-care law than other measures Senate Republicans have attempted - and failed to achieve - this year. Advertisement It would leave in place most of the financial props that support the ACA, eliminating only a tax on medical devices. At the same time, it does not attempt to replace the current law's policies with more conservative federal approaches, instead leaving it to each state to define its own rules for health plans that may be sold to residents and how consumers should be helped to afford that coverage. "It's a massive devolution of federal money and responsibility to states, on a scale I don't think we've ever seen," said Larry Levitt, senior vice president of the Kaiser Family Foundation. "Over time, it's less federal money than is being spent now on health care, but it's still a huge pot of money available to states with very few strings attached." But while maintaining the ACA's taxes, it would repeal many of the law's features disliked by Republicans, including the requirements that most Americans carry insurance and that large employers offer health coverage. It would allow states to waive most of the law's insurance regulation but continue its ban on insurers refusing to cover people with preexisting medical conditions. The plan would end the premium tax credits that the ACA provides to more than 80 percent of the approximately 10 million Americans who currently have health plans through marketplaces created under the law. And it would eliminate cost-sharing discounts the law provides lower-income consumers with marketplace plans to help them afford deductibles and other other-of-pocket expenses. State could decide whether to create new forms of financial help for buying insurance. The bill's main components would start in 2020, and the funding it envisions would last until 2026, limited by the 10-year budget window. The amount of money each state would receive as a block grant would hinge on how many residents fall roughly within the income groups eligible for Medicaid under an expansion of that program that about three-fifths of the states have adopted under the ACA - people with incomes of up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. But the block grant could be spent on a variety of health-care purposes - not just to help lower-income people gain coverage. States would decide whether to preserve, or begin, the expansion of Medicaid. What's less certain is how the bill could beat the buzzer - the end of the budget reconciliation reconstructions that Republicans hoped they could use to repeal most of the ACA with just 50 votes, plus the tiebreaking support of Vice President Mike Pence. The GOP's anti-Obamacare push, which has been on hold since three Republican senators blocked a "skinny repeal" bill on July 28, appeared to end in August. Over the long summer recess, both party leaders and outside groups began talking and buying TV ads to promote tax cuts, the president's next domestic agenda item. The Koch-backed Americans for Prosperity, which had organized years of repeal rallies, spent August working to build momentum on tax reform. Advertisement "What has been proposed isn't actually repeal and replace," said Dan Holler, the communications director at Heritage Action, another of the major conservative pro-repeal groups. "I'm not convinced that the solution here is to unveil another sweeping bill ahead of a tight deadline. That hasn't worked for anyone so far." On Sept. 1, the Senate parliamentarian ruled that the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30 would mean the end of the party's ability to pass a bill with a simple majority. Graham and Cassidy, the main sponsors of the latest plan, kicked into overdrive, submitting text to the Congressional Budget Office last week and arguing that the bulk of their idea had already been vetted when Cassidy and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, floated a separate proposal. "You play with the hand that's dealt," Cassidy said. "The heart and soul of what we're doing here was in Cassidy-Collins. I went to 10, maybe 11, Democratic senators, and all of them said they couldn't collaborate with us." The senators say they could fit hearings into the tight schedule, and they acknowledge those would matter because of the reasons that "skinny repeal" died. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who cast the deciding vote against it, argued that both parties needed to return to regular order. The new bill's backers said they could wrangle the support they needed, the score they needed and move through the committee process before the deadline. "I chair the Homeland Security subcommittee. I'll hold a hearing tomorrow," Johnson said. Johnson and Graham also suggested that conservative governors could build momentum for the bill, if the White House worked on them to endorse it and explained how their states would benefit from block grants. Advertisement "The president said, if you get 20 governors on board, he'll stand with them," said Graham. "Make some calls; help us get to 20." The struggle to get most Republican governors on board with the bill was telling. Even before the collapse of the first repeal push, moderate Republican governors like Ohio's John Kasich and Nevada's Brian Sandoval were urging Congress to move on and pass compromise legislation that would fully fund the ACA's tax subsidies. Asked if his governor backed his bill, Heller said that it was a "work in progress." Predicted Levitt: ""If this bill passed, it would get Congress off the hot seat of figuring out how to deal with health care - but unleash 50 debates in state capitals around the country." Graham, who described a political crisis for Republicans if they did not act, said that the block grants would at least end the threat of further national health insurance reform. He repeatedly described the bill not just as an alternative to the status quo, but as a way to head off the Medicare for All bill being proposed Wednesday by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and 16 Democratic colleagues. "This is the only thing standing between you and single-payer health care," said Graham. On Monday, Tyler Tessier soulfully pleaded for the safe return of his then-missing pregnant girlfriend, Laura Wallen, and held hands at a news conference with Wallen's mother. But by then, Wallen already had been killed by Tessier, according to police, who charged him Wednesday in the death of the 31-year-old high school teacher, whose body was found in a shallow grave in Damascus. Tessier also was believed to be the father of Wallen's unborn child, police said. She was four months pregnant. Wallen, of Olney, was a social studies teacher at Wilde Lake High School in Howard County, where she taught since 2014. Since she was reported missing early last week, the case has received widespread attention. Wallen was excited about the school year starting and didn't seem at all like a person who would take off on her own, family and friends said. Behind the scenes, detectives were in constant contact with the boyfriend, Tessier, who gave inconsistent stories about his interactions with Wallen before she'd gone missing, police said. When police held the news conference to ask the public for help finding Wallen, investigators made "a calculated decision" to allow Tessier to attend, Montgomery Police Chief Tom Manger said Wednesday night. Tessier sat next to Wallen's mother and father. Detectives were curious what he would say and how he would say it, according to Manger, who said the family was aware of that decision. When Tessier spoke in front of a bank of cameras, he pleaded for Wallen to contact her family and asked for her safe return, saying, "Laura, if you're listening, it doesn't matter what's happened. It doesn't matter what type of trouble. There's nothing we can't fix together." Manger said there were no signs on Wallen's remains to suggest how she was killed. During the investigation, police learned Tessier was spending a lot of time in an area near Damascus, Maryland, and came to believe they should search there for Wallen's body, police said. Police searched the area on Wednesday with cadaver dogs and found a freshly dug area, according to police, and in plain view saw a purple piece of fabric. Police said they believe Wallen was killed Sept. 3, a day after a surveillance video at a grocery store showed her and Tessier together. Wallen's sister received several odd texts from Wallen's phone on Sept. 4, stating that the child she was carrying was not Tessier's and suggesting it might be that of a previous boyfriend, Manger said. Manger said that police determined those texts had been sent by Tessier. "I am like 95 percent sure Tyler is not the father," one of the texts said, according to police. "I'm probably going to lose my job over this," said another. And yet another text stated: "Tyler is never going to forgive me. If he tries to call you, please tell him he's a great guy because I know I really hurt his feelings." On Sept. 7, police found Wallen's car unoccupied and parked in an apartment complex in the 10600 block of Gramercy Place in Columbia, a five-minute drive from the school. Police said Tessier brought the car there after removing the front license plate. When Tessier spoke Monday at the news conference, in his appeal for Wallen, his voice occasionally broke as he said: "We haven't slept, we haven't eaten, we're just looking, we're praying that you're safe. I'm asking you to just let us know that you're safe. If somebody has her, please understand that you've taken away a huge person in so many people's lives." Wallen's body was found near Prices Distillery Road in Damascus on private property, police said. The property owner has "no involvement" in the investigation, Manger said. Wallen's father, Mark Wallen, had said he became certain something was awry when he called Wilde Lake High School on Tuesday morning to check if his daughter had arrived and was told she had not. He then asked if she had arranged for a substitute teacher and was told no - a lapse he said he was sure she would not have made had she known she would be absent. He knew she had been preparing her classroom for two weeks and had a "joy in her heart" for her job, Mark Wallen said. Tessier, at the news conference asking for public help in locating Wallen, said she was "super excited" for the start of the school year and called her disappearance a "complete shock." He said the two had gone to doctor appointments together and that she was happy about the pregnancy. Police said Laura Wallen had sent her sister a series of texts Sept. 2 saying "Tyler has me on an adventure in the country. ... don't know why I'm here but it's for something." Her sister asked, "Really where are you?" Laura Wallen replied, according to police, "I'm waiting in a field." Her sister told her to take a picture. Police said the picture Wallen sent was of a large field with a tree line and that the photograph appears to be the same field where the clandestine grave was discovered. President Donald Trump told lawmakers that he expects Congress to act "real soon" on legislation to protect immigrant "dreamers," but House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said it could be "weeks" before the issue is resolved. The latest disconnect between senior Republicans and the president came as Trump is hosting Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for dinner Wednesday to discuss immigration issues and health care. The meeting will be the third time in two weeks that Trump has invited key Democrats to the White House to discuss major legislative priorities that have divided congressional Republicans. Pelosi and Schumer used their last White House meeting to persuade Trump to agree to their terms on spending levels and the debt limit, but Democrats have been cautious to avoid appearing too close to the president. This time, aides said, they are likely to focus especially on passage of the Dream Act, a bill to provide permanent legal protections to the roughly 700,000 people enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the Obama-era executive action that protects undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. Trump announced last month that the program will end in March and called on Congress to enact a permanent fix to the issue of "Dreamers." Ahead of his meeting with Pelosi and Schumer, Trump told a bipartisan group of House lawmakers during a White House meeting that he wants to resolve the DACA issue "real soon," according to Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, who attended. Cuellar said he told Trump the Dream Act has sufficient bipartisan support to pass and that the White House should be pushing for a vote. Trump, Cuellar said, told the group: "Oh, it will be on the floor." Cuellar acknowledged that Trump has made promises in the past that didn't pan out, "but at least it's good to have him saying he wants to have a bill on the floor." Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., who also attended the meeting, added that Trump "did not make any direct linkage between helping the dreamers and other issues that are in dispute on immigration." Pelosi and Schumer view the Wednesday meeting as a follow-up to last week's discussion, and they plan to use the opportunity to press Trump on DACA and urge him to take steps to stabilize health-care markets, according to aides. Democrats are seeking a commitment from Trump on federal subsidies for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. They want assurances that the federal government will continue making cost-sharing payments to insurance companies to reduce out-of-pocket co-pays and deductibles for low-income people insured under the ACA. "There are lots of things that we can do that can improve things that he seems open to," Schumer told reporters Tuesday. The dinner will come just after Pelosi met with Ryan and other House leaders to discuss the same legislation. The meeting included House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and the leaders of the congressional Asian, Black and Hispanic caucuses. "It was a good meeting. We understand each other," Pelosi told reporters as she exited the meeting. Aides said that attendees agreed not to divulge details of the meeting, which lasted less than 30 minutes. AshLee Strong, Ryan's spokeswoman, said that regarding the plight of the dreamers, the speaker "reiterated that any solution needs to address border security and enforcement, which are the root causes of the problem. Discussions among the Republican conference will continue in the coming weeks." Some liberal factions of the Democratic Party complained after last week's meeting that Pelosi and Schumer focused on an agreement to increase the federal borrowing limit and extend current spending levels through December but did not seek concessions on immigration. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., a key advocate of pro-immigration reform, said Tuesday that he was upset to see Democrats "celebrating a deal with the president of the United States" that didn't include relief for dreamers. Speaking at a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute event, Gutierrez noted that Ryan last week was unable to pass a $15.25 billion spending plan that included hurricane relief money for Texas without significant Democratic support. "You cannot approve the budget, raise the debt ceiling, do anything without the cooperation and the consent of the Democratic Party," Gutierrez said, adding that he has told fellow Democrats, "If there isn't unity and there isn't a solution for those ... dreamers, then we won't open the government we'll close it." "You have to draw a very clear, concise line for everyone," he said. Schumer and Pelosi have not yet threatened to hold up federal government operations over the fate of dreamers, instead insisting that the issue will be resolved by early March, when the program is set to expire. Pelosi has defended the decision to work with Trump on spending and the debt limit as an opportunity to gain leverage in future discussions, including on immigration. "I make no apology for doing that with the person who is going to sign the bill," Pelosi said in an interview last week. "It gives you great leverage." The Washington Post's Mike DeBonis and David Nakamura contributed to this report. After high winds and heavy rains brought by Hurricane Harvey, a mysterious sea creature with fangs and no face washed up on the shoreline in southwest Texas - giving the Internet a challenging task: to identify it. Preeti Desai, social media manager at the National Audubon Society, posted pictures of the critter earlier this month on Twitter, asking, "What the heck is this??" Desai, who said she had accompanied conservationists assessing the damage from the storm, spotted the creature on a beach in Texas City, about 15 miles from Galveston. The Internet gave its best guesses: A gulper eel. A "bloated" moray eel. No, an alien. "I follow a lot of scientists and researchers," Desai told BBC News about her plea for answers on social media. "There's such a great community of these folks that are very helpful, especially when it comes to answering questions about the world or identifying animals and plants." She said someone suggested that she contact Kenneth Tighe, a biologist with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Tighe, an eel expert, told Earth Touch News that the creature was most likely a fangtooth snake-eel, or Aplatophis chauliodus. Fangtooth snake-eels live in burrows 100 to 300 feet down in waters stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to French Guiana, "with only snout and eyes exposed, darting to feed on other fishes and crustaceans," according to FishBase, an online database for fish species. Other possibilities? Bathyuroconger vicinus or Xenomystax congroides. "All three of these species occur off Texas and have large fang-like teeth," Tighe told Earth Touch News. "Too bad you can't clearly see the tip of the tail. That would differentiate between the ophichthid and the congrids." Desai told BBC News that she left the dead eel alone to "let nature take its course." She wrote in a post Sept. 8 on Audubon's website that in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, she traveled to Houston to help document "the effects of the hurricane on birds and their habitats." "I joined Audubon Texas's Coastal Conservation program manager, Victoria Vazquez, and coastal warden, Dennis Jones, to visit some of the rookery islands off the coast of Galveston and assess the damage," she wrote. "They wanted to take a look at things like how much land had been lost and how much plant cover was missing due to being uprooted or washed away. Changes like these could affect the number of species that will be able to nest on the habitat in the future." "Audubon Texas and partner organizations like Houston Audubon collectively own or lease more than 170 coastal islands, some of which appear and disappear as currents shift and waves wash over them. These islands, even when they're no more than sandbars, are supremely important for many colonial water birds - birds that gather in groups - as they nest and breed during the spring and summer months. Visit at the right time and you'll find American Oystercatchers, Brown Pelicans, Least Terns, and more. (But be careful - birds are especially vulnerable during nesting season and no visitors are allowed on the islands from February through August.) Brown Pelicans in particular were at risk of extinction in the 1970s, and although they've made a comeback since then, their nesting areas (and those of many other species) are now in trouble due to rising sea levels and stronger storms caused by climate change. So it was a positive that most of the chicks had fledged by the time Harvey hit." Still, people on social media were more interested in - and spooked by - the sea creature she stumbled upon while she was there. Former President Barack Obama explains some of the renderings of the Obama Presidential Center. Former President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama visited the South Shore Cultural Center Wednesday May 3, 2017 to host a community event on the center. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) A group of South Side activists and residents who live near the site of the planned Obama Presidential Center will camp out ahead of the Obama Foundation's first public meeting Thursday so they can be first in line. They hope their 24-hour demonstration draws attention to their push for a community benefits agreement guaranteeing that local neighborhoods will benefit from the facility. Advertisement The group, made up of about 20 people who live in Woodlawn, South Shore and Washington Park, plan to sleep outside the Hyatt Regency at McCormick Place on Wednesday night, an organizer said. "Our purpose is to make sure we are the first ones in the meeting, the first ones through the doors to ask the question: 'Why the reluctance to a community benefits agreement?'" said Jawanza Malone, head of the Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization. "Given the scale of this development, the president's history and legacy, and what they say they want to do, we don't understand the reluctance to a CBA. Advertisement "We don't want to wade through a number of people to get our questions answered. We want to be first in the room to be heard," he said. For months, a collective of activist organizations has been pushing for a signed legal contract that would guarantee long-term, well-paying jobs to residents who live closest to where the center will be located. They want to make sure residents with felony records, seniors and youth will have access to full-time work and they want the center to develop ways to preserve affordable housing so that renters and low-income residents won't be displaced. Community benefits agreements were used to ensure residents who lived near the site of the Staples Center in Los Angeles had first dibs on jobs and that developers would invest in the neighboring community. But officials with the foundation have said it's not the right tool in this case, without much explanation publicly. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 38 A view of the proposed Obama Presidential Center campus from the southwest shows the Museum Building, Forum Building and Library Building surrounding a public plaza in Chicago's Jackson Park. (Obama Foundation) The activists' demand to have a legal contract highlights the historic distrust many residents have with large firms, the city and University of Chicago to keep their promises to under-resourced communities. It also speaks to how desperate activist groups are to have local schools, housing, transportation systems and parks improved while also preventing residents from being gentrified out of the region. "We're not trying to be jerks about it but there is a disconnect between the people making the decisions and the people who have to live (with them)," Malone said. "We are looking at plans for all of this development, but there are questions about where the money is coming from? Who is going to do the work will they rely on the usual suspects that don't hire or empower black laborers? The details have to be worked out at a negotiation table. Leaving it to happen behind closed doors doesn't work." While officials with the foundation dismiss a legal contract, they say they share the residents' concerns. In hiring a firm to manage the construction of the facility, the foundation has said it is looking only at companies that have a proven record of a diverse workforce and ones that have a strategy for employing residents that live nearby. Advertisement And when the doors open Thursday night, officials expect to not only talk about their plans, but learn what the community needs, said Michael Strautmanis, vice president for civic engagement with the foundation. "We welcome their participation," Strautmanis said of the activist groups. "I've talked with their leadership individually and collectively and I'll continue to because President (Barack) Obama wants us to seek a wide range of views throughout this process. And because they have helpful ideas on how to positively impact this community." For weeks, top administrators with the Obama Foundation have been hosting small, private meetings with community stakeholders about the development of the campus, which is estimated to cost $300 million to $350 million to build. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > At Thursday's open house, the foundation's top brass will be on hand to greet the public and discuss not only what the center will look like, but the programming it will offer. Besides Strautmanis, Foundation CEO David Simas will be there along with the center's celebrated director, Louise Bernard; lead architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien; and lead landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh. No new designs are expected to be unveiled, foundation officials said. In a video message to the public on Wednesday, Obama said he wants the center to empower activists and help develop young people to do the grass-roots work it takes to change communities. Advertisement Strautmanis echoed that message. "The entire reason why president and Mrs. (Michelle) Obama decided to place this center in Jackson Park was to have a positive impact on this community and this city," he said. "Anyone who has and shares those values and ideas on how to do that we welcome their input." lbowean@chicagotribune.com Twitter @lollybowean Hillary Clinton's new memoir of her failed presidential campaign is titled "What Happened." A better title would be "What Happened?" because Clinton apparently has no idea. Clinton has blamed her loss on an ever-changing cast of characters Russia, WikiLeaks, James Comey and Bernie Sanders. Now she has put the blame on a new scapegoat: millions of bigoted white nationalists. Clinton told Jane Pauley of CBS News' "Sunday Morning" that Donald Trump won because he "was quite successful in referencing a nostalgia that would give hope, comfort, settle grievances, for millions of people who were upset about gains that were made by others," Clinton said. When Pauley asked, "What you're saying is millions of white people?" Clinton replied, "Millions of white people, yeah. Millions of white people." In an interview with NPR on Tuesday, Clinton was even more explicit. Trump's message, she said, was "discriminatory, it was bigoted, it was prejudiced. And yet it fed into part of the electorate that just wanted to have a primal scream. They didn't like what was going on. ... They really responded to his racial and ethnic and sexist appeals." So Clinton believes she lost Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and the presidency because of the bigotry of middle America. One problem with her analysis: Millions of those white people who voted for Donald Trump also proudly voted for Barack Obama. There are nearly 700 counties in the United States that voted twice for Barack Obama, one-third of which flipped to Trump in 2016. According to Nate Cohn of The New York Times, "almost one in four of President Obama's 2012 white working-class supporters defected from the Democrats in 2016, either supporting Mr. Trump or voting for a third-party candidate." Are all those Trump-Obama voters bigots? Millions of once reliably Democratic voters pulled the lever for the first black president, yet they were suddenly whipped up into a racist furor by Trump's "racial and ethnic and sexist appeals"? Give me a break. As Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg has pointed out, many of these working-class Obama-Trump voters were not even white. "The Democrats don't have a 'white working-class problem,' " Greenberg wrote recently in the American Prospect. "They have a 'working-class problem' ... Democrats have lost support with all working-class voters across the electorate, including the Rising American Electorate of minorities, unmarried women, and millennials." Why did so many Obama voters defect to Trump? It wasn't race or immigration. According to a survey by the liberal super PAC Priorities USA Action, the top seven priorities were (1) protecting Social Security and Medicare; (2) creating good-paying jobs for American workers; (3) making sure Americans have access to affordable insurance; (4) cleaning up corruption in government; (5) cracking down on outsourcing; (6) making sure the wealthy pay their fair share in taxes and (7) keeping Wall Street in check. That is hardly a white nationalist agenda. Another reason these Obama voters defected to Trump is that they kept hearing from Clinton and the Democrats how great the economy was doing. Yet, according to Priorities USA Action, "50 percent of Obama-Trump voters said their incomes are falling behind the cost of living, and another 31 percent said their incomes are merely keeping pace with the cost of living." When Clinton touted Obama's economic progress, she seemed hopelessly out of touch. Clinton still can't seem to tell the difference between a white nationalist and working-class voters who are upset because their family incomes are stagnant or falling, they feel shut out of the labor force, and their communities are mired in substance abuse and despair. These "forgotten Americans" had legitimate grievances that Democrats ignored. That sent a message to working-class voters that Democrats are not focused on fighting for them. So they defected. Add to this Clinton's inability to connect with her party's liberal base (the so-called drop-off voters who turned out for Obama but failed to show up for her) plus the Clinton Foundation and her repeated lies about her personal server, which led large majorities of Americans to conclude that she was dishonest and corrupt and you had the toxic brew that produced her electoral defeat. Clinton says she is done with electoral politics, so it really does not matter if she understands "what happened." But there is little sign that Democrats today understand, much less are doing what is necessary to win back these working-class voters in the heartland. Instead, they have declared themselves "The Resistance" further alienating these voters who put Trump in office, while hoping that they can turn out their liberal base in the next election. That's precisely the strategy that failed in 2016. We'll see if doubling down on failure works in 2020. Former Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli exits the U.S. Federal courthouse during his trial on August 3, 2017, in New York. A judge revoked the former pharmaceutical executive's bail on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, ordering him jailed immediately. (Van Tine Dennis / TNS) For Martin Shkreli, the acts of ridiculing and trolling weren't just a solitary hobby. They were a performance, for the benefit of his small army of online fans, who loved watching their favorite internet supervillain get away with it. This time it cost him. Advertisement The former drug executive has taunted prosecutors, mocked members of Congress and harassed journalists who have covered him. He first gained notoriety in 2015 for hiking by 5,000 percent the price of a vital AIDS medication that his pharmaceutical company manufactured, earning the nickname "big pharma bro." Advertisement He became reviled for the very same behaviors his superfans cheer on: for his cocksure displays of immaturity and indifference, and for exuding the impression that he was somehow, always, above reproach. But on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto in New York ordered Shkreli sent to jail, having deemed him a danger to the community after he offered Facebook followers $5,000 for a strand of hair from former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Shkreli, who faces up to 20 years in prison for defrauding investors, was free on $5 million bail following his conviction in August. He apologized, saying that he did not expect anyone to take his online comments seriously. In his defense, Shkreli's legal team used a version of the same refrain he's always used to explain his behavior online: that he wasn't really serious. Essentially, he's invoking Poe's Law, the old internet rule that has to do with the impossibility of proving whether an extreme statement online is earnest or ironic, unless you truly know the author's intent. In recent years, a version of this old rule has become the go-to defense for abusive or offensive online behavior: the claim that it was all just a joke, one that the victim is failing to appreciate. But Matsumoto wasn't buying it. Shkreli has a habit of livestreaming to his fans after major events in his trial. A day after posting bail following his initial arrest in December 2015, Shkreli spent hours livestreaming, alone, in his apartment. At one point, showing a full view of his computer screen to his viewers, he began to browse the OKCupid dating site, streaming to hundreds of strangers the photos, profiles and messages he could see. He did it again in August, after he was convicted. While streaming to his fans that day, Shkreli invited a journalist into his apartment who, unbeknownst to her, conducted an interview on camera. When Shkreli failed to secure the anti-media "gotcha" moment his fans were anticipating, the commenters in his livestreamed chat room resorted to making disparaging comments about the reporter's appearance. Advertisement When Shkreli isn't streaming himself commenting on the legal proceedings against him, he streams investment seminars to his fans. Mocking prosecutors Shkreli's outspoken nature has led to a clash with Matsumoto before. During his trial for securities fraud this summer, the millionaire called prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn the "junior varsity" to Manhattan prosecutors in front of a room of reporters. At the time, the judge said he was shocked by the comments. "Any juror could have heard them." And he ordered him to stop speaking to the media. Shkreli apologized, but after the verdict he returned to social media. Badgering Congress Shkreli responded to a call to testify before a congressional committee in February of this year with his practiced persona. Before the hearing, he promised to "school Congress." "I would love to talk to Congress," he said, according to Bloomberg News. "I would berate them. I would insult them." It was classic Shkreli, The Washington Post's Amber Phillips wrote: "bold, unapologetic, brash, arrogant." Advertisement At the hearing on prescription drug price-gouging, the disgraced former drug executive suddenly and uncharacteristically shut his mouth, pleading the Fifth Amendment with a smirk. But he was back at it after he was dismissed. "Hard to accept that these imbeciles represent the people in our government," Shkreli tweeted. Attacking journalists Shkreli has attacked the journalists who criticize him with a barrage of trolling tactics. One of them: buying the domains associated with the names of reporters he doesn't like, and posting disparaging messages about them on the page, Business Insider recently reported. He eventually offers to sell those domains for an exorbitant price. On June 27, he tweeted "Selling www.emilysaul.com and www.megtirrell.com to raise money for my debut album: 'God's Gift: The Album.'. I bought these domains for $12 you can have them for $12,000." He's displayed a particular determination to harass journalists who are women. Advertisement In January, Shkreli was suspended from Twitter for the "targeted harassment" of Teen Vogue writer Lauren Duca. After repeatedly sending Duca unwelcome messages and tweets, he changed the background image of his own Twitter page to a photoshopped image of him and Duca embracing. The photo was originally a personal photo; Shkreli had photoshopped his own face onto the head of Duca's boyfriend. en off Twitter, this behavior has continued. He has mentioned her on his Facebook page repeatedly since the verdict. The Washington Post Abby Ohlheiser is a general assignment reporter for The Washington Post. Andrew deGrandpre is a staff writer at the Post. They are routinely yelled at, spat at, pummeled, kicked, scratched and even stabbed by the people they're trying to save. In many states, being a nurse is more dangerous than being a police officer or a prison guard. It's a profession with a stunning amount of violence. Advertisement The video of Utah nurse Alex Wubbels getting roughed up by a Salt Lake City detective that recently went viral shocked America. But nurses everywhere are like oh, that's just Monday. Advertisement The head nurse at the University of Utah Hospital's burn unit was arrested July 26 after she correctly told a Salt Lake City police detective he wasn't allowed to draw blood from a patient. "It's very rough out there," Maryland nurse Joanne Ogaitis told a panel of Occupational Safety and Health Administration representatives this year when she testified about the daily verbal assaults and monthly physical assaults she and her colleagues endure. The part of the Alex Wubbels video that worried most of America, of course, was the police abuse of authority and overreach. But what may have been lost in that outrage was that this level of violence not by police, but by patients is business as usual for nurses. Just last week, a nurse in Arkansas was pushed down a flight of stairs by a man arguing with medical staffers. In June, emergency room nurse Elise Wilson was stabbed multiple times by a patient in her Southbridge, Mass., hospital because the patient was unhappy with his medical care. And in Illinois this past May, two nurses in Geneva were taken hostage while caring for an inmate. One of the nurses was beaten and sexually assaulted at gunpoint during the standoff. And those are just the cases that make news. Nurse assaults occur at most hospitals and clinics every month. Advertisement It's easy to think crime scenes and battlefields when we talk about violent occupations, but the rates of workplace violence in health care and social assistance settings are five to 12 times higher than the estimated rates for workers overall, according to a Government Accountability Office report from last year. After a spate of workplace violence a year ago that included a patient in South Carolina who attacked 14 nurses, the American Nurses Association issued a zero-tolerance policy on workplace violence. "Health care professionals have a duty to provide care that keeps people safe, alleviates suffering and restores health," wrote Pam Cipriano, president of the nurses association, which is based in Maryland. "But when health care workers fear the threat of personal harm from attack and injury, their focus on the patient is undermined and so is the U.S. health care system." And that's not even the part that makes nursing one of America's most dangerous occupations. Damage to their own bodies from lifting and moving patients leaves nurses with more injuries than construction workers. When it comes to attacks, more than 75 percent of the nurses questioned in a recent survey said they had been abused physically and verbally, by patients, those trying to get to patients or family members on the job. Our society honors and celebrates the sacrifices of officers and warriors, but nurses are still fighting for protection, standards and recognition. Advertisement Not surprising, in a profession that's 93 percent female. A lot of states are making it a felony to assault a nurse, Cipriano said. This is after years of lobbying for better safety measures and protections by folks such as Cipriano. In Massachusetts, Elise's Law, named for the nurse who was attacked in June, is already on the fast track to set state standards for workplace protection. Legislators were working on this months before Wilson was stabbed. Nurses in Massachusetts were attacked more frequently than police or prison guards. When association members testified about the violence epidemic this spring, they said nurses had been threatened with scissors, pencils or pens, knives, guns, medical equipment and furniture in the past two years alone, according to the Massachusetts Nurses Association. There are at least 26 states with workplace safety standards for health care facilities approved by OSHA, according to the organization. Advertisement But there are no broad, federal standards. A nationwide health care workplace safety law isn't necessarily a goal, Cipriano said. But continued state-by-state efforts are achieving change. They're asking for things such as better lighting, escape routes and furniture that's bolted down, so it can't be thrown around. (Yes, it's that bad.) Nurses also want a cultural shift in how their job is viewed. The female-dominated field is rarely seen as dangerous or heroic. Angels, yes, they're called angels. But nurses are warriors too. "There has been an erosion of respect," Cipriano said. She's seen a steady increase over the years in the abuse nurses take. And often, because they're in these high-stress situations, because their ethos is all about a patient's comfort and safety, they simply take it. "We have to dispel that notion," Cipriano said, "that being assaulted is just 'part of the job.' It is not." Advertisement When Alex Wubbels screamed "you're assaulting me" as she was being forced into a police car in Utah on that video, she was also speaking for thousands of other nurses too. It's time to listen. The Washington Post Petula Dvorak is a Washington Post columnist. Twitter @petulad A boisterous rally outside the Thompson Center took aim at Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and her push for a Cook County soda pop tax. Preckwinkle countered at a more sedate news conference at Provident Hospital. (Lou Foglia / Chicago Tribune) (Lou Foglia / Chicago Tribune) With both sides steadfast yet lacking the votes to prevail, Cook County Board members on Wednesday kicked to next month a decision on whether to repeal the unpopular soda tax. The board is expected to take action at its Oct. 11 meeting. In other words, soda tax opponents: You've got four weeks to keep up the pressure. Don't let up. Kill this arbitrary, unnecessary, expensive tax. Advertisement The penny-an-ounce soda tax that kicked in Aug. 2 spawned deep and bitter backlash among Cook County shoppers. In addition to a lawsuit filed by a retailers association, County Board members who voted for the tax in November 2016 have been inundated with complaints and threatened with ouster in next year's elections. Polls show that threat is real. "The only way to repeal the tax is to replace the commissioners," Chicago activist Andre Smith said during three hours of public testimony Wednesday. Advertisement Smith said he intends to run for the West Side-based 2nd District seat, challenging new Cook County Board member Dennis Deer, who joined the board in July. Deer is one of two commissioners who are particularly vulnerable on this issue. The other is Edward Moody, who represents south Cook County, which gets pounded by competition from Indiana. Moody voted in favor of the tax last year but is facing intense pressure to flip his vote. Hear that, tax opponents? Deer and Moody. Oh and a third commissioner who helped install the tax, Luis Arroyo Jr., may be more vulnerable than he realizes. Give them a call, why don't you? Call them all. Light up their phones. Board President Toni Preckwinkle has ceded no ground, despite polls showing that the tax is deeply unpopular. So far, millions of dollars in television ads financed by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg have not convinced Cook County residents that the tax is necessary. A We Ask America poll conducted in early September showed that 88 percent weren't buying Preckwinkle's claims that the tax was motivated by health concerns, and 85 percent want it repealed. In an earlier poll, 83 percent said the soda tax would influence their vote next year, when Preckwinkle's and all board seats are up for election. The backlash from constituents has not stopped Preckwinkle from doubling down. At a news conference Wednesday, she said she would be forced to fire county workers including doctors, nurses, public defenders and corrections officers if the tax, expected to generate roughly $200 million annually, is repealed. "A vote to repeal is a vote to fire frontline health care workers," she said. Her threats, naturally, brought out unionized county workers to advocate in favor of the tax. Some of them wore T-shirts that read, "Support Healthy Kids." Because, you know, it's for the children. Advertisement At least one member of the American Federation of State, Municipal and County Employees, however, testified that the tax needed to remain in place to protect union jobs. What was that about the kids again? Commissioner Richard Boykin and other opponents believe there are ways to eliminate the soda tax and maintain the same level of county services within the existing budget. In July, Boykin recommended streamlining county purchasing, reducing litigation and overtime costs, instituting a countywide hiring freeze and cutting 1,500 positions that are funded but vacant. Preckwinkle said she doubts his changes would be enough to fill the budget hole and if he thinks otherwise, "Prove it up. I don't think he can." Full stop right there. Preckwinkle is playing an old Cook County game: Pretend that every single dollar, every single job slot, every single expenditure, absolutely has to be in a proposed annual budget. And pretend that raising more revenue is the right answer. So she's challenging opponents of the tax to show how Cook County can live without it? Advertisement Make it work, opponents. And voters, let's insist. You have four weeks. Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. Is there a more painful game of "what if?" that Americans could play than to wonder what the 1960s, and today, would look like if the United States had avoided military catastrophe in Vietnam? The pivotal moment may have been in early 1965, when President Lyndon Johnson realized he was trapped in the early days of an escalating war the United States probably couldn't win. He knew the intensifying conflict would distract him from his prized agenda of creating "the Great Society" at home. But he also felt he had no choice but to proceed, because he'd won election in 1964 to a full term as president by promising to lick the North. "I feel like a jackass caught in a Texas hailstorm. I can't run, I can't hide and I can't make it stop," he's quoted as saying in Ken Burns' gripping new documentary series, "The Vietnam War." Advertisement Oh, the power of hindsight, and the tragedy of hubris. Both are powerfully demonstrated in the 10-part, 18-hour PBS documentary series that begins airing at 7 p.m. Sunday on WTTW-Ch. 11 in Chicago. Burns, co-director Lynn Novick and their team worked for 10 years to tell the story, interviewing dozens of witnesses, including combatants on both sides. It was worth the effort. One of the most important points the series makes is that Johnson clearly understood the risk of beginning a major bombing campaign in the North and committing U.S. ground troops to the conflict. If only he'd listened to his own taped telephone conversations, which Burns uses to strong effect. Ever eavesdrop on someone making a terrible decision? That's what watching "The Vietnam War" feels like. The background: In late 1964, the documentary explains, North Vietnam pulled off its first stunning battlefield victory of the war, sending Viet Cong troops deep into the South to Binh Gia, where they annihilated several companies of South Vietnamese army rangers, killing 200. Five American military advisers died. Soon after, the North Vietnamese blew up a hotel occupied by American military personnel, killing 23. If the Viet Cong troops could penetrate so deeply into the South, this said something important about the war's trajectory. Advertisement Johnson knew. In March 1965, he shared his concerns in a phone call with Sen. Richard Russell of Georgia, who told the president there appeared to be "no way out" of Vietnam. Johnson responded: "A man can fight if he can see daylight down the road somewhere, but there ain't no daylight in Vietnam, there's not a bit." Yet Johnson chose to fight, unleashing Operation Rolling Thunder, a sustained bombing campaign, and ordering the first U.S. ground troops into the conflict. The war would last 10 more years. In all, more than 58,000 Americans would die, and several million Vietnamese. Burns, who with Novick recently visited the Tribune Editorial Board, said the purpose of their documentary wasn't to pass judgment or play the "What if?" parlor game, but to put the passage of time to his advantage as a documentary-maker. After 40 years, the consequences are better understood, and once-hidden details have been uncovered and studied. Also, with the U.S. and Vietnam now friendly, the filmmakers could interview some of the victors former Vietnamese soldiers who seemed comfortable telling their stories. Many Americans also participated. The Vietnam era was polarizing and it was agonizing, spawning political upheaval and a cultural revolution in the U.S. Burns believes the war unleashed an era of partisanship the nation reckons with today. In all, the Vietnam War provides enduring lessons, but also puzzles. How is it that four decades after the morass of Vietnam, America is 16 years into another long-running, problematic war, this one in Afghanistan? What does that say about the significance of studying history? "War is revealing" and "human nature doesn't change" are how Burns answers those questions. "Human nature superimposes itself on the seemingly random chaos of events that take place. By having historical awareness, you can probably have a better perspective on the moment." For that reason among others, "Vietnam" is worth watching. President Donald Trump maintained Thursday his controversial position that people on both sides of the deadly Charlottesville clashes were at fault, one day after meeting with the lone African-American Senate Republican who publicly condemned him over it. Asked about the meeting with South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, the President told reporters on Air Force One that many people have said he had a point when he remarked that there was "blame on both sides." "We had a great talk yesterday," Trump said of his meeting with Scott. "I think especially in light of the advent of Antifa, if you look at what's going on there. You have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also, and essentially that's what I said. Now, because of what's happened since then with Antifa you look at really what's happened since Charlottesville, a lot of people are saying and people have actually written, 'Gee, Trump might have a point.' I said, 'You've got some very bad people on the other side also,' which is true." Scott, the first African-American elected to the Senate from the South since Reconstruction, expressed disgust with Trump's comment in the immediate aftermath of the violence that killed one woman, saying he had compromised his "moral authority." But when asked about the President's version of the meeting, Scott said "it's who he has been." "I didn't go in there to change who he was," Scott said Thursday on Capitol Hill. "I wanted to inform and educate a different perspective. I think we accomplished that and to assume that immediately thereafter he's going to have an epiphany is just unrealistic." In a statement issued Thursday after the President spoke, Scott's office said the senator was "very, very clear about the brutal history surrounding the white supremacist movement and their horrific treatment of black and other minority groups" during his meeting with the President. "Rome wasn't built in a day, and to expect the President's rhetoric to change based on one 30-minute conversation is unrealistic," the statement read. "Antifa is bad and should be condemned, yes, but the KKK has been killing and tormenting black Americans for centuries. There is no realistic comparison. Period." White House press secretary Sarah Sanders was asked if Scott had expressed his "displeasure" with the President's initial response to Charlottesville during their Oval Office meeting. Sanders said, "Not at all." However, Scott told reporters after the meeting Wednesday that he had been "pleasantly surprised" that Trump spent time listening and thinking about "what might have been a better frame for his comments." "He certainly tried to convey what he was attempting to say," Scott said. "He was trying to convey that there was an antagonist on the other side." "My response was that, while that's true ... the real picture has nothing to do with who is on the other side. It has to do with the affirmation of hate groups who over three centuries of this country's history have made it their mission to create upheaval in minority communities as their reason for existence," Scott said Wednesday. "I shared my thoughts of the last three centuries of challenges from white supremacists, white nationalists, KKK, Nazis. So there's no way to find an equilibrium when you have three centuries of history versus the situation that is occurring today," he added. CNN's Phil Mattingly contributed to this report. As a Chicago Public Schools parent, I am writing to say I share the optimism of the parents and principals quoted in your Sept. 5 back-to-school story. Come January, Illinois parents will have the chance to apply for tax credits when they donate to scholarship funds for private schools. But I won't be one of those parents. I actually moved my three children from a private school to CPS because the private school was not willing to accommodate their needs. Advertisement Private schooling just didn't fit for any of my kids. I have two children with ADHD, and the private school did not provide additional services. It didn't fight for either my son or my daughter. During the process, a lot of their rights as students were violated. The school wanted my children to conform to school social norms instead of accommodating their needs. In our experience, the private school was only good for teaching discipline, respect and structure, nothing else. It was a waste of money, and the staff and faculty really didn't care about any of my kids' needs. My son was in private school for two years. His condition only got worse, and he wasn't learning anything. Advertisement When we made the change, CPS fought for my son to get the services he needed. In six weeks, he had an individualized education program. My son is in a special-education classroom, not for academics but for behavior and for support because he struggles to pay continuous attention in class. I appreciate that what a special education classroom looks like is very different now from what it was back when I was a student in the district. His classroom is more inclusive. Instructors engage the students in regular classroom settings so that the special-needs children don't lose social skills and can learn to manage in a larger classroom setting. My son now has a teacher who understands his needs and works with him on his level. As a parent, that's new and refreshing to see. La'Kendreia Gibson-Webster, Chicago Riot Fest might be taking over town for the weekend, but there's still plenty to do, and most of these activities are a whole lot quieter than the riotous fest. Festival favorite at Music Box Advertisement "Columbus" has been one of the darlings of the film festival circuit this year, and it's also been playing at Music Box Theatre for the last week. If you want to see it, Thursday is your last chance, with shows at 2 p.m., 4:15 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. The critically acclaimed drama hits close to home, literally, telling the story of a man who leaves Korea for a return to his Midwestern home in Columbus, Ind., to see his hospitalized, dying father and winds up connecting with a local woman over his dad's death and her dreams. Tickets: $11 at musicboxtheatre.com. Retro rummaging, all about Chicago Advertisement If you've been looking for the perfect vintage piece of Chicago paraphernalia for your apartment, look no further. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Vintage Garage Chicago (5051 N. Broadway) will host its first fall edition of Retro Chicago, featuring a wide variety of authentic vintage Chicago items, everything from old Bears and Blackhawks swag to Bozo the Clown gear. You should be able to find all the unique Chicago looks you need. $5 admission. vintagegaragechicago.com Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > Fashion show from creator of Chano's overalls Let's be honest: we've all noticed the overalls Chance the Rapper has been rocking occasionally, and we're all jealous. It's OK to admit it. Where did he get them? In true Chano fashion, the overalls came from another local, fashion designer Sheila Rashid, whose unisex brand includes the Rapper's chic overalls. This weekend, you can see Rashid launch her full "Made and Delivered" collectionoveralls includedat a fashion show 7 p.m. Friday at The Annex (1620 W. Chicago Ave.). The free show includes sounds spun by Chante' Linwood, and champagne will be served. RSVP at sheilarashid.com. Art on Pier-ade EXPO Chicago, the city's annual international art exhibition, returns to Navy Pier (600 E. Grand Ave.) for another four-day stay from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and until 6 p.m. Sunday. The event features daily events from film screenings to book signings to speakers, and guided tours are also available at an additional cost. The multifaceted show offers a myriad of things to do, and daily tickets start at $20, so art lovers don't have to spend big to enjoy what the show has to offer. Tickets: expochicago.com. Pizza god Chef Gabriele Bonci is something of a singular savant when it comes to pizza. Italian Vogue dubbed him "the Michelangelo of pizza," which comes pretty close to capturing Bonci's stature when it comes to these pies. The Roman pizza maker recently blessed the West Loop with one of his signature pizzerias, and, at 6:30 p.m. Monday, he'll be at SoHo House (113 N. Green St.) for a pizza-making party. The pizza is on the house, but bring money for sides and drinks. RSVP to EDNChicago@sohohouse.com. @lucheezy | adlukach@redeyechicago.com [ Looking for more to do in Chicago? ] The Arlington Heights Design Commission recently granted developer CA Ventures preliminary approval to move forward with a proposed apartment complex, despite objections from residents who shared concerns during the meeting Sept. 12. (Karen Ann Cullotta/Pioneer Press ) An Arlington Heights commission recently granted developers preliminary approval to move forward with a proposed apartment complex, despite objections from residents who raised concerns about the building's size and its lack of compatibility with historic homes nearby. Developer CA Ventures returned to the design commission meeting Tuesday with revised designs that representatives with the firm have said reflected many changes requested by residents. Advertisement The developer has proposed building a new, five-story apartment building with 88 residential apartment units and 110 indoor parking spaces at 45 S. Chestnut Ave., which covers the south end of a vacant block on Sigwalt Street, between Chestnut and Highland avenues, just west of downtown Arlington Heights. But during the meeting, a group of residents living in the neighborhood adjacent to the proposed development shared their concerns about the project many of which were also echoed by commission members. Advertisement "I will approve this, however, I don't feel it meets the village's harmony and compatibility guidelines, specifically for the height and setbacks," said design commissioner Kirsten Kingsley. But Kingsley and her fellow commissioners all of whom voted in favor of approving the design of the proposed apartment building explained to residents in attendance that the design commission's role is to review a proposal's architectural design and not zoning ordinance variances, which also have been requested by CA Ventures. The Arlington Heights Plan Commission is set to discuss other issues related to the proposal during a meeting Sept. 27, officials said. While design commissioners considered tabling or voting against the proposed design until the architect could address some of the additional concerns about the building, developer Matt Katsaros with CA Ventures said any delay in the village process could jeopardize the project. "We are on a timeline, and if we take a step back and change the building with a re-design, we'll lose the building, and the deal will die," Katsaros said. Design commissioner Aaron Coon said he agreed with residents that the building's proposed height is not compatible with the nearby historic, single-family homes in the neighborhood. But he said he also thought the commission should move the proposal along the village's process. "I think attempts have been made, but more needs to be done," Coon said. "We're putting the cart before the horse, but my intention is not to hold this project up." Architect Mark Hopkins said the latest proposed design includes many changes requested by residents, including the replacement of metal siding with charcoal-colored brick, breaking up the flatness of the building by recessing some of the balconies and adding a cornice, as well as additional landscaping. Advertisement But many residents expressed concerns during the design commission meeting that the proposed building still is not the right fit for the single-family home neighborhood nearby. "I really believe we all want to see some kind of development," said resident Ileana Rodriguez. "But this building feels intractable. ... It doesn't connect to the neighborhood. And no amount of landscaping will make this building not feel jarring." kcullotta@tribpub.com Twitter @kcullotta Paul England pilots his boat through floodwaters in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey in Port Arthur, Texas, on Sept. 2, 2017. (Gerald Herbert / Associated Press) Only days after Hurricane Harvey swept through Texas, Salvation Army Aurora Corps Capt. Rich Forney was on his way to Beaumont, Texas. First flying to Bentonville, Arkansas, and then driving the rest of the way to Texas with a crew of volunteers, Forney was part of the Salvation Army's Emergency Disaster Services unit. Advertisement Chronicling his journey on Facebook, Forney recalled one elderly man and his wife had been surviving on sardines for several days before venturing out of their home and happening upon one of the Salvation Army's canteen units. In the first few days of recovery, Forney was part of a roving canteen unit designed to drive through two to three feet of water providing food and drinks to those affected by the hurricane. Advertisement In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, the Salvation Army's Disaster Relief program deployed 95 mobile feeding units that each can serve up to 1,500 meals per day. Throughout Texas, Salvation Army volunteers have served more than 400,000 meals and distributed over 6,000 food boxes, group officials said. Now the water has begun to recede "enough for people to get back into their homes to take a look. The families are back and beginning to tear everything out," he recently shared. "From baby cribs to children's toys to grandmother's China cabinet, everything has to go," Forney wrote on Facebook. "The despair is pretty high." However, as the people return to their homes in Texas and face the long process of rebuilding their lives, the Salvation Army isn't leaving Texas any time soon. Salvation Army Aurora Corps Capt. Rich Forney went to Texas to help victims of Hurricane Harvey. (Rich Forney) For the last several years, Forney and his wife, Capt. Linnea Forney, have been at the helm of the Salvation Army of Aurora. Remaining in Aurora, Linnea Forney said that financial donations are the fastest and most efficient way to help those in need. With three disasters two U.S. hurricanes and an earthquake in Mexico in a short time period the need for financial donations and volunteers is great, she said. When individuals donate to the Salvation Army, Forney said, "One hundred percent of the money donated is used to support specific relief efforts." Advertisement Clothing donations are appreciated, however, she added that it does take time to sort them, where a financial donation can have an immediate impact to purchase necessary items quickly. Last Saturday, 18 volunteers were trained at the organization's Emergency Disaster Training facility in Elk Grove Village. Another training session will take place this Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1000 Pratt Blvd., Elk Grove Village. All courses are free and open to the public. Once the course is completed, individuals will be added to the national volunteer database, Forney said. More information about additional disaster training classes can be found at https://disaster.salvationarmyusa.org/training/?classes&state=IL Cathy Janek is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News. While seven Aurora police officers have demanded a jury trial in their federal lawsuit against the city and former records manager, the defendants plan to ask a judge to dismiss the case, according to a new court filing. The City of Aurora and former records manager Jo Ann Osberg intend to file a motion to dismiss the lawsuit over the alleged disclosure of the officers' personal information to an imprisoned gang associate, according to a status report filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court. Advertisement The officers' investigation led to the incarceration of a violent felon associated with the upper levels of a street gang, who obtained their information from prison through a Freedom of Information Act request, according to the lawsuit. As the case progresses, records obtained by The Beacon-News show a state prison inmate convicted of attempted murder asked for information on officers whose work helped send him to prison, on the pretense of pursing a narrow type of appeal called "postconviction relief." Advertisement In a July complaint, lawyers for the officers labeled city employees' conduct "extreme and outrageous," stating the city wrongly released private, personal and protected information about the seven officers and investigators, including their names, home addresses, Social Security numbers, phone numbers and details about family members. The city and Osberg should have known that information would compromise the safety of the officers and their families, according to the lawsuit. The parties "engaged in some settlement discussions" before the officers filed suit, according to Tuesday's status report, which states initial disclosures and discovery are needed before they could reach any settlement. Both sides said they're open to continuing settlement talks in the future, which could include requesting a settlement conference before a magistrate judge. The current discovery plan includes an Oct. 18 deadline for initial disclosures. The report speculated that a trial would last about five days. Attorneys representing each party could not be reached Wednesday. Meredith Buckley and Seth Halpern, of Chicago-based law firm Malkinson & Halpern, filed the suit on behalf of John Munn, Darrell Moore, Marco Gomez, Armando Montemayor, Arturo Montemayor, Michael Nilles and Leonard Casamassimo, who are all officers or investigators with the Aurora Police Department, and their spouses and children. John Murphey and Amber Samuelson of Rosenthal, Murphey, Coblentz & Donahue are representing both the city and Osberg. In October 2015, the city mailed "largely unredacted" personnel files to the requester at the Menard Correctional Center, where he's serving an 88-year sentence, the lawsuit states. The officers weren't informed their information had been released until late 2016 "due to acts and omissions" by the city and Osberg, the lawsuit claims. Meanwhile, the man in prison could have shared the information with other people, including other gang members, the lawsuit states. The lawsuit claims the city has taken no timely or effective action to remedy the harm caused to all the officers and their families, who remain in a state of compromised safety and must contemplate home security systems, relocations, online identity protection, and changes to names, telephones, activities and daily lives. Advertisement Jesse Alvarez, an inmate at Menard, has made a habit of mailing FOIA requests to the city from prison. Kane County Circuit Judge Susan Clancy Boles sentenced Alvarez in March 2014 to 88 years in the state prison system for shooting and trying to kill a rival street gang member in 2009, The Beacon-News reported. In a handwritten request dated Sept. 16, 2015, Alvarez sought "any and all information" on Moore, Munn, Gomez, Casamassimo, and an officer not named in the lawsuit, stating he was doing an "investigation" on all officers, detectives, state's attorneys and judges pertaining to his case. The city's response to that records request states they redacted information including addresses and personal telephone numbers, dates of birth and persons who incidentally appeared in the report, and the identity and information provided by confidential sources. In July, city officials responded to questions about the lawsuit with an emailed statement. "The City realizes the seriousness of this matter for all families involved," according to the statement. "...it is important to note the release of information in this case was inadvertent, and the City took immediate corrective action by implementing extensive procedures and employee training to protect against inappropriate release of information in the future. The individual responsible is no longer employed with the City of Aurora." Advertisement Osberg was placed on paid administrative leave Dec. 12, according to records in her personnel file. Her severance date is March 31. Osberg, whose ending salary was $65,291, made $48,922 per year when she was hired as office manager for the police department's records division in June 2012 under former police chief Greg Thomas. hleone@tribpub.com Twitter @hannahmleone Stakeholders in Montana's medical marijuana industry brought forth concerns on Wednesday as department administrators gave updates on an ongoing rule-making process. The Revenue and Transportation Interim Committee of the Montana Legislature heard testimony on Senate Bill 333, which outlined new rules for the program and was passed earlier this year. While some new rules are already in practice, some larger changes passed by the Legislature are still being drawn up by regulators. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services has until the end of April to finalize rules on larger provisions like product tracking and testing. We are putting a lot of effort into getting this regulatory framework in place, said Brian Watson, quality assurance division administrator for the health department. He said that most rules should be ready for public review by the end of the year. Testing, tracking product Rules around medical marijuana testing and so-called seed-to-sale tracking will require the most regulatory planning, leaving some prospective and current business owners waiting to make investments. The state has already started issuing temporary licenses to testing laboratories. At Wednesday's committee meeting, two lab owners requested more clarity on what they will be testing for particularly heavy metals and pesticides, which require expensive equipment. The law calls for testing of pesticides, solvents, water levels and mold but leaves the door open for "other contaminants." Others raised concern about the extent to which medical marijuana providers could hire third-party businesses, and how that would relate to complete tracking of the product. Committee chair Rep. Tom Jacobson, D-Great Falls, and Sen. Jill Cohenour, D-East Helena, questioned whether an employee, as defined in the bill, included a third-party company. Jacobson said that during the legislative session, his impression was that seed-to-sale tracking would be an in-house process. This would be under one roof," he said. "Whoever is owning the dispensary would be growing it from seed to sale and then doing all the work for the concentrates. Watson said a third party could be considered an employee under the law, and an entity in that situation would then come under the health department's oversight. Kate Cholewa, a lobbyist for the Montana Cannabis Industry Association, said that much of the "wild west" industry in Montana prior to 2011 stemmed from third-party companies acting as employees. We are extremely sensitive to people trying to work around the laws to have subcontractors call themselves employees, she said. She was concerned that it left room for abuse of the system if medical marijuana products were being transferred, and potentially sold, between providers and third parties without adequate oversight. She added that cannabis tracking, set for April, should help avoid potential abuses. Taxing sales A representative of the Montana Department of Revenue also gave the committee and update on one part of the new program already in progress: tax collection on medical marijuana gross sales. Lee Baerlocher, administrator of the business and income taxes division, said that the department's transition largely involves educating providers on how to collect and pay the taxes. SB 333 set up a 4-percent tax on the gross sales, which providers needed to add to their books on July 1. The first quarterly returns are due Oct. 15. The tax will become 2 percent in July 2018. Baerlocher said that collection has been set up much like other taxes, except that they're anticipating a large amount of cash from medical marijuana providers. Marijuana businesses, both in the medical and recreational industries, have been cash-heavy operations. One reason is that some banks, which are federally regulated, have been uneasy about working with a business that deals in federally illegal substances. The environment is more friendly to marijuana businesses than it once was, Baerlocher said, but Montana providers still might bring in large amounts of bills. It's still unclear how much. We think we have a resolution on that," he said. "Ill let you know come October, but we anticipate that we will be busy on the cash side. As far as taxation in third-party transactions, Baerlocher said the medical marijuana tax applies only to providers who sell to registered patients. Income tax, however, would be assessed normally for a third-party business. A consulting role for one of East Aurora School District 131's interim superintendents has been put on hold, district officials said in a statement. Discussions about the role for Marion Hoyda, who submitted her resignation at the end of August, are paused "until analysis from the curriculum department and curriculum committee can better define district consulting needs," officials said in the statement Wednesday. Advertisement The plan had been for Hoyda to become a consultant after she steps down from her post Sept. 29. Hoyda previously consulted for the district on curriculum in 2013, and worked as a consultant shortly before she and Mark McDonald became interim superintendents in July 2016. School board members were looking to Steve Megazzini, director of human resources, to take on interim superintendent duties and to be promoted to an assistant superintendent. He would work with McDonald for the remainder of the year. Advertisement Board members had agreed last week to vote on the moves for Hoyda and Megazzini at a meeting set for Monday, and neither has been formally approved. Johnson said previously Hoyda's pay was likely to remain the same when she became a consultant. As interim superintendents, she and McDonald are paid $1,000 a day for days less than 10 hours and $1,200 for days that run longer. District spokesman Tom Jackson could not say whether any plans regarding Hoyda's proposed consulting pay had changed, but he said that would likely be addressed once the curriculum department analysis is complete. Jackson said the analysis would take "as long as it takes to define consulting needs," but speculated that would be "a short period of time." Board members discussed Hoyda's consulting role in executive session at a meeting Tuesday, according to the district statement. The district is continuing to look at options for leadership of the district for next school year. At the same meeting Tuesday, board members heard a presentation from Illinois Association of School Boards representatives on their superintendent search services. sfreishtat@tribpub.com Twitter @srfreish No one was hurt by the bullet fired by a Kane County sheriff's deputy during the struggle to apprehend a burglar inside a Big Rock Township home, officials said Wednesday. Ultimately, Marc Eberly, 32, of the 100 block of Walnut Street, Hinckley, was arrested and charged with residential burglary, a class 1 felony; two counts of attempted disarming of a peace officer, both class 2 felonies; and a single count of misdemeanor criminal damage to property. Advertisement At about 3 a.m. Wednesday, deputies went to the home on the 49W500 block of Hinckley Road after a 77-year-old woman called 911 and said someone had broken into her house and was currently inside. Two deputies got there and found that a rear door had been broken in, according to a news release from the sheriff's office. Advertisement The deputies were checking the interior of the home when Eberly physically confronted them, according to the news release. Eberly tried to disarm one of the deputies, then tried the other, according to the release. One of the deputies then fired a single shot in the man's direction, sheriff's officials said. The shooting did not injure anyone and the man was then taken into custody, officials said. Eberly is due for a Thursday morning bond hearing at the Kane County Judicial Center. The Yorkville City Council this week unanimously approved the annexation of property and plans for a Casey's General Store and gas station at the southwest corner of Route 34 and McHugh Road. Nearby residents had objected to the proposal, citing the potential impact the business would have on the area's traffic. Advertisement The Ankeny, Iowa-headquartered company requested the city annex two properties in an unincorporated area of Kendall County to allow them to construct a convenience store with a gas station. The project also required a rezoning request, special use authorization, sign variance authorization and final plat approval, according to the city. Advertisement Some residents of the Heartland subdivision suggested that Casey's find a better location or at least move an entrance proposed at Farmstead Drive and McHugh Road. "Safety is our primary concern," resident Ryan Phillips told aldermen. The Farmstead and McHugh intersection is located at the subdivision's north end. Phillips requested the city install speed bumps on McHugh. However, city officials said that is something it has not done in the past. City planners in documents acknowledged the concerns of residents over increased truck traffic on McHugh Road heading south towards Route 47. "After discussing with the petitioner, staff is also recommending that a condition to the special use will require the petitioner to post a sign at the egress point along McHugh Road that trucks are not allowed to turn right (south) down McHugh Road. Also, staff is considering posting 'no truck traffic' signs along that route in the future due to the weight limitations along that thoroughfare," according to the document. Alderman Joel Frieders said while he understands the concerns of nearby residents, local government "cannot be the gatekeeper of business." "...We are doing a good job by keeping truck traffic off of McHugh," Frieders said. Frieders said it is also not within the role of government to discourage business. He said when other businesses are proposed they garner similar complaints. Advertisement Alderman Seaver Tarulis said a positive outcome is that Casey's could bring in "some competition" and Yorkville could see lower gas prices. Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News. The Chicago-based gypsy jazz alt-folk group lePercolateur from left, Chris Siebold (guitar), Felipe Tobar (violin), Stacy McMichael (upright bass), Candace Washburn (vocals) and Jason Miller (guitar) will perform Saturday at Lockports Great Midwestern Ballyhoo, the finale to the fourth annual Summer Art Series. ( lePercolateur ) A gypsy-jazz alt-folk quintet without percussion playing Prince, Beyonce, Britney Spears or Freddie Mercury with a 1940s twist in downtown Lockport under a big-top tent, you say? Why not? Advertisement The Chicago group lePercolateur a name translating to coffeemaker in French that was chosen after members imbibed on a lot of coffee is among some two dozen music acts, cabaret and aerial artists and others performing Saturday at the Great Midwestern Ballyhoo, a 12-hour, steampunk-themed finale to the city's fourth annual Summer Art Series focused on originality. "We play our own original music and a few different takes on random pop songs in a 1940s style with modern harmonic language," said Stacy McMichael, who plays upright bass. "We play in the gypsy tradition of (French jazz guitarist/composer) Jean 'Django' Reinhardt, who started this style, and we've taken it from there. We don't sound like anyone else, kind of like our name we put a bunch of stuff together and see what percolates." Advertisement McMichael, who has a master's degree in music performance and teaches classes and gives lessons at the Romeoville campus of Joliet Junior College, is a Nebraska native who relocated to Chicago in 2001 when friends said the music scene here is hoppin'. LePercolateur formed 10 years ago and has played regularly at Chicago clubs, including the Green Mill, Andy's Jazz Club and Jazz Showcase, plus swing music fests. The debut album "Pop Manouche" was released in 2013 on the Chicago Sessions jazz record label. The band has monthly residencies at Winter's Jazz Club and Untitled Supper Club. The Lockport gig will be a rare suburban appearance for the band, which has an eclectic, vintage vibe that fits with the steampunk theme of the Ballyhoo. "To describe 'steampunk' I tell friends think of Will Smith in 'Wild Wild West.' It's a Victorian view of the future. We are in a style that is itself old and we reimagined it a bit," said McMichael, who may dress for the occasion. "It's really hard to play bass in a corset, but they look so good." Attendees may even pick up on some heavy metal influences from guitar player Jason Miller, a 1995 graduate of Sandburg High School in Orland Park who got into gypsy jazz through a friend at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he earned a bachelor's degree in music composition. "It challenged me as much as other music," said Miller, who just returned from Sweden, where he performed with another guitarist and a violinist at a music/film fest. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > "Even if you're not familiar with the music we are playing, it's easy to find something in it to enjoy and get your body moving," he said. "We do versions of music people can identify with, but in our own style and treatment. We're playing swing music that dips into Latin music and gypsy culture and mash that up with pop songs." Advertisement In addition to Miller and McMichael, lePercolateur features Chris Siebold on guitar, Felipe Tobar on violin and Candace Washburn on vocals. Guitarist Kevin Rush, who will be unable to join the band for the Lockport gig, is a longtime resident of Crestwood. Vickie Snow Jurkowski is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown. lePercolateur at the Great Midwestern Ballyhoo When: 3 p.m. Saturday, as part of the steampunk weekend finale from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Where: In downtown Lockport in the south Public Landing parking lot and near the Illinois State Museum near State Street and Eighth and Ninth streets Tickets: $40 for Big Top Music Fest including lePercolateur, Eli August, Mr. Automatic and Steam Powered Giraffe plus cabaret, aerial, fire and other performance artists, a costume contest and a vendors' market; $30 extra for photos with performers; $150 for evening gala at Embers Tap House, 933 State St. (21 and older). Information: www.lepercolateur.com; 815-838-0549; summerartseries.com; cityoflockport.net. Artist Marium Rana will host a workshop on The Art of Miniature Painting at McCord Gallery and Cultural Center. Her work also will be on exhibit at Moraine Valley Community College. ( Florida State University ) Marium Rana, 26, would like nothing better than to use her artwork to bring the two cultures she embodies to a greater understanding of each other. The American-born artist of Pakistani descent has already successfully blended the ancient Mughal artistic style with modern Pakistani street art to create miniature works of vibrant color and repetitive design. Advertisement But the task of bringing two cultures together in light of modern Western-Eastern conflicts may be a more difficult challenge. Nevertheless, Rana is passionate about taking it on, as an artist, a teacher and a Muslim-American woman. Advertisement "I feel that starting from a blank slate is much easier than correcting a misinterpretation of an area," Rana said. "That's one thing I kind of do with my artwork. I hope to create a landscape that is so unrealistic, from neither here nor there a place of positive connections." "The Art of Miniature Painting" workshop at McCord Gallery and Cultural Center, in Palos Park, will offer artists at all levels the opportunity to experience Rana's mission and practice her artistic technique. "We're going to be doing art in the same process as I do my artwork," Rana said. Workshop students will mix their own pigment with a variety of materials, including seashells. Transparent washes, black ink and marbling will be explored as the means to bring the color, texture and designs to life on print-making paper, which often mimics the feel of fabric. Students will use a "very fine brush" in place of "one hair of a squirrel's tail," Rana said, one of the adaptations she has made to achieve the look and feel of ancient techniques with available materials. The result will be a unique experience for each artist, she said. "This is an opportunity to learn a skill that is fading away," Rana said, an opportunity that is difficult for many artists to find in the United States. She said her personal experience while studying art at Florida State University where she received a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Studio Art in 2013 and a Masters in Art Education in 2014 was that there was very little study of Eastern art in American universities other than Japanese and Chinese art. Advertisement She received an undergraduate research grant to study Pakistani art at the National College of Arts, considered one of the best fine arts schools in Pakistan. She studied traditional Mughal miniature painting there with Professor Naheed Fakhar and came to appreciate Pakistani street art. Rana has since meshed the two artistic styles, honoring both traditions, she said. Because the personal narrative is so important to the artist, Rana said, "all skill levels are welcome" at the workshop. She said beginner artists "have a story that only they can tell, and they are best at telling their own narrative." Perhaps most important for the amateur artist is Rana's belief that "there's no way to do this wrong." Experienced artists will be able to explore materials that may be different from what they generally use and learn a technique they haven't previously explored. What is shared in the workshop seems equally important to Rana. Advertisement Beyond the process, the techniques and the artistic results may be to each artist but Rana said each artist's story will be "valuable to everyone in the room." Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > "The Art of Miniature Painting" workshop is a collaboration between McCord Gallery and Moraine Valley Community College's "MOSAICS: Muslim Voices in America," a program that "explores the breadth of American culture through the lens of Muslim artists living and practicing in the United States, with a focus on personal narrative." "A Place to Call Home," an exhibition of Rana's miniatures, will be at the Robert F. DeCaprio Art Gallery at Moraine Valley Community College, 9000 W. College Pkwy., Palos Hills from Sept. 25 to Oct. 28. Artist's reception from 12:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 25. Artist's talk at 1 p.m. Ginger Brashinger is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown. 'The Art of Miniature Painting' When: 12:30 to 3 p.m. Sept. 24 Where: Workshop will be at McCord Gallery and Cultural Center, 9602 West Creek Road, Palos Park; "A Place to Call Home," an exhibition of Marium Rana's miniatures, will be at the Robert F. DeCaprio Art Gallery at Moraine Valley Community College, 9000 W. College Pkwy, Palos Hills from Sept. 25 to Oct. 28. Artist's reception from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Sept. 25. Artist's talk at 1 p.m. Advertisement Cost: $35 for members and $45 for non-members. Etc.: Registration required at 708-671-0648. As the third day of his murder trial was about to begin, a Crest Hill man on Thursday pleaded guilty to killing his elderly neighbor and setting her house on fire, a spokesman for the Will County state's attorney's office said. Bruce Gempel, 53, pleaded guilty to murder in exchange for a 20-year prison term, according to state's attorney's office spokesman Charles Pelkie. Gempel also apologized to the family of his victim, 89-year-old Dorothy Dumyahn, according to court transcripts. Advertisement Prosecutors dropped other charges of arson and concealing a homicidal death as part of the plea. Gempel was eligible for up to 60 years in prison. Prosecutors said Gempel beat Dumyahn and stabbed her to death in November 2012. They claimed he had spent the night of Nov. 17 drinking and using drugs. He told his brother he was leaving to buy more beer, but when he returned he was pacing and saying "crazy things," Will County Assistant State's Attorney Elizabeth Domagalla told jurors Tuesday during opening arguments. Advertisement Gempel lived next door to Dumyahn in the 2300 block of Caton Farm Road. He and his brother often borrowed money and other items from the woman. The night before she died, Dumyahn's daughter urged her mother not to give any more money to Gempel, Domagalla said during Tuesday's opening arguments. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > An off-duty firefighter Tuesday testified that he noticed smoke coming from Dumyahn's home the morning of Nov. 18 and pulled her body from the home. When he flipped her over to begin CPR, the firefighter noticed her blood-soaked blouse, he said. In court, Gempel addressed Dumyahn's family and apologized, according to a court transcript. "I'm not trying to make excuses but I wasn't under the right state of mind," Gempel said, according to the transcript. "I have been fighting with alcohol and drugs for pretty much most of my life, and it's just not who I am." He added that even if jurors had found him innocent, he didn't think he could "live with it." "I'm really sorry," he said, according to the transcript. Pelkie said Dumyahn's family was aware of the plea agreement before Thursday's hearing. Alicia Fabbre is a freelance reporter. A customer at a Dolton auto parts store shot a suspect who opened fire during a robbery attempt Wednesday night, police said. Charges are pending against the suspect, who is in custody and in critical condition at a hospital, said Dolton Police Cmdr. Darryl Hope. No one else was injured. Advertisement Police have not released the name of the suspect, who was shot three times at Advance Auto Parts, 844 E. Sibley Blvd. They also are not identifying the customer. "I think he's a hero," Hope said. Advertisement The suspect entered the store at about 8:30 p.m., displayed a handgun and demanded money from two employees and one customer in the store, Hope said. When the employees started to run from the suspect, the suspect began shooting and tried to leave, he said. "As the subject fled the store, the good Samaritan, who had a concealed carry (permit), shot him," Hope said. Police said they recovered a handgun used in the shooting. Nick Swedberg is a freelance reporter at the Daily Southtown. A trio of south suburban state lawmakers has teamed up with Beggars Pizza for the month of September to collect supplies for Hurricane Harvey victims. State Reps. Will Davis, D-East Hazel Crest and Thaddeus Jones, D-Calumet City, and state Sen. Napoleon Harris III, D-Harvey, are asking residents to contribute to the Harvey relief effort by donating bottled water, diapers, soap, new toiletries and socks at the Beggars Pizza in Harvey, 369 E. 147th St. Advertisement The donation drive, which started last week, will continue through the end of September, Davis said. "There's a desire to be a part of the relief effort," he said. "You can never do enough in these situations." Advertisement The lawmakers have no particular donation goal in mind and it hasn't yet been determined how the donations will be transported to Texas for distribution to Harvey victims, Davis said. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > "We're just getting started," Davis said. " Harvey has done substantial damage in the Houston area particularly, and we just want to lend our help." Anyone wishing to donate items can drop them off from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, at the Beggars location in Harvey that Harris owns. "[Sen. Harris] was kind enough to offer his location as the drop-off point, which works well because our offices generally close at 4:30 or 5," Davis said. "This helps extend the hours during which donations can be made, so we see it as a plus." Other communities, schools and businesses in the south suburbs have also stepped up for Harvey relief. Orland Park, Sauk Village, Tinley Park and Calumet City, among other towns, have established collection sites to help Harvey victims; students at Southland College Prep Charter High School in Richton Park loaded bottles of water and wrote notes of encouragement as part of the school's relief efforts; and the city of Harvey has offered free housing for families displaced by the storm that bears its name. zkoeske@tribpub.com Twitter @ZakKoeske A large sign denotes last years Fall Festival in Homewood. This years event is Saturday in the villages downtown area. (Village of Homewood) Live music, a scarecrow-decorating competition, horse-drawn wagon rides, hands-on science experiments and an outdoor movie are among the free activities offered Saturday at the 16th annual Homewood Fall Festival. Sponsored by the village of Homewood, the festival just off the downtown runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Martin Avenue between Hickory Road and Ridge Road. Advertisement Kids activities include a pumpkin patch for pumpkin decorating, face painting and more. Homewood Mayor Rich Hofeld characterized Saturday's fest as having "something for everyone for all ages and music tastes," but acknowledged a general bias. Advertisement "It's my favorite event," Hofeld said, noting Fall Fest operates in conjunction with the annual Chili Cook-Off. "Every year I'm amazed at our creative chefs that enter the Chili Cook-Off contest and the talented artists that decorate the scarecrows." Homewood Fall Festival also features a variety of artisan vendors presenting home goods and vintage finds. Visitors will get a "taste of Homewood" from local food and beverage providers, including 5th Quarter and Press Room Eatery, Aurelio's Pizza, The Cottage on Dixie, Empanadus, Fratello's Cafe and Deli, Grady's Grill, La Voute Bistro & Bar, Redbird Cafe, Ridgewood Tap, TJ's Kettle Korn and Wiley's Grill. Visitors who feel a selfie just isn't capturing the experience can turn to local caricaturist and artist Ernest Posey, who will be available to sketch family and friends. Those willing to venture three blocks northeast to 18022 Dixie Highway from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. will find the Homewood Science Center's Ready, Set, Experiment! pop-up venture. Chemists from Dober, a chemical and technology company, will offer free hands-on experiences to everyone in the family. Experiments appropriate for all ages include making silly putty out of household ingredients, creating dramatic "elephant toothpaste" and piloting remote control airplanes. Registration is not required and people can participate for minutes or hours. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. visitors can view the popular hand-painted and decorated Pets on Parade public art initiative, which concludes at Homewood Fall Fest. Also at 11 a.m., judges will consider the decorating merits of scarecrows obtained from the Homewood Public Works Department. After Fall Fest, the scarecrows will be placed around the downtown area. The contest is hosted by the village along with the Homewood Beautification Committee. Advertisement Noon marks when the scarecrow judges announce the first-, second- and third-place winners and, separately, when the petting zoo opens. Pony rides will be available until 4 p.m. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > Also at noon, punk meets parenting when the world's most dangerous kids band, The Boogers, takes the stage for an hour. At 2 p.m. a panel of judges will begin sampling chili entries from spicy cooks competing for the title Homewood's Top Chef for both professional and amateur cooks. . Workout Music, established by Homewood-Flossmoor High alums, brings its brand of rock 'n' roll with dance 'n' soul from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Workout Music has released three albums. From 6 to 9 p.m. attendees can tour downtown Homewood on horse-drawn wagons. From 7 to 9 p.m., Chicago's own nine-piece band, The Hemispheres, closes the night with a mix of soul/Motown and R&B standards. Advertisement This year the musical computer-animated movie, "Sing," begins outdoors at dusk, which is expected to occur around 7:30 p.m. Dennis Sullivan is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown. A California man arrested after a manhunt in Sweet Grass County and suspected of having about five pounds of meth admitted federal charges on Wednesday in Billings. Ronald Andrew Smith, 35, of La Honda, California, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth. There was no plea agreement. Law enforcement arrested Smith after a Montana Highway Patrol trooper pulled a vehicle over on Feb. 19 near Big Timber; Smith and co-defendant Jairo Sebastian Vela-Diaz, also of California, were traveling in the car. The trooper suspected Smith was trafficking drugs and told him the vehicle would be impounded while he applied for a search warrant, said Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sullivan. Smith then rushed back to his vehicle, fought off two troopers who tried to stop him and drove away, Sullivan said. Smiths vehicle eventually got stuck in the snow and he ran away. Law enforcement officers followed footprints in the snow near his vehicle and found personal belongings and two plastic-wrapped packages containing about two pounds of meth, Sullivan said. Officers arrested Smith the next day. During an interview with law enforcement, Smith admitted he drove from California to deliver meth to a person in Montana. He also drew a map that led to the recovery of about 2.5 pounds of meth near his vehicle, Sullivan said. The search for Smith included a manhunt by Sweet Grass County Sheriffs officers and others. The search began that evening but was called off at about midnight. The search resumed in the morning with about 30 people from the sheriffs office, its search and rescue team, a reserve unit, a canine team from Park County and an MHP helicopter. Law enforcement got a cellphone number during the traffic stop and were able to track its location from a call made by the phone to a number in California. Sweet Grass County Sheriff Dan Tronrud said earlier that search teams found an abandoned cottage where the men had stayed overnight. By late afternoon, a rancher spotted the men emerging from a brush pile, and the men were arrested a short time later. On Monday, Watters dismissed charges against Vela-Diaz on the governments motion. The prosecution said it was unable to meet its burden to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Watters set Smiths sentencing for Jan. 24. Smith faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million fine. He remains in custody. A person was struck by an outbound Metra train Thursday afternoon near the 80th Avenue station in Tinley Park, a Metra spokeswoman said. The incident happened on the Rock Island line near 183rd Street at about 3:45 p.m., but no information was available Thursday afternoon regarding the condition of the person struck, according to Meg Reile, a Metra spokeswoman. Advertisement The train had left Chicago at 2:55 p.m. and was due to arrive in Joliet at 4:05 p.m., she said. Outbound trains were stopped while the investigation into the incident was taking place, but traffic on the inbound side resumed at about 4:30 p.m. Reile said. mnolan@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @mnolan_J Jeff Bezos can't leap tall buildings in a single bound. But Illinoisans are styling the Amazon CEO as a man from Krypton who with a little luck might find his spacecraft landing in our backyard. What's left unsaid is that Illinois' destiny lies in its own hands. It will not be determined by one business, one investment or one individual. But it's true that one of the globe's corporate crown jewels wants to build its second headquarters. And residents downplay the significance of that investment at their own risk. Advertisement Amazon has issued a call for proposals from cities across the country. And the criteria the company has laid out so far match pretty well with what Chicago has to offer. Major population center: check. Proximity to an international airport: check. Access to major highways and arterial roads: check. Access to mass transit: check. An enormous amount of office space at a decent price: check. Strong tech workforce: check. Advertisement Chicago is also a logistics hub fitting nicely with Amazon's core business and is home to a media ecosystem capable of handling the company's foray into film and television production. Amazon's plans to hire 50,000 workers at the new headquarters would single-handedly shift the city and state's economic landscape. The largest employer in the Chicago area the U.S. government reported more than 42,000 full-time local employees last year. Illinois' population loss between July 2015 and July 2016 was 37,500 people. That was the worst decline in the nation. In short, Amazon would bring a historic number of paychecks to a state with too few. And downstate Illinoisans would be unwise to think that won't impact their neck of the woods. The Amazon move has the potential to be a boon not just for Chicagoans, but for families from Crystal Lake to Kankakee to Carbondale. Payroll tax revenue alone could net the state hundreds of millions of dollars a year, even if one assumes sweeteners from Springfield. And serving as home to an innovation giant can have serious benefits down the line. Why not service the nation's largest fleet of self-driving trucks in Effingham? Who says Belleville can't be the drone capital of the Midwest? And could a south suburban Chicago airport discussed for years finally make fiscal sense to a private developer? An investment like Amazon's starts to make big dreams seem like real opportunities. Advertisement But there's a problem. And it points to a much deeper issue with how Illinois treats businesses. "A stable and business-friendly environment and tax structure will be high-priority considerations for the project," Amazon's request reads. Illinois' business climate is neither stable nor friendly. It's unstable and confiscatory, and it doesn't appear to be getting better. Illinois ranked No. 48 in the country for its lawsuit environment in a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform. "Chicago or Cook County" ranked as the worst local jurisdiction in the nation. And don't forget, lawmakers in July passed the largest permanent income tax hike in Illinois history. Notably, Bezos contributed $100,000 in 2010 to help defeat an initiative in Amazon's home state of Washington that would have created a state income tax. That doesn't mean Amazon won't take all the goodies it can get. Its request for proposals is clearly courting cities for massive incentives. But Illinois has already given millions in tax breaks to Amazon in connection with its distribution centers, which have popped up across the state. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > With so many small businesses struggling to get by, it's not fair to give special tax favors to ease the burden of a global behemoth. Advertisement Instead of throwing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of special subsidies and tax incentives to land one megadeal, structural reforms to how the state treats businesses large and small would go a long way toward creating opportunities for Illinoisans from the ground up headquarters or not. To compete for Amazon's new hub, Illinois is better off pursuing innovative, unique partnerships with the resources it already has at its disposal. Might the company bite at a long sought-after deal for the Thompson Center? In its place, Amazon could build a 21st century Sears tower fit for the new king of American retail. Policymakers should also work aggressively to develop a package of partnerships with local universities, leveraging private donations and endowments. Clearly, Illinois and Chicago have a lot to sweep under the rug should Amazon come knocking. But lawmakers should know this: Efforts to reform the state's business climate would be a win for residents regardless of whether the dot-com giant comes to town. Austin Berg, a writer for the Illinois Policy Institute, wrote this column for the Illinois News Network, a project of the Institute. Opponents of the Cook County soda tax wait for a vote to repeal the tax during Wednesday's board meeting. (Lou Foglia / Chicago Tribune) I realize there are no easy answers to the dilemma of Cook County's so-called "soda tax." Cook County Board commissioners heard more than two hours of testimony Wednesday from people on both sides of the issue. The board voted unanimously for its finance committee to consider a proposal to repeal the tax next month. Advertisement Commissioners heard from tax supporters including medical professionals, child welfare advocates and county employees particularly in health and public safety. Public defenders and other county workers said revenue from the sweetened beverage tax is needed to fund essential services. Health care workers praised the county for discouraging consumption of sugary drinks that contribute to diabetes, obesity and other problems. Advertisement "This tax will work," said Clare Crosh, a third-year medical resident at Advocate Children's Hospital in Oak Lawn. "Philadelphia had a similar tax and while some consumers went elsewhere to purchase their soda, total soda consumption did decrease by 27 percent." Commissioners also heard from tax opponents, including consumers, merchants and municipal leaders. The tax is hurting the 10,800 residents of south suburban Worth, Mayor Mary Werner testified. "We're located only about 10 miles and 20 minutes from Will County and Indiana," Werner said. "It would be bad enough if they were only buying their beverages. But they are so mad and they are so fed up with the taxes in Cook County they are doing all of their shopping (elsewhere), and while they're there, they're buying their gas as well." Worth has no industry, manufacturing or big box stores, Werner said. The bedroom community relies on sales tax revenue from smaller retailers to fund essential services, such as police and fire protection, she said. "I am also here to represent the small business owners of Worth," Werner said. "They are losing sales every day. I'm sure you all know how high their property taxes are, in addition to all their other overhead. So many of these businesses are struggling on a daily basis just to survive." Village of Worth Mayor Mary Werner speaks before the Cook County board Wednesday in favor of a soda tax repeal. (Lou Foglia / Chicago Tribune) The tax took effect Aug. 2. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle broke an 8-8 tie among commissioners last November to approve the tax. For many, it's easy to choose a side on the issue. A doctor who treats obese children or a public defender in a county office stretched for resources it makes sense for them to advocate for the tax. Likewise, mobile shoppers who are able to avoid paying more for goods, business owners who create jobs and municipal leaders whose mission is to promote economic growth in their towns all have good reasons to oppose the tax. Advertisement "You are disincentivizing people to shop in Orland Park," Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau told commissioners. Aside from Chicago and Schaumburg, his town generates more sales tax revenue for Cook County than any other community, he said. I find some arguments for the tax more compelling than others. I appreciate Preckwinkle's point that the more than $200 million a year in revenue raised by the tax is needed to avoid layoffs of doctors and nurses in the health system and state's attorneys, public defenders and jail guards who work in the criminal justice system. Combined, those two systems account for 87 percent of the county's $4.9 billion budget, the Chicago Tribune reported. I understand there are issues beyond the county's control that contribute to the high costs of government. I think the state Legislature needs to pass pension reform that will withstand court challenges and reduce costs to taxpayers moving forward. Costs to run the county's health and criminal justice systems would be less if the city of Chicago was more successful at curbing gun violence. That's a point Commissioner Richard Boykin, D-Oak Park, made during a committee meeting before Wednesday's county board meeting. Advertisement "If we reduced gun violence by a third, I guarantee our county agencies would save hundreds of millions of dollars a year," Boykin said. He was responding to a comptroller's report that gun violence had cost the county's health system alone $21 million so far this fiscal year. Other arguments for the tax carry less weight, in my opinion. While I agree obesity and diabetes are serious health concerns, I'm unconvinced taxing sweetened beverages is the best way to address them. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle speaks about the boards delayed vote to repeal the soda tax during a recess of Wednesdays Cook County board meeting. (Lou Foglia / Chicago Tribune ) I'm bothered that low-income food stamp recipients are exempt from paying the tax. Some 872,000 people have no incentive to improve their health by drinking less soda. Plus, I believe the links between sugary drinks and obesity are more coincidental than causal. Werner said her husband likes to drink Gatorade after doing yardwork. I think there's a big difference between an active person seeking refreshment after exercising and a couch potato who glugs soda because he's thirsty from eating chips. The sweetened beverage tax doesn't distinguish between the two, in my opinion. "Are you concerned about the health effects of this product, of sweetened beverages?" Boykin asked Werner. Advertisement "I don't believe it is the government's business to tell me, if I have my grandchildren come over for a sleepover, that I shouldn't buy Hawaiian Punch," Werner replied. "If somebody truly thought this was about the health and welfare of children, perhaps there are other programs in this country we should look at. Perhaps we should go to Washington, D.C., and ensure the people who get government programs are not allowed to buy what you believe are such horrible, poisonous, killing things." I believe the soda tax is a bad policy fraught with confusing applications that create burdens for business owners who have to pay the tax. I'd like to see the tax completely repealed, but I understand why that would be difficult. "I recognize there is no political will here today to take up this vote to repeal," Commissioner Sean Morrison, R-Palos Park, said Wednesday when his repeal measure was referred to the finance committee. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > I hope commissioners and county officials spend the next month studying the effects of the tax on overall county revenues. I believe the warnings from numerous municipal leaders and business owners are real when they say the soda tax will cause some businesses to close and others to lay off workers. I realize it's a difficult decision for commissioners. They need to weigh the need for county revenue and potential savings in health costs against the potential loss of businesses and jobs. Advertisement Some commissioners who initially voted for the tax said they are listening to people on both sides. "We're going to give each side due course," Commissioner Edward Moody, D-Chicago Ridge, told the Tribune. "I've been receiving a lot of calls, been meeting with a lot of the constituency, and I'm going to go from there." Though I support a full repeal, I'm hopeful the county board could reach a compromise. Rolling back the tax to half a cent instead of a penny per ounce seems fair. Eliminating vacant county positions to reduce costs seems like a no-brainer. Opponents and advocates of the Cook County soda tax wait to speak to board members during Wednesday's board meeting. (Lou Foglia / Chicago Tribune) tslowik@tronc.com Twitter @tedslowik President Donald Trump speaks about tax reform while meeting with Democratic and Republican members of Congress at the White House on Sept. 13, 2017. (Win McNamee / Getty Images) President Donald Trump never ceases to amaze me. I thought he hit a low point in his presidency a month ago with his confusing response to the violence in Charlottesville, Va. A protester and two police officers died and several others were injured. Advertisement By blaming the violence on both sides, Trump seemed to equate white supremacists and Neo-Nazis with those who protested against them. To settle any confusion on where the country stands on the issue, Congress has sent Trump a resolution "condemning the violence and domestic terrorist attack," offering condolences to the families of the first responders and protester who died, and "rejecting white nationalists, white supremacists, the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and other hate groups." Advertisement The Senate unanimously approved the resolution Monday night, and the House unanimously approved it Tuesday. I like when the entire country pulls in one direction. I think great things can result when that happens. All of America is united in denouncing white supremacy. Unless, of course, you're one of the few who supports white supremacists. Congress was nearly unanimous in supporting the "Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act" that Trump signed into law last month. The measure to provide congressional review and counter aggression by Iran, Russia and North Korea passed 98-2 in the Senate and 419-3 in the House. For the record, "nay" votes were cast by Sens. Rand Paul and Bernie Sanders and Reps. Justin Amash, Jimmy Duncan and Thomas Massie. In another recent display of bipartisanship, Trump on Sept. 8 signed a law extending the government debt limit for three months and providing about $15 billion in federal aid to hurricane survivors. The House approved the measure by a vote of 316-90. The Senate vote was 80-17. Republicans cast all the "no" votes in both chambers. I think that's an impressive streak of bipartisan agreement. I give credit to Trump and Congress for pulling together on issues that unite us. I similarly believe Trump could unite the country behind a legislative version of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Advertisement Former President Jimmy Carter expressed that view while speaking Wednesday to Emory University students in Georgia. Carter said the "pressures and the publicity that Trump has brought to the immigration issue" could eventually yield comprehensive immigration law changes, the Associated Press reported. "As a matter of fact, to give Trump some due, he hasn't ended DACA yet," Carter said in response to a student's question. "What he said is he's given the Congress six months to address the issue, which is long overdue." I think the majority of Americans want Congress to approve a version of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors, or DREAM Act. Most people don't want the government to deport nearly 800,000 DACA recipients, including about 42,000 people living in Illinois. A poll released Wednesday found that 73 percent of voters want legislation protecting so-called "Dreamers" from deportation, and only 12 percent want Congress to pass a law to deport them. The poll by Politico/Morning Call was conducted in the days after Trump sent Attorney General Jeff Sessions out to announce he intended by March 5 to end the DACA program created by President Barack Obama by executive order in 2012. After sharing a dinner of Chinese food with Trump Wednesday night, Democratic congressional leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi said in a joint statement they and Trump had "agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides." Advertisement Thursday morning, there was some confusion about what the supposed agreement entailed. Trump seemed to support the framework of a plan, writing in a Tweet, "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!....." But he also Tweeted, "No deal was made last night on DACA." He also wrote, "The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built." When he arrived in Florida Thursday to view hurricane devastation, Trump told reporters, "If we don't have a wall we're doing nothing." Pelosi and Schumer also issued a joint statement Thursday that cast further doubt as to whether Trump's wall would be tied to a DACA deal. "What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security, with a mutual goal of finalizing all details as soon as possible," the statement said. "While both sides agreed that the wall would not be any part of this agreement, the President made clear he intends to pursue it at a later time, and we made clear we would continue to oppose it." Immigration hard-liners like Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King seemed angered at the notion of Trump cutting a deal with Democrats. King Tweeted, "Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." Advertisement House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters Thursday that stronger border security needed to be part of a legislative solution to the dilemma facing DACA recipients. "There is no agreement," Ryan said during his weekly news conference. He said of the meeting between Trump, Schumer and Pelosi, "It was a discussion not an agreement or a negotiation." Ryan said he believed a compromise was likely, but that House Republicans would likely insist DACA legislation include funding for improved border security. "You cannot fix DACA without fixing the root cause of our problem," Ryan said. "We do not have control of our borders. So we need border security and enforcement as part of any agreement. I think that's something the Democrats are beginning to understand. I think that's something that they are beginning to agree with." I think it's sensible to tie border security to a deal to protect immigrants from deportation. I also believe a wall is an ancient solution to a problem that could be better handled with improved technology. I think for too long, a vocal minority has wielded outsized influence on the issue of immigration. I think the attitudes of most Americans are captured in the new issue of Action Comics #987, "The Oz Effect," where Superman protects workers living in the country without legal permission from an armed white supremacist. Advertisement Superman steps in front of the bullets fired by the man, who is angry at the immigrants for taking his job, according the Hollywood Reporter. "Stop this!" Superman orders the gunman. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > "Why?!" he responds. "They ruined me! Stole from me!" Grabbing the gunman by the collar and pulling him in close, Superman says, "The only person responsible for the blackness smothering your soul is you!" I think most Americans' views on the issue resemble those of Superman, and not former Trump strategist Steve Bannon. The Breitbart New executive told interviewer Charlie Rose on "60 Minutes" Sunday the Catholic Church's position on immigration has been "terrible." "The bishops have been terrible about this," Bannon said. "By the way, you know why? Because they need illegal aliens to fill the churches ... They have an economic interest in unlimited immigration, unlimited illegal immigration." Advertisement Maybe the majority needs to become more vocal in expressing their views about immigrants. That way, Congress will hear their message, loud and clear, and act accordingly. tslowik@tronc.com Twitter @tedslowik Some East Dundee residents say there are odors emanating from the former home of Haeger Potteries, now the Golden Plastics USA facility. (Erin Sauder/Courier-News ) A group of East Dundee residents is wrinkling their noses at the odors they say are emanating from the Golden Plastics USA facility, the former home of Haeger Potteries. Their concerns were discussed at Monday's village board meeting. Advertisement Former trustee Rob Gorman told trustees he saw a post about the chemical smells coming from the factory, which specializes in film and plastic bag processing, on a neighborhood social media site. "I walked from my home to the downtown area and I smelled the smell several times," he said. Advertisement Gene Staples, from Golden Plastics USA, said Tuesday the scented products made at the factory are non-toxic. "The EPA has investigated and no liability has been found," he said. He acknowledged occasionally there might be an odor similar to the smell of baby powder coming from the building. "If the wind blows just right you might capture a whiff of it," Staples said. Gorman said there were also some property maintenance issues on the parcel, located at 7 Maiden Lane. "That building is not in the best repair. When those guys came in they said they were going to spend millions of dollars to fix up that building and I can tell you it's actually gone downhill since that time," he said. Staples purchased Golden Bag Company, now Golden Plastics USA, last November. Previously located at 290 Illinois St., Staples said the 35,000-square-foot facility was not large enough to accommodate the company's expected growth. He told village officials he would be investing about $1.2 million in repurposing the Haeger site. At Monday's meeting, Village President Lael Miller said he is aware of the odor and property maintenance complaints and that village staff is working with Staples to remedy them. Advertisement "We understand the neighbors' point of view and will address those issues," Miller said. "From the business owner's point of view, he bought seven acres of buildings in all kinds of different conditions and I know the gentleman who purchased it has every intention of fixing it up and making it look good both for the employees and the residents. It's a huge undertaking for him and certainly don't expect it would've gotten done within six months." Staples is taking the complaints of the residents seriously. "We have a carbon scrubber (filter) system in place and we're going to go ahead at our own expense and improve that system," Staples said. "We've placed an order for additional air cleaning units to eliminate the slight odor." Miller said some of Staples' plans for the site include demolishing parts of the building and adding a possible residential component. The latter, said Miller, "would be a nice asset for the village." "We'd like for everybody to live in harmony and (Golden Plastics USA) is working on that," he said. "This is a long-term project for him." Advertisement Haeger Potteries closed in July 2016 after 145 years in business due to several factors, company officials said, including changing tastes and the post-recession economy. Some East Dundee residents say there are odors emanating from the former home of Haeger Potteries, now the Golden Plastics USA facility. (Erin Sauder/Courier-News ) Erin Sauder is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News. Eloisa Basilio writes a chalk messages on the sidewalk outside Elgin Community College buildings on Tuesday in support of the DACA program and students who benefit from it. (Rafael Guerrero/Courier-News ) Ismael Cordova made sure those walking into Building A at Elgin Community College this week would see his message. In chalk, he wrote, "Defend the DACAs," referring to students under the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program whose statuses are now uncertain after last week's announcement the program was rescinded. Advertisement "To beat out ignorance is education," he said about his message, along with those that sprung up Tuesday throughout campus. Two ECC unions used Tuesday morning and afternoon to help students and others express their opinions about DACA and immigrant students on campus and beyond as part of a "chalk walk." Advertisement Messages of encouragement and hope were written across several building sidewalks at the college. Outside Building A, the messages went from the entrance down to the car pickup lane, even onto some benches. Another student, Eloisa Basilio, was writing a Bible verse which began with the words, "When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistrust them." Other messages included "Equity," "Pass Dream Act Now" and "We Are One." Kimberly Tarver, a physical therapy professor and officer for the Elgin Community College Faculty Association, said she knows some students have been planning other events raising awareness on the DACA program and its beneficiaries, but the faculty association and the Support Staff of Elgin Community College Association wanted to do something this week. "We want them to stay in class, we want them to stay, feel safe ... we want them to believe in their opportunities," she said. Elgin Community College President David Sam said he welcomed the messages, as the college community wanted to remind those in the area affected by the DACA decision they were welcome on campus. "We all believe that ending DACA will be detrimental to all our students," he said. State Sen. Cristina Castro, D-Elgin, stopped by Building A on Tuesday afternoon to check out the messages. She said lawmakers in Springfield were already brainstorming proposals to offer some protections for DACA students in the state. Some proposals being discussed include allowing DACA recipients in law and medicine the opportunity to get their licensing renewed, prevent immigration status being asked by landlords, protect DACA students in the juvenile court system and further strengthen the recently signed Trust Act. Advertisement "A lot of these students, they all have compelling stories," said Castro. "They contribute tremendously to the community." raguerrero@tribpub.com Two Elgin Community College police officers allege gender, age and race discrimination and retaliatory tactics from the former campus police chief in a federal lawsuit. The complaint, filed with the U.S. District Court Northern District Illinois on Tuesday, reiterates many of the allegations Tami Haukedahl and William Powell first made public in April. Advertisement According to the complaint, former campus police chief Emad Eassa engaged in gender and age-based discrimination against Haukedahl, and race discrimination against Powell. Haukedahl is a deputy police chief with Elgin Community College employed since 2009, while Powell has been an ECC officer since 2010. Haukedahl is a former Illinois State Police commander, while Powell is a former chief for the Aurora Police Department. Advertisement In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs and their attorney, Peter Katsaros, allege Eassa made frequent, vulgar and harassing comments toward women, older college personnel, ECC President David Sam and African Americans. Haukedahl and Powell said Eassa made their working conditions feel hostile. Katsaros has previously said these incidents date back three years. College officials responded Thursday afternoon, with Sam in a written statement saying they don't ordinarily comment on pending litigation. However, he did issue a short statement, saying, "The employees in question have elected to pursue their claims in court, as is their right. While we respect their right to do so, the college also respectfully disagrees with the claims raised in the recently filed lawsuit." Sam continued, "Despite the College's position, I want to stress that, like all College employees, the employees in question remain fully protected by the College's policy that prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any kind." According to the lawsuit, when the two went to Elgin Community College human resources in 2016 to bring their complaints, they said ECC and Eassa retaliated. Haukedahl said she was being paid less than her male counterparts and given less desirable work shifts, the lawsuit said. Powell, 65, also alleges he was given work shifts not generally in his schedule, as well as Eassa not talking to him directly, the lawsuit said. The two are seeking lost wages, punitive damages, compensatory damages, liquidated damages, attorney fees and costs, and any further damages. raguerrero@tribpub.com Evanston Mayor Steve Hagerty, pictured Monday, September, 11, 2017, is looking to empanel a group to work on the citys actions on climate change. (Mark Ukena / Pioneer Press ) Evanston is creating a new, 15-member citizens panel that is expected to further the city's efforts to fight climate change, according to a city news release. City officials are looking for residents with a "wide range of experiences and backgrounds" to serve on the Climate Action and Resilience Plan Working Group, the release states. Advertisement "Evanston has made tremendous strides in the fight against climate change over the last decade by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and committing to 100 percent renewable energy, but it's just the beginning," Mayor Steve Hagerty said in the release. "We need to work together as a community to ensure that our city is more resilient to the effects of climate change long-term, while continuing to do our part locally to protect the planet." The panel is expected to create an action plan for the city to be known more formally as the Climate Action and Resilience Plan, reassess Evanston's greenhouse gas emissions inventory and tally the city's "climate change vulnerabilities and risks," according to the release. Advertisement The City Council in 2006 voted unanimously to support the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, and since then has finished two "climate action plans," according to the release. In addition, Evanston's greenhouse gas emissions total has dropped by about 19 percent compared to 2005 levels, according to the release. In June, Hagerty elected to join more than 300 "climate mayors" around the country in upholding the "spirit" of the Paris Climate Accord, according to the release. That accord aims for a 26 percent to 28 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, compared to 2005 levels. President Donald Trump rescinded the United States' commitment to the Paris Climate Accord in June. Playwright, Bethany Sandvik will discuss the inspiration behind her play, "The Cody Monologues: Famous and Infamous Women of the West," for the next meeting of the Pahaska Corral of Westerners. The meeting occurs on Sept. 25 in the Governors Room at the Irma Hotel in Cody, Wyoming, beginning with a no-host dinner starting at 6 p.m. and followed by the presentation around 7 p.m. The dinner and the presentation are open to the public. Guests are also welcome to attend only the presentation. Sandviks play is a series of historical vignettes told from the point of view of the women portrayed; women like Caroline Lockhart, Doc Lane, Etta Feeley, Cassie Watters, and Olive Fell. Sandvik will talk about how these women helped shape Cody and how their influence on the town and the region can still be seen today. She will also read some excerpts from her play and field questions about the characters. Sandvik is the founder and director of the Studio Theatre at the Cody Center for the Performing Arts. The Pahaska Corral of Westerners is the local chapter of Westerner International, an organization dedicated to stimulating interest and research in the history of the American West. A suspect in a Waukegan grocery store armed robbery who was tracked by a police dog to a west side apartment surrendered to a police tactical team Wednesday morning and was held Thursday on $2 million bail. Kostantino Papandreou, 23, was charged with one count of armed robbery after he allegedly went into a grocery store in the 2700 block of Washington Street around 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, displayed a handgun and demanded money, according to Waukegan police Cmdr. Joe Florip. Advertisement Florip added that the suspect then fled with an undisclosed amount of cash. A store employee confirmed to police that the store was robbed at gunpoint when police arrived, Florip said. Investigators used witness information and brought in a K-9 unit, Florip said, adding that the police dog tracked the suspect a few blocks away to a second-floor apartment in the 2800 block of Washington Street. Advertisement The building was surrounded, Florip said, and a tactical team from the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS) surrounded the building with Waukegan police. "A decision was made to utilize the NIPAS team. This fit the criteria for a callout," he said, adding Waukegan is a member of the group, which is made up of regional police departments. The suspect did eventually surrender to officers without incident, Florip said, adding that Washington Street was closed for about two hours in the area. According to Florip, the suspect is homeless, and the apartment was leased by an individual who was not involved in the robbery. Both a gun and the proceeds from the robbery were recovered by police, Florip added. fabderholden@tribpub.com Twitter @abderholden Luis Medina, 23, is charged with attempted murder and four counts of aggravated battery. (Lake County State's Attorney's Office) A Waukegan man, who officials said seriously injured a 70-year-old man in an apparently random knife attack in a McDonald's restaurant in February, has been returned to Lake County for a fitness hearing after treatment at a state health facility. Luis Medina, 23, is charged with attempted murder and four counts of aggravated battery in connection with the attack Feb. 10. at the McDonald's in the 300 block of North Sheridan Road. Advertisement According to Waukegan police reports, after Medina was arrested and had been read his Miranda rights, he told investigators that he stabbed the victim because he "felt like stabbing somebody." If he is found fit for trial at a hearing scheduled Sept. 25 in Lake County Circuit Court, the pretrial process will move forward for Medina, who faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted of attempted murder. Advertisement Medina was found unfit for trial in April by a Lake County circuit judge. Assistant State's Attorney George Pappas said that following a period of evaluation and treatment at a secured mental health facility, state doctors have found Medina restored to fitness. Circuit Judge Christopher Stride will have the final say on that issue at or following the Sept. 25 hearing. Medina allegedly attempted to stab the 70-year-old man seven times, and was successful four times, stabbing him twice in the stomach and once in each leg, according to officials of the Lake County State's Attorney's Office. The man, who had been waiting in a lunchtime line at the restaurant Feb. 10, was hospitalized for treatment of what police described as non-life-threatening serious injuries. Police said numerous witnesses saw a masked man enter the restaurant and stab the victim. Witnesses gave police a description of the clothes the man was wearing, including a hat and mask. Medina was arrested after he was spotted by Waukegan officers wearing the same outfit and black mask described by witnesses and shown in surveillance cameras, according to a press release from Waukegan police. Authorities said the knife used in the attack was recovered at the McDonald's. Advertisement Both Waukegan police and State's Attorney's officials said there is no indication Medina knew the victim. Medina is being held in Lake County jail in lieu of $1 million bond. jrnewton@tribpub.com Twitter @jimnewton5 A sailboat is pushed up between two buildings in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, in Key West, Fla. (Chris O'Meara / AP) Days before Hurricane Irma was scheduled to hit Florida last week, Lisa Gornik was glued to her TV trying to soak up all she could about what type of weather would be heading her way. Having previously lived in Lake County, Gornik now lives in Delray Beach, just north of Miami, and had never experienced a hurricane, she said. Advertisement "You just didn't know what to expect," Gornik said. "By the weather charts, it looked like (Irma) was going to destroy Florida." The 31-year-old woman was lucky. She had scheduled a trip to Wisconsin before the threat of the hurricane, to be a bridesmaid in her best friend's wedding on Sept. 8. Advertisement Although her flight kept getting delayed and that made her nervous, Gornik said she didn't have to scramble to get a flight, as so many Floridians did to try and escape the path of the hurricane. One day before the wedding and a few days before Hurricane Irma struck, Gornik was on a plane flying away from the threat that Mother Nature posed for Florida residents, and into the arms of friends and family just over the Illinois border in Pleasant Prairie. Lisa Gornik, left, poses with with her best friend Alison Shelton at Shelton's wedding on Sept. 8 after getting out of harm's way. (Lisa Gornik) But before she left, Gornik said she saw what fear and desperation looks like, as necessary items such as water were flying off the shelves at stores, leaving them bare. "Everyone was planning for the worst and hoping for the best, but it was panic mode," Gornik said, adding that people looking to gas up their cars were sitting in hour-and-a-half lines at gas stations, and ATMs were running out of cash. Her local eateries were being boarded up. "It was scary," Gornik said. She feels blessed to have been a part of her best friend's wedding, which was a wonderful day, she said. And although her original plans had her flying home after the weekend, due to Irma she's now planning to go home Friday. Although Florida Gov. Rick Scott has said all of the state was impacted, Irma spared Delray Beach from major damage. Advertisement According to the National Weather Service, when it ripped though early this week, Irma had been downgraded to a Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, meaning it featured sustained winds of between 74 and 95 mph. Gornik has been in constant communication with friends who stayed and braved the hurricane. "There's a lot of debris to clean up, and some areas don't have power," Gornik said. A friend told her that it's so hot in Florida now that, to find relief from the scorching heat, he drives his car with the air conditioner on while his phone is charging. Gornik said someone else told her when the power came back on at a McDonald's restaurant, there seemed to be 400 people packed in the building like sardines. "My heart broke for the people who couldn't leave," Gornik said. Advertisement Yadira Sanchez Olson is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun. Help from Lake County Libertyville School District 70 students and staff have started collecting funds for Hurricane Irma victims this week. The fundraiser was originally started by the district's Character Counts! Committee to assist victims of Hurricane Harvey, but was extended to include Florida, said Robin Kollman, public relations facilitator for D70. Collection boxes can be found at each of the district's five school buildings, as well as the administrative office at 1381 Lake St. in Libertyville. Checks, cash and gift cards to Target, Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, Best Buy and Amazon will be split between Irma and Harvey victims, Kollman said. The district's "Helping in Hurricane Harvey and Irma's Wake" fundraiser runs until Sept. 29. Advertisement For Lake County residents looking to assist in a general way, Debra Young, assistant external affairs officer with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said cash donations offer voluntary agencies the most flexibility. "One thing (people) can do is go to www.volunteerflorida.org or call 1-800-FL-Help-1," Young said. Potential donors can also visit the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster's website (NVOAD.org ) for lists of volunteer opportunities in different areas. "Volunteers should link up with affiliates or organizations training individuals in order to assist in a cohesive and organized fashion," Young said, advising that county residents should not self-deploy to the disaster zones. Young added that unsolicited donations that aren't approved by on-the-ground organizations can create a challenge of storage and sorting when the focus is needed on response and recovery. Listings are subject to change. Please call the venue in advance. To submit items to the calendar, go to newssunonline.com/community.Tuesday Be Your Own Boss - How to Find a Franchise: This is presented by: Scott Majeski, Franchise Consultant, FranNet. If you have ever wondered what it would be like to be your own boss, join to learn the ins and outs of buying a franchise and how to choose the one that is right for you. 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, Career Resource Center, 40 E. Old Mill Road, Lake Forest, free, 847-295-5626 Advertisement Libertyville-Mundelein Community Associates: The LMCA celebrate their 20th anniversary with a day's program highlighting the group's history, a lunch and lecture.The lecture's subject, Lucy Calhoun, who witnessed some of the most dramatic events in China's history as the wife of President Taft's ambassador (1911-1913). Her letters document events ranging from revolutionary uprisings to the wedding of the last emperor. 11 a.m. Tuesday, Ivanhoe Club, 28846 N. Thorngate Drive, Mundelein, $50 per member; $65 per nonmember, 847-949-1300 Government Contracting 101: This workshop is great for small business owners new to contracting with government agencies. Also good for business owners in need of a refresher on what their business should be doing. Learn the basics of government contracting to compete in the government-contracting marketplace. 9 a.m. Tuesday, College of Lake County - Southlake Campus, 1120 S. Milwaukee Ave., Vernon Hills, free Highland Park resident Sharon Prystalski takes Metra to work each day. "I don't have to worry about traffic or a full parking lot at school," said the Waukegan High School psychologist, just before boarding a train to go home Wednesday. Advertisement Earlier in the day, Metra officials announced that they're looking to raise fares for the fourth year in a row, citing higher costs as well as state budget cuts and lower sales tax revenues. The commuter rail service proposed raising fares by 25 cents on one-way tickets, as well as increasing 10-ride, weekend and monthly fares. Advertisement The commuter rail service's board will ultimately decide to go with either a proposed lower-fare option or a higher-fare option. The board was given lower-fare and higher-fare options at a meeting on Wednesday, and members decided they'll look at the lower-fare option. Under the proposal, one-way rides would go up next year by 25 cents per ticket, 10-ride tickets would increase by a range of $4.25 to $7.74, and monthly tickets would go up by a range of $9 to $12.50. Just how much the 10-ride and monthly tickets go up depends on the length of a commuter's trip. The board was scheduled to weigh fare hike options at its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday and will vote on it later this fall. Prystalski said she's not happy about any hike to the $5.25 she already pays for a one-way ticket, "especially because Illinois already hiked up our state tax by 5 percent," she said, referencing the individual income tax rate increase that passed in the state budget in July. Johnny Harris of Waukegan said he's hoping the hike proposal doesn't come through. Harris is currently without a vehicle and travels via train to visit his family in Chicago twice a week, he said. On Wednesday, Harris waited to board the 4:15 p.m. train at the Waukegan Metra Station on Spring Street. "I don't like it, but until I get a car, I don't have a choice," Harris said of the proposal. Advertisement All three transit agencies Metra, the Chicago Transit Authority and Pace are facing about $76 million in cuts next year under the state budget, according to Susan Massel, spokeswoman for the Regional Transportation Authority, the state oversight and planning agency. A total of $24 million in cuts is because of a new 2 percent handling charge the state is charging local governments for the management of sales tax revenues, which make up a part of the agencies' budget. The transit agencies also will get hit by a 10 percent reduction in the Public Transportation Fund, amounting to $30 million, and a $16.5 million reduction in state reimbursement for reduced fares. On top of that is $5.5 million in debt service because the RTA had to borrow money to make up for funding it did not receive on time from the state, according to Massel. "We're going into a really tough time for transit," RTA board Chair Kirk Dillard told the Metra board. The transit agencies also expect lower sales tax revenues because of internet sales and a sluggish state economy. The 2018 budget was also scheduled to be discussed at a Pace board meeting on Wednesday afternoon. And the CTA board will hear from RTA officials about its long-term strategic plan. If approved, the Metra fare hike would take effect in February. This year, Metra passengers saw fares go up by an average of 5.8 percent, raising the cost of a monthly pass by $11.75. Advertisement It followed a 2 percent increase approved for 2016, and an 11 percent hike that went into effect in 2015. The last three increases were part of a 10-year plan to raise fares annually to help pay for modernization. "Metra has had fare increases for the past several years, and it does impact ridership," said Tim Grzesiakowski, executive director of the Transportation Management Association of Lake-Cook. The TMA works to improve employees' commute to work for a better quality of work in Cook and Lake County. "No one likes fare increases, but it's a necessary evil given operation costs," Grzesiakowski said. Given the inconsistencies of gas prices, Grzesiakowski said the regular hikes might not be enough to deter regular Metra riders who depend on the trains. Advertisement A rider waits outside the Waukegan Metra station on Sept. 13, 2017. (Yadira Sanchez Olson / News-Sun) Yadira Sanchez Olson is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun. Chicago Tribune reporter Mary Wisniewski contributed. As a child, Lake Barrington resident Mark Eiden said he always enjoyed the chance to romp through the woods at his grandparents' vacation home in northern Wisconsin. But now at 28 years old, Eiden said he continues to deal with a Lyme disease diagnosis that likely started by a tick, which transmits the disease, while playing in forests as a kid. Advertisement "I never saw a specific tick bite or rash," Eiden said. "I just started having unexplained symptoms at age 10, like gastrointestinal issues, headaches, depression and anxiety." Like with his own experiences, Eiden said there is a lack of public awareness and information about Lyme disease and its causes. Advertisement That's why events like the ninth annual "Lyme Support Network Walk," which is planned from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 24 at Citizens Park in Barrington, are necessary, Eiden said, since organizers provide educational materials while also raising money for research. Although Eiden can't attend the walk in Barrington, he said the event should help raise people's awareness about the disease. Last year, the Lyme Support Network raised $16,500 during the walk, which attracted 350 people, according to representatives with the group. His mother, Jean Eiden, plans to attend the support walk this year, he said. "I don't think there's enough public information on it and sometimes, it's not right," Mark Eiden said. The support walk this year comes at a time when public health officials in Lake County have started to see a rise in the number of Lyme disease cases. From 2003 to 2005, the average annual number of reported and confirmed cases of Lyme disease totaled 6.7, according to the Lake County Health Department. Between 2012 and 2016, the average annual number increased to 27, officials said. The deer tick population has increased throughout the Chicago area during the past 10 years, but officials don't yet have a clear reason as to why, said Mike Adam, a senior biologist for the Lake County Health Department, who will be attending the Lyme Support Network Walk. One possible reason is warmer temperatures, even in wintertime, throughout the Midwest, he said. Aside from the traditional warmer months, deer ticks, which carry Lyme disease, also can be active during the cooler fall months, he said. Advertisement "Turn back the clock 15 years ago, and you find the tick areas were northern Wisconsin, Minnesota and New England," Adam said. "Now, the area is moving south, but there's something bigger going on and not only here, but in areas like Pennsylvania, Maryland and the East Coast." For Mark Eiden, the Lake Barrington resident wasn't officially diagnosed with Lyme disease until 2009, according to Eiden and Dr. Donald Raden. Raden, a medical doctor and psychiatrist based in Lake Bluff, has been seeing Mark Eiden for the past three years. In recent years, Eiden's condition has stabilized largely because of pharmaceutical medications and the proper amount of nutrients, Raden said. Many Lyme disease patients, such as Eiden, who have been treated by psychiatrists, often face treatment delays because of misdiagnosis, he said. "Therefore, it is my opinion, that the standard practice of care for any psychiatric patient would be proper testing to rule out an infectious cause to their condition or any other underlying medical concern," Raden said. Without the proper information, people won't know how to protect themselves adequately from tick bites, Mark Eiden said. Advertisement Before facing the possibility of medical treatment, people can take some preventative steps, such as wearing pants and long-sleeved shirts to keep ticks at bay during hikes through forested areas, he said. "Don't be afraid of the woods," Eiden said. "If you know you're going into a tick area, prepare yourself." tshields@pioneerlocal.com Twitter @tshields19 Swanson Development LLC recently proposed building 26 new homes (pictured at the top) near the northwest corner of Old Hicks and Checker roads near Long Grove, while Fidelity Wes Builders has proposed adding 34 homes nearby. The map outlines both proposals that Long Grove officials are considering. (Courtesy of Long Grove) If ultimately approved by Long Grove officials, recent proposals from two separate developers intending to work together could create a new neighborhood in the village, potentially adding a combined 60 new single-family homes in the area. During a meeting Sept. 12, Long Grove officials took the initial steps to advancing both plans, agreeing to consider at a later date an annexation deal that would add two fields slated for the residential developments on the northwest corner of Old Hicks and Checker roads into the village's boundaries. Advertisement Board members also sent the two development proposals to the village's planning committee, which will have the chance to discuss the proposals before the ideas head back to the village board for formal approval. Although separate plans, the two residential projects proposed by Long Grove-based Fidelity Wes Builders and Lake Forest-based Swanson Development LLC would be within close proximity to one another, potentially sharing streets and utilities but with different home designs and lot sizes, said both Mike DeMar and Rick Swanson. Advertisement DeMar, who co-owns Fidelity Wes Builders, and Swanson, chief executive officer of Swanson Development, both said during the board meeting that the two developers are interested in working with the village to share duties, if both projects are approved. "It's got to be a win-win-win," DeMar said. "If it's a one-way street for Rick and I, then it's not a win-win-win." The plan from Fidelity Wes Builders would add 34 single-family homes on 34 acres at the northwest corner of the intersection. Swanson Development's proposal would add 26 single-family homes on 38 acres directly north of the Fidelity Wes Builders' project on the west side of Old Hicks. A street would connect both residential areas, if both plans are approved, DeMar and Swanson said. Long Grove trustees have raised some concerns in the past about the density of both residential projects. But during the meeting Sept. 12, trustee Michael Sarlitto, who was acting as village president since Bill Jacob could not attend, thanked the builders for their idea to share a street and sewer lines. "This is a high-value property," Sarlitto said. Earlier in the summer, village officials initially turned down Swanson's proposal to annex land for his residential development project but later renewed discussions with him in August, officials said. Board members also set two public hearings covering zoning and annexation of both proposed residential projects for Oct. 3 and Oct. 10, officials said. Advertisement RWachter@PioneerLocal.com Twitter @RonnieAtPioneer College students gather outside of the Alpha Chi Omega house during the University of Alabama sorority recruitment Bid Day on Aug. 19, 2017. (Brynn Anderson/AP ) As the years pass after leaving the tree-lined quadrangle of college campus life, the big memories stay. Meeting the future spouse. The first taste of an independent life. The infectious good vibe of autumn on the quad. Greeting friends and making plans. We take a lot with us in our emotional memory bank from those collegiate days. Advertisement For some of us, that includes the Greek life of fraternities and sororities. At many traditional colleges and universities, Greek life has been a vital part of the social structure of the campus. Even at smaller universities, like the one I attended, Greeks were an important cog in the wheel of college activities. My sorority was new on the campus then, although its history traced back to the late 1890s and was well-established at many other schools. It was a wonderful experience, one I enjoyed immensely and learned from greatly while executing my duties as president, with an occasional free form approach to Robert's Rules of Order aside. Advertisement And while we did undertake philanthropic projects, as all fraternal organizations do, it was clear that for us collegiate members the main thrust was social. While reading through my annual back-to-school edition of the fraternal magazine, perhaps it's my advancing age that caused me to look with different eyes at the purpose and goals of not only my, but all, fraternal organizations. Much has been covered in the press lately about the problems with Greek organizations. Including the tragic outcomes of hazing. There is the elitism and exclusionary attitudes along with expectations regarding participation, fitting in and even partying. Those were strong markers of Greek life in my college days, still existing in some form today. An article in my To Dragma, a magazine from Alpha Omicron Pi, discussed the history of sororities and the strong reasons women had in those early days to band together as a team to force acceptance in areas of higher education. A strength-in-numbers outlook meant to create a change in attitude was needed. The idea that women had no place in school, other than as teachers of young pupils, needed to be broken. The article also detailed how the various sororities united into the National Panhellenic Conference, all working together to improve women's roles in business, service and leadership. Now, that article was written by an alumnae, and it made me wonder: While I, and likely many other aging alums, could relate to the lofty and worth goals of the organizations, do the collegiate members feel the same? Or, is this one of those principles that is only revealed as a person ages and experiences more of life? Does Greek life on campuses across the country play an important role in expanding upon those lofty goals and philanthropies espoused by the alumnae leaders? Or, is it simply a guaranteed party audience for those collegiates living the fraternal life right now? As those organizations try to rebound from some horrible experiences, even banishment from campus, it's my hope that they can refocus on the ambitious philanthropic and societal agendas they began with. Imagine the impact to be made with that focus and (wo)manpower. Advertisement Pat Lenhoff is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press. viewfromvh@yahoo.com A Naperville police officer inspects a house at 1811 Paddington Ave. on the city's far northwest side, following a Wednesday evening blaze that began in a rear bedroom. (Bill Bird / Naperville Sun) A Naperville man and two children escaped injury early Wednesday evening after a fire that erupted in a child's bedroom left their house uninhabitable, Naperville Fire Department officials said. The blaze broke out at 6:41 p.m. Wednesday in the home at 1811 Paddington Ave., in the Brookdale area of Naperville's far northwest side. Deputy Fire Chief Andy Dina said on the scene the residents "heard the smoke detectors go off ... and got out" before firefighters arrived. Advertisement Twenty-seven firefighters brought 12 vehicles and pieces of apparatus to the scene, Dina said. Naperville police closed Paddington Avenue to traffic at its intersections with Brookdale Road and Paxton Drive during the emergency. Bureau Chief Thomas Moran said the first firefighters to arrive "reported fire showing from the rear bedroom" of the house, "which was quickly extinguished." Firefighters then conducted "an interior search and checked for fire extension in the ceiling and walls of the structure" as a precautionary measure, Moran wrote in a release. Advertisement An inspector from the city of Naperville's Transportation, Engineering and Development Business Group who was sent to the scene declared the house uninhabitable, Moran said. Dina added an American Red Cross volunteer provided on-scene assistance to the homeowners and offered to help them secure temporary lodging. Dina, in an email Thursday morning, said fire investigators have concluded the cause of the blaze was "accidental." The email did not indicate what it was that sparked the fire, with Dina adding, "No further details will be released at this time." Moran said firefighters were assisted on the scene by police and employees or members of the Warrenville Fire Protection District, the Naperville Emergency Management Agency, the city's public utilities/electric department and NICOR Gas. Firefighters from the Downers Grove Fire Department and Winfield Fire Protection District provided coverage at city fire stations during the blaze, he said. wbird@tribpub.com A man I once met worked for a clothing company. He managed new factories where the clothes were manufactured. These factories were built mostly in Central America, because that was where labor was really cheap. The poverty in these countries, he told me in conversation, completely unaware of the irony, is just incredible. I wouldn't believe it, he said. Flash forward a few years when I met a young man, just out of high school, who had a good job in a suburban restaurant as a cook. He had some money saved and wanted to buy a house. He wanted to get his share of the American Dream. Some people call this young man a Dreamer. Others call him an undocumented immigrant. Still others say he is an illegal. Whatever the label, he came to the United States as a young boy, was educated here, worked here and was ready to make his home here. I see the two stories as related. The poverty south of our boarder is so great that factories are built there for the cheap labor. But the low wages don't do much to change the local community. So people come north looking for more, looking for a chance to survive, looking for opportunity. Just like the forebears of the majority of Americans who are here today. That's the story of America. But those two stories also show the dilemma we see today. The poverty there is so great that now there are nearly 800,000 Dreamers who have signed up for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program instituted with the stroke of President Barack Obama's pen. The program is known as DACA. That program was recently scheduled to end, by the stroke of President Donald Trump's pen. That essentially is the problem with sweeping executive orders that go beyond executing the law which is a power belongs exclusively to the president to creating law. That power to legislate, to create the laws under which we all live, belongs to Congress. The president does not have this power, and the trauma, distaste, anger and uncertainty we are going through today over this is the reason why such issues cannot be decided by executive orders. Still the issue remains about what to do with so many young adults who came to the United States as young children with parents coming here illegally. They've been raised here, work here and want to stay here. Deporting them would be cruel beyond belief. I have yet to meet anyone supporting that policy. But all the protests, gnashing of teeth, name-calling and arguments that we hear today belong in one place the halls of Congress. We are in this predicament because Congress has refused to act on this issue. The Congress is dysfunctional. And we need Congress to act. When it comes to national policy of such magnitude, when we have issues that have the potential to be so divisive, and when we have more or less reached a national consensus at odds with current law or policy, then Congress must act. A presidential order will not resolve the issue. Presidential orders can be undone. We need sensible immigration policy enshrined in law. When Congress settles this issue and the president signs an immigration bill, then the matter will be settled and the country will consider it settled. A presidential order gives the notion that policy is still up for political debate. It does not serve the country or the individuals known as Dreamers. I don't know if that is the objective of President Trump in canceling DACA. But if you have an opinion on this issue, don't waste your time calling the White House. Call your members of Congress. Congress has the power and the responsibility to act on this matter. Let's get it settled. Randy Blaser is a freelance columnist. Harold Dean Wilcoxson's first job at the family business was cleaning cream cans, which were delivered by local dairy farmers and ranchers. Even as owner later in life, the company said he would show up at 6 a.m. to look for electrical or refrigeration issues in the equipment before doing daily business. Wilcoxson, heir to the venerable Montana ice cream maker, died on Aug. 30. He was 94. He was born on April 15, 1923. As a teen he worked at the factory alongside his father, Carl Wilcoxson, who started the Livingston company in 1912. Wilcoxson graduated from Park High School in 1941 and joined the U.S. Navy the following year. He was aboard the U.S.S. Quincey as electronics chief off of the French coast during the D-Day invasion in 1944. The ship was anchored near Tokyo Bay in 1945 as Japan signed documents of surrender, according to the company. Wilcoxson took over the company a few years after a distribution center opened in Billings. He used his skills in electronics to design his own electrical schematics and floor plans, the company said. Though he was a private man, car enthusiasts took notice of his collection. His 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle LS-6 appeared on Montana drag strips throughout the 1970s. In a press release about the businessman's death, Wilcoxson was remembered as an exemplary owner and a mentor to others. "He was known as a kind, generous, and hardworking man who spent his entire working life tirelessly building and bettering his family legacy, Wilcoxsons Ice Cream," the release said. "In his 94 years on Earth, he impacted many people with his contagious smile, professional dedication, and timeless friendships." A celebration of Wilcoxson's life will be held at the company's Livingston plant on Sept. 30. Ice cream will be provided. A federal jury found a Hammond man guilty Wednesday of sex trafficking of a minor among other charges, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Indiana. After a six-day trial, Ronnie C. Cosby, 42, was convicted on one count of sex trafficking of a minor, two counts of production of child pornography and two counts of transporting a minor for prostitution, the release states. Advertisement Between December 2014 and February 2015, Cosby forced two girls to engage in prostitution at his Hammond apartment, said the U.S. Attorney's office. Cosby met one of the victims, who was 14 at the time, on an online dating website and took sexually explicit images of her at his apartment, "which he then transmitted to prostitution customers and posted online," the release states. Advertisement Cosby transported a second girl, then 15, across state lines to a Lansing, Ill., hotel "where he forced her to engage in prostitution" and "took sexually explicit images of the second victim and posted the images on a website advertising prostitution," the release states. At trial, Cosby faced two additional charges of sex trafficking by fraud and coercion and transportation of a minor for prostitution, court records show. Cosby's sentencing date had not been scheduled in court records by Thursday afternoon. The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security with assistance from Hammond police, FBI and Northwest Indiana Human Trafficking Working Group. rejacobs@post-trib.com Twitter @ruthyjacobs Lake County Sheriff John Buncich leaves the federal courthouse in Hammond with his girlfriend, Deborah Back, after jurors found him guilty on all counts Aug. 24, 2017. (Suzanne Tennant / Post-Tribune) The next Lake County sheriff is expected to be picked Saturday by more than 500 Democratic precinct committeemen when they vote for former Sheriff John Buncich's replacement. The Lake County Democratic Central Committee is scheduled to hold a caucus Saturday to fill the sheriff's position until the November 2018 general election, fulfilling Buncich's term. The field of candidates includes veteran police officers, a Schererville chief, a Gary activist, a military veteran and a former longtime county commissioner. Advertisement Buncich was convicted of bribery and wire fraud in August and surrendered his office when the jury delivered its verdict. Since Buncich left office, Dennis Matthew Eaton, a former chief of police and commander, stepped into that role until a caucus vote fills the vacancy. The sheriff's hopefuls, listed in alphabetical order, are Wally DeRose, David Dowling, Richard Ligon, Oscar Martinez, Daniel Murchek, Jim Nowacki, Gerry Scheub, Todd Rakos and Maria Trajkovich. Here's a brief look at the candidates: Advertisement Wally DeRose A veteran police officer is promising to steady the Lake County Sheriff's Department and keep it on the right course as the next sheriff. Wally DeRose, 79, of Schererville, has logged his time in the Army, Gary Police Department and diplomatic security with the U.S. Department of State. He said he thought he could bring his experience at the local, national and international levels to help the department. "It's already a pretty good department but I could really super-improve it," DeRose said. DeRose, who said he retired three years ago, called himself the outsider with inside knowledge. While he spent years inside law enforcement, he's never dabbled in politics, DeRose said, but has valuable knowledge and experience to offer. If he's elected, DeRose said he wants to make policing operations more community oriented and focus on addressing crime at the local level. DeRose said he also wants to see jail operations remain steady to comply with Department of Justice mandates. Officers need good leadership, DeRose said, and his goal is to bring honesty and integrity to the department. DeRose said running for sheriff never really crossed his mind but he thought it was time to give it a try. "Now's the time to do it if I'm going to do it," DeRose said, adding that he's not planning to seek the office in the 2018 general election. Advertisement David Dowling The Schererville police chief wants to transition his three decades of experience to the Lake County Sheriff's Department. David Dowling, 54, of Schererville, said he's a candidate that would bring both a lengthy law enforcement background and administrative experience as the next sheriff, something that's needed to restore faith in the department. "I am ready and willing to assume leadership of the Lake County Sheriff's office," said Dowling, in a statement. "I will take my lead from the precinct organization vote." Originally from Hammond, Dowling said his family has a history in law enforcement and public service. Dowling has been with the Schererville Police Department since 1984, with much of that time as a supervisor and administrator, and always thought about running for sheriff, he said. Aside from his experience as a police officer, Dowling said he's involved with the community, serving on the board of directors for St. Jude House and the Northwest Indiana Urban League. Dowling is also the president of the District 1 law Enforcement Council. Advertisement Dowling said the Lake County Sheriff's Department needs a fresh set of eyes and a new approach to how work is done there. "My greatest pride is knowing officers carry out their duties with honesty, compassion and respect," Dowling said. "As sheriff, my job is to serve and protect all of Lake County's 496,000 residents, breaking down barriers and reducing crime." Richard Ligon Richard Ligon is a Gary native who challenged Buncich in the 2010 Democratic primary, falling a little more than 1,100 votes short of the nomination that year. He points to his 36 years with the U.S. Army and Army National Guard, 24 years with the U.S. Postal Service where he spent time as a postal inspector, work as an Indiana parole officer and juvenile probation officer as qualifications for the post. "I feel like I'm ready to dedicate myself to the citizens of Lake County," Ligon, 69, said. Advertisement Ligon said it is important to open up the lines of communication between various policing agencies from around the region and the state to help identify potential issues and trends. Public safety is crucial to economic development and it is necessary for the next sheriff to work on doing positive things for both the citizens of Lake County and Gary to ensure their communities are safe places in which people want to live and work, he said. Ligon said it is also important to ensure the department stays ahead of the curve and ensures its members have the equipment and resources necessary to keep residents safe. "If you are not doing anything positive for the citizens of Gary and Lake County, you don't need to be in that race," Ligon said. "I'm ready and willing, both physically and mentally, to take the challenge." Oscar Martinez Veteran sheriff's Officer Oscar Martinez has more than 24 years with the department and has worked his way up through the ranks. Advertisement "I think it is important people realize that it is time to take law enforcement in a new direction and end the corruption and patronage that has plagued this area for decades," Martinez said. Martinez, 47, first ran for sheriff against Buncich in the 2010 Democratic primary. He ran again in 2014 primary, he said, to keep his name in the public spotlight and let people know he was committed to becoming sheriff even though he knew he would not beat the incumbent Buncich. "If elected I pledge to bring reform for the department, re-energizing the offices with a new spirit of service and transparency," Martinez said. He said he is committed to the community and is devoted to helping people. He touted his successful work on a narcotics interdiction unit where millions of dollars in drugs were seized and taken off the street. Martinez said the unit was disbanded after his first bid to run for sheriff, but he wants to reinstate it. As a deputy commander, Martinez said he also has the necessary administrative experience. As a county officer he said he has worked in every community in Lake County and understands their individual situations. "I know every town and city has its own unique problems. I don't think any other candidate has that. If people want to ask themselves which one among us is most likely to fight crime effectively, establish long-lasting relationships with the community and take the sheriff's department forward, I am the candidate," Martinez said. Advertisement Daniel Murchek Daniel Murchek, who is currently third in command as the sheriff's department's deputy chief, is a 24-year department veteran. Murchek said he would bring in an outside police chief with impeccable qualifications to run the department. "My commitment is to be a professional law enforcement officer. I believe integrity and doing the right thing is extremely important," Murchek, 49, said. He has amassed more than 40 letters of accommodation and said he has been privileged to save several lives during his law enforcement career that includes previous work as an officer in Dyer and Hebron. He said an outside chief would help "right the ship and instill confidence with the public." "I believe training and diversity are important things to address in the police department," Murchek said. He also said it is necessary to live within the department's means and budget as determined by the county council and commissioners and to ensure placing command staff in the right time and place. Murchek also said he has pledge to make sure to continue to improve on the animal shelter, which is now a no-kill facility. Advertisement If elected, Murchek said he plans to form a citizens advisory committee to increase public input in the department's operations. He said he is a behind the scenes guy who gets things done and would prefer if the position were non-partisan so politics does not impact the job. Jim Nowacki A long-time Gary activist set his sights on the sheriff's office to bring ideas no one else is considering. Jim Nowacki, 63, a Gary activist, said he has four unique priorities for the sheriff'sdepartment. Nowacki said he has lengthy experience serving and participating in government. As sheriff, Nowacki said, he plans to advocate the Indiana Legislature allow access to medical marijuana and consider decriminalizing the substance. Advertisement Nowacki said he thinks the county's highest law enforcement official should be held to a high standard, and that if improprieties are discovered, they should step aside. "I very early called for Sheriff Buncich to resign," Nowacki said. On the operations side, Nowacki said the department should put more resources toward high crime areas, and deploy officers to address those problems. If elected, Nowacki said, he wants to seek outside input, likely from Indiana State Police, about should fill administrative and command positions in the department. He said it's important to get the right people into those jobs without politics or favoritism. Gerry Schueb Former Lake County Commissioner Gerry Scheub, D-2nd, who lost his seat in November, said his 40 years of administrative experience in government and his willingness to fill the position just for the remainder of the sheriff's term makes him the right pick. Advertisement "People have got to realize or understand the sheriff is an administrative position," Scheub said, adding over the years the position has been filled by both administrators and law enforcement professionals. Scheub, 81, said if he is successful he plans to bring in a new outside chief to handle the law enforcement aspect of the job. "I've got a great chief of police, an outsider, who has worked with the feds I'm an administrator, he's a police officer. He's got extensive credentials that are second to none. That is why he is going to do such a great job," Schueb said. He declined to name the individual, saying only if he is seated the pair will begin their work Saturday afternoon following the caucus. Most candidates in the caucus are running now for the May primary. Because he's not going to seek the office in 2018, Scheub said, he will be able to focus on the post and not on fundraising or campaigning. "By the end of 15 months, there will be such an improvement in morale. The police men and women will be treated equally throughout the department," Scheub said. The next sheriff would be able to transition smoothly into the position with the plan he'll establish for the citizens and the safety of the officers. Advertisement Todd Rakos One candidate for sheriff thinks the department needs an outsider with insider knowledge. Todd Rakos, 54, said he's not a long-time Lake County officer but has spent his career in law enforcement, and can bring an outsider perspective. Rakos said the next sheriff should be an outsider, have experience working in municipal policing and understand how to operate a multi-jurisdictional agency. "I'm the only candidate who checks all those boxes," Rakos said. Rakos, a Hammond native, spent 25 years with the San Diego Harbor Police Department and served five years on a joint federal task force focused on anti-terrorism efforts. Rakos said he always planned on returning home and moved back to Munster after he retired. Advertisement Rakos said he has a passion for law enforcement and has empathy for the officers who've seen the sheriff's department through scandals. Rakos said he thinks the department needs a new leader to be more effective for the community. Running a department is all about people and process, Rakos said. A department will run efficiently if the right people are in the right positions, Rakos said, and if the processes in place are designed to run correctly. Maria Trajkovich A 20-year veteran of the Lake County Sheriff's Department is pitching herself as a "true law enforcement official." But don't call her a politician. Maria Trajkovich, of Crown Point, said she wants to bring her lengthy experience in law enforcement to the sheriff's office, but she has little concern for being a politician. Trajkovich said she thinks voters are tired of a sheriff that's more a politician than a police administrator. "We need to start fresh," Trajkovich said. "We need to get rid of the politicians." Advertisement Trajkovich, a corporal at the sheriff's department, is now the supervisor for the property and evidence management unit. Trajkovich said she's worked in every division at the department except for the administrative division. "I would like to develop the current strengths of the department and change, improve on and eliminate the weaknesses that emerge from within," Trajkovich said, in an email. The biggest priority for the department are improving operations and officer training, getting a handle on the Department of Justice mandates for the jail, eliminating nepotism and favoritism and creating physical and mental wellness programs for officers. The next sheriff needs to reallocate the department's resources, Trajkovich said, and take strong steps to make improvements. "There's just so many things in our department that need to change," Trajkovich said. clyons@post-trib.com Twitter @craigalyons The PBS special series, "The Vietnam War," by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, which begins Sunday, no doubt will evoke emotions for both the veterans of that war as well as the observers, resisters and opponents of it. Various Veterans Affairs facilities are offering a Monday morning debriefing after the first episode of the series, because "it may bring up stressful memories for combat veterans." Clearly the Vietnam experience is so unique that extraordinary responses are expected to the impact of this series, as it was to the actual war. Advertisement Vietnam, the time and place, was in fact extraordinary, and was and still is difficult to describe. Former United States Senator and Secretary of the Navy James Webb, who also was a highly decorated combat Marine in Vietnam, summed it up on a CBS Sunday Morning show in 2014: "If you were there, I don't need to explain. If you weren't, I can't explain." I would suspect that most veterans of Vietnam would echo that statement. It has become became a common mantra of many veterans of that war. Many thought (and still think) the greatest problem many of the returning Vietnam veterans was that if in fact your body came back, so did your mind. Advertisement Some veterans are discussing whether they will watch the series. Some say that since it no doubt was developed by what they perceive as a left-leaning type, it merely will rehash the anti-war sentiment of the era, and they simply do not want to hear that again. Some of the more hardened veterans go on to say this will no doubt portray the enemy as the good guy and the American soldier as the bad guy, resurrecting the way they were treated upon the return home following their tours of duty in Southeast Asia. Filmmaker Ken Burns said he hopes his 10-part documentary about the Vietnam War, which begins Sunday on PBS, could serve as sort of a vaccine against some problems that took root during the conflict, such as a lack of civil discourse in America. (Eddie Adams/AP 1965) The stories of being spat upon at airports, with chants of "Baby Killer," and "Hey Hey, Ho Ho, how many kids did you kill today?" are ubiquitous in the Vietnam veteran community. Post Tribune Twice-weekly News updates from Northwest Indiana delivered every Monday and Wednesday > Even if half of these stories are embellished memories, then the other half are tragic, and perhaps even more tragic because they were heaped on young men, often 17 to 27 years old. They answered the call of their country and were sent to a foreign land to fight a war that was not a declared war, one not supported by most of their peers, and even most of their government. Other warriors are referred to as "The Greatest Generation," as is the case of the World War II veterans, and "American Heroes" in the case of the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. These accolades are right and just. No such positive descriptors, however, have been applied to the Vietnam veteran. Perhaps the relatively recent greeting of "Welcome Home" is America's newfound acknowledgment of the veteran from 1965 to 1975, the war of which the writer Myra MacPherson described in 1984, "Above all, Vietnam was a war that asked everything of a few and nothing of most of America." Michael Herr, who helped write the screenplay for "Full Metal Jacket" and "Apocalypse Now," wrote, "All the wrong people remember Vietnam. I think all the people who remember it should forget it, and all the people who forget it should remember it." There is no doubt that all war is hell, but without the support of the people who send you into that war however, it is an even greater hell. Hopefully, Ken Burns and Lynn Novick in their series, treat the Vietnam veteran with the honor deserved, and that the warrior of that war, albeit not declared, can in some way put away some of the demons that often come at night. Let's hope so. Advertisement Dr. Tom Bellino is the author of Bac Si: A Novel, a saga of the Vietnam War. He was a Navy psychologist during the Vietnam War. Kelvin Bride, 33, of East Chicago, founder of Powerhouse Youth Community, poses with children involved in his nonprofit organization in the city. (Kelvin Bride) Tess Mangold didn't intend to voice the state of mind of so many people from her generation. She simply told me her feelings these days regarding our country and its future. "Thank God I won't be alive in 2050," said Mangold, 75, of Valparaiso. "I'm glad I'm closer to the end of my lifespan than at the beginning. I feel for all the young people." Advertisement Mangold mentioned 2050 in response to a social media post stating that the United States is expected to become a minority-majority nation by that year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. "I guess I'm just tired," Mangold told me for a previous column. Advertisement She's not alone. I've heard from dozens of readers who share her tiredness. "Hi Jerry, like Tess, I am also tired," wrote Debra M. via email. "I avoid listening to the news on TV because it's depressing. "I am 65 years old and I have had many discussions with my in-laws who share the same feelings that Tess has." Other readers expressed similar emotional exhaustion via voice mails. "Mr. Davich, I don't usually do a lot of email, but I did want to thank you for that article. I thought I was the only one who felt that way," said Phyllis S. "I can't even watch the news any more. It's so mean-spirited and evil that I feel the world is going to hell in a hand basket." When I shared their responses with Mangold, she said, "Such validation is a nice surprise." Kelvin Bride, 33, of East Chicago, with his mother, Wanda Sims. (Kelvin Bride ) In response to their collective weariness, I want to introduce you to Kelvin Bride, of East Chicago, who hopes to be around in 2050. Bride is 33 and serves as a beacon of hope and energy for anyone in his orbit, mostly kids and teenagers, through his Powerhouse Youth Community, a nonprofit organization in his city. "He is the best teacher I have ever witnessed in my 34 years of teaching," said Eric Dahl, a retired educator from Gary. Bride, after graduating from East Chicago Central High School in 2003, went straight into business by opening a performing arts center on Main Street called TAG, for Talented And Gifted. Advertisement "I was saddened to know East Chicago had no place for me to display my talents in acting, dancing and singing. So I pulled a team together and we created a safe haven for youth who enjoyed the arts," Bride told me. TAG has since made a positive impact in the lives of hundreds of youth in his city and nearby communities. "Over a year ago, Kelvin started a Sunday afternoon church service for children, which has grown to over 60 members," said Dahl, a member of the Mission of Jesus Christ Church in East Chicago. Bride told me he came from a broken family but you'd never know it from his megawatt smile and energy level. "Many people see my smile but they don't see the brokenness, the verbal and physical abuse, the battle for identity and the fear of growing up in a rough neighborhood," he said. "As a child I was taught, if you want to make a difference in life, be the person that you wanted someone to be for you," Bride said. "As I child I wish I had someone to teach me how to have fun without fighting or breaking into homes. I wish I had someone to teach me that my talent can produce opportunity." Advertisement This is his mission with youth in his community. And in Northwest Indiana. And, he hopes, in the world. "I want to build a better future by bridging the gap in families," he said. "I know there's work to be done." He's been a whirlwind of humanitarianism, from organizing a drive to send 1,200 cases of bottled water to Flint, Mich., to launching a similar food and water drive this month to aid victims of Hurricane Harvey. Bride also has organized efforts to feed and clothe needy families, mentor gifted teenagers, and give free haircuts to boys and braids to girls. His latest endeavor takes place Friday night with the play, "Broken but Not Scattered," which he wrote and will direct. The play, which deals with suicide, child abuse and domestic violence, will be performed at The Glen Theater in Gary. "In 2050, I hope I can sit back and say I knew that the work we put in was not in vain," Bride said. "I hope to still be making a difference even if I'm in a wheelchair. There will always be work to be done." Advertisement Will Mack, 17, of Hobart, hopes to be living in Colorado in 2050 after retiring from a career in the U.S. Army. (Jerry Davich / Post-Tribune) I also want to introduce you to Will Mack, 17, of Hobart, who will likely be around in 2050 and who, at this point, has only dreams to his name. Unlike many of his fellow students, Mack doesn't have any concrete plans after he graduates from high school. After joining the school's ROTC program, he got the idea to enlist in the U.S. Army. "I really enjoyed the structured military-like system, and I feel I don't have what it takes to survive going to college," Mack said. Post Tribune Twice-weekly News updates from Northwest Indiana delivered every Monday and Wednesday > I first met him during my visit to Hobart High School when I spoke to his criminal justice class regarding media relations. "I hope that in 2050 I will be retired from the military and living in a cabin on a Colorado mountainside," Mack told me. Sounds dreamy, doesn't it? Advertisement I believe that older generations of Americans need to hear such dreaminess from teens. And also such altruism from go-getters like Bride, reminding them that they, too, once felt the same way in their younger years. Yes, our world seems a hopeless mess these days. However, maybe it always has for people of a certain age. And a certain tiredness. jdavich@post-trib.com Twitter@jdavich Lauren Davis has served as administrative assistant for Niles Township for the last five years, doing a little bit of everything, she says. The Morton Grove resident said she lives with her 90-year-old parents in the same house she grew up in. Q: What are some of your job duties? Advertisement A: I'm a passport agent. I work in the assessor's office. I'm an agency coordinator. I oversee the child care scholarships and camp scholarships. We all really pitch in here and do multiple things. Q: How long have you lived in this area? Advertisement A: I was 6 when I moved to Morton Grove. I moved from Chicago and Rogers Park. I've been living in the same house even the same room since then. Q: Pets? A: We did have pets. We rescue greyhounds through a great organization called Regap. We don't have dogs now. We lost Puccini and Mimi. They were actually litter mates we got 10 years apart. Q: What book are you currently reading and what book would you like to read next? A: I am reading "Dog On It" by Spencer Quinn. It's a series of mysteries with this private detective and his dog and it's told from the dog's perspective. There's so many puns, it's crazy. The next one in the series is "To Fetch a Thief." Q: First job? A: I worked in a place in Old Orchard [mall] called Tall Styles. It was a clothes store. I worked there about a year. Q: As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? Advertisement A: I wanted to be a violinist. Unfortunately, I was in an accident and so I'm limited. But I was a violin teacher. I have a bachelor's [degree] in violin performance from Roosevelt University. I also was a fourth and fifth grade teacher at Middleton School in Skokie. Q: A movie you'd recommend? A: "The Music Man." I just adore it. It's a real feel-good movie. Q: Favorite charity? A: I have two: Niles Township food pantry, of course, and Regap. Those are my go-to charities. Q: Words of wisdom? Advertisement A: Always try to find the best of every day. Q: Favorite local restaurant? A: Ruby of Siam in Skokie. Q: What is an interesting factoid about yourself? A: One of my violin teachers was a student of the famous Jascha Heifetz. Her name is Elaine Skorodin. She was a teacher at Roosevelt and she was amazing, but the cool thing for me was that Jascha Heifetz was always one of my idols. She studied with him in a very select group. Police gather near Brainard Avenue and Plainfield Road in La Grange after a police chase ended in a crash. (Annemarie Mannion / Pioneer Press ) Several La Grange area schools were put on soft lockdown Thursday after a police chase ended in a crash on Plainfield Road near near Brainard Avenue. Countryside police said Chicago police and U.S. Marshals were conducting surveillance in Lyons on a suspect wanted on federal and state probation violations, and a Chicago police alert for violent crimes. Advertisement The task force identified the suspect in a vehicle, possibly with three other people, and attempted to stop it, beginning a chase that went through Lyons and La Grange before ending in the crash on Plainfield Road, Countryside police said. Mark Kraus of LaGrange Highlands was driving on Plainfield Road when the crash occurred. Advertisement "I saw huge puff of smoke. I heard the crunch. Then I saw police get out and start chasing people," Kraus said. A crash in La Grange near Brainard Avenue and Plainfield Road following a police chase Thursday. (Annemarie Mannion / Pioneer Press ) Countryside police said occupants ran from the car, and three were captured, included the wanted subject. Witnesses said there may have been a fourth man who ran from the scene, and that prompted a search yard to yard in a three-block area. Police did not indicate if anybody was found, or if there was any determination whether a fourth person existed. Area schools put on soft lockdown status, meaning outdoor activities do not take place and building access from the outside is restricted, included both campuses of Lyons Township High School, Spring Avenue Elementary, Gurrie Middle School, St. Cletus Catholic and St. John's Lutheran, La Grange reported on its website. Lyons Township High School reported the soft lockdown lifted at 3:10 p.m. "Local police advised LT that there is no reason to remain in soft lockdown or cancel after school activities," officials reported on the school's website. "However, due to a continued police presence in the area bounded by Plainfield Road, Brainard Avenue, 55th Street and Willow Springs Road, LT is delaying buses to that region while we speak with those students who live in the affected area." The school urged students to remain alert as they make their way home. Suzanne Bell is a missionary with the New York-based La Cosecha Community Church, which is part of the Assemblies of God denomination. She is temporarily living in Winnetka, as she and her British-born husband, John, are planning to return to Palenque, Columbia, later this year for a mission. Q: How did you wind up in Winnetka? Advertisement A: As missionaries and as people who work internationally, we constantly need visas and immigration documents. We need a visa to live in Columbia and each of us are from two different countries. Once our previous visa ran out, we realized that since we are from different countries, we need a home country. So now we are doing documentation for my husband to become a U.S. citizen. We came here for a sabbatical and we were housed by a beautiful family in Lake Bluff. That host family referred us to someone who attends Winnetka Bible Church. We came and met with the pastor, and he let us know they have apartments available for missionaries passing through. Advertisement Q: What specifically are you doing in Winnetka? A: We are getting to know people, and at the same time I am pursuing a master's degree in global development and social justice online from St. John's University. Q: Why did you want to study global development? A: Because of working in South America for the past 17 years, I have seen how bringing the message of the Bible to people needs to go hand in hand with understanding the economic and global context of the day, so that people can develop holistically to their fullest potential. We do a lot of community development work with children and women at risk in Palenque, where they live on less than two dollars a day. Q: When you are on the ground as a missionary, what do you do? A: People come in for different things, but we have a focus on academic strengthening, pastoral care and community development partnerships. Shout Out is a weekly feature in which we get to know and introduce our readers to their fellow community members and local visitors throughout suburban Chicago. Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelancer for Pioneer Press. Adam Frisch keeps calm waiting for all ballots to be counted in CD-3 A federal judge in Billings sentenced a California man to 10 years in prison on Wednesday for his role in a large meth trafficking scheme that brought the drug to Sidney and the Bakken oil fields. U.S. District Judge Susan Watters told defendant Keith Preston Coffin, 32, of Santa Maria, California, that he deserved a long term because he dealt in large amounts of meth, had it brought to Montana from California and profited from the misery of addicts. The sentence was shorter than the 14-year recommendation by the prosecution and longer than the five-year minimum mandatory sought by the defense. The guideline range was 14 years to about 17 years. Coffin said he planned to take advantage of treatment and training programs in prison. Coffin pleaded guilty in March to a conspiracy count, which accused him of working with others to bring meth to Sidney for distribution in the Bakken oil fields. The conspiracy ran for about a year, from December 2015 until December 2016. Prosecutors said Coffin and co-defendant Timothy Dallas Swope provided $11,000 to another person in Sidney to travel to California for meth in December 2015. That person bought 3.5 pounds of meth from a supplier known to Coffin. However, law enforcement in Idaho stopped and arrested the person on the return trip and found the meth and other evidence in the persons vehicle, prosecutors said. Confidential sources also told investigators how Coffin was a meth supplier and that he sold ounce-quantities to another person for resale. Swope, of Sidney, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy count and is awaiting sentencing on Nov. 8. Yellowstone National Park officials has captured and killed a young male grizzly bear after it repeatedly showed aggressive behavior toward humans, most recently entering a campsite hear Heart Lake. The grizzly was initially tagged and relocated by Wyoming Game and Fish Department officials in 2015 to the Caribou-Targhee National Forest after it exhibited bold behavior around people, a Thursday press release from Yellowstone spokesman Jonathan Schaeffer states. In 2016, the bear eluded park officials trapping efforts after it reportedly entered campsites in the Heart Lake area and destroyed tents, sleeping bags and sleeping pads. Park staff used a variety of deterrents in their attempts to change the bears behavior after the 2016 incident including electric decoy tents, electric food sack decoys, bean bag rounds, rubber bullets and cracker shells but the young bruin returned to the same area again last month, according to the release. On the evening of Aug. 26, the bear forced a group of three backpackers out of their campsite near Heart Lake and consumed all of their food, the release states. In response, Yellowstone closed the area to backcountry camping on Aug. 27 and set traps for the bear on Sept. 1. The bear was captured and killed on the morning of Sept. 8. The campers were eating dinner when the bear walked into the campsite, said Kerry Gunther, the bear management biologist for the park. "It kind of just walked right in on them, huffing, and they backed out, which I think just about anybody would do," Gunther said Thursday. The bear had entered the same campground the year before, he added, along with other campgrounds near the lake. Yellowstone Park lies in the center of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, a 5.9 million-acre recovery zone for the species that is home to an estimated 700 grizzlies. This is the 22nd reported grizzly bear death within the recovery zone so far this year, Gunther said. Last year, 58 bears were reported dead, and 61 died in 2015, according to statistics from the U.S. Geological Survey. Gunther said the relative spike in grizzly mortalities during the previous two years is likely due to a combination of record-high visitation to Yellowstone and the bears' expanding geographic range throughout the area. Earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of the Interior moved to lift federal protections for grizzly bears in the Yellowstone ecosystem, which were originally listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1975 along with grizzly populations in five other recovery zones in Montana, Idaho and Washington. CHEYENNE, Wyo. A judge has decided to close the preliminary hearing in a Wyoming case involving a man accused of murder and sexual abuse of a minor. Albany County Circuit Court Judge Robert Castor issued the ruling Tuesday in Cheyenne to keep the press and public out of the preliminary hearing and court documents in the case. The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports that Castor says if the case is bound over to District Court for trial, the case files and proceedings will be open to the public. Castor's decision follows a Tribune Eagle appeal and subsequent order by Judge Catherine Rogers to reconsider a previous Circuit Court ruling to close the case. Public defender Diane Lozano argued "inflammatory" media coverage could lead to a biased jury and unfair trial. By Melissa Cyrill Less than three months after a border standoff began at Doklam, China and India agreed to de-escalate the situation in favor of talks and military disengagement. The standoff caused some strain in bilateral trade and business relations. Yet, eventually, economic and commercial interests trumped geopolitical concerns, leading to the relatively swift resolution of border tensions. Indeed, a week after the disengagement, Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the ninth BRICS Summit in Xiamen, and met separately with Chinese President Xi Jinping for bilateral talks. Chinese exports to India surge in upscale segments China is Indias largest trade partner, though the balance is heavily in favor of China. In 2016-17, Chinas goods exports to India valued at a whopping US$61.3 billion against Indias shipments worth US$10.2 billion Chinese goods dominate Indias homes, marketplaces, and factories. India imports a wide range of high-value added goods from China: mobile phones and electronic equipment to solar modules and machinery parts, besides cheap and mass manufactured items. Meanwhile, India exports mainly raw materials like cotton, ore, slag and ash, mineral fuels, organic chemicals, as well as copper and related articles. Chinas trade restrictions may have something to do with this Indian agricultural and pharmaceutical products, for instance, are prevented from reaching the country. On the other hand, China wants India to remove its anti-dumping duty on 93 products covering broad groups of chemicals and petrochemicals, products of steel and other metals, fibers and yarn, machinery items, plastic items, and electronic items, among others. Chinas investments into India are diversifying Chinas investment pattern in India is changing. After years of sluggish growth, the pace of outbound investments from China has quickened. Take a look at the numbers: foreign direct investment (FDI) from mainland China into India totaled US$1.55 billion between April 2000 and December 2016 77.9 percent of this came after 2014, according to the Indian government. Between June and August 2016, Chinese firms and investors pumped in approximately US$2.3 billion into India targeting technology startups and the electronics manufacturing sector. This in itself is a break away from Chinas outbound investment patterns in other Asian markets, where infrastructure and extractive industries have dominated spending. Economists explain this trend as a gradual shift from strategic to financial equity returns-focused investments. Chinese investors and industry leaders feel that India is where their country was ten years ago, and aim to replicate their homegrown successes. Over the past year, new Chinese venture capital (VC) firms including K2VC, Ping An Ventures, and Legend Capital have visited India to scout for the next great idea. As such, Chinese investors have paid special attention to Indias digital ecosystem, especially its technology startups, and have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the e-commerce, online payments, healthcare, and communication media sectors. For instance, Alibaba, Chinas largest e-commerce company and its affiliates own 40 percent stake in Indias largest digital payments company Paytm. Alibaba plans to raise it to 62 percent. Meanwhile, Chinas investments in India continue to flow into the more orthodox sectors. Chinese multinational corporations like Harbin Electric, Dongfang Electronics, Shanghai Electric, and Sifang Automation either supply equipment or manage power distribution networks in 18 cities in India. Chinese state-run firms like China Harbour Engineering Co. Ltd and China Datang Corp have shown interest in acquiring Indian companies in the engineering, procurement, construction (EPC), and power generation segments. And, India needs these investments. The consolidated FDI policy for 2017-18 indicates that India needs FDI inflows to fund its current account deficit, to improve the competitiveness of its manufacturing sector, and to make it an integral part of the global value chain. Chinas own domestic plans involve moving towards an innovation-led model of higher value-added manufacturing, while at the same time finding consumer markets for its established manufacturers. The two economic growth trajectories may just reinforce the other. RELATED: What China Wants From India Manufacturing Capacity China plus one model Asian giants who need each other China is trying to transition from a low-end manufacturer to a high-end manufacturer, sourcing cheap products from other places for increasingly wealthy Chinese consumers, and transitioning Chinese jobs to higher paid manufacturing and services. At the same time, Chinese firms still need to maintain existing production capacity and expand market access for its goods to be able to invest in establishing a higher-end manufacturing ecosystem, with the benefits of value addition coming into China. India, on the other hand, is at an earlier stage developing its manufacturing base and trying to create the supply chain infrastructure that China is renowned for. Yet, with increasing labor costs, declining population trends, and reduction of preferential investment policies, China is gradually losing its cost advantage and competitiveness in comparison to other Asian countries. As a result, companies in China are looking to diversify their operations by adding another location in Asia. This strategy is known as the China plus one model. Businesses adopt the China plus one model to reduce operating costs, diversify workforces and supply chains, as well as access new markets. Companies in China traditionally looked to Southeast Asian countries for alternative manufacturing destinations. In addition to the many benefits of ASEAN as an investment destination, Indias size, regulatory maze, and land acquisition represented more challenges than was viable to take on. However, three years into Modis business friendly government, India is considered a much more attractive location to do business. Chinese firms have taken note of this, and the number of Chinese firms has climbed from between 30 and 40 in 2010 to between 400 and 500 today. Several firms have also invested in local manufacturing capacity in India, across sectors. Leading examples include: SAIC Motor Corp., Chinas largest automaker, which will start production in 2019 through a fully-owned facility in Halol, Gujarat state; Xiaomi, which assembles one phone every second in its second plant in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh state; and solar panel giant Trina Solar, which plans to build a US$44 billion plant near the port of Visakhapatnam. What China-based businesses gain in India The following factors make choosing India as your China plus one destination an easier decision today: Economic reforms: The Modi government is keen to transform Indias manufacturing ecosystem under its Make in India initiative. Other flagship initiatives, such as Digital India and Startup India have already caught the attention of the biggest Chinese technology companies and VC firms. Meanwhile, ease of doing business is an important target of government reforms in the regulatory and corporate establishment domains, as are tax, real estate, and bankruptcy regulation. Market size: India is the worlds third largest market after China and the US. Its economy posted a Gross National Income (PPP) of US$8.59 trillion in 2016-17, growing at a rate of 7.1 percent. Foreign businesses entering India now are comparing their experiences to China in previous decades and despite ASEANs ambitions, none of the Southeast Asian economies offer a single, unified market this size. Analysts estimate that Indias nominal year-on-year expenditure growth of 12 percent will result in India becoming the third largest consumer market by 2025. Maximum consumer spending is expected in food, housing, consumer durables, transport, and communication sectors. Labor surplus: Indias population was 1.32 billion in 2016, and there are more than 605 million people below the age of 25. What this translates into is a projected 115 million workers in the 20-24 age bracket, according to the International Labor Organization (ILO). This young workforce will make a significant contribution to Indias consumer base, and contrast favorably to demographic changes in China. Low labor costs: China is committed to developing high-end, value-added manufacturing to fuel the next stage of its economic development. Companies that want to manufacture cheap goods in Asia need to understand how lower labor costs in India can help them achieve their goals. India has some of the lowest labor costs in Asia: a monthly minimum wage of US$137 as compared to US$155 in China at the end of 2016, at its lowest. In 2017, 14 regions in China increased their minimum wage, including Shanghai, which raised it by five percent from RMB 2,190 (US$335) to RMB 2,300 (US$351) and Shenzhen, which raised it from RMB 2,030 (US$310) to RMB 2,130 (US$325). In 2016, nine provinces raised their minimum wages and in 2015, 19. In India, social insurance benefits are available only to firms in the organized sector. This means they are legally registered under law and pay tax. Furthermore, provision of social security benefits are mandated for only those firms that have a minimum number of employees. In contrast, businesses in China have considerably higher social insurance commitments. Government support for industry: The Indian government is making foreign investment easier in India, announcing a much more liberalized and streamlined FDI policy in 2017. Government initiatives to create smart cities, trade corridors, industrial clusters, special economic zones (SEZs), and advance port infrastructure offer various preferential policies for foreign firms and investors. Beyond this, Modis encouragement of competitive federalism has helped localize economic reforms and business incentives, adding a healthy dose of realism to the federal governments expansive vision. Pre-Investment, Market Entry Strategy Advisory Services from Dezan Shira & Associates An important relationship Dezan Shira & Associates Chairman Chris Devonshire-Ellis said, The media has a tendency to play up any hint of conflict between India and China. But in actual fact, a huge amount is being done behind the scenes to position both economies as complementary with each other rather than competitive. In reality, both countries, like growing siblings, occasionally squabble yet develop together. Both are concentrating on efforts towards development, and dont want to be distracted by other issues. According to Devonshire-Ellis, the future is bright for an Asian axis with Beijing and Delhi both taking major and powerful roles in the shaping of Asias destiny. Analyzing China-India bilateral trade and investment data showcase the benefits of cooperation-based growth in the region. The policy of delinking economic objectives from geopolitical developments emerges from this understanding evident in the resolution of the Doklam standoff. Finally, the two countries are Asian giants, representing two of the three largest and fastest-growing economies in the world, and showing complementary development trajectories. They cannot be ignored by foreign investors on one hand, neither can they ignore each other. About Us China Briefing is published by Asia Briefing, a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. We produce material for foreign investors throughout Asia, including ASEAN, India, Indonesia, Russia, the Silk Road, and Vietnam. For editorial matters please contact us here, and for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click here. Dezan Shira & Associates is a full service practice in China, providing business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax, IT, HR, payroll, and advisory services throughout the China and Asian region. For assistance with China business issues or investments into China, please contact us at china@dezshira.com or visit us at www.dezshira.com Dezan Shira & Associates Brochure Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide. An Introduction to Doing Business in China 2017 This Dezan Shira & Associates 2017 China guide provides a comprehensive background and details of all aspects of setting up and operating an American business in China, including due diligence and compliance issues, IP protection, corporate establishment options, calculating tax liabilities, as well as discussing on-going operational issues such as managing bookkeeping, accounts, banking, HR, Payroll, annual license renewals, audit, FCPA compliance and consolidation with US standards and Head Office reporting. Chinas Investment Landscape: Identifying New Opportunities Chinas foreign investment landscape has experienced pivotal changes this year. In this issue of China Briefing magazine, we examine how foreign investors can capitalize on Chinas latest FDI reforms. First, we outline new industry liberalizations in both Chinas FTZs and the country at large. We then consider when an FTZ makes sense as an investment location, and what businesses should consider when entering one. Finally, we give an overview of Chinas latest pro-business reforms that streamline a wide range of administrative and regulatory measures. Dezan Shira & Associates China and Russia are close to inking a cooperation agreement on the joint development and production of a heavy-lift helicopter, according to a senior Chinese helicopter designer. Model of the heavy-lift helicopter to be jointly developed by China and Russia. [Photo/China Daily] Aviation Industry Corp of China, the State-owned aircraft giant, and Russian Helicopters, Russia's only helicopter manufacturer, have had 17 rounds of talks on the subject. All of the technological requirements, work assignments, collaboration methods and schedules have been finalized, said Huang Chuanyue, deputy chief engineer at Avicopter, AVIC's helicopter branch. "Our talks are in the final stage. The helicopter will be jointly developed and manufactured. The research, development and assembly will be in China, while the production of some key parts will be in Russia," Huang told reporters on the sidelines of the 2017 China Helicopter Development Forum in Tianjin. More than 300 government officials, company representatives and experts in the helicopter industry took part in the event, which was hosted by AVIC and the Tianjin government. Huang said the new helicopter's technologies will be unique compared with other heavy-lift models in the world because it will be designed completely in accordance with China's requirements and geographic conditions. "China has multiple landforms including plateaus, mountainous regions and plains, so the helicopter must be able to operate in every landform. Foreign helicopters have not met our needs, especially those in plateaus and mountains," he said. This is very important because China has vast plateau areas and mountainous terrain, as well as many islands that are difficult to access by other means. That has been an extremely serious problem because China is often hit by natural disasters, the designer said, adding that the helicopter will also be of value for building infrastructure in mountainous terrain and on islands. Huang noted that it will be more robust than all other helicopters in China in terms of carrying capacity. "It will be capable of taking 10 metric tons of cargo, or more than 100 people inside the cabin, or carry 15 tons of freight in an external sling. By comparison, the AC313, currently the strongest type, can carry four tons inside the cabin or lift five tons outside the body," he said. According to AVIC, the helicopter will have a maximum takeoff weight of 38.2 metric tons and a maximum cruising speed of 300 kilometers per hour. It will be capable of flying at altitudes up to 5,700 meters and have a range of 630 km. Currently, heavy-lift helicopters in use include the United States' Boeing CH-47 Chinook, the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion and Russia's Mil Mi-26 series. The US and Russia continue to upgrade these types and aspire to maintain their dominance of the heavy-lift helicopter market, observers said. You are here: Home China's fixed-asset investment (FAI) remained basically stable in the first eight months of the year thanks to robust investment in infrastructure. In January-August, FAI grew 7.8 percent year on year to 39.42 trillion yuan (more than 6 trillion U.S. dollars), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Thursday. The pace was slower than the 8.3-percent increase in the first seven months and failed to meet market estimates of 8.2 percent. "Despite the mild retreat, the investment structure continued to improve," NBS spokesperson Liu Aihua said at a press conference, citing more capital pumped into high-tech industries, infrastructure and weak economic areas. Infrastructure investment, which accounts for more than 20 percent of total FAI, jumped 19.8 percent, driven by investment in public facility management and road transport. High-tech manufacturing saw investment up by 19.5 percent. The NBS calculation does not include investment made by farmers. It includes projects with planned investment of more than 5 million yuan and all property development. China, with long history, rich culture and beautiful scenery, welcomes tourists from all over the world, President Xi Jinping said in a congratulatory letter to an international tourism meeting on Wednesday. UN World Tourism Organization assembly attendees look over promotional products in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Wednesday. [Photo/China News Service] "Tourism is an important channel for different countries and cultures to communicate with each other, an effective way of developing a country's economy and a key industry to improve people's lives," he said in the letter to the 22nd General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. The biennial officially kicked off on Wednesday in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province. Activities started on Monday and the event runs through Saturday. More than 1,000 representatives from 130 countries and regions are attending the meeting to discuss using sustainable tourism as a development tool and reinforcing Belt and Road tourism cooperation. Xi said China pays great attention to the development of the tourism industry, which accounts for more than 10 percent of the country's economy and employment. In the next five years, Chinese tourists will make 700 million outbound trips. He said the UNWTO plays a positive role in promoting the development of global tourism and strengthening international tourism cooperation. "We hope all nations can utilize the opportunities of the meeting and push the tourism industry globally for greater development together," he said. Vice-Premier Wang Yang, who attended the meeting, said China joined the UNWTO in 1983. Tourism has grown from a marginal to a major industry for the country's economy during the past three and a half decades, Wang said. But China is not a "tourism power" yet, he said, and needs further development through expanded, deepened cooperation. Taleb Rifai, secretary-general of the UNWTO, said China has become a world leader in all paths of life over the past decade and tourism is no exception. "It is very inspiring to see China's commitment to international cooperation and tourism at the highest level," he said. Li Jinzao, director of China National Tourism Administration, said the Belt and Road Initiative has created a larger tourism market among countries involved. There were at least 25 million tourist trips between China and other countries involved in the initiative in 2014 alone. An initiative for tourism cooperation among nations involved in the initiative was formed during the meeting to improve tourism facilitation and quality and to face challenges and risks together. "The Chengdu initiative sets out how we can harness tourism's potential and share our resources through large-scale partnerships to create a better future," Rifai said. You are here: Home Police in central China's Hunan Province said Wednesday that they recently caught 34 suspects from five gangs that had allegedly carried out multiple tomb robberies. On Sept. 26, 2016, police in Youxian County were informed that an ancient tomb group had been robbed. According to archaeologists, the large group of tombs, located in Youxian, dates back to the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-25 A.D.) Police in the city of Zhuzhou, which administers the county, organized a special investigation team. During the investigation, police discovered five gangs who had allegedly robbed ten ancient tomb sites in five provinces, namely Hunan, Shandong, Hebei, Anhui and Henan. Nine pieces of stolen cultural relics have been recovered. China's top political advisor has made a clear stance on a string of historical issues concerning Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, saying they serve as important guidelines to address ideological problems in the area. Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the remarks while addressing a two-day symposium on the region's historical issues, which closed Wednesday. Yu emphasized that Xinjiang is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and that China has been a unified and multi-ethnic country since the Qin and Han dynasties more than 2,000 years ago. He pointed out that the various ethnic groups in the region are members of the Chinese nation, and share the common interest of realizing the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation. The culture of ethnic groups in the region is rooted in the rich soil of Chinese civilization and is an indivisible part of it, according to Yu. He further noted that promoting harmonious relations between religions can help maintain peace and prosperity in the region. These views will serve as important guidelines for solving ideological problems in Xinjiang, a consensus which is reached on historical issues among officials and people from different ethnic groups in the region, and an important thought which helps take the initiative in ideological work, he said. Yu underlined the need to uphold such important principles and integrate them into the practical work of ideology. He also stressed efforts to win the public trust, fight splitism, eliminate the influence of wrong ideas and solve the long-standing and deep-seated ideological problems. Yu asked Communist Party cadres, the highly educated and religious leaders to do a better job in educating the people, and fulfill their responsibilities to lead. The symposium was attended by Zhang Chunxian and Li Zhanshu, both members of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. Those at present also included Du Qinglin, vice chairman of the CPPCC National Committee; Yang Jing, state councilor and secretary-general of the State Council; and Guo Shengkun, minister of public security. President of Iran Hassan Rouhani [File photo] Irans integration into the international system since the revolution has witnessed a series of ups and downs. Hassan Rouhanis re-election in 2017, however, means Iran is ready to restart the process as signified by the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). There are many obstacles ahead, but Chinas growing role internationally offers considerable hope. The "international system" in this regard means the institutions and mechanisms, in which nation states interact with each other according to widely accepted rules. This has long been dominated by the West and featuring strong Western characteristics, focused on the political-security and economic aspects. The United States, and the West at large, for most of the time since Irans revolution, has not accepted it as being part of its perception of the international system; indeed, it was seen as a major outsider challenging the political and security system. Such epithets as "revolutionary fundamentalist state," being a part of the axis of evil and rogue state emerged at different times. As a result, the West adopted a policy to isolate and contain Iran diplomatically and politically, and has even talked of overthrowing its regime. Economically, the United States has been imposing sanctions on Iran on both the unilateral and multilateral level. There are so many sanctions, in fact, that even Americans themselves have lost count. Iran during Rafsanjanis and Khatami's presidencies had launched intensive efforts for integration in the international system. Their efforts, though worthy, were only at the initial stage of improving bilateral relations with the actors sitting on the top of the system. Rafsanjani regarded economic development and prosperity as one of the major sources of the legitimacy of the Islamic Republic. And economic development would have to depend on normal relations with the outside world, particularly the West. Khatami was able to visit several Western countries, where he proposed the concept of dialogue among civilizations. Khatamis government was at least able to achieve the Paris Agreement on its nuclear program with European countries in 2004. But unfortunately, Irans integration was interrupted when Mohammed Ahmajinejad became president. During his presidency, from 2005 to 2013, Iran adopted a fresh hardline approach on the nuclear issue, which had been regarded by the West as another proof of Irans challenge to the international order. As a result, the U.S., the West in general, and even the international community at large adopted more measures to isolate Iran politically and launched more economic sanctions. Hassan Rouhani was a politician favored both by Rafsanjani and Khatami, and is regarded representing moderate and pragmatic group of Iranian politics. His election in 2013 suggested Iran wanted to have positive interactions with the international community. Rouhani has been very resolute in reaching the nuclear deal via negotiation, and the deal well signifies Irans efforts for international acceptance. His reelection in 2017 in some way further consolidated Irans domestic political foundation for this approach to prosper. However, Iran will have to face and overcome various tough challenges in the process. At home, it has to overcome the opposition from hardliners or conservatives, which will be a very tough challenge. According to observers, Irans conservativism is strongly rooted in its special national psychology of a victim mentality based on centuries of humiliation. Whats more, Iran's conservatives have the protection of the Islamic system. Internationally, Iran still faces some isolationist mentality. U.S. President Donald Trump, on many occasions, has expressed his intentions to tear up the nuclear deal, for example. And the U.S. also has strong anti-Iran political forces at home for different reasons, for instance, Jewish lobbying and continued resentment over the 1979 hostage drama seen as an American humiliation. However, Chinas emergence as a major player in the international system will greatly promote Irans reintegration by diluting the Western influence. China has initiated and participates as a major actor in a number of new and older institutions and mechanisms such as SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization), AIIB, the Belt and Road Initiative, BRICS and G20. China has already played a constructive role in Irans relations with the international system dominated by the West. It mediated the nuclear deal, and will still be a major player safeguarding the implementation of the deal. This gives it much influence in bringing Iran back into the fold. Dr. Jin Liangxiang is deputy director and Senior Research Fellow with the Center for West Asian and African Studies, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/jinliangxiang.htm Flash One student was killed and four others injured on Wednesday in a shooting at a high school near Spokane in the northwestern U.S. state of Washington. The shooting took place shortly after 10:00 a.m. local time at Freeman High School in Rockford, Spokane County, in Eastern Washington state. More than an hour later, Spokane County Sheriff's Office updated its posting on Twitter social network, announcing that "Freeman School NOT an active scene - 1 person detained." "The shooter is in the back seat of a patrol car right now," Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich was quoted as saying earlier by the Spokesman-Review, a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Spokane county. However, while the newspaper reported that the shooter is a student at the school with more than 20 staff members and 300 students, authorities have withheld the identity of the suspect as well as those killed and injured. At Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children's Hospital in Spokane, a spokeswoman said the three patients are in stable condition. Governor of Washington state Jay Inslee expressed his condolences on Twitter: "This morning's shooting at Freeman High School is heartbreaking. All Washingtonians are thinking of the victims and their families." It is not clear whether Freeman High School will open Thursday. Nobody answered the phone with a record asking the caller to leave a message during normal office hours Wednesday afternoon. Flash Lao President Bounnhang Vorachith on Thursday expressed his gratitude to the Chinese governments support and assistance. Meeting with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Chang Wanquan, the Lao president said in the past years, China has consistently provided valuable assistance for the Lao people, which are very importance for the Lao security and independence, and played a very important role in promoting Lao social and economic development. Bounnhang said under the current international and regional situations, it is very important to strengthen the exchange and cooperation between the two countries and the two armies. He said the China proposed Belt and Road Initiative has provided historical opportunities and real benefits for the Lao people, noting the Lao government enthusiastically supports and takes participation in this Initiative. For his part, Chang Wanquan said that the Chinese and the Lao armies have enjoyed very close and fruitful cooperation, and China is ready to enhance the high level exchanges and boost border security cooperation with Laos. The Chinese defense minister said that the Chinese army will continue to provide support and assistance for its Lao counterpart. Thursday 14 Truth and Lies: The Murder of Laci Peterson (KOAT-7 8pm) Its a good year to be a dead person (so to speak). Seems like just about every famous murder victim (from JonBenet Ramsay to Chandra Levy to Natalee Holloway to Lyle and Kitty Menendez) has seen their case revived on multiple TV news specials. Laci Peterson, for example, gets this two-hour special, plus a multi-night mini-series over on A&E. Friday 15 American Vandal (Netflix streaming anytime) This ridiculous, pitch-perfect parody of NPR-style true crime documentaries (Making a Murderer, Serial, The Jinx) looks in on an American high school rocked to its core when a student is accused (rightly or wrongly?) of ... spray-painting penises on all the cars in the parking lot. The 11th Annual ACM Honors (KRQE-13 8pm) All the special honorees and off-camera category winners from the 52nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards get their own late-season acknowledgment special. Kelsea Ballerini, Vince Gill and Toby Keith are among the musicians who felt bad enough for them to show up and perform. Evil Things (TLC 8pm) TLC presents this pseudo-documentary series relatingtotally real and believable, Im surestories of people who barely survived terrifying paranormal activity caused by possessed or cursed objects. You know, like in that movie series Paranormal Activity. Two Degrees: The Point of No Return (History 8:03pm) Scientists and climate experts discuss the fatal tipping point of environmental collapse that is likely to occur if the Earths average temperature rises a mere two degrees. Saturday 16 Drink Slay Love (Lifetime 8:02pm) A teenage vampire discovers she has the ability to withstand sunlight, so she enrolls in high school, where her who-cares attitude makes her the coolest girl around. Nice work on the title, though. Sunday 17 The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards (KRQE-13 6pm) Stephen Colbert hosts this years preeminent TV awards show gig. The Vietnam War (KNME-5 7pm) Testimony from nearly 100 firsthand witnesses provides insight into the notorious conflict in southeastern Asia. The Strain (FX 11pm) FXs seriously whacked-out vampire epidemic horror series comes to a (no doubt) bloody finale. Monday 18 The State (National Geographic 7pm) Sadly, not a revival of the MTV sketch comedy show (starring Michael Ian Black, Robert Ben Garant, Keri Kenney-Silver, Thomas Lennon, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Michael Showalter and David Wayne), but a war drama about four young British ISIS recruits who move to Syria and are quickly confronted with the harsh realities of their new life. Tuesday 19 Conan Without Borders: Israel (TBS 8pm) Conan OBrien travels to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to record his talk/comedy show. Wednesday 20 Channel Zero: No-End House (Syfy 8pm) The first season of this Creepypasta/internet legend inspired anthology series (Candle Cove) was surprisingly solid chiller material. This second season, centered around a very unusual haunted house, looks even spookier. The Good Place (KOB-4 9:01pm) The first season of this inventive sitcom about life in the afterlife took a brilliant, 180 degree turn in the finale. Now, we get to deal with the aftereffects in season two. LARAMIE, Wyo. The University of Wyoming has started increasing its recruitment and retention efforts as it faces budget cuts handed down by the state legislature. Those efforts received a boost Wednesday, when the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees approved the allocation of $10.4 million to establish a quasi-endowment, with $400,000 of that available for fiscal year 2018 and the remaining $10 million being invested to generate further revenue. Board Treasurer and Budget Committee Chair John McKinley says the annual income from that investment will go toward recruitment and retention. The University of Wyoming Foundation will manage the investment. China has for the first time set a targeted timeline to roll out the use of ethanol in gasoline nationwide for cars by 2020, part of its efforts to clean up pollution and optimize the country's energy mix. The plan was unveiled as the country is promoting the use of biofuel, an ideal alternative to fossil fuel, according to the National Energy Administration. According to a plan jointly released by the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Energy Administration, and the Ministry of Finance, the country will implement nation-wide use of ethanol-added gasoline by 2020, while targeting the large-scale production of cellulose ethanol and advanced biofuel technologies by 2025. It's the first time the government has set a timeline for promoting the biofuel, known as E10, referring to gasoline with an ethanol content of 10 percent. Analyst said government support has greatly boosted confidence in the sector. "The main advantage of ethanol fuel is that it is low carbon and environmentally friendly, which is widely used in the United States and Spain", said Zhou Dadi, former director of the energy research institute of the NDRC. The news will boost confidence in the industry, which now faces difficulties such as a high price and a low turnover rate, Zhou said, adding that without government support ethanol would likely be too expensive to survive in the market. China is the world's third-largest bioethanol producer and uses nearly 2.6 million metric tons a year. Gasoline blended with ethanol accounts for one-fifth of its annual gasoline consumption. China launched corn-to-ethanol pilot programs in 2004, as part of efforts to cut emissions and advance new energy. The government also said it aims to build an ethanol production base in the country's northeast, the main corn-growing region, without giving further details. Experts have proposed expanding production and consumption of ethanol to balance grain supply and demand and efficiently dispose of surplus grain, an unnamed official from the National Energy Administration was quoted as saying by Xinhua News Agency. According to Zhou, the reason to choose Northeast China in building the production base for fuel ethanol is that a great deal of grain is stored there every year. However, he warned that the country should not promote the industry by using crops to produce fuel ethanol and that crop stalks should be the main material for fuel ethanol production. "More technological breakthroughs are needed to lower the price and increase the production efficiency of fuel ethanol," he said. Insiders said the country's plan to use ethanol gasoline across the country by 2020 will also be a blow to China's major oil producers, including China National Petroleum Corp, the nation's largest oil producer and supplier, and the world's largest refiner China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. China said on Saturday that it has started studying when to ban the production and sale of cars using traditional fuels. Despite oil's major and dominant role in the transportation sector for decades to come, there is room for growth in natural gas, electricity and biofuel, said Li Li, energy research director at consulting company ICIS China. A worker takes samples of molten iron from a furnace of the China Baowu Steel Group in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province. [Photo provided to China Daily] China Baowu Steel Group, the nation's largest steelmaker, plans to merge more iron and steel companies amid the central government's deepening of State-owned enterprise reform. "Being a State-owned capital investment company, China Baowu's output capacity is expected to reach 20 percent of the country's total through M&A," said Chen Derong, general manger of the group, stressing that the group has overfulfilled its capacity reduction target. Last year, the company cut output by 9.97 million metric tons and in the first half of 2017 it slashed it by a further 3 million tons, which has reached 84.1 percent of the goal set for the period from 2016 to 2018. As a pilot company of State-owned capital investment enterprises, the newly merged group has a new function of State-owned capital operation, transforming from an industrial company into a capital investment group. "We are going to integrate more steel companies to obtain an advantageous scale effect," said Chen. China's around 500 steel companies produced 808 million tons of crude steel last year, but the output of the 10 largest steel groups accounted for only 35.9 percent of the total, showing a low industrial concentration. China Baowu's crude steel capacity accounted for only 7.9 percent of China's total in 2016, while Pohang Iron and Steel Co in South Korea produced 37.5 million tons last year, accounting for 54.6 percent of the country's total and Japan's Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Co took 44.1 percent, data from Lange Steel Information Center show. The State Council issued a guideline on promoting steel company mergers last September, requesting that 60 to 70 percent of steel capacity should be concentrated in the top 10 companies by 2025. The major difficulty in industry concentration is that ownership belongs to different levels of governments or organizations, with some of them privately owned, said Wang Guoqing, chief analyst from Lange Steel Information Center. In this case, China Baowu set up the Siyuanhe Steel Industry Structure Adjustment Fund together with WL Ross & Co from the United States, Sino-American Green Fund and China Merchants Group in April, with capital of 40-80 billion yuan ($6.1-12.2 billion). Operated professionally and market-oriented, the fund will help deal with the different ownerships, so as to accelerate M&As in the steel industry, implement mixed ownership reform and clear out "zombie" enterprises. "We are now actively contacting with some target companies for further mergers," Chen said. China Baowu achieved revenue of 220.4 billion yuan in the first half of the year, rising 61 percent year-on-year, and its profit of 8.66 billion yuan was up 100 percent over the same period, showing the benefits of integration. "Sticking to transforming and upgrading, the merged company aims to build an environmental-friendly, high-end and intelligent steel industry," said Chen. "To build an internationally competitive world-class group, we will focus on the coordinated development of related sectors, including new-material process, modern trade logistics, industrial finance and industry services," he added. China Baowu has also concentrated on cost reduction and greater efficiency, so as to alleviate its heavy financial burden and bloated bureaucracy, issues faced by most State-owned enterprises. Baoshan Iron&Steel Co Ltd cut its costs by 4.1 billion yuan in the first half of this year, through cutting costs related to investment, labor, technology and purchasing. Company ensures workers are smoothly transferred In the process of eliminating overcapacity, China Baowu Steel Group has taken steps to ensure surplus employees can smoothly exit the company either to new jobs or early retirement. "We have set up a job transfer and employment platform for these personnel, providing several kinds of exit channels, including internal transfer, training, self-employment and retirement," said Chen Derong, general manger of China's largest steel-maker. Most employees of the group's new subsidiaries, like material factories and Ouyeel, a business-to-business platform, are from internal recruitment. "They receive necessary training, before going to the new position," said Chen, adding that although some employees are more than 40 years old, their skills and qualifications are comparatively higher than recruits from outside the company. Thanks to its strong links with local labor authorities, China Baowu has also helped to find alternative employment for some of its employees. For example, some basic-level managers from Shanghai Stainless Steel Co were assigned to work for residential communities in the city. China National Nuclear Power Co Ltd said it plans to establish a company, in Cangzhou, Hebei province, to promote the development of a traveling-wave reactor, a new nuclear design using fourth-generation technology. The new company, with registered capital of 1 billion yuan ($153.23 million), will be in partnership with Huadian Fuxin Energy Ltd Co, Zhejiang Zheneng Electric Power Co Ltd, Shenhua Group and Jointo Energy Investment Co Ltd Hebei, according to a statement CNNP released with the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Tuesday. CNNP, a unit of one of the country's three largest State-owned nuclear operators, China National Nuclear Corp, will own 35 percent of the company, followed by 30 percent for Shenhua Group, 15 percent for Huadian Fuxin Energy, 10 percent for Zhejiang Zheneng Electric Power and 10 percent for Jointo Energy Investment. The traveling-wave reactor is a new nuclear design that uses fourth generation technology, which will reduce the need for the enrichment and reprocessing of uranium. It would create less nuclear waste and could be used for years without refueling. Analysts said the new company's establishment is in accordance with China's plan to boost non-polluting power's role in the country's energy mix, as well as the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Installed nuclear capacity, which more than doubled to 27.17 GW during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15), is expected to double again by 2020 to 58 GW, according to the country's energy authority. According to Joseph Jacobelli, a senior analyst of Asia utilities at Bloomberg Intelligence, CNNP will most likely be the principal driver of the joint venture; the joint venture will be a new area for Shenhua, whose exposure to clean energy has been limited to renewable energy. CNNP said in a statement that the new company will also help facilitate the development of advanced TWR technology while responding to the country's energy plan. Scientists have been trying to develop methods to recycle the waste by using it as fuel since the 1940s, aware of the long-term risks of storing radioactive waste and of nuclear fuel being diverted. Washington-based Terra Power, co-founded by Bill Gates in 2006, has been working closely with China National Nuclear Corp to conduct research into the use of the new technology. CNNP Technology Investment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CNNP, also plans to establish CNNP TWR Technology Investment (Tianjin) Co Ltd together with the four investors, sporting the same investment proportion. Chinese businessman Jonathan Pang has joined a growing list of investors offering to buy the insolvent German carrier Air Berlin, German newspaper BILD reported on Wednesday. The local newspaper cited a letter of intent sent by Pang's company LinkGlobal to Air Berlin's management dated on Aug 31. "We are informed," the letter of intent reads, that Air Berlin is looking for a "reliable investor for acquisition. We hereby express our interest and intention for this purpose." Pang previously acquired the former German military airport Parchim, located between Berlin and Hamburg. He proposed shifting at least part of Air Berlin's activities to the currently disused site in his letter of intent, expressing confidence that such a move could be a "win-win for both Air Berlin and our Parchim airport." The news of Pang's interest comes as Air Berlin is still reeling from mass flight cancellations caused by pilots calling in sick as a form of protest. At least 32 flights have to be canceled so far on Wednesday, mainly at Berlin-Tegel and Dusseldorf airports. In response, Air Berlin CEO Thomas Winkelmann accused pilots of "playing with fire." "We are currently in final discussions with investors," he said, warning that cancellations were costing the already bankrupt firm "millions of euros." Air Berlin is Germany's second largest airline and employs over 8,000 staff members. The German government has provided the insolvent company with a credit facility of 150 million euros ($179.8 million) to ensure continuity of operations until a buyer is found. China's biggest online travel company, Ctrip, which recently bought the Scottish travel search site Skyscanner, will open a customer service call center in Edinburgh. The center will employ 200 people and recruitment will begin toward the end of the year. Ctrip is China's largest and the world's second-largest online travel agency. The company bought Skyscanner for 1.4 billion pounds ($1.8 billion) in December. The call center will operate independently from the travel search engine and the company said it "aims to provide a high-level customer service experience across time zones and languages". The Shanghai-based travel agency has been expanding its travel services for several years for both outbound Chinese travelers and international passengers. "Ctrip's leadership team has visited Edinburgh several times since the acquisition of Skyscanner at the end of last year," said Coley Dale, Ctrip director. "It is clear to us that there is considerable talent in Scotland and the city makes an ideal base for Ctrip to open a dedicated call center." The call center will be located in central Edinburgh and is set to open in the first two months of 2018. Dale added: "While Chinese travelers continue to be the focus for Ctrip, we're step-by-step investing in our services across the world. We're excited to be building roots here in Edinburgh and will be recruiting at scale to our new office." Ctrip said successful candidates will undergo up to three months of training. A number of the Edinburgh call center employees will also visit the Chinese company's Shanghai headquarters. According to media reports, the company is receiving financial support from Scottish Development International, a government-backed agency that focuses on incentivizing international businesses to invest in the country. Paul Lewis, managing director of Scottish Development International, said he is delighted that Ctrip has chosen the Scottish capital for such an important call center. "The company joins many international investors which recognize the strength of our skills base, competitive business environment and effective support network," Lewis said. "We look forward to working with Ctrip to help deliver this significant investment and new jobs for Scotland." Founded in 1999, Ctrip is now one of China's best-known travel businesses, providing accommodation reservations, ticketing, and package tours, as well as corporate travel management. Daimler AG's new Smart concept autonomous car Vision EQ is displayed during the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) in Germany, Sept 12, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua] Auto manufacturers spend heavily to develop and improve environment-friendly vehicles to meet increasingly tough government regulations across the world FRANKFURTCar manufacturers wheeled out a fleet of electric vehicles at the glitzy Frankfurt International Motor Show in Germany this week. The industry's major players are desperate to stay in a race that is gradually being dominated by e-cars as the sector goes through a period of rapid change. German giant Volkswagen AG showed off a revised version of its electric ID Crozz crossover SUV concept vehicle as it announced a long-term electrification campaign. By 2025, VW plans to introduce 80 new e-vehicles as well as investing 20 billion euros ($24 billion) in upgrading plants. "Now the big question that everyone is asking is, when will we see (electric cars) in mass volume," Matthias Mueller, CEO of Volkswagen said earlier this week. Depending on market developments, VW hopes to sell three million battery-only vehicles a year in 2025. But they will face stiff competition in what is turning into a cutthroat market. Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz unveiled a compact electric vehicle under its EQ sub-brand on Wednesday and the GLC F-Cell, a battery-fuel cell hybrid, which can run on hydrogen and emits only water vapor. BMW AG is also showing off a concept vehicle for the first electric Mini compact due to be rolled out in 2019. Indeed, auto companies are spending millions of dollars to develop and improve e-cars to meet increasingly tough government regulations aimed at combating air pollution. This comes at a time when electric models are not enjoying high sales globally because of limited range, high prices and a lack of fast-charging stations. As battery technology improves and costs come down, analysts expect electric sales will eventually take off. According to research and analytics firm IHS Markit, battery-only cars were 0.57 percent of global production in 2016 and will increase to 0.86 percent this year. The United Kingdom and France have proposed eliminating internal-combustion engine cars by 2040. The Chinese government is developing a timetable to end the production and sale of traditional fuel cars as well as promoting development of electric technology, State media cited a minister-level official as saying. The country also plans to use ethanol gasoline by 2020, according to the National Development and Reform Commission, and the National Energy Administration or NEA. The plan was unveiled on Wednesday as China pushes the use of biofuels. It is another ideal alternative to fossil fuels, a senior NEA official said. Still, there are crucial challenges ahead for new energy vehicles. "It is not just a matter of what is being offered from manufacturers but also the electric charging infrastructure," Mueller at VW said. "That is why it is important to have a fact-based conversation about the urgent problems with electric mobility and how they can be solved. This needs to be discussed jointly, with electricity companies, with states, with local authorities," he added. The arrival of battery-powered cars is just one anticipated change. Automakers are also searching for ways to adapt to a future in which people find ways of getting from one place to another without necessarily owning a car through ride-hailing firms. They are also working on developing autonomous vehicles that could drive themselvesunder limited circumstances such as corporate campuses at first. Eventually, e-cars look certain to dominate the showrooms and highways of the future. In Frankfurt, the three German luxury car manufacturers set up large display areas, while some rival companies skipped the motor show altogether. Cost was a major reason as well as opting to display cars to the public through live streaming events. No-shows included Fiat Chrysler's namesake Fiat and its Jeep and Alfa Romeo brands, Peugeot and its DS luxury division, plus Nissan, Infiniti and Volvo. Even Porsche, part of Volkswagen, did not wait for the event but showed off its new Cayenne SUV last month with an elaborate streamed curtain-raiser from its base in Stuttgart. Small SUVs are also a theme at the show as manufacturers crowd into a segment that has proven a winner with consumers. New SUV offerings, or SUV-like body stylings, on compact car platforms include Volkswagen's T-Roc, the SEAT Arona, Jaguars E-Pace, Kia Stonic, Citroen C3 Aircross, Skoda Karoq and a so-far unnamed offering from Chery. But high-end cars remain a fixture as before. Rolls-Royce has a new version of its Phantom, and Daimler is unveiling its Mercedes-Benz-AMG Project ONE, a two-seater hybrid with more than 1,000 horsepower and a top speed of 350 kph. AP-CHINA DAILY A vehicle equipped with the Gazele 3 battery management system was among exhibits at the Frankfurt Motor Show connected to new energy technology. [Photo/China Daily] The enthusiasm of automakers for new-energy vehicles was strong at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, which is also known as 2017 IAA, as restrictions on gasoline vehicles becoming more prevalent and stringent in many countries. "The auto industry is surely about to enter, if it has not already entered, a new-energy era and China is going to play a leading role," said Peter Hage, a founding partner at auto consulting firm Districom Group. He said the latest efforts to accelerate new-energy product development have been driven by countries contemplating bans on both internal combustion and diesel engines that could come in around 2025-30. China, France, Britain and Norway are the most proactive in the area, he said. A ban in China would have a massive impact on the global car industry because it is the largest car market in the world, and it is still growing, Hage said. At 2017 IAA, VW announced it will electrify its entire fleet of around 300 models by 2030. BMW plans to launch 25 electric models by 2025. And Mercedes-Benz brought its first, and also the world's first, mass-producible fuel-cell car to the show. China's major private automakers, Chery and Great Wall, both launched new-energy models this week aimed at markets in the United States and Europe. Thunder Power Hong Kong Ltd, an electric vehicle maker, unveiled an electric sport utility vehicle in Frankfurt. "The electric car is the future," said Wellen Sham, the company's chairman and CEO. Sham said the company plans to build a factory in Catalonia, Spain, with the potential to produce 40,000 cars a year. It should start production in 2022. He said the company has already signed an MoU with the local government. Cars produced there will be sold to all European countries. Currently, the company has a manufacturing center in Ganzhou, in Southeast China's Jiangxi province. It has a capacity of 100,000 vehicles a year and will increase production to 200,000 a year by 2025, Sham said. "China has competitive policies, a big population with huge needs (for electric cars), and people are willing to accept new things," he said. Ten-D Energies (Shanghai) Inc, a start-up that specializes in electric vehicle battery management, announced its latest battery management system, Gazele 3, at the motor show. Battery management systems, batteries, and electric engines are the three key technologies needed for electric cars. According to Ten-D, its system has several advantages, including extending the range of cars after a single charge, extending battery life, and the ability to forward data to a cloud destination for future analysis. A more active control of the battery would then be possible, reducing repair and maintenance costs. Apple Inc CEO Tim Cook introduces the iPhone X at its release in Cupertino, California. [Qi Heng/for China Daily] Industry experts warn price tag may put it beyond reach of most Chinese users Apple Inc unveiled its most advanced iPhone on Wednesday, whose design is impressive enough to spark enthusiasm but its high price tag may prevent Chinese consumers from opening their wallets, analysts said. iPhone X, unveiled by CEO Tim Cook at the company's new $5 billion headquarters in Cupertino, California, is the most important product for Apple to fend off mounting competition from Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and Samsung Electronics Corp. Starting from 8,388 yuan ($1,282) in China, the 10th anniversary iPhone features a full-display screen, and supports a bunch of augmented reality functions. There's a 3-D facial recognition sensor instead of a fingerprint scanner for unlocking the phone, approving payments, and creating animated emojis based on facial expressions. Jia Mo, an analyst at global consultancy Canalys, said the iPhone X marks a big leap in smartphone design and it is creating a new interaction experience between users and smartphones. "The iPhone X is very impressive, but it is by no means a mass market product in China. It is targeting a very, very high-end segment," Jia said. According to him, the high price tag in China, about 11 percent higher than that in the US, will discourage many consumers from entering Apple stores. "It is too expensive, after all China is still a developing country," Jia said. Apple's shares slid 0.4 percent to $160.86 on Tuesday after it announced that the iPhone X won't go on sale until Nov 3, far later than the two new models iPhone 8 and 8 Plus which will be available on Sept 22. "The production delay means that sales of iPhone X won't be included into Apple's 2017 fiscal year which will end in September, denting investors' confidence a little bit," said Xiang Ligang, chief executive of telecom industry website Cctime. Also, Apple reportedly has faced manufacturing difficulties with the new handset, which may result in shortage during the upcoming holiday season, he added. In China, once the biggest growth driver for Apple, the company has seen its revenues slide for several quarters as users switched to domestic phones. In the second quarter of this year, Apple was the fifth-largest smartphone vendor in the country, with a market share of just 8 percent. Huawei is scheduled to unveil its flagship handset the Mate 10 in October, which will be powered by its latest AI chipset, putting pressure on Apple. Fang Liu, vice-president of Lexin, a major fintech company, said although the iPhone X has a high price, paying in installments has become a phenomenon among internet users in China. The trend allows iPhones to be more affordable for more people in China, in particular young consumers who have a taste for trendy and high quality products. China's e-commerce giant Alibaba has recently launched the world's first facial recognition payment technology at a KFC restaurant in Hangzhou, signifying that China has taken the lead in the commercial use of the technology, Workers' Daily reported on Sept13. It takes approximately 10 seconds for a costumer to pay their bill using the facial recognition service, greatly increasing payment efficiency. CNBC, Reuters, Yahoo News, and other Western media outlets praised China for taking the lead and putting the technology into commercial use. Data shows that the market size of the facial recognition industry in China exceeded 1 billion yuan ($153.3 million) in 2016, and is estimated to reach 5.1 billion yuan by 2021. However, many factors from the amount of light and to different angles influence the accuracy of the technology, so this mode of payment cannot be the only way for user authentication right now, said Liu Yunhuai, an expert at the third Research Institute of China's Ministry of Public Security. In addition, the future of the payment service still depends on safety assessments by supervision departments, and the aided validation process limits its convenience, so it is difficult to promote the application of the technology widely, Li Junhui, a researcher at the China Institute of Political Science and Law, noted. Despite various difficulties in promoting the service, Liu says that this mode of payment still has a bright future, as it is based on the data of users' facial information and the application of artificial intelligence. D.J. Koh, president of mobile communications at Samsung, delivers a speech at the Galaxy Note 8 launch event in Beijing on Sept 13, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Just hours after Apple Inc unveiled its next iPhones to the world, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, the world's largest smartphone vendor, launched its flagship Galaxy Note 8 in Beijing on Wednesday. D.J. Koh, president of mobile communications at Samsung, said at the event that China is an important market for Samsung, and he is confident the company will win back Chinese consumers' love. "We will do that by consistently listening to Chinese consumers and delivering technology and innovation that matters to them," Koh said. As most specifications of the phablet were already released at its original launch event in New York on Aug 23, the unveiling of Note 8's price in China was the highlight of the event. The high-end handset, available in 64 GB, 128 GB and 256 GB internal storage options, is priced at 6,988 yuan ($1,069.97), 7,388 yuan and 7,988 yuan respectively in China, Samsung announced. Sporting a 6.3-inch AMOLED screen and continuing Samsung's dual-edge curved display design, the Note 8 is powered by a Snapdragon 835 processor and is Samsung's first smartphone to feature a dual-lens camera system equipped with optical image stabilization. It also supports a range of biometric features, including iris, fingerprint and face recognition. In addition, S Pen, the unique accessory for the Note 8, can now be used to directly write memos on the screen without unlocking the handset first. To eliminate the battery explosion concerns caused by the Note 7 last year, Samsung hired UL, a global independent safety science company, to test the battery of the Note 8. Sajeev Jesudas, senior vice-president of UL, endorsed the handset's safety at the event, saying the Note 8 has successfully completed a rigorous series of device and battery safety compatibility tests. However, after only seizing 3 percent of China's market and slipping to sixth place in the second quarter of this year, Samsung has fallen behind its Chinese competitors and Apple, according to data from a Counterpoint Research report. The South Korean company entered the Chinese market 25 years ago. With nine manufacturing bases, seven R&D centers and one design center established in China, Samsung still has belief in its localization strategy, Koh said. Chen Liren, vice-president of Samsung's content strategy department in China, announced the company's mobile payment tool Samsung Pay now supports Tencent's WeChat Pay and Alibaba's Alipay and will include JD.com Inc's payment tool in the future. In addition, Samsung has partnered with China's leading bike-sharing company Mobike, Chen said. Instead of opening Mobike's app, the Note 8 smartphone's camera can scan the QR code of Mobike's shared bike and unlock it directly, a Mobike executive said. The two companies also have partnered in adopting NFC, or near-field communication, technology to unlock bikes, the executive said. As pre-orders for the Note 8 in China will run from Wednesday to Sept 26 and its sale will begin on Sept 29, the market's attitude toward Samsung will be clear soon. Koh said he feels confident in the company, as the number of pre-orders for Note 8 from about 40 countries has hit the highest-ever record for the Note series, according to a report by Asia Today. In addition, he said Samsung has a plan to launch a foldable smartphone in 2018, according to Reuters. The Montana Association of Christians (MAC) recognizes the inherent dignity of each person, regardless of economic status. Our mission is to make visible our unity in Jesus by educating and advocating for justice and compassion, in our communities and our world. We believe that hunger is not an issue of charity; it is an issue of justice. Food is one of our most basic needs as people and yet one in eight Montanans, including 45,000 children, live in homes that struggle to keep food on the table. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) is the most effective and important anti-hunger program in America. SNAP provides a lifeline for adults and families who may not be earning a living wage or have fallen on hard times, while also providing support for people with disabilities and seniors living on limited fixed incomes. This fall, our elected officials have the opportunity to protect and strengthen SNAP, in both the federal budget and upcoming Farm Bill. Instead, the federal budget currently being considered in the U.S. House includes $150 billion in cuts to SNAP over the next decade, along with drastic cuts to other safety-net programs. This budget would be devastating to our friends and neighbors who are struggling, and will push more Montanans into hardship. Within our congregations, we discuss the importance of upholding the dignity of all people: the poor, the disabled, the hungry, the sick, the elderly, and so on. Because our faith calls us to advocate for justice and compassion, the Montana Association of Christians finds the House GOP budget plan completely indefensible. In our congregations and in our communities, we are there to help our neighbors. We do the very best we can to help each other during hard times. But we cant do it alone. The government has an important role to play and must develop a federal budget that reflects our values as a country, including the ideal that no one in this nation should go hungry. Congress should reject the current House budget resolution and work towards a bill that protects SNAP from harmful cuts, restrictions, or proposals to change the program structure and instead, continues to invest in and strengthen our nutritional safety-net. We call on Rep. Greg Gianforte to be a voice for justice on behalf of Montanans and vote against the current House Budget resolution. We hope that he will find guidance in his Christian faith as he makes these crucial decisions, impacting the most vulnerable populations in Montana. Sun Zhi, a scientist with the Institute of Process Engineering of Chinese Academy of Sciences, answers questions from the students of the Chuiyangliu Central Primary School in Chaoyang district, Beijing, on September 9. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] A group of doctoral scientists with one of China's leading research institutes have given dozens of students from a primary school in Beijing a special lesson on Saturday, as part of the efforts to make science more popular among Chinese students. "Before the lecture, I felt teaching primary school students might be even more challenging than teaching adult students, so I tried to include more pictures and stories in my presentation," Sun Zhi, a leading global expert with the Institute of Process Engineering of Chinese Academy of Sciences, said. He is also a doctoral supervisor and has an area of specialty in electronic waste recovery. During the half-an-hour lecture, Sun shared, the history, present and future of cars, as well as information on the recovery of wasted car batteries, with the students of the Chuiyangliu Central Primary School. One of the rooms of the library of the Chuiyangliu Central Primary School in Chaoyang district, Beijing. The photo was taken on September 9. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] "At the end of the lecture, I found the students actually already knew a lot about batteries and cars," Sun said. "I think such lectures are good for the students and make them more curious about the world," a father surnamed Lin, whose fourth-grade girl listened to the lecture, said. "My girl is one of the seven chosen students of her class attending the lecture, and the students just take turns to participate in similar activities and everyone has the opportunity. "I saw students reacting warmly to the lecture, especially the video presentation," Zheng Danna, a national model teacher who has been teaching for 25 years, said. "Activities like this will stimulate their interests in science and inspire the students to read more after class." The Chuiyangliu Central Primary School also has a well-stocked library which covers half-a-storey of the teaching building. Apart from primary school education, the Institute of Process Engineering of Chinese Academy of Sciences also sponsored the establishment of the first industrial think tank and a number of sustainable development forums for environmental protection. SHENZHEN -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday both sent congratulatory messages to celebrate the inaugural semester of Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, the first joint Sino-Russian university. Xi said that education is a major impetus for the development of a country and a key bond to promote exchanges between different peoples. There has been close contacts between universities from both countries in recent years, as China and Russia have undertaken in-depth cooperation in education, said Xi, adding that the cooperation has played a positive role in promoting mutual understanding between the two peoples as well as the development of the Sino-Russian comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination. "Under an agreement reached by President Putin and I, the establishment of Sino-Russian Shenzhen MSU-BIT University is an important achievement in bilateral cultural and people-to-people exchanges and is of great demonstration significance," said Xi in the message. He encouraged education officials and teachers from both countries to look to each other's advantages and the potential for cooperation to speed up the future development of the university, build a high-level university and train top-quality talent, thus contributing to Sino-Russian educational cooperation and bilateral friendship. Calling educational cooperation a key component of the Russia-China strategic partnership, Putin said in his message that direct contact between universities in both countries has expanded year by year; the scale of student exchanges has been improved and high school students from both countries have formed a tradition to have holiday in the other country's national resorts. He said he believes that the Russia-China university, founded on the basis of two well-known universities from Beijing and Moscow, will further enhance friendship and understanding between the two peoples and that graduates from the university will become sought after in Russia, China and around the world. Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, located in the south China city of Shenzhen, is a university jointly founded by the Shenzhen municipal government, Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) and Russia's Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU). China issued a guideline on Wednesday strengthening curbs on money laundering, terrorism financing and tax evasion. Analysts said the move will improve the country's efficiency in fighting these financial crimes. The country will create a comprehensive legal framework and powerful regulatory coordination system by 2020 to effectively control cross-border financial crimes, according to the guideline, released by the State Council, China's Cabinet. The guideline said that although much headway has been made in combating financial crimes, many serious problems still exist, such as incomplete regulation, inadequate coordination and failure of ministries to fully share information. The country will further strengthen coordination among government departments to fight cross-border financial crimes, the guideline said. It will establish a risk assessment system and set up an assessment task group, formed by major ministries. Authorities will strengthen anti-money-laundering regulation in "highly risky fields "and expand the current regulatory scope in combating money laundering and terrorism financing "at an appropriate time" to cover all financial sectors and some targeted nonfinancial industries with a high risk of such crimes, the guideline said. "The move is timely," said Li Wei, an anti-terrorism expert at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. "Previously, we mainly focused on regulation of the financial sectors. Now we will expand our scope of regulation to nonfinancial sectors that may possibly become channels for terrorism financing, which will help ward off potential risks," he said. China will also strengthen international cooperation in fighting such crimes. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. License for publishing multimedia online 0108263 Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 The rights and interests of Taiwan resident Lee Ming-che and his family were fully protected during the investigation of his crime and subsequent trial on the Chinese mainland, an official said on Wednesday. Lee, 42, pleaded guilty on Monday in a court in Hunan province to inciting subversion of State power. "The investigation and trial of Lee was conducted strictly in accordance with the law and legal due process. The rights and interests of the defendant and his family were fully protected," An Fengshan, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a news conference. Lee's relatives were informed about the hearing in accordance with the law. Afterward, the court arranged a meeting between Lee and his mother and wife as they requested. An warned that any attempt to politically manipulate or use the case to smear the mainland's political and legal systems would prove futile. In March, Lee was put under coercive measures by the Hunan provincial security authorities after being found engaged in suspicious activities on the mainland. After Lee was detained, his family was informed and allowed to pass goods to him through a Taiwan-based NGO, even though the official communication mechanism across the Taiwan Straits had been suspended. Communication was placed on hold last year because the island's new leader, Tsai Ing-wen, failed to acknowledge the 1992 Consensus, which embodies the one-China principle. Concerned about protecting Lee's rights, the mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits entrusted a Taiwan-based NGO to inform Lee's wife about the case and pass letters from him to his family, An said earlier. Families can also pass items to Lee, he said. On Monday, more than 30 people, including domestic and overseas journalists, attended the trial. Videos of the trial were posted on the Sina Weibo account of Yueyang City Intermediate People's Court. Prosecutors accused Lee of involvement in an organization aimed at subverting State power and overturning the country's fundamental political system through instant messaging services. According to the indictment, Lee asked members of the organization to exaggerate a number of sensitive issues and make defamatory statements about the Chinese government and the country's political system. Lee attempted to overturn State power and the socialist system through unscrupulous distortion of the facts and by fanning public hostility against the government and system, the indictment said. Prosecutors said the activities had seriously harmed national security and social stability. "I regarded biased and malicious reports about the Chinese mainland by media in the West and Taiwan as reality, and had no clear knowledge of the mainland's development, "Lee said in his final statement, adding that his rights had been fully protected during the investigation. A verdict is pending. Xinhua contributed to this story. China's State-owned cultural institutions will adopt a new management system to give them more flexibility and make them more responsive to the public. The institutions, including libraries, museums and art galleries, will set up management councils composed of employees, experts and public representatives as their top decision-making bodies, the Ministry of Culture said on Wednesday. "Representatives from outside these cultural institutions must make up a majority of the council members," said Chen Binbin, deputy director of the ministry's public culture department. The councils will plan the future development of the institutions, approve budgets, draft regulations and be involved in other major issues. They will have more discretion to adjust positions and modify salaries to encourage excellent employees. "The councils can react to the actual needs of the public faster," Chen said. Current directors and other managers will be responsible for carrying out policies decided by the councils and for daily operations. The most important decisions must be made in cooperation with the Party committees of the institutions, Chen said. In China, most State-owned cultural institutions were administered by governments, but Chen said more autonomy will be given to these institutions, while governments will organize the councils and provide guidelines. "Modern council management is needed to ramp up creativity," Guan Qiang, deputy director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, told China Daily in an previous interview. For example, the development of souvenirs and other cultural items had been an issue with Chinese museums because some felt that making money from such products was in conflict with their nonprofit nature. "Some museums were reluctant to create new products, despite the fact that such items attract visitors and promote traditional culture," Guan said. The reform will be tried at national and provincial institutions by the end of 2018, and is scheduled to cover all city institutions by the end of 2020. "It will help to clarify the relationships between governments, the market and cultural institutions," Chen said. System under discussion would punish low-grade manufacturers China will improve legislation to promote product quality and establish a system that subjects producers and sellers of substandard goods to punitive compensation measures. Guidance released on Tuesday by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, China's Cabinet, urged governments at all levels to make "uttermost efforts" to improve the quality of all products made in China to address supply shortages of midrange and high-end goods and services. The outline also set targets for the quality of smart and user-friendly products and a leap ahead in the international competitiveness of Chinese brands by 2020. Measures such as improving legislation and supervision, financial supports and talent cultivation will be undertaken in the next few years to that end, the guidance said. "The outline is the first of its kind on quality in China, and it's of milestone significance," Zhi Shuping, minister of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, China's top quality watchdog, said at a news conference on Wednesday. "It is strategically important to promote China's industrial transformation and upgrade supplies to meet the demand of the Chinese people," Zhi said. Huang Guoliang, director of the administration's quality supervision department, said research and discussion are under way on revisions to China's Product Quality Law, which includes establishing a system to punish those who make and sell substandard goods. "Current law generally imposes administrative penalties on violators of product quality law, which are too lenient," Huang said. "A system under which violators of the law would suffer devastating consequences would act as a deterrent." He said revision of the Product Quality Law will need the approval of the National People's Congress, the top legislature, but there is not yet a clear timetable. Li Jun, director of the Product Quality and Safety Legal Research Center at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said such a system has been established in some developed countries, including the United States, which imposes heavy fines for poor product quality that harms consumers. "Such a measure can propel business owners to assign great importance to quality and safety," he said. "The new outline demonstrates the central government's determination to improve product quality." Although China is the top producer of more than 220 industrial products, many of them are at the lower end of the value chain, Zhi said. This has caused problems such as oversupply of some products, while at the same time Chinese consumers must look overseas for high quality products and services, he said. Five universities on the Chinese mainland have been ranked among the world's top 50 universities for student employability. The latest edition of Quacquarelli Symonds Graduate Employability Rankings listed China's Tsinghua University in 10th place, followed by Peking University in 23rd. Tsinghua was the best performer in south Asia, ahead of Japan's University of Tokyo (14th) and the University of Hong Kong (20th). Other Chinese mainland entrants in the top 50 include Fudan (27th), Zhejiang University (38th), and Shanghai Jiaotong University (46th). In all, 37 Chinese universities were ranked within the world's top 500 - 25 from the Chinese mainland, six from Taiwan and six from Hong Kong. The results show that Chinese universities are providing global and national economies with skilled, high-achieving graduates. "Chinese universities have excelled in producing talent that is increasingly competitive globally," said Zhang Yan, China director at QS Intelligence Unit. "In the future, with strength in different disciplines, Chinese universities should work more closely with employers in different parts of the world, in areas of research and development, employability and entrepreneurship." Zhang said she believes this could further enhance the competitiveness of students and cultivate future leaders for China and the world. Quacquarelli Symonds, a global higher education analyst and career advice specialist, named Stanford in the United States as the world leader, followed by the University of California, Los Angeles and Harvard University. US universities took five of the top-10 slots - and 31 of the top-100 slots - while the UK universities of Cambridge (6th) and Oxford (8th) were ranked most highly by employers. Each institution's score was compiled using five indicators - alumni outcome, employer-student connections, employer reputation, partnerships with employers and graduate employment rate. Hannele Niemi, professor of education at the University of Helsinki, commended the Chinese universities' progress. "The investments that China has allocated to higher education have had an impact," Niemi said. "China has also decisively made high efforts for promoting international cooperation." China will export more publications to other countries, both in print and digital formats, to further expand its visibility, officials said on Wednesday. And it could do with more translators. According to figures released at the 13th Chinese Books Overseas Promotion Project conference in Shanghai, China sold more than 50,000 publication copyrights from 2012 to 2016. Wu Shangzhi, deputy head of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and TV, said at Wednesday's meeting that China's copyright exports for books grew by 30 percent over that same period. Books about contemporary China are making a great impact overseas, he said. For example, 6.4 million copies of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China have been distributed worldwide and appear in 22 languages. Other works by the Chinese president, such as Up and Out of Poverty and Anecdotes and Sayings of Xi Jinping, have also been published in multiple languages, and had copyrights sold to other countries, Wu said. Cui Yuying, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and vice-minister of the State Council Information Office, said despite all the efforts and achievements in introducing Chinese books abroad, few have made a significant international impact. One of the problems, she said, is a lack of qualified translators. She suggested the government should make a bigger effort to cultivate competent translators and bring talented translators to China. "We could increase compensation for outstanding translators, and provide bigger subsidies for books translated from Chinese," she said. "We encourage foreign students in China, as well as those who live and work in China for long periods, to be passionate about Chinese culture, and to take up the translation of Chinese books." Amazon's China book section has more than 673,000 titles available. Exclusive shelves for Chinese books have been set up in mainstream bookstores in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates; and 27 Nishan House bookshops, a Chinese franchise, have opened in North and South America, Oceania and Africa. A growing number of Chinese books are being sold on mainstream digital book sales platforms. At the same time, a series of digital platforms are being developed to provide information and an index of Chinese books in foreign languages. At the conference, Shanghai-based Century Publishing Group shared its experience introducing the city's primary school mathematics textbooks to Britain. "This is the first time China's primary and middle school textbooks - systematically and on a large scale - have entered the national educational system of a developed country," said Wang Lan, president of Century Publishing. "It is groundbreaking in China's publishing and educational history." Century Publishing has also been successful publishing book series on Chinese culture. So far, 360 titles have been published and sold at major international airports, railway stations and other transportation hubs in 40 countries. The group plans to launch a new series of picture books featuring Chinese folklore in Europe and the United States in April. Proboscis monkeys, imported from Indonesia, play at Chimelong Safari Park in Zhuhai city, South China's Guangdong province, Sept 13, 2017. Six long-nosed monkeys from two families were imported from Indonesia for the first time in China. The proboscis monkey is assessed as endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. [Photo/China News Service] Montana has a long and sad history of dark money influencing our elections and democracy. A century ago, a handful of extremely wealthy people called the Copper Kings used their power and influence to buy politicians or simply buy themselves into office. At every step, they saw to it that the law benefited themselves, not working people. Over time and with much struggle, Montanans got wise to their corruption and managed to pass some of the best campaign finance laws in the nation to make sure would-be Copper Kings could not simply buy themselves into office. But now, the U.S. Supreme Courts disastrous Citizen United decision holding that corporations are people and have the right to free speech through the expenditure of unlimited, dark money undid everything we had right with campaign finance in Montana. The Supreme Courts decision was flat wrong. I am in the strong majority on this issue. In 2012, we overwhelmingly passed I-166 (75 percent to 25 percent) which read: Ballot initiative I-166 establishes a state policy that corporations are not entitled to constitutional rights because they are not human beings, and charges Montana elected and appointed officials, state and federal, to implement that policy. I-166 was a loud-and-clear statement by the people of Montana to their elected officials that they need to take action to overturn Citizens United. Senator Tester is working in Washington to fulfill the will of the people. Representative Gianforte, not so much. Since being elected, he has not taken any action to overturn Citizens United, nor has he even taken a public stance. If you love all of the political attack ads on television and the nasty, anonymous political mailers that flood your mailbox, then you can thank the U.S. Supreme Court and keep our current representative in office. I pledge to support the will of Montanans and will work to end this irresponsible decision as my first order of business. John Heenan Billings File photo taken on Dec 16, 2007 shows a cargo vessel sailing in Lianyungang Port in Lianyungang city, East China's Jiangsu province. Lianyungang Port, whose construction began in early 1930s, is now one of the important outlets from East China to the Pacific Ocean. Since the China-Kazakhstan logistics terminal was put into operation in Lianyungang on May 19, 2014 and the first freight train departed from Lianyungang to Kazakhstan's Almaty on Feb 25, 2015, the port has been playing a pivotal role in connecting East Asia with Central Asia and Europe, offering an attractive alternative for the flow of trade between the three regions. [Photo/Xinhua] OXFORD, Britain -- A program on the Belt and Road Initiative was officially launched on Wednesday at Oxford University as a summit on the China-proposed initiative opened. Denis Galligan, the program director and a professor at Oxford's Faculty of Law, said the program would include research devoted to the Belt and Road Initiative put forward by China some four years ago. The program is intended to conduct research in the fields of common legal, socio-legal, regulatory, and framework issues concerning the implementation of the initiative. The Belt and Road Initiative aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia, Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes. Galligan said that if the Belt and Road Initiative was going to work and achieve the objectives, it needed a legal framework for its international scope. "In order to create infrastructure, common laws and regulations, institutions that are inherently across border, you need a legal framework, you need some common standards, laws on specific issues, such as banking finance or investment," he said. "On the softer side, think of cultural property, you need laws regulating exchange and protection of cultural property." Galligan also said that regulatory bodies, adjudication and dispute resolution were also needed considering the transnational aspect of the initiative. The summit on Wednesday to mark the official launch of the program, which was established last year, was presented by the program headed by the Oxford professor. The initiative has potentially major significance for many nations and the global community. The summit examines aspects of the initiative from perspectives including the legal and regulatory side, trade and business, consumers' rights, cultural heritage, art and media. The event attracted experts, scholars and officials from such countries as Belgium, Britain, Canada, China, Japan and the United States. Scientists need to make greater efforts to educate the public about genetically modified organisms and promote rational perception of the technology, experts said. In 2013, Cui Yongyuan, a well-known television anchor, traveled to the United States to interview scientists, doctors and members of the public for an anti-GMO documentary he later posted on the internet. The documentary - Cui Yongyuan's Investigation into US GMOs - was criticized for factual errors and mistranslations by China's scientific community and by Martina Newell McGloughlin, a professor at UC Davis in California who was one of Cui's interviewees. A 2014 survey of 958 people by Zhejiang University showed that 60 percent of respondents had university degrees, but none could distinguish between GM and non-GM food by appearance, and 90 percent demanded clearer labeling. Moreover, 70 percent said they would choose non-GM food over GM food if given the choice, and only 18 percent accepted GM foods. According to Wang Yaping, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Hydrobiology, the issue presents a difficult dilemma for scientists and policymakers because the government and research institutions have devoted so many resources to making GM foods safe. He added that both groups must respect the consumer's right to know, but labeling a product as genetically modified can damage sales: "It will take time for people to learn the truth about GMOs and accept them, so we scientists have to be patient and meticulous when promoting them." In 2012, Zhang Chenyu, a biologist at Nanjing University in Jiangsu province, said his team had discovered that humans can absorb the microRNA - an unstable, single strand of genetic molecules that cannot create protein but can still repress or regulate genes - in rice. MicroRNA dysfunctions play a role in many diseases and illnesses, including cancer, diabetes and mental illness. As a result, anti-GMO groups have often cited Zhang's research to support their claims that transgenic crops, which sometimes contain traits resulting from alterations to microRNA, can cause diseases and are therefore harmful to human health. In a September interview with The Intellectual, a web-site that promotes science, Zhang said that despite his research having no connection with GMOs, he has been branded an anti-GMO scientist and has received many complaints and opposing views from colleagues. "Most people who are against GMOs do not know much biology," he said. "If microRNA can affect human health, then scientists should just look into it, but to claim that I am anti-GMOs is completely untrue." Lam Hon-ming, a professor at the School of Life Sciences at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said, "Genetically modified fish engineered with extra genes may pose environment risks if they break away from aquatic farms and inter-breed with wild fish." In most cases, GM fish are modified so they will grow bigger and faster relative to natural species, Lam said. Once they mate with existing varieties, there's a possibility that their offspring, which will carry some of the genetic structure of GM fish, could upset the ecological balance. Lam urged breeders to heed the possible threat and keep GM fish in close confinement. He said GM fish, if managed under stringent regulation, is safe to consume. "Despite the long-standing debate regarding GM food, genetic modification is a well-intentioned biotechnology that may provide solutions to rising food demand world-wide," he added. "At this point, scientists have to be cautious and gingerly develop GM technology at a moderate pace to prevent unpleasant incidents from occurring." China is ready to enhance cooperation with the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations by aligning the China-initiated Belt and Road Initiative and ASEAN development strategy, as China-ASEAN ties are prioritized by China in developing relationships with neighboring countries, Premier Li Keqiang said. Li noted the idea when meeting with Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah in Beijing on Wednesday. Li said that China appreciates Brunei's efforts in strengthening China-ASEAN relations, and will firmly support the construction of the ASEAN community, as 2018 will mark the 15th anniversary since China and ASEAN established their strategic partnership. China is also ready to work jointly to achieving even more and to bring peace and prosperity for regional countries as the leaders meet, this year, to enhance East Asia cooperation. He said China is willing to enhance political mutual trust with Brunei, and further cooperation in trade, infrastructure, energy, finance, technology, and other areas, while enhancing people-to-people exchanges. Hassanal said that Brunei appreciates China's priority for China-ASEAN relations, and is willing to further cooperate with China in a number of sectors, adding that China and Brunei are friends with mutual trust and respect. Jiuqiu Bookstore is in a shopping mall in Damansara, a suburb of Kuala Lumpur, the nation's capital, and opens 24 hours a day. [Photo by Yan Can/for chinadaily.com.cn] A Chinese book shop in Malaysia has welcomed more than 700 visitors a day since opening in May, according to its manager. Jiuqiu Bookstore is in a shopping mall in Damansara, a suburb of Kuala Lumpur, the nation's capital, and opens 24 hours a day. It covers 300 square meters, a third of which is taken up by a "coffee zone", and stocks books about China's history, traditional culture and social sciences. "The store has received a positive response," said manager Leng Wenbo. "Books such as The Art of War and Compendium of Materia Medica, and books on education are popular with our customers." Malaysia has about 7 million Chinese Malaysians, accounting for 24 percent of the population. Many received a Chinese-language education as children, creating a demand for books in Chinese. Jiuqiu Bookstore was opened by the Hubei provincial branch of Xinhua Bookstore, a State-owned company from China, in cooperation with Malaysian company Big Bad Wolf Books. Cheng Si contributed to this story. Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department has promised to further improve its support for overseas NGOs operating in the southern province in the coming years. "Guangdong police welcome overseas NGOs to Guangdong to carry out activities under the framework of Chinese laws in the province, and police will try to guide and offer services to help overseas NGOs achieve their goals," said the department in a statement on Wednesday. Meanwhile all the prefecture-level cities in Guangdong have set up special offices to help improve management of and support for NGOs in Guangdong, the statement said. The statement was published after the department organized a special discussion with more than 10 NGOs in Guangzhou on Wednesday. Police and relevant law enforcers introduced laws, regulations and rules, policies and management measures to the overseas NGOs attending the discussion. Police also answered questions from the overseas NGOs, said the statement. According to the department, Guangdong has granted registration certificates to 14 NGOs from South Korea, Japan and Hong Kong. Police have offered support to more than 200 overseas NGOs in the province in the past few years, playing an important role in promoting NGO exchanges and cooperation. Semester begins for China's first group of AI graduate students Xinhua | Updated: 2017-09-14 19:16 BEIJING -- More than 120 graduate students at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, known as Beihang University, began attending classes on artificial intelligence (AI) Thursday. As China's first group of graduate students majoring in AI, they will receive joint training from both the university and AI-related companies. The curriculum includes cognitive science, visual perception, unmanned systems and robotics. Some courses will be taught in company labs and beside production lines. Students are also required to intern and take part in project research and development for at least one year in one of the participating companies. According to the university, 30 percent of the teachers are leading industry experts, and another 30 percent are renowned scholars. Over 90 percent of the teachers have overseas work or education experience related to AI. An international flower exhibition will be held next week in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province, aimed at making the city a major flower trade base in the countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. The Guangzhou International Floral Art Exhibition, along with the annual conference of the World Flower Council, is scheduled to open on Sept 19 in Guangzhou, which has long been dubbed as the city of flower. About 200 flower artists from more than 30 countries and regions will participate in the exhibition and conference, according to the organizers. More than 200 international flower art works will be displayed at the Guangzhou Opera House and several related activities will be held during the event. According to Feng Shengping, director of the Guangdong Provincial Situation Research Center, Guangzhou will make great efforts in the decade ahead to build into a world famous flower city. Erik Solheim presents the nomination to Li Chen in Beijing on Tuesday. [Photo by Yan Dongjie/chinadaily.com.cn] The United Nations Environment Programme nominated a popular Chinese actor as the national goodwill ambassador to Beijing on Wednesday. As the new envoy, Li Chen, a 39-year-old movie star and producer, will help promote campaigns initiated by UNEP, such as "Breathe Life" and the Clean Seas", raising awareness of environmental and conservation issues in China and calling for public participation to beat pollution and moving together toward a pollution-free planet. "When some influencers, people like Li Chen do this, they are heard and inspire hearts in a way that I can never imagine to do it. They amplify our voices, they amplify the actions that each one of us need to take," said Naysan Sabha, director of UN Environment Communication Division. He said that Li is recognized as one of the most influential Chinese voices in charity. Li has been active and vocal on environmental issues in China. The posts focused on environment and public issues on his weibo account received more than one billion views in 2015. Li was named as the "ambassador for environmental protection" of Beijing in March last year, and attended the second meeting of the UN Environment Assembly, the world's highest-level decision-making body on the environment, last year in Nairobi, Kenya. "I grew up in Beijing, and have witnessed how the environment changed in the past years I feel sad, as well as pressured and realize the importance of protecting the environment, especially the air," Li said in his speech after the nomination ceremony in Beijing. According to Li Xiaohua, deputy director general of Beijing Environment Protection Bureau, the average PM2.5 density level in Beijing has dropped by 23.7 percent at the end of 2016. "This year is the last year of this five-year plan and air quality in Beijing has improved during this period," Li Xiaohua said, adding that from January to August this year, PM2.5 density level in Beijing has dropped to the lowest level in nearly five years. Erik Solheim, the executive director of UN Environment, recognized and praised China's efforts to environmental protection. "There has been enormous improvement in China's environmental issues. I know that the government is dedicated to reducing pollution. I'm very optimistic," Solheim said. Zhao Ruinan contributed to the story. New move to protect Chinese citizens' rights to file administrative lawsuits Xinhua | Updated: 2017-09-14 20:29 BEIJING -- China's Supreme People's Court (SPC) Thursday announced new measures to better protect citizens' rights to institute litigation against the government. Courts were banned from using excuses, such as the cases being too complicated or a need for balancing interests among different government departments to reject administrative cases filed by citizens, according to a circular issued by the top court. Courts shall not illegally list the plaintiff's base for filing the litigation being sufficient, the facts clear or the evidence irrefutable as conditions to accept a case, it read. The response on whether a court accepts a case must be given within seven days. China practices case-filing registration and has extended the time limit for the prosecution of such cases to six months. If a filed case risks exceeding the time limit, courts should conduct an urgent examination, according to the circular. For plaintiffs who fail to observe the time limit due to unforeseeable circumstances or other reasons not attributable to themselves, the courts should not reject their cases on account of the time limit expiring, it added. Meanwhile, the SPC ordered strict scrutiny of the abuse of litigation rights, saying such behaviors should be restrained. China has intensified efforts to ensure public rights and interests in administrative litigation in recent years. A revised Administrative Procedure Law took effect on May 1, 2015. The legislation, first promulgated in 1990, guarantees citizens' rights to pursue the government through the courts. The revision compels defendants -- representatives of the administrations concerned -- to personally appear at court. Those who refuse to appear without legitimate reasons or who leave court during the trial without approval may face additional punishment. According to the SPC's annual report, Chinese courts at all levels concluded 225,000 administrative cases of first instance in 2016, up 13.2 percent year on year. The SPC has also set up six circuit courts to deal with cross-region administrative and other cases. In certain regions, courts are designated to deal administrative cases to improve efficiency. Tools against anti-market favoritism to get 1st change in 10-year existence China is revising its anti-monopoly law, the first such move since the legislation took effect 10 years ago. The draft by NDRC will be submitted for review next month, according to an official from the country's top economic planner. The revision is expected to incorporate into law the fair market competition review system outlined by the State Council, the nation's Cabinet, according to an official from the National Development and Reform Commission with direct knowledge of the matter who declined to be named. Officials from local governmental regulatory bodies will be held accountable for administrative monopoly abuses such as granting favorable conditions to preferred enterprises at the expense of other market players, the official said. Once the draft is approved by the National People's Congress, the country's top legislative body, it will be illegal for policymakers to create preferential policies to favor certain companies or limit their market access. Based on its past law enforcement experiences, the NDRC hopes that some unclear areas that may cause confusion can be better addressed in the revision of the legislation, the official said. The official said the draft version is expected to be submitted to the State Council for review by the end of this month. Wang Junlin, a Beijing-based lawyer specializing in international commerce and business competition, said the revision, if approved by the top legislature, would mark a huge step forward by China as it improves its anti-monopoly law enforcement. In 2016, the State Council published guidelines on establishing a fair competition review system, requiring local policymakers and regulators to perform self-reviews before issuing policies related to the economic activities of market players. Despite the guidelines, some local authorities reportedly have disregarded the self-review process since it was not mandatory. The NDRC cracked down on 18 cases in 2016 involving local governments found to have aided enterprises' price-fixing by issuing discriminatory conditions for market entry or requiring businesses to use goods and services provided by designated producers in the utilities, tourism, clothing and building materials industries. Shi Jianzhong, vice-president of China University of Political Science and Law, said by putting fair market competition into legislation, it is no longer just a reminder for local governments. "It can be used as a preventive tool for law enforcement agencies. Currently, authorities launch investigations only after dubious activities are found," he said. Zhang Qiong, an expert and consultant for the Anti-Monopoly Committee of the State Council, said anti-monopoly law enforcement is expected to expand to new areas, such as artificial intelligence, big data and other new, emerging industries. Law enforcement agencies will be required to adapt to new market developments, according to Zhang. Cybereconomy is expected to become a new area that the law enforcement agencies will watch closely, according to Deng Zhisong, a senior partner at the Beijing office of the Denton global law firm. Dates to remember: Sept. 18: Youth Archery Introduction, Mandan. Sept. 20-21: State Range Judging, Mandan. Sept. 21: Morton County Fair Board meeting, 7:30 p.m., Morton County Fairgrounds, New Salem. Sept. 25: Active Parenting Now, Mandan. Oct. 3-7: World Dairy Expo, Madison, Wis. Oct. 1-7: National 4-H Week. Oct. 4: National Youth Science Day. Oct. 5: Stepping On, Bismarck. Anthrax could be a risk to livestock in North Dakota this year, North Dakota State University Extension Service veterinarian Gerald Stokka warns. Very dry conditions, which North Dakota experienced this year, or high rainfall can cause it to be a health issue. Anthrax is a disease caused by a bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis, Stokka says. This bacteria has a special survival mechanism called spore formation. This characteristic allows the bacteria to produce spores with a very hardy, high survival rate. It appears that during times of high rainfall and or very dry conditions, the spores are uncovered and cattle are at risk of infection. The spores can survive for years under the right conditions, he adds. When these spores come into contact with susceptible cattle, they can hatch and infect cattle, resulting in disease and death. Anthrax often is associated with the sudden death of cattle and sheep, although it can infect any warm-blooded animals. Some cattle in a southwestern South Dakota herd recently died from anthrax. This is a reminder to our cattle producers that the threat of anthrax is still present, Stokka says. Finding dead livestock often is the only initial sign of an anthrax infection. There can be a number of reasons for cattle deaths without signs of illness, including lightning strike, clostridial infections and toxicities, but anthrax should always be considered, Stokka says. If the diagnosis of anthrax is suspected and confirmed by your veterinarian, then vaccination needs to be implemented as quickly as possible. The commercial vaccine available is a live, nondisease-causing spore vaccine. The dose is 1 cc administered subcutaneously (under the skin) in the neck region. All adult cattle and calves should be administered the vaccine. Cattle receiving the anthrax vaccination shouldnt be treated with antibiotics because the antibiotics may interfere with the immune response from the vaccine, Stokka says. NDSU Extension beef cattle specialist Carl Dahlen suggests producers remove all cattle from pastures where anthrax deaths are suspected because any anthrax spores that are present can infect the remaining animals. Also, anthrax does carry a risk to humans, so take care to not disturb the carcass, Dahlen says. The recommended method of disposal is to burn the carcass and soil on which the carcass was found after placing them in a trench dug in the immediate area of the death. Visit NDSUs publication at www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/livestock/anthrax for more information on anthrax. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 In recent years, China has played an active role in advancing the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road by promoting cooperation with East Asian countries in the marine economy. The country has signed a series of agreements with seven East Asian countries including Japan, South Korea and the Philippines. China has worked on many international projects, such as Myanmar's Kyaukpyu port integrated development and the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park. It has also boosted cultural communication and mutual trust with East Asian countries by organizing various seminars and activities. Last year, the economic growth rate of East Asia topped the global rankings. Statistics from the International Monetary Fund show that in July 2017, East Asia, which has 30 percent of the world's population, created 28 percent of the world's GDP. The IMF's forecast for 2017 GDP growth in the United States and Europe was around 1.6 percent and 1.8 percent respectively, while the figure for China and ASEAN was 6.7 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively. The East Asian marine economy is developing at a fast pace, with nearly 40 percent of the world's marine trade coming from the region. Among the 30 largest container ports in the world, more than 20 are located in the Asia-Pacific region. China, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines are the world's four largest shipbuilding countries. Local fishery production accounted for nearly 70 percent of the world's total yield. Cooperation between China and East Asian countries has entered into "a diamond decade". China, Japan and South Korea have been working on marine science and technology, environmental protection, fisheries and maritime security, and the establishment of oceanographic stations and marine waste control. In the future, East Asian countries should build up a community of culture, security and governance to strive for mutual benefits and a win-win solution for marine issues. I think that the blue economic concept should be injected into the multilateral cooperation to build a systematic mechanism. As a key hub in the country's Belt and Road Initiative, Qingdao in Shandong province is revitalizing the marine port economy by promoting communication among people of all countries. We should make good use of opportunities under the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, including promoting the marine infrastructure construction, expanding East Asian ports and the improvement of the marine cargo efficiency. By building some information sharing platforms such as marine ecological monitor, weather forecast and shipping information, we can deepen marine public service cooperation. To achieve the goal of "service, security, smart, and sustainablity", we need to deal with marine biodiversity research, pollution control and climate change in a proper way. Ji Zhiye is the president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. Qingdao West Coast New Area plays a vital part in boosting China's cooperation with East Asia countries in the marine sector.Ouyang Geyan / For China Daily (China Daily 09/14/2017 page7) The European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced on Wednesday that European Union is getting back on track after a 10-year economic and financial crisis while pledging to strengthen the bloc despite the United Kingdom's planned departure. Juncker made the comments during his 2017 State of the Union Address before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, during the four-day plenary that ends on Thursday. During his speech, he presented a road map for a more united, stronger and more democratic EU. "Ten years since crisis struck, Europe's economy is finally bouncing back," said Juncker. "And with it, our confidence. Our EU-27 leaders, the Parliament and the Commission are putting the Europe back in our Union. Together, we are putting the Union back in our Union." It was all a far cry from Juncker's address last September, when he said the union faced an "existential crisis" due to Brexit, rampant terror attacks and immigration problems. However, on Wednesday Juncker was optimistic as he outlined his vision for how the European Union could evolve by 2025. "The wind is back in Europe's sails," he said. "But we will go nowhere unless we catch that wind. ... We should chart the direction for the future. Now is the time to build a more united, stronger and more democratic Europe for 2025." Juncker's speech was accompanied by the adoption of concrete initiatives by the European Commission on trade, investment screening, cybersecurity, industry and data and democracy. He said the EU is open for free trade talks and his commission proposed to launch trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand. As expected, Juncker also proposed a new EU framework for investment screening policies to protect its "strategic interests", while many say it is not rational for the bloc to take the measures to thwart inward investment, which it badly needs to boost the economy and create jobs. His commission has also proposed policies to keep the bloc's industries at the forefront of innovation, digitization and decarbonization. Regarding climate change, Juncker said Europe will ensure "we make our planet great again", a veiled criticism of the decision by US President Donald Trump to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement. Juncker has also vowed to unite the eastern and western parts of Europe. "Europe extends from Vigo to Varna, from Spain to Bulgaria. Europe must breathe with both lungs, otherwise our continent will struggle for air," he said. Juncker also said if the bloc wants to strengthen the protection of its external borders, then it needs to open the Schengen Area to Bulgaria and Romania immediately. Croatia will also be allowed to become a full Schengen member once it meets all the criteria, Juncker said. fujing@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily 09/14/2017 page12) WASHINGTON - The US Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a brief emergency order allowing the Trump administration to keep its travel ban on most refugees while the legal battle continues. The order effectively reversed part of a federal appeals court ruling that had lifted the ban's restrictions on the nation's refugee program. The justices agreed to an administration request to block a lower court ruling that would have eased the ban and allowed up to 24,000 refugees to enter the country before the end of October. The order was not the court's last word on the travel policy that President Donald Trump first rolled out in January. The justices are scheduled to hear arguments on Oct 10 on the legality of the bans on travelers from six mostly Muslim countries and refugees anywhere in the world. It's unclear, though, what will be left for the court to decide. The 90-day travel ban lapses in late September and the 120-day refugee ban will expire a month later. The administration has yet to say whether it will seek to renew the bans, make them permanent or expand the travel ban to other countries. Lower courts have ruled that the bans violate the Constitution and federal immigration law. The high court has agreed to review those rulings. Its intervention so far has been to evaluate what parts of the policy can take effect in the meantime. The justices said in June that the administration could not enforce the bans against people who have a "bona fide" relationship with people or entities in the United States. The justices declined to define the required relationships more precisely. A panel of the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a district judge's order that would have allowed refugees to enter the US if a resettlement agency in the US had agreed to take them in. The administration objected, saying the relationship between refugees and resettlement agencies shouldn't count. The high court's unsigned, one-sentence order agreed with the administration, at least for now. The appeals court also upheld another part of the judge's ruling that applies to the ban on visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Grandparents and cousins of people already in the US can't be excluded from the country under the travel ban, as the Trump administration had wanted. The administration did not ask the Supreme Court to block that part of the ruling. Xinhua - AP (China Daily 09/14/2017 page12) SINGAPORE - Halimah Yacob, a former speaker of parliament, was declared elected as Singapore's first woman president on Wednesday, after the returning officer announced she was the sole candidate to qualify for the contest. Aiming to strengthen a sense of inclusivity in the multicultural city-state, Singapore had decreed the presidency, a largely ceremonial post, would be reserved for candidates from the minority Malay community this time. "Although this is a reserved election, I'm not a reserved president," Halimah said in a speech at the elections department office. "I'm a president for everyone." Halimah's experience as house speaker automatically qualified her under the nomination rules. Of the four other applicants, two were not Malays and two were not given certificates of eligibility, the elections department said earlier this week. The last Malay to hold the presidency was Yusof Ishak. Yusof was president between 1965 and 1970, the first years of Singapore's independence following a short-lived union with Malaysia. The separation of Singapore from Malaysia gave ethnic Malays a clear majority in Malaysia, while ethnic Chinese formed the majority in independent Singapore. The uncontested election drew mixed reactions from observers, with some welcoming Halimah as the country's first woman president and the first Malay head of state in 47 years. Institute of Policy Studies deputy director Gillian Koh said: "Madam Halimah is a double minority - not only is she a Malay-Muslim individual, but a female." But Koh felt "the statement of our acceptance of diversity would have been all the more powerful if there had been an open contest". Professor Bilveer Singh of the National University of Singapore questioned the value of having a contest for a contest's sake: "Being elected through a walkover does not undermine or delegitimize the winner." Singapore's head of state has limited powers, including vetoing senior official appointments, but an establishment figure has always held the role and there are rarely tensions with the government. AFP - Reuters - the Straits Times/ANN (China Daily 09/14/2017 page11) Decades of afforestation efforts in Minqin county in Wuwei, Gansu province, have prevented the Badain Jaran and Tengger deserts - the third and fourth-largest deserts in China, respectively - from joining, helping to lessen the ecological threat facing North China, according to local officials and experts. Located at the frontier of China's desertification battle and surrounded by deserts on the east, west and north, Minqin is one of the major sources of the country's sandstorms. Nearly 90 percent of the county's area has become desert. "In the past, dunes stood next to farmland," said Tao Haixuan, head of the administration of the Liangucheng nature reserve in Minqin. "On windy days, the crops in the fields would die, and roads, electric power facilities and industrial production in the nearby areas would be interrupted. "Part of the farmland would be buried by the sand and many families that lived near the desert were forced to leave their homes," he said. The county government said it believes environmental improvement is the primary task in the social development of Minqin. It has implemented a range of systematic measures that integrate government investment, corporate funding and expert technical support, to benefit the local residents. "If the oasis of Minqin were devoured by the desert, the Hexi Corridor - a major part of the ancient Silk Road - would probably be cut in the middle," said Tao. The county has been able to plant and preserve 153,240 hectares of forest. Along its 408-kilometer boundary with the deserts, more than 300 km is now covered with protective forests. The county's forest coverage has now reached 17.7 percent, up from 11.2 percent in 2009. Since 2010, the county has been planting more than 3,000 hectares of new forests each year. Government officials, local residents, companies and professional teams are all involved in the afforestation efforts. Various plants, including trees, bushes and grass, are planted in different locations according to their varying landscapes. By the end of 2015, Minqin had planted more than 31,000 hectares of fruit trees and about 7,400 hectares of herbs used in medicines, which are jointly managed by companies, cooperatives and farmers. Twelve companies in the county are involved in forestry-related businesses, with more than 5,000 employees in total. The sector generates 50 million yuan ($7.7 million) in revenue each year. The government of Wuwei city plans to create a 562-km-long, 1-km-wide forest belt from 2015 to 2020 at the border area between Gansu and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Around 448 km of that stretch is in Minqin. The local government has been working closely with universities and research organizations, including the Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Gansu Desert Control Research Institute. Together, they conduct research on the recovery of desertified land and the building of wetland parks. The county has some top experts in the sector and every village has dedicated technicians. Four pilot areas for desert prevention and treatment have been built, using new materials and techniques. zhangzhao@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily 09/14/2017 page12) Doha calls Iran an honorable country, says ties had warmed CAIRO - Diplomats from Qatar and the four states boycotting it exchanged heated words at an Arab League meeting on Tuesday. Tensions flared after Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi discussed the boycott in his opening speech despite the Gulf dispute not being on the agenda. He called the Gulf monarchy's critics "rabid dogs". "Even the animals were not spared, you sent them out savagely," Muraikhi said, referring to the thousands of camels left stranded on the border between Qatar and Saudi Arabia after borders were closed. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Bahrain and Yemen cut diplomatic and trade links with Qatar on June 5, suspending air and shipping routes with the world's biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, which is home to the region's biggest military base of the United States. The nations said Doha supports regional foe Iran and extremists. Qatar denies the charges and calls the economic boycott a "siege" aimed at neutering an independent foreign policy it says promotes peaceful regional reform and fights terrorism. Kuwait has been trying to mediate in the dispute. During his speech, Muraikhi referred to Iran as an "honorable country" and said ties had warmed with its neighbor since the blockade. In response, Ahmed al-Qattan, Saudi Arabia's envoy to the Arab League, said: "Congratulations to Iran and soon, God willing, you will regret it." The exchange descended into a row during which Muraikhi and Qattan each told the other to be quiet. Muraikhi said Saudi Arabia was looking to depose the Emir of Qatar and replace him with Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, who helped negotiate the entry of Qatari pilgrims attending the annual hajj pilgrimage into Saudi Arabia. "This is an improper thing to say because the kingdom of Saudi Arabia will never resort to such cheap methods and we don't want to change the regime, but you must also know that the kingdom can do anything it wants, God willing," Qattan said. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Muraikhi's comments were unacceptable. "We all know Qatar's historic support for terrorism and what has been provided for extremist factions, and money in Syria, Yemen, Libya and Egypt that have lead to the death of many of Egypt's sons," Shoukry said. Qatar backed a Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt before it was overthrown by the military in 2013. The Arab states have demanded Qatar sever any links with the Brotherhood and other groups they deem to be terrorist, ideological or sectarian. 'Never missed shipment' On Tuesday, Qatar's Energy Minister Mohammed al-Sada said his country had not missed any oil or gas shipments despite the blockade imposed by gulf countries, QNA news agency reported. Speaking at the "Diplomatic Salon" organized by the Diplomatic Institute of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sada confirmed that Qatar continued supplying oil and gas to its clients worldwide. "During this blockade, we have never missed a single shipment of oil or gas to any of our partners," he added. "That shows how committed Qatar is, not only to our economy and reliability, but also to the consuming countries because this is a very strategic commodity," Sada said. Reuters - Xinhua (China Daily 09/14/2017 page11) PM Modi holds 8-km roadshow to welcome his counterpart Abe Japan is expected to upgrade its talks with India involving vice-foreign and defense ministers to a ministerial-level dialogue during Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's three-day visit, Japan's Kyodo News said. The agency quoted Japanese government sources as saying that Abe, who started his trip on Wednesday, is eager to reach consensus with his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, on the upgrading of the so-called two-plus-two dialogue. India agreed in August to launch ministerial talks with the United States. Tokyo, which offered New Delhi high-level dialogue in 2014, has concluded that the time is ripe for pushing for the new framework again, Kyodo News said. Japan has joined the annual Malabar maritime exercises in the Indian Ocean since 2015. Formerly a bilateral exercise India and the US began in 1992, Malabar has grown in size and complexity in recent years to address what the US Navy describes as a "variety of shared threats to maritime security in the Indo-Asia Pacific". Japan and India have also conducted a bilateral naval exercise, the JIMEX, since 2012. During a display of bonhomie, Modi held an 8-kilometer roadshow in Ahmedabad on Wednesday to welcome Abe. Modi tweeted in English and Japanese on Tuesday, saying India truly values the relationship with Japan. "We look forward to further boosting our bilateral ties in a wide range of sectors," he said in one of his tweets. The two leaders will review the multifaceted cooperation between Japan and India under the framework of their "Special Strategic and Global Partnership" and will set its future direction, said the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in a statement. Abe will attend the 12th annual India-Japan Summit - the fourth between Modi and Abe - in Gandhinagar, the capital of Modi's home state of Gujarat. He will also break ground for India's first bullet train linking the financial hub of Mumbai with the industrial city of Ahmedabad in western Gujarat. Japan's investments in India have surged rapidly, flowing into areas ranging from automotive to infrastructure in the remote northeast. Japan is the only country to have been allowed to invest in Northeast India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a testimony, Indian media said, to the growing camaraderie between the two nations. Abe also wants to discuss with Modi the possibility of Japanese exports of nuclear power equipment and technology to India after a cooperation pact between the countries came into force in July. The leaders are also trying to move forward on a plan for New Delhi to buy Japanese amphibious aircraft - ShinMaywa Industries' US-2 - in what would be one of Tokyo's first arms transfers since Japan eased the arms export ban in 2014, according to Reuters. caihong@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily 09/14/2017 page12) PARIS - French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has shrugged off nationwide protests against planned reforms to France's strict labor regulations, saying on Wednesday he was "listening" but would nonetheless press ahead with the bill. Thousands of hard-left trade unionists marched through French cities on Tuesday to protest against President Emmanuel Macron's labor law reforms, although turnout appeared lower than at demonstrations in previous years. After weeks of negotiations, the government last month set out measures including a cap on payouts for dismissals judged unfair, and greater freedom for companies to hire and fire. Philippe said that while he was paying close attention to the protests, the election this year had nevertheless shown a willingness by French citizens to back the reforms. "I am listening and I am paying attention. But let me allow myself to state that the French, when they vote, also have a right to be treated with respect. And the reform that we are putting in place, it was announced by the President at the time of the election," he told France 2 television. Macron, a 39-year-old former banker, inadvertently fueled worker anger when he declared on a trip to Athens that he "would cede no ground to slackers, cynics and hard-liners". On Tuesday, about 4,000 strikes and 180 protests were called by France's biggest trade union, the CGT, with rail workers, students and civil servants urged to join the demonstrations against changes to the country's rigid labor laws. France's Interior Ministry said 223,000 people joined marches nationwide, with 13 arrests made. The CGT, for its part, put the total at 400,000. "It's a first one and it looks like it's a success," the head of the CGT, Philippe Martinez, told reporters in Paris. But disruption to rail networks, air traffic control and public services was limited. "It doesn't look like turnout is very high today," political analyst Jerome Sainte-Marie from the polling group PollingVox said, adding that Macron had the upper hand because the reforms were part of his election manifesto. Retired economics researcher Evelyne Deurilla-Feer came dressed as a giant box of Kleenex, in protest at reforms she said would result in workers being tossed away like used tissues. "The labor code is supposed to protect employees, and what has Macron created? A code that protects entrepreneurs and businesses. It's a real scandal," she said. Reuters - AFP Steelworkers burn flares during a nationwide day of protest against the government's labor reforms, in Marseille, France, on Tuesday.Claude Paris / Agence France-presse (China Daily 09/14/2017 page11) Colin Maki, an American violin dealer, is trying to develop a market for old rare violins in China. Four rare violins were brought from New York to Beijing in August. And before a music event at the Yale Beijing Center, attendees were able to have a close look at the instruments and take pictures. They were placed on a small table, without any special protection. Maki, founder of an independent instrument consulting firm in New York, brought the violins to the event. He spoke to the audience while keeping a close eye on the violins. "I have to be very careful about their safety. Each of them has been covered by insurance. Very high insurance," he says. "So, I do not often display them in public like this." Li Yuhe, a violin teacher at the Conservatory of China, played the first sheet of Violin Concerto in E Minor by Felix Mendelssohn on each of the instruments. "Each of them has a rather different tone, and they are all magnificent," she says. "But the Strad is my favorite." "Actually, I am here for the Strad," she says. The Stradivarius, or Strad, she played is one among only around 500 Strad violins left in the world, each of which is worth millions of dollars. A mere mention of the Stradivari is enough to create a buzz among musicians. The Stradivari family is one of the most prominent violin makers in history. No one knows the secrets of how the Strads were made. Violins made by the Stradivari family during the 17th to 18th centuries, which is now considered the golden age of violin-making, cannot be reproduced. Lighter than modern violins, and exquisitely crafted, a Strad violin is almost every violinist's dream. But few are able to afford one. For the past 20 years, Strad violins have increased in value at an average annual rate of around 14 percent, according to data from Rare Violins of New York. "The value of Strad violins has never gone down," says Maki. "You can just hold it for years and see its price soar." He adds that a famous trader once said that maybe 100 years ago most fiddles were in the United Kingdom, but 20 to 30 years ago there were probably more Strad violins within the 30-mile radius of Chicago than in the entire United Kingdom. But now they are moving China. In 2015, the 1727 "General Dupont" Stradivarius violin was sold to a Chinese collector, a first. And Maki says that having visited China several times, he feels it is the time to step into the market. Data from Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report released earlier this year shows that China has the largest share of the market in global sales of art and antiques at open auctions. Zhang Maolun, an amateur violinist and a collector, says: "Everyone knows that China is an untapped market. We have more wealthy people now." "But it is hard to reap profits here as the market here currently is barren." This is because unlike Chinese paintings or chinaware, violins remain new and unfamiliar territory. Preservation and fixing violins old violins need to go to violin doctors on a regular basis can be quite a headache for Chinese investors. "So the business prospects remain bleak," says Zhang. The day Maki arrived in Shenzhen, his first stop in China, he was contacted by a wealthy collector in Beijing. That gave Maki some confidence. "We need to develop the culture first and do a lot of education from its investment value to how to keep the violins in good condition." With nearly 15 years of experience of selling instruments in different parts of the world, he says it worth a try. "I know it takes time," he says. "I don't sell a Strad every day." On Wednesday afternoon the 45th president of the United States visited Andeavor's Mandan Refinery to address tax reform in America. This is the first time a president has visited any Andeavor refinery, said Andeavor's external communications senior manager, Destin Singleton. Singleton added that the refinery was approached by the White House last week regarding the president's visit, "We thought about for like five seconds and said, 'Oh course we are honored to host the president here in our facility,'" Singleton said. She added that about 125 to 150 Andeavor employees were in the crowd to listen to the president's speech. Air Force One touched down around 2:35 p.m. with President Donald Trump emerging and waving to supporters waiting to greet the commander in chief. The motorcade then made its way to refinery where Trump took the stage shortly after 3 p.m. During his 40-minute speech the president discussed Hurricane Harvey and relief efforts, the recent drought in North Dakota and tax reform and its importance in America. "We're here today to talk about our plan to create a new age of American prosperity by reducing the crushing tax burden on our companies and on our workers," Trump said. During his speech Trump brought to the stage and thanked, Sen. John Hoeven, Gov. Doug Burgum, Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford, Rep. Kevin Cramer and Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp for their unified support on cutting taxes. "These are great people there for you 100 percent," Trump said. Sanford commented after speech about the president's visit to Mandan, "It means a lot to us, it means he respects what's going on in North Dakota. He understands that we're about nature resource, we're about ag, we're about coal, wind, all the above energy and most of all we hate taxes just like he does." "It's just not bringing rates down, it's taking out some of the loopholes, some of the deductions that aren't necessary out of the code so it's tax reform, not just tax reduction," Sanford added. Local ranching family Chad and Julie Ellingson of Ellingson Angus in St. Anthony were among the Trump's guests to the invite-only event. "It makes me very proud as a North Dakotan to know that the president of the United Sates, recognized and acknowledges the importance that our state has in the overall U.S. economy," Julie Ellingson said. The Ellingsons added that they are hopeful that the president's tax reform will do away with the estate tax which would negatively effect their family. According to the Internal Revenue Services, the estate tax is a tax on the owner's right to transfer property after they are deceased. This may consist of taxing the owner's cash and securities, real estate, insurance, trusts, annuities, business interests and other assets. Before, during and after the president's speech supporters, protesters and counter-protesters were outside of the refinery in designated areas along Old Red Trail. Marty Beard, who lives south of Bismarck, said he had more interest dealing with Trump protesters than listening to the speech and added that he could watch it online. "Keep making America great again," Beard said is the message he hopes to get to the president. Dickinson's Robert Haukenberry, 31, said he came to protest the president's message on Wednesday. "My message here today is essentially that Theodore Roosevelt is a conservative that I can appreciate from the state, he's made a big impact on the state and he was a trust buster and rid this country of corporate monopolies. If Donald Trump was truly a conservative, he would do the same, not cut taxes for these wealth corporations that ultimately exploit the laborers of the United States and the world," Haukenberry said. For more information on the Trump administration plans on tax reform and Wednesday's speech visit,www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/09/06/tax-reform-unleashes-americas-economic-potential. To learn more about the Andeavor Mandan Refinery visit www.andeavor.com. The use of "pro-independence" posters and banners in the latest propaganda campaign launched by some students on Hong Kong university campuses has highlighted the need for the SAR government to improve the standard of legal and patriotic education so as to protect youths from poisonous ideas related to separatism. "Pro-independence" clamors have flared up again in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after a period of relative lull following the disqualification of six radical legislators and the imprisonment of a number of violent protestors and student activists. In the latest farce, some students laid siege to the offices of university authorities, forcing them to promise to not tear down "pro-independence" posters. Many of the protesters used invectives to address the officials, thereby crossing the moral and even legal bottom line. The dramatic face-off last week between a mainland student who tore down separatist posters at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and local "pro-independence" students reflected how deep separatist forces have infiltrated university campuses, even secondary schools. The latest "pro-independence" campaign is not an isolated case. But what's more worrying is the attitude of non-intervention of some university authorities, which means they are tolerating or conniving at such wrongdoings. During this year's inspection of Hong Kong, President Xi Jinping emphasized that the SAR government should strengthen patriotic education among youths and take more measures to ensure their healthy growth. And at this year's meeting to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the Basic Law of Hong Kong, top legislator Zhang Dejiang said the SAR government should never allow confrontations with the central government involving any form of "high degree of autonomy" or the dissemination of the "Hong Kong independence" idea. Given that the latest "pro-independence" campaign shows the city's youths have insufficient knowledge of "Chinese identity", the SAR government has enough reason to strengthen such kind of education, in order to prevent separatists from spreading their tentacles in Hong Kong. Such education takes time, but the SAR government should make its stance clear that under no circumstances will it allow the mention of separatism in any form of protest or demonstration, in order to prevent the "Hong Kong independence" idea from sabotaging the "one country, two systems" and the "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong" political environment. -Takungpao.com ZHANG YIWEN, a 10-year-old girl from Central China's Henan province, who took the college entrance examination, or gaokao, this year, has been admitted as a formal student to Shangqiu Institute of Technology. Thepaper.cn comments: Zhang is one of the perhaps hundreds of "minor" students to be admitted to a college this year. Of the about 3,000 freshmen enrolled by Peking University, 340 were born after 2000, with the youngest being just 14 years old. But Zhang is different from them, too, because she never attended compulsory education school. Instead, she studied in a training school run by her father, who thinks quite highly of her. According to reports, he hopes his daughter would continue studying after graduation and get a PhD before her 20th birthday. It is good to let extraordinarily intelligent children receive higher education earlier than others, but the possible negative effects should also be considered. A 10-year-old girl might find it hard to mix with or adjust to her 17-and 18-year-old classmates in college, or vice-versa, which could curb her healthy growth. Besides, Zhang is reported to have skipped her compulsory education with the support of her father, which is illegal. Compulsory education means every child must receive it unconditionally. Zhang's father had already broken the law when he allowed the girl to study in his training school instead of sending her to a proper school. Media reports suggest Zhang had taken gaokao even last year, which was hyped up by her father as an advertisement for his training school. If that's true, her father has used a minor for making profits, which is illegal, too. We hope Zhang's right to compulsory education will be protected and her father is held accountable for his deeds, if they are illegal. A missile is launched during a long and medium-range ballistic rocket launch drill in this undated photo released by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang on August 30, 2017. [Photo/Agencies] The international community has been struggling to respond to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's steadily expanding nuclear program. US President Donald Trump has oscillated between massive threats to devastate the DPRK and holding out the prospect of talks. On Monday, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution to impose fresh sanctions on the DPRK for violating the previous Security Council resolutions by conducting its sixth and strongest nuclear test on Sept 3. Last week, Federica Mogherin, the European Union's foreign policy chief, said Brussels would be prepared to take additional measures against Pyongyang, including travel bans and asset freezes on senior DPRK officials. Why does the DPRK issue matter to DPRK? Simply because any conflict in Northeast Asia could have huge geopolitical consequences and an immediate impact on global supply chains. Now German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said the Iran deal could be a possible model to resolve the DPRK issue. The Iran model refers to the EU-led negotiations to curb Iran's nuclear program in return for the gradual lifting of sanctions. The negotiations were initially dismissed by the United States but when it realized there was no other game in town, it came on board. The talks were tough and involved all five members of the UN Security Council plus Germany. And the International Atomic Energy Agency was brought in to monitor and supervise the agreement. So far the deal has worked well, although there are voices in the Trump administration calling for it to be abandoned. The EU and China have made clear this would be a huge mistake. There are of course significant differences between Iran and the DPRK. Iran was never as isolated from the international community. Even though the US broke off diplomatic relations with Iran after the 1980 hostage crisis, there were always some channels of communication. Sanctions, too, were never watertight with much illicit trade conducted through the Persian Gulf. Many Iranian companies had branches in Dubai to make and receive payments. Furthermore, Iran has a large market and huge oil and gas resources that were tempting for Western and Chinese companies. The EU is also a more plausible leader of negotiations than the US or China, for completely different reasons, though. It has a policy of "critical engagement" with the DPRK which combines pressure with sanctions and keeping communication and dialogue channels open. Unlike the US, the EU is not regarded as a threat by the DPRK and does not share a border with it like China. And seven EU member states have diplomatic missions in the DPRK. It does of course take two to tango and so far there is little sign of the DPRK willing to take to the dance floor. The US and the EU have had various "unofficial "meetings with senior DPRK officials in recent years but no positive signals have emerged from the DPRK. The argument that Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program diverted resources from the necessary investments in social and economic development projects, which would have benefited the DPRK population at large, fell on deaf ears. In response, Pyongyang always refers to the overthrowing of Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gadhafi in Iraq and Libya, respectively, to highlight the US' real intentions of intervening in other countries' affairs. Which means the security of the government is clearly the number one priority for Pyongyang. So Pyongyang might be willing to come to the negotiating table only after it is convinced that it has credible deterrent against attacks. No one can say when this moment will come. But to make it possible sooner rather than later, Beijing and Brussels have to maintain pressure on Pyongyang, as well as ensure Washington does not walk away from the Iran deal, as that would send a wrong signal to the DPRK. The EU's commitment to dialogue and a peaceful outcome is a reflection of Churchill's famous saying, "to jaw-jaw is better than to war-war". The author is director of the EU-Asia Centre in Brussels. Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Sun Baohong delivers a speech at a conference on China-Africa relations in Accra, capital of Ghana, on July 4, 2017.[Photo/Xinhua] Sustaining China-Africa friendship lies not on charity but on sharity, which is knowledge sharing. In an increasingly knowledge-based and interconnected world, sustained and shared prosperity relies not on what countries have in terms of natural resources, but on what their citizens are able to learn. Therefore, skills and the ability to learn updated knowledge could be crucial in determining the success of Agenda 2063 to create the Africa we want. African Development Bank (AfDB) in 2014 said that with Africas population increasing rapidly, from more than one billion to an estimated 2.5 billion by 2060, the continent will have a young and increasingly urbanized workforce, which presents an opportunity to reap a demographic dividend. Seizing that opportunity will depend on access to education, skills, and updated knowledge. This is because a literate population is considered to be one of the basic requirements for societal development. Therefore, visionary leaders throughout time have emphasized the role of knowledge sharing in reforming and informing their societies. Knowledge sharing is an essential tool in boosting productivity, and the end result must be the ability to use, replicate, improve, and possibly, re-sell the technology, especially in informal economies. Knowledge sharing has always been one significant factor that was emphasized from the beginning of China-Africa cooperation. When Premier Zhou Enlai visited Ghana in 1964, he proposed the Eight Principles for Technical Assistance and Economic Aid to other nations in a press conference in Ghana. The principles point out that the purpose of Chinas development assistance is assisting recipient nations to gradually attain self-reliance, independent development, offer best-quality equipment and material of its own manufacturing. It also emphasized that in offering technical assistance, China should ensure that the personnel of the recipient nation completely master such systems. Evidently, this is a knowledge sharing process comprising of multilevel factors including the provision of technology, equipment and training personnel. I realized that African nations do not need aid; instead, they need to motivate the young people, create capacity and empower them to be job-creators rather than job-beggars. The unanimous decision at the FOCAC forum for China-Africa Cooperation in South Africa in 2015, where President Xi Jinping promised more cooperation between China and Africa in education and training only confirms China and Africas awareness to the importance of knowledge sharing in boosting development. In the past, China has given a lot of concessional loans to African nations, but nowadays, China wants African people to have the capacity to create wealth for themselves. That is why training which comes in form of knowledge sharing is now the core in China-Africa cooperation. In China-Africa cooperation, knowledge sharing is not a one-way process; it is continuously moving in a two-way direction. In the mid-1970s when China planned to construct a pipeline from the gas-rich province of Sichuan to Shanghai, the construction of this project was new to China because it required stud-welding technology. However, during this period, Algeria had stud-welding pipe factory, so the Chinese delegates traveled to Algeria to learn the skills in 1975. The other instance was the period when two Chinese delegates visited the diamond mining firm in Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)). The two Chinese delegates were introduced to the advanced experience of mining and prospection of diamonds and the metallogenic theory. The visit made the Chinese delegates realize their personal disadvantage in practice and theory. This act of knowledge sharing further strengthened China-Algeria relations and China-DRC relations. Since the knowledge sharing is a two-way process, China also shared knowledge with Africa in diverse areas, but I will focus on agriculture and manufacturing which has been identified by African nations as the top priority area. In 2003, 500 Chinese experts took part in the Nigerian National Special Program on Food Security. The experts were based in the 36 Nigerian States; they were able to assist the benefiting communities to overcome the lack of water supply for drinking and irrigation while training local farmers in planting, fishing, and beekeeping skills. Also, from 2001 to 2012, China collaborated with Ethiopia to develop vocational and technical education and training in agriculture. China has sent over 400 experts to Ethiopia to train 1,800 teachers in local agricultural vocational colleges and 35,000 agricultural technicians. In Burkina Faso, Deborah Brautigam talks about how China introduced intensive Chinese technology to boost the production of rice during the late 1980s. The technology made the net income of each farmers family climbed from 400,000 to 800, 000 African Francs ($1300-2600). This achievement was closely linked with the Chinese experts hard work, who taught the local Burkina Fasos the organizational capacity, experience, and management skills of farming. In terms of building Africa manufacturing, the international communities are recognizing the crucial role of manufacturing in eliminating absolute poverty and promoting sustainable development. In respect to manufacturing, Andrew Carter raised a very significant fact in his report titled Advanced industries create economic growth, but they will never be mass employers. The author asserts that every one job in manufacturing creates 2.2 domestic jobs 0.8 locally and 1.4 outside the region. That is why, directly or indirectly, the manufacturing sector supports almost 39 million jobs nearly 25 percent of all United States employment. For that reason, the Ethiopian government has been strongly committed to manufacturing partnerships with the Chinese and technology transfer. This has led to projects such as the Huajian shoe factory outside Addis Ababa. Huajian sent 86 Ethiopian graduates to China to be trained on how to make shoes. Now, actors on both sides are trying to replicate the successes of this Chinese factory in neighboring African countries. Also, Thousands of Kenyan students will be trained to operate the modern Chinese manufacturing machines in the mechanical field, electrical, lathe machining, rapid prototyping, computer numerical control as well as learn how to reproduce spare parts; this will drive the countrys agenda of industrializing by 2030. The Made in Kenya and Study in China program aims to enlarge Kenyas portfolio of finished products that are manufactured locally and strengthen its balance of trade currently titled in favor of China. Without African intellectual capital, iron ore and cocoa excavated in Africa will continue to be manufactured in Europe and exported back to Africa at enormous cost. To alleviate poverty, Africa needs to cultivate creative and intellectual abilities that will allow it to increase the value of its raw materials and to break the continents vicious cycle of poverty. Poverty is not an absence of money, rather, it results from an absence of knowledge. Currently, estimation shows that Africa spends $30 billion annually to import processed food from different regions. The removal of that import cost will make available capital to assist larger development needs that can train African students and facilitate the continents industrialization. Skilled graduates are crucial for Africa to move up the value chain and achieve critical productivity increase. There is room to learn from China through knowledge sharing, where more than 40 percent of all tertiary degrees are awarded in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (the so-called STEM field). In contrast, the number of African university graduates students in STEM field is closer to 22 percent. It could be argued that Chinas interest in Africa is timely. There is need to develop the high workforce needed to compete in the global knowledge-based economy. However, knowledge sharing in China-Africa cooperation can become a new way of boosting a mutually beneficial cooperation model, speed up Africas industrialization and improve its independent development capacity, while bringing Chinese equipment, technologies, and products to African nations through industrial capacity cooperation. China and Africa should strengthen mutual learning by facilitating the people-to-people exchange between youths, women, think tank, media, universities, and other sectors. All this is meant to advance common progress and ensure the sustained growth of China-Africa friendship from generation to generation. Ehizuelen Michael Mitchell Omoruyi is a researcher of Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University. Photo provided by Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore on Sept 13, 2017 shows four tug boats moving the partially submerged sand dredger to an area near Singapore's Pulau Senang. [Photo/Xinhua] SINGAPORE - Four Chinese nationals and a Malaysian went missing after a Dominican-registered sand dredger collided with an Indonesian-registered tanker in Singaporean waters early Wednesday morning. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said in a statement that it was notified of the collision at about 12:40 am Singapore time. The sand dredger with 11 Chinese crew members and one Malaysian on board was transiting the westbound lane while the tanker was joining the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme in Singapore Strait when the incident occurred, the statement added. After the collision, seven Chinese nationals aboard the dredger were rescued by the Singapore Police Coast Guard and transferred to the Singapore General Hospital, while the four other Chinese and one Malaysian crew member are still missing. Search and rescue operations led by the MPA are still going on. Several petrol crafts have been deployed by the MPA, Singapore Navy, Singapore Civil Defence Force and PCG to search for the missing. A Super Puma helicopter from the Singapore Air Force was also mobilized as from 7 am local time. The MPA said that it is investigating the incident and there is no disruption to shipping traffic in the Singapore Strait. According to an official with the Chinese Embassy in Singapore, one of the seven Chinese crew members sent to hospital has a rib fracture and the conditions of the other six are fine. SAN FRANCISCO - One student was killed and four others injured on Wednesday in a shooting at a high school near Spokane in the northwestern US state of Washington. The shooting took place shortly after 10:00 am local time at Freeman High School in Rockford, Spokane County, in Eastern Washington state. More than an hour later, Spokane County Sheriff's Office updated its posting on Twitter social network, announcing that "Freeman School NOT an active scene - 1 person detained." "The shooter is in the back seat of a patrol car right now," Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich was quoted as saying earlier by the Spokesman-Review, a daily broadsheet newspaper based in Spokane county. However, while the newspaper reported that the shooter is a student at the school with more than 20 staff members and 300 students, authorities have withheld the identity of the suspect as well as those killed and injured. At Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children's Hospital in Spokane, a spokeswoman said the three patients are in stable condition. Governor of Washington state Jay Inslee expressed his condolences on Twitter: "This morning's shooting at Freeman High School is heartbreaking. All Washingtonians are thinking of the victims and their families." It is not clear whether Freeman High School will open Thursday. Nobody answered the phone with a record asking the caller to leave a message during normal office hours Wednesday afternoon. Patients are evacuated from The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills after a loss of air conditioning due to Hurricane Irma on Wednesday, Sept 13, 2017 led to the death of patients. [Photo/VCG] WASHINGTON - Eight people died at a nursing home in the US state of Florida after its air conditioning system was knocked out by Hurricane Irma, authorities said Wednesday. In a release, the office of the Broward Medical Examiner and Trauma Services confirmed the eight death at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills in east coastal city of Hollywood. The victims range in age from 71 to 99 and causes of their death are yet to be determined, the release said. Local police said investigators believe the deaths were heat-related. The facility has been sealed off for a criminal investigation after 115 residents, sweltering for days, were evacuated. Florida Governor Rick Scott announced Wednesday that the Florida Department of Children of Families and the Agency for Health Care Administration have also begun an investigation. KUALA LUMPUR - A total of 24 people have died in a fire at a religious school in Kuala Lumpur early Thursday morning, said a Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department official. Soiman Jahid, deputy director of the Fire and Rescue Department, said the latest death toll stands at 24, including 22 students and teachers of the school. The fire department had said earlier that at least 25 were killed in the fire. The fire broke out at a three-storey building not far from the city center. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene after they received a fire alert at around 5:41 am local time, but by the time they arrived, "the situation has become severe with 80 to 90 percent of the building on fire," Soiman told reporters. Videos posted on social media showed that the three-storey building of the religious school was engulfed in raging fire before the firefighters' arrival. The burnt bodies of the victims were found on the third floor after they were trapped in the building, he said. The windows were sealed by fix grills, so the victims couldn't escape, Soiman said, adding that the sole staircase is in the middle of the building, "but the smoke was very thick that they couldn't get out." According to Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh, a total of 36 students aged 13 to 17 and six teachers were in the building when the fire broke out. The fire was put out one hour after the firefighters arrived. "So far we do not suspect any foul plays," he said. Soiman said the fire department has started investigation and "hopefully in two to three days we could find the actual cause of the fire." He said the operator of the school had only recently submitted the application for approval to the fire department, and the fire broke out before authorities could conduct the fire safety inspection. Local media has reported earlier that the safety measures at unregistered and private schools were a concern to the authorities. China appeals for response to its proposals on Korean Peninsula nuclear issue Xinhua | Updated: 2017-09-14 19:22 BEIJING -- China on Thursday appealed for consideration and a response to its proposals of "suspension for suspension" and "dual track approach" to solve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue. "There is a high degree of consensus in the international community that the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula should be realized via diplomatic means in a peaceful way, as this is in the best interests of all sides," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a daily press briefing. She said China's proposal of "suspension for suspension" aims to find a breakthrough while the "dual track approach" plans to resolve all parties' reasonable security concerns via dialogue and consultation in a balanced way thus finding a long-term resolution to the issue. "We hope parties concerned can consider these proposals and make constructive responses," Hua said, adding that China welcomes and is open to suggestions from other parties as long as they are conducive to the peaceful resolution of the issue or the restart of dialogue as soon as possible. "Suspension for suspension" and "dual track approach" were first raised by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in March. "Suspension for suspension" refers that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) suspends its missile and nuclear activities in exchange for a halt to large-scale military exercises between the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK). "Dual track approach" refers that denuclearizing the peninsula on the one hand and establishing a peace mechanism on the other. "We also encourage parties directly concerned to take the opportunity, show their political courage and make right decision at an early date," the spokesperson said. The UN Security Council on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution to impose fresh sanctions on the DPRK over its nuclear test on Sept. 3 for violating previous Security Council resolutions. This school year marked significant growth for Shiloh Christian School, a private, pre-K-12 school in Bismarck. Enrollment is up 10 percent at Shiloh, with 476 students for the 2017-18 school year. The school also is seeing other changes, including equipping all high school students with Chromebooks and opening a new portable weight training center. The Shiloh Christian School Board approved a new teacher compensation plan this past spring. The teacher compensation plan will provide Shiloh teachers with salaries competitive with the neighboring Class B schools. This plan is one of the board's goals over the next four years. Additionally, the school also kept tuition the same as last year, with tuition ranging from $6,200 to $7,525 a year, depending on the grade. For more information on Shiloh Christian School, visit www.shilohchristian.org. Russian submarines fire 7 cruise missiles at vital IS targets in Syria Xinhua | Updated: 2017-09-14 21:28 MOSCOW -- Two Russian submarines fired seven Kalibr sea-based cruise missiles at crucial facilities of the Islamic State (IS) in Syria from underwater position in the eastern Mediterranean, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday. The diesel-electric attack submarines Veliky Novgorod and Kolpino struck control points, communication centers, and weapons and ammunition depots in IS-controlled areas southeast of the city of Deir ez-Zor located in northeastern Syria from a distance of 500-670 km, the ministry said in a statement. All targeted objects were hit, the ministry said. Syrian government troops supported by Russian air and naval strikes are successfully advancing in various parts of the war-torn country, having liberated most of it from the IS and other terrorist groups. The US is looking forward to carrying out the first rounds of all four high-level dialogues on a series of issues with China as soon as possible, according to a US State Department spokesperson. After the inaugural high-level dialogue on diplomacy and security, which took place in Washington in June, and the high-level dialogue on the economy in July, Beijing and Washington have yet to hold their high-level dialogues on social and cultural issues and the dialogue on law enforcement and cybersecurity "I believe we've had two of those four meetings, and we look forward to carrying out the rest just as soon as possible," Heather Nauert, a State Department spokesperson, told a news briefing on Wednesday. The four dialogues are part of the four-pronged high-level dialogue mechanisms set up by President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump during their meeting at Mar-a-Lago in Florida in April. huanxinzhao@chinadailyusa.com Ramraj Cotton announced Rana Daggubati as its brand ambassador for vests. The launch had a fashion line up of their vests and introduction of the new TVC with Rana. Commenting on the association, Rana said Ramraj has had an inspirational growth with taking its traditional attire back to the youth. I am happy to be associated with the brand. Founder Chairman K R Nagarajan said We began our journey in the same land that opened up a whole new opportunity for me and the rise of the brand. With Veshti at the helm of our offering, today we cater to all segments. We strongly believe in upholding our values and culture and that reflects in the way we communicate the brand too. On the work front, Rana is busy shooting for multiple projects. He is also acting in a web series Social. Next week's ballot offers some intrigue for North Dakotans from late congressional entries by independent candidates to term limits and marijuana legalization. Voters will decide whether to endorse changing the state constitution to limit the terms of the governor and state legislators. Another citizen-led initiative also will put the question of marijuana legalization before voters, who rejected the idea four years ago. Ninety-eight of the Legislatures 141 seats are on the ballot. All but one Democrat is up for reelection this year. Contests for secretary of state, attorney general and other state offices Also will appear on the ballot. Faith leaders from Jewish, Muslim, and Christian faiths recently met in Los Angeles to discuss tolerance and ways to promote peace in the world. CBN News reports that the faith leaders met at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, California. King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has spearheaded a movement of tolerance in Bahrain, which Christian leader Rev. Johnnie Moore described at the event as a light in the midst of so much darkness in the Middle East. Al Khalifa authored a document titled Bahrain Declaration for Religious Tolerance, which the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which was co-sponsoring the event, said "calls for people of all faiths to show respect for, and protection of, the rights of everyone to practice their religious affiliations in dignity and peace. Speakers at the event included Prince Nasser bin Hamad al Khalifa of Bahrain, Rabbi Marvin Hier, the founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance, Muhammed Khan, the director of Interfaith Outreach of the King Fahd Mosque in Los Angeles, and Rev. Johnnie Moore, a board member of the National Association of Evangelicals and an expert on the Middle East conflict. The event also included a special guest: a woman whose son had been killed when an ISIS suicide bomber blew himself up inside the mosque where the womans son had been worshipping. Instead of turning to hate and bitterness, however, the woman reached out to the suicide bombers mother and extended forgiveness. This woman exemplified the tolerant, peaceful spirit which the faith leaders were championing at the event. "With forgiveness, with tolerance... this world is going to be a much, much better world," said Prince Nasser bin Hamad al Khalifa. Photo courtesy: Thinkstock/Mike Watson-Images Publication date: September 14, 2017 More than 20 years ago, Mohawk musician Jonathan Maracle says, God told him to use his druman instrument used in traditional religious ceremonieswhile playing at a conference for First Nation Christians. The ensuing performance spawned his music ministry, Broken Walls. And it also sparked a controversy. The next week, when he brought out the drum to play for another community of Native Christians, he was asked to leave the village. Religion had come in and taught my people that the drum was evil, Maracle said. I had no idea how difficult of a task I had been handed. Nobody was using the drum to worship Jesus at this time in 1995. When white missionaries first spread the gospel to indigenous tribes, they often did so in ways that undermined tribal language and culture. Almost all Native Christian leaders agree on that. But leaders remain divided over what contextualizing their faith should look likeand what role sacred objects, like drums, have in Christian worship. There were lots of mistakes that happened historically in Native mission work. But you dont solve one problem by creating another one, said Craig Smith, a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe and president of Tribal Rescue Ministries. That is what the movement is doing. He organized a statement for the Christian and Missionary Alliance to warn his fellow Native Christians about false teaching, specifically around traditional sacred objects used in a Christian context. Maracles drum playing began during a period when Native American communities were reexamining their own cultural practicesa soul-searching catalyzed by the New Age communitys interest ... 1 You have reached the end of this Article Preview You have reached the end of this Article Preview To continue reading, subscribe now. Subscribers have full digital access. Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here. MAF's John Boyd Awarded Honorary Doctorate from NNU Contact: Chris Burgess, Mission Aviation Fellowship, 208-498-0786, cburgess@maf.org NAMPA, Idaho, Sept. 14, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- John Boyd, president and CEO of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), has been honored with a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, from Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) for his life of service to others. Boyd received the degree Wednesday, Sept. 13, in a ceremony at NNU's Brandt Center. Photo: John Boyd, president and CEO of Mission Aviation Fellowship, receives a Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Joel Pearsall (right), president of Northwest Nazarene University. "Compassion doesn't happen just in ministry, but anywhere people are responsive to God's plan. In John Boyd's case, God interrupted his corporate life and set him on a path of service and a path of compassion toward the lost and isolated," said Joel Pearsall, president of NNU. "John's service to, and leadership of, Mission Aviation Fellowship reflects his faithfulness to God's call. In conferring this degree, NNU recognizes this faithfulness, service and compassion. With this degree, we are proud to make John one of our alumni and to claim him as one of our own." MAF-US is a non-profit Christian ministry organization that operates in 17 countries of Africa, Asia, Eurasia, and Latin America with a fleet of 51 aircraft. MAF provides aviation and technology services so that missionaries, development agencies, medical teams, churches, and disaster response organizations can work in the most remote parts of the world. MAF also provides emergency medical evacuations and disaster response assistance. Boyd was born in Scotland and raised in Rhodesiathe country now known as Zimbabwe. After a successful corporate career, Boyd put his pilot skills to work by joining MAF as a missionary pilot. Boyd and his family served in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, and Lesotho. In 2000, Boyd was appointed chief executive officer of MAF-South Africa. Three years later, Boyd and his family moved to the MAF-US headquarters, where he served as vice president of Ministry Advancement. In January 2008, the board of directors of MAF-US appointed Boyd as its president and CEO. For Boyd, a key focus has been following Christ's example of demonstration and proclamation. "Not only did Jesus preach, he also healed the sick and reached out to the hurting, showing his love in tangible ways. And we are called to 'go and do likewise,'" Boyd said. That is why MAF supports not just Christian organizations, but other groups working to make life better for isolated people. Under Boyd's leadership, MAF has upgraded its fleet, replacing many of the smaller aircraft with KODIAKs, a larger and more efficient plane. The organization also began expanding its Nampa campus to better support training and build stronger community among its missionary staff who often stay on-site. MAF has also been a key player in numerous disaster response efforts, including the Haiti earthquake response in 2010, Nepal earthquake response in 2015, and Hurricane Matthew response in 2016. According to Dr. Eric Kellerer, director of NNU's Doceo Center, "John has given all of his energy and all of his time to one passionreaching the most remote people on planet earth with love and compassion. The full impact he has had on the very poorest people in the world may never be known in our lifetime." Northwest Nazarene University, a Christian comprehensive university, offers more than 60 areas of study, 18 master's degrees in seven different disciplines and two doctoral degrees. In addition to its 90-acre campus located in Nampa, Idaho, the university offers programs online as well as in Idaho Falls and in cooperation with programs in 35 countries. Founded in 1913, the University serves over 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students, more than 6,000 continuing education students and over 2,000 high school students through the concurrent credit program. Share Tweet Historic Breakthrough in Biblical Prophecy Confirms the Great Sign of Revelation 12 Taking Place in September 2017 Contact: Jamison Broome, Lay Evangelist, CRESTVIEW, Fla., Sept. 14, 2017 / The discussion and anticipation has literally taken the world of biblical prophecy by storm, with many calling it the most prophetic event since May 14, 1948 when the modern State of Israel was reborn. Still, others consider this Great Sign in the heavens a divine revelation dating back to creation itself. Thousands of websites, articles, books, videos, and Facebook groups have united the online Christian community world-wide in heralding the soon return of Jesus Christ. But haven't we been here before? So why all the fuss this time around? In short, this prophetic signwhich was sealed up on the INSIDE of the seven-sealed bookwas revealed to Christ by God the Father Himself after He fulfilled His earthly mission and ascended back to heaven. This GREAT SIGN in the sun, moon, and stars constitutes: "the REVELATION of Jesus Christ that GOD GAVE UNTO HIM to show unto His servant things that must SOON TAKE PLACE, and He sent and SIGNIFIED IT by His angel unto his servant John" (Revelation 1:1). In "The Final Harbinger," author Jamison Broome details a prophetic journey that began in the spring of 2014 and shares over 3.5 years (7000 hours) of intense biblical study and research into one of the most fascinating and symbolic passages of the entire Bible. Presented in great detail whilst upholding the highest regard for Scripture, "The Final Harbinger" contains unprecedented BIBLICAL, SCIENTIFIC, and ARCHAEOLOGICAL confirmation surrounding the Great Sign of Revelation 12. Could this be the "Star of Bethlehem" heralding Christ's second coming? In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus foretold of "great signs from heaven" and "signs in the sun, moon, and stars" (Luke 21:11, 25). Even more astounding, however, is the convergence of the Great Sign of Revelation 12 with other prophetic signs found on the earth. Author Jamison Broome describes this discovery stating: "this whole thing is a miracle 6000 years in the making. The 'Great Sign' of Revelation 12 aligning with the 'Great Pyramid' and 'Great Sphinx' in September 2017 is the fulfillment of the ALTAR and PILLAR in the land of Egypt prophesied in Isaiah 19:19-20. To understand the convergence of these prophetic signs signaling the time of the end, we have to go all the way back to the beginningback to Genesis 1:1 when God created the HEAVENS and the EARTH. These three 'GREAT' signs prove the very existence of God and show that He has literally "declared the end from the beginning, and from ANCIENT TIMES things not yet done (Isaiah 46:10)." Chapter excerpts from "The Final Harbinger" are available via Share Tweet Contact: Jamison Broome, Lay Evangelist, Revelation 12 Ministries , 850-902-8459, Info@R12M.com CRESTVIEW, Fla., Sept. 14, 2017 / Christian Newswire / -- One of the hottest topics trending on Google this year has been the Great Astronomic Sign of Revelation 12 . This grand celestial song and dance is set to occur between September 21-23, 2017 in conjunction with the annual Jewish Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah).The discussion and anticipation has literally taken the world of biblical prophecy by storm, with many calling it the most prophetic event since May 14, 1948 when the modern State of Israel was reborn. Still, others consider this Great Sign in the heavens a divine revelation dating back to creation itself.Thousands of websites, articles, books, videos, and Facebook groups have united the online Christian community world-wide in heralding the soon return of Jesus Christ. But haven't we been here before? So why all the fuss this time around?In short, this prophetic signwhich was sealed up on the INSIDE of the seven-sealed bookwas revealed to Christ by God the Father Himself after He fulfilled His earthly mission and ascended back to heaven. This GREAT SIGN in the sun, moon, and stars constitutes: "the REVELATION of Jesus Christ that GOD GAVE UNTO HIM to show unto His servant things that must SOON TAKE PLACE, and He sent and SIGNIFIED IT by His angel unto his servant John" (Revelation 1:1).In "The Final Harbinger," author Jamison Broome details a prophetic journey that began in the spring of 2014 and shares over 3.5 years (7000 hours) of intense biblical study and research into one of the most fascinating and symbolic passages of the entire Bible. Presented in great detail whilst upholding the highest regard for Scripture, "The Final Harbinger" contains unprecedented BIBLICAL, SCIENTIFIC, and ARCHAEOLOGICAL confirmation surrounding the Great Sign of Revelation 12.Could this be the "Star of Bethlehem" heralding Christ's second coming?In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus foretold of "great signs from heaven" and "signs in the sun, moon, and stars" (Luke 21:11, 25). Even more astounding, however, is the convergence of the Great Sign of Revelation 12 with other prophetic signs found on the earth.Author Jamison Broome describes this discovery stating: "this whole thing is a miracle 6000 years in the making. The 'Great Sign' of Revelation 12 aligning with the 'Great Pyramid' and 'Great Sphinx' in September 2017 is the fulfillment of the ALTAR and PILLAR in the land of Egypt prophesied in Isaiah 19:19-20. To understand the convergence of these prophetic signs signaling the time of the end, we have to go all the way back to the beginningback to Genesis 1:1 when God created the HEAVENS and the EARTH. These three 'GREAT' signs prove the very existence of God and show that He has literally "declared the end from the beginning, and from ANCIENT TIMES things not yet done (Isaiah 46:10)."Chapter excerpts from "The Final Harbinger" are available via secure PDF download home World Abducted Indian priest finally released after 18 months in captivity in Yemen Indian priest Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil, who was kidnapped by suspected Islamic State militants in Yemen last year, has been freed after 18 months in captivity. Uzhunnalil was abducted from a care home in the port city of Aden on March 6, 2016 by four gunmen posing as relatives of one of the residents. Four Indian nuns, two Yemeni staff members, eight elderly residents and a security guard were killed in the attack. According to First Post, the Indian priest was rescued from an undisclosed location with the help of the Oman government. "In response to the royal orders of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and as per a request from the Vatican... the concerned authorities in the Sultanate, in coordination with the Yemeni authorities, have managed to find a Vatican government employee. He was transferred this (Tuesday) morning to Muscat in preparation for his return home," the Oman government was quoted as saying. On Wednesday, the Indian government clarified that there was no ransom paid to the abductors for the release of the priest. Union minister of state for external affairs VK Singh said that Uzhunnalil's release demonstrates that his ministry "works quietly and without noise, but ultimately gets the work done." Soon after his release, Uzhunnalil met with Pope Francis at his Santa Marta residence in Rome after Wednesday's weekly general audience. The Indian priest bowed down to kiss the feet of the pontiff, who immediately raised him to his feet and embraced him. The Pope encouraged Uzhunnalil and vowed to continue praying for him as he had done during his captivity. Prior to his rescue, various rumors have circulated that the Indian priest was crucified by the militants on Good Friday last year. However, a video Uzhunnalil surfaced in December 2016, showing the priest pleading with the government of India and the Church to secure his release. The Indian priest appeared in a second video in May 2017, in which he lamented that the government and the Church are not making serious efforts to help him. "They are treating me well to the extent they are able. My health condition is deteriorating quickly and I require hospitalisation as early as possible," he said in the video. In July, Yemen's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, Abdulmalik Abduljalil Al-Mekhlafi reported that the priest was still alive and that the Yemeni government is "making all efforts to secure his release." Last year, India's Union minister Sushma Swaraj said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had spoken to various countries to secure the release of Uzhunnalil. home World Belgian Brothers of Charity vows to continue offering euthanasia, despite order from Vatican The Belgian Brothers of Charity has announced that it will continue to offer euthanasia to psychiatric patients at its hospitals despite being ordered by the Vatican to stop. The religious order, which runs 15 psychiatric hospitals in Belgium with 5,000 patients, had been given until the end of August to comply with the Vatican's demand to stop offering euthanasia to patients. The Vatican order, which was approved by Pope Francis, also asked the organization's board of trustees to sign a joint letter to their superior general declaring their adherence to Church teaching. However, the group issued a statement on Sept. 12 defying the Vatican's request, saying it "continues to stand by its vision statement on euthanasia for mental suffering in a non-terminal situation." The board, which is largely composed of lay members, along with a few brothers, further stated that it believes that despite its adherence to its vision statement, the organization "is still consistent with the doctrine of the Catholic Church." When the Brothers of Charity announced in April that it will start permitting euthanasia in its facilities, the superior general of the order, Brother RenA Stockman, informed the entire congregation that the Board's decision violated the order's charism and was unacceptable. The religious order is now facing the possibility of legal action, and even expulsion from the Church, according to Catholic Herald. Stockman has warned that unless the group stops offering euthanasia, "we will take juridical steps in order to force them to amend the text [of the policy] and, if that is not possible, then we have to start the procedure to exclude the hospitals from the Brothers of Charity family and take away their Catholic identity." In the Sept. 12 statement, the board argued that their position "always takes into account the shifts and evolutions within society," while also considering "recognition of the exceptional, proportional view of ethics, deontological view and ideologization, and choice of conscience." Previously, the religious order had maintained a firm policy against euthanasia and how to deal with patients who request the procedure. Stockman noted in August that the group would take requests for euthanasia seriously and would try to help the patient regain their desire for life. If the individual still requests the procedure, despite all the efforts to alleviate depression, the brothers would transfer the patient elsewhere. He explained that Belgium is a country where secularization is strong and euthanasia is legal and widely accepted, even among children, making it more difficult to fight against it. home World Maintenance worker discovers bones attributed to St. Peter at 1,000-year-old Roman church A maintenance worker has discovered bone fragments believed to belong to St. Peter during a routine restoration of a nearly 1,000-year-old church in Rome. According to The Telegraph, the clay pots containing the bones were discovered when a worker lifted up a large marble slab near the medieval altar of the Church of Santa Maria in Cappella. The church, located in the district of Trastevere, a medieval warren of cobbled lanes on the banks of the Tiber River, has been closed to the public for 35 years due to structural problems. Apart from the bones of St. Peter, the inscription on the two Roman-era pots indicated that it also contained the bone fragments of three early popes a Cornelius, Callixtus and Felix a as well as four early Christian martyrs. "There were two clay pots which were inscribed with the names of early popes a Peter, Felix, Callixtus and Cornelius," the worker told Italian television channel Rai Uno. "I'm not an archaeologist but I understood immediately that they were very old. Looking at them, I felt very emotional," he added. The worker immediately notified the deacon of the church, Massimiliano Floridi, who turned over the relics to the Vatican. "We're waiting for a detailed study to be undertaken. A DNA comparison between these bones and those kept by the Vatican would shed light on the issue," said the deacon. Angelus News noted that the existence of the bone fragments have been known for centuries, but the relics had never been found. A stone inscription inside the church indicated that the relics were kept alongside a piece of fabric taken from the dress of the Virgin Mary. Santa Maria Church in Cappella is home to many other artifacts, including ceramics and murals dating back to the fourth century, as well as a fragment of the episcopal chair that was once a temporary seat of the Papal Consistory. Some have theorized that the bones of St. Peter were brought to the church for protection under the rule of Pope Urban II, whose legitimacy was being challenged at the time by Clement III, an anti-pope backed by Emperor Henry IV. According to tradition, St. Peter, who is considered by Roman Catholics to be the first pope, was crucified upside down in Rome in the first century A.D. His remains were believed to have been interred in a tomb on a Vatican hill, where Emperor Constantine later built a church, which was replaced by St. Peter's Basilica in the 16th century. During excavations under the basilica after World War II, archaeologists found a funerary monument with a casket built in honor of St. Peter and an engraving in Greek that read "Peter is here." Experts who forensically examined the relics found in the casket in the 1960s concluded that the remains belonged to a man in his early sixties who lived in the first century A.D., prompting Pope Paul VI to declare them the bones of St. Peter in 1968. MINOT AIR FORCE BASE Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Wednesday he has become convinced that the United States must keep all three parts of its nuclear force, rather than eliminate one, as he once suggested. Some argue that ground-based missiles may no longer be necessary to America's policy of deterrence, and the Trump administration has been reviewing the military's nuclear posture. Mattis has called the submarine-based component "sacrosanct" and has said it is necessary to retain the ability to fire nuclear weapons from planes. Together, those three prongs constitute what the military calls its nuclear triad. Before he took over in January as President Donald Trump's Pentagon chief, Mattis had suggested that long-range, silo-based weapons, known as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), might be expendable. "I've questioned the triad," Mattis told reporters flying with him to Minot Air Force Base, a nuclear base in northwestern North Dakota. He said his view has changed. "I cannot solve the deterrent problem reducing it from a triad. If I want to send the most compelling message, I have been persuaded that the triad in its framework is the right way to go," Mattis said. Mattis has previously indicated this evolution in thinking, but his statements Wednesday were emphatic. The key to avoiding nuclear war, he said, is maintaining a nuclear arsenal sufficient to convince a potential enemy that attacking the U.S. with a nuclear weapon would be suicidal. "You want the enemy to look at it and say, this is impossible to take out in a first strike, and the (U.S.) retaliation is such that we don't want to do it," he said. "That's how a deterrent works." Thus the U.S. will keep nuclear missile submarines, land-based nuclear missiles and nuclear-capable aircraft, he indicated. Mattis also said the Trump administration is reviewing the value of the New Start treaty negotiated with Russia by the Obama administration in 2010. The treaty, already in effect, requires reductions by both sides to a maximum of 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads by February. "We're still engaged in determining whether it's a good idea," Mattis said, adding that the question is linked to adherence by others to separate but related arms treaties. That was an apparent reference to U.S. allegations that Russia is violating the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty from 1987. Mattis declined to discuss the matter further, except to say the administration is not considering withdrawing from New Start. Trump has criticized New Start as a bad deal for America. Mattis' trip was scheduled before the recent series of North Korean nuclear and missile tests. But those test were giving Mattis a chance to highlight what the Air Force promotes as an always-ready fleet of land-based missiles and B-52 bombers equipped to deliver nuclear devastation to nearly any point on the globe in short order. The Minot base is home to more than 100 land-based nuclear missiles as well as nuclear bomb-carrying aircraft. After arriving at Minot, Mattis was flown by Huey helicopter to a "missile alert facility" and taken underground to a Minuteman launch control capsule. He spoke to a missile launch crew on duty, including 2nd Lt. Tia Hewuse, who later told reporters that she expressed to Mattis her pride in serving as part of the nation's nuclear deterrent. "It's what keeps our enemies at bay," she said. Mattis also was touring a Minot facility where nuclear warheads are stored, and visiting with a B-52 bomber unit. Minot hosts the 91st Missile Wing, which operates one-third of the nation's 400 Minuteman 3 missiles, as well as the 5th Bomb Wing, which flies those nuclear-capable bombers. Minot in recent years was at the center of trouble in the ICBM force, including lapses in morale, training, performance and management. The Air Force has made an effort since 2014 to correct those weaknesses, which had accumulated over a period of years, with little attention from Congress. Minot and Strategic Command headquarters at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska are timely backdrops for a related political message: The Trump administration intends to press ahead with a multibillion-dollar modernization of the entire nuclear arsenal. The Pentagon is in the midst of an in-depth review of nuclear weapons policy, but it seems clear that upgrading the Cold War-era nuclear force is a foregone conclusion. Last month the Pentagon signaled its intentions by awarding two key contracts. One was to Northrop Grumman and Boeing, totaling nearly $700 million, for further development of an ICBM to replace the Minuteman 3. The other was to Lockheed Martin and Raytheon for $1.8 billion to work on a new nuclear-armed, air-launched cruise missile. The Air Force also is proceeding with development of a next-generation nuclear-capable bomber, called the B-21 Raider, and the Navy is building a new fleet of strategic nuclear submarines. Mattis in recent weeks has all but dismissed the idea, which he raised himself in congressional testimony two years ago, that the country might be better off eliminating the ICBM fleet. In June, the Air Force finished reducing the number of Minuteman 3 missiles by 50 to a total of 400, the lowest since 1962. But Mattis appears to have been persuaded by the argument that keeping ICBMs deployed in underground silos sprinkled across the western Great Plains is key to deterrence because an attacker would have to use hundreds of weapons to destroy all 400 launch facilities. home World Philippine president rejects militants' offer to release hostages in exchange for safe passage Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has rejected a rumored offer from Islamic State-linked militants to release dozens of hostages, including a Catholic priest, in exchange for safe passage out of the war-torn city of Marawi. On Sept. 9, Duterte told reporters that his peace adviser Jesus Dureza had asked a former mayor to talk with leaders of the militant group known as the Maute. It was rumored that the leader of the rebel group, Omarkhayam Maute, had offered to release Marawi Vicar-General Father Teresito "Chito" Soganub and dozens of other hostages in exchange for allowing the militants to flee the city. When reporters asked Duterte about the rumored proposal, the president simply stated, "No way." Around 50 militants are still fighting against military forces in a shrinking pocket in Marawi, 112 days since the city was besieged by the rebels in late May. Initial reports have indicated that the militants have held over 200 hostages and some were forced to take up arms against military troops, while others were ordered to loot homes or become sex slaves. Some hostages were reportedly killed, while others have escaped or were rescued. According to the Philippine military, about 20 to 30 hostages are still being held captive by the militants. Duterte told journalists over the weekend that he expects the southern island of Mindanao to remain a flash point of conflict and terrorism. "There will be no peace in Mindanao for a long time," the president said during an island-wide business conference on Sept. 9, according to UCA News. "What is happening in Marawi seems to have stretched the trouble farther than we expected," he continued. Martial law has been imposed on the southern island until the end of the year, in an attempt to break up an alliance of pro-ISIS militant groups. On Monday, a Filipino military official announced in a news conference that some militants in Marawi have hinted that they might surrender soon. "Hopefully, we will have surrenders within the next days," said Colonel Romeo Brawner. The Philippine military has reported that some 655 militants, 45 civilians and 145 soldiers and policemen have died in the fighting in Marawi and at least 400,000 people have been displaced from their homes. The U.S. government has increased its military aid to the Philippines, providing over US$300 million worth of assistance to establish better command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities for the country's armed forces. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON - After decades of banishment from Mexico's oil and gas fields, American companies like Exxon Mobil and Chevron are becoming a presence there again. But just four years after Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto invited foreign companies into his country to help modernize its struggling energy industries, the rise of populist politics in Mexico is driving concerns about the future of reforms that ended the national oil company's monopoly and opened markets to competition. With the U.S. and Mexican governments renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement, oil and gas companies, as well as the Pena Nieto administration, are pressing for protections in the treaty against any future efforts in Mexico to push out foreign oil companies. "It's a bulwark, should Mexico change their minds on the reforms," said David Goldwyn, a former State Department special envoy during the Obama administration who now heads the Atlantic Council's Energy Advisory Group, a think tank. "If someone wants to get nasty, this could go wrong a lot of different ways." The front-runner to succeed Pena Nieto in next summer's presidential election - the leftist former mayor of Mexico City, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador - has been a vocal critic of Pena Nieto and said if elected he would hold a referendum on the energy reforms. Obrador, who has criticized President Donald Trump, has also promised to take a harder line in trade negotiations between the two countries. The statements have left U.S. officials and industry leaders scrambling to hedge against a change in relations. "He has generally been supportive of NAFTA, but then in the next breath he will say he will review everything under this administration," said Antonio Garza, an attorney and former U.S. ambassador to Mexico. "There's enough menace in the 'but' for people to take pause." During a news conference earlier this month, Mexico's chief trade negotiator, Kenneth Smith, said the Pena Nieto administration was seeking to write its energy reforms into NAFTA. Such a move would effectively make if far more difficult for Obrador to change course on energy, forcing him to pull out of a treaty that has helped drive the development of factories across the border and inland regions of Mexico. "We're working in this sense, analyzing all of the elements that need to be included in the energy discussion to reflect the reform Mexico established," he said, according to the Reuters news agency. Mexico nationalized its oil industry in the 1930s and the state-owned Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, held a monopoly for three-quarters of a century. But Pemex in recent years became burdened by debt and falling production, unable to invest in technology needed to increase output in aging fields and exploit new ones. Since passing market reforms in 2013 with the aim of attracting foreign investment, Mexico has reduced the role of Pemex and steadily gained ground in modernizing its oil and gas sector. After early struggles to lure foreign companies, recent auctions have drawn competition between U.S. and European oil majors looking to tap fields in Mexican waters. In March, Italian firm Eni announced a large discovery in Mexico's shallow-water Gulf. Four months later, a consortium including Houston-based Talos Energy announced it had what was believed to be the fifth-largest discovery in the world over the previous five years. "Whatever they can do to strengthen the general impression of the solidity and irreversibility of the energy reforms, the oil companies want to see that happen," said George Baker, a Houston energy consultant and longtime publisher of the news-letter Mexico Energy Intelligence. Last month, three trade groups representing oil and gas companies in North America, including the American Petroleum Institute, released a paper urging the NAFTA negotiators to preserve provisions within the trade agreement that allow companies operating in foreign lands the right to third-party arbitration and restrict the ability of governments to seize foreign investment. Stephen Comstock, director of tax and accounting at API, said he sees the protections "in there as essential to supporting continued investment in Mexico, preserving our opportunities in case there are any problems." Trump himself has been critical of such provisions, aligning himself with workers' unions, which maintain such measures allow corporations the ability to challenge the laws of the countries they're operating in, including government policies protecting workers and the environment, if they are deemed harmful to the bottom line. But that stance runs afoul of many free-trade proponents, some even within Trump's own Cabinet. "There's a Trump position, and there's a Ross position. They're still arguing over it," Goldwyn said, referring to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross. "It's an odd situation where you have the U.S. industry aligned with the Mexican government." A spokesperson for the U.S. Trade Representative declined to comment. The bikini-clad woman who allegedly used her high heels as a weapon in a fight during a swimsuit competition in Florida has had battery charges against her dropped by police. Erica Kaitlyn Mize, 24, was charged with battery in May by the Martin County Sheriff's Office following the Stuart Sailfish Regatta. Mize and fellow contestant Sara Shipley insulted each other before going on stage. It took two hours for Abby Aburto to drop off her daughter on the first day of school Monday, Sept. 11. Her plan to stop and grab food for her daughter, a junior at Kingwood High School, was no longer an option as she arrived to school at 12:07 p.m., giving the teenager just four minutes to make it to her first class of the day. She was late. Kingwood High is sharing Summer Creek High School's campus while Kingwood High undergoes construction after significant flood damages from Hurricane Harvey. Summer Creek students attend in the morning, while Kingwood students have classes in the afternoon. "My daughter was not allowed to eat the snack I had packed for her in preparation for a long day. I did hear of some first period teachers that allowed their kids to eat," Aburto said. "That was not the case with my daughter, though." The school is enforcing a strict policy forbidding food in classrooms, forcing students who missed their lunch opportunity to wait until school is out to catch a meal. An unanticipated contributing factor to the major traffic on West Lake Houston, which Aburto said led to their extensive delay, was a company cutting down trees in Summerwood, reducing the road to one lane for over 2,000 students to use. "We all need to be patient and show grace as we sort through all the details and get this back the well-oiled machine we are used to," Aburto said. Upon first hearing that Summer Creek and Kingwood plan to share a campus, Aburto said she was excited, loved the idea and grateful Kingwood students were able to stay together. "I love what our principal said at the pep rally Friday night - 'We don't go to school ... we are the school,'" Aburto said. "While it is not the ideal situation, I am grateful for this alternative." Annie Logsdon, Kingwood High parent to sophomore KC, echoed the same logistical challenges Aburto endured the first day of school. "I realize that there were few options available for the students who were displaced from KHS, and I'm no expert on running a school, but I'm unhappy about my son getting so little instruction time each week," Logsdon said. Logsdon also has another son, who she takes to Creekwood Middle each day before taking KC to Summer Creek High. Logsdon's family moved from Pennsylvania because her husband was offered a job at Sheldon ISD, and they chose to live in Kingwood after learning about the great schools in the area. While the family lives geographically between Kingwood High and Kingwood Park High, Logsdon said, they are closer to Kingwood Park and several students from Kingwood Park also live in Logsdon's neighborhood. However, based on the district's website, the family was zoned to Kingwood High, even though there are bus stops in their neighborhood for Kingwood Park High. "I've been in contact with various people in the district to find out if his enrollment could be changed to Kingwood Park, but all they can tell me is that transfers are closed until the 15th," Logsdon said. Logsdon considered homeschooling her son for a year and then re-enrolling him the following year but realized that option was not probable. "As a family that just moved here, we're more concerned with him having a quality education that doesn't include a half-hour to an hour commute each way," Logsdon said. Logsdon left her home at 11 a.m. and arrived at Summer Creek High at 12:24 p.m. "The worst part of the first day for us was the traffic, but I think that was partially just because it was the first day and because the KHS parents and students hadn't navigated that way before," Logsdon said. At the Humble ISD board meeting Tuesday, Sept. 12, a few Kingwood parents echoed the same struggles in their commute to and from Summer Creek High. "We acknowledge this difficulty with West Lake Houston at this time in the evening," said Trey Kraemer, assistant superintendent. "It has presented a challenge for us. We made some adjustments on routes that we feel will help us a little bit, but we've got a lot of work to do." Kraemer said the transportation department is continuing to work on plans to help alleviate the transportation time to and from Summer Creek and assessing the routes taken. Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen said students she has spoken to have used Beltway 8, and while not ideal, she said, it has been a quicker commute for those students. Heidi McMurry Walker has a sophomore and freshman attending Kingwood High. She struggles immensely this year with making sure she gets all her children out of the door for school while also homeschooling one autistic child. The schedule for Kingwood students is not ideal, she said, but everyone needs patience and to remember Summer Creek students are also affected by the move. "People need to be patient with the decision," Walker said. "I know everyone feels like their kid's school is going to suffer on both ends." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Valero Energy "significantly underestimated" the amount of cancer-causing benzene and other volatile compounds leaked from its Houston refinery during Hurricane Harvey's torrential rains, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday. San Antonio-based Valero initially reported the Aug. 27 leak from a partially collapsed roof of a storage tank released an estimated 6.7 pounds of benzene and more than 3,350 pounds of unspecified volatile compounds. The EPA now says Valero believes it significantly underestimated the volumes leaked near East Houston's Manchester neighborhood. New totals won't be released until the EPA says it has completed its investigation. The EPA said Valero is preparing a new report that will show a "substantial increase" in emissions from the incident. Valero did not immediately comment. Independent air monitors with the City of Houston and the Environmental Defense Fund previously detected a plume of benzene near homes and businesses that was nearly twice the state limits for short-term exposure. Benzene is a carcinogenic component of crude oil and gasoline. Breathing it in can cause dizziness, headaches and even unconsciousness. The benzene release by the Valero refinery was the strongest concentration of toxic compounds detected by any independent air monitoring throughout the Houston area in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, although there were elevated levels also detected in cities like Baytown and Port Arthur. RELATED: Air monitors detect cancer-causing compound as environmental concerns grow in east Harris County The Environmental Defense Fund said the amount of benzene detected more than a week after the leak on Sept. 4 324 parts per billion is nearly double the state's allowable amount of 180 parts per billion for short-term exposure. "Based upon the volume of material in the tank at the time of the roof failure, EPA estimates that the emissions from the tank were highest immediately following the roof failure and have diminished over time due to efforts by the company to remove tank contents and apply foam suppressant to minimize emissions," the EPA said Thursday. "Moderate" ongoing emissions releases were still being detected by the EPA as recently as Sept. 8 at the 190-foot wide storage tank. Valero told the EPA it was removing residual crude oil from the tank using pumps and evaluating safe methods to remove the tank's crumpled roof. Last week, Valero spokeswoman Lillian Riojas blamed the intense rain and credited the Valero crew members with quickly containing the oil that leaked from the roof drain at the refinery. She noted the U.S. Coast Guard inspected the clean up, and she said Valero is working with the state and the EPA "on monitoring for any potential emissions from the oil." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In an effort to reach as many storm victims as possible, workers with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are going door-to-door in Patton Village. On Wednesday, Sept. 13, they were accompanied by Police Chief Shannon Sharp, who managed the city's emergency response during Hurricane Harvey. "We have well in excess of 50 homes that are flooded, the majority of which are beyond repair," Sharp said. "A lot of these residents have left their homes and are staying in hotels with FEMA vouchers or are with relatives, but we are trying to reach as many of them as we can." Residents in Patton Village, like so many others in the Greater Houston Area, say Hurricane Harvey rains caused flooding unlike anything they had experienced before, even those who have lived in the same house for half a century. Audrey Smith, who has lived in her home on Roping Pen Road in Patton Village for all 56 years of her life, says she is accustomed to flooding from a creek that runs behind her property, past Patton Lake and into Peach Creek. Because of the frequent flooding at her home, several years ago she had a large building constructed at the end of the road in an area she refers to as her "flood-free zone." With Harvey, not even the flood-free zone was spared. "I had several lawn mowers, including a Gravely zero turn, a truck, tractor and welding machine ruined by this flood," she said. Pointing to two large mounds of debris in front of her house, about 300 yards down the hill from her building, Smith explained that main areas of her stilted home were not flooded despite the appearance of debris near the road. "Those are things that floated over my fence and into my yard from other people's properties," she said. "I am always prepped. Everyone makes fun of me because I take everything out of the room downstairs and drag it up the hill to the storage building." She agreed to evacuate when her cousin, Clint Talley, who lives on the highest point at the end of the road, decided to leave when his guest house started taking on water. "I was scared of being here in the dark by myself," she said. By then, she also had a growing concern for her propane tank that was floating after wakes from rescue boats had loosened it from where it was tied to trees. "We shut everything off and I evacuated to my mother's house," she said. Talley, who also has lived in Patton Village his entire life, says the frequency of flooding in recent years has him considering whether residential and commercial developments are to blame. Though his claims are unproven, it is a concept shared by many in the area, including Smith. Talley wonders if more retention ponds in residential developments might be necessary to provide a place for water to collect before the creeks and streams are inundated and suggests that cities review their own drain systems. "We had two smaller culverts on this road that were replaced by a culvert made from an old tanker car. The water really moves fast now through that culvert but over in the back, the two creeks come together and the water is flowing through two smaller culverts," Talley said. "That might be causing the water to back up on us." However, both Talley and Smith recognize that Harvey was a different kind of storm. "There were a lot of firsts. I never had water in my guest house and did. She had never had water in her storage and did," Talley said. Still, neither one is discouraged enough to move to a less flood-prone area. There simply is no place like home. "I think we are just anxious to get back to normalcy," Talley said. Cities like Patton Village are encouraging residents who suffered storm damage to file a claim with FEMA by going online to www.disasterassistance.gov or calling 800-621-FEMA (3362). "We think we reached everyone in Patton Village in our door-to-door visits, but anyone who was missed is urged to file a claim," Sharp said. "If you were missed, call as quickly as possible to get your claim started." Richmond pizzeria Urban Bricks invites Houston-area residents to visit Saturday for a free pizza, as an opportunity to take a break after Hurricane Harvey. "My husband and I have received so much support from this community since we opened our doors," co-owner Nicte Lewis said. "We felt like this was our chance to offer some measure of support to all those that have been affected by the devastation and chaos from the storm." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In 1989 Russian president Boris Yeltsin's wide-eyed trip to a Clear Lake grocery store led to the downfall of communism. It was Sept. 16, 1989, and Yeltsin, then newly-elected to the new Soviet parliament and the Supreme Soviet, had just visited Johnson Space Center. RELATED: The true story of when Dennis Hopper came to Houston and nearly killed himself At JSC, Yeltsin visited mission control and a mock-up of a space station. According to Houston Chronicle reporter Stefanie Asin, it wasn't all the screens, dials, and wonder at NASA that blew up his skirt, it was the unscheduled trip inside a nearby Randall's location. Yeltsin, then 58, "roamed the aisles of Randall's nodding his head in amazement," wrote Asin. He told his fellow Russians in his entourage that if their people, who often must wait in line for most goods, saw the conditions of U.S. supermarkets, "there would be a revolution." Now Playing: Hundreds of people gathered in central Moscow on Sunday to honour the memory of thousands of men and women executed by the Soviet authorities under leader Josef Stalin. Speakers read aloud the names of some 30,000 Muscovites only a small portion of the estimated one million or more thought to have been killed in 1937-38. Sergey Mitrokhin, former Chairman of Yabloko, the Russian United Democratic Party: The authorities try to flirt with this dark past. We sometimes see how in different situations, they allude to some kind of affinity with the Soviet Union, with Stalin. That is why events such as todays are all the more important, so that the authorities will see that the people have forgotten nothing. Memorial, a widely respected civil rights group has held the ceremony every year since 2006. Germanys ambassador to Russia, Rudiger von Fritsch, attended this time. The 20th Century has known so much repression. In my own country too, in Germany. So we are commemorating all the victims because only remembrance will help us to prevent such things from happening again. Under Stalins rule from 1924 until his death in 1953 millions of people were deported to prison camps or just simply disappeared. Some rights groups have accused President Vladimir Putin of seeking to whitewash the Soviet dictators crimes amid a wave of patriotic fervour. The ceremony came ahead of Mondays Day of Remembrance for victims of political repression established by former Russian President Boris Yeltsin in 1991. Video: Euronews Shoppers and employees stopped him to shake his hand and say hello. In 1989, not everyone was carrying a smart phone in their pocket so Yeltsin "selfies" weren't a thing yet. Yeltsin asked customers about what they were buying and how much it cost, later asking the store manager if one needed a special education to manage a store. In the Chronicle photos, you can see him marveling at the produce section, the fresh fish market, and the checkout counter. He looked especially excited about frozen pudding pops. RELATED: What did Houston look like in 1987? "Even the Politburo doesn't have this choice. Not even Mr. Gorbachev," he said. When he was told through his interpreter that there were thousands of items in the store for sale he didn't believe it. He had even thought that the store was staged, a show for him. Little did he know there countless stores just like it all over the country, some with even more things than the Randall's he visited. The fact that stores like these were on nearly every street corner in America amazed him. They even offered him free cheese samples. By contrast, this is what a Russian grocery store looked like at the same time. According to Asin, Yeltsin didn't leave empty-handed, as he was given a small bag of goodies to enjoy on the rest of his trip. About a year after the Russian leader left office, a Yeltsin biographer later wrote that on the plane ride to Yeltsin's next destination, Miami, he was despondent. He couldn't stop thinking about the plentiful food at the grocery store and what his countrymen had to subsist on in Russia. RELATED: When Fidel Castro came to Houston to eat barbecue and schmooze with locals In Yeltsin's own autobiography, he wrote about the experience at Randall's, which shattered his view of communism, according to pundits. Two years later, he left the Communist Party and began making reforms to turn the economic tide in Russia. Maybe you can blame those frozen Jell-O Pudding pops he's seen marveling in those Chronicle photos. "When I saw those shelves crammed with hundreds, thousands of cans, cartons and goods of every possible sort, for the first time I felt quite frankly sick with despair for the Soviet people," Yeltsin wrote. "That such a potentially super-rich country as ours has been brought to a state of such poverty! It is terrible to think of it." The leader himself stepped down on the last day of 1999 after years of trying to bring a new system to Russia. The cronyism in place only managed to stifle Yeltsin's dream for his country. Corruption and perceived incompetence plague his final years in office. Leaving the Kremlin voluntarily is said to have kept him from criminal prosecution. His successor was Prime Minister Vladimir Putin took over as acting president. Putin had been an aide to Yeltsin in the years previous. Yeltsin died in 2007 at the age of 76. The Randall's he visited, just off El Dorado Boulevard and Highway 3, is now a Food Town location. Houston ISD administrators are proposing extended school days during the first semester for 11 campuses that haven't yet opened due to damage from Hurricane Harvey. The district's school board will consider the plan at its meeting Thursday. The extended days would help the 11 schools meet a state law that requires 75,600 minutes of instruction per year. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When Julian Herrera starts classes Thursday morning, the 8-year-old will be surrounded by middle schoolers. Its not because the 8-year-old Robinson Elementary schooler has advanced academically beyond his years or has enrolled in a special program. Instead, Julians parents learned his old school on Houstons eastside sustained heavy flood damage in Hurricane Harvey, forcing the district to relocate the schools students. Now Julian and his 10-year-old sister Leila will start the year at Holland Middle School, about 7 miles away from their home school. Im a little scared that we might have different lunches, and I might be ending up with the big kids," Julian said. Robinson Elementary is one of nine Houston ISD campuses that must be relocated after its campus sustained relatively heavy damage during Hurricane Harvey. The school district has begun to hold informational community meetings for families at those nine schools, offering details on the transitions logistics and trying to provide a sense of stability amid widespread uncertainty. Wednesday evening, hundreds of Robinson parents gathered at Holland Middle School to hear about how their students would be integrated onto two unfamiliar campuses. Older students would be sent to one hallway in Holland Middle, while younger Robinson students would be sent to a wing of nearby Pleasantville Elementary. Jorge Arrendondo, HISDs chief support officer of Houstons eastside, said the old Robinson Elementary building may not reopen until January. Its not a perfect situation, Arrendondo told parents. But were hoping youre going to be flexible and youre going to be able to work with us. Parents at Wednesdays meeting said school officials called them days after the storm to let them know how badly Robinson Elementary was damaged and that district officials were working on a plan to get their students back in a classroom. Marchell Bourda, whose 4-year-old grandson King will start prekindergarten at Robinson Elementarys temporary location in Pleasantville Elementary, said the whole experience has been unsettling. He hasnt been to any school before, so we have to put him on a bus for the first time, Bourda said. Its going to be so difficult for working parents and single parents. Quincesa Carroll, whose 10-year-old daughter Kali Sanders attends Robinson Elementary, said she was anxious about the transition but that Wednesdays meeting helped put her mind at ease. Kali was more concerned with getting out of the house than with where her classes would be located. She said she had grown bored of sitting at home during summer and even more so as summer stretched on for an additional two-and-a-half-weeks after Hurricane Harvey. As she walked around Holland Middle, Kali said she felt like she was years older. It feels like Im in high school, she said before excitedly turning to her mother. Are we going to have lockers? We only had cubbies last year. For some parents and students, Robinsons relocation was a small inconvenience in the grand scheme of their suffering. Guadalupe Herrera, Julians father, said his family lost almost all their earthly possessions after Hurricane Harvey sent about a foot-and-a-half of water rushing into their East Houston home. He said being able to send Julian and Leila back to school was just one small step towards normalcy - a dream that seems a lifetime away. Its hard, Herrera said, pausing as tears welled in his eyes. Its important, education in our family is very important. We know there are families that have been affected worse than us, but were just grateful to HISD getting it together. Kids are going to be kids, Im sure some of them are happy their summers were longer, Herrera added. But you could see in their faces they want to go back. They want to mingle with other kids, they want to have their friends. A four-vehicle wreck involving a Houston Fire Department ambulance left four people - including two paramedics - in the hospital early Thursday morning, according to police. The chaos started after a two-car crash blocked off part of the highway just before 4:30 a.m. at the Scarsdale exit ramp near the Beltway, according to Houston police. A suspect fled the scene on foot, but it's not clear what caused the wreck. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate More than a dozen businesses across Texas have been busted for substituting alcohol or refilling bottles so far this year. The county with the most offenders was Harris, with six, according to data obtained by Chron.com from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC). The Houston strip club Moments, on North Freeway, received the largest fine, $1,800 in January for refilling. The business also received a suspension or civil penalty, which usually happens to businesses that have committed the same offense more than once within a few years, TABC spokesman Chris Porter told Chron.com. TOO YOUNG: Houston businesses busted by TABC this summer for selling alcohol to minors Refilling is the illegal practice of refilling a bottle of alcohol with that same or a different type of drink, Porter said. Twelve businesses in Texas were cited for refilling in 2017. Two other businesses were penalized for brand substitution, which is when a patron is served a different type of alcohol than they ordered, Porter said. It is unclear how each business was found to be refilling or substituting, though Porter added that it's not uncommon for employees and customers to call TABC with information. Competing businesses have also called TABC to alert them to both offenses. Whiskey Cake had two of its locations cited by TABC this summer because they were repurposing empty whiskey bottles for water and tea service, vice president of operations Scott Sharrer told Chron.com Thursday morning. This was a common practice at all six Whiskey Cake locations for years in its effort to reduce their carbon footprint. Despite previous visits from TABC at Whiskey Cake locations, the commission only decided to cite the restaurants this summer, Sharrer said. Whiskey Cake no longer repurposes whiskey bottles. Swipe through the slideshow above to see what Texas businesses were cited by TABC for substituting or refilling this year. The lucrative international scam targeted the most ordinary of household necessities--flea and tick medication for pets. The latest break in the wide-ranging counterfeit investigation came this week when a California vendor admitted to a federal judge he had been peddling unregistered and smuggled animal pesticides online for 15 years, landing $2.5 million in profits. The medical con, with links to Houston and Galveston, included conspirators in Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and the U.S. who dumped fake merchandise onto unsuspecting proprietors at mainstream pet shops in every state, according to federal authorities and court documents. Seven men have now owned up to their involvement and entered guilty pleas in federal courts in Houston and Los Angeles, but one alleged major supplier remains an international fugitive believed to be in the Cayman Islands. The anomaly in this take down was that fake products labeled with well known brand names, such as Frontline and Advantix, entered the legitimate pet pharmaceutical marketplace without detection, said Richard Halverson, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at Homeland Security Investigations in Houston. Halverson ran the investigation jointly with officials from the Houston office of the Food and Drug Administration's criminal investigation branch. "The products that these guys were selling ended up all over the U.S.," he said. "We were seeing it penetrate the legitimate supply chain, on the web, but also big brand name stores had received some of this product." During a five-year investigation, Homeland Security officers seized $35 million in products of unknown origin with fake labels or products made for use in other countries that were not cleared for U.S. sales, Halverson said. He estimated there were also millions of dollars' worth of products that investigators did not recover. Philip Hilder, attorney for Lam Ngoc Tran, a California man, who was one of several fake packaging manufacturers convicted in the case, said the conspiracy was fueled by greed. "Other than money, I don't know what the motivation would be," said Hilder, whose client is serving a four-year federal prison sentence. "He repackaged a product that he knew was not manufactured in the states but was under the belief it was the same product manufactured abroad. He knew that he had violated the law and accepted his responsibility by not contesting the charge." Court documents allege the masterminds behind the fraudulent flea medication scheme were Iain Nigel Mackellar and Craig Mostert, who were authorized to buy the drugs for foreign markets, but they illegally diverted them to the United States. Mackellar, a U.K. native, is charged in Houston federal court with being a top illegal supplier of foreign manufactured flea and tick medication and pet pesticides to U.S. distributors in a scheme that dates back to 2008. Among the allegations, Mackellar is charged with smuggling a shipment in May 2015 that was declared during a customs inspection as a donation for hurricane relief. Mostert, a veterinarian from South Africa, pleaded guilty in a Los Angeles federal courtroom to shipping foreign medication by means of false statements and was ordered to pay $145,000 in forfeiture. Mostert and Mackellar sold most of the illegal goods to two California men, Sean L. Gerson and Chris Martin. Gerson, who netted $2.5 million from the fake products, told a judge in Los Angeles Monday that he knowingly transported and sold prescription Comfortis and Ciprofloxacin meant for South African consumers to an undercover officer in Missouri in August 2016, after it was smuggled into the United States. Other vendors pleaded guilty in federal courts in Houston and Los Angeles to selling or mass producing the counterfeit packaging. Some of their illegal pet medicine was seen online by agents, which brought the counterfeiting crew to the attention of the Galveston County District Attorney's Office and federal prosecutors in Houston. Pet medications, including pills and pesticides applied externally to combat fleas and ticks, are exposed to different regulatory rigor in different countries and they are measured and mixed differently, said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney's office for the Central District of California in Los Angeles, where many of the cases were brought. There is also a significant price differential when you compare the U.S., European and South African markets, he said. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph O. Johns, who prosecuted the cases in Los Angeles, said Gerson's plea Monday caps off a lengthy effort to protect consumers from the scam. "Our goal with these prosecutions has been to dismantle the entire smuggling and distribution network for these illegal products," he said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A majority of the Harris County Commissioners Court on Wednesday said they would support a large bond issue, perhaps upwards of $1 billion, and a tax increase to pay for it. The bond issue would bolster cash-strapped flood control initiatives, which could include a improvements to waterways and buyouts of properties that repeatedly flood. After Hurricane Harvey's widespread devastation and severe floods of the last few years, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and commissioners Steve Radack and Jack Cagle, all Republicans, said in interviews Wednesday afternoon that they would favor a bond issue. A bond proposal and corresponding tax rate increase would have to be approved by voters countywide, after a majority of the five-member Commissioners Court vote in favor of calling the election and placing the proposal on the ballot. As to how early such an election could be called, First Assistant County Attorney Robert Soard said his office was reviewing the potential timing of an election. After Hurricane Harvey dropped up to 51.88 inches of rain across the county, killed upward of 70 people in the state, and inflicted billions of dollars of damage on infrastructure and other public costs, local officials now face the challenging proposition of how to pay for the flood prone region's staggering needs. Nearly 180,000 homes and structures have been built in the floodplain. Flood control officials estimate to buy out even a fraction of those-some 3,300 most at risk of flooding - would cost at least $650 million. Other needs include hundreds of millions of dollars in planned improvements to bayous. How Addicks, Barker dams are supposed to work Water flows downward into creeks and streams in Addicks and Barker watersheds, kept behind large earthen dams. The dams control flow into Buffalo Bayou, which keeps downtown Houston from flooding. Too much water on both sides, and the flow is impacted. Thats complicated by the Houston Ship Channel, which is actually pushing water into Buffalo Bayou backwards. This week rising pool levels in Barker Reservoir and Addicks Reservoir spilled over into adjacent subdivisions that sit against the dams, shown below. Map created by data reporter John D. Harden Source: Harris County Flood Control District The Harris County Flood Control District's annual capital budget is roughly $60 million. "There are some massive needs that have been put off for a long time," Cagle said. "It is time for us to take significant, serious action to address these compelling needs." The exact scope of any county bond issue is to be determined. Emmett said during comments to the Houston Chronicle's editorial board Wednesday that the county needs to tally all of its flood control needs and seek federal and state funding. Once the needs are put together, the bond issue could be formulated. Emmett said the bond issue would likely need to be $1 billion at a minimum. County Budget Officer Bill Jackson said it is not immediately clear how much of a tax rate hike, if any, would be needed to pay for the bonds. If the county issued $1 billion in bonds at once, today, it would need roughly a 2-cent hike in the property tax rate. If the county does pursue the bond referendum, the issuance would likely be staggered out over several years. Fluctuations in property tax valuations, which could be impacted by Harvey's damage, as well as the prospect of other federal or state funding further complicates how taxes could be impacted. Radack emphasized that the state needs to chip in on the county's flood control efforts. Gov. Greg Abbott could not be reached for comment Wednesday evening. A spokeswoman for Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said it was too early to comment on any potential proposal. Precinct 2 Commissioner Jack Morman could not be reached for comment. A 73-year-old Texas woman was arrested on Wednesday after police allegedly found her weighing and packaging cocaine inside her house. According to KRIS-TV in Corpus Christi, investigators with the Jim Wells County Sheriff's Office found Andrea Flores inside her bedroom preparing the drugs for sale when they served a narcotics search warrant on her house. AUSTIN -- Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Education Commissioner Mike Morath signaled Wednesday that the state will use rainy day funds to help schools saddled with Hurricane Harvey-related expenses, but the chances are slim that the state will delay state standardized tests planned for next spring. Patrick, a Houston Republican, made vows to close to 45 superintendents from storm damaged areas in southeast Texas that he would support holding funding at current levels for school districts losing students due to Harvey, and for increasing money for school systems gaining displaced students. The challenge is figuring out how much to money to give districts that lost students due to damaged buildings or families displaced by the storm, said Morath, who leads the Texas Education Agency which oversees the education of more than 5 million public school students. Morath said he'll also have to figure out how much more to fund school systems accepting hundreds of students temporarily forced out of their communities. "It's kind of easy to pay people based on kids that are there," said Morath. "But if you're paying based on kids that aren't there, you have to come up with some sort of rationale." Morath's statements came one day after Patrick met with superintendents vowing state aid for storm-related costs not covered by insurance or the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The promise came during a meeting Tuesday between Patrick and administrators of school districts affected by flooding. In a press release sent late Wednesday, Patrick doubled down on that support, but stopped short of promising the state would cover all costs not covered by insurance plans and federal agencies. The state aid could help prevent deep financial cuts in the hardest-hit school districts, and it could keep districts' "rainy day" funds intact. Several districts, including Houston and Aldine ISDs, dipped into their reserve funds this year to balance their budgets. In a statement, Humble ISD Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen said Patrick "made it clear that it was his goal for districts to be made whole financially, both in terms of funding related to student attendance and facility repairs." District officials don't have an estimate of storm-related costs, but Kingwood High School, home to 2,800 students, will be closed for at least several months due to flood damage. "The state's intent to protect schools will help make a very difficult year more manageable, and we are encouraged," Fagen said. About 1 in 4 public school students were attending schools in counties mauled by Hurricane Harvey's winds or deluged by record rainfall that dumped more than 50 inches of rain in parts of Houston in late August and early September. The storm, which crept into Texas just as schools were ready to open their doors, caused many students to temporarily switch schools as their families try to piece their lives and damaged homes back together. In total, the governor has named 58 counties disaster areas. Nearly all Houston-area schools have reopened, although many were damaged in the storm. In a briefing with the State Board of Education during its quarterly meeting, Morath said he's about three weeks away from settling on a plan to keep finances stable for school districts slammed by the worst hurricane in Texas history. Morath said the TEA can tap more state dollars without legislative approval, although state lawmakers will have to figure out how to fill the budget hole created by cleaning up after Harvey when they return in the 2019 Legislative session. School districts across southeast Texas fixing damaged buildings and cleaning up waterlogged schools are hoping the state will lend them a financial hand as the storm uprooted families in those areas, causing them to look for other schools to send their children. The federal government has agreed to reimburse 90 percent of Harvey-related costs, the remainder leaves 10 percent for school districts. Expenses not covered by insurance or FEMA will have to come from local or state tax dollars. After meeting with Patrick on Tuesday, Sheldon ISD Superintendent King Davis said the pledge of state aid "looks promising." Davis' district, which serves about 9,000 students in northeast Harris County, sustained damage to four of its nine campuses, including its only high school. "I think the response has been very positive," Davis said. "I feel like the support is there, so I'm pretty confident they're going to follow through on what's been conveyed to superintendents." Davis said state officials have also assured him the district won't lose per-pupil funding if displaced students leave Sheldon and enroll elsewhere. Texas education code allows the TEA commissioner to alter a district's attendance totals, which dictates per-student funding, when a natural disasters has "a significant effect" on the number. Sheldon ISD staff expect relatively few departures after making contact with about 90 percent of students since the flood. Sheldon ISD is the only Houston-area district that hasn't resumed classes. It plans to open its doors Monday. "We feel very confident that the great, great majority of our students will return," Davis said. A source close to House Speaker Joe Straus said the San Antonio Republican plans in the coming days to assign the House Public Education Committee to look closely at the effect Harvey could have on schools and affected students. Also at issue post-Harvey is what effect the hurricane's disruption will have on standardized testing schedules. At this point, Morath said, it "doesn't look likely that we'll make too many changes" to the STAAR test or when it's administered, although that could have a negative impact on Houston ISD and its hopes of staving off state intervention due to habitually failing schools. "We haven't made any final decisions," Morath told the Houston Chronicle about moving back the STAAR test, which will contribute to an A through F grading scale used to measure school performance. While the TEA has power to change the timing of the tests, the issue is the feasibility of "rather complicated" logistics, he said. "While one in four students are in districts that are affected by Harvey, three in four are in districts that were not. Ten consistently low-performing schools in HISD have one more school year to improve test scores before the state must close schools or take over the district's school board, a reality that already had district officials on edge. Morath said he has no intention on cutting those schools a break in this year's testing season, but said the TEA has yet to make any decisions on what to do with low-performing schools it has the legal authority to take over. "We haven't made any final decisions on it, but as of right now, the obligation to make sure we teach kids to read, write and do math is the same as it was before the storm," said Morath. He said the TEA wants to support those schools and their struggling students, but are working on how. "We're trying to figure out what resources we can bring to bear and of course each of the local school districts are also trying to do the same thing," Morath said. Schools are also required to meet for a minimum number of class time each school year. While the state has offered to waive several days due to Harvey, he said he would work on a case-by-case basis with school districts hit particularly hard by the storm. Harvey slammed schools in Beaumont and the Houston area, leaving many parents to figure out where else to send their child to school. Texas officials expanded a hotline for parents there with questions about their public school options. The phone number is 512-463-9603 and is staffed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, including weekends, officials said. Andrea Zelinski covers politics and education for the Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Send her tips at andrea.zelinski@chron.com. Jacob Carpenter covers education for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter. Send him tips at jacob.carpenter@chron.com. The foreign aid movement has largely failed the global poor, promoting top-down solutions at the expense of bottom-up enterprises and institutions, as Actons widely acclaimed documentary, Poverty, Inc., and PovertyCure film series detail at length. Whether due to basic errors in economic thinking or a more subtle, subconscious apathy toward local enterprise, such efforts routinely lead to more disruption than development, hindering the very countries they hope to assist. Its an ignorance and oversight that has painful implications for many in the developing world, particularly for the local entrepreneurs in these countries who are already trying to meet the needs of their neighbors from the bottom up. Take Ghanaian software entrepreneur Herman Chinery-Hesse, who continues to face impossible competition from Western companies and governments who conspire to give away free money for Ghanaian relief in exchange for lucrative contracts. In the end, such arrangements patronize local governments, distort market signals, and often leave companies like Chinery-Hesses doing much of the dirty work for little pay. They [the Western companies] got the best of both worlds: their government paid, we ended up doing the work, and they took the money, he says. Thats not development. Thats not assistance. Thats thuggery. In an excerpt from PovertyCure, Chinery-Hesse shares more about those struggles: There are situations where Ive set up a business deal and Im about to do a trade to sell something to a community and Ive made an investment. NGOs will hear about it, because it becomes topical, and they find a way to bring aid money and provide it for free. So what happens to my investment? I have to lay off my staff. To a large extent, our governments have been held captive by the donor agencies the international donor community who are not, in my view, particularly interested in seeing the growth of local business. When we talk to the government, the government says, Hey, were not allowed to buy, with donor money, local products. Thats just the way it is. Its their money; they decide who gets it. And this has been a big dilemma for us. Over time, this sort of behind-the-scenes deal-making among foreign governments, NGOs, and corporations sows seeds of frustration among local, home-grown entrepreneurs, slowing down or disrupting the organic, bottom-up development that, in the case of Chinery-Hesse and others, is already in motion. If building hum-drum, sustainable businesses is the normative way to climb out of poverty, as even Bono is willing to admit, wed do well to take the right precautions and wield the proper humility to ensure that our foreign aid doesnt snuff out those very developments. Without care or concern for the intangible assets that already exist in individual communities, the grandiose ideas of economic planners will manifest accordingly, resulting in clumsy systems and solutions that fail to consider the reality of human needs and the hope of the creative potential that already exists across the developing world. Ralph Barrera/Associated Press AUSTIN -- Less than a year after the Texas State Board of Education rejected a Mexican American studies textbook that critics argued was riddled with racism and errors, the board is considering a new text. The new one was pitched by Tony Diaz, the director of intercultural initiatives at Lone Star College-North Harris and activist who would smuggle banned Mexican American studies books into Arizona. His book, "The Mexican American Studies Toolkit, went before the State Board of Education at its quarterly meeting Wednesday and drew no controversy. AUSTIN - Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Education Commissioner Mike Morath signaled Wednesday that the state will use rainy day funds to help schools saddled with Hurricane Harvey-related expenses, but the chances are slim that the state will delay state standardized tests planned for next spring. Patrick, a Houston Republican, made vows to about 45 superintendents from storm damaged areas in southeast Texas that he would support holding funding at current levels for school districts losing students due to Harvey, and for increasing money for school systems gaining displaced students. The challenge is figuring out how much money might be given to districts that lost students due to damaged buildings or families displaced by the storm, said Morath, leader of the Texas Education Agency, which oversees the education of more than 5 million public school students. The state aid could help prevent deep financial cuts in the hardest-hit school districts, and it could keep districts' "rainy day" funds intact. Several districts, including Houston and Aldine ISDs, dipped into their reserve funds this year to balance their budgets. Morath said he'll also have to figure out how much more to fund school systems accepting hundreds of students temporarily forced out of their communities. "It's kind of easy to pay people based on kids that are there," said Morath. "But if you're paying based on kids that aren't there, you have to come up with some sort of rationale." Morath's statements came one day after Patrick met with superintendents vowing state aid for storm-related costs not covered by insurance or the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In a news release sent late Wednesday, Patrick doubled down on that support but stopped short of promising the state would cover all costs not covered by insurance plans and federal agencies. In a statement, Humble ISD Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen said Patrick "made it clear that it was his goal for districts to be made whole financially, both in terms of funding related to student attendance and facility repairs." District officials don't have an estimate of storm-related costs, but Kingwood High School, home to 2,800 students, will be closed for at least several months due to flood damage. "The state's intent to protect schools will help make a very difficult year more manageable, and we are encouraged," Fagen said. About 1 in 4 public school students were attending schools in counties mauled by Hurricane Harvey's winds or deluged by more than 50 inches of rain in parts of Houston in late August and early September. In total, the governor has named 58 counties disaster areas. Nearly all Houston-area schools have reopened, although many were damaged. Financial plan in works In a briefing with the State Board of Education during its quarterly meeting, Morath said he's about three weeks away from settling on a plan to keep finances stable for school districts slammed by the worst hurricane in Texas history. Morath said the TEA can tap more state dollars without legislative approval, although state lawmakers will have to figure out how to fill the budget hole created by cleaning up after Harvey when they return in the 2019 legislative session. The federal government has agreed to reimburse 90 percent of Harvey-related costs, leaving school districts to cover the remaining 10 percent. Expenses not covered by insurance or FEMA will have to come from local or state tax dollars. After meeting with Patrick on Tuesday, Sheldon ISD Superintendent King Davis said the pledge of state aid "looks promising." Davis' district, which serves about 9,000 students in northeast Harris County, sustained damage to four of its nine campuses, including its only high school. "I think the response has been very positive," Davis said. "I feel like the support is there, so I'm pretty confident they're going to follow through on what's been conveyed to superintendents." Davis said state officials have also assured him the district won't lose per-pupil funding if displaced students leave Sheldon and enroll elsewhere. Texas education code allows the TEA commissioner to alter a district's attendance totals, which dictates per-student funding, when a natural disasters has "a significant effect" on the number. Sheldon ISD staff expect relatively few departures after making contact with about 90 percent of students since the flood. Sheldon ISD is the only Houston-area district that hasn't resumed classes. It plans to open its doors Monday. "We feel very confident that the great, great majority of our students will return," Davis said. A source close to House Speaker Joe Straus said the San Antonio Republican plans in the coming days to assign the House Public Education Committee to look closely at the effect Harvey could have on schools and affected students. Testing schedule Also at issue post-Harvey is what effect the hurricane's disruption will have on standardized testing schedules. At this point, Morath said, it "doesn't look likely that we'll make too many changes" to the STAAR test or when it's administered, although that could have a negative impact on Houston ISD and its hopes of staving off state intervention due to habitually failing schools. "We haven't made any final decisions," Morath told the Houston Chronicle about moving back the STAAR test, which will contribute to an A through F grading scale used to measure school performance. Ten consistently low-performing schools in HISD have one more school year to improve test scores before the state must close schools or take over the district's school board, a reality that already had district officials on edge. Morath said he has no intention on cutting those schools a break in this year's testing season but that the TEA has yet to make any decisions on what to do with low-performing schools it has the legal authority to take over. "The obligation to make sure we teach kids to read, write and do math is the same as it was before the storm," Morath said. AUSTIN -- House Speaker Joe Straus is asking three House committees to wade into issues related to Hurricane Harvey, including how the state can maximize federal funds and whether to rethink how to grade schools affected by the storm this year. Straus issued five interim charges Thursday, focused largely on education issues, like the scope of damage to schools and figuring out how to help districts absorbing students displaced by Harvey. He also wants lawmakers to look at student testing and accountability to "prevent unintended punitive consequences to both students and districts." School testing and accountability is a touchy subject in Texas amid debate about the emphasis the scores should have in grading schools. Education Commissioner Mike Morath said Wednesday he has no plans to delay the tests, which are taken in the spring, but added that no final decisions have been made. "The obligation to make sure we teach kids to read, write and do math is the same as it was before the storm," Morath told the Houston Chronicle. More than 234,000 people have signed a Change.org petition launched by a Pearland Independent School District teacher asking the state to cancel this year's State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, otherwise known as the STAAR tests. According to the petition, cancelling the test would allow teachers to "not have to feel guilty for using instructional time to comfort a child who just lost everything." Ten consistently low-performing schools in HISD have a lot riding on this school year's test scores. The schools have one more school year to improve scores before the state must close schools or take over the district's school board, a reality that already had district officials on edge. Morath said Wednesday he has no intention on turning a blind eye to this year's testing season but said the TEA also has yet to make any decisions on what to do with low-performing schools it has the legal authority to take over. Straus' other charges include taking a close look at the state's infrastructure and use of state and federal funds during storm recovery and review the role of regional entities to developing flood control projects. "Hurricane Harvey has devastated our state and upended the lives of millions of Texans," said Straus said in a letter to House members asking for further suggestions of issues lawmakers should study leading up to the next legislative session that begins in January of 2019. "The importance of getting these issues right when we meet again demands that we start working on them now." The committees would meet over the next few months, according to a release from the San Antonio Republican's office. He and other state leaders say they believe a special session to move money around for Harvey relieve will be unnecessary before the 2019 legislative session. Below are Straus' interim charges: Committee on Appropriations : Examine the use of federal funds by state agencies responding to the effects of Harvey and identify opportunities to maximize the use of federal funds to reduce the impact of future natural disasters. Also identify the need for state resources to respond to Hurricane Harvey relief and recovery efforts, as well as opportunities for state investment in infrastructure projects that will reduce the impact of future natural disasters. : Examine the use of federal funds by state agencies responding to the effects of Harvey and identify opportunities to maximize the use of federal funds to reduce the impact of future natural disasters. Also identify the need for state resources to respond to Hurricane Harvey relief and recovery efforts, as well as opportunities for state investment in infrastructure projects that will reduce the impact of future natural disasters. Committee on Public Education: Determine, to the extent possible, the scope of financial losses, including facilities, that resulted from Harvey. Recommend possible state actions, such as changes to student counts or property valuation, to mitigate any negative impact on districts and ensure governance structures and parameters allow for effective responses. Determine, to the extent possible, the scope of financial losses, including facilities, that resulted from Harvey. Recommend possible state actions, such as changes to student counts or property valuation, to mitigate any negative impact on districts and ensure governance structures and parameters allow for effective responses. Committee on Public Education: Recommend any measures needed at the state level to prevent unintended punitive consequences to both students and districts in the state accountability system as a result of Harvey and its aftermath. Recommend any measures needed at the state level to prevent unintended punitive consequences to both students and districts in the state accountability system as a result of Harvey and its aftermath. Committee on Public Education: Examine the educational opportunities offered to students displaced by Harvey throughout the state and the process by which districts enroll and serve those students. Recommend any changes that could improve the process for students or help districts serving a disproportionate number of displaced students. Examine the educational opportunities offered to students displaced by Harvey throughout the state and the process by which districts enroll and serve those students. Recommend any changes that could improve the process for students or help districts serving a disproportionate number of displaced students. Committee on Natural Resources: Examine the following issues within the committee's jurisdiction regarding Harvey and flooding in general: the role of regional entities in developing projects to control flooding, both through new infrastructure and enhancing existing infrastructure; mitigation efforts that would reduce the impact of future flood events, and strategies to fund those efforts; and the response of public entities that own or operate dams to large-scale rain events, including how such entities make decisions regarding dam and reservoir operations during such events, coordinate with state and local emergency management officials, and communicate with the public. Andrea Zelinski covers politics and education for the Chronicle. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. Send her tips at andrea.zelinski@chron.com. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has been in full media blitz mode over the last 24 hours trying to sell a tax reform plan that already puts him in conflict with key leaders of his own party in the Senate. And he had more than a few jabs for Democrats on Capitol Hill too who he said in the interviews are not likely to be helpful either on tax cuts or addressing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program - or DACA. On Fox Business Thursday morning, the Houston Republican told Maria Bartiromo that he fully disagrees with Republicans who want tax reform to be revenue neutral, or not adding to the national debt. "I think that is a mistake," Cruz said. Eric Gay/STF Cruz said a big bold tax cut would generate economic growth and generate plenty of revenues. But his comments come four months after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told Bloomberg TV that for the tax reform plans to get through the Senate it would have to be revenue neutral so as to not add more to the nation's $21 trillion debt. "It will have to be revenue neutral," McConnell told Bloomberg TV. Cruz acknowledged that there is a lot of division over what tax reform will ultimately look like. "There's not consensus within the Senate," Cruz said. Cruz also made television appearances on Fox News late Tuesday with talk show host Sean Hannity and did a one-on-one interview with CNN's Dana Bash. In each of the interviews, Cruz said Republicans have to succeed on tax reform to show they are doing what voters elected them to do. "Let's simplify the tax code," Cruz said during the CNN interview. Cruz had plenty of criticism for Democrats, whom he said are in a different place on tax cuts. "Democrats are the tax and spend and borrow party," Cruz told the Fox Business audience. "They support more taxes and more taxes and more taxes." He also said although he's been talking to Democrats about DACA, he doesn't expect them to be helpful. "I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for any progress from Senate Dems," Cruz said. The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p. The word eclectic makes me nervous when it's used to describe a menu. The problem with eclectic (and it's big sister, fusion) is that it brings together opposing viewpoints that could potentially clash like talking heads on a political opinion show. Both sides might sound reasonable enough on their own, but put them in the same room, and things can get ugly. Sitting in the dimly lit dining room of Nick and Jimmy's and scanning the menu, I started to get nervous. There was pasta, and enchiladas, and moussaka. I nervously glanced around the room at the other diners. Everyone was relaxed and enjoying dinnerlaughing softly and tinkling glasses. The server appeared from over my shoulder and passed me a drink menu. Oh yes, please, I said. I ordered the old standby: a Grey Goose Cape Codder ($5.95), and my wife ordered a strange house drink called the Ginger Sin ($9). When our server left, I looked away from the menu and returned to scanning the quiet room. A strange frosted glass partition on one wall allowed diners to see the hands of the kitchen crew working fervently in preparation of dinner, but obstructed any view of their faces. I was starting to feel much better about everything once our drinks had arrived, and decided to look at the menu again. On the table, a basket appeared with fresh bread and some sort of cracker-crisp flat bread topped with cheese and green chile. I offhandedly picked one up while I was blankly staring at menu pages and took a bite. That little bastard got me in the side of the face. It was beautiful. I stared at it for a moment and looked at my wife. What is this? I asked. She didn't seem to hear me. I popped the rest in my mouth. Holy hell! Have you ...? I must have spoken too loud, because she looked startled. She reached into the basket and drew one of the chips out. As the server returned, my wife bit down and her eyes went wide. While we ordered, I couldn't even pretend to be a decent human being with mannersjust kept nibbling on the little hard triangles while I was supposed to be engaging with the server. I wasn't even especially hungry, I was just riding a wave of dopamine provided by bread, cheese and salt. Very classy. My wife opened her mouth to order the vegetarian Greek platter ($17.50), and I realized I'd never made a concerted effort to pick something. Over and over, though, as my eyes glazed over the menu without understanding the meaning of any of the words, I found myself staring at an entry in the corner. I went ahead and ordered it, sounding out the words as if I'd never seen them before, green chile chicken lasagna? ($13.95). Waiting for such a mixed-up sounding dish was made less stressful by the arrival of the Caesar salad. It was fresh and crispy, with healthy doses of Parmesan and a distinctive dressing. It was actually really good, and I had to stop myself from overeating. For God's sake, I wasn't here for salad. The arrival of the lasagna was accompanied by celestial trumpets and a humming sound that might have only been in my head. Perfectly centered in a large white bowl, a mysterious block sat drenched in a creamy Romano sauce. I approached gently, piercing it with my fork at a corner. Beneath the sauce, layers of cheese, mushroom, pasta and chile gave way and a rich aroma escaped into the air. I brought the fork to my mouth and my brain lit up in response to the decadent flavors mingling there. It was complicated and delicious, but not overly powerful. It was dense and intense, and I was swooning like a southern belle in a romance novel. Eric Williams Photography My wife was too engrossed in her own beast of a plate to even notice mine, though. It was wide and unwieldy, stacked with staple vegetarian Greek fare like a tartly citric tabouli salad and mixed grilled vegetables. Along for the ride were some delicacies that were perfectly crafted. The spanakopitaa pastry made of phyllo, spinach and fetawas crispy and light, and the filling was compellingly bold. The dolmades (which I've always seen called dolmas) were absolutely spot on. These little guys are grape leaves stuffed with a rice mixture that are often tough or tasteless. Nick and Jimmy's were tender and flavorfulperfect in their simplicity. But the real winner of the evening was the moussakalayers of eggplant, zucchini, marinara and cheeses, topped with bechamel sauce. It was thick and velvety and had a subtle flavor. Throughout the meal, I continuously stole bites from the plate while my wife wasn't looking. On my fourth trip, she caught me. I thought you said fusion food was for wimps and post- postmodernists. I shrugged. I'm an idiot. You know that. We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. Copiii cu nevoi speciale din Stefan Voda au conditii de reabilitare mai bune, datorita UE si Fundatiei Soros Moldova Nearly three weeks after Hurricane Harvey caused massive flooding in Texas and a week after Irma began taking aim at Florida, insurers and vendors are offering aid to hurricane victims in various ways. Recent reports estimate flood damage resulting from Harvey could total $75 billion. AIR Worldwide estimates that industry insured losses from wind, flood and storm surge combined are expected to exceed $10 billion. Karen Clark & Company released early figures indicating an estimated $18 billion in insured losses resulting from Hurricane Irma damage in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Alabama. Besides offering mobilized claims catastrophe teams across affected areas, insurers and others in the industry began offering donations and tools to assist storm victims. The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundations Hurricane Harvey Disaster Relief Fund has raised more than $300,000 for victims of Hurricane Harvey. A second fund will be opening tomorrow supporting victims of Hurricane Irma, a press source said. Earlier this month, Travelers announced a $500,000 contribution to Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts, including contributions to the American Red Cross, Team Rubicon and All Hands Volunteers. Our hearts go out to those affected by the unprecedented impact of Hurricane Harvey, said Alan Schnitzer, chairman and chief executive officer of Travelers. Travelers also implemented a disaster relief billing plan for customers affected by Harvey and will continue to insure policyholders who are temporarily unable to make insurance payments. American International Group, Inc. (AIG) announced a $1 million aid package to emergency relief and recovery organizations helping Harvey victims. The insurer plans to allocate $500,000 to Houston-based nonprofits for immediate local relief efforts, with the remaining $500,000 to be distributed to critical medium- and longer-term recovery efforts in partnership with The Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP). We support and applaud the efforts of our local nonprofit partners who are well-placed to meet the needs of the community today, and respond to the longer-term needs that will emerge as the full impact of Hurricane Harvey is known, said Brian Duperreault, AIG president and chief executive officer. Bob Ottenhoff, president and CEO of CDP, said that full recovery from a hurricane and floods takes several years. He explained the Hurricane Harvey Recovery Fund will focus on rebuilding homes, businesses and infrastructure; meeting the needs of young children; supporting mental health needs; and boosting damaged agricultural sectors. Workers comp insurer Texas Mutual announced a grant of $10 million to affected policyholders. Grant applications began being accepted yesterday in the 58 counties identified in disaster proclamations issued by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Many of our policyholders were affected by Hurricane Harvey, and we hope this funding will help these businesses and their employees return to work safely and quickly, Rich Gergasko, president and chief executive officer of Texas Mutual, said. In addition to providing aid for individuals, we think it is important that companies, particularly small businesses, have the resources to recover and resume business as soon as possible. To be eligible for the grant, which has a maximum value of $10,000, policyholders must have sustained significant business damage as a result Harvey and will have to identify how funds will be used. Funds can be used for payroll, building rehab or repair, machinery and equipment repair or purchase, replacement of lost inventory and other expenses associated with rebuilding. The application has to be co-signed by the policyholders insurance agent of record on file with Texas Mutual. In addition to monetary donations, vendors servicing the insurance industry announced various free tools to aid Harvey victims. Enservio, a firm offering contents claim management software and inventory tools to property insurers, recently announced the launch of HarveyContents.com, a free contents inventory creation tool to assist the process of inventorying lost or damaged personal property. The company has since announced IrmaContents.com to assist Hurricane Irma victims with property inventory, as well. In the aftermath of a catastrophe, one of the most difficult tasks victims have to undergo is the documentation process for all of their lost possessions, a critical requirement for them to file a claim with their insurance company or get a tax write-off for uncovered losses, says Robert Chase, managing director of Enservio. Just as we did for Hurricane Harvey, together with our parent company, Solera, we are making IrmaContents.com available at no charge to all citizens, insurance carrier personnel and government entities affected by Hurricane Irma to create contents inventories and expedite the process of getting their possessions back as quickly as possible. Aerial imagery of property damage caused by Hurricane Harvey is being offered free of charge by Airbus Aerial, EagleView Technologies and the National Insurance Crime Bureau. Airbus Aerial is offering its drone-captured imagery to help insurers assist Harvey and Irma victims. EagleView reports the images collected from its fleet of two dozen aircraft have been uploaded to a newly launched website that displays before-and-after images of properties throughout the affected Texas regions. The site and photos are accessible to homeowners and insurers can be found at http://harvey2017.eagleview.com. Residents can enter their address on the site and view aerial photos of their property both before and after the storm. The NICB announced a new link offering aerial imagery of property affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. By pasting this address in any internet browser: https://www.nicb.org/communications/hurricane-harvey-irma-aerial-imagery viewers can see a before-and-after comparison of affected property. Harvey damage is currently available and Irma photos are forthcoming. Search-and-rescue teams made their way into the Florida Keys farthest reaches Tuesday, while crews labored to repair the single washed-out highway connecting the islands and rush aid to Hurricane Irmas victims. Federal officials estimated one-quarter of all homes in the Keys were destroyed. Two days after Irma roared into the island chain with 130 mph winds, residents were allowed to return to the parts of the Keys closest to Floridas mainland. But the full extent of the damage remained a question mark because communications and access were cut off. Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Brock Long said while the assessment of damage was constantly changing, preliminary estimates suggested that in addition to the destroyed dwellings, 65 percent of homes in the Keys sustained major damage. Basically every house in the Keys was impacted, he said. Statewide, as many as 13 million people two-thirds of Floridas population were without electricity in the tropical heat, and officials warned it could take 10 days or more for power to be fully restored. About 110,000 remained in shelters across Florida. Seven deaths in Florida have been blamed on Irma, along with three in South Carolina and two in Georgia. At least 35 were killed in the Caribbean. Weve got a lot of work to do, but everybodys going to come together, Florida Gov. Rick Scott said. Were going to get this state rebuilt. This state is a state of strong resilient people. The Keys appeared to be the hardest-hit part of Florida, even though the 400-mile-wide storm engulfed nearly the entire state. Drinking water was cut off, all three of the islands hospitals were closed, and the supply of gas was extremely limited. Officials said it was not known how many people ignored evacuation orders to stay behind in the Keys. Its going to be pretty hard for those coming home, said Petrona Hernandez, whose concrete Plantation Key home with 35-foot walls was unscathed, unlike others a few blocks away. Its going to be devastating to them. An aircraft carrier was positioned off Key West to help in the search-and-rescue effort. And crews worked to repair two washed-out, 300-foot sections of U.S. 1, the lone highway from the mainland, and check the safety of the 42 bridges linking the islands. Authorities were stopping people to check documentation such as proof of residency or business ownership before allowing them back into the Upper Keys, including Key Largo, Tavernier and Islamorada. But the Lower Keys including the chains most distant and most populous island, Key West, with 27,000 people were still off-limits, with a roadblock in place where the road was washed out. Corey Smith, a UPS driver who rode out the hurricane in Key Largo, said though it was a relief that many buildings on the island escaped major damage, those who sought to return should recognize conditions were still not good, with branches blocking roads and supermarkets remaining closed. Theyre shoving people back to a place with no resources, he said by telephone. Its just going to get crazy pretty quick. Lower Keys resident Leyla Nedin said she doesnt plan to return anytime soon to her home near where Irma came ashore on Cudjoe Key. We are still without water, power, sewer, gas and cell service, she said. My concern is that even if we get to go in to the Lower Keys, our fragile infrastructure could be even more compromised. Irmas rainy remnants, meanwhile, pushed through Alabama and Mississippi after drenching Georgia. Flash-flood watches and warnings were issued around the Southeast. In a parting blow as Irma exited Florida, it caused record flooding in the Jacksonville area, where the sheriffs office reported rescuing at least 356 people. On its Twitter account, said it hopes people who had their lives saved yesterday will take evacuation orders seriously in the future. Eddie Hinan waded through knee-deep water to reach his flooded apartment in the San Marco neighborhood of Jacksonville on Tuesday, staying just long enough to grab a plastic bag of clean clothes. His girlfriend, Deborah Smith, waited behind, struck by the devastation around her. I just started crying, she said. I already knew it was gone, the apartment and everything in it. We lost everything. (Mendoza reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Terry Spencer in Palm Beach County; Gary Fineout and Joe Reedy in Tallahassee; Jay Reeves in Immokalee; Terrance Harris in Orlando; Claire Galofaro in Jacksonville; and Jason Dearen, Jennifer Kay, Curt Anderson and David Fischer in Miami contributed to this report.) Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A suspected Cleveland drug dealer faces federal charges and is accused of selling fentanyl to an opioid user who overdosed and died more than a year ago. Derek Hamilton, 24, was indicted Wednesday on charges of with distribution of furanyl fentanyl that resulted in a death. Hamilton sold the powerful opioid to a Cleveland man on Aug. 2, 2016, and the man died a day later, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. The indictment does not name the victim, but records from the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office show that Derek Hollingsworth, 28, was found dead by Cleveland police at the Salvation Army on Woodland Avenue on the same day. Hollingsworth died of an overdose of furanyl fentanyl and alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax, records say. Hamilton, whose name is also listed in court filings as Dererk Hamilton, also faces drug charges for possession with intent to distribute heroin and a mix of fentanyl and cocaine. He is also charged with weapons violations. But the distribution of drugs to someone who dies of an overdose, commonly known as a "death specification" charge, is the one that carries the most weight. If convicted, and unless federal prosecutors reach a deal, Hamilton could go to federal prison for a minimum of 20 years. "Arresting drug dealers will not ease the pain of those left behind in the wake of a fatal overdose, but it does send a clear message that those dealers will face consequences for their illegal and deadly activities," Timothy Plancon, the special agent in charge of the DEA's Cleveland office, said in the news release. Hamilton has previous weapons convictions, as well as convictions for rape and gross sexual imposition. He was sentenced in 2014 to three years in prison on the sex charges and was released in June 2016, records show. It was not immediately clear whether Hamilton had an attorney. While the indictment does not say where Hamilton obtained the furanyl fentanyl, authorities have said fentanyl and its analogues, which give varying degrees of the same high to opioid users, have poured into the United States from China. The fentanyl is exponentially more potent than heroin, and fentanyl deaths now make up a large portion of drug deaths in Cuyahoga County and the rest of the state. Federal prosecutors here have charged several drug dealers who obtained fentanyl from overseas. Authorities have also targeted the large-scale suppliers, most recently a Chinese national who lives in Massachusetts and is accused of bringing the lethal drugs to the United States. If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Thursday's crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Solon schools rank first in the state and Rocky River second, according to an index of test results released Thursday as part of the 2017 school report cards from the Ohio Department of Education. The two Cuyahoga County districts are among 11 school districts from the Greater Cleveland/Akron area ranking among the top 25 in Ohio for Performance Index, a measure of how highly students score on a series of tests at different grade levels. See the chart below for a ranking of every school district in the state. Two districts in the Cincinnati area - Madeira and Indian Hill - are next, followed by Oakwood near Dayton at fifth, Ottawa Hills near Toledo at sixth and Beachwood outside Cleveland at seventh. The Performance Index is one in a series of measures the Department of Education released Thursday with the new report cards. While the index is a measure of achievement, other grades focus on the progress of individual students, graduation rates and other areas to judge success. Districts receive grades A through F in these areas. Related: Report card database: Analysis: Ohio school districts ranked for Performance Index The highlighted districts are in the Greater Cleveland/Akron area. Rank District Name County Performance Index Score 2016-17 1 Solon Cuyahoga 111.015 2 Rocky River Cuyahoga 109.405 3 Madeira Hamilton 108.964 4 Indian Hill Hamilton 108.807 5 Oakwood Montgomery 108.413 6 Ottawa Hills Lucas 108.154 7 Beachwood Cuyahoga 107.374 8 Wyoming Hamilton 107.158 9 Marion Mercer 107.010 10 Mariemont Hamilton 106.757 11 Brecksville- Broadview Heights Cuyahoga 106.643 12 Kalida Putnam 106.082 13 Granville Licking 106.080 14 St. Henry Mercer 105.940 15 Bay Village Cuyahoga 105.255 16 Mason Warren 105.040 17 Minster Auglaize 104.939 18 Avon Lorain 104.515 19 Miller City- New Cleveland Putnam 104.467 20 Revere Summit 104.280 21 Avon Lake Lorain 104.047 22 Hudson Summit 104.038 23 Aurora Portage 103.932 24 Canfield Mahoning 103.865 25 Chagrin Falls Cuyahoga 103.830 26 Grandview Heights Franklin 103.807 27 Olentangy Delaware 103.702 28 Fort Loramie Shelby 103.669 29 Sycamore Hamilton 103.531 30 Botkins Shelby 103.149 31 Ottoville Putnam 103.066 32 Maplewood Trumbull 103.050 33 Wayne Warren 103.033 34 Perrysburg Wood 103.026 35 Bluffton Allen 102.944 36 Russia Shelby 102.910 37 Anna Shelby 102.744 38 New Albany- Plain Franklin 102.738 39 Cuyahoga Heights Cuyahoga 102.624 40 Bellbrook- Sugarcreek Greene 102.595 41 Columbiana Columbiana 102.565 42 Versailles Darke 102.453 43 Independence Cuyahoga 102.367 44 Orange Cuyahoga 102.347 45 Highland Medina 102.222 46 Anthony Wayne Lucas 102.161 47 Norwayne Wayne 102.095 48 Steubenville Jefferson 102.014 49 Lake Stark 101.847 50 Springboro Warren 101.741 51 Bexley Franklin 101.666 52 Hicksville Defiance 101.563 53 West Geauga Geauga 101.552 54 Westlake Cuyahoga 101.494 55 Jackson Stark 101.392 56 New Knoxville Auglaize 101.137 57 North Royalton Cuyahoga 101.091 58 New Bremen Auglaize 100.951 59 Chardon Geauga 100.947 60 Forest Hills Hamilton 100.798 61 North Canton Stark 100.742 62 Poland Mahoning 100.590 63 Chippewa Wayne 100.564 64 Coldwater Mercer 100.260 65 Kings Warren 100.040 66 Benton Carroll Salem Ottawa 99.854 67 Van Buren Hancock 99.841 68 Shawnee Allen 99.552 69 Kirtland Lake 99.549 70 Green Summit 99.541 71 Wadsworth Medina 99.509 72 Upper Arlington Franklin 99.474 73 South Range Mahoning 99.301 74 Northwest Stark 99.288 75 Lakota Butler 99.285 76 Beavercreek Greene 99.280 77 Newton Miami 99.217 78 Champion Trumbull 99.095 79 East Holmes Holmes 99.021 80 Central Defiance 98.942 81 Franklin Monroe Darke 98.941 82 Olmsted Falls Cuyahoga 98.828 83 Kenston Geauga 98.726 84 Delphos Allen 98.699 85 Tipp City Miami 98.687 86 Brookville Montgomery 98.662 87 Dublin Franklin 98.585 88 Lexington Richland 98.513 89 Ross Butler 98.512 90 Miami East Miami 98.431 91 Lordstown Trumbull 98.397 92 Tuscarawas Valley Tuscarawas 98.390 93 Milford Clermont 98.361 94 Ayersville Defiance 98.258 95 West Liberty- Salem Champaign 97.991 96 Lakeview Trumbull 97.985 97 Twinsburg Summit 97.961 98 Amherst Lorain 97.951 99 Eastwood Wood 97.932 100 Crestview Van Wert 97.909 101 Cedar Cliff Greene 97.859 102 Manchester Summit 97.746 103 Nordonia Hills Summit 97.607 104 Archbold- Area Fulton 97.504 105 Antwerp Paulding 97.412 106 Copley- Fairlawn Summit 97.237 107 Fort Recovery Mercer 97.187 108 Springfield Mahoning 97.093 109 Edison (formerly Berlin- Milan) Erie 97.058 110 Centerville Montgomery 97.028 111 Fairland Lawrence 96.913 112 Teays Valley Pickaway 96.824 113 Wayne Trace Paulding 96.777 114 Oak Hills Hamilton 96.663 115 Dalton Wayne 96.636 116 Sylvania Lucas 96.416 117 Pettisville Fulton 96.360 118 Ottawa- Glandorf Putnam 96.316 119 Western Reserve Mahoning 96.125 120 Boardman Mahoning 96.055 121 Howland Trumbull 96.026 122 Worthington Franklin 96.011 123 Liberty- Benton Hancock 95.994 124 Northeastern Defiance 95.981 125 Louisville Stark 95.849 126 Bloom- Carroll Fairfield 95.831 127 Jonathan Alder Madison 95.778 128 Edgerton Williams 95.748 129 Marysville Union 95.723 130 Strongsville Cuyahoga 95.713 131 Kettering Montgomery 95.712 132 Mayfield Cuyahoga 95.705 133 Gahanna- Jefferson Franklin 95.702 134 Evergreen Fulton 95.664 135 Monroe Butler 95.660 136 Ada Hardin 95.587 137 Tuslaw Stark 95.567 138 Jackson Center Shelby 95.390 139 Buckeye Valley Delaware 95.281 140 Loveland Hamilton 95.218 141 Little Miami Warren 95.172 142 Bloom- Vernon Scioto 95.162 143 Green Wayne 95.132 144 Crestview Columbiana 95.129 145 Spencerville Allen 95.058 146 Holgate Henry 94.953 147 Huron Erie 94.908 148 Put-in-Bay Ottawa 94.900 149 Arcadia Hancock 94.887 150 United Columbiana 94.838 151 Girard Trumbull 94.834 152 Mechanicsburg Champaign 94.798 153 Johnstown- Monroe Licking 94.786 154 Perry Stark 94.781 155 Wheelersburg Scioto 94.756 156 Dawson- Bryant Lawrence 94.670 157 Medina Medina 94.633 158 St. Marys Auglaize 94.473 159 Genoa Area Ottawa 94.464 160 Parkway Mercer 94.443 160 Pickerington Fairfield 94.443 162 Lebanon Warren 94.421 163 Triway Wayne 94.419 164 Fairbanks Union 94.381 165 Mentor Lake 94.380 166 James A Garfield Portage 94.299 167 Napoleon Area Henry 94.264 168 Edon Northwest Williams 94.234 169 Maumee Lucas 94.192 170 Bath Allen 94.179 171 Dover Tuscarawas 94.175 172 Brunswick Medina 94.172 173 Buckeye Central Crawford 94.157 174 Danbury Ottawa 94.149 175 Ansonia Darke 94.106 175 Wauseon Fulton 94.106 177 Talawanda Butler 94.083 178 Eaton Preble 94.078 179 Woodmore Sandusky 94.060 180 Southwest Hamilton 94.051 181 Continental Putnam 94.006 182 Mathews Trumbull 93.971 183 Liberty Center Henry 93.938 184 Keystone Lorain 93.901 185 Jackson Jackson 93.882 186 Fredericktown Knox 93.823 187 Buckeye Medina 93.822 188 Arcanum- Butler Darke 93.813 189 Cloverleaf Medina 93.804 190 Ontario Richland 93.712 191 New Riegel Seneca 93.659 192 Big Walnut Delaware 93.577 193 Hopewell- Loudon Seneca 93.530 194 Norton Summit 93.525 194 Patrick Henry Henry 93.525 196 Marlington Stark 93.524 197 Yellow Springs Greene 93.313 198 Pike- Delta- York Fulton 93.278 199 Hubbard Trumbull 93.245 200 Field Portage 93.213 201 Goshen Clermont 93.205 202 Southwest Licking Licking 93.177 203 Plain Stark 93.165 204 Rootstown Portage 93.061 205 Columbus Grove Putnam 93.052 206 Jackson- Milton Mahoning 93.006 207 Bloomfield- Mespo Trumbull 92.943 208 Arlington Hancock 92.746 209 Pandora- Gilboa Putnam 92.692 210 Northmont Montgomery 92.678 211 Clinton- Massie Clinton 92.505 212 Loudonville- Perrysville Ashland 92.420 213 Bethel Miami 92.356 214 East Muskingum Muskingum 92.347 215 Southeast Wayne 92.333 216 Kent Portage 92.323 217 Shelby Richland 92.317 218 Rittman Wayne 92.301 219 Delaware Delaware 92.237 220 Crestview Richland 92.225 221 Fairfield Highland 92.213 222 West Branch Mahoning 92.186 223 Berne Union Fairfield 92.156 224 Crestwood Portage 92.140 225 Perry Lake 92.132 226 Swanton Fulton 92.104 227 Allen East Allen 92.085 228 Valley View Montgomery 92.047 229 Weathersfield Trumbull 92.027 230 Clark- Shawnee Clark 91.987 231 Columbia Lorain 91.875 232 Northwestern Wayne 91.826 233 Blanchester Clinton 91.782 234 Midview Lorain 91.733 235 Bellevue Huron 91.704 236 Miamisburg Montgomery 91.653 237 Mount Vernon Knox 91.607 238 Tri- Valley Muskingum 91.606 239 North Central Williams 91.600 240 Beaver Columbiana 91.525 241 Stryker Williams 91.521 242 Firelands Lorain 91.434 243 Elmwood Wood 91.380 244 Heath Licking 91.361 245 Lowellville Mahoning 91.315 246 Pleasant Marion 91.314 247 Lakewood Cuyahoga 91.267 248 North Union Union 91.246 249 Miami Trace Fayette 91.243 250 Vandalia- Butler Montgomery 91.221 251 Northern Perry 91.175 252 McDonald Trumbull 91.077 253 Wooster Wayne 91.076 254 Wapakoneta Auglaize 91.029 255 Carlisle Warren 91.017 256 Orrville Wayne 90.963 257 Bethel- Tate Clermont 90.961 258 Canal Winchester Franklin 90.892 259 Lincolnview Van Wert 90.868 260 Deer Park Hamilton 90.836 261 Centerburg Knox 90.783 262 Bowling Green Wood 90.762 263 Lynchburg- Clay Highland 90.715 264 Riverside Lake 90.706 265 Milton- Union Miami 90.688 266 Hardin- Houston Shelby 90.633 267 LaBrae Trumbull 90.588 268 Westerville Franklin 90.584 269 Hilliard Franklin 90.573 270 Amanda- Clearcreek Fairfield 90.519 271 Elida Allen 90.514 272 Seneca East Seneca 90.491 273 Logan Elm Pickaway 90.473 274 Benjamin Logan Logan 90.468 275 Fairlawn Shelby 90.462 276 Sheffield- Sheffield Lake Lorain 90.412 277 Southington Trumbull 90.339 278 Tallmadge Summit 90.280 279 Mogadore Summit 90.200 280 Hamilton Franklin 90.173 281 Hillsdale Ashland 90.079 282 Three Rivers Hamilton 90.047 283 Felicity- Franklin Clermont 90.007 284 New Richmond Clermont 89.994 285 Buckeye Ashtabula 89.913 286 Paulding Paulding 89.910 287 Wickliffe Lake 89.897 288 Ashland Ashland 89.891 289 Bristol Trumbull 89.885 290 Waynesfield- Goshen Auglaize 89.856 291 Mohawk Wyandot 89.813 292 Troy Miami 89.768 293 Waterloo Portage 89.761 294 River Valley Marion 89.749 295 Lisbon Columbiana 89.740 296 Woodridge Summit 89.729 297 Athens Athens 89.684 297 Findlay Hancock 89.684 299 North Ridgeville Lorain 89.678 300 Joseph Badger Trumbull 89.672 301 West Holmes Holmes 89.660 302 Stow- Munroe Falls Summit 89.646 303 Berkshire Geauga 89.551 304 Northridge Licking 89.530 305 River View Coshocton 89.489 306 Madison Richland 89.474 307 Old Fort Seneca 89.472 308 Fairfield Union Fairfield 89.404 309 Osnaburg Stark 89.399 310 Bridgeport Belmont 89.394 311 Port Clinton Ottawa 89.380 312 Logan- Hocking Hocking 89.327 313 Williamsburg Clermont 89.326 314 Covington Miami 89.316 315 Triad Champaign 89.288 316 Montpelier Williams 89.256 317 Zane Trace Ross 89.165 318 Batavia Clermont 89.147 319 Oberlin Lorain 89.128 320 Jefferson Area Ashtabula 89.123 321 Fort Frye Washington 89.114 322 Alexander Athens 89.107 323 Celina Mercer 89.071 324 Oregon Lucas 89.050 325 Coventry Summit 88.957 325 National Trail Preble 88.957 327 Warren Washington 88.770 328 Newbury Geauga 88.756 328 Springfield Lucas 88.756 330 Bryan Williams 88.718 331 Wolf Creek Washington 88.702 332 Franklin Muskingum 88.595 333 North Olmsted Cuyahoga 88.526 334 Wynford Crawford 88.512 335 Minerva Stark 88.496 336 Fairless Stark 88.437 337 Jefferson Madison 88.426 338 Indian Valley Tuscarawas 88.406 339 Riverdale Hancock 88.386 340 Eastern Brown 88.374 341 Fairfield Butler 88.311 342 Pymatuning Valley Ashtabula 88.305 343 Perkins Erie 88.285 344 Northeastern Clark 88.266 345 Fairview Park Cuyahoga 88.235 346 Upper Sandusky Wyandot 88.213 347 Fayetteville- Perry Brown 88.178 348 Austintown Mahoning 88.153 349 Greeneview Greene 88.108 350 Streetsboro Portage 88.101 351 Madison Butler 88.060 352 Southeastern Clark 88.009 353 Indian Lake Logan 87.940 354 Madison Lake 87.908 355 South Central Huron 87.777 356 Oak Hill Union Jackson 87.769 357 Northmor Morrow 87.738 358 Rossford Wood 87.737 359 Norwalk Huron 87.730 360 Edgewood Butler 87.706 360 Madison- Plains Madison 87.706 362 Clyde- Green Springs Sandusky 87.674 363 Shaker Heights Cuyahoga 87.607 364 Minford Scioto 87.601 365 Lancaster Fairfield 87.553 366 Southeast Portage 87.483 367 Liberty Union- Thurston Fairfield 87.371 368 Plymouth- Shiloh Richland 87.238 369 Georgetown Brown 87.226 370 Highland Morrow 87.201 371 Willoughby- Eastlake Lake 87.197 372 Manchester Adams 87.185 373 Vermilion Erie 87.177 374 St. Clairsville Belmont 87.153 375 Jennings Putnam 87.145 376 Salem Columbiana 87.144 377 Reading Hamilton 87.093 378 Hardin Northern Hardin 87.072 379 Bellefontaine Logan 87.060 380 Belpre Washington 86.979 381 East Palestine Columbiana 86.922 382 Northwestern Clark 86.887 383 Black River Medina 86.882 384 Sandy Valley Stark 86.861 385 Ridgewood Coshocton 86.814 386 Shadyside Belmont 86.805 387 Carrollton Carroll 86.737 388 Lake Wood 86.693 389 McComb Hancock 86.657 390 Otsego Wood 86.644 391 Valley Scioto 86.618 392 Strasburg- Franklin Tuscarawas 86.597 393 Cuyahoga Falls Summit 86.568 394 Leipsic Putnam 86.551 395 Tri- Village Darke 86.519 396 Gibsonburg Sandusky 86.500 397 Walnut Township Fairfield 86.404 398 Millcreek- West Unity Williams 86.346 399 Western Reserve Huron 86.284 400 Margaretta Erie 86.235 401 Maysville Muskingum 86.221 402 West Clermont Clermont 86.203 403 Geneva Area Ashtabula 86.159 404 Norwood Hamilton 86.147 405 New Philadelphia Tuscarawas 86.048 406 Southern Meigs 86.029 407 Grand Valley Ashtabula 85.951 408 Leetonia Columbiana 85.948 409 Franklin Warren 85.944 410 Morgan Morgan 85.820 411 Twin Valley Preble 85.809 412 Ironton Lawrence 85.781 413 Eastern Meigs 85.740 414 Gallipolis Gallia 85.717 415 North Baltimore Wood 85.651 416 Licking Heights Licking 85.602 417 Chesapeake Union Lawrence 85.584 418 Van Wert Van Wert 85.548 419 Mapleton Ashland 85.511 420 Lakota Sandusky 85.502 421 Cambridge Guernsey 85.497 422 Clear Fork Valley Richland 85.489 423 West Muskingum Muskingum 85.463 424 Southeastern Ross 85.456 425 Newark Licking 85.436 426 Newton Falls Trumbull 85.429 427 Tiffin Seneca 85.367 428 Newcomerstown Tuscarawas 85.291 429 Colonel Crawford Crawford 85.204 430 Union- Scioto Ross 85.168 431 East Clinton Clinton 85.149 432 Mississinawa Valley Darke 85.133 433 Westfall Pickaway 85.115 434 Wellington Lorain 85.063 435 Buckeye Jefferson 85.004 436 London Madison 84.947 437 Hillsboro Highland 84.892 438 Reynoldsburg Franklin 84.878 439 Licking Valley Licking 84.798 440 Cardington- Lincoln Morrow 84.574 441 Rock Hill Lawrence 84.546 442 Symmes Valley Lawrence 84.463 443 Lucas Richland 84.371 444 Cory- Rawson Hancock 84.355 445 Brookfield Trumbull 84.344 446 Springfield Summit 84.269 447 East Guernsey Guernsey 84.186 448 Defiance Defiance 84.164 449 Canton Stark 84.101 450 New Lebanon Montgomery 84.096 451 Kenton Hardin 84.037 452 Tri- County North Preble 83.903 453 Rolling Hills Guernsey 83.821 454 Carey Wyandot 83.665 455 Conneaut Area Ashtabula 83.574 456 Berea Cuyahoga 83.486 457 Wilmington Clinton 83.470 458 Washington Lucas 83.414 459 Edison Jefferson 83.411 460 Parma Cuyahoga 83.327 461 Northwest Scioto 83.319 462 Adena Ross 83.221 463 Southern Columbiana 83.200 464 Niles Trumbull 83.196 465 Greenville Darke 83.194 466 Frontier Washington 83.124 467 Struthers Mahoning 83.116 468 Bright Highland 83.089 469 New Lexington Perry 82.989 470 Barnesville Belmont 82.977 471 Union Belmont 82.930 472 Greenon Clark 82.829 473 Galion Crawford 82.815 474 Riverside Logan 82.710 475 Sidney Shelby 82.708 476 Wellsville Columbiana 82.686 477 Piqua Miami 82.645 477 Washington- Nile Scioto 82.645 479 Garaway Tuscarawas 82.633 480 Noble Noble 82.631 481 Harrison Hills Harrison 82.610 482 Northwood Wood 82.609 483 Coshocton Coshocton 82.581 484 Bradford Miami 82.483 485 Fayette Fulton 82.407 486 Greenfield Highland 82.306 487 East Knox Knox 82.287 488 Western Brown Brown 82.229 489 Elgin Marion 82.217 490 Marietta Washington 82.116 491 South Point Lawrence 82.021 492 Vinton County Vinton 81.997 493 Lakewood Licking 81.916 494 Bellaire Belmont 81.833 495 Chillicothe Ross 81.669 496 Brown Carroll 81.572 497 Liberty Trumbull 81.493 498 South- Western Franklin 81.484 499 Claymont Tuscarawas 81.439 500 North Fork Licking 81.369 501 Circleville Pickaway 81.296 502 St. Bernard- Elmwood Place Hamilton 81.286 503 Cardinal Geauga 81.274 504 Massillon Stark 81.222 505 Gallia County Gallia 81.185 506 Indian Creek Jefferson 81.077 507 Clermont Northeastern Clermont 81.069 508 Windham Portage 80.953 509 Clearview Lorain 80.825 510 Preble Shawnee Preble 80.750 511 Clay Scioto 80.736 512 Fairborn Greene 80.657 513 Washington Court House Fayette 80.642 514 New London Huron 80.610 515 Vanlue Hancock 80.554 516 Wellston Jackson 80.507 517 Perry Allen 80.292 518 Graham Champaign 80.251 519 Xenia Greene 80.215 520 Northwest Hamilton 80.133 521 Adams County Ohio Valley Adams 80.128 522 Fremont Sandusky 79.811 523 Ravenna Portage 79.787 524 Mount Gilead Morrow 79.746 525 Ripley- Union- Lewis- Huntington Brown 79.655 526 Danville Knox 79.545 527 Tecumseh Clark 79.539 528 New Boston Scioto 79.477 529 Martins Ferry Belmont 79.399 530 Finneytown Hamilton 79.050 531 Upper Scioto Valley Hardin 78.720 532 Mad River Montgomery 78.606 533 Ridgemont Hardin 78.586 534 Huber Heights Montgomery 78.517 535 Brooklyn Cuyahoga 78.327 536 Southern Perry 77.941 537 Toronto Jefferson 77.825 538 Bucyrus Crawford 77.705 539 Ridgedale Marion 77.655 540 Fairport Harbor Lake 77.609 541 Waverly Pike 77.559 542 Barberton Summit 77.370 543 Princeton Hamilton 77.356 544 Scioto Valley Pike 77.131 545 Urbana Champaign 77.060 546 West Carrollton Montgomery 77.050 547 Monroeville Huron 76.826 548 Hamilton Butler 76.822 549 Sebring Mahoning 76.692 550 Elyria Lorain 76.455 551 Willard Huron 75.999 552 Green Scioto 75.942 553 Fostoria Seneca 75.905 554 Federal Hocking Athens 75.379 555 South Euclid- Lyndhurst Cuyahoga 75.270 556 Groveport Madison Franklin 74.718 557 Meigs Meigs 74.676 558 Huntington Ross 74.639 559 Cleveland Heights- University Heights Cuyahoga 74.372 560 Bedford Cuyahoga 74.346 561 Crooksville Perry 74.337 562 Paint Valley Ross 74.069 563 Alliance Stark 73.987 564 Caldwell Noble 73.876 565 Portsmouth Scioto 73.313 566 Eastern Pike 73.117 567 Nelsonville- York Athens 73.026 568 Trimble Athens 72.599 569 Zanesville Muskingum 72.546 570 Mansfield Richland 72.218 571 Conotton Valley Union Harrison 72.098 572 Campbell Mahoning 72.090 573 Switzerland of Ohio Monroe 72.022 574 Cincinnati Hamilton 71.540 575 Middletown Butler 71.416 576 Crestline Crawford 71.267 577 Ashtabula Area Ashtabula 70.957 578 Western Pike 70.945 579 New Miami Butler 70.887 580 East Liverpool Columbiana 70.455 581 Sandusky Erie 70.235 582 Springfield Clark 68.671 583 Lima Allen 68.214 584 Painesville Lake 67.878 585 Northridge Montgomery 67.528 586 Marion Marion 67.158 587 Akron Summit 66.477 588 Whitehall Franklin 66.442 589 Winton Woods Hamilton 66.306 590 Richmond Heights Cuyahoga 65.871 591 Warren Trumbull 65.028 592 Canton Stark 64.362 593 Garfield Heights Cuyahoga 64.350 594 Toledo Lucas 63.978 595 Jefferson Township Montgomery 62.898 596 Euclid Cuyahoga 62.805 597 Columbus Franklin 62.563 598 Lorain Lorain 61.601 599 Mount Healthy Hamilton 61.144 600 North College Hill Hamilton 60.944 601 Maple Heights Cuyahoga 59.435 602 Cleveland Cuyahoga 59.066 603 Warrensville Heights Cuyahoga 59.017 604 Lockland Hamilton 58.571 605 Youngstown Mahoning 57.998 606 East Cleveland Cuyahoga 57.667 607 Dayton Montgomery 57.084 608 Trotwood- Madison Montgomery 55.130 Source: Ohio Department of Education Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner. Plain Dealer education reporter Patrick O'Donnell contributed to this report. GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio -- One person died and two were hurt in a police pursuit that followed a Thursday morning bank robbery in Garfield Heights, police said. The robbery happened shortly after 9 a.m. at the U.S. Bank located in the 5600 block of Turney Road near Eastwood Boulevard, according to Garfield Heights police. Bank officials told investigators that two suspects entered the building with guns and demanded money. Bank employees handed over an undisclosed amount of cash, the release says. Two police cruisers were struck at East 135th and Granger Road, the release says. One officer was hurt and was taken to Marymount Hospital for treatment. A police dog was taken to a nearby veterinarian for treatment.Police spotted the getaway car near Turney and Granger roads and tried to stop the car as it sped away. The car continued east on Granger Road and hit a car on Libby Road near Broadway Avenue in Maple Heights, the release says. Two suspects were arrested and taken to MetroHealth with non-life threatening injuries. The third suspect was taken to Marymount Hospital where he died. If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Thursday's crime and courts comments section. Why are we still in Afghanistan? For the answer, we must go back to the George H.W. Bush administration. William Casey was head of the C.I.A. at that time and his job was to secure a route for the oil and natural gas pipelines that were to go from huge deposits in the Caspian Sea area, thru Afghanistan and on to Pakistan. The Russians originally tried but couldn't defeat the neighbors and those loyal to Afghanistan. Eventually, the Taliban was formed. The U.S.A. had and is still having the same problem as Russia. As a result Obama's first executive order as President was sending 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. Although our media sat on this information; because it was so vital, it became common knowledge in international circles. But could there be another reason besides this country's strategic location for us to be there? Please consider the following: Afghanistan is the world's largest producer of Opium. The climate is ideal for raising poppy fields, Opium's source. When the Taliban seized control of the Kabul government from the C.I.A. and ruled for three years, Opium production plummeted. The poppy fields were now used to raise food crops. But when the C.I.A. regained control, the poppy fields were restored and Opium production soared. Is this just a coincidence? I wonder! James J. Adams, Middleburg Heights CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Charges have been dropped against two men reportedly involved in a flag-burning protest during the Republican National Convention in July 2016. Dominique D. Knox, 24, and Joseph E. Scogin, 38, had pleaded not guilty to striking two officers after another protester set fire to an American flag on July 20, 2016, in downtown Cleveland. On Wednesday, lawyers for the defendants said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Mike O'Malley had dropped charges of assault, obstructing official business and resisting arrest against the suspects. "This was a tremendous victory for free speech," Terry Gilbert, one of the lawyers representing Knox and Scogin, said in a statement. It is unclear early Thursday morning why O'Malley dropped the charges. Knox and Scogin were among the 18 people arrested after Gregory Lee "Joey" Johnson set fire to an American flag on Prospect Avenue at East 4th Street. Firefighters rushed to put out the flames and police descended on Johnson and the other protesters. Two officers suffered minor injuries in the incident, police said. Charges against Johnson were dismissed in January. A charge was also dropped against Lisa Castanon, 28, of San Francisco, who helped Johnson light the flag on fire. Lawyers for the RNC protesters say 12 people still face aggravated disorderly conduct and obstruction charges in Cleveland Municipal Court. To comment on this story, please visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section. EUCLID, Ohio -- Prosecutors dismissed an impaired driving case against a member of the Cleveland Community Police Commission stemming from his arrest by Euclid police. The case against Anthony Body, 30, was dropped Wednesday morning in Euclid Municipal Court, where Body had been accused of driving under the influence, a turn signal violation, and no rear license plate light, according to court records. Body, who is running for city council in Cleveland, says the traffic stop and his arrest, along with two recent high-profile incidents involving officers from the Euclid police department, are troubling. "We can see with the recent events in Euclid that they have a pattern of profiling with young African American males," Body said. Charges against Body stemmed from a July 3 traffic stop. Body underwent a breath and urine test that showed he had a blood-alcohol content of .024 percent, well below Ohio's .08 threshold, according to court records. Chief Euclid city prosecutor Mary Casa said the charges were dismissed once urine tests results were found to be consistent with the breath test results, in that Body was far below the legal alcohol limit and had no other substances in his system. Calls to the Euclid police chief's office and a department spokesman were not immediately returned. Body pointed to the March 13 shooting death of Luke O. Stewart at the hands of Officer Matthew Rhodes. A grand jury decided last month not to pursue criminal charges against the officer involved in the shooting. He also cited an August incident captured on Instagram video that showed two Euclid officers slamming a man into the ground and punching him in the face multiple times. Body believes his charges, along with those two incidents, show a troubling pattern when it comes to Euclid police and black men. He said in a July interview that the officer who pulled him over did not have probable cause. "I was almost 200 to 300 feet ahead of (the officer) -- it would've been hard for him to see anything," he said of the traffic violations for which he was cited. Body, a Good Neighbor Ambassador for the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, is one of 12 members of the Cleveland Community Police Commission, which was mandated in Cleveland's 2015 settlement with the Justice Department known as a consent decree. He's in the running for the Ward 9 council seat in Cleveland against incumbent Councilman Kevin Conwell. Body captured 9.4 percent of Tuesday's primary vote and will advance to the general election to face off against Conwell, who landed 80.3 percent of the primary vote. If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Thursday's crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland school district received almost all F grades on its state report cards today, despite earning its highest test score ranking in years and beating out other poor and challenged school districts like Dayton and Youngstown. Other than earning a C for helping struggling young readers, the district received all Fs -- even on the crucial "progress" measure that shows whether students are learning as much as expected over a school year. "The headline for CMSD is that we have not yet met Ohio's Learning Standards for our students," said district CEO Eric Gordon. He said the district will keep working toward meeting those targets. The report card had a few bright spots that suggest progress. These include: -- The high school graduation rate continues its seven-year pattern of edging upward each year, gaining 2.8 percentage points and finally clearing the 70 percent barrier and reaching 71.9 percent. That's still far below the 83.4 percent state average, and still in the F range on report cards. It's also a dramatic increase from the 52 percent graduation rate in 2010. -- The district received a C for helping students in kindergarten through third grade who are struggling readers catch up to other students. -- The district is no longer at the very bottom of the state in score rankings. The district had the second-worst scores in the state in 2012 but has crept up since passing an improvement plan in 2012 and since voters approved a giant tax increase for schools that fall. It now has the seventh-lowest scores. The chart to the right shows all districts in Ohio with an F grade on Performance Index, Ohio's composite of test scores from all grades and subjects. It's the state's main measure of how well students score. District County Performance Index Score 2016-17 Trotwood-Madison Montgomery 55.13 Dayton City Montgomery 57.084 East Cleveland Cuyahoga 57.667 Youngstown City Mahoning 57.998 Lockland Local Hamilton 58.571 Warrensville Heights Cuyahoga 59.017 Cleveland Municipal Cuyahoga 59.066 Maple Heights City Cuyahoga 59.435 Note that Cleveland scored well ahead of Dayton, another one of Ohio's eight large-city school districts, as well as ahead of Youngstown. See below for a timeline of how the district's score ranking has changed over the last 10 years. "Seventh from the bottom is not where want to be," Gordon said, but said it at least shows the district is gaining faster than others. "I'm pleased to see that relative ranking -- that we are starting to move," Gordon said. "That's how we get out of stuck and being last of the last." There's also a lot of bad news. Its test scores are still an F, and the district even had a failing grade for its progress -- a measure the state uses to see if students are learning as much as expected in a school year. Progress grades are a key way for poor districts to show if teachers are doing well with students who start school far behind suburban peers, and is an important one to measure for a district like Cleveland. But for the second year in a row, Cleveland received an F, scoring even worse than it did for its F last year. Gordon was bothered by those results, and said the district must adjust its teaching to fix it. He said it's possible that teachers are only tracking how well students improve between the start of classes in August and the spring tests, without accounting for students forgetting material over the summer break. He said teachers and the district probably need to better follow progress from the end of one school year into the next. Value-added, a progress calculation that makes up the majority of that grade, has also been volatile since Ohio changed tests three years ago. Instead of most districts receiving C grades -- grades that mean students are making expected progress -- the vast majority are receiving an A or an F. "It's a skewing to the tails, not to the center," Gordon said. Less than 20 percent of school districts received grades of B, C or D, and more than 80 percent received an A or F. More than 200 districts received an F like Cleveland, including all members of the Ohio 8 coalition of big city districts. Here's how Cleveland's test score ranking has changed over the last 10 years, as measured in how many districts from the bottom the district ranks: CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cuyahoga County's judges cited concerns over public safety, judicial independence and money as the reasons the county won't participate in the first year of a new state program meant to keep low-level felony offenders out of prison. The 34 judges who make up the county's common pleas court bench voted Wednesday to reject a $2.5 million block grant from the state to participate in the Targeted Community Alternative to Prison program starting in 2018. The vote came during their annual meeting. The program, created and paid for by a provision that state lawmakers inserted into the state's bi-annual budget, provides grants to local courts to incentivize diverting low-level, non-violent felony offenders away from prison and into alternative programs, like community-control or drug treatment. Lawmakers set aside about $60 million from the prison's budget to pay for the program over the next two years. Lawmakers gave local courts the choice whether to participate in the first year of the program. The second year is mandatory. Supporters of the provision, including the state's prison system and civil rights groups, say it would cut down on prison overcrowding and get more people whose non-violent crimes are plagued by drug addiction the help they need. But the judges on Wednesday opted out of the program over concerns that the program would hamstring judges from being able to lock up drug dealers, therefore threatening public safety. They pointed to a provision that, if a judge sends a person who meets criteria for the program to prison, the state will penalize Cuyahoga County and the Court by deducting $72 from the block grant for each day the offender is held in a state prison. "The Judiciary is a separate and independent branch of government," Administrative Judge John J. Russo said in a press release statement. "Taking away a judge's ability to sentence as he or she sees fit strips away judicial discretion and, in this case, could cost the county and the court tens of thousands of dollars." Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish and Sheriff Clifford Pinkney backed the judge's decision. Budish said lawmakers did not provide enough money to cover the increased costs of the county's probation and sheriff's departments having to monitor more offenders outside of the jail. ODRC said about 4,100 people were sent to prison in 2016 for a year or less after being convicted of a fifth-degree felony, the lowest felony level. The program targets non-violent, non-sex, non-mandatory offenders whose criminal history does not include any prior felony violent or sex offense. The provision has generated controversy since it was first introduced in June, just as the Trump Administration has signaled a return to harsher drug policies at the federal level. Ohio Auditor Dave Yost, a former Delaware County prosecutor and a Republican candidate for Ohio Attorney General in 2018, said that the provision could inadvertently lead to more heroin dealers being released back into the street. Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Director Gary Mohr told cleveland.com in June that, while "true" drug traffickers should be in prison, many low-level offenders are selling small amounts of the drug to support their own drug addictions. Treating those underlying addictions could significantly curtail low-level trafficking, he said. "Getting people treated is critical to keeping our public safe," Mohr said. "The T-CAP program provides an avenue for that." The American Civil Liberties Union's Ohio chapter also feels treating low-level offenders would be a more effective long-term strategy, said Mike Brickner, the organization's senior policy director. "Historically, prison is flawed approached. We've had a war on drugs for years, and it hasn't gone well," he said. "We favor reforms that get people out of prison and into rehab settings." To comment on this story, please visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section. PAINESVILLE, Ohio - Yuriet Martinez didn't realize she was living in the United States illegally until she turned 15 and her mother told her she could become legal under President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. "I came here with my parents and baby brother when I was six," said Martinez, 19. "I started school here in the first grade and grew up here. I didn't feel any different from any of my friends. I didn't know." Martinez applied for DACA and was accepted, like her friend, Jose Munoz, 20, also of Painesville. They have known each other since they lived in Mexico and their families joined six other families that fled the country in 2004 and crossed the desert and entered illegally into Arizona. Now, they are disappointed and frightened after last week's decision by President Donald Trump's administration to end DACA by March 5. Attorney General Jeff Sessions called DACA, implemented by former President Obama, "an unconstitutional exercise of authority by the executive branch." Sessions said it is up to Congress to decide what to do with people such as Martinez and Montez and the nearly 800,000 other "Dreamers" -- children who entered America illegally before the age of 16 with their parents or others, or even made the journey themselves. Both Martinez and Munoz should be safe for a few more years under DACA, longer if Congress acts to stitch together a workable program. But their lives are filled with uncertainty. To underscore their confusion, late Wednesday the Washington Post and other news outlets reported that Trump and the Democratic leaders in Congress were working out a legislative deal to make DACA a law. Thursday morning, the White House clarified, saying it was discussed but nothing was decided. No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 Previously, Trump had offered assurance to some in DACA. "They are here illegally. They shouldn't be very worried,'' he said in January. "I do have a big heart. We're going to take care of everybody. We're going to have a very strong border. We're gonna have a very solid border. Where you have great people that are here that have done a good job, they should be far less worried.'' Munoz is hopeful "I hope Congress will do the right thing," said Munoz. "It bothers me that people I have never met have my future in their hands. I don't want to go back to a country I know nothing about." Martinez was in kindergarten when her family decided that there was no future in Mexico, especially in the crime-ridden state of Tamaulipas. After six months preparation and selling everything they owned, it was time to go to America -- even if America didn't want them. She packed some clothes in a little nylon backpack, put on her blue fleece jacket with teddy bears on it. The jacket had a pouch in the front where she carried her most prized possession, a "My Little Pony" doll. "When we crossed the desert I had my hands in the pouch and I held onto my pony, it made me feel safe," she said. "It was the only toy I was allowed to take with me." The toy remains one of her most prized possessions. She also kept the jacket and the backpack, which still contains some sand from the race across the desert. She and Munoz made it to Painesville where their families moved in with their maternal grandmothers who had made the journey here years earlier, when legal immigration was much easier. The older women sent their families thousands of dollars which was used to pay the guides - coyotes, as they are called - to smuggle them across the border at Nogales into a new world. They were dreamers even then. Martinez' mother, who asked not to be identified, is glad that her daughter is legal. "It is very hard for us to live here," she said. "People are afraid to leave their houses, afraid that they will be picked up and deported. We have to hide and live in fear all the time. It's like the days when American slaves escaped and had to hide or be taken back. That's how we feel all the time." Martinez and Munoz understand that fear and they do all they can to make life easier for their friends and relatives. "We are always running errands or driving them to doctor's appointments or other places," said Munoz. Getting caught driving without a license is one of the most common ways illegal immigrants are caught and deported. Immigrants without documentation can not get driver's licenses in Ohio. DACA youths face prejudice Even though Martinez and Munoz now have legal residency under DACA, they still run into prejudice. "I was walking through Giant Eagle and two women walked right up to me and asked, 'Are you legal? Are you?' " Munoz said. "I was stunned. I told them them they had no right to ask that question and walked away. I could hear them talking loudly behind me saying, 'He's illegal. He's illegal." Martinez saw two young Mexican men outside WalMart, who seemed troubled. "I asked if I could help," she said. "It turned out they wanted to return an item to the store but they were afraid that the store would ask for identification and it feared it could lead to trouble with ICE. I felt so bad for them. I took the item and the receipt in and did it for them. It was so easy for me, but for them it was a huge, scary deal. People should not have to live that way." Getting into the DACA program was not easy for Martinez and Munoz, it involved preparation and lots of paperwork. They were accepted when they turned 16, having turned in their paperwork months before. In order to qualify, they had to be at least 16 years old and attending high school, have graduated high school or hold a GED. They could have no felony convictions and no certain misdemeanor convictions. Obama's Dreamers legislation was only part of his plan. He wanted to also give the Dreamers an eventual permanent green card that would allow them to stay in the United States permanently and tried to put it in effect but but it never made it to Congress because of court challenges. Munoz graduated from Painesville Harvey High School in 2015. He is now employed at St. Mary Church in Painesville, helping run programs for the church's many Hispanic members among other duties. He also runs his own side business, providing tablecloths and balloons for parties and events. Martinez married at a young age and left high school. The marriage did not last. Martinez is back on track to get her high school degree at the end of the year. She is in a program to be a nursing assistant and plans to attend college to get a nursing degree. She said she wants to work with babies. Both said they do not want to return to Mexico and can't understand why some people are so cruel in their thinking about Mexicans living here. The decision to leave Mexico "People don't understand how hard it was in Mexico and how desperate we were to get out," Martinez said. "My parents could barely afford to feed me and my baby brother, even though my father worked two jobs. He worked for a funeral home and a car wash, he was always working. We lived in one small room and even that was hard to afford.'' Munoz said while in Mexico, his family lived in constant fear of being victims of crime. "Our house was always being robbed," he said. "We would go out for a while and come back and find the television was gone, or other things. My family decided they could not live that way anymore." The two families gathered up a few things and traveled to Nogales, Mexico, to get across the border into Arizona. Their grandmothers had sent them $4,000 for each family member to pay for the crossing, but it was hard. Martinez said her father tried to get them across the border seven times, even with the help of the coyote. Each time, they were quickly caught by Mexican officials or the U.S. border patrol and returned. "Once time the agent recognized my father and asked how many times he was going to try," she said. "My father said he would keep trying until he succeeded." They succeeded the eighth time. Martinez said they ran through the desert for two hours and it was hard for her to keep up. They ran and stopped, hiding behind trees and bushes, then ran in short spurts to avoid authorities. Her father carried her baby brother, Gael, in a pouch on his chest and prayed he would not cry. Martinez said there were many harrowing moments including one that could have been disastrous. "I fell and my mother grabbed me before I hit the ground," she said. "I had landed on a sharp stick that went into my stomach a little bit. If she hadn't grabbed me, the stick would have stabbed me." She remembers seeing snow for the first time. "I asked my mother if the white stuff was ashes of some kind," she said. "She smiled and told me it was snow. I had never seen snow before. It was thrilling." As arranged, they hooked up with drivers in Arizona and spent a month traveling to Painesville. Both families stayed with relatives until they could get settled. They have lived here ever since, assimilating into the community. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A police officer has been removed from patrol and is being criticized by city officials after his body camera recorded him making comments threatening to choke a suspect, reports say. The Columbus Dispatch reports Officer Joseph Bogard, 32, can be heard describing to another officer after an arrest on Sept. 1 what he would have told the suspect: "I'm going to for real arm-bar you, and when that still doesn't work, I'm going to choke the life out of you. While you're drooling on yourself, I'll handcuff you." The police department's Internal Affairs division is now investigating Bogard. Bogard reportedly made the comments after responding to a scene where officers were attempting to arrest Timothy Davis, 31, outside a convenience store. Davis reportedly had several outstanding warrants. The Dispatch reports Davis was refusing officers' orders to put his hands behind his back so he could be handcuffed. A cell-phone video reportedly shows an officer punch Davis several times in the back before he was finally subdued by several officers. According to WCMH Channel 4, Bogard was not involved in the arrest of Davis. Bogard's comments brought condemnation from city officials. Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs released a statement saying she was "appalled." "This type of language is totally inappropriate and unprofessional and does not reflect the core values of the division of police and the many members of this division that go out there every single day to serve and protect," Jacobs said. The city's mayor, Andrew J. Ginther, also issued a statement criticizing Bogard's comments, 10tv.com reports. "This is unacceptable behavior for Columbus police officers - or any city employee - and cannot be tolerated," Ginther said. "It goes against our community's values." Several City Council members also issued statements condemning the incident. Jason Pappas, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City No. 9 Lodge, which represents Columbus police, tells the Dispatch that Bogard regrets making the comments. "The officer is sincerely apologetic for his remarks and he understands that he may be subject to discipline for his statements," Pappas said. Police are conducting a separate investigation into the use of force against Davis during his arrest. To comment on this story, please visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section. LA PUENTE, California -- A police standoff that had gone on for hours was brought to an end after an 83-year-old man climbed onto the roof of his home and tossed the suspect off, reports say. KTLA Channel 5 reports Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies spotted the suspect jumping from roof to roof of homes after being called to a neighborhood when someone complained they were being followed. The unidentified suspect finally settled on the roof of the home of Wilford Burgess, 83, and ended up in a five-hour standoff with deputies, refusing to come down. That apparently was too much for Burgess, who told deputies he was heading up. "I said, 'I'm going up on the roof, that sucker's coming off,'" Burgess tells KABC Channel 7. Burgess used a ladder to climb to the roof of his home, approached the suspect and then pushed him off. Unfortunately the suspect landed on Burgess' car, smashing the windshield, the Los Angeles Times reports. The suspect was taken to a hospital for a mental evaluation. It's unknown if he was injured, KABC reports. Ashley Wrenn, Burgess' granddaughter, recorded Burgess' heroics. "The grandpa did what we couldn't," Capt. Tim Murakami tweeted after the incident. To comment on this story, please visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section. JOPLIN, Missouri -- The mother of a high school student is considering legal action after her daughter was sent to the principal's office by a teacher who said the girl's outfit was "too busty," reports say. Melissa Barber used Facebook to describe what happened last Friday to her daughter, Kelsey Anderson, 17, at Joplin High School in a post that is gaining national attention. Anderson tells the Joplin Globe that her child-development teacher told her she was violating the school's dress code. When Anderson asked what she had done wrong, the teacher told her that "bustier women need to wear clothing that cover their cleavage," she tells the Globe. Anderson said her outfit showed little to no cleavage, KOAM reports. She also said two principals and a school counselor did not think her outfit violated the school's dress code. However, she told school officials she was embarrassed by the incident and did not want to return to the class. School officials refused and Anderson has not returned to the high school since, KRBK Channel 5 reports. Barber has hired a lawyer and is considering legal action against the school, reports say. "This young lady and some other people have contacted us about this teacher making comments about being plus-sized, having larger breasts and larger thighs," the family's lawyer, Elizabeth Turner, tells KRBK. The school district said in a statement that it is investigating the incident. "The district does not consider comments by staff members about students' bodies appropriate," the release stated. "Our staff conduct policy requires all staff members to maintain courteous and professional relationships with students." Turner tells KRBK that it's important the incident be addressed because suicide rates among teens are at an all-time high and more than 90 percent of teen girls say they have experienced body-shaming. "We teach our kids not to bully, not to body shame, not to do these type of things, and yet those are the things that are happening and a lot of it's coming from adults," Turner said. During my journey to East Nusa Tenggara, I was fortunate to have visited the Takpala Village on Alor Island, which is one of the least visited places around this region. Having little or no knowledge of the Alornese people in this part of Indonesia, this visit here became even more intriguing for me. Takpala Village sits in the hills of Alor, which is around 13 kilometres from the Kalabahi district, the main area of Alor Island. The people of Takpala are also known as the Abui tribe who is also the largest of the ethnic groups on the island. Visiting Takpala Village The Abui people are also known as the mountain people. In total, there are three main traditional villages, but Takpala is one of the easiest and best to visit in Alor Island. The Abui tribe at the foot of the village, welcoming visitors As Alor is home to over 40 different ethnic groups and speaking to the village headman, he said that there are over 60 languages and sublanguages in Alor Island itself. That is incredible, considering how small the island is, and so many languages are spoken among the people here. However, on communication among themselves, they all speak one common language, which is Bahasa Indonesia. As our group was fairly large, they Abui people of Takpala had prepared a welcoming ritual at the foot of the village. Men and women, boys and girls were dressed in traditional Abui attire and welcomed the group with some traditional words. Behind the headman, two other men had drums and started to beat them as they walked uphill. The women danced as they led our entourage up to the entrance of the village. Once here, we could see over 30 to 40 other men and women who were waiting for us. In the background, thatched-roof homes called Rumah Gedung are used majestically as a backdrop. Abui warriors perform a traditional ritual as part of the welcome ceremony Gedung means storage, and they call them storehouses because this is where they store their food supplies such as rice, corn, and others. In the middle of the village area, you see a large round structure, looking like a place of ritual. This place is called the Mesbah, which is made from large stones. The Mesbah is the general communal area where meetings, dances, and other important events are held by the Abui people. Once we were seated on bamboo chairs made for visitors, the headman called Pak Abner, started his ritual speech, welcoming us all to Takpala Village. Soon after, they started to perform the traditional dance, called the Lego Lego dance, which is one of the many different dances they perform. This harvest dance is performed by the Abui women and men, by creating a circle around the Mesbah. Music is played by other men, while the women start moving around the Mesbah, hand in hand around each other. The Lego-Lego dance performed by the Abui tribe of Alor A rhythmic moment is observed by everyone, even the young girls who don the traditional attire. As the dance gets more intense, the Abui people move faster and faster in a circle. The women and girls have brass rings around their legs, therefore making it chime as they stomp their feet during the dance. Following the dance, the visitors are then invited to participate along with the locals in a merry and joyful atmosphere, but performing the same dance in a circle. After song and dance, photo sessions are a must. This is where you get your portrait photos of the Abui people in traditional attire. You are allowed to take their photos or even pose with them as they are extremely friendly. But make sure when you do this, you are with a guide. This is a common thing that is practised around One thing you should note is that the Alornese people love to chew betel nut, hence their blood-red mouths.This is a common thing that is practised around Alor Island and East Nusa Tenggara especially among men and women. If you have questions about the people of the village, feel free to ask your translator to ask Pak Abner or any of the village elders. They would be glad to answer your questions. The Abui people are also Christians, so you will be seeing lots of crosses planted around the area of the village. Usually indicated as markings, but I did not manage to ask why they were placed along the road up and even in front of the village. Takpala Village Photos Below are some random photos were taken at the Takpala Village on Alor Island. I spent about two hours here, watching, talking and learning what I could about this unique tribe from Alor. Abui children, some of them in traditional wear The headman and village elders at Takpala village One of the Abui elder ladies plays a traditional drum solo Brass rings are used for Abui women when they dance, the rings give out chimes Abui women performing the Lego-Lego dance in Takpala Village Pak Abner, the village headman strikes a warrior pose with his bow and arrow Takpala Village Souvenirs To Buy At the end of the performance and photo-taking, you can visit the right section of the village where you will see the local Abui women selling various local handicrafts made by them. There must have been around 10 makeshift stalls to browse through. Items include the local dried banana seeds which are made into bracelets and necklaces, combined with wooden pendants. Another type of wooden seeds made from the Kenari tree is also unique. They look like wooden prayer beads. Wild boar teeth infused into jewellery are also sold at slightly higher prices. However, this is one of the local income for the Abui people, hence I bought about five necklaces and three bracelets as souvenirs. At places like these, it is often good to contribute back to the community. Some stalls even sell handcrafted parangs (swords) and wooden shields. For those travelling internationally, I would advise against carrying them. But then again, if you are a serious sword collector, this would be awesome for your display. The sign just outside Takpala Village in Alor How to go to Takpala Village? You also need to engage a guide or charter a taxi and possibly get one that speaks English, to translate. Once here, no one speaks any form of English, but Bahasa Indonesia or their local ethnic language. If you are also planning to explore the rest of the island, I have written an article about the For anyone planning to visit the Takpala village, you need to start from Kalabahi, and it takes around 30 minutes by car or van to get here.You also need to engage a guide or charter a taxi and possibly get one that speaks English, to translate. Once here, no one speaks any form of English, but Bahasa Indonesia or their local ethnic language.If you are also planning to explore the rest of the island, I have written an article about the things to do in the Alor Islands for your convenience. Please note you probably need a tour guide for this. You can easily spend around an hour or two here, talking to the locals or exploring their traditional homes. On the right section of the village, the local Abui people have makeshift stalls that sell homegrown souvenirs. Some of them are pretty cool, especially the banana seed necklaces and bracelets. Conclusion I have to be very honest here as this is not one of the regular tourist destinations in Indonesia, but if you ever do visit this part of East Nusa Tenggara, this is one of the places to visit. The Ohio Supreme Court agrees to hear ECOT's appeal to regain $60 million in state funding. U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci asserts that, as governor, he would dip into Ohio's rainy-day fund to combat the state's opioid crisis. And EMILY's List is recruiting women to run for Ohio Senate next year. Today's roundup is brought to you by Jeremy Pelzer. Supreme Court to hear (some of) ECOT case: "The Ohio Supreme Court has agreed to hear ECOT's appeal of the state's attempt to 'claw back' $60 million in funding from the all-online charter school because students logged on too little," writes The Plain Dealer's Patrick O'Donnell. However, the justices agreed to hear only one of ECOT's four legal arguments - that using time spent online to determine attendance and state funding for the school is improper. There's no timeline yet on when the Supreme Court will hear the case. Renacci's opioid plan: U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, in an op-ed in The Hill on Wednesday, states that he would use part of Ohio's rainy-day fund to "jumpstart" efforts to address the state's opioid crisis -- an idea endorsed by some other gubernatorial hopefuls, including Republican Mike DeWine and Democrat Joe Schiavoni. The GOP gubernatorial candidate also writes that for Ohio to have the money to solve its opioid crisis, state officials must address "looming short-term and long-term budget shortfalls" caused by Medicaid expansion spending. Renacci also writes that he'll soon be introducing the Opioid Prevention Act of 2017, a bill that would, among other things, limit drugs like oxycontin and codeine to no-refills and a seven-day supply. A few good women: EMILY's List, a national advocacy group that aims to help elect Democratic women who support abortion rights, is recruiting candidates to run for the Ohio Senate next year, reports cleveland.com's Mary Kilpatrick. The group hasn't said which specific Senate districts they're looking at, though there are several seats held by term-limited Republicans that Dems could have a chance in - including Kevin Bacon in SD-3 (the northeast Columbus area), Bill Beagle in SD-5 (western Ohio), and Gayle Manning in SD-13 (Lorain and Huron counties). Some Senate Democrats are leaving, too, including Joe Schiavoni, Edna Brown and Mike Skindell. Attention EMILY's List Senate recruits: If you're a liberal, pro-abortion rights woman who's running for local or regional office, a new group wants to lend you some free help in putting together campaign videos. Putting Women In Their Place, founded by Cincinnati TV/film producer Megan Park, relies on a grassroots network of media professionals to help candidates make the videos. Ohio stages second execution: Parma double-murderer Gary Otte was put to death Wednesday morning, marking the state's second execution since the Ohio resumed lethal injections in July following a three-year break, according to cleveland.com's Eric Heisig. Claims of pain: Otte's attorney, Carol Wright, said she saw signs that her client experienced pain which he received midazolam, the first of three drugs used in the lethal-injection procedure. Heisig writes that Wright said she saw Otte experience abnormal stomach movements, struggle to get air, and cry. When Wright got up to contact the Ohio judge who is hearing a lawsuit challenging Ohio's lethal-injection cocktail, she said she wasn't allowed to leave the room for several minutes, in violation of protocol. A state prisons spokeswoman says Wright's request was handled appropriately. Issue 2 ad blitz nears: If you're already sick of the barrage of ads on Issue 2, the prescription drug ballot issue, get ready: ad spending on the issue is rapidly expanding starting this week, according to the Columbus Dispatch's Alan Johnson. Issue 2 opponents have spent or purchased about $19.5 million in airtime, including about $1.7 million in the week from Wednesday to Tuesday. The pro-Issue 2 side has dropped about $4 million on TV ads, including about $1 million this week. Lang in there: Republican George Lang was sworn in Wednesday as the newest member of the Ohio House. Lang, a West Chester Township Trustee with an interesting history, was selected by a House GOP panel to fill the House District 52 seat in Southwest Ohio that was vacated by Margy Conditt's resignation. Trump test: The Hotline's Josh Kraushaar has an overview of how Ohio's 2018 U.S. Senate race is shaping up. With a rematch likely between incumbent Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown and GOP Treasurer Josh Mandel, "The race figures to be an important test of whether there's a market for Trump's ideology without Trump's outsized personality." Sherrod seeks more from Equifax: Brown plans to introduce legislation requiring Equifax to provide 10 years of free credit monitoring to the 143 million Americans whose financial data was compromised by security breaches at its company, according to cleveland.com's Sabrina Eaton. Brown told reporters that the single year of credit monitoring that Equifax is offering to those whose data was exposed is "not enough to protect consumers." Brown bullish on kids' health program financing: "Sen. Sherrod Brown predicted the Senate will approve a compromise bill that will finance a federal children's health program for the next five years that provides coverage to nearly 210,000 low-income Ohio children," writes the Dispatch's Jack Torry. "Both the Senate and House will have to re-authorize the program, which expires at the end of this month, to prevent nine million children across the country from losing their health coverage." Think big: As work continues on replacing the former Franklin County Veterans Memorial building, Ohio lawmakers have introduced legislation to designate the site as a "National Veterans Museum and Memorial" (locals are already referring to the new building by that name, though precedent states that Congress designates such national sites). As Nikki Wentling of Stars and Stripes writes, "a House subcommittee heard initial feedback on the idea Wednesday from veterans service organizations, which were mostly supportive." Computer problems: Attorney General Mike DeWine's office and a Columbus software vendor are squaring off in court after a $12 million-plus computer system revamp still doesn't work. The Dispatch's Randy Ludlow explains that "Each accuses the other of breach of contract and making the mistakes that led to the failure of the software system to function." If you're a visual learner: Check out these maps and a searchable database from cleveland.com's Rich Exner showing the extent of Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson's sweeping victory in Tuesday's mayoral primary. Jackson won 15 of 17 wards, showing weakness only in Ward 2 -- represented in City Council by Zack Reed, Jackson's opponent in November. Two advance in Toledo mayoral primary: Incumbent Paula Hicks-Hudson and Lucas County Treasurer Wade Kapszukiewicz will advance to the general election after Tuesday's primary. The Toledo Blade's Tom Troy has details. Coming in third: the Republican in the race, Tom Waniewski. Simpson still ailing from hospital stance: The Cincinnati Enquirer's Jason Williams takes a look at Cincinnati mayoral candidate Yvette Simpson's "baffling" choice to stand by her decision to push back on expanding the local children's hospital. "The business community's scared," Williams writes, adding that incumbent Mayor John Cranley spent much of Tuesday's mayoral debate "bringing up the Children's deal every chance he got," giving him "another chance to gain steam in the race." Speaking of hospitals: Cincinnati City Councilman Wendell Young, who joined Simpson in voting against the hospital expansion, is recovering from a tear to his aorta, according to the Enquirer. While the injury could have been fatal, Young is expected to make a full recovery. Get Battleground Briefing, our FREE politics newsletter, delivered to your inbox: Sign up here. Tips or links? Send here. Follow along on Twitter: @JPelzer CLEVELAND, Ohio - Every spring, about 3,000 young people from overseas board a plane headed for Ohio, where a summer job awaits them. They come from Ireland, Bulgaria, China and Romania. They come to operate amusement park rides, pour wine and wash dishes. They're participants in the U.S. State Department's Summer Work Travel program, which offers temporary employment to thousands of college students from dozens of foreign countries. The program, started in the 1960s to promote cultural diplomacy, may be in jeopardy. And so, too, may some of the tourism businesses in Ohio that have come to rely on it to fill summer employee rosters. The Trump administration is reviewing the program as part of its "Buy American and Hire American" executive order issued last spring. The Summer Work Travel program is one of several under the J-1 visa umbrella, which also includes au pairs and camp counselors -- all of which are under White House review, according to a story last month in the Wall Street Journal. Don Woodward, co-owner of the Old Firehouse Winery in Geneva-on-the-Lake, said his business couldn't survive without the program. Every summer, the winery hires about 100 seasonal workers, including up to 40 from overseas. They come from Ireland, Slovakia, the Ukraine and elsewhere. "We'd have to scale back," he said. "It's a personnel nightmare I can't fathom at this point. We don't know how we'd survive without them quite frankly." Woodward said his business location in rural Ashtabula County, about 60 miles east of Cleveland, makes it very difficult to find enough summer help. "Where would that pool of people come from?" he asked. "We need the influx of summer workers to make the resort town function." The Ohio Travel Association, which represents the state's tourism industry, is encouraging business owners like Woodward to contact the White House and lawmakers to let them know how changes in the program would affect them. It's part of a larger, national effort. Concessionaires at national parks, ski resorts, amusement parks and other seasonal destinations are mounting a campaign to save the program. Critics, however, say the program is more about cheap labor than cultural diplomacy, and needs better oversight. Nationwide, the Summer Work Travel program includes 109,000 foreign college students; 3,041 were in Ohio this summer. Cedar Point is, by far, the largest Ohio participant, hiring 1,600 overseas workers this year, according to the travel association. (Cedar Point declined a request to be interviewed for this story.) There are many smaller businesses in Ohio that rely on the program, as well. Kim Morrisson, who owns the Frosty Bar and Carriage House on Put-in-Bay, said her family has been hiring workers through the J-1 visa program for more than two decades. This year, 28 of 60 seasonal employees were from foreign countries, she said. Finding seasonal help on Put-in-Bay is particularly difficult, she said, because employees have to relocate to the island. Another challenge: the shrinking length of summer break for both college and high school students. With most colleges now on semesters, U.S. students typically have to report back to campus in mid-August, making staffing in late August and September very difficult, said Morrisson. Colleges outside of the United States are on varying schedules, and often foreign students can stay later into the fall. "Our shoulder season on Put-in-Bay just keeps getting longer," she said. "We're open April through October. It would be very difficult to keep my business open as long as I do if I didn't have these students." Many of her international workers come back year after year, she said. "We love the kids. And they're happy coming here," she said. Not everyone, however, defends the program. The Southern Poverty Law Center in 2014 issued a report called "Culture Shock: The Exploitation of J-1 Cultural Exchange Workers," which concluded that these students are too often used as a source of cheap labor for U.S. businesses. The organization interviewed hundred of participants, mostly in the South. Among the criticisms: Students work hard jobs with long hours that include scant cultural benefits; and they sometimes lose money after paying the recruitment agencies that found them their jobs. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is another critic. During a Senate debate in 2013, he said, "This program is a scam. It is not a cultural-exchange program. It is displacing young American workers at a time of double-digit unemployment among young people, and it is putting downward pressure on wages at a time when the American people are working longer hours for lower wages." The program requires that employers pay the same wages to both U.S. and foreign workers. Employers, however, don't have to pay Social Security, Medicare and unemployment taxes for their foreign workers. Morrisson, who is also president of the Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce, concedes that there may be businesses that abuse the system, but she hasn't seen it. "I cannot fathom why they would get rid of this program," she said. "It helps American businesses. It gives a little dose of culture to my 19-year-old Bowling Green students. It's great for business. It's great for the kids. It would only hurt these resort areas." A spokesman for the State Department could not provide details about the review, other than to say the program continues to be implemented as it has in recent years. He also said that the department is aware of the program's support in the business community. In a prepared statement, U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, whose northern Ohio district includes Cedar Point and Put-in-Bay, said any changes in immigration policy should be part of a comprehensive review. "People come to this country because they want to share in and experience the liberty, opportunity, and promise of America. Taking a piecemeal approach to changing our immigration laws is no way to fix the problems that occur in our visa system. The Trump Administration should come to Congress and work with both parties on comprehensive immigration reform that addresses the needs of business, the American people, and upholds American values." Clifton Park, N.Y. >>A decision by the congregation of the Clifton Park Center Baptist Church to look into demolishing the churchs 19th century meetinghouse is causing concern among the communitys history lovers. Rumors of vote by the church council to seriously consider razing the building began leaking out late last month. Getting hard numbers however is difficult. The church will only correspond with the media via written statement. The Greek Revival-style brick meeting house at 713 Clifton Park Center Road was built in 1837. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. Though it saw many weddings and baptisms through the years, the congregation built a new structure next door and has not used the meetinghouse since 1990. The Community News reached out to co-pastors Rev. Greg Staples and his wife Rev. Damaris Cami-Staples with a list of written questions. The two were asked the tally from the vote, the name of the chairperson of the church council that took the vote, the options other than demolition considered by the council, the names of any companies that made structural reviews of the meetinghouse for the congregation, and the estimates given for any stabilizations or renovations. In response Staples wrote that the congregation had only voted to look into the demolition of the old meting house and has not voted to raze the structure. Clifton Park Director of Building and Zoning Steve Myers confirmed no demolition permit for the site has been requested or granted. Going into more detail, Staples said after a support beam broke a few years ago and an engineers report suggested it be jacked up, the beam broke a second time. He described the building as being held up by cables with a deteriorating brick exterior that is beveling. The original construction also lacked plumbing which is the case today he said. The building is not structurally sound and we are afraid of someone getting hurt, he wrote. I know that many in the community were saddened by the news that the building may be coming down. Our hearts go out to them, as this is not an easy decision, and we certainly sympathize. Unfortunately, we do not have the financial means to restore the Old Meeting House. The cost of the repair would be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The decision to bring down the Old Meeting House was a difficult one. I can assure you that we are all saddened at this reality. Staples said efforts seeking financial help have only found offers of matching grants with amounts that are beyond the congregations means. One offer to buy the building, he said in his statement, came in with a price the congregation labeled very low, provided no renovation plans, and caused concern with the congregation as to access to the adjoining cemetery and who would occupy the building. To date, no one has offered us the funding that we would need to restore the Old Meeting House, he wrote. Community members are disappointed the area may lose another large part of its history and its character if the church proceeds with a demolition. Several of church founder Abijah Pecks descendants still live in the area but could not be reached for comment. Other community members feel a sense of loss coming on as another piece of the communitys character faces the wrecking ball. I think its really important to retain some historic buildings in town because it gives the present generation and future generations an opportunity to know what has happened in our past and what our heritage has been all about, said preservation advocate Isabel Prescott. That church was a big part of the community, even when I was a child. They had hundreds of members and they did a lot of important things for this community and its very sad to know it may be gone soon and that those people dont necessarily care. Its a matter of attitude as to whats important. Prescott added that an offer to the church by the Clifton Park Historic Preservation Commission to help with the issue was rejected. Historic renovation proponent Joanne Coons is another community member who is disappointed the church may be demolished. Coons and her husband Paul have renovated at least three historic buildings in town and were allowed to see the inside of the old meetinghouse. She said her conversations with the church were all done via email except for one occasion when the couple was allowed inside. Coons said she and her husband expressed an interest in helping the church restore the building or restoring it themselves but never made an official offer. She found the church not that bad during the inspection. We were serious and wed have gone to the next level, she said, but we needed something more solid from the church. We just got back from New Brunswick and it was refreshing to see the respect they show up there for cemeteries and churches. Id wish they could do it here. Town Historian John Scherer is perplexed as well as concerned. He finds it hard to understand why the congregation has rejected the Historic Preservation Commissions offers to help find a buyer or a specified church grant that could go toward restoration. Its not just their heritage, its the towns heritage, he said. They havent gone to the community to raise funds. There are many in the community concerned about that building. Other congregations have worked hard and spent funds to preserve their older buildings. Look at the Jonesville Methodist Church or the Amity Church in Vischer Ferry. There are options. If they dont want the building then they should sell it. Sept. 14, 2017 The first spacecraft to orbit Saturn will never be available for a museum to preserve and display. Now in the final hours of a collision course with the ringed planet, NASA's Cassini spacecraft will plunge into Saturn's atmosphere on Friday (Sept. 15), where it will break apart, melt and disintegrate. After almost 20 years in space, 13 of which at Saturn, Cassini will not even leave a mark in the planet's clouds it will simply go silent and fade away. The same might be true for Cassini's place in pop culture. Since launching from Earth two decades ago, Cassini has crossed over into the zeitgeist only a few times. Although it leaves behind a rich scientific legacy, the mission's cultural artifacts are few and far between. "We just didn't have the understanding of how important it was to bring the public along with what we are doing," said Jim Green, NASA's planetary science director at the space agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C. "Cassini has done some pretty spectacular stuff but not many people know about it." "I think because it has been in the Saturn system for 13 years and it has just made discoveries and the ability for us to communicate those discoveries has exploded around it, that is now enabling us to draw attention and recognize that we really could have done a better job explaining how it got to where it is," said Green. True legacy Cassini will go down in history for being the first spacecraft to orbit Saturn. Over the course of its 294 trips around the planet, the probe took more than 450,000 images and sent back 635 gigabytes of science data, in part while achieving more than 160 targeted flybys of Saturn's moons. Half-scale model of NASA's Cassini spacecraft, as displayed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. (collectSPACE) Its mission extended twice, Cassini's findings transformed scientists' understanding of Saturn, its rings and its moons. It revealed icy jets shooting up from the moon Enceladus, hydrocarbon lakes on the moon Titan and the changing of seasons on Saturn. The spacecraft showed the complexity of the planet's famous rings and documented a giant storm circling Saturn for the better part of a year. "Its true legacy is how NASA responds to the observations it made and then make decisions on how to utilize those in another series of missions," stated Green. "Cassini will be followed up by future missions, I am almost sure." Scientists will be analyzing the data returned by Cassini for decades to come, as engineers apply the lessons learned from the past 20 years to future probes. But outside those two communities, what will serve as the tangible reminders of the mission? Cultural impacts Although Cassini will soon cease to exist, at least one full- size representation of the venerable spacecraft will remain on display. A full-scale engineering model of Cassini, on loan from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), has been at the California Science Center in Los Angeles for longer than the mission has been at Saturn. JPL also exhibits a half-scale Cassini in its main auditorium in Pasadena, California. The closest the mission seems to have come to inspiring a commercially-produced model was in the form of a happy meal toy. In 2004, the fast food restaurants Carl's Jr. and Hardee's offered a "NASA Kids" meal that included among other toys "Cassini Meets Saturn," a pullback Cassini that "orbited" a model of the ringed planet. "I'm not sure why Cassini was never commercialized," said Todd Barber, the lead propulsion engineer for the mission, in an interview with collectSPACE. In 2004, Cassini became a "Cool Kids Combo" meal toy offered by Hardee's and Carl's Jr. fast food restaurants. (NASA) "There's a gentleman on the mission named Dave Doody and he actually built [a paper model] and it's online, so you can go print it out for free and build your own Cassini. It is as detailed and beautiful as the ones that you can buy in a gift shop," Barber said. The Cassini mission did result in several dedicated books, including a Haynes' Owners' Workshop Manual penned by Ralph Lorenz, a member of the Cassini radar team. Unlike other NASA missions to the outer planets, Cassini did not land on any U.S. postage stamps. A set of planet- themed stamps issued in May 2016 chose a Hubble Space Telescope image of Saturn over one of Cassini's images. The Royal Mail, the United Kingdom's postal service, did though commemorate Cassini as part of a 2012 six stamp "Space Science" set featuring imagery from the European Space Agency's (ESA) missions. ESA's Huygens probe to the surface of Titan flew to Saturn mounted to Cassini and the agency was a partner with NASA and the Italian Space Agency, ASI, on the mission. Other Cassini stamps were issued in the Maldives, Guinea and Togo, the latter two to mark the mission's tenth year at Saturn in 2014. The Royal Mail (UK) issued in 2012 a postage stamp that featured a Cassini image of Saturn and its rings. (Royal Mail) "In terms of cultural impacts of Cassini, I think it has had a greater influence on art," said Emily Lakdawalla, the senior editor and planetary evangelist for The Planetary Society. "I have seen a lot of visual artists take images from Saturn, primarily the rings, and use those as motifs, backgrounds or design elements in their art." "I've also seen quite a bit of music composition related to Saturn, its rings and moons. It would be interesting to do a survey on Cassini's impact on the arts," said Lakdawalla. To mark the impending end of the mission, The Planetary Society released a video of its board member, "Star Trek" actor Robert Picardo, performing the "Le Cassini Opera," a humorous, musical farewell to the spacecraft. Spectacular mission The most prevalent and perhaps lasting "souvenir" of the Cassini mission is the image archive it filled over the past 20 years. Unlike the earlier Pioneer and Voyager probes, which made quick flybys of Saturn, Cassini revealed how dynamic a world the planet really is even if the images were not always noticed by the general public. "For the kinds of people who are interested in space, for them, Cassini has been an absolutely spectacular mission, routinely producing images that just make you stop and say 'wow,'" said Lakdawalla. Sometimes that astonishment was able to reach beyond just the space community and attract the public at large, especially once social media emerged well into the Cassini mission's timeline. NASA recreated a Cassini image of a backlit Saturn using a collage of about 1,600 photos of people waving at the ringed planet as part of social media campaign in 2013. (NASA/JPL-Caltech) "Twice during the entire mission, we had the sun occulted by Saturn, so we were able to point the cameras in that direction without frying them and capture the planet with this beautiful, ghostly backlight," said Barber. "The first one was very successful and the public got fired up about it, and then I think by the time of the second one, we realized that through social media we had the opportunity to really engage the public." In response to a call from NASA, people around the world shared more than 1,400 images of themselves waving at Saturn on July 19, 2013, the same day that Cassini turned its camera back toward the direction of the Saturn-eclipsed sun and took an image of Earth in the process. The "Wave at Saturn" campaign was the first to provide earthlings with advance notice that their picture was being taken from an interplanetary distance. The backlit images of Saturn were an example of how the long-lived Cassini mission was able to provide views of the iconic planet previously unseen. "Cassini has given us these views that changed a lot over time," Lakdawalla said. "We were able to see Saturn from many different points of view." "What Cassini really changed in the public's understanding of Saturn is just how changeable and dynamic a planet it is," she said. CORNWALL, Ontario An employee of the Sears Outlet store in the Cornwall Square who wishes to remain nameless, has informed Seaway News that the store will be closed by Sunday, Sept. 24. Sears Canada had announced on Thursday, June 22 that the outlet store in Cornwall will be closing, but until now, there was no specific date given. The announcement came as the company filed for bankruptcy protection from its creditors under the Companies Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA). Over the past 18 months, Sears Canada embarked on a reinvention plan that has now begun to gain traction with customers, the company stated in a press release in June. The brand reinvention work Sears Canada has begun requires a long-term effort, but the continued liquidity pressures facing the Company as well as legacy components of its business are preventing it from making further progress and from restructuring its legacy assets and businesses outside of a CCAA proceeding, the press release continued. The store in Cornwall is one of 59 Sears locations that are closing across Canada. The company says that it is necessary for it to seek bankrunptcy protection in order to pursue a massive restructuring plan, which store closures is a part of. As of now, there is no word as to what will happen to the space that Sears currently occupies in the Cornwall Square mall. Sears is the largest tenant at the mall, with their outlet store occupying two floors. This afternoon, I am off to New Orleans and the annual meeting for the National Association of Bankruptcy Trustees (NABT). Tomorrow (September 15) from 12:30 - 2:30 PM, we are holding a public meeting for the Committee on Chapter 7 of the American Bankruptcy Institute's Commission on Consumer Bankruptcy. If you are at the NABT meeting, come and listen to our full schedule of fourteen speakers. The room location should be in the program and will be in the public meeting space for the conference. If you would like to speak to us, there will be another opportunity for persons attending the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ) in Las Vegas. The Committee on Case Administration & the Estate will be holding a public meeting at NCBJ on the morning of October 10. More information about requesting a time to speak is available at the call for participation. There also will be public meetings for the full Commission at the ABI's Wedoff Consumer Bankruptcy Conference to be held in November in Chicago, Illinois, and the Winter Leadership Conference to be held in December in Palm Springs, California. Of course, you don't have to come to a meeting to send us your suggestions and comments. Anyone can send an email to ConsumerCommission@abiworld.og. I route all of those emails directly to the persons working on the issues raised as well as make them available to everyone involved with the Commission. Now is a particularly good time to write us as the committees are working on preliminary drafts. The topics the Commission is addressing are also available on our web site. Data center News IDC: Public Cloud Giants Push Server Business Recovery; Legacy Vendors See Mixed Results Joseph F. Kovar Share this The worldwide server business is growing with volume purchasing from large public cloud providers moving the needle considerably, according to the latest data from analyst firm IDC. IDC on Tuesday said worldwide server business grew to $15.7 billion in the second quarter of 2017, a 6.3 percent increase over the year-ago quarter. Server shipments increased during the same period by 1.9 percent to 2.45 million units. A big sales driver, after several quarters of slow sales, was the availability of Intel's new Skylake processors, IDC said. Intel in July rolled out its new Intel Xeon Scalable Platform, or "Skylake," processors, based on its Purley architecture, and stated that they are aimed at helping customers and partners find new ways to transform data centers to meet the requirements of new cloud, networking and artificial intelligence applications. [Related: Check Out These Hot Products Using New Skylake Purley Intel Xeon Scalable Processor] However, despite the growth of the server business overall, the results were mixed for traditional server vendors. What IDC calls "ODM direct" and "others" represented hyper-scale data center providers and cloud data center providers who purchase low-cost server hardware in large volumes. One such customer, Amazon, accounted for over 10 percent of servers shipped on a volume basis, IDC said. For the quarter, the leading vendor in server revenue was Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, which sold $3.3 billion worth of servers in the quarter for a 21.3 percent share of the total market. IDC reported that revenue from HPE and New H3C Group, which is an HPE joint venture in China, fell 8.4 percent compared to last year. Dell EMC had second quarter server revenue of $2.8 billion, giving it a market share of 17.7 percent. Dell EMC was the only top vendor to show significant growth during the quarter, with sales up by 7 percent over last year. IBM had sales of $1.0 billion. That represented a huge 20.8 percent drop over last year as the server market increasingly turned to x86-based servers. IDC estimated demand for x86 servers increased 10.4 percent in the second quarter while that of non-x86 servers declined 21.5 percent during the same period. Cisco had second quarter server sales totaling $874.0 million, according to IDC, giving the company a 6.6 percent market share. That represented a moderate 1.7 percent rise in server sales compared to last year. Lenovo had server sales of $834.1 million, a 13.9 percent drop from the second quarter of 2016, IDC reported. IDC broke out Supermicro server sales for the first time in this report, estimating that the company sold $448 million worth of servers for a 2.9 percent market share. Sales were up 49.8 percent year-over-year, IDC said. The biggest part of the overall server market was the ODM direct sector where sales reached $3.5 billion, up 48.1 percent over last year, IDC estimated. The "other" vendors accounted for 21.9 percent of the market, or $3.3 billion in revenue, which was up 10.2 percent over last year, IDC said. Dell EMC's significant growth in the server market vs. that of its server vendor peers was no surprise to Paul Clifford, president of Davenport Group, a St. Paul-based solution provider and long-term Dell EMC channel partner. While server vendors tend to leap-frog each other in terms of technology, Dell EMC has consistently offered the best technology, Clifford told CRN. "Good technology is table stakes in this business," he said. "But this strategy works well for Dell EMC." More important to Dell EMC's growth, however, is the addition of legacy EMC sales reps to the Dell server business in the wake of Dell's huge acquisition of EMC, which closed just over a year ago, Clifford said. "Dell has always had a strong sales force for its servers," Clifford said. "But when EMC sales reps came over, they were not focused on selling corporate compute. If they were, they were likely pushing Cisco servers. But they're not pushing Cisco anymore. They are focused on Dell. So the Dell EMC growth is no surprise to me." Hyper-scale data center businesses as a group made a significant deployment push in the second quarter, said Kuba Stolarski, research director for computing platforms at IDC, in a statement. "As hyperscalers tend to lead the market on most architectural updates, we expect the rest of the market to catch up over the next several quarters. As the market cycles through this refresh, we are seeing changes in vendor portfolios with new modular system designs and a greater focus on accelerator technologies, as well as the continued evolution of the role of cloud services in corporate IT," Stolarski said. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. The 1957 version of wartime classic Dunkirk is to be shown on a cinema screen on Camber Sands beach at a special 1940s themed event next week. Leslie Norman's 1957 film has been restored in association with The Luna Cinema and Vintage By Hemingway. The film will be shown on the beach in Rye, East Sussex, where scenes were originally filmed because it resembled the beaches at Dunkirk, on Wednesday, September 20 and Thursday, September 21. Before the screening there will be re-enactors dressed in 1940s attire, some of whom will be bringing vehicles from the era. There will be the chance to learn some 1940s novelty dances from dance teachers Mark and Hoc Ewing, such as "The Lambeth Walk" and "The Chestnut Tree", while music from the 1930s and 1940s is played. On September 20, ahead of the main screening, Oscar-winning actress Hayley Mills will introduce a short compilation of footage that her father John Mills, star of Dunkirk, shot on location at Camber Sands and Rye during the 1957 production. (Image: Studio Canal) Ms Mills said: "I remember as a small child coming to Camber Sands with my brother Jonathan to watch our father shoot the movie 'Dunkirk'. "There appeared to be hundreds of soldiers on the beach, it was grey and cold, and it was shot in black and white. "I'm very excited to see the film after so many years, and even though there was no such thing as CGI in those days, I'm sure it remains tremendously stirring and full of emotional impact." The screening of her father's footage will be followed by, on both evenings, Screen Archive South East's film Just Before the War, a short film specially created for this event that comprises two films that will connect viewers with the seaside area and the lives of its inhabitants in 1939. The event has been made possible as part of a special programme of screenings and events taking place at coastal locations around the UK, called the Britain On Film Collection: Coast And Sea. The new restoration of DUNKIRK is released on DVD, Blu-ray and EST with brand new extras on 25th September 2017 from STUDIOCANAL as part of their Vintage Classics Collection showcasing iconic British films, all fully restored and featuring brand new extra content: www.facebook.com/vintageclassicsfilm For more information and to book tickets, which cost 13.50 for adults or 8.50 for children aged 3-15, visit http://www.scnl.co/DunkirkPremiere This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Tech start-ups have raised the bar in customer service across many industries, but hospitals are one place where delighting the consumer hasnt caught on. A recent survey found that less than 10 percent of healthcare organizations considered that meeting their patients expectations was a high priority. Hospitals and health networks are not doing enough to keep pace with changing expectations and run the risk of alienating patients, according to a report released by Kaufman Hall, a financial advising firm that specializes in healthcare management. More than 125 healthcare organizations participated in the nationwide survey, including the Western Connecticut Health Network (WCHN), based in Danbury. Participants were rated in tiers ranging from most to least consumer-centric. WCHN, which includes Danbury Hospital and New Milford Hospital, told Hearst Connecticut Media that Kaufman Hall will share the aggregated survey data with the organization in September. Kaufman Hall has not made public their full ratings and insights for each organization, but the firm's analysis drew some striking findings. The results indicate widespread lack of focus among legacy healthcare providers on meeting current and future consumer expectations, the report says. Even though 90 percent of survey respondents said their organization was interested in improving patients experiences, the majority thought they didnt have the capabilities to deliver better customer service. Hospitals that have made consumerism a high priority focus on "resolving common problems such as long wait times a consumer might encounter for any form of service, elective surgery, physician office visits, emergency department visits, and any others," said Paul Crnkovich, Managing Director of Kaufman Hall. But nearly half of healthcare providers surveyed said they had no retail clinics where quick appointments are usually guaranteed and walk-ins accepted. Few survey responders said their organizations have urgent care centers or ambulatory surgery centers, which help improve patient flow in the emergency room. Across the country, virtual visits remain rare with more than three-quarters of hospitals offering no or limited access to healthcare staff via a mobile device or computer. Less than a quarter of healthcare providers surveyed said they listed prices of medical services on their websites or offered online price estimation tools. Most healthcare providers continue to take a more reactive approach to consumer issuesresponding to complaints as they ariserather than proactively working to improve the consumer experience, the report says. Hospitals and other healthcare providers are often at a loss as to how to connect with these patients, much less even understand their needs. Less than half of all survey respondents said their organization allows patients to message health providers, and nearly three-fourths admitted that they dont gather or analyze consumer insights to learn how to improve services, the survey shows [Providers] need to be strategic and proactive, and use data to make decisions and support the strategic plan, rather than being more reactive and simply responding to problems, one survey respondent said. Yet less than a quarter of healthcare providers said they use advanced analytics like medical apps to glean insights from their patients. Several years ago, we were a mover and a shaker, said one anonymous survey respondent. But now were behind the industry because consumerism has moved so quickly. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT Its rare to see city parents thank the citys Board of Education. But a handful of magnet school parents did just that on Wednesday, when the boards three-member Students & Families Committee backed away from a plan to loosen magnet-school behavior requirements for students. I just want this to be ripped up, Cecile Lobo, a parent whose children attended Multicultural Magnet School, said of the proposal. Leave it the way it is. The committee didnt go that far, but it did rework language in a proposed policy change to leave principals with the option of removing students who are chronically disruptive. A plan that went last June to the full board for a first reading would have allowed students who committed all but the most egregious offenses such as setting a fire or assaulting a teacher to remain in the seats only available through lottery. Magnet school parents who got wind of the plan were outraged. Why make it worse for our kids and their education?, said Lobo, who was president of Multiculturals Parent Advisory Council until this year, when her son entered Central Magnet School. When I signed on that dotted line, I knew what I was signing up for, said Diane Draper, president of the High Horizons Magnet School Parent Advisory Council. To change either the academic rigor or expectations that students must behave to stay at the schools would dilute the programs intent, she said. Aimed at uniformity The proposal couldnt be approved outright in June. It needed a second reading. That was to have occurred in August, but the item failed to make it onto the agenda. Instead, the issue was revisited by the Student & Families Committee, chaired by Annette Segarra-Negron. She said magnet school parents called her and presented her with a petition, translated into English, Spanish and Portuguese, to keep things as they are. The proposed changes came in an attempt to bring all city magnet schools under the same rules, said Christine Morrone, director of school counselors for the district. The attempt was also to be less ambiguous and more flexible for students. Morrone did not have specific information about how many times a year students are asked to leave city magnet schools; she said it does not happen often. The number of magnet schools in Bridgeport grew this year with the addition of Claytor Magnet Academy a neighborhood school of 464 students including 20 magnet school seats. There are now nine magnet schools in the city. For the five open only to city residents, the only entry requirement through grade 3 is a winning lottery number. In upper grades, students must come with a record of good grades, conduct and attendance. Calls for more input The proposed changes require students to maintain a C average or better in core academic courses. Students whose grades slip get extra help, but could eventually be sent back to their neighborhood school. Parents seem less concerned about the academic piece. My kid ... is not an A student, Draper said. But she busts her butt every day to stay in that school. Draper said perhaps the district needs to differentiate between neighborhood magnets and traditional ones. Claytor opened last winter with a theme of science, technology, engineering, art and math. If magnet school rules applied to all Claytor students, some wonder where the district would send neighborhood students if they were asked to leave. We realize in the case of Claytor, de-selection may be impossible, Draper said. Board Chairman Joe Larcheveque agreed the rules may have to be different for neighborhood magnets. He also opposed building too many absolutes into the policy, calling for as much discretion as possible be left in the hand of school principals. The group agreed to get principal input before advancing the plan. John Lischner, a new assistant superintendent in the district, said his concern is that moving the student habitually making poor choices doesnt solve the problem. Instead, he said, it could shift the disruption to another classroom in a different school. But in a magnet school, there needs to be some responsibilities attached, Joe Sovolovic, a Park City Magnet School parent argued. There are plenty of other children waiting to get in, Lobo added. lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/@lclambeck WASHINGTON Connecticut Democratic lawmakers scratched their heads along with the rest of the political world Thursday, wondering whether their party leaders had reached a deal with President Donald Trump on protecting youthful immigrant dreamers or maybe not. Despite conflicting and confusing reports, I am still hopeful that a bipartisan agreement can be reached to protect dreamers and avoid a self-inflicted, immoral catastrophe of mass deportation, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., in a statement. But a day of uncertainty concluded with Trump stating he would avoid the potential poison pill of conditioning DACA renewal on building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Linking a border wall and DACA the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which gave legal status to 800,000 dreamers would be a deal-breaker for congressional Democrats. After a White House dinner Wednesday night, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said theyd reached agreement with Trump that DACA renewal would be packaged with border security, but excluding the wall. A whirlwind of tweets and counter-tweets ensued, with Trump insisting no deal was made last night on DACA, and that massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. But then as he made his way to Fort Myers, Fla., to view damage inflicted by Hurricane Irma, Trump told reporters, The wall will come later. But when he landed in Florida, he said: If theres not a wall, were doing nothing. Finally back at the White House when reporters tried to pin him down, Trump clarified DACA now and the wall very soon. Trump also declared that maintaining legal status for dreamers brought illegally to the U.S. at a young age by parents did not amount to amnesty and would not be accompanied by a path to citizenship. Much of the confusion throughout the day revolved around what level of extreme security, as Trump put it, would be necessary to ensure dreamers can stay without fear of deportation. Connecticut lawmakers expressed cautious optimism that party leaders, for the second time in two weeks, achieved a positive result with Trump. I genuinely believe the president wants to find a way to keep the dreamers in the U.S, and that he caved to the most right-wing base (of the GOP) in putting them in jeopardy in the first place, said Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn. Himes said he thinks part of Trumps motivation is aggravation over the failure of Republican congressional leaders to deliver the goods on legislative items such as health care. Hes thrown his hands up in frustration, Himes said. Welcome to the club! Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn., said the dreamers, more than 8,000 in Connecticut, were deserving of legal status. The vast majority of Americans recognize the dreamers are ready, willing and able to contribute, she said. As Americans, we dont blame children for the decisions their parents make. Schumer insisted Democrats do not oppose enhanced border security, but that construction of a wall would be expensive, ineffective and technologically outmoded. Drones and other high-tech hardware are more effective, he said. A wall on the U.S.-Mexico border is a medieval solution for a modern problem; a Game of Thrones idea for a world that is a lot closer to Star Wars. Although they are the majority in both House and Senate, Republicans were in the awkward position of being on the outside looking in. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., reiterated support for a DACA fix but insisted to reporters there is no agreement. While it was right and proper for Trump to discuss DACA and other issues with Schumer and Pelosi, it was a discussion, not an agreement or a negotiation. Conservative House Republicans expressed deep chagrin over Trumps dealings with Democrats on DACA. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said the deal would render Trumps conservative-voter base blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. dan@hearstdc.com BRIDGEPORT When police arrived, he was shirtless, dispatch reports indicated. The male victim had taken his shirt off to apply pressure to a recently sustained gunshot wound. Police responded to the intersection of Platt Street and Ryon Street shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday for a call that a male victim was shot in the leg during a robbery, police spokesman Av Harris said Wednesday evening. STRATFORD A candidate with few connections to the political establishment scored a stunning victory in this weeks primary contests. Bieu Tran, who arrived in the United States from Vietnam 18 years ago and has lived in Stratford only since 2015, will be the Democratic candidate for the District 1 town council seat in November. And he only decided to run just days before the state-mandated deadline. Tran defeated two candidates who had strong support within the Democratic Town Committee Beth Daponte, the incumbent, and John Rich, who was backed by the powerful Stephanie Philips wing of the party. Tran works for Peoples United Bank in Bridgeport. We worked really hard, Tran said. I was still behind at 4 oclock, but thanks to my wonderful friends and family, they came out and got us 60 votes in the last four hours. As anyone involved in local politics will tell you, primary campaigns for Town Council seats are kitchen-table affairs, where just a few votes can mean the difference between a uncorking the Champagne and picking up your lawn signs. The final official tally in District 1 was: Tran, 163; Daponte, 133 and Rich, 99. There are 1,163 Democrats registered in the district, and only 35 percent turned out for the primary. Daponte also is chairwoman of the Town Council and at least for now is the highest-ranking elected Democrat in town. Sounding upbeat and a bit relieved, she said that she wished the two candidates in her district the best; the Republican winner in that council contest was Chris Pia, defeating Mark Scheck, 263 to 87. More Information Stratford Primary: Official Results Republican Mayor: Laura Hoydick, 1,385; Sandra Zalik, 288 Council District 1:Chris Pia, 263; Mark Scheck, 87 Council District 7:Bill Perillo, 217; Marianne Antezzo, 74 Democrat Mayor:Stephanie Philips, 1,320; Joe Paul, 628; Len Petruccelli, 380 Council District 1:Bieu Tran, 163; Beth Daponte, 133, John Rich, 99 Council District 2: Scott Farrington-Posner, 142; Neil F. Sherman, 57 Council District 3:Wali Kadeem, 220; Dion J. Francis, 150 Council District 4:David Harden, 90; Indiana Susana, 71 Council District 5: Gregory R. Cann, 141; John M. Dempsey, 43 Council District 6: Prez Palmer,104; Philip L. Young, 75 Council District 10: Tina M. Manus, 200; Matthew Light, 51 See More Collapse Meanwhile, a recount is in store for the Democratic primary in District 4. There, David Harden, the incumbent, defeated his ex-wife, Indiana Susana, 90-71. Election officials said that the result there were close enough to trigger a recount, although the 19-vote difference between the two will, in all likelihood, remain intact. The recount will be staged in Council Chambers in Town Hall on Tuesday, beginning at 10 a.m. Susana could call off the recount and concede, but has not made that move. The primary sets up what will sure to be a titanic battle between the Republican and Democratic mayoral endorsed candidates, Laura Hoydick and Philips. Complicating the picture will be two losing primary candidates Democrat Joe Paul and Republican Sandra Zalik, who will both be running in November as unaffiliated candidates for mayor. Zalik and Paul could be good news for Hoydick. Both of these unaffiliated candidates are running on similar no tax increase platforms as is Philips. Hoydick is expected to take an approach advocated by Mayor John Harkins that is paying down the pension bonds and preserving the towns fragile bond rating. Harkins announced in March that he wouldnt seek a third four-year term. jburgeson@ctpost.com After five years of serving great coffee to the University Heights area, Michael Palombo, the mastermind behind Fans of Film Cafe, is moving to a new joint. The new cafe, V Roast Bistro, opened last week at 3904 Central SE, in the same shopping center as Self Serve and Abithas Apothecary. Earlier this year, when he learned that he was losing the lease on his classic location on Yale, Palombo decided to turn it into an opportunity to try something new. Although there have always been plenty of vegan options on the Fans of Film menu, he wanted to take the theme a little further: His new cafe will have an entirely vegan, plant-based menu. For coffee drinks there will be a variety of non-dairy milks to choose from, and the breakfast burritos will be filled with scrambled tofu or meat substitute. This will, of course, be a reason to celebrate for Burque vegans who are craving a cappuccino and a smothered burrito. But something tells me that omnivores will enjoy the grub, too. V Roast Bistro will also serve the same organic, air-roasted coffee that made Fans of Film a local favorite. You can still get your sunshine shotthats a glass of orange juice with a shot of espresso in it, which Palombo says is popular in California, or the movie starthats a triple-brewed chai latte. Theyll have their famous blueberry muffins and homemade red and green chile, too. Something that sets V Roast Bistro apart from its predecessor are the two taps of homemade cold brew coffee: regular and hazelnut. What, you havent had cold brew from a tap before? I highly recommend it, especially with V Roast's custom-made pressurized cold brew. You'll notice a creamy texture and a distinct lack of the battery acid flavor that accompanies most cold brew coffee. When I asked Michael Palombo if he thought ART construction might interfere with their business, he seemed unconcerned: Construction is almost done in this part of Central, and this is a sort of coffee dead zone: Theres nowhere to get coffee between Carlisle and Washington. So people should welcome a new coffee spot. Although the new cafe is up and running now, there may be a grand opening event sometime in the fallwhich well be sure to let you know about. Some things that will be the same as at Fans of Film, though. Oh yeah, the film theme is coming along to the new spot, said Palombo. Dont worry. Alabamas state Superintendent Michael Sentance, who took over the state education department last year amid a graduation rate scandal, a raging battle over school ratings, school choice and state control of academically failing schools, has resigned. The longtime education consultant from Massachusetts submitted his resignation in a letter Wednesday to Republican Gov. Kay Ivey just a day before a board meeting in which members were expected to vote on his fate after a bruising evaluation, according to Al.com . Not much to say, he said in a clipped interview, according to the paper. His resignation comes just days before the states accountability plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act, which Sentance wrote, is due to the federal government. He was hired a year ago last month. The average tenure among state chiefs is barely two years . Many policy analysts have worried whether state chiefs have the longevity to write ESSA plans specific to states needs, defend those plans with the U.S. Department of Education, and then successfully implement them. Sentance was hired by the board in August of last year to replace longtime Superintendent Tommy Bice who retired after a years-long battle over the expansion of charter schools and a dispute between the state and local officials over how to rank the states districts and schools. It was later revealed that the department under Bices watch had inflated its celebrated graduation rates. Just months after Sentances hiring, Gov. Robert Bentley, who chairs the states board of education, said at a statewide gathering that the states schools suck. (Bentley resigned in November amid a corruption scandal and was replaced by his Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey). Sentance was paid $198,000, $52,000 less than his predecessor, according to an Education Week analysis of state superintendent salaries. Sentance quickly ran into political turmoil as he traversed the mostly rural, economically deprived, ethnically diverse and politically conservative state to gather thoughts on what the components of the states ESSA plan should be. Meanwhile, the states department began to take over Montgomery Public Schools, one of the largest districts in the state, a process Sentance said would bring stability, autonomy and school choice, but which parents and school officials called unfair. He sided with district superintendents in a debate over whether the state should keep or get rid of its A-F letter grades of schools performance. But in an evaluation sprung on him by the state board last month, district superintendents and board members took issue with his leadership style and policymaking. I do not take this situation lightly, and as President of the State Board of Education, I will ask the Board to accept his resignation, Ivey said in a statement. Over the past two years, Alabama has experienced far too many changes in state government. As with previous changes in leadership positions, we will use the pending resignation of the state superintendent as an opportunity to move forward and begin a new chapter in public education. TRUMBULL Police investigated a shooting in the area of Old Town Road and Quarry Road on Thursday afternoon. Bridgeport police were informed of a gunshot wound victim that arrived at St. Vincents Medical Center around 3:15 p.m. Trumbull police said they were informed of shots being fired on Quarry Road around 3:30 p.m. Four girls stand side-by-side with smiling faces in a refugee camp just south of the Sudan-South Sudan border. These four girls, along with other refugees in the Yida Refugee Camp, escaped war in Sudan and are the focus of Operation Broken Silenceas Yida Photography Exhibit.A Mark Hackett, executive director of Operation Broken Silence, visited the Yida Refugee Camp for the first time in 2012 and said it was an ainspirational and challenging place.aA aThey (refugees) have been through a lot, but they dug in their heels because they wanted to stay here and fix problems in their country,a Hackett said. aIt lights a fire under you really quick.a Jacqueline Hanna Mark Hackett, U of M international studies alumni and Operation Broken Silence executive director, gives an introduction to the Yida Photography Exhibit about Nuba refugees. The Yida Photography Exhibit displays 313 photos depicting life in the Yida Refugee Camp. These images range from teachers in the camp to little kids smiling. Information regarding clean water, education and other factors in the camp are given throughout the exhibit. Operation Broken Silence is a non-profit organization trying to reach people around the world and expose them to the rising genocidal violence within Sudan. The non-profit helps the countryas people bring out their voices and opinions about the countryas violence. Scovia Wilson, recruitment director for Operation Broken Silence, is a refugee from South Sudan. Wilson said she lost family because of the war in Sudan. aMy passion came from living in the country and being directly affected by the Sudan government and the actual hardships from growing up in a refugee camp,a Wilson said.A Jacqueline Hanna Scovia Wilson, public relations alumni, explains the education and religious section of the exhibit. The exhibit gives a touching look into the refugee lives of the Nuba people in Sudan, Africa. This photography exhibit will be in the Rose Theatre Lobby Monday through Friday. The exhibit hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. Jacqueline Hanna Students Megan Briley and Lauren Wheeler explore the exhibit on Monday. Along with the photos, there is a petition in the exhibit that will be sent to Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) asking him to support the Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act. The prevention of the genocidal events will make advances in the U.S. national security interests, save taxpayer dollars and save many lives in South Sudan and other areas affected by mass genocide and a harsh government, according to the petition. Jacqueline Hanna Scovia Wilson, recruitment director for Operation Broken Silence, talks about the exhibit with international relations student Elijah Spinole. A News / National by Staff reporter A 20-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man has been arrested for stealing his father's bank card and using it to swipe for goods worth $130 in two days.Mthokozisi Moyo from Cowdray Park suburb was convicted of theft by Western Commonage magistrate Mr Lungile Ncube and was remanded in custody to today for sentence.Asked why he stole from his father, Moyo said it was the devil's work."I don't know what got into me. Ngaphomb'ukufikelwa nje (It just happened). I think it was the devil working in me," said Moyo.He pleaded with the court to allow him to apologise to his father, Mr Aaron Moyo and pay back his money in two weeks.The court heard that Moyo was responsible for withdrawing his father's pension money.In a warned and cautioned statement, his father said Moyo was the only one with access to his bank card."My card went missing on September 5 and I suspected my son because he is the only one who knows my pin number as I usually send him to withdraw my pension money," read the statement.Moyo swiped for goods worth $130, 36 at four supermarkets between September 5 and September 6.Mrs Memory Ndlovu represented the State. The National Trust is making headlines again. We say again with a certain weariness, because in recent years an organisation that was once so boringly virtuous that it could have worn a halo nowadays gets into as much trouble as a Bake Off judge in Nazi fancy-dress. The cause of the latest row is an online survey of its 65,000 volunteers, which invites them to describe their own gender identity and sexual orientation, offering multiple choices of transgender, gay, bisexual, lesbian, straight or prefer- not-to-say. Some of the public-spirited people who give their time to support the work of the National Trust are dismayed even disgusted that they should be asked such an insanely irrelevant question. An online survey of The National Trust's 65,000 volunteers invites them to describe their own gender identity and sexual orientation A spokesman for the organisation says its purpose is to make the Trust a more relevant and accessible place to volunteer, because some gender groups are under-represented. The survey, the spokesman emphasises, is entirely voluntary. Its findings will be collated without names attached. It is, nonetheless, hard for some of us not to gape. The Trust exists to preserve great buildings, landscapes and estates for the benefit of future generations. For more than a century it has fulfilled this role with wonderful success. Insulting However, under its outgoing chief executive, former civil servant Dame Helen Ghosh, the mood music from the NT has changed dramatically. Its traditional priorities of emphasising beauty and heritage have been overtaken by a preoccupation with social engineering and, explicitly, accessibility. This is a grisly word, but one much in favour with those who insist that rap music is in no way inferior to Beethoven. At the coalface it seems to mean that if insufficient people, especially those from minorities, like an old place the way it is, steps must be taken to rebrand, refurbish, remodel, repaint and recycle it in a form that might find favour with new readers, viewers, and visitors. However, under its outgoing chief executive, former civil servant Dame Helen Ghosh, the mood music from the NT has changed dramatically. Dame Helen has been an impassioned populariser who for instance replaced traditional Easter Egg Hunts at Trust properties with Cadbury Egg Hunts. This wording is, of course, designed to appease those who deplore regarding Easter as a Christian festival because it might offend other religions. Gender seems a big issue on Dame Helens agenda. At the NTs Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk, volunteers were recently instructed to wear Gay Pride badges. Those who refused were reported to have been relegated to back-office chores. There have also been serial rows about the Trusts management of some properties where it has wilfully breached conditions imposed by former owners surrendering their ancestral estates to its care. My wife and I this year cancelled our membership, after 40-odd years, not in anger, but because we felt unwilling to continue giving money to an organisation that wishes to use it to pursue zealously an obsessively politically correct social agenda, rather than to protect its great historic properties. If we had not taken that step already, we should have done so this week, because the new NTs volunteers survey seems both insulting and silly. It invites speculation that when Dame Helen reads the findings, she will wag a wise finger and say: Ah, I see that we need a lesbian recruitment drive at Petworth!. Or call a meeting to discuss how to find more transgender volunteers for Hidcote. The only possible defence of this nonsense is to acknowledge that a host of other institutions are going the Ghosh way, in pursuing an obsession with gender issues. Scarcely a day goes by without some university debate about sexual identity challenges. The Priory School in Lewes, East Sussex banned girls from wearing skirts and introduced a gender neutral uniform to accommodate transgender students A school in Lewes, East Sussex, has made news by banning girls from wearing skirts, and one in Wales spent tens of thousands on gender-neutral loos more suited to a Las Vegas nightclub. Equalities Minister Justine Greening wants the law changed to make it effortless for people to change the gender on their birth certificate. Among under-30s, there is far fiercer debate about the case for those gender-neutral toilets than about funding the NHS, national security, countering Muslim extremism or reducing the terrifying national debt. Pressure Some of us find this dismaying because it reflects a bizarre sense of priorities. It is entirely welcome that the centuries-old persecution of homosexuals has been brought to an end in the Twenties one of my own great-uncles was imprisoned for being gay; equality of the sexes, acceptance of sexual preferences, is taken for granted everywhere except in a few bastions of conservatism. But some of us old prigs ask: though mankind always has and always will talk obsessively about sex, do we need to bang on so much about individuals sexuality? Now that the gay rights battle has been fought and rightly won, how many people really want to define themselves by a sexual preference, rather than by what sort of human being they are? I yearn to open a magazine or switch on TV without hearing a hymn of praise to the joys of being gay. I do not doubt that those joys are very great, but they seem no more interesting than for me to eulogise how much I like women. And so to transgender yet another of the NTs multiple choices for its volunteers. There seems no possible objection to adults making such a choice if they genuinely feel they have been born in the wrong body. But it seems insane to allow, never mind encourage, the very young to take the huge step of changing gender. As adolescents we are all, by definition, hopelessly muddled about all sorts of stuff. Equalities Minister Justine Greening wants the law changed to make it effortless for people to change the gender on their birth certificate Many teenagers go through phases of favouring one form of sexuality, only to change their minds a year or two later. This is normal. What does not seem normal is for the medical profession to acquiesce in very young people changing their gender, before they are old enough to vote. Yet there is immense political and social pressure to support such a policy, to encourage the young to consider a gender change much as they might a new hairstyle. The Gender Identity Clinic at the Tavistock and Portman Foundation Trust in London saw just 100 teenagers when it opened in 2009, but last year interviewed more than 2,000. The Lewes school speaks of supporting the small but steadily increasing number of transgender pupils as if it was inviting applause for raising its quota of Oxbridge entrants. It was once observed of the pundit Malcolm Muggeridge that he embraced Lord Longfords Seventies campaign for Christian virtue only when he became too old to continue a lifelong career of adultery. Likewise, it is risky for anyone over a certain age to express an opinion related to sex, because it is apparent to our children and grandchildren that we are past being stakeholders in this matter. Scrutiny So I plead guilty to belonging to a generation that regards it as common sense to suggest that the human race gets along better by sticking to going to bed with each other, perhaps even having an occasional shot at reproduction, rather than to rabbit on about the merits of multiple sexual choices. Next March, Dame Helen is to become Master of Balliol College, Oxford. It seems unclear how her stormy reign at the Trust qualifies her for this new role, but presumably she plans to make the poor place more accessible. Balliols hapless students may escape scrutiny of exam results by their new custodian. But in the current obsessional mood, they seem likely to face some searching interrogations about their sex lives. What does it say about our society that the launch of a new phone a phone! is treated by the media as though it were a major development in the history of Western civilisation? One wonders whether the Second Coming could elicit greater wonder and awe. Indeed, there was something almost religious about the way in which Apple (now the largest company in the world) unveiled its latest creation. The companys chief executive, Tim Cook, was dwarfed by a gigantic photograph of Steve Jobs, the deceased co-founder of Apple, and the Messiah of the smartphone and iPad. In the growth of the new religion, Mr Cook might be equated with St Paul. An important figure following in divine footsteps. Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller, introduces the iPhone 8 during a launch event in Cupertino, California He reminded his audience in the Steve Jobs Theatre located in Apples sprawling new 5 billion complex in Cupertino, California, that the first iPhone was launched ten years ago (that was when Mr Jobs was still on this earth). Its only fitting that were here, in this place, on this day, to reveal a product that will set the path for technology for the next decade. Actually, there are three new models. The most sophisticated and most expensive, the iPhone X (999 in this country, available to order from October 27) unlocks itself without the need for a number code when it recognises your face and can charge itself via Wi-Fi rather than from a mains plug. Lets hope it doesnt give us cancer. Will I be forgiven if I dont share in the general hoopla? Am I a hopeless old fuddy-duddy if I question whether these doubtless clever innovations really warrant the latest outpourings of hyperbole? In fact, let me lay my cards on the table. I own an iPhone. Quite a new one. And although I concede that it can be useful apart from sending and receiving texts and emails, it doubles up as a radio, television, alarm clock, satnav and camera in my heart I hate it, and wish it didnt exist. The reason is that I recognise its power to divert me from what I know to be more rewarding: looking at the world around me, reading books and newspapers, talking to friends, relaxing. The new iPhones, from left, X, 8 and 8 Plus, after Apple's product event at the new Steve Jobs Theater Of course I still often do these things, but sometimes I find myself neurotically checking for an interesting email. As often as not it turns out to be an invitation for sex from a 21-year-old blonde, who in fact is an overweight middle-aged man sitting in Macedonia who wants to fleece me. How is it that we have allowed smartphones to destroy our peace? People consult them in lifts, and they peer into them as they cross the road, yards from the wheels of a juggernaut. They rest them reverentially on the table in restaurants, constantly looking down at them in the middle of stop-start conversations. Sometimes you see couples who have grown tired of one another, or havent anything to say, glued to their smartphones during a dinner. It seems that happiness is not to be found talking to another human being but staring idiotically into a plastic screen. What are these preoccupied, introspective people reading? A fascinating email from an old friend? A wonderful job offer? Its about a thousand times more likely to be some snippet of possibly unreliable news, or some silly tweet. Apple released the new iPhone in three different shades of silver, gold and grey Smartphones (of course other manufactures are just as guilty as Apple, which they have aped) have pulled off one of the biggest con-tricks of all time. They incessantly demand to be consulted, though they seldom have much that is really interesting or urgent to impart. And the consequence is that they have driven many of us into a private world, often composed of trivia, which means that we dont have to spend so much time interacting in the real world, which is actually far more interesting. Sometimes this private world can be corrupting and morally debasing. A 14-year-old boy can consult hard-core pornography websites without let or hindrance, so that his view of women is based on a lie (that they are all desperate to have porn star-style sex) before he even has a girlfriend. His parents or his teachers will never know because they have absolutely no access to his smartphone. It is his own personal sphere, where he can encounter lies, dangerous fantasies and moral abominations without the guidance of those who care for him. In short, the smartphone often separates us from our fellow humans, although it is sold and marketed as a way of bringing friends and family members closer together. Nowhere is this tendency to cut people off from one another more evident than in the field of politics. Social media (which could not flourish without the smartphone) enables like-mined people to communicate without ever having to confront other points of view. As Labour campaigners discovered during the last election, it is possible to implant a wild proposition in the self-enclosed realm of social media for example that the Tories are intending to kill off the NHS without such mendacity ever being subjected to rigorous analysis. And in this secret space people can swap lies or vile insults about their opponents in the case of the last election, the hated Tories without ever being gainsaid, far less scrutinised. How ironic it will be if the hard Left anti-capitalist Jeremy Corbyn is finally catapulted to power as a result of smartphones manufactured by the biggestcapitalist enterprises in the world How richly ironic it will be if the hard Left anti-capitalist Jeremy Corbyn is finally catapulted to power as a result of smartphones manufactured by the biggest, and often the most ruthless, capitalist enterprises in the world. I dont doubt, of course, that they can do good. Lets imagine a gap-year student on holiday in Thailand giving pleasure to his parents by ringing them on his smartphone so that they can see him, and he them. On the other hand, he could just as easily send them an email or God forbid! a letter. Will smartphones continue to be a blight on civilised discourse? An increasing number of people are resisting the manufacturers hype and hanging on to their old phones. Hence Apples attempt to come up with new technological wheezes which dont in the end add very much to your old iPhone. If you own a smartphone, ask yourself whether it helps you to live a more fulfilled life and whether you wouldnt throw the damned thing away if you could only pluck up the courage to do so. A decade on from its generally destructive invention, I curse Apple for persuading us to attach so much importance to these trivial but intrusive things. I loathe the company for conning us into believing us that these lumps of metal and plastic are beautiful objects which we should all aspire to acquire. And, while I am about it, I also abominate the richest corporation in the world for avoiding paying tax whenever it can. In the decade since it launched the first iPhone, it has paid just 82.1 million tax to the Treasury on a turnover of 7.5 billion, which is just over one per cent. In short, I hate Apple and most of its works. I look forward to the day when I can find the strength to throw my iPhone in the dump, and finally turn my back on Steve Jobs false religion. Le Creuset is bringing some magic to the kitchen for 1,000 very enthusiastic Disney fans and they don't even technically need to be great cooks. The French cookware brand has announced that on September 15 it will begin selling a limited run of soup pots inspired by Beauty and the Beast. The heavy yellow pot, which pays homage to Belle's famous yellow ball gown, features two red roses on the lid and the inscription 'Be Our Guest' on the handle. The dining room proudly presents... your dinner! Le Creuset's new Beauty and the Beast-inspired soup pot will go on sale September 15 Tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie! The $280 pots are the color of Belle's ball gown and have 'Be Our Guest' written on the handle but 1,000 will be made Unfortunately, these pots don't sing: Naturally, the pots were inspired by Lumiere's big song in Beauty and the Beast The new addition to the brand holds 2 3/4 quarts and costs a whopping $280. Though that's a typical price for the high-end brand, it's also a relative bargain compared to how much they're sure to fetch on the secondhand market. In March, the company released its first Beauty and the Beast item: a blue 'Be Our Guest' pot, which looked nearly identical to the new ones except for the color. They pots were a collaboration with Williams Sonoma in honor of the release of the live-action Beauty and the Beast film, and Le Creuset also shared several Be Our Guest-inspired recipes on its website for things like squash soup du jour and cheese souffle. Though only 500 of the blue pots were sold and are officially sold out, a few can be found on eBay and from other resellers starting at about $375 and going as high as $600. A culinary cabaret: In March, Le Creuset and Williams Sonoma sold 500 units of a blue version, which have sold out and are going for up to $600 on eBay Mrs. Potts would be proud: The pots came out in honor of the live-action film released earlier this year Magic: The demand was so big that they decided to release another version Faye Gooding, CEO of Le Creuset of America, said the brand recognized the high demand and decided on a second run. 'We realized both Le Creuset and Disney fans are hungry for more, which led to the creation of the soup pot inspired by Belle's beautiful yellow dress,' she said. 'Disney is an iconic brand that brings nostalgia and delight to people of all ages,' Janet Hayes, president of WIlliams Sonoma, said in February. 'In partnership with Le Creuset, Williams Sonoma is pleased to offer this special-edition pot to those who loved the original film and the next generation who gets to experience this legendary story for the first time.' People who were children at the time of the original film's 1991 release are all in their late 20s and early to mid 30s now. So pretty! Also this week, Le Creuset released a new pink collection Seriously sweet: The brand calls the dusty color 'sugar pink' Trendy: Fans, though, have quickly dubbed it 'millennial pink' Fancy cookware: The 23-piece collection is priced $6 to $300 Want! Want! The collection has earned a lot of buzz on social media Cute: Some of the more affordable items include a $12 pie bird A quick hit: This cast iron skillet goes for $165 Pricey: This trivet, which elevates hot plates and pans from the table, costs $75 On the cheaper side: There's also a $5 teaspoon and $26 spoon rest (pictured) And Le Creuset is catering to that generation in another way, too: This week the company released a new 'sugar pink' collection of cookware, which many excited shoppers are calling 'millennial pink'. The 23-piece collection comes in a dusty pink hue and ranges in price from $6 to $300. The highest-ticket item, a $300 dutch oven, is a Le Creuset favorite. There's also a $180 saucepan, $165 skillet, $68 French press, $50 pie dish, and $68 au gratin dish. There are five storage canisters of varying sizes, too, as well as a $50 utensil crock, mugs, and a $6 teaspoon and $26 spoon rest. The new collection has already garnered an excited reaction on Instagram, where thousands have expressed interest. She's the heiress to a sprawling Soho empire thanks to her late grandfather, property mogul and porn baron Paul Raymond. But India Rose James, 25, cut a decidedly casual figure when she strolled through her home turf with a friend on Tuesday. The millionairess was spotted in black skinny jeans, scruffy trainers and a baggy varsity jacket as she made her way down Archer Street in central London with musician Twiggy Garcia. The DJ and songwriter hit headlines in 2014 when he tried to perform a citizen's arrest on Tony Blair as the former PM dined at the restaurant he worked at, Tramshed. Scroll down for video India Rose James was spotted in black skinny jeans, scruffy trainers and a baggy varsity jacket as she made her way down Archer Street in central London with musician Twiggy Garcia Twiggy and India are believed to be close friends with the former waiter featuring heavily on her social media feed. India, who was the youngest person ever to grace the Sunday Times Rich List, shares a daughter, Saffi, with Kooks guitarist Hugh Harris and the one-year-old has her own Instagram account. Her grandfather Paul Raymond, with whom she was close, built up his fortune launching the countrys first topless dancing club and introducing top-shelf magazines to the UK. Along the way, the self-proclaimed 'King of Soho' acquired the freeholds on almost two-thirds of Sohos properties, building up a seedy business empire estimated to be worth around 650million. India, who was the youngest person ever to grace the Sunday Times Rich List, shares a daughter, Saffi, with Kooks guitarist Hugh Harris and the one-year-old has her own Instagram account (the heiress is pictured here at her 25th birthday party in December) India's grandfather Paul Raymond, with whom she was close, built up his fortune launching the countrys first topless dancing club and introducing top-shelf magazines to the UK Famous faces: Raymond was depicted in a 2013 film starring Steve Coogan as Paul Raymond and Tamsin Egerton as Fiona Richmond According to the Sunday Times Rich List 2013, when their grandfather died in 2008 at the age of 82, Miss James and her sister Fawn, 28, inherited 80 per cent of his money and businesses. Their fortune amounted to 329million - more than the Queens personal wealth which was estimated at 320million at the time. The sisters are the children of Debbie Raymond, whose death in 1992 from a drug and drink binge drove her father Paul to become a haunted recluse. Debbie, 36, had already taken over parts of the empire and was expected to carry on his legacy. But India Rose insists she is down to earth, telling the Evening Standard: 'I dont drive and I dont have a driver. Its all cabs and Tubes.' Look familiar? The DJ and songwriter hit headlines in 2014 when he tried to perform a citizen's arrest on Tony Blair as the former PM dined at the restaurant he worked at, Tramshed And when asked if she has a 'PJ', she responded: 'Private jet? I thought you meant pyjamas'. Despite her down-to-earth nature, she and her sister own 60 acres of prime real estate and she has breakfast every morning at Soho House, which, technically, she owns. Their father John is managing director of Soho Estates - the company Fawn works for. India Rose, meanwhile, focuses her efforts on her art venture, The Soho Revue, which she established with her boyfriend. 'Princess of Soho' India Rose insists she is down to earth, telling the Evening Standard : 'I dont drive and I dont have a driver. Its all cabs and Tubes' Despite her down-to-earth nature, she and her sister own 60 acres of prime real estate and she has breakfast every morning at Soho House, which, technically, she owns The art space's name seems inspired by one of the late King of Soho's famous properties - whose famous Raymond Revuebar is now occupied by The Box night club - but also imbues an ethos centred on reviving the counter-cultural scene of the historic London area. The gallery - located at 14 Greek Street - showcases pieces from a cross-section of contemporary art and in its first show, Nothing Perishes, eight young visual artist's work explores a range of mediums. Curated by Victoria Williams and Marine Tanguy the exhibition features the art of Alison Bignon, Jennifer Abessira, Scarlett Bowman, Wendy Bevan, Maximilian Herbert, Walter Hugo & Zoniel. Dorothy Perkins is the latest brand to bring a touch of designer style to the high street at a fraction of the cost. The retailer has created a pair of shoes that look almost identical to a 595 designer pair by Jimmy Choo. Dorothy Perkins' 'Head Over Heels' style feature a black pom pom design, and cost a purse-friendly 53, less than 10 per cent the price of their designer doppelganger. Aside from the staggering cost difference, the only thing that separates the two pairs of shares is the detachable pom pom on the expensive pair. Dorothy Perkins' high street shoes (left) and near identical to a pair sold by Jimmy Choo (right) The high street pair, called Head Over Heels on the website, have now been reduced to an even cheaper 42 and are also sold through Dune. They feature a thin ankle strap and a nine inch heel, with a quirky faux fur pom pom decorating the front of the shoe. The Jimmy Choo pair also feature a thin ankle strap and a slightly bigger pom pom that covers more of the shoe. Unlike the high street brand, the designer pair are made of real leather and suede. The designer shoes have a clip on pom pom that can be replaced with different colours, or worn without as simple black courts. Jimmy Choo's pair have a detached pom pom that can be swapped with other colours or jewels The Jimmy Choo website describes the shoe as a 'modern take on a Dorsay pointy toe pump'. It reads: 'Rosa accentuates the silhouette of the foot. With an asymmetrical cut out, the shoe dips down deep on the inner of the foot and then beautifully wraps around to the back of the ankle and finishes with a delicate ankle strap. 'Leather lined, with leather sole and black suede upper. Rosa also comes with black clip on fox fur pom poms that attach to the upper to add an element of playfulness.' The Dorothy Perkins pair are a whopping 542 cheaper than their designer doppelgangers Dorothy Perkins aren't the only high street store to mimic a designer brand recently. Primark was recently praised by customers for creating a pair of Minnie Mouse style heels that look exactly like a 415 designer pair. The glittery gold heels from the budget retailer cost just 14, over 400 cheaper than a near identical pair by Italian designer Oscar Tiye. The Primark heels feature the same design with gold mouse ears protruding from the back of the shoe to look like the popular Disney character. Advertisement Marchesa continued its tradition of all things girly and utterly glamorous with its Spring 2018 collection, which designers Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman presented at New York Fashion Week on Wednesday. Showing to an A-list crowd that included Once Upon a Time's Jennifer Morrison, Nina Dobrev, Victoria Justice, Olivia Culpo, Coca Rocha, Petra Nemcova, Shanina Shaik, and designer Zac Posen, the designers put on a beautiful presentation that met Edwardian England with the Far East. And the incredible attention-to-detail was apparent in every piece: From layers upon layers of fluffy tulle to breathtaking beading, the pieces in the collection took 'months and months and months' to prepare, Craig told Daily Mail Online, with sometimes five different people working on a single dress at a time. Frilly perfection: Marchesa debuted its Spring 2018 collection at New York Fashion Week on Wednesday Fiercely femme: The collection is part of 'a continual thread of a Marchesa dream,' designer Georgina Chapman told Daily Mail Online, 'so one season will blend into the next season' Jaw-droppers: The new designs featured the brand's go-to girly touches like fringe, ombre, 3D florala, and lace Ladylike dream: Layers of tulle adorned with floral appliques were party-perfect Major man hours: Designer Keren Craig said the collections take 'months and months and months' to put together 'There's really hundreds of hours that go into most of the pieces. We make everything in our atelier here in New York, so some of them can take hundreds of hours,' Craig said. ''These pieces, there can be four, five people stitching at one time. From the inception it's months and months and months.' First, they work with sketches. Sometimes there might be four or five different options for a top or skirt, and they try them all out to see which works best. 'But then they all sort of look good, so it becomes hard,' Craig said. 'You never know until you have it in your hands, until you see it, until you feel it. Things change,' Chapman added. A team works in New York on sewing the fabric and hand-embroidering the beautiful designs which is Chapman's favorite part. 'Georgina gets into her draping frenzy that's the exciting bit, because something that Georgina's sketched on the board may just change into something completely different and that's the beauty of the organic process of being able to work in an atelier in New York,' said Craig. Haute hero: This particular collection was inspired by Edwardian explorer Aimee Crocker's travels Fab indeed: The designers said they looked to the 'fabulous' explorer to influence this collection Far East, far out: Crocker's travels to Japan lent touches to this collection Attention to detail: Craig noted that sometimes, up to five people would work on a single dress at a time Exquisite: Each design begins with sketches, though sometimes there are four or five different ones per piece, and they make them before deciding what works best 'You never know until you have it in your hands, until you see it, until you feel it. Things change,' said Chapman She added: 'Ultimately this collection is very feminine, it's very Marchesa' Natural beauties: Make-up, done by Gucci Westman with Kevyn Aucoin Beauty, was simple and minimalist For this season, the brand didn't stray from their tried-and-true feminine touches, adding feathers and beads to floral appliques, stitching metallic embroidery into tulle, layering on the fringe, and tastefully revealing some skin with sheer touches. 'We see our collection like a storybook, it's a continual thread of a Marchesa dream. So one season will blend into the next season. We want our pieces to feel timeless,' Chapman explained. That being said, this particular collection was inspired by Aimee Crocker, an Edwardian explorer, and her travels to Japan. 'We were reading a really fascinating book about an Edwardian woman who was a bit of an explorer, and she traveled all around the world, and she was very fabulous and she was obsessed with the far east, and so we took a bit of that and looked at her travels in Japan,' Craig said. Chapman added: 'So we sort of mixed the ideas. We've got touches of the Edwardian, we've got touches of the Japanese with the obis and cherry blossoms but ultimately this collection is very feminine, it's very Marchesa.' Luscious locks: Hair was done by Antonio Corral Calero for Moroccanoil Head to toe glam: Shoes and jewelry were also all designed by Marchesa 'Something that Georgina's sketched on the board may just change into something completely different and that's the beauty of the organic process of being able to work in an atelier in New York,' said Craig Working moms: The designers said they managed to juggle the show and the beginning of the school year thanks to a 'great team' and 'supportive husbands' Fashionable family: They added that their kids they each have two love coming to their New York atelier Amazing detail: Close-ups of the dresses taken backstage show incredibly intricate embellishments Enter the lotus flower ruffles, ombre wisteria, 3D tulle petal cherry blossom embroideries, and obi corset belts. One show-stopper, a pink dress with a huge, fluffy skirt, was a personal favorite and offered surprises to the even the designers. 'This big pink dress, I went to pick up earlier and I found three people underneath it,' Chapman revealed. What's more impressive is that the two designers managed to pull off the whole show and send their kids off for a new school year. Craig attributed the ability to pull double-duty to the two women having a 'great team' and 'supportive husbands', who helped then keep the hectic first weeks of September running smoothly. 'Our kids, they're pretty seasoned fashion kids too,' Craig said, with Chapman adding: 'They're like, "Yeah, mom, we got it."' They're also really excited about what their moms do. Craig's daughters Delilah and Delphine, and Chapman's daughter India and son Dashiell, love to come and play at the atelier and India, who just turned seven, may be ready to follow in her mother's footsteps: Chapman said she just asked for a mannequin and sewing machine for her birthday. Star-studded: Georgina Champan and Keren Craig pose with star attendees (left to right: designer Zac Posen, Chapman, Craig, Jennifer Morrison, Coco Rocha) Front row fab: Lookalikes Nina Dobrev (left) and Victoria Justice (right) were also in attendance Celeb spotting: Also there were Petra Nemcova (left), Shanina Shaik (center), and Peyton list (right) The 'do: Models were given 'ethereal and deconstructed' hairstyles courtesy of Moroccanoil Global Ambassador Corral News / National by Staff reporter AT least six Zimbabweans are believed to be among eight people who were killed when a Bulawayo-bound Toyota Quantum they were travelling in collided with a private vehicle along the N1 highway.The quantum was travelling from Hillbrow in Johannesburg heading for Bulawayo while the smaller car was travelling to Makhadho town.Limpopo police spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe said the accident occurred between Makhado and Musina towns near the Akunamathatha area on Sunday.He said six people died on the spot while two others died upon admission at Musina Government Hospital.Said Lieut Col Ngoepe; "These people were killed in a culpable homicide case which occurred along the N1 road next to Akunamathatha."A private car collided head on with a Toyota Quantum kombi and three occupants of this private car died on the spot and three others died from the Quantum at about 6:55AM on 10 September."The cause of this collision is still unknown but police investigations are underway to establish what happened."He identified the deceased as Nkosiyapha Sibanda (36), Mlapho Lukas (32), Jonas Phiri (30), Zwelibanzi Maxwell Sibili (44), Terry Sibili (37) and Yemeni Petrus Sibili (44).He said they were yet to establish the names of the other two people who later died at the hospital.Lieut Col Ngoepe said several other passengers from the quantum were injured and are admitted at Musina hospital.He urged motorists to always adhere to road traffic regulations to avoid the unnecessary loss of lives.The N1 highway is one of the busiest roads which links South Africa with the rest of Sadc especially those from Malawi, DRC, Zambia and Zimbabwe.The road has become a death trap with more than 30 people including Zimbabweans and Malawians dying in accidents in the last eight months.A few weeks ago, four Malawians among them a toddler were killed and 16 others were injured when a bus they were travelling in was involved in accident, 8km outside Makhado town in Limpopo province.The bus was travelling from Johannesburg to Malawi via Zimbabwe. Glowing skin - and a lot of it - is the theme for Glossier's latest ad campaign. The beauty brand has debuted a new line of body care products and, as a part of the launch, released a campaign starring a diverse group of ladies, including athletes and plus-size models, who all posed totally naked for the striking shoot. In addition to the image, several of the models shared their contribution on social media and talked about their individual relationships with their bodies. Baring all: Former WNBA star Swin Cash shows off her baby bump in a nude shoot for Glossier's new skin care campaign All natural: Fashion designer Lara Pia Arrobio is seen wearing nothing but socks The images promote the new Body Hero Duo line, which is comprised of a two-step system of body wash and moisturizer. Perhaps the most striking image in the series features Swin Cash, the retired WNBA star, who bared her burgeoning baby bump for the camera. Also included in the striking nude images are the likes of fashion designer Lara Pia Arrobio crouching down, clad in nothing but socks, and the brand's own clinical research coordinator, the long-limbed Mekdes Mersha. On Instagram, Lara revealed that her weight has fluctuated around 30lbs over her life, but she says that, at 30 years old she finally feels 'like myself.' Real experience: Plus-size model and Instagram star Paloma Elsesser also stars Multi-talented: Mekdes Mersha, a clinical research coordinator for Glossier, opened up in a post online about her eating disorder 'This was the hardest thing I've ever done - posting this is hard,' she added. 'But these are the things i do for @Glossier - the single most disruptive brand with the smartest, coolest team and f***ing good product. I would have never said no.' As for Mekdes, she opened up about suffering an eating disorder after a rough start in modelling at age 22 that saw her informed she needed to lose two inches. 'I would spend hours in the gym, calculated every calorie, bingeing my life away... things I'm not proud of,' she wrote. 'I was the skinniest I've ever been (although I couldn't see it) but the agency ghosted me and instead I ended up with an ED that I would nurse for years to come and even seek therapy for.' Through the support of friends and family, Mekdes was able to recover from her disorder and now describes herself as her very own 'body hero.' Stepping forward: She revealed that she was told to lose two inches by a modelling agency before they ghosted her and left her with the disorder Jumping ahead: Outdoor Voices founder Tyler Haney, 27, also displays her toned form Opening up: In an Instagram post she revealed that she once struggled to love her 'sporty body' Entrepreneurs also have their place in the campaign with Tyler Haney, 27, who is best known as the founder of clothing company Outdoor Voices. She explained in her own post how she 'always had a sporty body and at times have hated "being too muscly," but has since overcome her insecurities. Of course there were also models by main trade involved in the project, including plus-size Instagram star Paloma Elsesser, who already boasts an inclusive Nike campaign on her resume. As for Glossier, they will be releasing their new pair of products for $35 Plumped to perfection, cloud-like and oh-so-comfortable, the ultimate mattress is the stuff of dreams. Yet the process of buying one leaves something to be desired. Awkwardly lying in the middle of a department store is hardly a recipe for a match made in mattress heaven. Yet, thankfully, all that looks set to change. A raft of new companies are using clever technology to compress mattresses, reducing their size by up to 80 per cent, before vacuum-packing and shipping them to customers. When you open the box they spring back into shape like a jack-in-a-box and you get up to 100 nights to decide if its the one for you. These firms sell online, so save on shop-floor expenses which cuts costs dramatically and allows them to sell high-tech fabrics, such as memory foam, for less than half the price of a traditional shop. FEMAIL writer Helen Carroll and her children (pictured) put the new Jack-in-a-Box mattresses to the test Even High Street retailer John Lewis is in on the act, announcing plans to offer customers a chance to try before they buy in fully furnished apartments at major branches across the UK. But just how do the new vacuum-packed mattresses measure up? HELEN CARROLL, whose ten-year-old mattress is long overdue an upgrade, put them to the test with her husband, Dillon, 50, and their children Christian, nine, Isobel, 13, and Daniel, 15. KIDS FAVOURITE Casper (single, 350, double, 550, king, 600, casper.com) THE CLAIM: The Casper mattress has a springy top layer of open-cell foam a flexible material containing small holes with three firmer sections of memory foam beneath. Customers can try out this mattress for 100 nights, during which time it will be collected and payment refunded if theyre not satisfied. HELENS VERDICT: I confess I was sceptical about the very idea of a compressed mattress. How could something that has been flattened so substantially possibly be comfortable? Still, I placed my order. When it arrived at our home in North London, it took two of us to drag the mattress upstairs and onto the bed. When we cut off the packaging, the mattress swelled to four times its size and took two days to reach full capacity. We finally braved a nights sleep, only to plunge deep into the top layer like lead weights. I had to heave myself out in the morning, which made me feel less than sylph-like and every one of my 49 years. But Christian found it more comfortable on his skinny frame than a firm mattress, and it was so bouncy it served as a trampoline during the day. 7/10 JUST TOO SQUISHY Sleepbear (single, 399, double, 599, king, 699, sleepbear.co.uk) Helen found the Sleepbear mattress (pictured) too squishy for her, but thought the spongy texture had its benefits THE CLAIM: On top of a dense base is a layer of memory foam attached to 4cm of pure latex, to create cloud-like comfort and bounce. This is perforated for extra air flow to regulate body temperature. The whole thing is covered in a hypoallergenic Lycra knit. A 100-night trial is offered, plus collection and full refund. HELENS VERDICT: This was too squishy for me to fully enjoy my favourite bedtime pleasure reading propped up on pillows. However, the spongy texture meant that whenever Dillon or I turned over, we were thrown together which could have its benefits, I suppose . . . 7/10 TRULY LUXURIOUS Simba Hybrid (single, 399, double, 599, king, 699, simbasleep.com or John Lewis) THE CLAIM: Four layers thick foam on top, a section of small pocket springs, memory foam and a foam support base plus the usual 100-night trial. HELENS VERDICT: Because this mattress is a hybrid a mixture of memory foam and pocket springs it didnt pack down quite as small as the others and was far heavier. But it was definitely worth our exertions comfortingly squishy and satisfyingly supportive, it lulled me into the best nights sleep Ive had in years. 10/10 COOLS HOT FLUSHES Eve (single, 349, double, 599, king, 679, evemattress.co.uk) Helen said the Eve mattress's lovely sunny yellow fabric made it stand out and quickly elevated it in her 13-year-old daughters estimations THE CLAIM: The Eve mattress has a breathable cooling strip to absorb moisture and dissipate heat, plus a layer of memory foam and a thick base for support. You can also try it for 100 days and return it. HELENS VERDICT: The lovely sunny yellow fabric really makes this mattress stand out and quickly elevated it in my 13-year-old daughters estimations. It combines real comfort with a good amount of support, whether youre a back-, side- or front-sleeper. Isobel tends to overheat in bed and usually kicks off her covers, but stayed cool as a cucumber all night. As the dreaded perimenopausal hot flushes cant be far off for me, perhaps I should keep this one instead. 8/10 BEST BARGAIN BUY Dormeo (single, 209.99, double, 249.99, king, 309.99, dormeo.co.uk) She says the Dormeo mattress's squishy surface makes you feel as if youre floating THE CLAIM: The 14cm base of this Memory Plus mattress is made from porous, breathable foam designed to reduce painful pressure points. The middle layer is memory foam and the cover is infused with a sanitiser, providing anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-dust mite protection. Customers can return it within 60 nights, and although delivery is free, collection costs are charged. HELENS VERDICT: At just 309.99 for a king size, this is half the price of many of its rivals yet was Dillons favourite by far. The squishy surface makes you feel as if youre floating, but its firm enough to spring out of bed in the morning. However, the hard base means it cannot be flipped periodically so it may wear out more quickly. 9/10 CHEAP AND SPONGY Amazon.co.uk (single, 118.99, double, 144.99, king, 169.99) THE CLAIM: The 3cm top layer is memory foam while the remaining 14.5cm is polyurethane foam covered in a washable polycotton case. Theres no free trial period. HELENS VERDICT: With only a thin memory foam layer on top of what felt like a bath sponge, I woke with an ache in my back, sciatic pain in my right buttock and a throbbing in my knee. 5/10 ONE FOR THE GUESTS Ikea pocket sprung mattress HOVAG (single, 119, double, 180, king, 230, ikea.com) THE CLAIM: In typical no-nonsense Swedish style, there are no boasts about special foams, only individually wrapped pocket springs that work in tune with the body and a layer of soft fillings covered in a stretchy fabric. There is no free trial period. HELENS VERDICT: Perhaps its the absence of memory foam, but this mattress was still uncomfortably flat at bedtime, five hours after removing it from its plastic packaging. Having been spoilt by some of the pricier, springier versions it was something of a let-down. However, its small and lightweight, so easy to move around the house. 6/10 RESTLESS REMEDY Otty (single, 349.99, double, 449.99, king, 549.99, otty.com) The Otty mattress (pictured) took two days to fully expand, but it was worth the wait THE CLAIM: High-density foam creates a solid base while small holes enable air to circulate around the mattress, helping to regulate body temperature. Rows of 2,000 pocket springs are covered by memory foam and topped off with a layer of blue gel, designed to keep you cool. If its not for you, Otty offers a refund within 100 days and will collect unwanted mattresses. HELENS VERDICT: This mattress took two days to fully expand, but it was worth the wait. If Dillon has had a particularly stressful day at work, he tosses and turns before falling asleep, leaving us both grumpy by the morning. But, mercifully, the foam-covered springs provide additional support, stopping me being disturbed by my restless partner. 8.5/10 SOFT AND SNUGGLY Hyde And Sleep (single, 499, double, 599, king, 699, hydeandsleep.com) THE CLAIM: A thick polyurethane foam base with perforations ventilates and keeps you cool, while a layer of 2,000 pocket springs distributes body weight reducing pressure points. Memory foam created with special technology to prevent dust mites and bacteria sits on top. Customers get a 100-night trial, free collection and a full refund. HELENS VERDICT: The springy, supportive mattress was balm to my joints, which were achy after a challenging exercise class. The topping was cotton-wool soft, and it was a joy snuggling into it at bedtime though dragging ourselves out in the morning was less fun! 9.5/10 BEST FOR SIDE SLEEPERS Ministry of Sleep, ministry-of-sleep.com (Single - 325, Double - 450, King 550) THE CLAIM: At 20cm thick, this is not as deep, or cumbersome, as other mattresses, but offers just as much support. The top, 7cm layer of memory foam is supported by a 13cm base of firmer, high-density foam. It also has a cool touch, breathable cover which helps keep you cool and reduces sweating. A 100-night trial with a refund and free collection if youre dissatisfied. HELENS VERDICT: A marshmallow of a mattress, with just the right balance of support and stretch in the foam for those, like me, who sleep on their side. Dillon, who sleeps on his back (no matter how often I complain about his snoring) also found this incredibly comfortable. As its less bulky than others, its also much easier to move around the house, which is a bonus. 9/10 A 47-year-old woman who became Australia's oldest female trapeze artist has shared her secrets to staying young. Michelle Jarman, from Adelaide, found herself in the spotlight after running away with the circus to join her now-husband Joseph Ashton at the age of 17. And 30 years on, the energised mother-of-two appears to be in her best shape of her life as she lifts the lid on her extraordinary life as a circus performer. Scroll down for video Australia's oldest female trapeze artist Michelle Jarman shares her secrets to staying young Speaking to Today Tonight, the South Australian trapeze performer opened up about the routine she follows to look her best. 'The longer you can work to keep active, the better you'll be in you're older age,' she said. 'One of the things I try to do is get about eight hours sleep at night. Since I hit just over 40, I decided that I needed to cut down on my food portions.' Ms Jarman - who has been performing the flying trapeze for 20 years - laughed as she said she 'heard a rumour' she might be the oldest female trapeze artist. Getting into the swing of things, Ms Jarman said she has no plans to retire from the ropes anytime soon. The mother-of-two appears to be in her best shape of her life as she lifts the lid on her extraordinary life as a circus performer The Australian trapeze performer opened up about the routine she follows to look her best 'I see people, they think "oh yeah, I've got to a certain age, I need to retire". And I'm thinking "hell no",' she said. And performing in heart-stopping acrobatics in front of the audience runs in the family for Ms Jarman, whose two sons Jordan and Merrik Ashton have also joined her on stage. 'There's not many people out there who can say that they work with their husband and their sons,' she said. The husband of fitness queen Ashy Bines has jumped to her defence after she was slammed for parking in a disabled spot outside her own gym. Eagle-eyed fans called out the Instagram star after they spotted her luxury Range Rover in the disability space outside her Mermaid Beach gym in her YouTube video. The 28-year-old Gold Coast mother has gone on a self-imposed social media black out after she was bombarded with cruel remarks, including death threats. And on Thursday, her husband Steven Evans took to Facebook, saying: 'No one deserved to be bullied like this'. Scroll down for video Fitness guru Ashy Bines was slammed for parking in a disabled spot outside her gym Eagle-eyed viewers were quick to call the young mother out after they spotted a Range Rover, believed to be Ashy's, parked in the disability space outside her gym in the YouTube video 'Ashy will be offline for the next 48 hours whilst I spoil her rotten and enjoy the next 2 days and wait for storm to blow over,' he said in response to a follower. The fitness star - who regularly updates her followers about her daily routine across Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram has not made any on Thursday. She did, however, shared a RUOK post on Snapchat - a suicide prevention charity in Australia, reminding people that having meaningful conversations with loved ones. Before going offline, Ashy attempted to justify her actions by saying her gym doesn't 'have any members with a disability' in three years. 'In my gym, we don't have any members with a disability. So those two car parks never get used,' she said in a Snapchat video. 'If I was to get any members with any type of disability, or any bad leg injury, I would never park there. I'm not that disrespectful. 'When the two car parks have literally never been used in nearly three years that I've owned that gym... so it sucks that people are looking at me in a bad way.' Despite her gym having car spots reserved for drivers who hold a disability parking permit, Ashy admitted: 'I do use that car space sometimes. Her husband Steven Evans (pictured) has jumped to his wife's defence after she was slammed The 28-year-old Gold Coast mother has gone on a self-imposed social media black out The 28-year-old social media influencer attempted to defend her actions, saying her gym doesn't 'have any members with a disability' 'I know that it does look bad in somewhat way,' she said. 'But I hope you guys can hear my side of the story that in three years, we've never had any members with any type of disability to use the car parks - they are there 24/7, sometimes, yeah, I do use it.' She apologised for her actions, saying she never wanted to cause any outrage - but went onto to explain further why she made the decision to park there. 'I never meant to offend anyone or make anyone upset,' she said. 'It was never my intention, I never purposely wanted to upset anyone but when no one uses that car park for three years, and we have no members of any disabilities, then I do use that car park sometimes. She apologised for her actions, saying she never wanted to cause any outrage - but went onto to explain further why she did it 'I do apologise if I had offended anyone but I just wanted my loyal followers to see my side. There's always always that five per cent waiting to comment, judge and criticise for whatever I do. 'I cannot breathe without someone jumping down my throat or accusing me of something or thinking that I have really bad intentions.' Many have chimed into the controversy, claiming her gym was in close proximity to a major shopping centre - meaning drivers with a disability could park there. The original 28-minute YouTube video was taken down after receiving backlash, before it was uploaded again without the parking footage. The young mother admitted that she 'sometimes' park in the disabled spot outside her gym - but apologised for her actions On Tuesday evening, Ashy took to Snapchat to reveal the cruel death threats she received overnight following the backlash After the video was edited and re-posted, a follower shared a still image of a Range Rover, believed to be Ashy's, onto social media. On Tuesday evening, Ashy took to Snapchat to reveal the cruel death threats she received overnight. 'I've woken up to comments from people saying they hope the headline news is that I have been hit by a bus or my head has been smashed in by a gold club,' she said. 'It's just totally unnecessary. Some of the comments that have come through also involve my son... or hoping something happens to him. It's gone too far.' She explained all the horrible remarks have been removed from all her social media platforms. 'When anything involves my family or threats, or hate to that extent, we would just be removing it,' Ashy said. Bluebella has staged its most daring lingerie campaign yet, sending 19 models to strut their stuff in skimp smalls on one of London's busiest junctions. But bosses feared they would have to scrap their 'Dare To Bare' campaign - which involved 19 fans of the brand criss-crossing the street in its award-winning lingerie - when police arrived. But once the two officers realised the women were only posing for the cameras in the road when the green man was flashing, they gave it the all-clear and the fun-loving Met pair even posed with the lingerie wearing group. Bluebella organised the show early in the morning to minimise congestion ahead of London Fashion Week which starts on Friday 15th September. The 'models' included a medical PA, a company boss, four students, two actors, a musician and two writers. Emily Bendell, Bluebella chief executive, said: 'We put out an appeal on Instagram and were amazed at the response with many of the women posing to overcome body confidence issues.' Two Metropolitan Police officers join in the fun with the Bluebella models on a catwalk shoot at Oxford Circus Bluebella's 'Dare To Bare' models taking part in the walk after volunteering for the show Visual merchandiser Lexi Brown, 26, from Beckenham, Kent, had lost two-and-a-half stone after suffering from ulcerative colitis, which is similar to Crohn's Disease. She said: 'This is a great way to get some confidence back. I was a little nervous but it was brilliant fun. 'I play roller derby, like rugby on rollerskates, for Kent and still play despite my condition. I hope to try out for Team England next year.' Rachel Atherley-King, 23, a physiotherapy student at Brunel University in West London, said: 'It was a confidence test for me. I wanted to see if I had the guts to stand in the middle of London in my underwear. Nineteen fans of Bluebella criss-crossing the busy junction in its award-winning lingerie One of the models lost two-and-a-half stone after suffering from ulcerative colitis and wanted to get her confidence back 'I have had anxiety issues in the past where I didn't do anything and I thought this was a good way of properly testing if I have overcome them. I think I have.' The youngest model was Chilli McCormack, 18, a make-up worker from Stanford-le-Hope, Essex. She said: 'I've loved Bluebella for a long time - it all about empowering women and its model always have strong, unique looks. It was a lot of fun and people's reactions were great.' Cheyanne March, 24, a medical PA from South East London, said: 'I wanted to challenge my inner naughtiness. I was nervous but excited.' The 'models' included a medical PA, a company boss, four students, two actors, a musician and two writers Police joined in the fun when a lingerie brand staged a sexy catwalk show at Londonis Oxford Circus Bluebella chief executive Emily Bendell thanked the police for being such good sports. She said: 'We have the best police in the world. The officers had some initial concerns about the safety of the models, but once they knew we were being sensible they were good fun.' 'All the women were amazing on the day. We only had 26 seconds for each take while the green man was flashing, so we had to be super quick. Some of the models volunteered because they've struggled with anxiety in the past and wanted a confidence boost 'We had a brilliant response from the public who were cheering all the girls. 'The girls perfectly represented our diverse and sassy Instagram family and they all looked incredible. 'We have a history of shoots demonstrating both our commitment to celebrating diversity in beauty and of celebrating the city around us and this was the most exciting yet.' Move over Victoria's Secret! The amateur models showed off their fabulous figures in barely there lingerie Student Samantha Higgins in lead as Bluebella's Dare To Bare models cross Oxford Circus with onlookers taking pictures Bendell picked Oxford Circus for the shoot because the diagonal paths on the crossing are similar to a catwalk. She said: 'We are very much a London brand and are constantly inspired by the city around us and this is an iconic London landmark, so it seemed like a great fit.' Bluebella, one of the world's fastest growing lingerie labels, raised 1 million through crowd-funding last year to drive rapid global expansion, particularly in America.Bendell got the idea for Bluebella when she was studying at Oxford University and struggled to find fashion-led luxe lingerie at affordable prices. We often picture women at the turn of the century as a prim and proper bunch, still adhering to the mores of the Victorian age. But that certainly wasn't the case for some forward-thinking women according to black-and-white images from the first men's magazine published in the New York in June 1903, showing ladies downing booze, exposing their corsets and even getting falling into bed together. The titillating pictures - which were extremely controversial for the time - also show Edwardian women spanking each other, wrestling and suggestively smoking cigarettes whilst wearing trousers. The risque photos featured in a spread in the Bifurcated Girls special issue of an American magazine called 'Vanity Fair' - unrelated to the current publication of the same name - which is considered to be the forerunner of today's lads' mags. Indeed the women pictured could even be regarded as trailblazers. A bifurcated girl is discovered beneath a bed in a raunchy photo from Vanity Fair's Bifurcated Girls Special Issue, a risque publication for its time and the world's first ever lads mag Vaudeville performers The Barrison Sisters in the 1890s: Their most famous act was to raise their skirt above their knees to reveal live kittens The risque photos featured in a spread in the Bifurcated Girls special issue of an American magazine called 'Vanity Fair' - unrelated to the current publication of the same name Bifurcation literally meant 'split in two' and Vanity Fair's 'Bifurcated Girls' referred to women who wore trousers, which showed off their two legs. Usually hidden in floor-length dresses still popular from the Victorian era, women's legs were objects of great mystery and desire to the opposite sex. These 'gay girls in trousers' or 'men's togs' were portrayed as being ahead of their time. The bifurcated women drank like men, stripped down to their corsets and would happily get into bed with one another. Spanking was a common theme in the photos, which were considered outrageous at the time A girl forgets to put on a shirt in a raunchy photo from Vanity Fair's Bifurcated Girls Special Issue Bifurcated girls shrugged off the morals of the Victorian age, which ended in 1901, and were picture smoking, downing booze and getting up to all sorts of raunchy acts Bifurcation literally meant 'split in two' and Vanity Fair's 'Bifurcated Girls' referred to women who wore trousers, which showed off their two legs A woman in trousers and a waistcoat takes a drag on a cigarette as she lounges on a table The caption, 'have rough house', under the images of women wrestling was humorous sexual euphemism for girl-on-girl action. Girls performing acrobatics backstage at the theatre And Vanity Fair even featured well-known sex symbols of the time, like actress Lona Barrison who was notorious for her risque vaudeville performances with her sisters. In Lorna's most famous act in the 1890s, she and her four sisters would dance, raising their skirts slightly above their knees and ask the audience 'Would you like to see my p****?' When Lorna and her siblings had coaxed the audience into an enthusiastic response, they would raise up their skirts, revealing that each sister was wearing underwear of their own manufacture that had a live kitten secured over the crotch. Whilst France had a well-established men's magazine industry by 1900, America's first racy publication didn't arrive until 1903. The Commonwealth Publishing Company first published Vanity Fair in New York City in February 1902. The weekly's magazine's pictures of 'Bifurcated Girls' became a regularly requested feature - and this popularity led to the standalone publication of Vanity Fair's Bifurcated Girls in June 1903. However despite the magazine's following and notoriety, The Commonwealth Publishing Company went bankrupt in April 1904 and fell out of print. Girls wearing trousers punish each other with spanking when one tries to be bossy (left). Actress Lrona Barrison who was notorious for her risque vaudeville performances with her sisters (right) The titillating pictures were considered extremely controversial for the time Queen Maxima of the Netherlands pulled a statement hat from her extensive collection to make an appearance at Leiden University. But she was still given a run for her money by two women in elaborate floral headdresses at the university's new Asian Library. The beaming monarch posed for photographs next to the women in traditional dress as she declared the new facility officially open on Thursday. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands chose a monochrome outfit that was in contrast to the colourful attire of women at Leiden University's new Asian Library Queen Maxima accessorised with flower-shaped earrings and an unusual black hat The 46-year-old mother-of-three chose a knee-length black and white dress with a leaf print for the engagement. She added a quirky black hat, flower shaped earrings, and tan and black heels. A wristful of bracelets provided a splash of colour. Leiden University is the oldest in the Netherlands, and the alma mater of the former Queen Beatrix, the mother of Maxima's husband, King Willem-Alexander, as well as the sixth US president John Quincy Adams. Leiden University's Asian Library holds the world's largest collection of books on Indonesia The Queen declared the university's new library officially open in Leiden on Thursday The university is now home to the world's largest collection of books on Indonesia in the Asian Library, which also houses some of the foremost collections on South and South East Asia, China, Korea and Japan. Maxima, who is from Argentina, lost her father Jorge Horacio Zorreguieta over the summer, but has returned to her duties with a busy calendar of engagements. Advertisement The Duchess of Cambridge may be persuaded to try out a new cure for her severe morning sickness - an avocado. Prince William was today given one, wrapped up in a bow, by a little boy whose mother is suffering during her pregnancy too. As William arrived at a swimming pool in Wallesey, Merseyside on Thursday one of the children he met was Archie Weatherall, four. As some children handed over two teddy bears as gifts for Prince George and Charlotte, Archie gave his present. 'He said he's never been given an avocado before,' Christina Lahive, headteacher of Riverside Primary School, says. 'He said he'd take it to her and see what happens - and said good luck for Archie's mummy.' Kensington Palace announced last week that Kate is expecting her third child but has again been struck down with hyperemesis gravidarum, which can causes sufferers to vomit up to 50 times a day. She suffered from it during the first months of her pregnancies with Prince George and Princess Charlotte too. William begun by meeting members of the British Sub-Aqua Club, Merseyside branch where he chatted to divers and instructors of the future. 'I've never been given an avocado before!' William was a good sport when he was handed the fruit by the adorable tot, saying in front of a crowd of onlookers: 'Archie, you're too kind!' 'Prince of Hearts': William spoke to Pagan Tordengrav (pictured) at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool on Thursday when she asked how the family were getting on, after Kate was forced to miss Prince George's first day at school last week Earlier, William revealed that his son, Prince George, had an 'easy' start to his school years as he confirmed pregnant Kate, who is battling morning sickness, is 'doing well'. And he admitted that his feisty young daughter, Princess Charlotte, would be 'trouble' when she is older. Taking to elderly patients in the frailty assessment unit of Aintree University Hospital, in Liverpool, the second in line to the throne discussed his son, four, who started Thomas's School in Battersea last week. He told Teresa Jones, 87, from Kirkby, 'George has been really easy. He hasn't said, 'have I got to do this for the rest of my life?''' When she congratulated William on his children, he replied: 'George rules the roost but Charlotte's not far behind.' He told other patients it had been an 'interesting week'; as well as George starting school, Kate had been forced to announce she was pregnant with their third child several weeks early after developing acute morning sickness. And yesterday a woman was arrested at George's school, Thomas's Battersea, in a major security alert. Of the youngster's first day, William told Teresa, 'Most of the parents were in floods of tears. The kids were all fine.' When Pagan (pictured) asked how Kate was, he seemed to suggest she's improving. He said, 'She's very well thanks. George started school, it's been an interesting week.' Pagan said the little prince looked like his dad and then asked about Charlotte At another bedside, he sat next to Edna Dagnall, 75, who is recovering from a fall that injured her leg, who said she hoped his new baby would be a boy. He told her, 'George started school -- we are all seeing how long that lasts before he doesn't want to go!' Earlier, in the major trauma room he sat down joked with a heavy metal fan that his daughter Princess Charlotte will be 'trouble when she's older!' Cancer Patient Pagan Tordengrave, 55, welcomed him with a handshake and a cheery 'Prince of Hearts!' When he apologised for interrupting the work and peace of the trauma room she said, 'It's a pleasure. You are one of the nicest men on the planet.' The Duke told Teresa Jones (pictured): 'George has been really easy. He hasn't said 'have I got to do this for the rest of my life?'' When she congratulated him on his children, he said 'George rules the roost but Charlotte's not far behind' Speaking to patients today, William admitted it had been an 'interesting week'; as well as George starting school, Kate had been forced to announce she was pregnant with their third child several weeks early after developing acute morning sickness As Pagan made a heavy rock hand sign (pictured), William asked if she was into rock. When she said Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, the prince smiled and said he was more 'soft rock,' and Linkin Park were among his favourites It is understood that the Duchess of Cambridge was included in the early planning for the visit to the Liverpool emergency unit that has undergone a 35 million refit morning but she is still poorly with severe morning sickness When Pagan asked how Kate was, he seemed to suggest she's improving. He said, 'She's very well thanks. George started school -- it's been an interesting week.' Pagan said the little prince looked like his dad and then asked about the youngest member of the family, Charlotte, two. 'She's going to be trouble when she's older, all fathers say that.' The Duke was given an extremely warm welcome as he arrived in Liverpool for a day of engagements in Merseyside on Thursday morning. Dapper William, who looked smart in a suit, arrived to formally open the Urgent Care and Trauma Centre (UCAT) at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool. The Duke, who was greeted by hundreds of wellwishers clambering to capture a snap of the royal, met clinical staff and toured the emergency, major trauma, resuscitation and observation units at the hospital, before meeting some of the elderly patients at the frailty assessment unit. William speaks to Edna Dagnall, 75, who is recovering from a fall that injured her leg, who said she hoped his new baby would be a boy. He told her, 'George started school, we are all seeing how long that lasts before he doesn't want to go!' The Duke of Cambridge speaks to Teresa Jones (left) and Edna Dagnall (right), elderly patients being treated in the Frailty Assessment Unit. It was his final engagement of the day before he met the crew of the hospital's air ambulance helicopter William left the elderly woman in fits of giggles. The Duke of Cambridge also rolled up his sleeves for hospital hygiene reasons as he toured the Emergency, Major Trauma, Resuscitation and the Observation Units The Duke chats to hospital staff on Thursday afternoon. Earlier William was given an extremely warm welcome as he arrived in Liverpool for a day of engagements in Merseyside The Duke chats to clinical staff and patients in Aintree Hospital's Emergency, Major Trauma, Resuscitation and the Observation Units during his visit on Thursday - after one patient dubbed him the 'Prince of Hearts' As she made a heavy rock hand sign, he asked if she was into rock. When she said Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, the prince smiled and said he was more 'soft rock,' and Linkin Park were among his favourites. Pagan, who was with boyfriend Graham Lee, 50, apologised for her look as she lay on the hospital bed. 'You look beautiful,' William told her, charmingly. The new hospital development has a helicopter landing pad integrated in the design just outside the front door -- making transportation of critically-ill patients even more efficient. And soon after he arrived at the hospital, William admitted the air ambulance that had landed outside earlier brought a pang of longing for his flying days. 'It's nice to see the air ambulance. I feel nostalgic about seeing it,' he said. William then rolled up his sleeves for hospital hygiene reasons as he toured the Emergency, Major Trauma, Resuscitation and the Observation Units. He also met some of the elderly patients at the Frailty Assessment Unit at the new centre that will serve 2.3 million people in the north west of England. William chats to wheelchair-bound Katie Daley during his visit to Aintree University Hospital today. Dozens of locals gathered outside the medical centre on Thursday to catch a glimpse of the royal, with some lucky patients having a chat Katie Daley gets a hug from William during his visit to Aintree. Soon after he arrived, William admitted the air ambulance that had landed outside earlier brought a pang of longing for his flying days saying: 'It's nice to see the air ambulance' William, who ended his helicopter pilot job in the summer, is now working on royal duties full time -- and Thursday showed some of the range of interests and activities that he champions. After celebrating the work of medical staff and first responders, he headed to a community hub that works to combat mental health challenges, which is a key theme of his public work. Later, he headed across Merseyside to meet swimmers and divers at the Guinea Gap Leisure Centre pool - and see some water polo, a sport he played at school - in his role as patron of three organisations the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC), English Schools Swimming Association (ESSA) and Swim England. At the BSAC, trainee, Katie Condron, 28, told William she had got into diving at Trearddur Bay, Anglesey in North Wales - where William and wife Kate lived in their first years of marriage when he was in the RAF. 'A great place Anglesey - when the wind's not up,' William joked. 'I've done a bit of kite surfing at Trearddur Bay - though I spent most of the time in the water.' In the clubhouse, William keenly chatted about the polished relics that had been rescued from the deep by the divers. Crossing the road to Guinea Gap Leisure he stopped for excited mothers and schoolchildren to take photos and crouched down to chat to a toddler who proudly showed off his wellington boots. William, who looked dapper in a suit, was mobbed by fans as he arrived for a day of public duties, including opening the Urgent Care and Trauma Centre (UCAT) at Aintree University Hospital and watching a water polo session in Liverpool Prince William's appearance comes after Prince George was back in class today after a female suspected stalker was arrested for attempting to break into his school Inside the pool, he chatted to young diver Frankie Wycherley, 13, who's found his anxiety has been calmed since he joined the club. I was telling him how diving has helped me. He said it was cool," he says. "I couldn't walk down the road without looking down. It's the best thing for me now." Frankie is now planning to YouTube films of him diving when he goes out to open water. After watching and talking with some children doing swimming lessons, he was taken to the neighboring pool where he threw the ball to start a water polo game. The prince played water polo both at Eton College and at St. Andrew's University. The afternoon brought together three related patronages of His Royal Highness the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC), English Schools Swimming Association (ESSA) and Swim England (formally Amateur Swimming Association). Mary Tetley, chief executive of British Sub-Aqua Club, says, "He made everyone feel so absolutely relaxed. He's definitely a man of the people. He had time for everybody - so everybody will have felt special." William's appearance today comes after Prince George was back in class today after a female suspected stalker was arrested for attempting to break into his 20,000-a-year prep school twice in 24 hours. The future king was swept into Thomas's Battersea in a convoy of blacked-out Range Rovers - but it appeared that Prince William and Kate stayed at home. Although it's not clear whether the Duchess of Cambridge, who is expecting her third child, was due to attend today, she was forced to pull out of planned public engagements this month due to severe morning sickness. Prince William waves as he arrived to formally open the new Urgent Care and Trauma Centre (UCAT) at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool.The newly redeveloped Trauma Centre includes the addition of a charity funded air ambulance helicopter landing pad This new unit includes the addition of a charity funded air ambulance helicopter landing pad. He also met staff and service users at the Life Rooms in Walton, a community hub run by mental health trust Mersey Care. The centre offers group and one-to-one advice sessions on finances, addiction, and employment and offers a space for groups to meet. The work of the trust was highlighted to William when he, along with his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, and brother Prince Harry, spearheaded mental health campaign Heads Together to encourage people to speak about their problems. William later paid a visit to the Guinea Gap Leisure Centre in Wallasey, Wirral, on Thursday, where met divers from the Merseyside Sub-Aqua Club and watched children showcasing Swim England's Learn to Swim programme, before viewing the water polo session. William and Kate announced last week they were expecting their third child. She was forced to pull out of planned public engagements due to severe morning sickness. The Duke was greeted by hundreds of wellwishers clambering to capture a snap of the royal The Duke of Cambridge was in high spirits as he arrived to formally open the new Urgent Care and Trauma Centre (UCAT) at Aintree University Hospital William meets Rachel Stead with her grandson Archie Stead (left) and Gray Falconer with his son Archie Falconer (right) during his visit to Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust's Life Rooms in Walton - a community hub and home for the Recovery College Rounding off his trip to Liverpool today, the Duke of Cambridge dropped in at yhe Merseyside Sub-Aqua Club at the Guinea Gap Leisure Centre, Wallasey where he chatted to staff and locals Fancy a dip? William gets a live demonstration from swimmers during his visit to the Merseyside Sub-Aqua Club at the Guinea Gap Leisure Centre - his role as patron of three organisations the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC), English Schools Swimming Association (ESSA) and Swim England Prince William's appearance today comes after Prince George was back in class today after a female suspected stalker was arrested for attempting to break into his 20,000-a-year prep school twice in 24 hours. The future king was swept into Thomas's Battersea in a convoy of blacked-out Range Rovers - but it appeared that Prince William and Kate stayed at home. The 40-year-old woman was detained by undercover police officers yards from the gates yesterday afternoon. Teachers were on red alert after the same woman had been able to briefly talk her way into the building posing as a legitimate visitor a day earlier. She escaped when challenged by staff but was spotted again loitering nearby triggering her arrest on suspicion of attempted burglary. The woman was being questioned at a south London police station last night and one line of inquiry is that she is a 'fixated individual' who has become obsessed with the glamorous Royal couple. A major review was launched last night following a scare experts have called an 'unacceptable breach of security' Prince George, pictured with his father on his first day at school, was back in class today after a female suspected stalker was arrested The prince, four, who is third in line to the throne, was not present at the time of either security scare because as a new starter he leaves at lunchtime. Today he arrived in a black Range Rover driven by an unknown man and with a female passenger. The gates to the courtyard were briefly lifted to allow the prince into school before the 4x4 drove away. George's car was tailed by a second Range Rover which appeared to be driven by a plain clothes police officer. His parents did not appear to be there. Parents remained tight-lipped about the security scares. One parent said: 'The school have been very clear. We have all been told not to say anything or talk about anything.' Others ignored questions about safety at the school. The woman was sitting outside Queenswood restaurant in Battersea Square with two men, one believed to be an undercover police officer, when the arrest operation began. At 2.20pm, an unmarked police car sped into the square followed by a police van which stopped outside the restaurant. Prince George is pictured on his first day of school with his father Prince William as they are met Head of the lower school Helen Haslem at Thomas's Battersea Three police officers, two male and one female, spoke briefly to the woman. She was then searched by the female officer before stepping into the back of the van. She remained composed throughout and did not remonstrate with the officers. One eyewitness, who was eating at the restaurant, said: 'She was just sitting there really quietly with two men in ordinary clothes either side of her. She was completely calm and passive. She seemed completely unfazed.' Commanders at the Metropolitan Police's Royalty and Specialist Protection Unit launched an immediate review of the security operation surrounding his studies. But the incident will raise fears of what could have happened had the woman been a terrorist. One former senior officer last night described the shocking breach as 'very worrying', but added: 'Schools are not fortresses.' The prince only started his studies last Thursday when he was photographed being dropped off at the school by his father, the Duke of Cambridge. The Duchess of Cambridge, who is pregnant with her third child and has been suffering from a severe form of morning sickness, told parents she will meet them at the gates when she, too, is able to do the school run. He's known for his love of organic farming and with such a keen interest in agriculture, Prince Charles looked right at home as he visited the Westmorland County Show in Milnthorpe, Cumbria today. The royal, 68, chatted to locals as he toured the show, which features livestock displays, horse jumping and wrestling, as well as craft lessons from the WI. But while most were casually dressed for the occasion, Charles put on a dapper display for his day in the countryside, donning a grey suit with a burgundy spotted tie. In April 2015, the royal visited Westmorland County Agricultural Society to learn about its educational activities and meet officials and volunteers. The royal shares a joke with a food exhibitor during his tour of the Westmorland County Show Prince Charles chats to a member of the public during his visit to the Westmorland County Show in Milnthorpe, Cumbria Prince Charles had the chance to sample some of the local delicacies Chief executive of Westmorland County Agricultural Society, Christine Knipe, told the North West Evening Mail: 'During this visit, we invited His Royal Highness to return one day, so the fact that he will be with us again to experience the Show fills the Society with great pride. We are absolutely delighted that His Royal Highness will be attending the show this year and we are sure he will enjoy his day with us.' The engagement comes hot on the heels of another very important visit from his possible future daughter-in-law. A report by Us Weekly magazine has suggested that Prince Harry took his girlfriend to Birkhall to visit Charles and Camilla in early September, after their romantic getaway to Botswana. And, according to the magazine's sources, the Suits star, 36, also met the Queen at Balmoral during the visit. Sampling the local delicacies: Charles gets a taste of the local fudge as he meets the stall holders Mint Drinks Co and tastes a sample during visit to the Westmorland County Show Where's your wellies, Charles? He came equipped with a handy walking stick but kept his outfit rather smart The Prince put on a dapper display for his day on the farm, sporting a grey checked suit and wine-coloured tie The Prince of Wales meets exhibitors during his visit to the Westmorland County Show in Milnthorpe Mellow yellow: Charles inspects a neon-hued sheep. During his tour of the Westmorland Show Prince Charles presented prizes and toured the many farm animal displays and exhibition marquees Charles meets locals as well as stallholders and guests during his walkabout of the county show today - including one who was sipping on a cup of local brew (left) The royal eschewed wellies for some rather smart brogues as he walked through the mud-soaked fields on Thursday Charles views the showground silver inside one of the tents at the Westmorland County Show 'It went well,' a source close to Harry reportedly told the magazine. 'It'll no doubt be the first of many encounters. 'She fits perfectly into the family. The difference in backgrounds means absolutely nothing.' Harry apparently decided it was the perfect time to pay a visit to his father and grandmother as he hadn't yet been to Scotland where the Queen is usually joined by family members as she enjoys her summer holiday. Meghan is said to get on well with Prince Charles and Camilla who she's met on several occasions. Melania Trump not only wore flats when she headed to Florida to visit hurricane victims, but the first lady even opted to throw on sneakers while doing a quick outfit change on Air Force One. The 47-year-old, who was labeled out of touch and disrespectful when she donned stilettos to visit hurricane victims in Houston, appeared to have sworn off high heels for her trip to meet with citizens who have been impacted by Hurricane Irma. After wearing $750 black and beige Chanel flats to board Air Force One with President Donald Trump on Thursday morning, Melania changed into a casual button-up shirt, white skinny jeans, and $50 Converse sneakers. Switching it up! Melania Trump changed outfits on Air Force One on Thursday while on her way to Fort Myers, Florida, with her husband, President Donald Trump Casual Thursday: The 47-year-old threw on a button-up shirt and white jeans before stepping off the aircraft Casual accessories: Melania topped off her outfit with a white baseball cap and $50 Converse sneakers Added touches: Melania had her olive green shirt tucked into her jeans, and she donned aviator sunglasses to protect her eyes from the sun Her olive green top was tucked into her jeans, which were cropped to show off her Chuck Taylor All Star sneakers. Melania shielded her eyes from the sun with a pair of aviator sunglasses, and she even threw her hair up into a ponytail, topping of her look with a crisp white baseball cap. She also opted to leave her black Hermes Birkin, which retails at a whopping $11,900 to $12,200, on the aircraft. The first lady was photographed stepping off Air Force One at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers with her husband, and Trump was dressed just as casually in khaki pants, a windbreaker, and a USA cap on his head. The couple was greeted by Florida Governor Rick Scott upon their arrival, and she stood by Trump's side as they listened to the governor speak during a briefing on Hurricane Irma at the airport. And they're off: President Trump gave a salute as the stepped off Air Force One with Melania close behind him Saying hello: The couple was greeted by Florida Governor Rick Scott upon their arrival at Southwest Florida International Airport New 'do: Melania wore her hair in a ponytail and looped through the back of her white cap, which featured an American flag pin Alert: Melania stood by her husband's side as they listed to the governor speak during a briefing on Hurricane Irma at the airport Coming together: They were also joined by Vice President Mike Pence, Senator Marco Rubio, and the Florida governor's wife, Ann Scott (from left to right) Bird's eye view: Melania shared a video of her view as they toured the hurricane damage from the air After the briefing, the president, vice president, and first lady, set off to Naples to meet with people who have been impacted by Hurricane Irma. Melania took to Twitter to share footage of Naples during an air tour of the damage. 'Before touching down in Naples, air tour of hurricane damage. There is much work to be done, but America is with you Florida!' she wrote. The group was photographed walking through the city's streets as they assessed the devastation caused by the hurricane. They then went on to help serve food to people who were affected by the storm, passing out sandwiches and water bottles to those in need. Melania placed her aviators on the brim of her cap and put on on a pair of disposable gloves while handling the food. Showing support: The group then traveled to Naples where they walked through the streets, assessing the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma Main man: The group stood behind Trump as he spoke during the walk through Naples Front row: Melania's view of her husband was reflected on he lens of her mirrored sunglasses Keeping cool: Melania looked comfortable despite the rising temperatures and humidity in Naples Quick pic: A woman hung out the window of her car to capture a photo of the president and first lady as they walked by Giving back: The group then went to hand out food and water to people who were affected by the storm Safety first: Trump and Melania put on disposable gloves before handling the good Teamwork: While the Melania and Trump handed out sandwiches, Governor Scott gave out bananas Ready to go: Melania placed her aviators on top of her cap as she focused on handing out the sandwiches All smiles: Trump, Melania, and Pence also posed for a selfie with a woman in Naples Happy to help: Both Trump and Melania were smiling as they posed for photos together Couldn't resist: Pence took a moment to pet a woman't dog while helping hand out food Back home: Melania had a bright smile on her face as she and her husband returned to the White House later that day Sticking with it: Although she changed clothes on her flight to Florida earlier in the day, Melania left her casual outfit on when the headed back to D.C. At one point Trump, Melania, and Pence brightly smiled while posing for a selfie with one of victims who met with them. Melania left her casual daytime outfit on for the flight back to Washington, D.C., and she was all smiles as she stepped off Marine One on the White House lawn. Last month, Melania caused an uproar when she donned high heels while to visit areas struck by Hurricane Harvey in Texasbut wore similar shoes on a follow-up trip to the disaster-struck state earlier this month. On Thursday, Melania paired her Chanel flats with khaki capri pants and a black safari-inspired jacket, as well as a pair of sunglasses and her signature blowout. Similar flats retail for $750 on Chanel's website. While she seemed to abandon the high heels that earned her severe backlash on her two previous visits, the former model completed her latest outfit with a black Birkin bag by Hermes. The purse is among one of the most coveted, hardest to acquire accessories in the world. Ordinary people with enough savings to purchase one of the typically struggle to get their hands on it, while a few select A-listers get to sling them around their arms. Accessories: Melania wore black and beige Chanel flats as she flew from Washington, D.C. to Fort Myers, Florida with her husband this morning Price: Flats similar to the ones worn by the first lady today retail for $750 on Chanel's website Outfit: Melania paired her Chanel flats with white capri pants and a black safari-inspired jacket, as well as a pair of sunglasses and her signature blowout Expensive: The former model completed her latest outfit with a black Birkin bag by Hermes, which retails at a whopping $11,900 to $12,200 Status symbol: The Hermes purse donned by Melania on Thursday is among one of the most coveted, hardest to acquire accessories in the world Precedent: Last month, Melania came under fire when she was spotted in a pair of black snakeskin heels while on her first visit to Harvey victims in Texas Trip: President Trump addressed reporters as he and his wife departed the White House today Last month, Melania came under fire when she was spotted in a pair of black snakeskin heels while on her first visit to Harvey-stricken Texas, as the hurricane continued beating rain down on Houston, swamping entire neighborhoods and leaving thousands clambering to their roofs to be rescued. On that occasion, she paired the shoes with tailored black capris and a green bomber jacket as she and President Trump departed the White House. Despite the backlash, Melania donned a similar outfit during a second trip four days later, indicating that the high heels were apparently here to stay. Defiant as she emerged from the White House, the first lady strode confidently towards Marine One in her $1,590 Ralph Lauren safari shirt dress and a pair of $650 Manolo Blahnik snakeskin pumps. Clinging to her husband for some support as her stiletto point dug in to the grass on the South Lawn, she turned her back on the wave of criticism she had previously received during her first visit to Harvey-hit regions. Previously: Last month, the first lady paired her high heels with tailored black capris and a green bomber jacket as she and President Trump departed the White House Return: Melania Trump was defiant in her choice of wardrobe four days later to visit Texas, opting for the same Manolo Blanhik pump which sparked outrage earlier in the week Pick: Melania opted for a pair of $650 snakeskin Manolo Blahnik BB pumps that time around On both occasions, Melania changed when she arrived in Texas in pants, a shirt, sneakers and a hat. During her first visit, though, her cap had FLOTUS stitched on the front, which offended many given the grave circumstances in Houston where the bodies of victims floated through flood water and where the only way out was by boat or aircraft. The high heels worn earlier in the day, however, dominated conversation about the president's visit to the afflicted state and divided opinion. 'Who wears high heels to a flood ravaged community?' was one of the complaints before she changed into her shiny white sneakers. New outfit: On both occasions, Melania (pictured left on her first visit and right on her second trip) into pants, a shirt, sneakers and a hat when she arrived in Texas There was some criticism on Saturday, with some claiming her outfit was even worse than earlier in the week Elsewhere, there was resounding approval for the look from her fans. Supporters praised Melania for not giving in to the flack There was resounding approval from her fans on Saturday who praised her as a 'troll master' There was a dose of fresh outrage four days later when she emerged in her second set of pumps. 'Melania in heels again. Does she know it's flood week and not fashion week in TX? Maybe she'll emerge in her white sneakers again?' said one deflated Twitter user. Some said the outfit was even worse than her first attempt. 'Melania in her heels & a dress this time. Trumps are a total fail at optics. A big FU to hurricane victims.' Elsewhere, there was resounding approval for the look from her fans. Supporters praised Melania for not giving in to the flack and celebrated her as a 'troll master and 'bada**.' 'FLOTUS Melania stayed true to herself & to HELL with the haters, as she boarded Air Force One in high heels! She's a troll master! Love her!' Others observed: 'Melania is trolling with those heels'. Throughout the day, Melania later gave out food to evacuees at the NRG Stadium and played with children. Getting stuck in with her husband, the pair lugged cases of water on to the back of trucks and caravans which had lined up at a church in the neighborhood of Pearland later. Online, she said nothing of the debate on her clothes but shared a photograph of her offending outfit from the morning, writing alongside it: 'Departing for #Houston and #Louisiana #HurricaneHarvey.' After Tuesday's backlash, her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said: 'Its sad that we have an active and ongoing natural disaster in Texas, and people are worried about her shoes.' Assisting: In Houston, Melania got stuck in with the hard work. She loaded up waiting cars and vans with cases of water at a church in Pearland (above) News / National by Staff reporter FORMER Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe was in Harare on Tuesday for the official opening of Parliament but snubbed a party caucus held at the MDC-T's Harvest House headquarters in central Harare, NewsDay reported.Khupe is the leader of the opposition in Parliament but has fallen out with MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai over a plan to form a coalition with other democratic forces ahead of elections expected next year."She was at Parliament but did not attend the party caucus. She probably did that because it is obvious that party thugs would have pounced on her. Khupe's fears are genuine and must be addressed," a senior MDC-T official said.Khupe was attacked after rogue party youth stormed a meeting she was addressing along with MDC-T national chairman, Lovemore Moyo and organising secretary, Abednico Bhebhe. Bhebhe has since been suspended along with party deputy treasurer, Chalton Hwende as well as a number of youth over the violence in Bulawayo last month.The youth attacked Khupe and her colleagues accusing the group of working against Tsvangirai's plan for a broad alliance. Khupe and her colleagues had boycotted a meeting of the MDC Alliance that brings together seven parties among them former secretary-generals Welshman Ncube's MDC and Tendai Biti's People's Democratic Party (PDP).MDC-T spokesperson, Obert Gutu said he was yet to get the finer details on the issue."I have heard rumours that she did not attend, but I saw her in Parliament although from a distance. There was a party caucus and as leader of the opposition in Parliament she would have attended, but I cannot say, as of now, whether the caucus was held before or after the official opening or whether she attended," he said.Efforts to get a comment from Khupe were fruitless yesterday.Insiders told NewsDay that Tsvangirai, who had been expected to attend, also did not pitch."He did not attend. There was no explanation, we were just told that he was busy," an MP said on condition of anonymity.But the former Prime Minister's spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka said Tsvangirai had sent a message with his two other deputies, Elias Mudzuri and Nelson Chamisa."He was preoccupied with something, so he sent his message with his deputies, Chamisa and Mudzuri. It is an internal process that has nothing to do with outsiders. The president was represented," Tamborinyoka said.Khupe, Moyo and Bhebhe are reportedly arguing that Tsvangirai did not consult them and party structures in the western regions of the country before inking a pre-electoral pact with MDC leader Ncube.Khupe has also demanded a meeting with Tsvangirai on "neutral" territory after a planned engagement early this week at the former Prime Minister's residence was aborted at the 11th hour. Ivanka Trump looked as though she was on top of the world on Thursday morning, as she stepped out of her Washington, D.C. home with a wide smile on her face. The mother-of-three was pictured leaving her home shortly after 8am, wearing a pretty pink dress with a floral pattern, along with a black pair of her trusty own-brand high heels. Happily smiling for the cameras as she exited the home she shares with husband Jared Kushner, 36, and their three children, Ivanka, 35, appeared incredibly relaxed and carefree, having spent the past few mornings maintaining a low profile, avoiding photographers by leaving her house in a blacked-out SUV. Happy: Ivanka Trump looked as though she was on top of the world on Thursday morning, as she stepped out of her Washington, D.C. home with a wide smile on her face Sartorial: The mother-of-three was pictured leaving her home shortly after 8am, wearing a pretty pink dress with a floral pattern Casual: Happily smiling for the cameras as she exited the home she shares with husband Jared Kushner and their three children, Ivanka, 35, appeared incredibly relaxed On Wednesday night, hours before Ivanka exited her home in the flowery dress, the first daughter and her husband had dinner with Ted Cruz and his wife Heidi at Italian seafood restaurant Fiola Mare. Their double date came the day after the Texas senator's Twitter account liked a pornographic video on the social media platform. He later told CNN the like was the product of an 'honest mistake' by a staffer who now 'feels terrible'. The dinner was happening at the same time Trump had invited the top two Democrats, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to the White House. Ivanka's cheery disposition comes after she revealed in an interview that she will not ever publicly criticize her father, because she considers herself 'part of the team'. 'To voice dissent publicly would mean I'm not part of the team,' the first daughter and top White House aide told the Financial Times. 'When you're part of a team, you're part of a team.' She added that she believes people had 'unrealistic expectations' regarding her influence over her father and his decision making, insisting that 'my presence in and of itself' would not ever cause President Trump to 'abandon his core values'. 'To those critics, shy of turning my father into a liberal, Id be a failure to them,' Ivanka added. Back: The outing comes after Ivanka spent the past few mornings maintaining a low profile, avoiding photographers by leaving her house in a blacked-out SUV. Accessories: Ivanka paired her flowy dress with a black pair of her trusty own-brand high heels Keeping mum: The mother-of-three's cheery disposition comes after she revealed in an interview that she will not ever publicly criticize her father As President Trump entered office in January, Ivanka, along with her husband Jared, also a White House aide, and Gary Cohn, the director of the National Economic Council, were considered moderating factors who could bring the president to a more central stance on issues, instead of to the far right. However, some decisions that Trump made tested Ivanka's clout, including his decision in June to pull out of the Paris climate accord. 'Anything we thought a few months back about how she was going to be a moderating influence on Trump has not come to fruition,' Douglas Brinkley, the presidential historian, told the Financial Times as part of its profile on Ivanka. 'If she's having a major policy influence, it's really being done in a subterranean fashion, because there are no clear signs of it.' The interview with the Financial Times indicates Ivanka hasn't been socially punished by the liberal New Yorkers she grew up alongside. She and Jared 'haven't felt much of a chill in the liberal New York Circle they ran in before the campaign', the newspaper wrote. Among Ivanka's New York City friends is former first daughter Chelsea Clinton. Still, the couple Jared know that friends who might trash them anonymously in the paper won't do it to their faces, according to the Financial Times. A source cited in the piece also said that they recalled only one instance which an acquaintance approached Ivanka with 'a less than positive response' to her involvement in her father's political life. Family: Her husband Jared was also pictured leaving the family house this morning, smiling as he stepped out in a suit and tie Heading to work: Jared, like Ivanka,is a senior adviser to President Trump and has an office at the White House Commemorating: Earlier this week, Ivanka and Jared attended a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House marking the September 11 attacks Talking: Ivanka at one point leaned towards her husband and White House Chief Economic Adviser Gary Cohn prior to a moment of silence in remembrance of those lost in the attacks Laying low: The first daughter shied away from the cameras for the past few mornings. She is pictured on Tuesday leaving her house in a Secret Service SUV This morning, Ivanka's husband Jared seemed to be in high spirits too. He was also pictured leaving the family house, smiling as he stepped out in a suit and tie. Both Ivanka and Jared are senior advisers to President Trump and have offices in the White House. They do discuss their work life at home, although the first daughter acknowledged in her latest interview it might be best to separate their professional and personal lives as much as possible. 'We talk about it,' Ivanka said. 'I think its probably healthier to compartmentalize more. But I dont think this job lends itself to that. I think the weight of the decisions that are made in this building are such that you cant leave it at the door in the same way that you could in the business world.' Although she sought to minimize her influence on her father, she has accompanied him on many official visits, helping him win over crowds and carry his message. Last week, her father told his audience at a rally in Mandan, North Dakota, that his daughter had asked to tag along for the trip with the words: 'Daddy, can I go with you?' Some Republican leaders were 'visibly annoyed' by Ivanka's presence that day, a source told CNN. But the first daughter appears determined to shut down critics. 'Whether my contribution ultimately lives up to the expectations of some of the harshest critics? Only time will tell,' Ivanka told the Financial Times. 'But I will not be distracted by the noise.' Women ranging from a size 10 all the up to a 26 have walked the runway to kick off London Fashion Week in what is being hailed as its first ever 'curve catwalk'. With the average UK size a 16, fashion bosses have regularly come under fire for casting waif-like models to advertise their clothes. But on Thursday evening, seven women of all shapes and sizes took to the stage to showcase their wildly different body shapes in Simply Be's 'size inclusive fashion show' - wearing t-shirts emblazoned with their dress sizes across their chests. Among them were size 26 model Tess Holliday and size 22 Callie Thorpe, both of whom have been outspoken about the plus-size debate in the past. Scroll down for video March of the plus-size models! L-R Tess Holliday, Kelly Knox, Callie Thorpe, Felicity Hayward, Sonny, Ali Tate and Hayley Hasselhoff team up for the LFW 'Curve Catwalk' Tess wore a crushed velvet gold dress that teased just a hint of cleavage and flaunted her pins Size 24 blogger Callie Thorpe takes to the stage in a black top and fringed shirt that showed off more than a glimpse of her legs as she took to the runway on Thursday evening Hayley Hasselhoff, a shapely size 16, showed off her sensational figure in a bustier teamed with a floral bomber jacket and matching skirt as she worked the runway at the start of LFW Holliday was this week forced to defend herself after being accused of 'promoting obesity' during an appearance on Loose Women. The mother-of-two, from Mississippi, said: 'No one is celebrating obesity, I am celebrating being the first model my size in the world to be in an industry where everyone said I couldn't. 'I am celebrating existing in my body and loving myself, when everybody said I wasn't worth anything.' Thursday night's show, held at the Vinyl Factory in London's Soho, was organised by curve clothing e-tailer Simply Be and also starred Hayley Hasslehoff and and Kelly Knox. Hayley, who is the daughter of Baywatch star David, showcased a series of stunning looks including a one-shouldered blue velvet dress (left) and an asymmetrical LBD (right) The women of all shapes and sizes took to the stage to showcase their wildly different body shapes in Simply Be's 'size inclusive fashion show' on Thursday night It comes after the company conducted a study which found that 89 per cent of its customers did not feel that their size was represented in mainstream advertising, on runways, on TV and in the fashion press. In addition, more than half complained that they felt ignored by the high street in terms of the use of imagery of women their size and it simply ignored them when it came to fashion choices. The Curve Catwalk, hosted a stone's through away from Carnaby Street in London, is described as 'a celebration showing that fashion is for everyone regardless of size or shape'. Defiant: Size 26 Tess Holliday was this week forced to defend herself after being accused of 'promoting obesity' during an appearance on Loose Women Blogger Callie Thorpe at Thursday night's show, held at the Vinyl Factory in London's Soho, which was organised by curve clothing e-tailer Simply Be and also starred Hayley Hasslehoff Felicity Hayward joins the line-up. With the average UK size a 16, fashion bosses have regularly come under fire for casting waif-like models to advertise their clothes Angela Spindler, chief executive of N Brown Group, the owners of Simply Be said: 'This isn't about thin shaming - we just think it's time we saw more diversity in terms of size in magazines, in advertising campaigns and on runways at fashion weeks around the globe. Kelly Knox, Diversity campaigner and the UK's leading disabled model, added: 'Fashion should not be defined by ability, size, age, colour or gender choice. Fashion is for everybody.' Hayley Hasselhoff said: 'When the guys at Simply Be asked me to be involved I jumped at the chance. The brand empowers women to be themselves and stand proud saying 'this is me'. Size 14 Sonny and Ali Tate. The show comes after Simply Be conducted a study which found that 89 per cent of its customers did not feel that their size was represented on runways Model Hayley Hasselhoff said of tonight's event: 'The brand empowers women to be themselves and stand proud saying "this is me"' Size 10 Kelly Knox said of the event: 'Fashion should not be defined by ability, size, age, colour or gender choice. Fashion is for everybody' 'This message resonates with what I project out into the world; that the greatest gift is being connected to yourself and loving yourself for all that you are. 'It's amazing to see Simply Be bringing more diversity on the runway because, after all, celebrating fashion shouldn't be dependent on dress size. 'The Curve Catwalk is about representing beauty in all and empowering women to love themselves through fashion. I can't wait to be involved.' Tess recently defended herself against claims that she was 'celebrating obesity' by saying she was only 'celebrating' herself Tess' short dress allowed the model to flaunt her extensive and colourful tattoo collection She later covered up in eye-catching faux fur coat on the Simply Be catwalk Kelly Knox wore a very low cut glittery dress teamed with risque fishnet tights and silver boots She is a queen consort, mother-of-three and ambassador to countless humanitarian organisations. But Queen Maxima of the Netherlands took a break from royal duties when she stepped out in Amsterdam for a concert on Thursday. The Dutch royal, who is married to King Willem-Alexander, looked far younger than her 46 years as she donned a shoulderless 1,550 Roland Mouret jumpsuit for the opening of the new season of the Concertgebouw orchestra. Scroll down for video Royally good style! Queen Maxima of the Netherlands donned a shoulderless 1,550 Roland Mouret jumpsuit for the opening of the new season of the Concertgebouw orchestra Maxima upped the glamour as she teamed the monochrome number with a pair of diamond drop earrings, stiletto sandals and a box clutch bag. Founded in 1888, the Royal Concertgebouw is regarded as one of the world's leading orchestras. Guests of its 'festive' opening season on Thursday night will enjoy a lavish dinner before German star soprano Diana Damrau takes to the stage. It has been something of a whirlwind week for Maxima, who attended the 8th annual LOEY Award ceremony at Amerstam's Cloud Building on Monday. Turning back the clock: The Dutch royal, who is married to King Willem-Alexander, looked far younger than her 46 years as she stepped out in Amsterdam this week No rest for the wicked! It has been something of a whirlwind week for Maxima, who attended the 8th annual LOEY Award ceremony at Amerstam's Cloud Building on Monday Maxima upped the glamour on Thursday as she teamed the monochrome number with a pair of diamond drop earrings, stiletto sandals and a box clutch bag The royal, who is mother to Princesses Catharina-Amalia, 13, Alexia, 12 and Ariane, ten, was born in Argentina and married into the Dutch royal family in 2002 Guests of the orchestra's 'festive' opening season on Thursday night will enjoy a lavish dinner before German star soprano Diana Damrau takes to the stage She rubbed shoulders with marketing entrepreneur Heleen van Oord and American physicist Sabrina Pasterski during the glitzy event. The royal, who is mother to Princesses Catharina-Amalia, 13, Alexia, 12 and Ariane, ten, was born in Argentina and married into the Dutch royal family in 2002, after meeting her husband-to-be in Seville in 1999. Despite insisting she had no idea that Willem-Alexander was heir to the throne when the pair first met, she eventually became Queen consort when her husband was crowned in April 2013. Advertisement Models covered in fake blood stepped over 'bodies' on the runway in a gruesome show at Istanbul Fashion Week on Thursday evening. The Bashaques catwalk show, presented by Mercedes-Benz, had a gory theme and looked more like a crime scene than a high fashion spectacle. The brand describes itself as 'wearable art' and dressed its models accordingly, in bright red clothes to match the fake blood that covered their skin. The collection is the brainchild of designer Basak Cankes, a former student at Central Saint Martins college in London, who says she wants women to be 'inspired' by her artworks. Scroll down for video Models at the Bashaques show presented by Mercedes-Benz were covered in fake blood at Istanbul Fashion Week on Thursday A model in a nude bodysuit looked almost completely naked, and seemed to be the perpetrator of the gory massacre The Turkish brand took to the runway at the Zorlu center in Istanbul this week, leaving fashionistas in the audience eagerly snapping pictures of the frightening scenes. At one point in show a model wore a nude body suit to give the illusion of being completely naked as she appeared under the flashing lights of the cameras. The model looked around helplessly as sea of fake dead bodies who were all covered in blood swamped the catwalk. The blood appeared to be made from string and cleverly stuck onto the models' skin to look as gory and authentic as possible. Basak Cankes says her designs are meant to be 'wearable art' and her show was certainly a performance, with models acting like bodies draped all over the catwalk The models were all dressed in the same shade of bright red but wore different cuts of fabric, with some wearing evening dresses and others wearing trousers with slits in the thighs At one point the near nude model seemed to be waving a fake knife, hinting she was guilty of massacring the other models. The models wore bright red clothing in a variety of cuts, including high-waisted trousers and metallic A-line skirts, which appear to have been created just for Fashion Week. One model seemed to be completely naked save for some strategically-placed fake blood to cover her breasts and privates. As the figures walked down the runway they appeared to be dropping down dead in front of the crowds as the fake massacre escalated. One model looked completely nude as she moved around the catwalk, but her modesty was covered with strategically placed fake blood The fake blood seemed to be red thread that was stuck to the models' skin, but looked very realistic under the bright camera lights The characters all seemed to be clutching fake hearts in their hands and close to their chests as they took part in the sinister spectacle. In the end only the model in the nude body suit stayed alive as the rest of the models lay crowded on the floor in a sea of red. Bashaques is designed by Turkish fashion designer Basak Cankes, who trained at Central Saint Martins in London and at university in her native Turkey. Its website describes the clothes as 'wearable art' that is meant to 'inspire' women. Away from the gory scenes of the catwalk this model looked like she was having fun offstage as she pulled a rather flexible pose for the waiting cameras There appeared to be few survivors of the massacre story, with this blonde model appearing at the end wearing what seemed to be a nightdress covered in blood In the end the stage was littered with fake bodies covered in the fake blood as the audience eagerly snapped pictures on their phones It says: 'The founder and lead designer of Bashaques followed her passion and studied fashion design to create her own dream and build an inspiring future. By benefiting from her experiences with widely known fashion designers like Bora Aksu in United Kingdom, she discovered her talent in painting and pattern design. 'This inner discovery set a milestone in her career and motivated her to create a brand offering wearable art and inspire women with an artistic point of view. 'Basak finds her inspiration in art, different cultures and travelling.' She also worked with London designer Bora Aksu and runs a store in Alacat on the West Coast of Turkey, which she says is popular with local surfers. A mother is hitting back at her gym after an employee asked her to use the restroom to breastfeed her child. Ruha Alford Tacey, 28, recounted her interaction with a gym employee in a Facebook post earlier this week. The Tanner, Alabama mom explained she went to Sports Fit in Athens with her daughter, who suffers from separation anxiety and was having 'a hard time' in the childcare room. In an attempt to comfort her child, Tacey sat in the room with her and breastfed the baby, but when her daughter remained distressed, she resolved to leave. The mother returned to the gym the next morning, which is when an employee asked to talk to her. Speaking out: Ruha Alford Tacey (pictured), 28, is hitting back at her gym after an employee asked her to use the restroom to breastfeed her child Message: The Tanner, Alabama mom (pictured) explained earlier this week she went to Sports Fit in Athens with her daughter, who suffers from separation anxiety Tacey admitted she was left 'pretty bummed out' by her conversation as she recounted the whole incident. 'Yesterday I tried going to the gym (SportsFit Athens, if you're wondering) for the first time and my daughter had a hard time in the childcare room,' she wrote. 'I sat there and breast-fed her to see if she would feel more comfortable in that room. She was still distressed when I tried to leave again, so we left and came back this morning. 'When I badged into the front door, the very friendly guy at the front desk said, "Hey, can I talk to you about something really quick? In terms of feeding your child, when you need to do that, could you just use the restroom?" ' At that point, the mom said, she pointed out no one had ever asked her to do that before. Story: In an attempt to comfort her child, Tacey sat in the room with her and breastfed the baby, but when her daughter remained distressed, she resolved to leave Conversation: The mother (pictured) returned to the gym the next morning, which is when an employee asked to talk to her 'Well, we're a family friendly facility, you see, and yesterday while you were feeding her a man walked by the window,' the male employee replied, according to Tacey. 'I told him a man shouldn't feel shame when he sees a woman breastfeeding. And especially if you're family friendly, you should be super-pro breastfeeding!' the mom added in her Facebook post. The employee then told her, according to her written account: 'I'm not telling you not to breastfeed, I just think a little discretion is in order.' Tacey decided to terminate her membership, and said the employee was 'pleasant enough' and did so 'without penalties'. The DailyMail.com has reached out to SportsFit Athens for comment. Account: Stacey (pictured left with her partner) explained the employee asked to use the restroom next time she needed to breastfeed her child Action: After witnessing the wave of support, Tacey and other mothers decided to organize a 'nurse-in' at the gym (file picture) to help normalize breastfeeding After cancelling her gym subscription, the mom thought this would be the end of it, but she shared her story with her breastfeeding group to cope with the 'bad emotions' she was struggling with after the interaction. ' It's hard enough getting to the gym and trying to work out despite a child with lots of separation anxiety. I was sad!' she wrote. Thirty to 40 women reached out to side with Tacey and her daughter. Her public Facebook post, meanwhile, has gathered 116 likes and supportive comments. 'So sad that the opinion of a man was more important than you and your baby's comfort and freedom. I'm sorry that happened to you but I'm so proud that you're doing something about it,' someone wrote. After witnessing the wave of support, Tacey and other mothers decided to organize a 'nurse-in' to help normalize breastfeeding. She and four mothers with nursing babies, along with several gym-goers, gathered in front of the gym, Tacey wrote in a follow-up post yesterday. At one point, the regional manager invited her inside, and the two spoke one on one. 'He apologized on behalf of himself and the company, and said that the company as a whole is looking at this event as an opportunity to improve their employee training, especially with regards to nursing laws, and identify other interventions to make their members feel more welcome and supported in the future,' the mother wrote. 'I did not get an apology from the front desk worker himself, but that is OK with me because this is not about me as an individual but about nursing moms as a whole. I have been assured that the front desk worker will not be advising future moms to nurse in the restroom however.' An effective HIV vaccine may be a short step away now scientists have overcome a major stumbling block hindering its development. (File render of HIV virus) An effective HIV vaccine may be a short step away now scientists have overcome a major stumbling block hindering its development. The big hurdle has been the inability to generate immune cells that stay in circulation long enough to stop the Aids virus spreading. International researchers believe they have solved the problem by 'unblocking' a process linked to an HIV protein that was halting the production of antibody-generating 'B-cells' from the immune system. Lead scientist Professor Jonathan Heeney, from Cambridge University, said: 'For a vaccine to work, its effects need to be long lasting. 'It isn't practical to require people to come back every six to 12 months to be vaccinated. We wanted to develop a vaccine to overcome this block and generate these long-lived antibody producing cells. We have now found a way to do this. 'What we have found is a way to greatly improve B-cell responses to an HIV vaccine. We hope our discovery will unlock the paralysis in the field of HIV vaccine research and enable us to move forward.' The researchers compared their achievement, reported in the Journal of Virology, to 'preventing a key getting stuck in a lock'. In laboratory experiments, the new approach produced desired immune system responses that lasted more than a year. International researchers believe they have solved the problem by 'unblocking' a process linked to an HIV protein that was halting the production of antibody-generating 'B-cells' from the immune system. (File photo) In future it should be possible to produce vaccines that stimulate long-lasting B-cell responses against HIV, the scientists believe. Prof Heeney added: 'B-cells need time to make highly effective neutralising antibodies, but in previous studies B-cell responses were so short lived they disappeared before they had the time to make all the changes necessary to create the "silver bullets" to stop HIV. 'We hope our discovery will unlock the paralysis in the field of HIV vaccine research and enable us to move forward.' Women can now buy the morning after pill online for the first time in the UK - at a price of just 4.99. It's understood to be the first time the pill is available on the internet, in a move that has already been branded 'alarming' by critics. Chemist-4-U shoppers can order an 'advanced supply' of Levonelle, a generic version of the emergency contraception, at just the click of a mouse. It means women can purchase one pack per order to be stored at home in the event they feel they will need it. Women can now buy the morning after pill online for the first time in the UK - at a price of just 4.99 (file photo) But according to The Sun, women will be required to fill out an online medical questionnaire before ordering the drug and will not be able to purchase more than three packs in six months. Levonelle contains a powerful synthetic hormone that blocks egg production or cuts the odds of an egg implanting in the womb. A description of the drug on Chemist-4-U's website says the pill prevents about 84% of expected pregnancies when it is taken within 72 hours (3 days) of unprotected sex. Currently sales of the emergency contraceptive are restricted in Britain, with single pills being sold one at a time. A short consultation with a pharmacist in store is usually required before purchase. In other stores women complete an online form which is then reviewed by a medical professional. Earlier this summer a row broke out when Boots refused to cut the cost of the morning-after pill. Labour MPs backed demands by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service - the country's biggest abortion provider - for pharmacists to half the price of emergency contraception. Chemist-4-U shoppers can order an 'advanced supply' of Levonelle, a generic version of the emergency contraception, at just the click of a mouse While Superdrug and Tesco agreed, Boots said it would not do so and said it would continue to charge 28.25 for the pill to avoid 'incentivising inappropriate use.' After much criticism, the chain said it was 'truly sorry' and its 'poor choice of words', and was looking at cheaper alternatives. Boots has cut the cost of its version from 26 to 15.99 and Superdrug from 27 to 13.49. HOW MORNING-AFTER PILL WORKS The morning-after pill prevents or delays ovulation after a woman has had sex, meaning an egg is not released or fertilised to make a baby. Side effects include sickness, dizziness, abdominal and back pain, diarrhoea, extreme tiredness and in rare cases, if the pill fails, ectopic pregnancy which can be fatal for both mother and child. The NHS offers two pills, which cannot be taken by asthma sufferers. Levonelle contains a powerful synthetic hormone that blocks egg production or cuts the odds of it implanting in the womb. EllaOne is a chemical that affects the processing of progesterone. In the UK morning-after pills can be bought by anyone over 16, but some pharmacists have started to sell it to younger girls following new NHS guidance two years ago. It is usually free in GP surgeries and NHS family planning clinics, but many women go to a high-street chemist as they are unable to get an appointment in time. The pill can be bought from chemists only after a consultation with a pharmacist. Many women find this judgmental and embarrassing as they are quizzed about their sex life. Boots said it asks about full medical history and any potential drug interactions. Two years ago, NHS guidance was relaxed to make the morning-after pill officially available under-16s. EllaOne and Levonelle were already given to young women by many pharmacists, but the ruling was the first nationwide licensing.. Advertisement The pill can also be bought in Tesco for 13.50. Now Chemist-4-U's latest move has sparked further concerns that greater accessibility to the pill could lead to an increase in STIs. Dr Anthony McCarthy, from the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, told The Sun: 'This is very alarming news. Making the morning after pill available online, even more than making it available in pharmacies, risks women's health for commercial gain. 'We know that with morning after pill use abortion rates do not go down overall but sexually transmitted infections increase due to more sexual risk-taking. 'Will women be made aware of the risks to them and possible risks to their embryos?' But Shamir Patel, director and pharmacist with Chemist-4-U, told the newspaper he 'firmly believes" in offering emergency contraception at an affordable price. He said: 'We believe healthcare should be affordable, and the morning after pill is not an expensive product to produce.' He said that there were 'essential checks and balance' in place to avoid the ordering system being abused. 'It flags up in our system if anyone attempts to buy more than three in a six-month period,' he added. 'We then take measures to prevent this repeat purchasing.' A spokesperson for the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) told The Sun: 'We see women at our clinics who are facing an unplanned pregnancy because they were unable to afford emergency contraception when they needed it. 'We have also heard from women who have gone through immense difficulty, skipped meals or had to borrow money from family members, in order to pay the historically high price-tag for emergency contraception. 'Pharmacies are doing the right thing for women and their wellbeing by reducing the price, and we absolutely commend their commitment.' Mr Patel added: 'We always advise women in an emergency situation to go to their nearest pharmacy that day, rather than waiting a day to receive it from an online pharmacy. 'However our belief is an advanced supply from us avoids the panic in the unlikely event of barrier method failure. 'We advise all patients that the pill should not be used as a regular contraceptive method.' Women with low levels of vitamin D are nearly 50 per cent more likely to develop multiple sclerosis than those who get enough, according to a study. The findings could help to explain why there are higher rates of the disease among those in the North who get less sunlight, which helps the body make vitamin D. It is believed the 'sunshine vitamin', also found in eggs, red meat and oily fish, may help to suppress immune cells that attack the body to cause MS. The disease can leave people wheelchair-bound by severely damaging their muscles. Women with low levels of vitamin D are nearly 50 per cent more likely to develop multiple sclerosis than those who get enough, according to a study US researchers at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston examined blood samples from more than 3,200 women, who are two to three times more likely to be diagnosed with MS than men. Those deficient in vitamin D had a 43 per cent higher chance of getting MS than women with adequate levels. The risk was 27 per cent higher for those deficient in vitamin D as compared with those with just insufficient levels. Lead author Dr Kassandra Munger said: 'We do know there is a higher incidence of MS in more northern countries, the further you move away from the equator. 'One hypothesis put forth for this is that these populations have a lack of vitamin D due to a lack of sun exposure. 'Our study adds to the evidence that vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for MS and that correcting this in women of reproductive age may reduce their risk of developing it. People should discuss with their doctor whether they need a supplement.' Office workers, pregnant women and the elderly are among those said to be at risk of falling dangerously low on vitamin D. The findings could help to explain why there are higher rates of the disease among those in the North who get less sunlight, which helps the body make vitamin D The sunshine vitamin is measured in nanomoles, and people are deficient if they have less than 30 nanomoles per litre of blood. This can be raised to adequate levels of 50 nanomoles with a daily tablet. The American study, published in the journal Neurology, used blood samples from women in Finland. Dr Munger said: 'More research is needed but striving to achieve vitamin D sufficiency over the course of a person's life will likely have multiple health benefits.' Dr David Schley, of the MS Society, said the study shows that vitamin D remains a crucial area of research. Binge-drinking students are permanently damaging their brains' ability to process information, a new study shows. Having five or more beers for men, or in excess of four for women, within two hours leads to distinctive changes in brain activity. Such changes, which can lead to muddled thoughts, are similar to those seen in alcoholics, Portuguese scientists claim. The findings are worrying, as the researchers said for many students, this amount of drinking wouldn't equate to a particularly heavy night. Binge-drinking students are permanently damaging their brains' ability to process information, a new study shows Previous studies found binge drinking was linked to neurocognitive deficits, poor academic performance, and risky sexual behaviour. While studies have found heavy drinking by alcoholics altered brain activity, there is also evidence that bingeing can change a teenager's brain too. The new University of Minho study, based on 80 undergraduates, highlights the damage that can be done by alcohol. Lead author Dr Eduardo Lopez-Caneda said: 'A number of studies have assessed the effects of binge drinking in young adults during different tasks involving cognitive processes such as attention or working memory. 'However, there are hardly any studies assessing if the brains of binge drinkers show differences when they are at rest, and not focused on a task.' 1 IN 4 STUDENTS DRINK TOO MUCH One in four university students drink too much and are harming their job prospects, experts have warned on the back of a new survey. A poll of 9,000 students, commissioned by Magnet.me, revealed the pressure to go out boozing often distracts many from their studies. Thomas Johnston, a final year student at University of Exeter, who took part in the survey, told MailOnline: 'The drinking culture is immense. 'I do feel a sense of peer pressure to go out drinking, all too often. Reflecting on it now, I do feel it has somewhat distracted me from my studies.' Government guidelines recommend that both men and women drink no more than 14 units a week - the equivalent of six glasses of wine. However, 24 per cent of those quizzed reported excessive drinking habits - deemed as consuming 20 units. Two-thirds of these (63 per cent) had no idea what they would be doing after graduating, the research found. Advertisement How was the study carried out? For the study, the researchers wanted to see if the resting brains of binge-drinking students showed any differences to their non-bingeing peers. The students filled in a questionnaire on their drinking habits. Those who had one heavy session in the past month were deemed bingers. Electrodes were attached the students' scalps to assess the electrical activity in various brain regions. What did they find? Binge drinkers had altered brain activity at rest and showed significantly higher measurements of specific electrical differences in brain regions called the right temporal lobe and bilateral occipital cortex. They suffered very similar alterations to those of chronic alcoholics, the researchers said in the journal Frontiers in Behavioural Neuroscience. These changes may indicate a decreased ability to respond to external stimuli and potential difficulties in information processing capacity in young binge drinkers. Alcohol-induced brain damage This may represent some of the first signs of alcohol-induced brain damage and suggested their young brains were particularly vulnerable to the effect of alcohol. Dr Lopez-Caneda added: 'These features might be down to the particularly harmful effects of alcohol on young brains that are still in development, perhaps by delaying neuromaturational processes. 'It would be a positive outcome if educational and health institutions used these results to try to reduce alcohol consumption in risky drinkers.' A record 90,600 complaints were made about GPs and dentists last year, NHS figures show. The number has risen by 10 per cent in a year amid growing frustration about waiting times and a lack of doctors. A total of 208,415 written complaints were made against the NHS in 2016/17, an average of 571 every single day. This figure is also a record high although officials pointed out that hospitals and health trusts had become better at collecting data. GP leaders admitted surgeries were 'buckling under the pressures' of the rising demand and shortage of staff. Family doctors across England are considering closing their doors to new patients because they cannot cope with those already on the register. A total of 208,415 written complaints were made against the NHS in 2016/17, an average of 571 every single day, new figures show The figures from NHS Digital show that in 2016/17 there were 72,668 complaints about GPs in 2016/17 and 11,867 for dentists. This is 90,579 combined, and up by 9.7 per cent on the 82,559 recorded in 2015/16. Experts aren't surprised Rachel Power, Chief Executive of the Patients Association, said: 'Unfortunately we're not surprised to see an increase in complaints relating to GPs. They are the key route in to NHS services when people develop new or greater health needs, and our helpline receives more calls about them than anything else bar hospitals within those calls, information is most often the key issue. 'We know the GP workforce is overstretched, at a time of rising demand. With GPs facing those pressures, one would naturally expect to see more instances of care falling short and patients being dissatisfied. 'It's well understood that we need to redesign services to keep people well in their own homes, reduce people's need to seek help because their health problems have become pressing and, to achieve this, deliver more services in primary care, including in GP practices, that are currently the preserve of hospitals. 'Those changes should help reduce pressures on GPs, but the funding to transform services effectively just isn't available in the NHS's current financial settlement.' A sign of 'tremendous pressure' Lib Dem health spokesman Norman Lamb said: 'This is a sign of the tremendous pressure that the NHS Is under, particularly primary care. 'More and more people are not getting the standard of care they have the right to expect. 'Staff are battling to deliver the best care under difficult circumstances, but the pressure facing the NHS is simply not sustainable.' GPS TOLD TO SLASH HOSPITAL REFERRALS GPs wont be able to send patients straight to hospital without consulting a panel of other doctors under a controversial plan to slash costs. The NHS is rolling out a scheme that requires all family doctors in England to seek approval from a medical panel for all non-urgent hospital referrals. It covers GP requests for scores of procedures, including hip and knee surgery, cataract removals, X-rays and scans. If the panel disagrees with a doctors request, the patient is refused a hospital appointment. The so-called peer review scheme is being expanded nationwide from next week following a pilot in two regions in the North East. Advertisement Professor Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of GPs said: 'GP practices actively encourage patients to submit feedback and raise complaints if they feel that the care and services they have received are below their expectations. It is through patient feedback that GP teams can improve the care they deliver to their patients. 'However, the family doctor service has experienced almost a decade of under-investment and as a result, GPs and our teams are buckling under the pressures of a huge increase in patient numbers but a shortage of doctors to care for them. 'Inevitably, this will occasionally impact on the service we can deliver and this can be frustrating for patients and GPs.' Patients left without answers Experts said many patients who complained about care in GPs or hospitals were fobbed off by staff, and left without answers. Robert Behrens, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, which handles the most serious complaints said: 'The NHS provides high-quality care to millions of people every year but unfortunately we still see a wide variation in the quality of NHS complaint handling. 'Far too many complaints come to us that could have been resolved by the NHS, leaving people waiting too long for answers and delaying important improvements. 'We are committed to working with the NHS to improve the way complaints are handled.' News / National by Staff reporter MDC Proportional Representation MP, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga has reportedly received death threats following a no-holds barred interview with a local radio station in which she appeared to attack MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai over the assault of his deputy, Thokozani Khupe last month.Misihairabwi-Mushonga told NewsDay yesterday she had reported the matter to the police."I have become the subject of death threats and social media attacks by MDC-T activists, who seem to have been angered by comments I made during an interview with a local radio station," the outspoken MP said. She said her attackers had formed WhatsApp groups, one of them called Chirangano, Save Chete Chete 2018."It is a direct twin of (Zanu-PF Mbare-based terror group) Chipangano. They have hurled all manner of abuse at me and I have provided this to the police. It has been easy to track the local numbers, but some of the people are using foreign numbers. I have, therefore, approached the British and South African embassies for help," the former Regional Integration minister said.Save is Tsvangirai's totemMisihairabwi-Mushonga said she had told her interviewer that Tsvangirai's apology following the attack on the former Deputy Prime Minister in Bulawayo last month had come short.Misihairabwi-Mushonga, who claimed she had received over 200 threatening messages, however, remained defiant."I am disappointed in Tsvangirai. I am disappointed that he would allow these people to take his name into the gutter, while he watches. It is a shame that we are not allowed to pass comments on someone who is bidding to be the leader of our country. I shudder to think what would happen if he happens to have State power at his disposal."But I will not be intimidated. If I have fought Zanu-PF abuse, I will not certainly allow abuse from the MDC-T," she said.Harare police spokesperson, Inspector Simon Chazovachii said he was yet to be briefed on the issue. Robert Harris displays all his gifts again as he recounts Neville Chamberlains visit to Munich in September, 1938, when the then British Prime Minister was anxious to avoid war MUNICH by Robert Harris (Hutchinson 20) MUNICH by Robert Harris (Hutchinson 20) For his twelfth thriller, Harris returns to the rich seam of history that inspired his first hit, Fatherland, where he imagined a scenario in which Hitler had won World War II. Harris displays all his gifts again as he recounts Neville Chamberlains visit to Munich in September, 1938, when the then British Prime Minister was anxious to avoid war. With exemplary research and the addition of two fictional old Oxford friends on opposite sides of the diplomacy (the thriller element), Harris portrays Chamberlain in a far more favourable light than he is usually cast by opponents of his appeasement with the Fuhrer during those dramatic days. The tall figure of Chamberlain waving his piece of paper at the foot of the aeroplane steps is brought superbly to life. But it is the story of his negotiations with Hitler that grip, casting him as a formidable, almost heroic, figure. A LESSON IN VIOLENCE by Jordan Harper (Simon & Schuster 12.99) A LESSON IN VIOLENCE by Jordan Harper (Simon & Schuster 12.99) This is one of the most striking debuts I have read this year. Visceral, violent and utterly compelling, it nevertheless shines with humanity. An 11-year-old girl called Polly goes on the run with her brutal father Nate, who has just been released from jail with a price on his head from a vicious prison gang called Aryan Steel. The gang want father and daughter dead theyve already killed Nates ex-wife, Pollys mother so the pair take off in a stolen car in a desperate attempt to escape. Carrying her teddy bear, Polly is a girl with gunfighter eyes and the temperament to match. She becomes her fathers partner in crime, a young Bonnie Parker to his Clyde Barrow, and every bit as adept at violence as he is. The race across the country is as fast and furious as the TV screenplays that Harper writes, but there is also such an unmistakable warmth in this portrait of father and daughter that it brings tears to the eyes. THE GIRL WHO TAKES AN EYE FOR AN EYE by David Lagercrantz (MacLehose 20) THE GIRL WHO TAKES AN EYE FOR AN EYE by David Lagercrantz (MacLehose 20) This fifth thriller in the Millennium series, initiated by the late Stieg Larssons The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, continues the life of enigmatic, belligerent computer hacker Lisbeth Salander. Here we find Salander in prison, determined to protect a vulnerable fellow female inmate who is being tortured by a prison gang. Add a warden who is frightened of the gang as well as Salanders troublesome twin sister Camilla, with links to Swedish crime and the Russian mob, and you have all the ingredients to allow Salander to wreak havoc, helped, as ever, by investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist. Expertly told, the plot crackles with life. Sadly, I have never warmed to Lisbeth too stony, too relentless, too charmless but there is no denying the spell she weaves over millions. Memoir A LIFE OF MY OWN by Claire Tomalin (Viking 16.99) Some people manage to sail through their lives almost unscathed by personal tragedies. Not Claire Tomalin, award-winning biographer of, among others, Thomas Hardy and Jane Austen. In her 84 years, she has suffered three. Her son Daniel lived for just a month. Her first husband, journalist Nick Tomalin, was killed in 1973, aged 41, by a heat-seeking missile in the Golan Heights, Israel. And in 1980, one of her three daughters, Susanna, changed from being a golden, brilliant Oxford undergraduate to a small husk of herself, in the grip of black depression that led to her suicide. On top of that, Claire and Nicks last child, Tom, was born with spina bifida, and has never been able to walk. Doomed: Claire and her first husband, Nick, a journalist killed in Israel in 1973 aged 41 In this beautifully written memoir, Tom comes across as an adorable, adored boy, for whom having spina bifida is possibly the least interesting thing about him. Tomalin recalls of the days after Toms birth: Its hard to describe the intensity of the bond between mother and newborn, but it is as fierce and romantic as any love affair. When the situation is uncertain, precarious, threatening, the love grows fiercer. When she was a young widow and Tom was being brought up in a female household with a mother and three sisters, Claire started employing male nannies for him. The innocent young Tom said to a bearded stranger in a shop in Camden: Why dont you shave? My nanny shaves. At which, she writes, the man left the shop rapidly. Those verbal brushstrokes exemplify Tomalins ability to depict character. She has a gift for saying important things, but not dwelling on them or overwriting. Of her daughters death, she writes: I should have protected her, and I failed. The system failed, too, badly and inexplicably, and so she was lost. But theres a serenity about Tomalin, with an inner grit and joyousness, that has got her through the darkest times. Coming across her French father Emiles memoir later in life, in which he described the misery of his marriage to her English mother Muriel, Claire discovered she had been conceived not only without love, but with the gritted teeth of murderous loathing. A LIFE OF MY OWN by Claire Tomalin (Viking 16.99) Pretty and clever, Claire achieved a first in English at Newnham College, Cambridge. There, she met Nick, a handsome, Left-wing undergraduate, and was swept into marrying him by the enthusiasm of their families. At her wedding she heard her father-in-law say to him: You will be good to her, Nick, wont you? There was, she noticed, an unmistakable note of doubt in his voice. After their third daughter, Emily, was born, Claire found herself living through the most banal of stories, as the neglected wife of a faithless husband. He could be violent; she has kept the broken wooden hand-towel rail that he smashed while aiming to punch Claire when he discovered that she, too, had had a brief fling. The marriage carried on until 1973 when he was killed in Israel. Heartbreakingly, a letter from him arrived a few days after his death, and a postcard for Tom. With admirable clarity and honesty, Tomalin writes: However much I missed him, I was already distanced from him. I had learned too well that I could not depend on him. She became a literary editor and biographer, and in 1974, when she was 40 and the novelist Martin Amis was 25, they had a thrilling love affair: she couldnt resist the charm of his smokers voice, so deep that it made him sound older than he looked. But I began to realise that what I thought of as a love affair was more like membership of a club. Now she is happily married to the novelist and playwright Michael Frayn. Middle-aged love proved stronger than anything I had known before, she writes, and enduring. The National Green Tribunal on Thursday dismissed the Centre's plea seeking modification to a 2015 court order. The tribunal noted that emissions from diesel-run automobiles is carcinogenic in nature and one such vehicle causes pollution equivalent to 24 petrol vehicles or otherwise 40 CNG vehicles. A bench headed by Mr Justice Swatanter Kumar dismissed the government's appeal on the ground that the Supreme Court has also junked a similar plea. SMOG: A judge has dismissed the government's pleas to overturn a ruling whioch bans diself vehicles from the streets of India's capital. Findings show that diesel engines create 24 times more pollution than that of petrol vehicles The green panel said the ministry of road transport and highways which had in 2015 ordered the banning diesel vehicles that are over 10 years old in Delhi - did not file any review plea and moved the tribunal 'in the guise of seeking modification'. The bench that delivered the judgement also comprised Justices Jawad Rahim, RS Rathore and one expert member, BS Sajwan. Diesel engines emit PM2.5, airborne particles and liquid droplets measuring less than 2.5 micrometres. The Indian Capital is one of the most polluted in the world. Over 1 billion people call the city home. The Capital's air a noxious combination of exhaust, dust, smoke from wood and dung-fired stoves, burning leaves and industrial output is among the dirtiest in the world, according to a the World Health Organization Because they're so small, they penetrate deep into the lungs and pass into the bloodstream, say experts. The Centre had earlier opposed the ban, saying there was a 'misconception' that only diesel pollutes the environment. The Capital's air a noxious combination of exhaust, dust, smoke from wood and dung-fired stoves, burning leaves and industrial output is among the dirtiest in the world, according to a the World Health Organization. The green panel had issued an order last year, directing the Delhi regional transport office to de-register all diesel vehicles operating in the city that are over 10 years old. This was after several representations on air pollution by think tanks such as the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). About 1.61 lakh cars, jeeps, tractors, etc, were expected to become scrap after this. The court also said that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) must identify less-polluted states and cities where these can be moved to. But the Delhi government had expressed difficulty in even doing this. Every state that the government of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi approached to accept its over 10-year-old private diesel cars, which are now de-registered by the NGT, refused to take them. The standing counsel of Delhi government, Tarunvir Singh Khehar, said this before the NGT in January. 'As per the honourable court's order, we wrote to all the states not once but twice. 'We asked them if they have identified cities/areas which are not heavily polluted and have low motor vehicle density, thereby making it logical to run Delhi's old diesel cars there. Residents of the Indian capital of New Delhi, one of world's most crowded cities, are stuck in a traffic jam while trying to get to work. City planners have long thought of building a metro system to tackle a traffic problem that seems to get worse by the year. 'But of the 29 states, only four or five replied,' he told a bench headed by justice Swatanter Kumar. 'And of those which replied, all have clearly refused.' This submission was made when the court was hearing a petition filed by a resident of Delhi, Anoop Bagai. He sold his over-10-year-old diesel Mercedes Benz Model E-280 in October last year to a buyer in Gujarat. However the vehicle was not accepted by the RTO there. Rapist Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been diagnosed as a sex addict by a team of doctors, who have visited the locked-up spiritual guru. The physicians said the prisoner was suffering from a disease known as satyriasis an excessive and uncontrollable desire for sex. A court last month found the self-styled godman guilty of raping two of his followers in a case that dates back to 1999. Doctors said Ram Rahim has no access to physical pleasure in jail On Wednesday, a team of five doctors, including a psychiatrist, from the medical institute PGIMS examined Ram Rahim. They were called to examine the rapist at Sunaira Jail in Rohtak following complaints that he was feeling uneasy and restless. The doctors concluded that Ram Rahim was a sex addict and the uneasiness was linked to withdrawal symptoms, and nothing more serious. Interestingly, during his rape trial, Ram Rahim had said he was medically unfit to have sex and that he was impotent. The special CBI court, however, rejected his claims. Sources said Ram Rahim is believed to have told the doctors that the health issues are a physical manifestation of some withdrawal symptoms he is suffering from. 'The baba is, in fact, a sex addict. He has no access to physical pleasures in the jail which is the cause for his restlessness. 'He can be treated. However, if the treatment is delayed, it can lead to a bigger problem,' said a doctor who examined him. Gurmeet Ram Rahim during a music launch function (stock photo) However, it remains unclear whether he is addicted to drugs as well. Some reports suggested that the Dera chief consumed alcohol until 1988. 'He may not be drinking liquor now, but he regularly consumed energy drinks and sex tonics that were specially imported from Australia and other countries,' said a doctor. New Delhi: Honeypreet Insan was photographed with Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh at the promotion of a film last year (stock photo) Sirsa: A deserted view of Dera Sacha Sauda before the pronouncement of the prison sentence to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh It has also emerged that he has asked prison authorities to allow 'physiotherapist' Honeypreet to stay with him in the jail. The colourful sect leader had reportedly threatened the jail staff, after she was asked to leave the jail complex. Meanwhile, IT head of Dera, Vineet, was arrested on Wednesday. Police seized hard discs that were stashed in toilets. The storage devices have recordings from around 5,000 CCTV cameras fitted on the Dera premises and of Ram Rahim before he was sent to jail. Sources said this arrest could open up significant leads in the case. A growing slum market in the middle of posh Vasant Vihar area in south Delhi has become a source of endless nuisance for local residents. The 'Indira Market' which dates back to 1960s and runs for about 500-700m next to the famous Al Kauser restaurant is overflowing with shanties. Once a vegetable market, it now predominantly hosts meat stalls, with slaughter leftovers dumped into a huge adjoining nullah (watercourse). Cows wandering through the rubbish-strewn area in south Delhi An unbearable stench and flies pervade the whole area. Suresh Goel, president of the Vasant Vihar Welfare Association, said: 'Until the late 1980s, this place used to be a beautiful local market, supplying fresh vegetables and even pottery to the Vasant Vihar area. 'It would be lined with kumhars (potters) and utensil makers. But now, we completely avoid this market, thanks to the foul smell from the outdoor meat shops and open defecation along the drain. The place has gone to the dogs.' South Delhi's Indira Market is now plagued by open drains, garbage stink and open meat shops Residents complain that the South Delhi Municipal Corporation has made no effort to either close the unlicensed meat shops, unclog the drain or clean up the market. A few residents also expressed apprehensions over the growing population in the jhuggis, with some claiming that these could be illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants. The residents pointed at the UNHCR office in close proximity at B Block. Some of them also said that instances of burglaries and drunken brawls have become common occurrence of late. Indira Market However, Mail Today could not verify such claims from police records. SDMC mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat said: 'I am not aware of any such problems being faced by the Vasant Vihar residents. The aggrieved persons have not brought any issue to my notice so far.' Sehrawat said sanitation-related measures will take place in a week's time after an inspection of the area and consultation with her staff. A few years back, an aircraft passing overhead was hit by a bird which was attributed to the eagles and kites hovering overhead in large numbers due to the meat market and drain, locals recalled. 'At that time, the director general of civil aviation had said that having meat markets close to airports was unsafe, but no step was taken after that,' one resident said. For other locals, there is concern about a law and order problem. There have long been complaints about rubbish piling up elsewhere in public areas Romesh Chopra, an advertising veteran who lives in Palam Marg, alleged: 'My house was burgled on August 27. 'One of my servants, a young fellow, entered my house on stealth, assaulted and robbed me. Before this, he had made two attempts since May and fled. 'I provided to the police all evidences that he left behind by mistake his Aadhaar card and mobile phone besides the police verification which had been done. 'I was told that they were searching for him in Unnao, UP, but I wondered if they had looked in Indira Market,' said Chopra. The market is not supposed to be located on an arterial road of the capital and must be relocated and made a secure, formal and modern place, for residents and also the sake of shopkeepers, he suggested. Another resident of Palam Marg, Chitra Shakdher, said: 'My only issue with Indira Market is the traffic bottleneck it is creating after the construction of a new flyover on the main road. 'It especially becomes a problem on Saturdays and Sundays with encroachments by shopkeepers and traffic spilling on to the service lanes.' The Rohingya refugee debate is far from over in India as the government continued to make a strong pitch for their deportation. India Today TV has exclusively accessed a copy of the affidavit that the government was all set to file in the Supreme Court where it argues that the refugees are a security The government is thought to have held back the document for tweaks at the last moment. The ministry of home Affairs will ask the SC not to interfere with the deportation process, saying they are illegal immigrants and hence can't stay in India. 'Some of them are militants': The Ministry of Home Affairs will ask the Supreme Court not to interfere with the deportation process, claiming that some of the fleeing refugees are a 'security threat' The government has made a security pitch as well as a right to resources plea to the Supreme Court. The government fears that the north-eastern corridor that has already seen many insurgencies, including ULFA in Assam and Naga uprising in Nagaland as well as a volatile Manipur, could be further exploited by elements from the Rohingya Muslim community. The affidavit adds, 'There is also a serious potential and possibility of eruption of violence against Myanmar government/its diplomatic missions and also against Buddhists who are Indian citizen who stay on Indian soil by the radicalised Rohingya.' Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have fled from Myanmar following a military crackdown, which the UN has described as 'ethnic cleansing'. Many taking refuge in Bangladesh and some then crossing a porous border into India. Myanmar says its forces are carrying out their legitimate duty to restore order after guerrilla attacks last month on security posts and an army camp in which about a dozen people were killed. Interestingly, the Narendra Modi government has connected militancy with sections of Rohingyas living in India. A Rohingyan refugee cradles his infant son. Almost 400 Rohingya are estimated to have been killed. The minority Muslim group are barred from citizenship in Myanmar despite them living there for generations 'Some of the Rohingya with militant backgrounds are also found to be very active in Jammu, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mewat, and have been identified as having a very serious and potential threat to the internal/national security of India,' said the affidavit. A senior official -on condition of anonymity - said they have particular objection to Jammu as the radicalised elements. Mewat, not far from Delhi, has in the past seen communal tensions which authorities believe can be exploited by these elements with the Rohingya Muslims living in India. Rohingya pictured fleeing the overwhelmingly Buddhist country of Myanmar, where attacks against the government have led to reports of genocide Hyderabad has been a hotbed of ISIS sympathisers with many being arrested and questioned for days as they embarked to go to Syria. Agencies fear the growing presence of Rohingya Muslims in the southern city is a ticking time bomb that is impossible to monitor 24/7. Minister of State for Home, Kiren Rijiju said this month that the Rohingya living in India have to be 'pushed back'. Dr Jitendra Singh, who handles the Ministry Of Personnel, told India Today TV that their deportation is natural and there is nothing wrong in it. Members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party also feel that a tough stand on the issue will send a positive message to the party's core constituency that will help it in upcoming assembly elections in key states. Security is not the only pitch the government is making. 'Providing facilities/privileges to illegal immigrants out of the existing national resources , apart from above referred direct threat to national security, would also have a direct adverse impact upon Indian citizens. 'It would deprive the Indian citizen of the legitimate share in the employment sector, subsidized housing, medical and educational facilities.' Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe launched the 508-km long Ahmedabad-Mumbai High Speed Rail project on Thursday with a groundbreaking ceremony at Sabarmati station in Ahmedabad. Both leaders found unique ways to express the importance of this railway deal between India and Japan. Modi focused on job creation, environment and progress that the bullet train will bring. He said: 'This is the new India, and the flight of its dreams is endless. The bullet train project will bring speed and employment. It is human-friendly and eco-friendly.' India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe signing documents Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) with Japan PM Shinzo Abe at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project Bullet train Abe on the other hand emphasised the importance of this friendship and partnership and Modi's vision of Make In India. He said: 'PM Modi is a farsighted leader. He made a decision of making New India and chose Japan as a partner. We completely support it. Japan is committed to the scheme of Make in India.' A top government official said that during his career, he had not witnessed a single project that had gone from conception through to implementation at such pace, ironically adding that 'speed was the key'. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe The `1 trillion-worth bullet train project will have a capacity to accommodate 750 people and is expected to drastically reduce travel time. The train will travel at an average speed of 250 kilometres per hour and a top speed of about 320 km/h, twice the top speed of the fastest train in India. It will stop at each of the 12 railway stations en route, but only for 165 seconds. While many political parties are calling this venture a political gimmick, Modi emphasised it was a good deal for India as, 'Japan will fund more than 80 per cent of the project's cost, providing a 0.1 per cent interest loan due to be repaid over the next 50 years'. Originally, completion of the project was pegged for December 2023, but during the launch, Modi said this would be a gift to India on her 75th Independence Day anniversary. The bullet train will go from 'Aapnu Amdavad to Aamchi Mumbai (My Ahmedabad to Our Mumbai)', Modi said after the event. Earlier, Japan joined India in condemning militism. In a joint statement, the two countries asked Islamabad to bring to justice the perpetrator of the 2008 Mumbai and the 2016 Pathankot attacks, allegedly carried out by Pakistan-based groups. Abu Ismail was killed by security forces on Thursday, after they tracked his accomplice's mobile phone to Jammu. Government forces tracked the cellphone number of the elusive Lashkar-e-Taiba militant Abu Ismail's aide and gunned down both of them in Jammu on Thursday. By killing the LeT commander, security personnel avenged the victims of the July 10 attack on Amarnath pilgrims of which he was allegedly the mastermind. Seven people died and about 20 were injured in the terror strike on a bus in the Valley. Ismail, who was a resident of the state of Punjab in Pakistan, was an A++ category militant who had sneaked into India in 2016. He had taken over the command of Lashkar operations from Abu Dujana, who was eliminated by security forces in August. 'Main accused of the Amarnath Yatra attack Abu Ismail along with his associate Abu Kasim have been eliminated in Nowgam,' Jammu Police Chief SP Vaid announced. Army sources said the intelligence input for the action was provided by the technical cell of the J&K police, which had been tracking the mobile phone of Ismail's accomplice and were following his movements closely since that morning. Security personnel during the search operation for militants at the site of the attack on a Yatri bus in which seven pilgrims were killed and 19 others injured 'After confirming the input from sources on ground, the joint security team surrounded a particular house in Nowgam where Ismail was hiding with Kasim. 'Caught by surprise mainly due to the speed with which the cordon was done, they also started retaliating. 'The operation ended in less than 30 minutes without causing any injury to any of the troops here,' the spokesperson said. The exercise was carried out jointly by state police's special operations group, Army's 50, Rashtriya Rifles (Kumaon) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). J&K police's technical cell has been instrumental in the killing of many top militant names including Bashir Lashkari, Abu Dujana, Sabzar Ahmed Bhat and Burhan Wani in the last couple of years. Senior Army sources said Ismail's death is a great success for security forces as he was involved in a large number of bank robberies to provide support to the militant infrastructure, which was alleged to have been hit badly by a cash shortage and attacking military personnel. Security person stand guard after militants opened fire on the Amarnath Yatra in which some pilgrims were killed in Anantnag Seen as an aggressive militant by observers, Ismail used local terrorists in his group of men to contact their on-ground workers (OGWs). An injured woman being treated in a hospital after militants opened fire on the Amarnath Yatra Army's Victor Force of the Rashtriya Rifles which looks after the area said the elimination of Ismail was important as it will further create a vacuum in the LeT leadership. Actress and former Miss World Priyanka Chopra has just produced an entire film based in Sikkim, titled 'Pahuna: The Little Visitors', but she obviously does not know much about the state. For most of Thursday the Baywatch star was trolled for declaring that Sikkim is a state 'troubled with insurgency'. People took to social media to call her remark 'insensitive' and the backlash later forced her to apologise. Priyanka Chopra attends Paramount Pictures' World Premiere of 'Baywatch' in Miami Beach, Florida on May 13, 2017 Priyanka wrote a letter of apology to the government of Sikkim, a state known for its peaceful history, while her mother, Madhu Chopra, reportedly apologised to the state's tourism minister. The star wrote: 'I'm sorry I have to write to you under these circumstances ... but I needed to clarify my stance in regards to the situation which has arisen due to a comment of mine during an interview for my film Pahuna, which was misunderstood. 'As you are aware, I hold the Government and the people of Sikkim in high regard... Pahuna is a film that brings a message of hope and positivity.' Priyanka, 35, said that her comment, made at the Toronto International Film Festival 2017 where the film had its global debut, was misconstrued. 'I was talking about the Sikkimese film industry and also the subject of the film, where I mentioned how Sikkim was grappling with the refugee situation caused by insurgencies. 'I had meant by the 'neighbouring countries'. I am fully aware that Sikkim is an incredible host nation to so many refugees,' she wrote. Priyanka added: 'I should have been clearer with my intention. In no way did I intend to offend or hurt anyone's sentiments and for that I apologise.' The actress had made the controversial statement during an interview with ET Canada: 'Sikkim is a small state in the northeast of India which never had a film industry or anyone who made films from the region. Former Miss India, Priyanka Chopra, who went on to become Miss World, appears for a photocall (stock photo) 'This is the first film ever that's come out of that region because it's very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations.' In reality, Sikkim is India's fourth richest state in terms of income per capita and is among the nation's cleanest and most literate states. The state does not have a proper film industry, but Priyanka's is certainly not the first film coming out of the area. Perhaps the actress did not notice these facts while filming Pahuna in Sikkim. This is the second time in a month that Priyanka has been trolled. She was earlier slammed on social media for preferring to visit Syrian refugee children over kids in India. In May this year the actress was also criticised for exposing her legs when she met India Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A sales and profits bonanza at Morrisons has been hailed as one of the greatest high street turnarounds following a four-year slump. The supermarket chain saw profits jump an incredible 39.9 per cent to 200m in the half-year to July while sales across stores open for more than a year soared 3 per cent higher an impressive feat for a retailer. Its the seventh consecutive quarter of growing sales Morrisons has boasted since David Potts was appointed chief executive. His transformation plan brought an end to a four-year slump as the chain suffered from the arrival of German rivals Aldi and Lidl. Morrisons had been one of the biggest losers as shoppers left for the low-cost upstarts. But by slashing prices, hiring thousands of workers to help customers, and calling time on underperforming stores, Potts, 60, has led a revival. In his latest attempt to boost the supermarket, Morrisons has struck a deal with McColls to supply the convenience store chain with Safeway products. The partnership will see Safeway and branded products in 1,300 convenience shops and 350 newsagents, starting from January next year. Morrisons said the move will also secure wholesale sales of 700m, including tobacco, by the end of next year, with the amount rising to 1bn. As a result of the deal it has increased its profit guidance for the full-year. Other changes under Potts have seen the grocer add hand car washes at its stores, improve its own-label range and expand its Best range, due to hit 1,000 products by the end of the year. The retailer has also cut the cost of 2,607 products in the first half of the year under its price crunch initiative. Analysts were impressed. John Ibbotson, director of retail consultancy Retail Vision, said: Morrisons has quite simply been transformed over the past two years. Given the cut-throat market were in, this has been one of the great retail turnarounds. Dave Potts has kept his strategy simple and, in the grocery world, simple is generally best. By re-energising its food proposition and in putting customers first, Morrisons has regained their trust. This is another warning shot to the discounters, Aldi and Lidl. Crucially, Potts understands that Morrisons cannot now rest on its laurels but needs to build on the momentum it has achieved. Staying still is a dangerous game for todays supermarkets, however established, and however deep their pockets. Potts, a father of two, has spent his entire career in grocery. He first had a summer job at Tesco while studying for his O-levels. He failed all five of them. He went on to retake his Maths and English qualifications and joined Tesco full-time. He became the chains youngest store manager at the age of 24, and continued to work his way through the ranks. The grocery industry has been consolidating in recent months, in order to see off the threat which has been posed by discounters Aldi and Lidl, and by Amazon, which sealed its 10.7bn deal to buy healthy retailer Whole Foods last month. Tesco is currently hoping to finalise a 3.7bn takeover of convenience chain Booker by Christmas, while Sainsburys is rumoured to be pondering a takeover of Nisa. But, unlike its rivals, Morrisons has shifted focus to bolstering its lucrative wholesale business. Its twin deals with Ocado and Amazon means that is has a presence as a branded retailer and a wholesale supplier. Despite the boost, shares at Morrisons were down 5.1 per cent, or 12.6p, to 232.4p. Some analysts were disappointed that sales had only risen 2.6 per cent in the second quarter after a rise of 3.4 per cent in the first. Others had hoped for a full-year profit upgrade or hints of future special dividends. News / National by Staff reporter POLICE are looking for a 28-year-old man who allegedly killed his sister and buried the body in a shallow pit in the backyard of their Old Magwegwe home.Since the body was exhumed on June 19, the man has been on the run.Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said Silinde Ncube is wanted in connection with his sister's murder."We are appealing for information that may lead to the location and detention of a murder suspect Silinde Ncube alias 'Nde' who went missing on 19 June 2017. His last known address is Number 1339 Old Magwegwe suburb where he stayed with his sisters, Angela Tshuma and the now deceased Patience Ncube," reads the statement.She said Angela left home for Esigodini on June 14 and left Patience and Ncube at home.Upon her return, she could not locate her sister and her brother said Patience had suddenly left for South Africa.When she realised that all of Patience's belongings, including all her clothes and personal possessions were in the house, she became suspicious and reported the matter to the police.Police later received a tip off that Ncube had been seen digging a pit in the yard in which he had buried an unidentified object.Acting on the tip off, police officers dug at the spot and discovered the deceased's remains.Insp Simango said anyone who may have information on Ncube's whereabouts must report at the nearest station."Anyone with information that may assist in the location of the suspect is kindly asked to contact the investigating officer Constable Mbofana on mobile number 0775 102 264 or the officer in charge of CID homicide Bulawayo, Detective Chief Inspector Mwezi M on (09) 71568 or 0772 312 645 or the nearest police station," she said.In another matter, police are investigating a suspected murder case after the body of an unidentified man was found in an advanced state of decomposition last month.The man who had a deep cut on the neck was found at Mazwi Nature Reserve in Umguza on August 13."The deceased was putting on a grey pair of trousers, a long sleeved striped blue and white shirt as well as a multi-coloured T-shirt and multi coloured boxer shorts. He was also wearing a brown blazer, a cream plastic belt and a white cap," said Insp Simango."Anyone with information that may lead to the identification of the deceased should contact the officer in charge CID Homicide Bulawayo Inspector Siwela S. on 0775 503359 or on (09) 71568 or the Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Bhebhe M. on 0773 022 723 or on (09) 77523." Deutsche Boerse has agreed to pay penalties worth more than 9m to settle an insider trading investigation against its boss. Prosecutors in Frankfurt looked into whether chief executive Carsten Kengeter had bought shares in Deutsche Boerse despite knowing it was in talks to buy the London Stock Exchange (LSE). But the investigation now looks set to the formally dropped after the German company agreed to pay 9.3m of fines, to draw a line under the scandal. It is thought that 50-year-old Kengeter, who lives in Wimbledon in London and sends his children to British schools, could also face a small fine. Probe: Prosecutors looked into whether Carsten Kengeter had bought shares in Deutsche Borse Deutsche Boerse whose planned merger with the LSE was abandoned earlier this year will hope the deal lifts the cloud over Kengeter. The company said that although it has accepted the fines, it maintains the allegations were unfounded. By doing so, Deutsche Boerse aims to ensure that the company can refocus as quickly as possible on managing the business and leave behind the serious burdens placed on it by the investigation proceedings, it said. Deutsche Boerse, however, does not share the public prosecutors view concerning the accusations raised. Kengeters reputation has been damaged by his failed attempt to land the LSE and create a 21bn financial powerhouse. The deal fell apart when it was blocked by European regulators, much to the relief of UK critics worried part of the Citys infrastructure could fall into German hands. Today sees the launch of the new 10 note featuring Jane Austen to much fanfare. Last year, This is Money revealed how new 5 notes, featuring Winston Churchill, with serial numbers starting with AA01 were trading hands on online marketplaces such as eBay for large sums shortly afterwards. It helped create huge interest in collecting coins and notes. New tenner: Today, those eager to get their hands on the notes will be able to get their hands on them As a result, a number of eager collectors may be looking to get their hands on crisp new 10 notes with low serial numbers today. The Bank of England expects the new notes will be available at a number different cash machines from today and can exchange them at its Threadneedle Street counter from 9am. It told This is Money that there will be a mixture of serial numbered notes coming today. Chancers are already listing notes on eBay - and it is likely as the week goes on, a pile of new 10 notes will appear on online marketplaces for speculative prices. Jane Austen: The writer has a huge fan base overseas, which could drive up the price of some low serial numbered notes Serious collectors may be in the market for AA01 notes, with low following numbers, or ones that are rounded. For example, combinations such as AA01 000333, AA01 555555 and AA01 909090. Grouped notes also sell well. Last year, a seller sold three consecutive AA01 notes for 456. Really low notes are given away. For example AA01 000001 will go to the Queen, and a bunch of other low serial numbers to other people close to the process. There will also be a charity auction next month for the notes. Last year, we revealed how AA01 000017 - the lowest available - sold for a whopping 4,150. Off the presses: The polymer 10 note follows the Churchill fiver last year Furthermore, collectors may be interested in other notable serial numbers. For example, ones starting JA (Jane Austen) while there is no doubt going to be a rush of people flooding eBay with AK47 notes. Other examples to watch out for are serial numbers 16 121775 and 18 071817 - this is Jane Austen's date of birth and death respectively. Serial number 28 011813 is the date that Jane Austen's most celebrated novel, Pride and Prejudice, was first published. The author has a huge following outside of Britain, so it could well be that overseas collectors will be interested in getting their hands in some of these notes, driving up the price. However, what these notes actually sell for is not clear until they start circulating and until bids start rolling. Remember, sellers can list them for whatever they want, but it doesn't mean they will sell for that price. Additionally, it is worth pointing that a year after the 5 note hype, the market has settled and you can now pick up a random AA01 note for 7 on eBay. QUEUE FORMING AT 7AM... This morning, This is Money visited the Bank of England to get our hands on the new tenner. At 7am, the queue was already dozens deep with the eager public looking to exchange old 10 notes for new ones. Some had camping chairs, waiting there since the small hours. Queue: At 7am, a queue had already formed outside the Bank of England as the public look to get their hands on the note However, there is no guarantee they will get their hands on a low serial numbered version. The one we got has a serial number starting AH42. But it is likely that those queuing will put them straight up on eBay in the hope of making a tidy profit. A New Zealand MP has been forced to deny he is a Chinese spy after it was revealed he spent a decade teaching at an espionage school in the Communist country. China-born Jian Yang, who has been an elected member of the ruling National party for six years, taught at the Luoyang Foreign Languages Institute, an elite school for Chinese intelligence officers. But this information is not recorded anywhere on his official biographies in New Zealand, despite him serving for two years on the committee for foreign affairs, defence and trade. Jian Yang, a Chinese-born MP for the ruling National party, has denied being a Beijing spy after it was revealed he spent 10 years teaching at an academy for espionage agents It is also concerning because New Zealand is a member of the 'Five Eyes' intelligence sharing alliance, that includes the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia. The information was uncovered during a joint investigation between the Financial Times and Newsroom, an independent New Zealand-based media group. They discovered that Mr Yang first entered the People's Liberation Army in 1978 as an undergraduate in English language studying at the Air Force engineering academy, where he taught after graduation. He then moved to the Luoyang Foreign Languages Institute, which is attached to China's equivalent of the US National Security Agency and trains military intelligence officers and deep cover agents. Mr Yang, a prominent fundraiser for the Nationals, said the allegations are a smear campaign ahead of the upcoming election Peter Mattis, an expert on Chinese intelligence at the Jamestown Foundation in Washington, told the paper: 'Everyone I know who's attended the institute has been in Chinese military intelligence or at least has links to that system.' Mr Yang left the institute in 1989, and the Times says it is unclear what he did until leaving China to study at the Australian National University in Canberra in 1994. After that he went on to work in universities in New Zealand, before making the switch to politics. During his time with the Nationals he has often advocated for closer links to Beijing, and proposed policies that are in line with China's ruling Communist party. He is also a prominent fundraiser and has accepted donations from large-spending anonymous individuals, local media reports. Mr Jian condemned the 'defamatory statements' and said he was a proud New Zealander who had been transparent about his background. New Zealand is a member of the 'Five Eyes' intelligence-sharing network, which also includes the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia 'This is a smear campaign by nameless people who are out to damage me and the National Party 10 days from an election, just because I am Chinese,' he said He also questioned the timing of the allegations ahead of a September 23 election, in which his ruling National Party is in a tight race to retain power. Prime Minister Bill English refused to comment on whether New Zealand intelligence services had investigated Jian, but said he was aware of the MP's background. Following the reports, the National Party released a resume submitted by Yang in 2012 that listed the Chinese government institutions he had supposedly tried to keep secret. A spokesman for China's ministry of foreign affairs said it did not usually comment on the internal affairs of other countries -- but stated 'we are firmly opposed to false reports, groundless accusations and falsifications from some media'. Women buying for themselves are replacing men as the main purchasers of diamonds, jewels giant De Beers reveals today. A record one quarter of all sales in 2016, over $18 billion, were made to 'self-purchasing' women in the top four global markets - the US, China, India and Japan - according to the company's annual Insight report. In Hong Kong, they bought 55% of all diamonds sold. The De Beers research pinpoints the rising numbers of women in paid employment prompting the new trends in gifting and self-purchase. Scroll down for video Accessorize like RiRi: Diamond fan Rihanna was wearing plenty of the jewels as she appeared at New York Fashion Week earlier in September. Women now account for a quarter of all diamond purchases in a dramatic shift in who buys the jewels The company says there is a growing desire of consumers to use the sparkling stones to celebrate diverse 'moments' outside of relationship milestones; such as job-promotions and the rewarding of individual success. 'In centuries past, diamonds were viewed as the preserve of masculinity. They increasingly became seen as symbols of romantic love, usually gifted by men to women,' said Bruce Cleaver, CEO of the De Beers Group. 'However, while much more still needs to be done to correct the balance on gender inequality, women now occupy a much wider range of roles in society and more senior positions in the workplace. 'They have a more powerful voice and command a higher share of global spending than ever before. 'And the trend towards greater female empowerment is only set to grow further. The meaning of diamonds may be undergoing its most significant shift in decades,' he added. The report highlights how consumer demand for diamond jewelry saw marginal growth in 2016, driven by strong performance in the US, where demand exceeded US$40 billion for the first time. The growth in women buying for themselves reflects the increase in female spending power. Today, in the US, 69 per cent of millennial women aged 18 to 33 are in the labor force, compared with 78 per cent of men in the same age group. This is a significant shift from the baby boomer generation: in 1963, the participation of men aged 18 to 33 stood at 88 per cent, and women of the same age group at 41 per cent. These trends are bringing about rapid changes in the relative earning power of the genders. Traditional approach: Scott Disick, 34, took Madison Beer, 18, and Suede Brooks, 16, to a jewel store in New York to look at diamonds this week but didn't buy them any bling Enthralled: Madison seemed mesmerized by the jewels on offer in the store, and was seen trying on some of the trinkets The research indicates that 24 per cent of women in the US are already earning more than their spouses. And it forecasts that more than half of all US households will have a woman as a major income-provider by 2025. The narrowing gap in labor force participation between men and women is also leading to a corresponding decline in the difference between their earnings. De Beers' report shows that self-purchase in the US and Japan is more likely to be among married women. Most self-purchasers are aged over 35 and have medium to high income levels. The most popular types of jewelry are rings across all markets while in the US, earrings are a close second. The average price paid in the US is $1,300. 'Women have greater confidence to celebrate all the key occasions in their lives not just those connected to their relationship,' the report said. 'Success at work, memories of a happy holiday or simply "just because" will become increasingly powerful reasons to buy. 'For decades, diamonds have been marketed almost exclusively as gifts of love and symbols of marriage. 'While this universal and powerful motivation will remain the bedrock of the industry, new opportunities are clearly emerging as the position of women in society and the economy evolves,' says the report. Advertisement A 15-year-old boy who allegedly opened fire on his high school classmates, and killed his best friend, simulated shootings in bizarre YouTube videos and was known to post violent messages on social media. Caleb Sharpe walked into Freeman High School in Rockford, Washington, on Wednesday morning, armed with a rifle and a handgun, and started shooting, police say. A boy, identified by witnesses as Sam Strahan, was shot in the head and killed when he confronted Sharpe in the hallway to try to stop the attack before it began. Sharpe then gunned down and wounded three girls as students frantically ran down the corridors screaming. A member of staff then heroically stepped in and put an end to the rampage, authorities have said. Students said the second floor, next to the school's biology labs, was left covered in blood. Terrified students were seen in photos hiding under desks in classrooms as the school was placed on lockdown. Sharpe was then apprehended and taken to a juvenile detention facility. Michael Harper, a 15-year-old sophomore, said the suspect had brought notes in the beginning of the school year, saying he was going to do 'something stupid' and might get killed or jailed. Harper said the shooter had many friends and was not bullied, calling him 'nice and funny and weird' and a huge fan of the TV show 'Breaking Bad.' He also said the suspect was obsessed with other school shootings. Around a month before the attack, Sharpe posted a strange footage of himself shooting a toy gun. He added sound effects and graphics simulating gun blasts to the clip to make it appear more realistic. Scroll down for video Caleb Sharpe, 15, walked into Freeman High School in Rockford, Washington, on Wednesday morning, armed with a rifle and a handgun, and started shooting, police say Sharpe was obsessed with guns and violent TV shows such as 'Breaking Bad', according to classmates. Around a month before the attack he uploaded a video simulating the shootings The strange video shows himself shooting a toy gun. He added sound effects and graphics simulating gun blasts to the video. Other students said Sharpe was passing out notes saying he was planning on doing 'something stupid that could get him killed' A student at Freeman High School in Rockford, Washington, shared this photograph of students sitting on the floor during the shooting on Wednesday Sharpe is known to post messages on social media with violent themes. He is seen above recording himself on YouTube while holding a gun in a screenshot of this undated video Victim: Sam Strahan (left) was killed as he tried to stop the shooter. The 15-year-old's father Scott (with him left) died earlier this year in a car accident. High school custodian Joe Bowen (right with his wife) convinced the gunman to stop shooting The three wounded students were rushed to hospital and are expected to survive. The shooter brought two weapons to Freeman High School in Rockford, south of Spokane, but the first one he tried to fire jammed, Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich told reporters. 'He went to his next weapon,' Knezovich said. 'A student walked up to him, engaged him, and that student was shot. That student did not survive.' The sheriff said the shooter fired more rounds down the hallway, striking the other students, before a school custodian approached the shooter and ordered him to surrender, Knezovich said. Knezovich called it a courageous act that prevented further bloodshed. The sheriff said a deputy who works as a school resource officer arrived shortly thereafter and took the shooter into custody. Elisa Vigil, a 14-year-old freshman, said she saw one male student shot in the head who janitors covered with a cloth and another female student wounded in the back. In another social media post, Sharpe is seen holding a large bullet in his right hand The three wounded students were rushed to hospital and are expected to survive Authorities say no officers fired their weapons and Sharpe had been disabled by the time officers arrived. The image above shows Sharpe in the foreground and a table in the background with two guns on top of it The classmate said Sharpe had brought notes to school in the beginning of the year, saying he might get killed or jailed 'He never really seemed like that person who had issues,' Harper said of Sharpe Sharpe's social media posts indicate a person who was obsessed with violence This video from YouTube shows a friend of Sharpe's running with a gun during a mock simulation Sharpe is seen in the above screenshot from a YouTube video holding what appears to be a rifle A friend of Sharpe's is seen in the above YouTube video simulating war games in an outdoor jacuzzi Sharpe and the boy he killed were said to be 'best friends,' according to a woman whose child attends the school Harper said Sharpe had been watching documentaries about other school shootings before Wednesday's incident. 'One of my best friends brought a gun in a duffel bag to school and I guess three people were shot and one was killed and we all hid in the corner of our home room,' Harper said. 'We were all crying and texting. We heard the gunshot and heard everyone running and screaming.' One student said Sharpe sent him photographs of a school shooting documentary he'd been watching recently but that he never imagined he would ever commit such violence. 'I was thinking that maybe it wasn't my friend but then I had an idea it was all the documentaries he's been watching and thinking he sent me a picture on Snapchat when we were talking and it was a documentary and I was like: 'There's no way he could do this!' Now I'm thinking he might actually have gone through with it.' The shooting sent worried parents to the school in a frenzied rush, authorities said. Students were evacuated from Freeman High School in Rockford, Washington (above) shortly after the shooting A student is seen being taken away from the school after reuniting with her family Parents were seen taking their younger children out of the nearby elementary and middle school afterwards Parents flocked to the scene and were forced to wait for news behind police lines There was a flock of police cars and parents' vehicles shortly after the shooting at 10am on Wednesday Brian Schaeffer of the Spokane Fire Department said the shooting was especially hard for first responders, many of whom have children at the school. A two-lane road into the community of about 500 people near the Idaho border was clogged with vehicles. Some people abandoned their cars on the street to make it to their children. Cheryl Moser said her son, a freshman at Freeman High School, called her from a classroom after hearing shots fired. 'He called me and said, 'Mom, there are gunshots.' He sounded so scared. I've never heard him like that,' Moser told The Spokesman-Review newspaper. 'You never think about something happening like this at a small school.' Spokane County Sheriff's Officers rushed to the scene and went 'floor to floor'. Authorities say the shooter was 'eliminated' but will not say if they are still alive Terrified parents were told to go to the campus football field to await more information Spokane Fire Department Chief Brian Schaeffer said the suspect was in custody Authorities didn't immediately release the ages of the victims. Stephanie Lutje told The Associated Press that she was relieved to hear her son was safe after his high school near Freeman was put on lock down. She commended the school district for its communication. 'It's been amazing, within probably 15-20 minutes of hearing about it, I'd already received a phone call, I'd already received a text message saying that their school is OK,' she said. She still worried for others she knew, including a co-worker who had yet to hear from her son, a sophomore at Freeman. 'My stomach's in knots right now,' she said. Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement that 'all Washingtonians are thinking of the victims and their families, and are grateful for the service of school staff and first responders working to keep our students safe.' A third Melbourne council will dump official Australia Day celebrations, with one Socialist councillor likening it to 'celebrating the Holocaust'. But Moreland City Council will continue to hold citizenship ceremonies on the date to avoid losing its right to host them altogether. The inner-north Melbourne council voted on Wednesday night in favour of dropping all references to Australia Day and to join the push to change the date. Socialist Alliance councillor Sue Bolton likened Australia Day ceremonies to the Holocaust Moreland City Council has become Melbourne's third local government to ban Australia Day celebrations Socialist Alliance councillor Sue Bolton said hosting ceremonies and events on January 26 was 'grossly insensitive' to indigenous people, likening it to the deaths of six million Jews at the hands of the Nazis. 'It would be like celebrating the Nazi holocaust,' Ms Bolton said in the meeting on Wednesday. Assistant Immigration Minister Alex Hawke condemned Councillor Bolton's comments. 'The Turnbull Government strongly condemns comparisons of Australia Day with the Nazi Holocaust as deeply offensive to all Australians,' he said. 'Australia Day, 26 January, is a recognition of our shared history and the Turnbull Government, along with the vast majority of Australians, indigenous and non-indigenous, fully support Australia Day remaining on January 26.' Australia Day celebrations have offensively been likened to the Holocaust (Auschwitz Concentration Camp survivors in February 1945 pictured) The Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland was used by the Nazis to kill Jewish people Three Melbourne councils have banned Australia Day events arguing the day is insensitive to indigenous people Another councillor, John Kavanagh, did not support moving Australia Day ceremonies and said it was a decision for the federal government to make. The federal government last month stripped Yarra and Darebin councils of their right to host citizenship ceremonies after successful votes to shift them to another day. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last month described Yarra City Council's decision to change the way it commemorates the day as 'utterly out of step' with Australian values. 'On Australia Day, we recognise the greatness of our achievement as Australians,' Mr Turnbull said in parliament. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull with new Australian citizens in Canberra on Australia Day 'To change the date would be to turn our back on Australian values.' Moreland in 2015 moved its annual citizen awards ceremony to October. The Australia Citizenship Ceremonies Code says local councils should hold ceremonies every two to three months and notes that Australia Day - along with Australian Citizenship Day on September 17 - are 'significant days' in the calendar when 'local governments and community organisations can play an important role' in raising awareness of citizenship. Where has the mischief and cheering vituperation gone at Prime Ministers Questions? It is a measure of how prosaic this now routinely over-long affair has become that at yesterdays exchanges no one mentioned Jean-Claude Junckers delicious, self-inflating state of the union address in Brussels. Did you see Nigel Farages riposte to Juncker in the European Parliament? It was a corker. We could have done with that sort of fluent clarity and pungent directness at the Commons. Instead, wristwatches were consulted, necks craned to the ceilings, doodling reached epidemic proportions and the Commons clerks wished they had not dispensed with their horsehair wigs, for they could have pulled them over their eyes and had a snooze. Jeremy Corbyn, coasting at present, put little obvious effort into his questions for Theresa May In the Chair, Speaker Bercow reclined with satisfaction as he extended the session until well past its supposed half-hour cut-off point. Bercows weird mania for getting in every MP on the days Order Paper is helping to kill PMQs. Perhaps that is his intention. The two best cracks of the day came from that well known comedienne, er, Theresa May. When Madam Glumbucket is your top humorist, things really must be dull. After referring to union leader Len McCluskey, she added, Mahatma, as his friends call him (Mr McCluskey has compared himself to Gandhi and Mandela). And when the relentlessly bouncy Michael Fabricant (Con, Lichfield) asked a question, Mrs May noted that bachelor-boy Fabricant was soon to appear on a television show called Celebrity First Dates. She added: Im not sure if he is the celebrity or the first date. You maybe have to be familiar with Mr Fabricant and his ways to appreciate the comedy in that barb. Jeremy Corbyn, coasting at present, put little obvious effort into his questions. He started by saying that care for the disabled was a catastrophe, but soon gave up that line of attack and spoke about pay rates in the public sector. Then he lurched to student debt dangerous ground for him, given the U-turn he has made on his promise to help students. Where has the mischief and cheering vituperation gone at Prime Ministers Questions, writes Quentin Letts He ended with a gloomy litany about how dreadful Britain was. The way he told it, we were a Third-World sort of country with nothing to look forward to. If he is not careful, old Jeremy will become a caricature pessimist, a Meldrew/Eeyore, the sort of bloke who looks at the skies on the morning of June 22 and says, with satisfaction: The nights are drawing in. Little of this caused much difficulty for Mrs May. Nor did she have any trouble with the Scots Nats Ian Blackford, who too easily rises to the bait and squawks his outrage at the Prime Ministers replies. This only generates noise (of crossness on the SNP benches and amusement elsewhere) and we lose any drama the moment might have promised. The TV viewer is just left with an image of Mr Blackford furiously gobbling the air as he expresses his fury at Mrs May. Speaker Bercows weird mania for getting in every MP on the days Order Paper is helping to kill PMQs. Perhaps that is his intention, writes Quentin Letts Anna Soubry (Con, Broxtowe), who is considered one of the Tories prime rebels on Europe, went out of her way to help Mrs May when Emma Lewell-Buck (Lab, South Shields) attacked her for not visiting the parents of two children who died in the Manchester bomb attack during the General Election campaign. Mrs Lewell-Buck said that these parents felt ignored by the Prime Minister. Mrs May responded sensitively to this criticism, but Miss Soubry, from her distant seat, made clear that she thought the Labour MP was straying into improper territory. Disgraceful! she muttered. It would surely be unfair to expect a Prime Minister to visit every single family bereaved by every single terror attack. It is probably best if politicians neither boast about visiting the bereaved nor make discordant parliamentary points when someone has not been visited. The clocks hand moved. We passed 30 minutes, then 45 minutes. The Chamber was emptying fast, MPs no longer interested by a procession of queries, many of them no better than charity plugs. More is less, Mr Squeaker. Ted Cruz has addressed his past views on bedroom etiquette that resurfaced after his Twitter account 'liked' a pornographic video. The Republican Texas senator told CNN one of his staffers made an 'honest mistake' and insisted it would never happen again. He then discussed his time as solicitor general in Texas when he defended a law restricting the use of sex toys. Cruz summonsed his more liberal leanings when he commented further on the issue of sexual proclivities by saying 'Consenting adults should be able to do whatever they want in their bedrooms.' In the interview Wednesday he also doubled down saying it was one of his staffers who had, erroneously, hit like on the pornographic video from his Twitter account and that he 'promises they feel terrible,' although he would still not name them. Scroll for video Ted Cruz went on CNN with Dana Bash to discuss various topics, when the issue of the 'like' of a hardcore porn video from his Twitter account came up Ted Cruz blamed an aide for accidentally liking a hardcore porn video from his Twitter account The Texas senator appeared to like the post late on Monday, according to multiple Twitter users. He claimed an aide was responsible for the like Ted Cruz joked that he wishes the gaffe would have happened during the Indiana primary for publicity purposed The interview, with CNN's Dana Bash, was on a myriad of topics, but became pointed on the pornographic front when she posed: 'I can't believe I'm going to ask you this, but so you're officially saying Ted Cruz is okay with people buying sex toys?' Bash was hearkening back to a vote back in 2007, when Cruz was not yet a senator but a solicitor general, and he argued in favor of a law that had previously banned the sale of sex toys. 'Can you appreciate the irony that you once defended a Texas law banning sales of sex toys?' Bash asked. Cruz said the media was 'just totally false' in referencing that 2007 sex toy ban proposal. He went on to say the banning of sex toys was a 'stupid law'. 'Listen, I am one of the most libertarian members of the Senate. I think it is idiotic,' he said. 'But, it is an opportunity for knuckleheads in the media to claim, oh, isn't this ironic that Cruz wants to ban these things'. Cruz, who previously stated it was a male staffer who hit 'like' on the video, said he would not give up their identity as the matter had been dealt with internally. 'The media and the Left seem obsessed with sex. Let people do what they want,' Cruz added. The Texas senator stunned his Twitter followers after his account Monday night 'liked' the clip. Ted Cruz called pornography a public health crisis in 2016 and said it is destroying the lives of millions What will it be? Since the tweet was liked just after 9.30pm in LA, some celebrities were awake to react to the like The account @SexuallPosts thanked the conservative senator for watching the pornographic content Ted Cruz's tweet was up for a surprising amount of time, perhaps because no one with access to the account was awake Ted Cruz was trending within minutes of liking the pornographic video on Twitter Ted Cruz's college roommate implied this behavior was not unusual for the Texas native People in the UK, including Piers Morgan, were awake and able to laugh at Ted Cruz for the unfortunate like He appeared to 'like' the x-rated clip late night, but it was redacted around 40 minutes later. Cruz told reporters that 'it was a staffing issue and it was inadvertent. It was a mistake. It was not a deliberate action.' 'This is not how I envisioned waking up this morning,' Cruz said. 'Although I will say that if I had known that this would trend so quickly, perhaps we should have posted something like this back during the Indiana primary.' In July of 2016, Cruz said in a GOP platform draft: 'Pornography, with its harmful effects, especially on children, has become a public health crisis that is destroying the life of millions.' 'We encourage states to continue to fight this public menace and pledge our commitment to children's safety and well-being. We applaud the social networking sites that bar sex offenders from participation. We urge energetic prosecution of child pornography which closely linked to human trafficking.' While Cruz was the solicitor general of the state of Texas, he helped argue in favor of banning sex toys in the Lone Star State. The video he liked does not appear to feature any sex toys. In 2015 he watched hardcore pornography with Supreme Court justices when the court was considering regulating online porn. He told the Washington Post: 'We were in front of a large computer screen gazing at explicit, hardcore pornography. Cruz's college roommate Craig Mazin also tweeted: 'Now imagine Ted Cruz is doing this four feet below you in the bottom bunk bed. Yes, my misery very much appreciates your company.' Colin Thubron, an acclaimed travel writer, hit out at the 'annoying' praise as he took part in the announcement of this year's shortlist for the prestigious prize The blurbs authors put on the back of books are 'embarrassing' and make readers feel 'incompetent', a Man Booker Prize judge has claimed. Colin Thubron, an acclaimed travel writer, hit out at the 'annoying' praise as he took part in the announcement of this year's shortlist for the prestigious prize. Thubron, who was longlisted himself for the Man Booker for To The Lost City in 2002, said some blurbs 'almost blackmail' readers into believing it is their fault if they do not enjoy the novel. He even said the gushing praise from other critics and authors published on book covers make him 'cringe.' While he read the titles submitted for this year's 50,000 prize, Mr Thubron said he had learnt to ignore the quotes. 'Blurbs are outrageous in certain places,' he said. 'There seem to be..., even quite well known people, who seem to earn their living making those blurbs and saying 'this is the most profound book of our generation.' Blurbs are generally short, promotional pieces that are used to accompany a piece of work usually from well-known critics, fellow writers or celebrities. The author, known for travel classics such as In Siberia, Shadow Of The Silk Road and To A Mountain In Tibet, said he had seen one publisher give the same blurb for three novels. He said: 'There are certain blurbs and authors' quotes, from other authors... which do raise your expectations... that almost blackmail you into feeling that you're either intellectually or morally incompetent if you don't love this book or you've failed if you haven't understood it... that if you haven't loved it, you haven't got the point. These can be pretty annoying. 'What other people think doesn't matter at all.' The Man Booker Prize for Fiction is awarded each year for the best original novel written in the English langage and published in the UK. In 2014 the rules were changed to allow novelists from outside of the Commonwealth. Thubron, known for travel classics such as In Siberia, Shadow Of The Silk Road and To A Mountain In Tibet, said he had seen one publisher give the same blurb for three novels On the official website it reads: 'The prize underscores Man Group's charitable focus on literacy and education as well as the firm's commitment to excellence and entrepreneurship.' Six novels have been shortlisted for this year's Man Booker - 4321 by Paul Auster, History Of Wolves by Emily Fridlund, Exit West by Mohsin Hamid, Elmet by Fiona Mozley, Lincoln In The Bardo by George Saunders and Autumn by Ali Smith. Fiona Mozley, a 29-year-old debut novelist has been shortlisted for this year's Man Booker Prize for a book she began writing on her mobile phone on her way to work. The British writer is up for one of the world's most prestigious literary prizes for Elmet, described by judges as 'timeless in its epic mixture of violence and love'. The winner will be announced on October 17 and Baroness Young of Hornsey, the chairman of the judges told the Telegraph there had been 'no fights yet' during judging discussions. Ministers and civil servants are not doing enough to prepare Britain for no deal over Brexit, Mervyn King said last night Ministers and civil servants are not doing enough to prepare Britain for no deal over Brexit, Mervyn King said last night. The former Bank of England governor, who has insisted this country can thrive outside the EU, said it was essential that Britain had a fall back position in case talks collapse. But Lord King said he was not terribly impressed by how much the government has set out a year after the vote. He said that if the negotiations break down Britain must ensure it is capable of trading with the EU on World Trade Organisation terms. He called on ministers to set up a separate team in Whitehall to ensure it is prepared for a no deal outcome. He told BBC Newsnight: If youre going to enter a negotiation its actually very important that the other side of the table knows that you have a fall back position that youre capable of delivering. That requires you to make clear publicly what the fall back position is. We have been waiting for over than a year now and I must say Im not terribly impressed by how much of that fall back position has actually been stated, has been implemented and whether its actually being managed properly within the civil service and the government. I dont think this is a statement about the potential impact of Brexit. Theresa May has insisted that she was prepared to walk away from the negotiating table with the EU , saying that no deal is better than a bad deal But I dont think the negotiations are going in the way that we might hope. I think that you need a separate team who are responsible for ensuring that if the negotiations break down in some way - and we cannot control that, we have no influence over that - then we are capable of saying we are leaving and we can trade with you on WTO terms. In January Theresa May insisted that she was prepared to walk away from the negotiating table, saying that no deal is better than a bad deal. But since the election there are doubts among ministers whether Parliament would agree to such a move. In May Brexit Secretary David Davis said he spends around half his time preparing for a no deal outcome. But there has been little detail set out publicly about what would happen under such circumstances - to the dismay of many pro-leave MPs. News / National by T Gutu If the truth be told, Zanu-PF is in a crisis, a succession crisis with two of the most visible figures in the party the two Mugabes (President Robert Mugabe and his wife First Lady Grace), contradicting each other in public on how the issue should be handled.It is clear that the two have agreed that Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi should take over from Mugabe, but are not agreed on the strategy.Grace is of the view that Mugabe should name his successor now and do everything in his power to make sure that the preferred successor gets the job, while Mugabe's health still allows him to dictate things within the party.Three times the two have differed in public on this issue. First, it was at a Zanu PF women's league gathering in Harare; the second time was in Chinhoyi at a Zanu-PF youth interface rally and lately in Bindura.Grace insists that Mugabe has the right to name his successor and should do it now. On all occasions Mugabe would stand up and tell his audience that it is not possible to name a successor, it is against the party constitution.Yes, the leader might have a preferred successor, but that preferred candidate must fight it out with those that might be interested in the post, this is according to Mugabe.Mugabe's strategy is to go out there, discredit Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, portraying him as an unfit, tribal and regional leader, supported only by two provinces, Masvingo and Midlands. This is being done through the so-called youth interface rallies.Denouncing Mnangagwa in public, Mr President, your actions and your wife are just a shame and dangerous for Zimbabwe. Mr President, you are the wrong person to be talking of tribalism. Sir David Clementi used his first public speech as BBC chairman to argue that the Corporation should not have to disclose pay details for stars who are paid through its BBC Studios production arm or via independent TV companies The man in charge of holding the BBC to account has insisted the broadcaster should be allowed to keep the massive salaries of its stars secret by using a privacy loophole. Sir David Clementi used his first public speech as BBC chairman to argue that the Corporation should not have to disclose pay details for stars who are paid through its BBC Studios production arm or via independent TV companies. Instead he claimed that BBC Studios should be allowed to keep private the salaries of stars on shows like Strictly Come Dancing, The One Show, Casualty and Doctor Who in order to put it on a 'level playing field' with rivals. Doing so is an 'integral part of competition arrangements' and 'an important point of principle', he told the Royal Television Society conference in Cambridge. The BBC was forced to publish the pay details of its 96 highest-paid actors and presenters in the summer - but the so-called 'rich list' only covered stars who received at least 150,000-a-year directly from broadcaster. The BBC was allowed to hide the pay of Question Time host David Dimbleby and other stars like former Great British Bake Off Mary Berry because they are paid through third-party firms It was allowed to hide the pay of Question Time host David Dimbleby and other major stars like former Great British Bake Off Mary Berry because they are paid through third-party firms. And next year the BBC plans to use this loophole to hide the pay details of even more stars next year, because it has now spun off its production arm, BBC Studios, as a commercial company subject to the same rules. Doing so would allow it to conceal the pay of stars like Strictly host Claudia Winkleman, who is the broadcaster's highest paid female presenter on up to 500,000 a year, and Casualty actor Derek Thompson, who gets up to 400,000-a-year for playing 'Charlie Fairhead'. But the BBC is facing mounting pressure to publish more rather than less detail about pay next year. Casualty actor Derek Thompson, who gets up to 400,000-a-year for playing 'Charlie Fairhead' Conservative Damian Collins, chair of the culture, media and select committee, said last month that he wants to close the 'unacceptable' loophole. Culture Secretary, Karen Bradley, will say today that the BBC must be transparent. 'The publication of BBC talent pay caused something of a stir, especially in relation to the gender pay gap. 'It is not for the Government to dictate how much individual stars are paid, but transparency will help ensure pay levels are reasonable and fair,' she will tell the RTS conference. Sir David said yesterday: 'Under the new Charter, Studios is free to compete directly with other production companies. 'This includes seeking commissions from other broadcasters,' he told the Royal Television Society conference in Cambridge. 'As part of the level playing field, it was agreed that Studios like other production companies would not be required to disclose the pay of those who worked for it. The changes would allow the BBC to conceal the pay of stars like Strictly host Claudia Winkleman The BBC rich list was topped by Chris Evans (pictured today) who earned up to 2.25million last year followed by Gary Lineker on up to 1.8million The BBC's top paid woman is Claudia Winkleman who earns up to 499,000 for her TV and radio work - around 1.75million less than the top man Chris Evans - and the One Show's Alex Jones earns 450,000 and is joint ninth 'So this exemption is not as some have described it an inadvertent loophole. It is an integral part of the competition arrangements and, so far as the BBC Board is concerned, is an important point of principle.' He became BBC chairman in April, heading a new unitary board used to replace the BBC Trust. The Trust was scrapped amid concerns that it was failing to hold the BBC properly to account. Its duties have been divided between Ofcom, which is now the BBC regulator, and the new board which acts as its governing body. Top ten female earners 1. Claudia Winkleman, Multi-genre band: 450,000 - 499,999; 2. Alex Jones, TV Non-scripted (Factual and Entertainment): 400,000 - 449,999; =3. Tess Daly, TV Non-scripted (Factual and Entertainment): 350,000 - 399,999 =3 Fiona Bruce, Multi-genre band: 350,000 - 399,999 =3 Vanessa Feltz, Radio: 350,000 - 399,999; =6 Sue Barker, Sport: 300,000 - 349,999 =6 Lauren Laverne, Radio: 300,000 - 349,999; =8. Amanda Mealing, TV Scripted (Drama and Comedy): 250,000 - 299,999 =8 Zoe Ball, Multi-genre band: 250,000 - 299,999; =10. Rosie Marcel, TV Scripted (Drama and Comedy): 200,000 - 249,999 =10 Emilia Fox, TV Scripted (Drama and Comedy): 200,000 - 249,999 =10 Laura Kuenssberg, News and Current Affairs: 200,000 - 249,999 =10 Gabby Logan, Sport: 200,000 - 249,999 =10 Dannii Minogue, TV Non-Scripted (Factual and Entertainment): 200,000 - 249,999 =10 Victoria Derbyshire, News and Current Affairs: 200,000 - 249,999 =10 Mishal Husain, News and Current Affairs: 200,000 - 249,999 =10 Martha Kearney, News and Current Affairs: 200,000 - 249,999 Advertisement Education Secretary Justine Greening The Government has ditched plans to scrap the charitable status of private schools if they do not help out neighbouring state comprehensives. Independent school headteachers had been warned by Ministers they would face 'exacting requirements' in return for claiming lucrative tax breaks. The schools Green Paper last autumn and the Conservative election manifesto both said private schools would need to sponsor academies, forge formal partnerships with state schools or offer significant numbers of bursaries to disadvantaged pupils. But it emerged yesterday that the plans have been quietly shelved and the Department for Education has instead launched a new advice service, the System Partnerships Unit. This is designed to 'encourage' and 'support' independent and state schools, brokering voluntary partnerships across the country. Ministers have dramatically softened their rhetoric towards private schools, adopting what has been viewed as a 'carrot, not stick' approach. This was welcomed by independent school leaders, who said it was difficult for initiatives to be successful if their schools were 'being in some way threatened' by Government. But Liberal Democrat shadow education spokeswoman, Layla Moran, accused Ministers of performing a 'U-turn', insisting that private schools must be able to prove they 'deserve' tax breaks. Speaking at a London event to celebrate successful cross-sector partnerships, Education Secretary Justine Greening said she wanted to celebrate work already taking place, adding that much of it has been 'hidden under a bushel'. She told the Independent Schools Council (ISC) reception yesterday: 'The word you will hear a lot of today is partnership. We have to do it working together. 'We as a government also recognise that different independent schools will be able to bring different things to working in partnership and that we shouldn't necessarily expect the same from all schools. 'For some schools, yes, we want to see them becoming sponsors, or opening a free school. For other schools, we want to see them playing a leadership role perhaps by having other involvement around school governance.' The Government has ditched plans to scrap the charitable status of private schools. Pictured: Eton College There are also opportunities such as sharing expertise in subject areas or supporting teacher training, she added. Barnaby Lenon, chairman of the ISC and former headmaster of Harrow School, said collaborations between the two sectors work best when there is a 'moral responsibility' and schools are working together. 'Partnerships work less well when the only motivation has got something to do with charitable status or acting under perceived pressure from a government,' he said. Nick Brook, deputy general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, which represents mainly leaders in the state sector, agreed that 'support, not sanctions' drives school improvement. He added: 'It's carrot, not stick, that ensures that improvement is rapid. Compelling independent schools to work with state schools simply won't work. 'It will lead us to a lowest common denominator and incentivise schools to think, 'what is the least I must do to meet the requirement?', instead of 'what is the most I can do to have the greater impact?' To qualify as a charity, private schools must demonstrate they provide 'public benefit' to a reasonably wide section of the public, rather than to a narrow group of rich individuals. Many currently do this by offering generous bursaries and fee discounts to disadvantaged youngsters while others share teachers and facilities or have formal partnerships. However, last September's Schools That Work For Everyone Green Paper warned that independent schools would be set new benchmarks 'in line with their size and capacity'. If they did not deliver to these requirements, the government would consider legislation to ensure those schools 'cannot enjoy the benefits associated with charitable status'. But Sir David Carter, the DfE's National Schools Commissioner, yesterday stressed to the audience the importance of talking a 'language of partnership and shared thinking and not so much of telling people what they aught or aught not be doing'. Speaking after the event yesterday, Lord Nash, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the School System, said: 'We are very keen on collaboration.' He described the government and the ISC as being 'all on the same page'. Also speaking afterwards, Mr Lenon added: 'I think that the atmosphere now is one of firm encouragement and it comes from both sides. 'It's very hard to believe that partnerships can thrive if they're only happening because schools are being in some way threatened, whereas all the successful partnerships have come about, not because schools were thinking about their charitable status, but because they honestly believed that everyone would benefit from working together.' Police are pulling over drivers for going just 1km/h over the speed limit even though speed cameras don't fine motorists until they are 8km/h over, it has been revealed. Figures from South Australia Police show drivers won't be flashed by a speed camera until they are caught 8km/h above the limit, but there are huge inconsistencies when being pulled over by uniform officers. South Australia Police disclosed over 500,000 sets of fine documentation. Police are pulling over drivers for going just 1km/h over the speed limit even though speed cameras don't fine motorists until they are 8km/h over, it has been revealed (stock image) Royal Automobile Association Manager Road Safety Charles Mountain told The Advertiser the figures showed inconsistency in South Australia's fine system. 'It's up to police to set the tolerance level, but it should not vary between fines generated by traffic cameras or those issued on-the-spot by officers,' he said. Mr Mountain told the publications the fine system should focus on drivers who consistently deliberately speed, rather than people who do it accidentally. 'Motorists deserve consistency regardless of the device used to capture them, be it a camera or a handheld laser,' he said. Daily Mail Australia has contacted South Australia police for comment. Officers can nominate a speed of 1km/h over the limit if they see a motorist going over the speed limit, but do not record their exact speed, the Advertiser understands. The US Treasury Department opened an inquiry into Secretary Steven Mnuchin after he asked to use a government jet to whisk him and his wife away on their European honeymoon. However, the secretary's office eventually decided using the US Air Force jet, which costs roughly $25,000 per hour to operate, was unnecessary. Mnunchin is worth an estimated $300 million. He apparently requested the jet to have a secure line of communication, a spokesman for the Treasury department said. Steven Mnuchin asked to use a government jet on his honeymoon. In August, his wife Louise Linton posted this photo of them stepping of the government plane in Kentucky with hashtags for several designer brands Democrat senator and member of the Senate Finance Committee Ron Wyden told ABC News: 'You don't need a giant rulebook of government requirements to just say yourself, "This is common sense, it's wrong,"' 'That's just slap your forehead stuff.' Mnuchin made his millions primarily as a Goldman Sachs banker. The committee is also reviewing his decision to travel to Louisville and Fort Knox, Kentucky with his wife Louise Linton. During the trip in August, she posted an eyebrow-raising photo of the couple strutting off the government jet on Instagram, tagging several designer brands. Traveling on a US Air Force ket costs roughly $25,000 per hour to operate. Mnunchin (pictured with bride Louise Linton at their June wedding) is worth an estimated $300 million When an Instagram commenter accused Linton of using tax payer dollars to fund her day trip writing: 'Glad we could pay for your little getaway. #deplorable.' Linton snapped back saying: 'Aw!! Did you think this was a personal trip?! Adorable! Did you think the US govt paid for our honeymoon or personal travel?! Lololol.' She has since apologized for the way she responded to the criticism. Mnuchin has denied the trip was used as an excuse to view the solar eclipse and said he was there for meetings on tax reform. The inspector general is reviewing the trip and the couple will reimburse the government for Linton's travel expenses. That an intruder can walk in to Prince Georges school from the street before being challenged raises serious and urgent questions, writes Inspector Ken Wharfe This was a completely unacceptable breach of security. That an intruder can walk in to Prince Georges school from the street before being challenged raises serious and urgent questions. It doesnt matter how long the person was on the premises. What counts is how far they penetrated and no one should be allowed to get access to any part of the school building. Its as simple as that. The fear of someone roaming inside Thomass does not bear thinking about. Thankfully on this occasion the intruder was intercepted before she could go any further. But suppose it had been a terrorist intent on killing? By then it would have been too late. That this person was able to reach reception was far too close for comfort. For royalty protection, however, this is a wake-up call. George has been at the school only five days and already elaborate plans to protect him have been compromised. Before I became personal protection officer to Princess Diana, my task was to head the security around William and Harry. It therefore fell to me to ensure Williams safety at school when he began at Wetherby Prep in Notting Hill in 1987 at the same age George is today. I understand that the template we developed there three decades ago is very much the one that has been adopted by those whose job is to guard Prince George. Which raises the question: how could things have gone so wrong? It is only fair to point out that Thomass, with nearly 600 pupils, is different from Wetherby, which was then a small school with far fewer children. William appreciated the low-profile policing that accompanied him throughout his school days and wanted it to be replicated for George. This means no burly bodyguard in the classroom or an officer with him every time he wants to make a call of nature. Had there been a suggestion from officers, for example, to post police outside the school gates, I know William would have vetoed it. He not only wants his son to have as normal a school experience as is possible, but also his school mates which means keeping the protection low key. But that is no excuse for the kind of breaches that happened not once this week, but twice. Unfortunately the world is a far more dangerous place than it was 30 years ago. We live in an era of unpredictable international terrorism that can strike at any time. The publicity for an attack on a member of the royal family would be incalculable. It means those guarding the prince, even at school, cannot afford to ever let things slip. They must be prepared for terrorists and those sad individuals with dangerous fixations about the royals. No one should be allowed to get access to any part of the school building. Its as simple as that, writes Inspector Wharfe At Wetherby we had a strict and successful routine. Long before either William or Harry, when he later joined him, arrived each morning, a specialist with a sniffer dog searched the school. This happened every day. Only when they were satisfied the school was safe was I signalled and we left Kensington Palace for the short drive to Wetherby. Inside the school I set up an operational room where my colleagues and I were based. I understand this has similarly been done at Thomass, where CCTV pictures of Georges classroom are relayed to his officers, whose room is close enough for them to respond to an incident in seconds. There are also elaborate alarms in place. Because the terrorist threat is so much higher now, I believe George has a team of four close protection officers guarding him on a daily basis. It is likely there may also be back-up provided by police in the local Battersea area. If so, questions must be asked about securing the perimeter of the school. No one wants to see the royals cocooned in the kind of security bubble that surrounds figures such as the US President, but also nobody wants to see any member of the royal family at risk from the deranged or from terrorists. Something clearly went wrong yesterday. Mercifully there were no consequences. But changes in protecting George will have to be made. When Louise Pratt's son Jasper entered the world in 2014, he was welcomed into the loving arms of a mother and three fathers. The openly gay Labor Senator, her former partner Aram Hosie - who is a transgender man - and a same-sex male couple are co-parents of the three-year-old boy. Senator Pratt first met Aram when she was a woman, before she began her transition to male six months into their relationship. After several unsuccessful IVF treatments, Senator Pratt finally fell pregnant with their child in 2014, saying at the time a 'long-term friend' had donated the sperm. Labor Senator Louise Pratt co-parents her three-year-old son Jasper with his three fathers The Labor Senator, her former partner Aram Hosie (pictured) - a transgender man - and another same-sex couple raise the child WA MP Stephen Dawson and his Dennis Liddelow are pictured, one of whom is Jasper's biological father It was later revealed WA Environment Minister Stephen Dawson or his partner Dennis Liddelow was the donor, though it's not publicly known which is the biological father. But all four parents raise the child as their own and proudly identify as a 'rainbow family'. 'Our family is just one variation of the many types of families that exist - in our case Jasper has the love and daily care of all four of us,' Senator Pratt told The Weekend West shortly after Jasper's birth. 'In many ways it's a similar situation to children whose biological parents separate and re-partner but who continue to co-parent together.' Senator Pratt and the three fathers raise Jasper together and proudly identify as a 'rainbow family' Senator Pratt is pictured with one of Jasper's fathers, Western Australia Labor MP Stephen Dawson Minister Dawson and his partner Mr Liddelow, a former DJ-turned-public-servant, made history in 2013 when they became the first same-sex couple to make use of the ACT's short-lived marriage laws. Just a few days layer, the High Court struck down the laws and their marriage was void. On Wednesday Senator Pratt, a tireless campaigner for marriage equality, broke down in Parliament while recalling her family's encounter with anti-gay marriage advocates ahead of the postal survey. 'I was down the local shop with members of my own rainbow family, just doing the shopping for the evening meal, when they were handed an anti-marriage equality pamphlet,' Senator Pratt said. Mr Dawson and his partner Mr Liddelow made history in 2013 when they became the first same-sex couple to make use of ACT marriage laws But their marriage was short-lived after the High Court struck down the laws just a few days later On Wednesday, Senator Pratt broke down in Parliament while recalling her 'rainbow family's' encounter with anti-gay marriage campaigners She refused to elaborate on the pamphlet's content because it was 'too hurtful.' 'But it wasn't even about marriage, the quality of my relationship with my partner or the quality of my son's dads' relationships,' she continued. 'My child should not be subject to debates about his family and his parents.' Senator Pratt argued that the survey shouldn't be happening in the first place and 'the government should not be allowing it to happen.' The mother was embraced by members of her party after concluding her heartfelt speech. The Australian Bureau of Statistics is aiming to get the survey forms out to 16 million voters by September 25, with the first in mailboxes this week. Senator Penny Wong (2nd left) raises her hand in victory as she holds a rainbow flag with Bill Shorten (centre), Tanya Plibersek (2nd right) Louise Pratt and Anthony Albanese (left) after a successful vote on the same sex marriage bill during the 2015 ALP National Conference An iPhone fan who is camping outside Sydney's flagship Apple store for 10 days to be the first to get his hands on the latest device has revealed he regrets lining up so early. Mazen Kourouche is waiting outside the George Street store and plans to stay there until the iPhone 8 is released on September 22, so he can be the first in the world to unbox it for his YouTube followers. But while the 20-year-old is still enjoying the experience, he admitted to Daily Mail Australia that he regrets getting there so far ahead of time. Mr Kourouche grabbed the coveted spot at the front of the queue before Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the latest products at the company's brand-new headquarters in Cupertino, California, on Tuesday. Scroll down for video Mazen Kourouche is camping outside the Apple store in George Street, Sydney, until the iPhone 8 comes out on September 22 The student, who is studying software engineering, had hoped the 'anniversary' iPhone X would be launched this month, but the highly-anticipated device won't be available to pre-order until October 27 and shipped on November 3. However, he is not prepared to spend seven weeks waiting for it. But instead of leaving and losing his current spot, he is going to drop more than $3,000 to get the new iPhone 8 Plus when it is released next week before coming back later to line up for iPhone X. 'When I got here, I regretted it almost immediately. As soon as I sat down, I realised it was pretty early,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'But it's too late to back out now.' He added: 'I've gotten a lot of attention in the media, so if I packed up it would have been more of an embarrassment. So I'm kind of stuck. 'Now people know I'm here, so if I leave, it will become a headline.' The 20-year-old documented his preparations for the 10-day wait in a video on YouTube Mr Kourouche says the experience so far has been fun, but he is finding it difficult to keep up with his university assignments. 'I've spent a couple full nights here, it only gets hard around 2 or 3am when everyone is coming back from the club drunk. 'They just mess around with you, I've had some people fall on the tent.' But Mr Kourouche says his friends Rami, 21, and Abdul, 20 are rotating shifts with him, so he can still attend university and go home to rest. 'They take over from me when I need it. I'd gone 25 hours with no sleep because I stayed up to watch the announcement. The software engineering student is ready to spend more than $3,000 on an iPhone 8 Plus and an iPhone X Mr Kourouche is excited to be the first person in the world to unbox the iPhone on YouTube 'I've gotten them excited and on launch day, all three of us are going to be in line.' Nevertheless, he says he will likely return to camp out for the iPhone X ahead of its release. 'I had been hoping I could hit two birds with one stone and buy the iPhone 8 and X together,' he said. 'I will probably camp out for the X, but not for 10 days, definitely not.' And although this is the third year in a row that he has lined up for an iPhone launch, he doesn't plan on returning next year. 'The first time I lined up here, it was for a few hours,' he said. 'It was a few hours in 2015, three days in 2016 and now, its 10 in 2017. 'I don't think there will be a next time. I think I end on the 10th anniversary with 10 days out here.' While he admits he regrets lining up so far in advance, the students says he has enjoyed the experience so far The 20-year-old says the biggest challenge has been keeping up with university assignments He is planning to buy an iPhone 8 Plus a 64GB silver model that will set him back $1,229 and then buy the iPhone X a 256GB version in space grey for $1,829. The two devices will add to his already extensive collection of Apple products, including an iPhone 7 Plus, a MacBook Pro, Apple TV, iPad Pro and Apple Watch. Although he concedes that it is a lot of money to spend on two gadgets, he's saved up from his part-time job in order to do so. 'That's a lot of money. The iPhone X, that's going to be my phone, and I might sell the iPhone 8 online after a while,' he said. 'The people that know me know that tech is the only thing I spend money on,' he adds. Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller, introduces the iPhone 8 during a launch event in Cupertino, California, on September 12 A man takes photos of the new iPhone X during the Apple launch event on September 12 'For people that spend on designer clothing, it gets spent throughout the year. With me, all my money gets saved until September 'It's more of an investment for me as well as I use it for my YouTube channel.' Mr Kourouche also said that while his family are supportive of his mission. 'My parents are supportive. But they still tell me, 'we can't believe you're doing this. You sure you don't want to come home?' 'My sister thinks I'm nuts, but she's supportive too.' He also added that he's determined to carry on, despite the negative comments he's received online. 'I've gotten a lot of comments, 90 per cent of them negative,' he said. 'People get creative, I commend them for being bothered. 'They'll say things like 'get a life' and 'this guy probably doesn't have a job.' 'I mean, how do you think I'm affording it? But it doesn't bother me.' Internet users are unhappy the NBN wireless has been rolled out in unpopulated regional areas while they wait for years on slower connections. A small business owner shared a coverage map of his neighbourhood in Nambucca Heads, NSW, on social media on Wednesday. The map showed wireless was available across the whole town except for areas that actually contained houses. A small business owner shared a coverage map of his neighbourhood in Nambucca Heads, NSW, showing the town surrounded by NBN wireless coverage but none for its houses Those houses will be stuck on slower internet connections until fibre cables are laid in their areas next year They would remain on ADSL connections until NBN fire cables were laid through the area between April and July 2018, according to the map. 'So yes, if you live in a tree or in a river then the NBN is available. Meanwhile here I am trying to run a business with 200kb/s down and about 10kb/s up,' he wrote. 'This is the official NBN rollout map and it's been like this for years, this is about 40km from where the very first trial rollout occurred in Coffs Harbour god knows how long ago.' The man speculated the wireless coverage was put in place so the NBN could inflate its coverage figures. A coverage map of Port Macquarie, NSW, and surrounding areas showing some urban areas are connected to fibre but others surrounded by wireless and having none Small areas of Lismore, NSW, are currently being connected but the rest of the town has no NBN connection at all Suburbs in southern Perth with no NBN surrounded by sparsely populated areas with wireless coverage NBN Co confirmed the coverage gaps were deliberate said the setup was a design feature aimed at making the rollout faster and cheaper. 'It is not uncommon for towers to be in the centre of regional towns but all the premises in that town may not be able to connect to wireless because they are tailored for fixed line,' it told Daily Mail Australia. 'The NBN planning approach determines which technologies are utilised on an area-by-area basis so as to minimise peak funding and maximise the speed of the rollout. 'The multi-technology mix model enables flexibility for NBN to select the most cost-effective and efficient technology for each area. This leads to a faster rollout, which brings forward revenue and minimises funding requirements.' Some areas of Sydney are connected to fibre NBN nodes but otherwise still using ADSL technology Melbourne is a similar story of very little NBN connection, but huge rural areas have wireless However, other users argued he wasn't missing out on much by not being able to access the NBN wireless, and would be better off waiting. 'I signed up for the Wireless NBN and got worse speeds than ADSL most of the day. From 11am to 11pm the lines were congested and I lived on a hill near a local primary school surrounded by some houses,' they said. 'Overall was not an upgrade, and nothing that I had expected.' Another user agreed, saying their download speed dropped by half when they switched to the NBN wireless network. The moment two hero neighbours chased two drugged-up thieves down a Melbourne street has been caught on camera. The two brothers, Jamil and Phil Mokbel, tackled two thieves who crashed an allegedly stolen car into an oncoming car in Pascoe Vale, northern Melbourne suburb, 7 News reports. The footage shows the two brothers running across the road, tackling one of the men to the ground and holding them until police arrived on scene. Scroll down for video The moment two hero neighbours chased two drugged-up thieves down a Melbourne street has been caught on camera (pictured) Two brothers, Jamil and Phil Mokbel, tackled two thieves (pictured) who crashed an allegedly stolen car into an oncoming car in Melbourne Jamil (pictured) told 7 News they helped the two thieves out of the car before they 'bolted' Jamil told 7 News they heard the noise and first helped the two thieves out of the rolled car before 'bolting down the street' shortly after. 'They got to the top of the street and my brother Phil tackled him straight down to the concrete,' Jamil said. 'I was in my slippers and as I was running one flew off and the other one flew off. I was only in my socks at the end of it.' Victoria Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia a 29-year-old Bendigo man was charged with aggravated burglary, theft of a car and theft following a collision involving a stolen car. It is believed the 29-year-old was allegedly driving the stolen car and failed a drug test. He was also driving on a learner's permit and failed to display L plates, The Age reports. It is believed the 29-year-old was allegedly driving the stolen car and failed a drug test The car crashed into an oncoming car being driven by a 53-year-old man Wednesday night 29-year-old man and 53-year-old man were sent to hospital and charged with several offences The 29-year-old is expected to face Broadmeadows Magistrates Court Thursday afternoon. The 42-year-old man is still in hospital. The 53-year-old man driving the oncoming car was taken to hospital as a precaution. President Donald Trump has an unlikely defender of his approach to immigration law: former President Jimmy Carter. Speaking to Georgia college students, the 39th president expressed optimism Wednesday that Trump might break a legislative logjam with his controversial six-month deadline for Congress to address the immigration status of 800,000-plus U.S. residents who were brought to the country illegally as children. Carter's words may be prescient. As the 92-year-old Democrat spoke at Emory University in Atlanta, Democratic congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi of California and Chuck Schumer of New York were huddled with the Republican Trump at the White House. Afterward, Pelosi and Schumer announced a deal they said would protect young immigrants from deportation and grant some Republican demands on border security. Unexpected backing: Jimmy Carter said that Trump may have opened the way to a full-scale deal on immigration which previous presidents had failed to pull off Trump offered his own take Thursday morning via Twitter. He expressed sympathy for the young immigrants affected by the debate over the Deferred Action for Child Arrivals program, created by an executive order of President Barack Obama. But Trump also wrote that, 'No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote,' he wrote. And he maintained that a U.S.-Mexico border wall 'will continue to be built,' though Pelosi and Schumer said that's not part of any agreement. Carter, not privy to the negotiations in Washington, told Emory students Wednesday evening that the 'pressures and the publicity that Trump has brought to the immigration issue' could eventually yield comprehensive immigration law changes that George W. Bush and Obama could not muster in their presidencies. 'I don't see that as a hopeless cause,' Carter said, and he added that Trump's critics, including himself, 'have to give him credit when he does some things that are not as bad' as they are depicted. Carter made his remarks after correcting a student's question, submitted through Facebook, about Trump's 'decision to end DACA.' 'As a matter of fact, to give Trump some due, he hasn't ended DACA yet,' Carter said. 'What he said is he's given the Congress six months to address the issue, which is long overdue.' Carter also noted that Trump has waffled on whether he'd actually move to deport so-called 'dreamers' if Congress doesn't act. Among Trump's Thursday morning tweets: 'Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!' Carter reminded students that Obama, whom Carter supported, failed to win passage for the Dream Act - named for the sometimes sympathetic stories of the young immigrants - even when Obama had Democratic majorities on Capitol Hill. Attended: Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn were at President Trump's inauguration in January. He has been publicly critical of the president, but unexpectedly backed him on DACA The former president blamed both major parties for an inability to pass any major immigration law overhaul since a 1986 law signed by President Ronald Reagan. Carter lost to Reagan in 1980. Carter said members of his party are too reluctant to make deals on border enforcement, though the former president clarified that technological investments are better than Trump's signature campaign promise of a physical wall. Carter said Republicans are too quick to dismiss discussions of 'amnesty' for 'longtime residents.' Beyond immigration, Carter told students he supports a single-payer health care system, and he recalled proposing a measure as president that would have phased in a 'Medicare-for-all' structure by extending benefits first to children, then to older Americans as the federal budget allowed. That did not pass. Democratic support is growing for Sen. Bernie Sanders' proposal to extend Medicare coverage to all Americans, a trend that Carter noted. Carter said earlier this year that he voted for Sanders over Hillary Clinton in Georgia's 2016 Democratic presidential primary. He told of collapsing earlier this year while working on a Habitat for Humanity project in Canada and being hospitalized. When he was released, he said, he asked what he owed. 'Zero,' he recalled. 'The Canadian taxpayers paid for my treatment.' Carter acknowledged to students the considerable expense of single-payer models and the political risks for his party if they anger the private insurance industry and push the tax hikes necessary to pay for universal coverage. Still, he concluded, 'Theoretically, it's the best system.' News / National by Stephen Jakes The main Opposition political party MDC-T will on October 7 commemorate its 18th anniversary at Mbizo Stadium in Kwekwe amid revelations preparations were at an advance stage.Party leader Morgan Tsvangirai's spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka posted that the preparations are on going for the event."The MDC's 18th anniversary celebrations are slated for Mbizo Stadium, Kwekwe on 7 October 2017. The theme for this year's anniversary celebrations is: MDC @ 18: Converging for the people's imminent victory," said Tamborinyoka. Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli begged the judge who revoked his bail to allow him to remain free until his sentencing. In a letter, obtained by DailyMail.com from Shkreli to Brooklyn Federal Judge Kiyo Matsumo, he plead to have his $5million bail terms remain in effect. On Wednesday, the convicted fraudster had his bail revoked after posting to Facebook on September 4 that he would pay $5,000 for a strand of Hillary Clinton's hair. In the letter addressed to Judge Matsumoto on Monday, Shkreli wrote that he 'used poor judgment' and 'never intended to cause alarm or promote any act of violence.' Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli sent this groveling letter to the federal judge Monday pleading to not have his bail revoked after an egregious Facebook post about Hillary Clinton on Sept 4 Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli (left) has been jailed because a judge believes he is a danger to society after the Secret Service launched an investigation against him for a post on Facebook that appeared to call for a bounty on Hillary Clinton Shkreli caught the Secret Service's attention after he wrote a Facebook post last week that read: 'The Clinton Foundation is willing to KILL to protect its secrets. So on HRC's book tour, try to grab a hair from her... Will pay $5,000 per hair obtained' 'I wanted to personally apologize to this Court and my lawyers for the aggravation that my recent postings have caused,' Shkreli wrote. 'I understand now, that some may have read my comments about Mrs. Clinton as threatening, when that was never my intention when making those comments.' In the missive he concludes: 'I apologize for my behavior and ask you respectfully not to change my bail status so that I may continue to assist my attorney's in preparing for my sentencing.' The judge on Wednesday said the Facebook post, which prompted a call from the U.S. Secret Service, showed Shkreli posed a danger to the public that warranted revoking his $5 million bail. Prosecutors also cited several other Twitter and social media postings by Shkreli that they said were harassing to women. On August 31 he posted a picture of him holding a computer chip with the caption that reads: 'How about this chip? 10 million deleted HRC emails? Oh well' Shkreli (seen left with his attorney, Benjamin Brafman, outside U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on August 3) was convicted in August of defrauding investors of two hedge funds he ran, MSMB Capital and MSMB Healthcare Shkreli's legal team added to his letter in a consorted effort to allow their client to remain free on his $5million bail terms Shkreli, who was found guilty on two counts of securities fraud on August 4, caught the Secret Service's attention after he wrote a Facebook post last week that read: 'The Clinton Foundation is willing to KILL to protect its secrets. So on HRC's book tour, try to grab a hair from her... Will pay $5,000 per hair obtained.' U.S. prosecutors had moved to jail Shkreli last Thursday. 'Since his conviction on August 4, 2017, Shkreli has engaged in an escalating pattern of threats and harassment that warrant his detention pending sentencing,' prosecutors wrote in their motion to a Brooklyn, New York, federal judge in a filing Thursday. Shkreli was convicted in August of defrauding investors of two hedge funds he ran, MSMB Capital and MSMB Healthcare. 'Most recently, Shkreli threatened former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by publicly offering $5,000 to anyone who would "grab" some of her hair on the defendant's behalf during her upcoming book tour' prosecutors wrote. 'However inappropriate some of Mr. Shkreli's postings may have been, we do not believe that he intended harm and do not believe that he poses a danger to the community,' Shkreli's lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said in a statement. It is just one of a series of controversial social media posts since he was convicted of fraud. He will now go back behinds bars until his sentencing, where he faces 20 years in prison. The threat required 'significant expenditure of resources by the US Secret Service,' prosecutors said, adding that there was risk that one of Shkreli's many social media followers would take his statements seriously. Prosecutors also cited several other Twitter and social media postings by Shkreli that they said were harassing to women. Shkreli (seen in the above August 15, 2017 file photo) became famous for raising the price of anti-infection drug Daraprim by 5,000 percent in 2015 while he was chief executive of Turing Pharmaceuticals He was acquitted of stealing from a drug company he later founded, Retrophin Inc, to pay them back. Though he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years, Shkreli will likely serve much less, in part because none of his hedge fund investors lost money. Shkreli became famous for raising the price of anti-infection drug Daraprim by 5,000 percent in 2015 while he was chief executive of Turing Pharmaceuticals. Patients and U.S. lawmakers were outraged. Since his December 2015 arrest, he has clashed frequently with critics on social media. Twitter banned him from its platform in January for harassing a female journalist, another incident prosecutors cited in their motion to revoke his bail. Pauline Hanson has suggested a plebiscite on whether to ban the burqa as she labelled Australia 'pathetic' for giving up its values to allow the Muslim garment. The Senate is debating a private bill from crossbencher Jacqui Lambie on Thursday to ban full-face coverings in commonwealth jurisdictions such as airports as well as the ACT and Northern Territory. 'Are we that pathetic as a nation that we're giving up our values and who we truly are because we're worried about hurting someone's feelings?' the One Nation leader told parliament.' It comes a month after Ms Hanson, who has been outspoken about her opposition to the burqa, was pictured in the Islamic garb when she walked into Senate chamber. Pauline Hanson has suggested a plebiscite on whether to ban the burqa in public The One Nation leader labelled Australia 'pathetic' for giving up its values to allow the Muslim garment 'I'm quite happy to remove this, because this is not what should belong in this Parliament,' she told politicians sitting during Parliamentary Question Time. Her appearance was met with laughter and outrage, prompting Senate President Stephen Parry to call for order. 'In light of our national security of this nation, will you work to ban the burqa in Australia?' she said. 'There have been 13 foiled national threats against us with terrorism, three that have been successful and Australians have lost their lives. 'Terrorism is a true threat to our country. Many Australians are very much in fear of it. 'A large majority of Australians wish to see the banning of the burqa.' It comes a month after Ms Hanson, who has been outspoken about her opposition to the burqa, was pictured in the Islamic garb when she walked into Senate Ms Hanson said the idea for her burqa stunt was born when Senate President Stephen Parry told her last year that anyone could wear a burqa in Parliament. She said the burqa was an 'important issue' facing modern Australia. In a statement released days after the stunt, Senator Hanson said the burqa 'presented barriers to assimilation'. She said the Islamic dress 'disadvantaged women from finding employment, was causing issues inside our justice system, presented a clear security threat and had no place in modern Western society'. In a statement released days after the stunt, Senator Hanson (pictured wearing burqa) said the burqa 'presented barriers to assimilation' A Sydney man claims he has received death threats after joking about being an Australia Post worker and throwing out same-sex surveys marked 'no.' Dan Nolan reposted an image that has been circulating online of a vote form ticked 'no' being illuminated through an envelope with a torch to his Twitter on Wednesday. 'I work at the Australia Post in Chatswood and I'm using a torch to check all ballots and throw out ALL no votes,' Mr Nolan captioned the image. A Sydney man claims he has received death threats after joking about being an Australia Post worker (pictured) and throwing out same-sex surveys marked 'no' Despite Australia Post confirming Mr Nolan does not work for them, the Sydney man said he received death threats (pictured) within hours of cracking the joke Numerous people have published images of their form - some including their address and unique barcode - to social media this week as the survey arrived in household mailboxes The joke quickly incited a mixed reaction of laughter and anger and ultimately reached more than 2,300 shares online. Despite Australia Post confirming Mr Nolan does not work for them, the Sydney man said he received death threats within hours of posting the picture. 'Hi Dan, looks like I'm coming to visit you!!! We are both going on holidays but only one shall return. Oh and because I'm a lot bigger and obviously stronger than you I will take great pleasure in holding your weak ass down. See you soon Dan Nolan! It wasn't hard to track you lol,' one man wrote in a Facebook message that Mr Nolan posted to Twitter. Others claimed Mr Nolan had 'no moral compass', but many others thanked him for entertaining them. The photo shared by Mr Nolan began circulating online this week after a concerned voter saw the image pop up on his Facebook news feed. The photo shared by Mr Nolan began circulating online this week after a concerned voter saw the image pop up on his Facebook news feed (pictured) He said he will still be voting 'yes' even if his vote won't be 'counted now after this stuff up' 'So we wasted $122 million on a survey where a torch can reveal the answer through the reply envelope it came with.' The person who posted the photo said they would 'be voting yes... if it will even be counted now after this stuff up'. Numerous people have published images of their form - some including their address and unique barcode - to social media this week as the survey arrived in household mailboxes. The posts quickly led to discussions on if the survey could be tampered with. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has warned that by posting the form's barcode, votes could be jeopardized. The ABS' warning comes after a slew of Australians went online to cheer on former occupants of their homes, claiming their failure to redirect their mail has left the new residents with extra votes. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has warned that by posting the form's barcode, votes could be jeopardized An Australia Post spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia they are 'confident in [their] capability to deliver the postal survey'. 'It is a criminal offence to tamper with mail, and Australia Post has strong security measures in place throughout our national network. 'We have undertaken a thorough review ahead of delivering the survey and will have additional security measures in place during the process. 'We are also working closely with the authorities to maintain the integrity of the mail network.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Australian Bureau of Statistics for comment. Voting in the same-sex marriage postal vote runs until November 7, with the vote set to determine if Australia becomes the 25th country to legalise gay marriage. A shared delusion and an interest in the paranormal led two girls to stab another 12-year-old girl in a Wisconsin park as a tribute to the fictional horror character Slender Man, a psychologist testified Wednesday. Melissa Westendorf was appointed by a judge to evaluate one of the girls, Anissa Weier, now 15, after her insanity plea. Westendorf testified at Weier's mental capacity trial that she believes Weier suffered from a shared delusional disorder that left her unable to conform her conduct to the law when she and Morgan Geyser tried to kill their friend, Payton Leutner, in 2014. Westendorf acknowledged under cross-examination that the condition is rare among two children who are friends. She said most cases involve spouses, a parent and child, or siblings. A psychologist testified that Anissa Weier (pictured), 15, had a shared delusion with her friend Morgan Geyser tried to kill their friend in 2014 Melissa Westendorf, a forensic psychologist, told jurors Anissa Weier could not conform her conduct to the requirements of the law, Weier's attorney, Joseph Smith Jr., asked why Weier, a good student, did not recognize that the belief in Slender Man and his powers to kill them or their families was a delusion. 'First of all, she was 12,' Westendorf said, adding that Weier was influenced by a website focused on imaginary killers and boogeymen. 'If adults have trouble distinguishing fake news, 12-year-olds will, because their brains can't yet discern or analyze as well.' Earlier, a detective who interviewed the victim after she was stabbed repeatedly and left for dead in a Waukesha park testified that Geyser had been scaring her beforehand with stories about characters from a horror website. Prosecutors allege Weier (right) and Morgan Geyser (left) stabbed their classmate 19 times in a Waukesha park and left her for dead following a sleepover on Memorial Day 2014 Weier, 15, has pleaded not guilty due to mental illness in a stabbing that nearly took the life of classmate Payton Leutner (above) at a park in Wisconsin when the girls were aged 12 Leutner became so concerned about the stories Geyser was telling her that she asked her mother if they were real, Waukesha Police Detective Shelly Fisher said. Leutner told Fisher her mother tried to assure her it was all fiction, but she also told the detective that she still was uncertain and wanted to believe Geyser even after she stabbed her, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Jurors will determine whether Weier was mentally ill and therefore not criminally responsible at the time. Geyser, who did the actual stabbing, is scheduled to go on trial next month. Weier told investigators she and Geyser believed they had to kill Leutner or else Slender Man would kill them and their families. Jurors saw clips Wednesday of investigators questioning Weier after the attack, during which Weier moved from apparent complete belief in Slender Man, to some doubt, to a realization by the end of her interrogation that she had been duped. 'I know now it's just teenagers who really like scaring people and making them believe false things,' Weier told Waukesha Detective Michelle Trussoni. In his questioning of Trussoni, Assistant District Attorney Kevin Osborne focused on the fact Weier didn't clearly tell anyone she was afraid of Slender Man's wrath until after the stabbing, reinforcing his comments in opening statements Tuesday that Weier understood that what they were doing was wrong, but that she went along with the plot to preserve her friendship with Geyser. Both Weier and Geyser were originally charged with being a party to attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Weier struck a deal with prosecutors in August in which she pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted second-degree intentional homicide, essentially acknowledging she committed all the elements of the offense. But she also pleaded not guilty due to mental illness or defect, setting up the trial on her mental status. Up to 70 flights have been cancelled in and out of Sydney airport as strong winds buffet the runways. A Sydney airport spokeswoman said planes were restricted to using only one runway due to the gusty conditions on Thursday. The Bureau of Meteorology has recorded wind gusts at the airport of up to 67km/h. It has also issued a strong wind warning for Sydney and much of the NSW coast, a day after hot and windy conditions led to a total fire ban across large swathes of the state. Up to 70 flights have been cancelled in and out of Sydney airport as strong winds buffet the runways. File photo Meanwhile, authorities warned that although light rain has helped NSW firefighters gain an upper hand over several bushfires burning across the state, the threat is not over. More than 90 fires are burning across NSW with about 30 of them out of control. On Thursday, firefighters focused on containing the fires, which took off during an unseasonably hot Wednesday, threatening homes in the NSW Hunter region and mid-north coast. While conditions eased overnight, the wind was forecast to pick up later on Thursday. A Sydney airport spokeswoman said planes were restricted to using only one runway due to the gusty conditions on Thursday. File photo 'Once the winds pick up with it will flare the fires again. By no means out of the woods. A lot of work to be done on the fire grounds today,' Inspector Ben Shepherd told ABC on Thursday. He said the ground is 'extraordinarily dry'. More than 200 firefighters on Wednesday battled two blazes fuelled by high temperatures and winds at Black Hill and Richmond Vale in the NSW Hunter region. The RFS continues to fight a 1700 hectare bushfire north of Tuncurry on the NSW mid-north coast and a fire south of Batemans Bay, on the south coast. 'Light rain overnight helped but it wasn't enough,' NSW Rural Fire Service spokesman James Morris told AAP. A lack of rainfall across the state was the main worrying factor for the upcoming bushfire season. Bushfire danger ratings have been eased in many parts of NSW following a cool change, but the state's Far North Coast, North Coast, Greater Hunter and New England regions remain a very high fire risk. Residents across the state are being urged to use this weekend to get their properties cleaned up and bushfire-ready. Advertisement Exactly how the USS Indianapolis was sunk 72 years ago has been revealed after the wreck was inspected by a drone following its discovery last month by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Footage from the submersible shows that the warship was hit by two Japanese torpedoes, fragments of which can be seen, and how one struck a chamber containing scores of crew members who would have died instantly. It also reveals how the ship's huge cannons and guns are still 'locked and loaded' with shells and bullets. Parts of SC-1 SeaHawk scout planes can be seen, the doorway to the captain's cabin and the ship's 'victory tally' of how many enemy planes and boats it had downed. The ship has been incredibly well preserved because it came to rest three miles below the surface of the ocean where the sea is extremely cold and contains little oxygen. The Indianapolis was hit by a Japanese submarine in the Philippine Sea on July 30, 1945. It had just delivered components for the first atomic bomb. It sunk in 12 minutes and of the 1,197 men aboard, roughly 300 went down with the ship. By the time rescuers arrived, a combination of exposure, dehydration, drowning and constant shark attacks had left only 317 men alive. Deep sea explorers used a drone which was sent to the ocean floor in order to beam back stunning images of the USS Indianapolis The USS Indianapolis is a naval gunship that lies three miles beneath the surface of the Philippine Sea after it was sunk by a Japanese torpedo during World War II The 'victory tally' is seen above. It was meant to symbolize the number of Japanese ships and aircraft that were downed Allen's research vessel, the Petrel, is fitted with an autonomous underwater vehicle that can conduct deep-see missions to 6,000 meters (3.7miles) below the surface. The Petrel's drone beamed back stunning pictures of what it discovered on the USS Indianapolis in a live broadcast that was simulcast on both PBS and Paul Allen's web site. It showed that 20 feet of the Indianapolis was buried in the mud at the bottom of the ocean between Guam and the Philippines. Portions of the warship remain preserved, including part of the forward deck. Upon looking at the damage done by torpedoes, researchers evaluated the weight of one weapon's warhead (1,200 pounds), the speed at which it traveled (48 knots), and the range (between six and seven kilometers). An image beamed back from the drone showed the ship's barbette, a structure that can hold guns that are 250 tons in weight. A gun still held by the structure had a barrel of 36 feet and a shell weight of 350lb. Researchers noted that there is damage to the barbette, which they believe was caused by one of the torpedoes, which hit the ship between 40 and 50 feet below its location. The expedition also was able to get an up-close look at a .40m anti-aircraft Starboard gun. The shells that are still locked and loaded into the gun are still visible. The image of the Indianapolis is seen with the use of sonar, which enables researchers to map out the debris field The image shows that the ship remains largely intact thanks to the depth of its location, the lack of oxygen, and the cold temperatures The USS Indianapolis was a ship that was built for its plethora of guns. The crew was also able to glimpse the 5-inch AFT gun, which fired a 50-pound shell about seven miles The expedition was also able to get an up-close look at a .40m anti-aircraft Starboard gun The shells that are still locked and loaded into the gun are visible The stunning images also showed the debris field surrounding the Indianapolis. The above image shows part of an aircraft The aircraft hangar, where the ship stored the scout planes that were used for reconnaissance, is seen in the above image When the expedition first caught a glimpse of the number '35' as seen above, it was confirmation that the vessel was the Indianapolis The U.S. Navy and Paul Allen's expedition team have agreed to keep the exact location of the vessel confidential The USS Indianapolis is now effectively an underwater grave and a war memorial to the lives lost A 5-inch AFT gun, which could fire a 50-pound shell about seven miles, and 40-millimeter quad guns were also found near the sunken ship. Because the ship capsized, two of the three guns on board fell overboard. Also seen in the drone footage is a doorway that led into the cabin of the captain of the Indianapolis, Charles Butler McVay III. Nearby the ship, researchers found the remnants of two SC-1 SeaHawk scout planes - which were used largely for reconnaissance - that were held in the ship's aircraft hangar. A piece of one of the wings is seen on the ocean floor with the clear insignia of the US Navy. One of the aircraft's panels is also clearly visible, as is a first aid kit used by pilots. Through sonar, scientists were able to map out the debris field at the bottom of the sea just over three miles from the surface of the water. The map of the field enables scientists to determine the direction (west) and the speed (17 knots) at which the ship was moving when it was taken down by Japanese torpedoes. The debris found around the sunken ship includes a bridge and a number of guns that came off the warship as it sank. Another object that survived largely intact was the crane used by the warship to lift planes back aboard. The scientists were able to discover that 20 feet of the Indianapolis was buried in the mud at the bottom of the ocean between Guam and the Philippines Portions of the warship remain preserved, including part of the forward deck. The researchers operating the drone use remote control to get the lay of the land from the bow to the stern of the ship The image near the barbette shows a doorway that leads into the cabin of the captain of the Indianapolis, Charles Butler McVay III Another image beamed back from the drone shows the barbette, the gun emplacement used by a warship The above image shows the hull of the ship, which is largely intact though the signs of damage caused by one of the torpedoes are apparent The researchers also find the remnants of two SC-1 SeaHawk scout planes - which were used largely for reconnaissance - that were held in the ship's aircraft hangar The USS Indianapolis cruiser was returning from its mission to deliver components for the atomic bomb that would soon be dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima when it was fired upon in the North Pacific Ocean by a Japanese submarine on July 30, 1945 The ship was found in August with the R/V Petrel, which Allen had recently purchased, retrofitting the 250-foot vessel with state-of-the-art technology capable of diving to 6,000 meters. Researchers with Allen's organization were able to locate the ship in part because of a naval landing craft that had recorded a sighting of the USS Indianapolis the night that it was torpedoed, using the coordinates to get a location on the ship. The US Navy and Allen's expedition have kept the exact location of the ship, which is essentially an underwater grave and war memorial, a secret. The USS Indianapolis cruiser was returning from its mission to deliver components for the atomic bomb that would soon be dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima when it was fired upon in the North Pacific Ocean by a Japanese submarine on July 30, 1945. It sunk in 12 minutes, according to the Naval History and Heritage Command in Washington. Of the 1,197 men aboard the Indianapolis, roughly 300 went down with the ship. The remaining 900 men went into the shark-infested water, with few life boats and almost no food or water. For four days, those who didn't have lifejackets clung to those who did, as whitetip and Tiger sharks circled the wreckage and picked off survivors. Allen said that the discovery was a humbling experience and a means of honoring sailors he saw as playing a vital role in ending World War Two 'There soon were hundreds of fins around us,' recalled survivor Harold Eck, an 18-year-old seaman at the time. 'The first attack I saw was on a sailor who had drifted away from the group. I heard yelling and screaming and saw him thrashing . . . then I just saw red, foamy water.' Another survivor said: 'They were upon us every three or four hours.' Bugler First Class Donald Mack would never forget those screams and the realization: 'There was one less man to be rescued.' The feeding frenzy which ensued remains the worst shark attack on humans in recorded history. There was no time to send a distress signal before the ship sank, and four days passed before a bomber on routine patrol happened to spot the survivors in the water. USS Indianapolis Commissioned: November 15, 1932 Class: Portland-class cruiser Wartime Complement: Up to 1,269 Awards: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with ten battle stars; American Defense Service Medal; World War II Victory Medal Fate: Sunk on July 30, 1945 by Japanese submarine Advertisement By the time rescuers arrived, a combination of exposure, dehydration, drowning and constant shark attacks had left only 317 men, one-fourth of the ship's original number, alive. It wasn't until after the war that the crew of the Indy learned the true story of the secret mission that had put them in the crosshairs of Japanese torpedoes. At the time, all they knew was that they were transporting a large wooden crate from a naval yard in San Francisco to the island of Tinian, the busiest US air-base in the Pacific. The men had joked that it probably contained nothing more than a consignment of luxury toilet paper for the Navy top brass. In reality it contained about half of the world's supply of enriched uranium at the time, and atomic bomb components. The mission was successful, and the materials were used in the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Indianapolis was steaming onward to the Philippines when two torpedoes from the Japanese sub I-58 struck it. Capt. William Toti (Ret), spokesperson for the survivors of the USS Indianapolis, said upon learning of the discovery that every soldier, to a man, 'have longed for the day when their ship would be found, solving their final mystery.' 'They all know this is now a war memorial, and are grateful for the respect and dignity that Paul Allen and his team have paid to one of the most tangible manifestations of the pain and sacrifice of our World War II veterans.' The USS Indianapolis (CA-35) was a 9,800-ton Portland Class heavy cruiser that operated in the Atlantic and Pacific, and earned 10 battle stars during WWII. The sinking of the USS Indianapolis remains the most tragic maritime disaster in US naval history. Advertisement A shocking photograph of Aboriginal men lined up, shackled with heavy chains around their necks, and being guarded by white men armed with rifles is just one of many confronting images captured in the late 1800s. Black and white photos have emerged showing the cruel treatment of Indigenous Australians at the hands of white settlers in the late 1900s. Other harrowing pictures depict Aboriginal men and boys chained together, standing or sitting, wearing just a cloth around their waists. Aboriginals lined up, shackled by neck chains and wearing just a pair of briefs with white men standing guard, pictured with a huge rifle is just one many chilling images that have emerged The shocking black and white photos showcase the cruel ways Aboriginal people were treated from the late 1890s Huge groups of Aboriginal men and boys are pictured chained together, standing or sitting, wearing just a cloth around their waist, as white police men and 'Aboriginal trackers' stand beside them with four rifles Aboriginal prisoners (pictured) were chained and forced to lay a railway near Derby, Western Australia, about 1897 The photos, taken between 1890 and the 1930s, show Aboriginal prisoners being captured moments after being caught committing petty crimes such as killing cattle. The raw images show rows of chained Indigenous people standing under the shade of a tree with police men and 'Aboriginal trackers' pictured with four huge rifles. Police were paid per indigenous prisoner and cruelly brought them into jail using chains. While some Aboriginal prisoners are captured working on a boat, other prisoners were forced to lay railways in Derby, Western Australia. In early Australia, incarceration was used as a tool to weaken the Aboriginal Australians and they were often arrested for petty crimes such as stealing and killing cattle. The confronting collection of photographs show Aboriginal prisoners across the country, from on board ships to working on wharf rail lines and chained to railway wagons. Some Aboriginal prisoners are captured on a boat (pictured) while other prisoners were forced to lay railways Police were paid per indigenous prisoner and cruelly brought them into jail using chains where they were forced to work In early Australia, incarceration was used as a tool to weaken the Aboriginal people and were often arrested for petty crimes The haunting collection of photographs show Aboriginal people chained, captioned 'Native Prisoners on N.2', in about 1930 A chilling image shows one lonely Aboriginal man (pictured) standing in chains as he leans against a tree with a piece corrugated iron at the stump of the tree as well as a hat and pile of cloth One of the photos is captioned 'native prisoners on N2', which is believed to be a ship, shows 12 Aboriginal men lined up with chains to their necks, dressed in rags. Two white men were photographed leading one Indigenous prisoner by a chain alongside three horses and whip in hand around 1910. At least 22 Aboriginal prisoners are seen to be chained together while standing in a shallow river of water wearing a cloth around the groin region. Another image shows white man dressed in shirt and trousers holding a chain connected to two elderly Indigenous prisoners Hundreds of Aboriginal prisoners were captured and chained, forced to work on many projects including laying rails Two white men are pictured with three horses, with one of them leading an Aboriginal man by a chain to his neck At least 20 Indigenous Australians were photographed standing in a shallow river, all chained together (pictured) Haunting photos show the disturbing history and abuse of aboriginal people in the early twentieth century (pictured 1930) Another image shows a white man dressed in a shirt and trousers holding a chain that is connected to two elderly looking Indigenous prisoners. A chilling image shows one lonely Aboriginal man standing in chains as he leans against a tree with a piece corrugated iron at the stump of the tree as well as a hat and pile of cloth. A line of Indigenous men were photographed at the turn of the century wearing chains during their transit to jail, surrounded by what appears to be white first class citizens. Australia is marking their ten year anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) One decade ago, the declaration was passed to combat the discrimination, marginalisation and human rights violations of the 370 million Indigenous people living in more than seventy countries today A line of Indigenous men were photographed at the turn of the century wearing chains during their transit to jail (pictured) At least 30 Aboriginal prisoners are pictured chained together being led to Cossack Goal in Western Australia around 1902 Shocking images of entrapped Indigenous Australians serve as a reminder of the dark past and oppression that was suffered The haunting photos show the disturbing history and abuse of aboriginal people in the early twentieth century. Australia is marking their ten year anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). One decade ago, the declaration was passed to combat the discrimination, marginalisation and human rights violations of the 370 million Indigenous people living in more than seventy countries today. A decade since this landmark legislation, shocking images of entrapped Indigenous Australians emerged, serving as a reminder of the dark past and oppression that was suffered. Though their smile is painted on, some New York clowns are feeling down since they have been losing jobs because of Stephen King's It remake. The clowns are fighting back against the scary stigma by staging a rally outside of Union Square Regal Cinema in New York City on Thursday. John Nelson told NBC 4 New York he and his Clowns in Town business partner have had several cancellations in the last week because of It. Clowns are fighting back against the bad press spawned by Stephen King's It remake, which grossed $123.4 million domestically Approximately two percent of adults have Coulrophobia, the official name for the fear of clowns (Pennywise, pictured) He told the station why he is going to the rally, saying: 'Our hope is to raise enough awareness so when people think of clowns they won't think of scary murderers but people who dedicate their lives to bringing joy," said Nelson.' Clowns are also suffering in Australia. Jebly the Clown and Mr Loopy told Sunrise hosts that films like It are damaging to the clown industry. 'I tried to go up to them and give them a high-five and say hello and they run away,' Mr Loopy said Thursday morning. It, which grossed $123.4 million domestically, is about a demon who shape shifts into murderous clown named Pennywise. It emerges from the sewer every 27 years and terrorizes the sleepy town of Derry, Maine. Approximately two percent of adults have Coulrophobia, the official name for the fear of clowns. The foster brother of slain Brisbane schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer has been sentenced to four years' imprisonment after confessing to having sex with the 12-year-old. Trent Thorburn, 20, pleaded guilty to two counts of perjury and one count each of incest and attempting to pervert the course of justice at the Beenleigh District Court on Thursday. After serving almost a year in pre-sentence custody, Thorburn's sentence will be wholly suspended for a period of five years on January 20, 2018. The confession of Tiahleigh Palmer's foster brother to his mother that he'd had sex with the slain schoolgirl was a 'catalyst' for her death, the court heard. Trent Thorburn, the foster brother of slain Queensland schoolgirl Tiahleigh Palmer, has admitted to having a sexual relationship with the 12-year-old The court heard Thorburn, then 18, had sex with Tiahleigh (pictured) at least once during the weeks leading up to her death in late October 2015 Cindy Palmer, Tiahleigh's mother, is seen at the Beenleigh District Court in Queensland on Thursday The court heard Thorburn, then 18, had sex with Tiahleigh, 12, at least once during the weeks leading up to her death in late October 2015. Tiahleigh's body was found on the banks of a northern Gold Coast river in November 2015, six days after police allege she was murdered by her foster father Richard Thorburn. Crown prosecutor David Nardone said Thorburn, fearing Tiahleigh was pregnant, had confessed to his mother Julene he'd had sex with her. 'His confession to his mother was the catalyst for Tiahleigh's murder,' Mr Nardone said. The court heard Thorburn had also admitted his sexual relationship with Tiahleigh in a Facebook messenger conversation with his cousin before confessing to his mother. Trent Thorburn, 20, is due to be sentenced at the Beenleigh District Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to two counts of perjury and one count each of incest and attempting to pervert the course of justice Following Tiahleigh's death, Thorburn repeatedly denied having had sex with her to police as well as denying he knew anything about her murder Police allege the 12-year-old was murdered by her foster father Richard Thorburn (pictured) Following Tiahleigh's death, Thorburn repeatedly denied having had sex with her to police as well as denying he knew anything about her murder. Thorburn then maintained those lies to a Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) hearing in June 2016 before admitting his sexual relationship with his foster sister during another CCC hearing in September. He did however continue to deny knowing anything about Tiahleigh's disappearance or death in that second hearing, Mr Nardone said. During that second CCC hearing, Thorburn alleged Tiahleigh had initiated the sexual act and he was unable to resist her advances due to being under the influence of alcohol. A drawing of Trent Thorburn at the Beenleigh District Court in Queensland on Thursday The court heard Thorburn (pictured) admitted his sexual relationship with Tiahleigh in a Facebook messenger conversation with his cousin Mother of the murdered schoolgirl Cindy Palmer (second right), with friends and family outside the Beenleigh District Court In July, Thorburn's older brother Josh (pictured) was sentenced to 15 months jail after pleading guilty to perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice Judge Craig Chowdhury dismissed the allegation as 'completely implausible'. The sentencing hearing continues. In July, Thorburn's older brother Josh was sentenced to 15 months jail after pleading guilty to perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice. His sentence will be suspended after three months for three years. Thorburn's mother Julene Thorburn is due to face sentencing on charges of perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice in November. Police allege Rick Thorburn (left) took his foster daughter's life after finding out his son Trent (right) had been sexually assaulting her during the time she had been in the family's care A publicity event linked to RUOK Day has taken a wild turn with a steer breaking clear of his handler at Parliament House in Perth and run off around the building. The steer called Winston, and Clementine the cow, were presented on the lawns outside parliament on Thursday as part of a promotion for the mental health initiative RUOK? Winston took fright when he was being draped with a ribbon, and broke clear of his burly handler in front of stunned onlookers, and careered off down the street. Scroll down for video A publicity event linked to RUOK Day has taken a wild turn with a steer breaking clear of his handler at Parliament House in Perth and taking off down the street He ran around Parliament House as his handler and a media pack followed. Winston's handler eventually managed to lead him back to the media conference but that was when Clementine let loose with a long stream of urine on the grass. Regional Affairs Minister Alannah MacTiernan remarked 'that cow's pissing it in.' The owner of the cows, Dardanup farmer Peter Milton said: 'It was Winston's first day out of the shed in three months, his first public appearance. I guess he got a bit embarrassed.' Mr Milton said the unplanned excitement was welcome if it helped raise awareness for mental health in Australia. Winston and Clementine were to be auctioned off at the Perth Royal Show, and the proceeds were to be donated to the anti-depression group Black Dog Institute. The steer called Winston, and Clementine the cow, were presented on the lawns outside parliament on Thursday as part of a promotion for the mental health initiative RUOK? Courtesy of the artist Wake Self is a local hip-hop artist whose work with community at Warehouse 508 contributes to his role as a leader in Burques section of hip-hop nation. A contemplative and powerful speaker whose beliefs echo the community he calls home, Wake Self presents many ideals he believes can be actively absorbed into a city that oftentimes neglects or oppresses its most valuable citizens. Besides having a dutiful attachment to progressive causes and making fine musicthrough his successful teaching tenure at the community center housed in the old Wool Warehouse Theater here in Dirt CityWake Self is very busy ascending the music world. Tours in Europe and South America have yielded heaps of new fans. The new video for his anti-misogyny rap, Malala, has for realz gone viral, thanks to 240,000 views in the past couple of weeks. Meanwhile, the dude soldiers on, prepping new ideas for his Art of Rhyme and 508 recording class, questioning the world around him and consistently following his muse to new areas of discourse and diggable tuneage. The conversation I had with Wake Self was illuminating, resonating and relevant. Heres part of what we said to one another. Weekly Alibi: Hey, Wake Self! Wake Self: Yo, yo, August! For Readers at Weekly Alibi world who may not have heard about you and your work, how about some deets? I came up in Roswell, New Mexico. Ive been living in Albuquerque for about the past 10 or 11 years. Ive been touring since I was 15. Ive been to Europe, lots of shows in the UK, opportunities keep coming up. Im going back [to Europe] in November. Would you say your work is more popular overseas than it is here in Burque? I dont know. I do kinda good here in Albuquerque. I had my album release recently and there was aboutit was at the El Reywe had about 600 people, maybe closer to 700. Thats not bad for a local show. El Rey seems to be the locus of a growing hip-hop scene here in town. How is hip-hop nation expanding in the Duke City? Yeah, I mean hip-hop is always growing. I dont know if you saw that article recently, the one that said hip-hop took over as the most popular music genre in the world. I think I wrote that. [Laughs]. It would seem mostly that theyre listening to hip-hop. This is interesting because if you look outside of this country, into the rest of the world, right now, they [audiences] seem to really like classic-sounding hip-hop. Here in America, theres still a big market for classic hip hop. You mean like 90s style Golden Age hip-hop? Yeah, stuff like that. Out there in the world, it gets really big shows. An artist with those sensibilities may be able to pull 300 people per show in the states, but in Europe, they can do a show with 1000 people, easy. One of my close friends, who is also one of my favorite rappers, Masta Ace, has a style similar to that. He does good here, but overseas, hes treated like it was still the 1990s, like he is star. My thing is that I feel like a lot of our legends sort of get disregarded in American culture. Thats unfortunate. In America, is it still all about whats new while the past is constantly forgotten? You know, in America, we have a very short attention span, when it comes to almost everything, really. I agree. I think sometimes folks listen to popular music without knowing or wanting to know the history of that music, where it came from, who did it first. That tendency seems to be a little bit different in country and in rock, in my opinion. In those genres you still have legends that can draw really huge audiences. Theres only a few acts like De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest and Wu Tang [Clan] that still pull, but many of the rest have been relegated to bundled, back-to-the-90s package tours. I think it has to do with the way you do your career. Theres certain artists that are capable of re-inventing themselves ... Thats something Masta Ace did. I went on tour with him last year. He did some in-store appearances, mostly at local skate shops, and all of the fans that came to his meet and greets were under 21! He started rapping in 1988. Thats pretty intense. So things like that seem to indicate the cultural tide is turning, right? Well, situations like that [described above] are a good cause for optimism. Something else that helped out recently was a show on Netflix that was really popular. It [Hip-Hop Evolution] was all about late 80s, early 90s hip-hop culture, like the beginning of our culture. A lot of kids were watching that, I noticed that among my students. Whats the deal with your students? I teach here in Albuquerque at Warehouse 508, which is a city of Albuquerque sponsored thing and also out on the reservation. Sometimes I lecture at colleges in the area, too. I do a lot of work in the community. Im not good at talking about all the things I do, but I really enjoy my life Im really in the moment. There are a lot of creative and cultural activities I do that people dont know about. I definitely try my best to teach a lot of kids who are into hip-hop. I try to show them different approaches I know about. I also have a class thats about learning how to make beats, write songs, record them. Speaking about youth, the community and culture, lets talk a little bit about Malala, a recording and video that address the issue of misogyny in hip-hop culture. Malala was going through some tribulations with the Taliban because she was fighting for womens right to an education. They didnt want that to happen, she was making a lot of noise. They shot her in the head but she survived. She went on to write a book and won the Nobel Peace Prize. To me, its cool that thats a woman who did that. Her story is incredible and it caused me to formulate a flow about her life. It marinated for a while, but the main reason I thought to do this now has to do with the fact that I like to hear things [from myself] that others dare not say. In another way, theres a lot of people who say important things, but arent reaching [a wide audience]. Someone told me that Im the bridge between the youth and the elders, because my music resonates with both. Kids like the modern sound, OGs like the classic hip-hop foundation, which makes for a beautiful thing that communicates values. I feel that sometimes people have these culturally significant conversations between themselves, but putting that into a song helps further the discussion, makes it public. Whats the reaction been like from your audience, from those who interact with your art? Its definitely a beautiful thing when you hear about people connecting with your work. I said the thing they wanted to hear. I get a lot of messages from people, explaining their story, how her story and my telling of it is a great motivation for them to keep going, to embrace change and evolution. [For] Women who are going for it, starting their own business, engaging the world, this song has been the real thing. Thats one of the main reasons I make music, to build people up. I used to make music that was about my struggles, but anymore I also like to grow awareness. That was one of my reasons for listening to music initially. What is especially important to your artistic and cultural sensibilities now, as expressed in Malala? I think gender inequality is an important issue right now. And were very far behind. The way cultural systems are currently set up has happened through male dominance. Masculinity is involved with injustice. The western world has been based on that standard. Being a woman, especially a woman of color is probably one of the hardest things to be on this planet. So, what can we do in the world right now? For me, my part is trying to stand up for whats right. Are youre hoping to influence people? I feel like, a lot of the time, young males need to see, they need to have the positive influence of another male. The majority of portrayals of men in popular culture, the movies, hip-hop, are centered on greed and power. It sucks that women are so objectified in those mediums. A lot of people ask me if Im a feminist. That hits me in a weird way, because yes I am. But to me, I feel like its just common sense and morals. Feminism shouldnt be anything groundbreaking, it should be the way we do business with other human beings. It shouldnt be radical or crazy to say that people should be treated equally. Its not revolutionary, but because of the way our society was set up using a patriarchal model, it is. News / National by Stephen Jakes MDC-T Bulawayo spokesperson Felix Mafa Sibanda and Ibetshu likaZulu secretary general Mbuso Fuzwayo condemned the disruption of the self imposed Ndebele King Stanley Khumalo's coronation on Tuesday by the police saying the move was a violation of cultural and traditional rights of a people.Police on Tuesday disrupted the coronation of the King amid revelations the coronation had later to happen at a private function in the city of Bulawayo after the disruption."Is this not violation of freedom of Association and tradition and culture of people as it were?" said Sibanda."As the party that resonate with all the people of Zimbabwe, are against all forms of violence against the people when enjoying their constitutional rights like freedom of association, cultural and traditional rights."He said citizens of Zimbabwe are to be protect against ZRP for enjoyment of these rights in Chapter 4 of the constitution.Ibhetshu likazulu Secretary General Mbuso Fuzwayo said they condemn the police behaviour on what they did to the people of Matabeleland who wanted to coronate one of their own."We strongly believe the legitimacy issue has nothing to do with the police, but the people of mat. If they thought there's a crime that was to be done, they were supposed to caution him, but allow him to go ahead with his activity," he said. A Sydney woman who said her husband's fatal stabbing was a tragic accident has walked free from court after being acquitted of his murder. The NSW Supreme Court jury, which deliberated for less than two hours, also found restaurateur Qian Liu not guilty of manslaughter. Ms Liu, 35, had pleaded not guilty to murdering Han Lim Chin, 39, who was stabbed at their Riverwood granny flat on the night of January 3, 2016. Sydney woman Qian Liu, 35, has walked free from court after a jury believe she fatally stabbed her husband by accident Ms Liu had gotten in an argument with her husband pleaded not guilty to murdering Han Lim Chin, 39, who was stabbed at their Riverwood granny flat in 2016 She testified that the couple argued and at one stage she grabbed a sheathed kitchen knife she had seen him put into his bumbag. She said she had no intention of hurting him when she swung around towards him holding the knife - a movement she demonstrated to the jury, using a pen. She said she had not realised the cover had come off the knife or that he had been stabbed. Ms Liu told the jury about her husband's unfounded suspicions of her having an affair with her personal trainer. He had claimed she had been seen driving him to his home and served the trainer abalone soup but not her husband. After the verdicts were handed down on Thursday, Justice Clifton Hoeben commented that it was his first 'not guilty' verdict in 13 years of trials. Ms Liu appeared in good spirits after learning her fate on Thursday afternoon, flashing a smile for reporters waiting outside court. Ms Liu testified that the couple argued and at one stage she grabbed a sheathed kitchen knife she had seen him put into his bumbag Brenden Bennetts has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Gatton schoolgirl Jayde Kendall. It took a jury just four hours to reach its verdict on Thursday after hearing seven days of evidence at trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court. Bennetts, now aged 21, will have to serve 20 years behind bars before he is eligible to apply for parole. Brenden Bennetts searched for 'best way to dispose of a body' on YouTube the day before he killed Jayde (pictured) Family and friends (pictured) of murdered teenager Jayde Kendall embrace outside of the Supreme Court in Brisbane Prosecutor Vicki Loury QC said Bennetts was a 'very good actor' (pictured today in court) There was an audible gasp from the public gallery when the verdict was handed down while Bennetts showed no emotion. Jayde was last seen alive getting into Bennetts' distinctive red Toyota Corolla after school about 3.20pm on Friday, August 14. Prosecutor Vicki Loury QC argued it was likely the 16-year-old was dead not long after 4pm and her body dragged to an isolated field on an Upper Tenthill property. Ms Loury said in her closing submission Bennetts was a 'very good actor' and destroyed all things linking him to Jayde that afternoon, including her belongings and text messages showing the pair were meeting up for sexual activity. 'He was thinking he was clever, but little did he know those messages could be recovered,' Ms Loury said. The trial heard Bennetts texted himself Jayde's bank card PIN at 3.58pm then shielded his face from an ATM camera as he withdrew $70 from her account at dark. Brenden Bennetts (pictured) has been found guilty of murdering Gatton schoolgirl Jayde Kendall in 2015 Bennetts killed 16-year-old Jayde (pictured) shortly after picking her up from school on Friday, August 14, 2015 Ms Loury said Bennetts' lies and attempts to conceal evidence were 'out of proportion' to an accidental killing Defence barrister Michael Copley QC argued Jayde's death could have been from sexual misadventure and Bennetts had withdrawn the money in a panic to make it seem all was well. The court had heard Bennetts was inclined to choking his sexual partners and had taken it 'too far' with two previous girlfriends. But Ms Loury said Bennetts' lies and attempts to conceal evidence were 'out of proportion' to an accidental killing. Bennetts, now aged 21, will have to serve 20 years behind bars for the murder of Jayde (pictured) before he is eligible to apply for parole Denis Morrissey described his granddaughter as a 'gorgeous and thoughtful young woman focused on a bright future' 'If it was a terrible tragedy, why didn't he get her help?' Ms Loury said. 'He let her family search for her in the vain hope she was alive. 'You can almost see the cogs turning in his head to make up a version that makes sense.' The court heard Bennetts searched YouTube for 'best way to dispose of a body' the day before he killed Jayde. Family and friends (pictured) of murdered teenager Jayde Kendall embrace outside of the Supreme Court in Brisbane Bruce Morrissey, father of Jayde Kendall, (pictured, centre), with family members and friends, leaves the Supreme Court Family and friends (pictured) of murdered teenager Jayde Kendall leave the Supreme Court in Brisbane The prosecution was not required to prove what motivated the 18-year-old to kill, but Ms Loury argued it showed what was going on in his head during the murder. 'He was contemplating killing and disposing of a body and one day later does just that,' she said. 'You just don't know how she died. 'You will never know why he did this. While there may be a reason, it is only known to him.' Bruce Morrissey (pictured, centre), father of Jayde Kendall, and Denis Morrissey (pictured, right), grandfather of Jayde Kendall, speak to the media Denis Morrissey described his granddaughter as a 'gorgeous and thoughtful young woman focused on a bright future' in a victim impact statement to the court. 'To know we will never have these times again tears our heart out,' he said according to ABC News. 'She was a bright and driven young girl, destined for great things. 'We will never recover from this loss.' Family and friends (pictured) of murdered teenager Jayde Kendall leave the Supreme Court in Brisbane Marking Australia Day is like celebrating the Holocaust, a Melbourne politician said as her council scrapped a holiday it deemed offensive to Aboriginal people, in a move the government on Thursday labelled 'extreme and divisive'. The council in the Melbourne suburb of Moreland became the third in Victoria state to decide not to recognise Australia Day. The annual holiday, on January 26, commemorates the arrival of the country's first British settlers in 1788 and is a time when citizenship ceremonies are held. Australia's colonial history credits Captain James Cook with discovering the country, but Aboriginal people inhabited the land for more than 60,000 years before the first European explorers arrived But it is termed 'Invasion Day' by many indigenous Australians who say it marks the beginning of the decline of Aboriginal culture. In debating the issue Wednesday, Moreland Socialist Alliance councillor Sue Bolton said commemorating Australia Day 'would be like celebrating the Nazi Holocaust', state broadcaster ABC reported. Assistant Minister for Immigration Alex Hawke said in a statement the government rejected 'the extreme and divisive nature of the discussion Greens and Socialist councillors are promoting'. He said the government of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull 'strongly condemns comparisons of Australia Day with the Nazi Holocaust as deeply offensive to all Australians'. 'Australia Day is a recognition of our shared history and the Turnbull government, along with the vast majority of Australians, indigenous and non-indigenous, fully support Australia Day remaining on January 26.' Koomurri people and representatives of Aboriginal groups from around Australia perform the Smoking Ceremony and Dance as part of an Australia Day ceremony in Sydney, in January Australia's colonial history credits Captain James Cook with discovering the country, but Aboriginal people inhabited the land for more than 60,000 years before the first European explorers arrived. Last month a war of words erupted over colonial-era statues in Australia, with several in Sydney defaced, including one of Cook with the words 'change the date' in reference to Australia Day. The vandalism sparked a furious response from Turnbull, who brushed off calls for the statues to be torn down, adding that the defacement was 'what Stalin did' in denying history. Aborigines remain the most disadvantaged Australians. They were believed to have numbered around one million at the time of British settlement, but now make up only about three percent of the total population of 24 million. Australia could join Spain, Sweden, and the UK if the food stamping is adapted Farmers looking to erradicate need for stickers for food in 'natural packaging' Environmentally conscious farmers are looking to replace plastic produce stickers with tattoos in an ambitious plan to ditch the use of wax and plastic wrap for fruit and vegetables that come in 'natural packaging'. Australia could join Spain, Sweden, and the UK if the revolutionary food stamping is adapted. Waste conscious banana farmer, Matthew Abbotts of far-north Queensland, has already begun making the move towards alternative methods to brand his produce, ABC News reports. Australian farmers are looking to replace stickers with tattoos in an ambitious plan to ditch the use of wax and plastic wrap for fruit and vegetables that come in 'natural packaging' He said one of the main challenges he had come up against was finding a way he could brand his fruit in a way where conventional and organic products could be sold side-by-side in supermarkets. 'At the moment most of the organic fruit that is sold in a shop is wrapped in plastic and we are really trying to get away from that,' he said. Mr Abbotts has researched extensively to discover a low-waste solution even trialing the use of elastic bands. But it was ink printing that had proved the most promising, with him having trialed two different types so far. Matthew Abbotts of far-north Queensland, has already begun making the move towards alternative methods to brand his bananas 'At the moment most of the organic fruit that is sold in a shop is wrapped in plastic and we are really trying to get away from that,' Mr Abbotts said However, the moisture inside his fruit cooling shed caused some of the stamping to wash away, so Mr Abbotts search for the perfect fix continues. He recently participated in an international Nuffield Australia scholarship study tour which lead him towards laser technology as a solution. Mr Abbotts discovered a machine that used the innovative process to write on fruit. 'It's got a conveyor belt that feeds the machine so the fruit gets lasered and then gets packed out the other end,' he explained. Mr Abbotts recently discovered a machine that used laser technology to write on fruit Created by Spanish-based Laser Food company, the beaming light doesn't damage the outer casing of the produce or affect its eating quality providing its set at least 30 centimetres away. He's currently collaborating with the company to create a suitable design for the bananas on his farm. Being no stranger to the difficulties technology can present, Mr Abbott said patience would be key in adopting the new labeling structure. 'The technology can be there but if you haven't got a system around it that can be functional when it goes into your shed it can be just too hard to make it work.' He said while the initial set-up costs were a significant outlay, he was confident his machine would prove a more economical option long-term. The actress, who played hard-nosed journalist Murphy Brown on the hoit TV show, had some choice words about her date with now President Trump Candice Bergen went on Bravo's ,Watch What Happens Live, wearing a 'Free Melania' sweatshirt and dished on her date in the 1960's with Donald Trump, calling him a 'douche.' Bergen, who played a witty, hard nosed television journalist during the decade-long hit series 'Murphy Brown,' went on Andy Cohen's late night talk show Wednesday and dished on her big night with President Trump back when the two were students at the University of Pennsylvania. The Emmy-winning actress was 18 at the time, and said President Trump had called her dorm to ask her if he could take her out for dinner. Even before she continued her choice of top and the fact that she has campaigned for Hillary Clinton ever since she ran for the US senate back in 1999 suggested that this was not a magical night for the young college co-ed. As for the 'Free Melania' sweatshirt, Bergen had been wearing it all day as she promoted her new film 'Home Again;' with Witherspoon, and it retails for just $33.99, with a hoodie and t-shirt version available as well online. Scroll for video Candice Bergen (right), star of Murphy Brown, wears a Free Melania sweater on Andy Cohen (center) along with Reese Witherspoon (left) Bergen, sporting her 'Free Melania' sweatshirt spoke about her date with a now President Donald Trump. Pictured right, a head-shot from her role as 'Murphy Brown' 'He was wearing a burgundy three piece suit, with burgundy patent leather boots, and he was in a burgundy limousine,' she explained of his monotone look of the night, which was evidently the most memorable part of the evening. When Cohen then asked if there was any chemistry or a kiss on the date, Bergen deadpanned: 'No, I was home very early' and 'There was no physical contact, whatsoever.' He followed that up by inquiring if Bergen found the future commander-in-cief alluring or a douche, to which she responded: 'He was a good looking guy and a douche.' After Bergen was done with her brief recap of the one date she shared with the real estate scion, Cohen quipped: 'She wears this 'Free Melania' shirt with some authority here.' President Trump was the first to reveal that he had once dated Bergen, sharing the story back in 2015 and making it seem as though the two shared more than one single evening together 50 years ago. Bergen, the daughter of a model and famous ventriloquist, attended Penn for two years before being forced to leave because she was failing an art and an opera class. She was named both Homecoming Queen and Miss University in those two years however, proving herself to be one of the most socially adept students on campus. Bergen did some modelling after college before getting into acting, with her big break coming in the 1969 film 'Carnal Knowledge' alongside Jack Nicholson. She earned an Oscar nomination a decade later for her work in 'Starting Over.' She was married to French director Louis Malle from 1980 to 1995 and the two have a daughter Chloe who is an editor at 'Vogue.' Her current husband of 17 years, Marshall Rose, is a philanthropist and real estate developer. President Trump meanwhile has been married three times: first to model Ivana Trump, then to actress Marla Maples and finally to his current wife, First Lady Melania Trump. (Left) A young Donald Trump in 1980. (Right) Portrait of Donald John Trump smiling slightly in 1983 'Candace Bergen calling Trump a douche (in a free Melania sweater no less) just made my life' This Twitter user essentially said Trump was essentially ahead of his time Fans found Bergen's recollection of a young Trump, while wearing her sweatshirt, rather amusing on Wednesday, taking to Twitter to comment. One fan of the show wrote: 'Candace Bergen calling Trump a douche (in a free Melania sweater no less) just made my life.' Another said her description of Trump as a 'handsome,' douche' sums up 'most straight men these days.' The 'Free Melania' meme came about on President Trump's Inauguration Day when the he bounded up the steps to the White House after arriving at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, leaving his wife behind to exit the car alone as he greeted the Obamas. Melania was also carrying gift for the Obamas which her husband did not help her with, making for an awkward greeting between the two couples. President Trump also later appeared to snap at the First Lady during the ceremony, with the two sharing an icy moment as her stood at the podium during his address. Anthony Weiner is a 'sick man' caught in an 'operatic' spiral of self destruction, his lawyer say, as they plead to keep him out of jail for sexting a 15-year-old girl. The disgraced former congressman insists in a separate letter to the judge that he is making every effort to repair the damage he has done to his family, writing: 'Every day I quietly do what I can to keep getting better.' The 15-year-old girl first told DailyMail.com about her online affair with Weiner last September. She described how he asked her to dress up in school girl outfits and participate in 'rape fantasies.' Weiner has pleaded guilty to sending obscene material to a minor, a charge that could land him in prison for up to 10 years when he is sentenced later this month. The sentencing memorandum was filed late Wednesday just hours after he had been in court for a divorce hearing with estranged wife Huma Abedin. Scroll for video Admitted sex offender Anthony Weiner and his estranged wife Huma Abedin appeared before Judge Michael Katz at The Supreme Court of New York for a hearing over their divorce on Wednesday (pictured) Abedin remained mostly expressionless in court. The divorce case is contested, as Abedin is seeking full custody of their 5-year-old son The girl who exchanges sexts with Weiner revealed her face on Friday. She is not being named because she is still a minor but her father gave permission for her face to be shown In the memorandum, Weiner and his lawyers plead with the federal judge to allow him to remain out of prison ahead of his September 25 sentencing. 'This crime is a product of a sickness,' the memo read. 'No one can dispute that Anthony's operatic self-destruction, of which the instant case has been but the final act, was born of deep sickness.' The court filing included letters from Weiner and Abedin. In a heavily blacked-out letter, Abedin wrote: 'With Anthony, I have repeatedly found myself in circumstances I never imagined. I am devastated by Anthony's actions, and I understand he must face their consequences.' The lawyers described Weiner, a once powerful Democrat, as having committed a crime, though 'one far less egregious than any sexting case that has been prosecuted in this district.' They said he never sought out teenagers on the internet and didn't engage in other predatory behaviors typical of those arrested in similar cases. Abedin seemed to dominate the conversation when she sat next to the former congressman while keeping a cool expression, but Weiner could not match her poker face Although Abedin stood by Weiner through recurrent sex scandals that destroyed his career, the final straw for their marriage was Weiner's months-long sexting relationship with a high school sophomore 'He responded to the victim's request for sexually explicit messages not because she was a teenager but in spite of it,' the lawyers said. The lawyers said the investigation of Weiner was 'quite improperly injected into the U.S. presidential election, quite possibly affecting its outcome.' 'After the election was over, the high school student told government investigators that this had been one of her goals from the outset,' Weiner's lawyers wrote. Both of their lawyers asked for privacy in the matter, but the judge allowed for a photographer to enter the courtroom because their attempts to keep their separation under wraps has not been successful In a letter to U.S. District Judge Denise Cote, who will sentence Weiner, Weiner wrote that 'regret for my crime is profound' and that he had endangered the well-being of a 15-year-old girl. 'My continued acting out over years crushed the aspirations of my wife and ruined our marriage,' he said. Earlier in the day he and his estranged wife Huma Abedin arrived separately to appear before Judge Michael Katz at The Supreme Court of New York for a hearing over their divorce on Wednesday. In the hearing, Weiner was visibly upset, huffing and puffing while Abedin remained mostly expressionless. The hearing was brief, a prelude to what could be a long and acrimonious proceeding, although the judge stated that both wanted to resolve the divorce amicably. The hearing came just days before Weiner is scheduled to be sentenced for texting obscene material to a 15-year-old girl on September 25. Abedin, 41, a close aide to Hillary Clinton, filed for divorce on May 19, the same day Weiner, 53, pleaded guilty to federal obscenity charges related to explicit messages he sent to the teenager. The former political power couple's seven-year marriage was strained by Weiner's repeated 'sexting' relationships with numerous women, including a college student, a porn star and a Las Vegas blackjack dealer. The divorce case is contested, as Abedin is seeking full custody of their 5-year-old son. The judge acknowledged they wanted to resolve their divorce amicably and added he hoped to help them work something out that would work for their family Abedin seemed to be able to keep her emotions in check and was composed during the hearing while Weiner walked into the room visibly upset Although they arrived separately, the two walked into the Manhattan courtroom together and then hurriedly left the building after 30 minutes, having a black car whisk them away. Judge Katz said: 'I certainly would encourage you to try to work out a plan together with your attorneys' assistance. 'It certainly would be better for your son if you could do that. It would save you a lot of stress. Hopefully the financials can be worked out amicably as well.' When the lawyers for the two parties went into a back room with the judge, the once happy couple moved to sit next to each other and talked quietly. Abedin seemed to dominate the conversation while keeping a cool expression, at one point smiling, while Weiner could not match her poker face. Both of their lawyers asked for privacy in the matter, but the judge allowed for a photographer to enter the courtroom because their attempts to keep their separation under wraps has not been successful. Although they arrived separately, the two walked into the Manhattan courtroom together and then hurriedly left the building after 30 minutes, having a black car whisk them away. Abedin stood by Weiner through recurrent sex scandals that destroyed his career but the final straw for their marriage was Weiner's months-long sexting relationship with a high school sophomore. The story prompted an FBI investigation into Weiner, when investigators stumbled across previously undisclosed emails from Clinton's private email server on Weiner's laptop. The discovery led FBI director James Comey to reopen his investigation into Clinton's emails just days before the presidential election a move Clinton has blamed in part for her election loss. Abedin, who worked with Clinton for two decades and was a senior campaign aide, was said to be devastated after hearing the news. 'When we heard this, Huma looked stricken,' wrote Clinton in her new book What Happened. 'Anthony had already caused so much heartache. And now this.' Abedin told Clinton: 'This man is going to be the death of me,' before bursting into tears. Abedin is fighting for full custody of her son. Pictured: The parents walked their son Jordan to school on the first day of the school season on Friday The couple met in 2001 when Weiner was a first-term congressman and Abedin was an aide to then-Senator Hillary Clinton. They were married at the Oheka Castle in New York in 2010 At one point, Abedin cracked a smile along with Weiner while their attorneys were in another room talking with the judge Clinton said her long-time aide's anguish 'broke my heart' and made her determined to stand by Abedin despite the damage to her campaign. The devastating revelation was one of many Abedin endured during her seven-year marriage to Weiner. The couple first met in 2001 when Weiner was a first-term congressman and Abedin was an aide to then-Senator Hillary Clinton. Abedin was 25 at the time and already a seasoned Clinton insider, having worked for the former First Lady from the time she was 19. Weiner has admitted he was interested in Abedin immediately, but said he didn't ask her out to drinks until they bumped into each other that summer in Martha's Vineyard. The date didn't go well; Abedin ordered a cup of tea and quickly 'ditched' Weiner, according to his account. But they reconnected romantically in 2007, after Abedin sent Weiner a flirty text message during the State of the Union to thank him for sitting next to Clinton at the speech. 'I appreciate you looking out for my boss,' she wrote. Although Abedin stood by Weiner through recurrent sex scandals that destroyed his career, the final straw for their marriage was Weiner's months-long sexting relationship with a high school sophomore. Pictured: Weiner's texts to the young girl Another of the inappropriate images Weiner sent showed him curled up with his then four-year-old son At the time, Weiner was a rising star among House Democrats due to his combative style and regular appearances on cable news shows. Abedin, meanwhile, was one of the closest confidantes to the woman who was expected to win the Democratic presidential nomination the following year. Weiner and Abedin quickly cemented themselves as a political power couple and were engaged by 2009. They married in 2010 in a lavish celebration at Oheka Castle on Long Island a venue that runs $100,000 for the average wedding with Abedin wearing a custom Oscar de la Renta gown and Bill Clinton officiating the ceremony. But just one year later the couple's idyllic image would be shattered, when Weiner accidentally posted a photo of his underwear-clad crotch on Twitter while attempting to send it privately to a female college student. The congressman deleted the photo and initially claimed his account was hacked. But he eventually admitted that he had been sexting with numerous women, after several came forward to say they had exchanged explicit messages and photos with him. In the midst of the controversy, Weiner resigned from Congress and said he was going to therapy to deal with sexual addictions. Two years later, Weiner launched a political comeback with his campaign for New York City mayor. New Yorkers seemed poised to forgive his past transgressions, and the former congressman led in Democratic polls. But shortly before the primary election, news emerged that he had continued to send explicit text messages and photos to 23-year-old Sydney Leathers causing Weiner's poll numbers to plummet and costing him the nomination. In the 2016 documentary Weiner, which followed the former congressman throughout the mayoral campaign, Abedin looks alternately disgusted and distraught as news of her husband's affair went public. 'It's like living a nightmare,' she told the camera at one point. Abedin finally announced that she was separating from Weiner last summer, after it was revealed that the former congressman sent another woman a lewd photo of his crotch while he was in bed with his 5-year-old son. A few weeks later, DailyMail.com reported on Weiner's sexting relationship with a 15-year-old girl. Although the girl told Weiner she was in high school, the former congressman told her in messages that she made him 'hard' and said he wanted to 'bust that tight p***y so hard and so often that you would leak and limp for a week.' The teenager said in an interview that Weiner would also chat with her on a video messaging program, during which he asked her to dress up as a school girl and talked about his 'rape fantasies.' During the relationship, which started in January 2016 and carried on for several months, Weiner also sent her photos of him shirtless and posing provocatively. There were reports that Abedin and Weiner were working to repair their relationship as recently as last spring. But that possibility was dashed on May 19, when Weiner appeared in a New York court to face federal charges Investigators looked at Huma's laptop as part of their probe into her husband's affair. It crossed over into a separate FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server The girl, who showed her face publicly for the first time last week, said she initially decided to come forward about Weiner because she was disturbed he had sent women photographs of him posing with his young son. After the scandal broke, Weiner spent several weeks at a rehab center for sex addiction in Tennessee. Although Abedin and Weiner were technically separated last summer, they continued to live together in their $3.3million Manhattan apartment. There were reports that Abedin and Weiner were working to repair their relationship as recently as last spring. But that possibility was dashed on May 19, when Weiner appeared in a New York court to face federal charges. Weiner pleaded guilty to sending obscene material to a minor, a charge that could land him in prison for up to 10 years when he is sentenced later this month. He broke down in tears and apologized during the hearing, telling the judge that he has a sickness. 'I have a sickness but I do not have an excuse,' he told the court. Although Weiner could face up to a decade in prison, his plea agreement makes it likely he will be sentenced to far less than that. Prosecutors have asked for him to be sentenced to 21 to 27 months, and Weiner's legal team agreed not to appeal any sentence below that range. Abedin filed for divorce hours after the hearing. A new species for spider has been discovered in a dense coastal bushland in Australia - just what we need. Spider experts and scientists found the arachnid on the NSW south coast late last year. The spider, named Maratus sapphirus, is a peacock-type arachnid with colourful marking and a large crest on its back with two dark shoulders that look like eyes. The spider, named Maratus sapphirus, is a peacock-type arachnid with colourful marking and a large crest on its back with two dark shoulders that look like eyes The spider was discovered by Helen Ransom (center left) and shown to Stuart Harris (left) who believed it was a new species Helen Ransom, a scientist who works for BioBlitz, was searching for insects when she found the small spider among leaves on a bush trail. She immediately showed the creature to her colleague, Stuart Harris, who said he 'knew straight away' this was a new species. 'She said to me 'Oh Stuart, what's this?' And I looked at it, and was like, 'Oh no, that's a new species.' Mr Harris told Fairfax. 'We were all over the moon jumping around, you can imagine how they felt.' The spider was discovered on the Sapphire Coast, south of Sydney The spider was sent to Dr Jurgen Otto on Wednesday who confirmed the spider is a new species. The spider earned its name after Helen Ranson found it on the Sapphire Coast of NSW. 'Maratus which means peacock spider is the name that's given to any spider in that genus,' Mr Harris, also known as 'spider man', said. 'Because it was found on the Sapphire coast I suggested the name be something to do with sapphire, also because of its colour.' Sean Spicer admitted his briefing the day after Trump's inauguration was not the best start to his tenure as White House press secretary, during his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel. Spicer, 45, walked onto the stage to cheers from the crowd on Wednesday night before opening up about his short time in the administration. During his time working at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, he was often mocked for his gaffes and got into many high-profile spats with reporters. But he continues to defend the president and slammed the people who didn't give him credit for winning the election. Kimmel didn't waste any time and started grilling Spicer as soon as he hit the stage. 'So right off the bat, your first ever press conference, you get in there and it's the day after the inauguration, right? And you are charged with the job of going in front of the press and saying the inauguration crowd was the biggest crowd ever,' Kimmel said to Spicer. Scroll down for video Sean Spicer appeared on Jimmy Kimmel on Wednesday to talk about his time working as the Press Secretary for President Donald Trump Spicer, 45, was pleasantly surprised by the applause he received from the crowd and insisted that he has been thanked for his service 'If it was up to you would this have even been a topic?' 'You know, if it was up to me I probably would have worn a different suit,' Spicer said. Spicer left his short-lived position at the White House in July after even shorter lived Anthony Scaramucci was named communications director. He stayed on until August. Kimmel wanted the origin story behind one of the most criticized positions at the White House besides Trump - a fight with the press corps over the inauguration attendance. 'The President wanted to make sure the record got straight,' Spicer said. 'There was a faction of people out there that didn't want to give him the credit that he rightly deserved. 'And I think he takes that personally. A lot of people, in the media in particular, constantly sought to undermined the validity of that election.' The former aide - who left his position in July - also added that he had never seen the President naked when Kimmel asked Spicer about Trump's obsession with size He also added that he had never seen the President naked when Kimmel asked Spicer about Trump's obsession with size. Spicer said that Trump had the final call on what was said at conference. He said: 'Your job is to give him advice but ultimately he's the President.' And he still was a huge supporter of some of the alternative facts Trump propagated. He made a point to say that he never pre-approved Trump's tweets and called the platform 'one of the President's most effective tools in the campaign' 'You can look at an argument or a set of facts and come out with one opinion...and someone else can come up with a different conclusion,' said Spicer on alternative facts 'You can look at an argument or a set of facts and come out with one opinion...and someone else can come up with a different conclusion,' said Spicer. 'That's what makes our country great.' Kimmel responded and said: 'So, if I were to say to you, I'm sitting on a horse right now?' 'Well, you're not,' Spicer added. 'Right! Exactly!' Kimmel shouted at Spicer. The former aide made a point to say that he never pre-approved Trump's tweets and called the platform 'one of the President's most effective tools in the campaign.' Spicer blamed the media and reporters specifically for 'perpetuating myths' increasing tensions between him and the press Spicer also blamed the media and reporters specifically for 'perpetuating myths' increasing tensions. When Kimmel pointed out that Trump does the same, Spicer retorted that 'the press corps attacks the President or undermines him or calls into question his credibility.' And while he denied personal problems with The Mooch as to why he left the White House, Spicer did say that Scaramucci didn't have 'the qualifications or the background to work in the communications office.' In reference to the New Yorker article that saw The Mooch unload on Spicer, the former White House Easter Bunny said he would not 'relish in someone else's problems,' but that it 'proved my point.' Spicer ended his appearance stating that Trump does want to be President. Two dozen children, some just seven years old, have died in a fire at a religious boarding school in Malaysia in the early hours of this morning. The fire started in one of the bedrooms on the third floor of the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Tahfiz Centre in Kuala Lumpur, shortly before 6am. Most of the victims - 23 children and two adults - were asleep in their dormitories when the fire broke out, and once the blaze had taken hold it was too late. Horror: The fire that killed 25 students and teachers broke out in a dormitory at a religious boarding school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday morning The room in which the fire started, measuring 20ft by 40ft, was said by a fire brigade spokesman, quoted by the New Straits Times, to have been littered with charred bodies. At least 15 bodies were found huddled together on another floor, it was reported. Some of the children who died were aged as young as seven, while others were in their mid-teens. A survivor told how there was chaos, with fire preventing students from escaping from the sweeping blaze. In the hours after the fire, family members rushed to the scene, only for some to be told that their child had died in the blaze. Mourning: Nik Azlan Nik Abdul Kadir, left, father of one of the victims comforts his wife outside the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah religious school Tragedy: Family members wait for news of their loved ones outside the school Nowhere to run: The fire broke out in the dormitories, and most of the victims are believed to have woken up too late to escape the blaze Horror: Firefighters say more than a dozen victims were found huddled together on the floor of the dormitories at the school Mourning parents could be seen standing outside the school as emergency services tended to the scene. Muhammad Roslan, 15, told the New Straits times that he was woken by noises that sounded like gas leaking from a tank.' When I woke up, fire had already engulfed the front door,' he said. 'Immediately, several of us started to try to wake up our friends However, there were also several who did not wake up at all. It was chaoitic as we could not get out - the front door of the hostel was already blazing. Fire had even spread to our beds. Muhammad told how he and several other students had tried to quench the fire with water but the blaze was too intense. I broke a window and grabbed a pipe attached to the outside of the building and I used it to escape to the ground, he said. There were only eight of us who managed to escape through the window. Several of my friends also fell to the ground in the attempt, including those who had fire on their hair and clothes. Power fault: Fire officials said it appears as if the blaze was caused by a short circuit It is reported that 23 children and two teachers died in the fire on Thursday morning A policewoman stands next to a noticeboard accounting for manpower involved in the aftermath of the fire Two wardens sleeping in the room woke up when the fire broke out and tried to rescue students, but, said Muhammad, they perished with the others. Fire officials said it appeared that the blaze was caused by a short circuit, but confirmation of this would only come following a forensic examination. Prime Minister Namibia Razak expressed his condolences in a Tweet about the incident at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Tahfiz Centre. 'May their souls be blessed,' he wrote while on a three day visit to the US. Earlier this year, Malaysia's The Star newspaper reported that the fire department was concerned about the level of fire safety measures at a number of unregistered religious schools. More than 200 fires had broken out at schools since 215, the department revealed. It was in 2015 that 16 people, including eight students, had managed to flee from an early morning fire at a family-run religious school. The worst blaze in recent times was in September 1989 when 27 female students were killed in a school fire in the Kedah district. A mentally-ill prisoner who has been locked up for 11 years despite originally being sentenced to just 10 months is to be released. James Ward has been kept behind bars due to years of misdemeanours, including setting fire to his cell bed and repeatedly self-harming. The 32-year-old was sentenced under Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP), which allows HM Prison Service to keep him locked up indefinitely. But the Parole Board has finally decided to free Ward, with work under way to secure him a place at a hostel. James Ward (pictured) has been locked up for 11 years despite originally being sentenced to just 10 months in prison His sister April told the BBC that she was unsure if her brother was even aware that he was set to be freed. She added: 'He's got no hope. He will be very surprised of the release today because it's taken over 10 years for this result to happen. 'We are over the moon, my dad can't stop grinning. My dad hasn't grinned for years. I can't stop crying or smiling. 'James is not a risk to the public, he's only ever been a risk to himself, and with the right support we can get him there.' IPPs were introduced in 2005 but scrapped seven years later by then justice secretary Ken Clarke who has described them as a 'stain' on the prison system Ward, from Nottinghamshire, was originally convicted of actual bodily harm on his father in 2006, with a judge sentencing to 10 months behind bars. However shortly afterwards, Ward set fire to the mattress inside his cell, forcing another judge to apply a IPP sentence, which has no expiry date. The sentence was designed to safeguard the public from criminals whose crimes did not merit a life sentence but were still considered dangerous should they be released. They were introduced in 2005 but scrapped seven years later by then justice secretary Ken Clarke who has described them as a 'stain' on the prison system. Opinion / Columnist In October 2014, First Lady Grace Mugabe made the most famous statement "resign now or I will baby dump you" to then Vice-President Joice Mujuru in Bindura's Chipadze Stadium.The statement opened some floodgates to unrestrained attacks on Mujuru, who was President Robert Mugabe's deputy for 10 years, and her perceived Gamatox allies until they were fired from the only party they had known since pre-independent Zimbabwe.Exactly three years on, Grace was back at the same stadium to launch an unrestrained tirade against Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who until recently looked an obvious Mugabe shoo-in."When I warned Mujuru, she thought I was mad, but where is she now?" that blunt warning from Grace to Mnangagwa will continue to reverberate to many who have watched the Zanu-PF women's league boss' victims spiral since she joined active politics in 2014.The graveyard of former Zanu-PF members who succumbed to Grace's radical politics continues to grow unabated if the developments at Mugabe's Bindura youth interface rally last Saturday were anything to go by.The attack on the invincible Mnangagwa before a capacity crowd of party supporters has triggered the big question: Can the symbolic Chipadze Stadium mark the beginning of the end of the shrewd tactician?While the characters have changed, political analyst Alexander Rusero said Grace's script on Mujuru remained largely the same one being used on Mnangagwa, warning underestimating Grace's utterances and intentions as a risky business."The Bindura rally is symbolic because this was where the script to remove Mujuru was played out. We cannot rule out a repeat of the same on Mnangagwa, only that this time the characters have changed," Rusero said."Mnangagwa is a survivor, who survived the Tsholotsho debacle and more plots. He is a bit cunning and he will benefit from the fact that Mugabe will not want to fire him for fear that he will join the opposition. Mugabe will simply decimate his support base and leave him hanging."Rusero said all that Grace did was to demystify that Mnangagwa had the power and was untouchable.At the weekend, Grace tore into Mnangagwa, accusing him of faking love for Mugabe who appointed him by dining with people fired from the party for denigrating the President.She warned him of going the Mujuru way if he failed to rein in his backers.Mugabe's speech was conciliatory, but corroborated his wife's address by giving a history that suggested he was the one who took Mnangagwa to Zanu-PF in a speech that could insinuate that Mnangagwa's political fortune lay in his hand.But Rusero said Mnangagwa was no pushover although developments in Zanu-PF would leave him a lame duck."Mujuru's power lay in Rex (General Solomon Mujuru Joice's late husband). After the demise of her husband, she no longer had power. It's a different case with Mnangagwa. He will not be easy to remove, although the Bindura rally shows a sustained step towards that." Myer is rolling out a chain of clearance stores with entire floors of massively discounted clothes, shoes, and handbags. The department store quietly trialled the concept at its Frankston outlet in Melbourne, slashing 40 per cent off already discounted products. Deals are available on Myer's own labels plus brands like Calvin Klein, Jack Jones, French Connection, Bardot, DKNY, Fossil, Doc Martins, and Levis. Myer is rolling out a chain of clearance stores with entire floors of massively discounted clothes, shoes, and handbags Shoppers reported picking up $250 jeans for about $100, Doc Martin shoes for $100, 60 per cent off DKNY handbags, $50 shoes, and $10 children's clothes. 'We've always had clearance sales; this is about aggregating them to one location within a store, one clearance floor within an existing store and it's getting a great response,' chief executive Richard Umbers told News Corp. The concept has been so successful, with a 30 per cent jump in new customers, it's being adopted in another seven stores around Australia. They are: Penrith and Roselands in Sydney, Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast, Logan in Brisbane, Knox in Melbourne, Tea Tree Plaza in Adelaide and Perth City. They are: Penrith and Roselands in Sydney, Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast, Logan in Brisbane, Knox in Melbourne, Tea Tree Plaza in Adelaide and Perth City Stock from brands like Guess, Nautica, Alannah Hill, Steve Madden and Dangerfield are now sitting on racks in new discount floors in those stores. The 'experimental' outlets will also include drawcards like hipster barber salons, gourmet cafes and pop-up ice rinks. Myer came up with the plan to defend against Amazon when it arrives from the U.S. later this year, lure in more customers, and to clear the way for new stock. Surrounding flagship stores send excess stock that is parked in discount floors, freeing up space for new premium stock to be sold at full price. Surrounding flagship stores send excess stock that is parked in discount floors, freeing up space for new premium stock to be sold at full price 'It is still a quality retail offer so it is still merchandise with mannequins and the product is properly presented; it is not a junk shop,' Mr Umbers said Frankston's 4,000sqm sale floor has colourful yellow signage and staff wear different uniforms to those on other floors. Products aren't just dumped there either, they are laid out on mannequins like other floors and tailored to the preferences of its customers. 'It is still a quality retail offer so it is still merchandise with mannequins and the product is properly presented; it is not a junk shop,' Mr Umbers told The Australian. Myer will continue its usual strategy on other floors in all its stores and move 'clearance' signs out of its premium stores. Mr Umbers said the strategy would help prevent 'an ever-deepening cycle of whole store discounting' that could be a 'journey of no return'. Myer will continue its usual strategy on other floors in all its stores and move 'clearance' signs out of its premium stores Retail giant Myer's profits have plummeted by 80% in the past year as brands are withdrawing from their catalogue and stores close across Australia. The department chain's net profit dropped from $67.9 million to an astonishing $11.9 million in 2017, the lowest figure since 2009. The company are set to close stores in Adelaide, Canberra and on Sydney's north shore. Retail giant Myer's profits have plummeted by 80% in the past year as brands are withdrawing from their catalogue and stores close across Australia Myer on Thursday announced a 1.4 per cent drop in sales, bringing their total to $3.2 billion. Increased pressure on the retail industry and the presence of international shipping giants including Amazon has decimated the Australian icon and CEO Richard Umbers says they have fallen well short of analysts predictions. 'We are obviously disappointed to have not reached our target of exceeding last year's NPAT of $69.4 million and that progress against our metrics that matter is slower than we anticipated,' Mr Umbers says. 'In the year ahead we will be rolling out further initiatives particularly in our strongly performing omni-channel business in anticipation of a further wave of change in consumer and competitor behaviour.' Myer CEO Richard Umbers (center) says they have fallen well short of analysts predictions The company have implemented a new business strategy in light of a changing retail landscape but are yet to reap the rewards. Australian couture label Sass and Bide have had their book value written down by $38.8 million as a result of the dramatic drop in profits. Myer have closed 74,670 square metres of stores since 2015 and will close the Hornsby store in Sydney, Colonnades store in Adelaide and Belconnen outlet in Canberra. Three women who featured in an ad against legalising same-sex marriage have faced death threats, racist taunts, vitriolic abuse and even been sent gay porn by trolls. Shocking messages sent to the women show the horrific nature of the abuse they have copped ever since fronting the Coalition for Marriage's 'no vote' TV campaign. But despite being labelled everything from 'dumb c***s' and 'bigots', and even sent graphic images of pornography, the three women say it hasn't deterred them at all. Scroll down for video Three women who featured in a TV ad against same-sex marriage have faced death threats, racist taunts and widespread vitriolic abuse Mrs McIvor (pictured with her husband Julian) received threats including that her church in the country Victorian town of Sale would be burnt to the ground Among the shocking messages (pictured) sent to the women by trolls were images of gay porn The three women fronted the controversial TV ad which was funded by the Coalition for Marriage Among the shocking messages sent to each of the women were abuse and threats of violence to both them and their families. 'F**k you and f**k your spastic kids,' one wrote, while another said: 'Dumb c**t'. 'You're a disgusting f**king disgrace of not only a mother, but a human being,' said one man. 'You are a horrid mother and should be ashamed to call yourself Australian,' another wrote. 'Your children will have all sorts of misery throughout their lives growing up with an ignorant, homophobic parents such as you,' claimed another. Lyle Shelton, the head of the Coalition for Marriage, said he had warned the mothers they would come under fire for the ad but never expected such vile backlash. 'We tried to prepare them for it, we warned them and we did everything we could to protect them, they were demonised by the 'yes' campaign,' 'Someone threatened to burn down Heidi's church, Cella was called a liar, and Dr Lai had her registration threatened by a GetUp! powered petition.' Heidi McIvor (pictured) was one of the women featured in the Coalition for Marriage's TV ad While acknowledging that there was widespread trolling from both sides, Mr Shelton claimed most of the vitriolic abuse came from the 'yes' side. But he did say the alleged assault of Kevin Rudd's godson Sean by an anti-gay voter was unacceptable. 'I think it's terrible that there's violence on any side,' Mr Shelton said. 'That's a shocking thing to have happened to anyone, my sympathies are with the young man and there must not be violence on any side.' Dramatic footage has emerged showing a student refusing to give armed robbers her handbag as they put a gun to her head. Noxolo Ntusi, 26, was walking down a quiet street in Johannesburg, South Africa, when her attackers jumped out of a car and ran towards her. They demanded she give them her handbag and chased her down the road. The attackers , one holding a gun, jump out of a car and run towards Noxolo Ntusi The victim dropped to the floor before curling up into a ball and holding on to her handbag But Ms Ntusi refused to comply and hung on to her possessions with all her might. 'There's no way I will let them take it,' she told the BBC. The student's bag contained her masters thesis in molecular zoology on a hard drive and losing it would have meant she would have to have asked for an extension until next year. She added: 'I was thinking about my masters. I'm almost done with what I'm writing.' CCTV footage from the robbery, which took place on Tuesday, shows Ms Ntusi dropping to the ground and curling up into a ball as her attackers try to wrench her bag from her. At one point, the gunman holds his weapon to her head and stands on her - yet she still refuses to let go. The attacker tries to wrench the bag from Ms Ntusi's grip while pointing a gun at her head The robbers gave up and fled in their vehicle before Ms Ntusi ran off in the opposite direction The attackers fled the scene in their vehicle after another motorist drove past. The alleged robbers were later arrested and found to be in possession of a gas gun. Ms Ntusi said her actions were very dangerous and advised others not to follow her example and give attackers what they ask for. 'You can always write again if you are worried about your work,' she said. A rare giant panda cub is the centre of attention at a Tokyo zoo, and hundreds of thousands of fans are scrambling to name it. This adorable video shows the cub, who turned three months on Tuesday, showing off her new teeth. The cub will officially be named later this month, and her carers have their work cut out for them with 320,000 name suggestions submitted by members of the public to chose from. Big gal: Some 320,000 suggestions of names for the three-month-old baby panda have been sent in to Ueno Zoo in Tokyo so far The unnamed little panda, born at Ueno Zoo in June, is learning to walk on all fours and growing at a healthy rate, zoo officials said this week. She is first cub to be born at Ueno Zoo for five years, and now weighs 12lbs and is 24.6 inches from nose to tail. '(The baby panda) is beginning to use its hind legs to crawl or change directions, but it's still unable to walk on all fours,' Mikako Kaneko, who is in charge of panda care at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo, told reporters last month. The panda's mother, Shin Shin, who mated with male Ri Ri in February, had given birth to another cub in 2012. You and me: The 90-day-old female baby giant panda and her mother Shin Shin play in one of their pens at Ueno Zoo Show me your teeth: The panda cub has now developed both canine and molars Measurements: The panda now weighs 12lbs and is 24.6 inches from nose to tail It was the first panda birth at the zoo in 24 years - but the baby died from pneumonia just six days later. Giant pandas have a notoriously low reproductive rate, a key contributor - along with habitat loss - to their status as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of threatened species. About 420 giant pandas live in captivity, mostly in their native China, with about 1,860 in the wild. Centre of attention: The baby panda, born in Tokyo in June, will be named later this month Earlier this month there was disappointment for panda fans across Britain as it was revealed that Tian Tian, Edinburgh Zoo's female, is not pregnant. In August, the Scottish zoo had said it believed Tian Tian, which translates to Sweetie in Chinese, was expecting, but warned panda breeding was a complicated process. 'It is with sadness that we can confirm Tian Tian, Edinburgh Zoo's resident female giant panda, will not give birth to cubs this year,' said Iain Valentine, director of giant pandas at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said on Monday. Robert Black resigned as chief executive of Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) in June but is still on full pay The head of the organisation accused of ignoring Grenfell residents' safety fears while managing the tower block is still being paid his full salary, it was revealed today. Robert Black resigned as chief executive of Kensington and Chelsea Tenant Management Organisation (KCTMO) in the aftermath of the deadly fire in June that killed at least 80 people. But he is still receiving full pay believed to be around 150,000-a-year - three months after stepping down from the role because assisting with all the different inquiries is a 'full time job'. A spokesman for KCTMO told The Guardian Mr Black was being paid while he continued to help it respond to multiple inquiries linked to the fire, including the public inquiry and the police investigation, which is examining possible corporate manslaughter. Yvette Williams, campaign co-ordinator of the Justice4Grenfell group, said: 'It is ludicrous and outrageous that he is being paid anything. No one else is being paid a salary to participate in the public inquiry It's the old boys' network.' Mr Black resigned as chief executive in June and said he wanted to 'concentrate on assisting with the investigation and inquiry'. The fire at Grenfell in June claimed the lives of at least 80 people and is likely to lead to a huge number of changes to social housing rules and policy His precise salary is not known, but accounts filed to Companies House showed 'key management personnel' shared 760,000 in salaries. It is believed to be in the region of 150,000. Sir Martin Moore-Bick (pictured yesterday) was chosen by Theresa May to lead the Grenfell Tower inquiry, which will begin today Local MP Emma Dent Coad said she is 'appalled' and 'disgusted' at the news that Robert Black is still earning the money. She said: 'I am appalled to hear that Robert Black is still receiving a chief executive's pay packet while assisting the Inquiry. 'Taxpayers are presumably also paying for his legal team. Meanwhile, people in his care lost their lives, their homes, their possessions and in some cases are losing their minds. I am simply disgusted.' Elaine Elkington took over from Mr Black as interim chief executive of KCTMO. The chairman of the public inquiry into the causes of the Grenfell Tower fire will deliver his opening statement in the first public hearing of the contentious probe. Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the retired judge chosen by Prime Minister Theresa May to lead the inquiry, will give his address at the Grand Connaught Rooms in central London. The former Court of Appeal judge will not take questions following the hearing, which is expected to last around 45 minutes. Survivors and victims' families will be able to watch live on a screen in Notting Hill Methodist Church, where they are likely to be listening intently to the language and tone of Sir Martin's opening. The chairman faced anger from the community in a series of public meetings designed to help shape the terms of reference but, once these were announced, the inquiry was criticised for excluding an examination of wider social housing policy. A holidaymaker says he feared for his life after 'fly-ridden' food and raw chicken at a five-star Cuban hotel left him on a drip and passing blood in his stool. Delivery driver Scott Edwards, from Ayrshire, Scotland, says he fell ill while staying at the Iberostar Playa Pilar hotel in Cuba with fiancee Bracken Millar. The 31-year-old, who has lost a stone since falling ill, was so sick he was put on a drip on the third day of his 2,800 holiday, while feeling delirious, suffering from diarrhoea and passing blood. Scott Edwards (pictured) says he feared for his life after 'fly-ridden' food and raw chicken at a five-star Cuban hotel left him on a drip and passing blood in his stool When Scott's temperature soared to a dangerous 41 degrees, he claims he was left fearing for his life when doctors said they would rush him to hospital by helicopter if it didn't come down in 20 minutes. However, despite capturing footage of food crawling with flies and pictures showing 'faeces smeared on the walls', upon complaining about his ordeal Mr Edwards claims Thomas Cook would only refund him 500. And despite having photos of doctors putting him on a drip in his hotel room, Mr Edwards says Thomas Cook informed him that they needed evidence that he required medical treatment. Thomas Cook have apologised to the couple over their June holiday but explained that they did not receive the 'requested medical records in order to carry out a full investigation'. The delivery driver, from Ayrshire, Scotland, says he fell ill while staying at the Iberostar Playa Pilar hotel in Cuba with fiancee Bracken Millar after eating under-cooked chicken (pictured) Despite capturing footage of food crawling with flies (right), upon complaining about his ordeal Mr Edwards (left with fiancee Bracken Millar) claims Thomas Cook would only refund him 500 Mr Edwards said: 'On the third day I found that I was constantly on the toilet, going back and forth. 'It's the last thing you want on your holiday that you have saved so hard for. You want to be out in the sun enjoying yourself not stuck in a toilet cubicle. 'I couldn't eat at all, I lost my appetite completely. I ended up on a drip as I was really dehydrated. When I fell ill my temperature soared to 41 degrees, I was severely ill.' He added: 'I was really worried, I tried my best to fight whatever it was that was making me so ill. Thankfully I didn't need to go to the hospital but it was scary when they were mentioning helicopters.' Mr Edwards said he has been saving for a year to afford the holiday. He said: 'We were really looking forward to it, we thought we had booked a five-star signature hotel but when we arrived it was clear it wasn't a five star. The 31-year-old, who has lost a stone since falling ill, was so sick he was put on a drip (pictured) on the third day of his 2,800 holiday Mr Edwards claims there were flies everywhere at the hotel. He said: 'Not just flying around us but they were crawling on the plates and food' 'After looking online, I discovered it had lost its signature rating and the cost had reduced by 300, but we hadn't even been told about it or offered a refund. 'The pool area was nice and the rooms were too but the cleanliness of the public areas and the food really spoilt it.' Mr Edwards claims there were flies everywhere at the hotel. He said: 'Not just flying around us but they were crawling on the plates and food. 'The toilets were disgusting. There was blood and faeces up the wall and on the floor. I'm not sure they were cleaned the whole time we had been there.' After Scott fell ill, 25-year-old Bracken had to sit him in a cool shower all night in a desperate attempt to cool him down. The salon owner said: 'Scott fell extremely ill, reaching a temperature of past 41 degrees. 'After six hours the doctors actually asked me if I had medical insurance as a flight to hospital was the next step if his temperature did not go down. The couple say they couldn't wait to return home as the infestation of flies left them stuck in their bedroom with packets of crisps as their meal during the final nights of the holiday After Scott fell ill, 25-year-old Bracken had to sit him in a cool shower all night in a desperate attempt to cool him down. Pictured, the Iberostar Playa Pilar hotel in Cuba 'As a result, I had to beg him to go and get in a cold shower which resulted in him being very frustrated as he had no energy to move.' The couple say they couldn't wait to return home as the infestation of flies left them stuck in their bedroom with packets of crisps as their meal during the final nights of the holiday. Mr Edwards said: 'At the end of the holiday we went to one of the restaurants and there were that many flies around you couldn't put anything down without one landing on something. 'They were crawling all over the cutlery it was awful. 'In the end me and Bracken just grabbed some food from the shop in the hotel and went up to the room to eat it.' Thomas Cook have told customers that the Iberostar Playa Pilar in Cuba is to be removed from their Signature collection from 1st November 2017. Pictured, under-cooked chicken (left) and an unclean toilet (right) A Thomas Cook spokesman said: 'We want our customers to have the best possible time on holiday, so we are sorry to hear reports that Mr Edwards was ill.' Pictured, the couple of the plane heading to their holiday Thomas Cook have told customers that the Iberostar Playa Pilar in Cuba is to be removed from their Signature collection from 1st November 2017, but will still remain in their regular hotel brochure. The couple paid around 2,800 for the holiday and claim that Thomas Cook have only offered them 500 compensation, which they say doesn't cover the reduction in price for the hotel or any compensation for Scott's illness. After returning from the holiday Scott was asked to go to his GP for a stool test, as he claims Thomas Cook have told him they have no proof of him receiving medical treatment, despite him sending them doctor's notes and pictures of him on a drip. Scott claims that the stool test would have been useless as he was ill at the beginning of the holiday and had just recovered by the time he returned home. A Thomas Cook spokesman said: 'We want our customers to have the best possible time on holiday, so we are sorry to hear reports that Mr Edwards was ill. 'We didn't receive the requested medical records in order to carry out a full investigation, but we have offered Mr Edwards and Ms Bracken a gesture of goodwill for the accommodation issues they faced, which they have accepted.' A model who was left with a 'massive hole' in her head after falling down the stairs has head her skull rebuilt with a 3D printer. Francesca Burr was left with five separate skull fractures, a broken nose and a cracked jaw after suffering a horror fall at her mother's home. Then aged 27, she was found at the foot of the stairwell with blood coming out of her 'eyes, nose and ears' having experienced a violent seizure while walking downstairs. Ten months later, and after three operations in which surgeons painstakingly removed tiny bone fragments from her brain, Francesca says she has gone from 'Frankenstein to Robogirl'. Francesca Burr was left with five separate skull fractures, a broken nose and a cracked jaw after suffering a horror fall at her mother's home Ms Burr finally had a titanium plate fixed to her skull in February with the help of a 3D printer; technology which the model described as 'some real James Bond s***' Ms Burr has had three operations, in which surgeons painstakingly removed tiny bone fragments from her brain (pictured right, an X-ray shows the extent of the damage) However the road to recovery proved difficult for the 28-year-old, who when woken from her coma did not recognise her boyfriend or remember her parents' divorce. She told The Mirror: 'I couldn't remember my middle name and when they told me it was Chelsea I remember thinking, "What? Mum would never let dad do that". 'At one point I also confided in my younger brother, who is also like my best friend, that I'd seen mum kissing a man who wasn't dad. 'But my parents divorced when I was 10 and she's been married to my stepdad for seven or eight years. He was even the one who found me.' Ms Burr was discovered by her mother and stepfather, who returned from dinner out to find they could not open the front door as Mr Burr's body was blocking it. The couple called 999 and an air ambulance was scrambled to the park nearby, with Ms Burr's mother forced to flag it down with a small torch. Ms Burr (pictured left and right, with Paul Gascoigne on Soccer AM in 2009) says she is still feeling the effects of the accident The tattoo fanatic said she is confident she will get back on her feet and get a new job, and is now dating another man who she met while in hospital Brain surgeons had to peel back the scalp of Ms Burr to repair the brain injuries she suffered in the fall Doctors were forced to put Ms Burr into an induced coma due to a serious bleed on the brain She was rushed to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, where she laid unconscious for a month as doctors tended to her wounds and put a bolt through her skull. Her parents were told to prepare for the worst due to the extent of the injuries she had suffered in the fall, which occurred in November. Ms Burr finally had a titanium plate fixed to her skull in February with the help of a 3D printer; technology which the model described as 'some real James Bond s***'. Despite her incredible recovery, Ms Burr, from Halstead, Essex, says she is still feeling the effects of the accident. She added: 'I was a high-achieving, ambitious person and now I'm a 28-year-old, with no work or social life, living in Halford with my mum.' However the tattoo fanatic said she is confident she will get back on her feet and get a new job, and is now dating another man who she met while in hospital. A mother-of-two suffered fatal head injuries after falling off her bike while riding home from her mother's birthday party - just moments after she had taken a selfie. Graphic designer Carmen Greenway was with her mother Sherry returning from the celebration at a pub when the accident happened just 100 yards from her home, an inquest was told. The 41 year old, who worked with her husband Rufus on an audio and visual company, had two cocktails and four glasses of wine at the party. But she was not wearing a helmet and 'may have been riding relaxed and one handed' when she tumbled to the ground. Graphic designer Carmen Greenway suffered fatal head injuries while cycling home from her mother's birthday celebrations at a pub, after falling from her bike moments after taking this selfie, pictured A photograph showed she had taken a selfie just moments before coming off her bike near her home in Isleworth, west London, shortly after midnight on August 18, 2016. An inquest heard she died six days later after suffering an epileptic seizure and heart attack in hospital due to the head injuries. Her friend Emanuela Delvai described how Mrs Greenway, originally from Auckland in New Zealand, was riding her bike in front of the group before she fell. In a statement read to the inquest, Ms Delvai added: 'I'm not sure how it happened, we rushed to her and she was completely unconscious. 'It took a while for her to regain consciousness and when she did she was very aggressive and shouting she wanted to go home. It was not like her. 'We had to pin her to the floor, there was blood coming from her ear and we didn't want to move her. 'An ambulance came and the bleeding was stopped before the ambulance arrived.' Because of her injuries she was taken to St Mary's Hospital's major trauma centre in Paddington. Coroner Dr Shirley Radcliffe said: 'A CT scan confirmed the injuries. 'She had two fractures and significant contusion and bruising to the right side, affecting the temporal and frontal lobe.' While on the ward she was conscious but complained about the intense pain and her condition was monitored every four hours until her 'sudden and unexpected' death. Reviewing evidence from Mrs Greenway's mother, Sherry Bennett, the coroner added: 'She was a strong, fit and healthy woman with a tolerance of pain. 'Whilst on the ward she repeatedly reported the pain as unbearable, both to family and friends and nursing and medical staff. 'She felt she was unnecessarily suffering intense pain for long periods of time and that her pain management was inadequate.' She was given morphine for the headaches but had been able to walk and use her laptop and phone. But she started to complain of severe pain and difficulty with bright lights. In her review of Ms Bennett's evidence, the coroner added: 'On August 24 you arrived in the afternoon and your view was you could see her condition had dramatically deteriorated. 'She had been informed the doctors had found two bubbles on her brain. 'She had been taken off morphine because doctors thought it could be masking her symptoms. 'You reluctantly left her at 8.30 that evening when visiting hours were over and she looked very unwell and had not shown any signs of improvement in the five hours you had been there. 'At 5.15am, eight hours after you left, you were called and asked if you could contact Rufus, her husband, as they had not been able to get hold of him and asked you to come to the hospital as soon as possible. 'When you asked what was wrong they said she had a cardiac arrest and you should come to the hospital as quickly as possible.' The coroner concluded the cause of death was a heart attack which was a rare complication caused by the head injury. An independent expert, Matthew Crocker, was brought in to review the case but found nothing could have been done to prevent the death. Mrs Greenway, pictured in her native New Zealand, died in hospital six days later after suffering an epileptic seizure and heart attack, an inquest was told Concluding, Dr Ratcliffe said: 'It would seem that some of the note keeping has fallen below that of what one would hope for. 'I think notes on the ward round could have been more full and informative. 'At the end of the day the independent neurosurgeon Mr Crocker is very firm and clear in his evidence that it would have made no difference. 'In his view the most likely cause of Mrs Greenway's sudden, unexpected death was that of an epileptic seizure. 'The area of the injury to her brain is an area particularly susceptible to epileptic effects, or to develop epileptic activity. 'At the end of the day we have to come down to the view that the death of Carmen Greenway was as a result of a tragic accident. 'The fact that she sustained a fall from her bike on August 18, that it caused a brain injury and she has suffered a complication, a very rare complication, of that injury, which is an epileptic seizure.' In a tribute to his wife, Mr Greenway said she was 'the love of my life' and suggested she had hit a bumpy stretch of the road when she fell off. He said: 'She had been taking some selfies on the main road, she did that regularly. She was not taking it at the moment of the accident. 'She was 100 yards from our house, one hand on the bars, quite relaxed, and probably had had a drink. 'She cycled that way every weekend and perhaps it was familiarity breeding contempt. 'It's unfortunately an unfortunate accident. If she was wearing a helmet she would still be alive.' A magpie has been destroyed after it attacked two toddlers on the same day, causing serious damage to one boy's eye. Two toddlers were rushed to hospital on Sunday after they were swooped and attacked by the same magpie within hours of each other at Whiteman Park in Perth's north. Jacob Gale, one, underwent emergency surgery on Sunday after the bird punctured his left eye and left him possibly blind for life in one eye. Scroll down for video Jacob Gale (pictured in hospital) was with his family at Whiteman Park in Perth's north-east on Sunday when a magpie swooped, landed on his face and punctured his eye with its beak 'It almost looked like it was sitting there then it flapped and hovered around, then he screamed out in terror,' Jacob's father Adam Gale said on Monday. Doctors needed to remove the lens in Jacob's eye because it was so badly damaged. They said it would be days before they could find out whether he would regain his sight or not. Doctors told Jacobs parents they would only know if long term damage was caused when the one-year-old could communicate with them. Three-year-old Bodee White was swooped three times by the same male bird on Sunday. Bodee was scratched on the face and on the eyeball, but did not sustain permanent damage. Three-year-old Bodee White (pictured) was swooped three times by the same male bird on Sunday Bodee's mother Rebecca said Bodee 'obviously got very distressed and started screaming' While neither of the boys' families wanted the bird destroyed, the decision was out of their hands. A Department of Planning spokeswoman told AAP the magpie was 'euthanised humanely' on Wednesday. 'It posed a clear danger to the public and was positively identified as the dangerous bird,' she said. The spokeswoman said there were magpie warning signs at Whiteman Park but the danger was too high. She urged caution as magpie breeding season was underway, which meant swooping was at its worst. The one-year-old Perth boy had eye surgery on Sunday but doctors told the family it could be weeks before they found out if Jacob would regain his eyesight Parks and Wildlife officers said the magpie at Whiteman Park, where Jacob was attacked, was particularly dangerous (stock) An astonishing video has emerged online showing a large section of mud and grass sliding down a hill in north-west China last Thursday. The flow was later confirmed by local experts to be melting permafrost, a natural phenomenon in which thawing ice, mud and grass slide down from higher altitudes due to gravity. About 40 herders from nine households had to be evacuated due to the incident, according to local news media. The thawing permafrost brought down the mud and grass from the Tibetan Plateau, China Apparently, the hummocks had started to melt, which triggered a quarter mile long solifluction Science and Technology Daily reported on September 12 that the video had been taken in Zhaduozhen of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province. Footage circulated on Chinese social media has stunned web users as the massive flow of mud and grass measured roughly 397 metres (1,302 feet) long and 32 metres (105 feet) wide. Soil and grass, also known as solifluction, can be seen flowing downhill next to a white yurt in the mountain terrain. During the slow thawing process, small landforms are created and known as thermokarsts. Qinghai herder council told a reporter that they had relocated nine families to a safer place, which included over 40 herders and their livestock. About 40 people had to be evacuated from their homes due to the effect of the thermokarst The slow thawing process brought down pieces of landforms known as the thermokarst Local experts explained that the thawing could have been caused by heavy rainfall in the region recently. 'The compost on the top layer of the hummocks was about 2.5 metres deep (8.2 feet). It became heavier after the rain and started to slide due to gravity,' said one of the experts. The thawing of the mud then took away bits of ground and formed a river-like mudslide, where the mud should normally be frozen all year round. The video went viral in China because web users had thought it was a sign of impending earthquakes. However, Meng Xingmen, the head of the Western China's Environment and Climate Change in Lanzhou University, confirmed that the solifluction was not related with earthquakes. Solifluction, a natural soil erosion phenomenon, usually happens on high altitudes (file photo) Science and Technology Daily stated that the thawing of the permafrost had happened quite often in northern China as the weather in Tibetan Plateau had turned warmer with an increase of rainfall. Meng expected similar phenomena to appear more frequently in the coming months. 'The thawing is generally slow, thus it would not pose huge danger to members of the public living in the region. However, precautions should be taken carefully.' Opinion / Columnist The internal dog-eat-dog savage fights in Zanu-PF are real. For a long time the infighting has been predictably so because the ingredients of systemic dis functionality dramatically fall into place as the frail center fails to hold. Some of the belligerents have been spooked by the happenings, so petrified that they are now perilously in panic mode. Many are seeking refuge, desperately huddling together in some corner of a not so camouflaged and not so glorious liberation struggle 'tent' of the past when there is an angry hurricane. Grace Mugabe continues to mercilessly and relentlessly pummel those harbouring ambitions to succeed her husband.Dr. Sydney Sekeramayi, a beneficiary of a Zapu sourced scholarship to Chekoslovakia in the 60s is one such person who misguidedly thinks the past is both a suitable and convenient hiding place. He however seems to be blissfully ignorant of the fact that the peoples' reverence for those who confronted the racist colonial regime is a political perishable.In his desperate attempt to ward-off and shield himself from allegations that he poisoned Emerson Mnangagwa he has exposed his real self as a liar.While he shares more a common political CV hinged on post independence crimes against humanity with Mnangagwa they share less on liberation credentials. Sekeramayi is quoted as saying he was trained in medicine by the Swedes to save life. We believe him. Sweden is one of the few Eurpean countries which supported African independence and has a very strong history of support for human rights fights globally.Sekeramayi's statement sharply contradicts his action on the political ground especially with regards to his propensity for human rights violations in his individual capacity as well as being part of the Zanu-PF terror-instilling collective. It is absolutely incomprehensible for Sydney to imagine that such a declaration will exonerate him from culpability in activities that take away life since violence is the cornerstone of his party's rule whether it is directed at other political parties or it is intra-Zanu-PF.Has Sekeramayi suddenly dis covered the sanctity of human life or suddenly he now can recollect with precision the teaching of ethics at medical school?What will only be fair to the public is for Sekeramayi to non-selectively disclose and confess to everything that he has done in the past, in particular those deeds that took away other peoples lives in the most gruesome ways thereby setting him on a collision course with the teachings of ethics at Lund in Sewden. The war of liberation aside, it is fitting that we remind him that when the Gukurahundi genocide was committed between 1980 and 1987 he was a Zimbabwe Government Minister for National State Security.It is common knowledge that this is the Ministry which played a pivotal role in the Zanu-PF driven ethnic cleansing Gukurahundi project which targeted only the people of Matabeleland and the Midlands strictly on tribal grounds. Sekeramayi knows that if the International Criminal Court was not selective in its enforcement of international justice instruments to protect humans he would be a perfect candidate for the dock at the Hague to answer charges of mass manslaughter, incitement, maiming, use of rape as a political tool, destruction of homes, livestock and other property. He also knows that the ICC list of witnesses would be oversubscribed.It becomes extremely difficult to reconcile the crimes committed by the Gukurahundi under the direct command of Sekeramayi and his accomplices to his training to save life as a medical doctor. The only logical explanation to this is that Sekeramayi and his co-accused in the Gukurahundi crime were motivated by tribal hatred of the people of Matebeleland and and The Midlands. According to the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights Charter of 1948 it is an offence to target for slaughter other people only because they just happen to speak a different language. The UN is becoming vocal though lately on the crisis in Myanmer/Burma which resembles the Gukurahundi massacre in every respect. Where were his medical ethics when he sanctioned the murder of innocent and defenceless civilians outside of a war situation insisting that they were harbouring state enemies and so a scorched - earth policy that left nothing alive in the path of the Shona only Brigade. Such lies are sickening.Moses Mzila Ndlovu ANSA (Alliance for National Salvation) Interim President. The rapper boyfriend of Louella Michie who was arrested over her death had released a song about a girl 'disrespecting him' and 'crushing his heart' just days before her body was found at a music festival. Aspiring grime artist Ceon Broughton recorded single Duracell and is seen waving a large knife around a picturesque river and mountain setting wearing a chainmail headpiece. The song, produced by London-based award-wining grime artist Skepta and directed by Louella's brother Sam, features lyrics including you crushed my heart and soul, and how could you disrespect me? In the break-up themed song he also sings All eyes on you, you got the gist. But you mean nothing now, see now Im p****d. Mr Broughton, 28, is said to have been in an on-off relationship with Miss Michie and her family believe the pair took an illegal substance while at Bestival in Dorset last weekend. Aspiring grime artist Ceon Broughton recorded single Duracell and sang about a girl 'disrespecting him' in a music video released just days before the death of 'on-off' girlfriend Louella Michie Mr Broughton, seen brandishing a knife and wearing chainmail in the video, also sings about how a girl 'crushed his heart and soul' The video was filmed in a picturesque location featuring mountains and a river Mr Broughton, pictured with Louella, was arrested on suspicion of murder and supplying Class A drugs but has since been released on bail pending further investigations His music video was produced by with Mobo and Mercury Prize-winning grime artist Skepta. Mr Broughton, right, is pictured with Skepta, left, modelling for Chanel at London Fashion week Miss Michie's father John is a well known soap actor who appeared in Coronation Street and stars in Holby City. He is pictured with daughters Louella, left, and Daisy, right, at Banqueting House in London for Plan UK's Because I am a Girl Gala Dinner 2014 The artist, who goes by stage name CEONRPG, was arrested on suspicion of murder and supplying a Class A drug. He was released on bail pending further investigations. The song was released on YouTube on September 5, days before Miss Michie was found dead on her 25th birthday in a woodland part of the festival site known as the Ambient Forrest. Her family, including soap actor father John Michie, released a statement earlier this week claiming there was no malice around the death and described it as a horrific tragedy. The statement said: Our hearts are broken by this horrific tragedy. We do not believe there to have been any malice intended in Louella and Ceon's weekend at Bestival. 'They appear to have taken an illegal substance but we would appreciate cautious and sensitive reporting until the facts are known. Miss Michie (left and right) was found dead in a wooded area of Bestival music festival, in Dorset less than an hour after turning 25 Louella was found in the circled area of forest on the edge of the Bestival site yesterday after she was reported missing to police Louella's social media profiles are packed with images of her at various music festivals including Bestival last year (right) 'Louella inspired all who knew her with her joy of life. The family would like to thank everyone for their heartfelt tributes and messages.' Miss Michie was described as looking dazed and unsteady hours before her death by other festival revellers. But friends of the couple insisted neither of them were drug users. Mr Broughton's family have also spoken of their shock at his arrest and said he had 'never been violent'. His grandmother Sylvia told MailOnline: 'I am shocked at his arrest. He lived with me when he was around 22 years of age. He was a very polite - I have never known him to be aggressive or violent'. Mrs Broughton said that she had never seen her grandson with any drugs - and would be shocked if he dealt them - adding she recognised Louella's father John because she is a Holby City fan. Mr Broughton and Louella, pictured together last year, had an 'on-off relationship' but were believed to have rekindled things a week before Bestival (Left to right) Sam, Daisy and John Michie, Carol Fletcher and Louella Michie Celebrities arrive at David Gest's Celebrity Dinner Party at the Tower Hilton on Tooley Street, London, in April 2015 Louella, whose godfather was One Foot In The Grave Star Richard Wilson, was able to perform an array of dance styles Ceon has been a fixture in the Michie family for the past year, appearing in family photographs including at the 60th birthday celebrations last October of Louella's famous father. They rekindled their relationship just three weeks prior to the festival after several years of an on-off relationship. Mr Broughton was born in Lambeth in 1989 and lived in in a small terraced house in Wembley Park before his parents split up when he was a young boy. A post-mortem examination showed 'no clear signs' of an assault on Miss Michie's body but tests showing if she had taken any illegal substances have not yet returned. Police began looking for her when friends said she had disappeared after watching the Pet Shop Boys on Sunday night at Bestival, held on the Lulworth Estate on the Jurassic Coast. Her parents arrived and were refused entry to the site by security but Miss Michie's fully clothed body was found and Mr Broughton, 28, was arrested at the scene. A 33-year-old man was arrested on Thursday for murdering his three young children, following a domestic violence incident involving his wife. Robert Hodges was taken into custody early Thursday morning, shortly after midnight, by California Highway Patrol officers who pulled him over on Interstate 80 near West El Camino Avenue in Sacramento, California. Hours earlier, police were called to a West Sacramento apartment complex for a domestic violence incident. Scroll down for video Robert Hodges, 33, was arrested for murdering his wife's three children on Thursday On the way to the apartment, they got a second call, saying that the children in the apartment were possibly dead. Police and first responders tried life-saving measures on the children - an 11-year-old boy, a nine-year-old girl and an eight-month-old boy - but all three were pronounced dead at the scene. By that time, Hodges had already fled. Police have released no further details on the children, including how they died. Police responded to the family's apartment in West Sacramento Wednesday night and the three children above dead. Their names have not been released The children's mother witnessed the crime, and police say she is a victim of domestic violence. As such, she is also not being named Police were still trying to determine whether Hodges was the father of the children. In the picture above with the two eldest children, Hodges' wife appears pregnant However, they corrected previous reports that the children's mother witnessed their murder. West Sacramento Police Sgt. Roger Kinney says the mother, who is not being identified, did not witness the killings but 'was in close proximity'. He said she was a victim of domestic violence, but he didn't know the extent of her injuries. 'It's horrific and it's very difficult to deal with,' Kinney said. 'This [investigation] is going to take not hours, not days, it's going to take a long time a long time to come to grips with what happened there.' Simon Morales lights a candle on Thursday at a makeshift memorial outside the apartment where the three children were killed Police have not revealed how the three kids were murdered. Above , a view of the memorial on Thursday A woman who described herself as the children's great-grandmother says she had never heard of the couple having issues before. Above a view of the apartment on Thursday Police have not released the names of the three kids or their mother. Above, a view of the apartment on Thursday The great-grandmother of three children says relatives were unaware of any previous marital disputes. Irene Aiello of West Sacramento says the couple had been married more than a dozen years and had an 11-year-old boy, a 9-year-old girl and another boy, born in January. She says that the three were beautiful children. She says the grandparents have yet to speak to their grandson, Hodges, nor his wife. Hodges was booked into the Yolo County jail on three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. A candlelight vigil is scheduled for 7pm Thursday night at Southport Elementary School. Kinney said a chaplain will be sent out to help neighbors of the victims and grief counselors will be made available to the officers who responded to the scene, as well as the Washington Unified School District, Kinney said. 'The officers are absolutely impacted, along with the firefighters, and certainly the family, the neighbors,' he said. 'It's horrific and it's very difficult to deal with.' West Sacramento Police Sgt. Roger Kinney said that a chaplain will be sent out to help neighbors of the victims. Above, a view of the apartment Wednesday night Philip Hammond last night warned that Britain will not allow the EU to use Brexit to try to sideline the City of London. The Chancellor said he accepts Brussels will have some legitimate concerns about the supervision of financial services in the capital after we quit the bloc. But he warned he would not allow the EU to use these concerns as a smokescreen to push forward EU financial centres at the expense of the UK. And he vowed the government will do all it can to ensure London retains its crown as the world's number one global financial services centre. Chancellor Philip Hammond last night warned the EU that Britain will not accept amny attempt to use Brexit to sideline the City of London (file pic) In a speech in the City last night, he said: 'We acknowledge that there are legitimate concerns among our EU colleagues about the oversight and supervision of financial markets here in the UK that are providing vital financial services to EU firms and citizens. 'We will address them by making forward-leaning proposals for greater transparency, cooperation, and agreed standards based on international norms. 'But, let me be clear, we will not accept protectionist agendas, disguised as arguments about financial stability.' Addressing the UK Finance annual dinner, he said the Brexit deal Britain strikes with the EU will give greater transparency and cooperation in the financial markets. French President Emmanuel Macron, pictured in Bucharest last month, has launched an audacious bid to lure bankers from the City of London to Paris after Brexit His intervention came after the Chancellor chaired the Business Advisory Group - a new small business panel which advises the government. He was joined by Brexit Secretary David Davis and Business Secretary Greg Clark at the high level meeting. They met the five main business organisations - the Confederation of British Industry, the British Chambers of Commerce, the Institute of Directors, the Federation of Small Businesses and the EEF manufacturers organisation - to hear their concerns. Mr Hammond stressed his commitment to maintaining the UK's position, including its leading role in financial technology (fintech). He said: 'It is my priority as Chancellor to ensure that the UK remains the financial services centre of the world. 'And the global hub of fintech. 'We have the timezone, the language, the legal system, the talent, the capital markets, and the tech centre to succeed.' The Chancellor's intervention comes amid fears that several European cities are determined to use Brexit to lure lucrative financial business away form the City of London. French President Emmanuel Macron launched an audacious bid to draw bankers form the UK to Paris while on a trip to Britain earlier this year. Claire Hall, 44, the owner of Spitfire Barber in Birmingham, was prosecuted for putting clippers in a domestic-style black bag instead of a grey trade one A hairdresser is facing financial ruin and the risk of bailiffs turning up after a council fined her 2,700 for using the wrong colour bin bags. Claire Hall, 44, the owner of Spitfire Barber in Birmingham, was prosecuted for putting clippers in a domestic-style black bag instead of a grey trade one. The hefty fine means Ms Hall could lose her business and she felt the fine was 'too harsh'. She said: 'It feels like I will be paying this fine until I die, it's ridiculous.' Now a barber has launched an online appeal to help pay the penalty. Ms Hall, a mother-of-three, said: 'The way I have been treated is absolutely appalling. 'I received no warning and was completely unaware that I should be using commercial waste bin bags. 'Everyone else along the row of shops has been doing the same but I feel like I've been singled out. 'Two men from the council came to the shop on three different occasion, demanding evidence and taking pictures. It was very intimidating.' The council said officers discovered the commercial waste outside in March last year and had to issue five 'demand for information' notices last year before finally prosecuting. In November last year she was summoned the the council office under caution for an interview. She was asked to supply evidence and receipts that a skip had been purchased. However when she couldn't provide all the receipts she was taken to court by Birmingham council and charged with three offences under the Environmental Health Act. Ms Hall said the council had been 'very heavy handed' and described the fine as being 'harsh' Ms Hall attended court with her ex-business partner, Lee Copley, and was fined 1,325 and ordered to pay 1,300 in costs as well as a 99 victim surcharge. 'I feel like they had a vendetta against me', she said. 'It wasn't until later on that I found out the council can give you an on the spot fine of 300 but this was never an mentioned. 'It all seemed very heavy-handed and the fine is far too harsh for my crime. 'If I had known and was breaking the law then fair enough but I wasn't even aware. 'If I can't pay, the bailiffs will come and that's my shop gone so I will have to empty my bank account.' She has now come to an agreement with the council to pay back the money over a three year period. A JustGiving page has been set up to raise 2,700 and clear her bill. So far 200 has been raised. Paul Murray, a barber who launched the crowd-funding, said: 'The punishment is wholly disproportionate to the crime.' Ms Hall, a mother-of-three, said: 'The way I have been treated is absolutely appalling' Tony Quigley, head of the waste enforcement unit at Birmingham City Council, said: 'Businesses have a duty to ensure they dispose of their waste through a commercial contract, not through domestic refuse collections. 'Companies that put their waste out on the street alongside residents' rubbish - without this contract in place - are gaining a commercial advantage as their waste disposal is effectively being paid for by the public purse. 'We will continue to take a very strong stance where we find instances of this type of activity. 'Business operators should ensure their trade waste contract is up to date and their waste is being collected in accordance with that contract.' An anti-vaccination doctor who helped parents dodge compulsory jabs has been suspended by medical authorities. General Practitioner Dr John Piesse had his medical registration suspended on Thursday by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency after a meeting. The board are continuing their investigation into the doctor, whose clinic in Mitcham in Melbourne's eastern suburbs was raided on Friday. Scroll down for video An anti-vaccination doctor (pictured) who helped parents dodge compulsory jabs has been suspended by medical authorities General Practitioner Dr John Piesse had his medical registration suspended on Thursday by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency after a meeting regarding his insistence on making vaccination (picture, stock image) exemptions Dr Piesse confirmed the suspension and told Daily Mail Australia he is the victim of a 'political witchhunt'. 'It was a predetermined outcome due to political pressure,' he said. 'The is a belief that the healthiest kids - those who have not been vaccinated - are a danger to other kids, but of course there is no evidence for that.' A woman from Dr Piesse's clinic said they had been 'supporting' 600 families thanks to his work. The clinic of Melbourne doctor John Piesse (pictured) who boasted about getting children out of compulsory vaccinations was raided by police and the medical regulator on Friday After news of the investigation into Dr Piesse broke, the anti-vaxxer community launched a fundraiser to raise $100,000 to help him retain his medical registration. Dr Piesse worked at the raided clinic - the Nerida James Natural Healing Centre - before he agreed to stop practising medicine. 'There is no doubt I am being personally targeted by the government,' Dr Piesse told Daily Mail Australia. 'I wasn't present when the raid took place but they confiscated computers and caused mayhem,' he said. Dr Piesse believes he is acting within his legal rights and says the government 'does not respect its own laws'. General Practitioner Dr John Piesse had his medical registration suspended on Thursday by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency after a meeting (pictured is Dr Piesse's clinic, which was raided on Friday) 'There is a legal clause in the Public Health and Welfare Act saying doctors can give exemptions,' he said. He said vaccination science in general is 'woeful' and more studies need to be done. 'The government doesn't want to discuss it, they just want to attack and destroy,' he said. 'Thousands of children have had their lives destroyed by vaccinations - I fear for the well being of our children and future generations.' Dr Piesse believes raids like Friday morning's prevent doctors from doing what they believe is right. 'There are very few doctors willing to do it [make vaccination exemptions] because they'll get attacked. Doctors don't dare do it.' Dr John Piesse (pictured) worked at the raided clinic - the Nerida James Natural Healing Centre - before he agreed to stop practising medicine A spokesperson from AHPRA confirmed their staff attended a premises on Friday. 'Because this was part of an ongoing investigation we cannot comment further,' they said. Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy has previously expressed concerns about Dr Piesse, and says children's health and safety are being put at risk, The Age reported. 'His arrogant boasts against vaccination are frustrating and irresponsible,' said Ms Hennessy. 'It is completely irresponsible for people particularly clinicians who are entrusted with the health of our community to ignore the science and encourage parents not to immunise their children.' Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt has said the government is prepared to come down hard on doctors who oppose vaccination. 'There will be no sympathy, none at all, from the government if the authorities take the strongest possible decisions,' he said. Dr Piesse entered into the agreement with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency on August 31 while they investigate claims against him. It came a week after the GP declared he would continue to advise people on vaccination exemptions 'until they deregister' him. Dr Piesse agreed to stop practising in the interim and could still have his licence suspended pending the health authorities' enquiries. Dr Piesse, second left at the back, spoke at a screening of controversial documentary Vaxxed earlier this month and reportedly told attendees that doctors can get around both 'no jab no play' and 'no jab no pay' regulations He is among three general practitioners who are currently under investigation after allegedly offering services to parents who are against vaccinations, according to the Herald Sun. Dr Piesse has reportedly seen at least 450 children since 2015, but said he had not provided a letter of exemption against immunisations for 'every one', The Age reported. He was advised on August 31 that his medical registration could be suspended while the investigation occurred. Adamant that he had 'tried to help' and had done nothing illegal, Dr Piesse stated last week that he planned to continue advising parents. 'I will... until they basically deregister me... unless I can be persuaded that what I am doing is wrong,' he said. The Melbourne GP was previously captured on camera at an anti-vaccination film screening bragging about helping hundreds of families. He was filmed telling attendees that doctors can get around both 'no jab no play' and 'no jab no pay' regulations, with the clip subsequently posted on an anti-vaccination Facebook page. Adamant that he had 'tried to help' and had done nothing illegal, Dr Piesse had previously said that he would continue advising parents until he was 'deregistered' (stock photo) 'I am a doctor who has been working hard for 18 months to try and help parents get exemption from 'vaccinated pain for vaccinated play,' with mixed success,' he claimed. 'I want you to know it is possible to get the exemption so there is hope,' he told the crowd. Naturapathic physician Nerida James who is Dr Piesse's colleague also spoke at the screening to tell of the families they had helped. 'We can support you. We have been supporting about 600 families thanks to Dr John Piesse,' she said. Dr Piesse reportedly had reportedly explained that parents needed a doctor's letter of 'contrary indication' to help children avoid vaccinations. Legislation introduced in 2016 means childcare services must now obtain evidence of a child's immunisation history or note for medical exemption, before enrolment. After news of the investigation into Dr Piesse broke, the anti-vaxxer community raised nearly $100,000 to help him retain his medical registration. Three teens have been charged with murdering a Melbourne man found dead in a designer suit, with more people expected to be prosecuted by police. A passer-by found Paul Costa, 43, at a Brunswick West park on July 3 wearing a Zegna suit and shoes and on Thursday detectives arrested two males, aged 17 and 18, at Thomastown. The 17-year-old appeared before a Children's Court on Thursday charged with murder. A short time later an 18-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, faced the Melbourne Magistrates' Court, also charged with Mr Costa's murder. Paul Costa was believed to have disappeared from his parents' Melbourne home before his body was found with stab wounds on it It is believed Mr Costa was murdered on July 2, but his body was not found until the following day Prosecutors say Mr Costa was murdered on July 2, a day before his body was discovered. Police will allege in court the 43-year-old died in a carjacking went wrong, The Age reported. Both teens have been remanded into custody to return to court for a committal mention on January 15. Prosecutor Ashleigh Harrold says other co-accused are yet to be charged. Police are still analysing CCTV footage and some mobile phones have been seized which could yield more clues, she said. 'It was a very complex scene, I'm instructed,' she told a Children's Court. Three teenagers have been charged with Mr Costa's murder, and it is expected more will face charges over the stabbing death Mr Costa's family believe he was going on a date when he walked out the door, as he was dressed in a $5,000 suit Another teenager, 16, was arrested at Newcastle in NSW and is expected to be extradited to Victoria on Friday on one count of murder. The victim's family say Mr Costa was a gentle man and thought he may have been on a date on the night he was killed. 'He had a heart of gold, I don't know anyone who'd want to hurt him,' his sister Sandra Di Giorgio previously told reporters. The teens were supported in court by family members. The victim's family was also in court for the brief filing hearings. Britons up and down the country have been scrambling to get their hands on a new 10 note today - while savvy eBay sellers are already listing them for up to 900. There were queues outside the Bank of England first thing this morning as around a billion notes with Jane Austen's face on went into circulation, while just 32 cash points nationwide are currently stocking the freshly-printed cash. This is because 'tens of thousands' of ATMs are not yet ready for the switch over, with the 'significant' undertaking expected to be carried out over the next few weeks. But that hasn't stopped collectors trying to get their hands on tender featuring the 19th century author Austen's portrait. The Queen received the first note - numbered AA01 000001 - but dozens of people will be hoping to pick up others beginning with the rare serial number AA01. And it didn't take long for the notes to appear on eBay after experts claimed the new 10 currency could fetch thousands of pounds in years to come. More than 60 separate listings had already been added to the marketplace website by midday today, with one seller hoping to get 900 for 50 ten pound banknotes. Scroll down for video The Bank of England expects that the new notes should be available at the following ATM locations today, although they cannot guarantee from what time Dutch tourists visiting the house where Jane Austen died in Winchester inspect the new note The notes have already appeared on auction sites including eBay, pictured, where they are being sold for far more than their value - including almost 1,000 Some are trying to sell them for twice their value, pictured, despite them only being in circulation for less than a day One seller put 50 new 10 notes up for sale for 989, almost 20 times their value Keen: Dozens of collectors queued up outside the Bank of England today to exchange their old ten pound notes for the new Jane Austen edition While single notes with the AH47 serial number are looking to fetch 19.99 a piece. But the most desirable serial numbers begin with AA01 or bear significance to the author. These include her date of birth (16 12 1775) and her the date of her death (18 07 1817). The Bank of England has printed just over a billion new 10 notes which will replace the Charles Darwin paper version by next spring. The plastic 10 contains the same levels of animal fat as found in the modernised 5 which caused controversy with vegan campaigners last September. The arrival of the new tenner today marks the end of a four-year ordeal for feminist Caroline Criado-Perez, who campaigned to get the esteemed author featured on the bank note. She said she will donate her first new 10 to a women's shelter and urged others to do the same. Governor for the Bank of England Mark Carney spoke of his excitement for the new note yesterday, saying it celebrated Jane Austen's work. Security: Guards were at the door to ensure the queue was well managed, letting in a small number of people at a time While the Queen gets the first note, with its AA01 000001 serial number, but race will be on for collectors hoping to get their hands on others beginning with AA01 New tenner: Today, those eager to get their hands on the notes will be able to get their hands on them It is the first of its kind to have raised dots on it to let the blind and visually impaired identify it. It has a security hologram of the word 'ten', which changes to 'pounds' when tilted. Its new security features coupled with the presence of Jane Austen's portrait mean experts anticipate notes carrying the A001 will fetch large sums online. Last year the 5 notes brought into circulation featuring Winston Churchill with serial numbers beginning with AA01 were trading hands on online markets places for up to 3,000. As a result, a number of eager collectors may be looking to get their hands on crisp new 10 notes with low serial numbers today. People can trade their 10 notes for the new ones at the Bank of England in Central London. Jane Austen: The writer has a huge fan base overseas, which could drive up the price of some low serial numbered notes Specific ATM machines in Birmingham, Swindon, Cardiff, Bath, Winchester, Basingstoke, Manchester and London will be stocked with the Jane Austen notes. Chancers are already listing notes on eBay despite not having any - and it is likely as the week goes on, a pile of new 10 notes will appear on online marketplaces for speculative prices. HOW THE NEW 10 HAS SOPHISTICATED SECURITY FEATURES The new 10 note has sophisticated security features to thwart counterfeiters. Features of the new tenner include: :: A see-through window featuring the Queen's portrait :: Winchester Cathedral shown in gold foil on the front of the note and silver on the back :: A quill at the side of the window which changes from purple to orange :: A hologram which contains the word Ten and changes to Pounds when the note is tilted :: A hologram of the coronation crown which appears 3D and multi-coloured when the note is tilted :: A book-shaped copper foil patch which contains the lettering JA :: Micro-lettering beneath the Queen's portrait with tiny letters and numbers that can be seen under a microscope :: The words Bank of England printed in intaglio (raised ink) along the top of the notE Advertisement Serious collectors may be in the market for AA01 notes, with low following numbers, or ones that are rounded. For example, combinations such as AA01 000333, AA01 555555 and AA01 909090. Grouped notes also sell well. Last year, a seller sold three consecutive AA01 notes for 456. Really low notes are given away. For example AA01 000001 will go to the Queen, and a bunch of other low serial numbers to other people close to the process. There will also be a charity auction next month for the notes. A new 5 with the serial AA01 000017 - the lowest available to the public -sold for a whopping 4,150. Furthermore, collectors may be interested in other notable serial numbers. For example, ones starting JA (Jane Austen) while there is no doubt going to be a rush of people flooding eBay with AK47 notes. Other examples to watch out for are serial numbers 16 121775 and 18 071817 - this is Jane Austen's date of birth and death respectively. Serial number 28 011813 is the date that Jane Austen's most celebrated novel, Pride and Prejudice, was first published. The author has a huge following outside of Britain, so it could well be that overseas collectors will be interested in getting their hands in some of these notes, driving up the price. However, what these notes actually sell for is not clear until they start circulating and until bids start rolling. Additionally, it is worth pointing that a year after the 5 note hype, the market has settled and you can now pick up a random AA01 note for 7 on eBay. 'Erm, what about the Queen?' Viewers mock BBC reporter for saying the new Jane Austen 10 note marks the return of a woman to English bank notes Viewers have been mocking a BBC reporter who said the new Jane Austen 10 note marks the return of a woman to English tender. Business journalist Sean Farrington seemingly forgot the Queen during his stint on the Beeb's breakfast programme this morning. Mr Farrington said: 'There has been a period of about four months where there were no women on any English bank notes.' Scroll down for video Business journalist Sean Farrington (right) seemingly forgot the Queen was on English bank notes during his stint on the Beeb's breakfast programme this morning In May the old paper 5 featuring Elizabeth Fry went out of circulation and were no longer accepted. The 18th century prison reformer and philanthropist was replaced by Winston Churchill on the new plastic design. But throughout this four month period, the Queen's iconic portrait has remained on English tender. This seemed to have slipped Mr Farrington's mind this morning, to the annoyance of viewers who took to Twitter to vent. One woman said: What about the Queen?' Thomas Mathie posted to Twitter: 'Hey BBC Breakfast, Jane Austen is NOT the first woman on a UK bank note.' While another added: '*Cough* the Queen.' Anger: One viewer hit out at the programme after the reporter incorrectly stated Jane Austen was the first woman on a UK bank note in four months 'Who writes this stuff?': Dozens of Twitter users pointed out the flaw in the interview 'Jane Austen wasn't the first!' Stephen Williams pointed out Elizabeth Fry was recently on 5 notes until they went out of circulation The arrival of the new note marks a victory following a hard-fought battle by campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez The arrival of the new note marks a victory following a hard-fought battle by campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez. The feminist was sent around 50 abusive tweets an hour including rape and death threats after she successfully won a campaign to get the British author featured on a bank note. Writing today to Twitter, she said: 'The new tenner is out today. I want you all to please send me pictures of you with your first tenner (and then donate it to your local women's shelter.' The note is the second to be printed on a plastic polymer which the Bank says is cleaner, safer and more hard-wearing than the traditional cotton paper it will replace. A plastic fiver featuring Winston Churchill entered circulation last September, replacing the paper version with Elizabeth Fry featured. The new note is slightly bigger than its five pound version and has tactile information which is raised to help those with visual impairments. A rollerblader has been branded 'idiotic' after he was filmed riding through rush-hour traffic while clinging on to the back of a double-decker bus. Footage of the bizarre moment was captured by commuter Ciaran Farelly as he returned home from work in Dublin. The 'bus surfer', wearing bright blue rollerblades, can be seen casually looking around as he drifts through the city. Another car can be heard beeping at the man, who has not been identified, as the bus he is clinging on to picks up speed. Dublin Bus said it was investigating the 'reckless' incident, which lasted about 20 seconds. A spokesman for Ireland's Road Safety Authority told the Irish Independent: 'It's idiotic behaviour. 'You're basically playing Russian roulette with your life. It's absolutely crazy stuff and it's irresponsible.' Advertisement A third of Florida's population has no power or air conditioning in the state's late-summer heat as they work to rebuild their lives after Hurricane Irma engulfed nearly half the state. Utility officials warn it could it could take 10 days or more for power to be fully restored as residents suffer through temperatures in the high 80s and low 90s across parts of Florida. A lack of power coupled with heat may already have claimed the lives of eight elderly people in a nursing home outside Miami, and the total death toll in the wake of Irma now stands at 81, with 31 of those lives having been claimed in the US. And now the National Weather Service is predicting hotter-than-average temperatures in several cities affected by Irma, and a rise in temperatures in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, as survivors pick through the ruins of their homes and seek shelter from the elements. Scroll down for video More than a third of Florida homes and businesses are without power or air conditioning following the onslaught of Hurricane Irma - but temperatures are expected to be hotter than average over the next week People walk through flooded streets in the rural migrant worker town of Immokalee, Florida, using cement blocks to stay above water. Utility officials warn it could it could take 10 days or more for power to be fully restored Dwayne Hope stands next to where his car was dumped by Irma on Big Pine Key. He's lived in his boat for the last 20 years; he tried to take shelter in his car before retreating to a nearby house. The Cat. 4 hurricane destroyed his car, boat and possesions Boats are seen left wedged under a bridge in Marathon in the Florida Keys after the flood. Lines can be seen drooping into the water. Right: A Duke Energy contractor works to restore power in Maitland, Florida Experts say that temperatures are likely to stay in the high 80s and low 90s over the next week, and warm temperatures are likely to dominate the continental US over the month - with Florida getting the hottest of all The National Weather Service's Miami forecasters predict temperatures as many as three degrees higher than the average. Ordinarily that might not be a problem - but without AC or power, it's another stone around survivors' necks The National Weather Service announced on Thursday that over the next week Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Naples would all suffer unusually warm temperatures. Miami will have highs of 91 degrees, compared to its usual 89-degree average; West Palm Beach will reach 91 over the usual 88; Naples 92 compared to the average of 90 and Fort Lauderdale 90 degrees over the average of 89. That's not a huge increase, but it will be enough to make things uncomfortable - especially for those without air conditioning. As of Thursday morning, the number of homes and businesses without electricity in Florida was 2.69 million, according to the agency. That's 25.6 per cent of all customers in the state. And in Lee County, which includes Cape Coral and Fort Myers, the Florida Emergency Management Agency said 66 percent of the area's 290,000 electrical customers were still without power Wednesday. Widespread outages led to long lines outside of the relatively few stores, gas stations and restaurants that had reopened. And some 20 percent of Florida's gas stations had no fuel on Thursday, down from a peak of 46 percent, according to fuel information service Gas Buddy. The situation was even worse to the south in Collier County, home to Naples. Days after Irma passed, almost 80 percent of homes and businesses were still without electricity, and floodwaters still covered some communities entirely. The Weather Channel put the average temperatures in some areas slightly lower - but still uncomfortably high for the millions left without power People walk through flooded streets in the rural migrant worker town of Immokalee, which was especially hard hit by Hurricane Irma on Wednesday Irma laid waste to Caribbean islands and caused historic destruction across Florida over the last week. Pictured: damage in Sunshine Key, Florida Utility officials warn it could it could take 10 days or more for power to be fully restored, despite temperatures reaching the 90s across parts of the state. Pictured: A boat is seen next to a home after Hurricane Irma passed through Duck Key, Florida With their homes surrounded by water that they fear may be contaminated by waste water, residents deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Immokalee, Florida Bob Barnes, who stayed in Duck Key, Florida, huddled in a house with ten other people during Hurricane Irma, looks over the damage at a friend's home A boat is seen over the deck after Hurricane Irma struck the Florida Keys in Marathon, the Florida Keys. Many areas remain under a dawn to dusk curfew following the storm The situation is made more difficult by the warm late-summer temperatures in Florida, with temperatures expected to remain in the high 80s to low 90s over the next few days. That's a nuisance for many - particularly as pools of stagnant water and warm weather lead to mosquitoes breeding - but it can be outright dangerous for older people. About 150 of the Florida's nearly 700 nursing facilities were without electricity as of Wednesday morning, according to the Florida Health Care Association, which represents most of them. And overheating appears to have claimed the lives of at least eight elderly people in the state. Police in Hollywood, north of Miami, opened a criminal investigation on Wednesday after finding three dead patients at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hill, a facility that had been operating with little or no air conditioning. Four more patients died at or en route to hospital and a fifth was later identified as having died the night before, officials said. A national guardsman oversees water distribution in a shopping plaza in Key West, Florida. The Florida Keys were hit devastatingly hard by the storm, with 90 per cent of the homes damaged Florida Keys residents receive food and water from members of the Florida National Guard at the Sugarloaf School on Wednesday National guardsmen distribute bottled water to residents in Key West, Florida, in the days after they were allowed back into the region following Hurricane Irma Residents of Key West stand in line as they wait for emergency donations following Hurricane Irma. The Florida Keys still lacks water, electricity or mobile phone service. Residents are still not permitted to go further south than Mile Marker 73 Residents of the rural migrant worker town of Immokalee wait for emergency donations following Hurricane Irma on Wednesday A group of volunteers from Atlanta gave out groceries and sanitary items to hundreds of desperate residents. Hurricane Irma made landfall near Naples after inundating the Florida Keys. Electricity was out in much of the region with extensive flooding A resident of the Seabreeze mobile park surveys the storm surge debris deposited in his backyard after Hurricane Irma struck the Florida Keys in Marathon in the Florida Keys, Florida Florida Power & Light said it provided electricity to parts of the nursing home in Hollywood but the facility was not on a county priority list for emergency power restoration. Those elderly victims may well join the list of 81 confirmed deaths caused by Hurricane Irma, 31 of which occurred in the US. More than half of those occurred in the Caribbean islands that were hard-hit early on in the hurricane's movement. The Florida Keys were the first US state territories to be struck by Irma, with federal officials saying 90 per cent of its homes were destroyed or heavily damaged. However, the extent of the damage caused there remains unknown because some areas remain unreachable. The remote island chain stretches nearly 100 miles into the Gulf of Mexico from Florida's southern tip, connected by a single highway and series of bridges. On Key West, at the end of the archipelago, hundreds of residents who had refused evacuation orders lined up on Wednesday outside the island's Salvation Army outpost for water and military-style rations after enduring days of intense heat with little water, power or contact with the outside world. The stench of dead fish and decaying seaweed permeated the air. A destroyed home after Hurricane Irma struck the Florida Keys in Marathon in the Florida Keys. Residents are finally returning to the area to find what's left of their homes Residents of the Seabreeze mobile park surveys the storm surge debris deposited in his backyard after Hurricane Irma struck the Florida Keys in Marathon in the Florida Keys House boats are seen toppled over, collapsed and damaged in Key West, Florida, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma Damaged homes and streets littered with debris are seen after Hurricane Irma passed through Key West, Florida, less than a week ago The Florida Key's took the brunt of the hurricane as it passed over the island chain as a category 4 storm less than a week ago Boats were washed ashore, sunk, turned over and left completely damaged in Key West during the Category 4 Hurricane Irma Damaged homes and RVs are seen surrounded by swamps in Sugarloaf, Florida, days after Hurricane Irma passed through the area Total insured losses from the storm are expected to run about $25 billion, including $18 billion in the United States and $7 billion in the Caribbean, catastrophe modeler Karen Clark & Company estimated on Wednesday. However, there has been some progress: The number of people remaining in shelters fell to under 13,000 on Thursday. One of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, Irma bore down on the Caribbean with devastating force as it raked the northern shore of Cuba last week. It barreled into the Florida Keys island chain on Sunday, packing sustained winds of up to 130 miles per hour before plowing up the Gulf Coast of the state and dissipating. That came about two weeks after Hurricane Harvey plowed into Houston, killing about 60 and causing some $180billion in damage, mostly from flooding. Boats are seen on Wednesday washed ashore from Hurricane Irma after it passed through the area in Key West, Florida One home in Ramrod Key, Florida, had part of its roof and front wall completely torn off, destroying the first floor of the home Workers are seen on Wednesday on the roof of a building damaged by Hurricane Irma as it passed through Cudjoe Key, Florida One home in Duck Key, Florida, had its walls knocked in by the powerful storm, which rocked the Florida Keys earlier this week A mother who follows the Rastafarian faith has vowed to fight a school which wants her to cut her child's dreadlocks. Tuesday Flanders says the demand by Fulham Boys School, London, to cut 12-year-old Chikayzea's hair is religious discrimination and an attack on her culture, and she vowed to fight it. The school says it has a strict uniform and appearance policy, and is handling this case as a social issue rather than a religious one. A mother who follows the Rastafarian faith has vowed to fight a school which wants her to cut her child's dreadlocks (pictured) As a result, Chikayzea was taught in isolation this Monday and faces the prospect of suspension from the Mund Street school. Mrs Flanders says she tied her son's hair up so that it did not breach policy on length, but received a call on his first day at school saying that it must be cut. She said: 'He has dreadlocked hair because he is a Rastafarian. His hair does come down below his shoulder which is why I tied it up on his first day at school. 'They can't expect me to cut my son's hair. It's our faith, it's our religion, our culture.' She hoped a meeting with headteacher Alun Ebenezer would iron out the problem, but said: 'I explained that it's our religion and culture and it's not fashion for us, it's not something we take lightly. 'But I was told at the end of the day they have a policy of no dreadlocks at the school.' Tuesday Flanders says the demand by Fulham Boys School, London, to cut 12-year-old Chikayzea's (pictured) hair is religious discrimination and an attack on her culture, and she vowed to fight it She said the whole episode was upsetting Chikayzea but added: 'I don't intend to cut my son's hair. 'It's my belief, my family's belief. We have been Rastafarians for 30 to 40 years. 'No school should be able to dictate things like that. It can never be right. It's a human right. WHY DO RASTAFARIANS GROW DREADLOCKS? Rastafarianism is an Afro-centric Abrahamic religion that developed in Jamaica in the 1930s. Rastafarians can often be recognised by the wearing of their hair in dreadlocks. This is believed to be spiritual and associated with the Bible. Leviticus 21:5 says: 'They shall not make baldness upon their head.' Advertisement 'This is a child that goes to school to learn, not for fashion.' Mr Ebenezer described the school as a 'strict academic school' with 'very distinctive ethos and culture' and pupils from different cultures and religions. He says he draws attention to the school's uniform and appearance policy when addressing parents who are considering the FBS for their children, and that it is available on its website. He said: 'We are very clear what the school is about. Boys have to conform to uniform and appearance policy. 'Boys are told to cut their hair or grow their hair. All boys need to follow and adhere to the school policy.' Asked about religious concerns raised by Mrs Flanders, Mr Ebenezer added: 'At the moment we are treating this as a social issue. I have seen no tenets that you have to have dreadlocks. 'The kindest thing you can do for boys is have strict discipline and firm boundaries and everyone has to comply with that.' However, Mrs Flanders said: 'This is religious discrimination. Everybody in my household has dreads. As a result, Chikayzea was taught in isolation this Monday and faces the prospect of suspension from the school. Pictured, the logo for Fulham Boys School 'It's not a style for us. Other people may wear dreadlocks for style but we do not. 'We wear this because of our culture. Dreadlocks identify us as a person and a people. They identify who we are.' Mrs Flanders added her older son Amaechi, now 18, was never called up for his dreadlocks while he attended Chelsea Academy. She has also set up a petition urging FBS to allow her son and his dreadlocks into school. The petition has so far been signed by more than 300 people. Preparing teens for their futures with soft skills Businesses of every size and industry continue to identify labor shortages as a top challenge across the country and... Where to find non-partisan ballot information Thank you for your non-biased bullet points explaining the three state ballot proposals in "A look at the three state... The man who killed beloved outback nurse Gayle Woodford needed to be punished and there was a clear need to protect the community from the 35-year-old serial offender, a court has been told. Dudley Davey came before the Court of Criminal Appeal in Adelaide on Thursday seeking a reduction in his 32-year minimum jail term for the rape and murder of Ms Woodford. Defence lawyer Nick Vadasz argued his client was not given enough discount on his non-parole period for his early guilty plea. South Australian man Dudley David Davey, 35, will spend a minimum of 32 years in jail for the rape and murder of outback nurse Gayle Woodford Mr Vadasz said in its sentencing legislation, state parliament intended, and offenders expected, to get a 30 per cent reduction. The discount applied in Davey's case was closer to 8.5 per cent. He also told the court that the 35-year starting point for Davey's non-parole period, before any discount, placed it in a 'rarified area' with only two other sentences above 30 years in murder cases where there had been a guilty plea. But prosecutor Ian Press said it was within the sentencing judge's discretion not to allow the full discount and the 32-year period was within an acceptable range given the seriousness of the offending. He said to give the 30 per cent discount would have resulted in a sentence that was inappropriate. 'There was a clear need to punish Mr Davey. There was a clear need to protect the community,' Mr Press said. Mother-of-two Gayle Woodford was lured from her home in outback South Australia before she was murdered and buried in a shallow grave The family of Gayle Woodford arrive at the Supreme Court of South Australia in Adelaide on Monday, her husband Keith picture He also pointed to the very strong case against Davey and his lack of remorse, telling the court the man's apologies 'count for nothing' as they always came after he had been caught. The Crown had previously argued that a lesser sentence would have 'shocked the public conscience'. Ms Woodford, 56, was found buried in a crude grave three days after she went missing from her home in Fregon, in the state's north, in March last year. The devastated family members sat in court as Mrs Woodford's murderer was sentenced After Ms Woodford's death a review of the risks facing remote health workers found they should be accompanied on call-outs to clients When she imposed her sentence in June, Justice Ann Vanstone said Davey was a drug addict and serial offender, who had an 'abnormal desire to rape women'. He had plainly chosen Mrs Woodford as an 'easy target, vulnerable because of her empathy'. 'This was a cold-blooded killing of a woman who had worked with skill and compassion in your community,' the judge said. She said Davey's offending was 'callous in the extreme' and at the higher end of the scale for rape and murder. The appeal court has reserved its decision. GAYLE WOODFORD'S DEATH March 23, 2016: Outback nurse Gayle Woodford, 56, is last seen on South Australia's Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, with her disappearance prompting a search. About the same time as Ms Woodford goes missing an ambulance she used for work is driven from a local health clinic. March 24, 2016: Police use GPS data to track the ambulance and intercept it in Coober Pedy. The 36-year-old Mimili man behind the wheel, Dudley Davey, is charged with the theft of the vehicle and other driving offences. March 26, 2016: Ms Woodford's body is found in a shallow grave outside the remote SA town of Fregon where she lived. Calls emerge for greater safety provisions for remote health clinicians, with an online petition collecting more than 130,00 signatures. March 27, 2016: Davey is charged with Ms Woodford's murder. March 29, 2016: Davey makes his first appearance at the Port Augusta Magistrates Court, losing a bid to have his name suppressed. February 23, 2017: Davey pleads guilty to murder and rape charges and is committed to the Supreme Court. Advertisement The murder stile Ms Woodford's ambulance after he killed her Russia has today kicked off its controversial week-long war games in Belarus and the Baltic, involving thousands of troops and military vehicles. The maneuvers, called Zapad - meaning 'West' in Russian - has left neighbouring countries worried it is a precursor to an invasion and seen NATO members accuse Moscow of lying about the size of the drills. Tensions between Moscow and the West have spiraled since Russia's 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula, and Ukraine is among the nations worried Zapad 2017 could lead to further landgrabs. It's all a game: Army vehicles are seen driving towards an undisclosed location in Belarus as Zapad 2017 kicks off at several locations in Belarus, the Baltic Sea, Russia and Kaliningrad The military exercises are now officially underway at several locations in Belarus, the Baltic Sea, western Russia and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Russia and Belarus have said that the exercises, which will last until September 20, will involve 5,500 Russian and 7,200 Belarusian troops, as well as a large number of military vehicles, war ships and aircrafts. It will simulate a rebel uprising with 'troops' backed up by a fictional foreign power, widely assumed to be NATO. However, NATO officials say the number of troops is much larger than Moscow has publicised, closer to 100,000. By claiming that only 13,000 troops are involved, Russia stays below the international threshold that requires large numbers of outside observers. Ayay cap'n: Russian military pilots, right, report upon arrival at an airbase in Belarus ahead of the controversial games which started today and will last a week, simulating a rebellion uprising backed by a 'fictional foreign power' Big figures: Russia and Belarus claims some 13,000 people are involved in the drills, but NATO officials say they fear it is closer to 100,000 Bake off: Russian military pilots are presented with traditional welcoming bread-and-salt as they arrive at an airbase at undisclosed location in Belarus ahead of the games And despite assurances from Minsk and Moscow, leaders in Poland, the Baltic states, Slovakia, Romania, the Ukraine and Bulgaria are concerned Russia might not pull back all of its soldiers after the drills. Lithuania's Defence Minister Raimundas Karoblis said the drills risk triggering an accidental conflict or could allow Moscow to leave troops in neighbouring Belarus. 'We can't be totally calm. There is a large foreign army massed next to Lithuanian territory,' he told Reuters this week. Some Western officials including the head of the U.S. Army in Europe, Gen. Ben Hodges, have raised concerns that Russia might use the drills as a 'Trojan horse' to make incursions into Poland and Russian-speaking regions in the Baltics. Wrong-footed by Moscow in the recent past, with Russia's seizure of Crimea in 2014 and its intervention in Syria's war in 2015, NATO is distrustful of the Kremlin's public message. Timely arrival: U.S. military equipment which arrived as part of NATO mission is pictured at port in Gdansk, Poland on Wednesday NATO soldiers watch as some 1,000 pieces of U.S. military equipment arrives, including Abrams tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles and self-propelled howitzers In Crimea, Moscow proved a master of 'hybrid warfare', with its mix of cyber attacks, disinformation campaigns and use of Russian and local forces without insignia. One senior European security official said Zapad would merge manoeuvres across Russia's four western military districts in a 'complex, multi-dimensional aggressive, anti-NATO exercise'. 'It is all smoke and mirrors,' the official said, adding that the Soviet-era Zapad exercises that were revived in 1999 had included simulated nuclear strikes on Europe. NATO officials say they have been watching Russia's preparations for months, including the use of hundreds of rail cars to carry tanks and other heavy equipment into Belarus. As a precaution, the U.S. Army has moved 600 paratroopers to the Baltics during Zapad and has taken over guardianship of the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which lack capable air forces and air defence systems. In addition, American troops have been deployed to bases across Poland this year on a rotating basis as reassurance amid Russia's increased military activity. Yesterday, a shipment of over 1,000 pieces of U.S. military equipment was unloaded at the port of Gdansk, including Abrams tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles and self-propelled howitzers. A lorry driver accused of killing eight people on the M1 motorway when a minibus was crushed was 'asleep in the slow lane for 12 minutes' before the horror crash. Aylesbury Crown Court heard Polish national Ryszard Masierak, 31, was also driving his AIM Logistics lorry without a licence after it was previously revoked. Six men and two women were killed when the minibus they were travelling on collided with two lorries at Junction 14 of the motorway at Newport Pagnell, at 3.15am on August 26. The horrific collision also orphaned five-year-old Shravathi Ramasubramanian, who was found trapped underneath a chair on the minibus, after her father Karthikeyan and mother Lavanya were killed. Ryszard Masierak (pictured in a court sketch), 31, who is accused of killing eight people in a horror crash on the M1, was 'asleep in the slow lane for 12 minutes' before the smash The minibus was crushed, pictured, after it collided with two lorries during the horrific incident Those who died in the crash were Cyriac Joseph, 52, a father-of-two from Nottingham, who was the minibus driver, Panneerselvam Annamalai, 63 and Subramaniyan Arachelvan, 58. IT workers Rishi Rajeev Kumar, 27, Vivek Bhaskaran, 26, Karthikeyan Pugalur Ramasubramanian, 33, three IT workers, also died. The two female fatalities were Tamilmani Arachelvan, 50 and Lavanyalakshmi Seetharaman, 32. The Ramasubramanian family had been travelling in the bus in to catch a Eurostar train for a dream holiday to France. Karthikeyan moved with Shravathi and wife Lavanya from southern India to Nottingham in January with IT firm Wipro. Friends of Lavanya revealed she was really looking forward to her new life. The crash also orphaned five-year-old Shravathi Ramasubramanian, centre, who was found trapped underneath a chair on the minibus, after her father Karthikeyan and mother Lavanya, pictured, were killed Mr Ramasubramanian, pictured with his wife, had only moved the family to Britain from India in January after getting a new job in IT Masierak, of Evesham, Worcestershire, is accused of four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and eight counts of causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit. The crash left another four people fighting for their lives and was described as 'the worst motorway tragedy for 25 years'. During a court appearance, prosecutor Nigel Ogborne told the court in the driver had been asleep in his stationary lorry in the inside lane of the motorway for 12-and-a-half minutes when the tragedy took place. Judge Sheridan also heard that Masierak's licence to drive his articulated lorry had been revoked, although his employers were not informed. Minibus driver Cyriac Joseph, 52, a father-of-two from Nottingham, was killed instantly in the crash 'At the time of this offence VOSA [Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, which was replaced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency ( DVSA ) in 2014] had revoked his HGV licence,' said Mr Ogborne. He added: 'We know that the defendant was stationary in lane one [at the time]. 'He was in the slow lane, there for 12-and-a-half minutes. The other lorry came up behind. We can go no further at this stage because his co-defendant and those that represent him are not here.' Masierak was charged with a total of 20 counts relating to the collision including eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving, four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and eight counts of causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit. Judge Sheridan adjourned a plea and trial preparation hearing for six weeks so that the families of the dead had time to bury their loved ones. He said: 'I have been told by counsel in chambers that the families of the many deceased would like time to bury their loved ones and this is only right - this is, after all, England - so I am going to adjourn pre-trial preparation hearings for both defendants for a period of six weeks.' Masierak's co-defendant David Wagstaff, who was driving the second lorry, was granted bail earlier this week. Wagstaff, 53, of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, was also charged with eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Terrified pensioners suffered serious injuries when a young businesswoman slammed on the brakes of her 30,000 sportscar in front of a packed bus. Sinem Hayta, 25, pulled up so sharply in her Audi A5 that the bus driver had to make an emergency stop on Tottenham High Road, north London. Hayta, who runs Coho Textile Ltd in Edmonton, north London, roared off without giving her details, Stratford Magistrates' Court heard. Several passengers were hurled to the floor during the incident at 8.35am on October 20 last year. Sinem Hayta, 25, pictured, caused pensioners to suffer serious injuries after she braked sharply in front of a bus, causing it to make an emergency stop which sent passengers flying Prosecutor Louise Thomas told Stratford Magistrates' Court how Hayta cut up the bus as it moved away from traffic lights. She said: 'On 20 October 2016 at 8:35 in the morning on a road in Tottenham there was a road bus being driven by Mr Arburah. 'On seeing the lights go green the bus then began to travel forward. 'The Crown say Ms Hayta's vehicle then came from lane two into lane one causing the bus to brake sharply and causing major injuries to passengers on the bus. 'CCTV footage shows the black vehicle cutting into the bus' lane, the bus jolts to a stop.' Footage played to the court shows several bus passengers, some elderly, being thrown to the floor of the bus. Hayta, of north London, left the scene in her 30,000 Audi A5 without giving her details. She was fined 360 and ordered to pay 360 costs after admitting driving without due care and attention The magistrate, Mr John Ludlam said it was 'a single silly thing' to do, and ordered Hayta to pay 360 in costs, a fine of 360 and a 36 surcharge. Hayta, of Lower Edmonton, north London, admitted driving without due care and attention. She also received five penalty points on her licence. Tory backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg praised food banks as 'uplifting' today - saying they showed the generosity of the British public. The MP, who has become a cult figure for his old-fashioned style and traditional views, also accused the previous Labour government of trying to hide their existence. The comments - which came as the Old Etonian answered questions during a radio phone-in - were attacked as 'heartless'. Shadow education secretary Angela jibed that the poor would rather be able to 'feed themselves' than rely on charity. Tory backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg praised food banks as 'uplifting' during an appearance on LBC radio today Mr Rees-Mogg also railed at the UK's 'tokenistic' foreign aid budget, saying the spending target merely meant money was 'thrown out of the door' at the end of the year In the LBC appearance, Mr Rees-Mogg railed at the UK's 'tokenistic' foreign aid budget, saying it merely meant money was 'thrown out of the door' at the end of the year to hit the 'arbitrary' 0.7 per cent target. He also dismissed speculation about his potential to be Tory leader and insisted 'no one serious' believed he would be a candidate. How he sparked uproar by saying abortion was wrong Just last week Jacob Rees-Mogg sparked controversy for saying that he did not support abortion under any circumstances. Appearing on ITVs Good Morning Britain, he said that, because of his Catholic faith, he was completely opposed to terminations even in cases of rape or incest and called them morally indefensible. The MP a father of six said: Life is sacrosanct and begins at the point of conception and I think [abortion] is wrong. Mr Rees-Mogg was widely criticised, with The British Pregnancy Advisory Service, which provides abortions, calling his views extreme and wildly at odds with public opinion. And his Conservative colleague Margot James called his views utterly abhorrent. But former Tory MP Ann Widdecombe, who is also a Catholic, said: I agree with Jacob a child is a child. Those are his views and if hes asked about them he must answer honestly. Following the reaction to his comments, Mr Rees-Mogg said: Its a free country and everyones entitled to express an opinion. Why should I get flustered? Rape is a great evil and a terrible crime, but thats not made better by then aborting the unborn child. To take a life after a rape is not the answer. Advertisement Challenged over the growth in food banks under Tories, Mr Rees-Mogg said this had happened because of a change in rules allowing JobCentre staff to inform clients of their availability. 'To have charitable support given by people voluntarily to support their fellow-citizens I think is rather uplifting and shows what a good, compassionate country we are,' he said. 'Inevitably, the state can't do everything, so I think that there is good within food banks. 'The real reason for the rise in numbers is that people know that they are there and Labour deliberately didn't tell them.' But Ms Rayner shot back on Twitter: 'My constituents would prefer to feed themselves instead of being "uplifted" after visiting a food bank.' It is the latest controversy to embroil Mr Rees-Mogg, who has become an unlikely contender to succeed Mrs May as Tory leader. He was widely criticised for stating that, as a Catholic, he did not support abortion under any circumstances - even when a woman has been raped. Mr Rees-Mogg insisted he fully supports Theresa May, saying there needed to be a period of consistent leadership as the country leaves the European Union. The North East Somerset MP admitted so-called Moggmentum was 'great fun while it lasts' but he had no wish to become leader. He said: 'I have no wish to become leader of the Conservative Party. I'm fully supporting Mrs May. 'I think it's extremely important that we have the same leadership for this period in our country's history, to make sure we get through Brexit properly and then go beyond that so that we can get the benefits of Brexit, which will be freer trade, lower prices in the shops, control of our own borders and of our own regulations, and we need stability to get that. 'I am completely backing Mrs May and no one serious thinks that I am a credible candidate.' Asked what Cabinet job he would most like, Mr Rees-Mogg said: 'That's not going to happen.' Challenged over the growth in food banks under Tories, Mr Rees-Mogg said this had happened because of a change in rules allowing JobCentre staff to inform clients of their availability. Pictured is a food bank in Wandsworth Mr Rees-Mogg's radio appearance was attacked by a series of users on Twitter Mrs May was asked in a radio interview whether she might promote him to the Cabinet, and 'she laughed for the longest amount of time she has laughed since the general election', Mr Rees-Mogg told LBC. 'I was delighted to bring some happiness and joy to our distinguished Prime Minister, but that's how seriously she takes it,' he said. Mr Rees-Mogg was scornful of the attacks on Mrs May by former chancellor George Osborne, who has used his editorship of the Evening Standard to unleash a series of barbs at the Prime Minister and was reported to have told colleagues he wanted her 'chopped up in bags in my freezer'. 'The sadness of George Osborne is that he is a formidably able man, he served with distinction as chancellor of the exchequer, and has decided since leaving Parliament to emulate a rather less successful Edward Heath,' said the North East Somerset MP. 'I think this kind of bitterness and bile ends up making the person who has that bitterness and bile feel resentful and sad and has no effect on broader politics. Mr Rees-Mogg insisted he fully supports Theresa May (pictured in Downing Street yesterday) 'His firepower diminishes with every bitter outburst and for so able a man that is something we should be sad about rather than particularly condemning.' Mr Rees-Mogg also took aim at European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, saying his proposals for further EU integration were in 'in cloud cuckoo land'. He said Britain would not have to pay Brussels 'a brass farthing' if it leaves the bloc without a trade deal. He also suggested the government should simply leave its border with Ireland open and dare the EU to impose checks from the other side. On recent controversies he said it was 'a choice for parents' if they sent their son to school in a dress, described easier access to the morning-after pill as 'a great sadness, because life begins at the point of conception' and said he would be happy to eat chlorine-washed chicken from the US. Rex Tillerson today praised Britain's 'very strong support' in facing down the nuclear threat from North Korea. In a joint press conference with Boris Johnson, the US Secretary of State said he had personally thanked Theresa May in a brief meeting in No 10 this morning. Mr Tillerson held extensive talks on international security with Mr Johnson at the Foreign Office this afternoon, meeting also with members of the French, Italian and Libyan governments. The talks also covered the threat from Iran and destabilisation in Libya. Rex Tillerson (pictured right at the Foreign Office today) praised Britain's 'very strong support' in facing down the nuclear threat from North Korea In a joint press conference with Boris Johnson, the US Secretary of State said he had personally thanked Theresa May in a brief meeting in No 10 this morning At a joint press conference with Mr Johnson, Mr Tillerson said: 'I had a short but very useful opportunity to meet with Prime Minister May. 'I expressed my appreciation to the Prime Minister for the very strong support and resolve of the UK, both as an important member of the UNSC and also in public statements and actions to send a very strong message to North Korea. '(We have made clear) that their efforts to advance their nuclear weapons programmes and the threatening posture they have taken is not acceptable. 'That support is very important in our efforts to bring that to a resolution. 'The PM and I also had a discussion about the threat Iran poses to the region, its destabilising activities in Yemen, Syria and other parts of the region. 'We discussed our shared interest to find a solution to the conflict in Syria once the defeat of ISIS is concluded.' Mr Johnson said Pyongyang had 'defied the world' adding that sanctions would be imposed in a way that maximised the pressure on the regime. 'We resolved to continue to work together and with important partners who can influence North Korea - including China - with the aim of securing the complete and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula,' he said Theresa May and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (pictured today arriving in Downing Street) agreed to keep up the international pressure on North Korea at Downing Street talks Mr Tillerson visited No 10 for detailed talks with the UK National Security Adviser Mark Sedwill today before a broader meeting with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson The US delegation swept into No 10 this morning (pictured) without a moment's pause to set our their priorities for the day's meetings This morning's talks focused on the international threat from North Korea and Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. After Mrs May dropped into the No 10 meeting, her spokesman told reporters: '(They) touched on the Iran nuclear deal, the PM underlining its importance in preventing Iran from procuring nuclear weapons. 'They also discussed North Korea and its continuing destabilising activities. 'They agreed on the importance of the international community continuing to work together to put pressure on the regime.' Mr Johnson held joint talks with Mr Tillerson and French political director Nicolas de Riviere about the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. The trio also discussed fresh ways to respond to North Korea's latest nuclear test after the UN security council approved new sanctions against Pyongyang. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (pictured at the Foriegn Office today) is holdinh joint talks with Mr Tillerson and French political director Nicolas de Riviere about the aftermath of Hurricane Irma A wider meeting involving the Italian and Egyptian governments (pictured) was convened by Mr Johnson too review the latest developments in Libya Today's meeting (pictured) is intended to try and find a way to break the political deadlock in Libya and bring stability to the North African country The Foreign Secretary chaired a meeting on the situation in Libya with Mr Tillerson, and the French political director, as well as the Italian and Egyptian foreign ministers, and representatives from the UN and United Arab Emirates. The meeting was intended to try and find a way to break the political deadlock in Libya and bring stability to the North African country in a bid to help deal with the issue of illegal migration. Speaking ahead of the meetings, the Foreign Secretary said: 'I've seen first-hand the devastation Hurricane Irma has caused people in the Caribbean. Close coordination with our allies is vital for both the short-term and long-term recovery efforts. 'Britain will continue to work closely alongside our partners to tackle the shared challenges we face worldwide.' A British former policeman claims a biker gang assaulted him with a truncheon before smashing up his pub in north-eastern Thailand. Lee Buil, 57, formerly of Hull, Yorkshire, was left needing 18 stitches after he was allegedly assaulted by a number of men in his venue in Surin, Thailand. The incident, which was caught on CCTV, is said to have kicked off after a dispute in the wake of the biker gang opening up a bar on the same street. Scroll down for video Attack: Lee Buil, a former police officer from Hull now living in Thailand, was left needing 18 stitches after he was allegedly assaulted by a number of men in his pub CCTV footage appears to show the members of the gang attacking Mr Buil using a truncheon Mr Buil, who has been living in Thailand for 20 years, runs the pub the Monkey House with his wife Narisa Bunchart, 39. He claims trouble started after members of a local chapter of Outlaws MC opened a bar called the Cross Pistons across the street in the city of Surin. Mr Buil says the men, dressed in leather vests adorned with the patch of the 'one per cent' club, came to his pub and became violent when refused service. CCTV footage appears to show the members of the gang attacking Mr Buil inside the pub using a baton, which he claims was an extendable truncheon. Images taken after the scrap shows Mr Buil bleeding profusely from his head, and he eventually needed 18 stitches. Aftermath: Images show Mr Buil bleeding after the attack, left, and having received medical attention in hospital, including stitches, right This image posted on social media claims to show one of the men who attacked Mr Buil Another image identifies a blonde man who is also seen in the CCTV video, reportedly standing outside the Monkey House pub following the assault The damage to the pub and its interiors is set to cost Mr Buil 60,000 Thai Baht (1,360 GBP)to repair and replace. Several men were arrested by police but later released on bail, and shortly afterwards someone returned to Mr Buil's bar and glued the locks. Mr Buil and his family, who were inside at the time, say they ended up feeling like 'prisoners in their own home.' It is believed that Thailand's 191 special police branch will now investigate the case further. A group of around 20 students shut down a cops and robbers-themed party at a University of Virginia delta which allegedly poked fun at mass incarceration. With the racism and violence in Charlottesville still resonating in the state, the frat party was deemed to have crossed a line with their fancy dress costumes. Those who attended were criticized as 'spoiled brats of the frat' as the protesters went about getting the get-together halted. But the partygoers got their own back by calling the actual police and getting them kicked off the property for trespassing. Two police officers stand outside the frat house at the University of Virginia amid the chaos A frat member in an orange jumpsuit holds his hand over his mouth (left) as police walk towards him and another party-goer in a striped top and a prison number talks to what appears to be a protester A group of around 20 students shut down a cops and robbers-themed party at a University of Virginia delta which allegedly poked fun at mass incarceration Thomas Jefferson statue in front of Rotunda of the University he founded, University Of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia The student union at the University of Virginia (UVA) posted about the incident on its Facebook page. It read: 'A group of about twenty or so students shut down a "cops and robbers" themed date function at the Hall, a fraternity on campus. 'This came after about an hour of confrontation between the students and partygoers, culminating in the frat calling the police on the students, on the grounds of trespassing. A party-goer dressed in an orange jumpsuit 'The members of the frat wore orange jumpsuits, with bandanas tied around their heads, chains, and tattoos drawn on their arms. 'These "costumes" make a joke of mass incarceration and the prison-industrial complex, systems that disproportionately brutalize people of color. 'The predominantly white members of this fraternity got to take their costumes off at the end of the night, people trapped in the prison system do not.' Reacting to the statement, CB Johnson called them 'spoiled brats at the frat' that 'need to pull a tour of duty in the armed services then they might undetstand the flag and freedoms they enjoy'. The statement continued: 'The women wore 'sexy' cop outfits complete with hats and badges, some inexplicably had tear drop tattoos drawn on their face. 'Historically, the police have justified violence against people of color in the name of protecting white women, and in wearing these costumes, these women made a joke of that legacy of violence. 'During confrontations with people at the party, the majority of partygoers asserted that they had no intention of 'offending or hurting anyone.' 'It's this kind of willful ignorance that allows white supremacy to continue. 'After a summer of terror and violence instigated by white supremacist groups in Charlottesville, it's at the very least disappointing that members of the UVA community would so willing to make a joke of systems that kill and brutalize marginalized communities.' Members of the Ku Klux Klan face counter-protesters as they rally in support of Confederate monuments in Charlottesville, Virginia, on July 8, 2017 Henry Crochiere, a student at the school and Inter-Fraternity Council president, told Cavalier Daily: 'A group of protesters were in the front yard requesting that the private date function be shut down due to the insensitive cops and robbers theme of the party. 'After trying to have a dialogue between the fraternity members and the protesters, it was determined that it would be best to call the police to help facilitate conversation and make sure there was order.' Chilling footage has emerged of the cold-blooded lies convicted killer Brenden Bennetts told police during taped interviews. The 21-year-old was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of schoolgirl Jayde Kendall at Gatton, west of Brisbane. After changing his story several times, he claimed Jayde had wanted to run away from home and asked him for help covering her tracks. Scroll down for video Chilling footage has emerged of the cold-blooded lies convicted killer Brenden Bennetts (pictured, right) told police during taped interviews Brenden Bennetts searched for 'best way to dispose of a body' on YouTube the day before he killed Jayde (pictured) 'She looked me dead in the eye and made me promise to give her as much time as possible before I talk to you guys,' Bennetts told police, A Current Affair reported. 'I don't know where she is, I swear if I knew I would tell you guys,' he said. Bennetts has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Gatton schoolgirl Jayde Kendall. It took a jury just four hours to reach its verdict on Thursday after hearing seven days of evidence at trial in the Brisbane Supreme Court. The 21-year-old (pictured, right, being interview by homicide detectives) was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Gatton schoolgirl Jayde Kendall Brenden Bennetts withdrawing money from Gatton schoolgirl Jayde Kendall's bank account after murdering the 16-year-old Brenden Bennetts' red Corolla (pictured, left, right) was captured on CCTV on the day of the murder Bennetts will have to serve 20 years behind bars before he is eligible to apply for parole. There was an audible gasp from the public gallery when the verdict was handed down while Bennetts showed no emotion. Jayde was last seen alive getting into Bennetts' distinctive red Toyota Corolla after school about 3.20pm on Friday, August 14. Prosecutor Vicki Loury QC argued it was likely the 16-year-old was dead not long after 4pm and her body dragged to an isolated field on an Upper Tenthill property. Prosecutor Vicki Loury QC said Bennetts was a 'very good actor' (pictured today in court) Brenden Bennetts' red Toyota Corolla captured on CCTV driving to and from Gatton on August 14, 2015, the day he murdered schoolgirl Jayde Kendall Jayde was last seen alive getting into Bennetts' distinctive red Toyota Corolla (pictured caught on CCTV) after school about 3.20pm on Friday, August 14, 2015 Family and friends (pictured) of murdered teenager Jayde Kendall embrace outside of the Supreme Court in Brisbane Ms Loury said in her closing submission Bennetts was a 'very good actor' and destroyed all things linking him to Jayde that afternoon, including her belongings and text messages showing the pair were meeting up for sexual activity. 'He was thinking he was clever, but little did he know those messages could be recovered,' Ms Loury said. The trial heard Bennetts texted himself Jayde's bank card PIN at 3.58pm then shielded his face from an ATM camera as he withdrew $70 from her account at dark. Brenden Bennetts (pictured) has been found guilty of murdering Gatton schoolgirl Jayde Kendall in 2015 Bennetts killed 16-year-old Jayde (pictured) shortly after picking her up from school on Friday, August 14, 2015 Ms Loury said Bennetts' lies and attempts to conceal evidence were 'out of proportion' to an accidental killing Defence barrister Michael Copley QC argued Jayde's death could have been from sexual misadventure and Bennetts had withdrawn the money in a panic to make it seem all was well. The court had heard Bennetts was inclined to choking his sexual partners and had taken it 'too far' with two previous girlfriends. But Ms Loury said Bennetts' lies and attempts to conceal evidence were 'out of proportion' to an accidental killing. Bennetts, now aged 21, will have to serve 20 years behind bars for the murder of Jayde (pictured) before he is eligible to apply for parole Denis Morrissey described his granddaughter as a 'gorgeous and thoughtful young woman focused on a bright future' 'If it was a terrible tragedy, why didn't he get her help?' Ms Loury said. 'He let her family search for her in the vain hope she was alive. 'You can almost see the cogs turning in his head to make up a version that makes sense.' The court heard Bennetts searched YouTube for 'best way to dispose of a body' the day before he killed Jayde. Family and friends (pictured) of murdered teenager Jayde Kendall embrace outside of the Supreme Court in Brisbane Bruce Morrissey, father of Jayde Kendall, (pictured, centre), with family members and friends, leaves the Supreme Court Family and friends (pictured) of murdered teenager Jayde Kendall leave the Supreme Court in Brisbane The prosecution was not required to prove what motivated the 18-year-old to kill, but Ms Loury argued it showed what was going on in his head during the murder. 'He was contemplating killing and disposing of a body and one day later does just that,' she said. 'You just don't know how she died. 'You will never know why he did this. While there may be a reason, it is only known to him.' Bruce Morrissey (pictured, centre), father of Jayde Kendall, and Denis Morrissey (pictured, right), grandfather of Jayde Kendall, speak to the media Denis Morrissey described his granddaughter as a 'gorgeous and thoughtful young woman focused on a bright future' in a victim impact statement to the court. 'To know we will never have these times again tears our heart out,' he said according to ABC News. 'She was a bright and driven young girl, destined for great things. 'We will never recover from this loss.' Family and friends (pictured) of murdered teenager Jayde Kendall leave the Supreme Court in Brisbane The heroic schoolboy who was murdered as he tried to stop a teenage gunman at a Washington high school on Wednesday and the high school custodian who eventually brought him down have been pictured. Sam Strahan, 15, was shot in the head as he tried to persuade the shooter, named by police as Caleb Sharpe, from killing classmates at Freeman High School in Rockford, Washington, on Wednesday. The teenager's grieving family have revealed that Sam was still mourning the loss of his father, who died earlier this year in an accident, when he died. He was shot twice. After he was killed, Air Force veteran turned high school custodian Joe Bowen, 42, convinced the gunman to stop shooting for long enough for him to be brought down by police. Three other teenage girls were injured in the shooting but are all 'doing well' in hospital. Both Sam and Joe, a married father-of-three, have been credited with saving lives with their efforts to stop the shooter. Scroll down for video Sam Strahan (left) died as he tried to stop the gunman on Wednesday. High school custodian Joe Bowen (right with his wife) was eventually able to convince the shooter to stop firing for long enough for him to be arrested Caleb Sharpe, 15, (above in a social media post) was arrested at the school immediately after the shooting The terror began shortly after 10am when the gunman tried to open fire with the first of two weapons he had brought to school in a black duffel bag. That weapon jammed, a happenstance which police prevented more bloodshed, and he went on the next one. Sam, who other students said was Caleb's 'best friend', approached him and tried to talk him out of the shooting spree. 'He tried to walk up and tell him,"this isn't what you wanna do,"' Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said on Wednesday. The boy's mother has since rejected the description that they were 'best friends'. It is not known what exactly he said to the teenager to get him to stop shooting, but police told KHQ he convinced him to stop shooting for long enough for police to arrive and arrest him. Mr. Bowen did not respond to requests on Thursday morning. Sharpe was seen being escorted in to a juvenile detention center after the shooting yesterday with a shaved head Caleb filmed himself practicing shooting in his back yard a month ago Bowen, seen with his wife and two of his three children, was hailed a hero for stepping in to stop the shooter Bowen's social media pages suggest that he served in the US Air Force before he became a high school custodian. He is pictured in 2013 Sam was still mourning the loss of his father Scott, who was killed in June, when he died Students say Sharpe, 15, had been acting strangely before Wednesday's shooting The shooting took place at Freeman High School in Rockford, Washington, on Wednesday at 10am Three teenage girls were injured and were taken to the hospital where they are all now doing 'well' As they were being evacuated, one student shared this photograph on Twitter of her class crouching on the floor Sheriff Knezovich previously said his efforts saved the lives of other students who were in the gunman's firing line. After the shooting, all of the school's students were evacuated. Some then named Sharpe as the shooter and described how he'd been acting strangely in the weeks which preceded the shooting. According to some teenagers who said they were friends with him, he had been watching documentaries about other school shootings and had passed around notes threatening to 'do something stupid' that would get him killed. Sharpe shared self-loathing posts like these on Facebook. Police said he was being bullied The teenager had been watching documentaries about school shootings and told friends he was going to 'do something stupid that might get him killed' The Breaking Bad-obsessed teen had uploaded odd videos to YouTube in which he practiced shooting with a toy gun. On social media, he shared self-loathing posts about depression and anxiety. He was taken into a juvenile detention center after the shooting and remains in custody. Sam's family is fundraising for his mother and sister. Their GoFundMe page can be found here. Terrified students are seen being evacuated from the school shortly after the shooting A 'creepy' ultrasound operator who indecently touched patients' breasts and genitals in a Sydney clinic will spend at least three years behind bars. Samir Fahmy Ishak, 69, on Thursday was handed a maximum term of five years for one count of aggravated indecent assault in 2011 and a further eight counts in late 2014. District Court Acting Judge Rodney Madgwick described the offending as 'significant breaches of trust' and was far more serious than indecent assaults 'unaccompanied by a degree of authority'. Samir Fahmy Ishak, 69, (pictured) arrives to Darlinghurst court complex in Sydney on Thursday He said one of the victims had described the then-sonographer as 'creepy' after her assault. Another of Ishak's five victims said in a statement that she moved house to avoid both the specialist and the clinic and had become reclusive in her private life. 'I fear that he'll spot me and then follow me home, which led me to move to a new house to feel safe,' she said in a victim impact statement. 'I felt like I was taken advantage of while I lay naked without underwear on the exam table.' In the most serious case, a woman who required an invasive ovarian examination was asked to strip naked. 'He told her 'Don't be shy, I'm a doctor',' Acting Judge Madgwick said. 'He was not a doctor.' Ishak then asked the patient about her marital status before touching her genitals with his hands. Ishak relinquished his registration as a sonographer following his arrest in early 2015 The court was told the first offence was followed by an investigation by the Health Care Complaints Commission. 'Nevertheless he continued to misbehave and outrage a number of women,' Acting Judge Madgwick said. He said Ishak had maintained his innocence throughout a jury trial and neither offered an apology or had shown contrition. Acting Judge Madgwick also rejected defence barrister Gregory Stanton's argument that a disturbance in the elderly man's brain had distorted his ability to mediate 'his urges'. Ishak relinquished his registration as a sonographer following his arrest in early 2015. The original photo of Kathy Griffin posing with a fake, bloody Donald Trump head could sell for more than $150,000, the photographer has revealed. Tyler Shields, who took the shot of Griffin posing with the gory severed head resembling the president, has received more than 1,000 offers from art collectors looking to buy a print of the controversial photograph. One art collector offered $150,000 for the print, but sources close to Shields told TMZ that the artist passed because he's holding out for a higher offer. Tyler Shields, who took the shot of Kathy Griffin posing with the gory head resembling Donald Trump, has more than 1,000 several offers from art collectors looking to buy a print= The photographer has a 72inch-by-52inch version of the shot in mind for those looking to buy, sources said. Griffin, meanwhile, will not have to sign off on the sale because Shields has the rights to the picture. One art collector offered $150,000 for the print, but Shields passed up the offer The comedian retracted her apology for the photo last month, saying that anger should be directed at the president and his administration. She appeared on Australia's Sunrise Show on Tuesday to promote her international comedy tour. However during her appearance, attention was quickly directed to Trump as she slammed the president and his actions. 'Even Democrats said it was out of line, I get that comedy is about pushing the boundaries but do you not agree that that picture holding up a severed head - I know it's a mask covered in tomato sauce - but do you not accept that was a little bit over the line?' One Sunrise host, Samantha Armytage, asked. Griffin fired back: 'You're full of c***. Stop acting like my little picture is more important than talking about the actual atrocities that the president of the United States is committing.' She added: 'So the picture happened, the outrage was ridiculous, I made an apology, and now in light of all the crazy stuff that he (Trump) and this administration are doing... He's unhinged.' She also referred to Trump as a 'fool,' among other derogatory terms. After facing backlash for the photoshoot July, she called a press conference in California to discuss controversy. After facing backlash for the photoshoot July, she called a press conference in California to discuss controversy Griffin retracted her apology for the photo last month, saying that anger should be directed at the president and his administration A tearful Griffin defended herself saying she was merely exercising her First Amendment rights: 'I didn't think people would threaten to murder me or mobilize people to murder me.' 'I don't think I will have a career after this. He broke me, and then I was like, 'No, this isn't right.' And then I apologized and then I realized what was really happening and then it was a mob mentality,' she said, with her attorney Lisa Bloom by her side. However, the apology wasn't enough to save her as she was fired from her most high-profile job as co-host of CNN's New Year's Eve Celebration. Additionally, many of her comedy gigs were canceled. Griffin recently revealed that her friendship with CNN anchor Anderson Cooper is 'over' after he publicly condemned her over a controversial photo shoot. Speaking New York Magazine, Griffin said: 'Our friendship is over,' as she spoke about Cooper. Signs that their friendship was on the rocks came after Cooper tweeted his disdain for Griffin's actions at the time: 'For the record, I am appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in. It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate.' A primary school has had to close for the second time in five months after travellers in eight caravans invaded a field forcing parents to collect their children from classrooms. Camp Hill Primary School in Nuneaton had to shut its doors just one week into the new term after travellers moved into the field opposite, known as 'the Dingle'. The head teacher and governors closed the Warwickshire school to 'safeguard our pupils, staff and families'. Camp Hill Primary School in Nuneaton had to shut its doors just one week into the new term after travellers moved into the field opposite Camp Hill Primary School sent a text to parents to inform them the side gates had been locked Camp Hill Primary School in Nuneaton had to shut its doors just one week into the new term after travellers moved into the field opposite, known as 'the Dingle' A text message was sent to parents saying: 'We are aware of the situation with the travellers arriving on the Dingle. 'As a precaution we are keeping side gates locked and are asking parents to come through the main gates.' Parents have had to take days off work to look after their children following the closure of the school on Wednesday and Thursday. Warwickshire Police have now been forced to move in and evict the travellers to try and re-open the school. It is the second time the school has been targeted by travellers in just five months. In April the school closed for three days after 17 caravans arrived on the Dingle. Warwickshire Police have now been called in to assist in the eviction of the travellers Warwickshire Police have now been forced to move in and evict the travellers to try and re-open the school Parents had to take annual leave to stay at home with their children after the school closed Parents have reacted with fury following the latest closure. Mother-of-two Fay Goddard, 34, said: 'I work full time but I've had to take annual leave to look after the kids now that the school is closed. 'I'm not angry with the school, they are just doing what they need to do but surely more needs to be done to stop the travellers using the field as a camp. 'My children need an education, it's completely unfair that this group of people who don't pay any tax and probably don't have a job can disrupt our lives.' Graeme Hobbs, 40, whose two sons attend the school, added: 'When the school was forced to close before in April parents said the council needed to do something to stop it happening again. 'We all said to do nothing was asking for trouble and here we go again. The travellers left a disgusting mess last time they decided to bowl into town. 'I just wish the police had more powers to not only evict them but to arrest them for moving onto land illegally.' This is the second time this year the school has had to close down because of travellers The school also posted a message on their Facebook page, alerting parents to the closure. James Boggild said: 'The schools hands are tied and have made the only decision they could in these circumstances. Sarah Lovett agreed, commenting: 'Definitely the right decision. It's awful that the school is being put through this again. Let's hope they are moved on quickly.' Warwickshire Police have now been called in to assist in the eviction of the travellers. Chief Inspector Dafydd Goddard said: 'Whilst the primary responsibility for eviction rests with the landowner, police have used their powers under Section 61 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to provide the most effective and timely response possible. 'This decision was made based on a number of factors, including the disruption to the local community due to the proximity of the encampment to a local school. 'Officers are currently on site assisting with the eviction process and it is anticipated that the area will be clear within a few hours.' The primary school remains closed as the travellers are evicted from the area Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council admitted the authority was limited in their powers to evict the travellers because of their 'human rights'. Council leader Dennis Harvey said: 'The council cannot remove unauthorised encampments from our land immediately as we have to show that the unauthorised encampment is on the land without consent; make enquiries regarding the general health, welfare and children's education and; ensure that the Human Rights Acts 1998 has been fully complied with. 'The timescales involved in dealing with unauthorised encampments, taking into account our obligations, takes around 4-6 days. 'We have site hardened many of our vulnerable sites but unfortunately they are only deterrents and don't prevent access. 'Locks are broken off and access has been again despite barriers, but we shall look again at what we can do at Camp Hill to deter further encampments.' In a new interview with the Financial Times, Ivanka Trump explained why she'll never speak out against her father publicly. 'To voice dissent publicly would mean I'm not part of the team,' the first daughter and top White House aide told he publication. 'When you're part of a team, you're part of a team.' In the interview, Ivanka Trump dismissed that she had outsized influence on her father. Scroll down for video First daughter Ivanka Trump told the Financial Times that she would never publicly criticize her father - because that's not what it means to be part of a team Ivanka Trump, leaving her Washington home for work at the White House Thursday, told the Financial Times she hasn't been socially cast out by the liberal New Yorkers she grew up with Ivanka Trump (right) and Jared Kushner (left) were considered the more moderate forces in the Trump White House, though their clout with the president has been tested in the early months 'Some people have created unrealistic expectations of what they expect from me,' she noted. 'That my presence in in and of itself would carry so much weight with my father that he would abandon his core values ... It's not going to happen.' 'To those critics, why of turning my father into a liberal, I'd be a failure to them,' she added. As President Trump entered office in January, Ivanka Trump, along with her husband Jared Kushner, also a White House aide, and Gary Cohn, the director of the National Economic Council, were considered moderating factors who could bring the president to a more central stance on issues, instead of to the far right. However, some decisions Trump made tested Ivanka Trump's clout, including his decision in June to pull out of the Paris climate accord. 'Anything we thought a few months back about how she was going to be a moderating influence on Trump has not come to fruition,' Douglas Brinkley, the presidential historian, told the Financial Times as part of its Ivanka Trump profile. 'If she's having a major policy influence, it's really being done in a subterranean fashion, because there are no clear signs of it.' In the interview with the Financial Times, Ivanka Trump said she hasn't been socially punished by the liberal New Yorkers she grew up alongside. Ivanka Trump said she and Jared 'haven't felt much of a chill in the liberal New York Circle they ran in before the campaign.' Among Ivanka Trump's New York City friends: former first daughter Chelsea Clinton. According to Axios, who published this portion of the interview in its morning newsletter, Ivanka Trump and Kushner know that friends who might trash them anonymously in the paper won't do it to their faces. Axios also cited a source who said that they recalled only one instance which an acquaintance approached Ivanka Trump with 'a less than positive response.' In Washington, Ivanka Trump and Kushner have become social ambassadors for the White House, as President Trump and first lady Melania Trump don't often voyage out. For instance, according to Playbook, the first daughter and her husband broke bread with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and his wife Heidi at the tony waterfront Georgetown restaurant Fiola Mare Wednesday night. The dinner was happening at the same time Trump had invited the top two Democrats, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to the White House. Hackers exploited a two-month-old flaw in Equifax's web systems to steal millions of customer's private data, the firm revealed. A patch for the vulnerability in open-source software package Apache Struts, was released on March 7 - the same day the flaw was announced. But it's not clear if the credit agency giant went through the time consuming process of updating its systems to fix the bug - leaving themselves open to a major security breach. Hackers had immediately began to exploit the flaw, after it was announced, to break into Equifax's server and install rogue applications and malware. Two months later, that paid off when they were able to steal up to 143 million people's private information. The credit agency said the hack of its cybersecurity system may have affected 143 million consumers and included a trove private information including credit card numbers, names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, and more. Scroll down for video Consumer credit agency Equifax says that 143 million consumers may have been affected by massive data breach Apache Struts is still used in around 65 per cent of Fortune 100 companies and by government agencies. Credit agencies Experian and annualcreditreport.com also rely on Apache Struts. 'Organizations like Lockheed Martin, the IRS, Citigroup, Vodafone, Virgin Atlantic, Reader's Digest, Office Depot, and SHOWTIME are known to have developed applications using the framework,' researchers wrote in a blog post after they uncovered another vulnerability in the system. A new patch has since been released. 'This illustrates how widespread the risk is.' The credit agency has not yet commented on whether they updated their system after the patch was announced. Shares of the company's stock plummeted from 142.72 on September 7, when the hack was announced, to 98.99 at close of trading yesterday. But the revelation that their system was hacked via the bug could suggest that the firm failed to update its Web applications to install the patch when it was released. The patch would have been time consuming as it involved rebuilding hundreds of apps using the new updated software. These would all have to be tested extensively before they went live. 'Equifax has been intensely investigating the scope of the intrusion with the assistance of a leading, independent cybersecurity firm to determine what information was accessed and who has been impacted,' company officials wrote in a statement yesterday. 'We know that criminals exploited a US website application vulnerability. The vulnerability was Apache Struts CVE-2017-5638. We continue to work with law enforcement as part of our criminal investigation, and have shared indicators of compromise with law enforcement.' The company, which safeguards financial data for consumers applying for credit, said it learned of the breach on July 29 and 'acted immediately' with the assistance of an independent cybersecurity firm to assess the impact. The breach affected well over a third of the population in America, which stood at 324 million as of January 1, 2017, according to the US Census Bureau. The company also said that more than 200,000 credit card numbers were illegally obtained Shares of the company's stock plummeted from 142.72 on September 7, when the hack was announced, to 98.99 at close of trading yesterday. The data collected by the cyber-thieves contained a trove private information including names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, addresses and driver's licenses of consumers. The company said that more than 200,000 credit card numbers were illegally obtained, in addition to 'certain dispute documents with personal identifying information for approximately 182,000 US consumers.' 'This is clearly a disappointing event for our company, and one that strikes at the heart of who we are and what we do,' said company chairman and chief executive Richard Smith. 'I apologize to consumers and our business customers for the concern and frustration this causes. We pride ourselves on being a leader in managing and protecting data, and we are conducting a thorough review of our overall security operations.' Equifax said it would work with American, British and Canadian regulators to determine appropriate next steps for customers affected in those countries, but added that it 'found no evidence that personal information of consumers in any other country has been impacted.' Equifax said it had established a website to enable consumers to determine if they are affected and would be offering free credit monitoring and identity theft protection to customers. The company is the latest to announce a major breach. Yahoo last year disclosed two separate cyber attacks which affected as many as one billion accounts. More than 400 million accounts were affected by a breach disclosed last year at the hookup site Adult Friend Finder, and other firms affected in recent years included Heartland Payment Systems and retail giant Target. A vegan cafe which boycotted the plastic 5 note for containing animal fat will now refuse to accept the Jane Austen banknote which released in circulation today. But the owner of Vegan Hippo, a plant-based cafe in Soho, London, admitted it will be hard to stick to its values when the new 20 arrives in 2020. The tender, released into circulation today, has reignited the debate over animal rights as the Bank of England refused to change their ingredients for the new banknotes. Restaurant owner Gosia Piskular, 35, told MailOnline she didn't care if it was against the law, they would refuse to accept 5 or the new 10 note on the grounds of animal rights. Controversy: Vegan Hippo in Soho, London, is the first known cafe in the UK to boycott the brand new 10 note She said: 'If someone is forcing us to accept a product which contains animal, we won't do it - even if it's against the law. 'It is completely unnecessary to use tallow and goes against our views. We are all about animal rights and that's what we want to promote.' Animal activists erupted hit out in September last year when it was discovered the new note contained tallow. The new polymer notes use beef tallow made from suet, which is hard fat found around an animal's kidneys, stomach and other organs. Ms Piskular said it was inhumane but admitted the change in tender would negatively impact her cafe. She said: 'It will affect our business because it limits people. Customers will only be able to pay with a 20 note at the moment or card.' When asked what she thought about Jane Austen's portrait on the note, she said: 'I don't care who is on the note, I just care about whether it contains animal fat.' The new polymer notes use beef tallow made from suet, which is hard fat found around an animal's kidneys, stomach and other organs The 35-year-old businesswoman became a vegan four years ago after watching an enlightening programme about the way humans treated animals. She said: 'I watched a documentary and never looked back, the next day I became vegan.' The popular cafe has been open for four years and has a 4.5 star rating on Google. It isn't the first time its owners has courted controversy with them speaking out about their refusal to accept 5 when they were introduced in September. The Bank of England said in August that they had 'not taken this decision lightly' to continue using tallow in the plastic notes. They launched a public consultation, which found 88 per cent of people were against using animal-derived products and 48 per cent objects to the alternative option, palm oil. Their previous statement said: 'The Bank fully recognises the concerns raised by members of the public, both prior to and during the consultation. 'The Bank has had to balance these responses against its other public duties and priorities as well as the other evidence gathered over the past months.' The Bank of England has been contacted for comment. 'Clearly mother nature has other plans for this special little guy!' Knox said They trapped the coyote, who had minimal injuries, and released it into the wild The coyote was still alive, so Knox called Alberta Fish and Wildlife for help When she got to Calgary, a construction worker pointed out that the coyote was embedded in the front grille of her car 'I heard a crunch and believed I ran over and killed it,' she wrote on Facebook Knox thought she killed the wild dog, so she continued on her 20-mile commute to work Georgie Knox was driving from her home in Airdrie to her work in Calgary, Canada two weeks ago when a coyote darted out in front of her car and she hit it A coyote found itself in an embarrassing position, and this time it wasn't the Road Runner's fault. Georgie Knox was driving to work two weeks ago when a coyote darted out into the middle of the road and she hit it. 'I heard a crunch and believed I ran over and killed it,' Knox wrote on Facebook last week. Georgie Knox was driving to work two weeks ago when a coyote ran out into the middle of the road and she thought she hit and killed it But when she arrived for work in Calgary, a road worker pointed out that the coyote was in fact embedded in her front grille Knox wrote about the incident in a post on Facebook last week The animal suffered only minor injuries and was able to be immediately returned to the wild. Knox pictured above Thinking the coyote was road kill, Knox continued on her 20 mile drive to work in Calgary, from her home in Airdire, Canada. But when she arrived in Calgary, a construction worker pointed out that the coyote was very much still alive - and stuck in her front grille like a figurehead on a ship. 'When I got out to look, this poor little guy was looking up and blinking at me,' Knox wrote. So she called Alberta Fish and Wildlife for help, and they sent workers out to trap the wild dog. Amazingly, the coyote only suffered minor injuries in the accident 'despite having hitched a ride from Airdrie to Calgary at highway speeds!' Knox wrote. They were able to immediately release the coyote back into the wild near Kananaskis. 'Clearly mother nature has other plans for this special little guy!' Knox wrote. Advertisement A protective mother had to defend her cubs from another Alaskan brown bear as they fished at a river bank. The female Alaskan brown bear had just finished fishing for her two young cubs and left them playing and wrestling on the river bank in Alaska's Katmai National Park. However, after spying a dangerous bear threatening her children, the 600lb mother raced into action. With all four paws off the ground she flew through the sand and spray to chase off a thinner looking rival. A female Alaskan brown bear had just finished fishing for her two young cubs on the river bank Katmai National Park in Alaska when she had to spring into action. The mother bear had left her cubs wrestling at the edge of the riverbank when she had to chase the intruder away from them With all four paws off the ground she flew through the sand and spray to chase off a thinner looking rival. After successfully protecting her cubs, the mom went back to relaxing with them on the river bank After successfully protecting her cubs, the mom went back to relaxing with them on the river bank. The dramatic scene was captured by photographer Harold Klein, from Canby, Oregon, who was assisting on a photography trip to Katmai National Park in Alaska. Canby, 62, said: 'This is a desperate "run for your life" situation caused by a bear encroaching on the young cubs of a 600lbs, ferociously protective Alaskan brown bear mum. 'I was so excited by the fact that I happened to catch mum, the bear in pursuit of the intruder "flying" with all four feet off the ground at the same instant. 'We had been sitting in a group on the beach for some time photographing the bears with fish, scenic shots and playing cubs. The dramatic scene was captured by photographer Harold Klein, from Canby, Oregon, who was assisting on a photography trip to Katmai National Park in Alaska Along with the pictures of the mother chasing away the intruder, Canby also snapped shots of the cubs playing near the river bank The young cubs sat near the river bank as their mother scared away the intruder, who was encroaching on their space Canby said there was 'water, gravel and sand flying everywhere' as the mother sprung into action to protect her young cubs 'Eventually this mum and her cubs wondered into our area. We watched mum catch some fish and share scraps with the cubs before leaving them to themselves. 'Then this other bear moved towards the cubs, and on its third approach the chase exploded right in front of us with water, gravel and sand flying everywhere. 'These pictures show a glimpse into the life one morning of an Alaskan brown bear family of a mum and her two spring cubs. 'Life is intimate and tender when mum is resting or nursing her cubs, hilarious when the cubs are wrestling, but moments later the rosy outlook is shattered by terrifying, life-threatening situations for the family.' Canby said the photographs offer a glimpse in the the everyday life of the family of brown bears living at the Alaskan national park 'Life is intimate and tender when mum is resting or nursing her cubs, hilarious when the cubs are wrestling', Canby says, adding that it can also be terrifying when an intruder enters the scene Social media has lost its mind over the 'utterly perfect' marriage equality ad which aired during The Bachelor finale. The first ad for the 'Yes' campaign was aired smack bang in the middle of The Bachelor finale on Thursday night, and it garnered an overwhelming outpouring of support from its viewers. The ad featured real-life gay couples on their wedding day as family and friends celebrated their love, with Don't Dream It's Over by Crowded House played in the background. Scroll down for video The ad featured real-life gay couples on their wedding day as family and friends celebrated their love, with Don't Dream It's Over by Crowded House played in the background 'For every Bachelor and Bachelorette, vote yes,' the ad said at the end. The emotional ad tugged at the heart-strings of viewers across the country, with hundreds taking to Twitter to share their support. 'That marriage equality ad in the middle of The Bachelor finale was utterly perfect,' Jackson Ryan said. 'It was the sweetest damn thing ever, I almost cried,' Nadine Ishere said. With millions of people expected to tune in to watch the finale on Thursday night, the 'Yes' campaign's decision to air the ad for the first time was a strategic one. And the decision appeared to pay off, with hundreds sharing their overwhelming support for the ad and the message it sent. 'Just got teary watching the marriage equality ad. So lovely,' Madeline Healey said. 'That marriage equality ad in the middle of The Bachelor finale was utterly perfect,' Jackson Ryan said With millions of people expected to tune in to watch the finale on Thursday night, the 'Yes' campaign's decision to air the ad (pictured) for the first time was a strategic one 'Favourite part of The Bachelor so far - the touching marriage equality ad,' Amelia Gilbert said The Bachelorette's very own Georgia Love joined the conversation, Tweeting: 'Because every bachelor and bachelorette deserves their own finale'. Love, who appeared on the show in 2016, pleaded with people to 'please, please vote yes'. Her support for the cause did not go unnoticed, with one person saying: 'I love this ad. Yep I cried watching it. Love is love. Thank you for supporting marriage equality Georgia. You're the best'. One viewer said the ad moved her so much she hoped The Bachelor contestants 'Laura and Elise take off with each other'. The Bachelorette's very own Georgia Love joined the conversation, Tweeting: 'Because every bachelor and bachelorette deserves their own finale' The 'Yes' campaign ad was not the only one to air during The Bachelor finale. The 'No' campaign's ad also played, appearing to spark outrage among viewers. Organised by the Coalition for Marriage, the ad features mothers who discuss potential adverse effects on their children if the legislation was passed. A mother of four explains her concern at her son's school telling him 'he could wear a dress next year if he felt like it'. Viewers slammed the ad and Channel Ten's decision to play it during the finale. 'Channel Ten has the gall to air No campaign ads during The Bachelor,' Brendon Foye said. 'If I have to see this disgusting anti-marriage equality ad again I'm literally going to throw up,' one woman said. A notorious drugs baron has revealed how he went on to dominate one of the world's most notorious prisons after smuggling the largest haul of black market steroids in Spanish history. Chet Sandhu, from Hartlepool, was arrested at gunpoint in Alicante Airport by Spanish police in November 1999. Chet - real name Gurchettan Sandhu - masterminded the steroid-smuggling operation with a market value of more than half a million dollars. Now in a new book Chet chronicles his life and time inside the notorious Spanish prison Fontcalent, famed for its tough conditions and high-profile inmates. Chet Sandhu is pictured here holding two baby caimans whilst on holiday in Thailand The drugs baron relaxes with a female companion while on a visit to a lapdancing club Chet - real name Gurchettan Sandhu - at a shooting range during a holiday in Thailand Chet, pictured here with his 'Self made' knuckle tattoos, has told his story in a new book Images from 'From King of Karachi to Lockdown in the Costa del Crime: Meet the International Smuggler Who Dominated Europe's Worst Prison' show Chet posing with a rifle at a shooting range and holding two caimans as he relaxes in a club. In another shot from the book a police evidence tray full of confiscated drugs can be seen in a cutting from a Spanish newspaper. Chet can also be seen partying with several different girls. When he was sent to Fontcalent, incarcerated with murderers, rapists and terrorists, he began to climb to the top of the prison's hierarchy. 'This is a story I never wanted to write down,' he says in the book. 'It started from messages between me and friends on my Facebook page. As things turned out they liked my stories and encouraged me to write more, so I did. 'This book will offend some people, those I know and others who I have never met. 'I'm not bothered. This is my story and if anyone has a problem with it they should come and see me. I'm not hard to find. ' A Spanish newspaper story shows some of the drugs confiscated following Chet's arrest Chet rose through the ranks at the feared Spanish prison Fontcalent (pictured) Seen here enjoying a cruise in Thailand, Chet says he rose to the top of the hierarchy in the prison The drugs kingpin is pictured here looking out to sea after his release in Palma FROM NIGHTCLUB DOORMAN TO DRUGS KINGPIN Chet, pictured right, with his friend Aman while partying in Tenerife Gurchettan Sandhu - or Che - was sentenced to 11 years in prison in two countries for drugs offences. The father-of-four worked as a doorman at Newcastle clubs and pubs but said he began using steroids and it 'went pear-shaped from there'. He served two-and-a-half-years in a Spanish jail, from a four-and-a-half-year sentence handed down for trafficking pharmaceutical drugs into the country from Pakistan and India. He was then caught with a quarter of a kilogram of cocaine in Newcastle, and was jailed for six-and-a-half years for conspiracy to supply a class A drug. He also pleaded guilty to living off the earnings of prostitution between May to September 2003, and blackmailing a prostitute from a rival vice ring. He served four years in HMPs Durham and Wealstone, in Yorkshire before being released in 2007. During his time in prison, he cut up his bedsheets and used them as canvases, using art as a 'way out'. Advertisement The story details how Chet, a former nightclub doorman, was able to establish a drugs route from the steroid capital of the world in Karachi, Pakistan, by establishing a local alias, Jet Khan. There he consorted with prostitutes, forged alliances with corrupt police and airport officials, and recruited British tourists as drugs mules. He was only caught after he was betrayed by one of his associates. While behind bars Chet took part in knife fights and rose to becoming the head of a loan shark ring. He also 'protected' vulnerable prisoners and was involved in a successful prison escape. He spiralled into a downward slide of drug addiction before turning to bodybuilding and winning an unofficial inter-wing weightlifting tournament. While behind bars Chet took part in knife fights and rose to becoming the head of a loan shark ring Chet, who was a nightclub doorman in the north of England, was able to establish a drugs route from the steroid capital of the world in Karachi, Pakistan, by establishing a local alias While behind bars Chet took part in knife fights and rose to becoming the head of a loan shark ring. He is pictured here in Spain after his release 'You also need to know that as you read these pages you're not going to learn about how I survived one of the most extreme prisons on the planet,' said Chet. 'Instead, you'll know how I came to dominate the hellhole I was thrown into. 'Everyone left me when I was in jail. I know for a fact the people I asked for help were thinking: don't involve me in this. 'Out of all the gangsters and killers that I've been with, given the choice of one person to stand by me, I choose my Ma. She puts all the others to shame.' Colleagues of world famous paleontologist Mike Getty shot down speculation that the 50-year-old died from exposure to ancient bacteria in dinosaur fossils while he was working on an excavation site in Colorado on Monday. Getty, who was the chief fossil preparator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, died shortly after he complained that he felt sick and collapsed, DailyMail.com exclusively learned. Friends and co-workers of the dinosaur expert claim that he was fit and had no preexisting medical conditions that could have caused his sudden death. Fellow paleontologists also denied that Getty's mysterious death was caused by bacteria from fossils, the experts exclusively told DailyMail.com. Hillary McLean, 26, a fossil preparator who says Getty was like a second father to her, said: 'There is no bacteria out there that would be able to last that long, that would still be viable.' Due to the unusual circumstances of his death, an autopsy will now be performed by the Adams County Coroner, with results expected in approximately 10 weeks. Scroll down for video Paleontologist Mike Getty (pictured) complained he felt sick right before he collapsed while seated on a cooler box and died aged 50 during a fossil dig in Thornton, Colorado, on Monday Fellow paleontologists shot down speculation that ancient bacteria hidden in the dig site could be to blame, saying no germ could survive millions of years. Pictured: Getty with friend Lisa Holowinski Pictured: The construction site in Thornton, Colorado, where Getty died during a dinosaur dig McLean stated that no germ could survive inside a fossil for millions of years, adding: 'To my knowledge, I have never heard of anything like this being caused by a paleontological find. 'There's a big difference this isn't archaeology, this isn't human remains; this is dinosaur remains so they're millions and millions of years old.' Friends who were with Getty said he complained of feeling ill moments before he collapsed while seated on a cooler box. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at Westminster Hospital at 3.45pm and had no pulse when emergency services arrived to the scene at 3pm. Friends of the twice-married dinosaur expert said he was initially thought to have been suffering from heat exhaustion but died within minutes of telling colleagues he felt unwell. Retired mechanical engineer Bob Buck, 71, who has known Getty since meeting him on a dig in Utah in 2012, told DailyMail.com he had been lifting heavy equipment shortly before he collapsed, but said that it was nothing out of the ordinary. And Lisa Holowinski, 37, a close friend who was at the hospital when Getty died, said the famous fossil finder was so fit 'he could hike a mountain for breakfast' and had no underlying medical conditions except for psoriasis. Holowinski, 37, (far left) was at the hospital when Getty (second to right) died, said the famous fossil finder was so fit 'he could hike a mountain for breakfast' and had no underlying medical conditions except for psoriasis Holowinski (pictured with Getty) said of Getty: 'He basically just stopped in his tracks. He wasn't feeling well and the next thing you know, he was dead' Speaking about Getty's final moments, Holowinski said: 'He basically just stopped in his tracks. His co-worker, who is a lab assistant [and who was also at the hospital], she just said during the dig on Monday, Mike had come up to her and said he wasn't feeling well. 'So she said "why don't you go sit in the truck, turn on the engine and turn on the air conditioning and you'll be better off". 'She thought maybe it was getting too hot outside and he was suffering from heat exhaustion. She turned around and Mike had sat down on the cooler but then shortly after, he slumped over and he was unconscious. 'By the time the EMT arrived, he had no pulse and so he went very, very quickly. He said he wasn't feeling well and the next thing you know, he was dead.' Buck added: 'Maybe he didn't know anything until the last moment. It was just one of those things I guess. 'He had just finished helping lifting some heavy things which Mike always does and he just sat down and said he didn't feel very good. The only good thing is Mike died doing what he loved.' Plans for Getty's funeral are now being underway, although it has not yet been decided whether he will be buried in his native Canada or in one of his adopted home states of Utah and Colorado. Getty was initially thought to be suffering from heat exhaustion but an autopsy will be conducted to confirm his cause of death Plans for Getty's funeral are now being underway, although it has not yet been decided whether he will be buried in his native Canada or in one of his adopted home states of Utah and Colorado. Pictured: The site where Getty died Emergency responders arrived to the scene in seven minutes, finding Getty with no pulse before transporting him to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead Friends told DailyMail.com that a memorial service is being planned in Denver next week, while colleagues are also understood to be contemplating a ceremony next month. Getty's passion for fossils began during his childhood in Western Canada and he later studied at the University of Calgary, where he completed undergraduate and Master's degree courses. While still living in Canada, he worked for the Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta, and led expeditions into the Dinosaur Provincial Park where he helped uncover the remains of huge herds of Centrosaur dinosaurs a herbivore that looked similar to the horned Triceratops. Later, he moved to US to take up a position at the Natural History Museum of Utah where he spent 13 years running the fossil lab and had an entire species of dinosaur named after him the Utahceratops gettyi. The herbivorous animals, whose name means 'horned face from Utah', occupied the southern part of the state during the Late Cretaceous Period, roughly 76.4 to 75.5 million years ago. Utahceratops, which are a relation of the more famous Triceratops, had skulls that measured up to seven feet in length and, in total, were up to 25 feet long. Hillary McLean, 26, (bottom far left) a fossil preparator said Getty (rear center) was like a second father to her Getty (bottom) was a world famous paleontologist and had an entire species of dinosaur named after him the Utahceratops gettyi due to one of his discoveries. Pictured: Getty with his Triceratops excavation team in Thornton, Colorado Getty discovered the holotype or initial specimen during a dig at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in 2010. The discovery was his second major find, having unearthed a new species of oviraptorosaur a parrot-beaked omnivorous dinosaur in the same area in 2002. Named the Hagryphus giganteus, the feathered beast lived in Utah during the Late Cretaceous Period, walked on two legs and could weigh in at up to 110lb. In 2013, Getty took up a new position at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, where he was still working at the time of his death. The Museum announced his death on Tuesday, describing it as 'unexpected' in a statement and offering condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. Most recently, Getty had been working with the team excavating the remains of a Triceratops dinosaur discovered on the site of a new Fire and Police Substation in Thornton on August 25. The site, which sits close to a swathe of new build homes in the Denver suburb, was busy with construction workers when DailyMail.com visited on Wednesday. According to Buck, a regular volunteer who spent last week working on the dig, paleontologists from the Museum are usually there every day, including Saturdays. So far, discoveries include most of the skull, as well as a rib, shoulder blade and vertebrae. A tooth, thought to be from a scavenging Tyrannosaurus Rex, has also been found. Getty's friends have vowed to continue the work on the Triceratops in Getty's memory, who they describe as 'generous', 'hilarious' and 'caring' Buck and other friends have now vowed to continue the work on the Triceratops in Getty's memory, who they describe as 'generous', 'hilarious' and 'caring'. Remembering Getty, Holowinski said: 'He [was] an interesting person. He not only worked hard but he played hard too. 'He put all of his effort into whatever he was doing so when he was working on the fossils, he was absolutely focused on finding the fossils, recovering the fossils, jacketing and preparing them. 'But as soon as the day was over and we would go off to camp, his mood changed from work to fun and he was the most fun person to be around. 'He was just the life of the party. You could dare him to do something and he would never back down from a dare.' McLean, who spent the summer working in Montana and calls Getty her mentor, added: 'He was so unbelievably generous with himself.' Getty was the chief fossil preparator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, previously working at Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada and the Natural History Museum of Utah Colleagues named the Utahceratops gettyi after Getty when he discovered its remains in Utah in 2010. The dinosaur, which is a relation of the more famous Triceratops, had a skull that measured up to seven feet in length and, in total, were up to 25 feet long (pictured) McLean added: 'He was a bit rough around the edges at times. He was pretty hilarious when he was out on digs; he would wear clothing until it was practically falling off of him. 'But he was somebody who if you needed anything, he would do everything in his power to get that for you.' Buck, who last saw Getty during a dinner on Saturday night following a day of digging, told DailyMail.com that although things will never be the same, he and his colleagues owe it to the 50-year-old to finish what he started. 'We're doing what Mike wanted us to do, what he wants us to do,' he said. 'I don't know if I'll ever love [paleontology] as much as Mike did, but I intend to be doing this for as long as I'm able. 'I think we all are. It's going to be tough without Mike but we'll carry on. We have to. We have so much work to do. 'We have to carry on Mike's tradition. I don't think any of us can be so in tune with the dinosaurs of the American West as Mike [was] but we're going to try.' Staff at two Motel 6 locations in Latino neighborhoods in Phoenix routinely reported all of their guests to ICE, it has emerged. The locations - at 4130 North Black Canyon Highway and 1530 North 52nd Drive - routinely gave a list of their residents to ICE for vetting, the Phoenix New Times reported. 'We send a report every morning to ICE - all the names of everybody that comes in,' a front-desk clerk, who did not wish to be named, told the paper. 'Every morning at about 5 o'clock, we do the audit and we push a button and it sends it to ICE.' Scroll down for video Guests at this Motel 6 at 4130 North Canyon Highway, Phoenix - a Latino neighborhood - had their information routinely shared with ICE officers, leading to multiple arrests, it has emerged This isn't just happening in those two locations, however, the Phoenix New Times says - it's also occurring in 'multiple locations' around the city. 'I dont know how it works, but if you check in and you have a warrant, you're going to get picked up,' another employee said. Motel 6 is corporate owned, not franchised, so this is not a case of a largely unaffiliated manager going rogue to make double the rent on a room. In 2015, the Supreme Court declared it illegal for ICE - or any government agency - to search hotel or motel registries without a warrant. However, it is not illegal for police to act on tip-offs if employees of those places choose to share information of their own volition. Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe, a spokesperson for ICEs Phoenix division, refused to confirm to the Phoenix New Times whether Motel 6 supplied agents with information. 'I wouldn't be able to confirm how we are getting our information. Those are investigative techniques that we wouldnt be able to talk about,' she said. 'If hypothetically we were somewhere - if we did administratively arrest some folks - that happens all the time. We conduct targeted enforcement operations every day.' ICE also received information from this location at 1530 North 52nd Drive, Phoenix. Motel 6 says it's stopped the practice but hasn't yet condemned it or said if it will fire those responsible In a statement to DailyMail.com, Motel 6 spokesperson Raiza Rehkoff confirmed that the practice had been taking place, but said it had been stopped. 'Over the past several days, it was brought to our attention that certain local Motel 6 properties in the Phoenix-area were voluntarily providing daily guest lists to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),' Rehkoff wrote. 'As previously stated, this was undertaken at the local level without the knowledge of senior management. When we became aware of it, it was discontinued. 'Moving forward, to help ensure that this does not occur again, we will be issuing a directive to every one of our more than 1,400 locations nationwide, making clear that they are prohibited from voluntarily providing daily guest lists to ICE. 'Additionally, to help ensure that our broader engagement with law enforcement is done in a manner that is respectful of our guests rights, we will be undertaking a comprehensive review of our current practices and then issue updated, company-wide guidelines. 'Protecting the privacy and security of our guests are core values of our company. Motel 6 apologizes for this incident and will continue to work to earn the trust and patronage of our millions of loyal guests.' Immigration attorney Denise Aguilar, who is based in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler and represents a client taken in at a Motel 6, said she had heard unverified reports that ICE was paying front desk staff $200 per person for reports. O'Keefe also said that the practice of knocking on doors and inquiring with those inside was 'routine,' and said that those questioned could turn police away if they didn't have a warrant. Motel 6 says it only became aware of what was going on last week, and that the decision was made at local level without senior Motel 6 approval. Pictured: ICE agents in 2015 Cintia de Leon's husband, Jose Granados Sanchez, and nephew, Jose Escobar Tovar were arrested at a Motel 6 on August 10, after ICE agents knocked on the door. The agents asked for Escobar Tovar, in whose name the room was registered, and arrested both men for not having documentation. De Leon's nephew was deported while her husband remains locked up. 'I was shocked when they told me that,' she said. 'I couldn't believe it, and until this day, I still cannot believe it. 'I don't know if theyre getting something out of all this, turning people in, or what's the deal.' In 2015, it emerged that Motel 6 staff in a Warwick, Rhode Island branch were also giving a full list of guests to local police. That came in an agreement signed with police after a series of high-profile incidents including sex trafficking of underage teens and the reported discovery of a meth lab in one room. Former Vice President Joe Biden tiptoed back into the political waters Thursday penning an editorial for the New York Times, warning President Trump was sullying the country's reputation with the rest of the world. Biden, who became a US senator in 1973 until becoming President Obama's veep in 2009, explained that in the 45 years he's worked in global affairs he's learned one simple truth: 'America's ability to lead the world depends not just on the example of our power, but on the power of our example.' Trump, so far, hasn't lived up to that bar, according to Biden, who may be mulling a 2020 presidential run. Scroll down for video Former Vice President Joe Biden wrote an editorial for the New York Times warning that President Trump's behavior may be hurting America's reputation in the world Joe Biden, seen in July speaking to Senate pages on Capitol Hill, hasn't closed the door on a 2020 presidential run and has periodically spoken out against President Trump Former Vice President Joe Biden (left) photographed with comedian Amy Schumer (right) the cousin of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, N.Y., is tiptoeing back into politics again While former Vice President Joe Biden (left), photographed with his wife Jill Biden (right), is enjoying retirement from public office, he pokes his head up every once in awhile 'This has stood as the foundation of American foreign policy throughout my political career until recently,' he wrote. Biden pinpointed a number of times in the Trump presidency where he thought the president's behavior diminished America's standing in the world. There was a speech in July when Trump said, 'The fundamental question of our time is whether the West has the will to survive.' The former vice president said, 'No American political figure has so narrowly defined our interests since the period between the world wars,' saying Trump's words made it sound like 'us' versus 'them.' Then there was Charlottesville, where Biden suggested Trump failed to act. 'Mr. Trumps shameful defense of the white nationalists and neo-Nazis who unleashed hatred and violence in Charlottesville, further abnegated Americas moral leadership,' Biden wrote. 'Not since the Jim Crow era has an American president so misunderstood and misrepresented our values.' Biden then turned to President Trump's muddled decision on DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, which was an executive order signed by President Obama. Trump rescinded it, kicked it to Congress, then said he'd look at it again, while he's maybe-possibly crafted a deal for the Dreamers with the Democrats as of last night. Biden just found the whole thing to be wrong. Trump's order, he wrote, 'betrays an unnecessary cruelty that further undermines Americas standing in the world.' The former veep had some ideas about how to turn the ship around. 'Reclaiming our values starts with standing up for them at home inclusivity, tolerance, diversity, respect for the rule of law, freedom of speech, freedom of the press,' he wrote. 'If these are the democratic principles we wish to see around the world, America must be the first to model them.' Biden also noted the importance of speaking up to other world leaders when their treatment of their citizens falls short. 'We can meet our security imperatives without giving a green light to dictators who abuse universal human rights,' Biden argued. His last point was that the country needed to 'stand firm gainst foreign powers that celebrate a perceived withdrawal of American leadership as an opportunity to increase their influence,' namely: Russia. Biden concluded his latest editorial on a higher note, saying that the United States remains the country in the best position to shape the direction of this century. 'But to succeed, we cannot abandon the tenets that we fought so hard to defend over the past seven decades ideals that magnified American leadership and produced the greatest increase in global prosperity in history,' he said. He left his readers with one more warning. 'You cannot define Americans by what they look like, where they come from, whom they love or how they worship,' he wrote. 'Only our democratic values define us. And if we lose sight of this in our conduct at home or abroad, we jeopardize the respect that has made the United States the greatest nation on earth.' Biden had already popped back into politics several times since leaving office in January. Last month he penned an editorial for the Atlantic expressing disgust at Trump's handling of the racial violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, which had left one counter-protester dead. 'We have an American president who has emboldened white supremacists with message of comfort and support,' wrote Biden. He also hinted it was Trump's controversial pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio that motivated him to pen the piece. 'Now he's pardoned a law-enforcement official who terrorized the Latino community, violated its constitutional rights, defied a federal court order to stop, and ran a prison system so rife with torture and abuse he himself called in a "concentration camp,"' Biden described. The former vice president has left the door slightly open for a 2020 presidential run against Trump, telling NPR, 'I have no intention of running for president, but I'm a great respecter of fate,' the former vice president said. 'I don't have any plans to do it, but I'm not promising I wouldn't do it.' Since leaving office he's been involved in a number of Biden-branded projects including the Biden Foundation, the Biden Cancer Initiative, the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement and the University of Delaware's Biden Institute for domestic initiatives. A Chick-fil-A worker is spreading his inner joy and leaving customers in stitches with his straight-faced killer dance moves. Hilarious video shows a customer getting her food from a Chick-fil-A drive-thru in Dallas, Texas. The song Shake it Off by Mariah Carey is heard playing in the car. The worker hears the song from the drive-thru window and busts a move as he gives the food to the hysterical customer. An unidentified Chick-fil-A worker was seen giving food to a customer while dancing in the drive-thru window. The hilarious incident happened last week in Dallas, Texas The skilled worker points his fingers at the customer, keeping a straight face and eye contact with the camera the entire time It's hard to decipher which is most comical, the worker's snake-like moves or the customer's cackling laughter. Even better, the employee somehow manages to keep a straight face through it all. The unidentified employee takes both hands and points to the customer, keeping eye-contact with the camera the entire time. It isn't until the customer drives a way that the worker breaks character only to smile, wave and tell the woman to 'have a great day'. A northern California middle school has found an unlikely opponent to the school dress code - a dad. Tony Alarcon is fighting to change the dress code at Fisher Middle School in Los Gatos after his daughter was forced to change twice in one day because her clothing was too distracting to boys. On August 28, 13-year-old Demetra Alarcon wore a blue romper to school and was pulled aside by a teacher who said it was too short. So her dad, an independent investment banker, brought her a new outfit to school, a tank top and shorts. But officials objected to that look too, saying the shorts were shorter than the 4-inch inseam required by he dress code. Tony Alarcon (right) is fighting Fisher Middle School's dress code after his daughter Demetra (left) was forced to change because her blue romper was deemed too short 'I was told the shorts weren't appropriate,' Mr Alarcon told KTVU. 'I had to go back into the car, where I luckily had a pair of leggings as a backup.' With temperatures reaching into the triple digits in the first weeks of school, Mr Alarcon thinks the school is asking a lot of its girls to adhere to the dress code. 'I mean, today it's 90 degrees outside and she's wearing leggings because she doesn't want to be dress-coded for wearing shorts,' Mr Alarcon told CBS San Francisco. 'And it's not OK. It needs to change.' So he took to social media to discuss the issue with other parents, dozens of whom agreed with him. Now he's trying to force the school to change the dress code, which he thinks unfairly targets girls. Mr Alarcon brought his daughter a new change of clothes - a tank top and shorts - but the school said that look was also too risque Mr Alarcon (pictured above with his daughter) is now fighting the school to change the code, saying it unfairly targets girls 'Fisher has a dress code policy, which is clothing specific. Most of the clothing mentioned are women's clothing like halter tops (and) spaghetti straps,' he said. The dress code also bans items that boys would wear, such as hats, but Demetra says she's never seen boys reprimanded. Her dad also pointed out that it's almost impossible to find girl's shorts that meet the school's requirements. 'The only stores that sell longer shorts are Sears and Lands End,' he told the Mercury News. He says he and his wife have their own system of checking that their children's clothes are appropriate and that's that they cover their their 'front and rear' in 'any positionsitting or touching toes.' Mr Alarcon says he's worried that the dress code is having a negative impact on the female student body. 'We have to have dress codes that are fair and reasonable, and don't cause them emotional issues - cause them to question their bodies or feel like they're sex symbols at 13 years old. Because they're not. They're just kids,' he said. Los Gatos Union School District Superintendent Diana G. Abbati refused to speak to reporters on camera but did release a statement about the dress code. 'Students are expected to wear clothes that are suitable for the school activities in which they participate,' the statement reads in part. The school met on Monday to discuss the issue of the dress code. Abbati said parents should have an answer soon on whether the school will be changing the code. A war hero turned Conservative MP today revealed his teenage son's teacher stood up and told his classmates not to talk to him because his dad is a Tory. Bob Stewart, who served as an Army Colonel before he joined the Commons, said four of his sons have been 'hassled' at school because of his parliamentary career. But he said the abuse reached a new low during the General Election when his 13 year-old son's teacher told his classmates to shun him because of his father's political beliefs. Mr Stewart, 68, is a former British Army officer who served in Northern Ireland and rose to become United Nations Commander during the Bosnian war. The father-of-six revealed the shocking incident during a parliamentary debate on the scale of abuse MPs have received. The school, which the Mail Online has chosen not to name, said they are taking the matter 'very seriously' and hope to meet Mr Stewart 'very soon' to discuss it. Tory MP Bob Stewart, pictured today in the House of Commons, said a teacher told the classmates of his 13 year-old son not to talk to him because his dad is a Tory Bob Stewart visits the Muslim village of Ahmici in 1992 during the Bosnian war. Mr Stewart was a UN commander in Bosnia before he entered politics Mr Stewart, who led troops in Northern Ireland and Bosnia before becoming the MP for Beckenham, said: 'It goes worse than that, it goes to children. 'All my four children have been hassled by other kids in their local schools because of the job of their father. 'There is little that can be done about that because they are children and my kids are robust enough to withstand it. BOB STEWART'S GLITTERING CAREER AS A WAR HERO Bob Stewart, pictured in Bosnia in 1993, led UN peace keeping troops during the war. he joined Parliament as a Tory MP in 2010 Bob Stewart was a war hero who led troops in Bosnia and Northern Ireland before he joined the House of Commons as an MP. After training at Sandhurst he served in Northern Ireland during The Troubles, first as an intelligence officer and then a company commander. He was the Company commander in charge when 30 people - including 11 soldiers - were kilned when the Irish National Liberation Army planted a bomb disco in Ballykelly in 1982. His glittering career took him to Bosnia where in 1992 he became the first British commander of UN troops in Bosnia . During his time in the country he discovered he Ahmici massacre, in which 103 Muslim people were killed - one of the most savage examples of ethnic cleansing during the conflict. After leaving the Army in he was elected to Parliament in 2010, and has earned a reputation speaking out for veterans during his time as an MP. Advertisement 'But such behaviour is taken to a new level when, during the last election, a teacher tells the class of my 13 year-old boy that nobody should talk to him because he is the son of a Conservative MP.' There were cries of 'shame' and shocked gasps from fellow MPs after Mr Stewart made the comments. Home Office Minister Sarah Newton said the revelation is 'deeply troubling'. She said: 'That is simply unacceptable. It is a noble thing to stand for election it is a noble thing to want to represent your community - either as a councillor or as an MP in this place 'And those people in a position of responsibility and influence, such as a teacher, should be upholding the shared values of our country. 'And it is most disappointing to hear of somebody in such a powerful and influential position, letting themselves down and letting their profession down.' The headteacher at the local school which Mr Stewart's son attends told the Mail Online in a statement: 'We are clearly very concerned about the statement made today by Bob Stewart MP. 'We have no record of any complaint of this nature from Mr Stewart or his family. 'We are, however, taking this matter very seriously, as such behaviour would be wholly unacceptable and not tolerated by the school. 'We hope to meet with Mr Stewart very soon to discuss the matter so we can establish the facts and take action as appropriate.' But it is not the first time militant teachers have hurled abuse at Conservative politicians. A number of teachers helped to organised sick 'death parties' celebrating the passing away of Margaret Thatcher in 2013. And Sarah Vine, Daily Mail columnist and wife of Michael Gove's wife, revealed she considered sending her children to live in Italy to get away from the abuse directed at them over their father. Bob Stewart, who is standing in the middle, pictured with British UN peacekeeping troops in Bosnia. he has a glittering career in the military before becoming an MP in 2010 Bob Stewart, pictured in the northern Bosnian village of Maglaj, where he led peacekeeping troops during the war in the early 1990s. Since becoming an MP he has earned a reputation for being an outspoken defender of the interests of veterans Speaking at a fundraising lunch in 2014, when Mr Gove was still Education Secretary, she said they were teased in the playground over their father. She said: 'They are 11 and nine now, they've just got to the age where they understand what he [Mr Gove] does and they understand that people hate him because people will say things to them in the playground. 'One of Beatrice's own teachers went on strike and then she said that she saw him on Newsround holding a banner going 'Michael Gove out' which I think is quite a strange experience for a small child and I don't know how it's going to affect them at all. Newspaper columnist Sarah Vine pictured with her husband Michael Gove last year, has spoken out about the teasing their two children received in the playground when their dad was Education Secretary. Ms Vine said at times she wanted to put her children on a plane to Italy to get them away form the abuse 'Part of me wants to put them on a plane to go and live with my mother in Italy, but part of me thinks it will make them tougher.' Other MPs also revealed the abuse they and their colleagues received during the recent election campaign. CORBYN ALLY ACCUSED OF BAKCING 'VILE' CAMPAIGN AGAINST RIVAL Labour MP and Jeremy Corbyn ally Chris Williamson was today accused of backing a vile social media campaign waged against his Tory rival (file pic) A key ally of Jeremy Corbyn was today accused of supporting a 'vile' social media campaign against his Tory rival. Labour leftwinger Chris Williamson ousted Conservative Amanda Solloway to become MP for Derby North at the last election. He was today accused of playing dirty by supporting a Facebook site which spread lies about the Tory, linking her to her husband's bankrupt firm. Tory MP Pauline Latham accused him of backing the 'unauthorised Amanda Solloway' account and being part of the 'worst' campaign 'I have ever seen'. Ms Latham, MP for Mid Derbyshire, said: 'Video statements were made by her opponent, the new member for Derby North, about the unfair link to her husband's business appeared on this Facebook page. 'That would suggest he had direct involvement in the overall strategy of this page. If he didn't, how were the videos made available?' She added: 'This was a targeted, personal and unfair campaign against our former colleague, in fact I would say it was bullying. 'Many people could have been influenced by this vile abuse on social media.' She added: 'I hope the sensible wing of the Labour Party and not those extreme left-wingers, who are clearly just like Militant used to be, will win the day and stop this kind of personalised campaigning.' Advertisement Vicky Ford, the Conservative MP for Chelmsford, told of a partially sighted candidate who was threatened with rape. Calling for particular concern to be made for vulnerable candidates, Ms Ford said the fellow Conservative - who stood in the east of England - was subjected to online abuse. This included a threat to 'shoot her then pull the teeth out of her jaw while she fades away', she said. Ms Ford said the police were notified of the abuse but then said they were not aware of the crime being reported and suggested officers should be give different guidelines in future. And she said two Asian Tory activists campaigning in Ealing were were abused in person. She said: '(They) were spat at, told they should have their throats slit, were threatened that they should die, were told their mothers should never have given birth to them, and their cars were targeted and they were targeted face-to-face.' Meanwhile, Labour frontbencher Cat Smith criticised George Osborne for reportedly saying he wants Theresa May 'chopped up in bags in my freezer'. The Labour shadow deputy Commons leader said: 'He has previously compared the Prime Minister to being a 'dead woman walking'. 'The reason I raised it is because violence against women is a genuine problem in this country - two women a week are killed by their partner or former partners.' Christine Jardine, the newly-elected Lib Dem MP for Edinburgh West, also revealed the abuse she received online. She said: 'During the break in campaigning which we had suspended as a sign of respect during the Manchester attack, I was accused on social media by a known activist from an opposing party of ignoring that break and going out campaigning on one of those days. 'It was in fact the day that I had been at my husband's funeral.' She said the abuse quickly spread online and more abuse was hurled at her through social media. When she told her accuser of their mistake, they simply stepped up their attacks, she said. Home Office Minister Sarah Newton said the revelation is 'deeply troubling' and that the teacher had let their profession down A former Sydney Customs officer and her bodybuilder husband have narrowly avoided time behind bars for recklessly importing illegal party drugs. Kylie Anne Peart, who quit her government job shortly after being arrested in 2013, was handed an 18-month suspended jail sentence in the District Court on Thursday for importing methylone. However her husband Daniel Alexander Sorokin, who had a criminal history and was the prime mover of the importation, appeared destined for a custodial sentence. Former customs officer Kylie Anne Peart has had her jail term suspended (stock image) Daniel Alexander Sorokin,a bodybuilder had his three-year jail term suspended (stock image) But Acting Judge Rodney Madgwick had a late change of heart and told Sorokin he'd avoided imprisonment 'by the skin of your teeth'. The judge said Sorokin appeared 'at long last' to be taking steps to rehabilitate and that effort would not be assisted by time behind bars. 'The community would be a lot safer if he maintained his rehabilitation,' Acting Judge Madgwick said before suspending Sorokin's three-year jail term. Sorokin was on a good behaviour bond at the time of the importation after selling undercover cops paracetamol made to look like cocaine. The court heard Peart and Sorokin had made inquiries about the legality of the drug. But when they found it fell into a 'grey area', the couple imported it anyway. Peart used false names and email accounts to correspond with a Chinese supplier. Acting Judge Madgwick described the importation as 'recklessness rather than a deliberate, full-blown decision to break the law'. Police in Chicago have interviewed 12 people who they say are 'involved in some way' in the death of a 19-year-old woman who was found dead in a hotel freezer. The body of Kenneka Jenkins was discovered in the industrial, walk-in freezer at The Crowne Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Rosemont, a suburb of Chicago, on Saturday at around midnight. She had gone missing around 24 hours earlier after partying with friends in one of the hotel's rooms. Viral Facebook videos of their antics around the time she vanished are being investigated by police alongside surveillance footage from 47 cameras inside the hotel. That surveillance footage will be shown to Kenneka's mother, Tereasa Martin, on Thursday after mounting demand from her family and from the public for more information on the case. Police have questioned 12 people who they say were involved 'in some way' in the death of Kenneka Jenkins, 19, who was found dead in a hotel freezer on Saturday. She is seen (right) hours beforehand in a bathroom in one of the hotel's rooms with her friend She is convinced her daughter was murdered and suspects the group who reported her missing, claiming that they have 'changed their story over and over'. Martin says that when she arrived at the hotel after they called her at 4.30am on Saturday morning, the friends had her daughter's car keys and phone. She begged hotel staff to show her the surveillance footage immediately but they refused. They only began reviewing it themselves once police had been in contact hours later. Rosemont Police, whose officers suggested that Kenneka stumbled drunk in to the freezer by herself and that it was a 'freak accident', have faced mounting pressure to involve the girl's family in its investigation. On Thursday, spokesman Gary Mack said it was now finally prepared to show her mother the hotel surveillance footage but will not release it to the public until the investigation is complete. 'We're trying to be as understanding as we can to the mom and to be as compassionate as we can. 'Now that our detectives have had the chance to look at it, we're hopeful it will be helpful to her,' Rosemont Police spokesman Gary Mack told The Chicago Tribune. Kenneka was filmed by friends partying in the hotel room (L) and in an elevator (R) hours before she died At midnight on Saturday, she was found dead in a freezer at the hotel. Friends say they lost her after leaving her alone in a hallway momentarily The woman's mother, Tereasa Martin (above outsider her home) believes her daughter was murdered. She has pleaded for days to be shown surveillance footage of her final moments but police are only now giving it to her Martin was outraged by the police's suggestion that Kenneka stumbled drunk in to the freezer by herself, arguing that her daughter would not have had the strength to unlock the freezer doors if she was so inebriated. 'It takes strength to open these doors, the freezer doors. So, if she couldn't hardly hold herself up. How did she find the strength to unlock both the double doors?' she told ABC. She believes that the hotel and police are just as responsible for Kenneka's death, claiming that they may have been able to save her of if they had initiated the search for her before they did. A Facebook live video which was streamed from the hotel room by the woman's best friend at 1.36am on Saturday, five minutes after her last known text was sent, has been viewed more than 5million times. A Facebook live video taken inside the hotel room around the time that Kenneka sent her last text message is also being reviewed by police. It has been viewed more than 5 million times It has prompted a wave of speculation over what may have happened to the youngster. Kenneka's mother says she believes she was murdered Some social media sleuths said they believe she was murdered, a claim Kenneka's family have also made. Detectives said on Thursday that the guess-work of people unrelated to the case is hampering their efforts to solve it. 'It's unfortunate that some of that stuff's convoluting the investigation because all those leads have got to be followed up on. 'There's a lot of different, conflicting speculation out there, so (police) are doing their best to come to a quick resolution, obviously. 'I think everybody wants to know what happened,' Mack said. Other videos taken on the night before her body was found show Kenneka slurring her words as she poses with a friend in the mirror of a bathroom in one of the hotel's rooms. She is seen in other footage laughing in one of the hotel's elevators. Russia has launched seven cruise missiles at ISIS targets around the city of Deir Ezzor in Syria. The country's Ministry of Defence claims the Kalibur missiles were launched from two submarines, the Velikiy Novgorod and Kolpino, which are stationed in the eastern Mediterranean The projectiles destroyed control centers, communication hubs and arms dumps being used by the terrorists, the regime said. Russian stealth submarines Velikiy Novgorod and Kolpino launched seven cruise missiles toward ISIS targets around the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor on Thursday Russia has been fighting in the region around Deir Ezzor for months alongside the forces of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in order to liberate the city from ISIS. Last week the Syrian Arab Army fought its way to the outskirts of the city, breaking a three-year siege by ISIS. Assad's forces are now attempting to drive the terrorists out of the city, which is one of their last strongholds in Syria. American-backed Syrian Democratic Forces are also fighting near the city, advancing from the north bank of the Euphrates river, while Assad's forces move in from the south. Kalibur missiles are Russia's answer to the American Tomahawks, capable of ranging up to 2,000km (1,200 miles) and carrying a payload of up to 1,000lbs. Russian forces have been heavily involved in fighting around the city, where the army of ally Bashar al-Assad is fighting to oust ISIS The Syrian Arab Army fought their way into the city last week, effectively ending a three-year ISIS siege, and is now battling to retake it entirely As well as the Syrian Arab Army (pictured), US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces are fighting towards the north of the city The Velikiy Novgorod and Kolpino are two of Russia's latest Varshavyanka-class stealth submarines, and joined the Russian Black Sea fleet late last year. The subs are powered by a mixture of diesel and electric engines, have a crew of 52 people each, and can patrol for up to 45 days without making port. Advanced stealth technology is coupled with 18 torpedoes and eight cruise missiles, which Russia claims will allow the craft to strike land, sea and air targets. Having lost its last stronghold of Mosul in Iraq earlier this year, ISIS now faces being wiped off the map in Syria as Russian-backed government forces push to take Deir Ezzor in the east, while the US-backed SDF advances into their 'capital' of Raqqa. As their so-called Caliphate collapses, ISIS has launched and claimed responsibility for a series of terror attacks overseas, including three in Britain this summer. The woman found Jeremy McConnell in her kitchen in Skerries, Co Dublin, claiming he had gotten lost while running from two men Reality TV star Jeremy McConnell has been found guilty of trespassing after he drunkenly broke into a woman's home in Ireland earlier this year. The woman found the 27-year-old, from Dublin, in her kitchen at 6.30am on February 10, and called police, a court heard today. An apologetic McConnell told officers he had gotten lost while running away from two men who had chased him from a nearby houseparty on the same estate. The father-of-one pleaded guilty to trespassing, saying he had entered the house in Skerries, Co Dublin, through an unlocked back door. He said he had been at a party on the same housing estate and in a drunken state had become disorientated when leaving. After McConnell's guilty plea, he was convicted of trespassing and fined 134. Speaking after leaving Balbriggan District Court today, McConnell was apologetic and admitted he had walked into the woman's house at a state of intoxication. 'It was last year at a rough time. I am very sorry to the lady. 'I've paid my fine and can finally move forward. She made me a lovely cuppa too.' Garda John Lennon gave evidence he arrested the defendant at Balbriggan Garda Station on August 10 at 3.30pm. He said the defendant replied: 'I'm sorry' to the charge. Gda Lennon said he received a call on February 10 at 6.30am from a woman who reported a male had entered her house and was in the kitchen area. Ten minutes later Gda Lennon arrived at the property and met with the injured party. The defendant was still on the premises. He was socialising in the area and left a house party. 'He claimed he had been chased by two other men and was still disorientated but very apologetic,' said Gda Lennon. Reality TV star Jeremy McConnell (left) faces painting and charity work as he begins community service next week for the brutal attack on his ex Stephanie Davis (right) When asked by Judge Dermot Dempsey if the injured party was put in fear, Gda Lennon said 'No, she said she wasn't in fear, she had her dog in the house.' Addressing the court, McConnell, who starred in MTV's 'Beauty School Cop Outs,' said 'I am extremely apologetic. I was intoxicated and went into the wrong house.' He explained he has undergone rehabilitation since the offence and is now residing in Cardiff for the next three months for work reasons. When asked by Judge Dempsey if he brought any cash with him to court, indicating he may give the defendant the opportunity to make a charitable donation in lieu of a conviction, he replied: 'I didn't bring any cash with me today but I can come back next week.' However, Judge Dempsey then proceeded handing down a conviction and fined him 150 euros (134) This latest conviction comes as he is about to begin his community service for assaulting on his former partner and mother of his son, actress Stephanie Davis. The Celebrity Big Brother star was this week handed a 20-week sentence, suspended for 12 months at Liverpool Magistrates' Court, and community service. He is now looking at undertaking tasks including decorating council areas, removing graffiti or working in a charity shop. The 27-year-old, from Dublin, was handed a 20-week sentence, suspended for 12 months at Liverpool Magistrates' Court A source told the Daily Star: 'Jeremy has now moved to Cardiff and will start his community service next week. 'He's living with Make Or Break contestant and friend Richard Cull. They've been friends for a long time and Rich has help him through a difficult year. 'It's not yet known what he will be doing but it could be decorating of council-owned areas, removing graffiti or working in a charity shop.' McConnell was ordered to pay 1,000 in court costs, 1,000 in compensation to Miss Davis and a victims surchage of 115. His lawyer James Morris told the court last month the Dubliner's tough upbringing and a series of personal family tragedies had left him with 'demons'. Mr Morris said: 'It's extremely sad when relationships break down. It's fair to say this was a volatile relationship where accusations of infidelity reared their ugly heads on a regular basis. McConnell was ordered to pay 1,000 in court costs, 1,000 in compensation to Miss Davis and a victims surchage of 115 'Mr McConnell had a difficult upbringing in Dublin. His mother, he lost his mother at the age of 15, and in the same year, a brother and sister. His father was left as a single parent who had to bring up family on his own. There is bereavement issues that Mr McConnell has not dealt with. 'Mr McConnell sadly lost his father this year and attended his father's funeral with Miss Davis, three days prior to this incident and was in a very low frame of mind in the days leading up to this incident. 'Mr McConnell clearly has had a number of demons in his past that needs to be addressed.' Mr Morris said the defendant had attended Smarmore Castle, a private rehab clinic in Ireland, to be treated for 'chemical dependency' and he was now free of cocaine use. At the previous court hearing, Davis said McConnell suspected her of a lesbian affair and a fling with a fireman as he attacked her at a property in Rainhill, Merseyside, on March 10. She described the assault 'like something out of a horror movie', adding that McConnell threatened to smash a bottle over his head. McConnell first met his former partner after they appeared together on Celebrity Big Brother The prosecution said the assault took place as Ms Davis held their eight-week old son Caben-Albi in her arms, a claim that was denied by McConnell. The former Hollyoaks actress said: 'He's completely destroyed my life, it's been the worst 18 months of my life.' She also told the court: 'He threatened to throw acid in my face.' The city's magistrates' court heard they had been out for a meal with friends in Liverpool to celebrate Miss Davis's birthday on March 9 but when they returned home McConnell had left to go to the pub with two of the friends. Miss Davis said when he got back to the house at about midnight he was 'out of it' and had been taking cocaine. McConnell had accused her of having affairs with her pregnant friend and with a fireman who lived nearby, the court was told The court was shown photos of a bruise she said was caused by McConnell biting her arm, as well as extensive bruises to her legs and body. Miss Davis said McConnell began kicking the doors in an attempt to get in. She said: 'I heard him go over the gate, it was literally like a horror film. I just thought, 'this is it, he's going to kill me'.' Miss Davis said she let him in after fearing he would smash the glass patio doors and was thrown on to the bed, punched on the side of the head and then pushed against the wall twice as she held their son Caben-Albi. McConnell told the court he was defending himself against Miss Davis, who he said attacked him after learning he had taken cocaine. He claimed injuries shown in photos were 'self-inflicted' and that Miss Davis was aggrieved that he had ended their relationship six weeks ago. McConnell, of Swords, Dublin, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to criminal damage of Miss Davis's property. Following his assault conviction he was bailed on condition he did not contact Miss Davis and was told by District Judge Wendy Lloyd that a custodial sentence was a possibility. A fraudster once questioned over the alleged hacking of Pippa Middleton's iCloud is now facing jail for blackmailing a law firm. Ms Middleton, the sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, was at the centre of a major security alert after an unidentified man offered to sell 3,000 images of her and her royal relatives for 50,000. Nathan Wyatt, of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, was arrested by police investigating the alleged hack, but was later released without charge. Nathan Wyatt was initially questioned by police over the alleged hacking of Pippa Middleton's iCloud, but was later released without charge However, police searching his home found evidence of fraud and blackmail, which he has now admitted and for which he could be jailed However, the police probe revealed Wyatt's involvement in a series of frauds for which Wyatt has now admitted his guilt. Wyatt, 37, used credit cards belonging to numerous other men, one of whom had died just weeks earlier, to buy a variety of gifts and home appliances including computer accessories, Xbox consoles and games and Disney Frozen toys, Southwark Crown Court heard. He also admitted making attempts to extort 10,000 Euros from a law firm after using stolen passwords to hack his way into their system and steal sensitive unauthorised information Miss Middleton's personal account was plundered and 3,000 photographs taken Prosecutor Alison Morgan said: 'As a result of media contact with the police in relation to the images of Ms Middleton, the defendant was arrested in relation to that matter. 'At the time, on 24 September, devices were seized from his address as they were found in the property at the time. 'Examinations of those devices revealed the commission of some of the offences that are before the court.' Ms Morgan added: 'He is a sophisticated fraudster on the internet and he has been able to get hold of very personal information.' Judge Peter Testar said the offences could be described as a 'particular kind of cyber-blackmail'. The judge said he was 'capable of committing quite sophisticated offences with the use of a computer' and remanded him in custody ahead of sentence next month. Wyatt, of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, was remanded in custody ahead of sentence on 19 October. Of the thousands of autopsies Dr Feng Li has conducted over the course of his career as a Nashville medical examiner, he says the post-mortem examination of 12-year-old Yhoana Arteaga will stay with him for the rest of his life. Arteaga was found brutally murdered inside her mobile home in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, on August 10, after sending her mother a text message saying that someone was knocking on the front door. When the girl's mother returned home from work with her two other children at 6.45pm that evening, just over an hour after receiving the message, she found Yhoana's lifeless body laying partially undressed in her room. Scroll down for video Shocking murder: Yhoana Arteaga, 12, was found brutally beaten and strangled to death in her mobile home after sending a text to her mother that someone was knocking on the door Horrifying find: Yhoana's mother entered the family's mobile home on Old Dickerson Pike in Nashville (pictured) and came upon her daughter's partially undressed body In an interview with WSMV this week, Dr Li, who conducted the autopsy on Yhoana, said she died as a result of strangulation and ruled the manner of death a homicide, characterizing it as a senseless and brutal murder. Li's final autopsy report also documented contusions to the victims head. According to a press release from the Nashville Metro Police Department, it is undetermined at this time whether she was sexually assaulted as well. Results from lab analysis on evidence collected at the scene on Old Dickerson Pike where Yhoana lived with her family are still pending. The medical examiner said it took him several hours to examine Arteaga's body because the injuries she had sustained were so severe. The child was beaten and strangled, as evidenced by abrasions and ligature marks on her neck, according to Dr Li. She also suffered hemorrhaging and had bruises and scrapes. A lot of cases stay in your mind, especially the kids, he told WSMV. These are the tragedies we will remember for a long time.' 'Senseless murder': Dr Feng Li, the Nashville medical examiner who conducted the autopsy on Yhoana, said the child (right) had ligature marks and abrasions on her neck. Her examination took hours due to the extent of her injuries Nashville Metro police spokesman Don Aaron (above) is pictured discussing Yhoana's brutal slaying at a press conference last month outside the crime scene Yhoana Arteaga was last seen alive at 12.30pm on August 10 when she had lunch with her mother in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, WKRN reported. The child's mother said that her daughter, who was at home recovering from a skating injury and was getting around on crutches, sent her a text around 5.30pm saying that someone was at the door. She was found dead after her mother returned home from work at around 6.45pm. Police initially said blunt force trauma played a factor in her death and that her clothes were in disarray. 'She was brutally murdered, and if anyone has any information whatsoever that could help in this investigation, please contact us,' Nashville Metro police spokesman Don Aaron said during a press conference last month. Sgt. David Kautzman told WKRN: 'I've never seen anything this brutal in my entire career. 'The police department is coming together like no case I've ever seen in my career.' Police said that the girl was not stabbed or shot, nor were there any obvious signs that someone had forced entry into the trailer. Authorities believe that there is a strong possibility that the seventh grader knew her killer. Authorities believe that there is a strong possibility that the seventh grader knew her killer, but so far no one has been named as a suspect Arteaga was enrolled at Liberty Collegiate Academy, a middle school in Nashville. Her family has created a GoFundMe page to raise money towards her funeral expenses. As of Thursday morning, nearly $16,000 has been donated, easily surpassing their initial $10,000 goal. The 12-year-old girl was described as 'kind, polite, caring, fun, intelligent and beautiful' on the GoFundMe page. 'She will be remembered as a wonderful daughter and great friend to all who knew her.' More than a month after the murder, police have not named any suspects or made any arrests in the case, prompting them to ask for the publics help. Anyone with information on Yhoanas killer is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. A man sentenced to 38 years without parole for the horrific 2015 murder of a schoolgirl has been causing havoc behind bars. Sean Price stabbed Masa Vukotic 49 times in a Melbourne park in a brutal random attack, and has now threatened the lives of prison guards. His behaviour has prompted a call from prison authorities for a glass barrier to be erected during the murderer's next court appearance to protect the public gallery. A man sentenced to 38 years without parole for the horrific 2015 murder of a schoolgirl (pictured) has been causing havoc behind bars Sean Price (pictured) stabbed Masa Vukotic 49 times in a Melbourne park in a brutal random attack, and has now threatened the lives of prison guards On top of the death threats levelled against guards, the violent prisoner has vandalised his cell with faeces and threatened and abused female staff. He has been involved in a riot, attacked jail workers after a self-harm incident and made a violent escape attempt, The Herald Sun reported. 'I will get you. You are afraid because you know I will get you. Make no mistake, I will get one of you,' Price told one guard only weeks ago. Price established a pattern of intimidation and violence soon after being arrested, saying he had nothing to lose while threatening prison employees. Price killed 17-year-old Masa Vukotic (pictured) after she went for an evening walk in a park in the Melbourne suburb of Doncaster On top of the death threats levelled against guards, the violent prisoner (pictured) has vandalised his cell with faeces and threatened and abused female staff The notorious convict is considered one of Victoria's most dangerous prisoners, and is escorted by the Security and Emergency Services Group when being moved. His last court appearance was conducted by video link due to the risk he poses to the public. That link then had to be cut when Price shouted obscenities and made sexual gestures. 'F**** off, bitch. Where did you get that from, you f***ing lying skunk,' he screamed as prosecutors made their submissions. An upcoming hearing at a county court relates to the breaching of a supervision order. Price's (pictured) behaviour has prompted a call from prison authorities for a glass barrier to be erected during the murderer's next court appearance to protect the public gallery Price killed 17-year-old Masa Vukotic after she went for an evening walk in a park in the Melbourne suburb of Doncaster. He told police he killed her because she was dressed 'like a yuppy' and 'she started talking to a bird like f***ing Snow White'. Two days later he raped and assaulted a woman in the Christian bookstore where she worked, asking 'Where's your Jesus now?' during the rape. The victim - who reported suffering anxiety attacks years later - fought back. She bit and scratched Price, gouging his eyes while he tried to strangle her. 'I realised, like, she was fussing up too much and she was starting to change colours,' Price told police. Price told police he killed Ms Vukotic (pictured) because she was dressed 'like a yuppy' and 'she started talking to a bird like f***ing Snow White' 'I was like, "f*** not another one".' He victim told a court she thought he was going to kill her. 'I seriously considered the fact that they were going to be my last moments,' she testified. 'I'm angry that I was raped and assaulted. I'm angry he took a young girl's life.' Price applied for legal aid for the breach charge, provoking outrage from victims groups. The serial offender pleaded guilty to rape and assault in 2004. In 2006 he reportedly attacked former prime minister Tony Abbott when he toured the Thomas Embling secure mental health facility as health minister. Jim Simmon's waterlogged body was found on in a sand pit more than 20 miles from his home. He was last seen wearing his Houston Astros Cap, pictured The former editor of the Houston Chronicle was found dead on Tuesday after going missing in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey two weeks ago. Jim Simmon's waterlogged body was found on in a sand pit more than 20 miles from his home. Police believed the 63-year-old, who was diagnosed last year with dementia, drowned in the flood water, according to the Chronicle. His body was found by a man in Fort Bend County who was out looking for cattle. The father-of-two was last seen on August 30 when he left home in a Houston Astros cap to get a coffee at his favorite shop down the street. Six hours later he called his son Luke Simmon, who he lived with, and said he was lost and and at the Fort Bend Aquatic Center roughly 20 miles away from home. Luke told him to wait there, but by the time he arrived his father was nowhere to be found. Jim's family searched for him for two weeks through shelters and online forums. Police believed the 63-year-old, who was diagnosed last year with dementia, drowned in the flood water Once, his ex-wife Jamie Kaelin said they were called o the hospital to identify a man in the intensive care unit, but it turned out to be someone else. Kaelin said that even though they hadn't heard from him in weeks, the family didn't expect this outcome as he was still an avid runner and in perfect shape. 'We had lead after lead,' Kaelin told the Chronicle. 'I just kept thinking we were going to find him.' After the news of his death spread his family, friends and former colleagues all remembered him fondly. 'Jim Simmon, my friend, my former editor, fellow product of 1954, fellow kayaker, an irascible blessing to Texas who could say a funny lot with a grunt and write like a Hunter S Thompson of the Gulf Coast,' his longtime friend Alan Bernstein wrote online. He continued: '[Jim] is lost to us now on a permanent basis, and, I hope, is enjoying perpetual roots music in another sphere.' The father-of-two was last seen on August 30 when he left home in a Houston Astros cap to get a coffee at his favorite shop down the street. he is pictured lounging in a Hammock, years before his death Jim got into Journalism after he finished his master's degree at Ameircan University in Washington, DC. His longtime friend Alan Bernstein described him as 'gruff and funny' and a great editor Bernstein said that Jim, who is originally from Louisiana, was gruff and funny, and got into journalism after finishing his master's at American University in Washington, DC. He described his friend as a 'little big of James Dean, a little bit of Jack Kerouac.' The Chronicle's Senior Editor Tony Freemantle said everyone at the paper is saddened by the news of their former colleague. 'We remember him for his sharp wit, his commitment to facts and the truth, and his dedication to holding those in power accountable,' Freemantle said. 'He was a very good man. Our thoughts are with his family and his many friends.' Officials in Nevada have opened the door for the state to be first to allow the use of recreational marijuana in clubs and lounges. The state Legislative Counsel Bureau said on Monday that state law does not currently bar individuals from using cannabis at a private facility in Nevada, according to The Hill. The Legislative Counsel Bureau said that cities and counties are also free to enact their own ordinances concerning special permits for businesses who choose to operate a space for recreational marijuana use. Scroll down for video State officials say there is no law barring marijuana use at a private facility in a landmark ruling made on Monday The Legislative Counsel Bureau said cities and counties are also free to enact their own ordinances concerning recreational cannabis use The ruling will not affect hotels and casinos, where all drugs use is strictly prohibited by law. In the four states where recreational marijuana is legal for purchase -Washington, Colorado, Alaska and Oregon - none currently allow for the use of cannabis in public. The same is true for three states - California, Massachusetts and Maine - who passed similar recreational marijuana laws last year and are preparing to introduce the new industry into the market. State Sen. Tick Segerblom (D) spearheaded the legislative initiative, saying that use of marijuana at private facilities would bolster the economy State Sen. Tick Segerblom (D), who spearheaded the legislative initiative, said that becoming the country's first state to allow the public use of recreational marijuana will help attract visitors and provide a much needed boost to the economy. 'We're going to really market this thing around the world,' Segerblom told The Hill in a recent interview. Advocates for pot legalizing also praised the LCB's decision, saying it affirms the personal rights of individuals while bolstering the tourism industry. 'Allowing regulated social use areas is a good solution that recognizes cannabis consumers' rights to congregate just like alcohol drinkers can in bars while also protecting nonconsumers' rights not to inhale secondhand smoke,' said the founder of Marijuana Majority, a pro-legalization group, Tom Angell. 'It should be a no brainer, especially in tourist towns like Las Vegas where visitors don't have private residences they can go back to to imbibe.' But not everyone was so enthusiastic about the recent decision by the LCB, with some concerned that the marijuana industry brings along with it an unsavory element. 'Data show that areas around marijuana stores have higher crime and issues with second-hand smoke and other nuisances. I can't imagine pot clubs will be a good thing for the state,' said Kevin Sabet, who heads the anti-legalization group Smart Approaches to Marijuana. Nevada became the fifth state to legalize recreational pot on July 1, eight months after voters in Nevada approved a ballot measure. Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval (R) opposes the new marijuana initiative, but said that he will abide by the will of the electorate and work with the Justice Department to allow legal marijuana now that it has passed. A seven-year-old girl apparently died from carbon monoxide poisoning in a Florida home in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said. Shashunda Wilson, 41, woke up in her Lakeland, Florida, home on Wednesday to find her daughter, Terryn, dead next to her. Wilson told 911 responders that they were running a generator in the living room of their home while they slept in a bedroom with the door closed. Shashunda Wilson, 41, woke up in her Lakeland, Florida, home on Wednesday to find her daughter, Terryn, dead next to her. They were running a generator in the living room of their home while they slept in a bedroom with the door closed She had apparently the generator to power a fan in the bedroom that was blowing fresh air into the room from a window, according to TBO. Despite the door being shut, Polk County Fire Rescue found high levels of carbon monoxide inside the home. Polk County officials have urged people not to keep their generators inside their homes or garages because the results could be deadly. Wilson was sitting outside when officials arrived at the home and had told 911 responders that she felt dizzy when she woke up, WFLA reported. Officials opened windows of the home to clear the carbon monoxide from inside before going in to find Terryn's body. Despite the door being shut, Polk County Fire Rescue found high levels of carbon monoxide inside the home (pictured above) Wilson lives in a duplex, and the adjoining residence also had high levels of carbon monoxide, though no one was injured. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said this is the first Irma-related death to be investigated by his agency. An autopsy will be performed to determine Terryn's exact cause of death. The Sheriff's County reminded people not to keep running generators in their homes or garages. 'All generators and gas grills should be operated outside in well-ventilated locations, away from all doors and windows,' Judd said. 'Do not operate generators or grills in a garage. If you start to feel sick, dizzy, or weak while using a generator or gas grill, get to fresh air RIGHT AWAY. DO NOT DELAY.' The US State Department will stop issuing certain kinds of visas to some citizens of Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea and Sierra Leone because the nations are not taking back their citizens the United States wants to deport. The new policies, laid out in State Department cables and described in a news briefing, are the latest example of US President Donald Trump's effort to crack down on immigrants who are in the United States illegally. The cables, sent by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to consular officials around the world, said the four countries were 'denying or unreasonably delaying' the return of their citizens. He said that visa restrictions would be lifted in a country if it accepted its deportees. 'The Secretary determines the categories of applicants subject to the visa restrictions, and the categories differ slightly country by country,' State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in the news briefing on Tuesday. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson sent information about the new sanctions to consular officials around the world. The cables said Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea and Sierra Leone were 'denying or unreasonably delaying' the return of their citizens, and that visa restrictions would be lifted in a country if it accepted its deportees The visa sanctions vary in severity, with Eritrea facing the harshest ones. Any Eritreans who apply in their own country for most US business or tourist visas will be rejected, according to one of the cables. In Guinea, the United States will no longer issue a range of tourist, business and student visas to government officials and their immediate family members who apply from inside the country, another cable said. 'We are all surprised by the American authorities' decision but the foreign minister is at this moment working so that the situation returns to normal,' Guinea government spokesman Damantang Albert Camara told Reuters. 'It must be understood that Guinea has never wanted to prevent the repatriation of its nationals who are in conflict with American law.' In Cambodia, the sanction is tailored. Only Foreign Ministry employees at or above the rank of director general, and their families, who apply inside the country will be barred from getting some visas for personal travel, a third cable said. For Sierra Leone, only Foreign Ministry and immigration officials will be denied tourist and business visas at the US Embassy in Freetown, according to a fourth cable. The policies are the latest example of US President Donald Trump's effort to crack down on immigrants who are in the United States illegally 'American citizens have been harmed because foreign governments refuse to take back their citizens,' Thomas Homan, acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said in a Department of Homeland Security statement. In each case, there are exceptions for citizens of the four nations who apply for visas from outside their countries, as well as exceptions on humanitarian grounds or for travel 'deemed in the interest of the United States.' The new rules, which go into effect on Wednesday, do not affect visas that already have been granted. Visa sanctions are allowed by US immigration law to punish countries that refuse to accept their citizens back from the United States. In practice, the United States has rarely taken that step - just twice in the past decade and a half, according to a Department of Homeland Security spokesman. The most recent instance was in October 2016 when the Obama administration stopped issuing visas to Gambian government officials and their families because the government was not taking back US deportees from Gambia. Three of the four countries included in the current visa restrictions - Cambodia, Guinea, and Eritrea - were on a July list of nations deemed 'recalcitrant' by US immigration authorities. Visa sanctions are allowed by US immigration law to punish countries that refuse to accept their citizens back from the United States. Pictured above, a file photo of international passengers arriving at Washington Dulles International Airport It was unclear immediately why Sierra Leone was included in Tuesday's action even though it was not on the 'recalcitrant' list in July. ICE has had to release roughly 2,137 Guineans and 831 Sierra Leone nationals, many with 'serious criminal convictions,' the DHS statement said. In addition, around 700 Eritreans and more than 1,900 Cambodians are living in the United States who have been ordered removed, DHS said. DHS officials say in some cases, the agency has had no choice but to release convicted criminals who served prison time but could not be returned to their home country because it refused to take them back. The Trump administration has made it a priority to pressure reluctant countries to take back their citizens. As of July, the 12 nations deemed 'recalcitrant' were China, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, Iran, Cambodia, Burma, Morocco, Hong Kong, South Sudan, Guinea and Eritrea. According to 2016 congressional testimony by Michele Bond, former assistant secretary of state for consular affairs, Cuba was the 'most recalcitrant country on repatriation of its nationals,' although she did not give numbers. Other countries then at the top of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) list of recalcitrant countries were China, Somalia and India, Bond said at the time. None of those countries are facing visa sanctions. A mom-of-three who evacuated from her home in Ocoee, Florida, won $10,000 after buying a lottery ticket on her journey north to flee from the hurricane. Tiffany Hatfield, 28, left the home she recently moved to near Orlando around 10pm Friday night with her three young daughters to drive to a friend's home in Virginia. The family drove through the night in heavy traffic along with everyone else fleeing from the impending storm. It was then that the family went to a convenience store in Rocky Mount, North Carolina to stop and stretch. The mom bought two five dollar Diamond Dazzler scratch-off tickets, not believing when one said it was the $10,000 winner. Tiffany Hatfield, 28, is pictured with he three daughters as they evacuated their Florida home near Orlando Hatfield had just moved to Florida from Connecticut in June when Hurricane Irma struck The family stopped in North Carolina to stretch when mom bought a $5 scratch-off lottery ticket After just moving to Florida from Connecticut in June, Hatfield is still settling in and will begin a new job next week as an administrative assistant at a dental office. She told Dailymail.com, that her daughters have been planning on how to spending the winnings, 'but in all honesty we are new to Florida will use it to redecorate and get situated'. She said she wasn't even planning to evacuate until her husband, a member of the US Navy who is stationed in Hawaii, called and urged them to evacuate. 'He called and all he said was, ''I saw the hurricane and you guys need to leave,''' she said. Now Hatfield has her husband to thank for the push to go north and stumble upon the golden ticket. Hatfield (right) won $10,000 from the $5 Diamond Dazzler scratch-off in North Carolina. Her daughters (left) pose with the check Hatfield said she thought she was reading the ticket wrong, until her oldest daughter (center) looked at it and screamed 'I thought maybe I was looking at it wrong so I had my oldest daughter look at it,' Hatfield told ABC News. 'She started screaming and we all started screaming.' The mom drove with the winning ticket to her destination in Virginia. She said she kept it in her wallet and constantly checked it for fear of losing the thousands. On Tuesday, Hatfield accepted a check for $6,951, the amount she received after federal and state taxes. Luckily, she won't need to spend her winnings on repairs as her home only experienced minor damage and lost power. Today, she is still making her way back to Florida with her three daughters and good fortune. The body of Financial Times journalist Paul McClean, 24, who is believed to have been killed by a crocodile while holidaying in Sri Lanka, was discovered by local police on Friday The body of the Financial Times reporter who is believed to have been dragged into a lagoon and killed by a crocodile has been found by Sri Lankan police. Journalist and Oxford University graduate Paul McClean, 24, was discovered in the coastal village of Panama on Friday, with wounds on one of his legs. Divers found Mr McClean's corpse in a muddy lagoon, 225 miles east of the capital Colombo. A crocodile is believed to have dragged Mr McClean away on Thursday afternoon, the officer said, but a post-mortem examination is expected to formally establish the cause of death. British media reports said Mr McClean, who worked for the Financial Times, was holidaying in Sri Lanka with friends. Mr McClean was washing his hands in a lagoon or river set back from the beach in an area called Elephant Rock, a popular surfing area for British backpackers. Witnesses said they saw the 24-year-old wave his arms in the air before vanishing under the water. James Lamont, managing editor of the Financial Times, expressed his condolences on the loss of his colleague. 'Few details are known about the circumstances. We are liaising closely with his family and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and offering the FT's assistance. Divers found Mr McClean's corpse in a muddy lagoon, 225 miles east of the capital Colombo 'Our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones. 'We are in touch with them, doing all we can to help during this difficult time.' Adding: Mr McClean was: 'a talented, energetic and dedicated young journalist,' that he had 'a great career ahead of him at the FT'. He was described by Katie Martin, head of fastFT, as 'a warm, funny person and a talented young journalist with a curious mind,' and 'a joy to be around, truly, with an impish sense of humour'. 'He was one hell of a reporter if he was on your case,' said Brussels bureau chief Alex Barker. 'Paul was an inspiration to us all in the Brussels bureau, turning out some of the most original, insightful and deeply researched journalism on Brexit since the referendum.' Adding: 'He had a rare gift: an eye for hidden stories, writing flair and the charm to make people tell him anything and everything.' Mr McClean had 'magnificant' French which helped his reporting, the bureau chief continued, which helped with his 'fabulous run-in with the National Front man there who supported Brexit but didn't quite grasp what renationalising waters would mean for his home town.' A spokesperson for Jean-Claude Juncker, from the European Commission, said: 'Paul was an extremely dedicated and talented young journalist. He had an exceptional eye for detail and never shied away from difficult stories. 'But above all, Paul was a gentleman and an absolute pleasure to work with. He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by all in the spokespersons' service and in the wider Brussels community.' Fawas Lafeer, owner of Safa Surf School, near the scene, said: 'He was learning to surf and after that he wanted to go to the toilet. British media reports said Mr McClean, who worked for the Financial Times, was holidaying in Sri Lanka with friends 'He went in the jungle, about 800 meters. It was when he was washing his hands that the crocodile took him. 'A local fisherman witnessed a man being dragged into a river, set back from the beach, by a crocodile. 'The fisherman was on the opposite side of the river and downstream. 'The police were called immediately. They can't do anything because the river is deep and murky, it is not very clear.' Mr McClean is thought to have been snatched at the lagoon known as Elephant Rock (pictured) Witnesses: An Australian man named Sean Carroll posted about the incident on Facebook He added: 'They have sent out the Navy, Army and the task force, but I doubt they will find the body. First class graduate: Paul McClean in profile Mr McClean graduated with a first class degree in French from Oxford University. He began working at the FT in September 2015 and was previously based in Brussels, covering Brexit for the newspaper. He lived in Thames Ditton, Surrey, with his brother Neil, 22, and his parents Peter, 66, and Irene, 59. His father is the director of a management consultancy company and his mother is a reception manager at a health club. Mr McClean earlier left Hinchley Wood School in Esher, Surrey, with 11 A*s and one A. Advertisement 'The crocodiles take the bodies along river and hide them in the mud, so I don't think he will be found until the day after tomorrow. 'This is the first time anything like this has happened, Elephant Rock is always safe to surf.' Another British tourist, who did not wish to give his name, said: 'A British tourist was at a surf spot called Elephant Rock. 'There's a lagoon right next to the sea. He went to the toilet next to the lagoon and was grabbed by a crocodile. 'There are lots in the lagoon. People last saw his arms in the air in the water and then was grabbed under 'They are searching for a body but haven't found anything yet. 'The army were down and there are people put on boats checking the shore because crocodile won't eat anything in water they will take it on to dry land to eat prey. 'They are 90 per cent sure it was a crocodile but a couple of the guys said there was quicksand in the lagoon.' Killer crocs: The alleged crocodile attack is the second in Sri Lanka this year 'A few people that knew the guy were just on the ground, I didn't get that close but they all just seemed in shock and not saying much. How crocodiles are merciless killers Crocodiles use their powerful tails to swim up to 25mph, which is almost as fast as Usain Bolt's highest recorded sprinting speed. In Africa alone there are several hundred crocodile attacks on people each year. Between a third and a half of these attacks result in fatalities. Crocodile attacks are far more common than shark attacks, but because many take place in small and impoverished communities they do not receive as much media coverage. The two breeding crocodile species in Sri Lanka are the mugger crocodile and saltwater crocodiles. The term 'mugger' comes from the Urdu word 'magar' which translates as 'water monster'. Experts say poking a crocodile's eyes or hitting its nose can save you during an attack. This is because both are sensitive areas. Crocodiles first appeared on the earth 240million years ago and they can live for up to 80 years. Each crocodile jaw has 24 teeth that are meant to grasp and crush, not chew. Crocodiles swallow stones which help grind food inside their stomachs. During mating seasons, it is not uncommon for crocodiles to become increasingly aggressive. Advertisement 'There were a large crowd of Sri Lankan men surrounding them and they had bits of paper.' Another shocked man, Sean Carroll, from New South Wales, Australia, wrote on Facebook: 'A croc just took a tourist bloke in Sri Lanka. 'He was walking on a beach where a small river meets the sea, it's named Crocodile Rock for that reason obviously. 'He still hasn't been retrieved from river. Heavy.' 'I'm sure he was close to the river for it to take him. Police looking and army too.' There are two different kinds of crocodile that live in Sri Lanka, the Marsh, or 'Mugger', crocodile and the estuarine crocodile. There are believed to be thousands of marsh crocodiles spread throughout various water bodies in the island. In April of this year, a 13-year-old girl was attacked and dragged away by a crocodile while she was enjoying a day out with her family at Pulnewa Lake, in Galnewa. The girl was reported missing by her family, who said they saw her being dragged into the water by the large reptile. Prior to this, in July 2016, a 60-year-old Sri Lankan man was also killed in a crocodile attack. He had been fishing in the Paayindan River in Sammanthurai when he was attacked. In November 2016 a 17 foot crocodile, which weighed nearly a ton, was found jammed in a waterway in the southern city of Matara. Kamal Bains, 50, (pictured at Leeds Crown Court) pleaded not guilty to manslaughter A landlord has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter after a devastating house fire killed two toddlers. Logan Taylor, 3, and his brother Jake Casey, 2, died from smoke inhalation during the blaze on February 20 last year. Kamal Bains, 50, is accused of failing in his duty of care and causing the deaths of the two boys through gross negligence by not installing working smoke detectors. The court heard that despite repeated requests from the family, Bains failed to address issues with detectors on both the ground and first floor of the house. Logan and Jake were overcome by smoke when a fire started in their bedroom at the rented semi-detached property in Fartown, West Yorkshire, last year. They had to be rescued by firefighters but were pronounced dead at hospital a short time later. The boys mother Emma Taylor and her oldest son Finley, 6, were at home but managed to escape. Neighbours had tried to rescue the little boys but were forced back by the smoke. Logan Taylor, three, and two-year-old Jake Casey were rushed to hospital after the afternoon blaze at their family home in Huddersfield, but neither could be saved Logan and Jake were overcome by smoke when a fire started in their bedroom at the rented semi-detached property in Fartown, West Yorkshire, last year The court heard that despite repeated requests from the family, Bains (left) failed to address issues with detectors on both the ground and first floor of the house (right) Family and friends of Ms Taylor and her boys have visited the now abandoned property to pay their respects Bains, of Birkby, West Yorkshire, pleaded not guilty to two counts of gross negligence manslaughter. He will stand trial at Leeds Crown Court in July next year, which is due to last for four weeks. Bains was ordered him not to contact Ms Taylor or the boys father Jamie Casey as part of his bail conditions. He has already complied with a condition of surrendering his passport and produced travel documents as proof of a pre-booked trip. Zipwhip Wins $22.5 Million Investment Towards Business Text Growth Seattle-based startup Zipwhip has just landed $22.5 million dollars in funding for its business text messaging platform. The platform enables businesses to text via their landline phones. This new investment comes via OpenView; previous investors Voyager Capital and Microsoft Ventures both continue to be active. In under a year, Zipwhip has been able to double the amount of employees to 180 and increase monthly revenue by 60 percent. A major portion of its 6,000 customers comes from veterinary offices and car dealerships. Ten months ago, Zipwhip was able to raise $9 million dollars in a Series B investment round, thanks to Voyager and Microsoft. Business has improved their business ever since. It does not hurt that the products for texting are ready-to-use and include an API. The market for business texting software is literally every business. Its a huge industry that arguably we created, and it is a new industry. Theres no reason not to go after it faster and harder, said Zipwhip CEO, John Lauer. Customers have this amazing ability to text with their businesses using landlines, VoIP services, as well as toll-free numbers, something that is vital when it comes connecting with active consumers and supporting high levels of satisfaction. We think texting software is as applicable as email software, which of course is then a huge market, Lauer added. OpenViews managing partner Scott Maxwell also chimed in: Its clear that communication today is centered around messaging, but for too long, businesses have been behind on delivering an easy and intuitive way for their customers to get in touch. Zipwhip provides the answer through its game-changing software and platform. Texting through business landlines? Messaging truly is the dominating channel. Edited by Erik Linask A fitness fanatic dubbed the 'Tinder nightmare' has been charged with raping, assaulting and unlawfully imprisoning five different women he met on the dating app. Glenn Dylan Hartland, 42, allegedly raped women he met on Tinder, held them against their will and distributed sexually explicit images of his victims. Mr Hartland, from Prahran in Melbourne's south, vehemently denied the charges when confronted by A Current Affair. Glenn Dylan Hartland, 42, allegedly raped women he met on Tinder, held them against their will and distributed sexually explicit images of his victims But one of Mr Hartland's alleged victims described him as 'a shape shifter.' 'One minute he's a lawyer, the next he's a pro snowboarder,' the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the Herald Sun. She said she was just one of a list of women who allegedly fell victim to Mr Hartland after meeting him on Tinder. But Mr Hartland denied the charges this week and said he would fight them in court, no matter no long it took. Mr Hartland, a self-proclaimed 'fitness fanatic', has boasted of competing in triathlons on social media 'I'm going to fight these charges, whether it takes the rest of my life,' he told A Current Affair. Mr Hartland's case was one of the first for a new Victoria Police task force. He claimed the task force wrongly pegged the charges on him. 'They need this to win, but like I said, I'm not going anywhere,' he said. On his LinkedIn profile, Mr Hartland claimed to be a triathlete, a writer, an entrepreneur and a 'senior life saver' 'I'm going to fight these charges, whether it takes the rest of my life,' Mr Hartland said On his LinkedIn profile, Mr Hartland claimed to be a triathlete, a writer, an entrepreneur and a 'senior life saver'. He also claimed to be the owner and founder of Yawsnowboarding, an online store for 'street wear'. Elite Triathlon Performance Australia released a statement which said Mr Hartland was a club member for a short period earlier in 2017 but was suspended. The club said his suspension was unrelated to the allegations he faced. Mr Hartland has not been convicted of any crime and is due to return to court again in September. Andy Sartiano was charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal having been taken into custody on Wednesday A former director of an animal sanctuary has been arrested for allegedly telling an employee to euthanize a cat by breaking its neck. Andy Sartiano was charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal having been taken into custody on Wednesday. Both she and the employee were fired as a result of the callous act at the Albany Humane Society in Georgia. As police consider whether or not to bring further charges, Sartiano was held at Dougherty County Jail. The Albany Humane Society board of directors president Dianne Barlow told WALB the ex-chief had been fired because she 'did not perform her duties'. Putting a cat down by breaking its neck falls way outside the sanctuary's protocol. The society states on its website its mission is to be the last hope for the 4,000 to 5,000 animals they take care of a year. A statement reads: 'The Albany Humane Society is dedicated to the welfare of animals who cannot speak for themselves.If we are to continue meeting the needs of hungry, sick and homeless animals, we will need your help. 'We presently provide housing for the animals of Albany and Dougherty County. 'We accept strays turned in by concerned citizens, as well as pets surrendered by their owners. Our goals are to reduce pet overpopulation, provide pet education and provide compassionate care for unwanted animals.' The task facing Theresa May to get Brexit legislation through parliament was underlined today when John Bercow warned he would not hesitate to trigger difficult votes. The Speaker insisted 'nothing is too toxic' for the Commons to debate as he set the stage for battles over citizens' rights, trade deals, and so-called Henry VIII powers. Mr Bercow also put the PM on notice over the new Tory tactic of boycotting Labour motions in the chamber where they risk defeat. Mr Bercow made his combative comments as he took part in a question and answer session set up by the Institute for Government in central London this afternoon The combative comments came as Mr Bercow took part in a question and answer session set up by the Institute for Government in central London this afternoon. Mr Bercow, who has repeatedly faced criticism for being too outspoken while chair of the House, made clear he had no intention of taking a less controversial approach. He said he thought Mrs May should face an hour-long grilling at Prime Minister's Questions. The session is currently supposed to run for 30 minutes, although it has been going on for over 45 minutes recently and Mr Bercow admitted he allows 'injury time' to make up for interruptions from rowdy behaviour. Mr Bercow also hit out at the 'quite extraordinary' comments reportedly made by George Osborne about wanting Theresa May 'chopped up' in his freezer. And he condemned the 'patently absurd' size of the House of Lords, arguing it could be halved. Without a Commons majority for her party, Mrs May is vulnerable to rebellions over amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill. The Speaker will make the final choice of amendments selected for debates and votes at the crucial report stage of the legislation. Stressing his duty to the Commons and the wider public, Mr Bercow said: 'I have not shown myself reluctant over the years to select amendments for debate and vote which may not be for the convenience of the executive.' He added: 'Nothing is too toxic for Parliament to consider.' Mr Bercow, who has previously admitted backing Remain, hinted at concerns over David Cameron's reasons for calling the EU referendum, but said the former prime minister did the 'honourable' thing by quitting after he lost the public vote. Theresa May is vulnerable to rebellions over amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill A referendum on EU membership could have been justified because as a way of settling the issue because all the main parties backed staying in the bloc, a general election was not the way to settle the matter, he said. 'I leave you to judge whether this referendum was called on that basis, and some of you may think it was, others of you may think it was called as a means by which to facilitate effective party management or the crowding out of another political force,' he said. 'The former argument for a referendum is compelling, the latter argument less so.' Tory sources have indicated that given the 'pretty heavy legislative agenda' the whips 'are not necessarily going to ask Tory MPs to vote on non-binding opposition motions'. Mr Bercow said he would be discussing the situation with the Government and added: 'Parliamentary votes do matter. I think it would be a very worrying development if they were to be treated lightly or disregarded.' He said it would be a 'matter of widespread concern' if it was to happen on a 'regular basis', but he wanted to hear what the Government had to say on the matter. A good Samaritan trying to help out an elderly woman had the tables turned on him when the thug lurched at him instead. Shocking footage taken on Monday outside a Coles south of Melbourne shows a 29-year-old man holding the woman in a headlock as Alex rushed over to help. He had seen the man and his friend taunting the woman's dog, and when she moved it away, Alex told 7 News the men followed her and shouted threats against her dog. He claims the men were threatening to kick and kill her dog before one man shoved the elderly woman against a wall and to the ground. A man held an elderly woman in a headlock (pictured) outside a Coles after taunting and threatening to kill her dog After confronting the thug, Alex found himself in danger as the 29-year-old turned on him. CCTV vision from the nearby service station shows Alex being beaten up in the drive way. As he is kicked and punched, a car is seen, brake lights on, waiting to get past. The man inside is not seen moving until the thug loses interest in beating up Alex and walks away. Good Samaritan Alex rushed over to help her, but the thug turned on him instead, leaving him with a black eye Footage shows him being attacked as a running car waits right next to them to leave the scene (pictured) But he changes his mind, with footage showing the man come back for a second round, where it appears both Alex and the driver find themselves in trouble. Police told Daily Mail Australia Alex and the woman were treated at the scene for non-life threatening injuries. The 29-year-old Sandringham man was arrested at a house in Hampton East later that night, and charged with assault related offences. He was bailed to appear at Moorabbin Magistrate's Court on November 27. Photographs of a Porsche-driving lawyer's daughter who shot a homeless man twice claiming she was in fear of her life appear on a website where she is described as a stripper and $800-an-hour escort. Katie Layne Quackenbush, 26, has been charged with attempted murder for shooting 54-year-old Gerald Melton twice on August 26 at 3am near Nashville's Music Row. Police say she got out of her white Porsche Cayenne and shot the man after he asked her to turn her music down. Her father, prominent Texas defense attorney Jesse Quackenbush, insisted to DailyMail.com that she was acting in self-defense and said was a good-hearted single mom who is trying to make her way in Nashville as a country star. He declined to comment on Thursday when contacted about her past but described her as an 'innocent woman'. He previously said the Nashville Metro Police Department is making an example out of her and claims they are ignoring her version of events which paint Melton as a deranged and schizophrenic vagrant who threatened her life and banged on her car windows. As she awaited her next court date on Thursday after posting $25,000 in bail, photographs of her on explicit adult websites emerged. Photographs of Katie Quackenbush, 26, appear on an escort website service in Nashville under the name of Presley Scott. She was charged with attempted murder earlier this month for shooting a homeless man outside her Porsche SUV They offer the services of a woman calling herself Presley Scott who charges $800-an-hour for her services. 54-year-old Gerald Melton remains in a Nashville hospital in a stable condition after being shot on August 26 She also appears under the name Bubbles on a website for glamour models. The woman's former fiance has also come forward after learning of her arrest in the news and says he is not the least bit surprised by it. 'This is just like, completely in her character. This really doesn't surprise me at all. This sounds just like her,' Ian McGrath said in a YouTube video. He claimed the pair dated 'on and off' for a year-and-a-half in 2011 and were engaged. Quackenbush, who has a five-year-old son with a different man, was working at the time as a professional skier and stripper but was pursuing her dreams of becoming a musician, he said. The pair shared an apartment in Denver but, McGrath said, she 'had a superiority complex' about 'being rich'. Photographs of Katie appear on the website Eros.com where an ad describes her as an 'escort and dancer' The woman in the ad is described as a 'dancer and escort' who is interested in 'fantasy and fetish' The woman appears in several provocative selfies. She was previously described by her father as a struggling musician and single mom Quackenbush's distinctive tattoos are shown in the images on the escort website DailyMail.com previously reported on the fact that Quackenbush had been arrested in 2013 for assault causing bodily injury. Her father said the arrest stemmed from a 'squabble' with her mother, the charged were dropped and that she has no criminal convictions. McGrath said she also had a $2.5million trust fund which he said she would only have access to if she had no felony convictions. Jesse Quackenbush told DailyMail.com his daughter had only had one drink when she drove her friend back to her car after partying together. Ian McGrath (left) said he and Quackenbush (center) were 'on and off' for a year-and-a-half and were engaged in 2011. He said the shooting was 'in character' for her and that she was 'volatile' during their relationship McGrath (left now) said Quackenbush has a 'superiority complex' when they were dating which related to money She got his nickname, Stinks, tattooed above her left breast before they parted ways Quackenbush was arrested in 2013 for assaulting her mother but the charges were later dropped He said they saw Melton, who has a brief criminal history for trespassing, violently harassing another group of girls. He then approached his daughter's SUV and started 'banging on the windows' and threatening to kill her. 'She said "I have a gun" twice. 'He came at her, she fired what she thought was a warning shot and fired a second one when he kept coming at her. 'She ran back to the car and left with her friend,' her father said. The pair then went to a restaurant to have breakfast and Quackenbush 'kept her composure probably better than any police officer would have,' her father said. Quackenbush , 26, is pictured with her five-year-old son Ripp. Her father insists she is law abiding and 'innocent' but that she is being targeted by Nashville police who want to make an example out of her Layne is seen above in a video where she raps her song 'Ski Tips Up H**s Down' When they returned to the scene so that her friend could finally retrieve her car, it was swarming with police and had been taped off. Her father, prominent Texas defense attorney Jesse Quackenbush, insisted to DailyMail.com that she was acting in self-defense 'The next day they're hearing in the news that police are looking for two blonde females who shot a homeless man,' Mr. Quackenbush continued. Upon his advice, his daughter contacted police and handed in the gun which, her father said, she has for self-protection, he said. She has a five-year-old son who, despite 'struggling to make a living', she puts through private school. He believes she is being unfairly prosecuted and that authorities are intentionally ignoring any threat Melton may have posed. 'The guy's obviously schizophrenic in the opinion of my daughter and her friend and other people,' Mr. Quackenbush said. Quackenbush?s father lives in this $890,000 home in Amarillo, Texas. Her ex-boyfriend says she has a 'superiority complex' about wealth and has a $2.5million trust fund Sean Caffrey, 25, admitted an offence under the Computer Misuse Act in June and was today sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for the same period A British computer hacker who gained unauthorised access to data from US military communication systems has been handed a suspended prison sentence. Sean Caffrey, 25, admitted an offence under the Computer Misuse Act in June and was today sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for the same period. Birmingham Crown Court heard Caffrey stole usernames and email addresses of over 800 users of a satellite communication system and 30,000 satellite phones. The American Department of Defense said the 2014 attack took 50 hours to repair at a cost of more than $600,000 (c. 450,000 at current exchange rate). Rose-Marie Franton acted for the Crown Prosecution Service against Caffrey, from Sutton Coldfield. She said: 'By infiltrating the computer systems of the American military, Sean Caffrey caused an international security breach which cost hundreds of thousands to fix. 'Despite his efforts to mask his online identity, the prosecution was able to build a compelling case against him. Faced with the evidence, Caffrey admitted his guilt.' Neighbours described Caffrey as a recluse who even developed a fake American accent. One woman told the Birmingham Mail: 'He had problems, he started drinking and that caused trouble. 'He stayed in for years. He was a recluse and was always on the computer. 'He became a recluse, and stayed in all the time. Bizarrely, he developed an American accent.' Jean-Claude Juncker, seen delivering his state of the EU address in Strasbourg yesterday, said today he did not believe there would be 'hard Brexit' Jean-Claude Juncker today denied wanting to punish the UK for Brexit - and said he believed there would be a deal struck when we leave. The European Commission President said his 'hypothesis' was that an agreement would be reached to avoid 'hard Brexit'. He also denied threatening the UK by warning we would 'regret' the decision to quit the bloc. During a question and answer session with young YouTube users today, Mr Juncker said: 'My working hypothesis is that there will be a deal. 'I don't want to imagine a situation where Britain will leave like that, saying goodbye without there being an arrangement for the future. 'I don't envisage what people call a "hard Brexit".' Concerns have been raised about the prospect of a deal because the EU has refused to discuss future trade terms until there has been progress on the terms of the divorce - including the bill it says Britain must pay. Mr Juncker said his remark about the UK 'regretting' Brexit was 'not a threat' but a 'response to an interruption by the far-right' during his state of the EU speech in parliament yesterday. 'I don't want to punish, sanction or make Britain suffer,' Mr Juncker said. 'I like the English too much'. In another boost for Theresa May, Jyrki Katainen, a European Commission vice-president said the idea the UK was at the back of the queue for a trade deal was 'nonsense'. MAY NARROWLY AVOIDS HUMILIATING LEAK OF EU SPEECH Photographer Steve Back revealed on Twitter today that he had caught out another official in Downing Street Theresa May narrowly avoided a highly embarrassing leak of her crucial keynote speech on Brexit today. An official was photographed carelessly carrying a draft of the address in Downing Street. Fortunately for the PM, the text was almost all covered by a black notebook. The title 'Florence Working Draft' could be seen, and a word count of 4,980 words. There are also references on the opening page to the Renaissance and migration. Advertisement 'As soon as we know when we can start negotiating about the future arrangement, (trade) negotiations will start then. From our side there is no political priority that we want to keep the UK last in the row,' she said. In what appeared to be a pointed jibe, Mr Juncker opened his speech yesterday in English talking about the past. But he then switched to French to discuss his vision for the future. The commission president seized on a recent economic uptick by EU states to say many of its difficulties were being overcome. The last two years have been dominated by the Greek debt crisis, mass movement of migrants across the Mediterranean, and the Brexit vote. Speaking at the EU parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Juncker said: 'The wind is back in Europe's sails... 'Let's make the most to catch the wind in our sails.' Mr Juncker said the euro was 'destined to by the common currency of the entire union area'. He said trade talks should be opened with Australia and New Zealand - insisting he wanted deals to be struck by the time he leaves office in 2019. Mr Juncker said he had 'agonised' over Europe and been through 'thick and thin' with the bloc. 'The EU has achieved so much in this divided world, inward and outward peace... prosperity for many,' he said. 'Europe is about more than the single market.' Mr Juncker mocked Donald Trump's campaign slogan as he painted the EU as the future of 'humanity'. 'Set against the collapse of ambition in the United States, Europe will ensure we make our planet great again. It is the shared heritage of all of humanity,' he said. Mr Juncker said the EU should not 'annoy' citizens by 'nitpicking', but should concentrate on the 'big things' and leave the 'small things' to nation states. The PM (pictured in Downing Street yesterday) is set to make a major speech in Florence before the next round of Brexit talks get under way Mr Juncker showed his affection for commission vice president Frans Timmermans before delivering his address yesterday Mr Juncker insisted the 'wind is back in Europe's sails' yesterday as he boasted that countries were clamouring to do trade deals But former Ukip leader Nigel Farage responded to Juncker's plans by telling him: 'Thank God we're leaving - you've learnt nothing from Brexit.' It has been confirmed that the next round of Brexit talks will take place on September 25 - later than had been expected. The discussions between Brussels' chief negotiator Michel Barnier and Brexit Secretary David Davis had been due to begin on Monday in Brussels. Last week a row erupted when EU minutes revealed disparaging comments about the British team. Mrs May intends to make a major intervention before that in a speech in Florence on September 21. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson today vowed that Donald Trump's America would be a 'steadfast ally' to Britain during Brexit. Mr Tillerson vowed to stand shoulder to shoulder with the UK in a joint press conference with Boris Johnson at the Foreign Office. The Secretary of State and Foreign Secretary appeared together following a day of talks on international security taking in North Korea, Iran and Libya. The comments will renew hopes of Britain striking a quick trade deal with the US after Brexit takes place in March 2019. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (pictured today at the Foreign Office) has vowed that Donald Trump's America would be a 'steadfast ally' to Britain during Brexit Mr Tillerson vowed to stand shoulder to shoulder with the UK in a joint press conference with Boris Johnson at the Foreign Office Mr Tillerson said: 'While Brexit does present unique challenges to the British people, please know you have a steadfast ally in the United States 'We will stand by our ally as Brexit continues to take shape. We look forward to continuing this alliance.' Mr Tillerson earlier met Prime Minister Theresa May and the pair agreed to keep up the international pressure on North Korea at Downing Street talks today. Britain has been a vocal supporter of tough new sanctions imposed at the United Nations Security Council after a series of North Korean nuclear tests. Mr Tillerson visited No 10 for detailed talks with the UK National Security Adviser Mark Sedwill today before a broader meeting with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. Theresa May and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (pictured today arriving in Downing Street) agreed to keep up the international pressure on North Korea at Downing Street talks Mr Tillerson visited No 10 for detailed talks with the UK National Security Adviser Mark Sedwill today before a broader meeting with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson The US delegation swept into No 10 this morning (pictured) without a moment's pause to set our their priorities for the day's meetings This morning's talks focused on the international threat from North Korea and Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. After Mrs May dropped into the No 10 meeting, her spokesman told reporters: '(They) touched on the Iran nuclear deal, the PM underlining its importance in preventing Iran from procuring nuclear weapons. 'They also discussed North Korea and its continuing destabilising activities. 'They agreed on the importance of the international community continuing to work together to put pressure on the regime.' Mr Johnson will hold joint talks with Mr Tillerson and French political director Nicolas de Riviere about the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. The trio will also discuss fresh ways to respond to North Korea's latest nuclear test after the UN security council approved new sanctions against Pyongyang. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (pictured at the Foriegn Office today) is holdinh joint talks with Mr Tillerson and French political director Nicolas de Riviere about the aftermath of Hurricane Irma A wider meeting involving the Italian and Egyptian governments (pictured) was convened by Mr Johnson too review the latest developments in Libya Today's meeting (pictured) is intended to try and find a way to break the political deadlock in Libya and bring stability to the North African country The Foreign Secretary will also chair a meeting on the situation in Libya with Mr Tillerson, and the French political director, as well as the Italian and Egyptian foreign ministers, and representatives from the UN and United Arab Emirates. The meeting is intended to try and find a way to break the political deadlock in Libya and bring stability to the North African country in a bid to help deal with the issue of illegal migration. Speaking ahead of the meetings, the Foreign Secretary said: 'I've seen first-hand the devastation Hurricane Irma has caused people in the Caribbean. Close coordination with our allies is vital for both the short-term and long-term recovery efforts. 'Britain will continue to work closely alongside our partners to tackle the shared challenges we face worldwide.' Donna Horger (pictured), 50, was charged with attempted murder after allegedly confessing to trying to kill her mother Police say a Pennsylvania pharmacist tried to kill her chronically ill mother by repeatedly injecting her with insulin. Fifty-year-old Donna Horger, of Feasterville-Trevose, Bucks County, was arrested and charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, recklessly endangering another person and neglect of care for a dependent person. Her 74-year-old mother, Mary, was found unresponsive at Immaculate Mary Nursing Home in Philadelphia, then moved to Abington Memorial Hospital with low-blood sugar in August. Three days later, she was taken to the hospital unconscious with the same symptoms. Nine days after that, she had low blood sugar again. Doctors started to become suspicious with the unusual symptoms, and checked if the condition was caused by an outside source. When results came back, doctors were able to determined that insulin injections were the cause. Authorities noted that Mary Horger suffers from dementia and osteoporosis, leaving her virtually immobile. Despite Mary Horger's numerous ailments, she was not a diabetic. Scroll down for video Doctors became suspicious after Mary Horger repeatedly came to the hospital with low blood sugar. Abington Memorial Hospital is seen above When Abington Township police were called they began interviewing medical staff at the hospital. Employees informed police that the only other person who had visited Mary Horger was her daughter. When police realized that Donna Horger was not only a pharmacist but was also licensed to administer injections, they took her in for questioning. Soon after, authorities say that Horger confessed to administering the insulin injections, allegedly telling the police that she hoped the shots would help end her mother's pain. Defense attorney Fortunato Perry Jr says his client loves her mother and was just trying to put 'her mother at peace and end her suffering.' She's free on bond and faces a September 20 preliminary hearing. Hurricane Max made landfall on Mexico's southern Pacific coast Thursday bearing down near a region popular with tourists that includes resorts like Acapulco, Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo. The U.S. National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for Max for the coastline between Zihuatanejo and Punta Maldonado. The center said Max should weaken as it moves over land but could bring 'life-threatening flash floods and rainfall' to Guerrero and Oaxaca states. Max had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph, was located about 55 miles east-southeast of Acapulco and was heading toward the east at 8 mph, the hurricane center reported. The satellite image above shows Hurricane Max (right) and Tropical Storm Norma (left) on Thursday. Max made landfall in Mexico, whipping its Pacific coast with winds of 80 miles per hour. The Category One storm hit the coast of southwestern Guerrero state The hurricane is expected to pour heavy rain on neighboring Oaxaca, still suffering the effects of a massive earthquake last week. Above a man tries to ride his motorcycle through the flooding in Acapulco Thursday The U.S. National Hurricane Center issued a hurricane warning for Max for the coastline between Zihuatanejo and Punta Maldonado. The hurricane center said Max should weaken as it moves over land. Above people walk under a downpour on a flooded street in Acapulco on Thursday Officials say Max could bring 'life-threatening flash floods and rainfall' to Guerrero and Oaxaca states. Above a man wades through a street flooded by the intense rains of Hurricane Max in Acapulco Thursday Max had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph, was located about 55 miles east-southeast of Acapulco, the hurricane center reported. Above a resident tries to ride his motorcycle through the water Thursday in Acapulco The hurricane center reported that Max was heading toward the east at 8 mph. Above a taxi speeds along a rain flooded street in Acapulco on Thursday The area where Max is making landfall is a sparsely populated area dotted with fishing villages. Acapulco, about 30 miles from where the hurricane made landfall, was hit by strong winds and rain that blew down some branches on the city's coastal boulevard. The storm could be bad news for Acapulco as the city prepares to host tourists who travel to the city to celebrate Mexico's Independence Day celebrations which are this weekend. In the state of Guerrero, home to some of Mexico's major tourist resorts, Max could dump as much as 10 inches of rain, the NHC said. AccuWeather Meteorologist Steve D. Travis said: 'Max will bring the biggest threat for flooding across the state of Guerrero, including Acapulco, into Friday morning' Max (above right) is expected to weaken as Tropical Storm Norma (left) is located about 360 miles south of the twin resorts of Los Cabos at the peninsula's southern tip Fishermen take their boats out of the sea in anticipation of the arrival of hurricane Max in Puerto Marquez on Thursday In the state of Guerrero, home to some of Mexico's major tourist resorts, Max could dump as much as 10 inches of rain. Pictured above are fallen trees on the Miguel Aleman coast, in Acapulco on Thursday Max arrives a week after a powerful 8.1 magnitude quake shook southern Mexico, destroying buildings in the state of Oaxaca and killing at least 98 people nationwide. Above an Acapulco beach is pictured on Thursday Above a soldier stands guard atop a vehicle along the street in Acapulco Thursday Max arrives a week after a powerful 8.1 magnitude quake shook southern Mexico, destroying buildings in the state of Oaxaca and killing at least 98 people nationwide. Category 1 is the lowest level on the five-tier Saffir-Simpson scale that measures hurricane wind speeds. Also Thursday, Tropical Storm Norma formed farther out to the west in the Pacific and was expected to strengthen and head toward the resort-studded Baja California Peninsula. A man looks out at the Pacific ocean after heavy waves caused by approaching Hurricane Max took away part of the beach in Pie de La Cuesta, on the outskirts of Acapulco on Thursday A billboard knocked down by strong winds is seen before the arrival of hurricane Max in Puerto Marquez on Thursday Norma was located about 360 miles south of the twin resorts of Los Cabos at the peninsula's southern tip. The storm had winds of 45 mph and was moving north at 6 mph. On that track Norma could be at hurricane strength near Los Cabos by Sunday or Monday. Los Cabos was hit by Tropical Storm Lidia in early September, causing at least five deaths. Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas. BRADLEY RAY McCLINTOCK, Appellant v. THE STATE OF TEXAS NO. PD-1641-15 Decided: September 13, 2017 DISSENTING OPINION ON REHEARING In contrast to this Court's refusal to grant the motion for rehearing filed by Bradley Ray McClintock, appellant, I would instead grant his motion and rehear the case. On original submission, this Court held, for the first time, that when a magistrate and search-warrant affiant believe that a warrant is being issued based upon probable cause under the existing law, but they are reasonably wrong about the existing law due to this Court's mistaken statements about the law, then the evidence need not be suppressed. See McClintock v. State, No. PD-1641-15, 2017 WL 1076289, at *7 (Tex. Crim. App. March 22, 2017). I dissented. In my dissenting opinion, I explained that I would have held that the plain language in Article 38.23 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure requires the suppression of the evidence because the good-faith exception for warrants is inapplicable under the facts of this case. See id. at *8 (Alcala, J., dissenting); TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. art 38.23. I explained that the good-faith exception in Article 38.23(b) was inapplicable because the statute's requirement of a warrant based upon probable cause plainly requires probable cause under a correct application of the law. See TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. art. 38.23(b). I noted that this Court's longstanding precedent supported my assessment of the plain language in the statute. See McClintock, 2017 WL 1076289, at *9. Given this, I indicated that the statutory good-faith exception should not apply to this case because, as this Court held in our earlier opinion in this case, no probable cause supported the search warrant that was issued. See McClintock v. State, 444 S.W.3d 15, 19-20 (Tex. Crim. App. 2014). In the absence of probable cause under a correct application of the law, the general rule in Article 38.23(a) applies and requires that the evidence in this case be suppressed. See TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. art. 38.23(a). Rather than repeat my earlier dissenting opinion in this case, I issue the instant dissenting opinion on rehearing to address appellant's arguments presented in his motion for rehearing. In his motion for rehearing, appellant makes three points. First, he asserts that this Court's majority opinion failed to consider the particular facts about appellant's apartment and its landing before summarily concluding that the scope of an apartment's curtilage is close and contentious. Second, he contends that the standard employed by this Court's majority opinion creates an unduly broad good-faith exception applicable anytime the law regarding a predicate search is not crystal clear. Third, he argues that this case should be remanded for consideration of whether the good-faith exception is inapplicable due to the intentionally or recklessly made false statements and omissions in the affidavit. Each of these arguments is worthy of this Court's attention and presents a valid basis for withdrawing the earlier majority opinion in this case. A. The Majority Opinion Did Not Analyze the Facts of Appellant's Case or Consider Relevant Texas Precedent Appellant suggests that this Court's majority opinion did not analyze the curtilage issue on the facts of this particular case, and he asserts that this analysis would reveal that the curtilage issue is not close and contentious, as the majority opinion determined. See McClintock, 2017 WL 1076289, at *8. As appellant notes, unlike the apartment in State v. Rendon, 477 S.W.3d 805 (Tex. Crim. App. 2015), which presented a close and contentious question about the extent of its curtilage, the landing outside of appellant's rear door did not present a close or contentious question about whether it was within his apartment's curtilage. Appellant's landing was not visible to the public or other tenants, was accessible only from a private lot, led to appellant's apartment only, and was used by appellant for domestic activities. Furthermore, unlike in Rendon, where the facts showed that Rendon would expect members of the public to approach, here the entry used by the police was at the back door, and the police's entry onto the landing occurred in the middle of the night. Because of the significant factual differences between Rendon and this case, this Court's majority opinion should not have relied on the dispute about the boundaries of curtilage in Rendon to affect the decision about whether there was any real dispute about curtilage in this case. Although it impacted the legality of an intrusion into the curtilage in factual scenarios like Rendon's, the Supreme Court's decision in Jardines was immaterial to these facts that, under Texas law, would have required a search warrant even pre-Jardines. See Florida v. Jardines, 569 U.S. 1 (2013). As appellant observes, Well before the challenged police conduct [,] this Court had recognized that, while an officer is authorized by well-established community custom to enter curtilage for the purpose of knocking on the front door, once he deviates from this purpose he has no right to be there. See Bower v. State, 769 S.W.2d 887, 897 (Tex. Crim. App. 1989), cert. denied, 492 U.S. 927 (1989). Appellant contends that an officer who was reasonably informed as to the law should have known, even before Jardines, that warrantless entry onto curtilage would clearly foreclose an entry made in the middle of the night solely for the purpose of conducting a dog-sniff. Appellant concludes that the good faith issue cannot be fairly resolved without addressing the relevant Texas law on the limited license to enter curtilage. I agree with appellant that the majority opinion failed to consider whether this Court's analysis in Rendon and Bowers actually supports a conclusion that the private rear-access, second-floor landing to appellant's apartment clearly constituted protected curtilage and that a reasonably well-informed officer would have known that an intrusion into that space for the sole purpose of conducting a dog sniff was unlawful even prior to Jardines. Because this Court's decision did not consider the significance of established precedent in light of the facts of the instant case, I would grant appellant's motion for rehearing on that basis. B. The Newly Created Good Faith Exception is Unduly Broad Additionally, appellant argues that this Court's new close enough standard now creates a broad good-faith exception that is applicable anytime the law regarding a predicate search/seizure is not crystal clear because there is no binding precedent directly on point. He continues that this standard would embrace nearly every contested predicate search/seizure issue because Fourth Amendment issues are rarely governed by bright-line categorical rules but rather by multi-factor, case-by-case, totality of the circumstances analysis. Furthermore, he observes that, [n]otably, this standard is the opposite of [the] Supreme Court's application of the good-faith exception in Davis [v. United States], where the court excused conduct that was clearly lawful, i.e., in strict compliance with binding precedent that specifically authorizes a particular police practice. See Davis v. United States, 564 U.S. 229, 239-41 (2011). Because this Court's close enough to the line of validity standard would uphold police searches unless the conduct had been expressly announced as unlawful by binding authority, appellant contends that this Court should grant rehearing to clarify how precedent existing at the time of the predicate search should be analyzed in the determination of whether the police conduct was close enough to being lawful. This analysis, he argues, should (1) apply the existing law defining curtilage to the facts of this case; (2) address how this Court's precedent limiting the license to approach a residence door should be weighed against any competing precedent that would support a finding of good faith; and (3) define the degree of clarity that would foreclose the exception, i.e., must it be crystal clear that the conduct was unlawful, or only reasonably clear. I agree with appellant that this Court's majority opinion has left too many unanswered questions and presents an unworkable standard for courts and police to follow. I would grant rehearing to address these matters. C. Alternatively, This Court Should Remand this Case to the Court of Appeals Appellant argues, in the alternative, that this case should be remanded to the court of appeals for consideration of whether the good-faith exception is inapplicable due to intentionally or recklessly made false statements and omissions in the affidavit. See Franks v. Delaware, 438 U.S. 154 (1978) (if a probable cause affidavit contains a false statement made either knowingly and intentionally or with reckless disregard for the truth, such statement must be excised from the affidavit); United States v. Leon, 468 U.S. 897 (1984) (good-faith exception is inappropriate when police are dishonest or reckless in preparing warrant affidavit). Appellant asserts that the affiant stated that the rear of the duplex was a public parking area and that the rear staircase was open to the public. Appellant argues that both statements are demonstrably false. The owner of the premises informed the trial court that the rear staircase was for tenant use only and that visitors and delivery personnel accessed the apartment through the front door. Furthermore, the vehicles in the rear parking area were registered to the two owners of the first-level business and to appellant, rather than to visitors of the premises. Because appellant made these arguments to the court of appeals and they would be an independent basis on which to hold that the search warrant was invalid, I would remand this case to the court of appeals for it to address these arguments in the first instance. I would apply the plain language of the Article 38.23 good-faith exception that requires the exclusion of the evidence obtained by a search warrant that was issued in the absence of probable cause. I, therefore, would grant rehearing in this case and issue a new majority opinion affirming the judgment of the court of appeals. Because this Court does not, I respectfully dissent. FOOTNOTES . Article 38.23 states,(a) No evidence obtained by an officer or other person in violation of any provisions of the Constitution or laws of the State of Texas, or of the Constitution or laws of the United States of America, shall be admitted in evidence against the accused on the trial of any criminal case.***(b) It is an exception to the provisions of Subsection (a) of this Article that the evidence was obtained by a law enforcement officer acting in objective good faith reliance upon a warrant issued by a neutral magistrate based upon probable cause.TEX. CODE CRIM. PROC. art. 38.23. . See Curry v. State, 808 S.W.2d 481, 482 (Tex. Crim. App. 1991) (The plain wording of Art. 38.23(b) requires an initial determination of probable cause.). Because an initial determination of probable cause is necessary, the good faith exception in Subsection (b) has been satisfied only in cases involving technical defects in warrants, not warrants issued in the absence of valid probable cause under a correct application of the law. See, e.g., Dunn v. State, 951 S.W.2d 478, 479 (Tex. Crim. App. 1997). . Appellant also cites to a recent decision from the Michigan Supreme Court that discusses good faith in the context of a late night approach to the door of a residence. See People v. Frederick, 895 N.W.2d 541, 546-47 (Mich. 2017). The Michigan Supreme Court held that the police exceeded any implied license when they approached a residence's door in the middle of the night, explaining that there were different expectations of visitors in the middle of the day as compared to late at night. Id. It stated, [T]here is generally no implied license to knock at someone's door in the middle of the night. Id. ALCALA, J., filed a dissenting opinion in which WALKER, J., joined. A 'ton' of medical staff crowded into a Pennsylvania operating room to take photographs of an unconscious patient's genitals, an investigation has uncovered. Three physicians were suspended after the 'chaos' in which the staff used their cell phones to photograph the patient, who had been submitted after a 'foreign object' was inserted into their genitals, the state's Department of Health said. 'I was attending to the patient and at one point when I looked up, there were so many people it looked like a cheerleader-type pyramid,' a surgeon at UPMC Bedford Memorial hospital told investigators. A patient at UPMC Bedford Memorial hospital (pictured) had photos of their genitals taken while they were unconscious in December; those photos were then shared with others The incident, which occurred on December 23, began when a patient arrived at the hospital needing a foreign object removed from their genitals. Exactly what the object was is unclear, but the report says that the tools used to extract it created 'sparks' that required protective eyewear. As word of the anomaly spread around the hospital, staff scurried up to see what was happening. No-one is named in the report. At one point when I looked up, there were so many people it looked like a cheerleader-type pyramid Operating surgeon 'EMP5,' quoted in Department of Health report One surgeon, identified only as EMP11, said they had been repairing a patient's tendon when 'one of the OR staff came into the room and said that there was a patient in the ER with a genital injury. 'I thought, "How does this happen?" I was curious, I couldn't imagine how the patient did it,' they said. They wrapped up their work and headed to the room to find 'quite a crowd' already there. At least 15 members of staff are identified as being on the scene, of whom only six were actually there to care for the patient. 'I did not have a purpose to be in there,' EMP11 admitted. 'It was sheer curiosity. I did take pictures and shared them with my spouse...' Doctors wanted one photo for a lecture, but several of the 15 people crowded into the room used their phones because the official camera was said to be 'broken' They weren't the only ones whipping out cameras to snap the unfortunate patient, according to the report. One physician - identified as attending surgeon EMP6 - asked for a photo to be taken 'for future medical lectures'. It was sheer curiosity. I did take pictures and shared them with my spouse...' Staff member 'EMP11,' quoted in Department of Health report 'We have a camera in the OR for that purpose, but it was reportedly broken and so personal phones were used,' the Department of Health said. 'Initially, we thought there was only one picture taken but later we learned of others.' But it was clear to everyone present that the staff were clamoring for pictures of the bizarre scene, the report said. In fact, one witness said that there were 'multiple people lined up at the door to take pictures.' One person performing the operation, EMP6, told staff to wait until the patient was asleep - but then another took their phone out 'before the case was done,' according to the report. 'I could not hold anyone back,' said EMP6, 'in the spirit of a medical anomaly I told them they could come in once the patient was asleep.' I received a picture text on my phone... We do pass on interesting stuff... Staff member 'EMP3,' quoted in Department of Health report They also said: 'I did not ask the patient for permission to photograph their genital area prior to the start of the procedure... Generally, we don't tell that to the patient.' He also said that the patent's consent form 'covers' such things: 'I was very busy taking care of patients that day, can't read words verbatim on the consent, but I know the consent covers it.' Another member of staff eventually had to bring in a poster saying 'no pics' to get them to stop, according to the report. And once those pictures were taken, they appeared to go viral. A technician at another facility in Pittsburgh allegedly received a copy; another one was requested to be sent to someone in Medical Records. 'It was a couple days before Christmas, I received a picture text on my phone from Anesthesia, made a comment and moved on,' one member of staff said. 'We do pass on interesting stuff...' And as one final indignity, the Department of Health said, there was no need for anyone to use their cell phones in the first place. 'We also had the [operating theater] camera checked out,' it said, 'it is working, it is just too complicated to use.' The hospital was cited for three violations: not protecting the patient's privacy, letting unauthorized people into the room; and letting them use personal devices to take photos of the patient. I did not ask the patient for permission to photograph their genital area... Generally, we don't tell that to the patient Attending surgeon 'EMP6', quoted in Department of Health report One surgeon was suspended for seven days; another for 28 days; and the surgical services nursing director is being replaced, the Department said. Both also had to sit on privacy and ethics courses. A memo was also sent out to staff members regarding privacy rules. There is no mention of any fines. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), which runs the hospital, said in a statement: 'UPMC is committed to ensuring that our patients' health information remains confidential. 'The behavior reported in this case is abhorrent and violates the mission of UPMC Bedford Memorial and the overall values of UPMC. 'Upon discovery, UPMC quickly self-reported the incident to the Pennsylvania Department of Health and took appropriate disciplinary action with the individuals involved. 'The Department of Health has approved our plan of correction. We have also alerted the affected patient. Since this is an ongoing investigation, we are not at liberty to comment further at this time.' Heather Heyer's name was spray painted onto a statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee in Roanoke, Virginia, according to police. The Roanoke City Police are looking into the defacement of the memorial in downtown Roanoke. The vandal used spray paint and motor oil to write the words 'Rest in Power Heather Heyer,' Roanoke Police Spokesman Scott Leamon told WDBJ7. He said they were informed about the vandalism around 5am Thursday morning. Heather Heyer's name was spray painted onto a statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee in Roanoke, Virginia, according to police. A cleanup crew is pictured trying to remove the spray paint and motor oil Heyer died last month after a car mowed down a group of people protesting a Unite The Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Heather Heyer died last month after a car mowed down a group of people protesting a Unite The Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia White nationalists were there to show their support for the city's statue of Lee that officials plan to remove. Leamon explained that a television crew discovered the writing this morning. The site of the Lee statue is right next to the WSLS TV station building, and Leamon said police are going to check if any of the nearby surveillance cameras caught the vandal. Maintenance crews have been called to clean off the statue. Currently there are no suspects, but police have urged anyone with information to come forward. The vandalism comes amid a wide call to remove all remaining monuments to the confederacy around the United States. On August 12 there was a violent clash between a group of white supremacists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville. Pictured are hundreds of white nationalist walking through the streets and hurling water bottles at counter protesters There are currently 718 confederate statues and monuments in the United States- and 300 are in either Georgia, Virginia, or North Carolina, according to a study by the Southern Poverty Law Center. On August 12 there was a violent clash between a group of white supremacists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville. The Unite The Right group showed up to protest the removal of confederate general Robert E Lee, which was commissioned in 1917 and built in 1924 - nearly 60 years after the end of the Civil War. The protest ended when a white supremacist drove his car through a crowd of counter protesters and killed Heyer, who was just 32. Madame 'boss': Jessica Copeland, 29, dubbed 'China White,' has pleaded guilty to a human trafficking charge for her role as a 'boss' in a prostitution ring that was pimping out a 16-year-old girl who has been reported missing from Brooklyn A New Jersey woman dubbed China White has pleaded guilty to a human trafficking charge for her role in pimping out a 16-year-old girl who has been reported missing from Brooklyn. Jessica Copeland, 29, of Newark, acted as a boss, or bottom, over prostitutes in a sex trafficking ring, according to a detailed press release from the office of New Jersey Attorney General Christopher. On Wednesday, Copeland pleaded guilty to a single count of second-degree facilitating human trafficking in Bergen County. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors will recommend that she be sentenced to six years in a state prison, and will become eligible for parole after three years. This defendant threatened a 16-year-old girl with violence to keep her trapped in a hellish life of sexual slavery, said Attorney General Porrino. This is a classic case of human trafficking, in which the perpetrators isolated and intimidated a vulnerable victim so they could exploit her for their profit. Copeland is due back in court for her sentencing on October 25. The 29-year-old was among five defendants who were indicted in the sex ring case in April 2015 as a result of an investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice and the South Hackensack Police Department. They were all charged with conspiring to traffic the 16-year-old girl from Brooklyn to northern New Jersey to make her work as a prostitute at motels in South Hackensack and Clifton. All in the family: Authorities say the New Jersey sex ring was being operated by Glen Bowman Sr (left) and his wife, Ernestine Bowman (right) The couples grown son, 23-year-old Glen Bowman Jr, previously pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy to promote prostitution Glen Bowman Sr., 42, of Newark, and his wife, Ernestine Bowman, 32, of Orange, allegedly ran the illegal operation. Mrs Bowman pleaded guilty in December to second-degree facilitating human trafficking and is facing 10 years in prison, with 39 months of parole ineligibility. Her husband has been charged with first-degree conspiracy, human trafficking and promoting prostitution of a minor pending against him. The couples grown son, 23-year-old Glen Bowman Jr, of Brooklyn, previously pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy to promote prostitution and faces seven years in prison. Another co-defendant tied to the trafficking operation, 33-year-old Tokina Williams, of Raleigh, North Carolina, has pleaded guilty to second-degree promoting prostitution. The investigation began in the fall of 2014 as an undercover operation spearheaded by the South Hackensack Police Department targeting a prostitution ring that advertised on the notorious classifieds site Backpage.com. Co-defendant: Tokina Williams, 33, has pleaded guilty to second-degree promoting prostitution in this case An undercover cop responded to an online ad offering escort services that featured a photo of a very young-looking girl with her breasts exposed, according to the statement from the Attorney Generals Office. The officer called the number in the ad on October 1, 2014, and a woman told him that he could have full sex with the girl in the photo for $160 cash at a motel on Route 46 in South Hackensack. The undercover cop was directed to a room, where a teenage girl answered the door. She repeated that the price of full sex was $160, which was then paid out to her in cash. The police officer masquerading as a john asked why the bathroom door in the motel room was closed and learned there was a woman in the bathroom, who turned out to be defendant Tokina Williams. The teenage girl invited Williams to come out and told her that the client had paid to have sex with both of them. That is when backup police officers converged on the room and arrested Williams and the 16-year-old. The teenager turned to have been reported missing out of Brooklyn. According to state officials, the victim met Glen Bowman Jr in Brooklyn several months earlier, and he allegedly conspired with his father to traffic her to New Jersey to work in the prostitution ring. It is alleged that both Glen Bowman Sr and Jessica Copeland threatened the teen with physical violence if she did not follow their rules and perform to their expectations. The defendants ferried the victim and other prostitutes to hotels and motels in South Hackensack, Clifton and other locations in northern New Jersey, where they had serviced clients. At the end of the day, the defendants allegedly picked them up and collected the money they had been paid. Huma Abedin is begging a federal court to grant leniency to her estranged husband Anthony Weiner as he faces prison time for sending sexual materials to a 15-year-old girl, saying a light sentence would be in the best interests of the couple's young son. Weiner, who pleaded guilty in May to federal obscenity charges related to his online sexual relationship with the teenager, is scheduled to be sentenced later this month. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, but prosecutors have requested between 21 and 27 months. Abedin, who filed for divorce last May, is now asking the court to go easy on Weiner in order to reduce the impact on their five-year-old son, Joshua. His name was removed from court documents made public Thursday, and large portions were redacted. Weiner's parents and brother also wrote to the judge, as did members of his recovery program for sex addiction. Scroll for video Abedin is fighting for full custody of her son. Pictured: The parents walked their son Jordan to school on the first day of the school season on Friday Admitted sex offender Anthony Weiner and his estranged wife Huma Abedin appeared before Judge Michael Katz at The Supreme Court of New York for a hearing over their divorce on Wednesday. Now her letter the a federal judge who will sentence him for his sex crime is revealed Abedin remained mostly expressionless in court. The divorce case is contested, as Abedin is seeking full custody of their 5-year-old son The girl who exchanges sexts with Weiner revealed her face on Friday. She is not being named because she is still a minor but her father gave permission for her face to be shown Huma's plea: Hillary Clinton's top aide reveals her asking for the judge not to have 'negative impact' on their son when he sentences her pervert ex-husband 'I am writing regarding the sentencing for Anthony Weiner, my husband, from whom I have filed for divorce,' wrote Abedin in a letter to U.S. District Court Judge Denise L. Cote. 'I hope the Court will take [our son] into consideration as it weighs all it has to in considering Anthony's sentence,' she added. 'As would any parent, if there has to be a negative impact on [our son], I would like it to be as small as possible.' Abedin said that despite Weiner's faults including his repeated 'sexting' relationships that destroyed his political career and reputation her estranged husband has always been a devoted father to their son. 'Anthony and I have a wonderful son, [Jordan], who is [five] years old and is the light of our life. It is for [our son] that I write this letter,' she wrote. 'Whatever else Anthony has done, he loves [our son].' Abedin, a long-time aide to Hillary Clinton, acknowledged in the letter that she was devastated by Weiner's actions and believes he should still face consequences. 'This is not a letter I ever imagined I would write, but, with Anthony, I have repeatedly found myself in circumstances I never imagined. I am devastated by Anthony's actions, and I understand he must face their consequences,' she wrote. 'However, as a mother, I have always done and will do anything I think will help [our son] be as safe, happy, healthy, and complete as possible.' Weiner carried on a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old high school sophomore that started in January 2016 and lasted for several months, DailyMail.com first reported last September. Although the girl told Weiner she was in high school, the former congressman told her in messages that she made him 'hard' and said he wanted to 'bust that tight p***y so hard and so often that you would leak and limp for a week.' The teenager said in an interview that Weiner would also chat with her on a video messaging program, during which he asked her to dress up as a school girl and talked about his 'rape fantasies.' Weiner also sent her photos of him shirtless and posing provocatively. The story prompted an FBI investigation into Weiner, during which investigators stumbled across previously undisclosed emails from Clinton's private email server on Weiner's laptop. Mother's ruined: Anthony Weiner's mother Frances wrote a lengthy plea to the judge but large sections which appeared to be about his childhood were blacked out My brother's keeper: Jason Weiner, a chef, revealed how their late brother Seth was 'a source of tumult' when they were growin gup Abedin seemed to dominate the conversation when she sat next to the former congressman while keeping a cool expression, but Weiner could not match her poker face Although Abedin stood by Weiner through recurrent sex scandals that destroyed his career, the final straw for their marriage was Weiner's months-long sexting relationship with a high school sophomore The discovery led FBI director James Comey to reopen his investigation into Clinton's emails just days before the presidential election. Clinton has blamed this decision in part for her election loss. Abedin, who worked with Clinton for two decades and was a senior campaign aide, was said to be devastated after hearing the news. She told Clinton: 'This man is going to be the death of me' and burst into tears, according to Clinton's account in her new book What Happened. Weiner's relationship with the teenager followed numerous sexting scandals that cost the former congressman his political career, his marriage, and now potentially his freedom. Abedin and Weiner married in a lavish wedding ceremony officiated by Bill Clinton in 2010, after three years of dating. But their marital bliss didn't last long. In 2011, Weiner was forced to resign his seat in congress after it was revealed that he had been sending sexual messages and photos to numerous women, including a college student and a Las Vegas blackjack dealer. Weiner attempted to mount a comeback in 2013 with a run for mayor in New York City. Although he was initially a frontrunner to win the Democratic primary, he lost public support after news broke that he had been carrying on another sexting relationship with 23-year-old Sydney Leathers. During that scandal, it was also revealed that Weiner used the moniker 'Carlos Danger' during his online trysts with other women. The divorce judge acknowledged they wanted to resolve their divorce amicably and added he hoped to help them work something out that would work for their family Abedin seemed to be able to keep her emotions in check and was composed during the hearing while Weiner walked into the room visibly upset Although they arrived separately, the two walked into the Manhattan courtroom together and then hurriedly left the building after 30 minutes, having a black car whisk them away. Abedin finally announced that she was separating from Weiner last summer, after a woman came forward to say Weiner had sent her a provocative photo of his crotch while he was lying in bed with his young son. The picture prompted New York child protective services to launch an investigation into Weiner, who was a full-time dad while Abedin followed Clinton on the presidential campaign trail. One month later, DailyMail.com reported on Weiner's explicit messages to the 15-year-old girl. The former congressman pleaded guilty on May 19 to sending obscene material to the teenager. Weiner has also asked the judge for leniency in a letter, saying he has gone to rehab, is in recovery and deeply regrets how his actions hurt the 15-year-old girl and his own family. As part of his deal with the feds, Weiner's attorneys said they would not appeal any prison sentence below the prosecution's request of 21 to 27 months. Abedin filed for divorce the same day her husband pleaded guilty, and the couple attended an initial hearing on Wednesday to ask the court to keep the details of their divorce private. Abedin is requesting full custody of the couple's son. The estranged couple arrived at the divorce hearing separately but left together in the same car. They appeared to be on friendly terms while laughing and talking together in the courtroom. Abedin stood by Weiner through recurrent sex scandals that destroyed his career but the final straw for their marriage was Weiner's months-long sexting relationship with a high school sophomore. DailyMail.com's revelation prompted an FBI investigation into Weiner. In the course of that investigators stumbled across previously undisclosed emails from Clinton's private email server on Weiner's laptop. The discovery led FBI director James Comey to reopen his investigation into Clinton's emails just days before the presidential election a move Clinton has blamed in part for her election loss. Abedin, who worked with Clinton for two decades and was a senior campaign aide, was said to be devastated after hearing the news. 'When we heard this, Huma looked stricken,' wrote Clinton in her new book What Happened. 'Anthony had already caused so much heartache. And now this.' Abedin told Clinton: 'This man is going to be the death of me,' before bursting into tears. The couple met in 2001 when Weiner was a first-term congressman and Abedin was an aide to then-Senator Hillary Clinton. They were married at the Oheka Castle in New York in 2010 At one point, Abedin cracked a smile along with Weiner while their attorneys were in another room talking with the judge Clinton said her long-time aide's anguish 'broke my heart' and made her determined to stand by Abedin despite the damage to her campaign. The devastating revelation was one of many Abedin endured during her seven-year marriage to Weiner. The couple first met in 2001 when Weiner was a first-term congressman and Abedin was an aide to then-Senator Hillary Clinton. Abedin was 25 at the time and already a seasoned Clinton insider, having worked for the former First Lady from the time she was 19. Weiner has admitted he was interested in Abedin immediately, but said he didn't ask her out to drinks until they bumped into each other that summer in Martha's Vineyard. The date didn't go well; Abedin ordered a cup of tea and quickly 'ditched' Weiner, according to his account. But they reconnected romantically in 2007, after Abedin sent Weiner a flirty text message during the State of the Union to thank him for sitting next to Clinton at the speech. 'I appreciate you looking out for my boss,' she wrote. Although Abedin stood by Weiner through recurrent sex scandals that destroyed his career, the final straw for their marriage was Weiner's months-long sexting relationship with a high school sophomore. Pictured: Weiner's texts to the young girl Another of the inappropriate images Weiner sent showed him curled up with his then four-year-old son At the time, Weiner was a rising star among House Democrats due to his combative style and regular appearances on cable news shows. Abedin, meanwhile, was one of the closest confidantes to the woman who was expected to win the Democratic presidential nomination the following year. Weiner and Abedin quickly cemented themselves as a political power couple and were engaged by 2009. They married in 2010 in a lavish celebration at Oheka Castle on Long Island a venue that runs $100,000 for the average wedding with Abedin wearing a custom Oscar de la Renta gown and Bill Clinton officiating the ceremony. But just one year later the couple's idyllic image would be shattered, when Weiner accidentally posted a photo of his underwear-clad crotch on Twitter while attempting to send it privately to a female college student. The congressman deleted the photo and initially claimed his account was hacked. But he eventually admitted that he had been sexting with numerous women, after several came forward to say they had exchanged explicit messages and photos with him. In the midst of the controversy, Weiner resigned from Congress and said he was going to therapy to deal with sexual addictions. Two years later, Weiner launched a political comeback with his campaign for New York City mayor. New Yorkers seemed poised to forgive his past transgressions, and the former congressman led in Democratic polls. But shortly before the primary election, news emerged that he had continued to send explicit text messages and photos to 23-year-old Sydney Leathers causing Weiner's poll numbers to plummet and costing him the nomination. In the 2016 documentary Weiner, which followed the former congressman throughout the mayoral campaign, Abedin looks alternately disgusted and distraught as news of her husband's affair went public. 'It's like living a nightmare,' she told the camera at one point. Abedin finally announced that she was separating from Weiner last summer, after it was revealed that the former congressman sent another woman a lewd photo of his crotch while he was in bed with his 5-year-old son. A few weeks later, DailyMail.com reported on Weiner's sexting relationship with a 15-year-old girl. Although the girl told Weiner she was in high school, the former congressman told her in messages that she made him 'hard' and said he wanted to 'bust that tight p***y so hard and so often that you would leak and limp for a week.' The teenager said in an interview that Weiner would also chat with her on a video messaging program, during which he asked her to dress up as a school girl and talked about his 'rape fantasies.' During the relationship, which started in January 2016 and carried on for several months, Weiner also sent her photos of him shirtless and posing provocatively. There were reports that Abedin and Weiner were working to repair their relationship as recently as last spring. But that possibility was dashed on May 19, when Weiner appeared in a New York court to face federal charges Investigators looked at Huma's laptop as part of their probe into her husband's affair. It crossed over into a separate FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server The girl, who showed her face publicly for the first time last week, said she initially decided to come forward about Weiner because she was disturbed he had sent women photographs of him posing with his young son. After the scandal broke, Weiner spent several weeks at a rehab center for sex addiction in Tennessee. Although Abedin and Weiner were technically separated last summer, they continued to live together in their $3.3million Manhattan apartment. There were reports that Abedin and Weiner were working to repair their relationship as recently as last spring. But that possibility was dashed on May 19, when Weiner appeared in a New York court to face federal charges. Weiner pleaded guilty to sending obscene material to a minor, a charge that could land him in prison for up to 10 years when he is sentenced later this month. He broke down in tears and apologized during the hearing, telling the judge that he has a sickness. 'I have a sickness but I do not have an excuse,' he told the court. Although Weiner could face up to a decade in prison, his plea agreement makes it likely he will be sentenced to far less than that. Prosecutors have asked for him to be sentenced to 21 to 27 months, and Weiner's legal team agreed not to appeal any sentence below that range. Abedin filed for divorce hours after the hearing. Hillary Clinton trolled President Trump with a reply to his tweet, recommending he read another one of her books if he doesn't like her newest tome on the 2016 campaign, What Happened. 'If you didn't like that book, try this one some good lessons in here about working together to solve problems. Happy to send a copy,' she wrote, including a picture of It Takes a Village, the children's book she wrote in 1996 while serving as first lady. President Trump brought back an oldie but goodie, again labeling Clinton 'crooked Hillary' last night, as he panned her election loss by firing off two tweets. Scroll down for video Hillary Clinton dashed off a tweet to President Trump after he resurrected her campaign nickname - 'crooked Hillary' - and attacked her for losing, as she's hawked her new book STILL AT IT: More than 10 months after Hillary Clinton (left) lost the election to President Trump (right) they're reopening old wounds with her book release and his tweets 'The "deplorables" came back to haunt Hillary. They expressed their feelings loud and clear. She spent big money but, in the end, had no game!' Trump wrote. During the campaign, Clinton had memorably called half of Trump's supporters a 'basket of deplorables,' made up of racists, sexists, homophobes and Muslim haters. In her sit-down on Sunday with CBS Sunday Morning's Jane Pauley, Clinton said she didn't 'buy' that the comment was offensive. In a second tweet, the president resurrected her campaign nickname. 'Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and every thing) but herself for her election loss. She lost the debates and lost her direction!' It was that tweet that Clinton personally answered, hawking another one of her books. Prior to last night, Trump hadn't mentioned the Clinton book, though his press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, had roughed up his ex-rival from the podium two days in a row. On day No. 1, Huckabee Sanders was asked if President Trump planned to read What Happened. She didn't know. 'But I would think that he's pretty well versed on what happened,' she snarked. 'I think it's sad that after Hillary Clinton ran one of the most negative campaigns in history and lost, the last chapter of her public life is going to be now defined by propping up book sales with false and reckless attacks,' Huckabee Sanders went on. 'And I think that's a sad way for her to continue,' she added. Yesterday, she went after Clinton again after the ex-Democratic nominee said on The View that she didn't think Trump was being president to all Americans. 'I think that type of misunderstanding of who this president is and, frankly, a misunderstanding of what he's been doing is exactly one of the reasons Hillary Clinton is not the president,' Huckabee Sanders said. ''And is, instead, pushing a book with a lot of false narratives and a lot of false accusations and placing blame on a lot of other people instead of accepting it herself.' Another reporter then asked the press secretary to pinpoint the portions of Clinton's book that were factually inaccurate. 'I think probably the biggest one is any place in the book where she lays blame for the loss on anyone but herself,' Huckabee Sanders said. Clinton, who was hard to nail down for an interview during the campaign, has been on a media blitz this week, sitting down with the Today Show, The View, CNN's Anderson Cooper, just to name a few. She, of course, has gone after Trump, suggesting to USA Today, for example, that his campaign 'certainly' had dubious ties to Russia. Formerly, she called him out for being a 'creep,' for standing to close to her at the second presidential debate, saying the effort to intimidate her made her 'skin crawl.' Clinton has no plans to slow down, as she'll appear with Stephen Colbert on his Late Show next week, and kick off her 15-city book tour with a stop in D.C. on Monday, steps away from the White House and the D.C.-based Trump International Hotel. Advertisement This is the first photograph of the jobless woman accused of trying to break into Prince George's 20,000-a-year school. Louise Chantry, 40, is a 'royal superfan' and neighbours have said she has a 'fierce temper' and would shout at her husband in the months leading up to their separation. They said Mrs Chantry ranted and shouted at her estranged IT executive husband David before leaving their marital home without a trace. One told MailOnline: 'Louise and David used to have these terrible rows. She would be shouting and yelling at him. Everyone could hear it. She really gave it him and then she left. The couple are believed to have separated about a year ago when Mrs Chantry moved out of the picturesque detached house in Angmering, West Sussex. Scroll down for video Louise Chantry, 40, (pictured) is a 'royal superfan' and is accused of trying to break into Prince George's school in south west London Prince George had his first day at Thomas's Battersea School last week - he was back in school today after the security scare These exclusive pictures reveal the moment police arrested the woman as she sat outside Queenswood restaurant in Battersea Square with two men, one believed to be an undercover police officer Pictured: David Chantry, 42, the estranged husband of Louise. The six-year marriage between IT executive David and Ms Chantry is believed to have ended a year ago Another neighbour added: 'They were a quiet couple, they didn't really mix with other people in the street. But you could hear them rowing. It wasn't very nice.' Retired civil servant John Beckenham, 88, who lives a couple of door away said he worried about Mrs Chantry's mental health. He said: 'There was something very odd about her. I worried about her mental state.' 'She would shout sometimes at her husband, they used to have terrible rows. It's a terrible shame.' A middle-aged male neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: 'I never saw her that much when she lived here with her husband. 'They used to argue a lot and they were even seen arguing out in the street once.' He added: 'If she parked outside my house and I was mowing the lawn in my front garden we would say hello and that was all I got to know of her really. She seemed quite friendly.' Another male neighbour, who also asked not to be named, added: 'She seemed quite shy but she always said hello. 'They were a quiet couple. Her husband is a nice chap, when we spoke to them they were fine. They looked a lovely couple.' The couple's house is a three bedroom detached chalet-style home with white cladding on the outside and a driveway leading to a black-doored garage. The property, which has an ornamental tree in the front garden, sits in a quiet residential street with other detached and semi-detached homes. It was advertised for sale in October last year for 359,950. Her mother, Rhona Crawford, 75, from Bath, Somerset, said it was a 'sad' situation, but she believed the young prince would have been safe with her jobless holistic healer daughter. Her mother, Rhona Crawford, 75, from Bath, Somerset, said last night it was a 'sad' situation and said her daughter was was not a danger to George Ms Crawford told The Sun: 'She wouldn't have done any harm to George. She just loves the royal family and loves kids. She's been under a lot of stress. I'm very sad this has happened, it's a horrible incident.' She added that her daughter views the Cambridges as the perfect family and said: 'People were in love with Diana when she was alive, this is similar. It's a fairytale. It's a fantasy.' It is understood Mrs Chantry who is believed to be an unemployed holistic healer had been diagnosed with clinical depression and had split from her husband, leaving her with 'precarious mental health'. Her relationship with her mother is also said to have become turbulent recently. Mrs Chantry, who was released on bail yesterday, is believed to have had run-ins with the authorities and is thought to be in 'difficult circumstances'. Neighbours at her former home in Littlehampton, West Sussex, said they believed she had mental-health issues and that her six-year marriage to David, 42, failed a year ago. He is thought to have learned of her arrest yesterday. The four-year-old prince was oblivious to the security scare caused when Mrs Chantry allegedly talked her way into Thomas's London Day School in Battersea, south-west London. His father, Prince William, yesterday said his son has had a 'very interesting week' at the 18,000 prep school. Mrs Chantry is understood to have spent 'at least several minutes' inside the school. She was questioned for almost 24 hours at Wandsworth police station before being driven away by officers yesterday. Under her bail conditions, she must return to a police station next month. A source described her situation as a 'sad case', adding: 'This is no criminal mastermind.' Speaking to cancer patient Pagan Tordengrav, 55, on Merseyside, William said George had 'a very interesting week' at school Scotland Yard chiefs are now considering whether further measures are needed to ensure the safety of the prince. Experts warn that the school, which is in an ageing building on a high street, cannot be turned into a fortress. Tens of thousands of pounds have already been spent on an electronic entrance system, which controls reinforced glass doors. CCTV cameras connected to a facial-recognition system also cover every approach to the school, which can be locked down behind 7ft wrought-iron gates. The future king was back in class yesterday after arriving in a convoy of police Range-Rovers. He was without his father, who was visiting Merseyside, or the Duchess of Cambridge who has extreme morning sickness. A Thomas' spokesman said: 'We are working with the school to review security. Police are part of the protective security arrangements for the Prince. The school is responsible for building security on its site.' Prince George was swept into school in a convoy of blacked-out Range Rovers this morning - but without his father who was visiting Merseyside and his pregnant mother who is battling extreme morning sickness. Speaking to cancer patient Pagan Tordengrav, 55, at Aintree Hospital, William said the Duchess of Cambridge was doing 'very well', adding: 'And George is at school. It's been a very interesting week.' Thomas' parents remained tight-lipped about the security scares. One parent said: 'The school have been very clear. We have all been told not to say anything or talk about anything.' Others ignored questions about safety at the school. Commanders at the Metropolitan Police's Royalty and Specialist Protection Unit launched an immediate review of the security operation surrounding his studies. But the incident will raise fears of what could have happened had the woman been a terrorist. One former senior officer last night described the shocking breach as 'very worrying', but added: 'Schools are not fortresses.' Prince William revealed today that his son, Prince George, hadn't realised yet that he had to go to school everyday. And he admitted that his feisty young daughter, Princess Charlotte, would be 'trouble' when she is older. The 40-year-old woman was detained by undercover police officers yards from the gates of Thomas's London Day School in Battersea, south-west London Taking to elderly patients in the frailty assessment unit of Aintree University Hospital, in Liverpool, the second in line to the throne discussed his son, four, who started Thomas's School in Battersea last week. He told Teresa Jones, 87, from Kirkby, 'George has been really easy. He hasn't said 'have I got to do this for the rest of my life?'' When she congratulated him on his children, he said 'George rules the roost but Charlotte's not far behind.' At another bedside, he sat next to Edna Dagnall, 75, who is recovering from a fall that injured her leg, who said she hoped his new baby would be a boy. He told her, 'George started school -- we are all seeing how long that lasts before he doesn't want to go!' Earlier, in the major trauma room he sat down joked with a heavy metal fan that his daughter Princess Charlotte will be 'trouble when she's older!' Prince George, third in line to the throne, is dropped off by William as he arrives at the the 18,000-a-year school last week Questions were raised over security at Thomas's earlier this month after a woman was able to video herself walking inside it. Battersea resident Sarah Burnett-Moore, 54, filmed inside the 18,000-a-year school while it was being refurbished over the summer. It appears she was able to enter the premises via the same iron gate and main door after they were left open by contractors. She said she could have walked in with a home-made bomb and many neighbours of the school are concerned about the security implications of the royal pupil. Residents said they are concerned that security at the school is not adequate for the high-profile pupil. One mother, aged 39, said: 'Incidents like this make us all scared. Prince George shouldn't go here. None of the mums around here want him to go to the school because it's putting us locals and our children under threat. Prince George arrives for his first day of school with his father Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, as they are met head of the lower school Helen Haslem Little princess is going to be a lot of trouble, says William Princess Charlotte is going to be 'trouble when she's older', her father said yesterday. William joked about the two-year-old with hospital patients as he told them George's start to school at Thomas's in Battersea, which Charlotte is also expected to attend, had made it an 'interesting week'. Speaking about his four-year-old son to Teresa Jones, 87, the prince said: 'George has been really easy. He hasn't said, 'Have I got to do this for the rest of my life?' On a visit to Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool, he also told cancer patient Pagan Tordengrave: '[Charlotte's] going to be trouble when she's older all fathers say that.' William also said his wife poorly with severe morning sickness was doing 'very well'. Advertisement 'The school needs better security and gates. Anyone can walk in. I walk past and can just walk inside whenever I like if I wanted to.' In contrast another woman added: 'I didn't feel safe before, but now Prince George is at the school I actually feel a lot safer. It means there is more heightened security than there was before. 'I was mugged just down the road and it's one of those places that is one extreme to the other.' Chris Phillips, the former head of the National Counter Terrorism Security Office, said 'It does not surprise me,' he said. 'Schools are public places, they have never been fortresses,' he added. 'It's very worrying when you get incidents like this. But don't forget Buckingham Palace has had a number of break-ins and that is pretty much a fortress. Whenever George is there are usually armed police there too.' He added that the duke and duchess must balance leading ordinary lives with their security. Scotland Yard said: 'Police were alerted and officers attended immediately after the issue came to light. We are working with the school to review its security arrangements after the incident.' A Thomas's spokesman said: 'We are unable to comment due to the ongoing police investigation into this incident.' What if it had been a terrorist? Ex-royal protection officer KEN WHARFE says there's no excuse for the unacceptable security breach at George's school By Inspector Ken Wharfe, former royal protection officer That an intruder can walk in to Prince George's school from the street before being challenged raises serious and urgent questions, writes Inspector Ken Wharfe This was a completely unacceptable breach of security. That an intruder can walk in to Prince George's school from the street before being challenged raises serious and urgent questions. It doesn't matter how long the person was on the premises. What counts is how far they penetrated and no one should be allowed to get access to any part of the school building. It's as simple as that. The fear of someone roaming inside Thomas's does not bear thinking about. Thankfully on this occasion the intruder was intercepted before she could go any further. But suppose it had been a terrorist intent on killing? By then it would have been too late. That this person was able to reach reception was far too close for comfort. For royalty protection, however, this is a wake-up call. George has been at the school only five days and already elaborate plans to protect him have been compromised. Before I became personal protection officer to Princess Diana, my task was to head the security around William and Harry. It therefore fell to me to ensure William's safety at school when he began at Wetherby Prep in Notting Hill in 1987 at the same age George is today. I understand that the template we developed there three decades ago is very much the one that has been adopted by those whose job is to guard Prince George. Which raises the question: how could things have gone so wrong? It is only fair to point out that Thomas's, with nearly 600 pupils, is different from Wetherby, which was then a small school with far fewer children. William appreciated the low-profile policing that accompanied him throughout his school days and wanted it to be replicated for George. This means no burly bodyguard in the classroom or an officer with him every time he wants to make a call of nature. Had there been a suggestion from officers, for example, to post police outside the school gates, I know William would have vetoed it. He not only wants his son to have as normal a school experience as is possible, but also his school mates which means keeping the protection low key. No one should be allowed to get access to any part of the school building. It's as simple as that, writes Inspector Wharfe But that is no excuse for the kind of breaches that happened not once this week, but twice. Unfortunately the world is a far more dangerous place than it was 30 years ago. We live in an era of unpredictable international terrorism that can strike at any time. The publicity for an attack on a member of the royal family would be incalculable. It means those guarding the prince, even at school, cannot afford to ever let things slip. They must be prepared for terrorists and those sad individuals with dangerous fixations about the royals. At Wetherby we had a strict and successful routine. Long before either William or Harry, when he later joined him, arrived each morning, a specialist with a sniffer dog searched the school. This happened every day. Only when they were satisfied the school was safe was I signalled and we left Kensington Palace for the short drive to Wetherby. Inside the school I set up an operational room where my colleagues and I were based. I understand this has similarly been done at Thomas's, where CCTV pictures of George's classroom are relayed to his officers, whose room is close enough for them to respond to an incident in seconds. There are also elaborate alarms in place. Because the terrorist threat is so much higher now, I believe George has a team of four close protection officers guarding him on a daily basis. It is likely there may also be back-up provided by police in the local Battersea area. If so, questions must be asked about securing the perimeter of the school. No one wants to see the royals cocooned in the kind of security bubble that surrounds figures such as the US President, but also nobody wants to see any member of the royal family at risk from the deranged or from terrorists. Something clearly went wrong yesterday. Mercifully there were no consequences. But changes in protecting George will have to be made. Sharks have been spotted four days in a row at a popular Hawaii beach, prompting officials to discourage swimming. Amazing drone footage spotted about a dozen sandbar sharks feeding off a school of dying tilapia. Sharks have been hanging out in Waimea Bay since Friday. They've been spotted thrashing in the water as close to 10 feet off shore. Drone footage captured a group of sandbar sharks feeding on a school of tilapia in Hawaii 'We are speculating it is due to the river letting out a large school of tilapia into the salt water and the tilapia are dying giving off distress signals [that are] attracting the sharks,' Lt. Kerry Atwood told KHON 2. Warning signs have been posted on the beach discouraging swimmers, but lifeguards have no enforcement power and some people continue to venture into the water. Sharks are uncommon at Waimea Bay, and ocean safety experts have called the group of sharks a rare occurrence. The sharks have been in the Waimea Bay area since Friday The sharks have not been acting aggressively towards humans, but swimming is discouraged The video was taken at Waimea Bay, a popular beach in Hawaii The sharks have not been acting aggressively towards humans. Sandbar sharks are usually six to 10 feet long. Sandbar sharks are typically found in muddy or shallow coastal waters. There are very few recorded sandbar shark attacks on humans, and this breed is one of the most popular to swim with. They are also very common in aquariums. Three women who used to work for Google are now taking the company to court after they say it paid them and other women less than men for doing the same work. Kelly Ellis, Holly Pease and Kelli Wisuri all quit the tech giant after it put them on career tracks that they claimed would pay them less than their male counterparts. On Thursday they filed a lawsuit on behalf of all women at the company over the last four years seeking lost wages and a slice of profits - even after the company said it had destroyed its pay gap. Scroll down for video Google has been hit with a lawsuit that says the company gives men more money, faster promotions and better career tracks. Pictured: Google's Mountain View HQ Kelly Ellis (pictured) is one of the three women who filed the suit. She worked at Google from 2010-2014 and says she was held back from promotion she deserved, unlike mail colleagues Holly Pease (left) worked at Google from 2005-2016 and says that despite network engineer experience, she was kept off high-tech career tracks. Kelli Wisuri (right) says that half of her lower-track sales team were women, while almost all the high-track team were men The suit says the company kept 'assigning and keeping female employees in lower compensation levels than male employees with similar skills, experience, and duties.' 'I have come forward to correct a pervasive problem of gender bias at Google,' Ellis said, in a statement. 'It is time to stop ignoring these issues in tech.' According to the complaint, in 2010 Ellis was hired to the company's Google Photos department and placed in a 'Level 3' position typical for new college graduates. She has a degree in applied mathematics and a minor in computer science. Weeks later Google hired a male candidate who had graduated alongside Ellis and put him in a superior 'Level 4' position in her team, the suit claims. That gave him a 'substantially higher salary and opportunities for bonuses, raises, and equity,' according to the suit, which was filed Thursday in San Francisco Superior Court. Despite wanting to give the company 'the benefit of the doubt,' Ellis told The Guardian, men who were of an equal or lesser level of experience and talent were consistently given 'Level 4' positions ahead of her. Meanwhile, she was refused promotions - despite 'excellent performance reviews' - because she hadn't been at the company long enough, she said. And that meant that by the time she did move up in the company, she was still behind those men, she said. She also said that men tended to be moved to the better-paid 'back-end' programming positions while women given the 'front-end' - the parts seen by the user - to work on. She quit in July 2014. Ellis (left), Wisuri (right) and Pease say their suit represents all of the women at Google. A federal investigation found systemic pay discrimination among Google's 21,000 employees Google denies the claims and says that it uses 'rigorous hiring and promotion committees' and 'gender bias checks'. The suit is demanding lost earnings and a slice of Google's profits Pease, meanwhile, was hired in 2005 and went on to manage more than 50 software engineers and product managers. But despite having more than a decade of network engineer experience, the suit claims, she was put on the lower-paid 'non-technical' career track. Meanwhile, she says, men who worked under her, as well as a male peer who had performed less successfully than her, were put into prestigious 'technical' roles. Google then passed on giving her a technical track, saying she 'lacked technical ability'. But the suit says her interviewers, 'both men, did not ask her any technical questions, and one interviewer did not even bother to take notes of the meeting with her.' She left in 2016. Wisuri, the third and final plaintiff, was placed into a Level 2 sales position in Google - considered the lowest possible for permanent staff - when she joined in 2012. That despite Google having hired her after acquiring her company, noting her three years of sale experience - and giving men of equivalent knowledge Level 3 status, the suit claims. She said almost all of the higher-track sales employees were men, while half of the employees in her lower sales track were women. She left in 2015. Google spokeswoman Gina Scigliano contested the claims made in the suit to The Guardian. 'Job levels and promotions are determined through rigorous hiring and promotion committees, and must pass multiple levels of review, including checks to make sure there is no gender bias in these decisions,' she said in a statement. 'But on all these topics, if we ever see individual discrepancies or problems, we work to fix them, because Google has always sought to be a great employer, for every one of our employees.' The suit follows a critical federal labor investigation that made a preliminary finding of systemic pay discrimination among the 21,000 employees at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California. The suit comes shortly after Google fired James Damore (pictured) for remarks he made online saying that there are fewer women in engineering because of differences between the sexes The initial stages of the review found women earned less than men in nearly every job classification. Google disputes the findings and says its analysis shows no gender pay gap. Ellis complained that such remarks were 'lip service,' saying: 'We've been talking about these issues for a long time, and it hasnt really changed. 'This is going to be one of the only ways to get these companies to change how they hire and compensate women.' Charges of gender discrimination have swirled at the Alphabet Inc-owned company Google since the US Labor Department sued it in January. That suit was intended to bar Google from doing business with the federal government until it released thousands of documents related to an audit over its pay practices. The sides have been battling in court over how much information Google must turn over. The lawsuit also follows the firing of male engineer James Damore, who wrote a an infamous memo circulated that blamed inherent differences between men and women for the underrepresentation of women in engineering roles. Authorities say an accidental milk spill at a food processing business ended up turning a central Indiana creek white. The Kokomo Tribune reports the change in the hue of Cicero Creek in Tipton was noticed on Tuesday and investigators determined that no more than 300 gallons of milk spilled from the Park 100 Foods plant. State environmental officials indicate the spill wasn't dangerous. A creek in Indiana turned white following an accident at a nearby food plant on Tuesday No more than 300 gallons of milk spilled into the Cicero Creek in Tipton, according to local authorities Fortunately, state officials said the milk did not pose a danger to humans or wildlife nearby 'As the [Indiana Department of Environmental Management] rep told us, milk's not dangerous, it's just extremely annoying,' said Tipton County Emergency Management Director Chuck Bell. Crews used hay bales to help contain the milk and a cleanup company removed about 14,000 gallons (53,000 liters) of a water and milk mixture from the creek. Bell said the creek was back to its normal color on Wednesday after a clean up company was contacted. Although the milk did not pose a danger to wildlife or humans, if the problem wasn't addressed immediately it could have become a bigger issue. 'By the time you get a heavy rain, it would just kind of filter back up, and you would get a milky substance for a while and a lot of phone calls,' he said. According to the Tribune, The Tipton Police Department, Tipton County Emergency Management, Tipton County Sheriff's Department, Tipton Fire Department, Tipton City Waste Water, Tipton City Street Department, Tipton City Water Department, Cicero Township Volunteer Fire Department, Kempton Fire Rescue, Sharpsville Fire Department, Madison Township Volunteer Fire Department and Wildcat Township Fire-Rescue-EMS all responded to the scene. Crews used hay bales to help contain the milk that spilled into the creek Tuesday A cleanup crew was able to remove around 14,000 gallons of the water and milk mixture from the creek Former deputy of the CIA Mike Morell resigned from his post at Harvard University Thursday one day after the prestigious educational institution said Chelsea Manning would be invited as a visiting fellow. Manning, a transgender former U.S. Army soldier who served seven years in prison for leaking classified data, will contribute at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, according to the school's website. In his resignation letter explaining the decision, Morell said he could not lecture at an institution 'that honors convicted felon and leaker of classified information.' Former acting director of the CIA Mike Morell resigns from Harvard on Wednesday, who was contributing at Harvard's Belfer Center Morell made the decision after Harvard announced that it had made Chelsea Manning a visiting fellow for the 2018 semester 'Senior leaders in our military have stated publicly that the leaks by Ms. Manning put the lives of US soldiers at risk,' Morell said. 'I have an obligation in my conscience -- and I believe to the country -- to stand against any efforts to justify leaks of sensitive national security information.' Morell, who has twice served as acting director of the CIA, was contributing at Harvard's Belfer Center before his resignation, according to Fox News. Manning, 29, was released in May from a U.S. military prison in Kansas following her court martial conviction in 2013. Manning had been serving time for passing secrets to the WikiLeaks website in the biggest breach of classified data in the history of the United States. After serving seven years in prison, President Barack Obama commuted her 35-year sentence, saying the punishment was 'disproportionate' compared to other whistle-blowers. Manning was convicted of leaking classified information in 2013 and sentenced to 35-years in prison Social media users reacted almost immediately to the development, with some castigating Manning for her behavior One person wrote: 'How to become a Harvard Visiting Fellow: Leak 700,000 classified documents & get convicted of 6 espionage charges' Following Morell's resignation, social media users took to Twitter to express their thoughts. Some showed support for the former spychief's decision to leave the school, calling Manning a 'traitor' who sold out the country. 'Seriously @Harvard?? Enabling a traitor to our country? You need to check your stupidity,' one user stated. While another sarcastically wrote: 'How to become a Harvard Visiting Fellow: Leak 700,000 classified documents & get convicted of 6 espionage charges.' Conservative pundit Bill Kristol also chimed in, which led to the only response from Manning about the situation so far. 'I'm loyal to Harvard, but I think I'll forego IOP events this fall. (I'd feel the same way if Chelsea Manning were still Bradley Manning.)' Kristol posted to Twitter. 'Awesome ! can you ask @seanspicer to do the same ? #WeGotThis,' Manning replied. Manning was referring to former White House spokesman Sean Spicer, who was also named as a visiting fellow at Harvard University on Wednesday. Julian Assange, founder of Wikileaks who posted the former soldier's leaked information, came out in support of Manning, saying she was 'never convicted with treason.' Harvard University describes Manning on its website as a 'Washington D.C. based network security expert and former U.S. Army intelligence analyst.' 'She speaks on the social, technological and economic ramifications of Artificial Intelligence through her op-ed columns for The Guardian and The New York Times.' Founder of Wikileaks Julian Assange, to whom Manning passed on the information, came out and defended Manning on Twitter United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. PRISON JUSTICE LEAGUE, Plaintiff - Appellant v. TRACY BAILEY, Warden, in their official capacity; BRYAN COLLIER, Executive Director, in their official capacity; TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, Defendants - Appellees No. 16-20666 Decided: September 12, 2017 Before HIGGINBOTHAM, GRAVES, and HIGGINSON, Circuit Judges. Appellant Prison Justice League (PJL) appeals its dismissal from the present suit for lack of associational standing. Because PJL does not satisfy the third associational-standing prong, we AFFIRM the district court's judgment. I. PJL is a membership-based, non-profit organization whose mission is to improve conditions of incarceration through litigation, advocacy, and empowering [its] members. It claims to represent over 700 inmates, over 100 of whom are located in [the Texas Department of Criminal Justice's] Estelle Unit. This so-called medical unit houses a large population of elderly and disabled inmates. In October 2014, PJL, along with inmate John Doe (Doe), sued the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Warden Tracy Bailey, and other Department administrators (collectively TDCJ) for declaratory and injunctive relief, alleging violations of the First, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq., and the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. 794. On September 30, 2015, the district court found that PJL did not satisfy the third prong of associational standing and dismissed it from the suit under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1). From that judgment, PJL timely appeals. II. We review PJL's dismissal under Rule 12(b)(1) for lack of associational standing de novo. Ass'n of Am. Physicians & Surgeons, Inc. v. Texas Med. Bd., 627 F.3d 547, 550 (5th Cir. 2010). [A]n association has standing to bring suit on behalf of its members when: (a) its members would otherwise have standing to sue in their own right; (b) the interests it seeks to protect are germane to the organization's purpose; and (c) neither the claim asserted nor the relief requested requires the participation of individual members in the lawsuit. Hunt v. Wash. St. Apple Advert. Comm'n, 432 U.S. 333, 343 (1977). The parties do not contest that PJL satisfies the first two associational-standing prongs. PJL contends, however, that the district court erred when it determined that the third prong was not met. To satisfy the third prong, a party must show that the nature of the case does not require the participation of the individual affected members as plaintiffs to resolve the claims or prayers for relief at issue. Friends for Am. Free Enter. Ass'n v. Walmart Stores, 284 F.3d 575, 57778 (5th Cir. 2002). In particular, a party satisfies the third prong if its claims can be proven by evidence from representative injured members, without a fact-intensive-individual inquiry. Ass'n of Am. Physicians, 627 F.3d at 552. In its complaint, PJL alleges that Estelle Unit officers used excessive force against inmates and retaliated against them for filing grievances. The complaint states specifically that [o]fficers walking the halls of the Estelle Unit routinely exercise unbridled discretion to use physical force on inmates that is unnecessary to maintain discipline on the unitstriking them, twisting arms, slamming them into walls, or throwing them to the ground. It also states that officers us[ed] force, destroy[ed] property, and institut[ed] spurious disciplinary cases when inmates filed too many grievances. Finally, it states that Warden Bailey was aware of the excessive force and retaliation but did nothing to stop it. [W]henever prison officials stand accused of using excessive physical force in violation of the Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause, the core judicial inquiry is whether force was applied in a good-faith effort to maintain or restore discipline, or maliciously and sadistically to cause harm. Hudson v. McMillian, 503 U.S. 1, 67 (1992). To state a claim of retaliation an inmate must allege the violation of a specific constitutional right and be prepared to establish that but for the retaliatory motive the complained of incident would not have occurred. Woods v. Smith, 60 F.3d 1161, 1166 (5th Cir. 1995). Consequently, to satisfy the third associational-standing prong, PJL would need to prove that Estelle Unit guards had a uniform retaliatory motive, or acted uniformly or in a coordinated fashion to maliciously and sadistically cause harm. Ass'n of Am. Physicians, 627 F.3d at 550, 55253. We find, however, that PJL's complaint alleges no facts suggesting uniformly malicious or sadistic force or uniform retaliatory motive. Even though PJL asserts that officers applied excessive force, retaliated against inmates, and routinely exercise[d] unbridled discretion, these allegations do not rise above formulaic recitation[s] of the elements of a cause of action, and thus will not do. Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009) (quoting Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555 (2007)). In so holding, we recognize that in the prison context, [e]xcessive force claims are necessarily fact-intensive; whether the force used is excessive or unreasonable depends on the facts and circumstances of each particular case. Deville v. Marcantel, 567 F.3d 156, 167 (5th Cir. 2009) (quoting Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386, 396 (1989)). We also recognize that prison retaliation claims are necessarily fact-intensive. See Woods, 60 F.3d at 1166. While acknowledging that satisfying the third associational standing prong is difficult given the fact-intensive nature of such claims, we do not mean to imply that these difficulties are insurmountable. For example, where the complaint sufficiently alleges that officers are uniform in their intent or coordinated in their methods, an association may be able to prove its excessive force or retaliation claim without fact-intensive-individual inquiry. See Ass'n of Am. Physicians, 627 F.3d at 552. Furthermore, where an association plausibly alleges that inmates fear retaliation from officers if they were to be named in a complaint, that association's standing claim is necessarily bolstered. However, PJL does not plead such facts. Consequently, the district court did not err by dismissing it from the present suit. AFFIRMED. PER CURIAM:* A New York City billionaire with plans to put a $100 million park on a rotting Hudson River pier has pulled out of the project following a series of lawsuits. Barry Diller, who is worth $3.3 billion, wrote an email to supporters of the project to say that 'huge escalating costs' of the lawsuits made him decide to pull the plug, the New York Post reported. Diller and his wife - the famous fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg, promised the money in 2014. It would be built on a stretch of Hudson River waterfront that has been transformed over many years from a long-faded port district into a green string of popular recreational piers and esplanades known as the Hudson River Park. Barry Diller, who is worth $3.3 billion, wrote an email to supporters of the project dubbed 'Diller Island' to say that 'huge escalating costs' of the lawsuits against it made him decide to pull the plug, the New York Post reported. He is pictured left in May and right at the 2016 Met Gala with his wife Diane von Furstenberg It would be built on a stretch of Hudson River waterfront that has been transformed over many years from a long-faded port district into a green string of popular recreational piers and esplanades known as the Hudson River Park However, their pledge was met with multiple lawsuits by activists from the City Club, mainly based on environmental concerns over the pier's impact on aquatic life. There have also been complaints from some over the way in which the project had been planned without broader public input. 'The way they've operated is like moving plants around their personal backyard,' said Emery, a civil rights attorney representing the nonprofit City Club of New York, a civic group fueling the contrarian position. The project would have been at Pier 55 - which is currently only occupied by rotting wood pilings An image of the plans of the new park show that it would have included green space and a large amphitheater. There have been complaints from some over the way in which the project had been planned without broader public input In his email Diller wrote that the lawsuits would likely continue over the three years of the building process, and the costs from those would make the project not worth it. The project would have been at Pier 55 - which is currently only occupied by rotting wood pilings. Billionaire real estate titan Douglas Dirst was at the head of the opposing groups. He claims that the park, which critics have dubbed 'Diller Island' lacked public input. 'It was just not meant to be because of the secretiveness of the process and the whole sense that they were going to do it come hell or high water,' attorney Richard Emery, who supports the opponents, told the Post. He also expressed his shock in Diller's decision to pull out, saying that they were close to a settlement. Diller's pledge was met with multiple lawsuits by activists from the City Club, mainly based on environmental concerns over the pier's impact on aquatic life Diller has said that he decided to pull out of the project, which is pictured above in a digital rendering, because he felt that agreeing to settle in the lawsuits would be giving his opponents a victory, and because he doesn't feel he's done anything wrong In his email to supporters Diller said he couldn't agree to a settlement 'as I felt we had done nothing wrong.' 'To give victory to these people was in itself wrong,' he explained. The president of the Hudson River Park Trust that was overseeing the project, Madelyn Wils, said there was public support for Diller Island. 'We are deeply saddened by this news,' Wils said in a statement about the project. 'Not simply because this would've been one of the world's greatest piers, but because this was a project the community so resoundingly wanted, and that millions would one day enjoy.' Leah Hook, 16, was found dead at the start of the Easter Holidays by her horrified family A teenage stable girl hanged herself after skipping a bike ride with her parents before taking the batteries out of her alarm clock to record her time of death. An inquest heard troubled Leah Hook, 16, was found dead at the start of the Easter Holidays by her horrified family. She exchanged text messages with them until about 2.30pm but when her parents returned home two hours later they saw Leah hanging by a rope. The plastic alarm clock beside her showed the time as 3.30pm - and her parents believe it was a message to them as Leah had removed the batteries, an inquest heard. A coroner's officer told the hearing in Gloucester: 'Leah had taken a battery out of the clock so it stayed at 3.30pm. 'Her dad believed this was a message to tell them what time she had gone.' Her distraught parents dialled 999 but despite the attempts of paramedics, the schoolgirl could not be revived. Leah's father, Richard, told the inquest: 'We were trying to go away for the Bank Holiday weekend. 'We were trying to get her to come along to Devon, but she really didn't want to go away. With hindsight maybe she had been waiting for an opportunity. 'In the end we went out, we were worried about her, we tried to talk her into coming. She texted us while we were out, the texts seemed normal. 'I texted her while I was in Bath but then I didn't get a reply.' Mr Hook, 52, and partner Deborah had left Leah at home in Stroud, Gloucestershire, while they cycled to nearby Bath, Somerset. But when they returned to the house they found the teenager unresponsive, and began performing CPR while waiting for emergency services to arrive. An inquest heard that Leah had been stressed because of her mock GCSEs, and had not gone to school that week. She was said to have become withdrawn from friends and family, and had refused to go to the stables where she worked part time, saying she 'couldn't be bothered to do anything.' The GCSE pupil had smoked cannabis before her death but a toxicology report could not specify how much, or when. The inquest heard she had seen her GP in June 2015 for self-harming and had been referred to a support group but never followed up on it. Mr Hook said: 'There are a few little things that looking back, I think she was planning it for some time. 'Even the rope was like a perfect noose, I don;t think she did it on that day, I think she was practising it. 'She had her horse stuff in her bedroom, even though she stopped going to the stables.' Senior coroner for Gloucestershire, Katie Skerrett, said: 'She was in the house alone, her stepbrother was in Scotland and not expected to be back. 'She wrote detailed notes for what was to happen after.' Mrs Skerrett added: 'A young lady who felt very low in her life did not feel able to get support from other organisations or from her parents and took the most drastic action, leading to loss of life.' Leah was a keen equestrian who started riding ponies as a primary school pupil. Poignantly, workers at the stables raised cash to pay for a permanent memorial to Leah, a statue of a horse with a plaque with her name on it. Fellow workers at the stables recalled how she was able to make children feel 'happy and safe' as she took them out on pony rides. Her boss, Barton End owner Abby Cooke, said after her death: 'I have known Leah since I started to teach her to ride in primary school, she was so enthusiastic that she spent all her spare time up here working. A conclusion of suicide was recorded at Gloucester Coroner's Court (pictured) 'She was a beautiful girl very hardworking and dedicated to my animals. 'She ended up taking care of my children's pets and showing them how to look after them properly and she was the primary carer for our petting animals. 'She always had a kind word to say and loved taking small children on their first pony rides, chatting to them to make them feel happy and safe. 'She always had a smile so it was even more heart-breaking to know that she was suffering inside and we didn't know. 'Our thoughts are with her mum and dad and family at this time.' A conclusion of suicide was recorded at Gloucester Coroner's Court. A pregnant teacher was shot in the back of the head allegedly by her boyfriend who she had discovered was engaged to another woman. Police say Tyler Tessier, 32, killed Laura Wallen, 31, in Damascus, Maryland, then dumped her body in a shallow grave on September 2. Her body was found on Wednesday in a field which she earlier sent a picture of to her sister, writing: 'Tyler has me on an adventure in the country. Not sure why but it's for something. Waiting in a field.' Wallen, who was reported missing after she did not show up for the first day of class, was four months pregnant with his baby. Her family have since revealed that he asked her father for her hand in marriage despite being already engaged to Kristina Wagoner. Tessier was charged with his girlfriend's murder on Wednesday. Prosecutors have not yet revealed if they will charge him with murdering her unborn baby. Her autopsy results show that the social studies teacher was found shot in the back of her head, police said late Thursday. Scroll down for video Tyler Tessier, 32, has been charged with murdering his pregnant girlfriend Laura Wallen, 31, and dumping her body in a shallow grave. Police say he was engaged to another woman when he killed Wallen on September 2. Wallen's autopsy revealed she was shot in the back of the head The woman's parents said earlier on Thursday that they suspected him all along but that they were forced to take part in an emotional press conference with him because they had no proof. TIMELINE OF LAURA WALLEN'S DEATH AND DISAPPEARANCE August 28: Laura texted the other woman Tessier was engaged to asking to meet up September 1: Last sighting by family September 2: Last sighting of Wallen alive at Safeway buying goods with Tessier She later texts her family saying she is 'on adventure' with him and that he has her 'waiting in a field' September 4: Wallen's sister receives text messages from her phone saying Tessier is not the baby's father Her sister reports her missing. September 5: Wallen fails to show up for class. Tessier is taken in for questioning September 7: Employees at apartment complex call police to say they have found her driver's license in dumpster September 11: Tessier takes part in an emotional press conference with his girlfriend's parents September 13: Tessier is charged with murder after police find Wallen's body in the field she texted a picture of to her sister September 14: Police reveal Tessier was engaged to another woman Advertisement On August 28, a week before her death, Wallen sent a text message to the other woman Tessier was engaged to asking if they could meet up. Police say she wanted 'an explanation' and that both women knew of each other but neither thought Tessier was seeing them both at the same time. 'It's important that some things are cleared up and I would imagine that if you were in my position, you'd want some answers as well. 'By no means is this an attempt at confrontation, just looking for an explanation, woman to woman,' the text message read. It is not known whether or not the pair ever did meet up. On September 2, she went with him willingly to a rural property. The pair were seen on surveillance cameras making a purchase at a Safeway that day, the last known sighting of Wallen alive. On September 3, her family said they stopped hearing from her. The next day, her sister received text messages from her phone which claimed Tessier was not the baby's father but that another man, called 'Antwan', was. 'I am like 95 per cent sure Tyler is not the father,' one read. Another said: 'I'm probably going to lose my job over this. 'If he tries to call you, please tell him he's a great guy because I know I really hurt his feelings,' they read. Another said she would 'try to get a hold of Antwane'. Police have determined that Tessier wrote those messages to try to shift suspicion from himself onto one of Wallen's ex-boyfriends, Antoine Broadnax, who she hadn't seen for years. On September 7, police found the woman's abandoned car in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Columbus. The front registration plate had been removed and it was backed in to a space. Staff at the complex also found her driver's license in a dumpster there. Her cell phone was tossed in alongside it. Tessier took part in a press conference with Wallen's parents last week before her body was found. He held hands with her mother and took pats on the back from her father. They now say they suspected him all along but that they were forced to go along with his pretense because they had no proof their daughter was dead On Thursday, Wallen's father Mike said they 'knew' their daughter's boyfriend killed her but that they had to go through with the press conference because they had no proof Wallen was four months pregnant with the man's child and her family said she was excited about the pregnancy Tessier, who had taken part in television appeals and press conferences to find her, was questioned between September 5 and 11. TEXT MESSAGES POLICE FOUND August 28, Laura Wallen to Tyler Tessier's fiance Kristina Wagoner: ''It's important that some things are cleared up and I would imagine that if you were in my position, you'd want some answers as well. 'By no means is this an attempt at confrontation, just looking for an explanation, woman to woman' September 2, Laura Wallen to her sister: 'Tyler has me on an adventure in the country. Not sure why but it's for something. Waiting in a field.' September 4, Tessier 'posing as Laura' in messages to her sister 'I am like 95 per cent sure Tyler is not the father. 'I'm probably going to lose my job over this. 'If he tries to call you, please tell him he's a great guy because I know I really hurt his feelings. 'I am going to try and get a hold of Antoine' 'Tyler will never forgive me' Advertisement During the interviews, he admitted parking his girlfriend's car and discarding her license but said she had asked him to do those things to 'buy her time' before revealing that Antoine was the baby's father. Police say Tessier has given them conflicting statements about the last time he saw her alive. First, he claimed they had an argument at her home on September 4 which ended in her 'hysterically crying'. He later claimed to have arranged to meet up with her at a mall near the apartment complex where her car was found but says she never showed up. He told police she had asked him to give her a 'day' to 'sort things out' and tell Antoine that he was the father. A friend later told police he'd asked them to help him retrieve a car from Baltimore but that it had to be done late at night. When they questioned him about it, he said: 'Just trying to clean up a mess,' according to charging documents. At a press conference on Thursday, Wallen's father described him as a 'monster' and a 'liar' and said the family had their suspicions about him but were forced to take part in a joint press conference with him because her body had not yet been found. 'He is a monster and he is a liar and it was absolutely the hardest thing that my wife could do, would be to sit there next to him and hold his hand and she had to hold his hand with two hands because she was shaking so badly. 'We were pretty sure it was Tyler but we didn't know where she was and you can't put somebody away on a missing person. 'Someone doesn't go to prison for life on a missing person and it defies description the awfulness and the horror that we have been put through during this,' Mark Wallen said. Tessier has been charged with first degree murder and is being held without bond. He is also charged with obstruction of justice, tampering with evidence and making false statements. Bogus pornographer: Mario Ambrose Antoine, 34, of Missouri, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud for duping more than 24 women into having sex with him under the guise of auditions for porn films A Missouri man impersonating a pornography producer has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for conning two dozen women into having sex with him by saying they were rehearsing for roles in adult films. Mario Ambrose Antoine, 34, a disgraced wedding photographer with a history of deceptive business activities, was sentenced Wednesday for wire fraud. Prosecutors said most of Antoine's victims were in financially vulnerable and he promised to pay them tens of thousands of dollars to appear in porn films that would be available only on private websites overseas. The Kansas City Star reported that Antoine told the victims they had to 'audition' first. None of the women was ever paid. If the woman complained, Antoine threatened to send compromising images of them to their family and friends. In some cases, he did send the images to friends, boyfriends or employers through fake social media accounts. According to prosecutors, all of the incidents involving phony X-rated film auditions and photo sessions took place between August and October 2016 at Antoines home in Raymore, Missouri. Prosecutors said Antoine posed as a talent manager, photographer and videographer, and claimed to work for fictitious companies in the pornography industry bearing names like Playboy Worldwide and Playboy Asia to lure cash-strapped women. Scroll down for video Sextortionist: If the woman complained about their fee, Antoine threatened to send compromising images of them to their family and friends He promised more than two dozen victims between $550,000 to $1.5million after having them sign what they thought were legitimate contracts for jobs with his companies, according to Kansas City Star. The women were first contacted on Facebook by Antoine posing as a woman named 'Nikki,' who would first compliment the women on their looks, then dangle in front of them the prospect of earning tens of thousands of dollars by doing 'adult modeling' for videos shown in private accounts in foreign countries. Antoine would then lure the women to his house under the guise of meeting a photographer named 'Mario or 'Chris,' and tell them having sex with them on camera was part of their 'audition.' To make the elaborate scheme seem legitimate, Antoine would show his victims bogus checks made out to other 'models' and tax documents, and have them sign contracts and modelling release forms before proceeding to have sex with them on camera. 'He told me I had to audition... and do several different sex acts (with him), which I did,' one victim told the station WDAF last October. None of the women were ever paid a dime by Antoine. When they would press him about their compensation, he would at first offer them excuses, before resorting to blackmail in some instances. Victim speaks: One woman (left) told the station WDAF that Antoine told her to perform different sex acts with him as part of a film rehearsal He contacted the first victim in 2011 and produced several tapes with her over the course of a year, allegedly promising her $1,000 for each act. She never received payment. In November 2015, Antoine allegedly told her she would either have to pay him $9,000 or sleep with him in exchange for him not distributing the footage they made together. She is believed to have complied, going to his house for sex to prevent him from releasing their videos. He then sent a second victim photographs of his first target, telling her she had made tens of thousands of dollars through a handful of roles. Antoine allegedly offered her $2,000 for a taped audition with him. Antoine, pictured in court in 2013, used to operate a wedding photography business for which he was found guilty of stealing by deceit A third woman fell for the same trap, having sex with the conman on camera. When she asked for payment, he sent photographs of their tryst to her employer. In May, Antoine agreed to plead guilty to a single count of wire fraud, and on Wednesday, a judge imposed the 10-year sentence on him, calling the facts in the case 'outrageous.' The now-convicted conman used to operate a wedding photography business for which he was found guilty of stealing by deceit and unlawful merchandising practices and spent almost a year in prison. He reportedly sold wedding packages to brides but then never showed up to take their photos. You'll never sneak soda into a free water cup again after seeing what happened between one customer and a McDonald's employee. Shocking video shows the moment a fight broke out at a Southern California McDonald's when the employee confronted the customer who filled soda with a free cup for water. The footage starts with the customer, in a white a green printed shirt, and the employee in black, standing face-to-face. The worker says, 'Why don't you get out of here'. The customer yells, 'get out of my f****** face', where the man in black then immediately grabs the younger man by the neck. A fight between a McDonald's employee and customer broke out at a branch in Indio, California. The men are seen yelling at each other before the employee (right) grabs the customer's neck The customer comes back with a punch then grabs the man from behind and throws him down on a bench. They wrestle for a moment, and then the costumer lets out one giant punch as witnesses gawk and one man tries to step in and stop it. The employees stands clearly disheveled and with blood running down his face. People are heard screaming 'call the police!' The worker walks away and it appears the customer, still fuming, tries to follow him while spewing profanities. Footage was taken at a McDonald's in Indio, California. The identities of the two men remain unknown and it is unclear if any arrests were made. The customer (left) throws a punch and brings the man to down to a bench where he continues to punch and kick him. This whole ordeal allegedly started when the worker approached the customer for filling a free cup for water up with soda The body of missing Boca Raton, Florida woman Lori Feliciano-Pino (pictured) was found on Saturday as workers drained a canal ahead of Hurricane Irma The nearly nine-month search for a missing Boca Raton, Florida woman came to a close this weekend, thanks to Hurricane Irma preparations. Workers were draining the Boca Rio Canal on Saturday, ahead of the big storm, when they discovered a car that was hidden beneath the surface of the water. Inside the car was the body of 47-year-old Lori Feliciano-Pino, who had been missing since December. Lori's family learned about the discovery on Facebook, after gathering together to wait out the storm together Lori's sister Rosannie Feliciano says she was cooking food when the power went out, and another sister saw a photo of the car on Facebook. People had started commenting on the photo that it looked like the 2011 gray Toyota RAV4 Lori had gone missing in. Pictured above is Lori's car in the bottom of the Boca Rio Canal on Saturday Rosannie called the detective assigned to her sister's case, but didn't get an answer so she left a voicemail. She says she wanted to drive out to see the car, but it was 3pm and there was a curfew for the impending hurricane. A few hours later, she says the detective called her back and confirmed that it was her sister. He said that her belongings had been found in the car, along with the body of a woman with black hair, just like Lori's. 'I was initially completely shocked, then was very angry,' she told the Palm Beach Post. 'I cant tell you how many times I said (to detectives) can we please check this canal because it was close to where she lived.' Lori Feliciano-Pino disappeared without a trace on December 19, a week before she planned to travel north to spend Christmas with family. Police are still investigating how she died The family still don't know how Lori died, but having her body is bringing them a sense of closure. 'I feel like years would have went by if it werent for something horrible like the hurricane to happen because we would never have found her,' Rosannie said. 'Out of something tragic, something good. Now we can start to heal and grieve.' Lori was last seen leaving her house the night of December 19, after having an argument with her husband. Police say her husband was never a suspect in her disappearance. Police had nothing to go on because Lori's phone had died and there were no bank transactions to follow. She disappeared just a week before she was due to travel north to spend Christmas with her family. She was a mother of two and a grandmother of two. In a new tweet, President Trump tried to excuse away why he hadn't spoken to Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto until today, in the aftermath of the country's deadly earthquake. 'Spoke to President of Mexico to give condolences on terrible earthquake. Unable to reach for 3 days b/c of his cell phone reception at site,' Trump wrote, tweeting today from Air Force One. The 8.1 magnitude earthquake had struck the southern regions of Oaxaca and Chiapas in Mexico late last Thursday, which means the two leaders of the neighboring countries hadn't spoken for nearly a week. President Trump (right) used bad cell phone reception to explain why it had taken him nearly a week to offer condolences to Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (left) in the aftermath of a horrific earthquake that left more than 90 Mexicans dead President Trump was originally supposed to have a call with President Enrique Pena Nieto on Tuesday, according to White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (center) is seen greeting President Trump (left) and first lady Melania Trump (right) at a concert during this summer's G20 Summit in Germany Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (left) offers his hand to President Donald Trump (right) during the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany in June Southern parts of Mexican were ravaged by a large earthquake late last Thursday, which killed more than 90 Mexicans The Mexican government rescinded an offer to help the United States with rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Harvey as the money is now needed at home On Air Force One Trump explained that it was 'impossible' to reach him. 'He was in the mountains where they had the earthquake and there was no cell,' the president explained to reporters during a brief gaggle. 'We spoke yesterday but the phone, the connection never got put together because he had no access to cell.' 'But we just had a good talk,' Trump added. 'Just got finished with him and that whole earthquake is terrible, it's just terrible.' 'So we paid our respects, and he, likewise, also paid his respects with respect to Irma and Harvey,' Trump said, naming the two hurricanes that recently made landfall in the US. On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked why Trump had yet to offer his condolences to the Mexican leader. 'They actually have a call scheduled today,' the press secretary replied. 'It's taking place, I believe, within this hour. And we'll have a readout for you on that this afternoon.' A call on Tuesday, for some, had already seemed too late. A day before, Mexico had rescinded its offer to aid the United States in clean-up efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, which ravaged Texas, a US border state. Mexico said it needed those resources for its own people, as the country was recovering from a hurricane and now the earthquake. Trump had never responded to Mexico's offer, though Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had said he'd welcome the help. The president has put both Mexico and Mexicans in his crosshairs since he began campaigning for president on June 16, 2015. He famously knocked immigrants from Mexico who were illegally coming into the country in his first speech as a candidate at Trump Tower. 'When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best ... they're sending people that have a lot of problems and they're bringing those problems with us,' newly-minded candidate Trump said. 'They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crimes. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people,' Trump added. His relations with Mexico haven't terribly improved since then. Trump continues to demand a border wall, even if Mexico, at first, won't be who's paying for it, that burden will go to the American taxpayer. He's had several awkward conversations with Pena Nieto since taking office in January. In recent weeks he's also called Mexico, along with Canada, 'very difficult' as the three countries have attempted to re-negotiate NAFTA. Last week's earthquake killed more than 90 Mexicans. President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is heading up a new effort on job training and mentoring in federal prisons padding a portfolio that already includes China and Middle East peace. Kushner oversaw a meeting at the White House on the issue Thursday, although the White House didn't send out a notification in advance. Kushner told the Washington Post in an interview advancing the meeting: 'There is a lot of agreement from the left and the center and the right that once a person has committed a crime we should make sure we give them the best opportunities to try to live a productive life after serving their time, Kushner said. 'Were not looking to train better criminals.' White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Senate Judiciary Committee ranking Democrat Diane Feinstein hadn't heard of the effort, although two senators, John Coryn of Texas and Sheldon Whitehouse were expected to be there. 'He's got a big portfolio, though,' she quipped, when asked by DailyMail.com about it. Kushner oversees an office of American innovation meant to spur jobs. The idea is not solicit ideas that require new federal dollars even as the Trump administration has taken steps expected to boost the federal inmate population. 'Were not at a place where we are prescribing solutions. Were bringing people together and generating ideas. If prisoner reentry programs are successfully executed, its usually a good investment,' said Kushner. Kushner is heading up an effort on job training and mentoring in prisons Presidential advisor Jared Kushner departs his house in Washington, D.C., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017 Kushner's father, Charles Kushner, did time in a federal prison for tax evasion According to a White House official, the event is called a Prisoner Reentry Roundtable Discussion, tasked with soliciting information from prison reformers, non-profits, lawmakers, and faith based groups. The topics include mentoring, vocational education, and job placement. Kushner is also tasked with heading up middle east peace efforts and is a key point of contact with China. His father, Charles Kushner, did time in a federal prison for tax evasion, and the younger Kushner has said it made an impression on him. He visited his father in an Alabama prison almost every week during his 14 month sentence. Slated to attend were Sens. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), as well as Don Cravins of the National Urban League, Mark Holden Koch Industries, and Ralph Reed of the Faith and Freedom Coalition. The administration's most impactful move with respect to prisons was an announcement by Attorney General Jeff Sessions that he was rolling back an Obama practice meant to remove non-violent drug offenders from prison. There are about 6 million people incarcerated in the U.S., and the effort was meant to cut into mandatory minimum drug sentences. Sessions ordered federal prosecutors to pursue the toughest possible charges against suspects. Andrew Bice, 34, mugshot. He died from a self-inflicted wound to the head in June An autopsy for a Texas criminal revealed that he had opiates in his system when he shot dead two officers in June. The drugs found in 34-year-old Andrew Bice's system included codeine and morphine. It has also been revealed that Bice had a tattoo on his wrist of a tombstone that said: 'RIP COPS'. Officer Miguel Moreno, a nine-year veteran of the police force, was shot in the head during the encounter with Bice. He was kept on life support but taken off and died on Friday, June 30. The officer wanted to talk with him about a vehicle break-in. Bice also shot his partner, Officer Julio Cavazos, in the chin as they stepped out of their patrol car but Cavazos returned fire and hit Bice in the butt. Officer Julio Cavazos recovered after many surgeries. The autopsy said Bice died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He died later that day at University Hospital in San Antonio. Gruesome: This is Rice's tattoo on his wrist of that bears the image of a ttombstone that said: 'RIP COPS'. Bice's autopsy revealed that at the time of the shooting, he had opiates in his system and a tattoo on his wrist that said: 'RIP COPS' Bice had an extensive criminal record dating back more than a decade from his death. He was convicted of three charges in Bexar County from 2003 to 2006 and was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail nine times on more than 30 charges, including multiple counts of kidnapping and burglary, over a nine-year period, according to My San Antonio. Bice pleaded guilty to three charges originating out of Bexar County. His first guilty plea came in October 2003 to an assault causing bodily injury to a family member charge. Two years later he pleaded guilty to a charge of evading arrest and in 2007, he pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of a controlled substance between one and four grams, according to My San Antonio. A US nuclear submarine returned to port in Washington State on Tuesday flying a pirate flag - which sparked speculation it had sunk another ship in combat. However, US Naval Commander Corey Barker told Daily Mail Online the flag was flown for morale, and has no further significance. Photos of the USS Jimmy Carter were posted to the Pentagon Twitter page and show the Jolly Roger skull and bones flying beside the American flag, the Washington Post reported. The USS Jimmy Carter is one of just three 450-foot Seawolf-class nuclear-powered submarines in its class and was designed to conduct covert sea operations. The vessel, larger than its two sister ships, is special because it features lockout chambers and underwater remotely operated vehicles, which are useful in top-secret missions, according to The Drive. In addition, the Carter has the ability to destroy unmanned submersibles and likely splice undersea cables. It also uses specifically outfitted thrusters to hover off of the ocean floor. Photos of the USS Jimmy Carter were posted to the Pentagon Twitter page and show the Jolly Roger skull and bones flying beside the American flag The flag bares some significance according to Ian Keddie, a Scottish Journalist who posted one of the photos on Twitter. It is particularly significant because of the submarine's significant capabilities. Pictured is the USS Jimmy Carter coming into port It was last filmed returning to port in April with the Jolly Roger flying from its conning tower. The flag bares some significance according to Ian Keddie, a Scottish journalist who posted one of the photos on Twitter. It is particularly significant because of the submarine's capabilities. He said the tradition of flying it started in 1914 when a British submarine tank HMS E-9 sank the German battle cruiser Hela during World War I. When the tank returned to port, the Lieutenant Commander raised the iconic black flag with a skull and crossbones to signify that the crew had sunk an enemy warship. It was a cheeky response to a comment made in 1901 by Admiral of the Fleet Sir Arthur Wilson. He summed up the belief of many in the Admiralty at the time when he declared submarines underhand, unfair and damned un-English adding they should be treated as pirates in wartime. The tradition of flying the Jolly Roger continued for decades including in the Falklands War when HMS Conqueror hoisted the flag to represent its successful sinking of the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano. The flag was also used in 1991 by HMS Opossum and HMS Otus when they returned from patrols in the Persian Gulf, the only indication that they had perhaps been involved in SAS and SBS reconnaissance operations there. In 2011, the HMS Triumph , fresh from her frontline role launching Tomahawk cruise missiles against Gaddafis military machine, surfaced to celebrate her return to HM Naval Base Devonport, Plymouth, and flew the Jolly Roger from her mast (pictured) In 2011, the HMS Triumph, fresh from her frontline role launching Tomahawk cruise missiles against Gaddafis military machine, surfaced to celebrate her return to HM Naval Base Devonport, Plymouth, and flew the Jolly Roger from her mast. The flag was made by the submariners wives and sent out to Triumph as she made the voyage home. As the sub neared the dockside and her Jolly Roger danced in the wind, it became apparent that the flag also bore the motif of six tomahawks. This represented the precise number of Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from HMS Triumph at Libya. Commander Barker said that, in this instance, the flag was just flown for morale. 'There was no real reason for flying the flag, just a part of morale,' he explained. 'When submarines come into and leave port they are authorized to fly flags as their commanding officer tells them. This is a flag they've flown in the past for morale. The crew also flew it when they were leaving earlier this year. It doesn't signify anything further.' The USS Jimmy Carter is one of just three 450-foot Seawolf-class nuclear-powered submarines in its class and was designed to conduct covert sea operations It's not clear why the Carter observed the British tradition when it returned to port earlier this week. US submarines often operate in secrecy and their activity is rarely discussed by the Pentagon US submarines often operate in secrecy and their activity is rarely discussed by the Pentagon, the Post said. The Post speculated whether the display represents the success of a more covert mission, as it is unlikely that the Carter torpedoed and enemy ship or fired a cruise missile. Eric Williams Photography The regular Sept. 6 meeting of the Albuquerque City Council was quick and easy. A lean agenda was taken care of in under an hour and a half. The crowd was relatively small and quiet, with the most interesting conversations happening during informal discussions. Councilors Klarissa Pena and Brad Winter were excused. Peace Party It seems extra necessary this year to celebrate the United Nations International Day of Peace and the city obliged with a proclamation. The Councils proclamation encourages all businesses, schools, organizations and individuals to participate in promoting peace and justice for our citizens. Sept. 21 is the actual day, but thats a Thursdaywhich is an awkward day for merrymakingso organizers have set an additional forum on issues of immigration to be held on that day at 5:30pm. On Saturday, Sept. 23 , the yearly celebration will be held from 3-7pm. Both events are at the Center for Peace and Justice located at Silver and Harvard near the University of New Mexico. The theme of this years celebration is Together for peace through respect, safety and dignity for all. Organizer Dr. Rosemary Blanchard told the council, We will celebrate the diversity of this cityand we are a diverse and accepting city. Rolling Dough Film is alive and well in the city of Albuquerque, said Ann Lerner, the citys film guru. She gave the Council an enthusiastic update on the citys busy flick industry. Lerner said that film industry peeps dropped $180 million in direct spending during fiscal years 2017 and 2016. In last 8 years, over a billion dollars of direct new money has come into the greater Albuquerque area, she reported. Each TV episode filmed in the city equals about 8 days of filming, she said, which jingles down to about $1.5 million in new dollars spent and circulated. For one recent film project, New Mexicans made up 90 to 95 percent of the crew. After the presentation, Councilor Diane Gibson had but one burning question for Lernerwas Albuquerque still known as Tamalewood? Lerner said no, people around the world can now spell Albuquerque thanks to this city being one of the top five best places to film in the world. Whats Up with APD and the DOJ? A chunk of the short meeting was spent quizzing City Attorney Jessica Hernandez about what is up with Dr. James Ginger, the federal monitor who oversees the court-approved settlement agreement between the Albuquerque Police Department and the US Department of Justice. The court agreement was reached after a DOJ investigation found a pattern and practice of excessive force that included many of police killings. Who is monitoring the monitor? Councilor Ken Sanchez asked Hernandez. Sanchez wanted to know about Gingers living status in Albuquerque and if he was working in a local office. He has been paid to date $2,921,422, Sanchez recalled, saying, I have not seen him move here or open an office. Hernandez reiterated that Ginger opened an office staffed with University of New Mexico graduate students who take complaints and relay messages to Ginger. But she is not aware of any monitoring staff using an office in the city. This has been an issue we have tried to work around as there are challenges with not having a monitor team here, Hernandez told Councilors. Councilor Diane Gibson came to Dr. Gingers rescue saying, He had apartment here for a while but was suffering from allergies. Whatever blossoms here, it doesnt agree with him. I think that is why he gave up his residence, Gibson remembered. Councilor Sanchez didnt buy it, saying Ginger or someone from his monitor team should be here in the city especially since he is being paid millions. Hernandez didnt quite answer one question when asked by Councilor Sanchez about how the police department was doing, meeting its federally mandated goals. She said the fifth report came out a couple of months ago with a new format that more clearly outlines Gingers recommendations. Giving us clearer recommendations helps the department, Hernandez said. I know since they got the new format they are using them as department guideposts as they move forward with their progress. What she didnt mention was Gingers interim outcomes report recently released on Aug. 18; it, knocked the department as being well below where it should be in the reform process. Ginger also reported that some of the data being submitted is not up to par and has been inaccurate. The sixth regular report is due out early November. Quick Hits Other items handled by the council included: Deferring a re-prioritization of fully staffing the police department and amending the citys pawnbrokers ordinance. Approving the creation of a task force to make recommendations for how to deal with the citys hundreds of vacant and/or abandoned homes. Giving the thumbs-up to routine airline operations agreements. Confirming John ODonnell to be the lead Washington DC lobbyist for the city. Appointing Christine Glidden to the Biological Park Board and Deborah Good to the Indicators of Progress Commission. Reappointing Marie Q. Julienne to the Personnel Board. United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee v. JORGE SALAS-VIERA, Defendant - Appellant No. 16-40526 Decided: September 12, 2017 Before BARKSDALE, CLEMENT, and OWEN, Circuit Judges. Jorge Salas-Viera challenges the downward-variance sentence imposed following his guilty-plea conviction for illegal reentry after deportation, in violation of 8 U.S.C. 1326. He asserts the district court erred in applying a 16-level enhancement under U.S.S.G. 2L1.2(b)(1)(A)(i) (2015), based on his prior conviction for a controlled substances offense, pursuant to Nevada Revised Statute 453.321. Along that line, Salas asserts: the Nevada statute is broader than the generic definition of a drug-trafficking offense; and, further, it is not divisible, resulting, under Mathis v. United States, 136 S. Ct. 2243 (2016), in review of state court records not being permissible to decide whether the conviction supported the enhancement. Salas did not raise these issues in district court; therefore, review is only for plain error. E.g., Puckett v. United States, 556 U.S. 129, 135 (2009). To satisfy the plain-error standard of review, Salas must identify a plain (clear or obvious) error that affects his substantial rights. Id. If he makes such a showing, this court has discretion to correct the error but generally will do so only if it seriously affects the fairness, integrity or public reputation of judicial proceedings. Id. To be plain, an error must, inter alia, be contrary to clearly settled law, rather than subject to reasonable dispute. United States v. Escalante-Reyes, 689 F.3d 415, 419 (5th Cir. 2012). The law is not clearly settled in Salas' favor, and our court has published no authority on this issue. Moreover, Salas' counsel conceded multiple times during his sentencing hearing that the assigned Guidelines range was correct (arguably rendering this issue waived). Accordingly, Salas has not demonstrated the court's application of the 16-level enhancement was clear or obvious error for purposes of plain-error review. United States v. Fields, 777 F.3d 799, 802 (5th Cir. 2015) (plain error is a demanding standard); United States v. Evans, 587 F.3d 667, 671 (5th Cir. 2009) (no plain error where we have not previously addressed an issue). In addition, Salas contends the court erred in concluding his prior Nevada conviction was an aggravated felony under 8 U.S.C. 1326(b)(2), resulting in a higher statutory maximum sentence (20 years) than permitted under subpart (b)(1) (ten years). Because he failed to raise this claim in district court, our review is again only for plain error. Puckett, 556 U.S. at 135. There is no settled law as to whether Salas' prior Nevada conviction qualifies as an aggravated felony; therefore, the district court's resolution is not clearly or obviously incorrect. Fields, 777 F.3d at 802; Evans, 587 F.3d at 671. Even if he had shown a clear or obvious error, he cannot establish it affected his sentence because his 52-month sentence is below the 10-year statutory maximum under 8 U.S.C. 1326(b)(1). United States v. Mondragon-Santiago, 564 F.3d 357, 369 (5th Cir. 2009). The district court also considered the sentence he received for his first illegal-entry conviction for proportionality purposes. And, the Government has neither stipulated Salas was wrongly sentenced under 1326(b)(2) nor requested reformation of the judgment. AFFIRMED. PER CURIAM:* Knife crime has rocketed to a six-year high amid police concerns about an epidemic of blades on the streets of England and Wales. Courts dealt with more than 20,100 knife possession cases last year the highest number since 2011, official figures show. This was 8 per cent up on last year when 18,600 people were punished. Meanwhile, the number of young offenders cautioned or sentenced after being caught with blades hit 1,180 between April and June more than any time since September 2009. Knife crime has rocketed to a six-year high amid police concerns about an epidemic of blades on the streets of England and Wales (file image) But the figures also reveal that 40 per cent of people with at least one previous convictions for knife possession escaped prison despite the Government introducing a two strikes and youre out minimum six-month sentence in 2015 Shocking new statistics, published by the Ministry of Justice, revealed only 2,650 of 4,370 repeat knife offenders were spared immediate custody, meaning they were freed to pose a risk to the public. Police chiefs fear they are seeing the signs of a knife crime epidemic in major cities, including several young men stabbed to death in London this year. Senior officers have warned that youths are carrying blades for status and protection while campaigners have said youngsters are increasingly desensitised to the realities and dangers of knife crime. Last month Amber Rudd signalled her support for an increase in the use of the contentious powers to combat the carrying of offensive weapons The rise comes against a 57 per cent fall in the number of stop and searches. A record low of 387,448 checks were made in 2015-16 compared to 904,089 stops in 2013-14. In 2015, then Home Secretary Theresa May introduced reforms to reduce the 'excessive and inappropriate' use of stop and search - amid concerns they fuelled resentment by disproportionately targeting ethnic minorities. But she was criticised by senior police chiefs, including then Scotland Yard commissioner Sir Bernard-Hogan Howe, who blamed a rise in stabbings and gang violence on a reduction in the tactic. Last month her successor Amber Rudd signalled her support for an increase in the use of the contentious powers to combat the carrying of offensive weapons. As the decade began, knife crime in England and Wales was falling but in the past three years the trend has reversed, according to the latest figures. A record 42 per cent of adult offenders were jailed, while 13 per cent of 10-17 year olds were sent to prison. The average sentence for knife possession was between seven and eight months, three months longer than the average in 2008. Some 42 per cent of all sentences passed for adults are for immediate custody, 25 per cent are suspended sentences and 15 per cent are community sentences. Justice Minister Dominic Raab said: We're catching and prosecuting more of those who carry a knife or blade. Those convicted are more likely to go to prison, and for longer terms. Knives are a scourge of communities. Our message to those carrying a knife is that you should expect to end up in jail. In July the Government unveiled plans that would require online shoppers to collect knives in person under proposals to clamp down on sales of blades to children and teenagers. It is already an offence to sell knives to under-18s but the planned measures would mean they cannot be delivered to private property, such as the buyer's home. Ministers say this would make it harder for under-age purchases to go undetected following warnings that online age verification checks can be sidestepped. Hundreds of one-star reviews for Hillary Clintons new memoir have been removed from Amazon Hundreds of one-star reviews for Hillary Clintons new memoir have been removed from Amazon. They appeared within hours of the publication of What Happened, a 512-page book in which she tries to set out why she lost the US presidential election to Donald Trump. It was published on Tuesday and by Wednesday morning there were more than 1,500 reviews on Amazon.com, most of which were either glowing or scathing. Quartz, which analysed the reviews, said that of the 1,500-odd original reviews, only 338 were from users with verified purchases of the book. The books publisher at Simon & Schuster, Jonathan Karp, said: It seems highly unlikely that approximately 1,500 people read Hillary Clintons book overnight and came to the stark conclusion that it is either brilliant or awful. Amazon says reviews are designed to help customers make purchase decisions and its not the companys role to decide what customers would find helpful in reviews. The reviews appeared within hours of the publication of What Happened, a 512-page book in which Mrs Clinton tries to set out why she lost the US presidential election to Donald Trump. It was published on Tuesday and by Wednesday morning there were more than 1,500 reviews on Amazon.com The ex-First Lady and Democratic candidates book features a series of digs at Donald Trump, with Mrs Clinton describing her election foe at one point as a creep who made her skin crawl. In total, the presidents name is mentioned 536 times. But White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders hinted Mr Trump was unlikely to read it. Whether or not hes going to read Hillary Clintons book, Im not sure. I think hes pretty well versed on what happened, she said at a daily press briefing. And I think its pretty clear to all of America. I think its sad that after Hillary Clinton ran one of the most negative campaigns in history and lost, the last chapter of her public life is now going to be defined by propping up book sales with false and reckless attacks, she added. In her book, Mrs Clinton talks about her fears for the United States under her one-time adversarys leadership. I had known Donald Trump for years but had never imagined hed be standing on the steps of the Capitol taking the oath of office as President of the United States, she writes in the first chapter. He was a fixture of the New York scene when I was a Senator ... only more flamboyant and self promoting. Peppered throughout the book are criticisms of Mr Trumps personality, his policies and his suitability as Commander-in-Chief. In one of her most controversial passages, she describes her vanquishers inauguration speech as a howl from the white nationalist gut. In 1992 and 2008, change meant electing dynamic young leaders who promised hope and renewal. In 2016, it meant handing a lit match to a pyromaniac, she writes. President Donald Trump claimed Thursday that some of the counter-protesters at a White nationalist rally in Charlottesville were 'very bad people,' doubling down on his position that both sides were responsible for the violence that took place at a race riot in August. Trump came under fire last month for his claims that there were 'very fine people on both sides' of the clash and 'many sides' were to blame for the conflict that left one person dead. The topic came back up during a question and answer session with journalists on Air Force One this afternoon as Trump returned from Florida. The president mentioned the left-wing movement Antfia, which stands for anti-facist, and said, 'If you look at what's going on there, you know, you have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also. And essentially that's what I said. 'Now because of what's happened since then, with Antifa, you look at, you know, really what's happened since Charlottesville a lot of people are saying, in fact a lot of people have actually written, "Gee Trump might have a point." I said, you got some very bad people on the other side also, which is true.' Scroll down for video President Donald Trump claimed Thursday that some of the people protesting white nationalism in Charlottesville were 'very bad people,' doubling down on his position that both sides were responsible for the violence at the race riot A group of white nationalists clash with clash with protesters at the Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville, Virginia on August 12 Trump came under fire last month for his claims that there were 'very fine people on both sides' of the clash and 'many sides' were to blame for the conflict that left one person dead Trump did not say in his original response to Charlottesville that there 'very bad people' on both sides. He said there were 'fine people' on both sides. The comment created an uproar because the original group of demonstrators were avowed white nationalists protesting the city's removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee. Lee commanded the Army of Northern Virginia during the Civil War. Tim Scott, the Republican Party's only black senator, lectured Trump yesterday at the White House on the history of racism in the U.S. toward African Americans and the Ku Klux Klan. 'We had three or four centuries of rape, murder and death brought at the hands of the KKK and those who believe in a superior race,' Scott told reporters after, according to the New York Daily News. 'I wanted to make sure we were clear on the delineation between whos on which side in the history of the nation.' Scott says he confronted Trump about his 'both sides' remark, telling him, 'While thats true, I mean I think if you look at it from a sterile perspective, there was an antagonist on the other side.' 'The real picture has nothing to do with who is on the other side,' Scott says he told Trump, according to the New York Times. 'It has to do with the affirmation of hate groups who over three centuries of this countrys history have made it their mission to create upheaval in minority communities as their reason for existence.' Trump's response to the talking to was that it 'makes sense,' Scott said. Scott told CBS News in a separate interview, 'He's obviously reflected on what he has said, on his intentions and the perception of those comments. 'I'll let him discuss how he feels about it, but he was certainly very clear that the perception that he received on his comments was not exactly what he intended with those comments,' Scott said of the president. The Republican senator had harsh words for Trump when he made his first set of Charlottesville comments, saying then that the president had compromised his 'moral authority.' Yesterday, after their meeting, Scott said it 'will take time' for Trump to get it back, the Daily News reported. President Trump sat down with Sen. Tim Scott, the only black Republican in the U.S. Senate, yesterday for a conversation on race relations and Charlottesville The president had an opportunity this week to take a step in that direction, signing a resolution legislators passed unanimously in the House and Senate condemning white supremacists, neo-Nazis and the KKK. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday Trump 'looks forward' to putting his name on the document once it lands on its desk, which should happen soon. Trump's 'many sides' and 'both sides' comments angered Republicans and Democrats alike in the national spotlight. Rather than apologize, Trump contended during a campaign rally that he'd forcefully denounced racial hatred and the media was cherry-picking his statements. 'We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides,' Trump initially said. 'It has been going on for a long time in our country -- not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. It has been going on for a long, long time. It has no place in America.' Trump did not mention white supremacists at all in his remarks, giving rise to the criticism. Asked Wednesday whether Trump feels, after speaking with Scott, that he should have condemned white nationalism more boldly, Sanders said the president has nothing to be sorry for. 'The President was clear in his initial statement that he condemned hatred, bigotry, racism of all forms. He continues to stick to that message. Hes been very consistent in that fact. He and the Senator talked about that and discussed that, and agreed that that was the appropriate place to be,' she said. In an appearance on CBS Sunday show Face the Nation just after the attack, Scott had said, 'Its going to be very difficult for this president to lead if, in fact, his moral authority remains compromised.' He declined to criticize Trump further when he spoke to reporters after his visit with the president at the White House on Wednesday. 'I think I was clear before we met, and I was clear while we met,' the South Carolina senator told USA Today, leaving his disagreement with Trump the past. Scott said of the conversation, 'We discussed everything from legislative remedies for those living in poverty, to the incident in Charlottesville, to some of the other issues that are important diversifying staff.' White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said yesterday during her daily briefing that Trump and Scott spoke about 'potential solutions moving forward to bring the country together' An official White House readout of the meeting said they talked about the Trump administrations 'relationship with the African American community, the bipartisan issue of improving race relations, and creating a more unified country. 'President Trump remains committed to positive race relations and looks forward to continuing the dialogue with Senator Scott, the African American community, and leaders from diverse communities across the country, all of which have a wealth of perspectives and experiences with respect to this issue.' Sanders said during her daily briefing that Trump and Scott spoke about 'potential solutions moving forward to bring the country together.' Scott was 'not at all' fixated on his displeasure with the president's Charlottesville comments, she said. 'They talked about it pretty in depth, but the focus was primarily on solutions moving forward,' she stated. 'And that was what both people came to the meeting wanting to discuss, is what we can do to bring people together, not talk about divisions within the country.' Trump said Thursday that he and Scott 'had a great conversation.' 'And he also has legislation, which I actually like very much -- the concept of which, I support -- to get people going into certain areas and building and constructing and putting people to work. And I told him yesterday, that's a concept I could support very easily.' The president opened up his remarks by noting that Scott, an endorser of Marco Rubio in last year's GOP presidential primary, has been a friend of his for years. 'I've been a supporter of his when I was civilian. I was one of his earliest supporters, and I supported him when he ran,' Trump said. He went on to talk about Antifa and the all the people writing him to say he was right. Antifia is loosely organized left-wing activist movement that relies on violence to convey its agenda. Democrats on Capitol Hill had pushed last month for an official censure of the president over his original Charlottesville remarks, assigning blame to the anti-white nationalists. Republicans agreed to a resolution blasting racists. The legislation cleared the Senate on Monday and the House on Tuesday and heads to Trump now. In the bipartisan statement, that assault that took Heather Heyer's life is pointedly referred to as a 'domestic terrorist attack.' The KKK and neo-Nazis are also called out. Lawmakers ask Trump personally to 'speak out against hate groups that espouse racism, extremism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and White supremacy' in the declaration. They also call on him to use 'all resources available' to 'address the growing prevalence of those hate groups in the United States.' President Trump still believes that President Obama's National Security Advisor Susan Rice was 'wrong' for 'unmasking' Trump associates in intelligence reports. On Wednesday, CNN reported that Rice had told Congressional investigators that she 'unmasked' a number of top Trump officials over an undisclosed meeting they had with the prince of the United Arab Emirates. Her testimony caused a number of Republicans to walk back their criticism of her actions but not Trump. 'She's not supported to be doing that, and what she did was wrong,' the president said aboard Air Force One Thursday afternoon, on his return trip from Florida. 'And we've been staying that, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.' Scroll down for video President Donald Trump (left) said on Air Force One said former National Security Advisor Susan Rice (right) was 'wrong' to unmask Trump officials who were meeting with the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates. The prince hadn't told the US government he'd be visitin Susan Rice, photographed at the White House in 2013, was criticized by Republicans including President Trump and House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., for 'unmasking' Trump officials 'What she did was wrong. Not supposed to be doing that,' the president continued. 'The unmasking and the surveillance, and I heard she admitted that yesterday.' 'Just not right,' he uttered. Rice was up on Capitol Hill last week and told members of the House Intelligence Committee last week that she requested names of Americans usually blacked out in intelligence reports to be revealed, after the UAE's crown prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan arrived in New York last December without notifying the US government. The non-disclosure, which is customary, sparked interest in the meeting. The crown prince had met with Trump officials including the president's ex-National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and another now-former White House official, Steve Bannon, sources told CNN. The effort preceded the UAE trying to set up a backchannel between Russia and the incoming Trump administration. Rice declined to comment to CNN about her testimony, while the crown prince's spokesperson also wouldn't speak on the record. An individual described by CNN as a 'senior Middle East official' told the network's Manu Raju that the UAE did not 'mislead' the Obama administration about the crown prince's travel, though acknowledged that the US government was not notified in advance of the December 2016 trip. The Trump Tower meeting, the official said, was simply about building a relationship with the incoming administration. 'The meeting was about ascertaining the Trump team's view of the region and sharing the UAE's view of the region and what the US role should be,' the official told CNN. 'No one was coming in to sell anything or arrange anything.' Rice had previously been criticized for 'unmasking' Americans in the waning days of the Obama administration. In April the president told the New York Times that Rice 'may have committed a crime by seeking to learn the identities of Trump associates swept up in surveillance of foreign officials by United States spy agencies.' The House Intelligence Committee's chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., made news when he showed up to warn the White House that Trump officials names were in the classified reports, meaning that someone had requested them to be 'unmasked.' Now that Rice has delivered an explanation to Congress, members of the president's party have been walking their criticism back. Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., an Intelligence Committee member told the Daily Caller that there was 'nothing that came up in her interview that led me to conclude' she had improperly unmasked the Trump officials or leaked their names to the press. 'I think what she did in her role was perfectly appropriate, so I think that people were impressed with her testimony,' said the committee's ranking Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif. As for Trump's accusations that Rice had broken the law, Schiff commented: 'It looks now like it did at the time, a baseless accusation and a slander against a dedicated public servant, not unlike the president's suggestion that he had been illegally wiretapped at Trump Tower,' the lawmaker said on CNN shortly after the UAE story broke. Speaking to CNN, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders didn't explicitly say whether Trump still thought Rice had committed a crime, instead focusing on whether unmasking and leaking needs to be probed. 'We've seen illegal leaking of classified materials, including the identifies of American citizens unmasked in intelligence reports,' she told the network. 'That's why the president called for Congress to investigate this matter and why the Department of Justice and Intelligence Community are doing all they can to stamp out this dangerous trend that undermines our national security.' The December Trump Tower meeting, which took place in the transition period between the Obama and Trump administrations, happened before the UAE brokered a meeting to open lines of communication between Russia and the United States. In April, the Washington Post reported that Blackwater's founder Erik Prince, a Trump ally, and a Russian close to Vladimir Putin, arranged by the UAE in the Seychelles Islands. The effort was to create a back-channel line of communication between Moscow and President-elect Trump. That meeting is now being investigated by Congress as they continue to look for links between the Trump campaign and Russia. New York's Pace University was evacuated by police on Thursday afternoon after a false report of a shooter on its lower Manhattan campus. A report of a shooter was called in to police after a student saw what appeared to be live ammunition in a bathroom stall - then, when the door opened, a man with a duffel bag. But the panic was a false alarm, cops said - and the belt just decorated with empty pretend shells, NBC 4 New York reported. Scroll down for video Pace University's downtown Manhattan campus was evacuated Thursday (pictured) when a student told security he'd seen bullets and a duffel bag in a toilet stall Video footage (left) shows students being evacuated by cops. The university later confirmed (right) that there was no danger and the campus was reopened Police were called in by campus security, who had themselves been contacted by the panicked student, a cop told the station. The university's One Pace Plaza campus was then evacuated thanks to an 'overabundance of caution'. Cops searched the area and interviewed a man matching the description of the duffel-bag-carrying man. Footage shared on Twitter - with a prominent 2:30pm time stamp - shows several cops putting on body armor as students file out of the university and onto the downtown streets close to City Hall. At 3pm the university tweeted: 'There was police activity at One Pace Plaza. It was a false alarm. There were no injuries and everyone is safe.' The campus was then reopened for business as usual. Pace University has three campuses other than its lower Manhattan one, with one in Midtown Manhattan and two in Westchester. In total, it has nearly 13,000 students across all four locations. Controversial footy personality Sam Newman has weighed in on the Malcolm Turnbull beer and granddaughter saga, declaring the 'country is rooted'. The 71-year-old former Geelong star entered the set of The AFL Footy Show with two cans of VB linked up to a novelty beer hat, cradling a baby doll in his hand. He went on to pretend to pour a beer stein down the throat of the baby, asking: 'Why would anyone worry about Malcolm Turnbull having a beer with his granddaughter sitting on his lap?' 'Why wouldn't you be able to do that... the country is rooted.' Controversial footy personality Sam Newman has weighed in on the Malcolm Turnbull beer and granddaughter saga The 71-year-old former Geelong star entered the set of The AFL Footy Show with two cans of VB linked up to a novelty beer hat, cradling a baby doll in his hand Footy Show co-hosts Eddie McGuire and Rebecca Maddern laughed along politely, agreeing with Newman as he delivered his passionate speech. His stunt was in response to a photo the Australian Prime Minister posted to his Facebook last Saturday night during the Sydney Swans v Essendon Bombers game. Mr Turnbull faced backlash online after sharing the photo, which showed him kissing his granddaughter Alice while holding a beer during the AFL finals clash. While Mr Turnbull innocently labelled the occasion 'multitasking', many social media users were quick to point out potential issues with the post. He went on to pretend to pour a beer stein down the throat of the baby, asking: 'Why would anyone worry about Malcolm Turnbull having a beer with his granddaughter sitting on his lap? Newman, who is known for stirring the pot on the AFL Footy Show, said 'this country is rooted' Some accused him of being an irresponsible child-minder, while others took the opportunity to blast him for 'wasting' money on the upcoming postal plebiscite. 'Do you HAVE to drink alcohol whilst holding that baby? What is wrong with soft drink?,' one concerned follower wrote. Another was particularly irritated, writing: 'Does anyone see anything irresponsible with an adult hold(ing) a baby and juggling a beer? And when was drinking while holding a child OK?' Continuing: 'I find it disgusting to see people breathing grog all over baby's but sadly I'm not surprised by Malcolm doing it. A Massachusetts truck driver was fired from his job after he gave away plywood to needy Floridians in Tampa girding for Hurricane Irma, it was reported on Thursday. Tim McCrory, 27, was driving his truck to a Home Depot just outside of Tampa last Friday night to deliver emergency shipments of plywood just hours before Irma made landfall in south Florida. McCrory's truck suffered a flat tire, resulting in him being late to the department store which had closed by the time he arrived at approximately 9pm. Because of the approaching storm, the Home Depot had already closed, according to Fox 13 TV. His manager back in Tennessee told him that he would have to wait until Tuesday to complete his delivery. Tim McCrory, 27, was driving his truck to a Home Depot just outside of Tampa last Friday night to deliver emergency shipments of plywood just hours before Irma made landfall in south Florida So McCrory says he decided to wait out the storm in his truck. A few hours later at approximately 2:30am on Saturday, McCrory says an off-duty police officer approached his truck in search of plywood. The officer told McCrory that he had been busy helping others prepare for the storm and that as a result he did not have time to secure his own home. When McCrory was made aware of the urgent need for plywood, he decided to hand out pieces to the officer and others who heard through word-of-mouth. McCrory's truck suffered a flat tire, which meant that he arrived too late to make his delivery. Soon afterward, an off-duty officer arrived in search of plywood to protect his home for the coming hurricane When McCrory decided to give away the plywood, others around town heard about it By 6:30am on Saturday, McCrory offloaded and donated 960 pieces of plywood, helping up to 200 households By 6:30am on Saturday, McCrory offloaded and donated 960 pieces of plywood, helping up to 200 households, he said. 'Being an American citizen, that's what we do,' McCrory told WTSP-TV. But his employer did not see it that way. Western Express, the Nashville-based company, decided to fire McCrory, who admitted after giving away the plywood that he had a feeling he was in trouble with his boss. The company CEO, Paul Wieck, said that while he understood why McCrory did what he did, he needed to look out for the bottom line. Western Express, the Nashville-based company, decided to fire McCrory, who admitted after giving away the plywood that he had a feeling he was in trouble with his boss. A woman who was helped by McCrory has started a GoFundMe page to help him 'I understand his heart,' Wieck said, 'but the plywood belonged to our customer.' Wieck did not confirm that McCrory had been fired. The company has since declined comment to numerous media inquiries. One of the locals helped by McCrory's generosity decided to return the favour when she heard that the man who most likely was responsible for protecting her home was fired from his job because of it. Tracy Dillon Drew, a resident of Zephyrhills, Florida, launched a GoFundMe page to help McCrory, who returned home to western Massachusetts. 'Even though we were all strangers, I cannot explain the sense of community I felt with those of us who were there lucky enough to not just receive plywood, but also receive a much more important gift - compassion from a man who will risk getting caught in the storm driving back to his home to bring us wood, who also risked his job to make sure regardless of Home Depot's refusal to accept his order that Zephyrhills would have some plywood,' Drew wrote on the GoFundMe page. As of Thursday evening, the crowdfunding campaign had raised $1,665 of its goal of $2,000 to help McCrory get back on his feet again. President Donald Trump chewed out attorney general Jeff Sessions in the Oval Office and called him an 'idiot' after Robert Mueller was named as special counsel, according to the latest report of White House turmoil over Russia. The president considered the act a display of disloyalty from Sessions, his first Senate supporter, in an event that set in motion a wide-ranging probe that now encompasses Trump family members and top campaign officials with subject matter including Russia contacts and possible obstruction. Trump called Sessions an 'idiot' and told him to resign, the New York Times reported. The president told the former Alabama senator that appointing him was one of the worst decisions he had made. Attorney General Jeff Sessions offered to resign after President Donald Trump blew up at him after learning that Robert Mueller had been named special counsel Sessions, described in the article as 'humiliated,' replied that he would, and furnished a resignation letter. He told associates it was the most humiliating event in his public life. The president apparently thought better of the decision, and did not accept Sessions' resignation. Staffers helping to talk him out of it included Vice President Mike Pence, former chief strategist Steve Bannon, and former chief of staff Reince Priebus. Trump ultimately returned the resignation letter with a handwritten response which was not detailed int he article. Trump's anger about Sessions' decision to recuse himself from the Russia probe was already known. He vented to the Times in July that it was 'very unfair to the president. HUMILIATED: Attorney General Jeff Sessions considered the Oval Office dressing-down the most humiliating event in his public life For a period of days Trump delivered unusual public criticisms of Sessions, who nevertheless remained in the administration. The decision set in motion a series of events. After Sessions recused himself (he had his own undisclosed contacts with Russian officials), deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein oversaw the probe. Former FBI Director Robert Mueller was then named special prosecutor. Mueller has hired a team of crack lawyers and prosecutors that are examining Trump campaign contacts with Russia, finances, and other matters. Explaining Sessions' decision to remain despite the public criticism, the Times piece cites people close to Sessions as saying he had a chance to impact immigration issues. It appeared Sessions had scored a victory when he announced an administration decision to end DACA. That victory is now in doubt, as Trump has sent out conflicting tweets on the issue, tweeting Thursday morning about the issue expressing sympathy for DREAMers. 'Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!...They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security.' Advertisement Kim Jong-un has called Friday's missile test launch over Japan a 'shining victory in the standoff with the United States', claiming that the U.S. is in 'mortal fear' of North Korea. The missile flew over the northern island of Hokkaido, where thousands were awoken by air-raid sirens for the second time in just three weeks, and landed some 1,240 miles off the cape of Erimo just before 7am local time (10pm Thursday GMT). The rocket, believed to be a intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), flew for about 19 minutes over a distance of about 2,300 miles, according to South Korea's military - far enough to reach the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, which is 2,100 miles from North Korea. Aftermath: Pedestrians in Tokyo walk under a large-scale monitor displaying North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on a TV news broadcast after the launch ballistic missile over Japan on Friday morning, which travelled 2,300 miles Action: South Korea responded to North Korea's latest provocation by conducting their own live-fire missile drill on Friday morning, just hours after the news of the ballistic missile test, which flew far enough to reach the U.S. territory of Guam Where can it go? This graphic shows how far the missile can reach, and the distance to other possible targets, including Seattle, London, Moscow and Hawaii In a statement released by North Korea's state media, Pyongyang claimed that rather than condemnation and horror, the nuclear missile test had been met with 'admiration'. 'People from across the world have expressed admiration at the DPRK's bold pluck and great potentiality,' the statement began. 'Media of many countries are zealously reporting about the DPRK's nuclear attack capability, which has reached the high level able to ensure the accuracy and freely control the striking power according to targeted object and purpose, and about the failure of the U.S. policy toward the DPRK. 'The DPRK has won a shining victory in the standoff with the U.S. 'Now no one can disregard the immense national strength and potentiality of the DPRK and deny its strategic position as a responsible nuclear weapons state with a great clout. 'The U.S. has tightened sanctions and blockade by mobilizing its vassal forces to stifle the DPRK. But it could not check the advance of the army and people of the DPRK. 'The U.S., styling itself as a superpower while boasting of its strength before other big powers, is in mortal fear of the DPRK. It is always seized with phobia of nuclear disaster. 'No one in the world can block the advance of Juche Korea and its heroic people dashing ahead for bright future under the banner of the line of simultaneously developing the two fronts raised by the great Party.' Response: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe spoke to journalists upon his arrival at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo after the launch Eye on Guam: Friday's missile test flew 2,300miles - 200miles further than the distance from Pyongyang to U.S. Pacific territory of Guam - and landed in the sea Prepared: This photo taken on Friday morning shows South Korea's missile system firing Hyunmu-2 missile into the East Sea from an undisclosed location on the east coast during today's live-fire exercise aimed to counter North Koreas missile test The missile test was carried out mere hours after North Korea threatened to nuke Japan and reduce the US 'to ashes and darkness' in response to the latest sanctions imposed by the UN, which puts a cap on textile exports and import of crude oil. Japan's defence minister Itsunori Onodera said Friday he believed North Korea has the U.S. territory in mind with its recent nuclear missile tests. as he warned that 'similar actions (by the North) would continue'. 'We cannot assume North Korea's intention, but given what it has said, I think it has Guam in mind,' Onodera said. The U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis branded North Korea 'reckless', however, he said he did not want to talk about a possible American military response to the new missile test. This morning's launch was the second aggressive test-flight over Japanese territory in less than a month and it followed the sixth and most powerful nuclear test by North Korea to date on September 3. Residents on Hokkaido were awoken by sirens and loudspeakers calling out: 'Missile launch! Missile launch! A missile appears to have been launched from North Korea. Take cover in a building or underground,' causing widespread panic. The UN Security Council will meet this evening to discuss the latest North Korea missile test at the request of the US and Japan. No rest: South Korean army's K-55 Self-Propelled Artillery participate in a live fire exercise in Paju, South Korea just hours after the ballistic missile test The live-fire exercise was held to prepare against a possible attack from North Korea near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Paju, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea Knowing what to do: South Korean soldiers participate in exercises all centered around protecting the country against a possible attack from Pyongyang's warmongering leader Moscow has responded to Friday's missiles test, voicing 'deep concern' at the latest in what it called a series of unacceptable provocations. 'In Russia we are deeply concerned about these provocative launches which are further stoking tensions. Clearly demonstrating that our position is that such launches are unacceptable is the most tangible thing we can do right now,' said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. 'Judging by the United Nations' Security Council, that is a unanimous point of view which unites Security Council members.' President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron later agreed in a phone call that resuming direct talks with North Korea was the only way to resolve tensions over its nuclear programme, the Kremlin said. In a statement, the Kremlin said the two leaders "were united in the opinion that it was unacceptable to allow an escalation in tension." The crisis needs to be resolved "exclusively through political and diplomatic means, by restarting direct negotiations," they reportedly said. The United Nation's Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has today said talks on the crisis would be held on the sidelines of the General Assembly meeting next week. Guterres called on the North Korean leadership 'to cease further testing, comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions, and allow space to explore the resumption of sincere dialogue on denuclearization,' read a statement by his spokesman. The UN leader 'condemns the launch' and said he will be discussing the situation 'with all concerned parties in the margins of the upcoming high level week of the United Nations General Assembly.' Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made an early morning statement saying North Korea was 'trampling' on international peaceful efforts, saying the UN sanctions needed to be firmly imposed. He added that the international community must send a clear message to North Korea over its provocative actions. He said: 'We can never tolerate that North Korea trampled on the international community's strong, united resolve toward peace that has been shown in UN resolutions and went ahead again with this outrageous act.' 'If North Korea continues to walk down this path, it has no bright future. We must make North Korea understand this,' he added. A government spokesman said earlier that Japan would 'never tolerate this repeated provocative action by North Korea,' adding that the country will make an appropriate response. 'We have strongly protested to the North, telling them the strong anger by the Japanese people and condemn with the strongest words possible.' In an immediate response to Friday's launch, South Korea said its military fired a Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile into the sea during a live-fire military drill on the east coast. President Moon Jae-in called an emergency meeting of Seoul's national security council during which he said South Korea is able to destroy the North 'beyond recovery' if they attack. 'In case North Korea undertakes provocations against us or our ally, we have the power to destroy [them] beyond recovery,' Yonhap news agency quoted President Moon as saying. 'Dialogue is impossible in a situation like this. International sanctions and pressure will further tighten to force North Korea to choose no other option but to step forward on the path to genuine dialogue.' Brainwashed: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is pictured this week, meeting supporters in Pyongyang A new one: This photo made available by the North Korean state news shows the second test-fire of ICBM Hwasong-14 at an undisclosed location in North Korea in July The international response has been swift and condemning, with British foreign secretary Boris Johnson and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg calling for global action against North Korea. Stoltenberg called for a 'global response' to North Korea's latest missile launch, calling it 'a reckless breach of UN resolutions.' 'North Korea's missile launch is another reckless breach of UN resolutions - a major threat to international peace and security which demands a global response,' he said in a tweet. Mr Johnson also took to Twitter, writing: 'Yet another illegal missile launch by North Korea. UK and international community will stand together in the face of these provocations,.' In a subsequent statement, he added: 'The UK and the international community have condemned the aggressive and illegal actions of the North Korean regime, and the succession of missile and nuclear tests. We stand firmly by Japan and our other international partners. 'We are working to mobilise world opinion with the aim of achieving a diplomatic solution to the situation on the Korean peninsula. 'This week the most stringent UN sanctions regime placed on any nation in the 21st century was imposed on North Korea, after being unanimously agreed at the UN Security Council. These measures now need to be robustly enforced. We urge all states to play their part in changing the course North Korea is taking.' The US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who is in London today for talks with Mr Johnson and Prime Minister Theresa May, said Kim Jong Un's nuclear ambitions were 'not acceptable to any member of the international community'. Mrs May also released a statement via a spokesperson, saying 'the prime minister is outraged by North Korea's continued reckless provocation and she strongly condemns the regime's illegal tests.' 'Our key focus now is continuing to press China to keep up the pressure on North Korea to change course.' China is the North's main trading partner, and - while condemning the launch - continued today to refuse to take blame for the development in Pyongyang. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis is welcomed at Offutt Air Force Base by Gen. John E. Hyten, the head of Strategic Command, in Bellevue, Nebraska before North Korea's latest missile launch South Korean army's K-55 self-propelled artillery vehicles take part in a live-fire military exercise near the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas in Paju Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Beijing had made 'enormous sacrifices at a great price' by implementing UN Security Council sanctions on North Korea. 'The core lies in a conflict between the DPRK and the US. The focal point of the contradiction is not China,' Hua told a regular news briefing, using the acronym for the North's official name. 'China is not the driver behind the escalation of the tensions. China also does not hold the key to the Korean peninsula issue. The initiators of a trouble should end it,' she said. 'It's irresponsible and unhelpful for the settlement of the issue to unjustly blame others and shirk responsibilities in any form.' The North previously launched a ballistic missile from Sunan on August 29, which flew over Japan's Hokkaido island and landed in the Pacific. The South Korean and US militaries are analysing details of the launch, the South's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Friday morning. U.S. President Donald Trump has been briefed about the launch, his Chief of Staff John Kelly said early Friday morning. The U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said 'these continued provocations only deepen North Korea's diplomatic and economic isolation'. He said that 'all nations' should take new measures against the dictatorship. 'China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own,' he added. He also said China supplies North Korea with most of its oil and 'Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labour.' South Korea's presidential Blue House has called an urgent National Security Council meeting. Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said there is no evidence yet of any missile fragments landed on Japanese territory. The UN Security Council imposed its eighth round of sanctions on the country over its banned missile and nuclear programmes. Japanese TV aired an alert warning people in Northern Japan to take shelter after North Korea launched another missile towards the country 'Japan can never tolerate this repeated provocative action by North Korea,' Tokyo's government spokesman told reporters Getting testy: North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un launched what is believed to have been an intercontinental ballistic missile over Japan which landed in the sea Pictured: The second test-fire of ICBM Hwasong-14 at an undisclosed location in North Korea, 28 July Friday's test followed a strongly worded threat by North Korea to 'nuke' Japan and reduce the U.S. to ashes in response to the new UN sanctions which have mainly targeted its fabric trade, as well as put a cap on its oil and fuel allowance. In a statement released by the North Korean news agency KCNA Thursday, a spokesman for the regime said: 'The army and people of the DPRK are unanimously demanding that the Yankees, chief culprit in cooking up the 'sanctions resolution', be beaten to death as a stick is fit for a rabid dog. 'There's limit to patience. Now is the time to annihilate the U.S. imperialist aggressors. Let's reduce the U.S. mainland into ashes and darkness. 'Let's vent our spite with mobilization of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now. These are voices of the Korean army and people. 'Also heard in the DPRK are strong accusations against the Japs who have zealously joined in the US racket for sanctions. 'The behaviour of Japs, sworn enemy of the Korean nation, are enraging us. The wicked Japs should not be pardoned... 'A telling blow should be dealt to them who have not yet come to senses after the launch of our ICBM over the Japanese archipelago. 'The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us.' North Korea has threatened to reduce the US 'to ashes and darkness' and 'sink Japan' with a nuke after their latest test of what the regime claims was a hydrogen bomb at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site (pictured before the launch) Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga called the statement 'outrageous', saying it 'escalates tension in the region and is absolutely unacceptable.' Seoul's military carried out a ballistic missile drill of its own yesterday in the East Sea, Korea's name for the Sea of Japan, the Yonhap news agency reported. In July, Pyongyang fired two intercontinental ballistic missiles that appeared to bring much of the US mainland into range. It followed that up with an announcement it was planning to send a salvo of rockets towards the US Pacific territory of Guam, home to significant military facilities. US President Donald Trump threatened it with 'fire and fury', heightening fears of conflict. The United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed on Monday are the strongest so far, banning the North's textile trade and imposing restrictions on shipments of oil products, among a series of other measures. But analysts expect them to do little to dissuade Pyongyang, which says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against the threat of invasion by the US. A man accused of punching Kevin Rudd's godson in the face during a dispute over same-sex marriage reform has been charged. The former prime minister posted a photo the 19-year-old's bloodied face on Twitter on Tuesday, claiming he'd been attacked for standing up for marriage equality. A 48-year-old man has been charged with assault over the attack at a Brisbane bus stop on Tuesday. He'll face the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday. The picture showed Mr Rudd's godson, Sean, with a cut between his eyebrows as he stood on a Brisbane bus. A man accused of punching Kevin Rudd's godson in the face during a dispute over same-sex marriage reform has been charged The former prime minister posted a photo the 19-year-old's bloodied face on Twitter on Tuesday, claiming he'd been attacked for standing up for marriage equality Mr Rudd accused Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of ignoring the potential for danger by going ahead with a same-sex marriage postal vote. 'So many warnings to Turnbull about what the postal vote could unleash,' he told his 404,000 followers on Wednesday afternoon. 'Now my godson Sean has been punched for standing up for marriage equality.' A local marriage equality group on Facebook claimed Sean was punched on Tuesday after confronting a man who was pulling down rainbow flags from the Oxford Street roundabout in Bulimba. Sean's mother Fleur told Shinead, the co-founder of the group that Sean was punched from below, striking his head and forcing it back before the man walked off. Prior to the attack, Fleur said the man had been yelling: 'You know what I hate? F****ts! I hate f***ing f****ts!' Former prime minister Kevin Rudd says his Liberal successor Malcolm Turnbull had ignored the dangers of violence by preceding with the postal vote on gay marriage 'So many warnings to Turnbull about what the postal vote could unleash,' Mr Rudd told his 404,000 followers on Wednesday afternoon. Sean responded: 'That's okay, I don't like you'. The man reportedly then asked if Sean had called him a homophobe and when the 19-year-old responded that he had, the man hit him. The former Labor leader, who hails from Queensland declared his support for gay marriage in 2013, during his second stint as prime minister. The committed Christian and father-of-three has criticised Mr Turnbull, who also supports gay marriage, of jeopardising public safety as postal ballots are sent out to Australian households from this week. Voters will have until November 7 to return their envelopes with a result expected to be declared by mid-November. Advertisement If youve ever found yourself in a department store wavering over whether to buy a dinner service or a duvet cover, John Lewis may just have the answer. To provide what it calls the ultimate try-before-you-buy experience, a handful of lucky shoppers will be able to stay overnight in The Residence, a 2million in-store apartment. Kitted out completely in the upmarket stores products, from crockery to soft furnishings, the apartment in the flagship Oxford Street shop has a view over exclusive Cavendish Square. Scroll down for video Never knowingly under-furnished: The luxury dining, lounge and kitchen areas of The Residence, kitted out in John Lewis products, in the flagship London store All the stores shoppers can walk through the opulent rooms during the day, browsing luxurious furnishings on offer, from 3,000 sofas to 2,000 mattresses, TVs disguised as works of art, gold-leaf table lamps, designer rugs and duck-down pillows. But on four Saturday nights in the run-up to Christmas, some lucky shoppers will be able to stay there, drinking champagne served by The Residences concierge, Vicenzo Maxia. Customers who want the select sleepover which is completely free are chosen randomly from all those who apply to the store. The sleepover includes private use of The Residence from 6.30pm until 9am the next day, a meal from one of the stores restaurants, and the choice of either 60 minutes of after-hours private shopping with a personal shopper, or a behind-the-scenes tour. Some lucky shoppers will be able to stay there, drinking champagne served by The Residences concierge, Vicenzo Maxia Guests can also fill in a checklist of John Lewis products they would like to see in the apartment. Billed as the first ever in-store apartment, there is a luxury living and dining area with a fully-stocked drinks cabinet, a bedroom with wardrobes full of new clothes to try on and even a fitted kitchen with matching wine cooler. Food either a fine Italian pasta dish, a Lebanese tagine, mixed grill or a burger with all the trimmings can be enjoyed at an impressively laid dining table. Pre-dinner drinks can be sipped on an indoor terrace amid orange trees grown in the nursery at the companys Hampshire estate. The opulent bedroom has purple walls with matching bedding. No children allowed, of course. In the morning, the guests will receive a newspaper, a Waitrose breakfast basket and fresh coffee to be enjoyed in bed. The idea is to move beyond selling beds, three-piece suites and wardrobes to promoting a whole John Lewis lifestyle. The firm hopes those who spend a night in the apartment will be tempted to splash out on any furniture and other howewares they admired during their stay. Sleeping beauty: The romantic bedroom is richly upholstered in purple As well as Oxford Street, The Residence will appear at the Cambridge and Liverpool branches of John Lewis But there is no hard sell all the price tags on the products have been discreetly removed. Unfortunately, there is no lavatory or shower, either. Guests who need to spend a penny will have to use the stores staff loos. Similar apartments will be available for sleepovers at stores in Cambridge and Liverpool. Peter Cross, the firms director of customer experience, said: We want our customers to discover an altogether different way of shopping. By encouraging them to bounce up and down on a bed or sitting around a dressed dining table, we are aiming to create an environment which is as close as possible to customers homes. Snooze and booze: Two women lie in bed, one with a glass of win, in the luxury apartment in Oxford Street Fine dining: The Residence would be worth 2million on the property market thanks to its location and opulence, according to John Lewis Diners at The Residence at John Lewis Oxford Street, a fully furnished apartment displaying exclusive John Lewis Autumn Winter products John Lewis claims The Residence would be worth 2million on the property market thanks to its location and opulence. In addition to the sleepovers, once a week at The Residence in Oxford Street, customers will be able to apply to host a free dream dinner party for up to ten people. A chef will prepare and serve a special menu with guests able to request their favourite cocktail to be shaken or stirred by a mixologist. At the Liverpool and Cambridge stores, customers can apply to host brunches for six guests. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker addresses the European Parliament The EUs open borders have helped terrorists launch attacks on the continent, Jean-Claude Juncker confessed yesterday. In a frank admission, the European Commission president said the Schengen zone had allowed extremists to move freely between countries. But Mr Juncker said he still wanted to push ahead with plans to extend the border-free travel area to include Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia. Terrorists involved in both the Paris and Berlin attacks were able to escape across borders into other countries thanks to the removal of checkpoints. During an online question and answer session, Mr Juncker insisted the benefits of removing borders outweighed the dangers. Border controls have been removed from some borders, but that is not an invitation to terrorists to travel freely through Europe, he said. Its true that occasionally terrorists do benefit from it but the prime beneficiaries are European citizens. The former prime minister of Luxembourg, who set out his blueprint for a European super-state on Wednesday, added: I lived through a time where there were borders everywhere in Europe. Terrorists involved in both the Paris and Berlin (pictured) attacks were able to escape across borders into other countries thanks to the removal of checkpoints [Luxembourg is] a very nice country but its also a very small country and I had to cross borders regularly and this was a very costly and time-consuming thing. Now weve removed those border controls and were being told youre opening the borders to terrorists. No, we are opening the borders for tourists. European countries that have brought back some border checks as an emergency measure following the recent attacks should remove them again soon, he added. Belgium, France, German, Luxembourg and the Netherlands removed all checkpoints between each other 20 years ago, but the Schengen travel area has since grown to include 26 countries. As the migration crisis has spiralled, the Schengen zone has been blamed for allowing crowds of asylum seekers to make their way uncontrolled through the continent. Mr Juncker, who faced ridicule earlier this week for claiming Britain will regret Brexit, yesterday denied that he wanted to make the country suffer. I dont want to punish, sanction or make Britain suffer, he said. I like the English too much. Giving an optimistic outlook on the likelihood of Brexit negotiations leading to a successful agreement, he added: My working hypothesis is that there will be a deal. Confederation of British Industry Director-General Carolyn Fairbairn The Confederation of British Industry is rounding up business names for an open letter designed to bully the Government over Brexit, it emerged last night. The pro-Remain business group has sparked fury in government by gathering signatures for a letter addressed to Theresa May and EU leaders. A text seen by the Daily Mail warns of continuing uncertainty over Brexit, says that leaving the EU without a deal will damage jobs and growth, and calls for a transition period lasting up to three years after the UK leaves. The downbeat letter risks the accusation that the CBI is renewing its role in Project Fear in the run-up to last years referendum. It comes days before Theresa Mays major Brexit speech next week. The letter is being passed around major firms in the UK and on the continent in an attempt to garner supportive signatures. It was set to be published in full by the weekend in one newspaper in this country and one in Germany. AN EXTRACT FROM THE LETTER Our businesses need to make decisions now about investment and employment that will affect economic growth and jobs in the future. Continuing uncertainty will adversely affect communities, employees, firms and our nations in the future. Businesses across the EU and UK are clear: being able to plan for a transition of up to three years that avoids a cliff edge is critical for all of our prosperity. Until transitional arrangements can be agreed and trade discussed the risk of no deal remains real and has to be planned for, with inevitable consequences for jobs and growth on both sides. Advertisement Last night a senior government source accused the group of conspiring with European firms against British interests. The source said the CBI was trying to push the Government in to a deal that might not be in the best interests of the British people, adding that it appeared the organisation was in cahoots with our EU neighbours to try and push through their own deal at the expense of us. Former work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith said the CBI was trying to bully the British government. He said: I begin to despair of the CBI. All they do is talk down British business. All you hear from them is a storm of negativity. Most businesses dont look to the CBI, and arent scared of change and new markets and the opportunities of Brexit. He called on the organisation to stop moaning and bellyaching and help their members get ready for leaving the EU. A text of the letter, seen by the Mail, states: Our businesses need to make decisions now about investment and employment that will affect economic growth and jobs in the future. Former work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith said the CBI was trying to bully the British government' Continuing uncertainty will adversely affect communities, employees, firms and our nations in the future. Businesses across the EU and UK are clear: being able to plan for a transition of up to three years that avoids a cliff edge is critical for all of our prosperity. We are therefore writing to urge both sides to be pragmatic and determined to move to the next stage of the negotiations. THEIR UNRELIABLE TRACK RECORD The CBI backed the exchange rate mechanism the precursor to the euro which led to interest rates soaring into double figures. Only after the UK crashed out of the ERM on Black Wednesday in 1992 against the CBIs advice did Britain enjoy a sustained period of economic growth. The CBI said Britain should join the euro when it launched in 1999, arguing that the single currency would deliver significant benefits to the UK economy. A 2013 study by the CBI found EU membership was worth 3,000 per household in Britain, but it was widely derided. In May 2015, then CBI president Sir Mike Rake said there was no credible alternative to Britain remaining in the EU. In February 2016, the CBI organised a letter from 21 European business federations calling for the UK to stay in the EU. The CBI receives around 148,000 of funding a year from the European Commission. Advertisement Until transitional arrangements can be agreed and trade discussed the risk of no deal remains real and has to be planned for, with inevitable consequences for jobs and growth on both sides. The letter calls for substantive progress in the next phase of negotiations and says that trade should be on the agenda by the end of the year. Last week senior business leaders refused to sign up to a government-organised letter backing the Governments Brexit strategy. Downing Street quietly asked executives to sign an open letter saying they wanted to make a success of Brexit, and welcoming the Governments push for a transitional deal but were rebuffed. The CBI also called for an open approach to immigration from EU countries after Brexit, after leaked Whitehall documents suggested there would be a crackdown on migrant numbers when we leave. A spokesman for the CBI declined to comment. The row came as former Bank of England governor Mervyn King warned that ministers and civil servants are not doing enough to prepare Britain for the possibility of leaving the EU without a deal. Lord King, who has insisted this country can thrive outside the EU, said it was essential that Britain had a fall back position in case talks collapse. Former Bank of England governor Mervyn King warned that ministers and civil servants are not doing enough to prepare Britain He said he was not terribly impressed by how much the Government has set out a year after the referendum. And he said that if the negotiations with Brussels break down Britain must ensure it is capable of trading with the EU on World Trade Organisation terms. HM Revenue and Customs yesterday warned that it may need an extra 5,000 staff to manage a new post-Brexit customs regime. Blustery winds have grounded flights at Sydney Airport for a second day, stranding passengers and causing chaos for hundreds of travellers. Twenty domestic flights expected to fly out of Sydney to Adelaide, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Melbourne have been cancelled. Regional flights to Dubbo and Port Macquarie have also been affected by the disruptions on Friday morning. Strong winds have caused cancellations to domestic flights at Sydney Airport on Friday One runway has been closed and about 20 flights have been affected by the disruptions A second runway could be closed due to strong winds, according to Air Services Australia A Sydney Airport spokeswoman told AAP winds gusts of up to 50 km/h were recorded at 5am on Friday and winds are expected to increase later in the morning. International flights have yet to be affected by the conditions. Frustrated passengers took to Twitter to vent, with one person saying the airport was chockers after finally making it out. Winds of up to 72 km/h caused the closure of two runways at the airport yesterday and cancelled more than 70 flights on Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar, Tiger and REX. Passengers took to Twitter to vent their frustrations at having to reschedule flights Bachelor star Chris Soules sat emotionless in an Iowa courtroom Thursday during a pretrial hearing, as he stands accused of leaving the scene of a deadly accident. Soules, 35, a reality TV personality and farmer from rural Arlington, rear-ended a tractor driven by his neighbor Kenneth Mosher, 66, back in April. He is accused of leaving the scene of a fatal accident before police arrived. During his Thursday hearing, Soules attentively listened to his attorneys, the prosecution and the judge, but otherwise appeared expressionless in the face of a Class D felony, which carries a five-year-sentence. Scroll for video Reality TV star Chris Soules, of 'The Bachelor, appears at a hearing in Buchanan County District Court, Thursday During the pretrial hearing Soules listened attentively, but otherwise appeared expressionless The Bachelor star's trial is set for January. His legal team has previously filed motions to dismiss the charges of leaving the scene, as he can be heard calling 911 to report the accident. Those motions have been denied. After his team was denied their most recent motion to dismiss, they filed to obtain more information from the state on the case such as the time of Mosher's death and and other evidence. During Thursday's quick hearing, his lawyers and the prosecution disclosed they had reached an agreement out of court, not to amend the charges, but the narrative behind them. Soules' legal team will continue to pursue a dismissal, armed with the additional information from the state on the events of that day. Chris Soules (left) is to be arraigned for the fatal car crash which left his 66-year-old neighbor Kenneth Mosher (right) dead KWWL reports Soules' lawyers will be back in court to October 10 again on a new motion to dismiss. His legal team disputes claims he fled, saying he fulfilled all legal obligations by calling 911 and identifying himself. Soules was arrested a few hours after the crash in his hometown of Arlington, Iowa, and released on $10,000 bail. TMZ reported police have seized his cell phone and were investigating call logs, messaging services, his pictures and social media to see whether he was distracted at the time of the accident. Friends: Chris Soules (L) and Nick Viall were snapped last year at the Wango Tango event in Carson, California. On Saturday, Viall offered his prayers to everyone involved 911 calls reveal how police arrived at the scene before Soules left. Officers were heard calling for back-up after he 'took off' in another person's truck Soules appeared in a court last month where he was accused of leaving the scene of a fatal accident. His mother posted his $10,000 bond later and was released Soules spoke out after the incident, telling In Touch: 'My family and I are overwhelmed with this tragedy, but we are sticking together and we'll get through it.' According to officials, Soules' was driving in his 2008 Chevrolet Silverado truck when he rear-ended Mosher's John Deere tractor, sending both careening into a ditch. The reality star, who has also appeared on Dancing With The Stars, contacted 911 before departing the scene in a separate vehicle and heading to his Arlington, Iowa home. Soules didn't initially answer his door until police served him with a warrant, authorities said. A pair of 911 calls from the crash reveal how he called for help and tried to save the fellow farmer before fleeing in another driver's truck once police arrived. The calls reveal that Soules tried to save Mosher's life and that there were others at the scene when the crash occurred. The pair were friendly with one another, In Touch reported. Soules, who starred in series 19 of The Bachelor and was preparing to film Bachelor in Paradise when the crash occurred, called 911 immediately. He told an operator through labored breathing: 'I just ran in to a guy in a tractor.' Kenneth Mosher (pictured with his family), a 66-year-old corn farmer and grandfather, died. His tractor was mowed off the road and in to a ditch Soules appeared on the 19th series of The Bachelor After admitting that he did not know how to perform CPR, he asked others there: 'Does anyone know CPR?' It was initially unclear whether or not he was alone at the time of the crash. As they waited for police and an ambulance, Soules checked Mosher's pulse. He remarked that it didn't look as though Mosher was breathing. 'I can't tell, he doesn't appear to be,' he said when asked. Later, he said: 'I feel like he's got a pulse.' Soules ended the call abruptly, telling the operator: 'Can I call you back real quick?' It's not clear exactly how much time passed before police arrived. A separate recording of their radio communication however captured the moment he allegedly fled in another person's truck. 'One of the subjects that was involved just took off northbound in a red Duramax truck. Do you have any available units?' one of the responding police officers is heard saying. Within seconds, another said: 'We believe the subject is going to be Chris Soules. That's the name of the subject who took off.' Police searched his vehicle at the crash scene and found alcohol in it but there has not yet been any suggestion he was drunk at the time of the accident. Better times: Soules, a hunky Iowa farmer, was the focal point of ABC's The Bachelor in 2015 Soules' spokesman issued a statement on his behalf afterwards to say he was 'devastated' by the accident. 'Chris Soules was involved in an accident on Monday evening, April 24, in a rural part of Iowa near his home. 'He was devastated to learn that Kenneth Mosher, the other person in the accident, passed away. His thoughts and prayers are with Mr Mosher's family.' Police records show the star had at least 12 other run-ins with the law. Previous charges include driving under the influence, speeding, running a stop sign and driving with an open container of alcohol. He was charged with fleeing the scene of a previous accident in 2002 but it was reduced to defective brakes. Mosher, a father and grandfather, died after being taken to hospital by ambulance. He was a corn farmer. The victim's son-in-law relatives told People the crash was a 'freak accident'. Teen drinking, speeding and DUI: Chris Soules' rap sheet revealed Soules' criminal record has more than a dozen convictions from the time he was 16 years old Chris Soules, the dashing all-American gentleman farmer from Iowa who charmed his way into TV viewers' hearts on The Bachelor, had spent his late teens and 20s going in and out of courtrooms on more than a dozen charges, most of them related to driving violations and alcohol consumption. Records available on Iowa Courts' website detail Soules' vast history of run-ins with the law, which goes back 1998 and includes 13 guilty pleas on a slew of counts, ranging from registration violations to underage drinking and fighting. In 1998, Soules, then aged 16, was convicted for the first time of speeding six to 10 miles over a 55mph speed limit and was sentenced to a fine. In 2001, Soules was found guilty of underage drinking and failure to maintain control of a vehicle in two separate incidents. Both cases saw the future reality star get off with fines. In May and August of that year, Soules was convicted twice of possession of alcohols under age. In the latter incident, he was also found guilty of driving with an open container of alcohol, running a stop sign and speeding. Those cases also resulted in fines. In February 2002, Soules was convicted of fighting, and in March he was back in court on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident, which was later reduced to a count of defective brakes. Soules stayed out of trouble for four years until in 2006 he was convicted of his most serious charge - driving while intoxicated - and fined more than $500. His sentence also included a year of probation. In 2007, Soules was found guilty of speeding, and the same charge brought him back to court in 2009. Soules' final brush with the law before Monday's arrest occurred in 2010, when he was convicted and fined for a registration violation. Advertisement You can tell if a bottle of champagne is too warm to sip - by the colour of the curl of 'smoke' when you pop the cork. Bottles of the luxury fizz has a blue gas if it had been stored at room temperature giving a telltale sign it may not be quite as chilled as expected. When you open a bottle there's a curl of smoke as soon as the cork goes pop. A giveaway that your champagne is not quite ready is the colour of the curl of 'smoke' when you pop the cork For as long as champagne has existed, it has been the custom to bring them to the table in ice buckets or coolers to make sure they are served at 8C to 10C (47F to 50F). This can also be achieved by chilling bottles in the fridge for three hours. Below that temperature connoisseurs claim the wine is too cold, making aromas harder to detect. Above 10C the wines appear 'heavier' and less bright. Now bubbly experts based, appropriately, in Champagne-Ardenne have found the smoke changes colour - depending on whether it is kept in the fridge or the cellar. But you have to be quick to spot it. Led by Professor Gerard Liger-Belair, they found it has a different hue when it is 20C (68F), compared to six or 12C (54F). He said the temperature affects the formation of the grey white cloud of fog formed on opening. Prof Liger-Belair, a chemical physicist at the University of Reims, said: 'The gas mixture gushing from the bottleneck during the cork popping process can show different colours.' This depends on the subtle condensation processess following the expansion of the CO2 (carbon dioxide), which also has traces of water vapour. Prof Liger-Belair said: 'Unfortunately, it is invisible by the naked eye because it lasts only two to three milliseconds after the cork popping process.' He said it has no consequence on the tasting itself, but underlines the complex phenomena of champagne. His family started in the wine business in 1815 when Louis Liger-Belair, one of Napoleon's generals, bought a vineyard. He boasts he now has 'the best job in physics.' Prof Liger-Belair explained: 'During the first two milliseconds following cork popping, the phenomena occuring in the bottleneck are similar to what is happening in rocket nozzles. 'This is because the gas mixture, initially under pressure in the bottleneck, freely expands during cork popping.' His team used high-speed cameras to capture corks popping and the condensation process in the bottlenecks of transparent champagne bottles stored at 6, 12 and 20C. For the bottles stored at 20C, which is about normal room temperature, the characteristic cloud disappeared - and was replaced by a more evanescent blue plume. This even began from inside the bottleneck, according to the findings published in Scientific Reports. Very cold carbon dioxide meets tiny ice crystals in the neck of the bottle created when the gas expands. When they tested bottles stored at 20C, the grey cloud was replaced by the blue because the relatively higher temperature of the liquid inhibits the condensation of water vapor in the bottle neck. Prof Liger-Belair explained releasing the cork creates a phenomenon known as 'adiabatic expansion.' The dissolved carbon dioxide produced during the fermentation process rapidly expands as the cork is removed, dropping the temperature inside the bottle neck. The plume is formed when the very cold gas hits the ambient air outside the mouth of the bottle. Prof Liger-Belair said clusters of ice water appear in the bottlenecks at all storage temperatures. But, at higher temperatures, freezing of CO2 occurs, resulting in the blue phase observed at 20C. He said: 'The main goal of our team is to study every single steps of champagne tasting. 'Anyone of us has indeed already uncorked a bottle of bubbly... but who really knows how much science may be hidden behind this apparently so simple action? 'We have decided to focus on the cork popping process because it is indeed the very first action preceding champagne tasting, and I was absolutely convinced such a huge decompression should produce visually appealing condensation phenomena as well as subtle science. 'During the cork popping process, the gas mixture in the bottleneck suddenly expands and experiences adiabatic expansion. Thus, its temperature suddenly falls.' A Washington, DC socialite says that she has psychic abilities that she once used to put a hex on three people who ended up dying as a result, it was learned on Thursday. Sally Quinn, 76, a longtime DC journalist and widow of the late Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, told USA Today on Thursday that she has resisted suggestions from friends to cast a life-ending spell on President Donald Trump. Since [Donald] Trump was elected, and since the election, I cant tell you how many friends have asked me to put a hex on Donald Trump, and I wont do it, Quinn said. I just said no. I dont do that anymore. Sally Quinn, a Washington, DC socialite, says that she has psychic abilities that she once used to put a hex on three people who ended up dying as a result Quinn, 76, a longtime DC journalist, is the widow of the late Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee (seen left with Quinn in Washington, DC in 2011) Quinn said that when she was in her late 20s and early 30s, there were three people who hurt me in some way, or (hurt) somebody I loved, and so I decided to put a hex on them. I had never done it before. What I wanted to have happen was for them to feel what I had felt. Within five years, the three were dead. Two of them died almost immediately after the hex, while the third initially lost his job and then died a few years later. I didnt mean for them to die, Quinn said. Quinn (right) says she has resisted suggestions from friends to cast a life-ending spell on President Donald Trump (seen left in the White House on Thursday) In the end, my brother said, In some way, you have put out bad energy and it comes back at you threefold, and youve just have got to stop this. And that was when I was in my early 30s, and I never did it again. And I have always felt guilty about it. Even though intellectually I dont believe in it, theres something emotionally and psychologically that makes me worry maybe I did have some responsibility for it. When asked how exactly she puts a hex on people, Quinn said: Im not going into total detail. Theres sort of a ritual. I light candles and music and fire and notes and that kind of thing. I just sort of made it up. This was what I had seen. Quinn is promoting the release of her new book, Finding Magic: A Spiritual Memoir, which is being published by HarperOne Quinns husband was a historic figure since he helmed The Washington Post at the time that its star reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, broke open the Watergate story which led to the resignation of then-President Richard Nixon. When asked about the investigations currently being waged against the Trump administration, Quinn says the 45th president would be lucky to serve out a term in office. I could be wrong, but I think this is worse than Watergate, because what youre talking about here is collusion with a foreign enemy, and thats treason, Quinn said. And that was never Richard Nixons issue....Honestly, I dont see Trump lasting this whole four years. I just dont. Quinn lamented the polarization of American politics. The environment right now is more toxic and more poisonous than Ive ever seen, she said. [But I have] still been able to pull away and still find a sense of faith and joy and magic in the world. Quinn is promoting the release of her new book, Finding Magic: A Spiritual Memoir, which is being published by HarperOne. Residents of a Chinese city were horrified on Monday when they discovered a river in their town had turned blood-red with a pungent smell. Footage shows how bright red water burst out from a pipe at the side of the waterway and ran into the Lianxi river in Jiangxi Province, south-east China. Local environmental bureau has investigated and traced the source of the pollution to a pig slaughterhouse up river. Lianxi river, in south-east China, can be seen turned into a blood-red hue on September 12 According to People's Daily Online, Lianxi river started to turn red near the Jiujiang College on the morning of September 12. Students from the Jiujiang College told a reporter that the water was emitting a blood smell. One student said: 'The red coloured water is coming out from a pipe under the bridge near our school.' A woman spoke in a Pear video that she had seen the river's colour changed from blue to black, then to yellow and blood-red. Lianxi Environmental Bureau took samples from the river and brought them back for investigation. Officers traced the source of the pollution to a pig slaughterhouse upstream of the river and took sewage sample for test. 'There is a blockage near the slaughterhouse's sewage pipe, the sewage can be seen bursting out into the river,' an officer spoke in a video reported by The Beijing News. Local residents reported a smell of blood to the environmental bureau and bright red water can be seen flowing into the river from a pipe hole (left and right) in Jiujiang city It's believed that the pollution came from a pig slaughterhouse on the upper course of the river A spokesperson explained to Pear that pigs' blood had been diluted and treated under environmental protection before dumping in sewage. He said the colour would not be as bright as those seen in the river. Lianxi Environmental Bureau will carry out related actions according to the laws and regulations upon receiving the test results from the laboratory. The discharge outlet of the sewage had already been fixed by the maintenance workers. Web users were stunned as they wondered the number of pigs the slaughterhouse had killed. 'Judging from the concentration of the blood in the water, how many pigs have they killed?' A user named 'Scluficer' questioned. Another web user 'aloufi' said: 'Scary to see the amount of blood flowing into the river.' People's Daily Online stated that a similar incident happened in July, 2014. The same river also turned red at that time. The pollution was later found to be caused by a leakage in the sewage pipes that came out from a slaughterhouse. Elephants in eastern Africa have learned to travel at night and hide during the day to avoid poachers who are hunting them to extinction, a new study shows. Normally elephants forage for food and migrate in daylight, while resting under cover of darkness. But a sharp increase in illegal hunting driven by the global ivory trade has forced the massive land mammals to upend their usual habits. Scroll down for video Elephants in eastern Africa have learned to travel at night and hide during the day to avoid poachers who are hunting them to extinction. Normally elephants forage for food and migrate in daylight, while resting under cover of darkness (file photo) ELEPHANT POACHING Normally elephants forage for food and migrate in daylight, while resting under cover of darkness. But a sharp increase in illegal hunting in Kenya driven by the global ivory trade has forced the massive mammals to upend their usual habits. Most poaching occurs during the daytime, forcing elephants into nocturnal patterns to survive. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the number of African elephants has fallen by around 111,000 to 415,000 over the past decade. The killing shows no sign of abating with around 30,000 elephants slaughtered for their ivory every year. They are mainly killed to satisfy demand in the Asian market for products coveted as a traditional medicine or as status symbols. Advertisement 'As most poaching occurs during the daytime, their transition to nocturnal behaviour appears to be a direct result of prevailing poaching levels,' said study coauthor Festus Ihwagi, a researcher at the University of Twente in The Netherlands. In an upcoming study, Mr Ihwagi details his findings, based on data gathered from 60 elephants in northern Kenya. The huge mammals were tracked with GPS devices for up to three years during the period 2002 to 2012. Working with the NGO Save the Elephants, Mr Ihwagi monitored the movements of 28 females and 32 males in and around Kenya's Laikipa and Samburu reserves. Females live in close-knit families and often have young calves at their side, while bulls tend to be more solitary. To determine how, and to what extent, poaching had changed elephant behaviour, he compared two sets of data. The first measured the distances travelled during the day and at night, and was logged as a ratio between the two. The second - drawing from the Illegal Killing of Elephant programme database - identified zones and time periods when poaching was more or less severe. 'Simultaneous elephant tracking and monitoring of causes of death presented a perfect "natural laboratory",' said Mr Ihwagi. A sharp increase in illegal hunting by ivory poachers has forced elephants in Kenya to upend their usual travel habits. Changing their behaviour in this way may help keep elephants alive in the short run, but could have long term implications for their survival (file photo) The nighttime movements of the elephants increased significantly in sync with poaching levels, especially for females. In high-danger zones, females reduced daytime activity by about 50 per cent on average compared to low-danger zones, Mr Ihwagi told AFP. Changing their behaviour in this way may help keep elephants alive in the short run, but could have long term implications for their survival, he added. Despite their intelligence, deeply ingrained foraging strategies and mating patterns developed on an evolutionary timescale may limit their capacity to adapt. As part of the study, scientists monitored the movements of 28 female and 32 male elephants in and around Kenya's Laikipa and Samburu nature reserves 'For mothers with very young calves, the risk of predation of the calves by lions or hyenas would be higher at night,' Mr Ihwagi said. 'For the mature elephants, it implies an alteration of their normal social life.' The real-time data from GPS devices could be used as an early warning system to alert environmentalists and park rangers, the researchers said. A sudden uptick in nocturnal travel, for example, could signal that elephants feel threatened. 730,000 AFRICAN ELEPHANTS 'MISSING' In April, it was reported that up to 730,000 elephants are 'missing' from Africa's protected areas amid fears they have been slaughtered. Conservationists in South Africa blamed 'pervasive poaching' for the dramatic reduction in numbers across 73 designated areas spanning 21 African countries. Researchers from the Conservation Ecology Research Unit (CERU) at the University of Pretoria called for action to protect the animals. But they said the situation was not necessarily all 'doom and gloom' since the findings could serve as a global wake-up call. Remote sensors were used to monitor vegetation and water sources used by elephant populations while poaching statistics were also taken into account when producing the figures. Researchers also used the largest population database for any mammal species to model the density at which individual populations should stabilise. Advertisement According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the number of African elephants has fallen by around 111,000 to 415,000 over the past decade. The killing shows no sign of abating with around 30,000 elephants slaughtered for their ivory every year, mainly to satisfy demand in the Asian market for products coveted as a traditional medicine or as status symbols. 'The escalation of poaching has become the greatest immediate threat to the survival of elephants,' Mr Ihwagi said. Scientists in Ecuador's Galapagos islands are hoping to restore a tortoise species believed to be extinct since the 1800s. Chelonoidis elephantopus lived on Floreana Island and was captured by sailors in large numbers for food during long journeys across the Pacific. The species is thought to have disappeared shortly after Charles Darwin's celebrated visit to the treasured archipelago in 1835. Scroll down for video Scientists in Ecuador's Galapagos islands are hoping to restore a tortoise species believed extinct since the 1800s. The researchers will use a modern species (pictured) with similar genes to the extinct Chelonoidis elephantopus to help restore the tortoise HOW WILL THEY DO IT? The tortoise species Chelonoidis elephantopus lived on Floreana Island. It was driven to extinction in the 1800s after it was captured by sailors in large numbers for food. In 2012, a group of international scientists collected 1,700 blood samples from tortoises on nearby Isabel Island. They found that 80 of the samples had genetic traces of the lost Floreana species. Researchers will now attempt to restore the tortoises by selecting 20 specimens with higher amounts of the Floreana tortoise in its DNA to reproduce. While the results won't be a 'perfect' restoration, the team will have a tortoise population with many of the same genes as the original. Advertisement But a group of international scientists who collected 1,700 blood samples from tortoises on Isabel Island farther north during a 2012 research expedition made a surprising discovery: 80 had genetic traces of the lost species. 'This is a species that was considered extinct for 160 years,' Dr Washington Tapia, one of the scientists studying the tortoises, told The Associated Press. 'We didn't imagine what we would find.' Researchers with the Galapagos Conservancy and the Galapagos National Park are now trying to restore the species. They will select 20 specimens with higher amounts of the Floreana tortoise in its DNA to reproduce. 'We are not going to have a perfect species, genetically 100 per cent like the one that was in Floreana,' said Dr Linda Cayot, a scientific consultant with the Galapagos Conservancy. 'But we will have a tortoise population with many of the same genes as the original.' Scientists believe sailors who caught Floreana tortoises for food sometimes dropped them off on Isabel Island in order to lighten a ship's load before crossing the ocean. Isabel Island was typically the last stop before setting sail. The scientists travelling to Isabel Island five years ago didn't originally set out to research the Floreana species. Researchers will select 20 specimens with higher amounts of the Chelonoidis elephantopus DNA in its genes to reproduce. While the results won't be a 'perfect' restoration, the team will have a tortoise population with many of the same genes as the original (file photo) Researchers with the Galapagos Conservancy and the Galapagos National Park (pictured) are trying to restore a lost species of tortoise CHARLES DARWIN'S TORTOISES During his famed visits to the Galapagos Islands in 1835, Charles Darwin described how several species had adapted to their environment. Darwin spotted that some Galapagos Giant Tortoises (pictured) had evolved long necks that can reach vertically One of these species was the Galapagos Giant Tortoise, which Darwin noted had different shell shapes on different islands. Tortoises found on the well-watered islands, with short, cropped vegetation, had gently curved front edges to their shell. Tortoises found on more arid islands had to stretch their necks to reach the higher branches of cacti and other vegetation. These tortoises had longer necks and a high peak to the front edges of their shells, which enabled them to stretch their heads almost vertically. Findings such as these were the foundation for Darwin's Theory of Evolution, which shows that species adapt over time to their surroundings. Advertisement They were surprised when their samples revealed such high quantities of the extinct tortoise's DNA. The species is thought to have disappeared shortly after Charles Darwin's celebrated visit to the treasured archipelago in 1835 The 20 tortoises identified as having the highest amounts of Floreana DNA have been placed in corrals containing three females and two males each in hopes of one day repopulating the island with close copies of the extinct species. 'We hear about extinctions and the damage humans can cause a species,' said Ecuadorean Minister for the Environment Tarsicio Granizo. 'But today, with the results of this investigation, we can tell the world that it is possible to reverse negative effects on the environment. 'We are going to recover an extinct species.' Jaime Chaves, an evolutionary biology professor at San Francisco University, described the study as an important example of how science can help reintroduce a bygone species. 'It's very exciting to witness the reach of these genetic studies, identifying individuals with the potential to be a starting point for the recovery of a unique lineage believed extinct,' he said. The South Chickamauga Creek Greenway Alliance is opposing reducing the storm runoff standard for South Chickamauga Creek. Officials of the group said, "The Homebulders Association of Greater Chattanooga has held meetings behind closed doors at both the state and local level in an effort to relax Chattanoogas stormwater regulations updated in 2014. They have worked to reduce the higher standard set for South Chickamauga Creek to prevent stormwater runoff and protect the water quality. "Builders who are constructing new homes in the South Chickamauga Creek watershed are expected to assure that during a rainfall the first 1.6 inches of water will stay on the property. Regulation for other area creeks was set at 1 inch, but higher threats of extensive flooding and environmental degradation in South Chickamauga Creek determined the higher standard. South Chickamauga Creek Greenway Alliance is calling for Chattanooga and the Stormwater Regulations Board to stand firm against this Homebuilders Association request. This citizen advocacy group has standing as it was part of the initial discussions to update the stormwater regulations, but has been excluded from subsequent discussions. "South Chickamauga Creek is particularly susceptible to flooding, runoff sediment and pollutants due to the filling in of floodplains and wetlands and in some measure due to irresponsible development practices," said Sandra Kurtz, chairperson for South Chickamauga Creek Greenway Alliance. "Now homebuilders want concessions to continue these same practices in essence passing the buck to citizens, even though they are the ones who have contributed to the conditions that necessitate the higher requirement and even though climate change impacts and more growth will exacerbate creek protection issues. Let Houston and Hurricane Harvey be a lesson that will keep us moving forward for our future welfare.". She said the Chattanooga Water Quality Department "went through a rigorous assessment to determine the current stormwater regulations for the city to meet state requirements. In 2014, the City Council approved the adoption of the updated stormwater requirements that provide protections for water quality, wildlife and flood control required by law. Tennessee Department of Education & Conservation considers South Chickamauga Creek an exceptional stream though it is also on their List of Threatened and Impaired Streams." The Stormwater Regulations Board will meet next Monday at 3 p.m. in the DRC Building, Room 1-A, 1250 Market Street in Chattanooga, to consider the Homebuilder Association request. They plan to meet again at the same place the following Friday, Sept. 22, at 2:30 p.m. Both meetings are open to the public. In the hopes of communicating with any aliens out there, scientists will send messages to potentially-habitable planets next year. Rather than waiting for extra terrestrials to contact Earth, experts have decided to pre-emptively send signals into space. But not everyone is convinced by the plan, with experts including Professor Stephen Hawking, warning that if aliens discovered Earth, it could 'end life on Earth'. Scroll down for video METI (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence) International has announced plans to start sending signals into space for extra terrestrials starting in 2018 WHAT WILL THE MESSAGE SAY? D eciding on the content of the message has not been simple. Mr Vakoch said: ' Some of the most prominent messages of the past have tried to cover everything. 'We're taking the opposite approach. 'Rather than trying to communicate everything, we are focusing on saying a few things very clearly. 'For our first messages, we are emphasizing the essentials of math and physics.' Advertisement San Francisco-based non-profit organization METI (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence) International plans to start sending signals into space for extra terrestrials starting in 2018. Douglas Vakoch, president of METI, said: 'If we want to start an exchange over the course of many generations, we want to learn and share information.' Mr Vakoch spoke of the need to send more complex signals out into the universe last year in an interview with Forbes. He said: 'It's too late to conceal ourselves in the universe, so we should decide how we want to represent ourselves. 'Extraterrestrials may be waiting for a clear indication from us that we're ready to start talking.' METI plans to send its first radio transmission by the end of 2018, with an emphasis on messages that reveal basic mathematical and scientific concepts. 'It would be ideal to use a powerful transmitter like those used for planetary radar studies, such as Arecibo Observatory,' said Mr Vakoch. But deciding on the content of the message has not been simple. METI plans to send its first radio transmission by the end of 2018, with an emphasis on messages that reveal basic mathematical and scientific concepts SHOULD WE BE WARY OF ALIENS? If there are any intelligent alien life forms out there, Stephen Hawking thinks we're playing a dangerous game by trying to contact them. The physicist believes if aliens discovered Earth, they are likely to want to conquer and colonise our planet. 'If aliens visit us, the outcome could be much like when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans,' he said in an interview. But co-founder and former director of the Seti Institute, Jill Tarter, doesn't think this will be the case. She argues any aliens who have managed to travel across the universe will be sophisticated enough to be friendly and peaceful. 'The idea of a civilisation which has managed to survive far longer than we have...and the fact that that technology remains an aggressive one, to me, doesn't make sense,' she said. Advertisement In a new interview with CNET, Mr Vakoch said: ' Some of the most prominent messages of the past have tried to cover everything. 'We're taking the opposite approach. 'Rather than trying to communicate everything, we are focusing on saying a few things very clearly. 'For our first messages, we are emphasising the essentials of math and physics.' Mr Vakoch said METI will be targeting nearby stars - especially those known to have planets in the habitable zones. A number of such signals have already been sent, with perhaps the most famous being fired out by the Arecibo radio telescope in 1974. Its binary digits revealed some details about our solar system, humans species and Earth's biochemistry. Mr Vakoch says that we should include an instruction manual of sorts so that aliens can decode are messages more easily. 'There are a lot of hidden assumptions embedded in the ways we portray three-dimensional objects on two-dimensional surfaces,' said Mr Vakoch. 'Even if aliens use pictures, they may use a different set of conventions to map solid objects onto flat surfaces.' Professor Stephen Hawking believes if aliens discovered Earth, they are likely to want to conquer and colonize the planet Some scientists, however, believe we should refrain from contacting aliens at all in case they are hostile. Lucianne Walkowicz, an astrophysicist at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, told NBC News earlier this year that making contact could be catastrophic for the human race. 'There's a possibility that if we actively message, with the intention of getting the attention of an intelligent civilisation, that the civilisation we contact would not necessarily have our best interests in mind,' she said. 'On the other hand, there might be great benefits. 'It could be something that ends life on Earth, and it might be something that accelerates the ability to live quality lives on Earth. 'We have no way of knowing.' Professor Stephen Hawking believes if aliens discovered Earth, they are likely to want to conquer and colonize the planet. With their squashed little noses and wrinkled faces, they have become a favourite with dog lovers and celebrities. But owning and breeding designer dogs like pugs and bulldogs is 'self-indulgent' and 'not cool', according to UK ministers. Several ministers have warned that breeding these dogs is leading to damaging genetic defects, which can cause severe health problems. Scroll down for video With their squashed little noses and wrinkled faces, they have become a favourite with dog lovers. But owning and breeding designer dogs like pugs and bulldogs is 'self-indulgent', according to Lord Gardiner THE HEALTH ISSUES The broad head shape seen in these dogs did not evolve naturally, and is instead the result of selective breeding. The facial structure of flat-faced dogs forces the breathing passages to be very compact. This, along with other structural elements of the body can lead to issues that include: - Difficulty breathing when exercising - Excess noises such as snorting and snoring - Inability to properly regulate body temperature, which leads to heavy panting - An elongated palate, which can cause episodes of reverse sneezing which can consist of excessive gasps and wheezes Advertisement Environment Minister Lord Gardiner of Kimble was speaking during a debate in the House of Lords this week, when he said that people should 'respect animals as they are.' The pets Lord Gardiner was referring to include French bulldogs, pugs and Pekingese, which are bred to emphasise certain 'cute' features. But this makes them susceptible to a number of severe health problems, including difficulty breathing, infection and eye problems. Lord Trees added to the debate, claiming 'their popularity is increasing because of celebrity endorsements' and we need to do all we can to persuade people it's 'not cool'. He added that many 'well-meaning' people buy these dogs without realising they'll 'suffer ill health and distress throughout their lives.' The Government now plans to work with interested parties to see how the issue can be tackled through regulation and has already announced plans to clamp down on breeders to curb the trade. Lord Trees added to the debate, claiming 'their popularity is increasing because of celebrity endorsements' and we need to do all we can to persuade people it's 'not cool'. Picured are Kelly Brook and David Beckham The warning comes just months after the RSPCA said selective breeding had become so extreme that it also caused the dogs pain and even prevented them from behaving normally. Experts have called for urgent action and reforms to breeding standards to prevent increased animal suffering. Sean Wensley, president of the British Veterinary Association, said: 'Prospective owners need to consider that these dogs can suffer from a range of health problems, from eye ulcers to severe breathing difficulties. The pets Lord Gardiner was referring to include French bulldogs (pictured), pugs and Pekingese, which are bred to emphasise certain 'cute' features 'We strongly encourage people to choose a healthier breed or a crossbreed instead.' Dog charities have reported an increase in owners dumping their pedigree dogs in huge numbers as they find themselves unable to manage complex health issues. The problem has been compounded by disreputable puppy farms, mainly in central and eastern Europe, experts said. Lord Gardiner was speaking in a debate in the House of Lords this week, when he said that people should 'respect animals as they are' Battersea Dogs Home and Blue Cross Animal Rescue received a total of 314 flat-faced dogs in 2015, compared with 226 in 2014, a 39 per cent rise. Both charities said they were also having to carry out more operations to clear airways, removing obstructive pieces of tissue and widening nostrils. Flat-faced dogs or brachycephalic breeds, meaning short-nosed also include cavalier King Charles spaniels and Shih Tzus. They have become increasingly popular in recent years, a trend partly fuelled by celebrity owners such as Jonathan Ross and Kelly Osbourne. But they are associated with a number of health problems including brachycephalic syndrome, a condition which makes it difficult for them to breathe due to their shorter airways and narrower nasal slits. This is why the dogs are often heard wheezing and snoring, with as many as 90 per cent of pugs suffering in this way. Their eye sockets are shallower, causing their eyes to protrude further, making them susceptible to injury and eye ulcers. And excessive skin forms into folds and crevices on their faces, creating an ideal environment for bacteria and yeast to grow. Flat-faced dogs are associated with a number of health problems including brachycephalic syndrome, a condition which makes it difficult for them to breathe due to their shorter airways and narrower nasal slits INBREEDING DOGS Researchers from the University of California compared the DNA of almost 150 British bulldogs. The dogs were from countries as far apart as the US and Czechoslovakia but their genes were highly similar. As a result, the average bulldog is the genetic equivalent of a puppy born when a brother and sister who were highly inbred themselves, mated. Writing in the journal Canine Genetics and Epidemiology, researchers warned it will be hard to find enough dogs with good genes to improve the breed's health. Advertisement Pedigree cats bred to have flat faces such as the Persian and Exotic were found to suffer from similar breathing difficulties. RSPCA dog welfare expert Lisa Richards said: 'Many dogs have been bred to emphasise certain physical features, some of which have become so extreme that they can cause pain and suffering, make dogs prone to particular disorders, or even prevent them from behaving normally and from enjoying the activities we know dogs love.' A recent survey by the Royal Veterinary College also found many owners of short-nosed dogs were not aware of the common underlying health problems. Caroline Reay, chief vet at Blue Cross Animal Hospital in Merton, said: 'Most owners and some vets think airway noise, and consequently reduced activity, is normal, so the problems are rarely discussed. Typing a message to a loved one or searching the web could be as simple as a thought, thanks to new mind-control system currently in development. Experts from CTRL-Labs believe they could have a watch-strap sized device to control your smartphone with your thoughts for release to early adopters by 2018. The slim gadget could also make virtual reality more immersive, by eliminating the need for handheld controllers. Scroll down for video The technology works by focusing on the sets of signals that control movement as they travel through the spinal column (stock image) HOW IT WORKS The technology works by focusing on the sets of signals that control movement as they travel through the spinal column. Rather than a keyboard, you could type on a tabletop. But the text on the screen is generated not by any physical interaction, but instead by the signals the brain sends to the fingers. The armband intercepts this signals and interprets them, before relaying the output to the computer. And the CTRL-Labs team has found that the system can pick up even more subtle signals, like the twitching of your fingers. It could even allow you to type with barely imperceptible movements of your hands in your pockets. By 2018, they hope to shrink the size of their prototype device to a similar size to a smart watch. Advertisement In an in-depth article for Wired, reporter Steven Levy explores the work being done by the New York based company. It might seem the stuff of science fiction, but CTRL-Labs counts engineers and neuroscientists from some of the world's top academic institutions, including Stanford, John Hopkins and Imperial College London, among its staff and advisers. It was founded by three PHD graduates from Columbia University who wanted to develop Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) technology to its full potential. Many other big tech names are exploring this next frontier in human-machine interaction. Some, like Elon Musk, have proposed a physical chip implanted directly into the brain to allow this to happen, as well as to enhance our intelligence. But CTRL-Labs has already built a non-invasive prototype device, in the form of a wearable armband, that lets its user control an on-screen keyboard, or even play games. Company CEO and co-founder Thomas Reardon, who demonstrated the fabric band for Wired told the website: 'When I see these announcements about brain-scanning techniques and the obsession with the disembodied-head-in-a-jar approach to neuroscience, I just feel like they are missing the point of how all new scientific technologies get commercialised. 'We are looking for enriched lives, more control over things over things around us, [and] more control over that stupid little device in your pocket, which is basically a read-only device right now, with horrible means of output. 'I would like our devices, whether they are vended by us or by partners, to be on a million people within three or four years.' The technology works by focusing on the sets of signals that control movement as they travel through the spinal column. Experts from CTRL-Labs believe they could have a watch-strap sized device to control your smarthphone or PC with your thoughts for release to early adopters by 2018 (stock image) Rather than a keyboard, you could type on a tabletop. But the text on the screen is generated not by any physical interaction, but instead by the signals the brain sends to the fingers. The armband intercepts this signals and interprets them, before relaying the output to the computer. And the CTRL-Labs team has found that the system can pick up even more subtle signals, like the twitching of your fingers. It could even allow you to type with barely imperceptible movements of your hands in your pockets. By 2018, they hope to shrink the size of their prototype device to a similar size to a smart watch. With an estimated 4.2 million CCTV cameras in the UK alone, it will come as no surprise that you're caught on camera on a regular basis. But a shocking new report has revealed that the images of you from CCTV might also be scanned by facial recognition technology regardless of whether you're doing anything wrong. The report suggests that the UK police have amassed a collection of 19 million photos equating to around 30 per cent of the British population. Scroll down for video A shocking new report has revealed that the images of you from CCTV might also be scanned by facial recognition technology regardless of whether you're doing anything wrong THE REPORT The findings come from the annual report, Commissioner for the Retention and Use of Biometric Material, written by Paul Wiles, the biometrics commissioner. He says that the database of faces collected from CCTV footage is designed to weed out criminals, but contains images of many people with no criminal dealings. In the report, Mr Wiles uses the example of Notting Hill Carnival, where attendees had their faces scanned and checked against a watch list of criminals. While facial images have been used by the police for years, the development of digital images, and their storage on a national database, transforms facial images into something new, Mr Wiles argues. Advertisement The findings come from the annual report, Commissioner for the Retention and Use of Biometric Material, written by Paul Wiles, the biometrics commissioner. He says that the database of faces collected from CCTV footage is designed to weed out criminals, but contains images of many people with no criminal dealings. In the report, Mr Wiles uses the example of Notting Hill Carnival, where attendees had their faces scanned and checked against a watch list of criminals. Mr Wiles said: 'Images stored on the Police National Database and other force systems have been used to try and identify individuals in public places. 'A recent reported example of this was the Metropolitan Police's use of facial imaging to check those attending the Notting Hill Carnival against a force watch list.' While facial images have been used by the police for years, the development of digital images, and their storage on a national database, transforms facial images into something new, Mr Wiles argues. He wrote: 'Whilst even the best matching algorithms cannot reach the accuracy levels achieved by DNA, and like fingerprints require human interpretation, they are improving and are already being deployed. 'In addition, unlike DNA or fingerprints, facial images can easily be taken and stored without the subject's knowledge and facial images of about 90% of the adult population already exist in passports or driving licences. 'Facial images are a powerful new biometric but the acceptance by the public of their use for crime control purposes may depend on the extent to which the governance arrangements provide assurance that their use will be in the public interest and intrusion into individual privacy is controlled and proportionate.' The database of faces collected from CCTV footage is designed to weed out criminals, but contains images of many people with no criminal dealings (stock image) While you can submit a 'subject access request' to the police to find out what information they have stored about you, there are several caveats that can stop you gaining access. The Open Rights Group (ORG) is now calling on the Metropolitan Police to stop collecting images. In its September supporter newsletter, a spokesperson for the group wrote: 'ORG opposed the use of mobile facial recognition cameras at this year's Notting Hill Carnival. 'Facial recognition technology may have racial biases and can lead to discriminatory policing because it can misidentify innocent people. In the report, Mr Wiles uses the example of Notting Hill Carnival, where attendees had their faces scanned and checked against a watch list of criminals 'The cameras also violate the privacy of everyone at the carnival by recording people's faces. 'The police did not discuss their plans with carnival organizers and we do not know what will happen to the data that is collected. 'With no independent oversight or approval from Parliament, it is unclear that any law allows the police to use facial recognition technology. 'Open Rights Group is working with other civil liberties and race relations groups to call on Metropolitan Police to stop their discriminatory plans, and to start a dialogue on the use of this technology.' Rumours have been swirling for months about Google's next Pixel smartphones and the long wait will soon be over thanks to a new trailer. The tech firm uploaded a short 35 second teaser to YouTube today, offering eager fans the chance to sign up to receive more information. The next generation flagship handset will be officially unveiled on Wednesday, October 4. Scroll down for video Rumours have been swirling for months about Google's next Pixel smartphones and the long wait will soon be over thanks to a new trailer. The next generation flagship handset will be officially unveiled on Wednesday, October 4 GOOGLE PIXEL 2 RUMOURS Leaked photos allegedly of the Google Pixel 2 give truth to some of the rumoured features. Via the photos or per the tipster, we know: The phone will have a curved screen. It has two LEDs in the camera flash. The back will be made of a glass panel. Google is ditching the headphone jack for the device. The source also reported a better in-hand feel than the original Pixel phone, The source said the device is 'sleek' and 'elegant.' It is also expected to feature a Snapdragon 836 processor. Advertisement The minimalist video, while scant on images, makes some bold promises about some of the features fans can expect. It is themed around the Menlo Park, California's iconic search engine. The cryptic clip shows a user searching for various failings of their own smartphone. These range from 'what's wrong with my phone's battery?' and 'why is my phone always out of storage?' to 'why does my phone take so many blurry photos?' and even 'why doesn't my phone understand me'. Other search queries state their phone is 'slow, hot, fragile, annoying, broken, cruel, impersonal and ... dumb.' The marketing ploy suggests that all of these problems will be answered when the new Pixel handsets are finally revealed. If the video is to be believed, this suggests the smartphones, believed to be a Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, will feature a better battery, more storage and a better camera than its rivals. This is in line with rumours circulating online in the leadup to the launch about the Pixel's expected features and launch date. The tech firm uploaded a short 35 second teaser to YouTube today, offering eager fans the chance to sign up to receive more information. The cryptic clip shows a user searching for various failings of their own smartphone The marketing ploy suggests that all of these problems will be answered when the new Pixel handsets are finally revealed. It also hints it will ill feature a better battery, storage and camera than its rivals Most notably, serial leaker Evan Blass from Philadelphia said in a tweet back on August 24th: 'Google's second-generation Pixel handsets, powered by Snapdragon 836 SoC's, will be unveiled on October 5th.' Mr Blass has a strong track record for predicting when new technology will be launched, as well as features on devices. The rumours follow leaked images earlier in August, which claim to show Google's Pixel 2 handset. Evan Blass, a tech-leaker from Philadelphia, tweeted this morning: 'Google's second-generation Pixel handsets, powered by Snapdragon 836 SoC's, will be unveiled on October 5th' According to the photos, it appears the upcoming device will, as previously predicted, have a curved screen and a glass back. However, one thing is missing - Google is planning to follow Apple and dump the headphone jack for the new device. Also shown in the leaked images is the presence of two LEDs in the flash and a glass panel on the back, which is smaller this time around. While previous leaks have suggested the phone will also be equipped with a Laser autofocus feature, that can't be seen here - although it may just be too difficult to spot. The photos, sent to Gsmarena by an unnamed tipster, show the front and back of what is clearly an early developer unit of the phone, as is indicated by the stickers on the back. Leaked images suggest that Google is planning to follow Apple and dump the headphone jack for the new device While the lack of headphone jack isn't seen in the photo, the source told Gsmarena the device doesn't include one. The source also reported a better in-hand feel than the original Pixel phone, saying it is 'sleek' and 'elegant.' The original Google Pixel phone was launched in October 2016, and the Pixel 2 is set to launch this autumn, which would make it in direct competition with Apple's iPhone 8 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. Leaked images allegedly of the Google Pixel 2 reveal some of the device's rumored features. According to the photos, it appears the upcoming device will indeed have a curved screen As the company prepares for the release, it's dropping the price on the original Pixel phone. As part of a back to school promotion, the Pixel's starting price is currently down to $524 (408) instead of $649 (506), while the Pixel XL is now priced at $569 (443) rather than $769 (600) - the company is also throwing in free Daydream View headsets for consumers who take advantage of the promotion. Insiders have long been suggesting the Google Pixel 2 could have a curved screen display like the Samsung Galaxy S8. Reports suggest the Google Pixel 2 phone, which is launching later this year, could have a curved screen display like the Samsung Galaxy S8 (pictured) Reports suggest Google is investing $880 million (709 million) in LG's flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) screens. Increasingly curved screen are being adopted by smartphones and it seems Google want to move in this direction too, according to South Korea's Electronic Times. The report suggests that LG is yet to sign the massive investment offer proposed by Google. Reports suggest Google is investing $880 million (709 million) in LG's flexible organic light emitting diode (OLED) screens for their Pixel 2 handset (pictured is first-generation Pixel handsets) In March, the head of hardware at Google first confirmed that the firm is developing a second-generation Pixel for the 'premium smartphone market'. The confirmation came from Rick Osterloh during an interview with AndroidPT. 'There is an annual rhythm in the industry,' Osterloh said in the interview. 'So, you can count on us to follow it. You can count on a successor this year, even if you don't hear a date from me now.' The original Google Pixel phone (pictured) was launched in October 2016, and the Pixel 2 is due to be launched this autumn which would be in direct competition with Apple's iPhone 8 Google debuted the first smartphones in its Pixel line during a conference in October 2016, a Pixel and the 5.5-inch Pixel XL. Although the Pixel 2 release would fall around the same time as the iPhone 8, Google is focusing on the upper price segment of the market. This may be tougher than imagined, if as speculated, the iPhone 8 turns out to cost over $1,000 (780). Osterloh stated that 'Pixel stays premium' and the firm will 'leave lower price segments to other manufacturers'. GOOGLE PIXEL SPECS The Pixel runs on a Snapdragon 821 2.15GHz processor. The handsets come in 32GB or 128GB models, with microSD card slots enabling an additional 256GB of storage. They have 12.3 and 8-megapixel cameras and a full HD AMOLED screen with Gorilla Glass protection. Fast charging gives 7 hours of use in 15 minutes Included is Google's AI assistant, Allo for messaging and Duo for video calls. Free online storage for pictures and video Is be available in US on Verizon and in an unlocked version from $649. Advertisement 'We believe the next big thing will be at the intersection of hardware and software,' Mr Osterloh said in October. He also took aim at Apple, saying the phone has 'no unsightly phone bump.' Brian Rakowski of Google said the phone was 'designed inside and out to be smart'. He said the Pixel's camera was better than the iPhone 7. 'It's the best smartphone camera anyone has made,' he said. We're often told avoid dwelling on past mistakes if we want to move forward. But one group of scientists say the opposite may be true. They claim feeling the pain of failure leads to more effort to correct your mistake and perform better in the future. Researchers found that people who just thought about a failure tended to make excuses for why they were unsuccessful. This meant they didn't try harder when faced with a similar situation. Scroll down for video We're often told avoid dwelling on past mistakes if we want to move forward. But one group of scientists say the opposite may be true. They claim feeling the pain of failure leads to more effort to correct your mistake and perform better in the future (stock image) But people who focused on their emotions following a failure made more effort when they tried again. 'All the advice tells you not to dwell on your mistakes, to not feel bad,' said Selin Malkoc, co-author of the study and professor of marketing at the Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business. 'But we found the opposite. 'When faced with a failure, it is better to focus on one's emotionswhen people concentrate on how bad they feel and how they don't want to experience these feelings again, they are more likely to try harder the next time.' While thinking about how to improve from past mistakes might helpthis study didn't examine thatthe researchers found that people who reflect on a failure do not tend to focus on ways to avoid a similar mistake. When asked to think about their mistakes, most people focus on protecting their ego, Malkoc said. They think about how the failure wasn't their fault, or how it wasn't that big of a deal, anyway. 'If your thoughts are all about how to distance yourself from the failure, you're not going to learn from your mistakes,' she said. Malkoc conducted the study with Noelle Nelson of the University of Kansas and Baba Shiv of Stanford University. Their results appear online in the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making. The researchers conducted several studies. In one, 98 college students were asked to price search online for a blender with specific characteristics, and with the possibility of winning a cash prize if they found the lowest price. Before they found out if they won, half the participants were told to focus on their emotional response to winning or losing, while the other half were instructed to focus on their thoughts about how they did. But people who focused on their emotions following a failure made more effort when they tried again, according to their research (stock image) They were told they would write about their response afterward. The price search task was rigged, though, and all participants found out that the lowest price was $3.27 (2.50) less than what they found. After writing about their failure, the students had a chance to redeem themselves. WHY WE KEEP MAKING MISTAKES No matter how hard we try, many of us struggle to learn from our mistakes, often making the same errors and choices time and time again. Scientists have long known such mistakes cause our brains to pause and take stock, but they have now discovered this pause leads to conflicting advice when it comes to making future decisions. During this pause, the brain gathers more information to prevent repeating the same mistake, while at the same time reducing the quality of what it obtains in its desire to collect as much as possible. These two actions cancel each other out and decreases the likelihood of making the best choice next time, according to research by New York University. Advertisement The researchers wanted to find out if the effort put forth by participants in a new task would be related to whether they focused on their thoughts or emotions involving the previous failure. The researchers believed that a task similar to their failed job - in this case a search for the lowest price - would trigger participants into recalling their unsuccessful attempt, while an unrelated job would not. The participants were given another task. Half were asked to search for a gift book for a friend that was the best fit for their limited college-student budget. In other words, they were looking for the lowest price, as they were instructed in the first task. The other half of the participants were given a non-similar task, which was to search for a book that would be the best choice as a gift for their friend. The results showed emotional responses to failure motivated participants much more than cognitive ones when they were faced with a similar task. Emotionally motivated participants spent nearly 25 percent more time searching for a low-priced book than did participants who had only thought aboutrather than dwelled on the pain of - their earlier failure. There was no significant difference in effort made by participants when the second task wasn't like the first. 'When the participants focused on how bad they felt about failing the first time, they tried harder than others when they had another similar opportunity,' Malkoc said. 'But the situation has to be similar enough to trigger the pain of the initial failure.' One reason why an emotional response to failure may be more effective than a cognitive one is the nature of people's thoughts about their mistakes. When the researchers analyzed what participants who thought about their failure wrote about, they found significantly more self-protective thoughts. Unfortunately, that may be the default mode for most people, at least in many everyday situations. In another similar study, the researchers didn't tell some participants how to respond to their failures. They found that these people tended to produce cognitive responses rather than emotional ones, and those cognitive responses were the kinds that protected themselves rather than focused on self-improvement. Malkoc said that in most real-life situations, people probably have both cognitive and emotional responses to their failures. But the important thing to remember is not to avoid the emotional pain of failing, but to use that pain to fuel improvement. 'Emotional responses to failure can hurt. They make you feel bad. That's why people often choose to think self-protective thoughts after they make mistakes,' she said. 'But if you focus on how bad you feel, you're going to work harder to find a solution and make sure you don't make the same mistake again.' NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has observed a distant planet outside our solar system that eats light instead of reflecting it. The exoplanet - called WASP-12b - is described as being 'as black as asphalt' due to the way it 'eats' light. Researchers found the oddball planet has a unique ability to trap at least 94 percent of the visible starlight that falls into its atmosphere. Scroll down for video NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has observed that a distant planet outside our solar system that eats light instead of reflecting it. The exoplanet - called WASP-12b - is described as being 'as black as asphalt' due to the way it 'eats' light WASP-12B EXOPLANET Hubble has discovered the WASP-12b exoplanet eats 94 percent of its light instead of reflecting it. It's classified as a 'hot jupiter' - a giant, gaseous planet that heats to extreme temperatures because it orbits exceptionally close to its host star. Considering this, the planet's habit of eating light is even more bizarre - Most hot Jupiters reflect 40 percent of light. But WASP-12b's atmosphere is so hot that most molecules are unable to survive on the day side of the planet, which is fixed and reaches 4,600 degrees F. This is most likely preventing clouds from forming and reflecting light back into space and instead allowing it to penetrate deep into the planet's atmosphere. Advertisement 'We did not expect to find such a dark exoplanet,' said Taylor Bell of McGill University and the Institute for Research on Exoplanets in Montreal, the lead researcher of the Hubble study. WASP-12b is classified as a 'hot Jupiter' - a giant, gaseous planet that heats to extreme temperatures because it orbits exceptionally close to its host star. Considering this, the planet's habit of eating light is even more bizarre. 'Most hot Jupiters reflect about 40 percent of starlight,' Bell said. But WASP-12b may be too hot to reflect heat - its atmosphere is so hot that most molecules are unable to survive on the day side of the planet, which is fixed and reaches 4,600 degrees Fahrenheit. This is most likely preventing clouds from forming and reflecting light back into space and instead allowing it to penetrate deep into the planet's atmosphere. There, it is absorbed by hydrogen atoms and converted to heat energy. While the day side is blistering, the planet's nighttime side - which is also fixed because the planet is tidally locked - is more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit cooler. 'This new Hubble research further demonstrates the vast diversity among the strange population of hot Jupiters,' Bell said, referring to the planet, which was is 1,400 light-years away in the constellation Auriga. This allows water vapor to form on the night side, which has been observed by Hubble and highlighted the stark day/night boundary. There has even been evidence of clouds on the nigthttime side of the exoplanet, which is about 2 million miles away from its star and completes an orbit once a day. 'This new Hubble research further demonstrates the vast diversity among the strange population of hot Jupiters,' Bell said, referring to the planet, which was is 1,400 light-years away in the constellation Auriga. 'You can have planets like WASP-12b that are 4,600 degrees Fahrenheit and some that are 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit, and they're both called hot Jupiters.' 'Past observations of hot Jupiters indicate that the temperature difference between the day and night sides of the planet increases with hotter day sides.' 'This previous research suggests that more heat is being pumped into the day side of the planet, but the processes, such as winds, that carry the heat to the night side of the planet don't keep up the pace.' The Hubble's Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph was used to search in visible light for a dip in starlight as the planet passed directly behind the star, which revealed the planet's unique 'light-eating' capabilities. Astronomers were able to detect how much dimming there was to determine how much light the planet gives off - which was found to be about only six percent. However, the observations didn't detect reflected light, which means the day side of the planet is absorbing almost all of the light that hits the planet. Researchers have been studying WASP-12b since it was first discovered in 2008. It's been observed with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, and Hubble. In another recent Hubble discovery, the telescope spotted 'fireworks' in a distant galaxy. With the help of computational analysis and a technique known as gravitational lensing, the Hubble Space Telescope has peered into a distant galaxy, revealing patches of newly formed stars. According to NASA, the new approach allowed Hubble to capture images 10 times sharper than it is typically able, revealing the galaxy appears as it appeared 11 billion years ago just 2.7 billion years after the Big Bang. According to NASA, the new approach allowed Hubble to capture images 10 times sharper than it is typically able, revealing the galaxy appears as it appeared 11 billion years ago just 2.7 billion years after the Big Bang GRAVITATIONAL LENSING, EXPLAINED Gravitational lensing occurs when a massive galaxy or cluster of galaxies bends the light emitted from a more distant galaxy. This forms a highly magnified, though much distorted image. This is because massive objects bend the spacetime around them, making light travel in a different path. It was first proposed by Einstein in his theory of General Relativity. Advertisement While scientists previously suspected star-forming regions in the early universe spanned upwards of 3,000 light-years, the new observations suggest some are much smaller, with each of the newfound clumps extending about 300 light-years. By enhancing Hubbles capabilities, astronomers detected an edge-on disk galaxy dotted with clumps of newborn stars. When we saw the reconstructed image we said, Wow, it looks like fireworks are going off everywhere, said astronomer Jane Rigby of NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. According to NASA, the new observation is one of more than 70 strongly lensed galaxies Hubble has studied so far. Through gravitational lensing, which uses the gravitational effects to distort the galaxys light, the team was able to magnify the distant region almost 30 times for a better view. Then, they developed a computer code to remove the distortions. This revealed two dozen patches of newly-formed stars, according to the researchers. And, in contrast to earlier assumptions, they each spanned just 200-300 light-years. By enhancing Hubbles capabilities, astronomers detected an edge-on disk galaxy dotted with clumps of newborn stars. The artist's impression shows what the galaxy, SDSS J1110+6459, might look like up close Without gravitational lensing, the galaxy would appear perfectly smooth and unremarkable, in the observations, according to the researcher. But, the technique allowed Hubble to get a sharper picture to reveal further insight on the regions of star formation. There are star-forming knots as far down in size as we can see, said doctoral student Traci Johnson of the University of Michigan, lead author of two of the three papers on the research. Though Hubble spotted the new stars, the researchers say more advanced instruments will be necessary to peer further into the galaxys history. While scientists previously suspected star-forming regions in the early universe spanned upwards of 3,000 light-years, the new observations suggest some are much smaller, with each of the newfound clumps extending about 300 light-years The upcoming James Webb Telescope, for example, will allow them to study older, redder stars that formed much earlier than these. The James Webb Space Telescope is set to be the largest space telescope ever built. When it is launched into space it will be able to peer back in time 13.5 billion years. And, NASA explains, it will be able to look through any dust that may be in the way. According to Rigby, With the Webb Telescope, well be able to tell you what happened in this galaxy in the past, and what we missed with Hubble because of dust. Advertisement Anyone who has taken in the unique and original beauty of Venice in person might be forgiven for thinking it's somewhere that simply cannot be matched. However, developers in the Middle East beg to differ as they unveil plans to recreate the Italian city famous for its complex canals and gondolas with a replica version of itself in Dubai. The Floating Venice will be the world's first five-star floating destination aiming to bring 'the charm, serenity and culture of Venice to the tranquil shores of Dubai'. The Floating Venice will be located in The World islands, 4km offshore from Dubai The new resort is valued at 2.5 billion AED, with no expense spared to create a luxurious, beautiful destination The new Venice doesn't stop at aesthetics; it even offers traditional Venetian festivals and celebrations including La Biennale di Venezia and Regata Storica Once they have arrived guests will be able to navigate the resort either on foot or by gondola While the project by the Kleindeinst Group is still in the early planning stages, the vision is clearly ambitious and is valued at 2.5 billion AED. The resort will not only resemble the original Venice, with a canal network, gondolas imported from Italy and even a replica of its most famous square Piazza San Marco, but will also boast a luxury underwater world consisting of cabins, bars, shops and restaurants. The Floating Venice will be able to hold up to 3,000 guests, and will be spread over four storeys. While the project by the Kleindeinst Group is still in the early planning stages, the vision is clearly ambitious Water is a primary theme for the new resort. Not only is it constructed on water, there is set to be a focus on spa treatments at the resort The Floating Venice will also boast a luxury underwater world consisting of cabins, bars, shops and restaurants It will be easily accessible from the mainland with guest arriving by boat, seaplane or helicopter. Once they have arrived guests will be able to navigate the resort either on foot or by gondola. The new Venice doesn't stop at aesthetics; it even offers traditional Venetian festivals and celebrations including La Biennale di Venezia and Regata Storica. Floating independently in the Arabian Sea, the Venice resort is set to be part of The Heart of Europe, a cluster of six islands on The World in Dubai, located 4km from the mainland It will be easily accessible from the mainland with guest arriving by boat, seaplane or helicopter This unique floating resort has a capacity of up to 3,000 guests daily, with accommodation, restaurants and recreation split over four decks The Floating Venice will be able to hold up to 3,000 guests, and will be spread over four storeys This underwater cabin, surrounded by sealife and swimmers offers surreal luxury for guests Floating independently in the Arabian Sea, the Venice resort is set to be part of The Heart of Europe, a cluster of six islands on The World in Dubai, located 4km from the mainland. Other resorts planned on the islands include Sweden, Germany, Monaco, St Petersburg and Switzerland. She is expecting her first child next month. And pregnant Heidi Montag looked like she was enjoying her Tuesday night with long-time friend Kaitlyn Bristowe and their significant others at the Mexican eatery Tallula's in Santa Monica. The reality TV star, 30, looked extra cheery as she flaunted her motherly curves while seen posing for photos. Baby bump: Pregnant Heidi Montag looked like she was enjoying her Tuesday night with long-time friend Kaitlyn Bristowe and their significant others in Santa Monica A very pregnant Heidi wore a gray maxi dress that highlighted her growing baby bump teamed with flat golden sandals. She kept a casual beach look by styling her hair with loose waves and bronze make-up that accentuate her motherly glow. Kaitlyn oozed boho-chic vibes in her off-the-shoulder magenta maxi dress while out with the mother-to-be. The former season 11 Bachelorette contestant accessorized her stylish look with a tan suede wide-rimmed hat. She's showing: Heidi looked extra cheery as she flaunted her motherly curves while seen posing for photos Mother-to-be: A very pregnant Heidi wore a gray maxi dress that highlighted her growing baby bump teamed with flat golden sandals Kaitlyn flew with her boyfriend Shawn Booth, 30, to Los Angeles - from her current residency in Nashville - for Heidi's baby shower extravaganza. Last Sunday friends of the reality stars arrived at 800MAIN in Venice, California. Heidi and husband Spencer Pratt, 34, hosted a 'heaven sent' themed baby shower just days before they welcome their new baby boy. The mother-to-be told US Weekly: 'I was surprised at how many of my friends who didnt know each other became friends. Heidi continued: 'Everyone went to dinner with each other after the shower, and seeing an amazing group of women being able to become friends was so cool.' Special outings: Kaitlyn flew with her boyfriend Shawn Booth to Los Angeles - from her current residency in Nashville - for Heidi's baby shower extravaganza Is she pregnant? In one of the photos Heidi and Spencer are even pointing to Kaitlyn's stomach as Shawn holds her lovingly The two couples were seen having a fun time as they took selfies and sipped their drinks at the resturant. In one of the photos Heidi and Spencer are even pointing to Kaitlyn's stomach as Shawn holds her lovingly. Kaitlyn posted a photo on Instagram Tuesday of her and Heidi sitting back and enjoying each other's company. Best friends: Kaitlyn posted a photo on Instagram Tuesday of her and Heidi sitting back and enjoying each other's company The former Bachelor contestant captioned: 'Heidi is pregnant, so I drank enough tequila for the both of us. Because I'm such a good friend. @heidipratt #LoveHer' Heidi posted her own photo of the two blondes on her Instagram on Tuesday. The caption read: 'Had the best time with the one and only #offthevine star @kaitlynbristowe!' Selfies: Heidi posted her own photo of the two blondes on her Instagram on Tuesday While Heidi and Spencer count down the days until they meet their first child, Heidi revealed that daddy-to be Spencer has some hospital requests on the big day. Heidi said: 'Spencer wants me to have crystals in the birthing room because they represent spiritual protection, health and a higher realm of love.' Heidi and Spencer first got together as cast mates on The Hills, where they were quickly branded as the show's antagonists. Double date: Kaitlyn oozed boho-chic vibes in her off-the-shoulder magenta maxi dress while out with the mother-to-be The nemises of Lauren Conrad announced their engagement May 2007. The couple eloped in Mexico in 2008 but decided to have a ceremony back at home in April 2009. The couple announced that Heidi was pregnant with their first child this past April. Heidi gushed: 'That were even having a kid and that we got pregnant the first month trying and that Spencer and I are at this point in our lives... it just felt like a really heaven sent thing.' She's had an on-off relationship with fellow America Horror Story actor Evans Peters since 2012. But Emma Roberts was enjoying a girls' day out in New York City on Wednesday. The 26-year-old niece of Julia Roberts held hands with a girl friend as they stepped out shopping in the Soho neighborhood. Stepping out! Emma Roberts was enjoying a girls' day out in New York City on Wednesday She flashed her midriff in a cropped Wrangler T-shirt and limited edition Madewell jeans which are available for sale for just two hours on September 14 in the brand's stores. Chunky Doc Martin boots kept her comfortable as she hit the sidewalks. The Scream Queens beauty looked relaxed in minimal make-up, as she covered her eyes with dark glasses. Close: The 26-year-old niece of Julia Roberts held hands with a girl friend as they stepped out shopping in the Soho neighborhood She affectionately held hands with her gal pal, as they shared a laugh during their retail therapy expedition. Emma held a circular black leather bag in her other hand and a carrier bag bearing the fruits of her shopping labours. Her blonde tresses were pulled into a scruffy ponytail, as she had a more relaxed day than the last week of treading the red carpet at NYFW events. Giggles: She affectionately held hands with her gal pal, as they shared a laugh during their retail therapy expedition Off duty: Her blonde tresses were pulled into a scruffy ponytail, as she had a more relaxed day than the last week of treading the red carpet at NYFW events Toned tum: She flashed her midriff in a cropped Wrangler T-shirt and limited edition Madewell jeans which are available for sale for just two hours on September 14 in the brand's stores She appears to still be sporting the same bling on her third finger, left hand as she received from Evan in January. Reports the pair had re-rekindled their stop-start romance resurfaced once again in September 2016. The duo first met in 2012 while filming the movie Adult World, and were engaged by March 2014. Before that they had an explosive argument in 2013 which resulted in her arrest but he declined to press charges. They broke it off in June 2015 but got back together the following October, only to break-up again in May of last year. The couple are both due to star on screen in American Horror Story: Cult this October. Ring: She appears to still be sporting the same bling on her third finger, left hand as she received from Evan in January Previous Next This Friday, from 6-8 p.m. marks the grand opening of a new arts gallery at Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center. The Visitors Center Gallery opening, during which guests can enjoy complimentary wine and hors doeuvres, is for Rena Malones Four Seasons at Reflection Riding. Malones collection encompasses over 65 oil paintings, all inspired by scenes throughout Reflection Ridings 317 acres of forest, field, and stream. In this newly designated arts space, Reflection Riding plans to highlight nature-focused creativity of all kinds. Rena Malone, Fridays featured artist, is a longtime member and supporter of Reflection Riding. About the property, Ms. Malone said, I feel so good when Im over here walking on the mountain trails or past the wildlife and the ponds. Its just a beautiful place. Ms. Malones show, previously on display at the Exum Gallery, will be at the Visitors Center Gallery at Reflection Riding until Nov. 15. Visitors can attend the grand opening this Friday or see the collection during Reflection Ridings public hours. All paintings will be for sale throughout the exhibit period. The organizations staff are currently selecting the next exhibit after Four Seasons at Reflection Riding concludes. For more information, visit reflectionriding.org. Harrison Ford has reacted to Carrie Fisher's decision - shortly before her death last year - to reveal they'd once had an affair. 'It was strange. For me,' said Harrison, 75, to GQ, though he confessed he hasn't read The Princess Diarist, the 2016 memoir in which Carrie had dropped the bombshell. They'd had a three-month fling during the 1976 London shoot of the first Star Wars film, back when Harrison was 33 years old and Carrie was only 19. Scroll down for video 'It was strange': Harrison Ford has reacted in GQ to Carrie Fisher's decision - shortly before her death last year - to reveal they'd once had an affair At the time of his affair with Carrie, Harrison was still with his first wife Mary Marquardt - a 15-year marriage that ended in divorce in 1979. When GQ prodded Harrison further on his response to the revelations in the memoir, he demurred: 'Oh, I don't know. I don't know. You know, with Carrie's untimely passing, I don't really feel that it's a subject that I want to discuss.' Nor would Harrison give an answer when asked 'whether you'd prefer that it hadn't been written?' He did admit he'd had 'a degree' of notice that the affair would be disclosed in the book. As it happens, Carrie has herself publicly discussed the moment she had told him about it. Pictured in 1977: They'd had a three-month dalliance during the 1976 London shoot of the first Star Wars film, back when Harrison was 33 years old and Carrie was only 19 Appearing on NPR's Fresh Air last year to promote the memoir, she'd told Terry Gross she wouldn't have publicized this story without warning him because 'I wouldn't have ambushed him like that, but it's still - no matter if I told him or not, it probably feels like an ambush. It feels like an ambush to me, and I'm the one that wrote it.' Carrie told Terry: 'I said: "I found the journals that I kept during the first movie and I'm probably going to publish them." And he just sort of raised his finger and said, "Lawyer!"' To which Carrie insisted: '"No, I won't write anything that you don't want. I mean, I'll show it to you before and you can take anything out that you want taken out. I don't want to make you uncomfortable," which I, of course, have. Unduly uncomfortable.' After sending him a copy, 'I never heard back, so I can't imagine that he was comfortable with everything that was in it. But it's not like it's negative about him - it's just a personal story that's been a secret for a long time.' Final product: They're seen here in the 1977 film with their co-star Mark Hamill (left) The Princess Diarist contained tracts of the journals Carrie had kept during the filming of the first Star Wars film, interspersed with new text written for the public. It hit bookshelves November 22. On December 23, Carrie suffered cardiac arrest on a flight, and she was pronounced dead on December 27 at the age of 60. A day later, her mother Debbie Reynolds had a stroke and died at 84 - after telling her son Todd Fisher: 'I miss her so much, I want to be with Carrie,' according to TMZ. The last of Carrie's three memoirs, The Princess Diarist paints her as painfully insecure and completely besotted with the much gruffer and more aloof Harrison. Though 'the brutal strength of Harrison's preferred strain of pot' had left her with a less-than-perfect memory of that time, she wrote a great deal of what she'd recalled. Charisma: Harrison's character Han Solo and Carrie's character Princess Leia famously ignite their own romance in the 1980 Star Wars sequel The Empire Strikes Back She described herself as having been a 'bad kisser,' and looking back at their their first roll in the sheets, she wrote: 'Our affable ordeal behind us, Harrison fell asleep and I tried to. God, he really was handsome. I forgave him for not loving me in the way one usually expects - and almost forgave myself for not expecting it.' On the next page, she remembered: 'I didn't know how I would live through the five whole days of filming following that first weekend. Those five days on set together went unbearably slowly, with our having to behave toward each other as if the weekend before hadn't even occurred. Weekdays were off-limits, intimacy-wise.' She wrote of a time she got a laugh out of him by impersonating him: 'If Id never succeeded in coaxing this coveted laughter of his out into the waiting world, I would never have known what I was missing - just that I was missing something, besides his not being single or accessible or, for the most part, warm.' The daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher went on: 'I wouldnt have been able to imagine his laughing wholeheartedly, or known how amazing it felt to actually be with the person you were with and feel that he liked you!' Later: Yet in the 2015 movie Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, it's revealed Han and Leia have split, their son Kylo Ren corrupted under the apprenticeship of the villainous Snoke In the 1980 Star Wars sequel The Empire Strikes Back, Harrison's character Han Solo and Carrie's character Princess Leia famously ignite their own romance - one that lasts on through the 1983 end of the original trilogy, Return Of The Jedi. Yet in the 2015 movie Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, it's revealed that Han and Leia have split, and that they've had a son called Kylo Ren who's fallen under the nefarious tutelage of the villainous Supreme Leader Snoke. Carrie's first memoir, 2008's Wishful Drinking - an adaptation of her one-woman-show of the same name - was followed in 2010 by Shockaholic. Literary swan song: The Princess Diarist hit bookshelves November 22; On December 23, Carrie suffered cardiac arrest on a flight, and she was pronounced dead December 27, aged 60 Before then, she'd contented herself with romans a clef, starting with the blistering 1987 comic novel Postcards From The Edge, which follows a Hollywood actress as she struggles to reassemble her life and career post-rehab. It was adapted into a 1990 Mike Nichols movie starring Meryl Streep as the Carrie analog and Shirley MacLaine as a character widely perceived to be based on Debbie. Carrie's other novels were 1990's Surrender The Pink, 1993's Delusions Of Grandma, and the 2004 Postcards From The Edge sequel The Best Awful. She's finally back to reality after enjoying a long luxurious honeymoon with her new husband Brooks Laich. And Julianne Hough sat down with Rachael Ray and guest co-host DailyMailTV's Jesse Palmer on Wednesday on theRachael Ray Show to dish the details about her exotic adventure. While traveling in July the former Dancing With The Stars judge shared plenty of snaps on her Instagram, prompting Jesse to ask 'Where weren't you?' Scroll down for video Newlywedded bliss! Julianne Hough dished the details on her exotic honeymoon when she appeared on the Rachael Ray show on Wednesday 'It was incredible': The 29-year-old star talked to Ray and DailyMailTV's Jesse Palmer about her adventures in the Seychelles and Kenya 'We went to the Seychelles which was incredible, and did all the, you know, 'honeymoon stuff'!' Julianne, 29, gushed. 'And then we went to Kenya which was more adventurous and amazing,' And while her Instagram snaps were quite impressive, Julianne admitted she collected plenty of so-so photos from her getaway. 'When you go, you just take pictures of everything, [but then you see] your camera is just loaded with crap pictures,' says Julianne. 'When you go, you just take pictures of everything, [but then you see] your camera is just loaded with crap pictures,' the former DWTS star said 'You think, "Oh my gosh, Im the best photographer ever!" Julianne joked of snapping hundreds of photos in Kenya 'You think, "Oh my gosh, Im the best photographer ever!" And then, it's like, the worst!' Now she's back to work Julianne dished on her upcoming projects and a cause that's close to her heart - the Get in the Know About ME in EndoMEtriosis campaign. 'Its something thats very personal to me,' the blonde beauty explained. 'When I was on Dancing With the Stars almost 10 years ago can you believe that? I actually found out that I had endometriosis, and it was something that was really debilitating as far as work goes, Paradise: while her Instagram snaps were quite impressive, Julianne admitted she collected plenty of so-so photos from her getaway Pictureque: The couple also went on a safari in Kenya and took an air balloon ride 'Which was when I was like, "Oh, I should talk about this."' Since then, Julianne revealed 'People have been commenting on my Instagram and telling me they [now] have courage to talk about it So I'm excited. It's good'. DailyMailTV with Jesse Palmer launches Monday, September 18. Check your local listings 'We went to the Seychelles which was incredible, and did all the, you know, 'honeymoon stuff'!' Julianne said with a twinkle in her eye Pregnant Danniella Westbrook has lashed out at claims she cheated on her fiance Alan Thomason during an all-day Benidorm drinking session. Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, the enraged actress, 43, insisted her fiance, 32, is 'the most perfect man' meaning she has no reason to cheat, despite claims from a 25-year-old holidaygoer that she locked lips with him at Tikki Beach. Atop her rumours of relationship woes, the EastEnders star was reportedly pictured drinking during the festivities as well as holding a cigarette in images obtained by The Sun of her day out at the holiday hot spot. Scroll down for video Happier times: Pregnant Danniella Westbrook has lashed out at claims she cheated on her fiance Alan Thomason during an all-day Benidorm drinking session Danniella, who is expecting her first baby with toyboy fiance, has been hit with claims that she locked lips with the reveller, as video appeared to show her kissing a man at the pool party - yet she insists all is not what it seems. The actress was quick to point out she was merely posing with fans, as she insisted the situation was manipulated to appear she was doing wrong. She penned: 'took a picture with someone at tikki beach and peck on cheek get a bloody grip ya fools... a disgrace really for letting someone peck me on the cheek whilst taking pictures with holiday makers in benidorm... 'wow really what ever... AND TRUST ME I HAVE THE MOST PERFECT MAN I DONT NEED TO CHEAT... i actually cant win say no to pictures have people slag me say yes to pictures get accused of cheating! EVERYONE CAN 0121 DO 1.' Parents-to-be: Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, the enraged actress, 43, insisted her fiance, 32, is 'the most perfect man' meaning she has no reason to cheat, despite claims from a 25-year-old holidaygoer that she locked lips with him at Tikki Beach Danniella confirmed she was expecting a baby with her new beau Alan five weeks ago, and even recently hinted the pair may be welcoming twins. Despite the happy news, which has led to various loved-up displays with the star and her beau, sources claim the star has been partying in the midst of her pregnancy. A Snapchat clip obtained by the publication saw a giggling Danniella draped around a partygoer before he turned around and pecked her on the lips. The man in question said: 'The next thing I know shes all over me, snogging the life out of me, and we stayed with her for about six hours on a drinking session. We kissed between 10 and 15 times, I had her sitting on my lap and everything.' MailOnline has contacted a representative for Danniella for comment. Happier times: News of the alleged kiss comes after it was alleged she was seen holding a cigarette at the beach party in Benidorm, just one month after confirming her pregnancy News of the alleged kiss comes after it was alleged she was seen holding a cigarette at the beach party in Benidorm, just one month after confirming her pregnancy. She was photographed with a cigarette in hand, as she danced in front of a table littered with alcohol, at the bash in Spain on Friday. In the snap obtained by The Sun, Danniella is seen displaying her blossoming bump in a nude mesh bikini as she joins a host of friends at the raucous beach party. However, checking her phone as she danced beside a table covered with bottles of beer, a cigarette is clearly visible in her hand - with sources claiming the star was happily smoking in view of guests. An insider told the paper: 'Danniella was puffing away on a cigarette while she hung out with everyone. She appeared to be drinking as she stood at the table with a big smile on her face.' The blonde revealed she was expecting her first child with new man Alan last month - admitting the pregnancy 'definitely wasn't planned' but that she is 'super-excited' to have more kids. Speaking on ITV's Lorraine, the mother-of-two also gushed that her Spanish boyfriend Alan was 'gorgeous' and the only man who could 'tame' her. Snapped: Danniella was reportedly pictured holding a cigarette at a beach party in Benidorm, one month after confirming her pregnancy Discussing the prospect that she might even have twins, she excitedly told Lorraine: 'I dont know if I'm having two, because I'm huge! 'Every time I stand up I think "God, I'm huge". It may well be twins but I dont have a scan for another four or five weeks. 'I'm super excited to have some more [kids]. Well - have another! I'm tired all the time, but I feel good in myself.' Just two days before confirming her happy news, Danniella had adamantly denied swirling rumours she was pregnant, claiming she was simply 'fat' instead. New chapter: The blonde revealed she was expecting her first child with Alan last month - admitting the pregnancy 'wasn't planned' but that she's 'super-excited' to have more kids The new arrival will be her third child - having already welcomed Kai in 1996 and daughter Jodie in 2001, with her businessman ex-husband Kevin Jenkins. Danniella has publicly battled drink and drug addiction over the years, and confessed back in 2012 that she had taken cocaine throughout her first pregnancy. Speaking to Jeremy Kyle, the former addict cried as she revealed she had done the drug minutes before giving birth to her son Kai, now 21, and ten minutes after he was born. Past trouble: Danniella has publicly battled drink and drugs over the years, and even confessed back in 2012 that she had taken cocaine during her first pregnancy with son Kai (above) She confessed: 'I asked people to leave the delivery room after I'd given birth so I could have a line.' She went on to reveal she was using up to five grams a day during her pregnancy - and that her children were forced to intervene in their youth, when she suffered reactions to the substances at home. She explained: 'I was in a terrible state. My 3-year-old son was trying to put a Mars bar in my mouth, trying to make me come round. 'No-one could help me. I used to do coke off the back of a Disney DVD that my kids watched.' However after multiple rehab stints, with the most recent in April this year, Danniella appears to have turned things around - and now lives in sunny Benidorm with Alan. Discussing her new chapter abroad on Lorraine last month, she added: 'I live out in Spain because he's Spanish, but he's got a Manchester accent. I'm in sunny Benidorm. I just love life. 'Life is looking up - life is fun and it's good. Out in Spain, life is a lot cheaper. I'm out all the time, I do the cabaret clubs in Benidorm.' She has enjoyed idyllic getaways to Mykonos and Mexico this summer. And it seems Lucy Watson might be battling a case of the holiday blues, as she shared a series of sizzling throwback snaps on Instagram from her exotic breaks. The former Made In Chelsea star, 26, showcased her pert posterior in a sexy leopard-print bikini, before slipping into a plunging one-piece. Scroll down for video Bottoms up: It seems Lucy Watson might be battling a case of the holiday blues, as she shared a series of sizzling throwback snaps on Instagram from her exotic breaks Working her angles expertly, the former reality star faced away from the camera as she looked out at the idyllic Greek landscape in her the bikini shot. Later sharing a snap from her holiday to Mexico with boyfriend James Dunmore, Lucy flaunted her toned behind in a black swimsuit, which boasted a low back and pretty pink ruffles. Sh wore her dark hair swept to one side to showcase her toned back and an elaborate inking. Making a splash: The former Made In Chelsea star, 26, flaunted her toned behind in a black swimsuit, which boasted a low back and pretty pink ruffles Budding beauty: The reality star later slipped into some skimpy co-ords boasting a pretty floral print Keen on flaunting her fabulous figure further, Lucy shared another snap on her social media where she was sprawled sexily on an outdoor bed which overlooked the ocean. Wearing a tiny black bikini, the brunette set pulses racing as she arched up one leg and raised her arms above her head. Lucy is currently loved up with beau James Dunmore, who she met on MIC in 2015 and their romance was documented on the reality show. Enviable figure: A pair of matching orange bottoms rested low on her hips and gave way to her enviably toned legs as she took time off from her hectic schedule Clearly stronger than ever, the pair were both absent from the MIC spin-off in the South of France last August - wanting to spend time alone and away from drama instead. It was then announced in September that Lucy was leaving the E4 show that catapulted her to fame four years ago. A spokesperson told MailOnline: 'After four amazing years on Made In Chelsea, Lucy feels that now is the right time to explore some other exciting opportunities and projects that she is passionate about. Striking: Keen on flaunting her fabulous figure further, Lucy shared another snap on her social media where she was sprawled sexily on an outdoor bed which overlooked the ocean Gal pals: The star has been enjoying her time with her pal Ianthe, who is the ex of Calum Best 'Being part of such a successful show has been an incredible experience for her, and she wishes everyone involved all the very best for the future.' Her friend and co-star on the show Frankie Gaff then revealed the brunette was taking time away from the spotlight to concentrate on her relationship with James. The Made in Chelsea star told BANG Showbiz: 'Lucy's not going to be in the next series. At the moment she's decided not to because she's loved up.' Speaking to FEMAIL last year, Lucy revealed how she developed a passion for health and fitness over the past two years, explaining: 'I'm motivated by people around me and I just got to a point in my life where I needed a change.' 'Feel so much healthier': The star further revealed on Twitter in 2015 that switching up her diet to one of veganism has made a big difference to her health and figure Cute couple: Lucy is currently loved up with beau James Dunmore, who she met on MIC in 2015 and their romance was documented on the reality show Before she added: 'I don't want to emulate anyone else's body. I just want mine to be toned and lean. I don't want to lose any weight or curves, just tone up what I already have.' T'Yes lost a lot of weight since becoming vegan. Feel so much healthier though. And better for the animals she tweeted in May. However after receiving backlash for being 'too skinny' and receiving concerns from fans about her health, Lucy hit back in a second message to justify her actions. She wrote to her haters:Im the healthiest Ive ever been, the body shaming needs to stopSome people are skinny, some people are fat. GAF.' Liar Rating: Rellik Rating: The twist is so impro-bable, the coincidence so colossal that youd think the writers must have planned it this way from the start. But brothers Jack and Harry Williams insist it was an accident, not a publicity stunt, that their latest co-written six-part crime serials, Liar (ITV) and Rellik (BBC1), started at the same moment on the same day, on opposite channels. Millions of fans are addicted to the convoluted plots that are a speciality of this duo, creators (together) of the sensational abduction thriller The Missing. Liar - starring Ioan Gruffudd and Joanne Froggatt on ITV - delivered instant gratification Problem is, you cant watch two Williams Whodunnits at once. So which did you watch, and which took second place to be seen later? The obvious solution was to watch Rellik on the Beeb and record Liar, so you could whizz through the adverts. But as is usually the case with a Williams Bros puzzle, the obvious answer was the wrong one. Liar delivered instant gratification. The concept is instantly gripping and the headline stars generate a chemical reaction together so strong, its atomic. Joanne Froggatt who rose to fame as long-suffering Mrs Bates, the ladys maid in Downton Abbey has a gift for conveying dangerous undercurrents, all sweet smile and mad eyes. Here, she plays teacher Laura, desperate to vent some frustration as she stumbles out of a sterile relationship. Laura went canoeing at dawn in wild estuary marshland. When a bloke at the boat club paid her a clumsy compliment, she looked ready to disembowel him with her paddle. Then into her life strolls Mr Fantastic. Hes a surgeon with million-watt teeth and hair so good its probably got its own Hollywood agent. Ioan Gruffudd, who plays the charismatic medic Andrew, is best known for super-hero movies such as The Fantastic Four. In Liar, he is wealthy, widowed and a devoted single father, hes almost too perfect. Why isnt he surrounded by gasping groupies, begging to be bedded and wedded? When we first see traumatised detective Gabriel Markham (Richard Dormer) in Rellik, he has already wrapped up the case However, Laura is convinced that during their first date, he drugged her wine and raped her. Andrew denies it airily insisting to the police that they had consensual sex and it was great. Mouthful of the night Have more words ever been crammed into half an hour than by Ben Elton in his Shakespeare sitcom, Upstart Crow (BBC2)? Lickspittle nincombunion and dunceling clumbletrousers were some of the shorter ones. Advertisement Most viewers might tend to believe Laura if it wasnt for the guarded reaction of her friends and family. Theres something in this womans past: Do the police know what happened last time? asks her brother-in-law. This is a crime without evidence. Theres no CCTV, no forensics, almost no physical clues at all. Our suspicions swing from Laura to Andrew and back again, based on nothing but the tone of a voice or a hesitation before an answer. Brainpower wont help you unravel Liar. This crime demands all your emotion and intuition. Rellik is very different. Its the hunt for a serial killer, told in reverse (Rellik is killer backwards). When we first see traumatised detective Gabriel Markham (Richard Dormer), he has already wrapped up the case. The story backs up in leaps and bounds, to the arrest, and before that the final murder. The idea is that after six episodes, we will understand what happened and why. But the effect is like doing 3D sudoku in your head. Its so baffling that your only hope may be to watch in groups, the TV equivalent of book clubs. Every couple of minutes, press the pause button and ask each other: Who is he? How do they know each other? Where are those two going? I trust the writers to explain every answer, eventually. But I have serious doubts about my intellectual capacity to understand a word of it. The last episode of The Bachelor airs on Thursday night, but it appears that Laura Byrne could not wait for the final rose ceremony before revealing who the winner is. The 30-year-old seemed to let slip that she is the one who's won Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson's heart in an interview with Nova 96.9's Fitzy & Wippa. Appearing on the radio show on Thursday, the accessories designer talked about herself and Matty exclusively in the present tense, while fellow finalist Elise Stacy used only the past tense. Scroll down for video Did they just reveal the winner? The Bachelor's Laura Byrne spoke about her relationship with Matty J in the present tense during a Nova interview - while Elise Stacy admits she 'WAS in love' 'You know when you meet someone who ticks the boxes and who you have a real connection with. You can't fake that and when it happens, it happens,' said Laura. Elise, speaking as though her Bachelor experience was in the past, added: 'I definitely knew that I was in love.' Laura also seemed a lot more bright and breezy than Elise during their appearance on The Kyle & Jackie O Show that same morning. When Laura was asked how she'd felt when she told Matty she loved him on Wednesday's episode, she seemed far from forlorn as she laughed and joked about the unforgettable moment. Together? Laura also seemed a lot more bright and breezy than Elise during their appearance on The Kyle & Jackie O Show that same morning. Pictured: Laura and Matty J on The Bachelor 'It's such an awkward thing to do, to lay it all out there on the line when he can't say anything back to you. So you're like, "Cool, yeah, good chat!"' she giggled. But despite the light-hearted chat, as she arrived at the KIIS FM radio studios earlier in the day, Laura was looking decidedly glum. And stepping into a waiting car after the interview to join former Hockeyroo Elise, Laura offered no clues, simply smiling politely. Heartbroken? For weeks, it has been rumoured Elise is The Bachelor's runner-up Cosy but not committed? Elise and Matty have hit it off on The Bachelor, but all signs point to her not taking home the final rose With Sportsbet listing her as a front runner at $1.45, Laura has been an a bookies' favourite from early on in the competition. Fans also singled Laura out when she and Matty both made similar jokes about 'reverse parking' - which many believed was a hint they were together. Also, Daily Mail Australia recently published photos of Laura and Matty disappearing for what appeared to be a secret rendezvous, weeks ahead of the finale. The Bachelor finale airs Thursday at 7:30pm on Network Ten Winner? With Sportsbet listing her as a front runner at $1.45, Laura has been an a bookies' favourite from early on in the competition She's a fan favourite and tipped to become the next Bachelorette. But after Matty J sent Tara Pavlovic home before the finale on Wednesday night's episode of the Bachelor, the 27-year-old says she's done with the whole process. Despite calls for the nanny to follow in Georgia Love's footsteps, Tara tells OK! Magazine: 'I'd prefer someone that isn't in the limelight. I find it all a bit fake'. Over it: After Matty J sent Tara Pavlovic home before the finale on Wednesday night's episode of the Bachelor, the 27-year-old says she's done with the whole process She continued: 'I'm pretty down to earth and real, and I'd rather find someone who isn't with me for their personal gain'. As soon as she was eliminated, fans were already campaigning on social media for the bubbly nanny to become the Bachelorette in 2018. Clearly angered and emotionally affected by the hunk's rejection, Twitter users took the side of Tara: 'Tara deserves way better than Matty, let her be a Bachelorette!' 'MATTY IS WRONG, TARA IS PERFECT! She has to be the next Bachelorette after Sophie Monk for sure,' one user wrote. No plans to follow in her footsteps: Tara has resisted calls that she follow in Georgia Love's footsteps and become the next Bachelorette No thanks! The nanny tells OK! Magazine: 'I'd prefer someone that isn't in the limelight. I find it all a bit fake' While others agreed: 'We now kno (sic) who'll be the next #TheBacheloretteAu 100% #TARA No doubt about it.' Another fan wrote: 'Winner: Laura. This years Nikki: Elise. Bachelorette 2018: Tara.' However, fans are out of luck as Tara doesn't appear too keen on the TV role. She continued: 'I'm pretty down to earth and real, and I'd rather find someone who isn't with me for their personal gain' They want her! As soon as she was eliminated, fans were already campaigning on social media for the bubbly nanny to become the Bachelorette in 2018 Speaking to TV Week, she echoed similar statements, once again hinting she felt Matty was in the show for himself. The blonde quipped: 'I dont know if I could do that to people. I just dont think I could drag people through that for my own personal gain.' The finale will air on Thursday night on Channel Ten. It's that time of year again: Bump Day. The social media tradition, now in its third year, moms and moms-to-be share images of their baby bumps, spreading messages of philanthropy, maternal awareness and empowerment. This year's offerings included three prominent Hollywood actresses in Amanda Seyfried, Sienna Miller and January Jones, who shared a tasteful shot of her naked body while underwater. Scroll below for video Making a splash! January Jones, 39, who shared a tasteful shot of her naked body while underwater during her pregnancy with son Xander Dane Jones, who turned six on Wednesday 'Happy day of birth to my son, my whole heart,' the Mad Men actress, 39, wrote alongside the submerged shot in celebration of her son Xander Dane Jones, who turned six on Wednesday. January, who's famously remained mum on the identity of Xander's father, told Red magazine earlier this year that she's empowered as a single mom, as her boy has a plethora of male and female role models in his life. 'Xander has a lot of bro time with the neighbor dads and my dad, who is super young,' she said. 'It's good to have strong women around a man to teach him to respect women. He doesn't have a male person saying "Don't cry" or "You throw like a girl" ... all those s------ things that dads accidentally do.' In the chat, the mom-of-one, added, 'I just don't feel I need a partner. Do I want one? Maybe. But I don't feel unhappy or lonely.' Classic: Sienna Miller, 35, shared this shot from when she was expecting daughter Marlowe Life's a beach: Amanda Seyfried, 31, shared this flashback shot on the special day Looking swole: Candice Swanepoel showed off her bump in a throwback Elsewhere, Amanda Seyfried, who welcomed her first baby, a girl, with husband Thomas Sadoski this past March, shared a stunning shot as she stood on the beach on a gorgeous day during her pregnancy. 'Happy #bumpday! Flashback to my 27 week bump,' the Les Miserables beauty wrote, adding a socially-conscious message in support of the International Medical Corps, a charitable organization. Seyfried, 31, posted, 'It's hard to believe and it's heartbreaking: Every single day around the world, 830 women die from pregnancy, childbirth or related complications. Musical mama: Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott, 31, is currently expecting twins with husband Chris Tyrrell Swimmingly: TV personality Janet Hsieh, 37, shared this underwater shot cradling her bump Model mom: Gorgeous Sports Illustrated model Bianca Balti, 33, shared this shot alongside her daughter, Matilde Lucidi 'Every mom deserves a safe, healthy pregnancy, and every baby deserves a fair shot at life. By donating to the What to Expect Healthy Birth Project of the International Medical Corps this #BumpDay, you can help make that happen.' Sienna Miller also shared a shot from when she was pregnant with her now-five-year-old daughter Marlowe Sturridge, a black-and-white shot in which she had her hands resting on her hips. Spreading awareness: Both Seyfried (L) and Miller (R) mentioned the International Medical Corps in their posts The Lost City of Z actress, 35, also used the annual occasion to spread the word about a cause near to her heart, writing, 'The goal of ending preventable child and maternal deaths is within reach. Here's me and my Marley bump to celebrate!' She added the hashtags #bumpday and #raiseawareness, and tagged the International Medical Corps. Other notable names to share their Bump Day shots on the social media site included Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott, Italian model Bianca Balti and television personality Janet Hsieh. Paris Hilton is dishing advice on men and she should know after finding herself a keeper. In a new interview for Galore Magazine, the 36-year-old passed on some words of wisdom, as well as posing for some sexy bikini shots. 'My best advice would be for girls to respect themselves and know that a guy always wants what he can't get,' she replied when asked what she would advise girls dating in their 20s. Scroll down for video That's hot: Paris Hilton flaunted her flawless figure in sexy shoot for Galore Magazine 'So I would advise them to be confident and know they deserve the best and to not let anyone take advantage of them. ' The hotel heiress has been head over heels since she began dating actor Chris Zylka earlier this year; she revealed that she knew he might be 'the one' from their very first date. 'On our first date he came over to my house. We stayed up all night talking & getting to know each other,' she said. 'When we had our first kiss I felt that electric feeling and knew there was something special about him. Coupled up: She also dished advice on men and she should know after finding herself a keeper in Chris Zylka Respect: 'My best advice would be for girls to respect themselves and know that a guy always wants he cant get,' she replied when asked what she would advise girls dating in their 20s 'For the first time, it feels so right,' she continued. 'He's perfect for me. He's my best friend, so loyal, kind, caring and sweet. 'He has such a big heart, I trust him with my life and know he would never hurt me. I'm so proud to let the world know he's mine and I'm his.' The Simple Life star insisted her beau was not at all intimidated by her success as a multifaceted businesswoman, or the empire she has created for herself. Confidence: 'So I would advise them to be confident and know they deserve the best and to not let anyone take advantage of them.' In love: The hotel heiress has been head over heels since she began dating actor Zylka earlier this year Called it: She revealed that she knew he might be 'the one' from their very first date Fisrt: 'On our first date he came over to my house. We stayed up all night talking & getting to know each other,' she said 'Most guys would be intimidated by something like that, but Chris is not like that at all,' she said. 'He is so proud and supportive of me and lets me know every single day. He is always there for me & I feel so blessed to have a man like this in my life.' She credits her own parents longstanding relationship as an inspiration for her to find something similar. 'My mom always taught me to respect myself and find someone who loves me for me and no other reason. Someone that I can trust implicitly,' she revealed. When you know, you know: 'When we had our first kiss I felt that electric feeling and knew there was something special about him' Keeper: 'For the first time, it feels so right,' she said. 'He's perfect for me. He's my best friend, so loyal, kind, caring and sweet. We belong together: 'He has such a big heart, I trust him with my life and know he would never hurt me. I'm so proud to let the world know he's mine and I'm his.' Not bothered: The Simple Life star insisted her beau was not at all intimidated by her success as a multifaceted businesswoman, or the empire she has created for herself 'My mom and dad have been together since they were teenagers. Their relationship has always been such a huge inspiration to me. Chris reminds me a lot like my dad, they are both sure genuine pure souls,' she added. As the highest paid female DJ in the world, with a hugely successful fashion and fragrance line, and a perennial staple on the social scene, the blonde beauty revealed that quiet days at home are her ideal date. 'For work, I have to be out and be social all the time. So in my private time, I would much rather be at home in bed watching TV with my boyfriend & puppies then out at a club,' she claimed. Secure: 'Most guys would be intimidated by something like that, but Chris is not like that at all,' she said Soulmate: 'He is so proud and supportive of me and lets me know every single day. He is always there for me & I feel so blessed to have a man like this in my life.' Footsteps: She credits her own parents longstanding relationship as an inspiration for her to find something similar 'My mom always taught me to respect myself and find someone who loves me for me and no other reason. Someone that I can trust implicitly,' she revealed. 'Actually my favorite thing to do is to be at home with him. He is my best friend and we always have the most amazing time together. 'We have fun no matter what we do. But my ideal day would be having a day off from work, sleeping in. Then cooking a big breakfast and hanging out at the house with our pets. 'Then going to Disneyland to go on all the rides. We are both kids at heart so we love doing things like that,' she added. Inspiration: 'My mom and dad have been together since they were teenagers. Their relationship has always been such a huge inspiration to me,' she said Father figure: Chris reminds me a lot like my dad, they are both sure genuine pure souls,' she added Homebird: As the highest paid female DJ in the world, with a hugely successful fashion and fragrance line, and a perennial staple on the social scene, the blonde beauty revealed that quiet days at home are her ideal date Paris also revealed she is ready to have children with the Leftovers star. 'I can't wait for that day! Just seeing how happy Lily-Grace makes my sister makes me want them even more,' she said. 'I know I will be the best mom!' On Wednesday Hilton spun at Galore and Juicy Couture's afterparty following their NYFW show. At work: On Wednesday Hilton spun at Galore and Juicy Couture's afterparty following their NYFW show Pairing of: She was joined by Brandi Howe at 620 Loft & Garden Farrah Abraham has a brand new vagina and wants everyone to see it. The Teen Mom star underwent vaginal rejuvenation last month - which she documented on social media - and is now planning to unveil her improved lady bits to her fans on the internet. According to TMZ the 26-year-old has signed a deal with webcam site CamSoda and will make the debut on Wednesday night. Scroll down for video The big unveiling! Farrah Abraham is apparently planning on debuting her rejuvenated vagina on webcam site CamSoda on Wednesday night In the meantime her supporters can buy her gifts to show their appreciation. The MTV starlet has created a profile on the website with a list of expensive treats potential suitors can send her. Members can choose gifts such as trips to Thailand, Greece, Monaco or Brazil, pay for Farrah to have a pricey $200 mani/pedi or fork out $3000 so she can have her hair done. Farrah also lists a Louis Vuitton purse, travel bag and carry-on luggage on her wish list as well as a $1000 shopping spree. The 26-year-old star has also set up a profile on the site with a list of expensive gifts that potential suitors can buy for her Ahead of the show, Farrah shared a busty photo to Instagram which she used to promote the event. She captioned it: 'Tune in 8pm central time tonight ! #humpday #wednesday #wcw to CONGRATULATE & CELEBRATE with #farrahabraham & @CamSoda the launch of the celebrity category #Cheers #legend http://camsoda.com/Farrahabraham1 Join Now for the Show at 8pm ! #live #webcam #safesex #sextoy #show' It's not the first time Farrah has dabbled in porn as she filmed a 'sex tape' with porn star James Dean called Farrah Superstar: Backdoor Teen Mom in 2013. Treat yourself! The MTV star has asked her fans for trips around the world, Louis Vuitton purses and shoes Loving my lady parts! Farrah shared a few images of her non-surgical procedure last month In August the mother-of-one shared her vaginal rejuvenation procedure on Instagram. In a video her nurse could be heard saying: What this does is distributes little wounds through radio frequency which kind of breaks up the collagen and forces it to restore during that healing process, so everything becomes tighter and you actually experience 'Like i'm 16 again' Farrah quipped with the nurse responding: There you go, like youre 16 again! The Beverly Hills clinic claims that as a result of the procedure, women experience a dramatic increase in tightness and sexual satisfaction. This treatment also helps eliminate stress incontinence, a common issue for women who have given birth. Rejuvenated: Farrah posed with a nurse at Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center after her procedure The 26-year-old reality television personality posed in front of the Beverly Hills location before posting photographs while undergoing the procedure Mother to eight-year-old Sophia, Farrah changed into a metallic silver bikini top for the 25-minute procedure. This isn't Farrah's first rodeo with a vaginal rejuvenation procedure. The reality television personality posted images to her Instagram account earlier in August, which revealed a butt tightening procedure in addition to freshening up her lady parts. While this procedure is considered non-invasive, Farrah's gone under the knife multiple times, including breast augmentations in 2010 and 2013, rhinoplasty and a chin implant in 2012, and a third breast augmentation in 2015. 11/12/2022 The Chattanooga Mocs volleyball team secured its 10th conference victory of the season behind a 3-0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-20) sweep over The Citadel in the regular season finale during Southern Conference ... more Laura Byrne has long been tipped as the winner of Matty 'J' Johnson's heart on The Bachelor. While Australia will learn whether the marketing manager picks Laura or Elise Stacy on Thursday night, the colour of Laura's dress could already confirm her victory. According to fans, the winner always wears the paler coloured dress, usually in a variation of white. Dressed to impress: According to a bizarre fan theory reported by Yahoo Be, the winner is always wearing the paler coloured dress, usually in a variation of white, as Laura is wearing in a promotional image for the season finale In a preview snap from the finale episode, Laura is in a white and cream two-piece ensemble while Elise is in a plunging gold gown. That the accessories designer is in the lighter dress of the two could indicate she wins, as based on a trend seen in other installments of the TV franchise. After Channel 10 posted the snap of the two finalists on The Bachelor's Instagram account, fans went into a frenzy upon seeing Laura was dressed in off-white. 'It's obviously Laura because she's wearing white,' one wrote. 'Winner always wears white!!' another remarked. Happened last year: Last year's winner of Bachelor Richie Strahan's heart, Alex Nation, fronted at the finale in a light gold dress while Nikki Gorgan, was in a plunging red lace gown Last year's winner of Bachelor Richie Strahan's heart, Alex Nation, fronted at the finale in a light gold dress. The woman who missed out, Nikki Gorgan, was in a plunging red lace gown - the darker of the two frocks. The trend continued the year prior, with Snezana Markoski standing before Sam Wood in a beaded, white dress as he declared that she was the one. Every year? The trend continued the year prior, with Snezana Markoski winning in a white dress while loser Lana Jeavons-Fellows was in a darker blue hue Runner-up Lana Jeavons-Fellows was in a darker hue, but only by a shade, in a baby blue dress with sheer mesh skirting. And heading over to season two, Sam Frost was in a sequined white, blue and silver dress when Blake Garvey proposed to her. Runner-up Lisa Hyde was also in a glittering gown, again with a plunging neckline, but in jet black. Beyond the pale: The theory holds firm all the way back to season one, with Tim Robards picking Anna Heinrich, who was in a yellow and white, beaded floor-length gown Wrong shade: Runner-up Lisa Hyde was also in a glittering gown, again with a plunging neckline, but in jet black From the start: The theory holds firm all the way back to season one, with Tim Robards picking Anna Heinrich, who was in a yellow and white, beaded floor-length gown Pink means out: Rejected contestant Rochelle Emanuel-Smith was in a bright pink, but again her dress was the darker of the two The theory holds firm all the way back to season one, with Tim Robards picking Anna Heinrich, who was in a yellow and white, beaded floor-length gown. Rejected contestant Rochelle Emanuel-Smith was in a bright pink, but again her dress was the darker of the two. Matty will make his final decision on Thursday night's episode, during a stunning location shoot filmed at a luxury Thailand resort. Her hubby Chris Hemsworth may play a superhero on the big screen. But his wife Elsa Pataky, 41, played super mum this week, spotted carrying both the couple's five-year-old daughter India Rose and her luggage through LAX airport. The Spanish beauty glided through the terminal with ease, despite being tasked with transferring her growing eldest daughter and belongings through the crowded airport. Super Mum! Chris Hemsworth's stunning wife Elsa Pataky manages to carry daughter India Rose, 5 and haul luggage as she makes her way through LAX airport Elsa was seen barely maintaining a grasp on her phone, while adorable India held a soft toy and slept peacefully against her mother's chest. After touching down at the Los Angeles airport, the mother-of-three appeared intent to make a quick getaway. The actress sported a wide-brim hat and flaunted her flawless complexion with very minimal makeup. She wore a T-shirt and comfy cotton drawstring pants, accessorising with several elegant bracelets. Skills! Spanish model Elsa, 41, was seen barely maintaining a grasp on her phone, while adorable India held a soft toy and slept peacefully against her mother's chest Meanwhile, snoozing India looked cute in a pair of denim overalls with a starry print pattern. Elsa was mimicking Thor star Chris' similar efforts from earlier in the week, when he too was spotted carrying India through the airport. The hunky Australian and his supermodel wife also share three-year-old twin sons, Tristan and Sasha. Met her match! Elsa was mimicking Thor star Chris' similar efforts from earlier in the week, when he too was spotted carrying India through the airport One happy family! The hunky Australian and his supermodel wife also share three-year-old twin sons: Tristan and Sasha Though much of his work is in Hollywood these days, Chris resides in the Australian coastal town of Byron Bay with his Elsa and their kids. Last Sunday, he made the trip to Australia in order to celebrate Father's Day with his family. The low-key brood took time out at Byron Bay Markets to blend in with locals as the children delighted in a spot of face painting. Harrison Ford was the epitome of cool Wednesday as he stepped out solo after revealing his reaction to Carrie Fisher's revelation of their affair during filming for the first Star Wars film. The veteran Hollywood star, 75, who's married to Ally McBeal star Calista Flockhart, was casual in jeans and a t-shirt and pair of sunglasses. He indulged in a spot of shopping at the popular Brentwood Country Mart. Laid back: Harrison Ford was the epitome of cool Wednesday as he ran errands in the Brentwood neighborhood of LA in jeans and a t-shirt and pair of sunglasses The Indiana Jones star told GQ magazine that 'it was strange' when Fisher, who died two days after Christmas, spoke about their fling in her 2016 memoir The Princess Diarist. While he told the magazine he hadn't read the book, he was reluctant to speak in any detail about her decision to share their story. 'You know, with Carrie's untimely passing, I don't really feel that it's a subject that I want to discuss,' he said, Laid back: The Hollywood star, 75, who's married to Calista Flockhart, recently revealed his reaction to Carrie Fisher's revelation of their affair while filming the first Star Wars film Ford and Fisher had a three-month dalliance during the 1976 London shoot of the Star Wars. He was 33 and married and Fisher was 19. The actor did admit he'd had 'a degree' of notice that the affair would be disclosed in the book. And Carrie herself publicly discussed the moment she had told him about it. Appearing on NPR's Fresh Air last year to promote the memoir, she explained she wouldn't have spilled the beans without warning Ford. 'I wouldn't have ambushed him like that, but it's still - no matter if I told him or not, it probably feels like an ambush. It feels like an ambush to me, and I'm the one that wrote it,' she said. Fling: Ford and Fisher enjoyed a three-month romance during the 1976 London shoot of the first Star Wars film. Ford was 33 and Fisher was 19 Final product: The film released in 1977 made household names of Ford, Fisher and co-star Mark Hamill After sending him a copy of the memoir, she said she 'never heard back' from her former lover. 'I can't imagine that he was comfortable with everything that was in it. But it's not like it's negative about him - it's just a personal story that's been a secret for a long time,' Fisher explained. On December 23, 2016, Carrie suffered cardiac arrest on a flight, and she was pronounced dead on December 27 at the age of 60. A day later, her mother Debbie Reynolds had a stroke and died at 84 - after telling her son Todd Fisher: 'I miss her so much, I want to be with Carrie.' Reaction: : Harrison Ford revealed to GQ magazine that he found it 'strange' that Fisher would speak publicly about their affair so many years later Charisma: Harrison's Star Wars character Han Solo and Carrie's character Princess Leia famously ignited their own romance in the 1980 Star Wars sequel The Empire Strikes Back Reflecting on the liaison, Fisher described herself as having been a 'bad kisser.' Reminiscing about the first time she went to bed with Ford, she wrote: 'Our affable ordeal behind us, Harrison fell asleep and I tried to. God, he really was handsome. I forgave him for not loving me in the way one usually expects - and almost forgave myself for not expecting it.' On the next page, she remembered: 'I didn't know how I would live through the five whole days of filming following that first weekend.' 'Those five days on set together went unbearably slowly, with our having to behave toward each other as if the weekend before hadn't even occurred. Weekdays were off-limits, intimacy-wise.' Later: In the 2015 movie Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, it's revealed Han and Leia's son Kylo Ren had been corrupted under the apprenticeship of the villainous Snoke Lara Worthington (nee Bingle) is a woman you shouldn't mess with. The 30-year-old took to Instagram on Thursday to share a video in which she is fired off several rounds from a rather large gun. Taken at a Californian shooting range, the video proved the model is a great shot as she mowed through targets with ease. Scroll down for video Shooter: Lara Worthington (nee Bingle) took to Instagram on Thursday to share a video in which she is fired off several rounds from a rather large gun Wearing black skinny jeans and a matching tight black shirt, Lara looked very much like another gun-toting Lara, namely Lara Croft. The character, played by Angelina Jolie in the Tom Raider films, wears a similar outfit consisting of a black sleeveless shirt and black shorts, and carries plenty of guns. Lara captioned the videos: 'First time!' and added a gun emoji. In the video she hit most of the paper targets set up for her. On the range: The video was taken at a Californian shooting range Video game style: Wearing black skinny jeans and a matching tight black shirt, Lara looked like another gun-toting Lara, namely Lara Croft, played by Angelina Jolie in the Tom Raider films The Aussie also tagged the gun store Taran Tactical Innovations and Ukrainian professional shooter, Jade Victria Struck in the videos. The rather energetic outing is a huge contrast to a different snap Lara recently shared of herself getting glammed up by renowned makeup artist Peter Philips. Different look! The rather energetic outing is a huge contrast to a different snap Lara recently shared of herself getting glammed up by renowned makeup artist Peter Philips Normally glam: Lara traded in her upmarket trinkets for a different accessory, a gun In a black and white image posted to Instagram, the beauty was seated in the makeup chair with the creative-and-image director of Christian Dior Makeup. Her beautifully captured black and white snap, taken at the Hotel Barriere Le Majestic, in Cannes, France, showed the cosmetics guru painting on a lip product on her perfect pout. The Cronulla-born beauty captioned her post: 'The dream of all make up dreams... Was an absolute pleasure meeting you.' Stars came out in force for a private Gucci party on Wednesday. Leading the pack were Kate Waterhouse, Jessica Mauboy and Brooke Testoni who stunned in bold prints. Held in-store at Sydney's Westfield the event was held to showcase Gucci's Le Marche des Merveilles collection of jewellery. Fairytale magic! Kate Waterhouse and Brooke Testoni attend star-studded Gucci jewellery launch in Sydney Fashion blogger and reality star Kate Waterhouse, 33, wore a collared, mid-length Gucci gown with a black panther print. The brunette, who wore her hair back in a neat bun with a centre part, teamed the dress with a pair of maroon, open toe sandals and a satchel bag with gold buckle detail. Brooke Testoni, 28, who wore the same shoes as Kate but in black, opted for a nautical-themed pink and black jumpsuit with pleated flare bottoms. The blonde let the outfit speak for itself and kept her accessories simple, opting for a plain black bag and minimalist jewellery. Popstar Jessica Mauboy, 28, wore a Victoriana-inspired, white blouse with frilled front and cuffs with a monochrome pencil skirt Popstar Jessica Mauboy, 28, wore a Victoriana-inspired, white blouse with frilled front and cuffs with a monochrome pencil skirt. Fashionista and They All Hate Us blogger Tash Sefton channelled her inner rock chick for the event, wearing a vintage AC/DC T-shirt with black pants and strappy sandals. Looking more primped was former The Voice Australia star Vera Blue, who wore a high-necked Gucci dress in bold print. Avant garde: Tash Sefton, Vera Blue and Alys Hale chose outfits with an unconventional edge Model Alys Hale wore a black pants suit with a red rose print, teaming the tailored look with bold black shoes that featured a huge glittery bow. Australias top male modelling exports, twin brothers Jordan and Zac Stenmark, opted for more classics looks teaming blazers with chinos and crisp shirts. Designer Kitty Callaghan attended the event arm-in-arm with artist Jamie Preisz. Australias top male modelling exports, twin brothers Jordan and Zac Stenmark opted for more classics looks teaming blazers with chinos and crisp shirts The stunning red head seemed to have beguiled her long-haired companion, who looked to only have eyes for her as they posed for photographers. Art buyer Alice Quiddington looked sharp in a green bomber jacket with a large, embroidered cat on the back. Meanwhile, blonde model and mother of one Anna Feller was dressed head-to-toe in Gucci, wearing clashing floral prints with a neutral-coloured pussybow blouse. Creative pair: Fashion designer Kitty Callaghan attended the event arm-in-arm with artist Jamie Preisz All attendees seem to have taken outfit inspiration from the Le Marche des Merveilles jewellery collection. The range explores the animal world by placing the feline head motif at center stage and is infused with a sense of romance and wonder. Fierce: Art buyer Alice Quiddington looked sharp in a green bomber jacket with a large, embroidered cat on the back Clashing chic: Blonde model and mother of one Anna Feller was dressed head-to-toe in Gucci, wearing clashing floral prints with a neutral-coloured pussybow blouse She's no stranger to turning heads in cleavage-baring ensembles. But Terry Biviano, 42, covered up her famous assets in a high-necked shift dress as she attended the Tour De Cure Lunch at Sydney's Hyatt Regency Hotel on Thursday. The raven-haired beauty sheathed her decolletage in the black sheer frock with blue embroidered floral detail. Sheer beauty! Terry Biviano covers up her famous assets in a see-through shift dress as she attends charity lunch in Sydney The dress featured large bell sleeves, which added a romantic edge to the outfit. Wearing her hair down but slicked back, the shoe designer wore a silver, jewelled head piece that featured large black and crystal gems. Terry kept her makeup simple, with a nude pink lip and a wash of rosy eye shadow. Her accessories were kept minimal too and included a simple pair of black pumps, a classic quilt Chanel handbag and a pair of diamond stud earrings. So chic: The raven-haired beauty sheathed her decolletage in the black sheer frock with blue embroidered floral detail Joining Terry on the event's pink carpet were Sunrise hosts Samantha Armytage, 41, and Natalie Barr, 49. The inaugural event was held to raise funds to support the doctors and scientists who have dedicated their lives to uncovering a cure for cancer. Terry attended the event alone, although she posed shoulder-to-shoulder for pictures with other guests. Terry and her husband Anthony Minichiello, who used to play for Sydney Roosters, recently celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary, soaking up the sun on a luxurious Hawaii getaway. He is a devout Christian who has stressed the importance of attending religious services in the past. And Chris Pratt lived up to his proclamation when he attended Justin Bieber's church in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The Guardians Of The Galaxy star made a notable guest-starring appearance on a night when the divine pop pixie himself was in attendance. Guest star: Chris Pratt he attended Justin Bieber's church in Los Angeles on Wednesday Chris, 38, was certainly not in his Sunday best, attending in a casual ensemble of pullover, jeans and suede boots. However he certainly one-upped the Hillsong Church's most famous parishioner, as Justin Bieber was wearing shorts, T-shirt and a pair of flip flops. Devout Chris, who has posted Psalms on his Facebook page in the past, previously said his connection to God was strengthened following the premature birth of his son Jack, who is now five-years-old. He said: 'We were scared for a long time. We prayed a lot. It restored my faith in God, not that it needed to be restored, but it really redefined it. 'The baby was so beautiful to us, and I look back at the photos of him and it must have been jarring for other people to come in and see him, but to us he was so beautiful and perfect.' Keeping the faith: The devout star has spoken about the importance of church in the past Not his Sunday best: Chris was wearing a casual ensemble for his visit Play it again Psalm: Chris has posted religious verses on his Facebook page in the past And while he recently split from his wife of eight years Anna Faris, he previously said he hoped they would one day be able to spend all their time together, including making regular visits to chapel. He said: 'I have my eyes on the prize, The big picture is my wife and my son and I living somewhere other than LA, just being able to be a Boy Scout leader, drink beer on Saturday, go to church on Sunday, having fun.' Reformed naughty boy Justin has been very public about his worship of late and it was claimed the remaining dates of his Purpose World Tour were cancelled so that he could 'rededicate his life to Jesus. Justin is also said to be close to Hillsong Church pastor Carl Lentz, with the pair supposedly being 'nearly inseparable' in recent times. Keeping up: Kourtney Kardashian was another of the big names visiting Hillsong He's the hunk who shot to stardom after playing the brooding vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight saga. But Robert Pattinson, 31, has revealed that he almost gave up his glamorous Hollywood lifestyle to live in a van. Speaking to Esquire UK magazine, the handsome star revealed: 'I was 100 per cent going to live in a van, but not just any van - a stealth van!' Scroll down for video Unexpected: Robert Pattinson, 31, has revealed that he almost gave up his glamorous Hollywood lifestyle to live in a van A stealth van - a general white van which is a home in disguise - was almost too tempting for the heartthrob to resist, but he eventually had to give up the dream because of insurance issues. He added: 'Once you build a toilet and shower yourself, you can't get it insured and blah, blah, blah.' Adding to his plan of lying low to live in a vehicle, Robert divulged: '[Stealth vans are] a special niche, not like living in a trailer. 'Stealth vans look like a normal Transit van, so you can park on the street, put signs on saying you're a plumber or whatever and no one would notice.' Living the dream: Speaking to Esquire UK magazine, the handsome star revealed: 'I was 100 per cent going to live in a van, but not just any van - a stealth van!' 'You can just leave in the middle of the night and, like, drive to Nebraska. I'd love that so much. And I was like, 'I'm still young, this is my chance..."' When he isn't shooting films, he prefers to ride around the renowned edgy area of East London on a pushbike and is 'basically a ghost'. Robert is currently engaged to musician FKA Twigs, also revealed that he used to pretend he was from North Yorkshire. He admitted that when he was younger, he used to convince people he was from a farm in Yorkshire. The actor has long explored breaking boundaries, telling CBS Sunday Morning just weeks ago that he enjoys 'break the walls of the box around you'. Dreams over: A stealth van - a general white van which is a home in disguise - was almost too tempting for the heartthrob to resist, but he eventually had to give up the dream because of insurance issues 'It's just exciting to have a job where you're allowed to consistently break the walls of the box around you,' he told Michelle Miller. 'The only thing that being famous really helps in is getting financing for your movies,' he's maintained that these days 'the movies I do are weird and they don't make a lot of money a lot of the time.' He's also shared with Michelle that 'I always think that at some point karma is like: "Oh, that's all your luck run out, so a whole bunch of bad stuff's gonna happen!"' Robert kick-started his career as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire, followed by a five-film run co-leading the Twilight Saga opposite Kristen Stewart, before recently branching out into smaller Independent films. They recently raised eyebrows when she shared a notably awkward hug at an event at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this week. But Jennifer Lawrence, 27, and Emma Stone, 28, were all smiles as they partied together at a lavish bash to celebrate the New York premiere of the new horror movie Mother! on Wednesday night. Supporting her pal Jennifer, who stars as the titular character in the film, Emma looked ravishing in a flowing black dress, which featured a sheer bodice and arms, which a strategically placed solid bar protecting her modesty. We like to party: Emma Stone joined Jennifer Lawrence for the New York premiere after-party of her new movie Mother! on Wednesday night Not to be outdone, screen beauty Jennifer dazzled in a gold striped gown, which boasted a high neckline and floor-length glittering strips. Standing tall in a pair of metallic strappy heels, she wore her golden locks in a platinum updo, while an oversized statement ring added an extra touch of pizzazz. The Hunger Games star posed with an arm around her fellow Oscar winner Emma, who channelled Old Hollywood glamour with her platinum locks styled in waves. Sheer delight: Emma looked ravishing in a flowing black dress, which featured a sheer bodice and arms, which a strategically placed solid bar protecting her modesty Glamorous: Emma channelled Old Hollywood glamour with her platinum locks styled in waves Golden girl: Not to be outdone, screen beauty Jennifer dazzled in a gold striped gown, which boasted a high neckline and floor-length glittering strips Their night of revelry came a day after they were spotted north of the border in Canada, where the pair spotted each other at the Variety Studio during press calls for their films, but neither appeared all that interested in giving the other a hug. They both smiled politely, but when Jennifer reached in to give Emma a quick hug, the La La Land actress awkwardly backed away, leaving Jennifer hugging the air. The pair appeared to try to laugh off the moment, but quickly said their goodbyes as they continued to smile. Emma was in town to promote her film Battle of the Sexes, while Jennifer had travelled to the annual festival for another unveiling of Mother!. Lukewarm: Jennifer and Emma shared an awkward hug during the Variety Studio event at the Toronto International Film Festival just a day before the New York premiere Backing away: They both smiled politely, but when Jennifer reached in to give Emma a quick hug, the La La Land actress awkwardly backed away, leaving Jennifer hugging the air However, the pair are known to be quite close, as just last October Emma brought Jennifer as her date to the New York premiere of La La Land. One month later, Jennifer - who was introduced to Emma by Woody Harrelson - gushed about the actress in Vanity Fair. The Silver Linings Playbook star said: 'She texted me that she got my number from Woody,' before revealing that they texted each other every day for a year. 'I feel like it was our version of The Notebook - 365 texts,' she continued, adding that she embraced Emma because she found her to be 'so normal and lovely'. Snow white: Jennifer couldn't have looked more innocent when she stepped out for the premiere of Mother! earlier in the night Coupled up: The Hunger Games star happily posed for photos alongside the film's writer and director, as well as her real-life beau, Darren Aronofsky Fairytale princess: Dressed in a floor-length white gown, the 27-year-old Oscar-winning actress looked ethereal as she posed for photos on the black carpet Easy A actress Emma responded to Jennifer's comments via email, admitting she was once intimidated by the successful star. She wrote: 'She may not even know this, but there was definitely a time early on when I was like OH HEY MY EGO IS GOING NUTS SHES SO GREAT AND VIBRANT AND TALENTED IM SCREWED ILL NEVER WORK AGAIN GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD. But that jealously didn't last long, as she revealed: 'We both really do love each other and care about each other as people, beyond being actors.' Emma recently dethroned Jennifer as the highest-paid actress in the world, with Forbes listing her pre-tax earnings for the past year up to June as $26million, compared to her friend's close total of $24million. Iconic: She was the centre of attention as she posed outside the iconic Radio City Music Hall Well-suited: She also posed alongside her co-star in the new movie, Javier Bardem. The Spanish actor looked handsome in a dark grey suit, which he wore with a patterned tie Breast in show: The dress featured a fitted bodice with ruching and a V-neckline, which showed off her cleavage Earlier on Wednesday night, Jennifer was the centre of attention as she stepped out for the premiere of her movie, which so far as received mixed reviews. Dressed in a floor-length white gown, the actress looked ethereal as she posed for photos on the customised black carpet. The dress featured a fitted bodice with ruching and a V-neckline, which showed off her cleavage. It also featured a full tulle skirt. Jennifer wore her blonde hair in an updo for the premiere, with just a few tendrils framing her face and red and white flowers pinned throughout. Behind the scenes: The trio were also joined by the film's producers Ari Handel (L) and Scott Franklin (R) Partners: Franklin has worked together with Aronofsky on almost all of the director's most famous works, including Black Swan, Requiem For A Dream, The Wrestler, Noah and Pi She kept her accessories simple, wearing just a pair of earrings, and opted for a romantic makeup look. The Hunger Games star happily posed for photos alongside the film's writer and director, as well as her real-life beau, Darren Aronofsky, 48. She also posed alongside her co-star in the new movie, Javier Bardem, 48, who cut a dapper figure in a dark grey suit, which he wore with a patterned tie. The trio were joined by the film's producers Ari Handel and Scott Franklin. Costume party: Zosia Mamet was also on hand, dressed somewhat appropriately for the film's themes. The 29-year-old Girls actress stepped out with a black veil over her face Dark times: She completed her 'grieving widow' look with a black knee-length dress, which featured a print of a black peacock on the front and a white collar Franklin has worked together with Aronofsky on almost all of the director's most famous works, including Black Swan, Requiem For A Dream, The Wrestler, Noah and Pi. Zosia Mamet was also on hand, dressed somewhat appropriately for the film's themes. The 29-year-old Girls actress stepped out with a black veil over her face. She completed her 'grieving widow' look with a black knee-length dress, which featured a print of a black peacock on the front and a white collar. Cute couple: Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell lightened the mood with their black carpet appearance So in love... Keri was caught gazing adoringly at her Welsh-born beau, who had her in stitches of laughter as they posed for the cameras Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell lightened the mood with their black carpet appearance. Standing in front of photographers, the 42-year-old Americans actor removed his plain black T-shirt and swapped it with another man's, much to the amusement of his co-star and real-life partner. The 41-year-old actress could be seen laughing hysterically alongside her beau of four years, who also stepped out in black skinny jeans, white sneakers and carried a black blazer in one hand. Stripping down: Standing in front of photographers, the 42-year-old Americans actor removed his plain black T-shirt Shirt swap: He was seen swapping it over with another man's, much to the amusement of his co-star and real-life partner Helping hand: A laughing Keri was seen holding her partner's jacket as he swapped T-shirts on the black carpet Cheeky: The 41-year-old actress could be seen laughing hysterically alongside her beau of four years, who also appeared amused by his shenanigans The former Felicity star looked chic in black jeans and a black wrap shirt. She completed her look with a billowy black trench coat and wore studded black heels. Harry Connick Jr., 50, stepped out with his wife of 23 years, former Victoria's Secret model Jill Goodacre, 52. White hot: Malin Akerman also turned out for the premiere, wearing a slinky white dress, which featured a mermaid hemline Flower power: The dress was embroidered with flowers, and the 39-year-old Swedish-born actress completed the look with strappy gold stilettos The pair were accompanied by one of their three daughters, Georgia Connick, 21. Malin Akerman also turned out for the premiere, wearing a slinky white dress, which featured a mermaid hemline. The dress was embroidered with flowers, and the 39-year-old Swedish-born actress completed the look with strappy gold stilettos. A family affair: Harry Connick Jr. stepped out with his wife of 23 years, former Victoria's Secret model Jill Goodacre. The pair were accompanied by their daughter, Georgia Connick Date night: Comedian Jim Gaffigan was also in attendance, accompanied by his wife of 14 years, actress Jeannie Gaffigan Comedian Jim Gaffigan, 51, was also in attendance, accompanied by his wife of 14 years, actress Jeannie Gaffigan, 47. Mother! is a horror film about a woman, played by Jennifer, whose relationship is tested when her partner, played by Javier, invites menacing guests into their home. It also star Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer. Mother! is set to be released internationally on Friday. Mother! is a horror film about a woman, played by Jennifer, whose relationship is tested when her partner, played by Javier, invites menacing guests into their home He's the Australian megastar who has stamped his authority over the hammer-wielding character Thor. But Chris Hemsworth has revealed how he almost didn't land the role because of his own younger brother Liam. The 34-year-old said he never heard back after his initial audition for the role, while Liam made it down to a five-man shortlist. Scroll down for video Chris Hemsworth (right) has revealed how he almost didn't land his trademark role of Thor because of his own younger brother Liam (left) The 34-year-old (centre) said he never heard back after his initial audition for the role, while Liam (left) made it down to a five-man shortlist Chris is set to reprise the role of Thor in upcoming movie Thor: Ragnarok, which is the third film in the saga 'I came into the audition with Kenneth Branagh and thought I nailed it and then never heard anything back,' he told W Magazine. 'Months went by and then my little brother Liam was in Australia and sent a tape across and he got a call back, then another call back and then was down to the last kind of four or five people for it.' But when news that no one on the list landed the role reached the former Home And Away star's manager, he made a call to bring Chris back in. He then re-auditioned in a Vancouver hotel room with his mother reading the part of Anthony Hopkins, he told the magazine. 'I came in kind of with a little motivation and maybe frustration that my little brother had gotten further than me,' he said. Chris said 'it moved pretty quick' from there, and he was eventually handed the gig. 'I came into the audition with Kenneth Branagh and thought I nailed it and then never heard anything back,' Chris said The Australian actor claimed the upcoming film is the series' most different and entertaining yet, and it's the film's new director Taika Waititi pushing it to its limits. He is set to reprise the role of Thor in upcoming movie Thor: Ragnarok, which is the third film in the saga. In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, the Australian actor claimed the film is the series' most different and entertaining yet, and it's the film's new director Taika Waititi pushing it to its limits. 'As soon as we got on the phone, we started talking about things we both disliked about what I'd done before "I get sick of this tone" or "I get sick of this theme", Chris told the publication. 'We were laughing going, "Good, well any time we feel it's heading in that direction, let's just do the opposite".' New Zealand-born Taika, 42, said working alongside Chris has been challenging and rewarding, with the Green Lantern actor saying that he feels like Chris's humour personality hasn't been utilised well enough in the past. 'I knew that Chris was funny and I don't think they've exploited that enough,' he said. She was last pictured stepping out for a coffee break with Pretty Little Liars actor Keegan Allen in Malibu, California. But Paris Jackson, 19, was not pictured with him when she went for lunch with a friend in Calabasas on Wednesday. Dressed in her favoured bohemian clothing, she also put her spiritual tattoos and quirky nipple piercing on display on her way to the Sushi Planet restaurant. Scroll down for video Bohemian vibes: Paris Jackson, 19, flaunted her inkings as she headed out for lunch with friend in Calabasas on Wednesday wearing her typical boho relaxed style The young activist had her mid-length ombre locks down as she threw on a relaxed grey knitted cardigan and baggy khaki coloured bottoms. Her comfy attire was complemented with a plain white tee and a psychedelic waist band which wrapped around her taut abs - corresponding well with a multicoloured backpack. Eccentric jewellery proved to be the choice of accessories as wooden bracelets covered parts of her wrist tattoos, which was paired with a variation of stone, gold, and string necklaces. Ink-redible: The blue-eyed beauty displayed her tattoos as she went for sushi with her friend This sighting comes shortly after she was spotted out for a coffee break with 30-year-old actor Keegan Allen in Malibu on Tuesday. The daughter of late pop legend Michael Jackson rocked a green floral print blouse, tied up against her mid-section. She also wore a long brown loose patterned skirt and sandals. The Pretty Little Liars star was feeling blue in a sky coloured T-shirt, dark blue shorts and midnight blue sneakers. Coffee break: Paris was pictured with Pretty Little Liars' Keegan Allen, 30, as they grabbed coffee in Malibu Paris recently returned from New York Fashion Week where she attended a Harper's Bazaar event, Refinery29 art party and a Calvin Klein collection presentation. The light-eyed beauty signed a modelling contract with IMG Models in March. She hit the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards last month to present the award for Best Pop Video. Paris also will make her feature-film debut in 2018 in the action film Gringo. She previously insinuated she wouldn't return to the set of Real Housewives Of Sydney after it caused a rift with her family. But Lisa Oldfield has now hinted she will return for the reality show's second season. The 41-year-old took to Instagram on Thursday promoting the new series, writing: 'Just when life went back to being relatively normal.' 'Just when life went back to being relatively normal': Lisa Oldfield appears to confirm return to Real Housewives Of Sydney ahead of season two Lisa became a fast fan-favourite thanks to her witty one-liners and no-holds-barred attitude on the show. Fans were quick to question the post as a confirmation of her return, commenting: 'please tell us your back for season 2??' Others took it as an exciting announcement, sharing: 'Can't wait for you to come back on' and 'Looking forward to seeing you and Athena on screen again!!!' 'Looking forward to seeing you': Lisa became a fast fan-favourite thanks to her witty one-liners and no-holds-barred attitude on the show and her followers took the post as a clear confirmation of her return Lisa originally confessed that her mother wasn't so impressed by her on-screen antics and has refused to speak to her since the show went to air The raven-haired businesswoman uploaded a photo of herself and her mother, alongside the caption: 'My #heart is #broken in to a #million #pieces.' 'My #mother who is my #inspiration and great #love isn't speaking to me after #rhos': Lisa Oldfield, 41, has confessed that her mother wasn't impressed by her on-screen antics and has refused to speak to her since the show went to air 'My #mother who is my #inspiration and great #love isn't speaking to me after #rhos,' she explained. Implying that she may not return for another season of RHOS, Lisa concluded her post with a cautionary message: 'Ladies if you're approached to do an #invasive #reality show, don't do it, the #emotional cost is horrific.' Fans quickly flooded Lisa's page with messages of support, with one commenting: 'Praying in time this will change! So sad for you!' 'Praying in time this will change!': Fans quickly flooded Lisa's page with messages of support 'Omg this is so sad she has no reason to be angry but only to be proud and happy for you after how amazing you were. She'll come round to it don't worry,' added another. Meanwhile, other fans provided insight as to why they believe Lisa's risque behaviour may have contributed to the situation. 'Ur mum's hurt and embarrassed knowing you are a much better and kinder person than you portray yourself [sic],' commented a fan. In happier times: Just weeks earlier, Lisa had shared a sweet tribute to her blonde mother on Instagram as they celebrated Mother's Day Just weeks earlier, Lisa had shared a sweet tribute to her blonde mother on Instagram as they celebrated Mother's Day. During her time on RHOS, Lisa made no secret of her less-than-perfect family life, having broadcast intimate details of her marriage struggles with husband David. She was also embroiled in a bitter feud with fellow stars Krissy Marsh and Victoria Rees. All the stops are expected to be pulled out in the grand finale of The Bachelor. But Matthew 'J' Johnson, Laura Byrne and Elise Stacy were seen flying budget on the way to Thailand, where the final rose is set to be handed out. The trio flew on budget airline Air Asia, shocking the show's fans on Thursday night. Budget Bachelor! Matthew Johnson (pictured), Laura Byrne and Elise Stacy fly Air Asia to Thailand for finale... but at least Matty J gets the exit row Shock! The trio flew on budget airline Air Asia which surprised the show's fans on Thursday night 'I would go to the ends of the Earth for the one I love, but I draw the line at Air Asia,' one viewer said. 'You know what Matty, you are lucky. Lucky to have survived an Air Asia flight,' another said. Meanwhile, another viewer pointed to Network Ten's financial troubles earlier this year when reviewing the airline selection. 'They're flying Air Asia?! I suppose it's Ch10, but my soul hurts,' the person said. 'I would go to the ends of the Earth for the one I love, but I draw the line at Air Asia,' one viewer said about the network's decision to fly budget Elise also boarded an Air Asia flight on her way to Thailand for the season finale In June, Channel Ten went into voluntary administration following months of financial troubles. CBS then announced last month plans to swoop in and buy the troubled network. The US studio released a statement saying they had agreed to acquire Network Ten, ultimately saving the network and its programs, including The Project and Studio 10. 'We have been able to acquire it at a valuation that gives us confidence we will grown this asset by applying our programming expertise in a market with which we are already familiar,' CBS Corporation Chairman and CEO Leslie Moonves said. Another viewer pointed to Network Ten's financial troubles earlier this year when reviewing the airline selection 'I would go to the ends of the Earth for the one I love, but I draw the line at Air Asia,' one viewer said She's sparked rumours of a guest appearance for the the German spin off of the hugely popular reality singing show, The Voice Kids Germany. And Rita Ora, 26, looked fabulous as she flaunted her incredible figure in a glittering purple sequined number while in Berlin Adlershof on Wednesday. The beauty wore a tiny mini skirt, which made the most of her incredible legs, and added some height to her petite frame with a vertiginous pair of heels. Scroll down for video Dazzling: Rita Ora, 26, looked fabulous as she flaunted her incredible figure in a glittering purple sequined number while in Berlin Adlershof on Wednesday The beauty's quirky look boasted an asymmetric sleeve, which exposed the whole of her arm, and featured an unusual purple sash at the neckline. She added a flourish with several gold rings and bracelets, and displayed her curves in the form-fitting ensemble. Rita sported dramatic smokey black eye make-up to bring out her stunning features. She painted her lips a vibrant shade of pink, and added a pair of silver hoop earrings while accentuating her glowing complexion with subtle bronzer. Rita released her comeback single, Your Song, in June this year. Its release comes after a protracted legal battle with former record label Roc nation - co-owned by rapper Jay Z - delayed the release of her forthcoming second album. Pin-credible: The beauty wore a tiny mini skirt, which made the most of her incredible legs, and added some height to her frame in a pair of heels Mixing it up: She as later seen at the General Aviation Center in Berlin wearing striped trousers and a blue shirt Now, she has praised the nicest guy in music, Ed Sheeran, for rushing to her support when her contract dispute was settled last year. 'I just needed to find a team of people who I could be myself with.. I am really grateful for the support,' she told The Sunday Telegraph. The publication compared the talented Brit's situation to Kesha's, who also saw a lengthy contract dispute bring her career to a screeching halt. She found herself in 'pop purgatory,' they said, and it was none other than record-breaking Ed who lent his voice and star-power to her new single. Comeback: Rita released her comeback single, Your Song, in June this year, after contractual issues prevented her from doing so before (pictured performing at the Strictly launch in September) 'I am really grateful for the support. Its such a different time for me now,' Rita said, newly energised now that the follow-up to her 2012 debut has been green-lit. 'Ed is one of my really good friends, Ive known him for about five years now and that song actually happened towards the end (of the recording process).' Previous reports indicate that the beauty's long-awaited second album will be released in November. Ora, her debut, was released in August 2012, when the promising talent was just 21. Television past: Rita found success as a judge on the X Factor in 2015, where she mentored winner Louisa Johnson Rita was born in Kosovo before her parents - a psychiatrist mother and pub landlord father - fled the country and moved to the UK when Rita was just one. She has always been proud of her London roots, growing up around Earls Court, before later moving to Kensal Rise, the neighbouring district to White City. Her brother Don was born in 1998 and the family upped sticks and moved North to Kensal Rise, when her father purchased the Queen's Arms pub in Kilburn. Previously speaking to the Evening Standard about her childhood, Rita said: 'We lived in Earls Court, on the Old Brompton Road. One room for all four of us, my sister annoying me by doing her times tables when I was trying to sleep. She styled her rooted blonde tresses into waves with a centre parting, and looked incredibly glamorous as she attended filming duties. He's become one of the most recognisable men in Australia thanks to his stint on The Bachelorette and The Bachelor. But fans appeared shocked when they were introduced to Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson's three brothers during the finale. Viewers pointed out the differences in looks between the four siblings as he introduced them to his finalists, Laura Byrne and Elise Stacy. 'He sure cleaned up in the gene pool!' Fans react to seeing The Bachelor Matty J's three brothers during finale 'He sure cleaned up in the gene pool!' Fans react to seeing The Bachelor Matty J's family as he prepares to say 'I love you' to his winning lady 'Well Matty J is definitely the hot one in the family,' one user tweeted. 'Matty sure cleaned up in the gene pool' and 'geez Matty got the looks in the family!' quickly followed on the social media platform. Matty's sister Kate was not present within the Thailand finale because she is pregnant and couldn't fly. Brothers Dave and Adam appeared to give their approval of both Laura and Elise ahead of Matty's final date with both ladies 'Sure cleaned up': Bachelor fans were complimentary of Matty's good looks 'Well Matty J is definitely the hot one in the family,' one user tweeted 'Got the good looks': One user claimed he was genetically-blessed within the Johnson family 'I'll take them': As Matty J nears his end on the show, fans joked they'd happily date his brothers Brother Tom was seen grilling both ladies, while his mother also had one-on-ones with both Laura and Elise. While fans have a clear soft spot for Matty, other fans were more complimentary of his brothers in their comments: 'Matty J's brother David for next #BachelorAU! @TheBachelorAU.' They're not quite on the level as Matty but I'll take them' one said, as another added: ''ll take the eldest brother if anyone's wondering.' Asking the tough questions! Brother Tom (pictured) was seen grilling both ladies, while his mother also had one-on-ones with both Laura and Elise Brothers Tom, Dave and Adam appeared to give their approval of both Laura and Elise ahead of Matty's final date with both ladies. His mother praised his final two: 'You have impeccable taste. You've picked two beautiful girls. Both girls, so easy to talk to.' She cut her summer short to return to New York and debut her new clothing line at Fashion Week. But Eva Longoria, 42, was officially in holiday mode last week as she took a tour of the back streets in Greece before joining her husband Jose Baston for a leisurely afternoon in the sun. From Marbella to Ibiza to Mallorca and finally Mykonos, the brunette had enjoyed quite the endless summer before getting back to business. Scroll down for video Holiday mode: Eva Longoria, looked heavenly in a bikini and Marie France Van Damme cover up recently, as she enjoyed her getaway with husband Jose Baston last week She'd spent a 'lazy day shopping' she told fans on Instagram and did her best to go unnoticed with mirrored shades tipped on her nose to disguise her distinctive, pretty features. The actress picked a white bikini and beach-ready cover up from her enviable holiday wardrobe, keeping shaded beneath a chic sunhat as she navigated the streets alone An indication of her laidback holiday vibes, the 42-year-old was also make-up free for the afternoon, keeping her image minimal with simple, shimmering accessories and a quilted handbag. Her husband wore a Hawaiian shirt, which seemed to also be the choice of his other male companions, including actor Amaury Nolasco. Romantic: The duo were spotted enjoying a kiss among friends in Mykonos Wine not? The make-up free actress was enjoying wine during her relaxing afternoon Eva couldn't keep her hands off her husband and grabbed him by the face to land a smacker on his lips. The day culminated with relaxing wining and dining among friends and she was seen sharing animated conversation. Eva and Jose have been on something of a European tour for the last couple of months. 'Lazy day shopping': The brunette shared a picture to Instagram, as she paused during her Greek day out Stunning: The 42-year-old actress debuted her first fashion collection at New York Fashion Week, following her trip Sunny days: There were definitely some nice springtime looks in the collection including these two numbers with a deep-v neckline They visited Marbella together in July, followed by the Spanish island of Ibiza, where Eva hosted her latest Global Gift Gala event. They went onto Mallorca for a short time, where Eva hosted yet another event for the Global Gift foundation. The duo ended their summer holidays in Greece before the trip was cut short to return to New York. Star in stripes: The line was launched in March and made its Fashion Week debut in September Fine dining: Eva was spotted stepping out for dinner with her mother Ella in New York City on Wednesday night It's here that actress Eva followed in BFF Victoria Beckham's footsteps by debuting her first fashion collection at Fashion Week. The eponymous Spring/Summer 2018 line made its debut at the Metropolitan Pavilion on Wednesday. Fashion is a relatively new venture for Eva, having launched the clothing line and website EvaLongoria.com in March this year. Chic: Eva was looking glamorous as she left her hotel in New York City on Thursday Glamazon: The brunette showed off her summer glow in the knee-length number Keira Knightley looked distracted on Tuesday morning as her stalker ordeal prepares to come to a head. The Pirates Of The Caribbean star, 32, looked determined to carry on life as she made the casual, solo outing in London. Fuss-free on the appearance front, the moviestar favoured a practical winter overcoat with her trainers and reading glasses. Braving the wind: Keira Knightley stepped out in a large gray overcoat and jeans with her hair down looking determined on Tuesday Last week, police released a chilling mugshot of the stalker who waged a terrifying campaign of harassment against Keira. Mark Revill left the Oscar-nominated actress fearing for her safety when he flouted a restraining order to send her a series of threatening tweets, in which he described himself as a 'public executioner'. Keira was forced to beef up security at her 3.9m home after Revill made her too scared to leave the house. Sentencing is expected to take place at the end of September and Revill has been remanded in police custody until this court date. Brave: Seemingly feeling more confident Keira gets out of the house no longer afraid of her stalker as he has been remanded by police until his court date Revill repeatedly delivered letters and postcards to the star's home - in a haunting twist on a scene from Love Actually, in which Mark (Andrew Lincoln) declares his love for Keira's character using a series of cue cards on her doorstep. He also dropped off a USB containing a song called 'The Fuzzy Kitty Waltz' he had written for the Pride and Prejudice star, 32. He made meowing noises through the letterbox of the north London home she shares with husband and their young daughter. All for a good cause: Keira Knightely (L), 32, has swapped the stress of a movie set for the office for the BGC Charity Day in London on Monday morning alongside national treasure Mary Berry, 82 For a good cause: Keira was representing the SMA Trust at the fundraising event, where she was joined by a host of stars Revill admitted stalking the Pirates of the Caribbean star last December claiming he was in love with her although he had been approaching her primarily to promote his music. He was then a handed eight week prison sentence suspended for 12 months. As part of the restraining order, Revill was given a mandatory six-month mental health requirement, and a rehabilitation activity requirement of 30 days. He was also banned from contacting Keira directly or indirectly, banned from going within 100 metres of her family, within 100 metres of any address she uses, and an exclusion zone in Islington until further notice. Hanging on the telephone: The cinematic beauty took the day in her stride as she showcased her personal style in a striking floral midi dress while manning the phones all in the name of charity Hanging on the telephone: It's believed to be the beauty's first public appearance since May Revill, from Hackney in east London, admitted breaching the restraining order against the actress by sending indecent, obscene or menacing messages at Blackfriars Crown Court. He also admitted one count of producing 324 indecent photographs of children, one of distributing indecent photographs of children and one of sending menacing messages. Earlier this week, Keira showed her courage by turning out for the BGC annual charity event in London - her first public appearance in months. It's believed that the last time Keira accepted an event invitation was May, when she represented Chanel at the Cruise 2017/18 show in Paris, supported by her husband, James. Monday's charity event, which happens annually, focused on honoring those that were lost on the day of the 9/11 terrorist attack and allows individuals the chance to phone in and donate to the cause. Keira has often explained her views on the importance of helping others and the effort she has made to not get too caught up in the Hollywood lifestyle. She had welcomed daughter Romy, her second child and first with boyfriend Nate Greenwald, in August. And stepping out with her month-old baby in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Danielle Bux appeared to be embracing having a newborn on her hands again. The brunette beauty, 38, is already mum teenage daughter Ella and was seen sweetly cradling her new addition in her arms as she caught up with friends. Scroll down for video New motherhood: Danielle Buz, 38, was seen sweetly cradling her new addition in her arms as she caught up with friends in Los Angeles on Wednesday Danielle appeared to head out without her make-up for the low-key outing while clad in a casual ensemble and cut a tired figure - no doubt relishing every moment of new motherhood. She donned a pair of loose-fitted tracksuit trousers that came with elasticated cuffs on each leg and teamed them with a complementing patterned sweatshirt. The mother-of-two pinned her locks back from her face into a low tousled bun and appeared engrossed in conversation, as she caught up with her pals while avoiding the sun in the shaded street. Danielle was seen clutching her newborn to her chest throughout, making sure to keep the tot concealed as she held onto her tightly using a black sling she wrapped across the front of her body. Make-up free: The actress chose to go without her war paint for the low-key outing and cut a tired figure - no doubt relishing every moment of having a newborn on her hands again Casual: The mother-of-two pinned her locks back from her face into a low tousled bun and appeared engrossed in conversation, as she caught up with her pals She had given birth in early August, confirming the arrival of her daughter Romy in a sweet Instagram post that showed her eldest daughter Ella clutching onto the hand of her newborn. Danielle - who was previously married to Gary Lineker - had penned alongside her post: 'Sisters. Our baby girl has arrived Romy Wren Greenwald. A whopper, as expected. 8.3lbs. 8/8/17'. The model had been inundated with congratulations from fans on sharing the post, with her ex-husband Gary being quick to like the snap on the photo-sharing site. He penned a congratulations too, adding alongside Danielle's photo: 'Congratulations to you both. Chuffed for you x.' Keeping her close: Danielle was seen clutching daughter Romy close to her chest, making sure to keep the tot concealed as she held onto her tightly using a black sling across her body New addition: She had welcomed daughter Romy with boyfriend Nate Greenwald in early August - confirming her arrival with a sweet Instagram post Danielle's second pregnancy came 14 years after her first daughter Ella and just four months after her tryst with boyfriend Nate was confirmed. Following her split with ex-husband Gary, Danielle relocated to Los Angeles and went on to find love with Ivy League educated Nate seven months ago, after moving in next door to him. And it seems their relationship is going from strength to strength, as in the build up to their daughter's birth, the couple had sparked speculation they are now engaged. Danielle had been seen flaunting a diamond ring on her wedding finger, but is yet to respond to the rumours. Meanwhile, despite their split, her relationship with her former spouse hasn't appeared to have suffered and the keen actress is still firm friends with Match Of The Day presenter Gary. Cute: The post showed her eldest daughter Ella clutching onto the hand of her newborn 'Tiny toes': Danielle has shared only a few chosen photos of Romy to her Instagram page So much so, that he was seen reuniting with Danielle ahead of her due date. At the time of her pregnancy announcement in March, earlier this year, Gary had been one of the first to congratulate Danielle, with sources claiming he is 'thrilled' for his former flame and Nate. A friend of Danielle's had previously told MailOnline: 'Danielle and Nate are very happy and planning a future together. 'Gary and Nate got on very well when they met and Gary couldn't be more pleased for them both.' Of her ongoing friendship with her ex, the source continued: 'Danielle and Gary remain great friends and will continue seeing each other in that capacity with Nate's full blessing.' Moving on: Danielle's second pregnancy came 14 years after her first daughter Ella and just four months after her tryst with boyfriend Nate was confirmed She and Gary had initially tied the knot in 2009 during a ceremony in Ravello, Italy. They confirmed their split in January 2016. Speaking of Danielle and Gary's amicable split, a source had previously told The Sun: 'For many people this would be unthinkable - even for people who have stayed on reasonably good terms after a split. 'To be able to stay together in the same house after a divorce, when one partner is now having a baby with someone else, is almost unheard of. But they've got an exceptional friendship - it's extraordinary.' Gary's younger brother Wayne Lineker, 55, meanwhile, has defended the former couple's decision to remain amicable despite their marriage coming to an end, commending it as 'fantastic'. Past: Danielle was previously married to ex husband Gary Lineker, with the pair remaining close friends after their split in January 2016 Wayne - who had made a business for himself overseas in Ibiza fronting bars Ocean Bar and Linekers - insisted that is a 'great thing' for exes to remain close when possible. Addressing Gary's decision to stay in regular contact with Danielle, despite filing for divorce from her 18 months ago, Wayne told The Mirror: 'Why have you got to hate each other? If you can keep it together, that is fantastic.' The 55-year-old then claimed that staying amicable with former flames could be said to 'run in the family', as he too keeps in touch with all of his exes. 'I think it is a Lineker thing,' he claimed. 'My ex-wife is friends with my fiancee... I think it is important, especially if you have kids.' They both recently left their Sydney homes over the same weekend, sparking speculation they were on a secret getaway together. And despite Matty J and Laura Byrne having denied the mystery trip, a new report appears to confirm producers did in fact organise 'secret weekends away' for the lovebirds. Earlier this month, Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed the pair were seen returning to their respective homes with overnight baggage around the same time. Scroll down for video So they DID have a secret getaway? Despite Matty J and Laura Byrne denying they had a secret getaway ahead of the Bachelor finale, a new report appears to confirm that producers did in fact organise 'secret weekends away' for the lovebirds And on Thursday, The Daily Telegraph revealed the couple did in fact have multiple getaways together that were organised by The Bachelor producers. It appears the getaway wasn't the only secret moment the couple shared, with Matty recalling an awkward time they bumped into each other at the gym after filming had already wrapped. 'It was pure coincidence but frustrating because I couldn't go over to her. I just ran to my phone and said 'I really want to kiss you right now',' he told the publication. Mystery trip: Laura was pictured earlier this month being whisked away in a Channel Ten production car during what is believed to have been a 'secret getaway' with Matty Bags: After dropping Matty off earlier this month, his driver (pictured) circled the block for 15 minutes before parking and bringing Matty's bags inside Matty finally declared his love for Laura during the finale episode, choosing her over runner-up Elise Stacy. His decision surprised nobody except Elise, who was left heartbroken when he revealed he was in love with Laura. Elise's heartbreak, along with that of the show's other contestants, was something which Matty said he wished could have been avoided. Smitten: Matty finally declared his love for Laura during the finale episode, choosing her over runner-up Elise Stacy Winner: Matty declared his feelings for Laura at the Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort and Spa, in southern Thailand and presented her with a diamond ring 'Do I wish on night one I could have just said goodbye to the 20 other girls and go Laura's the one? I wish I could have,' he told The Daily Telegraph. Matty declared his feelings for Laura at the Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort and Spa, in southern Thailand and presented her with a diamond ring. 'To be clear it's not an engagement ring ... But I love it!,' Laura said. She previously discussed how she managed her starring role on Poldark while pregnant with her second child. And now Gabriella Wilde, 28, was hard at work as she reprised her role as Ray Penvenen's orphaned niece Caroline along the windswept shores of Holywell beach in Cornwall on Wednesday filming for the BBC drama. The blonde beauty was dressed in her character's striking light blue period costume alongside her co-stars Aidan Turner and Harry Richardson. Scroll down for video Back to it: Gabriella Wilde, 28, was hard at work as she reprised her role as Ray Penvenen's orphaned niece Caroline along the windswept shores of Holywell beach in Cornwall on Wednesday filming for Poldark The beauty - who plays the willful heiress in love with Ross's handsome friend Dr Dwight Enys - showcased her tiny waist in the chiffon dress that boasted a number of heavy petticoats. She covered her curled mane in a charming wicker bonnet while she walked to set in her sand-covered wellies towards her on-screen beau - played by Luke Norris, 32. Protecting herself from the autumn chill, she wrapped a complementing soft fleece dressing gown around her slender frame. Elsewhere, Irish hunk Aidan was well wrapped up in his heavy coat as his locks tousled in the wind, waiting for his next scene to begin. Waiting game: Elsewhere, Irish hunk Aidan was well wrapped up in his heavy coat as his locks tousled in the wind, waiting for his next scene to begin Action! Harry Richardson - who plays Drake Carne in the drama - was also on set for filming Gabriella - who first appeared on the show in series two - recently revealed what it was like to film Poldark while pregnant - and explained how a female writer made it possible for her to keep the role. She told Town and Country Magazine: 'As it was a seven-month shoot, I assumed that I probably couldnt take it. 'But the writer and producer Debbie Horsfield said, "Hang on a second, why cant we do this? Why cant she work, and be a mother and pregnant, if she feels she can? So we made it happen, which has been really wonderful and quite refreshing.' Gabriella, who already has a two-year-old son, Sasha, with musician Alan Pownall, gave birth to their second baby boy named Shiloh last year. Backlash: And while the filming may be exciting for many fans, it was something of a nuisance for the residents of Wells in Somerset - who complained about production 'taking over' the town during series three filming earlier this ear Stepping out: Gabriella recently revealed what it was like to film Poldark while pregnant - and explained how a female writer made it possible for her to keep the role She added: 'They even let me bring Shiloh on set for the filming of the latest series when he was just a couple of months old. In my industry, its often assumed that if you have babies, then youre not going to have a career. And while the filming may be exciting for many fans, it was something of a nuisance for the residents of Wells in Somerset - who complained about production 'taking over' the town during series three filming earlier this ear. Residents were said to be furious that filming kept them out of their own neighbourhood, with barriers put up around the area to ward off fans. Support: Gabriella, who already has a two-year-old son, Sasha, with musician Alan Pownall, gave birth to their second baby boy named Shiloh last year Small businesses also alleged that production has affected their trade and is stopping deliveries from being placed to their door. Speaking in February, Julie Lloyd - who owns a cafe opposite where filming took place, told Somerset Live: 'From a business point of view it's not great - we don't get a lot of benefit from it, but it affects us a lot. 'We've had difficulties getting a delivery through today and this kind of thing happens a lot in Wells - there is no compensation considering the high rates we pay.' The fourth series of the hit drama is expected to air in summer 2018 and will take in the period up until Christmas 1799. The International Festival and Events Association and Zambelli Fireworks announced Becky Browder from the Riverbend Festival in Chattanooga, as the recipient of the 2017 IFEA/Zambelli Fireworks Volunteer of the Year Award. Ms. Browder has volunteered with the Riverbend Festival since 1983. This year, Friends of the Festival is honoring and celebrating her 30 plus years of service with the organization. She portrays the epitome of leadership and hard work by serving as a dedicated member of the board of directors and devoting countless hours assisting the festivals full-time staff. Throughout the years Ms. Browder has served in various roles with Friends of the Festival, most recently as vice president and chair for the Festival Visitor Enhancement Committee. She has been an effective member of the executive committee and chair of the VIP Hospitality Committee and served in other positions during her tenure with the Festival. As this years winner, Ms. Browder will be the guest of the IFEA and Zambelli Fireworks at the IFEAs 62nd Annual Convention, Expo & Retreat, Sept. 14-16, 2017 in Tucson, Az. She will be recognized and presented with her award during the IFEA Awards Luncheon Sept. 14. The late George Zambelli, of Zambelli Fireworks Internationale and sponsor of the award since its inception in 2001, summed it up well when he said "imagine a world without the great blessing of volunteers, it would be a far different place. God bless them all." IFEA is the premier association supporting and enabling festival and event professionals worldwide. She tied the knot with Justin Theroux in a romantic and intimate ceremony in August 2015, after four years of dating. And Jennifer Aniston, 48, has revealed in a new interview with Harper's Bazaar that one of her first thoughts after he popped the big question was the that she was in desperate need of a manicure now that she had an engagement ring to show off. The actress, who dazzles in a glittering gold down on the glossy publication's cover, told her interviewer and friend Amy Sedaris: 'I usually just buff my nails. I dont have the patience to let my nails dry. When Justin proposed he put that freaking ring on my finger, and I was like, Holy c**p, now Im gonna have to get manicures. Scroll down for video Special memories: Jennifer Aniston has opened up about the day that Justin Theroux proposed to her in a new interview with Harper's Bazaar Amy, her interviewer for the piece, went on to gush to Jennifer about the couple's nuptials, saying: 'Everything about that wedding was perfect. Everyone was dressed like a bunch of woodland creatures, and your dress looked so beautiful and breezy. 'Justin asked me to be his best man two days before, and I was really scared. Jimmy Kimmel [who officiated at the nuptials] said, Amy, you have one job: Just hand me the rings separately. Of course, I handed both to him.' Added Jennifer: 'Its funny, I just gave Justin our edited video of the wedding for our anniversary, and it was fun to revisit it.' Crafty: The 48-year-old actress, who wows in a series of breathtaking images accompanying the interview, also revealed that she extensively renovated her husband's New York City home I thee wed: Jennifer tied the knot with Justin Theroux in August 2015, after four years of dating Of their romance, which started in 2011, Amy continued that she knew Jennifer was the right woman for Justin as soon as she learned they were dating - even though she hadn't yet met the former Friends star. She told Jennifer: 'When you guys started dating, I didnt know you, but I was like, I can see it, Justin. You dont have to tell me anything about her.' Part of Amy's appreciation was Jennifer's effect on Justin's life was the extensive renovation work she carried out on his New York City apartment. Jennifer said in the interview of her touch for making over homes: 'I love it. Im getting antsy to do another project. Its a hell of an expensive hobby, though. Coming to a newsstand near you: Read the full interview in the October issue of Harper's Bazaar, out on September 26th 'If I wasnt acting, I would do that full-time You should have seen Justin. We walked in one day after theyd been doing the demo, and he was like, Holy s**t. What are we doing? And I was like, Were redoing the house, babe. We gotta take the wall down to put up a nicer one. 'They say building houses can make or break a couple. I was so used to doing it on my own, and there were moments when I was like, Dont say no so fast. It wasnt very hard because he loved whatever I brought to him.' Interestingly, the star also revealed that the love and attention she pays to homes also crosses over into the realm of the spiritual. She explained: 'One of the first houses I rented was in Laurel Canyon, and things would literally fall off the shelves, the televisions and stereo system would all of a sudden blast, and the coffeemaker would start making coffee. 'My roommate at the time, who talked to dead people, if that doesnt sound too crazy, did a little ceremony, and that freaked me out. I was new to Los Angeles and the spirit, past lives, New Age thing. And now every house I go to, I have a healer or a medium come through. This makes me sound like an absolute insane human being.' The October issue of Harper's Bazaar will hit newsstands on September 26th. Friends in high places: The interview was conducted by actress Amy Sedaris, who served as the best man at Jennifer and Justin's wedding They've finally gone public as a couple after their months-long courtship broadcast to Australia. And ex-Bachelor stars have been among the first to congratulate Laura Byrne and Matty 'J' Johnson on their blossoming relationship, taking to social media to share their well-wishes. But there were some notable stars who didn't share the love online, including one ex-contestant who revealed they wouldn't be watching at all. 'Congrats guys!' Bachelor stars throw their support behind Matty J and Laura Byrne after finale episode Matty had his fellow Bachelorette contestants all in his corner for the night, with Cam Cranley, Jake Ellis, Courtney Dober and Ben Lyall all supporting him at a group viewing party. 'Team @matthewdavidjohnson,' Courtney captioned one group photo, also adding the hashtags #love and #bachelor. Meanwhile, Georgia Love, who last year dumped Matty in favour of Lee Elliott in the Bachelorette finale, posted her own Bachelor message - but didn't mention her former flame. On his team: Matty had his fellow Bachelorette contestants all in his corner for the night Congrats: Bachelor host Osher Gunsberg took to Twitter to offer his well wishes to the newly revealed couple The former WIN newsreader applauded the pro-marriage equality ad shown during commercial breaks, writing on Instagram: 'Because every bachelor and bachelorette deserves their own finale.' The heart-wrenching advertisement called on people to vote yes so gay and lesbian couples could enjoy their happy ending too. Lee also pledged his support for marriage equality while not mentioning his former love rival. Spreading the love: Georgia Love and Lee Elliott both shared marriage equality messages 'Vote yes': The former WIN newsreader applauded the pro-marriage equality ad shown during commercial breaks 'Love is love': Lee also pledged his support for marriage equality while not mentioning his former love rival 'How can anyone possibly say no to love!?' He wrote. 'Everybody deserves the right to marry the person they love so make sure you vote Yes for marriage equality. I certainly will be!' Bachelor host Osher Gunsberg took to Twitter to offer his well wishes to the newly revealed couple. He tweeted: 'Congratulations Laura and Matty! It's been an honour and a privilege to be there for you as you found love for each other. xx' She's the one! Matty J FINALLY professes his love for Laura Byrne in The Bachelor finale Declared his feelings: 'Laura, I love you,' he said, as she burst into tears. 'I really do think you are so perfect' Simone Ormesher also shared a heartwarming message for the new couple, writing on Instagram that she was 'completely over the moon for both Laura and Matty you're both absolute Legends'. She added: 'My girl Elise you're beautiful and you're Prince Charming is out there you deserve nothing but the best and to be happy.' The former topless waitress was among a small handful of this season's contestants who posted about the finale, with most ignoring it on social media. Finalists Florence Alexandra Sophia, Tara Pavlovic, Elora Murger, Lisa Carlton and Cobie Frost all neglected to congratulate Laura and Matty on Thursday night. Supportive: Simone Ormesher also shared a heartwarming message for the new couple Meanwhile 'villain' contestant Jennifer Hawke celebrated the series' end with a cake featuring her face, while Leah Costa revealed she wouldn't be watching the show at all. Sharing a photo of herself holding hands with new flame, former Bachelorette contestant David Witko, Leah said she saw no need to watch the show. 'Truth is I found my own honest loyal and funny Bachelor, so I tuned out weeks ago,' Leah wrote on Instagram. Not interested: Leah Costa revealed she wouldn't be watching the show at all Got her own prince charming: Sharing a photo of herself holding hands with new flame, former Bachelorette contestant David Witko, Leah said she saw no need to watch the show Not missing Matty J! Jennifer celebrated the end of the series with a cake of her face 'Good luck to whoever ends up with Matty and to the person that misses out on the final rose, something so much better is coming your way, I promise.' Former Bachelor Sam Wood also took to Instagram, writing: 'Congrats guys.' 'Not as nice as the ring I gave Snez at the finale,' he added alongside the hashtag 'bringbackthecheezel'. She made her high-profile designer debut at New York Fashion Week on Wednesday. And Eva Longoria looked every inch the style queen as she strolled through Manhattan on Thursday morning. The actress, 42, showed off her toned legs in a flirty khaki mini-dress with white lace trim and detailing as she left her hotel. Work it! Eva Longoria looked every inch the style queen as she strolled through Manhattan on Thursday morning after making her designer debut at New York Fashion Week The Desperate Housewives star turned heads in her long-sleeved olive number that brushed just above her knees. A thick band of white lace lined the high neckline and matched the lacy details around her empire waist dress. Delicate lace was also featured on the short hem of the dress as well as along the thick bell sleeves. Eva added height to her petite frame with a pair of nude heels featuring a clear perspex panel. Chic and the city: The actress, 42, showed off her toned legs in a flirty khaki mini-dress with white lace trim and detailing as she left her hotel Dressed to impress: The Desperate Housewives star turned heads in her long-sleeved olive number that brushed just above her knees The Desperate Housewives star wore her long caramel-colored hair in loose waves and accentuated her stunning features with flattering make-up. Eva has had a whirlwind week in the city as she debuted her Eva Longoria Collection as part of New York Fashion Week on Wednesday. The eponymous Spring/Summer 2018 line made its debut at the Metropolitan Pavilion. The Telenovela star opted for comfort during her fashion show as she sported a black bomber jacket and matching black track pants. She was very involved in the show and could even be seen sitting on the ground and adjusting the trousers of a model before she walked out on the runway. Standing tall! Eva added height to her petite frame with a pair of nude heels featuring a clear perspex panel Well-heeled: Later on Eva left the Rachael Ray Show in some grey sweatpants, a t-shirt and military style jacket The upcoming range is prefect for every day wear as there were plenty of T-shirts, trousers, jeans, sweatsuits, and sundresses on display. Prior to her New York Fashion Week debut, Eva and businessman husband Jose Antonio Baston have been on something of a European tour for the last couple of months. They visited Marbella together in July, followed by the Spanish island of Ibiza, where Eva hosted her latest Global Gift Gala event. They went onto Mallorca for a short time, where Eva hosted yet another event for the Global Gift foundation. The duo ended their summer holidays in Greece before the trip was cut short to return to New York. Woman of many talents: Eva has had a whirlwind week in the city as she debuted her Eva Longoria Collection as part of New York Fashion Week on Wednesday The reality TV star couple have been loved-up since early August. And MIC's Stephanie Pratt, 31, is soaking in the sun with Love Island hunk Jonny Mitchell, 26, as they jetted off to tropical Bali on Wednesday. The platinum beaut looked glorious in a seafoam green triangle bikini, while Jonny was dressed in a Hawaiian flower themed shirt. Scroll down for video Loved-up: MIC's Stephanie Pratt, 31, shared a very affectionate picture of herself soaking in the sun with Love Island hunk Jonny Mitchell, 26, as they jetted off to tropical Bali on Wednesday Their cosy display came after they enjoyed a romantic holiday in Croatia last month soon after they started dating. They were pictured enjoying a passionate smooch when they cooled off in the sea on their getaway. Meanwhile, his former love interest and Love Island co-star Chyna Ellis recently claimed that Jonny is using Stephanie so he can join her on reality show Made In Chelsea. Gorgeous in green: The reality TV star looked sensational in a seafoam green triangle bikini which she also shared on Instagram on Thursday Jonny humiliated Chyna, 22, when he dumped her on live television during the Love Island reunion show last month after a short-lived romance. And the reality star didn't hold back when she launched a scathing attack on her former flame's new relationship. Speaking to Mirror TV, Chyna said: 'If I'm honest I think the two of them are super cute because Jonny has always said to me he wants to get on Made In Chelsea, so it's the perfect opportunity for him. Hot new couple: Jonny and Stephanie enjoyed a passionate smooch when they cooled off in the sea on their romantic getaway in Croatia last month shortly after they were linked 'He did always say to me he was better than TOWIE, like he'll never do TOWIE because he's above that, and he wants to be on Made In Chelsea. He is from Essex so it's quite funny actually.' Last Wednesday, Stephanie directed her passions to fashion, as she put on a stylish display when she made her way to the English capital's upscale London EDITION hotel. The beauty turned heads as she stepped out in an elegant off-shoulder full-length gown, which boasted elaborate silver patterning over a semi-sheer black underlay. The eye-catching dress, taken from her AW17 collection with Godiva, featured a sweetheart neckline and highlighted her enviably svelte frame. To complement her frock of choice, the American stunner styled her platinum tresses in a bun, while she opted for deep, bold shades from her makeup palette. Special edition: Stephanie was spotted making her way to the London EDITION hotel in the English capital last Wednesday afternoon She's forging a successful country music career after her debut single High-Heeled Shoes reached number one on the iTunes chart. And Megan McKenna, 24, is feeling on top of the world as she arrived at her restaurant McK Grill on Thursday dressed to the nines after winning the best newcomer prize at this year's Boisdale Music Awards. The TOWIE beauty channeled a demure ensemble for the occasion in a striking blue wool cape coat as she met up with her ITVBe co-stars Amber Turner, Yazmin Oukellou, James Lock and boyfriend Pete Wicks. Scroll down for video Flying high: Megan McKenna, 24, is feeling on top of the world as she arrived at her restaurant McK Grill on Thursday dressed to the nines after winning the best newcomer prize at this year's Boisdale Music Awards The reality TV beauty worked a slinky black top and pair of high-waisted jeans underneath her sophisticated jacket. Adding inches to her petite frame, she slipped on a pair of suede ankles boots which complimented her leather tote. Keeping to her glamorous display, she worked her brunette tresses into a voluminous curl while sporting a beaming smile across her face. Her stylish appearance comes after she was honoured with the best newcomer prize at this year's Boisdale Music Awards on Wednesday night alongside her on-off beau Pete Wicks. Wrapping up: The TOWIE beauty channeled a demure ensemble for the occasion in a striking blue wool cape coat as she met up with her ITVBe co-stars Amber Turner, Yazmin Oukellou, James Lock and boyfriend Pete Wicks Honoured: Megan won Best Newcomer at the Boisdale Music awards held in London on Wednesday night Thrilled: Megan's on-off beau Pete supported her on the night Making the swap from reality star to chart topper, Megan attended the ceremony in London and was presented with her award by Jools Holland. Speaking to The Sun Online about her win, the former CBB star admitted that she feels like she's proved her 'doubters' wrong and is just overjoyed by the reaction. Megan said: 'I literally can't believe it. This is so amazing. I'm just so happy that people are respecting me for my music. Overjoyed: Speaking to The Sun Online about her win, the former CBB star admitted that she feels like she's proved her 'doubters' wrong and is just overjoyed by the reaction Girls' day out: Amber Turner and Yazmin Oukellou showcased their flair for fashion Pin-credible: Amber stunned in a flirty patterned thigh-grazer for the afternoon Those boots were made for walking: She teamed her chic look with a pair of leather peep toe heels 'I'm just so happy right now. It's been the best week ever for me, I can't get my head around it. To be able to win people over with my music and my talent means everything... prove my doubters wrong.' With her latest accolade under her belt, Megan confessed that she's focused more than ever to record more music and go on tour. Megan added: 'I would love to record more music and tour. That's the next aim for my career right now. Obviously I've done TV stuff but this is what I want to do.' Welcome: James greeted pal Amber with a peck on the cheek outside the restaurant Denim duo: Yazmin worked a pair of denim jeans for the outing, complementing her other half James She oozes chic on film, whether as Mia in Pulp Fiction or Ulla in The Producers. But Uma Thurman was sporting a low-key look as she left New York's Bowery Hotel on Thursday morning. The actress, 47, went make-up free and stepped out in a mismatched ensemble as she ran errands in Manhattan. Low-key and make-up free: Uma Thurman was sporting a low-key look as she left New York's Bowery Hotel on Thursday morning The screen star clashed a grey knitted cardigan with white and pink diamond patterning against a black top and pleated black skirt. Uma accented the look with a pair of floral sandals and a white leather handbag. The mother-of-three ditched make-up to let her natural beauty shine through, and wore her blonde locks loose around her shoulders. Uma's forthcoming films include The House That Jack Built, which Lars Von Trier is writing and directing and which stars Matt Dillon as the titular serial killer. Casual: The actress, 47, went make-up free and stepped out in a mismatched ensemble as she ran errands in Manhattan A representative for the actress spoke to Page Six last month, denying claims she had reignited her relationship with her hotel tycoon ex Andre Balazs, 60, after they were spotted enjoying a weekend together on Shelter Island in New York. Uma's representative said: 'Shes vacationing there, and she and Andre are just friends.' Andre - who has one of his hotels on that island - had originally dated Uma from 2003 until 2007, with a split-up and patch-up in 2006. The couple gave their romance another go in 2015, but split again since, and this July he had a baby by Cosima Vesey, 29, whose great uncle was the Earl Of Snowdon. Interesting look: The screen star clashed a grey knitted cardigan with white and pink diamond patterning against a black top and pleated black skirt Off-duty: Uma accented the look with a pair of floral sandals and a white leather handbag Uma has had two marriages, the first of which was to British actor Gary Oldman, 59, from 1990 to 1992. The actress was married to actor Ethan Hawke, 46, from 1998 to 2005, with the former couple raising two children together - daughter Maya, 19, and son Levon, 15. From 2007 until 2014 - with a 2009 breakup and reunion - Uma dated financier Arpad Busson, 54. The pair have a five-year-old daughter Luna, over whom they recently fought a rancorous and much-covered custody battle that ended in January with Uma winning primary custody. Their bromance in the Love Island villa was so strong they stripped naked while during a rapping session in the shower. But Kem Cetinay and Chris Hughes took their friendship to a steamy new level on ITV2's Celebrity Juice, as they indulged in a very raunchy game on Wednesday night. The reality stars left panellists - including a giggly Holly Willoughby - shocked as they simulated a sex act while licking chocolate eclairs attached to their crotches. Scroll down for video Avert your eyes! Kem Cetinay and Chris Hughes took their friendship to a steamy new level on ITV2's Celebrity Juice, as they indulged in a very raunchy game on Wednesday night Chris lay on the floor with an eclair wedged between his legs - while Kem balanced above him with the same chocolate treat trapped in the same place. As team captains Holly and Fearne Cotton looked on in shock, the pair raced to lick all the chocolate off the snacks first. Actor Russell Tovey looked on agog while Boom Clap hitmaker Charli XCX seemed amused, laughing as she covered her mouth. Agog: The reality stars left panellists - including a giggly Holly Willoughby - shocked as they simulated a sex act while licking the chocolate off eclairs attached to their crotches Raunchy: Chris lay on the floor with an eclair wedged between his legs - while Kem balanced above him with the same chocolate treat trapped in the same place Competitive: As team captains Holly and Fearne Cotton looked on in shock, the pair raced to lick all the chocolate off the snacks first Screwing up his face as he frantically licked off the chocolate, Kem took a moment to catch his breath. Boasting a mouth covered in chocolate, he gasped: 'That's off isn't it?' Holly leaned in to watch the action and remarked teasingly: 'They're being very loving with that!' Chris protested: 'I'm just trying to get the chocolate off!' Holly quipped laughing: 'We can see. You're trying to get something off!' Overwhelmed: Screwing up his face as he frantically licked off the chocolate, Kem took a moment to catch his breath Cheeky: Chris protested during the game: 'I'm just trying to get the chocolate off!' Meanwhile fans won't have to wait long for their next fix of Chris and Kem as they reunite for ITV2 show Chris & Kem: Straight Outta Love Island. Cameras will follow the two lovable rogues as they embrace life outside the villa embarking on a musical journey of discovery into the roots of UK rap, grime and hip hop. Having already found love on the island the pair decide to turn their attention to their next ambition as they hit the streets to meet the pioneers and hitmakers of the British rap music scene. Very amused: Holly quipped back, laughing: 'We can see. You're trying to get something off!' Looking good: The presenter rocked a floral minidress that flaunted her toned and tanned limbs The show will feature some of their Love Island counterparts along the way with Chris and Kem set for an adventure of rhyme and grime building to their first ever live performance. On reuniting for ITV2, Kem said: 'Amber aside, Chris was the best thing to come out of the Love Island villa for me. 'He's like an actual brother, so when the opportunity came up to pick up where we left off and take our bromance to the next level it was a no brainer.' Chris added 'Some of my best nights in the Love island villa were rapping around the fire with my boy Kem. We're not here to take part, we're here to takeover!' Loving life: Kem and Chris were joined by team captain Holly and actor Russell Tovey Before the mayhem: The gang were joined by Johnny Vegas, Fearne Cottom and singer Charli XCX Meanwhile Love Island bosses have confirmed fans won't have to wait a whole year for more sun, sex and sordid behaviour by introducing a spin-off dating show for the winter New series Survival of the Fittest swaps Mallorca for South Africa but keeps the same winning formula with hot young singletons living in a villa battling for a cash prize. But while Love Islanders spent their days lounging in the pool topping up their tans - Survival of the Fittest will see them pitted in physical and mental challenges to find out which sex has the upper hand. And when they're not competing for supremacy, contestants will be set up on dates to test out their loyalty to their team. New horizons: Meanwhile fans won't have to wait long for their next fix of Chris and Kem as they reunite for ITV2 show Chris & Kem: Straight Outta Love Island She has seen magnified success since igniting her acting career as a seven-year-old. And Chloe Grace Moretz was in character as a young woman named Frances, as she filmed scenes for The Widow in Dublin, Ireland on Thursday. The 20-year-old American actress seemed to be in good spirits as she shot scenes alongside Isabelle Huppert, 64, for drama thriller, which is being directed by Oscar winning director Neil Jordan. Scroll down for video New role: Chloe Grace Moretz, 20, was in character as a young woman named Frances, as she filmed scenes for The Widow in Dublin, Ireland on Thursday Co-star: Isabelle Huppert, 64, was also spotted filming for drama thriller, which is being directed by Oscar winning director Neil Jordan With the scene alluding to a crisp Autumn day, Chloe was wrapped up warm in a chic jacket and beanie hat as she was pictured strolling through a park. She was then joined on the bench by French beauty Isabelle - who is taking on the role of Greta - and was spotted comforting her with a kiss to her head. Isabelle, who's character seemingly takes a sinister turn during the movie, seemed to be dressed accordingly in a grey trench coat, matching hat and a scarf around her neck. In between scenes, the acclaimed actress was joined by crew members who ensured she was well looked after. Filming: With the scene alluding to a crisp Autumn day, Chloe was wrapped up warm in a chic jacket and beanie hat as she was pictured strolling through a park Together: She was then joined on the bench by French beauty Isabelle - who is taking on the role of Greta - and was spotted comforting her with a kiss to her head Thriller: Isabelle, who's character seemingly takes a sinister turn during the movie, seemed to be dressed accordingly in a grey trench coat, matching hat and a scarf around her neck In between scenes: The acclaimed actress was joined by crew members who ensured she was well looked after The thriller, which is penned by Ray Wright, follows the journey of Frances (Chloe) who embarks on an unlikely friendship with the much older Greta (Huppert). However, a seemingly happy and healthy relationship soon turns menacing thanks to Greta's threatening actions. The movie will also star Maika Monroe, Zawe Ashton, Colm Feore and Stephen Rea. Meanwhile, Chloe recently created a small stir as she indicated that things with Brooklyn, the son of super-couple David Beckham and Victoria Beckham, might be on the uptick after she left a heart emoji as a comment on an Instagram shot of him standing in front of a bank of lockers. Storyline: The thriller, which is penned by Ray Wright, follows the journey of Frances (Chloe) who embarks on an unlikely friendship with the much older Greta (Huppert) Plot: However, a seemingly happy and healthy relationship soon turns menacing thanks to Greta's threatening actions Looking cool: Chloe's look was completed by black leggings and grunge-inspired lace-up boots Texting Brooklyn? In between takes, she found herself engrossed on her phone Getting in on the action: She decided to take snaps on set as well Quiet on set: Isabelle and Chloe were side by side on a park bench as they waited for cameras to roll Co-stars: The two actresses will take leading roles in their forthcoming film The Kick Ass star and the model had been 'hanging out' again, People reported about two weeks ago, after she began following his Instagram account again. Around that time, the duo was seen together at a bash in the City of Angels, with the actress informing other partygoers that they had reunited, nearly a year after they parted ways late last summer. 'Brooklyn and Chloe arrived together and she was chatting with other guests about how they had got back together,' an eyewitness told People. Beckham is headed to the East Coast this fall, as he's focused on his education as an artist-photographer in the Big Apple. She's been jetting around promoting her latest film, Kings. But Halle Berry treated herself to some downtime as she stopped off for fish and chips at the famous Seashell of Lisson Grove in London on Thursday. Seeming in great spirits as she prepared to tuck into the traditional British snack, the 51-year-old actress beamed broadly as she headed into the eatery - which is also a favourite of Lady Gaga. Scroll down for video In the right plaice: t Halle Berry treated herself to some downtime as she stopped off for fish and chips at the famous Seashell of Lisson Grove in London on Thursday Looking as stylish as ever, the former Bond girl sizzled in a pair of skintight leather trousers that she teamed with black ankle boots. Hinting at her sensational figure, the mother-of-two donned a semi sheer grey top worn beneath a stylish Rachel Zoe Collection coat. Allowing her natural beauty to shine through, the Oscar-winning actress went make-up free, whilst she accessorised with oversized shades. Sure fin: Seeming in great spirits as she prepared to tuck into the traditional British snack, the 51-year-old actress beamed broadly as she headed into the eatery On another scale: Allowing her natural beauty to shine through, the Oscar-winning actress went make-up free, whilst she accessorised with oversized shades Halle's trip to London comes after she attended the premiere of her new film at Toronto Film Festival on Wednesday. Kings follows Halle's character Millie, a working class single mother during the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. The film by director Deniz Gamze Erguven, 39, was intended to be her feature film debut, but Deniz in 2011 was unable to acquire financing. Oh my cod! Looking as stylish as ever, the former Bond girl sizzled in a pair of skintight leather trousers that she teamed with black ankle boots What the shell? Hinting at her sensational figure, the mother-of-two donned a semi sheer grey top worn beneath a stylish printed cocoon coat Going gaga: Lady Gaga has also visited the fish and chips shop (pictured in 2013 at the eatery) The Turkish-French director instead focused on a more intimate story and directed the 2015 critically acclaimed drama Mustang. Kings was among several films expected to generate buzz at the Toronto International Film Festival. Halle also is playing tech guru Ginger Ale in the upcoming sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle that is scheduled for release next week in the US and UK. He's the charismatic TV host who always has a wide smile for contestants during the rose ceremonies on The Bachelor. But Osher Gunsberg's grin came under fire during the show's finale on Thursday night with viewers taking to Twitter to comment on the colour of his teeth. Writing directly to the 43-year-old presenter, one fan Tweeted: 'Hey Osher, if you were a female you'd be told to get your teeth whitened or the sack. How can ick yellow teeth run prime time show?' (sic) 'If you were a female you'd be told to get your teeth whitened or the sack!' Osher responds to social media critics reaction to his yellow teeth and sweating during The Bachelor finale Smiling it off! The hunky responded, in a humorous manner, writing: 'I know right. Even wifey said she needs to get me whitening toothpaste. Damn coffee. It's so tasty' The hunk responded in a humorous manner writing: 'I know right. Even wifey said she needs to get me whitening toothpaste. Damn coffee. It's so tasty.' But it wasn't just Osher's smile that came under fire as fans of the show also commented on how he looked a little hot under the collar in his suit on during the show's Thailand-based finale. Viewers took to Twitter to point out the presenter's glow and he was quick to respond, writing: 'That's because it was 40C in the tropics. I'm sure you'll find the same thing happens to you.' Seeming to further address his perspiration critics, Osher also shared an image to his Instagram and Twitter accounts of a sachet of hydration formula from the show's set in Asia. 'I'm sure you'll find the same thing happens to you!' Viewers took to Twitter to point out the presenter's glow and he was quick to respond 'That's because it was 40C in the tropics' Viewers took to Twitter to point out the presenter's obvious glow and he was quick to respond Feeling the heat: Seeming to further address his perspiration critics, Osher also shared an image to his Instagram and Twitter accounts of a sachet of hydration formula from the show's set in Asia 'Hydration on set is the key to success,' he write in the caption. Matty 'J' Johnson finally declared his love for Laura Byrne, choosing her over Elise Stacy on The Bachelor's dramatic finale on Thursday night. Matty's decision surprised nobody except Elise, who was left heartbroken when he revealed he was in love with Laura. The hunky marketing manager declared his feelings for Laura at The Santhiya Koh Yao Yai Resort & Spa, located in southern Thailand. It's official! Matty 'J' Johnson finally declared his love for Laura Byrne, choosing her over Elise Stacy on The Bachelor's dramatic finale Warren Chapel AME Church will honor its pastor, Rev. Dr. Pedro K. Basden and first lady, Rev. Beryl Basden with an Appreciation Service on Sunday at 10 a.m. The guest preacher will be Brigadier General R. Scott Dingle, Commanding General of the Armys Regional Health Command-Atlantic. She's following in the footsteps of her supermodel sister Kate. So it came as no surprise to see Lottie Moss commanded attention at the first of the London Fashion Week bashes hosted by Wolf & Badger, before swiftly moving on to the i-D x Jeremy Scott party sponsored by CIROC and then By Kilian 10th anniversary party on Thursday. Ensuring all eyes would be on her in a bold striped suit, the 19-year-old model was a vision of beauty as she joined the likes of Lucy Watson at the party. Scroll down for video Two of a kind: Lottie Moss and Lucy Watson commanded attention at the first of the London Fashion Week bashes hosted by Wolf & Badger on Thursday Showing off her sensational figure, the blonde bombshell donned a tiny black bralet with lace detailing that showed off her ample cleavage and taut stomach. Layering up, Lottie donned an oversized striped blazer that she teamed with matching wide legged trousers and towering black heels. Injecting a splash of colour into her ensemble, the Vogue covergirl wore a slick of scarlet lipstick on her plump pout, whilst her golden locks were styled in a sleek side parting. Star in stripes: Ensuring all eyes would be on her in a bold striped suit, the 19-year-old model was a vision of beauty as she joined MIC's Emily Blackwell at the party Terrific trio: Lottie sizzled as she joined BFF Emily and Georgia Toffolo at the fashion bash Also turning heads on the night was Lucy Watson who sizzled in a sheer purple bodysuit with floral velour detailing. She teamed the garment with a thigh-skimming PVC skirt that offered a look at her tanned and toned pins, whilst she boosted her frame in a pair of ankle boots. Layering up, the Made In Chelsea star wrapped a leather jacket over her shoulders and clutched a boxy black handbag. Proving to be a long night for Lottie, she then found herself at the i-D x Jeremy Scott party presented by UGG at London's Cafe de Paris. Bra-vo! Showing off her sensational figure, the blonde bombshell donned a tiny black bralet with lace detailing that showed off her ample cleavage and taut stomach Sizzling: Layering up, Lottie donned an oversized striped blazer that she teamed with matching wide legged trousers and towering black heels Blonde beauty: Injecting a splash of colour into her ensemble, the Vogue covergirl wore a slick of scarlet lipstick on her plump pout, whilst her golden locks were styled in a sleek parting While she was still in the same ensemble, Lottie decided to mix things up as she draped her blazer off her shoulder. With her lace bralet on full display, the blonde oozed body confidence as she posed sexily on a throne. She later stopped by luxury perfume brand By Kilian's 10th anniversary bash on the same night alongside her MIC bestie. The party was in collaboration with jewellery designer Elie Top and showcased By Kilian's new fragrances From Dusk Till Dawn collection ahead of their September 15 release date. Party-hopping: Proving to be a long night for Lottie, she then found herself at the i-D x Jeremy Scott party presented by UGG at London's Cafe de Paris Sexy: While she was still in the same ensemble, Lottie decided to mix things up as she draped her blazer off her shoulder Taking her seat: With her lace bralet on full display, the blonde oozed body confidence as she posed sexily on a throne The girls have have a shared connection as Lucy starred alongside Lottie's ex-boyfriend Alex Mytton on Made In Chelsea. Following their dramatic split in July, Lottie made a playful dig at her ex during a recent holiday with best friend Emily Blackwell. Sharing a snap of the pair bikini-clad and beaming, she wrote: 'Reminiscing on your ex's likeeeeeeee', alluding to their happy facial expressions. Party time! Lottie looked fantastic as she mingled with other guests - including gorgeous model Jasmine Sanders Home-time: She looked a bit worse for wear as she clambered into a taxi L-R: Lottie Moss, Duckie Thot, Jasmine Sanders, Jeremy Scott, Eve and Emily Blackwell Joined at the hip: She once again was joined by her striking pal Emily Stopping by: Lottie also stopped by the By Kilian's 10th anniversary party at LouLou's on the same night Picture perfect: Looking striking in her two-piece suit, she posed with her pal with Emily Style savvy: Lottie also caught up with Tallia Storm at the bash for the luxury perfume brand The comment comes after Lottie's romance with Alex went up in flames after he hinted he had been unfaithful when filming E4's Made In Chelsa special in Ibiza, Spain. The pair have a well-documented tumultuous relationship after they were seen in the midst of a shouting match after his 'drunken behaviour' at a nightclub event, with an emotional Lottie overheard screaming, 'It's done' as he was ejected from the bash. Video content shows Lottie wiping away tears on the dancefloor before things escalate and she is seen telling Alex to leave the party, at the doors. According to a source speaking to MailOnline the reality star arrived at the venue by himself at 6.30pm already 'very drunk' and was forced to drink two bottles of water by security before they would allow him into the venue. Party people: Lottie and Emily smiled alongside Tallia at the exclusive party Racy: Also turning heads on the night was Lucy Watson who sizzled in a sheer purple bodysuit with floral velour detailing. She teamed the garment with a thigh-skimming PVC skirt Gorgeous in green: Georgia Toffolo looked sensational in an emerald green jumper teamed with tight cropped navy trousers adorned with colourful seams Walk this way: She boosted her height in a pair of towering open-toe gold flatforms which flaunted her pedicure Stunning: Georgia's blonde tresses were scraped into a high ponytail and she boasted smokey eyeshadow and doses of highlighter Glam: Designer Katie Eary (L) caught the eye in a floor length leather dress, whilst fashion blogger Olivia Cox looked stylish in a pink sheer dress with feather detailing Oh my Mimi! MIC's new girl Mimi Bouchard looked lovely in a tiny bralet and voluminous denim jacket that she teamed with a mini skirt and sock boots Good jeans: The brunette looked striking in a cropped denim jacket, adorned with statement frill sleeves Leggy lady: Cutting off high at her thigh, the reality star left her long and lean legs on show as she headed into the party, in assocation with Belvedere Vodka Saucy: Making the look more saucy, she sported nothing but a black lace bra underneath as she enjoyed her glamorous night out Finishing touches: She tied her look together with slick black ankle boots, and adding a sweeping of metallic eye-shadow Natural: She left her hair in loose, tousled waves to prove her natural beauty as she headed inside Going for gold! Lauryn Goodman later arrived in a glittering gold vest, paired with form-fitting white trousers She's known for flaunting her famous body in films, music videos and racy selfies. And Emily Ratajkowski upped the ante as she took to Instagram to tease a glimpse of a very sexy behind-the-scenes video on for LOVE magazine's annual advent calendar on Thursday. The model and actress, 26, looked incredible as she showed off her jaw-dropped figure in hot pink lace lingerie. Scroll down for video Hot stuff! Emily Ratajkowski took to Instagram to tease a glimpse of a very sexy behind-the-scenes video on for LOVE magazine's annual advent calendar on Thursday Writhing around on a table covered in spaghetti and meatballs, the Gone Girl star perched high on her knees showing off her washboard abs. Emily captioned the sultry video, 'COMING SOON! LOVE ADVENT 2017' and tagged LOVE's editor-in-chief Katie Eleanor Grand along with the magazine. The bombshell's matching lacy lingerie set featured nude mesh paneling with delicate pink bows on her bra straps. Pretty in pink: The model and actress, 26, looked incredible as she showed off her jaw-dropped figure in hot pink lace lingerie Dainty nude garter belt straps dangled near her thighs as Emily kneeled on top of the Italian food. The We Are Your Friends actress wore a pair of cream, black and orange over-sized finger-less gloves as she cleaned her fingers with her mouth in the racy Instagram post. Emily's chocolate brown tresses danced across her face as she seductively threw her hair back and forth. Feeling peckish? Writhing around on a table covered in spaghetti and meatballs, the Gone Girl star perched high on her knees showing off her washboard abs Katie Grand caught another view of the seductive scene with her iPhone and posted on Instagram as she zoomed in on a camera screen playing back the tape. People could be heard chattering in the background as Emily sprawled out across the dinner table. The star's finely toned torso could be seen glistening in the video while her assets were barely contained in her bra as she lifted her arms above her head. It's all about the angles: LOVE magazine's editor-in-chief Katie Grand caught another view of the seductive scene as she zoomed in on a camera screen playing back the tape Staying warm? The We Are Your Friends actress wore a pair of cream, black and orange over-sized finger-less gloves in the racy Instagram post Fancy feast! People could be heard chattering in the background as brave Emily sprawled out across the dinner table The Gone Girl starlet has been a fan of the magazine for a while, posing for its 2016 Advent, and more recently fully nude. Ratajkowski posted an image from the LOVE shoot to her Instagram account with her nipples covered in bright red hearts. The stunner wore only a short, boy-cut wig with full-front bangs, a pair of dangly earrings and a necklace. Aside from her fashion commitments, busy Emily is set to co-star star in four films in the coming months. The actress will join Natalie Dormer in the thriller In Darkness and take the lead in romance, Cruise, both of which have yet to set release dates. In 2018, she will join forces with Amy Schumer and Michelle Williams for the comedy, I Feel Pretty, due out June 29. Emily will also join Aaron Paul for the chiller, Welcome Home, about a couple's romantic trip to a cottage in the Italian countryside that turns into a nightmare, which will be released next year. Following the Toronto Film Festival premiere of her fifth directorial effort, Angelina Jolie met with United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres at the Manhattan headquarters on Thursday. The Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees easily defied her 41 years in a white silk blouse, brown pencil skirt, and nude pumps selected by stylist Jen Rade. Hairstylist Adam Campbell blew out the Oscar winner's naturally brunette locks and she finished off her business attire with Le Vian diamond rose earrings and a crimson pout and manicure. Scroll down for video Mysterious meeting: Following the TIFF premiere of her fifth directorial effort, Angelina Jolie met with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at the Manhattan headquarters on Thursday Rather than taking vacuous selfies or developing clothing lines, Angelina has made over 60 trips to the field as part of her work with the do-gooding intergovernmental organization. On Wednesday, Jolie gave an update on her tough divorce from estranged third husband Brad Pitt after 12 years together. 'None of it's easy. It's very, very difficult, a very painful situation, and I just want my family healthy,' the By the Sea director admitted to the New York Times. 'They're getting better.' Do-gooder: The Special Envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees easily defied her 41 years in Le Vian diamonf earrings, a white silk blouse, brown pencil skirt, and nude pumps selected by stylist Jen Rade Flawless: Hairstylist Adam Campbell blew out the Oscar winner's naturally brunette locks and she finished off her business attire with diamond earring and a crimson pout and manicure Impressive: Rather than taking selfies or developing clothing lines, Angelina has made over 60 trips to the field as part of her work with the do-gooding intergovernmental organization Newly single: On Wednesday, Jolie gave an update on her tough divorce from estranged third husband Brad Pitt after 12 years together The By the Sea director admitted to the New York Times: 'None of it's easy. It's very, very difficult, a very painful situation, and I just want my family healthy' The former Hollywood wild child's big blended brood - including Zahara, 12; Shiloh, 11; and twins Vivienne & Knox, 9 - attended the TIFF premiere of First They Killed My Father on Monday. It currently holds a 76 percent critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a 70 percent approval rating on MetaCritic, and a 6.7/10 on IMDb. The Khmer-language drama - which begins streaming Friday on Netflix - is based on human rights activist Loung Ung's 2006 memoir about the 2M lives lost during the Cambodian genocide 40 years ago. Angelina's 16-year-old son Maddox (born Rath Vibol) received an executive-producing credit for the film and her 13-year-old son Pax shot still photography for it. 'They're getting better': The former Hollywood wild child's big blended brood - including Zahara, 12; Shiloh, 11; and twins Vivienne & Knox, 9 - attended the TIFF premiere of First They Killed My Father on Monday Begins streaming Friday on Netflix! The Khmer-language drama is based on human rights activist Loung Ung's 2006 memoir about the 2M lives lost during the Cambodian genocide 40 years ago 'We're really such a unit': Angelina's 16-year-old son Maddox (L) received an executive-producing credit for the film and her 13-year-old son Pax (M) shot still photography for it 'They really help me so much. We're really such a unit,' Jolie gushed. 'They're the best friends I've ever had. Nobody in my life has ever stood by me more.' Earlier this month, the Kung Fu Panda 3 actress confirmed she would soon begin production on the sequel to the hit Disney villain origin story Maleficent. 'I am now the breadwinner for the family so its time,' Angie told Deadline on September 3. 'I am now the breadwinner for the family': Earlier this month, the Kung Fu Panda 3 actress confirmed she would soon begin production on the sequel to Disney's Maleficent Based on Deborah Ellis' 2001 novel: But first, Jolie executive-produced the Afghanistan-set animated feature The Breadwinner, which hits US theaters November 17 and UK theaters May 25 'We have been working on the script and this is going to be a really strong sequel.' But first, Jolie executive-produced the Afghanistan-set animated feature The Breadwinner, which hits US theaters November 17 and UK theaters May 25. Nora Twomey's flick, based on the 2001 novel by Deborah Ellis, centers on a headstrong girl who disguises herself as a boy to provide for her family after her father gets arrested. Rosamund Pike spent months working with Christian Bale on a western, but they hardly exchanged a word off set Rosamund Pike spent months working with Christian Bale on a western, but they hardly exchanged a word off set. There was no animosity between the two British stars, but as Pike explained, our two characters are so badly damaged it actually helped with the acting process for them to keep their distance. Christian and I barely spoke, and to this day we hardly know each other, the actress told me. But I really know Joseph Blocker, she added, referring to the cavalry captain Bale plays opposite Pikes Rosalie Quaid, a woman who has lost her husband and three children during a raid by renegade native Indians in Hostiles. The film was shot in New Mexico and Colorado, and is as magnificent as anything John Ford and Howard Hawks made in the golden age of the western. Pike and Bale never discussed the matter, but both clearly felt it was better not to know too much about each other. Whatever alchemy was at play, their performances are among the years best. He is almost unrecognisable as an officer with a war-bag of hatred for the Cheyenne chief hes asked to escort to sacred grounds. And she, ripping off the English rose straitjacket, plays the widow Quaid as a woman whos suffered so much shes just about existing. Pike said she did extensive research on women who have lost their children, but felt guilty during filming. Pike and co-star Christian Bale kept their distance while filming, Hostiles I sometimes felt very troubled that I could be in that space (playing the character), but then be fortunate enough to go home, and my children be alive. They were on location with me the whole time. She did not picture her own children when imagining Rosalies losses. Instead, she had images of the two girls (daughters of the films sublime director, Scott Cooper) and the baby boy who play the slain children. I keep my own life very much out of it, she said firmly. Some actors do imagine their own tragedy, but I do not. However, Pike acknowledged that her children helped her land the role, albeit inadvertently. She had a conversation with the director via Skype. Usually, Cooper commented later, when he does this, the actor has got good lighting and has arranged the background, so it looks casual but, in reality, a lot of work has gone into it. And Scott said that he Skyped with me, and my kids were clambering on me, and running about, and he saw this maternal instinct and thats what he wanted, said Pike. The moment youre unprofessional is the moment that actually sells it. The other clincher was Elizabeth Gaskell. The films producer John Lesher asked if she could ride and, quick as a flash, she responded: Have you not seen Wives And Daughters, circa 1998? in which she starred. Watch out for... EMMA THOMPSON , who exudes luminosity with a breathtaking performance (so brilliant I saw it twice within 24 hours) as a High Court judge in Richard Eyres film The Children Act, which the director made using Ian McEwans own adaptation of his novel. Its a study of betrayal, wisdom, religion, love, and a 17-year-old lad played with fierce intelligence by Fionn Whitehead (the young newcomer whos the main focus of Christopher Nolans masterful Dunkirk). Emma Thompson exudes luminosity with a breathtaking performance as a High Court judge in Richard Eyres film The Children Act He and his parents (who, like him, are Jehovahs Witnesses) are seeking court action to prevent him from being forced to have a life-saving blood transfusion. Meanwhile, Ms Thompson is back in the UK, after visiting Toronto for the film festival, to shoot Johnny English 3 (she plays the Prime Minister). Amusingly to me, at least her judge in The Children Act is called . . . Mrs Maye. Imogen Poots was in Toronto for screenings of her latest film I Kill Giants IMOGEN POOTS , who will star in the British premiere of Amy Herzogs super play Belleville, which Michael Longhurst will direct at the Donmar Warehouse. Dates havent been fixed yet, but the word is it could be running from December 7 until February 3. Ms Poots, who was in Toronto for screenings of her latest film I Kill Giants, made an auspicious stage debut in the scorching revival of Edward Albees Whos Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? earlier this year. In Belleville, she plays a young American living in Paris whose marriage is in a precarious state. I remember finding it gripping, but deeply upsetting, when I saw a production four years ago at the New York Theatre Workshop. Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf Al-Werfalli is suspected of involvement in the deaths of 33 people in the war-torn city of Benghazi The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Wednesday renewed her call for the immediate arrest of a senior Libyan commander wanted for war crimes, amid allegations he has killed more people. Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf Al-Werfalli "stands accused of serious crimes. I therefore call again on Libya to take all possible steps to immediately arrest and surrender him to the ICC," prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said in a statement. Werfalli, born in 1978, is a senior commander in the Al-Saiqa brigade, an elite unit which defected from the Libyan National Army after the uprising against longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. The brigade has been battling alongside forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi, Libya's second-largest city, which was recently liberated after a three-year campaign. In August, ICC judges issued a warrant for his arrest, alleging he was behind a series of murders and bloody executions of 33 people in the city. He is accused of being involved in at least seven incidents in 2016 and 2017, during which he allegedly personally shot or ordered the execution of people who were either civilians or injured fighters. At the time, Libyan national army said Werfalli had been arrested and was under investigation by military authorities. But Bensouda said she had received "reports alleging conversely that the suspect is at large and may have been involved in additional killings since the ICC warrant of arrest was issued." Her office was investigating, but Bensouda added she was "gravely concerned about these new allegations, and generally about further violent loss of life in Libya." The ICC remains in a legal tug-of-war with Libyan authorities to transfer Kadhafi's son Seif al-Islam to The Hague, with the two sides disputing who has the right to judge him. "Bringing safety, security and stability to Libya is a must," Bensouda said, adding that "so is fighting impunity in Libya" for the grave crimes committed in the country. One student was killed in a shooting at a high school in Spokane, Washington A student shot and killed another student and wounded three others Wednesday at a high school in the northwestern state of Washington before being disarmed, authorities said. The shooting took place at Freeman High School in Spokane County, Washington state, 285 miles (460 kilometers) from Seattle, where witnesses described a scene of terror as the heavily armed shooter stalked the halls. County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich told reporters the shooter was a student who was armed with more than one weapon, reportedly a rifle and a handgun. "He proceeded to take his weapons out. At that point he attempted to fire one weapon and jammed," the sheriff said. "He went to his next weapon and a student walked up to him, engaged him, and that student was shot. That student did not survive," he said. "He then fired more shoots around down the hallway, striking three more students and those students are in the hospital," he said. Knezovich said the shooter was finally disabled by "a member of the Freeman community," before police arrived on the scene. The Spokesman-Review, a local news site, said the student was tackled by a school custodian. - 'A loud pop' - It said the bloodshed began outside a biology class on the school's second floor. "I was putting my backpack away and I heard a loud pop, and I turned around. He was walking around," Elisa Vigil, a 14-year-old freshman, told the Spokesman-Review. "He had his pistol. His face was completely passive. He shot someone in the head. I crouched down in the hall. I looked up and a girl screamed, 'Help me, help me, help me.' The hall was empty. She was shot in the back. I looked to my right, and there was a boy and he was shot in the head." The three wounded students were all girls, it said. They were reported in stable condition at a local hospital. Students told the newssite the shooter was a sophomore who had ridden the school bus to classes with his weapons concealed in a duffel bag. "We need to understand what's going on in our society that students feel they need to take a weapon to solve the problems they are dealing with," Knezovich said. - 'Nice and funny and weird' - Freeman High School has only 327 students, serving a small community near the city of Spokane. Students said everyone knew each other, and some told local media they knew the shooter. "He was handing out a note to his friend saying he would do something stupid that could get him killed or in jail," one student told KXLY television. "That was a few weeks ago." Michael Harper, 15, told the Spokesman-Review that he was a good friend of the shooter. "He was weird," Harper was quoted as saying. "And he loved the show Breaking Bad. He never really seemed like that person who had issues. He was always nice and funny and weird." - Anxious parents - A large contingent of police and firefighters responded to a call to their emergency line, and anxious parents began arriving at the school. Cheryl Moser said her son, a freshman, called her from a second floor classroom after hearing shots fired. "He called me and said, 'Mom, there are gunshots.' He sounded so scared. I've never heard him like that," Moser told the Spokesman-Review. The state governor, Jay Inslee, said the shooting was "heart-breaking." "As Spokane County officials continue their investigation to get the answers to the questions so many of us have during these unthinkable tragedies, the Washington State Patrol and all state agencies will do whatever we can to help provide support and comfort in the days and weeks to come," Inslee said. An "active shooter" was arrested last Friday at a school in Columbus, Ohio, although no one was injured in that incident. A year ago, an adolescent killed his father and then shot and wounded two children and a teacher at a South Carolina primary school. According to the Gun Violence website, 253 mass shootings -- defined as four or more people shot in a single incident -- have been reported in the United States so far this year, including Wednesday's shooting in Washington state. Coalition drones circled a stranded Islamic State convoy for days, periodically picking off IS fighters if they strayed too far from the vehicles Busloads of Islamic State fighters stranded in the Syrian desert reached jihadist-held territory after the US-led coalition stopped surveillance of the convoy, a monitor said on Wednesday. Coalition drones had been circling the stranded 11-vehicle convoy for days and periodically picking off IS fighters if they strayed too far from the vehicles. But the convoy, with as many as 200 jihadists and 200 civilians on board, arrived in Deir Ezzor eastern Syria "after the coalition decision to stop their surveillance on the convoy", said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor. A source on the ground told AFP "the operation is done, Daesh (IS) convoy reached Deir Ezzor province". The US-led coalition on Friday pulled aircraft from the skies above the convoy so regime and Russian forces could go past, officials said. "To ensure safe deconfliction of efforts to defeat ISIS, coalition surveillance aircraft departed the adjacent airspace at the request of Russian officials during their assault on Deir Ezzor," the coalition said in a statement. The vehicles left the Lebanon-Syria border region on August 28 under an evacuation deal negotiated between IS and the powerful Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, which has intervened in the war in neighbouring Syria to prop up the Damascus government. But the US-led coalition pounded the road to Deir Ezzor with air strikes to prevent the convoy reaching the IS-held town of Albukamal on the Iraqi border. The United States has repeatedly stressed that it was not party to the Hezbollah deal and said the fate of those aboard the buses was not a coalition issue. Superman -- seen here preparing for the solar eclipse -- has a new mission protecting hard-working immigrants from white supremacist bullies No longer are planet-destroying extra-terrestrials or billionaire evil geniuses the villains: Superman, the DC Comics superhero, has a new mission protecting hard-working immigrants from white supremacist bullies. In the latest edition of the "Action Comics" series, which has published Superman's adventures since 1938, the "Man of Steel" intervenes to stop an out-of-work factory worker as he is about to kill some immigrants. Wearing a blue work shirt and red-white-and-blue bandana, the moustachioed cartoon villain embodies all the cliches of the poor blue-collar American. Gun in hand, he threatens veiled women and rails at Hispanic workers, accusing them of stealing his job. "You work cheap, don't speak English so you can't talk back or even ask for a penny more. You cost me my job! My livelihood! For that... you pay!" he says, as he opens fire. Just then Superman steps in, bullets bouncing off his chest, to save the day. "The only person responsible for the blackness smothering your soul is you," Superman tells the white supremacist. The passage echoes the recent violent protests by American rightwing extremists. In August, a 32-year-old woman was run over and killed by a Nazi sympathizer after a violent "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. In 2015, Dylann Roof, a white supremacist, shot and killed nine black worshipers at a Charleston, South Carolina church. American comic books have often taken on social issues, finding up-to-the-minute material in contemporary public conflicts and debates. Marvel Comics, for instance, launched a new version of Spider-Man in 2011, making him half-black, half-Hispanic. In 2016, DC Comics published a seven issue mini-series called "Superman: American Alien." In it, Kal-El (Superman's real name) struggles to reconcile his extra-terrestrial origins with his new life on Earth. Superman is in effect an immigrant, who left his doomed home planet Krypton when he was a baby and was taken in and adopted by an American couple in Kansas, in the rural US heartland. Superman's creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, were both Jews of European descent, and Superman's story parallels the flight of European immigrants in the 1930s seeking peace and prosperity in the United States. "The Man of Steel," whose caped costume is inspired by the Stars and Stripes, grows up on a farm and embodies the American dream But Superman's patriotism, like that of Marvel Comics' Captain America, has been interpreted differently at the hands of the various writers who have scripted his adventures. In the 1986 series "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns," for example, Frank Miller presents Superman as president Ronald Reagan's elite fighter, deployed to combat the Soviets or to restore order in the United States, neutralizing Batman. US Marines participate in an amphibious assault drill at Camp Pendleton, California Fifteen US Marines were injured Wednesday, five critically, when their amphibious assault vehicle caught fire during a training exercise, a military spokesman said. The incident occurred at Camp Pendleton, California while a Marine battalion was undergoing a combat readiness evaluation, Marine spokesman Paul Gainey confirmed. "Officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident at this time," his statement said. No other details were given about the fire or possible causes. The injured Marines were evacuated to hospitals in the area, with eight taken to the Burn Center at University of California San Diego Health. Three of those were in critical condition and five in serious condition. Two more were in critical condition at the University of California Irvine Medical Center, the Marines said. Amphibious Assault Vehicles have been used by the Marines since the 1970s and are designed for landings from the sea. Wednesday's incident followed two other fatalities at Camp Pendleton, the Marines' biggest base on the west coast of the United States. On August 30, a 22-year-old Marine was found dead during a training exercise. The cause of death has not yet been established. In 2015, a 19-year-old Marine was found shot dead in the head on a firing range at the base. In mid-June, seven sailors were killed when the destroyer USS Fitzgerald collided with a container ship off Japan. Construction was suspended two years ago on the site of the Grand Maitreya Spiritual Centre on the outskirts of Ulan Bator On a barren patch of land outside Mongolia's capital, a former herder guards a half-finished pedestal and abandoned golden Buddha's head -- testament to the money problems keeping Buddhism from flourishing in the country. When 68-year-old Tsegmid Lunduv, a longtime nomad, was hired to patrol the spot in 2013, the project seemed full of promise: a proposed sprawling complex of meditation centres and spiritual retreats, tucked into the rolling steppes outside Ulan Bator and under the spiritual guidance of the Dalai Lama. But two years ago, construction was suspended pending additional funding, leaving two partially built legs, the unattached head and a hand with fingers curled into the gesture for teaching and understanding. Only Lunduv, his wife, grandson and their yellow puppy were standing sentry on a recent visit to the holy site-to-be. "Once the project comes to fruition, all of Mongolia's troubles will go away," said Lunduv, a portly man with a tattered white tunic and a gap-toothed smile. He added: "It will usher in a new era." One of the project's main financial backers, the Genco group, is owned by new Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga, who took office in July and must now navigate the country out of its maze of debt with a $5.5 billion International Monetary Fund-led bailout. Buddhism has returned to prominence after being quashed over years of Soviet control, with over half of the population now identifying as Buddhist, according to official figures. But the debt-laden country's money troubles have severely limited the infrastructure needed for the religion to fully flourish, with monasteries lacking proper residential facilities for monks. - Sacred vodka - A boy plays on the site of the Grand Maitreya Spiritual Centre in Ulan Bator, a proposed sprawling complex of meditation centres and spiritual retreats Buddhist traditions in Mongolia predate the rule of Genghis Khan, who established close ties with a Tibetan Buddhist school. Khan's grandson, Kublai Khan, even commissioned his spiritual guru to create an easier form of the Tibetan script to be used in the territories under his command. Even under Tibetan Buddhism's heavy influence, however, Mongolians gave the religion their own cultural touch: inspired by shamanistic invocations using vodka, Mongolian Buddhists consider the Russian liquor sacred just as wine is to Christians. And because the Mongolian Empire suffered from a population shortage, the Dalai Lama at the time permitted Mongolian monks to marry and have children -- though mistresses remained strictly forbidden. The biggest challenge to Mongolian Buddhism came during the country's years as a Soviet satellite state, from 1924 to the early 1990s, when the Arts Council of Mongolia estimates that more than 1,250 monasteries and temples were demolished and countless religious artifacts lost. Monks, if they were not killed, were forced to marry. "After 60 years of oppression, (Mongolia's) monkhood was pretty much destroyed," said Glen Mullin, an expert on Tibetan Buddhism. Only one monastery, Ulan Bator's Gandan monastery, was permitted to stay open during that period to support the Soviets' claims of religious tolerance. In 1996, in a newly democratic Mongolia, 18-year-old Batchunuun Munkhbaatar left his countryside home in central Tuv province to join the monastery in the capital. Gandan was home to just 25 monks then, but Munkhbaatar stayed and immersed himself in the Buddhist practice. Now 800 monks belong to the monastery, the country's largest. "During the (Soviet era), the party controlled the faith of the people, but they couldn't control their inner devotion," Munkhbaatar said, recalling that his grandfather "didn't quit his chanting or prayers, even during the communist time". "He would do all these things behind locked doors. If someone approached the house, the dog would bark and he'd put away his scriptures and images of Buddha." - 'A Buddhist country' - The revival of Buddhism has been a sticky issue for the Mongolian government, which pledged not to extend any more invitations to the Dalai Lama after his visit to Ulan Bator last November angered China, its neighbour and biggest trade partner. There are now 3,500 monks across the country, said Munkhbaatar, who handles Gandan's foreign relations. Mullin expects these numbers to swell as the first wave of young Mongolian Buddhists return from studying in India and Tibet. Back in their homeland, they will face a tough financial reality. "Most Mongolian monasteries do not offer the proper conditions for monks to actually live in them," said Vesna Wallace, a religious studies scholar at the University of California, Santa Barbara. "Monasteries receive funding only when they are building something, not for their day-to-day operations. They rely on donations, so many monks are quite poor and have had to marry because they can't live off their own income." At the site of the Grand Maitreya project, Lunduv has faith the money will come. The project's official Facebook page said in March that the first building phase would be completed by the end of this summer if $25,000 in donations was raised. Every morning, Lunduv pours a freshly brewed cup of tea out onto the field around the construction area as a prayer to the gods. "It will be finished," Lunduv says. "The government will support us because our country is a Buddhist country." "Our history is tied to our religion." The Tennessee Faith and Justice Alliance, the Gospel Justice Initiative, the Christian Legal Society, the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, and the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services invite the public to attend a free Faith Leader Legal Resource Training. Learn how to better recognize and respond to urgent legal issues by using one easy tool to connect people in your faith body and community with free quality legal resources they need. The event will be on Friday, Sept. 22, from 13 p.m. at White Oak United Methodist Church, 2232 Lyndon Ave., Chattanooga, Tn. 37405. Training will include: an overview of free and trusted legal resources; basic legal issue spotting for faith leaders, and a special Legal Wellness CheckUp training for faith leaders by attorney, Kristen Jacobson, of the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services. The Legal Wellness Check-Up is a newly developed, simple tool that utilizes innovative technology to identify legal issues and connect people to free legal resources, personalized to specific needs of that person and their location in Tennessee. Additional information is available at: www.justiceforalltn.com https://www.help4tn.org/node/432/take-your-legal-wellness-checkup For further questions, e-mail Kimberly deMent, state pro bono coordinator with the Administrative Offices of the Tennessee Courts at 615 741-2687 or e-mail at kimi.deMent@tncourts.gov. Malaysian Fire and Rescue personnel stand outside the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah religious school in Kuala Lumpur on September 14, 2017 Twenty-three people, mostly children, were killed Thursday by a blaze that tore through a Malaysian religious school, trapping them in a dormitory with metal grilles barring its windows. Pupils and teachers inside the Islamic study centre in downtown Kuala Lumpur screamed for help as neighbours looked on helplessly. Many of the bodies of the victims -- who included 21 boys mostly in their teens -- were found piled on top of one another, indicating there may have been a stampede as the students sought to escape the inferno, which erupted before dawn. Firefighters rushed to the scene and the blaze was out within an hour but it wreaked terrible devastation. Pictures showed ash-covered, fire-blackened beds in the students' sleeping quarters. The accident will increase scrutiny of the religious schools known as tahfiz, where many Muslim Malaysians send their children to study the Koran but which are not regulated by education authorities and often operate illegally. Norhayati Abdul Halim, who lives opposite the school, told AFP she heard screams as the morning call to prayer rang out. "I thought there were people fighting," the 46-year-old said. "I opened the window to my house and I could see the school on fire -- they cried for help but I couldn't do anything." By the time firefighters arrived at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah school in the heart of the capital, "the screams had stopped", she added. Metal security grilles covering the windows of the children's dormitory prevented them from escaping the blaze and the only exit was on fire, officials said Officials said that the children were unable to escape the fire because the blaze blocked the only door to the top-floor dormitory and the windows were closed off with metal security grilles. Fourteen students managed to get out, and seven are being treated in hospital. "They escaped by breaking through a grille, and then jumping down, some of them came down holding onto (drain) pipes," said Health Minister S. Subramaniam. Fire officials said they suspected the blaze -- one of the deadliest in Malaysia for two decades -- was caused by an electrical short circuit, or a mosquito repelling device. Officials said the school was operating without the correct licences and Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, during a visit to the centre, announced authorities had launched an investigation. He said the premises had been only temporary but those running the school should nevertheless have followed safety requirements. - Controversial religious schools - Subramaniam said the bodies of 21 students and two staff members had been recovered, revising down an earlier official death toll of 24. The bodies, many severely burned, were being identified by DNA tests, he said. Nik Azlan Nik Abdul Kadir, who lost a 12-year-old in the fire, hugged his sobbing wife outside the school, and said he had seen his son only the previous evening. "He was in a jovial mood -- he loved studying here," he told AFP, adding another of his sons had been "saved" as he had refused to attend the school for the past fortnight. Malaysia school fire The accident will add to mounting concerns about the religious study centres. They are already facing scrutiny in the wake of the death of an 11-year-old boy who had allegedly been beaten at one of the institutions last year. Deputy Prime Minister Zahid said fire department records showed there had been 31 blazes at tahfiz since 2011. The latest tragedy was "the consequence of the absence of enforcement, and the failure to abide by rules and regulations by the operators of the religious school", said Chandra Muzaffar, a political scientist who promotes Islamic reform. Religious schools are not "above the law. One should close down schools which do not abide by the rules", he added. More than 60 percent of multicultural Malaysia's population of about 30 million are Muslim Malay, and the country is also home to substantial religious and ethnic minorities. Frank Vincent, known for his many mobster roles, played Phil Leotardo, Tony Soprano's ruthless antagonist at the end of the popular series starring James Gandolfini American actor Frank Vincent, who was known for his memorable gangster roles in "Goodfellas" and "The Sopranos," died on Wednesday. Television network HBO saluted Vincent on its Twitter account, saying, "Our family will never forget the Leotardo Legacy. RIP to an HBO legend." The reference was to Phil Leotardo, Tony Soprano's ruthless antagonist at the end of the wildly popular series starring James Gandolfini, who died in 2013. Celebrity news site TMZ said Vincent died of complications following open heart surgery in New Jersey. He had suffered a heart attack a week earlier. According to his biography on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) he was 78 years old. The actor had standout gangster roles in Martin Scorsese's 1980 film "Raging Bull," "Casino" (1995) as well as "Goodfellas" (1990). He also voiced the character of a Mafia boss in several "Grand Theft Auto" computer and video games. His film credits also include "The Pope of Greenwich Village" (1984) and Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing" (1989). Philippine Senator Antonio Trillanes had President Rodrigo Duterte's son, Paolo, brought before a Senate inquiry to face allegations he was involved in drug trafficking After launching his political career from a jail cell, Philippine Senator Antonio Trillanes believes it could end in a grave thanks to a relentless campaign against his "hitman" president. But the former Navy officer with a history of coup attempts appears to thrive on the pressures that have come with regularly accusing President Rodrigo Duterte of being a corrupt mass murderer. "This man is a sociopath and he has the mindset of a hitman," Trillanes, 46, told AFP in an interview on Wednesday from his senate office, offering a typically incendiary assessment of his rival. Duterte won last year's presidential elections on a brutal law-and-order platform in which he promised an unprecedented campaign to eradicate illegal drugs in society by killing up to 100,000 traffickers and addicts. Duterte won last year's presidential elections on a brutal law-and-order platform in which he promised an unprecedented campaign to eradicate illegal drugs in society by killing up to 100,000 traffickers and addicts He vowed so many bodies would be dumped in Manila Bay that the fish would grow fat from feeding on them, and said he would pardon police if they were found guilty of rights abuses while enacting his drug war. Since Duterte assumed office in the middle of last year, police have reported killing more than 3,800 people while thousands of others have been murdered in unexplained circumstances. Many Filipinos looking for quick solutions to crime continue to support Duterte, according to polls, and he enjoys majority backing in both houses of Congress. - Dictatorship fears - However a climate of fear has also emerged, with critics warning the president is determined to silence dissenters and drag the Philippines back into a dictatorship three decades after a "People Power" revolution ousted Ferdinand Marcos. Duterte has launched tirades against the Supreme Court chief justice, the Commission on Human Rights, the Catholic Church and critical media outlets. He and his allies have then started campaigns to curb their powers or discredit them. Senator Leila de Lima, who had been one of the most vocal critics alongside Trillanes, was in February jailed on drug trafficking charges she says were fabricated. Rights groups describe her as a political prisoner. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has launched tirades against the Supreme Court chief justice, the Commission of Human Rights, the Catholic Church and critical media outlets On the weekend Duterte made Trillanes his new top target. "I will destroy him or he will destroy me," Duterte told reporters. This came after Trillanes had Duterte's son, Paolo, brought before a Senate inquiry last week to face allegations he was involved in drug trafficking. Trillanes accused the younger Duterte of being a member of a Chinese triad that imported huge amounts of methamphetamines into the Philippines, and challenged him to show a tattoo on his back that allegedly proved he was a member of the gang. Paolo Duterte acknowledged he did have a tattoo on his back, but refused to show it and rejected all accusations against him. Since Duterte's "destroy" remark, his officials and social media supporters have accused Trillanes of hiding ill-gotten wealth in secret bank accounts. Duterte's son, Paolo, was brought before a Senate inquiry last week to face allegations he was involved in drug trafficking Trillanes denied those accusations, telling AFP they were an expected part of Duterte's counter-offensive, and that worse could come. "Duterte actually ordered a hit on me. He wants me killed. Aside from the fact he wants cases fabricated so I can be put away (in jail) like Senator De Lima," the father-of-two teenagers said. Even though he has called for so many killings, Duterte has repeatedly insisted that he would not act outside the law nor allow state-sponsored murders. - Crazy brave - Trillanes showed no signs in the interview of being intimidated by Duterte, likely drawing on his many years of experience in the Philippines' bare-knuckled democratic ring. As a young naval officer, Trillanes helped lead two brief coup attempts against then-president Gloria Arroyo in 2003 and 2007. Trillanes and his military allies accused Arroyo of corruption, state-sponsored terrorism and subverting democracy on multiple fronts. He was jailed for seven years but, in what was widely seen as an anti-Arroyo vote, became the first person to be elected a senator while in jail. Duterte's predecessor, an Arroyo critic, pardoned Trillanes and other coup plotters in 2010. This allowed Trillanes to pursue his senate career at full throttle -- and he became well-known for digging up dirt on a range of powerful politicians. To his supporters, Trillanes became a crazy brave anti-graft crusader. His critics saw him as a publicity hound chiefly concerned with advancing his political career. Trillanes rejected those accusations, insisting he would walk away from politics when his Senate term ended in 2019 to initially pursue a masters degree in international relations. "In this political fight with Duterte, there is no forthcoming election for me," Trillanes said as he defended his motives. "And most importantly my life is at stake here. So I believe no political ambition could ever match up to that." Until recently, Libya had been a major launching off point for migrants, most of them from African countries, trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe The UN agency for migration is trying to improve "terrible" conditions for migrants detained in Libya, and repatriate those willing and able to go home, its deputy head told AFP. "I think there are somewhere around 31 or 32 detention centers, and around half are controlled by, or are in the areas controlled by, the government," Laura Thompson of the International Organization for Migration said on Wednesday after a migration conference in Costa Rica. "I don't think that anybody knows" how many people are being kept in the facilities, where "extremely bad" conditions reign, she said. Not only was there a "lack of food, lack of adequate sanitary conditions, but in addition to that a mix of women, children, men" all thrown in together, she said. Until recently, Libya had been a major launching off point for migrants, most of them from African countries, trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. But since July the number of attempted crossings has dropped off dramatically. Libya's coastguard has received European Union funding and training to stop smugglers taking migrants to the water in flimsy boats. But the UN human rights chief, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, last week accused the EU of "turning a blind eye" to the brutality suffered by migrants the coastguard directed into the detention centers. Hundreds of thousands were being subjected to abuses including torture, slave labor and rape, he said. - 'Vicious circle' - Thompson said the IOM was trying to convince the unity government to provide alternatives to detention for women and children. It was also encouraging the Libyan coastguard to follow international standards in order to prevent the "vicious circle of saving people and putting them in detention conditions that are terrible." At the same time, it was sending willing migrants back to their home countries, with some 7,500 repatriated so far this year, she said. Obstacles to the process included some migrants lacking identity papers and many African countries not having consular representation in Libya, she said. Thompson noted that most of the migrants in Libya were there looking for jobs, drawn to its opportunities in its oil sector and once solid tourism industry. But since the end of former dictator Moamer Kadhafi's rule under NATO intervention six years ago, instability and conflict have persisted with the internationally recognized government competing with militias and rival administrations. The IOM has been trying to stem migrant flows from some African countries to Libya. In Niger, for instance, Thompson said the agency had been distributing information about the dire conditions awaiting those still bent on traveling to Libya. More than 6,800 people, the majority civilians, have died in the conflict that has seared through Thailand's deep south since 2004 One soldier died and 20 other people were wounded, including two civilians, as suspected rebels ambushed an army patrol in Thailand's violence-stricken deep south, officials said Thursday. The Muslim-majority region that borders Malaysia has been roiled by violence for over a decade as ethnic Malay insurgents battle the Buddhist-majority state for more autonomy. More than 6,800 people have died -- the majority civilians -- in a conflict that grinds on far from international headlines. The attack began early Thursday when a roadside bomb struck a vehicle carrying the army rangers in a remote village in the Yaha district of Yala province. A second explosive was detonated half an hour later as bomb squad experts arrived to clear the scene, followed by a shootout in which suspected militants peppered the security forces with fire. Southern army spokesman Colonel Pramote Prom-in said a lance corporal had died from his injuries, with 18 other soldiers wounded and "two villagers slightly injured". A Yaha district policeman confirmed the toll. The attack comes as the Thai junta holds talks with an umbrella group claiming to represent the rebels to set up 'safety zones' in the south as a form of limited ceasefire in a conflict that has seared through the region since 2004. But experts say the main faction with command and control over the insurgents is not committed to the talks with Thailand's military leaders, who seized power in 2014. The shadowy Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) is believed to be behind most of the violence in the region, although it never claims attacks and shuns publicity. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan's Shinzo Abe shake hands in front of a Shinkansen bullet train during a 2016 meeting in Kobe Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday inaugurated India's first bullet train project -- a $19 billion line in the home state of Indian leader Narendra Modi. The initiative is a major step toward reviving India's accident-prone delapidated rail network but is also seen as emblematic of fast warming relations between New Delhi and Tokyo. Both want to combat China's growing influence. The line, using Japanese trains and technology, will link Ahmedabad to India's financial capital Mumbai and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2023. The 500 kilometre (310 mile) journey will be cut from eight hours now to just over two hours when services start. "I hope to enjoy the beauty of India through the windows of the bullet train with Modi on my side when I come to India in a few years," Abe told a ceremony in Ahmedabad. "It marks the beginning of a new chapter in ties between India and Japan." Abe's visit comes just after a border standoff between India and China in a disputed and strategically important Himalayan area. The two prime ministers both hailed the strengthened ties between their countries. "The Indo-Japan relationship is not just about bilateral trade. It has developed into a strategic and global partnership in the Indian-Pacific region," said Abe. - Giant step for India - Modi has pledged billions of dollars for modernising India's creaking railway system that remains the main form of travel for millions. The bullet train is one of his pet projects. "Today India has taken a giant step in fulfilling a long cherished dream," Modi said to loud cheers from the audience. "The bullet train project will bring great speed, great development and great technology to the country." The new train with a capacity to carry 750 passengers is a bright spot for the world's fourth largest network by track length. More than 22 million passengers commute daily on some 9,000 trains across the British colonial-era network despite frequent accidents and delays. Trail derailments have already killed more than 200 people this year, including one last month in which 23 died in northern Uttar Pradesh state. Japan is a pioneer in high-speed rail networks and the project is a joint venture between Indian Railways and Japan's Shinkansen Technology. Japan proudly hails its ultra-efficient Shinkansen for its punctuality and zero-accident record. The train has a top speed of up to 350 kilometres (217 miles) an hour -- more than double the maximum speed of the fastest Indian trains. Japan, which is providing some 85 percent of the cost of the new train link in soft loans, will also facilitate transfer of technology and training of local engineers. The two leaders also signed 15 bilateral agreements as part of the annual India-Japan summit in diverse areas including civil aviation and science and technology. The premiers welcomed efforts to develop industrial corridors for growth in Asia and Africa. These will be rivals to China's so-called One Belt, One Road (OBOR) infrastructure initiative. Infrastructure linking different countries and regions must show "respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the rule of law and environment", the leaders said in a joint statement. India has opposed China's multi-billion dollar building of roads, ports and other infrastructure. It particularly highlights one corridor from China to Pakistan which passes through Kashmir, a territory disputed by India and Pakistan. On Wednesday, Modi welcomed Abe at the airport with his traditional big hug before the Japanese premier and his wife changed into Indian dress. The leaders are known to share personal camaraderie that has accelerated crucial ties between two of Asia's biggest democracies. Insurer Swiss Life says relevant all insurance contracts had been reported under US anti-tax evasion laws that require reporting of assets owned by US citizens Swiss insurer Swiss Life said Thursday it has been contacted by the US Department of Justice regarding its cross-border business with American clients. The firm said its business with US clients via its Swiss Life Liechtenstein and Swiss Life Singapore units amounts to approximately 250 million Swiss francs ($260 million, 220 million euros). It said all insurance contracts had been reported under US anti-tax evasion laws that require reporting of assets owned by US citizens. Swiss Life said portfolio of business with US clients had previously totalled as much as 1 billion Swiss francs. "Swiss Life will use the opportunity for dialogue and explain its past cross-border business in cooperation with the US authorities," it said, without providing any additional information about the nature of the contact from the Department of Justice. Swiss Life is particularly active in retirement savings and asset management. In recent years, the United States has tightened its crackdown on tax evasion by requiring foreign financial institutions to report assets held by US citizens. In order to keep access to the US market, Switzerland agreed to dismantle its long cherished bank secrecy practices. Credit Suisse, the Alpine nation's number two bank, was slapped with a $2.8-billion fine in 2014 after pleading guilty to having helped rich Americans evade taxes. Kurram tribal district, where MSF has been ejected, was the scene of carnage in June when twin blasts ripped through a crowded market, resulting in a protest by Pakistani Shiite Muslims Pakistani authorities have asked the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) aid group to close its medical facilities in a militancy-wracked tribal district, the organisation said, as officials tighten controls on foreign NGOs working in the country. MSF said the government has refused to renew the permit required to continue its healthcare projects in Kurram district in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) located in the restive northwest along the Afghan border. "MSF is saddened by the decision from the authorities responsible for NGOs working in Kurram Agency," Catherine Moody, the group's country representative, said in a statement released late Wednesday. The tribal districts are among the poorest areas in Pakistan, and are governed under a draconian legal system introduced by British colonial rulers more than a century ago. A senior government official in Kurram confirmed that MSF has been asked to stop working in the district after its permit expired. "They have been asked to stop working until their (permit) is renewed," the official told AFP Thursday, adding that authorities have been paying closer attention to foreign NGOs across the country, especially in tribal areas. The organisation said officials have not explained why their permit was refused in an area where its has been providing healthcare for 14 years. Although violence in Pakistan and its tribal districts has declined in recent years following a series of military offensives against insurgents, Kurram has remained a top target for militant groups. Parachinar, the capital of the mainly Shiite Kurram tribal district became a scene of carnage in June when twin blasts ripped through a crowded market days ahead of Eid celebrations marking the end of Ramadan, killing 69 people and wounding more than 200. The attack was the third major bombing to strike the area since January, with 115 people killed in total -- the highest in Pakistan. Inhabitants in the tribal belt have long complained its development and security has been neglected by Islamabad, which also appoints administrators with sweeping powers including the prerogative to collectively punish entire clans for the crime of an individual. MSF has been working in Kurram since 2004 where it was responsible for an outpatient department for children under five years and an inpatient department for severely ill children up to 12 years of age. "We will, as much as possible continue to provide obstetric and newborn services to the women of FATA through the MSF womens hospital located in Peshawar," the statement said. The group has a long history in Pakistan, working with communities affected by natural disasters, conflicts and insufficient healthcare facilities for over 30 years. Labour leader Jacinda Ardern had previously refused to release a tax plan ahead of the September 23 election, saying she would consult with a committee of experts after the poll New Zealand opposition leader Jacinda Ardern made a U-turn on tax policy Thursday in a bid to shore up support amid fears her charmed election campaign run is over. Ardern had previously refused to release a tax plan ahead of the September 23 election, saying she would consult with a committee of experts after the poll. But the policy vacuum allowed Prime Minister Bill English to attack Ardern's financial credibility, halting the momentum she developed after taking over the centre-left Labour Party last month. English's conservative National Party ran an effective scare campaign warning voters Labour could introduce taxes on assets like the family home and inheritances, despite denials from Ardern. In an effort to reignite the "Jacinda-mania" of recent weeks, Ardern said Thursday there would be no changes to the tax system until 2021, taking the issue off the agenda for the current campaign. "I heard from voters that they wanted that certainty," Ardern told reporters. The move came as opinion polls provided mixed messages for the charismatic 37-year-old, who took over the Labour leadership with the party's support at 20-year lows of 23 percent. But while the party is still in a strong position, the polls indicate Labour's huge gains under Ardern have halted, or even declined. The latest 1News-Colmar Brunton poll, released Thursday, put Labour at 44 percent -- up one percentage point on the previous week but unable to extend its four-point lead over National on 40 percent. The survey of 1,000 voters also showed Ardern's rating as preferred prime minister slipped one point to 34 percent, while English rose one point to 32. Even more sobering for Ardern was a Reid-Newshub poll released Tuesday that had National up 4.0 percentage points at 47.3 percent and Labour down 1.6 at 37.8 percent. Radio New Zealand, which collates various polls, said the average from the three most recent surveys available put National on 41.3 percent, just ahead of Labour on 40.5. Ardern said it was going to be a close contest. "Given the volatility of the polls, I'm not willing to accept any of the numbers I'm seeing at the moment," she said. A new Habitat for Humanity of Catoosa County family broke ground at the future site of their home on Saturday. The new family, Janelle and her two children, broke ground on the new construction site at Baggett Estates located in Ringgold. We are so blessed to be a part of Habitat and we are looking forward to helping in the build, said Janelle. This is such a great opportunity for my family. Catoosa Habitat board members as well as members from Mt. Having Janelles church family out here just shows how much she is loved, said Penny Mahon, Catoosa Habitats executive director. We are looking forward to having the support of Mt. Peria Missionary Baptist Church as we begin construction on our new Habitat home. Construction will begin later in the year and people wanting to volunteer are encouraged to contact Catoosa Habitat. Anyone wanting to volunteer for the build site can contact us by email at Habitat1@catt.com by signing up on our website at catoosahabitat.org. To learn more about what Catoosa Habitat is doing in the community, go to catoosahabitat.org and like Habitat for Humanity of Catoosa County on Facebook. A fighter pilot from a Saudi-led coalition flies a mission over Yemen where it has been conducting an air war since March 2015 A Saudi pilot was killed in Yemen while providing air support for an operation against Al-Qaeda militants, a Saudi-led coalition backing the government said on Thursday. The Saudi Royal Air Force plane crashed in the southern province of Abyan on Wednesday night "due to a technical failure," coalition spokesman Colonel Turki al-Maliki told the official Saudi Press Agency. On the ground, coalition-backed Yemeni forces managed to drive Al-Qaeda militants from Abyan's Wadea district on Thursday, symbolic as the birthplace of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. Abyan was a no-go zone for pro-government troops for months after Al-Qaeda fighters regrouped there following a similar offensive in neighbouring Shabwa province last month. Security sources told AFP the jihadists had not put up much resistance but instead withdrew -- a now familiar pattern for Al-Qaeda in Yemen. "Most of the organisation's leaders fled ... and headed towards the nearby Muhafid district," the sources said, referring to an Al-Qaeda stronghold on the edge of Abyan province. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, seen by the United States as the network's most dangerous branch, has exploited years of conflict between the government and Shiite rebels who control the capital to expand its presence. Forces loyal to the Yemeni government are battling Al-Qaeda fighters who have exploited years of conflict to expand their presence in the impoverished country The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015, when Hadi fled into exile as the rebels threatened to overrun his last stronghold. Despite the support of the coalition's firepower, the writ of Hadi's government is still largely confined to the south and areas along the Saudi border. Philippine police have reported killing more than 3,800 people to fulfil President Rodrigo Duterte's vow to rid the country of narcotics Church bells rang across the mainly Catholic Philippines late Thursday as bishops rallied opposition to the "reign of terror" that has left thousands dead in President Rodrigo Duterte's drug war. Police have reported killing more than 3,800 people to fulfil Duterte's vow to rid the country of narcotics, with the 15-month crackdown triggering wider violence that has seen thousands of other people found dead in unexplained circumstances. An elderly church sexton tugged on a rope to ring a 171-year-old bell atop the San Roque cathedral, its slow, deep peals sweeping over the vast slums of northern Manila around the 211-year-old church. "Many of the drug killings had taken place in this diocese," Ryan Rezo, another church employee, told AFP. Church leaders said bells around the country would simultaneously ring for five minutes from 8:00 pm (1200 GMT) to honour the dead and remind the living that the bloodshed must stop. The ritual will continue for 40 nights. "We cannot allow the destruction of lives to become normal. We cannot govern the nation by killing," Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle said in a pastoral letter last week launching the campaign. The president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, Archbishop Socrates Villegas, followed up this week with an even stronger pastoral letter. - 'Reign of terror' - "For the sake of the children and the poor, stop their systematic murders and spreading reign of terror," Villegas wrote. Duterte won last year's presidential elections on a brutal law-and-order platform in which he promised an unprecedented campaign to eradicate illegal drugs in society by killing up to 100,000 traffickers and addicts. Duterte has made the drug war the top priority of his administration, and has regularly encouraged more bloodshed with comments such as describing himself as "happy to slaughter" three million addicts. Nevertheless, the president and his aides reject allegations they are overseeing a crime against humanity. They say police are killing only in self-defence, and the thousands of other unexplained murders could be due to drug gangs fighting each other. Many Filipinos looking for quick solutions to crime continue to support Duterte, according to polls, and he enjoys majority backing in both houses of Congress. But the Church has emerged as the leader of a growing opposition in recent months. The killings of three teenagers, two of them at the hands of police in the northern Manila district of Caloocan on consecutive nights last month, sparked rare street protests against the crackdown. Caloocan Bishop Pablo David said earlier Thursday he was giving refuge to two witnesses to the killing of one of the three slain boys. "If you are a relative of a victim of extrajudicial killing or a witness to the extrajudicial killing of a particular victim, now is the time to come out," he told reporters. Church officials say the tolling of bells for the dead originated from the Crusades, when Christian nations of Europe sent military expeditions to reclaim holy places in the Middle East. The Catholic Church, to which eight in 10 Filipinos belong, has a history of influencing politics in the Philippines and helped lead the "People Power" revolution that overthrew dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. Duterte has repeatedly praised Marcos as a "hero", and made speeches seeking to discredit the Church. Around 380,000 Rohingya have sought sanctuary in Bangladesh since the outbreak of violence three weeks ago, fleeing burning villages and alleged army atrocities Rohingya militants, whose raids in western Myanmar provoked an army crackdown that spurred a humanitarian crisis, denied any links to global terror groups on Thursday, days after Al-Qaeda urged Muslims to rally to their cause. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) says it is trying to defend the minority group from a long campaign of persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where the Rohingya are denied citizenship. But its actions have plunged a region, already a crucible of religious and ethnic tension, deeper into crisis. Around 380,000 Rohingya have sought sanctuary in Bangladesh since the outbreak of violence three weeks ago, fleeing burning villages and alleged army atrocities, joining what has become one of the world's largest refugee camps in Cox's Bazar. Nearly 30,000 Buddhists and Hindus have also been displaced inside Rakhine. Rights group say Myanmar's army has used the ARSA's attacks as cover to try to push out the estimated 1.1 million Rohingya population. Myanmar's government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, has denied the allegations. Fleeing Rohingya It labels the militants as "extremist terrorists" who want to impose Islamic rule over a portion of Rakhine state. They have also previously described the group as harbouring fighters who have trained with the Pakistani Taliban, ideas that have become the currency of arguments among the mainly Buddhist public for why the crackdown is justified. Al-Qaeda on Tuesday urged Muslims around the world to support the Rohingya cause and "make the necessary preparations -- training and the like -- to resist this oppression" in a statement on Telegram. ARSA has repeatedly distanced itself from the agenda of international jihad, instead insisting its claims are local and in defence of major state repression. "ARSA feels that it is necessary to make it clear that it has no links with Al Qaeda, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Lashkar-e-Taiba or any transnational terrorist group," the group said in a statement posted on its Twitter account. "We do not welcome the involvement of these groups in the Arakan (Rakhine) conflict. ARSA calls on states in the region to intercept and prevent terrorists from entering Arakan and making a bad situation worse." According to the International Crisis group, ARSA is steered by Rohingya emigres in Saudi Arabia and commanded in the field by overseas-trained guerilla fighters. But most of its recruits are armed with crude weapons like machetes and sticks. Analysts warn the treatment of the Rohingya -- and the huge number of new angry and dispossessed refugees in Bangladesh -- is rich pickings for militant Islamist recruiters. The refugee camps in Bangladesh are bursting at the seams, with aid groups and authorities scrambling to erect new shelters and provide food and medical support to an endless tide of hungry and traumatised arrivals. More than 100 Rohingya have died while making the perilous boat crossing over to Bangladesh, with two more bodies, including a one-month old baby, washing up on shore on Thursday. Two thirds of the Rohingya refugees are children, according to the UN, hundreds of whom have arrived in Bangladesh alone after being split from their families in the swirl of violence. Violence coursing through western Myanmar has sparked an exodus of hundreds of thousands of stateless Muslim Rohingya, generating international alarm at the blistering animosity fuelling a cycle of bloodshed in the region. Violence coursing through western Myanmar has sparked an exodus of hundreds of thousands of stateless Muslim Rohingya, generating international alarm at the blistering animosity fuelling a cycle of bloodshed in the region. Here are the main players in the spiralling crisis. The refugees The United Nations says some 380,000 Rohingya -- about 60 percent of whom are children -- have fled to Bangladesh since violence broke out in Rakhine state in late August. That's a third of the Rohingya population in Myanmar. They have arrived in Bangladesh with scant belongings and harrowing tales of attacks from Myanmar's military and Rakhine Buddhists. It is the latest tragedy for the persecuted Rohingya. Many of the Muslim minority trace their lineage in Myanmar back generations, but were rendered effectively stateless by the former junta and are demonised among the Buddhist-majority population as illegal immigrants. The group has been subjected to suffocating restrictions on movement, employment and access to basic services since a previous outbreak of violence in 2012. That left more than 100,000 trapped in squalid camps near the Rakhine state capital Sittwe. Nearly 30,000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists as well as Hindus have also been displaced inside Myanmar in the latest violence. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) Originally calling themselves Harakah al-Yaqin (the Faith Movement), this group burst to prominence in October 2016 with deadly attacks on Myanmar border police. Bigger attacks on August 25 triggered the latest violence, with the army launching a counter offensive that has left hundreds dead and driven a tide of refugees from their homes. ARSA is fronted by Ata Ullah, a commander who is believed to have been born to a Rohingya family in Karachi, Pakistan, and to have lived in Saudi Arabia. Rohingya leaders have long rejected attempts by outside militants to radicalise the population, believing them to be counterproductive. But observers say oppressive restrictions imposed since the 2012 violence have allowed support for militancy to take root. The group may only have had several hundred trained militants when it launched its attacks, but local Rohingya men are thought to have taken up crude weapons to join the fight in recent weeks. Aung San Suu Kyi As the figurehead for Myanmar's civilian leadership, Nobel laureate Suu Kyi has been a lightning rod for international condemnation of the country's response to the crisis. A flock of fellow Peace Prize winners have decried her for staying silent on the plight of the Rohingya. Suu Kyi has long faced criticism for failing to champion religious tolerance in Myanmar, where a powerful monk-led Buddhist nationalist movement has fed on seething anti-Muslim sentiment. Her party shed all its prominent Muslim figures to contest 2015 polls. Statements from her office attempting to justify the army's assaults have appeared clumsy at best. But the crisis has also underscored the government's inability to control the military, which retains sweeping powers from its years of junta rule and is not subject to civilian oversight. The military Myanmar army chief Min Aung Hlaing commands one of the region's largest armies, a fighting force that has for decades waged wars within the country's borders against fighters from minority groups. Myanmar's army, which ruled the country with an iron fist for nearly half a century, has often used scorched-earth tactics against communities it believes are sympathetic to rebel groups. The military can whip up support among many in the country by presenting its operations as defending local Rakhine Buddhists against what the government has insisted are "extremist terrorists". But the severity of the latest fighting may further unsettle ethnic armed groups engaged in fragile peace talks. And the unrest looks to sour international hopes of engaging with the military to entice it into giving up its autocratic habits. Bangladesh The fresh exodus of Rohingya has generated a humanitarian crisis in Bangladesh, where existing UN-run refugee camps are already packed with Rohingya who fled from previous waves of Myanmar violence. Dhaka, which has refused to permanently absorb the Rohingya, said it plans to build a huge new camp that will house a quarter of a million refugees. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called on Myanmar to "stop oppressing innocent people". International community UN chief Antonio Guterres has warned the military campaign amounted to ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya. The UN Security Council on Wednesday called for an end to the violence. The statement had the backing of China, which has significant economic interests in Rakhine state, despite Beijing's previous comments supporting Myanmar's military crackdown. As Muslim nations around the world raise alarm over the crisis, Turkey is also planning a meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Protesters march during an anti-government demonstration last week as a coalition of opposition parties has renewed calls for massive protests next week. Togo's opposition parties on Thursday said they had shelved a planned meeting to discuss constitutional reform and instead called for the country's biggest ever anti-government protests. In a statement, they accused President Faure Gnassingbe and his government of resorting to "obstinacy and diversion" in response to growing calls for political change. The coalition of 14 parties want a two-term limit on presidential mandates and the introduction of a two-round voting system. They had been due to meet on Friday but instead called for "the biggest ever public mobilisation" against the regime next Wednesday and Thursday. Last week, the government gave an apparent concession to the hundreds of thousands of protesters who took to the streets across the country by publishing a bill on political reform. Gnassingbe took over as president in 2005 after the death of his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who had ruled the tiny West African nation since 1967. On Wednesday, the government called for "calm and restraint", and denounced what it said was an "escalation of physical and verbal violence" bordering on a "call for rebellion". Parliament is expected to begin debating the reform bill on Friday. The West African regional bloc ECOWAS, of which Gnassingbe currently holds the rotating presidency, has called for dialogue between both sides. Officials have ordered an offshore fishing ban as Doksuri nears, with the storm expected to make landfall in Vietnam midday Friday Vietnam on Thursday ordered tens of thousands of people to evacuate its central coastal area as Typhoon Doksuri closed in, with officials predicting the storm could be the most powerful in a decade. Doksuri is expected to make landfall in Vietnam midday Friday, packing heavy winds and rain. Officials ordered an offshore fishing ban, while some 47,000 people in Ha Tinh province began leaving their homes Thursday, according to an official from the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority who declined to be named. The storm is forecast to lash four central provinces with heavy rain and winds of up to 155 kilometres per hour (96 miles per hour), according to the Hong Kong Observatory. Panicked residents fortified their homes and hauled boats in from the water on Thursday. "We have prepared sandbags to put on the roof so when the storm arrives it won't be blown off," Nguyen Thi Que, a resident of Ha Tinh province, said on state-controlled news site Zing. Further evacuations are expected in neighbouring Quang Binh, Nghe An and Quang Tri provinces. "(We) have to evacuate people resolutely, even forcefully... to avoid any casualties when the storm arrives," Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said Thursday, according to footage on Zing. Vietnam issued a category four "danger" warning, the second most severe of its five-tier warning system, as disaster management officials said it will be the worst storm to hit Vietnam in 10 years. The government said it had 250,000 soldiers on standby along with a fleet of vehicles and boats at the ready. Vietnam has already been hit by severe weather this year, with 140 people dead or missing in natural disasters since January, according to official figures. Around 235 people were reported dead and missing last year due to flooding and bad weather in Vietnam. Authorities estimated the losses at $1.7 billion. The Southeast Asian nation is routinely hit by tropical storms from around May to October, with its central coast most frequently affected. VW and its joint ventures with Chinese partners FAW and SAIC will start withdrawing 4.86 million vehicles fitted with potentially faulty airbags made by Japan's bankrupt airbag giant Takata from March 2018, according to China's top consumer watchdog Volkswagen will recall almost five million vehicles in China over airbag concerns, Chinese authorities said Thursday, dealing a new blow to the German automaker in the world's largest car market. VW and its joint ventures with Chinese partners FAW and SAIC will start withdrawing 4.86 million vehicles fitted with potentially faulty airbags made by Japan's bankrupt airbag giant Takata from March 2018, according to China's top consumer watchdog. The announcement came just 10 days after VW and its local partners agreed to recall 1.82 million vehicles owing to a faulty fuel pump. In March Volkswagen recalled nearly 680,000 premium Audi cars in China over defects in coolant pumps that could lead to engine fires, and another 572,000 due to potential problems arising from leaks in the panoramic sunroof. The latest recall involves vehicles made between 2005 and 2017, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. Of the vehicles being recalled, more than 4.7 million units were made in Chinese factories and 103,573 are imports. Takata has recalled some 100 million airbags produced for some of the largest automakers, including about 70 million in the US, due to the risk that they could improperly inflate and rupture, potentially firing deadly shrapnel at the occupants. The defect has been linked to 16 deaths and scores of injuries worldwide. China is a crucial market for VW, which sold nearly four million vehicles in the world's biggest auto market last years. VW is still trying to recover from the controversy after it admitted in 2015 to equipping its diesel cars with defeat devices to evade emissions tests. The company pleaded guilty in March to charges stemming from "dieselgate" and agreed to pay $4.3 billion in penalties -- on top of $17.5 billion in civil settlements. Volkswagen still faces legal challenges in Germany and worldwide, and has so far set aside more than 22 billion euros ($24.4 billion) to cover costs. Experts estimate the final bill from the scandal could be even higher. Trump's predecessor Barack Obama protected such immigrants, known as "dreamers," through his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) order No deal has been finalized on measures that would protect young immigrants on the DACA program after a meeting with top congressional Democrats, President Donald Trump said Thursday. "No deal was made last night on DACA," the president tweeted, refering to talks with Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi. "Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote," he wrote. "The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built," Trump tweeted, referring to the proposed barrier along the US-Mexico border that was a cornerstone of his election platform. Schumer and Pelosi emerged from a meeting with Trump late Wednesday stating that they had a "very productive" dinner meeting in which the discussion focused on the fate of young immigrants who arrived in the country illegally as children. Trump's predecessor Barack Obama protected such immigrants, known as "dreamers," through his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) order. But Trump rescinded that executive order, and urged Congress to craft a legal solution within the next six months. While insisting there was no deal with the Democrats, Trump repeated a key Democratic argument in support of allowing young people who arrived illegally in the United States of no fault of their own to stay. "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!" Trump said in a later tweet. "...They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security". Trump has maintained his desire to build a wall, even threatening a government shutdown last month if he did not get his way. Funding for its construction would likely be pursued through budget talks and not DACA legislation. An Iraqi prints Kurdish flags in the regional capital Arbil ahead of an independence referendum planned for September 25, 2017 Iraq's parliament voted on Thursday to sack the governor of oil-rich Kirkuk over his decision for the northern province to vote in a Kurdish independence referendum opposed by Baghdad. Parliament speaker Salim al-Juburi said he had received a letter from Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's office calling for MPs to vote on the dismissal of the governor, Najm Eddine Karim. The Iraqi parliament earlier this week voted against plans by leaders of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq to hold the non-binding September 25 referendum. The planned vote has faced strong opposition from the federal government in Baghdad as well as neighbouring Iran and Turkey, which fear it will stoke separatist aspirations among their own sizeable Kurdish minorities. Critics of the vote, including the United States and the European Union and even some members of Iraq's 5.5 million-strong Kurdish minority, say it could distract from the fight against jihadists. Kirkuk -- a province contested by Baghdad and autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan and home to diverse communities, including Arabs and Turkmen -- decided at the end of August to take part in the controversial referendum. Australia will hold an inquiry into the impact of platforms like Google and Facebook on the media industry Controversial changes to Australia's media laws passed the upper house Thursday, paving the way for a significant concentration of ownership, in a move welcomed by the industry. Under legislation introduced in the 1980s to protect diversity, media companies are blocked from owning television, radio and newspaper assets in the same city, while metropolitan and regional broadcasters are barred from merging. Major players in the market have long pressed for change, arguing the rules are outdated and do not account for digital media platforms and new publishers like Google and Facebook and video streaming giants such as Netflix. "These changes bring Australia's outdated media laws into the 21st century," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in a statement late Thursday after the upper house Senate passed the bill. "They now finally recognise the enormous disruption that has been caused by the Internet. Australian media companies will now be better placed to compete with the big online media companies from overseas." Canberra unveiled plans for a revamp 18 months ago and a final deal was struck in the Senate, where the government needs the support of independents, including the right-wing One Nation party, to pass new laws. The legislation is expected to be passed by the lower House of Representatives, where the government has a one-seat majority, when parliament resumes in mid-October. Seven West Media -- which owns broadcaster Channel Seven, magazines and The West Australian newspaper -- welcomed the reforms, saying they would provide a "better future for local news and Australian stories". "These historic changes will give Australian media companies a real opportunity to compete with unregulated global players," Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes said in a statement to national broadcaster ABC. - Levelling the playing field - Under the changes, a company would be allowed to own a TV station, newspaper and radio station in a single market. The "reach rule", which prevented a single TV broadcaster from reaching more than 75 percent of the population, would be repealed. The opposition Labor party and the Greens were against the "two out of three" rule being scrapped, arguing it will lead to a higher concentration of media ownership, notably in the hands of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. To reach agreement with the independents, the government had to make concessions, including establishing a Aus$60.4 million (US$48 million) fund for regional and small publishers and more training for journalists. New laws would also be introduced later this year to set up a public register of foreign-owned media assets and increase the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's focus on regional and rural issues. Independent Senator Nick Xenophon, whose support was crucial, earlier said he had also secured a deal for an inquiry into the impact of platforms like Google and Facebook, which he said were making billions in advertising revenue in Australia, but paying little tax. "It will be a world-first inquiry into the power of Google and Facebook and other social media platforms, the impact on the media, issues of copyright and market domination, how do we level the playing field for media organisations?," said Xenophon. No details about the inquiry were released by the government. Like other international media organisations, those in Australia have suffered from declining advertising revenues and circulation, with many slashing staff levels and costs. PRINT | EMAIL | PERMALINK Newscity Flecks Weather Report According to federal monitors, New Mexico has finally seen some relief from a drought that lasted nearly 18 years. Local water expert, former Albuquerque Journal environment reporter and current director of UNMs water resources academic program John Fleck is excited about the current conditions, but warns they might be the short-lived results of this years bountiful monsoon season. Fleck told local media outlets that, It's a lot warmer, and so for a given amount of rain and snow that falls, less of that ends up in the river. We're clearly seeing a decline in the water supply as a result of climate change in New Mexicothere's no question about that." Fleck argues that despite the higher average rainfall totals this year, the real danger remains rising temperatures. These changes will affect our landscape the science writer argued, telling the press, One of the things that we're seeing, especially in the forests of northern New Mexico, is a die-off of trees because they're just being hammered by these warmer temperatures. McCullochs Success Report Frank McCulloch, the Principal at Albuquerques Amy Biel High School has some news for local citizens concerned about the quality of education available at the charter school. Writing in the Albuquerque Journal as a guest columnist, McCulloch characterizes the latest ranking produced by the State of New Mexico Public Education department to be out of sync with the reality of success at the school he directs. The principal notes that although the school has been designated as an urban, high poverty, high minority school, data gathered by the state and by the school still indicates success. According to McCulloch, 96 percent of Biel graduates apply to and attend college, and 86 percent of these young scholars are still attending two years later. This is evidence that the school is closing the achievement gap found at some schools that suffer from endemic student poverty, McCulloch concludes. Dollar General Stores in Lookout Valley and East Ridge have sold for over $3.4 million. The store at 151 Browns Ferry Road near I-24 sold for $1,917,738. The store at 5707 Ringgold Road sold for $1,526,269. The sales were to Wim Dg Portfolio Owner Llc from Dgchtn001 Llc. Bangladeshi boat owners were charging refugees up to $100 for a 10-30 minute trip to Bangladesh that would normally cost less than 50 US cents Bangladeshi boat operators are exploiting Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in Myanmar by demanding up to $100 for ferry trips that usually cost 50 cents, as the United Nations warned Thursday of a "worst case scenario" in which the entire minority group tries to escape the unrest. Some 389,000 Rohingya - including 10,000 in the past 24 hours -- have fled across the border since late August and there have been growing appeals for Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi to speak out in their defence. Many have trekked across hills and through jungles for days to reach the border only to be faced with hugely inflated prices for a seat on a boat crossing the Naf river that divides the two countries. Bangladeshi magistrates operating mobile courts in the border town of Cox's Bazar and nearby districts have now started sentencing boat owners and local villagers to terms of up to six months in prison, officials said Thursday. Government spokesman Khaled Mahmud from the Cox's Bazar district told AFP that the mobile courts have convicted 165 people -- of whom 160 people were jailed for between three to six months and the remaining five were fined. Many Rohingya have trekked across hills and through jungles for days to reach the border with Myanmar and have told of the demands made by gangs and individuals to get a place on a boat crossing the Naf river that divides the two countries An AFP correspondent at the river said boat owners were charging refugees up to $100 for a 10-30 minute trip that would normally cost less than 50 cents -- a mark-up of 200 times. "The boatman extracted every last penny from us for the ferry. Now we want to go to the camp but don't have any money," Momena Begum, 35, a Rohingya mother of five, told AFP. She sat with her children beside a highway running along the beach at Teknaf, unable to get a ride to the refugee camps some 10 kilometres (six miles) from the border. "The boatmen threatened to throw us into the sea if we refused to give them our valuables," said Nadera Banu, 19, who got married only last year but is already a widow. "I gave up the final memento of my husband, a gold locket given on my wedding day, to escape," she said. Media reports have mentioned Rohingya being held by boatmen and agents for hours in coastal villages until they received inflated payments for the trip. Rohingya living in established refugee camps in Bangladesh have also been accused of joining the profiteering. The influx has left Bangladesh struggling to provide relief for exhausted and hungry refugees -- some 60 percent of whom are children. The UN said Thursday it had been caught by surprise by the crisis, with other international agencies and the Bangladesh government also overwhelmed. Mohammed Abdiker Mohamud, a director of the International Organization for Migration, the UN's migration agency, said it was preparing for the worst. "We have to estimate the worst case scenario where everybody moves out," he said. "We cannot just put our heads in sand say that everything will be OK." Meanwhile UNICEF said children's health was at risk as conditions deteriorate. "Conditions on the ground place children at risk of high risk of water-borne disease. We have a monumental task ahead of us to protect these extremely vulnerable children," Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF's representative in Bangladesh, said in a statement. - Breaking the silence - The crisis, which began when Myanmar launched a military crackdown on August 25, has sparked international alarm, with the UN Security Council on Wednesday breaking its weeks-long silence and calling for an end to the violence. Teh UN Security Council has expressed concern about the use of excessive force during security operations in Rakhine state and has called for 'immediate steps' to end the violence UN chief Antonio Guterres said the military campaign, which came in response to attacks by Rohingya militants, amounted to ethnic cleansing. The 15-member council expressed concern about the security operations in Rakhine state and called for "immediate steps" to end the violence. The 1.1-million-strong Rohingya have suffered years of discrimination in Myanmar, where they are denied citizenship even though many have longstanding roots in the country. Suu Kyi's spokesman has said she will not attend next week's annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations, where the plight of the Rohingya will be in the spotlight. Fleeing Rohingya He said the Nobel laureate and long-time human rights champion, who has been condemned for a lack of moral leadership and compassion in resolving the crisis, will deliver an address next week on peace and reconciliation in Myanmar. Suu Kyi, Myanmar's first civilian leader in decades, has no control over the powerful military, which ran the country for 50 years. There is also scant sympathy among Myanmar's Buddhist majority for the Rohingya, who are commonly branded "Bengalis" -- shorthand for illegal immigrants. Rohingya arriving in Bangladesh have told chilling accounts of soldiers firing on civilians and razing entire villages in the north of Rakhine with the help of Buddhist mobs. The army denies the allegations. Twelve Nobel laureates have signed an open letter urging the UN to "intervene immediately by using all available means" to end the "crimes against humanity" unfolding in Rakhine. Israeli army's chief of staff Gadi Izenkot salutes during a ceremony marking one year since the death of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and president Shimon Peres on September 14, 2017 at Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem Friends including Tony Blair joined with old political rivals Thursday in saluting Israel's Nobel laureate Shimon Peres and his dream of peace, on the first anniversary of his death. In a state ceremony at Jerusalem's Mount Herzl national cemetery, President Reuven Rivlin paid a warm tribute, along with British former premier and Middle East peace envoy Blair. "It's sad without you, even for those who didn't always agree with you," said Rivlin, a former lawmaker in the right-wing Likud party, who lost to Peres in the 2007 presidential race but won the post in 2014. Peres, a Labour party stalwart, served twice as prime minister and held senior cabinet posts during a public career spanning 70 years, predating Israeli statehood. He shared the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize with prime minister Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat for his role in negotiating the Oslo peace accords, which envisioned an independent Palestinian state. But attempts to resolve the dispute have been at a standstill since a US-led initiative collapsed in 2014. Former British prime minister Tony Blair speaks to former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger during a ceremony marking one year since the death of the late Israeli president Shimon Peres at Mount Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem "The dream of peace which you wove is still far, far off," Rivlin said Thursday, addressing his remarks to "My dear Shimon." "You taught us that the world, including our neighbourhood, can be a friend, not just a predator," he said. "That peace and security are two sides of the very same coin." Peres died aged 93 on September 28, 2016. His funeral in Jerusalem was attended by a gallery of world leaders including then US president Barack Obama. The anniversary according to the Hebrew calendar falls on Saturday. Blair, who became envoy of the Middle East Quartet of peacemakers after leaving the British prime minister's office in 2007, said that Peres always stayed true to his vision. "He never gave up on peace with the Palestinians or on his belief that peace was best secured by an independent state of Palestine alongside a recognised state of Israel," he said. Chemi Peres, one of the late president's three children, said that in his biography, published in English on Tuesday, his father shows that he knew his life was coming to an end. He quoted from the final chapter of the book, "No Room for Small Dreams: Courage, Imagination and the Making of Modern Israel." "I was given about two and a half billion seconds and I decided to make use of each one of them in order to make a difference," he read. "I don't regret any of my dreams," Simon Peres wrote. "My only regret is not having dreamed more." Rohingya Muslim refugees arriving from Myanmar through Lomba Beel after crossing the Naf river near the Bangladeshi town of Teknaf, on September 11, 2017 The European Parliament on Thursday demanded the Myanmar military immediately end violence against Rohingya Muslims, adding to international pressure over the crisis that has sent nearly 380,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh. MEPs urged Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been pilloried by rights groups for failing to speak up for the Rohingya, to "condemn unequivocally" all incitement to racial and religious hatred. A crackdown by Myanmar's army, launched in response to attacks by Rohingya militants on August 25, has pushed vast numbers of the stateless Muslim minority across the border. The resolution backed by MEPs "strongly urges the military and security forces to immediately cease the killings, harassment and rape of the Rohingya people, and the burning of their homes". It also urges the European Union to make it clear it is prepared to consider sanctions against Myanmar if human rights abuses continue. The violence has driven a humanitarian crisis on both sides of the border and put intense global pressure on Nobel peace laureate Suu Kyi to condemn the army campaign, which the UN says amounts to "ethnic cleansing". Chilling accounts have emerged from Rohingya refugees telling of soldiers firing on civilians and razing entire villages in the north of Rakhine state with the help of Buddhist mobs. The army denies the allegations. "Myanmar has taken extreme action against the whole Rohingya community in response to the terrorist actions of a few individuals. They have gone well beyond an acceptable response," British MEP Amjad Bashir said. "We have put Myanmar on notice that unless the persecution and violence stops, we will take action." Suu Kyi, whose reputation as a human rights champion has been left battered by her response to the crisis, is to make a speech on the issue next week. Her limited comments so far have referenced a "huge iceberg of misinformation" and played down alleged atrocities against the Rohingya. Bangladesh is struggling to provide relief for the huge influx of exhausted and hungry refugees -- some 60 percent of whom are children -- while nearly 30,000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists as well as Hindus have also been displaced inside Myanmar. US President Donald Trump answers reporters' questions on DACA upon his arrival in Fort Myers, Florida President Donald Trump on Thursday infuriated some of his staunchest supporters by appearing to back away from vows to curb illegal immigration and embracing a deal with opposition Democrats. Longtime allies dubbed Trump "Amnesty Don" and warned he risked fracturing his political base, after the enigmatic president opened the door for hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants to stay in the United States. Trump said he was "fairly close" to reaching a deal with Democrats to allow immigrants brought to the United States as children to stay, even without a direct commitment to fund his much-vaunted border wall. "You have 800,000 young people, brought here, no fault of their own. So we're working on a plan," Trump said, hours after hosting a working dinner with top congressional Democrats on the so-called "Dreamers," who were protected from deportation under an Obama-era scheme called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) . Anti-immigration Republican Congressman Steve King responded furiously, saying such a deal would mean the "Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." Breitbart News, a far-right website run by former chief White House strategist Steve Bannon, disparaged him as "Amnesty Don" and screamed betrayal. A handful of indignant Republican activists even called for Trump's impeachment. - Damage limitation - Tackling illegal immigration was a core tenet of Trump's political platform and perhaps the only issue that united his conservative, evangelical and nationalist supporters. But nine months into his presidency and in dire need of political wins, Trump has moved to embrace Democrats, hosing Senate leader Chuck Schumer and House of Representatives top Democrat Nancy Pelosi at the White House Wednesday. "We agreed that the President would support enshrining DACA protections into law" the pair said in a joint statement, adding that no funding for Trump's long-promised wall on the US-Mexico border would be in the deal. Trump's predecessor Barack Obama protected such immigrants, known as "dreamers," through his Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) order The working dinner was the second time in a week that Trump huddled with Democrats. Last week, in a move that vexed Republican conservatives, he struck a deal with Democrats on bundling hurricane relief with raising the debt ceiling and extending government funding. The White House leapt into damage limitation mode early Thursday, assuring furious Republicans that no deal had been reached and insisting Democrats must agree to fund border security measures. Trump later changed his message stressing "the wall is going to be built and it will be funded later." While claiming "my relationship with the Republicans is excellent" and insisting "many of them agree with what I'm doing," Trump also issued a warning. "We have to get things passed, and if we can't get things passed then we have to go a different route." "If they (Republicans) are unable to stick together then I'm going to have to get a little help from the Democrats." - The wall - Trump delighted his own camp last week by rescinding the DACA protections decreed by his predecessor Barack Obama -- but then urged Congress to craft a legal solution within the next six months. As the DACA discussion swirled, it appeared Trump and his White House were not on the same page. US immigration: the "Dreamers" "We are not looking at citizenship. We are not looking at amnesty" of DACA immigrants, Trump said in Florida, where he was surveying the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. But a White House spokeswoman, Lindsay Walters, said the administration was considering a path to immigration reform "that could include legal citizenship over a period of time." White House advisor Helen Aguirre Ferre said any deal "would have to include massive border security, internal enforcement and surveillance." The White House is pressing for 15,000 new immigration officials and the package could include the use of drones, air support and new technology including sensors. - Furious - US President Donald Trump speaks to the press with First Lady Melania Trump before departing the White House for hurricane-battered Florida Trump's apparent willingness to work with Democrats "Chuck and Nancy" rather than his own party's leaders who control Congress, and his repeated attacks on Republicans, has fueled suggestions he is striking out on his own, all too willing to leave his party in the dust. Even prior to the DACA dealmaking, Trump signaled an independent streak not seen in a US president in generations. He has hammered Republicans for failing to repeal the Affordable Care Act, sacked his chief of staff Reince Priebus -- a powerful former party boss -- and warned Republican lawmakers he will oppose their re-election if they defy his populist agenda. "Frankly, this is still a reality show president" who thrives on good reviews, John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, told AFP. "He found that when he's worked with Democrats, he has gotten better reviews, better ratings," he added. "He seems inclined to continue doing that." House Speaker Paul Ryan has expressed support for legalizing the Dreamers, but insisted Thursday that negotiations had yet to begin. "These were discussions, not negotiations," he said of Trump's talks with Pelosi and Schumer. "There isn't an agreement." The July attack was the worst in the divided Himalayan region since 2000, when gunmen fired on a group of Hindu pilgrims and killed 32 people including two police officers Government forces in Indian-administered Kashmir killed a top Pakistan-based Islamist militant on Thursday blamed for the murder of eight Hindu pilgrims two months ago. Soldiers and police shot dead Abu Ismael -- a top militant of the pro-Pakistan militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) -- in an encounter in Nowgam, on the outskirts of the main city of Srinagar. Police last month said their investigations found that the LeT and Kashmiri accomplices were behind the July 10 attack that saw militants open fire on a bus carrying Hindus, who were returning from the annual Amarnath pilgrimage. "Amarnath Yatra (pilgrimage) attack mastermind terrorist Abu Ismael killed in an encounter at Aarigam, Nowgam," army spokesman Aman Anand told AFP via text message. A Kashmir police official, who requested anonymity, told AFP that Ismael and his associate were "intercepted in an open field and killed" after receiving a tip-off on their location. Authorities in Kashmir snapped mobile internet services after Ismael's killing, fearing an outbreak of protests. The July attack was the worst in the divided Himalayan region since 2000, when gunmen fired on a group of Hindu pilgrims and killed 32 people including two police officers. LeT has been blamed for a string of deadly attacks inside India, most notably the Mumbai carnage in November 2008 when heavily armed gunmen battled commandos on the streets of the financial capital, killing 166 people. Rebel groups, including LeT, have for decades fought Indian troops and police deployed in Kashmir, demanding independence or a merger of the former Himalayan kingdom with Pakistan. Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947, but both claim the territory in full. Iraqi Kurds fly Kurdish flags as they urge people to vote in a September 25 independence referendum in Arbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq Iraq and Turkey on Thursday stepped up the pressure on Iraqi Kurdistan over its planned independence referendum, as the governor of oil-rich Kirkuk province that decided to take part in the vote was sacked. Parliament, at Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's request, fired the governor of the northern province, Najm Eddine Karim, in a unanimous vote by 173 MPs present in the house. With tensions rising, the Iraqi parliament this week also voted to oppose plans by leaders of the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq to hold the non-binding September 25 referendum. The independence vote has faced strong opposition from the federal government in Baghdad as well as neighbouring Iran and Turkey, which fear it will stoke separatist aspirations among their own sizeable Kurdish minorities. Critics of the vote include the United States, the European Union and even some members of Iraq's 5.5 million-strong Kurdish minority. Turkey, a strong opponent, warned Iraqi Kurdish leaders on Thursday that any referendum would "have a cost". Their "insistence on the referendum despite all friendly advice will definitely have a cost", the foreign ministry in Ankara said, criticising their "erroneous approach". Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin urged the Iraqi Kurdish regional government to "return from this wrong decision as soon as possible". The move would push Iraqi Kurdistan into "bigger isolation", he said. - Kurds defiant - The provincial council of Kirkuk -- a region disputed by Baghdad and autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan and home to diverse communities, including Arabs and Turkmen -- voted at the end of August to take part in the controversial referendum. Arab and Turkmen members of the council boycotted that vote, while Kurdish MPs in Baghdad walked out of Thursday's hearing in parliament at which the Kirkuk government was dismissed. World powers have proposed alternatives to a referendum to Iraqi Kurdish leader Massud Barzani, his office said Thursday. "If they have a stronger alternative to the referendum, the Kurdish leadership will look at it, but if they want to postpone the vote with no alternatives, we won't," Barzani was quoted as saying. Kirkuk provincial governor Najm Eddine Karim who was sacked over his support for an Iraqi Kurdish independence referendum On Friday, the parliament in the Kurdish regional capital of Arbil is to hold its first session in more than two years to give "a legal framework" for the referendum, according to its spokesman, Tariq Jawhar. The fired Kirkuk governor also struck a defiant note, saying: "It is the provincial council which has given me a vote of confidence, and it alone can dismiss me, not the Iraqi premier or parliament." Disputed zones such as Kirkuk are a highly sensitive issue in ethnically fragmented Iraq, with its Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad and large Sunni Arab and Kurdish communities. In Kirkuk province, the different communities have been arming themselves while numerous paramilitary forces have taken up positions north and west of Baghdad as joint units advance against retreating Islamic State group jihadists. - Civil war fears - In the city of Kirkuk, Kurdish peshmerga fighters have taken charge of security, while Shiite paramilitary units have been deployed on the outskirts. Hadi al-Ameri, head of the powerful Iranian-backed Badr organisation, has warned that the Kurdish referendum could lead to partition and civil war, vowing to defend the unity of Iraq. Barzani, who called the referendum, has said the vote would go ahead because "all other bids" to secure Kurdish rights had failed. The referendum could lead to the independence of Iraqi Kurdistan, an oil-rich region in the country's rugged, mountainous north which gained de facto autonomy in 1991. The region, whose people were brutally repressed under Saddam Hussein, won autonomy in 2005 after the dictator's ouster under a constitution which set up a federal republic in Iraq. Iraqi Kurdistan, home to around 5.5 million Kurds, is made up of three provinces that are run by an autonomous regional government and protected by their own security services. The referendum would "not necessarily lead to (an) immediate declaration of statehood, but rather to know the will and opinion of the people of Kurdistan about their future", Barzani said in February. Kurdish leaders have since reiterated that a "yes" vote would pave the way for the start of "serious negotiations" with the Baghdad government. People of the N'Gaman camp for refugeees and people displaced by Boko Haram in southeast Niger discuss their needs with the UN's emergency relief chief, Sir Mark Lowcock "Sai wahala!" -- in Hausa means "there's big trouble" -- exclaims Zara Moustapha, living with more than 12,000 displaced Nigeriens and refugees from Nigeria in the N'Gagam desert camp in southeast Niger. "There's the heat, nothing to eat, no clothes, no right to leave the camp -- it's a little hell on earth," says the mother from Malam Fatori in northeast Nigeria, a battleground between the army and the jihadists of Boko Haram, notorious for their atrocities. Seated on a mat laid on the burning sand in an improvised shelter, the United Nations' new chief of humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, Mark Lowcock, listens to the grievances of camp residents who fled their homes or were forcibly evacuated. Moustapha is among 7,000 Nigerian refugees living alongside 5,500 Niger nationals in a big shanty town of tents and shacks because of the Boko Haram insurgency, which has claimed at least 20,000 lives since 2009. Women wearing multicoloured veils and some with pierced nose jewellery came to meet the UN envoy, protected by elite troops in the camp which has already been attacked by the jihadists who frequently infiltrate the site. - 'See with their own eyes' - "We spoke to him about our troubles: lack of medical care, insufficient food and drinking water, insecurity and idleness," camp spokeswoman Yagana Cheffou says. Nigerian refugees at the UN's N'Gagam camp across the border in Niger, where some 7,000 Nigerians live with 5,500 Nigeriens displaced by Boko Haram violence "We need ambulances, water of decent quality and more security. We haven't received any food aid for at least ten months," adds Boulama Mamane Ibrahim, the chief of Bande village in Niger, whose faded traditional robe billowed around his body. Because of "the bad quality of the water", an outbreak of hepatitis E had killed several people, including "pregnant women," Ibrahim says. "Men, women and children sleep out in the millet fields, infested with mosquitos. There is already an upsurge of malaria," protests the chief. "I have listened to their story and I shall tell it myself" in making a case to the UN General Assembly at the end of September, Lowcock, sweating profusely, pledges. "If the donors don't respond, I shall tell them to come and see with their own eyes," adds the official, who stepped down as Britain's foreign aid chief in May after heated criticism of alleged profligate spending on dubious targets. Lowcock nevertheless praised international mobilisation that "has saved the lives of millions of people" in the region. "Aid is insufficient, that's true," says Niger's Minister of Disaster Management Lawan Magadji, who hopes that Lowcock would raise the "400 million dollars" needed to cover humanitarian assistance "in the whole of the Lake Chad basin." - Damaging 'security measures' - The basin around the lake is a substantial area where the borders of Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria loosely meet. All four countries have been attacked by the Boko Haram Islamist extremists from northwest Nigeria. In Diffa, a southwest Niger border town in the basin, some 300,000 refugees and displaced people are made more vulnerable because of "security measures" taken by the authorities, according to several non-governmental organisations (NGOs). In a bid to quash incessant attacks and infiltration, the authorities have evacuated some areas, banned trade in fish and pepper and shut down the markets. Such moves have undermined the local economy at a time when Diffa has already faced repeated food crises. The region has been calm for two months, but the army remains on alert. Visiting N'Gagam, Diffa's governor Mahaman Laouali Dandano spoke up about "the presence of Boko Haram infiltrators" in the camp. "Soldiers, aid workers, health staff ... everyone is putting their lives at risk to help you, yet you find it normal not to denounce these people," the governor complains to camp residents. "They (Boko Haram) get supplies at the market in N'Gagam. Some even come back (from Nigeria) to visit relatives right before your eyes," Dandano protests. "The BH have informers everywhere around here," chief Boulama tells AFP later. "If you denounce them, they will come to burn your houses and kidnap our children." The Islamic State group regularly stages attacks in Iraq, where it has lost swathes of territory to US-backed pro-government forces Gunmen and suicide car bombers on Thursday killed at least 52 people including Iranians near the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, in an attack claimed by Islamic State group. The attackers struck at midday, opening fire on a restaurant before getting into a car and blowing themselves up at a nearby security checkpoint, officials said. Security sources said the attackers were disguised as members of the Hashed al-Shaabi, a mainly Shiite paramilitary alliance which has fought alongside the army and police against the Islamic State jihadist group in northern Iraq. The toll from the attacks was 52 dead and 91 wounded, said Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy health chief for the mainly Shiite province of Dhiqar of which Nasiriyah is the capital. Jabri told AFP that many of the wounded were in serious condition. The area targeted is used by Shiite pilgrims and visitors from neighbouring Iran headed for the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala further north, although Dhiqar has previously been spared the worst of Iraq's violence. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement carried by its Amaq propaganda arm. It said several suicide bombers had staged the assault on a restaurant and a security checkpoint, killing "dozens of Shiites". The toll makes it the deadliest IS attack in Iraq since pro-government forces drove the jihadists out of second city Mosul in July. The Sunni extremist group regularly stages attacks in Iraq, where it has also lost swathes of territory to US-backed pro-government forces. Thursday's attacks come as Iraqi forces backed by tribal fighters close in one of the last IS bastions in the country: the Al-Qaim area on the border with war-ravaged Syria. The group's only other stronghold is Hawija, in Kirkuk province some 300 kilometres (185 miles) north of Baghdad. IS has suffered a string of defeats on the battlefields of Iraq and Syria, leaving in tatters the cross-border "caliphate" it declared in 2014. But any military offensive in Hawija is expected to be postponed due to a planned referendum on Kurdish independence. More than 330,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the Syrian war that began in 2011 and which shows no signs of ending Russia's envoy for Syria said Thursday that an agreement was "very close" on a fourth safe zone in the country as a new round of talks began in Kazakhstan on ending the six-year war. Speaking after negotiations involving regime backers Russia and Iran as well as rebel-supporting Turkey, Alexander Lavrentyev expressed confidence that deals for zones in four parts of the country would be finalised on Friday. "We are very close to signing an agreement on all these four de-escalation zones," he told journalists in the capital Astana. The two-day talks are the sixth round of negotiations Moscow has spearheaded this year as it seeks to pacify Syria after its game-changing intervention on the side of leader Bashar al-Assad. The negotiators are looking to nail down details of a proposed "de-escalation" zone in the northern Idlib province, after Moscow ploughed on with setting up three other safe areas around the country in a move that has seen violence drop. There are still major disagreements over which force will be sent to police the zone covering rebel-held Idlib -- on Syria's northern border with Turkey -- as Ankara and Tehran jockey for influence. Russia has so far deployed military police to patrol the boundaries of three zones agreed in the south, in Eastern Ghouta near Damascus, and in part of the central Homs province. Idlib is the only province in Syria that remains entirely beyond regime control after having been captured in 2015 by an alliance of jihadists and rebels. The talks were also attended by representatives of the Syrian regime and opposition, the United Nations and observers from the United States and Jordan. More than 330,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the Syrian war that began in 2011 as anti-government protests and millions have been displaced. President Robert Mugabe will next year seek to extend his 37-year-long grip on power Zimbabwe's longserving President Robert Mugabe unveiled a new biometric voter registration programme Thursday ahead of next year's elections, drawing criticism from opponents who claim the system could be manipulated. Registration will open nationwide on Monday and continue until January 15 for the polls in which 93-year-old Mugabe will seek to extend his 37-year-long stranglehold on power. But opposition parties have warned that registration authorities are not ready for the process, creating a risk of errors on the voter roll that could leave the ballot open to rigging. The main opposition MDC party has gone to the Harare High Court to argue that that the electoral commission has not procured enough equipment to register voters and that the registration process itself lacks transparency. "The prescription of a date to close new voter registration creates a risk of disenfranchising voters," the MDC argued in court documents seen by AFP. "There is no need to jump the gun and order a chaotic, premature commencement of the registration process. "It is evident that, by and large, there are no kits to commence registration." The party's submission also raised fears about the control, location and impartiality of electronic voting systems that will be used in the election. Kenya faced chaotic scenes after the main opposition party alleged that election commission servers had been hacked during last month's presidential vote. The Supreme Court subsequently annulled the result and ordered a re-run. "We will use all constitutional, political and legal pressure to make sure we have (an election) that is free and fair next year," MDC spokesman Obert Gutu told AFP. Zimbabwe's 2013 election result was disputed by MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai who accused Mugabe of manipulating the vote in his favour. In 2008, he beat Mugabe in the first round of voting but failed to win an outright majority, leading to a run-off. He later pulled out of the second ballot as violence against his supporters raged. Past elections in Zimbabwe have been marred by violence, intimidation and charges of electoral fraud. MON/18 Ribbon Cutting for Super Juices, LLC10-10:30 a.m.Super Juices, LLC: 735 Broad St.TUES/19 Young Professionals Meetup7:30-9 a.m.Peet's Coffee: 819 Chestnut St.TUES/19 Ground Breaking for Erlanger Health System (East)10:30-11:30 a.m.Erlanger Health System (East location): 1635 Gunbarrel Rd.TUES/19 Facebook Advertising Workshop 10110:30 a.m. - NoonBrightBridge Womens Business Center: 535 Chestnut St., Ste.161Learn how to target your ads, who your customer is and about fine-tuning your page info.Required: Active Facebook business page and laptopSeating limited; participants will be screened to ensure participant expectations are met. If you need help establishing a page or need a laptop, contact BrightBridge 3 days in advance.Reserve your free seat at brightbridgewbc.org/event/fbAds9-19/ TUE/19 Red Bank Chamber Council MeetingNoon-1 p.m.Red Bank Community Center: Tom Weathers Dr., behind Erlanger NorthSpeaker: Mayor John Roberts$10TUES/19 Etsy 101 Workshop5:30-7:30 p.m.BrightBridge Womens Business Center: 535 Chestnut St., Ste. 161Learn the basics of listing items on Etsy and learn to optimize your Etsy SEO with tools like Marmalead and creative keyword research.Reserve your free seat at brightbridgewbc.org/event/etsy101/ WED/20 SouthSide Chamber Council Community Coffee8-9a.m.Bees on a Bicycle: 1909 Market St.WED/20 Ooltewah/Collegedale Chamber Council Meeting9:15-10:30 a.m.Collegedale City Hall: 4910 Swinyar Dr.Speaker: Dr. Bryan JohnsonFreeWED/20 Hixson Chamber Council Meeting11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.North River Civic Center: 1009 Executive Dr.Speaker: Dr. Bryan Johnson$10THUR/21 North Hamilton County Chamber Council Meeting11:45 a.m. - 1 p.m.Budweiser: 200 Shearer St.Speaker: Catherine Ventura, Chattanooga Career Solutions, speaks on millennial hiring and work ethic standards.$10THUR/21 2017 Chattanooga Chamber Open House4-8 p.m.Chattanooga Chamber: 811 Broad St.Whether you're a new member, an old friend, or a future Chamber member, we'd love to see you. Come meet our Chamber staff from 4-5 p.m. then join us for After Hours from 5-8.THUR/21 BYOB: Build Your Own Business Plan5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.BrightBridge Womens Business Center: 535 Chestnut St., Ste. 161Participants learn the components of a business plan and draft their unique outline including an outline of company description, market research, product/service line and marketing and sales strategies. Financial projections will also be discussed.Reserve your free seat at brightbridgewbc.org/event/byob9-21/ FRI/22 Reality Check at Central High School7:30-11 a.m.Central High School: 5728 Highway 58Reality Check teaches ninth graders budgeting and emphasizes the connection between education and income by allowing students to roleplay as heads of household. Community volunteers are needed to assist with this event. To volunteer for this Chattanooga Chamber career readiness program, contact Cathy Humble at 423.763.4321 or chumble@chattanoogachamber.com.FRI/22 Ribbon Cutting for EPB of Chattanooga10-10:30 a.m.EPB of Chattanooga: 110 N Greenwood Ave.FRI/22 Ribbon Cutting for Tim Short MazdaNoon-12:30 p.m.Tim Short Mazda: 6015 International Dr. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin requested an Air Force jet to take him and his wife, actress Louise Linton, on a three-country European honeymoon, which the Treasury Department said was needed to ensure secure communications US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin was back in an awkward spotlight on Thursday following reports he asked to use a military jet this summer for his European honeymoon. While Mnuchin denied he wanted the government to pay for his personal travel, and said the story had been "misreported," the news was only the latest embarrassment for the notably wealthy Treasury secretary, a former investor and Hollywood mogul. His actress wife Louise Linton recently apologized for lashing out on social media at a woman who criticized her for advertising the high fashion brands she was wearing during an official trip with Mnuchin. ABC News reported Wednesday that Mnuchin requested the use of a US Air Force plane, which costs $25,000 an hour to operate, to take the newlywed couple to Scotland, France and Italy following their summer wedding, which President Donald Trump attended. Mnuchin ultimately did not use the jet and he stressed Thursday that Treasury only made the request as one option to allow him to send and receive sensitive national security communications while traveling. "I probably spend 50 percent of my time on national security issues," including matters involving North Korea and Iran, he told an event organized by Politico, a Washington political newsletter. -Secure communications- "At the time, my staff wanted to make sure that I constantly had access to secure communications and secure information." Mnuchin said the military aircraft would have been used as "a portable office," but the request was withdrawn when another option was found. "Let me just set the record straight," he said. "The government has never paid for any of my personal travel." Mnuchin also faced scrutiny following a trip last month to Kentucky, when his wife traveled with him to visit the US gold reserve at Fort Knox, on the day of the total eclipse of the sun. Linton posted a photo of herself descending from an government plane on the social media network Instagram, tagging the brands of designer clothing and accessories she wore. She later apologized for her condescending and "highly insensitive" responses to a woman who criticized her for appearing to use taxpayer funds for a vacation. The Treasury Department said the couple reimbursed taxpayers for the cost of Linton's travel, although the department's inspector general has opened a review of the trip. Mnuchin himself had to admit his mistake in March for plugging the animated movie "Lego Batman," which he produced prior to joining Trump's cabinet, since government officials are prohibited from using their positions to enrich themselves. A former Goldman Sachs executive, Hollywood producer and banker, Mnuchin is a one of a cadre of wealthy Trump administration officials. Fortune magazine estimates Mnuchin's net worth is as high as $500 million. During Senate confirmation, he faced awkward questions about previously undisclosed offshore investment firms and real estate holdings of about $100 million. Newly recruited Huthi fighters gather in the Yemeni capital on August 24, 2017 The head of Yemen's Shiite Huthi rebels threatened Thursday to fire missiles at the United Arab Emirates and to attack Saudi tankers in the Red Sea. The UAE, a key member of a Saudi-led Arab coalition fighting the Iran-backed rebels in Yemen's conflict, "is now within range of our missiles", Abdel Malek al-Huthi, told the rebel-controlled television station Al-Masirah. "The companies which have been set up or which have investments in the UAE should no longer consider it a safe country." Huthi said his forces had advanced their missile technology to reach targets north of the Saudi capital Riyadh and south of Islam's holiest city Mecca in the west of the oil-rich kingdom. The rebels' naval forces were capable of striking Saudi oil installations and tankers in the Red Sea, he said, warning against any attempt to capture the rebel-held port of Hodeida. More than 8,400 people have been killed since the Arab coalition intervened in support of the Yemeni government in March 2015. EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem told reporters that the trade talks with Australia and New Zealand would not include a controversial provision known as investor-state dispute settlement The EU on Thursday said it would fast track free trade talks with Australia and New Zealand, bypassing the risky national ratification process that could yet torpedo a similar deal with Canada. In a flagship speech on Wednesday, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said that Europe was open for business, urging EU member states to swiftly authorise his teams to embark on trade talks with Canberra and Wellington. The push is an ambitious effort by Brussels to conclude international trade deals and seize the opportunity left by the anti-globalisation leanings of the Trump administration in the US. But Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem told reporters on Wednesday that the talks would not include a controversial provision known as investor-state dispute settlement, or ISDS, that has caused an uproar among anti-globalisation activists in Europe and the US. The issue became even more pressing after the EU's highest in court in May said trade deals that included ISDS would require ratification by all the EU's national and regional parliaments, instead of fast-track approval by trade ministers and European Parliament. Malmstroem, citing the court decision, said that the Australia and New Zealand deals would keep out ISDS and thereby offer Brussels "solid arguments" to have the trade deals not face votes in the bloc's more than 30 national and regional parliaments. "Australia and New Zealand, in the mandate that we propose... They are EU (ratified) only," Malmstroem said at a news conference in Brussels. Recent EU trade talks, including with the US and Canada, faced bitter opposition over the ISDS system with the signed EU-Canada deal set to enter into force next week without ISDS or national parliamentary approval. The issue came to the forefront when the EU launched the now frozen talks with the US. Opponents of ISDS warned that the practice gave too much power to multinationals that can spend big sums on powerful lawyers to overrule a government's domestic policies and laws. ISDS has attracted strong criticism when used, for instance, by powerful companies like Philip Morris to sue Australia over its cigarette packaging rules, Eli Lilly to sue Canada over its drug patent standards and France's Veolia to sue Egypt after it raised wages. To address the problem, the EU has so far unsuccessfully attempted to persuade international partners to create a permanent tribunal staffed by public officials. A previous unilateral declaration of an independent republic of Biafra in 1967 sparked a bloody civil war that lasted 30 months Tensions mounted between Nigerian security forces and pro-Biafran supporters on Thursday, after renewed protests calling for independence and clashes targeting the police. In the capital of the southern state of Rivers, Port Harcourt, 32 people were arrested after two days of demonstrations and the death of one police officer. In neighbouring Abia state, supporters of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group targeted police in the commercial hub, Aba, and the capital, Umuahia. Police vehicles were seen with smashed windscreens and officers fired warning shots, while there were reports of petrol bombs thrown and bonfires set to restrict movement. A police station in Aba was burnt down between 6:00 am (0500 GMT) and 7:00 am on Thursday, said state police spokesman Geoffrey Ogbonna. "We are investigating the incident but no arrest has been made," he told AFP but denied reports that the commissioner of police's residence in Umuahia was attacked. A three-day dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed in Abia on Tuesday to prevent clashes after IPOB leaders said troops killed five of its members. The army has denied the claims. Abia state governor Okezie Ikpeazu said he recognised the presence of troops had been a cause of "great concern" but they would be withdrawn from Aba and Umuahia by Friday. "With the expected exit of soldiers from the streets, we must warn that we will not tolerate agitators and protesters taking over the streets for any reason," he added. - Abuse claims - IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu has been charged with treasonable felony and is currently on bail pending the resumption of his trial in the capital, Abuja, next month. His arrest in October 2015 and detention was the catalyst for a new wave of demonstrations calling for independence for the Igbo ethnic group that dominates the southeast. The issue is a sensitive one in Nigeria, as a previous unilateral declaration of an independent republic of Biafra in 1967 sparked a bloody civil war that lasted 30 months. More than one million people died, most of them Igbos, from the effects of war, famine and disease. Kanu, who also runs Radio Biafra, has vowed a non-violent approach to force a referendum on self-determination. "We have chosen the track of peaceful agitation, non-violence, persuasion, logic, reason, argument," he told AFP in an interview in May. But an enhanced military presence in the region since the start of this week has stoked deep-seated tensions. Officially, the military says it has deployed troops as part of an operation -- codenamed "Python Dance II" -- to tackle rising crime. A video clip has been circulating online, purportedly showing soldiers punishing IPOB members by forcing them to drink muddy water while stripped to the waist. The army said it would look into the claims, vowing that any soldier found guilty of breaching its code of conduct "will face (the) full wrath of the military justice system". In Port Harcourt, Rivers state police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni said nine IPOB supporters were arrested after a sergeant attached to the force riot squad was killed on Wednesday. IPOB members allegedly seized his rifle. Several other officers were injured and a patrol van was burnt in the incident. Twenty-three others were held on Tuesday after an attack on the city's police training school, he added. Nigeria has long suffered sporadic flare-ups of ethnic tensions but President Muhammadu Buhari has said the country's unity is non-negotiable. Human rights groups have accused the military of abuses in trying to maintain order, claiming that at least 150 pro-Biafra supporters were killed in the last two years. Hundreds more have been injured. Members of Tunisia's Nidaa Tounes party and the Islamist movement Ennahdha celebrate after a contested reconciliation bill was adopted granting amnesty to officials accused of corruption during the rule of the former regime Opposition groups on Thursday raised the alarm over Tunisia's transition to democracy after parliament passed an amnesty law for officials accused of corruption under toppled dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The law passed Wednesday evening after a rowdy debate in parliament, coming in the wake of a cabinet reshuffle that saw Ben Ali-era officials join the cabinet as ministers of finance and education. The reshuffle was seen as strengthening President Beji Caid Essebsi's grip on power months ahead of Tunisia's first post-revolution municipal polls. Tunisia has been seen as a model of democratic transition since Ben Ali was overthrown in a 2011 revolution that sparked the Arab Spring uprisings. But Monica Marks, an expert on Tunisian politics, said the law's passage was "a huge symbolic victory for impunity". "It signals a green light, from the top of Tunisia's state institutions, to individuals engaged in abuses of power," she said. Proposed by Essebsi in mid-2015, the bill grants an amnesty to businesspeople and Ben Ali officials on trial for corruption, in exchange for returning ill-gotten money plus paying a fine. In the face of growing public anger, the text was revised to cover only officials accused of involvement in administrative corruption, not those who received bribes. The presidency defended the law, saying it was needed to protect the economy and "free up the energies" of the government. The law applies to around 2,000 senior officials "who did not receive any bribes", cabinet director Selim Azzabi said, adding it would affect people who "received instructions and applied them without profiting" under the dictatorship. He said the law could boost Tunisia's sluggish economic growth. Opposition and civil society groups have rejected that argument, saying the legislation grants impunity while corruption remains endemic. Some say it could even represent a return to authoritarian practices. Amna Guellali of Human Rights Watch said the law "risks perpetuating practices inherited from the old regime" and places the young democracy on a "bad slope". Activists planned a demonstration against the law on Thursday evening, and several lawmakers have already prepared an appeal on the grounds it was unconstitutional. Several officials have pointed out the "contradiction" between the law and Prime Minister Youssef Chahed's months-old "war on corruption". His party, Nidaa Tounes, which includes members of the former regime, welcomed the adoption of the law. The new legislation "paves the way for a new stage in the history of Tunisia, that of reconciliation and union", said the party, which was founded by President Essebsi in the wake of the revolution. Its partner in government, the Islamist movement Ennahdha, said it had supported the bill in favour of the "national interest". Marks said Ennahdha had "prioritised the preservation of its governing alliance with Nidaa". "Ultimately, Ennahdha -- despite being the party most persecuted by the old regime, including old regime officials likely to be amnestied by the Reconciliation Law -- ironically ensured its passage," she said. Leftwing lawmaker Ahmed Seddik called for the public to be vigilant". "Tomorrow, those who have committed crimes against you, who have stolen your money, we will find them in the highest positions as if there had been no revolution," he said. Smoke rises from buildings on the northern outskirts of Deir Ezzor on September 13, 2017 Separate suspected Russian and US-led coalition strikes on Syria's Deir Ezzor province killed at least 39 civilians on Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The strikes hit several parts of the eastern province, where parallel Russian and US-backed ground offensives are under way against the Islamic State group. The Britain-based monitor said seven children were among the dead in the strikes, which hit multiple parts of the province including the city of Mayadeen, a remaining IS stronghold. The strikes come as Syria's army battles to oust IS from the provincial capital Deir Ezzor city, after breaking the jihadist group's two-year siege of government-held parts of the metropolis. Backed by Russian air strikes, the army and allied fighters now hold over half the city, and are working to surround IS militants in the remaining parts. On Thursday, the Observatory said the army seized the northern suburb of Al-Boghaliya, advancing to the adjacent western bank of the Euphrates river that slices diagonally across Deir Ezzor province. They are still battling to take additional territory in the southern part of the city in order to encircle IS fighters. On the opposite side of the river, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Syrian Kurdish and Arab fighters, is also battling IS. US-led and Russian strikes in support of the separate campaigns have killed dozens of civilians in recent days, including some fleeing the fighting and seeking shelter in tents along the banks of the Euphrates, according to the Observatory. More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests before spiralling into a bloody civil war. Rohingya refugees arrive by boat, as smoke rises from fires on the shoreline behind them, at Shah Parir Dwip on the Bangladesh side of the Naf River after fleeing violence in Myanmar US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday condemned violence against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar as "unacceptable", as thousands of refugees continue to stream across the border into Bangladesh. "We need to support Aung San Suu Kyi and her leadership but also be very clear and unequivocal to the military power sharing in that government that this is unacceptable," Tillerson said. "This violence must stop. This persecution must stop. It has been characterised by many as ethnic cleansing. That must stop," he said during a visit to London, speaking alongside British counterpart Boris Johnson. "I think it is a defining moment in many ways for this new emerging democracy," Tillerson said, acknowledging that Myanmar's leader Suu Kyi found herself in a "difficult and complex situation". Johnson also called on Myanmar's de facto leader to use her "moral capital" to highlight the plight of the Rohingyas. "I think nobody wants to see a return to military rule in Burma, nobody wants to see a return of the generals," he said. "It is vital for her now to make clear that this is an abomination and that those people will be allowed back" in the country, he added. A crackdown by Myanmar's army, launched in response to attacks by Rohingya militants on August 25, has pushed vast numbers of refugees from the stateless Muslim minority across the border. Some 389,000 are estimated to have crossed since then. Smoke rises from what is believed to be a burning village in the area near Maungdaw in Myanmar's Rakhine state Amnesty International on Friday released fresh satellite images of burnt villages in Rakhine state, alleging Myanmar's security forces have led "systematic" clearances of Rohingya Muslim settlements over the last three weeks. At least 26 villages had been hit by arson attacks in the Rohingya majority region, the rights group said, with patches of grey ash picked up in photos marking the spot where homes had once stood. Backing up the pictures, Amnesty said fire sensors also deployed on satellites had detected 80 large-scale blazes across northern Rakhine state since August 25, when the army launched "clearance operations" in response to attacks by Rohingya militants. "Rakhine state is on fire," said Olof Blomqvist, a researcher with Amnesty International, in a "clear campaign of ethnic cleansing by the Myanmar security forces". The group quoted Rohingya witnesses who described security officers and vigilantes using petrol or shoulder-fired rocket launchers to set homes alight, before firing on villagers as they fled. In some ethnically mixed communities, such as the village tract of Inn Dinn, images showed that only Rohingya homes had been burned, the report said. "It's very difficult to conclude that it is anything other than a deliberate effort by the Myanmar military to drive Rohingya out of their own country by any means necessary," Blomqvist added. Myanmar denies targeting Rohingya, instead insisting the militants have set the fires. The Myanmar government says nearly 40 percent of Rohingya villages are now empty in the northernmost part of Rakhine, but argues not all have run from army operations, insisting some were either linked to the "extremist terrorists" or scared of them. But scores of Rohingya refugees have detailed raids by soldiers who fired on civilians before razing entire communities -- often with the help of ethnic Rakhine Buddhist mobs. The accounts from Amnesty matched a flood of testimony collected by AFP in refugee camps along the Bangladesh border. "There is a clear and systematic pattern of abuse here. Security forces surround a village, shoot people fleeing in panic and then torch houses to the ground," said Tirana Hassan, Amnesty's crisis response director. A crackdown by Myanmar's army, launched in response to attacks by Rohingya militants on August 25, has pushed vast numbers of refugees from the stateless Muslim minority across the border "The government's attempts to shift the blame to the Rohingya population are blatant lies," she added. Some 30,000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Hindus have also been displaced by the unrest. Buddhist-majority Myanmar has long been criticised for its repression of the Rohingya, with the recent unrest branded ethnic cleansing by the international community. Weary and wounded Rohingya arriving in Bangladesh have told consistent but unverifiable accounts of village massacres, with soldiers and vigilante mobs teaming up to empty out communities and burn them to the ground. A military campaign to wipe out Rohingya insurgents has rained violence down on Myanmar's Rakhine state, sending nearly 390,000 Muslim Rohingya refugees fleeing for sanctuary in Bangladesh. Around 30,000 Rakhine Buddhists and Hindus have also been displaced, as ethnic and religious hatreds carve through the western state. Access to the epicentre of unrest -- the northern wedge of Rakhine -- has been blocked by the government as the crisis unfolds. But the weary and wounded Rohingya arriving in Bangladesh have told consistent but unverifiable accounts of village massacres, with soldiers and vigilante mobs teaming up to empty out communities and burn them to the ground. The UN has accused Myanmar of waging an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Rohingya, a stateless group that the Buddhist-majority country refuses to recognise as citizens. The government refutes the accusations, instead saying the army has carried out targeted operations to snuff out the militant group, whose attacks on police posts in late August unleashed the massive military response. Here is what we know about who is left in violence-ravaged Rakhine, where tens of thousands of people are believed to still be on the move. - Empty villages - A census published in 2015 said three million people lived in Rakhine, including an estimated 1.1 million Rohingya. Rakhine's northernmost Maungdaw district was home to around three quarters of that population, according to government figures. Rohingya refugees disembark from a boat after crossing the border from Myanmar on the Bangladeshi shores of the Naf river in Teknaf But nearly forty percent of its Rohingya villages have been completely abandoned in the past three weeks, said government spokesman Zaw Htay. "There are 176 villages where the whole village fled," he told reporters Wednesday night, out of 471 Rohingya communities in total. The recent refugee arrivals in Bangladesh amount to more than a third of the total number of Rohingya once based in Myanmar. Tens of thousands of ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Hindus have also been driven from their homes since late August, saying they were targeted by the Rohingya militants. On Thursday Myanmar's government said some 4,000 people had started trickling back to their villages in Maungdaw as clashes between the army and militants ebbed, without specifying their ethnicity. - Raging fires - Myanmar's Information Committee has said over 7,000 homes have been destroyed by fire across at least 59 villages -- the vast majority belonging to "Bengalis" as the government pejoratively calls the Rohingya. New satellite images released by Amnesty International on Friday showed that more than two dozen villages in the Rohingya-majority area had been set alight since August 25, with patches of grey ash marking the area where structures had stood. Smoke is seen billowing in an area inland in Myanmar's Rakhine state as seen from the Bangladeshi shore of the Naf river AFP reporters on government-steered press trips have seen abandoned villages and homes reduced to ashes. Columns of smoke from the gutted villages have also been visible almost daily from across the Naf river in Bangladesh, where the Rohingya refugees are massing in ramshackle camps. Rohingya refugees say Myanmar officers and Buddhist vigilantes started the fires after driving them out of their homes with gunshots and other threats, a tactic that Amnesty has described as an "orchestrated campaign" of ethnic cleansing. Myanmar authorities deny that, saying the militants have torched the villages in a bid to attract global sympathy. - People on the move - Tens of thousands of Rohingya are believed to still be trekking through the monsoon-soaked area. For those fleeing fire-hit areas further south, it may take weeks to cross over difficult terrain, blanketed by security forces, to reach the Bangladesh border. Aid groups have been unable to access northern Rakhine since the violence erupted in late August, compounding the humanitarian crisis. "Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, may be trapped in remote areas far from the border with limited food and medical supplies and are unable to reach safety," said Pierre Peron, a spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Rohingya who have stayed in their villages are living in fear and struggling to survive without the food deliveries that have supported their impoverished communities for years, said Laura Haigh from Amnesty International. "They are essentially locked in and markets are not functioning," she told AFP. Myanmar has said it will establish camps in Rohingya-majority areas of Maungdaw to provide relief, but details of the project are scant. On Thursday the Information Committee said shelters will be set up for Muslims "who can guarantee they are no way connected to the terrorists". Government spokesman Zaw Htay has also said the country would not allow all of those who crossed into Bangladesh to return -- comments likely to fuel allegations Myanmar is intentionally ejecting the Rohingya, whose presence in Myanmar has incensed powerful Buddhist nationalists for years. "Some reached the other side of border. If they come back, we cannot accept all of them," Zaw Htay said, adding that returnees would need to be "scrutinised". Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani is in Ankara for talks with his ally President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on Thursday held talks in Turkey with the emirate's chief ally President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his first visit abroad since the start of a diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia. The talks got underway at Erdogan's presidential palace in the capital Ankara, the Turkish presidency said. Erdogan has been a major supporter of Doha in the crisis that has seen Qatar left diplomatically and economically isolated. On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut ties with Qatar accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their Shiite rival Iran. Doha, however, denies the claims and Ankara has insisted there is absolutely no evidence to back the allegations. Erdogan has strongly spoken out against the sanctions applied by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt against Doha. In a show of solidarity, Turkey has also sent cargo ships and hundreds of planes loaded with food products to break the embargo on Doha. After visiting Turkey, the emir is due to visit Berlin on Friday for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, his first trip to a western capital since the crisis began. Erdogan in July embarked on a regional tour of the Gulf countries, with visits to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar in a bid to defuse the crisis. But his visit ended without any sign of a breakthrough and Ankara has shown signs of preferring to leave mediation efforts to Kuwait. On Wednesday, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah met with Erdogan at his presidential palace. Over the last years, Qatar has emerged as Turkey's number one ally in the Middle East, with Ankara and Doha closely coordinating their positions on a number of issues including the Syria conflict where both are staunch foes of President Bashar al-Assad. Ankara has built a military base in Qatar and reportedly already deployed around 200 troops there. The closure of the base was one of the conditions laid by the Saudi-led bloc for the lifting of the sanctions, which was rejected by Doha. But Turkey also does not want to wreck its own relations with regional kingpin Saudi Arabia and its hugely powerful new Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Erdogan has carefully worked to improve Ankara's relations with Riyadh which took a blow over the 2013 ousting of president Mohamed Morsi in Egypt, a close ally of Ankara. At the Senate health committees fourth health care hearing this month, Chairman Lamar Alexander said that "its clear to truly protect patients, we need to stabilize the markets, limit premium increases, and begin to lower premiums in the future." For seven years, hardly a civil word was spoken between Republicans and Democrats on the Affordable Care Act, Senator Alexander said. But for the last 10 days, senators from both sides of the aisle have engaged in serious discussions about what Congress can do between now and the end of the month to help limit premium increases for the 18 million Americans in the individual health insurance market next year and begin to lower premiums after that, and to prevent insurers from leaving the markets where those 18 million Americans buy insurance. The committee met to hear testimony from a state insurance commissioner, an insurer, a patient advocate and doctors on what could happen to patients if Congress does not reach a compromise. Senator Alexander said, During our first three hearings, three themes emerged that represent a working consensus for stabilizing premiums in the individual market for 2018. The third advocated by state insurance commissioners, governors, and senators from both sides of the aisle is to give states more flexibility in the approval of coverage, choices, and prices for health insurance. Most of the discussion about flexibility has centered on amending the section 1332 state innovation waiver, because it is already in the Affordable Care Act, including commonsense suggestions to improve and speed up the process to make the 1332 waivers easier for states to use. At Tuesdays hearing on state flexibility, witnesses discussed how to amend the 1332 waiver to give states the authority to offer a larger variety of health insurance plans with varying benefits. Several witnesses suggested that actuarial equivalency is a useful way to do that. Governor Michael Leavitt, former Secretary of Health and Human Services, suggested that with this approach plans be of equal value but wouldnt have to be carbon copies of one another. He used a car as an example. He said, "If you looked at several $25,000 cars, one might have a backup camera, one might have a stronger horsepower, but its still a $25,000 car. So health plans might have different benefits, but theyd have to be of the same value to the consumer. Senator Alexander said, I want a result that gives states flexibility in the approval of coverage, choices, and prices for health insurance. I simply wont be able to persuade the Republican majority in the Senate, the Republican majority in the House, and to the Republican president to extend the cost-sharing payments without giving states meaningful flexibility. Its clear to truly protect patients, we need to stabilize the markets, limit premium increases, and begin to lower premiums in the future." The committee met last Wednesday to hear from state insurance commissioners, last Thursday to hear from governors, and on Tuesday to hear from state flexibility experts. Alexanders full prepared remarks are here. On October 15, Trump is due to decide whether Iran has breached the 2015 nuclear agreement, and critics fear he may abandon an accord they think prevents Tehran from building a nuclear bomb The United States on Thursday agreed to continue for now to exempt Iran from nuclear-related sanctions but slapped new measures against targets accused of cyber attacks or fomenting militancy. President Donald Trump's decision will be seen as a victory for opponents of the Iran nuclear deal, who have called for tough action against Tehran's alleged destabilizing role in its region. On October 15, Trump is due to decide whether Iran has breached the 2015 nuclear agreement, and critics fear he may abandon an accord they think prevents Tehran from building a nuclear bomb. But supporters hailed Thursday's move, in which the US Treasury announced new sanctions on non-nuclear issues even as Trump's administration grudgingly maintained sanctions relief. A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, called the waiver "a holding action," warning that no decision had been reached on the long-term future of the deal. "This is the action that the US is taking in the interim," he said, "while the president and his cabinet come to final decision in consultation among themselves and in consultation with allies." Treasury imposed economic sanctions on 11 individuals and companies accused of supporting Iran's Revolutionary Guards or engaging in cyber attacks against US banks. Trump's administration has criticized the 2015 deal signed by his predecessor Barack Obama's administration, but has so far not reimposed the former sanctions imposed on Iran's nuclear program. The new sanctions announced Thursday targeted an engineering company, two air transport firms and an IT company. The IT firm is accused of carrying out denial-of-service attacks on at least nine American financial institutions, including major banks and stock exchanges between 2011 and 2012. President Donald Trump spoke to the press onboard Air Force One while returning from a trip to storm-ravaged Florida US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced he intends to visit China, Japan and South Korea later this year, a blockbuster maiden presidential visit to Asia. Trump said aboard Air Force One that a US delegation would likely make the trip in November, adding that he will "possibly" go to the APEC summit in Vietnam at the same time. The announcement sets the stage for a wildly ambitious first visit to a region that is vital to US economic and security interests. The visit is likely to focus heavily on trade and North Korea's nuclear and ballistic weapons programs, one of Trump's biggest security challenges since coming to office. Trump has repeatedly said that he will not tolerate Pyongyang developing the capability of hitting the United States with a thermonuclear weapon, threatening to rain down "fire and fury" if necessary. But with North Korea on the cusp of marrying nuclear warhead and intercontinental ballistic missile technology, Trump has struggled to get China to buy in to biting sanctions. The visit will be another opportunity for Trump to press his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, and crucially will come after an October Congress of the Communist Party. Privately, US officials admit Xi is unlikely to back tougher sanctions before that meeting, which sets the course for China's leadership in the next five years. Vice President Mike Pence had earlier announced that Trump would also visit the Philippines in November for an ASEAN summit, but the president was more cool to the idea. Trump said only that "he invited us so we're going to see," apparently referring to controversial President Rodrigo Duterte. Police have reported killing more than 3,800 people to fulfil Duterte's vow to rid the country of narcotics, with the 15-month crackdown triggering wider violence that has seen thousands of other people found dead in unexplained circumstances. One of the world's poorest nations and largely comprising desert, flood-ravaged Niger is frequently beset by food shortages caused by drought Flooding unleashed by three months of torrential rain in Niger has killed at least 50 people and displaced nearly 120,000, according to fresh UN data out Thursday. The capital Niamey has been hardest hit along with Dosso in the south, Tillaberi in the west and the central-southern areas of Maradi and Zinder, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Twenty-one of the 50 fatalities were in the capital, while across the country 47 had been injured and some 117,600 displaced as of Monday by the flooding. Flooding claimed more than 50 lives last year. The recovery from the disastrous rains promises to be long, with some 9,000 dwellings and 31 schools destroyed. Food production will also take a hit, with the flooding killing some 16,000 cattle and about 9,000 hectares (22,000 acres) of crops being ruined, the UN said. With its 17 million population in a country three quarters of which comprises desert, Niger regularly is beset by food shortages caused by drought as well as severe flooding. A humanitarian source told AFP that exacerbating the problems were rising River Niger water levels over the past fortnight at Niamey, Dosso and Tillaberi, leading to fears of a repeat of serious flooding in 2012 which left dozens dead and some 500,000 homeless. Despite the ongoing heavy rains, the Niger Basin Authority, coordinated by nine states in the region, said Thursday it saw a "downward trend" in water levels. Even so, Niamey authorities called on civilians living in flood-hit areas to evacuate zones that are under threat. Last week, Niger said it had launched a campaign to destroy mosquito breeding sites to help combat the spread of deadly malaria in Niamey after the rain transformed some areas into swamps. Hamza Bin Laden recites a poem extolling Kabul and Mullah Mohammad Omar, supreme leader of Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, in a screen grab taken from the Qatar based al-Jazeera satellite news channel on November 7, 2001 Hamza bin Laden, son and would-be heir of late Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, has urged Muslims around the world to join the jihad in Syria against "crusaders" and Shiites. "The cause of Syria is the cause of the entire worldwide Muslim community," he said in an undated audio recording released on jihadist networks Thursday. "In order for the people of Syria to resist the Crusader, Shiite and international aggression, Muslims -- all Muslims -- must stand with them, support them and give them victory," he said. "Wakefulness is essential, as is quick, serious and organised movement, to support the people of blessed Syria before it is too late." Hamza, who is in his mid-20s, has become active as an Al-Qaeda propagandist since his father's death at the hands of US special forces in May 2011. Syria has been devastated by a six-year war and given an opening to jihadists including the Islamic State group and the Fateh al-Sham Front. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Sunni extremist group that last month seized control of the northern Syrian city of Idlib, is dominated by the Al-Qaeda offshoot, which officially broke ties with the network founded by Osama bin Laden. But experts say the name change was little more than a re-branding. Many believe the group is positioning itself as more moderate than the Islamic State group in hopes of a resurgence. The United States added Hamza bin Laden to its terrorist blacklist in January. The US Treasury estimates that he was born in 1989 in the Saudi city of Jeddah. His mother was Khairiah Sabar, one of the Al-Qaeda founder's three wives. Last year, the fifth anniversary of the death of the man who ordered the 9/11 attacks on the United States, experts began to note his son's increasing prominence in the movement. The State Department has designated him a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist", freezing any assets he holds in areas under US jurisdiction. In an undated audio message released in August, Hamza bin Laden urged his Saudi supporters to rebel and overthrow the kingdom's rulers. Experts believe he is preparing to take over the leadership of Al-Qaeda and exploit the Islamic State group's defeats in Syria and Iraq to unify the global jihadist movement under the banner of Al-Qaeda. President Donald Trump spoke to the press upon returning from a visit to hurricane-hit Florida Donald Trump on Thursday slammed Iran for violating "the spirit" of a deal curbing its nuclear program, weeks before the US president must decide whether to stick by the agreement. "The Iran deal is one of the worst deals I've ever seen, certainly at a minimum the spirit of the deal is atrociously kept," Trump said aboard Air Force One. "The Iran deal is not a fair deal to this country. It's a deal that should not have ever been made," he added, tearing into the Obama-era accord. The United States on Thursday agreed to continue for now to exempt Iran from nuclear-related sanctions but slapped new measures against targets accused of cyber attacks or fomenting militancy. "We are not going to stand what they are doing with our country. They've violated so many different elements and they've also violated the spirit of that deal," Trump said. On October 15, Trump is due to decide whether Iran has breached the 2015 nuclear agreement, and critics fear he may abandon an accord they think prevents Tehran from building a nuclear bomb. But the president would not be drawn on whether he has already made a decision. "You'll see what I'm going to be doing very shortly in October." Critics say Trump abandoning the deal would pave the way for Iran to resume nuclear enrichment and would send a signal to North Korea and other proliferators that a diplomatic solution can be scrapped at the president's whim. "The consequences of a unilateral withdrawal from the deal would be disastrous, isolating the United States while risking a second nuclear crisis and a disastrous war," said Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council and a vocal supporter of the agreement. Janet Yellen's term as head of the Federal Reserve ends in February US President Donald Trump said Thursday he had not yet decided who will be the chairman of the Federal Reserve come February, but said he "likes" incumbent Janet Yellen. "I do respect Chairman Yellen a lot. I like her and I respect her but I haven't made that decision yet," Trump said, giving the clearest hint yet that he could keep the 71-year-old on. Yellen's current four-year term as Fed chair expires in February. "I think the country is doing well," Trump added. "There's a big reason for that and the reason happens to be Trump." In a speech last month Yellen strongly defended banking safeguards put in place after the 2008 financial meltdown, which though simply repeating her previously-stated position, was seen as a warning to the Trump administration that may have caused her to lose favor. Rumors have swirled that Trump could appoint aide and form Goldman Sachs executive Gary Cohn, although senior administration officials have recently scotched that notion. A lawsuit filed in California state court seeking class-action status accused Google of paying women less than men, an allegation denied by the US technology giant A trio of former Google employees on Thursday filed a lawsuit accusing the technology giant of paying women less than men for the same work. The lawsuit filed in a San Francisco state court on behalf of the three women accused Google of "systemic and pervasive pay and promotion discrimination against its female employees" in California. Lawyers are seeking class-action status for the suit in a bid to represent more women currently or formerly employed at Google. Responding to the lawsuit, the US technology giant denied any discriminatory policies. "We work really hard to create a great workplace for everyone, and to give everyone the chance to thrive here," Google spokeswoman Gina Scigliano said in response to an AFP inquiry. "In relation to this particular lawsuit, we'll review it in detail, but we disagree with the central allegations." Lawyers for the women accuse Google of violating California equal pay law along with the state labor code. The complaint also alleged Google consistently assigned women to "lower tiers" or "job ladders" with lower compensation and fewer opportunities for promotion than their male counterparts. Plaintiff Kelly Ellis said in a statement released by attorneys that the lawsuit addresses "a pervasive problem of gender bias at Google." Google's Scigliano maintained that job levels and promotions at the company were determined through "rigorous" committees and undergo review that includes checking for gender bias. "If we ever see individual discrepancies or problems, we work to fix them," she said. The suit comes with the US Labor Department auditing pay practices into possible gender discrimination. It also comes as Google deals with the aftermath of a firestorm over sexism and free speech sparked by a "manifesto" published as an internal memo by then-employee James Damore. The memo by a Google engineer defended the Silicon Valley gender gap, claiming that "biological differences" were a key factor in the low percentage of women in technology jobs. The memo was leaked outside the company, and triggered outcry from those claiming it perpetuated stereotypes and discrimination. The controversy came with Silicon Valley struggling in the face of accusations of rampant sexual harassment and discrimination affecting startups like Uber and venture capital firms investing in the sector. Pope Francis (R) talks with Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila during a private audience in the pontiff's studio, at the Vatican in 2016 The pope's representative in DR Congo said the pontiff will not visit Kinshasa before long delayed elections are held in the strife-torn country, calling it a "predatory state." In March, Pope Francis cancelled a planned summer visit to Kinshasa owing to the climate of political violence -- though he did meet with President Joseph Kabila at the Vatican a year ago. Kabila has been due to step down since his mandate expired on 19 December and he is under strong pressure to set an election date. Pope Francis is "saddened by a certain distance which one perceives (exists) between the political class and its people" Monsignor Luis Mariano Montemayor was quoted Thursday as saying after a five-day visit to the diamond-rich central Kasai region, where UN food agencies warn millions face hunger as a result of conflict. "The (Congolese) state has a tradition of being a predatory state," the Argentinian Montemayor added. The apostolic nuncio's office was the first to offer a tally of 3,000 dead in unrest in Kasai after a year of clashes between security forces and militia previously loyal to Kamuina Nsapu, a tribal leader slain in August last year. "Evidently," the pope is awaiting the organisation of polls before scheduling a visit, his top diplomat for the country said, otherwise an earlier trip might be "exploited" as it could be construed that he backed the "continuation of the illegitimate government." The Catholic Church wields influence over the country of 70 million where around half of the population profess the faith and last December mediated an accord between the government and the opposition which would see elections going ahead before year's end. But no electoral calendar has been published to date, and there seems no sign of an end to the impasse as Kabila hangs on. A UN report last month detailed more than 250 "extrajudicial or targeted killings" of Kasai civilians earlier this year, with dozens of children among the victims, while blaming both government troops as well as militia groups on both sides of the conflict. Qatari Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani greets Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the presidential complex in Ankara Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on Thursday held talks in Turkey with the emirate's chief ally President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his first visit abroad since the start of a diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia. Erdogan hosted the emir for the talks at his presidential palace in the capital Ankara, the Turkish presidency said in a statement. Both leaders emphasised the importance of solving the crisis in the Gulf diplomatically and vowed to further bolster relations between Ankara and Doha, said Turkish presidential sources, cited by the state-run Anadolu news agency. They were also joined in the two-and-half hour meeting by Energy Minister and Erdogan's son-in-law Berat Albayrak, images showed. Erdogan has been a major supporter of Doha in the crisis that has seen Qatar left diplomatically and economically isolated. On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut ties with Qatar accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their Shiite rival Iran. Doha, however, denies the claims and Ankara has insisted there is absolutely no evidence to back the allegations. Erdogan has strongly spoken out against the sanctions applied by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt against Doha. In a show of solidarity, Turkey has also sent cargo ships and hundreds of planes loaded with food products to break the embargo on Doha. After visiting Turkey, the emir is due to visit Berlin on Friday for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, his first trip to a western capital since the crisis began. Erdogan in July embarked on a regional tour of the Gulf countries, with visits to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar in a bid to defuse the crisis. But his visit ended without any sign of a breakthrough and Ankara has shown signs of preferring to leave mediation efforts to Kuwait. On Wednesday, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Mubarak al-Sabah met with Erdogan in Ankara. Over the last years, Qatar has emerged as Turkey's number one ally in the Middle East, with Ankara and Doha closely coordinating their positions on a number of issues including the Syria conflict where both are staunch foes of President Bashar al-Assad. Ankara has built a military base in Qatar and reportedly already deployed around 200 troops there. The closure of the base was one of the conditions laid by the Saudi-led bloc for the lifting of the sanctions, which was rejected by Doha. But Turkey also does not want to wreck its own relations with regional kingpin Saudi Arabia and its hugely powerful new Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Erdogan has carefully worked to improve Ankara's relations with Riyadh which took a blow over the 2013 ousting of president Mohamed Morsi in Egypt, a close ally of Ankara. Caleb Sharpe, 15, is being held in a juvenile detention center after shooting three fellow pupils in Spokane, WashingtonViolence Memorial Day Weekend A teenager who killed another student and injured three more at a school in the US state of Washington used his family's guns and sent friends notes warning of the attack, according to court documents seen by local media. Police in Spokane County said 15-year-old Caleb Sharpe was suicidal -- and shot fellow students at Freeman High School on Wednesday to "teach everyone a lesson about what happens when you bully others," according to the documents. Sharpe is accused of killing Sam Strahan, who confronted him as he attempted to launch his attack with a .223 caliber rifle. County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich Wednesday said the gun jammed, and Strahan spoke to Sharpe before being shot in the stomach and face with a pistol Sharpe had in his coat. "I always knew you were going to shoot up the school," Strahan told Sharpe, according to court records. "You know that is going to get you in trouble." After shooting Strahan, Sharpe injured three other pupils in the hallway. They are all in a stable condition. According to CCTV footage described in the court documents, Sharpe was eventually confronted by a janitor and dropped his gun. He is now in a juvenile detention center. One student told police Sharpe often boasted about the weapons in his house, which were kept in a safe to which he knew the code, according to his father. Sharpe also wrote notes to his friends weeks before the attack saying he might do "something stupid," said Michael Harper, who described himself as a close friend. One friend passed the letter to a student counselor who was aware Sharpe was suicidal, according to local newspaper The Spokesman-Review. The school did not respond to calls from AFP seeking confirmation. Sharpe's mother also told authorities he wrote a suicide note a week before the shooting. The Department of Service-Learning at Cleveland State Community College and GRAAB Coalition (Going Respectively Against Addictive Behaviors) co-sponsored the 8th Annual Make a Difference Now Volunteer Expo on Wednesday in the L. Quentin Lane Gymnasium on Cleveland States campus. The theme of this event, Make a Difference Now, centers on Cleveland States desire to give students the opportunity to become civically engaged in their community by learning more about various agencies in the surrounding areas and finding out how they can become involved. People watch a television news screen showing file footage of a North Korean missile launch, at a railway station in Seoul on August 29, 2017 North Korea fired an unidentified missile eastwards over Japan and into the Pacific on Friday, Seoul and Tokyo said, its latest provocation amid high tensions over its banned weapons programmes. The launch, from near Pyongyang, came after the United Nations Security Council imposed an eighth set of sanctions on the country over its ballistic missile and atomic weapons programmes. That was in response to its sixth nuclear test -- by far its largest yet -- earlier this month, which Pyongyang said was a hydrogen bomb small enough to fit onto a missile. The North has raised tensions in the region with its rapid progress in weapons technology under leader Kim Jong-Un, who is closely associated with the programme and regularly pictured by state media overseeing launches and visiting facilities. Its last missile launch, a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile just over two weeks ago, also overflew Japan -- its first to do so for years -- sparking emergency sirens and text alerts, before coming down in the Pacific Ocean. Friday's missile flew over Hokkaido in northern Japan "at around 07:06 am (2206 GMT) towards the Pacific Ocean", Japan's J-Alert system said, with reports saying it came down around 2,000 kilometres east of Hokkaido. "Japan can never tolerate this repeated provocative action by North Korea," Tokyo's top government spokesman told reporters. "We have strongly protested to the North, telling them the strong anger by the Japanese people and condemn with the strongest words possible.' Seoul's defence ministry said it probably travelled around 3,700 kilometres and reached a maximum altitude of 770 kilometres -- both higher and further than the previous device. It was fired from a similar location near the capital's airport, it added. The South's President Moon Jae-In called an emergency meeting of Seoul's national security council, a standard procedure after the North fires a missile or tests a nuclear device. Seoul's military carried out a ballistic missile drill of its own on Friday in the East Sea, Korea's name for the Sea of Japan, the Yonhap news agency reported. In July, Pyongyang fired two intercontinental ballistic missiles that appeared to bring much of the US mainland into range. It followed that up with an announcement it was planning to send a salvo of rockets towards the US Pacific territory of Guam, home to significant military facilities. US President Donald Trump threatened it with "fire and fury", heightening fears of conflict. The United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed on Monday are the strongest so far, banning the North's textile trade and imposing restrictions on shipments of oil products, among a series of other measures. But analysts expect them to do little to dissuade Pyongyang, which says it needs nuclear weapons to defend itself against the threat of invasion by the US. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - The floodwaters rose faster than they could pile their things on top of the furniture: the family photos up onto the dresser, the rugs up onto the bed. Her collection of hundreds of Beanie Babies was underwater before she could save them. Then went her 88-year-old husband's model trucks and his favorite recliner where he likes to nap. They stuffed old records in the bathtub but the water topped that too and poured right in. "We lost everything we own, just about," said 82-year-old Vera Dupuis as she dug through her soggy apartment in a senior citizens building that she and her husband Joseph have lived in for 26 years on the banks of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville in Florida's northeast corner. Their neighborhood was one of several in the city inundated by rushing water from the river and its tributaries as Hurricane Irma took its final lick at the state early Monday. A home owner removes water logged items from his home as floodwaters fill the street in the San Marco area of Jacksonville, Fla. in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Dupuis said her husband, who has Alzheimer's disease and other health problems, started crying on Monday morning as the water poured in, swamping almost everything they had accumulated in 65 years of marriage. "He said 'look at all of our stuff." I said, 'as long as we're OK, we won't care about the stuff,'" she said. "But he's 88; he wants to keep stuff like it is. It just can't be like it was after a hurricane like this. It's just never going to be the same." All over this city, residents woke up Tuesday to reckon with having their lives so suddenly upended. Their one relief: no one around them had been injured or killed in the chaos. Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said it's impossible to estimate yet how many homes were damaged or how many people rendered homeless. Most had no electricity. Some streets were still rivers; others were cut off by splintered trees. Houses baking in the sun started to smell like mildew and sewage. For blocks and blocks, ruined furniture and soggy carpets were tossed into piles on the streets, as residents took a deep breath and started digging out and scrapping what they couldn't save. Around the corner, Deborah Smith discovered she'd forgotten to grab her box of family photos under the bed. Her daughter died a decade ago at 32 years old, and all the photos she had of her are likely ruined. Down the street, Jen Gilreath lost her great-grandmother's 100-year-old leather-bound Bible that she forgot to grab off the bookcase as the water rushed in. She hasn't checked it yet to see how bad it is; for right now, she doesn't want to know. "It's devastating, everything's gone," said Gilreath, a 33-year-old bartender. Their rented house is uninhabitable; their flooded Ford Explorer won't start. She and her boyfriend, Cameron Brainard, shrugged at each other, in confusion and exasperation. The list of tasks before them seems almost too long to comprehend: find an apartment and the money to secure it; save what they can and scrap the rest; buy a new car and new furniture. "We have to find a place to go now," Brainard said, stunned to be walking away without knowing where he might sleep tonight. "We have no place to go." The Dupuis - and many of their elderly neighbors - are adamant about staying in their building, though it now stands as an island amid the flood. Water stands knee deep on all the roads to them. There is no power, and stagnant water still sloshes around inside. Defiant, they are moving into an empty apartment on the second floor, to sleep on cots. Their son, also named Joseph, helped them move what little they could save up the stairs because the elevator doesn't work. The son will stay with them until the power returns. They'll just open the window to survive the heat, Vera Dupuis said, and eat whatever in the cabinets didn't float away in the flood. Emergency workers have tried to coax the couple out; the mayor has warned that it's dangerous to stay inside homes in the flood zones. The water, though receding, is filled with chemicals and sewage that might spread disease. The power might be out for days longer, as the temperature is expected to climb toward 90 degrees. "He says he ain't leaving this building; we tried talking to him but he said he's not leaving. So I'm not going to leave him by himself," said Vera Dupuis of her husband, who retired from the Navy, then again from a gas company. "I think we'll be all right, I think we'll be fine. If you want to, you can, so we will." ___ HURRICANE NEWSLETTER - Get the best of the AP's all-formats reporting on Irma and Harvey in your inbox: http://apne.ws/ahYQGtb Joseph Dupuis III stacks items off the floor in his parents water logged apartment on the St. John's River in Jacksonville, Fla. in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Amber Narbett checks on flooding in her yard in the San Marco area of Jacksonville, Fla. in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/John Raoux) John Hurtubise sorts through things from his garage that was flooded during Hurricane Irma, Tuesday Sept. 12, 2017, in Jacksonville, Fla. (Bob Mack/The Florida Times-Union via AP) Police officers plow through floodwater on Hendricks Avenue in San Marco as Hurricane Irma passes by Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, in Jacksonville, Fla. (Will Dickey/The Florida Times-Union via AP) Jeff Moore, left, helps building owner Gary Boggs remove a water logged rug from a flooded two story building in the San Marco area of Jacksonville, Fla. in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Charlotte Glaze gives Donna Lamb a teary hug as she floats out some of her belongings in floodwaters from the Ortega River in Jacksonville, Fla., Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, after Hurricane Irma passed through the area. "This neighborhood has not flooded in at least 51 years," Lamb said. (Dede Smith/The Florida Times-Union via AP) Marlene Sulkers, left, is escorted by her granddaughter Rachel Sulkers as they evacuate from Rachel's residence in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, in Jacksonville, Fla. Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. Marlene Sulkers came from Ft. Meyers to Jacksonville trying to get away from the storm. (AP Photo/John Raoux) A few streets remain flooded along the St. John's River in Jacksonville, Fla., in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/John Raoux) In this Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, photo provided by DroneBase, people trudge through floodwaters in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Jacksonville, Fla. In a parting blow to the state, the storm caused record flooding in the Jacksonville area. (DroneBase via AP) Jacksonville mayor Lenny Curry, left, and Gov. Rick Scott, fly over Jacksonville, Fla., in a military helicopter as they look at damage along the the St. John's River during the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/John Raoux) A few streets remain flooded along the St. John's River in Jacksonville, Fla., in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/John Raoux) WASHINGTON (AP) - Former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn is facing new questions about a 2015 trip he took to the Middle East as part of a private proposal to build nuclear power plants across the region. Two top Democrats said in a letter released Wednesday that he appeared to have violated federal law by failing to report the trip when he renewed his security clearance last year. The lawmakers - Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland and Rep. Eliot Engel of New York - also said documents turned over to their staff suggested that Flynn also failed to report contacts with Israeli and Egyptian government officials. The information released by the lawmakers was fresh evidence that Flynn didn't fully account for his foreign contacts and business entanglements even though he was liable for possible federal criminal penalties for lying or omitting such information. Security clearance questionnaires specifically ask applicants to report any meetings abroad or contacts with foreign government officials that occurred in the previous seven years. As a former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Flynn maintained a security clearance. His last renewal was in early 2016. FILE - In this Feb. 1, 2017, file photo, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn speaks during the daily news briefing at the White House, in Washington. Flynn is facing new scrutiny over his failure to report a June 2015 trip to the Middle East that was part of an effort to build nuclear power plants across the region. Two Democratic lawmakers said in a letter released Wednesday, Sept. 13, that Flynn did not report the trip on his security clearance paperwork as required by law. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) Flynn has been dogged by questions about his lack of disclosure of a Turkish lobbying operation and of foreign payments he accepted after leaving the military in 2014. Flynn also was forced to resign his Trump administration post in February after White House officials determined that he had misled them about the nature of diplomatic conversations with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. Special counsel Robert Mueller is scrutinizing Flynn's foreign interactions as part of his probe into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and any possible coordination with Trump associates. Earlier this year, that investigation incorporated an ongoing federal probe into Flynn's Turkish lobbying. On Wednesday, a professional editor who performed contract work for Flynn's now-defunct consulting firm said that he was questioned Tuesday by FBI agents. Editor Hank Cox said the agents' questions centered on the roles played by Flynn and his business partner, Bijan R. Kian, in the development of an op-ed that ran last November under Flynn's name in The Hill, a Washington political newspaper. The op-ed praised Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and urged the extradition from the U.S. of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric whom Erdogan has accused of involvement in last year's aborted military coup in Turkey. The op-ed published on Election Day quickly prompted a Justice Department inquiry that resulted in Flynn acknowledging in March that the work may have aided the interests of Turkey's government. Flynn's attorney, Robert Kelner, declined to comment on the letter from the Democratic lawmakers. Flynn's legal team has previously said that he'd like to cooperate with Congress but only intended to respond to subpoenas that compel him to do so. Flynn has been turning over documents, mostly related to two of his businesses, to the Senate and House intelligence committees in response to subpoenas, but he has declined to speak with congressional committees without a guarantee of immunity. Flynn's son, Michael Flynn Jr., also has declined to talk to the Senate intelligence committee, according to a person familiar with the matter. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations were private. As members of the minority party, Cummings, the ranking member on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Engel, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs committee, do not have subpoena power. Still, Cummings and Engel asked the companies and Flynn to provide the names and nationalities of any officials he met with during the trip abroad. Cummings and Engel first raised concerns in June about Flynn's 2015 Mideast trip after Newsweek reported that Flynn had worked with companies angling to persuade foreign governments and companies to join in a plan to build a cluster of 40 nuclear plants in the Mideast for civilian power needs. The lawmakers also seized on a comment Flynn made in congressional testimony in the summer of 2015, in which he said that he had just returned from the Middle East. In their latest letter, Cummings and Engel write that "it appears that General Flynn violated federal law by omitting this trip and these foreign contacts from his security clearance renewal application in 2016 and concealing them from security clearance investigators who interviewed him as part of the background check process." Because of the potential for a criminal violation, the two lawmakers say they are providing Mueller with the responses from the companies. According to the letter and documents released by Cummings and Engel, Flynn's Mideast trip was backed by ACU Strategic Partners, a U.S. firm that sent him to persuade officials to support a plan involving companies from the U.S., Russia, France, the Netherlands, Britain, Ukraine, Israel and several Persian Gulf nations. Thomas Cochran, an adviser to ACU Strategic Partners, told the lawmakers that Flynn was expected to press Egyptian and other officials to hold off on accepting a rival offer from Russia to finance and construct a smaller system of four reactors in Egypt and two in Jordan. Flynn also traveled to Israel where, Cochran said, he sought to assure Israel that the project would be in its interest. The proposal has never gotten beyond the planning stage. But in his response, Cochran indicated that there could be support from the Trump administration, particularly in its effort to involve both U.S. and Russian interests. In a subsequent response to the lawmakers on Wednesday, Cochran said ACU has never briefed President Donald Trump or Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. He also said ACU has had no relationship with Flynn since May 2016. In a separate response to the congressmen, ACU Managing Director Alex Copson confirmed that ACU paid Flynn's travel expenses and wrote him a $25,000 check for "loss of income and business opportunities resulting from this trip." But Copson told the lawmakers that bank records show Flynn never cashed the check. Flynn had previously not disclosed his compensation on his government financial disclosure filed earlier this year, but in August, he filed an amended disclosure that listed he had received more than $5,000 from ACU. Flynn also listed that he was a consultant to another company, IronBridge Group, which was connected to the project. An attorney for retired Rear Adm. Michael Hewitt, the chairman of IronBridge, confirmed to lawmakers that Flynn took the trip, but did not provide details of his foreign contacts. Michael Summersgill, an attorney for IronBridge, did not respond to a telephone message Tuesday seeking comment. ___ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report. CAIRO (AP) - An international media rights group has voiced alarm over Egypt's "roundabout nationalization" of once-independent outlets. Paris-based Reporters Without Borders on Wednesday criticized the state-run Akhbar al-Youm newspaper's recent acquisition of the English-language Daily News Egypt and Al-Borsa, a financial daily. Authorities froze the assets of the publications' parent company last year and placed its chairman on a terrorism list over his suspected links to the Muslim Brotherhood group. Egypt has also blocked the outlets' websites. Egypt has blocked hundreds of websites in recent months, including many operated by independent journalists and rights groups, as part of a broader crackdown on dissent. Virtually all local media outlets in Egypt today are supportive of the government, which came to power after the military overthrew an elected Islamist president in 2013. MARGATE, N.J. (AP) - The federal government has agreed to clean up the mess it created on a New Jersey beach, where flooding from a dune construction project forced beachgoers to wade through vile water or take blocks-long detours to reach the ocean. Jordan Rand, the lawyer for Margate, told The Associated Press that the town, state and federal governments filed an agreement with U.S. District Court on Tuesday night. It calls for construction of an underground pipe system to prevent water from collecting between the dunes and the town's wooden bulkhead. The plan was signed Wednesday by a federal judge. "This should eliminate the problem," said Rand, who unsuccessfully sued the federal government on behalf of homeowners and then the town to try to block the dune construction project. The lawsuits predicted in minute detail almost exactly the type of flooding Margate feared would occur if the dunes were built. The dunes are part of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's plan for a nearly unbroken line of storm defense along the state's 127-mile coastline, something he insisted is necessary following the catastrophic damage Superstorm Sandy wreaked on parts of the shore in 2012. Margate, an upscale shore town south of Atlantic City, argues that its wooden bulkhead provides adequate protection against ocean storm surge, and claims most of its Sandy damage came from bay flooding on the other side of town. The solution agreed upon Tuesday night will involve the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers installing pipes underground, running parallel to the beach to collect water that otherwise would have ponded on the beach. Every few blocks, outfall pipes will carry that water back out to the ocean, Rand said. The federal government will pay the entire cost of the project, which has not yet been calculated, he said. Representatives of the Army Corps did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday. A consent decree filed Tuesday night shows both sides in agreement with the plan, including that it "will be paid for with federal funds allocated for the federal project." Last month, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Julio Mendez expressed shock at photos showing "lake-like" ponds of standing water on the beach in Margate for days following heavy rains, and temporarily shut down the project. But a federal court allowed it to resume while both sides worked toward a permanent solution. When storms dumped nearly a half foot of rain on Margate, water quickly collected in excavated areas between the dunes and the wooden bulkhead that separates oceanfront homes from the sand. Some were 2 or more feet deep, and lay stagnate until the Army Corps began pumping them out days later. Mayor Michael Becker said the city's testing of water from the ponds found "off the charts" levels of bacterial contamination. He said two lifeguards contracted bacterial infections by sloshing through the dirty water and were out sick from work. ___ Follow Wayne Parry at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC LONDON (AP) - London police say a woman has been arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary near the London school attended by four-year-old Prince George after a security incident at the school. Police said Wednesday the 40-year-old woman was arrested after an individual gained access to Thomas' Battersea School in south London on Tuesday. Police did not provide more details. The woman is being questioned and has not been charged or identified. Britain's Prince William accompanies Prince George as he is met by Helen Haslem - the head of the lower school on arrival for his first day of school at Thomas's school in Battersea, London, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017. Prince William's pregnant wife Kate was too ill with morning sickness Thursday to take young Prince George to his first day of school. (Richard Pohle/Pool Photo via AP) George, son of Prince William and his wife Kate, started school last week. London's Metropolitan Police say the force is working with the school to review its security arrangements. Police are part of the security measure in place to protect George, who is third in line to the throne behind William and Prince Charles. JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel's leader on Wednesday said his country supports Kurdish independence ahead of a key referendum on the matter. In an announcement early Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel considers the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, a terrorist organization. But the statement said Israel "supports the legitimate efforts of the Kurdish people to attain a state of its own." Netanyahu's statement appeared to be an attempt to distance Israel from comments by Yair Golan, who recently completed a term as Israel's deputy military chief of staff. At a conference in Washington last week, Golan said he did not consider the PKK, a militant group that has waged a three-decade insurgency in southeast Turkey, to be a terrorist organization. But he also voiced support for Kurdish independence, saying a "solid stable cohesive Kurdish entity" somewhere in the volatile Middle East is "not a bad idea." He did not specify where he thinks it could be located. The Kurds are spread across the region, with large populations in Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran. Iraq's Kurds plan to hold the referendum on Sept. 25 in three governorates that make up their self-ruled region as well as disputed areas that are controlled by Kurdish forces but claimed by Baghdad, including the oil-rich province of Kirkuk. The vote is nonbinding, but Kurdish officials hope a strong victory will kick-start negotiations with the Baghdad government on independence. That seems unlikely, since there is no legal requirement or incentive for Baghdad to do so. Mahmoud al-Hassan, a Shiite Iraqi lawmaker, said it was no surprise that Israel would back the Kurds. "Of course Israel supports the division of Iraq and will be happy with tearing down Iraq. An integrated Iraq means a strong one and a possible threat to Israel," he said. Israel has long been sympathetic to the Kurds and is the first country to officially endorse them in the vote. Turkey, Iran and Iraq's central government are all opposed to the vote. Safeen Dizayee, a spokesman for the Kurdish regional government in Iraq, did not respond directly to Netanyahu's comments, but appeared to welcome them. "Anyone is free to speak their mind," he told The Associated Press. "If any authority around the world... concludes that (Iraq's Kurds) deserve or merit an independent entity of their own, we appreciate that position." ___ Associated Press writers Balint Szlanko in Irbil, Iraq, and Sinan Salaheddin in Baghdad contributed to this report. HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - A former airman who received an honorable discharge from the Air Force despite acknowledging he had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old was sentenced Wednesday to five years in federal prison on child sex charges. Nicholas Murphy, of Exeter, Rhode Island, pleaded guilty in June to federal charges of traveling from his home in Rhode Island to Plainfield, Connecticut, in 2015 while on leave to have sex with the girl. Murphy, who was 25 at the time, avoided a dishonorable discharge by convincing the Air Force that he believed the teen was at least 16 years old. The military considers "a mistake of fact as to age" to be an affirmative defense, according to a sentencing memorandum. This undated booking photo provided by the Plainfield, Connecticut, Police Department shows Nicholas Murphy. Murphy, a former airman who received an honorary discharge from the Air Force despite acknowledging he had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old faces several years in federal prison on child sex charges. Murphy pleaded guilty in June to traveling from Rhode Island to Plainfield in 2015 to have sex with the girl. (Plainfield Connecticut Police Department via AP) "There was never anything that would lead me to believe she was younger than 16," Murphy wrote in a memo to the discharge board. "She certainly didn't look under 16, either in person or in her pictures on Facebook. She was also very open and forward in talking about sexual things, and spoke like someone who was much older." But federal prosecutors cast doubt on Murphy's assertion, noting the teen's Facebook page included her actual date of birth. "In the comments on a photo posted in the beginning of their relationship, the minor victim wrote that she was thirteen years old. In a status update during their relationship, the minor victim wrote 'I'm in 9th grade!!! YAY!!! I wish i could go to highschool with u guys though, im sorry,'" prosecutors wrote. An Air Force spokesman declined to comment, saying he would have to research the case. Prosecutors said the two met on an internet dating site, and first had sex in May or June, 2015, when the teen was still a virgin. The two remained in contact while Murphy was stationed overseas, exchanging photos. Police initially became involved in the case when the victim's parents reported her missing from their home on Sept. 16, 2015. Prosecutors said she and Murphy, who was home on leave, had arranged for the girl to sneak out of her house and meet at a local park, where they had sex in his pickup truck. In addition to the prison sentence, Murphy must serve five years of supervised release. WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. on Wednesday banned federal agencies from using computer software supplied by Kaspersky Lab because of concerns about the company's ties to the Kremlin and Russian spy operations. The directive issued by acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke comes as various U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies and several congressional committees are investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Kaspersky said in a statement that it was disappointed by the directive and insisted "it does not have unethical ties or affiliations with any government, including Russia." FILE - In this July 1, 2017, file photo, Eugene Kaspersky, Russian antivirus programs developer and chief executive of Russia's Kaspersky Lab, poses for a photo on a balcony at his company's headquarters in Moscow, Russia. On Sept. 13, the U.S. banned the use of computer software supplied by Kaspersky Lab at federal agencies because of concerns about the company's ties to the Kremlin and Russian spy operations. The directive issued by acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke comes as various U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies and several congressional committees are investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File) Duke directed all U.S. federal agencies and departments to stop using products or services supplied directly or indirectly by the Russian-owned and operated company. The directive gives agencies 30 days to determine whether they are using any Kaspersky products. The software must be removed from all information systems within 90 days. "The department is concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies," the directive said. It said the department also is concerned about Russian laws that would permit Russian spy agencies to compel Kaspersky to provide assistance or intercept communications transiting Russian networks. "The risk that the Russian government - whether acting on its own or in collaboration with Kaspersky - could capitalize on access provided by Kaspersky products (in order) to compromise federal information and information systems directly implicates U.S. national security," the directive said. The directive provides Kaspersky an opportunity to respond or mitigate the department's concerns. Kaspersky said the company was happy to have an opportunity to provide information to show that the allegations are unfounded. "No credible evidence has been presented publicly by anyone or any organization as the accusations are based on false allegations and inaccurate assumptions, including claims about the impact of Russian regulations and policies on the company," Kaspersky said. Kaspersky said it is not subject to the Russian laws cited in the directive and said information received by the company is protected in accordance with legal requirements and stringent industry standards, including encryption. "Kaspersky Lab has never helped, nor will help, any government in the world with its cyberespionage or offensive cyber efforts, and it's disconcerting that a private company can be considered guilty until proven innocent, due to geopolitical issues," Kaspersky said. The chief executive of the company, Eugene Kaspersky, is a mathematical engineer who attended a KGB-sponsored school and once worked for Russia's Ministry of Defense. His critics say it's unlikely that his company could operate independently in Russia, where the economy is dominated by state-owned companies and the power of spy agencies has expanded dramatically under President Vladimir Putin. At a Senate intelligence committee hearing in May, top U.S. officials were asked whether they would be comfortable with Kaspersky software on their computers. "No" was the reply given by then-acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, National Intelligence Director Dan Coats, National Security Agency Director Adm. Mike Rogers, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Director Robert Cardillo and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart. Democrats on Capitol Hill applauded the decision. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who has been voicing concern about Kaspersky for months, said the company's ties with the Kremlin were "alarming." "Today's announcement is a significant step forward in removing this national security vulnerability from federal computer systems," she said. Shaheen has been working to pass a government-wide ban on Kaspersky software, which would effectively make the directive the law. In June, she successfully amended the defense policy bill to ban the Defense Department from using Kaspersky software. Since then, she's offered another amendment to the bill, which is being debated on the Senate floor, to extend the ban to the entire federal government. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, said that since the election, questions have intensified about federal information networks' use of the Russian company's software. "To date, DHS had only issued four binding operational directives to federal agencies and they've done so quietly," Thompson said. "It is clear that DHS's decision to issue this directive, in a very public way, is significant." OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The Oklahoma Supreme Court has ended a two-year legal fight between a pipe shop and a Republican prosecutor in a liberal college town. The court on Monday ruled in favor of returning hundreds of glass pipes that were seized in 2015 from the now-closed Friendly Market in Norman. The local district attorney pursued drug-related charges against shop owner Rob Cox and manager Stephen Holman, alleging they sold drug paraphernalia. They said the items were legal, refused plea deals and insisted on trials, which ended in acquittals and a hung jury. "I guess you could describe it as a Hail Mary by the district attorney's office," Holman said. "Their order was to uphold the ruling that Judge (Steve) Stice made, which was to return all the property." Cox has been trying to recuperate seized inventory valued at $15,000. Holman said attorneys for Friendly Market are seeking to have the property returned by next week. "In the coming days we will be filing some motions with the district court in an effort to enforce Judge Stice's ruling and set a date for the return of all of the property," attorneys for Cox and Holman said in a statement. Cox has said he hopes to eventually resume sales and reopen the shop. The Supreme Court rejected the state's attempt to revisit a judge's decision ordering the property returned. The lower-court judge said he couldn't determine whether the confiscated items were drug paraphernalia. Jaime Ponce, M.D., FACS, and CHI Memorial Metabolic and Bariatric Care will host an open house from 2-4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21. Attendees can meet Dr. Ponce and Brooke Henson, RN, CBN, bariatric surgery clinical nurse coordinator. Information on surgical and non-surgical bariatric options will be available as well as the seminar schedule.CHI Memorial Metabolic and Bariatric Care is located at 7405 Shallowford Road, Suite 160, Chattanooga, TN 37421. For more information about this event, or to register for a seminar, call 423-899-1000. BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos are pledging to strengthen ties in areas like science and tourism as Colombia transitions into a post-conflict era. Netanyahu arrived in Bogota on Wednesday for the second-leg of his trip as the first Israeli prime minister to visit Latin America. He said that he sees "enormous progress" in Colombia, adding that it "merely sets the stage for what will happen in the next 30 years." Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos shakes hands with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, upon his arrival with his wife Sara Netanyahu, let, to the presidential palace in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia) Colombia and Israel have long enjoyed a close military alliance though the relationship has also had its moments of tension. Santos called Israel a "friend and an ally" in Colombia's historic peace process with the nation's largest rebel group. Netanyahu traveled from Argentina and is flying on to Mexico. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, reviews the guard of honor with Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos upon his arrival to the presidential palace in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia) Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos, second left, talks to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, upon this arrival to the presidential palace for a bilateral meeting in Bogota, Colombia, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia) BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) - U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he won't rule out decertifying Colombia as a partner in the drug war after a record jump in cocaine production in the South American nation. The surprise rebuke for Washington's staunchest ally in Latin America came in the White House's annual designation of nations it deems major drug producing or transit zones. Of the 22 nations on the list, only Venezuela and Bolivia were deemed not to be fulfilling their international obligations to combat drug production and trafficking. In a statement, Trump said he "seriously considered" adding Colombia to the list of negligent countries but decided against that due to the country's status as a strong security partner of the U.S. Coca production in Colombia has surged more than 200 percent since 2013. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - A fire that blocked the only exit to an Islamic school dormitory killed 24 people who were trapped behind barred windows, mostly teenagers, on the outskirts of Malaysia's capital early Thursday, officials said. Firefighters rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call at 5:41 a.m. and took an hour to put out the blaze, which started on the top floor of the three-story building, Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh said. He said there were at least 24 charred bodies, 22 of them boys between 13 and 17, and two teachers. Singh said 14 other students and four teachers were rescued, with six of them hospitalized in critical condition. Forensic police officer investigates burnt windows at an Islamic religious school following a fire on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. The official said the fire, which killed people, mostly teenagers, started early Thursday at the top floor of the three-story building. (AP Photo/Daniel Chan) "We believe (they died of) suffocation ... the bodies were totally burnt," he said. The fire broke out near the door of the boys' dormitory, trapping the victims as it was the only entrance and the windows are barred, fire department senior official Abu Obaidat Mohamad Saithalimat said. He said the cause was believed to be an electrical short-circuit. Another fire department official, Soiman Jahid, said firefighters heard shouts for help when they arrived at the school. He said they found 13 bodies huddled in a pile on the right corner of the dorm, another eight on the left corner of the dorm and one in the middle near the staircase. Soiman said initial investigations showed the school had just submitted an application to the city council for building safety approval but couldn't give further details. A fire department official who declined to be named because he wasn't authorized to give a statement said the bodies were piled on top of each other, indicating a possible stampede as people tried to flee the fire. The official had earlier said 25 bodies were found, but the more recent tally of dead and injured matches the number of people thought to have resided there. Singh said police were still finalizing the details and investigating the cause. Local media showed pictures of blackened bunk bed frames in the burned dormitory. A resident, Nurhayati Abdul Halim, told local media that she saw the boys crying and screaming for help when the fire broke. "I saw their little hands out of the grilled windows; crying for help. ... I heard their screams and cries but I could not do anything. The fire was too strong for me to do anything," she said, adding that the school had been operating in the area for the past year. The Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah is a private Islamic center, known as a "tahfiz" school, for Muslim children, mainly boys, to study and memorize the Quran. Many such schools are exempt from state inspections. The Star newspaper said there were 519 tahfiz schools registered nationwide as of April, but many more are believed to be unregistered. The newspaper said the fire department had recorded 211 fires in such private Islamic centers since 2015. In August, 16 people fled a fire at a tahfiz school in northern Kedah state. Another tahfiz school was destroyed by a fire in May but no one was hurt. The worst fire disaster occurred in 1989 when 27 female students at a private Islamic school in Kedah state died when fire gutted the school and eight wooden hostels. Police and rescue personnel work at an Islamic religious school cordoned off after a fire on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. A fire department official in Malaysia said a fire at the Islamic religious school has killed people, mostly teenagers. (AP Photo) Family members cry outside an Islamic religious school following a fire on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. The official said the fire, which killed people, mostly teenagers, started early Thursday at the top floor of the three-story building. (AP Photo/Daniel Chan) Malaysian police truck waits outside an Islamic religious school following a fire on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. The official said the fire, which killed people, mostly teenagers, started early Thursday at the top floor of the three-story building. (AP Photo/Daniel Chan) Unidentified Muslim cry outside an Islamic religious school following a fire on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. The official said the fire, which killed people, mostly teenagers, started early Thursday at the top floor of the three-story building. (AP Photo/Daniel Chan) Unidentified Muslim hug each other outside an Islamic religious school following a fire on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. The official said the fire, which killed people, mostly teenagers, started early Thursday at the top floor of the three-story building. (AP Photo) People gather outside an Islamic religious school which was cordoned off after the fire on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. A fire department official in Malaysia said a fire at the Islamic religious school has killed people, mostly teenagers. (AP Photo) Forensic police officer investigates an Islamic religious school following a fire on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. The official said the fire, which killed people, mostly teenagers, started early Thursday at the top floor of the three-story building. (AP Photo) Bodies are carries out by rescue personnel from an Islamic religious school after firefighters put out a fire on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. The official said the fire, which killed people, mostly teenagers, started early Thursday at the top floor of the three-story building. (AP Photo) AMMAN, Jordan (AP) - Jordan's King Abdullah II says he is "deeply concerned" with the situation in southern Syria and that his country's border with Syria would only reopen "when the right security conditions materialize on the ground." The monarch told the state news agency Petra in an interview published Thursday that the military campaign against the Islamic State group in Syria "could push it south toward Jordan" and that Jordan's top priority is to protect its border. The king also says that a cease-fire for southwest Syria, brokered in July by Jordan, Russia and the U.S., could be replicated elsewhere in Syria. Russia proposes creating "de-escalation zones" in several areas of Syria. Russia's foreign minister met with Abdullah in Jordan this week to discuss the requirements for such a zone in southern Syria. BEIRUT (AP) - Human Rights Watch says millions of dollars of school aid for Syrian refugees went unaccounted for last year, leaving schools across the region understaffed and contributing to a massive under-enrollment of Syrian children. The New York-based group says more than a half million school-age refugees were out of school last year, in part because of the severe funding shortfalls in Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey. There are at least 1.6 million Syrian children refugees in the region. The U.S. government aid agency USAID, for example, reported it had given $248 million in school aid to Jordan last year, but Jordan's government only reported receiving $13 million. A separate USAID database only tracked $82 million in disbursements that year. NEW YORK (AP) - It was a different Sean Spicer who paid a visit to ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Wednesday night. This was a smiling, chill Spicer, in marked contrast to the six hot-tempered months he spent as White House Press Secretary, conducting volatile news conferences that were given added heat thanks to Melissa McCarthy's unsparing impersonation of him on "Saturday Night Live." It was Spicer's first television appearance since resigning from the Trump Administration in July from what Kimmel joked was his hit reality show, "I'm the Press Secretary - Get Me Out of Here." In this Sept. 13, 2017 photo released by ABC, former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer Sean Spicer, left, appears with host Jimmy Kimmel on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," in Los Angeles. (ABC via AP) He took Kimmel's ribbing in much better spirits than the grilling the White House press corps dished out. "A lot of these members of the press were your friends, right?" Kimmel asked. "WERE, yeah," replied Spicer, chuckling. Kimmel reminded him of how his tenure began: awkwardly backing up Republican President Donald Trump's claim that his inauguration crowd was the biggest ever, when photographic evidence proved otherwise. "Why is he so concerned with size?" asked Kimmel. "Have you ever seen the president naked?" "I have not," Spicer replied good-naturedly. But even if Spicer knew Trump's crowd wasn't larger, Kimmel pressed on, his job as press secretary obliged him to say that it was. "Your job as press secretary is to represent the president's voice," Spicer explained. "Whether you agree or not is not your job." "And then you have to march out there and go, 'He had a bigger crowd, everybody,'" Kimmel laughed. At Kimmel's urging, Spicer tried to account for the tension that prevailed between him and the press corps. "Some of us who worked very hard to get (Trump) elected felt as though a lot of folks, in the media particularly, constantly sought to undermine the validity of that election," Spicer said. "So you to have to understand it sometimes from that perspective." If Kimmel thought Spicer would dish dirt on Trump, he was disappointed. "Sean, you don't work there anymore," Kimmel jokingly egged him on. "You don't have to worry about him. We can protect you here." But Spicer remained resolute in his defense of Trump, declaring at one point, "He's a good man that really cares about this country." Even so, Spicer did acknowledge that the relationship between the press and the White House could stand some improvement. "I think there's a time when we can start taking down the temperature and get back to a more civil and constructive dialogue," he said. To that Kimmel fired back, "You mean when Mike Pence takes over?" In this Sept. 13, 2017 photo released by ABC, former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer Sean Spicer, left, appears with host Jimmy Kimmel on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," in Los Angeles. (ABC via AP) AHMADABAD, India (AP) - India and Japan launched work on a high-speed train line in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Thursday during a visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The "bullet train" will link Ahmadabad, the main commercial city in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's native state, to India's financial capital of Mumbai. The 500-kilometer (310-mile) project will be financed by a Japanese credit of $17 billion and is expected to be completed by 2022. The loan carries a nominal interest rate of 0.1 percent to be paid over the next 50 years. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, left and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attend the ground breaking ceremony for high speed rail project in Ahmadabad, India, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) Abe and Modi also laid the foundation stone for an institute that will be set up in Gujarat's Vadodara city to train around 4,000 people to run the high-speed train system. Analysts say building the train line will give a boost to infrastructure development in India's fast-growing western industrial region, contribute to economic growth and decongest crowded cities. "A strong India is in Japan's interest and a strong Japan is in India's interest," Abe said after he and Modi pressed a button at the foundation laying ceremony for the train line. Talks between Modi and Abe focused on security at a time when both countries share concerns about a rising China, an Indian official said. The two countries made progress on an Asia-Africa growth initiative to pool Indian and Japanese efforts to strengthen infrastructure in African countries, Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar told reporters. Following the talks, officials from India and Japan signed 15 agreements aimed at widening and deepening their partnership, including an "open skies" policy to promote more flights between the two countries, an acceleration of Japanese investments in India and a policy of enhancing connectivity in India's remote northeastern states that border China. Jaishankar said Japan raised concerns about North Korea following its recent nuclear test. "There was a lot of discussion understandably on North Korea. Japan underlined its concerns in strong terms and it was an issue where there was a complete meeting of minds," Jaishankar said. India will fully observe a U.N. Security Council resolution on tightening sanctions again North Korea, he said. The two countries also stressed the importance of holding accountable all countries that have supported North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, a reference to China. Trade between Japan and India at $15 billion is only a quarter of India's trade with China. Japan is currently India's third largest investor. The countries are almost polar opposites. India's chaotic cities and its youthful population contrast starkly with Japan's orderly society, immaculate streets and mature economy. But those differences complement each other, and Abe and Modi repeatedly emphasized shared interests and values. ___ George reported from New Delhi. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center left and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center right, press a button to launch a high speed rail project in Ahmadabad, India, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, right and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wave during the ground breaking ceremony for high speed rail project in Ahmadabad, India, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center left, accompanied by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, center rides in an open vehicle through the streets of Ahmadabad, India, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. Abe is on a two-day visit to India. (AP Photo/Shailesh Prajapati) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, left, his wife Akie Abe, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi walk inside Sabarmati Ashram, or Gandhi Ashram, in Ahmadabad, India, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. Abe is on a two-day official visit to India. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center, accompanied by his wife Akie Abe, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrive on an open vehicle at Sabarmati Ashram, or Gandhi Ashram, in Ahmadabad, India, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. Abe is on a two-day official visit to India. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center, flanked by his wife Akie Abe, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrive in an open vehicle at Sabarmati Ashram, or Gandhi Ashram, in Ahmadabad, India, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. Abe is on a two-day official visit to India. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, center, his wife Akie Abe, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stand beside scultures of three monkeys at Sabarmati Ashram, or Gandhi Ashram, in Ahmadabad, India, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. Abe is on a two-day official visit to India. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, left, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi walk inside Sabarmati Ashram, or Gandhi Ashram, in Ahmadabad, India, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. Abe is on a two-day official visit to India. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) MIAMI (AP) - Hurricane Irma is history but its aftermath remains deadly. Emergency crews around Florida are moving elderly residents from nursing homes without power, after eight people died in one sweltering facility. President Donald Trump is visiting survivors in Fort Myers and Naples, where many remain swamped and without electricity. Here's more about what's happening: THE NUMBERS - 2.69 million homes and businesses, about 1 in 4 Florida customers, including 81 nursing homes, were without power. Joseph Ross, left, cleans up debris from his damaged home with help from a neighbor in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in Naples, Fla., Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/David Goldman) - 94 degrees (34 Celsius) is what the heat and humidity feel like in South Florida. - $300 million is the total money donated to the Red Cross for hurricanes Harvey and Irma - $500,000 is the annual salary of Red Cross President Gail McGovern. ___ THE DEATH TOLL The confirmed death toll from Hurricane Irma stood at 69, including at least 38 people killed across the Caribbean and 31 in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The rampage is over, but the aftermath significantly increases the risk of death and injury. ___ THE PRESIDENT President Donald Trump said his administration has "been very, very fast and we had to be," in response to Hurricane Irma. Trump spoke at an aircraft hangar before touring Fort Myers and Naples. People are tired, sweaty and frustrated in southwest Florida . Two-thirds of Lee County's customers and almost 80 percent of Collier County remains without power, and entire communities remain inundated. ___ THE ELDERLY Retirees have always loved the Florida sunshine, as long as they had air-conditioning at home and convenient services nearby. After Irma, many elderly living on their own remain without power and isolated. Even with help, they're at risk : 81 of the state's 3,100 assisted living facilities lacked electricity, and firefighters were helping to evacuate people in suffocating heat and humidity after eight residents of one nursing home died. ___ THE POOR Millions of Floridians were living in poverty before Irma. Now they're running out of options , with their homes and workplaces destroyed, and survival costs soaring. ___ THE RESPONSE The American Red Cross is among charities leading the disaster response in Florida, and is recommended by the watchdog group Charity Navigator. But it's under intense scrutiny amid calls for more accountability. ___ GETTING PAID Filing claims for major damage can be a full-time job because you must document every loss and negotiate a fair settlement with insurance companies. In Irma's aftermath, some may hire their own adjusters to advocate for them. ___ HURRICANE NEWSLETTER - Get the best of the AP's all-formats reporting on Irma and Harvey in your inbox: http://apne.ws/ahYQGtb Debris surrounds a destroyed home in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, in Big Pine Key, Fla. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz) Mary Della Ratta, 94, sits by a battery powered lantern in her home three days after Hurricane Irma knocked out power in Naples, Fla., Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. "I don't know what to do. How am I going to last here?" said Della Ratta. The number of people without electricity in the steamy late-summer heat was down to 6.8 million. Utility officials warned it could take over a week for power to be fully restored. (AP Photo/David Goldman) BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - There is a price to pay for free speech, and the University of California, Berkeley forecasts inflation. It cost the famously liberal university an estimated $600,000 to put the campus on virtual lockdown as conservative commentator Ben Shapiro spoke Thursday night. That's on top of another $600,000 spent in April to secure the campus during the planned visit of right-wing pundit Ann Coulter, which was ultimately canceled. Protesters shout before a speaking engagement by Ben Shapiro on the campus of the University of California Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Several streets around the University of California, Berkeley, were closed off Thursday with concrete and plastic barriers ahead of an evening appearance by the conservative commentator - the latest polarizing event to raise concerns of violence on the famously liberal campus. (AP Photo/Josh Edelson) An additional $200,000 was spent on security for an event featuring former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos, which was abruptly called off when left-wing anarchists rioted outside the event. "It's an incredible amount of money," campus spokesman Dan Mogulof said Friday, a day after the Shapiro event. "And while we don't regret that we spent it given the event was held peacefully, we certainly would have rather spent it on other purposes." The current tally of roughly $1.4 million is expected to multiply if an event organized by Yiannopoulos - billed as "Free Speech Week" - goes ahead later this month. Yiannopoulos says he has lined up 20 speakers including Coulter and Steve Bannon, ex-chief strategist for President Donald Trump, to speak on campus during a four-day event. UC Berkeley officials say that event is not yet confirmed but they will prepare security accordingly if it takes place. "We can't turn a blind eye to recent events in the city, around the campus and the country," Mogulof said. "So we accept that we will need to continue to do what is necessary to support our non-negotiable commitment to the First Amendment and safety of our campus." Berkeley's reputation as a liberal stronghold and the birthplace of the 1960s Free Speech Movement has made the city and campus flashpoints for the country's political divisions, drawing extremist groups from the left and right. Four political demonstrations, starting with the Yiannopoulos event, have turned violent since February, prompting officers to come up with new strategies to control rowdy and sometimes dangerous crowds. Shapiro, a former Breitbart editor, was invited by campus Republicans. His speech drew several hundred protesters who held a protest outside but there was no violence. Police sealed off the building where Shapiro was speaking and required attendees to pass through metal detectors and police barricades that kept protesters at a distance. Streets and nearby indoor parking lots were closed. A list of banned items Thursday included shields, masks, bandanas, poles and torches, and for the first time in two decades, the city council authorized city officers to use pepper spray to control violence. City police said nine people were arrested mainly for having banned items. There were no injuries or property damage. The university has declined to say how many officers were on hand but reinforcements were called in from all 10 UC campuses and from law enforcement agencies around the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. The largest costs were for bringing in the reinforcements and paying their room, board, travel and overtime, as well as overtime costs for campus police and staff to work during the evening event, Mogulof said. The university has struggled financially in recent years, but Mogulof said the security expenses would not cut into academic spending. "Our operating budget is north of $2.6 billion a year. You're going to have allowances for unforeseen situations," he said. ___ Associated Press writer Sudhin Thanawala contributed to this report. Police officers gather behind a barricade before a speaking engagement by Ben Shapiro on the campus of the University of California Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Several streets around the University of California, Berkeley, were closed off Thursday with concrete and plastic barriers ahead of an evening appearance by the conservative commentator - the latest polarizing event to raise concerns of violence on the famously liberal campus. (AP Photo/Josh Edelson) Protesters shout before a speaking engagement by Ben Shapiro on the campus of the University of California Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Several streets around the University of California, Berkeley, were closed off Thursday with concrete and plastic barriers ahead of an evening appearance by the conservative commentator - the latest polarizing event to raise concerns of violence on the famously liberal campus.(AP Photo/Josh Edelson) Xothitl Johnson addresses a crowd of protesters before a speaking engagement by Ben Shapiro on the campus of the University of California Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Several streets around the University of California, Berkeley, were closed off Thursday with concrete and plastic barriers ahead of an evening appearance by the conservative commentator - the latest polarizing event to raise concerns of violence on the famously liberal campus. (AP Photo/Josh Edelson) Amber Cummings, right, holds a sign as Phoenix Jones, in white shirt, and Morris Black , center, shout during a protest outside of a speaking engagement by Ben Shapiro on the campus of the University of California Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Several streets around the University of California, Berkeley, were closed off Thursday with concrete and plastic barriers ahead of an evening appearance by the conservative commentator - the latest polarizing event to raise concerns of violence on the famously liberal campus. (AP Photo/Josh Edelson) A police officer monitors the scene during a speaking engagement by Ben Shapiro on the campus of the University of California Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Several streets around the University of California, Berkeley, were closed off Thursday with concrete and plastic barriers ahead of an evening appearance by the conservative commentator - the latest polarizing event to raise concerns of violence on the famously liberal campus. (AP Photo/Josh Edelson) As seen through a concrete barricade, a police officer monitors the scene during a speaking engagement by Ben Shapiro on the campus of the University of California Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Several streets around the University of California, Berkeley, were closed off Thursday with concrete and plastic barriers ahead of an evening appearance by the conservative commentator - the latest polarizing event to raise concerns of violence on the famously liberal campus. (AP Photo/Josh Edelson) Protesters shout from a walkway before a speaking engagement by Ben Shapiro on the campus of the University of California Berkeley in Berkeley, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Several streets around the University of California, Berkeley, were closed off Thursday with concrete and plastic barriers ahead of an evening appearance by the conservative commentator - the latest polarizing event to raise concerns of violence on the famously liberal campus. (AP Photo/Josh Edelson) ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkey said Thursday it wants Qatar and its Arab neighbors to overcome differences through dialogue and a "brotherly" manner as Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was set to arrive in Ankara on his first foreign trip since a diplomatic crisis erupted. Al Thani is scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss ties as well as the three-month-old diplomatic rift between the Gulf neighbors. "We support a resolution of the crisis through a brotherly manner and through dialogue," Ibrahim Kalin, Erdogan's spokesman, told reporters. "This crisis only serves the enemies of this region." FILE- In this June 7, 2017 file photo, released by Kuwait News Agency, KUNA, Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, left, holds the hand of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha, Qatar. Qatar likely faces a deadline this weekend to comply with a list of demands issued to it by Arab nations that have cut diplomatic ties to the energy-rich country, though its leaders already have dismissed the ultimatum. (KUNA via AP, File) Turkey has been trying to mediate between Qatar and its Gulf neighbors but has also shown solidarity with Doha in the crisis by delivering food and other supplies and boosting military ties, including sending troops to a Turkish base there. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates cut ties with Qatar in June over its close ties to Iran and its alleged support for extremists. Qatar has denied supporting extremism, saying the crisis is politically motivated. The prime minister of Kuwait, which is mediating the crisis, was also in Ankara on Thursday for talks with Turkish leaders. It was not clear if Al Thani and Kuwait's Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah would meet in Ankara. Al Thani is scheduled to travel on to Germany for a meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Conservation Fund, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, announced on Thursday the protection of more than 1,680 acres of high-elevation ridges and pristine headwaters in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. Located in both North Carolina and Tennessee, the conservation acquisition was made possible with funding from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and connects more than 127,000 acres of public lands from Cherokee National Forest to Mount Rogers National Recreation area in Virginia. From the propertys highest elevations, including the 4,325-foot Bald Knob, one can see three states and many high peaks, including Mt. Cherokee National Forest Supervisor JaSal Morris said, This is an outstanding example of how federal, state and private partners can work together to achieve common goals. This beautiful and unique tract of land will be a great addition to the Cherokee National Forest. The Conservation Fund purchased the Cut Laurel Gap property in December 2013, serving as the temporary owner until funding could be provided for its permanent protection. In 2016, it transferred 586 acres in North Carolina to the Wildlife Resources Commission with a grant from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund. The conveyance of the final acreage in Tennessee to the U.S. Forest Service this month was made possible with funding from the LWCF. Private contributions from Fred and Alice Stanback and a grant from Trout Unlimited also enabled the protection of land in both states. The Cut Laurel Gap property adds an additional 586 acres to Pond Mountain Game Land, connecting it to the Cherokee National Forest and establishing a significant wildlife travel corridor, said Kip Hollifield, Mountain Ecoregion supervisor with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. The Cut Laurel Gap project was a complicated one since it spanned state boundaries. Acquiring this valuable property would not have been successful without the cooperative efforts of multiple conservation partners. The North Carolina portion of the property is currently open for public use. This conservation effort was selected as part of a national, agency-wide competitive and merit-based process within the U.S. Forest Service, which prioritized the project for Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017 LWCF funding. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and Representative Phil Roe (TN-1) supported Tennessees request for LWCF funding and helped secure the Congressional appropriations for the program. LWCF is a bipartisan, federal program that uses a percentage of proceeds from offshore oil and gas royaltiesnot taxpayer dollarsto acquire critical lands and protect our countrys best natural resources for more than 50 years. Todays announcement that more than 1,600 acres of the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains will be permanently protected is another great example of how federal, state and local officials in Tennessee and private organizations, like The Conservation Fund, work together to use funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to help protect Tennessees and the nations lands and heritage, said Senator Alexander. When I chaired the Presidents Commission on Americans Outdoors, one of the main recommendations of the commission was to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fundand the completion of the Cut Laurel Gap project is another example of the great work being done in Tennessee with LWCF funding to ensure future generations have an opportunity to enjoy the Great American Outdoors. Millions of people visit Tennessee each year to experience our incredible God-given outdoor amenities, and this newly protected land in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains will help conserve stream habitats for trout and expand recreational opportunities for Tennesseans and visitors, said Senator Corker. I am also pleased that headwaters for South Holston Lake, which provides drinking water for many Bristol residents, will be protected. It is important that these resources are available for future generations, and I appreciate the hard work of all who are making that a priority. As an avid outdoorsman, protecting East Tennessees national forests and parks is very important to me, said Rep. Roe. The Cherokee National Forest is a treasure in East Tennessee that greatly contributes to the local economy, which is why I've joined our senators to support funding for the Cut Laurel Gap project. This project, which will preserve approximately 1,684 acres of high-altitude habitat, will help increase public recreation in our state. The headwaters located on the property, together with one linear mile of perennial streams also now conserved, are tributaries to South Holston Lake, which provides drinking water to residents in Bristol, Tennessee and Virginia, and popular water-based recreation for more than four million visitors and surrounding communities along the Tennessee-Virginia border and each year. Nestled next to Cherokee National Forest, the ridges, bogs and mountain balds of the Cut Laurel Gap property provide a natural extension to the mosaic of conserved lands in the Southern Blue Ridge, said Ralph Knoll, Tennessee representative with The Conservation Fund. The natural and community benefits of protecting a landscape like this are not confined within state boundaries, and we are grateful to the U.S. Forest Service and the State of North Carolina for their partnership. We also thank Senators Alexander and Corker and Representative Roe for their continued support of LWCF, which is so critical to conservation here and across the country. Trout fishing in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee generates hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs for local economies, said Keith Curley, vice president for Eastern Conservation with Trout Unlimited. By conserving brook trout habitat and opening up public access, the Land and Water Conservation Fund again delivers a conservation success with the Cut Laurel Gap project to enable current and future generations of anglers to enjoy this valuable resource. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration on Thursday extended sanctions relief to Iran, avoiding imminent action that could implode the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, even as President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson accused Tehran of not respecting the entire agreement. The extensions of the waivers on nuclear sanctions, first issued by the Obama administration, were accompanied by new penalties imposed against 11 Iranian people and companies accused of supporting Iran's ballistic missile program or involvement in cyber-attacks against the U.S. financial system. The combination of steps - known internally as "waive and slap" - came as the administration nears completion of a monthslong review of its Iran policy that is expected next month, perhaps as early as October 15 when Trump must inform Congress if Iran is complying with the terms of the nuclear agreement and whether the deal remains in U.S. national security interests. Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson hold a press conference after their meeting on Libya at Lancaster House in London, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, Pool) In comments to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump repeated his campaign pronouncement that the deal is bad and again said he believes Iran is violating its terms and spirit. "The Iran deal is one of the worst deals I've ever seen," he said. "Not a fair deal to this country. It's a deal that should have never ever been made. You'll see what we're doing ... it's going to be in October." "We are not going to stand for what they are doing to this country," Trump said. "They have violated so many elements but they have also violated the spirit of that deal." Speaking in London at a joint news conference with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson., Tillerson told reporters the administration's approach to Iran could not be determined on the basis of the nuclear accord alone. "We must take into account the totality of Iranian threats, not just its nuclear capabilities," he said, citing obligations to uphold regional and international security. "Iran is clearly in defiance of these obligations," Tillerson said, pointing to its support of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, cyber activity and testing of ballistic missiles. The White House did not issue a statement announcing the extension of the sanctions waivers and left it to the State Department to make the move public. At the State Department, spokeswoman Heather Nauert recited a litany of what she called provocative and belligerent Iranian action that she said demonstrated Iran's malign behavior before announcing the "waive" part of the strategy. She said the waivers give the administration additional time to deliberate its broader policy. Meanwhile, the Treasury delivered the "slap" part of the strategy, imposing sanctions on Iranian companies and individuals affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iranian airlines and those believed to have been involved in cyberattacks on U.S. banks. "Treasury will continue to take strong actions to counter Iran's provocations, including support for the IRGC-Qods Force and terrorist extremists, the ongoing campaign of violence in Syria, and cyber-attacks meant to destabilize the U.S. financial system," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. The nuclear sanctions waivers are America's part of the deal's central bargain. In exchange for Tehran rolling back its atomic program, the U.S. and other world powers agreed to suspend wide-ranging oil, trade and financial penalties that had choked the Iranian economy. As officials have made clear for months, the White House is seeking ways to find that Tehran is not complying with the agreement. Iran rejects that it has broken the agreement. And it can point to a U.N. report this week showing that Iran was meeting the conditions on its nuclear program set out in the accord. The July 2015 deal was reached by Iran, the U.S., Britain, France, China, Germany and Russia. Under U.S. law, the president must certify to Congress every 90 days whether Iran is adhering to the agreement. If the president doesn't certify compliance, Congress has 60 days to decide whether to re-impose sanctions lifted under the agreement. The next certification deadline is Oct. 15 and several officials and people close to the matter have described Trump as determined to "decertify" Iranian compliance with the nuclear deal at that point - a finding that would jeopardize the entire agreement. The officials weren't authorized to discuss such internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity. Tillerson said talks continue with the president and his senior advisers, but "no decision has been made." On Thursday and in previous comments, Trump has said he is inclined not to certify Iranian compliance after having twice found it compliant at earlier deadlines. Iran deal opponents inside and outside the administration argue that Tehran's full compliance is unproven, particularly on allowing nuclear inspections at military sites. They argue that at the very least Iran is violating the spirit of the agreement with its ballistic missile tests. Those, however, aren't specifically covered in the nuclear agreement. Thursday's decision sets the stage for talks on the agreement's future with European allies and others during next week's U.N. General Assembly. BEIJING (AP) - Four Chinese navy ships have departed for joint drills with Russia in the latest sign of growing cooperation between the two militaries that could challenge the U.S. armed forces' role in the Asia-Pacific. A destroyer, missile frigate, supply ship and submarine rescue ship departed Wednesday from the port of Qingdao, home to China's north sea fleet, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. The drills are being held in the Sea of Japan near the Korean Peninsula and the Sea of Okhotsk off the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, Xinhua said. The exercises are the second stage of an annual joint drill, the first part of which was held July 22-27 in the Baltic Sea - the first time the countries had exercised together in the northern European waterbody. Russia and China are closely aligned on many diplomatic and security issues, with both countries calling for a negotiated settlement of tensions on the Korean Peninsula, preceded by North Korea suspending its nuclear and missile activities in return for the U.S. and South Korea halting their regular large-scale wargames. July's joint drills in the Baltic stirred concern among countries in the region, where tensions are already high over increased displays of military force by both Moscow and NATO. Both Russia and China say the exercises are not directed at any third parties. The Chinese ships taking part in the exercises are among the country's most advanced, components of a growing fleet that poses a significant challenge to the U.S. Navy's traditional dominance in the Asia-Pacific. Beijing has long chafed at the American presence and is a strong critic of its alliances with Japan, Australia and other countries in the region. China already has the world's largest navy, with slightly over 300 vessels, compared to the U.S. Navy's 277 "deployable battle force ships," according to the U.S. Naval War College's China Maritime Studies Institute. The U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence forecasts it will have 313-342 warships by 2020. While China's ships are technologically inferior to those of the U.S. Navy, their sheer numbers allow China a significant presence on the open sea, institute professor Andrew S. Erickson wrote in a recent study. MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. (AP) - He inspected a mock-up nuclear warhead, but there was no Kim Jong Un lookalike posing for photographs. He chatted with nuclear missile launch officers in their underground command post, but there was no talk of unleashing nuclear hell on North Korea. A subtle, unspoken message of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' visit to this nuclear weapons base Wednesday was that America is a mature nuclear power not intimidated by threats from an upstart North Korean leader who flaunts his emerging nuclear muscle. Mattis was quietly reminding North Korea that it has no match for a U.S. nuclear arsenal that, while old, is still capable of sudden and swift destruction if Kim were to throw the first nuclear punch. FILE - In this June 13, 2017, file photo, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis listens on Capitol Hill in Washington, while testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Pentagon's budget. As North Korea flaunts its new nuclear muscle, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is spotlighting the overwhelming numerical superiority of America's doomsday arsenal. On Wednesday, Sept. 13, he is dropping in on ground zero of American nuclear firepower: Minot Air Force base in North Dakota, home to more than 100 land-based nuclear missiles as well as nuclear bomb-toting aircraft. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File) In his only public comments, Mattis cast his visit as part of an effort to ensure that the U.S. maintains the kind of nuclear firepower that convinces any potential nuclear opponent that attacking would be suicidal. "You can leave no doubt at all," he told reporters traveling with him. "Don't try it. It won't work. You can't take us out." Mattis was taking such a restrained approach that he barred reporters from his town hall-style exchange with airmen on this base that hosts nuclear-capable B-52 bombers as well as the 91st Missile Wing, which has nearly 150 nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles standing ready for launch at a moment's notice. On Thursday, Mattis was getting classified briefings at Strategic Command, just outside of Omaha, Nebraska. Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten, the head of Strategic Command, would be in command of nuclear forces in the event President Donald Trump ordered them into combat. Mattis said his visits to Minot and Strategic Command are intended to inform his "nuclear posture review," a top-to-bottom reassessment of U.S. nuclear weapons policy. He said the review is nearly complete but he would not cite a target date. A major question posed in the review is how big the U.S. nuclear force needs to be to remain a deterrent to nuclear war. Mattis said Wednesday he has become convinced that the United States must keep all three parts of its nuclear force, rather than eliminate one, as he once suggested. In congressional testimony in January 2015, while he was a private citizen, Mattis said eliminating the ground-based component - intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs - would "reduce the false alarm danger." He was referring to the argument made by some nuclear policy experts that because ICBMs are postured to be launched on warning of incoming missiles, a false warning might trigger nuclear war. Mattis has called the submarine-based component "sacrosanct" and has said it is necessary to retain the ability to fire nuclear weapons from planes. Together, those three prongs constitute what the military calls its nuclear triad. "I've questioned the triad," Mattis told reporters flying with him to Minot Air Force Base, a nuclear base in North Dakota. He said his view has now changed. "I cannot solve the deterrent problem reducing it from a triad. If I want to send the most compelling message, I have been persuaded that the triad in its framework is the right way to go," Mattis said. Mattis has previously indicated this evolution in thinking, but his statements Wednesday were emphatic. The key to avoiding nuclear war, he said, is maintaining a nuclear arsenal sufficient to convince a potential enemy it could not win a nuclear war with the U.S. and thus should not start one. "You want the enemy to look at it and say, this is impossible to take out in a first strike, and the (U.S.) retaliation is such that we don't want to do it," Mattis said. "That's how a deterrent works." Thus the U.S. will keep nuclear missile submarines, land-based nuclear missiles and nuclear-capable aircraft, he indicated. Mattis also said the Trump administration is reviewing the value of the New Start treaty negotiated with Russia by the Obama administration in 2010. The treaty, already in effect, requires reductions by both sides to a maximum of 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads by February. "We're still engaged in determining whether it's a good idea," Mattis said, adding that the question is linked to adherence by others to separate but related arms treaties. That was an apparent reference to U.S. allegations that Russia is violating the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty from 1987. Mattis declined to discuss the matter further, except to say the administration is not considering withdrawing from New Start. It's an open question whether it will seek to extend the treaty, which expires in February 2021. Trump has criticized New Start as a bad deal for America. ___ This story corrects the spelling of Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten's name. TOKYO (AP) - Defending champion Christina McHale has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Japan Women's Open with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Sara Sorribes Tormo. McHale dominated with solid groundstrokes and took advantage of 10 double-faults by Tormo, who was coming off a win over three-time champion Sam Stosur, to set up a quarterfinal clash with Elise Mertens of Belgium. "It was tougher than the score shows and there were some close games," said McHale, who is already looking forward to another quarterfinal match. "I've never played (Mertens) her before but I know she is playing very well. We practiced the other day and it's going to be a tough match." Upsets continued Thursday when Kazakhstan qualifier Zarina Diyas beat second-seeded Zhang Shuai 6-4, 6-2. A day after ousting top-seeded Kristina Mladenovic, Croatia's Jana Fett booked her spot in the quarterfinals with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Jana Cepelova of Slovakia. Eighth-seeded Yulia Putintseva advanced after an abbreviated second-round match. She was leading 6-2, 2-0 when Han Xinyun retired because of injury. China's Wang Qiang overpowered local favorite Kurumi Nara 6-2, 6-3. WASHINGTON (AP) - House Speaker Paul Ryan backed off months of promises that the Republicans' tax plan won't add to the nation's ballooning deficit, declaring in an AP Newsmaker interview that the most important goal of an overhaul is economic growth. Asked twice whether he would insist the emerging tax plan not pile more billions onto the $20 trillion national debt, Ryan passed up the chance to affirm that commitment. GOP leaders made that "revenue neutral" promise in a campaign manifesto last year and many times since. "We want pro-growth tax reform that will get the economy going, that will get people back to work, that will give middle-income taxpayers a tax cut and that will put American businesses in a better competitive playing field so that we keep American businesses in America," the Wisconsin Republican told Associated Press reporters and editors on Wednesday. "That is more important than anything else." House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., left, answers questions during an interview with Julie Pace, AP chief of bureau in Washington; and Erica Werner, AP congressional correspondent, at the Associated Press bureau in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Ryan's comments signaling possible retreat on a core GOP commitment came amid quickening action on taxes, which Republicans view as their last, best chance to notch a significant accomplishment to take to voters in the 2018 midterm elections following the collapse of their "Obamacare" repeal drive. Yet even as President Donald Trump hunted for Democratic votes for a plan that's not yet taken shape, and GOP leaders laid out an aggressive timetable to lawmakers, significant hurdles remained. A major one is the GOP's failure, thus far, to pass a federal budget, which under legislative rules is a prerequisite for a tax plan that can avoid being stalled to death by Democrats in the Senate. Others involve the contents of the tax blueprint itself, which Ryan and his lieutenants envision as a far-reaching reform plan that would significantly lower rates for corporations and individuals while cleaning up the loophole-ridden code. One problem is that every tax deduction has its own constituency, and Ryan has already ruled out eliminating some of the most popular ones, including deductions for home mortgages and charitable giving. Objections also threaten from the GOP's seemingly shrinking ranks of deficit hawks if Ryan, Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell do try to move forward with a tax plan that could cost hundreds of billions of dollars, without paying for it with cuts in federal spending or some new sources of revenue. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement earlier this week calling the debt the "greatest threat to our nation," greater than North Korea, Russia or the Islamic State group. Ryan made his comments on taxes as he discussed a range of issues with the AP, including immigration, where he pledged to find a solution for the nearly 800,000 immigrants brought to this country as children and now here illegally. He declared that removing them all is "not in our nation's interest," though he declined to reaffirm his past support for eventual citizenship for the "Dreamers." He said any immigration solution must include border security measures, though he said a wall along the entire southern border, which Trump has repeatedly urged, doesn't make sense. On taxes, Trump himself added to the complications when he surprisingly declared, at a meeting with a bipartisan group of House members, that taxes on the wealthy would not go down under the GOP plan and might even go up. Although the administration has not provided specifics on its plan, House Republicans have embraced an approach that would lower the top individual rate from 39.6 percent to 33 percent, which would be enormously beneficial to the wealthiest Americans. Still, Trump declared, "The rich will not be gaining at all with this plan. We are looking for the middle class and we are looking for jobs - jobs being the economy." Trump reiterated that he hoped to lower the top corporate tax rate from 35 to 15 percent, something Ryan has already ruled out as impractical - and an idea the president himself has backed off from, according to people with knowledge of a meeting he held Tuesday night with bipartisan senators. The president added, improbably, that the individual rate would be even lower than that. The long list of difficulties has led some analysts to conclude that Congress is likelier to settle on straightforward tax cuts than on full-blown reform - if it passes anything at all. But Ryan rejected that approach, telling the AP, "It's not just narrow cuts in taxes that will do the job." Referencing tax cuts signed by President George W. Bush, Ryan said, "You can't just do what Bush did in 2001 and 2003. You have to overhaul the system itself to put American businesses and the American economy in a much more competitive situation." Earlier Wednesday, Ryan and House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady met behind closed doors with GOP lawmakers to lay out a timetable on taxes, pledging a detailed blueprint from top congressional Republicans and administration officials in the final week of September. The goal, which Ryan reiterated Wednesday, is to send Trump a bill to sign before year's end. The challenges were immediately apparent as House Republicans left the meeting with Ryan and Brady complaining they still didn't know what was going on. And some conservatives were voicing concerns about Trump's newfound fondness for making deals with Democrats, as he did last week on the debt ceiling with House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California. "The problem here is we don't have a clue what's in the tax plan," said Rep. Dave Brat, R-Va. "Now Trump is talking about doing bipartisan stuff with Chuck and Nancy on taxes. And I don't want to open the door to that until we see what this tax plan looks like." ___ Associated Press writers Alan Fram, Richard Lardner, Stephen Ohlemacher and Catherine Lucey contributed. House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., answers questions during an interview at the Associated Press bureau in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., left, answers questions during an interview with Julie Pace, AP chief of bureau in Washington; and Erica Werner, AP congressional correspondent, at the Associated Press bureau in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) TOKYO (AP) - Japan's top government spokesman said Thursday that a North Korean threat to sink Japan with a nuclear bomb is "extremely provocative and outrageous." A statement from an organization called the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee attacked the United States for leading a push for stronger U.N. sanctions against North Korea, and railed against Japan for backing the U.S. campaign. "The four islands of the (Japanese) archipelago should be sunken into the sea" by a nuclear bomb, the statement reads in part. It was distributed by the Korean Central News Agency, the state news service. North Korea often issues bellicose threats that it doesn't actually carry out. But Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, responding to a reporter's question about the North Korean dispatch, said the statement "significantly escalates tension in the region and is absolutely unacceptable." The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved new sanctions Monday after North Korea carried out its sixth and strongest nuclear test on Sept. 3. Although the latest sanctions are not as tough as what the U.S. had sought, they are expected to have a significant impact. HANOI, Vietnam (AP) - Vietnam on Thursday was bracing for Typhoon Doksuri, which is expected to be the most powerful tropical cyclone to hit the Southeast Asian country in several years. Doksuri swept through the Philippines on Tuesday as Tropical Depression Maring, killing at least four people and leaving another six missing. It strengthened to a typhoon with sustained wind speed of up to 135 kilometers per hour (84 mph) and gusts of up to 185 kilometers per hour (115 mph). It's expected to make landfall in central Vietnam Friday, according to the Vietnamese national weather forecast center. Forecasters warned of heavy rains, floods and landslides in some northern and central parts of the country. Vietnamese villagers move a fishing boat on shore in northern Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Vietnam on Thursday was bracing for typhoon Doksuri, which is expected to be the most powerful tropical cyclone to hit the Southeast Asian country in several years. (Trinh Duy Hung/Vietnam News Agency via AP) Speaking at an emergency meeting Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung ordered the evacuation of people in high-risk areas. He also ordered operators of fishing, transport and tourist boats and vessels to take shelter or move out of the typhoon's path, and banned ships and vessels from sailing to the sea, the government reported on its website. State-run online newspaper VnExpress, quoting officials in the central provinces of Ha Tinh and Quang Binh, said more than 100,000 people were being told to evacuate. The typhoon forced the cancellation of dozens of flights to and from the central region, it said. Vietnam, a country of 93 million people, is prone to floods and storms that kill hundreds of people each year. LONDON (AP) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday urged China to use its leverage as North Korea's principal supplier of oil to press the isolated nation into reconsidering its development of nuclear weapons. The Trump administration sought an embargo on oil imports to North Korea at the U.N. Security Council this week in response to the North's most powerful nuclear test to date. But opposition from China and Russia forced the U.N. to approve weaker measures, although it did ban textile exports, an important source of its revenue for the North. Tillerson said it was going to be "very difficult" to get China to consent to an embargo against its neighbor, but he still urged China as a "great country and a world power" to use its leverage as the supplier of virtually all North Korea's oil. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson shakes hands with staff, at the U.S Embassy in London, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, during his second visit to Britain since taking office in February. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP) "That is a very powerful tool and it has been used in the past," Tillerson said at a news conference. "We hope China will not reject that." He spoke after talks with Britain and France on how to increase pressure on the authoritarian government of Kim Jong Un as it moves closer to having a nuclear-tipped missile that could threaten the American mainland. China opposes North Korea's nuclear weapons development but worries that greater economic pressure on the North could trigger a collapse. It wants the U.S. to restart long-stalled negotiations with North Korea. The U.S., Britain and France are the other permanent members of the Security Council, the U.N.'s most powerful decision-making body. "The Chinese have done more perhaps than we thought that they would, but there is scope for them to do much, much more, particularly in respect to oil," British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said. He cautioned against pursuing alternative efforts at engagement with Pyongyang - a possible reference to comments this week by German Chancellor Angela Merkel who offered to act as a facilitator, if needed, in diplomacy. Merkel suggested that the approach taken with Iran - lifting international sanctions in exchange for it curbing nuclear activities - could be used with North Korea. Thursday's talks in London also addressed the response to Hurricane Irma, which has caused havoc in the southeastern United States and the Caribbean, where Britain and France have dependent territories. Later, representatives from the U.N., Italy, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates joined for discussions on the upheaval in Libya and a U.N.-backed mediation effort to stabilize the North African nation. Libya fell into chaos following the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled Moammar Gadhafi. Today it is split between rival parliaments and governments in the east and west, each backed by a set of militias, tribes and political factions. Speaking to U.S. Embassy staff before the talks, Tillerson said the aim was to "knot their peace process together" and "put Libya back together." Johnson, who visited Libya last month, said peace in Libya is "wholly achievable" and elections could be held next year, but a constitution needs to be put in place first. "Libya is a front line in our common struggle against terrorism and illegal migration, and we all share a vital interest in that country's stability," he said. Tillerson voiced U.S. support for the U.N. mediation effort. He said the U.S. does not want to see Libya become a safe haven for additional terrorist organizations including the Islamic State group. Tillerson also met with British Prime Minister Theresa May and discussed the threat posed to the Mideast region by Iran and the conflict in Syria. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks at the U.S Embassy in London, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, during his second visit to Britain since taking office in February. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP) JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - An Indonesian family that spent nearly two years with the Islamic State group in Syria has denounced IS militants as interested only in power, money and sex in a video released by Indonesia's counterterrorism agency. The family, which included teenagers and young children, was detained at the agency's de-radicalization center near the capital, Jakarta, after returning to Indonesia with government help in mid-August. The agency said in a statement that 15 of 18 family members had been released on Wednesday. Family members described IS as rotten, a "crocodile hole" and hated by God in the video posted on the agency's website. FILE - In this file picture taken on Monday, July 24, 2017, an Indonesian family who escaped from the Islamic State group in Raqqa gather inside their tent at a refugee camp, in Ain Issa, Syria. The family spent nearly two years with the Islamic State group in Syria and has denounced IS militants as interested only in power, money and sex in a video released by Indonesia's counterterrorism agency. The family was detained at the agency's de-radicalization center near the capital, Jakarta, after returning to Indonesia in mid-August and was released on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File) In July, an Associated Press team in the Syrian city of Raqqa met with members of the family who were living in a camp for the displaced. They said IS online media convinced them to expect an Islamic utopia when they traveled two years ago from Jakarta to IS's self-proclaimed capital but instead they found brutality and terror. In the video, Heru Kurnia, 55, recounts how two weeks before they fled IS territory he saw a beheaded corpse hanging from a clock tower and children kicking the head like a football. "It was said that there were free schools but when we arrived they asked to marry (the women). A lot of them even asked about my little girl. They said they should be notified if she menstruates," he said. Indonesian authorities say several hundred Indonesians have joined IS as fighters in Syria and Iraq and key figures among them have encouraged sympathizers in Indonesia to carry out attacks. A 2015 Pew survey of Indonesians showed that 4 percent, or about 10 million people, had a favorable attitude toward IS. "IS just fight for three things. They chase power, they chase treasure and they chase women," said 32-year-old Difansa Rachmani in the video. "Everything there is rotten," she said. Barry Robertson, USA Retired (Tillman Britts son-in-law), Morning Pointe of Brentwood residents Tillman Britt, US Navy (Korean War), and George Williams, USAAF (WWII); and Todd Winninham, RSD, USA, joined two dozen veterans on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. Previous Next Three Morning Pointe Senior Living residents from Brentwood and Franklin who served in World War II and the Korean War took a trip of a lifetime to Washington D.C., courtesy of the Honor Flight of Middle Tennessee. The organization is part of a nationwide program that allows veterans to experience the war memorials at no cost. Twenty-five veterans, including Morning Pointe residents George Williams, Tillman Britt and Leslie Fant, gathered at Nashville International Airport early Wednesday to board on their journey to remember their past. Local news media were on standby to document the trip. I was overseas for about three and a half years I flew out of England and flew P40s and B51s and I am now 93 so I am a little old but I have done well in life, Morning Pointe of Brentwood resident and WWII veteran George Williams told WKRN Channel 2 News. The residents met veterans from Honor Flights from five other cities during the one-day event, as they toured the war memorials, including Arlington National Cemetery. Each veteran received a polo shirt, a cap, complimentary meals, and memorabilia. Claude Morse, Honor Flight of Middle Tennessee board chairman, says the Honor Flights are made twice a year in the fall and spring, and that the Middle Tennessee hub has sent more than 500 veterans to the nations capital an experience that he says brings tears to the eyes of many. This day is all about the veterans, Mr. Morse said. Its all about giving them a chance to see the war memorials. Its an emotional day for a lot of them. But it was also a day of excitement for participants like Leslie Fant, Morning Pointe of Franklin resident and U.S. Army veteran who served in both WWII and the Korean War. Morning Pointe salutes its veterans with events and activities that honor their sacrifices as part of the life enrichment and Meaningful Day programs. Though the trip was only a day long, Morning Pointe residents returned home with memories that will last forever. It is a blessing and an honor for our residents to have the opportunity to reflect on their experiences, said Ashley Briggs, Lantern program director at Morning Pointe. This was truly a meaningful day for these individuals who gave all for our country. Morning Pointe is Middle Tennessees choice for assisted living and Alzheimers memory care serving Brentwood, Columbia, Franklin and Spring Hill (opening soon). Morning Pointe also has 17 locations across Tennessee. Independent Healthcare Properties LLC, a Chattanooga-based senior healthcare services company, is the developer, owner and manager of 28 Morning Pointe Senior Living and The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimers Memory Care Center of Excellence communities in five southeastern states. IHP was founded in 1996 by Tennessee healthcare entrepreneurs, Greg A. Vital and Franklin Farrow. For more information, visit . BEIJING (AP) - China is mourning the death of the world's oldest panda, Basi, who attracted millions of visitors during a visit to the United States 30 years ago. Caretakers in the eastern city of Fuzhou said Basi was suffering from a number of ailments, including liver and kidney problems, when she died Wednesday at age 37. Her body is to be preserved and placed in a museum dedicated to her life, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Thursday. FILE - In this Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, file photo, Basi the giant panda eats plants during ceremonies to mark her 35th birthday at the Fuzhou Giant Panda Research Center in Fuzhou in southeastern China's Fujian province. Basi passed away Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, at the age of 37. Caretakers in the eastern city of Fuzhou said Basi was suffering from a number of ailments, including liver and kidney problems, when she died. (Chinatopix via AP) "She was very talented and liked weight-lifting, riding a bicycle and playing basketball," Xinhua said. Born in the wild in 1980, Basi was discovered by villagers after falling into an icy river in the western province of Sichuan at age 4 and sent to the breeding center in Fuzhou. She lived out her life there without giving birth to cubs. She made a then-rare visit to San Diego in the United States in 1987, where she drew more than 2 million visitors during a 200-day stay accompanied by fellow panda Yuan Yuan, and was the model for the mascot of the 11th Asian Games, held in Beijing in 1990. The rare giant pandas are China's unofficial national mascot and live mainly in Sichuan's bamboo-covered mountains. An estimated 1,864 exist in the wild, where they are threatened chiefly with habitat loss, and around 420 others live in captivity in zoos and reserves, the majority within China. Giant pandas are generally considered old after reaching 20 but can live for many more years in captivity, where they can be treated for diseases and shielded from accidents. That has led to a growing number of geriatric captive pandas who suffer from failing eyesight, poor digestion, bad teeth and arthritic limbs, along with fluctuating emotions. A special home for the old timers has been set up in Sichuan to provide customized diets, exercise and other care aimed at improving their quality of life. KIRKUK, Iraq (AP) - Iraq's parliament on Thursday voted to dismiss the Kurdish governor of the ethnically mixed Kirkuk province, in a move that could escalate tensions ahead of a planned Kurdish referendum on independence. To the south of Baghdad, meanwhile, militants attacked a checkpoint and nearby restaurant in southern Thi Qar province, killing at least 60 people and wounding 83, according to provincial Gov. Yahya al-Nassiri. The Islamic State group, through its Amaq news agency, claimed responsibility. Iraq's Kurds plan to hold the vote on Sept. 25 in three governorates that make up their autonomous region as well as disputed areas like Kirkuk that are controlled by Kurdish forces but claimed by Baghdad. Late last month, Kirkuk's provincial council voted to take part in the referendum. Iraq's central government has rejected the polls as unconstitutional and illegal. In this Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017 photo, a Kurdish man wearing traditional clothes passes under a Kurdish flag in Irbil's old bazaar, Iraq. Despite calls from Baghdad and the United States to postpone the vote, Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region is pressing ahead with plans to hold a referendum on independence September 25. Some officials within Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government describe the vote as a step in pursuit of self-determination, but the lead up to the planned referendum has highlighted the region's lingering divisions and economic deficiencies.(AP Photo/Balint Szlanko) Lawmaker Hussein al-Maliki said parliament voted to dismiss Kirkuk Gov. Najmiddin Karim based on consultations with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. Mohammed al-Karboli, another Arab lawmaker, said Karim "threatens the country's unity and civil peace in Kirkuk." All Kurdish members boycotted Thursday's session, while 187 mainly Arab and Turkmen legislators voted in favor, the two lawmakers said. The governor has the right to appeal the decision, al-Karboli added. Shortly after the session, the Kirkuk governor rejected the parliament decision in a statement, describing it as "invalid" and insisting that he'll stay in office. "The parliament decision ... doesn't mean anything to Kirkuk and its governor who is still in office," said the statement. Brett McGurk, U.S. special presidential envoy to the anti-Islamic State coalition calling on Kurdish leaders in Iraq to halt the referendum in favor of an alternative. McGurk said at a news conference in Irbil that Brussels, Washington, Paris, London and Baghdad had cooperatively developed an alternative plan to the contentious referendum. While providing no details on the alternative, he said he has presented it to Kurdish leaders. "There's an alternative on the table. It's decision time," he said. Oil-rich Kirkuk is home to a mix of Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen and Christians. Kurdish forces took control of the province and other disputed areas in the summer of 2014, when the Islamic State group swept across northern and central Iraq and the Iraqi armed forces crumbled. Iraq's Kurdish region has enjoyed a high degree of autonomy since the U.S. imposed a no-fly zone over northern Iraq after the 1990 Gulf War. It has its own parliament and armed forces, flies its own flag, and has been a close U.S. ally against IS and other militant groups. But relations with Baghdad have grown strained in recent years over oil and the disputed areas. The attack in Nasiriyah in Thi Qar province started with militants opening fire at the checkpoint and the restaurant on the main highway that links Baghdad with the southern provinces, al-Nassiri said. That was followed by two suicide bombers, including one driving an explosives-laden car, he added. Three policemen were among the dead and the majority of those killed were expected to be Iranian pilgrims en route to visiting religious shrines who were resting inside the restaurant, he said. The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said later in a statement it condemned the attack. "This attack is yet another example of the cowardice of (the Islamic State group) and other extremist groups targeting innocent civilians in their desperate attempts to sow discord among the people of Iraq while they face overwhelming defeat on battlefield," the statement said. Shiite Muslim-dominate Thi Qar is located about 200 miles (320 kilometers) southeast of Baghdad. ___ Abdul-Zahra and Associated Press writer Sinan Salaheddin contributed from Baghdad. In this Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017 photo, a man walks past a campaign poster printed on a Kurdish flag urging people to vote yes in the upcoming poll on independence from Iraq, Irbil, Iraq. Despite calls from Baghdad and the United States to postpone the vote, Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region is pressing ahead with plans to hold a referendum on independence September 25. Some officials within Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government describe the vote as a step in pursuit of self-determination, but the lead up to the planned referendum has highlighted the region's lingering divisions and economic deficiencies.(AP Photo/Balint Szlanko) In this Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017 photo, a salesman in Irbil's bazaar selling patriotic and pro-independence ware talks with a customer in Irbil, Iraq. Despite calls from Baghdad and the United States to postpone the vote, Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region is pressing ahead with plans to hold a referendum on independence September 25. Some officials within Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government describe the vote as a step in pursuit of self-determination, but the lead up to the planned referendum has highlighted the region's lingering divisions and economic deficiencies.(AP Photo/Balint Szlanko) DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Qatar's emir is persona non grata to four U.S.-allied Arab states that accuse his wealthy Gulf nation of sponsoring extremists, but he recently received a warm welcome at the sprawling military base his troops share with thousands of American soldiers. Qatar's al-Udeid Air Base, a crucial staging ground for U.S. operations in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, is one of several American military outposts across the Gulf that are intended to serve as a bulwark against Iran, but now put Washington in a delicate balancing act. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates cut all ties to Qatar in June, accusing it of supporting extremism and being soft on Iran. Some U.S. officials have defended Qatar, but are making little headway in mediating the crisis. With its hosts at each other's throats, the Pentagon has been placed in an awkward position. In this Monday, Sept. 11, 2017 photo released by Qatar News Agency, QNA, the Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, centre front, poses for a photo with Emiri Air Force at al-Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's visit to al-Udeid Air Base throws into sharp relief the delicate balancing act the U.S. faces in addressing the Qatar crisis. (QNA via AP) In this April 22, 2017 photo released by the U.S. Defence Department, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis meets with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani at the Sea Palace in Doha, Qatar. A trip by Qatar's ruling emir to a major U.S. military base in his country, Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, has shown the delicate balancing act the U.S. faces in addressing the diplomatic crisis gripping Doha. (US Defence Department/ Brigitte N. Brantley via AP) In this April 22, 2017 photo released by the U.S. Defence Department, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, centre left, meets with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani as Sally Donnelly, Mattis' advisor, 2nd left, and Dana Smith, U.S. ambassador to Qatar, 1st left, and Qatar's Minister of Defence Khalid bin Mohammed al Attiyah are seen at the Sea Palace in Doha, Qatar. A trip by Qatar's ruling emir to a major U.S. military base in his country, on Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, has shown the delicate balancing act the U.S. faces in addressing the diplomatic crisis gripping Doha. (US Defence Department/ Brigitte N. Brantley via AP) BEIRUT (AP) - The Latest on the Syrian conflict (all times local): 3:15 p.m. Russia's military says it fired seven cruise missiles at Islamic State targets in the eastern Syrian province of Deir el-Zour. Trainees of a bomb disposal unit prepare to practice a bomb search near Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. The Russian military in February opened a school in Aleppo to train Syrian sappers which was relocated to the outskirts of Homs several months later. (AP Photo) The Defense Ministry said the Kalibr cruise missiles were launched from two submarines in the Mediterranean on Thursday. Russia has provided military backing for Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces since 2015. It has repeatedly fired salvoes of such missiles, from both the sea and mainland Russia. In this strike, the missiles were aimed at IS command points, communication hubs and arms dumps southeast of the city of Deir el-Zour, where Syrian troops and allied militias are battling the extremists. The ministry said all the targets were destroyed. ___ 10:30 a.m. A Syria monitoring group says a convoy of Islamic State militants and their relatives transferred from the border with Lebanon has finally crossed into an extremist stronghold in eastern Syria, ending a standoff with the U.S.-led coalition over their evacuation deal. The convoy had been stuck in the desert following airstrikes by the U.S-led coalition to prevent its advance. The Hezbollah-negotiated deal allowed the evacuation in exchange for locating the remains of Lebanese soldiers and the release of fighters. On Thursday, a captive Hezbollah fighter was released. The head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said buses and vehicles crossed into Deir el-Zour province Wednesday. Last week, the U.S-led coalition said it ended surveillance of the convoy after a Russian request. Trainees of bomb disposal unit practice a bomb search near Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. The Russian military in February opened a school in Aleppo to train Syrian sappers which was relocated to the outskirts of Homs several months later. (AP Photo) Soldiers distribute Russian humanitarian aid at the check-point of the de-escalation zones near Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. Hundreds of people, mostly women and elderly men, living on the both sides which recently was a frontline between Syrian government forces and the Free Syrian Army flocked to a Russian military police check-point on Wednesday to get Russian food aid. (AP Photo) A Russian military policeman guards the area from the top of an armoured car near Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. Hundreds of people, mostly women and elderly men, living on the both sides which recently was a frontline between Syrian government forces and the Free Syrian Army flocked to a Russian military police check-point on Wednesday to get Russian food aid. (AP Photo) Soldiers distribute Russian humanitarian aid at the check-point of the de-escalation zones near Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. Hundreds of people, mostly women and elderly men, living on the both sides which recently was a frontline between Syrian government forces and the Free Syrian Army flocked to a Russian military police check-point on Wednesday to get Russian food aid. (AP Photo) Doctors treat a local woman at the Russian military makeshift hospital at the check-point of the de-escalation zone near Homs, Syria, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017. Hundreds of people, mostly women and elderly men, living on the both sides which recently was a frontline between Syrian government forces and the Free Syrian Army flocked to a Russian military police check-point on Wednesday to get Russian food aid. (AP Photo) BERLIN (AP) - A Turkish Airlines plane that was taxiing toward takeoff at Cologne-Bonn airport was called back and its passengers evacuated after someone made a telephone threat against the flight. German federal police said officials who received the call to the airport Thursday morning decided to order the aircraft searched. The plane was sent to a secure position at the airport and the 111 passengers taken to a waiting room by bus. Police with sniffer dogs searched the aircraft, and defusal experts were called in to take a closer look at one piece of hand luggage. They gave the all-clear about 3 hours after the telephone threat, and allowed the plane to take off for Istanbul. ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Greece has agreed to sell its railways company to Italy's own state-owned operator for 45 million euros ($54 million) as part of its privatization drive. The country's Asset Development Fund said Thursday that the sale of TrainOSE to Ferrovie Dello Stato Italiane completed a four-year process. Greece has pledged to carry out an ambitious privatization program as part of its international bailout, under which it has received billions of euros in emergency loans in return for overhauling its economy. Many of the privatizations have been met with resistance from unions. No trains were running on Thursday as the railway workers' union called a 24-hour strike to protest the company's sale. NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - Jurors in the corruption trial of U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez and a wealthy donor heard more testimony Thursday about trips the New Jersey Democrat took at the donor's expense, as prosecutors sought to bolster their contention the free travel was part of a long-term bribery agreement. Two pilots testified they flew Menendez on private planes paid for by the donor, Florida eye doctor Salomon Melgen. Prosecutors say the flights were part of a pattern of bribery by Melgen to get Menendez to lobby government officials on behalf of his personal and business interests. They contend Menendez pressured the officials over Melgen's dispute with the government over Medicare billing and Melgen's contract to provide port security equipment for the Dominican Republic. Sen. Bob Menendez waves to reporters while arriving at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Courthouse for his federal corruption trial, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) This week, a Dominican woman testified she received a U.S. visa to visit Melgen in 2008 with Menendez's help. Defense attorneys have contended it was normal, not illegal, for Menendez to get involved in visa applications. Melgen and Menendez are charged with multiple fraud and bribery counts. They have denied the allegations and say the gifts were between friends and weren't part of a bribery arrangement. During cross-examination by defense attorneys Thursday, both pilots said they weren't told to conceal the fact that Menendez had taken the flights by keeping his name off official forms. The trial is in recess until Monday. In a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday, 50 percent of about 1,100 registered voters surveyed said Menendez doesn't deserve re-election, up from 44 percent in June. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed said if Menendez is convicted and forced to leave office the next governor, not Republican Gov. Chris Christie, should appoint his successor. The poll had a margin of 3.8 percentage points. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - A Finnish woman who had been kidnapped in Afghanistan was released Thursday and is safe, officials said. The Foreign Ministry in Helsinki said the family had asked for privacy, and the person's employer, a Swedish organization, had chosen not to confirm any names or disclose information about the abduction, saying it wanted to honor the privacy of those involved. "It is with great joy that we confirm the release of our Finnish colleague who was abducted on May 20," said the humanitarian organization Operation Mercy in a statement. In Kabul, the Afghan intelligence agency would only confirm the aid worker had been released but refused to give any further information. The non-governmental organization, based west of Stockholm, said it was "still mourning the death of our German colleague and the Afghan house guard who were killed in the initial attack on the Kabul home of our colleagues." Finnish foreign minister Timo Soini told a news conference that Finland did not pay ransom "and never would." "If we did so, it would only encourage more kidnappings," said Soini, who Thursday had a phone conversation with the woman, who is still in Afghanistan. "It's been a long and hard summer for her family. Now we can see the light," he added. Detective Chief Superintendent Thomas Elfgren of Finland's National Bureau of Investigation told the same news conference that the kidnappers are still at large but Afghani police continued to investigate the kidnapping which they believe was planned. He didn't give further details. The group says it works in central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, helping "the poor and marginalized through community development and humanitarian aid projects." ___ Jari Tanner in Tallinn, Estonia, and Amir Shah in Kabul contributed to this report. FAIRHOPE, Ala. (AP) - Police in Alabama have arrested three boys who they say shot and killed a dog with a stolen shotgun. AL.com reports that according to a statement from the Fairhope Police Department, the boys - ages 15, 12 and 11 - approached a 52-year-old woman as she was walking two dogs Sunday, and the 15-year-old shot one dog with a shotgun. The boys fled the scene. The dog died. Fairhope police say the woman wasn't injured, but was standing close to her leashed pets when the dog was shot. Police later found and arrested the boys and recovered the rifle, which was stolen. Each boy is facing a felony cruelty to animals charge and misdemeanor reckless endangerment charge. Investigators say they may face theft of firearms charges once the shotgun's owner is identified. ___ Information from: The Birmingham News, http://www.al.com/birminghamnews PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) - An international medical organization says Pakistani authorities have asked it to end its work in a northwestern tribal region bordering Afghanistan. In a statement Thursday, Medecins Sans Frontieres, also known as Doctors Without Borders, said the government move ends 14 years of operation in the Kurram tribal region. Kurram has witnessed scores of militant attacks against minority Shiites Muslims in recent years. Doctors Without Borders was providing medical facilities in collaboration with two government hospitals. No government spokesman was available for comment. Pakistan in recent years has shut the offices of some non-government organizations for working without a No Objection Certificate from the Ministry of Interior, which monitors activities of foreign-funded organizations in tribal regions for security reasons. MSF did not have the certificate to operate in Kurram. BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union has extended sanctions by a further six months against dozens of Russian citizens and companies deemed to have a role in threatening the stability and independence of Ukraine. EU headquarters said Thursday the restrictive measures have been prolonged until March 14 and now apply to 149 individuals and 38 entities. It said the sanctions are in response to "actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine." The EU first imposed the sanctions after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and supported pro-Russia separatists fighting Ukrainian forces in Ukraine's east. That fighting has left over 10,000 people dead. The bloc has repeatedly extended the sanctions as the conflict continues. A 2015 peace deal helped reduce the scale of fighting, but violence continues. NEW YORK (AP) - ESPN says it has accepted the apology of its "Sportscenter" host Jemele Hill for tweeting earlier this week that President Donald Trump was a "white supremacist" and "bigot." White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday called Hill's comments outrageous and something that could be considered a fire-able offense by ESPN. The network said in a statement issued shortly before midnight that Hill has a right to her personal beliefs, but not to share them on a public platform that implies she is speaking for the network. ESPN said she's acknowledged that her tweets crossed the line. FILE - This is a Feb. 3, 2017, file photo showing Jemele Hill attending ESPN: The Party 2017 in Houston, Texas. ESPN distanced itself from anchor Jemele Hill's tweets one day after she called President Donald Trump "a white supremacist" and "a bigot." "The comments on Twitter from Jemele Hill regarding the president do not represent the position of ESPN," the network tweeted Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017, from its public relations department's account. "We have addressed this with Jemele and she recognizes her actions were inappropriate." (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP, File) In her own tweet , Hill said she regretted that her comments painted her company in an unfair light. MOSCOW (AP) - A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russia regrets a decision by the U.S. government to ban federal agencies from using Kaspersky Labs software. Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Thursday the U.S. move "cast a shadow over the image of our American colleagues as reliable partners" and was designed to cripple Kaspersky's competitive advantage on the international market. The U.S. cited concerns about Kaspersky's ties to Russian intelligence services as the reason for the ban, which was announced Wednesday. The anti-virus company has repeatedly denied the existence of any such ties. FILE - In this July 1, 2017, file photo, Eugene Kaspersky, Russian antivirus programs developer and chief executive of Russia's Kaspersky Lab, poses for a photo on a balcony at his company's headquarters in Moscow, Russia. On Sept. 13, the U.S. banned the use of computer software supplied by Kaspersky Lab at federal agencies because of concerns about the company's ties to the Kremlin and Russian spy operations. The directive issued by acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke comes as various U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies and several congressional committees are investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File) Anton Shingarov, Kaspersky's vice president of public relations, says Thursday in Moscow that "this is part of a geopolitical game ... There is no proof provided of any improper ties to the Russian government." LONDON (AP) - Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has delivered the toughest condemnation yet from a Trump administration official of the persecution of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims, likening the violence against them to ethnic cleansing and demanding it stop. On Thursday, Tillerson directed the blame toward Myanmar's powerful military, which is responsible for security operations that have seen nearly 400,000 people flee to neighboring Bangladesh in the past three weeks after Rohingya insurgents launched coordinated attacks on government forces. He reiterated support for civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi who is facing growing pressure to speak out over the military's conduct. Tillerson said the U.S. appreciated the "difficult and complex situation" Suu Kyi finds herself in, sharing political power with the military, but he also described the "horrors" occurring in the Southeast Asian nation as a "defining moment" for its new democracy. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks at the U.S Embassy in London, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, during his second visit to Britain since taking office in February. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP) "This violence must stop, this persecution must stop. It has been characterized by many as ethnic cleansing. That must stop," Tillerson told a news conference in London after talks with Britain and France. "We need to support Aung San Suu Kyi and her leadership but also be very clear to the military that are power-sharing in that government that this is unacceptable." British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson was more strident in criticizing Suu Kyi. He said the suffering of the Rohingya people was an "abomination," and that Suu Kyi must use her authority to halt the violence against them. Johnson said he admired Suu Kyi's fight against Myanmar's former military junta - she spent about 15 years under house arrest - but "it is now vital for her to use that moral capital, that moral authority to make the point about the suffering" of the Rohingya. He said the Nobel laureate needs to "make clear that this is an abomination and that those people will be allowed back" to their homes. Britain was the former colonial ruler of the country also known as Burma. It came under military rule little more than a decade after independence in 1948. The United States under President Barack Obama was instrumental in coaxing the generals give up direct rule five decades later and allow a civilian government. Following 2015 elections won by her party, Suu Kyi became its de facto leader. But the transition has been blighted by the tensions between majority Buddhists and the Rohingya, who are widely loathed in Myanmar and regarded as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, although many have lived in Myanmar for generations. In the past few years there have been periodic explosions of violence, culminating in the current crackdown by security forces that began Aug. 25 and which top U.N. officials have also described as ethnic cleansing. On Thursday, Amnesty International said it had turned up evidence of an "orchestrated campaign of systematic burnings" by Myanmar security forces. Based on its analysis of video, satellite photos, witness accounts and other data, the human rights group said more than 80 inhabited sites, each at least 375 meters (1,230 feet) in length, have been torched in strife-hit Rakhine State. "The evidence is irrefutable - the Myanmar security forces are setting northern Rakhine State ablaze in a targeted campaign to push the Rohingya people out of Myanmar," said Tirana Hassan, Amnesty's crisis response director said in a statement. "Security forces surround a village, shoot people fleeing in panic and then torch houses to the ground," she said. "In legal terms, these are crimes against humanity." While the Trump administration has been less active on Myanmar than the Obama administration, the current wave of global condemnation has begun to galvanize a response in Washington, where Suu Kyi has long been idolized for her peaceful struggle for democracy. Senior Republican Sen. John McCain this week canned legislative plans to authorize deeper military ties between the U.S. and Myanmar. He noted that the international community has called upon Suu Kyi to stop the violence and hold human rights abusers accountable, "but there has been no action to-date." On Thursday, the Senate's top Republican, Mitch McConnell, who has long been at the forefront of U.S. policy toward Myanmar, came to Suu Kyi's defense. McConnell said he spoke with Suu Kyi by phone on Wednesday and she repeated her call for "peace and reconciliation" in strife-torn Rakhine state. She told him she was working toward securing immediate and improved humanitarian access to the region. The Kentucky lawmaker said her civilian government has little control over Myanmar's military and the nation's path to a more democratic government will take time. "Publicly condemning Aung San Suu Kyi - the best hope for democratic reform in Burma - is not constructive," McConnell told the Senate. "Attacking the single political leader who has worked to further democracy within Burma is likely to hinder that objective in the long run." ____ Lardner reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Jill Lawless in London and Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks as he and Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson hold a press conference after their meeting on Libya at Lancaster House in London, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, Pool) Rohingya Muslims, who crossed over from Myanmar into Bangladesh, walk towards a refugee camp in Shah Porir Dwip, Bangladesh, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Nearly three weeks into a mass exodus of Rohingya fleeing violence in Myanmar, thousands were still flooding across the border Thursday in search of help and safety in teeming refugee settlements in Bangladesh. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin responded to the uproar over his request to use a government plane last month while he and new wife Louise Linton toured Europe to celebrate their honeymoon. The thrice-married millionaire, 54, said that he and his twice-married wife, 36, inquired if they could use the plane not for their own self-interest or personal convenience, but rather as an issue of national security. Mnuchin explained that as a member of the president's National Security Council he needed a secure communication link with Washington and his staff put in a request for use of an Air Force jet as a result. If that request had been granted, the $25,000-and-hour jet would have been keeping the lines secure and Mnuchins safe as they stopped off in Scotland, Paris and later Lake Como. The cabinet member was not quite done addressing his recent scandals involving government aircraft however, using his appearance to also speak about his now infamous trip to Kentucky that coincided with the solar eclipse. Mnuchin later flat out denied claims that he and his Scottish-born wife had used the government-owned plane to travel to Louisville and later Fort Knox so they could view the solar eclipse during his speech. He then went on to state that the trip had originally been scheduled for a different time, and that he was not even all that interested in the celestial spectacle because he is from New York. Mocchin' Mnuchin: Steve Mnuchin (above last month) denied that he used a government plane to travel to Kentucky on the day of the solar eclipse in order to view the celestial spectacle Money shot: Linton puckers up to Mnuchin as the two travel down the coast of Italy last month on their honeymoon (above) Mona Louise-a: The Treasury Secretary, 54, brought along his third wife Louise Linton, 36, on the trip, which came just one week after they returned from their honeymoon Tone deaf twosome: Linton became enmeshed in her own scandal when she lashed out at a working mother who questioned why she was flying on a government plane (above) 'You know, people in Kentucky took this stuff very serious,' said Mnuchin. 'Being a New Yorker and (living for a time in) California, I was like, the eclipse? Really? I don't have any interest in watching the eclipse.' Mnuchin did still manage to sit through the spectacle despite his disregard and disinterest for the sun and moon's movements. And he was joined at the viewing party by one of those 'very serious' Kentucky residents, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. Mnuchin said that he had scrapped a staff plan to view the eclipse from the roof of a building at Fort Knox, and instead looked at it briefly from the ground using a pair of eclipse glasses that someone handed him. Asked by the moderator if it was an 'eclipse boondoggle,' Mnuchin said: 'We went to see Fort Knox... Fort Knox is a symbol of the economic might of our country.' And on the topic of the honeymoon trip, Mnuchin said he ended up withdrawing his own request in the end. Mnuchin said once it became clear to him that he could obtain secure communications links without a government plane he called off the inquiry into obtaining one from the administration. The princess and the Pence: Linton became Mnuchin's third wife in June 'Let me just set the record straight. First of all, the government never paid for any of my personal travel,' stated Mnuchin at the press conference, sponsored by Politico. 'This had nothing to do with convenience. This was purely about national security.' Linton posted a photo of herself in Paris on the trip, as well as a video of the couple boating off the coast of Italy which showed the Secret Service members who were also sent on the trip. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he had 'total confidence' in his Treasury secretary. 'I have known him a very long time,' Trump told reporters on Air Force One after viewing hurricane damage in Florida. 'He is a very straight shooter... He's a very honorable man.' At the same time, the Treasury's Office of Inspector General confirmed that it was looking into 'all requests for and use of government aircraft' at Treasury. Peek-a-boo: The pair are also being criticized after it was revealed Mnuchin had initially submitted a request to have a government jet for their honeymoon last month (Linton above boating in Italy) Hanging on the telephone: Mnuchin (above in Italy) said that as a member of the president's National Security Council he needed a secure communication link with Washington and his staff Protect and serve: Linton's video of the trip seemed to show at least one Secret Service agent (center) accompanying the two on their travels On that trip down south in August, Linton and Mnuchin first stopped in Louisville for a luncheon on the day in question before moving on to Fort Knox. Cabinet members generally travel on commercial flights to meetings and events, with government aircraft used only on official business. If commercial flights are unavailable cabinet members will at times be permitted to travel on a government plane, which because of the eclipse could have been the case the day that Mnuchin took his wife with him to Kentucky. Summer in Scotland : Linton and Mnuchin enjoy a day of gray in Edinburgh (baove) The newlyweds have been inseparable ever since their June wedding, but it was still quite a surprise for some to see that Linton accompanied her husband on a government plane for his trip to Kentucky. Linton outed herself as having joined Mnuchin by posting the Instagram photo, in which she tagged her designer outfit in the post as well, a mix of high-end brands that included Tom Ford, Valentino, Roland Mouret and Hermes. 'Great #daytrip to #Kentucky!' Linton wrote under the photograph. She then added hashtags for various pieces of her expensive wardrobe, listing #rolandmouret, #hermesscarf, #tomford and #valentino,' wrote Linton. Her subsequent outburst came after Jennifer Miller, a working mother with three children, called Linton 'deplorable' in the comment section. Miller responded by writing in the comments: 'Glad we could pay for your little getaway. #deplorable.' 'Have you given more to the economy than me and my husband?' asked Linton in response to Miller's comment. 'Either as an individual earner in taxes OR in self sacrifice to your country?' Suicide squad: Mnuchin, who is also a Hollywood producer, was married in front of the Trumps and Karen pence, whose husband officiated the wedding Tartan it up: Linton was married once before prior to walking down the aisle with Mnuchin Hall on earth: 'He is a very straight shooter .... He's a very honorable man,' President Trump said of Mnuchin on Thursday (pair above in April) A statement was later released by a spokesperson for Mnuchin, which said: 'The Mnuchins are reimbursing the government for [Linton's] travel, and she does not receive compensation for products she mentions.' That was enough to satisfy Miller, who said of the White House's response: 'I'm actually glad. I'm glad that, you know, they are reimbursing all of us, the government, the taxpayers for this trip that she used to advertise for brands that, I don't know, if her friends own them or what.' Linton released her own statement at the time, saying: 'I apologize for my post on social media yesterday as well as my response. It was inappropriate and highly insensitive.' Miller meanwhile still seemed to be in disbelief that her comment had resulted in a this very public feud. 'Honestly, it was probably just a weak moment for me,' said an incredibly composed and well-spoken Miller in an interview with CNN one day after the social media spat. 'I was frustrated already by some stories I had just read about the Secret Service running out of overtime money because of the excesses of the administration's travel schedule, and then saw this woman who I didn't know who she was.' Miller continued: 'I knew who the Treasury Secretary was, so I assumed it was his wife, getting off of a government plane for what I assumed was a government trip and basically advertising for all of these European, you know, high-end brands that your average person couldn't afford. She went on to add that it was even worse because it had been done in Kentucky, which is 'one of the poorest states in our country.' CRANBROOK, British Columbia (AP) - A Canadian woman is seeking to have her conviction overturned after she was sentenced to seven months in jail for taking a 13-year-old girl to the United States to marry the leader of a polygamous church. Gail Blackmore filed an appeal Wednesday arguing that British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Paul Pearlman was wrong to find her guilty and imposed a sentence that is unduly harsh and excessive. Blackmore and ex-husband Brandon Blackmore were found guilty in February of removing a child from Canada for a sexual purpose. In a June 30, 2017 photo, Gail Blackmore, 60, leaves court during a lunch break in her sentencing hearing in Cranbrook, B.C. Blackmore filed an appeal Wednesday, Sept. 13. 2017, arguing that British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Paul Pearlman was wrong to find her guilty and imposed a sentence that is unduly harsh and excessive. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP) Their trial heard that the girl was taken across the border in 2004 to marry Warren Jeffs, head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Jeffs is now serving a life sentence for assaulting two of his child brides. ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - Richard Washart took a gulp of the beer he had been served at an Atlantic City casino restaurant, and immediately felt burning pain. He ran to the bathroom, where he experienced the first of six rounds of projectile vomiting. He tried to drink water from the faucet, but was unable to, due to the pain in his mouth and throat. A short time later, he began vomiting blood and went to a hospital; a doctor said he had never seen a patient survive with such severe burns to the esophagus and stomach. The Seaville, New Jersey, man is suing the restaurant, McCormick & Schmick's which is located at the Harrah's casino, claiming he was served beer tainted by a caustic agent used to clean beer tap lines. Harrah's is not a defendant in the suit. A New Jersey jury got the case Thursday, left to deliberate whether the restaurant and a company it hired to clean its beer lines were responsible for Washart's injuries. The restaurant blames a company it uses to clean its beer lines, Kramer Beverage Co., of Hammonton, New Jersey, which denied being at the restaurant on Nov. 6, 2012, when the incident took place. "Richard Warshart went with his colleagues to McCormick & Schmick's, drank a draft beer, and immediately felt a searing, burning pain," his lawyer, Paul D'Amato said outside the courtroom. "There's no doubt the beer had cleaning agent in it." D'Amato said Kramer Beverage is mostly responsible for the episode, noting that they do not follow industry recommendations to use pH testing strips that cost 15 cents apiece to check beer after lines have been cleaned. But, he also said the restaurant itself violated New Jersey's Adulterated Food Act by serving Washart a tainted brew. Washart was hospitalized for six days. He declined comment Thursday. Robert Paessler, a lawyer for Kramer Beverage, denies the company was at the restaurant on the day in question. "The first question right off the bat: Did Kramer Beverage clean a line on Nov. 6, 2012? The answer is no. That's the end of the case." George Godfrey, a lawyer for McCormick & Schmick's, said the restaurant did nothing wrong, and that the only way caustic material could have gotten into the beer line is if Kramer had cleaned it. A restaurant manager testified during the trial he saw a Kramer employee that day who told him he had cleaned the beer lines, but Kramer disputes it. D'Amato noted that Kramer destroyed records that could have shown where the company's line cleaners worked that day. ___ Follow Wayne Parry at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) - The two girls accused of stabbing a sixth-grade classmate to appease an online horror character called Slender Man had a shared delusion that the fictional creature was real and could kill their families, a forensic psychologist testified Thursday. Gregory Van Rybroek, who has worked with youth at the Mendota Mental Health Institute, was the second court-appointed psychologist to testify in Anissa Weier's trial in Waukesha County Circuit Court. Jurors will decide whether Weier was suffering from a mental illness or defect at the time of the attack at a Waukesha park in 2014 when all three girls were 12 years old. Doctors say Payton Leutner nearly died after she was stabbed 19 times. Leutner managed to crawl out of the park where a passing bicyclist found her. Weier, now 15, and co-defendant Morgan Geyser told police they were trying to become a Slender Man proxy, or servant, and had to kill Leutner. Anissa Weier, left, listens as her attorney Maura McMahon questions a witness Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, in Waukesha County Court, Waukesha County, Wis. Prosecutors allege that Weier and her friend, Morgan Geyser, lured classmate Payton Leutner into a Waukesha park in May 2014 and stabbed her 19 times. The girls have said it was an effort to to please a fictional horror character known as Slender Man. (Michael Sears//Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP, Pool) Van Rybroek's testimony matched that of another psychologist who testified Weier and Geyser had a shared delusion about Slender Man. That delusion was so strong, Van Rybroek said, that Weier "couldn't stop herself at the moment it mattered most," and helped stab Leutner even though she knew it was wrong. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said he testified about the delayed development of judgment and impulse control in adolescent brains, and the strong influence of peers within that age group. Certain stimuli can have unintended reactions among youth, Van Rybroek explained. "They have really good accelerators but not very good brakes," he said. Michael Caldwell, a psychologist hired by Weier's attorneys to evaluate her in 2014, also testified Thursday. He said he believes Weier suffered from persistent depressive disorder and schizotypy, a condition on the schizophrenia spectrum. Prosecutors contend Weier knew what she was doing was wrong, but that she went along with the plot to preserve her friendship with Geyser. Both Weier and Geyser were originally charged with being a party to attempted first-degree intentional homicide. Weier struck a deal with prosecutors in August in which she pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted second-degree intentional homicide, essentially acknowledging she committed all the elements of the offense. But she also pleaded not guilty due to mental illness or defect, setting up the trial on her mental status. Closing arguments and jury deliberations will begin Friday. Geyser's trial is due to begin Oct. 9. She has also pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease. ___ This story has been corrected to show that psychologist Michael Caldwell testified Thursday, not Friday. Dr. Gregory VanRybroek who evaluated Annissa Weier's mental state at the time of the crime, testifies Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, in Waukesha County Court, Waukesha County, Wis. Prosecutors allege that Weier and her friend, Morgan Geyser, lured classmate Payton Leutner into a Waukesha park in May 2014 and stabbed her 19 times. The girls have said it was an effort to to please a fictional horror character known as Slender Man. (Michael Sears//Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP, Pool) A client has been arrested for stabbing to death his psychiatrist in an alley behind his holistic practice in Kansas. Achutha Reddy, 57, was attacked on Wednesday evening at the Holistic Psychiatry Services clinic in Wichita. Wichita Country Club reported a suspicious person with blood on him who was sitting in a vehicle in the parking lot. Umar Rashid Dutt, 21, was booked on Thursday morning, according to jail records. Achutha Reddy, 57, pictured left, was stabbed to death on Wednesday evening at 7pm at the Holistic Psychiatry Services clinic in Wichita, Kansas. One of Reddy's clients Umar Rashid Dutt, 21, pictured right, was booked on Thursday morning, according to jail records The attack took place in the alley outside of the Holistic Psychiatric Services clinic where Reddy allegedly treated Dutt Dutt was allegedly Reddy's client, but that authorities do not know what prompted the attack. Police said the suspect and Reddy had been seen entering the clinic together earlier in the day. The suspect left and later returned, and the two entered an office together. The office manager heard a disturbance, found the client assaulting the doctor and tried to intervene, allowing Reddy to flee the building. The suspect followed Reddy into the alley where the doctor was stabbed multiple times, Ojile said. No charges have been filed, but Dutt is being held on suspicion of first-degree murder. Investigators expect the case to be presented to the district attorney's office on Friday Reddy died as a result of the stab wounds. The practice released a statement about the incident: 'Dr. Reddy was an amazing, compassionate man that was kind and loving to anyone he met. He had a gift of knowing what each and everyone of us needed and gave it freely. 'The senselessness of this action bears heavy on all of our souls but knowing him we have to believe in his principles and he would tell us this was his destiny.' No charges have been filed, but Dutt is being held on suspicion of first-degree murder. Ojile said investigators expect the case to be presented to the district attorney's office on Friday. SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) - A Bulgarian court has sentenced three Syrian nationals to six years in prison on terrorism charges. The men, aged 20, 22 and 25, are accused of trying to go to Syria to join militants. The court, which handles cases of terrorism and organized crime, accepted on Thursday the prosecutor's indictment that the three had planned terrorist actions - but rejected accusations that they intended to join the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamic State group in Syria. The three men, who had obtained refugee status in Germany, were caught by Bulgarian border police in February. The prosecution said it had found communications records with members of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamic State group saved in the men's mobile phones. The lawyer representing the Syrians said they will appeal the verdict. 18 Riot Fest Acts We're Most Excited To See This Weekend By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 14, 2017 7:32PM You never know who you'll run into at Riot Fest, photo by Tyler LaRiviere Yeah, we know: Riot Fest sucks. Why are your favorite bands playing at the same time? Why won't the Riot Fest Twitter guy retweet your hilarious musings? Why can't they stop the rain? Get over it. Riot Fest is still the little big festival that could, that manages to still put together interesting music bills in an era when most other festivals are too busy cannibalizing each other's acts, and still does it all from the heart of Chicago. This is our personal favorite fest of the year, and it always feels like a fittingly true send off to the summer (and entry into Rocktober), and this year the bill did not disappoint. There is a non-stop deluge of bands both huge and tiny this weekend in Douglas Park, so you'll have a good time no matter how you fill your schedule. However, here are a few of the acts we are most personally looking forward to and think are worth checking out. Jim Kopeny / Tankboy TOBACCO, photo by Seven Fields of Aphelion Most likely to perform under a cloud of smoke: TOBACCO on the Riot Stage at 12:30 p.m. on Friday TOBACCO is the side project of Thomas Fec, the frontman of Black Moth Super Rainbow, and is built on weed-soaked beats that flit in and out of phase at times to create a dizzying effect. This years Ripe & Majestic is some of his more accessible work, which is pretty funny when you consider its actually a collection of instrumentals and abandoned beats. Of course his castaways would still be addictively catchy in an offbeat way. The only thing Im having trouble wrapping my head around is how his work will go over under the noonday sun. I guess youll just have to get extra high before getting to the park. Jim Kopeny / Tankboy The Cribs Brits whove spent so much time in Chicago they might as well live here: The Cribs on The Heather Owen Stage at 6:20 p.m. on Friday The Cribs often get lumped under the Britpop moniker, but in recent years their sound has turned far more ragged and scrappy. Theyve also found a friend in producer Steve Albini, who manned the board for their last two albums, most recently 24-7 Rockstar Shit, which was secretly recorded in Chicago before its surprise release last month. The bands live sets have always been blasts of visual and sonic endorphins. Jim Kopeny / Tankboy New Order Plenty of hooks to be had, despite the absence of one Hook: New Order on the Roots Stage at 7:10 p.m. on Friday Original bass player Peter Hook is no longer in the fold to personally lay down those signature sixteenth note runs, busy as he is with his bizarre self-tribute-band and dirt-dishing memoirs. But the rest of the original cast of the post-punk, electronic-rock pioneers is present and accounted for. You of course dont need us to sell you on their unimpeachable back catalogwith watersheds like Power, Corruption & Lies and history-making totems like Blue Mondaybut unlike some other legacy acts youll encounter on the Riot Fest bill, Bernard Sumner and the gang continues to produce quality new material, like last years Music Complete. Stephen Gossett Vic Mensa, photo by Annie Lesser/Chicagoist The act most likely to leave you wanting more: Vic Mensa on the Rise Stage at 7:25 p.m. on Friday Hometown rapper Vic Mensa has had several memorable moments this year: his takedown of War in Chiraqcreator DJ Akademiks, being one of the too few prominent artists to call out R. Kelly, his onstage hatchet burial with Chance the Rapper at Lollapalooza. He also at last released his long-awaited full length, the appropriately named The Autobiography; and despite occasional pedanticism and some regrettable rock-y flourishes, he sounds heated and heartfelt as usualwhich should surely carry over live. That fact that he overlaps with New Order is one of the festivals cruelest conflicts. Stephen Gossett Fisbone, photo by Photo by Dennis Manuel from the band's Facebook page Theres a party at ground zero: Fishbone on the Radicals Stage at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday Over the years Fishbone has been one of those acts where you never know which incarnation is going to hit the stage. Will it be more soul? More punk? More ska? More funk? This weekend the answer is all of the above since theyll be playing their seminal album Truth & Soul. Fishbone may be unpredictable, but they are never a boring live act. Jim Kopeny / Tankboy Peaches, photo by Jim Kopeny / Tankboy Brace yourself for some crowd walking: Peaches on the Riot Stage at 2:35 p.m. on Saturday If you dont think youre familiar with Peaches, you probably are. This years first Taylor Swift single borrows heavily from her work, but I guess if youre going to rip anyone off as you reinvent yourself Id rather its Peaches. Some say Peaches is electroclash, but every time Ive seen her, shes been a pure rock and roll goddess. If you have to find a sound to hook you in order to get you to the field for her set, Id say shes electro-rock, but thats really selling her sound short. And her live sets? Expect elaborate costumes, confrontational antics and, yes, crowd-walking. Jim Kopeny / Tankboy Dead Cross, photo by Rich Cook from the band's Facebook page Wear earplugs. Seriously: Dead Cross on the Roots Stage at 3:25 p.m. on Saturday The word supergroup sure gets abused, but when your band includes Mike Patton, Slayers Dave Lombardo, along with Retox members Mike Crain Justin Pearson, Im gonna say the term applies. The result is just as fast and ear-shredding as you would expect. But these guys seem born to play together. This is especially impressive when you consider their debut was originally recorded with a different vocalist the group parted ways with before recruiting Patton to lay his own unmistakable singing over their turbulent blend of metal and hardcore. Jim Kopeny / Tankboy The Regrettes, photo by Lindsey Byrnes These are just rock songs, dont take them the wrong way. Or do: The Regrettes on The Heather Owen Stage at 6 p.m. on Saturday On Feel Your Feelings Fool! The Regrettes combine punk, pop (but not pop-punk) with straightforward lyrics that might cause you to blink the first time you make them out. Not because the lyrics are scandalous, but because theyre just so honest. Throw in a hint of 60s girl group harmonies here and there and you have a cant miss combo to take in as the sun begins to set over the grounds. Dont worry though, this set will help get you amped up to party deep into the night. Jim Kopeny / Tankboy At The Drive In Brace yourself for a delightful case of aural whiplash: At the Drive In on the Roots Stage at 7:40 p.m. on Saturday Remember when At the Drive-In released a new album this year? Probably not. But while inter alia, the post-hardcore bands first album in more than 15 years, played almost like self-parody in parts, the release cycle at least served to remind what diehards never forgot: the material on which they made their name, culminating in the semi-breakthrough Relationship of Command, still crackles with fierce, livewire power. And as you may recall from Lollapalooza, their hammy stage banter has few peers. Duds aside, it still feels like appointment viewing. Stephen Gossett The Wu Tang Clan, photo via their Facebook page No, we have no idea which members are showing up either: Wu-Tang on the radicals Stage at 8 p.m. on Saturday As the seismic 1993 debut from Staten Islands finest, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), nears its 25th anniversary, it remains quite simply one of hip-hops all-time masterpieces, regardless of region, era or any other qualifier. (And no pharma bro is gonna take it away from us.) While Wu-Tang members and affiliates are familiar sights at Riot Festlast year saw GZA and Method Man & Redmanif the idea of a full-album performance of the classic that simultaneously introduced and perfected the Wu mythology doesnt quicken your pulse, you might need a defibrillator. Stephen Gossett Queens of the Stone Age, photo by Andreas Neumann Boogie down or bang your head, you cant lose: Queens of the Stone Age on the Riot Stage at 8:45 p.m. on Saturday One of the truly great, beloved hard-rock bands of the last couple of decades, Queens of the Stone Age has ironically built a big tent out of their square pegs: poppier than the stoner rock scene from which they emerged, with far more sex appeal and self-awareness than the contemporaries from which they stuck outand left in the duston their infamous early-career Ozzfest appearance. Josh Homme and his shifting roster of support (which now includes ex-Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore) have never released a stinker, but this years classic-rock-steeped Villains still feels like something of a return to form. The marquee reunions may get more ink, but this might very well prove the best headlining performance of the weekend. Stephen Gossett Downtown Boys, photo by Miguel Rosario The breath of fresh air likely to knock you off your feet: Downtown Boys on the Rise Stage at 1 p.m. on Sunday The first time we caught woke-and-wired Latinx punks Downtown Boys was at sweaty DIY basement in Pilsen, not long after their part-English-part-Spanish LP Full Communism started wowing open minds. Led by Victoria Ruizs gale-force vocals, the group bowled us over with their political conviction and sheer force of commitment, and it was clear bigger stages awaited. But honestly, their impassioned sax-blaring punk could fill the Sahara. Do not be late on Sunday. Stephen Gossett Beach Slang, photo by Charlie Lowe The Replacements couldnt make it this year, but thats O.K. Beach Slang on the Riot Stage at 12:45 p.m. on Sunday Beach Slang frontman James Alex would be the first to tell you his band owes a huge debt to The Replacements. Heck, the last time we saw them play was at Liars Club when they busted out a cover of Bastards Of Young. (And in a bit of eery prescience, they also covered Riot Fest 2017 headliner Jawbreakers Chesterfield King that night.) But unlike his heroes, Alex always brings his A-game to the stage to deliver sets that brim with that same wild abandon that blasted through the best house parties youve ever been to. Forget the coffee at brunch, this should be enough to jump-start your day. Jim Kopeny / Tankboy that dog., photo via their Facebook page This is the band I thought I would never get to see live: that dog. on the Riot Stage at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday Sure, getting Jawbreaker to reunite is an amazing feat, but Im personally more excited for the that dog. reunion I thought I would never get to see. The band has only played a couple times since they initially disbanded in 1997, and none of those performances were anywhere near Chicago. Well, suck it coasts, its our turn now! that dog. will be performing their crunch-pop masterpiece Retreat From the Sunan album that has stood the test of time to remain one of the best releases of the 90s in my humble estimation. Jim Kopeny / Tankboy The Menzingers, photo by Charles Wzresniewski Most likely to have the entire crowd shout Chicago! during "Midwestern States: The Menzingers on the Radicals Stage at 4:15 p.m. on Sunday Who knew Scranton could kick out such a heartfelt crew of punk rockers? The Menzingers specialize in those kind of fist-pumping anthems that both celebrate and bemoan not being the best you can be. The band makes you want to be a better person, but allows you to accept youre not because neither are they. I mean, hell, one of their best songs is "I Don't Wanna Be an Asshole Anymore. (Though their absolute best is Bad Things with its perfect chorus. It makes me shiver every time I hear it.) Jim Kopeny / Tankboy Best Coast, photo by Janell Shirtcliff Reach out for the sun: Best Coast on the Radicals Stage at 6:45 p.m. on Sunday With every release Best Coasts Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno have just gotten better and better. Taking the simple notion of big guitars that mirror the California surf with melodies that reach for the sky the duo knit songs that blanket you in summer sunshine. On a day that also includes the bands spiritual predecessors that dog., Im expecting to get totally blissed out. Jim Kopeny / Tankboy Andrew WK, photo by Vicky Pea PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY: Andrew WK The Heather Owen Stage at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY this joke never gets old but man do I love this guy PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY PARTY!!! Jim Kopeny / Tankboy Jawbreaker, image via their website The band everyone is talking about. Everyone: Jawbreaker on the Riot Stage at 8:45 p.m. on Sunday Most Anticipated honors goes to these 90s pop-punk emo heroes, who surprise-reunited after more than 20 years apart ahead of the festivaland theres really no contest. The bands third album in particular, 24 Hour Revenge Therapy (1994), was one of the most beloved punk moments of the era and seems to have found purchase with a new generation as the emo revival continues. And even it doesnt represent a foundational text for you, cuts like the immortal, anti-punk-police Boxcar are still undeniable. Itll be a treat to hear it live, especially now that the angsty teeth-gnashing over selling out that plagued Blake Schwarzenbach and company has taken its rightful place in the dustbin of history. Stephen Gossett Riot Fest is Sept. 15 to 17 in Douglas Park, and some tickets are still available. DOVER, Del. (AP) - An Arizona-based pharmaceutical company targeted in lawsuits and criminal investigations over its marketing of a highly addictive painkiller has filed a related patent-infringement lawsuit against a rival drug maker. Insys Therapeutics filed the complaint against Teva Pharmaceuticals on Wednesday in federal court in Delaware. The lawsuit alleges that Teva intends to manufacture and sell a generic version of a fentanyl oral spray before patents held by Insys for its Subsys synthetic opioid spray expire. Subsys is approved only for acute, persistent cancer pain, but Insys has been accused of marketing it for other uses and bribing doctors to prescribe it to patients who didn't need it, including those without cancer. In the latest in a series of lawsuits against Insys, Arizona's attorney general accused the company of fraud last month. KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) - It was a brief taste of freedom for Joey the kangaroo who kicked his way out of a pen at a southeast Wisconsin pumpkin farm, only to be rounded up by sheriff's deputies. The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department received a call around 7 a.m. Thursday from someone who reported seeing an animal on Highway L in Somers, and that it looked kind of like a kangaroo. Deputies were dispatched. And sure enough, there was Joey hopping down the highway, making his getaway. Deputies figured the kangaroo belonged to Jerry Smith's pumpkin farm just blocks away. Sheriff's officials say Joey was returned safely without injury. A man charged in the case of a slain Tennessee nursing student said Thursday that he helped his friend unload the injured woman's body from a truck and served as a lookout when the friend shot her near a river. Jason Autry testified in the trial of Zachary Adams in Savannah, Tennessee. Adams, 33, has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, raping and killing Holly Bobo, who was 20 when she disappeared from her home in Parsons on April 13, 2011. Her remains were found 3 years later in woods not far from her home in Decatur County, about 100 miles southwest of Nashville. Adams faces the death penalty if convicted of first-degree murder. Autry also is charged in connection with Bobo's rape, kidnapping and slaying. He is on a list of witnesses who could get immunity in the case, and he told prosecutor Jennifer Nichols during questioning that he was testifying because he wanted leniency. Scroll down for video Jason Autry (above on Thursday) testified that he helped his friend, Zachary Adams, unload the injured body of Holly Bobo from a truck and served as a lookout when the friend shot her near a river in 2011 During Adams' trial, Autry (above on Thursday) stood and described how he and Adams picked up the woman's body Holly Bobo was a 20-year-old nursing student when she disappeared from her home in Parsons, Tennessee, on April 13, 2011 Adams' trial began Monday. Autry's testimony provided the most detailed description of the connection between Adams and Bobo's killing. Bobo's brother, Clint, has testified he saw his sister walk into woods behind their family's home with an unidentified man on the day she disappeared. Autry said Adams provided some graphic details when he told Autry that he, his brother John Dylan Adams and Autry's cousin Shayne Austin had raped Bobo. John Dylan Adams also is charged in the case. His trial has not been set. Austin was found dead in an apparent suicide in Florida in February 2015. Wearing a white prison uniform with the words 'maximum security' on the back of his shirt, Autry told jurors he had been locked up for theft and drug convictions three times before he was jailed in the Bobo case. He acknowledged an addiction to methamphetamine and morphine. Autry said he'd known Zachary Adams for years. He said he called Adams on the day of Bobo's disappearance asking Adams for a morphine pill. When Adams called him back, he told Autry that he needed his help. Autry (L) and Adams (R) were both charged in the killing. Autry received immunity in exchange for testifying against Adams. His brother John denies any involvement and has not yet received a trial date During a court recess Thursday, Adams (left) looks over paperwork with his attorney Jennifer Thompsonl. Adams is charged with felony first-degree murder, especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated rape of Bobo. He has pleaded not guilty Autry then drove to Austin's trailer, where Adams had driven with Bobo wrapped in a blanket in the back of his pickup truck, Autry said. Autry, whose nickname is 'Train,' said he bought a morphine pill and went to his car, cooked it down, mixed it with meth and injected it. He then walked to Adams' truck. 'He said 'I need you to help me bury this body,'' Autry said. 'He said, 'Train, that's Holly Bobo.'' Adams and Autry drove Adams' truck to the river and retrieved Bobo's body from the truck, he said. He said they didn't have the necessary tools to dig a grave, so they decided to throw her into the river, at a spot under a bridge. But Bobo made a sound and moved, indicating she was still alive. Adams retrieved a pistol from his truck, Autry said. Autry said he told Adams to wait. Autry then walked around the area to make sure no one was around, he said. Autry (above on Thursday) said Adams provided some graphic details when he told Autry that he, his brother John Dylan Adams and Autry's cousin Shayne Austin had raped Bobo. John Dylan Adams also is charged in the case Autry told Adams the area was clear. He then heard a gunshot coming from the location where Adams and Bobo were. 'It sounded like, boom, boom, boom, underneath that bridge. It was just one shot but it echoed,' Autry said. 'Birds went everywhere, all up under that bridge. Then just dead silence for just a second.' Autry said he heard a boat engine. Fearing capture, he and Adams loaded Bobo's body back into the truck and drove away, Autry said. Autry then told Adams he had to meet his girlfriend for lunch. But there was another reason he wanted to leave, Autry said. 'I realized that this old boy had made some bad mistakes, some bad judgments,' Autry said. 'I was looking for a way to put some distance between me and that situation.' Autry later faced questions from defense attorney Jennifer Thompson about his drug use, including how he injected it the day they went to the river. Autry acknowledged failing to remember calls he placed that morning. 'Once that euphoria kicked in, you could say my track of time was altered,' Autry said. Later, Thompson asked if being high affects his memory. Autry said: 'That, and time, yes. We're discussing events that happened six years ago.' Autry also acknowledged lying when he said after he was charged that he did not know who hurt Bobo. Bobo's disappearance led to a massive search in western Tennessee. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has said it was the most exhaustive and expensive investigation the agency ever conducted. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's use of government planes. (all times local): 3:30 p.m. President Donald Trump is calling Mnuchin a "straight shooter" and saying he has total confidence in him following a report that Mnuchin's use of government planes is being investigated by the Treasury Department's inspector general. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One after viewing hurricane damage in Florida, Trump said that he had just heard about the report that Mnuchin had initially sought to use a government plane for a honeymoon trip to Europe last month. The Treasury Department says Mnuchin, a member of the National Security Council, was concerned about making sure he had secure communications. The request for a plane was withdrawn. Trump told reporters he had "total confidence" in Mnuchin. "I've known him a very long time. He is a very straight shooter... He's a very honorable man." PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A onetime challenger to U.S. Rep. Bob Brady will plead guilty to hiding a $90,000 payment from the powerful Philadelphia Democrat's campaign in exchange for dropping out of a 2012 primary, his defense lawyer said Thursday. Former city judge Jimmie Moore met with Brady shortly before exiting the race to discuss the arrangement and it was "agreed and understood" that the payment would be disguised, according to court documents filed by prosecutors Wednesday. Brady has not been charged with a crime and his lawyer denied there was an agreement to hide the source of the money. In this Monday, Sept. 11, 2017 photo, U.S. Rep. Robert Brady speaks at a news conference in Philadelphia. A lawyer for former Philadelphia judge Jimmie Moore, who ran against Brady in 2012, says his client will plead guilty to concealing a $90,000 payment from the incumbent's campaign made in exchange for him dropping out of the race. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) "We don't think that ever happened," said attorney James Eisenhower. "We think the congressman has done everything right." Moore's attorney, Jeffrey Miller, said in an interview Thursday that his client stepped down from the bench this week and will admit to a federal charge of filing a false campaign finance report. He said Moore is willing to testify if needed. "The one thing he won't waver from is telling the truth," Miller said, adding that Moore is set to be arraigned in October. Federal prosecutors said the money was supposed to be used to cover Moore's large campaign debts, though in a separate filing authorities noted that some of the payment was used for personal expenses. One of Moore's campaign aides pleaded guilty in July to concealing the payments on the candidate's finance reports. That case had been filed under seal after prosecutors argued that Brady had tried to "influence" a witness in the matter. It was unsealed after the aide pleaded guilty. A guilty plea from Moore could mean that charges against Brady may soon follow, said Adav Noti, a former Federal Election Commission lawyer and the senior director of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center. "The fact that the judge (Moore) is pleading," Noti said, "it suggests that a charge against Brady is coming." Brady has run the Democratic Party machine in Philadelphia for three decades. He entered Congress in 1998. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration declared its firm support Thursday for a bill that would suspend U.S. financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority until it ends what critics have described as a long-standing practice of rewarding Palestinians who kill Americans and Israelis. The State Department announcement comes nearly six weeks after the Senate Foreign Relations Committee backed the measure. The legislation, which is named after an American who was stabbed to death in Israel by a Palestinian, reflects bipartisan outrage over what lawmakers have termed a "pay to slay" program endorsed by the Palestinian Authority. "The Trump administration strongly supports the Taylor Force Act, which is a consequence of Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organization's policy of paying terrorists and their families," the State Department said. The department added that President Donald Trump "raised the need to end any part of this program that incentivizes violence against Israeli and American citizens with President Mahmoud Abbas last May in both Washington and Bethlehem." But the Palestinian Authority has disputed the accusations and called the bill misinformed. Husam Zomlot, chief representative of the Palestinian General Delegation to the U.S., said last month that the program is more than 50 years old and is aimed at giving support to families "who lost their breadwinners to the atrocities of the occupation, the vast majority of whom are unduly arrested or killed by Israel." One of the bill's main sponsors, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said the Palestinian Authority has created monetary incentives for acts of terrorism by paying monthly stipends of as much as $3,500 to Palestinians who commit acts of violence and to their families. The amount of the payment depends on the length of the jail sentence they receive for the crime, he said. Corker is chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. Palestinians have argued that ending Israel's occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem - lands that Palestinians seek for their state - is key to defeating terrorism. Taylor Force was an MBA student at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee and a West Point graduate who was visiting Israel in March 2016 when he was killed. Force was from Lubbock, Texas. His parents live in South Carolina. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said the Palestinian Authority praised Force's killer as a "heroic martyr." He estimated that the Palestinian Authority has paid $144 million in "martyr payments" over the years. ___ Contact Richard Lardner on Twitter at http://twitter.com/rplardner MADRID (AP) - The Latest on Catalonia's independence referendum and the Spanish government's efforts to stop it (all times local): 10:00 p.m. The head of Catalonia's government has kicked off a two-week "yes" campaign for a referendum on independence from Spain by calling on the region's voters to cast ballots. A woman holds an Estelada or Independence flag ahead of an event promoting the start of the campaigning for the ballot in Tarragona, about 100 kilometres south of Barcelona, Spain, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. Tension is mounting between Catalan and Spain's national leaders as Catalonia's president is set to open the "yes" campaign for a planned referendum on seceding from Spain Thursday. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Spanish courts have suspended the referendum planned for Oct. 1 and the national government has vowed to stop it. There is no official "no" campaign because most of the opposition is snubbing the vote. Regional President Carles Puigdemont addressed thousands filling an arena in the port town of Tarragona on Thursday night for the first campaign event. Puigdemont said: "What kind of people do they think we Catalans are? In Catalonia, we are democrats." Vice President Oriol Junqueras says Catalans "have already won" by planning to hold a referendum despite fierce opposition and legal action against them. ___ 9:00 p.m. The mayor of Barcelona says the city's residents will be able to vote on Catalonia's split from Spain after arrangements were made to protect municipal employees from legal prosecution. Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau had refused to make local public facilities available as polling places for the Oct. 1 secession vote. Colau said she supported holding the referendum, but warned that facilitating it could be considered illegal. Spain's top constitutional court has suspended the measure while it considers a legal challenge. But Colau announced Thursday an agreement has been reached to use the regional government's facilities in Barcelona as polling stations. The move was celebrated by independence supporters because Barcelona, Catalonia's capital, is home to one-fifth of the region's registered voters. ___ 3:20 p.m. Tension is mounting between Catalan and Spain's national leaders as Catalonia's president is set to open the "yes" campaign for a planned referendum on seceding from Spain Thursday. Catalan President Carles Puigdemont is expected to begin campaigning for the ballot, planned for an Oct. 1, in Tarragona, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of Barcelona. Spain's central government insists the vote is illegal and the Constitutional Court has suspended it pending a formal decision by judges. Spanish police have orders to prevent preparations for the ballot, while anybody collaborating in its organization is also legally liable. But regional authorities are trying to sidestep the legal obstacles. A judge shut down the referendum website late Wednesday - but minutes later it reappeared using a different server. ___ 2:45 p.m. The Spanish government's top representative in Catalonia has warned the regional president he may be committing a crime if he proceeds with plans to launch a campaign for an independence referendum. Catalan President Carles Puigdemont intends to open the "yes" campaign for an Oct. 1 ballot on secession at a major event in in Tarragona, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of Barcelona.. But central government representative Enric Millo says the vote is illegal because the Constitutional Court has suspended it pending a formal decision by judges. Millo did not say whether police would intervene to stop Puigdemont speaking amid deep tension over the breakaway bid. The police have orders to prevent preparations for the ballot, while anybody collaborating in its organization is also legally liable. ___ 12:15 p.m. A mounting confrontation between Catalan and Spain's national leaders over a planned independence referendum in the Catalonia region is gripping Spain. Spain's central government is using judicial measures to try to stop the planned Oct. 1 ballot, which it insists is unconstitutional, but regional authorities are trying to sidestep the legal obstacles. Regional president Carles Puigdemont tells broadcaster TV3 the national government in Madrid has created a "climate of hostility and paranoia" around the planned ballot. Meanwhile, Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria says Thursday no dialogue is possible with the Catalan authorities until they back down from their plans for a vote. A judge shut down the referendum website late Wednesday but minutes later it reappeared using a different server. Catalans with estelada or independence flags gather during the Catalan National Day in Barcelona, Spain, Monday Sept. 11, 2017. Hundreds of thousands are expected to rally in Barcelona to show support for an independent Catalan nation and the right to vote in a controversial referendum that has been banned by Spain. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - A psychiatrist was stabbed to death in an alley behind his holistic practice in Kansas and a man identified as one of his patients has been arrested in the killing, police said Thursday. Achutha Reddy, 57, was killed in the attack Wednesday evening at the Holistic Psychiatry Services clinic in Wichita. Police Lt. Todd Ojile said the suspect in custody was Reddy's client, but that authorities do not know what prompted the attack. Police said the suspect and Reddy had been seen entering the clinic together earlier in the day. The suspect left and later returned, and the two entered an office together. The office manager heard a disturbance, found the client assaulting the doctor and tried to intervene, allowing Reddy to flee the building. The suspect followed Reddy into the alley where the doctor was stabbed multiple times, Ojile said. This undated family photo provided by Beena Reddy shows her husband Achutha Reddy, a psychiatrist who was stabbed to death in an alley behind his holistic practice Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017, in Wichita, Kan. Police Lt. Todd Ojile said Thursday, the suspect in custody was Reddy's client, but that authorities do not know what prompted the attack. (Photo courtesy Beena Reddy via AP) The 21-year-old suspect was arrested later after a security guard at the Wichita Country Club called police because a bloodied man was sitting in a vehicle in the parking lot. No charges have been filed, but the man was being held on suspicion of first-degree murder. Ojile said investigators expect the case to be presented to the district attorney's office on Friday. Struggling to contain her grief, Reddy's widow Beena said that she doesn't know why he would want to kill her husband. She said Achutha Reddy was adored by his family and his patients, and that he was "a very good man." "He was so devoted - so devoted to his patients, so devoted to his family," she said. "He was truly a wonderful man, a wonderful physician." Holistic Psychiatric Services says on its website that it "serves the needs of your mind, spirit, and body." Its psychiatric medication evaluation and treatment includes yoga and meditation. Brenda Trammel, the outpatient clinician at Holistic Psychiatry Services, read a statement calling Reddy "an amazing, compassionate man that was kind and loving to anyone he met. He had a gift of knowing what each and every one of us needed and gave it freely. He would often tell me you have to live life to the fullest and this is how he lived his life." She said Reddy thought of himself as "our father" and believed it was his job to guide them to do well in their lives. "He expected the best from all of us and we gave it to him with the same abandon he gave to us," Trammel said. "The senselessness of this action bears heavy on all of our souls." WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump says he plans to travel to Asia in November. Speaking aboard Air Force One on Thursday, Trump says he will visit China, Japan and South Korea. He would not commit to summits that month in Vietnam and the Philippines. Trump says he may "possibly" attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam. Of the U.S.-ASEAN summit in the Philippines, he says "we're going to see." Vice President Mike Pence said in April that Trump would attend both summits. Trump says, "It will be a busy 10 days." South Korea says North has fired another missile over Japan SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Korea's military said North Korea fired an unidentified missile Friday from its capital Pyongyang that flew over Japan before landing in the northern Pacific Ocean. It was the second aggressive test-flight over the territory of the close U.S. ally in less than a month and it followed the sixth and most powerful nuclear test by North Korea to date on Sept. 3. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile traveled about 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) while reaching a maximum height of 770 kilometers (478 miles). The missile was launched from Sunan, the site of Pyongyang's international airport. North Korea last month used the airport to fire a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile that flew over northern Japan. ___ Deal or no deal? 'Dreamers' wait as Trump, lawmakers joust WASHINGTON (AP) - The fate of 800,000 young immigrants hung in the balance Thursday as top lawmakers, White House officials and President Donald Trump himself squabbled over whether an agreement had been struck to protect them - and if so, exactly what it was. In the face of an intense backlash from conservatives inside the Capitol and out, Speaker Paul Ryan and other GOP House members adamantly insisted that there was no agreement to enshrine protections for the immigrants brought to America as children and now here illegally. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican, put it this way: There was "a deal to make a deal." Trump himself said he was "fairly close" to an agreement that could protect the young "Dreamers" while also adding border security, as long as his long-promised wall with Mexico was also separately addressed. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer - whose dinner with Trump Wednesday night was at the heart of the controversy - insisted there was discussion and even agreement on legislation that would offer eventual citizenship to the immigrants in question. "We agreed it would be the DREAM Act," Schumer told reporters, referring to a bipartisan bill that would allow immigrants brought here as children and now in the U.S. illegally to work their way to citizenship in as little as five years if they meet certain requirements. ___ Trump dispenses hoagies, handshakes in hurricane zone NAPLES, Fla. (AP) - President Donald Trump doled out hoagies and handshakes in the sweltering Florida heat on Thursday as he took a firsthand tour of Irma's devastation and liberally dispensed congratulatory words about the federal and state recovery effort. Trump, who was in and out of the state in about three hours, got an aerial view of the water-deluged homes along Florida's southwestern coast from his helicopter, then drove in his motorcade along streets lined with felled trees, darkened traffic lights and shuttered stores on his way to a mobile home community hit hard by the storm. Walking along a street in Naples Estates with his wife, Melania, the president encountered piles of broken siding and soggy furniture sitting on a front porch, and residents and volunteers who were happy to get a presidential visit. "We are there for you 100 percent," Trump said before donning gloves and helping to hand out sandwiches to local residents from a lunch line under a canopy. "I'll be back here numerous times. This is a state that I know very well." As he left the state, Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he planned another hurricane-related trip, to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, which were both badly hit by Irma. ___ Victim told suspect: I knew you would 'shoot up the school' ROCKFORD, Wash. (AP) - Caleb Sharpe rode the bus to his high school in a tiny Washington state town, carrying a black duffel bag. The 15-year-old walked to a second-floor hallway, pulled an assault weapon from the bag and tried to load it, authorities said. It jammed, and a classmate walked up. "I always knew you were going to shoot up the school," the student said, according to court documents released Thursday. "You know this is going to get you in trouble." Sharpe pulled a pistol from his coat pocket and shot his classmate, also 15, in the abdomen and then in the face, killing him, according to the documents. He then walked down the hallway, firing at other students or into the ceiling, authorities say. Three female students were wounded but were expected to survive. ___ 1 soldier killed, 7 injured in Fort Bragg training exercise FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) - A training exercise involving demolitions killed one special operations soldier and injured seven others at the Army's largest base Thursday, just a day after 15 Marines were hurt in a fire while training in California. The soldiers were taken to several hospitals, including the Womack Army Medical Center on base for treatment, said Lt. Col. Rob Bockholt, a spokesman for the U.S. Army's Special Operations Command, which is based at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Staff Sgt. Alexander P. Dalida, 32, of Dunstable, Massachusetts, was killed during the exercise, Bockholt said. The cause of death is under investigation. Dalida, who enlisted in 2006, was assigned to 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne). Bockholt didn't know the extent of the other soldiers' injuries. Initial reports said the injuries happened in an explosion, but Bockholt says he could not confirm that. ___ UC Berkeley closes streets amid concerns about violence BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - Several streets around the University of California, Berkeley, were closed off Thursday with concrete and plastic barriers ahead of an evening appearance by a conservative commentator - the latest polarizing event to raise concerns of violence on the famously liberal campus. Authorities sealed off Sproul Plaza - the central hub of the campus - and created a perimeter around several buildings, including the site where Ben Shapiro, a former editor of Breitbart News, was set to speak to a sold-out audience of 1,000 people. Shapiro was invited to speak by campus Republicans, who say the liberal university stifles the voice of conservative speakers. The city and campus have become a flashpoint this year for the country's political divisions, drawing extremist groups from the left and right. "We can't turn a blind eye to reality and to what we've learned from recent events on this campus and in this city and around the country," UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said. ___ Equifax's troubles deepen amid new disclosure about breach NEW YORK (AP) - Credit agency Equifax traced the theft of sensitive information about 143 million Americans to a software flaw that could have been fixed well before the burglary occurred, further undermining its credibility as the guardian of personal data that can easily be used for identity theft. Equifax identified a weakness in an open-source software package called Apache Struts as the technological crack that allowed hackers to heist Social Security numbers, birthdates, addresses and full legal names from a massive database maintained primarily for lenders. SECURITY FOR DUMMIES The disclosure , made late Wednesday, cast the company's damaging security lapse in an even harsher light. The software problem was detected in March and a recommended software patch was released shortly afterward. Equifax said the database intrusion began in May and continued until July. Security experts said Equifax had more than enough opportunity to block intruders by sealing the security hole. "There is no excuse for not following basic cybersecurity hygiene," said Nate Fick, CEO of the security firm Endgame. "Some heads should definitely roll for this; it's only a question of how many." ___ Pompeo cancels Harvard speech over Manning WASHINGTON (AP) - CIA Director Mike Pompeo scrapped his appearance Thursday at Harvard University over the school's decision to make Chelsea Manning, who was convicted of leaking classified information, a visiting fellow. Pompeo called Manning an "American traitor." He said he agreed with military and intelligence officials who believe Manning's leak endangered the lives of CIA personnel. Pompeo was scheduled to appear at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government to discuss allegations of Russian involvement in last year's presidential election, the nuclear standoff with North Korea and other global security concerns. Minutes after the event was to begin, Douglas Elmendorf, dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, took the stage and told the audience Pompeo was not there and would not speak. "We will try to reschedule it as soon as we can, but the CIA director, is obviously, in charge of his schedule," Elmendorf said. "We are not in charge of his schedule and he gets to decide when and where he speaks, of course." ___ Cassini spacecraft: 'Magnifying glass' at Saturn until end CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - For more than a decade, NASA's Cassini spacecraft at Saturn took "a magnifying glass" to the enchanting planet, its moons and rings. Cassini revealed wet, exotic worlds that might harbor life: the moons Enceladus and Titan. It unveiled moonlets embedded in the rings. It also gave us front-row seats to Saturn's changing seasons and a storm so vast that it encircled the planet. "We've had an incredible 13-year journey around Saturn, returning data like a giant firehose, just flooding us with data," project scientist Linda Spilker said this week from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "Almost like we've taken a magnifying glass to the planet and the rings." Cassini was expected to send back new details about Saturn's atmosphere right up until its blazing finale on Friday. Its delicate thrusters no match for the thickening atmosphere, the spacecraft was destined to tumble out of control during its rapid plunge and burn up like a meteor in Saturn's sky. A brief look back at Cassini: ___ Gaga pulls out of Rock in Rio, posts photo of IV in her arm NEW YORK (AP) - Lady Gaga has been hospitalized and forced to pull out of the upcoming Rock in Rio music festival in Brazil, citing "severe physical pain" and posting a photo of what resembles an IV in her arm. The 31-year-old singer-songwriter wrote on Twitter that she had to take care of her body and asked fans for their "grace and understanding." Her representatives said in a statement Thursday that Lady Gaga was suffering from "severe physical pain" that affected her ability to perform and that she was under the care of "expert medical professionals." It wasn't clear what she was suffering from or where she was being treated. She posted a photo on Instagram of her arm with a needle in it and a tube running outside the photo's frame. Rock in Rio, which starts Friday, is to feature Maroon 5, Fergie, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Guns N' Roses. Democratic Gov. Candidate Chris Kennedy Picks Ra Joy For Lt. Governor By aaroncynic in News on Sep 14, 2017 6:47PM Chris Kennedy and Ra Joy. Photo via Kennedy For Illinois campaign website. Ive known Ra for a long time and that willingness to battle, to fight for the things he thinks are right even though theyre not the way things are now is impressive to me, says Kennedy in a newly released campaign video. He was willing to put himself out there to fight for the notion that we should have a culture thats willing to embrace change. Instead of a government that serves all the people, we have a system that serves the very few. This disfunction is causing real pain for real people, and I want to do something about it, says Joy. Both Joy and Kennedy have had deep experiences with gun violence. Joys son, 23 year-old Xavier, was shot and killed in Woodlawn in June. Kennedy is the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963, and the son of Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1968 during his presidential run. His family has experienced tragic loss because of senseless gun violence. Hes one of the few candidates who has a solution - an 8 point plan - to address the violence, says Joy. CHANGE Illinois is a coalition group that advocates for redistricting reform, automatic voter registration, and other electoral reforms. In a fundraising email to supporters, Kennedy said that Joys work at the organization is a shining example of the notion that, in a state with a broken system that benefits the insiders and the wealthy, people can still make a difference. His success in bringing automatic voter registration to Illinois so that anyone who interacts with a state agency will be offered the opportunity to be automatically added to the voter rolls is a testament to his determination, his deep understanding of state government, and his capacity to work with others in building a coalition that became an unstoppable force, wrote Kennedy. Joy was also executive director of Arts Alliance Illinois, and served as deputy director and grants coordinator for Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. Hes also a a member of The City of Chicagos Cultural Advisory Council and The Economic Club of Chicago. Kennedy is one of the last candidates to choose a Lieutenant Governor, with only Madison County Schools Supt. Bob Daiber left to announce his pick. Detectives investigating the assault of a woman who was pushed in front of a London bus by a jogger have released a further CCTV image of the suspect. The CCTV still was taken from the number 430 bus which narrowly avoided the woman as she was pushed into its path on Putney Bridge, south west London, on May 5. About 15 minutes after the incident, the jogger came back the other way across the bridge. The 33-year-old victim tried to speak to him but he did not acknowledge her and carried on jogging towards the north side of the river. Further CCTV still of jogger whom police wish to trace re #Putney Bridge incident https://t.co/YL305io1gy pic.twitter.com/1N1lkMhX1O Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) September 13, 2017 A Metropolitan Police spokesman said he is described as a white man, aged in his 30s, with brown eyes and short brown hair. He was wearing a light grey T-shirt and dark blue shorts with grey trainers. Two men, both aged 41, have previously been arrested in connection with the investigation but were released without further action. Detective Sergeant Chris Griffith, of Wandsworth CID, said: Images of this alarming incident have been circulated widely and we continue to work through the information received to identify the man responsible. We are grateful to those who have assisted so far. However, I am also appealing for anyone who has given just a name to contact police or Crimestoppers again with as much information as possible so we can fully follow up those lines of enquiry. A suspect police wish to trace in relation to the assault of a woman who was pushed in front of a London bus The bus driver, Oliver Salbris, has been labelled a hero for his quick actions in swerving to avoid the woman. He told the Sunday Times he thought he was going to hit her. If I hadnt swerved, I would have smashed her head, he said. It was reflex. The consequences would have been terrible for her and for me. He said the jogger looked like he was doing it on purpose. He needs to be caught and to explain himself. He needs to be prosecuted, Mr Salbris added. Anyone with information should call detectives from Wandsworth CID on 020 3276 2606 or via 101, or tweet @MetCC. Information can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. The police officer who initially restrained a man whose death sparked violent street protests is being investigated for gross misconduct, the police watchdog has said. Rashan Charles, 20, died on July 22 having earlier been apprehended by Metropolitan Police officers after running into a shop in Dalston, east London. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating his death, and said the officer may have breached the police standards of professional behaviour regarding the detention and restraint of Rashan as well as how he dealt with Rashans medical emergency. We have published an update on our investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Rashan Charles in east London pic.twitter.com/h8eqHJk1T1 Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) (@policeconduct) September 13, 2017 Its investigators have formally notified the officer who initially restrained Mr Charles that he is being investigated for gross misconduct. IPCC commissioner Cindy Butts said: The IPCC investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Rashan Charles in Hackney on 22 July has entered a new phase. IPCC investigators have formally notified the officer who initially restrained Rashan that he is being investigated for gross misconduct. Makeshift road blocks were set alight in protest (Lauren Hurley/PA) The officer may have breached the police standards of professional behaviour regarding the detention and restraint of Rashan as well as how he dealt with Rashans medical emergency. Ms Butts said investigators have analysed the CCTV and body worn video evidence gathered and considered the officers detailed statement as well as statements from other witnesses to the incident. While this move indicates a new phase in our investigation, it does not necessarily mean misconduct proceedings will follow, she added. We will keep the position under review as the investigation progresses. Kingsland Road in east London The IPCC previously said it had found that after Mr Rashan was detained, attempts were made to remove an object from his mouth or throat. It was later revealed that a package removed from his throat contained a mixture of caffeine and paracetamol. A lorry attempted to drive through the road block erected in protest at the death of Rashan Charles (Lauren Hurley/PA) The opening into his inquest last month heard that there had been two post-mortem examinations carried out on the unemployed man, who lived in south west London the second on behalf of his family and the police. But coroners officer David Brereton said no medical cause of death has been offered, pending the results of toxicology and other tests. A Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) spokesman said: It is absolutely vital that the facts of what took place are thoroughly established as quickly as possible through an independent examination of all the available evidence. MPS statement after IPCC take decision to serve a notice on a Met officer https://t.co/dA9U2XjyFM pic.twitter.com/imfabFRBbM Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) September 13, 2017 The thoughts of the MPS are with the family of Mr Charles at this incredibly difficult time for them. All police officers are fully aware that they will be asked to account for their actions. No officer is above the law and they would not wish to be. The MPS continues to provide every possible support to the police officer and their colleagues while fully co-operating with the IPCC investigation. The family of Rashan Charles He added that the force would review whether any restrictions should be placed on the officer. Mr Charless family have previously expressed concerns over the openness and transparency of the IPCC investigation into his death. A full inquest is expected to be held in front of a jury next June. A peaceful demonstration organised in the wake of Mr Charless death was followed by a further protest which turned to violence and disorder. Protesters set several small fires and threw bottles and fireworks at police officers as unrest broke out on July 28. Police said no one was seriously injured, although an officer suffered an eye injury. Detectives are still looking to trace some of those involved. MPs have backed a motion calling for an end to the public sector pay cap in the NHS, piling fresh pressure on the Government. The Government did not contest the non-binding motion, which would not require a change in policy. DUP MP Ian Paisley had earlier signalled his party would join support for the motion. .@houseofcommons just unanimously approved @UKLabour motion to end NHS pay cap. Victory for campaigners pic.twitter.com/djcJ3MkvpB Jonathan Ashworth (@JonAshworth) September 13, 2017 Making a point of order, shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said the Government did not divide because they would lose the motion brought forward by Labour. He said: Is it now clear that the House has been unanimous in saying we should end the pay cap in the NHS and give health workers a fair pay rise? And is it also now clear that the reason the Government did not divide on this motion is because they knew they would lose? North Antrim MP Mr Paisley had told MPs his party was minded to support the motion. Ian Paisley He later said: Ive already alluded to the fact that Im delighted that the Labour Party has brought forward this debate tonight. We will support them if this matter goes to a vote tonight, and its interesting to see if we will actually get to that point. MPs have approved the Opposition motion on #NHS pay without a division. pic.twitter.com/eh1p6yaduw UK House of Commons (@HouseofCommons) September 13, 2017 It would have been the first time DUP MPs voted in a way to pressure ministers since their party agreed to a confidence and supply arrangement with the Tories after the general election. The Government only commands a majority because of its confidence and supply arrangement with the DUP, which has said it will support the Conservatives on key legislation. The DUP signed an agreement to vote with the Government on key legislation in exchange for 1 billion for Northern Ireland ( Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA) Mr Paisley also hit out at Labour criticism of the Governments 1 billion deal with the DUP. To those members of the Labour Party who chide about the 1 billion deal, your party would quite happily have cut a deal that would probably have been better for us, he said. Thats the discussions we had in advance of the last election, and to chide us, you only hurt public servants in Northern Ireland who are benefiting from that 1 billion deal that will allow us to allocate this money to relieve these costs. Earlier this week, Downing Street said the seven-year public sector pay cap is to be scrapped, unveiling a 1.7% hike for prison officers and improvements totalling 2% in police pay for 2017/18. But Mr Ashworth said the Government must not play different areas of the public sector off against each other. He also said it wasnt good enough for ministers to grant more flexibility over pay and expect hospitals to fund a pay increase for staff from existing budgets. MPs told the Commons about examples of public sector workers such as ambulance technicians and nurses struggling to get by, being forced into debt or to take second jobs. .@ianpaisleymp cites letter form @janicesmyth of @RCN_NI on the cost of agency staff as a result of high nursing vacancies. #scrapthecap The RCN (@theRCN) September 13, 2017 Nurses turning to food banks, pawning their possessions, even being issued with eviction notices, said Mr Ashworth. Isnt that shameful in 21st century Britain, and what a depressing consequence of Tory economics. Great news that Govt caved in & House of Commons then unanimously passed @LabourHealth's motion & my EDM calling for an end to NHS pay cap. pic.twitter.com/rhpOOTOMH3 Conor McGinn (@ConorMcGinn) September 13, 2017 Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt labelled the motion bogus as he attacked Labours record in government. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says Labour's motion is "bogus" (David Mirzoeff/PA) He added it was absolute nonsense that the 1% cap over the last seven years was austerity or an ideological mission by the Tories to reduce the size of the state. Tory MP Sarah Wollaston, who chairs the Health Select Committee, said: Seven years of a sustained pressure on NHS pay is taking a toll, and nobody anticipated it would go on this long. So I think it is time to relax it. Security is being reviewed at Prince Georges school after a woman was arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary. The Metropolitan Police said it was working with Thomass Battersea in south London following the break-in on Tuesday. Prince George, four, was not understood to be at the independent school at the time. Thomas's Battersea The 40-year-old woman remains in custody after being arrested on Wednesday. A police spokesman said: The arrest at 14:15hrs on Wednesday, 13 September relates to an incident at Thomas Battersea School on Tuesday, 12 September when an individual gained access to its premises. The arrested woman was taken to a south London police station where she remains in custody. A 40yo woman has been arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary at #Battersea school https://t.co/ytPEoAk9CV pic.twitter.com/rvKOqn1btR Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) September 13, 2017 We are working with the school, which is attended by His Royal Highness Prince George, to review its security arrangements after the incident. Police were alerted and officers attended immediately after the issue came to light. Police are part of the protective security arrangements for the Prince and we will continue to work closely with the school, which is responsible for building security on its site. Duke of Cambridge and Prince George Prince George only started at the school last week, on September 7. He was expected to begin by attending school for half-days, before building up to longer hours. A Kensington Palace spokeswoman said: We are aware of the issue but we would not comment further on security matters. Thomass Battersea educates 560 boys and girls aged from four to 13, with around 20 pupils in each class. Fees cost 17,604 a year, and increase to 19,884 a year for those in year three and above. A local restaurant manager, who asked to be referred to as Steve, said he has served two of Georges protection officers. Steve said he heard sirens and saw a police van driving towards the school at about 3pm on Wednesday. Speaking about George attending the school, he said: Its really raised the profile of the area. The Prince coming to Battersea is only a good thing. A local businesswoman also spotted police in the area at around 3pm, adding that she cant believe that someone could get into the school. She said there have been loads of officers in plain clothes in the area, adding: There is no way, I would have thought, you would get past that front door. A worker in another local business said a police officer had asked them for their CCTV footage before midday on Wednesday. Former South Africa back row Heinrich Brussow will join Northampton in January upon completion of his contract with Japanese club Docomo Red Hurricanes. The 31-year-old won the last of his 23 caps in 2015 and spent 12 years with the Super Rugby team the Cheetahs before heading to Osaka to sign a full-time contract in the Top League, where he has spent the past two seasons. My wife and I feel it is time for a new challenge. I want to play my best possible rugby and hopefully contribute to winning a few trophies, the openside said. Paul Williams (left) confronts South Africa's Heinrich Brussow an incident which he was sent off for during the IRB Rugby World Cup match at North Harbour Stadium Brussow has been signed as a replacement for Louis Picamoles, the France number eight who joined Montpellier in the summer after completing only one year of his three-year deal. Sir James Dyson said 27% of the graduates enrolled in his privately-funded university are women as he doubles down on efforts to boost the number of female engineers. The billionaire founder of Dyson plans to drive the number up to 50% in coming years, as part of his crusade to tackle Britains dearth of engineering talent. Women make up just 16% of students studying undergraduate engineering in the UK, while only 9% of practising engineers are female, according to figures cited by the firm. His comments come as the vacuum, hair care and hand dryer manufacturer ushered in its first students on to a four-year engineering degree after the firm secured university status for the Dyson Institute of Engineering and Technology. Sir James Dyson (Matthew Fearn/PA) More than 850 people applied for 25 positions at the university, forcing the firm to bolster its intake to 33 due to the exceptionally high-calibre of the candidates. Speaking to the Press Association, Sir James said: Something like 45% of our workforce here are female. We dont think that is good enough. We want to get the intake up to 50% (female) and a much higher percentage of female engineers in our workforce. I think one of the reasons we have a high female intake is because we make practical products. In my view, I think women like to see a practical outcome of engineering and not just the academic study of it. (David Parry/PA) Dyson launched the 22 million institute to feed home grown talent into the engineering industry, which has a shortfall of 64,000 people each year. The Dyson Institute is based at the firms research and development campus in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, and is the first privately-funded university to be launched under the Governments higher education and research act. As part of the course, the undergraduate engineers will be handed a paid full-time job in the research, design and development team and have their university fees paid. They will also be mentored by the companys scientists and engineers alongside lessons from academics at the University of Warwick. Sir James, who backed Britains divorce from the European Union, added: Britain suffers from an acute lack of engineering graduates which is threatening science, technology and engineer. Dysons undergraduate engineers will develop new technology alongside world-leading engineering practitioners, creating real products that end up in homes around the world and all alongside their academic. Theresa May is to travel to a historic European city to unveil further details of her vision for Britains future outside the EU. The Prime Ministers high-profile Brexit speech in the Italian city of Florence on September 22 is likely to be seen as a bid to break the deadlock in withdrawal negotiations, which resume in Brussels three days later. It comes amid warnings progress in talks on the UKs divorce deal has been too slow for discussions to move on to the question of a future trading relationship as Britain desires. EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier has said no decisive progress was made on issues like citizens rights and Britains financial settlement in the last round of talks in August. The state of talks was quite far from being advanced enough for the leaders of the 27 remaining EU nations to authorise the opening of negotiations on the future relationship in October as planned, he warned. Former European Council president Herman van Rompuy said the chances of moving to the second phase of negotiations next month were in the neighbourhood of zero. Downing Street declined to discuss the content of Mrs Mays speech, beyond saying she will give an update on Brexit negotiations so far and will underline the Governments wish for a deep and special partnership with the European Union once the UK leaves the EU. Speculation is rife she will seek to use the opportunity to make a breakthrough on some of the areas which are blocking progress in talks, such as the EUs demand for payments of 50 billion or more to cover remaining UK liabilities. The fourth round of formal talks had initially been pencilled in for the week of September 18 but Mrs Mays official spokesman denied the delay was caused by the timing of the PMs speech. Michel Barnier Both sides settled on the date for that round after discussions between senior officials in recognition that more time would give negotiators flexibility to make further progress, he said. Explaining her choice of venue, the spokesman said: The PM wanted to give a speech on the UKs future relationship with Europe in its historical heart. The UK has had deep cultural and economic ties spanning centuries with Florence, a city known for its historical trading power. As the UK leaves the EU we will retain those close ties. As the Prime Minister has said many times, we are leaving the EU, not Europe. Florence Mrs May travelled to Italy within days of taking office in July 2016 for talks with then prime minister Matteo Renzi on her plans for Brexit. She was hosted by Renzis successor Paolo Gentiloni for this years G7 summit in Sicily and then spent part of her summer holiday walking in the mountains of northern Italy. Downing Street declined to say whether Mrs May would hold talks with Mr Gentiloni during her visit or whether the Italian PM would attend her speech. Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor has been rewarded for his impressive start to the campaign with a new four-year deal. The Hoops academy graduate has been one of Brendan Rodgers stand-out performers so far this season, netting three goals already. Although overlooked by Scotland boss Gordon Strachan recently, Rodgers has now made clear his faith in the 24-year-old by handing him an improved contract stretching to the summer of 2021. He becomes the fourth Parkhead player to agree fresh terms in the past few weeks, with midfield colleagues Scott Brown, Stuart Armstrong and defender Jozo Simunovic also committing their futures to the club. McGregor told the official Celtic website: Celtic has been part of my life for so many years and as Ive gone through the levels the club really has become my home. I really wanted to make sure I continued to be part of such a great club and its a huge honour to sign this new contract. Ive really enjoyed being part of the first team in the last couple of years and it really makes my time at Celtic and coming through the ranks, so worthwhile. Callum McGregor celebrates with Scott Sinclair We have a great bunch of lads in the team, some real quality players and were bringing our fans success, so it was something I just had to stay part of. The gaffer has been great here in the past year and Im totally focused now on continuing to work with him and the staff to always improve personally as a player and work as a team to bring more and more success to our supporters. A sex attacker who roamed a beauty spot for female victims has been jailed for life for the savage and brutal murder of an 18-year-old student. Ellen Higginbottom was targeted by Mark Buckley, 52, as she took a break from A-level study revision at Winstanley College in Orrell, Wigan, on the afternoon of June 16. She went for a walk in nearby Orrell Water Park and intended to later return to meet up with friends who were sitting exams. #Breaking Mark Buckley has been jailed for 31 years to life for the murder of student Ellen Higginbottom near Orrell Water Park in Wigan PA Media (@PA) September 14, 2017 Buckley had earlier approached other lone females in Orrell Water Park and engaged them in conversation before walking away, Manchester Crown Court heard. The knife-wielding defendant overpowered the slightly built student, who aspired to be a vet, and cut her throat before stealing her laptop, mobile phone and other personal possessions. Sentencing Buckley to serve a minimum of 31 years in custody, Judge David Stockdale QC said the facts of the case were frankly chilling. He said: You Mark Buckley had entered the park intending, as I find, upon attacking and sexually assaulting a female. You were carrying a bag later seen to contain items for sexual activity, together with a length of rope and cord. You were carrying a knife. Miss Higginbottom, who did not know her attacker, was not able to physically offer much resistance, said the judge. Mark Buckley has been jailed for a minimum of 31 years for the sexually motivated murder of teenage student Ellen Higginbottom The Honorary Recorder of Manchester told the defendant: Despite that, her wounds indicated that she tried albeit in vain to defend herself. As it was you subjected her to a savage and brutal attack. You inflicted many wounds in cutting her throat and killing her. It was as cowardly and callous as it was brutal. She would have had no idea it was coming. She would have been caught entirely off her guard. You were armed with a knife. She simply did not stand a chance. What must have been going through her mind is beyond imagining. Buckley later returned to the park and moved her body which he then intended to bury under the cover of darkness, the court heard. But he was thwarted as a police helicopter with heat-seeking equipment hovered overhead and he made off. Buckley was later arrested and admitted killing Miss Higginbottom but could offer no explanation for his actions. Casemiro says the booing of Gareth Bale by sections of the Real Madrid support is wrong. For the second game in a row the Wales international was jeered by some of the Bernabeu crowd on Wednesday, despite his side cruising to a 3-0 Champions League win over Apoel Nicosia. Real fans have previous for booing their own even Cristiano Ronaldo has suffered similar treatment and Casemiro wants it to stop. Casemiro has called for Real Madrid fans to stop booing Gareth Bale (Nick Potts/PA) He was a very strong player for us and I hope he continues to be so, he told Marca when asked about Bale. With the quality he has, things will be going well for him one day. He added: We try to protect the players we have, we are always defending our own. It shows that we are a family. I defend my team-mates as if they were my family and I am with them until the end. #RMUCL A fine start to our Champions League campaign... 3 goals 3 points#HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/oDILkh7G1r Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) September 13, 2017 Manager Zinedine Zidane was asked about Bales treatment after the win, saying: I did not listen to the whistles, only the applause. Bale has scored just once for Madrid in six appearances so far this term. August March On June 15, 2012 President Barack Obama signed an executive order called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The order established a program for youthful immigrants across this country, setting up a system that not only would prevent their imminent deportation, but also provide them with resources necessary to begin their individual paths to citizenship. Under the program, such immigrants were allowed to get social security numbers, work permits, access to student loans and a sense of security. Obama took this seriousand some would say constitutionally unsoundapproach to establishing his agenda in the face of a hostile and obstructionist legislative branch led by a Republican Congress. Flash forward five years. The Republicans, under notorious nativist Donald Trump, scored the White House and still rule over the legislative branch with solid majorities in both houses of Congress. One of Trumps campaign promises called for an end to DACA. On Sept. 5, 2017 he made good on his word, sending uber-conservative Attorney General Jeff Sessions to the podium to announce that the program would be rescinded and that congress would have 6 months to work out an alternative to deporting the more than 800,000 hardworking scholars, high achievers and cultural contributors who had been accepted into the program as of March 31, 2017. Here in New Mexico, the Dreamers, as DACA participants are called, say though theyre disappointed, they will continue to work for justice and acceptance. For a bunch of dreamers, theyre serious folks, engaged in activities that generally mark them as exceptional, successful and driven. Such is the case with Yazmin Irazoqui Ruiz and her twin sister Jazmin Coronel. Yazmin is in medical school at UNM and a field organizer for the NM Dream Team; Jazmin, a law school graduate, is the manager of the Economic Development program at Instituto Legal, a local non-profit that works with immigrants. Weekly Alibi sat down with these two Dreamers last weekend to find out more about them, their program and ultimately their place in this great melting pot nation. Weekly Alibi: How did Burque become your home? Jazmin: Its a long story. We grew up in Phoenix. We immigrated to the US when we were three, with our mom. We lived in Arizona until we were 16, thats also when our mother disclosed to us that we were undocumented. We just knew we were a really poor family. My mother suffered a stroke and my siser and I tried to get jobs to help out, but something was wrong ... thats when our mother told us. An attorney was really blunt with us and told us there werent many options. But my mom said, no youre going to school, youre going to succeed, and we did our research, moved to Albuquerque and applied for DACA. We graduated from Del Norte High School, did our undergrad degrees at UNM and both entered professional programs afterwards, thanks to DACA. How did DACA help you both accomplish so much? Yazmin: When the program was announced, it was a huge relief for the three of us. We knew that DACA would allow us to work and go to school, but most importantly it would protect us from deportation. Before DACA, were you unsettled and fearful of your future here in the US? Jazmin: As an undocumented family, theres always the fear of how are you going to survive the month? Whats going to happen when we are inevitably detained is a constant worry. Theres a domino effect: jobs, school, our home. Theres a misconception that we dont fully participate in the system and have access to privileges citizens dont, that ultimately were criminals who take away from America. So we fear the consequences of such beliefs. Yazmin: As a matter of fact, were not eligible for any public assistance programs. We both pay income tax to the state of New Mexico and the federal government. Immigrants contribute significantly to this states GDP, our economy relies on immigrant labor to get a variety of jobs done. So there is a lot of fear, but theres also a feeling of resilience that keeps us going. Every month we make it. So in a lot of ways, youre like any American family struggling with the economy, working to make things better, am I right? Jazmin: We are an American family. We love this country. This is the country that has given us opportunity and hope. We dont want that to be taken away. What American would? Police Have Interviewed 12 People In Kenneka Jenkins' Death, Will Show Hotel Footage To Her Mother By Stephen Gossett in News on Sep 14, 2017 3:46PM Kenneka Jenkins / Facebook Amid intense social-media speculation, Rosemont police shared new details on Wednesday evening about their investigation into the death of Kenneka Jenkins. Police have interviews a dozen people in their probe. Authorities will also show Jenkins' mother hotel security footage by Thursday afternoon. People said in a statement on Wednesday evening that 12 people have been interviewed in their investigation of the death of Jenkins, the 19-year-old Near West Side resident who was discovered dead inside a hotel freezer early on Sunday at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont. She hadn't been seen for nearly 24 hours when her body was discovered. "Eight of those people interviewed were present the night/morning of the hotel gathering," police said. "Additionally, we have positively identified four others who were present the night of the gathering and are working to locate and interview them." Meanwhile, authorities will show Jenkins' mother, Teresa Martin, hotel surveillance footage today, the Sun-Times reports. She will see "any of the relevant parts that would potentially include images of her daughter," Rosemont spokesman Garry Mack told the paper. Martin said earlier this week she was told by police that video footage from the hotel showed Jenkins "staggering" while intoxicated near the front desk. The case has been the subject of rampant social-media speculation, which authorities said has slowed down the investigation to a degree. Rosemont Mayor Bradley Stephens told the Tribune on Wednesday that, "It's unfortunate that some of that stuff's convoluting the investigation because all those leads have got to be followed up on." Mack told the New York Times, "There are literally dozens of conspiracy theories that have been offered and countless people who are attempting to play detective and solve the case as to what happened over there." Police earlier in the week confirmed that they were looking into the viral Facebook video that helped fuel speculation. In the clip, which has been viewed some 5 millions times, figures can be seen reflected in a woman's glasses inside what appears to be a hotel room. Dozens of protesters reportedly showed up to Wednesday's announcement. "Our concern is that it was possibly foul play. I think that's what everybody's concern is, that there was a possible cover-up of her death," protester William Calloway told ABC7. Protestors want Crowne Plaza Hotel shut down after Chicago teen Kenneka Jenkins was found dead in a freezer on Sunday. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/YKZef3JtY9 Maggie Huynh (@maggiehuynh) September 14, 2017 Mack told the Sun-Times that investigators had "no credible evidence at this point" that would lead them to reclassify Jenkins' death as a murder. Its a full-blown investigation, but it is a death investigation, he told the paper. Jenkins left her home on Friday night to attend a hotel party, family reportedly told police. Her friends called Martin at around 4 a.m. on Saturday and said they had lost track of Kenneka after they left her alone in a hotel hallway for a short time. Martin contacted hotel staff and police a short time afterward, but her daughter's body was not discovered until around 1 a.m. on Sunday. An autopsy was performed on Sunday, but the cause and manner of death was not determined, according to the Tribune. It could take weeks for further information to be revealed from the medical examiner's office, as a study of the autopsy continues. The Duke of Cambridge spoke about his children to patients as he visited a hospital. William toured the Urgent Care and Trauma Centre at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool at the start of a day of engagements in Merseyside. He told elderly patients in the hospitals frailty assessment unit about his son Prince George starting school. Speaking to Teresa Jones, 87, he said: Most of the parents are in floods of tears and the children are absolutely fine. George rules the roost and Charlotte isnt far behind. He told Edna Dagnall, 75: George started school last week so were seeing how long that lasts for before he doesnt want to go to school one day. The Duke meets clinical staff and patients in @aintreehospital's Emergency, Major Trauma, Resuscitation and the Observation Units. pic.twitter.com/WxyhnPEjwK The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) September 14, 2017 Speaking to patient Pagan Tordengrav, 55, in the emergency department he said the Duchess of Cambridge, who is expecting the couples third child, was doing very well. Speaking about daughter Charlotte, he said: I think shes going to be trouble when shes older. All fathers say that. The Duke of Cambridge chats with patient Edna Dagnall in the Frailty unit during his visit to Aintree University Hospital (Chris Jackson/PA) Ms Tordengrav, who has stage four cancer, told William she was a fan of rock bands Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. He said he preferred soft rock and told her: Im Linkin Park level. Ms Tordengrav told William he was the prince of hearts. William said he felt nostalgic after seeing an air ambulance parked on the hospitals helipad. Before leaving @AintreeHospital, HRH met the crew of the charity funded air ambulance helicopter, another recent addition to the hospital. pic.twitter.com/22NXTK6AlD The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) September 14, 2017 Speaking to A and E volunteer John Geddes he said: I looked longingly at the helicopter there. Its nice to see the air ambulance, I feel very nostalgic about it. Before leaving the hospital he was taken to see the helicopter and spoke to members of the crew. The new unit opened in January after a 35 million redevelopment and includes a charity-funded air ambulance helicopter landing pad. The Duke of Cambridge hugs Katie Daley (Chris Jackson/PA) William is also due to meet staff and service users at the Life Rooms in Walton, a community hub run by mental health trust Mersey Care. The centre offers group and one-to-one advice sessions on finances, addiction, and employment and offers a space for groups to meet. He will then visit Guinea Gap Leisure Centre in Wallasey, Wirral, where he is set to meet divers from the Merseyside Sub-Aqua Club and watch children showcasing Swim Englands Learn to Swim programme, before viewing a water polo session. A defiant Jolyon Palmer insists he will be retained by Renault for the remainder of the year amid reports that Sundays Singapore Grand Prix could be his last in the sport. Palmers long-term future has been cast in doubt after it emerged that Carlos Sainz is set to replace him in 2018. Sainzs probable move to Renault falls under a complex deal which will see the French manufacturer end their engine relationship with Red Bulls sister team Toro Rosso and instead partner McLaren next year. In turn, Honda, the Japanese manufacturer who have endured three miserable years with McLaren, will team up with Toro Rosso. PA Graphic Sainzs proposed switch to Renault could be announced on Friday, and there have been paddock murmurings that the Spanish driver will join the French outfit with immediate effect. But Palmer, who is one of only two drivers yet to score a single point this year, is confident that he will see out the remainder of his deal. I have a contract and I have seven more races this year, Palmer 26, said. There have been suggestions for 35 races that I might not be in the next one, or in the next few. Palmer is yet to win a point this season (David Davies/PA) This is nothing new for me. It is water off a ducks back. It has been the case for most races this year, and nothing has changed. I know what is happening, and I think there will be an announcement at some point in the future, probably soon. With Sainz, 23, poised to replace Palmer at Renault, the Englishman faces a fight to salvage a seat next year. Williams and Sauber are yet to confirm their driver line-ups for 2018, while Force India who are also yet to formally announce their plans want to keep both Sergio Perez and Esteban Ocon. PAL: Im just focused on doing the job that Im doing. I have seven races to do the best I can #SingaporeGP pic.twitter.com/6o48FoDXvX Formula 1 (@F1) September 14, 2017 Palmer has struggled in his second season for both form and reliability and has been out-qualified by his Renault team-mate Nico Hulkenberg at every race. Hulkenberg has also scored 34 points. It has been a tough year, Palmer added. When the car is not working you cant score points. At Silverstone, I did not start the race, and in Azerbaijan we broke down after five or six laps. It has not been ideal to have that level of reliability. Even in the practice sessions we have lost time, and that puts you on the back foot for the weekend. We keep getting different problems, but hopefully we have put a stop to that now, and the car is going to be strong in the next few races. If we have good reliability I can show what I can do and score some points. Trade union Unite is launching a High Court bid to block 113 bin workers losing their jobs in Birmingham. The case is being brought against the background of an ongoing strike over proposals for reorganising the citys waste collection services. Unite was due to start its legal challenge in London on Thursday, but the hearing was re-fixed for Monday next week because of time constraints on it taking place this week. Unite members outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as the trade union is launching a High Court bid to block 113 bin workers losing their jobs in Birmingham (Jan Colley/PA) The union is seeking an interim injunction restraining Birmingham City Council from dismissing grade three leading hands, referred to in court as middle grade waste collection supervisors, pending a full legal challenge over the legality of the councils actions. The redundancy notices were due to take effect on October 1, but the council undertook to extend the deadline by three days to October 4 in view of the delayed court hearing. The court had heard the bin workers were under serious time pressures to decide whether, if the legal challenge fails, to take lower grade jobs, seek other grade three employment or apply for employment outside the local authority. Join the Birmingham #BinStrike demo this Sunday >> Support the Birmingham refuse workers https://t.co/AQi0bywWyg pic.twitter.com/kKl1UEKd5x Unite the union: join a union (@unitetheunion) September 14, 2017 The union is arguing the councils actions are unlawful and breach an agreement reached through Acas. The bin strike started this summer, and a ballot for further action is expected to be completed on September 18. Rubbish has been piling up in some parts of the city. Rubbish bags piled up next to a post box in Edward Road, Birmingham (Aaron Chown/PA) Unites members are currently striking for a total of three hours a day. Workers are also returning to the depot for all lunch and tea breaks in line with Birmingham councils hygiene policy. Timothy Straker QC, appearing for the city council, told Mr Justice Morris he would be arguing that the courts should not interfere with the councils actions for a raft of reasons. A bin worker puts head in his hands at the Perry Barr Household Recycling Centre in Birmingham after refuge collectors went back on strike following the city council's decision to begin issuing redundancy notices (Aaron Chown/PA) He said: Birmingham City Council regard this as a matter of extreme importance, not least of which are the very considerable political pressures placed upon them. He said the council was not merely in a financial straitjacket but a legal-financial straitjacket. Later a council spokesman said: We will continue to robustly defend the action so we can deliver a plan that is in the best interests of Birminghams citizens. In addition, we will continue to make every effort to resolve the dispute as quickly as possible so we can deliver on one of the key priorities for citizens - cleaner, greener streets. The United States will be a steadfast ally to the United Kingdom during the Brexit process, Rex Tillerson has declared. The US Secretary of State, who was in London for talks with Boris Johnson and Theresa May, said Washington would stand by Britain as it faces the unique challenges of leaving the EU. Mr Tillerson and the Foreign Secretary held talks covering a wide range of issues including Hurricane Irma, the North Korean crisis and the situation in Libya. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson speaks at the US Embassy in London (Hannah McKay/AP/PA) At a press conference with Mr Johnson, Mr Tillerson said: Whilst Brexit does present unique challenges to the British people, please know that you have a steadfast ally in the United States. We will stand by our ally as Brexit continues to take shape. Mr Tillerson praised the co-operation between the UK, US and France in dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson during a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at Lancaster House in London (Tolga Akmen/PA) He said: The co-operation through that event has been extraordinary. All of us set down our own concerns and said what can we do to help each others citizens and were very thankful for that. Were also committed to take that same spirit into the aftermath and how can we work together and co-ordinate now to complete the recovery and begin the long, long process of reconstruction in a way that is beneficial to everyone. Mr Tillerson, who had a meeting with Mrs Mays national security adviser which the Prime Minister dropped in on, said it was a short but very useful talk. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson leaves 10 Downing Street after a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Theresa May (Stefan Rousseau/PA) He thanked the UK for its support in sending a very strong message to North Korea that Kim Jong Uns nuclear ambitions were not acceptable to any member of the international community. Mr Tillerson said he discussed with Mrs May the threat that Iran poses to the region through its destabilising activities in Yemen, in Syria and in other parts of the region. Downing Street said Mrs May also raised the Iran nuclear deal loathed by Donald Trump underlining its importance in preventing Iran procuring nuclear weapons. Everton produced another hugely disappointing display as they were beaten 3-0 by Atalanta in their Europa League Group E opener in Reggio Emilia. The Toffees went into the match having suffered a 3-0 home loss to Tottenham five days earlier and with boss Ronald Koeman stressing they would need to react in Italy after that poor performance. But they were abject once again here, with their sloppiness being punished by a dynamic Atalanta side who scored three times in the first half through Andrea Masiello, captain Alejandro Gomez and Bryan Cristante. What they said Ronald Koeman: Im really sorry for the fans. Its a big lesson. I need to ask myself the question, what I did wrong. What I saw on the pitch was a big difference between Atalanta and Everton in belief and confidence and also in aggression and passion. Tweet of the match Star man Alejandro Gomez While it looked as if Everton should have done more to try to stop it, the Atalanta skippers goal was still a fine effort, fired into the corner of the net from just outside the box. Gomez was frequently at the heart of things as his side went at their opponents. Worries for Koeman Everton went into this season with high hopes having spent big but their last two outings have been a major reality check. As against Tottenham, the Toffees with six changes in the team mustered little in attack, looked very vulnerable at the back and did not really seem to know how to address the situation. Sundays trip to Manchester United appears daunting to say the least. Data point Everton have now lost four out of four away matches against Italian sides, having also been beaten by Inter Milan in 1963, AC Milan in 1975 and Fiorentina in 2008. Player ratings Everton: Maarten Stekelenburg 7 (out of 10), Mason Holgate 5, Michael Keane 5, Phil Jagielka 5, Leighton Baines 5, Muhamed Besic 5, Morgan Schneiderlin 4, Nikola Vlasic 4, Gylfi Sigurdsson 5, Wayne Rooney 5, Dominic Calvert-Lewin 5. Subs: Davy Klaassen (for Rooney, 66) 5, Sandro Ramirez (for Schneiderlin, 67) 5, Kevin Mirallas (for Calvert-Lewin, 76) 5. Whos up next? Chievo v Atalanta (Serie A, September 17) Manchester United v Everton (Premier League, September 17) A Conservative MP has described how a teacher told pupils to shun his 13-year-old son because of who his father was. Bob Stewart, the MP for Beckenham, south London, said the teachers action took the abuse suffered by MPs and their families to a new level. His comments, came as MPs from across the political spectrum said they had been subjected to unprecedented levels of bullying and harassment in the course of this years general election. Bob Stewart, the MP for Beckenham, south London, said the teachers action took the abuse suffered by MPs and their families to a "new level" (Philip Toscano/PA) ITV News reported that figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act showed the cost of protecting MPs has risen by 2.8 million in the 12 months since the murder of Jo Cox in July 2016 - an eighteenfold increase. In other developments: :: Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said she was called a n***** bitch and received death threats from trolls on Twitter; :: Commons Speaker John Bercow hit out at reported remarks by former chancellor George Osborne suggesting he wanted Theresa May chopped up in his freezer; Commons Speaker John Bercow (Rick Findler/PA) :: A Labour MP called for the expulsion of party members who abused his eight-year-old daughter after he backed RAF airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) in Syria. Mr Stewart, a former Army officer who led British peacekeepers in Bosnia in the 1990s, spoke out as MPs staged a Commons debate to discuss the abuse they had suffered during the election. All my four children have been hassled by other kids in their local schools because of the job of their father, he said. But such behaviour is taken to a new level when during the last general election a teacher tells the class of my 13-year-old boy that nobody should talk to him because hes the son of a Conservative MP. His comments provoked cries of shame while Home Office minister Sarah Newton said the incident was simply unacceptable. Home Office minister Sarah Newton (Anthony Devlin/PA) Labour MP Graham Jones described how his daughter was targeted by people calling themselves Labour Party members following the 2015 Commons vote on air strikes on IS. I looked at that eight year old she did not deserve what came from some comments, disgracefully from people calling themselves Labour Party members. They should be thrown out, he said. Earlier, appearing on ITVs Good Morning Britain, Ms Abbott said the racist abuse she had received on Twitter had been really quite frightening. When I say abuse, its not people saying I disagree with you about nationalising the railways, its people calling you a n***** bitch, its people threatening acid attacks, its rape, its death threats. Appearing before the Committee on Standards in Public Life, which is investigating the intimidation of parliamentary candidates, Conservative Party chairman Sir Patrick McLoughlin said he could not remember an election when there had been so much abuse. Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery said the 'lion's share' of the abuse was aimed at women (John Stilwell/PA) Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery said the abuse had been like nobody has seen before with the lions share aimed at women. The press played a huge role in this. Theyre no angels in this and they stirred racial hatred, they stirred political hatred right the way through the election and since the election, he said. Speaking at an event at the Institute for Government, Mr Bercow called for a basic level of human respect among politicians, and hit out at the quite extraordinary reported comments by Mr Osborne. The former chancellor, who now edits Londons Evening Standard, was said to have told friends he would not rest until Mrs May was chopped up in bags in my freezer, according to a profile in Esquire magazine. His comments were also condemned by Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg who said his bitterness and bile would have no effect on the broader world of politics. The sadness of George Osborne is that he is a formidably able man, he served with distinction as chancellor of the exchequer, and has decided since leaving Parliament to emulate a rather less successful Edward Heath, he told LBC radio. North Korea has fired an intermediate-range missile over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean the second such test in recent weeks. Joint Chiefs of Staff in South Korea said the missile travelled about 3,700 kilometres (2,300 miles) and reached a maximum height of 770 kilometres (478 miles) before landing into the water. South Koreas president Moon Jae-in has instructed his officials to pursue stern diplomatic and military measures to discourage North Korea from further provocations after its latest missile launch. A man, right, watches a public TV screen broadcasting news of North Korea's missile launch Since President Donald Trump threatened the north with fire and fury in August, Pyongyang has conducted its most powerful nuclear test and launched two missiles of increasing range over Japan, an ally of the United States. The growing frequency, power and confidence displayed by these tests seems to confirm what governments and outside experts have long feared: North Korea is closer than ever to its goal of building a military arsenal that can viably target both US troops in Asia and the US homeland. This, in turn, is meant to allow North Korea greater military freedom in the region by raising doubts in Seoul and Tokyo that Washington would risk the annihilation of a US city to protect its Asian allies. North Korea has repeatedly vowed to continue these tests amid what it calls American hostility, by which it means the presence of tens of thousands of American troops in Japan and South Korea. North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) Robust diplomacy on the issue has been stalled for years, and there is little sign that senior officials from Pyongyang and Washington might sit down to discuss ways to slow the Norths determined march toward inclusion among the worlds nuclear weapons powers. The missile was launched from Sunan, Pyongyangs international airport and the origin of the earlier missile that flew over Japan. Analysts have speculated the new test was of the same intermediate-range missile launched in that earlier flight, the Hwasong-12. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis both called the launch a reckless act. Shinzo Abe The UN Security Council scheduled an emergency closed-door meeting to be held on Friday afternoon in New York. The North American Aerospace Defence Command and the US Pacific Command said the missile posed no threat to North America or to Guam. North Korea has been accelerating its nuclear weapons development under leader Kim Jong Un, a third-generation dictator who has conducted four of North Koreas six nuclear tests since taking power in 2011. The weapons are being tested at a torrid pace and include solid-fuel missiles designed to be launched from road mobile launchers or submarines and are thus less detectable beforehand. North Korea claimed its latest nuclear test was a detonation of a thermonuclear weapon built for its intercontinental ballistic missiles, which could potentially reach deep into the US mainland when perfected. The UN Security Council unanimously approved new sanctions earlier this week over the nuclear test. By Ruma Paul DHAKA, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Bangladesh will sign a 15-year deal with Qatar's RasGas Co to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) starting in 2018 as the South Asian country turns to the supercooled fuel to fill a domestic supply gap for power generation, two officials told Reuters. The deal will be signed on Sept. 25 in Qatar, said Mohammad Quamruzzaman, managing director of the Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Co, a unit of state-owned oil firm Petrobangla. Under the deal, RasGas will supply 1.8 million tonnes a year of LNG for the first five years and 2.5 million tonnes a year for the next 10 after that, the Petrobangla officials said. The deal is Bangladesh's first LNG import agreement and will help to cover the country's domestic natural gas shortfall. The contract with the world's biggest LNG exporter underscores the rise of South Asia as a new market for the fuel. The deal is for less gas than the 4 million tonnes a year Bangladesh agreed to take in a 2011 memorandum of understanding with state-owned RasGas, since it instead plans to take more spot cargoes amid a supply glut that has lowered prices. In June, Rupantarita Prakritik Gas posted a notice on its website looking to shortlist suppliers of LNG spot cargoes starting in 2018. "We have got a huge response ... about 40 companies showed their interest to supply LNG," Quamruzzaman said. Bangladesh's first floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), supplied by Excelerate Energy of the United States, is to be commissioned by April 2018. Its second, supplied by the country's own Summit LNG of the Summit Group, is due for commissioning by next October. Bangladesh is also looking to add two additional floating LNG terminals next year. Bangladesh, a country of more than 160 million people, could import as much as 17.5 million tonnes of LNG a year by 2025, Nasrul Hamid, Bangladesh's state minister for energy and power, told Reuters last month. The country's own gas reserves are depleting at the same time it is seeking to almost double its power capacity to 24,000 megawatts by 2021. Bangladesh is planning to tap the currently cheap and plentiful global LNG supplies and invest heavily in importing the fuel. South Asia is emerging as a hotspot for LNG, with Pakistan and Bangladesh set to join India as major consumers and help ease the oversupply that has dogged the market for years. Asian spot LNG prices have fallen 70 percent from an early 2014 peak to $6.40 per million British thermal units. (Reporting by Ruma Paul; Editing by Tom Hogue) BEIRUT, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Buses carrying evacuated Islamic State fighters reached jihadist territory in Syria's Deir al-Zor on Wednesday after IS released a Hezbollah prisoner, a commander in the military alliance fighting in support of Damascus told Reuters. Damascus and Lebanons Hezbollah allowed a convoy of nearly 300 militants and 300 relatives to evacuate an enclave at the Syria-Lebanon border after an offensive there last month. A U.S.-led coalition temporarily stopped the buses from reaching Deir al-Zor and the convoy split in two. It was unclear if all the buses arrived in Islamic State territory on Wednesday. (Reporting by Laila Bassam; Editing by Toby Chopra) BEIRUT, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Buses carrying evacuated Islamic State fighters reached Syria's Deir al-Zor on Wednesday in return for releasing a Hezbollah prisoner, a commander in the pro-Damascus alliance told Reuters. Damascus and Hezbollah allowed nearly 300 lightly armed militants and 300 relatives to leave the Syria-Lebanon border in a surrender deal, after an offensive there last month. The transfer marked the first time Islamic State publicly agreed to such an evacuation from territory it held. A U.S.-led coalition had stopped the 17 buses from reaching Deir al-Zor for weeks and the convoy split in two. It was not immediately clear if all the buses arrived in Islamic State territory in the eastern Syrian province on Wednesday. "The deal has been completed," said the commander in the military alliance fighting in support of the Damascus government. The buses took the route between the town of al-Sukhna and Deir al-Zor, a main road that the Syrian army and allied forces captured in recent days, the commander said. Along the route, the combatants swapped the evacuees for a Hezbollah prisoner who had been in Islamic State captivity, the non-Syrian commander added. Under the evacuation deal in August, Islamic State militants left their border foothold after a week-long battle in return for safe passage to Deir al-Zor province in Syria. Iran-backed Hezbollah has played a major role in fighting Sunni militants along the border. Since early in the six-year Syrian conflict, it has sent thousands of fighters to support President Bashar al-Assads government. Lebanon's Shi'ite Hezbollah retrieved the remains of some of its forces killed in Syria as part of the swap, and was meant to get back one of its fighters that Islamic State held captive. The deal included recovering the bodies of nine Lebanese soldiers that Islamic State captured in 2014. The transfer ended any insurgent presence from the Syrian war on the frontier, where the Lebanese army also fought the militants in a separate offensive on its side. But the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State blocked the convoy from entering IS territory in east Syria, near the border with Iraq, by cratering roads and destroying bridges. The convoy split in two, with 11 buses remaining in the open desert and others retreating into government territory. Last week, the U.S. coalition said its surveillance aircraft moved away from the buses in the no-man's land after pro-Syrian government forces "advanced past" the convoy. Damascus was responsible for the evacuees, it said. The Syrian army and its allies reached Deir al-Zor city, breaking an Islamic State siege of an enclave there that had lasted three years. U.S.-backed Syrian militias have also launched a separate assault in another part of Deir al-Zor province, which has become Islamic State's last major foothold in Syria. (Reporting by Laila Bassam; Writing by Ellen Francis; Editing by Toby Chopra) You are here: China Speaker: Liu Aihua, spokesperson of the National Bureau of Statistics Chairperson: Xi Yanchun, vice director-general of the Press Bureau, State Council Information Office Date: Sept. 14, 2017 Xi Yanchun: Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference. Today, we are delighted to invite Ms. Liu Aihua, spokesperson of the National Bureau of Statistics, to introduce and analyze Chinas economic performance in August. She will also answer some of your questions. Now, lets welcome Ms. Liu to deliver her briefing. Xi Yanchun, vice director-general of the Press Bureau, State Council Information Office. [Photo/China.org.cn] Liu Aihua: Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. As usual, before answering your questions, I will make a brief introduction. In August, Chinas economic performance was stable with good momentum for growth. The overall situation was sound. Structural adjustment continued to go deeper. New emergent driving forces continued to gain strength. Economic performance improved steadily in both quality and returns. By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Federal prosecutors are preparing to file criminal charges against an American lobbyist for the Gabonese president, saying on Wednesday he made a false statement to a U.S. customs official stemming from a long-running money-laundering probe. Patricia Sulzbach, a prosecutor in the U.S. Justice Department's Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, told a U.S. District Court hearing in Washington that the department had approved plans to seek an indictment against Joseph Szlavik. Prosecutors did not go into specifics but said the planned charges were relevant to a related civil asset forfeiture complaint that was the subject of Wednesday's court hearing. Szlavik, a special adviser to Gabon President Ali Bongo, told U.S. border agents when he arrived at Dulles International Airport in 2013 that he was carrying $100,000 in cash because it would take too long to wire from Africa, according to the government's complaint in the related civil action. Wednesday's hearing centered on a battle between Szlavik and the Justice Department over about $475,000 that the government's kleptocracy unit is trying to seize from him and his wife in a civil asset forfeiture complaint filed in May. Szlavik denies wrongdoing and is trying to recover the frozen assets. The civil complaint alleges that Szlavik's consulting firm Scribe Strategies & Advisors is acting as an "unlicensed international money transmitting business" to help the Gabonese ruling family skirt anti-money-laundering rules. Bongo and his father, Omar, Gabon's former president, were subjects of a U.S. Senate investigation into foreign government officials who allegedly used the American financial system to launder assets. Szlavik is seeking to dismiss the civil case, saying the money transfers were for legitimate business expenses, including tuition payments for Gabonese cadets attending U.S. military academies. Szlavik's lawyer, David Smith, said on Wednesday the Justice Department was using the threat of an indictment to intimidate his client into backing down on the civil fight to recover his money and called the false statement allegation "baseless." "I see this new indictment as ... more powerful medicine to deter them from proceeding with defending their property," Smith told the judge. The government froze Szlavik's bank accounts in 2013 as part of a criminal probe into the money flows from Gabon, although Szlavik was not charged with a crime. Civil asset forfeiture allows the government to seize assets if there is ample evidence to show they are connected with certain crimes such as money laundering, even if the owner of the assets is never criminally charged. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Peter Cooney) BRASILIA, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Congressmen from Brazil's Social Democratic Party (PSD) on Wednesday invited Finance Minister Henrique Meirelles to run for president in 2018, growing the list of potential contenders from within President Michel Temer's fragmented coalition. Meirelles, after meeting with PSD lawmakers at his house in Brasilia, wrote on Twitter that he felt honored but was not a candidate. The PSD leader in the lower house of Congress, Marcos Montes, nevertheless said Meirelles received the invitation with "enthusiasm" but would not respond immediately. Reuters reported late in August, citing a source close to Meirelles, that he wanted to run for president on the PSD ticket, but knew he would have a strong chance only if the economy improved substantially. Meirelles, in his Twitter post, said that he was focusing his energies on helping Brazil obtain "sustainable growth" after emerging from its worst recorded recession. Under Brazilian rules, ministers who wish to run in the October 2018 election will need to leave their posts by April, although a formal register would only happen in August. Other potential contenders being floated by ruling parties include Sao Paulo state governor Geraldo Alckmin and Sao Paulo city mayor Joao Doria Jr., both from the PSDB party. A civil engineer by training, Meirelles is the former chairman of now defunct BankBoston Corp and former president of Brazil's central bank. (Reporting by Silvio Cascione and Mateus Maia; Editing by Leslie Adler) By Liana B. Baker NEW YORK, Sept 13 (Reuters) - On paper, the offer from the private equity fund was a lucrative one - a $1.2 million signing bonus, a $2 million cut of its management fees and a 20 percent stake in the firm itself. But in practice, Ray Bingham's partnership with Canyon Bridge Capital Partners has proven costly. Canyon Bridge was launched with a focus on acquiring technology investments, but President Donald Trump on Wednesday dealt a body blow to its ambitions, blocking its first deal, a planned $1.3 billion acquisition of chipmaker Lattice Semiconductor Corp. The Palo Alto, California-based buyout fund is partly backed by cash from China's central government and that link, first reported by Reuters in November, has proven controversial. Bingham has since left the boards of several tech companies, including Oracle Corp, due to concerns about his involvement with the firm. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement that the deal had national security concerns related to the use of Lattice's products by the U.S. government. Yet the company has said it no longer sells its chips to the U.S. military. Trump's rejection potentially hurts Canyon Bridge's ability to acquire other Western semiconductor companies, which could prove to be a high hurdle for a firm dedicated to investing in technology. Sources have previously said Canyon Bridge has been working on a bid for British semiconductor company Imagination Technology Group. If Canyon Bridge clinches that deal, it would also be subject to review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) review since Imagination Technologies acquired U.S. chip designer MIPS in 2013. While Canyon Bridge may choose to divest MIPS, which accounts for a small fraction of Imagination Technologies' business, there is no certainty that would be enough to resolve all CFIUS issues, according to the sources. Canyon Bridge did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story. A BONE OF CONTENTION Before the 71-year-old tech sector veteran joined Canyon Bridge last year, he held several high-profile board seats, including Oracle, Cypress Semiconductor Corp and Flex Ltd . Now, his only public board involvement is at human resources software firm TriNet Group Inc. The turn of events for Bingham demonstrates the challenges of working with China-based investors, where state-backed funding can be a key hurdle to U.S. deals. Canyon Bridge's Chinese state links were a bone of contention at Oracle, which expressed concern that Bingham's involvement with Canyon Bridge could hurt Oracle's relationship with the U.S. government, according to a court filing. Oracle's board told Bingham in March he could not retain his seat and continue to be a partner of Canyon Bridge, according to Bingham's deposition in Rodgers lawsuit. In response, Bingham decided to step down. Bingham had received $890,902 in 2016 from Oracle, making him the second-highest paid board director at the company behind founder Larry Ellison. He also had an annual salary and bonus from Cypress worth $900,000, as well as equity grants worth $4.5 million. Bingham resigned from Cypress Semiconductor in June following a proxy fight at the company when founder, T.J. Rodgers, launched a proxy contest to remove him from the board. Rodgers alleged Bingham faced irreconcilable conflicts of interest because of his involvement with Canyon Bridge, a claim which Bingham and Cypress objected to. In late June, Bingham also resigned as chairman of the board of Flex, a contract manufacturing company. His resignation was "not a result of any disagreement with the policies, practices or procedures of the company," according to a Flex filing. A Flex spokesperson declined to comment further. A TriNet spokesperson on Wednesday confirmed Bingham was still on the board. "I chose to resign from these positions in order to focus all of my attention on an exciting new opportunity with Canyon Bridge, Ray Bingham said in a statement late Wednesday. "I am thrilled to be part of Canyon Bridge and very optimistic about our future as a fund committed to helping technology companies become true market leaders around the globe." (Editing by by Carmel Crimmins and G Crosse) By John Kemp LONDON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - U.S. coal companies blame climate campaigners and the Obama administration for waging a war on coal that has cost thousands of jobs and threatened struggling mining communities. But coals long-term problems stem not from politics but from physical properties that make it an inferior source of energy compared with oil, gas and (arguably) renewables. Coal has been losing the "war" for market share since the middle of the 20th century as other sources of energy have become cheaper and more abundant. Rising energy consumption in advanced economies and emerging markets masked coals relative decline in the second half of the 20th century and first decade of the 21st. But as energy consumption has reached a plateau in developed countries, coal demand has started to decline in absolute and relative terms in the more modern economies. Consumption has continued to grow in poorer countries, where coal has played a crucial role in making electricity available for the first time to hundreds of millions of households. But the same problems that ensured coals replacement in the advanced economies will gradually lead to its replacement in emerging markets as well. ENERGY TRANSITIONS Coals displacement by other sources of energy is part of a "grand energy transition" that has seen the dominant energy source shift successively from wood to charcoal, coal and oil. The precise dates vary slightly from country to country, but coal started to become an important source of energy on a global scale just before 1850 ("Energy transitions: history, requirements, prospects", Smil, 2010). Traditional biofuels such as wood and corn stalks continued to dominate the global energy system until 1900, when they were finally overtaken in importance by fast-growing coal consumption. Coal remained the dominant energy source until the 1960s, when it was overtaken by oil ("Global primary energy consumption, 1800-2015", Our World in Data, 2017). But in recent years, natural gas consumption has been growing faster, and gas is set to overtake oil as the single largest source of primary energy within the next decade. Predicting transitions beyond natural gas is fraught with uncertainty but climate campaigners hope the global energy system will shift from gas to wind and solar. A QUESTION OF PHYSICS Each step in the grand energy transition has seen the dominant fuel displaced by one that is more convenient and useful. The reasons for the original shift from traditional biofuels to charcoal and then coal are still disputed by scholars. Wood was in short supply around major urban areas by the 17th and 18th centuries but it is unclear whether shortages were localised or becoming more general. In any event, transporting larger quantities of wood over lengthening distances from increasingly remote forested areas to consuming cities was becoming a logistical problem. The solution was to turn wood into charcoal, which was much more compact, and eventually to shift to coal, which was even more compact and easier to transport. Traditional biofuels may have been becoming more scarce, but it was the increasing availability of coal and its decreasing price that drove the transition. Coal was simply more useful as a source of energy than traditional biofuels. Once it became cheap enough, it rapidly replaced wood and agricultural waste in most uses. The same process explains the gradual displacement of coal by oil during the 20th century and now by natural gas in the 21st century. There is far more energy in one kilogram of refined gasoline (46 megajoules) or gas (54 megajoules) than in a kilogram of bituminous coal (24-35 megajoules), let alone wood (18 megajoules). Because they are liquids or gases, crude, refined fuels and natural gas can be transported by pipeline, which is much cheaper than transporting solid fuels such as coal, especially over long distances. Liquids and gases can also be piped around a power plant or transport system, while coal requires labour-intensive handling, which adds considerably to cost. Oil and gas combust more or less completely while coal produces large volumes of ash and slag, which require expensive handling and disposal. Finally, oil- and gas-fired engines and steam turbines can reach full power output in minutes, while coal-fired steam turbines and engines require hours of pre-warming. COAL LOSES GROUND Oil gradually replaced coal as the main fuel for shipping in the first half of the 20th century because oil took up less space on board, allowing ships to travel faster, further and carry more cargo. Oil could be loaded more quickly and resulted in an enormous reduction in manpower compared with dirty and physically demanding coaling operations. At the outbreak of World War One, almost half the crew on a typical British Royal Navy warship were stokers and trimmers needed to move coal around and fire the engines. In 1913, 46,748 lower-deck ratings out of a navy-wide total of 97,000 were engaged in "driving the ship", according to the navys own magazine. Replacing coal with oil therefore resulted in an enormous saving in manpower ("The Royal Navys fuel supplies 1898-1939: the transition from coal to oil", Brown, 2003). By shifting from coal to oil, the number of stokers on a battleship could be cut from 260 to 110, according to officials ("The financial effects of adoption of oil fuels for new vessels", Admiralty, 1913). Similar practical advantages eventually encouraged the conversion of commercial shipping and the railways from coal to oil-based fuels. Oil and gas were also much cleaner-burning and the shift played a crucial role in cutting urban smog as well as around railways and ports. COST AND SECURITY The same practical advantages now favour the construction and operation of gas-fired rather than coal-fired power plants. Gas-fired plants are cheaper and easier to build and require a fraction of the staff to operate ("Coals decline spreads far beyond Appalachia", WSJ, 2017). A coal-fired plant might employ 150-250 workers, while a gas-fired plant might need only 35, the Tennessee Valley Authority recently told the Wall Street Journal. Gas-fired power plants do not require expensive emission control systems to capture fly ash and dispose of ash and slag. Crucially, gas-fired power plants operate more efficiently and flexibly, and can ramp up and down quickly in response to changes in demand. Set against these other disadvantages, coals primary advantage has always been its low cost and relative abundance. Coal is cheap compared with oil and gas, and coal reserves are distributed more widely around the world. Coal can be stockpiled to guard against a temporary interruption of supplies due to weather, industrial action or international conflict. Coal has been available from a more diverse group of suppliers than oil and gas and there has never been a coal cartel to compare with OPEC. For governments worried about energy security and affordability, coal has been an important part of their national strategy. But coals residual role has always been vulnerable to any development that made oil and gas significantly cheaper and threatened its remaining competitive advantages. In the 1950s and 1960s, U.S. coal producers came under pressure from cheap oil and the growing use of fuel oil for heating and power generation - until they were rescued by the oil shock of 1973/74. Britains coal industry was eventually marginalised by the discovery of North Sea natural gas in 1959, which led to the replacement of coal first as a domestic heating fuel and then in power generation. The same problem is now hitting coal producers in the United States and elsewhere as the shale revolution makes gas much more abundant and cheaper. China and India will continue to be important and growing markets for coal, but there too governments struggling with smog are bowing to the physical reality and demanding cleaner sources of energy. In the past, coal producers have pressed for protection when threatened by increased competition from other fuels. In the 1950s and 1960s, U.S. coal producers lobbied to restrict the increase in fuel oil burning for heating and power production. In 1950, the National Bituminous Coal Advisory Council complained Venezuelan residual fuel oil was being "dumped" in the U.S. market, harming national security ("Energy policy in America since 1945", Vietor, 1984). In the 1960s and 1970s, the UK coal industry lobbied to reserve gas as a "premium fuel" for domestic heating and cooking that should not be burned "wastefully" in power stations. Something similar is occurring at present, with the U.S. coal lobby raising the prospect of subsidies for coal-fired power plants, but the tide of history is running against them. (Editing by Dale Hudson) OSLO, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Scandinavian airline SAS has agreed to a new three-year wage deal with pilots at its Norwegian unit, ending a strike that had threatened to paralyse a large part of the carrier's network, the company said on Thursday. "We are pleased that we have now reached new agreements, and that we thereby have avoided a strike that would affect our customers," Eivind Bjurstroem, head of negotiations on behalf of SAS, said. The agreements with the two Norwegian pilot associations NSF and SNF were in line with the agreements recently signed with the Swedish and Danish pilot associations, the company added. Two pilots went on strike when the negotiations broke down on Monday, and as many as 559 were schedule to strike from Thursday unless a deal was found, trade unions had warned. (Reporting by Terje Solsvik and Nerijus Adomaitis) Sept 14 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press reports and events to watch which may affect Romanian financial markets on Thursday. DEBT TENDER Romanian debt managers tender 500 million lei ($129.05 million) worth of April 2024 treasury bonds. EUROPEAN COMMISSION European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker told the EU's eastern states on Wednesday he would fight for equal rights for their consumers, but their workers would not be allowed to unfairly undercut those in western members. SIBIU VS BREXIT Transylvania may not seem everyone's idea of a fun weekend away to get over a painful break-up but that is Jean-Claude Juncker's prescription for EU leaders to cope with the blues on the day Britain walks out. CURRENT ACCOUNT Romania's current account deficit rose to 3.63 billion euros ($4.35 billion) in the first seven months compared with 2.22 billion euros in the same period of last year, central bank data showed on Wednesday. BUDGET REVISION Romania's Social Democrat government will approve on Wednesday a budget revision that will keep the consolidated budget at the initial target of 2.96 percent of gross domestic product in cash terms, Finance Minister Ionut Misa said. CEE MARKETS The Hungarian forint hit a two-month low on Wednesday, extending a weeks-long downward drift as investors looked to a meeting next week at which the central bank is widely expected to loosen monetary conditions further. For the long-term Romanian diary, click on For emerging markets economic events, click on For an index of all diaries, click on For other related news, double click on: --------------------------------------------------------------- Romanian equities RO-E E.Europe equities .CEE Romanian money RO-M Romanian debt RO-D Eastern Europe EEU All emerging markets EMRG Hot stocks HOT Stock markets STX Market debt news DBT Forex news FRX For real-time index quotes, double click on: Bucharest BETI Warsaw WIG20 Budapest BUX Prague PX --------------------------------------------------------------- By Clyde Russell LAUNCESTON, Australia, Sept 14 (Reuters) - When is rising Chinese demand for your natural resources not a good thing? When you are Australian and higher prices for coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG) are causing domestic shortages and soaring electricity prices. In theory it should be great days for Australia's economy and resource companies, and even Australian politicians keen to take the credit for booming exports and the associated jobs. But the world's largest exporter of coal, and second-biggest of LNG, is discovering that export success can quickly become a politically-charged hot potato when it is linked to rising costs for local consumers. First the three new LNG plants in the eastern state of Queensland were accused of sucking up natural gas supplies, driving up prices and potentially causing supply shortages. This was a bit of a stretch as only one of the three projects was capable of using natural gas that may have otherwise been made available to the domestic market. Still, the perception that LNG exports were driving domestic prices higher stuck, leading the Liberal Party-led federal government of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to introduce a mechanism to divert natural gas to the domestic market if the demand is there. It's not clear whether this solution will work in practice, as the main problem appears not to be the domestic availability of natural gas, rather that the local price is effectively linked to what supplies can be sold for as LNG exports. As one analyst put it, if natural gas is available in Queensland at the same price as LNG, and nobody wants it, is there still a shortage? The situation has been complicated by governments in the populous states of New South Wales and Victoria, home to the major cities of Sydney and Melbourne respectively, acting to restrict or ban the production of onshore natural gas. The natural gas industry has long argued that all available sources of supply should be tapped, as bringing more gas to market will help rein in prices. But state governments have found it impossible to stand up to a coalition of environmental activists and farmers who are opposed to any onshore gas production, despite the overwhelming peer-reviewed scientific evidence saying the industry is safe as long as it's properly regulated. Australia's LNG exports were 36.5 million tonnes in the first eight months of the year, according to vessel-tracking and port data compiled by Thomson Reuters Supply Chain and Commodity Forecasts. This was up 35 percent from the 27 million tonnes shipped in the same period last year, with China contributing a large chunk of the extra demand. Australia's LNG shipments to China were 10.7 million tonnes in the first eight months of the year, up from 7.1 million tonnes in the same period in 2016. Whether China is to blame for Australia's rising natural gas prices is moot. What is certain is that the price increases have contributed to a sharp increase in the cost of electricity in Australia, reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Sept. 11 to be up 20 percent this year alone. COAL BECOMING TOO EXPENSIVE The other problem is the surge in the price of thermal coal this year, and here China does carry more of the blame. Thermal coal prices for exports from Australia's Newcastle port, the regional benchmark, ended at $103.15 a tonne on Wednesday, up 45 percent from the low so far this year of $71.30 on May 16. Chinese import demand is driving the price higher, with restrictions on domestic output in China and higher demand boosting purchases by the world's largest importer of the fuel. China's seaborne coal imports were 153.3 million tonnes in the first eight months of the year, according to Thomson Reuters data, up from 139.7 million in the same period in 2016. Imports from Australia were at 58.3 million tonnes in the January-August period, up from 50.3 million in the same period last year, with the almost 16 percent rise being achieved despite disruptions to exports from a tropical cyclone in March. Robust demand from Chinese and other Asian buyers is causing problems for Australian power companies, who are reluctant to match the prices they pay for premium-quality thermal coal. The Australian Energy Council, which represents electricity generators, said many power plants can't operate at maximum rates as they lack fuel, Reuters reported on Sept. 12. That means expensive coal and natural gas are raising the threat of blackouts in the upcoming peak summer demand period of the Southern Hemisphere, likely creating further political headaches for those in power. The main problem in Australia, however, isn't that coal and natural gas have become more expensive in recent months, it's the systemic failure of policymakers to develop a coherent vision of how the country will be powered. At the federal level, the centre-left Labor Party introduced a carbon tax when it was in power from 2007 to 2013, which was scrapped by the Liberal government when it took power. A renewable energy target is still to be finalised despite a major review of the country's power sector. The uncertainty has meant that investment in new generation to replace ageing coal-fired plants has been stymied, while politicians across the left-right divide argue as to whether coal should be front and centre in the future, or whether renewables backed by gas-fired plants should be the way to go. To outsiders, it probably comes across as somewhat ironic, that the world's top exporter of coal and soon for LNG as well, can't actually meet domestic demand at an affordable price. The real risk, though, is that in order to appease increasingly angry voters, politicians wound the golden export goose without actually solving any underlying domestic issues. (Editing by Tom Hogue) By Mark Miller CHICAGO, Sept 14 (Reuters) - "Immigrants - we get the job done" is one of the most famous lines from "Hamilton," the hit Broadway musical. But the plays creator, Lin Manuel Miranda, might well have written: "Immigrants - we keep the country young." The Trump administration's move last week to end protections and benefits for young people who were brought into the United States illegally as children is a nightmare for undocumented people and so-called Dreamers. But the immigration crackdown also adds to the challenges the United States faces in adjusting to an aging population. The U.S. 65-and-over population will nearly double over the next three decades, from 48 million to 88 million by 2050, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That will make us a much older country - 21 percent will be over age 65, up from 13 percent in 2010 and 10 percent in 1970. The shift reflects the aging of the baby boom population and declining fertility rates. But the United States is aging less rapidly than most other major industrialized nations - and that is due, in part, to the influx of young immigrants and their families. We need that trend to continue - not stop - because the old and young are so interdependent. Simply put, anti-immigrant policy reflects not only a lack of ethics, empathy and compassion - it is founded on bad economics. That starts with Attorney General Jeff Sessions claim last week that illegal immigration has "denied jobs to hundreds of thousands of Americans by allowing those same jobs to go to illegal aliens." Most mainstream economists will tell you there is no evidence that this is true. Immigrant workers do not cause any significant decline in wages or employment for U.S.-born citizens. Immigrants and U.S.-born workers usually do not compete for the same jobs, and immigrants are not the cause of any significant decline in wages or employment for U.S.-born citizens. Rather, immigrants "complement the work of U.S. employees and increase their productivity," according to a review of research on the topic by The Brookings Institution (http://brook.gs/2xRz6jf). IMMIGRATION AIDS SOCIAL SECURITY Meanwhile, as the country ages, the need for immigration is evident in four key areas: Social Security, caregiving, healthcare and housing. Social Security faces a long-term financial imbalance that would force sharp benefit cuts in 2034 unless we increase tax contributions, cut benefits or implement some combination of the two. The problem stems from falling fertility rates and labor force growth - which reduces collection of payroll taxes that fund the system - and also from the retirement of baby boomers, which increases benefit costs. When the Obama administration put the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in place in 2014, Social Securitys actuaries estimated that then-prevalent immigration patterns had the net effect of raising U.S. fertility rates from roughly two children per woman to roughly 2.5 children. The actuaries also found that DACA would have a modest positive effect on the long-range shortfall facing the program. Cutting immigration rates in half - the stated goal of the Trump administration - would cost Social Security $2.4 trillion in lost payroll tax revenues over the next 75 years, according to an analysis of Social Security data by Nancy Altman, president of the Social Security Works advocacy coalition. One factor is that illegal immigrants contribute payroll taxes on their wages but are unable to claim benefits since they do not have valid Social Security numbers. "They will make up a number and give that to their employers," Altman said. "That gets reported and money is sent in but the Social Security Administration cant match it to an earnings record." The funds are credited to a special Earnings Suspense File that now contains upward of $1.2 trillion. "Theres so much misunderstanding of this issue," Altman said. "Anti-immigration advocates say immigrants are robbing us by taking all these federal benefits the rest of us are paying for when actually the opposite is true." A key issue in the housing market is an adequate supply of young people to purchase the homes of aging boomers. Immigrants account for 32 percent of the growth in households and 36 percent of growth in the number of homeowners during this decade, according to a 2013 study co-authored by Dowell Myers, an urban demographer and housing specialist at the University of Southern California. Myers cautions that the importance of immigrants in meeting housing demand fluctuates depending on a number of other factors, including the general health of the housing market and the number of native-born young people. It was an important factor in the 1990s when the number of young native-born households was very low, and it played a supporting role during the Great Recession - but less so in the current strong market. "Immigrants are important for filling housing demand in some decades, and not in others," he said. The healthcare profession is experiencing shortages in many key occupations that will worsen as the country ages. Caregiving occupations, in particular, are headed toward a crisis-level shortage of workers. And 18 percent of certified nursing assistants, and 27 percent of home care aides were immigrants, Census Bureau data shows (http://reut.rs/2w4tHsK). We need a fact-based, forward-looking discussion about immigration policy. "All this dialogue about immigration needs to be focused on the future," said Myers. "Any immigration plan you put in place now will impact us for decades to come." (Editing by Matthew Lewis) By Alexis Akwagyiram and Paul Carsten WACHAKAL, Nigeria, Sept 14 (Reuters) - When millions of people in northeast Nigeria faced hunger and attacks by Islamist militant group Boko Haram in March 2016, the government acted: it decided to spend $1.4 million cutting down weeds around the village of Wachakal in order to stop flooding. Six months later, many of the weeds had grown back and 317 million naira (at the time $1.04 million) had been transferred from the company hired to destroy them to a firm founded by the government official in charge of dispensing aid, according to a Nigerian Senate report. The report, written by a committee of lawmakers from Nigeria's upper chamber of parliament, concluded that companies that received contracts for projects including the weeding from a government body overseen by the official, Babachir Lawal, transferred a total of 500 million naira (worth around $2.2 million) to the firm he set up. The report publicly called for a criminal investigation into the payments. Central to the probe was whether Lawal was involved in a suspected kickback scheme to divert aid money intended for the volatile northeast. The committee said the scheme involved inflating the value of contracts to enrich Lawal and his associates. The report did not provide evidence to show why it believed costs had been enlarged. Lawal, 62, is an ally of President Muhammadu Buhari and one of his first appointments. In a written statement responding to Reuters' questions, Lawal denied wrongdoing and said he had been the victim of a Senate witch-hunt. The United Nations has warned that northeast Nigeria is gripped by one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Boko Haram has burned down homes, destroyed livelihoods and killed thousands of people. Refugees living in camps complain of starvation and disease, while soldiers and police have been accused of rape. A Reuters review of the Senate report's findings shows how two pillars of Buhari's presidency - restoring stability in the northeast and fighting corruption - may have been undermined by the alleged misappropriation of aid money and food. The review draws upon documents detailing bank transfers and corporate records, visits to aid projects and interviews with senior politicians, diplomats and humanitarian workers. PROMISES UNFULFILLED The final Senate report, published in May, recommended that Lawal be prosecuted for allegedly flouting procurement rules and breaking his oaths of office. He was suspended in April pending a presidential investigation launched after the Senate's findings first surfaced in an earlier draft of the report. The investigation into Lawal, ordered by Buhari, was headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who delivered his findings to the president on Aug. 22. "The president has to look at the report, study it and then make his own decisions," Osinbajo said, without saying what was in the presidential investigation report. Buhari's office referred Reuters to the vice president's comments. Despite Buhari's vows to fight corruption, no major figures have been convicted so far. Boko Haram, who have killed around 20,000 people since 2009, have been pushed back in some areas yet continue to launch attacks, while millions of people in the northeast rely on some form of aid. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS Shehu Sani, who chaired the Senate committee that produced the report, said overall losses to suspected corruption in various forms in the northeastern humanitarian crisis in recent years had not been determined due to the probe's specific remit and factors that restricted its scope. He said the Senate investigation was limited by the timeframe examined, as it focused on government aid spending since the current administration took office in May, 2015. Sani also said some government agencies had refused to cooperate, access to bank account details was limited and the use of international donor funds was not investigated. "We can say, conservatively, that over 10 billion naira ($33 million) of monies that were supposed to go to the IDPs (internally displaced persons) were misappropriated or unaccounted for, or misused from different segments of the Nigerian government," Sani told Reuters. He said he was referring to all forms of corruption related to funds involving Nigerian humanitarian aid dating back around three years, and not just allegations involving Lawal. He declined to elaborate further. The humanitarian crisis began in 2014. Nigeria's then-president, Goodluck Jonathan, set up the Presidential Initiative on the Northeast (PINE) to provide emergency assistance to communities and foster economic growth in the region. PINE had problems from the outset. According to a 2014 internal PINE presentation prepared by the then-chairman for the group's committee, a pilot scheme sent 51 food trucks to Borno state and 10 to Gombe state; none arrived. After he became president in 2015, Buhari made Lawal Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) - Nigeria's top civil servant. Through PINE, Lawal oversaw millions of dollars of aid. The Senate report alleges that most aid contracts in 2016 did not help the needy. Instead, inflated contracts "were awarded to companies belonging to top government officials' cronies and close associates". It said a company called Rholavision Engineering Limited, which describes itself as "Information and Communication Technology Engineers & Consultants" and was founded by Lawal in 1990, was where money for companies that were awarded contracts by PINE came to first. In his statement, Lawal said he relinquished ties with Rholavision on Aug. 27, 2015, four days before being sworn in as SGF. But company registry records show he did not resign as a director until Sept. 8, 2016. In addition, a signed letter from Lawal to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) dated Sept. 16, 2016 - contained in the appendices of the Senate report - said he wished to relinquish his shares in Rholavision. "That can't be true," said Lawal in a text message when asked about the apparent discrepancy. "This is forged," he said, when sent a picture of the letter to CAC. He declined to elaborate. Rholavision declined to comment. SOME WORK DONE In March and August 2016, PINE awarded two contracts to cut weeds and improve irrigation in riverside communities in the northeastern state of Yobe. For some 30 years, the weeds had caused farmland to flood and prevented people from fishing. The contracts, worth a combined total of 531 million naira, were granted to Josmon Technologies Ltd. The first contract, awarded in March 2016, was for 273 million naira - at the time worth $1.4 million. The second contract was awarded to Josmon in August 2016. Nigeria's naira currency lost around a third of its value two months earlier, so the 258 million naira contract was then worth some $845,000. Rholavision, the company founded by Lawal, received a contract for a consultancy role in the weed-cutting project. The 7.1 million naira contract was awarded in March 2016 when that sum was equivalent to $36,040. Some work was done. Ali Dodo, a farmer in Wachakal, told Reuters that he and others cut weeds around the Komadugu-Yobe river over a month-long period from August 2016. He said contractors paid them 2,500 naira a day. Reuters was unable to determine how much was spent on the work in total. Bank records, however, show that Josmon Technologies paid 317 million naira to Rholavision between March and September 2016. Monday John Apeh, a Josmon director, told Reuters that "Josmon has no relationship with Mr Babachir Lawal". In a text message, he said Josmon struggled to finance the PINE contract because the company had been experiencing financial difficulties and would only be paid when the work was complete. That "led us to borrow money from Rholavision's MD", he said. Josmon said 195 million naira ($637,359) of the 317 million naira it sent to Rholavision was to repay that loan. Apeh declined to comment on what happened to the remaining 122 million naira. Lawal said in his statement: "These purely business transactions between the companies cannot be classified as bribes." Dodo, the local farmer, said weeds started growing back within six months. Despite numerous setbacks, Nigeria's government is trying to reboot aid efforts. Buhari replaced PINE with the Presidential Committee on the Northeast Initiative last October. In June, the government promised to distribute 30,000 tonnes of grain to people displaced by Boko Haram, after saying more than half of food aid previously dispatched had gone missing. Zainab Ahmed, who heads Nigeria's Inter-Ministerial Task Force on the Humanitarian Response in the Northeast, told Reuters the deliveries would now be guarded by soldiers. Coordination between agencies "is not perfect but it has improved a great deal and is getting better," she said. ($1 = 305.9500 naira) (Editing by Giles Elgood) By Anna Pujol-Mazzini LONDON, Sept 14 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Your afternoon chocolate bar may be fuelling climate change, destroying protected forests and threatening elephants, chimpanzees and hippos in West Africa, research suggests. Well-known brands, such as Mars and Nestle, are buying through global traders cocoa that is grown illegally in dwindling national parks and reserves in Ivory Coast and Ghana, environmental group Mighty Earth said. "Every consumer of chocolate is a part of either the problem or the solution," Etelle Higonnet, campaign director at Mighty Earth, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "You can choose to buy ethical chocolate. Or you're voting with your dollar for deforestation." Nestle did not immediately respond to requests for comment while Mars said in an email: "We take a responsible approach to sourcing cocoa and have committed to source 100 percent certified sustainable cocoa by 2020." Both companies have committed to join the Cocoa and Forests Initiative, a major effort to end deforestation in the global cocoa supply chain, launched in March. Almost one-third of 23 protected natural areas in Ivory Coast that researchers visited in 2015 had been almost entirely converted to illegal cocoa plantations, the report said. Researchers said the practice is so widespread that villages of tens of thousands of people, along with churches and schools, have sprung up in national parks to support the cocoa economy. Ivory Coast, Francophone West Africa's biggest economy, is the world's top cocoa grower. While the bulk of its 1 million cocoa farmers ply their trade legally, Washington-based Mighty Earth estimates about a third of cocoa is grown illegally in protected areas. Deforestation for cocoa happens in sight of authorities and chocolate traders are aware of it, they said. Loss of natural forests is problematic because they act as a home for the region's wildlife, and a key weapon against climate change, absorbing carbon dioxide - a major driver of climate change - as they grow. Available land for new cocoa plantations in Ivory Coast ran out long ago, so farmers have moved into parks and reserves, taking advantage of a decade of political crisis that ended in 2011. Ivory Coast's now has about 2.5 million hectares (6 million acres) of natural forest, a fifth of what it had at independence in 1960, according to European Union figures. Most of the losses have been due to expanding agriculture. The government has struggled to evict farmers from forest reserves amid accusations in 2013 of human rights abuses by security forces. Details of the Cocoa and Forests Initiative, which is initially focusing on Ivory Coast and Ghana, will be announced by November's global climate talks in Bonn. (Reporting by Anna Pujol-Mazzini @annapmzn, Editing by Katy Migiro. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org) Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah in Beijing on Wednesday, with the two agreeing to promote cooperation within the Belt and Road Initiative, and work for stronger bilateral ties. Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) holds talks with Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Tao) "China appreciates Brunei's efforts in strengthening China-ASEAN relations, and hopes to align the Belt and Road Initiative with ASEAN's development plan," Xi said. Calling the two countries close neighbors across the sea, mutually reliable friends and partners, Xi said the two countries have established strategic cooperative ties, cemented political mutual trust, and achieved fruitful cooperation over the years. This year marks the start of the second 25 years of China-Brunei diplomatic relations. China-Brunei ties are at a key stage of development, Xi said, adding China is ready to share governance experience with Brunei, synergize their development strategies, and promote closer cooperation in various areas. He called on both sides to maintain high-level exchanges, deepen political mutual trust and support each other on issues concerning respective core interests and major concerns. Xi appreciated Brunei's support for the Belt and Road Initiative. The two leaders agreed to boost closer cooperation in such areas as infrastructure, energy, halal food, agriculture, fishery, and the digital economy. He asked the two countries to cement defense and law-enforcement cooperation, as well as exchanges in education, sports, public health, tourism, media and other areas. The two countries should enhance cooperation in regional and international affairs, and coordination in frameworks such as the United Nations and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Xi said. Regarding the situation in the South China Sea, Xi said it has stabilized and showed positive momentum. "China hopes to work with Brunei and parties concerned to make the South China Sea the sea of peace, friendship and cooperation." The Sultan congratulated on China's achievements, and expressed support for the Belt and Road Initiative. He hailed the progress of China-Brunei ties since the forging of diplomatic relations, inviting more Chinese enterprises to invest in his country. Brunei is ready to maintain high-level exchanges with China, expand cultural exchanges, jointly safeguard peace and stability of the South China Sea, and boost stronger ASEAN-China relations, the Sultan said. The two heads of state witnessed the signing of several cooperation documents regarding the Belt and Road Initiative, infrastructure and health. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and top legislator Zhang Dejiang also met with the Sultan earlier on Wednesday. Li said China regards ASEAN as a diplomatic priority and will continue to support the ASEAN Community building and its centrality in regional cooperation. China will work with Brunei to promote the East Asian Leaders' meetings on cooperation later this year to produce more outcomes that contribute to regional stability, cooperation and prosperity, he said. Zhang said the National People's Congress of China eyes stronger exchanges and cooperation with Brunei's State Legislative Council, to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, and contribute to stronger bilateral strategic cooperative ties. By Ricardo Brito and Ana Mano BRASILIA/SAO PAULO, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Brazilian police raided the home of Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi on Thursday in a corruption investigation linked to his time as a state governor, adding to the graft scandals rocking President Michel Temer's government. Last month the Supreme Court opened a bribery probe into Maggi's role in a scheme known as "mensalinho," a payment of a monthly stipend to lawmakers in exchange for political support in his home state of Mato Grosso. He served two terms as governor there between 2003 and 2010. According to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, the raid was linked to a plea deal by former Mato Grosso state governor Silval Barbosa, who accuses Maggi of participating in the corruption scheme. Barbosa was Maggi's vice-governor, replacing him in the top job in 2010 when Maggi resigned to run for a seat in Brazil's Senate. Barbosa was subsequently elected to a four-year term that ended in 2014. Maggi denied any wrongdoing, claiming in a statement that Barbosa "lied" in his plea bargain testimony. "I never authorized any illegal actions while in office nor have I obstructed justice," Maggi said. Maggi is a billionaire who was once Brazil's largest soybean producer. His family firm Amaggi SA runs large farms in Mato Grosso and operates a commodity trading business that competes in Brazil with global firms like Archer Daniels Midland Co , Cargill Inc and Bunge Ltd. Mato Grosso, where federal police said they served search warrants in nine cities, is a major producer of grains and cattle. Raids were also conducted in Sao Paulo and Brasilia, the police said in a statement. The probe marks the latest blow to Temer's administration, whose economic reform agenda has been repeatedly thwarted by graft investigations that have targeted top officials, including the president. Temer has denied any wrongdoing. (Reporting by Ricardo Brito in Brasilia and Ana Mano in Sao Paulo; Writing by Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Ana Mano; Editing by Brad Haynes and Paul Simao) KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia/SEOUL, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is expected to launch a tender process for its first nuclear reactors as early as next month and will reach out to potential vendors from countries including South Korea, France and China, industry sources said. The world's top oil exporter wants to start construction next year on two plants with a total capacity of up to 2.8 gigawatts, three industry sources said, as it follows Gulf neighbour the United Arab Emirates in seeking atomic energy. The government agency tasked with the nuclear plans, The King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE), did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Reem Shamseddine and Jane Chung; editing by Susan Thomas) ANKARA, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Turkey said on Thursday it expected humanitarian aid could be delivered to Syria's northern province of Idlib, which is under the control of a rebel alliance spearheaded by the former al Qaeda offshoot Nusra Front. "Our expectation is that Idlib, just like other de-escalation zones, becomes a region where humanitarian aid can easily be delivered," presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told a news conference in Ankara. "Turkey will do whatever falls upon it on this matter." Turkey said last month it was limiting the movement of non-humanitarian aid into Idlib because the area is controlled by a "terrorist organisation". (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Dominic Evans) JOHANNESBURG, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Two players from Irish club Leinster, travelling to South Africa for their first PRO14 match in the country, were refused entry because they did not have the required visa, the club said on Thursday. Leinster captain Isa Nacewa and scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park were both sent home on arrival on Wednesday because they did not have the visa, which South Africa has required of New Zealand citizens since January. "It was only brought to our attention upon landing into Johannesburg on Wednesday morning that this was now a requirement," said the clubs Head of Rugby Operations Guy Easterby. "This was clearly an administrative oversight on our part and a valuable lesson has been learned. "Nick McCarthy will arrive in later on Thursday and for the moment no other player will be called up to the squad," he added. Leinster will compete in the first PRO14 match in South Africa when they meet the Southern Kings at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday. The Kings and the Free State Cheetahs joined the PRO14 this season after being ejected from a trimmed down Super Rugby competition. Later on Saturday, the Cheetahs host Zebre of Italy in Bloemfontein in their first home match. Leinster, who have won four previous PRO12 titles, will stay in South Africa for a meeting with the Cheetahs on Sept. 22. They did not say whether they would attempt to get visas for the two New Zealanders to travel for that match. (Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis) By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The European Union is determined to go on preventing migrants setting off from the coast of Libya, interior ministers said on Thursday, despite criticism from rights advocates who say the strategy is aggravating human suffering. After more than two years struggling to stem the flow of refugees and migrants from the Middle East and Africa, the European Union is cautiously hopeful it is finally in control. A 2016 deal with Turkey effectively closed one major migratory route and this year Italy has led the EU's efforts to curb sea crossings from Libya, supplying money, equipment and training for Libya's border and coast guard and striking deals with local groups in control on the ground in a country still largely lawless after the 2011 death of Muammar Gaddafi. Mediterranean crossings have dropped from nearly 28,000 people in June to below 10,000 in August, according to U.N. data. Sources told Reuters late last month a new armed group on Libya's coast was stopping migrant boats from leaving. Human rights groups decry the EU's support for Libya's Prime Minister Fayez Seraj and allied militias who run migrant detention centres they have compared to concentration camps. The top U.N. human rights official said the EU strategy was "very thin on the protection of the human rights of migrants inside Libya and on the boats, and silent on the urgent need for alternatives to the arbitrary detention of vulnerable people." To offset that, the bloc has stepped up financing for the U.N. agencies for migration (IOM) and refugees (UNHCR) to have them try to improve conditions for migrants inside Libya. But it is not changing tack on trying to keep them there. "If we look at the flows of migrants across the Mediterranean a few months ago and now, the decrease in illegal migration has been big in numbers," Estonia's Interior Minister Andres Anvelt said ahead of talks in Brussels with his EU peers. "We'll have a discussion about how to have this success story going on." "TRUST IN ITALY" Germany's Thomas de Maiziere told reporters: "I'm happy that the number of people sent across the Mediterranean by the smugglers to Italy has really fallen in the last two months ... These developments need to be carried on." "We really need to work to ensure that many people simply do not make the trip across the desert to Libya. The neighbourhood policy with Africa is very important for a sustainable decline in migrants coming to Italy." After struggling to come up with a strategy on Libya, the EU has increasingly let Italy, Libya's former colonial power, take the lead. Interior Minister Marco Minniti has led those efforts, curbing the sea operations of non-governmental aid groups and striking deals with Libyan mayors to fight people-trafficking, among other moves. Rome has also played a central role in training the Libyan coast guard, which has been accused of abuses, including shooting at aid workers trying to rescue migrants. The EU has denied that any of its funding goes to the militia in the coastal city of Sabratha, which has often prevented migrants from departing for Europe by locking them up. But a senior EU diplomat said the EU's strategy was complex. "It is hard to know exactly what is going on in Libya. We have increasingly entrusted Italy with doing the job there, we give them money. There would never be any proof of EU money going directly to some armed group somewhere," the person said. "Some of the methods may seem controversial. But there is also preventing loss of life at the sea and political stability in Italy to consider. We shouldn't be too judgmental." (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) MOSCOW, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Russia accused the West on Thursday of "whipping up hysteria" over its large-scale military exercises currently underway in eastern Europe and denied charges that they were being conducted with a lack of transparency. The exercises, codenamed "Zapad" or "West", started on Thursday and will be held until Sept. 20 on military ranges in Belarus, western Russia, Russia's exclave of Kaliningrad and in the Baltic Sea. "We reject complaints of these exercises not being transparent," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters. "We believe that whipping up hysteria around these exercises is a provocation." NATO is closely watching the exercises and says they are larger than the 12,700 servicemen Moscow has publicised, numbering actually some 100,000 troops, and involve firing nuclear-capable ballistic missiles. (Reporting by Polina Nikolskaya; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Gareth Jones) ATHENS, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Greece concluded on Thursday the sale of railway operator TRAINOSE to Italy's Ferrovie dello Stato and expects hundreds of millions of euros to be invested in the country's ageing rail infrastructure in the coming years. Under its current bailout, its third since 2010, Greece was expected to sell TRAINOSE and other state assets to raise 6 billion euros ($6.2) by 2018. Greece will fetch 45 million euros from this sale and expects a further 500 million euros in railway investment from the Italian company, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said, a crucial boost for a country hungry for investment as it emerges from a debt crisis. The deal was signed in the island of Corfu, where Tsipras and his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni, along with a group ministers, met to boost ties in energy, finance and migration. "It's a very important investment and I would say the beginning of a series of very serious Italian investments in the Greek economy," Tsipras said in a joint news conference with Gentiloni. Ferrovie said on Thursday it was ready to spend up to 500 million euros in Greece in the coming years, mainly to buy new trains, if conditions allowed it. Athens had to privatise TRAINOSE or shut the firm and return about 700 million euros to the European Union in state subsidies that the country extended to the company in the past. Greece wrote off this debt, after an approval by the European Commission. (Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou in Athens and Stephen Jewkes in Milan; Editing by Mark Potter) DUBAI, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Qatar's sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority has reduced its stake in upscale jeweller Tiffany & Co as it rebalances its asset portfolio, according to Morgan Stanley, which managed the deal. QIA sold 4.4 million shares in the jeweller through a block sale completed on Thursday, Morgan Stanley said in a statement, reducing QIA's stake to 9.5 percent from 13 percent, according to Thomson Reuters data. QIA has also recently cut its stakes in Russian energy giant Rosneft and Swiss bank Credit Suisse. Market sources said the Tiffany share sale was valued at around $415 million. Morgan Stanley did not give the value of the Tiffany share sale, or who bought the shares but said QIA had agreed to a 90-day lock-up. "QIA has been a shareholder in Tiffany for over five years, and this transaction forms part of the portfolio rebalancing actions undertaken by QIA from time to time," Morgan Stanley said. The sale comes after QIA and Glencore agreed this month to sell part of their stakes in Rosneft. QIA's stake in Swiss bank Credit Suisse, one of its most prominent foreign investments, has also fallen, Reuters reported last month. QIA has denied investor speculation it is having to cut back on overseas assets because Qatar's economy is slowing. Last month it said it would soon announce new international investments. Qatars economy has been under pressure since June 5 when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and transport ties with Doha, accusing it of backing terrorism, a charge which Doha denies. QIA has substantial cash reserves, estimated at around $300 billion, but some economists have speculated it might be called upon to support the economy. Qatar's government deposited billions of dollars into the banking system in June and July to help offset a pull-out of funds by banks from other Arab states due to the diplomatic crisis. (Reporting By Tom Arnold and Saeed Azhar; Additional reporting by Lance Tupper; Editing by Susan Fenton) LONDON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - British foreign minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday he believed that Libya's plans to work towards elections in 2018 were probably "the right timescale". In July, rival leaders pledged in Paris to work towards elections in 2018 and a conditional ceasefire. U.N. Libya envoy Ghassan Salame said constitutional and electoral laws would have to be written to ensure any vote brought lasting change. "Would it be premature to hold the elections within a year? I happen to think that could be about the right timescale," Johnson told a joint news conference with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. "It is very important however, that you don't do it too fast and that you get the political groundwork done first," he added. "There has to be a constitution, there has to be an accepted basis for those elections to take place." (Reporting by William James, writing by Elizabeth Piper; editing by Stephen Addison) By William James LONDON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The United States must consider the full threat it says Iran poses to the Middle East when formulating its new policy toward Tehran, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Thursday, adding that Iran had breached the spirit of a 2015 nuclear deal. Tillerson, made the comments during a visit to Britain to see Prime Minister Theresa May and foreign minister Boris Johnson. The trip was billed as focusing on the relief effort after Hurricane Irma, how to respond to North Korea's nuclear test, and resolving the political deadlock in Libya. But he was outspoken in his criticism of Iran when asked whether he believed it was meeting the obligations of a 2015 international nuclear agreement designed to curb an Iranian nuclear programme in return for lifting most Western sanctions. Tillerson cited the preface of the nuclear deal, which calls on Iran to contribute positively to regional security. "In our view, Iran is clearly in default of these expectations ... through their actions to prop up the Assad regime (in Syria), to engage in malicious activities in the region, including cyber activities, aggressively developing ballistic missiles," he told a news conference. "We have to consider the totality of Iran's activities and not let our view be defined solely by the nuclear agreement." He was speaking before the United States announced it had imposed sanctions on seven Iranian individuals and two entities, alleging involvement in either malicious cyber activities or enabling Tehran's nuclear programme. U.S. President Donald Trump has previously expressed doubts about the nuclear deal, and in April his administration said it would review whether the lifting of sanctions against Iran was in the United States' national security interest. Trump is weighing a strategy that could allow more aggressive U.S. responses to Iran's forces, its Shi'ite Muslim proxies in Iraq and Syria, and its support for militant groups. NORTH KOREA Earlier on Thursday, a North Korean state agency threatened to reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test. Tillerson said he was hopeful that China would decide to use the "powerful tool" of oil supplies to put pressure on Pyongyang, but conceded that it would be difficult to agree an oil embargo through the United Nations Security Council. North Korea carried out its sixth and largest nuclear test earlier this month. "I am hopeful that China, as a great country, a world power, will decide on their own, will take it upon themselves to use that very powerful tool of oil supply to persuade North Korea to reconsider its current path towards weapons development, reconsider its approach to dialogue and negotiations in the future," he said. Commenting on violence in Myanmar against the minority Rohingya population, Tillerson said the country faced a defining moment. "I think it is important that the global community speak out in support of what we all know the expectation is for the treatment of people regardless of their ethnicity," he added. "This violence must stop, this persecution must stop." He said he understood that Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel prize laureate and de facto head of the government in Myanmar, was in a power-sharing agreement with the military and it was a "complex situation" in which she found herself. (Additional reporting by Elizabeth Piper and Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Alison Williams) Flash The top diplomats of Beijing and Washington vowed that the two countries will work together to ensure U.S. President Donald Trump's first visit to China yields "fruitful results", according to a statement released by the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday. In his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington on Tuesday, China's State Councilor Yang Jiechi said Beijing is ready to work with Washington to make sure Trump's state visit to China, scheduled for this year, attains positive outcomes. Trump is likely to visit China in November, when he also is set to attend the U.S.-ASEAN summit and the East Asia summit in the Philippines, as well as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing an unidentified U.S. official. The report also said Yang and Tillerson were expected to discuss the details of the president's China trip at their meeting. A statement issued after the meeting by the Foreign Ministry did not reveal details but quoted Tillerson as saying Trump is very much looking forward to the state visit and to planning with President Xi Jinping the future development of the Sino-U.S. relationship. Tillerson also said that following the inaugural high-level dialogue on diplomacy and security, which took place in Washington in June, and the high-level dialogue on the economy in July, the U.S. is ready to work with China on the first high-level dialogue on social and cultural issues and the dialogue on law enforcement and cybersecurity. The U.S. is ready to ramp up exchanges and coordination on international and regional issues, and make Trump's visit to China productive, Tillerson said, according to the statement. The four dialogues are part of the four-pronged high-level dialogue mechanisms set up by the presidents during their meeting at Mar-a-Lago in Florida in April. Yang said maintaining the good momentum is in the interest of both countries and in line with the aspirations of the international community. Yang said the two countries should build on the consensus reached by the two presidents. He said the two sides should strengthen exchanges at different levels, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and manage and control their differences in a constructive fashion. Li Haidong, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at China Foreign Affairs University, said Yang's visit was to consult and communicate on the agenda for the coming meeting between the two heads of state. He said a major concern will be how to manage their differences on controversial issues in the China-U.S. relationship, while both sides ensure their meeting is a success. By Anthony Boadle BRASILIA, Sept 14 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has invited three Latin American leaders to dine with him next week in New York as he seeks to address the Venezuela crisis and build bridges with the region after an acrimonious start with neighbor Mexico. The political and economic turmoil in Venezuela, source of 10 percent of the oil consumed by the United States, will almost certainly top the agenda when he receives the center-right presidents of Peru, Colombia and Brazil at Trump Tower on Monday evening, diplomats said. "Trump needs to show that he has good friends in the region who share a positive agenda with the United States, but I am not sure he will get what he wants," said a Brazilian diplomat, who asked not to be named to be able to speak freely on the matter. White House officials confirmed Trump will dine with several Latin Americans leaders on Monday night with Venezuela expected to be the main topic of conversation. Cuba will also be discussed, one of the officials said. The dinner will take place on the eve of the opening of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, who will leave office after elections next year, has decided not to attend. Trump has annoyed Mexico, his country's main trading partner in Latin America, by accusing it of stealing U.S. jobs, threatening to pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement and insisting it pays for a border wall he plans to build to keep out illegal immigrants. Trump has no major initiatives under way with other Latin American countries. In fact, two of his three guests on Monday - Colombia and Peru - are members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership which the United States withdrew from shortly after he took office. On Wednesday, Trump upset Colombia, the South American nation with the closest ties to Washington, by threatening to blacklist it for failing to stop a surge in cocaine production, most of which ends up sold on the streets of U.S. cities. The two countries have long been close allies in the fight against illegal narcotics but in recent years broadened the focus of their relationship to include trade and Colombia's peace process with leftist guerrillas. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos' government rejected the criticism of his country's anti-drug record on Thursday. Shared concern over how to deal with Venezuela, where at least 125 people were killed in four months of demonstrations against the Socialist government, will dominate Monday's dinner, according to Latin America expert Michael Shifter. "Trump and his team are very worried about Venezuela and they want to consult with Venezuela's neighbors Colombia and Brazil, and Peru's President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who has taken a leading role on the Venezuelan issue in the region," said Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington-based policy group. Thousands of Venezuelans have spilled over the border into Colombia and Brazil, fleeing the once-prosperous oil-producing nation that opponents of President Nicholas Maduro say has become a dictatorship. While the Latin American leaders due to meet with Trump have stepped up pressure on Maduro to free political prisoners and hold general elections, they are unlikely to agree to the tougher unilateral economic sanctions that the U.S. president favors. "Colombia and Brazil prefer a negotiated solution to the crisis and not economic sanctions that will hurt the Venezuelan people more than the government," the Brazilian diplomat said. Meetings due this week in the Dominican Republic between the Venezuelan government and the opposition could be a start in solving the crisis, as long as Maduro is not just out to win time, the diplomat said. The opposition, however, says it has so far only agreed to send a delegation to discuss with Dominican President Danilo Medina the conditions under which talks could begin. Peru has not objected to the financial sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on the Maduro government, Shifter said. "But if the U.S. ratchets up sanctions, like cutting off oil imports, and takes a more interventionist position on Venezuela, that could distance the United States from its Latin American neighbors," he said. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Additional reporting by Julia Cobb and Luis Jaime Acosta in Bogota, Mitra Taj in Lima, Steve Holland in Washington and Lisandra Paraguassu in Brasilia; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Alistair Bell) By Jorge Pineda SANTO DOMINGO, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Venezuelan government and opposition representatives spent a second day on Thursday at meetings in the Dominican Republic for another foreign-led attempt to end a bitter political crisis. Though the delegations were high-level, they did not appear to have met each other, talking instead with Dominican officials and former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who has long been seeking to promote a rapprochement. Officials of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government, who are eager to ease foreign censure of their democratic credentials, said a new "dialogue" was underway. But opposition leaders, who faced a backlash from supporters after failed negotiations with Maduro last year, insisted they had only traveled to push long-standing demands, including a presidential election and the release of jailed activists. Decrying Maduro as a "dictator" who has wrecked the OPEC member's once-prosperous economy, Venezuelan opposition leaders led street protests earlier this year seeking his removal that led to the deaths of at least 125 people. Maduro says they were seeking a coup with U.S. connivance. In the Dominican capital Santo Domingo, both delegations were seen entering the foreign ministry on Thursday at different times. But journalists waiting for hours outside were left in the dark as to the details of talks. "We're at a perfect time to reach a definitive accord," Venezuelan government representative Jorge Rodriguez, a senior Socialist Party official, said after arriving on Wednesday. The delegation included his sister, Delcy Rodriguez, leader of Venezuela's all-powerful and pro-Maduro Constituent Assembly whose creation brought widespread foreign condemnation as it overrides the existing opposition-led congress. The opposition side included Julio Borges, head of that congress, fresh from a trip to Europe where he was received by the leaders of Germany, France and Spain. "There is no restart of dialogue," the opposition Democratic Unity coalition reiterated in a statement on Thursday, saying its representatives had been invited by Dominican President Danilo Medina purely to "explore" conditions for possible negotiations. "The opposition coalition decided to send a delegation to meet President Medina in order to expound the objectives of the national democratic struggle," it said. Maduro routinely calls for dialogue, but his adversaries see talks as a stalling tactic that helps his image without producing concrete results. A dialogue process brokered by Zapatero and the Vatican in 2016 did nothing to advance opposition demands, which also include respect for the opposition-led legislature and measures to ease Venezuela's economic crisis. (Additional reporting by Diego Ore in Caracas; Writing by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) The government has informed the Commissioner of Elections not to hold polls till January next year, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said today. Mr. Wickremesinghe revealed this at a meeting he had with the Colombo District Public servants at Temple Trees last morning to educate them on the governments policies. We have informed the Elections Commission not to hold elections this year so that MPs could concentrate on the 2018 Budget. Accordingly the polls will be held in January after Parliament completes its important business with regard to the budget, the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister who elaborated on the budget 2018 said it will focus more on women. We will include several programmes for women in the budget, he said. Mr. Wickremesinghe said the government has decided to appoint a woman development assistant for each divisional and provincial secretariat office shortly. Women account for 52 per cent of the countrys population while 75 per cent of those who work in the divisional secretariat and provincial secretariat offices are women. Therefore it is appropriate to give women a chance to play some role in the state machinery. We hope that men will not file human rights petitions, the Prime Minister said. Further he said the county would see more women representation in local government bodies when the rule which makes the political parties bound to field a minimum of 25 per cent women candidates. Further he said the country will also see a new electoral system based on 60 per cent first past the post system and 40 per cent proportional representation being implemented for the first time. This system will be introduced to Parliament as well, he added. Home Affairs Minister Vajira Abeywardene said the best public servants to implement the present governments policy are the ones who were appointed by the previous regime. He said they were the best as they have successfully carried out polices of the previous regime. Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nimal Lansa said the public servants have to play a great role in carrying out government policies in the grass root levels.(Yohan Perera) HINDUSTAN TIMES, 13 September, 2017 - President Donald Trump has become a grandfather for the ninth time. Eric Trump, the presidents son, and Erics wife Lara welcomed their son, Eric Luke Trump on Tuesday. The Trump Organization announced the birth on Twitter. President Trump congratulated his son and daughter-in-law on Twitter after the announcement. Eric Trump and his brother Don Jr., were forceful advocates for their father on the campaign trail and have remained in New York to run the family business. Lara Trump was also a frequent campaign presence and has been working on the presidents re-election efforts. National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa said today the government was planning to pass the Bill on the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances in parliament on September 21, which would endanger the lives of the security forces. He said according to the 11th clause of the convention, the government was bound by law to arrest and hand over any security personnel to a foreign country if a case was filed against him in a court there. If the convention was passed in Parliament, the government is bound to hand over even General (Rtd) Jagath Jayasuriya, who had a case filed against him, in a foreign country, he said. He told a news conference that the United States or Britain had not signed the convention and added that India had not authorized it even though it had signed it. The then foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera who signed the convention secretly is now planning to authorize it in parliament, he alleged. He said the government was also planning to present the 20th Amendment to the Constitution in parliament on September 20 and get it approved to postpone the Provincial Council elections pretending that it was done to hold PC elections on the same day. The government is planning to postpone the PC elections to three provinces which were to be held in September and elections to the other provinces as well. Elections cannot be postponed without a referendum, he said. (Ajith Siriwardana) The European Union (EU) on Wednesday praised the Sri Lankan Government for the progress made in advancing human rights, labour and environmental standards but stressed that there were still many areas where reform had yet to be delivered. EU Ambassador Tung-Lai Margue, who met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe Wednesday afternoon, said the Governments excellent cooperation is a reminder of how much the situation has changed in the country including real advances in human rights. However, there are still important concerns about the lack of concrete progress in key areas. Torture has to stop. It is of paramount importance that the Government delivers on its commitments including the replacement of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, he said. He said the PTA should be replaced with a counter-terrorism legislation consistent with international standards and allowing people in custody to have access to a lawyer from the point of arrest. Issuing a statement, the EU said concerns were raised about continued discrimination against women and girls and against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Sri Lankans. Meanwhile, the Ambassador said the fate of those who disappeared at the end of the war should be clarified. The Ambassador led a team of visiting EU senior officials, who were in the country for the last 10 days on a fact-finding mission, to the meeting with the Premier. The mission has focused on the status of the implementation of 27 international conventions of which Sri Lanka is a signatory. The EU said progressive implementation of the conventions is the condition for continued preferential access to the European Union market under the GSP Plus. The assessment, along with that of the other countries benefitting from GSP Plus, will be published in January 2018. It will be considered by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. A tiny island in the middle of the Indian Ocean was once a prominent feature in the tales of explorers, scholars and merchants who spread the fame of the troves of precious gems hidden in its earth. The 27th Edition of the FACETS International Gem and Jewelry Exhibition held recently bore testament to the fact that the Sri Lankan Gem and Jewelry industry was still thriving and revolutionizing itself to meet the tastes and demands of the 21st century. The Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre was filled to the brim with stalls featuring magnificent gems, dazzling jewelry and fascinating equipment. First among the guests to visit the exhibition was the honorable Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremasinghe who expressed his admiration of some of the pieces on display. International delegates from all over the world visited the exhibition as well as a number of foreign guests, whod come from far and wide to experience the wonder of one of Sri Lankas primary resources. His Excellency, President Maithripala Sirisena visited the exhibition on its opening day and was extremely pleased with the glittering works on display. The Premier Jewelry Pavilion and the Gem and Jewelry Mart returned once again to much acclaim from the shows visitors. Stunning sapphires, dazzling diamonds, exquisite emeralds and radiant rubies were but a few of the types of gems among the glittering assemble, ranging from precious to semi-precious, garnets, aquamarines, spinels, amethysts, jade, amber, jasper and lapis lazuli were also some of the stones that made up the lists of features. Some of the jewelry on display was composed of metals such as gold, silver and platinum whilst others were made of coral, wood and glass. This years exhibition also featured a number of stalls showcasing laboratory equipment, artists tools and machines used in the manufacturing of jewelry and the mining of gems. Throughout the past 27 years FACETS has slowly but surely grown in size and popularity. What was once a simple jewelry show is now one of the most well known exhibitions in the global Gem and Jewelry community. Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney has urged Sri Lankan authorities to ensure the safety of her client and former President of the Maldives Mohammed Nasheed. Her message comes in the wake of recent remarks made by Mohamed Hussain Shareef, Males Ambassador-designate to Colombo, that he would have Mr. Nasheed arrested if the latter set foot in Sri Lanka. In a recent interview to a local television channel in Male, Mr. Shareef reportedly said: If a Maldivian authority requests me to detain and return Mohamed Nasheed back to Maldives, I will. Its very simple. They have to say this is an individual who we are seeking. Ill even go out to the street myself and do it if our authorities inform me, request it of me, our embassy will enforce it. Responding to his comment, Ms. Clooney said that any attempt by a Maldivian diplomat to detain Mr. Nasheed in Sri Lanka would constitute a violation of international law as well as Sri Lankan criminal law. President Nasheed should not be returned to the Maldives to serve a sentence that resulted from a sham trial, and it is incumbent on the Sri Lankan authorities to ensure that his rights are respected while he is in their country, said Ms. Clooney, according to a statement issued by Mr. Nasheeds office. Sri Lankan authorities have not responded to the development so far. Pointing to the arrest and deportation of a Maldivian blogger in Sri Lanka in 2015, Mr. Nasheeds Maldivian Democratic Party said the Mr. Shareefs remarks could not be taken lightly. Mr. Nasheed, 50, was the Maldivess first democratically elected head of state and served four years as President. He was convicted in 2015 on terrorism charges following a trial that many, including the UN Group on Arbitrary Detention, criticised. In 2016, he flew to London on prison leave for medical treatment and was granted asylum soon after. Since then, he has been travelling frequently to Sri Lanka. In August 2016, he secretly flew from London to Colombo to firm up plans with fellow dissidents to unseat President Abdulla Yameen, but their attempt failed. The Maldivian government has come under sharp focus over the last year, with sections accusing the Yameen administration of turning increasingly authoritarian, a charge his government denies. In July this year, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the Maldives Government to refrain from acts of harassment, intimidation against parliamentarians, civil society and the media. (The Hindu) The General Medical Council (GMC), an independent organisation in United Kingdom to protect patients and improve medical education and practice, recently rejected the registration of graduates from South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine in Malabe. Issuing a statement titled Overseas medical qualifications not accepted by the GMC, it said that the body would not accept applications to sit the PLAB test or for registration from graduates of the medical schools mentioned in it including the SAITM. We do not accept qualifications on the unacceptable list. There are a number of reasons as to why a qualification may be added to the list of qualifications which are not acceptable which include where we have information that demonstrates the qualification does not meet our acceptability criteria, where there are questions about the acceptability of the qualification and, after investigation, we cannot obtain sufficient information to satisfy our selves that the qualification is acceptable, it said. We also do not accept where we receive information about irregularities relating to the programme of study or the awarding of qualifications and cannot obtain sufficient information to satisfy ourselves that the qualification is acceptable, it added. Meanwhile, speaking to the Daily Mirror, SAITM Registrar Husni Hussain said that they had recently received a letter from the GMC stating that the SAITM would no longer qualified to get registered at the GMC. Hussein said that GMC has issued this letter following an application by a SAITM graduate seeking for its registration and added that the GMC had rejected the SAITM since the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) had not recognized the SAITM as a medical degree awarding institute. As another reason the GMC has mentioned that a pending court case is there with regard to the SAITM. However, they had mentioned that they would consider their approval on SAITM once afore mentioned issues get sorted out, she added. Issuing a statement, contrary to the statements that were currently being circulated within the media, the SAITM clarified that the Head of Registration Applications of GMC, Richard Amison had confirmed the qualification criteria and acceptance of applications from SAITM graduates to the GMC would be reviewed as and when the concerns in question was resolved. As clarified by the GMC to SAITM, it states that it is not in a position to determine any of the legal or factual issues involved, but will proceed to review the quandary following the direction of the Government of Sri Lanka and other legal institutions. SAITM further informs that they are in par with the necessary requirements for graduates to apply to the GMC, he added. It also said that the SAITM had been represented to the GMC by the SLMC to halt SAITM graduates from applying.(Kalathma Jayawardhane) Sen. Dianne Feinstein recently made it clear she is an anti-religion bigot who does not think someone who is a devout Roman Catholic ought to be a federal court judge. Just maybe, leftist extremists should not be senators. Feinstein, to be sure, does not always fit snugly into the leftist camp, but there are leftist warps in the Californians thinking. Such was obvious in a congressional hearing evaluating the credentials of Amy Barrett, a Notre Dame law professor nominated for the judgeship by President Donald Trump. Feinstein is opposed to her, fearing that, as a judge, she would adhere to tenets of her faith that contradict laws. The evidence? As a Wall Street Journal editorial and other sources point out, it was a document showing she would do no such thing. As a law clerk, Barrett and a co-author wrote an article about judges facing situations in which their religious conscience would not permit them to do what the law requires. The answer, the two said, was for the judges to recuse themselves. But Barrett has also made it clear she is truly of the faith, and Feinstein can just not abide this. Deeply religious people are given to insistence on dogmas that are counter to what large numbers have fought to achieve for years, she said. One thing that strikes me most immediately about this kind of talk, echoed by other Democratic senators at the hearing, is that that all kinds of secular moral convictions are held just as strongly as religious moral beliefs. Do they have a greater claim to veracity? No. A greater claim to goodness? No. Often doing more damage than good, not a few on the left see liberty-shrinking coercion as a suitable means of getting to utopian imaginings. Then theres utilitarian quantification to make the most people happy when it often does no such thing while rejecting fundamental principles. The truth is that, in this peculiar age in which we live, it is socially impermissible in the minds of the politically correct to be even undetectably offensive to just about any group but white males and Christians. Especially when the topic of Catholicism comes up, get ready for someone like comedian Bill Maher seeking laughs by hatefully treating an ages-old, life-enriching faith standing for love as something smaller than he is. People in public office should be guided by moral understandings along with detailed knowledge and, one can hope, wisdom. But we obviously do not want those moral convictions serving as a substitute for rule of law. We do not want, for instance, what we often get: liberal justices on the Supreme Court inventing new constitutional meanings. At the same time, it is contrary to just about everything this country stands for to have some kind of religious test for public office, including when the test is itself devised in accordance with secular dogmas. At a time when religion is under assault by the so-called New Atheists and the number of churchgoers is dwindling, it might also be appropriate to point out that the Judeo-Christian tradition is what more than anything gave the West justice, liberty, the underlying morality of even many atheists, a sense of community, the maintenance of civilization and the establishment of universities. Horrible things have been done in the name of the faith just as they have been done in the name of just about any other institution you can name, but that does not mean prejudices should be left standing. I am not a Catholic, was raised a Protestant and can in fact recall bumping into anti-Catholic bigotry when I was a teenager and John F. Kennedy was running for president. I actually heard family friends rant about Catholics hiding guns in the basements of churches to help them take over the country, something that even then struck me as absurd. Kennedy, a Catholic, got elected despite all that. I am hoping Amy Barrett gets to be a federal judge. Over the past few weeks, more than 300,000 Rohingya refugees have fled northern Myanmar for Bangladesh, as unimaginable violence is unleashed against them under the guise of the government in Naypyidaw clearing the region of terrorists. As global media parachutes down to Myanmar's restive Rakhine state to cover the previously largely ignored crisis, distressing images of burnt villages, charred corpses and a mass migration of the community out of their homes have caught the attention of global consciousness, with the United Nations mincing no words and declaring the actions as "textbook ethnic cleansing". As the world grapples with understanding the transition of long-time "Burmese" pro-democracy activist and current state counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi, from a Nobel Peace Prize winning idealistic activist who lived under years of house arrest for her cause to becoming a politician, the Rohingya crisis has also come knocking in New Delhi, the regional heavyweight looking to transform itself into a global superpower. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stopped over in Myanmar last week in the midst of the crisis, as New Delhi's initial reaction to a potential influx of refugees was the home ministry announcing a deportation plan, citing security concerns. This narrative led Bangladesh, withstanding the worst of the humanitarian crisis, rushing to the ministry of external affairs on Raisina Hill to raise an alarm. Modi missed what could have been a pivotal opportunity during his visit to push the Myanmar government publicly to resolve the crisis urgently. Instead, he only added to the empty all-encompassing echo chamber of the "terrorism" argument under which grave humanitarian abuse is taking place. According to a Hudson Institute report released in 2006, since 1991, more than 300,000 Rohingyas have been displaced from Myanmar. Despite the erratic initial global reactions on the Rohingya issue, ranging from nonsensical calls for Suu Kyi's Nobel accolade to be revoked (which would not help even remotely in any way), the Rohingya crisis is not new. It has been building around the levees of Myanmar's societal and cultural fault-lines for decades. According to a Hudson Institute report released in 2006, since 1991, more than 300,000 Rohingyas have been displaced from Myanmar. The same number has moved within a span of just 14 days. However, India flagging security concerns over the movement of Rohingya refugees towards its northeastern borders as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), an armed militia that arose for the protection of the community from the Myanmar military announced a ceasefire, is part of its foreign policy, which is being dictated by domestic politics. It was ARSA's attack on Myanmar military in August which set off the chain of violent events we witness today, called a "clearance operation" by the military aided by Suu Kyi's office, under whose ambit the country's foreign ministry runs and has backed the crackdown. The reasons behind Suu Kyi's dramatic change of political manners are many, with identity, and a wave of Buddhist nationalism led by the Association for the Protection of Race and Religion (locally known as MaBaTha) gaining significant power in the country's social and political discourse leading the charge. This seemingly has forced Suu Kyi to recalibrate her own agendas closer to the realities of her nation-state rather than just her activist persona that the world had got used to. While there is no valid reasoning against the fact that India needs to make sure that the refugees registered under the UN ambit are allowed to stay, the security argument being flagged by the government is not completely without merit. The Bangladesh-Myanmar border, spreading from the former's town of Cox's Bazaar, around the region of Ukhia where the Kutupulong refugee camp has been home to more than 50,000 Rohingya refugees since the early 2000s, with regular instances of alleged radicalisation attempts. Bangladeshi organisations such as the Jamaat-e- Islami initially, and then its youth wing, the Islamic Chatra Shabir were known to have significant influence within the camp, raising an alarm in both Dhaka and New Delhi. Other organisations, such as the Rohingya Students Organisation (RSO) were known to have links with "like-minded" groups such as the Harkat ul-Jihad al-Islami (HuJI) along with Hizb-e- Islami of Afghanistan and the Hizbul Mujahideen. Distressing images of burnt villages, charred corpses and a mass migration of the community are emerging from Myanmar. More recently, in the wake of the current crisis, al Qaeda released a statement urging its followers to avenge the sufferings of Rohingyas at the hands of the Myanmar government. "We call upon all mujahid brothers in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines to set out for Burma to help their Muslim brothers, and to make necessary preparations - training and the like - to resist this oppression," the statement said. While terrorism is leading the narrative on the security front, backed by India's "no good terrorism bad terrorism" policy approach, it is in fact another front which leads India's realpolitik interests, and that is of its Act East policy. New Delhi is carving out its own influence zones in South East Asia. Myanmar is a pivotal piece of this puzzle. Largely designed on two basic ideas, economic growth and countering China, which has already put its political weight behind Myanmar's "anti-terror" operations, a heavy-handed approach by directly criticising Myanmar could undermine India's positioning in the region. It is important to remember here that, despite all the restiveness, India has a permanent diplomatic mission in Rakhine's capital Sittwe, and as per some diplomatic chatter, had warned Myanmar of possible attacks by the ARSA prior to the August incident. In February, India had also warned of an increased presence of Pakistan-based and funded militants in the region. The Rohingya crisis deserves New Delhi's full attention, and demands India fulfil its obligations as a natural regional power and one lobbying for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council. Even as Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singhs secret, extravagant, shady and criminal lifestyle comes to the limelight, I cannot help but recall such godmen from south India. Here are two such swamijis who led a fancy life and also perished like Ram Rahim Singh. South India, popular for its temples, has seen its own share of swamijis and gurus, as they are called here. There was at least a handful of gurus in each district where people thronged to for solution to their problems. What's more, the slew of politicians and bureaucrats queuing up in front of these ashrams made them all the more powerful. Tamil Nadu devotees got a severe jolt when the powerful Swamiji Premananda was caught in a rape case. Premananda Prem Kumar Sundaram, a Sri Lankan Tamil, started an orphanage and ashram in Sri Lanka and later moved to Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) in Tamil Nadu in 1984, due to the civil war in the neighbouring country. He then established an ashram and became Swami Premananda. The ashram spread its wing to many countries as the long-haired and bearded Premananda, clad in saffron silk shawl, gave darshan to people. Like most of them, he too had some usual tricks up his sleeve - producing a lingam out of his mouth and vibhuti etc. Devotees revered him as he gave shelter to the destitutes. But that was only until 1994, when Arul Jyothi, who was in his orphanage, levelled the charges of rape against Swamiji. She was pregnant and later aborted the child. Soon when the investigation began, two ashram occupants reported about murder of an inmate Ravi, who was trying to expose Premananda. Few more girls had come out with their stories of abuse by the swami. Some reports suggested that even skeletons were recovered from his sprawling ashram. During those days, Premananada was all over magazine covers and newspapers which was curiously followed by the people of Tamil Nadu. Every day there was a story about Premanandas lavish lifestyle and how he raped his inmates. Premananda became popular in Tamil Nadu as an Eelam Tamil when the civil war in Sri Lanka was at its peak. The state of Tamil Nadu was high on a sympathy wave for Eelam Tamils which Premananda exploited to the fullest. According to some senior journalists who closely followed the case, Premananda had a fall out with a relative of a powerful Tamil Nadu political family during that time. So, the police jumped onto the case when 19-year-old Arul Jyothi complained against him. P Thirumavelan, editor of Tamil magazine, Junior Vikatan, shared that people of Tiruchy were blinded by his magic, which were nothing but regular tricks. An illusionist proved that in an open court. According to Thirumavelan, the media started pursuing the case vigorously bringing out various victims of Premananda. Interestingly, this "guru" was also popular as smiling swamiji because he would hardly lose his cool. One of his last interviews before dying in prison in 2011 while serving a life sentence was to Junior Vikatan. "My colleagues had interviewed him and he kept maintaining that he was innocent," said Thirumavelan. Premananda apparently targeted the local people by promising to support the destitute. He slowly became a power broker in Tirchy and had acquired vast lands. His popularity spread because of the gimmicks which attracted many powerful people. Nithyananda In 2010, a self-styled godman from Bidadi in Karnataka suddenly became popular. Swami Nithyananda - clad in saffron, with a vermillion bindi on his forehead, long hair and mala - became very sought after by those who were in pursuit of happiness and peace. His columns and lectures became equally popular as his broad smile. Youngsters from reputed institutions became his followers. I remember an aeronautical engineer-turned-disciple of Nithyananda coordinating with me during that time for his interviews. Nithyananda, who hails from Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, started his "spiritual" journey in his early teens. He went into deep meditations. Soon became popular as his wealth also grew in leaps and bounds. He was one of the first swamjis to use internet, TV and magazines effectively to reach out to his disciples. Soon, there were allegations of sexual assault by his followers who spoke and even produced evidence of non-disclosure agreements which were actually "sex contracts". There was a rape case filed against Nithyananda in 2009, with the victim still waiting for a verdict. The non-disclosure agreements were for a select few of the disciples. According to a clause in the agreement, "the volunteer understands that the programme may involve the learning and practice of ancient tantric secrets associated with male and female ecstasy, including use of sexual energy for increased intimacy/spiritual connection, pleasure, harmony and freedom". I had seen the agreement signed by a victim who spoke to me many years ago. The Karnataka Police had prepared a chargesheet in 2010, which talks about how Nithyananada convinced a female devotee to enter a sexual relationship with him for "spiritual enlightenment". The victim had narrated to me once how Nithyananda convinced them. "I was asked to come to his room for spiritual enlightenment. He would ask me to go into meditation while he would abuse me. It was conditioning of mind. Many of us went to him for solutions to our problems which he took advantage of," the victim had told me. The case against him is pending in Ramanagara sessions court. Meanwhile, Nithyananda is still touring across the world giving lectures and leading a lavish life. New Kids Bible Tells Stories Through Characters' Eyes Contact: Craig Cable, 970-292-4697, ccable@group.com LOVELAND, Colo., Sept. 14, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- How would David describe the giant from his own young perspective? A new storybook Bible from Lifetree/Group Publishing provides an illustrated collection of firsthand stories. The Friends With God Story Bible: Why God Loves People Like Me offers 54 Bible stories from the Old and New Testaments told in first-person narratives. Each story highlights the emotions, truths, and examples of how each characters friendship with God changed everything. According to the Bible's creators, kids and their parents will get a firsthand view of the many ways God chooses to work through people, and together they'll discover that faith is really all about a one-on-one relationship with him. Written by Jeff White and illustrated by David Harrington, the Friends With God Story Bible takes kids through the Bible using spectacular images and stories that bring the characters to life. The stories conclude with the Bible characters sharing an important truth from their lives and inviting readers to live that message out in their own lives. As an enhanced feature of the Bible stories, augmented reality digital triggers provide access to the free Friends With God Bible App. Mobile games unlock different levels of collectible Bible character cards. Each of the virtual cards provides fun facts about the character as well as an opportunity for children to create cards of themselves. Releasing alongside the Bible is the companion Friends With God Devotions for Kids. This devotion book follows the same 54 stories contained in the Bible, providing faith-building devotions that give kids a fresh, compelling look at God. The devotion book also includes kid-sized nuggets of relational advice that help kids build lasting relationships with others. Author: Jeff White is a lead content developer for Group Publishing, where he's written or co-written 15 books for church ministry and faith development. He has a passion for helping people grow their creativity, and leads creativity workshops at ministry conferences around the country. A graduate of Biola University, Jeff has also published several books for young readers, including The Runaway Candy Cane. Illustrator: David Harrington's love for art began at an early age when he drew on everything, which eventually lead to a career in illustration. He graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, where he earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts with honors. David has illustrated numerous children's books and enjoys snowboarding, surfing, and spending time with his wife and children in Laguna Hills, California. Friends With God Story Bible: Why God Loves People Like Me ISBN: 978-1-4707-4861-6 Release: 9/2017 Pages: 352 Size: 7 x 8.5 Binding: Hardcover Price: $19.99 Website: MyLifetree.com/kids Friends With God Devotions for Kids ISBN: 978-1-4707-4862-3 Release: 9/2017 Pages: 224 Size: 5.25 x 7.25 Binding: Hardcover Price: $16.99 Website: MyLifetree.com/kids Lifetree/Group is a Christian resource provider whose mission is to connect people to Jesus and each other. Contact Craig Cable ccable@group.com (970) 292-4697 Share Tweet The Brown Automotive Group announced Thursday afternoon that after 36 years in business, it will be selling its five locally-owned dealerships. In a news release, the company said that the Memphis-based Umansky Auto Group will be taking over the dealerships located around Charlottesville and Albemarle County, while owner Kenny Brown would remain in charge of the Brown Collision Center on Route 29. Umansky did not return requests for comment on the sale, which is expected to close early next week. Its been a great honor to have served so many customers here in our community for the past three decades, Brown said in the statement. Lynn and I are both very humbled by the outpouring of support and love that we have received from community members, customers and friends. Brown said he decided to sell to Umanksy because of his comfort level that none of his employees will lose their jobs. He anticipates that Umansky might bring on some managers, but not touch the existing worker base. They have multiple dealerships in different areas, and a management team that manages the total organization, he said. Theyll bring in maybe one or two people, but not an army of people or anything like that. Brown said Thursday that after having personally been in the car business for 45 years, he was ready to retire and spend time with loved ones. I think the main thing is, I decided that I want to retire out of the day-to-day operations of the car business and just spend more time with my family and friends, he said. While Brown could not disclose the amount of the sale, he did note that Umanksy had reached out after he put the business on the market, and that he was satisfied with the return on our investment. Established in December 1981 with two franchises and 24 employees, the group now employs more than 350 people across eight franchises. Brown said he first purchased the Oldsmobile Honda store on Route 29, which has since been transformed into the Browns Collision Center, and slowly grew from there. Umanksy Auto Group will be taking over Brown Toyota, Brown Subaru, Brown Honda and Dodge, Brown Dodge Chrysler Jeep and Mercedes-Benz of Charlottesville. Brown Automotive has been well known for its charitable giving over past three decades, supporting hundreds of local non-profit organizations. In that vein, Brown said that while he hasnt discussed any specifics, he knows the Umansky Auto Group is heavily involved in philanthropic efforts with its own communities. We certainly have been a big part of the community and Id like to express my thanks to everybody in the community that has supported the Brown Automotive Group, Brown said. I can safely say it has been a privilege for me to do business here in Charlottesville. While hell still oversee operations at the Brown Collision Center, Brown said he looks forward to retirement. Asked what he plans to do with his first day off, he laughed and said, after I play golf, have a nice dinner with my wife. RICHMOND A Charlottesville businessman who defense attorneys say has dementia was sentenced Wednesday to more than four years in prison for engineering a seven-year, multimillion-dollar bank fraud. Michael P. Klekamp, 68, who in December pleaded guilty to defrauding The Fauquier Bank, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson to 51 months in prison and ordered to make $10.4 million in restitution. Klekamp faced up to 30 years in prison, though federal sentencing guidelines called for a much shorter term. This was a major fraud. ... I think it was a calculated fraud, said Hudson, who nevertheless cited Klekamps health problems when sentencing him to a term at the low end of guidelines. Shortly before the sentence was imposed, Klekamp apologized to his family, the bank and authorities for the problems his conduct caused. Klekamp was the president of Capitol Components and Millwork Inc. of Culpeper, which manufactured and distributed building materials and drew money from a secured revolving line of credit at The Fauquier Bank. In pleading guilty, Klekamp admitted fraudulently maintaining the credit line with the bank by misrepresenting the true financial condition of his company and lying about the value of the firms collateral. Among other things, he admitted creating and submitting fraudulent monthly certificates that overstated the companys accounts receivable and inventory; fake quarterly letters ostensibly from an outside certified public accounting firm; and fake annual audited financial statements. In 2015, Klekamp told the bank that there was $17 million in accounts receivable and inventory to secure the banks $11.5 million credit line, but there was actually no more than $3.4 million. When the company was unable to repay the interest or principal of the loan, it resulted in a loss of approximately $10.5 million. Klekamps lawyer, Paul G. Gill, pushed for leniency, arguing that his client had been diagnosed with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia and that the condition would degrade significantly over a long prison term. David T. Maguire, an assistant U.S. attorney, sought a sentence of a little less than five years, arguing that Klekamp did not suffer from dementia. Last week, Hudson heard hours of conflicting testimony from experts on Klekamps health. On Wednesday, Hudson said he was not a psychologist but had been tasked with weighing the results of various psychological tests and diagnoses. The judge said that he in no way disputed the experts or their opinions but that there was no single explanation that explained Klekamps behavior to his satisfaction, and he found that Klekamp was capable of serving a prison term. With Election Day less than two months away, candidates for the 25th and 58th districts in the Virginia House of Delegates made their case to voters at a Wednesday forum. Del. Steven Landes, R-Weyers Cave, and Democrat Angela Lynn, candidates for the 25th District, went first at the forum, which was hosted by the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. Del. Rob Bell, R-Albemarle, and Democrat Kellen Squire, both running for the 58th District, spoke next. The candidates had a chance to weigh in on subjects such as the Charlottesville-Albemarle County revenue-sharing agreement and voter ID laws. Landes submitted a budget amendment in January that would have ended the revenue-sharing agreement locally, but ultimately withdrew it because it would have had effects on other similar agreements statewide. The agreement was created in the 1980s to prevent the city from annexing land in the county. In exchange, the county sends money to the city annually. Shortly after the agreement was made, a moratorium was placed on annexation statewide, but the agreement stayed in place. In the last 35 years, the county has given the city approximately $280 million. The whole purpose of the revenue-sharing agreement was so the county would not have more territory annexed by the city, Landes said. So, really, it makes no sense. Its not a logical solution to a problem that was there originally. But Lynn argued that state politicians getting involved in the agreement is government overreach, saying its a local matter. Bell called the agreement a bad deal. Squire said its hurting the funding for Albemarle schools, and that the agreement needs to be addressed. On voter ID laws, both Landes and Bell argued that requiring voters to show photo ID at the polls is a great way of preventing voter fraud. But Lynn and Squire both expressed skepticism. Squire said he thinks these types of laws can discourage people from getting out to vote, while Lynn argued that the issue today is not voter fraud but getting people out to vote. A vote is the one thing that makes us equal, she said. It crosses over socio-economic lines, it knows no boundaries with race or gender or any of those things that make us feel that we arent as powerful as another person. But if were not all capable of being able to do it, then that would be stripping us of a fundamental right and a pillar of our democracy. Lynn is seeking to unseat Landes, who has represented the 25th District since 1996. His district covers parts of Albemarle, Augusta and Rockingham counties. It has been an honor and privilege to represent you that are in the 25th District, and I hope and ask for your vote to be able to continue that service for another two years, Landes said in his closing remarks. Id like to point out that I didnt step in to run for office because I thought it would be fun Im not doing this for kicks and giggles by any means, Lynn said in her closing remarks. I really am the candidate for the 21st century. I dont believe we need to go back; I think we need to go forward. Squire also is facing a longtime incumbent. Bell, who has served the 58th District since 2002, represents all of Greene County and parts of Albemarle, Rockingham and Fluvanna counties. If [the voters] think Ive done a good job, theyll give me another two-year term, Bell said. And if not, theyll find somebody new. Squire, who is a nurse, said he would put people over party if elected. Thats what nurses do we fight for people; we dont fight for anything else, he said. And so thats what Ill bring to the 58th District and thats why I want people to vote for me this Nov. 7. A forum for Albemarle County candidates in contested local races will be held Oct. 11 by the Senior Statesmen of Virginia. The announcement was made at the beginning of Wednesdays forum. The October forum will feature Democratic incumbent Liz Palmer and her Republican challenger, John Lowry, who are running for the Samuel Miller District seat on the Board of Supervisors. Graham Paige and Julian Waters, both running for the Samuel Miller District seat on the county School Board, and Mary McIntyre and Katrina Callsen, who are running for that boards open Rio District seat, will be at the forum, as well. Foxconn to Invest $5.75B in China Smartphone Campus Published: 14 September 2017 by Mike Buetow by Mike Buetow NANJING -- Foxconn Technology Group will invest more than 37.5 billion yuan ($5.74 billion) in a new smartphone factory here, according to China media. Among the planned investments are facilities for production and R&D, the report added. Foxconn signed the deal with the Nanjing municipal government this week, according to the report. According to the report, which cited government documents and a local official, Foxconn also signed agreements of intent to invest 4.58 billion yuan to build a R&D center in the Yuhuatai district of Nanjing, and possibly make additional investments in an LCD TV plant. This domain was recently registered at Namecheap.com. Please check back later! Council Watch: Welcome Back, Now Get to Work! The Sept. 6 Albuquerque City Council meeting was quick and easy, with the most interesting conversations happening during informal discussions. The Sept. 6 Albuquerque City Council meeting was quick and easy, with the most interesting conversations happening during informal discussions. August March News Interview Two Dreamers, One Vision Local DACA participants excel Amazon has setup a digital imaging studio in India -- its third such space globally after New York and London. Photo: PTI New Delhi: US-based e-tailer Amazon has setup a digital imaging studio in India -- its third such space globally after New York and London -- to support its burgeoning fashion business in the country. Spread over 44,000 sq ft, the space will allow Amazon India's sellers (right from international brands like Marks and Spencer to smaller players) access digital imaging facilities. The studio in Gurugram has 16 individual high-tech photography bays, a large editorial suite, video editing facilities and creative spaces. Some of Amazon India's fulfilment centres allow sellers to get professionally-shot pictures of the products taken before they are listed on the e-commerce platform. "All of our efforts we've made for this studio in terms of technology, scale and talent are designed to deliver high quality imagery," Amazon India Head Fashion Arun Sirdeshmukh told reporters here. He added that the fashion category is growing at a strong pace for Amazon India and is one of its largest segments. "The studio will also help strengthen our relationships across the entire industry -- with brands, designers and creative talent," he said. Sirdeshmukh, however, declined to comment on the investment details related to the studio. Amazon has committed investments to the tune of USD 5 billion in the Indian market. It has already set up over 40 large-scale warehouses in the country and has pumped in significant money into ramping up logistics infrastructure. This year alone, the US-based firm has pumped in over Rs 2,000 crore in its India operations as it looks to consolidate its position in the country and fend off local rivals like Flipkart. Telecom regulator Trai will consider all representations made to it regarding the IUC issue. New Delhi: The latest letters to regulator Trai from Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio blaming each other over the issue of mobile call connection charges will be considered by the authority, a top official said. "A lot of companies keep writing letter, make allegations, we have nothing to do with that. What all representation they give to us we take that into consideration," Trai Chairman R S Sharma told reporters on the sidelines of UN-Financial Inclusion Conclave. Sharma said the authority will issue IUC on submissions made to it by telecom operators in various workshops and through the consultation process. "We are working on our calculation based on material provided to us in various consultations and workshops. Based on that, we will take a decision," Sharma added. He was responding to a query on the ongoing spat between Airtel and Jio over interconnection usage charges (IUC). During an open house discussion held by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Jio has said the incumbent telecom operators gained to the tune of Rs 1 lakh crore from the IUC. In its presentation, without naming any telecom firm, Jio said the operator 1 gained Rs 46,958 crore, the operator 2 Rs 28,904 crore and the operator 3 Rs 28,752 crore, and suggested that the IUC should now be made nil to lower the cost of call rates. Bharti Airtel last week wrote to Trai, saying Jio has misled the public and claiming that it has suffered a loss of Rs 6,800 crore due to lower IUC rates fixed by the regulator. IUC is paid by the telecom network which originates the call to the operator that terminates it. These charges are passed on to subscribers by service providers. At present, IUC of 14 paise is levied on calls made from mobile phones. The established operators claim that IUC should in the range of 30-35 paise. In response to Airtel's charges, Jio wrote back to Trai, alleging that the telecom major "misrepresented facts purposely to create a smoke-screen and hide its ill-gotten profits" to support its false claim of loss from call connection charges. The Mukesh Ambani-led telecom firm said Airtel's representation on loss due to prevailing IUC rates is "grossly incorrect and fallacious". Airtel hit back, alleging that Reliance Jio is running a "sinister campaign" to bring down the call connection charges by misleading authorities and the public with inflated figures. Mumbai: The GST glitches faced by the domestic food processing industry are only "teething issues" and are expected to be sorted out in the next 3-4 months, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said on Thursday. Badal, the Minister for Food Processing Industries, also made a pitch for greater flexibility in the foreign direct investment for homecare products to make it more attractive for the investors. "The GST (Goods and Services Tax) is no doubt one of the biggest economic reforms. It is having its teething issues. In the next 3-4 months, these issues will be settled down," the minister told reporters on the sidelines of 12th edition of Annapoorna World of Food India Exhibition and Conference, hosted by the industry body Ficci here. She said there has been a 40 per cent increase in investment in the food processing industry from the last year, adding "big companies like Amazon, Grofers, Metro and Big Basket are putting in investment in next three years." There is no doubt that if a little bit of flexibility in FDI policy is given, particularly for homecare products, it will boost the investment in the sector, Badal said. The government had in February 2016 allowed 100 per cent FDI in locally-produced and manufactured food products. The minister said that world-over the model is `food plus homecare products' because margins on food products are relatively very small. "So when you put up the infrastructure but you can't meet the cost...which is why the industry has been saying that it should be allowed to keep homecare products as well," she said. Badal said she already had a meeting with the new Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu on the issue, adding "I am hoping for a decision shortly." "The sector will have USD 10 billion investment in the next couple of years if there is flexibility in FDI," she said. The minister said the government has approved a Rs 6,000 crore central scheme, `SAMPADA', for the 2016-20 period, which aims at boosting processing of marine and agriculture produce, and it can leverage investments to the tune of Rs 31,000 crore. The scheme is expected to benefit 20 lakh farmers and generate little over 5.30 lakh direct and indirect employment in the country by 2019-20. It is shocking that the country processes only 10 per cent of the food it produces, unlike some countries which process up to 80 per cent of domestically produced food, she said, and added that India needs to triple the food processing proportion. Countries such as the UAE and Japan are keen to source from India for food processing, she said. Badal also said that out of 42 mega food parks planned in the country, nine are operational today and a 10th, coming up in Maharashtra, is expected to be up and functional next month. The number of operating food parks would go up to 12 by this year end, she added. Mumbai: With the pompous inauguration of the 508-km Mumbai to Ahmedabad bullet train project, India became the second country, to import the Japanese 'Shinkansen' bullet-train technology which has been lobbying for a buyer for long. At a time when Japan and China are locked in an intense rivalry for providing this technology to countries around the world, Japans Rs 88,000 crore-soft loan to India will cement a long-standing friendship between the two countries. Abe, in his address at the inauguration ceremony in Ahmedabad on Thursday emphasized on the special bond between the two countries and Modi thanked him saying Japans loan was a gift to India. Japans victory in securing the Indian contract must been seen against the edgy competition from Siemens AG, Bombardier Inc., Alstom and, more recently, the Chinese CRRC in a global market worth USD 133 billion by 2019, according to a BCC Research. "The competition between China and Japan, especially in the ASEAN region, has been fairly intense and in India, there will be more competition for other phases of the bullet train project," said Jaideep Ghosh, partner and head of transport at consultancy KPMG told Bloomberg. The financing by Japan would also bring in business for Japanese firms like Hitachi Ltd. and East Japan Railway Co. a blow for CRRC and European companies including Alstom SA. Also, India is not the only buyer of this bullet-train technology. China won a USD 5.5 billion project in Indonesia in 2015 and is currently vying with Japan for a Singapore-Kuala Lumpur link. US President Donald Trump had also called for introduction of high-speed rail technology in his country, a technology he said is all over the place in Japan and China. According to a report in Bloomberg, in 2014, Japans government had offered its technology to the then California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, as part of a USD 40 billion project. In 2014, the Japanese prime minister had said his government may partially finance the Central Japan Railway Co.'s maglev trains for a Washington-Baltimore line. The Japanese team estimated that the first train would roll out by 2023, but Railways Minister Piyush Goyal said PM Modi wants the train to start on 15 August 2022 - when India completes 75 years of Independence. The loan to Japan will have to be repaid over 50 years. The high-speed train, with a capacity to accommodate 750 people, is expected to slash travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad from seven to three hours. Amidst criticism from the Opposition that this national project is being turned into a political one, the Modi government has claimed that it will generate employment for nearly 20,000 people. While Alia was last seen in 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania,' Vicky appeared last in 'Raman Raghav 2.0'. Mumbai: Meghna Gulzar has finished her first schedule for 'Raazi' in Punjab. The film, starring Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal has been in the news for its unconventional casting and the immense success that Meghna's 'Talvar' had enjoyed. The team is now expected to head to Kashmir for the film's upcoming schedule. I'm honoured to be getting an opportunity to work with Meghana Gulzar and also looking forward to working with Alia, who I feel is one of the finest actresses we have at the moment. Actually, the entire team is so talented and especially to be working with Dharma Productions is rewarding for any young actor, Vicky had said earlier. The film is the story of a Kashmiri woman, who is married to a Pakistani Army Officer. Alia and Vicky had trained hard on the dialect and accent as well as the general features of the character. The film is set against the backdrop of the 1971 war. Alia will be seen playing the Kashmiri woman working for the Indian intelligence, spying on her husband, a Pak armyman, played by Vicky. While Alia was last seen in 'Badrinath Ki Dulhania,' Vicky appeared last in 'Raman Raghav 2.0'. Farhan Akhtar was considering Hrithik Roshan and Abhishek Bachchan for 'Dil Chahta Hai' before signing his leads. Mumbai: Though it has been nearly 16 years since its release, 'Dil Chahta Hai' is still one of the most loved coming-of-age dramas in Bollywood, but director Farhan Akhtar is currently in no mood to take the story of the buddy trio forward. 'Dil Chahta Hai' starred Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna in the lead roles as three friends who share a deep bond, but have different approaches towards love and life. The film, which was the directorial debut of Farhan, won a National Award and attained cult status, with its characters of Akash, Sameer and Sid resonating with the urban audience. Though two years back there were reports about a sequel being planned, Farhan has denied any such development at the moment. "I have not really considered taking the film forward. I feel there was a certain energy, mood and a time in my life when 'Dil Chahta Hai' happened and that's why I wrote it," Farhan told PTI when asked if he ever thought of making a sequel. "Now if I think of (a sequel), I will be forcing the issue. It is going to go from 'what I wanted to say' to now 'something more should be added'. What was great about it when it happened, was there was no design." Farhan, who has directed three feature films since 'Dil Chahta Hai', says to take the film forward, he would have to come up with a template, which would go with the organic feel of the movie. The actor says 'Dil Chahta Hai' is a character-driven film, unlike his other directorial ventures, 'Don' and 'Don 2'. "The minute we start thinking seriously that I have to do a sequel to it, then design comes into play. That is something I want to avoid. If ever suddenly the moment of eureka happens, then may be, who knows. But nothing as of now," he said. The 43-year-old actor-filmmaker, however, says 'Don' can be taken ahead with a third part. "The story of 'Don' allows you to take the film forward. It is plot-driven. But a film like 'Dil Chahta Hai' is so much about the feel, the characters, the vibe of how people are." When asked, if he has plans for the third instalment of 'Don', Farhan says, "I am not ready with 'Don 3'. That's too far off." The actor is currently awaiting the release of his latest film 'Lucknow Central', scheduled to release this Friday. Mumbai: Trust Kangana Ranaut to ignite the biggest controversies around! The actress, whos gearing up for the release of her upcoming film, the Hansal Mehta helmed Simran, had recently bared her heart again in an explosive interview, throwing generous shade at rumoured ex Hrithik Roshan and also Aditya Pancholi. While Hrithik has chosen to maintain his stark silence through the episode, Aditya hasnt been as lenient, venturing full throttle into the terrain of verbal volleys. The actor has been unforgiving in his words, never bothering to mince them. Kangana, whod also hit out at Bollywoods nepotistic ways, sensationally enough, taking Karan Johar heads on, however, has now found herself at the other end of the fence. Aditya in an interview to spotboye(dot)com, has accused the actress of being a product of nepotism herself. He chastised Kangana for being 'hypocritical,' saying, "She speaks of nepotism; she has no right to speak about nepotism because she also got into the film industry through nepotism. If I was not there, who would have sent her to Mahesh Bhatt for one? If I had not got her photoshoot done via Jatin Kampani, she wouldn't have been able to do it herself. Did she ever stand in a kilometre long line for an audition? Ask her if she ever gave an audition in her life? If yes, to whom?" Shots have evidently been fired and it remains to be seen how the very candid Kangana manages to dodge this. In what is undoubtedly a news-breaking confession, Kamal Haasan, whose political career has been a massive speculation of late, has finally come out and reveals that he is seriously considering forming his own party, in an exclusive interview. Says Kamal, Yes I am thinking on those lines not out of choice, but due to compulsion! Which existing political party can provide me with a platform or an ideology that will match my reformatory goals in politics? Kamal is exasperated and amused by the affiliation-by-association that the media is thrusting on him. I just have to be photographed with any politician and I am supposed to be joining his party. The other day, I met Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and I was supposed to have developed a penchant for communism. But, becoming a part of any political party is not a simple process of hopping, skipping and jumping in. A political party is about an ideology. And I dont think my goals in politics can match the ideology of any party. The 62-year-old actor feels the political system in India has failed and nowhere more so than in Tamil Nadu The ouster of Sasikala is a solid step forward. But its just the beginning. I was extremely vocal about getting rid of her. Now that it has happened, I feel a little more encouraged in my belief that the politics of the state can change. And I want to bring about that change, no matter how slowly it may be. He holds the electorate responsible as much as the politicians. When I am elected, Id like to be held accountable by the voter. Dont vote me in and then wait for five years to vote me out! Sack me immediately if I dont deliver. This is the only way change in the politics of the country can come about. Why only Tamil Nadu? You may ask. Well, I have to start somewhere. First, I must clean my own home, before I start on the neighbours, he asserts. About being called an opportunist for his belated political plans, Kamal shrugs, Yes, I am an opportunist. This is the right time for me to come into active politics, because everything that can possibly go wrong, is going wrong. We need better governance. I am not promising swift remedies. But I promise to start the process of change. This change may not even happen in my lifetime. Hopefully, there will be others to carry forward the cleansing process. Kamal takes the political plunge under tremendous danger. There are warnings about me being eliminated. To this, I say, either I go or the corruption in politics goes. We cant have both, he concludes. Karthi is sporting the khaki and reprises a real life policeman in Theeran Adhigaram Ondru, which is based on a sensational murder mystery that created a buzz few years back. A deep research into the topic revealed some startling facts and Vinoth decided to tweak the story a bit to make it commercial. In an interview with DC, Vinoth talks about Theeran Karthis focus, Rakuls rural belle role and many more. I read a news report on a violent crime case, which gave me jitters. I was wondering how could such things happen! I wrote an action thriller story based on my research. To add authenticity to the script, I met a top-rung police officer introduced by my friend Saravanan. He gave me information about several police cases and after that, I met nearly hundred IPS officers, who handled similar cases. From my research, I could see how duty-conscious they are and how they disassociate themselves from their personal ego. This totally changed my vision, which made me alter my script and tone it down, Vinoth begins the conversation. Talking about Karthis character of Theeran Thirumaran, he says, He is not a loud cop, but an upright police official, who goes about his work in a tactful manner. How he finally brings the culprits to books forms the story. The director was all smiles when we asked about Karthi. My comfort level with Karthi was very high. Yet another advantage working with him was, he was a master when it came to horse riding, knife fight, etc. He is one person who will never say no to anything I ask for. We shot in extreme hot weather in places like Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Buch, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi (as the story travels to those places). We were stuck in windstorms and there was mud and dust all over our body. Many fell sick due to dehydration and few technicians fainted on the sets. We could not have a vanity van for the stars, as they get so hot. But, Karthi stayed focussed and used to stand near the monitor prepping for his next scene. I was in awe of his commitment. He is a complete actor. Rakul Preet will be seen as a village belle in the flick. She plays an important role sans glamour. She is a thorough professional and despite not knowing the language, she gets her lines and expression perfectly, he adds. The movie has artistes handpicked by Vinoth from various industries like Abhimanyu Singh from Hindi, Kishore Kadam from Marathi, Rohit Patak from Bhojpuri, Narra Srinivas from Ttown who essay cops. Ghibran has scored the music. I am confident that this film would change peoples wrong perception about police officials, Vinoth signs off. The arrest of Dileep in the Malayalam actress abduction and assault case has sent shockwaves in the film industry. Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday expressed displeasure over the manner the police was probing the case of abduction and sexual assault of a South Indian actress. Justice P Ubaid criticised the police for prolonging the investigation into the case, which is more than six months old. The court made the observations while considering the anticipatory bail application moved by film director Nadirshah, a close friend of popular Malayalam actor Dileep, who was arrested in connection with the case. The court asked whether it is a movie script and when the investigation can be concluded. The Director General of Prosecution informed the court that the investigation would be completed in two weeks. Opposing the anticipatory bail application moved by Nadirshah, the prosecution said he has not been made an accused in the case till now. The court directed Nadirshah to appear before the team probing the case on Friday and to cooperate with the investigation. If he does not cooperate with the probe, then police can file a report, the court said. The prosecution said there was sufficient material to show that Nadirshah had telephonic talks with key accused in the case, Sunil Kumar, alias Pulsar Suni. The court then adjourned the bail application to September 18. Dileep and Nadirshah were questioned on June 29 by police in view of revelations made by prime accused 'Pulsar' Suni in connection with the case. Dileep, who was arrested in the case, is in judicial custody. Six persons, including 'Pulsar' Suni, Martin and Vigeesh were arrested in connection with the incident. The actress, who has worked in Tamil and Telugu films, was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused, who had forced their way into the vehicle on February 17 night and later escaped in a busy area in Kochi. Prabhas is known to occasionally delight his colleagues and friends in his films unit with delicious homemade food. While many actors in the past have spoken about it, the latest to be floored by the gesture is Shraddha Kapoor who is in Hyderabad to rehearse and shoot for her role in the upcoming trilingual film Saaho. The actress is said to have begun shooting for the film on Monday. Shraddha shared this image on Instagram Prabhas and the team readied a host of local delicacies and Shraddha was very excited by the reception. She tasted every single delicacy with a lot of eagerness. Her elation was such that she soon clicked a series of pictures which she even posted online, shares a source. Shraddha wrote on Instagram: When team #Saaho & Prabhas decide to feed you the most amazing food (sic). After he met with a major accident, Vishnu Manchu was on bed rest for more than a month. But now, the actor is back to work! Vishnu has flown to the US to complete his film Achari America Yatra. This schedule will last for nearly 20 days and the actor is going to complete the major scenes, says a source from the unit. The actor also posted a picture of himself from the sets to tell his fans that he had recovered and joined the film set. Off to shoot again. Long schedule. London. dublin and Los Angeles, posted Vishnu on Twitter. The actor had an accident in July while shooting for an action scene for the same film in Malaysia. After being rushed to a hospital, Vishnu returned to Hyderabad to rest. After completing the US schedule, the actor will begin shooting for another film that stars his father Mohan Babu. The big hurdle has been the inability to generate immune cells that stay in circulation long enough to stop the AIDS virus spreading. (Photo: Pixabay) Scientists have overcome a major stumbling block in HIV treatment and a vaccine may soon be on its way. The big hurdle has been the inability to generate immune cells that stay in circulation long enough to stop the AIDS virus spreading. According to international researchers, the problem has been solved as they have been able to unblock a process linked to an HIV protein that was halting the production of antibody-generating 'B-cells' from the immune system. Lead author of the study, Professor Jonathan Heeney, from Cambridge University, said that for a vaccine to work, its effects need to be long lasting. According to him, it is not practical to require people to come back every six 12 months to be vaccinated. He went on to add that they wanted to develop a vaccine to overcome this block and generate these long-lived antibody producing cells. We have now found a way to do this, Heeney added. The scientist said that they have been able to manage this and have found a way to greatly improve B-cell responses to an HIV vaccine. We hope our discovery will unlock the paralysis in the field of HIV vaccine research and enable us to move forward, he went on to say while speaking to The Daily Mail. Laboratory experiments saw that the new approach produced desired immune system responses that lasted more than a year. According to the scientists, it should be possible to produce vaccines that stimulate long-lasting B-cell responses against HIV. Researchers with the Galapagos Conservancy and the Galapagos National Park are now trying to restore the species by selecting 20 specimens with higher amounts of the Floreana tortoise in its DNA to reproduce. (Photo: Pixabay) Quito: Scientists in Ecuador's Galapagos islands are hoping to restore a tortoise species believed extinct since the 1800s. The Chelonoidis elephantopus lived on Floreana Island and was captured by seamen in large numbers for food during long journeys across the Pacific. The species is thought to have disappeared shortly after Charles Darwin's celebrated visit to the treasured archipelago. But a group of international scientists who collected 1,700 blood samples from tortoises on Isabel Island farther north during a research expedition in 2012 made a surprising discovery: 80 had genetic traces of the lost species. "This is a species that was considered extinct for 160 years," Washington Tapia, one of the scientists studying the tortoises, told. "We didn't imagine what we would find." Researchers with the Galapagos Conservancy and the Galapagos National Park are now trying to restore the species by selecting 20 specimens with higher amounts of the Floreana tortoise in its DNA to reproduce. "We are not going to have a perfect species, genetically 100 percent like the one that was in Floreana," said Linda Cayot, a scientific consultant with the Galapagos Conservancy. "But we will have a tortoise population with many of the same genes as the original." Scientists believe sailors who caught Floreana tortoises for food sometimes dropped them off on Isabel Island in order to lighten a ship's load before crossing the ocean. Isabel Island was typically the last stop before setting sail. The scientists traveling to Isabel Island five years ago didn't originally set out to research the Floreana species and were surprised when their samples revealed such high quantities of the extinct tortoise's DNA. The 20 tortoises identified as having the highest amounts of Floreana DNA have been placed in corrals containing three females and two males each in hopes of one day repopulating the island with close copies of the extinct species. "We hear about extinctions and the damage humans can cause a species," said Ecuadorean Minister for the Environment Tarsicio Granizo. "But today, with the results of this investigation, we can tell the world that it is possible to reverse negative effects on the environment. We are going to recover an extinct species." Jaime Chaves, an evolutionary biology professor at San Francisco University in Quito, described the study as an important example of how advancements in molecular science can potentially help reintroduce a bygone species. "It's very exciting to witness the reach of these genetic studies, identifying individuals with the potential to be a starting point for the recovery of a unique lineage believed extinct," he said. The Shetland Island owned by David Murray is now on sale for 600k. (Photo: NeilRisk.com) David Murray's family has owned the 98-hectare Fethaland croft, in North Roe, Shetland for over 150 years and selling it is 'heartbreaking' for Murray. His father, Douglas Murray, was the last person to be born there, before moving to North Roe in 1944. "Fethaland itself is unimaginable, there's no place like it,' he said to the Daily Mail. "The wildlife is just phenomenal. You quite often see killer whales, puffins, even ospreys. I can't do it justice." He added that selling the property was heartbreaking for him, and that he preferred to sell the whole estate altogether. It's on the market for 595,000 alongside three smaller crofts, one of which has a four-bedroom family home. Murray blames health reasons for the sale. The Fethaland is the largest of the four crofts and encompasses the north-most point of the mainland. It contains a number of archaeological sites, including an Iron Age house and Viking quarry. Although it is uninhabited, Fethaland is a popular scenic site and is frequented by walkers and tourists. There is also evidence of human settlement from prehistoric times on the island. The Shetland Museum in Lerwick allows visitors to explore the area virtually, by means of a video-game style simulation. Letting people 'walk' around the landscape and learn about its history. The remains of 23 buildings are situated on the property, although a number of these structures have collapsed due to coastal erosion according to a survey by Historic Scotland and Shetland Amenity Trust (2010). More structures are thought to be at risk. The peninsula is also part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and is protected and administered by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). This means that the SNH's consent is mandatory for any development on the site, this includes building, demolishing and even modification of any features. The site is being sold by Neil Risk Solicitors. The Daily Mail reported them saying, "Fethaland is known for its incredible scenery, and maritime and Viking history. Along with the other crofts it would be ideal for someone looking to experience rural living in arguably one of the most beautiful places in the UK." Florida nun hailed a hero for doing her part for her community following Hurricane Irma. Sister Margaret Ann brought a chainsaw to cut down trees. Miami-Dade police posted a video on Facebook taken by off-duty officer of the nun hard at work with a smile on her face. In the post, police said "acts of kindness" like the nun's is a reminder they are part of one community. Many wanted to express their gratitude to the hero sister, "Sister with a chain saw...there's a rock song in there somewhere... May God bless and keep her and all the folks recovering from Irma," Susan McVay commented on the Facebook post. "Look at the smile on her face. Aww you just have to love her," said Wanda Turner Moss. Watch the video: Areas for scrutiny 1 Classrooms, labs, library, playground and swimming pool 2 Washrooms 3 Bus and transport guidelines 4 School hostel 5 Kitchen and dining hall Safety regulations Entry into school to be restricted and ID Cards should be mandatory for all Background check for all the staff Childrens areas inside schools should be out of bounds for all the non-academic personnels and this should be strictly monitored by the security staff in each of the buildings Recent incidents A seven-year-old boy of Ryan International School, Gurugram, was murdered on Friday. In 2016, the drowned body of another boy was found in a water tank on the premises of a Ryan International School in Vasant Kunj, Delhi A five-year-old girl in Tagore Public School, Gandhinagar, was allegedly raped by a school peon A boy from a school near Delhi was allegedly slapped so hard by another student that his hearing in one ear is impaired A piano teacher of Tansen Academy, Model Town, Delhi allegedly molested a seven-year-old girl multiple times A dance teacher of Presidium School of Ashok Vihar, North-west Delhi, allegedly tried to molest a Class V student An 11-year-old girl of Raos High School, BHEL, Hyderabad, was made to stand in the boys washroom as a punishment for not wearing a proper uniform Crimes against children in schools have increased in the last decade. They are being raped, drugged, murdered, bullied and punished in school buses, bathrooms, classrooms, labs, libraries places they are unsupervised. Neither government nor private schools offer a safe environment for kids. In this light, it is needless to even reiterate the fact that the most important part of all schools mission is to provide a safe environment for learning. Despite that, in the last one year, many horrific incidents have taken place in several schools across the country. There have been instances where children have been attacked in the same school twice or in different schools under the same management. Shagun Ali, educationist and founder of an international school, says, The Ryan International School incident is a stark reminder of the Vasant Kunj tragedy and its a shame. The CCTV camera should be well-monitored by a person who has a legitimate profile. There should be a male/female servant to monitor washrooms until school hours just like there are people to assist customers outside trial rooms in public places. She adds that parents and the faculty of all institutions should avoid any personal contact with bus conductors or security guards and should advice their kids to maintain friendly yet academically-driven relationships with them. The government should make norms for the fees structure, safety and more. If not strictly followed, the registration should be cancelled. The existing law There is no specific law against the abuse of children inside schools. There are only a few rules. For example, The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 (repealed and replaced in 2015) made it mandatory for a child welfare committee to be set up in each district. They are tasked with looking into the care, protection, development and rehabilitation of children. Any kind of abuse of school children or corporal punishment will not be tolerated by the School Education Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh. Severe action will be taken against the teachers and management. In a case reported recently from a private school in Ramavarappadu, Vijayawada, the DEO, Krishna took immediate action as directed by Minister, HRD. A case has been booked and the teacher has been removed and the school was issued notice, says IAS Sandhya Rani, Commissioner, School Education, AP Government. How can schools step up? The school is responsible for the safety of a child from the moment he or she alights in front of the premises until the child boards the transport in the evening. At Hyderabad Public School, we have 130 CCTV cameras and a control room which monitors this 24x7 along with the log book. Our security at the gate and on campus is robust and time-tested. We are introducing the complete check of the academic building by ensuring that lady attendants see if any child is left in classroom or washrooms after the students leave for mass gatherings like the assembly or lunch time. They have been stationed outside all washrooms used by children up to Class V and all girls washrooms. Fortnight audits of security have been initiated, says Skand Bali, Principal, HPS Begumpet. He adds that the schools primary teachers escort the students to the parking area when its time to go home. He adds, The antecedents of all the visitors are verified upon arrival at the main gate and only after confirmation from the respective departments, the visitors are allowed to enter or exit. Elaborating on a few steps to ensure tight security, Gita Karan, Principal, Gitanjali School says, CCTV cameras should be installed at all vulnerable places. Regular rounds by the principal and the coordinators will be made mandatory. No car and auto drivers will be allowed in the building. Parents should only be allowed to visit the school with appointments. Parents should inform class teachers who will pick up their child. All drivers and attendants who pick up children should have identification cards with their photographs. And also there should be separate toilets for all employees. Stating that it is the duty of school staff to protect children first and foremost, V. Srinivasan, Member, Executive Board, Sreenedhi International School, says, All staff have a responsibility and duty to protect the rights and dignity of all children. Our school reviews the security and safety measures constantly through department meetings which are recorded and we follow up as required. The Child Protection Policy is a transparent document for us and we share the guidelines with all the stakeholders and expect all of them to follow it. The safety regulations and the policy should be approved by a reputed international organisation not by local and national authorities. Schools child protection policy should also be scrutinised by external agencies every year to make sure that the policy is a working document so that the children are protected. Hyderabad: Two runaway minors from Rajahmundry were caught by the police in the city on Wednesday. LB Nagar inspector P. Kasi Reddy said the children were Class VIII students of St. Anns School in Bommuru, Rajahmundry. Three days back one of the students took Rs 1.6 lakh from his house and ran away on his brother-in-laws scooter. He was accompanied by his classmate. They first went to Visakhapatnam where they purchased two mobile phones costing Rs 14,999 and then headed for Hyderabad. When the students reached LB Nagar junction, traffic police stopped them for riding on a vehicle without a registration number. The kids were handed over to the LB Nagar police who inquired about their parents and learnt of the story. Hyderabad: Psychiatrist Achutha Reddy, an alumni of Osmania Medical College hailing from Nalgonda, was chased and stabbed to death in Wichita, Kansas, in the US, reportedly by his patient. The assailant, identified as Umar Rashid Dutt, was nabbed at the Wichita Country Club some time later, still wearing his blood stained clothes. Dutts mother is said to hail from Hyderabad while his father is a native of Bengaluru. It is said that Dutt had gone to Dr Reddys office for his regular counselling on Wednesday. An argument erupted midway through the session. Even as the staff rushed to help, Dr Reddy managed to escape from the spot. Dutt apparently chased the doctor down an alley, and stabbed the doctor multiple times. Dutt then went to the club where he was caught. He has been charged with first-de-gree murder. The motive has not been established and the police is looking through the doctors records. Dhinakaran has the support of 21 MLAs. (Photo: PTI) Chennai/Coorg: AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Wednesday alleged that the ruling faction led by K Palanisamy was threatening to file false cases against his loyalists MLAs, who are camping in Karnataka, if they did not support the chief minister. The beleaguered leader, whose appointment as the AIADMK's deputy general secretary was declared invalid at the party's general council meeting on Tuesday, alleged the Tamil Nadu government sent policemen to Karnataka who "threatened to file false cases against our MLAs". Since September 10, a majority of Dhinakaran's loyalist MLAs are putting up in a resort in Karnataka's Coorg district. Dhinakaran has the support of 21 MLAs. "They (MLAs) are being intimidated by sending police personnel... They are being asked to support Chief Minister Palanisamy," he alleged. Dhinakaran said the MLAs told him that 30 Tamil Nadu police personnel, led by five DSPs, visited their resort on Tuesday. Policemen were there on Wednesday as well, he said. Dhinakaran also alleged that the ruling camp was "nudging" his loyalist legislators, through police, to support the Palanisamy government by offering monetary inducements. The MLAs would file a complaint with the Karnataka Police in connection with the matter and "we will move court seeking action against (Tamil Nadu) police and the chief minister", he said. Meanwhile, former minister and Dhinakaran loyalist MLA V Senthil Balaji told reporters in Coorg that Tamil Nadu police personnel came to his room in the resort and asked him "to talk to the chief minister". He alleged they told him that if he did not do so, a case would be slapped against him and he would be arrested. Balaji alleged he was offered monetary inducement to switch over to the Palanisamy camp. Dhinkaran said former minister and his supporter P Palaniappan has left Karnataka to reach Tamil Nadu. The MLA is facing a case for allegedly abetting the suicide of a contractor. "I have got information that Palanipappan has approached court," he said and asked the media to not "speculate" that the MLA was to be arrested. "Disseminate the truth," he said. On Tuesdays executive committee and general council meet held by the Palanisamy-Panneerselvam camp, he said, "There was no legal sanction for the meeting. They are not general council members, they are Palanisamy and Panneerselvam's people." He reiterated that the general council meeting could not be convened without the permission of party general secretary V K Sasikala. The jailed leader's appointment as general secretary was annulled on Tuesday by the ruling camp. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also addressed the press statement and reiterated his strong support to initiatives like Make In India, Digital India and others and also appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi' economic reforms especially Goods and Services Tax (GST). (Photo: PTI) Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is the lifeline of new India. Thanking his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, Modi said Japan is the third largest investor in India. Modi said, "In 2016-17, Japan has invested 4.7 billion dollars, an amount 80 per cent higher than the previous year's investment, in our country." Prime Minister Narendra Modi and PM Abe called for Pakistan to bring to justice perpetrators of terror attacks including 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot attacks. Modi and Abe are looking forward to convene 5th Japan-India consultation on terrorism and to strengthen cooperation against terrorists threats from groups including al-Qaida, ISIS, JeM, LeT and their affiliates. Read: Modi, Abe flag off bullet train project: A win-win deal for both India, Japan Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe also condemned in the strongest terms North Korea's continued development of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. India and Japan on Thursday signed 15 agreements/documents during the 12th India-Japan Annual Summit. The agreements/documents will deepen the special strategic and global partnership between both Asian nations. Deepening the Special Strategic & Global Partnership. #IndiaJapan sign 15 agreements/documents during the 12th India Japan Annual Summit pic.twitter.com/4WwSFR5n0M Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) September 14, 2017 Modi wholeheartedly welcomed the agreements that were signed between India and Japan on Thursday. He further said, the pact will strengthen partnership between the two countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also hailed the transformation of India. The PM said may it be the 'Make in India' drive or 'Skill India' or easy business, the country is indeed moving ahead. Read: Foundation laid for India's first bullet train; Modi thanks 'close friend' Abe Delivering press statement after the signing of agreements, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India Post and Japan Post will soon start a 'cool box service' for Japanese residing in India which will help them order their favorite food from Japan. Modi also urged Japanese business community to open maximum number of Japanese restaurant chains in India. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also addressed the press statement and reiterated his strong support to initiatives like Make In India, Digital India and others and also appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi' economic reforms especially Goods and Services Tax (GST). The visiting prime minister thanked India for its hospitality. He said, "We appreciate the warm welcome and hospitality. Dhanyawaad". The 15 agreements/documents inked between India and Japan are: Consul General for Canada in South India Jennifer Daubeny speaks at the event in the city on Wednesday (Photo: DC) Chennai: Canadas 150th anniversary year is also to celebrate partnerships with countries across the globe, Consul General for Canada in South India Jennifer Daubeny said on Wednesday evening. Canadas 150th anniversary is not just about celebrating Canada- the Canada we love, you love, its also about celebrating friendships and partnerships across the globe. I am really proud to be Canadas consul general of South India, Ms Jennifer, who is in office for about a year, said. Speaking at Canadas anniversary celebrations she said that she really enjoyed the opportunity being given to her to help nurture and develop important partnerships in this very interesting and significant part of the world in India. In our consulate general we have a sizeable and great immigration team which works hard to ensure the Indian citizens needing a visa to travel to Canada are able to do so, besides a dynamic trade team with offices in Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. These teams are effective in facilitating opportunities and partnerships with Indian companies, she said. Ms Jennifer thanked Canadas friends and partners who shared interests and Canadas vision to build a better, cleaner and more peaceful and prosperous world for future generations. Earlier, admitting that Canada had not done much on the cultural side in Tamil Nadu, she said cultural activities could not be carried out anywhere in India as no funds were earmarked specifically for the purpose. Nor does Canada have a dedicated public affairs office for South India. We hope to reach out more. We will screen a documentary in south India: Driving with Selvi, South Indias first female taxi driver in Chennai, she informed. Canada is home to about 1.3 million people of Indian descent and a premier destination for Indian students and visitors.The highlight of the celebration was that national anthems of both Canada and India were rendered Chennai: Chennai corporation engineers, infamous for helping contractors to get bills settled for substandard works, are now relieved, thanks to the absence of an elected Chennai mayor and the absence of corporation commissioner D. Karthikeyan who left for Chile to participate in an international conference on climate change. The commissioner, known for his strict behaviour is to return only next week after attending a week-long session on climate change and disaster management. Field staff are having a relaxed week with junior IAS officers now administering the city, said a corporation official. Further, September is a crucial month for completing pending civic projects and now with the absence of the mayor and commissioner it is a free for all paid holiday for errant staff, the official added. There are hardly any inspections or cancellation of tenders due to substandard works. Corporation engineers are often spotted at the office of the local administration ministry along with contractors and this nexus between contractors and corporation babus goes unchecked, alleged former Chennai mayor M Subramanian adding that the comptroller auditor general of India, in its recent report, had confirmed that the corporation had wasted public money by executing substandard civic infrastructure projects. Meanwhile, superintendent engineer Nandakumar has also left for China to showcase the non-motor policy adopted by the Chennai corporation. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister of state for external affairs V.K. Singh credited quiet diplomatic efforts of India for the release of Father Tom Uzhannalil. He added that no ransom was paid. Mr Singh told reporters that the MEA works quietly without making noise and gets things done. We adopt diplomatic methods. When direct methods do not work, we may go for indirect ones. External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted that Fr Tom spoke to her from Vatican and profusely thanked the Government of India, especially the Prime Minister for efforts to rescue him. He also thanked the governments and people who helped in rescuing him. The Salesian priest has also conveyed his thanks to the people of India for their concern and prayers for his release. When asked if any ransom was paid for the release, Gen. V.K. Singh said 'no'. Mr Singh also justified denial of permission for Tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran's China trip citing protocol issues. Those who were supposed to be met by the minister were of lower ranks and it was a matter of the nation's status also, he said. "The usual practice is to give clearance for foreign trips of official delegations only after getting the views of the Indian missions of the foreign countries to be visited. In this case also the same procedures were only followed and the clearance was not given as the Indian mission reported protocol issues due to the status of the people the minister was supposed to meet. The matter even involved the nation's status," Mr Singh said. Jammu and Kashmir Inspector General of Police (IGP) Muneer Khan said The terrorist leadership has to be eliminated because they also misguide our children and lure them into this. (Photo: File | PTI) Srinagar: Lauding the killing of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Ismail, the Amarnath Yatra attack mastermind, by the security forces in Nowgam sector, Jammu and Kashmir Inspector General of Police (IGP) Muneer Khan said the elimination of terrorist leadership is the need of the hour. Addressing a press conference, Khan said, "In a very brief encounter both the terrorists were killed. I take this opportunity to congratulate team. It hardly took half an hour to complete operation. He was one of our prime targets. This operation is a result of people's prayers. The terrorist leadership has to be eliminated because they also misguide our children and lure them into this." He apprised that two AK 47s were recovered from their possession. Victor Force, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Major General BS Raju averred that the operation was important because they are expecting vacuum in the top leadership of LeT. Echoing similar sentiments, Jammu and Kashmir, Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid said, "The police was after him since Amarnath attack took place. He was also involved in several other attacks." Earlier on Thursday, Ismail and another terrorist were killed in an encounter with the security forces at Aarigam, Nowgam in the outskirts of Srinagar. He was involved in Amarnath attack earlier in 2017. As many as seven people were killed and fifteen others injured after a group of terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying 17 pilgrims from Baltal to Mir Bazar on July 10. Meanwhile, the authorities have blocked 4G mobile internet services in the city following the killing of LeT commander. Hyderabad: After the awareness camps about measles and rubella (MR) vaccination failed to yield satisfactory results, the staff at the government schools in the Old City are now forcing students to get the vaccine administered. This aggressive stance is yielding results with around 150 students of Government Girls High School Falaknuma relenting and taking the vaccination. We are under pressure. In the first phase, only 80 of the total 330 students had agreed. On Wednesday, 150 of the girls agreed to be vaccinated on their own. They agreed after we convinced them, said a teacher of the school on condition of anonymity. A teacher of a school in Farooqnagar said that the department had asked them to get the students vaccinated without the approval of their parents. We planned to do it but backed off fearing a backlash from the parents. Our school is in a slum area and despite holding three meetings in the area the parents have not come forward. We dont want to take any chances, said the teacher. So far, only 20 per cent of the students of the school were administered the vaccine. People are still reluctant. They believe in superstitions and rumours and have not come forward for the vaccination, said a teacher. The situation is no different in the private schools in Old City. According to the health department statistics, only 30 per cent of the children in Old City areas were administered MR vaccine so far. No proper arrangements made for MR shots, allege parents Parents of children studying in a private school in the city allege that no proper arrangements were made for the measles and rubella vaccination programme conducted by the school on Wednesday. The vaccination program was scheduled to be held at 10 am on Wednesday, but parents allege they were made to wait for many hours. It has been six months now that schools are conducting MR vaccination programmes in coordination with the state government but we were shocked to see that there were no proper arrangements when we reached our childs school for the vaccination programme,a parent said. The school authorities denied the allegations. Srinagar: Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander and the main accused of Amarnath Yatra attack Abu Ismail along with an associate Abu Kasim were killed in a brief gunbattle with security forces in Aarigam area of Nowgam on the outskirts of Srinagar on Thursday, police said. Two AK 47s were also recovered from the encounter site in Nowgam. Both Ismail and Kasim were from Pakistan, IGP Kashmir, Muneer Khan said. Abu Ismail was involved in 15 FIRs, the IGP said. The police officials said that the slain LeT commander Abu Ismail was wanted in a number of terror incidents including the July 10, 2017 killing of seven Amarnath pilgrims including six women and injuring 19 others in southern Anantnag district. It was the worst attack on the Amarnath Yatra since 2000. Read: J&K: 7 Amarnath Yatra pilgrims dead, 19 injured as terrorists open fire The police said that the security forces launched an operation in Nowgams Aarigam area on Thursday afternoon on learning about the presence of militants. They claimed that the militants opened fire at them as they moved in a particular quarter of the village and that in the ensuing brief gun battle Abu Ismail and his accomplice were killed. Jammu and Kashmirs Director General of Police, Shesh Paul Vaid, confirmed Abu Ismails killing. He tweeted, Main accused of Amarnath yatra attack Abu Ismail & his associate Abu Kasim eliminated today in Nowgam. Keet it up my @JmuKmrPolice boys. Main accused of Amarnath Yatra attack Abu Ismail & his associate Abu Kasim eliminated today in Nowgam. Keep it up my @JmuKmrPolice boys! Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) September 14, 2017 His counterpart in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar said, "This is a huge achievement. The terrorist was responsible for the attack on Amarnath Yatra. The CRPF along with the Jammu and Kashmir polices counterinsurgency Special Operations Group (SOG) and the Armys Rashtriya Rifles were part of the operation. Mobile Internet services in Srinagar have been blocked following the killing of the LeT commander as a precautionary measure to prevent a law and order situation arising. Earlier two suspected over-ground workers of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit were arrested by the police in frontier Kupwara district. The duo was taken into custody from Kupwaras Handwara area separately and the police claimed recovering a hand grenade from them. They have been identified as Waheed Ahmed Bhat who was arrested during routine checking at a makeshift checkpoint and Muhammad Shafi Mir from that in Qalamabad village. Chennai: Perturbed over government teachers taking part in the protest along with other state government employees, demanding implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations, the Madras high court observed that such strikes by government teachers were also a primary reason for government school students securing low marks in Neet. Justice N. Kirubakaran directed authorities to file a report on the steps taken to prevent the protest. A writ petition alleged that Kalidas, headmaster working in the Panchayat Union Middle School, Siruveliyanallur, Cheyyar, was absent continuously for more than three months. He was often drunk in school, which compelled villagers to lock the school. He was placed under suspension from March 24, 2017, and a charge-sheet issued in August. The petitioner also alleged that other government schools were also facing a similar situation as the teachers did not attend school and did not teach properly. The judge said, This is only the tip of the iceberg. Though, many government school teachers are working in this fashion, this court would like to observe that equally committed, devoted, hardworking and sincere teachers are also working in government schools and their contribution needs to be appreciated. The judge was concerned that some teachers were boycotting work from this month and required the following information from the authorities concerned. The judge sought answers from authourities to 11 questions: How many teachers unions/associations are striking without attending classes? How many teachers are abstaining from work? How many teachers work in government schools in the state? What is the population ratio of teachers in Tamil Nadu? What are the salary details of teachers from the lowest to the highest level? How much is spent from the public exchequer to pay salaries to teachers and what percentage does this constitute of the total annual budget of government? What is the percentage of people living below the poverty line and what is their average monthly/annual income? Are government teachers paid less than private school teachers or vice versa? How many schools are affected due to the strike? What steps were taken by government to prevent teachers from boycotting work? The matter was posted for further hearing to Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, who arrived in Ahmedabad on Wednesday on a two-day visit. (Photo: AP) Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe inaugurated Indias first bullet train on Thursday, with both leader saluting the fast growing ties between Asias two biggest democracies. The 508-km high speed link -- officially, the Ahmedabad-Mumbai High Speed Rail Network -- is built at a project cost of Rs 1.1 lakh crore and is scheduled for completion in December, 2023. Speaking first, Shinzo Abe hailed this new high in India-Japan ties, emphasising this "special bond" between the two countries. "The Indo-Japan relationship is not just about bilateral trade. It has developed into a strategic and global partnership in the Indian-Pacific region," Abe said. Abe hoped this first bullet train in India, popularly known as the Shinkansen in his country, would soon spread to encompass other parts of the country. India's first bullet train is being built with a Japanese soft loan which India will pay back in the next 50 years at 0.1 per cent interest. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this was not a loan, but a gift. "We are building India's first bullet train practically free," he said. "I hope to enjoy the beauty of India through the windows of the bullet train with Modi on my side when I come to India in a few years," Abe told a ceremony in Ahmedabad to much applause. He said the first letters of his country, J, and that of India, I, together make up the word 'Jai' or victory. "Jai India, Jai Japan," Abe iterated as he ended his speech with a 'dhanyavad'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Abe his "close friend" and said the dreams and ambitions of this 'new India' is limitless. "India has taken a big leap today to fulfill a long-held dream. Fast trains, top technology will bring us top growth, employment and progress," he said. "Japan too has shown today what a great friend it is to India. India's first bullet train project is a symbol of this friendship. Abe has ensured this project sticks to time." "This is not the time to progress at low speed. The speed of this country's progress now depends on the high-speed connectivity of its transport," Modi said, listing the many road and rail projects his government has initiated. Modi also berated the Opposition for doubting the project. "They first asked why bullet train, then said when bullet train," he said. Abe, who is on a two-day visit to Gujarat, arrived in Ahmedabad with his wife Akie on Wednesday. The bullet train, which has a capacity to accommodate 750 people, is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities from seven to three hours. The target for its completion is December 2023, though officials say there are indications that the government may seek an earlier deadline of 2022. The train will stop at each of the 12 railway stations on the route, but only for 165 seconds. A 21-km-long tunnel will be dug between Boisar and BKC in Mumbai, of which 7 km will be under water. The two prime ministers also laid the foundation for an institute that will come up in Vadodara where nearly 4,000 people will be skilled for the bullet train project. Venue of Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail inauguration in Ahmedabad bullet train. (Photo: ANI/Twitter) The entire line will be at an elevation of around 20 m which will reduce land acquisition. After the laying of the foundation stone, an investment summit will also be held between the Indian side and a Japanese delegation comprising representatives from Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Later on Thursday, Modi and Abe will hold annual Indo-Japan summit. Boosting cooperation in defence and security is likely to be a major focus area when they hold the summit. A media report said Japan was likely to take up the sale of ShinMaywa US-2 amphibious aircraft that India has been interested in for several years. The aircraft is expected to boost India's maritime capabilities. Also read: With China in mind, Modi, Abe to delve on boosting defence ties On Wednesday, Modi, Abe and Akie set-off on an 8-km road show in an open-roof jeep for the Sabarmati Ashram where apostle of peace Mahatma Gandhi spent considerable time of his life. Abe, who was in a formal suit when he arrived at the Ahmedabad airport, wore kurta-pyjama and a blue Nehru jacket, while his wife donned red salwar-kameez and a white stole to Sabarmati Ashram. At the Sabarmati Ashram set up by Mahatma Gandhi, Abe and his wife paid homage to the Father of the Nation. The road show, designed to showcase India's cultural diversity, saw artistes from several states performing on 28 stages erected by the roadside. It was for the first time that Modi held a joint road show with a visiting head of government of a foreign country, reflecting the close bonding he shares with Abe. They later visited the iconic Sidi Saiyyed Mosque and had dinner at 'Agashiye' restaurant located near the mosque. On Tuesday afternoon, the girl came back from the school and started vomiting. She also showed signs of tiredness following which her mother tried to know from her if anything had happened at the school or anyone had done anything to her. The girl replied to her mother stating, Watchmen uncle beat her up and pulled her pant in the bathroom. (Representational image) Bengaluru: In what could underscore the importance of CCTV cameras, the sexual assault on the four-year-old girl allegedly by the security guard of the school, complaint of which was filed at the Bagalagunte police station on Tuesday, was proved to be false. After spending hours examining the CCTV footage from the cameras installed at the school, the police concluded that no sexual assault took place at the school and cleared the security guards of charges. Since the complaint was lodged by the girls parents, the police detained five security guards from the school for questioning as it was not clear which security guard had committed the act. Meanwhile, DCP (North) Chethan Singh Rathor and other police staff started examining the CCTV footage from the school. Right from time the girl entered the school to the time she stepped out, we closely monitored her movements. Nowhere anyone is seen contacting her. The girl's statement does not match with the CCTV footage, Mr Rathor said. The CCTV footage was also shown to the girls parents, who were convinced that no sexual assault had occurred on their child. The police also showed the footage to more than 100 parents of children studying at the school who after the incident had launched a protest against the school management. On Tuesday afternoon, the girl came back from the school and started vomiting. She also showed signs of tiredness following which her mother tried to know from her if anything had happened at the school or anyone had done anything to her. The girl replied to her mother stating, Watchmen uncle beat her up and pulled her pant in the bathroom. The worried mother took her to a private clinic and narrated the incident to the doctor. The doctor advised her to take her to MS Ramaiah Hospital. The doctors at Ramaiah Hospital conducted a physical check-up of the girl, but could find any signs of sexual assault as claimed by the girls parents following which the doctors asked them to approach the police. She was playful at the school before she ate her lunch. About 15 minutes later, she is seen resting her head on the table. An hour later, she starts to vomit may be because of food poisoning, DCP Chethan said. Why did the girl accuse security guard? Following the sexual assault and murder of a seven-year-old boy at Ryan International School in Gurugram, the girls mother was educating her about good touch and bad touch and had also asked her to resist any man touching her. As the girl was watching the Gurugram incident, her mother had also told her how a security guard had committed the act. The incident was deep rooted in her mind. When on Tuesday her mother saw her vomiting and tired and asked if anyone had done anything to her, the child accused the security guard of pulling her pants as was done in the Gurugram incident. Madurai: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami submitted before the Court that the government is being run in accordance with Constitution and not on the advice of V K Sasikala. The CM was making his submission in his counter to the petition filed by T Analagan, son of former AIADMK MLA late R Thamarai Kani before the Madurai Bench of the Madras HC. The petition had sought the CM's disqualification for not raising an objection to his 4 cabinet ministers visiting Sasikala, who was convicted in DA case, in Bengaluru jail. Gowri Shankars statement is utter falsehood,says CM Palaniswami admitted that the ministers had met Sasikala in the jail, but denied the allegation levelled by the petitioner that the four ministers - Dindigul Srinivasan, KA Sengottaiyan, R Kamaraj and Sellur K Raju - had made a public statement that they had discussed about the functioning of the state government with Sasikala in jail. Challenging the petitioner to prove it, Palaniswami, in his submission before the division bench said that Analagan who also belongs to AIADMK, was taking undue advantage of the present situation prevailing in the party. The four ministers in their counters filed in the court said that they knew Sasikala for the past 25 years, and they went to enquire only about her well being. The meeting with her was only for 15 minutes and there was no discussion about the functioning of government, said K.A. Sengottaiyan, in his counter. On the petitioner's contention that the CM had ratified a similar statement made by the party spokesperson Gowri Shankar on a private television channel, Palaniswami said that it might be his personal opinion, and not the official view of the party. "If at all any statement had been made by the said Gowri Shankar, those statements are not at all correct and those allegations are denied as an utter falsehood," said the CM. On petitioner's allegation he and the four ministers breached the oath of secrecy which amounts to disqualification, Palaniswami said, "In view of the exhaustive definition of the word disqualification, both in Representation of People Act as well in X schedule of the Constitution, a Breach of Oath of Secrecy has not been mentioned as one of the disqualifications, and the petitioner has not made a case that a Breach of Oath will amount to disqualification within meaning of article 191 of Constitution of India,". The court disposed the writ petition. To utilise its share of water, AP has proposed constructing a barrage near Neradi and agreed to provide cost of the protection walls and related structures to the Odisha government. (Representational image) Hyderabad: In a major boost to Andhra Pradesh, the Vamsadhara Water Disputes Tribunal on Wednesday allowed the construction of the Neradi barrage across the river on the AP-Odisha border. Odisha had been objecting to the project for 55 years. The tribunal in its final order cleared the sharing of 115 tmc ft yield at Gotta barrage in Hiramandalam mandal of Srikakulam district between AP and Odisha 50:50, as per the agreement reached between the states in September 30, 1962. To utilise its share of water, AP has proposed constructing a barrage near Neradi and agreed to provide cost of the protection walls and related structures to the Odisha government. Odisha did not agree, and lodged a complaint with the Centre, which set up the tribunal. It may be mentioned here that soon after coming to power, then Chief Minister N.T. Rama Rao met his Odisha counterpart Biju Patnaik in presence of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to allow acquisition of 106 acre in Odisha to build the barrage. Rama Rao told the Assembly that Rajiv Gandhi had told him, it will be done. After the Odisha government objected to sharing the Vamsadhara waters and allowing construction of the Neradi barrage, the two states held several rounds of bilateral talks. Wednesdays order of the Vamsadhara Water Disputes Tribunal will be operationalised on the date of publication of the verdict in the Official Gazette under Section 6 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act of 1956. Water from the barrage is estimated to irrigate one lakh acres and the project will benefit several mandals in Srikakulam district. It will also stabilise the Vamsadhara Stage 1 and 2 command area under the Gotta barrage. Kochi: Mr Alphons Kannanthanam, Union Minister of State for Tourism and IT, has justified the high price for petroleum products as a necessary evil for the development of the country. Those who can afford to buy a vehicle should also be prepared to foot the fuel bill, he said. The money received from the high fuel cost is required for development and someone has to bear the cost, he added. Money is needed for the infrastructure development projects such as roads and even public toilets. There is nothing wrong if those filling fuel in their vehicles pay a higher amount that goes for such requirements, he told reporters at the Ernakulam Press Club on Thursday. He also stated that the high price for petroleum products has not caused any price rise in the country. Referring to the tourism sector, he said there was lack of basic infrastructure. The focus will be to develop infrastructure such as toilets. Even places such as Munnar lack basic facilities. Stressing the importance of the private sector, he said running commercial establishments is not the function of the government. So there will not be any change in the decision to sell 13 hotels under the Indian Tourism Development Corporation. There was huge potential for the growth of tourism in the country as now there is a low level of foreign tourist arrivals. The average foreign tourist flow to the country is less than one million while in places like Paris the number is around 20-22 million, he added. The minister downplayed his remarks about beef and said that it should be considered as a joke. I was talking in a jovial manner in Odisha and some people gave it an unnecessary twist. I was only saying that foreigners can taste good beef in their own countries and need not come to India for that, he added. Several social and religious organisations in the city on Friday took out protest rallies against the genocide of the Rohingyas in Myanmar. New Delhi: Under fire from the UN on its policy towards the Rohingya Muslims, India on Thursday launched Operation Insaniyat (humanity), an helping hand to eastern neighbour Bangladesh to tackle the crisis facing that country on account of the influx of Rohingya Muslims into the country from Myanmar. Describing the exercise as Operation Insaniyat Humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh on account of influx of refugees, the MEA said, In response to the humanitarian crisis, Government of India has decided to extend assistance to Bangladesh. The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets etc. The relief material will be delivered in multiple consignments, the first tranche of which will be brought to Chittagong on September 14. Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah evidently pulled up water resources minister M B Patil and advised him to tread with caution on the controversial issue of a separate religion tag for Lingayats two days after centenarian Dr Shivakumar Swamiji of Siddaganga Math countered the minister's claim that he had supported the demand for such a status. Official sources said Mr Siddaramaiah resorted to damage control measures soon after conclusion of the cabinet meeting on Wednesday and discussed the impact of moves of Mr Patil with the minister. The Chief Minister felt that Mr Patil's statement on Siddaganga seer might not go down well with people of the numerically significant community and other people who respect him across the state. So, Mr Siddaramaiah reportedly gave a pep talk to Mr Patil and another minister, Ishwar Khandre, for sabre rattling on the issue. While Mr Patil was backing the demand for separate religion status, Mr Khandre adopted a stand similar to that of Akhila Bharat Veerashaiva Mahasabha that Veerashaivas and Lingayats were just two different terms and therefore opposed the demand besides seeking a clarification from Siddaganga seer on whether he expressed his support when Mr Patil called on him on Sunday. Meanwhile, Mr Patil issued a statement claiming that the Lingayat religion issue was not discussed in the cabinet meeting on Wednesday. He issued the statement on Wednesday evening saying news appearing in a section of the media was far from truth. "There was no discussion on Lingayat religion issue in the cabinet, nor did the Chief Minister give any directions to me," he added. Hyderabad: The sudden transfers of the superintendents of police of Nalgonda and Suryapet districts are being attributed, among other things, to a series of complaints made by leaders and workers from the ruling party. The transfers come in the backdrop of a possible by-election of the Nalgonda Lok Sabha constituency following the defection of Congress MP Gutta Sukhender Reddy to the TRS. The seat covers Nalgonda and Suryapet districts. TRS workers from Nalgonda have complained against SP Prakash Reddy, who has been pro-active in registering cases against ruling party leaders. It may be recalled that Mr Reddy booked TRS leaders in cases that connected them with the slain underworld don Nayeemuddin and detained them under the Preventive Detention Act. Meanwhile, intelligence officials are reported to have also told the government that the district police administration had failed in preventing a clash between TRS and Congress workers during the laying of the foundation stone for a Smarket in Nalgonda where Minister T. Harish Rao was the chief guest. Additionally, TRS workers are said to be dissatisfied with the handling of a road accident case pertaining to a ministers convoy near Kattangur on the Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway. Also, during the immersion of Ganesh idols last week, Mr Reddy had directed officials to remove all flexi-banners including those of local TRS leaders. Sources said the party high command might have considered party workes concerns in the event of a by-election becoming necessary. The SP was on leave for 15 days from Wednesday when he got transfer orders, which indicates that this was a sudden decision. The government likes to work with officials who obey them, especially during the elections, a source said. Similarly, TRS workers at Suryapet are said to be unhappy with the work of SP Parimala Hana Nutan and DSP Sunitha Mohan, which led to their transfers. While Mr Prakash Reddy served in Nalgonda for 15 months and 12 days from June 1, 2016, Ms Parimala took charge as SP on October 9, 2016, immediately after the district was formed and served for 11 months. Mr Reddy is credited with certain reforms in remote areas with his Amma Nannu Ammake (Oh mother, dont sell me) scheme and medical assistance to people who were fluoride affected under his Jana Mytri programme. Ms Parimala introduced Finger Print Identification Network System in Suryapet. The government transferred Additional SP (non-cadre) D.V. Srinivas as Nalgonda SP and officer on special duty and non-cadre SP Prakash Jadav to Suryapet. Although the Congress Party is a pale shadow of its old self and the wise ones say it would not have come to this were it not for the dynastic inclinations of the current Congress leadership it is amusing that the BJP has tumbled on Rahul Gandhi like a ton of bricks for his address at the University of California at Berkeley, though the ruling party routinely dismisses him as being soft in the head. The government fielded I&B minister Smriti Irani to take the Congress vice-president apart, point by point as it were, after the news broke on Tuesday. Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also offered acid comments. But what stood out was the rebuke BJP president Amit Shah reserved for Mr Gandhi. It is noteworthy, though, that none of them alluded to the substantive points made by the Congress leader on the Narendra Modi governments performance and the state of the nation, on the PMs personal style, and on the spread of hatred and anger fuelled by Hindutva elements under the present government. With the aid of obliging sections of the media, what they did try to suggest instead was that Mr Gandhi was seeking to insult India and criticise opponents when abroad, and that he was a votary of dynastic politics. The first doesnt wash since the present Prime Minister, times without number, has hit out at his political rivals when abroad. So, it was the dynasty thing that came in for repetition and manipulation. Mr Gandhi did appear to say (in the footage shown on TV), half jokingly, that questioners shouldnt target him for being a dynast as practically every party in India was full of them, although the Congress was trying to do something about the problem. This can hardly qualify as an endorsement of dynastic politics. No leader in India comes even close to Mr Gandhi when it comes to candid self-examination. This is a positive trait although this wont qualify him as a so-called hard-headed politician (like Mr Modi and Mr Shah). At Berkeley, he offered glimpses of his fathers famous power brokers speech in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1985 at the Congress centennial, when the then PM had criticised his own party. The younger Gandhi too candidly said the vision of the Congress set out in 2004 (UPA-1) had petered out by 2010-11, and by around 2012 his party exhibited arrogance. Rahul Gandhis big failing is that he doesnt say what the Congress had done under him to overcome these shortcomings, and take meaningful steps to fix his party. Does Rahul exculpate himself from wrongdoing in this regard? For all his shortcomings, the BJP appears wary of the Congress as, across India, this party alone offers an alternative narrative to Hindutva. The lies, facts unfurled by PM had to be exposed: S.V. Ramani The problem faced by the BJP is that it finds it difficult to differentiate between India as our motherland and the NDA government at the Centre. With little or no bandwidth to understand this fine distinction between the government and motherland, it has heaped allegations and insults against Congress vice-president led by Cabinet ministers and senior leaders of the BJP. It shows us the mindset of the BJP that the facts brought out by Rahul Gandhi in his speech at University of California are being construed as an insult. Rather, the speech has the imprint of a mature political leader with outstanding grasp of current issues and a vision for the future. Mr Gandhi has echoed concerns expressed by leading experts on Indias inability in handling serious issues. Declining economic growth, ill-conceived demonetisation, inability of the government to create jobs, inefficient GST implementation, apathy to farming distress, politics of polarisation, growing culture of hatred and violence these are issues being discussed every day in the world media and also by Indians. Mr Gandhi has only reiterated in a few words what the world is already aware of. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his foreign visits, has underplayed the achievements of past Indian governments. His claim that the developments of the past 65 years have been achieved after he assumed power in 2014 is laughable. He had called Indians corrupt. He has declared that before him India could not earn the recognition and respect of the world as nothing worth mentioning was achieved. Mr Gandhi put things in their true perspective and set the record straight on the twisting of historical truths, and unfair and unethical belittling of previous governments. He reminded the global fraternity misled by the consummate oratory and harsh rhetoric of Mr Modi, of the visionary leadership provided by Jawaharlal Nehru to Indias long march to growth and development since Independence after overcoming the colonial legacy of economy under development, near total illiteracy, gross poverty, stark social inequality and injustice. He has spoken regarding the farsighted leadership provided by Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, who despite facing multiple challenges brought the country out of poverty and laid the foundations of a modern nation state. Can one deny the contribution of Rajiv Gandhi in Indias achieving overall technological leadership and creating human resources with no equal anywhere in the world? Mr Rahul Gandhi has every reason to feel proud of the commitment of the Congress leadership in creating and upholding the sanctity of the various institutions intact. Can he be blamed for expressing his agony and torment in seeing these institutions built with blood and sweat, being systematically undermined? His speech expresses the anguish of a nationalist and a patriot who does not want to see the good work carried out by his forefathers in developing India brick by brick into one of the mightiest nations today, and for which two of them sacrificed their lives, being undone. It is the inner angst of a statesman who loves his motherland immensely and who is terrified of the future history of this country being written as an opportunity lost. The writer is secretary of the AICC communications department. Rahul has painted a dark picture of our nation: Rakesh Sinha The 1962 war was a disaster for India when the nation saw humiliating defeat and the loss of territories, prestige and the lives of hundreds of soldiers. There had been intense debate over the failure of Jawaharlal Nehrus policies, perspectives and hypothetical optimism in international politics. After the India-China war, Jana Sangh leader Deendayal Upadhyay went abroad and questions were put to him regarding Indias foreign policy, etc, when he defended the nation and responded as a statesman. The healthy tradition of not engaging foreigners in our domestic affairs has been shattered with Rahul Gandhis address to students at the University of California, where he presented a dark picture of the nation, of the democratically-elected government and of civil society. In politics, the time, context and place are important to judge any statement. Had the same speech critical of the Narendra Modi government been made by an Opposition leader in Parliament or anywhere within the country, it would have seemed entirely natural. But he chose to speak on foreign soil, to a largely foreign audience, criticising Mr Modi, Indias foreign policy and on other issues, including demonetisation and democracy. This was against all conventions, but unsurprisingly he got applauded by the professional Modi critics and RSS baiters. The degradation of the democratic discourse in India can also be seen in the kind of language being used by leaders and intellectuals. In the past too, the expanding influence of the RSS-BJP had led the Left and pseudo-secular intellectuals and political actors to solicit the international communitys support to combat them. Teesta Setalvad joined hands with Pakistani delegates at one of the UN forums to stall the VHPs demand for NGO status in 2001. Seventy intellectuals and parliamentarians wrote to former US President Barack Obama to refuse a visa to Mr Narendra Modi, alleging he was the kingpin of the 2002 genocide. But all these efforts were inconspi-cuous due to the known allegiances of such people through NGOs and foreign links, based on ideology, common thinking and anti-India baiting. At no time, though, had a leader of national stature done so. Rahul Gandhi has not only legitimised anti-India baiting but also formalised the anti-Modi league of domestic and foreign elements and globalised anti-Modism. Even Jawaharlal Nehru had never named his political adversaries and used linguistic diplomacy to make his point while speaking abroad. Mr Gandhi proudly proclaimed his dynastic lineage and declaimed Indias ideals of democracy by using the analogy of artists, doctors and minor politicians sons and siblings appropriating their parents legacies. This was bad logic and worse philosophy. India has always been a home of democracy. We celebrate republics of ancient India. The Nehru-Gandhi dynasty was not a natural outcome of our society, but systematically imposed on the Congress, and become a hazard for it. Our ideals or perspective havent changed. Mr Gandhi has painted a dark picture of our democracy, and this wont be easily forgiven by Indians. The writer is associate professor, University of Delhi, and director of the India Policy Foundation. In the pre-Islamic society of Arabia, lineage mattered a great deal and defines ones social status and privileges. Islam changed that as the Quran affirms that the only rank that mattered was ones relationship with God. Sufi masters say that boastfulness, arrogance and pride are chronic diseases of the heart. According to the Islamic tradition, it was arrogance that caused Satan to be cast in hell. When God commanded him to bow to Adam, he refused saying: I am better than he, for thou has created me from fire and him of clay. The Sufis teach that if you are aware of your humility, then you are among the arrogant ones. In the pre-Islamic society of Arabia, lineage mattered a great deal and defines ones social status and privileges. Islam changed that as the Quran affirms that the only rank that mattered was ones relationship with God, Indeed the most honourable of you in the sight of God is the most God fearing of you, surely God is all knowing and all aware. One is required to be humble before God, for then one can recognise the vast mercy bestowed upon us by him. Effective ways of keeping tendencies of arrogance in check is to remember that we come from God and will ultimately return to him. There are various kinds of arrogance: the first type is when a person thinks himself superior to others. The second kind is when a person shows contempt for others. The third form is when one believes that he is born of superior lineage. Other forms of arrogance can be due to ones beauty, wealth, strength, power or knowledge. Search engine giant Google has rolled out offline support for seven Indian languages to its Translate app Search engine giant Google has rolled out offline support for seven Indian languages to its Translate app, enabling visual translation of road signs from English to regional languages as well. The company has added support for Bengali, Kannada, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Gujrati and Telugu. The support for Hindi language is already present. "In an effort to bring down language barriers, Google today announced several updates to its Translate App. Google Translate has also added support for conversation mode in regional languages including Bengali and Tamil," the US-based firm told in a statement to new agency PTI. In order to use translations on offline mode, users will need to download the specific language pack available on the Translate app, which could be done when connected to the internet. In the recent updates, Google has also included instant visual translation. This means, using the Translate app, people will be able to translate text like road signs or restaurants menu written in English via a phones camera. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. HMD Globals Nokia is doing extremely well in the Indian market with its three smartphones on offer. The Nokia 3 is already finding buyers with its affordable price tag and a good build despite average specifications. However, it seems that Nokia isnt done yet for this year as leaks have suggested a Nokia 2 budget smartphone. And it is bound to strike the budget segment with a feature that matters the most in India. Popular tipster Roland Quandt has leaked out FCC certifications of the most affordable modern Nokia smartphone and the list shows a massive 4000mAh battery under the hood. This is one of the biggest battery capacities on modern Nokias smartphone lineup and should give the humble Nokia 2 a chance to stand against the like of Xiaomis Redmi 4 and Motos E4 as the Nokia 2 is tipped to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 chipset along with 1GB RAM. Judging by the leaks, the Nokia 2 isnt supposed to be a phone for absolute performance. However, a completely stock Android interface should let it fare well in real-world conditions like its big brothers. HMD Global could be aiming to make the Nokia 2 the Nokia 3310 of smartphones basic smartphone functions that don't require frequent charging. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. North Korea said its last test of an intercontinental ballistic missile in late August was a perfect and big success with both re-entry and warhead control capabilities showing no fault. (Photo: AP) Washington: After the reports that North Koreas latest 6th nuclear test could create destruction of 250 kilotons, the satellite image showed before and after pictures of Mount Mantap, under which tests takes place. According to a Washington Post report, North Korea, which claimed it nuclear test is of Hydrogen bomb, was powerful enough to sink the 85-acre mountain area under which the nuclear was detonated. The before and after satellite pictures taken by Airbus Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) of Mount Mantap showed the significant changes on the mountain, the report said quoting website Arms Control Wonk. It showed significant changes at Mount Mantaps peak elevation. Prior to the test, Mount Mantap was 2,205 meters high; the mountain has since diminished in height, wrote Jeffrey Lewis, head of the East Asia programme at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. You can see that the explosion visibly displaces the mountain, which demonstrates both how large the explosion was but also that it occurred in the same tunnel complex as the preceding four nuclear tests, said Lewis on the Arms Control Wonk website. Our friends at @AirbusDefence shared radar images of North Korea's nuclear test site showing post-test subsidence.https://t.co/DtWBQY2jUN pic.twitter.com/jII5NNJzKs Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) September 13, 2017 The 38 North website in the US, which keeps satellite watch on North Korea, raised its estimate for the yield from the explosion to around 250 kilotons -- more than 16 times the size of the device that devastated Hiroshima in 1945. Similarly, US monitor, which also keeps a tab on Pynogyang activities, said the recent nuclear test caused 6.3-magnitude earthquake in North Korea, the tremors of which were also felt in China and Russia, possibly due to a rock cave-in. The recent nuclear test was the sixth and most powerful test North Korea has conducted since its first in 2006, demonstrating a stunning advance in the countrys ability to build high-yield nuclear weapons. There are in total four tunnel openings into four mountains at their Punggye-ri test site. Of the four, the first tunnel was abandoned after using it once, possibly due gas leakage. Officials too realised the geology was not favourable. However, after facing the problem with first tunnel, the North authorities shifted to the second mountain: Mount Mantap for rest of the five nuclear tests, including the latest one in September. The satellite images are additional proof that the September 2017 explosion was much larger than ever before at this site, Melissa Hanham, a researcher at the Center for Nonproliferation, was quoted as saying by the Post. She added that the images from the Norths nuclear test in 2016 did not show substantial change on the mountains surface. Meanwhile on Thursday, a North Korean organisation demanded that the United States be "beaten to death" like a "rabid dog" for spearheading fresh UN sanctions on Pyongyang over its latest nuclear test, adding ally Japan should be "sunken into the sea". Washington: A top Indian-American Congressman has said that American lawmakers should make sure that the H-1B visa programme, popular among Indian techies, is not abused to undercut the US job market and attract the best and the brightest into the country. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. H-1B visa is the most sought after by Indian IT professionals. "There are people who are now leading huge tech companies that started out on H-1B visas. They are creating jobs and they're creating innovation. We want to make sure that talent is coming to the US, because we know that most H-1B visas when you look at those studies are job creators. They are not job takers," said Congressman Ro Khanna who represents the Silicon Valley in the House of Representatives. "But we want to make sure that it's being done with proper compensation. That they are not being underpaid that they're not that they're being paid a wage that is the prevailing wage," he said. He was speaking at an event organised by the South Asia Centre of Atlantic Council, a top American think-tank. There are several legislative proposals pending in the US Congress - both in the House of Representatives and the Senate - in this regard, with Khanna himself being author of one of them. "But the gist of it is we want to make sure that folks are coming on and H1-B visa are paid a high wage so that it's not undercutting the American market and people are not mistaking H-1B visa holders as something that benefits corporations and putting downward pressure on American wages. That they're really looking at it is a programme that's going to help get the best and brightest into the United States to create jobs in the US," Khanna said. Responding to a question, Khanna said obviously it would be illegal to single out any company based on nationality or based on race or religion. "I certainly don't believe in doing that. So the question is just about having a wage floor," he said. "If it turns out that you know a lot of the tech companies Apple and Google and Facebook if you look at their filings their H-1B filings are paying about and USD 120,000- 130,000 on average. If other companies are doing that that's fine. Indian-Americans, he said, have extraordinary contributions in Silicon Valley. "I mean you've got people like Vinod Khosla, Sunder Pichai, at Google. I mean the list is endless in terms of individuals," he said. Asserting that immigration strengthens America's economic competitiveness, he also said the recent move of the US President Donald Trump on issues related to this has tried to undermine the conception of America. "I have always believed that our advantage is that we are a country that welcomes anyone to be American. That's not a Democratic idea that was Ronald Reagan's idea... This president in recent times has probably tried to undermine that conception of America more than any president certainly in my lifetime," Khanna said. Immigration, he said, obviously strengthens this country. "It strengthens it in terms of a lot of the innovation where I represent Silicon Valley. I think it would be hard pressed to argue that we would have Silicon Valley if it weren't for being a magnet for the best and brightest from around the world. It's one of the things that makes the value unique," he said. The toll has now reached 50 dead and 87 wounded, Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy health chief said. Nasiriyah, (Iraq): At least 50 people including Iranians were killed on Thursday in twin gun and car bomb attacks near the city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq, according to a new toll. "The toll has now reached 50 dead and 87 wounded," Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy health chief for the mainly Shiite province of Dhiqar of which Nasiriyah is the capital, told AFP. He warned that the death toll could rise as many of the wounded were in serious condition. A Rohingya man carrying his son and belongings walks through a broken road after crossing the Bangladeshi border at Shah Porir Deep, in Teknak, Bangladesh. (Photo: AP) Yangon: China endorses Myanmars offensive against Rohingya Muslim insurgents, Myanmar state media said on Thursday, as the UN secretary-general described the operation, forcing nearly 400,000 people to flee to Bangladesh, as ethnic cleansing. The Myanmar military offensive in the western state of Rakhine was triggered by a series of guerrilla attacks on Aug. 25 on security posts and an army camp in which about a dozen people were killed. The stance of China regarding the terrorist attacks in Rakhine is clear, it is just an internal affair, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper on Thursday quoted Chinas ambassador, Hong Liang, as telling top government officials. The counter-attacks of Myanmar security forces against extremist terrorists and the governments undertakings to provide assistance to the people are strongly welcomed. China competes with the United States for influence in Myanmar, which in 2011 began emerging from nearly 50 years of strict military rule and diplomatic and economic isolation. Earlier this week, the Trump administration called for protection of civilians. The violence in Rakhine and the exodus of refugees is the most pressing problem Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has faced since becoming national leader last year. Critics have called for her to be stripped of her Nobel prize for failing to do more to halt the strife. She is due to address the nation on Tuesday. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council on Wednesday urged Myanmar to end the violence, which he said was best described as ethnic cleansing. When one third of the Rohingya population had to flee the country, could you find a better word to describe it? he told a news conference in New York. The government says it is targeting terrorists, while refugees say the offensive aims to push Rohingya out of Buddhist-majority Myanmar. Numerous Rohingya villages in the north of Rakhine have been torched but authorities have denied that security forces or Buddhist civilians have been setting the fires. They blame the insurgents. The government said on Wednesday 45 places had been burned. It did not provide details but a spokesman said out of 471 villages in the north of Rakhine, 176 of them had been deserted and at least some people had left 34 others. The spokesman, Zaw Htay, said the people fleeing to Bangladesh were either linked to the insurgents, or women and children fleeing conflict. According to government figures, 432 people have been killed, most of them insurgents, since Aug. 25. Bangladesh authorities say at least 100 bodies have been found in a border river and on nearby beaches, some with wounds. Smoke was rising from at least two places on the Myanmar side on Thursday, a Reuters reporter in Bangladesh said. It was not clear what was burning. DE-ESCALATE The term came into use during the war in the former Yugoslavia and it has been used in UN resolutions. It has also been acknowledged in judgements and indictments of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, according to the UN Office on Genocide Prevention. A UN commission of experts defined it as rendering an area ethnically homogeneous by using force or intimidation to remove persons of given groups. The 15-member Security Council met behind closed doors on Wednesday, at the request of Sweden and Britain, to discuss the crisis for the second time since it began and agreed to publicly condemn the situation. The council expressed concern about reports of excessive violence during the security operations and called for immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, de-escalate the situation, re-establish law and order, ensure the protection of civilians ... and resolve the refugee problem. British UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said it was the first statement from the Security Council on Myanmar in nine years. Such statements have to be agreed by consensus and Russia and China have traditionally protected Myanmar from any action. Bangladesh says all the refugees will have to go home and has called for safe zones in Myanmar. But Myanmar says safe zones are unacceptable. Aid agencies have to step up operations massively to help the refugees, a UN official said on Wednesday, adding that an earlier UN target of $77 million would not be enough to deal with the crisis. There are acute shortages of everything, the UN childrens agency said There are also fears of a humanitarian crisis on the Myanmar side of the border. The government has accused some aid groups of helping the insurgents and has severely restricted access. The aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres said it had reports that its clinics in Rakhine had been burned down and it called for unfettered access to people in desperate need. The Doklam standoff between India and China had seen in the larger context. (File Photo) Beijing: Breaking the silence for the first time after both India and China resolved the standoff at Doklam, military strategist of China on Thursday said how a few citizens of China were in favour of war with neighbouring India. The strategist was explaining that war can be avoided, if things could be resolved through talks. Chinese military strategist Major-General of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Qiao Liang, in a Global Times editorial said, China and India are both neighbors and competitors, but not all competitors must be treated in the toughest way. This is for the first time that someone from Chinese government, also representing the PLA has softened the tone on the 70-day long border dispute between India and China at the Doklam plateau near Sikkim sector. Qiao Liang said in an op-ed that Many Chinese people, who paid attention to the China-India border standoff in the Doklam area is that they are unfamiliar with China's strategic positioning. Qiao further stating that the people, who rooted for war, If had a clear understanding of China's strategic positioning, they would know that the settlement of the Doklam standoff was one of the best results possible. Global Times, which is known for its strong criticism against India, for a change published positive op-ed qouting PLAs strategist. Many people would say that the road construction in China's territory was none of India's business. Is this belief right? It is reasonable to some extent because road construction in this area is not a matter of right and wrong, but we need to understand that it is not always right to do something right at any time. Only doing the right thing at the right time is correct, Qiao said in an article. Qiao said war is the last resort for any country to defend sovereignty of state, however, heading for a war just to show dominance is being irresponsible. He said in editorial that Only doing the right thing at the right time is correct as with this principle, one can understand that the Doklam confrontation was solved in the way it should have been. He said, Many people think that China has a powerful national strength, including a strong military power, thus only war can demonstrate China's power. Contradicting the above statement he added, When you understand China's strategic positioning and you cannot bring the entire world under your domination, you are willing to leave well enough alone. Being solider, Qiao said, For any country, the war is always an unfortunate thing, yet, each soldier wants to fight in the war once in his lifetime, which could honor his life, adding that Whenever there may be a way to solve a conflict without war, war should be avoided. In August, India and China cordially resolved the prolonged border dispute at Sikkim, which began with the Indias opposition to Chinas road construction in strategically important Doklam area. US President Trump last month announced new policy for Afghan and South Asia, during which he left the door open to an eventual political deal with the Taliban. Islamabad: Pakistan is "reassessing" ties with the US, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan has said and accused Washington of ignoring the "threats" to his country from India. Khan's remarks came amidst tension in ties between the US and Pakistan after President Donald Trump accused the country of providing safe havens to terrorists. Khan said on Wednesday that it was not possible for Pakistan to satisfy the US, Dawn reported. "We are here to give our point of view logically and with evidence. We will explain our position. But it's not for us to satisfy them," he told the media. The government, he said, was "reassessing ties with the US", and has simultaneously undertaken a regional outreach ahead of talks with Americans on future bilateral engagement. Khan said the two countries needed a frank and candid dialogue on the issues concerning them, as differences between them would reflect in Afghanistan and other regional issues. The defence minister expressed discontent that the US did not share Pakistan's threat perception about India. He also claimed that a nexus existed between the US, India and Afghanistan that was threatening Pakistan. "The US knows all, but ignores the threats faced by us because of its strategic interests." He said Pakistan would keep raising concerns about India in future engagements with the US. "The United States cannot ignore the threat to us from India. It is [a] serious [situation]," he underscored, adding that it would be major challenge for the Pakistani side to get it acknowledged in the upcoming talks. Khan said the other challenge for Pakistan was the fact that the US "keeps changing the goalposts". Pakistan, he said, would advise the US that intensifying kinetic operations (lethal or offensive combat missions) in Afghanistan would not work and the only way forward lay in a politically negotiated settlement of the conflict. Dawn reported that Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif would accompanying Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to the UN General Assembly session in New York next week and is expected to use the opportunity to visit Washington for a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Asif's meeting with Tillerson was originally scheduled for mid-August, but was postponed on Pakistan's request after Trump's policy statement on Afghanistan and South Asia. Asif is currently visiting several countries to garner support for Pakistan's point of view regarding Afghanistan. A Rohingya child kisses his mothers cheek as they rest after crossing over to Bangladesh (Photo: AP) Dhaka: India on Thursday sent 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh for Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar, who poured into this country following the ethnic violence in the neighbouring Buddhist-majority nation. The first consignment of India's assistance comes days after Dhaka briefed New Delhi about the problems faced by it due to the influx of these refugees. Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali had met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar last week and discussed the issue of Rohingyas in detail. "In response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh, Government of India has decided to extend assistance to Bangladesh," External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi said in a statement. The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets etc, it said. "Operation Insaniyat:High Commission handed over 1st consignment humanitarian assistance by India to Bangladesh," the mission tweeted. "1st consignment of #Indian humanitarian assistance of 53 MT for #Bangladeshi arrives under Operation #Insaniyat @SushmaSwaraj," it said. India will provide 7,000 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh. Bangladeshs Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader received the materials from Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla after an Indian aircraft carrying the assistance landed at southeastern port city of Chittagong. The mission said Quader likened the aid to India's assistance to Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War. Bangladesh, which is facing a big influx of Rohingyas from Myanmar, has called on the international community to intervene and put pressure on Myanmar to address the exodus. According to the UN estimates, over 379,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state into Bangladesh since August 25 when fresh wave of violence erupted. According to media reports, the violence began when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state. Rohingya residents - a stateless mostly Muslim minority in a Buddhist-majority nation - allege that the military and Rakhine Buddhists responded with a brutal campaign against them, according to the reports. Bangladesh had earlier said the new influx of Rohingya refugees is an unbearable additional burden on the country which has been hosting around 400,000 Myanmar nationals who had to leave their country in the past due to communal violence and repeated military operations. Islamabad: Pakistans former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his children were on Wednesday summoned by an anti- corruption court to appear before it on September 19 in a case linked to the familys company in the UK. They were summoned after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) last week filed four cases against Sharif, his family members and finance minister Ishaq Dar. The Islamabad-based accountability court on Wednesday ordered Sharif and his children -- Maryam, Hussain and Hassan -- to appear before it on September 19 in a case linked to the Sharif familys company, Flagship Investment Limited, in the UK. Earlier, the court had returned the cases due to several mistakes but the NAB moved swiftly to remove the errors and re-filed the cases against Sharif. Still the NAB has to fix mistakes in two cases and return them by Thursday. The cases are based on the July 28 judgment of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case. The court disqualified Sharif and ordered cases be registered against him and his family. Meanwhile, a five-judge larger bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday started hearing of the review petitions by Sharif and others against the judgment. Sharifs are unlikely to appear as they have already stated that they would not appear before the NAB courts until the decision by the apex court about the review petitions. A Rohingya child kisses his mothers cheek as they rest after crossing over to Bangladesh (Photo: AP) New Delhi/Dhaka: New Delhi has decided to send consignments of humanitarian assistance to Dhaka, in response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh. This development comes days after Bangladesh briefed India about the problems faced by it due to the influx of refugees from Myanmar following the ethnic violence in the Buddhist-majority nation. "The 'Operation Insaniyat' is launched to help Rohingya Muslim refugees in Dhaka, to provide relief material that will be delivered in multiple consignments. The first tranche will be brought to Chittagong by an Indian Air Force plane on September 14," a press statement read. "The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets etc," the statement added. The statement further read that India stands ready to provide any assistance required by Bangladesh in the hour of need. The United Nations refugee agency, the UNHCR, had said that at least 3,70,000 Rohingya refugees have fled from the violence-affected Myanmar's Northern Rakhine state and sought refuge in Bangladesh where the limited shelter capacity is already exhausted. The UN Security Council has expressed concern over violence in Myanmar's restive Rakhine state from where thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh, asking the government to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation and re-establish law and order. An estimated 380,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees have fled Myanmar and reached Bangladesh after a crackdown by Myanmarese security forces in response to an attack on a military outpost by Rohingya militants on August 25. Expressing concern over the situation, the UN Security Council called for immediate steps to end the violence, de- escalate the situation and re-establish law and order. In a statement, Security Council "expressed deep concern" about the situation in Rakhine State. Acknowledging the initial attacks on Myanmar security forces on August 25, the 15-membered body condemned the subsequent violence which has led to over 300,000 people being displaced. The members called for protection of civilians in Myanmar and restoration of normal socio-economic conditions. "This is the first time in nine years that the Security Council has agreed on this particular issue, on Myanmar," British Ambassador to the UN Matthew Rycroft told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York. "We were united in our concern about the situation, in the deterioration of the situation and we have heard graphically from the Secretary-General and Jeff Feltman who briefed us on the catastrophe that is befalling Rakhine State and Rohingya there," he said. Rycroft said the members agreed that there must be an end to the security operations and there must be full humanitarian access wherever it is needed. "And the Government of Myanmar has an important obligation in looking to the longer term in implementing the recommendations of the Annan Commission," he said. The Security Council also welcomed Bangladesh's efforts to provide assistance to refugees and welcomed UN and other international efforts to support Dhaka in this regard. Noting the commitments made by Myanmar to provide humanitarian assistance to all displaced individuals without discrimination, they called on the government to fulfil these commitments, facilitate humanitarian assistance to those in need in Rakhine State, and to ensure the protection and safety of humanitarian actors. They encouraged further dialogue and cooperation among states concerned. Agreeing on the importance of a long-term solution to the situation in Rakhine, members of the Security Council called for implementation of the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. "In that context, they welcomed as a first step the Government of Myanmar's establishment of the 'Ministerial Implementation Committee' for the Rakhine Advisory Commission. They confirmed that the international community stands ready to support the Government of Myanmar with its implementation," the statement said. Five months after Pehlu Khan (55), a dairy farmer was beaten to death by alleged cow vigilantes in Alwar, the names of six persons mentioned by Pehlu Khan himself before he died have been removed from the FIR by the Rajasthan police. In his statement to police, Khan had named Hukum Chand, Navin Sharma, Jagmal Yadav, Om Prakash, Sudheer and Rahul Saini among those who had attacked him. Police sources say there was no corroborative evidence to prove that the men were part of the group which had attacked Pehlu Khan. According to the police sources, the photos and videos of the incident the police accessed did not show these six persons at the spot and the GPS of their phone suggested that those six were at a distance. Alwar Superintendent of Police Rahul Prakash confirmed, "A reward of Rs 5,000 announced on each of the six accused was withdrawn as an investigation found them not guilty. We have withdrawn the reward against the six persons after an investigation by CB-CID into their role." In July, Rajasthan Police handed over the investigation of Pehlu Khan lynching case to the CB-CID wing. Owing to the criticism received from family members of Pehlu and social groups for alleged delay in the probe, the investigation was handed over to CBCID, considering the appeal from family members of Pehlu demanding a fair investigation. However, Khan's family and the Meo community were unhappy with the shifting of the case. Earlier also the investigation officer has been changed twice. Initially, after receiving the criticism for the delay, Alwar SP transferred the investigation of the case to Circle Officer Behror Parmal Singh instead of SHO Ramesh Chand in April. But again when the social activists targetted Rajasthan police for slow progress in the case, it was shifted to Additional SP Kotputli Ram Swaroop Sharma instead of DSP Behror Parmal Singh Gurjar. On April 1, a 55-year-old Pehlu Khan, hailing from Nuh in, a village at the border of Rajasthan and Haryana was attacked by a mob of cow vigilantes while transporting cattle procured from a weekly market in Jaipur to their village. Khan succumbed to his injuries in a hospital in Behror of Alwar district on April 3. Twenty-four people, mostly children, were killed today when a blaze tore through a Malaysian religious school, trapped in their dormitory by metal grilles on the windows. Pupils and teachers inside the Islamic study centre in downtown Kuala Lumpur screamed for help as helpless neighbours looked on. Many of the bodies of the victims -- who included 22 boys aged between 13 and 17 -- were found piled on top of one another, indicating there may have been a stampede as the students sought to escape the blaze which erupted before dawn. Firefighters rushed to the scene and the fire was out within an hour but it wreaked terrible devastation. Pictures in local media showed ash-covered, fire-blackened beds in the students' sleeping quarters. "The building was on fire as the (morning call to prayer) was sounding," Norhayati Abdul Halim, 46, who lives opposite the school, told AFP. "I could hear screaming, I thought there were people fighting. I opened the window to my house and I could see the school on fire -- they cried for help but I couldn't do anything." By the time firefighters arrived at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah religious school in the heart of the capital, "the screams had stopped", she added. Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said the children, who were boarders at the school, were "desperately trying to escape the flames" but metal security grilles covering the windows of their dormitory prevented them. Officials said they were unable to leave through the only door to the dormitory, as it was on fire. Khirudin Drahman, director of Kuala Lumpur's fire and rescue department, told AFP it was one of the country's worst fire tragedies in 20 years. Fire officials said they suspected the blaze was caused by an electrical short circuit, or a mosquito repelling device. Officials initially said 23 students and two teachers were killed in the blaze. Police later revised down the death toll to 22 students and two teachers. Six children were also in critical condition in hospital. Only a handful escaped unhurt. Minister Tengku Adnan said the school did not have the required licences to operate from local authorities, a development sure to renew attention on the country's Islamic schools, called tahfiz, where Muslim Malays send their children to study the Koran. The schools, which operate under the purview of religious authorities rather than the education department, have faced mounting criticism in recent years as many operate illegally and are seen as unsafe. They have been under heightened scrutiny since an 11- year-old boy died after allegedly being beaten last year at one of the institutions in the southern state of Johor. Local media reported that the fire and rescue department had recently raised concerns about fire safety measures at unregistered and private tahfiz, and had recorded 211 fires at the institutions since 2015. The latest tragedy was "the consequence of the absence of enforcement, and the failure to abide by rules and regulations by the operators of the religious school", said Chandra Muzaffar, a political scientist who promotes Islamic reform. Religious schools are not "above the law. One should close down schools which do not abide by the rules", he added. More than 60 percent of Malaysia's population of about 30 million are Muslim, and the country is also home to substantial ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities. While major fires are rare in Malaysia, they do occur occasionally.In October last year, six people died in a blaze that swept through the intensive care unit of a major hospital in Johor. US President Donald Trump has blocked the proposed USD 1.3 billion acquisition of an American semiconductor company to a Chinese government- financed firm, citing national security concerns, the White House has said. A federal panel that reviews foreign investment in the US for possible security threats ruled against the proposed USD 1.3 billion purchase last week of Lattice Semiconductor, a Portland, Oregon-based company. In his executive order, Trump said that Lattice and Canyon Bridge "shall take all steps necessary to fully and permanently abandon the proposed transaction", within 30 days. "Credible evidence leads me to believe" the buyers of Lattice "might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States". Lattice is a publicly traded company headquartered in Oregon that manufactures semiconductors for the consumer, communications, and industrial markets. Trump made the decision under Defence Production Act which authorises him to suspend or prohibit certain acquisitions that result in foreign control of an American business, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said said. Trump reached on this decision after considering several factors and a review of a recommendation from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US. "The national-security risk posed by the transaction relates to, among other things, the potential transfer of intellectual property to the foreign acquirer, the Chinese government's role in supporting this transaction, the importance of semiconductor supply chain integrity to the US government, and the use of Lattice products by the US government," Sanders said. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin welcomed Trump's decision. He is also the chairman of Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). "CFIUS and the President assess that the transaction poses a risk to the national security of the US that cannot be resolved through mitigation," Mnuchin said. "The national security risk posed by the transaction relates to, among other things, the potential transfer of intellectual property to the foreign acquirer, the Chinese government's role in supporting this transaction, the importance of semiconductor supply chain integrity to the US government, and the use of Lattice products by the US government," Mnuchin said. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday called for strict enforcement of a U.N. resolution against North Korea over its latest nuclear test, saying the world must force a change in Pyongyang's policies. Abe made the remarks during a visit to India aimed at deepening economic and defences ties to balance the weight of a rising China. New Delhi stood with Tokyo in its resolve for a firm response to Pyongyang, he said. "I'd like to appeal to the world, together with Prime Minister Modi, that we need to have North Korea change its policy through the thorough implementation of the newly adopted Security Council resolution by the international community." "Prime Minister Modi and I are in full agreement on this," he said. The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously on a U.S.-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions against North Korea on Monday in response to its latest and most powerful test, banning North Korea's textile exports that are the second largest only to coal and mineral, and capping fuel supplies. A senior jail official was booked after he allegedly tried to bribe an Uttar Pradesh minister. According to the police sources, the superintendent of Barabanki district jail Umesh Kumar Singh offered a bribe of Rs. fifty thousand to the minister of state for prisons Jai Kumar Singh on Wednesday evening. Sources quoting the minister said that the jail official had reached the official residence of the minister at Dalibagh and asked the minister's personal staff to let him the latter citing an urgent work. The minister, however, got angry when he found that the official was in an inebriated state and asked him to go from there. ''The jail official then took out an envelope from his pocket and put it on the table...he then left,'' said a police official quoting the minister. It later turned out that the envelope contained Rs. fifty thousand. The minister then asked his personal staff to lodge a complaint with the police in this regard. Umesh Singh, however, claimed that he never went to the minister's residence. ''I never met the minister...he won't even recognise me also,'' the jail official alleged. Police said that a complaint had been lodged in this connection. ''The matter is being investigated,'' said an official. Overcrowded UP jails are infamous for being safe havens for notorious criminals and there have been several instances of clashes inside the jails between gangs of criminals and the security personnel in the past. An RTI query had recently revealed that there were over 93 thousand prisoners in the jails in UP against an official capacity of 58 thousand. Pakistani origin Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Abu Ismail, involved in the terror attack on Amarnath pilgrims in July, was killed along with his aide Chotta Qasim in a brief encounter with security forces in the outskirts of Srinagar on Thursday evening. "Following intelligence reports about the presence of the terrorists in the area, security forces launched an operation and neutralized the two terrorists including Abu Ismail. Two AK-47 rifles were recovered from them. Ismails associate was identified as Abu Qasim," Inspector General Police (IGP) Kashmir, Munir Khan said while addressing a press conference. Khan, who was flanked by General Officer Commanding (GOC) Victor Force Major General B S Raju and Inspector General Operations CRPF Zulfiqar Hassan congratulated the team which killed the two militants. "Ismail was one of our prime targets. It hardly took half-an-hour to complete the operation. Militant leadership has to be eliminated because they misguide our children and lure them into this, the IGP Khan said, The GOC Raju said the operation was important because it will create a vacuum in the top leadership of LeT now. State police chief Shesh Pal Vaid said they were after Ismail since the terrorist attacked a bus carrying Amarnath yatries on July 10. Eight pilgrims, mostly from Gujarat and Maharashtra had died and 18 were injured when the terrorists surrounded it from all sides and opened fire on the bus on July 10 near Anantnag in south Kashmir. Ismail was also involved in different terror attacks in south Kashmir, in which 14 security personnel were killed. The police said he was named in 15 criminal cases in the valley, including those of murder and dacoity. Sources said the 25-year-old Pakistani national Ismail had infiltrated into Kashmir some four years ago and had recently taken charge of the Lashkar's operations in the valley. He was designated as the operation commander by the LeT after Abu Dujana joined Zakir Musa's al-Qaeda Kashmir group some months back. Dujana was also killed by the security forces in early August. "Ismail had shifted his base from south Kashmir to Srinagar recently after security forces launched a massive manhunt to trace him after the deadly attack on Amarnath yatries. Besides, trying to revive militancy in Srinagar, he was trying to evade the security dragnet in south Kashmir. In Srinagar, he was active in organising the network of the overground workers," they revealed. Sources said the security agencies got a lead from south Kashmir about Ismail's hideout in Srinagar as they were using both human intelligence and surveillance methods. "The information about his latest movement was generated from south Kashmir and a team of J&K Police from the region along with the Army managed to neutralize him near Aaribagh, Nowgam on the outskirts of the city," they added. Hours after claiming Rohangiya Muslims are a threat to national security, the Union government on Thursday said its stand on the issue has yet not been finalised. A letter issued by the government advocate stated, the affidavit has been served (to petitioner) by mistake. Before the affidavit is finalised reflecting the stand of the central government after consideration of all concerned departments, an unfinalised copy is served inadvertently, it said. The communication also claimed the affidavit has not been filed in the Supreme Court registry, though the signed copy was sent to the petitioners. The government has earlier defended its decision to deport Rohingya Muslims, saying they were a threat to national security as many of them figured in the sinister design of ISIS and other terror organisations to create the communal flare up here. The apex court had earlier asked the Centre to clarify its stand on a PIL has been filed by advocate Prashant Bhushan on behalf of two Rohingya Muslims Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, who claimed widespread discrimination, violence and bloodshed against the community in their home state, Myanmar. The petitioners, now residing in Delhi, contended that the government's move to deport them was contrary to the Constitutional protections of Article 14 (equality), Article 21 (life and liberty) and Article 51(c) (respect for international laws) of the Constitution. Former RSS ideologue and Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan leader K N Govindacharaya, besides a Chennai-based NGO, Indic Collective has filed an intervention application favouring deportation of 40,000 Rohangiya Muslims to their home country. The apex court is to take up the matter on September 18. The armies of India and Japan will have their first joint exercise in 2018 as the two nations agreed on Wednesday to further expand their ties in military and security engagements. Not to be left behind, the air forces of the two countries would send their respective aircraft to each other bases. In addition, the Japanese maritime self-defence force would send its P-1 surveillance aircraft for the tri-nation Malabar exercise in 2018. The first edition of the mock war drill between the Indian Army and Japan's Ground Self Defence Force would focus on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations, an area in which the Indian Army has an expertise. Finer details of the exercise would be decided later when the two forces would sit down for the initial planning meeting, sources said. Other future mock drills could be on areas like UN peace keeping and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. While the two navies had a history of cooperation, the joint statement issued after the summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe recognised the importance of expanding the maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific region. From 2017 onward, Japan has been made a permanent member of the Malabar series of naval exercise, which used to be bilateral affairs involving Indian and USA. The two Prime Ministers commended the expansion in scale and complexity of the Malabar exercise that took place in the Bay of Bengal in July 2017. Signifying increased friendship, Japan too opened its anti-submarine warfare and mine counter-measure training to the Indian Navy. Both activities are likely to start in 2018. While the much-anticipated deal to buy US-2 amphibian aircraft from Japan didn't materialise, its prospect brightened with the two countries recognising the Japanese offer as a symbol of a high degree of trust between the two countries. However, sources said more time would be required to finalise the price negotiation as the Japanese offer at the moment is on a higher side. The two countries initiated technical discussions for future research collaboration in the area of unmanned ground vehicles and robotics. The Darjeeling hills were limping back to normalcy as several shops, markets, government offices and government-aided schools reopened today, while GJM chief Bimal Gurung asked his partymen to intensify the bandh that started 92 days ago. The shops and markets opened, defying the indefinite bandh, sponsored by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) for a separate Gorkhaland. The state-run North Bengal State Transport Corporation plied a few buses, which were escorted by the security forces. The buses plied from Siliguri to Darjeeling and back via Kurseong, besides between Siliguri and Mirik in Darjeeling district, official sources said. Several government and government-aided schools have started functioning and teachers have been asked to join immediately. The sources said the situation in the hills remained tense but incident-free despite threats and intimidation by the GJM. For the sixth day in a row, the police, along with the administration, appealed to the locals via public address systems to open shops and restore normalcy in the hills. Expelled GJM leader Binay Tamang said that normalcy was returning in the hills.Tamang is one of the key GJM leaders who had represented the party in the two rounds of dialogues with the state government to discuss the Darjeeling issue. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had appealed to the hill parties to withdraw the bandh and restore peace and normalcy. Gurung, who is in hiding, had rejected Banerjee's appeal and said that the bandh will continue till the Centre holds a tripartite meeting on the Gorkhaland issue.He threatened that if the tripartite meeting is not called soon the situation will worsen in the days to come. In an audio statement released from a secret location, Gurung said if something untoward happens in future, the state government would be responsible for it.He also asked the GJM cadre to intensify the bandh in the hills and ensure that no one made an attempt to break it. Peace rallies were taken out by residents in Kurseong, Darjeeling and Mirik.The GJM supporters took out rallies in some parts of Darjeeling, Sonada and Kalimpong supporting creation of Gorkhaland and the ongoing shutdown, the sources said. Internet services remain suspended in the hills since June 18.Meanwhile, unidentified miscreants raided 'Roy Villa', a heritage house in Darjeeling last night where Sister Nivedita, social worker and disciple of Swami Vivekananda, had died. The miscreants damaged it and took away some cash, police said, adding that investigation is on. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore today lauded the security forces for killing Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Ismail in an encounter, saying no mercy should be shown to terrorists. "Well done, security forces. Abu Ismail, the terrorist involved in attack on Amaranth Yatra, is shot dead. NO mercy for terrorists!," he said in a tweet. Ismail was the mastermind of the July 10 attack on a bus carrying Amarnath yatra pilgrims in south Kashmir's Anantnag district that left eight dead. he was among the two terrorists killed in an encounter with security forces in Nowgam area on the outskirts of Srinagar today. Have you ever been stranded with a flat tyre in a supposedly haunted valley with zero connectivity? Well, Ananth, Swaroopa and I were served that dose of adrenaline rush in the Bumthang valley of Bhutan, the Land of Thunder Dragon. This is precisely what we signed up for when we decided to drive to Bhutan all the way from Bengaluru on a Toyota Etios -- I mean who takes a sedan on an off-roading trip right? Cruising our way through Indian highways, we caught the first ever glimpse of Bhutan at the ornate Bhutanese entrance gate at the Phuentsholing-Jaigon border. One just needs to step one foot across this majestic gate to feel an extremely striking difference between these two border towns in terms of organisation, cleanliness, people, and culture. It is a truly phenomenal feeling to stand at this gate watching it draw a magical line between chaos and peace. After getting our permits at Phuentsholing, we drove through the gorgeous valleys to reach Paro welcoming us with the worlds most dangerous airport with an ultrashort runway alongside which you can actually drive. We visited the Rinpung Dzong, a temple showcasing the intricate Bhutanese architecture with its massive buttressed walls. We hiked up to the mesmerising Tigers Nest a monastery that literally stands on a precarious cliff that drops into a few thousand feet to the gorge below. Legend has it that Padmasambava arrived here on a flying tiger; if only one could ride that way! The following day was spent traversing the offbeat destinations around Chele La Pass and Haa Valley the old school way- with a paper map and The Lonely Planet guidebook. Bhutan Cuisine will delight your taste buds with its authentic Ema-Datshi (cheese curry) and juicy momos. At a local fest, where Swaroopa and I danced with the amiable Bhutanese women, we were offered the local drink Ara prepared with red sandalwood only during special occasions. We pulled over at Tachog Lhakhang -- a juxtaposition of 600-year old iron chain bridge and a new bridge; both bespangled with colourful prayer flags, suspended over the freezing waters of Paro Chuu River. The capital Thimphu offered an urban exuberance in contrast to Bhutans conservatism. The mighty Buddha Dordenma statue had us awestruck. We also covered the Memorial Chorten, National Institute of Zorig and the Takin Reserve. We shopped at the bunch of Buddhist souvenir shops lined up at the city center. Highway reconstruction and car breakdowns took a massive toll on our itinerary. Demonetization had rendered both Indian currency and our survival null. We pulled off the crisis with a jugaad and headed to Punakha with pit stops at the Druk-Wangyal Chortens at Dochula Pass and the Divine MadMans Chimi Lhakhang. We were spellbound by the monumental Punakha Dzong alongside the Mo Chuu River and a thrilling walk on the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan. Next on our list was the Phobjika Valley, where we savoured the night at a locals house and joined the native folks in the Black-necked Crane Festival at Gangtey Monastery to celebrate the arrival of the endangered birds. An adventurous off-roading through Trongsa led us to the Jakar region (Bumthang) where we explored the incredible Ura, Tang, Chumey and Choekhor Valleys. The Burning Lake and the Kurjey Temple Complex remained the highlights of the Chamkar town while Tang challenged us with a treacherous drive to the Ogyen Choling Museum. The most intriguing experience was The Annual Naked Dance Festival, a traditional dance performed naked by men as an age-old practice to ward off demons. That night it wasnt just the cold winds that sent chills down my spine. The last leg of our journey was the Royal Manas Botanical Park via Zhemgang. We half-heartedly exited the country at Gelephu. The esoteric land of happiness gave us a share of its ecstasy. On our drive back home we covered a major part of India, but that is a story for another time. Sneha Kerkar (The author can be contacted on snehaskerkar@gmail.com) A 57-year old medical professional Dr Achyut Reddy from Nalgonda district of Telangana was stabbed to death at East Wichita in Kansas City of the United States of America on Wednesday evening. Kansas is the same place where a Telugu techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla was shot dead in February this year, in a hate crime. According to reports reaching here on Thursday, the doctor was stabbed at around 7.30 pm local time at his holistic clinic at 625 N Carriage Parkway, near Central and Edgemoor in Wichita in Kansas. A 21-year-old man, later identified as Umar Rashid Dutt was arrested near Wichita Country Club on suspicion of killing Dr Reddy. Wichita police have confirmed that Reddy has died after being stabbed multiple times and the stabbing occurred around 7 p.m. Wednesday. The police upon their arrival found the victim, behind the building. Eye witnesses said that the victim and Dutt were seen going to the clinic together. The manager told police she heard a disturbance and found Dutt assaulting the doctor. Reddy tried to leave, but Dutt followed him and stabbed him numerous times in the offices alley. At 7:40 p.m., a security guard at the country club called police after seeing a man sitting in a car with blood on him, the police said but could not clarify why Dutt drove there or why the assault occurred. Reddy, who hails from Sitarampuram village of Miryalguda town in Nalgonda district, had completed his MBBS in Osmania Medical College in Hyderabad in 1986. He later moved to the US and completed his residency in psychiatry from the University of Kansas Medical School in Wichita and had been practising there as a psychiatrist since 1989. He was running the Holistic Psychiatric Services in Wichita, apart from being affiliated to various hospitals in the region. He is survived by his wife Beena Reddy and three children Radha, Lakshmi and Vishnu, besides his parents Bhadra Reddy and Parijata. The Bagalgunte police are awaiting swab reports from MS Ramaiah Hospital to confirm if the the four-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a security guard at her school in North Bengaluru on Tuesday. "We have sought results of the swab test which would take at least four to five days according to doctors, but we have asked them to speed it up," a senior police officer told DH. Meanwhile, a police team is analysing the CCTV footage of the last 10 days to check for any evidence. We have analysed three days of footage so far, and we analyse the rest till we can get to talk to the victim, said the officer. Though she has recovered from her fever and vomiting, she still looks unwell as she was exposed to policemen, crowds and hospital on Tuesday, added the officer. The police will approach her when she is in a proper state of mind. The LKG student of a private school in T Dasarahalli, on Tuesday, complained to her mother accusing one of the security guards of inappropriately touching her pants. Her mother took her to the doctor and later filed a police complaint. The police, based on the complaint, showed photographs of all the five security guards of whom the victim identified one of them. The police found no evidence against the guard after they reviewed the CCTV footage. They found that the victim's movement was recorded throughout the day, but the guard was nowhere seen around her. The parents then took the victim to MS Ramaiah Hospital for a detailed medical examination. The swab report will confirm if there was an assault. Based on this, appropriate action would be taken, a senior police officer said. The school functioned as usual on Thursday, the police added. Activists protesting against BMRCLs decision to relocate the Cantonment Metro station about 600 metres away from the Cantonment Railway station, met Union Minister Ananth Kumar and officials in Delhi to register their opposition. The minister was convinced by our demand for locating the Metro station next to the railway station. He also arranged for a meeting with Union Minister for Urban Development where our plea was given a hearing, said activist and urban transport expert Sanjeev Dyamannavar, who travelled to New Delhi to make his case. The Urban Development Minister has directed the joint secretary, MoUD to visit Bengaluru and study the situation and submit a report soon so that quick action can be taken, he added. The Department of Public Instructions move to conduct the Karnataka School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Council (KSQAAC) examination for classes 4-9 without adequate preparation hasnt gone well with teachers. As per a circular sent to all BEOs and heads of other sections of the Education Department on September 13, the exams for languages will be held on October 27 and for core subjects a day later. The department has cancelled the midterm exams to facilitate the KSQAAC exams. First and second languages are included for classes 4 and 5, first, second and third languages for classes 6-9, Mathematics and Environmental Studies for classes 4 and 5, and Science, Maths and Social Studies for classes 6-9. Each subject will have 24 questions: 18 one-mark questions (multiple choice) and six questions of two marks each (descriptive). The total marks will be 30. Rajesh A V, who teaches at an aided school at Munirabad, Koppal district, summed up teachers apprehensions thus: There is no information about training or preparation. When we approach senior officials, they point the finger at top officials of the Education Department. We have no answers for students who are worried about the exams. We are left in the lurch. Another teacher said the biggest challenge was the lack of time. The October vacations will run from 11 to 25 and the schools reopen on 26. The DDPIs have strictly told us to ensure 100% student attendance for the exam, he added. According to teachers, the KSQAAC exam follows the pattern of most state-level and national-level entrance tests and competitive exams. Students will need a lot of practice to understand the question paper and the answers. The pattern would be heavy for young minds. In actual fact, there will be two exams. As soon as students shade 18 ovals in the OMR sheets, teachers should take back the sheets and give them another question paper for six descriptive-type questions. We arent familiar with the class 7 syllabus, but the class 8 exam will have 20% of the questions from the previous class. We have been directed to prepare for the exam with no specific instructions, Rajesh added. DH News Service There was need to evolve a separate policy to ensure education, safety and empowerment of girl children, said Women and Child Development Minister Umashree on Thursday. Speaking at the Legislators Regional Conference on Child Rights in Bengaluru on Thursday, she said that Karnataka was the only state to abolish child marriage. With the President of India recently giving his assent to the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2016, the minister said that child marriage in Karnataka would soon become a punishable offense with up to two years imprisonment, she added. Child right laws Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T B Jayachandra said that though there are more than 14 laws pertaining to child rights in the state, many of them have become irrelevant. Steps will be taken to amend those laws, he added. The day long event saw discussions on various topics related to child rights and development, and how legislators can actively contribute towards making their respective states safer spaces for children. Around 40 legislators from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Puducherry, Goa and Karnataka, along with UNICEF and government officials participated in the conference. DH News Service After developing layouts and flats, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is for the first time venturing into a township project. The proposed Rs 10,000-crore self-sustained modern township, which will go by the name Innovative City, will come up on about 166 acres of land in Kondanasanapura village near Hoskote. BDA Commissioner Rakesh Singh told Deccan Herald that the integrated township will house both commercial and residential complexes along with recreational facilities. It will be an eco-friendly township with a mix of both office and residential complexes, comprising a tech park, malls, residential flats with pools, community halls and sporting avenues, he added. The residential complex will comprise all category of houses ranging from single BHKs to four BHKs. He said that the BDA wanted to replicate the self-sustained township concept as it owned a single parcel of land of about 170 acres (acquired in early 2000), which was suited for such projects. The officer also said that the concept evolved rapidly given the quick-paced development in the eastern part of Bengaluru, where, not only an alternative approach to the international airport has been planned but as many as 102 hi-tech projects are in the pipeline. The township would also ease traffic congestion, he added. BDA engineer-member P N Nayak said the project had picked up pace after the authoritys board approved it recently. Following this, the BDA has engaged a Bengaluru-based architectural firm to prepare both the concept plan and the revenue model for the project. Once the plans are readied, the BDA will float global tenders for project implementation in the next three to four months. This will not only be BDAs first biggest project, it will also be its first venture on a public-private partnership model. So far, the BDA has developed as many as 69 layouts and 13,000 flats (both completed and ongoing) in Bengaluru, with the project cost varying between Rs 350 crore and Rs 2,000 crore. Nayak said that the developer(s) will be entrusted with the responsibility of both designing and implementing the project. The developer will make the investment and share the revenue generated, with the BDA. The project will be taken up in phases, with the first phase expected to be ready for occupation in the next five years. Township plan BDAs first township project will be taken up on a PPP model The Innovative City will come up on a single parcel of BDA land in Konadasanapura BDA will shortly float global tenders to develop the project, which will house tech parks, malls and residential flats. DH News Service Income Tax officials on Thursday raided Kalyani Group in Bengaluru and other parts of the country. Simultaneous raids were conducted at eight premises, officials said. Several teams of I-T officials searched the premises belonging to the group in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. The companies raided include, Kalyani Motors and Kalyani Developers. The directors of Kalyani Motors are Veeraraghavaraju Narayanamma, Roopa Raju Narayana and Anantharaju Mohan Raju. The group is into real estate business in Hyderabad and Bengaluru and has developed several projects. The I-T department officials said that the raids, searches and assessment was still on. DH News Service Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddy on Thursday said he will seek an explanation from Vice Chancellor of Kannada University, Hampi, Prof Mallika S Ghanti for her reported statement that one has to carry money in a suitcase in order to get any work done in the Vidhana Soudha. I dont know why she has made such a statement. But it is an irresponsible statement and I will seek an explanation from her, the minister told reporters on seeking his reaction on Prof Ghantis controversial statement. Kannada University has nothing much to do with the Higher Education department. The University does not send any important file to the department. So, the question of the vice chancellor bringing money in a suitcase to the Vidhana Soudha does not arise, he added. On restoring recognition to the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), the minister said he will soon meet Union Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar in this regard. The state government had twice written to the Centre, urging it to take measures to restore the recognisation in the interest of students, Rayareddy. Corruption exposed The state BJP on Thursday stated that Prof Ghantis statement reflected the suitcase culture in the Siddaramaiah government. In a press release, BJP state spokesperson and MLA S Suresh Kumar stated that the BJP had always been saying that the Congress regime in the state was the most corrupt government in post-Independent India. The chief minister has been trying to mislead the people by stating that there is not a single corruption charge against his government. He has been rubbishing the BJPs charges. Now what does he got to say ? Kumar asked. The BJP leader said it was obvious from Prof Ghantis statement that there was corruption in appointment of various posts in Kannada University. DH News Service Leaders favouring a separate religion tag for the Lingayat faith on Thursday defended Water Resources Minister M B Patil, accusing the Sangh Parivar of influencing Siddaganga Mutt seer Shivakumara Swami to change his stand on the issue. On September 10, M B Patil had announced that the seer extended support for the separate Lingayat religion campaign. Two days later, the Mutt clarified that it had not said anything to that effect, causing embarrassment to Patil and the campaign itself. Mines and Geology Minister Vinay Kulkarni, former minister and JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti, Aland MLA B R Patil and retired IAS officer S M Jaamdar all of them belonging to the Lingayat camp defended M B Patil, maintaining that he had not lied. After word spread that the Siddaganga Mutt supported the Lingayat cause, the Sangh Parivar got worried because it was a setback for them. There were instructions from Delhi to somehow manage this, B R Patil told a press conference. Jaamdar, too, said there was something fishy in the run-up to the Mutts clarification that it did not express support for the separate religion demand for the Lingayat faith. On September 12, there were two statements issued by the Mutt. The first one called for unity within the community and that Veerashaiva and Lingayat were the same. After a few hours, there was a second statement that had an addition that MB Patil had twisted the Swamijis words. What could have transpired in those few hours? Jaamdar asked cryptically. Horatti admitted that M B Patil had erred by disclosing the conversation he had with Shivakumara Swami. He got emotional, he said. From now, no politician will ever drag the Siddaganga Mutt into the matter. Kulkarni added that the issue will not weaken M B Patil. Were all with him and our fight will continue. Reddi for Veera Lingayat Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddi insisted that Lingayat was a religion in itself. It cant be Veerashaiva, because the presence of Shaiva makes it part of the Hindu religion. Lingayat is not part of the Hindu religion. Let it be called Veera Lingayata instead. Anyway, an expert committee must be formed to get more clarity, he said, adding that he would soon visit the Siddaganga Mutt and discuss the matter with the seer. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing Gauri Lankeshs murder is aggressively working on identifying all individuals in the city and state who are in possession with country-made pistols chambered with a 7.65 mm bore. The team has listed out people who are involved in illegal arms trade and will question them to ascertain how many such pistols have been sold and are in use illegally in the city and its outskirts. Notorious history-sheeter Kunigal Giri will be quizzed by the SIT which believes he has inputs on the shooter who killed Gauri. The team will approach the court for a body warrant and will take Giri into their custody for interrogation. Giri at present is in judicial custody in Ballari district prison, police sources said. The team will also question Giris six associates who have information about men who were involved in rampant arms deals in the city. Kunigal Giri (35), a native of Kunigal, has several aliases such as Girish, Modur Giri, Ashwath and Prashanth Raja. He is involved in nearly 70 cases in Bengaluru, including 30 cases of dacoities and robberies, and in most of his heists, he brandished pistols and threatened his victims. He is also involved in numerous such cases in Mangaluru, Belagavi, Hassan, Tumakuru, Ballari and Bengaluru Rural. The CCB police had earlier arrested Giri in 2008 after booking him in 40 cases of dacoities and robberies. A police team has also gone to Vijayapura jail to question an illegal arms dealer who had reportedly sold over two dozen pistols in Bengaluru after procuring it from his source in Bihar. Tracking the pistols The police, over a period of time, had recovered 15 pistols out of the 26 accounted for according to the dealers claims, but the police could not trace 11 pistols. One of the traced pistols was used in APMC president Kadabagere Srinivas shooting a few months ago in Yelahanka, the police said. The police said Gauris assailants could have procured the pistol from these rowdies. A majority of rowdies, including those in the underworld, use 7.65 mm pistols in the state as ammunition is available easily in the market. Police records state that history-sheeters like Ravi Pujari, Hebbet Manja and their associates have been using these pistols for a long time. Central Crime Branch police have seized 10 such guns from Hebbet Manja and his associates. DH News Service Progress so far SIT have learnt there are no professional shooters lodged in any of the jails in the state. Data of around 10 lakh phone lines that were active, hours before Gauris murder, have been collected by SIT from mobile towers of Basavanagudi and Rajarajeshwari Nagar. SIT has learnt calls were even made to Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Around 32 local residents have spoken over phone to people out of the state. Of these, two were professors and the rest were all private company employees. The SIT team also visited lodges in the city to collect names of the visitors who booked rooms before September 5 and vacated them on that day. A mobile phone was recovered from near Gauris house which has been handed over to the FSL who are yet to examine it. Scotland Yard officials roped in Two senior officials from Scotland Yard have come to help the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing Gauri Lankeshs murder on Wednesday. The two, said to be experts in technical investigation, have been apprised of all information, developments and investigation progress till date, regarding the case. The CID had sought the help of Scotland Yard in Prof Kalburgis murder case as well, and presume they would be of help in this case too, a senior police officer said. Private universities and colleges have fared better than government institutions in keeping their campuses clean, the first-ever study on cleanliness in the higher educational institutions has found. HRD minister Prakash Javadekar released the findings of the Swachhta Ranking of the Higher Educational Institutions-2017, in which nearly 3,500 public and private higher educational organisations have participated. OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat, secured the top position, while Manipal Universitys Gujarat campus was placed second in the survey. The study categorised campuses into universities, colleges, technical institutions and government institutions. There is nothing to hide. This is the condition of government institutions, Javadekar told an event organised to release the rankings. Since they could not figure in the list of top 50, we had to create a category for the government institutions to rank them separately, he said. Karnatakas KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research, Belagavi, came third in the university category, while Himachal Pradeshs Chitkara University Solan was ranked fourth. Dayalbagh Educational Institute in Uttar Pradeshs Agra bagged the fifth position. Javadekar said university and college authorities must learn to manage solid waste in a sustainable manner and find ways to generate power with the biomass produced on campus. Higher educational institutions must also help villages and semi-urban settlements in waste management and power generation with biomass, the minister said. Save energy, save electricity, manage waste and become a smart campus, he said, adding that these three components would be made part of the ranking framework of higher institutions from next year. About 11 institutions from Karnataka secured the top five positions in the college, technical and government institution categories. GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) was ranked first under the government institutions, while Madurai Kamaraj University and Alagappa University, Karaikudi, (Tamil Nadu) came second and third, respectively. The National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur, (Himachal Pradesh) secured the fourth position in the category, while IIT-Guwahati was ranked fifth. The Opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu on Thursday opposed the opening of Navodaya schools in the state calling it an attempt by the Centre to impose Hindi and Sanskrit in the state and asked the AIADMK government to file an appeal against the Madras High Court order in this regard. The DMKs statement comes in the wake of recent orders by the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court to the state government to allow the opening of Navodaya schools in the state. The state government appealed against the high court order on the waiver of all farm loans; why has it not appealed against the opening of Navodaya schools here, DMK working president M K Stalin said. He also pointed out that as Hindi is compulsory, no teachers from Tamil Nadu will be appointed in these schools. DH News Service Following the BJP governments announcement that it would accede to the key demand of loan waiver, the 12-day-long stir by farmers has been called off. Farmers representatives and government officials reached an agreement on Wednesday night. The Vasundhara Raje government has agreed to waive loans up to Rs 50,000 and has constituted a committee to examine the total size of the farm waiver package. Talks with govt The announcement came after farmers groups and government representatives held talks for 11 hours. The government-appointed panel would look into loan waiver process in other states. We have currently agreed for the loan waiver, said Prabhulal Saini, state agriculture minister. We will address other demands after the committees report. Farmers withdrew their strike soon after the announcement. They asked for a total loan waiver of Rs 49,500 crore, but the government said the loan as per records amounted to Rs 19,700 crore only. The farmers also asked for implementation of the Swaminathan committee recommendations which say they should be paid 50% more than the MSP for the produce. The defence forces of India and Japan will have their first joint exercise in 2018. Not to be left behind, the air force of the two countries would send their respective aircraft to each others bases. In addition, the Japanese maritime self-defence force would send its P-1 surveillance aircraft for the tri-nation Malabar Exercise in 2018. The first edition of the mock war drill between the Indian Army and Japans Ground Self-Defence Force would focus on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations, an area in which the Indian Army has an expertise. Finer details of the exercise would be decided later when the two forces would sit down for the initial planning meeting, a source said. Other future mock drills could be on areas like UN Peace Keeping, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. While the two navies have a history of cooperation, the joint statement issued after the summit meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe recognised the importance of expanding the maritime domain awareness in the Indo-Pacific region. From 2017 onwards, Japan has been made a permanent member of the Malabar series of naval exercises, which used to be a bilateral affair involving India and the US. The two prime ministers commended the expansion in scale and complexity of the Malabar Exercise that took place in the Bay of Bengal in July 2017. Signifying increased friendship, Japan, too, opened its anti-submarine warfare and mine counter-measure training to the Indian Navy. Both training activities are likely to start in 2018. The Congress on Thursday slammed the Modi government for delaying the high-speed rail link connecting Mumbai and Ahmedabad claiming the UPA government had already cleared the project in December 2013. Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge termed the ground-breaking ceremony for the high-speed rail at Ahmedabad as an election bullet train which was part of a set pattern followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of making big ticket announcements in poll-bound states. The main opposition party also asked the Modi government to focus more on railway safety as more than 259 passengers have been killed in 29 major accidents since the NDA assumed office in May 2014. Kharge also accused Modi of remaining silent on the other high-speed railway projects planned by the UPA government to connect Chennai-Bengaluru-Mumbai and Ludhiana-Delhi-Kolkata. This is nothing but an election bullet train, Kharge said pointing out that the feasibility study for the project was approved in December 2013 and the report was submitted in 2015. The Modi government delayed the project by nearly three years to time the launch with the Gujarat elections, he said. Former Union minister R P N Singh also accused the Modi government of focusing on one big project that would cost Rs 1.1 lakh crore, but completely abdicating its responsibility towards passenger safety. Kharge said there were 1.42 lakh vacant posts in the railways, a large chunk of which included staff responsible for ensuring safety of the railway network. The state government is set to return to owners a large chunk of unutilised land - 25,740 acres - that was earmarked for industrial purpose across the state. These lands, spread across Belagavi, Haveri, Kalaburagi, Gadag, Chitradurga, Bagalkot and Chamarajanagar districts, have remained unused for the past nine years. They were identified for the creation of a land bank by the previous BJP regime under the Suvarna Karnataka Development Corridor (SKDC) project in 2008. The SKDC comprises five major corridors covering 11 districts and 20 major towns along highways, major roads and rain links. A large extent of land remains unused because they are located in places where industries cannot be set up, Industries Minister R V Deshpande told DH. So naturally, we will have to return those lands, for which only preliminary notification has been issued. I will bring this before the Cabinet. This will be the second parcel of unutilised industrial land that the State government will be returning to the owners. The government returned 13,788 acres of unused land to landowners across eight districts in September last year. The highest extent returned was 4,478.34 acres in Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs home district of Mysuru. Under the SKDC, a total of 1.21 lakh acres were identified for steel, engineering, textile parks and township projects. Of this, the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) issued preliminary notification - under Section 28(1) of the KIADB Act, 1966 - for acquisition of 80,182.35 acres. But the final notification under Section 28(4) was issued for only 40,924.13 acres. The remaining 39,258 acres remained locked under Section 28(1), which made it difficult for owners, mostly farmers, to either grow anything or raise loans on them. Of the 1.21 lakh acres identified, Belagavi accounts for the highest at 12,973 acres, followed by Ramanagara (12,205 acres) and Ballari (11,245 acres). Cong too Interestingly, the Congress government, too, had initiated the acquisition process by issuing preliminary notification. As of June 2013, preliminary notification was issued for 53,175 acres. This increased to 80,182 acres in 2016, which means the Congress government continued to issue Section 28(1) notices under the SKDC land bank, a concept Siddaramaiah resented as leader of the opposition in 2012. The government scrapped the land bank concept ahead of the 2016 Invest Karnataka summit. "Principally, the land back was a good concept, but way too much land was identified. That made it impractical," an official from the department of commerce and industry said. Alternatively, the KIADB developed a GIS-based portal to show availability of industrial land. As many as 4,372 ready industrial plots are vacant, many in north Karnataka. The City of San Diego legalized marijuana cultivating and manufacturing on Sept. 11, limiting their locations to industrial zones. After a lengthy hearing with hours of public comment, San Diego City Council voted 6-3 to approve an option to allow testing labs, cultivation, distribution and production of marijuana products with approval of a conditional use permit. Councilmembers Lorie Zapf, Chris Cate and Scott Sherman voted against it. In voting in favor, District 1 Councilmember Barbara Bry said regulating the marijuana supply chain will ensure that consumers have a safe and vetted product and will deter an illegal black market. By allowing for local government oversight of the cannabis industry, we can benefit from new jobs and a new source of much-needed tax revenue for the general fund. San Diego voters overwhelmingly turned out to pass Proposition 64 and it is our responsibility to put reasonable regulations in place that protect public safety and enhance our local economy, Bry said. If we dont allow all parts of the supply chain in San Diego we are merely enabling a large black market and San Diego consumers are counting on us to provide them with a safe product. San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman and Mayor Kevin Faulconer were in favor of another option on the table that simply allowed testing labs in those same industrial zones. At the Sept. 11 meeting, Zimmerman said that expanding marijuana facilities will have enormous consequences on public safety. She said over the past two and a half years at the legal dispensaries in the city, officers have responded to 272 radio calls, including thefts, armed robberies, assaults and shootings. As the chief of police I have the privilege of speaking with thousands of community members, Zimmerman said. Overwhelmingly they have asked me to be the voice of the voicelessI urge you not to allow any further marijuana facilities in our city. In voting against the proposal, Zapf said she was listening to her police chief. (Chief Zimmerman) said this option is detrimental to our public safety and I think we are going down the wrong path, Zapf said. I cant believe this is the message this council is sending to our youth and Im not going to have any part of it. Per the new regulation, there is no cap on facilities per district as few of the council districts have the appropriate zoning for the facilities the cap on retail marijuana outlets is four per council district. The council did approve a citywide cap of 40 and currently there are 27 business tax certificate (BTC) holders who have been allowed to operate to supply the existing medical cannabis market, including one in District 1. City ordinance requires that the facilities be 1,000 feet from public parks, churches, childcare, playgrounds, libraries, residential care facilities and schools. The facilities also must be 100 feet from marijuana outlets and retail sales are strictly prohibited. During public comment, those in favor of the regulations said that the 1,000 feet policy should not apply to the manufacturing and cultivation facilities because there is no public access to them. Phil Roth, executive director of United Medical Marijuana Coalition, said the 100-foot limit from retail outlets also seemed unnecessary as it eliminated some of the limited available industrial-zoned lands throughout the city. Alex Sherer, president of United Medical Marijuana Alliance Coalition, said that the legal supply chain needs to be able to compete with the black market. If we dont have a robust production market, prices will skyrocket and this will give the black market an enormous competitive advantage which we are already having a hard time dealing with, said Sherer. At the hearing, councilmembers heard input from local businesses who look to benefit from the new regulations, from the owner of a wholesale bakery in Miramar who is interested in exploring cannabis edibles to Dr. Jason Poulos, the CEO of Librede, a life science company that has developed the worlds first yeast-based cannabinoid production platform. We have an opportunity to make San Diego a leader in the multi-billion dollar cannabis industry just like has been done in the biotech and pharmaceutical markets, Poulos said. We want to construct a state-of-the-art production facility and hundreds of high-paying biopharma jobs, develop premium therapeutics and make the city the center of a global industry. This is what San Diego is all about, improving lives through innovation. Several residents spoke out against allowing marijuana facilities in their communities, citing concerns about health and public safety, and the impact of more marijuana available in areas that are already stressed and struggling. Some representatives from the San Dieguito Alliance for Drug Free Youth expressed concerns about the commercialization of marijuanas impact on youth and the necessity of expanding the supply chain when so much marijuana is already being produced. According to Scott Chipman, California already produces six to 12 times the amount of marijuana that the state consumes: We are the drug cartel for the United States. San Diego is our home and marijuana continues to destroy our neighborhood and quality of life, said a 14-year-old City Heights resident. Please protect us from this lawless, profit-driven industry. District 9 Councilmember Georgette Gomez said she appreciated the concerns expressed by several of her district members but reminded them that facilities will be limited to industrial zones that must be 1,000 feet from sensitive receptors, such as parks and schools, and 100 feet away from residential areas. Councilmember Chris Ward stressed that what they are looking to do is strike a balance between adults rights to access marijuana safely without placing harm on San Diegos neighborhoods, children and public safety officers. He likened the discussions to the citys process of building the regulations and framework for its $900 million craft beer industry there were similar issues with land-use constraints and manufacturing, and distribution being concentrated in certain districts. He said they wouldnt tell Stone Brewery to manufacture everything in Riverside County or tell Ballast Point to only grow hops in Humboldt County. Ward said if done properly, the same can be done with cannabis. Having sound policy and regulations in place will allow the city to enforce its rules and assist the cannabis industry in regulating itself, Ward said. Public comment and memos distributed by Councilmembers Cate and David Alvarez demonstrated that there are a number of concerns that the council still needs to tackle regarding quality of life (including the odor from facilities), advertising and delivery services. Those issues will be referred to the councils public safety committee. Its an evolving process, Bry said. This is only the beginning and I look forward to broad participation from the community as we look forward to regulating this industry. In a stinging albeit non-binding rebuke of Del Mars efforts to regulate and restrict short-term rentals, the city planning commission on Sept. 12 refused to endorse the proposed framework, calling instead for a year-long investigation into rentals economic and neighborhood impacts. Under the citys proposed framework, short-term rentals (STRs) in residential zones must last at least seven days and cannot exceed 28 days per year. While the city council hammered out its proposal, a moratorium has allowed rentals to continue at properties that were active before April 2016. But seeing that framework for the first time on Sept. 12, commissioners chafed at the lack of detail and seemingly arbitrary time frames. In a unanimous vote, they recommended that the council extend the moratorium for a year, require STRs to register with the city, and gather a wide range of data. One hopes that policy flows from good data, said Commissioner Don Countryman. We dont have any data on zone analysis, the number of rentals, their location, their occupancy. Theres no data regarding the number or locations of complaints. We have none of that information, and yet were willing, for some reason, to adopt an ordinance [for] which there has been no study, no economic analysis on the presumption that this is somehow correct and reasonable. I dont see anything reasonable about this ordinance at this level of restriction. Tuesday nights hearing began with a presentation from Senior Planner Amanda Lee. At various points, commissioners asked her about the number of active STRs, their economic impact and the basis for the councils time frames. For nearly all of their questions, she had no information to give. Im sort of amazed that we are asked to make a recommendation on an ordinance when we arent given any information about justification for the contents of the ordinance, said Commissioner Nathan McCay. I find it somewhat insulting, actually, that this city council would send this and force you to stand up here and not be able to answer the questions that are most critical to deciding whether an ordinance should be passed. To not know the economic impact of what is proposed, its positively astonishing. The commission split its decision into two motions. The first motion to extend the moratorium and collect data passed unanimously. The second motion was to rebuff the councils proposal as presented. That motion passed 4-1, with chairman Ted Bakker basing his dissent on the mandate in Del Mars Community Plan to safeguard the citys residential character. This is what makes our community of Del Mar so special and unique. We need to preserve this for today and tomorrow. We cannot build a community based on short-term renters, he said. It is so important to me, the family character, why we live here and raise our children. But faced with a random assortment of anecdotal accounts, McCay said he had no way of knowing the degree to which if at all STRs impose that threat. I agree the special residential character is something thats important and should be preserved, but until its established that it is being impinged, we are solving a problem that we havent proven even exists, he said. STR supporters have fumed over the lack of data throughout the city councils work to devise its framework. Feeling unheard and ignored, STR proponents have pinned their hopes on the California Coastal Commission. The agency has domain over the amendment to Del Mars Local Coastal Program that will be required in order for the city to enact its policy. On Monday, Sept. 11, the Coastal Commission made its first official foray into Del Mars fray, echoing those concerns about the lack of data. The Sept. 11 letter from Coastal Planner Sarah Richmond also asserts that Coastal Commission staff have serious concerns about, and would not likely support the seven-day minimum rental and the annual cap of 28 days. [G]iven the proposed amendment, a person would not be able to stay in a short-term rental in Del Mar for a weekend getaway, which may be the only time he/she can take off from work or school and spend time on the coast, the letter says. Thus, while some regulatory controls and management provisions for short-term rentals may be needed, the proposed amendment appears overly restrictive and would not provide the public with adequate and affordable visitor-serving facilities. However, seven-day minimums have won Coastal Commission approval elsewhere in the state, including in Solana Beach. And, as city planner Lee explained at Tuesday nights hearing, Coastal Commission staff who merely issue guidance to the voting commissioners have acknowledged that the agencys position is evolving alongside a shift among its commissioners. Hoping for the Coastal Commissions review by the end of this year, the city council had planned to give the STR proposal its first reading at the councils Oct. 2 meeting. While the council is not beholden to the planning commissions concerns, Councilman Dave Drucker would rather work with the planning commission to figure out what changes should be made. My appetite is to modify this, he said Wednesday morning, Sept. 13. The data would be interesting. I just think theres some other ways to regulate this and provide what the community wants. Having different genetic markers could explain why people develop type 1 diabetes at different ages, including later in life, according to new research. Certain gene groups are known to be associated with the development of type 1 diabetes, and UK researchers have now shown that the risk of developing the condition after 30 years is different to the risk of developing type 1 diabetes in childhood. The study was conducted by scientists at the University of Exeter, who explored the role of the DR3 and DR4 gene alleles which are observed in children with an increased risk of type 1 diabetes. They studied 120,000 individuals from the UK Biobank from birth to the age of 60, all of whom were in the highest genetic risk group for type 1 diabetes. Analysis found that the highest risk genotypes made up 6.4 per cent of the UK population and contributed to 61 per cent of all type 1 diabetes cases. There were marked differences in both the likelihood of developing type 1 diabetes and the average age of diagnosis. This difference depended on the genotypes: those with DR3/DR4 genes were 4.2 per cent more likely to develop type 1 diabetes during a persons lifetime, while this figure was 3.5 per cent for DR4/DR4 genes and 1.2 per cent for DR3/DR3. Significantly, 71 per cent of diagnoses associated with the DR4/DR4 genotype were in individuals over the age of 30. The authors said: Whilst all three major genotypes greatly increase risk of T1D throughout life, population analysis has shown for the first time that DR4/DR4 specifically predisposes to T1D over 30 years of age and carriers of this genotype have the highest risk for development of late-onset T1D. This is clear evidence that type 1 diabetes after 30 years is not just a delayed version of type 1 diabetes before 30. Further work is needed to understand these differences. The study findings were reported at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Lisbo, Portugal. Google Translate app's offline feature now supports seven more regional languages including Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. The feature is already available in Hindi and is now being rolled out to support additional Indian lan Google is bringing its offline translation feature to users speakering Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. The feature allows users to experience offline translations and instant visual translation in their preferred language. The update also brings added support for a conversation mode in regional languages including Bengali and Tamil. The new conversation mode is a feature that allows Google Translate users to have a bilingual conversation with some by simply talking to the app. In order to activate conversation mode, users need to tap the mic to start speaking in a selected language and then tap the mic again. The Google Translate app will automatically recognise the language being spoken and let users have a fluid conversation. In order to take advantage of this new feature, Google Translate users will need to first download both language packs. With offline support, users can translate a word or sentence even when they are not connected to the Internet. Google also recently announced voice input support for eight additional Indian languages including Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. Google's Translate app already allows users to point their camera on English text and get a translation for it in the above-mentioned Indian languages. With the Word Lens feature, users can instantly translate text using their camera. All these features are available in Hindi and are now being rolled out to support additional Indian languages on both iOS and Android. Google recently rolled out 'The Feed' for Indian users with support for Hindi and has been customising its services for regional users. China plans to use bio-ethanol gasoline across the country by 2020, the National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration (NEA) said on Wednesday. China plans to use bio-ethanol gasoline across the country by 2020, the National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Administration (NEA) said on Wednesday. "The plan was unveiled as the country is pushing the use of biofuel, which is renewable, applicable, environmental-friendly and tech-savvy. It is an ideal alternative to fossil fuel," a NEA official was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. More than 40 countries and regions consume about 600 million tonnes of ethanol fuel every year, accounting for around 60 per cent of the world's annual gasoline use. China is the world's third largest bio-ethanol producer and uses nearly 2.6 million tonnes a year. Gasoline blended with ethanol accounts for one-fifth of its annual gasoline consumption. According to the plan, China aims to build an advanced liquid biofuel system and put into operation a demonstrative facility that will be able to produce 50,000 tonnes of cellulosic ethanol a year by 2020. China launched corn-to-ethanol pilot programmes in 2004 as part of efforts to cut emissions and advance new energy. The plan echoes China's decision to consider a timetable to phase out production and sales of fossil fuel cars to cut emissions, reduce pollution and save fossil fuel energy. When I first visited Japan, taking a ride on the Shinkansen - popularly known as the Bullet Train - was on the top of my list of things to do in the land of the rising sun. I travelled a distance of 340 Kms from the capital city of Tokyo to the capital of Japans Aichi Prefecture, Nagoya. It took me a little less than 1.5 Hrs to reach my destination at top speeds of up to 350 Km/h. If described in a single sentence, the experience was both dizzying and exciting at the same time. Dizzying, because looking out the window of a train travelling at such high speeds makes the outside world appear like a complete blur, and exciting, because the Shinkansen is nothing but a wonder of technology, used by Japan since 1964. When Japan got its first bullet train called the Tokaido Shinkansen, the high speed rail network was only 515 Kms long and trains travelled at maximum speeds of 200 Km/h. With the growing pace of technology, these trains can now run at speeds of 500 Km/h, while the upcoming Maglev trains promise top speeds of 603 Km/h. Now, this super-fast rail network is headed to Gujarat, India thanks to the countrys neighbourly relationship with Japan. The first Bullet Train line in india is being built to traverse a distance of 500 Kms from the heart of Gujarat to the maximum city; Ahmedabad to Mumbai. The route will consist of 12 stations for the 12 stops the Bullet Train will be making, completing the entire journey in three hours, as opposed to the current travel time of eight hours. Like in Japan, the Shinkansen will travel at speeds of 350 Km/h while it has a potential of hitting world record setting top speeds of 500 Km/h. Yes, it is less than half the speed a potential Hyperloop system which boasts of top speeds of 1,200 Km/h, but it is technology that has existed, tried and tested over decades and it works beautifully. Over the Bullet Trains 50 year long history in Japan, it has ferried nearly 10 billion passengers. There has only been one derailment incident in the history of the Shinkansen, which happened in 2004 and was caused by severe earthquakes in the Niigata Prefecture. There were no reported fatalities during the incident, but after it, the Japan Railway Company developed a special metal fitting called an L-shaped guide, attached to the outside of the wheel, preventing it from deviating from the rails by controlling the lateral displacement of the cars. As earthquakes are common in Japan, the Bullet Train also uses an Urgent Earthquake Detection and Alarm System, wherein seismometers are installed in areas with high chances of experiencing earthquakes. When there is an indication of a potential earthquake, the system kicks into place and cuts the power supply to the train to avoid any accidents. Inside Shinkansen 800 series Did You Know? Japanese crews clean an entire Bullet Train in flat 7 minutes as the train only stops for 8 minutes at each station To achieve its high speeds, the Bullet Train network is designed to have no obstacles in its path, besides the regulatory stop signals. The train is not affected by slower locals or freight trains and the network has been built sans any road crossings. In Japan, there are heavy penalties imposed for trespassing on the Bullet Train track. Even the route that the super fast train takes is different from what normal trains would follow. It travels through tunnels and viaducts to go through the obstacles rather than going around them, considerably reducing travel time. In India, the Bullet Train route will mostly be an elevated route, with the exception of a 7 Km long undersea tunnel. The Bullet Train uses electrified lines with 25 kV AC overhead power supply as opposed to the existing broad-gauge and narrow-gauge systems used predominantly in India. To reduce the pressure of dragging the entire train on the lead car, the power in the Bullet Train is distributed along the axles under each car. All axles in the Bullet Train are motored, which results in higher than usual acceleration. This is also the reason why the train does not loose much time even while stopping frequently. Did You Know? The Annual average delay is of Bullet Trains is 54 second per train. For Safety and navigation, an Automatic Train Control (ATC) system runs the entire network. The system warns the train driver with speed indications and audible warnings in case the train passes its prescribed speed. In Japan, the Shinkansen is not allowed to go above speeds of 320 Km/h - 350 Km/h. The Automatic Train Control system will deploy the brakes of the train if the driver does not pay heed to warnings generated by the system. In India, the 750-seat Bullet Train, along with its network infrastructure, is expected to cost $17 billion (nearly Rs 110,000 Cr), loaned from Japan. However, India will not get Japans latest Maglev Bullet Trains called the Chuo Shinkansen. Japan itself is struggling with huge infrastructure and cost issues with its Maglev train project between Tokyo and Nagoya. Maglev trains can travel at speeds of 603 Km/h, higher than the current fastest Shanghai Maglev trains of China. Maglev trains use magnetic levitation over guideways and move without making any contact with the ground. This allows for very high speed travel by reducing friction and creating both lift and propulsion. Japans Chuo Shinkansen can levitate at 10cm compared to Shanghai maglevs 1cm levitation. The traditional bullet trains travelling between Ahmedabad and Mumbai will launch sometime in 2022, if all goes as planned. The current fastest train in India is the Rajdhani Express which travels at a speed of 160 Km/h. So yes, we are long due for some major improvements in our railway technology and the Shinkansen is a step in the right direction. The update is the first incremental patch for Pixel and Nexus devices with Android Oreo. The update addresses some security issues and patches a major Bluetooth vulnerability. Google has started rolling out the September Android Security patch for its Pixel and Nexus devices. Although a bit late, this is the first Android 8.0 Oreo update for the above mentioned devices. Some devices started receiving the Android security patch upgrade a while ago, however, Google had not posted the links for the same till today. There was also some initial confusion with the update, as the notification for the Android 8.0 OTA was labeled as Android 7.1.2. Google has now posted factory images and OTA update links for the Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel C, Nexus 6P, and Nexus 5X for Android Oreo. Their web page also displays the latest Android security patches for the Nexus 6, Nexus 9 Wi-Fi, and Nexus 9 LTE for Android 7.1.1 Nougat, however, there are no new updates available for the Nexus Player yet. This update resolves vulnerabilities ranging from moderate to critical, with the most severe possibility being remote code execution, while using email or browsing. Google, however, notes that there are no reports of customers being affected by these security issues. The update also patches an issue with a highly infectious Bluetooth vulnerability named BlueBorne. Android Oreo brings new enhancements in terms of user interface, experience, and battery improvements. The update also brings faster boot time and new features like notification dots, support for autofill APIs, Picture in Picture (PiP) mode, Google Play Protect, adaptive icons and much more. Data from NASA's Moon Mineralogy Mapper, which flew aboard India's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, has helped scientists create the first global map of water in the Moon's soil. Using newly calibrated data taken from NASA's Moon Mineralogy Mapper, which flew aboard India's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, scientists have created the first global map of water in the Moon's soil. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, builds on the initial discovery in 2009 of water and a related molecule -- hydroxyl, which consists of one atom each of hydrogen and oxygen -- in lunar soil. "The signature of water is present nearly everywhere on the lunar surface, not limited to the polar regions as previously reported," said the study's lead author Shuai Li, who performed the work while a Ph.D. student at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, US. "The amount of water increases toward the poles and does not show significant difference among distinct compositional terrains," Li, now a postdoctoral researcher at University of Hawaii, added. The water concentration reaches a maximum average of around 500 to 750 parts per million in the higher latitudes. That is not a lot -- less than is found in the sands of Earth's driest deserts -- but it is also not nothing. "This is a roadmap to where water exists on the surface of the Moon," study co-author Ralph Milliken, Associate Professor at Brown University said. "Now that we have these quantitative maps showing where the water is and in what amounts, we can start thinking about whether or not it could be worthwhile to extract, either as drinking water for astronauts or to produce fuel," Milliken said. The way the water is distributed across the Moon gives clues about its source, the researchers said. The distribution is largely uniform rather than splotchy, with concentrations gradually decreasing toward the equator, the study said. That pattern is consistent with implantation via solar wind -- the constant bombardment of protons from the Sun, which can form hydroxyl and molecular water once emplaced. Although the bulk of the water mapped in this study could be attributed to solar wind, there were exceptions. For example, the researchers found higher-than-average concentrations of water in lunar volcanic deposits near the Moon's equator, where background water in the soil is scarce. Rather than coming from solar wind, the water in those localised deposits likely comes from deep within the Moon's mantle and erupted to the surface in lunar magma. The study also found that the concentration of water changes over the course of the lunar day at latitudes lower than 60 degrees, going from wetter in the early morning and evening to nearly bone dry around lunar noon. The fluctuation can be as much as 200 parts per million. As useful as the new maps may be, they still leave plenty of unanswered questions about lunar water. The Moon Mineralogy Mapper, which supplied the data for the research, measures light reflected off of the lunar surface. That means that it can't look for water in places that are permanently shadowed from the sun's rays. Many scientists think these permanently shadowed regions, such as the floors on impact craters in the Moon's polar regions, could hold large deposits or water ice. "Those ice deposits may indeed be there, but because they are in shadowed areas it's not something we can easily confirm using these data," Milliken said. Digitimes Research: JDI ramping automotive panels aiming for turnaround Despite the fact that Japan Display (JDI) has been operating in the red for a long time, the Japan government is unlikely to let JDI go simply because Japan's automotive electronics industry still dominates the global market, and maintaining its own panel production capacity will continue to be a market niche for Japan's electronics industry, according to Digitimes Research. For this reason, JDI has recently launched an expansion project, aiming to ramp up the production capacity of its 4G plant in Tottori, which focuses on automotive panels, to 54,000 substrates a month from 45,000 units currently. JDI and Sharp have been dominating the automotive panel market in Japan and have also captured a relatively high level of market share in the US and Europe, respectively. However, the two firms have also seen their global market shares gradually diminishing as Taiwan-based AU Optronics (AUO) has actively stepped into the markets in Japan and Europe, and some Japan-based automotive electronics companies have reduced their orders to Sharp after Foxconn Electronics took over the management of Sharp. Meanwhile, LG Electronics is also stepping into the automotive electronics market and is offering support to LG Display to make its display subsidiary its main sources of panel supplies. LG Display has begun making inroads into the European market along with its improved technology. Foxconn has its own automotive electronics plants, using panels mainly from its subsidiary Innolux. Sharp has been increasing its purchases of panels from Innolux, further enhancing the supply capacity at Innolux. Although China-based panel makers including BOE Technology, Tianma Micro-electronics and Infovision Optoelectronics are also strengthening their automotive panel business, these firms are currently focusing their marketing on the domestic market. While Samsung Display is switching its focus to AMOLED panels, the AMOLED panels are unlikely to make significant inroads into the automotive panel market before 2020 due to the reliability of such panels. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Texas Rep. Kevin Brady, left, accepts a truckload of help from his New York colleague Rep. Tom Suozzi to help Hurricane Harvey victims. Now Brady wants to offer more help via special tax relief for retirement account withdrawals. (Photo from Rep. Brady via Facebook Here's a clear indication that tax reform isn't going to be as easy as many hope. Talk of tax reform has focused variously on tax rate cuts, deduction reductions and overall simplification of the Internal Revenue Code. Rep. Kevin Brady, the Texas Republican in charge of the House tax-writing committee, is himself considering adding a new tax provision. Last week Brady, who's repeatedly said 2017 offers the best chance yet for Congress to push through the first major tax overhaul since the historic 1986 tax code rewrite, suggested that some specific changes could be needed to help those suffering from this summer's devastating hurricanes. Among proposals Brady is floating is one that would let storm-affected individuals take money out their 401(k) plans without paying the usual 10 percent tax penalty. This charge is assessed when the workplace retirement account money is withdrawn before the account holder reaches age 59. Tax penalty to protect retirement savings: The penalty, along with taxes due on the tax-deferred account money, is meant to discourage raids on retirement funds. Such accounts, however, often are the only sources of somewhat accessible cash for many people. The retirement accounts are tempting revenue sources when they face dire situations like hurricanes and other natural disasters that require cash to recover from the storms or even just to meet post-catastrophe day-to-day expenses. The Internal Revenue Service realizes this. The tax agency recently eased rules allowing for easier loans and hardship distributions for victims of both Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. But the loans must be paid back within five years or it's subject to normal income taxes and the 10 percent penalty. Hardship withdrawals are also taxable and subject to the same early withdrawal penalty. Ending the penalty altogether: That's where Brady's potential bill would come in. He wants to eliminate the penalty. The tax requirement, however, would likely remain. The change, according to Brady, would be solely for storm affected households. "No two disasters are the same. These won't be boilerplate," Brady told reporters last week. "We'll tailor these to our communities and their needs going forward." Brady says he expects to get bipartisan support for the change. Might not be that easy: However, some lawmakers and tax policy experts, aren't impressed with Brady's idea. Using the tax code as a way to deal with specific taxpayers' situations, regardless of how necessary and compassionate, is part of the reason the tax code has gotten so out of control. "This is way at the bottom of tax policy sins, but to me, the tax code is not something you should try to use to solve all problems," Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the American Action Forum, told The Washington Post. "It's supposed to raise revenue while ensuring good incentives to invest, innovate and raise the standard of living of the population. This kind of thing goes in the other direction. It discourages saving and tosses the money into disaster relief." Then there are the lawmakers who are concerned about to pay for lower tax rates and other breaks that they want to be of tax reform. Giving up money, even if it is for a worthy cause and in relatively rare situations, undercuts that effort. Another 401(k) change could fund tax code changes: In fact, some Senators and Representatives already have their eyes on 401(k) plans as a tax reform revenue source. There's been a proposal that traditional 401(k) plans be converted to Roth versions. That is, the money that workers put into their companies' defined contribution accounts would be taxed first, but tax-free upon withdrawal many, many years later in retirement. The change presumably would raise billions of dollars thanks to the taxes on the money that now is not taxed when it goes into a 401(k). But would removing the upfront tax savings prompt many folks to quit contributing? That could be an unintended consequence that could produce a whole other set of financial concerns when folks retire without enough money to support themselves during their golden years. Thanks, though, Rep. Brady, for underscoring the extent of the work that you, your Ways and Means colleagues and the rest of the Congress must do to accomplish any tax code changes. You also might find these items of interest: MARIANNA POLICE DEPARTMENT The Marianna Police Department reported the following incidents for Sept. 13, the latest available report: One escort, 10 traffic stops, one abandoned vehicle, one suspicious vehicle, two special detail assignments, one burglary, two verbal disturbances, one larceny complaint, one criminal mischief complaint, one accident, one follow-up investigation, one illegally-parked vehicle, one assault, seven non-residential property checks, one assist of a motorist or pedestrian, 12 patrol requests, one threat/harassment complaint, one missing adult, and 18 home security checks. JACKSON COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE The Jackson County Sheriffs Office and county fire/rescue reported the following incidents for Sept. 13, the latest available report: Two stolen tags, one stolen vehicle, three abandoned vehicles, two suspicious vehicles, three suspicious incidents, one escort, two highway obstructions, one physical disturbance, three verbal disturbances, one prowler, 18 medical calls, one traffic crash, three medical transports, two residential fire alarms, two request for police/fire department assistance, 11 traffic stops, three larceny complaints, one criminal mischief complaint, one found/abandoned property report, one lost property report, one follow-up investigation, one juvenile complaint, one suicide attempt or threat, 11 property checks, three assists of motorists/pedestrians, three assists of other agencies, three public service calls, six general criminal registrations, two sex offender registrations, five sex offender registration updates, two transports, and one open door or window discovered. JACKSON COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY The following persons were booked into the county jail during the latest reporting periods: Michael Barnes, 26, 1056 Britton St., Largo, sentenced to 180 days in the county jail. Donal Jeffers, 22, 5793 Hartsfield Road, Greenwood, failure to appear. Tavis Bellamy, 38, 3129 Zion St., Cottondale, violation of state probation. Kutara Brightman, 26, 2900 State Road 1A1, Atlantic Beach, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, improper exhibit of a firearm or dangerous weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia. Nathan Golden, 27, 6118 Jamie Road, Youngstown, violation of state probation. Dalton King, 24, 812 East 8th St., Panama City, violation of county probation. Jefferey Parker, 34, 1946 Porter Ave., Grand Ridge, failure to appear, fleeing/eluding law enforcement officer, dealing/possession of stolen property, altering/removing VIN number. Donnie Holman, 63, 5278 Brown St., Graceville, battery. JAIL POPULATION: 245 To report a crime, call CrimeStoppers at 526-5000 or a local law enforcement agency. To report a wildlife violation, call 1-888-404-FWCC (3922). A grassroots disaster relief organization in Louisiana expects to bring supplies into Jackson County this week to help storm refugees replenish water and other essentials as soon as Hurricane Irma has cleared this area of the state. Some volunteer pilots and truck drivers will likely be part of the rollout according to Gulf Coast Disaster Relief cofounder Tammy Larson. She said that, depending on the timing of the storms exit, the assistance could be on the way as early as today. Larson said the organization she and her husband Steven put together grew quickly as others embraced the mission. It has helped in several disasters around the country, and typically targets smaller communities that are not necessarily in the eye of the storm but affected by it, since those are sometimes put to the back of the line as agencies and larger organizations push into the most significantly affected and populated regions to help. The staging area had not been chosen as of a conversation on Sunday, but Larson said the wheels were already in motion. A facility near the Marianna airport is under consideration. She said Jackson County Commissioner Eric Hill assured her in a phone conversation over the weekend that staging and storage will be available for the materials. Marianna City Manager Jim Dean and others were also part of the local networking. She said GCDRs role will be connecting the dots between the local community and those who donate the supplies and the pilots and drivers who donate their time and the fuel to get the materials here. Some standard items, like water, and baby supplies, like diapers, will most likely be aboard the small planes and the trucks that come here, she said. The connection between her group and Jackson County came by way of a team that had been cooking for people displaced by the Hurricane Harvey. Those people were looking to help Florida as Hurricane Irma bore down. One of those volunteers happens to be a tourism director in Louisiana. That individual is familiar with GCDRs expertise in coordinating relief efforts, including the groups reach-out to Texas communities, and got in touch. That volunteer also reached out to RiverWay South tourism expert Judy Randall, and other local connections were made along the way. Im sure many of the people who have had to take refuge away from home are not financially able to do what theyre doing right now, Larson said. We dont donate money were not big enough for that but we find donations of the supplies that can help them, things for personal hygiene, baby diapers, water, basic things. Its a struggle right now, especially if theyre having to pay for motels and fuel and food to see them through until they can get home. This is a group effort involving many, many partners who want to help with the resources they can offer. We dont know what these people will be facing when they get back home but if we can help them by coming into the host community with some of the things they need while theyre away, then why wouldnt we do that? Thats kind of our motto: We do it because we can. If you can why dont you? Marianna is right on the interstate and easily accessible as a stopping point for supplies to be distributed out from once the storm is out of there. Its the little lost communities that are almost forgotten about; thats our niche. Were in an itty-bitty community ourselves, a little place called LaCombe on the outskirts of Mandeville, Louisiana. There are a lot of people involved. We couldnt do 75 percent of what we do without these pilots I dont think any of them have ever asked us to even reimburse the fuel they use and there are so many businesses and other groups who donate the things that people in distress need so badly. GCDR partners with groups like Cajun Airlift, and in that teamwork flew and trucked supplies from the Gulf Coast into Texas to help with Hurricane Harvey. Company directors will be issued with unique identification numbers as part of Federal Government reforms designed deter and penalise directors who engage in illegal phoenixing activity. The reforms were announced this week by Minister for Revenue and Financial Services, Kelly ODwyer, who said illegal phoenixing the stripping and transfer of assets from one company to another by individuals or entities to avoid paying liabilities costs the economy up to $3.2 billion per year. Minister ODwyer said the governments package of reforms will include the introduction of a Director Identification Number (DIN), which will identify directors with a unique number. The DIN will interface with other government agencies and databases to allow regulators to map the relationships between individuals and entities and individuals and other people. In addition to the DIN, Minister ODwyer said the government will consult on implementing a range of other measures to deter and disrupt the core behaviours of phoenix operators, including non-directors such as facilitators and advisers. These include: Specific phoenixing offences to better enable regulators to take decisive action against those who engage in this illegal activity; The establishment of a dedicated phoenix hotline to provide the public with a single point of contact for reporting illegal phoenix activity; The extension of the penalties that apply to those who promote tax avoidance schemes to capture advisers who assist phoenix operators; Stronger powers for the ATO to recover a security deposit from suspected phoenix operators, which can be used to cover outstanding tax liabilities, should they arise; Making directors personally liable for GST liabilities as part of extended director penalty provisions; Preventing directors from backdating their resignations to avoid personal liability or from resigning and leaving a company with no directors; and Prohibiting related entities to the phoenix operator from appointing a liquidator. Minister ODwyer said the government will also consult on how best to identify high risk individuals who will be subject to new preventative and early intervention tools, including: a next-cab-off-the-rank system for appointing liquidators; allowing the ATO to retain tax refunds; and allowing the ATO to commence immediate recovery action following the issuance of a Director Penalty Notice. Minister ODwyer advised that consultation on the non-DIN measures will commence in the coming weeks. Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO), Kate Carnell expressed support for the introduction of DIN as a means of ensuring rogue directors cant be involved in multiple instances of phoenixing. When companies phoenix its usually the subcontractors and small businesses who suffer; theyre the ones who arent paid, she explained. This is a definite step in the right direction to ensure that small businesses get a fair go. The challenge for the government is to ensure this is not just another number with more red tape. Weve already got an ACN, ABN, a TFN and many licences and regulatory requirements for businesses. We want to see a scenario where all of this data is consolidated into a single portal that contains all relevant information. Mark Molesworth, Tax Partner with accountancy firm BDO Australia, said the proposed measure preventing directors from resigning where that will leave no directors for an entity, may lead to a last director standing rush in situations where a company is showing signs of failure. He explained, That is, compared to the current law, directors may be more likely to want to resign earlier because, if they happen to be the last director, they will not be able to resign. This also has implications where the directors of a company fall out with the shareholders and the board is spilled. Molesworth said BDO supported the introduction of the DNO if done well, adding that unless the security of the DIN system is first rate, the government will run the risk of identity fraud. Molesworth described the extension of the director penalty notice regime to GST liabilities as troubling, noting that it: militates against ordinary businesses and directors having a licence to fail which the government itself acknowledges is important in encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation. makes the government more likely to collect money out of an insolvency than ordinary creditors and, in some cases, employees. The other proposed measures appear to be reasonable responses to perceived issues, he said. As always, the devil will be in the detail. We will be participating in the consultation to attempt to ensure that the rules strike the right balance between penalising criminal behaviour and not stifling entrepreneurship. LINCOLN The University of Nebraska added another $4 million worth of items to its running list of proposed budget cuts Tuesday as it seeks to close a shortfall of $49 million. The announcement included more than 70 specific items across eight nonacademic areas primarily travel, public relations, printing and financial operations to be implemented in coming months. NU announced $25 million in potential cuts last month. Perhaps the biggest proposal unveiled Tuesday is a 90 percent reduction in reimbursements for cellphone and internet use by university employees. That move alone is expected to create $1.1 million in savings, said NU spokeswoman Melissa Lee said. Other proposed changes: The university will require employees to make travel arrangements online, rather than over the phone, to save roughly $17 per transaction. Just 22 percent of NU employees are currently booking travel online. Employees will also be required to use a university credit card, allowing NU to earn a 1.65 percent rebate on approved travel expenses. The university plans to consolidate travel planning to a single agency in order to secure higher rebates. Along with generally moving to electronic distribution of materials across the system, NU plans to create one systemwide printing and copying operation with single locations in Lincoln, Omaha and Kearney. Some potential changes such as ending the practice of paying one-quarter of employees' unused sick time upon retirement, and adjusting the maximum number of vacation days that can be maintained will require the approval of the NU Board of Regents. And other moves like streamlining the university's per-diem reimbursement procedures to reduce time and resources spent preparing, processing, administering, and auditing travel receipts would require the Legislature to change state law. Most of the overall $49 million in cuts are expected to come from consolidating or eliminating certain nonacademic programs across the university system, and NU administrators expect 100 positions will be terminated either through attrition or reductions in force once other cost-reduction strategies have been exhausted. Among the broad initiatives announced in August are those aimed at reducing costs in areas such as human resources, information technology, facilities and energy and procurement, through strategies like centralization and eliminating duplicative efforts. Many of the potential cuts will require further study, such as those regarding human resources and public relations. No individual positions have been identified yet for immediate cuts or elimination through attrition, but NU said Tuesday that the broader cuts will impact virtually all employees in some way. The reduction in cellphone and internet reimbursements is a clear example. Other Big Ten schools have followed similar paths regarding such reimbursements. The University of Minnesota stopped reimbursing employees for cellphones in 2012 if they didn't need access to a device to perform their specific duties. Penn State did the same in 2016, saving about $1.2 million in direct and indirect costs, according to its website. The policy shift puts NU in line with other governmental bodies like Lincoln Public Schools, which provides work cellphones to school nurses, facilities and maintenance staff, and others deemed on call, according to Eric Weber, associate superintendent for human resources. NU earlier this summer cut its mileage reimbursement rate for employees who use their own vehicles to travel between facilities from the 53.5 cents per mile set by the Nebraska Department of Administrative Services to 25 cents per mile in an effort to save $550,000. Marjorie Kostelnik, a former dean of UNLs College of Education and Human Sciences tapped to implement the budget cuts, said many of the strategies presented Tuesday have yet to be finalized. The universitys budget response teams will engage with faculty, staff and students about implementing specific plans, NU said, while additional teams in safety, parking, research services and institutional research have also been convened to look for savings. LINCOLN Omaha Sen. Bob Krist says he is fed up with partisan bickering, and believes the people of Nebraska are, too. And so, in announcing he is running for governor of Nebraska, he said he would also give up party affiliation and register Wednesday afternoon in Omaha as a nonpartisan. It's the first time he has changed his party registration from Republican during his public life, he noted at a news conference in the Capitol Rotunda. Krist, 60, will work in the next four months to gather the 5,000 signatures needed to create a new party to get on the 2018 ballot, he said. Without a party affiliation, funding for his campaign could be a challenge. But Krist said a campaign doesn't have to be a billion-dollar event. He has already begun receiving donations, he said, and promises of funding. "I don't think that raising money is going to be easy, but I will do it by taking the time and visiting with folks around the state," he said. Gov. Pete Ricketts spent around $7.5 million in his 2014 gubernatorial campaign. Krist said party affiliation was the smallest part of the message he wanted to convey Wednesday. "Nebraskans are looking for independent and effective leadership," Krist said. "We believe I am the right person to answer the call and return us to the nonpartisan traditions that made Nebraska great." He will embark on a listening tour of the state, probably beginning before the end of the month. Krist, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, is a pilot and plans to fly around the state to campaign. His decision to run has grown out of his observations from his seat in the nonpartisan Legislature for the past nine years, and the changes he has seen there, led by partisanship from the governor's office. What pushed his decision to run was the budget debate in the 2017 session of the Legislature, he said. That budget could have been balanced in a lot of ways without taking money from Medicaid service provider rates and aid for people with developmental disabilities. "The Legislature was once a nonpartisan body, but thats not the case today," he said. "Now we have less conversation, less debate and more of the party highway or no way. Its counter to everything we need to do right now. I believe the emphasis should be on working together. Krist said he has watched Ricketts, a Republican, personally bankroll challengers to senators who dont vote with him right down the line. Krist was appointed by Republican Gov. Dave Heineman in 2009, but soon showed his independent streak, parting ways with the governor on a number of votes. He has been criticized by the Republican Party on a number of those issues. On Wednesday, state GOP Executive Director Kenny Zoeller was at the Rotunda with a press release that thumped Krist for flip-flopping on what he believes and for not being able to choose a party for the ballot. Krist said that in his time in the Legislature he has always presented what he thought was good for the 1.9 million people across the state of Nebraska and the 40,000 he represented in District 10, and never brought party politics into it. "So they can call me a flip-flopper all they want to. But this is the first time I've changed my party politic, even though they tried to kick me out on a couple of occasions," he said. "I can't say that enough. Let me foot stomp that one." The state Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb had a much different response to Krist's announcement. Krist's run for governor is good for democracy, she said. "Nebraska has one-party rule right now. Democrats and independents are part of the fabric of our state and deserve a seat at the table for making decisions that impact our families," she said. "More ideas, beyond the dominant party in our state, are needed to grow the good life for all Nebraskans. Krist said his No. 1 priority as governor would be to focus on finding nonpartisan solutions to reduce property taxes for Nebraskans, while assuring adequate education funding. He will also commit to fixing the problems in Nebraska's prison systems. "I understand the overtime issues that have plagued our corrections officers. I understand the overcrowding issue. I understand that the time for talk is over," Krist said. If elected, he said, he will declare an emergency to address prison crowding at 160 percent of capacity, with a number of them at a much higher percentage. "Our prisons have become the No. 1 public safety issue in Nebraska and the time to act is past. The time to act is now," he said. His campaign will focus on his conservative belief that government is too big, he said. "We are committed to making our state government more efficient, hard working for all Nebraskans," he said. "And we must do so without harming the most fragile members of our society." In balancing his duties in the Legislature with running for a major state office, Krist said he will not shirk any of his legislative responsibilities, which end in 2018 due to term limits. He had a good example in U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer in 2012, he said. "She didn't skip a beat. She continued to drive toward those issues that needed to be solved. She introduced bills. She talked about bills. I intend to do the same thing," he said. Ricketts' 2018 campaign manager, Jessica Flanagain, said until Krist successfully creates his own party, and has ballot access for the primary election, the Ricketts campaign would not comment on his candidacy. At his announcement were Krist's wife, Peggy, his daughter Courtney, 33, son Justin, 35, daughter-in-law Aura, brother Jim Krist and sister Katie Malmberg. Meetings with local authorities in Minsk EBRD President Sir Suma Chakrabarti has completed a visit to Belarus today, where he held discussions with the countrys President Alexander Lukashenko, Prime Minister Andrey Kobyakov, senior civil servants, businesses, civil society organisations and the diplomatic community. It was the first visit by the EBRD President to Belarus since the adoption of a new country strategy in September 2016, which provides for wider engagement in public sector projects, including key state and municipal infrastructure and pre-privatisation support of state-owned enterprises. President Chakrabarti said: We have come to Minsk to underscore our commitment to Belarus and our readiness to engage in important investment projects which have a real impact on the countrys economy. The EBRD is pleased to see a growing role of the private sector and we would like to encourage the authorities to continue this successful course. We also hope that the greater openness to discussing political issues, as it was displayed in recent years, would continue. During his two-and-a-half-day visit the EBRD President signed a 50 million subordinated debt facility, which will strengthen the capital base of Belinvestbank, as part of its pre-privatisation support agreed between the government of Belarus and the EBRD in May 2015. He also signed a grant agreement with the EU for the support of small and medium-sized enterprises in Belarus for the next four years as well as two accords with the Republic of Belarus, which will pave the way for the development of local capital markets and the commercialisation and corporate governance improvements of state-owned enterprises. Since the start of its operations in Belarus in 1992, the EBRD has invested almost 1.9 billion in some 90 projects in various sectors of the country's economy. The Bank is actively engaged in a variety of projects ranging from pre-privatisation support of banks and construction industry companies to renewable energy projects, residential energy efficiency and solid waste management. A group of the worlds top technology leaders, led by Tesla founder Elon Musk, on Sunday published an open letter urging the United Nations to ban the use of artificial intelligence in weapons systems, amid growing concerns that autonomous killer robots could wind up taking control. The group of 116 companies, most of which specialize in robotics or artificial intelligence, argued that the growing use of AI could revolutionize modern warfare in irreversible ways and pose a danger to nation states. Lethal autonomous weapons threaten to become the third revolution in warfare, the letter states. Once developed, they will permit armed conflict to be fought at a scale greater than ever, at timescales faster than humans can comprehend. Such weapons could be placed in the hands of terrorists, the letter points out. Despots could use them against innocent civilians. Further, cybercriminals possibly could hack them, turning the weapons against innocent victims. AI All Stars Among the signatories to the letter are many of the worlds top names in AI: Musk, who also is founder of SpaceX and OpenAI; Mustafa Suleyman, founder and head of applied AI at Googles DeepMind; Esben Ostergaard, founder and CTO of Universal Robotics in Denmark; and Jerome Monceaux, founder of Aldebaran Robotics. A key figure behind the letter, Toby Walsh, a professor of AI at the University of New South Wales in Sydney Australia, presented it at the opening of the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Melbourne, Australia. The annual event is considered the worlds most important gathering of AI experts. Walsh also was behind a 2015 letter that warned of the dangers of using AI in autonomous weapons development, noting that such systems could spark a public backlash that would create long-term damage for AI technology in general. Walsh likely will attend the next UN Convention on Conventional Weapons meeting to discuss the open letter, he told the E-Commerce Times. Building Consensus Sundays joint statement from the worlds leading experts in the field could mark a turning point on the issue. A group of 123 member nations of the UNs Review Conference on the Convention on Conventional Weapons last year unanimously agreed to begin formal discussions on the use of lethal autonomous weapons, University of New South Wales officials said. So far, 19 member nations have called for an outright ban. AI specialists previously have raised questions about the potential for lethal autonomous weapons to create very destructive and lasting security issues for the world. Musk just last month got into a public spat with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg over the potential for unregulated AI to put the public at increased risk. Musks position is that global regulatory changes must be enacted to maintain long-term peace and security, said Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. However, past history makes it difficult to imagine a scenario where many global powers would be willing to [accept] such restrictions, he told the E-Commerce Times. Some would argue that they require such weaponry for their own protection, where others will say the threat of robotic firepower will deter their enemies from pursuing war. It is possible that the outlook portrayed by Musk and others is more than a little hyperbolic, suggested Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research. This is a person that is promoting the augmentation of humans through technology and the use of AI for self-driving cars, he told the E-Commerce Times, but AI in robots is bad? Didnt anyone see Maximum Overdrive? Tech Industrys Responsibility The question of whether or how to regulate lethal AI weaponry is one that is deeply connected to values, suggested Ryan Gariepy, CTO of Clearpath Robotics, which previously had called for an outright ban. It is a choice between using AI for good versus using it for lethal means, Gariepy, who was the first to sign Sundays letter, told the E-Commerce Times. Clearpath and its founders have made a conscious decision to align their business values to their personal values of using technology for good. Federal agencies have begun using an emerging information technology tool to manage the huge amount of data the United States government generates and stores. Federal IT managers recently have embraced the concept of convergence, which has been gaining traction in the private sector. Agencies also have indicated that the approach may be useful for other federal IT applications. Spurred by several rounds of IT reform directives from the U.S. Congress and the White House Office of Management and Budget, agencies have begun seeking innovative methods to improve data storage. These efforts include shedding outdated legacy technologies in favor of more efficient and effective IT upgrades. Converged systems have moved into the top echelon of these innovative options, according to a recent report from MeriTalk. Just over 70 percent of federal IT managers surveyed believed converged infrastructures would become the central housing mechanism for data center needs. As agencies hit a crossroads of multiple mandates and legislative initiatives to reduce legacy systems, the conversation on optimization is moving to the next level, said Steve OKeeffe, founder of MeriTalk. Converged infrastructure is the next step and gives agencies a way to meet the requirements of multiple mandates while saving money and modernizing federal IT systems, he said. Providers Boost Trend Vendors serving the federal market that have observed the convergence trend have been encouraging agencies to embrace the concept. IT convergence requires integrating various components of the data management chain. For the MeriTalk study, we defined converged as a multivendor solution consisting of, at a minimum, servers, storage, networking and management layers managed through a single pane of glass, said Milo Speranzo, director of strategy and compliance at Tech Data. That definition is consistent with the scope of elements in IDCs description of converged solutions: pre-integrated, vendor-certified systems containing server hardware, disk storage systems, networking equipment, and basic element and systems management software. In addition to meeting federal IT mandates, agencies recently have become motivated to seek improved data management technologies simply due to the enormity of the task. Seventy-three percent of survey respondents said that workloads had increased over the last three years, MeriTalk reported. Data volume increased substantially during that time frame, nearly 80 percent of respondents said. Almost 75 percent of respondents reported that user volume also had grown. Almost 60 percent of federal IT managers said their agencies were struggling to keep up with such workloads. The report, which was based on a survey of 150 federal IT managers, was underwritten by Cisco, NetApp and Tech Data. MeriTalk released it last month. The indications that federal agencies saw value in converged technologies were relatively strong, considering the frequently conservative posture of agencies toward innovation. For example, 59 percent of respondents said that converged infrastructure solutions were part of their agencys data center strategy, while 23 percent reported they had multiple convergence solutions in place. Adoption has conformed with the federal Data Center Optimization Initiative issued just a year ago, with 60 percent of respondents reporting that convergence solutions were being used to replace working data centers. Fifty-seven percent said the technology was being used to replace end-of-life data centers, and 35 percent said their agencies were moving to converged solutions to establish new centers. A Link to the Cloud IT vendors who see convergence either as a good option or as an essential strategy for government agencies have been positioning themselves to respond to federal interest in the technology. Marketing strategies include making sure agencies are well aware of the convergence option, and developing products geared to federal requirements. In addition, IT providers have been linking the use of convergence technologies to federal agencies growing demand for cloud technologies. The data consolidation initiative is driving the majority of the opportunities for converged systems, Tech Datas Speranzo told the E-Commerce Times. Federal IT managers appeared to struggle soon after a government data consolidation directive was released in 2010, because agencies then did not have access to repeatable and consumable converged solutions, he noted. That has all changed, with our vendor community focused on filling this need, almost every end user we work with has converged solutions specified in their requirements to reach the goals established by OMB, Speranzo said. The future of government IT, and the industry in general, will be a multicloud world. While many agencies will leverage the capabilities of the major cloud providers, many workloads are still best suited for private cloud deployments, said Nick Michaelides, vice president of federal sales at Cisco. Convergence provides a common, scalable and flexible infrastructure platform that can be used as the foundation of a private cloud, or as an extension of a public cloud such as Microsofts Azure Stack, he told the E-Commerce Times. Ultimately, true customer success will be gained from vendors who can provide both vertical stack integration, as well as horizontal integration across clouds. Participants in the survey revealed the range of deployment strategies, with 55 percent of respondents reporting they were using convergence solutions with internal data centers; 53 percent were using them with private clouds; 39 percent with hybrid clouds; and 33 percent with public clouds. Market Emerges but Challenges Remain As with most innovations, the path to federal agencies adoption of convergence solutions will not be smooth the situation needs to be addressed by vendors and agencies alike. Security is one of the challenges the MeriTalk survey revealed. Forty-four percent of respondents were concerned about security. Other potential problems include limited funding, as noted by 39 percent of respondents; interoperability (24 percent); forced updates (23 percent) and vendor lock-in (21 percent). The road to an integrated IT system should not be a daunting one, said Rob Stein, vice president for the U.S. public sector at NetApp. Most of todays data centers and related systems cannot keep up with the growing amount of data within federal agencies. Integrating all the pieces of the data center together radically simplifies data management, especially in the new hybrid cloud world, he said. Other IT vendors are aware of the potential market for converged solutions at the federal level. Merlin International and HyTrust earlier this year joined with NetApp to issue a report on federal agencies use of converged solutions, including a focus on security. More than 90 percent of respondents to a Dell EMC survey of federal agencies considered mobility and converged infrastructure as key elements for future IT management, the company reported late last year. That future could provide vendors with significant opportunities. Respondents to the MeriTalk survey indicated that they saw potential for convergence not only for data storage but also for a variety of other purposes, including big data analytics, workforce productivity, agency-specific applications, business processing and virtual desktop infrastructure. 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It is clear that the European Union and its institutions will only realise this by working together, with every level of government, including local and regional authorities, and that it cannot be "dictated from above". The Reflecting on Europe process launched by our Committee complements the European Commission and other EU institutions' efforts to listen and work with citizens in deciding Europe's future. President Juncker also correctly declared that subsidiarity and proportionality should lead the future of our European Union. To successfully progress, the EU must work closer with regions and cities in their areas of competencies, particularly if it hopes to deliver environmental policy that moves us towards a low-carbon sustainable economy; improves transport in every community; integrates refugees into our communities; creates decent jobs; contributes to more social justice and fundamentally promotes social and territorial cohesion whilst supporting our local economies. We therefore ask that the European Committee of the Regions be represented in the Subsidiarity and Proportionality Task Force. The objectives set out by President Juncker cannot be achieved without the right resources. We therefore need a stronger EU budget that matches European ambitions. While welcoming the need for reinforcement of the European Fund for Strategic Investment , we insist that financial instruments must complement and not replace a cohesion policy for all regions, which goes hand in hand with more flexibility in the implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact. Cohesion policy is the ultimate expression of European solidarity - something 80% of citizens feel is lacking in Europe. We therefore call anyone who is convinced in the added-value of cohesion policy to join the #CohesionAlliance which will be launched on 9 October in Brussels. No longer can the European Union be complacent. We need to demonstrate that the EU is ready to be more effective and more efficient. That it is socially progressive and improves the lives of every citizen. Local and regional governments are on the frontline of Europe, understand the challenges and what is needed to overcome them, and are the "Wind in Europe's Sails". A united Europe needs to listen, work and invest locally. A stronger local voice needs to be heard in Brussels. This is why I will deliver the first annual Address on the " State of the European Union: the view of Regions and Cities " on 10 October in Brussels. The Address and following debate with EU local leaders will be broadcast live on EbS and web streamed on the CoR website: www.cor.europa.eu More information: Contact: Nathalie Vandelle (Photo: REUTERS / Anindito Mukherjee)A worker of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rides his bicycle past the party's campaign billboard featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi outside their party headquarters in New Delhi February 10, 2015. Upstart anti-establishment Aam Aadmi Party crushed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in an election for the Delhi assembly on Tuesday, smashing an aura of invincibility built around Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he swept to power last year. The billboard reads: "One India, Best India" GENEVA -- Three UN Special Rapporteurs have called on India's government to act decisively after the killing of Indian journalist and human rights defender Gauri Lankesh, who was shot dead on Sept. September outside her home in Bangalore. Lankesh was a staunch critic of right-wing Hindutva politics an extreme form of Hindu nationalism which has gained in strength since the Bharatiya Janata Party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Bangalore witnessed a massive march on Sept. 13 to mourn Lankesh's slaying with thousands of students, activists and Left wing politicians turning up many carrying posters and head bands with the main theme being, "I am Gauri." The opposition BJP in the Congress-ruled Karnataka has not reacted well to the rally, reported NDTV. Senior party leader and former law minister Suresh Kumar said the rally was sponsored by the ruling party in the state. "The Indian authorities should unequivocally condemn the killing of Gauri Lankesh, investigate it, bring all the perpetrators including the masterminds to account, and take seriously the safety of journalists," said the UN special experts. They were the rapporteurs on freedom of opinion and expression, David Kaye, the one on summary or arbitrary executions, Agnes Callamard, and on the situation of human rights defender, Michel Forst. Lankesh had written critically about religious fundamentalism, the governing party and right-wing politics, as well as the caste system before she was . In June, she wrote an article about the history of "attacks on the freedom of the press" in her home state of Karnataka. In one of her last public addresses, she expressed worry over the shrinking space for public debate in the country. "The murder of Gauri Lankesh is a terrible and painful tragedy for all who knew and loved her and her work, and is a vicious attack on the freedom of the press in India, which we unequivocally condemn," the experts said in their statement. "We urge the authorities in India to take active steps to reverse a political climate that in recent years have become increasingly polarized and hostile, especially to the media and those exercising the freedom of expression. Governments have a responsibility to build a safe environment for independent voices, including those of journalists critical of the authorities." The journalist's killing is the fourth in the last three years of activists who had opposed the rise of Hindu fundamentalism in politics. In November 2016, Lankesh was sentenced to six months imprisonment for defaming two politicians of the ruling party, charges that the experts said should never have been brought. She was released on bail during the appeals process. "India cannot afford to go on creating victims of hatred and intolerance. We urge the authorities to take steps to ensure a culture of diversity, in which everyone, including an independent media, can be safe to express their opinions," the experts concluded. The OECDs 2017 Education at a Glance report shows that Australias education system ranks amongst the worlds best with high levels of access, participation and attainment and strong employment outcomes. The report provides key information on the output of educational institutions, the impact of learning across countries and the learning environment and organisation of schools. Federal Education Minister, Simon Birmingham , said that while it can be difficult to compare with countries where higher taxes help fuel government spending at the expense of personal contributions, the figures show Australia performs extraordinarily well on the world stage. However, Birmingham cautioned against Australias education system resting on its laurels. From early learning and child care to schools, universities and vocational education, the Turnbull Government has been delivering reforms and investment to ensure Australians get the education and training they need to succeed, he said. This report highlights that investment in Australian education accounts for 5.8% of GDP compared to the OECD average of 5.2% and while we will continue to boost that investment, were also focused on making it an effective investment. Birmingham said spending as a percentage of GDP on higher education in Australia increased to 1.6% of GDP higher than last years report and above the OECDs average of 1.4%. The increase in higher education funding in Australia between 2005 and 2014 was the third highest in the OECD, Birmingham said. Its clear that Australian higher education institutions can learn from their peers overseas that may have less investment but stronger performance when it comes to various international rankings. Birmingham said that while a strong level of funding for schools is vital, whats more important is how that funding is used, especially when Australias education performance has plateaued compared with other OECD nations. Now that record needs based funding is locked in, I've asked David Gonski and a panel of leading education experts to look closely at the most effective programs and initiatives for our schools that will boost student outcomes and set up this and future generations so they can reach their full potential, he said. The Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA) project referred to as an authentic, research-led teacher performance assessment creates an evidence-based benchmark to measure current teaching standards against. Birmingham said that in order to get the best outcomes for students, Australia needs the best quality teachers in its classrooms. In August, the Federal Government unveiled sweeping changes to Australias standards that will see student teachers need to pass a performance assessment before they can graduate.Under the new rules, all new teachers will now need to pass a performance assessment before they can graduate.Graduate teachers deserve to know that they have the skills to succeed in the classroom just as students, parents and principals deserve to know that new teachers have been given the best possible skills, he said. Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier "When you shake a veteran's hand today, look them in the eye and give them a heartfelt thank you," said USAF Ret. Col. Jen Fullmer, parade grand marshal, who spoke at the event. 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Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Get the latest on all the biggest court and crime news in Essex direct from our expert court reporter A model has admitted she benefited from her ex-boyfriend's conspiracy to defraud a large number of elderly people. Rebecca Batchelor, 21, has accepted she knew huge sums of cash transferred into her bank account as part of her former lover, Anis Ben-Sghaier's, dodgy dealings, were the proceeds of crime. Known as Bekka, Batchelor rose to fame as she was one of a number of cheerleaders at Billericay Town who were sacked for being too distracting to players. Batchelor, of Helena Road, Rayleigh, came before Chelmsford Crown Court for the start of the case against her on Monday (September 11). While she initially denied the charge of converting criminal property, she changed her plea yesterday (Wednesday, September 13). Now that she has admitted her guilt, Batchelor will be sentenced at the same court at a date yet to be set. She was initially tried alongside Anis Ben-Sghaier's younger brother, Bilal, of Collins Meadow, Harlow , and Cathereen Welch, of Lamplighters Close, Waltham Abbey , who is also the former lover of Ben-Sghaier. Bilal Ben-Sghaier, 23, and Welch, 23 both deny coverting criminal property, which they allegedly committed between January 2013 and September 2016. Opening the prosecution case earlier this week, prosecutor Sarah Przybylska explained to the jury of twelve how the defendants were supposedly connected to the widespread scam. She outlined how brothers Anis and Amin Ben-Sghaier, who have already pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to defraud a number of people, would cold call elderly people and offer to make them lot of money. Their victims would be fooled into believing that by making a payment of cash upfront, which they were told constituted taxes, auctioneer fees and down-payments, they would be able to make a hefty profit. "It was all a lie," said Ms Przybylska. "The money they paid would not go to auctioneer houses or to the tax man. "It would go to Anis, Amin, and their associates. "These defendants were among those people." Expanding on the prosecution case, Ms Przybylska explained how the defendants had money paid into their accounts by some of the victims and went on to spend it. "Each of them knew, or suspected, that the money were the proceeds of crime," she said. "The prosecution say that they did know they of course say that they didn't." The jury were read a WhatsApp conversation between Anis and Batchelor where they discussed drafting a letter which would be used to con 87-year-old Dorothy Hepper out of 780. The letter, which is said to have been drafted by Batchelor and sent by Anis, claimed Ms Hepper would have her deposit repaid on completion of the sale of her carbon credits. As part of the scam, Batchelor had money transferred into her account, with one example being the 2,535 she received from a Mr Singh, which she then spent on a shopping spree including a 517 lunch at a restaurant in London. Batchelor, along with Anis, Amin and Bilal Ben-Sghaier, were arrested on January 19 last year. During her interview with police, Batchelor, who started dating Anis in January 2015, claimed she grew suspicious of his dealings and that he later admitted he was defrauding people out of their money. She also told officers that she had allowed her ex to use her bank account to receive payments as she believed he did not have one of his own. The trial continues. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Get the latest traffic and travel news straight to your inbox There was travel chaos on the M25 after a five-vehicle crash brought traffic to a standstill near the Dartford Tunnel. Fire crews confirmed that four fire engines attended the crash which involved two cars, two heavy goods vehicles and a long goods vehicle at around 3.35pm today (September 14) on the A282 near the Dartford Tunnel. A Mini had caught fire and was partially wedged under a dray lorry carrying barrels. Two men were given treatment from firefighters before paramedics arrived, but it is not yet known what their current condition is. The lorry was alight just prior to the split for East and West bore tunnels as emergency services responded to the incident. (Image: Highways England) Emergency services partially closed both carriageways as fire crews attended the scene. The road was assessed and reopened just after 5.30pm, but major delays are still expected. Traffic was held on the M25 clockwise as the smoke from the fire on the opposite side of the carriageway was blowing over the road. All lanes have now been reopened but there are still heavy delays for motorists heading into and out of Essex with nearly ten miles of queues on the M25 anticlockwise Two fire appliances remain at the scene. (Image: @jmarkharris2) In a statement Kent Fire and Rescue said: "Firefighters remain at the scene of a crash on the approach road to Dartford Tunnel. Three fire engines from Kent and one from London Fire Brigade were initially sent but two appliances from Kent remain at the scene. "When fire crews arrived they were confronted with a five vehicle crash, one of which was a mini that had caught alight and was partially wedged under a dray lorry carrying barrels." The statement said: "Both carriageways of the road were initially closed to enable firefighters to deal with the incident. This involved using three hose reels and a water shuttle to put out the fire and to keep the barrels cool and prevent them from exploding. Thermal imaging cameras were also used to check the temperature of the barrels. "Firefighters worked hard to make the scene safe and administered first aid to two men until the arrival of the ambulance service. Duty of care has now been handed to South East Coast Ambulance Service and the Highways Agency. "Kent Fire and Rescue Service was called to reports of a road crash on the A282 on the approach to the Dartford Tunnel. "The incident involves two cars, two heavy goods vehicles and a long goods vehicle. Four fire engines are at the scene along with Kent Police and the Highways Agency." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. For daily updates and all the latest breaking news sent straight to your inbox sign up to our daily newsletter As Francesca Burr lay in a hospital bed with a bolt through her skull, she looked at a man claiming to be her boyfriend in utter bewilderment. The then 27-year-old artist and model from Halstead, couldn't remember her male visitor, her middle name, or that her parents had divorced 10 years earlier. One month prior, doctors had painstakingly scraped pieces of broken bone from Francesca's brain after it was smashed when she suffered a violent seizure and fell down the stairs. Left with part of her head missing, experts managed to reprint her skull using a 3D printer - a journey Francesca likens as going from "Frankenstein to Robogirl". The confident young woman fractured her skull in five places, cracked her jaw and broke her nose in the horrific accident, The Mirror reports. (Image: Francesca Burr) She was discovered at the foot of her mum's stairs with blood coming out of her "eyes, ears and nose" shortly before doctors told her family to prepare for the worst. "It looked like something out of CSI," Francesca said. "My mum and step-dad came home from a meal on Friday night to find they couldn't open the front door because I was blocking it. "All they could hear was the dog barking and then they saw all that blood." (Image: Francesca Burr) Francesca, a primary school teacher, artist, tattoo fanatic and model, lay in an induced coma at Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge, for almost a month. With a bolt in her swollen head and a serious brain injury established, the now 28-year-old's parents were told to prepare for the worst. But ten months on from her horrific fall - after three major brain operations and countless hospital trips - Francesca is in recovery. As well as painful physical wounds, Francesca's memory was severely impaired because of the damage to her brain. Tragically, she couldn't remember the new man she had just started dating or that her parents were divorced. (Image: Francesca Burr) "I have weird memories from that time," Francesca said. "I have vague recollections of doctors and nurses coming in and out to check on me and asking weird things like 'do you know where you are?' and 'what's your name?'. "It seemed quite obvious to me - I was clearly in a hospital and I had a massive folder with 'Francesca Burr' written next to my bed. "But in all seriousness, I couldn't remember my middle name and when they told me it was Chelsea I remember thinking, 'What? Mum would never let dad do that'." She said: "At one point I also confided in my younger brother, who is also like my best friend, that I'd seen mum kissing a man who wasn't dad. "But my parents divorced when I was 10 and she's been married to my stepdad for seven or eight years. He was even the one who found me." Francesca was 27 at the time of the accident in November last year. (Image: Francesca Burr) She suffered her first seizure in her local town hall on June 23, 2016 - the day of the Brexit vote. "I don't think I even managed to make my vote," she joked. "And after that I had maybe three seizures - one while I was teaching primary school kids. They dealt with it so brilliantly." When Francesca's stepdad finally managed to reach her on the night of the accident, he dialled 999 and the air ambulance attended. "The helicopter arrived in the park round the corner, where I normally walk my dogs," she said. "My tiny little mum - she's 5ft 2ins - had to run out there and signal it down with a torch. "Paramedics took me out of the house in a stretcher and the doctors put me straight into an induced coma because of the bleeding on my brain." She said: "I was flown to hospital and they told my parents to prepare for the worst. It seemed unlikely that I would be surviving it." Surgeons then performed a seven hour operation on Francesca's head, scraping out the parts of skull that had broken into her brain. "Before the operation I looked like a cartoon character because my head was so swollen," she said. "So they shaved my head and peeled back my skin to take out all the broken skull. "What was left was a massive hole in my head. (Image: Francesca Burr) "They put me on a hell of a lot of drugs and fed me through a tube. "I was in a coma for nearly a month and my brother said I looked like Frankenstein, which is quite funny considering I'm Francesca. They kept me like that until around the last week of January when they thought it was manageable, then I came round and they reduced the drugs." When Francesca woke up from her induced coma, she slowly began to realise her life had changed dramatically. "In the months afterwards I really struggled thinking of the right words for things, even though I've always been academic and confident in that area," she explained. "It's like suddenly you realise you're no longer built the way you were born." She said: "I had just started going out with someone as well. We'd been seeing each other for a while and had just started going out that week. We were actually due to go on a date the night after the accident. "He was doing Movember and when he came to visit all of a sudden there was this dude with a really gross mustache in my room. "Apparently I touched his face and said 'I don't know who this is, get him out of here' to my mum. "It's quite sad really." Francesca has Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) which are a group of rare inherited conditions that affect connective tissue. The syndrome means Francesca suffers from unstable joints that dislocate easily and a loss of balance, but she had never experienced a seizure before last year. (Image: Francesca Burr) The model says the support of her family and friends has been crucial, especially during times when her mental health has suffered. "Even now people tell me I am different to how I was before," she said. "I don't remember, which is convenient I suppose, but it's also sad to think about what my family and friends have gone through. "When I was coming out of the coma the doctors told my family it was good for people to talk around me. "I really remember my younger brother's voice and apparently I would smile and squeeze his hand, even when I wasn't properly responding. He kept a diary of the little movements I was making which I've read since. It breaks my heart that my family had to go through that but it has been a massive help. "It has helped me understand what happened during that time." Francesca had her titanium skull plate fitted in February. She said: "They got a 3D printer to create a titanium plate to fit in my head - I mean, that's some real James Bond s***. I was amazed when they told me that. "I actually met the neurosurgeon who did a few weeks ago and he shook my hand - what a good bloke, he shook my hand. Can you believe that? He saved my life and then he shook my hand. "I won't ever be the same because my brain has had to change and is held together with metal pins, but I am so lucky that I have such incredible friends and family. "I have really struggled with mental health which is something I'd never dealt with before. I didn't want to wake up in the morning because of the pain in my head. "I was a high-achieving, ambitious person and now I'm a 28-year-old, with no work or social life, living in Halford with my mum. "I'm so isolated and can only leave the house if I'm not too dizzy. I also go to the doctors twice a week and can't drive so I'm very dependent. I'm normally not an emotional person but it's been hard to acknowledge and accept everything that's happened. (Image: Francesca Burr) "I've been speaking to mental health professionals in Colchester and they have been phenomenal. "I'm trying to watch series to follow plots because that's where I'm struggling - with memory and retention. "Eventually when I'm stronger I will go back to work. I'm a stubborn cow and I know I will teach and tattoo again. "Because my hair has grown back you can't notice the hole as much and I've even been out for a few beers in the last couple of weeks - which is nice. "I've also just started seeing someone. I actually met him in hospital - he thought he had a hernia. "He's a good guy but it's early days." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Get the latest on all the biggest court and crime news in Essex direct from our expert court reporter Dozens of cars have been vandalised in Tollesbury on Saturday night (September 9). Essex Police have confirmed they have received reports of up to 37 incidents in the area in the following days. The cars in question have been scratched with what appears to have been a key. The reported incidents say that doors, bonnets and roofs have been scratched in a single movement in the Tollesbury district of Maldon. Andy Brooks, of 14 Hyacinth Close in Tollesbury, discovered he was one of the victims of this crime after his wife saw several residents warning fellow car owners on the Facebook neighbourhood watch page. He said: "We were out on Saturday night for dinner with friends. "We found out about our car on the Sunday morning when my wife checked the neighbourhood watch Facebook page to find someone posted their car had been keyed. "It wasn't until other people started saying the same had happened to them when we decided to check ours. "We have got to respray the whole bonnet which could cost 125." (Image: David Berman) Mr Brooks claims that up to 50 cars may have been subject to vandalism. "One of the cars in East Street has got to respray every panel as it is over every single one," he added. Tollesbury residents have continued to express their concern about the incidents on social media. One victim posted on Facebook: "Both of our cars and another were keyed last night in East Street. What is wrong with people?!" Another posted: "Just arrived at my parents to find that someone last night did this to his car, what's happened to Tollesbury." Essex Police released a Facebook status urging residents to report any incidents of vandalism to them. At the Board Meeting of The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) held immediately after the AGM today, Abanti Sankaranarayanan, Former Vice Chairman, Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) was unanimously elected as the Chairman of the Board of ASCI. As the member of the Board of Governors for four years, Sankaranarayanan, also Chief Strategy and Corporate Affairs Officer at Diageo India, and member of its Executive Committee, is an accomplished business leader, having steered pivotal roles across functions in the consumer products and luxury industry for over two decades now. D. Shivakumar, Chairman and CEO PepsiCo India Holdings was elected as the Vice-Chairman and Shashidhar Sinha, CEO, Media Brands. was re-appointed as the Honorary Treasurer. Other members of the Board of Governors are Al Rajwani (Managing Director & Chief Executive, Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care.), Mr. Benoy Roychowdhury (Executive Director, HT Media Ltd.), Gurmit Singh (Vice President India Business, Oath), N.S. Rajan (Global Partner & Managing Director, Ketchum Sampark Pvt. Ltd.), Narendra Ambwani (Director, Agro Tech Foods .), Prashant Singh (Managing Director, Nielsen India Region), Raj Jain (Chief Executive Officer, Bennett, Coleman.), Rohit Gupta (President - Network Sales & International Business, Sony Pictures Networks India) Sandeep Kohli (Executive Director and Vice President, Personal Care, Hindustan Unilever.), S.K. Palekar (Adjunct Professor and Advisor - Executive Education, Institute of Management Technology), Srinivasan K. Swamy (Chairman and Managing Director, R K SWAMY BBDO P. Ltd.), Subhash Kamath (Managing Partner, BBH Comms India) and Sunil Lulla (Chairman and Managing Director, GREY Group India). S. K. Swamy, the outgoing Chairman, ASCI, said, 2016-17 has been an interesting year for ASCI as it marked some impressive advancements. In a noteworthy achievement, ASCI received positive re-enforcement for the role it plays as a self-regulatory body in a landmark Supreme Court Judgement. Renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) which is currently on its third year, and the signing of two new MOUs with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Ministry of AYUSH, has collectively proven credibility ASCI enjoys with the Government. Other noteworthy aspects include ASCI being included as an Expert Committee member to look into matters pertaining to advertising of High Fat Sugar and Salt (HFSS) foods and Sugar Sweetened beverages (SSBs), and as a key stakeholder in the committee constituted by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). ASCI is now a part of the Executive Committee of International Council on Ad Self-Regulation (ICAS). Interestingly ASCI was a Gold winner at Global EASAs Best Practice Awards for its mobile app, a service that was introduced in 2016. Another significant step was introduction of an Independent Review Process by a retired Supreme Court/High Court Judge, when CCC decisions are sought to be reviewed by affected advertisers. Guidelines were issued relating to Celebrity endorsements of products/services given the importance consumers attach to such association. Im delighted to have been an enabler for this years journey for ASCI and Im sure the Council will take proactive steps in the cause of self-regulation in advertising. The incoming Chairman, Sankaranarayanan, added, ASCI has seen a remarkable year on year progress through formalised collaborations with various regulators, notable recognitions from eminent external organisations, further facilitation of robust codes and guidelines and swifter processes to promote the cause of self-regulation in advertising. I feel privileged to be elected as Chairman of ASCI and Im elated to take over as the torch bearer for several more successful initiatives and significantly contribute to effective self-regulation in advertising. Its heartening to see ASCIs relentless efforts being recognised by the judicial body, prominent regulators and government bodies and we shall take all efforts to continue to keep it so. Core to ASCIs mission to ensure protection of the interests of consumers, through supporting Honesty, Decency, Responsibility and Fairness in Advertising, ASCI shall carry on to keep true with its consumer focused tagline, So you can trust advertising. Read more news about (ad news, latest advertising news India, internet advertising, ad agencies updates, media advertising India) For the fourth year in a row, HDFC Bank has turned out to be Indias most valuable brand, almost doubling its brand value since the ranking began in 2014 from $9.4bn to $18.0bn according to the BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indian Brands 2017 by WPP and Kantar Millward Brown. The study mentioned that Indias most valuable brands have increased their brand value by 21 per cent to $109.3bn last year. This compares with a 2 per cent decline in 2016 and is well ahead of the 8 per cent value increase of the BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2017. The data shows that consumers perceive HDFC bank as increasingly innovative. The study has covered 1,20,000 brands across 414 categories with insights from 3.1 million consumers. For the first time, the study incorporated new research from Y&Rs BAV Group in what it takes to build powerful national brands. According to the 2017 Best Countries report, India stands out for its history, cultural influence, distinction and reputation for entrepreneurship; especially among the worlds business decision-makers. There is a strong relationship between how people perceive a country and how they view the brands associated with it and Indias reputation has a significant impact on the global power of its brands. Vishikh Talwar, Managing Director, Kantar Millward Brown, South Asia, said, There are now multiple Indias. Consumers continue to love the brands theyve loved for generations, while equally embracing the brands of the future. Brands must be completely in rhythm with the pulse of the market. Those that can accurately interpret Indian sensibilities, while ensuring smart pricing, are likely to be most successful. This is easier for local brands but people will relate just as positively to a global brand if it uses insight to understand and meet their needs and communicate in a way that builds trust.He mentioned that Google emerged as one of the most innovative brands while Amul has a distinct style of communication as its topical and witty.Talwar spoke about the emerging landscape in top most loved brands which had an interesting mix of old traditional brands like Maggi, Colgate, Britannia and comparatively new international brands like Google, Facebook, Amazon and Uber. Interestingly Amazon and Uber are more loved today than Flipkart and Ola, who are actually the first movers of our category. They have understood Indian sensibilities better, he said. Rank 2017 Brand Category Brand value 2017 (US$M) Change 1 (-) HDFC Bank Banks 17,965 +24% 2 (-) Airtel Telecom providers 10,233 +3% 3 (-) State Bank of India Banks 8,334 +31% 4 (-) Asian Paints Paints 4,717 +15% 5 (-) ICICI Bank Banks 4,697 +19% 6 (+1) Kotak Mahindra Bank Banks 4,522 +36% 7 (+1) Maruti Suzuki Automobiles 4,449 +56% 8 (-2) Bajaj Auto Automobiles 3,564 +5% 9 (-) Hero Automobiles 3,295 +17% 10 (-) Axis Bank Banks 2,428 +2% Trends highlighted by BrandZ Top 50 Most Valuable Indian Brands: There are seven newcomers to the ranking including telecom provider Jio (no. 11), retailer D-Mart (no.24), appliance brand Whirlpool (no.45), insurance brand Bajaj Allianz (no.49), Canara Bank (no.50) and entertainment brands Sun Direct (no.27) and Dish TV (no.47) There are seven newcomers to the ranking including telecom provider Jio (no. 11), retailer D-Mart (no.24), appliance brand Whirlpool (no.45), insurance brand Bajaj Allianz (no.49), Canara Bank (no.50) and entertainment brands Sun Direct (no.27) and Dish TV (no.47) The long-term growth curve of the Top 50 is positive, with the total brand value of the ranking up 57 per cent since the study was first carried out in 2014, when it amounted to $ 69.6bn The long-term growth curve of the Top 50 is positive, with the total brand value of the ranking up 57 per cent since the study was first carried out in 2014, when it amounted to $ 69.6bn India experienced resurgence in national pride, while also embraced globalization. This manifested in a desire for products and brands that best reflect Indian heritage, sensibilities and tastes, which benefited local brands and put pressure on multinationals to follow suit. India experienced resurgence in national pride, while also embraced globalization. This manifested in a desire for products and brands that best reflect Indian heritage, sensibilities and tastes, which benefited local brands and put pressure on multinationals to follow suit. The top riser is insurance brand ICICI Prudential (no.35; 89 per cent.) It benefited from the halo effect of other brands successful responses to rising consumer affluence, which led to an increase in sales of assets such as cars that need insurance protection. David Roth, CEO, EMEA and Asia, The Store, WPP, said, As reflected in this years ranking, the most agile Indian brands have recognised the complexity in the market and achieved just the right balance between aspirational and affordable.The study pointed out that the automobile category grew by 23 per cent in value. Royal Enfield, Maruti Suzuki and TVS were among the Top 10 overall fastest risers. Maruti Suzuki (no.7, 56 per cent) extended the brand beyond its traditional appeal to the value segment of the market, while introducing new showrooms called NEXA to reach premium customers.The India Top 50 have faced successive disruptions in the last year. Some were global, some were created by fast-growing competitors and others strategically imposed by the government, including demonetisation.Though significantly affected by these challenges, the FMCG category managed to grow at 6 per cent in total value. Some brands achieved impressive value increases by accurately understanding and responding to Indian sensibilities. Noodle brand Maggi (no.32; 66 per cent), the overall second-fastest riser, aligned itself with the trend for nostalgia. This helped it bounce back after a difficult couple of years, its rapid regrowth demonstrating how a strong brand can help a company weather a crisis and recover faster, although it is still somewhere below its peak brand value of $1.1bn in 2014. Talwar added, It almost reached where it started from about three years ago.The financial services category increased its value by 26 per cent with Punjab National Bank (no.39; 43 per cent) and Kotak Mahindra Bank (no.6; 36 per cent) being the fastest rising banks in value.The consumer packaged goods category didnt have a good year as the brands grew by only 4 per cent as it directly felt the impact of demonetisation. Talwar also mentioned Patanjali which has grown pretty well last year. Read more news about (marketing news, latest marketing news,internet marketing, marketing India, digital marketing India, media marketing India, advertising news) British Immigration Minister Brandon Lewis has told European Union citizens living in the UK that the Government is working to reach an agreement for Brexit as quickly as it can.It is thought that Brexit will affect around four million expats in the UK and the EU and Lewis decided to speak out as many EU citizens held a rally outside the British Parliament to air their concerns about their rights.We know that EU citizens living in the UK want to look to their futures with as much certainty as possible. That is why the UK government is committed to reaching agreement on citizens rights as soon as possible through our negotiations with the EU. The Prime Minister has said from the very outset that protecting the rights of EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU is a top priority, he said.Since the result of the referendum last year, I have personally spoken to many European Union citizens concerned about their future in the UK. These are people who have come to this country and had an overwhelmingly positive impact on the social, economic and cultural fabric of the UK, he explained.They bring with them ideas, innovation and skills which our employers and businesses rely on from our universities to our farms to our financial institutions. No-one living here lawfully will be asked to leave when we exit the EU and they will have a period to make an application to remain here. We want them to stay, he added.However, EU citizens feel that their rights are under threat. Frenchman Nicola Hatton, the founder of campaign group 3million who has lived in the UK for 22 years, believes that the goalposts have been moved for those of us who are already living and working in Britain.We came to Britain and made it our home. We paid taxes, we started businesses, we started families. All we want is exactly what we have now. We're not asking for anything new or anything special, he said.The group says that the so called settled status option outlined by the British Government would strip them of equal family reunification rights and the ability to leave the UK and return after two years.They want their rights guaranteed for life under the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to prevent a future Government rolling back assurances. However Prime Minister Theresa May has made it clear that the ECJ should have no control over the UK after Brexit.Lewis pointed out that EU citizens living in the UK before the yet to be agreed cut-off date will be treated as if they are UK nationals for education, healthcare, benefits, pensions and social housing.Our objective is that EU citizens living here should be able to continue their lives as before. However, we have also been clear about agreeing a reciprocal deal to protect the more than a million UK nationals living and working in the EU, he said.Representatives from the UK and the EU have been discussing this issue since negotiations officially began in July and Lewis claimed that real progress has been made with both sides agreeing to protect a number of rights, including access to healthcare, the recognition of professional qualifications and the status of workers who live in one EU state but work in another.Both sides are determined to reach an agreement as soon as possible to ease the concerns of both EU citizens and UK nationals. We are confident of making further progress during the next round of negotiations, in two weeks time, he added. Northrop Grumman Corp. is expanding its presence in San Antonio with new office space to house an expanded team focused on its cybersecurity work for the Air Force. The defense contractor said Tuesday it has signed a 5-year lease with Port San Antonio to occupy 7,700 square feet at the port on Billy Mitchell Boulevard, deliberately situated close to its customer. An expanded team of employees working exclusively on military cyber programs will use the space, Northrop Grumman said. Its work in San Antonio includes a contract it won earlier this year to develop the Air Forces Cyber Mission Platform, which is part of a three-year task order that has a potential value of about $37 million, according to the announcement. Dedicated to supporting the Air Forces cyber mission needs, this new space features a cyber integration lab that will enhance collaboration and leverage expertise from across Northrop Grumman to generate technology solutions quickly and affordably, said Bobby Lentz, vice president of global cyber solutions at Northrop Grumman. Northrop Grumman won in 2014 the original contract to develop the platform, and announced last week it had won the recompete. The company was awarded a contract with a $9.4 million one-year base period. The task order could be worth up to about $37 million if it extends for three years, according to the announcement. Through the platform the Air Force will be able to manage and operate its cyber tools and weapons, the contractor said in the announcement. The new space at the port includes the cyber integration lab, a user experience capability to enhance process improvements and workflow, warehouse and meeting space, and production facilities, according to the announcement. In San Antonio Northrop Grumman has 35 employees who work on other cyber programs and missile defense, said spokeswoman Marynoele Benson via email. Voter Guide: What to know for the midterm election Your guide to the Texas and San Antonio races and candidates on the Nov. 8 ballot. Eight of those have been dedicated to work on the cyber mission platform, Benson said, but the company expects to hire to grow that number. San Antonio offers an exceptional talent pool, as well as opportunities to expand partnerships with local small business, Lentz said in the announcement. sehlinger@express-news.net Twitter: @samehlinger Worn out brooms, wilted flower arrangements, battered pinatas, remnants of a meal. Even literal garbage stuffed in plastic bag. Artist Chuck Ramirez used a camera lens to transform the detritus of everyday life into elegant reflections on mortality and the ephemeral nature of existence. Although Ramirezs career was relatively brief, spanning 15 years, these throwaway items have had remarkable staying power. Almost seven years after his death at 48 following a bicycle accident, Ramirez is getting his first career survey at the McNay Art Museum. Chuck Ramirez: All This and Heaven Too, an exhibit of more than 100 objects, including the artists signature images of single items photographed against a pristine white background, opens today. Chuck in Context, a companion exhibition featuring never-before-exhibited works, opens Friday at Ruiz-Healy Art. One of San Antonios most beloved artists, Ramirez was a galvanizing force in Southtown, creating a nexus for the art community in his half of a weathered duplex on Stieren Street that also housed the contemporary art gallery Sala Diaz. Some believe the artist, who started out as a graphic designer, was on the verge of breaking out when he died, with a string of exhibitions in Mexico City, Spain, Berlin and Paris to his credit. I think he was very much on the precipice of being recognized outside of the state of Texas as an artist to be contended with, said Anjali Gupta, a member of the advisory board of Casa Chuck, an artist residency program established in honor of Ramirez in his former living space. Damaged by an electrical fire last year, Casa Chuck has been restored as accurately as possible using old photographs of the space as a guide, Gupta said. Posthumously, Ramirezs reach has continued to grow, largely because of the efforts of Patricia Ruiz-Healy, director of the Olmos Park gallery that exclusively represents his estate. Since 2010, the number of museums with holdings of Ramirezs work has doubled, with the Smithsonian Institution and El Museo del Barrio in New York among them. The demand for his work has remained steady among private collectors, Ruiz-Healy said, with values having risen from 50 percent to 100 percent depending on the piece. A lot of people have come to me and said, I wish I had bought his work. I knew Chuck. I liked his work, but I just never came around to buy it. Ruiz-Healy said. I have a lot of clients like that. Even as Ramirezs reputation has begun to solidify, Rene Paul Barilleaux, chief curator and curator of contemporary art at the McNay, is trying to shake up how the artist and his work are viewed. Entering the exhibition, visitors are immediately greeted by a host of artificial Christmas trees that Ramirez created for the home of the late Linda Pace, a patron, friend and fellow artist. The kitschy more-is-more aesthetic of the trees is seemingly at odds with the minimalist nature of his best-known work, visible just beyond limbs laden with decorations and strings of lights. I wanted from the moment people walked in, (for them to know) this is not the Chuck Ramirez show they think it is, Barilleaux said. Everybody has an idea about Chuck and his work, and we wanted to prove that theres this whole dimension of Chuck that people either forgot or dont talk about or lost. He was a much more multifaceted artist, and the work was much deeper than the allure those photographs create. Barilleaux and Hilary Schroeder, a curatorial intern who worked on the project with him, used installation photographs from previous shows to replicate as closely as possible how Ramirez arranged specific works, such as a suite of photographs of his grandmothers kitchen. An early work, it is the only photographic series in the show that features an image of a person, though, as Barilleaux points out, other works, such as Ramirezs pictures of the contents of friends purses, function as portraits. Weve been incredibly fastidious about how things are installed here, because weve been trying as much as we can to replicate everything he did his aesthetic, Barilleaux said. When you talk to people, nothing was by chance. Everything had a logic to it. The photographs are displayed side by side on long, shallow shelves, a reference to the way that Andy Warhol another artist who started out as a graphic designer displayed his iconic soup cans early on. As part of the exhibition, Barilleaux re-created Ramirezs 2002 Artpace International Artist-in-Residence exhibition, Bean & Cheese, which features the artists images of raw meat, including the winkingly titled Ground Chuck. There is also a vignette from Long-Term Survivor, a 1999 exhibit in Artpaces Hudson Showroom that dealt with the artists HIV positive status. Videos Ramirez created for the Artpace show will be screened on old TV sets purchased on eBay to capture the aesthetic of the period, Barilleaux said. Along with mortality, themes of cultural identity and consumption and waste permeate the show. I think a really important goal of the show is to get emotional response from people, whether they knew him or (not). Barilleaux said. I think that he would want that kind of response from the work. Rick Liberto, a close friend of Ramirezs and collector of his work, was the lead sponsor for the McNays exhibition. He believes Ramirezs work has been worthy of a museum exhibition for a long time. For an artist to get put into a museum, its a step they all strive for, said Liberto, owner of Ricos Products Co. Unfortunately, Chucks not here. If Ruiz-Healy had her way, Ramirez would have had a survey show years ago. She began working with the artist in 2009. After his death, she started talking to institutions about the possibility. I think his legacy rests in the fact that anyone that sees his works would look at discarded objects with another lens, Ruiz-Healy said. He brought so much dignity to neglected items that can be considered metaphors of life. He begs the big questions of humanity in the way he handled his subject matter. In addition to the exhibitions at the McNay and Ruiz-Healy Art, a pair of photographs from Ramirezs Pinata series are being shown in INCITE, a group show at Space, the Linda Pace Foundations exhibition gallery. The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts is displaying selected purse portraits. And at Liberty Bar, where Ramirez was a regular, candid photos that he took with his iPhone over the course of a year are on display. They previously were exhibited at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center when Patty Ortiz was director. After Ramirez died, she and her husband, Dwight Hobart, who owns the restaurant, purchased the series. It is a beautiful piece of art that deals with issues of public verses private and Chucks love of everyday objects and popular culture, Ortiz said. But unlike his other work, this piece is intensely personal. In these pictures, Chuck imagines his life, his friends and his world as objects of aesthetic concern. Gupta thinks Ramirez would be surprised by this wave of all things Chuck. One part of his ego would be very, very happy about it, she said. On the other hand, I dont think that he wouldve ever anticipated that these sorts of things would be happening going on seven years after his passing. Chuck Ramirez: All This and Heaven Too runs through Jan. 14 at the McNay Art Musuem, 6000 N. New Braunfels Ave. Chuck in Context continues through Oct. 14 at Ruiz-Healy Art, 201-A E. Olmos Drive. lsilva@express-news.net The headline was: French fashion giants to stop using ultra skinny models. It was in our very own Sunday San Antonio Express-News. I didnt have to wade through a bazillion ads touting foods that replace medicines, weight-loss aids, clothing, makeup and other stuff the internet tries to inflict upon anyone trying to read more or next beyond the first teaser sentence of any story. In case you missed the story, a pact between major French fashion houses will go beyond a new French law requiring male and female models to provide medical certificates proving they are healthy enough to work. The fashionistas wont be using female models wearing womens sizes smaller than French size 34, U.S. size 0-2 and U.K. size 6. They must provide models with a dedicated psychologist during working hours. As one who has four sizes of clothing in her closets, and is ever optimistic that I will be my old sylph again (please forgive that pun), I hope they mean it this time. The idea of humanly proportioned models has been talked about for years, but we still see skeletal, scowling, dyspeptic young women slinking down high-fashion runways, with the most disagreeable expressions belonging to models wearing the most expensive clothing. Lesser shows have been featuring more attainable-figured models who sometimes actually smile. I dont know about most other women, but if I got to wear clothing that Id never buy because its too expensive for my frugal self and jewelry so sparkly it blinds anyone who gets too close, I would be smiling. And, if I could buy the clothes at half off after the show, Id be grinning from earring to earring. I should point out that Ive modeled only for charity or club fashion shows and, even then, the show coordinators grimaced when I came for my fittings. Much has been said about the physical and mental health effects of keeping models bodies at the lowest possible weight and size and how very young girls (and even some old girls) try to emulate iconic models with drastic effects on their health. I was a size 2 many moons ago, when my activity level burned calories faster than I could ingest them. Whenever I see super skinny models, I get a flashback, as elders often do. Its a young love story in which the young man I was dating took me home to meet his mother. It was a pleasant dinner. On our next date, I asked him if I passed the test. He laughed and said, My mother said your hips are too small for childbearing. Is she looking for a wife for you or a heifer for breeding purposes?, I asked, and we both laughed. We didnt marry or breed. He eventually married a girl with properly sized hips. They had four children. My hips managed five. A lesser woman might want to say, Nyahh, nyahh, nyahh to a disapproving potential mother-in-law, but I still laugh about it. Write to Marcy Meffert at P.O. Box 680262, Leon Valley, TX 78268 or e-mail mameffert@yahoo.com Subscribers can go online for current and previous columns at www.expressnews.com/author/marcy-meffert This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The bulk of the City Council on Wednesday supported adding more than a dozen budget amendments to the proposed $2.7 billion municipal spending plan while rejecting a call from a colleague to cut several city departments he found unnecessary. City Manager Sheryl Sculley told the council that because of a warm August, monthly revenues from CPS Energy were higher than what was budgeted. And though sales tax revenue was slightly down, the citys coffers could handle an additional $3.5 million in General Fund spending largely requests made by individual council members. Mayor Ron Nirenberg congratulated the staff and council for a cohesive budget season. The spending plan, which council is set to approve Thursday, takes effect Oct. 1. Great teamwork, everybody, he said. Im looking forward to getting this passed (Thursday) and moving on to the rest of our year. On Thursday, the council will take several votes associated with approving the $2.7 billion budget, which will include a series of final amendments discussed during a Wednesday briefing session. Among the required approvals will be an increase to the citys stormwater fees. Those adjustments are minimal for residential property owners. The council is expected to approve $4.6 million in capital budget amendments for drainage projects in council districts 3, 5 and 7 with funds left over from the 2007 and 2012 bond programs. Among the general fund budget amendments $400,000 and $100,000 for home roofing programs in council districts 2 and 4, respectively, $550,000 for increasing the number of staff positions in council offices, and $130,000 for a child-abuse prevention program in District 5. The list of amendments also includes $750,000 to replace downtown sidewalks embedded with glass. There wasnt enough money for all of the requested amendments to be fully funded, leading Councilman John Courage to suggest that the city move the glass-sidewalk project to the capital budget to free up the $750,000 in the general fund for some of the underfunded projects. In order to keep the budget balanced in that recommendation, Courage suggested cutting the capital budget amendment of $780,000 sought by Councilman Greg Brockhouse, who wants to buy a defunct Blockbuster video store to eventually be converted to a community center with funding from the 2022 bond. Other council members sided with Courage, including Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales who told her colleagues that community priorities tend to shift, and that instead of making a purchase now for something that may or may not still be a priority in 2022, the city should focus on some of todays pressing projects. Brockhouse pushed back, saying that he has interim plans for the building, including locating a council field office there. He also said the area is blighted and needs support to bolster the community. He decried the parcel as decrepit and in need of revitalization, but he later argued that theres private-sector interest in the land and that the city needs to act now to buy it. Perhaps provoked by the suggestion to cut his funding, Brockhouse unleashed a torrent of criticism about the citys budgeting process. He chided this years equity lens budgeting, which aims to focus spending in historically underserved areas. Trying to protect his funding, the councilman suggested killing the downtown sidewalk project one he said should not have even made the list because it was generated by city staff rather than a council member. He also offered a proposal to strike some $13.9 million from the annual budget, in part, by indiscriminately striking several entire city departments, including the Center City Development and Operations Department, which manages downtown. With the savings, he would reduce the citys ad valorem tax rate by 1/2 cent per $100 valuation, add another ambulance to the Fire Department and increase street maintenance funds for the five council districts, including his, that did not receive additional equity funding. The tax cut, Sculley said, would amount to a little more than $8 annually for the median San Antonio home. Facing his seventh annual city budget, Councilman Rey Saldana said hed hoped to be able to find something anything on Brockhouses proposed cuts with which he could agree. But, I cant, he said. Meanwhile, Councilwoman Rebecca Viagran took aim at Brockhouses proposal, too, noting that hes been quite vocal about process and transparency, in other proposals that have come before the council. She said Brockhouses 11th-hour suggestion to cut nearly $14 million from the budget was unfair, noting that theres no time to analyze or understand the impact the cuts would have on city employees or residents here. Brockhouse likely knew that his proposal would not sway any of his colleagues, but he made it nonetheless. His rhetoric and actions are leading City Hall observers to increasingly wonder if and when hell run for a higher office just a couple months into his first term. He fanned those flames Wednesday, talking about the urgency he has to have some impact at City Hall. I dont know if Im going to be here in 2019, he said. So the time is always now for me. jbaugh@express-news.net Twitter: @jbaugh This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump appeared ready to proceed with a deal with Democrats to protect hundreds of thousands of undocumented young immigrants from deportation despite scorching blowback from his base of supporters. Amid criticism from immigration hawks, including the much-tweeted Amnesty Don reference by conservative Breitbart News, Trump told reporters in Florida on Thursday that everybodys on boardWere talking about taking care of people, people who were brought here, people whove done a good job. The president seemed to contradict himself after asserting in an early morning Twitter post that no deal was made last night on DACA at a White House dinner that included Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. But shortly after tweeting, Trump told reporters were working on DACA. He added, The wall will come later, seemingly removing the potential obstacle of including money for his planned border wall in a legislative deal. He delivered a warning later to Democrats while surveying hurricane damage in Florida. If the Democrats aren't going to approve it (money for the wall), then we're not going to do what they want, he said, adding, DACA now and the wall very soon, but the wall will happen. Few of the all-important details of a deal emerged on Thursday. But Hispanic leaders who held a rally in front of the White House said they were buoyed by momentum toward passing the Dream Act, legislation that could protect the nearly 800,000 young immigrants who were placed in jeopardy after Trump ordered an end to the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The president gave Republicans six months to reach a legislative compromise on protecting those enrolled in the DACA program before their protected status is revoked. Republicans left out of the talks chafed at the news of Trump working once more with Democrats a week after the president and Democratic leaders agreed on a deal to increase the debt ceiling and fund the government into December. Republicans who take a hard line on immigration were especially troubled. I think something is going to have to be reversed here with the presidents policy or it will just blow up his base, Iowa GOP congressman Steve King told a television interviewer. I mean, this was a straight-up promise all the way through his campaign. Texas GOP congressman Louie Gohmert of Tyler said in a television interview: Im asking people around me, what's going on here? Is this some parallel universe? We are supposed to be the majority and supposed to be getting these things done. We have got to get a wall done. U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio, said, President Trump has said that there is no deal and I take him at his word. On Thursday, as many in Washington talked about relief to the young immigrants, Smith introduced legislation that would slash levels of legal immigration and end long-honored policies in favor of judging applicants on how they could help America. Trump has largely pleased arch conservatives on issues on judicial selections, environmental deregulation and other matters. But with Republicans unable to fashion replacement legislation for the Affordable Care Act, the president has stepped up his criticism of GOP leaders and begun courting Democrats. If they (Republicans) are unable to stick together, then Im going to have to get a little help from the Democrats. And Ive got that, Ill tell you, the president told reporters on Air Force One. Responding to a shouted question by a reporter about whether he favors amnesty, Trump yelled back with words that seemed to mock his detractors: The word is DACA. The exchange illustrated the tricky politics in the haze of conflicting reports about Trumps conversation with Schumer and Pelosi. He wasnt negotiating a deal last night, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., told reporters. He was talking with Democratic leaders to get their perspectives. I think the president understands that hes going to have to work with the congressional majorities to get any kind of legislative solution. But Ryan also said that Republicans favor some resolution to the humanitarian concerns about so-called Dreamers, who have received considerable public sympathy in polls - and expressions of support from the president. There will be a compromise, Ryan said. This will occur. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, was among members of Congress who met with Trump at the White House on Wednesday. The president told us that he wants to work something out. He said he doesnt want to wait six months and wants to move on this as soon as possible, Cuellar said. Cuellar said he told Trump that there are sufficient votes on the floor now to pass the Dream Act. He said Henry, you will have a vote on the floor, Cuellar recounted. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-San Antonio, said he spoke with Pelosi about the substance of the Democratic leaders meeting at the White House. They didnt reach an agreement or a deal, but it was an agreement to agree, Doggett said. I think the most important thing is that some of our dreamers who are feeling great distress should feel hopeful about this. though there hasnt been a great deal of consistency from this president, he said. Now Playing: Carla Martinez is one of the nearly 800,000 people protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. This is her story. Video: Lindsey Carnett, San Antonio Express-News U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, said he was optimistic. He referred to the White House discussions as an agreement to come to a deal at some point. Outside the White House, Latino leaders rallying to begin what theyre calling the Hispanic Heritage Month of Action were heartened about developments yet unpersuaded about Trumps commitment. We dont trust anything this president says until we see real action, Hector Sanchez, chair of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, said. This president has said everything to everybody. He said Dreamers shouldnt worry about anything. Next thing we know, he cancels DACA. We just dont want the talk, we want the talk and the walk, said Ben Monterroso, executive director of Mi Familia Vota. Monterroso said that his organization intends to mobilize opposition in the districts of members of Congress who have not expressed support for the Dream Act, including the San Antonio-area district represented by U.S. Rep.Will Hurd, R-San Antonio. Hurd said in a statement: Im hopeful that once we cut through the noise we can come up with a permanent legislative solution for the children who were brought here through no fault of their ownIm encouraged that we seem to all be in agreement and look forward to evaluating policy proposals that fix our broken immigration system and keep Americans safe. Thomas Saenz, president of the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund, said in an interview that hes buoyed by the momentum that led to his (Trumps) meeting with the two leaders last night. The fact that we got to this point is really a testament to how much support there is for the dreamers. He added: Obviously, this story is not done. blambrecht@express-news.net kevin.diaz@chron.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN Democratic state lawmakers and minority advocacy groups promised a reckoning at the ballot box Wednesday, over a series of anti-Latino policies including the states new law banning so-called sanctuary cities. Although Democrats have no candidate in sight to challenge Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who signed the anti-sanctuary city law, party members said it's not too late to mount a competitive challenge. "We are confident that we will have a candidate," said Rep. Mary Gonzalez, D-Clint. "We are confident that there will be some strategy to make sure we are organizing communities of color and low-income communities to be presently engaged in the Democratic process." At a news conference Wednesday, the group launched the Not in My State campaign to fight against anti-Latino policies they say limit economic growth and instill fear in immigrants. They slammed Senate Bill 4, a ban on sanctuary cities signed by Abbott this year, and President Trumps recent decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which shields young, undocumented immigrants who have lived most of their lives in the United States from deportation. Now Playing: 5 video address the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Video: San Antonio Express-News "Texans are fed up with this brand of leadership," said Jose Garza, executive director of the Workers Defense Action Fund. "We will continue to organize, we will continue to rally communities across this state, and there will be a reckoning for these kinds of discriminatory policies." Though the filing period for the March primary elections begins in two months, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate has yet to emerge. A group of "local leaders" discussed potential options this week, Gonzalez said, but she declined to name any. Democrat Wendy Davis didnt announce her 2016 campaign against Abbott until October before the primary contest, Rep, Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, pointed out. I know we are all eager, but its not too late, said Hinojosa, who added Democratic candidates are signing up to run in state House districts across Texas. Its important to look up and down the ballot, she said. Meanwhile, Abbott continues to pad his campaign war chest, which is now more than $41 million. The first-term governor hasn't staked out a clear position on the DACA program, having said recently that it's up to Congress to decide whether thousands of immigrants keep their status under the Obama-era policy. During the regular legislative session, Abbott made SB 4 a priority and said the law was needed to keep Texans safe. A federal judge recently blocked most of SB 4 from taking effect, dealing a blow to the state, which has pledged to appeal the decision. San Antonio was one of several cities that sued to stop the law, amid concerns it would lead to racial profiling and cause immigrants to live in fear. SB 4 ensures local police can ask people they detain about their immigration status and drew large protests during the Legislative session. The Not My State campaign is led by the Board of Hispanic Caucus Chairs and includes at least nine other states, which are seeking to prevent policies such as SB 4 from catching on outside Texas. Taking an economic approach, the group warned that alienating Latinos would hurt businesses and growth. About 120,000 DACA recipients live in Texas, and generate upwards of $6 billion annually to the economy, Garza said. At the end of the day, we want everyone to realize cities or states that dont value diversity are becoming impediments to attracting investments, said Norbert Morales, representing the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. amorris@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate MISSION The number of immigrants caught at the Southern border continued to rise in August, climbing for the fourth consecutive month, U.S. Customs and Border Protection data show. After a few months of being in wait and see mode in the face of (President Donald) Trumps hard line, people are still fleeing, said Adam Isacson, an expert on regional security with the Washington Office on Latin America. Theyre still risking it. After showing a sharp decline to start the year, border agents have seen apprehensions and inadmissible people at ports of entry those who are seeking asylum steadily increase, climbing 22 percent in August, compared with the previous month, marking the biggest month-over-month increase of the year. Nearly 22,300 people were caught between ports of entry along the border, up from 18,190 in July and 16,087 in June. About 8,300 people turned themselves over to authorities at ports of entry on the border, up from 6,835 in July and 5,570 in June. Apprehensions of unaccompanied minors, mostly from the Central American countries known as the Northern Triangle El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras increased to 2,994 in August, compared with 2,481 in July. Apprehension of families also increased, from 3,389 in July to 4,645 in August. But even with more migrants arriving since May, the total of apprehensions and inadmissible people at the border is 24 percent lower in the 2017 fiscal year, compared with the same 11-month period in fiscal year 2016, and 41 percent lower than August 2016, when almost 52,000 people crossed the border. And the numbers are considerably lower than they were in 2014, when a sudden influx of Central Americans strained resources. Also, earlier this year, immigration officials shut down two emergency processing centers, one in South Texas and one near El Paso, that they had opened to handle the families. During that high point in 2014, McAllens Sacred Heart Catholic Church opened its parish hall to the road-weary immigrants, serving as a respite center for people released by immigration authorities. Recently, the center moved operations to Resurrection Catholic Church in Alamo, while Catholic Charities raises funds to build a permanent facility in downtown McAllen. For now, the days when 100 people turned up at the door are over, said Sister Norma Pimentel, who runs the site. But the center still takes in several dozen people every day. Their stories havent changed, Pimentel said. Some say gangs take advantage of them, rob them. And they still fear the violence at home. Observers like Isacson say its that extreme violence and poverty that is driving the migration numbers up. Fear of immigration raids and Trumps tough talk have worn thin, they say. Border Patrol officials declined to comment on the August apprehension and inadmissible numbers. Regardless of the numbers trying to get into the U.S. illegally, the harrowing trip is fraught with danger, and the Border Patrol constantly cautions immigrants against it. Smugglers charge people up to $15,000 for the trip, marching immigrants through harsh terrain and cramming them into tractor-trailers with sometimes deadly results. In late July, 10 immigrants died after being inside a locked, overheated tractor-trailer in San Antonio. Dozens more have died this year in deep South Texas while attempting to cross the border illegally, yet border agents continue rescuing migrants who succumb to the heat and continue uncovering 18-wheelers filled with hapless immigrants. This month, agents at the Falfurrias checkpoint found 12 immigrants concealed between pallets of produce in a tractor-trailer with a temperature of 50 degrees. But the increasing number of apprehensions shows that the dangers arent stopping immigrants determined to make it to the U.S. And, as observers have noted, it appears the Trump administrations strong talk on illegal immigration no longer is having a deterring effect. People fleeing violence probably know that the U.S. is still dealing with asylum claims in the same way, with family, child detention extremely rare during the years it takes for an asylum decision, Isacson said. Smugglers have adjusted to the new reality and are making sales pitches again. anelsen@express-news.net A woman fought her attacker after she was sexually assaulted Tuesday morning while jogging at Hardberger Park, prompting increased police presence and officials to urge caution in local parks. I dont consider it an unfortunate incident, I consider it an alarming incident, District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez said. Its a cautionary example for all San Antonians to keep in mind as we use our streets and our parks. Police Sgt. James Lint said the victim told officers she heard a noise behind her moments before the attack about 9 a.m. on a park trail in the 13000 block of Blanco Road. She didnt think much of it at first because of all the animals you have out there, he said. She told police someone grabbed her from behind, took her behind a bush and raped her. She fought back and freed herself, running across the street to a friends apartment where she called police, Lint said. Investigators collected evidence from the crime scene after she helped them find it. A helicopter searched for a suspect. Debra Nelson of San Antonio said she saw police driving the victim around the park on an ATV and taking her to an area at the back on the Water Loop Trail. She was very scared, you know, traumatized, Nelson said. In the area of search, there is a lot of brush and narrow trails. Its secluded. Not a lot of foot traffic, she said. Lint said authorities detained a person of interest, though they were not very sure he was the attacker. Nelson said she's a regular at Hardberger Park and, though the attack is shocking, she always takes into account the potential for one. I'm going to be very cautious about my surroundings, but already as a female, I dont like going to that back area, she said. It makes me uneasy being so far from a lot of these other, more-traveled trails. Lint, a former sex crimes investigator, said calls for police from Hardberger Park are uncommon. Most attacks by strangers are very rare, he said. But theyre the ones that make the highlights on the news. A woman, Lauren Bump, was killed while jogging in O.P. Schnabel Park on the Northwest Side in 2013. The attacker was convicted of murder. Pelaez said nothing indicates the attack Tuesday is part of a trend or anything other than an isolated incident. It is an alarming incident nonetheless. My wife and my sister frequent this park. Family members of my team frequent this park daily, he said, adding that many park visitors are women. Police said they are increasing officer patrols in the park in response to the crime. Still, law enforcement authorities and city officials urge people to always take precautions when using park trails. Dont walk alone. Dont walk at night. Make sure people know that youre out there, Pelaez said. If you have any feeling that you might not be safe, leave and dont take unnecessary risks. Other steps to increase safety include: Use your senses to detect danger; consider not using earphones. Bring a cellphone. Carry pepper spray if you feel comfortable using it. While city officials were urging caution, Deanna Franks with the Rape Crisis Center said sexual assault can happen at any time and not to a certain person. All those tips are helpful, but it doesnt mean if you follow all of them nothing is going to happen to you, she said. She added that watching out for each other and community engagement is the best response to sexual assault. Always call the police if you see something that seems unusual. If you're afraid to intervene, then please call the police, she said. When consoling one who has been assaulted, she said important questions to ask are, What can I do to help? and, What do you need? Questions such as, What were you doing there at that hour? should be avoided, as theyre not helpful and considered a form of victim blaming. Its not this woman's fault. She has every right to go jogging at whatever time and wherever she wants to go, Franks said. The anger and blame need to fall on the perpetrator that did this. Franks said that since Tuesdays assault, the center has received calls from sexual assault victims whose memory of their own attacks have resurfaced as a result. She is urging anyone who has been triggered by the crime to contact the centers 24/7 hotline set up to provide comfort, resources and other assistance to sexual assault victims at 210-349-7273. jbeltran@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate San Antonio residents could pay a little more next year in monthly fees that help fund the citys efforts to address drainage problems and flooding. As part of a five-year plan set up in 2015 to slowly raise the so-called stormwater utility fee that affects homeowners and businesses, City Council will vote Thursday on whether to raise the fee by 4.2 percent. The fee is essentially a tax on roofs, asphalt, concrete and other impervious surfaces that send rainwater rushing downhill instead of letting it infiltrate the soil. The city uses the monthly fees to maintain the existing stormwater system to reduce flooding, said city Transportation and Capital Improvements assistant director Nefi Garza, who leads TCIs stormwater program The main focus of the stormwater utility fee is to maintain that good quality of life and as much safety as we can, he said. That includes things like sweeping the streets, maintaining our channels, maintaining our underground infrastructure like tunnels, inlets and manholes. The San Antonio Water System collects the fees on the citys behalf. Under the new fee structure, residential property owners would pay $3.60 per month for 2,750 square feet of impervious cover or less, $4.74 for 2,750 to 4,220 square feet, and $10.02 for more than 4,220 square feet. Nonresidential properties would be charged a base fee of $64.53, plus an additional fee based on the percentage of a property covered by impervious surfaces. The extra fee would be 29 cents per 1,000 square feet for those with 20 percent cover or less; 43 cents for those with 20 to 40 percent cover; 56 cents for those with 40 to 65 percent cover; and 71 cents for more than 65 percent. San Antonians have paid stormwater fees since 1993 after federal regulations required cities to do more to clean up their drainage systems. The fee saw no changes from 2008 to 2015. Currently, residential property owners are being charged monthly fees of $3.45 for 2,750 square feet or less, $4.55 for 2,750 to 4,220, and $9.61 for more than 4,220. For nonresidential properties, the base fee is $61.92. Additional fees per 1,000 square feet of impervious cover are 1 to 3 cents lower than in the rates up for a vote Thursday. The city expects the new rates to bring in $49.4 million next fiscal year, about $2 million more than last year. TCI spends the money as it comes in and expects to end this fiscal year with roughly $80,000 left. This year, we actually ran this budget pretty low, Garza said. Generally, we like to keep a good reserve for large flood events. Though the plan was set in place two years ago, the fee increase comes at a time of increased attention on flooding issues in Texas after Hurricane Harvey dropped unprecedented amounts of rain on Houston. At one point, forecasters were calling for 20 to 25 inches in parts of San Antonio, an amount that would have caused widespread flooding. Were going to talk about Hurricane Harvey for a long time in the future, said San Antonio Water System Chief Operating Officer Steve Clouse at the utilitys board meeting Wednesday. Were lucky it wasnt our storm. Local authorities have also tied increases in flooding from smaller storms to more impervious surfaces across the local watershed. Decades of data from local creeks and the San Antonio River show peak flooding has grown more severe as rural areas have been converted to new neighborhoods, malls and office complexes. City codes require developers to either build structures to manage their stormwater on-site, participate in funding larger-scale projects, or pay fees into a fund the city uses for its flood-control projects. The city, Bexar County and 20 suburban cities are also spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to address flooding. Some are pointing to green infrastructure as the best way to decrease runoff from smaller storms while beautifying the city. On Tuesday, environmental advocates with the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance and Environment Texas gathered outside Mission County Library to promote low-impact development, a set of landscape practices that rely heavily on native plants and structures like permeable pavement and tanks that collect and store water from rooftops. Brian Zabcik, clean air and water advocate for Environment Texas, pointed to porous asphalt used in the librarys parking lot that also funnels rainwater into a bioswale full of grass, trees and shrubs. The idea is that all of this stuff together is going to be enable the water that goes off the parking lot to be absorbed into the ground at this spot, he said. The groups gave San Antonio a scorecard of No. 2 of major cities in Texas, after Austin, for embracing these techniques. They complimented the citys voluntary low-impact development incentives, as well as the stricter stormwater requirements for properties that abut the San Antonio River. Still, much of the city was built before modern flood regulations. Addressing those areas will take some time, said city Planning Commission member June Kachtik. It does have to grapple with all these old things, these old neighborhood plans and old arterials, she said. We cant do it all at once. bgibbons@express-news.net Twitter: @bgibbs This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate AUSTIN Texas could be in for a chaotic election season, as a Supreme Court order Tuesday putting redistricting on hold threatens to scramble the states 2018 political calendar. Depending on when the high court takes up the case, Texas might be forced to delay its March primary election or go through with it using Congressional and state House district maps that federal judges have said were drawn to intentionally discriminate against minorities. The high courts term begins in October, though attorneys and experts dont expect the case to be argued until early next year, well beyond the deadline for candidates to file for party primaries. The Texas Secretary of States office told counties it will issue a directive soon, Bexar County Elections Administrator Jacque Callanen said. The office has until Nov. 15 to mail out voter registration cards. Hopefully, what this means is that we will move forward with the 2018 primary as scheduled, she said, adding later. At this point, we have our heads down. A court fight over redistricting in 2012 forced a three-month delay of the primary, from March to May, as interim maps were prepared. The switch caused confusion among election officials and forced candidates to put campaigns on hold as new districts were drawn. Seeking to rectify redistricting problems in 1996, judges redrew district lines after the primary took place and then ordered special elections for November. U.S. Rep. Lloyd Dogget, D-Austin, who represents one of two congressional districts now ruled unconstitutional, has starting his run for reelection expecting the maps not to change. He said Supreme Court intervention in the case now, before the lower court had a chance to issue a final order, indicates the strong Republican leanings of our highest court. It's a strong signal that the congressional districts will not be altered in any way for the 2018 elections, Dogget said. The Supreme Courts 5-4 decision puts on hold the lower court rulings ordering Texas to redraw several districts while it considers the states appeal. The state and plaintiffs have until around mid-November to file arguments before the high court decides whether to accept the case and schedule briefings which could push arguments into the spring, said Michael Li, a redistricting expert for the Brennan Center for Justice. Everyone is expecting there will be primaries using the existing maps, he said. If the court orders any changes after that, the state may be forced to schedule special elections to take into account new district boundaries, he said. Theres going to be a lot of uncertainty. Texas has been using temporary court-ordered maps drawn for the 2012 elections and adopted by the Legislature in 2013. Advocacy groups argue the maps intentionally dilute minorities voting power, by cramming them into a few districts or sprinkling them across too many. Attorney General Ken Paxton didnt return a request for comment about the cases timing, but in a statement he applauded the courts ruling maintaining the existing maps. In 2012 the Supreme Court ordered the district court to adopt lawful maps, and we believe it did so. We are eager to proceed with this case in the high court, he said. This summer, a three-judge federal panel in San Antonio ruled that Texas Congressional District 27, now held by Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi, and District 35, now held by Doggett, were drawn with discriminatory intent aimed at diluting minorities voting strength. The judges also ordered the state to redraw nine legislative districts due to intentional discrimination by race. Candidates for Congress are somewhat better poised for any last-minute map changes, since the U.S. Constitution requires they only live in the state they represent, not the district. Texas House members, however, would have to relocate if they are drawn out of their district and want to run again. A federal judge partially blocked the new Texas sanctuary cities law days before it was to take effect, but the looming measure nonetheless has had a chilling effect on some residents who have stopped interacting with local government, officials said. The impact extends beyond a failure to report crime to police. It includes a decline in residents receiving treatment for communicable diseases, according to District 4 Councilman Rey Saldana. Our metro health department has seen a sharp decline in mothers accessing health screenings and WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children), many of that care for children to be treated for communicable diseases, Saldana said. District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales has noticed a similar withdrawal in her West Side jurisdiction, where 97 percent of the population is Latino. Its very quiet in the neighborhoods, she said. People used to come up to me all the time and complain about stuff. Well, people have stopped doing that I hardly get approached anymore from Spanish speaking people who would report things like there are fights in the park in front of my house, or they havent come to pick up the trash, or theres illegal dumping in my neighborhood. Gonzales added, Its not like problems in the community have been resolved. Its just that theyre not coming forward with complaints. None of this is a surprise to Police Chief William McManus. In the months before the Republican-led Legislature passed Senate Bill 4, McManus lobbied strongly against the measure, which sought to penalize local governments that prohibit police from asking about immigration status. The San Antonio Police Department had prohibited its officers from doing so. Among other objections, McManus argued that the law would make the citys immigrant population too fearful to interact with police and report crimes, thereby interfering with the mission of the Police Department to prevent and deter crime. Two days before SB 4 was to take effect, U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia struck down portions of the law. As a result, the Police Department now instructs its officers that questions about immigration status are a low priority and should be avoided. However, Garcia made clear in his ruling that police are allowed to ask about immigration status during an arrest or detention, which could include a traffic stop, and are allowed to share information with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That makes the Police Departments policy on the matter much more ambiguous than it was before. It is certainly unclear, and there is a lot hanging out there yet to be determined, McManus told me on Wednesday. I think every touch-point in government will be affected by this, he continued. When you talk about this law, youre talking about the establishment. And whenever anyone is going to have to deal with the establishment, theres always going to be a concern. What web are they going to be walking into when they walk into City Hall? What web are they going to be walking into when they walk into a county government building? You just dont know if theres going to be a trap thats going to be sprung, McManus added. That might be over-dramatic. Maybe, but its a dramatic era in the history of the nations immigration policy. The crackdown on immigrants in Texas is occurring at the same time that President Donald Trump has rescinded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and pardoned an Arizona sheriff who was convicted of criminal contempt in a case involving the harassment of Latinos. Its hard to blame Latinos here for going underground. Those who support SB 4 should keep in mind that such policies have manifold consequences beyond the deportation of undocumented immigrants. They cause people to withdraw from systems that stop communicable diseases from spreading and keep police informed about crime, among other basic local services. By eroding trust, they also loosen the fabric of a city. bchasnoff@express-news.net In September 2009, Barack Obama was flying back to the nations capital on Air Force One, after a short visit to New York. Then-New York Congressman Anthony Weiner was on the flight and decided to educate Obama on how to sell the presidents controversial health plan, the Affordable Care Act. Weiner told Obama he needed to simplify his message. Just say that what were doing is gradually expanding Medicare, Weiner said. Obama didnt bite, because he recognized that Weiner was advocating a single-payer health-care system that didnt have the votes in Congress. Weiners bigger point, though, was relevant. Language is crucial when youre selling policy, and when you frame the idea of single-payer coverage not as socialized medicine or government-run health-care, but as Medicare for All, you start to see the needle of public opinion move in the positive direction. Take the example of Bernie Sanders. When the Vermont senator offered his single-payer proposal in 2013, he couldnt get a single Democratic co-sponsor. On Wednesday, Sanders unveiled a similar plan, under the name Medicare for All. This time, he had 16 co-sponsors, including such likely 2020 presidential candidates as Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker. What happened? Part of it is simple branding. Americans across the political spectrum love Medicare. Remember those tea-party warriors in 2009-10, protesting against Obamacare with signs that read, Keep Government Out of My Medicare? That says it all. People see it as my Medicare, not as an expensive government program. Theres also the fact that Sanders built a grassroots following during his 2016 Democratic presidential run by talking about the Medicare for All concept and his loyalists have only been emboldened by the loss of Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in last Novembers presidential election. Clinton disparaged Sanders proposal during last years primary campaign, saying the arithmetic just doesnt add up, and adding that after the long fight that went into passing the Affordable Care Act, she didnt want to see us start over again with a contentious debate. Sanders acolytes see Clintons defeat as proof that the party needs to be bold. Theyre trying to turn single-payer into a litmus test and the pressure is pushing some Dem lawmakers to embrace the idea. In the District 23 congressional race, two of the Democratic contenders Gina Ortiz Jones and Rick Trevino have expressed support for the Medicare for All concept. Jay Hulings has taken a more nuanced approach, saying everyone can agree on the end goal of affordable universal coverage, and calling Sanders plan a starting point in the conversation. Two of the three Democratic members of San Antonios congressional delegation also sound open to the single-payer concept. In a statement to the San Antonio Express-News, Lloyd Doggett said Medicare for All would be a great improvement over the Affordable Care Act. Had the votes been there for adopting that better approach originally, we would not have many of our current problems. Doggett added, however, that while Republicans are attempting to repeal the ACA, Democrats shouldnt give them a new target to distract from their own wrongs. Doggett said: Accordingly, I am not a co-sponsor of the Sanders proposal at this time. Joaquin Castro had this to say: I completely support universal health-care coverage and look forward to discussions of how we can achieve that goal, including consideration of Medicare for All, a public option, and other proposals. Henry Cuellar did not respond to a question about Sanders proposal, but has been clear over the years about his opposition to a single-payer system. In the end, the Medicare for All phenomenon tells us more about the internal politics of the Democratic Party than it does about the real-world policy implications for this country. Sanders plan stands no chance of passage in a Republican Congress and it will face old (and justified) questions about how this country could possibly pay for a taxpayer-funded system that covers everyone. For Democrats, it would make more sense to try to stabilize the ACAs insurance exchanges and get more states to buy in to Medicaid expansion, rather than completely dismantling our private health-care system. But incrementalism is not in fashion at the moment, and Sanders is taking advantage of that. ggarcia@express-news.net Twitter: @gilgamesh470 Black Dog Ride State co-ordinator Ray Sherry, Williams, who was one of many to lend assistance, said the Black Dog Ride was trying to raise $200,000 to train local volunteers in emergency services and defence in mental health first aid so they can recognise and respond appropriately to their colleagues which may be in crisis, under a program called Even Heroes Need A Hand. It was about educating children about the agricultural industry but also about providing a resource for kids on the land who are looking for something to read and to keep them engaged and help develop their love of reading, because it is one of the most important skills anyone can have, she said. We liked the 5275, which is why weve gone for another Nitro, but the excellent service and support we get from our local McIntosh & Son branch is also a huge factor as to why we upgraded. I love history. My love of history (especially the Victorian era) has taken me to many historic houses and places of interest. My most recent visits in August this year were to Hughenden Manor in Buckinghamshire, former home of Benjamin Disraeli and to Queen Victorias favourite retreat, Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. Great for research. Kay Seeley I love books. My all time favourite romance is Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell. Although a close second would be My Dear I Wanted to Tell You by Louisa Young which is set during the First World War. I have a shelf full of books on writing and another shelf full of books set in the Victorian era. Most of my characters are inspired by the people Henry Mayhew writes about in his books London Labour and the London Poor. Hes a fantastic writer and a contemporary of Charles Dickens. I love London. Theres nothing better on a sunny day than walking along by the Thames or sitting in one of the riverside restaurants watching the world go by. Its my favourite thing to do. I love being outdoors. I have two daughters and I am the proud grandmother of their three children. When my children were younger I was a Guide Guider and was able to take them camping with the guides. As well as going to local camp sites we also camped in Windsor Great Park, took a boat on the river and visited Runnymede to see the John Kennedy Memorial. My eldest daughter takes her children camping every year. My most memorable outing with the Girl Guides (apart from the one when I took them skating at Richmond Ice Rink, fell and broke my leg, got rushed to hospital and spent six weeks in plaster) was taking guides to Trafalgar Square one Christmas for the Carol Singing. On the train there the girls were talking about their various holidays to America, Singapore, Egypt and Rumania. What on earth can I do to impress these girls? I thought, but their shrieks of joy when we turned the corner into Trafalgar Square, with the Christmas Tree all lit up and the square full of people singing, was unforgettable even though they caused one passerby to give us an astonished glare. I have a BA (Hons) in Administrative Management. It took six years of open study but I gained a 2:1 and was overjoyed. I learned a lot too. I worked at Harrow Crown Court and did Jury Service at The Old Bailey in Number One Court, a location I have used in two of my books. I took up writing after being made redundant. I started writing short stories, sent one to Peoples Friend and it was published. The second one I sent to Womans Weekly was also published. I have now had over fifty short stories published in womens magazines. I love a challenge. My main reason for writing my first Victorian novel, was to see if I could do it. I self-published for the same reason. My latest challenge was to see if I could turn one of my books into an audio book. I did. The Water Gypsy is now available in audio. My littlest grandson inspired me to write my latest novel. Hes six years old, autistic and non-verbal. He goes to a very good school for children with Special Educational Needs who are helping him with his communication skills. If hed been born a hundred years ago his life would have been very different. That was my inspiration for The Guardian Angel. I write Victorian novels, so it was a short step to write about a boy born mute and a girl from the workhouse who cared for him. The Guardian Angel by Kay Seeley is published on the 14th November. 'Game of Thrones' bosses are shooting "multiple" endings for the show. Game of Thrones actor Kit Harington The fantasy drama - which is based on George R.R. Martin's as-yet unfinished novel series - will come to an end with its eighth season, and in a bid to keep viewers guessing until the very end, producers will ensure spoilers can't leak when the final episodes go into production next month by working on a number of different end scenes, and keeping quiet as to which ones they will use. HBO's president of programming Casey Bloys said: "I know in 'Game of Thrones,' the ending, they're going to shoot multiple versions so that nobody really know what happens. "You have to do that on a long show. Because when you're shooting something, people know. So they're going to shoot multiple versions so that there's no real definitive answer until the end." The executive admitted it can be hard to please all loyal viewers when a show comes to an end. According to local news outlet The Morning Call, Casey said during a talk at Bethlehem's Moravian College: "Finales are tough. "If you think about, 'Six Feet Under,' well that was a pretty good finale. But if you think about 'Seinfeld,' if you think about 'The Sopranos,' if you think about 'Breaking Bad.' Everybody has an opinion about how a show should end." 'Game of Thrones' actor Kit Harington - who plays King in the North Jon Snow - recently admitted he and his co-star had to "fake" some scenes when shooting season seven of the show in order to confuse people. He said: "We had a lot of paparazzi following us around, especially when we were in Spain. We did fake some scenes. We put together people in situations where we knew the paparazzi was around so they'd take photos, and that would get on the internet to fake scenes so people would think they were real." Kelly Clarkson turned down "millions" in songwriting royalties after she turned down a writer's credit on a hit song 'My Life Would Suck Without You' because she didn't want to be associated with Dr. Luke. Kelly Clarkson The 'American Idol' winner snubbed the offer to share a writing credit on the 2009 number one single which was co-created by her, Max Martin, Claude Kelly and Dr. Luke - real name Lukasz Gottwald. In 2014, Kesha accused Dr. Luke of sexual assault and emotionally abusing her for years but he has always vehemently denied the claims. Kelly has made no similar allegations against Dr. Luke but she did not enjoy working with him and so made a choice to be left off the track's notes. Speaking about her experiences on her old record label RCA, on US radio station Z100 on Wednesday (13.09.17), she said: "They were like, 'Well, you changed the song.' And I was like, 'I don't want my name near his. I want to pretend this didn't happen in my life and I want to forget it ... There's hundreds of thousands of dollars gone because of that, maybe millions. That song was huge." Kelly first met Dr. Luke when they worked on her 2004 hits 'Since You've Been Gone' and 'Behind These Hazel Eyes' together, and has previously said he was "difficult to work with" and "kind of demeaning". Kelly's decision to give up huge amounts of cash wasn't difficult for her because money and fame isn't as important to her as her dignity. She added: "I asked not to work with Dr. Luke just because I had not a good experience with him ... The guy is super-talented, I'm not negating that. I was making a point to the people working with me, going, 'This is how much I didn't want to do this.' I don't care about the money. I don't care about, oh, 'You're going to be the most famous person ever if you do this.' That's not what holds weight in my life. I generally love everyone. You have to really be a special kind of ... for me not to like you." Making it clear she was making any accusations similar to those made by Kesha, Kelly stated: "He didn't do anything like that with me." Steven Moffat has teased the 'Doctor Who' festive special will be "dark and sinister". Steven Moffat The 55-year-old departing show runner - who will hand over the reins to Chris Chibnall at the end of the year - has promised fans that the forthcoming episode, which will air on Christmas Day (25.12.17), will be different from previous years and won't be as tear-jerking and joyous as some people may expect considering it'll be the last time viewers see Peter Capaldi as the time-travelling alien. When asked how he and 'Sherlock' co-creator Mark Gatiss have balanced the detective's selfish tendencies with his good nature, Moffat spoke about the Doctor in comparison to reluctant hero and told press at the London Screenwriters' Festival: "Why would Superman be good? Because kindness stops you being lonely, would be the answer. That's what that's about, for Sherlock Holmes. He's good because for all he protests about it, there are people he cares about. So, kindness is what makes a unit of us. So if you are sane and rational, kindness is by far the best path. There isn't anything rational about being vile and awful and evil. It's not actually a good strategy. "Prepare for that to be contradicted on 'Doctor Who' on Christmas Day..." But, although Moffat has given fans the stark warning, Peter recently teased that his last scene in which his alter-ego regenerates into the new Time Lord (Jodie Whittaker), will be emotional because of the way the screenwriter has written it. He said recently: "I felt Steven [Moffat] had written something very beautiful, and very right for my Doctor, so I was just happy to try and do my best with it." Meanwhile, Moffat - who has worked as executive producer on the show since 2009 - recently revealed he saved the festive episode from getting the chop after he learnt that bosses were toying with the idea of taking it off the agenda this year because Chibnall wanted to start in January with series 11 rather than pick up in 2017. The talented writer was concerned that the festive special would never make it back on screen if they temporarily pulled the plug on it this year and, although he was willing to step in, he had to persuade Peter to continue for a few more months. India will step up its collaboration with Egypt in the textile sector and talks are under way to raise export of textile machinery to the Arab nation, India's Ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya told a press conference ahead of the Cairo Fashion and Tex Exhibition that opened on 13 September. Thirty seven Indian firms are present at the four-day event.The delegation of Indian firms is represented by members of the Synthetic and Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC), an apex body of manufacturers and exporters of man-made fibre textiles, and the Federation of Indian Export Organization (FIEO), according to a news agency report. The exhibition will also host an 'India Pavilion'. India will step up its collaboration with Egypt in the textile sector and talks are under way to raise export of textile machinery to the Arab nation, India's Ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya told a press conference ahead of the Cairo Fashion and Tex Exhibition that opened on 13 September. Thirty seven Indian firms are present at the four-day event.# Srijib Roy, director of SRTEPC, said Indian companies will not compete with the local industry but will cooperate with their Egyptian counterparts.Polyester viscose fabrics, polyester blended fabrics, synthetic filament fabrics, laces, viscose spun yarn, polyester spun yarn, texturised yarn and polyester staple fibre are some of the key man-made fibre items that are exported to Egypt include.India exported around $240 million worth of textiles and clothing products to Egypt in 2016. Out of that, man-made fibre textiles were valued at $97 million, cotton at $131 million, apparel at $2.32 million, jute at $4.4 million and carpets at $0.36 million. (DS) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The 23rd edition of the Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles is over, with both exhibitors and buyers satisfied with the business outcomes from the fairs four days. The largest home textiles trading event in Asia attracted 1,106 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions. There were more international buyers this edition - 16 per cent more over last year.Given the strengthening market conditions in China the fair held during August 23-26, 2017 maintained its popularity, with the number of trade buyers increasing to 38,964 from 99 countries and regions (2016: 37,779 from 98 countries and regions). The 23rd edition of the Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles is over, with both exhibitors and buyers satisfied with the business outcomes from the fair's four days. The largest home textiles trading event in Asia attracted 1,106 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions. There were more international buyers this edition - 16 per cent more over last year. # Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles has once again proven its leading position in Asia as a business and order platform for the industry. There was a noticeable positivity from both exhibitors and buyers this edition regarding the current and future situation of the domestic market, so we are optimistic about the industry for the next year, Wendy Wen, senior general manager of Messe Frankfurt (HK) said.Overseas exhibitors found the fair an effective platform to open up the Asian market. As the leading event of its kind in the region, the fair successfully attracts a number of Chinese and Asian buyers every year, ensuring suppliers develop their business further in the region. This year, seven country and region pavilions including Belgium, India, Korea, Morocco, Pakistan, Taiwan and Turkey were formed, with exhibitors from all satisfied that they could meet their target buyers.While being in the minority at the fair, European brands still managed to catch the attention of visitors due to strong interest in their products from Asia. The Italian upholstery supplier Enzo Degli Angiuoni Spa was satisfied with the number of Asian buyers, particularly Chinese. Stefano Laurenzano, export area manager expressed: A lot of visitors that saw us here last year have come back again and are serious about cooperating with us. Here you can get a lot of new contacts and discover the Asian market. Weve had mainly Chinese buyers, but have had more Asian buyers from South Korea, India, Malaysia and elsewhere to visit us this year. We are seeing more business here in recent years.Being a newcomer to the fair, Iceland Duvet ehf felt the potential in China. Weve had enough buyers including retailers and manufacturers visiting our booth to make our participation worthwhile. The interest from the buyers has been genuine. Being a European brand helps more than at fairs in Europe as we can stand out more here, Ragnar Ludvik Runarsson, representative, said.Indian exhibitor, Paramount Textile Mills has been joining the fair for three years. Apart from meeting our existing customers, weve had enquiries from potential new customers from China as well as overseas including the US and South America, Ram M, director of Marketing and Finance said.Also with three years participation, Samir Tazi, general manager of PIF Textile Emotions from Morocco affirmed the shows effectiveness in meeting important buyers and decision makers. Its easier for us to meet them here compared with some smaller European fairs. Thanks to Intertextile Shanghai, we have also met the major players in China. Talking about this years result, he continued: We were very busy. We met with more people than any other fairs. There are a lot of new buyers and also returning buyers checking out our new products.As the largest pavilion this year, the Turkey Pavilion was in the limelight of the show, with both new and veteran exhibitors finding it useful to exhibit in Intertextile Shanghai. Bezmez Ev Tekstil did not intend to receive any orders in their first show, but was surprised to obtain three in just one day. These concrete results reassured their likelihood of coming back next year. We definitely see the potential for Turkish products here in China as Chinese companies prefer quality products nowadays, Ayhan Bezmez, representative, commented. Fahri Goksin, vice president of Gokhan Tekstil agreed with Bezmez that Chinese buyers are in favour of new things like imported goods and Western brands. His company has been in the Shanghai fair for six years and continued to get satisfactory results. Were looking for retailers, wholesalers and online buyers. Weve had all of these visiting our booth already.Recently, there are strong signs suggesting that the home textiles market in China is recovering with both imports and exports rising gradually. The positive outcome that Chinese exhibitors achieved at the Augusts fair has resonated with the market condition. A number of domestic booths were packed with visitors all the days. For SohoCUT Intertextile Shanghai is the place for actual business. Compared with other fairs weve been to, this is the exhibition where a huge number of international buyers gather. We met buyers from China, Mexico, Russia, the US, India and Southeast Asia. We even got large orders for the first two days, Wheatley Weng, managing director said.Given the prevailing smart home concept in China, Somfy China which specialised in advanced sun-protection system became one of the highlights at the fair. Nancy Nan, chief executive officer mentioned: The visitor flow has been really high that our booth is swarmed by buyers. Amongst those visitors, there is no lack of medium to high-end customers who placed orders immediately.With the demand for digital printing solutions growing, the Digital Printing Zone expanded in size this edition, incorporating a seminar area and more exhibitors. As an Italian company, MS Printing Solutions Srl experienced the potential of the sector in China. The fair has been busy, and weve had steady flow of buyers coming through. The potential in digital printing here is just beginning. The Chinese government is pushing companies to reduce their pollution, so it has a big advantage in this regard over traditional textile printing, Walter Oggioni, regional sales manager stated, adding that the company has been growing very fast globally, especially in China, Turkey, India and Pakistan.This potential holds for domestic machine manufacturers as well. Specialising in the production of digital printing machines, Guangzhou Xu Cheng Electronic Technology was at the fair to meet fabrics suppliers. Jesse Luo, overseas manager explained: Compared with exhibitions for textile machinery, Intertextile Shanghai attracts more fabrics suppliers, which are our target clients. It helps even more as we are located in this special zone. Weve been talking to a lot customers, including overseas buyers who are also interested in our machines.A series of seminars provided opportunities for the industry to share their insights on this emerging sector. As a speaker, Foshan Sanshui Yingjie Precision Machinery believed the session was mutually beneficial for them and the audience. Attendees are from the whole sector including manufacturers and end users, so we can discuss different perspectives. It will facilitate our improvement, Peng Jichang, general manager said.Intertextile Shanghai is the largest trading platform in Asia with the whole spectrum of home textiles and accessories on offer. Hence, visitors, be they Chinese or overseas, can access a wide range of quality suppliers that meet their sourcing needs. Australian buyer, Glenn Whitchurch from Trabeth Textiles, was impressed with his sourcing journey. The polyester quality of domestic exhibitors has been unbelievable. Whats more, weve found the Chinese suppliers to be very flexible in meeting our needs, theyre clearly keen to accommodate overseas buyers.One ongoing trend at the fair over recent years is the increasing quality of domestic suppliers, which attracts buyers to come back and source. Chinese buyers agreed that Intertextile Shanghai is the most effective sourcing platform in Asia. Overseas suppliers like Turkey exhibitors are our main interest. So far, we have connected with four to five exhibitors in hall 4 and will place orders with them soon. In terms of exhibitor number and the product range, I feel that the fair has improved a lot. It is my favourite show with a lot of overseas products to discover, Huang Shenghua, general manager of Ziranfeng Home Textile said.Apart from facilitating business between exhibitors and visitors, the fair also incorporated various design elements via a series of concurrent events. These included display area like Trend Area, International Fibre Art Exhibition and Home Furnishing Crossover Exhibition where participants could find innovative designs and ideas.This was also the first time the Andrew Martin International Interior Design Summit and the fair took place concurrently. Experts from the interior design, architecture and art sectors were invited to share and discuss their views on the transformation of design in the new information era. (SV) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India More than 320,000 tons of Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) certified cotton were harvested in 2016 and processed further by textile producers in Asia, Europe and Africa. An increase has been observed in the number of fashion brands and textile retailers purchasing cotton from CmiA, the largest label for sustainable cotton from Africa, for their textiles. Nearly 30 companies and brands use CmiA cotton for their textiles. The top customers of 2016 include the Otto Group, with bonprix as the biggest buyer within the company group, Tchibo and the Rewe Group with its sales channels Rewe, Penny and Toom Baumarkt. Additionally, Engelbert Strauss, Ernstings family, Asos, Aldi Sud and Bestseller rank among the biggest buyers that support the initiative through their demand for CmiA cotton. Smaller fashion labels such as Hiitu from Germany, Cooekid from Great Britain, Weaverbirds from Denmark or Abaana from Uganda are also contributing significantly by purchasing CmiA cotton. They offer an exclusive selection of products made from Cotton made in Africa cotton, ranging from children's clothing to high fashion textiles. "In view of the many heterogeneous buyers of Cotton made in Africa cotton, it is clear that sustainable cotton from Africa can be used for a number of different product groups," Christian Barthel, director supply chain management said. "Sustainable cotton can be used for a very wide basis in the textile industry. Our partners successfully show that Cotton made in Africa cotton can lay a sustainable foundation for many branches." More than 320,000 tons of Cotton made in Africa (CmiA) certified cotton were harvested in 2016 and processed further by textile producers in Asia, Europe and Africa. An increase has been observed in the number of fashion brands and textile retailers purchasing cotton from CmiA, the largest label for sustainable cotton from Africa, for their textiles.# CmiA cotton is grown by more than 780,000 smallholder farmers in 10 countries of sub-Saharan Africa and in accordance with the ecological and socio-economic criteria of the CmiA standard. More than 100 partners in the textile value chain are working with CmiA across the globe, to implement the principle of helping people to help themselves through trade. (RR) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The Beta version of the timeSSD software, by DataS, developers of integrated software solutions dedicated for the manufacturing and business processes in textile, leather, garments, and knitwear industry, has been launched in the Microsoft Azure Cloud with seven languages; English, German, Russian, Turkish, Romanian, Bulgarian, and Hungarian.The Beta version is invitation based and its use is free, for commercial purposes. All the methods and workflows developed in Beta will be available in the commercial version. The Beta version of the timeSSD software, by DataS, developers of integrated software solutions dedicated for the manufacturing and business processes in textile, leather, garments, and knitwear industry, has been launched in the Microsoft Azure Cloud with seven languages; English, German, Russian, Turkish, Romanian, Bulgarian, and Hungarian.# TimeSSD Beta provide accurate times for handling, positioning, sewing, dispose, use of tools, read-write, walking, and ironing motion elements used during the methods development, with focus on the sewing industry.The commercial version of the timeSSD is pay per use based, no user licenses, no special keys and no maintenance costs. Its availability depends only on the internet connection for the user. The data backup is managed by Azure with geo redundant backup policy.DataS develops garment industry dedicated software solutions to increase the operating and manufacturing performance. TimeSSD provide the must to have benchmark data for the efficiency control and incentive payroll in labour intensive industries, especially in garment manufacturing. It is a collaborative platform where the user develops private working methods and workflows and has the possibility to share them with the selected partners.Laszlo Szabo, managing director of DataS says: For example, the execution method edited in Germany on German language by the fashion brands development team is shared in timeSSD with the manufacturer from Romania. The production supervisor gets the method descriptions by default on Romanian and has all the necessary elements for the style execution with the standard times specified. This feature avoids the misunderstandings, saves time, and money. In the near future the Polish, French, Arabic, Bengali, and Urdu languages will be implemented. Our intentions are to have the Hindi, Mandarin, and Vietnamese languages included too, before the end of this year. I would like to say my thanks to our partners and supporters from different countries for their continuous support in the language translation processes. TimeSSD has a native connection with the GPD General Production Data QR code based, real-time, shop floor control, and materials requirement planning software solution, developed by DataS. (GK) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India BUENOS AIRES (dpa-AFX) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro affirmed that his country is prepared to defend its freedom and sovereignty, rebuffing statements by the governments of the United States and Argentina on the possibility of implementing new oil sanctions against Venezuela. On Sunday, the U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, and the Argentinean Foreign Minister, Jorge Faurie, announced in Buenos Aires that they are assessing new oil sanctions aimed at putting Maduro's administration under pressure. 'Rex Tillerson, while visiting Argentina, has just threatened us with an oil embargo. We are prepared. They are threatening us with imperialism. We are prepared to be free, and nothing and no one is going to stop us,' Maduro said in a broadcast through Facebook. During a press conference held in Argentina, after holding a private meeting with Faurie, Tillerson said that they are assessing sanctions, such as prohibiting its sale in the United States, or that of 'refining products from Venezuela.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- MediaTek today announced its joined the "China Mobile 5G Device Forerunner Initiative" at GTI summit 2018. The collaboration of MediaTek and China Mobile will encompass applications for 5G device form factors, technical solutions, testing and verification, and product research and development. The joint effort will accelerate the maturity of 5G chips and end devices for field tests in 2018, preliminary rollout in 2019, and the commercial rollout targeted for 2020. MediaTek's first-generation 5G baseband solution is based on the 3GPP Rel-15 5G NR standard, supporting New Radio (NR), sub-6GHz band, standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA) networks, high power user equipment (HPUE), and other key 5G technologies. MediaTek's 5G solution also supports Millimeter Wave (mmWave) to meet the demands of local network operators around the globe. "MediaTek has made considerable progress having invested significant manpower and time in 5G technology and product development," said Kevin Jou, Corporate Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of MediaTek. "Joining China Mobile's 5G Device Forerunner Initiative demonstrates that MediaTek is capable of meeting the requirements of one of the world's largest operators. MediaTek products will greatly speed up the maturity and penetration of 5G ecosystems so consumers around the world can enjoy the convenience of 5G as soon as possible." At MWC 2018, MediaTek is demonstrating the latest advances in 5G research and development, including the sub-6GHz prototype platform, mmWave antenna module, and advanced 5G NR technology. MediaTek's 5G solution is not only suitable for smart phones but also can be used in a variety of device formats such as Internet-of-Things and modem modules. A wide range of applications based on 5G technology will make its way onto the market in a diverse portfolio of products. For more details, visit MediaTek in Hall 6, Booth #6C30. About MediaTek MediaTek Incorporated (TWSE: 2454) is a global fabless semiconductor company that enables 1.5 billion connected devices a year. We are a market leader in developing innovative systems-on-chip (SoC) for mobile device, home entertainment, connectivity and IoT products. Our dedication to innovation has positioned us as a driving market force in several key technology areas, including highly power-efficient mobile technologies and advanced multimedia solutions across a broad range of products such as smartphones, tablets, digital televisions, OTT boxes, wearables and automotive solutions. MediaTek empowers and inspires people to expand their horizons and more easily achieve their goals through smart technology. We call this idea Everyday Genius and it drives everything we do. Visit www.mediatek.com for more information. CUPERTINO (dpa-AFX) - Apple Inc. (AAPL) is playing the role of kingmaker in the contentious battle for Toshiba Corp.'s memory chips business, Bloomberg reported citing people familiar with the matter. The iPhone maker is in talks to provide about $3 billion in capital for Bain Capital's bid for the unit, adding to financial support from Dell Inc.,Seagate Technology plc and SK Hynix Inc., the report said. Earlier today, U.S. private-equity firm Bain Capital Private Equity LP signed a memorandum of understanding with Toshiba saying it intends to reach a deal to buy the Japanese conglomerate's memory-chip business by the end of September, Toshiba said. Toshiba said it retained the right to negotiate with other bidders. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. DUBAI, UAE, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- An independent EDM producer from Afghanistan with a significant following in the Middle East is hoping to break into the global music scene with the release of his third album. 'Lip Service' is music producer and a newly-trained DJ Shuja Rabbani's latest body of work to be released under his own record label, Rabbani Records. It consists of 21 tracks that are available for purchase and streaming on all major online music platforms. The album release means that Rabbani has now produced a record consecutively for three years. Much like his previous albums, 'Lip Service' is predominantly EDM focused but also draws on inspiration from other styles and regions to produce a multi-faceted sound. Instruments from around the globe have been incorporated into the tracks, including countries like India and the Caribbean. Turkish and Arabian instruments have also been blended in over the artist's signature electronic beats. One of the most exotic instruments used in this album is the Gubal and the Hang, similar instruments that are both manufactured in Switzerland. The track titled 'Avicenna' has tunes almost entirely made by using these instruments. Rabbani will be releasing three singles to promote his new album and style across the globe. This first single will be 'Casanova', followed by 'Turkish Delight' and 'Pharaoh'. All of these tracks incorporate ethnic world sounds and electronic beats, creating an entirely new sound of dance music that DJ's will be able to mix into tracks immediately. Speaking about his new work, Rabbani said: "The new album represents my love for world music which I have attempted to combine along with modern electronic beats. It's representative of who I am as an artist who also happens to be a global citizen." Rabbani has a significant social media presence that is continuing to grow immensely. He is hailed as one of the most influential personalities on social media to come from Afghanistan often seen posting news and updates for his fans on his social media platforms. Rabbani's frequent use of social media to promote his artistic and professional work for the past five years has been developing him into a personal brand as a result of high quality and diversified digital content that appeals to topics of interest for multiple generations of Afghanistan and beyond. He uses the hashtag EDMA which stands for Electronic Dance Music Afghanistan so followers can keep up to date with his progress more easily, helping to cement a unique positioning of his online brand. Within last year, his online popularity as an Afghan music producer has resulted in his music being used at two different international events, both in the Middle East and in Europe, to represent Afghanistan at cultural events and represent the changing face of Afghanistan's new generations that are working as the country's leading disruptors and cultural change leaders. Rabbani continues:" As an independent artist, I'm grateful for the institutions that are reaching out to me in representing another side of Afghanistan that the international community does not get to see much. I hope to continue working hard to inspire Afghan artists to look beyond their borders and reach out to the global audience through their talents." It would seem that Rabbani is interested in more than the music scene though, as he continues to juggle a range of different work-related endeavors. With an interest in international affairs, Rabbani writes articles and commentaries on contemporary issues, which he posts on his personal blog. His commentary has been published in leading international news channels. Rabbani's professional role in an international organization means he is particularly business savvy by spending time reviewing business and self-development books, and business-related articles on human resources and personal growth. To find out more about Shuja Rabbani, and how he is revolutionizing the global EDM music industry, go to:http://www.shujarabbani.com Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ShujaRabbaniPage Twitter:https://twitter.com/ShujaRabbani Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/shujarabbani/ YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/user/shujarabbani About Shuja Rabbani is an EDM DJ and music producer from Afghanistan who is making waves in the electronic music scene. He has now released 3 albums and is continuing to gain recognition and support internationally through the various social media channels he utilizes to promote his multiple lines of work. Cash position at end-2017 of 2.13 million, reinforced by 9.4 million from the recent private placement Reduction in operating expenses in line with the Company's expectations Clinical and R&D programs on track with multiple development milestones expected in 2018 Regulatory News: ASIT biotech (Paris:ASIT) (BSE:ASIT) (ASIT BE0974289218), a Belgian clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and future commercialization of breakthrough immunotherapy products for the treatment of allergies, today announces its annual results1 for the year 2017, prepared in accordance with the IFRS standards adopted by the European Union, as well as its recent clinical developments and 2018 outlook. Thierry Legon, CEO of ASIT biotech, says: "2017 was a pivotal year in terms of both clinical and corporate developments. The first Phase III clinical study with gp-ASIT+ in grass pollen rhinitis has confirmed, for the first time ever, the clinical efficacy in real life of our proprietary allergenic peptides. This clinical study has also allowed a more complete understanding of the mechanism of action of our peptides. This understanding paves the way for the development of other ASIT+ therapeutic product candidates for house dust mite and food allergies, indications with even higher unmet medical need. The publications of the clinical data of gp-ASIT+ in renowned scientific peer-reviewed journals such as Allergy and JACI (Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology) confirmed the high quality and the real originality of the results that we have obtained with our first product candidate. ASIT biotech is now focusing all its efforts on maximizing the chances of success of the next Phase III clinical trial with gp-ASIT+. Site selection would start in late 2018 in order to treat all patients prior to the 2019 grass pollen season. In parallel, we continue the optimization of our second product candidate for house dust mite rhinitis, hdm-ASIT+ with the objective to start human trials at the beginning of 2019. ASIT biotech also received a 6 million non-diluting financing from the Walloon Region for a very promising food allergy drug development program with the objective to select, by the end of this year, at least one product candidate with an optimal immunogenicity. Finally, the approval received in December from our shareholders to proceed with a refinancing round was a strong mark of confidence that allowed us to successfully complete a 9.4 million private placement at the very beginning of this year, with a potential further funding of 23 million. This strengthened financial structure will enable us to continue the development of all our drug candidates aiming to treat millions of people suffering from allergies." Financial results1 at 31 December 2017 In thousands of euros IFRS 31.12.2017 31.12.2016 Revenue Other operating income 590 1,667 Research Development expenses -10,903 -12,123 General Administrative expenses -1,663 -1,822 Operating profit loss -11,976 -12,278 Financial income expense -9 -60 Tax -2 -1 Net profit loss -11,986 -12,339 Operating income, which totaled 590 thousand, consisted mainly of a recoverable advance of 458 thousand from the Walloon government for the food-ASIT+ program and research tax credit of 112 thousand. Operating expenses totaled 12.6 million over the year 2017 (versus 13.9 million at 31 December 2016) given the stabilization of the Company's clinical development. R&D spending, which accounted for 87% of the total operating expenses, was entirely devoted to the development of ASIT biotech's R&D programs and was allocated as follows: 70% for the most advanced drug candidate, gp-ASIT+, for the treatment of grass pollen rhinitis; 15% for the second drug candidate, hdm-ASIT+, for the treatment of house dust mite rhinitis; 15% for preclinical activities and the discovery of product candidates for other types of allergies (mainly peanut, cow milk and egg white). The operating loss over the year ending 31 December 2017 was thus 11.9 million, versus a loss of 12.3 million at 31 December 2016. Financial structure ASIT biotech had a net cash position of 2.1 million at 31 December 2017, compared with 13.4 million at 31 December 2016. The 11.2 million cash decrease over the last 12 months was in line with budget and notably the result of: Operating cash burn up to 12.3 million 400 thousand in working capital increase 200 thousand in investments 1.7 million received from the Walloon government as recoverable advances The cash position at 31 December 2017 does not include the proceeds of 9.4 million from the first phase of the private placement, as announced on 25 January 2018. A second subscription phase is currently taking place, allowing the Company to raise additional 2 million. Furthermore, each newly issued share within the framework of this private placement being coupled with two warrants enabling the holder to subscribe two new shares at the price of 3.83 per share, ASIT biotech has the possibility of raising up to a further 23 million over the upcoming two years. As of the date of this press release, the audit by the Statutory Auditors of the consolidated financial statements as of 31 December 2017 is in progress. The Statutory Auditors have already indicated that their report would include a supplementary statement recalling the conditions and assumptions set by the Board of Directors, which are subject to the assumption of the business continuity in accordance with Article 144 7 of the Belgian Company Code. The annual financial report (regulated information) will be available in the Investors Documentation section of the Company's website from 18 April 2018. 2018 outlook and upcoming milestones gp-ASIT+ in grass pollen allergy Preparation of a 2 nd Phase III in Europe in adults with site selection in Q4 2018 and first-patient first-visit in Q1 2019 Phase III in Europe in adults with site selection in Q4 2018 and first-patient first-visit in Q1 2019 Pre-IND Meeting with FDA in H2 2018 to agree on the clinical development strategy in the US hdm-ASIT+ in house dust mite allergy Screening of several product candidates to select one with the best immunogenicity profile for further clinical development in house dust mite allergy: ex vivo immunogenicity screening on house dust mite allergic patient blood samples preclinical in vivo immunogenicity testing Regulatory required preclinical development and IMP2 GMP3 manufacturing food-ASIT+ in food allergy Design, development and screening of several product candidates to select the ones with the best immunogenicity profile for further clinical development in food allergies: ex vivo immunogenicity screening on food allergic patient blood samples preclinical in vivo immunogenicity testing Regulatory required preclinical development and IMP GMP manufacturing for one food allergen About ASIT biotech ASIT biotech is a Belgian clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and future commercialization of a range of breakthrough immunotherapy products for the treatment of allergies. Thanks to its innovative ASIT+ technology, ASIT biotech is currently the only developer of AIT product candidates consisting of carefully size selected and qualified natural peptides extracted from highly purified original allergen. This innovation results in a short treatment, expected to improve patient compliance and real-life effectiveness. ASIT biotech's product pipeline entails two novel ASIT+ product candidates targeting respiratory allergy with the highest prevalence (i.e. grass pollen: gp-ASIT+ and house dust mite: hdm-ASIT+), that could significantly expand the current immunotherapy market. The Company believes that its innovative ASIT+ platform is flexible and would be applicable across a range of allergies. ASIT biotech has a headcount of 22 staff members, at its headquarters in Brussels and a laboratory in Liege, Belgium. Further information can be found at www.asitbiotech.com. Forward-looking statements All statements in this announcement that do not relate to historical facts and events are "forward-looking statements". In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words "believes," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "may," "will," "plans," "continue," "ongoing," "potential," "predict," "project," "target," "seek" or "should" or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology or by discussions of strategies, plans, objectives, targets, goals, future events or intentions. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the Company's intentions, beliefs or current expectations. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not rely on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Any forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this announcement and, without prejudice to the Company's obligations under applicable law in relation to disclosure and ongoing information, the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update the forward-looking statements set forth in this announcement. Legal notice This announcement does not constitute, or form part of, an offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for shares of ASIT biotech SA (the "Company" and the "Shares"). Any purchase of, subscription for or application for, Shares to be issued in connection with the intended offering should only be made on the basis of information contained in the prospectus and any supplements thereto, as the case may be. This announcement does not constitute a prospectus and the information contained herein is for information purposes only and does not purport to be full or complete. Investors should not subscribe for any Shares except on the basis of the information contained in the prospectus that the Company expects to publish after its approval by the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority, and which can then be obtained at the Company's registered office and on www.asitbiotech.com. This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or to any U.S. person within the meaning of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). The Shares have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold in the United States, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The Company has not registered, and does not intend to register, any portion of the intended offering of Shares in the United States, and does not intend to conduct a public offering of Shares in the United States. This announcement and the information contained herein are not for publication, distribution or release in or into the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan or any jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the relevant laws of such jurisdiction. The Company is responsible for the information contained in this press release. 1 Audit in progress 2 IMP: Investigational Medicinal Products 3 GMP: Good Manufacturing Practice View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180211005048/en/ Contacts: Company ASIT biotech Thierry Legon, +32 2 264 03 90 CEO investors@asitbiotech.com or Media and Investor Relations France NewCap Dusan Oresansky Alexia Faure, +33 1 44 71 94 92 asitbiotech@newcap.eu or Media Relations Belgium Laure-Eve Monfort, +32 2 290 90 93 monfort@comfi.be LONDON, ENGLAND / ACCESSWIRE / September 14, 2017 / Anglo Pacific Group PLC ("Anglo Pacific", the "Company") (LSE: APF, TSX: APY) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Brazilian Nickel Limited, ("BRN") to acquire a Gross Revenue Royalty ("GRR", the "Royalty") interest for the development of its Piaui Nickel - Cobalt Project (the "Project"), located in north eastern Brazil. This is in line with the Company's strategy to invest in development opportunities with significant growth potential to complement its existing portfolio of income producing assets. The Piaui Nickel - Cobalt Project has a JORC compliant Measured Resource (1) of 52.9 Mt at 1.03% Nickel ("Ni") and 0.05% Cobalt ("Co"), plus Indicated Resources of 19.3 Mt at 0.92% Ni and 0.05% Co at a 0.6% nickel cut-of-grade. Anglo Pacific will provide BRN with an initial US$2 million (1.5 million) cash payment payable immediately, in exchange for a 1% GRR over the Project. The Tranche 1 consideration and associated expenses will be funded from internal sources. This consideration will be used by BRN for further Project assessment and/or the development of the "PNP1000", a Ni and Co pilot plant with a nameplate production capacity of 1,000 tonnes per annum ("tpa") of Ni contained in a saleable product. Upon achievement of certain development milestones and Anglo Pacific board approval for each specific tranche, the Company has the right to acquire up to a total of US$70m (~53m) in additional GRRs, namely: Under a staged ramp-up development scenario: US$20m for an incremental 2.0% GRR when plans for the construction of a processing plant with a nameplate capacity of up to 10,000 tonnes of Ni and 450 tonnes of Co per annum (the " PNP10k ") are implemented, and an additional US$50m for an incremental 2.5% GRR when plans for the construction of a processing plant with a nameplate capacity of 24,000 tonnes of Ni and 1,000 tonnes of Co per annum (the " PNP24k ") are implemented, OR: ") are implemented, and an additional US$50m for an incremental 2.5% GRR when plans for the construction of a processing plant with a nameplate capacity of 24,000 tonnes of Ni and 1,000 tonnes of Co per annum (the " ") are implemented, OR: US$70m for an incremental 3.0% GRR at the point when plans for the construction of a processing plant with a nameplate capacity of up to 24,000 tonnes of Ni and 1,000 tonnes of Co per annum are implemented. Highlights of the transaction: Attractive end market fundamentals - high-quality nickel and cobalt products expected for use in technologies such as lithium ion battery manufacturing, as well as for traditional markets; Low-cost operation - current BRN estimates indicate that the Project will be a large, low-cost nickel and cobalt operation with operating costs after refining charges and cobalt credits of less than US$3 per pound of Ni; Established mining jurisdiction - the Project is located close to water, power, and transport infrastructure; Partnering with an experienced management team - the BRN management team has an established track record in mining and nickel heap leach operations; Lower risk royalty acquisition structure - the innovative staged structure of this transaction allows Anglo Pacific to increase its exposure as the project is advanced; and, Further diversifies the Anglo Pacific royalty portfolio - the expected royalty income profile has the potential to significantly increase the Company's revenue stream and exposure to base metals if fully invested. Commenting on the investment, Julian Treger, Chief Executive Officer of Anglo Pacific, said: "The Piaui royalty reflects the Company's strategy of investing into earlier stage, high growth potential royalties. Combined with our Maracas Menchen vanadium royalty, this investment also represents a continuing strategic pivot into metals which are exposed to the burgeoning electric vehicle story. The royalty will deliver further diversification for the Company's asset base and commodity exposure in a lower risk manner through the incremental structure of the investment and has the potential to deliver very high returns once in production. This investment also has the potential to contribute significantly to our cash flows in the coming years as the Project ramps up through the expanded production phases. The Acquisition is consistent with Anglo Pacific's strategy to acquire royalties on mining assets that are competitively positioned on the cost curve and located in established mining jurisdictions." Overview of the Piaui Nickel Cobalt Project Brazilian Nickel Ltd is a private UK company which was formed in 2013 to develop the 100% owned Piaui Nickel Cobalt Project in north eastern Brazil. The Project was acquired from Vale S.A. ("Vale") in January 2014, who extensively drilled the deposit. To date over US$75 million has been spent on the Project. The Project is being envisaged as a nickel laterite heap leaching project. It boasts a JORC compliant (1) Measured Resources of 52.9 Mt at 1.03% Ni and 0.05% Co, plus Indicated Resources of 19.3 Mt at 0.92% Ni and 0.05% Co at a 0.6% nickel cut-of-grade with upside potential in adjacent exploration areas. Resources Category Tonnes ('000t) Ni (%) Co (%) Measured 52,887 1.03 0.048 Indicated 19,324 0.92 0.048 Total Measured plus Indicated 72,211 1.00 0.048 Mining will be conventional open pit extraction. Metallurgically, the ore is characterized by favorable geological conditions in that it is rocky in texture to aid heap percolation, and has fast leaching kinetics, high nickel extraction, and most importantly, low acid consumption. The ore is amenable to sulphuric acid heap leaching which produces a Pregnant Leach Solution ("PLS") containing nickel and cobalt. The PLS is then treated in a simple precipitation circuit where limestone is added to remove iron and other impurities from the PLS. The remaining solution is then passed through an ion exchange process which separates and concentrates the nickel and cobalt solutions which are then precipitated as high purity nickel and cobalt hydroxide for packaging and sale. The project is close to grid power and road infrastructure which connects the project to a choice of ports. There is a large source of water nearby, for which BRN already has an extraction permit. Social and environmental work continues in order to obtain the main environmental license. In 2015, BRN started the next phase of development with the refurbishment of an on-site demonstration plant and camp facilities originally built by Vale. The construction and operation of three commercial height demonstration heaps commenced in May 2016 with the leach solutions feeding the downstream plant by July, and first nickel and cobalt hydroxide products produced in August of the same year. Target extractions of 80% nickel have been achieved and data have been collected from the demonstration plant showing low consumption of acid. In December 2016, BRN successfully exported and sold nickel and cobalt hydroxide trial products. BRN has used the data from the demonstration plant to simulate the two different production scenarios, a 24,000 tpa Ni and 1,000 tpa Co nameplate operation ("PNP24k") or a smaller capex requirement 10,000 tpa Ni and 450 tpa Co nameplate operation ("PNP10k"). BRN will undertake a detailed study to further assess the parameters of the two separate production scenarios. BRN may also expand the existing demonstration plant to a production capacity to 1,000t of Ni a year ("PNP1000") for an estimated capital cost of US$15 million. This expansion would use existing environmental permissions and could be implemented within a year of full financing. Nickel and cobalt production are targeted to be sold into new growth markets, such as lithium ion battery cathodes for use in electric vehicles, but can also serve conventional industrial needs (nickel to stainless steel, cobalt for refining to metal). For more information, please visit www.braziliannickel.com. 1) The Piaui Resources have been reported under the JORC Code (2012). The Mineral Resource estimate was completed by Rory Devlin under the direction of Mick Elias. Rory Devlin and Mick Elias are employees of CSA Global. Mick Elias FAusIMM is a Competent Person as defined by the Australasian Code for the Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves (JORC Code 2012 Edition) and consents to the inclusion in the JORC report of the matters based on the information in the form and context in which it appears. All figures in the tables are rounded, and therefore the total sums might not be the direct sum of the input figures. The defined terms used in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, 2014 are referenced in NI 43-101. The definition of the terms Mineral Resource and the categories (Measured, Indicated and Inferred) are identical to those defined in the JORC Code (2012 Edition). CIM definitions of Mineral Reserves, and the sub categories Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves, align with the JORC Code definitions for Ore Reserves and the subcategories Proven and Probable Ore Reserves. No material differences exist between the two codes. For further information: Anglo Pacific Group PLC Julian Treger - Chief Executive Officer Kevin Flynn - Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary Juan Alvarez - Head of Investments +44 (0) 20 3435 7400 Website: www.anglopacificgroup.com BMO Capital Markets Limited +44 (0) 20 7664 8020 Jeffrey Couch/Neil Haycock/Tom Rider Macquarie Capital (Europe) Limited +44 (0) 20 3037 2000 Raj Khatri/Nicholas Harland/Ariel Tepperman Peel Hunt LLP +44 (0) 20 7418 8900 Matthew Armitt/Ross Allister/Chris Burrows Redleaf Communications +44 (0) 20 7382 4769 Charlie Geller/Elisabeth Cowell/Fiona Norman About the Company Anglo Pacific Group PLC is a global natural resources royalty and streaming company. The Company's strategy is to develop a leading international diversified royalty and streaming company with a portfolio centred on base metals and bulk materials, focusing on accelerating income growth through acquiring royalties on projects that are in the main currently cash flow generating or are expected to be within the next 24 months, as well as investment in earlier stage royalties. It is a continuing policy of the Company to pay a substantial portion of these royalties and streams to shareholders as dividends. SOURCE: Anglo Pacific Group PLC HONG KONG, Oct. 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Xifu International Gold Wedding Jewellery Design Competition is playing a pivotal role in injecting jewellery designs with modern flair and cross-cultural influences. The 2017 competition is still the talk of the town even though its award ceremony took place a month ago on 12 September. Of the inaugural edition's 11 winners, eight are from China while the remaining three hail from Turkey, India and the United Arab Emirates respectively. For thefull multimedia release, click here: http://www.prnasia.com/mnr/ubm_20171025en.shtml Wang Xiao Mei, a professional designer from Beijing, took home the Xifu Grand Prize for her delicate and exquisite design that was lauded by all of the judges. Her winning entry was inspired by the Golden Wattle. According to Wang, the flower alludes to an old story of true and everlasting love between a couple, thereby embodying the competition's theme, "Oneness." She also thanked the judges for acknowledging and appreciating her cutting-edge design. Yi Ran, who was awarded the first prize in the Plain Gold Jewellery category, was grateful to be given an international platform to showcase her talents. She ingeniously applied mechanical concepts to her design so that it would form the Chinese word for "Oneness" when arranged at a certain angle. The first prize in the Gem-set Gold Jewellery category went to Xu Min. Her design drew inspiration from the water molecule, which consists of inseparable bonds between two elements. She noted that this concept of togetherness and completion likewise applies to the competition's theme, "Oneness." The second prize winner in the Plain Gold Jewellery category, Meltem Sahan from Turkey, felt extremely proud to represent her country in an international competition. According to her, the award boosts her determination to continue pursuing her career in the field of design. Huang Xiang Min, winner of the second prize in the Gem-set Gold Jewellery category, shared the glory of his victory with the craftsmen who flawlessly captured the essence of his design in the actual jewellery piece. His win emboldens him to vie for the Xifu Grand Prize in the next competition, he added. The rest of the winners likewise said they were grateful for the opportunities afforded to them in this international competition, adding that they would continue striving for excellence and success in the field of jewellery design. The Xifu International Gold Wedding Jewellery Design Competition has not only cast the spotlight on budding and accomplished designers alike, but is also paving the way for further development and innovation in the gold wedding jewellery sector. Given the success and international exposure from the competition, along with the launch of the Global Alliance of Design Institutes, more modern, meaningful and spectacular designs are expected to emerge in the gold jewellery market. The Xifu International Gold Wedding Jewellery Design Competition encourages more designers to participate in its future editions and seize the chance to gain international recognition and acclaim. Althea Long Phone Number: +852 2516 1653/ 90291281 Email: althea.long@ubm.com In addition, Cision Communications Cloud helps communicators track and measure the impact of earned media campaigns on their websites with updated integrations to Google Analytics and Adobe Analytics. LONDON, Jan. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --Today, Cision (NYSE: CISN) announced new enhancements to the Cision Communications Cloudallowing comms professionals to make more data-driven decisions and boost engagement with their audiences across digital channels, including social. Enhancements include expanded data analysis around social engagement and robust data integrations with Google Analytics and Adobe Analytics. With these new features, comms professionals can gain insight into audience sentiment and behaviour, empowering them to craft more relevant messaging and campaigns. "Social media needs to be woven into the workflow of today's communications professionals," said Kevin Akeroyd, Cision CEO. "With these enhancements to the Cision Comms Cloud', we're arming comms teams with the insight and social data they need to make more informed decisions about their messaging and deliver better campaigns." The Cision Comms Cloud delivers a comprehensive, end-to-end platform for comms teams to identify influencers, craft campaigns, and attribute value for their work. With the latest release of Cision Communications Cloud, comms pros will now be able to: Gain insight faster with expanded data analysis for social engagement: In this new release, comms professionals can view all social posts from a single interface, while sorting posts by a number of relevant statistics, including an author's follower count, likes, comments, and shares linked to an individual social post. Users can then analyse and chart this data to easily pinpoint which influencers and journalist conversations are most impactful to their overall brand. In addition, communicators can also identify specific coverage that sparked trending and viral posts, helping to inform their content and social strategy moving forward. These features appear alongside other core workflow features in the Cision Comms Cloud, such as monitoring media coverage, distributing press releases and emailing influencers directly. Cision Communications Cloud, created with the comms professional in mind, empowers teams to not only identify the number of likes or shares linked to a social post, but delivers insight into who they are, their influence, and further engagement they have generated. It is this type of data that is most valuable when it comes to evaluating whether news coverage is reaching the right audience, engaging readers, and ultimately has an impact on bottom-line results. In this new release, comms professionals can view all social posts from a single interface, while sorting posts by a number of relevant statistics, including an author's follower count, likes, comments, and shares linked to an individual social post. Users can then analyse and chart this data to easily pinpoint which influencers and journalist conversations are most impactful to their overall brand. In addition, communicators can also identify specific coverage that sparked trending and viral posts, helping to inform their content and social strategy moving forward. These features appear alongside other core workflow features in the Cision Comms Cloud, such as monitoring media coverage, distributing press releases and emailing influencers directly. Cision Communications Cloud, created with the comms professional in mind, empowers teams to not only identify the number of likes or shares linked to a social post, but delivers insight into who they are, their influence, and further engagement they have generated. It is this type of data that is most valuable when it comes to evaluating whether news coverage is reaching the right audience, engaging readers, and ultimately has an impact on bottom-line results. Take advantage of robust data integration with Google Analytics and Adobe Analytics: Cision has made the use of website analytics a straight-forward and time-efficient process, by building a system that correlates all Google Analytics and Adobe Analytics website traffic data with more than 400,000 news outlets via Cision Monitoring. The segmentation of websites provides a quick, but robust view of how PR coverage is driving visitors to company websites and business into the sales funnel. With Cision's latest enhancements, comms professionals will now be able to use new metrics from Google Analytics and Adobe Analytics that span from data around page views and bounces to orders and revenue, empowering communicators to gain further insight into the impact of their earned media efforts. Current Cision Communications Cloud clients can contact their account representatives for more information about these new features. To learn more about the Cision Communications Cloud click here. About Cision Cision Ltd. (NYSE:CISN) is a leading global provider of earned media software and services to public relations and marketing communications professionals. Cision's software allows users to identify key influencers, craft and distribute strategic content, and measure meaningful impact. Cision has more than 3,000 employees with offices in 15 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. For more information about its award-winning products and services, including the Cision Communications Cloud visitwww.cision.comand follow Cision on Twitter@Cision. Contact: Nick Bell VP, Marketing Communications cisionpr@cision.com Photo- https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/628787/Cision_Outlet_Conversions_Infographic.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/628788/Cision_Social_Engagement_Infographic.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/467136/cision_logo.jpg First-of-its-kind blueprint that maps analytics to IIoT applications The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), the world's leading organization transforming business and society by accelerating the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), has published the IIC Industrial IoT Analytics Framework Technical Report (IIAF). It is the first IoT-industry technical document to include a complete set of instructions that IIoT system architects and business leaders can use to deploy industrial analytics systems in their organizations. IDC has predicted that by 2020 one tenth of the world's data will be produced by machines. Yet without an analytics blueprint, that data could sit unused, never being analyzed and turned into useful insights. The IIAF is a first-of-its-kind blueprint for system architects and designers to map analytics to the IIoT applications they are supporting, to ensure that business leaders can realize the potential of analytics to enable more-informed decision making. "Using analytics to provide insights is the holy grail of industrial IoT," said Wael William Diab, IIC Industrial Analytics Task Group Chair, IIC Steering Committee Member and Senior Director at Huawei. "The IIC IIAF takes a holistic approach by developing the foundational principles of industrial analytics as well as looking at the complete picture from design considerations to creation of business value and functionality. This entire ecosystem approach is valuable to both business leaders as well as technologists, engineers and architects looking to deploy IIoT systems." The IIC IIAF is the first document to offer a broad scope of requirements and concerns for industrial analytics applied to IIoT systems. It shows IIoT system architects the steps involved in developing analytics for IIoT systems with state-of-the-art information, including definitions and information flows that shows how the technologies can be applied to the applications. Guidance is provided how and where to deploy industrial analytics based on the characteristics of the applications and outcome expectations. In addition, the IIAF looks at emerging technologies including artificial intelligence (AI) and big data, which are expected to play an increasingly important role in industrial analytics. "Industrial Analytics is changing rapidly, from data lake to stream processing and machine learning. Our framework provides a common understanding and encourages interoperability across the IIoT ecosystem," said K. Eric Harper, IIC Industrial Analytics Task Group Chair, IIC Steering Committee Member and Senior Principal Scientist at ABB. "With this foundation, it is more likely that applications will be able to adopt new technologies and techniques in the future without substantial rework." Analytics have been applied to other many other fields such as finance and retail to improve the customer experience and increase corporate revenue. The major differentiation in industrial settings is the physicality of the systems. For example, if IIoT systems are not configured correctly, or if their maintenance schedule is wrong, the systems can cause physical harm. Analysis and improvement of operational maintenance across multiple systems must be performed with extreme diligence, and are as important to technology leaders as they are to business leaders looking to increase profits. "Industrial analytics are the engine that takes data from industrial systems and creates value and insight to get business results," said Will Sobel, IIC Industrial Analytics Task Group Chair and Chief Strategy Officer at VIMANA. "The sophistication of analytical methods in other domains, such as finance and media, have been evolving at a breakneck pace, but little has been done to apply these techniques to industrial systems. The IIAF provides the special considerations one needs to consider before one uses these technologies in an industrial system." When analytics are applied to machine and process data, they help optimize decision-making and enable intelligent operations. These new insights and intelligence can be applied across all levels of any enterprise in any industry if the appropriate data can be collected, curated and analytics are applied correctly. "In transforming machine raw data into actionable information, industrial analytics plays a crucial role in the industrial Internet just like refineries that turns crude oil into high energy fuel. The actionable information from the analytics is the fuel that drives the optimization of industrial operations and production, the creation of new revenue streams and the enablement of new business models," said Shi-wan Lin, IIC Technology Working Group Chair and CEO and Co-Founder, Thingswise, LLC. The full IIC Industrial IoT Analytics Framework Technical Report and list of IIC members who contributed can be found on the IIC website. About the Industrial Internet Consortium The Industrial Internet Consortium is the world's leading membership program transforming business and society by accelerating the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The IIC delivers a trustworthy IIoT in which the world's systems and devices are securely connected and controlled to deliver transformational outcomes. The Industrial Internet Consortium is a program of the Object Management Group (OMG). For more information, visit www.iiconsortium.org. Note to editors: Industrial Internet Consortium is a registered trademark of OMG. For a listing of all OMG trademarks, visit www.omg.org/legal/tm_list. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171024005049/en/ Contacts: Industrial Internet Consortium Karen Quatromoni, +1-781-444-0404 x146 quatromoni@iiconsortium.org New study from Zuora and YouGov finds a rise in automotive, energy and healthcare sectors shifting to recurring revenue models LONDON, 2017-09-28 09:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zuora, Inc., the leading SaaS provider of subscription order-to-cash solutions, today released a new study in partnership with YouGov which shows an estimated 58 million Brits now subscribe to services - 89 percent of the British adult population - as businesses continue to join the Subscription Economy. The Zuora study, 'A Nation Subscribed,' reveals that nine in 10 Brits choose to subscribe to their favorite stores, brands and services instead of purchasing them on a 'one-off' basis, demonstrating an 11 percent uplift from the previous year's results. The uptick in adoption has driven the UK adult population to spend on average 56 per month on subscription services, with 35 - 54 year-olds spending the most at 62 every month. Last year's report found that the average UK adult spends approximately 18.49 per month on subscription services seeing the average monthly spend effectively triple in the past year. The rise in subscriptions can be attributed to an increase in the number of businesses across nearly all industries offering recurring services. According to the Zuora Subscription Economy Index, this business model strategy has proved that subscription businesses grow revenue nearly nine times faster than the S&P 500. Subscriptions have moved beyond just media and entertainment consumption and have expanded to include grocery shopping services, attracting nearly 2 million1 consumers, in-car apps counting 650,0002 subscribers in the UK, and beauty and grooming subscriptions like men's shaving subscription service, Harry's, with over 1.3 million3 British monthly subscribers. Dramatic growth of online data storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox with 7 million4 UK consumers. The healthcare sector is also experiencing the same shift with 12 percent of British adults choosing to pay monthly for prescriptions and private healthcare services. What's more, this trend is set to continue along its growth trajectory as an estimated 25 percent of UK adults predict that they will be subscribing to more services over the next five years. "Nearly all of the British population is part of the Subscription Economy. From heating to healthcare, Zuora's new study proves that the subscription-business model has gone mainstream and consumers have bought into recurring payments," said Zuora's VP EMEA, John Phillips. "The only way businesses can sustainably maintain relationships with consumers and grow is by moving away from their product-centric mentality and creating long-term brand affinity based around flexible subscription-based services." The full results of the YouGov study are explored in full in a new Zuora report released today, "A Nation Subscribed: 2017 State of the UK Subscription Economy" and unveiled at Zuora's annual Subscribed event in London. The report provides insight for UK companies in all industries about how they can shift and transform business models in line with consumers' preference for on-demand, personalised, and subscription-based access to services. Go to https://www.zuora.com/resource/a-nation-subscribed-2017-state-of-the-uk-subscrip tion-economy/ for the full report, including data on the popularity of specific subscription services available in the UK. Additional Resources "The Subscription Economy: A Business Transformation" by Tien Tzuo, CEO of Zuora SlideShare: "Drivers of Success in the Subscription Economy" Follow us online: Facebook.com/zuora @Zuora SubscriptionEconomy About Zuora, Inc. Zuora, the leading Subscription Economy evangelist, provides the only SaaS platform that automates all subscription order-to-cash operations in real-time for any business. Companies in any industry can launch new businesses, shift products to subscription, implement new pay-as-you-go pricing and packaging models, gain new insights into subscriber behavior, and disrupt market segments to gain competitive advantage. Zuora serves more than 1,000 companies around the world in a wide range of industries, including Box, Komatsu, Rogers, Schneider Electric, Toshiba, Xplornet and Zendesk. The Subscription Economy Index (SEI) demonstrates that SEI companies are growing revenues approximately nine times faster than the S&P 500. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Zuora also operates offices in Atlanta, Boston, Denver, San Francisco, London, Paris, Beijing, Sydney, Chennai and Tokyo. About YouGov YouGov is an international market research firm, headquartered in the UK. With over 3.3 million people participating in their panels to produce the largest daily updated record of people's habits and opinions in existence, it is the most quoted source in the UK. It was founded in 2000, and now employs 591 people worldwide. About The Research All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,144 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 26/07/17 - 30/07/17. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 16+). Media Contacts: Jayne Scuncio jscuncio@zuora.com 1-408-348-1087 Jessica Cregg zuora@nelsonbostockunlimited.com 020-7792-7423 2017 Zuora, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Zuora and Subscription Economy are trademarks of Zuora, Inc. Third party trademarks mentioned above are owned by their respective companies. Nothing in this press release should be construed to the contrary, or as an approval, endorsement or sponsorship by any third parties of Zuora, Inc. or any aspect of this press release. To learn more about the Zuora platform, please visit www.zuora.com. __________________ 1 1,969,440 consumers, figure extrapolated using ONS population data (source) 2 656,480 consumers, figure extrapolated using ONS population data (source) 3 1,312,960 consumers, figure extrapolated using ONS population data (source) 4 7,011,200 consumers, figure extrapolated using ONS population data (source) Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de A competitive edge instrumental in succeeding in today's dynamic retail world AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, 2017-12-14 10:00 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Acapture, a global, data-driven omnichannel PSP, has released a complete library of free infographics for merchants, outlining the latest exclusive data for 31 of the world's most exciting ecommerce markets. Online retailers, marketplaces, and other ecommerce merchants are given a competitive edge, instrumental in succeeding in today's dynamic retail world. With each infographic providing actionable stats, facts and figures from a major ecommerce region, illustrated with clear, reader-friendly graphics, the collection is essential reading for all merchants looking to seize current cross-border opportunities. By understanding the preferred local payment methods, the most popular B2B and B2C product categories, top import and export regions, most popular ecommerce sites and much more, merchants can make informed strategic decisions based on the most up-to-date trends and consumer behavior. As well as key cross-border data from markets such as Australia, Brazil, Belgium, China, Canada, France, Norway, Germany, India, New Zealand, the UK, the USA, Poland and so on, the infographics give clear insight to omnichannel merchants, by presenting the internet, mobile and smartphone penetration, number of online shoppers, mobile payments and preferred mobile OS in each country. This allows merchants to give the appropriate focus on different channels from one cross-border market to the next. "Merchants are becoming more and more international, and exploring more payments opportunities in today's evolving ecommerce landscape," explains Gijs op de Weegh, Chief Operating Officer at Acapture. "As a data-driven omnichannel payment service provider, we want to support merchants with all the stats and facts to make the most informed business decisions, domestically and overseas. Consumers are expecting more from their shopping experiences, all across the globe, and our infographics give retailers a competitive edge." The complete collection of Acapture's cross-border ecommerce infographics can be downloaded here for free. About Acapture Launched in 2015, Acapture is a new, modern, international payment service provider focused on maximizing the revenues of merchants around the globe. Acapture is affiliated to Payvision, one of the world's fastest-growing global card acquiring networks. Licensed as a payment institution by the Dutch Central Bank, Acapture combines with Payvision to help merchants grow their business globally. This is done through a complete data-driven omnichannel payment solution, capable of managing a payment at every stage, from checkout to fund collection to settlement. Acapture's system features SlicePay for simplified allocation of funds to multiple parties from a single transaction, data science management for improved authorization rates, a one-day integration using one RESTful API, flexible, consolidated reporting, a streamlined reconciliation process, global card acquiring and the ability to handle 80+ of the most popular alternative payment methods and 160+ transaction currencies. Together with Payvision, Acapture, was awarded Best PSP at the 2017 MPE Awards in Berlin. Find out more on www.acapture.com and follow Acapture on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Corporate blog. For further information, please contact: Alina Geosanu | Corporate Communications Coordinator; e-mail: alina@payvision.com LONDON (dpa-AFX) - GKN plc (GKN.L) announced Kevin Cummings, previously CEO Designate, will leave the Board and GKN as the Board has concluded that the next stage of the Group's development is best delivered under alternative leadership. Nigel Stein will continue as Chief Executive until he retires from the role on 31 December 2017. The Board has asked Anne Stevens, currently a non-executive director of the Board, to assume the role of Interim Chief Executive with effect from 1 January 2018 until a successor is appointed. The Group said the appointment of Hans Buthker, formerly CEO Fokker Technologies, to the role of Chief Executive GKN Aerospace will be brought forward to take effect immediately. GKN plc said, in light of the issues in relation to Alabama, a review of working capital has been initiated across other Aerospace plants in North America. It is likely to result in a further write-off estimated to be between 80 million pounds and 130 million pounds, much of which built up before 2017. With the exception of this working capital write-off, all other guidance for the full year remains unchanged. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. New initiative will drive social and economic growth on a global scale LONDON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --ThoughtWorks, a global technology consultancy, has today introduced ThoughtWorks Ventures to enable accelerated innovation for organisations by helping them tap into three interconnected megatrends: the increase in trade between UK and China, the significant growth in technology start-ups entering a crowded market, and the digital transformation of cities and communities. With a mandate to advance social and economic growth on a global scale, ThoughtWorks Ventures offers the Access China, Investing in Innovation and Digital Cities programmes to help organisations navigate the global megatrends from theory through to strategic implementation, using technology. Group Director of Ventures, Mark Collin, and Strategy Director of Ventures, Marina Nicholas, lead ThoughtWorks Ventures across Europe. "We are at an amazing juncture for ThoughtWorks globally. The launch of ThoughtWorks Ventures is yet another example of ThoughtWorks' unparalleled leadership in driving technology innovation into the centre of business and social ecosystems globally," said Chris Murphy, Group Managing Director of ThoughtWorks across Europe, the Middle East and South Asia. ThoughtWorks Ventures' three key initiatives will help individual companies to successfully accelerate innovation and gain connectivity to a much wider ecosystem: Access China Programme Access China is dedicated to strengthening the ever-increasing trade cycle between the UK and China, with a focus on helping Western brands engage Chinese consumers - the most digitally advanced consumers in the world - both overseas and in the UK. The programme also helps businesses learn from China's advanced innovation ecosystem, which has fostered some of the most powerful brands in China. ThoughtWorks has partnered with the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC) and Manchester China Forum, and recently helped Myer, a leading Australian department store, attract Chinese tourists with a 10-week 'Discover China' pilot. Investing in Innovation Programme ThoughtWorks is experienced in helping both start-ups and enterprises accelerate innovation and bring new products to market, working with Labrador on its IoT powered home energy saver, and John Lewis Partnership. ThoughtWorks expands this offering through Investing in Innovation - set to be the UK's first bespoke full-service software driven accelerator. The programme offers everything from business and product strategy expertise, custom software delivery, networking opportunities, office space and funding options. Being strategically positioned between start-ups and enterprises, ThoughtWorks Ventures focuses on increasing connectivity between these ecosystems; ensuring that start-ups have a stronger chance to survive and enterprises can tap into much greater innovation. Additionally, ThoughtWorks Ventures has partnered with Wayra UK, a world leading start-up accelerator, and is calling for start-ups in the transportation sector to apply for the first wave of its Intelligent Mobility Challenge. Digital Cities Programme Digital Cities is designed to assist organisations in addressing the gap between digital cities strategies and implementation. ThoughtWorks' City as a Platform (CaaP) model helps organisations come together to create a secure, open data platform that amplifies innovation, and ThoughtWorks is collaborating with enterprises, government, not-for-profits and start-ups to bring this vision to life. ThoughtWorks has a wealth of experience in helping cities digitally transform and is already a key digital player in Manchester, underscored by its recent partnership with Northern Powerhouse, which seeks to encapsulate the spirit of collaborative working and transform the North for the better. ThoughtWorks has also invested in the new state of the art Technology Innovation Hub in Federation House, joining The Co-operative Group in the burgeoning technology movement in the heart of the City. This is a fundamental part of ThoughtWorks' Catalyst Strategy to bring together talent and investment to support Manchester's digital city growth following the recent successes with Digitising the Citizen Experience for Stockport MBC. Beginning in Manchester, ThoughtWorks Ventures has plans to expand the Digital Cities Programme to Barcelona and other key cities in the future. About ThoughtWorks We are a software company and a community of passionate, purpose-led individuals. We think disruptively to deliver technology to address our clients' toughest challenges, all while seeking to revolutionize the IT industry and create positive social change. Logo -https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/556052/ThoughtWorks_Ventures_Logo.jpg LONDON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --The Fund Finance Association (FFA), a non-profit industry association in the fund finance market announced it will be hosting its third annual European Fund Finance Symposium on October 11, 2017 at The Landmark Hotel in London. The event brings together investors, fund managers, bankers and lawyers for a day of education and networking within the fund finance market; it holds particular appeal to CFOs and those responsible for arranging financing within their respective investment firms. More than 300 industry professionals from 112 different firms attended the FFA's 2016 European Symposium. Information about tickets, registration and the conference agenda can be found at www.fundfinanceassociation.com. Attendance is complimentary for fund managers and investors. In past years, FFA Symposium topics have included discussion on the evolving fund finance spectrum, global subscription facility update, fund formation developments and lender implications, NAV and Secondary Facilities, and Global Jurisdictions and Documentation. About Fund Finance Association The Fund Finance Association is a non-profit industry association in the fund finance market, co-located in New York and Charlotte, N.C. Its core mission is to: LONDON, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Flashbay, an independent global promotional technology company serving over 300,000 unique clients worldwide, is celebrating 15 years online. From humble beginnings as a London start-up during the early 2000's, it has grown into an international company with more than 750 employees and offices on 4 continents. "We are grateful to our clients for giving us the opportunity to provide them with the best quality promotional products in the industry" says Phil Schlossstein, co-founder of Flashbay. "Our company's reputation and track record has been built on customer loyalty and long term relationships, and we thank them for ordering with us and placing their trust in our products as a means to represent their valuable brands." Working with a wide variety of clients from Fortune 100 companies to government departments, charities, educational institutions, start-ups and everything in between; Flashbay has products to suit the needs of all businesses and organisations. The company regards exceptional customer service as the cornerstone that enables it to provide the best buying experience to clients. Co-founder James Roberts believes Flashbay's growth can be attributed to its people and products. "We have been able to increase sales year after year by attracting and retaining talented professionals around the world, from the customer facing sales staff to our internal functions such as the product design team and operations division." Flashbay's customer satisfaction speaks for itself, the firm maintains an average TrustPilot rating of 9.9/10. Flashbay is the world leader in manufacturing custom branded USB sticks for the B2B market, but over the past 12 months it has broadened its portfolio to include audio and power products, ranging from Bluetooth headphones and speakers to power banks and inductive chargers, all of which can be custom branded to a client's exact specifications. "Our product portfolio has never been stronger and we're ready and able to take the company to the next level of performance by cementing ourselves as the promotional technology provider of choice for businesses and organisations of all types and sizes," says Steve Webster, CEO. In recent years, Flashbay has expanded geographically, further building out its distribution networks and making major headway in Asia Pacific. It currently operates in 5 markets: mainland Europe, the USA, Australasia, South Africa and Japan. The company's sole focus is continued growth through product innovation and operational excellence, building on the brand that buyers trust and competitors struggle to emulate. "The success of the first decade and a half was built on a single product class. The next 15 years will be a greater order of magnitude built on the solid foundation of our broader promotional technology portfolio." concludes Ieuan Williams, COO. http://www.flashbay.com Contact: Natalie Murray Email:n.murray@flashbay.com Metsa Board Corporation Stock Exchange Release 14 September 2017 at 11:15 am EEST NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA OR SUCH OTHER COUNTRIES OR OTHERWISE IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH THE OFFERING OF THE NEW NOTES (AS DEFINED BELOW), THE TENDER OFFER (AS DEFINED BELOW) OR THE RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. Metsa Board Corporation (the "Company") is considering the issuance of new euro denominated fixed rate notes (the "New Notes"). The issue is expected to take place in the near future subject to market conditions. The target size of the issue is minimum EUR 200 million. At the same time the Company announces a cash tender offer for its EUR 225 million 4.00 per cent notes due 13 March 2019 (ISIN: FI4000085550) (the "2019 Notes") based on the terms and conditions set out in the Tender Offer Memorandum dated 14 September 2017 (the "Tender Offer"). Pursuant to the Tender Offer, the Company offers to purchase any and all of the 2019 Notes, although the Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, not to accept any of the 2019 Notes for purchase. Whether the Company will purchase any 2019 Notes validly tendered is subject to, without limitation, the pricing of the New Notes. The purchase price per EUR 1,000.00 in principal amount of the 2019 Notes will be determined as provided in the Tender Offer by reference to a fixed purchase yield of -0.25 per cent1. Accrued and unpaid interest will be paid in respect of all 2019 Notes validly tendered and delivered and accepted for purchase. The Offer Period closes at 4:00 p.m. Finnish time (EEST) on 25 September 2017. The final Tender Offer results will be announced on or about 26 September 2017. The settlement date of the Tender Offer is conditional to the completion of the issue of the New Notes, which is expected to occur on or about 29 September 2017 and no later than 6 October 2017. With the issue of the New Notes and the Tender Offer the Company manages upcoming debt repayments and secures financing for general corporate purposes. Danske Bank A/S and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) act as Dealer Managers, and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) Helsinki Branch acts as a Tender Agent for the Tender Offer. Information in respect of the Tender Offer may be obtained from the Dealer Managers. Danske Bank A/S and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) act as Joint Lead Managers for the issue of the New Notes. Dealer Managers: Danske Bank A/S, +45 45 14 67 24, liabilitymanagement@danskebank.dk Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ), +46 8 506 230 27, LiabilityManagement@seb.se Tender Agent: Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) Helsinki Branch [1]For information purposes only, the purchase price in respect of the 2019 Notes will, when determined in the manner described in the Tender Offer Memorandum on the basis of a settlement date of 29 September 2017, be 106.191 per cent. Should the settlement date of any 2019 Notes accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offer differ from 29 September 2017, the purchase price will be recalculated, all as further described in the Tender Offer Memorandum. Additional information: Jussi Noponen, Chief Financial Officer, tel. +358 10 465 4913 Katri Sundstrom, VP, Investor Relations, puh. +358 400 976 333 METSA BOARD CORPORATION DISCLAIMER This announcement must be read in conjunction with the Tender Offer Memorandum. This announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum contain important information which should be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Tender Offer. If any holder of 2019 Notes is in any doubt as to the contents of this announcement or the Tender Offer Memorandum or the action it should take, it is recommended to seek its own financial and legal advice, including in respect of any tax consequences, from its broker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial, tax or legal adviser. Any individual or company whose 2019 Notes are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee or intermediary must contact such entity if it wishes to tender such 2019 Notes pursuant to the Tender Offer. None of the Company, the Dealer Managers or the Tender Agent makes any recommendation whether holders should tender 2019 Notes pursuant to the Offer. Important Information The information contained herein is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa or such other countries or otherwise in such circumstances in which the release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, the New Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This communication does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The New Notes have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or under the applicable securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. This communication does not constitute an offer of New Notes to the public in the United Kingdom. No prospectus has been or will be approved in the United Kingdom in respect of the New Notes. Consequently, this communication is directed only at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom, (ii) persons who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order"), (iii) high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2) of the Order and (iv) other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). In addition, this communication is, in any event only directed at persons who are "qualified investors" pursuant to the Prospectus Directive (2003/71/EC, as amended). Any investment activity to which this communication relates will only be available to, and will only be engaged with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The Swiss franc weakened against other most major currencies in the European session on Thursday. The Swiss franc fell to a 2-day low of 0.9762 against the U.S. dollar, from an early high of 0.9743. Against the euro and the yen, the franc dropped to 9-day lows of 1.1484 and 115.35 from early highs of 1.1457 and 115.75, respectively. If the franc extends its downtrend, it is likely to find support around 0.99 against the greenback, 1.16 against the euro and 114.00 against the yen. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Prudential Insurance Company of America announced Thursday that Prudential Retirement, a unit of Prudential Financial, Inc. (PRU), and Pension Insurance Corp. or PIC, have entered into their fifth longevity reinsurance transaction since 2015. In the agreement, Prudential Insurance assumes the longevity risk for $1.2 billion or about 900 million pounds in pension liabilities, covering approximately 4,000 pensioners across four pension schemes. The transaction highlights the rebounding demand for pension de-risking solutions in the U.K., and the desire of many U.K. pension insurers to manage their risks and capital using longevity reinsurance. William McCloskey, Prudential's head of transactions for international longevity reinsurance, said, 'Our teams have worked closely and collaboratively on five transactions worth nearly $5 billion. These agreements help PIC to manage longevity risk and thereby secure the retirement benefits of thousands of U.K. Pensioners.' The two companies concluded their first agreement in 2015. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. DUSSELDORF, Germany, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On the evening of September 7th local time, the Investment seminar and the tasting of Chinese Famous Liquor Wuliangye was held by Yibin, Sichuan Province in Dusseldorf, Germany. Wuliangye International (Europe) GmbH also was formally declared its opening on the same day. Liu Zhongbo, Yibin Municipal Party Secretary, said in his speech that Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping is now positively implemented in Yibin. Yibin fully expands the opening to the outside world, and constantly deepens the foreign cooperation. This is to promote the development and reformation of Yibin to a higher level. Nordrhein-Westfalen has already established friendly relations with Sichuan Province before with good cooperation basis and achievements, all of which become the norm of friendly relations between China and Germany. Nordrhein-Westfalen, with advanced experience of industrial transformation and development, has a large number of excellent enterprises. Yibin will strengthen all-round cooperation and communication with Nordrhein-Westfalen in intelligent manufacturing, new energy vehicles, healthcare, modern service, science and technology education and personnel exchange, etc. As the city of liquor in China, Yinbin not only has great advantage in liquor industry, but also owns the world famous liquor Wuliangye. Yibin will grasp the historical opportunity of Belt and Road Initiative to promote the "stepping out" of liquor industry. Yibin will spread great traditional Chinese culture through liquor and make the national business card Wuliangye worldwide. Li Shuguang, chairman of Wuliangye Group, said China and Germany are two world powers at both ends of Belt and Road Initiative. With the 45th anniversary this year, China-Germany friendship thrives. Wuliangye will build a world influential national brand and world-famous "Chinese business card" as a bridge of friendship between two countries. Chairman Lishuguang said on the opening ceremony that the establishment of Wuliangye International (Europe) GmbH took an important step for the internationalization of Wuliangye. Europe is the world's leading consumer market for wines and drinks and a top priority in international development of Wuliangye. Wuliangye will strengthen the cooperation with Germany in industrial investment and internationalization capacity, so as to create a new situation of mutual benefit between Chinese and European enterprises. Recently, with the increasingly stepping out of internationalization Wuliangye is actively involved in Belt and Road Initiative and makes frequent appearances at the important international stages as Summer Davos and The Astana Expo. Wuliangye also makes great efforts to spread liquor brand and culture in Kazakhstan, Israel, Czech, and other Belt and Road countries, enhance cooperation of liquor industry and investment in practical terms and make great achievements in international strategy, which makes Wuliangye industry leader and national brand of liquor industry internationalization. Image Attachments Links: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=296340 Espoo, Finland, 2017-09-14 10:30 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SRV GROUP PLC PRESS RELEASE 14 SEPTEMBER 2017, AT 11.30 REDI's horizon sauna will lift sauna-bathers to 100 metres At the end of September, SRV will offer sauna-bathers an opportunity to enjoy Finland's highest sauna, lifting them by crane to a height of nearly 100 metres beside the urban centre REDI construction site, located at Kalasatama, Helsinki. The sauna times for the horizon sauna will take place in the period 25 September-1 October, and places will be allocated in a prize draw among all those inspired to try the high sauna-bathing experience. The competition, which will be launched on Thursday, 14 September, can be entered at the address http://www.redi.fi/sauna. There will be approximately 35 sauna times during the week, and the crane will haul nearly 300 sauna-bathers above Kalasatama, Helsinki during Finland's highest sauna event. The container sauna can accommodate at one time three sauna-bathers who are unafraid of heights. SRV is currently building at Kalasatama the new urban centre REDI, which will consist of a shopping centre, due to open in September 2018, eight tower buildings and an underground car park. The first of the tower buildings to completed will be the 132-metre high residential tower Majakka, whose shared sauna facilities will be located at a height of around 120 metres. "The horizon sauna is a good way to illustrate how high Majakka's sauna will really be. At the same time, through the views opening out from the sauna, we want to stimulate discussion about the development of cities. Examples of this are the Kalasatama area visible from the horizon sauna as well as the increasingly commonplace high-rise construction," says SRV's President & CEO, Juha Pekka Ojala. REDI will be an urban centre unlike any other in Finland. REDI as a whole will offer a completely new way of living in the city, in the vicinity of nature and next to excellent transport links. When complete, Majakka will be Finland's tallest residential building, offering for its residents completely unique experiences both of high-rise living and entirely new residential services for Finland. "Together with city residents, we are creating at REDI a cluster of urban culture. The horizon sauna is only a foretaste of everything that REDI will have to offer. Additional experiential encounters are promised," says SRV's Sales and Marketing Director, Anna Tapio, who is responsible for marketing REDI's residential units. The horizon sauna is part of the REDI 'work in progress' series of events. The next encounter will draw on the urban centre's activities, which will include numerous restaurants, new movie theatres, a flight simulator, a climbing wall and a 7D cinema. REDI, implemented by SRV at Kalasatama, Helsinki, will comprise the inner city's largest shopping and experience centre as well as eight tower buildings. Below the centre will be a 2,000-space parking facility, usable by both the towers' residents and the shopping centre's customers. Construction work at REDI, Finland's largest urban construction project, was launched in spring 2015 and is expected to continue until 2023. The shopping centre will open as a complete unit in autumn 2018. For further information, please contact: Anna Tapio, Sales and Marketing Director, SRV, +358 44 501 0210 Tiina Niemi, Communications Manager, SRV, tel. +358 40 502 7549 www.srv.fi You can also find us in the social media: Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Instagram Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de One of the leading firearms and weapon systems manufacturer FN Herstal and defence solutions provider Milrem Robotics are introducing their first joint product, a weaponized unmanned warfare system, at DSEI 2017. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914005574/en/ The system by FN Herstal and Milrem Robotics has already been deployed with positive results at the largest Estonian military exercise Spring Storm 2017. (Photo: Business Wire) This system features the THeMIS unmanned ground vehicle by Milrem and the deFNder remote weapon station by FN Herstal. The joint product has strong advantages in providing fire support and acting as a force multiplier for warfighters. The system has already been deployed with positive results at the largest Estonian military exercise Spring Storm 2017. The two companies will continue their R&D efforts later this year. "Weaponized robotic systems are the next generation of warfare that will provide a new level of fire power and most importantly keep our soldiers in a safe distance," said Kuldar Vaarsi, the CEO of Milrem Robotics. "And I am not talking about AI driven systems but remotely controlled solutions where human operators make all the important decisions," he added. "The combined solution of deFNder Medium and THeMIS, merging the technologies and expertise of our two companies, illustrates the potential of the concept," said Vincent Verleye, COO of FN Herstal. "The value added of such a weaponized robotic system is self-explanatory," he added. The tracked diesel-electric THeMIS UGV is intended to provide support for dismounted troops even on very harsh terrains and in difficult conditions. It offers 10 hours of work time with one full tank that can be topped up anytime. The system has a payload of at least 750 kg /1650 lbs. Unlike competing systems the THeMIS is a multi-mission system that can be equipped with several different superstructures including IED detection and disposal systems, small and large calibre weapons and also tethered and non-tethered drones. The system is on display at the Estonian National Pavilion N3-430 with other Estonian defence industry partners. THeMIS deFNder RWS https://youtu.be/XNe6jDZqPu4 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914005574/en/ Contacts: Milrem Gert Hankewitz Export Director gert.hankewitz@milrem.com +37256644416 TAMPA, FLORIDA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/14/17 -- (NYSE: CAE)(TSX: CAE) - CAE USA has been advised that following the protest of the initial award to CAE USA, the Initial Entry Rotary-Wing Instructor Support Services contract was granted to the incumbent contractor. CAE USA is disappointed with this decision from the United States Army, and following a debrief will determine next steps, which could include further protest. CAE USA was originally awarded this contract in late 2016 and it was announced on January 12, 2017. Because the contract award to CAE USA was protested immediately, CAE USA had not yet begun executing on this contract. Accordingly, this development does not change CAE's outlook for the year, or its expectations for growth in its Defense and Security business. About CAE CAE is a global leader in training for the civil aviation, defense and security, and healthcare markets. Backed by a 70-year record of industry firsts, we continue to help define global training standards with our innovative virtual-to-live training solutions to make flying safer, maintain defense force readiness and enhance patient safety. We have the broadest global presence in the industry, with over 8,500 employees, 160 sites and training locations in over 35 countries. Each year, we train more than 120,000 civil and defense crewmembers and thousands of healthcare professionals worldwide. www.cae.com Contacts: CAE contacts: Helene V. Gagnon, Vice President, Public Affairs and Global Communications +1-514-340-5536 helene.v.gagnon@cae.com Trade media: Chris Stellwag, Director, Marketing Communications - Defense and Security +1-813-887-1242 chris.stellwag@cae.com Investor relations: Andrew Arnovitz, Vice President, Strategy and Investor Relations +1-514-734-5760 andrew.arnovitz@cae.com MOSCOW, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Elcomsoft Co. Ltd. updates Elcomsoft Phone Breaker, the company's forensic extraction tool. Version 8.0 becomes a major release with support for local and cloud backups, data and cloud passwords produced by iPhones and iPads running iOS 11, including the newly announced range of iPhone devices. Elcomsoft Phone Breaker 8.0 receives the ability to decrypt local backups saved by devices running iOS 11, run GPU-accelerated attacks on passwords protecting encrypted backups, download system backups, photos and media from iCloud Drive and access synced information from iCloud, including access to iCloud Keychain. "iOS 11 became even more secure than iOS 10", says Vladimir Katalov, Elcomsoft CEO. "With multiple changes to data formats, encryption schemes and communication protocols, getting support for iOS 11 ready by the time the new OS is released was a challenge and a major achievement of our research and development team." In addition, the eighth version of Elcomsoft Phone Breaker now provides Two-Factor Authentication support (a long-time Forensic edition exclusive) for users of Forensic and Professional editions at no extra charge. The update is free of charge to all customers who purchased or renewed their Elcomsoft Phone Breaker or Elcomsoft Mobile Forensic Bundle license within one year. Discounted renewal is available to customers whose maintenance plan has already expired. About iOS 11 and Its Forensic Implications The newest update of Apple's mobile OS, the iOS 11, is a 64-bit exclusive. The new OS is provided as an immediately available update to users of iPhone 5s, SE, and iPhone 6/Plus through 7/Plus as well as the corresponding versions of iPad and iPod Touch. Considering the speed of adoption of major iOS updates, iOS 11 should be running on the majority of compatible devices in a matter of months, if not weeks. iOS 11 includes multiple changes and enhancements to its security model. While some of the more obvious changes were outlined in New Security Measures in iOS 11 and Their Forensic Implications [https://blog.elcomsoft.com/2017/09/new-security-measures-in-ios-11-and-their-forensic-implications/], most of the changes in the new OS were made under the hood. One of the most important changes to iOS 11 from the forensic standpoint is the limited ability for law enforcement specialists to perform logical acquisition of iOS 11 devices unlocked with any method other than passcode. iOS 11 now requires a passcode to pair the device with a computer, which is a required pre-requisite for using logical extraction. Considering the many changes to iOS 11 security model, physical acquisition of iOS 11 devices out of the question, at least for the time being. This in turn means that, for devices with an unknown passcode, only two acquisition options remain: using an existing pairing record extracted from the user's computer or performing cloud extraction. Elcomsoft pioneered iCloud extraction. With in-house research and development, Elcomsoft is a leader in providing the fastest and most complete cloud extraction for Apple devices running all versions of iOS. Thanks to Elcomsoft Phone Breaker, iCloud extraction can return most everything stored in the device including system backups, iCloud Keychain, as well as many types of synced items such as calendars, mail, contacts, recent call history and a lot more. iOS 11 Support in Elcomsoft Phone Breaker In iOS 11, Apple made a number of changes to data formats and encryption, and once again altered communication protocols for exchanging information between iOS devices and iCloud. Elcomsoft Phone Breaker 8.0 comes with support for iOS 11, recognizing the changes Apple made to the various components of the new OS and corresponding cloud services. Elcomsoft Phone Breaker 8.0 can decrypt local backups produced by iOS 11 devices and run hardware-accelerated attacks on their passwords; obtain cloud backups, files and synced data from iCloud Drive. iCloud Keychain Elcomsoft Phone Breaker 8.0 can access iCloud Keychain items synced by iOS 11 devices. iCloud Keychain is Apple's secure online password storage for keeping passwords, financial information and authentication credentials synchronized across user's iOS and macOS devices. With access to iCloud Keychain, experts can quickly extract passwords and access user's online accounts and communication histories when physical and logical acquisition methods are not available. Two-Factor Authentication: Also in the Professional Edition It is difficult to overestimate the importance of Two-Factor Authentication for securing access to online accounts. In iOS 11, Apple starts pushing two-factor authentication harder, displaying a prominent pending notification dot over the Settings icon. By opening Settings, users are presented a pending notification reminding them to enable two-factor authentication on their account. Considering the inevitable spread of Two-Factor Authentication, Elcomsoft alters its licensing to allow more customers to acquire information from accounts protected with a secondary authentication factor. Starting with Elcomsoft Phone Breaker 8.0, support for Two-Factor Authentication has been included to both Professional and Forensic editions. Prior to 8.0 release, two-factor authentication support was a Forensic Edition exclusive. Two-Factor Authentication support is available via one-time codes pushed to trusted devices or generated on a trusted device. Using an authentication token extracted from the user's computer can help bypass both password and two-factor authentication protection; however, token-based authentication is still included with the Forensic edition only. Existing users of Elcomsoft Phone Breaker Professional with valid, non-expired licenses will enjoy Two-Factor Authentication support at no extra charge once they update to Elcomsoft Phone Breaker 8.0. About Elcomsoft Phone Breaker Elcomsoft Phone Breaker is an all-in-one mobile acquisition tool to extract information from a wide range of sources. Supporting offline and cloud backups created by Apple, BlackBerry and Windows mobile devices, the tool can extract and decrypt user data including cached passwords and synced authentication credentials to a wide range of resources from local backups. Cloud extraction with or without a password makes it possible to decrypt FileVault 2 containers without lengthy attacks and pull communication histories and retrieve photos that've been deleted by the user a long time ago. Pricing and Availability Elcomsoft Phone Breaker 8.0 is available for both Windows and macOS. Home, Professional and Forensic editions are available. iCloud recovery and Two-Factor Authentication support are only available in Professional and Forensic editions, while password-free iCloud access as well as the ability to download arbitrary information from iCloud and iCloud Drive are only available in the Forensic edition. Elcomsoft Phone Breaker Pro is available to North American customers for $199. The Forensic edition enabling over-the-air acquisition of iCloud data and support for binary authentication tokens is available for $799. The Home edition is available for $79. Local pricing may vary. System Requirements Elcomsoft Phone Breaker supports Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and Windows 10 as well as Windows 2008, 2012 and 2016 Server. The Mac version supports Mac OS X 10.7 and newer. Elcomsoft Phone Breaker operates without Apple iTunes or BlackBerry Link being installed. In order to access iCloud Keychain, Windows users must have iCloud for Windows installed, while Mac users must run macOS 10.11 or newer. About Elcomsoft Co. Ltd. Founded in 1990, ElcomSoft Co. Ltd. develops state-of-the-art computer forensics tools, provides computer forensics training and computer evidence consulting services. Since 1997, Elcomsoft has been providing support to businesses, law enforcement, military, and intelligence agencies. Elcomsoft tools are used by most of the Fortune 500 corporations, multiple branches of the military all over the world, foreign governments, and all major accounting firms. Elcomsoft is a Microsoft Partner (Gold Application Development), Intel Premier Elite Partner and member of NVIDIA's CUDA/GPU Computing Registered Developer Program. Company Announcement No. 11/2017 Copenhagen, 14 September 2017 Today, Greentech Energy Systems A/S ("Greentech") signed an agreement for the sale of its Danish wind portfolio to Wind Estate A/S. As announced in the Interim Financial Report for H1 2017, the Management of Greentech has been pursuing opportunities for the disposal of the Company's Danish assets. In continuation hereof, Greentech today signed an agreement for the sale of its Danish wind portfolio to Wind Estate A/S, an energy company which owns, develops, constructs, operates and maintains own wind farms in Denmark for a total installed capacity of more than 200 MW. The wind portfolio is composed of four wind farms located in Milbakken, Oppelstrup, Hannesborg and Frrup with a total net capacity of 15.5 MW and commissioned in 2000/2001. The total transaction price for the four wind farms amounts to DKK 24,400,000 (approx. EUR 3.3M). After the satisfaction of some conditions precedent, Greentech expects to complete the transaction in Q4 2017. Greentech's Chairman Peter Hstgaard-Jensen comments: "The sale of the four Danish wind farms represents the continuation of Greentech's re-positioning strategy, started in 2015, with "portfolio rotation" as one of the Company's strategic key pillars. This gives Greentech the possibility of reinvesting the equity in profitable and accretive assets". The Board of Directors For further information, please contact: Peter Hstgaard-Jensen, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Tel: +45 40 10 88 71 Alessandro Reitelli, CEO, Tel: +45 33 36 42 02 Attachment: https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=645326 Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 5, 2018) - Diamond Fields Resources Inc. (TSXV: DFR) ("DFR" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of David Reading as a director of the Company. Mr. Reading has over 35 years' experience in the mining industry covering all stages of mine development, including exploration, feasibility, financing, construction and operations. He has an MSc in Economic Geology and is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. His previous positions include CEO of Aureus Mining, CEO of European Goldfields and General Manager of African exploration for Randgold Resources. In addition, Mr. Reading has held senior exploration and project development positions for Anglo American and Phelps Dodge. In these roles, Mr. Reading has overseen the financing and development of numerous mines across the world, including several in Africa. Mr. Reading has been awarded 400,000 stock options at an exercise price of $0.145 per share for a five year term. These options will vest as to one third on the date of grant and, as to the balance, in two equal tranches over two years. Following this stock option grant a balance of 847,200 options remain available for future grants under the Company's Fixed (less than 10%) Stock Option Plan. Al Gourley, Chairman of DFR said: "I am delighted to welcome David to the Diamond Fields' Board. His experience in financing and developing mining assets in Africa will be of enormous benefit to the Company, particularly as we look to advance our Beravina zircon project in Madagascar." Following the appointment of David Reading, the Company's officers and directors are now comprised as follows: Sybrand van der Spuy: Chief Executive Officer, President and Director Earl Young: Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Director Al Gourley: Non-executive Chairman and Director Norman Roderic Baker: Director Bertrand Boulle: Director Francois Colette: Director David Reading Director DIAMOND FIELDS RESOURCES INC. SIGNED: "Sybrand van der Spuy" Sybrand van der Spuy, CEO and Director Contact: Earl Young at +1 214 566 3709 Michael Oke/Andy Mills Aura Financial LLP www.aura-financial.com +44 20 7321 0000 Website: www.diamondfields.com The Company's public documents may be accessed at www.sedar.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Speaking at a today's Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) press conference were (L to R): HKTDC Assistant Principal Economist (Global Research) Louis Chan, HKTDC Director of Research Nicholas Kwan and HKTDC Principal Economist (Greater China) Billy Wong. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Value Volume Unit value change ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 2017 (estimate) +8.0% +6.2% +1.8% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 2018 (forecast) +6.0% +4.0% +2.0% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- HKTDC Communications & Public Affairs Department Beatrice Lam Tel: +852 2584 4049 Email: beatrice.hy.lam@hktdc.org HONG KONG, Dec 18, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) expects Hong Kong exports to increase in value by six percent, while the volume of exports is anticipated to grow by four percent in 2018. HKTDC Director of Research Nicholas Kwan attributed the rise to broad-based expansion in investment, trade and consumption, coupled with strengthening consumer and business confidence."Overall demand will remain sturdy with the expansion in both developed and emerging economies," said Mr Kwan. "This year's positive export trend will likely carry on to next year, though the pace of growth is expected to slow. But there are formidable challenges facing Hong Kong exporters, such as rising Sino-US trade tensions, the possibility of a faster-than-expected tightening of US monetary policy and escalating geopolitical tension."Exporters' confidence level improved in 2017The latest HKTDC Export Index, published today, shows the confidence level of Hong Kong exporters has improved substantially compared to the previous year. The Index monitors the current export performance of Hong Kong traders and gauges their near-term prospects. Reading above and below 50 indicate positive and negative sentiment, respectively. Overall, the average HKTDC Export Index level in 2017 was 47, significantly higher than last year's 36.8.In the fourth quarter of 2017, the Index dropped by 1.6 points from the previous quarter to 44.6, with only the toy sector showing improvement, at 43.3, up from last quarter's 41.2. "This indicates exporters' conservative sentiment towards Hong Kong's short-term export performance. But, they are optimistic about the year ahead: 76 per cent of the exporters surveyed expect their sales to increase or remain unchanged in 2018," said Mr Kwan.Meanwhile, the Trade Value Index recorded a 14-quarter high of 52.1, indicating that unit prices are expected to rise across key industries.Developed economies continue to improveGrowth in the United States has been driven by both private consumption and equipment investment. "Another positive development is the rise in business investment, making US economic expansion increasingly broad-based across sectors," said HKTDC Principal Economist (Greater China) Billy Wong. "The promised pro-growth tax overhaul is making headway and is expected to provide an additional boost."Mr Wong added that economic growth has surpassed expectations in the European Union, propelled by private consumption amid lowering unemployment, while investment has also showed signs of picking up, thanks to low borrowing costs.Developing Asia remains vibrantMr Wong said rising consumption in the developed nations will boost export-oriented emerging economies. "The Chinese mainland is expected to maintain its current growth level," he said. "Supply-side reforms will continue to be a priority to improve the efficiency of the economy. As part of the strategy to rebalance the economy, using private consumption as a growth driver appears to be gaining ground. China is also adopting policies to bring in more imports to help satisfy domestic consumer demand."He added that, spurred by a decent global trade environment, robust domestic demand and growing foreign investment, the pace of growth among ASEAN economies has quickened, with the momentum expected to continue. "Rising export production should fuel demand for imported intermediate and capital goods," Mr Wong added.Favourable prospects for Hong Kong Exports in 2018Electronics and toys outperformed other sectors and the new-tech products are in the spotlight. Mr Wong identified some bright spots in several industries:- Electronics: Emerging technologies, such as cloud computing, the Internet of Things and, big data, are likely to boost demand for semi-conductors and related parts and components. Prospects for AR/VR applications, robotics, as well as wearable electronics, especially those with smart home/smart living applications, remain positive.- Clothing: The development of fast-fashion and simple-style clothing will benefit lower-end exporters, while the higher-end market will also pick up when shoppers start to look for more fashionable items as their incomes rise.- Toys: Demand for educational toys is expected to continue, led by blockbuster licensed toys, STREAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, maths and robotics) toys and those that incorporate VR and AR applications.- Timepieces: Sales of luxury watches should hold steady while demand for fashionable watches is on the rise. Smart watches with functions such as fitness tracking, smart notifications and mobile connectivity are likely to remain popular.- Jewellery: Platinum jewellery is expected to be popular because of the metal's sluggish price, while demand for gold jewellery remains stable. Sales of fine jewellery are also likely to pick up, especially those with fine design and craftsmanship.UK Businesses Target non-EU MarketsTo gauge the impact of the impending departure of the UK from the European Union on business, HKTDC Research recently conducted a survey during the Council's flagship event 'Think Asia, Think Hong Kong', in London. The study sought to learn more about how UK companies perceive the impact of Brexit on their business, and assess their Brexit readiness, as well as their plans to explore future non-EU business opportunities.The survey results found that most of the UK enterprises interviewed had either adopted a "wait and see" approach (30%) or intended to focus/invest more in non-EU markets in the future (35%), with developing Asia (including the Chinese mainland, India and the ASEAN bloc) high on their agenda. "This is in line with the finding that 75 per cent of respondents were interested in capitalising on the opportunities emerging from the Belt and Road Initiative," said Louis Chan, HKTDC Assistant Principal Economist (Global Research). "Of those companies looking to explore new markets, securing the appropriate professional service support and researching their target overseas markets were key strategies for their post-Brexit business development."Nearly half of the respondents indicated they would seek professional services support from Hong Kong (24%), the Chinese mainland (15%) or Singapore (10%) as an initial step. Thirty-seven per cent of the respondents considered establishing a regional office or regional headquarters in Hong Kong as a way to access and service their chosen overseas markets. More than 80 per cent acknowledged that Hong Kong's professional services sector - including companies providing financial, legal or marketing support - could contribute significantly to accessing the emerging business opportunities in many of the Belt and Road countries. As such, those respondents said they were open to learning more about Hong Kong's pivotal role in the Belt and Road Initiative.Reference- HKTDC Research webpage: www.hktdc.com/research- Hong Kong Export Prospects 2018: http://goo.gl/w3fDnX- HKTDC Fourth Quarter 2017 Export Indices: http://goo.gl/YuYs1U- Brexit Survey: UK Businesses Already Targetting Non-EU Markets: http://bit.ly/2jLijcQ- HKTDC Business-Stat Online: http://bit.ly/1ITG8bsPodcast- Hong Kong Export Outlook 2018: http://goo.gl/X87pvpPhoto Download: http://bit.ly/2jbn5zYAbout HKTDCEstablished in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong's businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.- Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdc- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdc- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-councilSource: HKTDCContact:Copyright 2017 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. SEATTLE, WA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/14/17 -- Amperity, the world's only Intelligent Customer Data Platform, today formally unveiled its solution to help enterprises unify and activate customer data from all of a brand's disparate data sources. Now, marketers, analysts and IT teams can gain direct and timely access to their unified customer data, empowering them to produce individualized marketing, build enduring customer loyalty and deliver on their innovative customer visions to drive top line growth. The product will be unveiled in Seattle today at the Future of Consumer Marketing event, with consumer marketing executives from Fortune 500 companies such as Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, Alaska Airlines, Nordstrom, TGI Friday's, Kendra Scott, Starbucks and GAP Inc., among others, speaking about how they see complete and usable customer data shaping the future of consumer marketing. Consumer demand for quality, personalized interactions with brands is at an all time peak. But only 13 percent of companies deploy truly customer-specific individual messages today (BCG). Internet-first companies like Amazon are responsible for setting these high expectations, and they've also been at the forefront in leveraging the power of data to stay competitive. However, the journey hasn't been easy for non-internet-first companies. While companies now have more data than ever at their fingertips, they lack the technologies and the capabilities to unlock its true value. They are left dealing with data that is inaccessible, inaccurate, and inconsistent. This ultimately limits brands' ability to acquire new customers, deepen existing customer relationships, and drive top line revenue growth. Many companies have tried to solve pieces of this problem, and while they had the right intentions, they ultimately failed and were unable to scale and provide a truly accurate, complete view of a customer. Amperity has solved what others could not by getting at the core of the problem and using advanced machine learning and a large-scale, distributed data infrastructure to rapidly deliver complete and actionable customer data. "The industry has been chasing this idea of a '360 degree view of the customer' since I first started working in this field more than 10 years ago, but has yet to deliver a solution that can perform at scale to help marketers unify and understand their data in context," said Kabir Shahani, CEO and Co-founder of Amperity. "It's been an elusive goal for many of us on the team for a long time; it's hard to describe what a thrill it's been to watch the team bring a product to life that really does work, and work very well. Amperity is like the connective tissue for a brand's customer data, providing the one place within an organization that has a precise, timely & complete view of the customer and enabling our users to deliver a better customer experience that drives loyalty & increased revenue." The team is already helping several of the world's most loved brands unlock insights from their customer data and realize the full potential of their marketing opportunities. For example, Amperity helped a luxury brand launch personalized, omni-channel holiday campaigns based on longitudinal customer behaviors, increasing campaign revenue by 13% over the previous year. Amperity also helped a leading airline drive a 198% increase year-over-year in conversion rate for their pre-trip email campaign by unifying customer data and fueling personalized omni-channel marketing. With Amperity, customers can benefit from: Complete customer data: Amperity ingests raw data from any and all of your customer data sources, including loyalty databases, clickstream, point of sale, eCommerce, CRM, and anywhere else that contains customer information. Machine learning powered identity resolution: Active machine learning to resolves identities, with each model refined and customized to ensure the best match quality for your data. Amperity surpasses deterministic and fuzzy matching for unparalleled match rates. Real-time updates: Create complete, actionable customers profiles in real-time, with automatic and continuous updates fueled by massive computing power and advanced machine learning. Direct actionability for marketers and analysts: Explore, segment, download and activate your customer data using a marketer-facing visual interface or a powerful SQL based editor designed for the analyst. Undisturbed workflows: Integrate Amperity seamlessly with existing technologies and workflows. Send customer data anywhere, including adtech, martech, and analytics applications, so data is never trapped within a single system and can fuel any analysis, campaign, or customer interaction. Security and compliance: Government grade ground up security and complete automation to ensure the integrity and availability of your data. Team of Experts: Dedicated team of data scientists specializing in customer data unification "Microsoft has always been a partner-led company, and we're particularly keen to identify and work with companies that help our customers grow their businesses," said Steven Guggenheimer, Corporate Vice President, AI Business at Microsoft. "Amperity is a prime example of a company that's innovating to solve a business problem that brands have been plagued with for years. Having a precise, timely, and complete view of the consumer is a transformational capability and we are thrilled to partner with Amperity in providing this innovative technology to our Azure customers." "Every brand wants to have a more personal relationship with their customers, but they often have data in disparate locations and systems," said Matt McIlwain, Managing Director, Madrona Venture Group and Amperity board member. "Amperity combines modern machine learning and cloud technology to create compelling customer data management solutions that help the world's leading brands serve those customers better." Amperity will be unveiling its Intelligent Customer Data Platform live today at an exclusive event: Shaping the Future of Consumer Marketing. About Amperity Amperity solves the customer data unification problem for the enterprise. Using advanced machine learning and massive computing power, Amperity rapidly and accurately builds complete customer profiles from all of a brand's disparate data sources. By accelerating, streamlining and maximizing customer data unification and usability, Amperity powers improved marketing performance and analytics. The results are happier customers, greater lifetime value and top line growth. For more information, please visit https://amperity.com/. SCOTTSDALE, AZ -- (Marketwired) -- 09/14/17 -- Spindle, Inc. (OTCQB: SPDL) ("Spindle" or "Company"), a leading provider of unified commerce solutions, today announced that veteran media industry executive Michael Kelly has joined the Spindle's board of directors. Michael Kelly has been the CEO of Alpha Bay, a leading cloud-based, SaaS and mobile commerce platform that offers a transformative point-of-sale technology to developers and retailers of all sizes, since 2015 when Kelly retired from DISH Network. Kelly became a DISH Network executive in 2000 when he merged Kelly Broadcasting Systems into DISH Network. Spindle Interim CEO, Dr. Jack Scott stated, "We are clearly pleased to welcome Mike to Spindle's board of directors. Mike's track record of success and past accomplishments speaks for itself. Importantly, just like me, he has already made a sizeable financial commitment to the Company and has a vested interest in our success as a large shareholder. We are grateful he has made the commitment to join our team, role up his sleeves, and assist us in building shareholder value." Michael Kelly commented, "I'm excited to join the board of Spindle at what I perceive to be an opportunistic time. I look forward to taking a more active role in an effort to add value for the Company's shareholders by working with my fellow board members and Spindle management." While Kelly's last role at DISH was serving as CEO/President of DISH's Blockbuster unit, Kelly served as a DISH Executive Vice President since 2000. He spearheaded DISH's advertising venture with Google called "AdSense for TV" and facilitated DISH's role as a launch partner in the Google TV platform. Kelly was also responsible for several innovative projects including an automated anonymized set-top box audience measurement platform and DISH's successful set-top box addressable advertising network. While Kelly led DISH's customer care division, DISH received top industry rankings from the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) and J.D. Power and Associates. Kelly founded Kelly Broadcasting Systems in 1991, which operated satellite transmission facilities around the globe until merging into DISH in 2000. KBS licensed and distributed international radio and television programming from countries like Brazil, Croatia, Egypt, Greece, Holland, Italy, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. While at KBS, he was named an Ernst and Young 1998 Entrepreneur of the Year. About Spindle Spindle is an innovator of merchant and consumer-facing commerce solutions focused on the Small and Medium-sized Business (SMB) market. It is focused on payment processing services and integrating value-added capabilities that enhance merchant revenue and increase consumer loyalty, experience, and stickiness. Spindle is taking a unique approach to orchestrating commerce transactions of all types by leveraging best-in-class technology, multiple solutions for vertical markets, and a deeply experienced payments management team to define and drive the way commerce transactions will be performed in the future. This commerce experience will be independent of mechanism, unifying a consumer's experience across all platforms (mobile, browser, kiosk, etc.), taking today's solutions to a new level via technology integrations and strategic partnerships. For more information, visit www.spindle.com. Forward-Looking Statements This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, as well as statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements, as described in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission which are available for review at www.sec.gov, to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. CONTACT INFORMATION Peyton Jackson Executive Vice President Spindle, Inc. 703-780-4401 pjackson@spindle.com TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - September 14, 2017) - Peeks Social Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: PEEK) (OTCQB: PKSLF) today announced that the Peeks Social app reached 30 million screen views in the month of August. A screen view is the mobile equivalent of a page view. Upon reaching this milestone the Company announced the appointment of advertising executive Rick Padulo to its advisory board. Mr. Padulo is the founder of Padulo Integrated Inc. His clients represent several billion dollars in advertising spend in both traditional and non-traditional media. He is an expert Marketer and a published author. Rick's published books include I Can Get It For You Retail: Down and Dirty Tales from a Canadian Ad Man. His company was voted one of the 50 Best Managed Private Companies in Canada. Rick has been selected as Entrepreneur of the Year, Marketer of the Year and was recently inducted into the Marketing Hall of Legends by the American Marketing Association. Rick will advise management and the board on the structuring and organization of the Company's advertising sales division and grant guidance on the Company's advertising sales strategies and marketing efforts. The Company is also pleased to announce the upcoming release of three of its advertising and sales services: the Peeks Ad Share Network; the Peeks Get Popular Service; and a new updated version of the OfferBox. All three services are expected to be deployed in the upcoming weeks along with a supporting user interface ("UI"). The new UI will allow an average of 3.5 advertising impressions per screen view on applicable screens. The Peeks Ad Share Network is a service that will match hash tagged stream titles to potential sponsors. Broadcasters will be prompted to select sponsors for their streams and receive a portion of the advertising revenues earned by the Peeks Social platform. This service will allow users to monetize their popularity without requiring them to sell their own goods or services nor requiring them to receive tips. The Company will also match brands with influencers whose social media following reaches the brand's desired target market. The Peeks Get Popular service is a user focused self-promotion tool which will allow users to purchase advertising units for them or their content to be featured in certain positions in the Peeks Social app's Popular, Live, Channels, and similar pages. The updated Peeks OfferBox technology is an interactive advertising delivery system that allows users and brands to run context sensitive ads on broadcaster streams. The current user focused free trial of the OfferBox will end and be replaced with a paid version of the service. The new version will require users to purchase advertising unit packages to run ads. Payment processing services related to offers will be restricted to brands and approved broadcasters. "I am extremely pleased to be involved with Peeks because it's a best of breed! Peeks represents a quantum leap forward in digital advertising that will positively disrupt the market place. Peeks is preemptively providing the most attractive, effective, and efficient destination for digital advertising spend. If your media folks aren't looking at this someone better ask them 'why the hell not,'" said Rick Padulo, founder of Padulo Integrated Inc. and advisor to Peeks Social Ltd. The Peeks Social app can be downloaded in either the Apple or Google app stores, or by visiting www.peeks.com. For further information, please contact: Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Release. Forward-Looking statements: The information and statements in this news release contain certain forward-looking information relating to the development, functionality, and deployment of certain functionalities of the Peeks Social livestreaming product, including assumptions regarding third party adoption and use. This forward-looking information is subject to certain risks and uncertainties and may be based on assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking information. Peeks Social Ltd.'s forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, Peeks Social Ltd. undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information. Peeks Social Ltd. Mark Itwaru Chairman & Chief Executive Officer 647-992-7727 mark@peeks.com Fundraising galas are a great opportunity to pull out your best formalwear, meet amazing people, and support a fantastic cause like inspiring future scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. Thats exactly what took place this past weekend at Chicagos Adler Planetarium, the oldest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere and, to me, the very model of modern and engaging public science programming. I grew up in a south suburb of Chicago and went there often when I was younger. And now, Im learning just how involved a leader the Adler is in inspiring kids in local communities to not only look toward the skies, but also toward a future in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (also known as STEM fields). Those fields were at the forefront of Saturdays gala: the 2017 Celestial Ball: Solar Flare. The Celestial Ball is an annual event hosted by the Womens Board of the Adler Planetarium. It is their largest fundraising event of the year. This year marked the most successful Celestial Ball to date: approximately 600 guests attended the ball, which raised $1.7 million by evenings end to fund educational programming designed to bring science to the public, whether by encouraging communities to engage in science observation and experiments or by inspiring students to consider and pursue careers in STEM fields. The Adler was generous enough to invite me among their media guests, allowing me a firsthand look at the importance placed on their youth programs and to meet the dedicated people behind their funding. A unique fundraising experience Guests arrived to a cocktail reception in the Adler Planetariums Solarium, a beautiful glass-enclosed space that overlooks Lake Michigan and much of the iconic Chicago city skyline. As they mingled, enjoyed drinks and hors d'oeuvres, and perused the prizes and gifts available for silent auction, attendees also watched the transition from day to night as twilight fell over the city and shoreline. Dinner included beautiful place settings at more than 50 tables, each of which enjoyed an opportunity not available anywhere else: interactive tableside science demonstrations with the planetariums Science Sommeliers teen volunteers. Such a unique experience not only shows guests firsthand the benefits of Adlers STEM programs, but also allows these teens to share their enthusiasm for science and the knowledge theyve gained. This years demonstrations were, appropriately, eclipse-themed, and included models of the Moon that the students had created and 3-D printed. (Not only were these models accurately printed based on lunar maps, they also glowed in the dark!) As the meal wound down, the planetarium presented its 2017 Corporate Partner Award to the Dover Corporation; Dovers president and CEO, Bob Livingston, accepted the prestigious award on the companys behalf. Dover, through its Dover Foundation, provides generous support for numerous local institutions that include the Adler Planetarium. Funding from Dover has made opportunities such as Operation Airlift, Astro-Overnights, and Adler Teen Leaders Advancing STEM (ATLAS) possible. These programs have reached thousands of young people in the Chicago area in the past two years alone. Adler CEO Michelle Larson also spoke about the overwhelming generosity the planetarium has received from donors, volunteers, and staff. She highlighted some of the planetariums recent accomplishments, including its Scopes in the City program (which has brought the sky down to Earth for more than 2,000 people each year by taking telescopes to 25 Chicago communities) and the crowd of 60,000 people who visited the museums campus during the solar eclipse August 21st. The post-dinner crowd donated generously to numerous ongoing Adler programs, ensuring these opportunities will continue to touch the lives and minds of Chicago children in future. As someone fortunate enough to pursue my own interests in science, as well as who believes that science outreach and education are vital to our future, I felt humbled, amazed, and hopeful as the donation totals climbed ever higher. Every dollar donated that night will go toward showing students not only the importance of science and technology in our society, but also how they can become active participants in these fields, today and tomorrow. After dinner, the galas guests enjoyed drinks, dessert, and dancing in the Solarium. The Grainger Sky Theater was transformed into a low-key jazz lounge, where I admit I spent quite some time enjoying music amidst the stunning astronomical backdrops projected inside before the evening wound down to a close. Catching STEM excitement Regardless of the glitz and glamor of this black-tie fundraising gala, the heart of the Celestial Ball is a simple but powerful concept: If you inspire the young people of today by making science exciting, engaging and accessible, they will take that inspiration and do great things with it, to their own benefit and the benefit of others. Especially because, studies are showing, those students will in turn inspire their peers interest in science, technology, engineering, and math. The title of a paper recently published in Science Advances says it all: Interest in STEM is contagious for students in biology, chemistry, and physics classes. This work found that students who perceived their peers as interested in subjects such as biology, chemistry, and physics in high school were more likely, once in college, to pursue STEM-related courses themselves. What does this really mean? Two things: First, inspiring and guiding students interest in the sciences needs to start in high school or, more ideally, before. And second, every dollar, piece of equipment, or hour of time donated toward promoting STEM education can provide amazing returns. The contagious nature of STEM interest means that reaching a single student can in turn fill college classrooms and majors with individuals interested in pursuing a career in the sciences, whether as an astronomer, a biologist, a mathematician, a programmer, or an engineer. These (and more) are the fields that will drive the future, and inspiration can come from anywhere including, as the Adler and Dover are showing, local museums and community-minded companies. What has continually struck me about the Adler is not only the amount of outreach they do, but the type of outreach they are doing as well. Inspiring and encouraging the public to love space is part of the Adlers mission. And it doesnt just approach this mission as one that can be achieved through exhibits and sky shows (amazing though they are), but as one that requires the active development and administration of projects, programs, and opportunities for children and their families. Opportunities such as their teen programs are definitely a big part of it, but other projects like Zooniverse are also making huge contributions to current science and even revolutionizing the way people do science. The Adler cant do it alone; but, as I saw on Saturday, they dont have to. The generosity and support of individuals, families, organizations, and companies is helping the Adler Planetarium create and maintain community resources that will continue to inspire future generations of scientists, explorers, and many others willing to ask questions, pursue answers, and encourage those around them to do the same. Before I close, I want to add if youre an Illinois resident, the Adler Planetarium is offering free general admission with an Illinois ID this week through September 17, 2017. Additional ticket purchases are still required for shows, but if youre looking for a great week to explore Americas oldest planetarium at low or no cost, this is it! VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/14/17 -- Revelo Resources Corp. ("Revelo" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: RVL) is pleased to announce that it has completed a strategic swap of properties with Sumitomo Metal Mining Chile Limitada ("Sumitomo"), by which Revelo has significantly enhanced its property position at the highly prospective Mirador copper-gold-molybdenum project in northern Chile. Revelo has acquired an additional 4,744 hectares of tenement at Mirador, which is contiguous with Revelo's existing tenement, and now controls a total of 7,744 hectares covering a large hydrothermal alteration system with the geological and geochemical characteristics of the upper portions of a porphyry copper system. The project is located along one of the principal porphyry copper mineral belts of northern Chile. Revelo transferred its 1,800-hectare Reina Hija project in northern Chile to Sumitomo in exchange for the group of concessions at Mirador. Because of the deal, Revelo no longer has any interests at Reina Hija and Sumitomo will assume responsibility for an underlying royalty in favour of Minera Fuego Limitada, and Revelo will pay an equivalent royalty to Sumitomo on the properties acquired at Mirador. Portions of both royalties have buy-back rights. Tim Beale, President and CEO of Revelo, commented: "We are delighted to have consolidated Revelo's land position at one of our highly attractive porphyry copper exploration targets in northern Chile. The exchange of properties with Sumitomo makes strategic sense as Revelo's tenement at Reina Hija enhances Sumitomo's interests in that area, while Sumitomo's tenement at Mirador significantly enhances Revelo's existing position in the Mirador area. There is no historic drilling at Mirador, but surface work by Revelo and previous workers has revealed extremely prospective geological, hydrothermal alteration and geochemical characteristics for one or more porphyry copper targets, together with potential high-sulphidation targets prospective for gold, silver and copper. Revelo continues to develop its prospect generator model and is actively looking for partners to further the exploration at Mirador and elsewhere within its portfolio." ABOUT THE MIRADOR PROJECT Mirador lies along the southern extensions of the highly productive "Paleocene" Mineral Belt in northern Chile that contains numerous important copper, gold and silver mines and projects. Mirador consists of one or more priority copper targets, as well as a possible high-sulphidation gold-silver-copper target, and is the southernmost of two large hydrothermal alteration systems within a contiguous property package controlled by Revelo, and which also includes the Calvario target. An extensive, central, advanced argillic alteration zone is flanked by quartz-sericite and argillic alteration zones to the north and south. The overall hydrothermal alteration zone, which extends over more than 10.0 km N-S x 2.5 km E-W, is now entirely located within the recently updated tenement package controlled by Revelo. The intense and widespread hydrothermal alteration is hosted principally in dacitic porphyries and andesitic volcanic rocks, as well as Mesozoic sediments, volcanics and volcaniclastic rocks, together with Tertiary plutonic rocks. Phreatic breccias have also been recognised. Surface outcrops are intensely leached, but limited copper oxides coincident with fine quartz veinlets at lower elevations to the south and north of the central advanced argillic altered zone suggest proximity to porphyry copper levels. The property has been structurally uplifted by a series of regional thrust faults related to the San Felix - Vicuna fault system. Mirador, together with Revelo's Calvario target located 10 km to the north, form an important pair of porphyry copper style targets controlled by the same regional thrust fault system. Multi-element geochemical anomalies in rocks (Mo-Cu-Bi-Au with Mo greater than 24 ppm to 153 ppm, and Cu greater than 92 ppm to 500 ppm) suggests porphyry copper potential in the northern and possibly within the recently added southern portions of the alteration zone that are dominated by quartz-sericite alteration, while the central area, which is dominated by advanced argillic alteration and displays As and Sb geochemical anomalies, more closely suggests a high-sulphidation epithermal environment with potential for gold and silver and possibly copper, although further porphyry copper potential at depth cannot be discounted. The geology together with hydrothermal alteration and geochemical characteristics suggest that Mirador represents a large porphyry copper (+/- gold +/- molybdenum) system, currently exposed at the upper porphyry to epithermal levels, with several target areas requiring drill testing. ABOUT REVELO Revelo has consolidated an outstanding portfolio of 25 projects prospective for copper, gold and silver located along proven mineral belts in one of the world's top mining jurisdictions - Chile. Revelo's total exposure to mineral tenements in northern Chile is around 300,000 hectares. Revelo is a Canadian company and is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX VENTURE: RVL). For more information, please visit Revelo's website at www.reveloresources.com. Dr. Demetrius Pohl, PhD., Certified Professional Geoscientist (CPG), an independent consultant, is the Company's Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosures for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators, and has approved the written disclosure of the technical information contained in this news release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Timothy J. Beale, President & CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Revelo expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "indicate" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Revelo believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. To view the CALVARIO & MIRADOR PROJECTS - LOCATION MAP figure, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1102216_FIGURE1.pdf To view the CALVARIO & MIRADOR PROJECTS - DISTRICT GEOLOGY figure, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1102216_FIGURE_2.pdf To view the MIRADOR PROJECT - SATELLITE IMAGE - TENURE figure, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1102216_FIGURE3.pdf Contacts: INVESTOR CONTACT Chiara Orrigoni Investor Relations Manager +1 604 687-5544 info@reveloresources.com www.reveloresources.com LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- (Marketwired) -- 02/26/18 -- NHV NV, the launch customer and fleet leader of the Airbus H175 helicopter powered by PT6C-67E engines, has signed a Fleet Management? Program (FMP ) for these and other P&WC engines in its fleet. P&WC is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE: UTX). "Our relationship with P&WC started in the very early days of NHV and this relationship was an important support for us during the industry downturn," says Eric van Hal, Chief Executive Officer of NHV. "We also have always relied on innovation and safety to help us best serve our customers. This led us to be early adopters of recently launched and highly advanced helicopter programs such as the H175 and the Leonardo AW169, as well as to increase our AW139 fleet, all of which are powered by P&WC engines. "NHV and P&WC have built a strong relationship over the years especially in introducing new helicopters/engines to our fleet," Mr. van Hal continues. "We believe that an FMP from the engine OEM that is designed to meet our specific needs is an excellent way of ensuring the optimal availability of our helicopters to our customers. It will also contribute to the safety of our operations overall which remains our number one priority." Customized specifically to NHV, the engine maintenance agreement will support the company's technical and business needs. P&WC's Fleet Management Programs are flexible, high-value engine management solutions that help lock in lower operating costs and simplify fleet operations management. They also serve as a financial planning tool that supports efficient cash flow management while allowing airlines to focus on their core business of passenger and cargo transportation. "The tailored solutions that we provide enable NHV to pursue a dynamic fleet expansion model and explore business opportunities around the globe all with the confidence of having optimized engine availability, maintenance costs, and aircraft asset value," says Tim Swail, Vice President, Customer Programs, P&WC. P&WC will be at HAI HELI-EXPO, booth C4432. Interested operators are invited to drop by the booth to speak with a marketing or customer service representative. About Pratt & Whitney Canada Founded in 1928, and a global leader in aerospace, P&WC is shaping the future of aviation with dependable, high-technology engines. Based in Longueuil, Quebec (Canada), P&WC is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. Note to Editors Follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/pwcanada) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/PrattWhitneyCanada) for our latest news and updates. Contacts: Marc Duchesne Pratt & Whitney Canada 1-438-403-3508 Marc.duchesne@pwc.ca www.pwc.ca WINNIPEG, MANITOBA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/14/17 -- People Corporation ("People" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: PEO) has once again been recognized as part of the annual PROFIT 500, the definitive ranking of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies by PROFIT and Canadian Business. Published in the October issue of Maclean's magazine and at CanadianBusiness.com, the PROFIT 500 ranks Canadian businesses by their five-year revenue growth. People Corporation made the 2017 PROFIT 500 list with five-year revenue growth of 229%. "People Corporation is once again honoured to be on the PROFIT 500 ranking for the fifth consecutive year," commented Executive Chairman and CEO, Mr. Laurie Goldberg. "Our growth reflects our ability to leverage the strength of our partner firms to deliver client-centered solutions to the marketplace. These solutions fuel our continued vision of building the leading independent national provider of group benefits, group retirement and HR consulting services in Canada." "It is never easy to earn a spot on the PROFIT 500, but this year's applicant pool was the most competitive yet," says Deborah Aarts, PROFIT 500 program manager. "This year's winners demonstrate the resilience, innovation and sheer management smarts it takes to build a thriving business today. Canada-and the world-needs more entrepreneurial success stories like these." Mr. Goldberg also added, "It is a privilege to be among great leaders in corporate Canada. We would like to thank all of our clients, our partner firms and our employees that have made this remarkable achievement possible." About People Corporation People is a national provider of group benefits, group retirement and human resource services. The Company has offices across Canada, each led by a team of experts and backed by the resources of a national company that is traded on the TSX-V. Our industry experts provide uniquely valuable insight while customizing our innovative suite of services to the specific needs of our clients. Whatever your sector, whatever your scale, putting our expertise and proven track record to work will make a difference to your people and your bottom line. Further information is available at www.peoplecorporation.com. About the PROFIT 500 For 29 years, the PROFIT 500 has been Canada's most respectable and influential ranking of entrepreneurial achievement. Developed by PROFIT and now published in Maclean's magazine and at CanadianBusiness.com, the PROFIT 500 ranks Canadian companies on five-year revenue growth. For more information on the ranking visit PROFIT500.com or CanadianBusiness.com. About Canadian Business Founded in 1928, Canadian Business is the longest-serving and most-trusted business publication in the country. It is the country's premier media brand for executives and senior business leaders. It fuels the success of Canada's business elite with a focus on the things that matter most: leadership, innovation, business strategy and management tactics. Learn more at CanadianBusiness.com. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, such as statements concerning anticipated future events, results, circumstances, performance or expectations that are not historical facts. Use of words such as "may", "will", "expect", "believe", "intends", "likely", or other words of similar effect may indicate a "forward-looking" statement. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those described in the Company's publicly filed documents (available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com). Those risks and uncertainties include the ability to maintain profitability and manage organic or acquisition growth, reliance on information systems and technology, reputation risk, dependence on key clients, reliance on key professionals and general economic conditions. Many of these risks and uncertainties can affect the Company's actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statement made by the Company or on its behalf. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. All forward-looking statements in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements. These statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, its financial or operating results or its securities. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Contacts: Bonnie Chwartacki President, People Corporation (204) 940-3987 bonnie.chwartacki@peoplecorporation.com Investor Relations Inquiries: Dennis Stewner, CPA, CA CFO and COO, People Corporation (204) 940-3988 dennis.stewner@peoplecorporation.com www.peoplecorporation.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/14/17 -- Gen III Oil Corp. ("Gen III" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: GIII) is pleased to announce the signing of the Purchase and Sale Agreement ("PSA") with Elbow River Marketing Ltd. ("Elbow River"), for the majority of Gen III's finished products from our first re-refinery being constructed in Bowden, Alberta. Under the terms of the PSA, Elbow River will purchase the majority of Gen III's Bowden plant production and provide rail and truck transportation from the Bowden plant to Elbow River's customers. Based on independent third-party marketing studies, and today's commodity market prices, Gen III estimates total sales over the initial five-year term of the PSA to be in excess of seven hundred and sixty million dollars ($760MM). In March, the Company previously reported estimated annual recurring revenue of $159MM, with EBITDA in excess of $100MM. (i)EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure. Revised first year projected sales, based on continually rising commodity pricing, are now $168MM. Company CEO Greg Clarkes reiterated "We are proud to enter into this agreement with Elbow River as their reputation, expertise and stature in the lubricant, marketing and distribution industry in North America assure ourselves, and our shareholders, the long-range security that our high-quality base oils will be marketed by a premier corporation that will see us realize maximum value for our products". About Gen III Oil Corporation Gen III Oil Corporation is an innovative oil processing company with the most advanced re-refining technology in the industry, which will produce large quantities of Group III and Group II+ base oils. Gen III is developing their first full-scale facility in Bowden, Alberta with scheduled production beginning in Q4 of 2018. On Behalf of the Board of Gen III Oil Corporation Greg Clarkes, Chief Executive Officer Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of Gen III Oil Corporation. (i)EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure. Net income, a GAAP measure, would reduce projected EBITDA by financing costs, depreciation and income taxes. This news release, in particular the information in respect of projected revenue, recurring annual revenue and annual recurring EBITDA contains Future Orientated Financial Information ("FOFI") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The FOFI has been prepared by management to provide an outlook of our proposed activities and potential results and may not be applicable for other purposes. The actual results of our proposed operations and the projected results may vary from the amounts set forth herein, and such variations may be material. However, management believes that the FOFI has been prepared on a reasonable basis, reflecting management's best estimates and judgements. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law. Contacts: Gen III Oil Corp. Greg Clarkes Chief Executive Officer (604) 806-5275 The Israeli SpaceIL team is one of five participants in the Google Lunar XPRIZE contest which will be won by the first contestant to reach the moon without governmental funding. IberEspacio has contributed to this mission by supplying the primary structure, the skeleton of the spacecraft, which has already been delivered to the SpaceIL and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), responsible for the construction of the spacecraft. IberEspacio's participation worked for a year to produce the upper and lower panels, which will contain the propulsion system and all the electronic equipment, as well as the docking ring with the rocket launcher. All of the work was carried out in Spain, except for the carbon fiber struts, supplied by a Danish company. Dr. Eran Privman, SpaceIL CEO: "We are pleased to cooperate with the professional team at IberEspacio. Having the spacecraft structure enables us to start the Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT) process at IAI facilities". Opher Doron, IAI's Space Division General Manager: "IAI, the Space House of Israel, is honored to be part of the SpaceIL team, an educational and technological initiative that represents the best of Israel's technology. We are proud to take part and support this important project with IAI's best engineering minds, which combine all the technological and engineering know-how required to build such a complex space craft" For IberEspacio's General Manager, Dr. Alejandro Torres, "participating in a pioneering and ambitious mission like SpaceIL by providing a key element like the primary structure is a source of pride for our company. Furthermore, we are contributing in a very special way, ensuring that Spanish technology continues to transcend borders by developing equipment in Spain that will land on the moon. For all this we are very grateful to SpaceIL and IAI for the trust they have placed in us." The structure manufactured by IberEspacio must guarantee the integrity of the spacecraft in spite of the strong vibrations that will affect it during launch and the impact that it may suffer on landing. The whole structure weighs less than 25 kilograms, which meet the demanding weight requirement. The teams responsible for SpaceIL and IAI can now start the assembly and integration phase, which starts with a special cleaning of the structure at high temperatures ("baking"). After they will finish, they will assemble the vehicle, install the equipment in it, and test the entire system to confirm that everything works perfectly before it is launched to the moon next year. Images 1. SpaceIL Primary Structure at IberEspacio Facilites previously to deliver to SpaceIL and IAI teams: http://iberespacio.es/img/IberEspacio_Spaceil_01.jpg 2. IberEspacio staff workgin on SpaceIL Primary Structure previously to delivery to SpaceIL and IAI teams: http://iberespacio.es/img/IberEspacio_Spaceil_02.jpg View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914005722/en/ Contacts: IberEspacio Pedro Rodrigo Business Development pedro.rodrigo@iberespacio.es Mobile: +34- 667 36 89 55 or SpaceIL Revital Alcalay VP Marketing and Business Development Revital.Alcalay@spaceil.com Mobile: +972-528555331 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 4, 2017) - DNI Metals Inc. (DNI: CSE) (OTC Pink: DMNKF) ("DNI" or the "Company") DNI is pleased to report the following update for its two Madagascar graphite projects: Graphite Project #1 - Vohitsara - 100% DNI owned and moving forward. 1. Drilling a. Just over 2,700 meters of combined drilling was completed in 2017. Drilling focused entirely on saprolitic hosted, weathered material. The average depth of the holes was approximately 28 meters. b. Of the 2,700 total meters, DNI completed 1,040 m of diamond core to accurately assess the flake size distribution. The type of drilling completed by Cougar Metals was not appropriate to assess flake size distribution. NB: Graphite is similar to diamonds as the larger the size, the more valuable is the graphite. There are also other factors like purity (carbon content) that can affect the graphite price. Madagascar has produced benchmark quality graphite for over 100 years due to a high proportion of high purity, large flake, premium quality crystalline graphite. Madagascar has a well-developed export infrastructure. Both of DNI's properties have had historical production. c. Samples have been sent to AGAT Labs in Mississauga, Canada and results are due before the end of the year. a. DNI has recently completed its fifth exploration trench at the Project. Sampling of this trench will be completed this week and the samples will be sent for sampling. b. With the digging of Trench 5 to the south and Trench 3 to the north, the length of the mineralization defined within the Main Zone has not only been substantially increased, but remains open in both directions. c. Assaying is expected to be completed shortly. a. 90 tonnes of sample material have been collected. b. 45 tonnes from the main zone, and 45 tonnes from the SW zone. c. A potential offtake partner will process and test 40 tonnes of the material - 20 tonnes from each of the aforementioned zones. This material is currently being dispatched to India. a. DNI is completing the survey of the drilled areas and immediate surrounding area by end of this week. 5.Resource Report - 43-101 a. Report to be completed in Q1 of 2018 by DNI. Since Cougar did not complete its drill program even with the 2 extensions, DNI will complete the resource report and use its diamond core drilling results to do so. 6. Environmental Study (EIS) a. DNI has completed a comprehensive environmental impact assessment for the Project. b. The 500 page report was filed with the Malagasy regulatory body. Graphite Project #2 - Marofody - 100% DNI owned. 1. Purchase of the Project a. DNI completed the purchase of the property in October 2017. 2. Permits a. Marofody is registered as mining permit number PE8904, at the Madagascar's national mining cadaster ("the BCMM"). b. The transfer process is underway, and all paperwork has been filed with the BCMM. 3. Initial development plans: a. Topographical survey b.Ground geophysical survey c. Multi-phase targeted drilling program d. Trenching 4. Environmental Study (EIS) a. To be completed and filed this week. Pilot Plant- Small Scale production 1. Engineering a. Design criteria has been established at 6,000 tonnes per year of production. b. Design criteria will be completed by year end. c. To be built in Ontario, Canada, containerized and shipped to Madagascar. 2. Quotes a. Quotes for the Plant are coming in and remain on budget New Office and setting up of a Graphite Testing facility 1. New space in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada will contain a. Office Space b. Laboratory space About DNI Metals Certain advisors and directors of DNI have significant operational experience at historical hard rock graphite mines in Canada (e.g. Ontario and Quebec) and Australia. Between them, they have built three (3) processing plants and designed two (2) others; all, which were shut down in the 1990,'s due to increased Chinese competition. Keith Minty, a director, previously worked at Cal Graphite near Kearny, Ontario. It was our team's understanding of the high production and capital expenditure costs associated with so-called "hard rock" graphite mining that inspired DNI to search for saprolite-hosted graphite deposits. Certain parts Madagascar and Brazil, produce graphite from weathered material called saprolite. According to Dictionary.com, saprolite is described as: "Soft, thoroughly decomposed and porous rock, often rich in clay, formed by the in place chemical weathering of igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary rocks. Saprolite is especially common in humid and tropical climates. It is usually reddish brown or grayish white and contains those structures (such as cross-stratification) that were present in the original rock from which it formed." DNI owns two permitted, saprolite-hosted graphite deposits in Madagascar; located 50kms from the country's main seaport. The deposits are located less than two (2) kms from the paved national highway. DNI intends to develop the Vohitsara project, should the economic viability and technical feasibility be established.DNI has not yet established mineral resources or mineral reserves supported by a PEA or mining study (PFS or FS). DNI has a graphite wholesale business, in which it buys and sells high quality graphite. This business has shown a steady increase in volume over the past year. Steven Goertz (MAusIMM, MAIG), who is a qualified person, approved the technical disclosure in this news release. DNI - Canadian Securities Exchange DMNKF - OTC Pink Issued: 98,273,355 For further information, contact: DNI Metals Inc. - Dan Weir, CEO 416-595-1195 DanWeir@dnimetals.com Also visit www.dnimetals.com We seek Safe Harbour. This announcement may include forward looking statements. While these statements represent DNI's best current judgment, they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary, including risk factors listed in DNI's Annual Information Form and its MD&A's, all of which are available from SEDAR and on its website. HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/14/17 -- Erdene Resource Development Corp. (TSX: ERD) ("Erdene" or "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received positive results from Phase I-2017 metallurgical testing conducted by Blue Coast Research Ltd. ("BCR") on its 100%-owned Bayan Khundii Gold Project ("Bayan Khundii") in southwest Mongolia. Highlights -- Metallurgical results from two master composites indicate the gold from Bayan Khundii is free milling and amenable to conventional processing techniques. -- Results for two master composite samples included: -- BK-16-03 (4.3 g/t gold): Gold recovery after 48-hours was 96% whereas the 96-hour gold recovery was 97% with a grind size of 80% passing 60 micron, 40% solids and 1.0 g/L NaCN. -- BK-16-04 (4.47 g/t gold): Received full optimization testwork, including variation on grind size, residence time, and sodium cyanide dosage (consumption) as well as assessing the impact on overall recoveries when initial gravity recovery was applied. Gold recoveries, using a target grind size of 80% passing 60 micron, ranged from 91% to 93.4% after 48-hours with overall gold recovery of 95% after 96-hours. -- Grindability studies reported a Bond Rod Mill Work Index of 17.8 kWh/tonne and a Bond Ball Mill Work Index of 16.1 kWh/tonne. -- Phase II testing, focussed on material in the 1.5 g/t to 3 g/t gold range, will continue through Q1-2018. Phase I-2017 Metallurgical Testwork Summary The Phase I-2017 metallurgical testing program for Bayan Khundii is the second metallurgical testing program completed to date. The initial metallurgical testwork in 2016 tested two representative, master composite samples from Erdene's initial 2015 drill program at Bayan Khundii. This 2016 testwork included 15 widely spaced drill holes in the Gold Hill and Striker Zones, testing the top 50 metres of the target areas. The results were very encouraging with 99% recovery on the high-grade sample (25.9 g/t gold) and 92% on the low-grade sample (0.7 g/t gold) using a combination of gravity and leach. The 2017 metallurgical program has been separated into two phases (I and II) to allow for the completion of the 2017 drill program and the production of composites and master composites that are representative of, and best reflect the anticipated average grades of, the gold mineralized system. The objective of Phase I was to provide recovery data on moderately high-grade master composites, assess the recovery variability of the low-grade material to assist in determining optimal cut-off grades, provide grindability data and to complete an initial assessment on the amenability of the low-grade material to heap leach processes. The Phase II program is designed to test variability and ultimately recovery of a collection of composites followed by master composites. Phase II sampling and testing is expected to be initiated in Q4-2017 and continue through Q1-2018. Master Composite Testing Two master composite samples were collected from throughout the Striker Zone down to a vertical depth of 100 metres. Individual samples were collected from split drill core from more than 20 different drill holes in each sample with a total combined sample weight of 41 kilograms per composite. The head grades of the two composite samples were 4.30 g/t gold (sample BK-16-03) and 4.47 g/t gold (sample BK-16-04). As the Company advances Bayan Khundii and gains a better understanding of potential mineralized domains it will complete further testwork on lower grade material (1.5 to 3 g/t gold). Master composite sample BK-16-03 received only leach testing, whereas master composite sample BK-16-04 received full optimization testwork, including variation on grind size, residence time, and sodium cyanide dosage (consumption) as well as assessment of the impact on overall recoveries when initial gravity recovery was applied. Table 1. Overall Circuit Recoveries for the two Master Composites, 48 hr. leach ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Master Composite Head Grade Gravity 48 hr. Leach Combined ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BK-16-03 4.30 - 96 96 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BK-16-04 4.47 41 88(i) 92 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (i) % of the gold remaining in the gravity tails Sample BK-16-03 Leach Testwork A single test was completed on sample BK-16-03, as a single 96-hour leach test with a grind size of 80% passing 60 micron, 40% solids and 1.0 g/L NaCN. Gold recovery after 48-hours was 96% whereas the 96-hour gold recovery was 97%, indicating a 48-hour period will recover most of the available gold. Sample BK-16-04 Primary Grind Size As expected, the highest recovery is associated with the finest grind. An additional 4% in recovery is gained from decreasing the particle size from 160 micron to 60 micron. Gold recovery with a primary grind size of 80% passing 161 micron was 87%. A primary grind of 80% passing 60 micron resulted in an average gold recovery of 91%. Further evaluation of the primary grind size should be conducted on a lower grade composite. Extended Cyanidation Residence Time A single test was conducted for a total leach time of 96-hours. The material was ground to 80% passing 60 micron prior to the bottle roll. The standard cyanidation conditions used 40% solids, 1.0 g/L NaCN. Gold recovery after 48-hours was 93.4%, with overall gold recovery of 95% after 96-hours, indicating a 48-hour period will recover most of the available gold, as was noted for sample BK-16-03. Gravity and Cyanidation Test A combined gravity and cyanidation test was conducted to determine if the addition of gravity ahead of cyanidation would yield any additional recovery. For this work a 10-kilogram test charge was ground in a laboratory rod mill to 80% passing 60 micron. The ground charge was processed through a laboratory-scale Knelson centrifugal concentrator (MD-3). 41% of the gold reported to the gravity concentrate at a grade of 205 g/t. A subsample of the gravity tails was then leached in a standard bottle roll for 48-hours (40% solids; 1.0 g/L NaCN). Gold recovery through cyanidation was 88%. Combining the results of both tests resulted in an overall gold recovery of 92%. This is in line with the baseline cyanidation results and suggests that initial gravity separation will not increase the overall gold recovery, but could be incorporated into the Bayan Khundii flowsheet to ensure the coarsest gold is removed early in the process and minimize the amount of gold that could be caught in gold traps throughout the plant. Variability Testing of Low-Grade Material The Phase I-2017 metallurgical program included a study assessing the potential impact on gold recoveries with increasing depth and variation in character of the low-grade mineralized material. The work included 16 primarily low-grade composite samples that ranged in head grade from 0.37 g/t gold to 2.29 g/t gold, with an average grade of 0.75 g/t gold. Applying standard leach parameters, gold recovery of these low-grade samples averaged 85% after 48-hour leach. Two samples of Striker Zone mineralization, without any vertical constraint and with head grades of 2.30 g/t Au and 1.18 g/t gold, returned recoveries of 93% and 91% respectively. These tests targeted primary grind sizes of 80% passing 60 micron. Very low-grade material from eight composite samples with an average head grade of 0.55 g/t gold returned a recovery of 84% after 48-hour bottle roll tests at a particle size of 58.4 micron. There was some indication that the areas under younger, post-mineralization cover to the north of the Striker Zone may be slightly harder than the Striker Zone area (as evidenced by coarser grind sizes), however recoveries remained consistent supporting additional study on optimizing the primary grind size. Results from the master composite samples, and from lower grade Striker Zone material unconstrained vertically, indicate that good recoveries can be gained from sample material collected from throughout the vertical sequence, however in the very low-grade material there does appear to be a decrease at greater vertical depth which will need further study once expected head grades are established. Heap Leach Amenability Testing A series of coarse bottle roll tests were conducted on a composite of Striker Zone material to evaluate if the material would be amenable to heap leaching. These tests were not designed to predict ultimate heap leach recovery. They were designed as screening tests whereby similar recoveries across all particle sizes would suggest the material may be amenable to heap leaching techniques, while poor recovery in the coarser tests would suggest that conventional tank leaching would be preferred. These tests were conducted as 72-hour bottle rolls with sodium cyanide addition of 2.0 g/L. The material for the three tests was prepared as 100% passing 6 mesh (3.35 mm), 100% passing 10 mesh (1.7 mm) and 80% passing 69 micron. Gold recoveries were 57% on the 3.35 mm material, 63% on the 1.7 mm material and 83% on the 69 micron grind size. The higher recovery associated with the finer grind size suggests that conventional tank leaching would likely yield higher overall recoveries. Grindability Testing Standard grindability tests were used to evaluate the energy requirement to grind material from a pre-defined feed size to a final product size. The Bond Rod Mill Work Index was recorded at 17.8 kWh/tonne and the Bond Ball Mill Work Index at 16.1 kWh/tonne. The grindability tests indicate that Bayan Khundii is moderately hard to hard. Recommendations for Further Work Based on the success of this second metallurgical testing program, BCR has recommended additional tests to better study the metallurgical characteristics of Bayan Khundii and further optimize recoveries. It is anticipated that the following studies will be initiated in Q4-2017: - Additional cyanidation process development work on lower grade composites that reflect the average grade of the Bayan Khundii deposit; - Further variability testing incorporating composites that represent the full range of head grades and depths within Bayan Khundii; - An extended gravity recoverable gold (E-GRG) test on a sample representing the average grade of the deposit. Quality Assurance/Quality Control ("QA/QC") Results for the metallurgical test program were provided and approved by Andrew Kelly, P.Eng., of Blue Coast Research Ltd., a Qualified Person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101. All other technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Michael MacDonald, P.Geo. (Nova Scotia), Vice President Exploration for Erdene" a Qualified Person as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101. All drill result samples have been assayed at SGS Laboratory in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In addition to internal checks by SGS Laboratory, the Company incorporates a QA/QC sample protocol utilizing prepared standards and blanks. Erdene's sampling protocol for drill core consisted of collection of samples over 1 metre or 2 metre intervals (depending on the lithology and style of mineralization) over the entire length of the drill hole, excluding minor post-mineral lithologies and un-mineralized granitoids. Sample intervals were based on meterage, not geological controls or mineralization. All drill core was cut in half with a diamond saw, with half of the core placed in sample bags and the remaining half securely retained in core boxes at Erdene's Bayan Khundii exploration camp. All samples were organized into batches of 30 samples including a commercially prepared standard, blank, and either a field duplicate, consisting of two 1/4-core intervals, or a laboratory duplicate. Sample batches were periodically shipped directly to SGS in Ulaanbaatar via Erdene's logistical contractor, Monrud Co. Ltd. Background on Bayan Khundii Gold Project In Q2-2015, Erdene conducted an initial exploration program on the southern portion of the Company's 100%-owned Khundii exploration license in southwest Mongolia where an early rock-chip sampling program revealed multiple very high-grade surface quartz veins that returned up to 4,380 g/t gold. Since that time, the Company has completed a total of 30,728 metres in 198 diamond drill holes, revealing the presence of very high gold grades, with up to 306 g/t gold over 1-metre intervals, within broad mineralized zones, with up to 131 metres of 3.9 g/t gold, including 80 metres of 6.0 g/t gold. High gold values are relatively common with nearly 20% of the 198 holes drilled to date containing one or more 1 metre samples exceeding 30 g/t gold. The Bayan Khundii gold mineralization is associated with quartz adularia veins and breccias, within veins and fractures and disseminated within the altered host rocks. Visible gold has been identified in several drill holes as irregular-shaped grains, however it is generally observed to be fine grained. The Company has completed a comprehensive exploration program at Bayan Khundii that has included: geological mapping; soil geochemical surveys; additional surface rock chip sampling; a ground magnetic survey; gradient array and dipole-dipole induced polarization surveys. In addition to the on-going Bayan Khundii drill program, the Company will complete regional exploration and drilling between Bayan Khundii and its Altan Arrow gold-silver project, located 3.5 kilometres north of Bayan Khundii. The Company also has recently completed a follow-up drill program at its neighboring Altan Nar gold-polymetallic project, located 16 kilometres northwest of Bayan Khundii, where it tested newly defined geophysical targets and completed step-out drilling in areas adjacent to its previously reported NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate at Altan Nar. In conjunction with the above work, Erdene will complete an exploration program in 2017 at its newly optioned Ulaan property, immediately west of Bayan Khundii and Altan Arrow (see August 22, 2017 news release). The Bayan Khundii/Altan Arrow and Altan Nar projects have a 2% net smelter returns royalty ("NSR Royalty") in favour of Sandstorm Gold Ltd. with a buy-back option to reduce the NSR Royalty to 1%. About Erdene Erdene Resource Development Corp. is a Canada-based resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of base and precious metals in underexplored and highly prospective Mongolia. The Company has four exploration licenses and a mining license in southwest Mongolia. In addition to the Bayan Khundii and Altan Nar projects, other deposits and prospects within these licenses include: Khuvyn Khar - an early-stage, copper-silver porphyry project with multiple drill targets and significant copper intersections; Nomin Tal - a narrow, high grade copper-gold discovery; Zuun Mod - a large molybdenum-copper porphyry deposit; and Altan Arrow - an early-stage gold-silver project. On August 30, 2017 the Company announced it had acquired a 51% interest in the Ulaan license, situated adjacent to its Khundii license which host the Bayan Khundii and Altan Arrow projects. In addition to the above properties, the Company has an Alliance with Teck Resources Limited on regional copper-gold exploration in the prospective Trans Altai region of southwest Mongolia. For further information on the Company, please visit www.erdene.com. Erdene has 145,963,086 issued and outstanding common shares and a fully diluted position of 156,592,160 common shares. Forward-Looking Statements Certain information regarding Erdene contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Although Erdene believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Erdene cautions that actual performance will be affected by many factors, most of which are beyond its control, and that future events and results may vary substantially from what Erdene currently foresees. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration results, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The information contained herein is stated as of the current date and is subject to change after that date. The Company does not assume the obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. NO REGULATORY AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS RELEASE Contacts: Erdene Resource Development Corporation Peter C. Akerley, President and CEO Ken W. MacDonald, Vice President and CFO (902) 423-6419 info@erdene.com / www.erdene.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErdeneRes The "Global Railcar Leasing Market 2017-2021" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering. The global railcar leasing market to grow at a CAGR of 6.99% during the period 2017-2021. Global Railcar Leasing Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. The latest trend gaining momentum in the market is Increasing demand for railcar. The demand for railcars across the world has been increasing over past few years. The rising crude oil consumption and production are the major drivers for the growth of the demand for railcars. The global order for all types of railcars increased by 60% in 2014. According to the report, one of the major drivers for this market is Rising global crude oil production. Global crude oil consumption is expected to grow at a CAGR of about 2.64% during the period 2014-2018. In North America, the US is the largest growth contributor. In APAC, China and India are leading markets in the crude oil consumption. The rise in crude oil consumption in China and India is mainly due to the increase in the demand for jet fuel, hydrocarbon gas liquids, and gasoline. The growth in the demand coupled with the subsequent supply of crude oil is expected to increase the demand for efficient and cost-effective transportation, so as to push the profit margin of the crude oil suppliers. Further, the report states that one of the major factors hindering the growth of this market is Declining coal consumption by power sector in US. The US electricity generation or power generation from coal has been decreasing since 2009, as natural gas is taking over the market share of coal. Economic sustainability and the lower price of natural gas are the main factors which help in natural gas surpassing the consumption of coal in the US power sector. Key vendors American Railcar Industries Beacon Rail Leasing CIT GATX Touax Rail VTG Other prominent vendors C.K. Industries Compass Capital GLNX Greenbrier Leasing Company Helm Financial Infinity Rail The Andersons Wells Fargo Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) Progress Rail Services CAI International The David J. Joseph Company Chicago Freight Car Leasing Company The Connell Company Key Topics Covered: Part 01: Executive Summary Part 02: Scope Of The Report Part 03: Research Methodology Part 04: Introduction Part 05: Market Landscape Part 06: Market Segmentation By Types Of Railcars Part 07: Geographical Segmentation Part 08: Decision Framework Part 09: Drivers And Challenges Part 10: Market Trends Part 11: Vendor Landscape Part 12: Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/hncd93/global_railcar. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914005863/en/ Contacts: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T. Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Related Topics: Rail MUMBAI, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a breach in the Ash Pond dyke wall at Jharsuguda at the end of August, the State Pollution Control Board, Odisha ('SPCB') on September 13, 2017 served a direction resulting in a temporary closure of three units of 135 MW each of the 1215 MW power plant, and two units of 600 MW each of the 2400 MW power plant. The remaining units of the 1215 MW plant have been allowed to operate until 12 October 2017, and the remaining units of the 2400MW plant have been allowed to operate until 20 September 2017. The SPCB has asked the Company for compliance of certain conditions with a concrete plan within 5 days. The Company is complying with the order of SPCB along with a request for revoking the said closure orders. This action may require a temporary power purchase of upto 200 MW, and hence a marginal impact on cost of production of aluminium. The Company expects to be able to sustain the smelter capacity without affecting its production volume. The Company is working towards the lifting of the SPCB closure orders at the earliest, to ensure that aluminium production is not affected. About Vedanta Limited Vedanta Limited is a diversified natural resources company, whose business primarily involves producing oil & gas, zinc - lead - silver, copper, iron ore, aluminium and commercial power. The company has a presence across India, South Africa, Namibia, Australia and Ireland. Vedanta Limited is the Indian subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Plc, a London-listed company. Governance and Sustainable Development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety and environment and on enhancing the lives of local communities. The company is conferred with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) 'Sustainable Plus Platinum label', ranking among the top 10 most sustainable companies in India. To access the Vedanta Sustainable Development Report 2016, please visit http://sustainabledevelopment.vedantaresources.com/content/dam/vedanta/corporate/documents/Otherdocuments/SDreport2015-16/Vedanta%20SDR%20FY%2015-16.pdf Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange in India and has ADRs listed on the New York Stock Exchange. For more information please visit www.vedantalimited.com. For further information, please contact: Communications Zarin Amrolia Manager, Group Communications Tel: +91-22-6646-1000 gc@vedanta.co.in Investor Relations Ashwin Bajaj Director - Investor Relations Tel: +91-22-6646-1531 vedantaltd.ir@vedanta.co.in Aarti Raghavan VP - Investor Relations Sneha Tulsyan Associate Manager - Investor Relations Vedanta Limited Vedanta, 75, Nehru Road, Vile Parle (East), Mumbai - 400 099 www.vedantalimited.com Registered Office: Regd. Office: 1st Floor, 'C' wing, Unit 103, Corporate Avenue, Atul Projects, Chakala, Andheri (East), Mumbai - 400 093 CIN: L13209MH1965PLC291394 Disclaimer This press release contains "forward-looking statements" - that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "should" or "will." Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets including the London Metal Exchange, fluctuations in interest and or exchange rates and metal prices; from future integration of acquired businesses; and from numerous other matters of national, regional and global scale, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different that those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements. By J. Keeler Johnson ("Keelerman") Twitter: @J_Keelerman It doesn't take long for the racing action to rebound following the end of the Del Mar and Saratoga meets. Last weekend may have been quiet, but this coming weekend is a big one with eleven graded stakes races on the schedule, including six at Woodbine. One of the most intriguing is the $300,000 Northern Dancer Stakes (gr. I), a 1 -mile turf race that has attracted eight starters. On paper, the horse to beat is absolutely Hawkbill, who boasts top-class Group 1 form in Europe and has a thoroughly North American pedigree that suggests he'll be well-suited to Woodbine. The son of Kitten's Joy won the Coral-Eclipse Stakes (Eng-I) going ten furlongs on soft ground at Sandown last summer, and his efforts this year include a couple of group wins at 1 miles and a strong runner-up effort in the Longines Grosser Preis von Berlin (Ger-I) at Hoppegarten a month ago. Given that Hoppegarten is not unlike Woodbine in terms of size and length of homestretch, we have every reason to believe that Hawkbill will enjoy the wide, sweeping course at Woodbine, which is much larger than most turf courses in North America. The Northern Dancer Stakes has historically been a race in which European invaders have excelled--in fact, four of the last five European-based horses to start in the Northern Dancer have prevailed--and it would come as no surprise if Hawkbill adds his name to that list. That said, I do hesitate to declare Hawkbill as unbeatable at a short price. We've seen a number of talented European runners ship in to contest Grade 1 races in North American this year, and for the most part they have faltered. Erupt and Idaho could only finish fifth and sixth while well-regarded in the Sword Dancer Stakes (gr. I). Sistercharlie, Uni, and Key To My Heart were all beaten in the Belmont Oaks (gr. I). The talented Rain Goddess was well-beaten in the Beverly D. Stakes (gr. I), Called To The Bar, Homesman, and Whitecliffsofdover couldn't catch Oscar Performance in the Belmont Derby (gr. I), and Fanciful Angel, Deauville, and Mekhtaal all failed while launching a three-pronged assault on the Arlington Million (gr. I). Several of the above-mentioned horses ran well in their respective races, but the point is that North American runners have done well defending their home turf in major races this year, and Hawkbill--despite his obvious credentials--is shipping in to face a group of locals that might be better across the board than they've been given credit for. Throw in the general concerns that come whenever any horse ships a long distance, along with the addition of Lasix, and you can make a case that Hawkbill is too short a price at 3-5 on the morning line. For these reasons, I'm tempted to take a shot with Messi. The seven-year-old German-bred gelding is lightly raced for his age (just 25 starts), and while he doesn't win very often, he's shown a distinct affinity for larger turf courses with wider turns. He's 2-for-4 over the 9.5-furlong inner turf course at Belmont Park (with his two defeats being third-place finishes in graded stakes company), and he's 1-for-1 at Woodbine, having won the 10-furlong Sky Classic Stakes (gr. II) last summer. Messi's form this year isn't eye-catching at first glance, but if you dig deeper there are reasons to believe he could be poised for a huge run in the Northern Dancer. In his 2017 debut, he was third by just 1 lengths in the Fort Marcy Stakes (gr. III) at Belmont Park, beaten by Smooth Daddy and Time Test (both accomplished runners) over a yielding turf course that produced a very slow pace and final time. Two months later, Messi faced an extremely competitive field in the United Nations Stakes (gr. I) at Monmouth Park, and his ninth-place finish was forgivable considering that he was beaten by the likes of Bigger Picture, Can'thelpbelieving, Beach Patrol, Itsinthepost, and Oscar Nominated--they've all come back to win or place in graded stakes company. Most recently, Messi finished a strong third in an 11-furlong allowance optional claiming race at Saratoga, beaten just a neck in a performance that has looked better and better with the passing of time. The top two finishers--Muqtaser and Infinite Wisdom--led the way early on through very slow fractions of :52.21 and 1:16.93 while Messi lingered at the back of the pack, some seven lengths off the pace. Despite chasing progressively faster quarter-mile fractions as the race went on, Messi rallied strongly to just miss winning while running the final three furlongs in the sharp time of :34.26. The strength of that race was further indicated when Muqtaser won an allowance race at Saratoga and finished a close third in the Kentucky Turf Cup (gr. III), while Infinite Wisdom came right back to win the John's Call Stakes at Saratoga. Considering that Messi might have been the best horse in that Saratoga allowance race, I'm excited to see if he can build on that effort in the Northern Dancer Stakes. The biggest question mark for Messi might be the distance of the Northern Dancer, as he's generally spent his career running shorter distances and was soundly beaten in his only previous run at 1 miles. Then again, the pace of the Northern Dancer Stakes figures to be quite modest, turning the race into a test of finishing speed rather than stamina, and as Messi showed at Saratoga, he can unleash a powerful stretch run under the right circumstances. At the very least, Messi is a strong candidate to include in the exacta underneath Hawkbill, and if the odds are right (his 4-1 morning line odds are appealing), I think he could offer the best value in the win pool as well. For the trifecta or superfecta, I would also consider Johnny Bear, a son of English Channel that recently won the OLG/OR Halton Stakes going 1 miles on the turf at Woodbine. He'll be facing a tougher field than he's accustomed to, but he's got enough tactical speed to stay close to the pace and could put himself in the perfect position to hang on for a spot in the exotics at 15-1. Now it's your turn! Who do you like in the Northern Dancer Stakes? ***** The Unlocking Winners Road to the Breeders' Cup Classic Handicapping Challenge is back for a third consecutive year! Please be sure to post all entries, prime horses, and stable additions on the official contest page. Thanks, and enjoy the racing! ***** J. Keeler Johnson (also known as "Keelerman") is a writer, blogger, videographer, handicapper, and all-around horse racing enthusiast. A great fan of racing history, he considers Dr. Fager to be the greatest racehorse ever produced in America, but counts Zenyatta as his all-time favorite. He is the founder of the horse racing website www.theturfboard.com. HKScan Corporation Stock Exchange Release 7 February 2018 16:00 (EET) New share-based long-term incentive scheme for key employees of HKScan Corporation The Board of Directors of HKScan Corporation has decided on the establishment of a new share-based long-term incentive scheme for HKScan's key management. It comprises a Performance Share Plan (also "PSP") as the main structure and a Restricted Share Plan (also "RSP") as a complementary structure. The objectives of the share-based long-term incentive scheme are to align the interests of the management with those of HKScan's shareholders by creating a long-term equity interest for the management and, thus, to promote shareholder value creation in the long term, to commit the management to HKScan and its strategic targets and to promote long-term performance culture within HKScan. Performance Share Plan The Performance Share Plan consists of annually commencing individual performance share plans, each with a three-year performance period, followed by the payment of the potential share reward. The commencement of each individual plan is subject to a separate decision of the Board of Directors in each case. The first plan (PSP 2018 - 2020) commences effective as of the beginning of 2018 and the potential share rewards thereunder will be paid in the spring 2021 if the performance targets set by the Board of Directors are achieved. The potential rewards will be paid in class A shares of HKScan. The performance targets based on which the potential share reward under PSP 2018 - 2020 will be paid are the comparable EBIT (operating profit) and comparable EPS (earnings per share) of HKScan. Approximately 30 individuals are eligible to participate in PSP 2018 - 2020. If all the performance targets set for PSP 2018 - 2020 are fully achieved, the aggregate maximum number of shares to be paid based on the first plan (PSP 2018 - 2020) is approximately 910,400 shares. This number of shares represents a gross earning, from which the applicable payroll tax is deducted and the remaining net value is paid to the participants in shares. The aggregate value of this first plan (PSP 2018 - 2020), estimated based on the average share price of the last trading day preceding the date hereof, is approximately EUR 2.7 million. If the individual's employment with HKScan terminates before the payment date of the share reward, the individual is not, as a main rule, entitled to any reward based on the plan. Restricted Share Plan The complementary Restricted Share Plan consists of annually commencing individual restricted share plans, each with a three-year vesting period after which the allocated restricted share grants will be paid to the participants in class A shares of HKScan. The commencement of each individual plan is subject to a separate decision of the Board of Directors in each case. The purpose of the Restricted Share Plan is to serve as a complementary share-based long-term incentive structure for the key management in relation to retention. Eleven individuals belonging to the top management are eligible to participate in RSP 2018 - 2020. A precondition for the payment of the share reward based on the Restricted Share Plan is that the employment relationship of the individual participant with HKScan continues until the payment date of the share reward. In addition to the afore-mentioned employment precondition, the Board has for RSP 2018 - 2020 set a company level financial criterion, the fulfilment of which is a precondition for the payment of the share reward under the plan. This criterion is based on the average comparable ROCE (return on capital employed) before taxes. The first plan (RSP 2018 - 2020) within the Restricted Share Plan structure commences effective as of the beginning of 2018 and the potential share rewards thereunder will be paid in the spring 2021. The aggregate maximum number of shares to be paid based on the first plan, RSP 2018 - 2020, is 43,900 shares. This number of shares represents a gross earning, from which the applicable payroll tax is deducted and the remaining net value is paid to the participants in shares. The aggregate value of this first three-year plan (RSP 2018 - 2020), estimated based on the average share price of the last trading day preceding the date hereof, is approximately EUR 0.13 million. Other terms The earning opportunity of the participants within the above programs is capped. If the end value of the class A share of HKScan within the individual three-year plan exceeds three times its start value, the exceeding value of the reward will be cut and will not be paid. HKScan applies a share ownership recommendation to the members of the Group Leadership Team. According to this recommendation each member of the Group Leadership Team is expected to retain in his/her ownership at least half of the net shares received under the share-based incentive programs of the company until the value of his/her share ownership in HKScan corresponds to at least the amount of his/her annual gross base salary. The Board of Directors anticipates that no new shares will be issued based on the program and that the program will, therefore, have no dilutive effect on the registered number of the company's shares. HKScan Corporation Board of Directors For further information: please call HKScan's media service number: +358 10 570 5700 or email: communications@hkscan.com HKScan is the leading Nordic food company. We sell, market and produce high-quality, responsibly-produced pork, beef, poultry and lamb products, processed meats and convenience foods under strong brand names. Our customers are the retail, food service, industrial and export sectors, and our home markets comprise Finland, Sweden, Denmark and the Baltics. We export to close to 50 countries. In 2017, HKScan had net sales of EUR 1.8 billion and some 7 300 employees. DISTRIBUTION: Nasdaq Helsinki Main media www.hkscan.com COLMAR-BERG, Luxembourg, September 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- -- Growth in Vehicle Models, Options Drives Increasing Demand for Premium Tires -- Innovative Mercury Production Process Allows On-Demand Fulfillment of Customer Orders -- New Luxembourg Facility to Begin Production in 2019 Advancing its connected-business model, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company today announced plans to create a new facility in Luxembourg that utilizes an innovative production process to meet growing customer and consumer demand for premium tires. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/554360/Goodyear.jpg ) Named Mercury, the proprietary process features highly-automated, interconnected workstations, using additive manufacturing technologies to efficiently produce premium tires in small-batch quantities on-demand for replacement and original equipment customers. Goodyear Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President Richard J. Kramer announced Mercury and the company's plans at the groundbreaking event for the facility here. "Mercury addresses the increasing complexity in the tire industry as the number of vehicle models and options available to consumers continues to proliferate," said Kramer. "It gives us the capability to increase our speed and flexibility to meet the growing demand for small volumes of high-margin, premium Goodyear tires and to deliver them to customers on demand, faster than ever." "Mercury will advance our connected business model, which aligns all of our assets - from the production floor to consumers who choose Goodyear online and at retail," he added. "It will complement our existing high-volume facilities and give us a true competitive advantage." The new facility, set to open in 2019, is in close proximity to Goodyear's Luxembourg innovation center and a tire proving grounds. The company is investing $77 million in the facility, which will produce approximately 500,000 tires annually and create approximately 70 new, full-time positions. The technology used in the Mercury production process was developed and tested over the past five years at Goodyear's innovation and development centers. The name Mercury is a reference to the mythical god of trade and travel, which inspired the creation of Goodyear's winged foot logo by company founder Frank A. Seiberling. About Goodyear Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 65,000 people and manufactures its products in 47 facilities in 21 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to http://www.goodyear.com/corporate . Contact Information Malachy Tuohy Corporate Communications Manager EMEA Goodyear Dunlop Tires Operations S.A. Telephone: +32-2-711-51-14 eMail: malachy_tuohy@goodyear.com CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/14/17 -- Shaw Communications Inc. and Netflix today announced the launch of Netflix on BlueSky TV, bringing Western Canadians a new, seamless way to binge-watch their favourite shows and movies. Beginning today, customers who subscribe to Shaw BlueSky TV, Shaw WideOpen Internet 150 and Netflix can watch thousands of shows and movies through one integrated platform. "Shaw BlueSky TV has already revolutionized the way Western Canadians watch TV by making it quick and easy to find the shows and movies they want," said Chris Kucharski, President, Consumer and Business, Shaw Communications. "Now finding and watching your favourite content on Netflix is as easy as watching TV - no need to change remotes or juggle cords. Shaw BlueSky TV is now better than ever." "Shaw BlueSky TV customers who subscribe to Netflix can now watch Netflix's series, movies, stand-up comedy specials or documentaries as easily as they watch live TV," said Bill Holmes, Head of Business Development, Netflix. "Through Shaw BlueSky TV's voice remote, they can access all of their favourite Netflix or live TV programming all in one place." Subscribers can now find any title provided through Netflix, like the new season of Narcos or the upcoming season of Stranger Things, using the Shaw BlueSky TV voice remote. The integration of Netflix into Shaw BlueSky TV's interface means that every available episode of a show can easily be found in one place, regardless of whether it's available through Netflix, Shaw On Demand, airing live, or recorded on the PVR. Say "Suits," for example, and every back season and new episode will appear in an instant. Say "Stranger Things," or any other title appearing on Netflix, and start watching right away. Subscribers can also use the intuitive voice remote within the BlueSky TV interface to search for content by actor or genre, or simply ask, "What should I watch?" to find personalized recommendations. Shaw BlueSky TV customers who don't already have a Netflix subscription can sign up for a Basic, Standard or Premium Netflix account directly through their BlueSky TV set-top box using their credit card to start enjoying Netflix right away. Along with Shaw WideOpen Internet 150, which features unlimited data, Shaw BlueSky TV customers who also subscribe to Netflix can binge-watch without worrying about data overages. BlueSky TV and WideOpen Internet 150 are available together for as low as $79.90 per month for the first 12 months as part of a two-year ValuePlan. More information can be found at www.shaw.ca/blueskytv. About Shaw Shaw is an enhanced connectivity provider. Our Consumer division serves consumers with broadband Internet, Shaw Go WiFi, video and digital phone. Our Wireless division provides wireless voice and data services through an expanding and improving mobile wireless network infrastructure. The Business Network Services division provides business customers with Internet, data, WiFi, telephony and video. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (TSX: SJR.B)(TSX: SJR.PR.A)(TSX: SJR.PR.B)(NYSE: SJR)(TSX VENTURE: SJR.A). For more information, please visit www.shaw.ca. Contacts: Shaw Communications Inc. Chethan Lakshman, VP, External Affairs (403) 930-8448 chethan.lakshman@sjrb.ca Netflix Bao Nguyen, Netflix PR baovietn@netflix.com TORONTO, ONTARIO and MUNICH, GERMANY -- (Marketwired) -- 09/14/17 -- TANTALEX Resources Corporation (CSE: TTX)(CSE: TTX.CN)(CNSX: TTX)(FRANKFURT: 1T0) ("TANTALEX" or the "Corporation"), is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with La Congolaise d'Exploitation Miniere SA ("COMINIERE SA"), to exclusively establish for a period of 75 days, the opportunity to acquire or to participate in a number of highly prospective lithium, cobalt and other high-tech mineral concessions. Under the agreement, COMINIERE SA will make available to Tantalex this sizeable land package and Tantalex will provide both the financial and technical capabilities to develop the project. Claim blocks owned by COMINERE SA --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Territory Claim Block --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MANONO PR 13 359, PER 13 698, PR 12436, 12 442, 12 446, 12 448, 12 452, PR 12 453, PE 13 324 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- KALEMIE PR 12 206 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- KONGOLO PR 12 437, 12 438, 12 439, 12 462, 12 463 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MALEMBA PR 12203, 12204, 12205, 12447, 12454, 12455, 12459, PE 13065 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- BUKAMA PR 12 450 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MITWABA PR 12 443, 12444, 12 445, 12 456, 12458 PE 12 457 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MOBA PR 12 707, 12 708 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- NYUNZU PR 12 440, 12 441, 12 449, 12 460, 12 461 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tantalex currently has a joint-venture with COMINIERE SA (70% Tantalex / 30% COMINIERE) on their highly prospective Lithium Buckell property, a significant land package measuring 1,343 km2 that is contiguous to the historical Manono-Kitotolo (MK) site (see press releases dated September 22, 2016 & October 19, 2016). In fact, the MK deposit is the geological model upon which Tantalex has also based exploration on its Buckell Lithium project. The NE pegmatite body, generally referred to as "Manono", is some 5 km in strike length (12 km2 surface area), and the SW body, referred to as "Kitotolo", is known as being slightly longer (and is some 13.5 km2 in surface area). The width of the pegmatite bodies are recorded as "from 50 m to 700 m". Some blocks of dolerite and xenoliths of mica schist are contained within the pegmatite body. Six open pit mines operated at MK from 1915 to 1988, producing an estimate of 140,000 tonnes of cassiterite (Sn) and 4,500 tons of columbite-tantalite (Nb-Ta) (BRGM, 1980). Production between 1985 and 1995 was reported as 1.6 Mmt Sn02 and 47,500 mt columbite-tantalite (International Business Publications, 2011). In October of 2016, Tantalex reported the presence of Lithium, Tantalum, Niobium and Tin on their Buckell property based on historical data obtained from COMINERE SA as well as property assays. Tantalex's management strongly believes that because previous exploration and production from the MK deposit was focused on extracting tin, the deposit as well as the other claim blocks, including the Buckell property, have remained untapped in regards to their lithium resources. The Company intends to begin an aggressive exploration campaign on the site of MK. Dave GAGNON, Chief Executive Officer explains, "This is a transformational moment for Tantalex. We have worked diligently over the last several months to secure the MOU and advance the partnership and formally conclude in the near future a number of acquisitions, enabling Tantalex to confirm itself as a Lithium company in what is known as one of the most prolific lithium-rich regions in the world. Our solid relationship with COMINIERE and the current partnership gives us unparalleled access to important land packages, infrastructure and support from local government agencies." About COMINIERE SA COMINIERE SA is a private company in which 90% of the share capital is state-owned by the Democratic Republic of Congo ("DRC"), and 10% is owned by L'Institut National de Securite Sociale du Congo, DRC's largest Social Security and Pension fund. La COMINIERE SA's portfolio of mining properties is comprised of over 30 mining claims totaling 12,456 km2, making it one of the largest landowners in the DRC. Qualified Person The scientific and technical content of this news release has been reviewed, prepared and approved by Mr. Gary Pearse MSc, P. Eng, who is a "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). About TANTALEX Resources Corporation TANTALEX is a mining company committed to developing the LCT-Pegmatite rich land package known as Manono-Kitotolo, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Company is listed on the Canadian Stock Exchange (symbol: TTX) and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (symbol: 1T0). Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward-looking statements. Although TANTALEX believes that the expectations reflected in forward looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, TANTALEX disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking statements or otherwise. The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed this news release and does not accept responsibility for its adequacy or accuracy. For further information, please contacts Investor relations: ir@tantalex.ca Or visit us at: WWW.TANTALEX.CA Contacts: TANTALEX Resources Corporation Dave Gagnon Chief Executive Officer +16479637476 dg@tantalex.ca Kyle Appleby Chief Financial Officer +14164179176 ka@tantalex.ca Christina Lalli Manager, Investor Relations +14379924114 cl@tantalex.ca NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 11/15/17 -- Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTC PINK: TAUG) ("Tauriga" or the "Company"), engaged in the building of life sciences businesses and technologies, today announced its intention to consummate one or more significant acquisition and/or licensing transactions during the calendar year 2018 to both restore and create long term shareholder value. Specifically, Tauriga will evaluate and, where appropriate after a stringent due diligence process, execute on opportunities to expand its business through either the acquisition or the license of products and businesses that offer attractive growth characteristics and/or margins. The Company expects that its balance sheet and cash position will have been materially strengthened by the end of 2017. As such, the Company's Board of Directors believes the Company will have the resources necessary to consummate acquisition and/or licensing transactions which will provide its stockholders with long-term value. Of course, there can be no guarantee that the Company will be successful in consummating a transaction and, even if it is, whether such a transaction will be successful or result in creating shareholder value or significant revenues. Tauriga remains committed as well to the commercial launch and of its licensed cupuacu butter lip balm product, branded as "HerMan". The Company will continue its efforts to generate revenue from this product in a complimentary manner to any potential acquisition or licensing activity. Tauriga's CEO Seth M. Shaw commented, "The Board of Directors believes that the timing is now correct to seriously evaluate potential opportunities with the goal of consummating potential attractive acquisition and licensing transactions during calendar year 2018. The Company wishes to thank its many shareholders for their loyalty exhibited over the past two and half years and management will do its very best to reward its shareholders with a successful long term future." ABOUT TAURIGA SCIENCES, INC. Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTC PINK: TAUG) is engaged in building life sciences company through the development, marketing, distribution and potential licensing of a broad array of products and technologies. The Company is presently focused on its upcoming contemplated launch of a Cupacu Butter based lip balm product branded under the name: Herman. The Company has previously disclosed that it plans to launch this product to the retail marketplace during mid-late Autumn of 2017. The Company believes that one of its most important strengths is its access to and relationships with potentially substantial distribution systems and networks. The Company intends to capitalize on distribution opportunities and will continually update shareholders on such developments. Please visit the Corporate Website at www.tauriga.com NON SOLICITATION: This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of these securities, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is not permitted. Any securities offered or issued in connection with the above-referenced merger and/or investment have not been registered, and will be offered pursuant to an exemption from registration. DISCLAIMER: Forward-Looking Statements: Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation: expectations, expects, anticipates, believes, hopes, beliefs, plans and objectives regarding the development, use and marketability of products as well as the attainment of certain corporate goals and milestones (i.e. SEC Periodic Filings, Filing of Proxies, etc.). Such forward-looking statements are based on present circumstances and on Tauriga's predictions with respect to events that have not occurred, that may not occur, or that may occur with different consequences and timing than those now assumed or anticipated. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, and are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include general economic and business conditions, the ability to successfully develop and market products, consumer and business consumption habits, the ability to consummate successful acquisition and licensing transactions and other factors over which Tauriga has little or no control. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and Tauriga assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Risks, uncertainties and other factors are discussed in documents filed from time to time by Tauriga with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release does not and shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy any of the securities, nor shall there be any sale of the securities, in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state. The securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration, or an applicable exemption from registration, under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Contact Info: Mr. Seth M. Shaw Chief Executive Officer Tauriga Sciences Inc. Cell # 917-796-9926 Email: sshaw@tauriga.com Website: www.tauriga.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - After meeting with Democratic leaders at the White House on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said an agreement on the undocumented immigrants protected under the rescinded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program is 'fairly close.' Trump briefly spoke to reporters as he prepared to depart for Florida on Thursday, a day after meeting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. 'We want to get massive border security, and I think that both Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, I think they agree with it,' Trump said. 'And I think we're fairly close but we have to get massive border security.' He added, 'Look, 92 percent of the people agree on DACA, but what we want is we want very, very powerful border security.' Earlier in the day, Trump denied in a post on Twitter that an agreement was reached on DACA in an apparent response to a statement by Schumer and Pelosi. 'No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote,' Trump tweeted. Schumer and Pelosi said in the statement that they had reached an agreement with Trump to enshrine the protections of DACA into law and to work out a border security package that excludes the construction of the border wall. A subsequent statement from Schumer and Pelosi said Trump's tweets were not inconsistent with the agreement reached at the meeting, noting that there was no final deal. 'We agreed that the President would support enshrining DACA protections into law, and encourage the House and Senate to act,' Schumer and Pelosi said. They added, 'What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security, with a mutual goal of finalizing all details as soon as possible.' Schumer and Pelosi said both sides agreed the border wall would not be part of the deal, although they acknowledged Trump made clear he intends to continue to pursue the wall. In his comments to reporters, Trump declared that the border wall is 'going to be built' but said funding would come 'a little bit later.' The news of the tentative agreement angered conservatives, who accused Trump of going back on his campaign promise to crack down on illegal immigration. Breitbart News, which is run by former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, featured headlines referring to Trump as 'Amnesty Don.' Congressman Steve King, R-Iowa, an immigration hardliner, claimed in a tweet that as a result of the agreement Trump's political base would be 'blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair.' (Photo: Gage Skidmore) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de MOUNTAIN VIEW (dpa-AFX) - Google does not want to be left behind in launching new smart phones. After the recent launch of Galaxy Note 8 by Samsung and the iPhone X by Apple. Google appears to be planning a launch event for its second-generation of Pixel devices on October 4. Google launched its flagship phones - the Pixel and the Pixel XL - at an event in San Francisco, California on October 4, 2016. Both the devices with the 'Phone by Google' branding were manufactured by Taiwan's HTC, with Google taking full credit for the design and the development process. The previous Google flagship phones were under the Nexus brand. Google has now reportedly started a new marketing campaign and a website that urges viewers to ask more. A new billboard by Google in Boston has a tag line 'Ask more of your phone,' with the Google logo and the date of October 4, suggesting that its Pixel 2 phones will be unveiled on the same day as last year. Details leaked out have already indicated the features and looks of the upcoming Pixel 2, made by HTC. The larger Pixel 2 XL is reportedly being manufactured by LG Electronics and based on the LG V30, a handset deprived of bezels. It is said to support T-Mobile's new LTE frequency band, Band 71. The Pixel 2 devices are likely to be available for pre-order almost immediately after their launch, with deliveries and in-store purchases slated about two weeks after that. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 18, 2017 / The following statement is being issued by Levi & Korsinsky, LLP: To: All persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired securities of Sequans Communications S.A. ("Sequans") (NYSE: SQNS) between April 29, 2016 and July 31, 2017 . You are hereby notified that a securities class action lawsuit has been commenced in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. To get more information go to: http://www.zlk.com/pslra-sba/sequans-communications-s-a?wire=1 or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972. There is no cost or obligation to you. The complaint alleges that throughout the class period Defendants issued materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Company was improperly recognizing revenue; and (2) as a result, certain public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On August 1, 2017, Sequans revealed that its revenue in the second quarter was negatively affected by a product return from an early 2016 sale related to the tablet business. When this news was announced, shares of Sequans declined in value materially, which caused investors harm. If you suffered a loss in Sequans you have until October 10, 2017 to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff. Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, California, Connecticut, and Washington D.C. The firm's attorneys have extensive expertise and experience representing investors in securities litigation, and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Joseph E. Levi, Esq. 30 Broad Street - 24th Floor New York, NY 10004 Tel: (212) 363-7500 Toll Free: (877) 363-5972 Fax: (212) 363-7171 www.zlk.com SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - One of China's largest bitcoin trading platforms is shutting down as Chinese regulators crack down on crypto-currencies. BTCChina said it will stop all trading for its China-based customers from September 30. 'After carefully considering the announcement published by Chinese regulators on 09/04, BTCChina Exchange will stop all trading on 09/30, 'BTCChina said in a tweet on Thursday. However, the company's other services, including its BTCC Pool for miners, will continue to run. Trading on the BTCC international exchange will also not be affected. Bitcoin prices fell about 9 percent on Thursday following the announcement by BTCC. Huobi, another Chinese crypto-currency exchange, said that while it has not received any guidance from the Chinese government, it will put its users' best interests as the top priority. The burgeoning crypto-currency sector in China has come under increased scrutiny from regulators due to potential financial risks after a boom in raising money through initial coin offerings or ICOs and as valuations for bitcoin and Ethereum have surged. In early September, the People's Bank of China announced that ICOs are illegal and ordered that all ongoing offerings be halted immediately. According to Chinese media outlet Caixin, the central bank defined ICOs as an unauthorized fund-raising tool that may involve financial scams. A list of 60 major ICO platforms had been noted for local financial regulatory bodies to inspect. Organizations and individuals that have raised funds through ICOs were asked to refund the raised amount in order to protect the interests of investors and properly deal with risks. China's National Internet Finance Association or NIFA, a self-regulatory association in China focused on digital finance, has asserted that crypto-currencies like bitcoin have become a tool for speculation among investors and is also serving as a payment conduit for illegal fundraising as well as money laundering. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. VICENZA, Italy, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The researchers of the Joint Laboratory of the ASAlaser Research Division and the Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio" of the University of Florence in the CORM Experiment Team. The project, one of the 11 on-board the rocket launched on 14 August, will be carried out on the International Space Station (ISS) during the VITA mission by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), involving Paolo Nespoli, the Italian astronaut from the European Space Agency (ESA). (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/556230/ASA_CORM.jpg ) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150323/735844 ) ASAcampus (the Joint Laboratory of the ASAlaser Research Division and the Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio" of the University of Florence) and its spokespersons Dr Monica Monici, Dr Francesca Cialdai and Dr Leonardo Vignali will play an active part in the CORM project, one of the 11 Italian experiments of the ASI Bio mission VITA on-board the SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS-12 Dragon rocket launched last 14 August from the Kennedy Space Centre, Cape Canaveral, Florida. Other researchers from both the University of Florence (Dr Alberto Magi) and the University of Rome "La Sapienza" (Dr Stefano Cacchione) are also taking part in the CORM project, coordinated by Dr Matteo Lulli and Prof Sergio Capaccioli of the University of Florence. The experiment, whose hardware was manufactured by Kayser Italia, studies the Coenzyme Q10 as a countermeasure for damage to the retina caused by microgravity and radiation in space. Dr. Monici explains "The researchers of the ASAcampus Joint Laboratory have been studying both the role played by physical factors such as gravity, mechanical stress and electromagnetic radiation in biological processes, and the applications of physical factors for therapeutic purposes for several years now. We are pleased to be able to contribute to the CORM experiment, which, as it is carried out on the ISS under real microgravity conditions, is a good opportunity to obtain information concerning the potential damage caused by the space environment on the retinal cells and to evaluate the effectiveness of the Coenzyme Q10 as a countermeasure." "CORM - Dr Lulli and Prof Capaccioli continue - evaluates the possibility that the Coenzyme Q10 may protect retinal cells from molecular and structural alterations induced by the microgravity and radiation present on the ISS, culminating in death by apoptosis. The properties of the Coenzyme Q10, already the subject of one of our patents which led to the production of eye drops for treating corneal and retinal disorders, in preventing retinal cell death, may have important effects on astronauts, particularly in view of long-term missions, and on Earth for all those ophthalmologic pathologies which are characterised by a high level of apoptosis. After a complete Earth-based test, the experiment was set up in a NASA-hosted laboratory at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, housed in a unique hardware produced by Kayser Italia and sent to the ISS on 14 August together with the other experiments included in the VITA mission. On returning to Earth on 17 September, the cells will be analysed on the basis of certain parameters we have set as an indicator of their integrity." The CORM project was funded by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), which also co-ordinated the development and the operations of the experiments, managed the contract, and secured access to the International Space Station (ISS) through a specific agreement with NASA. The CORM experiment on the International Space Station has been successfully launched. ASA congratulates its researchers and all the researchers of the CORM team. The researchers of the Joint Laboratory of the ASAlaser Research Division and the Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio" from the University of Florence in the CORM Experiment Team. The project, one of the 11 on-board the rocket launched on 14 August, will be carried out on the International Space Station (ISS) during the VITA mission by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), involving Paolo Nespoli, the Italian astronaut from the European Space Agency (ESA). No #SocialMediaQueen can be crowned without posting a selfie, so here's my first! #TeenChoice http://www.whosay.com/l/tuQaSXJ A post shared by Caitlyn Jenner (@caitlynjenner) on Aug 6, 2015 at 11:12am PDT REDONDO BEACH, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/14/17 -- GreenMerchantProcessing.com, a dedicated payment processing service serving the legal cannabis industry, is proud to announce the addition of CFN Media Group, the leading agency and digital media network dedicated to the North American cannabis industry, as a new client. "We are extremely happy to be working with CFN Media," said GreenMerchantProcessing.com President Darren Dayton. "CFN Media shares our dedication to high quality customer service and vision for the future. And, we're pleased to offer our competitive rates and best-of-breed services to their organization." GreenMerchantProcessing.com offers a fully-compliant, completely legal, FinCen-certified credit card processing, banking, and cash management solution for cannabis businesses of any size. The payment processing service features: Credit & Debit Card Integration - Accept all major credit cards with no PIN required and funds deposited within 24 to 48 hours. Banking & Cash Management - Free vault placement and cash pickups via Brinks/Loomis armored trucks, as well as a Visa debit card and the ability to pay bills electronically with your bank account. Hands-Free Compliance - Easy compliance with local and state rules and regulations, as well as FinCen certified processes in place. Highly Competitive Rates - Lower your monthly credit card payment processing fees by over 90% using our "cash discount program." Online retailers also have access to a complete gateway with same and next-day deposits to all U.S. banks. The gateway has standard and recurring processing, API, email invoicing, payment buttons, remote deposit, and other features. These services are ideal for online cannabidiol (CBD) stores and other high-risk merchants. Qualified businesses are able to receive free POS hardware and software, free swipers, a free on-site vault, and free daily armored truck vault pick-up. Visit www.greenmerchantprocessing.com to learn more. About GreenMerchantProcessing.com GreenMerchantProcessing.com is an award-winning, industry-leading provider of technology-enabled payment processing for merchants of any size in the U.S. and Canada. GMP offers a consultant's approach to helping you manage your business, while saving you time and money. Our commitment to best practices & superior customer service begins the moment that you contact us. We always answer the phone with bilingual sales representatives and a dedicated representative for our clients. There are no hidden fees and no escalating rates. After you have signed on, your personalized account representative will be there every step of the way to answer any questions you might have 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thus, allowing our customers to achieve a dominant competitive advantage. We anticipate the needs of our partners better than anyone else and drive our entire team. We bring a high level of environmental and social responsibility to our day-to-day operations and incorporate ecological considerations into all business decisions. About CFN Media CFN Media (CannabisFN), the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to the worldwide cannabis industry, helps marijuana businesses attract investors, customers (B2B, B2C), capital, and publicity. Private and public marijuana companies and brands in the US and Canada rely on CFN Media to grow and succeed. The company launched in June of 2013 to initially serve the growing universe of publicly traded marijuana companies across North America. Today, CFN Media is also the digital media choice for the emerging brands in the space. GreenMerchantProcessing.com Darren Dayton (833) 275-9669 ddayton@greenmerchantprocessing.com www.greenmerchantprocessing.com Models Fly selfie cameras on the Runway for Collina Strada Presentation During New York Fashion Week, AirSelfie brought its innovative technology to the Collina Strada Spring/Summer Presentation where models flew the flying cameras on the outdoor catwalk of the Soho Grand Hotel. The SS 2018 collection incorporated AirSelfie devices into the mix, shining a spotlight on the fusion between technology and fashion highlighting the pervasive nature of smartphone-enabled technologies that enable people to document their daily lives on social media. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006033/en/ AirSelfie for Collina Strada NYFW (Photo: Sam Burkardt) AirSelfie, the world's first flying personal pocket camera, is designed to help users capture selfies with ease and portability. The device floats in place while the user gathers for free and unrestricted selfies -- all without a stick, tripod or awkward arm positions. AirSelfie takes the popularity of aerial photography and makes it easy for consumers to take photos, panoramas, and HD video. "The art of the selfie has been around even before smartphones, and mobile devices gave people more opportunities to capture them," said Marco and Edoardo Stroppiana, founders of AirSelfie. "We wanted to bring the power of drones to the everyday user, creating a flying camera that has a unique design made in Italy, light and small enough to fit in a handbag or in a pocket. As the ideal accessory for selfie-loving fashionistas, we are honored to participate in the Collina Strada show." At Collina Strada, we strive to put a focus on social commentary and create meaning behind our collections," said Collina Strada creative director, Hillary Taymour. "This year's Spring collection highlights where we have gone with social media and how that dependence is impacting our lives. The use of AirSelfie's drones during our show helped to articulate our narrative." About AirSelfie AirSelfie is the brainchild of Italian brothers Marco and Edoardo Stroppiana, who helped form the British company AirSelfie Holdings Ltd. Launched with a successful Kickstarter in 2016, AirSelfie makes personal aerial photography stylish, convenient, simple and fun for everyone. The product is now available for retail sale worldwide. A complete tutorial video can be found by visiting this link. For more information on pricing, options, accessories and shipping costs, please visit Airselfiecamera.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006033/en/ Contacts: AirSelfie Elettra PR Francesca Raimondi airselfie@elettrapr.it Company Grants New Venture Exclusive License To Commercialize Its Patented Prana Line Throughout Australia DENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / September 14, 2017 / United Cannabis Corporation (OTCQB: CNAB) (United Cannabis or the "Company") today announced that it has signed an Agreement with Releaf Global Pty Ltd. ("Releaf") to form and operate an Australian corporation ("NEWCO") for the purpose of commercializing the Company's patented Prana Bio Nutrient Medicinals, cannabis-centric products and technologies in Australia and other territories. According to the terms of the Agreement, United Cannabis will grant NEWCO an exclusive, royalty-bearing license to produce and distribute its Prana line of products and will contribute its expertise in cultivation, production and wholesale operations. The partnership also provides the opportunity for NEWCO to import United Cannabis' products from Jamaica until NEWCO is fully operational and able to produce the Company's products in Australia. On February 24, 2016, Australia legalized medical marijuana for patients with painful and chronic conditions, and provided for approved companies to import, store and sell cannabis while domestic production ramped up to support patient demand. Australia's Office of Drug Control in the Federal Department of Health issued the first license under the medicinal cannabis provision earlier this year, on February 17th. A study conducted by the University of Sydney Business School forecasts initial demand for medicinal cannabis in Australia could exceed AUD$ 100 million annually (approximately US$80 million). The study indicated demand could grow to AUD$300 million (approximately US$240 million) within the decade if cannabis-derived pharmaceuticals become more mainstream. Earnest Blackmon, United Cannabis' Chief Executive Officer, commented, "Australia represents a substantial opportunity for United Cannabis. Our Prana line is ideally suited for new markets as it provides patients and caregivers with a guided program to develop therapies targeted to a given patient's unique concerns." Blackmon went on to say, "The resources provided by Releaf will expedite our ability to establish the infrastructure necessary for a full-scale domestic operation. The relationship also allows us to leverage our Jamaican operation, as Australian regulations provide for the importation of approved products from Jamaica. Our ability to serve the patients in Australia as soon as licenses are granted provides us with a distinct competitive advantage." Scott Parry, Chief Executive Officer of Releaf Global, added, "I am a strong proponent of the benefits of medicinal cannabis, and United Cannabis' Prana line is the most comprehensive and effective product I've seen. This partnership enables us to introduce tested therapies to the Australian market and gives us the opportunity to help thousands of patients suffering from a wide range of medical conditions. We have already initiated the process to establish this venture and have high expectations for its success." About United Cannabis Corporation United Cannabis Corporation is a biotechnology company dedicated to the development of phyto-therapeutic based products supported by patented technologies for the pharmaceutical, medical, and industrial markets. The Company has long advocated the application of cannabinoids for medical applications and is building a platform for designing targeted therapies to increase the quality of life for patients around the world. The Company's products are patent protected, first in class medicines with applications to a global market. United Cannabis trades on the OTCQB under the symbol CNAB. For further information, please visit www.unitedcannabis.us. Contact: Staff@UnitedCannabis.us Phone: 303-386-7321 Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933, and are subject to Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbors, created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and other results and further events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements. SOURCE: United Cannabis Corporation WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Two baby boys were born on consecutive days in the parking lot of a Burger King in Denville, New Jersey. Both expectant parents were en route to local hospitals for delivery when they had to make emergency stop at the fast-food restaurant. The first expectant couples were on their way to nearby St. Clare's Hospital in Denville at around 7.30 pm on Friday. However, they were caught up in traffic jam caused by a fatal accident in Roxbury and had to make emergency stop at the Burger King parking lot when the woman began to experience contractions. The police and Denville Fire Department First Aid Squad members assisted the woman. On the next day, Saturday, the same patrol officers responded to the Burger King parking lot for another report of a woman going into labor. This couple was on their way to Morristown Medical Center when the woman began to experience severe contractions and had to pull into Burger King. 'I don't want to speak for the first aid squad who played a large part in the first birth, but the police officers are quite simply just happy that they could be of assistance to both of the families,' Capt. Keith Partin told the Daily Record. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BRAUNSCHWEIG, Germany, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Quebec's aerospace cluster signs a mutual collaboration agreement with the European Aerospace Cluster Partnership Aero Montreal, Quebec's aerospace cluster, today signed a mutual collaboration agreement with the European Aerospace Cluster Partnership (EACP) and Hamburg Aviation. This agreement was signed at the EACP Annual General Meeting, attended by all the European clusters and held inBraunschweig, Germany. With this agreement, Aero Montreal is reaffirming its positioning with several clusters in Europe, with which it has signed collaboration agreements in the past, and paving the way for new business collaborations. Signed with all the European aerospace clusters, the agreement will enable Quebec companies to establish closer ties with companies across the Atlantic. In a context of internationalization of supply chains, this agreement will provide a competitive advantage for companies in the Quebec supply chain. "This agreement will give our companies access to a network of 40 European aerospace clusters representing 4,300 companies and 430 research centres in 15 different countries,"explains Suzanne M. BenoAt, President of Aero Montreal. "This is an extraordinary opportunity for us to identify the needs of companies in the other clusters and to enable our Quebec companies to offer them value-added products and services." The collaboration agreement signed today was concluded with the help of Hamburg Aviation, the German aerospace cluster, which supported Aero Montreal's participation in this major meeting. With a goal of becoming more international, EACP is increasingly turning to the most efficient aerospace clusters located outside Europe. "Aero Montreal's vision is to become a global benchmark in aerospace,"says Ms. BenoAt."We are working to develop major agreements such as this one to further promote and facilitate the internationalization of our SMEs. The objective is to foster closer ties between our SMEs and their customers abroad. We also want to encourage mergers and acquisitions so that our companies can attain a critical mass and offer competitive products and services in the global aerospace market." About Aero Montreal Created in 2006, Aero Montreal is a strategic think tank that groups all major decision makers in Quebec's aerospace sector, including companies, educational and research institutions, as well as associations and unions. Aero Montreal's mission is to engage Quebec's aerospace cluster with a view to increasing its growth and expansion on the global scene. Its vision is to become a benchmark in global aerospace. To this end, it champions the following values: excellence, engagement, collaboration, versatility and innovation. Gwenael Brise, Manager, Communications and Media Relations, Aero Montreal, Off.: +1-514-987-9395, cell.: +1-438-497-3857, gwenael.brise@aeromontreal.ca CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. ("CEMEX") (NYSE: CX) announced today that it is participating in the European Union supported EPOS project. Designed to enable cross-sector industrial symbiosis, the project highlights case studies exemplifying ways for companies to use wastes from other industries to deliver greater efficiency, save raw materials, and contribute to more sustainable processes. Within the framework of the EPOS project, CEMEX's South Ferriby cement plant (located in the United Kingdom) has worked with other companies, including the INEOS chemical company based in the UK, to determine how waste from INEOS's production could be used as part of the cement manufacturing process. "It is a privilege for CEMEX's cement plant in South Ferriby to participate in this project, collaborating with other companies and partners across Europe. This helps to ensure that we operate our cement plant as efficiently as possible, while learning lessons that we can apply to our other facilities," said Kevin Groombridge, South Ferriby Cement Plant Environment Manager. "This project has enabled CEMEX to envision its process in new and different ways. Reviewing every stage of our manufacturing process internally and externally with other companies has enabled us to identify both cement resources and production efficiencies. I'm confident that other companies would benefit from adopting this cross-sector approach of industrial symbiosis," said Sebastian Arias, CEMEX EPOS Project Coordinator. In addition to South Ferriby, CEMEX Poland, from the production side, and the CEMEX Research Group AG in Switzerland, from the research and development side, represent CEMEX in the EPOS project. CEMEX is a global building materials company that provides high-quality products and reliable services to customers and communities in more than 50 countries. CEMEX has a rich history of improving the well-being of those it serves through innovative building solutions, efficiency advancements, and efforts to promote a sustainable future. For more information on CEMEX, please visit www.cemex.com. For more information about EPOS, please visit www.spire2030.eu/epos. CEMEX assumes no obligation to update or correct the information contained in this press release. CEMEX is not responsible for the content of any third-party website or webpage referenced to or accessible through this press release. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006237/en/ Contacts: CEMEX Media Relations: Jorge Perez, +52(81) 8888-4334 mr@cemex.com or Investor Relations: Eduardo Rendon, +52(81) 8888-4256 ir@cemex.com or Analyst Relations: Lucy Rodriguez, +1(212) 317-6007 ir@cemex.com NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey, March 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) today announced that it has received a binding offer from Platinum Equity, a leading private investment firm, to acquire its LifeScan business for approximately $2.1 billion, subject to customary adjustments. LifeScan, Inc. is a leader in blood glucose monitoring products with 2017 net revenue of approximately $1.5 billion. "LifeScan's OneTouchblood glucose monitoring products play an important role in the lives of millions of patients living with diabetes, and following a thorough review of all strategic options, we feel confident that the business would have a promising future with Platinum Equity," said Ashley McEvoy, Company Group Chairman, Consumer Medical Devices, Johnson & Johnson. "This initiative is part of our ongoing, disciplined approach to portfolio management to focus on our most promising opportunities to help patients and drive growth." The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies will continue to serve those impacted by diabetes through innovative products, services and solutions from its Medical Device, Pharmaceuticals, and Consumer businesses. These include important leadership and innovation in areas such as bariatric surgery and through medicines such as INVOKANA(canagliflozin) and INVOKAMET(canagliflozin/metformin HCl). The acceptance period for the offer will end on June 15, 2018, unless extended, and during that time, consultations with relevant works councils are planned. If the offer is accepted, the transaction would be expected to close by the end of 2018, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. This transaction was contemplated in the Company's guidance provided on January 23, 2018. About LifeScan, Inc. LifeScan, Inc. is a world leader in blood glucose monitoring. In the US, LifeScan, Inc. is the leading maker of blood glucose monitoring systems and its OneTouchbrand products are recommended by more endocrinologists and primary care physicians than any other brand1. Globally, more than20 million people depend on OneTouchbrand products for simple testing and accurate results to help them manage their diabetes. For more information visit: www.OneTouch.com. About Johnson & Johnson At Johnson & Johnson, we believe good health is the foundation of vibrant lives, thriving communities and forward progress. That's why for more than 130 years, we have aimed to keep people well at every age and every stage of life. Today, as the world's largest and most broadly-based health care company, we are committed to using our reach and size for good. We strive to improve access and affordability, create healthier communities, and put a healthy mind, body and environment within reach of everyone, everywhere. We are blending our heart, science and ingenuity to profoundly change the trajectory of health for humanity. Note to Investors Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 related to the divestiture of the LifeScan business. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the possibility that the transaction will not be completed, or if completed, not completed in the expected timeframe, and the potential that the expected strategic benefits or opportunities from any divestiture may not be realized, or may take longer to realize than expected. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in the company's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. Any forward-looking statement made in this release speaks only as of the date of this release. Johnson & Johnson does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments. 1 Global Brand Equity Insights Study, February 2015 BizVibe, a smart B2B networking platform for global B2B buyers and suppliers, announced today the top exporters in the global engines and motors industry. This industry is essential to the success of automobile and heavy equipment manufacturers, and its global exports exceed USD 600 million annually. BizVibe creates thousands of opportunities for its users daily. Its expansion into the engines and motors industry is expected to further innovate for B2B networking platforms, making the process faster, simpler, and smarter. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006288/en/ BizVibe Announces the Top Exporters in the Global Engines and Motors Industry (Graphic: Business Wire) Top Motor and Engines Exporters Globally USA: Exporters of engines and motors in the USA account for almost 40% of engine and motor exports globally. In 2016, the US's automotive market exported more than USD 2.84 billion worth of engines and motors for the passenger car market. This market benefits from innovation and strong trade partnerships, as well as government support and other significant investments in the industry. Connect with the Top Motors and Engines Exporters from the USA Germany: German engine and motor exporters export the majority of their products to the United States, China, and other European countries including Bulgaria, Sweden, and Finland. Germany is home to some of the world's most popular and trusted automobile companies, including BMW, Porsche, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz. Changing government legislation regarding the climate change and emissions standards are transforming the German engines and motors industry, increasing the push for electric motors and engines. Connect with the Top Motors and Engines Exporters from Germany China: Hybrid and electric cars are characterizing China's engines and motors industry right now. Environmental sustainability has become critical, and players in this industry are competing more fiercely than ever before to develop high-quality and affordable motors and engines for electric vehicles. China accounts for approximately 15% of global motors and engines exports annually. Connect with the Top Motors and Engines Exporters from China BizVibe is connecting like-minded buyers and suppliers to help companies keep up with the market demand. In addition to top motors and engines suppliers, BizVibe is also home to more than 250,000 food and beverage companies, 270,000 companies in the chemicals industry, and over 7 million companies overall Connecting on BizVibe BizVibe has been specifically designed to help industry professionals connect with like-minded businesses, providing them with a seamless, efficient, and easy-to-use platform. Using cutting-edge technology and advanced match-making algorithms, BizVibe has launched the smartest networking platform on the planet, something that can truly help companies find the right matches. With extensive feedback from communities across multiple industries, BizVibe was able to identify the core problems and uncertainties when finding potential trade partners. Using this feedback, BizVibe developed an efficient networking tool dedicated to buyers, sellers, importers, exporters, and suppliers, helping them to connect, engage, and make business deals. About BizVibe BizVibe is home to millions of company profiles across 700+ categories. The single-minded focus of BizVibe's platform is to make networking easier. Over the years, we've searched far and wide to figure out how businesses connect and enable trade. That first interaction is usually fraught with the uncertainty of finding a potential partner vs. a potential nightmare. With this in mind, we've designed a robust set of tools to help companies generate leads, short list prospects, network with businesses from around the world, and trade seamlessly BizVibe is headquartered in Toronto and has offices in London, Bangalore, and Beijing. For more information on the BizVibe network, please contact us View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006288/en/ Contacts: BizVibe Sony Gomes Media Marketing Executive media@bizvibe.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Half of New Jersey voters say Senator Robert Menendez, D-N.J., does not deserve to be re-elected, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Thursday. The poll found that 50 percent of New Jersey voters think Menendez does not deserve to be re-elected, while just 20 percent think he does deserve to be re-elected. Another 30 percent are undecided. 'This survey was conducted as federal prosecutors opened their case against U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez - perhaps poisoning the landscape,' said Maurice Carroll, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. 'If Sen. Menendez is convicted, he obviously won't be in the running next year,' Carroll added. 'If he is acquitted, who knows?' Menendez is facing federal corruption charges for allegedly doing favors for a friend in exchange for gifts, including campaign donations and private flights. The survey also showed Menendez with his lowest job approval rating since February of 2008, with 31 percent of voters approving and 49 percent disapproving. If Menendez is forced to leave the Senate, only 3 percent of voters said New Jersey Governor Chris Christie should appoint himself as Senator. Another 24 percent said Christie should appoint someone else, while 68 percent said Christie should wait for the new governor to appoint a replacement for Menendez. The survey of 1,121 New Jersey voters was conducted September 7th through 12th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. - Two-year data from the ILLUMENATE European randomized clinical trial (EU RCT) validates durable clinical performance of Stellarex low-dose drug-coated balloon - Trial includes 328 peripheral arterial disease patients from 18 centers across Germany and Austria AMSTERDAM and LAS VEGAS, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, announced the two-year results from the ILLUMENATE European randomized clinical trial (EU RCT) demonstrating the efficacy of Philips Spectranetics' Stellarex .035" drug-coated balloon (DCB) for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in comparison to uncoated balloon angioplasty. Marianne Brodmann, M.D., of the Medical University of Graz in Austria, presented the data today as a late-breaking trial at the Vascular Interventional Advances (VIVA 17) Annual Conference. The ILLUMENATE EU RCT, which is part of a series of five trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of Stellarex for superficial femoral artery and popliteal disease, includes 328 PAD patients from 18 centers across Germany and Austria and compares the Stellarex DCB to an uncoated angioplasty balloon. The results show that at 24 months, 75.9% of patients treated with Stellarex maintained blood flow through the treated segment of the diseased artery, assessed through blinded core-lab adjudicated patency. Only 61.0% of patients treated with an uncoated balloon still maintained blood flow at 24 months. The data shows that Stellarex demonstrates higher efficacy and patency results, and longer treatment durability compared to an uncoated balloon, which is the current standard of care in the United States. "The Stellarex DCB produced durable results in this rigorous trial, validating earlier findings among the ILLUMENATE trial series," stated Marianne Brodmann, M.D. "These consistent, top-tier outcomes are achieved with a low-dose balloon.* Stellarex is the first low-dose DCB to demonstrate a significant treatment effect at two years." The ILLUMENATE EU RCT has independent evaluation including supervision by a clinical events committee, a data safety and monitoring board, and assessment by angiographic and duplex ultrasound core laboratories. Philips Spectranetics fully funded the ILLUMENATE EU RCT as part of the ILLUMENATE series of five trials to evaluate the benefits of Stellarex .035" for various patient groups in comparison to an uncoated percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) balloon, which is the current endovascular standard of care. "We are committed to providing proven clinical solutions that positively impact patient outcomes," stated Christopher Barys, Image Guided Therapy Devices Business Leader for Philips. "We are proud to have the only low-dose drug-coated balloon with a proven treatment effect at two years compared to the current endovascular standard of care in the U.S. The addition of Stellarex in the Philips portfolio through the Spectranetics acquisition reinforces our commitment to helping physicians decide, guide, treat and confirm the right therapy for their patients." The Stellarex drug-coated balloon is designed to restore and maintain blood flow to arteries in patients with peripheral arterial disease. Spectranetics launched the device in Europe in January 2015 and received FDA approval in the U.S. in July 2017. Philips acquired Spectranetics in August 2017 to continue the advancement of its unique portfolio of image-guided therapy solutions to deliver enhanced care for patients. Visit the Philips and Spectranetics booths (406 and 405) at VIVA 17 to experience Stellarex and Philips' other innovative offerings that deliver seamless care in the vascular space. Follow the VIVA17 conversation at @PhilipsLiveFrom throughout the event. * Low-dose DCBs are those that deliver a dose of only 2 micrograms of the drug paclitaxel per square millimeter, which is lower than some other DCBs on the market. For further information, please contact: Alicia Cafardi Philips Group Press Office Tel: +1 412-523-9616 E-mail: Alicia.Cafardi@philips.com Kathleen Lozen Philips Image Guided Therapy Devices Tel: +1 617-529-2958 E-mail: Kathleen.Lozen@philips.com About Royal Philips Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2016 sales of EUR 17.4 billion and employs approximately 71,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/556483/Philips_Logo.jpg HARRISBURG Up against an unprecedented cash crunch, Republicans who control Pennsylvanias House of Representatives prepared a late Wednesday night vote on a no-new-taxes revenue package to help plug the state governments $2.2 billion budget gap. The House GOPs package would rely on borrowing and siphoning cash from off-budget programs, including accounts for mass transit, environmental protection and economic development. If it passes, it is a small step toward a resolution of Pennsylvanias budget stalemate, now in its third month. It is opposed by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and its fate is questionable in the Republican-controlled Senate, which passed a $500 million-plus tax package in July to help fully fund a $32 billion spending agreement approved overwhelmingly by both chambers and supported by Wolf. The House had scheduled a vote for about 10 p.m., too late for this edition of The Sentinel. With the states main bank account scraping bottom, the GOP plan also will provide no relief before Friday, when Wolf has said he will be unable to pay bills on time. It would be the first time Pennsylvania state government has missed a payment as a result of not having enough cash, state officials said. This latest House GOP plan came together overnight Tuesday, and followed the collapse of earlier plans proposed since June. House GOP backers said they believed they had scraped up enough support from a caucus that has been deeply divided between anti-tax conservatives and moderates from southeastern Pennsylvania who say a tax increase is necessary to stitch together the states threadbare finances. In a statement released late Wednesday afternoon, Wolfs office slammed the House GOPs package as failing to solve the states underlying fiscal problems. It would leave the state with another $700 million deficit next year and inflict significant, damaging cuts to transportation, recreation, public safety and environmental programs, his office said. Democratic lawmakers warned that a downgrade to the states battered credit rating is also in the offing. The revamped package relies on borrowing $1 billion against future revenue from Pennsylvanias share of 1998s multistate settlement with tobacco companies and diverting $600 million-plus from off-budget programs. It also would count on hundreds of millions of dollars more in unused program money from state programs, money that the Wolf administration says does not entirely exist, and the potential for license fees should the state allow another expansion of casino-style gambling. Since the recession, Pennsylvania state government has reliably bailed out its deficit-ridden finances by borrowing money from the state treasury or a bank during periods when tax collections are slow. However, this year, Pennsylvanias two independently elected fiscal officers Treasurer Joe Torsella and Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, both Democrats have refused to sign off on the sort of borrowing that would be necessary for Wolfs administration to pay its bills on time. Ahead of Friday, Wolfs administration has told the eight insurers that administer benefits for 2.2 million Medicaid enrollees that they may not receive their monthly payments of about $800 million on time. Selangor, Malaysia, Sept 15, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - Mirrors that offer suggestions for what to try on in the fitting room have great potential to accelerate the shopping process and increase sales, according to a study in the Pertanika Journal of Science and Technology.A 'smart mirror' combines cameras, sensors and displays with powerful cognitive algorithms that predict a customer's age, gender and current outfit, to offer clothing suggestions based on personal preferences and trends. For example, a customer trying on a shirt might be encouraged to try on another size or colour of that shirt.Ravi Ramakrishnan and Dr Loveleen Gaur, researchers associated with Amity University in India , investigated how well smart mirrors can assist customers and prompt more sales. They asked 55 female participants to use a smart mirror, and then surveyed them about the technology.Garments were attached with a tag that allowed the smart mirror to identify and suggest similar products. Participants were given a smart brand loyalty card with a history of their past purchases, which is used to provide suggestions based on what they bought previously. The consumer could adjust the lighting on the mirror to see how they look in different weather conditions and take an image of the clothes and upload it onto social media.The results revealed that smart mirrors successfully captured a consumer's profile, current clothing, colour preference, age and gender. It reduced time spent searching for alternatives by proving suggestions and alerting shop staff to bring the items to the fitting room. Overall, customers spent less time in the store, and bought more of what they tried. This had the added benefit of reducing the time shop staff spent returning unwanted items to shelves and racks.Moving customers through the store more efficiently also meant more time fitting rooms were available for potential new customers. And, retailers gained much better insight into consumer preferences through the data from their smart brand loyalty card.Some challenges remain, especially ensuring security of private information collected by smart mirrors. Designers are also investigating how to use the mirror for advertisement or display boards when not in use by a customer.Future analysis of other factors is required including a suitable model development for using the above smart channel for manufacturing insights to garment providers, including culture, high-end designer clothes, and the effects of long-term use on consumer behaviour. Adding facial, speech and emotional recognition, as well as preference recording and suggestions, will help improve consumer experience and increase the demand in shopping centres worldwide, the researchers conclude.This paper is available at: http://bit.ly/2eYKiDiFor further information, please contact:Ravi RamakrishnanUflex LimitedEmail: ravi.ramakrishnan@gmail.comDr Loveleen GaurAmity UniversityEmail: lgaur@amity.eduAbout Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology (JST)Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology (JST) is published by Universiti Putra Malaysia in English and is open to authors around the world regardless of nationality. Currently, it is published twice a year in January and July. Other Pertanika series include Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science (JTAS), and Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities (JSSH).Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology aims to provide a forum for high quality research related to science and engineering research. Areas relevant to the scope of the journal include: bioinformatics, bioscience, biotechnology and bio-molecular sciences, chemistry, computer science, ecology, engineering, engineering design, environmental control and management, mathematics and statistics, medicine and health sciences, nanotechnology, physics, safety and emergency management, and related fields of study. www.pertanika.upm.edu.myFor more information about the journal, contact:The Chief Executive Editor (UPM Journals)Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (R&I)IDEA Tower 2, UPM-MDTC Technology CentreUniversiti Putra Malaysia43400 Serdang, Selangor, MalaysiaPhone: +603 8947 1622 | +6016 217 4050Email: nayan@upm.myDistributed for Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology by ResearchSEA.Source: Pertanika JournalCopyright 2017 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/14/17 -- Veresen Inc. ("Veresen") (TSX: VSN) announces that its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend for September 2017 of $0.0833 per common share. The dividend will be paid on October 23, 2017 to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 25, 2017. This dividend is designated an "eligible dividend" for Canadian income tax purposes. About Veresen Inc. Veresen is a publicly-traded dividend paying corporation based in Calgary, Alberta that owns and operates energy infrastructure assets across North America. Veresen is engaged in two principal businesses: a pipeline transportation business comprised of interests in the Alliance Pipeline, the Ruby Pipeline and the Alberta Ethane Gathering System; and a midstream business which includes a partnership interest in Veresen Midstream Limited Partnership which owns assets in western Canada, and an ownership interest in Aux Sable which owns a world-class natural gas liquids (NGL) extraction facility near Chicago and other natural gas and NGL processing infrastructure. Veresen is also working to advance Jordan Cove LNG, a 7.8 million tonne per annum natural gas liquefaction facility proposed to be constructed in Coos Bay, Oregon, and the associated Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline. In the normal course of business, Veresen regularly evaluates and pursues acquisition and development opportunities. Veresen's Common Shares, Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series A, Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series C, and Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares, Series E trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbols "VSN", "VSN.PR.A", "VSN.PR.C" and "VSN.PR.E", respectively. For further information, please visit www.vereseninc.com. Contacts: Mark Chyc-Cies Vice President, Corporate Planning & Investor Relations (403) 213-3633 investor-relations@vereseninc.com www.vereseninc.com Regulatory News: Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (NA:PSH) today announces that it has purchased, through PSH's agent, Jefferies International Limited ("Jefferies"), the following number of PSH's ordinary shares of no par value (ISIN Code: GG00BPFJTF46) (the "Shares"): Date of purchase: 14 September 2017 Number of Shares purchased: 22,500 Shares Highest price paid per Share: 1,001 pence 13.41 USD Lowest price paid per Share: 991 pence 13.27 USD Average price paid per Share: 996.29 pence 13.35 USD PSH intends to cancel these Shares. The net asset value per Share related to this Share buyback is USD 16.82 GBP 12.66 which was calculated as of 12 September 2017. After giving effect to the above Share buyback, PSH has outstanding 237,885,771 Shares. The prices per share in USD were calculated by Jefferies. The number of PSH Management Shares and the 1 special voting share (held by PS Holdings Independent Voting Company Limited) has not been affected. About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.: Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed-ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006376/en/ Contacts: Media: Maitland James Devas, +44 20 7379 5151 Media-pershingsquareholdings1@maitland.co.uk CHICAGO, IL -- (Marketwired) -- 09/14/17 --Methode Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: MEI), a global developer of custom engineered and application specific products and solutions, announced today that its board of directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.09 per share to be paid on October 27, 2017, to common stockholders of record at the close of business on October 13, 2017. About Methode Electronics, Inc. Methode Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: MEI) is a global developer of custom engineered and application specific products and solutions with manufacturing, design and testing facilities in China, Egypt, Germany, India, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Mexico, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. We design, manufacture and market devices employing electrical, electronic, wireless, safety radio remote control, sensing and optical technologies to control and convey signals through sensors, interconnections and controls. Our business is managed on a segment basis, with those segments being Automotive, Interface, Power Products and Other. Our components are in the primary end markets of the automobile, computer, information processing and networking equipment, voice and data communication systems, consumer electronics, appliances, aerospace vehicles and industrial equipment industries. Further information can be found on Methode's Web site www.methode.com. For Methode Electronics, Inc. - Investor Contacts: Kristine Walczak Dresner Corporate Services 312-780-7205 kwalczak@dresnerco.com DORADO, PUERTO RICO / ACCESSWIRE / September 14, 2017 / Pharma-Bio Serv, Inc. ("Pharma-Bio Serv" or the "Company") (OTCQB: PBSV), a compliance, project management and technology transfer support consulting firm that provides services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, chemical, medical device, cosmetic, food and allied products industries, today announced net revenues for the three and nine months ended July 31, 2017 were $4.0 and $11.9 million, respectively, a decrease of approximately $0.9 and $2.9 million, or 18.2% and 19.8%, respectively, when compared to the same periods last year. The decline for the three months ended July 31, 2017, when compared to the same period last year, is mainly attributable to a decline in projects in the Puerto Rico consulting market of $0.9 million. Other Company divisions sustained minor revenue gains/losses or remained constant, when compared to the same period last year. Selling, general and administrative expenses for the three and nine months ended July 31, 2017 were approximately $1.1 and $3.9 million, a decrease of approximately $0.4 million for each period, respectively. The Company net investments for business development positions for the three and nine months ended July 31, 2017 were approximately $33,000 and $0.2 million more than the same period last year, respectively, these expenses were offset by net savings on other operational support expenses in the aggregate amount of $0.5 and $0.6 million, respectively. For the three and nine months ended July 31, 2017, we incurred a net loss of approximately $0.2 and $0.9 million, respectively, a decrease of $33,000 when compared to last year three months ended July 31, and a decrease in earnings of $1.1 million when compared to last year nine months ended July 31. The variance is mainly attributable to the decline in revenue and gross margin, and net investment on business development, partially offset by savings in other operational support expenses. For the three and nine months ended July 31, 2017, loss per common share for both basic and diluted were $0.007 and $0.038, respectively, a common share basic and diluted decrease of $0.001 and $ 0.049 when compared to the same periods last year, respectively. The variance is mainly attributable to the decrease in net earnings when compared to the same periods last year. "Our strategic re-alignment and investment is ongoing and our goals are to achieve long-term profitability on our non-performing operations." said Victor Sanchez, CEO of Pharma-Bio Serv. "To that end Europe is a focus for our attention, we have also refocused our US consulting services strategy with a more streamlined business development approach, which has resulted in operational expense savings during the second and third quarters of the current fiscal year with the closing of our Plymouth Meeting, PA and Los Angeles, CA leased offices. We also experienced unusually long holiday season shutdowns of various Puerto Rico customer plants during the current fiscal year, with less favorable project margins. We remain confident that our continued investment in our consulting team, new markets and services, Lab facilities and equipment will yield continued and sustainable growth for the Company in the future. We remain fully focused on consulting business development in both existing and new markets, expanding the scope of our Puerto Rico Lab facilities, and developing our new Lab facility in Spain," he added. About Pharma-Bio Serv, Inc. Pharma-Bio Serv is a compliance, project management and technology transfer support consulting firm, headquartered in Puerto Rico, with operations in the U.S., Ireland, and Spain. Pharma-Bio Serv's core business is FDA and other international regulatory compliance agency related services, with integrated portfolio services including microbiological and chemical testing services for clients in the Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Chemical, Medical Device, Cosmetic, Food and Allied Products industries. The Company's services also include "Pharma Serv Academy," a division that provides technical and regulatory standards seminars/training conducted by industry experts. The Company's global team includes leading engineering and life science professionals, quality assurance managers and directors. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws, which statements may include information regarding the plans, intentions, expectations, future financial performance, or future operating performance of Pharma-Bio Serv. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations, estimates, or projections of management as of the date of this news release. Although Pharma-Bio Serv's management believes these expectations, estimates, or projections to be reasonable as of the date of this news release, forward-looking statements are inherently subject to significant business risks, economic and competitive uncertainties, or other contingencies, which could cause its actual results or performance to differ materially from what may be expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that the processes being undertaken by Pharma-Bio Serv will result in growth through business development or mergers and acquisitions. Important factors that could cause Pharma-Bio Serv's actual results or performance to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include those set forth in the "Risk Factors" section of Pharma-Bio Serv's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2016, and in its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which filings are available on www.sec.gov. Pharma-Bio Serv disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events and circumstances, except to the extent required by applicable law. Company Contact: Pedro J. Lasanta Chief Financial Officer 787 278 2709 SOURCE: Pharma-Bio Serv, Inc. IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / September 14, 2017 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces the filing of a securities class action lawsuit against Vitamin Shoppe, Inc. ("Vitamin Shoppe" or the "Company") (NYSE: VSI). Investors, who purchased or otherwise acquired shares between March 1, 2017 and August 6, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm in advance of the October 27, 2017 lead plaintiff motion deadline. If you purchased Vitamin Shoppe shares during the Class Period, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esq., of Khang & Khang LLP, 4000 Barranca Parkway, Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92604, by telephone at (949) 419-3834 , or by e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com. There has been no class certification in this case yet. Until certification occurs, you are not represented by an attorney. You may choose to take no action and remain a passive class member as well. According to the Complaint, throughout the Class Period, Vitamin Shoppe made false and/or misleading statements, and/or failed to disclose: that the Company's retail segment was continuing to dramatically decline; that its ongoing "reinvention plan" had been unsuccessful and brought more than $168 million in goodwill impairment, and it was not properly recognizing that impairment charge; and that, as a result of the above, the Company's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On May 10, 2017, Vitamin Shoppe released first quarter 2017 financial results that were lower than market expectations and slashed its fiscal 2017 guidance by 45%, yet claimed the "reinvention plan" was still succeeding. Following this news, the Company's stock price fell dramatically. On August 9, 2017, the Company announced that it was taking a $168.1 million impairment charge on the goodwill being carried on its books associated with its retail segment, and that it would report a loss per share of $6.73. Also, citing "the potential increase in variability of the Company's results due to the number of initiatives being launched in the back half of the year," Vitamin Shoppe dropped its fiscal 2017 earnings per share guidance altogether. When this information reached the public, the Company's shares fell in value materially, which caused investors harm according to the Complaint. If you wish to learn more about this lawsuit, or if you have any questions concerning this notice or your rights, please contact Joon M. Khang, Esq., a prominent litigator for almost two decades, by telephone at (949) 419-3834 , or by e-mail at joon@khanglaw.com. This press release may constitute Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions. Contact: Joon M. Khang, Esq. Telephone: 949-419-3834 Facsimile: 949-225-4474 joon@khanglaw.com SOURCE: Khang & Khang LLP Avolon Holdings Limited ("Avolon"), the international aircraft leasing company, announces the pricing of a private offering (the "Offering") by its wholly owned subsidiary, Park Aerospace Holdings Limited, of US$950 million aggregate principal amount of 4.500% Senior Notes due 2023 (the "2023 Notes"), at par, and US$300 million aggregate principal amount of 3.625% Senior Notes due 2021 (together with the 2023 notes, the "Notes"), at par. The Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Avolon and by certain of the aircraft-owning subsidiaries of Park Aerospace Holdings Limited. The Offering is expected to close on or about 25 September, 2017, subject to customary closing conditions. Avolon intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for general corporate purposes, which may include the future repayment of outstanding indebtedness. The Notes will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or any state securities law and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. The Notes will be offered in the United States only to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A of the Securities Act and outside the United States under Regulation S of the Securities Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to the closing of the Offering, the use of proceeds therefrom, and other statements that are not historical fact. Although Avolon believes the assumptions upon which these forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, any of these assumptions could prove to be inaccurate and the forward-looking statements based on these assumptions could be incorrect. Actual results and trends in the future may differ materially from those suggested or implied by the forward-looking statements depending on a variety of factors. Some of these factors include market conditions and closing conditions for the Offering. Avolon undertakes no obligation to update any information contained in this press release. About Avolon Headquartered in Ireland, with offices in the United States, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai, Avolon provides aircraft leasing and lease management services. Avolon is a wholly-owned, indirect subsidiary of Bohai Capital Holding Co., Ltd., a Chinese public company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SLE: 000415). Avolon is the world's third largest aircraft leasing business with a pro-forma owned, managed and committed fleet, as of 30 June, 2017 of 921 aircraft valued at over US$46 billion. Website: www.avolon.aero Twitter: @avolon_aero View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006456/en/ Contacts: Avolon Holdings Limited Ross O'Connor, +353 1 231 5818 Head of Investor Relations roconnor@avolon.aero or Sean Pattwell, +353 1 556 4454 Head of Communications spattwell@avolon.aero or FTI Consulting Jonathan Neilan, +353 86 231 4135 avolon@fticonsulting.com NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 14, 2017 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Envision Healthcare Corporation ("Envision" or the "Company") (NYSE: EVHC) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Middle District of Tennessee, and docketed under 17-cv-01112, is on behalf of a class consisting of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Envision securities, seeking to recover compensable damages caused by defendants' violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you are a shareholder who purchased Envision securities between March 2, 2015 and July 21, 2017, both dates inclusive, you have until October 3, 2017 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll free, Ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and number of shares purchased. [Click here to join this class action] Envision Healthcare Corporation provides health care services. The Hospital offers surgery, pharmacy, medical imaging, emergency care, and other related health care services. Envision Healthcare serves patients in the United States. At all relevant times, EmCare Holdings, Inc. ("EmCare") has been one of the Company's primary operating subsidiaries. The Complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) EmCare routinely arranged for patients who sought treatment at in-network facilities to be treated by out-of-network physicians; (ii) EmCare accordingly billed these patients at higher rates than if the patients had received treatment from in-network physicians; (iii) the Company's statements attributing EmCare's Class Period growth to other factors were therefore false and/or misleading; (iv) Envision's EmCare revenues were likely to be unsustainable after the foregoing conduct came to light; and (v) as a result of the foregoing, Envision's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. On July 24, 2017, The New York Times reported that hospitals associated with Envision's subsidiary EmCare were disproportionately likely to engage in "surprise billing," in which patients who sought treatment at in-network facilities were treated by out-of-network physicians and subsequently billed at higher rates. On this news, Envision's share price fell $2.33, or 3.72%, to close at $60.28 on July 24, 2017. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Florida, and Los Angeles, is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP Marketware, a Cottonwood Heights, Utah-based provider of SaaS healthcare relationship technology, secured $4.5m in Series B funding. The round was led by Epic Ventures with participation from Peak Ventures. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its business reach. Led by newly appointed CEO Alex Obbard, who brings more than 25 years experience in all areas of revenue and profit generation for technology organizations, Marketware provides of referral development, market insight, and patient acquisition solutions for teams working in physician relations, data analytics, marketing, strategic planning, and business development. The company serves health systems across the United States looking to target, track and trend their market share. FinSMEs 14/09/2017 MyndYou, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based technology company that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to aid clinicians in tracking and addressing cognitive decline among seniors, received an initial seed funding of undisclosed amount. The round was led by Howard Lee Morgan, American venture capitalist, philanthropist, socialite, angel investor, author and contributing writer for Business Insider, with participation from Musketeer Capital and additional private investors. The company intends to use the funds to advance collaborations already in place with several US-based partners including Massachusetts General Hospital. In partnership with MyndYou, Mass General recently announced a research trial utilizing the MyndYou Intelligence platform for the remote, automated detection of subtle changes in speech patterns of Alzheimers patients. Led by Ruth Poliakine Baruchi, CEO, MyndYou optimizes the delivery of care for seniors living with mild and ongoing cognitive impairment via an artificial intelligence (AI) platform that aids clinicians in tracking and addressing cognitive-related disease, such as Dementia and Alzheimers. The solution combines remote interaction with a monitoring app, analytic evaluation, and artificial intelligence (AI) analysis to individualize care based on definitive and objective data. FinSMEs 13/09/2017 The sounds of doo-wop will bring much needed funding to Carlisles first responders. Downtown DooWop: A Carlisle Saturday Night will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Carlisle Theatre. The concert features Bill Haley Jr. and the Comets and the Marcels. Tickets are $25 each, and all seats are reserved. Tickets may be purchased through Carlisle Theatre and Performing Arts Center at (717) 258-0666 or at www.carlisletheatre.org. According to their website, Bill Haley Jr. and the Comets is a high-energy five-piece combo performing a rousing, crowd-pleasing set of songs first recorded at the dawn of rock n roll by the legendary Bill Haley and the Comets, and other popular tunes from the 1950s and 60s. The Marcels are known for their hit Blue Moon, and have been recording since 1961. Proceeds from the concert will be divided among Union Fire Company, Carlisle Fire and Rescue Services and Carlisle Special Fire Police, with the fire companies each receiving 45 percent of the proceeds and the fire police receiving 10 percent. Itll be a fun night in downtown Carlisle and also be helpful to the fire company, said former mayor Kirk Wilson, who organized the concert. This will be the third time the Marcels have appeared in town, Wilson said. Previous appearances have drawn audiences of 300-400, but Wilson hopes that 800 or so will pack the Carlisle Theatre for the concert. Wilson said the idea came about as he and former council member Frank Rankin talked about how the fire department never seems to have enough money. It receives appropriations from local government, but that isnt much and is supplemented by fundraisers that are an additional draw on the time of volunteers. Amy Myers, president of Union Fire Company, said the company is well-supported by four municipalities, but that it relies on fundraising to balance the budget. Money from fundraising efforts is used for capital projects such as new apparatus and station improvements as well as activities such as the fire museum and appreciation banquet. We dont feel its appropriate to use municipal monies to pay for these items, she said. Planning and executing fundraisers take time, and can start 10 months in advance with meetings among the committee as well as with vendors and sponsors, Myers said. Wilson said he was a member of the fire company from 1968 until 1980 and felt the time pinch that draws more and more volunteers away. Between work schedules and new training requirements, it was impossible for him to continue. I know what it means and I know we have fewer and fewer people who are willing to do it, Wilson said. Myers said the fire company is required to obtain a certain level of training and certification that takes nearly 250 hours to complete. It holds monthly company training night as well as a joint monthly training with Carlisle Fire and Rescue Services. If we dont train, we wont execute our primary mission effectively, she said. Bob Wertz, captain of the Carlisle Regional Special Police, said their only fundraiser is parking cars for Carlisle Events. At the same time, the organization spends about $4,500 to fully equip each of its volunteers with protective gear, vests, winter coats, cones, lights, gloves, hats and more. People dont realize all the things we purchase for the protection of the fire police when they are out on calls, Wertz said. Proceeds from the concert will be a nice little help, he said. Every dollar helps. Every hour we dont have to spend on fundraising activities gives us another hour to focus on our primary mission, Myers said. Rani Therapeutics, a San Jose, CA-based developer of technology to convert injectable drugs into oral pills, raised $39M in Series D funding. GV (Google Ventures) is among the investors participating in this round, which brings total funding to over $100M. Beyond GV (Google Ventures), investors include Novartis, Astra Zeneca, Cathay Ventures, Buttonwood, Crystal Horizon Investments, Pinemount Investments, the Pacific Venture Opportunity Fund, and Bossa Nova Investments. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate to accelerate the clinical development of its platform, including scaling up manufacturing operations to support human studies which are planned to start in 2018. Led by Mir Imran, Chairman & CEO, Rani Therapeutics develops needle-free delivery for pharma companies producing drugs for patients with chronic diseases, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, among others. The company, which has partnerships with Novartis and Astra Zeneca, is also testing additional biologics internally. Rani has a IP portfolio with more than 100 patents, including 42 issued or allowed. FinSMEs 13/09/2017 Sixgill, LLC, a Los Angeles, CA-based provider of sensor data services for governing IoE, has completed terms of a Series B funding that will total $27.9 when fully drawn. The round is led by an affiliate of DRW Venture Capital, which invests in financial and enterprise technology. Mobile Financial Partners, of Alexandria, VA, is also participating. The company intends to use the funds to grow both the business and the scope of the companys platform from a proximity services platform to an enterprise-grade sensor data management platform and product suite. Led by CEO Phil Ressler, Sixgill provides Sense a universal sensor data services platform, which enables companies facing new challenges in governing their Internet of Everything (IoE) assets (people, places and things) and building sensor-informed applications for IoT, IIoT and IoE. Sense supports applications available on over 50 million devices by a major U.S. carrier, and has powered crowd management and audience communications at large events in the U.S. and Europe. FinSMEs 14/09/2017 Mumbai: Ericssons Indian subsidiary has filed insolvency petitions against Reliance Communications and two of its companies to recover unpaid dues, the Indian mobile operator said in a stock exchange filing on Wednesday. The Swedish telecoms equipment maker, which signed a seven-year deal in 2014 to operate and manage Reliance Communications nationwide network, is seeking a total of 11.55 billion rupees ($180 million) from the three companies, the filing said. Reliance Communications said it planned to challenge the insolvency petitions. The filing said the Ericsson case would go before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), the designated court for bankruptcy cases in India, on 26 September. Ericsson has done this as a last resort in order to resolve an issue regarding debt that Reliance owes to Ericsson for services provided under a contract. As the legal process is ongoing, we dont have any further comments at this point, the Swedish company said. The petitions come as the Indian phone company controlled by billionaire Anil Ambani races against time to seal deals to sell a stake in its tower assets to Canadas Brookfield and to merge its mobile services business with rival Aircel. Reliance Communications reported its third quarterly loss in a row last month and is trying to find ways to cut its debt after creditors gave it a reprieve on loan repayments until the end of 2017. The Brookfield and Aircel deals are expected to reduce its debt burden by 250 billion rupees. Ambani said at the time of the loan reprieve that he expected to complete the deals by September. The companys losses are, in part, a result of competition from free voice and cut-price data plans offered by Reliance Jio Infocomm, the telecom start-up backed by Ambanis elder brother and Indias richest man Mukesh Ambani. Ericsson is aiming to recover 4.91 billion rupees from Reliance Communications, 5.35 billion from Reliance Infratel and 1.29 billion rupees from Reliance Telecom, the filing said. Reliance Communications shares closed 4 percent lower on Wednesday before the filing was released, after local media reports said Ericsson had filed an insolvency plea. India last year revamped its bankruptcy laws to help cut a record $150 billion in impaired bank loans. The rules allow financial as well as business creditors to trigger bankruptcy proceedings against a company which has defaulted on payments. The United Way of Carlisle and Cumberland County kicked off its 99th annual campaign Wednesday with a breakfast at Carlisle Evangelical Free Church. The goal for this years campaign is $1.45 million to support the greater Carlisle community. Campaign co-chairs Tom Bream of S&T Bank and Greg Hall of Smith Elliott Kearns & Co. hosted the breakfast at which they recognized pacesetter companies that have already conducted their internal campaigns to give the overall campaign a boost at its start. Those campaigns have raised $255,628, which puts the United Way at 18 percent of its goal. When early campaign pledges are added in, the total funds raised at the campaigns start amount to $354,958. Samantha Krepps, manager of public and community relations for Giant, the breakfasts sponsor, asked the audience to imagine going without coffee, and to take that a step further to imagine going without breakfast, lunch and dinner. Imagine if this continued for a few days. It would take a definite toll on your well-being, she said. Then, she asked the gathering to imagine a community in which every child has breakfast, goes to school with energy to learn, and graduating from school and college to repeat the cycle with his own children. If you can imagine, the possibilities are endless, she said. Krepps encouraged donors to donate what is most comfortable for them, adding that the donations may help a friend, neighbor or even yourself. The recent hurricanes that devastated Texas, Florida and other areas were also on the minds of the speakers. Krepps pointed to the service organizations, like the United Way, that have been active on the ground in the affected areas. They have been able to raise money, collect supplies, round up personnel and volunteers to help clean up those ravaged areas. For those of us who cant be there, we can donate, she said. The worldwide United Way has set up a website at unitedway.org/recovery through which individuals may make donations. One hundred percent of those donations will go directly to the United Ways in the affected communities. A panel discussion with leaders from companies that conduct strong employee giving campaigns talked about the importance of connecting to the community, why they invest in the United Way and the greatest concerns facing the community. Panelists were Nora Habig, administrative vice-president of M&T Bank, Ryan Heishman, president of Allen Distribution, and David Steitz, CEO of UMPC Pinnacle Carlisle. The event also featured a performance with assistance from the audience of Carlisle High Schools improv troupe, Wingin It. Kate Sainer performed a version of John Lennons Imagine for which Ron Lang had rewritten the lyrics to fit the United Way and the campaigns theme. As his students performed, Wingin It adviser Matt Fahnestock thanked the United Way partner agencies that work with children. Its incredible how well prepared these kids come to us in a number of ways, he said. New Delhi: The London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) has asked Vikram Bakshi, the estranged partner of McDonald's in India, to sell his stake in the JV firm CPRL to the US-based fast food chain, said sources. In its 2:1 majority award, the arbitration panel has asked Bakshi to transfer his 1,45,600 shares in the 50:50 joint venture Connaught Plaza Restaurant Ltd (CPRL) to McDonald's India at a fair valuation in accordance with their JV agreement, they said. The LCIA directed appointment of independent experts to determine fair market value for McDonald's to buy out Bakshi's stake, they added. The international arbitration tribunal in London has also rejected Bakshi's claim that McDonald's India did not validly terminate the JV. The CPRL, a JV between Vikram Bakshi and McDonald's India Pvt Ltd (MIPL), operates 169 McDonald's restaurants in north and east India. Of these, 43 outlets have been shut. As part of the licence termination, CPRL was asked to stop using McDonalds's name, system, trademark, designs and its associated intellectual property, among others, with effect from 6 September. The LCIA also noted that all shares held by Bakshi are liable to be transferred and registered in McDonald's India upon payment of price determined in accordance with the methodology set out by the JV agreement, according to sources. The arbitrator appointed by McDonald's and the Chairman, who was selected jointly by the both parties, have ruled in favour of McDonald's India, while Bakshi's nominee had a dissenting opinion, they added. The LCIA has also rejected Bakshi's relief seeking a declaration that the JV agreement remains in force and effect, they said. It has also asked Bakshi to cooperate with McDonald's in obtaining all approvals under applicable law. Commenting on the development, a McDonald's spokesperson said: "We are pleased with the decision by the Tribunal in what has been a protracted legal dispute with a former partner. Our intention now is to take the appropriate steps to enforce the award, which we believe is right for the business and our customers." There were, however, no immediate comments from Bakshi. Bakshi is at loggerheads with McDonald's since 2013. Later, he had approached the NCLT after McDonald's removed him from the post of Managing Director (MD) of CPRL in 2013. In July this year, the tribunal restored him to his position. It was challenged by McDonald's in the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) where the appeal is pending. Simultaneously, Bakshi also challenged the termination of franchise licence by McDonald's at the NCLAT but was refused any interim relief. Both the appeals filed by the parties are listed for hearing on 21 September. As part of the license termination, CPRL was asked to stop using McDonalds's name, system, trademark, designs and its associated intellectual property, among others, with effect from 6 September. Except the 43 outlets in the national capital that were shut in June due to non-renewal of eating house licences, the remaining ones continue to operate. Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has a group looking into cryptocurrencies as legal tender, a senior official said on Wednesday, but emphasised the central banks discomfort with bitcoin which has recently come under intense global regulatory scrutiny. Fiat will be when the Reserve Bank, for example, starts issuing digital currency which you can carry in cyberspace, you dont have physical currency in your pocket, Sudarshan Sen, an RBI executive director, said at a FinTech conference in Mumbai. As regards non-fiat cryptocurrencies, I think, we are not comfortable with them, Sen added. The central bank had not previously disclosed its plans on cryptocurrencies and Sen did not provide any details on where discussions on the issue stand. It was unclear whether the group at the RBI plan to issue a recommendation on cryptocurrencies to the government, or if the review is at an early or advanced stage. Bitcoin is a digital currency that enables individuals to transfer value to each other and pay for goods and services by-passing banks and the mainstream financial system. Bitcoin slid 6.6 percent on Friday, after reports that China was about to shut down local crypto-currency exchanges. On Tuesday, Britains Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warned that initial coin offerings (ICOs), the practice of creating and selling digital currencies to finance start-up projects, are very high risk and speculative. Jamie Dimon, chief executive of JPMorgan Chase & Co, also came out strongly against bitcoin this week dubbing it a fraud, and adding that it will blow up. The virtual currency, not backed by any government, has more than quadrupled in value since December to more than $4,100. "I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you." The revenge action genre in Hollywood climbed to newer heights with Liam Neeson's films, in which he took on sundry villains with minimal weapons and maximum attitude. The above dialogue, from Neeson's super-successful action film Taken 1 (2008), summarises the essence of nearly all the major action flicks, the actor has fronted over these past few years. And woe betide the goon he sets his sights on. Neeson, now 65, has announced that he'll be retiring from action films (in an interview, he said bluntly: "It's the age"). With no more Taken films to look forward to, we put together some of the most memorable Liam Neeson action outings: Taken Piere Morrel's 2008 film Taken was the initiation of the action franchise which went on to become a major money-spinner at the global box-office. Neeson essays the role of "a retired CIA agent who travels across Europe and relies on his skills to save his estranged daughter, who has been kidnapped while on a trip to Paris," as stated in the official synopsis of the film. Neeson's impeccable performance of a distressed father in search of his missing daughter, brought alive a more realistic superhero dad who is vengeful yet vulnerable. Unknown The 2011 Jaume Collet-Serra film Unknown, is an action-thriller that was equally gripping for its sheer suspense. The whole impostor angle gave the film a new dimension. Neeson played the character of a man who awakens from a coma (after meeting with an accident), only to discover that someone has taken on his identity and that no one, (not even his wife), believes him. With the help of a young woman, and a few of his benefactors, he sets out to prove who he is, states the film's official synopsis. What works for this film, and for many other Neeson starrers is the fact that he is a phenomenal actor who goes beyond the physical combats and touches the emotional sides too. The A-Team This 2010 multi-starrer The A-Team features the likes of Neeson (of course) along with Bradley Cooper, Quinton Jackson and Sharlto Copley as a group of Iraq War veterans looking to clear their name with the US military, who suspect the four men of committing a crime (they've been framed), as per the film's synopsis. Neeson essays the role of the group's leader, Hannibal and takes a center stage among relatively younger co-stars. Such is the enigma of Neeson, that his age seems just another set of numbers; he matches (and rather surpasses) his counterparts in some of the action sequences, thus cementing the fact that nobody does it better than him. The A-Team is directed by Joe Carnahan. The Grey Neeson, in his 2011 film The Grey again with director Joe Carnahan, makes for a realistic in-the-wild action hero. Set in Alaska, the film revolves around six oil workers whose plane crashes in the snow-capped mountains. They are led by a skilled huntsman (Neeson) to survival, but a pack of merciless wolves haunts their every step. Neeson very effortlessly slipped into the role of the huntsman and made the audiences believe that their journey amid the snowy terrain among the blood-thirsty wolves is rather real. Well, he does his action stuff, but the momentum that he is able to develop throughout the film makes it even more riveting. Batman Begins/TheDark Knight Rises It requires an actor of Neeson's calibre to pull off a villain's role with such aplomb that when he re-emerges in The Dark Knight Rises, audiences can't stop raving about the performance. Christopher Nolan gives Neeson one of the actor's most iconic on-screen avatars in the form of Henri Ducard (more commonly known Ra's Al Ghul), the leader of the League of Shadows. Neeson's role initially is presented as a mentor in Batman Begins, only to shock the audience by finally revealing that he is the reason behind all the chaos around Gotham, as shown in The Dark Knight Rises. Neeson lives the character, gifting all major Batman trilogy fans a villain to remember. Liam Neeson, your action avatar will be missed. "Words can inspire and words can destroy. Choose yours well," says The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari author Robin Sharma. Advice that may have served actress Priyanka Chopra well, as she finds herself in a row over her choice of words to describe the state of Sikkim. Chopra is currently in the Canadian capital at the Toronto International Film Festival with her production house's (Purple Pebble Pictures) latest offering, Pahuna. It is a Sikkimese film and is directed by Paakhi Tyrewala. While talking about the film's relevance in one of her interviews, Chopra said, "Sikkim is a small state in the Northeast of India which never had a film industry of its own or anyone who made films from there and this is the first film ever that came out from this region because it is very troubled with insurgency..." The two major loopholes in her statement 1. that Sikkim never had a film industry and that her film, Pahuna is the first ever to come out of the region; and 2. calling Sikkim an insurgency infested region led to a major backlash against the actress on social media. Many called out Priyanka, asking her to get her facts right. Here's what Twitterati had to say: Sikkim is one of the most peaceful states, dear Priyanka. We don't have any insurgency here. Plz comment responsibly.@priyankachopra Santosh Subba (@sonupondhak) September 13, 2017 Sikkim had a very evolved art industry with can give Bollywood run for their money @priyankachopra @PaakhiATyrewala binita chamling (@BinitaChamling) September 13, 2017 @priyankachopra get your facts right before speaking out. #Sikkim is one of the most beautiful states of our country. #NoInsurgencyInSikkim Jayesh Veeraraghavan (@JayeshRaghavan) September 14, 2017 @priyankachopra If you have no idea about Sikkim, don't speak about it then. "Big star" YESHI DORJEE BHUTIA (@ydbhutia) September 14, 2017 #PriyankaChopra says #Sikkim is a troubled state in interview 2 US media. Pea-sized brain, zero homework. Is this how u make money? Indira Laisram (@indira_laisram) September 13, 2017 Our bread and butter is #tourism. Do you know how adversely you have marred it ? Tk responsibility @priyankachopra #sikkim #PriyankaChopra zheelspeaks (@zheelspeaks) September 13, 2017 A recent report by EclecticNorthEast.in stated that Pahuna in fact is only a recent film; there have been numerous Sikkimese films in the past. Katha and Acharya by one of the region's talented filmmakers, Prashant Rasaily; this year's Lepcha film Dhokbu etc. Director Ugen Chatola has in fact made many films starring Bollywood actor Danny Denzongpa (who also hails from Sikkim) which have been commercially successful as well. It was earlier reported that the Sikkim Tourism Ministry was on board as a partner with Chopra's Pahuna team, as the film revolves around Sikkim and most of the cast and crew hail from the region. But with the recent turn of events, the Sikkim Tourism Ministry has reportedly reconsidered giving a grant to the film and demanded an apology from the actress, News 18 reported. Priyanka has now apologised to the Sikkim government, while her mother, Madhu Chopra, spoke with Sikkim Tourism Minister Ugen Gyatso, also extending an apology on the actress' behalf. Confirming the same, Gyatso told India Today Television: "Her mother spoke to me over (the) phone and has apologised for the comment." Pahuna The Little Visitors is a story about three Nepalese children who get separated from their parents. The film details their journey of escaping the Maoist agitation in Nepal and then fleeing to Sikkim. The film has premiered this year at TIFF 2017 and earned a lot of accolades. Chopra has been producing regional films, with her Marathi film Ventilator winning much acclaim (including the National Award) last year. Here's the controversial interview: Tamil Nadus murky politics is on the boil as the ruling AIADMK government of Chief Minister E Palanisamy is in the minority and fighting a fierce battle for survival. Arch rival and Sasikalas nephew TTV Dhinakaran, who has the support of 19 MLAs holed up in a resort in Coorg, is determined to vote out the government. Opposition leader and DMK strongman MK Stalin has requested the Tamil Nadu government for a floor test. All of this means confusion and bedlam in the state, and political analysts believe Tamil Nadu could soon be under the Presidents rule, with elections by the summer of 2018. Enter Kamal Haasan, who has been making political statements and creating waves, via his Twitter handle and his television show Big Boss Tamil. His meeting with CPI (M) leader and Kerala chief minister Pinnarayi Vijayan has set the ball rolling for his political entry. On Wednesday, Haasan indicated to journalist Subhash K Jha in an interview that he is seriously considering forming his own party. Haasan said, "Yes I am thinking along those lines, not out of choice but compulsion. Which existent political party can provide me with a platform or an ideology that will match my reformatory goals in politics?" It is the first clear sign that the actor is planning to form his own political party and wade into the murky waters of Tamil Nadu politics. A source close to the actor said: After the rout of Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran, there is going to be a change in Tamil Nadu politics. Kamal sir if he plays his card well, and with his clean image of a man who wants to change the corrupt system has a chance of doing something for Tamil Nadu. A lot of people see Kamal Haasan as a man who gets things done unlike other actors who only talk politics to further their film careers. Kamals Onam lunch with Pinnarayi Vijayan created the impression that he would join the CPI (M). His famous statement My colour is not saffron had analysts thinking that his preferred colour was perhaps, Marxist red. And sources within CPI (M) said that he would be attending a national seminar against communal fascism in Kozhikode organised by the party on Saturday, 16 September. However, Haasan tweeted that he wasn't invited for the meet, and that his Bigg Boss shoot would prevent him from attending even if he had been called. Embarrassing. Was not asked for Calicut meeting with Kerala CM. I am at Bigg boss all saturdays till Oct. Best wishes for the function. Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) September 13, 2017 The buzz in political circles is that Kamal Haasan is now clearly toying with the idea of floating a political party with what Kollywood people say would include Tamil sentiments, culture and ideology. It is worth noting that CPI(M) as a party currently does not have a single MLA or MP in Tamil Nadu and its influence is limited to parts of Tirupur and Thanjavur. The leadership over the years has played second fiddle to DMK and AIADMK, and has been unable to attract the youth. Kamal Haasan through social media (2.11 million followers on Twitter and growing) and his onscreen image does enjoy a good connect with the youth, and it will pay the actor political dividends to keep away from the left parties in the state. His sermons and statements via Bigg Boss, have currently made him 'red hot'. His fans feel that the time is ripe for the actor to float his own party and deliver. Kamals key advisors have asked him to project himself more as an alternative to Dravidian forces than joining a party which has no connect with the all-important youth voters. Haasan has formed a think tank to guide and advise him on how to go about it. And with political pundits predicting early elections, it is now or never for the actor to take the final plunge. Priyanka Chopra may have issued an apology for mistakenly referring to the state of Sikkim as 'troubled by insurgency' during an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival 2017 however the furor over her comments is far from dying down. The actress, who is promoting the Paakhi Tyrewala-directed film Pahuna (which Priyanka is producing) at TIFF 2017, faced a severe social media backlash after her comments during the interview came to light. People objected to her description of Sikkim as insurgency-hit, and of Pahuna as the 'first film' to come out of the state neither of which is true. Priyanka issued an apology to the government of Sikkim, and her mother, Madhu Chopra, also apologised to the Sikkim tourism minister Ugen Gyatso. However, in a press conference called by the Information and Public Relations Department, Government of Sikkim, on Thursday, it was announced that Priyanka would be required to screen Pahuna before a special committee in the state before the film's release. According to a report by the Sikkim Chronicle, special secretary IPR Namrata Thapa, secretary Chewang Zangpo and secretary Yasoda Bhandari said that committee would also be formed to draft a policy for filmmaking in Sikkim. In her apology letter to the Sikkim government, accessed by India Today and other publications, Priyanka said that her comments at TIFF had been misunderstood. Priyanka's letter stated: "I'm sorry I have to write to you under these circumstances, but I needed to clarify my stance in regards to the situation which has arisen due to a comment of mine during an interview for my film Pahuna, which was misunderstood. As you are aware, I hold the Government and the people of Sikkim in high regard and have in addition to Pahuna been looking to tell more great stories from Sikkim," she wrote. Priyanka explained that Pahuna dealt with the refugee crisis that Sikkim was dealing with (as other parts of the world were) and its message was one of hope and positivity. It was in this context that Priyanka said she had made the comment: "My comment, made during an interview at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival 2017, where Pahuna made its worldwide debut, was misconstrued. I was talking about the... subject of the film, where I mentioned how Sikkim was grappling with the refugee situation caused by insurgencies. I had meant the 'neighbouring countries'." Her letter ended with: "I am fully aware that Sikkim is an incredible host to so many refugees and our film shows exactly that through the children's point of view... I understand that the statement I made in the interview was open to interpretation. I should have been clearer with my intention. In no way did I intend to offend or hurt anyone's sentiments, and for that I apologise." Meanwhile, Sikkim MP Prem Das Rai said that Priyanka's comment was a mistake and there was no need to sensationalise the issue. "She definitely doesn't have her facts correct. Sikkim has been an insurgency free state for three decades but she didn't know that," Rai was quoted by news agency IANS as saying. "She has expressed regret over it. She is a star in her own right and Sikkim is a star in its own right. We should bury this issue without sensationalising it any further." Rai further added, "We should not make a mountain out of a molehill. Yes, she made a factually incorrect statement about an Indian state on an international platform, but everybody makes mistakes. It's okay." This Friday, Bollywood is all set to witness a face-off between Farhan Akhtar and Kangana Ranaut as their films Lucknow Central and Simran hit the theatres. Easing the tension is Rishi Kapoor-Paresh Rawal starrer comedy Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi. The Tamil film industry has two big, yet unconventional releases lined up Vishal's Thupparivaalan and Jyothika-starrer Magalir Mattum. Simran What's it about: Directed by Hansal Mehta and featuring Kangana Ranaut, Simran is definitely one of the most awaited releases this season. It is a story of an NRI Gujarati divorcee named Praful Patel (played by Ranaut) who also suffers from chronic kleptomania. She is trying to finding herself through the film, where she meets various people; develops a penchant for gambling; and tries to attain control over her life, shunning every inhibition and restriction. Who is in it: Kangana Ranaut, Mark Justice, Sohum Shah, Catherine Dyer, Evette Young, Jeff Rose Why it may work: The trailer established that Simran essentially belongs to the domain of slice-of-life films, much like Ranaut's Queen. But it also has a layered plot using Ranaut's character as the conduit to mark those variations Praful the single woman, Praful the aspiring independent woman, Praful the pathological kleptomaniac and so much more. Both Ranaut and Mehta are acclaimed professionals in their respective artforms, hence we can expect something worthwhile and intellectually stimulating from their collaboration. Lucknow Central What's it about: Farhan Akhtar-starrer Lucknow Central is another prison band film that has a similiar premise to Yash Raj Film's Qaidi Band. However, unlike Qaidi Band, the supporting cast of Lucknow Central boasts of some phenomenal actors. The film revolves around a group of undertrials who seek freedom through their pursuit of music within the Lucknow Central prison. The film, very slyly, also comments upon the dubious judiciary system of India and the deplorable state of prisons across the country. Who is in it: Farhan Akhtar, Gippy Grewal, Deepak Dobriyal, Inaamulhaq, Rajesh Sharma, Diana Penty, Ronit Roy Why it may work: So far, the movie with its trailer and music has been able to create a fairly positive vibe around the film. Akhtar is usually known for his content-driven films (both as an actor as well as director-producer). With such a phenomenal and diverse supporting cast, the film promises to deliver a hard-hitting yet emotional story. Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi What's it about: Sanjay Chhel's upcoming romantic comedy Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi revisits the old inter-state rivalry sugar coated in humour. The film will put a Gujarati household in a face-off with a Punjabi one and what unfolds is a laugh riot with many regional punches and poking on the age-old stereotypes of Gujjus being money-minded "uncools" and Punjabis being "drunkards". Who is in it: Rishi Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, Vir Das, Payal Ghosh Why it may work: With Rawal and Kapoor being veterans in the comedy forte, and Das' youth appeal, the homour packed film is indeed the need of the hour. Thupparivaalan What's it about: Mysskin's upcoming Tamil film with Vishal is a crime-thriller inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic Sherlock Holmes. By the poster itself, one can easily make out how strong the influence is. Who is in it: Vishal, Prasanna, Andrea Jeremiah, Anu Emmanuel Why it may work: If the makers say Holmes is an inspiration, it can be assumed that the plot of the film will be substantial. Crime-detective thrillers can easily drift towards the realms of predictability, but this one promises to be an entertainer. Moreover, amid all the action-oriented Tamil flicks recently, a sleuth tale will only be a breath of fresh air. Magalir Mattum What's it about: The English translation of Magalir Mattum is 'Women Only'; and that is the crux of this film. The film revolves around three women, who were old school friends. They decide to meet after a long time and ensure that they make it to the reunion. Through the film, some light is also thrown on the hassles a working woman has to go through, both in the personal and professional spheres. Who is in it: Jyothika, Urvashi, Bhanupriya, Saranya Ponvannan, Nassar, Livingston Why it may work: Directed by Bramma, the film has a strong and much-relevant message in today's time and age. With the ongoing debate around feminism, a film like Magalir Mattum becomes all the more important. Ahead of the release of Tamil star Vishal's film Thupparivaalan, he tipped the Chennai police in a film piracy case and got the admin of an infamous Tamil film piracy website arrested. According to a report by The Indian Express, Gowri Shankar, identified as the admin of Tamilgun.in, was arrested by the Triplicane Police on Tuesday. The same report states that Shankar, along with Tamilgun.in, allegedly administers 33 other fishy websites including some porn sites. The piracy accused has been booked under the video piracy act. He is currently being questioned by the Chennai city crime branch. Initially, he was also suspected to be the admin of another notorious piracy website Tamilrockers. However, after further investigation, the assumption was ruled out. Both these websites were infamous for leaking Tamil films online, hours after their release, reports The Indian Express. Tamilrockers came into limelight after it threatened Singam 3 makers that they would live-stream the film on the day of its release, reports India Today. The same website was also responsible for leaking Ajith's latest venture Vivegam on the day of its release, adds The Indian Express. Soon after Shankar's arrest, Vishal, who is also the president of the Tamil Nadu Film Producers' Council, addressed the press at the police station and said, "This is related to website piracy. A person who is behind one of such sites has been nabbed and is now in custody. Please give some time and we will announce all the details after investigation." He also revealed that he tipped the police in the case, which led to Shankar's arrest, as per The Indian Express. Vishal has been on the forefront in fighting the piracy plague in the Tamil film industry for quite some time now. In 2014, Vishal was reported to have raided a video shop in Tirupur and got hold of many pirated CDs, as per the India Today report. Vishal's Thupparivaalan is directed by Mysskin, and also stars Prasanna, Andrea Jeremiah and Anu Emmanuel. The film is touted to be loosely inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, adds the India Today report. The film hits the theatres on Thursday. With Rajasthan Police giving a clean chit to all the six accused named by Pehlu Khan in his dying declaration, the family of the dairy farmer from Haryana's Muslim-dominated Nuh district who was brutally beaten by cow vigilantes in April this year said they will fight to get justice for him. Khan's son, Irshad, told the media in his village Jaisinghpur, 15 kilometres from Nuh town, that they will ensure that those behind his murder get punished. He said they will move the Supreme Court to seek justice for Khan. His comments follow reports that the Crime Investigation Department-Crime Branch (CID-CB) of Rajasthan Police has given a clean chit to the six accused, who were named in the case by Khan and others in neighbouring Rajasthan's Alwar district in April. "These six accused were the main people who stopped our vehicle and started beating us up. They were joined by 15-20 others. We tried to show them papers that we were dairy farmers who were bringing the cows for dairy farming from a government fair (mela) but they tore up the papers and attacked us," Irshad Khan said. "Six persons have been given a clean chit in the investigation into the Pehlu Khan case. Nine others, however, will face criminal charges," ADG (CID-CB), Pankaj Kumar Singh said. The clean chit was given on the basis of statements of those present at the scene of the crime, photographs, and mobile phone location records, he said. Those absolved were Hukum Chand, Om Prakash, Sudhir Yadav, Rahul Saini, Navin Sharma and Jagmal Yadav, Singh told PTI. Khan had named the six as being part of the mob that had attacked him, he said. The 'Pehlu Khan lynching case', which triggered a massive furore, was handed over to the crime investigation department-crime branch (CID-CB) in July. The CB-CID had on 1 September, handed over its report to the Alwar police, officials said. Pehlu Khan, 55, died from the assault by the cow vigilantes. Others, including his sons, received serious injuries in the unprovoked attack. Having seen his father being mercilessly beaten with sticks, rods, and belts by the vigilantes, Irshad says he is even now unable to comprehend why all this happened to them. "They targetted us for being Muslims. Our father was beaten to death in front of our eyes. We had done nothing wrong. The cows were being brought for dairy farming," Irshad had said earlier. Pehlu Khan is survived by his wife, who has suffered a paralytic attack, and eight children, the youngest ones aged seven and five. Both Rajasthan, where the attack took place, and Haryana have Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments and Hindu activist groups are active in these states. The Nuh district in southwest Haryana is Muslim dominated. Of the nearly 11 lakh population of the district in the 2011 Census, nearly 80 per cent is that of Muslims. The district headquarters town of Nuh is located around 70 kilometres from New Delhi. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Ismail, responsible for the Amarnath Yatra attack on 10 July which killed seven pilgrims, has been shot dead in an encounter in a fierce gun battle in Nowgamr on the outskirts of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. Along with Ismail, another militant was also killed, reported ANI. Speaking to Times Now, SP Vaid, DGP, Jammu and Kashmir, said: "It is a huge blow to LeT. Ismail was involved in a number terror operations." Vaid also said the encounter took place successfully with the support of the people, intelligence network and coordination between all forces. CNN-News18 reported that the DGP confirmed Ismail's killing. The encounter operation involved the Indian Army, CRPF platoons and other forces. As Firspost had reported earlier, a manhunt to hunt down Ismail, a Pakistani national, following an attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in July. Seven yatris had died in the attack. Ismail is beleived to be the mastermind behind the terror attack. Vaid had then said that the investigation in the Amarnath Yatra attack has revealed that it was carried out by Ismail. Ismail had replaced former LeT commander Abu Dujana following the latter's death during an encounter in August. Of the seven dead, five belonged to Gujarat while two were from Maharashtra. According to police officials, Ismail was active in South Kashmir for nearly a year, and was involved in a number of militant attacks including the attack at a DPS building as well as the attacks on forces on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway. The attack near the Indian Army headquarters in Srinagar had left an assistant sub inspector of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and a constable dead and three soldiers injured. With inputs from agencies Getting married because of the desire to have children was once the standard practice for young couples. Decades later, those same persons who have become widowed or divorced face an ironic twist in their thinking about marriage. They might wonder if remarriage must be avoided for the sake of their first family and their own personal economic well-being. A scholarly article published in August 2012 by the National Council on Family Relations concluded that older unmarried adults are as likely to form a cohabiting union as a marriage. Once formed, later life cohabitations tend to endure, indicating that cohabitation serves a unique function for older adults: It is a long-term alternative to marriage. The article cited Census data that show that the number of cohabitating couples who are old enough to collect Social Security more than doubled from 1.2 million in 2000 to 2.75 million in 2010. A variety of issues deserve thoughtful consideration and guidance with respect to the effect of a second marriage. Prenuptial agreements can address the effect on a family business, childrens expectations of an inheritance and other issues. Although prenuptial agreements cannot offer absolute protection against the cost of long-term care, it is usually unnecessary to conclude that marriage should be avoided. It is upsetting when a government program discourages or penalizes remarriage. For example, the federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will terminate a survivors pension if a widow of a veteran remarries. A widow who remarries before age 60 is more likely to lose benefits than one who remarries after age 62. Progressive federal income tax rates cause middle-class individuals who have similar taxable incomes to pay more total tax if they marry than if they remain unmarried. Court-ordered alimony after a divorce can be terminated automatically by remarriage. However, if a payer of alimony can prove that the payee is cohabitating continuously, a court could order termination of alimony even without remarriage. If one individual has substantial debt and a poor credit rating because of circumstances which occurred prior to meeting the cohabitating partner, the wealthier partner might be wise to avoid a legal union that could jeopardize a solid asset structure and excellent credit history. It is surprising for a married person whose assets are accounted for individually to discover that the government does not consider prenuptial agreements during eligibility decisions for certain benefits. Even if a second marriage was entered into for moral reasons with a clearly documented understanding that the remarried couple would maintain their finances separately, the government will ignore the prenuptial agreement and require that the assets be evaluated as if combined. It can be a pleasant surprise to the well spouse who is considering divorce as a defense against the cost of a spouses long-term care to discover that more of the combined assets of a cohabitating couple can be saved from the cost of long-term care if they are married than if they are cohabitating as individuals. In one case, an indigent ex-wife and her ex-husband no longer had a romantic relationship, but they had somewhat reconciled after divorce to live as best friends in separate bedrooms in his home. She and her two adult children were amused to discover that it would be beneficial to remarry her ex-husband at the time he entered a nursing home. Remarriage of the unconventional parents gave Mom a legal right to claim Dads modest home as her own. Adult children whose parents have remarried and created a step-family have reason to be concerned about filial responsibility. Pennsylvanias laws cause an adult child to be personally liable to a nursing home for the cost of the care of their legal parent if the parent cannot qualify for Medicaid after all assets have been depleted. Imagine the frustration of a blameless adult child who discovers that a parents Medicaid eligibility was denied because a step-parent had given money to his or her children in a manner that violated Medicaid regulations! Cohabitation agreements that are drafted before the time of a long-term care crisis could help to protect assets of a well-second-spouse and the adult children of the infirmed-second-spouse. For example, transfers of assets between two cohabitating but unmarried individuals, during a five year period before an application for Medicaid to pay for nursing care, would on the surface cause the Department of Human services (DHS) to penalize the transfer as a gift without compensation. This would require private payment of care, after the infirmed-second-spouses assets were depleted. A nursing home would have no financial recourse but to initiate a collection action against the well-second-spouse and/or the adult children of the infirmed-second-spouse. Occasionally, when married persons have drifted apart or separated their assets, a well spouse in the community will refuse to cooperate with anothers application for Medicaid. Reasons can vary and include: spousal abuse; existence of a prenuptial agreement; dementia of the community spouse; or greed of the family. There is no regulatory provision in Pennsylvania to permit spousal refusal. When spousal refusal occurs, usually DHS may approve an application for Medicaid using an analysis as if the applicant were a single person, while reserving the legal right to go after the refusing spouse for payment. Since hardship, such as documented spousal abuse, is normally needed for a refusing spouse to defend against a DHS collection action, and there are legal techniques by which marital assets may be transferred to the spouse of an applicant for Medicaid, spousal refusal is normally not a good idea. Because a future need for long-term care is probable for at least one person in 60% of married couples over age 65, individuals would be wise to seek the advice of an elder law attorney, whether they are tying the knot in a second marriage or choosing to cohabitate otherwise. Estate planning documents and prenuptial or cohabitating agreements need special provisions to enable future asset protection during a probable long-term nursing home care event. Proper legal strategy can shelter substantial assets from the cost of long-term care of a second spouse without jeopardizing a family business or childrens inheritances. Family planning to consider the probability of long-term care needs of second marriages and cohabitating seniors does not need to take the romance out of a relationship any more than family planning does for those of child-bearing age. Kolkata: Amid frenzied drum beats and a shower of flower petals, BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday visited a party activists' house for lunch and interacted with his family. On the final day of his three-day tour of the city, Shah, accompanied by other national and state Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, reached the house of Manas Sen on Lock Gate Road in north Kolkata's Cossipore. Hundreds of BJP activists and other curious onlookers gathered outside 46 HR Lock Gate Road since morning to have a glimpse of their leader, who is making all efforts to connect with the grassroots level of the party in Bengal where the BJP is planning to make fast inroads. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Shah ate rice, dal, potato and parwal fries, vegetables, papaya chutney, salad and sweets on an earthen plate with state BJP president Dilip Ghosh by his side. The party's national General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya and national Secretary Rahul Sinha were also present. Visibly ecstatic about the BJP chief's visit, Sen's family members said they were happy that Shah liked the arrangements and thanked him for listening to their woes. The family are old supporters of the BJP. "He liked the food. We arranged a complete Bengali platter for him. He tried all the dishes. We are very happy and honoured by his visit," said Sen's elder sister, who cooked the food along with other women in the house. Sen, who works in the sales department of a private retail store, said Shah inquired about the party's local infrastructure and asked him to get in touch with the party leadership in case of any problems. "He asked me about the party's local infrastructure and how it is functioning in the area. I told him it is improving in spite of the obstacles. I am sure the enthusiasm among the local BJP supporters would increase after his visit," he claimed. During his last visit to the state, Shah had lunch in the house of a Dalit couple in north Bengal's Naxalbari and also visited the residence of a sugarcane seller in Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee's constituency in South Kolkata's Bhawanipore. For the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Gujarat, the very presence of Narendra Modi be it as the chief minister or the prime minister electrifies the cadres. And when that happens with the party facing the crucial Gujarat Assembly election in three months, the cadres couldn't be happier. Modi has come with more than his usual poll rhetoric, and that too around a time when the Gujarat polls are happening for the first time in his absence. He has come with a gift. The ambitious bullet train that promises to collapse the geographical distances between two cousins Ahmedabad and Mumbai, split only by political boundaries in the sixties it only adds to the euphoria. The BJP was increasingly missing the Modi Magic. The ground breaking ceremony for the 508-kilometre Rs 1,08,000-crore bullet train project in Ahmedabad on Thursday created an atmosphere as though the train was ready to chug off! Even a few TV channels used terms like 'inaugurating bullet train' in their headlines. That the bullet train will be completed only by 2022-23 was lost on most of those present at the event. In fact, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis seemed so excited that he wanted Modi to inaugurate the train in Mumbai, even though he noted that the ground breaking was taking place in Gujarat. Gujaratis, who have always been enamoured with Modi's smart abbreviations and alliterations were in for a change when Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe went one up on Modi to say that the marriage of the first two letters of Japan and the first one India makes it a win-win formula for both countries. Amid loud applause, including from Modi who was visibly elated to hear this, Abe said, "With Japan's Ja and India's I, it becomes 'Jai'. Jai Japan, Jai India." Gujaratis are known to lap it up with great awe when a foreign dignitary calls Narendra Modi a friend. In this case, Abe started his speech with 'Namaskar' and went on to say that he "loved Gujarat" and he would wish to "come here again with Narendra Modi in the bullet train, chatting and looking at the beautiful countryside from the window." He not only called Japan an old friend of India, remembering how he addressed the Indian Parliament ten years ago, but Modi a "dear friend and a world leader." Often breaking into Gujarati in his Hindi speech, Narendra Modi called him India's, Gujarat's and "my personal dear friend." The bullet train may come whenever it does, but for the moment the BJP in Gujarat has already hopped on to it under the guidance of Modi and hopes to travel on it at least the December Assembly elections. New Delhi: Begging will not be decriminalised, the Centre on Thursday said changing its stance in the Delhi High Court, which termed the move as "unfortunate". The government, which had earlier informed the court that the Ministry of Social Justice had drafted a bill to decriminalise begging and rehabilitate beggars and homeless people, took a U-turn saying it has now dropped the proposal to amend the legislation. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar noted that the government took one year to produce the draft bill before changing its decision. "You (Centre) were taking one year time to produce this draft bill. It is very unfortunate. We are only concerned with Delhi and not the legislation as a whole," the bench said. The Centre's standing counsel Monika Arora and advocate Harsh Ahuja said, "We are not decriminalising it (begging). The proposal is dropped. The central government has no Act on begging. The states are empowered to do on their own." To this, the bench said the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act was extended to Delhi by a central government amendment and Delhi government cannot bring any notification on its own to remove it. The court noted in its order that while the Centre had earlier said it was proposing an Act to decriminalise begging, the Union of India has now taken a view that it will not decriminalise begging. "In fact that day, the Centre's counsel had given an undertaking to bring the draft proposal," the bench said and listed the matter for hearing arguments on 14 November. The court was hearing two PILs seeking basic human and fundamental rights for beggars in the national capital and for decriminalising begging. Petitioners Harsh Mandar and Karnika Sawhney have also sought basic amenities like proper food and medical facilities at all beggars' homes in the city. The bench had earlier pulled up the Centre for not amending the law to decriminalise begging and rehabilitate the beggars even after an undertaking was given by it a year ago. The Centre and the AAP government had in October 2016 informed the court that the Ministry of Social Justice had drafted a bill to decriminalise begging and rehabilitate beggars and homeless people. The court had directed the ministry to place on record a copy of the draft legislation - The Persons in Destitution (Protection, Care and Rehabilitation) Model Bill, 2016. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for one of the petitioners, had earlier said that thousands of poor persons were detained due to operation of the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, which provides drastic sentences. The law prescribes a penalty of more than three years of jail in case of first conviction for begging and the person can be ordered to be detained for 10 years in subsequent conviction, he said. Currently, there is no central law on begging and destitution and most states have adopted the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959, which criminalises beggary, or have modelled their laws on it. The two petitions have challenged the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act. Their pleas were first filed in the Supreme Court from where they were transferred to the Delhi High Court. The high court in October 2015 was told that the Delhi Police was assisting the AAP government in removing beggars from tourist spots, traffic intersections and religious places. Kolkata: The CPM's West Bengal State Secretariat on Wednesday recommended summary expulsion of party MP Ritabrata Banerjee on charge of serious breach of party discipline. The recommendation, however, was not publicly announced as it has to be ratified by the party Central Committee, the sources said. Communist Party of India-Marxist State Secretary Surjya Kant Misra refused to give details. "You will come to know about the decision when it is publicly announced at the appropriate time. I have seen a lot of people come and go," he said. The move came after the parliamentarian, in an interview with a television channel, had taken a dig at the party leadership and accused the leadership of being anti-Bengali. Rajya Sabha MP Banerjee has courted controversy in the past. He was suspended by the party on June 2 for three months over his alleged lavish lifestyle, being accused of spending Rs 69.25 lakh on travel expenses in a year. The CPM West Bengal state committee had in August recommended punitive action against party Rajya Sabha member over lifestyle-related allegations. Mishra had said the three-member commission formed to look into the allegations found basis in the charges, though the final decision would be taken by the Central Committee. The party had in February issued a "public warning" to Banerjee for threatening a party supporter who had raised questions in the social media about the source of funds of the young leader's expensive watch and pen. Jalpaiguri: Ousted Gorkha Janamukti Morcha leader Binay Tamang on Thursday asserted that the fight for Gorkhaland state would continue but appealed for withdrawal of the three-month-old shut down as it was impeding the flow of life in the northern West Bengal hills. Tamang said they would formulate alternative strategies to put pressure on the Centre and the state government to fulfill their demand. "Our agitation for separate Gorkhaland will go on. We will formulate strategies to put pressure on the Centre and state government. But the common people in the hills are facing a lot of harassment due to the shutdown," Tamang said outside Siliguri special correctional home after meeting GJM leaders and activists, who were put behind bars during the ongoing agitation. "The common people here are under a lot of stress. The festive season is coming. I have already appealed to the people to withdraw the shutdown after the second phase of meeting on 12 September," he said. He, however, refused to disclose if there was any pressure from the government to withdraw the ongoing shutdown. Tamang said they would stick to the demand of immediate release of all party activists and supporters who have been placed in judicial custody in the last three months of the current agitation and would take legal steps if needed. "During the first phase of the all-party meeting in Kolkata, we demanded the immediate release of all the 119 GJM leaders and activists. This was discussed at length even in the second phase of the meeting. We will take up the necessary legal procedure to ensure their release," he said. Taking an obvious dig at GJM chief Bimal Gurung who is in hiding for more than two months after a police raid at his house and General Secretary Roshan Giri, Tamang claimed that he was the only one leading the movement from among the people. Referring to the shops and schools that have reopened in the hills in the last two days, Tamang said normalcy was being resorted, but they would still have to take confidence-building measures among the locals who were threatened and intimidated by a section of the party leadership. GJM chief Bimal Gurung expelled Tamang from the party earlier this month after he announced the temporary withdrawal of the shutdown for 12 days. The party leadership also accused him of conspiring with the state government to derail the Gorkhaland movement. Tamang, on the other hand, refuted the charges and claimed that he is still part of GJM as he was neither issued a show-cause notice nor given a termination letter from the party's central committee. New Delhi: In the backdrop of recent incidents of crime on school campuses, a high-level committee of the Delhi government has floated a proposal to ensure that institutes monitor buses and vans ferrying students, a senior government official said. The proposal is likely to be made part of the Delhi School Cab Rules, 2017, which is expected to come into effect by the end of this year, he said. "The rules to be framed by the Transport Department through amendments in the School Cab Policy, 2007, will address issues like maximum seating capacity, verification of staff, besides ensuring responsibility of school administrations towards safety of children", the official said. The committee was formed amid increased concern over safety of students after the alleged rape of a five-year-old girl at her school in Shahdara and the killing of a seven-year-old boy in Gurugram's Ryan International. The director of the Delhi government's Education Directorate will head the committee comprising school principals, police officials and other stakeholders. "The committee will look into all safety aspects be it in transport or the conduct of the non-teaching staff. It will submit its recommendations within a month," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said. Following the alleged rape of the girl, Sisodia, on 11 September, had ordered schools here to install CCTV cameras covering their entire premises and complete police verification of their non-teaching staff within three weeks. Over 10,000 private vans and buses are hired for ferrying school children in Delhi, a transport department official claimed. He said that till July, 900 vans were impounded and close to 2,000 fined for flouting permit norms as part a drive. New Delhi: A 30-year-old taxi driver has been arrested for allegedly raping a 23-year-old woman at a park near Red Fort, the police said. The incident occurred Wednesdsay. The woman has alleged that the accused, Chunnu Kumar raped her on the pretext of dropping her to a bus stand from where she could go to Ludhiana, they said. The police said that the complainant claimed that after visiting her brother's house in Noida, she came to the New Delhi Railway Station on 11 September night and bought a ticket of a Ludhiana-bound train. The train was scheduled to depart around 4.30 am on 12 September, they said. The police said that she came out of the waiting room around 2 am and Kumar, started a conversation with her. She alleged that he lied to her that the train had been cancelled and offered to drop her till the bus stand so that she could go to Ludhiana. However, Kumar allegedly took her to a secluded part of the Golden Jubilee Park near Red Fort and raped her. He dropped her at the Old Delhi Railway Station and fled, they said. She approached the police and Kumar, a resident of Shastri Park, was arrested, they said. New Delhi: One of the most wanted criminals of Delhi, Sonu Dariyapur, who carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, was arrested from Narela on Thursday following a brief exchange of fire, the police said. Thirty-eight-year-old Satyawan alias Sonu Dariyapur was involved in more than 10 cases of murder, extortion and abduction in Delhi and Haryana. He also faced cases under the Arms Act. Delhi Police had announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh on information leading to his arrest. Haryana Police too announced a reward of Rs 50,000. He was arrested Thursday morning when he was returning to Delhi from Himachal Pradesh, where he had been hiding, police said. In a shootout on 30 April, gangster Monu Dariyapur, his personal security officers, Delhi Police ASI Vijay Kumar and constable Kuldeep, and two others, Arun Shastri and Yogesh, were attacked in outer Delhi's Mianwali Nagar. Some armed men, including Sonu Dariyapur, had fired more than three dozen bullets leading to the deaths of Monu, Kumar and Shastri. Monu was previously a member of Sonu Dariyapur's gang. Both of them were friends but the relationship got bitter after Monu fell in love with Sonu's cousin and subsequently married her. Enraged at the alliance, Sonu had vowed to kill Monu. A team of Delhi Police's Special Cell had been working for the past few months to arrest Sonu. Police was keeping a tab on his social media profiles that he had created in fictitious names. An officer privy to the investigation said that he used to interact with his accomplices through Facebook Messenger. He had created a Facebook account using a fake name. He mainly used WhatsApp calling to avoid his calls being intercepted by the police. He also used the Telegram app to interact with his gang members, the officer said. In the four months after the shootout, the police teams were sent to different places of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to nab the accused. He kept on changing locations and was surviving on financial aid from the rents on properties he had bought in fake names. He was maintaining a low-profile ever since the first arrest was made in the shootout, but his accomplices were carrying on his extortion business. A team was stationed in Himachal Pradesh since he was hiding there but it was learnt that the accused is leaving for Delhi. The police teams were deployed at strategic locations in cars and on motorcycles to nab the accused. Meanwhile, the team from Himachal Pradesh also reached the spot. At about 5 am on Thursday, the staff deployed on motorcycles at Singhu Border informed that Sonu Dariyapur had been spotted in a white i20 car with a Haryana registration number, said Sanjeev Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell). He was seen heading towards Delhi from Haryana side. The accused person's car was stopped by police teams near NIT Road, Narela. When he could not find any way to escape, he immediately took out his pistol and fired two bullets at the police team, but both the bullets hit the bulletproof jackets of an assistant sub-inspector and an inspector, said the officer. The police team also fired in retaliation. The team nabbed Sonu Dariyapur and snatched his pistol which was found loaded with 13 live cartridges. Police also found another pistol loaded with four live cartridges from beneath the driver's seat. The white colour car in which he was travelling was the one in which he had arrived and killed Monu and others in April, he said. Sonu Dariyapur's arrest comes after a series of arrests made in the sensational Mianwali Nagar shoot-out case, the police said. Six accused persons, Naveen Khatri, Sandee, Sonu alias Kejriwal, Sumit alias Palotra, Satish and Rajesh alias Rajje, had been arrested by the special cell earlier but the mastermind, Sonu Dariyapur, remained on the run. A reward of Rs one lakh was declared on each of the associates. One of his other associates, Vijay Lamba, wanted in the shootout case, was still on the run. In 2006, Sonu Dariyapur tried to kill his cousin and Monu by firing at them. But, the couple had a narrow and lucky escape but one person, Braham, was killed in the incident. In 2009, Sonu Dariyapur and his associates killed Monu Dariyapurs brother Sudhir Kumar in Najafgarh. Were the Governments of India and Oman, and perhaps even the Vatican on the same page in the release of Father Tom Uzhunnalil, who was held captive in Yemen for the past 18 months? And did Indias most popular Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj retweet her own old rescue tweets to 'cover up' the embarrassment? Omans official news agency tweeted the release of Uzhunnalil at 8.32 am (10.02 IST). Swarajs first tweet on the release appeared at 3.40 pm IST over five hours after the Oman agencys first tweet: However, the tweet had originally gone out over 12 hours prior. Note the time stamp that reads 3.10 am. In a statement shared in the tweet by the Oman News Agency, the Oman government said that Uzhunnalil was released in response to Oman ruler Sultan Qaboos bin Saids order as per the request from the Vatican government. The concerned authorities in the Sultanate, in coordination with the Yemeni authorities, has managed to find a Vatican government employee. He was transferred this morning to Muscat in preparation for his return home, the statement read. The statement did not have any mention of the Indian governments role in his release. In Oman, when the first statement issued in the morning and the second one at 6.46 pm did not have any mention of the Indian governments role in the release, in New Delhi, Indian minister Swaraj started to retweet the tweets of earlier rescue operations. In a series of tweets, the minister relived the rescue mission of Sister Sally in 2016 from Yemen, Judith DSouzas release from Afghanistan and in 2016 and Father Alex Prem Kumars release from Afghanistan in 2015. Bino PP, a resident in Muscat, said it was strange that the minister felt the need to retweet her old tweets. "She is the best external affairs minister I have seen in Indian history. She has stayed awake late at night when the entire world was sleeping to coordinate rescue operations in Yemen," Bino said. We respect her. She is doing a great job. We all know that she has played a vital role in the release. So, she doesnt have to retweet her old tweets to prove herself, Bino added. According to sources in Muscat, the rescue of Uzhunnalil was secured by Vatican and Oman government. There are unconfirmed reports that money was paid and a chartered flight was flown to Muscat from Vatican to fly Uzhunnalil back to Rome, a source who is familiar with the issue said. Father George Muttathara, house superior at Salesian Bengaluru Province, confirmed over the phone to Firstpost on Tuesday night at around 9.30 pm IST that Uzhunnalil has reached Rome. Some six months ago also, serious talks were held by interested parties and Indian mission officials in finding Uzhunnalil s location in Yemen. Oman and Yemen share a border and in the past too several abducted and stranded foreign nationals were rescued and brought to Oman. Oman is the only country in the Gulf which has not joined the Saudi-led coalition bombing Yemen to flush out Houthi rebels in the country. Uzhunnalil was kidnapped on 4 March, 2016, after suspected Islamic terrorists attacked a home for the elderly run by Missionaries of Charity nuns in Yemen city of Aden. Sixteen people, including four nuns, were shot dead and the priest, who was serving as the house chaplain was kidnapped. In August, Swaraj had told a delegation from his Salesian religious order that Uzhunnalil was alive and could be released soon. The minister also reportedly had told the group that securing his freedom is among the highest priorities of the Indian government. In a letter dated 28 March, 2016 addressed to the Minister of External Affairs, the Indian bishops too had appealed to the government to trace and rescue Uzhunnalil. Messages were sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath Singh, and Swaraj soliciting their urgent intervention to ensure the safety of Uzhunnalil. Since his kidnapping, Salesians in Bengaluru have made continued efforts for his safety and release. Both the Indian government and the Salesians have played a vital role in his release, Thomas, Uzhunnalil's cousin said. But the mystery over the external affairs ministers tweets and a possible lack of coordination in this specific case ring loud and clear. Gorakhpur: Another clerk of the BRD Medical College was arrested on Thursday in the wake of deaths of scores of children in the state-run facility last month, police said. With this, eight of the nine persons named in the FIR have been held. "Clerk Uday Pratap Sharma was nabbed near Gorakhpur railway station," Gorakhpur Senior Superintendent of Police Anirudh Sidhartha Pankaj told PTI. Former chief pharmacist of the medical college, Gajanan Jaiswal, had surrendered in a city court on Wednesday and sent him to 14-day judicial custody. The Uttar Pradesh Police had on Wednesday arrested clerk Sanjay Tripathi while another clerk Sudhir Pandey was arrested near Khajanchi Chowk area in Gorakhpur last week. Earlier, the former head of the anaesthesia department, Dr Satish, had surrendered in the anti-corruption court in Gorakhpur. On 2 September, ex-chief of the encephalitis wing of the hospital, Dr Kafeel Khan was arrested, while the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force had arrested ex-principal Rajiv Mishra and his wife Purnima Shukla on 29 August. Mishra was suspended as principal of the medical college on 12 August after the deaths were reported. He had resigned the same day taking moral responsibility. The ninth accused against whom non-bailable warrant had been issued is the oxygen supplier Manish Bhandari. A committee headed by chief secretary Rajive Kumar probing the Gorakhpur tragedy had recommended initiating criminal action against Mishra, Dr Satish, Dr Khan and Pushpa Sales, the supplier of oxygen cylinders. More than 60 children, mostly infants, had died at the hospital within a week last month. There were allegations that the deaths occurred due to a disruption in oxygen supply over unpaid bills to the vendor. The state government has vehemently denied that shortage of oxygen led to the deaths. Mishra was accused of sitting over the issue of payments to the vendor supplying oxygen to the hospital. A local businessman is charged with several felonies after a grand jury found probable cause he misused funds from a business he owns with two other individuals. Matt Burgess, 33, of Farmington, is charged with four class C felonies of receiving stolen property and a class D felony of stealing. The case went before the grand jury, which handed down the charges. He was arrested Sept. 1 and booked at the St. Francois County Jail, and later released on a $70,000 bond. According to a probable cause statement, on June 20 an officer with the Farmington Police Department was contacted by a business partner of Burgess and another individual. The three were partners in a corporation titled Farmington Mo. Medical, LLC. The man gave paperwork to the officer on behalf of the business and other partner. According to the man he was the controlling member of the corporation. In the statement he provided, on Jan. 1 the corporation had $1,853.89 in a bank in Farmington. There were $8,013.08 in deposits which were accounted for and approved, and he said Burgess made four unauthorized transactions that were not used for company business from the account totaling $9,146.95. The man told the investigator he had been contacting Burgess since April 21 to account for the withdrawals and Burgess has not been willing to respond. St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorney Jerrod Mahurin said the reporting party gave a lot more information during the grand jury hearing. He talked about the sizable transactions that took place, said Mahurin. I believe there were five transactions dealing with funds that had been used improperly. Some of it occurred even after we received the initial probable cause statement. Mahurin said the witness statements and testimony were much more comprehensive and the additional information provided the basis on which the charges that were filed. In addition to the charges, Burgess was involved in an unrelated lawsuit against another business he is involved in, MB Land Company, LLC. That case was ruled in the plaintiffs favor. According to court documents, on June 20 the court entered a default judgement against Burgess for failure to provide discovery responses and documents requested by the court. In March 2016, Emma Wessel hired Burgesss company - MB Land Company, LLC. - to build a house for her and her brother in Farmington on or before June 21, 2016, for the amount of $221,547. Wessels brother is a disabled Vietnam Veteran and currently lives in an assisted living facility. Documentation provided to the court showed that MB Land Company owned the lot where the house was to be built. Wessel understood that the contract price would be held in an escrow account and would be paid to MB Land in two installments. The escrow account, owned by Burgess and Zachary Govreau, was never funded. Records show that on April 19-20, 2016, MB Land deposited Wessels two checks, one for $3,000 and the other for $218,547, in the company's general fund. During the period from April 20 to April 29, Burgess and/or Govreau reportedly made withdrawals from the account for Bill.com, Capitol One, American Express, Chase, Graham Anderson, Missouri Land Rental, Butterfields Florist, Matt Burgess, Bret Burgess, Zack Govreau and Jessica Burgess. According to court documents, none of the transactions were for payment costs associated with the construction of Wessel's house, but were for personal expenses of both Burgess and Govreau. By April 29 the balance of the account was $538.88. The house was not completed by the deadline and Wessel was assured they would finish the house. The house was not completed by the filing date of the lawsuit on Nov. 22, 2016. The civil suit alleged Burgess and Govreau continued to make inappropriate withdrawals from the account for other jobs, but not the house during that time period. According to the court documents, the house still remains unfinished and based on the price list originally provided it would cost $47,204.89 to complete the home. Wessel claimed she incurred damages in the form of expenses to pay for her brothers assisted living care at a time when he should have been in the new home. The court's findings and judgement in the case were in Wessels favor. She received possession of the home, although it was discovered during the hearing that the property itself was owned by Silas Properties, LLC. The court made no initial determination regarding the deed to the parcel the house was built on. MB Land Company was also ordered to pay Wessel a sum of $138,854.07 for damages. Haryana Police on Thursday arrested Dilawar Singh Insan, a close aide of Gurmeet Ram Rahim near Sonepat for his involvement in the Panchkula violence that last month after the self-styled godman's conviction in a rape case on 28 August. Dilawar Singh ,a close aide of #GurmeetRamRahim arrested today by Police from Sonipat #Haryana ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2017 Thirty people were killed and over 250 injured after which curfew was imposed in Panchkula and several other places. The Dera Sacha Sauda chief, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison, is currently serving his punishment at Sunaria jail in Rohtak district in Haryana. Police also arrested the religious sect's IT head from Sirsa on Wednesday, who was identified as Vineet. According to media reports, Sirsa police seized 60 such hard disks on the basis of information provided by Vineet. Last week, the authorities conducted searches at the Dera Sacha Sauda headquarters near Sirsa town in Haryana on three consecutive days with hundreds of security personnel and local administration involved in the exercise. Meanwhile, the police are also on the lookout for Honeypreet Singh Insan, the adopted daughter of Ram Rahim Singh. Her photographs have been pasted at police stations bordering Nepal and the law and order machinery is on high alert in these areas. New Delhi: Lok Sabha MP Pappu Yadav on Thursday demanded that private schools be nationalised, claiming that they have become a "den" for the illicit money of politicians, bureaucrats and godmen. Yadav told reporters that he had filed a petition in the Supreme Court in the wake of a seven-year-old student's murder inside Ryan International School in Gurgaon, and has sought action against "education mafia" running private education. "I have also demanded that recommendations of Kothari commission and Muchkund Dwivedi commission be implemented. Private schools have no accountability. They are driven by profits and we don't know how much profit they make and by what means," he said. "Politicians, bureaucrats and godmen have invested their illicit money in these schools. They are a den of their illegal wealth," he alleged. He also demanded a CBI probe into the student's murder. Yadav, who is a fifth term MP and has faced a number of serious criminal charges, including murder, said he had also filed a petition in the court seeking probe into assets acquired by politicians. Many with little money have become owners of hundreds of crores of rupees after getting elected as lawmakers and their sources of wealth must be probed, he said. Several prominent universities, education institutions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have been barred from receiving foreign funds by the Centre after they reportedly failed to file their annual returns for five consecutive years. Around 18,800 organisations feature in the ban-list, including premier institutes like Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, IIT-Delhi, ICAR, Mumbai University, Pune University, Panjab University, besides the Supreme Court Bar Association. The registration of these institutions under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA) was cancelled by the Union home ministry. No organisation is allowed to receive funds from abroad unless it is registered under the FCRA. "... despite sufficient and adequate notice, it was observed that thousands of NGOs had not uploaded their annual returns for three or more than three years within the stipulated time," a ministry official told The Indian Express. "However, it is seen that a number of such organisations have not validated their foreign contribution designated accounts, causing problems for the banks to comply with the FCRA provisions that they [banks] report to the Central government within 48 hours of such receipt or utilisation of foreign contribution," the circular read, as per The Hindu. Other organisations whose FCRA registration were cancelled include Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, Gandhi Peace Foundation, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Armed Forces Flag Day Fund, School Of Planning & Architecture, Delhi and FICCI Socio Economic Development Foundation. The Doon School Old Boys Association, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, Delhi, Dr Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, Dr Ram Monohar Lohia International Trust, Coordinating Voluntary Adoption Resource Agency have also been barred from receiving donations from abroad and their FCRA registrations cancelled. The FCRA registration of the Bombay Diocesan Society, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, Bangalore, Shri Mahatma Gandhi Charitable Trust, Gujarat and Sri Satya Sai Trust were also cancelled by the home ministry. The action came after the organisations failed to file the returns for five consecutive years, 2010-11 to 2014-15, despite serving repeated notices, a home ministry official said. Meanwhile, the home ministry has also sent notices to over 1,200 NGOs, asking them to validate the bank accounts in which they receive foreign funding. A ministry circular warned the NGOs to take the required action, as failing to do so would invite punitive action. The list of such NGOs includes Sri Ramakrishna Math, Ramakrishna Mission, Indore Cancer Foundation Charitable Trust, Coimbatore Christian Charitable Trust, Delhi School Of Social Work Society, Hindu Anath Ashram and Madani Darut Tarbiyat. Controversial crackdown on NGOs As per The Hindu report, the Modi government, which has tightened the rules for NGOs, has already cancelled the registration of more than 10,000 of them in the past three years for alleged non-filing of annual returns as mandated in the FCRA. In addition, licences of more than 1,300 NGOs were not renewed or were closed in the recent past for allegedly violating various provisions of the FCRA. Nearly 6,000 NGOs have been asked to open their accounts in banks having core banking facilities. The punitive action taken by the ministry against the institutes and the stern warnings issued to the NGOs has revived memories of 2015 when the Rajnath Singh-led home ministry had cracked down on a number of NGOs which have got foreign funding. At the time, the move was marred by controversy and criticism. In 2015, the government cancelled Greenpeace's registration under FCRA for allegedly working against the country's economic progress. The decision of the home ministry came five months after it suspended its licence under FCRA for 180 days. It had also frozen its seven bank accounts, alleging that the environmental group was working against the country's economic progress and public interest. The government had cited an alleged violation of norms by the NGO by opening five accounts to use foreign donations without informing the authorities concerned. Similarly, when senior advocate and former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Indira Jaisings NGO, Lawyers Collective (LC) was served a notice suspending its FCRA registration for six months, it invited a lot of controversies. Jaising launched an attack on the government in a televised interview with NDTV. She termed the move as an "intimidating tactic by the government" to clamp down on her NGO. She pointed out that the first time the notice was mentioned in the press was the day Amit Shah had to appear in court in the Sohrabuddin murder case. Jaising has actively protested against the decision of the court discharging Shah in the case. Given the Modi government's history of clamping down on NGOs, the current move, to block foreign funding for education institutes, is bound to raise doubts and spark controversies. Grace Pinto, the managing director of Ryan International Group of Institutions and trustee of St Xavier's Schools, has quite a reputation in political circles of Mumbai and Delhi. Firstpost had reported how the 62-year-old maintains close equations with several parties and leaders on both sides of the political divide, and it appears that it may have been these connections that helped her survive serious money laundering allegations as well. Despite serious accusations of money laundering levelled against her by SEBI in 2015, Grace Pinto was appointed by the Mahila Morcha of BJP as its general secretary from Mumbai. Furthermore, she was also made director of the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) in February 2017, as can be seen from the official website of the Cotton Corporation of India. CCI, a central government undertaking, is a company headquartered in Navi Mumbai. Grace Pinto took office as its managing director on 2 February this year. Her DIN number is 07779221. The records are available on the official website of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. It's said that it was due to her closeness with Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Mahila Morcha president Vijaya Rahatkar, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and many senior BJP leaders from Maharashtra and Delhi, that she was chosen to head the undertaking by Smriti Irani, who heads the Union Textile Ministry. However, with controversies against the Pintos and the Ryan group of schools continuing, it remains to be seen what action will be taken in this regard. Things took a turn for the worse for the Pintos after a Class II student of Ryan International school in Gurugram was found murdered in the school premises last week. But this wasn't the first such incident to have occurred at the school. In 2016, a child's body was found inside the water tank in the school's Vasant Kunj branch in Delhi. Before that, a seven-year-old was sexually assaulted by the principal of St. Xavier's School in Andheri, which is also owned by the same education trust. It was her closeness to a certain BJP leader which got Grace Pinto a position on the board of directors of the textile ministry. Documents at the Ministry of Corporate Affairs reveal that Pinto was appointed independent director. NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik pointed this out, and asked why was a person who hailed from the education sector given charge of heading a public undertaking in the cotton industry. Malik further demanded she be fired from the post in the aftermath of the child's murder. "Especially considering she also heads the Mahila Morcha wing, how can she be expected to provide justice to the mother of the slain child? It's the BJP leadership which is holding her hand, and that is why one week after the incident, BJP leaders are still keeping mum on the issue," Malik added. The money laundering cases against the Pinto matriarch goes back to 2015, but the Modi government still elevated her to the posts in 2017. The cases involve mysterious investing of money in stock markets and illegally manipulating shares of Kamalakshi Limited's shares, which rose from Rs 10 to Rs 489. According to documents on the Securities and Exchange Board of India website, Grace and Augustine Pinto were among the investors at Kamalakshi Limited, who allegedly laundered over Rs 32 crore. The same company was later banned by SEBI from trading in the stock market for manipulating prices. Dhaka: India on Thursday rushed 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh and pledged all help to Dhaka in tackling the humanitarian crisis after nearly 400,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees fled to the country from Myanmar following the ethnic violence in the Buddhist-majority nation. Op Insaniyat:HC handed over 1st consignmnt humanitarian asst by #India 2 #Bangladesh Minister @obaidulquader said'this is like repeat of 71' pic.twitter.com/MLLi1AGtBM India in Bangladesh (@ihcdhaka) September 14, 2017 The first Indian consignment comes days after Bangladesh high commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali met foreign secretary S Jaishankar last week and briefed him about the problems faced by Dhaka due to the influx of the refugees. "India stands ready to provide any assistance required by government of Bangladesh in this hour of need," an Indian external affairs ministry statement said on Thursday. It said New Delhi always responded readily and swiftly to any crisis in Bangladesh, in keeping with the close ties of friendship between the peoples of the two countries. "In response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh, government of India has decided to extend assistance to Bangladesh," the ministry said. The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets, tents etc. High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla said India will provide 7,000 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh. Shringla handed over the relief materials to Bangladesh's road transport minister and ruling Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader after an Indian aircraft carrying the assistance landed at southeastern port city of Chittagong. Bangladesh had said it required India's assistance in its efforts to handle the situation. Shringla said India has expressed "deep concern" at the recent spate of violence in Myanmar, resulting in the outflow of a huge number of refugees into Bangladesh. "This has created unprecedented challenges for Bangladesh," he said. The envoy said India appreciated Bangladesh for "making every effort to deal with the urgent requirements of food, clothing and shelter for the large number of refugees that have placed a huge demand on its resources". He said the situation prompted India to provide urgent humanitarian assistance in consultation with Bangladesh. "We are arranging to supply to each and every family of newly arrived refugees a 15kg pack consisting of parboiled rice, lentils, sugar, salt, biscuits, milk powder and other edibles, in addition to soap, mosquito nets and other items of utility," he said. He said several additional planeloads with relief supplies were expected to arrive over the next few weeks in coordination with the government of Bangladesh. The Indian mission said Quader likened the aid to India's assistance to Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War. Bangladesh, which is facing a big influx of Rohingyas from Myanmar, has called on the international community to intervene and put pressure on Myanmar to address the exodus. According to the UN estimates, around 400,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state into Bangladesh since 25 August when fresh wave of violence erupted. According to reports, the violence began when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Myanmar's Rakhine state. Rohingya residents a stateless mostly Muslim minority in a Buddhist-majority nation allege that the military and Rakhine Buddhists responded with a brutal campaign against them, according to the reports. Bangladesh has stepped up diplomacy to get support of the major stakeholders like China and Russia in mounting pressure on Myanmar to stop atrocities in the Rakhine state and take back their nationals. The UN Security Council with China being one of its five permanent members on Wednesday took a unanimous resolution expressing "deep concern" about violence in Myanmar. Bangladesh had earlier said the new influx of Rohingya refugees is an unbearable additional burden on the country which has been hosting around 400,000 Myanmar nationals who had to leave their country in the past due to communal violence and repeated military operations. As the monsoon draws to a close, the country has seen a familiar pattern of floods in some regions and droughts in others. With the union government recently admitting that climate change costs India up to $10 billion every year as per this article in the Economic Times there is an increasing acceptance of the role played by it in agriculture. The following statistics shed some light on the capricious ways of the weather. The Vidarbha region in eastern Maharashtra has seen a deficit of as much as 27 percent this year, according to a report in The Indian Express. This is in astonishing contrast to the situation in the same region last year, when it enjoyed a surplus of 10 percent. On the other hand, states as geographically and climatically diverse as Bihar, Assam and Gujarat have been ravaged by floods. Climate change's footprint on agriculture In a recent statement to a parliamentary committee, the agriculture ministry has said that in a 'business as usual' scenario, the productivity of most crops will decline, while some crops will see better harvests, as reported by the Economic Times. A presentation by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) offers some interesting insights on this. For instance, it has been predicted that the productivity rice, wheat and horticulture will be adversely hit, while some crops such as soyabean, groundnut, coconut and potato will see better days. If the productivity of food staples such as rice and wheat is predicted to be hit, then this needs to ring alarm bells. Clearly, policymakers cannot afford to sit easily on statistics about India being self-sufficient in terms of food production. But, it's not just crop productivity that we need to be worried about. Climate change can also adversely impact soil productivity and the prevalence of pests. These are gradual changes and are less likely to make for startling headlines. But these can lead to long-term changes in agricultural productivity. A study by Shakeel A Khan, Sanjeev Kumar, MZ Hussain and N Kalra examines these aspects. According to the study, climatic changes lead to faster decomposition of organic matter in the soil. This would release nutrients in the short run but will make the soil less fertile in the long run. 'Chemical reactions, that affect soil and minerals and organic matter, are strongly influenced by higher soil and water temperature,' the study points out. Increasing temperatures can also mean a greater incidence of pests, leading to lower crop productivity. The study mentioned above argues that with increasing winter temperatures, pests will hibernate for shorter periods and thus will be active for longer. Further, regions in which pests did not thrive earlier could become more congenial for pests in the future as the mercury gradually rises. Such changes in climate trends have also had an impact on other aspects of agrarian life such as livestock and employment. A ground report by Firstpost during the drought in Marathwada in 2016 had pointed to lack of fodder for cattle, lack of capital to start allied businesses, unemployment and distress migration as effects of climate change. What can be done The impact that climate change has on the economy and rural livelihoods makes it clear that urgent steps have to be taken to mitigate its effects. An article in Down to Earth quoted B Venkateshwarlu, former director at International Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) in Hyderabad on this issue. Venkateshwarlu suggested better water and nutrient management options and zeroing in on cheap methods to reduce methane emission in ruminants and in Venkateshwarlu suggested better water and nutrient management options and zeroing in on cheap methods to reduce methane emission in ruminants and in rice paddy as measures to reduce climate change. Ruminants are plant-eating animals like cattle, goat and sheep which have a complex three or four-chambered stomach. The Firstpost article mentioned above suggests better weather prediction systems, increasing the green cover, changing cropping patterns and developing allied industries such as poultry and dairy farming as ways to combat the vagaries of nature. However, it is clear that no single measure can mitigate the effects of changing climate patterns. Concerted efforts are needed at various levels if we have to escape a major agrarian crisis. New Delhi: Prominent academic institutions like JNU, Delhi University, IIT Delhi, ICAR besides Supreme Court Bar Association are among several hundred organisations barred by the Centre from receiving foreign funds. The registration of these institutions under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA) has been cancelled by the Union Home Ministry as these have failed to file their annual returns for five consecutive years. No organisation is allowed to receive funds from abroad unless it is registered under the FCRA. It is mandatory under the law for such organisations to submit income and expenditure statement to the government annually else their registration is cancelled. Among the institutions whose FCRA licence have been cancelled include Jawaharlal Nehru University, University Of Delhi, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Indian Institute Of Technology, Delhi, Panjab University, Indian Council Of Agricultural Research, Gargi College, Delhi and Lady Irwin College, Delhi, according to the documents accessed by PTI. Other organisations whose FCRA registration were cancelled include Supreme Court Bar Association, Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, Gandhi Peace Foundation, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Armed Forces Flag Day Fund, School Of Planning & Architecture, Delhi and FICCI Socio Economic Development Foundation. The Doon School Old Boys Association, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, Delhi, Dr. Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, Dr Ram Monohar Lohia International Trust, Co-ordinating Voluntary Adoption Resource Agency have also been barred from receiving donations from abroad and their FCRA registrations cancelled. The FCRA registration of the Bombay Diocesan Society, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, Bangalore, Shri Mahatma Gandhi Charitable Trust, Gujarat and Sri Satya Sai Trust were also cancelled by the home ministry. The action came after the organisations failed to file the returns for five consecutive years, 2010-11 to 2014-15, despite serving repeated notices, a home ministry official said. In May, as a one-time measure, all NGOs were given an opportunity for one month to file their missing annual returns by 14 June without paying any penalty. Email and SMS alerts were also sent to them regularly for one month beginning mid- May, the official said. The organisations were asked to furnish their replies, if any, by 23 July, failing which, the ministry had said, it would be presumed that they have nothing to say and action as proposed would be taken as per FCRA. According to the FCRA, the renewal of registration for receiving foreign funds cannot be granted unless the annual returns are uploaded on the FCRA website by the organisation. The probe into the alleged suicide of 29-year-old musician Karan Joseph has turned murkier, with a neighbour telling the police that she saw a "bald and thin boy" perched precariously from the ledge of the flat from where Joseph allegedly jumped to his death four days later. Joseph had allegedly killed himself by jumping off the 12th floor of a highrise in Mumbai's Bandra suburb on 9 September. The woman was said to live in the flat directly below this apartment. The woman, The Times of India reported, also claimed in her statement to the police that the bald boy seemed to be dangling with a "curly plastic wire" tied to his trousers, with someone holding the cord from the other end. She also said she had heard lot of noise coming from the apartment before witnessing the scene. When the woman went upstairs with her husband, she met one Vidhi Shah, a friend and business partner of the flat occupant Rishi Shah, who told the couple that an incident had occurred there but things were under control, she told the police. But later, when she was asked to identify the person whom she had seen on 5 September, she said he was "bald" and was certainly not Rishi, which means he was likely to be Joseph himself. Joseph, a Berklee College of Music alumnus, was known as 'Madfingers' on the music circuit. He had reportedly leapt to his death from the 12th floor apartment of a friend in Bandra, at around 8.45 am on 9 September. Mumbai Mirror reported that the police is probing a possible abettment angle in this incident. As per the report, the musician had sent several text messages to his mother who lives in Bengaluru, telling her that he "feared for his life" and "had been beaten up by somebody". An accidental death report was filed by the Mumbai police. The report quoted senior police inspector Pandit Thackeray of the Bandra Police station as saying the post-mortem report indicated no assault marks on Karan's body, apart from the multiple fractures he sustained in the fall. Meanwhile, Joseph's friends have alleged in a letter given to police that the musician was facing mental, emotional and physical abuse during his stay with Rishi Shah, reported Mid-Day. In the letter, Joseph's friends alleged that Rishi, who is the CEO of Crossbones Media, promised big contracts to musicians, and later emotionally, verbally and sometimes even physically abused them, Mumbai Mirror wrote. "Rishi is nefarious to work with and mentally unbalanced. He is prone to bursts of anger, aggression and ego-centric behaviour, reported Mumbai Mirror quoting a friend of Karan's, who was part of the group that approached the police. On Tuesday, Rishi was called twice by the police to record his statements, Mid Day reported, adding that Rishi repeated the statement he had given on the day of Joseph's death. In his statement to police, Rishi had said that Joseph had come to his home in the morning of 9 September. Rishi further told the police that Joseph was on his way from his friend Tej Brar's house, where a group of other friends were also present. In his statement to the police, Rishi recounted Joseph telling him that all his friends were upset with him. Rishi said that he asked Joseph to not take things seriously, but he "went and sat by the window with one leg hanging outside. And before I could think or even do anything, he jumped", Rishi added. The Brihannmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has fined several Ganeshotsav mandals in Mumbai to the tune of Rs 12.94 lakh, for allegedly damaging the city's roads during the 12-day festive period that came to an end last week. Media reports said the famous Lalbaughcha Raja and Parel's Sarv Ganeshotsav Mandal were among the mandals which were fined. The mandals were penalised for damaging the city's road structure by erecting poles and stage for devotees to queue during Ganeshotsav, The Indian Express reported. The famous Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal was fined 4.86 lakh for leaving behind more than 200 potholes, while the Ganesh Galli Ganpati Mandal has been asked to pay pay Rs 4.14 lakh, India Today reported. According to Hindustan Times, the BMC inspects road quality in all 24 wards and charges Rs 2,000 for each pothole every year after the festival. According to The Indian Express, other mandals have been fined amounts ranging between Rs 18,000 and Rs 68,000. Among the 13 mandals listed by the civic body, Chinchpokli Sarv Utsav Mandal was penalised Rs 68,000, Babagopal Sarv Ganeshotsav Mandal in Curry Road was fined Rs 48,000 and Parels Sarv Ganeshotsav Mandal was fined Rs 46,000. However, it appears that being asked to pay fines for damaging the roads isn't anything new for most mandals, but few of them do actually pay the fines. "We fine these mandals every year but they avoid coughing up the money. Many have to pay dues pending for five years now," a BMC official was quoted as saying by Mumbai Mirror. Vishwas Mote, assistant municipal commissioner, BMC, Parel ward, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, "Many Ganpati mandals have breached the 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) norms given for setting up of pandals, and hence notice have been served to all who are at fault." Balasaheb Kamble, president of Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, denied receiving any information about the issue. Speaking to Hindustan Times, he said, "We are ready to pay if the roads are damaged by us. It is impossible that we created 200 potholes. We took extra precaution this year. The queue for Lalbaugcha Raja is the longest, so the BMC assumes that all the potholes in the area were left by us." More than 11,000 idols from various mandals across the city were immersed this year. Following the killing of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander and Amarnath Yatra attack mastermind Abu Ismail in Nowgam on Thursday, Muneer Khan, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu and Kashmir congratulated the security forces for executing a wonderful, crisp and brief operation without any "collateral damage". Addressing a press conference, Khan revealed that a joint operation was launched in Nowgam after contact was established at 4.15 pm with the two militants hiding in a house in the area. Khan identified the two militants killed in the encounter as Abu Ismail and Abu Qasim alias Chota Qasim. "In a brief, crisp encounter, both terrorists were shot dead," said Khan. "Abu Ismail had 15 FIRs against him for murder, dacoity and other militancy related incidents," Khan said adding that two AK-47 rifles and other materials were recovered from the dead bodies. Khan also congratulated the police, CRPF personnel and 15 Rashtriya Rifles soldiers for "executing a wonderful operation with no collateral damage". Khan refused to divulge further information about the encounter, however, he expressed relief, stating that "a chapter of terrorists has been closed". "Tomorrow is a new day and we will start work afresh," he said. Ismail, responsible for the Amarnath Yatra attack on 10 July which killed seven pilgrims, was shot dead in an encounter in a fierce gun battle in Nowgam on the outskirts of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. Major General BS Raju, general officer commanding of Victor Force said that the encounter was an important one because Ismail was directly responsible for the death of 14 security personnel and eight civilians. "We are expecting a vacuum in the LeT leadership now, which should give us more opportunities. Meanwhile, the synergy between all agencies will continue," he said. When asked who their next "target" is, Khan said, "It's not about the next target. Ismail was an A++ category terrorist. It is important to neutralise the militant leadership." It was earlier reported that a manhunt had been launched to hunt down Ismail, a Pakistani national, following the attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in July. Seven yatris had died in the attack. Ismail was believed to be the mastermind behind the terror attack. Ismail had replaced former LeT commander Abu Dujana following the latter's death during an encounter in August. With inputs from PTI Area veterans groups will hold ceremonies this weekend in honor of the National POW/MIA Recognition Day, with the public being welcome to join. Since 1986, the third Friday of September has been designated as a day to honor those service members who are prisoners of war or missing in action, as well as their families. This year, the day of recognition falls on Friday. The first ceremony in the area will be held at the Bismarck War Memorial at 5 p.m., according to VFW District 8 Senior Vice Commander Joseph Cerchi. Desloge VFW Post 2426 will hold the next ceremony Friday evening, according to Auxiliary President Debbie Sansoucie. The ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. around the posts flagpole. Well have the Department of POW/MIA chairman speaking, our POW/MIA table, our post POW/MIA chairman will be speaking and well be releasing balloons, Sansoucie said. Farmington VFW Post 5896 will hold its ceremony Saturday beginning at noon, according to Peggy Saphian. Well have a welcoming, then a posting of the colors, the Pledge of Allegiance, an invocation, the entry of the military caps and the missing man table of honor, Saphian said. Well have three guest speakers. One is U.S. Army retired and works for (U.S. Rep.) Jason Smith, another is the Department of POW/MIA chairman for Missouri and the other is our district director for (U.S. Sen.) Claire McCaskill. Saphian said the ceremony will end with a salute to all veterans, the playing of Taps and a benediction, with lunch being served afterward. At 1 p.m. the Mineral Area Memorial VFW Post 5741 in Leadington will host a ceremony of its own with a meal to follow. Post Commander Bill Henson said the post has received a lot of compliments on its POW/MIA ceremonies in the past, which will hopefully continue this year. Well have the color guard setting the colors to start the program, Henson said. Well have the recognition of the POW/MIAs from all the wars from World War I through current wars in conjunction with the auxiliary and about half a dozen brief speakers. Henson said State Rep. Mike Henderson has been invited to the event, along with the Missouri State POW/MIA chairman and St. Francois County commissioners. The ceremony will include the Pledge of Allegiance, a song, prayers and recognition of POW/MIA service members from St. Francois County from World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The post is expecting about 150 people, and Henson encourages anyone interested to come to the event to show support for POW/MIA service members. Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the ambitious Rs 1.08 lakh crore ($17 billion) bullet train project for which he and Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe laid the foundation stone, would bring pace to development in the country. "Bullet train will bring employment as well as speed. The Bullet train project is human-friendly and eco-friendly," he remarked. Besides Modi and Abe, Union railway minister Piyush Goyal, minister of state for railways Manoj Sinha, Gujarat governor OP Kohli, Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani and Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis were present at the event. Modi and Abe also laid the foundation stone for the Vadodara High-Speed rail training institute. The high-speed rail project, scheduled to be completed by 2022, has been financed by Japan. Of the Rs 1.08 lakh crore, Japan is giving a loan of Rs 88,000 crore at a minimal interest of 0.1 percent for 50 years. The repayment will begin after 15 years. The first tranche of the loan, Rs 6,000 crore, would be released immediately, while the remaining tranches will come after the completion of land acquisition. About 825 hectares of land would be acquired for the project. Of the 508-kilometre stretch, 92 percent (468 kilometres) of the route will be elevated, six percent (27 kilometres) in tunnels and the remaining two percent (13 kilometres) will be on the ground. The high-speed train would also pass through the country's longest tunnel (21 kilometres), of which seven kilometres will be under the sea. Twelve stations have been proposed that include Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati. The distance will be covered in two hours and seven minutes, if the train stops at four stations Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Mumbai. If the train stops at all 12 stations, it will cover the distance in two hours and 58 minutes. According to Railway Ministry officials, the operating speed of the bullet train would be 320 kilometres per hour and the maximum speed would be 350 kilometres per hour. Later in the day, Modi and Abe are to participate in the 12th Annual Bilateral Summit in the state capital Gandhinagar. Abe arrived in Ahmedabad on Wednesday on a two-day visit. Click here for LIVE updates. The Rajasthan police has given a clean chit to the six people named in the Pehlu Khan lynching incident, according to media reports. Rajasthan Police gives clean chit to 6 accused in Pehlu Khan murder case. He was beaten by group of men in Alwar while transporting cattle. ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2017 In April, Pehlu Khan was brutally beaten up by a mob of cow vigilantes in Rajasthan's Alwar district. Before dying in hospital he had named six people as being responsible. Khan and four others were injured when a mob attacked nearly 15 persons hailing from Haryana, while transporting cows in vehicles on the Behror highway in Alwar district. As many as 16 people were allegedly transporting 36 bovine animals illegally in six pick up vans. Before dying, Khan made a statement to the police in which he named Hukum Chand, Navin Sharma, Jagmal Yadav, Om Prakash, Sudheer and Rahul Saini as those who had attacked him, according to The Indian Express. On Thursday however, Alwar Superintendent of Police Rahul Prakash said that the reward announced on each of the accused was withdrawn as the investigation had found them not guilty. Prakash told The Indian Express, "We have withdrawn the reward against the six persons after an investigation by CB-CID into their role." Rajasthan CB-CID has been investigating the case ever since it was transferred to them from Alwar police in July. The investigation report, which was accessed by Hindustan Times reads, "The statements of witnesses in the case including policemen and the employees of the Rath Gaushala indicate that none of the accused was present at the time of the attack. Call record details of the six people along with Base Transceiver Station (BTS) location of mobiles further support this.... Based on the findings of the investigating officer, it is hereby recommended that the names of the six accused be removed from the case as they have been found not guilty." Hindustan Times further reported that the case will continue against nine other people whom the police identified from the video of the attack that was circulated on social media. Police sources told NDTV that there was no corroborative evidence to prove that the six men given clean chit were part of the group which had attacked Pehlu Khan as the video evidence did not show them. Cellphone GPS data also shows that they were not at the spot where the attack took place. Khan's son Irshad Khan said that "the 6 people let off were present there when my father was murdered. Rajasthan police not doing a good job," reported CNN-News18. The development was also met by outrage in civil rights groups as People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) who spearheaded a campaign for getting justice to the victims told The Hindu that the police were protecting the accused. "The CID-CB is under direct control of the Home Minister. Its blatant bias is very obvious," said PUCL president Kavita Srivastava. With inputs from agencies New Delhi: The probe into the alleged rape of a five-year-old girl in Delhis Gandhi Nagar has been transferred to the Crime Branch, police said. The development comes after the Delhi government wrote to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal in this regard on Wednesday. Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain had received complaints through Gandhi Nagar MLA Anil Bajpai about alleged "inaction" by the authorities concerned. The minister then wrote to Baijal demanding transfer of the case from local police to the Crime Branch for a fair and transparent probe. Baijal spoke to Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik on Wednesday. Subsequently, the case was transferred from Shahdara district police to the Crime Branch last night, an officer said on the condition of anonymity. The girl was allegedly raped by a peon on the premises of Tagore Public School, a private school in Shahdara last week. The accused was arrested the same day. A senior officer of the Crime Branch said the unit will probe whether there were lapses on the school's part. It will also probe the charge that a teacher asked the girl and her parents not to report the matter to police. The Delhi government had recently ordered a magisterial probe into the alleged rape of the girl. Following the rape incident, Patnaik had instructed all district deputy commissioners of police to ensure that schools in their areas have adequate security measures in place. The instructions had come amid increased concerns over the safety on school premises after the killing of a seven-year-old student in Gurugram's Ryan International School. New Delhi: India cannot trust Rohingyas as they are "illegal migrants" and not Indian nationals, Union minister of state for home affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said on Thursday. "Let me make it very clear... they are not Indians, they are illegal migrants. We can't trust them," Ahir said while speaking with a news channel. "These people had come in small numbers and the then Indian government sheltered them. But now the government has decided not to keep them," Ahir said. "It is not in nation's interest to keep them here. The government will not yield (to keep Rohingyas) under any pressure," he added. Ahir said that the Rohingyas might be having "some links" (with terror outfits), though he did not elaborate if the government has any specific input about Rohingyas' links to any specific terror organisation. "They may be having some links, that is why these things are being talked about... The government feels that they pose a danger," the minister said. India has drawn flak from the UN Human Rights Council over the issue. The Rohingya Musims cannot stay in India as they are a threat to national security, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Thursday. The central government was responding to the apex court's questions on deportation of Rohingya refugees in a PIL filed in the court. Rohingyas can't stay in India as refugees. Rohingya Muslims are threat to National Security: Government to Supreme Court pic.twitter.com/uM5prtfvyN News18 (@CNNnews18) September 14, 2017 The government further stated that some Rohingya are linked to terror groups, and hence can not be allowed to stay. CNN-News18's legal editor, Utkarsh Anand said that with this statement at the Supreme Court, the Centre has made it clear that the Rohingya are immigrants and cannot come to the Supreme Court because they are immigrants. "They do not have constitutional rights since they are considered illegal refugees," he added. The government of India's anti-refuge stand on the Rohingya crisis is not new. Earlier, when Rajnath Singh visited Jammu and Kashmir, he termed the Rohingya as a national threat, as per The Times of India. "The illegal foreign immigrants will be strongly dealt with," Rajnath had told The Times of India, replying to a question on the Rohingya refugees living in various parts of India. According to The Times of India, in August, the Centre had declared that the "Rohingya pose serious security challenges as they may be recruited by terror groups, and asked the state governments to identify and deport them". Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju had on 5 September said the Rohingya were illegal immigrants and stood to be deported. Union minister VK Singh on Wednesday had said the government will follow its policy for refugees to tackle the Rohingya issue. "The government will go according to the policy to deal with refugees... when the situation is good enough for them to return to their country," he told reporters. Nobody wants to stay as a refugee, the minister of state for external affairs said. Who are the Rohingya? The Rohingya, a stateless Muslim minority, are regarded as illegal immigrants in Myanmar. The latest exodus, which began on 25 August, has come following a violent conflict between Myanmar Army and the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, according to Al Zazeera. A small group of Rohingya men had attacked around 30 police and army posts in Rakhine State, killing 12 officers, according to the government. Around 40,000 Rohingya Muslims have settled in India, and nearly 16,000 of them have received refugee documentation, according to the United Nations. They are estimated to be around 3,00,000 Rohingya in Bangladesh. UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein had on Tuesday accused Myanmar of waging a "systematic attack" on the minority. Al Hussein had also criticised the Narendra Modi government for its anti-refugee stand on the issue. Willing to offer aide but no refuge The Centre's announcement comes as a setback to the Rohingya since on Thursday, India sent 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh for Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar, who poured into Bangladesh following the ethnic violence in the neighbouring Buddhist-majority nation. The first consignment of India's assistance comes days after Dhaka briefed New Delhi about the problems faced by it due to the influx of these refugees. Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali had met foreign secretary S Jaishankar last week and discussed the issue of Rohingya in detail. Rohingya Muslim girl Afeefa Bebi holds her few-hours-old brother at a community hospital in Kutupalong refugee camp, Bangladesh. APRohingya Muslim girl Afeefa Bebi holds her few-hours-old brother at a community hospital in Kutupalong refugee camp, Bangladesh. "In response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh, Government of India has decided to extend assistance to Bangladesh," external affairs ministry in New Delhi said in a statement. With inputs from agencies Editor's note: Over 40,000 Rohingya Muslims live in India as refugees thousands of them in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian government has recently decided to deport them. In the second and final part of this series, Firstpost speaks to these people without a State and brings to light their harrowing tales. Bathindi: Rohingya Muslims, widely regarded as the world's most persecuted minority, have been forced to seek shelter in India and Bangladesh because they face an unimaginable level of violence back home. Thousands of them have sought refuge in Jammu and Kashmir. But the recent announcement from the Indian government that it will deport refugees, including the Rohingya, has them absolutely petrified. "I'd rather die here than go back," said Harun Ali. The young, lean man said he fled Myanmar for Bathindi, Jammu because he was facing certain death at the hands of the Myanmar security forces. He said his parents and two brothers were still in Myanmar. At least they were, last he heard. But after the Myanmar government launched their self-proclaimed "security operation" in Rakhine State where Rohingya make up 80 percent of the population Ali said he had no idea if his family was still alive. He said he hasn't been able to sleep since he learnt that his village was set ablaze and that its women and children were hacked to pieces. Ali is hoping against hope: That his family are among the thousands of refugees fleeing to Bangladesh. The Myanmar government's latest crackdown on the Rohingya, a minority in the Buddhist-dominated nation, has left the world shocked and outraged. World leaders are describing the operation as a "genocide." The United Nations has called it a textbook case of "ethnic cleansing." And now, adding to their woes, India has announced that it will deport them. In essence, turning its back on them. Union minister Kiren Rijiju has categorically stated that Rohingya are illegal immigrants and will be deported. The home ministry issued a circular to all states, asking them to identify these refugees. The Centre pegs their number in India at 10,000. On Monday, UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, criticised the Indian government for planning to deport Rohingya. "India cannot carry out collective expulsions, or return people to a place where they risk torture or other serious violations," he said. Grappling with the horrific situation in their homeland and under constant threat of losing their refugee status in India, many of these Rohingya have termed the home ministry statement as sad. We are simple people, living here temporarily, said Hamidullah, who works with NGO Save the Children. Not a single person from Rohingya community is begging in Jammu. We work as labourers and rag pickers to feed our families. We pay our bills. We are peaceful. And yet we're being called a security threat and labelled a burden on resources." Hamidullah's parents and sister are languishing in a Bangladeshi refugee camp. He said his tribe is painfully aware of how some in Jammu consider them a hazard. "Some RSS people call us terrorists," Hamidullah said. "If we were terrorists, would we take refuge here? And if we are violent, would we not fight back against the Myanmar government?" 'A threat to national security' The Centre is hardly alone in calling for the Rohingya to be deported. Many Jammu-based political parties, including the BJP, which is a part of the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, frowns upon their presence. "Their sheer numbers in a border town like Jammu makes them a threat to national security," said BJP state president Satpal Sharma. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, seeking to allay these concerns, announced in the state Assembly earlier this year that no Rohingya have been found engaging in any anti-national or subversive activities. Seventeen FIRs have been registered against 38 Rohingya for various offences, including those relating to illegal border crossings, the chief minister said. Five thousand seven hundred Rohingya are in the state, almost all of them in Jammu. Amid the war cry to push back the Rohingya, the Panthers Party put up billboards and displayed banners exhorting locals to fight the outsiders. "Their presence in the city of temples is an attempt to disintegrate India, said Panthers Party chief professor Bhim Singh. Even a Jammu and Kashmir trade body joined the fray, threatening to identify and kill the Rohingya if the government failed to deport them. Last year, more than a hundred Rohingya shanties were gutted in a fire in Jammu. Amid this tempest, local NGO Sakhawat, which seeks to better the situation of these refugees, is calling for calm. They maintain that these refugees are here only after obtaining refugee cards from the United Nations in Delhi. A lot of these refugees work as labourers," said NGO chief Showkat Ahmad. "They choose Jammu and Kashmir because labourers are paid better here than in other states." Ahmad said that labourers can make up to Rs 400 a day in Jammu and Kashmir compared to only Rs 100 a day in other states. Living on a prayer On 3 September, even as they celebrated Eid al-Adha, the Rohingya living in the refugee shanties in Bathindi were in a sombre mood. Scores of them, wearing Khan dresses and skull caps, emerged from their temporary homes and gathered to pray. Their expressions were glum as they raised their cupped hands to the heavens and sought protection from the almighty. After the prayers ended, they sat in silence. News from back home only agitated them. Their thoughts and prayers were with their loved ones. Adil Amin, a teenager, sat inside his shanty. Eyes hollow. Expression blank. Just two days ago, he learnt that his village in Rakhine State was destroyed. Set ablaze. All he could think about was his parents. Sulaiman Ali is enquiring about his daughter. No one knows anything. At dawn, the 55-year-old joined his brethren outside his shanty. As always, the conversation remained the same: The fate of the Rohingya. They stared at their temporary homes, made up of tree branches, shrubs and plastic sheets. The discussion went on for a couple of hours. At 9 am, they dispersed. Time to go to work. At the back of their minds, they know: That if the Indian government deports them, they'd be going from the frying pan into the fire. Safeena Wani is a Srinagar-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters The fast-growing India-Japan ties got a major fillip as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Thursday laid the foundation stone for India's first bullet train project based on Japan's Shinkansen super speed train technology. The ambitious Rs 1.08 lakh crore ($17 billion) 508-kilometre line adds to the growing list of major India-Japan infrastructure cooperation projects. India's first bullet train will connect Ahmedabad, the largest city in Gujarat, to Mumbai, cutting travel time from seven hours to less than three. India's first bullet train The high-speed rail project that is scheduled to be completed by 2022, has been majorly financed by Japan. Of the Rs 1.08 lakh crore, Japan is giving a loan of Rs 88,000 crore at a minimal interest of 0.1 percent for 50 years. And the repayment will begin only after 15 years. The first tranche of the loan, Rs 6,000 crore, would be released immediately, while the remaining tranches will come after the completion of land acquisition. About 825 hectares of land would be acquired for the project. Of the 508 km stretch, 92 percent (468 kilomtre) of the route will be elevated, six percent (27 kilometres) in tunnels and the remaining two percent (13 kilometre) will be on the ground. The high-speed train would also pass through the country's longest tunnel of 21 km, of which seven kilometres will be under the sea. Twelve stations have been proposed that include Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati. The distance will be covered in two hours and seven minutes if the train stops at four stations Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat and Mumbai. If the train stops at all 12 stations, it will cover the distance in two hours and fifty-eight minutes. According to railway ministry officials, the operating speed of the bullet train would be 320 kilometre per hour and the maximum speed would be 350 kilometre per hour. The project, however, is already stuck amid hurdles relating to acquisition of private land. A group of farmers from Boisar in Palghar district protested against the project fearing acquisition of their lands. About 825 hectares of land, may become a major hurdle for completing the bullet train project by 2022. 'Modi a farsighted leader' Abe in his speech praised Modi as a "farsighted leader". "My good friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a farsighted leader. And he took a decision two years ago to bring high-speed rail in India and to create a New India. And then our country decided to fully support Modi's vision, culminating in the progress of the project," the Japanese prime minister said. Abe, some say, has already won hearts in Gujarat by choosing it over Delhi for his visit. "When we add Ja of Japan and I of India, it makes 'Jai.' Jai Japan and Jai India me and PM Modi will work together for this," he said, much in the manner of Modi himself. Abe expressed the hope that he will soon enjoy the beautiful green scenery of India through the windows of bullet train "when I come back here in a few years". India, Japan discuss amphibious aircraft deal India and Japan discussed a deal to buy Japanese ShinMaywa US-2 amphibious aircraft, but no final decision was arrived at during the talks between the two leaders. India has been in talks for the purchase of 12 amphibious aircraft, in a $1.30 billion deal, for the Indian Navy. Later 18 more aircraft are to be bought under the Make in India initiative. "There is an ongoing issue on the US-2 amphibian aircraft. Those discussions continue," Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said at a media briefing after the Modi-Abe annual summit talks. Discussions on the deal for the amphibious aircraft had also figured during former Defence Minister Arun Jaitley's visit to Japan earlier this month for a bilateral dialogue on defence. The deal is said to be stuck on the issue of price, even after ShinMaywa company reduced the price to around $113 million per aircraft. The earlier price was $.1.65 billion for 12 aircraft. "Japan's readiness to provide its state-of-the-art US-2 amphibian aircraft was appreciated as symbolising the high degree of trust between the two countries. The two governments decided to continue their discussion in this regard," said the joint statement. Jaishankar said that the two sides are also looking at technology cooperation in the field of defence. Modi ups the poll pitch in orchestrating high-optics visit Addressing the large crowd gathered to see the foreign dignitary, Prime Minister Modi made it a point to bring in the flavour of Gujarat, where elections are due in the next few months. "It will not just reduce distance but also bring the people closer. The train will go from my Gujarat to my Mumbai. It will mean less cars on roads, it will mean a cleaner environment and also bring in revenue," he said. The area between Mumbai and Ahmedabad would become a Shinkansen economic zone where trade will get a push, he said as the applause got louder. Modi, sometimes breaking into Gujarati during his Hindi speech, addressed his constituency by praising their art of bargaining. "We Indians, especially Gujaratis, when we go to buy or sell anything, we always bargain, we take stock of every penny. When we go to buy a small bike, to take a loan, we visit 10 banks and calculate which bank is giving less interest. Then we calculate and we are happy even with half percent less interest," he said. Modi was referring to the soft loan that Japan has extended for the ambitious Rs 1.10 lakh crore project, which he said made the high-tech train "almost free". "Now is not the time to develop slowly, time doesnt wait. Technology is growing at a fast rate and now our priority is high speed. Speed badegi, distance ghategi (speed will increase and distance will decrease) economic opportunities will open up. In any country economic growth can only happen when productivity happens," said Modi. Meanwhile, the Opposition too did not miss the signs of an apparent poll pitch in the garb of a high-optic foreign head of state visit and the pomp and cheer around the "not-so-necessary" bullet train. For the Opposition, Abe's visit to Gujarat and the bullet train project, in particular, is setting the stage for the BJP's high voltage campaign in the state. The Congress raised questions over Abe's visit to Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar and not the country's capital. "With an election in Gujarat round the corner, it does raise a question, and I hope this is not the case, that a State visit is actually being used for political purposes because the manner in which it is structured is rather awkward to say the least," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said. With inputs from PTI Beijing: As Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe visits India, a Chinese daily has said that close ties between New Delhi and Tokyo posed no "grave threat" to Beijing. China has always been wary of growing proximity between India and Japan with whom it has territorial disputes. The state-run Chinese media has often been critical of fast developing ties between India and Japan. An op-ed in the Global Times said "the India-Japan intimacy is more like a contrivance" and both were "are unlikely to challenge China without giving it a serious thought". It said China would never follow India and Japan "who have somewhat lost themselves". "Under the international relations logic of the 21st century, closer India-Japan ties won't pose grave threats to China because many of their emotional moves to console each other won't produce any real effects in challenging China. "A strong China has the confidence that no Asian country can substantially challenge China's national security nor can they by grouping together. China has been in the core of economic cooperation in Asia. Geopolitics is unlikely to go against the geo-economic situation." This is the 10th meeting between Modi and Abe in the past three years. This time, Modi invited the Japanese leader to Ahmedabad. In 2015, Chinese president Xi Jinping visited the city in Gujarat where Modi was once the chief minister. Both leaders are likely to beef up their defence and security ties. The sale of US-2 amphibious aircraft is also likely to come up. In 2016, China had angrily reacted to the prospective sale of these aircraft to India. The newspaper said after the Doka La border row, Indian experts and media have emphasised the need to forge deeper ties with the US and Japan to counter China. "This has exposed the vulnerable feeling of the Indian strategic circle in front of China," the article said. "They want to encourage themselves by calling for India's alliance with the US and Japan to showcase India's strategic potential to China. This suits the desperate needs of Indian society's mentality." "As long as Chinese society is mentally strong enough, calls in the Indian and Japanese media for them to draw closer will be in vain. India and Japan are unlikely to form a military and political alliance with the US. "China's vast trade with Japan and India greatly dwarfs bilateral trade between India and Japan. Given this, Tokyo and New Delhi are unlikely to challenge China without giving it serious thought." The daily added: "China wants to solve problems when it has disagreements with India on specific issues. China won't actively seek strategic confrontation with India or Japan." Gandhinagar: India and Japan on Thursday signed an agreement under which their airlines can operate an unlimited number of flights between the two countries. The pact is as per National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016, which permits the government to enter into an 'open sky' air services agreement on a reciprocal basis with SAARC nations as well as countries with territory located entirely beyond a 5,000-kilometre radius from New Delhi. Japanese carriers All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, and Indian carriers Air India and Jet Airways are the airlines that fly between the two countries. Last year India signed an open sky agreement with Greece, Jamaica, Guyana, Czech Republic, Finland, Spain and Sri Lanka. India also signed a bilateral open sky agreement with the US in 2005. Click here to follow LIVE updates With the laying of foundation for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train and MoU-signing ceremony attracting investments of around Rs 5 lakh crore, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are set to have an eventful Thursday. Abe and Modi will lay the foundation stone for the high-speed train project, to be completed by 2022, in Ahmedabad. The train is likely to cover the distance of over 500 km in two hours. Thereafter, Modi and Abe will head to Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, where delegation-level talks will take place, reported The Indian Express. A parallel CEO conference will also be held at the same venue, where representatives from both India and Japan will participate. The two leaders will hold the 12th Indo-Japan annual Summit meeting at Gandhinagar followed by the exchange of agreements. An India-Japan business plenary meeting will be held after that. With the participation of more than 100 Japanese corporates and envoys, the Gujarat government is viewing the annual meet as a modified version of 'Vibrant Gujarat Summit', reported DNA. There are at least four Japanese corporate giants which are going to make an investments of Rs 1 lakh crore each. The MoUs (Memorandum of Understanding) will be signed in sectors like engineering and automobile, infrastructure, IT and skill development. Other key areas identified by Gujarat government for development and investment from Japan are aerospace and defence manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and housing. During the talks, Modi and Abe are likely to pitch for increased interaction between governments and defence industries of their countries, for the supply and transfer of defence and dual-use technologies, The Indian Express quoted a source as saying. Joint secretary (East Asia) Pranay Verma, when asked about the talks between the two sides on defence (including the sale of aircraft ShinMaywa US-2 to India), had said that defence cooperation is an area of priority between New Delhi and Tokyo, without disclosing details. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar would also be present to discuss the security ties between the two prime ministers. The two nations are likely to increase their military-to-military and defence hardware cooperation, reported India Today. The summit which takes place amid rising tension in the Far East after North Korea tested a hydrogen bomb, and the growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea will be the fourth annual summit between Modi and Abe. Meanwhile, Japan Today had reported that Japan has its eyes on affirming close cooperation with India, at the summit meeting, to address the threat from North Korea. Abe and Modi are also likely to agree on the need to implement a new UN Security Council sanctions resolution that imposes the first restrictions on exports of crude oil and petroleum products to North Korea. Fifteen agreements, reported PTI, will be signed for investments in Gujarat during the Japanese prime minister's visit. India and Japan may enhance their cooperation in non-energy areas of the nuclear sector. However, a senior government official told PTI that there are little chances of an agreement to procure equipment from Japan for building nuclear power plants in the country as talks with French company EDF and American nuclear giant Westinghouse Electric Company are ongoing in this regard. "There is, however, a possibility of negotiations to have Japanese credit-line in future for procuring these high-end equipment," he said. The two sides will also discuss the sharp decline in bilateral trade in the last four years. The Indian Express quoted an official as saying that even though the trade between the two nations was not a new issue, the two leaders will discuss it on Thursday. The total trade came down to $14.51 billion in 2015-16 from a peak of $18.5 billion in 2012-13. The First Lady of Japan will begin her day by visiting the garden at Sabarmati riverfront. Akie Abe, will be greeted by 18 children singing 'Kem chho, konnichiwa', on her visit to the Indo-Japan Friendship Association (IJFA). The song, penned by IJFA's Mukesh Patel, will be sung by students of Zydus School of Excellence, reported The Times of India. She will address students at Gujarat University, where she will speak on climate change. She will visit the Vocational Training Unit at Blind People's Association (BPA), The Times of India reported. On her visit to the Japan Information Centre (JIC), Akie will inaugurate the Origami Mahotsav and will be served an ice cream cake that looks like a bullet train. On Thursday, the two leaders will also take a tour of Dandi Kutir, India's largest museum showcasing the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. The Ministry of External Affairs had said the two leaders will review the recent progress in the "multifaceted cooperation" between India and Japan under their 'Special Strategic and Global Partnership' and will "set its future direction". Modi and Abe have met 10 times in the last three years, with the last being on the sidelines of the G20 Summit at Hamburg in July. Modi had visited Japan in November 2016. With inputs from PTI On the second day of Japan prime minister Shinzo Abe's two-day visit one marked by many firsts including the flagging-off of India's first-ever bullet train project, a familiar theme returned to the agenda: Asias Democratic Security Diamond as coined by the Japanese prime minister back in 2012. In an article for Project Syndicate on 27 December, 2012 (registration required), Abe had stated: "I envisage a strategy whereby Australia, India, Japan, and the US state of Hawaii form a diamond to safeguard the maritime commons stretching from the Indian Ocean region to the western Pacific. I am prepared to invest, to the greatest possible extent, Japans capabilities in this security diamond." In the years since, allusion has rarely been made to this security diamond in India-Japan joint statements. In the joint communiques issued by Abe and Manmohan Singh, the topic was notably absent. The first joint statement issued by Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also failed to elucidate on this aspect. It appeared that the concept articulated by the Japanese prime minister would remain just that a concept articulated on paper. However, in January 2015, during then US president Barack Obama's visit to India among other things to be the chief guest at India's Republic Day parade, he and Modi issued a statement titled 'India-US Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region', which was seen in many quarters as New Delhi's first clear indication of intent with regard to the South China Sea. "We affirm the importance of safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation and over flight throughout the region, especially in the South China Sea. We call on all parties to avoid the threat or use of force and pursue resolution of territorial and maritime disputes through all peaceful means," read the statement. The Modi-Obama statement seemed to be a catalyst of sorts for India's growing role in the Asia-Pacific region, evident in the insertion of a reference to joining hands with Australia for security purposes in the very next Modi-Abe joint statement: "The two prime ministers expressed satisfaction on the inaugural Japan-India-Australia Trilateral dialogue. They were of the view that these dialogue mechanisms could contribute to regional efforts to evolve an open, inclusive, stable and transparent economic, political and security architecture in the Indo-Pacific region." By the time the two prime ministers met in November 2016 amid much bonhomie (as was repeatedly pointed out by various arms of the media), this notion had become a lot broader: "The two prime ministers welcomed the holding of trilateral dialogue among Japan, India and the United States, and strengthened coordination and cooperation in such areas as HA/DR, regional connectivity as well as maritime security and safety. The two Prime Ministers also welcomed continued and deepened trilateral dialogue among Japan, India and Australia." And on 14 September, 2017, the joint statement between the two prime ministers contained the following paragraph: More of the same? That would seem most unlikely and at face value, there are three clear reasons why this declaration by Modi and Abe should be taken more seriously than similar proclamations in the past. First, it already has China which will find itself surrounded by this potential diamond rattled. A few hours before Modi and Abe issued their joint statement, the spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying made a statement, advocating "that regional countries should stand for dialogue without confrontation and work for a partnership instead of an alliance". In the past too, Beijing has reacted strongly to mentions of the strategic diamond, most notably in March 2016 when Admiral Harry B Harris of the US Navy suggested, "By being ambitious, India, Japan, Australia, the United States and so many other like-minded nations can aspire to operate anywhere on the high seas and airspace above them." Second, despite the semblance of a thaw in India-China relations that had gone frigid as a result of the Doka La standoff that set in after the BRICS Summit in Xiamen earlier this month, there is still a fair bit of bad blood between the two Asian neighbours. One of the motives of this proposed security diamond is to curb China's increasingly expansionist attitude in the South China Sea region -- something that directly affects Japan. Even if this eventually turns out to be a case of mere saber-rattling, Beijing appears to have already received the message (see earlier point). India too has been at the rough end of China's expansionist designs and the Doka La standoff which ended only recently bears testimony to this fact. Third, it is the clearest articulation by Tokyo and New Delhi of pursuing the idea of the security diamond. And based on the measured tone of previous joint statements, this point alone makes it clear that Abe's brainchild is back in play... and back with a vengeance. Gandhinagar: Strongly pitching for a "zero-tolerance" approach towards terrorism, India and Japan Thursday agreed to strengthen cooperation against terror groups like Al-Qaida and Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe asked Islamabad to bring to book the perpetrators of terror strikes, including those involved in the Mumbai (2008) and Pathankot (2016) attacks, according to a joint statement issued after their annual summit. The two leaders also condemned in the "strongest terms" the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism, it said. "They shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that must be forcefully combated through concerted global action in the spirit of 'zero tolerance'," the document said. The two prime ministers called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. "They looked forward to the convening of the fifth Japan-India Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaida, Islamic State, JeM, LeT and their affiliates," the statement added. Modi and Abe called upon all UN member countries to implement UNSC (United Nations Security Council) resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions dealing with the designation of terrorist entities, the statement said. Even as the nation is cheering and rejoicing over India's first high speed rail project, the enthusiasm will soon be sullied because the railway authorities are yet to acquire the required private land. Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the new project, the feasibility of a 2022 deadline is being questioned, especially as the hurdles remain. Hailing the bullet train and Japan's initiative, Modi on Thursday said that the entire area between Mumbai and Ahmedabad will come in a single economic zone through this project. "Today, India has taken a crucial step in fulfilling an age-old dream. The bullet train project is one which will bring about great speed, great development and great technology. This project will bring about employment and speed. It is human-friendly and eco-friendly," he added. At present, there are 11 stations proposed in this corridor. The terminal is planned at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai's financial heart. From BKC, the train will traverse 21 kilometres underground before emerging above ground at Thane. Out of these, seven kilometers will be undersea. Of this entire stretch, 92 percent will be elevated and six percent will be tunneled, The Asian Age reported. The remaining two percent, about 825 hectares of land, may become a major hurdle for completing the bullet train project by 2022. In September, the Maharashtra government relented by conditionally agreeing to hand over 0.9 hectare of land in BKC available for the bullet trains station, according to India Today. The station is to be built three levels underground, and will not interfere with the financial center being planned there. From Thane, it will move further north, finally ending its journey in Ahmedabad. The proposed 11 stations are Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand and Ahmedabad. The terminal at Ahmedabad is planned near Sabarmati railway station. Rail authorities are also facing a tough time convincing villagers near Virar to give away their land for the project. The rail officials were abused by villagers when they went to discuss the matter, Hindustan Times reported. Some initial reports have identified 163 villages in eight districts of Gujarat, 44 villages in three districts of Maharashtra and some areas in Dadra and Nagar Haveli for land acquisition. About 2,761 families will be affected, according to a Business Standard report. According to Counterview, the stretch passing through Gujarat, Maharashtra and Dadar and Nagar Haveli have lush green forests on the east and Indian Ocean on the west. The proposed bullet train project, along with other projects, will result in the physical, social and cultural upheaval of communities that live in relative symbiosis with nature. The local tribals and farmers are up in arms against such projects. Gram Sabhas have passed resolutions opposing the projects. The Counterview report further suggests that proposed development would also require enormous amount of construction and land filling materials, thereby pushing demand for sand and stone mining which is carried out in riverbeds and hilly areas respectively. These activities will adversely impact the tribal population dependent on forests and the fishing community and also the availability of fresh water. To assuage the fears of farmers and in an attempt to bring them onboard, the authorities are thinking of offering jobs to villagers on station premises once it is built and made operational. "There have been problems in Virar and Palghar districts as villagers are reluctant to give their land. We have hired a consultant to look into the social impact of the project in the area. We will then decide on giving the villagers jobs after the station is functional," Hindustan Times quoted a senior NHSRCL official as saying. Some tribals and farmers affiliated to 24 organisations across Maharashtra and Gujarat have reportedly joined forces to oppose the bullet train project. Vinod Dumada, an activist with Maharashtras Adivasi Ekta Parishad told Hindustan Times, We are not against development, but we will oppose it if it is done at the cost of tribal life. The local tribal population will lose its land, livelihood to roads and industries. The 24 organisations have also submitted a memorandum of their protest to the prime minister's office. A group of farmers from Boisar in Palghar district protested against the project on Thursday, saying that they will be ruined if their agricultural lands are acquired for the project. During the protest, which was jointly organised by Shetkari Sangarsha Samiti and Advasi Ekta Parisahd, the protesters waved black flags and raised slogans against the project. Kaluram Dodhade of Bhoomi Sena, who took part in the protest, said, "There are mostly small farmers in Palghar and if their lands are acquired for the project, they will be ruined." The protesters also alleged that the BJP-led government was going ahead with the project without taking the farmers into consideration. Palghar DSP Majunath Shinge said, "It was a symbolic protest and there was no law and order situation." When contacted, Palghar district collector Prashant Narnavre told PTI that the agitation was carried out in a peaceful manner. Justice Rajinder Sachar, former president of the People's Union for Civil Liberties, has also called for protests against the bullet train project. Activists are concerned that this not-so-necessary project will hog scarce resources. "Modi's bullet train venture is a cruel joke and ridicules the poor of India. I feel this calls for political parties and trade unions to register their protest at the site of inauguration on 15 September," he was quoted as saying by The Times of India. Despite the initial euphoria, the project is still battling land acquisition problems and the chances of shifting the deadline to a later date are high. Read our LIVE blog on Shinzo Abe's visit to India here With inputs from PTI Palghar: Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Thursday launched the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, a group of farmers from Boisar in Palghar district protested against the project fearing acquisition of their lands. The farmers, who held the demonstration outside Boisar railway station, said they will be ruined if their agricultural lands are acquired for the project. During the protest, which was jointly organised by Shetkari Sangarsha Samiti and Adivasi Ekta Parishad, the protesters waved black flags and raised slogans against the project. Kaluram Dodhade of Bhoomi Sena, who took part in the protest, said, "There are mostly small farmers in Palghar and if their lands are acquired for the project, they will be ruined." The protesters also alleged that the BJP-led government was going ahead with the project without taking the farmers into consideration. Palghar DSP Majunath Shinge said, "It was a symbolic protest and there was no law and order situation." When contacted, Palghar district collector Prashant Narnavre said the agitation was carried out peaceful. The bullet train project was launched by Modi and Abe in Ahmedabad Thursday morning. Modi described the ambitious Rs 1.10 lakh crore project, which will cut travel time between the two cities from seven hours to less than three, as a "big gift from Japan to India". Nasiriyah : Gunmen and suicide car bombers on Thursday killed at least 52 people including Iranians near the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, in an attack claimed by Islamic State group. The attackers struck at midday, opening fire on a restaurant before getting into a car and blowing themselves up at a nearby security checkpoint, officials said. Security sources said the attackers were disguised as members of the Hashed al-Shaabi, a mainly Shiite paramilitary alliance which has fought alongside the army and police against the Islamic State jihadist group in northern Iraq. The toll from the attacks was 52 dead and 91 wounded, said Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy health chief for the mainly Shiite province of Dhiqar of which Nasiriyah is the capital. Jabri told AFP that many of the wounded were in serious condition. The area targeted is used by Shiite pilgrims and visitors from neighbouring Iran headed for the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala further north, although Dhiqar has previously been spared the worst of Iraq's violence. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement carried by its Amaq propaganda arm. It said several suicide bombers had staged the assault on a restaurant and a security checkpoint, killing "dozens of Shiites". The toll makes it the deadliest Islamic State attack in Iraq since pro-government forces drove the jihadists out of second city Mosul in July. The Sunni extremist group regularly stages attacks in Iraq, where it has also lost swathes of territory to US-backed pro-government forces. Thursday's attacks come as Iraqi forces backed by tribal fighters close in one of the last IS bastions in the country: the Al-Qaim area on the border with war-ravaged Syria. The group's only other stronghold is Hawija, in Kirkuk province some 300 kilometres north of Baghdad. IS has suffered a string of defeats on the battlefields of Iraq and Syria, leaving in tatters the cross-border "caliphate" it declared in 2014. But any military offensive in Hawija is expected to be postponed due to a planned referendum on Kurdish independence. On Thursday, 22 people died after a boat capsized on Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat, according to media reports. #UPDATE Death toll in Baghpat boat capsize rises to 19: Baghpat DM Bhawani Singh ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 14, 2017 The boat was carrying 60 people, District Magistrate Bhawani Singh said. Police and PAC personnel have fished out 22 bodies so far while 10 others have been rescued, he said. A search was on to trace others. "The boat was ferrying passengers more than its capacity. Most of the passengers of the ill-fated boat were women. As soon as the boat reached mid-stream it capsized," the district magistrate said. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for the kin of the deceased, ANI reported. The chief minister also directed the district magistrate to immediately provide succour to the affected people, Principal Secretary (Information) Awanish Awasthi said. He said a probe has been ordered into the incident. The victims, mostly labourers, were travelling from Katha village in Bhagpat district to Sonipat, Haryana. Villagers told the police the boat was overcrowded, which could be one reason for the tragedy. In a separate incident, at least six people drowned in river Ganga in Bihars Maranchi. The police rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation, News Nation reported. In July, a similar incident occurred at Nagpur when a boat carrying 11 people capsized in Kamleshwar tehsil near Nagpur, leaving at least two dead. With inputs from agencies Lucknow: Three Bangladeshi youths, suspected to have links with Islamic extremist group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), have been arrested by Uttar Pradesh anti-terrorist squad in Lucknow. Mohammad Imran, Rajiuddin and Mohammad Firdaus all brothers were caught while boarding the Howrah-Amritsar Express train on Wednesday afternoon, IG ATS Asim Arun said on Thursday. During interrogation, they confessed that they were residents of Bangladesh and fake Aadhaar cards were found from their possession, he said. Asim said that they were later put under arrest. The names of the three came after an ATS team on 6 August arrested suspected Bangladeshi terrorist Abdullah, associated with the ABT from Muzaffarnagar. The ABT also called Ansar Bangla is implicated in crimes including some brutal attacks and murders of atheist bloggers in Bangladesh. Abdullah alias Al Mamun was arrested from Kutesara locality in Charthawal area of Muzaffarnagar district by an ATS team and during his interrogation name of some persons came to the fore and probe was done in Deoband madrassas to find his links. It was found that three persons a madrassa teacher and his two brothers were missing after which ATS team swung into action and three were arrested, Asim said. He said the ATS would probe whey they fled from Deoband and whether they have links with any terrorist group. Abdullah was living in Kutesara area for a month. Earlier he resided in Deoband area of Saharanpur since 2011 and had also got his Aadhaar card and passport prepared on fake identity. ATS officials said Abdullah is associated with ABT and was involved in preparing fake identity proofs of terrorists especially of Bangladesh and help them get safe hideouts in India. The ABT is an al Qaeda inspired Islamic extremist group in Bangladesh. During interrogation, Abdullah told the ATS that he used to prepare fake identity proofs with the help of one Faizan, who resides in Deoband (Saharanpur), the IG said. Based on this input, Faizan's house was searched in Deoband but he was not found there but jihadi literature in Bangla, literature for preparation of bombs, colour printer and a number of fake IDs were recovered. London: A UK court Thursday fixed 20 November as the date for the pre-trial hearing in the extradition case of Vijay Mallya, the embattled tycoon wanted in India on loan defaults to several banks amounting to nearly Rs 9,000-crore. The flamboyant businessman, out on bail on an extradition warrant, is exempt from appearing for hearings before his trial is scheduled to start on 4 December and chose not to attend Thursday's hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court. This is the first hearing the 61-year-old former chief of the now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines has missed in the case involving economic offences in India and was represented in court by a female member of his family. Mallya's defence team told the court that they have provided a list of six experts they intend to rely upon in their evidence. The list includes experts from the field of airlines, banking, politics and law, including an Indian lawyer. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), arguing on behalf of the Indian government, expressed disappointment at the hard copy format in which the defence had presented their documents. "We received the physical box of evidence on Monday which has to be scanned to be sent to India. We were disappointed to receive physical evidence in 2017. It lost us a week," said CPS barrister Mark Summers. The judge, chief magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot, sympathised with the CPS on the issue and said it was "slightly unfortunate in 2017" and requested CPS to provide her with scanned copies as well. The judge also asked the prosecution if relevant evidence had been sought from India on prison conditions in the country, which she highlighted as a concern that has been "raised in extraditions to India before". The CPS told the court that the "Indian authorities had foreseen this as an issue and have been engaged on the matter" and provided detailed assurances and photographs by email relating to prison conditions where Mallya is likely to be held. The prosecution also confirmed they had received most documents from Mallya's defence team and are awaiting two further documents and at this stage are not sure if the Indian authorities would require any additional time to respond. The extradition trial to bring Mallya to face court proceedings in India is scheduled for two weeks starting on 4 December. However, it was raised in court on Thursday that the trial would not be sitting on two dates during that period 6 and 15 December. Both sides agreed to leave the trial dates as they are, but additional dates may be required to be added on at a later stage. If additional dates are required to be scheduled in for the trial, the case may spill over into January 2018 if it clashes with the UK courts Christmas break period. The Indian authorities believe their case is on a strong footing and all the evidence has been presented to the CPS to argue for Mallya to be extradited. "Evidence presented makes out a strong prima facie case against Vijay Mallya. Despite delaying tactics, it has been possible to have an indicated date in December 2017 for the hearing and the UK counsel CPS will continue to work towards an expeditious hearing of the entire case," the Indian High Commission had said in a statement. In addition to the charge-sheets filed by CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also filed a charge-sheet against Mallya. The businessman, who has been based in the UK since he left India in March 2016, is wanted in India for his erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines' default on loans worth nearly Rs 9,000 crores. He had been arrested by Scotland Yard on an extradition warrant on behalf of the Indian authorities on 18 April. He had attended a central London police station for his arrest and was released on conditional bail a few hours later after providing a bail bond worth 650,000 pounds, assuring the court of abiding by all conditions associated with extradition proceedings, such as the surrender of his passport and a ban on him possessing any travel documents. The first hearing in the case took place on 13 June, when 4 December had been pencilled in as a tentative final hearing date. If the chief magistrate rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK home secretary must order Mallyas extradition within two months of the appropriate day. However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion. India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992 and in force since November 1993, under which recently a Bangladeshi national wanted in the UK on murder charges was to be extradited from India. New Delhi: BJP chief Amit Shah met the party's core group leaders from Bihar, in the first such meeting held after it allied with the JD(U) and joined the Nitish Kumar-led government. Sources said Shah asked the state leaders to work to ensure that government schemes reach their target beneficiaries. BJP ministers in the state government should meet the public at the party's office in Patna on Mondays and Tuesdays, he is learnt to have told them. "The meeting focussed on issues related to the party organisation as well as the government. Shah also stressed on the need to strengthen the party further in the state," Shah said. Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, state BJP chief Nityanand Rai, former state chiefs Mangal Pandey, Nand Kishore Yadav, several Union ministers from the state, Radha Mohan Singh, Giriraj Singh and Ashwini Choubey among others, attended the meeting. BJP had won 22 and its allies nine seats in Bihar in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in which the Kumar-led JD(U) won only two out of total 40 seats. Till 2013, when JD(U) broke ties with the BJP, the former was the senior partner in the Lok Sabha as well the Assembly. Though BJP has not commented on the matter officially, sources have said it will seek to contest more seats than the JD(U) in the next Lok Sabha polls due to its massive victory in the last election. Agartala: The ruling CPM on Thursday organised sit-ins across Tripura to protest against what it said were "huge cuts" in fund allocation by the Centre for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme. "We have been forced to launch the agitation against the huge cut in Centre's share in MGNREGA funds. The sit-ins were held in all 58 blocks in the state," Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) Tripura state secretary Bijan Dhar told the media. He said that CPM leaders Gautam Das, Rama Das, Narayan Kar and Pabitra Kar addressed the protesters in different blocks. Das said that Tripura led in providing jobs under MGNREGA in the past but the Centre had sharply reduced its share in the scheme in the 2017-18 fiscal, forcing the north-eastern state to ensure work only for a maximum of 42 days this year. As a result, a serious job crisis has emerged in rural Tripura where no big and medium industries exist. Dhar said that all states in the country were facing a similar situation but no political party other than the CPM was raising the issue or asking the central government to act in a more considerate manner on the MGNREGA scheme. The MGNREGA, introduced in February 2006 by the then Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, mandates 100 days of work in a financial year to at least one member of each rural household. The scheme aims to generate rural assets and create rural infrastructures like roads, ponds and water reservoirs. The CPM has demanded an increase in the number of work days to 200 under the scheme and a hike in wages to at least Rs 300 per day. According to state government officials, Left-ruled Tripura had occupied the top spot in providing jobs under MGNREGA for seven consecutive years till 2015-16 fiscal but slipped to second position (after Mizoram) with 79.88 person days per household in the last fiscal. The state has been able to provide only 22 days of work during the current fiscal. New Delhi: The AAP on Thursday accused the BJP government of shielding the Ryan International School management in the murder of a seven-year-old boy inside the school premises in Gurugram. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also said that the owner of the Ryan International Schools, Grace Pinto, was named the director of an organisation under the Ministry of Textiles by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at Centre. AAP's national spokesperson Ashutosh said that even as parents across the country were pained by the gruesome murder of a young boy at Ryan School in Gurugram, the school's owners were being protected by the BJP government. "Not only is Grace Pinto a member of the BJP, she has also reportedly organised a membership drive for teachers and children in her schools," Ashutosh said. "With the BJP's blessings, she was also appointed as a director at the Cotton Corporation of India on 2 February, 2017." Seven-year-old Pradhyuman Thakur was found murdered on 8 September at Ryan International School in Bhondsi area on the Sohna Road in Haryana's Gurugram district. The murder of the boy has caused widespread outrage across the country. Ashutosh said that the school was directly at fault for sheer negligence in the matter, but the management of the school had found support from the BJP governments in Haryana and at the Centre. "The BJP provides patronage to such people on a regular basis and rewards them by appointing them to top positions in government-run corporations. Now it is also protecting Pinto after the murder of a child in one of her schools," the AAP leader said. The Madras High Court on Thursday ordered that no floor test should be done in the Tamil Nadu Assembly till 20 September. Madras High Court says there should not be a floor test in Tamil Nadu Assembly till 20 September ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2017 Justice M Duraiswami passed the interim order on petitions by DMK working president MK Stalin and MLA P Vetrivel, a staunch loyalist of ousted AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran. Citing pending disqualification proceedings against 19 MLAs loyal to Dhinkaran in view of their rebellion against Chief Minister K Palaniswamy, the petitioners submitted that they apprehended the Speaker might disqualify the legislators. This may go in favour of the chief minister in case of a floor test to prove his majority, they contended. Stalin, in his petition, had sought a direction to the Governor to order a floor test for the Palaniswamy government, claiming that it had lost is majority in view of the 19 MLAs expressing their lack of confidence in the chief minister. Vetrivel, who filed an impleading petition, submitted he had apprehension that he might be disqualified by the Speaker during the proceedings initiated on a prayer by the government chief whip. After the whip sought disqualification of the 19 MLAs under the anti-defection law, the Speaker had issued notices to them seeking their response, the time limit for which ended on Thursday. Earlier, state Advocate General Vijay Narayan informed the judge that the constitutional process by the Speaker had started and the court could not pass orders based on apprehensions of the petitioners. Narayan stated this in response to a directive by the judge earlier in the day asking him to ascertain from the Speaker whether he intended to pass any order on the matter. Senior counsel Kapil Sibal, appearing for Stalin, submitted that the Speaker might pass an order disqualifying the 19 MLAs and might conduct the floor test on even Sunday so that they would not have time to approach courts for relief. He said at least 48 hours of time should be given before a floor test. The Speaker's counsel submitted the court cannot interfere in the process of a constitutional authority such as the Speaker. Once the constitutional process was over and if any order was passed, then a judicial review would always be available to the aggrieved parties, he submitted. The court cannot act based on apprehensions and expect the Speaker to reply whether he was going to take a decision on Thursday or Friday, he said. Sibal argued that even issuing privilege notices to 21 DMK MLAs over their action in displaying banned 'gutkha' in the assembly had been done only with the malafide intention to save the government. The MLAs have revolted against Palaniswamy after the merger of party factions led by him and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam on 21 August. In his petition, Stalin also wanted the floor test to be held under the supervision of an independent observer appointed by the high court. Stalin, the Leader of the Opposition in the assembly, sought a direction to the chief minister, restraining him from taking any major policy decision, pending the disposal of his petition. Besides the withdrawal of support by the 19 MLAs, the 98 MLAs of the DMK and its allies in the opposition had expressed their "unequivocal no-confidence" in the government, it said. "Hence, it is clear that the the government has lost its majority," he had contended adding it was the duty of the governor to ask the government to prove its strength in the 234-member assembly with one vacancy. The AIADMK has 134 members excluding the Speaker. With inputs from PTI Jaipur: Rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav Thursday hit out at the Narendra Modi government, alleging it wanted an Opposition-free India, which, he said will never happen. He made the remarks here at the third 'Sanjhi Virasat Bachao' convention, a platform floated by him to rally anti-BJP forces after the JD(U) under Nitish Kumar joined the NDA. The meeting was attended by leaders of Opposition parties, including CPM's Sitaram Yechury, Congress' Anand Sharma and Sachin Pilot, TMC leader Sukhendu Roy and RLD's Jayant Chaudhary. "You (the BJP) want an Opposition-free India and not a Congress-free India. But this will never happen. We will join hands to save our composite culture," Yadav said, asserting their objective was to unite all political parties. Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Rameshwar Dudi and Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar Ansari, who was suspended from the JD(U) last month, and National Conference leader Surjeet Singh also attended the event. Yadav said in the 2014 General Election to Lok Sabha, people had voted "against" the NDA and the BJP as it had only 31 per cent of the total vote share. "We are not option-less. There are many issues but the challenge is that the opposition is scattered. At Panchkula, a baba was convicted and he was not the sole culprit...even those (politicians) who asked for his support (are culprits). "When religion and politics meet, then a country becomes Iraq, Syria, and Pakistan," he said, adding "the work of politics is to serve the people," he added. He hit out at the BJP-led government for "unfulfilled promises, failure of demonetisation, cow vigilantism and woes of farmers, labourers and small traders". CPM general secretary Yechury said the opposition parties coming together was "not a coalition for elections" but to save the country's composite culture. "They are taking the nation towards fascism," he alleged. Pilot, the state unit chief of Congress, said when Rajiv Gandhi was the prime minister he never spoke of an "Opposition-free" India but BJP wants an India without the Congress and opposition. "(But) this is not going to happen, today or tomorrow," he said, claiming all agencies in the country are asked to target the Opposition. Congress' Sharma, a former Union minister, said the country does not want a "pracharak" but requires an "administrator". He added that a country runs on principles and not deceit. Rashtriya Lok Dal's leader Choudhary also hit out at the NDA government. tech2 News Staff Two leading retailers are considering to take Samsung to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) as they have been categorically notified by the Korean smartphone giant that Samsung would not supply their smartphones unless they stop selling Xiaomi products. In August, Xiaomi was considering to extend to its offline retailers by the end of the year. However, according to a report by The Economic Times, the retail chains were promoting Xiaomi products both instore and with store-front signages. This had miffed the Korean smartphone giant. As per the ET sources, an owner of a retail store is said to have taken legal approach against Samsung's move since it could potentially affect their business. Speaking to the ET, an industry executive said, Samsung is trying to sort out the issue with the two retailers ahead of the festive season. The report mentions that neither of the parties (Samsung or Xiaomi) had commented. Even the two leading chains refused to comment. Nearly, 300 retailers from Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Haryana, Indore, Lucknow, Kanpur, Gujarat, and Kolkata had signed with Xiaomi as its preferred retail partner. Previous reports had stated Manu Kumar Jain, Vice President, Xiaomi, say that the company had partnered with 12 large format retail chains that expanded Xiaomi's reach to 2,000 points. "Apart from that, we have a preferred partners programme through which we reach over 600 points in 11 cities. The intent is now to scale that up to over 1,500 across 30 cities," he said. Jain added that these points (in multi-brand stores) will be set up across capital cities of various states as well as tier I cities. Meanwhile, taking the opportunity in its stride, Xiaomi is bringing its new models Xiaomi Mi A1 and Mi Max 2 in a leading retail store. According to an IDC research firm, at the end of June, Samsung is supposed to have dominated the top position with 24 percent share; meanwhile Xiaomi is said to follow the Korean smartphone giant. tech2 News Staff Having launched the Pixel and Pixel XL last year in October, Google will most likely do the same with this year's iteration, the Pixel 2. While earlier reports stated that the launch would most likely happen on 5 October, a report by Droid Life might be very close to confirming the date as 4 October instead. The report shows an image of a billboard which was sent to the publication from Boston. It clearly reveals the caption 'Ask more of your phone' along with the Google 'G' branding below followed by the date. According to the report, there are arguments that the billboard may be referring to something else, but given that the Pixel launched at around the same time last year and that it is indeed referring to a phone, a Pixel 2 launch event is very likely. Based on what we know so far, the new Pixel devices will be made by two different OEMs, one being HTC for the Pixel 2 and the other being LG for the Pixel XL 2. While many expect the Qualcomm Snapdragon 836 to feature for the first time on the new Pixel devices, a previous report states that Google might have hit a roadblock there and that it will have to settle for the Snapdragon 835. The 835 is no slouch, so that's certainly not a bad thing. Last year's Pixel devices released at the tail end of the 821 chipsets life, but the delay of the 835 this year means that an October launch will not be as bad. The display on the Google Pixel 2 XL is expected to come in at 5.99-inches while sporting a bezel-less design. The regular Pixel 2 is expected to follow a design more similar to its predecessor while sporting a smaller, 4.97-inch OLED display, compared to the Pixel XL 2. On the software front, both the devices are expected to run Android Oreo out of the box with a stock build. The 3.5 mm headphone jack is also supposed to get the axe this year with Google opting for a single USB-C port on the phone. Reuters Google plans to introduce a localised digital payment service in India as early as next week, technology website TechCrunch reported, citing a report from news site The Ken. The payment service, called Google 'Tez', will offer payment options beyond the existing ones like Google Wallet or Android Pay, the report said. Tez, meaning fast in Hindi, will include support for the government-backed Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and other consumer payment services including Paytm and MobiKwik, according to the report. Google launched its payment app Android Pay in the United States two years ago. A spokesman for Google in India did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Google, Facebook Inc, and WhatsApp Inc were in talks with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to provide UPI-enabled payment on their platforms, the Mint daily had reported in July. UPI, launched by NPCI, is a mobile application that helps quick transfer of money through a mobile device round the clock. The customers can access multiple bank accounts through a single mobile application. According to previous reports, highlighting the nation's target of achieving 25 billion digital payments transactions mark in FY18, NPCI MD & CEO AP Hota had said that last year the volume of digital payments was 9.2 billion of which 3.5 billion had been contributed by NPCI and this year, "we are aiming to contribute about 11 billion digital transactions." Hota said that there are 50 banks who are members of UPI and out of them, 37 have developed their own UPI applications. tech2 News Staff It is almost confirmed by now that Google is all geared up to launch its brand-new Google Pixel 2 lineup of smartphones on 4 October. But a new reveal seems to have given it away completely. Google has placed an ad for the Google Pixel smartphones, in a place that is incredibly hard to miss, Google Search. Yes, fire up Google search on your web browser and you will be greeted by a small message below it that reads, "Ask more of your phone. Oct. 4." The message is similar to the billboard ad campaign that many spotted in the city of Boston this week. Its just that this time around, its on the biggest and most frequently visited address on the internet, Google Search. If one clicks on the message, it leads to a the Made by Google website, with a blank page showing an animated Google Pixel logo represented by the colourful alphabet 'G'. This itself is a good hint that a Google Pixel phone will be unveiled on that day. Once the animation is complete there is another message that appears below the logo, "Stay tuned for more on October 4." Apart from the advertisement on Google Search, the search giant has also published a separate video teaser which looks at the common problems most smartphone users face hinting that the Pixel 2 will be the solution to them. You can have a look at the same below. Both smartphones received their FCC certification earlier today, hinting that the launch is imminent. Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump blocked a Chinese-backed private equity firm from buying a U.S.-based chipmaker on Wednesday, sending a clear signal to Beijing that Washington will oppose takeover deals that involve technologies with potential military applications. Canyon Bridge Capital Partners planned $1.3-billion (985.00 million pounds) acquisition of Lattice Semiconductor Corp was one of the largest attempted by a Chinese-backed firm in the U.S. microchip sector and was the first announced deal for the buyout fund, which launched last year with a focus on technology investment. U.S. regulatory scrutiny grew after Reuters reported in November that Canyon Bridge was funded partly by capital from Chinas central government and had indirect links to its space program. U.S. defense officials subsequently raised concerns about the Lattice acquisition by a firm backed by the Chinese government. The Portland, Oregon-based company makes chips known as field-programmable gate arrays, which allow companies to put their own software on silicon chips for different uses. It said it no longer sells chips to the U.S. military, unlike its two biggest rivals, Xilinx Inc, and Intel Corps Altera. Trump said in an executive order that Lattice and Canyon Bridge shall take all steps necessary to fully and permanently abandon the proposed transaction within 30 days. Trumps decision chimes with the views of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which scrutinizes deals for potential national security threats. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement that CFIUS and the president assess that the transaction poses a risk to the national security of the United States that cannot be resolved through mitigation. Mnuchin added that the national security risk was related the transfer of intellectual property, the Chinese governments role in supporting the deal, the importance of semiconductor supply chain integrity to the U.S. government and the U.S. governments use of Lattice products. Canyon Bridge said in a statement that it was disappointed in the decision, and called the transaction an excellent deal for Lattices shareholders and its employees. Lattice did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sensitive moment The announcement comes at a sensitive time for U.S.-China relations, which are already strained over trade issues and North Korea. The Chinese Communist Party is also preparing to hold its once-every-five-years Congress in October. Trumps decision ends a prolonged campaign by Canyon Bridge and Lattice to seal the deal. Canyon Bridge and Lattice had spent more than eight months trying in vain to persuade CFIUS to clear the acquisition. Both companies said the deal did not pose any security risks and Canyon Bridge had told CFIUS it would double the number of Lattices employees in a bid to make the deal more palatable, according to people familiar with the matter. They declined to be identified because details of the regulatory process are confidential. The companies decision to appeal directly to Trump was a last-ditch gamble. It was the first such deal to hit Trumps desk and only the fourth time in three decades that an acquisition was put in front of a president after CFIUS recommended against it. Trump has hewed to the presidential tradition of following the advice of national security officials on deals. The U.S. refusal potentially hurts its ability to acquire other Western semiconductor companies, which would be a big blow to a firm dedicated to technology investments. Most acquisition targets have U.S. operations, making them subject to a CFIUS review. Palo Alto, California-based Canyon Bridge said in a statement that it remains focused on other investment opportunities. Canyon Bridge has been working on a bid for British semiconductor company Imagination Technology Group, sources have previously said. If Canyon Bridge clinches that deal, it would also be subject to CFIUS review since Imagination Technologies acquired U.S. chip designer MIPS in 2013. While Canyon Bridge could choose to divest MIPS, which accounts for a small fraction of Imagination Technologies business, there is no certainty that would be enough to resolve all CFIUS issues, according to the sources. Imagination Technologies declined to comment. Investors have been skeptical the deal would get passed since it was announced last November. Lattice shares have been trading below the deals $8.30 offer price and were down 1.57 percent in after-hours trading on Wednesday. Chinese deals awaiting approval include Ant Financials $1.2 billion purchase of U.S. money transfer company MoneyGram International Inc and China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co Ltds $2.7 billion acquisition of U.S. insurer Genworth Financial Inc. Unic Capital Managements $580-million acquisition of U.S. semiconductor testing company Xcerra Corp is also awaiting approval. The Trump administration on Wednesday told U.S. government agencies to remove Kaspersky Lab products from their networks, saying it was concerned the Moscow-based cybersecurity firm was vulnerable to Kremlin influence and that using its anti-virus software could jeopardise national security. The decision represents a sharp response to what U.S. intelligence agencies have described as a national security threat posed by Russia in cyberspace, following an election year marred by allegations that Moscow weaponized the internet in an attempt to influence its outcome. In a statement, Kaspersky Lab rejected the allegations, as it has done repeatedly in recent months, and said its critics were misinterpreting Russian data-sharing laws that only applied to communications services. No credible evidence has been presented publicly by anyone or any organisation as the accusations are based on false allegations and inaccurate assumptions, the company said. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a directive to federal agencies ordering them to identify Kaspersky products on their information systems within 30 days and begin to discontinue their use within 90 days. In a statement accompanying its directive, DHS said it was concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies, and requirements under Russian law that allow Russian intelligence agencies to request or compel assistance from Kaspersky and to intercept communications transiting Russian networks. It continued: The risk that the Russian government, whether acting on its own or in collaboration with Kaspersky, could capitalise on access provided by Kaspersky products to compromise federal information and information systems directly implicates U.S. national security. The department said it would provide Kaspersky with the opportunity to submit a written response to address the allegations. The agency said other entities claiming commercial interests affected by the directive could also submit information Kaspersky Lab has repeatedly denied that it has ties to any government and said it would not help a government with cyber espionage. However, the company has not been able to shake off the allegations. Last week, Best Buy Co, the No.1 U.S. electronics retailer, said it was pulling Kaspersky Labs cybersecurity products from its shelves and website. Tough decision Rob Joyce, the White House cybersecurity coordinator, said Wednesday at the Billington CyberSecurity Summit that the Trump administration made a risk-based decision to order Kaspersky Labs products removed from federal agencies. Asked by Reuters whether there was a smoking gun showing Kaspersky Lab had provided intelligence to the Russian government, Joyce replied: As we evaluated the technology, we decided it was a risk we couldnt accept. Some cybersecurity experts have warned that blacklisting Kaspersky Lab could prompt a retaliation from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Joyce said those concerns were a factor but that a tough decision ultimately had to be made to protect government systems. The direct financial impact of the decision will likely be minimal for Kaspersky Lab, one of the worlds leading anti-virus software companies, which was founded in 1997 and now counts over 400 million global customers. Federal contracting databases reviewed by Reuters show only a few hundred thousand dollars in purchases from Kaspersky, and an employee told Reuters in July the companys federal government revenue was miniscule. But Kaspersky also sells to federal contractors and third-party software companies that incorporate its technology in their products, so its technology may be more widely used in government than it appears from the contracting databases, U.S. officials say. The decision by the Trump administration came as the U.S. Senate was planning to vote as soon as this week on a defence policy spending bill that includes language that would ban Kaspersky Lab products from being used by U.S. government agencies. Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who had led efforts in Congress to crack down on Kaspersky Lab, applauded the Trump administrations announcement. The strong ties between Kaspersky Lab and the Kremlin are alarming and well-documented, Shaheen said, adding that she expected Congress to act soon to reinforce the decision by passing legislation. Also on Wednesday, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar wrote to DHS asking whether the agency used Kaspersky products in relation to any critical infrastructure, such as election equipment, banks or energy suppliers, and if it knew whether any voting systems used the companys software. Eugene Kaspersky, the companys co-founder and chief executive, attended a KGB school, and the company has acknowledged doing work for the Russian intelligence agency known as the FSB. But he has adamantly denied charges his company conducts espionage on behalf of the Russian government. Washington: US president Donald Trump on Thursday said any move on illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children would have to be tied to security, disputing Democratic congressional leaders who said they had reached a deal with him on the issue. "No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote," Trump wrote in one of a series of posts on Twitter. No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 He was referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program created by former president Barack Obama. "The wall (on the US-Mexico border), which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built," Trump also wrote. The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi earlier said they had come to an agreement with Trump at a dinner meeting at the White House Wednesday evening. "We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides," Schumer and Pelosi said in a statement. The White House disputed that assessment. "While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Twitter on Wednesday night. While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to. Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) September 14, 2017 Still, Trump on Thursday appeared to acknowledge the complexity of handing the issue of the immigrant children dubbed Dreamers. A mainstay of his 2016 presidential campaign was a promise to build a wall along the southern US border aimed at keeping immigrants and drugs out. He had said Mexico would pay for it but has since requested money from the US Congress. "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!" Trump wrote in another tweet. "They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age. Plus big border security." 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Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Hollywood, Florida: Eight patients at a sweltering nursing home died after Hurricane Irma knocked out the air conditioning, raising fears Wednesday about the safety of Florida's 4 million senior citizens amid power outages that could last for days. Hollywood police chief Tom Sanchez said investigators believe the deaths at the Rehabilitation Centre at Hollywood Hills were heat-related, and added: "The building has been sealed off and we are conducting a criminal investigation." Governor Rick Scott called on Florida emergency workers to immediately check on all nursing homes to make sure patients are safe, and he vowed to punish anyone found culpable in the deaths. "This situation is unfathomable," he said. The home said in a statement that the hurricane had knocked out a transformer that powered the AC. The five women and three men ranged in age from 70 to 99. Exactly how the deaths happened was under investigation, with Sanchez saying authorities have not ruled anything out, including carbon monoxide poisoning from generators. He also said investigators will look into how many windows were open. Across the street from the stifling nursing home sat a fully air-conditioned hospital, Memorial Regional. Broward County said the nursing home had alerted the county emergency operations centre on Tuesday that it had lost power, but when asked if it had any medical needs or emergencies, it did not request help. "It's a sad state of affairs," the police chief said. "We all have elderly people in facilities, and we all know we depend on those people in those facilities to care for a vulnerable elderly population." When asked why the patients hadn't been taken across the street to Memorial Regional hospital when temperatures became dangerous, Hollywood city spokeswoman Rayelin Storey said, "We can't get inside the heads of the staff and the administrators of this facility." The deaths came as people trying to put their lives back together in hurricane-stricken Florida and beyond confronted a multitude of new hazards in the storm's aftermath, including tree-clearing accidents and lethal generator fumes. Not counting the nursing home deaths, at least 17 people in Florida have died under Irma-related circumstances, and six more in South Carolina and Georgia, many of them well after the storm had passed. The death toll across the Caribbean stood at 38. At least six people died of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning from generators in Florida. A Tampa man died after the chain saw he was using to remove trees recoiled and cut his carotid artery. In Hollywood, after responding to three early morning calls Wednesday about patients in distress, firefighters went through the facility, found three people dead and evacuated more than 150 patients to hospitals, many on stretchers or in wheelchairs, authorities said. By the afternoon, five more had died. Patients were treated for dehydration, breathing difficulties and other heat-related ills, authorities said. Nursing homes in Florida are required by state and federal law to file an emergency plan that includes evacuation plans for residents. County officials released documents showing that the Hollywood facility was in compliance with that regulation and that it held a hurricane drill with its staff in October. Calls to the owner and other officials at the Hollywood home were not immediately returned, but the facility's administrator, Jorge Carballo, said in a statement that it was "cooperating fully with relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances that led to this unfortunate and tragic outcome." Through a representative, Carballo told the SunSentinel newspaper that the home has a backup generator but that it does not power the air conditioning. The nursing home was bought at a bankruptcy auction two years ago after its previous owner went to prison for Medicare fraud, according to news reports at the time of the sale. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which regulates nursing homes, gives the Hollywood center a below-average rating, two stars on its five-star scale. But the most recent state inspection reports showed no deficiencies in the area of emergency plans. Broward County Medical Examiner Dr Craig Mallak said after receiving some of the bodies for autopsies that the victims had been in poor health, and "it's going to be tough to tell how much was the heat and how much of it was they were sick already." Florida, long one of America's top retirement destinations, has the highest proportion of people 65 and older of any state 1 in 5 of its 20 million residents. As of 2016, Florida had about 680 nursing homes. The number of people without electricity in the steamy late-summer heat was down to 6.8 million. Utility officials warned it could take over a week for power to be fully restored. The number of people in shelters fell to under 13,000. Elsewhere around the state, a Coral Gables apartment building was evacuated after authorities determined a lack of power made it unsafe for elderly tenants. And at the huge, 15,000-resident Century Village retirement community in Pembroke Pines, more than half the residential buildings had no power Wednesday afternoon. Rescue crews went door to door in the 94-degree heat to check on people and hand out water, ice and meals. "These people are basically prisoners in their own homes," said Pembroke Pines City Manager Charlie Dodge. "That's why we are camped out there and doing whatever we can to assist them in this process. And we're not leaving." Florida Senator Bill Nelson called the deaths in Hollywood "an inexcusable tragedy" and demanded a federal investigation. "We need to make sure we're doing everything we can to keep our seniors safe during this difficult time," he said. In the battered Florida Keys, meanwhile, county officials pushed back against a preliminary estimate from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that 25 percent of all homes in the Keys were destroyed and nearly all the rest were heavily damaged. "Things look real damaged from the air, but when you clear the trees and all the debris, it's not much damage to the houses," said Monroe County Commissioner Heather Carruthers. The Keys felt Irma's full fury when the hurricane roared in on Sunday with 130 mph (209 kph) winds. But the extent of the damage has been an unanswered question for days because some places have been unreachable. President Donald Trump plans to visit Naples, on Florida's hard-it southwestern coast, on Thursday. At the Hollywood nursing home, Jean Lindor, a kitchen worker, said through a Haitian Creole translator that the air conditioner had not been working since the storm and it had been hot inside. Paulburn Bogle, a member of the housekeeping staff, said the place had been hot but manageable the past few days. The staff used fans, put cold towels and ice on patients and gave them cold drinks, he said. Flora Mitchell arrived at the home trying to learn the fate of her 58-year-old sister, a stroke patient. She said she last heard from her sister two days earlier and learned the air conditioning was not working. "We need to know what happened to her," she said. "They haven't told us anything." This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. A fire broke out on Thursday morning at an Islamic boarding school for boys killing 24 people, in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. The blaze was reported was reported at around 5.40 am local time. The school is located in a three-storey building in central Kuala Lumpur. Named Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, it is a "tahfiz" boarding school where students learn to memorise the Quran. The blaze began in the sleeping quarters on the top floor of the building, according to a statement from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department. "The children were desperately trying to escape the flames," Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor said in a television interview, "There were metal grills which prevented them from exiting the burning building." Death toll Officials initially said 23 students and two teachers were killed in the blaze. Police later revised down the death toll to 22 students and two teachers. Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh told reporters the boys who died were aged 13-17, and that they were probably suffocated due to smoke inhalation. The dormitory had only one entrance, leaving many of the victims trapped inside, he said. Some witnesses said they had heard the students crying for help after the fire broke out. Theyre still counting the bodies, which were piled on top of each other in a corner, Singh said. Seven people were taken to a nearby hospital for injuries, while 11 others were rescued, officials said. Electrical short circuit suspected as reason Officials suspected an electrical short circuit caused the blaze that broke out in a top floor dormitory, where most of the students perished. The police chief said no foul play was suspected. Minister Tengku Adnan said the school had been operating without a licence, while local media reported that officials had recently raised fire safety concerns about such private schools. "The religious school did not have an operating licence from the local authorities," he said. "The school also does not have any licence from the local religious authorities." "Worst fire disaster in past 20 years" "It really does not make sense for so many to die in the fire," Khirudin Drahman, director of Kuala Lumpur's fire and rescue department told AFP. "I think it is one of the countrys worst fire disaster in the past 20 years." Malaysian prime minister Mohd Najib Tun Razak tweeted his sympathies to those affected. His tweet read: "Innalillah. It's sad to read Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Center burned & killed more than 20 lives. May the blessed soul of Allah SWT. Al Fatihah" Innalillah. Amat sedih baca Pusat Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah terbakar & korban lebih 20 nyawa. Moga roh dirahmati Allah SWT. Al-Fatihah Mohd Najib Tun Razak (@NajibRazak) September 14, 2017 Loga Bala Mohan, the government's federal territories deputy minister, said: "We sympathise with the families. It is one of the worst fires involving so many lives in the capital in recent years. We urgently want the authorities to quickly probe the cause of the deadly fire so that we will be able to prevent future disasters." Hundreds of people, including families of some victims were gathered outside the school, as more bodies were being removed by fire officials. Tahfiz schools have been flagged earlier for safety issues The Star reported that the fire and rescue department had raised concerns about fire safety measures at unregistered and private religious schools, and had recorded 211 fires at the institutions since 2015. These schools are unregulated by the education ministry and fall under the purview of the religious department. In August, 16 people including eight students fled an early morning fire at a family-run tahfiz in Baling, in the northern state of Kedah, the paper reported. There were 519 tahfiz schools registered across the country as of April, but many more are believed to be unregistered, the paper said. With inputs from agencies Kuala Lumpur: Twenty-four people, most of them students, were killed on Thursday when a blaze tore through a Malaysian religious school, in what officials said was one of the country's worst fire disasters for years. The blaze broke out before dawn in the two-storey building, Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, located in the centre of the capital Kuala Lumpur. Officials initially said 23 students and two teachers were killed in the blaze. Police later revised down the death toll to 22 students and two teachers. Firefighters rushed to the scene and the blaze was out within an hour but not before it wreaked terrible devastation pictures in local media showed ash-covered, fire-blackened beds. "It really does not make sense for so many to die in the fire," Khirudin Drahman, director of Kuala Lumpur's fire and rescue department told AFP. "I think it is one of the countrys worst fire disaster in the past 20 years." He said that the deceased could have died due to smoke inhalation or got trapped in the fire. "We are now investigating the cause of the fire," he said. Loga Bala Mohan, the government's federal territories deputy minister, said: "We sympathise with the families. It is one of the worst fires involving so many lives in the capital in recent years. We urgently want the authorities to quickly probe the cause of the deadly fire so that we will be able to prevent future disasters." A fire department official at the scene said that the blaze broke out in bedrooms before dawn, and firefighters from a nearby station were on the scene within minutes. The Star reported that the fire and rescue department had raised concerns about fire safety measures at unregistered and private religious schools known as tahfiz, and had recorded 211 fires at the institutions since 2015. In August, 16 people including eight students fled an early morning fire at a family-run tahfiz in Baling, in the northern state of Kedah, the paper reported. There were 519 tahfiz schools registered across the country as of April, but many more are believed to be unregistered, the paper said. In October 2016, six people died in a fire that swept through the intensive care unit of a major hospital in the southern state of Johor. New York: Martin Shkreli was sent to jail on Wednesday after a US judge revoked the bail of the former pharmaceutical executive over a threat aimed at Hillary Clinton which he insists was a joke. Once dubbed "The Most Hated Man in America" for jacking up the price of an HIV drug, the 34-year-old was convicted of securities fraud last month for mismanaging two investment funds. Freed on a five-million-dollar bail while awaiting sentencing, Shkreli was hauled back into court to answer for having offered a $5,000 reward to anyone who would grab a strand of Clinton's hair. His lawyer Benjamin Brafman who has painted his client as a misunderstood "genius" argued long and hard with US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto against sending him to jail. Shkreli himself had written to the judge apologizing for his "poor judgment" and insisting he "never intended to cause alarm or promote any act of violence whatsoever." "It never occurred to me that my awkward attempt at humor or satire would cause Mrs. Clinton or the Secret Service any distress," Shkreli wrote. But Judge Matsumoto decided otherwise, ruling that his online threats constituted "solicitation of assault" and posed a danger to the community. "His bail was revoked and he was remanded to a detention facility," said Tyler Daniels, spokesman for the US Attorney's office in Brooklyn. He will now remain in prison until his sentencing hearing, set for 16 January next year. Shkreli is best known for ratcheting up the price of HIV drug Daraprim from $13.50 a pill to $750 overnight in 2015. Although that incident had nothing to do with his trial, so great was his notoriety that it was initially difficult to find an impartial jury. Islamabad: Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his children were on Thursday summoned by an anti-graft court to appear before it on 19 September in two more corruption cases. They were summoned after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) last week filed four cases against Sharif, his family members and finance minister Ishaq Dar. The Islamabad-based accountability court on Thursday ordered Sharif and his children Maryam, Hussain and Hassan and son-in-law captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar to appear before it on 19 September in Azizia Steel Mill, Hill Metal and Avenfield properties cases. The summons come a day after the same court asked the former prime minister and his sons and daughter to appear before it on 19 September in another corruption case related Flagship Investment company in the UK. The cases are based on the 28 July judgement of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case. The court disqualified 67-year-old Sharif and ordered cases against him and his family. Meanwhile, a five-judge larger bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday started hearing of the review petitions by Sharif and others against the judgement. Sharif and his family are unlikely to appear as they have already stated that they would not appear before the NAB courts until the decision by the apex court about the review petitions. The Supreme Court had asked the anti-corruption watchdog to file the cases by 8 September against Sharif, his sons, daughter, son-in-law and Dar. Islamabad: Pakistan is "reassessing" ties with the US, defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan has said and accused Washington of ignoring the "threats" to his country from India. Khan's remarks came amidst tension in ties between the US and Pakistan after president Donald Trump accused the country of providing safe havens to terrorists. Khan said on Wednesday that it was not possible for Pakistan to satisfy the US, Dawn reported. "We are here to give our point of view logically and with evidence. We will explain our position. But it's not for us to satisfy them," he told the media. The government, he said, was "reassessing ties with the US", and has simultaneously undertaken a regional outreach ahead of talks with Americans on future bilateral engagement. Khan said the two countries needed a frank and candid dialogue on the issues concerning them, as differences between them would reflect in Afghanistan and other regional issues. The defence minister expressed discontent that the US did not share Pakistan's threat perception about India. He also claimed that a nexus existed between the US, India and Afghanistan that was threatening Pakistan. "The US knows all, but ignores the threats faced by us because of its strategic interests." He said Pakistan would keep raising concerns about India in future engagements with the US. "The United States cannot ignore the threat to us from India. It is [a] serious [situation]," he underscored, adding that it would be major challenge for the Pakistani side to get it acknowledged in the upcoming talks. Khan said the other challenge for Pakistan was the fact that the US "keeps changing the goalposts". Pakistan, he said, would advise the US that intensifying kinetic operations (lethal or offensive combat missions) in Afghanistan would not work and the only way forward lay in a politically negotiated settlement of the conflict. Dawn reported that foreign minister Khawaja Asif would accompanying prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to the UN General Assembly session in New York next week and is expected to use the opportunity to visit Washington for a meeting with US secretary of state Rex Tillerson. Asif's meeting with Tillerson was originally scheduled for mid-August, but was postponed on Pakistans request after Trump's policy statement on Afghanistan and South Asia. Asif is currently visiting several countries to garner support for Pakistan's point of view regarding Afghanistan. Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday summoned India's deputy high commissioner in Islamabad JP Singh, a day after two civilians were killed in a ceasefire violation allegedly by Indian forces on the Line of Control. Pakistan's foreign office said in a statement that it condemned the "unprovoked ceasefire violations" by the Indian Army in Dewara and Kakran villages along the LoC on Wednesday that also left three others injured. "Despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations. In 2017 to date, the Indian forces have carried out over 700 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the deaths of 32 innocent civilians and injuries to 382," an official statement said. The foreign office said it urged India to respect the 2003 ceasefire pact and investigate the incidents of truce violations. The Indian diplomat was also told that India should permit the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan to play its mandated role in Jammu and Kashmir, the statement said. Dhaka: The number of Muslim Rohingya who have crossed into Bangladesh to escape ethnic unrest in Myanmar since 25 August hit 3,89,000 on Thursday, a UN spokesman said. The figure rose 10,000 in 24 hours, indicating the Rohingya crisis remains acute. UN refugee agency spokesman Joseph Tripura gave AFP the latest number. Other UN agencies have sounded the alarm over conditions for the Rohingya who have fled a military crackdown in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar's Rakhine state. Most of the influx is concentrated around the Bangladesh border town of Cox's Bazar where more than 300,000 Rohingya refugees were packed into ill-equipped camps before the violence erupted last month in Rakhine. The UN children's agency, UNICEF, says that 60 percent of the new arrivals are children. "There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water," said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF's representative in Bangladesh, in a statement. "Conditions on the ground place children at risk of high risk of water-borne disease. We have a monumental task ahead of us to protect these extremely vulnerable children," said the official. Gandhinagar: India and Japan on Thursday condemned "in the strongest terms" North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes. "The two Prime Ministers condemned in the strongest terms North Korea's continued development of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, including the latest nuclear test conducted by North Korea on 3 September as well as its uranium enrichment activities," said a joint statement issued following the annual bilateral summit in Gandhinagar between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. "Recognising that North Korea's continued pursuit of nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and its proliferation links, including the launch of a ballistic missile flying over Japanese territory on 29 August, 2017, pose grave and real threat to international peace and stability and the international non-proliferation efforts, the two Prime Ministers strongly urged North Korea to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and not to take any further provocative actions, and to fully comply with its international obligations under relevant UNSC resolutions including the newly and unanimously adopted resolution 2375, and other international commitments," it stated. According to the statement, both leaders agreed to work together to deal with the current serious situation and called on the international community to rigorously and fully implement relevant UN Security Council resolutions to maximise pressure on North Korea. "They stressed the importance of holding accountable all parties that have supported North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes," it said. Briefing the media after the summit, foreign secretary S Jaishankar said that India was always concerned over nuclear proliferation reports. "The fact that the North Korean programme has come under sharp and closer scrutiny, that warrants some examination of its backward linkages," Jaishankar said. "You know as well as I know what those linkages are," he added. United Nations: The UN Security Council has expressed concern over violence in Myanmar's restive Rakhine state from where thousands of Rohingya Muslims have fled to Bangladesh. An estimated 380,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees have fled Myanmar and reached Bangladesh after a crackdown by Myanmarese security forces in response to an attack on a military outpost by Rohingya militants on August 25. Expressing concern over the situation, the UN Security Council called for immediate steps to end the violence, de-escalate the situation and re-establish law and order. In a statement, Security Council "expressed deep concern" about the situation in Rakhine State. Acknowledging the initial attacks on Myanmar security forces on 25 August, the 15-membered body condemned the subsequent violence which has led to over 300,000 people being displaced. The members called for protection of civilians in Myanmar and restoration of normal socio-economic conditions. "This is the first time in nine years that the Security Council has agreed on this particular issue, on Myanmar," British Ambassador to the UN Matthew Rycroft told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York. "We were united in our concern about the situation, in the deterioration of the situation and we have heard graphically from the Secretary-General and Jeff Feltman who briefed us on the catastrophe that is befalling Rakhine State and Rohingya there," he said. Rycroft said the members agreed that there must be an end to the security operations and there must be full humanitarian access wherever it is needed. "And the Government of Myanmar has an important obligation in looking to the longer term in implementing the recommendations of the Annan Commission," he said. The Security Council also welcomed Bangladesh's efforts to provide assistance to refugees and welcomed UN and other international efforts to support Dhaka in this regard. Noting the commitments made by Myanmar to provide humanitarian assistance to all displaced individuals without discrimination, they called on the government to fulfil these commitments, facilitate humanitarian assistance to those in need in Rakhine State, and to ensure the protection and safety of humanitarian actors. They encouraged further dialogue and cooperation among states concerned. Agreeing on the importance of a long-term solution to the situation in Rakhine, members of the Security Council called for implementation of the recommendations of the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State. "In that context, they welcomed as a first step the Government of Myanmar's establishment of the 'Ministerial Implementation Committee' for the Rakhine Advisory Commission. They confirmed that the international community stands ready to support the Government of Myanmar with its implementation," the statement said. Singapore: An establishment stalwart was named Singapore's first female president on Wednesday but the milestone was overshadowed by criticism that her selection was undemocratic after she was handed the job without a vote. Halimah Yacob, a former speaker of parliament from the Muslim Malay minority, did not have to face an election for the largely ceremonial post originally due in September after authorities decided her rivals did not meet strict eligibility criteria. It was not the first time in the affluent city-state which is tightly controlled and has been ruled by the same party for decades that the government has disqualified candidates for the presidency, making an election unnecessary. But there was already unease about the process as it was the first time that the presidency had been reserved for a particular ethnic group, in this case the Malay community, and the decision to hand her the job without a vote added to anger. Social media was abuzz with criticism as Halimah, a bespectacled 63-year-old who wears a headscarf, was formally announced as the president-elect, with Facebook user Pat Eng writing: "Elected without an election. What a joke." "I will call her President Select from now on," said Joel Kong on the networking site, while some posts were marked with the hashtag NotMyPresident echoing the message used by upset Americans after the election of President Donald Trump. Halimah, a member of parliament for the ruling People's Action Party for nearly two decades before resigning to contest the presidency, tackled the doubts about the selection process in a speech to a cheering crowd after she was named president-elect. "I'm a president for everyone. Although there's no election, my commitment to serve you remains the same," she said. Authorities had decided to allow only candidates from the Malay community to put themselves forward for the presidency, a bid to foster harmony in the city-state of 5.5 million people which is dominated by ethnic Chinese. Singapore's head of state has limited powers, including vetoing senior official appointments, but an establishment figure has always held the role and there are rarely tensions with the government. It looks like Google is the latest entrant to foray into the buzzing digital mobile payment scene in India. The is looking forward to launch a localized mobile payment service in the country. According to a latest report by The Ken, Google is all set to launch a Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-based digital payment service called Tez as early as next week. Tez- which means fast in Hindi, will offer payment options beyond the existing ones like Google Wallet or Android Pay. The report further added that Tez will include support for the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and other third-party payment services including Paytm and MobiKwik. UPI is mobile-first payment system that facilitates transactions between any two bank accounts. Moreover, Google is also looking to to partner several large private banks in India. The Tez payment service is said to be available both on the desktop, as a Chrome widget, and will be rolled out as an app on Googles very own Play Store, a person familiar to the matter told The Ken. It will be integrated into other applications, including e-commerce, mobility, over-the-top apps, and Googles own suite of appsPlay Music/Movies (for subscriptions) and Play Store (for paid downloads). The latest news about Tez, comes just days after Uber officially launched Unified Payments Interface (UPI) integration in India in partnership with National Payments Corporation of India. Global companies like Amazon and WhatsApp are also reportedly working on UPI integrations for their platform. Homegrown messaging app Hike Messenger tied up with Yes Bank for UPI and wallet service earlier this year. Source | Via It looks like HMD Global will launch a new Nokia smartphone soon. After Nokia 3, Nokia 5, Nokia 6 and Nokia 8, the company might soon unveil the Nokia 2. [HTML1] Spotted at FCC a month ago, more specification details of the phone have surfaced. Popular tipster Roland Quandt has shared the FCC filing via Twitter that states Nokia 2 will sport a 4000mAh battery the largest battery that is present on any Nokia phone until now. The Nokia 2 that goes by model number TA-1029 is rumoured to sport a 5-Inch HD display and could be powered by a 1.27 GHz Quad-core Qualcomm 212 processor. It will most likely come with 2GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage that can be expanded via microSD card slot. It is tipped to sport an 8-megapixel rear camera, and a 5-megapixel front camera. The phone is said to run on Android 7.1 Nougat. In terms of design, the Nokia 2 looks similar to the latest Nokia with a sturdy body. Considering the specs, it looks the Nokia 2 will be another mid-ranger. By continuing to browse our site you agree to our Privacy & Cookie Policy. > Privacy & Cookie Policy I Agree WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. House panel said Wednesday the chief executive of Equifax will testify about a massive data breach that impacted up to 143 million Americans at an Oct. 3 hearing, as the company's shares fell another 14.6 percent amid pressure on the company to explain its handling of the hack. The company's shares have fallen more than 30 percent this week amid letters from members of Congress about the hack and requests for answers. Representative Greg Walden, Republican chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Republican Representative Bob Latta, said that the company's chief executive, Richard Smith, had agreed to testify. "We look forward to hearing directly from Mr. Smith on this unprecedented breach that has raised serious questions about the security of consumers' personal information," the lawmakers said in a statement. Also Wednesday, Rhode Island said it would join a multi-state probe. Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen said last week that he was working with colleagues in Pennsylvania and Illinois to open a formal probe of the hack, which Equifaxdiscovered in July but did not disclose until September. It was not immediately known how many states were in the group looking at the hack, which has spawned multiple calls for federal investigations. Equifax shares slid for a fourth day on Wednesday, falling another 14.6 percent to break below $100 for the first time since February 2016, closing at $98.99. The yields on Equifax's bonds have risen since it revealed the massive data breach last week. The bonds were up 3 basis points from Tuesday's close, and up 57 basis points since last Thursday's close. The company had $2.67 billion of long and short-term debt outstanding at the end of 2016. Amid disclosures of data breaches at a broad array of companies and government agencies in recent years, the Equifax hack stands out. Cyber security experts said it was among the largest hacks ever recorded and was particularly troubling due to the richness of the information exposed: names, birthdays, addresses and Social Security and drivers license numbers. Equifax did not respond to telephone calls or emails seeking comment. New York Representative Carolyn Maloney asked the CEOs of TransUnion and Experian PLC as to how each company is addressing its information security program in light of the Equifaxdata breach. She said the hackers in the Equifax case likely exploited security flaws in open-source software, called Apache Struts, that was used by Equifax. She wants to know if the Equifax rivals downloaded security fixes for the software. Shares of TransUnion traded in New York fell 8.5 percent to $43.67. Experian shares traded in London rose 0.8 percent. Stock trader Ken Polcari, director of the NYSE floor division at ONeil Securities in New York, said the shares are sinking because of Equifax's poor handling of a terrible breach. "Its a disaster. This breach has put almost every adult American in jeopardy. I dont think (the share drop) is over by any stretch. This is just going to get uglier and uglier for them," he said. (Reporting by Diane Bartz and David Shepardson in Washington; additional reporting by Lewis Krauskopf, Chuck Mikolajczak and Richard Leong in New York; Editing by Chris Sanders and Clive McKeef) No matter how many times you see a 3-D printer in operation, its a sight to behold. They make for great YouTube videos, no doubt. Starting a 3-D printing business? Theres a steeper learning curve than in some other businesses. With a 3-D printing business, not only do you have to run the business, you have to learn the technology, says Liza Wallach Kloski, co-founder and president of HoneyPoint3D, based in Concord, California. At roughly $13.2 billion in 2016, the worldwide market in 3-D printing products and services is small but growing, according to IDC Research Inc., a market research firm. The sophistication and capabilities of the technology have increased since its infancy in the 1990s. People and companies are printing a seemingly endless array of products in materials such as plastic, metal, concrete and even food. Meanwhile, many consumer 3-D printers cost less than $1,000. Most 3-D printing businesses fall into five categories, and many offer more than one service. As you craft your entry into the industry, consider which would be right for you. 1. Service bureaus These 3-D printing businesses own or lease printing equipment and offer printing as a service to their customers. They compete on the efficiency with which they turn around orders, the variety of materials they print with and the quality and sophistication of designs they can print. Sculpteo, a French company, is a big player here. Its a crowded, competitive field, and it can be hard to differentiate your company. One way, Wallach Kloski suggests, is starting a service bureau that serves a niche clientele. For example, she says, no big service bureaus currently serve schools. 2. File creation Some 3-D printing businesses combine engineering and design know-how with computer-aided design tools to turn their clients back-of-envelope ideas into 3-D-printable files. Business that create 3-D-printable files compete on their brainpower and expertise. Even if youre designing simple objects, you need to have a design background and be versed in CAD software, Wallach Kloski says. 3. Equipment or software makers Some of these companies make printers, which can range from small consumer models to those used in industrial settings for prototyping or mass production. As with any manufacturing, these 3-D printing businesses have high fixed costs, meaning business owners must invest large amounts of capital before the first machine rolls off the line. Most proprietors also have a background in manufacturing, engineering or a related discipline, like the founders of Desktop Metal of Burlington, Massachusetts, which recently secured $115 million in venture funding. Similarly, no one just wakes up one morning and starts a CAD software company. That typically requires some experience at a company that makes design software. 4. Supplying or supporting the industry These 3-D printing businesses provide supplies, materials and equipment to the people and companies doing printing. This includes businesses that sell the printing equipment to end users and other businesses that supply filament, the spools of plastic that are a raw material for 3-D printing. Then there are services such as maintenance, repairs and education. HoneyPoint3D, for example, offers online courses in design and printing. 5. Selling finished products These 3-D printing businesses sell products that can be made only with a 3-D printer. Perhaps fast turnaround is important to the customer, or a degree of customization that would make mass production unfeasible. For example, Barcelona-based Crayon Creatures uses childrens drawings to produce a three-dimensional version. In 2014, Hasbro partnered with 3-D printing company Shapeways to produce customized My Little Pony toys on demand from the designs of adult fans known as bronies. More on small businesses from NerdWallet The article How to Find Your Niche in the 3-D Printing Business originally appeared on NerdWallet. (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Wednesday ordered Martin Shkreli to be jailed while he awaits sentencing for securities fraud, citing a Facebook post in which the former drug company offered a $5,000 reward for a strand of Hillary Clinton's hair. Shkreli, who had been free on $5 million bail since his December 2015 arrest, was silent and stony-faced as U.S. marshals led out of U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto's Brooklyn courtroom. Matsumoto ruled that Shkreli's Sept. 4 post, made shortly before Clinton embarked on a book tour, showed he posed a danger to the public. She rejected arguments by Shkreli's lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, that the post was protected free speech. "This is a solicitation of assault in exchange for money," the judge said. "That is not protected by the First Amendment." Matsumoto rebuffed Brafman's repeated pleas to reconsider her decision, or at least give Shkreliuntil Monday to prove he was not a danger. The judge also scheduled Shkreli's sentencing for Jan. 16. "We are obviously disappointed," Brafman told reporters outside the courthouse. "We believed that the court arrived at the wrong decision. But she's the judge, and right now we will have to live with this decision." Shkreli, who earned the nickname "Pharma Bro" for exploits that included increasing to the price of a life-saving drug by 5,000 percent, said in a letter to Matsumoto on Tuesday that the post was meant as satire. Brafman repeated that on Wednesday, but Matsumoto was not convinced. "What's funny about that?" she demanded. Shkreli said in the post, since deleted, that he needed the hair to "confirm the sequences I have," an apparent reference to genetic testing. Shkreli was convicted in August of defrauding investors of two hedge funds he ran, MSMB Capital and MSMB Healthcare. He was acquitted of stealing from a drug company he later founded, Retrophin Inc, to pay them back. Though the charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years, Shkreli will likely serve much less, in part because none of the investors lost money. Patients and U.S. lawmakers were outraged in 2015 when Shkreli, then chief executive of Turing Pharmaceuticals, raised the price of anti-infection drug Daraprim by 5,000 percent. Since his December 2015 arrest, he has clashed frequently with critics on social media. Twitter banned him from its platform in January for harassing a female journalist, another incident prosecutors cited in their motion to revoke his bail. (Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by David Gregorio) Equifax (NYSE:EFX) shares tumbled 14.6% on Wednesday, the worst percentage drop since 1999, despite a public apology from CEO Richard Smith over the companys handling of the cyber hack that compromised 143 million customers, nearly half of the United States, last week. Ticker Security Last Change Change % EFX EQUIFAX INC. 193.96 +6.17 +3.29% Yet even before Equifax (NYSE:EFX) disclosed the massive customer breach, all was not well for the credit-reporting giant, based on our investment analysis. In fact, an evaluation/rebalance in July produced a number of red flags for us related to corporate governance. First, it is a company with a board culture, which was somewhat entrenched against the interest of the owners whom it was supposed to represent. In a healthy governance culture, the board works for the owners and the owners work for the board. Signs that a board is protecting itself against its owners include: Majority voting practice is not used. This practice requires an uncontested candidate for the board to get a majority of votes to be elected (or more likely, reelected). Most boards require, at least, that a board member get more votes for than against. Shareholders do not have the right to amend by-laws directly instead of going through the board, nor to convene a meeting when the board members do not want to. Shareholders are not permitted fully confidential voting, nor are they allowed 'cumulative voting,' which allows them to save up their votes in order to put all their votes for a board member who represents a minority or dissident group. Shareholders are not permitted to sell their shares at market price to a buyer attempting a hostile takeover bid. This is done to prevent takeovers, which tend to lead to ousters of current governance and management interests, by artificially setting a price ceiling on the price at which shareholders can sell their shares. Equifax was flagged for all of the above in our latest July analysis. Though it was not flagged on all governance metrics that we look at. So, from a governance criteria point of view, it was problematic, though not as bad as some on our 'worst offenders' list. Equifax, however, came out looking worse from the stand point of its financial statements. We use an approach called 'forensic accounting,' which uses various analytical techniques, especially ratios to determine if there is an elevated likelihood that actual financial conditions of the company are less rosy than official financial statements indicate. We especially like to look at revenue recognition because as our forensic specialist John Del Vecchio says, if something's wrong with the top line, it flows down every step of the way to the bottom line. We like to compare cash flow to price, and also to reported earnings. We also like to look at cash flow from operations, which excludes 'extraordinary events' because often, ordinary events are classified as extraordinary to make things look the way management wants them to look. We also like to look at not just reported cash, but real cash, meaning dividend checks in the mail to owners. If dividend yields are low (which they were/are for Equifax currently at 1.35%), you're being asked to pay a lot for a little, which means you're being asked to have faith in the management that they are using the cash which they are holding onto internally better than you would. Companies use various legal, but not totally truthful, techniques to manipulate financial reporting in such ways as to control the outcome. One sign that they might be doing this is that they consistently beat earnings expectations. Yes, it's good for owners if earnings are better than the expectations currently represented in the stock price. But if they beat too often, that's in the too-good-to-be true category. It means they see what analysts predict and then find some way to goose some number to beat that number. Why do companies do that? Because they have an encore problem. They've done well and are expected to keep doing better than expected. But thats an impossible game to win because if you keep beating expectations, people tend to raise their expectations until eventually you are given the big choice: Be straight with everyone and report an accurate picture of business which disappoints the 'Street' OR guild the Lilly a bit and don't be straight with people and keep the party going. This tends to happen when companies get hyped, with strong sales growth and very good stock performance. Everything I listed in the paragraph above was true of Equifax in our view, which is why we held the stock as a 'short' in our long-short index FLAGLSX. A bet the stock would fall. That short had been somewhat painful up until this past week. Short calls of hyped stocks frequently are over longer time periods. It's amazing how many big firms had Equifax on its overweight and/or 'high conviction' stock lists. It was a big performer for most of this year, you say? Since the disclosure of the hack last week, the stock has tumbled about 36% through Wednesday, wiping out all of the YTD gains and then some. Remember when the inevitable storm comes: Bubble stocks are more vulnerable, and hyped stocks are more likely to be bubble stocks. Jerry Bowyer is Chief Economist of Vident Financial. To see more about which countries we think are most promising for long term investment and which are least promising, and why, please click here to download our free country scorecards: *A version of this investment piece first appeared on Vident Financials blog. Tenor Andrea Bocelli has brought down the house at Pisa's Teatro Verdi by performing with an unusual conductor: a robot. The white, two-armed YuMi robot, designed by the Swiss company ABB for factory assembly lines, led Bocelli and the Lucca Philharmonic Orchestra in Verdi's "La Donna e Mobile" on Tuesday night at Pisa's inaugural International Robotics Festival. Bocelli, who is blind, follows the music and is sensitive to the variabilities brought to a performance by different conductors. He declared YuMi a capable conductor, saying the robot had been "programmed well." The Lucca orchestra's regular conductor, Andrea Colombini, praised YuMi but said "he lacks sensitivity, most of all he lacks interaction. If the orchestra should make an error, YuMi doesn't stop." Bocelli heads a foundation that helped organize the festival. A new analysis by the Harvard Business School outlines why U.S. voters are so frustrated with their political leaders there is a lack of genuine competition between Republicans and Democrats to deliver actual results on major policies such as education, health care, taxes and infrastructure. The two major U.S. political parties have distorted the rules of elections and the legislative process to avoid competing directly with each other, according to the analysis released Wednesday. This has created a political leadership that increasingly emphasizes differences rather than common goals, while focusing more on the interests of donors, special interests and primary voters than the country as a whole. If the competition was healthy between the parties, the analysis said, political leaders and policymakers would be competing to deliver better outcomes for voters and also be held accountable for any results. "The political system is now America's most fundamental weakness and it used to be one of our greatest strengths," said Michael Porter, a Harvard professor and economist who co-authored the analysis. "The system is designed not to collaborate, not to find common ground." The findings build on previous surveys and reports by Harvard Business School on declining U.S. competitiveness compared to much of the world. The political system, infrastructure, taxes, health care and education were each identified as weaknesses for the U.S. economy that are worsening. Academic research has shown that the broader U.S. economy is becoming less competitive, with profitable companies becoming less likely to make new investments and a decline in the rate of entrepreneurs forming new companies. But the Harvard analysis suggests that government dysfunction helps to explain why many Americans and business leaders feel that the United States is slipping. Multiple surveys show a level of voter dissatisfaction with the status quo. Congress holds an approval rating of just 16 percent, according to survey data released Wednesday by the Gallup Organization. The House and Senate received equally abysmal ratings from Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated voters. Several surveys show that the majority of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump. Some voters in 2016 elected Trump on the hopes that he would break the dominant grip of both political parties. But after a series of bold promises, his administration has struggled to move any major bills through Congress that would meaningfully help the business environment in the long-term. Both Porter and his co-author Katherine Gehl, the former head of Gehl Foods and a political activist, said that Trump's election did little to create a healthier competition among political leaders. The analysis includes recommendations to change the election process so that states have a single primary ballot and allow the top four vote-getters to then participate in the general election, as well as redistricting to prevent candidates from gerrymandering, rewriting campaign finance rules and starting a commission to develop new rules for legislatures. President Donald Trump has inspired a new exchanged-traded fund (ETF) with a familiar ring to it. The Point Bridge GOP Stock Tracker (BATS:MAGA) trades under the ticker MAGA, a reference to Trumps slogan Make America Great Again, and it began trading this week. The ETF doesnt necessarily track stocks that stand to benefit from the Trump administrations agenda. Rather, MAGA includes S&P 500 companies whose political action committees or employees have donated to Republicans. Point Bridge Capital, the Fort Worth, Texas-based wealth manager that created the ETF, selected companies based on regulatory filings that detail political contributes. Money matters in politics, Point Bridge Capital founder and CEO Hal Lambert told FOX Business Stuart Varney during a recent interview on Varney & Co. The companies are giving millions and millions of dollars influencing elections. Theyre now speaking out more than ever. So I think its important for investors to have the opportunity to have a difference on that and pick their investments based on companies that are supporting the political views that they want. MAGAs top holdings are Boeing (NYSE:BA), a major defense contractor, and Perrigo (NYSE:PRGO), which makes over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. Military suppliers are widely represented by the fund. MAGA also includes Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), the worlds largest defense contractor; Raytheon (NYSE:RTN), known for the Patriot and Tomahawk missiles; and Textron (NYSE:TXT), whose subsidiaries include Bell helicopters. There are plenty of energy companies as well, including Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) and Chevron (NYSE:CVX). Oilfield services companies like Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) and U.S. shale producers are also in the mix. Home Depot (NYSE:HD) is notable partly because two of its co-founders, Ken Langone and Bernie Marcus, are large donors to the GOP. In fact, Marcus was the second-largest contributor to Trumps presidential campaign behind casino mogul Sheldon Adelson. Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS), the company founded by Adelson, is not in the Trump-inspired ETF. However, Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ:WYNN) is a MAGA holding. Wynn has been a Democratic donor in the past, but he supported his casino rival in the election and currently serves as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee. Another interesting addition to the MAGA fund, for different reasons, is Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A). Buffett backed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election, but his companys subsidiaries donated to GOP candidates during the past two presidential election years. Two MAGA stocks that could benefit from Trumps infrastructure aspirations and mining support are Deere (NYSE:DE) and Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT), makers of construction equipment and other heavy machinery. Most of the major banks are in the fund, including JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM). Large tech firms such as Facebook (NYSE:FB) and Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) are absent from the list. Lambert mentioned Time Warner (NYSE:TWX), Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) and Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) as other large corporations that have donated to Democrats. Point Bridge Capital plans to introduce more politically themed ETFs in the future. MAGA is up about 1.7% since it started trading Sept. 8. President Donald Trump's nominee to serve as the No. 2 official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency withdrew from consideration Wednesday following questions about a 2011 federal investigation. Daniel A. Craig dropped out after being asked by NBC News about a 2011 inspector general's investigation that concluded he falsified government travel and timekeeping records while serving at FEMA during the Bush administration. Craig denied wrongdoing, telling NBC the audit was incorrect and the result of poor investigating. Craig didn't respond to phone messages from The Associated Press seeking comment. Asked about the issue on Wednesday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined to directly answer whether the president knew about the past investigation when he nominated Craig. "We're not going to get into the back and forth," Sanders said, adding that the White House was "not going to go down rabbit holes on personnel" while FEMA is still focusing on recovery efforts from back-to-back hurricanes. In a subsequent statement, Acting Homeland Secretary Elaine Duke thanked Craig and wished him well. "Dan has an outstanding background in emergency management and would have been a major asset as FEMA deals with the twin disasters of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma," Duke said. "However, I respect his decision to withdraw from consideration at this time to ensure that the focus on FEMA remains on the lifesaving and community restoring work the agency does so well." Trump nominated Craig to serve as FEMA's deputy administrator in July. The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs had not yet moved forward on his nomination. The Homeland Security Department's Office of Inspector General did not immediately respond to questions about its 2011 report on Craig, which has not been publicly disclosed. NBC reported that investigators probed whether Craig, who served as FEMA's recovery director from 2003 to 2005, had violated conflict-of-interest laws in awarding huge FEMA contracts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. After leaving FEMA, Craig became a lobbyist for a Miami-based law firm working on behalf of a client that secured more than $1 billion in FEMA contracts. Though investigators concluded there was insufficient evidence of wrongdoing on that issue, questions were raised about Craig's spending during that period. The inspector general's report obtained by NBC alleged that Craig committed travel-voucher fraud, claiming his travel expenses were for official government business when in fact he was interviewing for an outside job. In an interview with investigators, the FEMA official responsible for signing travel vouchers said that his signature had been forged on Craig's voucher. Craig also reportedly falsified his time and attendance records at FEMA to cover periods during which he was supposed to be at work while he was actually interviewing for potential new jobs. The approval process for the biggest Tax Cut & Tax Reform package in the history of our country will soon begin, Trump wrote on Twitter. Move fast Congress! Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said on Wednesday the framework for tax reform would be released the week of Sept. 25. The pressure for Republicans to pass meaningful legislation is high after they failed to deliver on a seven-year promise to overhaul the Affordable Care Act. Many gold stocks have been picking up steam, what with gold prices having delivered more than 15% gains so far this year. Not all in the space have kept pace with the yellow metal's rally though, and notable names like Eldorado Gold (NYSE: EGO), McEwen Mining (NYSE: MUX), and Harmony Gold (NYSE: HMY) are lagging the metal by huge margins. Investors are now wondering whether these beaten-down gold stocks are best avoided, or if the time is ripe to scoop up their shares before they surge and catch up with the precious metal. To answer that question, you have to dig deeper into what's brewing inside each of these three gold miners. And if you do, you'll realize why two are best avoided, but one may be a bargain buy today. Eldorado Gold: It's in a tough spot 2017 is pouring bad news for Eldorado Gold from all sides. Shares of the Canadian miner started losing ground rapidly after May when it announced plans to acquireIntegra Gold. While Eldorado's rationale that Integra's projects -- such as Lamaque, with an annual production potential of 123,000 ounces of gold at all-in-sustaining cost (AISC) as low as $634 per ounce -- will give it significant headway in the high-potential province of Quebec holds water, the hefty premium that Eldorado paid for Integra didn't sit well with investors. Just as the market was trying to digest the Integra move, the Greek government announced arbitration proceedings against Eldorado to settle long-pending disputes over the miner's developing projects including Skouries and Olympias mines in northern Greece. Eldorado has made a substantial bet on its projects in the country, so an adverse decision could deal a huge blow to its growth prospects. The arbitration could last several months, and even if Eldorado comes out a winner, a delay in the start-up of its mines -- especially the high profile Skouries -- is highly likely. That would also mean a longer wait for investors to see Eldorado turn free cash flow positive. The risk is substantial, and investors may be better off staying on the sidelines unless there's some positive news from Greece. Harmony Gold: Where are the growth catalysts? 2016: Harmony Gold doubled in value to emerge as one of the top performing gold stocks. 2017 so far: Harmony Gold is at the bottom of the list of gold stock performers, having lost roughly 8% year to date and a whopping 44% in the past 12 months. This reversal of fortunes didn't happen without reason. It started with a strike at one of Harmony's mines in March that lasted nearly two weeks. Investors were already jittery about the effects of the strike, and as well as Harmony's gold hedges, which started to roll off in April, when the miner dropped another bombshell. In August, the miner reported a 66% slump in its earnings per share for its fiscal 2017, which ended June 30 -- a decline it attributed in part to asset impairments and provisions for a possible class action suit. Equally bad, Harmony's AISC came in nearly 18% higher year over year at $1,182 per ounce, placing the company at the higher end of the industry cost curve. In short, Harmony's headwinds are plentiful, and growth will be hard to come by if gold prices cool down. The miner might be doing its bit to strengthen its balance sheet, but I'll need better visibility on its production growth and costs before I could get excited about the stock. McEwen Mining: Changing its production drivers McEwen Mining started the year with a bang, but decelerating production cut short its rally. The problem is, McEwen only turned its first profit last year. That milestone, however, comes with a caveat: McEwen's primary mine, El Gallo 1 in Mexico, is nearing the end of its life, which means the miner's profitability now depends entirely on how quickly and efficiently it can fill the El Gallo production gap. Of course, McEwen isn't sitting on its hands. Its El Gallo 2 project is in the advanced stages of development, its Gold Bar project in Nevada is on track, and it's making big strides in the Timmins gold camp in Canada, having recently struck a deal with Primero Mining to acquire its Black Fox complex. That followed close on the heels of McEwen buying out Lexam, which has several projects in the region. If El Gallo 2 and Gold Bar remain on track, McEwen's gold production could nearly double in 2019 from its expected 2018 base. Note that this forecast doesn't include the output from Timmins. Also, McEwen's latest assessment for the Los Azules copper project in Argentina pegs its internal rate of return to be an impressive 20.1%. While that mine is still some years away from production, it could become one of McEwen's most valuable assets in the future. Given the backdrop, aggressive investors looking for exposure to gold may want to bet on McEwen today. 10 stocks we like better than McEwen MiningWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and McEwen Mining wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of September 5, 2017 Neha Chamaria has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. House Speaker Paul Ryan backed off months of promises that the Republicans' tax plan won't add to the nation's ballooning deficit, declaring in an AP Newsmaker interview that the most important goal of an overhaul is economic growth. Asked twice whether he would insist the emerging tax plan not pile more billions onto the $20 trillion national debt, Ryan passed up the chance to affirm that commitment. GOP leaders made that "revenue neutral" promise in a campaign manifesto last year and many times since. "We want pro-growth tax reform that will get the economy going, that will get people back to work, that will give middle-income taxpayers a tax cut and that will put American businesses in a better competitive playing field so that we keep American businesses in America," the Wisconsin Republican told Associated Press reporters and editors on Wednesday. "That is more important than anything else." Ryan's comments signaling possible retreat on a core GOP commitment came amid quickening action on taxes, which Republicans view as their last, best chance to notch a significant accomplishment to take to voters in the 2018 midterm elections following the collapse of their "Obamacare" repeal drive. Yet even as President Donald Trump hunted for Democratic votes for a plan that's not yet taken shape, and GOP leaders laid out an aggressive timetable to lawmakers, significant hurdles remained. A major one is the GOP's failure, thus far, to pass a federal budget, which under legislative rules is a prerequisite for a tax plan that can avoid being stalled to death by Democrats in the Senate. Others involve the contents of the tax blueprint itself, which Ryan and his lieutenants envision as a far-reaching reform plan that would significantly lower rates for corporations and individuals while cleaning up the loophole-ridden code. One problem is that every tax deduction has its own constituency, and Ryan has already ruled out eliminating some of the most popular ones, including deductions for home mortgages and charitable giving. Objections also threaten from the GOP's seemingly shrinking ranks of deficit hawks if Ryan, Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell do try to move forward with a tax plan that could cost hundreds of billions of dollars, without paying for it with cuts in federal spending or some new sources of revenue. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement earlier this week calling the debt the "greatest threat to our nation," greater than North Korea, Russia or the Islamic State group. Ryan made his comments on taxes as he discussed a range of issues with the AP, including immigration, where he pledged to find a solution for the nearly 800,000 immigrants brought to this country as children and now here illegally. He declared that removing them all is "not in our nation's interest," though he declined to reaffirm his past support for eventual citizenship for the "Dreamers." He said any immigration solution must include border security measures, though he said a wall along the entire southern border, which Trump has repeatedly urged, doesn't make sense. On taxes, Trump himself added to the complications when he surprisingly declared, at a meeting with a bipartisan group of House members, that taxes on the wealthy would not go down under the GOP plan and might even go up. Although the administration has not provided specifics on its plan, House Republicans have embraced an approach that would lower the top individual rate from 39.6 percent to 33 percent, which would be enormously beneficial to the wealthiest Americans. Still, Trump declared, "The rich will not be gaining at all with this plan. We are looking for the middle class and we are looking for jobs jobs being the economy." Trump reiterated that he hoped to lower the top corporate tax rate from 35 to 15 percent, something Ryan has already ruled out as impractical and an idea the president himself has backed off from, according to people with knowledge of a meeting he held Tuesday night with bipartisan senators. The president added, improbably, that the individual rate would be even lower than that. The long list of difficulties has led some analysts to conclude that Congress is likelier to settle on straightforward tax cuts than on full-blown reform if it passes anything at all. But Ryan rejected that approach, telling the AP, "It's not just narrow cuts in taxes that will do the job." Referencing tax cuts signed by President George W. Bush, Ryan said, "You can't just do what Bush did in 2001 and 2003. You have to overhaul the system itself to put American businesses and the American economy in a much more competitive situation." Earlier Wednesday, Ryan and House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady met behind closed doors with GOP lawmakers to lay out a timetable on taxes, pledging a detailed blueprint from top congressional Republicans and administration officials in the final week of September. The goal, which Ryan reiterated Wednesday, is to send Trump a bill to sign before year's end. The challenges were immediately apparent as House Republicans left the meeting with Ryan and Brady complaining they still didn't know what was going on. And some conservatives were voicing concerns about Trump's newfound fondness for making deals with Democrats, as he did last week on the debt ceiling with House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California. "The problem here is we don't have a clue what's in the tax plan," said Rep. Dave Brat, R-Va. "Now Trump is talking about doing bipartisan stuff with Chuck and Nancy on taxes. And I don't want to open the door to that until we see what this tax plan looks like." ___ Associated Press writers Alan Fram, Richard Lardner, Stephen Ohlemacher and Catherine Lucey contributed. Chinese regulators have reportedly ordered bitcoin exchanges in the country to shut down, in Beijings latest effort to crack down on the use of cryptocurrencies. Regulators in Shanghai, the country's financial center, gave verbal instructions to exchange operators to shut down, newspapers China Business News and 21st Century Economic Report said on their websites. They gave no other details. The central bank has yet to respond to questions about bitcoin's future in China but earlier warned it was traded without regulatory oversight and might be linked to fraud. The bank banned initial offerings of new digital currencies last week. Bitcoin is created and exchanged without the involvement of banks or governments. Transactions allow anonymity, which has made bitcoin popular with people who want to conceal their activity. Bitcoin can be converted to cash when deposited into accounts at prices set in online trading. Rumors that China planned to ban bitcoin has caused its market price to tumble in recent days, after hitting an all-time high of nearly $5,000 earlier this month. Aside from the concerns in China, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimons remarks this week calling bitcoin a fraud that was destined to fail caused the digital currencys value to slide. Interest in China in bitcoin surged last year after the price rose. A Chinese business news magazine, Caixin, said at one point up to 90 percent of global trading took place in China. Trading volume has fallen as regulators tightened controls. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Latest on Wisconsin Legislature's vote on Foxconn bill (all times local): 3:20 p.m. Foxconn Technology Group says it looks forward to making Wisconsin a "center of worldwide high-tech manufacturing." The Taiwan-based company praised the passage Thursday of a $3 billion incentive package for the electronics giant. Foxconn plans to build a massive display-screen factory in southeast Wisconsin. It would be the first of its kind outside of Asia. Foxconn says in an unsigned statement that it is thankful for the "vote of confidence" and says the $3 billion will "help us move forward with our plans to build the state-of-the-art advanced display manufacturing campus." Foxconn says it also plans to "make use of the extensive supply chain in the state." Republican Gov. Scott Walker is expected to sign the bill as soon as next week. ___ 2:30 p.m. A $3 billion incentive package for Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group is headed to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker for his approval. The Wisconsin Assembly passed the bill Thursday on a bipartisan 64-31 vote. It cleared the Senate earlier in the week and will become law once the Republican governor signs it. Walker says he looks forward to signing it quickly. Walker negotiated the deal with Foxconn for it to build a flat-screen display factory in the state. Foxconn says it could invest up to $10 billion and employ 13,000 people at the facility, which would be the first of its kind outside of Asia. All Assembly Republicans and four Democrats voted for the bill. Two Republicans joined all other Democrats against it. ___ 11:30 a.m. The Wisconsin Assembly is debating a $3 billion incentive package to lure Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group to the state. The Republican-controlled Assembly was expected to pass the measure Thursday afternoon, sending it to Gov. Scott Walker. He negotiated the deal for Foxconn to invest up to $10 billion on a flat-screen display factory that could employ up to 13,000 people. Democrats have largely opposed the deal, saying it doesn't provide enough protections for taxpayers. Foxconn could get $2.85 billion in cash payments tied to investments and job creation. Foxconn is the largest contract manufacturer of electronics, best known for making iPhones in China. Wisconsin competed with several other states to land the massive Foxconn factory which will make liquid crystal display panels. ___ 12:07 a.m. The Wisconsin Legislature is set to approve a $3 billion incentive package to lure Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group to the state. Foxconn plans to build the first flat-screen display factory outside Asia in southeast Wisconsin, not far from Chicago. The state Assembly is planning a final vote Thursday on the bill that would make $2.85 billion available to Foxconn in cash payments if it invests $10 billion and hires 13,000 workers. The Senate approved the proposal Tuesday. Final sign-off by the Assembly sends the measure to the project's lead champion, Republican Gov. Scott Walker. Foxconn is the largest contract manufacturer of electronics, best known for making iPhones in China. Wisconsin competed with several other states to land the massive Foxconn factory which will make liquid crystal display panels. A Lehigh University graduate who went on to found a global software company is donating $5 million to expand the school's executive education program. Vistex founder and CEO Sanjay Shah will present the university with the gift on Thursday. Shah's donation will help create the new Vistex Institute for Executive Learning and Research. Shah earned his master's degree from Lehigh in 1989. His Chicago-based software company has 20 offices worldwide and collaborates with industry leaders like Apple and Adobe. A new building will be constructed to house the Vistex Institute. The company is also partnering with Lehigh for a research-centered business program that will allow students to access the company's clients. Shah says he hopes the gift can strengthen the quality of education at the university. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says "a lot of trust has been destroyed" in the country's automakers by the diesel emissions cheating scandal and they need to regain it quickly. Merkel opened the Frankfurt auto show Thursday, telling car manufacturers that theirs was a key industry of "huge importance" for Germany's economy. She said that the cars on display in Frankfurt were a "window into the future" of new technologies, including cleaner combustion engines, hybrids and full-electric cars. To succeed, she says, automakers must "regain their credibility and trust as quickly as possible." Volkswagen in 2015 admitted to rigging diesel cars to evade U.S. emission testing. Other carmakers in Europe were also discovered to have been using legal loopholes to turn off emissions controls much of the time. Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said the electric carmaker is tentatively scheduled to unveil its planned semi-truck in late October, about a month later than the billionaire had earlier estimated. "Tesla Semi truck unveil & test ride tentatively scheduled for Oct 26th in Hawthorne," Musk said in a tweet on Wednesday. The entrepreneur has tantalized the trucking industry with the prospect of a battery-powered heavy-duty vehicle that can compete with conventional diesels, which can travel up to 1,000 miles on a single tank of fuel. Tesla's plans for new electric vehicles including a commercial truck called the Tesla Semi were announced last year and in April Musk said the release of the semi-truck was set for September. Tesla has been making strides in self-driving technology and implementing it in an electric truck could potentially move it forward in a highly competitive area of commercial transport also being pursued by Uber Technologies and Alphabet's Waymo. Reuters reported in August that Tesla was developing a long-haul, electric semi-truck that could drive itself and move in "platoons" that followed a lead vehicle, according to an email discussion of potential road tests between the car company and the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. Tesla's electric big-rig truck could have a working range of 200 to 300 miles to compete with more conventional diesels, Reuters reported later in August. (Reporting by Ismail Shakil and Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Hay) A government panel on Thursday approved a plan to construct another natural gas pipeline in New Jersey's Pinelands, despite criticism that both would threaten the environment. The New Jersey Pinelands Commission' vote was 8 to 4, with one abstention. The panel's director in 2015 had unilaterally approved the application, but courts ruled the full commission must vote. The Sierra Club and other groups challenged the New Jersey Natural Gas project, known as the southern reliability link, saying the 30-mile (48-kilometer) pipeline would destroy environmentally sensitive land and threaten communities along its route in Burlington, Ocean and Monmouth counties. New Jersey Natural Gas said the project would provide a backup source of natural gas to more than 1 million people. About half the pipeline would run through Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, and approval was largely tied to whether the project would benefit the base. The Burlington County Times reported development rules permit utility infrastructure through the pines on the military installation provided it is associated with the function of the base. The base commanders have said it would benefit from the proposed gas supply redundancy. "The base commanders believe they need it," commissioner Paul Galletta said before voting yes. However, commissioner Mark Lohbauer disagreed. "The record indicates it will not provide gas to the base," he said. "It merely passes under it." The Pinelands National Reserve is made up of oak-pine forests, berry farms, wetlands and various plants. The commission in February voted to approve a different plan by South Jersey Gas to run a 22-mile (35-kilometer) pipeline through the preserve that is designed to help a power plant in southern New Jersey switch from coal to gas. Environmental groups have appealed approval of that project, which has been hotly contested. The area is home to an aquifer that is estimated to hold 17 trillion gallons (64 trillion liters) of some of the nation's purest water. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that any possible deal on immigration with Democrats would have to include provisions for massive border security, and that his planned wall along the border with the Mexico would come later. Trump was asked by reporters about a possible deal with Democrats over immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children. He has ordered the disbanding of a program, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), that allowed such young adults to stay, but has given Congress six months to come up with an alternative plan. (Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Frances Kerry) Below is an earlier reporter version from Reuters: U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said any move on illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children would have to be tied to security, disputing Democratic congressional leaders who said they had reached a deal with him on the issue. "No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote," Trump wrote in one of a series of posts on Twitter. He was referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program created by former President Barack Obama. "The Wall (on the U.S.-Mexico border), which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built," Trump also wrote. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House of Representatives Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi earlier said they had come to an agreement with Trump at a dinner meeting at the White House Wednesday evening. "We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides," Schumer and Pelosi said in a statement. The White House disputed that assessment. "While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Twitter on Wednesday night. Still, Trump on Thursday appeared to acknowledge the complexity of handing the issue of the immigrant children dubbed Dreamers. A mainstay of his 2016 presidential campaign was a promise to build a wall along the southern U.S. border aimed at keeping immigrants and drugs out. He had said Mexico would pay for it but has since requested money from the U.S. Congress. "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!" Trump wrote in another tweet. "They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age. Plus big border security." (Reporting by Susan Heavey; editing by John Stonestreet) Oil giant ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) is no stranger to stock splits, having completed seven of them over the course of its history. Many of those occurred after its stock price had risen into the triple digits, which is worth noting since it's currently trading in the low $80s. That said, its last split was more than 16 years ago. Furthermore, the company's stock briefly ran into the triple digits in 2014 when crude was around that same level, but it didn't enact a split. While this gap has many investors wondering when the company will split again, that timing isn't what should be on investors' minds these days. Why Exxon split its stock in the past The main reason Exxon -- or any other company for that matter -- would split its stock is because the market price has risen to the point where it might start deterring investors from buying shares. For example, before the advent of online brokers, most stocks had to be traded in round lots of 100 shares, which meant investors had to invest over $10,000 once a company's stock price reached the triple digits. That level was often too high for small retail investors, so companies would split their stocks so more people could invest. Given that investors can buy as little as a fraction of a share at some online brokers these days, companies don't need to split their stock as frequently as they once did, which is why several have allowed them to appreciate well above $1,000 per share. That said, many companies still choose to split their stocks because it increases trading liquidity, while many investors see it as a sign that the stock is performing well. What might cause Exxon to enact another split? Given the rise of online brokers and the fact that more than 10 million shares trade each day, ExxonMobil does not need to split its stock at the moment. Add to that the fact that oil prices are down more than 40% over the past three years, which has pulled Exxon's stock down double digits, there's little incentive to split. That said, two catalysts could turn that tide and give the oil giant a reason to consider splitting its stock within the next five years. First is the potential for a significant recovery in the oil market a few years down the road. Low oil prices over the past several years have driven down investment spending on new projects. As a result, the International Energy Agency recently concluded that "global oil supply could struggle to keep pace with demand after 2020, risking a sharp increase in prices, unless new projects are approved soon." The IEA is not alone in that view. OPEC has warned of a potential superspike in crude if producers don't increase investments on longer-term projects. Meanwhile, a senior executive at Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) recently cautioned that "the market is going to catch up" to years of underinvestment. That executive suggested that "you'll see some kind of spike in the price of oil. Maybe somewhere around 2020-2021, but it's got to catch up sooner or later." If that spike happens, it could drive ExxonMobil's stock much higher, which could give it a reason to split. But even if crude prices don't rebound sharply, Exxon has the potential to deliver healthy stock price appreciation over the coming years. That's because the company currently generates more than enough cash flow to finance both its dividend and capital investments thanks to its low-cost supply base. In the meantime, it has an extensive inventory of high-return, low-cost projects scheduled to come on line over the next few years that could increase output by as much as 10% by 2020. That future production growth should fuel more cash into ExxonMobil's coffers, giving it the money to continue to increase its dividend as well as repurchase stock. Those growing shareholder returns should eventually restart its stalled stock price, which might incentivize the company to split its stock as a demonstration of its belief that it can continue to create value over the long term. What matters more than the timing of Exxon's next split While many investors like it when a company splits its stock, that act alone doesn't create any value. Instead, what should make investors richer even if crude doesn't budge are ExxonMobil's investments in high-return oil projects like the Liza development offshore Guyana, which should deliver a 10% discounted cash flow return at $40 oil when it comes on line in 2020. The company's knack for delivering returns-driven growth from projects like that is what has fueled its rising stock price over the years -- necessitating all those splits -- and it looks likely to continue given the current inventory of projects the oil giant has underway. That's why the timing of Exxon's next split doesn't even matter because the fuel for creating value for investors are those high-return projects. 10 stocks we like better than ExxonMobilWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and ExxonMobil wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of September 5, 2017 Matthew DiLallo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of ExxonMobil. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Hurricane Harvey did untold amounts of damage to Texas -- preliminary estimates for the cost of recovery are around $190 billion. In this clip from Industry Focus, Motley Fool analysts Sarah Priestley and Taylor Muckerman explain why that total is so huge, and what it means for the oil industry that Energy Secretary Rick Perry announced it was lending 500,000 barrels of oil to producer Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX). Find out what the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is and how it functions, what investors need to be aware of about this loan, how this compares to other times the SPR has been tapped in the wake of a disaster, and more. A full transcript follows the video. 10 stocks we like better than Phillips 66When investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Phillips 66 wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. Click here to learn about these picks! *Stock Advisor returns as of September 5, 2017 This video was recorded on Sept. 7, 2017. Sarah Priestley: Texan residents and business owners are left to survey the damage and long-term impact. Preliminary estimates for the cost of recovery are at $190 billion. That figure would make this the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Taylor, part of the reason for this, I think, is the concentration of U.S. oil producing and refining industry. Five of the largest U.S. oil refineries are on the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. Two of the largest refineries are near Houston. What will be the aftermath of this? What are they going to be dealing with now? Taylor Muckerman: You have the Lake Charles area, big for refining. The Corpus Christi area, big for refining. Corpus Christi is almost back to pre-Harvey levels. They expect that a few more days, they'll be able to be quite near fully online. You look at, about 20% of the nation's refining capacity was shut down, so that's a big deal. And as a result, you've seen gas prices spike the most since Hurricane Katrina. The average price for regular unleaded, up $0.33 nationwide, up to $2.65 for the average. So people are feeling it. And that's probably going to last for several weeks, especially as you see, like you mentioned, other hurricanes potentially on the way. BP is already evacuating some of its Gulf platforms ahead of Hurricane Irma. So certainly still some risk out there for higher prices. The chemical industry is still offline as well, out of the ethylene production that they need to produce plastics. That's offline. So not only gasoline -- oil and chemicals all impacted. It's going to take a while for the supply chains for these to kick back in. Priestley: Yeah. I read somewhere that the flooding has been the biggest issue they're about to deal with. It's kind of dangerous sometimes, especially fracking, if they get water in the wells, to start up again. And the other thing that people have got to consider is, the EPA is investigating potentially hazardous carcinogens in the area as a result of some of the explosions that we saw that took a lot of the media that may not be a huge impact on those companies, but on the people around, they definitely will. The reason that we're touching on this is, at the end of last week, the 31st of August, Energy Secretary Rick Perry announced that the Department of Energy is releasing oil from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an attempt to mitigate some of this disruption that we're talking about. This authorized the release of 500,000 barrels to Phillips 66's refinery in Lake Charles. This is the first emergency release from the SPR since Hurricane Isaac hit Louisiana in 2012. We got a great question from a listener on Twitter asking, "What are the implications and impact of this?" But first, I thought it might be worth touching on what exactly the SPR is. So, Taylor? Muckerman: Basically, it's our nation's fall-back plan, if oil imports either get disrupted or we necessarily have to cut off oil imports for any diplomatic reasons. So I think we have about 140-some days of technically U.S. demand for oil, which would then probably be used for gasoline and other things to keep the nation running for almost half a year. So tap this every now and then. It hasn't been tapped in a few years. I think President Obama did it at least once during his two terms as president. I don't think it's necessarily anything to get in an uproar about. It's only 500,000 barrels in this case out of a few hundred million, 700 million, I believe, just north of that. And we're at peak capacity right now in terms of how much oil is actually in the SPR. So it's not like we're starting from a position of weakness letting this out. And in this case, Phillips 66 is a company that tapped it for 500,000 barrels, and they do have to refill it and then some once the term of the agreement -- I haven't seen exactly how long they have to replace this, but I imagine it's not immediate. Then, for the company itself, you look at it and the refinery that they're using this oil at, it's completely online, so we already talked about high gas prices, so maybe just try to take advantage of the fact that they still can refine some oil. This is in Lake Charles. They do have other refineries that aren't completely online. So maybe just trying to take advantage of some higher margins right now. Priestley: Interesting. You mentioned this was to protect the U.S. from international issues. I think that's how they started the SPR. They became a founding member of the International Energy Agency after the oil embargo by OPEC in the '70s. Obviously, it's a very different environment now. So that raises a lot of questions that we'll touch on later. Muckerman: Yeah, we're producing near-record oil in the United States. We were definitely producing oil back then as well, but I think there's a much clearer path to the U.S. sustaining its own oil production if need be. Priestley: Yeah. You touched on this, but in this instance, this is an exchange, which basically means that the borrower -- in this case, Phillips -- is loaned the barrels. They then have to return the same amount back to the reserves, the same quality of oil, plus extra as interest. So Philips must have requested this exchange, as you said, because they're probably taking advantage of the greater crack spread. Muckerman: Yes. Priestley: Should investors be concerned about them servicing this loan? Is it an issue to make good on that loan? Muckerman: No, I think it's a small enough amount to where, as an investor, maybe it's encouraging to see management trying all options to keep capacity and their inputs coming in, because a lot of pipelines in that area were disrupted. So not only have we seen production be impacted, but even the production in the oil fields that are still running, it's having a hard time making it to the endpoints here and refineries along the Gulf Coast, because not only were the refineries impacted, but the feeding pipelines were as well. Priestley: Yeah. And a lot of the ports, I can't remember the term for it, but they're essentially filled with silt now, so they have to be excavated. Muckerman: Yeah, they have to be dredged, probably. We'll wait to see that, because the Gulf area is the hub for all the oil exports that we've seen ramp up over the last couple of years since we released that limit on U.S. oil exportations. Priestley: Yeah, which is incredible when you think about how vulnerable that area is. I know every area has its risks. Muckerman: As far west as this one went, it was kind of a surprise to a lot of people. Mid- to eastern region of the Gulf usually gets hit almost on a yearly basis. But as far west as Houston, kind of a shock there. Priestley: Yeah, it's new to me. We have a lot of rain, but not hurricanes. I think, you said this already, but talking about how serious this is and what the impact is, I think it's important to remember that the reserves are tapped during natural disasters. It's very usual. And, as you said, 500,000 is nothing compared to how it has been. 2008, Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike, they reduced levels by 5.4 million barrels. 2005, Hurricane Katrina, 20.8 million barrels. So there is a precedent for this. We shouldn't be too concerned. Muckerman: Yeah. When you look at 500,000 barrels, and we're producing 9 million barrels per day as a country, not exactly something to get in a fuss about. Sarah Priestley has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Taylor Muckerman owns shares of Twitter. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Twitter. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Expecting Congress to approve tax reform legislation before the end of the year is optimistic, former Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew says. Doing tax reform is hard, thats not a surprise to anyone, Lew, who worked under President Barack Obama, told FOX Business Liz Claman on Countdown to the Closing Bell. Its technically hard, its politically even harder. Since the Republican-controlled Congress failed to deliver on its seven-year promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act, pressure has increasingly mounted on Republicans to pass some type of comprehensive tax reform. And on Wednesday, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) suggested that a framework for tax reform could be completed by the week of Sept. 25, though he did not include specific details. During a meeting with a bipartisan group of congressman Wednesday, President Donald Trump said hed like to see tax reform include the corporate tax rate reduced to 15% and tax cuts for the middle-class, adding that he does not plan on lowering taxes for the wealthy. The rich will not be gaining at all with this plan, he said during the meeting, which was held at the White House. What tax reform looks like may depend on the type of role Democrats play in creating the proposal, Lew said. Democrats want to see real reform -- not just cuts, Lew said. I think you have to make a choice, he said. You put together very different proposals if your goal is to get bipartisan support or if your goal is to get one party support. Former Dirty Jobs host Mike Rowe on Wednesday said there are not enough skilled workers to rebuild Texas and Florida after the states were pummeled by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. There were 267,000 openings in the construction trades prior to Harvey. The tradesmen and women who are going to have to rebuild Houston and Florida, theyre not there they are going to have to come from other parts of the country, he told FOX Business Stuart Varney on Varney & Company. When they essentially migrate to that part of the country to do the work theyre going to create even more alarming shortages and deficits from wherever it is they left. According to the monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey released by the U.S. Labor Department on Tuesday showed the labor market continued to tighten due to scarcity of workers. Rowe explained why there is such a large skills gap in the United States. Believe it or not Ive often said the skills gap really starts with a will gap. So, we are not looking at these jobs in an aspirational way, we are not encouraging our kids to see them for the path to prosperity that they can be. Consequently you are going to see more Nuns with chainsaws out there doing whatever they can do to put this thing back together again, he said. In a meeting with a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers from the House of Representatives, President Donald Trump committed to not combining a solution to the expiring Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program with funding for his proposed border wall as well as guaranteeing the bill known as the Dream Act will make it to the floor for a vote, FOX Business has learned. As soon as the press left the cabinet room, members of the Blue Dog Coalition and the Problem Solvers Caucus began to address some of their concerns with the president including, whatever resolution is decided on for DACA, which is set to expire in 2018, that it should not be attached to border wall legislation. Trump, according to meeting attendees who spoke on the condition of anonymity, agreed and assured them that he will not tie border wall funding to a new DACA bill and that he wants to quickly find a solution to the expiring executive order issued by former President Barack Obama, according to those familiar with the matter. Trump, according to witnesses, looked at the lawmaker who brought up the urgency on voting for the Dream Act as a stop gap for those DACA participants who could lose their work permits and said It will be on the floor.. you will have a vote.... quickly. The administration announced in August they were ending the Obama-era DACA program, which protected young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and gave them eligibility for a work permit. Attorney General Jeff Sessions made the announcement, noting that Congress has a six month period to push through a new law that could help those who are part of the program. The Dream Act was sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in July and is cosponsored by nine lawmakers including Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). The original bill primarily directs the Department of Homeland Security to grant resident status to illegal immigrants who entered into the U.S. under age 18 or who have lived in the country longer than four years. Trump also reaffirmed to the group that his tax plan will not be a tax cut for the rich and that some may have to even start paying more. This isnt a tax cut for the rich. In fact the rich are going to stay the same or maybe they will pay a little bit more, but this is not the tax cut for the rich, Trump said, according to those present. According to an April 2017 report by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a Washington research organization, the top 1% of income earners in the United States pays an estimated 23.8% share of total taxes. At one point Trump turned to Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), a rumored candidate for Sen. Flakes seat and asked her if she was running for Senate. Sinema, witnesses in the room said, just smiled. A White House spokeswoman did not confirm or deny what FOX Business learned from the meeting. Were not going to comment on rumors about what took place during private meetings between the president and members of Congress, Natalie Strom, assistant press secretary for the White House said. A spokesman for Sinema could not be reached for comment. A spokeswoman for the Blue Dogs declined to comment while a spokesman for the Problem Solvers could not be reached at the time of publication. Contentions over a U.S.-Mexico border wall continue as Congress, and the Trump administration, debate how to proceed with immigration with divisions emerging along party lines. Anthony Sabato Jr., a Republican congressional candidate whoas challenging incumbent Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), has said that he supports finding some type of comprehensive legislation that simultaneously protects young undocumented immigrants and makes it more difficult for people to enter the U.S. illegally. aWe need to build this wall,a Sabato, who emigrated from Italy in the mid-1980s, told FOX Businessa Trish Regan on aThe Intelligence Report.a aAnd we need to make it harder for people to come to this country, but with hard work itas not impossible.a Last week, President Donald Trump announced his decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) , an Obama-era program that mainly offers protection to undocumented immigrants who arrived in the country under age 18. Now, Congress has less than six months to push through some type of legislation regarding young undocumented immigrants. Trump met with Democratic leaders at the White House on Wednesday where they reportedly discussed immigration and DACA. In a joint statement, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said they had reached an agreement with the president to aenshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall.a White House press secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted that while the meeting did include DACA discussions, there was no agreement between the two parties to permanently exclude a U.S.-Mexico border wall. On Twitter, the president touted that the border wall is already under construction and will continue to be built. The debate over tax reform is heating up as lawmakers struggle to reach a compromise on something more substantial than tax cuts. While former Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina believes that tax cuts are important, she says they are not enough, telling the FOX Business Networks Maria Bartiromo on Mornings with Maria, Ted Cruz has been saying exactly the same thing about tax reform for almost five years now, hes been talking aboutradical simplicity and I absolutely agree with him that both a reduction in rates and simplicity are key. According to Fiorina, though President Trump has been upfront about his focus on reaching a deal, he shouldnt waiver on his principles. In fairness to President Trump, hes been very clear with the American people, Im a dealmaker and Im willing to be flexible, that was his word, in my principles and unpredictable in my approach in order to get the deal. I happen to think that certain principles matter, that simplicity matters, that the tax cut matters. Trump has shown a willingness recently to work with Democrats in order to achieve legislation, but Fiorina warned Trump to be cautious in dealing with Democrats on issues such as tax reform. Im suspicious, as is Ted Cruz, that the Democrats are going to play with those principles because, honestly, what they want is more government and they continue to lean to the left and more government always costs more money. While Democrats opposed any tax cuts on the highest earners, Fiorinia pointed out the subjectivity of the issue, Whats a high earner? Fiorinia says that the complexity in the current tax code is hurting the economy and is unfair because of how it benefits the wealthy. The complexity is killing us, the complexity makes economic growth harder and the complexity itself in the tax code favors Donald Trumps very rich friends. Complexity always favors big companies over little companies, rich people over not so rich people. Why? Because big companies and rich people can hire accountants and lawyers to get through the 76,000 pages. So, simplicity is key. According to Fiorina, the tax rate is holding back U.S. businesses as well as the middle class. Our tax rates are uncompetitive. Theyre uncompetitive on businesses. The middle class in particular needs more money in their own pocket, we dont need to be giving the federal government more money. Fiorina then pointed out how crucial tax reform is to the U.S. economy. Tax reform is the single most important thing we can get done to get this economy really going. The Treasury Department said Thursday that concerns about secure communications is what prompted Secretary Steven Mnuchin to inquire about using a government plane for his European honeymoon in August. In a statement, the department said the request for a government plane was withdrawn because a "secure communications option was identified" without the use of a government plane. Mnuchin and his wife Louise Linton were married in June in a ceremony conducted by Vice President Mike Pence and attended by President Donald Trump and a number of members of Trump's Cabinet. The two went on a honeymoon in August to Scotland, France and Italy. Treasury's statement noted that Mnuchin is a member of the president's National Security Council and oversees the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. "We have multiple issues around the world where the secretary is directly involved in national security, notably North Korea, Iran and Venezuela, among others," the statement said. "It is imperative that he have access to secure communications and it is our practice to consider a wide range of options to ensure that he has these capabilities during his travel, including the possible use of military aircraft." Mnuchin's initial request for a plane for his honeymoon, which was first reported by ABC News, is the second controversy regarding Mnuchin's travel at Treasury. The agency's Office of Inspector General confirmed Thursday that it is also looking into a trip Mnuchin and his wife took to Kentucky last month on an Air Force plane. Rich Delmar, counsel to the Inspector General at Treasury, said the IG's office was "looking at all requests for and use of government aircraft" at Treasury. The Kentucky trip sparked controversy after Mnuchin's wife posted a photo on Instagram that showed Mnuchin and Linton stepping off the government jet. In her post, Linton included hashtags of various luxury designers she was wearing, which prompted criticism from an Oregon mother of three who wrote "glad we could pay for your little getaway." "Pretty sure the amount we sacrifice per year is a lot more than you'd be willing to sacrifice if the choice was yours," Linton wrote back. Linton later apologized for her comments. Treasury has said that Mnuchin's trip, which included a stop to watch the total solar eclipse with Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was primarily to discuss tax reform and also tour the nation's store of gold at Fort Knox. Treasury secretaries in the past have flown commercial on domestic trips but have used Air Force jets on official travel overseas. A North Korean state agency threatened on Thursday to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a U.N. Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test. The Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which handles the North's external ties and propaganda, also called for the breakup of the Security Council, which it called "a tool of evil" made up of "money-bribed" countries that move at the order of the United States. "The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," the committee said in a statement carried by theNorth's official KCNA news agency. Juche is the North's ruling ideology that mixes Marxism and an extreme form of go-it-alone nationalism preached by state founder Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of the current leader, Kim Jong Un. Regional tension has risen markedly since the reclusive North conducted its sixth, and by far its most powerful, nuclear test on Sept. 3, following a series of missile tests, including one that flew over Japan. The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously on a U.S.-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions on Monday in response, banning North Korea's textile exports that are the second largest only to coal and mineral, and capping fuel supplies. The North reacted to the latest action by the Security Council, which had the backing of veto-holding China and Russia, by reiterating threats to destroy the United States, Japan and SouthKorea. "Let's reduce the U.S. mainland into ashes and darkness. Let's vent our spite with mobilization of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now," the statement said. Japan's Nikkei stock index and dollar/yen currency pared gains, although traders said that was more because of several Chinese economic indicators released on Thursday rather than a reaction to the North's latest statement. South Korea's won also edged down around the same time over domestic financial concerns. Despite the North's threats, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he was against having nuclear weapons in his country, either by developing its own arsenal or bringing back U.S. tactical nuclear weapons that were withdrawn in the early 1990s. "To respond to North Korea by having our own nuclear weapons will not maintain peace on theKorean peninsula and could lead to a nuclear arms race in northeast Asia," Moon said in an interview with CNN. South Korea's Unification Ministry also said it planned to provide $8 million through the U.N. World Food Programme and UNICEF to help infants and pregnant women in the North. The move marks Seoul's first humanitarian assistance for the North since its fourth nuclear test in January 2016 and is based on a longstanding policy of separating humanitarian aid from politics, the ministry said. "DANCING TO THE TUNE" The North's latest threats also singled out Japan for "dancing to the tune" of the United States, saying it should never be pardoned for not offering a sincere apology for its "never-to-be-condoned crimes against our people", an apparent reference to Japan's wartime aggression. It also referred to South Korea as "traitors and dogs" of the United States. Japan criticised the North's statement harshly. "This announcement is extremely provocative and egregious. It is something that markedly heightens regional tension and is absolutely unacceptable," Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, visiting India, called for strict enforcement of the U.N. resolution, saying the world must force a change. The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously on a U.S.-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions against North Korea on Monday in response to its latest and most powerful test, banning North Korea's textile exports that are the second largest only to coal and mineral, and capping fuel supplies. North Korea had already rejected the Security Council resolution, vowing to press ahead with its nuclear and missile programmes. A tougher initial U.S. draft of Monday's resolution was weakened to win the support of China, theNorth's lone major ally, and Russia. Significantly, it stopped short of imposing a full embargo on oil exports to North Korea, most of which come from China. The latest sanctions also make it illegal for foreign firms to form commercial joint ventures withNorth Korean entities. U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed that North Korea will never be allowed to threaten the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, but has also asked China to do more to rein in its neighbour. China in turn favours an international response to the problem. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the international community had reached a "high consensus" on trying to realise a peaceful solution. "We urge the relevant directly involved parties to seize the opportunity and have the political nerve to make the correct political choice as soon as possible," Hua told a regular press briefing. The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies. The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. (By Jack Kim and Kiyoshi Takenaka; Additional reporting by Christian Shepherd in Beijing, Hyonhee Shin in Seoul, Sanjeev Miglani in New Delhi and Kiyoshi Takenaka in Tokyo; Editing by Paul Tait and Nick Macfie) South Dakota's Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a law that would require out-of-state retailers to collect sales taxes on in-state purchases a defeat the state expected and welcomed in a case that eventually could have national implications for e-commerce. Attorney General Marty Jackley hopes to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider rulings issued mostly before the online shopping boom that exempt retailers from having to collect sales taxes in states where they have no physical presence. He said they give out-of-state online retailers an unfair competitive advantage over local retailers. "Today's decision paves the way to respectfully request the U.S. Supreme Court to provide that much needed fairness to save main streets and jobs across South Dakota," Jackley said in a statement. South Dakota has no income tax and depends heavily on sales taxes, and the state estimates it loses about $50 million in tax revenue annually to e-commerce. Jackley said the U.S. Supreme Court should particularly reconsider its 1992 ruling in a North Dakota case "in light of the extraordinary growth of the internet and the exponential technological advances that have been made in the last quarter century." States have pushed Congress to address the issue without success so far, and one estimate put the loss to states at roughly $26 billion in 2015. South Dakota is the furthest along of several states attempting to overturn the precedent. Many e-commerce companies rely on the 1992 ruling to avoid collecting state sales taxes, while some, such as Amazon, do so despite the precedent. Online retailers Wayfair, Overstock and Newegg challenged the South Dakota law at the trial court level. The state Supreme Court acknowledged that as online sales have risen, South Dakota's revenues have decreased. That prompted the Legislature to pass the law with little opposition last year as a deliberate challenge to several U.S. Supreme Court rulings on how to apply the Commerce Clause of the Constitution, which generally gives Congress exclusive authority to regulate interstate trade. South Dakota is pinning its hopes on a concurrence written by Justice Anthony Kennedy in a 2015 Colorado case that questioned the advisability of abiding by those precedents on sales tax collections given the "dramatic technological and social changes ... in our increasingly interconnected economy," the state's high court noted. It also acknowledged that before joining the U.S. Supreme Court this year, Neil Gorsuch raised similar concerns when he was a federal appeals court judge. But the South Dakota justices wrote that however persuasive the state's arguments may be for revisiting the issue, the 1992 decision has not been overruled and remains the controlling precedent. South Dakota will now take its case to the U.S. Supreme Court, where to be heard, it would need the votes of four justices. The National Retail Federation issued a statement calling on Congress to pass carefully crafted legislation allowing states to require online sellers to collect sales taxes, which it said would be far preferable to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that reverses the 1992 decision without addressing the details of implementation. President Donald Trump prohibited the acquisition of U.S.-based Lattice Semiconductor by a firm run by the Chinese government on Wednesday, a move some experts believe signals a shift in the United States overall regulatory attitude toward foreign deals. This is a really important development, Gordon Chang, author of The Coming Collapse of China, told FOX Business. I think were going to see much more rigorous review of acquisitions, mainly focused on technology. Chang believes a restructuring of The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) could be the next step for the U.S. government, as it seeks to transition away from its permissive attitude toward deals particularly those involving foreign countries. And while Chang says the business community may not be too enthused about the transition, he believes it has been a long time coming. The technology that the Chinese want to scoop up is really going to be driving the economy of tomorrow and we shouldnt be allowing Beijing to come in and buy it up cheap, he said. On Wednesday, Trump issued an executive order blocking the $1.3 billion acquisition of Lattice by Canyon Bridge Capital Partners a Chinese government-financed firm stating there is credible evidence leading him to believe that the Chinese firm could take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States. The concerns appear to be related to intellectual property and the importance of the semiconductor industry to national security. The Trump administration has said that the manufacturing sector is critical to maintaining and boosting security levels in the United States. In this time of widening challenges and unknowable threatsWe do not build Navy ships and aircraft and the weapons that defend our freedom, we do not fill the arsenal of democracy without [manufacturers], Vice President Mike Pence said during a speech in June. The Commerce Department announced on Thursday that Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross will lead a trade mission to China in November in order to advance the bilateral commercial relationship, at the same time that Trump is expected to visit the country for the first time. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Thursday that the United States was seeking to add a five-year sunset provision to the North American Free Trade Agreement to provide a regular, "systematic re-examination" of the trade pact. Ross told a forum hosted by Politico that both he and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer had agreed on the need for such a sunset provision for quite a while and would "put it forward" in the NAFTA modernization talks, but it was unclear whether Canada and Mexico would back it. U.S., Canadian and Mexican negotiators are set to reconvene for a third round of talks in Ottawa on Sept. 23-27. Ross said that a sunset provision was needed because forecasts for U.S. export and job growth when NAFTA took effect in 1994 were "wildly optimistic" and failed to live up to expectations. He said the termination clause currently in NAFTA that allows a country to exit after a six-month notice period has never been triggered, and "it's the kind of thing that probably wouldn't be." But Ross and Trump have both talked about quitting NAFTA if it can't be renegotiated to reduce U.S. trade deficits with Mexico and Canada. "The five-year thing is a real thing, would force a systematic re-examination," Ross said. "If there were a systematic re-examination after a little experience period, you'd have a forum for trying to fix things that didn't work out the way you thought they would." Politico first reported that USTR had circulated the sunset proposal with other federal agencies. (Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Andrew Hay and Phil Berlowitz) As top Democrats and Republicans clash over whether President Trumps overhaul of the tax system will include tax cuts for wealthy Americans, former GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina pointed out Thursday that wealthy can be a relative term. Whats a high earner? If youre a couple in Manhattan with a couple of kids and you make $250,000, youre a high earner, but maybe you dont feel like a high earner, Fiorina said during an appearance on FOX Business Networks Mornings with Maria. Top Republican lawmakers, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz, are pushing to cut taxes and simplify the tax code. GOP leaders are expected to roll out their tax reform plan within weeks, and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) has said that he is aiming to finalize a new plan by the end of the year. However, Democratic leaders oppose any tax cuts for high earners. A letter signed by 45 of 48 Senate Democrats declared that they were willing to pursue a bipartisan reform of the tax code under the condition that the plan does not include tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. Critics argue that the wealthy carry an undue burden in the current tax system. Earlier this year, the Tax Foundation noted that the top 1% of the countrys earners paid a larger portion of individual income taxes (39.5%) than the bottom 90% of earners combined (29.1%). [For] the top 10% of taxpayers, the last dollar of income is $133,000. Thats union workers, thats middle America, said Mitch Roschelle, a partner at accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. As debates on tax reform intensify, Trump has shown a willingness to negotiate with congressional leaders from both sides of the aisle. The president held a bipartisan meeting with moderate lawmakers on Wednesday and later scheduled a private dinner with Democratic leaders Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). After the bipartisan meeting, Trump warned that taxes could actually rise for the wealthiest Americans under the new plan. If they have to go higher, theyll go higher, frankly, Trump told reporters, according to USA Today. Cruz, who advocates for a low, flat tax rate, laid out his plan for reform on Morning with Maria. Everyone should pay the same low rate for a fairer tax code, Cruz wrote on Twitter this week. Larry King was secretly diagnosed with lung cancer. The legendary TV host told Us Weekly Wednesday he received the shocking news during a routine visit with his doctor. I go for my checkup and they say, Lets do a chest X-ray, and the doctor said to me, Something looks funny, he explained. They said the spot looked pretty small... I then did a CAT scan then a PET scan and then he said to me, You have lung cancer, but it looks very small, in the beginning stages. King, 83, immediately underwent surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on July 17. The doctor said to me, It was malignant, but you were in the first stage. If it had stayed and we didnt find it, you would have had trouble in two or three years, but we got it and you were lucky. King told the celebrity news magazine it took two weeks to recover after surgery and he then immediately went back to work. They showed me my latest chest X-ray, which is all clear, he said. It was fun to see where that spot was and there is no spot now. They took off 20 percent of the lung. King hasnt smoked cigarettes since his heart attack in the late 80s. However, his former habit was the reason behind his latest health scare. The doctor said that tobacco from 30 years ago is still related to this lung cancer, he said. King is hoping his experience will encourage others to see their doctors and make sure their health is in tip-top shape. When you are [getting] a checkup, get a chest X-ray because lung cancer aint going to tell you its there, but a simple chest X-ray will, he said. If it shows you one little spot, you will do a CAT scan. They are all painless. These days, King is keeping busy with his thriving career, which has lasted for over 60 years. I will probably die on the air, he joked. I have beaten so many things health-wise to feel this good now. I have no plans to retire. Ive never ever felt better than I do now. When Hillary Clinton was a guest on Wednesday's episode of "The View," the show's co-hosts made one thing very clear: "Mind your own business" when it comes to Clinton's marriage. The former presidential candidate appeared on the ABC talk show Wednesday to discuss her new memoir titled "What Happened." In the book, Clinton addresses critics of her marriage to Former President Bill Clinton. The co-hosts asked Clinton what she would say those on the right that think she should have divorced her husband when his infidelities were revealed. "I hear that people say 'They have an arrangement.' It's called a marriage," Clinton responded. "There have been a lot more happy days than sad or angry days, and I am very proud and grateful that I am married to my best friend." Clinton's response was met with cheers and chants of "Mind their own business" from the ladies of "The View." While they appear to support a "mind your own business" policy when it comes to the Clintons marriage, the policy does not apply to the Trumps union. The talk show hosts have previously made many comments about President Trumps marriage to Melania Trump. In March the co-hosts discussed a video of Melania at the inauguration in which she stopped smiling as her husband was no longer facing her. Jedediah Bila noted theres something weird about the Trumps relationship and compared them to a couple she knows that got divorced. Sara Haines suggested Melania was simply trying to avoid wrinkles by only smiling when necessary. Very smart model move, she said. Joy Behar chimed in asking, "What's their relationship like? Is [Melania] suffering from Stockholm syndrome? He's got her as, like, a hostage up in Trump Tower. Shes like Rapunzel. Let down your hair, Melania!" On a May episode of "The View," the hosts discussed a video of Melania Trump swatting away her husband's hand as he attempted to hold it while disembarking Air Force One when they arrived in Israel. The first couple just stepped off a plane in Israel hours ago and there may be no peace in the Middle East between the two of them, Whoopi Goldberg said. "In a rare move, he went to hold her hand, which she apparently slapped away." Behar remarked, "She cant stand him" later saying, "He always lets her walk behind him hes such a non-gentleman to the girl." Behar also made vulgar comments about the Trump's marriage while she was a guest on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" in June. "But I feel sorry for her," the 74-year-old said of Melania's decision to remain in New York City through the end of the school year. "She had to sleep with him once. At least once she did. And then when she was in New York and we had to pay a million dollars a day to keep her here because she doesnt want to sleep with him, we have to pay for that. I didnt like that." Hillary Clinton has appeared on a variety of friendly platforms to promote her new book, but CNNs Anderson Cooper's interview Wednesday night may have been the softest yet - touching on yoga and "nostril breathing" and Broadway. The AC360 host asked Clinton about her favorite Broadway musical, yoga and even alternative nostril breathing during a 38-minute interview that allowed her to vent about losing the election while simultaneously promoting her book, "What Happened." The former presidential candidate also appeared on ABCs The View and NBCs Today on Wednesday and both interviews essentially went exactly how media watchdogs would expect. The mostly female crowd of The View chanted pro-Clinton messages and cheered the former First Lady. Meanwhile, NBCs Matt Lauer confronted Clinton about her criticism of the Today host in an interview that featured at least one hard-hitting question when he asked, "Did you make enough mistakes yourself to lose the election?" Cooper kicked off the CNN interview by asking Clinton if it feels good to be less guarded, which set her up to explain how candid and revealing her new book is compared to how shes typically perceived. The conversation quickly changed to Inauguration Day, giving Clinton an opportunity to call President Trumps speech a cry from the white nationalists gut while praising herself for attending in the first place. Im afflicted with the responsibility gene. I did the right thing, Clinton told Cooper. I did everything that I was supposed to do. The CNN host and Clinton then shared a good laugh about the time she mixed up Jason Chaffetz and then-Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, invoking Les Miserables in the process. Cooper asked, Are you a big Les Mis fan? When the conversation turned to yoga and alternative nostril breathing, Cooper took off his glasses and asked for a demonstration of the breathing technique that Clinton apparently details in What Happened. Youre supposed to shut your eyes, I dont want to shut my eyes on national television, Clinton said before demonstrating the act with her eyes open. I can only say, based on my personal experience, that if youre sitting cross-legged, on the yoga mat, and youre doing it and youre really trying to inhale, and hold it and then have a long exhale, it is very relaxing, Clinton said. I found it quite helpful. Cooper did find time to ask legitimate questions about James Comey, the Electoral College and misogyny each of which resulted in Clinton essentially blaming someone for her loss to Trump. The CNN host didnt ask a follow-up question when Clinton called the infamous tarmac meeting between Bill Clinton and Loretta Lynch inconsequential, despite the fact that CNN legal analyst Paul Callan once said it showed incredibly bad judgment between the former Attorney General and the 42nd president. The interview eventually turned to talk of alleged Russian interference and Cooper asked if Trumps victory should have an asterisk, giving Clinton an opportunity to fire off a list of Russian-related, anti-Trump headlines. At one point Clinton even praised Cooper for asking a tough question to Trump about the infamous Access Hollywood tape during the presidential debate that the CNN anchor co-moderated. Cooper started the 2016 debate by asking Trump about his comment that was caught on a hot mic about grabbing women by the genitals. I want to thank you. I want to thank you, Anderson. Im hard on the press, as you know from reading the book, in many ways, Clinton said. I thought the way you started that debate, what you said in the beginning, needed to be said and I really appreciated that. While Cooper asked Trump a difficult question during the debate, he didnt repeat the act on Wednesday night with Clinton. Anthony Bourdain, host of Parts Unknown on liberal CNN, said last week that he would poison Donald Trump if the celebrity chef was asked to cater a peace summit between the President and Kim Jong Un. Hemlock, Bourdain simply replied when asked by TMZ what he would serve Trump and the North Korean dictator. Hemlock is a poisonous plant that has been used as a method of execution. The video was published by TMZ last week, but is just now gaining attention. When reached by Fox News, Bourdain, apparently joking, said that he meant to say kale instead of hemlock. CNN recently fired Kathy Griffin for posing with a bloody head made to look like Trump. The liberal network also cut ties with Believer host Reza Aslan after his anti-Trump rhetoric on Twitter was widely criticized. Its unclear if Bourdain would suffer any consequences for his rhetoric, but its worth noting that Parts Unknown is significantly more popular than programs hosted by Griffin and Aslan. This isnt the first time the Parts Unknown host has spoken negatively about Trump. Bourdain, who famously dined with President Obama on an episode of Parts Unknown, told TheWrap last year that he wouldnt eat with then-candidate Trump if given the chance. Absolutely f---ing not, Bourdain said. Ive been a New Yorker most of my life I would give the same answer that I would have given 10 years ago, when he was just as loathsome. Bourdains Parts Unknown is a CNN original series in which the celebrity chef travels the world to showcase food and culture. He also told TMZ that he wouldnt be interested in filming an episode in North Korea because most of the population are starving. As for Bourdains thoughts on Kim Jong Un, the CNN star called him a chubby, evil little f---. CNN did not immediately responded to Fox News request for comment. In a strong vote of confidence for its late-night cornerstone, Comedy Central said Thursday it has agreed to a contract extension that will keep Trevor Noah as host of "The Daily Show" through 2022. The network also said Noah would produce and host specials comedically wrapping up each year, starting in a few months. The little-known South African comic was a leap of faith for Comedy Central when he was selected to succeed Jon Stewart at "The Daily Show" two years ago. He started slowly but has made inroads both critically and commercially. His show has averaged 1.57 million viewers so far this quarter, up 28 percent from the same period a year ago, according to the Nielsen company. That's not at Stewart's level, but Noah is the most popular late-night comic among viewers aged 18-to-34, and he's a particular hit among people who stream highlights online. "It's very satisfying to see our belief in him come to fruition," said Kent Alterman, Comedy Central president. Comedy Central is now trying to replicate what it had in its glory days of Stewart and Stephen Colbert, with another alum of "The Daily Show," Jordan Klepper, beginning a new program in the time slot after Noah on Sept. 25. "When we set out to replace Jon Stewart, we knew that would be an impossible task," Alterman said. "If the goal was to find a younger version of Jon Stewart, that was a fool's errand." Still, many viewers came with the expectation that Noah's show would be satisfying in the same way that Stewart was, and that Noah would come into the job fully formed, he said. Instead, it took time. Viewers saw Noah approach what was going on in the United States from the perspective of an outsider, but during last year's campaign "people felt this transition where he was talking about what was happening to us, instead of what was happening to you," Alterman said. Video clips of Noah have been streamed some 2.2 billion times since he took over, the network said. That's increasingly the way younger viewers experience late-night comedy. Noah quipped that it's exciting to know he's under contract for five more years, "or until Kim Jong Un annihilates us all, whichever one comes first." Game of Thrones executives are reportedly planning to film several different endings for the series finale in order to avoid leaks, HBOs programming president said. Casey Bloys, who spoke at Pennsylvanias Moravian College last week, told students that the shows cast would not even know how the fantasy epic ends, the BBC reported. I know in Game of Thrones, the ending, theyre going to shoot multiple versions so that nobody really know what happens, Bloys said. You have to do that on a long show. Because when youre shooting something, people know. So theyre going to shoot multiple versions so that theres no real definitive answer until the end. GAME OF THRONES EPISODES LEAKED ONLINE HBO has not commented on his statements. The show has been the target of a number of leaks and hacks. In August, four people were arrested in India after an episode leaked two days before its scheduled air time. GAME OF THRONES EPISODE 6 LEAKED ONLINE AFTER HBO SPAIN ERROR The popular shows seventh season was illegally downloaded more than a billion times, Muso, a piracy tracking firm, reported. The shows eighth and final season does not have a premiere date scheduled, but sources said the show might not run until 2019, according to The Hollywood Reporter. ESPN host Jemele Hill took to Twitter on Wednesday evening to address the elephant in the room, after coming under fire Monday for calling President Donald Trump a white supremacist. My comments on Twitter expressed my personal beliefs. My regret is that my comments and the public way I made them painted ESPN in an unfair light. My respect for the company and my colleagues remains unconditional, Hill tweeted. In a series of tweets Monday, Hill claimed Trump was unqualified and unfit to be president, and that his rise is a direct result of white supremacy. The network responded Tuesday, saying Hills comments do not represent the position of ESPN, and that she recognizes her actions were inappropriate." White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, meanwhile, said Wednesday that she believes Hills statements about the president constituted a fireable offense. That is one of the more outrageous comments that anybody could make and certainly is something that is a fireable offense by ESPN, Sanders told reporters at the White House daily briefing. Hill co-hosts the 6 p.m. broadcast of SportsCenter alongside Michael Smith, and has been on ESPN since 2013. As of Wednesday, the tweets have not been deleted from Hills account. Two baby boys were born two days in a row in the parking lot of a Denville, New Jersey Burger King, Daily Record reports. Both sets of expectant parents were on their way to the local hospital when they were forced to make an emergency pit stop at the fast food chain. The first couple was caught in heavy traffic due to a fatal car accident when the woman began experiencing contractions, forcing them to pull into the restaurant parking lot, according to police. PREGNANT MODEL AT NEW YORK FASHION WEEK WALKS RUNWAY WITH BABY BUMP BURSTING THROUGH CLOTHES After calling 911 for help, police and fire department First Aid Squad members arrived on scene to assist in delivering the baby before sending the mom and her newborn off to the hospital. The Denville Police Department proudly shared the news on Twitter Friday. The next night, another couple was en route to the hospital when the expectant mother began experiencing severe contractions. Unable to make it to the hospital, they pulled into the same Burger King parking lot and called for help. BUFFALO CHICKEN PIZZA IS THE SECRET TO INDUCING LABOR, SAY NORTH CAROLINA MOMS "We look at our pagers and go: 'This is a joke. This can't be two nights in a row, the same exact thing.' Sure enough, we get down there and it is. And I mean, that one came even quicker," volunteer firefighter Rich Yobs told CBS News. As police arrived, the woman was already giving birth, but the officers were able to assist in the babys delivery in the back seat of the car. They then sent her to the hospital where staff were awaiting her arrival. "One of the nurses actually asked me, she said, 'Where was he born?' and I said, 'Burger King,' and she goes, 'Let me see the little whopper!"' firefighter-EMT Shannon Covert told CBS News. "So that's probably going to be the kid's nickname forever!" FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS The officers and squad members were pleased to help in the delivery of two healthy babies. I don't want to speak for the first aid squad who played a large part in the first birth, but the police officers are quite simply just happy that they could be of assistance to both of the families, Capt. Keith Partin told Daily Record. A baby boy who was born weighing less than 1.5 pounds at just 22 weeks gestation is finally ready to head home after spending four months in the hospital. Baby Leni, whose mom Chastity said she didnt realize she was in labor at the time, has been receiving care at Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento, KTVU reported. I didnt even know I was in labor at first, 20-year-old Chastity told KCRA. He wasnt a regular baby. He was blue and purple. I didnt think he was going to live, and Im looking at my son like, Oh my God please live. Dont die on me. TEEN WITH 'RAPUNZEL SYNDROME' DIES FROM EATING HER OWN HAIR Chastity wound up giving birth in an emergency delivery at home and watched Sacramento Fire Department medics work to resuscitate Leni, who was given about a 5 percent chance of survival. A hospital spokesman told the news outlet that Leni, who now weighs 6 pounds, 3.5 ounces, is the youngest newborn to be resuscitated. He wasnt supposed to live through the first week he was born, Chastity told KTVU. He had an IV in his head. They had to open it and put it in the back of his head. He had so many surgeries. COULD RARE BRAIN-EATING AMOEBA THRIVE IN IRMA'S AFTERMATH? While Chastity and hospital staff celebrated Lenis impending release, he will require follow-up exams to monitor his vision, kidneys and lungs. A member of the fire department who responded to Chastitys initial call was also there to mark the occasion. You guys came right on time. You were so efficient with everything and so quick and so patient, Chastity told firefighter David Robinson, according to KTVU. You saved his life. Two doctors at a Pennsylvania hospital were suspended after a witness claimed a number of hospital staffers formed a cheerleader type pyramid to take photos and videos of a patient with a genital injury. A state investigation revealed the incident occurred on Dec. 23 at UPMC Bedford Memorial, and involved a patient who required surgery for a genital injury to remove a foreign body, PennLive.com reported. The hospitals administrators were notified in January after a witness complained about a series of photos circulating among staff members, the news outlet reported. The states health department opened its own investigation into the incident in May. PHARMACIST ACCUSED OF TRYING TO KILL MOTHER WITH INSULIN In January a hospital employee came forward to complain about photographs that were circulating around the hospital, of a patient under anesthesia while in the [operating room], according to the health departments investigation. The patient had a genital injury and OR staff had apparently taken photos and video of the patient using their personal cell phones, and were showing the photos to other hospital staff. As a result, one doctor was suspended for seven days while another received a 28-day suspension. While one employee admitted to receiving a photo from a staff member in the anesthesia department, another claimed a doctor requested a photo be taken with an operating room camera to use for future medical lectures. The employee claimed the camera was broken, prompting use of personal phones, but investigators later found the camera to be working, albeit too complicated to use. Another employee who was attending to the patient said at one point when I looked up there were so many people it looked like a cheerleader type pyramid, PennLive.com reported. The hospital is also currently in the process of replacing the surgical services nursing director as a result of the investigation. TEEN WITH 'RAPUNZEL SYNDROME' DIES FROM EATING HER OWN HAIR UPMC is committed to ensuring that our patients health information remains confidential, a hospital statement to PennLive.com said. The behavior reported in this case is abhorrent and violates the mission of UPMC Bedford and the overall values of UPMC. Upon discovery, UPMC quickly self-reported the incident to the Pennsylvania Department of Health and took appropriate disciplinary action with the individuals involved. The statement said the health department approved the hospitals plans for corrections and that the patient involved in the incident has been notified. Since this is an ongoing investigation we are not at liberty to comment further at this time, the statement said. When a man in California went to the hospital because of bladder problems, doctors found a large reason for his pain: a mineral stone nearly the size of an ostrich egg, according to a new report of the case. The 64-year-old man went to the emergency room because he had pain in his left side and trouble urinating. His doctors found an egg-shaped bladder stone that weighed a whopping 1.7 lbs. (770 grams) and measured 4.7 inches by 3.7 inches by 3 inches (12 by 9.5 by 7.5 centimeters), according to the report. (For reference, a typical ostrich egg weighs about 3 lbs., or 1,360 grams.) TEEN WITH 'RAPUNZEL SYNDROME' DIES FROM EATING HER OWN HAIR Bladder stones are mineral masses that form in the bladder. In some cases, the stones are too small to be seen with the naked eye, but in others, the stones can be quite large, reaching an inch or more in diameter. According to Guinness World Records , the largest bladder stone was 7 inches long, 5 inches thick and 3.7 inches tall (17.9 by 12.7 by 9.5 cm), and weighed 4.2 lbs. (1.9 kg). CT scans of the man's adbomen also revealed another, much smaller stone in the man's left ureter, which is the tube that carries urine from the kidneys to the bladder, according to the report, which was published today (Sept. 6) in The New England Journal of Medicine . The doctors who treated the man noted that he'd had invasive bladder cancer more than a decade before he developed the stones. At the time, surgeons needed to remove his bladder, and they constructed what doctors call a "neobladder" out of segments of the man's intestines. Like a regular bladder, the neobladder is connected to both the ureters and the urethra, which is the tube through which urine exits the body, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases . Using part of the intestines to create a neobladder can increase a person's risk of developing stones, the authors wrote. COULD RARE BRAIN-EATING AMOEBA THRIVE IN IRMA'S AFTERMATH? The man had surgery to remove the stone from his bladder , and doctors used a laser to break up the stone in his left ureter, according to the report. The man had no problems after his surgery, though doctors are continuing to monitor him in case new stones form. Originally published on Live Science . Martin Shkreli, the embattled pharmaceutical CEO, was sentenced to seven years in prison for securities fraud. The so-called Pharma Bro was convicted last year on charges that he deceived investors through failed hedge funds. Weeks later, he had his $5 million bail revoked when he posted what was a considered a threat to Hillary Clinton. The 34-year-old, who is probably best known for hiking up the price of a life-saving drug, was charged with securities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud; a jury found him guilty on three of eight counts. From his social media presence to his leadership of pharmaceutical companies, heres a look at Shkrelis life and controversies. March 2018 A federal judge sentenced Shkreli to seven years in prison on March 9 for for defrauding investors in two failed hedge funds. Shkreli, in a break from his usual assured persona, cried as he told U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto he made many mistakes and apologized to investors. "I want the people who came here today to support me to understand one thing, the only person to blame for me being here today is me," he said. "I took down Martin Shkreli." He was also fined $75,000 and received credit for the roughly six months he has been in prison. September 2017 Shkrelis bail was revoked and he was sent to prison the night of Sept. 13 because of what was perceived as a threat to a former presidential nominee he posted on social media. Shkreli offered on Facebook $5,000 to anyone who could grab Hillary Clintons hair while she was on her book tour. U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto said the post could be seen as a solicitation of an assault as she revoked his $5 million bail. The Clinton Foundation is willing to KILL to protect its secrets. So on HRCs book tour, try to grab a hair from her. I must confirm the sequences I have. Will pay $5,000 per hair obtained from Hillary Clinton, his post said. Shkrelis defense argued that the post was simply political satire, but the judge didnt buy it. The government told the judge that the message alarmed the Secret Service detail that protects Clinton, a former Democratic presidential candidate and first lady. It also argued that it fit a pattern of veiled threats against female journalists who rebuffed Shkreli's social media advances and of taunts aimed at prosecutors in his case. Shkreli will now await his sentencing at a federal jail in Brooklyn instead of his Manhattan apartment where he would often live stream parts of his day. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years. August 2017 A Brooklyn jury found Shkreli guilty on three counts on August 4. The jury deliberated for five days before reaching a verdict. June 2017 Shkrelis trial began on June 26, and he faces up to 20 years in prison. Several potential jurors told the New York judge they couldn't be fair toward Shkreli. One woman said that she knew the former executive as "the most hated man in America" for his price gouging. The judge dismissed her and several other potential jurors after they made negative comments about Shkreli during jury selection. Shkreli "travels to the beat of a very unique drummer." Defense attorney Benjamin Brafman Despite advice from his lawyers, Shkreli didnt lay low ahead of the trial. He was active on social media, particularly on YouTube and Facebook. Shkreli "travels to the beat of a very unique drummer," his defense attorney said. April 2017 Brooklyn U.S. District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto ruled that Shkreli and his former lawyer be granted separate trials. Both Evan Greebel and Shkreli requested separate trials and both have pleaded not guilty. Greebel is charged with one count of conspiracy for allegedly helping Shkreli. He would later be found guilty of conspiring to commit securities fraud and wire fraud. As Greebel has called Shkreli a serial liar, Matsumoto said trying the two men together would present a serious risk that Shkreli will not receive a constitutionally fair trial. January 2017 After consistently harassing a female journalist on Twitter, Shkreli was eventually banned from the social media site. Shkreli changed his Twitter page background to images of freelance journalist Lauren Duca and photo-shopped himself over her husband in one photo. How is this allowed, Duca tweeted along with a screenshot of Shkrelis account. However, Shkreli made additional accounts since his ban. September 2016 After Hillary Clinton left a 9/11 memorial service due to illness, Shkreli tracked down the presidential candidate to shout at her a question. Why are you so sick? Shkreli shouted at Clinton as she left her daughters apartment. I enjoyed screaming 'why are you so sick' and 'go trump' at @HillaryClinton. Get well soon bae! he tweeted later. This same month, Shkreli raffled off a chance to punch him in the face. February 2016 Shkreli refused to testify in front of Congress instead invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination while smirking at lawmakers who peppered him with questions about why he so drastically raised the price of Daraprim. "It's not funny, Mr. Shkreli. People are dying and they're getting sicker and sicker." Rep. Elijah Cummings "Drug company executives are lining their pockets at the expense of some of the most vulnerable families in our nation," Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., said during the hearing. "It's not funny, Mr. Shkreli. People are dying and they're getting sicker and sicker." Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., a pharmacist, said he was disgusted by price-hiking drug companies. December 2015 Shkreli was arrested on securities fraud and wire fraud charges unrelated to the rising drug price while he headed Turing Pharmaceuticals in December 2015. Prosecutors said when Shkreli ran a different pharmaceutical company, Retrophin, he would use the companys cash and stock to pay back hedge fund investors for money that Shkreli lost. These actions allegedly took place between 2009 and 2014, according to court documents. Shkreli engaged in multiple schemes to ensnare investors through a web of lies and deceit, U.S. Attorney Robert Capers said at the time of Shkrelis arrest. Shkreli was released on a $5 million bail. The day of his arrest, KaloBios Pharmaceuticals terminated Shkreli as its CEO. The company announced that the young pharmaceutical executive also had resigned from its board of directors. September 2015 Shkreli first became a contentious household name at the end of 2015 when he was chief executive of Turing Pharmaceuticals. His company drastically jacked up the price of a potentially lifesaving drug, Daraprim, from $13.50 to $750 per pill. Turing acquired Daraprim in August 2015. The drug is the only approved treatment for toxoplasmosis, an infection which is especially risky for pregnant women, people with AIDS and cancer patients. Shkreli defended the price hike, saying it was necessary in order for his pharmaceutical company to make a profit, spend money on research and keep up with operational costs. If there was a company that was selling an Aston Martin at the price of a bicycle, and we buy that company and we ask to charge Toyota prices, I dont think that should be a crime, Shkreli told CBS This Morning. Then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton encouraged Shkreli to do the right thing and lower the cost of the drug to its original price. Clinton also promised to hold accountable anyone who is price gouging American families and jacking up costs for no good reason. Donald Trump, also a candidate at the time, called Shkreli a "spoiled brat." The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Pennsylvania pharmacist is accused of trying to kill her own mother with a series of insulin injections. Police claim Donna Horger, 50, attempted to inject her 74-year-old mother with insulin on three separate occasions, Fox 29 reported. The first alleged attempt reportedly occurred at Immaculate Mary Nursing Home in Philadelphia. Horgers mother, Mary, was found unresponsive and rushed to Abington Hospital where she was revived. The alleged second and third attempts reportedly occurred while Mary Horger was recovering in the hospital, according to Fox 29. TEEN WITH 'RAPUNZEL SYNDROME' DIES FROM EATING HER OWN HAIR An investigation revealed that no hospital staff injected Mary Horger with insulin, but that someone with a medical background did. Horger reportedly confessed to all three attempts after she was confronted by police. Horgers attorney, Fortunato Perri Jr., said his client did not want her mother to suffer anymore, Fox 29 reported. Mary Horger has been diagnosed with dementia and osteoporosis. Its a very sad, tragic set of circumstances, he told the news outlet. Horger faces a preliminary hearing next week. In the wake of her 2016 presidential defeat, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has cited long walks in the woods, organizing her closets and sipping a little white wine as routes to solace. In promotion of her memoir What Happened, released September 12, Clinton reveals that shes found a new source of strength and its on her yoga mat. In an interview with People, the former United States Secretary of State enthusiastically describes herself as a beginner yogi. BILL AND HILLARY CLINTON'S OLD SUMMER GETAWAY SELLS FOR $29 MILLION Im still working on the basics! she said. Warrior II is my favorite. It doubles as a great power pose. In the memoir, Clinton champions the benefits of yoga breathing exercises especially the calming effects of alternate nostril breathing as a preferred method of healing post-election. When friends suggested she try Xanax or therapy, Clinton writes that wasnt for me. Never has been. MATT LAUER CONFRONTS HILLARY CLINTON ON LIVE TV According to Yoga Journal, the Warrior II pose in particular is great for strengthening the legs and upper body while increasing stamina and relieving backaches, which may seem ideal after months spent on the campaign trail. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS Further, when asked what its like to not be perfectly camera ready with her outfit, hair and makeup every day, she exclaimed Its liberating! Posh parents cant get enough of Prince Georges sense of style and now the loafers that George allegedly wore to his first day of primary school have nearly sold out online. Arriving at Londons Thomas Battersea on September 7 hand-in-hand with his father, Prince William, the pint-sized fashion icon was outfitted in the schools official boys uniform for summer rocking a button-down shirt, shorts and a navy V-neck jumper emblazoned with the schools scarlet logo. Also adhering to dress code, Prince Georges wore black leather, polishable, laceless shoes sparking an online shopping frenzy. PRINCE GEORGE INSPIRES BACK-TO-SCHOOL FASHION FRENZY WITH SHORTS, IS 'DIRECTLY INFLUENCING' SHOPPERS According to Yahoo! Style, it wasnt long before royal aficionados figured out the exact pair of loafers that adorned the little princes feet. Fashion site What Kates Kids Wore broke the news on Twitter that they believed the young royal was sporting Pisamonas UKs School Moccasins, which retail in black and navy for $52. Reaching out to the brand for comment, Pisamosa confirmed their suspicions. "Based on recent orders, we think it may be the case, yes, they responded on Twitter. PRINCE GEORGE'S SCHOOL LUNCH MENU SOUNDS FANCIER THAN MOST RESTAURANTS As recent history has proved, practically anything that Britains most famous four-year-old wears turns into sartorial gold. A recent study found that short sales are rocketing in the U.K. for little boys and girls alike, as shoppers are being directly influenced by Prince Georges signature look. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS According to the Associated Press, Prince William said his sons first day of school went well" and had been a success. Hillary Clinton has long had an aversion to the truth. She twists it, bends it and contorts it to fit her own needs and ambitions. And so it goes in Clintons current blame tour as she hawks her book with an eye toward fattening her already considerable bank account. If you are expecting the truth of What Happened, the title of her mythical memoir, you will be left bereft. It bears no resemblance to the truth of what happened in her losing quest for the presidency. Instead, Clinton engages in what psychiatrists call projection when people persistently blame others for their own failings. They view themselves as chronic victims, refusing to accept personal responsibility for the decisions they alone make. In Clintons universe, everyone is to blame but her. She is very much like Richard Nixon who said of the Watergate scandal that forced his resignation as president, I accept the responsibility, but not the blame. And, like Nixon, Clintons name is synonymous with scandals and controversies, all of them self-created. No one forced her to set up a private email server. No one made her pocket $225,000 from Goldman Sachs for a speech. And, like Nixon, Clintons name is synonymous with scandals and controversies, all of them self-created. No one forced her to set up a private email server. No one made her pocket $225,000 from Goldman Sachs for a speech. No one coerced her into using her foundation in a way that smacks of influence peddling and self-dealing. In rationalizing her behavior, Clinton tends to manipulate the facts and engage in wholesale deceptions, peddling one fatuous canard after another. She does it so often and so cavalierly that it seems second nature. Distortions and fabrications are endemic in her personality. Yet, Americans saw through it. Polling data consistently showed that a majority of voters did not trust Clinton because they didnt believe her. In politics, if they dont believe you, theyll never believe in you. This is Hillary Clintons fatal character flaw. The truth is Clinton was an uninspiring candidate who ran a flawed campaign. She ignored the advice of experienced political professionals. She never understood what voters truly cared about and failed to devise a coherent message that resonated with Americans. And, of course, she was marred by scandals of her own making and the copious excuses she conjured that few seemed to believe. But in her book and in her many public appearances and interviews, Clinton refuses to acknowledge the truth. That would take the kind of courage that demands honest self-reflection. She is incapable of doing so. If you want to empty your wallet for a book of fiction disguised as non-fiction, be my guest. For those who dont, here is a list of all of those who Clinton blames for her losing presidential bid. The list will, undoubtedly, grow as she continues talking about it. I vividly recall the famous "free speech" movement at Berkeley several decades ago. The hard left demanded the right to express radical, often obnoxious, views on campus. Some on the hard right sought to ban these hard left expressions. Free speech prevailed. Now it is the hard right that is demanding the right to make provocative speeches on campus and it is elements of the hard left that are trying to censor them. But there is no symmetry in the means used to silence opponents. Today's hard left, led by Antifa and other radical and anarchistic gangs, do not shrink from the threat or use of violence to silence speakers with whom they disagree. These unlawful tactics have prevailed and several right wing speakers were forced to cancel their scheduled appearances on the Berkeley campus. This time free speech is losing. Protesters must not be allowed to block access to the speech, to threaten violence against the speaker or his audience, to shout down the speaker or to take any other action that prevents the speaker from completing his talk. Now there is a test case: Ben Shapiro, a thoughtful conservative with whose views I often personally disagree, is not merely a provocateur, as some other extreme right speakers are. These provocateurs come to campuses not so much to educate as to provoke responses. Although deliberately provocative speech is as constitutionally protected as other kinds of offensive expression, it is easy to understand why some administrators, faculty and students object to being used as part of what they regard as staged political theater deliberately designed to create conflict. Ben Shapiro is different. He has something substantively important to share with the Berkeley academic community. If I were on that campus, I would want to listen to what he has to say, despite my disagreement with many of his views. Yet there are those on the hard left who would stop me and others from hearing him. They cannot be allowed to do that. Berkeley, as a state university, is bound by the First Amendment. It has a constitutional obligation to protect the speaker and allow him to address his audience. It also has an obligation to protect those who seek to protest Shapiro's presence on campus and the content of his speech. But the protests may not interfere with the right of the speaker to communicate his ideas to the audience. Protesters must not be allowed to block access to the speech, to threaten violence against the speaker or his audience, to shout down the speaker or to take any other action that prevents the speaker from completing his talk. Protesters may show disagreement with specific ideas by briefly booing or even shouting words of disapproval, but these disruptions must be brief and not continuous. They must not have the intent or effect of stopping the speaker from delivering his or her message. These lines are difficult to draw in practice, but disagreements must be resolved in favor of the speaker, not the disrupters. And the university must have the same rules for the right as for the left. It may not take ideological sides when it comes to freedom of expression. It must remain scrupulously neutral, even if its constituents favor the left over the right. Berkeley, as expected, is in the eye of the storm. It passed the test when the hard left demanded free speech. It must now pass the test when the hard right is demanding equal protection. Ben Shapiro must not be prevented from speaking. His talk must not be cancelled, as others were. Berkeley must do whatever it takes to protect Shapiro and those who follow him from the intolerant mobs that don't want anyone to hear his conservative message. What is at stake is more than Shapiro's personal freedom of speech, important as that is. What is at stake is the right of every American to participate in the open marketplace of ideas. If a great university shuts down that marketplace, the rights of all Americans are endangered. Editor's note: A version of this article originally appeared on September 13, 2017. Hillary Clintons new book entitled What Happened was officially released on Tuesday. Since then, she has been promoting it with the zeal of an indefatigable carnival barker. It seems to be working. The line for her book signing at a store in New York City stretched around the block. Indifferent to her disciples who had already been waiting for hours, Clinton showed up an hour late. It must be difficult to meet such a demanding schedule, given all her promised appearances on The View, the Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning, CNN, MSNBC, the Late Show, and well, you get the idea. Adoration can be burdensome for the adored. Ive spent two days and consumed three packs of Tums trying to digest all 464 pages. (Im a fast reader.) I initially counted 43 reasons Clinton gives for her 2016 election loss, as she meticulously faults all the people who sabotaged what was rightfully hers. But upon closer examination, I have discovered thirteen more who are to blame. Incredible. But not surprising. You see, Clinton has long had an aversion to the truth. She twists it, bends it and contorts it to fit her own needs and ambitions. And so it goes in Clintons current blame tour as she hawks her book with an eye toward fattening her already considerable bank account. If you are expecting the truth in What Happened, you will be left bereft. Her mythical memoir bears no resemblance to the truth of what happened in her losing quest for the presidency. Instead, Clinton engages in what psychiatrists call projection when people persistently blame others for their own failings. They view themselves as chronic victims, refusing to accept personal responsibility for the decisions they alone make. In Clinton's universe, everyone is to blame but her. She seems to have adopted the Richard Nixon spoof, "I accept the responsibility, but not the blame." And, like Nixon, Clintons name is synonymous with scandals and controversies, all of them self-created. No one forced her to set up a private email server. No one made her pocket $225,000 from Goldman Sachs for a speech. No one coerced her into using her foundation in a way that smacks of influence peddling and self-dealing. In rationalizing her behavior, Clinton tends to manipulate the facts and engage in wholesale deceptions, peddling one fatuous canard after another. She does it so often and so cavalierly that it seems second nature. Distortions and fabrications are endemic in her personality. Yet, Americans saw through it. Polling data consistently showed that a majority of voters did not trust Clinton because they didnt believe her. In politics, if they dont believe you, theyll never believe in you. This is Hillary Clintons fatal character flaw. The truth is Clinton was an uninspiring candidate who ran a flawed campaign. She ignored the advice of experienced political professionals. She never understood what voters truly cared about and failed to devise a coherent message that resonated with Americans. And, of course, she was marred by scandals of her own making and the copious excuses she conjured that few seemed to believe. But in her book and in her many public appearances and interviews, Clinton refuses to acknowledge the truth. That would take the kind of courage that demands honest self-reflection. She is incapable of doing so. If you want to empty your wallet for a book of fiction disguised as non-fiction, be my guest. If you dont, here is a list of all of those who Clinton blames for her losing presidential bid. The list will, undoubtedly, grow as she continues talking about it. 1. Sexism 2. Racism 3. Misogyny 4. Xenophobia 5. Suburban women 6. James Comey 7. FBI 8. Russians 9. Vladimir Putin 10. WikiLeaks 11. D.N.C. 12. Barack Obama 13. Joe Biden 14. Bernie Sanders 15. Anthony Weiner 16. Electoral College 17. Polling Data 18. Cable News 19. New York Times 20. Fake News 21. Bots 22. Facebook 23. Twitter 24. Netflix 25. TV Executives 26. Anti-American forces 27. Democrat documentaries 28. Low information voters 29. People wanting change 30. People who assumed shed win 31. Republican Party 32. Content farms in Macedonia 33. Infowars 34. Goosefer 35. DC Leaks 36. Jill Stein 37. Steve Bannon 38. Voter I-D laws 39. Chief Justice John Roberts 40. KS Sec. of State, Kris Kobach 41. Citizens United 42. Colluding Trump officials 43. Benghazi 44. Rep. Kevin McCarthy 45. Gen. Michael Flynn 46. Julian Assange 47. Roger Stone 48. Reddit 49. Drudge Report 50. Alex Jones 51. Russia Today (RT) 52. Sputnik Network 53. Robert Mercer 54. Koch brothers 55. NBCS Matt Lauer 56. Fox News Channel What with all the actual, sad death and destruction visited upon Houston and much of Florida as a result of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, you may have missed the recent reporting on another storm brewing over on the West Coast. Just the other day, the Los Angeles Times, never a media outlet prone to hyperbole in defense of progressivism, created a headline stating that the University of California Berkeley is bracing itself for the arrival of conservative speaker Ben Shapiro. Apparently, according to reporting, Berkeley students, faculty and area residents are girding themselves for the impact of Hurricane Ben. Well, the day has arrived. Thursday evening Mr. Shapiro descends on the campus of Berkeley as city officials and local police mount an unprecedented effort to avoid violence from sensitive people unable to process differing opinions. The Berkeley City Council, not known for being proponents of enhance security measures, has announced that the police will now be authorized to use pepper spray on any protestors who turn violent. And, in a rather surprising proactive measure, the Council banned certain items from the event site and surrounding area, including bricks and dynamite. To be honest, I assumed dynamite hasnt been something you could legally tote around California since the Gold Rush. The administrators and faculty on Berkeleys campus have likewise been preparing for the approaching storm. Students and faculty alike have been offered counseling in the event they feel threatened by Mr. Shapiro. I dont know if youve seen a picture of the young fellow in question, but trust me, nobody would feel threatened bumping into Ben in a dark alley, even if he were wearing a clown suit and carrying a chainsaw. Ben presents the opposite of threatening. He looks like he wants to sell you some encyclopediasmaybe ask your permission to go out on a chaperoned date with your daughter. So what is it that has the City Council taking unprecedented security measures -- the police sealing off city blocks surrounding the event site and the campus providing safe spaces and therapy for those in need? Its opinionstalkwords. Thats it. The impending storm simply consists of hot air. Ben Shapiro, like any other speaker with an opinion, agenda or belief system, is scheduled to show up and talk. The horror of it all. Now unlike the people in the paths of Harvey and Irma, the good folks of Berkeley can simply choose to ignore Hurricane Ben. They dont need to brace for anything, much less gird themselves. And what exactly are they girding? I dont think girding has been a thing since the Middle Ages. I know that I risk sounding condescending here, but if you dont like somebodys ideas or opinions, you can choose to ignore them. Or, if you really feel strongly about it, have time on your hands or maybe think its a good way to meet people, you could go out and peacefully protest. If youre a bit of a wonk, you could organize a debate where the differing ideas are presented to an audience and then winners are announced, trophies handed out and everybody goes out for hot wings and beer later. Unfortunately, theres a growing number of people, both on the left and right, who seem to think that words are violence. Words may be hurtful, hateful or horrible, but they arent the same as actual violence. And if you think the First Amendment is important, then you dont get to pick and choose. You wouldnt think this is something that would be necessary to reiterate on the campus of Berkeley, the birthplace of the free speech movement. The good news is that the last time Ben roared thru Berkeley, the reception was reportedly polite and respectful. The bad news is that since then weve seen the rise of Antifa and an increasingly harsh and divided political landscape. Interestingly, in an admirable public relations coup, the propaganda wing of Antifa (short for Anti-Fascist), was able to convince people to refer to their fascist group as Antifa. Suddenly, wearing all black, putting on masks and trying to shut down differing opinions through bullying tactics is no longer considered fascist in some circles. Dont get me wrong. I dont care if Antifa wants to go out and protest peacefully. The key word being peacefully. Thats their right and one of the beautiful aspects of America. But thank God, and the Berkeley City Council, that anyone attending a protest now, for whatever reason, cant bring dynamite to the party. There are a lot of patriotic students at Vista Del Lago High School in Folsom, California. So you can imagine their shock when they were warned that chanting U-S-A at sporting events and pep rallies could appear to be inappropriate and intolerant. Click here for a free subscription to Todds newsletter a must-read for Conservatives! Television station CBS 13 in Sacramento reports that school leaders feared the chants could come across as intolerant and offensive to some. They wrote, "at some schools across the country, the chants appeared to be used in derogatory ways toward opponents of different ethnicities." We can communicate an unintended message, the schools principal wrote in a letter to parents. The only people expressing angst about public demonstrations of American pride are school staffers. What would the unintended message be that young people still love the red, white and blue that they want to make America great again? Folsom Cordova Unified Communications Director Daniel Thigpen told the television station they have not banned the chant. They just want young people to be more considerate when they chant. To practice empathy, to practice kindness and to practice patriotism you can do both, Thigpen said. The schools principal suggested there are appropriate times to chant like following the national anthem or the Pledge of Allegiance. I think it's really sad that chanting USA in our country has even become a negative thing, one parent told the television station. The California Interscholastic Federation notified school districts across the state about concerns the USA chant might be used in a derogatory manner. But that does not appear to be the case at Vista Del Lago High School. To say USA, you know, were all the same, student Ryan Bernal told the television station. Were all American. It doesnt matter what your skin tone is or where youre from. That young man has more common sense that most of the grownups in charge of the school district. Were all one, Ryan said. We all stand as one together. It should be stressed that theres never been a complaint about the USA chants not one. The only people expressing angst about public demonstrations of American pride are school staffers. Perhaps the school district should be more concerned about the unintended message that sends. Editor's note: The following column originally appeared in The Washington Times. As President Trumps Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity met on Tuesday in New Hampshire to discuss voter fraud, the usual liberal suspects cried wolf. During last years election, the president voiced what we know that voter fraud exists. The only question is to what degree, and thats the mission of the commission. For anyone who dismisses concerns about voter fraud, the unhinged reaction by the left at investigating it should, at the very least, make a logical person wonder what theyre so concerned about. After all, if you believe the issue is false, or at the most an irrelevant factor in end results, you should welcome confirmation of that fact. Unless, of course, one fears the actual outcome may prove how voter fraud impacts local and state races to the point of shifting the balance of power in Washington, D.C. Kris Kobach, the Kansas secretary of state and vice chairman of the president's commission, has already caused quite the stir. In a Breitbart article, Mr. Kobach revealed that out-of-state voters may have changed not only the outcome of the New Hampshire U.S. Senate race, but also could have impacted who won the states presidential contest. Mr. Kobachs assertion is quite simple and demands an investigation, which is exactly what the commission will do. He noted that New Hampshire is a state with same-day voter registration, which eliminates the ability to determine the eligibility of those voters. He said that last year there were 6,540 same-day registrants with out-of-state drivers licenses. The state requires residents to obtain a state drivers license within 60 days of moving, yet since the election 5,313 of those voters neither obtained a New Hampshire drivers license nor registered a vehicle in New Hampshire. They have not followed the legal requirements for residents regarding drivers licenses, and it appears that they are not actually residing in New Hampshire. It seems that they never were bona fide residents of the State. This number, Mr. Kobach pointed out, is large enough to have made the difference in the states U.S. Senate race as well as the presidential election. Hillary Clinton won the swing state by only 2,738 votes. Incumbent Republican Kelly Ayotte lost her Senate seat to Democrat Maggie Hassan by the slim margin of 1,017 votes. Some critics of Mr. Kobachs assertion argue that the drivers license issue could reflect voting by out-of-state college students who live in New Hampshire. Sure, thats possible, so lets find out, shall we? Liberals usually claim if there is fraud, its so small and isolated that it doesnt impact end results. The margins in New Hampshire prove the falsity of that argument. This issue and others were discussed in Manchester on Tuesday, as a cacophony of liberal whiners and harpies demanded a dismantling of the commission itself. Because, you know, its just so much easier to burn down something with which you disagree. Just ask the #Resist gang antifa. The ACLUs farcical headline serves as a good example of how panicked the left really is: Kris Kobach Pushes Voter Fraud Lies While Meeting With Fellow Suppression Activists. Looks like they ran out of room for Klan, Nazi, and Puppy killers. Prior to this weeks meeting, Stephen Dinan of The Washington Times reported on the thousands of comments that have poured into the commission. For a problem that critics say doesnt exist, Americans seem to have a lot of stories of voter fraud or the potential for it. They are sharing those stories with President Trumps voter integrity commission as it wades into one of the administrations thorniest fights, Mr. Dinan reported. Democrats have vowed to use the legislative process to try to derail the commission. Last month, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York compared the commission to the white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, and said he would try to eliminate the panel as part of a must-pass bill, The Times noted. Why so afraid, Chuck? The issue of voter fraud must be addressed so every voter can be sure that their right as a citizen is not being erased by a fraudulent vote. Last year, this newspaper reported on a variety of fraudulent situations demanding reviews, including dead people voting in Colorado, illegals voting in Virginia, some Pennsylvania citizens voting twice, underage voters voting in the Wisconsin primary, and vote rigging in Texas. Meanwhile, [A] Heritage Foundation database tracking documented voter fraud now contains 492 cases and 773 criminal convictions, with untold other cases unreported and unprosecuted, the National Review reported. Across the country, as Heritages database shows, voter-fraud convictions include everything from impersonation fraud and false registrations to ineligible voting by felons and noncitizens. American voter fraud continues apace, and the United States remains one of the only democracies in the world without a uniform requirement for voter identification, the magazine continued. Democrats and their allies are afraid of something an end to a scheme that they have relied on for far too long. And now, with the president's voter fraud commission and the tenacity of people like Mr. Kobach, perhaps theyre also afraid of losing a Senate seat and an increase of Mr. Trumps 2016 electoral college victory. Democratic congressional leaders emerged from a meeting with President Donald Trump Wednesday vowing to pursue an agreement protecting immigrants who were brought illegally into the U.S. as children from deportation. In a joint statement, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said they and Trump had "agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides." An estimated 800,000 young immigrants are currently covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, which was formed by former President Barack Obama in 2012. Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced it was winding down the program over the next six months, putting pressure on Congress to pass a legislative solution. A source briefed on the meeting confirmed to Fox News that Trump and the leaders agreed to pair the DREAM Act, which provides for giving young illegal immigrants eventual citizenship, with some measures enhancing border security. The source said that those measures do not include Trump's long-promised wall across the U.S.-Mexico border. However, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders issued a tweet denying that the border wall was off the table. A Democratic aide familiar with the conversations told Fox News that Trump "was clear he would continue to fight for the wall separate from this agreement." Prior to Sanders' tweet, the White House issued a statement describing the meeting as "constructive" and "a positive step toward the President's strong commitment to bipartisan solutions for the issues most important to all Americans." The statement added that the three had discussed "policy and legislative priorities," including "tax reform, border security, DACA, infrastructure and trade." During a White House meeting with moderate House members from both parties earlier Wednesday, Trump had urged lawmakers to come up with a bipartisan solution. "We don't want to forget DACA," Trump told the members at the meeting. "We want to see if we can do something in a bipartisan fashion so that we can solve the DACA problem and other immigration problems." The apparent deal is the latest example of Trump's sudden pivot to bipartisanship after months of railing against Democrats as "obstructionist." He has urged them to join him in overhauling the nation's tax code, among other priorities. Trump, who was deeply disappointed by Republicans' failure to pass a health care overhaul, infuriated many in his party when he reached a three-month deal with Schumer and Pelosi to raise the debt ceiling, keep the government running and speed relief to states affected by recent hurricanes. "More and more we're trying to work things out together," Trump explained Wednesday, calling the development a "positive thing" for both parties. "If you look at some of the greatest legislation ever passed, it was done on a bipartisan manner. And so that's what we're going to give a shot," he said. The "Kumbaya" moment now appears to extend to the thorny issue of immigration, which has been vexing lawmakers for years. Funding for Trump's promised wall had been thought to be a major point of contention between Republicans and Democrats as they attempted to forge a deal. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who also sat down with Pelosi to talk immigration Wednesday, told the Associated Press that deporting the so-called "Dreamers" was "not in our nation's interest," and said the president had "made the right call." "I wanted him to give us time. I didn't want this to be rescinded on Day One and create chaos," Ryan said, arguing the time would allow Congress to "come up with the right kind of consensus and compromise to fix this problem." Fox News' Chad Pergram and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Huma Abedins mother helped to water down a speech then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave at a Saudi womens college, warning not to mention political terms like freedom and driving for women, new emails show. Abedins mother, Saleha Abedin, is a sociology lecturer at Dar Al Hekma, a womens college in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where Clinton spoke to students on Feb. 16, 2010. And according to new emails obtained by conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch as part of their Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, a Clinton speechwriter for the event sought advice and guidance from Abedins mother in advance. Talk to my mom for sure, Abedin, a top Clinton aide, wrote to speechwriter Case Button on Feb. 12, 2010. She will have good points for you Abedins mother responded with a list of IMPORTANT POINTS TO REMEMBER. Do not use the political terms such as democracy/ elections/ freedom. Do not use the term empowerment of women instead say enabling women and use other terms such as partnership/participation, Saleha Abedin wrote. Do not even mention driving for women! The last visitor received a torrent of rejoinders from the students who said they have more important challenges to contend with. She added: Dont sound sympathetic to womens plight or be patronizing as other visitors have done and made the students extremely annoyed. They rightly consider these as in-house issues that they would like to address themselves and not for outsiders, no matter how well intentioned, to come in and tell them. Clintons speechwriter seemingly took that advice. The 2010 speech, reviewed by Fox News, omitted the words freedom and democracy, and mentioned elections only in reference to those in Iraq. 'PAY-TO-PLAY' AT CLINTON STATE DEPARTMENT EXPOSED IN NEW EMAILS, WATCHDOG SAYS We need more partnerships like those that are underway here in Saudi Arabia that strengthen civil society, as well as local indigenous efforts to expand opportunities, so that more girls and women everywhere can participate fully in the spheres of society, if they so choose to do so, Clinton said, using two key buzzwords recommended, during the town hall. Clinton did not mention driving for women in the speech, as requested. However, Clinton did speak out in 2011, telling reporters at a State Department news conference that she supported brave women in Saudi Arabia for protesting the Islamic kingdoms ban on female drivers. What these women are doing is brave and what they are seeking is right, but the effort belongs to them, Clinton said that year, while making clear that such calls were not coming from the outside. I am moved by it and I support them, but I want to underscore the fact that this is not coming from outside of their country. This is the women themselves, seeking to be recognized. Abedin's mother edits The Muslim Minority Affairs journal. The publication came under scrutiny during the 2016 presidential election, for having alleged connections to the Muslim Brotherhood. The Washington Post Fact Checker, though, rated that as false in August of last year after comments from Republican Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., accusing Abedin of having ties to the radical group. The vision of the Dar Al Hekma college is to promote high standards of character and learning in keeping with Islamic teachings for women, according to the college's website. Add the Electoral College to the running list of factors Hillary Clinton blames for her 2016 election loss. And now, she wants it gone. "I think it needs to be eliminated," the Democratic presidential nominee told CNN. "I'd like to see us move beyond it, yes." As she embarks on her book tour for the newly released campaign memoir, What Happened, Clinton has cast blame on everything from James Comey to Russia meddling to voter ID laws while assuming some responsibility herself for her loss. Of course, the Electoral College's role in her defeat is undeniable. She lost the Electoral College to Trump but won the popular vote by almost 3 million votes if the U.S. elected presidents based on the popular vote, Clinton would be commander-in-chief. But the Constitution dictates that electors representing each state must cast ballots for president. Those electors are assigned based on the popular vote of each state. Critics of the system have been trying to get rid of it for years. Before retiring, then-California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer proposed a bill to abolish the system in the wake of Trumps victory. Trump himself has alternately praised and ridiculed the system. Former President Jimmy Carter on Wednesday expressed optimism that President Donald Trump might break a legislative logjam with his six-month deadline for Congress to address the immigration status of 800,000-plus U.S. residents who were brought to the country illegally as children. Carter told Emory University students that the "pressures and the publicity that Trump has brought to the immigration issue" could even yield comprehensive immigration law changes that Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama could not muster. "I don't see that as a hopeless cause," Carter said. He added that Trump's critics, including himself, "have to give him credit when he does some things that are not as bad" as they are depicted. "As a matter of fact, to give Trump some due, he hasn't ended DACA yet," Carter said. "What he said is he's given the Congress six months to address the issue, which is long overdue." He also noted that Trump has waffled on whether he'd actually move to deport so-called "dreamers" if Congress doesn't act. As the 92-year-old Democrat spoke at Emory in Atlanta, Democratic congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi of California and Chuck Schumer of New York were huddled with the Republican Trump at the White House; afterward, Pelosi and Schumer announced a deal they said would protect young immigrants from deportation and grant some Republican demands on border security. Carter reminded students that Obama, whom Carter supported, failed to win passage for the Dream Act -- named for the sometimes sympathetic stories of the young immigrants -- even when he had Democratic majorities on Capitol Hill. The 39th president, who served one term from 1977 to 1981, blamed both major parties for an inability to pass any major immigration law overhaul since a 1986 law signed by President Ronald Reagan. Carter lost to Reagan in November 1980. Carter said members of his party have been too reluctant to make deals on border enforcement, though he clarified that technological investments would be better than Trump's proposal for a physical wall. Carter said Republicans are too quick to dismiss discussions of "amnesty" for "longtime residents." The deal between Democrats and Trump does not include a U.S-Mexico border wall that was a centerpiece of Trump's presidential campaign. Beyond immigration, Carter told students he supports a single-payer health care system, and he recalled proposing a measure as president that would have phased in a "Medicare-for-all" structure by extending benefits first to children, then to older Americans as the federal budget allowed. That did not pass. Democratic support is growing for Sen. Bernie Sanders' proposal to extend Medicare coverage to all Americans, a trend that Carter noted. Carter said earlier this year that he voted for Sanders over Hillary Clinton in Georgia's 2016 Democratic presidential primary. He also told of collapsing earlier this year while working on a Habitat for Humanity project in Canada and being hospitalized. When he was released, he said, he asked what he owed. "Zero," he recalled. "The Canadian taxpayers paid for my treatment." Carter acknowledged to students the considerable expense of single-payer models and the political risks for his party if they anger the private insurance industry and push the tax hikes necessary to pay for universal coverage. Still, he concluded, "Theoretically, it's the best system." The Associated Press contributed to this report. The National Park Service is spending roughly $100,000 for a research project seeking to "honor the legacy" of the Marxist revolutionary group the Black Panther Party. The University of California, Berkeley, which has recently been at the center of violent protests from far-left groups, is receiving funding for the project. The National Park Service announced it was awarding the university a $97,999.70 grant for the project, outside of the normal competitive bidding process. "This cooperative research project between the National Park Service (NPS) and the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) on the Black Panther Party (BPP) is anchored in historical methods, visual culture, and the preservation of sites and voices," according to the funding announcement. "The project will discover new links between the historical events concerning race that occurred in Richmond during World War II and the subsequent emergence of the BPP in the San Francisco Bay Area two decades later through research, oral history, and interpretation." "Committed to truthfully honoring the legacy of BPP activists and the San Francisco Bay Area communities they served, the project seeks to document the lives of activists and elders and the landscapes that shaped the movement," the government said. "Producing an annotative bibliography that includes scholarly texts, newspaper, and magazine articles will be useful for future scholars of the movement. Equally significant, the project will document how the BPP impacted the visual arts, music, dance, and styles of the 1960s, 70s and 80s [and] will underscore the vastness of its impact on American culture." Click for more from The Washington Free Beacon. The beginning of September inevitably brings a wave of Congressional retirements, especially in non-election years, as members return from their August recess to a thankless helping of gridlock, unrelenting criticism, and public approval ratings of 15.8 percent, according to the latest Real Clear Politics average of polls. Pennsylvania moderate Republican Charlie Dent is one of seven House Republicans to recently announce his retirement. "A lot of this was personal but also the polarization around here is pretty severe," he told Fox News. TRUMP NOMINATIONS SET UP MORE SPECIAL ELECTIONS, CHANCES FOR DEMS TO UPSET He joins soon-to-be retirees Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.), Sam Johnson (R-Texas) Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) Jimmy Duncan (R-Tenn.), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) and Dave Trott (R-Mich). Ten other GOP seats, mostly considered safe, are open as members run for higher office. It could all signal trouble ahead for the GOP in the mid-terms, when the president's party traditionally loses seats. Former presidential adviser and Breitbart publisher Steve Bannon is promising to back conservative and economic populists to root out moderates in Republican primaries. GOP REP. REICHERT OF WASHINGTON STATE RETIRING AFTER 7 TERMS Yet, the far-right Freedom Caucus remain resistant to compromise. "Both of these groups, whether it's Bannon or the Freedom Caucus still believe they can take over the Republican Party and dominate it," says Karl Rove, former senior adviser to President George W. Bush and a Fox News contributor. Conservative primary challenges didnt work out well in the 2010 election cycle, as untested GOP Senate candidates like Sharon Angle in Nevada, and Christine O'Donnell in Delaware faded in general elections with self-inflicted rookie gaffes. Already in this new election cycle, former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Roy Moore, who's running against Sen. Luther Strange for Jeff Sessions seat, made an embarrassing misstep as he was queried on the local Dale Jackson radio show about "Dreamers" and the DACA program. ALABAMA SENATE PRIMARY: MOORE'S POPULARITY SHAKES GOP ESTABLISHMENT "You're not aware of what Dreamers are?" "No," said Moore. "This is a big issue in the immigration debate," Dale Jackson responded incredulously. "Why don't you tell me what it is Dale and quit beating around and tell me what it is," Moore responded. Republicans are heartened that seven retirements and 10 other open seats are fewer in number than in an average election cycle. "I'm not overall concerned right now. Seven is well below the 22 average retirements that would normally happen," Rep. Steve Stivers (R-Ohio), the chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee, told Fox News. "Second... Democrats have retirement problems of their own." Stivers also maintains Republicans have a distinct advantage in redistricting. The 100 Congressional districts that were once considered in play at any given time, has been whittled down to about 70, making it much more difficult for House Democrats to win a majority. Sen. Lindsey Graham threatened Thursday to subpoena James Comey, in the latest escalation in Republicans effort to haul back the former FBI director to Capitol Hill so he can address alleged discrepancies in his testimony about the Hillary Clinton email case. Hes coming one way or the other, Graham, R-S.C., told Fox News Americas Newsroom. Asked if he would subpoena Comey should he not testify voluntarily, Graham said: I would, yes. Comey is back under the congressional microscope after details emerged of interviews with FBI staffers suggesting the former bureau boss drafted an exoneration statement for Clinton weeks before interviewing her and ultimately recommending against charges in the email case. Comey has not publicly addressed the claims, but they would appear to be at odds with some of his statements to Congress and the notion that he could have drafted such a statement before the case was closed has fueled Republicans complaints all the way up to the White House about the handling of the investigation last year. We now know that he had made up his mind to exonerate her before he even interviewed her, which is a bit odd, Graham said. The senator noted that Comey testified earlier this year he spoke out on the Clinton case in July 2016 out of concern for the impartiality of the investigation after then-Attorney General Loretta Lynch met with former President Bill Clinton on an Arizona tarmac. Graham said Comey also told people the real reason he jumped into the case was he thought the Russians had an email between the Democratic National Committee and Justice Department trying to rig the Clinton investigation. The ex-director also told a House committee last year he made the decision to recommend against charges after Clinton was interviewed. I cant make sense of this, Graham said. Im very suspicious of the timing. Im very suspicious of the reason. He added, There is so much to be determined here. Comey needs to come back. What was his real reason for clearing Hillary Clinton? Had he made up his mind before he even talked to her? Graham spoke to Fox News one day after it was revealed the Justice Department will not allow FBI staffers to talk to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. In a letter, Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd told Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Ranking Member Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., that FBI officials James Rybicki and Carl Ghattas will not be provided for interviews. The DOJ seemed to cite concerns about interfering with the ongoing special counsel probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. But Rybicki, a former Comey chief of staff, and another bureau official also were the individuals whose interviews with the Office of Special Counsel pointed to Comey drafting an exoneration statement in advance. Grassley and Feinstein have been trying to get access to Rybicki and Ghattas since July, wanting to question them about Comeys controversial firing by President Trump and other issues. The White House is also turning up the heat on Comey, with Press Secretary Sarah Sanders saying Tuesday the DOJ should consider prosecuting him for various alleged improper actions. Sanders said the former FBI director politicized an investigation by signaling he would exonerate Hillary Clinton before he ever interviewed her or other key witnesses. On Wednesday, she homed in on Comeys acknowledgement that he leaked his own notes about conversations with the president. Sanders said, Leaking FBI memos on a sensitive case, regardless of classification, violates federal laws including the Privacy Act, standard FBI employee agreement and non-disclosure agreement all personnel must sign. I think thats pretty clean and clear that that would be a violation. House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., speaking with Americas Newsroom, voiced some frustration with the White Houses approach to its Comey concerns. If you have evidence of a crime, instead of sharing it with a gaggle of reporters, share it with the people who can actually do something about it, that would be my advice, he said. But Gowdy went on to blast Comey, saying its beyond dispute that he made up his mind not to charge Secretary Clinton before he interviewed her. He said the new revelations suggest he may well have made up his mind before he interviewed the last dozen witnesses. Theres sufficient factual basis to bring him in and ask him, 'when did you make up your mind that you were not going to charge Secretary Clinton?' Gowdy said. Comey had been at the center of not only an Office of Special Counsel investigation but a Justice Department inspector general probe over the FBIs handling of the Clinton case. Fox News Judson Berger, Catherine Herridge, Jake Gibson and Shannon Bream contributed to this report. Rep. Keith Ellison's (D., Minn.) press secretary sparked a Twitter spat Thursday after describing a prominent Jewish reporter as looking like an "anti-Semitic caricature." Isaiah Breen, Ellison's press secretary, took to Twitter Thursday afternoon to jokingly claim he was fired from his position for publicly mocking two Jewish reporters, Bloomberg View's Eli Lake and Daily Beast contributor Jamie Kirchick. Breen, from his personal Twitter account, wrote, "To be clear, keith fired me with prejudice after i said jamie kirchik and eli lake remind me of pinky & the brain. i'm so sorry to both. [sic]" Breen added in a subsequent Tweet to Lake, "You *do* look like an antisemitic caricature." Breen confirmed he sent the Tweets from what he described as his "bofa account." "Of course I wasn't fired," he told the Washington Free Beacon. Click for more from The Washington Free Beacon. Treasury Secretary and former Wall Street fat cat Steve Mnuchin reportedly tried to charter a government jet to whisk him and his actress wife away on their European Honeymoon earlier this summer. Mnuchin, a multi-millionaire who infamously watched the solar eclipse atop a mountain of gold at Fort Knox, sparked an inquiry by The Treasury Departments Office of Inspector General when he asked for the US Air Force Jet, according to ABC News. The jet was expected to make stops in Scotland, France, and Italy. The request for the jet, which would cost about $25,000 per hour to operate, was issued in writing from the secretarys office but eventually deemed unnecessary, ABC reported. Click for more from The New York Post Less than two months remain until voters in New Jersey and Virginia head to the polls to choose their next governor. Recent polls show Democrats to be leading in both states the only ones that will be holding gubernatorial races this year. In New Jersey, Democratic nominee Phil Murphy, a former U.S. ambassador to Germany and Goldman Sachs banker, leads by a wide margin over the states Republican lieutenant governor, Kim Guadagno. In Virginia, Democrat Ralph Northam, the states lieutenant governor, leads Republican Ed Gillespie, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee. Term limits play a role in both races. In New Jersey, Republican Gov. Chris Christie will be stepping down after two terms. In Virginia, Democrat Terry McAuliffe a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee will be departing after one term. Virginia is the only state in which the governor is prohibited from serving consecutive terms. Some say Murphys lead in New Jersey is attributable in large part to how unpopular Christie has become in his home state over the years. A Quinnipiac University poll released this week showed Murphy with a 25-percentage-point lead over Guadagno. His advantage of 58 percent to 33 percent holds up across most voter demographic categories, NJ.com reported. A recent Roanoke College poll showed Northam with a 7-point advantage over Gillespie, the News Virginian reported. In 2018, voters in 36 states and three U.S. territories will select their governor. You can learn a lot about a war from its name. Take for instance the Spanish-American War. The combatants are pretty clear. Its like Red Sox/Yankees. You immediately know who was against who. Try the Napoleonic Wars. Not as clear. But there were sure a lot of them. Five in fact, mostly with Napoleon Bonaparte leading the French. And then there are wars with time designations. The War of 1812. Tells you everything you need to know. Informative. Less clear are clashes like the 30Years War or the 80 Years War. This brings us to current U.S. wars. The United States has been involved militarily in or around Iraq since the late summer of 1990. Congress approved a resolution for the war on terrorism after the 9/11 attacks in the fall of 2001. A year later, Congress okayed a resolution to fight Iraq. Now theres a debate on Capitol Hill about how to get a handle on current engagements even though lawmakers of both parties argue Congress isnt following the Constitution. Is the U.S. still prosecuting the Gulf War? The War in Afghanistan? The War on Terrorism? The War on ISIS? The War on ISIL? Sans a clear signal from the House and Senate, detractors portray the 2001 and 2002 votes as authorizations for never ending war. Thats where Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and some liberal Democrats come in. Few lawmakers argue the U.S. shouldnt be involved militarily overseas trying to root out security threats. But the question is whether the U.S. should still enlist 2001 and 2002 congressional war authorizations for these operations. Paul drafted an amendment to a defense bill which would have sunset both authorizations. That would have compelled Congress to create a new blessing for the deployment of forces abroad. Lawmakers typically refer to such a resolution as an authorization for use of military force or AUMF. Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution vests Congress with the power to declare war. We set up our founding document to try to make war difficult, said Paul in his effort to repeal the old consents and come up with something new. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., wasnt buying it. To rescind the AUMF that authorizes action against these forces and to leave nothing but uncertainty against our allies is simply irresponsible, said McConnell of the plan from his Bluegrass State colleague. Paul didnt get a straight up or down vote on his amendment. But he did get some semblance of a roll call when Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., moved to table the measure. Moments later, the Senate did just that, scrapping Pauls gambit 60-36. Most Democrats voted against killing Pauls amendment. Paul and Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Dean Heller, R-Nev., were the only GOP nays. This would be a different debate and a different vote if we had before us an actual AUMF which would immediately supersede the existing authorities, said Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee. The Rhode Island Democrat counseled his colleagues that such a scenario was unwise because the military would have to begin withdrawal contingencies now even if Congress okayed a new AUMF later. However, the problem with that line of thinking is that the U.S. could never consider withdrawing. That means the U.S. is committed, perhaps to never ending war. Thats why Paul wants lawmakers to assert Constitutional war-making responsibilities. We give the power to Congress because we fear the perpetual war that went on in Europe, said Paul. At this particular time, there are no limits. Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., have long pushed for a revised AUMF. Both senators were reluctant to vote against sidetracking Pauls plan without an updated AUMF in place. Sixteen years is very unwise to let war happen on auto-pilot, said Kaine. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., believes the Trump administration should take the lead on an AUMF. But the speaker says I think thats in our interest to have a new one. But the Trump administration contends it wields all the authority it needs and dismisses guidance from Capitol Hill. I would hope that we always would revisit something that is now 16 years old, said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., about the original, post-9/11 AUMF. The Senate may have neutralized Pauls effort Wednesday. But at the same time, this is the deepest either the House or Senate has waded into the AUMF debate since the fall of 2002. Its unclear precisely what the U.S. is now fighting against a host of enemies in a panoply of theaters. Thats why its hard to know what to call the conflict. The 15 Years War? The 16 Years War? The Hundred Years War? Or the war without end? Time will tell. Or perhaps, a congressionally mandated AUMF will. Capitol Attitude is a weekly column written by members of the Fox News Capitol Hill team. Their articles take you inside the halls of Congress, and cover the spectrum of policy issues being introduced, debated and voted on there. President Trump said Thursday that efforts by Susan Rice to unmask his associates identities in intelligence reports last year are just the tip of the iceberg, slamming the former Obama national security adviser days after she spoke to House investigators. Shes not supposed to be [unmasking], and what she did was wrong and thats just the tip of the iceberg, Trump told Fox News, speaking aboard Air Force One on his way back from surveying Hurricane Irma damage in Florida. He added, I heard she admitted [to unmasking] yesterday. A senior Capitol Hill source told Fox News that Rice gave vast and varied explanations for her actions last week, during a meeting with the House Intelligence Committee. It was the latest in a series of meetings for Obama officials with lawmakers looking for details on the role they may have played in seeking Trump associates identities from intelligence reports. As CNN first reported, Rice explained to the committee that she wanted to learn why the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates was in New York last year. He apparently attended a meeting with Michael Flynn, Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, and strategist Steve Bannon in December. Rice said she was bothered by that meeting and the timing, because the UAE delegation had asked for a meeting with then-President Obama and then canceled, supposedly because they werent coming to the U.S. only for the crown prince to quietly see the Trump team. House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., did not dispute this account of the Rice appearance, when asked on Fox News Americas Newsroom. It's not inconsistent with her testimony. Whether or not that's true or not, I can't tell you. But it's consistent with what she said, said Gowdy, among the lawmakers who questioned Rice. He said Rice did a good job during the interview. Asked whether her answers were satisfactory, he said, I have no reason to impeach them or contradict them. But he added, Theres a whole body of documents that I need to know whether or not what she said is corroborated or contradicted. I dont usually go just based on what someone said, particularly if there are documents that either refute it or corroborate it. Congressional investigators have issued subpoenas to the NSA, CIA and FBI seeking "unmasking" information related to three individuals: Rice, former CIA Director John Brennan and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power. Rice initially told PBS' Judy Woodruff in March that she knew nothing about the unmasking of Trump associates. But weeks later on MSNBC, she admitted she sometimes sought out the identities of Trump associates who communicated with foreigners, a request known as unmasking in the intelligence community. But I leaked nothing to nobody, Rice told MSNBC. Fox News John Roberts and Catherine Herridge contributed to this report. President Trump on Thursday denied reports that he struck a "deal" overnight with top Democrats to protect so-called Dreamers, while insisting massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Trumps Twitter post was in response to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., announcing after a dinner meeting at the White House that they had "agreed to a plan to work out an agreement to protect our nations DREAMers from deportation." They also said "we would review border security measures that didnt include building a wall." The president clarified Thursday morning that he intends for the wall to be built -- and while he wants to helps Dreamers, there's no deal yet. "No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote," Trump tweeted. "The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built." Trump, on the ground in Florida to survey hurricane damage, later told reporters they were fairly close on a deal but insisted a border wall is vital. He said they must have an understanding in some legislation to fund the wall, otherwise were not doing anything. Pelosi and Schumer called Wednesday night's dinner at the White House very productive." Shortly after their statement, the White House issued its own statement agreeing that the sit-down was productive, but the exclusion of the border wall "was certainly not agreed to." Trump, before and after the dinner meeting, has voiced concern about the fate of the young illegal immigrants who had been protected under the Obama-era DACA program that he aims to reverse. The program shielded illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children from deportation. While Trump is rolling back the executive action that allowed it, he is giving Congress time to pass a legislative alternative -- a point he underscored Thursday. "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really! ... They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security," he tweeted. Pelosi and Schumer, though, tried to dial down tensions by mid-morning, releasing a joint statement suggesting theyre actually all on the same page. President Trumps Tweets are not inconsistent with the agreement reached last night, they said. As we said last night, there was no final deal, but there was agreement on working to protect Dreamers with legislation. They said they agreed the wall would not be part of this agreement, though Trump wants to pursue it later, and both sides agreed to work out a border security package. Tensions between the White House and top Democrats remain on the issue, despite the dinner meeting. Pelosi's Twitter account still has a pinned tweet that reads: "Trumps cowardice is on full display today. His cruelty must not stand! #ProtectDREAMERS." White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said earlier Wednesday that Trump was committed to the wall. It doesnt have to be tied to DACA, but it's important and he will get it done. Matt House, Schumers communications director, responded on Twitter: The President made clear he would continue pushing the wall, just not as part of this agreement. The New York Times cited a White House official who said Trump pushed for border wall funding at the meeting. Beside the border wall issue, the Democrats said Trump agreed to enshrine protections for the nearly 800,000 immigrants brought illegally to this country as kids who had benefited from the DACA program. House Speaker Paul Ryan, who also sat down with Pelosi to talk immigration Wednesday, said in an interview that deporting the so-called Dreamers was not in our nations interest, and said the president had made the right call. I wanted him to give us time. I didnt want this to be rescinded on Day One and create chaos, Ryan said, arguing the time would allow Congress to come up with the right kind of consensus and compromise to fix this problem. The dinner took place in the White Houses Blue Room, sources told Fox News. The Congress members sat at a rectangular table with Trump at the head with Pelosi to his right, and Schumer to his left. Eleven people were in the room, sources said. The first half-hour addressed trade issues with China. The meeting between the three came shortly after Trump overruled congressional Republicans and cut a deal with Democrats to raise the federal debt ceiling for three months. Some conservatives criticized the deal as a capitulation by Trump. Trump, however, appears to see bipartisanship as a key to get legislation out of the starting gate. More and more were trying to work things out together, Trump explained Wednesday, calling the development a positive thing for both parties. Some of the greatest legislation ever passed, it was done on a bipartisan manner. And so that is why were going to give it a shot, Trump said. Fox News' Chad Pergram and the Associated Press contributed to this report. President Trump surveyed the damage from Hurricane Irma by helicopter, praised the work of first responders and served lunch to victims recovering from the storm during a trip to Florida on Thursday. Weve seen the devastation, Trump told reporters after arriving in Fort Myers. Were going to see some more of it now, unfortunately. First lady Melania Trump, Vice President Pence, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida attorney general Pam Bondi and FEMA administrator Brock Long joined Trump for his tour. The president expressed his appreciation for first responders and state officials grappling with the destruction from the hurricane. I just want to thank everybody, Trump said. Thursdays trip was the presidents third visit in less than three weeks to survey storm damage and recovery efforts in the United States, following Hurricane Harvey in Texas. For Trump and Pence, the visit Thursday to Naples and Fort Myers on Florida's southwestern coast offered the chance to see how people were coping and how the Federal Emergency Management Agency has responded. Marine One flew so low during the 15-minute trip from Fort Myers to Naples that Trump was able get a good view of the flood damage. The president and vice president served lunch at Naples Estates, a mobile home park that was hit hard by the hurricane. As the president said, we are with you today, will be with you tomorrow and we're going to be with you until Florida rebuilds bigger and better than ever before, Pence said in Fort Myers. The president monitored Irma over this past weekend from Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland. Nearly half of Florida was engulfed by Irma, which left flooded streets, damaged homes and displaced residents in its wake. Florida's southwestern coast is a haven for retirees seeking warm weather and beautiful sunsets across the Gulf of Mexico. Many communities are still cleaning up or without power or air conditioning. In Lee County, which includes Cape Coral and Fort Myers, the Florida Emergency Management Agency said 66 percent of the area's 290,000 electrical customers were still without power Wednesday. Widespread outages led to long lines outside of the relatively few stores, gas stations and restaurants that had reopened. The situation was even worse to the south in Collier County, home to Naples. Days after Irma passed, almost 80 percent of homes and businesses were still without electricity, and floodwaters still covered some communities entirely. As of Thursday morning, the number of homes and businesses without electricity in Florida was 2.69 million, according to the agency. That's 25.6 percent of all customers in the state. "We are working hard to get power back on. Our utilities have restored over 4-million homes already, Scott said during Trump's visit. Fox News' John Roberts and The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Donald Trump said Thursday that Republican congressional leaders were "very much on board" with negotiations to protect so-called "Dreamers" hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who were brought into the U.S. illegally from deportation. However, the president also vowed "there will be no amnesty" and pushed back against claims by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., that a deal had been reached at a White House dinner Wednesday night. "We're working on a plan subject to getting massive border controls. We're working on a plan for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). People want to see that happen," Trump told reporters in Florida while surveying damage from Hurricane Irma. He added: "'I think we're fairly close but we have to get massive border security." After Trump landed in Florida, he declared repeatedly, "If we don't have a wall, we're doing nothing." Schumer and Pelosi issued a joint statement following the dinner announcing a broad agreement on immigration. On the Senate floor Thursday morning, Schumer insisted that both sides were in agreement and there was no dispute. "If you listen to the president's comments this morning ... it is clear that what Leader Pelosi and I put out last night was exactly accurate," said Schumer. "We have reached an understanding on this issue. We have to work out details, and we can work together on a border security package with the White House and get DACA on the floor quickly." Indeed, in the face of ferocious pushback from conservative lawmakers and media outlets including Breitbart, run by former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, the White House appeared focused more on shaping presentation of the agreement, than on denying it outright. "By no means was any deal ever reached," White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters told reporters aboard Air Force One as the president traveled to Florida. "This is something that Congress needs to work on." But Breitbart was already labeling Trump "Amnesty Don." "The Trump administration will not be discussing amnesty," Walters said. The president wants "a responsible path forward in immigration reform. That could include legal citizenship over a period of time. But absolutely by no means will this White House discuss amnesty," she said, although most conservatives would consider "legal citizenship over a period of time" to meet the definition of amnesty. The House's foremost immigration hard-liner, Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, addressed Trump over Twitter, writing that if the reports were true, "Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." Schumer and Pelosi said in a statement that the details on border security needed to be negotiated, that both sides agreed "the wall would not be any part of this agreement" and that Trump said he would pursue the wall later. And soon after, Trump appeared to confirm that approach. "The wall will come later, we're right now renovating large sections of wall, massive sections, making it brand new," he told reporters before his Florida trip. He also said Republican congressional leaders, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., favored his approach on the immigration program. "Ryan and McConnell agree with us on DACA," Trump said, adding that he had spoken to them by telephone. Ryan, meanwhile, was adamant after speaking with Trump and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly that no agreement had been reached. "The president wasn't negotiating a deal last night. The president was talking with Democratic leaders to get their perspectives," he told reporters on Capitol Hill. Republicans in Congress, meanwhile, tried to make sense of the confusion. "Slow down the trains, there's no agreement," said Rep. Dave Brat, R-Va., who warned" ''You can make a deal all you want, it's got to get past the House and the Senate." In a series of tweets Thursday, Trump expressed empathy for the nearly 800,000 young people many brought to the United States as toddlers or children who were protected from deportation and given work permits under DACA. "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!" he tweeted Thursday." Trump announced last week that his administration was rescinding the program, but gave Congress six months to come up with a legislative fix. The back-and-forth comes as the president has suddenly turned to Democrats to jump-start his legislative imperatives. Only days ago, Trump and the Democratic leaders agreed to back a three-month extension of the debt limit in order to speed hurricane assistance. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The U.S. government has imposed sanctions on four countries that it says have refused to accept their deported citizens as part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the four countries Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea, and Sierra Leone are facing the sanctions for lack of cooperation in accepting the deported citizens. Cambodia is in Southeast Asia while the three other countries are in Africa. The plan to sanction the four countries had been circulating since last month, though the extent of the sanctions and the timeframe for enacting them remained unknown. At the time, officials hinted that U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson would not ban all visas issued to the four countries, but instead target just government officials and their families. But Wednesday's DHS announcement revealed the sanctions to be more far-reaching than previously expected. International law obligates each country to accept the return of its nationals ordered removed from the United States, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke said in a statement. Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea, and Sierra Leone have failed in that responsibility, she added, noting that the one-way street ends with these sanctions. Under the sanctions, the U.S. will stop issuing all category B visas for tourism and business to citizens of Eritrea, a nation of about 5 million people. In Cambodia (15.7 million), top government officials and their family members will be denied entry to the U.S. on a business or travel visa. In Guinea (12.6 million), top government officials will no longer be able to obtain category B nor student and cultural exchange visas. In Sierra Leone (6.4 million), Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials and immigration officials will not receive tourism and business visas. Without an appropriate response from the impacted countries, the scope of these sanctions may be expanded to a wider population, Duke said in the statement. ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan claimed the reluctance of other countries to accept their citizens meant that American citizens have been harmed" because ICE was forced to release more than 2,000 Guinean and around 800 Sierra Leone citizens, many of whom have serious criminal convictions, into U.S. communities. Roughly 700 Eritreans and around 1,900 Cambodians were also released, despite most having serious criminal convictions, including violent and sex offenses. These sanctions will ensure that the problem these countries pose will get no worse as ICE continues its work to remove dangerous criminals from the United States, Homan added. The move to sanction countries not complying with the U.S. requests was initiated by President Donald Trump, who signed an executive order in January instructing the government agencies to negotiate with recalcitrant countries that refuse their deported citizens and impose sanctions if such countries fail to comply, Politico reported. DHS previously listed China, Cuba, Vietnam, Laos, Iran, Guinea, Cambodia, Eritrea, Burma, Morocco, Hong Kong and South Sudan as recalcitrant countries. The Associated Press contributed to this report. PASADENA, Calif. The end is nigh for NASA's Cassini spacecraft, which is now less than 48 hours away from its scheduled death dive into Saturn . At NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in southern California, mission scientists are now preparing to receive Cassini's final data transmissions early Friday morning (Sept. 13). Heat and friction created by the fall will cause Cassini to break apart, and its components to vaporize, only 2 or 3 minutes after it enters Saturn's atmosphere. "What's going to happen on Friday is absolutely inevitable," Earl Maize, project manager for Cassini, said during a news conference at JPL today (Sept. 13). The Cassini mission is operated out of JPL using the Deep Space Network, a series of telescopes around the globe that communicate with spacecraft beyond Earth and the moon. [ Cassini's Saturn Crash 2017: How to Watch Its 'Grand Finale' ] Cassini's fate was sealed back in April, when the mission team used the gravity of Titan to put the probe on a flight path that looped it between Saturn and its innermost rings. On Monday (Sept. 11), another distant flyby with Titan slowed down the Cassini probe so that it will be moving slightly more slowly during its next close pass with the planet, causing it to dip deeper into the planet's atmosphere. The probe will be destroyed by the atmospheric encounter before it can escape back into orbit. At about 6:50 a.m.PDT this morning (9:50 a.m. EDT/1350 GMT), Cassini turned its antenna away from Earth and began taking its last images of the Saturn system, adding to a collection of more than 450,000 images gathered throughout the life of the spacecraft. The probe will complete that task at about 12:58 p.m. PDT (3:58 p.m. EDT/1958 GMT) tomorrow (Sept. 14). At 2:45 p.m. PDT (5:45 p.m. EDT/2145 GMT) on Thursday, Cassini will begin transmitting all of the information currently stored on its data recorder back to Earth. That data dump is expected to be complete by about 8:00 p.m. PDT (11 p.m. EDT/0300 GMT on Sept. 15), at which time NASA will release Cassini's final images to the public. [ Cassini's 13 Greatest Saturn Discoveries ] At 1:37 a.m. PDT (4:37 a.m. EDT/0837 GMT) on Sept. 15, the Cassini team will reconfigure the spacecraft so that it can instantly transmit data directly back to Earth during its dive into Saturn's atmosphere. In its normal configuration, the probe captured data, stored it and transmitted it back to Earth during scheduled data dumps. The probe will not have a high enough data transmission rate to send relatively large image files, so it will only transmit data from eight of the probe's 13 instruments. Cassini will begin its descent through the atmosphere at 4:55 a.m. PDT (7:55 a.m. and EDT 1155 GMT). The probe is expected to transmit data about the planet's atmosphere for about 1 to 2 minutes and is expected to be completely destroyed about 1 minute later. The life of Cassini The $3.2 billion Cassini-Huygens mission a joint effort between NASA and the European Space Agency launched toward Saturn in October 1997 and arrived in July 2004. The Huygens lander plopped down on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan shortly after arriving in the Saturn system, while Cassini continued to loop around the ringed planet, its rings and its moons, sending back breathtaking images and incredible data. In conjunction with the data from the Huygens lander, Cassini probed the weird world of Titan and flew through geysers erupting from the surface of the moon Enceladus. Its list of accomplishments goes on and on. "Not only do we have an environment [at Saturn] that is just overwhelming in its abundance of scientific mysteries and puzzles, we got a spacecraft and a team that could exploit it," Maize said. "It's just been an amazing, amazing mission." In November 2016, Cassini began a series of maneuvers that sent it hurtling through Saturn's rings. In April, it began a series of maneuvers known as the " Grand Finale ," that would ultimately send the probe crashing into Saturn. The spacecraft is running out of fuel, so the mission's end was inevitable . By diving into the planet, Cassini will get the first-ever, in situ data from Saturn's atmosphere. Cassini's crash into Saturn will also protect moons like Titan and Enceladus , which researchers think could possess environments fit to host life. If Cassini is carrying any bacteria or tiny life forms from Earth, they could invade and contaminate those environments. While the odds of that happening might be slim, the results would be devastating, and could make it impossible for scientists to identify any alien life-forms that might live on those moons. 'We've had an incredible 13-year journey around Saturn, and [Cassini has been] returning data like a giant fire hose. Just flooding us with data," Linda Spilker, the project scientist for Cassini, said at the news conference. "If you imagine all that data as [a] million-piece puzzle, Cassini has been slowly putting together pieces. We have some of the border, some of the regions, and we're trying to put together the picture of the Saturn system." Already, Cassini scientists say the data returned from those orbits have revealed a more complex mixing between Saturn's atmosphere and its rings than had been predicted. The probe observed a phenomenon called "ring rain" water vapor and water ice grains falling from the ring system onto the planet but the scientists at the news conference said the probe observed other chemicals in the ring rain as well. "There have been lots of surprises," Spilker said. "A lot of the things we thought we knew about Saturn are more complicated than we originally had imagined." Follow Calla Cofield @callacofield . Follow us @Spacedotcom , Facebook and Google+ . Original article on Space.com . While it may not be Jurassic extinction, there is a fight brewing in Nevada over commercial reptile collections. State officials are pushing to propose a blanket ban on the practice after they say populations of native lizards and snakes are dramatically dwindling. Commercial reptile collection is a decades-old practice where individuals collect wild reptiles with the intention of selling them in the future to pet wholesalers. Collectors pay $250 a year to obtain a permit to do so, but most of the Nevadans who do collect reptiles do it as a side hobby or pastime, while seldom actually maintain it as their sole form of livelihood. The desert regions in southern Nevada are a prime spot for collectors due to the favorable conditions for native species. A good analogy would be if you went to collect human beings, you would come to city centers, you would come to places like Las Vegas. You have a high likelihood of collecting critters or people, so similarly collectors are targeting areas that are source populations," said Jason Jones, a herpetologist for the Nevada Department of Wildlife. HURRICANE IRMA: FLORIDA RESIDENTS WARNED TO BEWARE ALLIGATORS, SNAKES It is estimated that some half a million reptiles have been collected in the rural desert landscape over about three decades and officials say populations are having a hard time catching up. These include whiptail lizards, desert iguanas, and chuckwallas. There are only several collectors in the state and they are required to self-report their stock after collections are made. Jones said some collectors have reported thousands of reptiles in only a single week. He says that even though the number of collectors is small, the impact theyre making is striking. A main point of contention is the methods in which collectors trap the reptiles. Wildlife officials have come out against pitfall traps, calling them unethical. They have been found to number in the hundreds. A five-gallon bucket is placed in the ground and when reptiles are going to seek shade, shelter, or protection they fall in. At issue is the likelihood of retrieval of the reptile. Some collectors do not retrieve the lizards in time resulting in their deaths. IMPACT OF MASSIVE SALMON ESCAPE MIGHT NOT BE KNOWN FOR YEARS Ken Foose, owner the biggest exotic pet store in Nevada reasons that there are so few collectors that it could not possibly affect large segments of reptile populations in the state, but he agrees pitfall traps are harming the population. You gotta remember that NDOWs (Nevada Department of Wildlife) job is to protect wildlife, so theyre going to go out of their way to protect anyway they can if they feel, without evidence, that commercial collecting may impact native populations, said Foose. Nevada wildlife officials tell Fox News that the data is there for anyone to see. Jones says that they would not be considering a ban if they were not worried about recovery time for certain native species. The chuckwalla population, for example, is slow to recover after removal because the large desert lizard typically doesn't migrate even if the pool for available mates has been reduced, according to the department's data, inevitably leading to a population crash. Nevada is the only western state allowing unlimited collection. Border states like Arizona, Utah, and California have strict regulations in place on how many reptiles can be collected and what methods can be used to get them. About 800 years ago, a teenage soldier named Laurentius Loricatus accidentally killed a man. He spent the next 34 years in a cave in Italy atoning for his crime, burning his face with a hot iron and wearing a hooked chain-mail shirt directly on his skin as penance. Loricatus' story is known today because the villagers near his cave petitioned for his sainthood on a 16-foot-long (5 meters) parchment that now resides in the Vatican Secret Archives in Vatican City. However, much of the scroll has been damaged by mysterious purple spots and the spots are similar to ones that mar parchments made of animal skins all over the world, said Luciana Migliore, an ecotoxicologist at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Using Loricatus' scroll, Migliore and her colleagues have finally pinpointed the culprit that damaged all of these parchments: salt-loving marine microbes. This was a shock, Migliore said, because the parchment had been nowhere near the sea. [Cracking Codices: 10 of the Most Mysterious Ancient Manuscripts] "When my students came to me, saying, 'Luciana, we found marine bacteria,' I told them, 'Repeat, please; there is a mistake. There must be a mistake!'" Migliore said. Mystery bacteria The surprising finding was the result of applying new technology to an old problem. Migliore is a toxicologist who usually works on marine plants. At a friend's behest, she started teaching biology in a conservation-and-restoration program. "I thought that I could apply the techniques that I'm used to applying to underwater plants to scrolls and old documents," Migliore told Live Science. [7 Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls] Specifically, Migliore wanted to use next-generation genetic sequencing to see if she could identify the microbes that eat away at old parchments. She and her team chose to restore the Laurentius Loricatus scroll both because of its gripping content and the beauty of the document itself. The goatskin scroll, which dates to A.D. 1244, has purple dots all along its margins, and the first and last pages are entirely obscured by the mystery pigment. Migliore's team sampled a few millimeter-size bits of the scroll that had already flaked off. They sent these samples to a lab in the United States that does fast, cheap gene sequencing. Inside job The findings showed much more genetic diversity, indicating a wider range of microbes, in the purple spots than in the undamaged areas of the parchment. The genetics told a two-stage story of damage: First, salt-loving, or halophilic, bacteria colonized the parchment. Next, salt-tolerant microbes, particularly the Gammaproteobacteria, took over. What shocked Migliore is that so many of these microbes were marine or aquatic. But when they took into account how skin scrolls were made, the discovery made sense, Migliore said. The first step after removing the hide from an animal was to bathe the skin in a sea-salt bath to help preserve it, she said. This bath would have killed off most microbes that eat away at flesh but it also introduced salt-loving and salt-tolerant marine bacteria. These little microbes huddled in the middle layers of the parchment, where the salinity was just right. When the scroll was read and stored at various monasteries throughout its lifetime, changes in temperature and humidity would have allowed the salt-loving bacteria to grow and thrive. Many of these species produce purple pigments, Migliore noted. Eventually, though, those salt eaters would have seen their supply run out and died off. Their corpses, Migliore said, provided a whole new source of food for the next phase of bacterial colonization. The Gammaproteobacteria moved in and ate not only the dead halophilic bacteria but also the fine collagen matrix of the goatskin parchment. This caused parts of the parchment to flake off, lost forever. Salt curing is one thing that skin parchments around the world have in common, Migliore said, so it makes sense that similar damage is seen in scrolls from all sorts of regions and time frames. (Loricatus' scroll is currently safe from further damage, as it has been kept in climate-controlled conditions since its move to Vatican City in the late 1700s.) There's no reversing the damage to the parts of the parchment where the underlying collagen was eaten away, Migliore said. There may still be a way to remove the purple pigments, though. She and her team are working to determine the pigment structure now. "In this way, this work opens new perspectives, because we have to study to see if it is possible to make something of this parchment," Migliore said. The researchers reported their findings today (Sept. 7) in the open-access journal Scientific Reports. Original article on Live Science. The Department of Homeland Securitys decision to ban federal agencies and departments from using products from Moscow-based cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab comes as no surprise, say security experts. Officials say that the prominent company poses a threat to U.S. national security and have given government agencies and departments 90 days to get rid of Kaspersky Lab software. The Department is concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies, and requirements under Russian law that allow Russian intelligence agencies to request or compel assistance from Kaspersky and to intercept communications transiting Russian networks, DHS officials said, in a statement on the Binding Operational Directive Wednesday. The risk that the Russian government, whether acting on its own or in collaboration with Kaspersky, could capitalize on access provided by Kaspersky products to compromise federal information and information systems directly implicates U.S. national security, it added. Kaspersky Lab denies the allegations. Security experts told Fox News that they were not surprised by the DHS move. The US government has a duty to protect its information, and we can assume that this decision is based on careful consideration and evidence, some or much of which they have not made public, said Alex Hamerstone, Practice Lead for the Governance, Risk, and Compliance division at security consultant TrustedSec, in an email sent to Fox News. While I don't have insight into the dealings of the Russian government and Kaspersky, we've seen in the news over the last few years that US companies regularly cooperate with US intelligence agencies why would we think that this isn't happening in other countries too? RUSSIAN CYBERSECURITY FIRM KASPERSKY LAB A 'DANGER' TO US SECURITY, SENATOR WARNS The U.S. government has been looking at Kaspersky for years, so this announcement is no real surprise to anyone. In fact, the GSA pulled Kaspersky from its list of pre-approved vendors back in July, added Michael Borohovski, co-founder of Tinfoil Security, noting U.S. fears about potential cyber espionage. The US has aired similar concerns about other companies, like Chinese telecom company Huawei, which is currently banned from entering the US network equipment market. Huawei, however, does sell phones in the U.S. consumer market. The DHS National Protection and Programs Directorate told Fox News that it does not currently have data on how much Kaspersky software is being across the U.S. government. As part of its directive, the DHS is instructing departments and agencies to identify any use of Kaspersky products on their information systems in the next 30 days and to develop detailed plans to remove the software in the next 60 days. Unless directed otherwise by DHS based on new information, agencies and departments have 90 days from the date of the directive to discontinue use of Kaspersky Lab products. The directive suggests the U.S. government puts some credence in reports that the popular antivirus company, and its founder Eugene Kaspersky, have close ties to Russian intelligence services. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H, has been pushing to prohibit the federal government from using the firms products. In a New York Times column earlier this month, Shaheen warned that the company poses a danger to U.S. national security. Shaheen welcomed the DHS move in a tweet on Wed. Applaud DHS for heeding my call to remove all Kaspersky products from fed agencies. Kaspersky is a direct threat to national security, she tweeted. However, DHS is also providing Kaspersky Lab an opportunity to tell its side of the story via a written response to the Departments concerns. The Department wants to ensure that the company has a full opportunity to inform the Acting Secretary of any evidence, materials, or data that may be relevant, it said. This opportunity is also available to any other entity that claims its commercial interests will be directly impacted by the directive. THE SCENT OF CYBERSECURITY: KASPERSKY LAB LAUNCHES PERFUME In a statement sent to Fox News, Kaspersky Lab denied any involvement with the Russian government. Given that Kaspersky Lab doesnt have inappropriate ties with any government, the company is disappointed with the decision by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), but also is grateful for the opportunity to provide additional information to the agency in order to confirm that these allegations are completely unfounded, it said. No credible evidence has been presented publicly by anyone or any organization as the accusations are based on false allegations and inaccurate assumptions, including claims about the impact of Russian regulations and policies on the company. Eugene Kaspersky also tweeted in response to the DHS directive. I guess this explains it all Guilty til proven innocent, jailed til you clear your name Welcome to 21st century, he wrote Thursday. TrustedSecs Hamerstone said the DHS move could have widespread implications. This wasn't an easy action for the US government to take, and it will also have significant ramifications for corporations that use Kaspersky, explained Hamerstone, who is the Practice Lead for the Governance, Risk, and Compliance division at security consultant TrustedSec. Many of those companies will now feel compelled to go through their systems and remove this antivirus program, as well as conduct a risk assessment. Earlier this week, retailer Best Buy said it would stop selling Kaspersky software for the time being. In a tweet, Kaspersky Lab said that the two companies have suspended their relationship, which they said may be re-evaluated in the future. Additional reporting by Chris Ciaccia. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers This little drone captures and defeats rogue drones Spiderman-style. Just like how Spidey slings a web to capture bad guys, this little drone shoots a net to stop dangerous flying drones. Revealed this week at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) event, the worlds largest defense and security show held biennially in London, this smart drone is already drawing a lot of buzz. Made by Dutch company Delft Dynamics, the DroneCatcher project is supported by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Military Police), the Dutch National Police and the Dutch Ministry of Safety and Justice. How does it work? The DroneCatcher is a multicopter it has multiple blades and can shoot up vertically in the air, kind of like a tiny helicopter. DSEI: WHERE THE WORLDS MILITARIES WINDOW SHOP Armed with its specially-designed netgun, it can pursue and target rogue drones. How can a small flying machine zero in and lasso the rogue drone? DroneCatcher can detect rogue drones a few ways. It can use radar to identify them. It can also use its sight. And it can even identify and locate other drones by listening. using acoustic detection. It has lots of advanced tech onboard to detect other drones, such as a camera, laser rangefinder and track and trace system. Once it has identified a threat, DroneCatcher can move quickly into action and since it has a multi-copter design, it can hover or nimbly track the threat if it tries to evade capture. SEALS, TUCANO PLANES AND MORE THAN 3,300 POUNDS OF WEAPONS The netgun locks onto the target using multiple onboard sensors. DroneCatcher's special track and trace tech ensures the drone is precisely hit and caught by the shooting net. The captured drone is surrounded by a net that is tethered to DroneCatcher so it can be towed and delivered somewhere safe. If the rogue drone is too heavy to tow, then a parachute is released to control the DroneCatchers descent to the ground, ensuring minimal impact. The operator can control all the DroneCatchers functions from a ground control station. PODCAST: Meet an Air Force Special Operations PJ who Saved Lives in the real Black Hawk Down event The Rogue Drone Threat Small drones, the kind that can be purchased in toy stores for example, are an ever-increasing security problem. 10 BEST IN CLASS - TOP TACTICOOL GEAR FOR BACK TO SCHOOL How so? If you ever fly a commercial airplane, then this is a rising threat that could impact you. Hobby drones are cheap, easy to obtain and popular. Whether flown intentionally at aircraft or accidentally due to inexperience, these hobby drones could be potentially catastrophic if they collide with an airplane. Many pilots have spoken out, warning about the rise of these hobby drones threatening commercial flights. In addition to American airports like Chicago and New York City, airports around the world have been disrupted by drones, such as Heathrow and Gatwick in the U.K. and Tel Aviv, Delhi and Dubai. Weaponized Terrorist Hobby Drone Threat These hobby-sized drones have also become an escalating terrorist threat, both in war zones overseas and on home soil for homeland security. ISIS has intensified the use of weaponized and surveillance hobby drones against the U.S. military. These hobby drones are readily available and cheap would-be terrorists can easily find manuals online with instructions on how to weaponize the hobby drones with things like grenades. PODCAST: Hear this US Air Force Special Operations PJ take you inside dangerous, vital missions The concern is these tactics will be used against in the U.S. too. What can be done? It is important for law enforcement to be equipped with the solutions to stop armed drones. Currently, there are very few good counter-drone solutions available for this growing and serious problem. Blasting a drone threat out of the sky, for example, is not a good option since the shrapnel could be very dangerous to civilians below. With tech like DroneCatcher, law enforcement could more easily protect targets attractive to terrorists. This could be critical infrastructure, such as nuclear facilities or events such as the Super Bowl or New Years Eve at Times Square. Whether catching a rogue flying near an airplane or a terrorist weaponized drone heading for a crowd, the DroneCatcher system is one of the very few counter-drone systems that can capture the drone in a controlled safe way and remove it safely. The strange fanged sea creature that washed up on a Texas beach in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey quickly went viral after images were posted on Twitter, but what is it? Preeti Desai tweeted the images out after discovering the creature on a beach in Texas City earlier this month. Okay, biology twitter, what the heck is this??, she wrote. Her tweet, which was retweeted more than 4,000 times, has garnered more than 10,000 likes. REPTILIAN STANDOFF BREWING IN NEVADA Desai, who works for the National Audubon Society, told Fox News that she was assessing damage to field sites and habitats in the aftermath of the hurricane when she made the gruesome find. I spotted this a couple yards away. It was completely unexpected, not something that you'd typically see on a beach, she explained, via email. I thought it could be something from the deep sea that might have washed onto shore. My main reaction was curiosity; I wanted to figure out what it was. Twitter was the logical route for Desai, who follows a large number of scientists and researchers. There's such a great community of these folks that are very helpful, especially when it comes to answering questions about the world or IDing animals and plants, she told Fox News. I got so many guesses from marine biology experts, fish experts, people who just had an interest in this sort of stuff, etc. We were able to narrow it down to some sort of eel. A journalist friend of Desai who works for EarthTouchNews.com reached out to eel expert Kenneth Tighe, a specialist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Tighe was able to narrow it down to most likely a fangtooth snake-eel, or tusky eel, according to Desai, who said that Ben Frable, collection manager of fishes at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, also came to the same conclusion. HURRICANE IRMA: FLORIDA RESIDENTS WARNED TO BEWARE ALLIGATORS, SNAKES I was hoping that I could count on that community to help me figure out what I'd seen, said Desai. And it definitely worked. Follow James Rogers on Twitter @jamesjrogers One moms desire to learn how to code has led to a worldwide community of moms with the same passion. Moms Can Code founder Erica Peterson, who has two children, started the initiative after she wanted to teach her inquisitive 5-year-old son about coding, the process of creating commands for computers to perform. "I saw that my son was taking an interest in coding and we were downloading all these apps where you play games to learn how to code," Peterson said. "I wanted to refresh those HTML/CSS skills and then also be able to talk to my son about coding." WILL ROBOTS SOON REPLACE TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM? For many moms who participate in the program, its one more activity to do as part of their hectic schedules. Its so hard to explain to other people the difficulties that moms face, Peterson said, adding that many moms often have to choose between working to pay for childcare or staying at home. She told Fox News soon after she created her website to encourage moms to share learning resources, she started having a world-wide following. MomsCanCode.com has had more 12,000 page visits since its launch in August. Visitors include those from countries such as Argentina, Canada, China, France, Germany and Peru, among others. Peterson has met with moms in Pittsburgh to offer a free in-person introductory coding course. Jill Jayne, who has her online business that promotes healthy lifestyles for children, was one of the attendees. APPLE RECEIVES SENATE INQUIRY ON FACE ID PRIVACY CONCERNS Im coming back from maternity leave, so I was looking for ways to sort of reintegrate myself into society, Jayne said. Peterson says she wants to debunk any stereotypes there may be of working moms reaching their career goals. "The impression for most women, most moms, is that its out of reach, she told Fox News. But moms like Jayne say theyre ready to confront the challenges. Its a juggling act that no one sees, Jayne told Fox News. The more opportunities that I can use to grow myself makes me a better leader, a better boss and frankly a better mother. Moms Can Code is planning more in-person sessions across the country, including events in California and New York. The organization also hopes to eventually provide coding resources for a Spanish-speaking audience. A pair of California, ex-Google staffers are trying to put the local corner store out of business with a glorified vending machine they are calling Bodega. The machine a roughly five-foot-wide box with a glass doors is stocked with non-perishable convenience-store fare. Users can unlock the box with their phones a camera watches what they remove and charges them accordingly. Its logo is a cat silhouette in an apparent reference to the animals ubiquity in corner stores. Former Google product manager Paul McDonald said he and fellow ex-Googler Ashwath Rajan cooked up the concept to appeal to people who dont want to walk around the corner for groceries, he told business magazine Fast Company. Eventually, centralized shopping locations wont be necessary, because there will be 100,000 Bodegas spread out, with one always 100 feet away from you, McDonald said. The duo has been testing 30 such bodegas in the San Francisco Bay area and announced it plans on opening a total of 50 by on the West Coast with designs for more than 1,000 nationwide by the end of 2018, the Web site reported. Of course, actual New York bodega owners are none too excited about being replaced by robo-kiosks. I would ask my members not to allow these machines in any of their properties in New York State, said Frank Garcia, chairman of the New York State Coalition of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce representing thousands of bodega owners. And we would ask our Hispanic community not to use the service because they are not really bodegas. Real bodegas are all about human relationships within a community, having someone you know greet you and make the sandwich you like. McDonald said hes not particularly concerned about offending anyone with the name, either. We did surveys in the Latin American community to understand if they felt the name was a misappropriation of that term or had negative connotations, and 97% said no, he said. Its a simple name and I think it works. This story originally appeared in the New York Post. Three Customs and Border Protection officers working out of Newark Liberty International Airport have been arrested following an investigation into a series of hazing incidents that took place in their Terminal C offices. Tito Catota, Parmenio Perez and Michael Papagni have been charged with forcibly assaulting, impeding, intimidating and interfering with two of their new male co-workers on the Passenger Enforcement Rover Team (PERT), reports Channel 4 I-Team. According to the I-Teams earlier report on the hazing incidents, Officers Catota, Perez and Papagni stand accused of abusing certain PERT employees, and threatening to place them on an office table which they dubbed the rape table where they would be made to endure simulated sex acts. DELTA AIRLINES PAYS WOMAN $4,000 TO GIVE UP HER SEAT "The defendants, who were members of a unit responsible for identifying dangerous contraband and threats to national security, allegedly subjected their own colleagues to senseless physical abuse, all while on duty at Newark Liberty International Airport," said U.S. Attorney William Fitzpatrick in a statement posted to the Department of Justices website on Wednesday. "This behavior would be abhorrent in any environment, especially one serving a critical law enforcement function. The hard working men and women who protect our borders deserve better." The first victim originally began working with PERT in October 2016, and claims that he was threatened with the rape table less than two weeks into his tenure. Later, in January, the victim says he and a colleague were working to retrieve and forward a document when Papagni told him to hurry up lest Papagni teach him what this team is about. Soon, the victim says the lights in the office went out, and Papagni, Catota and another CBP officer held him down while Perez sat atop him and grinded against his genitals through his clothing. The victim was unable to push Perez off him, but eventually got free when the CBP officers backed off and let him leave. A second victim claims he went to the PERT office in Terminal C to speak with CBP officers in November 2016 when one of them locked the door behind him. Catota, Papani and Perez then held him down on the office table while one moved his genitals up and down the victims leg. He too was unable to leave until the three officers let him up. The Department of Homeland Security began investigating earlier this year after the victims initially issued their complaints, though the PERT division wasnt officially disbanded until May. In total, 11 CBP officers had been suspended in connection with the incidents, I-Team reports. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS News 4 also reports that other CBP officers reported similar incidents after the initial complaints were published, including Vito Degironimo, who claimed that his fellow officers ended up mounting me and pretty much riding me like a horse. "Im grabbed by other officers against my will, he added. I dont know how much more criminal you can get." If guilty, Catota, Perez and Papagni face a minimum potential penalty of eight years in prison and $250,000 in fines for each incident, according to the Department of Justice. A vintage military aircraft museum in Galveston that was swamped by Hurricane Ike in 2008 and survived Harvey after recently moving to Houston is set to open. Officials with the Lone Star Flight Museum say the $38 million facility will open Saturday at Ellington Airport. The museum was to open Sept. 2 but delayed ceremonies as parts of Houston were flooded by Harvey. Spokeswoman Lisa Spence said Wednesday that the new complex wasn't damaged. The Lone Star Flight Museum, also home to the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, suffered flood damage when Ike pounded Galveston in September 2008. Authorities later decided to relocate to Houston to be farther from Gulf of Mexico storms. Volunteers last month flew most of the vintage planes about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north to Houston. ___ This story corrects spelling to Lone, not Long United Airlines bumped an ailing septuagenarian from a UK-bound flight, stranding her at the gate of a New Jersey airport for half a day, according to her son. Steven Williams dropped his 77-year-old mother who he said travels in a wheelchair and is easily confused at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC last Friday for a connecting flight to London at Newark Liberty International Airport, WUSA 9 reported. But once in Jersey, United inexplicably bumped his mom from the flight across the pond, he told the station. Basically she was left at the gate for 12 hours, Williams said. They offered her a hotel that was miles away. She had to get there on her own steam. Theres no way my mom could have pushed a wheelchair at her age, so she sat there. The distraught son said he entrusted his mother, who was not named, to United Airlines staff who said they help wheelchair-bound customers get through airports and to their flights. They assist people in wheelchairs and get someone to wheel them through and basically take responsibility for that person until they arrive at their destination, he said. Williams said he found out his mom never made it to her destination only thanks to a 4:30 a.m. text from a driver he had hired to pick her up in London. He is still unsure why she was bumped from her flight. I want an apology and to know this wont happen again with my relatives or anyone elses relatives, said Williams. United spokeswoman Maddie King said Wednesday that employees offered the woman a hotel, and offered to take her there, but she refused to accept. We have since spoken with our customers family to express our sincere apologies and we are working with our team at Newark to review what happened and to ensure we learn from this incident, King said. This article originally appeared on the New York Post. United Airlines might have another public relations nightmare on its hands, after allegedly bumping a 77-year-old woman who travels in a wheelchair off her flight to London, according to her son. Steven Williams said he dropped off his mother at Ronald Regan National Airport in Arlington, Va., trusting the airline to make sure she arrived at her proper destination, WUSA-TV reported. She was scheduled to fly to Newark, N.J., before catching a connecting flight to London. They assist people in wheelchairs and get someone to wheel them through and basically take responsibility for that person until they arrive at their destination, Williams told the station. Despite being reassured three or four times she was on that flight to London, Williams said he later learned from the driver who was hired to pick her up that she never arrived. Williams said he found out hours later that his mother had landed in New Jersey, but was kicked off her next flight to London. Basically, she was left at the gate for 12 hours. They offered her a hotel that was miles away, Williams said. She had to get there on her own steam. Theres no way my mom could have pushed a wheelchair at her age, so she sat there. "Theres no way my mom could have pushed a wheelchair at her age, so she sat there." Steven Williams, describing 77-year-old mother's air travel ordeal However, a United spokesperson said she was not kicked off, but rather she didn't make it in time for her flight to London, which contradicts Williams story. In a statement to Fox News, the airline said it offered to take the woman to a hotel, but she "declined." The incident is under review, and United said it has since apologized to the customer's family. "While we offered our customer a hotel and to take her there, she declined our offer of assistance. We checked on her throughout the evening. We have since spoken with our customer's family to express our sincere apologies. We are working with our team at Newark to review what happened and to ensure we learn from this incident," United said. The airline offered a $1,000 voucher to the mother, Williams said. A California grandfather took matters into his own hands when a stranger jumping on rooftops caused an hours-long police standoff on Tuesday. Willard Burgess, 83, was at his La Puenta house when the suspect police were chasing stood on his roof, refusing their orders to come down for hours, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Capt. Tim Murakami wrote on Twitter. The suspect was jumping on several rooftops in the neighborhood. Burgess, fed up with the ordeal, eventually grabbed his neighbors ladder and told officers he was climbing onto the roof, KABC reported. That suckers coming off, he told police. The grandfather then shoved the man off his roof, ending the hours-long standoff. Its unclear whether the unidentified man, who police say was either mentally ill or on drugs, was seriously injured. Police said he was taken to the hospital for a mental health evaluation. "You come to my house, you don't have to worry about him because I'll be all over it 'cause I'm going to load up," Burgess told KABC. Burgess granddaughter, Ashley Wrenn, recorded cell phone video of the moment Burgess tossed the man off his roof. My neighbor Albert got a ladder. My grandfather climbed the ladder quick. He pushed the guy to a corner of the roof and threw him off the roof, Wrenn told San Gabriel Valley Tribune. The man was handcuffed after he fell. It was a crazy morning, she said. "I tell everybody: 'Just because you're old, that don't mean you got to sit down. As long as you're able to move, move,'" Burgess told the news station. A vehicle fire at Camp Pendleton in California left 15 Marines injured eight of them in the burn unit following a training exercise accident on Wednesday morning. A seafaring assault vehicle caught fire during a scheduled battalion training event on base, Paul Gainey, spokesman for the Marine 1st Division, said. According to officials, eight of the Marines have been taken to a burn unit at the University of California San Diego Health. Of those eight, three were in critical condition, while five Marines were in serious condition. Of the other seven Marines injured, two are in critical condition, two are receiving medical treatment but are in unknown condition, while one is in stable condition and two others are being treated for minor injuries. Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured members of our Division family, the 1st Marine Division wrote on Twitter. MARINES WHO DIED IN OSPREY CRASH IDENTIFIED Officials are investigating the accident. The incident comes more than a month after a training accident left one Marine dead at Camp Pendleton. Lance Cpl. Cody J. Haley, 20, died after a tree fell on him during routine training. He was deployed with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit in early 2016. Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report. A U.S. military aid helicopter landed at a Key West shopping center on Wednesday, enabling authorities and locals to hand out food and water Wednesday afternoon to Hurricane Irma survivors. Officials have said they're not sure when residents of the middle and lower Florida Keys will be allowed back. First workers need to scramble to get power back and water running. Officials are aiming to ensure the proper infrastructure is in place first. Six locations have been set up to distribute food and water to those who stayed behind when thousands evacuated. Monroe County spokeswoman Cammy Clark told WPLG about 2,000 members of the National Guard are in the Keys to help with communications and work at the county distribution points, where supplies will be given out. Officials said more than 300 power poles are down, and officials are concerned that fires could be started as they try to restore power. Gasoline supplies are still a problem the further one goes toward the lower Keys, where many gas stations are damaged and not working anyway. We werent mobilized to respond, so myself and a group of veterans and other still-active reserve service members teamed up and decided to come down, Joe, who is a U.S. Marine from Texas, told WPLG. We were in Jacksonville. Weve been doing search-and-rescue all around the Florida area, and then we made our way down to the Keys. AT LEAST 8 DEAD AMID INTENSE HEAT AT FLORIDA NURSING HOME AFTER IRMA The number of people without electricity in the steamy late-summer heat was down to 6.8 million. Utility officials warned it could take over a week for power to be fully restored. The number of people in shelters fell to under 13,000. At least 25 people in Florida have died under Irma-related circumstances, including eight patients at a sweltering nursing home who died after Irma knocked out the air conditioning. Fox News' Bryan Llenas and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Privacy Overview This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. An eighth grade student at a Pennsylvania school was suspended for three days after reporting to the principal he accidentally brought a pocket knife to school Monday, according to a local report. Thomas Ross Jr., 13, told WTAE he put the knife in his pocket after helping his father open a cardboard box Sunday night. When he put the same pair of shorts on for school Monday, Ross said he forgot the knife was there, accidentally bringing it with him to Brownsville Area Middle School. When he realized he was still carrying the knife, he went to the principals office to open up about his mistake. I was scared that if I were to get caught with it on me, it would have been worse than me turning it in, Ross Jr. said. Rosss father, Thomas Ross Sr., said the school called him saying his son had been issued a citation and would be suspended for three days. Why is there zero tolerance on a child bringing a weapon by accident to school and then doing the right thing and turning it in? Ross Sr. said, adding that his son had never been in trouble at school, or issued a citation or suspension before. Brownsville Area School District superintendent Keith Hartbauer told WTAE that the district mandates a three-day suspension any time a student brings a weapon to campus. "The safety and well-being of our students and staff is paramount," Hartbauer said. "We will follow our district's policy, procedures, and solicitor's recommendation regarding this discipline incident." An informal hearing is scheduled for Thursday with school administrators, where Ross Sr. said a longer 10-day suspension could be considered. A pregnant teacher who went missing in Maryland last week has been found dead. Laura Elizabeth Wallen, 31, was found buried in a shallow grave in Damascus on Wednesday, according to the Montgomery County Police Department. Police said that Tyler Tessier, Wallens boyfriend and believed to be the father of Wallens unborn child, was arrested for her murder around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Wallen, who was four months pregnant, was last heard from on Sept. 3, when she sent a text message to her family, which police described as troubling. The pregnant teacher didnt show up to her first day of school on Sept. 5. On Sept. 7, her vehicle was found parked five minutes away from the school she worked at. PREGNANT MARYLAND TEACHER REPORTED MISSING AFTER SENDING 'TROUBLING' TEXT MESSAGE On Monday, Wallens father, Mark, pleaded with the public at a news conference for information on his daughter and was offering a $25,000 reward for anything on her whereabouts, while Tessier, who also spoke, said he was praying Wallen would be found safe. "Laura, if you are listening, it doesn't matter whats happened, it doesn't matter what type of trouble, there is nothing we can't fix together myself and your family, Tessier said, according to Fox 5 DC. There are so many people, so many people that miss you, so many people who were out, who haven't slept. We haven't eaten. We are just looking or praying that you are safe. After Wallens body was discovered, Howard County Public Schools, with which Wallen was a high school social studies teacher since 2014, released a statement: It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Wilde Lake High School teacher Ms. Laura Wallen was found deceased tonight by Montgomery County Police. The Howard County mobile crisis team will be at Wilde Lake High School this evening to provide support to the entire Wilde Lake community. There additionally will be large teams of people available at Wilde Lake High School and Murray Hill Middle School tomorrow to support every student and staff member that need somebody to talk to. The school's "Gathering of Hope" event scheduled for Wednesday night has reportedly been canceled. Three family members in Kentucky were killed in their home Wednesday night, police said. All three may have been strangled. Police received a call just before 5 p.m. about a possible suicide in a home in Williamsburg, FOX56 reported. Kathy Faulkner told the news station she came home and found her daughter, Emogene Bittner, 36, dead. "I came home and went in the house and the house was destroyed. And then I went back into the house and that's where I found her on the floor," Faulkner said. Witley County Sheriff Colan Harrell said the three people appeared to have died of strangulation. Faulkner said she initially thought her daughter had killed herself until she found her son-in-law and grandson, identified as Christopher Bittner, 24, and Robert Kennedy III, 16, also dead. "I hope they find out who did this. My grandson had his whole life ahead of him. He never did nothing to no one. He was a good kid," Faulkner said. Police have not named suspects in the deaths. The University of California, Berkeley, is beefing up its security as it braces for conservative author and commentator Ben Shapiro to give a speech on campus. Shapiro was invited to the Berkeley campus -- where a protest and sit-in in 1964 spawned the "Free Speech Movement " -- by conservative college students to give a speech titled Say No to Campus Thuggery. The 1,000-person venue is sold out, according to the university and event organizers. Demonstrations are expected around UC Berkeley against Shapiro and his conservative viewpoints. And while it is certainly not the first time the political commentator has faced some contention, a spokesperson for the Young Americas Foundation (YAF), which is funding the lecture, said there has been nothing like this level of opposition in the past. But despite the aversion, UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol T. Christ has defended Shapiros visit to campus. I believe very strongly in Ben Shapiros right to speak on campus. I dont agree with Ben Shapiro. In fact, I profoundly disagree with him, Christ told the Los Angeles Times about the controversy surrounding his invitation to the college. But I believe he was legitimately invited by a student group and that he has the right to speak. It really is a troubling situation. Heres a look at why Shapiro is considered by some to be so controversial. Who is Ben Shapiro? Shapiro, 33, is a conservative political commentator and editor-in-chief of the right-leaning news site The Daily Wire. He is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles, and Harvard Law School, according to his biography. In addition to the Daily Wire, Shapiro is also a conservative columnist, New York Times bestselling author and hosts his own podcast, The Ben Shapiro Show. Shapiro was the editor-at-large at Breitbart, but resigned in March 2016 during the conflict between a Breitbart reporter and Corey Lewandowski, President Trumps campaign manager at the time. Shapiro defended the reporter and accused Breitbart of abandoning his former colleague. UC BERKELEY UNDER TIGHT SECURITY TO PREPARE FOR CONSERVATIVE SPEAKER He also called Steve Bannon -- the executive director of the website who would eventually become the White House chief strategist for several months -- a bully who sold out [Breitbart founder] Andrews mission in order to back another bully, Donald Trump. Shapiro revealed that he would never vote for Trump in March 2016 because he stand[s] with certain principles. What are some of his works? Shapiro is the author of several books, including Primetime Propaganda: The True Hollywood Story of How the Left Took Over Your TV and Brainwashed: How Universities Indoctrinate Americas Youth. His 2013 book Bullies: How the Lefts Culture of Fear and Intimidation Silences Americans was a New York Times bestseller. Additionally, Shapiro is outspoken about his opposition to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movements. Shapiro, an Orthodox Jew, has worked to expose the anti-Israel and anti-Semitic motivations behind the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, his Daily Wire website states. Shapiro also has been outspoken and at times snarky about his anti-abortion views, including in the cases of rape, and his support of small government, free speech and religious liberties. So why is Shapiro considered by some to be controversial? Cal Berkeley Democrats President Caiden Nason told the Daily Californian student newspaper that he hopes that Shapiros visit will prove he has outdated beliefs. Berkeley is not a school that doesnt pay attention to facts. And Ben Shapiro is someone that directly spits in the face of facts, Nason said. Shapiros news website published videos earlier this week of protesters who called him the founder of this fascist ideological regime. The Daily Wire speculated the demonstrators were referring to the Trump administration, of which he has been largely critical. BERKELEY CHARGES GOP GROUP $15K TO HAVE BEN SHAPIRO SPEAK Spencer Brown, YAFs spokesman, pushed back on the notion that Shapiro is controversial and said the label comes from left-leaning people who apply it to conservative speakers when they make their attempts to silence them. In the case of Ben Shapiro, they label him as controversial because of his effectiveness at attacking a few of the liberals favorite things: safe spaces, so-called microaggressions, intersectionality, etc., Brown told Fox News. Young Americas Foundation has worked to bring Ben Shapiro to more than 30 college campuses in the past few semesters, and so weve seen campuses pull out all the stops in attempts to block him from speaking or ensure that the event is limited in size or accessibility, Brown said. UC Berkeleys attempts to block Ben from campus have failed because they met their match in YAF. "They label him as controversial because of his effectiveness at attacking a few of the liberals favorite things: safe spaces, so-called microaggressions, intersectionality, etc." Spencer Brown, YAF spokesman Brown added that some people at Berkeley have called Shapiro a white supremacist which he called laughable. Ben receives more hate from the alt-right than anyone else online these days, Brown said. Michael Burawoy, a sociology professor and chairman of the Berkeley Faculty Association, told the Associated Press that many are upset about the disruptions to campus speakers like Shapiro bring. There are faculty who dont think the campus should be the site of this, what they call, political circus, he said. We bring them on campus and allow them to speak and we encourage both right- and left-wing groups to hold potentially violent protests, he said. If we exclude them, they say Berkeley doesnt believe in free speech. Its a lose-lose situation. How is UC Berkeley preparing for the event? Campus authorities said they plan to seal off the colleges central hub and create a closed perimeter where Shapiro is slated to speak as part of UC Berkeleys efforts to ensure the peaceful expression of free speech. The City of Berkeley announced Wednesday that it is prohibiting sticks, poles, pipes and anything else that can be used for a riot on Thursday at three of its parks. There are additional temporary rules imposed by the city that prohibit weapons on certain streets and sidewalks as well, the city said. Other items, including bricks, rocks, axes, mace, knives, firearms, dynamite and torches are also prohibited in certain areas, the city said. And for the first time in two decades, law enforcement officers have been authorized to use pepper spray in order to curtail violence during protests, according to the Associated Press. Emotional counseling will be available to students who feel threatened by Shapiros appearance, UC Berkeley announced. Bannon and right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, also a former Breitbart editor, are expected to speak on campus during its Free Speech Week later this month. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Berkeley City Council gave police permission Tuesday to use pepper spray to drive away protesters from attacking officers during violent protests that have plagued the city in 2017. The 6-3 vote by the council came ahead of another planned speech Thursday at the University of California, Berkeley. Former Breitbart editor and conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro was slated to be on the campus Thursday and again later this month with other conservative figures. BEN SHAPIRO: WHO IS HE AND WHY IS HE SO CONTROVERSIAL? Former White House adviser Steve Bannon, former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos and conservative commentator Ann Coulter also were slated to speak on the campus later this month. Yiannopoulos was at the campus in February but it was canceled after protests turned violent. Protesters smashed windows of businesses and marred walls with graffiti. The city banned pepper spray in 1997 as a crowd-control weapon, though most law enforcement agencies permit officers to use it to disburse violent crowds, Berkeley Police Chief Andrew Greenwood said. Greenwood sought such permission at an emergency council meeting, saying it was preferable to batons and tear gas, which the city is allowed to use but disburses far wider than pepper spray. UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA GROUP PROTESTS COPS AND ROBBERS FRAT PARTY THEY CLAIM MOCKS MASS INCARCERATION The council rejected its use for crowd control Tuesday, but agreed to modify its ban and expand police powers to use it. The council warned officers not to use the pepper spray as a crowd-control technique but to use it instead for individuals who are committing violent acts upon others or officers. Currently, Berkeley officers carry a can of pepper spray but have said they would need a bigger canister if necessary. Dozens of people lined up at City Hall to oppose arming Berkeley police with the larger canister of pepper spray, saying it was too easy for officers to use and has the potential to be used on peaceful protesters. UC BERKELEY TO INVESTIGATE AFTER VIDEO SHOWS COP CONFISCATING VENDORS MONEY Some cities nationwide have banned pepper spray after several high-profile incidents of police using it on peaceful protesters. One of the most noteworthy incidents was when students at the University of California, Davis, were pepper sprayed during a peaceful demonstration in 2011. The incident led to a $1 million legal settlement for the protesters. Last year, the Los Angeles Times reported that the college paid $175,000 to consultants to clean up its image online. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Despite a growing culture of campus outrage directed at right-leaning guests, Columbia University has decided to open its doors to just such speakers this semester. The universitys Republican student group invited political blogger Mike Cernovich and Tommy Robinson, founder of the English Defense League, to speak later this semester. The group will announce each appearance date two weeks before it's scheduled to take place, citing security reasons. [Columbia University College Republicans] is hosting a wide variety of speakers that identify as part of the Republican Party or the right, the group said in a statement to Fox News. We will host speakers that agree and disagree with Trump; we do not want to limit ourselves and the values that we will discuss. It continued: Our club wants to have a conversation regarding the ideas of our speakers by learning about them, questioning them, and ultimately challenging them on their beliefs. BERKELEY POLICE APPROVED TO USE PEPPER SPRAY AT VIOLENT PROTESTS AHEAD OF BEN SHAPIRO VISIT The group said college is an opportunity to grow and be challenged by different ideologies, philosophies and values. We do hope that the University will make sure that our speech is not limited or restricted. At the end of the day, we would like to have these conversations with students unlike ourselves, so we can learn better about their values and ourselves, the statement said. The groups president Ari Boosalis is set to appear on Tucker Carlson Tonight at 8 p.m. Thursday. Attempts to reach Cernovich and Robinson were not immediately successful. The university also did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment. In a statement to CBS2, the university said: We welcome all speakers invited by our student groups as long as we can ensure that the event will be orderly and safe. This is not the first time Columbia University has welcomed right-wing speakers to campus. In March, about a dozen students protested an appearance by conservative social theorist Charles Murray and a handful turned up when right-wing author Dinesh DSouza spoke during the spring. Other controversial speakers have also graced the university. Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for instance, spoke in 2007. COLLEGE REPUBLICANS GROUP IN CALIFORNIA LABELED AS 'WHITE NATIONALIST' Some students told CBS2 it was incredibly insensitive to minority students to invite "white supremacists" on campus. The universitys Democrat student group said they believe its a stunt. There are more important and valuable, intellectual conservative leaders that they could have brought to campus, but instead theyve chosen to bring provocateurs. The whole point of this charade is to have attention, they told the news station. One U.S. Army Special Operations soldier was killed Thursday and seven others were injured during a training exercise involving demolitions at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, officials said. The Army's Special Operations Command identified the dead soldier as Staff Sgt. Alexander Dalida, 32, of Dunstable, Mass. Dalida, who enlisted in 2006, was assigned to 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne). "Our primary focus right now is to care for his loved ones. We will honor Staff Sgt. Dalida and help his family in their time of need," said Col. Michael Kornburger of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. All eight soldiers were students at the Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School and were at a range on base when the incident occurred. Local media reported that the soldiers were injured in an "explosion," but defense officials declined to confirm that. The wounded were taken to several hospitals, including the Womack Army Medical Center on the base. The extent of their injuries were not immediately clear. "There was an incident that occurred on one of the ranges," Special Operations Command spokesman Lt. Col. Rob Bockholt said, adding that the command is investigating. The incident at Fort Bragg comes just a day after a vehicle fire at Camp Pendleton in California left 15 Marines injured eight of them in the burn unit following a training exercise accident. Five still remain in critical condition. Also, a soldier was killed Tuesday night during hoist training for medical helicopter evacuations at Fort Hood in Texas. So far this year, more U.S. troops have been killed in training than in combat in Afghanistan. On the Senate floor yesterday, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., demanded the passing of the new defense bill which pours billions more into training and getting aircraft flying again, what the military calls readiness. About 57,000 military personnel are attached to Fort Bragg, located next to Fayetteville, North Carolina. It is the largest Army installation by population and one of the largest in the world, covering about 161,000 acres. The Special Operations Command has about 23,000 soldiers spread over several sites. Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Officers from the Gainesville Police Department in Florida have thousands of new admirers after posting photos of themselves on the departments Facebook page. As Irma battered the Sunshine State with heavy winds and rain, officers documented how they were responding to the storm on social media. John Nordman, Michael Hamill and Dan Rengering snapped a photo of themselves before their shift on Sunday. The post went viral because of the officers good looks. The snapshot has gotten more than 503,000 reactions and more than 270,000 shares as of Thursday morning. In a comment, one woman called the three officers hunk-a-potamases. The hunkapotumus is a rare, elusive, and mythical creature, one woman wrote on Facebook. Here we are lucky to see 3 huddled together in the wake of Hurricane Irma. I'm a well-trained hunkapotumus handler. Send them my way and they will be well taken care of. The department put out a statement after the photo went viral urging people not to call 911 in order to get the easy-on-the-eyes officers to respond to their homes. The officers also received messages from friends, family and admirers about their newfound social media stardom. Hamill who is married, says his wife did not like all the extra attention at first. But, eventually, she gave in. At first she [was] not about it, she didnt like all the attention and all the craziness, Hamill said. Now shes come around and realized theres nothing she can do. Rengering, whos currently single, is taking his newfound fame in stride. Honestly, I had to turn my phone off last night, Rengering told Fox News. Its been excessive, he said with a smile. Nordman, who is pictured in the far left of the viral post, is married. He was unavailable for comment. The trio were not the only ones getting attention and comments on the departments Facebook page. Many people wrote about the looks of other officers whose pictures were posted on the departments timeline. Officer Bylynn Hatcher says he caught the eyes of admirers and was given the nickname sexy chocolate after posting a photo of himself in front of his patrol car. The best [comment] Ive probably seen is: OK, theres the chocolate we want, Hatcher said. That kind of made me laugh a lot. Hatcher, who is also single, was a model before becoming a police officer. The Gainesville Police Department plans to create a calendar featuring the officers to raise money for Hurricane Irma relief efforts in Florida. In preparation for the calendar, the three men showed off their workout routines in the department gym to a group of reporters. They all plan to beef up their workouts before the big photo shoot. Were just excited about the fact that were going to get to do a calendar thats going to raise a lot of money, Rengering said. "Hopefully, well be able to help a lot of people that [were] impacted by Hurricane Irma. Thats really what were most excited about. The American flag flies once again on Highway 80 in Savannah after Georgia police officers saved Old Glory during a patrol to evaluate damage caused by deadly Hurricane Irma. Savannah officers Lt. Greg Ernst and Captain Ashley Brown were sent to evaluate damage around a nearby island after it had suffered extensive flood damage. As they were driving through waters on busy Highway 80, they spotted a piece of driftwood with something on the ground next to it. When we saw that flag on the ground, we knew it wasn't going to be on the ground any second longer than it had to, Ernst told Fox News. We just stopped the car and got out and rescued her. The flag had been flying on that stretch of highway since the 1980s. This flag is a very familiar landmark going out to Tybee Island. It has been up for years...so everybody knows the flag, Brown said. After gently removing the flag from the ground the officers laid the flag out to dry. "We were so busy and it was so much going on with the hurricane, it hadn't even crossed my mind about Patriots Day until I had got home, calmed down, decompressed," Brown said. When I realized that it was actually September 11, I think that feeling of pride grew about what we had done. I called Ernie at the house and told him. We both agreed that it was a very special thing..." He added: "One of our flags had been rescued on Patriots Day, and I think we both were very prideful of that. The officers say they had worked 12-hour shifts, before and after the storm, helping those around the community. They say it wasnt the long hours they had to work that had overwhelmed them, but the support they received from residents who were dealing with flooding in their homes, no electricity or both. "We would drive by and they would offer us coffee and whatever they could do," Brown said. If getting this flag up for them...We know its going to be a very comforting thing, [and] it's just our way of saying 'Thank you' to them." A growing backlash over Harvard's appointment of convicted Wikileaks leaker Chelsea Manning as a visiting fellow saw CIA Director Mike Pompeo cancel a planned appearance at the Ivy League school Thursday, while former CIA Acting Director Michael Morell resigned his position as a senior fellow. In a letter to Harvard explaining his decision not to give a scheduled speech at the university, Pompeo described Manning as an "American traitor." "[The decision to cancel] is a decision I did not make lightly," Pompeo wrote before adding, "my conscience and duty to the men and women of the Central Intelligence Agency will not permit me to betray their trust by appearing to support Harvard's decision with my appearance at tonight's event." The CIA released the letter sent by Pompeo, who has a law degree from Harvard, late Thursday evening. Earlier Thursday, Morell, a former CIA deputy director who twice served as acting director, announced his resignation from Harvard's Belfer Center was a result of Manning's appointment, saying he couldn't be part of an organization "that honors a convicted felon and leaker of classified information." "Senior leaders in our military have stated publicly that the leaks by Ms. Manning put the lives of U.S. soldiers at risk," Morell said. "I have an obligation in my conscience -- and I believe to the country -- to stand against any efforts to justify leaks of sensitive national security information." Manning reacted to Morell's resignation with a one-word Tweet: "good." Manning will take on the role at Harvards John F. Kennedy School of Government, the school said on its website. She speaks on the social, technological and economic ramifications of Artificial Intelligence, the Harvard announcement said. As a trans woman, she advocates for queer and transgender rights as @xychelsea on Twitter. Many people were flabbergasted the university gave Manning the title, calling it unbelievable that a person convicted of espionage could be considered a fellow. Former Massachusetts governor and 2012 GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who holds law and business degrees from Harvard, reacted to Morell's resignation by Tweeting, "Well done, Mike. And abject shame on Harvard." I'm loyal to Harvard, but I think I'll forego IOP events this fall. (I'd feel the same way if Chelsea Manning were still Bradley Manning.) pundit and Harvard alum Bill Kristol said. Manning replied: Awesome ! can you ask @seanspicer to do the same ? #WeGotThis. #Bizarre; @Harvard names #ChelseaManning as #VisitingFellow on #LGBT.. He's more qualified to speak on #Treachery, tweeted David Higgins, who identifies himself as having been in the U.S. Army. Seriously @Harvard?? Enabling a traitor to our country? You need to check your stupidity, another user wrote on Twitter. How to become a Harvard Visiting Fellow: Leak 700,000 classified documents & get convicted of 6 espionage charges, user J Michael Waller tweeted. Chelsea Manning Was Convicted of Leaking Classified Info So Naturally, Harvard Sent Her a Job Offer, a tweet read. Manning, who was known as Bradley Manning before transitioning, was released from prison in May after serving seven years for leaking classified government materials to WikiLeaks. She was convicted in 2013 of espionage, theft and computer fraud, earning her a 35 year prison sentence -- until former President Barack Obama commuted the sentence. CHELSEA MANNING FREED FROM KANSAS MILITARY PRISON Manning's release from jail was widely criticized by members of Congress, who considered Manning's leaks of the nation's most sensitive secrets a danger to America's safety. House Speaker Paul Ryan called the move "just outrageous." Manning will be joining former White House press secretary Sean Spicer and campaign manager Corey Lewandowski as fellows in the 2017-2018 school year. He inspected a mock-up nuclear warhead, but there was no Kim Jong Un lookalike posing for photographs. He chatted with nuclear missile launch officers in their underground command post, but there was no talk of unleashing nuclear hell on North Korea. A subtle, unspoken message of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' visit to this nuclear weapons base Wednesday was that America is a mature nuclear power not intimidated by threats from an upstart North Korean leader who flaunts his emerging nuclear muscle. Mattis was quietly reminding North Korea that it has no match for a U.S. nuclear arsenal that, while old, is still capable of sudden and swift destruction if Kim were to throw the first nuclear punch. In his only public comments, Mattis cast his visit as part of an effort to ensure that the U.S. maintains the kind of nuclear firepower that convinces any potential nuclear opponent that attacking would be suicidal. "You can leave no doubt at all," he told reporters traveling with him. "Don't try it. It won't work. You can't take us out." Mattis was taking such a restrained approach that he barred reporters from his town hall-style exchange with airmen on this base that hosts nuclear-capable B-52 bombers as well as the 91st Missile Wing, which has nearly 150 nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles standing ready for launch at a moment's notice. On Thursday, Mattis was getting classified briefings at Strategic Command, just outside of Omaha, Nebraska. Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten, the head of Strategic Command, would be in command of nuclear forces in the event President Donald Trump ordered them into combat. Mattis said his visits to Minot and Strategic Command are intended to inform his "nuclear posture review," a top-to-bottom reassessment of U.S. nuclear weapons policy. He said the review is nearly complete but he would not cite a target date. A major question posed in the review is how big the U.S. nuclear force needs to be to remain a deterrent to nuclear war. Mattis said Wednesday he has become convinced that the United States must keep all three parts of its nuclear force, rather than eliminate one, as he once suggested. In congressional testimony in January 2015, while he was a private citizen, Mattis said eliminating the ground-based component intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs would "reduce the false alarm danger." He was referring to the argument made by some nuclear policy experts that because ICBMs are postured to be launched on warning of incoming missiles, a false warning might trigger nuclear war. Mattis has called the submarine-based component "sacrosanct" and has said it is necessary to retain the ability to fire nuclear weapons from planes. Together, those three prongs constitute what the military calls its nuclear triad. "I've questioned the triad," Mattis told reporters flying with him to Minot Air Force Base, a nuclear base in North Dakota. He said his view has now changed. "I cannot solve the deterrent problem reducing it from a triad. If I want to send the most compelling message, I have been persuaded that the triad in its framework is the right way to go," Mattis said. Mattis has previously indicated this evolution in thinking, but his statements Wednesday were emphatic. The key to avoiding nuclear war, he said, is maintaining a nuclear arsenal sufficient to convince a potential enemy it could not win a nuclear war with the U.S. and thus should not start one. "You want the enemy to look at it and say, this is impossible to take out in a first strike, and the (U.S.) retaliation is such that we don't want to do it," Mattis said. "That's how a deterrent works." Thus the U.S. will keep nuclear missile submarines, land-based nuclear missiles and nuclear-capable aircraft, he indicated. Mattis also said the Trump administration is reviewing the value of the New Start treaty negotiated with Russia by the Obama administration in 2010. The treaty, already in effect, requires reductions by both sides to a maximum of 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads by February. "We're still engaged in determining whether it's a good idea," Mattis said, adding that the question is linked to adherence by others to separate but related arms treaties. That was an apparent reference to U.S. allegations that Russia is violating the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty from 1987. Mattis declined to discuss the matter further, except to say the administration is not considering withdrawing from New Start. It's an open question whether it will seek to extend the treaty, which expires in February 2021. Trump has criticized New Start as a bad deal for America. ___ This story corrects the spelling of Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten's name. A Minnesota college security guard who said he was shot by a suspicious person on campus Tuesday night was arrested Wednesday after reportedly admitting to police he shot himself. Brent Patrick Ahlers, 25, a security officer at St. Catherine University in St. Paul has been charged with filing a false police report, a misdemeanor, The Star Tribune reported. MINNESOTA PROSECUTORS TO CONSIDER CHARGES IN CASE OF AUSTRALIAN WOMAN KILLED BY POLICE OFFICER Ahlers told police he was shot in the shoulder by a suspicious person at a wooded area near the college. St. Paul Police placed the college on lockdown as officers investigated the area and looked for the gunman while Ahlers was treated for noncritical injuries. Police said Ahlers admitted during questioning to bringing his personal handgun to work with him on Tuesday. Security guards at the university are normally unarmed. MAN WHO HIT MINNESOTA GROUP SAYS HE WAS ASSAULTED Ahlers admitted he shot himself and said he made up the suspicious person excuse because he was afraid of being terminated from his job. Ahlers has been placed on a paid leave of absence Wednesday, a statement from the university said. While we are distressed and saddened that this incident occurred, we are relieved that no other members of the community were injured, St. Catherine University President Becky Roloff said. A parent of a student at a New Jersey high school claimed a teacher told the class to not use Fox News as a source for assignments because it was biased and encouraged her pupils to only use CNN and its affiliates. The parent, who asked not to be named, told LifeZette that she lodged a complaint against the Hunterdon Central Regional High School in Flemington. The mother claimed her son and students were informed by a global studies teacher they could not use the Fox News website as a resource for their assignments. The teacher reportedly told students to restrict their material to CNN and its affiliates. The mother took to Facebook to inform other parents of the instructions. NEW JERSEY, VIRGINIA START FOCUSING ON GOVERNOR RACES Im livid, the parent told LifeZette. I'm not allowing him to stay in this teacher's classroom, to be subjected to this all year long. Jeffrey Moore, the district superintendent, said the school was informed about the specific directions a day after the first day of school. "We learned about a decision in a classroom to limit students to certain media sources in an assignment," Moore told Fox News in a statement. "Without any delay, we partnered with parents to understand the needs of our students. We moved swiftly to address their concerns." The educator in question has not been identified. "The Hunterdon Central Regional High School District is committed to affording students the freedom and respect they need to develop their own opinions," Moore said. "In fact, we have policy that requires us to present all sides of any controversial issue. "We recognize the potential for a teacher, as a trusted authority figure, to sway student opinion about such issues without even setting out to do so." LARGEST NEW JERSEY CITY REGAINING CONTROL OF ITS SCHOOLS The mother was slated to meet with the teacher sometime this week and she has spoken with Moore, the schools principal and vice principal, LifeZette reported. "I'm actually happy so far with the response I've been getting from the school district, the mother told LifeZette. Moore told Fox News that the school and district would work together with the administration to ensure that we have consistent approaches to controversial issues in our classrooms. Now, as always, we remain focused on this and all of the other work of educating the children of our community." The schools principal, Suzanne Cooley, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News. A New Jersey woman who went by the nickname "China White" pleaded guilty Wednesday to forcing a 16-year-old girl from New York into prostitution, officials said. Jessica Copeland, 29, pleaded guilty to second-degree facilitating human trafficking, N.J. Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino said in a news release. Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend that Copeland be sentenced to six years in state prison, including no parole for three years. This defendant threatened a 16-year-old girl with violence to keep her trapped in a hellish life of sexual slavery, Porrino said in a news release. This is a classic case of human trafficking, in which the perpetrators isolated and intimidated a vulnerable victim so they could exploit her for their profit." Prosecutors said Copland acted as boss or bottom over the prostitutes in a ring that operated in Jersey motels and advertised on Backpage.com, a classified ad site that has become a portal for sex traffickers. She was indicted in April 2015 as one of five people accused of trafficking the girl from Brooklyn in New York City to New Jersey, where they made her work as a prostitute at area motels. Authorities said the ring was run by Glen Bowman Sr., 42, of Newark, and his wife, Ernestine Bowman, 32, of Orange, N.J. Bowman pleaded guilty in December to second-degree facilitating human trafficking and faces a recommended sentence of 10 years in prison. Bowman Sr. faces pending first-degree charges of conspiracy, human trafficking and promoting prostitution of a minor, according to the attorney general's office. The couples son, Glen Bowman Jr., 23, of Brooklyn, previously pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy to promote prostitution and faces seven years in prison. The investigation began as an undercover operation by the South Hackensack Police Department, when an officer responded to an advertisement that included a photo of a very young-looking female with her breasts exposed, the AG's office said. The officer phoned the number in the ad on Oct. 1, 2014, and a woman told him that he could have full sex for $160 in cash at a motel on Route 46 in South Hackensack, according to officials. The undercover officer was directed to a room, where a teenage girl answered the door and repeated that the price of full sex was $160. She accepted $160 in cash, officials said. When the officer asked why the bathroom door was closed, the girl had another woman, 33-year-old Tokina Williams, come out. At that time, backup officers entered and arrested Williams and the teenage girl. The teenage girl was determined to be a 16-year-old who was reported missing in New York, and was the young female whose breasts were exposed in the photo in the ad on Backpage.com, prosecutors said. A further investigation revealed that the defendants lured the 16-year-old victim into a life of prostitution. The victim met Bowman Jr., in Brooklyn several months earlier, and he allegedly conspired with his father, Bowman Sr., to traffic her to New Jersey to work in the prostitution ring. It is alleged that both Glen Bowman Sr. and Copeland threatened the 16-year-old with physical violence if she did not follow their rules and perform to their expectations. Well continue to partner with law enforcement at all levels to detect and aggressively prosecute human traffickers, Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice said in a statement. We urge members of the public to call us if they see young women in suspicious circumstances or other indicators of potential human trafficking." After one of its locations was accused of tipping off Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents about patrons who may have been in the U.S. illegally staying at its locations, Motel 6 The motel chain confirmed on Twitter that company employees were providing daily guest lists to ICE. "Over the past several days, it was brought to our attentio that certain local Motel 6 properties in the Phoenix-area were voluntarily providing daily guest lists to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). As previously stated, this was undertaken at the local level without the knowledge of senior management. When we became aware of it, it was discontinued," the statement read. Motel 6 added that the company is issuing a directive to all of its locations that sending ICE daily lists of guests staying at Motel 6s is "prohibited." At least 20 arrests were made by ICE agents at two Phoenix Motel 6s between February and August, the Phoenix News Times reported. The motels were located in regions with a high Latino population. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS GET OK TO VOTE IN MARYLAND CITY'S ELECTION Robert McWhirter, an attorney for a former guest of the motel, Jose Renteria Alvarado, said the business shared its guest logs with the agents, KPHO reported. Alvarado was arrested in June while staying at the motel and could face deportation. "I imagine what went on here is they probably took a look at the names on the guest registry and compared that to a database of people that have been deported," McWhirter told KPHO. Alvarado has been deported once previously due to a criminal record, and could now face six months in prison and then be deported. WHAT IS DACA AND WHY IS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ENDING IT? Virginia Kice, a spokeswoman for ICE, told KPHO she could not disclose where the agents get their information. "The agency receives viable enforcement tips from a host of sources, including other law enforcement agencies, relevant databases, crime victims, and the general public via the agencys tip line and online tip form Kice said. She added: "Its worth noting that hotels and motels, including those in the Phoenix area, have frequently been exploited by criminal organizations engaged in highly dangerous illegal enterprises, including human trafficking and human smuggling." Motel 6's statement said the company apologizes for the incident, and that it will be reviewing and reissuing updates company guidelines. Lawyers representing a group of students and a professor urged the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill to remove a Confederate statue Wednesday, claiming the monument violates federal anti-discrimination laws. The bronze and marble statue known as Silent Sam, erected in 1913, has been a focal point of demonstrations over the years. Students have staged regular protests and sit-ins recently, while someone painted murderer and KKK on the statue in 2015. The letter which was sent to UNC Chancellor Carol Folt and UNC system President Margaret Spellings states: "The statue violates federal anti-discrimination laws by fostering a racially hostile learning environment. As UNCs Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office acknowledges, federal laws guarantee a series of rights to members of the UNC campus community. Among the applicable laws are Title IV and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which forbid racial discrimination at UNC as an institution of higher learning and a recipient of federal funds." Written on behalf of a dozen students, UNC Law Prof. Erika K Wilson and the UNC Black Law Students Association, the letter suggests the university authorize the statues removal to avoid needless litigation. As a black male in the South I cant help but feel that the statue is disrespectful," Aaron Epps, one of the students who signed the letter, told The Washington Post. "When I first came to campus, I definitely felt like I didnt belong. Statues like this necessarily contribute to that feeling of not fitting in and not belonging. Prof. Wilson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Joel Curran, a spokesman for the university, released a statement saying the school will continue to address the community's concerns. While we do not have the unilateral legal authority to move the monument, these students have raised questions about federal civil rights law that will need to be addressed, and we will work with our Board of Trustees and Board of Governors to do so, Curran said, according to The Washington Post. The students' letter, however, claims UNC does in fact have the authority to remove the statue. A core principle of the United States Constitution that you have sworn to uphold is that state laws cannot justify trampling federally protected rights," the letter states. The University of Virginias president had harsh words for the students who wrapped the Thomas Jefferson monument in a black shroud and plastered it with Black Lives Matter signs on Tuesday. In an email sent on Wednesday to alumni and friends of the college, Teresa Sullivan said the student protesters were desecrating ground that many of us consider sacred. I strongly disagree with the protesters decision to cover the Jefferson statue. I also recognize the rights of those present at the protest to express their emotions and opinions regarding the recent horrific events that occurred on our grounds and in Charlottesville, Sullivan said in a statement posted online. As Fox News previously reported, several dozen students showed up to the protest and some people climbed atop the monument and hoisted signs calling Jefferson, a founder of the university and a Founding Father, a "racist" and "rapist." Students also reportedly chanted "No Trump, No KKK, no racist U-V-A. WHICH CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS WERE REMOVED? A RUNNING LIST Sullivan noted Jeffersons championing of religious freedom and his authoring of the Declaration of Independence. In its early days, the University of Virginia was dependent upon the institution of slavery. Enslaved people not only built its buildings, but also served in a wide variety of capacities for UVAs first 50 years of existence. After gaining freedom, African Americans continued to work for the university, but they were not allowed to enroll as students until the mid-twentieth century. The large public research university was founded in 1819 and was designated by UNESCO as America's first and only collegiate world heritage site. No need to be sorry. That is not the English Oxford Dictionary definition. For example: I have an intense dislike of and for YOU. But I don't HATE you. I don't expect you to be able to make the distinction. That would require complex thought, and you are decidedly sophomoric in that avenue. The campus of the University of California, Berkeley, and the area around it, looks like its bracing for a military siege. Six buildings have been shut down and put off limits, large concrete blocks have been placed in roadways, police are enforcing a huge perimeter around one of the buildings and the schools administrative staff will leave two hours early. Its all for Thursday evenings speech by conservative Ben Shapiro or rather for the possibility left-wing activists may use violence and vandalism to stop the speech, something that they have done before. Local police are working with the universitys administration and have issued a long list of items protesters may not bring to the protest, including torches, bricks, knives and dynamite. The Berkeley City Council also authorized police to use pepper spray for the first time in nearly 20 years, a move denounced by Antifa group Refuse Fascism. And for UC-Berkeley students who find Shapiros mainstream conservative ideas upsetting, the school is offering mental health counseling. Authorities had good reason to brace for a virtual military siege. In February, black-clad Antifa protesters vandalized university buildings and started fires to prevent conservative provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos from giving a speech on campus. The violence managed to force the cancellation of his speech. Then in August, anarchists stormed what had been a largely peaceful Berkeley protest against hate and attacked at least five people, including the leader of a politically conservative group who canceled an event a day earlier in San Francisco amid fears of violence. The group of more than 100 hooded protesters, with shields emblazoned with the words "no hate" and waving a flag identifying themselves as anarchists, busted through police lines, avoiding security checks by officers to take away possible weapons. Then the anarchists assaulted Joey Gibson, the leader of the Patriot Prayer group, with pepper spray and forced the cancellation of a news conference when authorities closed off the public square Gibson planned to use. Separately, groups of hooded, black-clad protesters attacked at least four other men in or near the park, kicking and punching them until the assaults were stopped by police. Jonathan Chow, a senior from Florida and member of Berkeley College Republicans, said he will be listening to the speech online because of concerns about safety. Chow was at the Yiannopoulos event that turned violent, and said he does not want to relive it. Its very risky, I dont want to go through that again, or go through the disappointment of him not being able to speak, said the history major. I also dont want to be trapped in a building again. The earlier left-wing protests, which appeared to be organized by Refuse Fascism, have been widely denounced by progressive leaders. Weve never seen a situation like this, said UC-Berkeleys new chancellor, Carol Christ, according to the Los Angeles Times. Its very unique. Its a very different political dynamic where free speech at Berkeley has become the occasion for the right and left to confront each other. I believe very strongly in Ben Shapiros right to speak on campus, Christ said. I dont agree with Ben Shapiro, in fact I profoundly disagree with him. But I believe he was legitimately invited by a student group and that he has the right to speak. Its a really troubling situation. A Los Angeles Times editorial criticized the school's decision to offer "mental health counseling" to students upset by having to hear conservative views. "Why did that bother us? Its certainly justifiable even laudable for UC Berkeley to offer counseling to students in distress whatever the cause." "Still, there seemed to be a troubling implication that listening to views that offend you is hazardous to your mental health." The school is also bracing for more left-wing violence and vandalism. As part of the campuss Free Speech Week a four-day event starting Sept. 24 and coordinated by the conservative organization The Berkeley Patriot -- other controversial conservatives are scheduled to speak at Berkeley, including Yiannopoulos, former White House strategist Stephen Bannon and commentator Ann Coulter. The Associated Press contributed to this report. One of the United States' most advanced nuclear submarines returned to port in Washington state this week flying a Jolly Roger, a move steeped in maritime lore and mystery. The images of the USS Jimmy Carter, a Seawolf-class nuclear-powered submarine passing through the Hood Canal, were posted to a Pentagon media site and Twitter page. They show the skull and bones flying beside the American flag, the Washington Post reported. The 450-foot-long Carter is one of three in its class and designed to conduct covert sea operations, the paper reported. The sub also was filmed returning from its last patrol in April with the Jolly Roger flying from the conning tower. The black flag emblazoned with a skull and crossbones is of significance, says Scottish journalist Ian Keddie, who posted one of the photos on Twitter. The tradition of flying it dates to 1914, during World War I, when a British submarine sank the German battle cruiser Hela, according to the historical book Submarines at War 1939-45, the paper reported. When the HMS E-9 returned to port, Lt. Cmdr Max Horton raised the iconic pirate flag to signal that its crew had sunk an enemy warship. British naval fleets have honored the tradition sporadically ever since. It was not immediately clear why the Carter returned to its home port observing a British tradition, according to the paper. U.S. submarine activity is reportedly rarely discussed by the Pentagon, and the vessels operate in secrecy. The paper pointed out that the flag display could represent the success of a more covert mission. The Carter is able to deploy unmanned submersibles and probably splice undersea cables, all while using specially outfitted thrusters to almost hover off the ocean floor. One of the Seawolf classs namesake subs participated in the Cold War-era operations, in which U.S. subs tapped Soviet communication lines that were underwater. Click for more from the Washington Post. New York state will fine the Niagara Falls Water Board $50,000 for discharging black and smelly water near the falls during a busy tourist weekend, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday. The agency will be required to make changes at its aging wastewater plant and obtain state approval before any future discharges. The July 29 discharge caused discolored water to empty into the Niagara River near the American side of the falls on a summer weekend critical to the local tourism industry. The foul-smelling discharge enveloped the dock for the popular Maid of the Mist tour boats. "We have to make sure it never ever happens again," the Democratic governor said during a visit Thursday to Niagara Falls. He said the state determined the discharge was the result of "basic breaches of protocol" at the plant. A message left with Water Board Executive Director Rolfe Porter was not immediately returned Thursday. Local water officials have blamed outdated equipment and miscommunication between employees for the incident. The board also has been cited for an unrelated discharge in August. Cuomo dismissed claims the discharge was caused by technological issues, likening the plant to an old car that's in a crash. "It's not the age of the car you drove it into a tree," he said. "That's the problem. You drove the car into a tree. Let's discuss that first." Similar to Katrina, Sandy, and other disasters in the United States, Hurricane Harvey's catastrophic devastation was worsened by the geography and urban sprawl of Houston. The destruction caused raises the question of whether this storm will further push resilience building plans into the federal policy arena. AccuWeather projects Hurricane Harvey to be the most expensive natural disaster in history of the United States. The cost of the damages is predicted to equal the cost of Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy combined. Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston. The city's flat geography, outdated drainage systems, poor land and reservoir management and recent construction boom made it extremely vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding events. The Harris County Flood Control District has dubbed Harvey a 500-year flood, meaning theres a 1-in-500, or a 0.2 percent, that an event of this magnitude could occur each year. Due to the low possibility, cities often dont prepare for this kind of scenario. Houstons Hazard Mitigation Plan addresses 100-year floods, not 500-year floods, even though Houston has experienced three 500-year floods in the past decade. Hazard mitigation plans are meant to assess a location's vulnerabilities and to develop a plan to reduce or eliminate the potential risks on human life and property in future disasters. The citys vulnerability to flooding events led to what is projected to be the most expensive natural disaster. Harvey's catastrophic flooding will likely lead to the adoption of new climate action plans in the storm-affected areas, as seen in previous cases of extreme weather like Katrina and Sandy. Similar to Houston, New Orleans was not structurally prepared for a high magnitude hurricane. New Orleans sits about 6 feet below sea level and is surrounded by a levee system. Scientists warned that the city is extremely vulnerable to hurricanes. But government officials failed to improve the infrastructures and evacuation plans in case of an emergency, according to Dr. Brent Yarnal, a Penn State professor of geography and science. Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005 and exposed the flaws in the system. The pumps and levees failed, and the city was left flooded with an estimated $91 billion in property damage and over 1,000 dead, according to Yarnal. Following Katrina, New Orleans was forced to revise its climate action plan. New Orleans developed the Master Plan, which outlines land use and levee protection as well as overall town planning of New Orleans. But the extensive damage caused by the storm has not yet been completely restored in the decade following its destruction. Sandys devastating impacts in New Jersey in 2012 also led to the development of an adaptation plan. Not only has New Jersey implemented statewide climate policies, but it has also increased municipalities incentives to enforce environmental protection policies through its statewide certification program, Sustainable Jersey. Sustainable Jersey is a nonprofit organization that aims to support local communities as they pursue sustainability programs by providing tools, training and financial incentives. It works to support community efforts to reduce waste, cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental equity throughout the state. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also developed a strategy to reduce the costs of future disasters. The reactive strategies included enhancing data-driven decisions and engaging in whole community dialogue. These disaster relief plans are responses to extreme disasters and are meant to limit the recurrence of the damages. Reactive plans are more commonly used in the United States, as opposed to anticipatory adaptation plans, according to Dr. Robert Repetto, retired professor at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Experts project that there will be more frequent and destructive disasters. Reactive adaptation measures are going to lag behind the emerging risks, according to Repetto. This projection has led many United States cities to increasingly prioritize building resilience capacity. These cities are working to increase their ability to withstand and recover from stresses. National policies can influence local resilience building and the establishment of disaster relief plans. National policies set expectations, define ways to measure resilience and promote policies that generate resilience in business. FEMA has played a key role in such national efforts. Preparedness is a shared responsibility and calls for the involvement of everyonenot just the federal governmentbut also state, local, tribal, territorial partners, businesses, faith-based and community organizations, as well as individuals and their families, FEMA said in an email. Extreme weather events, such as Sandy and Katrina, exposed communties' weaknesses and led to the further development of disaster relief plans to reduce the potential threats. These plans assessed the vulnerabilities of their communities in order to prevent the same catastrophic damages from reoccurring. Hurricane Irma followed shortly after Harvey with similar high intensity and catastrophic damages. While Florida has higher resilience to hurricanes due to the higher frequency of tropical storm events in the state, Irma hit with a higher intensity than the norm. Irma caused record-breaking power outages and severe devastation along its track. Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma will likely lead to updated disaster relief plans, similar to those of Katrina and Sandy. The question remains whether the catastrophic damage caused will further push anticipatory adaptation plans and resilience building efforts into the federal policy arena. A DNA test revealed on Wednesday the man accused of raping a 10-year-old Indian girl, whose campaign for an abortion made international news when her pleas were denied, is not the father of her child. The girl had accused her uncle, said to be in his 40s, of raping her several times. Indian police released new DNA results, however, that showed the uncle wasnt the father of the newborn though the uncle hasnt denied the rape charges against him, the 10-year-olds father said. "So far no one had thought of any other possibility. The girl had testified to the court on video conferencing and in her statement, she had very clearly named the uncle and revealed facts about her abuse," an official told the BBC. The uncle was arrested and charged with crimes against children. The unidentified girl gave birth to the baby girl last month after discovering she was pregnant in mid-July, the BBC reported. The girl said she thought her bulging belly was caused by a stone in her stomach. Her parents only took her to the hospital when she complained about stomach pains. The parents said they did not suspect anyone else had sexually assaulted their daughter. Police spoke to the girl and her family again on Tuesday. The local court in Chandigarh denied the girls plea for an abortion because she was too far into her pregnancy. India law requires a woman to be less than 20 weeks pregnant to perform an abortion. A panel of doctors had also said the abortion would be too risky. The Supreme Court in India also refused her abortion because of similar reasons. The girls baby was placed in child welfare care and will be put up for adoption after the family refused to acknowledge the newborn. Similar abortion stories have gained global attention in recent month. In May, another 10-year-old girl in the northern state of Haryana, who claimed her stepfather raped her, was allowed to abort her baby. Last Friday, a 13-year-old girl who was 32 weeks pregnant was also granted an abortion. At least 23 schoolchildren and others have died in a fire at an Islamic religious school near Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, a fire department official said. The fire started early Thursday on the top floor of a three-story building that may have been used as a dormitory for the students. According to a fire department statement, two wardens and 23 students died in the fire. Seven other people were injured and taken to a hospital, with another 11 people rescued, Reuters reported. The official said the dead bodies were piled on top of each other, suggesting there might have been a stampede as the students tried to escape. Police were still working to confirm the exact number of dead people. It really does not make sense for so many to die in the fire, fire department official Khirudin Drahman told Agence France-Presse. I think it is one of the countrys worst fire disasters in the past 20 years, he added, noting that the government was now investigating the cause of the fire. Malaysian federal territories deputy minister Loga Bala Mohan also told AFP the fire was devastating. We sympathize with the families. It is one of the worst fires involving so many lives in the capital in recent years, he said. We urgently want the authorities to quickly probe the cause of the deadly fire so that we will be able to prevent future disasters. The building is a special Islamic school where students between ages 5 and 18 learn to memorize the Quran, Reuters reported. The fire department reportedly raised concerns about fire safety in the past at unregulated and private religious schools, the Malay Mail Online reported. More than 200 fires were recorded since 2015 in such schools. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Bulgarian court has sentenced three Syrian nationals to six years in prison on terrorism charges. The men, aged 20, 22 and 25, are accused of trying to go to Syria to join militants. The court, which handles cases of terrorism and organized crime, accepted on Thursday the prosecutor's indictment that the three had planned terrorist actions but rejected accusations that they intended to join the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamic State group in Syria. The three men, who had obtained refugee status in Germany, were caught by Bulgarian border police in February. The prosecution said it had found communications records with members of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamic State group saved in the men's mobile phones. The lawyer representing the Syrians said they will appeal the verdict. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is sending a delegation to Cairo to hear more about Egyptian attempts to broker an elusive reconciliation deal between him and his political rival Hamas. Hamas leaders said after a meeting with Egyptian officials in Cairo earlier this week that they are ready to discuss reconciliation without conditions. Azzam al-Ahmed, an Abbas representative, says his team arrives Friday. Palestinians have been split politically and geographically since 2007, when the Islamic militant Hamas drove forces loyal to Abbas from Gaza, leaving him with autonomous enclaves in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Repeated attempts at reconciliation have failed. It's not clear how Egypt's latest effort aligns with its previous tacit support for a separate Gaza power-sharing deal between Hamas and Mohammed Dahlan, an exiled former Abbas aide-turned-rival. Finland's Foreign Ministry says a Finnish national kidnapped in Afghanistan has been released and is safe. The ministry says the family asks for privacy, and that more information will be available later Thursday. The Swedish humanitarian organization Operation Mercy confirmed Thursday "with great joy" that their Finnish colleague, who was abducted on May 20, had been released. She was not identified. Finnish broadcaster YLE said a German national, who also worked for Operation Mercy, was killed in the kidnapping, along with an Afghan guard. The group says it works in central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, helping "the poor and marginalized through community development and humanitarian aid projects." Former American ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton says a U.S. -sponsored draft declaration on U.N. reform being chaired next week by President Trump is just the usual rhetoric. Trump will be in New York next week for his first U.N. General Assembly, where his first act of business will be to chair the U.S.-sponsored event on U.N reform. Fox News obtained a copy of the U.S.-sponsored draft declaration that supports Secretary General Antonio Guterres reform efforts. "The draft declaration is just the usual rhetoric. It could have been issued five years ago, or 50 years ago, John Bolton, the former U.S. ambassador to the world body, told Fox News. It reads like it was drafted by the U.N. Secretariat, he said, referring to the U.N.s executive arm. I certainly hope it wasnt drafted by the [U.S. government.] Bolton is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and is chairman of the Gatestone Institute. The only reform that can make a sustained difference over time is to eliminate assessed contributions and move entirely to voluntary contributions of all U.N. agencies and programs. Then, we will see results, and if not, defunding will follow, he said. The United States is the biggest contributor to the U.N. and pays 22 percent of its regular budget and some 28 percent of the peacekeeping budget as well as hundreds of millions of dollars in voluntary contributions to U.N. bodies, such as UNICEF. Trumps U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley, has taken the lead in his quest for a leaner U.N. by driving a peacekeeping review process that is projected to save at least half a billion dollars. The U.S. mission to the U.N and the State Department declined to answer specific questions and the White House did not respond to questions sent by Fox News on the reform meeting. Brett Schaefer, a leading expert on the U.N. and the Jay Kingham Fellow at the Heritage Foundation, says the political declaration is a good beginning. Its a good starting point for discussions, but the impact will be measured by the concrete details agreed to at the high-level event and adopted during the UNGA (U.N. General Assembly), he said. Schaefer says the event will show all nations that U.N. reform is a top priority for the Trump administration. Having President Trump preside over the high-level event alerts every nation that U.N. reform is a top U.S. priority, he said. Inaction on reform could result in funding reductions or withholding to leverage reform or support for American priorities, he emphasized. One U.N. Security Council diplomat told Fox News that the smaller countries are not happy with the approach for the meeting on reform the U.S. proposes to discuss, and said before any country gets an invite, they must first sign the declaration. It puts many nations in a hard position as they mostly support and need the U.S. but dont like the approach that was taken to put this together, the diplomat told Fox News. Hugh Dugan, a former American diplomat who served at the United States Mission for some 25 years, said the one-page, ten-point plan to be agreed on was short on specifics. This is the twitter version of U.N. reform. It is very concise, therefore apparently less than robust, said Dugan, who is now at Seton Hall Universitys Center for U.N. and Global Governance studies. Bea Edwards, a senior international policy analyst at the Government Accountability Project (GAP) in Washington D.C., worries it is not looking at past failures. Accountability means looking back and assigning responsibility for wrongs done for sexual abuse of children by peacekeepers or for circumventing sanctions on North Korea, as well as for retaliating against the whistleblowers who disclosed these acts, she said. A reform that only looks forward as this statement suggests the next reform round will avoids accountability rather than strengthening it. Edwards told Fox News. The spokesman for the Secretary General, Stephane Dujarric, told Fox that his boss was delighted, to be taking part of the upcoming meeting with the president. Dujarric told Fox News the U.N. needs to be more fit for purpose, more nimble and more effective than it is today. SCIO Kim Roth had a question for her fourth-graders to explore as part of a science lab at Centennial Elementary School: Will a mountain last forever? Some of her students thought it might, because after all, mountains are made of rock. But after a discussion about freezing and thawing, root wedges and the general wear and tear from erosion, most had a different idea. Following Roth's line of questioning, the students designed an experiment to test how mountains change. To simulate a rock rolling down a hill, they placed sugar cubes in plastic containers and shook them for a count of 40. They colored the edges of two of the cubes to better show the effects. Scio students, particularly at the elementary level, score consistently higher on state assessment tests for science than their mid-valley counterparts. Teachers and principals say labs like Centennial's are part of that difference. The district shone once again in state assessment results released Thursday by the Oregon Department of Education, beating the state average by more than 15 points. Thursday's scores, which reflect the 2016-17 school year, are the third set issued under the new Smarter Balanced testing system for math and reading. Those two tests show mixed results, with overall state scores sliding a little from the previous year in both subjects. Most Linn County school districts followed that trend, and only Central Linn met or surpassed the state average in all subjects. (See the attached graphic for Linn County results. Complete grade, school and district results are to be posted by the state on its website, www.ode.state.or.us.) Oregon students in grades 3-8 and grade 11 have been taking Smarter Balanced, or SBAC, tests since 2015. But science, although on its way to being measured by a new test cued to "Next Generation" science standards, is still tested under the old Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, or OAKS. OAKS tests in science are given annually in grades 5, 8 and 11. In the mid-valley, Scio's OAKS science scores continue to outpace others. The district had a 77.7 percent all-grades pass rate for 2016-17 compared to the state average of 61.4 percent. That's the highest total in both Linn and Benton counties. The district also saw a 7-point jump from the previous total, which was 70.7 percent for 2015-16. Scio's rates hold up from grade to grade, too. High school juniors scored a 70.1 percent pass rate last year compared to the state's 56 percent average. Eighth-graders hit 74.1 percent while the state averaged just 61.8 percent. And Scio's fifth-graders topped them all with an 89.7 percent pass rate compared to the state's 65.1 percent, also the highest in the two-county area. High scores on OAKS science tests aren't new for the district, which has always had a strong science tradition, Superintendent Gary Tempel said. But they indicate that teacher efforts to be innovative and work together, plus recent changes made at each grade level, are continuing to drive that tradition. Scio High School, for instance, added an Earth Science class a few years ago specifically for juniors. It's a built-in safety net for anyone who hasn't yet met the science standards, Principal Pat Dutcher said. Scio Middle School has worked hard at making sure classes fill any gaps between the current state science standards and the Next Generation standards the state is phasing in, Principal Greg Nolan said. For example, students learn about the periodic table of elements in seventh grade under the current standards, but get a review in eighth grade so the concepts will be fresh for the test. "And then we also have a really good outdoor school program that hits a lot of those standards," Nolan said. "That piques interest and sets the tone for middle school science. And we have a couple trips to OMSI (the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) to keep interest and curiosity going." At Centennial Elementary School, Principal Luke Zedwick said continued strength in science may be the result of stressing not science itself, but language. The school began a program about a year and a half ago called GLAD, which stands for Guided Language Acquisition Design. GLAD is actually meant to help students who are learning English as a second language. That makes up a very small population at Centennial, but the training and teaching concepts work schoolwide, Zedwick said. Using GLAD, students pick up new vocabulary concepts in a variety of ways: through drawings, sign language, definition repetition and other activities all designed to drive an idea home and make it stick. In Roth's class, for instance, students added vocabulary language to posters depicting changes in mountain topography, then discussed those changes before moving to the sugar cube experiment. The lab was part of an overall unit on engineering, specifically on how engineers cope with landslides, Roth said. Besides the science standards, the unit hits reading, writing, listening, public speaking and working in groups. Science and social studies classes were the first beneficiaries of GLAD, and it's those students fifth-graders last year whose scores jumped to nearly 90 percent. "Historically, Scio is awesome at science," Zedwick said. And as for the top scores last year: "We're looking at doing it again." Jose, once a hurricane threatening the Caribbean, is now weakened to a post-tropical cyclone storm, according to the National Hurricane Center. Jose will "meander" off the southern coast of New England for a few days as it slowly travels to the west. Here's what you need to know. Where is Jose now? Jose is approximately 115 miles south-southeast of Nantucket, Mass., the National Hurricane Centers 8 a.m. ET advisory said Friday. It has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. FLORIDA SEES LOOTING, BVI PRISONERS ESCAPE IN IRMA AFTERMATH Jose was downgraded to a tropical storm last week, earlier than initially expected by forecasters, but then became a Category 1 hurricane a day later. It has since been downgraded back to a tropical storm. What else should I know about the hurricane? Shortly after Irma ravaged the Caribbean, Jose formed, threatening already wrecked houses, businesses and shelters with a major loss of communication. Jose passed north of the Caribbean islands and Puerto Rico last week as a Category 4 hurricane, a situation, the Netherlands navy said, that was better than expected. A tropical storm warning is in effect for Block Island, R.I., as well as Nantucket and Marthas Vineyard, both in Massachusetts. The warning also applies to a stretch of the state going from Woods Hole to Sagmore Beach that includes Cape Cod, according to forecasters. The Associated Press contributed to this report. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Iraq's Kurds vote this month on whether or not they support independence for their enclave in the country's north, a step toward their long-held dream of statehood. The outcome, almost certain to be "yes," will further rattle a region still engulfed in the fight against the Islamic State group. A "yes" vote won't mean immediate independence for the Kurdish region since the referendum does not have legal force. But Kurdish officials say they will use it to pressure the Iraqi government in Baghdad to come to the negotiating table and formalize their independence bid. Already the Sept. 25 vote is fueling tensions. Baghdad and Iraq's neighbors, Iran and Turkey, which worry it will encourage their own sizeable Kurdish populations, have all demanded it be called off. Iraq's prime minister has called the referendum unconstitutional and warned of potential violence in territory claimed by both the Kurds and Baghdad. The United States, the Kurds' top ally, has tried to persuade them to postpone the vote, fearing it will open a new chapter of instability even as U.S.-backed forces try to recapture the last remaining IS-held pockets in Iraq. The results could mark an important, historic shift. Since Saddam Hussein's fall in 2003, the Kurdish government has held off on dreams of statehood, saying it would try working within a united Iraq, albeit with a large degree of autonomy. A vote for independence would proclaim their determination to go it alone. If they eventually do break away, it would be the most significant redrawing of borders in the Middle East since the creation of Israel in 1948. It will split Iraq, tearing away a Switzerland-sized chunk, including key oil resources, and leaving the remainder with an Arab population split between a Shiite Muslim majority and Sunni minority. The Kurdish self-rule zone officially makes up about 10 percent of Iraq's territory, with a population of about 3 million, around 8 percent of Iraq's total 37 million. Further adding to the explosive mix, the Kurds have expanded control beyond their enclave's formal borders, increasing its size by more than half. In fighting with IS, they seized parts of northern Nineveh province and the oil-rich central region Kirkuk, territory claimed by the Baghdad government. The Kurds say they intend to keep those areas. Some will likely be bargaining chips in negotiations on independence but they could also become flashpoints for violence. In a recent sermon, the leader of a powerful Shiite militia warned that his forces were ready to fight for those territories, saying they would be considered Iraqi land occupied by Kurds if independence goes through. "We have experience in dealing with occupation forces," Sheikh Qais al-Khazali told worshippers, referring to the fight his Asaib Ahl al-Haq group previously waged against U.S. troops in Iraq. There are brakes on the Kurds' independence drive. The Kurdish region is wrestling with an economic crisis deepened by reduced oil revenues, and its government is mired in divisions. Many Kurds are hesitant to break away without ensuring international support or recognition. The referendum in part may aim to show the United States, Baghdad, Turkey and Iran that they have to find a peaceful way toward a Kurdish state. Large-scale violence following the vote is unlikely, though there could be small-scale friction in disputed areas, said Kirk Sowell, publisher of the newsletter Inside Iraqi Politics. The regional reaction will also likely be muted because the referendum won't immediately change anything, he said. Still, Iraq's Kurds are stockpiling goods in case Turkey or Iran close borders in retaliation for the vote. Large Kurdish populations in Turkey and Iran are pressing for greater rights with fringes demanding outright autonomy. Turkey has battled Kurdish rebels, and unrest has been common in Iran's northwestern Kurdish region. Hiking Turkish and Iranian concerns, Syria's Kurds are moving aggressively toward their own self-rule after carving out territory across northern Syria in that country's war. Iran described the Iraqi Kurds' referendum as "dangerous and provocative." "If Iraq's division begins, it will spill over to Syria and Turkey and a war of separatism will begin which may make the region insecure for 20 years," said Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran's Expediency Council, a senior government body. Also wary of the vote are non-Kurdish minorities in the Kurds' newly captured territories. In Kirkuk, local lawmakers voted last month in favor of participating in the referendum. But 14 lawmakers from local minorities Turkmens and Arabs boycotted, so it was the provincial parliament's Kurdish members who pushed through the measure. Despite the pressure, the Kurds are determined to hold the vote. Denied their own state after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, they have long pushed for independence. They were brutally oppressed under Saddam, whose military in the 1980s killed at least 50,000 Kurds, many with chemical weapons. The self-rule Kurdistan Regional Government with its capital in Irbil was established in 1992 after the U.S. enforced a no-fly zone across the north following the Gulf War. After the 2003 U.S.-led invasion ousted Saddam, the autonomous region secured constitutional recognition. "I hope the referendum will succeed. We have been in the same circle with the Arabs for 50 years. We cannot trust them," said Saber Salim, an old man sitting outside Irbil's citadel. He said his family was driven out of Kirkuk during the Saddam era and his brother was killed in clashes with Saddam's forces in the 1980s. Ali Awni, a leading member of the ruling Kurdish party KDP, said this is "the perfect time to declare independence." "Turkey has internal political problems, the Iranians are fighting on different fronts, Iraq is in a miserable state ... and Syria is dead," he said. But some Kurds who oppose the referendum believe the autonomous region's president, Masoud Barzani, is trying to distract from failures and entrench his own position. The Kurdish parliament was suspended in 2015 and Barzani has remained in office beyond his term, with oil prices harming his government's ability to pay salaries amid charges that security forces are intimidating referendum opponents. "By rejecting the referendum, we want to say no to the elite who have ruled the region for 26 years," said lawmaker Raboun Maarouf, who heads the anti-referendum campaign. But he says he is not opposed to independence in principle. Kardo Abdulkhaleq, an Irbil shopkeeper, said the divisive mood makes him fear a repeat of heavy fighting that erupted between Kurdish parties in the mid-1990s. "My concern is that we'd end up like South Sudan or other places that got their independence and then fell into civil war." ___ Salaheddin reported from Baghdad. Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai contributed to this report. Friends and relatives of the Italian family who died after falling into a steamy volcanic crater Tuesday said the couple's sons had asked to visit the site on the last day of their vacation. Authorities identified the parents as Massimiliano Carrer, 45, and Tiziana Zaramella, 42. Their son was identified only as Lorenzo. Italian news agency ANSA said the family was from the town of Meolo in northeastern Italy, near Venice, but Zaramella was originally from Turin. "The little ones wanted to see the volcanoes," an unidentified female relative told the Corriere Del Veneto newspaper. "They had studied at school, and their parents wanted to give them this gift. It was the last one." Police said Lorenzo apparently slipped after he breached a fence surrounding the prohibited area at the Solfatara Crater in Pozzuoli. "They had created a strong bond with the birth of their two children," Vanna, a friend, told Corriere Della Sera. Tiziana's mother and her husband's parents will now be taking care of the surviving son, according to the newspaper. It wasn't immediately clear if the 11-year-old and his parents were overcome by gases or were killed as the result of an explosion of super-heated mud. Heavy rains in recent days may have played a role by creating more openings in the volcanic field's surface. "They were an awesome family, a force of nature," another relative told the newspaper. The crater is located in the Phlegraean Fields, a sprawling constellation of ancient volcanic craters frequented by Italian school children and tourists from around the world. The fields are scorching hot only a few inches below the surface. Signs around the crater in multiple languages warn of the danger of burning from high soil temperatures and steam that reaches up to 320 degrees Fahrenheit. Visitors are told to stay clear of fumaroles, openings in the Earth's crust that emit steam and gases, and not to climb the slopes or breach the fences. While the Phlegraean Fields are privately run, geologists monitor the area round the clock, checking temperatures and chemically analyzing gases. They have determined the fields rose by about 12 inches over a decade. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Premier Paolo Gentiloni says he's still committed to passing legislation to let immigrants' children become Italians, after his Democratic Party lawmakers acknowledged they don't have the votes to pass it in parliament. Speaking Thursday in Greece, Gentiloni said there's still time before the end of the year to pass the bill. He said: "Here we are still in the summer, as you can see, and the commitment that we described for weeks surely remains. It is a work that needs to be done." The head of Gentiloni's Democratic Party in the Senate, Luigi Zanda, acknowledged Wednesday he doesn't have the votes. The bill would allow those born in Italy to immigrants holding long-term residence permits to seek citizenship when they are as young as age 12, down from the current age of 18. A Financial Times journalist was killed by a crocodile while washing his hands at a lagoon in Sri Lanka during a holiday with pals. Paul McClean, 25, an Oxford University graduate, is understood to have wandered away from his group of friends to find a toilet when he was attacked. The British victim is believed to have been dragged under water at a lagoon called Crocodile Rock near a popular surf spot after being ambushed by the reptile. McClean graduated from Oxford with a First class honors degree in French in 2015 before joining the Financial Times later that year. He had covered Brexit and the European Union for the newspaper and had recently returned to London after living in Brussels for a couple of months. The lagoon, known to be crawling with crocodiles, is yards away from popular surf spot Elephant Rock near Arugam Bay on the southeast coast. Sri Lankan police and the army are said to be searching the shore surrounding the area. Locals claimed the victim had been staying at the East Beach Surf Resort - located just minutes away from the surfing area he went missing from. Fawas Lafeer, owner of Safa Surf School, located up the coast from where the incident happened, said: A local fisherman witnessed a man being dragged into a river, set back from the beach, by a crocodile. The fisherman was on the opposite side of the river and downstream of the incident location." He added:This is the first known crocodile attack in Sri Lanka. Both tourists and locals surf at Elephant Rock, which is a beautiful secluded beach and very safe. Crocodiles in Sri Lanka live only in the fresh, back waters of the jungle. It is almost unheard of for them to come close to the beach. The salt water actually turns them blind. Local search and rescue teams are working alongside the police and British Embassy in attempt to locate the man's body." Meanwhile, a Scottish tourist, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: A British tourist was at a surf spot called Elephant rock. "There's a lagoon right next to the sea. He went to the toilet next to the lagoon and was grabbed by a crocodile. There are lots in the lagoon. People last saw his arms in the air in the water and then was grabbed under. I was there but didnt see it happen though. Horrible." Click for more from The Sun. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 The Latest on the Syrian conflict (all times local): 3:15 p.m. Russia's military says it fired seven cruise missiles at Islamic State targets in the eastern Syrian province of Deir el-Zour. The Defense Ministry said the Kalibr cruise missiles were launched from two submarines in the Mediterranean on Thursday. Russia has provided military backing for Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces since 2015. It has repeatedly fired salvoes of such missiles, from both the sea and mainland Russia. In this strike, the missiles were aimed at IS command points, communication hubs and arms dumps southeast of the city of Deir el-Zour, where Syrian troops and allied militias are battling the extremists. The ministry said all the targets were destroyed. ___ 10:30 a.m. A Syria monitoring group says a convoy of Islamic State militants and their relatives transferred from the border with Lebanon has finally crossed into an extremist stronghold in eastern Syria, ending a standoff with the U.S.-led coalition over their evacuation deal. The convoy had been stuck in the desert following airstrikes by the U.S-led coalition to prevent its advance. The Hezbollah-negotiated deal allowed the evacuation in exchange for locating the remains of Lebanese soldiers and the release of fighters. On Thursday, a captive Hezbollah fighter was released. The head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said buses and vehicles crossed into Deir el-Zour province Wednesday. Last week, the U.S-led coalition said it ended surveillance of the convoy after a Russian request. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 Fans of the old Latin Mass are descending on Rome for their annual pilgrimage yet they are facing indifference, if not outright resistance to their cause, from Pope Francis. Ten years after Pope Benedict XVI passed a law allowing greater use of the pre-Vatican II Latin Mass, Francis seems to be doing everything possible to roll it back or simply pretend it never happened. In recent weeks, he has affirmed with "magisterial authority" that the Vatican II reforms allowing for Mass to be celebrated in the vernacular rather than Latin were "irreversible." More recently, he gave local bishops' conferences authority to oversee those translations rather than the Vatican. In many ways, these liturgy wars provide a microcosm of the battle lines drawn between traditionalist Catholics and Francis. Theres no way to stop Kim Jong Uns regime and its missile and nuclear program, a North Korea expert told Fox News on Thursday, the warning coming amid Pyongyang's continued threats to sink Japan and blast the U.S. into ashes and darkness. Leading Seoul-based North Korea expert Andrei Lankov told Fox News that Kim Jong Un is accelerating his missile and nuclear program much faster than anybody expected. They want to get the point of having a sufficient number of intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of destroying a sufficient number of American cities, Lankov said. The expert expressed doubt about reining in North Koreas trajectory in achieving its military goal, adding the use of any military force would send the peninsula into war. He said sanctions and regional diplomacy wouldnt work, either. I dont think, unfortunately, there is no way to stop them, Lankov said. No wayA use of military force, but that would result in a second Korean war. That would be an absolute disaster. He added: They will not want to talk about denuclearizationthey could talk about a nuclear freezein exchange for political and economic concessions." WHY RUSSIA PROPS UP THE DANGEROUS NORTH KOREAN REGIME Lankov provided a glimmer of hope amid the dour analysis, saying hes only mildly worried and believes Kim is rational and knows a war with the U.S. would end his regime. It is alarming, there is the probability of mistakes, misunderstandings, stupidityjust bad luck, Lankov added. North Korea continued its bombastic and bellicose threats against the U.S. and its neighbors on Thursday this time vowing to sink Japan with a nuclear bomb and reduce the U.S. into ashes and darkness. "The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," a statement released by the states official Korean Central News Agency said. Lets reduce the U.S. mainland into ashes and darkness. Lets vent our spite with mobilization of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now." Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga called the threat extremely provocative and outrageous" and said it significantly escalates tension in the region and is absolutely unacceptable. South Korea President Moon Jae-in on Thursday dismissed the notion of developing or receiving nuclear arms in an attempt to deter the North, according to Yonhap News Agency. "I share the view that the South has to increase its defense capabilities in response to the North's advancing nuclear and missile capabilities, but I don't agree to the idea of South Korea developing nuclear arms on its own or seeking the redeployment of tactical nukes," he said. A new round of sanctions against North Korea was issued on Monday after the United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to pass the resolution which bans all natural gas liquids and condensates but caps crude oil imports. All textile exports are also banned and countries are prohibited from authorizing new work permits for North Korean workers. THE WORLD IS FIXATED NORTH KOREA'S LEADER, MISSILES. SO WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO OVERLOOK ITS FORLORN PEOPLE? But despite efforts to sink the regimes economy, North Korea seems to be moving forward with its nuclear and missile program, reportedly resuming work at its underground nuclear testing site, according to defense analysts. A report by 38 North said satellite images captured a large cargo truck at the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site on Sept. 8, possibly prepping for another nuclear detonation. The regime conducted its sixth nuclear test earlier this month. Such activity, coming shortly after the largest underground nuclear test conducted at Punggye-ri to date (via the North Portal), suggests that onsite work could now be changing focus to further prepare those other portals for future underground nuclear testing, the report said. Fox News' Greg Palkot and The Associated Press contributed to this report. North Korea launched another missile Friday, the rogue nation's first missile launch since its massive nuclear test more than a week ago, prompting U.S. officials to issue a sharp round of condemnation. The missile was launched eastward early Friday from Sunan, the site of Pyongyang's international airport. It flew over northern Japan before landing in the Pacific Ocean, according to U.S. Pacific Command. President Donald Trump, who last month vowed "fire and fury" if North Korea ramped up its nuclear threats, didn't immediately comment. However, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis called the missile a reckless act by the North Koreans, adding that the missile "was fired over Japan and put millions of Japanese in duck and cover." Mattis said President Trump has been fully briefed on the missile. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the latest round of sanctions from the United Nations Security Council "represent the floor, not the ceiling" of actions that need to be taken against North Korea. "North Korea's provocative missile launch represents the second time the people of Japan, a treaty ally of the United States, have been directly threatened in recent weeks," Tillerson said. "These continued provocations only deepen North Korea's diplomatic and economic isolation. United Nations Security Council resolutions, including the most recent unanimous sanctions resolution, represent the floor, not the ceiling, of the actions we should take. We call on all nations to take new measures against the Kim regime." The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Friday afternoon, at the request of the U.S. and Japan. In response to the test, South Korea launched a ballistic missile of its own to show it can reach North Korea's launch site. NORTH KOREA THREATENS TO 'SINK' JAPAN, REDUCE US TO 'ASHES AND DARKNESS' Last month, North Korea used the same airport to fire a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile that flew over Japan, which the North declared as a "meaningful prelude" to containing the U.S. island territory of Guam, and the start of more ballistic missile launches targeting the Pacific Ocean. U.S. officials said the missile launched Friday is what the Pentagon calls a KN-17. Its maximum range is estimated to be 2,800 miles. The launched missile, according to reports, reached a height of 480 miles and flew 2,300 miles out, farther than the North's missile launched in August the first missile launched over Japan in eight years which reached a height of 340 miles and flew 1,700 miles out. Guam is about 2,100 miles from North Korea. The missile launch comes three days after the U.N. Security Council unanimously approved new sanctions against North Korea. The resolution bans the regime from importing all natural gas liquids and condensates, and caps Pyongyangs imports of crude oil at the level of the last 12 months. It also limits the import of refined petroleum products to 2 million barrels per year. SOUTH KOREA CONDUCTS CRUISE MISSILE DRILL AS NORTH KOREA THREATENS ACTION The sanctions also ban all textile exports and prohibit all countries from authorizing new work permits for North Korean workers, both of which are sources of hard currency for the regime. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley said that combined with previous sanctions, the U.N. has now banned 90 percent of North Korea's exports reported in 2016. Ahead of the vote, North Korea vowed that the United States would face "pain and suffering" if any new sanctions were approved by the U.N. The forthcoming measures to be taken by [North Korea] will cause the U.S. the greatest pain and suffering it had ever gone through in its entire history, North Koreas Foreign Ministry said in a statement. TRUMP WARNS NORTH KOREA: UN SANCTIONS 'NOTHING' COMPARED TO WHAT'S NEXT A stronger call for tougher sanctions against the regime came after the country recently claimed it detonated a hydrogen bomb. The Sept. 3 test triggered an artificial magnitude 6.3 earthquake. According to a South Korean defense official, the test was estimated to have a yield of 100 kilotons, meaning a blast that was four to five times more powerful than the explosion in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945. Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson, Serafin Gomez and the Associated Press contributed to this report. SWEET HOME The Sweet Home School District is joining Lebanon, Scio and South Albany in issuing "employability grades" along with report cards to indicate how well students might handle jobs. The grades, called E-scores, give students a rating on a scale of 1 to 5. The rating takes into account attendance, behavior, tardiness, teamwork, assignment completion and other "soft skills" employers seek when interviewing potential recruits. Sweet Home High School students will receive their first E-scores along with their first sets of class grades this year, said teacher Jim Costa. Costa gave a report Monday on the program to the Sweet Home School Board. The E-scores have no effect on students' grade point averages, Costa said. The hope is that they will use them for job interviews and will concentrate harder on getting to class on time and handing in their homework in order to keep the scores strong. "An employer will be able to sit down and say, 'OK, what's your score?'" Costa said. Sweet Home already is concentrating hard on attendance and tardiness, sending out staff members to do a "tardy sweep" of the hallways and get students to class. "That's kind of the stick," he said. "This is the carrot." Central Linn School District was the first mid-valley district to try to quantify job skills in a single report. The district began issuing in-house "employability skills certificates" in 2014 to students in eighth through 12th grade. Brent Belveal, principal of South Albany High School, developed the formal E-score program now being used, however. He created the setup in spring 2015 after talking with employers about what they wanted to see in their new hires, working with the Linn-Benton-Lincoln Education Service District to develop the scoring guide. Scio joined the program in 2016 and Lebanon signed on this past spring. Principal Brad Shreve of Lebanon High School said one hope is to improve attendance, but he also wants Lebanon students to have an edge in a competitive economy. Sharing that score, "That tells a story about their work ethic and employability, he said. The program works the same way at all four high schools. First, all students receive a rating from each teacher in their schedule on how well they work cooperatively and complete tasks. These ratings are then averaged together with the records the school already keeps on students' attendance, tardiness and behavior referrals to get a single employability score on a scale of 1 to 5. The ratings will be confidential, accessible only by students and their families, Costa said. "If a student doesn't want to use it, they don't have to." At South Albany, both attendance and graduation rates have improved since instituting the E-score, although Belveal said he can't point to direct attribution. "It definitely has an impact on kids working together and getting tasks completed because our kids track these scores closely," he said. Local employers are taking notice. In Albany, both Oregon Freeze Dry and National Frozen Foods are strong supporters of the E-scores. We do ask about the grade, and we take it into consideration in the hiring process," said Jim Merryman, Oregon Freeze Dry president and chief executive officer. "Were starting to see more and more of it as its been picking up." Armando Nunez, general manager of National Frozen Foods, said his agency is hiring, and freshly minted graduates are welcome. A high employability score could make the difference between an entry-level position and a supervisor, he said. "If they have that score sheet and they show that they have good attendance, they have all those grades that represent a higher score, we look at those students for higher-skill positions. We know they have what it takes to show up to work every day, to be accountable, all those things we look for," Nunez said. "Im talking a $5 difference." North Korea has reportedly resumed work at its underground nuclear testing site, according to defense analysts, in a brazen act of defiance against the latest U.N. sanctions. Commercial satellite imagery has helped identify multiple landslides at the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site near Mt. Mantap, the analysts say in a new report published on 38 North, a website devoted to news out of North Korea. The seismic activity, they say, is a result of North Koreas sixth nuclear test Sept. 3. These disturbances are more numerous and widespread than seen after any of the Norths previous five tests, and include additional slippage in pre-existing landslide scars and a possible subsidence crater, the report says. Images captured Sept. 8 show a large cargo truck in the South entrance area of the testing site, which the analysts from 38 North suggest indicates that North Korea is prepping for another test. Such activity, coming shortly after the largest underground nuclear test conducted at Punggye-ri to date (via the North Portal), suggests that onsite work could now be changing focus to further prepare those other portals for future underground nuclear testing, the report says. The news comes just two days after North Korea vowed it would keep expanding its nuclear weapons arsenal despite recent sanctions imposed by the United Nations. On Wednesday, officials from North Koreas Foreign Ministry responded to a new list of sanctions from the U.N. Security Council, saying that they were committed to pursuing the program, at a faster pace without the slightest diversion, the New York Times reported. On the same day, South Korea announced it had conducted its first live-fire drill for an advanced air-launched cruise missile that would strengthen its pre-emptive strike capability against North Korea in the event of crisis. South Korea's military said the Taurus missile fired from an F-15 fighter jet traveled through obstacles at low altitudes before hitting a target off the country's western coast during drills Tuesday. The country has been accelerating efforts to ramp up its military capabilities in face of a torrent of weapons tests by the Hermit Kingdom. A pre-emptive strike against Pyongyang's leadership would be difficult to undertake, but it's widely seen as the most realistic of the limited military options Seoul has to deny a nuclear attack from its rival. The North said its latest nuclear test was a detonation of a thermonuclear weapon built for its developmental intercontinental ballistic missiles that were flight tested twice in July. The country is also developing solid-fuel missiles that could be fired from land mobile launchers or submarines. It flew a powerful new midrange missile over northern Japan last month while declaring more missile tests targeting the Pacific Ocean. Meanwhile, South Korea said it found a small amount of radioactivity in air samples collected days after the North's test. The Associated Press contributed to this story. North Korea, which on Thursday threatened to sink Japan and turn the U.S. into ashes and darkness after the UN imposed new sanctions, is prepping for another missile launch, defense officials told Fox News. They are moving forward very fast, leading Seoul-based North Korea expert Andrei Lankov said about North Koreas nuclear and missile program. Much faster than expected. North Koreas remarks came as U.S. Marines trained this week with their South Korean counterparts in southeastern South Korea. Experts said North Korea leader Kim Jong Un wants to have the capability of carrying out a major attack. WHY RUSSIA PROPS UP THE DANGEROUS NORTH KOREAN REGIME They want to get to the point of having a sufficient number of intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of destroying a sufficient number of cities, Lankov, an expert at Korea Risk Group, said. U.S. diplomats here and across the world are working to rein in the North Korean regime. But Lankov, also a professor at Seouls Kookmin University, said their efforts could be futile. I dont think there is, unfortunately, any way to stop them, he said. A military option, however, does exist, he said. U.S. forces are training for that possibility. But Lankov noted that the casualties would be high and therefore it would be an absolute disaster. THE WORLD IS FIXATED NORTH KOREA'S LEADER, MISSILES. SO WHY DO WE CONTINUE TO OVERLOOK ITS FORLORN PEOPLE? He said neither sanctions nor regional diplomacy will make an impact in Pyongyang. And even when North Korea does decide to talk, Lankov thinks they will not want to talk about de-nuclearizationthey will want to talk about a nuclear freezein exchange for political and economic concessions. That said, Lankov said he is only mildly worried. He thinks Kim is rational and knows that war with the U.S. would mean the end of him and his regime. So, Lankov said, Kim would not pull the (nuclear) trigger. But things, he said, can always go wrong. There is the probability of mistakes, misunderstandings, stupidity, Lankov said, and just bad luck. Everyone hopes the worst-case scenarios can be avoided. The three Baltic states are watching with concern the latest round of Russian military drills that some analysts believe could be the largest of their kind since the Cold War. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite, who often criticizes Russian leaders, says the mid-September military exercise in Belarus is a sign that Kremlin is preparing for a serious conflict with NATO. "We are anxious about this drill ... it is an open preparation for war with the West," she told reporters. Russia and Belarus say the exercises, which last until Sept. 20, will involve 5,500 Russian and 7,200 Belarusian troops. Russia and the former Soviet Republic of Belarus are holding major military exercises this week and into next right up on NATO'S eastern border. Some newer NATO members, as well as the beleaguered country of Ukraine, are worried that Moscow may be up to something more than just training its troops for self-defense. "This is designed to provoke us, it's designed to test our defenses, and that's why we have to be strong," British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon told the BBC last week. RUSSIA WAR GAMES IN BELARUS SPARK ANXIETY IN BALTICS The term Trojan Horse has been bandied about quite a lot this week, with skeptics asking whether Russia is using the pretext of exercises to carry out a more aggressive plan to annex Belarus, or use Belarus as a base for attacking Ukraine from the West. Moscow has denied all of this, and turned the speculation game around. Some Russian officials have accused NATO of perpetuating these stories in order to justify beefing up its defenses in the Baltic states and Poland. And NATO has been doing that, particularly since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. That, incidentally, occurred right after Russia carried out some "snap exercises" not too far away. The Zapad 2017 (Zapad means West, in Russian) exercises will take place in Belarus and Kaliningrad, a piece of territory disconnected from Russia's landmass, on the Baltic Sea and home to Russian military bases. Kaliningrad is wedged between two NATO countries, Poland and Lithuania. Belarus has borders with Ukraine, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as Russia. These exercises are symbolic as well as strategic in that they are next to the very countries whose entry into the Western military alliance has angered Russia. MR. TRUMP, MR. PUTIN IS SENDING YOU A MESSAGE. YOU MIGHT WANT TO LISTEN Belarus, trying to allay fears of any adventurism on NATO'S borders, had this to say. "We are not threatening anyone," Oleg Voinov, an adviser to the Belarusian Defense Minister, told journalists Thursday. "We have chosen military bases that are significantly removed from the borders with Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia." All of Russia's neighbors remember those so-called "green men," the soldiers who entered Crimea in early 2014 only to later be confirmed as Russian soldiers. Janis Garisons of the Latvian Defense Ministry told the Washington Post this week that Russia's overall comportment has been destabilizing. "They've been very successful in deceiving us. Hybrid warfare is not about green men with a lack of insignia. It is about giving us doubts," Garisons said. "Russian information war wants to convince our population that our country is small and indefensible, and that NATO won't defend us." In the exercises, Russia and Belarus will be fighting a fake enemy, with a real name Veishnoriya. The scenario goes that Veishnoriya, with the backing of a Western country, will enter Belarus and stir up a separatist insurgency. Many see this as a practice for putting down a revolution like the one that took place in Kiev in 2014. They see Veishnoriyia as a thinly veiled disguise for a Baltic country. Many Belarussians have had a bit of fun on social media with the creation of the fake enemy, because some bristle under Moscow's influence. Sites have been giving out Veshnorian passports and setting up websites posing as official ones of the make-believe country. The Zapad exercises happen every few years. But this year's will be the biggest since the end of the Cold War. Some military observers believe there may be as many as 100,000 Russian and Belarussian troops involved. Moscow has insisted that the real number is 12,700 troops just short of the 13,000 that international law requires observers for. Observers have in fact been invited to attend Zapad. NATO, however, is still worried they won't be allowed the access they need to get the job done. "These invitations fall short of the transparency required by the OSCE: briefings on the exercise scenario and progress, opportunities to talk to individual soldiers and overflights of the exercise," Radio Free Europe quoted NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as saying earlier this month. The Pentagon believes Russia is underreporting the number of troops taking part in the exercises, with some believing the number could be as high as 100,000. We continue to have concerns about the size of ZAPAD 2017, as the official estimates provided by Russia and Belarus do not correspond with media reporting, Lt. Col. Michelle L. Baldanza, a Pentagon spokesperson said. We will be monitoring this exercise closely to identify any material difference between the personnel and equipment levels notified and the actual levels participating in the exercise. In a piece for Carnegie Europe, Andrew Michta writes: "If in the aftermath of the exercise, Moscow opts to make these additional military installations permanent, the overall strategic equation along NATO's Eastern flank will be further undermined. The exercises continue through September 20th. Fox News Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report. Two dismissed civil servants in Turkey who went on a hunger strike and are accused of membership in a terror organization have gone on trial. Academic Nuriye Gulmen and teacher Semih Ozakca were detained in May on the 76th day of their hunger strike, launched to demand a return to their jobs. The two are accused of membership in a militant group, engaging in terror propaganda and violating laws on demonstrations. They face maximum 20 years in prison. They were not present at Thursday's hearing due to "health and security," court officials said. They are among more than 110,000 civil servants who have been dismissed under the state of emergency declared after last year's failed coup attempt. Critics say the state of emergency is used to crackdown on the opposition. A U.S. citizen fighting for ISIS surrendered to U.S.-backed fighters in Syria, two U.S. military officials confirmed to Fox News on Thursday. It was not immediately clear where or when the surrender took place, but one official said it occurred in northern Syria in an area controlled by a U.S.-backed militia called the Syrian Democratic Forces. The SDF is a Kurdish and Arab army that has been fighting ISIS. The man was not immediately identified and it was not clear where he was being held. Col. Ryan Dillon, a U.S. military spokesman for the coalition against ISIS, would not comment on the surrender. Dillon deferred to the State Department on the issue. The U.S. military command told the Daily Beast they were aware of the report. We are aware of the report that a U.S. citizen believed to be fighting for ISIS surrendered to Syrian Democratic Forces on or about Sept. 12," the command said in a statement. "As a precondition for Coalition support, SDF and Iraqi forces have pledged to observe international laws and the laws of armed conflict. Foreign fighters who are captured or surrender to SDF partners in Syria will be safeguarded and transported humanely, and their home nations will be contacted regarding the next steps." The statement added: The Coalition defers questions pertaining to captured ISIS fighters to their relative nations' Departments of State or equivalent agencies. The Coalition's mission is to defeat ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and we will pursue ISIS fighters regardless of nationality. The unidentified man is not the first American to be seized for participating in combat for ISIS. In March 2016, Mohamad Jamal Khweis, of Virginia, joined ISIS and then surrendered to Kurdish Peshmerga fighters. Khweis later expressed regret for joining the terror group. Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report. An experiment to give students so-called "employability grades" to help show employers that they have the skills to succeed in the workplace appears to be gaining ground in the mid-valley. It's a good thing, not just for students who may find that high scores may open the doors to better-paying jobs, but also to employers, who are (justifiably) worried about finding new workers who put a premium on essentials like showing up on time and teamwork. As the Democrat-Herald's Jennifer Moody reports in a story on today's front page, Sweet Home is the latest school district to join the effort. Sweet Home teacher Jim Costa gave the school board a briefing on the program at a meeting earlier this week. The program truly is a mid-valley innovation: It started at the Central Linn School District. Then, Brent Belveal, the principal at South Albany High School, took the idea and developed the "E-score" system that's in use now. Here's how it works: The employability grade (because educators love to refer to every program by an acronym, you might hear it referred to as an "E-score") gives students a rating on a scale of 1 to 5. The rating takes into account attendance, behavior, tardiness, teamwork, assignment completion and other "soft skills" employers seek when interviewing potential recruits. Those skills are important to potential employers, who say they're more than happy to train new employees on the specific tasks they'll do on the job, but can't train basics like the importance of showing up to work every day and getting work done on time. Costa told the Sweet Home board that the E-scores have no effect on students' grade point averages. But the hope is that students will use them in job interviews, and will also work harder on things like getting to class on time and handing in homework assignments when they're due. Students sometimes have trouble understanding how a certain school lesson will apply in the so-called "real world." But if they know that employers will be asking about things like punctuality and meeting deadlines, they might start seeing how those attributes could lead directly to a better job. The ratings are confidential, accessible only by students and their families, Costa told the Sweet Home trustees. "If a student doesn't want to use it, they don't have to." But students with strong E-scores will be missing a bet if they don't trumpet them on their job applications. And mid-valley employers are starting to ask about the scores. In fact, at least one mid-valley employer suggested this week that a high E-score could make a big difference in a new employee's paycheck. It won't take long for that message to get through to students. Sweet Home is joining other mid-valley schools in using the system: In addition to South Albany, Lebanon and Scio have hopped on board. At South Albany, Belveal reports that both attendance and graduation rates have improved since the school instituted the E-score, but cautions that he can't point to any direct correlation. But we'd be surprised if students aren't already making the connection. And our guess is that students planning to enter the workforce after high school graduation are starting to understand how a good E-score could give them a big edge over other applicants for a good job. For employers, of course, the E-score helps them find new employees who are ready to work and who have shown they have at least some of the essential skills necessary for success. When you combine the E-score program with other innovations such as the Pipeline program, which aims to groom students for good-paying jobs that don't necessarily require four-year college degrees, it's not far off the mark to say that the mid-valley has become a hotbed of workforce innovation. It wouldn't be a surprise to see other regions paying attention. (mm) A judge last week upheld the 28-year prison sentence a jury recommended for a Stafford County man who helped rob an acquaintance. Anthony Lamar Turner, 26, was convicted in June of multiple charges, including armed burglary, robbery and using a firearm in the commission of a felony. The sentence of 28 years was the lowest the jury could have suggested. Turner and his attorney, Terrence Patton, tried to persuade Judge Michael Levy to suspended a good portion of the 28 years. But Levy would not, saying that Turner knew that by taking the case to a jury he was subject to the jury recommendation. Had he pleaded guilty, the suggested state sentencing guidelines would have called for an active sentence of between three and six years. Turner had no prior criminal record. According to the evidence presented by prosecutor Ed Lustig, Blake Brown had just returned to his townhouse on Clint Lane on Oct. 3 when he ran into Turner, someone hed known for about two years. After hearing Turners story about being kicked out of his residence, Brown told Turner he could hang out a little while but he couldnt stay at his home. Turner later went outside to smoke and returned a short time later with two masked men behind him. One pointed a gun in Browns face, while the other pounded a retractable baton in an apparent attempt to intimidate the victim. The robbers took two Mason jars of marijuana, $160 in cash, five pairs of Air Jordan shoes and Browns wallet and cellphone. They left abruptly after Browns sister came out of the shower. Brown admitted during the trial that he sold marijuana, and Lustig said police believe that Turner was confident he wouldnt call the police. Turner got marijuana and shoes as the result of the robbery, according to testimony. Turner called Brown the next morning and claimed he was jumped by the two masked robbers and was forced to cooperate. He testified that he didnt check on his friend earlier or call the police because we dont call the po-po. Turner went to Maryland after the robbery but was apprehended later that month. Lustig said police still dont know who the other robbers were. Lustig said the fact the Brown sold marijuana did not justify Turners actions. He argued that there were three innocent people in the homeBrowns sister, mother and 4-year-old niecewho were put in jeopardy by the actions of Turner and the other robbers. A King George County man who police said referred to the illegal drugs he made as the filet mignon of methamphetamine was ordered Thursday to serve seven years and six months in prison. Markeith Antonio Hunter, 51, pleaded guilty in King George Circuit Court to manufacturing methamphetamine. He was sentenced to a total of 30 years with all but seven years and six months suspended. Hunters decision to plead guilty Thursday came just before a jury trial was to start. According to the evidence presented by prosecutor Charlie Clark, an investigation began in October when a relative of Hunters walked into the Sheriffs Office and handed Detective Joe Patterson a bag of methamphetamine. The relative told Patterson that Hunter was operating a meth lab in his mothers house on Chatham Drive in King George. Authorities got a search warrant and raided the house on Oct. 12. Clark said ingredients used in the production of the drug were found, but Hunter was not at the house. State police and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service assisted the King George Sheriffs Office in the raid. Spotsylvania authorities found Hunter about a week later at Indian Acres off Morris Road. He was taken to the regional jail and later gave a statement lasting more than an hour to Patterson and fellow King George detective Scott Simon. In the confession, Clark said, Hunter talked about such things as how he cooked the drugs, where he learned to cook it and how much Sudafed was used in the production. In addition to referring to his product as filet mignon, Hunter claimed it was his morning breakfast and coffee. Attorney Tim Barbrow represented Hunter, who had a prior methamphetamine conviction in California. Janet Gullickson is from the Midwest, and that means she does things fast. In the Midwest, in winter, if you dont move quickly, you freeze, she said. But Gullickson, who started her tenure as the sixthand first femalepresident of Germanna Community College on July 1, wants to take her time to settle in and identify her goals for the college. It would be presumptuous of me to come in here right away and say, I know what this place needs, Gullickson said during an interview last week at her office. But I do have some things rolling around in my head. Gullickson takes Germannas helm from David Sam, who retired this summer after 10 years. Before taking the position, Gullickson was president of Spokane Falls Community College in Washington state. She also served as president of Front Range Community College in Colorado. She holds a doctorate in education from the University of Minnesota and masters and bachelors degrees from universities in South Dakotawhere she grew up with four siblings on a beef and grain farm founded by her Norwegian immigrant great-grandparents. Gullickson said education, conversation and public discourse was important to her family. We had 100 periodicals delivered each month, she said. We got three daily newspapers. Some of them came a day late because of where we were located, but we got them. In college, she studied sociology. Sociology allowed me to explain systems, she said. I understand that the world is made up of separate interlocking systems and they influence who we are as human beings. I dont go one day without being a sociologist, she added. It has never failed me. After teaching at the college level, Gullickson moved into administration, first working in financial aid. That was a great place to start, she said. You learn rules, procedures and management but you also hear peoples stories. My parents paid for my college, but thats not everyones story. You learn that not everyone is the same as you. Gullickson was selected for the Germanna presidency after a nationwide search that attracted more than 100 candidates. William Thomas, chair of the Germanna Community College Board, said board members were impressed by her ability to connect with the community right away at public forums for students, faculty and community members held during the hiring process. The community really engaged with this process and they felt a strong connection to Dr. Gullickson, Thomas said. She really shares their priorities and seems to understand the challenges we face in a fast-growing region. The response from college employees, as well as many stakeholders, was that they saw her as a great fit. The Germanna position is the only one Gullickson applied for. Thats how much I want to be here, she said. This school is so perfect, it shines. She said one of her goals would be not to ruin Germanna. GCC is a great school. I want to maintain its excellence, she said. But Gullickson does have ideas about how to carry the school into the coming decades, and many of those involve forming strong partnerships with external organizations. She has been meeting with local governments, businesses, K12 school systems and libraries and wants to work with those groups to serve the needs of constituents. I want to figure out how to build better connectivity with the K12 system, she said. Those students are ours and I want to figure out how to meet them where they are. And she wants to partner with Central Rappahannock Regional Library, which she says serves virtually the same population as Germanna, to offer joint programs. Gullickson also hopes Germanna can play a role in making the community a stronger, healthier place. Some in our community are suffering, I mean really suffering, she said. Whether its from opioid addiction or the income gap. What does Germanna have to offer? I want us to create a culture of wellness. She said Germanna must help families in the Fredericksburg area attain the $80,000 annual household income level necessary for a middle class lifestyle here. That means it must prepare students for higher-skilled occupations in health care, cybersecurity, maintenance and technology that make a minimum of $20 an hour. Gullickson wants to continue offering apprenticeship programs that give students on-the-job experience. Working with external businesses is crucial for that, she said, because otherwise those programs are expensive to provide. The majority of Germannas students are still those who plan to transfer to other colleges after two years. You can come here and graduate in two years for less than $5,000 a year and start your college career debt-free, Gullickson said. She said she wants to work more closely with the University of Mary Washington, where most Germanna students transfer, to make that process smoother. In the coming weeks, Gullickson said she will be meeting with internal groups at Germanna, hoping to hear from students, faculty and employees about what works and what doesnt. I hate stupid, she said. Processes must make sense. Germanna has a number of plans for the coming years that will be carried out under Gullicksons leadership. They include opening a permanent center in Stafford County, which could become a full campus, constructing a new nursing and health sciences building on the Locust Grove campus and establishing a full campus at the Daniel Technology Center in Culpeper. Gullickson and her husband, Bobby Farmer, have three adult children and three grandchildren. Their daughter is an Army judge advocate general stationed at Fort Meade and their son recently returned to Norfolk from deployment with the Navy. Another son is completing college in Colorado. Gullickson said shes looking forward to enjoying Virginias fall foliage along Skyline Drive, spending time on the Chesapeake Bay and getting to know people in the Fredericksburg area. Its a privilege to meet people and be part of their lives, she said. When the solar farms come to Culpeperand from all indications that wont be longlandowners will likely be applying for conditional use permits and not rezoning. On Wednesday night, the Culpeper County Planning Commission voted 90 to recommend that the county Board of Supervisors revise its utility ordinance to that effect. Although county planner Sam McLaren said the staffs main reason for supporting the permit plan was to prevent hundreds of acres in the middle of an agricultural community being rezoned to industrial use, it was more about control for the planning commissioners. Having that conditional use permit control is very important, said Commissioner Cindy Thornhill. While governments are no longer allowed to seek proffers that are tied to zoning changes, they are permitted to attach certain restrictions to conditional use permits. Control was also important to several citizens who spoke during a public hearing on the issue. This way you can keep control of every application, said Loretta Cummings, who lives near Brandy Station. Id rather deal with a private company than a large public utility. Cummings was referring to wording changes in the current ordnance that were also addressed in last nights update. Until now, that ordinance only dealt with public utilities, but solar farms are traditionally started and operated by private companies who sell the generated power to big utilities like Dominion Virginia Power. Chuck Duncan said he favored solar panels over wind turbines because of the harm windmills do to birds. I support keeping the land agricultural and keeping control, he said. Freddie Strother, who lives at Batna near where one of the solar farms may be located, said that he wanted to make sure that the panels would not be so high as to block the view of the corn and soybean fields when he sits on his front porch. And he wanted to know why none of the solar companies looking for land in that area had not contacted neighbors regarding their plans. McLaren said that when and if conditional use permit applications are filed, neighbors will be notified by mail before action is taken. Wayne Brown said that he has been told that 800 acres in the Stevensburg areawhere the land is flat and blackjack land rulesare already being considered for solar farms. He said that solar farms would interfere with tourismespecially the weddings and other events he holds in his barn. But Jim Kuranda was all for the solar farms, which Kurt Christensen said will pay $1,000 an acre for leases on pasture land typically leased for about $25 an acre. This will be good use for my property, Kuranda, who plans to retire soon, said. [The revenue] will take care of me until Im old and dead. He added that when he is gone, his children can decide what to do. The Board of Supervisors will make a final decision on the ordinance change in October. Republican Del. Mark Cole did not find a lot of common ground with his opponents during a debate Wednesday night at the University of Mary Washington. His challengers for the 88th District House of Delegates seatDemocrat Steve Aycock, Green Party member Gerald Anderson and independent Amanda Blalocktook similar positions opposite Cole on topics such as school vouchers, redistricting reform and transportation funding. But Blalock, who served 10 years on the Spotsylvania School Board, did sound a different tune than the other contenders on gun control and took the strongest stance against Confederate monuments on public property. About 100 people attended the debate at the Fredericksburg campus. Blalock said Confederate monuments, a fiercely debated topic in the wake of last months violent white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, dont serve as anything more than an intimidation factor. Its time for them to come down, she said of monuments on public property. Aycock and Anderson said they think localities should have the final say over their Confederate monuments. Aycock, an associate pastor for missions at the Real Life Community Church in Stafford County, did say a lot of the monuments were put up to send racist messages, and that needs to be dealt with. Cole, a deputy county administrator for Spotsylvania, said the monuments should be left alone and that taking them down would cost millions of dollars. On gun control, Aycock and Anderson expressed support for a former Virginia law that restricted handgun purchases to one a month. I see no reason for them to need more than one gun a month. I cant even see[needing] more than one gun a year, said Anderson, an adjunct professor at Germanna Community College. Blalock, however, agreed with Cole that such a law would be ineffective and unfair to lawful gun owners. A criminal is not going to go through the proper background check to obtain their firearm, Blalock said. All of the challengers opposed school vouchers that would funnel public money into private schools. Cole favors vouchers, which he said would improve public and private schools by creating competition. The challengers also expressed support for nonpartisan redistricting reform. Aycock said voters should choose their delegates, not the other way around. Right now, delegates choose their voters, he said. You look at our district, and you see that very much. The 88th District includes parts of Fredericksburg and Stafford, Spotsylvania and Fauquier counties. Cole, on the other hand, said he did not think an independent commission appointed by lawmakers would reduce gerrymandering, the practice of drawing districts to favor a political party. He said maybe the Virginia Supreme Court could come up with a redistricting plan. It seems like these judges love to get involved in redistricting after the fact, Cole said. Maybe we need to get them involved beforehand. The challengers spoke favorably about offering two years of free community college for students who need it, but Cole said nothing is for freesomebody is paying for it one way or the other. Cole said he thought an explosion in college administrators was driving up the cost of higher education. Aycock and Anderson took similar positions in support of a higher minimum wage, with Aycock saying hed like to see it increase from $7.25 an hour to $15. Anderson said he is appalled that some business owners would not pay a living wage, adding: Maybe they should not be in business. Blalock said she supports a higher minimum wage, but that lawmakers need to collaborate with small business owners who would be impacted by any changes. There is a concern about them being priced out, she said. Cole dismissed a higher minimum wage as a one of those liberal feel-good things that does not help the problem. Aycock and Anderson both favored a single-payer health care system, also known as Medicare for all. Anderson said the state can also lower health care spending by reducing pollution and providing education on healthier lifestyles. Single-payer is good, but you can make a lot of dents into the health care costs by doing other things, Anderson said. Blalock said lawmakers need to collaborate with business owners to help them offer more affordable health care plans. Cole said the country needs to roll back some of the government mandates on insurance providers and that he thought a single-payer system would bankrupt this country. In addition, the challengers expressed support for a local transportation authority that could impose taxes to go toward road improvements. Aycock said he thought voters would have to approve such an authority. Cole said hes skeptical another layer of government is going to solve our transportation problems. The election is Nov. 7. A clear majority of respondents say Confederate monuments should remain in all public spaces, according to a national poll out Thursday morning. The Ipsos poll on racial issues, conducted Aug. 21-Sept. 5 on behalf of Thomson Reuters and the University of Virginia Center for Politics, also found broad agreement on racial equality. But it spotlighted vestiges of what the pollsters termed troubling levels of support for certain racially charged ideas and attitudes frequently expressed by extremist groups. On Confederate monuments, 57 percent said they should remain in public spaces, while 26 percent said they should be removed and 17 percent said they dont know. Among African-Americans, 54 percent said all of the monuments should be removed. Among whites, 67 percent said the monuments should remain in place. The survey gauged attitudes on race by asking respondents whether they agreed or disagreed with certain statements. Eighty-nine percent agreed that all races should be treated equally, 85 percent agreed that people of different races should be free to live wherever they choose and 82 percent agreed that all races are equal. Thirty-one percent said they agree that America must protect and preserve its white European heritage, while 34 percent disagreed, 29 percent had neither opinion and 5 percent said they dont know. While 78 percent agreed that America must protect and preserve its multi-cultural heritage, 5 percent disagreed, 14 percent held neither view and 4 percent didnt know. Most respondents 65 percent disagreed with the statement: Marriage should only be allowed between people of the same race. But 50 years after the U.S. Supreme Courts Loving v. Virginia decision struck down laws barring interracial marriage, 16 percent said they agree with the statement. Fourteen percent held neither view and 4 percent said they dont know. Fifty-five percent agreed with the statement: Racial minorities are currently under attack in this country, while 22 percent disagreed, 19 percent held neither view and 5 percent did not know. A plurality 39 percent agreed with the statement: White people are currently under attack in this country, while 38 percent disagreed, 19 percent had neither view and 4 percent did not know. In separate questions, the poll found scant support for the alt-right (6 percent), white nationalism (8 percent) and neo-Nazism (4 percent.) Lets remember, there are nearly 250 million adults in the United States, so even small percentages likely represent the beliefs of many millions of Americans, said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at U.Va. The pollsters surveyed 5,360 adults online from the continental U.S., Alaska and Hawaii. Ipsos said the survey has a credibility interval of plus or minus 1.5 percentage points. In some instances responses do not total 100 percent due to rounding. The sample had 2,255 Democrats, 1,915 Republicans and 689 independents. Cynthia G. Wichert, 52, of Fredericksburg passed away Monday, September 11, 2017 at her home. Cynthia was a loving wife, mother and friend to all who knew her. She was a light to all the lives she touched. Cynthia was the most giving and selfless person. The world was a better place with her in it. She will be missed by all. Survivors include her husband, Glenn; daughter Kaylee; mother Glenda Sanders; sister Lisa Carner (Ken). She was preceded in death by her son, Brandon; and father Gerald Sanders. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18 at Covenant Funeral Service, Fredericksburg. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19 at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be private. Online guestbook available at covenantfuneralservice.com. "DO YOU CONSIDER yourself an orthodox Catholic?" Sen. Dick Durbin asked Notre Dame Law School professor Amy Coney Barrett, a nominee for a federal appeals court last week. Since Durbin inquired in the form of a question, we can only assume that Barrett's answer was pertinent to the confirmation. That is problematic considering the Constitution explicitly states that no religionnot even a belief in orthodox liberalismshould be a prerequisite for holding a federal office. At least Durbin's query about "orthodox" Catholicism was based on some concocted apprehension about Barrett's ability to overcome faith to fulfill her obligations as a judge. The professor, who apparently takes both the law and her faith seriously enough to have pondered this question in writing, told Durbin, "Any kind of conviction, religious or otherwise, should never surpass the law." But Barrett's Catholicism would come up a number of times during the hearing, and in far more troubling ways. "When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you," Sen. Dianne Feinstein claimed. "And that's of concern when you come to big issues that large numbers of people have fought for for years in this country." What dogma is Feinstein talking about? For one thing, Barrett's real sin, as it were, isn't that her faith might get in the way of doing her job, but that chances are exceptionally high she will take her oath to defend the Constitution far more seriously than Feinstein does. When the California senator claims to be troubled by Barrett's "dogma," what she was really saying was: "You clerked for Judge Antonin Scalia, which means you'll probably take the Constitution far too literally. Yet, at the same time, you hold heretical personal views on the only two constitutional rights that my fellow liberals are dogmatic about: abortion and same-sex marriage." You know, the "big issues." It is irksome, no doubt, that Barrett's faith informs her views. Our backgrounds and beliefs always color our opinions. This is not yet an illegal act. But these lines of questioning, which are becoming increasingly prevalent in political discourse, are an attempt to create the impression that faithful Christians whose beliefs are at odds with newly sanctified cultural mores are incapable of doing their job. They are guilty of another kind of apostasy. This is why Sen. Al Franken asked Barrett about speaking honorariums she received from the religious liberty nonprofit group Alliance Defending Freedom, comparing the group to former deposed Cambodian leader Pol Pot. (The group was recently smeared by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group for pursuing religious freedom cases in court.) "I question your judgement," the longtime writer and comedian lectured the mother of seven. This is why Sen. Bernie Sanders deployed a religious test when questioning Russell Vought, then-nominee for deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, earlier this summer. Sanders was upset by an article Vought authored in which he was critical of the oft-repeated platitude that everyone worships the same God. Sanders dispensed with theater and simply accused Vought of a thought crime, specifically being an Islamophobe for arguing that the only path to salvation is through Jesus Christ. "What about Jews?" Sanders asked Vought. "Do they stand condemned, too?" Yes, Bernie. Us, too. So what? Does a nominee have to believe everyone goes to heaven to crunch numbers at the OMB? I don't fashion myself an expert on theological doctrine, but I imagine that a rather significant number of Christians would be out of work if this view of salvation were to exclude them from holding governmental positions. Which is, of course, the point. As we've seen in the Supreme Court, "orthodox" Catholics can just as easily (and hopefully) be originalists, which, whatever you might make of the philosophy, exhibits far more rigid adherence to the Constitution than the magisterium when it comes to matters of law. After all, in the law review article that spurred all this supposed trepidation among Senate Democrats, Barrett argued that Catholic judges should recuse themselves from cases in which their faith might prohibit them from carrying out law they disagree with, specifically the death penalty. If a nominee's beliefs conflict with the Constitution, it's important for those vetting them to find out. But for Feinstein, the very presence of Catholicism is "concerning." So the problem here is that the dogma of Sanders and Feinstein is becoming increasingly hostile toward orthodox faiths, not the other way around. Other CAR-T therapies for lymphoma patients target the CD19 molecule, but the responses are not 100 percent, Till said. Sometimes people lose the CD19 protein on their cancerous cells, and then the CD19 CAR-T therapy is no longer able to target and destroy the cancer. This usually results in relapse. The new clinical trial is one of the first in the world to target CD20 using CAR T-cell therapy. Till is hopeful the CD20 CAR T will work as well as or if not better than the CD19 CAR-T therapy, as suggested in preclinical studies. CD20 CAR T will provide an alternative for lymphoma patients whose cancer cells do not express CD19 and who would therefore not benefit from CD19 CAR-T therapy. Another option could be to use the CD20 CAR T as a combination therapy with CD19 CAR T or other agents that would work on multiple cancer markers to eliminate the disease. We are delighted by this partnership with Mustang Bio, Till said. We greatly value the CAR T-cell experience they bring to the table, in part derived from their work with our colleagues at the City of Hope. Preclinical development of this new strategy was supported by the Giuliani Family Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and the Bezos family. Press holds the David and Patricia Giuliani/Oliver Press Endowed Chair in Cancer Research at Fred Hutch. Note: Scientists at Fred Hutch played a role in developing these discoveries, and Fred Hutch and certain of its scientists may benefit financially from this work in the future. Free Freightnet Membership List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. City council holding special called meeting for final vote on returning to committees For some reason, Gaffney City Council is in a hurry to make the citys 10 standing committees in good standing again. After approving first reading of an ordinance at its... POLICE REPORTS Its my birthday and I need a haircut Just because its your birthday, doesnt mean you get a free pass to take merchandise from stores. According to a report on file at the City of Gaffney Police Department,... Challenges facing healthcare in rural areas discussed at summit Community access to mental health services and health care providers loom as two of the major rural health challenges facing Cherokee County. The Cherokee County School District has seen an... Story Highlights 36% of Americans are confident in U.S. public schools Highest level of confidence since 2009 Republicans, Democrats both more confident in public schools WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Americans' confidence in the nation's public schools edged up in 2017. The 36% of U.S. adults who express "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in public schools is a six-percentage-point increase from 2016 and marks the highest confidence rating in eight years. Gallup has measured Americans' confidence in public schools since 1986. Confidence hit its lowest point in 2014, when about one in four U.S. adults (26%) expressed confidence in the nation's public schools. This low was nearly half the high mark of 50% in 1987. Optimize Your School Engage students to help them get the most out of their education. Learn more In the first three years that Gallup measured views of public schools, about half of Americans expressed confidence. But significant dips in 1989 and in 1991 suggested that confidence would not quickly return to the high levels initially measured. From 1995 through 2006, the confidence rating for public schools remained fairly stable, hovering near 40%. From 2007 to 2014, with the exception of a significant bump in 2009 -- the year that many states committed to the development of the Common Core State Standards -- and a smaller uptick in 2013, confidence declined incrementally. The boost in public school confidence this year is part of an uptick in the average confidence rating (35%) across all institutions that Gallup measures. Public school confidence ranked second in positive year-over-year change among 15 institutions tested in the June survey. Eleven institutions received a confidence boost from 2016, largely attributable to rising confidence among Republicans, which might be ascribed to the election of President Donald Trump. The upswing in confidence in public schools from 2016 to 2017 is evident among both Republicans (up nine points) and Democrats (up five points). The tendency for Democrats to be more confident than Republicans in public schools has been generally constant over the past nine years, and is evident this year, with 41% of Democrats and 30% of Republicans confident in public schools. The 11-point spread between Democrats and Republicans is much smaller than the 23-point gap in partisan confidence in "colleges and universities" measured in a separate poll in August. The wider party gap in ratings of higher education appears to reflect Republicans' perception that a liberal political agenda is driving what is taught in colleges -- a perception that apparently has not spread to their views of public schools. This year's bump in confidence in public schools parallels the increase in Americans' satisfaction with public school education as measured in Gallup's annual Work and Education survey, conducted in August. Nearly half of U.S. adults (47%) say they are "completely" or "somewhat" satisfied with the quality of education for K-12 students, up four percentage points from 2016 but still trailing the high mark for satisfaction (53%) that occurred in 2004. Implications While U.S. public schools have struggled to boost their national image in the past decade, there is a hint of progress. The six-point improvement in confidence in public schools from 2016 to 2017 matches the largest year-over-year positive change for schools in Gallup's trend. Some recent education successes may be helping to nudge confidence in schools upward. The Every Student Succeeds Act, a bipartisan measure signed by President Barack Obama in December 2015, provides increased autonomy and flexibility for state and local education agencies to steer innovation and accountability measures -- and Gallup research suggests that Americans are more trusting of local than federal government. Additionally, the U.S. graduation rate is now at an all-time high of 83%, and the dropout rate is down. Gallup research shows the nation's public school leaders are likewise optimistic about their school systems. A recent poll of U.S. superintendents shows a significant majority (85%) are excited about their district's future. However, there is clearly more work to be done to improve the quality of education and how it is perceived. Just 32% of these school leaders say they are excited about the future of U.S. education generally -- a percentage that aligns closely with the 36% of Americans expressing confidence in the nation's public schools. Learn what public school leaders can do to increase confidence in their local school districts. A Pinch of Salt: The election is over, I think, so what now? Scores on standardized tests in math, science and English language arts dipped across the state last school year, data released Thursday by the Oregon Department of Education show. Across the state, the percentage of students meeting standards in all three subjects dropped by about a percent each, to below 54 percent in English language arts, about 41 percent in math and about 61 percent in science. The results in English and math are from the third year the state has used the Smarter Balanced Assessment to evaluate how Oregon high school juniors and students in grades three through eight are meeting the Common Core standards that Oregon adopted in 2010. In science, the results are from the Oregon Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test, which the state used in all subjects before moving to Smarter Balanced in the 2015-16 school year. Only grades five, eight and 11 take science assessments. Benton County schools mainly followed the trend of declines in students meeting standards, with scores dropping in all subjects in Corvallis and Monroe school districts, although Corvallis continued to have students meeting standards at a higher rate than the state average. Alsea School District, while still well below the state average rate of students meeting standards, did show growth in math and science. Only Philomath showed improvement across all three subjects, although the progress was small in math and English. In Corvallis. 64 percent of test takers scored at level 3 or 4 on English language arts tests in 2016-17, which amounts to meeting or surpassing standards for their grade. This is down from the 67 percent that scored level three or four the prior year on the same tests. On the math test, 54 percent met standards in Corvallis in 2016-17, while the previous year more than 57 percent met the standards. In science, just under 74 percent of students met the standards for their grade in 2016-17; about 76 percent did the prior year. We continue to perform above the state, but we look at this and know theres work to be done, said Superintendent Ryan Noss of the results. Noss said that for him, one of the key takeaways is that performance of the districts third-graders improved over the prior year. This is important, he said, because that is a year when students need to transition from learning to read to reading to learn. The district puts a lot of focus on this year, because research shows third-graders who are reading on grade level are more likely to graduate high school. According to the data, 58 percent of Corvallis third-graders met or exceeded standards in 2016-17, a 4 percent increase over the previous year. The percentage of students meeting math standards climbed to 62 percent from 59 percent in the same time frame. Noss said the district does use the Smarter Balanced data to track student progress, but since the district doesnt get results until after the year ends, it's limited in usefulness. The district also uses shorter STAR assessments throughout the year for kindergarten through eighth grade, Noss said, which gives the educators information to make adjustments to math and English instruction mid-year. Noss said the district adopted a new math curriculum last year, and the transition to the new teaching and learning methods may have had an impact on that subject. Like Corvallis, students in Philomath met standards at a higher rate than the average for students in all three subjects, but the Philomath district also saw at least slight improvements over the 2015-16 school year In English, the rate of students meeting standards grew about half a percent to 59 percent in 2016-17. In math the movement was even smaller, but still upward, with a bit more than 49 percent of students meeting standards in 2016-17. In science, about 75 percent of students met state standards in the same time frame, up about 4 percent over the previous year. Melissa Goff, Philomaths superintendent, said its nice to see the district hold steady on the tests, but added that the staff in the district pay more attention to other, more real-time progress measures, such as grades, other literacy assessments, involvement of students in extracurricular activities and evaluations of whether high school underclassmen are earning the credits they need to be on track for graduation. We should be very cautious in looking at this. Were in the first few years of Smarter Balanced, she said. Goff said she wondered if the format of the test, a very long computer-based assessment, had an impact on elementary students, who are less able to handle the long tests, because scores at the elementary level were lower than the middle and high school level. Its hard to see how high school and middle school students would be doing so well if theyre not learning in elementary school, Goff said. The consortium of education groups that make Smarter Balanced estimate students will on average spend three-and-a-half hours to four hours taking the English part of the assessment and two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half hours taking the math assessment. Goff also said the assessments are a do-or-die approach to measuring what students are learning that dont give students who have test anxiety another opportunity to show how much theyve learned. Goff said the data is useful as a spot-check of student progress and for assessing how the district is doing compared to other districts, but Philomath schools use a lot of tools to try to identify which students are falling behind so staff can give them more support. Monroe, which was lagging behind the state average in math and English in 2015-16, slid a little in both subjects and saw a big dip in the rate of students meeting standards in science, a subject in which it had previously been well ahead of the state average and all other districts in the county. While in 2015-16, nearly 80 percent of Monroe students met science standards, just 63 percent met standards in the new data. Likewise, the district dropped from 48 percent of students meeting standards in English to 44 percent meeting standards over the same time frame. In math, the decline was smaller, by around a percent, to 32 percent meeting standards. Bill Crowson, who started as superintendent in July but was previously the Monroe High School principal, said the district would like to see improvement on the tests across the board and said the district has restructured the workload of the middle and high school math teachers to try to give more instructional time at the middle school level, an area hes concerned about. Crowson added that Smarter Balanced is a much harder test than the old OAKS tests and schools are still struggling to adapt to it. And at smaller districts a handful of students can have a huge impact on scores. When you are talking about a sample size of 25 or 35, it can be very easily skewed either way, he said. Crowson added that the district looks a lot at the test results, but theres a lot that isnt captured by it. You are not necessarily measuring all the factors that go into it. If a kid has a bad day, that test might not be their top priority. Overall, Alsea had the lowest rates of students meeting standards in the county: in 2016-17 just 29 percent of students met English standards, 23 percent met math standards and 50 percent met science standards. The English score represents a drop from 34 percent the previous year, but the other two subjects were improvements over the previous year. Marc Thielman, Alsea's superintendent, pointed to the district's opt-out rates as a factor in the scores. "Due to our high opt out rate and small class sizes, the data is statistically invalid," he said. In math and English, about 30 percent of Alsea students were opted out of the tests by parents. About 12 percent were opted out of the science assessments. Thielman said the district uses other assessments through the year as measures of student progress that can more inform instruction more immediately. Members of Oregon State University's Greek houses faced this challenge on Wednesday: Crawl through a smoke-filled trailer in the parking lot of Reser Stadium and rescue a teddy bear. The simulation the smoke came from a machine was put on by the Corvallis Fire Department during a day of activities meant to inform fraternity and sorority members on fire prevention and how to deal with a fire if one starts. Going through the trailer was actually pretty scary because seeing how impaired you are when smoke affects you and how hard it is to see, it was awesome and a good learning experience, too, said Conor Delaney, a 19-year-old member of Pi Kappa Phi. The students, about 100 in total and representing all 30-plus Greek houses, first attended a lecture on fire safety by fire prevention officer Jim Patton. The firefighter talked with students about when to have their fire alarms inspected, how to prevent nuisance alarms (accidental or purposeful setting off of fire alarms), fire drill requirements, kitchen fire safety and more. Patton said the Fire Department responds to about two dozen alarms at Greek houses each year, most of which are nuisance alarms. He stressed to students the importance of making sure firefighters only are summoned to real emergencies. Patton also talked with the students about the requirements for registering a party. The Fire Department visits each Greek house that applies to have a large party to ensure the space is safe. On-duty battalion chiefs also stop by during each party to ensure the space is not overcrowded and partiers are not blocking exits. Megan Kittel said she had never used a fire extinguisher before Wednesdays activities. Each student was required to use a fire extinguisher to put out flames in a small trash can. Knowing that and being able to feel like you can conquer it in a way and it doesnt scare you takes away that fear factor of it, said Kittel, a 20-year-old member of the House of Charis. She said the days activities, which also included quickly donning full firefighter turnout gear, helped her understand her houses rules. You can have all the fun you want, but if someone could get hurt doing it, I dont think its worth it, Kittel said. So being aware of all the different rules that you have just to make sure that people are safe in your house is probably my biggest takeaway from this. Logan Price, also a member of Pi Kappa Phi, said he will work to inform the other members of his house who werent in attendance of what he learned about fire safety. When youre living with 50 of your brothers you want to make sure everyone is as safe as possible, the 19-year-old said. Everyone should be exposed to fire safety and know where everything is in the house to better protect the house as a whole. Patton said the yearly event builds a partnership between the Greek community and the Fire Department, allowing them to respect one another. Before they act badly they think, Hey, Ive met these guys and its a tough job. Ive put on the stuff they have to wear when they come to my house for a nuisance alarm, he said. The Greek fire academy, which is in its 14th year, has proven successful in decreasing the number of fires and false alarms in the houses, Patton said. Most years we have no fires in these houses, so were grateful for that, he said. And a lot of it is because of the hard work of these young people who are taking their jobs seriously and doing the things that we train them to do. The department holds the voluntary event every year since new students are moving out of and into the Greek houses. Many of the houses live-in moms and dads as well as alumni attend the fire academy to support the students. The event traditionally includes a live fire demonstration in which dorm rooms constructed on a reusable trailer are ignited. One of the rooms has a sprinkler system while the other does not, allowing the students to see the magnitude of an uncontrolled fire. Since a burn ban is in effect in Benton County, that activity was canceled this year. After eight frustrating months in office, President Trump seems to be confronting a long-overdue question: Does he want to govern the country? Or does he want to sink deeper into a feckless cycle of tweets and tantrums that capture cable news ratings but make little impact on how people live? One small sign that Trump actually wants to be more than a glorified circus performer: his decision to work with Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer on a hurricane relief bill that also raised the debt limit and funded the government for three months. "I think we will have a different relationship than we've been watching over the last number of years. I hope so," exulted the president, who then invited the two Democrats to dinner. "I think that's a great thing for our country. And I think that's what the people of the United States want to see ... They want to see coming together to an extent." Yes, that is what many Americans want to see, but extreme caution is necessary here. So far, Trump has done precisely the opposite, using incendiary issues -- illegal immigrants, transgender soldiers, ultra-right marchers -- to drive wedges through the electorate, energize his supporters and demonize his opponents. "Coming together" is absolutely the last idea to animate Trump's White House. Moreover, the president has repeatedly proven to be an impulsive and even reckless leader, with no compass to guide him beyond the gorging of his gargantuan ego. In eight months, he has totally squandered the most valuable commodity in public life: goodwill. Few politicians trust Trump. And why should they? "He is a politician driven by the latest expression of approval, given to abrupt shifts in approach and tone," writes Peter Baker in the New York Times. "He is a man of the moment, and the moment often does not last." Still, if Trump actually sees his deal with the Democrats as a model for future bargains, perhaps some hard truths about life in the capital are starting to get through. Republicans formally control both houses of Congress, but their leaders don't command a clear governing majority in either body. With only 52 Senators, the GOP cannot break most Democratic filibusters, and some of their more pragmatic members are quite willing to act independently -- as they did in rejecting the repeal of Obamacare. In the House, Republicans have a 46-vote majority, but 40 or so members of the hardline Freedom Caucus have for years now thwarted any leaders who try to engage in the negotiations and compromises that governing requires. Outside Capitol Hill, Trump has failed to expand his political base. His favorable ratings hover below 40 percent -- 38 percent in the latest Gallup poll -- and on many other questions, his reputation is even more damaged. Republican pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson reviewed a batch of surveys and concluded that only "about 1 in 4 voters is with him no matter what." That's the number who "strongly support" him, trust "all or most" of what he says, approve his use of Twitter and think he acts "in a way that is fitting and proper for a president," she wrote in the Washington Examiner. Their backing was enough, barely, to defeat a deeply flawed Democratic campaign. It's not enough, not nearly enough, to govern the country. So what happens now? The hurricane funding bill was an easy lift, but if Trump is serious -- a huge "if" -- several other problems could lend themselves to bipartisan solutions. Responsible legislators, encouraged by Republican governors, are drafting legislation to shore up the insurance marketplaces created by Obamacare. Promoting that rescue effort, which Trump derides as a "bailout" for insurance companies, would be a good start toward "coming together." Then there are the "Dreamers," about 800,000 young people brought here as children who are now job-holding, tax-paying patriots. Trump could facilitate legislation that protects them from deportation, a move that would truly be, in his words, a "great thing" for the country. Another "great thing" would be for the president to embrace a consensus effort on Capitol Hill to expand federal funding for biomedical research through the National Institutes of Health. None of this will be easy. Left-wing Democrats are deeply committed to "resisting" Trump at every turn. The president's base could be outraged by some of his deals, like protecting the Dreamers. But Trump should at least try "coming together." Pulling the nation apart, his operating philosophy for the last eight months, has been a complete disaster. President Trump tweeted Friday that churches damaged by Hurricane Harvey should be given government assistance in rebuilding. He also feels that the Federal Emergency Management Agency needs to fund houses of worship that assist hurricane victims. Federal and State constitutions forbid forcing citizens to support churches. It is a founding principle that citizens may not be taxed in support of religion and churches. Oregon's constitution states: "Section 5. No money to be appropriated for religion. No money shall be drawn from the Treasury for the benefit of any religeous [sic], or theological institution, nor shall any money be appropriated for the payment of any religeous [sic] services in either house of the Legislative Assembly." If churches want to help victims of disasters as an act of charity or in support of their beliefs, fine. But if their members won't support their church's charity costs (or the maintenance costs of their buildings), it is wrong for them to try to get the taxpayers to do so. "When a religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself, and God does not take care to support it so that its professors are obliged to call for help of the civil power, tis a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one." Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Richard Price. Oct. 9, 1790. The separation of government and religion was a revolutionary American invention. It has served us well and should be maintained. John S. Dearing Corvallis (Sept. 14) You might have a vague memory of the devastating wildfires of 1988 in Yellowstone National Park. The fires made news throughout the world and were spectacular (and terrifying) to behold. The fires burned through 800,000 acres, about a third of the park. They came close to destroying two historic destinations, including the visitors' center at Old Faithful. Property damage at the time was estimated at about $3 million. People said the park would never be the same. And it wasn't. But a different Yellowstone emerged, literally from the ashes. People were astonished the following year as the park began to bounce back with remarkable speed. From devastation, new life emerged just as it has every time a major fire has burned through the park. In fact, the 1988 Yellowstone blazes offered confirmation that some ecosystems are specially adapted to wildfire. We were reminded of the Yellowstone fires when we heard a recent interview on Oregon Public Broadcasting's "Think Out Loud" program with Steve Beverlin, the supervisor of the Malheur National Forest, the site of 2015's Canyon Creek Fire. Although it didn't burn on the scale of the Yellowstone fires, the Canyon Creek blaze was a bad one: It burned nearly 40,000 acres and was among Oregon's most destructive wildfires in terms of property damage. More than 40 homes were destroyed. But these days, Beverlin told OPB, the forest is showing signs of remarkable recovery, just like Yellowstone, although he was careful to note that the level of recovery hinges to some degree on how hot the fire burned in various parts of the forest. In general, Beverlin said, about a third of the acreage in the fire burned with a high intensity. In the remainder of the affected area, the fire burned with a medium or low intensity. Of course, the areas where the fire burned with a medium or low intensity are rebounding quicker, but there are signs of life throughout all the scorched area. People working on rehabilitation did have to worry about the possibility of flooding and erosion in areas that had been badly burned, Beverlin noted, but a cooperative effort among the agencies and landowners involved was helpful. But the overall message here is fairly clear, and it's the same message that we learned from the Yellowstone fires: As long as we have forests and lightning (or, for that matter, thoughtless 15-year-olds armed with smoke bombs), we'll have fires in our forests. Smoke from those fires will be a frequent occurrence. But the fact is that many of these fires are not disastrous events for our forests. In fact, the occasional low- or medium-intensity fire can play an important role. And we have a much broader idea today of the role fire plays in our forests and how the land bounces back. Of course, there is still an important role for firefighters to play in these fires in terms of protecting human structures and keeping a watchful eye over the blazes. And we need to pay attention to what we can do today to forestall at least some of these high-intensity infernos that we see too frequently these days. Too many of our national forests, starved for maintenance dollars, are filled with the sort of undergrowth that fuels these blazes. That's part of the reason why each fire season seems to burn hotter than the one before. And yet, we continue to shortchange programs devoted to the very maintenance work that can help prevent a low-intensity fire from becoming an inferno. (A new policy announced this week by Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke on exactly this point may be a step forward, but environmentalists are right to be skeptical.) Our debates about forest management will continue. And our forests will keep demonstrating their resiliency, providing a lesson about the delicate dance between wildfire, forests and humans. (mm) Hurricane Irma destruction : Bonn crisis team deployed to Florida Members of the Bonn crisis team: Jens Nieswant (from left), Sascha Wiemer, Jorg Fandel, Horst Spie, Rainer Franke (team leader), Christian Stangier, Albrecht Roebke and Marc Rohner Foto: Feuerwehr Bonn Bonn A Bonn crisis intervention team has been deployed to the U.S. in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, which ripped through Florida and the Caribbean this past weekend. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken After Hurricane Irma rampaged through Florida this past weekend, a Bonn crisis intervention team has been sent to the U.S. to help. The German Federal Foreign Office notified the Bonn contingency already on Sunday so they could make plans to leave. Preparations were made with support from fire and rescue departments, and the Bonn team flew at 8 pm on Monday evening to the U.S. The eight-person Bonn group got started with their work that evening, together with a team from the Germany military and from the Technisches Hilfswerk (THW), a federal agency which belongs to the Ministry of the Interior and provides technical expertise and support. The team flew initially to Washington, D.C. to await further deployment and they will be sent out to a location depending on how the situation develops in the affected areas. The crisis intervention team is made up of professionals including fire and rescue workers, emergency physicians from the University Hospital Bonn and psychosocial counselors from Rhine-Sieg County. Article Protecting the worlds oceans an important goal of Germanys climate diplomacy The worlds oceans are vital to our survival. They regulate the global climate and are a source of food and income for billions of people. Only a very small part of the seas enjoys legal protection, however. Our diplomats are working in New York right now to change this state of affairs. FORT MEADE, Md. A 2010 Elko High School graduate and Elko native helps protects America from cyberthreats as a member of Navy Cyber Warfare Development Group, known as NCWDG. U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Shelbee Neace is a cryptologic technician collection. The cyberspace domain is a dynamic environment where new threats and complex problems emerge on an increasingly frequent basis, said Capt. Brian Luke, commander, NCWDG. It is only through the technical expertise and professional dedication of our Sailors, civilians and other partners, that NCWDG is able to meet these challenges. Their unique qualifications and specialized skills serve to satisfy fleet and combatant commander needs, and enable warfighting decisions. Practically all major systems on ships, aircraft, submarines and unmanned vehicles are networked to some degree. This includes most combat, communications, engineering and navigation systems. Although connectivity provides the military with speed, agility and precision, it also opens attack opportunities for adept cyber adversaries. Neace plays a crucial role in defending against cyberthreats in support of the commands mission to conduct cutting-edge technical research and development to create, test and deliver advanced cyber, cryptologic and electronic warfare capabilities to the U.S. Navy using rapid prototyping and acquisition authority. Networks are under continuous threats of attack by a broad array of state actors, terrorist organizations, hacktivist groups, organized crime and individual hackers, according to Navy officials. Motivations include personal gain, information theft, discrediting the United States, sabotage, political gain, denial or degradation of the Navys access to cyberspace. As the information age presents the world with new technological challenges, the Navy relies on its own cyberexperts to shape our presence in cyberspace. NCWDG military and civilian personnel, including Neace, work closely with tactical commanders to develop cyberspace operational capabilities for strategic objectives. My grandfather was in the Navy, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps, Neace said. I knew I wanted to work in intelligence, and CTR sounded very interesting. Neace also said she is proud to serve at the forefront of technology innovation and cyberoperations, helping to protect America from threats around the world. Joining the Navy has been the best thing Ive done so far. I have already completed a lot of the goals I set, and I have many more to go, but Im on track, Neace said. Im really proud of my experiences. I take pride in wearing my uniform every day. The future of U.S. maritime power depends on the Navys ability to achieve their vision for cyberspace operations, based on careful consideration of the threats, trends and challenges facing the Navy in cyberspace. I received my Information Warfare pin in four months, Neace said, who explained that the pin recognizes her as a subject matter expert in her field. My mom raised me right and made me very driven and work-oriented. It has helped me in my Navy career. Nonprofit groups may submit announcements of upcoming events to events@elkodaily.com. Christian mens camp Sept. 15-17 SPRING CREEK Cowboys Rest Christian Camp is hosting its 16th annual mens retreat on Sept. 15-17. The cost is $100 and covers two nights of lodging at the camp. Also included are five meals featuring wild game. Activities include paintball, mountain biking, canoeing and a trap shoot competition. This years guest speaker is retired three-star general Tex Brown of the U.S. Air Force. For more information, call 934-9806 or visit cowboysrest.org. 3D Archery shoot Sept. 17 ELKO Elko Archery Club is hosting its End of Summer 3D Shoot on Sept. 17 Sign up at 8 a.m., shooting starts at 9 a.m. Unmarked range finders are OK. Bring your own lunch and drinks. Cost is $5 for members $10 for nonmembers Elko Archery Range offers 20 targets. Bereavement support Sept. 18 ELKO A bereavement support group meeting is scheduled at 6 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Horizon Center, located in Horizon Hospice at 1250 Lamoille Highway, Suite 413. All adults teens children and families are welcome to attend this peer-supported, no-cost gathering. A light supper and dessert will be provided. Call 778-0612 for more information. Librarys Maker Monday Sept. 18 ELKO Elko County Library invites youth, ages 10 to 18, to explore, discover, create and invent things at the library. Bring your imagination and join us Sept. 18 at 4:30 p.m. for Maker Monday (the third Monday of each month). Children will be working with optical illusions. Are you up to the challenge? The Library will provide all of the materials. For more information, please contact the Library at 738-3066 or visit www.elkocountylibrary.org. Suicide loss workshops start Sept. 18 ELKO Dr. Alan D. Wolfelt will present Understanding Your Suicide Grief, Exploring Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart, in 12 sessions, one hour each, starting Sept. 18 in classroom 1 at Elko Hospital. The free workshop runs from 6-7 p.m. There will be required reading and writing. Understanding Your Greif Workshop is limited to 10 participants. To sign up for the workshop send an email to: sosofelko@gmail.com or call Lynette Vega at 775-397-1911. Losing a loved one or a friend to suicide can be a difficult unique journey. It is OK to reach out for help, Vegas said. The workshop is a safe place to explore your emotions. Spring Creek water meeting Sept. 20 SPRING CREEK Spring Creek Association property owners are invited to a Community Water Consumer Session at 6 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Spring Creek High School gym. The forum is presented by the Bureau of Consumer Affairs, State Sen. Pete Goicoechea, Assemblyman John Ellison and the SCA to discuss current water issues. For information, call the SCA at 753-6295 or visit their website at www.springcreeknv.org. Silver Stage Players Sept. 21 ELKO The Silver Stage Players will host a general membership meeting at 7 p.m. Sept. 21at Round Table Pizza on Mountain City Highway. Participants will recap the 2017 season, work on future planning, and make a revision to the bylaws, all while enjoying some pizza and friendship. Anyone interested in the many aspects of theater is encouraged to attend, including acting, directing, costumes, technicians, etc. There is no age requirement or membership fee to join the theater company, only a desire to offer the areas best theater and your time. The Silver Stage Players, celebrating its 81st year, is a nonprofit theater company dedicated to providing the finest theater, community service and educational opportunities to its members and the residents of northeastern Nevada. Productions throughout Silver Stages nearly 80-year history include Steel Magnolias, Bard in the Yard, The Little Princess, Pirates of Penzance, The Wizard of Oz, and many others. Jarbidge wine walk Sept. 23 JARBIDGE The Jarbidge Arts Council presents the third annual Wine Walk and Richard H. Dorman presents the Jarbidge Mail Stage Murder Walk. The wine walk starts at 1 p.m. and the Mail Stage Murder walk will begin at 10 a.m. Make it a weekend and stay at Tsawhawbitts Ranch B&B or at the Outdoor Inn Motel. Spaghetti fundraiser for strings orchestra Sept. 23 ELKO The fifth annual spaghetti lunch fundraiser for the Elko High School strings orchestra is set for noon to 2 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Northeastern Nevada Museum. Cost is $10 per person or $30 for four people. Funds raised go toward students travel accounts. For information, contact string orchestra director Rod Royce at 738-3375, ext. 103, or rroyce@ecsdnv.net. Mayors Arts Awards nominees by Sept. 28 ELKO The Honorable Mayor Chris Johnson and the Elko Arts and Culture Advisory Board are seeking nominations for the annual Mayors Arts Awards. Nomination forms are available at the City of Elko website, www.ci.elko.us, or can be picked up at City Hall, 1751 College Ave. Nominations are due by 5 p.m. Sept. 28. For questions or more information call Jeremy Draper at 777-7217. Crafts at the library Sept. 20-Dec. 20 ELKO Join Elko County Library for some creative fun with After-School Crafts @ Your Public Library. Children can be preregistered for Fall After-School Crafts to be held every first and third Wednesday of the month beginning Sept. 20 and running through Dec. 20. Preregistration is required and there is no cost. This program is designed for children ages 5 years and older. Drop by the Library to register or call 738-3066 for additional information. Discussing Walden Sept. 18 ELKO On Monday, Sept.18, the Elko County Library Book Club will discuss Henry David Thoreaus self-reliance classic Walden. The book club will meet at 6 pm in the Library Meeting Room. Copies of the book are available for check-out. All are welcome to attend. Call Patrick Dunn at the library for more information, 738-3066. Tween Book & Movie Club Sept. 26 ELKO Tweens! Books! Movies! All three are coming together at the Elko County Library for the Tween Book & Movie Club on Sept. 26 from 4:30- 6:30 p.m. For the September meeting, tweens (ages 10-13) will watch the film Where the Red Fern Grows and then enjoy a lively discussion about the film and the book by Wilson Rawls. Snacks will be served. Tweens may pick up a copy of the book at the Library so they can read it before watching the film. For more information, contact the Library at 738-3066 or visit www.elkocountylibrary.org. NNRH free flu shots Sept. 30 ELKO Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital will provide free flu shots to everyone ages 4 and up at the third annual Drive-Thru Flu Shot Clinic on Saturday, Sept. 30, from 8 a.m. to noon. Participants will not even need to get out of their cars; just pull into the hospital parking lot and follow the signs to the flu shot clinic. While the flu shots are completely free, participants are encouraged to give back to the community by bringing canned food which will be collected and donated to FISH and the Ruby Mountain Resource Center. For more information, call 748-2136. HAUNT After Dark starts Oct. 6 ELKO HAUNT After Dark, Nevadas scariest haunted complex terrorizing Elko, is coming in October. HAUNT has been expanded into two premier attractions featuring the Psycho Circus and the After Dark Haunted House. Both haunts are professional, high-fear haunted attractions with new animatronics, technology and scare tactics never witnessed before. Chicken doors have been installed for the weak to escape when they cant handle the fear. Enter at your own risk. The haunted house is located at 729 Douglas St., opening every Friday and Saturday night and Halloween at 7 p.m. starting Oct. 6. Admission is $10 for each haunt or purchase the $18 combo to experience both attractions. Whatever you fear you will find it in here. Contact 738-2759 or HauntElko.com for the gory details. All proceeds benefit FISH and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Elko. Yellow Dot stickers available LAMOILLE The Lamoille Womens Club continues to provide the Yellow Dot Program, in which a yellow dot sticker is placed on a vehicles rear window to let first responders and rescue personnel know there is a yellow packet in the glove compartment with emergency and medical information should the vehicle be involved in an accident. Yellow Dot Packets are available at the main Fire Station on the corner of Idaho Street and Mountain City Highway, the County Managers Office, the Elko Police Department, the Sheriffs Department, Nevada Highway Patrol and the County Ambulance Service. The Yellow Dot Program will also be available at the Fire Safety Firemens picnic Sept. 30 at the city park. For inquiries or more information, contact Martha Wallace at 340-6922. Lamoille Harvest Festival Oct. 7-9 LAMOILLE The 23rd Annual Lamoille Harvest Festival is fast approaching, and there are still openings for vendors. The event, sponsored by the Lamoille Community Presbyterian Church, is Oct.7-9 at the Lamoille Ranchers Center. The festival is open to vendors selling handcrafted items only. Booth space is $70 for 8x10 inside or 10x10 outside. Contact Susie at 738-2823 or Gina at 340-4934. BREAKING: Nigerian Army Allegedly Killing People & Burning Houses In Aba Since Midnight bohlah at 14-09-2017 07:44 AM (5 years ago) (m) As shared by one Otum Uchenna Kalu, read below: There is a serious crisis in Aba right now. Since midnight, we haven't slept in Aba, we kept vigil all through the night because the Hausa/Fulani people have been killing and burning down houses in Aba, Abia State. Places like Umuode village, Uratta/Port Harcourt Road and Ariaria have been attacked and people's houses razed by the Hausas. It's ironic that despite the state imposed curfew in Aba, including the heavy presence of the military, vis-a-vis the Army's Operation Python Dance 2, the Hausas are having a field day. People have been killed and rendered homeless in their own place and someone will tell me that "we are one Nigeria". This is a clarion call to all our people everywhere in Nigeria especially in the North to be vigilant and move with utmost care as our lives and the very existence of our being are seriously being threatened. If the Hausas right here in our back yard can have a field day to attack us uninhibited and unresisted, our people in the North are not safe at all. We, the Igbos are no longer safe in this country and the earlier the needful is done, the better. Biafrans, the time to act is now! Good morning! As shared by one Otum Uchenna Kalu, read below: Post Reply I have been reporting on latest news from Nigeria for almost 10 years now. I report on every possible news area I come across, but always ensure my reports are compiled with dignity and fact to uphold my personal values and duty as a journalist Posted: at 14-09-2017 07:44 AM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero OkeEyitayo at 14-09-2017 08:03 AM (5 years ago) (m) Since Fulani started their wanton destruction of life and property, they have send army to go and kill them or burn their huts Posted: at 14-09-2017 08:03 AM (5 years ago) | Upcoming Since Fulani started their wanton destruction of life and property, they have send army to go and kill them or burn their huts Reply Haso112 at 14-09-2017 08:31 AM (5 years ago) (m) HEADLINE - NIGERIA ARMY KILLING & BURNING HOUSES BODY - HAUSA/FULANI ARE KILLING & BURNING HOUSES FACT - YOU GUYS ARE STUPID, DESPERATE ISRAELITES... THESE LIES WON'T HELP YOU GUYS....!!! HOW IN THE WORLD IS IT POSSIBLE FOR HAUSA/FULANI'S TO BE KILLING YOU GUYS ON YOUR OWN SOIL. HOW STUPID DO YOU PEOPLE THINK WE ARE ACTUALLY? Posted: at 14-09-2017 08:31 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac HEADLINE - NIGERIA ARMY KILLING & BURNING HOUSESBODY - HAUSA/FULANI ARE KILLING & BURNING HOUSESFACT - YOU GUYS ARE STUPID, DESPERATE ISRAELITES... THESE LIES WON'T HELP YOU GUYS....!!!HOW IN THE WORLD IS IT POSSIBLE FOR HAUSA/FULANI'S TO BE KILLING YOU GUYS ON YOUR OWN SOIL. HOW STUPID DO YOU PEOPLE THINK WE ARE ACTUALLY? Reply DemmyBlack at 14-09-2017 09:01 AM (5 years ago) (m) Exactly my point, this is fake news, I don't believe anything from naijapals/gistmania anymore, they are hungry for article traffic. How come it's only on their site the fake news published. This is fake! Naijapals/gistmania you lot are retarded. Posted: at 14-09-2017 09:01 AM (5 years ago) | Upcoming Exactly my point, this is fake news, I don't believe anything from naijapals/gistmania anymore, they are hungry for article traffic. How come it's only on their site the fake news published. This is fake! Naijapals/gistmania you lot are retarded. Reply Oworen25 at 14-09-2017 09:15 AM (5 years ago) (m) How do you know it fake, when the hausa were killing the yorubas in lagos last year wasn't that in yorubas land? Posted: at 14-09-2017 09:15 AM (5 years ago) | Hero How do you know it fake, when the hausa were killing the yorubas in lagos last year wasn't that in yorubas land? Reply nabdepac at 14-09-2017 09:21 AM (5 years ago) (m) YOU ALL CAUSE THIS PROBLEM TO YOURSELF , I TOLD YOU AGITATION WITH VIOLENCE NNAMDI KANU STARTED ALL THIS WITH HIS VIOLENT WORDS NOW COMPLIAN DON START THE HAUSAS ARE KILLING MENNN! I KNOW WHEN WE IGBO PEOPLE GO WISE .... Posted: at 14-09-2017 09:21 AM (5 years ago) | Newbie YOU ALL CAUSE THIS PROBLEM TO YOURSELF , I TOLD YOU AGITATION WITH VIOLENCE NNAMDI KANU STARTED ALL THIS WITH HIS VIOLENT WORDS NOW COMPLIAN DON START THE HAUSAS ARE KILLING MENNN! I KNOW WHEN WE IGBO PEOPLE GO WISE .... Reply fineboy77 at 14-09-2017 11:57 AM (5 years ago) (m) Quote from: Haso112 on 14-09-2017 08:31 AM HEADLINE - NIGERIA ARMY KILLING & BURNING HOUSES BODY - HAUSA/FULANI ARE KILLING & BURNING HOUSES FACT - YOU GUYS ARE STUPID, DESPERATE ISRAELITES... THESE LIES WON'T HELP YOU GUYS....!!! HOW IN THE WORLD IS IT POSSIBLE FOR HAUSA/FULANI'S TO BE KILLING YOU GUYS ON YOUR OWN SOIL. HOW STUPID DO YOU PEOPLE THINK WE ARE ACTUALLY? Really Really stupid,and thats a fact. You are really blessed with stupidity What is the color beneath your skin? Posted: at 14-09-2017 11:57 AM (5 years ago) | Hero Really Really stupid,and thats a fact. You are really blessed with stupidity Reply Parcely at 14-09-2017 12:20 PM (5 years ago) (m) Now is clear you are one of the bad element that mislead people with misinformation what do you really stand to gain in your propaganda this how you guys course sleepless night for everyone in Aba. God will course sleepless night in your life too IJN. Posted: at 14-09-2017 12:20 PM (5 years ago) | Newbie Now is clear you are one of the bad element that mislead people with misinformation what do you really stand to gain in your propaganda this how you guys course sleepless night for everyone in Aba. God will course sleepless night in your life too IJN. Reply Floyd29 at 14-09-2017 11:02 PM (5 years ago) (f) You people cos problems for yourself. now enjoy it Posted: at 14-09-2017 11:02 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac You people cos problems for yourself. now enjoy it Reply tegonwa at 15-09-2017 06:23 AM (5 years ago) (m) These Soldiers Are Simply Chasing Shadows.So Hopeless!Nawaa O! Posted: at 15-09-2017 06:23 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac These Soldiers Are Simply Chasing Shadows.So Hopeless!Nawaa O! Reply clarajancita at 14-09-2017 10:30 AM (5 years ago) (f) An American lady known as Tanisha a.k.a Tee Burr Isibor has left her friends in sorrow following her untimely demise. According to an online report, the lady visited Edo state in Nigeria four years ago with plans of making an investment. An American lady known as Tanisha a.k.a Tee Burr Isibor has left her friends in sorrow following her untimely demise. According to an online report, the lady visited Edo state in Nigeria four years ago with plans of making an investment. According to philanthropist and social activist, Amb Dion Osagie who brought her to Benin city, Edo state capital, the lady who later abandoned him got pregnant during her visit before returning back to the US. The lady has now passed on as her friends have taken to their Facebook accounts to mourn her. Below is what Amb Dion Osagie shared on Facebook; I met Tanisha who is an American in Austin Texas. She was very passionate about Nigeria and wanted to us invest together in hair making factory which was a great idea. I brought her to Benin City 4 years ago where we had a plan in creating this factory in Edo to create jobs. We felt that the human hair business was a billion dollar business and we could tap into the market. We visited the former SSG professor Julius Ihonvbere who also lived and worked in Austin Texas before moving to Nigeria to share some of this ideas with him. Off course politicians never take investors seriously. He didnt give us the link we needed. Visited Elizabeth Ativie, Madams Ronke and others movers & shakers. I took her to ITV and other media platform for interviews. Everything was going successful until i introduced her to shady politicians like Eseohe Adams who was a former executive director to Adams Oshomole and the GANI family who was an Aide to Oshomole. They confused her and labeled me as a bad guy who do not have the capacity to invest but scam her and killed her dreams, before I knew it, my friend Tee will not tell me her whereabouts anymore. She will ride in conveys with the GANIs to Auchi for political occasions and other places. Sadly at the end, she got pregnant here in Nigeria and I am very sure to one of the Edo politicians and finally moved back to the US. Today she is dead. Truly, she is a great person. This particular picture to your left was taken inside one of my vehicle in Benin on our way to an interview on ITV. May your soul rest in peace my dear friend until we meet again!! According to philanthropist and social activist, Amb Dion Osagie who brought her to Benin city, Edo state capital, the lady who later abandoned him got pregnant during her visit before returning back to the US.The lady has now passed on as her friends have taken to their Facebook accounts to mourn her.Below is what Amb Dion Osagie shared on Facebook;I met Tanisha who is an American in Austin Texas. She was very passionate about Nigeria and wanted to us invest together in hair making factory which was a great idea.I brought her to Benin City 4 years ago where we had a plan in creating this factory in Edo to create jobs. We felt that the human hair business was a billion dollar business and we could tap into the market.We visited the former SSG professor Julius Ihonvbere who also lived and worked in Austin Texas before moving to Nigeria to share some of this ideas with him. Off course politicians never take investors seriously. He didnt give us the link we needed. Visited Elizabeth Ativie, Madams Ronke and others movers & shakers.I took her to ITV and other media platform for interviews. Everything was going successful until i introduced her to shady politicians like Eseohe Adams who was a former executive director to Adams Oshomole and the GANI family who was an Aide to Oshomole.They confused her and labeled me as a bad guy who do not have the capacity to invest but scam her and killed her dreams, before I knew it, my friend Tee will not tell me her whereabouts anymore. She will ride in conveys with the GANIs to Auchi for political occasions and other places.Sadly at the end, she got pregnant here in Nigeria and I am very sure to one of the Edo politicians and finally moved back to the US. Today she is dead. Truly, she is a great person.This particular picture to your left was taken inside one of my vehicle in Benin on our way to an interview on ITV. May your soul rest in peace my dear friend until we meet again!! Post Reply I am a metro reporter on Gistmania, I have been publishing news materials for over 5 years Posted: at 14-09-2017 10:30 AM (5 years ago) | Hero The content you are looking for has either been removed or requires you to login to view Please login below or register for an account With Naijapals.com felicilin at 14-09-2017 12:15 PM (5 years ago) (f) The General Overseer of the Inri Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke-Afa, Lagos, Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele, has released new prophecies regarding the unity of Nigeria and the agitation for Biafra. The General Overseer of the Inri Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke-Afa, Lagos, Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele, has released new prophecies regarding the unity of Nigeria and the agitation for Biafra. Ayodele predicted that Biafra will be actualized but not through the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu. The clergyman, who made the prediction, disclosed that he sees Kanu having problems with the bail granted him which is due to his activities. In his new book, Warning to the Nation Ayodele says he sees Nigeria breaking up by 2032 into five different countries. Ayodele also disclosed that the Name Aso Rock and location of Aso Rock will change, while there will be shootings and death in the Villa. According to Ayodele, The voice of God says the name Aso Rock will be changed in the nearest future and the location may also change. Let us pray to rebuke death and shootings in the villa. Ayodele predicted that Biafra will be actualized but not through the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.The clergyman, who made the prediction, disclosed that he sees Kanu having problems with the bail granted him which is due to his activities.In his new book,Ayodele says he sees Nigeria breaking up by 2032 into five different countries.Ayodele also disclosed that the Name Aso Rock and location of Aso Rock will change, while there will be shootings and death in the Villa.According to Ayodele, The voice of God says the name Aso Rock will be changed in the nearest future and the location may also change. Let us pray to rebuke death and shootings in the villa. Quote I forsee that from 2032, Nigeria will not be one country again as I foresee five nations coming out of Nigeria. In 2024, there may be a natural disaster and in the nearest future, the name Lagos may change and Ibadan may become a state. Noting that the second term bid of President Muhammadu Buhari is dicey, Ayodele predicted that power will still remain in the North come 2019. He also stated that those close to Buhari will disappoint him and this will lead to a forceful change in government. Ayodele said, The spirit of God says power will still return to the North in 2019 and Nigerians will be shocked as regards who becomes president. The second term bid of President Buhari will be dicey. I foresee that the international community will gang up against him especially on issues of human rights and corruption. President Buhari needs prayers for his health as his health condition will be troubling him. People who are to help the Buhari government are the ones that will fight him. I foresee an unexpected change in the government of Buhari, he will be disappointed by close confidants. The spirit of God says Democracy in Nigeria may not last for the next 30 years. I foresee a referendum which may lead to reforms as so many things will be affected in the country. On the issue of agitaton for Biafra, Ayodele said, I foresee that Biafra will be actualised but not now. Biafra is going to battle with Nigerian forces for they have done a lot of underground works. The current leaders clamouring for Biafra now may not be the ones that will make the dream come true. Nnamdi Kanu may not be the one to actualize this dream. I foresee that he will have problems due to his activities in relation to the bail granted him. Post Reply Posted: at 14-09-2017 12:15 PM (5 years ago) | Hero Overall, dont let the bhoot mislead you, nothing bhootiya about this story. Had the makers tried to push the envelope, the idea could have been outstanding for a bhootiya comedy. CARSON CITY The Nevada State Museum and Nevada State Railroad Museum are teaming up for a day of history about one of the states most beloved artifacts and the rail line on which it operated. The 142-year-old Glenbrook locomotive originally built to help transport lumber from the Tahoe Basin to the silver mines of Virginia City was donated by the family of lumber magnate D.L. Bliss to the Nevada State Museum in 1943. For much of the next four decades, it was on display outside the museum, where it was admired by thousands of visitors. In 1980, the locomotive went to the Nevada State Railroad Museum, where it was restored to working order over a 31-year-period. On Sept. 28, railroad historian and author Stephen Drew will first team with the Nevada State Railroad Museums chief mechanical officer, Chris DeWitt, to tell the story of the Glenbrook from the time it was built in 1875 through the painstaking restoration process. Later the same day, Drew will be the featured speaker at the Nevada State Museums monthly Frances Humphrey Lecture Series, expanding on the subject of Lake Tahoes Railroads. By teaming up, the museums can provide a more in-depth look into this colorful chapter of Northern Nevadas railroad history, said Nevada State Museum Director Myron Freedman. Shop Talk with Stephen Drew and Chris DeWitt, takes place from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, 2180 S. Carson St., and includes a book signing by Drew. The pair will discuss the important role the Glenbrook played in delivering timber from the shores of Lake Tahoe to the mines of the Comstock; and the restoration completed in 2015. No reservations are required for this event. The cost is $6 for adults; free for museum members and children 17 and younger. For information, contact Adam Michalski at (775) 687-6953, ext. 224, or amichalski@nevadaculture.org. At 6:30 p.m. at the Nevada State Museum, 600 N. Carson St., Drew will give a presentation on Lake Tahoes Railroads. In the 1870s, the Comstock Lode created an insatiable appetite for Tahoes virgin pine forests. The timbers would shore up underground mining and build communities approaching 40,000 inhabitants. As the mining boom subsided, the rail lines were repurposed for the burgeoning new industry of tourism. Drew has been researching railroads of the Comstock and Lake Tahoe region for 45 years. He recently retired after 35 years as chief curator of the California State Railroad Museum. He is the author of the book Nevadas Virginia & Truckee Railroad. Seating is limited in the museums South Gallery. The cost is $8 for adults; free for museum members and children 17 and younger. To reserve your seat, contact Mary Covington at 687-4810, ext. 224 or email mcovington@nevadaculture.org. English Dutch REGULATED INFORMATION GHENT, Belgium, 14 September 2017 - Ablynx [Euronext Brussels: ABLX; OTC: ABYLY] today announced, in conformity with Title II of the Law of 2 May 2007 and the Royal Decree of 14 February 2008, that an additional 249,563 common shares have been issued by the Company in exchange for 878,950 as the result of the exercise of warrants. As a result of this transaction, Ablynx now has 61,419,295 shares outstanding. The total number of rights (warrants) to subscribe to not yet issued securities conferring voting rights currently is 2,622,414 which equals the total number of voting rights that may result from the exercise of these warrants. Currently 1,000 convertible bonds are outstanding entitling the holders thereof to 7,733,952 shares of the Company in the aggregate, upon conversion of such convertible bonds. About Ablynx Ablynx is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of Nanobodies, proprietary therapeutic proteins based on single-domain antibody fragments, which combine the advantages of conventional antibody drugs with some of the features of small-molecule drugs. Ablynx is dedicated to creating new medicines which will make a real difference to society. Today, the Company has more than 45 proprietary and partnered programmes in development in various therapeutic areas including inflammation, haematology, immuno-oncology, oncology and respiratory disease. The Company has collaborations with multiple pharmaceutical companies including AbbVie; Boehringer Ingelheim; Eddingpharm; Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA; Merck KGaA; Novartis; Novo Nordisk; Sanofi and Taisho Pharmaceuticals. The Company is headquartered in Ghent, Belgium. More information can be found on www.ablynx.com. For more information, please contact Ablynx: Dr Edwin Moses CEO t: +32 (0)9 262 00 07 m: +32 (0)473 39 50 68 e: edwin.moses@ablynx.com Lies Vanneste Director Investor Relations t: +32 (0)9 262 01 37 m: +32 (0)498 05 35 79 e: lies.vanneste@ablynx.com Follow us on Twitter @AblynxABLX Ablynx media relations: Consilium Strategic Communications Mary-Jane Elliott, Philippa Gardner, Sukaina Virji t: +44 (0)20 3709 5700 e: ablynx@consilium-comms.com Attachments: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/911a953b-c614-46e5-88b3-e7303208da78 Citing an unnecessary burden on the mining industry, Nevadas elected officials asked the Environmental Protection Agency to eliminate a proposed rule that would require owners and operators of hardrock mining facilities to demonstrate financial responsibility. Proponents of the rule call it long overdue. The previous presidential administration proposed the rule, Financial Responsibility Requirements Under CERCLA Section 108(b) for Classes of Facilities in the Hardrock Mining Industry, which would amend rules for the federal Superfund, established in 1980 to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous-waste sites and other hazards to the environment. The goal is to increase the likelihood that those owners and operators will have funds necessary to address the CERCLA liabilities at their facilities, thus preventing the burden of cleanup from falling to other parties, including the American taxpayer, according to an EPA rule summary. In a letter sent February, Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) urged the EPA to extend the public comment period and further review the effect the rule would have on the mining industry. The EPA responded by extending the comment period from 60 to 120 days, ending July 11. Gov. Brian Sandoval in April also wrote to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt expressing concern over the proposed rule. Taking advantage of the additional time, Heller and colleagues outlined issues with the proposed rule in a July letter, which calls the proposal unnecessary and duplicative and exceeds EPAs authority under the law. Heller stated that the proposal improperly relies on legacy contamination, which he maintains is outside what Congress directed the EPA to address under the section, and fails to take into account the degree and duration of the risk. He also cites a Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works report that found facilities already to be covered by another financial responsibility act. Heller warned about the consequences should the rule pass. The cost of compliance with this unlawful and duplicative federal program will discourage domestic mineral production and stymie future investment and development opportunities, leading to greater import reliance for metals and minerals, and putting the United States domestic manufacturing, energy, and national security sectors at a major disadvantage, he wrote. Furthermore, this rule will have substantial adverse impacts to local communities who depend on the high-paying family-wage jobs and tax revenues supported by the industry. Great Basin Resource Watch joined a group of rule supporters nationwide, including the Sierra Club, to write to the EPA last summer, expressing support for rigorous regulations under CERCLA 108(b) to ensure that funding is available for clean-up of hazardous materials at mine facilities. Sandoval wrote that the rule would duplicate or preempt Nevadas financial responsibility programs, which he deemed the best in the nation to minimize risk and ensure remediation when necessary. As required by those programs, Nevada mining companies collectively hold billions of dollars in financial assurance instruments required by the State, and/or by the federal land management agencies to cover reclamation, closure, and spills and releases during operations, he wrote. EPA has not fully understood and taken into account existing mining regulations and financial assurance requirements imposed by states and sister federal agencies, nor has any member of the rulemaking team ever visited a hardrock mine . GBRW Director John Hadder said better assurances are needed nationwide. Nevada does have better financial assurance regulations than probably most other states. GBRW sees the EPA regulation development as an opportunity to review what we have in Nevada and make any improvements. Assuming that flexibility is built into the final rule, mining companies will most likely not see a significant increased financial burden and mining operations will largely be unaffected in Nevada. A final rule would be published in the Federal Register in December. Friends of deceased store owner Tahir Mahmud paint a stark picture of his last moments at the Joy Food Mart the groceries he bought just before reporting for work were still in his vehicle, leaving friends to wonder if the shooter had waited to pounce from behind some nearby trees. He didnt have a chance to bring them inside, Abdul Akram, 27, said of the groceries left behind Tuesday morning. The mystery has many members of the areas tight-knit community of convenience store owners on edge. Its worrisome, anytime theres a killer on the loose, said Nameed Hassan, 30, owner of the Exxon station at 206 River St. As the station owner for the past two years, hes been victimized by a few shoplifters here and there, but for the most part has been lucky so far when it comes to his physical safety. But now Hassan, married and the father of a 2-year-old, is considering buying a gun for protection. It just as easily couldve been me, he said. Someone could just walk in and take everything from you in an instant. Mahmud, 54, was married and had a 6-year-old. Hed owned the store at 507 Riverside Drive for 10 years and was trying to sell it due to increasing violence over the years. He moved to the U.S. from Pakistan, and came to Danville one friend noted. Akram said a customer walked into the Joy Food Mart to find Mahmud lying on the floor, and then called 911. The just-bought Sams Club groceries, Akram said, were later found in Mahmuds vehicle, parked right at the stores front door. He didnt have a chance to bring them inside, Akram said. Akram said friends of Mahmud have searched the store for the cash drawer and his wallet, but have not been able to find them. They are unsure whether the shooter stole them or investigators took them for evidence. Danville police, who did not return calls for comment Wednesday, have not said whether Mahmud was shot to death as part of a robbery or any other reason. At the Pure Gas Station in South Boston Road, owner Arshad Khan put it succinctly: Everybody is worried. Kalil Khan, 73, who visits convenience stores all over Danville and chats with the owners, estimated about 90 percent of the store owners are Muslim. We come to this place because its peaceful and quiet, Kalil Khan said during an interview at the Pure Gas Station. But he pointed out that for the past couple of years theres been a growth in deadly crimes. Mahumds killing is the 10th homicide in Danville this year. The city had a record-breaking 16 homicides in 2016. The Pure Gas Station was the scene of the fatal stabbing of 56-year-old Gilmore Martin Cowan in 2013. Cowan was stabbed to death while he left work. Byron Vaughan, general manager at Speedway convenience store on South Boston Road, said he was not too concerned following Tuesdays fatality because you just dont know exactly what happened. Vaughans store stays busy, which means too much of a crowd for a would-be criminal to commit an easy robbery. And Vaughan notes that he keeps the register low on cash, to make for an unattractive target. Speedway had a couple of robberies two years ago, Vaughan said. Mahmuds killing has affected Danvilles Muslim community just as well as the convenience store community, said Kalil Khan, founder of the Danville Masjid and Islamic Center on Piney Forest Road. Mahmud and his family and friends attended the center together. We are scared that anything of this caliber can happen, Kalil Khan said. Its hard for the community. Its hard for the family. And he is convinced it was a crime motivated by money and not by hate based on religion or ethnicity. It was an idiot, a moron, an imbecile who just had no aim in life, Kalil Khan said of the killer. The Virginia Department of Education denied accreditation to all but three Danville schools while fully accrediting every school in Pittsylvania County in new results released on Wednesday. In Danville, only Forest Hills Elementary School and Galileo Magnet High School received full accreditation for the 2017-18 school year. George Washington High School was also partially accredited due to a dip in math, science and history test pass rates. However, the remainder of Danville schools Gibson Elementary School, Johnson Elementary School, Bonner Middle School, Park Avenue Elementary School, Schoolfield Elementary School, Westwood Middle School and Woodberry Hills Elementary School were denied accreditation. The Virginia Department of Educations accreditation process measures school progress by Standards of Learning test score pass rates, as well as factors like high school graduation rates. Danville Superintendent Stanley Jones said the results are troubling, but dont tell the whole story about Danville schools. It does not mean that students are not successful in our schools, Jones said. It does not mean that we have bad schools. Jones said the schools were still implementing new programs like precision machining, standardizing instruction and addressing discipline issues. At the same time, it is a measure that we cant ignore, Jones said about the results. Jones said years of school closures, leadership change and other funding challenges gradually took a toll on student success. We reduced resources at a time when we needed more resources, Jones said. Chris Duncombe, policy analyst at the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, said poverty was also a factor, not just for Danville students but across Virginia and the United States. Weve looked at this in past years, and only about a third of high-poverty schools met the states accreditation, Duncombe said. Using free and reduced lunch eligibility data from 2014, Duncombe said all of the schools denied accreditation had more than 75 percent of students qualified for free and reduced lunch. Additionally, all of the accredited schools fell under that threshold. Its a story of poverty and the challenges that come with that, Duncombe said. Students qualify for free and reduced lunches if their annual household income falls below $44,955 for a household of four people. Almost one out of every four Danville residents lives in poverty, according to 2015 estimates from the U.S. Census. To help boost test scores and student achievement, and as required by the state, Jones said the entire school district would be implementing and maintaining a corrective action. The action plan partners up schools with an outside educational organization, which will support teachers and students when necessary. What weve done is what we know will make a different, Jones said. We will simply expand the corrective action plan to the entire system. Duncombe said he believed a statewide effort to increase funding in high-poverty school districts could provide a more long-term solution. Currently, Virginia spends between 1 to 13 percent more on students in high-poverty districts through the At-Risk Add On program, which lags behind the national average of 29 percent. The range varies based on the school divisions level of poverty. This is exactly where increased dollars can make the most difference, Duncombe said. Duncombe urged legislators to create a funding model for school districts based on more than just the number of students in the district. I think that would be a very prudent investment for the state, particularly as we are trying to promote economic growth in the commonwealth, he said. Pittsylvania County Schools Superintendent Mark Jones told school board members Tuesday night he was immensely proud of his school district for its perfect accreditation results. I believe the biggest reason is we have staff that is willing to go the extra mile, Jones said. ROANOKE -- The Affordable Care Act exchange is collapsing in Virginia, with the last potential insurer pulling out of western Virginia and leaving about 70,000 people without the ability to purchase health insurance for 2018. Any individual, regardless of income, who purchased an individual policy on the exchange or non-exchange wont be able to buy a policy next year, Carilion Clinic Chief Financial Officer Don Halliwill said Tuesday. When people think of the exchange, they think of poor people. Thats not accurate. Its all income levels. About 40,000 of the people affected live within Carilions service area. Should nothing change before the Centers for Medicare and Medicaids Sept. 27 deadline for insurers to participate, parts of Virginia, including the Roanoke and New River valleys, will be the only places in the U.S. without at least one insurer, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Open enrollment starts Nov. 1 for policies that take effect Jan. 1. This year, three insurance companies offered individual policies in the Roanoke and New River valleys. But this spring, Aetna announced that it would no longer participate in the marketplace. Last month, Anthem followed suit. And Optima Health said last week that it would no longer offer individual policies in areas of Virginia where its parent, Sentara Health, does not have hospitals and providers. Although Optima covered only a small percentage of people in western Virginia, the company had been expected to fill the void after Anthem announced its departure, meaning it would have been on track to sell 100 percent of the individual policies in the region. Insurers blame President Donald Trump for making subsidies unreliable and Congress for failing to stabilize the market. Virginia Secretary of Health Dr. Bill Hazel said Tuesday that Washington had manufactured this crisis, which will affect about 70,000 of the 350,000 Virginians who purchase policies on the exchange. They are the ones who have to fix it, he said. Our hands are all but tied. Hazel said he has been meeting with Virginia insurers, but none is willing to reenter the market as long as federal cost-sharing reduction payments are at risk. The payments are subsidies to lower-income people to help cover out-of-pocket expenses of high deductibles, co-payments and coinsurance. Without the subsidies, insurers say healthier individuals would be unable to afford to use insurance coverage and so would opt to go without, leaving the insurers to cover only the sickest and costliest individuals. Trump has called the subsidies an insurance bailout, has threatened to cut them off and let the ACA collapse, and has decided on a monthly basis whether to continue the payments. My members are large organizations that work with long-term planning. They make decisions based on years, not months, said Doug Gray, executive director of the Virginia Association of Health Plans. Trump and Congressional Republicans this year failed in two attempts to replace the Affordable Care Act and have also failed to stabilize the market, Gray said. We didnt get into this by accident. It was by a conscious choice of leadership, he said. Though insurers across the nation are facing the same destabilizing forces, it appeared as of this week that the collapse of the marketplace is only affecting parts of Virginia. The latest map by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid shows at least one insurer for every county in the nation, but a map by the Kaiser Family Foundation reflecting last weeks deadline, when Optima pulled out, shows parts of Virginia as the only places lacking any coverage. Katha Treanor, a spokeswoman for the Virginia State Corporation Commission Bureau of Insurance, said Optima on Tuesday asked to add a few localities back to its coverage area, but none is in western Virginia. The bureau and Hazel have been working with some small out-of-state plans that have expressed interest in picking up parts of the uncovered jurisdiction. But deadlines are approaching. The late date at which Anthem pulled out of the market has forced Virginia to scramble. Anthem provided the majority of the policies on the individual market, and it held about 70 percent of the policies in Carilions territory. Some other places were dealing with this earlier. Anthem waited until the second week in August to announce. If we had known in April, we could have been working to bring small plans in, Hazel said. Hazel said that if Congress stabilizes the cost-sharing reduction payments, Anthem or other insurers might reenter the market, though deadlines would need to be extended. Gray isnt as hopeful. Insurers who leave the market are locked out for five years, he said. Anthem is the only national insurer that didnt pull out entirely, having retained a couple of small localities. If other insurers wanted back in, Congress would have to allow an exception, he said. President Trump said we need to let the system implode and then created severe uncertainty around whether he would pay the cost-sharing payments, which has been a sticking point with insurers, said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. Kaine and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said committees they serve on are working on a fix. If the president isnt willing to guarantee the payments and create certainty himself, we will do it for him, Kaine said. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, blamed both the Affordable Care Act, and the Senate for failing to repeal and replace it, for the instability that prompted insurers to pull out of his district. In the face of Senate inability to act and to address the problem of insurers leaving the market, I am willing to work with my colleagues in Congress on both sides of the aisle to patch the collapsing system, Griffith said. To that end, I believe Congress must appropriate CSR [cost-sharing reduction] subsidies until such time as a true replacement for Obamacare can be implemented. Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Roanoke County, said several governors have stepped up to find ways to keep exchanges running in their states. I hope Gov. McAuliffe will consider a way to do this as well, he said. Goodlatte, whose district is widely affected by the insurers pullout, said the problem was created by the Affordable Care Act. Unfortunately, the collapse of insurance exchanges shouldnt be a surprise. From the very beginning, many have said, I included, that this law is simply unworkable and the systems put into place by it will not adequately serve American families. Now, those chickens have come home to roost, Goodlatte said. Meanwhile Carilions Halliwill said people who have been buying individual policies might not understand that they wont be able to. Its too soon to know the effect. Data would show that individuals who dont have insurance tend to delay care and not have routine services, which leads to more severe illnesses, he said. Carilion, which provided $120 million in charity care last year, wants patients to know that they should still come in without insurance, he said. Were the safety net for the uninsured and under-insured. Well still be here, he said. BB&T Corp. plans to close 140 branches this year, representing 6.4 percent of its network and including at least three branches in the Triad. The bank updated its branch-closing plans Tuesday as part of a Barclays Global Financial Services Conference presentation by Kelly King, the BB&T chairman and chief executive. Bank spokesman David White said Tuesday that the bank closed its branch at 1907 Cotton Grove Road in Lexington in August, leaving it with two in the city. It plans to close in December its only branch in Denton (94 N. Main St.) and in Whitsett (6405 Burlington Road). Once the closings are complete, BB&Ts Triad and Northwest North Carolina branch network will number 55, including 16 in Guilford County and 14 in Forsyth County. We recognize that any business closing can be an emotional issue for a community. For that reason, we do not take the decision to close a financial center lightly, White said. He said the bank had been reviewing the branches for potential closing for several years. He said no employees at the three branches will lose a job as a result of the closings. We have implemented a rigorous process whereby we continually review and evaluate the viability, convenience and physical conditions, among other factors, of our financial centers. Based on many factors, including client usage patterns, the decision was made to close the branch, he said. The overall number of planned branch cuts is up 10 from what BB&T estimated during its second-quarter earnings report on July 20 and up 40 from its first-quarter report in April. Kings presentation listed 2,188 branches companywide as of June 30, including 351 in North Carolina, 344 in Virginia and 318 in Florida. Full-time equivalent employees dropped by nine in the second quarter to 37,363. They are down 270 from a year ago. Since June 30, 2016, the bank has closed 64 branches, including five in North Carolina, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. data. The biggest cutbacks have come as expected in Pennsylvania, where BB&T has purged 34 branches as part of consolidating that states network following its purchases of Susquehanna Bancshares Inc. and National Penn Bancshares Inc. The $2.5 billion purchase of Susquehanna and $1.8 billion purchase of National Penn lifted BB&T from zero presence in Pennsylvania to a top-four market share. The state also has become BB&Ts fourth largest market by branch and deposit totals. Part of the branch-closing initiative comes from growing customer demand for its digital platform, such as U by BB&T. King said many of the additional branches being targeted for closure have another branch close by, which he believes will limit potential customer run-off. King also reiterated Tuesday BB&Ts primary short-term goals of accelerating what he called Main Street loan growth, as well as increasing corporate banking loan growth, wealth management deposits and focusing on prime auto loans at a level which improves profitability and returns and all conforming residential mortgages. On Sept. 19, BB&T plans to roll out its latest brand marketing campaign with the tagline, All we see is you. King said in July that BB&T is balancing clearly a steady decline in branch activity with the fact that most of its client base still values the branches. Its probable that branches will be somewhat less attractive going forward than they are today, he said. To the extent that we are able to figure out how to operate more efficiently, that factor causes mergers and acquisitions to be more attractive because you can bring in less efficient organizations into a more efficient platform. King said earlier this year that out-of-territory bank deals have become less attractive, particularly if theres limited opportunity to consolidate overlapping branches and bank operations. At first blush, Kings reasoning may seem counter-intuitive that an out-of-market purchase may become less attractive because there is less branch overlap. While that sounds good from a branch employees perspective, every bank deal is designed to squeeze cost savings out of the integration, primarily in back-office jobs but also at the branch level. The most difficult, frankly, today would be to acquire a large branch distribution operation out of market because there are no cost synergies in terms of overlaps, and so you have to get all of our cost improvement out of the backroom, King said. BB&T experienced that challenge with its purchases of the Pennsylvania banks. On the other hand, King said, if you do an in-market deal, you get the pretty easily achievable backroom savings, which are very predictable, and you get substantial overlap of branches. So in-markets would still make a lot more attractive proposition today economically, he said. Chris Marinac, managing principal with FIG Partners of Atlanta, said the reality is that branch closings are really tough work since there is a negative vibe to the company for doing these. It is quite possible that BB&T does not want to do the heavy lifting since it hurts their image, Marinac said. UCOM HAS INTRODUCED FUTURE NETWORK WI-FI 6E ROUTERS Statement by the Spokesperson on the conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts Foreign Minister of Armenia to participate in the Fifth Paris Peace Forum Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan Google Ad I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Sept. 13, 2017) - Aberdeen International Inc. ("Aberdeen" or the "Company") (TSX:AAB) announces that African Thunder Platinum Limited ("ATP"), of which Aberdeen is a significant shareholder, has agreed to sell all of the issued and outstanding shares (the "SHM Shares") of Smokey Hills Platinum Mining (Mauritius) ("Smokey Hills"), which owns the Smokey Hills Platinum Project in South Africa, to the Sail Group of Companies (the "Sail Group"). The Sail Group is an international commodity trading company with a focus on chrome. The Sail Group has recently acquired two other chrome projects in the Bushveld complex that would complement the Smokey Hills assets. Background In December 2014, Aberdeen acquired a 42.25% interest in ATP. Through this investment, Aberdeen sought exposure to the expected rise in platinum prices and looked to use its South African operating experience to lead a turnaround of the Smokey Hills Platinum Project. ATP recruited South African operators and engaged the local community to re-commence production operations at the Smokey Hills project. Unfortunately, platinum prices did not pan out as projected and ATP encountered delays in consolidating neighbouring mineral concessions and permits. In April 2016, ATP decided to temporarily suspend mining operations at the Smokey Hills mine. Subsequently, ATP consulted with its work force and ultimately concluded the best way to optimize the long term value of the mine and processing facility was to suspend operations and focus on the planning and permitting that would be required once commodity prices increased. Aberdeen and the other ATP shareholders have also conducted a review of strategic opportunities and a financial restructuring of ATP. Since the Smokey Hills project was placed on care and maintenance, ATP has been largely financed through loans from Pala Investments, one of the ATP shareholders. To preserve its cash holdings, Aberdeen elected not to participate in these ATP loans. The shareholders of ATP have agreed to convert certain ATP loans made by Aberdeen and Pala. As a result of the conversion of such loans, Aberdeen will decrease its percentage ownership in ATP to approximately 18.2% of the issued and outstanding shares of ATP. Transaction Structure As consideration for the SHM Shares, ATP will receive USD$24 million in shares of a newly-incorporated company ("Holdco") that will hold all of the Sail Group corporate entities. The Sail Group will cause Holdco shares to be listed for trading on a stock exchange. ATP has the right to cause Holdco to purchase from ATP all of the Holdco Shares for USD $22,000,000 during the Option Period (as defined below). Holdco has the right to cause ATP to sell the Holdco Shares to Holdco for USD$26,000,000 during the Option Period. Upon completion of the Transaction, Aberdeen expects ATP to distribute the Holdco shares to the ATP shareholders on a pro rata basis. The Option Period is a period of three calendar months commencing on the earlier of: 18 completed calendar months from the day of the last of the following to occur: the renewal application in respect of the mining right for the Smokey Hills Platinum Project is filed and accepted by the Minister of Mineral Resources pursuant to section 24 of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (South Africa) ("MPRDA"); the issuance of a new integrated water license for the Smokey Hills Platinum Project, for the Combined Group, by the Department of Water and Sanitation of the Republic of South Africa; and the issuance of the environmental authorization to the Smokey Hills Platinum Project, for the Combined Group, by the Department of Environmental Affairs; or Six completed calendar months from the date on which Holdco completes the construction of a chrome processing plant at the Smokey Hills Platinum Project. In addition to obtaining a listing of the Holdco Shares, closing of the Transaction is subject to several other regulatory conditions. ABOUT THE SAIL GROUP The Sail Group is an international commodity trading company with a special focus on chrome. It invented the Chrome market's benchmark product, Run Of Mine "ROM". Sail recently concluded the acquisition of two chrome assets in the Eastern and Western Limb of the Bushveld Igneous Complex respectively. ABOUT ABERDEEN INTERNATIONAL Aberdeen International is a global resource investment company and merchant bank focused on small capitalization companies in the mining and metals sector. For additional information, please visit our website at www.aberdeeninternational.ca and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and check out Aberdeen's YouTube Channel. Cautionary Notes This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the Sail Group, ATP, the Transaction and ATP's and the Sail Group's ability to close the Transaction. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including risks inherent in the mining industry and risks described in the public disclosure of the Company which is available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.aberdeeninternational.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Vancouver, BC (FSCwire) - Altamira Gold Corp. (TSXV: ALTA) (FSE: T6UP) (USA: EQTRF), (Altamira or the Company) is pleased to announce the commencement of diamond drilling at the Crepori project in southern Para state, Brazil, and the appointment of Michael Bennett as President & CEO of the Company. Commencement of Crepori drilling Drilling has commenced at the Crepori project in southern Para state. Historic placer gold workings at Crepori are extensive and cover an area of several square kilometres making it one of the largest placer gold camps in the northern Brazil. Estimated historic gold production from the placer workings is in excess of 0.5Moz. The project has never been previously drilled. Reconnaissance work by Altamira has identified outcropping high grade vein mineralization in at least six different areas at Crepori including Ze Milton, Raimundo, Ze do Bode, Filao do Boiadeiro, Filao do Parente and Filao do Ouro which will all be tested as part of this first phase drill program and is expected to comprise 6-7 holes totaling a maximum of 1000m. Earlier work by Altamira returned gold values from surface samples ranging up to 1023g/t gold and results are currently pending on a number of additional surface samples which will be used to further refine drill targets. To view the graphic in its original size, please click here Management Changes The Company also wishes to announce that Mike Bennett has assumed the position of President and CEO of the Company replacing Alan Carter, who will move to the position of Chairman of the Company and will remain a director. Mike Bennett is both a geologist and a Board member of Altamira. He is also Altamiras largest shareholder, as well as a founder of Alta Floresta Gold Ltd., the private company that was acquired by Altamira (formerly Equitas Resources Ltd) in April 2016 (see press release dated 27th April 2016). Mike was most recently General Manager for Meridian Mining Ltd., and brings over 30 years mining experience (including 12 years in Brazil) to the role of President and CEO. He is directly responsible for the discovery of the Puquio Norte gold deposit in Bolivia (now mined out), the Coringa gold deposit in Brazil (currently being developed by Anfield Gold) and the Cajueiro deposit, which is Altamiras key asset. Mike has worked as a Vice President Exploration, Country Manager and Chief Geologist for several different companies and has also held senior government roles in South America as mayor of Porongo, Bolivia, President of the Municipal Association of Bolivia and President of the Chamber of Mines in Santa Cruz. Commenting on these changes, Michael Bennett (President & CEO) said I am delighted to assume the position of President and CEO of Altamira Gold. During the last few months we have successfully completed a corporate restructuring, raised $2.9M through several non-brokered private placements, discovered two new zones on our key Cajueiro project and have commenced drilling on our Crepori project. These developments, together with our track record of discovery in South America, as well as our local expertise, puts Altamira in a class all by itself in Brazil, and with drills turning, the Company is very well placed to create significant value for shareholders. Other The Company also announces that the TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing the Companys proposal to issue 236,111 common shares (Shares) at a deemed price of $0.18 per Share to settle outstanding debts totaling $42,500. The securities issued pursuant to the shares for debt settlement will be subject to a four month plus one day hold period expiring on 13th January 2018 in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable securities law. About Altamira Gold Corp. The Company is focused on the exploration and development of gold deposits within western central Brazil. The Company holds 12 projects comprising approximately 200,000 hectares, within the prolific Juruena gold belt which historically produced an estimated 7 to 10Moz of placer gold. The Companys advanced Cajueiro project has an NI 43-101 compliant resources of 8.64Mt @ 0.77 g/t Au (for 214,000oz) in the Indicated Resource category and 9.53Mt @ 0.66 g/t Au (for 282,000oz) in the Inferred Resource category and an additional 1.37Mt @ 1.78 g/t Au in oxides (for 78,400oz in saprolite) in the Inferred Resource category. On Behalf of the Board of Directors, ALTAMIRA GOLD CORP. Michael Bennett Michael Bennett President & CEO Tel: 604.676.5660 info@altamiragold.com Guillermo Hughes, P. Geo., a consultant to the Company as well as a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the technical information in this news release. With certain debts owing to management and certain directors of the Company being settled pursuant to the Debt Settlement, their participation in the Debt Settlement will be considered to be a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61-101) and Policy 5.9 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company is relying on an exemption available from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements under Section 5.5(a) and Section 5.7(a) of MI 61-101 on the basis that the fair market value of the transactions with the insiders do not exceed 25% of the Companys market capitalization. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor it Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this document which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. It is important to note that actual outcomes and the Companys actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we do not undertake to update these forward-looking statements. To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/altamira09142017.pdfSource: Altamira Gold Corp. (TSX Venture:ALTA, FWB:T6UP, OTC Pink:EQTRF) To follow Altamira Gold Corp. on your favorite social media platform or financial websites, please click on the icons below. Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2017 Filing Services Canada Inc. You can hardly bring up the subject of government without hearing people tell you how inefficient and unproductive their states or localities are. Were not going to debate that point (again), though regular readers of this column have a notion that we believe in the power of states and localities to do a great deal of good. But we do find it ironic that many of the news articles that lead people to a negative impression are based on information provided by governments in the first place, much of it through audits and reports.Performance audits and reports are among the most helpful and thorough sources for information -- both positive and negative -- about how well state and local agencies are being run. At a time when many cities, counties and states feel that they are under siege by the frustrations of an untrusting citizenry, it shouldnt be a surprise that one of the primary concerns for auditors offices is their own independence.They have every reason to be worried. Based on our own personal observations (theres no hard data to be found), resistance to the efforts of performance auditors seems more prevalent than ever. When auditors budgets are held hostage by legislatures or city councils, auditors have diminished capacity to choose the topics to be reviewed.In addition to budgetary challenges, a number of auditors offices complain about the resistance they are receiving from the agencies with whom they must work in order to do their jobs. Its a major challenge, for example, when auditors cant get the data they request in a timely manner. Similarly, in order to gather the information they need to audit a department in a fair and effective way, auditors must speak with staffers. But increasingly managers want to be present at these conversations, a situation Elaine Howle, auditor of California, describes as chilling. Over the last couple of years, she says, weve had to fight these battles more and more. Howle recently found her office entangled in a much publicized battle with the states university system, which auditors found to be repeatedly uncooperative.Some tension between my office and those we oversee is natural and means the office is doing its job, Rebecca Otto, Minnesotas auditor, wrote in an email. However, natural tension can lead to political retribution. The capacity of Ottos office to do its job well was diminished just a couple of years ago when the Minnesota Legislature added a last-minute provision to an omnibus finance bill. The law gave counties the ability to choose their own auditors and bypass the clearly independent oversight of the state office. Otto has twice appealed this decision and is now bringing her case to the state Supreme Court.The Association of Local Government Auditors (ALGA) deals with these concerns all the time. When performance auditors rile mayors and department heads with negative audits, retaliation can come in the form of budget cuts, slow action on personnel requests or even suggestions that auditor functions be eliminated. David Jones, Seattle city auditor and chair of ALGAs advocacy committee, says, We frequently find that local government auditors are under attack.ALGA President Tina Adams admits this causes me to lose sleep. She says that auditors have to be independent, both in appearance and in fact. If the public does not perceive that an auditor has integrity and is objective, or if they think the auditor has been compromised in some way, she says, it can erode the confidence they have in the organization.One community in which the auditors role has been a hot topic lately is Lawrence, Kan., which has a population of 90,000 and is home of the University of Kansas. In an article in the, City Manager Tom Markus claimed that a city auditor was not needed to evaluate the citys performance and that there are other ways to do this. He also made it clear that cutting the audit office would not jeopardize the annual financial audit, which is contracted out to a financial audit firm.The future of the Lawrence auditors position is still uncertain. The former auditor, Michael Eglinski, left the embattled office a couple of months ago to take another audit job, even as the city council considered its position. I hope that at some point in the future they will add funding and fill the position, Eglinski says. I think the function supports the governing bodys ability to provide oversight and strengthens the performance and credibility of the entire organization.As you might expect, not all the news from the Land of Audit has been bad. On May 16, 86 percent of voters in Portland, Ore., approved a measure that provides the auditors office with more control over its budgeting, human resources and contracting. The office will be getting a new staff attorney, who will operate independently of the city attorney. Thats as it should be, says Portland Auditor Mary Hull Caballero. People need information they can rely on that is produced at a very high quality. HIGHEST LOWEST As discussions about the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) continue on Capitol Hill, at least one thing is certain: The law has led to a record number of people having health insurance.According to data released this week from the U.S. Census Bureau, only 8.8 percent of Americans were uninsured in 2016. That's down from 13.3percent in 2013, the year before much of the ACA took effect. Since then, every single state has seen their uninsured rate drop.It appears increasingly unlikely that the ACA, President Obama's signature health-care law, will be repealed by the years end, but theres continued uncertainty about premiums and insurer options for the coming year. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has shortened this year's open enrollment period and slashed millions of dollars in federal funding that went to advertising and organizations that help people enroll in Obamacare.Advocates worry all of the uncertainty and changes will confuse consumers and hurt their ability to sign up for health insurance. Some states, however, are extending their open enrollment period beyond the new federal deadline.As for the uninsured statistics, there was little change in the state rankings from last year. The states that had the highest and lowest rates of uninsured largely kept their places, although the percentages all dipped a bit.As in the past, the states with the lowest rates of uninsured all expanded Medicaid -- one of the central and most controversial parts of the ACA -- and the states with the highest rates of uninsured all chose not to expand Medicaid.Here's the breakdown:The state's uninsured rate is the highest in the country and double the national average. But its still a big improvement from the years before the ACA became law. At that time, nearly a quarter of Texans lacked health insurance.The Lone Star State has always had historically high numbers of uninsured, partially attributed to a large immigrant population, a limited Medicaid program and a lower-than-average rate of employers who offer health coverage.Neither Gov. Greg Abbott nor the legislature have considered expanding Medicaid.Oklahoma has the second-highest rate of uninsured -- barely budging from its 13.9 percent rate last year.The state's premiums rose 76 percent last year, which was one of the biggest jumps in the country. Although most people who take advantage of the ACA pay little to nothing in premiums, the large increase might have discouraged some from shopping on the marketplace at all.Republican Gov. Mary Fallin doesnt support Medicaid expansion, and the issue hasnt been revisited by the state legislature since a bill died last year.Georgia hasnt moved from its position as the state with the third-highest uninsured rate. The state has a strict Medicaid program, only allowing parents with incomes of 40 percent below the poverty line to qualify.Like all of the other states with the highest uninsured rates, Georgia didn't expand Medicaid. In fact, GOP Gov. Nathan Deal signed a bill that made it illegal for state employees to even advocate publicly for Medicaid expansion.Buthis tune might be changing.After Congress failed to repeal the ACA this summer, Deal said his cabinet was exploring new health-care options.Like Texas, Florida can partially attribute its higher-than-average uninsured rate to a large immigrant population and a strict Medicaid program.In Florida, families with incomes between 133 and 200 percent of the federal poverty line have to pay a premium -- something other states dont require. Florida historically has also had a large number of uninsured children, which dipped to 6.6 percent, down from around 9 percent last year.The state Senate passed a bill in 2015 to expand Medicaid, but Republican Gov. Rick Scott rejected it.Mississippis appearance on this list is unsurprising. Not only did it not expand Medicaid, a December 2016 study from the Commonwealth Fund ranked the state 49th in health-care access and affordability.But Medicaid expansion is unlikely to happen: Both GOP Gov. Phil Bryant and the state legislature have rejected the idea.Massachusetts 2006 universal health-care law served as the roadmap for the ACA, and the state has had a record low number of uninsured ever since. The number keeps falling, however, because the state expanded Medicaid further under the ACA and has its lowest unemployment rate in 15 years In addition to expanding Medicaid, Vermont has been tinkering with its health-care system for years, trying to get the number of uninsured as close to zero as possible. The state also has low unemployment and a generous safety net, with robust Medicaid offerings and preventative health programs.Hawaii is staying put for the second year in a row as the state with the third-lowest uninsured rate. Medicaid expansion had a huge hand in this: About half of those previously uninsured became covered under the law.But even before the ACA -- since 1976 actually -- the state has mandated that employers offer insurance benefits to employees who work 20 or more hours a week. The ACA only requires it for 30 or more hours a week.The states Medicaid program has always been more generous than most states for the working poor, and the state expanded Medicaid under the ACA immediately.State officials also took steps last year to make premiums more affordable after they jumped by 60 percent. Lawmakers passed a bill that offered anyone who didnt qualify for subsides a 25 percent discount on their plans, likely keeping people who would have dropped their plan otherwise. Stranded without power in the wake of Hurricane Irma, thousands of South Florida seniors have found themselves trapped -- in healthcare facilities, affordable housing apartments and planned retirement communities -- without access to elevators, air conditioning, telephones and even medical devices.An inconvenience for many, days-long power outages pose a danger to the elderly, particularly those who are frail, a threat underscored Wednesday by the deaths of eight residents at a Hollywood nursing home that had lost power during the storm."It's criminal what they're doing," said Sonia Suarez, 72, president of the residents association for Martin Fine Villas, a Miami-Dade County-run public housing center with 62 disabled tenants.Suarez uses a wheelchair, and she has been unable to recharge her electric wheelchair since the storm knocked out power to the center. Instead, she has been relying on a neighbor to push her wheelchair as she checks on other residents."There are a lot of people whose health is getting worse," she said, "because they don't have electricity."At least five Martin Fine residents have gone to the hospital since the storm hit, Suarez said. She was also worried about those who remained in the building."People are going to die here," she said.Since Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys on Sunday, dozens of nursing homes and assisted living facilities, where elderly and disabled patients require around-the-clock care, have relied on backup generators, according to healthcare regulators.Senior housing complexes are not healthcare facilities, and their residents do not need constant medical attention. But their elderly residents can be vulnerable nonetheless, with many on fixed incomes and some relying on electrically powered medical devices, such as oxygen machines.At a handful of senior housing complexes in Miami-Dade and Broward visited by Miami Herald reporters on Wednesday, hundreds of elderly residents reported being stranded without power -- from Pembroke Pines to Little Havana, Hollywood and Coconut Grove.At Gibson Plaza Apartments, a senior housing project in west Coconut Grove, Barbara Grundy sat on her walker in the shade of an oak sapling trying to catch a break from the heat on Wednesday morning.With the thermometer pushing 90 degrees, Grundy, 84, said she had evacuated on Saturday ahead of Hurricane Irma and returned on Tuesday when power was restored to the building.But as she sat alone, Grundy did not know how she would get back upstairs to her third-floor apartment without someone to help her."We don't have no elevator," she said. "No TV, no telephone and no elevator. We need that elevator bad."Gibson Plaza residents said they lost power on Saturday, but the building's management company, Professional Management Inc., shut down the elevators the day before, on Sept. 8, according to notices placed on residents' front doors.On Wednesday, a maintenance worker at the building said the elevators were not functioning because they needed to interface with the telephone service, a claim repeated by the building's co-developer, Jihad Rashid, CEO of Collaborative Development Corporation in Coconut Grove.But later, PMI said management did not shut down the elevators in the five-story building until Saturday morning, and that the elevator had malfunctioned after service was restored."The elevator maintenance company was promptly called to repair the elevator," said Syrie Ortiz, PMI vice president, in a written statement. "In the meantime, our management team is in touch with residents directly and they have been asked to contact either on-site management or the management company home office with any special needs, since the office in the building is without phone or internet service."At Robert King High Towers, the senior housing complex in Little Havana has been without power since Thursday.Many of the roughly 315 residents had eaten very little since the storm. Some had gone days without oxygen or medication. Apartments had flooded after water seeped under doors, and only one of the building's four elevators was working, though sporadically, and nearly everyone was struggling to get up and down the stairs.The building has 14 stories.Maria Campos, president of the neighbors' association, said many residents chose to stay despite warnings to evacuate. County officials had tried to shelter those with chronic health conditions, she said, but only about 20 to 30 residents chose to leave."It's been very difficult. I've never seen things like this in the years I've lived," said Yolanda Nunez, 77, who has emphysema and had no power for the inhaler she uses to take her medication.The cafeteria at Robert King High had been closed since Thursday. On Wednesday, the Little Havana Activity Center delivered 150 boxes of food, but they were restricted to those on the cafeteria list. Miami-Dade workers also arrived at the apartment complex to hand out 4,600 bags of ice.Gloria Pacheco had been able to refill her prescriptions before the storm, but said all of the food in her refrigerator had spoiled due to the power outage. She went two days without eating, she said, before Miami officials delivered food and water on Tuesday.At nearby Martin Fine Villas, no power meant no functioning medical equipment.Cristobal Garcia, 67, sat in his apartment, shirtless, in an electric wheelchair that was nearly out of juice. The only light in his apartment came from the open door. Without electricity, Garcia was unable to run his oxygen machine, and he tried desperately to keep his insulin cool with ice."It's already warm," he said, opening the refrigerator to expose a shelf full of insulin bottles.At the Hollywood Beach Retirement Home in Broward, administrator Mila Goldin said the power may not return until Sunday. Already, she said, two residents -- one on dialysis and another whose leg had swollen rapidly -- had been evacuated to the hospital.On Wednesday, the retirement home received a generator that Goldin hopes can power two to three rooms. But Goldin is not sure that will be enough.As she checked on patients, their brows slicked with sweat, Goldin said they could not wait until Sunday to have power restored."I don't know what's going to happen with them til Sunday," she said. "Look at them, they're getting weaker by the day."At Century Village in Pembroke Pines, power remained out for more than half of the 15,000 residents of the planned retirement community, one of the largest in the state.Elderly residents are trapped in second-, third- and fourth-floor apartments, with no air conditioning or access to food."These people are basically prisoners in their own apartments," said Charlie Dodge, the long-time city manager for Pembroke Pines. "These are very vulnerable people."Dodge said the city set up a command center at Century Village, where city officials handed out ice, water and food to residents. Pembroke Pines police also have been going door to door with building managers to check on stranded residents. They deliver about 8,000 hot meals a day."We're there in full force and we'll remain there until power is restored," Dodge said. "We're trying our best to stay on top of it."Florida Power & Light told employees electricity could be restored as soon as Saturday, said Larry Bomse, who runs social media and the website for the retirement community. That leaves thousands of residents who rely on the elevators to get around stuck inside their apartments, fielding calls from worried family and friends."I got 300 phone calls yesterday and I'm already up to 300 today," Bomse said Wednesday afternoon. "People just want their power back as soon as possible." It's no longer illegal in Minnesota to disturb a public meeting, the state Supreme Court has ruled, reversing the conviction of a Little Falls woman who was charged with disorderly conduct for protesting before the City Council.The 54-year-old law was deemed overly broad and potentially criminalized free speech, the court ruled Wednesday."I feel like justice was finally served," said Robin Hensel, whose refusal to move her chair at a 2013 Little Falls City Council meeting was at the heart of the court's decision.Hensel, a grandmother and peace activist who frequently protests at Camp Ripley, said she never thought she would actually get charged when she moved a folding chair to the open space between the public galley and the City Council's dais.Her reasons for sitting there were part of a long-standing practice of challenging city officials over civil rights issues, which in the past have included the right to post numerous antiwar signs in her yard.Hensel said she wanted to sit in the same area that others had used when, at an earlier meeting, they were invited to come forward after complaining that they couldn't see past large signs Hensel carried. The signs depicted dead and deformed children that Hensel claimed were the victims of U.S. bombing campaigns.On the night she was charged, Hensel didn't bring the signs, but carried a U.S. flag and was aware she was drawing a potential confrontation."All I wanted to do was sit there quietly within eyeshot range of them and look them in the eye so that their conscience would be pricked," she said Wednesday. A video of the incident shows that it was peaceful and that she eventually agreed to leave the chambers with an officer of the law.Hensel's attorney first tried to have the charge dismissed, arguing that the statute was unconstitutional, but a district court upheld the law saying it was Hensel's behavior, and not the content of her message, that caused the disturbance. A district court jury found her guilty.The state court of appeals later upheld the conviction.In its ruling Wednesday, the Supreme Court sided with Hensel, saying: "The statute is broad and ambiguous, prohibiting any conduct or speech that 'disturbs an assembly or meeting,' whether expressive or not. An individual could violate the statute by, for example, wearing an offensive t-shirt, using harsh words in addressing another person, or even raising one's voice in a speech."Justices G. Barry Anderson and Lorie Skjerven-Gildea said in dissent that they agreed the law was so broad that it potentially criminalized free speech, but said it could be fixed and should not be thrown out completely. The majority said the court should not rewrite laws and invalidated it instead.Attorney Kevin Riach, who argued Hensel's case before the state Supreme Court, said the court's decision was a vindication."Most broadly, the health of our democracy depends on those who express dissent, who go against the grain, who speak out to hold the government accountable," said Riach, an attorney with the Minneapolis law firm of Fredrikson & Byron who represented Hensel pro bono. "That's the clash of voices that makes our democracy function, and I think that's what our court recognized."Nathan Midolo, an attorney who represented the state, called the ruling disappointing, adding that its impact is being evaluated.The mayor of Little Falls could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Calls to two City Council members also were not immediately returned.Disturbing a public meeting was one of three definitions of disorderly conduct under state statute 609.72. The others include brawling and engaging in offensive conduct or language.In a separate case, Hensel sued the city of Little Falls in 2012 after the city ordered her to remove large signs on her front yard that protested corporate greed and war. Local residents complained and the city told Hensel that the signs violated a local ordinance. Hensel argued that the city's "Support Our Troops" signs violated the same law. The case was eventually settled, and the city agreed to pay $39,500 for Hensel's legal fees. Hensel also won the right to rent advertising on a bench placed near City Hall.That case and others have won Hensel supporters but also many critics, including 413 people who signed a petition calling for her removal from Little Falls, a city of about 8,700 residents in central Minnesota. The petitioners, among other things, say Hensel's signs and her continued civil rights debates have hurt the quality of life in the city. One woman claimed she moved to nearby St. Cloud to restore her sanity.Hensel, who plans to protest at Camp Ripley with about 75 others on Sunday, said she's unbowed."If we can't speak out against what we feel is wrong, and be allowed to speak out, we are headed for real trouble in our streets," said Hensel. The Democratic legislator who posted on Facebook that she hoped President Donald Trump would be assassinated was formally reprimanded Wednesday by a vote of her Senate colleagues.Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, a Democrat from University City, was not expelled from the Senate, which Republican lawmakers had been threatening for weeks. Instead, the Senate approved a resolution censuring her, the first time in Missouri history a sitting senator has been censured.The vote to censure was 28-2. The only other African American members of the Senate -- Democratic Sens. Jamilah Nasheed of St. Louis and Kiki Curls of Kansas City -- were the only votes in opposition.But Republicans made it clear Wednesday afternoon that they may still consider kicking her out of the Senate when lawmakers return to session in January."At a time in our country where there are some rough spots that we've experienced, hatred on either side of the debate is not welcome in policy discussions," said Senate Majority Leader Mike Kehoe, a Jefferson City Republican who introduced the resolution censuring Chappelle-Nadal.Meanwhile, in the House, no action was taken against Rep. Warren Love, an Osceola Republican who called on Facebook for vandals of a Confederate memorial in Springfield to be "hung from a tall tree with a long rope.""His comments are absolutely out of line," said House Minority Leader Gail McCann Beatty, a Kansas City Democrat. "And clearly he's not apologetic about it, because if he was he'd remove it from his Facebook page."Lawmakers were back in Jefferson City on Wednesday for the annual veto session. With a Republican governor and a Republican-dominated General Assembly, there was little expectation that much action would take place.Instead, much of the focus in the weeks leading up to the veto session was on social media posts encouraging violence and whether Chappelle-Nadal and Love should be forced out of the legislature.Chappelle-Nadal said she posted the comment out of frustration with the "trauma and despair" the president was causing with his statements about the events in Charlottesville, Va., where Trump said "both sides" were to blame for violence that included an alleged white supremacist driving his car into a crowd, killing a 32-year-old woman.She deleted the comment, which was posted on her private Facebook page, and publicly apologized, saying, "I made a mistake. And I'm owning up to it."Despite her apology, Republicans continued calling for her resignation. After meeting for several hours on Wednesday, however, GOP leadership realized there was not enough support to call the Senate back into special session to expel Chappelle-Nadal.Kehoe said the option remains on the table when session starts again in 2018.Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Warrensburg Republican, said he still supports expulsion and publicly asked Chappelle-Nadal to resign."We as elected officials have a higher standard that we must set for ourselves," he said. "Mistakes are made, but actions do have consequences."Chappelle-Nadal said Wednesday that she has no intention of resigning because her constituents don't want her to step down."I've had an overwhelming number of people in my district ask me not to (resign,)" she said. "They want me to continue to serve because of the work I do. They understand I made a mistake, and I've owned up to it from the very beginning."Love also apologized for his Facebook post, but he has refused to delete the post. He said he had not intended to incite violence in calling for a public hanging, chalking up the statement to "cowboy talk.""I'm a western man. I've worn boots and hats all my life," Love told The Star previously. "I'm apt to say anything in an analogy."McCann Beatty noted that while Republicans were quick to denounce Chappelle-Nadal and call for her to resign, they were not so enthusiastic about forcing Love to step down.McCann Beatty said Love's comment encouraging violence means he's forfeited his right to remain in the Missouri House. She introduced a resolution asking for the House to formally reprimand Love.Rep. Gina Mitten, a St. Louis Democrat, contrasted House Speaker Todd Richardson's reaction in 2016 to reports that former Rep. Don Gosen was cheating on his wife to his reaction to Love's Facebook post.Richardson immediately called for Gosen to step down, something he's declined to do regarding Love."We're not going to tolerate a guy having an extramarital affair," Mitten said. "But a guy calling for murder? That's cool."Richardson said there is never a time when it's appropriate to make a call to violence.He said the House ethics committee will discuss McCann Beatty's resolution."All options will be on the table moving forward," he said, later adding that the committee's work will be wrapped up before lawmakers return to session in January."I'm not going to prejudge the actions of the ethics committee or give them any kind of specific direction." To see what free speech looks like in 2017 at the birthplace of the famed movement, consider the elaborate preparations underway for a talk Thursday by a conservative writer.Ben Shapiro isn't nearly as controversial as some right-wing speakers who have roiled the campus over the last year.Nonetheless, the University of California, Berkeley has told students that counseling is available to those stressed by all the commotion. A large swath of the campus will be closed off, including the plaza where the free speech movement began in the 1960s. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on security, and police can now use pepper spray on protesters after a 20-year-old ban was lifted by the City Council this week.Shapiro's appearance is a key test for Berkeley, which has been hit by a series of violent clashes between far-left and far-right agitators that have sparked soul-searching in this liberal community about the line between protest and criminal behavior. Berkeley has become a favorite spot for far-right demonstrators to speak out, knowing they can get attention and push buttons in enemy territory.The Thursday event marks the start of a parade of right-wing speakers who may be coming to campus over the next month. They include former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon and right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, who announced that they will appear as part of a "Free Speech Week" event on campus.The event is organized by Yiannopoulos and a student group. On Tuesday, Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof stressed that this event is far from a done deal _ the student group hadn't yet satisfied the requirements for bringing a speaker or followed proper procedure.But UC Berkeley's new chancellor, Carol T. Christ, has said allowing these talks is essential, trumpeting the belief that the best response to hate speech is "more speech" rather than trying to shut down others.That leaves officials with the task of keeping the peace _ and trying to keep the various warring sides under control. They hope to do it with what officials say are unprecedented security measures."We've never seen a situation like this. It's very unique. It's a very different political dynamic where free speech ... at Berkeley has become the occasion for the right and left to confront each other," Christ said Wednesday. "I believe very strongly in Ben Shapiro's right to speak on campus. I don't agree with Ben Shapiro, in fact I profoundly disagree with him. But I believe he was legitimately invited by a student group and that he has the right to speak. It's a really troubling situation."City and campus officials are taking heightened steps to prevent the sort of chaos that descended on campus when Yiannopoulos tried to speak in February.Police officers and physical barriers will be set up in a roughly half-mile-long perimeter around six campus buildings Thursday afternoon, cutting off access to Sproul Plaza, the site of Mario Savio's famous 1964 address during the free speech movement and a common meeting ground for activists of all stripes.In order to pass through the security perimeter, people will have to show tickets for the speech. Those who do show up to protest will encounter an "increased and highly visible police presence," Provost Paul Alivisatos said in a letter to the campus last week.If protesters spill into the city business district south of campus, along Telegraph Avenue, they will encounter the city's police force _ which is now free to use pepper spray on individual protesters they deem are committing acts of violence.Berkeley police have come under criticism for not doing enough to break up the violence that has marred past protests.Berkeley Police Chief Andrew Greenwood successfully pitched the City Council on Tuesday to adjust a 1997 ban on the use of pepper spray as a crowd-control technique.Greenwood argued that police needed another tool _ besides batons and tear gas _ to deal with the violence that has come with the new wave of protests.Councilwoman Linda Maio, who voted for the measure, agreed, citing the prospects of large protests if Yiannopoulos and Bannon come to campus in the coming weeks."This is a new phenomenon that is evolving, and we really don't know what to expect," she said of the protests over the last few months.On Wednesday, the city also announced it was banning a wide range of weapons including bricks, mace and dynamite in a square-mile area centered around UC Berkeley's campus.Since the November election, Berkeley residents have seen months of clashes between activists on the left who employ black-bloc militant tactics and once-obscure far-right organizations such as the Proud Boys and the Fraternal Order of Alt-Knights.The skirmishes have resulted in thousands of dollars of property damage in Berkeley and a handful of criminal charges.The situation at Berkeley on Thursday will be a far cry from Shapiro's visit to campus in April 2016.Shapiro was met with little, if any, controversy then. The website he edits, the Daily Wire, wrote at the time that "the audience at Berkeley was civil and polite, perhaps more so than any other university Shapiro has visited in the last few weeks."The month before that speech, Shapiro resigned from the Bannon-led Breitbart News after a colleague of his accused then-Donald Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski of assaulting her."Steve Bannon is a bully, and has sold out Andrew (Breitbart)'s mission in order to back another bully, Donald Trump; he has shaped the company into Trump's personal Pravda," Shapiro wrote in a statement at the time.During the election, his lashing critiques of Trump made him one of the more prominent opponents of the then-Republican nominee in the conservative movement.This opposition to candidate Trump also made him the target of anti-Semitic harassment.The Anti-Defamation League released a report last fall detailing anti-Semitic harassment of journalists on Twitter during the first half of the 2016 election cycle. It found Shapiro to be the No. 1 target.Shapiro was frustrated by a Berkeley decision earlier this month to shrink the number of seats in the audience for his address.Fitting in with a broader critique he's offered in his writing, Shapiro also ridiculed the idea that anyone would need to seek counseling because he was speaking."As far as them ensuring that I have a venue trying to make sure that it's secure, I'm not sure all of what they're doing makes sense, but I'm appreciative that they're at least trying," Shapiro said."It's very easy to get kids riled up by doing the shtick Yiannopoulos does, but that's not my game and it's always why the comparisons are weird for me."It is unclear what level of protests will greet Shapiro.Organizers with the group RefuseFacism.org were busy on campus Wednesday handing out fliers promoting a demonstration against Shapiro set for Thursday evening.At Tuesday's packed City Council meeting, Raphael Kadaris, an organizer with the group, drew loud applause from the audience when he said the council members were acting as "collaborators" with what he claims is a growing fascist movement in the nation for considering allowing the police use of pepper spray."These people don't care about free speech," he said, referring to the conservative speakers coming to campus. "They are using free speech as a pretext to get a foothold, to normalize fascism on these college campuses and to recruit a new generation of fascist youth into their movement."Christ said Wednesday the challenge is to protect free speech in this charged environment."I think we're in an area which presents both challenges to the law and challenges to university policy when a speaker occasions the university to first of all spend extraordinary amounts of money and take extraordinary measures that are quite disruptive to the university's main business in order to protect the right of free speech." Description GIS 14 September 2017: The Ambassador-designate of Portugal to Mauritius with residence in Mozambique, Mrs Maria Amelia Maio de Pavia, paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit, Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, this afternoon at the Treasury Building in Port Louis. Discussions focused on the reinforcement of cooperation ties in different sectors ranging f rom the blue economy, green economy to ICT and tourism. In a statement following the courtesy call, the Portuguese Ambassador said that the meeting with the Prime Minister was constructive and interesting, with discussions on several areas of common interest as well as exploring possibilities to deepen ties in sectors where both Mauritius and Portugal would gain a lot by working together. Additional information will be exchanged for Portuguese and Mauritian investors and universities and we will try to make people of both countries get to know each other better than they currently do, she added. Mrs Maria Amelia Maio de Pavia, born in Lisbon in January 1961, holds an MA in International Relations from the Institut Superieur de Sciences Sociales et Politiques. She has had a rich career in the diplomac services and has served, amongst others, as Consul Generale in Toronto in 2005 and in Newark in 2009, as well as first class Minister plenipotentiary in December 2015 at the Embassy in Maputo. She received credentials as Ambassador in September 2016. Mauritius-Portugal ties Mauritius and Portugal established diplomatic relations on 12 December 1976 and the first Portuguese Ambassador presented his credentials in 1990. The Mauritius Mission in Paris is accredited to Portugal. Cooperation ties between both countries are robust and an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement was signed on 12 December 1997. Main products imported by Mauritius from Portugal comprise: concentrated/sweetened milk and cream, mussels, marble, locks, freezers, radar apparatus, floating structures, and pneumatic rubber tire. Exports to Portugal include: lubricating oils; hand painted/decorated articles; radio navigational aid apparatus, portable electric lamps, cells/batteries, taps and similar appliances for pipes, parts of machinery, oil/petrol filters and fish products. (TNS) - As post-hurricane Houston dries out, cracks are appearing.Harveys floods exposed the clash between two visions: Business leaders say the sprawling, economically vibrant metropolis shouldnt change its hands-off approach to planning. Environmentalists and disaster experts warn that Houston is courting a repeat catastrophe.In the middle are local officials, who have said in broad terms that theyre willing to consider rules and programs to protect Houston but havent said what, or at whose expense.We really need a whole new scheme, said Ed Emmett, the elected administrator of Harris County, which encompasses Houston. Hopefully, this will be a wake-up call.Last month, Harvey destroyed or damaged about 136,000 homes in Harris County. Now at stake are their rebuilding or repair, the distribution of tens of billions of dollars in federal assistance and the essence of Americas fourth-largest city.The next storm could be still more destructive. But protection means rules, and rules go against Houstons ethos.One of the reasons that Houston has grown the way it has is because of no zoning, and its easy to develop there, said Tilman Fertitta, chief executive officer of the Houston-based restaurant chain Landrys Inc. Fertitta, who this month agreed to buy the NBAs Houston Rockets for $2.2 billion, said that common sense, rather than rules, will dictate how the city revives.Houston is a big swamp that sits on the bayous and all the creeks and all the oxbows off the bayou, Fertitta said. We just need to be smarter. You dont need to build homes next to a reservoir.Greg Brenneman, a private-equity investor, said that while he expected rebuilding to start quickly, the result wouldnt necessarily be any different.I dont know that there will be dramatic changes to zoning laws or regulations, he told Bloomberg Television. Nobody had ever seen 50 inches of rain before. If you dumped 50 inches of rain on any city, including New York City, youre going to have flooding. Theres no city, however its governed, that can handle that.But experts say there are ways to minimize damage. Houston would benefit from better planning across city and county lines, said Wesley Highfield, a professor at Texas A&M University in Galveston who focuses on environmental planning and hazard mitigation.It takes a regional, high-level view to figure out why things worked out or didnt, Highfield said.On its own, Houston could regulate where and how houses are built, keeping them out of floodplans and requiring that they be higher.Chad Berginnis, executive director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers, said building homes just four feet above 100-year flood levels can cut insurance premiums 75 percent, meaning the cost can be paid off in a few years. He said the main objections come from homebuilders.I get so frustrated, Berginnis said. There is opposition to anything from their perspective that increases the cost of a building.Ned Munoz, general counsel of the Texas Association of Builders, said in an email that supporters of tighter codes dont understand how stringent they already are. He said backers are generally members of the insurance industry looking to limit exposure and manufacturers who want to sell their products.And Bob Harvey, chief executive officer at the Greater Houston Partnership, said Houston wont stop doing what made it itself.Were always looking at our development standards, Harvey said in an interview on Bloomberg Television. Even without zoning, there are ways to do that, and that will continue to happen.One of the toughest questions, according to Bill Read, a former director of the National Hurricane Center, is what to do about the tens of thousands of homes already in the 100-year flood plain. Houstons median home price last year was $230,000; buying out a hypothetical 50,000 homes would cost $11.5 billion. Acquiring and demolishing every damaged structure would cost more than $31 billion.Buyouts on that scale are just unthinkable, Read said.But Emmett, the Harris County judge, is thinking about it. He said the government should move as soon as possible, and said it would cost billions and billions of dollars.Theres no question were going to have a large-scale buyout of houses in Harris County and in this entire region, he added.Mayor Sylvester Turner has likewise expressed a willingness to change for instance, by spending more on infrastructure. Turner is willing to discuss not rebuilding in flood plains, as well as better regional coordination, according to Alan Bernstein, his spokesman.The reservoirs, the rivers, the bayous, and the bays dont stop at the city limits, Bernstein said.Also in agreement that something ought to change: People whose homes flooded.Bob Cantrell, 57, owns the $600,000 brick ranch house where he grew up in Houstons Meyerland neighborhood, and floods inflicted uninsured damage that he expects to total $100,000 or more. Last week, furniture was piled on his tidy green yard awaiting the garbage truck.Cantrell said the city needs to be cognizant of how much water is channeled into waterways like the one that overflowed and wrecked his house.Bayous cant handle it, obviously, he said. When it comes to new houses, they do need to be above the floodplain. You cant just rebuild every year.But even many who recognize that Houstons laissez-faire ways have made it vulnerable are loath to suggest change.Eduardo Sanchez, president of Sanchez Energy Corp., a Houston oil and gas exploration company, said lax zoning requirements make the city flood-prone by leaving little green space to absorb rainfall. Still, he said, Im not by any means encouraging that there be any reform.(With assistance from Jeanna Smialek and Jason Kelly. Flavelle reported from Washington, Wethe from Houston.)2017 Bloomberg NewsVisit Bloomberg News at www.bloomberg.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. IIJA & ARP Broadband Funding Cisco is helping communities like yours bridge the digital divide to power a more inclusive future for all. Our experts in mass scale infrastructure, community broadband, and security can help you get started today at www.cisco.com/go/digitaldivide. UCOM HAS INTRODUCED FUTURE NETWORK WI-FI 6E ROUTERS Statement by the Spokesperson on the conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts Foreign Minister of Armenia to participate in the Fifth Paris Peace Forum Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights Google Ad Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH SUBSCRIBERS OF UCOMS ALL TIME BEST OFFER TO ENJOY ADDITIONAL BENEFITS Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan Google Ad I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox UCOMS SPECIAL OFFER OF THE UNLIMITED INTERNET IS NOW TERMLESS There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol Armenia and Azerbaijan to do so without delay An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan". UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022 Largest Corporate Bond Program at the Securities Market of Armenia Completed Successfully The statement of the Defender on the video of the execution of Armenian PoWs by the Azerbaijani armed forces LEVEL UP ONLY FOR STUDENTS: UCOM OFFERS X2 AND X3 MORE INTERNET STATEMENT BY SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan (TNS) -- SACRAMENTO The nations most comprehensive legislation aimed at shining a light on prescription drug prices is heading to California Gov. Jerry Browns desk.SB 17 approved by the Senate on a 31 to 8 vote on Wednesday aims to make drug prices for both public and private health plans more transparent.It would do so by requiring pharmaceutical companies to notify health insurers and government health plans like Medi-Cal at least 60 days before scheduled prescription drug price hikes that would exceed 16 percent over a two-year period. It would also force drug companies to explain the reasons behind those increases.The bill, authored by Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina, and co-authored by Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, needed 21 votes to pass.Brown has until Oct. 15 to decide which bills will become law, and Hernandez is confident that SB 17 is on that track.In a statement issued immediately after the vote, he said that even though the bill passed the California legislature, if signed into law, SB 17 will set national health care policy, having impact for consumers and providers in other states.Price increases dont happen in a vacuum, Hernandez said. SB 17 is one of the most transformative pieces of health legislation in the country.The bill has been strongly opposed by the pharmaceutical industry, which deployed legions of lobbyists and paid for full-page newspaper ads leading up to the Legislatures final votes on the measure this week, partially out of fear that SB 17 could become a national model and the first major step toward price controls.Its unfortunate that lawmakers chose to score political points instead of addressing patients concerns with access and affordability to medicine, Priscilla VanderVeer, spokeswoman for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, said in a statement issued Wednesday evening.We will reach out to the Governor to share our concerns with the harm this legislation could bring and convey our sincere interest in real reform that helps patients.A related bill authored by Assemblyman Jim Wood, D-Healdsburg, also will land on Gov. Browns desk after it passed out of the legislature Wednesday.Assembly Bill 265 would prohibit prescription drug manufacturers from offering discounts for name-brand drugs, if a less-expensive equivalent brand is available, preventing the use of higher-priced drugs when unnecessary. (TNS) -- WASHINGTON Several nations around the globe are capable of launching catastrophic cyberattacks but have refrained from doing so because it would be perceived as an act of war, a veteran security expert said Wednesday.Weve been incredibly lucky but I do believe that things may change, Charles Carmakal, vice president of Mandiant, a cybersecurity company owned by FireEye of Milpitas, Calif., said at a forum Wednesday.Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats opened the 8th Annual Billington Cybersecurity Summit with a warning that digital threats to the United States are mounting.We have not experienced yet a catastrophic attack. But I think everyone in this room is aware of the ever-growing threat to our national security, Coats said, adding that attacks on electrical grids and other utilities are a rising concern.It doesnt take much effort to imagine the consequences of an attack that knocks out power in Boston in February or power in Phoenix in July, Coats said.Coats said he was about to head over to the White House to offer President Donald Trump his daily presidential brief on intelligence matters.Among the many issues that we discuss on an almost daily basis, cyber threats have risen to almost the top, Coats said, noting that adversaries like China and Russia are becoming more assertive, more capable and more adept at using cyberspace to threaten our interests.Carmakal identified Russia and China as nations with offensive cyber units capable of penetrating operating systems of major utilities. Russia demonstrated its digital heft in attacks on Ukraines power grid in December 2015, and again a year later, he said.The 2015 attack knocked out power for up to six hours in parts of Ukraine.It was the dead of winter. It was incredibly cold, Carmakal said, adding that the cyberattack on the power grid repeated in December 2016.This was yet another offensive operation which we believe to be orchestrated by the Russian government to inflict pain and harm on the Ukraine, he said.Cyber forensics specialists now concur that a global cyberattack that began June 27 in Ukraine, dubbed NotPetya, masqueraded as a ransomware attack designed to raise money but was actually a destructive operation, Carmakal said. The attack spread around the world, freezing the hard drives of tens of thousands of computers, disrupting operations of global companies like the U.S. pharmaceutical giant Merck, the British advertising giant WPP and the Danish shipping line AP Moller-MaerskCarmakal said Chinese state-sponsored hackers had shown their ability to penetrate into sensitive U.S. energy companies.I have seen first-hand Chinese military actors and other state-sponsored entities gain access to the operations, technology and environments of oil and gas companies and nuclear power plants, he said. Essentially they had the ability to actually cause significant disruption to those organizations. They could shut down the distribution of electricity.Such shutdowns could absolutely affect regions of the country, though not the whole nation, he said.Iran and North Korea are advancing rapidly in offensive cyber capabilities, he said.As recently as 2013, Iranian state hackers seemed inept. We saw them do a lot of really silly, really sloppy things, Carmakal said. But they improved, and have sought to conduct economic espionage on the United States, he said.We saw them break into an organization and essentially taunt the executives and taunt the board members and steal data and release it on the open market just to embarrass the organization, Carmakal said, without naming the victim.Much of the crucial systems that keep water and electricity flowing in the United States, and help operate air traffic safely are vulnerable to attack, he said.A lot of times they are running very old technology that just cant be patched, he said. Before a diverse audience of hundreds of tech insiders who gathered Tuesday in Sacramento for the CA Tech Forum, Californias top IT officials brought the message Tuesday that the state must become One IT Community.State CIO Amy Tong emphasized that government silos must be dismantled, that young and old state IT workers must listen and learn from each other, and that the One IT Community will ideally include representation from Californias city, county and state governments as well as the states education community. Her Three Pillars theme, summed up: Create one digital government, secure delivery of services, and build an engaged, dynamic workforce.Tuesdays event drew state government staffers, managers and top leaders, as well as IT industry representatives and vendors from across the nation, who gathered at the invitation ofandboth owned by e.Republic. About 350 state employees and 150 sponsors attended the event, as well as numerous vendors and guests.Tong was the ranking member of the keynote panel, which also included Chris Cruz, chief deputy director and deputy state chief information officer for the California Department of Technology; and Sergio Gutierrez, agency information officer for the California Environmental Protection Agency. The discussion was led by Joseph Morris, Vice President, Research, of the Center for Digital Government.The panelists theme was inclusion the idea that Millennial state workers and their colleagues in the grandfather generation should collaborate, and that its incumbent on state government IT leaders to foster that collaboration.Cruz noted that the states strategic vision document will be made public within the next couple of months, once its finalized and polished.Cruz also talked about the importance of the states Information Technology Leadership Academy (ITLA) and its new Project Management Leadership Academy, both popular programs under the auspices of the states Department of Technology.Morris, the moderator, said after the event: The Three Pillars ought be the core focus areas of all governments, big and small. The state of California has laid out a straightforward vision on what they plan to accomplish and measure over the next two to three years.Tong, Cruz and Gutierrez kept their comments succinct, and the chemistry among the three was evident, with quips and first-name shout-outs to some in the audience. The events feel seemed to embody the One IT Community theme, as state staffers and some vendors sat side-by-side with department heads, CIOs and AIOs.Audience members questions and comments touched on what Tong called the three-generation workforce. She underscored the importance of using engagement to keep the state workforce focused and efficient.The panel discussion was bracketed by numerous breakout sessions throughout the day, highlighting such topics as IT security, accessibility and inclusion, and millennials in state government.will have deeper coverage of those topics over the next couple of days. A new one-year contract for Valtteri Bottas has kindled fresh speculation Max Verstappen could be headed to Mercedes for 2019. Team boss Toto Wolff, who admits to having coffee with Red Bull driver Verstappen's father Jos at Monza, confirmed that Finn Bottas' newly-announced deal is for 2018 only. "We are very happy with Valtteri and have therefore extended with him for 2018," Wolff told Bild newspaper. "However, we still want to keep all our options open for 2019." 19-year-old Verstappen has made clear his displeasure with Red Bull this season, but is believed to be firmly under contract not only for 2018 but also 2019. However, Red Bull's driver manager Dr Helmut Marko said: "I cannot take offense if he looks around elsewhere." But for now, Mercedes has re-signed with Bottas and that news was welcomed by his fellow Finn and former F1 driver Mika Salo. "Almost from the beginning, Valtteri has shown he can win races when Lewis cannot, so he is just perfect for the job," Salo told the Finnish broadcaster C More. Salo also said it is understandable that Mercedes has opted for just a new one-year deal for Bottas. "Maybe they want that big name (for 2019)," he said. "This year the driver market has also been a bit strange, with almost no changes. The quietest for some time." And so Salo thinks 2018 is Bottas' big chance to shine. "This year he's been driving Lewis' car basically, and that won't be the case next year when he should be able to win races right from the beginning," he said. (GMM) Nalgonda doctor stabbed to death in Kansas A psychiatry doctor, Achutha Reddy hailing from Nalgonda was stabbed to death in his holistic clinic in East Wichita, Kansas, late on Wednesday night. A man, preliminarily identified as Umar Rashid Dutt, has reportedly been arrested in connection with the murder. Jail records show Umar Rashid Dutt was booked early Thursday morning for first-degree murder. He was arrested near the Wichita Country Club and was being held without bond. Officers were called shortly after 7 p.m. to a stabbing at Holistic Psychiatric Hospital on Carriage Parkway, near Central and Edgemoor. Lt. Drew Seiler said had walked into the office to speak with one of the doctors. A doctor described as being in his late 50s was stabbed multiple times. Officers found him outside the building, and he died of his injuries. Lt. Todd Ojile identified the victim as 57-year-old Dr. Achutha Reddy. Reddy attended medical school at Osmania University in India in 1986 and did his residency at the University of Kansas Medical Center in 1998. He specialized in psychiatry. EAP CSF ARMENIAN NATIONAL PLATFORM STATEMENT Armenian National Platform of the EaP Civil Society Forum is deeply concerned about the over 12-month detention of Andreas Ghukasyan, member of New Armenia opposition movement. Andreas Ghuksyan was detained on July 29, 2016, when the Police used special measures against the protest participants in Sari Tagh district of Yerevan, and then subjected the protesters, journalists to physical violence and persecution. Later, the use of force by the Police was justified by the necessity to prevent mass disorders. The prevention of mass disorders was also put forward as a ground to institute fabricated criminal prosecution against political activists. Andreas Ghukasyan, together with other eight people was accused of organizing and participating in mass disorders, and detention as a preventive measure was applied towards the latter. Currently, Andreas Ghukasyan is the only person subjected to criminal prosecution on the above-mentioned charges: his measure of restraint has not been changed, and he still remains in prison. The motion to prolong the term of the application of detention as a preventive measure towards Andreas Ghukasyan has been discussed at more than 16 closed court sessions. As stated by the lawyer of Andreas Ghukasyan, his defendant has been deprived of the opportunity to subject the evidence to examination to defend himself against the charges brought against him: 31 motions submitted by him have been rejected. Earlier, Human Rights Watch international human rights organization had urged the Armenian authorities to revise the request for the detention of Andreas Ghukasyan and release him. At the same time, the domestic courts replaced the restraint measures with bail and released Davit Sanasaryan, Armen Martirosyan and Hovsep Khurshudyan, who, like Andreas Ghukasyan, were detained on the same grounds of organizing and participating in mass disorders. These persons, as opposition political figures, were singled out by international organizations, and under the pressure of the latter their detention was replaced with bail. Whereas during the examination of the appeal submitted by the lawyer of Andreas Ghukasyan at the RA Court of Appeals, the judge asked Andreas Ghukasyan whether he was going to continue his opposition activities if released. Having received a firm positive response by Andreas Ghukasyan, the RA Court of Appeals made a decision to continue his detention. Moreover, on April 19, 2017 the preliminary investigation body extended the volume of complaints against Andreas Ghukasyan, accusing him of an attempt of seizing buildings, facilities, taking hostages, acquisition, sale, storage, transportation, or carrying of explosives or explosive devices. The criminal case involving Andreas Ghukasyan was separated from the criminal case against the others, and the trial started on August 2, 2017. The testimonies of two witnesses involved in the case by the Police served as a ground for the preliminary investigation body to extend the volume of accusations. According to these testimonies, after his speech at Liberty Square on July 29, 2016 Andreas Ghukasyan approached the witness and 15 other people and told them to pick up stones. One of these witnesses involved by the Police is registered at Avan medical center due to mental health issues; the other witness is registered at Goris medical center on the ground of alcohol dependence. The motion submitted by Andreas Ghukasyan and his lawyer to collect other evidence backing up the testimony of the witnesses has been rejected by the preliminary investigation body. These facts provide a ground to assert that the criminal prosecution against Andreas Ghukasyan and his continued detention are carried out on political motives. Armenian National Platform of the EaP Civil Society Forum demands to stop political persecution against Andreas Ghukasyan and release him. Ballard Power Systems has accepted a Letter of Intent to provide FCveloCity-HD 100 kW fuel cell systems to power eight ExquiCity tram-buses being built by Van Hool NV, a Ballard partner in Europe, for delivery in Pau, France to the SMTU-PPP (Syndicat Mixte de Transports urbains Pau Portes des Pyrenees) and the STAP (Societe de Transport de lAgglomeration Paloise) during the second half of 2019. (Earlier post.) These will be the first hydrogen bus routes in France and the worlds first hydrogen tram-Van Hool ExquiCity tram-busbuses for a full BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system. These clean energy hybrid tram-buses will use fuel cells for primary power and lithium batteries for additional power when needed. Each tram-bus is more than 18 meters long (more than 60 feet), has capacity for 125 passengers and can operate more than 300 kilometers (185 miles) between hydrogen refueling, which take just 10 minutes to complete. Focused exclusively on the automotive market, the Samsung Automotive Innovation Fund will focus on connected car and autonomous technologies, including smart sensors, machine vision, artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, connectivity solutions, automotive-grade safety solutions, security, and privacy. In addition to the fund, HARMAN, which was acquired by Samsung earlier this year, has established a new Autonomous/ADAS Strategic Business Unit (SBU). Samsung Electronics announced a strategic partnership with TTTech, a global leader in the field of robust networking and safety controls. Along with this partnership, Samsung will also make a 75-million (US$89-million) strategic investment in TTTech as the first investment from its newly established $300-million Samsung Automotive Innovation Fund (SAIF). The new partnership and investment comes on the heels of Samsungs $8-billion acquisition of HARMAN, a leader in connected car technology, and marks another significant step for the company in the automotive space. TTTech. Samsung joins Audi AG as a major investor in TTTech, which will develop new open-innovation platform for ADAS/AV systems; HARMAN will integrate this open platform offering to its innovative suite of solutions for OEMs worldwide. TTTech has been active in the automotive space for years, providing technology to a variety of manufacturers. Samsungs future investment complements TTTechs longstanding partnership with Audi AG and their combined efforts in highly automated piloted driving systems for Volkswagen Group. TTTechs safety technologies power the zFAS piloted control platform in the 2017 Audi A8. Beyond automotive, TTTech has improved the safety and reliability of networked computer systems in the aerospace and industrial sectors, with its technologies found in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and NASAs Orion spacecraft. TTTech has demonstrated a remarkable ability to innovate and build world-class technologies and platforms. This is a seminal moment for Samsung and our Automotive Innovation Fund, and we look forward to working with leading OEMs like Audi and the entire TTTech team to set a new standard for automotive-safety technology. Young Sohn, President and Chief Strategy Officer of Samsung Electronics and Chairman of the Board for HARMAN Were excited about Samsungs commitment to TTTech and the joint creation of new architecture for open autonomous and ADAS technologies, involving multiple key automotive players and suppliers. Alejandro Vukotich, Vice President Autonomous Driving of Audi AG TTTech plans to use Samsungs investment to accelerate the growth of its safety technology for autonomous driving and operations. The companys collaborative and flexible technologylike its new open safety platform, MotionWiseenables OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers to accelerate the development, integration, and validation of new capabilities in their vehicles. Business unit. HARMAN, which was acquired by Samsung earlier this year, has established a new Autonomous/ADAS Strategic Business Unit (SBU). The new HARMAN SBU, which will report to HARMANs Connected Car division, will work with the Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center (SSIC) Smart Machines team to develop key technologies for safer, smarter, connected vehicles. The SSIC Smart Machines team is an advanced automotive engineering group dedicated to enabling next-generation mobility solutions. According to the World Health Organization, road injuries are among the top 10 causes of death worldwide. In the US alone, the most recent data suggests that there are more than 35,000 fatal crashes each year. Samsungs goal in the automotive market is to tackle this challenge by bringing to market technologies, from sensors to data-processing solutions, that will help make cars safer while creating a more comfortable and convenient mobility experience. To address the increasing demand for integrated solutions, particularly those for automated driving, Samsung and HARMAN will focus on engineering, high-performance computing, sensor technologies, algorithms, artificial intelligence, as well as connectivity and cloud solutions that enable Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and automated driving. Industry veteran John Absmeier has been appointed Senior Vice President of the new HARMAN SBU, and will also retain his current role as Vice President of Smart Machines for SSIC. As a leader in both organizations, John Absmeier will ensure seamless collaboration to bring Autonomous and ADAS solutions to the market. To date, Samsung has secured licenses for on-road testing of autonomous driving software and hardware under development in Korea and California. Avoids trial set for Sept. 11 No contest. Thats the plea Jacob Anglesey made during an 11th hour change-of-plea hearing Friday afternoon, a few days prior to the scheduled start of his first-degree murder trial. We were set to go to trial on Monday, Third District Court Judge Richard Lavery said. As part of a plea agreement, Anglesey changed his plea to no contest to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter in the 2009 death of two-year-old Connor Allen. No contest is a plea made when a defendant does not admit or deny guilt to a charge, but admits there is enough sufficient evidence to find the defendant gui... The state of Sweetwater County School District No. 2 was discussed in a far-reaching presentation Tuesday night. Superintendent Donna Little-Kaumo said enrollment trends throughout the district have remained stable during the past several years. As of Tuesday, the total number of students enrolled was 2,611, making the district the 10th largest in the state. Of that group, Little-Kaumo said 17.5 percent are on an individual education plan, 2.2 percent are homeless, 3.2 percent have limited proficiency in English, 13.3 percent are involved in the Title 1 program, 7.2 percent are identified... An Idaho man who robbed Wyochem Federal Credit Union was sentenced recently for the robbery. Donald Sample, also known as Donald A. Sheriff, 60, of Pocatello, Idaho, was sentenced to serve 30 years in federal prison for bank robbery and use of a firearm. He was ordered to pay $178,375 in restitution in addition to his sentence. Sample was convicted after a jury trial June 30 in U.S. District Court and was sentenced Sept. 5. He was sentenced to 23 years for the bank robbery and seven years for use of a firearm during the crime. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson ordered the two sente... Louis Kevin Cloyd, 54, passed away Sept. 3, 2017, at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. He was a resident of Rock Springs for 40 years, and a former resident of Springfield, Ore. Cloyd was born Nov. 20, 1962, in Oakland, Calif., the son of Ronald Cloyd and Joanne Lee Sheraden. He attended schools in Oregon and was a 1981 graduate of the Rock Springs High School. Cloyd married Angela Kalista in 1989 in Elko, Nev., They later divorced. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1983 and was honorably discharged in 1987. Cloyd worked as a truck driver for Kellerstrass Oil Company for the l... "Health, prosperity, and love, and the time to enjoy them," was a toast Mildred (Mimi) Emerson would recite in Spanish. She spoke Portuguese and French as well, and even learned a bit of Danish before a family vacation, exemplifying her passions for languages, travel, and other cultures. She was born in Wheatland and raised on the Bohmont Family Ranch. She studied three years at the UW, became a Kappa Delta member and met her husband Eugene "Gene" Emerson, son of the late Wyoming Governor Frank Emerson, there. They moved to California, where Mimi studied art and language at USC and atten... Bring on the braces. My oldest son, Matthew, 7, got braces put on exactly two weeks ago. He was so excited to get them on and the place I took him to made it a wonderful experience. After his braces were put on, he was given three helium balloons attached to a pudding cup with a spoon. He also received a draw-string bag with a T-shirt, water bottle and everything he would need to be brace successful, including wax, mouth wash, tooth brushes, flossers and floss. He was smiling at everybody as big as he could to show off his braces. As a parent, I am just amazed at how much braces have change... The coal industry will likely never return to its former glory, despite promises President Trump has made to the contrary. Fossil fuels will likely take a similar course, but not for several decades. Still, countries are starting to put the writing on the proverbial wall. China currently considers a ban on the production of gasoline and diesel-fueled cars and France has taken steps to end the sale of diesel and gas cars by 2040. Supposing those events do take place, its likely the market for fossil fuel vehicles will decline sharply during the middle 2000s and likely push electric-vehic... A beloved Revolutionary War hero is latest to come under fire in slavery debate Murder case moved from SIS Due to the need to guarantee comprehensive, full and objective investigation, the RA Prosecutor General handed over to the Investigator of the RA Special Investigation Service a criminal case filed by the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia on attempting murder by a citizen. According to the preliminary data, the resident of Lori Marz A. M. learned that V. A., the investigator of the Stepanavan division of Lori Marz Investigative Department, disseminated discrediting information about his family members, and on 29.08.2017 at the cemetery, stopped the car of V.A. and tried to kill him, wanting to take revenge. He attacked the investigator with a knife; the latter escaped to the police station. A.M. pursued V. A., then reaching out to the latter, hit him with the knife, causing injuries of medium heavy state. Nevertheless, the crime was unsuccessful, since he was neutralized and detained by the police officers of the division. The preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated under the Article 34-104 part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia is ongoing in the RA Special Investigation Service. Notification: Suspected or accused of an alleged offense is considered innocent until his guilt is not proven in the manner prescribed by the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia by a court verdict entered into force. North Korea has fired another missile from near Pyongyang, reportedly over Japan again Police are searching for a man they say has committed two armed robberies in Winston-Salem, one Wednesday night and another Sunday, according to a news release. Police released photos of the individual, described as mid-20s with a slim build and dreadlocks, who is the suspect in two hotel robberies this week. Winston-Salem Hotel and Spa at 3050 University Parkway was robbed at gunpoint Wednesday before midnight by a man with a handgun. The man demanded money from the clerk and fled the business on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. On Sunday, police said, the same man robbed a Days Inn at 5218 Germanton Road and took an undisclosed amount of money. No injuries were reported in either incident. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the Winston-Salem Police Department at 336-773-7700 or CrimeStoppers at 336-727-2800. Since the Replacements Ltd. PAC endorsements were announced, I have been inundated with countless questions from those who noted that although strong members of the LGBTQ community are running for office this year, none of us were on the list. In the interest of transparency, here is my response. The Replacements Ltd. PAC has been the political flagbearer for the LGBTQ community in Guilford County for as long as I can remember. As a member of the LGBTQ community, I have often used the list of Replacements endorsements to guide my votes toward believers in equality and justice. It is for that reason that I am disappointed in this years Replacements PAC endorsement process. I have spent my career, but more importantly, my entire life centered on equity and equal access. I could talk about all of those things but, this is a conversation about process. This year, I have been honored with endorsements from Equality North Carolina, the Triad Central Labor Council, and countless community leaders and members. In every other endorsement process, there was equity in the assessment of the field of candidates - either through a survey, interview process or both. I certainly expected the same equitable process from Replacements. Other candidates were interviewed, including at least one from the at-large field; however, no such interview was offered to any LGBTQ candidate on the Greensboro ballot. Not one. The fight for fair representation from the LGBTQ community in elected office is not over. In fact, Greensboro has never elected an openly gay person to the City Council. Replacements PAC and other allied organizations must strive to be the wind in the sails of strong LGBTQ candidates until and after that time. The Replacements PAC cannot ably guide Guilford County voters to pro-LGBTQ candidates without an equitable process that includes valid consideration of LGBTQ (and all) candidates. They must walk the walk. Galust Sahakyan: Nation that does not value independence is to be blamed for emigration (video) After April 9, 2018, Serzh Sargsyan should become Prime Minister,- announced Galust Sahakyan, ex-Chairman of the National Assembly today. "There is no other candidate" The Republicans will suggest a candidate for Prime Minister, and Galust Sahakyan thinks that the Republicans can't help but by to suggest Serzh Sargsyan's candidacy in April. There are many people in the HHK who also want Serzh Sargsyan to become Prime Minister next year, instead of Karen Karapetyan. "Not only the main executive body, but also party organizations in general are eager for it." Today, Galust Sahakyan does not know any republican who would be against seing Serzh Sargsyan as Prime Minister. And he does not think that half a year ago this position of the Republican Party may cause displeasure to the party's second face, Karen Karapetyan. "Serzh Sargsyan is the only person in the government who has a political bloc, party. No one else, be it today's Prime Minister, Galust Sahakyan or others, do not have such a team." Today, Galust Sahakyan is the first to speak about Serzh Sargsyan becoming Prime Minister, so that when the time comes, the Republicans will know what to do without a moment of hesitation. Galust Sahakyan announces that Serzh Sargsyan is irreplaceable. "At the moment we do not have any other person. If there is anyone then let him say it." Galust Sahakyan has heard people saying that Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the first president, can also work as Prime Minister. The ex-leader does not find it sensible. "Levon Ter-Petrosyan does not have political power." Taking the opportunity, Galust Sahakyan's would say that there is no opposition in Armenia, the government has remained without a strong political party, of course, Galust Sahakyan does not weaken. "Nevertheless, I am here in front of you, you will never see me quivering." Galust Sahakyan is not concerned that Serzh Sargsyan's aspiration to remain in power will be considered anti-democratic by few oppositions. " Instead combining their action so as to come to power, the opposition has started to tell us whom to choose." By the way, when answering the question that in case Serzh Sargsyan remains, nearly 350 thousand people will leave from Armenia, Galust Sahakyan says his leader is not guilty, people are guilty that do not value independence. Americans who do business with big financial institutions trust them with important personal information, such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth. Those firms in turn hire companies like Equifax to run credit checks on customers applying for a car loan, mortgage or credit card. Equifax announced Sept. 7 that hackers stole Social Security numbers and other data belonging to some 143 million people. The information can allow thieves to steal the identities of innocent consumers and apply for credit cards, mortgages or government benefits all while posing as someone else. The victim could find her bank account drained or his Social Security check going to an imposter. This was a massive failure, and its not the first time this happened to the company. But it was by far the largest breach. Where are the defenses against this kind of cyber-assault? Equifax discovered the problem July 29, then waited nearly six weeks to make a public disclosure. In that time, three high-level executives sold company stock then worth a total of $1.8 million. Perfectly innocent transactions, Equifax said, claiming those employees knew nothing about the hack. What a coincidence that they happened to dump shares just before the price was sure to plummet once word got out about the breach and it did drop. Beyond that, the Equifax response was terrible. It offered complimentary theft protection and credit file monitoring and to freeze credit reports upon request. A freeze would stop thieves from using someone elses information to apply for services but theres a fee for that service. When that drew loud complaints, the company announced Tuesday it will waive the fee ... for 30 days. Wow. Equifax was extremely clumsy in its initial reactions. Consumers who wanted to freeze credit reports were given a PIN to sign in one formulated by the time and date of their request. When the folly of that system became clear, Equifax began to issue randomly generated PINs. The FBI reportedly is looking into this fiasco, but a criminal probe must focus on the hackers. N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein said Tuesday he will join counterparts in other states in investigating the breach. All well and good, but weak cyber-security isnt a crime, and Equifax likely has not broken any laws or violated state or federal regulations. Consumer protection in cases like this is decidedly lax. That leaves the pursuit of accountability to the civil courts. But there are no guarantees. Equifax and similar firms TransUnion and Experian serve the financial industry. They collect and store tremendous amounts of personal information, often without individuals awareness. So were all potential unwitting victims of serious crimes and can hardly do anything to protect ourselves. The lack of consequences for data failures does nothing to encourage vigilance by these companies. If anyone whos harmed by a bank or credit institution wants to seek compensation for damages, she might learn that she agreed to mandatory arbitration and waived the right to sue. The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, created after the financial collapse in 2008, last year proposed a rule to curb the use of fine-print mandatory arbitration clauses, but the CFPB itself is threatened with elimination by congressional Republicans who side with the financial industry over consumers. Maybe this incident will alter attitudes, especially since there could be hundreds of congressmen affected. This outrageous failure demands congressional action to look out for consumers for a change. Correction An editorial in Wednesdays editions misstated the first name of the president of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Her name is Belle Wheelan. When he was four years old, Manyang Reath Kher became a refugee. Born in Sudan, Kher had been displaced as a result of the country's civil war. His father died in the conflict, and he was separated from his mother and sister. He spent the next 13 years of his life as a Lost Boy, living in different camps scattered across the Sudan-Ethiopia border. Kher came to the United States in 2005, when he was 17. Since then, Kher has founded the Humanity Helping Sudan Project, a nonprofit aimed at giving assistance to members for the Sudanese diaspora now living along that same border where Kher spent most of his adolescence. One arm of the nonprofit is 734 Coffee, a coffee company that sources its beans directly from Sudan and Ethiopia. The coffee is sold online, and a portion of the profits are funneled directly to South Sudanese refugees dealing with conditions much like the ones Kher faced in his life, providing funds for them to raise chickens, create fishing nets, and grow crops. I spoke to Kher about the genesis of 734 Coffee, what food meant to him during those years of profound instability, and how these experiences have shaped his approach to his line of work today. Here he is, in his own words. Photo courtesy of Manyang Reath Kher MANYANG REATH KHER: The name 734 (7.9220N and 34.1532E) relates to the geographical coordinates of Gambela, a region in Ethiopia where more than 200,000 South Sudanese citizens have taken refuge. Each year, my organization, Humanity Helping Sudan Project, hosts several events that promote refugee awareness through churches, schools, universities, and other partnerships. The newest way that we are raising awareness is through 734 Coffee, our refugee-owned and operated coffee company. We contract with co-op coffee growers in Gambela who employ South Sudanese refugees, providing both a sense of purpose and a steady paycheck. This region is a big part of my history, my story. I am a Sudanese refugee. I lived in camps from the time I was four until I came to the United States at the age of 17. I faced starvation, sickness, and horrifying injuries. I survived 13 years in three different refugee camps amidst horrid conditions with little to no food. We were fed only one meal a day so hunger was part of everyday life. There were three types of foods in rotation at the camp: corn, wheat, and beans. We were provided a certain amount [of food] to last the month, so we had to calculate how much we could eat each day. We had to discipline ourselves in such a way that we would not be tempted to eat more. As time went on, it became easier, but there were definitely times when another group would commit what seemed like the ultimate sin and steal some of our starch. Those were some of the hardest months to cope with. Getting to America was not easy. I had to wait for five years and undergo seven interviews and three medical checks in order to gain approval. On top of that, I had to find an organization to sponsor me. I was fortunate that Commonwealth Catholic Charities stepped in and agreed to be my sponsor. With their help, I relocated to Richmond, Virginia, in 2005. When I arrived, I did not speak English and had no formal education. I was blessed to have caring people who took interest in me and looked after me. Joining the track team at my high school contributed greatly to my adaptation to America. I worked hard and completed my secondary education and received a college degree in International Relations in May of 2015. Although there are still many aspects of American life that are foreign to me, I can say that I am well acclimated at this point. I have been advocating for refugees for nearly 10 years. There are currently more than 60 million displaced people in the world. I wish that I could tell every single one of their stories because of my own experience. I understand that once people are aware of their story, they feel a moral responsibility to help. In South Sudan alone, there are more than 2.25 million people displaced across its borders, facing poverty and famine. At the core of 734 Coffee is the promise to tell the story of the world refugee crisis and give new hope for the economic prosperity and self-sustainability of Sudanese refugees. Our greatest challenge of sustaining 734 Coffee as a business at the moment is gaining greater exposure. We are capable of scaling with the added exposure that will connect our story to the right audience: the change-makers of the world. Kher has connected with many people through Purpose, an agency that works with UNICEF to build communities that support refugee resettlement through its Refugees Welcome dinner series. To learn more about Purpose and the work they do, head here. Learn more about 734 Coffee here. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Bars across the country are rich in history, some dating back centuries. The Daily Meal recently named the oldest bars in all 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C. The food site said it included bars "that have either been in continuous operation in one place for longer than anyone else in the state, or, in a few instances, bars that occupy spaces that were bars long ago and are continuing that tradition and atmosphere to the modern day." The Griswold Inn in Essex is home to the oldest bar in Connecticut, according to the report. The inn's website said its bar, called the Tap Room, was originally built as a schoolhouse in 1735. Click through the slideshow above for a look at some of the oldest bars in the U.S., and here for the full list. "The vast majority of these bars are well over 100 years old, reaching back into the 1800s, the 1700s, and in some instances, even the 1600s," the report writes. According to The Daily Meal, the bars on the list celebrate the past, often making visitors feel like they are stepping back in time. The Griswold's website acknowledges that they aim to maintain, "the charm of days gone by" but insist the experience is "anything but dated." On Facebook, it lands 4.5 stars from nearly 1,000 reviews. "One of my all time favorites. Especially around the holidays, it's spectacular! The Gris, however, is festive throughout the year," one reviewer wrote. "The wine bar is cozy and has great food and atmosphere. The tap room always has live music and is so much fun." George Washington, Mark Twain, Katharine Hepburn and Albert Einstein are among the notable guests who once ate and drank at the Griswold Inn. Back in May this year, there were reports that Samsung will launch its mobile payments service Pay sometime in September. It was also said that the service will arrive along with a new smartphone. And now, it looks the the launch is about to happen. Firstly because the Samsung Pay app has started arriving on compatible handsets in France, although it's not functional yet. And secondly, the Note8 is set to go on sale in the country on September 15, which is tomorrow. So it's safe to assume that Samsung fans in France will be able to use the company's mobile payments service within a day or two. 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That morning the 28-year-old actor posted a heartfelt message on his instagram accompanied by several photos of his special haircut ceremony with his close friends. In the message, the actor acknowledged his friends saying, "When I was a college freshman, I met these friends. When I was started to get older in college, I met some younger friends, too. Now I've known them for about eight or ten years". "This is something I've thought about since long ago: 'When I enlist, I want each of my friends to shave a line of my hair.' And that's what we did it. This was truly a memory that will last a lifetime. To my friends, thank you so much". Published on 2017/09/13 | Source The second original Netflix drama "Kingdom" is currently wooing Ju Ji-hoon after Song Joong-ki turned down the offer. Slated for next year, "Kingdom" is to be Kim Eun-hee-I's first foray in to sageuk, or historical drama, and she is known for her work on "Signal" and "Sign". She is paired with film director Kim Seong-hun of "Tunnel" and "A Hard Day" and tasked with writing an 8-episode drama about zombies in Joseon. Advertisement "Kingdom" aims to broadcast next year along with the first original Netflix drama "Love Alarm". Ju Ji-hoon is currently filming "Dark Figure of Crime" while he reviews the offer. Lyme Bay expands seasonal range with dessert-inspired release By Jo Gilbert Lyme Bay winery in Devon has added to its range of seasonal wines with a new Christmas Pudding-inspired lauch. The Shute-based producers new Christmas Pudding Wine is being released ahead of the Christmas period and is part of a seasonal range of wines which are now looking ahead to the festive period (RRP 8.49). The release is a follow-up to Lyme Bay's Mulled Wine, a blend of damson, elderberry, festive spices, taken from the landscape surrounding the Devon-based winery. Also being released is a miniature wines gift box in time for Christmas, featuring a selection of elderberry, elderflower, blackberry, ginger & sloe country wines. The winery, which was founded 1992, is known for its crisp still wines, having won Best Still Bacchus at this years updated UK Wine Awards. Another notable coup for the producer came in June, when it received a Grade A rating from the BRC Global Standards, which recognised best practice, quality and safety in the industry. As yet, Lyme Bay remains the only English wine producer to hold a nod from the BRC. Council yanks forensic from rail audit by Joe Kent, Grassroot Institute, September 13, 2017 Last week, the Honolulu City Council unanimously approved Resolution 17-199 to audit the rail for financial cost overruns, but watered down language that wouldve made the audit forensic. Councilmember Trevor Ozawa, who introduced the resolution, was not at Wednesdays Council hearing as his colleagues deleted the forensic language from the audit. Councilmember Joey Manahan explained that the reason the Council decided to ditch the forensic audit was mainly because our city auditor cannot do a forensic audit by law. Hes limited in capacity. However, the previous version of the resolution did not require the city auditor to perform the investigation, but rather would have outsourced the forensic audit to an independent third-party auditor, to be selected and paid for by the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit (HART) board. Manahan said that he and Ozawa are working on another similar measure. We did agree that we could address what hes asking for in this resolution through another resolution, which I plan to introduce, Manahan said. Its unclear whether that measure will include a call for a forensic look at the rail project for fraud, waste and abuse. Meanwhile, Resolution 17-199 will not include a forensic look at the project, though it does promise to open the books on the projects capital costs, which have never been audited in great detail before. City Auditor Edwin Youngs April 2016 performance audit of the rail project examined millions of dollars of operations expenses, but his audit this year will look at the billions of dollars of capital expenses. Unsettling, however, is that even that audit likely wont be completed until December 2018, because said Young in testimony before the Council budget committee in August of both lack of adequate staff at the Office of the City Auditor and depending on how reasonable (rail) management is in responding to the draft report and our access to the information. The rail project has often come close to being subjected to an independent forensic audit for fraud, waste and abuse, but, so far, all forensic audits have disappeared at the last second. First, the HART board this year voted to eliminate its own proposed forensic audit. Next, some state legislators attempted during the recent legislative special session to upgrade the proposed state audit of rail in return for continued state financing from a financial and management audit to a full independent forensic audit. But, again, the forensic language never made it into the bill. The state auditor was given $1 million to audit the project, but the audit that was authorized will not specifically seek out waste, fraud and abuse. Finally, the Honolulu Council erased the forensic language from Resolution 17-199, opting instead to focus on its capital finances. It is curious that all attempts so far to perform a forensic audit have been thwarted, especially since just last month the Honolulu City Auditor admitted that a forensic audit may be warranted. At a budget hearing on Aug. 16, Councilmember Ikaika Anderson said to Young, From the testimony youve given here today, it certainly implies that your office believes fraudulent activity could have occurred. Young replied, The red flags were there. We didnt say, document or substantiate that. Anderson said, OK. As such, then, would a forensic audit be warranted just to check on that? Young answered, On the past administration, but at this point, I dont know about the present administration. Youngs statements seemed to imply that it would be appropriate to perform a forensic audit or the rail, at least on its past administration. Hawaii leaders should not ignore these red flags. Transcript from Sept. 6, 2017 Council meeting: Joey Manahan: I was able to contact Councilmember Ozawa, whos proposing an FD1 to this resolution, but we did agree that we could address what hes asking for in this resolution through another resolution, which I plan to introduce, with regards to a forensic audit. I just didnt feel that the forensic audit language would be appropriate in this resolution, mainly because our city auditor cannot do a forensic audit by law. Hes limited in that capacity. But I did thank Councilmember Ozawa for his efforts, and I asked him if we could take it up through a separate measure, and we will be doing that. Ron Menor: OK, thank you. Any further discussion? OK, yeah, so in brief, yeah, this resolution will definitely compliment the provisions of the Legislatures funding plan, which are intended to ensure greater oversight and accountability with respect to the rail project, so, its a good reso, and Ill support it. Councilmember Manahan? ShareBar Comments must be on-topic and civil in tone (with no name calling or personal attacks). Any promotional language or urls will be removed immediately. Your comment may be edited for clarity and length. Nigel Hadgkiss, the head of the Australian Building and Construction Commission, has resigned after admitting to breaching section 503 of the Fair Work Act over a two year period by misrepresenting the rights of union officials. Hadgkiss breached the law by publishing website material that misrepresented the rights of union officials during entry to premises to meet workers. He also failed to correct the material despite concerns being raised by his employees. The employment minister Michaelia Cash said she had known about the matter since October 2016. Labor Senator Doug Cameron said not only should Hadgkiss have resigned, but the Minister (Cash) should resign as well, she is responsible for him. "She should take responsibility for appointing someone who breached the law he was supposed to make sure was complied with, said Cameron. The ACTU secretary Sally McManus added that Hadgkiss was Minister Cashs champion in her fight against working people. As head of the ABCC, he oversaw a draconian and authoritarian body that breached Australias international obligations, persecuted workers and stripped away the right of silence from ordinary hard working Australians, McManus said. In a statement, Cash said Hadgkiss played a pivotal role in restoring the rule of law to Australias building and construction industry, despite relentless opposition and appalling intimidation from lawless construction unions and their political supporters. The Government thanks Mr Hadgkiss for his service and wishes him well in his future endeavours, said the statement. Moreover, Master Builders Australia said Hadgkiss made a valuable contribution to restoring the rule of law in the construction industry. Mr Hadgkiss has played a crucial role over many years in combatting the thuggery and unlawful conduct of the building unions, particularly the CFMEU, including in his previous roles as Director of Building Industry Taskforce and Director of Fair Work Building and Construction, said Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia. Todays record penalties imposed on the CFMEU over its conduct and that of its officials including its New South Wales State Secretary highlight both the substance of Mr Hadgkisss work as Commissioner of the ABCC and the need for it to continue under his successor, she said. Hagdkiss will serve a two week transition period to facilitate a handover of his responsibilities to an acting Commissioner MP Talk gives members of parliament the opportunity to share their views on Finnish society with an international audience. The opinions expressed in this column are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Helsinki Times. Harming forests without having a legal right to do so also became punishable. The first law that limited foresting was set in 1886. The last time the forest legislation was reviewed was during the last election season in 2011-2015, when it received a strong consensus in the Finnish parliament. Forests are still very close to the life of ordinary Finnish families. In a playful way, Finns say they are people of the forest. Finnish forest politics has been carried out with the aim to manage forest resources in a sustainable way, maintain the biodiversity of forests, and ensure the effective regeneration of forests, as well as the overall growth of forest resources. After harvesting, according to the law, forests have to be reforested. Failure to do so results in the offender being sanctioned. It is fair to stay that in Finland, we have the most progressive forest legislation in the world, which is the way it should be since we are one of the most forest-rich countries in the world. In Finland, the total amount of forests and trees has been growing over the course of centuries, whereas in many other European countries forests were deforested long ago. In Finland, forest ownership is mostly based on the possession of private individuals. 60% of Finlands forest area is private property and almost 14% of Finns are forest owners. For many people, forestry is a profession and source of livelihood. Finlands largest export sector is the forest industry. Product development and research, especially regarding forest fibre, is forward-looking and gives the opportunity to achieve remarkable environmental benefits, such as replacing plastics and other environmentally burdensome materials. Climate and the role of forestry in the prevention of climate change is currently highly topical in Europe. Climate change is the most serious factor threatening the common future of humanity. Therefore, the European Union must take this challenge seriously and lead the way in the prevention and mitigation of climate change. Finland is engaged in this debate mostly through forests. The EUs climate and energy framework includes the Emission Trading System (ETS), the Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) and the sector of land use, which has been newly integrated into climate policy. Finlands target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the Effort Sharing Sector is 39% (reference year 1990), which is second highest of all member states. This target includes cutting Co2 emissions from non-ETS sectors such as transport, buildings, agriculture and waste. Finland is highly committed to reducing its emissions and we have successfully fulfilled the targets of the Kyoto Protocols first commitment. Previously, the land-use sector had not been integrated into the EUs climate policy to this extent. Considering the entirety of the climate and energy package, the LULUCF sector (land use, land-use change and forestry) is now getting out of hand from Finlands point-of-view. The key problem in the LULUCF proposal has been the definition of the Forest Reference Level (FRL). Luckily, on 13 September the European Parliament voted in favour of dynamic forest reference levels, which account for emissions from sustainably managed forests. This means that the reference level is not bound to the past when harvesting was on a much lower scale in Finland. This is a step in the right direction. Nevertheless, there is still a lot of work to do. We have to ensure that the role of sustainably managed forests and wood-based products in mitigating climate change will be accounted for in the regulation. We cannot accept that a country like Finland, which has successfully cared for its forest regrowth over centuries, will now be punished for reaping the fruits of its labour. On the other side of the coin, member states who have long ago deforested the majority of their forests could go on to receive the benefits of relatively minor reforestation. Punishing Finland for its growth in harvesting would lead to problems in our economy and hinder many investments in the forest industry. Due to effective and sustainable forest management, there is now 40% more wood in Finnish forests than in 1970. It is not acceptable to think that we might not be allowed to benefit from our hard work. Demand in the forest industry and for wood-based products is growing on the global market. If Finlands harvesting is limited, the wood will possibly be harvested in another country where forest legislation is not so progressive and effective. According to the preliminary results of the latest study published by Luke (the Natural Resources Institute Finland), Tapio consulting services and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, limiting harvesting in Europe would increase it throughout the rest of the world, especially the Americas and Russia. This would lead to a worldwide decline in the rest of the world's carbon sinks. In this case, the importation of wood from Russia will likely increase and, in the worst case scenario, the growing demand of fibre-based packaging, tissue products and other forest products in the Asian market will be answered by wood from the rainforests. Rainforests are not growing back, whereas Finnish forests do and they are reforested. My own family has managed and taken care of our family forest since the late 19th century. Generation after generation has harvested, planted tree seedlings and thinned out the forest in order for future generations to be able to prosper. I hope that my own daughter can continue the tradition of sustainable forest management and forestry in the lands of my family. Petri Honkonen is a Member of Parliament for the Centre Party. From central Finland, he is a member of both the Environment and Finance Committees. Mr. Honkonen is also President of the Young MPs Network. The vote result was met with an almost collective sigh of relief in Finland, as the initial proposal would have capped the use of forest resources to the levels of 20002012 and obliged all member states to compensate for excess use by cutting emissions in other sectors or buying emissions rights from the market. The European Parliament on Wednesday voted for revising a proposal for new regulations for land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) drafted by the European Commission. Finland, therefore, would have had to compensate for increasing its logging volume even if the volume remained below annual forest growth rates. The revisions approved yesterday will eliminate this problem, Nils Torvalds (SFP), one of the co-author of the revised proposal, stated to Helsingin Sanomat on Wednesday. The revisions will ensure the intensity of forest management the allowable cut as a share of annual forest growth is no longer the only metric used to measure the sustainability of forest management in the European Union, he added in an interview with Uusi Suomi. The European Parliament decided that member states will be allowed to increase logging volumes as long as they comply with the principles of sustainable forest management, remain committed to long-term emissions cut targets and their forests continue to serve as carbon sinks. This is a delightful result, Torvalds said to Helsingin Sanomat. Kimmo Tiilikainen, the Minister of Agriculture and the Environment, said he is pleased with the vote result, as it allows Finland to take advantage of an increasing share of its forest resources as long as it remains committed to the principles of sustainable forest management. The boundary conditions are clear: forests as a whole must serve as carbon sinks also in the future, and Finland must adopt the objective of becoming carbon neutral, he commented in a press release from the Ministry of the Environment. Well-managed forests will remain a major part of our efforts to combat climate change also in the future. The European Parliaments position is also in line with the Paris Agreement, which encourages countries to increase forest areas and manage forests in a sustainable way, according to Tiilikainen. The [European] Parliament is looking forward, not in the rear-view mirror, he summarised. The vote result, however, also stirred up concerns among Finnish Members of the European Parliament. Heidi Hautala (Greens) argued that by placing an emphasis on the long-term maintenance of carbon sinks rather than on the annual impact of logging on the ability of forests to absorb carbon dioxide emissions, the revisions will allow member states to mask emissions and reduce carbon sinks. We have no time for this at such a crucial moment in time. The EU must lead the way in combating climate change, she wrote on Facebook. Hautala was one of four Members of the European Parliament from Finland who voted against the revisions, according to Uusi Suomi. Silvia Modig (LA), the deputy chairperson of the Parliaments Environment Committee, similarly pointed out that the revised proposal fails to take annual logging volumes into account in calculating long-term carbon emissions. If we raise logging volumes massively as planned by [Prime Minister Juha] Sipilas government, well release carbon into the atmosphere for decades. The equation might work if we had 50 years to stop climate change, but we must take action in the next 14 years. We simply have no time to wait, she said according to Uusi Suomi. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Roni Rekomaa Lehtikuva The release of the aid worker has also been confirmed by her employer, Operation Mercy. The Finnish woman who was kidnapped in Afghanistan in May has been released after spending almost four months in captivity, according to a press release from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs . She is safe and remains in Afghanistan. The well-being of our colleague is being assessed. We request privacy for our colleague and our colleagues family, reads a press release from the international relief organisation based in Sweden. The woman was kidnapped after a group of gunmen stormed a guest house operated by Operation Mercy in Kabul, Afghanistan late on 20 May. The gunmen are believed to have killed the local security guard posted outside the guest house before entering the second-floor room where the woman and her room-mate were sleeping, writes Helsingin Sanomat. The room-mate was shot fatally in the attack. The Finnish aid worker appeared on two videos during the months she spent in captivity, according to the daily newspaper. In July, she appeared on a video saying something very bad would happen to her unless the ransom demands of her kidnapper were met. Neither the Ministry for Foreign Affairs nor Operation Mercy has yet to shed further light on the process leading up to the release of the aid worker. Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini (BR) is expected to comment on the issue in an extraordinary press conference held at the Finnish Embassy in Washington DC, the United States, at 4pm on Thursday. Soini is currently on a visit to the country to attend the Ninth Community of Democracies hosted by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday, 15 September. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Shah Marai AFP/Lehtikuva Passengers leave the train following its derailment yesterday Thousands of rail users were left stranded last night after a train derailed, resulting in services in a busy area of south Dublin being suspended. Dart services between Dun Laoghaire and Lansdowne Road were cancelled yesterday evening after the rush-hour incident. A spokeswoman for Irish Rail said the 4.45pm service from Howth to Bray was travelling at low speed when a carriage derailed shortly after 6.15pm just outside Dun Laoghaire. It is understood the incident happened near the station. There were no reported injuries and an evacuation plan was put in place for passengers stuck on board. Inquiry The spokeswoman said Irish Rail would launch an investigation and an independent inquiry would be carried out by the Rail Accident Investigation Unit. Irish Rail staff attended the incident. A disabled man sexually assaulted and exposed himself to a frightened schoolgirl on a Dublin bus after she helped him on with his wheelchair in an act of kindness. James Callaghan (54) told the girl (18) she was "gorgeous" before touching her hip and trying to pull her towards him while his penis was out. The "good-natured" victim, who had sat next to him at his request because she did not want to be rude, said she felt "violated" after the assault. Callaghan, a former champion kickboxer who was left with catastrophic injuries after a road crash, had denied sexually assaulting the girl, claiming he was exposed because he needed to urinate due to his medical condition. Lying Finding him guilty, Judge David McHugh said he believed Callaghan was lying and his touching had been "sexual in nature and nothing else". The judge adjourned the case for a pre-sentence probation report. Callaghan, of Decies Road, Ballyfermot, pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting the girl on a Number 40 bus in west Dublin on February 1, 2016. The victim told Blanchardstown District Court she saw Callaghan struggling to get on the vehicle so offered to help him and wheeled him to the disabled space. He muttered and gestured for her to sit in the fold-down chair opposite so she did, thinking it was "harmless". They talked and it "started getting personal" as he asked her to go with him when he got off the bus. He also asked her if she had any hash or drugs on her and "kept telling her she was gorgeous". He kept moving closer to her and put his hand on her hip. She thought nothing of it at first because she thought he was trying to steady himself as the bus moved. She began to feel uncomfortable and looked away before he again put his hand on her hip. This time she tried to "scoot away" but noticed his hand was going "down on to my a**e", she said. After a few minutes she noticed he was "messing with himself" where there was a belt for his wheelchair. She asked if he needed to go to the toilet and when he said he did, she told him there was a pub at the next stop. "I noticed his d**k was out and at that stage I got frightened," she said. "His penis was in his hand, he was trying to get me to touch it, trying to put it towards me." She jumped up to tell the driver and said she wanted to get off the bus. The victim told Oisin Clarke, defending, that she did not tell Callaghan to get his hand away because she thought he was trying to steady himself. "He didn't grope it but he got to the very top of my a**e and left his hand there for ages," she said. "I felt so violated." She told Mr Clarke she felt Callaghan's attempt towards her while his penis was out was deliberate and "very scary." "I felt like he tried to move closer to me to get me to touch it in some sort of way," she said. "I felt horrible." The accused maintained he had incontinence problems and when he needed to urinate the only way he could stop was to "hold himself". Fighter In interview, Callaghan said he did not recall the incident and, when gardai asked him why the girl would make up allegations, he said he had been a "world champion street fighter" and the "only reason she would say something like this is if she was looking for money". "I think this is a load of c**p," he added. Callaghan said he may have moved with the motion of the bus but did not intend to do anything sexual. He did not remember putting his hand on the girl and "could not see himself" telling her she was gorgeous. Callaghan admitted his penis was out, but said it was only because he needed to urinate. Judge McHugh said he believed the girl's evidence "100pc". Mr Clarke said Callaghan was injured in a horrific road accident when he was 29, in which a lorry ran over a car he was in and a friend died. He had no similar previous convictions. Mr Clarke argued that Callaghan would suffer unduly if jailed. An Irish business has pulled a range of hoodies and T-shirts promoting the two gangs involved in the deadly Hutch-Kinahan feud. The merchandise went on sale this week with the words "Team Hutch" and "Team Kinahan" emblazoned across the front. Craic Clothing, an online business that advertised the controversial gear, has now apologised for what it said was a "stupid idea". The clothing line and page have been taken down after local politicians expressed their anger at what they described as "despicable" and "irresponsible" marketing. Apologise In a statement, Craic Clothing said the products "have been taken down and the page is being taken down later too. We didn't mean to offend anyone". Expand Close Bad taste: Kinahan T-shirts / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bad taste: Kinahan T-shirts "It was a stupid idea that didn't have too much thought put into it. "We can't apologise enough for any offence we caused." The two criminal gangs have been involved in a deadly feud over the past two year, which has led to 12 murders and several shootings being carried out in Ireland and abroad. Daithi de Roiste, who is chair of Dublin City Council's Joint Policing Committee (JPC), welcomed the company's decision to pull the clothing. "It's sad to see it has come to this, where a feud which has claimed lives is being used by a business to make profit. They were operating in a parallel universe," said the Fianna Fail councillor. "But I do welcome their decision to remove the clothing, and it is good to see that they have seen sense." On the clothing branded "Team Kinahan", the words "cartel m*********er" are scrawled across the top, along with an image of a sub-machine gun and the word "Southside". The "Team Hutch" merchandise has the words "Old skool m*********er" on the chest, along with "Northside" and an image of a knuckle duster. On the company's website, a disclaimer had been added alongside the hoodies and T-shirts for sale, reading: "Craic Clothing takes no responsibility if you're stupid enough to wear this around town and get injured." A spokesperson for online retailer Spreadshirt, the German business that oversees Craic Clothing, did not say how many products bearing the gang names had been sold. Independent councillor Christy Burke, who represents the north inner city area where four feud murders have been carried out, had previously said the clothing was "damaging" to those who had lost loved ones. Drugs A massive effort against the Kinahan gang by gardai has led to around 4m in cash and almost 40 firearms being seized by officers, along with 55m worth of drugs. More than 30 associates of the cartel have also been charged with serious offences connected to the feud. Darragh Nugent, who was killed on Monday night, was about to be charged over the murder of Gerard Eglington Gardai were preparing to charge a man who was shot dead in west Dublin this week with the 2012 murder of Gerard Eglington. Father-of-three Darragh Nugent (36) was gunned down outside his home on Wheatfield Avenue, Clondalkin, on Monday night. He was suspected of making threats against local rivals in recent days, just over six months after he was arrested by officers on his way to kill a senior member of their gang. It has emerged that Nugent was suspected of playing a central role in the murder of Eglington (27), who was gunned down at his home in Kilnacourt Woods, Portarlington, Co Laois, in 2012 while his three-year-old son and 11-year-old stepdaughter looked on. Botched Nugent was arrested over the killing, which was linked to the Crumlin-Drimnagh feud, and gardai were about to send a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to the case. "This man was a key suspect in the case and the file was almost concluded on him," a senior source said. "Gardai were confident that he would be charged with the murder." The Herald has learned that detectives found evidence linking Nugent to a car that was seized after the murder. Gardai carried out pain- staking CCTV analysis which connected the car to the shooting. Nugent was the best friend of gangland criminal James 'Nellie' Walsh (31), who is serving a 10-year jail sentence for firearms offences linked to a botched hit on major gangland target Michael Frazer in 2014. Gardai have been investigating whether Nugent had been taking orders from Walsh, who embarked on a bitter feud almost four years ago that has led to three unsolved murders in the Clondalkin area. The first murder was that of innocent Dean Johnson (21) in August 2013. He was not involved in crime, and it quickly emerged that the intended target was Clondalkin hood Walsh. Backed up by Nugent, Walsh became a player in the west Dublin crime scene around five years ago and ended up getting involved in a bitter dispute with a Clondalkin gang with close links to the Kinahan cartel. As the dispute intensified, the gang tried to murder Walsh in the early hours of August 24, 2013 in Harelawn Green, Clondalkin. Mr Johnson, who had been socialising earlier with the intended target, was shot dead in a case of mistaken identity. The knife attack happened outside the EBS bank in Swords Two young men suffered serious stab wounds after being attacked in a north Co Dublin town. The pair were knifed when a row broke out outside the EBS bank in Main Street, Swords, at 10.45pm on Tuesday. While the young men were understood to be recovering from their injuries in Beaumont Hospital last night, sources said they were lucky to survive the shocking attack. One of the victims, a 19-year-old from the town's Abbeylea estate, was stabbed in the face, stomach and back. Collapsed The other victim, a 21-year-old of Eastern European origin, suffered a collapsed lung and internal bleeding after being stabbed in the side. He lives on the Highfield Crescent estate in the town. "In reality these fellas are lucky to be alive. They received very serious stab wounds," a source said last night. It was not clear what led to the savage incident but no arrests have yet been made in the case, which is being investigated by Swords gardai. It is understood that officers hunting for the attackers are studying good-quality CCTV footage. Gardai yesterday made an appeal for information over the attack. "At approximately 22.45, two men aged 19 and 21 sustained apparent stab wounds during what was described as an altercation involving a number of men on Main Street, Swords," a garda spokesman said. "They were both taken to Beaumont Hospital for treatment to injuries understood to be non-life-threatening. "An examination of the scene has been carried out. No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing." Meanwhile in a separate investigation, a 26-year-old Mullingar man is still fighting for his life in Beaumont Hospital after being deliberately run over in Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, over the weekend. Gardai believe the victim was targeted by a thug driving a silver Ford Transit van in the town's main street after an earlier row in a pub. The shocking incident unfolded at 2.30am on Sunday and is being investigated by Granard gardai, who have appealed for information. Critical "A man in his 20s, a pedestrian, was struck by a silver Ford Transit van, which failed to remain at the scene," a garda spokesman said. "The pedestrian suffered serious head injuries and was taken to the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar. "He was subsequently transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, where he remains in a critical condition." A rural Smyth County, Virginia church went up in flames Wednesday morning when a car crashed through the front double doors. A neighbor up there called me and said there was a fire at our church, said Bristol, Virginia resident Darrell Pickle, who has served as pastor at Pugh Mountain Freewill Baptist Church in Marion for about eight years. Pickle learned that just before 6 a.m., a Chevrolet Impala ran off Pugh Mountain Road, down an embankment, through the churchs parking lot and through the double doors. He landed in the entrance of the sanctuary, Pickle said. He landed in there and it caught on fire. The church, which has 80 members and about 50 people in regular attendance, was built in 1985. It was the churchs second building. The first was constructed in the early 1930s. The steeple and everything burned, said Pickle, who spent about three hours viewing the damage, speaking with church members and a church neighbor. The front of the church is burned out and the sanctuary is damaged. Everything inside is melted. Pickle said the public address systems, microphones, ceiling, light fixtures and an electric piano, which belonged to a church member, were all destroyed. It really got hot in there, said Pickle, who added that the church will likely have to be rebuilt. Pickles painting of the church was also lost in the fire. Pickle, who likes to paint, completed the church painting about six years ago, and it has since hung in the sanctuary. Photographs of baptisms and homecomings were also lost. Marion Fire-EMS Chief Billy Hamm said his department received the original 911 call, which was made by a church neighbor, at 5:48 a.m. Firefighters were on scene for nearly 2 1/2 hours. The Sugar Grove Volunteer Fire Department also responded. Hamm described the blaze as a very hot fire. No one was injured. The fire chief said there was significant damage to the churchs front portion and that other areas had water, smoke and heat damage. Pickle, who previously served for 25 years as pastor at Bristols First Freewill Baptist Church, believes Pugh Mountains basement, which contained the fellowship hall, kitchen and classrooms, may be saved. The Pugh Mountain congregation will meet Sunday morning for services at the American Legion building in Marion, Pickle said. We really appreciate them, Pickle said of the American Legion. They have a big enough place for a sanctuary and everything we need. The congregation has been saddened by the fire, but Pickle said the church will rebuild. The pastor said he received a number of phone calls and emails from concerned church members on Wednesday. The church has insurance, and Pickle said he was waiting for the adjustor to view the damage. He said the church may have to raise money to rebuild. Ive been pastoring since 68, and this is the first structural tragedy that weve ever had, Pickle said. I dont know what was wrong with the boy that was driving the car. The Virginia State Police said a 2006 red Chevrolet Impala was traveling northbound on Pugh Mountain Road when the driver lost control, causing the car to run off the left side of the road. The car ultimately crashed into the church, leading to the fire. After crashing the car, the driver, described as a white man in his 30s or 40s with a tall, slender build, fled on foot. He was wearing dark clothing at the time of the crash, according to State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller. It's believed someone met and picked him up, Geller said. The investigation into the crash is ongoing, she added. Anyone with information is asked to call the Virginia State Police Wytheville Division Dispatch at 1-800-542-8716 or email questions@vsp.virginia.gov. The families of the residents at Southwest Virginia Training Center are asking to keep it open. Our loved ones are well cared for there and are safe. The staff is thoroughly trained and intimately familiar with the needs of our I/DD family members. SWVTC is a state-run intermediate care facility. There are only two privately run community ICFs in Southwest Virginia, and all of their 20 beds are occupied. The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services has refused to open any additional community ICFs in this region. Those I/DD people who remain at SWVTC need the care and safety offered by an ICF. The majority of the well over 400 beds at community ICFs are located in Eastern Virginia, which would be as much as a 10-hour drive for many Southwest Virginia families. So placing our loved ones in one of those homes would not be feasible. At SWVTC, our I/DD family members are assured they would not be evicted, if their medical or behavior needs were to escalate. In a community ICF, they could be evicted with no place to go. Comings & goings: Health bar, candle shop, fishing charter website A health bar and candle-making shop will cut their ribbons in the next few weeks while a charter fishing company launches its website. Devine McLean, rehabilitation counselor with Vocational Rehabilitation, and Vickie Vinson, adult basic education coordinator with Catawba Valley Community College, will speak about how the different programs prepare an individual to re-entry into education and into the workforce after brain injury and other challenging disabilities. This domain has expired. If you owned this domain, contact your domain registration service provider for further assistance. If you need help identifying your provider, visit https://www.tucowsdomains.com/ It isnt fashionable or politically correct these days to see political virtue in Rahul Gandhi. Much of it is of the making of his work style widely seen as lacking in constituency, the pluck and the fire people want in their leader. He needs to develop the tenacity to stay the course, not let go of issues such as the farmers cause he recently took up but did not vigorously pursue. He has to earn acceptability beyond Congress cadres; organise and lead movements on the ground. Those are the traits people search for in a leader-in-waiting. But my defence of Rahul is restricted to his University of California, Berkeley speech and the question-answer session. In my reading, he didnt come across as transcending what the BJP would call the Lakshman Rekha. Yes, he was critical of the Prime Minister but within the marquee of democratic debate that permits contrarian views and policy perspectives. Or else wheres the need for the Opposition as an institution of import. And value. The faintly personal criticism of the PM happened when Rahul charged him with conducting an army of troll-minders to deconstruct and ridicule him 24X7. His observations on Kashmir, demonetisation, GST and the oft-happening assaults on free speech and civil liberties were par for the course. Not acrimonious. In fact, Rahuls claim that the BJPs post-poll alliance with the PDP stultified the latters ability to attract the Valleys youth to political mainstream needs serious study. Theres proof aplenty of the power-sharing arrangement lacking socio-political sanction in Kashmir and in some measure the Jammu region. That brings one to the Congress vice presidents out-of-character spin on dynastic politics. His attempt to show it as commonplace trend across persuasions was in conflict with the puritanical approach he has had in the past. There is no use hiding the truth that Rahul let realpolitik win but why not? Wasnt his earlier stance a tad utopian on the question that has dogged his family since the days of his grandmother, Indira Gandhi? But he certainly could have cited better examples than Akhilesh Yadav, MK Stalin, Anurag Thakur and Abhishek Bachchan to drive the point home. Dynasts from same families are there in Congress and BJP. Certain entities are afflicted as much by malefic parochial and religious oligarchies. Elected or electable dynasts have been a norm in most parts of the world, especially South Asia. If India has the Gandhis, Pakistan has the Bhuttos, Sri Lanka the Bandaranaikes and Bangladesh the heirs of Mujib-ur-Rahman and Gen. Ziaur Rahman. They are democratic, relatively acceptable dynasties, unlike plutocracies of the North Korean hue. What joins these families is the leitmotif of assassinations and the role they played, with the exception of the Bhuttos, in their countrys freedom movements. Nepals Koirala clan isnt an exact parallel, but is anatomically dynastic. Even Myanmars Aung San Suu Kyis father Aung San, who fought the British, is hailed as the father of modern Burma. He too fell to an assassin like paterfamilias and materfamilias of other dynasties in the region. It isnt difficult therefore to detect reasons for the relevance of dynasties in our polity. Theyre galvanised by charisma, the ideas the leaders embodied and the tragic fate they met: a heady mix of hero-worship, hope and emotion. Example: thousands of visitors from across India, who visit Indiras memorial in Delhi every day, testify her lasting legacy. But dynasties irrigated by blood have to be nurtured by sweat and daring. Like Indira did with Nehrus, Benazir with ZABs, Sheikh Hasina with Mujibs and Suu Kyi with Aung Sans. Each one of them added value to the inherited family name, creating legacies of their own. Thats also the challenge of present generation dynasts be it Rahul or Bilawal Bhutto. The comparison isnt out of place. They both have their tasks cut out of rebuilding parties against odds and strong detractors in the polity and the deep State. The Congress is as moribund as the PPP; its cadres dispirited, support-base dissipating. Add to that slanderous cases of alleged corruption. A counter-narrative the Congress shouldve had in place three years into the NDA rule isnt there. The party isnt viewed as the solution. It remains the problem that caused its ouster in 2014. A big part of the blame lies at Rahuls doorsteps. Thats the crisis of his inheritance. vinodsharma@hindustantimes.com Journalist Gauri Lankesh was shot with a country-made 7.65mm pistol, according to a ballistics report submitted on Thursday to a special investigation team (SIT) probing her murder. A similar pistol was used in the murder of rationalist and academic MM Kalburgi in August 2015, said a member of the SIT constituted by the Karnataka government. The murder weapons are similar, but there is no link yet between the two killings, added the SIT member, declining to be named. Tests were conducted on four bullets, three of them lodged inside Lankeshs body and one found stuck in a wall of her house at Rajarajeshwari Nagar in Bengaluru. Lankesh was shot when she was entering her house on September 5 evening. Forensics expert BM Mohan said analysis of the bullets alone might not reveal much beyond stating the kind of gun used. As all the three bullets that hit Lankesh were lodged in her body, we can say that the weapon was country-made. Shots fired from a genuine, branded 7.65 mm would have created exit wounds, Mohan, former director of the state forensic science laboratory (FSL), added. The SIT has requested the state criminal investigation department (CID), which is investigating Kalburgis murder, to share the bullets that killed the academic. We will send it to the FSL to compare with the bullets fired at Lankesh, said the SIT member. So far, the footage from the CCTV camera installed at Lankeshs door has not thrown up any conclusive leads, beyond showing a helmet-wearing person shooting her, according to the investigator. A source privy to the investigation said all angles were still being probed. Investigators spoke to Lankeshs brother Indrajit on Wednesday and described it as routine. Lankesh, 55, was the daughter of poet-journalist P Lankesh, who founded the magazine Lankesh Patrike. Later, she founded her own weekly and named it Gauri Lankesh Patrike, which often had articles critical of right-wing organisations and communal violence in the country. In November last year, a court convicted Lankesh of defaming two Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in articles published in her weekly in 2008. She was sentenced to six months in jail and asked to pay Rs 10,000 penalty. She had been granted bail. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Dream of Pramod Dhakad (22) to join Madhya Pradesh state public service got a rude shock when he was assaulted by co-passengers who suspected him to be part of a robbers gang that tried to rob the passengers in Sampark Kranti Express on Thursday night. Dhakad is battling for life in a Bhopal hospital. His only fault was that he was sitting next to one Suresh Verma, who apparently knew the robbers, and got caught in the melee between the passengers and the robbers. While robbers managed to flee, Dhakad and Verma were beaten mercilessly before handing them over to Bina railway police, half dead. Police has booked him and Verma for robbery and hurting people while committing the crime. The incident happened when the train was going between Bhopal and Sagar railway stations. A high number of crimes in trains are reported in Madhya Pradesh. Of 39,239 crime cases recorded in MP in 2015, 11.4% were on railway properties, according to latest National Crime Records Bureau. These numbers dont matter for B S Dhakad, an acting school principal, and believes his son became a victim of a mistaken identity. My son is innocent, the senior Dhakad told HT in total distress outside a city hospital where Pramod was admitted after the brutal assault. How can he be a criminal, when he is doing his MSc in mathematics? His ambition is to crack the state services exam and he had come for the constables recruitment exam in Bhopal on Thursday just to test his preparation. The police have said that so far they have not found any link between Dhakar and Verma. We have not spoken to Pramod as he is in a coma but have spoken to Suresh who is changing his statement frequently, said investigating officer Hemant Shrivastava, claiming that he will crack the case soon. Police sources said that they suspect that Verma knew some of the robbers and they were checking his antecedents. However, officially they refused comment on Vermas reported confession that he knew one of the robbers. Sureshs uncle, Ashok Verma appeared to corroborate the confession. It appears he (Suresh) knew one of the miscreants. However, we dont know what he told the cops as we were told to leave when his statement was being recorded. Verma told HT. Even if the police give Dhakad a clean chit, life will not be same for him again. He has got severe head injuries and doctors say it would be tough days ahead for him, his father, who is monetarily and mentally drained by the incident, said. ends In her quest to make enemies out of everyone in Bollywood, Kangana Ranaut has found an unlikely supporter (who is not a family member) in director Vishal Bhardwaj. Bhardwaj directed Kangana in the famously troubled Rangoon - there were rumours of a cold war brewing between its stars before filming even began, which erupted in the now-infamous episode of Koffee With Karan, in which Kanganas comments against the host sparked off the debate on nepotism. It should be noted that during the episode, both her co-stars - Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan - seemed to have been taken off guard, and said little to quell the rumours. Saif then wrote an open letter, after landing in trouble for yelling nepotism rocks at the IIFA awards - which Kangana responded to. Vishal Bhardwaj (R) directs Shahid Kapoor (C) on the sets of Rangoon. Speaking to Indian Express, Bhardwaj nudged the ongoing debate on Kanganas professionalism in an unexpected direction - mere hours earlier, a revealing Huffington Post piece painted her in a very negative light. Kangana is a very professional girl. And, maybe this is the right time to talk about it. When their (Kangana and Hrithiks legal spat) personal conflict was going on, if it was any other actor, they would have stopped shooting for the film in the middle stating that they need to fix their mental state, he said. Whereas Kangana was strong, even when the media was writing something or the other controversial about her every day and night. She would come for the shoot and once she was in front of the camera, she was totally into the character she was playing. But what happened after the cameras stopped rolling, even he doesnt know. But I know for a fact that it was a tough time for her. She was absolutely professional, and not even one day has she asked to stop the shooting for the film. We were shooting in the interiors of the country. So, we were totally cut off from the world, and would read the news on our phones only, he said. Rangoon was a critical and commercial failure, but Kanganas performance was praised. Follow @htshowbiz for more Be it Pahlaj Nihalani or Prasoon Joshi, things do not seem to have become any less strict at Central Board of Film Certification. Kangana Ranauts upcoming film Simran is reportedly the latest victim to undergo the brutal scissors of censor board. According to a report in Deccan Chronicle, the board recommended 10 cuts in the film, all of which have been accepted by the filmmakers. The word b**ch has been omitted in six places. Derogating women by gesture or language will never be permissible under any guideline, be it Pahlaj or Prasoon, a source from the film told the daily. Another, more unbelievable change was the order to reduce the characters loud moans during sex. The sound effect made the sex scene look far more provocative than it actually was so it was asked to be toned down, the source added. The censor board also asked the makers to tone down the sound effects of a slap in a scene. After the strict tenure of Pahlaj Nihalani and his removal from the post in August, his replacement, lyricist and adman Prasoon Joshi, was expected to bring fresh change to the functioning of the board. Simran is the story of a woman with a gambling problem. Director Hansal Mehta says, Simran is the story of Praful Patel, a Gujarati girl in the suburbs of Georgia who has aspirations and wants more freedom than she already has. In the process, she gets embroiled in debts and then crime but the film is, essentially, a story of hope. Simran, the character and the film is about the pursuit of happiness. I believe people will relate to it because all of us are in search of happiness. The film releases on Friday. Follow @htshowbiz for more Actor Priyanka Chopra landed herself in a controversy after saying in an interview at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) that Sikkim is a state troubled by insurgency and Pahuna, a film produced by her company, is the first to come out of the region. People were quick to point out that Sikkim remains one of the most peaceful states in India and also named some of the compelling films that came out of the region. Speaking in an interview after Pahuna received a standing ovation at TIFF, Priyanka told ET Canada, Sikkim is a small state in the North-east of India which never had a film industry or anyone who made a film from the region. This is the first film ever thats come out of that region, because its very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations. She added about the theme of Pahuna, This is a film about two kids and their perspective on the refugee crisis on being moved from one place to another without understanding the reason. Priyanka is also the brand ambassador of Assam. While Sikkims film industry is yet in a nascent stage, films have been made in the state and even received wide critical acclaim. Prashant Rasaily, a very talented filmmaker, has made acclaimed films like Katha and Acharya. This year a Lepcha film Dhokbu premiered which also earned a lot of praise. Priyankas statements have attracted a backlash online and people are asking her to get her facts right. Here are some of the reactions: OMG ~ That's so SAD ~ Probably the reel life #MaryKom mistook #Sikkim for #Manipur --- Karma Bhutia (@iambhutia) September 13, 2017 @priyankachopra don't u dare scream discrimination when a white person calls u brown! You dense, ignorant imbecile! Leave #Sikkim alone! Shiori (@Avvan23) September 13, 2017 I strongly condemn the statements of @priyankachopra against #Sikkim. Shame on you #PriyankaChopra SunCha KurumBang (@SunchaKurumbang) September 14, 2017 There's only one meaning to it n she also stated that this is sikkim's first film.Seriously dude she has no idea wat she's talking about. Zigmi Bhutia (@zigmi_bhutia) September 14, 2017 She's speaking on a global stage she should atleast get her facts straight. It's casts a wrong idea for people who've never been to Sikkim. Yanki Doma (@yaaankidoo) September 14, 2017 But does she know sikkim is a peaceful state and it has always been ? Where is insurgency in sikkim. Does she even know where sikkim is? Edu Kaleon (@EduKaleon) September 14, 2017 Watch Priyanka Chopras interview here: Priyanka is yet to comment on the controversy. Follow @htshowbiz for more Only a couple of days ago, the cleaning lady at one of my fellow Assamese friends music studio in Mumbai had asked him where Assam was. The lady is a Tamilian, who has lived in Mumbai for long, and has not gone to school beyond a few classes. My friend jokingly told her, in his Assamese-tinged Hindi, Jaise aapka Tamil Nadu India ka niche hai, waise hi Assam India ka upar hai(Just as Tamil Nadu is in the south, Assam is in the North) or the Northeast to be more precise. Its a fact that a huge number of people still have either no idea about the Northeast region of India, or just have a vague idea about it. And they include not only the unlettered or social-disadvantaged class, but also what we know as educated and socially-aware classes. As a Northeasterner living in Delhi since last 23 years, and having worked in the media all this time, I personally can vouch for the fact that even within the media, the awareness about the Northeast, and its complex issues, is hardly worth anything to write home about. But it is also a fact that the visibility of and awareness about the region has improved to some extent now, as compared to even, say, ten years ago, thanks to the multitudes of Northeast cultural events, increasing population of people from the region in the NCR and other parts of the country, and also the increasing number of journalists from the region working in the media houses. From the initial years of anger and outrage that I would feel when someone otherwise informed would make a silly observation on the region, now its the feeling of more of a pity on such people, as I increasingly feel that the fault lies more in the lack of virtually any information about the region in the primary, secondary and higher education curriculam. If the people from the Northeast know about the Chola dynasty or Chhatrapati Shivaji, its because we had read about them in our school books, and if people elsewhere do not know about Lachit Barphukan or U Tirot Singh (to give two examples), its because they are absent from the school books elsewhere. But even then, the misinformed comments on Sikkim by UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Assam Tourism Brand Ambassador and Mary Kom star Priyanka Chopra in an interview given at the Toronto International Film Festival while talking about her production Pahuna rankles. An unlettered cleaning lady in Mumbai not knowing about Assam is one thing, and a hugely-popular and talented star like Ms Chopra giving wrong information about a region that she is genuinely trying to connect with (if we go by the latest announcement that she is producing an Assamese film with legendary filmmaker Jahnu Barua, coupled with her production of Sikkimese film Pahuna) surely is another. She is a known name now internationally, thanks to her appearances in television series Quantico and Hollywood movie Baywatch. She is, as we all know, a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. And above all, she is the brand ambassador of one of the Northeastern states. Along with that, she is a top name of Indian cinema. So, anything she says, goes out to a huge audience, through conventional media as well as social media. Therefore, when she says that Sikkim is an insurgency-hit state, and that Pahuna is the first feature film to come out of the state, it is quite natural that many would believe both the statements. The only problem is as social media have already stated emphatically and angrily that both statements are incorrect. Quite clearly, she is misinformed, or as most people tend to do paint the entire Northeastern region with one brush. It is a fact that for most Indians, the term Northeast is used to describe a region that has a history of insurgencies, is full of exotic tribes, and a region that lies beyond the mental boundaries of mainland India (though it is a dichotomy that the same mainland term is never in terms of Indias two island territories of Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep). While its a popular coinage, it also works in a strangely negative way by homogenizing the immense geo-political, social and cultural diversity of the region and its eight states. But even if one considers this aspect, talking of Sikkim specifically as insurgency affected is far beyond being far fetched. In fact, if there is one state in the Northeast that has stayed free from any such trouble, its Sikkim. In fact, its one of the most-peaceful states all across India, with an absolutely low crime rate, leave aside insurgency or terrorism. Sikkim actually is mostly talked about for its positive aspects such as having one of Indias highest per capita incomes, being among the leading states in literacy level, being one of Indias cleanest states, being the first Indian state to be declared Open Defecation Free way back in 2008, and being Indias first and only one till now - fully organic state. Sikkim is also a tourism-intensive state, and had led the country in introducing home stays and heli-tourism. A large number of domestic and international tourists visit the peaceful state every year, and Priyankas comments could hugely impact the tourist inflow as for any lay person, its easy to believe a Northeastern state to be insurgency impacted going by the image of the region, especially when it comes from a figure whose comments are quoted widely across media. No wonder, the Sikkim government, along with the people of the state and the region as well as informed people from across India has reacted with anger at the comment. Her other comment about Pahuna being the first film to come out of Sikkim, has also been ridiculed, and rightly so. Sikkim does not have a film industry per se, but films have been made in the state quite regularly. In fact, only this year, Sikkimese film Ralang Road, by director Karma Takapa, had its world premiere at the Competition Section of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, one of the highly-respected film festivals of the world. The film will also be screened at the forthcoming edition of the the MAMI Mumbai International Film Festival. Acharya and Katha by another young filmmaker, Prashant Rasaily, has also earned acclaim earlier. And these are just three examples from among the films that have been made in Sikkim over the years. Its laudable the way a top Bollywood actor like Priyanka has taken to producing cinema in various Indian languages, including those in languages from states that have very small domestic markets such as Sikkim and Assam, but her comments in the context of Pahuna have unnecessarily diminished that effort while belittling the works of the local filmmakers who make films with unimaginably-limited resources. Its quite befitting that the actor has tendered her apology to the Government of Sikkim for her comments regarding the state being insurgency affected. Perhaps, she could also issue one more to the filmmakers from Sikkim, whose works have got negated by that interview in Toronto. (The writer is a National Award-winning critic and filmmaker, who has made several acclaimed documentaries and recently completed his first feature film Ishu in Assamese, produced by Childrens Film Society, India) Follow @htshowbiz for more With Bareilly Ki Barfi, Behen Hogi Teri and most recently Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Bollywood seems to be banking on the small-town North Indian love stories. But Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari says today films are becoming more about tracing ones origin in the wake of information explosion. Tiwari says, Nowadays everything is a touch away. The younger generation comprises of people who are educated and have gone to work in IT companies and banks. People have migrated from smaller towns and have settled in bigger cities. I feel when you make your mark in the city, you want to go back to your roots. Now, we just want to revisit the simpler things in life because there is so much of influx of everything around us. Her first film Nil Battey Sannata won over both the audience and critics for the deft handling of a mother- daughter relationship and with Bareilly Ki Barfi Ashwiny says she tried to present a hopeful and futuristic equation between a father-daughter (Kriti Sanon and Pankaj Tripathi). I wanted to create a father and daughter relationship which reflects a lot about our society today. But I didnt want to overtly talk about it because I was not making a very socially inclined film. I was still talking about the little intricacies very important in the day and age when girl is getting married after education, the father is also equally worried about her and what she wants to do. Here was a father who understands that his daughter has her own faults. Instead of blaming them, he rejoices in them and thats what is important. The filmmaker says she had an inkling the people will enjoy watching the movie but she wants them to have more fun in theatres than she did on the sets while making the film. I watch and make films from the audiences point of view. If Im laughing while making the film, I can safely say the audience will enjoy it too. But if Im having a tough time in trying to make sense out of what Ive done, I cannot expect the people to like it. Itll be selfish of me to deliver something like that. I cant take them for granted or be overconfident. The director says she did not expect such an overwhelming response but life is still the same for her. It is only my second film and I want to keep doing better and better. I think I have little more experience today. I never really feel confident about the success, she says. The film features actors Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi and Seema Pahwa. It was Rajkummars performance in the dual version as Pritam Vidrohi that seems to have floored the audiences the most. But Ashwiny says the actor simply did full justice to his role, like other cast members. He is an am amazing actor but he didnt outshine others. Im the mother of the movie and I can never differentiate amongst my characters. They are all equal in my eyes. All of them had been author-backed roles - be it him, Kriti, Ayushmann, Pankaj ji or Seema ji. They have been written like this. Everyone has done what they were supposed to do. Markets regulator Sebi has ordered forensic audit of three firms Trinity Tradelink, Info-Drive Software and Edynamics Solutions which figure among 331 suspected shell companies that are under its scanner. These are in addition to Sebi ordering forensic of four other such firms IRIS Mediaworks, Hit Kit Global Solutions, Kavit Industries and GV Films. In three separate orders dated September 13, Sebi has observed that prima facie Edynamics Solutions Ltd (ESL), Info-Drive Software Ltd (ISL) and Trinity Tradelink Ltd (TTL) were involved in misrepresentation of books of accounts. In the interest of investors, it said, the regulator believes that financials of these companies should be independently audited to establish their genuineness. Accordingly, Sebi has asked exchanges to appoint independent auditors to conduct forensic audit of these firms for verification, including their credentials/financials. Besides, promoters and directors of the firms have been allowed only to buy securities of these companies. However, the shares held by them in these firms would not be allowed to be transferred for sale, by depositories. Pending the audit, the regulator said, trading in securities of ESL and ISL would be reverted to T and XD group of BSE respectively with applicable price band. The trading in securities of TTL shall be reverted to the status as it stood prior to issuance of letter dated August 7, 2017 by Sebi, the regulator noted. With regard to ESL, Sebi said that there is prima facie evidence that firm has not deployed the proceeds of the IPO in accordance with the objects of the public issue. I note that during the hearing, ESL was asked certain specific queries/information in that regard along with relevant documents to substantiate the same, but it has failed to submit any satisfactory response to the same... I find that there is prima facie evidence, by adverse inference, of misuse of funds by ESL, Sebi Whole Time Member Madhabi Puri Buch said. In the case of ISL, Buch said there are numerous, often significant contradictions/mismatches in the books of accounts of the company, figures have been wrongly mentioned. With respect to TTL, Buch said there is prima facie evidence of misrepresentation of business/financials as well as of misuse of funds/ the books of accounts of the company. While the curbs were imposed on the 331 firms from August 8 onwards, they were eased with regard to some companies following appeals against the ruling. In some instances, the Securities Appellate Tribunal asked the regulator to continue with its probe and pass orders expeditiously. The regulator found that the companies identified as shell companies were potentially involved in misrepresentation including of their financials and business in violation of listing regulations. Sebis move came after it received the list of 331 suspected shell companies from the government on June 9 and was asked to initiate necessary action. The regulator found that the companies identified as shell companies were potentially involved in misrepresentation including of their financials and businesses in violation of listing regulations. Taking forward the process for Air India divestment, the government on Thursday invited applications from investment bankers, law firms and other entities to act as advisers for strategic stake sale of the flag carrier. The government has decided on strategic disinvestment of the loss-making Air India, which is staying afloat on taxpayers funds, and a ministerial panel is working on the modalities. Applications have been sought for engaging up to two advisers and a legal adviser for the strategic disinvestment of Air India and its subsidiaries/ joint venture, according to two similarly-worded public notices issued by the Finance Ministry. The Government of India has in-principle decided to consider the disinvestment of the AI Group as a whole or its constituents fully or part thereof through strategic sale with transfer of management control, the notices said. It is looking for reputed investment bankers, merchant bankers, financial institutions and banks for providing advisory services and managing the strategic disinvestment process. The government requires the services of reputed law firms with experience and expertise in mergers and acquisitions/ takeovers/strategic disinvestment/ private equity transaction to act as legal adviser and assist government in the process, one of the notices said. Applications have to be submitted by October 12. The notices for Expression of Interest have been issued by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management. Under a turnaround plan approved by the previous UPA regime, Air India is to receive up to Rs 30,231 crore from the government subject to meeting certain performance thresholds. The ten-year bailout package began from 2012. So far, the embattled carrier has received around Rs 26,000 crore under the package. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave its in-principle nod for the strategic disinvestment of the airline -- which has a debt burden of more than Rs 50,000 crore -- in June this year. Subsequently, an Air India-specific alternative mechanism was set up to guide the process. The ministerial group is looking into treatment of Air Indias unsustainable debt, hiving off of certain assets to a shell company, demerger and strategic disinvestment of three profit-making subsidiaries, among other aspects. Air India is also planning to take short term loans worth up to Rs 3,250 crore to meet urgent working capital requirements. IT firm HCL Infosystems on Thursday said its Group Chief Financial Officer S G Murali has resigned from the company. The company said Deputy CFO Kapil Kapur has been given the charge of CFO post to ensure smooth transition of duties. SG Murali, Group Chief Financial Officer has informed the company about his decision to relinquish the said position effective September 15, 2017 to pursue new career opportunities, HCL Infosystems said in a BSE filing. The Audit Committee of the company has accepted Muralis resignation, which was also endorsed by the Board of Directors, it added. Murali was associated with HCL Infosystems since April 1, 2015. The company has identified Kapil Kapur, Deputy CFO to lead the function and ensure a seamless transition of duties, it said adding that he is working with the company since April 1993. Shares of the company were trading at Rs 49.50 apiece, down 1.3% from previous close on the BSE. Consumers of Coal India is expected to benefit by Rs 6,000 crore in annual savings under the Goods and Service Tax (GST) while higher production by the company in the last three years helped the country save Rs 25,900 crore in foreign exchange owing to lower imports. Coal production has increased substantially in the last three years resulting in a saving of Rs 25,900 crore in imports for the country, Coal Indias chairman Gopal Singh said at the companys annual general meeting in Kolkata. Singh said coal imports accounted for 25 per cent of the countrys total consumption in 2015-16, and 23 per cent in 2016-17. Coal India director (finance) C K Dey told shareholders that the GST impact on the company, We have estimated that on an average, the reduction in rate on local sales is about five per cent and on the inter-state sales the rate of reduction in taxes is about three per cent. This (the reduction of tax rates) will give an advantage to the customers to the tune of Rs 6,000 crore (annually). He said the miner is facing an inverted tax structure under the GST regime as its output is taxed at a lower rate while inputs are taxed on higher rates. Coal has been made taxable at five per cent in the GST regime while taxes are raging between 18-28 per cent on our inputs. Our output is taxed at five per cent while out inputs are taxed at higher rates. This is a kind of an inverted tax structure and going forward, this will lead to refund situation, he said. Singh emphasised on swift exploitation of domestic fossil fuel reserves in order to meet future demand and reduce imports. The large planned new coal-based thermal capacity is likely to put pressure on coal resources. Coal-based power generation capacity of 125 gigawatt in 2012 and is likely to go up to more than 330-441 GW by 2040 (192 GW in FY2017). The demand for these plants is likely to be first met by domestic coal, which will require quick exploitation of our reserves. Import dependence in oil and gas is understandable given our poor reserves, but import dependence on coal particularly non-coking coal, is something that can be addressed by swift exploitation of domestic coal reserves, he said. Singh said the share of coal in Indias commercial primary energy supply was 55 per cent in 2015-16, and is expected to remain high at 48-54 per cent, even in 2040. He added that the state-owned miner needs to achieve double-digit growth rate in order to meet the production targets. CIL has maintained its projection of one billion tonne coal production target by 2020 The company produced 554.14 million tonnes of coal in 2016-17, while coal off-take was 543.32 million tonnes during the same period. The income tax department and the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) have signed a pact to regularly share data, including PAN and audit reports of firms, to crack down on shell companies, the government said on Thursday. The pact aims at curbing the menace of money laundering, black money and misuse of corporate structure by shell companies, a finance ministry statement said. The MoU for Automatic and Regular Exchange of Information between was signed between the MCA and Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on September 6 and took effect the same day, it said. Under the pact, tax authorities will now relay audit reports of corporates and specific information from their I-T returns along with PAN data to MCA. Besides, financial statements filed by corporates with the Registrar of Companies, returns of allotment of shares and statement of financial transactions received from banks will now be shared between the two departments. A Data Exchange Steering Group has also been constituted for the initiative which will meet periodically to review the data exchange status and take steps to further improve the effectiveness of the two agencies, it added. The MoU will ensure that both MCA and CBDT have seamless PAN-CIN (Corporate Identity Number) and PAN-DIN (Director Identity Number) linkage for regulatory purposes. The information shared will pertain to both Indian corporates as well as foreign corporates operating in India, the statement said. The data will also be shared for the purpose of carrying out scrutiny, inspection, investigation and prosecution. The government has already said that over 1.06 lakh directors will be disqualified for their association with shell companies. The MCA is in the process of cancelling the registration of 2.09 lakh companies that have not been carrying out business activities for a long period. Besides, banks have been asked to restrict operations of these companies bank accounts by their directors or their authorised representatives. Following deregistration of over two lakh companies currently there are about 11 lakh companies with active status. Activists and civil society members have criticised the Rajasthan government and police for closing a probe against six people named by dairy farmer Pehlu Khan, who died two days after alleged cow vigilantes attacked him in April. As reported by Hindustan Times on Thursday, police have given a clean chit to the six men, three of whom are linked to Hindu right-wing organisations, based on the statements of the staff of a cow shelter and mobile phone records. The move was deeply condemnable and shocking but not unexpected, CPI (ML) Politburo member Kavita Krishnan said on Thursday. It is expected because the home minister and other ministers of the Rajasthan government were handing out clean chit to the accused even before the investigation had begun, she said. The Supreme Court that had asked states to appoint a nodal officer in each district to prevent violence in the name of cow should also monitor probe into all lynching incidents, Krishnan said. There was a pattern to the investigations in recent lynchings, author-activist Harsh Mander said. A pattern emerges in every case of mob hit violence in the country wherein the police almost always treat the victim as if they are somehow the guilty party and do all they can to protect the accused, he said. The system of cross-case often ended up denying justice to the aggrieved party. If the police are forced to lodge an FIR against the accused, they also file cross-cases against the victim. Its outrageous that those six people have been let off, Mander said. Khan was transporting cows from a market in Jaipur to his home in Nuh, Haryana, when he was lynched by alleged cow vigilantes near Alwar on April 1, one of many attacks on Dalits and Muslims by self-styled cow protectors. Khan had the permit to transport the animals. On September 1, the crime investigation department-crime branch that was looking into Khans killing asked Alwar police to remove the six people from the list of accused. Khans family members say they heard the accused call each other by their names during the attack. The six men were the ones who launched the assault. As we were being thrashed, I heard them call each others name, Irshad, Khans son who was injured in the attack, told HT. Om Yadav (45), Hukum Chand Yadav (44), Sudhir Yadav (45), Jagmal Yadav (73), Naveen Sharma (48) and Rahul Saini (24) are the men who have been cleared. Proceedings will continue against nine others who were identified from the video of the attack. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The year 1993 was Mumbais annus horribilis: The post-Babri demolition riots were followed by the ghastly terror blasts. What is perhaps less known is that that very year, a few journalists were attacked and their offices vandalised by the Shiv Sena. Rather than stay mute spectators, Mumbais journalists showed great courage in uniting to protest outside the Shiv Sena headquarters against any form of physical intimidation by the then all-powerful Sena supremo, Bal Thackeray and his foot soldiers. The few who did not join the protests were co-opted by the scent of power and handsomely rewarded (some even later became Sena or BJP MPs). Contrast the unity shown by journalists in the pre-TV era with the sharp divisions that have surfaced now in the aftermath of the murder of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh. Its almost as if the battle lines in society are being mirrored in the media too: Left versus Right, Hindutva versus secular, liberals vs sanghis, even nationalists versus anti-nationals; it almost seems as if personal political agendas now shadow an unrelenting search for the truth. If for one side, Lankeshs death is an occasion to mourn and agitate, the other side is busily pointing to the selective outrage of her supporters. If one news channel will condemn Lankeshs killing as a Naxal hit job, the other will turn the gaze on Right-wing Hindu extremists. What should be a moment to collectively join hands in demanding justice for a defenceless woman citizen of this country has been reduced to an ideological war. When the Press Club of India and other media groups held a condolence meeting last week, most Right-wing journalists chose to stay away. Even the politicians who came to express their solidarity belonged to Left-liberal political parties. There was no one from the ruling BJP present even though the organisers insist that the meeting was open to all. When a reporter from a nationalist channel tried to take a sound bite, he was shunned by Left activists. Journalists were being pushed into camps, forced to take positions, when there was only one side to take: A rousing call for action against the forces of violence. Yes, Lankesh was a Leftist in her political leanings and a strident critic of Hindutva politics. But surely when a woman is targeted in this senseless manner, her politics are immaterial. Or is a section of the media so trapped in the loud nationalist narrative of prime time television that it has lost the capacity to think for itself, to separate right from wrong, to be able to rise above the noise and defend its fellow journalists? Sadly, the media is being driven by an ominous them versus us binary pushed by a morally bankrupt political class: Its a systematic campaign of bilious hate that reflects in a growing intolerance of contrarian opinion and a constant manufacturing of enemies who must be targeted, if not in a TV studio, then on social media, and finally, on the street. In this bitterly polarised atmosphere, the space for an independent interrogation of facts is shrinking rapidly. For the cheerleaders of the ruling ideology, Lankesh was a presstitute and libtard, demonised as a Naxal-sympathising traitor, much like noted author Arundhati Roy, who a BJP MP shamefully called for to be tied to a jeep for her views on Kashmir. Legitimising any form of violence is the first step towards inciting the mob to take over. That Lankesh was a woman journalist writing in her own language made her perhaps even more vulnerable. English language journalists are, to some extent, cocooned by the limited universe they operate in; a regional language journalist, by contrast, speaks to a much wider audience which is more rooted in ground realities. There is a media elitism which has left journalists in regional dailies/channels more exposed to threat, attacks on them rarely making headline news. Lankeshs death, in that sense, should ideally be a turning point since she was a high-profile bilingual journalist who had broken the English-Kannada barrier. If we have failed to raise our voice as effectively as we should have in previous instances of violence against journalists, then the time to change that is now: If we stay silent and disunited, there will be more Gauri Lankeshs who will pay the price for our collective failure. Post-script: In one of our recent conversations, Lankesh told me how she had come out of a TV debate feeling sick in the stomach. I felt like I was being physically assaulted for the views I held, she said. When civilised dialogue is replaced by the dangerous violence of the mind, the sharp-suited anchor spewing venom on TV one day can only provide ammunition to a masked gunman the very next. Rajdeep Sardesai is a senior journalist and an author The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Education minister Arvind Pande has refused to relent and said he will continue with the surprise checks in the schools across the state even as teachers protested against his move. On Thursday, teachers wore black arm bands as a mark of protest. The controversy kicked off after a video of the minister went viral on the social media in which he is seen seeking reply from a chemistry teacher during one of the surprise inspection at a government school in Dehradun district. In the video, the minister can be heard asking the teacher what equals to minus plus minus. The perplexed teacher is heard telling the minister that she teaches chemistry and then minister was heard asking her to explain what minus plus minus in the terms of the chemistry. Thats not all; the minister scolded the teacher amid presence of students and the principal. The protesting teachers alleged that the minister was doing it just for cheap publicity. We criticise the way minister entered a classroom with his gunners. The children were terrified. We dont have issues with the sudden raids but the minister deliberately made the video viral to gain cheap publicity, said Ram Singh Chauhan, state president of the government teachers association. Pande, a four-time BJP legislator from Gadarpur, who often remains in news for his typical style, said he cannot change at this stage of his age. I am a guardian of the family and I have every right to scold and love my family (staff of the education department), the minister told HT on Thursday when asked his reaction on the teachers protest. He claimed the reason for the protest was something else. I am initiating a cleanliness drive in the department for the sake of 12 lakh students who rely on government schools, he said while stating that he would not bow to pressure of inter-departmental politics. He even dared opponents to get him out of the cabinet if they have problem with him. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 54-year-old Delhi Police head constable died in mysterious circumstances with a bullet injury in his neck outside the Vijay Vihar police station in outer Delhi on Wednesday night. The family members of head constable Rajesh Saini alleged that he was murdered. The initial probe into the incident, however, indicated Saini allegedly killed himself with the service pistol of his colleague with whom he had gone for a smoke. Rishipal, deputy commissioner of police (Rohini), said they had registered a case of murder after Sainis family members alleged that he was murdered. The autopsy will be conducted by a board of doctors. Experts from the forensic science laboratory (FSL) were called to the incident spot to collect important evidence that will be useful in the probe, said Rishipal. On Thursday, the case was handed over to the crime branch for further probe. The crime branch was roped in because the statements of the eyewitnesses were found contradictory. A senior police officer said the incident took place around 10.30 pm when Saini had gone out of the police station to smoke after returning from a raid. Saini had already surrendered his service pistol and ammunition to the malkhana (armoury). He had called out his colleague, a head constable, to give him company, said the officer. The other head constable reportedly has told senior officers that Saini gave him a cigarette and allegedly pulled out the service revolver from his holster and shot himself. The bullet pierced his neck. Some personnel from the police station rushed out after hearing the gunshot. They found Saini lying in a pool of blood. He was rushed to Baba Saheb Ambedkar hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, said Rishipal. Sainis family members, however, rejected the suicide theory by alleging that some eyewitnesses told them that he was shot dead by his colleague following an altercation. The argument reportedly started over making comments over the policemans moustache. Saini had joined the force in 1999 as a constable and was earlier posted with the security unit. He was posted at the Vijay Vihar police station for the past two years. He is survived by his wife, two sons, mother and three brothers. A 45-year-old man allegedly killed his wife before committing suicide by consuming poison in outer Delhis Baba Haridas Nagar, police said on Thursday. A domestic quarrel led to the two deaths. Sanjay Sharma lived with his wife Babli, 42, in a rented accommodation in Baba Haridas Nagar and drove an auto. Their two children live in hostels in Bhopal. In a dramatic turn of events, Sharma approached the police station to surrender for his crime even as he informed the cops that he too had consumed poison. After he told police that he had consumed poison out of guilt after killing his wife, the cops rushed him to a hospital even as another police team visited his home. When the cops broke into his flat, Babli was found lying dead near the door. She had multiple injuries on her body, but appeared to have been strangled to death. In the meantime, Sharma too succumbed to the dose of poison. Police said a local enquiry revealed the couple fought frequently over domestic issues. One such quarrel on Tuesday morning turned violent after which Sharma allegedly beat his wife before strangling her to death. Sharma then locked the house and walked away, leaving neighbours worried about the condition of his wife who was earlier heard crying. One of the neighbours informed the police but Sharma himself reached the local police station and said that he had killed his wife. Raw figurines of straw and clay drying out in the sun are the first sign that the festival season is around the corner. In Chittaranjan Park, home to a large Bengali community in Delhi, idols at a dimly lit makeshift tent are lined in 12 rows. Madhab Halder, an artisan, wearing a mud-spattered t-shirt, is applying a layer of clay on a hay torso. A few steps away, artisan Govind Nath sits on the ground, holding a clay face and etching eyes with a tool. Madhab and Govind are among a group of 11 artisans who are working to meet the demand for idols in the National Capital Region ahead of Durga Puja celebrations. So far they have received 30 orders from individuals and registered societies across Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab. The five-day festival, observed by Hindus to mark goddess Durgas battle against demon Mahishasura, will begin on September 26. Each year devotees set up pandals with massive Durga idols that are immersed into river on the penultimate day of the festival. Artisans say they come to the city three months ahead of the festival and this year too, the preparations began in month of June. The clay used in the idols is from villages in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. Most artisans are from Krishnanagar in West Bengal and they have been working 15 hours a day to meet the demand. Traditional idol makers like us, whose families have been in this profession for many generations, come to CR Park during major festivals such as Saraswati Puja and Durga Puja. These few months are crucial for us. We have to make enough money to sail through the year, said 45-year-old Govind Nath, the head artisan from Kolkata. Nath said he learnt idol making from his father, who worked in CR Park before him. Nath grew up watching his father at work and joined him when he was a teenager. To begin, the idol makers create figurines out of straw, chaff and clay. The clay idols are then placed in the sun to dry. Artisan Madhab Halder said he has established a reputation over the years. Whenever people want idols during this festival, they contact us and place orders. An idol can be made in 10-15 days, depending upon the weather and the number of makers. Once the festival is over, we return to our villages in Bengal, said 30-year-old Madhab. The price of the idols depends on size, design and decoration. The minimum is Rs 10,000 and the maximum goes beyond Rs 1 lakh. Artisans say their biggest challenge is working in harsh, unpredictable weather. It has rained heavily in the last couple of months. There wasnt much sunlight. The idols took a lot of time to dry, Halder said. Another challenge is coming up with new designs each year while keeping the traditional and religious values. Durga idols are usually given 10 hands but this time they plan to make one with 22 hands. Last year, the tallest idol at the famous Kali Bari Mandir measured 18 feet. These artisans also intend to break that record by making an idol 20 feet high and 45 feet wide. Inside the tent in CR Park, three other artisans are giving shape to a clay lion on which stands a figure of the goddess. One artisan says the job is taxing. Eye problems are a part of our profession. My father and grandfather too suffered from it. I am in my mid-40s now and have started wearing glasses, Nath concurs. Also, dealing with wet clay and working in damp conditions can produce persistent cold and cough. I dont want my children to take up this profession. For that matter, the modern generation is not interested in learning this art at all. Everyone wants to become doctor or engineer. Nobody wants to become an idol maker, said Nath. Since demonetisation and GST, the cost of raw materials and transportation has increased two times, they say. Take for example our most important material clay. A small amount of it cost us Rs 10 last year. But this time, we paid Rs 20 for the same quantity. The cost has increased for everything, Nath said. Nath and others continue to camp in the Capital for four to six months a year to create gods and goddesses. As long as festivals are celebrated every year, the art of idol-making will not lose its charm. We have blessings of the gods, said Nath. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The parents of a nine-year-old boy, who died at GD Goenka school of Indirapuram in Ghaziabad more than a month ago, on Thursday requested the Supreme Court to order a CBI inquiry into the death. A Class 4 student, Arman Sehgal died after a fall in school on August 1. His parents lodged an FIR against the school authorities for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and destruction of evidence. A magisterial probe was ordered on August 4 but the probe report is yet to be submitted. Sehgals plea for a CBI probe is second such request made to the top court this week. On September 11, the Supreme Court sought replies from the Centre, Haryana and others on a petition filed by a father seeking a CBI probe into the murder of his eight-year-old son at Ryan International School in Gurgaon. The Class 2 student was found with his throat slit outside his school toilet on September 8, triggering outrage and a debate over security of students in schools. His father has sought safety guidelines for schools so that such an incident was not reported. A conductor of the school bus was arrested after he publically confessed to murdering the boy. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Girls in North Delhi Municipal Corporation schools will be allowed to use washrooms in pairs only, a new circular by the north civic body read on Thursday. We have asked school principals to send at least two girls to the washroom at a time, so that in case of an emergency, one of them can raise an alarm. The students in primary school (till Class V) are very young and we dont want them to be left alone anywhere, said Preety Agarwal, mayor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation. The civic bodys decision comes in the wake of an eight-year-old boy being murdered in a washroom of Ryan International School, Gurgaon. Experts, however, believe that the new rules should bee applicable for all students, irrespective of their genders. The initiative is good and has already been implemented by some private schools in Delhi. But seeing the series of incidents reported in the past few days, we think that young boys are equally vulnerable. So the rule should cover them as well, said SK Bhattacharya, president of School Action Committee, an umbrella body for private schools in Delhi. The civic agency has also decided to separate the toilets for staff and students so that no adult can use the toilet meant for kids. The school principals have been directed to ensure that no student is left alone with any outsider, even members of non government organisations. Also, a register must be maintained for recording movement of all outsiders. The entry of guards and sanitation workers in the school premises should be banned after duty hours and they should not be given any room for living purpose. The circular also advices keeping school gates closed, locking classes/areas not being unused, maintaining record of transport vehicles of students and checking all classes before and after closing of school, said senior North DMC official. The deputy commissioners of each district will visit schools randomly to ensure all the guidelines are adhered to. Even I will go and check at least two schools in a week, said Mayor Agarwal. The circular, surprisingly, does not mention anything about plans for installing CCTV cameras and posting guards in school premises. The police have arrested a customer service agent working with the ground handling company AISATS at Delhi airport for stealing bag of a passenger. According to the police, a complaint was received on Monday, by an employee of AISATS about the missing bag of a passenger. An AISATS official was deputed for getting customs clearance of nine bags. He got the clearance and went to domestic arrival for in-line induction. After some time, he noticed that one of the nine bags was missing. He reported the matter to his seniors and a police complaint was lodged, DCP (airport) Sanjay Bhatia said. Coming soon: Quick boarding access for Delhis handbag-only domestic travellers The scanning of CCTV footage gave clues about the suspect, who was later identified as Arnab Ghoshal, an employee of AI SATS. The accused was apprehended and interrogated at length. On sustained questioning, he confessed that he has stolen the bag. Further, on the instance of the accused, the stolen bag was recovered from his rented accommodation. One more bag was also found in his room and the accused disclosed that it was also stolen by him earlier, Bhatia said. Ghoshal, 23 is a BSc graduate from Kalyani University, West Bengal, and has been working as Customer Service Agent (CSA) in Air India SATS for the past one and a half years. We strongly condemn this incident and have placed the said employees under immediate suspension. At AISATS we follow a strict code of ethics in our professional conduct and have a zero tolerance policy towards any dereliction of duty. We will offer our complete support to the concerned authorities in their investigation, said a spokesperson of the company. Police officials said two travel bags have been recovered. The first bag belongs to an Indian citizen and contains some valuables and some pairs of clothes. The other bag contains some pair of clothes which are probably belong to a foreigner. But the owner is yet to be identified. Delhi governments plan to have visarjan of Durga Puja idols of Chittaranjan Park and adjacent areas in a temporary pond in the colony itself have hit a roadblock due to lack of land. A school had initially agreed to give part of their ground to build a temporary pond. However, it has backed out after opposition from many of its managing committee members. AAP spokesperson and local MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj, who was spearheading the initiative in close coordination with the Puja committees, said there is some Delhi Jal Board land in the area but they are too small for immersion. We had found a site at Raisina Bengali School, opposite the office of East Pakistan Displaced Person (EPDP) Association. The temporary pond would have been dismantled after the immersions on September 30. The school initially agreed but later backed out, Bharadwaj told Hindustan Times. A member of the school management committee confirmed the development saying that the decision was taken after opposition from many members on the sensitive issue. A steering committee has already been formed for this and a representative of every Puja committee in the area is a part of it. The steering committee was supposed to decide on time slots for immersion for different organisers so that any congestion because of processions could be avoided. There are 12 Durga pujas organised in CR Park and neighbouring areas such as, Greater Kailash I and II and Alaknanda. Revellers from across Delhi and NCR visit CR Park for the Puja a Bengali Hindu festival celebrated in honour of goddess Durga. Organisers such as Milan Samiti, E Block, D Block, Cooperative and GK II were on board with the idea. B Block and Pocket 52 have already been doing this in their own compounds. A few organisers such as the Mela Ground Puja Samiti and Nabapally, however, didnt agree to the proposal. The initiative was undertaken to take some pressure off the Yamuna river, which every year witnesses around 200 Durga idol immersions from Delhi and NCR. The National Green Tribunal in 2015 had banned immersion of idols made from non-biodegradable material such as quick-setting gypsum plaster, also known as Plaster of Paris, or plastic in the Yamuna. It had said that idol immersion should be done from a designated place so that the river doesnt get polluted. The bench said it cannot allow the river to get polluted and hence, in an earlier order, prohibited throwing of puja material from anywhere but designated ghats. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON India bit the bullet train in the latest round of the New Delhi-Tokyo strategic embrace. On Thursday, in a ground-breaking ceremony held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe laid the foundation stone for the 508-km long Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project. While all eyes were on the Rs 1 trillion bullet train project, the annual summit between Mr Modi and Mr Abe gave rise to a number of other path-breaking proposals. One of them was for Japanese nuclear firms to work with Indian partners to build and develop reactor components, moving away from the practice of simply contracting to purchase entire reactors. The other was to look at co-developing defence equipment. Then there is the formal launch of a joint economic corridor in Africa. All of this comes on top of existing Japanese projects like the various multi-billion dollar industrial corridors and urban transport systems that dot the Indian landscape. While these will generate commercial benefits for Japan, the latest offers further underline how much what New Delhi and Tokyo are doing is about geopolitics and not just the bottomline. The offering of the crown jewels of Japanese technology and the willingness to break some of postwar Japans strongest taboos cannot be explained by the need for sales and profits. Over the past several years Japan has positioned itself as Indias most important strategic partner. No other country has shown as much determination to change the trajectory of Indias economic growth and sought to lay the basis for India to be a major geopolitical tender in Asia. Japans deteriorating relationship with China is the most obvious reason for this policy, but so is Tokyos concern that the Washingtons presence in the western Pacific is becoming fatally eroded. New Delhi on the other hand is the strongest supporter for Mr Abes plans to normalise Japans defence and foreign policy. Bullet trains are only the shiny manifestations of a much larger power play on which the future security of India and Asia depends. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked all its affiliated schools to get the psychometric evaluation of all employees, including teaching and non-teaching staffs, done by professional psychologists within two months. The school board issued the circular with fresh guidelines for the safety and security of students on Wednesday, days after the murder of an eight-year-old boy by a bus conductor, who slit the throat of the Class 2 student after allegedly trying to sexually abuse him inside the toilet of Ryan International School in Gurgaon. Psychometric evaluation is designed to measure a persons suitability for a role based on the required personality characteristics and aptitude. Such verification and evaluation for non-teaching staff such as bus drivers, conductors, peon, and other support staff may be done very carefully and in a detailed manner. This may be complied and reported online on CBSE website within two months of receipt of this circular, the CBSE said in its circular. There are 19,316 schools in India and 211 schools in 25 foreign countries under the CBSE. There are 1118 Kendriya Vidyalayas, 2734 government/aided schools, 14,860 independent schools, 590 Jawahar Novodaya Vidyalayas and 14 Central Tibetan Schools that follow the board. The board also asked them to adhere to its existing rules and those issued by the Union human resource development (HRD) ministry in 2014. It has also directed the schools to get a security and safety audit of their premises and all employees from their respective local police stations within a period of two months. The onus for safety and security of children in school campus shall solely lie upon the school authorities. It is a fundamental right of a child to engage and study in an environment where he/she feels safe and is free from any form of physical or emotional abuse or harassment, the board added. Any violation or lapses with regard to the safety and well being of children in school campus would invite appropriate action including the disaffiliation of the school as per provisions of the affiliation bye-laws, deputy secretary Jaiprakash Chaturvedi said. The board has also asked these schools to install CCTV cameras at all vulnerable areas and points on their premises and ensure that they are functional at all times. Installation of CCTV cameras has been made mandatory for all the affiliated schools. This will help keep an eye on any untoward incident, said a senior CBSE official. According to the circular, schools must ensure that all supporting staff is employed only from authorised agencies and a proper record of such staff is also maintained. The access to school building by outsiders should be controlled and visitors (be) monitored. Provide training to staff for protection of children from any form of abuse, it said. The CBSE directed the schools to constitute a parent-teacher-student committee to address the safety needs of the students and take regular feedback from the parents. Some of the other guidelines are: a) The access to school building by outsiders should be controlled and visitors monitored. b) To provide training and development for staff to address their responsibilities to protect children from any form of abuse. c) The school shall constitute separate committees for redressal of public/staff/parents/students grievances, Internal Complaints committee on sexual harassment and committees under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offence) Act, 2012 and details of the these committees along with contact details shall be displayed prominently on School Notice Board and conspicuously on the school website for information of all stakeholders. d) It is reiterated, that all schools affiliated with CBSE are hereby directed to strictly adhere to all the guidelines issued by MHRD and Board from time to time. Any violation/lapses with regard to safety and well being of children in school campus would invite appropriate action including the disaffiliation of the school as per the provisions under Affiliation Bye-Laws of the Board. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Whats tall, white and has a long neck? A pair of rare white giraffe, believed to be mother and child, were spotted at the Ishaqbini Hirola Conservancy in Kenyas Garissa county. The giraffes are white because of leucism, a genetic condition that inhibits pigmentation in cells. Leucism is unlike Albinism because it limits pigmentation partially -- meaning the dark pigment is produced in soft tissue, which explains the dark coloured eyes of the giraffes. Albinism results in complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes. Leucism is uncommon among animals but not entirely unknown. Penguins, eagles and hippos have been spotted with the genetic condition. Did you see these pale white giraffes?! https://t.co/wUWOqdOzAb pic.twitter.com/926sfZLFD8 Greenpeace Africa (@Greenpeaceafric) September 13, 2017 A HCP blog post last week said locals had informed the group about white giraffes at the conservancy in June. They were so close and extremely calm and seemed not disturbed by our presence. The mother kept pacing back and forth a few yards in front of us while signalling the baby giraffe to hide behind the bushes a characteristic of most wildlife mothers in the wild to prevent the predation of their young. The Hirola Conservation Programme (HCP) is a NGO dedicated to promoting conservation of hirola antelope in eastern Kenya. There have been only two previous sightings of white giraffes -- a three-year-old giraffe calf named Omo was spotted in January 2016 at Tanzanias Tarangire National park, and a second sighting was reported from Ishaqbini conservancy in Kenya in March 2016, the post said. Omos survival was hailed as good news because more than half of the giraffe calfs die before theyre 6 months old and they are hunted by predators, the National Geographic reported. In 2016, the body that maintains the worlds endangered species list, International Union for the Conservation of Nature, attributed the species under Vulnerable status in its Red List of Threatened Species. Years of habitat destruction and poaching have reduced giraffe numbers by 30 percent, placing them in the vulnerable category for the first time, an article in the Smithsonian Magazine said. The Election Commission officials will, on Friday, release the final list of candidates for the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) elections that are scheduled to take place on September 24. According to sources in the Election Commission (EC), three candidates have been barred from contesting the elections. A total of 283 prospective candidates had filed nominations for the MCG elections. EC officials scrutinized their eligibility on Thursday. The list of candidates is significantly lower this time around. In the 2011 elections, 378 candidates had contested the election. The 2017 list contains candidates named by the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). Both parties put out their lists of candidates earlier this week. Congress had won the 2011 MCG elections bagging 15 seats, including the post of the mayor, senior deputy mayor and deputy mayor. BJP could only garner four seats. However, in a dramatic turn of events, Rao Inderjit Singh, who was with the Congress, switched his allegiance to BJP. A large number of councillors, loyal to him, also defected to the saffron camp. Short on experienced candidates this time and battling an internal rift on whether to contest the polls on the party symbol, the Congress decided against allowing nominees to run on the party symbol this year. Citing the declaration of the poll date at a short notice and lack of preparedness, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), too, has decided to give this years polls a miss. The party had earlier put out a statement saying it was keen on contesting the civic polls. A senior leader in Gurgaon Congress revealed that the decision to not allow any candidate contest on the party symbol bodes well for the party, as it would allow them to field more independents in every ward and boost their winning prospects. Read I Gurgaon: Noise around Ryan shocker drowns out MCG poll buzz While we have decided against fielding any candidate on the party symbol, we have been allowed to field more independents in the election. The decision may prove to be a masterstroke, as, after the election results are declared, some of the winning (Congress-backed) independents could switch back to the party, a senior Congress leader in Gurgaon said. The MCG poll results will also be announced on the polling day. The police arrested four persons for their alleged involvement in the Mandpura gang-rape and robbery incident. Officials of the crime branch said that the four of them have committed heinous crimes such as murder, dacoity, rape and robbery across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. On January 28, two women were allegedly raped inside their residence, located outside Mandpura village in Pataudi, and also robbed of their valuables. On the night of January 28, the police said that eight persons, including the four arrested, posing as police officials, entered their rooms located adjacent to a poultry farm near a factory in the village and gang-raped the two women for over four hours. They also cooked food, including a cooked chicken, before leaving the place, the police said. The Gurgaon police had formed a team comprising inspector Jaswant and SI Bilaspur, Surender Kumar, to arrest the accused. It had also announced a reward of Rs1 lakh on the arrest of the gang. The accused were involved not only in the Mandpura case but also in several incidents in Bhangrola, Khandewala and Bhajghera. This is just the tip of the crimes that this loosely knit gang committed, said Sandeep Khirwar, commissioner, Gurgaon police. The four accused have been identified as Dharmu, alias Lucky (20), of Delhi, Munna, alias Ayaan (20), of Delhi, Lambu, alias Tulli, alias Vinay (31), of Ballabhgarh and Rajbir, alias Nahar Singh (20), of Jhajjar district in Haryana, who is the alleged kingpin of the gang, who carries a reward of Rs5,000. The police recovered a countrymade pistol from the accused. They are also suspecting that the men are part of a tribal gang that operates in north India, based on their modus operandi. They would recce the area in the day and strike during the night, posing as police or CBI officials, who wanted to search the premises. The accused revealed that they targeted houses along national highways, farmhouses and homes that were located in deserted areas. We have asked the police and other investigating officials from neighbouring districts to join the investigation so that their role in other crimes can also be determined, said Sumit Kuhar, DCP, crime. The police also said that the four accused were also involved in a murder in Manesar that took place in October 2016. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After a lull of two years, swine flu or the H1N1 virus has returned to Gurgaon. The health department confirmed four new cases of swine flu on Thursday, increasing the official count to six. The health department has not included patients admitted at private hospitals in the city have not been included in this data. Unofficial figures of swine flu-positive cases has crossed 70. The swine flu patients have been identified asa seven-month-old girl from Sector 45, a 56-year-old man from DLF Phase-4, a 77-year-old woman from Sector 61 and an eighty-year-old woman from Sector 46. The patients, who had very high fever and faced difficulty breathing, have been admitted to the civic hospital. In recent months, the highly contagious flu has claimed many lives in the National Capital Region, but doctors at the Civic Hospital said people should not worry. The H1N1 positive cases are on the rise, but there is no need to panic. We have directed all private hospitals to submit the swab samples to us; we will conduct the tests. Only the health department can confirm a swine flu case, said BK Rajora, chief medical official, civil hospital. The epidemic department at Civil Hospital has seen 68 cases of suspected swine flu in the city this year, department incharge Dr Ram Prakash said. Private doctors and hospitals, however, seem more on the edge. Every week, we are get more than two patients with swine flu-like symptoms. The number of actual swine flu patients may be much higher than the official figures, said Dr Rajesh Kumar, senior consultant, internal medicine, Paras Hospitals in Gurgaon. Read I Gurgaon hospitals on alert as suspected swine flu cases rise According to the latest report by the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), four deaths were reported from Delhi and neighbouring areas till July 9. In the same period, 241 cases of H1N1 were reported from the National Capital Region (NCR). In 2014, the flu viruswhich gets active in humid and cold weather conditionsinfected 34 people in Gurgaon, with no reported deaths. The last case of swine flu in NCR was reported in March, 2015. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Divisional Commissioner D Suresh launched vote 4 MCG application at the Mini-Secretariat on Thursday. The app is aimed at generating public awareness on the forthcoming Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) elections that are scheduled to take place on September 24. According to officials in the district administration, this is the first time that a mobile application has been created for civic elections in Haryana. The vote 4 MCG lets a voter search for the exact location of polling booths or let him/her know his or her voting booth only they enter their details. A voter needs to fill the details of his or her voter identity card number, fathers name and gender. Following this, the details of their wards, polling booth number and booth location will be shown. The mobile app makes it easy for voters to locate their booth and has been designed to ensure better turnout this year, D Suresh, divisional commissioner said. The app is only available on the Android platform and can be downloaded free of cost. Apart from being made available on Google Playstore, a link to the app has also been put up at the district website gurgaon.gov.in According to district officials, the limits of each ward in the map have been updated in line with the delimitation order. The app, however, is not linked to Geographical Information System (GIS) mapping and will rely on the boundary maps fed by the software developers while sending locational details to a voter. Read I Gurgaon civic polls: 195 candidates file papers for MCG elections on last day The app was built jointly by a team of engineers from Chandigarh and the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in Gurgaon. A similar app, True Voter, was launched for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections held earlier this year. As per details released by the Election Commission, 5.60 lakh people are eligible to cast their votes in the MCG elections. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Each time the subject of her split from Brad Pitt arose, Angelina Jolie would get quiet, according to a new interview published Thursday in the New York Times. Jolie has been out and about with her six children, promoting her new film as director. While the conversation was supposed to be about First They Killed My Father, the third war film Jolie has made in her four-movie career as director, the elephant in the room couldnt be avoided. It took me a few months to realise that I was really going to have to do it, said Jolie, about moving out of Pitts estate. That there was going to have to be another base regardless of everything. That there was going to have to be a home. Another home. Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, front row from left, Knox Jolie-Pitt, Sareum Srey Moch, middle row from left, Loung Ung, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Pax Jolie-Pitt, Kimhak Mun, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, Zahara Jolie-Pitt and Angelina Jolie attend a premiere for First They Killed My Father. (Evan Agotini/Invision/AP) None of its easy. Its very, very difficult, a very painful situation, and I just want my family healthy, she said, insisting, as always, that the kids are the priority. And theyre getting better, she said. According to the NYT piece, the time she spent filming First They Killed My Father, a movie about the horrors of living under Cambodias oppressive Khmer Rouge regime told through the eyes of a child, might have been an eye opener with regard to her relationship with Pitt. Angelina Jolie, left, director/co-writer of the film First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers, and co-writer/human rights activist Loung Ung pose for a portrait during the Toronto International Film Festival. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Loung (author of the book on which the film is based) had such horrors in her life but also had so much love, and that is why shes all right today, Jolie said. That is something I need to remember. Jolie also spoke about her image as the perennial vixen, and that of Pitts - his revealing first interview post split further strengthened his down-to-earth vibe. I never expect to be the one that everybody understands or likes, the actor, who at the beginning of her career was considered somewhat of a wild child, said, And thats OK, because I know who I am, and the kids know who I am. Follow @htshowbiz for more At least 19 people drowned in Yamuna river as their boat capsized while going to Haryana from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday morning. The death toll is expected to rise. About 50 people were on the boat, which had a capacity of jut 35. Ten people swam to safety while about 31 passengers are missing. Boat accidents arent uncommon in India. Heres a list of some of the worst boats accidents: January 14, 2017: At least 23 people were killed and seven others injured when a boat carrying around 40 people back from a kite festival organised by the state government, capsized in the Ganga river, opposite the NIT Ghat in Patna. August 14, 2016: Five Indian fishermen died and 20 are still reported missing after their boats, which had drifted away into Bangladeshi waters during a cyclonic storm, capsized in the rough seas. May 14, 2016: An overloaded boat capsized, minutes after it set sail from Kalna in Burdwan district and was heading for Shantipur in Nadia. Nineteen bodies were recovered from the Bhagirathi river by National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel till 10am on May 16. September 28, 2015: More than 50 people were feared dead after an over-packed machine boat carrying about 250 to 300 people capsized in Kolohi river in Assams Kamrup (rural) district. November 7, 2014: Ten people, nine of them children, were feared drowned after a boat capsized in the river Ganga at Raalpur Ghat in Uttar Pradeshs Rae Bareli district. A vehicle damaged by villagers protesting after a boat capsize lies on the Delhi-Saharanpur highway at Katha village near Baghpat town. (AP Photo) August 5, 2014: An overcrowded boat, ferrying 40 passengers capsized in Ganga near Shooltankeshwar, around 20km from the Varanasi. February 9, 2014: At least 11 people, including women and children, were killed and several others went missing after a motor boat carrying about 120 passengers capsized in the reservoir of the Hirakud Dam in Odisha. January 26, 2014: At least 21 people have died after a boat carrying tourists capsized in the Bay of Bengal off the Andaman and Nicobar islands. April 30, 2012: An overloaded ferry breaks in half and sinks during a storm on the Brahmaputra river in the northeastern state of Assam. At least 203 people died in the tragedy. December 25, 2011: Twenty-two persons died after the boat in which they went on a pleasure trip capsized in Pulicat Lake. June 2011: Nearly 40 people drowned when a boat carrying about 50 people capsized in the river Ganga. December 2010: A boat tragedy in Bay of Bengal off the Tamil Nadu coast killed 15. June 14, 2010: More than 75 people were feared dead when an overcrowded boat ferrying around 100 passengers capsized in eastern Uttar Pradeshs Ballia district. Mother of a victim wails near the dead body of her daughter as protesters block traffic by placing bodies of victims of a boat capsize on the Delhi-Saharanpur highway at Katha village. (AP Photo) September 2009: In Bihar, at least 60 people, including 34 children, drowned when a boat capsized in the Bagmati river. September 30, 2009: 45 people died when a double-decked boat capsized in Lake Thekkady in the Periyar National Park. February 20, 2007: Fifteen school children and three teachers drowned when 103 students of the St. Stephens School in Angamaly district were returning from a picnic to the Bhoothathankettu reservoir. At Thattakedu, 70km from Kochi, one of the boats capsized, drowning 15 students, aged between 10 and 12, and three teachers. October 15, 2005: Around 56 labourers on an overcrowded boat drowned when their boat capsized in a river in Ballia, July 20, 2002: More than 24 people were feared drowned in a boat accident in Chapra district. The boat, which was carrying over 60 people, capsized midstream on its way to Muzaffarpur. The Bihar police headquarters in Patna has claimed that the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blast case accused Tausheef Sagir Khan Pathan alias Mohammad Tausheef Khan, who was arrested on Wednesday, was a big catch and would give the investigators clues about another 15 absconding suspects in the case. Tausheef is the 80th, out of the 95 accused in the July 2008 serial blasts, in which 56 people were killed and over 200 were injured, to be arrested so far. Tausheef was arrested on Wednesday along with an associate in Gaya, 100 km south of Patna, after an alert cyber cafe owner caught them and handed them over to police. The cyber cafe owner suspected foul play after Pathan showed reluctance to provide identity proof, which is mandatory for availing internet services. Suspected to have links with terror outfit Indian Mujahideen, Tausheef had shifted to Gaya a year after the Ahmedabad blasts and was teaching science and mathematics in a village school. He had taken shelter in the house of SIMIs former Bihar chief Ghulam Sarwar Khan at Shahdeo Khap village of the district. Khan, who was earlier interrogated for allegedly helping another blast case accused Hasib Raza flee to Nepal, has also been arrested. Some incriminating documents and two pen drives have been recovered from him. What has baffled the police is why he travelled to cyber cafe, 20 km away from where he stayed, when he could have used the internet service from home. Intelligence sources said having stayed incognito for about eight years, Tausheef could have been involved in building a terror module in Gaya. Top officials from central intelligence and inspectors general of Bihars anti-terrorist squad (ATS) SK Jha, special task force (STF) Kundan Krishnan and Patna zone NH Khan, were interrogating him to find out the reason for his stay in Gaya and the persons he was associated with, the sources added. ADG (headquarters) Sanjiv Kumar Singhal said a fresh FIR would be lodged against Tausheef, Sarwar Khan and Shane Khan, who had got the Ahmedabad blast accused a teachers job. The Gujarat ATS is also reaching here to interrogate him, he added. Fluent in English, engineering graduate Tausheef is said to be computer-savvy. A resident of Ahmedabad, he was allegedly involved in planting bombs in a bus. He was also linked to Mujeeb Shaikh one of the accused who was shot dead in an alleged encounter by Madhya Pradesh police on the outskirts of Bhopal last year. Police sources said Tausheef was also associated with Yasin Bhatkal alias Mohammed Ahmed Siddibappa, the founder leader of the proscribed Indian Mujahideen (IM). Bhatkal, an accused in the Ahmedabad blast case along with brothers Riyaz and Iqbal, was arrested in 2013 from Indo-Nepal border. He has been awarded death penalty along with four others in the Dilsukhnagar explosion case in Hyderabad. The sources said ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modis Myanmar visit in August, Tausheef was to lead a procession in Gaya in support of Rohingya Muslims. The permission to take out the procession, however, was denied in view of Pitripiksha Mela and visit of some international dignitaries. The serial blasts in and around Mahabodhi temple at Bodh Gaya in 2013, according to investigation agencies, were carried out to avenge the killing of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Assam activist Akhil Gogoi, arrested on charges of sedition for allegedly instigating people to take up arms against outsiders, has often had a brush with the law since he started off as an anti-corruption crusader via RTI more than a decade ago. He graduated to being a pro-farmer and anti-dam activist, virtually becoming a one-man opposition for Tarun Gogois Congress and now Sarbananda Sonowals BJP-led government. In the process, he has been branded a Maoist, sympathiser of secessionist outfits such as United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa), a friend of forest encroachers, abettor of suicides and extortionist. The 41-year-old Gogoi, from Lukhurakhon village in central Assams Jorhat district, has had a rebellious streak from his days in college where he pursued English literature. In the late 1990s, he joined the United Revolutionary Movement Council of Assam, an organisation of CPI-ML led by Maoist leader Santosh Rana. Later, he parted ways with Rana to edit an independent Marxist journal published in Assamese. Peasant movement Gogoi formed the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) in 1995, exactly a decade before the Right to Information Act was introduced. He wielded RTI to focus on public distribution system thefts, non-implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, land rights, corruption, and big dams in the highly seismic northeast. KMSS aligned with Gandhian activist Anna Hazare but broke with his India Against Corruption (IAC) campaign in 2011 primarily seeking introduction of the Jan Lokpal Bill. Gogoi later said he moved away from IAC because a faction led by Arvind Kejriwal decided to form a political party. Gogoi had by then become a force to reckon with in Assam, his popularity among the anti-establishment class having increased since winning the first RTI national awards in 2009. He won the second Manjunath Shanmugam Integrity Award the year before. Gogoi received the RTI award, an initiative of Public Cause Research Foundation with the Hindustan Times, in the citizen category. He was among the 19 finalists shortlisted from 1130 nominations received from across the country. In 2009, Gogoi turned his attention to big dams, specifically NHPCs 2000 MW Lower Subansiri project on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. His organisation prevented the shipment of turbines for the dam in 2011. The barges carrying the turbine parts had to return via Bangladesh after being stranded on the Brahmaputra for several days. Alleged Maoist link, Ulfa backing In March 2010, independent MLA Buban Pegu displayed in the assembly a secret Assam police report that said he, Gogoi and development activist Ravindra Nath had links with Maoists. The report, signed by the inspector general of police (law and order) on August 7, 2009, also said Gogoi had several members of KMSS trained under Maoists in Jharkhand in 2007. Yes, I am a Marxist and I believe in social transformation. But I am not a Maoist. The (Congress) government has a plan to stop me from campaigning for the rights of farmers and from exposing corruption. They have even plotted to eliminate me, Gogoi had said reacting to that report. As former chief minister Tarun Gogoi kept reminding the activist of his Maoist links, the latter dropped a bombshell in January 2011. He accused the former chief minister and his family of buying property in the US worth Rs 18 crore. Akhil Gogoi also demanded a CBI probe against Tarun Gogoi for an alleged hill council scam involving Rs 5000-crore besides digging up criminal cases against Himanta Biswa Sarma, then an influential minister in the Congress government and now arguably the most powerful minister in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition. The Congress, which ruled for 15 years from 2001 to 2016, had taken a note too of Ulfas support for Akhil Gogoi. Officials said fugitive Ulfa commander Paresh Baruah has been backing Akhil Gogoi since he began his activism in 2006 by batting for squatters in Doyang-Tengani forest lands in central Assams Golaghat district. The Ulfa chief used the example of a KMSS agitation on June 22, 2011, to justify the armed struggle against the Indian occupational forces. That day, police fired on some 12,000 people KMSS had gathered in Guwahati to protest arbitrary and inhuman eviction from alleged encroachment on forests and wetlands. Three people, including a nine-year-old child, died in the firing and scores of protesters, policemen and bystanders were injured. Akhil Gogoi had then accused the Congress of hiring goons to discredit a demonstration that was inherently peaceful. Abetting immolation, rift within The Congress government was allegedly soft on Akhil Gogoi during the 2011 firing but its patience ran out after a similar protest three years later. On March 3, 2014, the police arrested him for allegedly abetting and entering into a criminal conspiracy leading to self-immolation by Pranab Boro, a member of KMSS. Boro had set himself on fire in front of the state secretariat during an agitation to demand rights for living on government land, forests, and wetlands. The mans death prompted the arrest of Akhil Gogoi under Section 308 for abetting in the act leading to the death and under 120(B) of entering into a criminal conspiracy. The confrontation between the KMSS leader and the Congress government increased with Tarun Gogoi virtually accusing Akhil Gogoi of blackmailing and extorting from traders from corporate houses. The activist dared the ex-chief minister to prove his charges. By that time, trouble started brewing within the KMSS. Kamal Medhi, the organisations convenor, and three other leaders parted ways with Akhil Gogoi, saying the aims and objectives of KMSS had changed drastically. Akhil Gogoi conspires against anyone who criticises him, and members of KMSS have often provided wrong information to the people, Medhi said after quitting the organisation in April 2016. In September that year, Akhil Gogoi courted controversy for allegedly inciting violence during a drive to evict encroachers from Kaziranga National Park following a high court directive. He was arrested a few days later. In 2014, Akhil Gogoi had acquired more than 50 acres of land in Kohora range of the rhino habitat to establish the Kaziranga Orchid and Biodiversity Park. This was a year after he opened retain outlets for peasants as an alternative to FDI in retail as well as mafia-run syndicates. Communal overtone At the root of the charge of sedition against Akhil Gogoi is an incident in central Assams Nagaon town on August 24. A group of traders assaulted ex-Ulfa members, who claimed to have sought donations for flood victims. Intellectuals including Hiren Gogoi, a retired professor and one-time associate of Akhil Gogoi, social activists, and a section of the media interpreted the incident as a case of BJP-backed Bengali domination over Assamese locals. The incident was related to the BJPs bid to tweak the citizenship act to let persecuted religious minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to become Indians after a few years of living as refugees. Though the move involves all non-Muslim groups speaking diverse languages, Assam is particularly worried that the state would be used as a dumping ground for Bengali Hindus from Bangladesh. A section in Assam tried to instigate communal disturbance by cleverly avoiding the information that the group of businessmen (in Nagaon), who allegedly insulted former militants, represented both Bengali and Assamese communities. The irresponsible campaigners even made early resolutions that Hindu Bengalis would never mingle with Assamese locals in the State, a statement by the Patriotic Peoples Front of Assam said. A forum of Ulfa victims too resented the communal conspiracy, saying that a plain case of extortion in Nagaon was being given a dangerous dimension. Akhil Gogoi, however, used the Nagaon incident as a peg for his campaign against the BJPs move to settle migrants and outsiders in Assam. He teamed up with some pro-talks Ulfa leaders to campaign for the protection of indigenous communities. In one such campaign at Moran in eastern Assam on Tuesday, his speech was deemed incendiary. The police arrested him under section 121 of the Indian Penal Code for waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India. The police said Akhil Gogoi and pro-talks Ulfa leader Jiten Dutta had instigated the common people to wage war against the nation and delivered speeches against communal harmony. They also announced that they are ready to use hangdang (machete) and AK-47 rifle in their movement against the government. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Dairy farmer Pehlu Khan was mercilessly thrashed in April by cow vigilantes when he was transporting cows for his farm in Alwar, Rajasthan. He died of his injuries two days after the incident at Alwars Kailash hospital. Khan was among the five Muslims beaten up on suspicion of transporting cows for slaughter on April 1 this year. The Rajasthan Bovine Animal Act, 1995 prohibits the export of cows for slaughter and treats the transporter as an abettor. The 55-year-old dairy farmer gave a statement to the police, in which he named six accused, a day before his death. On Wednesday, the Rajasthan Police closed investigations into six people named by Khan in his statement, sparking backlash. Heres a timeline of the case: April 3: Culpable homicide is changed to murder (section 302) after Khan dies in hospital around 7.30pm. April 5: Rajasthan police register a murder case against the attackers and announced a reward of Rs 5,000 for anybody providing information on the suspects. Om Yadav, Hukum Chand Yadav, Sudhir Yadav, Jagmal Yadav, Naveen Sharma and Rahul Saini are suspects in the FIR. The cases against them fall under sections 147 (rioting), 143 (unlawful assembly), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 308 (culpable homicide), 379 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code. Police arrest three people Vipin Yadav, Ravindra Yadav and Kalu Ram Yadav on the basis of video footage circulating on social media. April 6: Details emerge of Pehlu Khans statement. He had named members of the RSS-linked Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal as the attackers in his statement to the police. April 7: Union home ministry received a report from the Rajasthan government which says a special police team has been constituted to arrest all those allegedly involved in the lynching of a Muslim man in Alwar. The investigation of the case is transferred from SHO Behror to Alwars deputy superintendent of police, Parmal Singh. The National Human Rights Commission Seeks explanation from the Rajasthan government on the Alwar attack. Similarly, the Supreme Court asks Centre and five BJP-ruled states to respond within three weeks to a petition seeking a ban on cow protection groups amid growing outrage against the vigilantes accused of widespread violence. Days after the saying the incident reported was a lie, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi tells Rajya Sabha the lynching happened. He says police has filed FIRs in the case. April 9: Two more suspects Dayanand Yadav and Neeraj Yadav are arrested. April 16: After a fortnight, Rajasthan Police say they will not arrest the six named in the FIR before interrogating them to make sure they were involved in the crime. April 20: Sadhvi Kamal, the head of a cow protection group, equates vigilantes to revolutionary freedom fighters such as Bhagat Singh, Chandrasekhar Azad and Sukhdev. April 25: Rajasthan Police says the investigation in the Pehlu Khan lynching is stuck because the attacked men did not come back to record their statements. April 26: HT investigation finds the family of Pehlu Khan was acquitted of the charge of cow smuggling by two local courts, contrary to claims by the Rajasthan home minister that they were cow smugglers. May 3: The Alwar police detained a 17-year-old boy for allegedly being one of the people who assaulted Pehlu Khan on April 1. The minor is sent to a government observational and child home in Alwar. May 11: The chief officer leading the investigation is shifted amid mounting criticism of the slow progress of the case. May 30: Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje admits that recent crimes against minorities in the state show Rajasthan in a bad light. She says firm action will be taken against those behind the violence. June 12: A mob intercepts five trucks near Rajasthans Barmer, attacking drivers and attempting to set fire to the vehicles carrying cows purchased by Tamil Nadu under a project to protect cows. July: The case is transferred to the criminal investigation department- crime branch (CID-CB) of the Rajasthan police. This is the fourth instance in a little more than three months when the investigating officer has been changed. August 31: Rajasthan high court grants bail to 19-year-old Vipin Yadav, one of the seven men arrested for the lynching of Khan. Yadav, a student leader, is the fifth person to get bail in the case. Only two other accused are behind bars now. September 13: Police close investigations into six people named by Khan before his death, sparking allegations that the authorities are under pressure to protect cow vigilante suspects. The police have cleared the men based on statements by staff of a cow shelter, and mobile phone tower signal records. Rajasthans home minister, Gulab Chand Kataria, defended on Thursday the clean chit given by the state police to the six people who had been named by Haryana dairy farmer Pehlu Khan before he died of injuries sustained in an attack by cow vigilantes. HT managed to catch up with one of the six, who said truth always prevails. A day after HT reported that the CID-CB of Rajasthan police had completed its investigation into the Alwar lynching case, and found that the six people named in Khans statement to police in the ICU of a hospital were not involved in the attack, Kataria backed the police. They must have concluded this on the basis of evidences and witnesses before them. I will not say anything on their findings, he said. Meanwhile, head of CID-CB Pankaj Kumar Singh said the crime branch did a detailed investigation and found that six people named in the FIR were not involved in the attack on Khan. Khan named eight people; we found two of them were involved in the attack. The other six were not present at the site of attack, he claimed. HT spoke to Om Yadav, one of the six people, shortly after he learned that his name would soon be struck off the FIR. I got the good news this morning, he said. My family, relatives and I suffered a lot for close to six months but truth prevailed. The Pehlu Khan case so far The 55-year-old dairy farmer was waylaid by a mob in Alwar on April 1 and beaten up mercilessly. April 1: Cow vigilantes stopped Pehlu Khan and his companions near Behror. They are accused of being cattle smugglers and assaulted. An FIR is lodged against six identified and 200 unidentified people on the basis of Khans statement. April 3: Pehlu Khan passes away in hospital.April 5: On the basis of the video recording, the police arrested three (other than six named in FIR) allegedly involved in the attack. April 5: Police announce a reward of 5,000 on the six named by Khan. April 8: Police arrest two more accused in connection with Pehlu Khans death. April 16: Rajasthan home minister Gulab Chand Kataria justified the attack and said both parties were to be blamed for Pehlu Khans death. April 18: Deceased Pehlu Khans uncle Hussain Khan threatens to commit suicide along with his family if they are denied justice. April 21: Controversial Hindu leader Sadhvi Kamal Didi compares an accused in the case with freedom fighters such as Bhagat Singh and Chandrasekhar Azad. April 23: 23 former IAS officers write an open letter to Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje demanding the arrest of those involved in Khans death. April 24-26: Civil society members, along with Pehlu Khans family, stage a two-day dharna in Jaipur demanding justice. Cow vigilantes stopped Pehlu Khan and his companions near Behror. They are accused of being cattle smugglers and assaulted. An FIR is lodged against six identified and 200 unidentified people on the basis of Khans statement.Pehlu Khan passes away in hospital.April 5: On the basis of the video recording, the police arrested three (other than six named in FIR) allegedly involved in the attack.Police announce a reward of5,000 on the six named by Khan.Police arrest two more accused in connection with Pehlu Khans death.Rajasthan home minister Gulab Chand Kataria justified the attack and said both parties were to be blamed for Pehlu Khans death.Deceased Pehlu Khans uncle Hussain Khan threatens to commit suicide along with his family if they are denied justice.Controversial Hindu leader Sadhvi Kamal Didi compares an accused in the case with freedom fighters such as Bhagat Singh and Chandrasekhar Azad.23 former IAS officers write an open letter to Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje demanding the arrest of those involved in Khans death.Civil society members, along with Pehlu Khans family, stage a two-day dharna in Jaipur demanding justice. May: Investigating officer changed in the case for the third time. Case transferred to additional superintendent of police, Kotputli. July: Case transferred to Crime Investigation Department- Crime Branch (CID-CB). Investigating officer changed for fourth time. July 12: Ravindra, one of the seven arrested on the basis of video footage, granted bail. August 9: Kaluram, another accused, gets bail. August 31: Third accused, Vipin Yadav, gets bail. September 1: CID-CB sends probe report to Alwar police, giving clean chit to all six named accused, who till now were absconding. It charges nine for the murder. Six accused given clean chit 1. Hukum Chand Yadav (44) - Teacher at a private college in Behror 2. Naveen Sharma (48) Teacher in the same college. 3. Jagmal Yadav (73) Retired government teacher from Haryana and has been working for cow protection in Behror for many years. He was the patron of the Rath cow shelter at Dahmi village near Alwar. 4. Om Yadav (45) Owns around 10 shops on the highway, his wife is a councillor in Behror municipality. 5. Rahul Saini (24) He is a student 6. Sudhir Yadav (45) He is a property dealer 1.(44) - Teacher at a private college in Behror2.(48) Teacher in the same college.3.(73) Retired government teacher from Haryana and has been working for cow protection in Behror for many years. He was the patron of the Rath cow shelter at Dahmi village near Alwar.4.(45) Owns around 10 shops on the highway, his wife is a councillor in Behror municipality.5.(24) He is a student6.(45) He is a property dealer Investigating officer changed in the case for the third time. Case transferred to additional superintendent of police, Kotputli.Case transferred to Crime Investigation Department- Crime Branch (CID-CB). Investigating officer changed for fourth time.Ravindra, one of the seven arrested on the basis of video footage, granted bail.Kaluram, another accused, gets bail.Third accused, Vipin Yadav, gets bail.CID-CB sends probe report to Alwar police, giving clean chit to all six named accused, who till now were absconding. It charges nine for the murder. Row erupts Rajasthan Congress president Sachin Pilot said, ...even the chief minister assured justice but according to the family of Khan this does not look like justice. Another Congress leader, Shehzad Poonawalla from Maharashtra, tweeted: We will take up Pehlu Khan case before SC which is hearing our Gau Raksha PIL on 22nd September and seek justice too. In Jaipur for a convention by the Opposition parties, JD(U) leader Ali Anwar Ansari and CP-M leader Sitaram Yechury also reacted to the development. Pehlu Khan named six people in his FIR; now efforts are being made to remove them, sidelining the report of intelligence bureau, Anwar said at the convention. Yechury said: It seems no one killed Pehlu khan, or maybe he did not die. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah too spoke out against the clean chit. How foolish to expect anyone would be found guilty of murder! #PehluKhan committed suicide & staged the lynching to make a dramatic exit, he wrote on Twitter. Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Ashutosh, sharing a photograph of the HT story, alleged that the police are saving criminals despite the dying declaration of Pehlu Khan. A Bengal BJP worker was allegedly killed by members of the ruling Trinamool Congress in South 24 Parganas district this week, triggering demonstrations by the leaders of his party. BJP booth president Soumitra Ghoshal, 26, was found dead late on Monday, hours after his partys national president Amit Shah visited the state and asked workers to strike back if attacked by members of the ruling party. Bengals politics has a history of vicious attacks among political rivals, with many leading to fatalities. Sayantan Basu, the convener of BJPs media management cell in Bengal, said the party filed a police complaint naming three Trinamool-backed local hooligans. However, none of the three named in the FIR has been arrested so far, Basu told Hindustan Times. He alleged Ghoshal was first assaulted and then choked to death. His body was later found tied to a pole, he said. The three named by the BJP are Soumen Sardar, Riju Sardar and Sourav Sardar. Local Trinamool leader Shyamsundar Chakrabarty denied the involvement of party workers. BJPs Rajya Sabha member Roopa Ganguly started a sit-in-demonstration demanding the suspects be arrested and on Thursday, she accused local police of threatening her to leave the spot. The local administration has politely threatened me that if trouble breaks out, CRPF constables meant for my security will not be able to ensure my safety since the firing order will only come from the local administration. I told them if the CRPF constable is unable to fire, I will snatch his rifle and pull the trigger in self defence. I am capable of handling all sorts of fire arms, Ganguly told the media on Thursday. Basu alleged that since Ghoshal was successfully expanding BJPs network in the area, local Trinamool leaders killed him. Questioning the economic viability of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, the Congress on Thursday said the foundation stone laying ceremony was timed ahead of the Gujarat elections, primarily to push projects just before the polls. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Thursday laid the foundation stone for Indias first 508-km high-speed rail project in Ahmedabad. Instead of giving priority to safety measures in the railways, the Prime Minister was laying the foundation stone for the bullet train in Ahmedabad and not in Mumbai keeping in mind the upcoming assembly elections in the state, it said. The party also said it was done to mislead the people. Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said his party was not against any development project, but the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project is not economically viable. The air fare for Mumbai to Ahmedabad is Rs 2,000, and the bullet train fare would be between Rs 2,800 and Rs 5,000... Only if one lakh passengers travel in the train, the project will be economically viable, said Kharge. He added that Rs 60,000 crore was being spent on land acquisition and the estimated Rs 1,10,000 crore cost of the project could further escalate by the time it was implemented. Kharge said: We have seen 19 major (railway) accidents in the past one year and Rs 1.1 lakh crore is required for rail safety. But this government has allocated only 5 per cent of that amount so far. The government earned Rs 175,000 crore profit from petrol and diesel excise duties. They can give at least Rs 40,000 crore from that profit for railway safety measures, he added. The Congress leader said there were three lakh vancancies in the Indian Railways of which there were 1,42,000 vacancies on the safety side, which needed to be filled first. The party also slammed the government for having 12 halts for the 500-km Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, saying even Rajdhani Express did not have so many stops for a similar distance and it was done just to mislead the people. Even before the train picks up speed, it will halt at the next stop. Most of the stops are in Gujarat and there are stops in places which have a population of just 36,000, said Congress spokesperson R.P.N. Singh. The UPA government had signed an agreement with Japan in 2013. This was a $7 billion contract envisaged under the Delhi-Mumbai Economic Corridor that would have also led to the introduction of bullet trains. It is a matter of deep concern that while the Prime Minister once again adopted a UPA project, it took him 3.5 years to come to this stage of laying a foundation stone, only to ensure that it is timed with the Gujarat election, he added. Singh also said: At this rate it will take years and years to complete since basics like land acquisition, intricate details are yet to be completed. The government has completely abdicated its responsibility towards safety to the crores of rail passengers who travel daily on trains. At least 259 passengers have been killed and 973 injured in 29 major railway accidents since the Modi government took office, he added. Kharge also listed four high-speed train projects the UPA government had been planning since 2005 Chennai-Bangalore-Mumbai, Mumbai-Ahmedabad-Delhi, Ludhiana-Amritsar-Kolkata and Ahmedabad-Mumbai-Pune via Thane trains. All CBSE schools must get a security audit done by the local police and carry out thorough verification and psychometric evaluation of their non-teaching staff, the board has said in a recent circular. The Central Board of Secondary Education is Indias largest education board with more than 19,000 schools across the country following its curriculum. Its advisory, dated September 12, comes in the wake of an 8-year-old student of Gurgaons Ryan International being murdered allegedly by a bus conductor. The case triggered protests in the city, raising alarm over the state of security for children. The board asked schools to report back on its website after the security audit within two months. The advisory carried a list of eight directives: 1.Get security/safety audit done of premises and personnel from local police station and follow the security-related advice for the safety of school children. This may be complied and reported online on CBSE website www.cbse.nic.in within 2 months of receipt of this circular. 2.Install CCTV cameras at all vulnerable areas/point in the School premises and ensure they are functional at all times. 3. They must get the police verification and psychometric evaluation done for all the staff employed. Such verification and evaluation for non-teaching staff such as, bus drivers, conductors, peon and other support staff may be done very carefully and in a detailed manner. 4.Ensure that supporting staff is employed only from authorised agencies and proper records are maintained. 5. Constitute a parent-teacher-students committee to address the safety needs of the students and to take regular feedback from parents in this regard. 6.The access to school building by outsiders should be controlled and visitors monitored. 7.Provide training and development for staff to address their responsibilities to protect children from any form of abuse. 8.The school shall constitute separate committees for redressal of public/staff/parents/students grievances, Internal Complaints committee on sexual harassment and committees under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offence) Act, 2012 and details of the these committees along with contact details shall be displayed prominently on School Notice Board and conspicuously on the school website for information of all stakeholders India and Japan on Thursday signed 15 agreements to broad base the ties and strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, where China is increasingly get assertive. With Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his side, visiting Japanese premiere Shinzo Abe called for a greater role for Japan and India to keep democracy and rule of law intact in the region. (LIVE updates) Our ties now lead the global system based on the rules of Indian and Pacific oceans and has developed into a special strategic and global partnership, Abe said at the groundbreaking ceremony in Ahmedabad for Indias first bullet train project. Beijings naval expansion has both Japan and India worried. While rapid militarisation of the South China Sea is a concern for Tokyo, deployment of Chinese naval units in the Indian Ocean is worry for New Delhi. The Japanese leader, who was accorded a rousing welcome on his arrival in Ahmedabad on Wednesday with Modi receiving him at the airport, pitched for India as the factory of the world, a direct challenge to China, which is the global manufacturing hub. Japan in committed to Make in India. If Japans high-level technique mergers with Indias best human resources, India will become the factory of the world, Abe said, referring to the Modis governments ambitious plan to turn India into a global manufacturing powerhouse. Later, the two sides inked 15 pacts to boost cooperation in various key sectors, including civil aviation, trade and science and technology. Asias two large democracies -- India and Japan -- have the ability to become the representatives of traditions nurtured in the continent like diversity, tolerance, refusing changes brought in by force and resolving crisis through peaceful means, the Japanese leader said. It were India and Japan who were keeping basic values such as independence, democracy, human rights and rule of law intact in the region. It was important that together they promoted defence values in Indian and Pacific oceans and encourage mutual development. All the countries in the Indian and Pacific oceans region wish for an independent, open and continuous growth, Abe said, in a remark being seen as aimed at China, which has a running maritime dispute with several countries of the region. They want that the regional sovereignty and local employment be respected. They want development based on the interest of their citizens. To realise this, India and Japan will make their ties stronger. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) has denied it had any role in the murder of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh outside her house in Bengaluru and said it was the act of Brahmanical Hindu-fascist goons of Sangh Parivar led by Mohan Bhagwat. In a statement dated September 9 that reached media on Thursday, its central committee spokesperson Abhay said Lankeshs murder was not only a blatant attack on free speech and freedom of the press but an assault on all revolutionary, democratic, progressive, secular, and rational dissenting voices of the country. The 55-year old editor of Kannada weekly Gauri Lankesh Patrike was a fierce critic of Hindu extremism and her death on September 5 triggered speculation that people connected to right-wing organisations may be behind her killing. The Karnataka government has formed a special investigation team, headed by inspector general of police (intelligence) BK Singh, to probe the gunning down of Lankesh that triggered outrage and protests across the country. The investigators looking for the killers of Gauri Lankesh are yet to find any conclusive leads. Abhay said the party rejected and condemned the patently false insinuation made by some leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) suggesting the Maoists might be behind this murder. This is nothing but a futile attempt to divert the growing mass anger against the Sangh Parivar, he said. He added apart from silencing one of its most vocal critics, the Hindutva-fascists wanted to send out a clear warning through the murder of Lankesh that anyone who dared to put up a real opposition to the fascist juggernaut of Narendra Modi-Amit Shah-Bhagwat ruling clique would meet a similar fate. The Hindutva-fascists may kill some of us, jail many of us, and scare a larger number into silence temporarily. But they certainly cannot suppress the people forever and turn the wheels of history backwards. They will certainly be thrown into the dustbin of history by the masses who alone are the makers of history, Abhay said. He said his party has called upon the oppressed classes and the people of the country, including religious and national minorities, Dalits, Adivasis, intellectuals, and journalists to strongly protest Lankeshs murder to demand prompt and stringent punishment of the perpetrators and to intensify the united countrywide peoples movement against Hindu-fascism. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Fourteen live bombs were recovered from a shop in Howrah district on Thursday, where a man was injured in an explosion on Wednesday, police said. Bomb squad personnel, during the search in the shop this morning, found the explosives, a police officer said. Komer Ali, the shop owner, who was injured in the explosion, has been admitted to Uluberia hospital with severe burn injuries, the officer said. Investigation into the incident is underway, he said, adding, police has not been able to interrogate Ali as he is in hospital. The explosion happened at the Teen Kapati Pool under the jurisdiction of Manikpur police station on Wednesday evening when Ali was closing the shop, the officer said. As Amnesty International urged India to ban use of pellet-guns to quell crowd protests in restive Jammu and Kashmir in a report on the impact of the controversial weapon, the HT spoke to Aakar Patel, the head of the rights body in India. The international human rights watchdog released the report Losing Sight in Kashmir: The Impact of Pellet-Firing Shotguns in Srinagar on Wednesday. The report, peppers with photographs of blinded pellet victims, presented the cases of 88 people whose eyesight has been damaged by the projectile. Patel on the side-lines of the report launch spoke on wide range of issues confronting the picturesque state, which saw a spike in violent protests after the death Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani last year. Here are excerpts from the interview. What are the key findings of the report on pellet-gun usage? That it is an indiscriminate weapon. It has injured people as young as nine. Our research shows that even a few security personnel have been injured by it. When a shotgun is being used on a crowd, it does not surprise us that it causes injuries such as we have seen. It is not meant for crowd control. Its not used anywhere in the world. Its not used anywhere in India either. Why arent pellet guns used anywhere else in the country? I think that is because the usage would lead to much pressure from local population and local parties. Unfortunately, despite our claims of unity and integrity, we are treating people of this state very differently and in a prejudiced manner. Often civilians get killed as forces try to quell protests Whenever you attempt crowd control with lethal weapon, there will be death tolls even if the forces using them do not intend fatalities. We need to ensure that we use reasonable force. Nobody will deny that whenever there is a violent protest, authorities have a legitimate right to use force but it should be proportionate. If its disproportionate you will get what you have seen. We should make sure our Constitutional laws are followed and I dont think in many instances in Kashmir they are followed. How do you see the current situation in Kashmir? There are things which create a feeling of a lack of justice among people. For instance, AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Acts) has a mechanism its called Section 7, wherein, if there is evidence against somebody from the armed forces of committing a crime, immunity can be lifted and that individual can be prosecuted in a civilian court. The process to be followed is that an FIR is to be registered, the police investigate the crime, a charge-sheet is filed, and the charge-sheet is sent to the Union government. Our research has found that since 1989, the Union government has not replied to the JK government even once in any of the cases they have sent. JK police continue to send these charge-sheets, the union government does not respond. This is violation of constitutional law. Three things are happening here. First, the government of JK and the police of JK are undermined. Secondly, survivors and victims of these crimes do not know when they will get justice, and thirdly, it reinforces perception that people from these parts are being treated as a second class citizen, who cannot have any expectation of delivery of justice. Against such backdrop, we should not be surprised to see the reactions we are seeing. People are angry in Kashmir. If you deny them justice, you should expect them to be angry. True, denial of justice happens across India and not just in JK. But deliberate denial of justice happens only in JK. Is there a change in the Kashmir policy after the current government came to power? I feel that for a Kashmiri things dont change too much. She is denied justice under the Congress government, under the Janata Dal government and under a BJP government. What has changed is the rhetoric the nasty language we have seen coming out of Delhi and especially television media is very damaging. When you reward an army-man for kidnapping a citizen and violating his rights, putting him under threat, it is the worst kind of message you can send to people of Jammu and Kashmir. We are either ignorant or we are doing that deliberately to send a message and both of those are very, very wrong. Whats the impact of campaigning such as the one Amnesty launching to ban pellet guns on common people and the government? It is difficult to measure the impact. Our job is to work with the state. We are not adversarial to the state. We believe in the rule of law, we believe that the state is the largest and the most dominant player in the delivery of rights. It is also true that the government doesnt engage with you on many issues, but we need to keep working until we reach a point when the attitude changes. But its tough to get governments to change the way they are doing things is not easy. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Doklam problem was not the last of its kind and the Army cannot afford to lower its guard since it has been resolved, a top military commander said on Thursday. Our training in command and preparedness remains intact. It does not mean that we should let the guard down because the Doklam issue has been resolved, General Officer Commanding- in-Chief of the Pune-based Southern Command Lt General P M Hariz said. He was talking to reporters after giving away 63 gallantry and distinguished service awards at an investiture ceremony of the Southern Command in Bhopal. We never let our guard down. We remain alert and we ensure that our preparedness is always of the highest order, Hariz said. The officer said the Army was always in a state of readiness to swiftly take position when needed to give a befitting reply to the enemy. Recently there was a problem in Doklam which has been resolved. But this doesnt mean that it was the last. The Doklam issue was resolved through diplomatic efforts by both sides (India and China), he said. He praised the Indian media for handling the issue in a responsible manner. Indian and Chinese troops faced off for more than two months at Doklam plateau near Sikkim which has been claimed by both China and Bhutan. They stood eyeball to eyeball since June 16 when Indian troops stopped the Chinese from building a road at the India- Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction before the two countries decided on an expeditious disengagement towards the end of August. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that his dream of seeing a mini Japan in his home state has come true and batted for more economic cooperation with the country. He was addressing the India-Japan Business Leaders Forum at Gandhinagar on Thursday. When I first visited Japan as chief minister of Gujarat, I had said that want to see a mini Japan in Gujarat. Today, that dream has come true. I am happy to see so many friends from Japan happily living and doing business in Gujarat, he said. Modi said that Gujarats industry and government still cherish the fact that Japan became the first partner country of the Vibrant Gujarat event. From the activities launched today, you can see the depth of relationship between the two countries, he said, listing out initiatives like the high speed rail project, development of Japanese industrial townships, cooperation in automobiles, and human resource development through the Japan-India Institutes of Manufacturing. Modi said Japan can benefit tremendously with the size and scale of our potentials and skilled hands that India offers. To allow entry of capital and technology, we have worked hard on opening our economy. Every day we are making it easier to invest and do business in India. We have already resolved a number of regulatory and policy issues facing the businesses and companies, he said. Modi said that India has one of the most liberal FDI regimes and more than 90% of FDI approvals have been put on the automatic route. Sushi, sashimi or soba? For Japanese nationals in India missing food from their homeland, here is some tasty news. The two countries have inked a pact for a cool box service which will ferry food from Japan to India. As part of an agreement signed on Thursday between the two countries, India Post and Japan Post will start a postal service that will allow the Japanese community in India order their favourite foods from back home. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe held wide-ranging talks on key bilateral, regional and international issues and discussed ways to deepen ties in trade, security and civil nuclear energy. Japan invested USD 4.7 billion in India in 2016-17 which is 80 per cent higher than last year. Now, Japan is the third largest investor in India... And, looking at this investment, one can anticipate that in times to come, besides the business ties, people-to-people ties would also grow, Modi said. And now, through the partnership of the two postal services, the cool box service is going to be started, so that Japanese people in India can order their food straight from Japan, he said. Modi also appealed to the Japanese business community to open more restaurants offering cuisine of that country in India. Japanese food is gaining popularity in India. Among the many delicacies on offer here are sushi or rice-wrapped rolls, sashimi or raw meat or fish, soba or buckwheat noodles, miso soup, a traditional broth, and various kinds of seafood. The two prime ministers also shared the importance of strengthening cooperation in the fields of agricultural and food related sectors. They welcomed Japans participation in World Food India 2017 as a partner country, said the joint statement of the two leaders. The two sides renewed their commitment to strengthening human and cultural ties commensurate with their Special Strategic and Global Partnership. In this context, the two prime ministers welcomed a series of cultural events successfully held through the Year of India-Japan Friendly Exchanges in 2017, the statement said. A major fire broke out at a Liquefied Petroleum Gas filling unit of Hindustan Petroleum Company Limited (HPCL) on the outskirts of Hyderabad on Thursday, triggering a chain of explosions as the blaze engulfed hundreds of cooking gas cylinders. According to reports, the fire at the Ghatkesar-Cherlapalli road warehouse was caused due to short-circuiting. The facility stores LPG cylinders meant for supply to parts of Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts. Initial reports did not specify if there were any causalities, but the explosions were heard and the blaze seen till a couple of kilometres away. Workers ran to safety and people in surrounding colonies were immediately evacuated as exploding cylinder shells started falling on residential areas. Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation commissioner B Janardhan Reddy said there was no need for panic as fire tenders were rushed from Charlapalli, Malkajgiri, Moula Allli, Musheerabd and Shameerpet. Five ambulances were also dispatched. The municipal authorities also informed the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) about the incident so that flights coming into the area could be diverted. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Expected to shape future, four schoolteachers in Bihar have been charged with hiring a Maoist to kill a block education officer (BEO), pursuing a case of fraud in appointment of panchayat teachers. While three teachers, husband of yet another and two panchayat secretaries were arrested on September 12, one more teacher is evading arrest. Altogether 11 people are accused in the BEO murder case. The arrested have been identified as Virendra Kumar, husband of panchayat schoolteacher Sudha Devi, teachers Suraj Kumar and Umesh Kumar Madhukar, besides panchayat secretaries Ayub Ansari and Dina Nath Singh. BAD LESSON Four panchayat teachers, a husband of another panchayat teacher and two panchayat secretaries accused of hatching a conspiracy to kill Arwal BEO They hired Jehanabad jailbreak accused Vicky Paswan to execute the job. The deal was struck for Rs 60,000 of which Rs 28,000 was paid to him BEO had lodged nine FIRs against five teachers and two panchayat secretary for committing fraud in appointment of panchayat teachers Unknown assailants had shot at Karpis BEO Shalik Ram Sharma in Bihars Arwal district, 87 km south-west of Patna, on August 30. He succumbed to his injuries the next day. Police said Sharma had lodged nine FIRs against five teachers and two panchayat secretaries, besides two others in the teachers recruitment scandal. The teachers are accused of having got their job on the basis of forged educational documents in 2006. The panchayat secretaries, who are on the selection panel of panchayat teachers, had reportedly connived in getting the teachers government jobs. Arwal superintendent of police (SP) Dilip Kumar Mishra, who claimed to have cracked the case, said the accused had hired Vicky Paswan, a Maoist and an accused in the 2005 Jehanabad jail break case, to kill the BEO. Paswan later engaged three others to execute the job. The deal was struck for Rs 60,000, of which they paid Rs 28,000, he added. On the basis of leads, the police initially detained teacher Santosh Kumar and Vicky Paswan, who spilled the beans during interrogation. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday asked Hindi-speaking people to give more respect and space to regional languages and their speakers in a bid to make Hindi more popular across the country. Addressing a function on the occasion of Hindi Divas here, the President said Hindi continued to face opposition in some parts of the country even though it became an official language many decades ago. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was also present at the function organised by his ministry, said in his address that Hindi could be enriched further if its speakers also used words from other languages. Referring to recent incidents on the Bangalore Metro, where a pro-Kannada group opposed Hindi signboards in the train service, and earlier agitations against Hindi in Tamil Nadu, President Kovind said there was a feeling among some people that Hindi was being imposed on them. Non-Hindi speaking people desire that we (Hindi-speaking people) give attention to their languages. Those who speak Hindi should give space to other languages. We all have the responsibility to give respect to non-Hindi speaking people and regional languages, he said. Kovind suggested that those who speak Hindi should greet a Tamilian with a vanakkam, a Sikh with Sat Sri Akal and a Muslim with an Adaab -- words of greeting in Tamil, among Sikhs and in Urdu respectively. They should use the word Garu (sir) while addressing a Telugu-speaking person, he said. The adoption of other languages and cultures will help unite the people and the country, he said. The president said he had used the Russian word spasiba (thank you) while ending his speech at a state banquet during the recent visit of Belarus President A G Lukashenko. The guest was so delighted that he spontaneously responded with a Jai Hind. The Belarus president also announced that Hindi would be taught in that countrys state university from this month. Kovind also asked lawyers and doctors to use Hindi and other regional languages at work. In India people dont understand the language of lawyers and doctors. In courts, now, gradually Hindi and other languages are being spoken. Similarly, if the doctors start giving prescriptions in Devanagari and other languages, the doctor-patient distance will be reduced, he said. In his address, the home minister said Hindi was the unifying language for the country and had helped bring people of different regions together during Indias freedom struggle. We (Hindi-speaking people) should accept and use popular words of regional languages. If we do that, it will enrich the language, he said. Singh said the contribution of non-Hindi speaking people such as Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak was immense in making Hindi an official language of the country. He also questioned those who said English was required for India to become an economic power. I want to ask those who say that without English India cant be an economic power, how come China has become an economic power by speaking Mandarin, he said. In his welcome speech, Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said even though Hindi was not his mother tongue, he felt immense pride while speaking the language. In my native state (Arunachal Pradesh), Hindi is widely spoken and used by common people from all walks of life, he said. All the speakers spoke in Hindi at the function. Hindi is the mother tongue of the president and the Union home minister. Govt rules out tax rollback as fuel prices rise, says hurricanes Harvey and Irma impacted crude prices The government said on Wednesday it will not step in to adjust prices of petrol and diesel, which are at its highest in three years, and blamed a spike in international crude oil prices for the increase. The price of petrol in Delhi, for instance, has increased by Rs 4.90 a litre in the last two months, triggering criticism from consumers and the opposition. It is not in the good interest of the general public for the government to intervene in the day-to-day business of oil marketing companies, oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said after a meeting with the heads of state-run refiners on Wednesday. Petrol cost Rs 70.38 a litre on September 13, up from Rs. 65.48 a litre on June 16 when the government introduced the system of revising fuel prices daily in sync with international oil markets. Read the story here. India-Japan bonhomie on display as Modi, Abe visit Sabarmati Ashram, historic mosque in Gujarat Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Sabarmati Ashram with Japanese premier Shinzo Abe on Wednesday, soon after he arrived in Gujarat for a two-day visit. Modi received Abe and his wife at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport, where he waited for around half an hour to greet Abe with an embrace. The two leaders and Japans first lady, Akie Abe, left for the ashram in an open vehicle to the accompaniment of music and cultural fanfare. The three spent some time by the Sabarmati riverfront behind the ashram. They then headed to the Sidi Saiyyed Ni Jaali, an ancient mosque. The architectural marvel, located in the eastern part of the city, is known across the world for its intricate stone lattice work locally known as jalis. Read the story here. DUSU election 2017: NSUI deals ABVP a blow, wins top posts; Congress says wake-up call for PM Modi It is two-two for Delhi Universitys campus rivals in the student union elections but the Congress-backed National Students Union of India (NSUI) wrested the advantage winning the posts of president and vice president on Wednesday. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) won the posts of secretary and joint secretary in the hotly contested polls. The RSS-affiliated association had three posts in the outgoing panel. The results signalled a comeback for the NSUI, which held the presidents position in the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) five years ago. Read the story here. SC tells Jaypee to pay 10 homebuyers Rs 5 lakh each over project delay in Noida The Supreme Court asked Jaypee Associates on Wednesday to pay Rs 5 lakh each to 10 homebuyers who did not get their flats on time, expressing concern about the tears of the homebuyers who cannot be taken for a ride by builders. The ruling adds to the woes of the real estate developer which is in the middle of insolvency proceedings. Jaypee is one of several prominent builders that have delayed the delivery of flats in the National Capital Region, locking lakhs of money paid by mostly middle-class homebuyers. The bench headed by chief justice Dipak Misra ordered the penalty as interim relief to 10 homebuyers who got their flats at the Kalypso Court, Noida project five years later than promised. Read the story here. FCRA registration revoked, JNU, DU, IGNOU, SC Bar cant receive foreign funds Prominent academic institutions like JNU, Delhi University, IIT Delhi, ICAR besides Supreme Court Bar Association are among several hundred organisations barred by the Centre from receiving foreign funds. The registration of these institutions under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA) has been cancelled by the Union home ministry as these have failed to file their annual returns for five consecutive years. No organisation is allowed to receive funds from abroad unless it is registered under the FCRA. Read the story here. Govt asks 1,222 NGOs to validate bank accounts, failure will invite action As many as 1,222 NGOs across the country have been directed by the home ministry to validate the bank accounts in which they receive foreign contribution, failure of which will invite punitive action. Among others, the list includes Sri Ramakrishna Math, Ramakrishna Mission, Indore Cancer Foundation Charitable Trust, Coimbatore Christian Charitable Trust, Delhi School Of Social Work Society, Hindu Anath Ashram and Madani Darut Tarbiyat. In a circular, the ministry said all NGOs registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) should receive foreign donations in a single designated bank account. Read the story here. Former minister Jayanthi Natarajan on EDs radar for abuse of power Trouble mounts for former environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan as she is on enforcement directorates (ED) radar for alleged abuse of her position as minister. Just four days back CBI had registered an FIR against Natarajan for illegal diversion of forest land in Jharkhand for mining by a private company, Electrosteel Casting Ltd. Top sources in ED said that they have asked for the details of the case from CBI to probe if there has been any more laundering. ED is probing paybacks that Natarajan might have received for allowing Electrosteel to mine in the Saranda forests of Jharkhand, despite her predecessor Jairam Rameshs and the forest advisory committees rejections. Read the story here. India to send relief materials for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh India will send a consignment of humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh tomorrow for Rohingya Muslims, days after Dhaka briefed New Delhi about the problems faced by it due to the influx of refugees from Myanmar following the ethnic violence in the Buddhist-majority nation. Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali had met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar last week and discussed the issue of Rohingyas in detail. An Indian aircraft will carry the first consignment of humanitarian assistance tomorrow...It will land at Chittagong airport at 11 am, an Indian high commission spokesman said. According to the UN estimates, over 379,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmars Rakhine state into Bangladesh since August 25 when fresh wave of violence erupted. Read the story here. Aung San Suu Kyi to address nation next week on Rohingya crisis Myanmars leader Aung San Suu Kyi will address the crisis engulfing Rakhine state next week, in her first speech since scores were killed in violence that has sent nearly 380,000 Rohingya Muslims fleeing to Bangladesh and sullied her reputation as a defender of the oppressed. At a press conference on Wednesday government spokesman Zaw Htay said Suu Kyi would speak for national reconciliation and peace in a televised address on September 19. He said the Nobel laureate, who has been pilloried by rights groups for failing to speak up for the Rohingya minority, would skip the United Nations General Assembly next week to tackle the crisis unfurling at home. Read the story here. Paris confirmed as 2024 Olympics venue, Los Angeles gets 2028 Games The International Olympic Committee on Wednesday awarded the 2024 summer Olympic Games to Paris and the 2028 edition to Los Angeles following a vote in the Peruvian capital. Paris, which has hosted two previous Olympics, will stage the event 100 years after its last Games in 1924 while Los Angeles will also organise its third Games after 1932 and 1984. There were no other candidates for either the 2024 or 2028 Games and the votes were a formality. IOC President Thomas Bach said the votes for both cities were unanimous. Read the story here. You dont need to sell kidneys for iPhone X. Heres how you can get it cheaper Apples anniversary special iPhone X is so expensive that your classic kidney-for-iPhone jokes will fall flat. The iPhone X is the most expensive iPhone so far, and it is even dearer in India. The smartphone will go on sale from November 3 at a whopping Rs 89,000. For the top end model of the iPhone X, you need to shell out more than Rs 1 lakh. To be precise, it costs Rs 102,000. While iPhones are traditionally more expensive in India, prices in some markets such as Hong Kong and the UAE are a lot lesser. So, suppose you have a budget of Rs 90,000, we suggest you book a ticket to Dubai for a one-day trip. Read the story here. The Haryana council of ministers on Wednesday decided to create one Wi-Fi zone in all 6,078 gram panchayats within two years and provide 4G services in every village in the next three years. Under the Haryana Information Technology (IT) and Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) Policy-2017 approved by the cabinet, the state government has promised broadband connectivity to every household and Wi-Fi zone at important public places in all towns and cities. Assembly session from Oct 23 CHANDIGARH The next session of the Haryana assembly will be held from October 23 to October 25. This was decided in a cabinet meeting presided over by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar. The policy envisages to have at least one digital literate person in every household of Haryana and aims to develop IT and ESDM sectors over five years as key growth drivers. The five-year goal of the draft policy includes generation of employment for 15 lakh persons in the IT-ESDM sector by 2020, increasing the sectors contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the state from 9.4% to 15%, and making Haryana pioneer in research and development for ESDM by producing 1,000 patents. It is after the year 2000 that targeted policy for IT and ESDM sector is being launched, a government spokesperson said. Start-up policy The cabinet approved a start-up policy to develop the state as a resourceful and inventive start-up hub by supporting and assisting the new-age innovators and entrepreneurial talents. The policy aims at attracting investments to the tune of Rs 1500 crore in the incubation and start-up ecosystem in Haryana during the policy period, facilitating venture capital funding of a minimum of Rs 200 crore and encouraging, facilitating and incubating at least 500 start-ups. This is to be done by creating a sustainable ecosystem of innovation, research and development and engineering in the state, aligning Haryana with the Start-up India, a flagship initiative of the Centre, enhancing industry-academia collaboration and linking universities, research institutions and the business community and promoting businesses that are aligned with a regions unique areas of opportunity. For this purpose, it is proposed to establish a Start-up Hub in Gurugram and at least 22 technology, business incubators or accelerators, one in each district, covering the various sector as mapped with the resource strength of the region. It is proposed to develop incubation space of one million square feet across the state. Re-employment The cabinet also gave nod to a proposal to re-employ retired assistant professors, associate professors and principals of government colleges after superannuation beyond 58 years of age across the state. The re-employment would be given up to the age of 60 years. Under the process of re-employment, the retired assistant professors, associate professors and principals must not have attained the age of 59 and a half years on the date of advertisement. At least 80% of their last 10 years ACRs should have the grade very good or above. They should not have been held guilty and punished in any departmental proceedings during their service, nor should such a proceeding be pending. Commission for safai karamcharis The cabinet gave nod to set up Haryana State Commission for Safai Karamcharis for redressal of complaints and grievances of Safai Karamcharis. Among key functions of the commission will be to investigate, examine and monitor all matters relating to the safeguards provided for Safai Karamcharis under the Constitution. Excise police amended The cabinet approved an amendment in provisions of the Haryana Excise Policy for 2017-18. The change in policy is following the order of the Supreme Court of July 2017 lifting the ban on setting up of bars and liquor shops along highways in urban areas. It was clarified that number of vends or sub vends will not increase beyond the number already permitted in excise policy of March 2017. As per the amendment a licensee who has not established his vends or sub vends may be allowed to establish vends or sub vends at locations alongside national highways or state highways in municipal areas on payment of additional fee. The number of new establishments will be subject to maximum limit prescribed in the excise policy. It is expected that the government may get additional revenue of Rs 20 crore on account of license fee, duty and VAT. It is expected that additional revenue of Rs 25 crore will be received from liquor vends that may get shifted to places along national and state highways. Changes in dental service rules The cabinet also gave nod to amend Haryana Civil Dental Group A Service Rules, 1987. As per amendment, the post of Director, Health Services (Dental) would be filled up either by promotion from amongst senior dental surgeons or by transfer or deputation of an officer already in service of any State government or the Central government. Recruitment to group C and D posts The cabinet also decided to dispense with the interview system during the selection process in case of recruitment to Group C and D posts. It also approved the proposal of skill development and industrial training department to promulgate an ordinance to further amend the Haryana Vishwakarma Skill University Act, 2016. The promulgation of the ordinance has been necessitated as the state legislature is not in session. The Ordinance will be called the Haryana Vishwakarma Skill University (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017. The cabinet approved appointment of Jaswanti Devi, married daughter of martyr Rohtash Singh, as clerk on compassionate grounds. Martyr Rohtash Singh, had died in OP PAWAN (Sri Lanka) on May 14, 1989. At that time her daughter was 12 years old. The multi crore Srijan scam, already being probed by the CBI, has now come under the scanner of the Income Tax (IT) department, as well. Authoritative sources said a special team of IT sleuths is being put on job to investigate the financial embezzlement in the scam, in which government funds, estimated to be around Rs 1,300 crore,in the scam, were moved to the accounts of an NGO, Srijan co-operative society, employing fraudulent means. Names of several bureaucrats, bank officials and politicians have surfaced during investigations into the scam so far. We will check their financial credentials and whether they amassed benami property and other assets, using the embezzled funds, said a senior IT officer in Patna, seeking anonymity. Based on the evidence procured, proceedings for attachment of properties would be initiated and cases would be lodged against those found involved in amassing property disproportionate to their known sources of income. Sources said the IT officials would primarily focus on the money trail and ascertain whether the funds siphoned off from treasury and moved to bank accounts of Srijan co-operative society were used in money laundering by the beneficiaries. The special investigation team (SIT) of the Bihar government , in its probe, had found evidence of the funds siphoned of by the scamsters being invested in various states, in real estate and other financial activities. Thereafter, the CBI took over the case last month after state government recommended an investigation by the federal agency. IT officials said the department had evolved a comprehensive plan to investigate the financial fraud committed by the co-operative body and separate teams of its officials would be dispatched to Bhagalpur to access the papers , already collected by the CBI. In the past, IT has probed financial dealings by those involved in the Rs 950 crore fodder scam of the 1990s , relating to fraudulent withdrawal of government funds from treasury by animal husbandry officials and suppliers, using fake bills. IT officials, in the news of late for attaching several allegedly benami properties of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his family members, are also likely to quiz two persons who had gifted their property to the RJD chiefs wife and former chief minister Rabri Devi and their daughter Hema Yadav. Sources said the IT officials would quiz Lallan Choudhary and Hridyanand, both personal employees of Lalu, who had gifted their property to Prasads family members. Summons will soon be sent to them for appearance in the IT department in Patna. They will quizzed about the gift deeds and other matters, said an IT officer. More importantly, IT department has also started locating other properties of RJD chief and his immediate family, based on inputs sent by its Delhi team, which had grilled Lalus son and leader of the opposition in Bihar assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi, a fortnight back, in connection with benami properties allegedly amassed by them. Once the location of these properties is ascertained, further action will be taken, said a source. Trouble for Lalu and his immediate family started after BJPs senior leader Sushil Kumar Modi made a series of exposes showing how the RJD first family had floated shell companies to amass property worth Rs 1,000 crore and also how land was gifted to them even by RJD leaders. Modi had alleged the RJD leaders had gifted their property to Lalus family in lieu of ministerial berths and other political favours. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Strongly pitching for a zero- tolerance approach towards terrorism, India and Japan on Thursday agreed to strengthen cooperation against terror groups like Al-Qaida and Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe asked Islamabad to bring to book the perpetrators of terror strikes, including those involved in the Mumbai (2008) and Pathankot (2016) attacks, according to a joint statement issued after their annual summit. The two leaders also condemned in the strongest terms the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism, it said. They shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that must be forcefully combated through concerted global action in the spirit of zero tolerance, the document said. The two prime ministers called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. They looked forward to the convening of the fifth Japan-India Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaida, ISIS, JeM, LeT and their affiliates, the statement added. Modi and Abe called upon all UN member countries to implement UNSC resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions dealing with the designation of terrorist entities, the statement said. India and Japan on Thursday condemned North Koreas nuclear programme as a grave threat to global peace and stressed on holding accountable all parties supporting the reclusive nations nuclear ambitions, in a veiled reference to Pakistan. Though there was no direct reference to Pakistan in the joint statement released after the delegation-level talks, there were reports that Pyongyang had clandestinely received nuclear enrichment technology from Islamabad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe also affirmed their commitment to total elimination of nuclear weapons. They (Modi and Abe) stressed the importance of holding accountable all parties that have supported North Koreas nuclear and missile programmes, the joint statement said. Nuclear-armed North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan on August 29 in a major escalation of tensions by Pyongyang. Five days later, it carried out a sixth nuclear test, sending tensions soaring over its weapons ambitions and causing global concern. The two Prime Ministers condemned in the strongest terms North Koreas continued development of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, including the latest nuclear test conducted by North Korea on 3 September as well as its uranium enrichment activities, the statement said. Modi and Abe resolved to strengthen international cooperation for addressing the challenges of nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism. Prime Minister Abe stressed the importance of early coming into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). There was a lot of discussion, understandably, on North Korea and the Japanese side underlined their concern in strong terms. It was an issue on which there was a complete meeting of minds, foreign secretary S Jaishankar told reporters at a media briefing. The two prime ministers strongly urged North Korea to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and not to take any further provocative actions, and to fully comply with its international obligations under relevant UNSC resolutions including the newly and unanimously adopted resolution 2375, and other international commitments, said the joint statement. The UNSC resolution 2375 refers to the bodys decision to impose new sanctions on North Korea - including a ban on the sale of natural gas liquids to the hermit nation, and on its textile exports - while also prohibiting member states from providing work authorisation to its nationals. They called for a commencement and early conclusion of negotiations on a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) on the basis of Shannon Mandate, the statement added. Karti Chidambaram on Thursday refused to appear before the CBI in the Aircel Maxis case, his lawyer said. The agency had called Karti for questioning on Thursday in connection with the foreign investment clearance given in 2006 in the Aircel Maxis deal when his father P Chidambaram was the finance minister. Karti, through his lawyer, has refused to appear before the agency saying a special court had discharged all the accused in the matter. All proceedings connected with the said (case)... were also terminated, the response said. The response has been received by the CBI today at 10.30 am through a courier service. The response has also been sent through fax amd email, Kartis lawyer Arun Natarajan told PTI. It said after the discharge of the accused and termination of the proceedings, the CBI will not have jurisdiction to issue a summons in connection with the said case. According to the CBI charge sheet submitted in a special court, Mauritius-based M/s Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd. a subsidiary of Maxis, had sought approval for an investment of USD 800 million in Aircel. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) was competent to grant the approval. However, the approval was granted by the then finance minister. Further investigation is being carried out into the circumstances of the FIPB approval granted by the then finance minister. The related issues are also being investigated, the agency had said in 2014. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy claimed that the former finance minister had given FIPB clearance to a deal that should have been referred to the CCEA, headed by the prime minister, as it alone was empowered to clear foreign investments of over Rs 600 crore. P Chidambaram, who was examined by the agency in connection with the case in 2014, had issued a statement this year, saying the FIPB approval was granted in the normal course of business. Two brutal assaults in quick succession shook the country and brought protesting parents out on the streets. A seven-year-old boy was found with his throat slit in a private school in Gurgaon, minutes after his father dropped him there. A day later, a five-year-old was raped in the washroom of her Gandhinagar school. The question that is now gaining currency is: how safe are our children? The answer is troublesome. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 8,800 cases were filed under POCSO Act, the law dealing with sexual assault on children, in 2015. On an average, that is at least one case registered every hour. In 94.8% of the cases, the children identified a known person as their attacker. The NCRB does not classify cases on the basis of where alleged assaults took place but given that children spend approximately eight hours a day in school or in transit to school, the probability that they were attacked there is high. Some of the most prominent cases of child abuse in recent years have taken place at schools. In Mumbai in January 2013, a three-year-old student of a posh Juhu-based ICSE school was sexually assaulted by a bus cleaner within the school premises. In Bangalore a year later, a six-year-old was allegedly raped by two staffers of a private school. Reactions to these incidents have usually been kneejerk. The Bangalore City Police issued guidelines asking institutions to install CCTV cameras. School vehicles were fitted with GPS tracking devices, and managements were advised to run background checks on employees. In Mumbai, too, several schools deployed surveillance cameras, but the state is yet to come up with a formal policy. Lapses in security of Ryan International School The school has 16 CCTV cameras but they are not of good quality and are not positioned in the right areas. Some of them are non-functioning. School administration did not follow proper verification process of Grade IV staff. The school didnt deploy attendants at the washrooms. Students along with staff were using common toilet. High tension power cable passes through the school, which is in violation of the rules. The boundary wall of the school is not complete, damaged at several places. The school has 16 CCTV cameras but they are not of good quality and are not positioned in the right areas. Some of them are non-functioning.School administration did not follow proper verification process of Grade IV staff.The school didnt deploy attendants at the washrooms. Students along with staff were using common toilet.High tension power cable passes through the school, which is in violation of the rules.The boundary wall of the school is not complete, damaged at several places. RULES YES, MONITORING NO More than 30,000 of our teachers are trained every year in Delhi, and we always have a module on child abuse: how to recognise tell-tale signs, when and how to intervene, and how to prevent it, said Soumya Gupta, the director of education. The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) set out a few guidelines in 2013, including an order for every institution to put in place a Child Protection Policy. Arun Mathur, who served as the chairperson of the DCPCR until earlier this year, thinks the guidelines are a good start, but believes there is still work to be done. The biggest problem is that nobody is monitoring it. There is no compliance that is being ensured. Nobody takes this seriously unless some incident happens... The principal of every school, the director and deputy director of the DoE should ensure that a child protection policy is maintained and followed, he said. A government school vice principal in Delhi agreed that while their school has a policy, little was being done to ensure that the rules which restricted entry, required police verification for new hires, and dissuaded students to come to school too early or stay too late were being followed. Nobody has ever come to check if we have such a policy or not. It is usually up to the principal to ensure that it is there and it is implemented, said the vice principal. CCTVs are good, but they are not the answer to everything. There is always the question of privacy, because of which we cant have cameras in toilets, and these are the spaces where many such incidents have taken place, said Mathur. GUIDELINES FOR INSTITUTIONS A background check must be conducted on all new hires to ensure they have no record of questionable behaviour. Candidates who have criminal records of sexual and/or physical violence should not be recruited for any position within an institution. Schools should develop a standard teacher-training module that would train them to recognise suspicious behaviour, create a safe environment for students, and be aware of legal recourses in cases of something happens. Schools should adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards child abuse. There should be a counsellor in every school that would be able to provide any intervention when needed. Confidentiality must also be maintained by these personnel. In addition to School Management Committees, schools must also have Child Abuse Monitoring Committee, which would include two students. At least one female guard should be present in each bus until the last child is dropped off. Buses should wait until a caretaker comes to pick the child up when they are being dropped home. A background check must be conducted on all new hires to ensure they have no record of questionable behaviour. Candidates who have criminal records of sexual and/or physical violence should not be recruited for any position within an institution.Schools should develop a standard teacher-training module that would train them to recognise suspicious behaviour, create a safe environment for students, and be aware of legal recourses in cases of something happens.Schools should adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards child abuse.There should be a counsellor in every school that would be able to provide any intervention when needed. Confidentiality must also be maintained by these personnel.In addition to School Management Committees, schools must also have Child Abuse Monitoring Committee, which would include two students.At least one female guard should be present in each bus until the last child is dropped off.Buses should wait until a caretaker comes to pick the child up when they are being dropped home. Authorities must regularly check to ensure guidelines are being followed WHAT PARENTS SHOULD DO Pay attention to any adult that might seem to be making your child feel or look "uncomfortable." Pay heed to any sudden behavioural changes. Make sure your children have your address and phone numbers handy, and know how to ask for help if they are lost or alone. Talk to kids about good touch, and bad touch. Tell them what "private" parts are, and how they should not allow anyone to touch them. Any touch that makes them feel safe is okay and good. Any touch that hurts them or makes them feel bad, is a bad touch. Talk. Keep all channels of communication open. Let your child know that they should immediately come to you if anybody makes them feel uncomfortable or if they are not sure about something. Pay attention to any adult that might seem to be making your child feel or look "uncomfortable."Pay heed to any sudden behavioural changes.Make sure your children have your address and phone numbers handy, and know how to ask for help if they are lost or alone.Talk to kids about good touch, and bad touch. Tell them what "private" parts are, and how they should not allow anyone to touch them.Any touch that makes them feel safe is okay and good. Any touch that hurts them or makes them feel bad, is a bad touch.Talk. Keep all channels of communication open. Let your child know that they should immediately come to you if anybody makes them feel uncomfortable or if they are not sure about something. SOURCE: DCPCR Authorities must regularly check to ensure guidelines are being followed But Ashok Pandey, the principal of Ahlcon International School and the chairperson of the National Progressive Schools Conference, said he believes that CCTV cameras are an important start. The question is, what is the maximum we can do? Yes, we cant use cameras to see what happens inside toilets, but it can tell us who is entering and exiting. Human vigilance needs to go hand-inhand with the technological support, he said. WAY FORWARD With the chasm between policies some states such as Maharashtra are yet to require schools to spell out their security measures being high, Mathur believes the government must step in to ensure schools take security seriously. It is probably high time, that the women and child development departments, the nodal department for the implementation of POCSO and Juvenile Justice Act, education and health departments, along with the police revisit our schools, Mathur said. A monitoring body that regularly checks how policies are implemented can be one of the beginning steps to make our children safer. (With inputs from Mumbai and Kolkata bureaus) The Rajasthan Police have closed investigations into six people named by dairy farmer Pehlu Khan before his death in a mob attack in April, Hindustan Times has found, sparking allegations that the authorities are under pressure to protect cow vigilante suspects. The police have cleared the six men three of whom are linked to Hindu right-wing organisations based on the statements by the staff of a cow shelter as well as mobile phone records, according to the investigation report that Hindustan Times has read. The staff of the cow shelter, Rath Gaushala, has maintained that the six -- Om Yadav (45), Hukum Chand Yadav (44), Sudhir Yadav (45), Jagmal Yadav (73), Naveen Sharma (48) and Rahul Saini (24) were present on their premises, which was about four-km from the attack site. Rath Gaushala is patronised by Jagmal Yadav. The statements of witnesses in the case including policemen and the employees of the Rath Gaushala indicate that none of the accused was present at the time of the attack. Call record details of the six people along with Base Transceiver Station (BTS) location of mobiles further support this, reads the report. Based on the findings of the investigating officer, it is hereby recommended that the names of the six accused be removed from the case as they have been found not guilty, the report said. The investigation named nine other accused two of them minors. Khan was transporting cows from a market in Jaipur to his home in Nuh, Haryana, when he was lynched by alleged cow vigilantes near Alwar on April1, one of a string of attacks on Dalits and Muslims by self-styled protectors of an animal considered holy by many Hindus. Khan had the necessary permit to transport the cows for his dairy business. On September 1, the Crime Investigation Department-Crime Branch that was investigating Khans killing sent its findings to the Alwar police, asking them to remove the six people from the list of accused in the case. This prompted Alwar police to cancel a reward of Rs 5,000 each for information about the six accused. The reward on the six people has been cancelled because the CID-CB investigation has found that they had no involvement in the crime, Alwar superintendent of police Rahul Prakash told Hindustan Times over telephone. The development angered Khans family members, who said they heard the accused call out each other by their names during the attack. These six men started the attack and were present there. As we were being thrashed, I heard them call each others name. One was saying Hukum, drag the men down here and break the pickup truck, Irshad, Khans son who was injured in the assault, told HT. He said he heard the names of Om, Hukum, Sudhir and Rahul during the lynching. The police are saying this under pressure Our quest for justice doesnt end here. We will continue to fight until those six men are proven guilty. Khans statement was recorded in front of a police officer and not a judicial magistrate but lawyers said even this could be considered a dying declaration and admissible in court. At the stage of investigation, dying declaration cant be disbelieved by the police. It is a settled law that dying declaration is the best evidence and in the past, courts have convicted accused on the basis of dying declaration recorded by police, Vinay Pal Yadav, an advocate at the Rajasthan high court, told Hindustan Times. Based on Khans statement made in an intensive care unit of the Kailash Hospital in Behror around 11pm on April 1 -- about four hours after he was attacked -- an FIR was registered against the six named and 200 unidentified people. He died two days after the attack. The case will continue against nine other people identified from the video of the attack that circulated on social media. Seven of them have been arrested and two are absconding. Alwar police chief Rahul Prakash said a charge sheet will be filed in court after the arrest of the two absconding accused. (With inputs from Ashok Bagriya in New Delhi) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe launched on Thursday the project to build Indias first bullet train network and unveiled an ambitious connectivity plan between Asia and Africa, almost immediately drawing concerns from their common rival China. Abe was in Gujarat on a two-day visit for the annual summit between the two nations, which have become increasingly close as they seek to counter Chinas growing influence. Modi and Abe signed 15 agreements including increasing flights between their cities and collaboration in areas of defence, security, trade, and civil nuclear energy. The growing convergence between Japan and India on strategic and economic issues has capacity to stimulate the global economy, Modi said in a press statement with Abe. The Japanese PM called his countrys ties with India special, strategic and global. The two leaders participated in the ground breaking ceremony for the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project that is set to be completed in 2022. Slated to cost Rs 1,10,000 crore, trains on this network will run at peak speeds of 350 k/hr. This is the new India and the flight of its dreams is endless, Modi said at the ceremony held in Ahmedabad earlier in the day. The display of warmth between India and Japan immediately drew a reaction from Beijing. We advocate that regional countries should stand for dialogue without confrontation and work for partnership instead of alliance, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. Modi and Abe later met for the main event of the summit in Gandhinagar, where they delivered a lengthy joint statement that stressed on moving toward a free and prosperous Indo-Pacific. The Japanese leader, who was accorded a rousing welcome on his arrival in Ahmedabad on Wednesday with Modi receiving him at the airport, pitched for India as the factory of the world, a direct challenge to China, which is the global manufacturing hub. Japan in committed to Make in India. If Japans high-level technique mergers with Indias best human resources, India will become the factory of the world, Abe said, referring to the NDAs governments ambitious plan to turn India into a global manufacturing powerhouse. A crucial portion of their declaration was about collaborating in Africa, where 54 resource-rich countries present a ripe market. The partnership merges Indias Act-East and Japans Indo-Pacific strategies with their policy for engagement with the African continent, home to 15% of the population. The support of these countries is also vital for New Delhi and Tokyos aspirations of a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council. The unveiling of the strategy follows Chinas one belt, one road (OBOR) connectivity plan that also aims to deepen engagement with Africa and countries in the region. The joint statement called for countries in the region to ensure development and connectivity infrastructure in an open, transparent and non-exclusive manner based on international standards and responsible debt financing practices, while ensuring respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the rule of law, and the environment. These are the very concerns India raised while staying away from OBOR since it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In Beijing the foreign ministry spokesperson said Beijing was open and welcome normal development of relations between the countries in the region. We hope that relations will be conducive to regional peace and stability and can play a constructive role in this regard. (with inputs from Srinad Jha in Ahmedabad and Sutirtho Patranobis in Beijing) SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON China will be the necessary subtext of the discussions when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe hold the 12th annual India-Japan summit talks fourth by the two leaders in Gujarats capital Gandhinagar on Thursday, sources said. Japan was the only major power that openly took a position favouring India in the recent military standoff with China at Doklam at India-Tibet-Bhutan tri-junction, which has set a new normal in the way border dispute could play out in their ties. Both India and Japan have a great deal of commonality on a host of issues and there is also substantial convergence the way they see rise of China, balance of power in Asia-Pacific and international developmental cooperation in third countries, particularly in African continent. The two countries are also part of G -4 grouping (two others being Brazil and Germany) and would want to become permanent members of the United Nations Security council. As Abe said in a public message before he arrived in India, the two countries have common interest in India-Pacific region. India-Japan working together would be mutually beneficial in a way that would also counter the growing influence of China in the region, experts say. India and Japan are focusing on building infrastructure in other countries. The countries in African continent, where the Chinese took definite lead in this area are a case in point. India giving aid to big infrastructure projects in Africa is a recent phenomenon started by the previous Congress-led UPA II government and is carried forward by the incumbent NDA government. The Japan is focusing on a quality infrastructure strategy, aimed at countering Chinas infrastructure development spree in many parts of the world. According to Various estimates China would pump in one trillion USD into Africa as part of its One Road One Belt initiative. Japans overseas development assistance to Sub-Saharan Africa was 226 billion yen in 2015 and the figure for Middle-East and North Africa in the same year was 171 billion yen. Japan is assisting the development of Mombasa port in Kenya, which is a gateway to the East African market, where Indian firms have considerable influence and presence. Japanese manufacturing companies are also looking for base to set up more of their units and sell their wares in other countries. The setting up of two Industrial parks in Gujarat is part of this strategy. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The police have closed investigations against six people named by Pehlu Khan before his death in a mob attack in April, sparking allegations that the authorities are under pressure to protect cow vigilantes. The Rajasthan Police have cleared the six men three of whom are linked to Hindu right-wing organisations based on the statements by the staff of a cow shelter as well as mobile phone records, according to the investigation report that Hindustan Times has read. Here is what happened on the day of the attack, according a Hindustan Times news report first published in April. Azmat Khan would have never imagined that his plans to start a dairy business at his village Nuh in Haryana would land him in hospital with multiple fractures. And leave a friend dead. Khan, 22, had gone to a weekly animal market in Jaipur to procure milch cows. Among those accompanying him was Pehlu Khan, who died at a hospital in Alwar two days after the group was brutally assaulted by suspected gau rakshaks. Speaking to the Hindustan Times at his house, Khan recalled the incident that is likely to remain etched in his memory for his entire life. Before we could say anything, they started beating us mercilessly. We were pulled out and beaten with sticks, belts and other weapons for a long time. They also tore the transportation permit we got from Jaipur municipal corporation, Azmat said at his village Jaisinghpura in Nuh, that falls in the Muslim-dominated Mewat region which lies across Haryana and Rajasthan. The attack took place when they were returning from Jaipur after obtaining a permit from the municipal corporation. Transportation of cattle is banned in Rajasthan without official permission. He said they were chased by bike-borne vigilantes and stopped near the Jaguwas Chowk in Alwar district on the Jaipur-Delhi highway. I fell unconscious and somebody took me to the hospital. I was in hospital when I heard about the death of Pehlu Khan, said Azmat, expressing anger at no one helping them till the police came. His brother, Yousuf, said that ever since Azmat returned to his village he has not been able to sit properly due to his injuries. My brother wanted to get into the dairy business and thats why he went with Pehlu Khan to Jaipur to buy milch cattle. Never did we imagine that he will come back maimed and injured, said Yousuf. Pehlu Khans two sons -- Irshad and Arif -- who were also assaulted, said the gau rakshaks were not willing to listen to them. I said we have a valid permit and cows have been bought for dairy business. But, they were not willing to listen to us and pulled us out accusing us of being cow killers, Irshad said after performing last rites of his father in the village. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The mass exodus of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar has to be tackled urgently as it has the potential of becoming a huge security concern for the entire region, including Indias insurgency-affected northeastern states, the Bangladeshi envoy said on Thursday. Bangladesh is looking to India, as a regional power, to play a larger role in persuading Myanmar to both halt the exodus of Rohingyas from Rakhine state and to ensure the repatriation of those who have fled to other countries, high commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali told Hindustan Times. Some 400,000 Rohingyas had taken refuge in Bangladesh over the past two decades and their number has almost doubled since the Myanmar Army launched a crackdown in Rakhine following militant attacks on police posts and an army base on August 25. Bangladesh believes India can play a key role in defusing the crisis as Myanmar has not responded to any of its proposals to tackle the issue. I am more concerned about my own region but the presence of Rohingya refugees elsewhere could be a security risk for everybody else. It could be used even in your northeast India, Ali, a former foreign secretary, said. Bangladesh high commissioner Syed Muazzem Ali. (Facebook) The envoy evaded a direct response to a question on reports that groups such as the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh and Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba had established links with the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, but said the Rohingya refugees could fall victim to the various organisations who are trying to destabilise the region. Im sure youre well aware of those destabilising factors (which) we have been working overtime (to counter) during the past four decades, even in the context of northeast India, he said. Referring to the attacks in Rakhine on August 25, Ali said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was had shown zero tolerance for terrorism and Bangladesh had also offered to conduct joint patrols on the border with Myanmar so that these terrorists cannot escape. He noted there were also media reports that Indian and Bangladeshi security agencies had alerted Myanmar about possible attacks after it intercepted certain suspicious telephone calls and movements of terrorists. Though Myanmar does not recognise the Rohingya as its citizens, Ali said New Delhi can play a role in persuading Naypyidaw to take back the refugees. Myanmar, Bangladesh and India are all BIMSTEC members, and India as a regional power should exercise its good offices to persuade Myanmar for the return of these Rohingya refugees, he said. Im still very optimistic that India would play a very positive role for the early return of these Rohingyas. The solution, he said, will have to be found within the borders of Myanmar. If we decide to resolve this issue, it will have to be resolved in Rakhine province itself. So defranchising a (segment) of the population will not solve your problem, it will only aggravate the problem. The Advisory Commission on Rakhine State headed by former UN secretary general Kofi Annan, formed by the Myanmar government to make recommendations for lasting solutions to problems in the violence-wracked region, has outlined a detailed process for the repatriation of Rohingya refugees by Bangladesh and Myanmar and this should be quickly implemented, Ali said. Speaking as the first tranche of Indian humanitarian aid for the Rohingyas was delivered to Bangladesh by an Indian Air Force aircraft, Ali said New Delhi had updated its position on the refugees after he met foreign secretary S Jaishankar on Saturday to explain Dhakas position. The joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Myanmar earlier this month had not gone down well in Bangladesh as it made no reference to the Rohingya issue. Ali said a new statement issued by the external affairs ministry following his meeting with Jaishankar added several new factors, because as far as I understand when the joint statement (with Myanmar) was issued, maybe they were not fully aware about the latest situation on the ground. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON An affidavit prepared by the government for possible filing in the Supreme Court said Rohingya refugees are a security threat and they must be deported to Myanmar, a stand that is likely to rile human rights activists. The affidavit was not filed, and the government said it was unfinalised and did not necessarily reflect its final position. A copy of it emerged in the media on Thursday after the government mistakenly served it to a lawyer who has moved the Supreme Court against a plan to deport the refugees. Rohingyas are a minority in Myanmars Rakhine, where an intense military crackdown likened to an ethnic cleansing by the United Nations has driven hundreds of thousands to flee to countries such as Bangladesh and India. Close to 40,000 Rohingya Muslims live in India after fleeing Myanmar over the past decade. Nearly 15,000 have received refugee documentation, according to the United Nations, but India wants to deport them all. Last week, UNs human rights chief criticised Indias decision as lacking basic human compassion. The copy served on you has not been filed in the Supreme Court of India. Kindly, therefore do not treat the copy served on you as the affidavit of the central government, the government said in a statement after the proposed affidavit was reported online and by TV channels. According to the affidavit that may or not be filed, the government has flagged purported links of some unauthorised Rohingya immigrants to militant groups based in Pakistan and Bangladesh. The government has also said the refugees are vulnerable to radicalisation by groups like the Islamic State. The document mentions refugees being involved in illegal/anti-national activities i.e mobilisation of funds through hundi/hawala channels, procuring fake/fabricated Indian identity documents for other Rohingyas/Bangladeshis, and also indulging in human trafficking. Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan has filed a petition on behalf of two immigrants challenging the governments decision to begin deporting them to Myanmar. The Supreme Court asked the government for its response which will likely be filed ahead of the next hearing next week. Many of the Rohingya refugees who fled to India have settled in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan. Former RSS ideologue and Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan leader KN Govindacharaya has also moved the apex court seeking to make him a party in the case filed by the two Rohingya Muslims. Govindacharya has opposed their plea, saying they were a burden on the countrys resources and posed a serious threat to national security. Activist Akhil Gogoi, arrested on charges of sedition on Wednesday, said the BJP-led coalition government targeted him for speaking up for the Assamese. He also warned of an uprising of the indigenous communities as members of his peasants body, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), protested across the state on Thursday demanding his release within 24 hours. On Thursday afternoon, a local court in Dibrugarh gave the police four days custody of Gogoi. The police had sought 14 days. The day saw KMSS members blocking highways for several hours. Many camped outside the central police station. Activists of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samittee (KMSS) take out a torch light procession against the arrest of party advisor and RTI activist Akhil Gogoi in Guwahati, Assam on September 14. (Rajib Jyoti Sarma / HT Photo) Dibrugarh deputy commissioner Laya Madduri said a few companies of paramilitary forces has been deployed in the town to maintain peace. The Dibrugarh police had arrested Gogoi from his residence in Golaghat town, about 180km west, for hatred-spewing speech at a public rally on Tuesday. He was slapped with six sections of the IPC. The police said Gogoi had delivered speeches against communal harmony and announced that they are ready to use hangdang (machete) and AK-47 rifle in their movement against the governments bid to settle outsiders. The RSS-backed BJP government has arrested me for speaking up for the Assamese people. My crime is that I opposed the governments decision to dump outsiders, specifically Hindus from Bangladesh, on Assam, an agitated Gogoi told reporters at the police station. The KMSS leader accused CM Sarbananda Sonowal and health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of betraying the Assamese people to appease Bengali Hindu migrants that the RSS wants rehabilitated. Sonowal, reacting to the arrest, said his government cannot tolerate anyone threatening to take up arms. Such threats undermine democracy, he said. But opposition parties said the government has tried to curb the freedom of expression. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In a reprieve to Kullu MLA and royal family scion Maheshwar Singh, the Supreme Court on Thursday stayed takeover of the Raghunath temple. On September 1, the Himachal Pradesh high court had okayed the temple take over and quashed Maheshwar Singhs petition. Singh subsequently challenged the order in the apex court, which has issued a notice to the state government seeking a response to the petitioners contention. Earlier, the Himachal high court had observed that a writ petition cannot be filed in such cases. Referring to other similar cases, the court said there was provision of a civil suit for such cases. This petition involves seriously disputed questions of fact and even otherwise the rival claims of the parties are such, which can only be investigated and determined on the basis of evidence, which may be led by the parties in a properly instituted civil suit rather than by a court exercising prerogative of issuing writs, the high court had ruled. The state government issued a notification on July 26 to take over the temple. Kullu deputy commissioner had given seven days to Maheshwar Singh, the chief Kardar of Raghunath temple, to hand over the records of the temple located in Sultanpur Palace. In August last year, the HC had stayed the temples takeover by the government after Maheshwar Singh approached the court. The state government had issued a notification under the Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowment Act, 1984, to take over the temple. After the government order to acquire the temple, a war of words escalated between political leaders. Maheshwar has been maintaining that the temple was his private property and hence the government cannot acquire it. However, chief minister Virbhadra Singh had argued that Raghunath temple was public property and the government had the right to acquire it. As many as 30 government schools in Haryana witnessed 0% results in the state board exams that were conducted in March 2017. Not even a single student from these schools could clear the examination, raising concerns on quality of education being given to students in these government-run schools. A report prepared by Board of Secondary Education Haryana (BSEH) says that while 28 schools witnessed 0% results in Class 10, two schools had this dubious distinction in Class 12. Four schools each in Mewat, Jind, Bhiwani and Palwal districts, and two schools each in Ambala, Hisar, Karnal and Yamunanagar failed to produce even a single successful candidate. The authorities blamed an acute shortage of teachers behind the poor results. It would be wrong to compare Mewat with cities such as Gurgaon and Faridabad where they have teachers in surplus. In Mewat, one teacher has to teach in three schools to beat the shortage, said Dinesh Kumar Sharma, district education officer (DEO) of Mewat. At the government high school in Karnals Moond village, there is no teacher for English or Science. All Class-10 students failed here. The government high school in Jinds Seela Kheri village has been giving abysmally poor results consistently for the past three years. None of the 20 students who appeared in Class-10 exams this year could make a cut. The villagers said they received a rude shock recently when more teachers were transferred from the school, rather than making new appointments. This year, almost 35% students failed in Class 12 and 50% students failed in Class 10 board exams in Haryana. BLURB Not even a single student could clear Class-10 state board exams in 28 Haryana schools this year; 2 schools had 0% results in Class 12 SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON At least 19 people drowned in Yamuna river as their boat capsized while reaching Haryana from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday morning. The death toll is expected to rise. At least 50 people were on the boat when it overturned. Around 10 people swam to safety while about 31 passengers are missing. District administration and villagers carried out rescue operations. The boat had a capacity for only 35 passengers, said district magistrate Bhawani Singh. The boat was ferrying passengers more than its capacity. Most of the passengers of the ill-fated boat were women. As soon as the boat reached mid-stream it capsized, the district magistrate said. ADG of Meerut zone Prashant Kumar said that 11 of the injured were under treatment in different hospitals. He said that a magisterial enquiry will be conducted. Villagers from Kantha in Baghpat take the boat every day to work. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the incident and announced Rs 2 lakh relief for victims kin. He said a probe has been ordered into the incident. Union minister and MP from Baghpat Dr Satyapal Singh reached the accident spot and expressed grief over the deaths. Angry villagers and family members of the victims jammed traffic on Delhi-Saharanpur highway after placing the dead bodies on road. They pelted stones at the police and torched a few vehicles. Angry villagers pelted stones at the police and torched a few vehicles. (Hindustan Times) At least six persons including Bagpat Kotwali inspector, a woman cop and an orderly of SDM were injured in the stone pelting. Additional forces were deployed in the area to disperse the violent mob. ADG Kumar said that the situation was under control. (With agency inputs ) Two men, suspected to have links with Indian Mujahideen (IM) , were arrested in southcentral Bihars Gaya district on Wednesday. Two others accomplices, however, managed to evade the police. One of the two arrested is believed to be involved in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts in which 56 people were killed and more than 200 injured, the police said. The police picked up Mohammad Tauseef Khan alias Mohammad Atik and Shane Khan near Rajendra Ashram in Civil Lines locality of Gaya, around 100 km south of Patna, on Wednesday afternoon. The photograph of one of the arrested persons matched with the one released by the police in newspaper advertisements, wanted in connection with terror activities. Police said four persons used to regularly come to Vishnu Cyber Cafe near Rajendra Ashram and exchange information for long duration there. They would, however, refrain from producing copies of Aadhaar, which cyber cafe owner Anurag Basu would demand from them before allowing them to access internet. On Wednesday, when the suspects did not produce their identity documents, Basu, who also edits vernacular monthly Saf Swar, informed the police. Meanwhile, all the suspects walked out of the cyber cafe and boarded cycle-rickshaws from Shahid Chowk. Basu, however, followed the suspects, caught Tauseef Khan as well as Shane Khan and handed them over to a police team, headed by Civil Lines police station SHO Hari Ojha, when it reached there. Two other suspects managed to give them the slip. The police have also taken the computer, which the suspects had used, into their custody. Gaya senior superintendent of police (SSP) Garima Mallick confirmed the arrests and said the cyber cafe owner would be felicitated by police. It is perhaps the first instance in Gaya when a law-abiding citizen mustered courage to inform the police about suspicious persons. The arrested persons were being interrogated, she added. Teams of the Intelligence Bureau and Gujarat anti-terrorist squad (ATS) were expected to reach Gaya on Thursday. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) would also quiz the terror suspects. Tauseef Khan had reportedly fled to Myanmar after the Gujarat blast. He is believed to have come to Gaya through West Bengal, the police said, adding that the arrested persons had admitted to their links with Indian Mujahideen . Police said Tauseef Khan, who hailed from Ahmedabad in Gujarat, had been hiding at Sahdeo Khap village in Bodh Gaya police station area, 16 km south of Gaya, since July 2008 with the help of Sarwar Khan of the same village. A computer engineer, well versed in mathematics, Tauseef Khan had joined a private school in the village as a teacher. However, he was also giving lessons in jehad to many Class 12 students who came to him for private tuitions, the police said. Tauseef Khan has so far trained more than 20 youths to carry out terror activities and we are trying to trace them, a senior police officer said. Meanwhile, security has been steeped up at Gaya, where a large number of people have assembled to perform rituals for salvation of their ancestors soul during the ongoing Pitrapaksha Mela and at the Buddhist pilgrimage town of Bodh Gaya.. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will lay the foundation stone of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project in Gujarat on Thursday. The Mumbai to Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project will be based on the Shinkansen super speed trains in Japan. Union railway minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday compared the introduction of Maruti Suzuki, an Indo-Japanese confluence in manufacturing that became another symbol of reliance and development post-Independence -- to the first bullet train project in India. Shinkansens history The Shinkansen -- meaning new trunk line -- is the symbol of innovation and technological advancements in Japan after the devastation of the World War 2. In 1959, head engineer Hideo Shima was invited to design and plan the new railway network, according to BBC. Shimas team came up with the express railway that would run on elevated tracks and keep curves to the minimum, but the costs of the project ran over by more than 100%. The head engineer was sacked. He wasnt present when the snake-shaped technological marvel was unveiled but he is still considered to be the father of Shinkansen. On a path of rediscovery and recovery, Japan launched the Tokiado Shinkansen before Tokyo Olympics in 1964. Emperor Hirohito, who had addressed the country after Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, launched the Shinkansen that would revolutionise mass public transit in the country. Japan had stolen a march in railway technology that was part and parcel of its remarkable economic and cultural revival during the 20 years following its political and military collapse in 1945, a 2014 article in the BBC said. The first Shinkansen line originated from Tokyo and whizzed past the vistas of Mount Fuji to end in Osaka. It began with 16 cars and a maximum speed of 270km per hour and took two hours to reach Osaka, reducing the travel time by hours. Shinkansen crosses Mount Fuji, a sight that has come to be associated with an infusion of Japanese development and its vibrant culture. (Shutterstock) Efficient, fast, accident-free The ultra-efficient Shinkansen train network connects cities along the length and breadth of the country. Till 2011, it also had the highest ridership annually before giving up the title to its rival China. The trains, which run every three minute, attain the maximum speed of 320km. They are operated by companies of the Japanese Railways Group and are known for their punctuality and safety record. Sample this: crew members of the Shinkansen trains are asked to give an explanation if the train arrives a minute late to its destination, a report in the Economic Times said. The network boasts of zero accident fatalities in its 53-year-journey, although Japan is prone to natural disasters like earthquakes. A Google search about Shinkansen accidents streams an incident of self immolation in the train and a minor derailment due to earthquake. The system has become synonymous with efficiency. A video on YouTube titled The 7-Minute Miracle Of Japanese Train System was shared widely on social media websites. The clip showed crew members respectfully bowing as a Shinkansen entering the station, waiting for passengers to disembark and swiftly cleaning every car of the super speed train in seven minutes. Costly, but environment-friendly An undated report of the Japan Railway & Transport Review said the Shinkansen project has tried to minimise noise pollution because it passes through high population density areas. Compared to other means of transport, the Shinkansen hardly emits any carbon dioxide, Nitrogen Oxide and other harmful gases. If the Tokaido Shinkansen had not been constructed, about 15,000 tons more CO2 would have been emitted in 1985. This corresponds to the annual amount of CO2 emitted by industry in and around Tokyo, it read. The fares for Shinkansen were, however, costly. Former member of the railway board, RC Acharya, wrote in an article for HT in 2015 that a Shinkansen trip from Tokyo to Kyoto (514 km) costs Rs 7,700. It isnt surprising too that the estimate fares for the proposed Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train is estimated to range between Rs 3,000 - Rs 5,000. The Congress on Wednesday raised questions over Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes state visit to Ahmedabad and not the countrys national capital and hoped it would not be used for political purposes in view of the forthcoming Gujarat assembly elections. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said it was quixotic that Abe was not being hosted in Delhi. We do not want to transgress propriety by commenting on a state visit but it is rather quixotic that the Prime Minister of a country as important as Japan, who is almost Indias strategic partner in many respects, is strangely not even being hosted in Delhi, he said. He hoped a state visit was not being used for political purposes in view of the elections in Gujarat, slated to be held later this year. With an election in Gujarat around the corner, it does raise a question -- and I hope this is not the case -- that a state visit is actually being used for political purposes because the manner in which it is structured is rather awkward, he told reporters here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie Abe wave from an open vehicle during their roadshow in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. (PTI) Tewari said India had a great relationship with Japan and that relationship, its foundations and consolidation had been laid during the UPA regime. Japanese Prime Minister Abe arrived in Ahmedabad on Wednesday on a two- day visit with a packed agenda that includes the laying of the foundation stone for Indias first bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Tewari also criticised the government over the handling of the Rohingyas issue and said the criticism India had been subjected to by the United Nations Human Rights Council was absolutely unprecedented. The stand which this government has taken on the Rohingyas is totally contrary to Indias traditions where we have welcomed the persecuted from any part of our neighbourhood, he said. He said India had not faced this kind of ignominy. So, therefore, you can be critical of (Congress vice president) Rahul Gandhi, but I think the time has come for the NDA-BJP Government and the Prime Minister to introspect that mere speeches and road shows with leaders of other countries do not substitute for diplomacy, Tewari said. On Gandhis recent remarks in the US about being ready to take over as the party chief, he said the Congress was a democratic party and an organisational election process was on. You dont second guess an organisational election process. It will culminate logically in what the aspirations and the desires of the Congress workers are, he said. Nearly 70 per cent people voted against the BJP and its allies in the 2014 general election and it was high time that those who got such votes unite to save the composite culture of India, dissident JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said Thursday. They (the BJP) dont want a Congress-free India. They want an Opposition free India. That will never happen. They should not forget that gained power with just 31% votes. It means 69% people voted against them, Yadav said. The veteran leader said that the real challenge now was uniting the scattered forces that had secured 69% votes against BJP and its allies. Yadav was addressing the third Sanjhi Virasat Bachao (save composite culture) convention at Birla Auditorium here. Leaders from 15 Opposition parties are attending the convention. Taking a jibe at BJP for seeking help from Dera Sacha Sauda head Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, now in jail after being convicted of rape, Yadav said, religion and politics made for a dangerous mix. The Baba (Gurmeet) is not the sole culprit. Those who asked for his support are responsible too. When religion and politics are mixed, it gives birth to Iraq, Syria, and Pakistan, Yadav said. He said that every day 25-30 farmers are committing suicide on one hand while on the other mobs are lynching people in the name of faith. Taking a jibe at PM Modis call of creating a new India, former Union Minister Anand Sharma said the Constitution was being attacked by those who were not part of freedom movement. We do not want a new India where everywhere there is an atmosphere of fear. The NDA government has cheated India. Youth are unemployed, GDP has declined and lakhs have lost jobs. Economy is in such a poor shape that it will take years to get stable, Sharma added. CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury underlined that coming together of the Opposition parties was not a coalition for elections but to save the composite culture of the country from those who are taking it towards fascism. Rajssthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot said culture of a country was above party and political ideology. As a prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi never spoke of opposition free India. The BJP wants a Congress-Opposition free India. This is not going to happen today or tomorrow. RJD leader Manoj Jha said this is country of Mahatma Gandhi and Ram Ram never taught us to hate. We do not want there (BJPs) Ram, we want Gandhiwala Ram. Taking potshots at Modi, RLD leader Jayant Choudhary said, The PM doesnt shift the goal post. He changes the entire game. Leaders from CPI, NCP and Jammu and Kashmir National Conference also attended the convention. We dont know how we will do it, but we wont rest till my father gets justice, said Irshad, the son of slain dairy farmer Pehlu Khan, who was lynched by a mob of gaurakshaks in Alwar back in April. Irshad was shocked to know that the six people, who were named as his fathers murderers, will walk away. Those six men stopped our vehicles. They were the ones who mobilized the mob and started the assault. How could they not be guilty? asked Irshad. The crime investigation department- crime branch (CID-CB) has given a clean chit to all the six accused, who were named in the case. The police have said in the report that there is no evidence that the six men were present at the time of the attack. Be it, Hukum Yadav or Sudhir Yadav, we heard all the accused calling each other by their names when they were assaulting us. They kept saying beat these Muslims, they are cattle smugglers, Irshad told HT. After the death of Pehlu Khan, the 24-year-old Irshad had to step into his fathers shoes. About a fortnight ago, my mother suffered a paralytic attack. Whenever we hear any talk about the murderers walking away, only we know what we go through, said Irshad. He, along with his brother Arif (20), was also among the people, who were assaulted by the cow vigilantes, and were injured. With the demise of Khan, who was the breadwinner of the family, they have to scrape through every day in order to survive. But what has not wavered is Irshads resolve to get justice for his father. Till our last breath, we will continue the fight. What was done to us was wrong and we have also told the police about their role in the attack. We cannot stand by as they are declared innocent, said Irshad. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In a crackdown on state-run primary school teachers who were missing from duty for long duration without any intimation, the government has sacked 30 assistant teachers in eight development blocks of Allahabad. We have issued dismissal orders for 30 assistant teachers posted at various government primary schools of Allahabad after they did not respond to the third and final notice seeking explanation for their long absence from duty, basic shiksha adhikari (BSA), Allahabad, Sanjay Kushwaha said. At least three teachers were missing from duty since 2010. Ragnesh Kumar, an assistant teacher at Haripur primary school, had reported for duty for the last time in August 2010. Similarly, Arvind Kumar (Ranipur primary school) and Astha Srivastava (Baijpur primary school) have been missing from duty since January 2010. Another teacher Priya Jaiswal (Belhara primary school) was absent since August 2011 while Sunil Kumar Singh, an assistant teacher at Urai primary school in Urwa development block, had not reported for duty since August 2013. The salaries of these teachers had been stopped soon after they went missing from duty. As the Yogi Adityanath government has kicked off sacking or forcefully retiring corrupt and non-performing officials across the state, the action indicates that the noose is finally tightening around truant teachers too. The BSA had sent notices to 32 such teachers on the addresses provided in their service records on June 1 and again on June 24 but none of them replied to it. The BSA served the third and final notice on the assistant teachers giving them time till September 8 to explain their absence from duty. Two of the teachers Pushpa Agnihotri, posted at Baladeeh primary school in Holagarh development block (absent since November 2016) and Reena Malviya, posted at Belha primary school in Meja (absent since May 2016) responded to the third notice after which they were granted reprieve. More dismissals are expected not just in Allahabad but in other parts of the state too. ONE TEACHER DISMISSED, 16 OTHERS TO FACE ACTION FOR SUBMITTING FAKE DOCUMENTS Sixteen candidates who bagged jobs as assistant teachers in primary schools of Allahabad on the basis of fake or fudged documents may be dismissed. These candidates were selected in a recruitment drive carried out in 2015 for the appointment of 15,000 assistant teachers. One of the teachers has already been dismissed by the BSA on September 4. These teachers had submitted high school and intermediate certificates of Madhya Pradesh Open School Education Board while applying for the jobs. However, when the basic education department verified their documents, the Madhya Pradesh Open School Education Board said the certificates were fake. Based on the report, the basic shiksha adhikari immediately stopped disbursement of their salaries and sought an explanation from them. Their dismissal and recovery of salaries paid to them is likely to follow. A teacher posted at Naiwahi primary school in Manda development block was dismissed after it emerged that he had bagged job on the basis of fake documents of Madhya Pradesh Open School Education Board. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Lucknow police claimed to have foiled a sensational dacoity at city traders house in yet another encounter with a gang of five dreaded criminals of Farrukhabad near Kukrail Bandha in Ghazipur police area on Wednesday. Two accused suffered bullet injuries in their legs reportedly during retaliatory firing by police while three others were arrested from the spot. The two injured accused are undergoing treatment at KGMUs trauma centre in police custody. Senior superintendent of police (SSP), Lucknow, Deepak Kumar said those arrested were identified as Anwar, Rehan Qureshi, Sadiq Hussain, Tehseeb and Vikas Dubey. He said they had planned to commit robbery at B-Block Indira Nagar, the residence of a wholesale grocery trader, Pradeep Bansal. He said the assailants were tipped off that cash and valuables worth several crores were present at the traders house. One of the injured robbers. (HT Photo) The SSP said one Prince alias Chottu and the traders servant Basant has also been detained for grilling. He said probe revealed that Prince, who is son of a mason working at the house of the traders relative, is friend of one of the five robbers, Sadiq, who also had worked in the city for some time. He said Prince extracted information about the traders house and his family members and passed it on to Sadiq and his other accomplices. He said Princes involvement is confirmed in the criminal conspiracy but Basants involvement is yet to be confirmed as initial quizzing suggested that he unknowingly leaked out the traders information to him. Kumar said five assailants had come from their native places Farrukhabad in a car and were heading towards the traders house when the police team had an encounter with the gang. He said the police team intercepted the assailants car near Kukrail Bandha when they tried to flee after spotting police vehicles chasing them. The two assailants, Anwar and Rehan Qureshi suffered bullet wound in their legs during retaliatory firing by police team. He said five weapons including two pistols and three country-made firearms have been recovered from them. He said the liquor diazepam used to tranquilise people, and instruments used to break house locks have also been recovered from their possession. THIRD ENCOUNTER IN 15 DAYS It is the third encounter since August 27 during which three criminals have been injured while one dreaded criminal was gunned down by the city police. Moreover, three others were arrested. Earlier on September 1, Sunil Sharma, a shooter of gangster brothers Salim, Rustam and Sohrab, was gunned down in an encounter near the new international stadium, along Shaheed Path in Gomti Nagar. Sharma had escaped from police custody while being brought for trial from Hardoi jail to a city court on August 8. Soon after, he had demanded extortion amount of 20 lakh from Lucknow businessman Ajay Rastogi. Sharma carried reward of 15,000 on his head. Similarly on August 27, Udai Raj, who was involved in dacoity at a carpenters house and gang rape with his 12-year-old daughter in a Para village, was critically injured in an encounter with the police on the city outskirts in Sarojininagar area. He too carried reward of 15,000 on his head. Art and culture of Lucknow has earned a new patron in Lucknow Doordarshan. After success of series on gallantry award winner soldiers, Doordarshan is ready with the series to boost art, poetry and literature with a reality show on city poetry named Once More. Conceptualized by senior programme executive Atma Prakash Mishra, the show is all set to give desired respect to the citys lost poetic culture. Lucknow is ready with a series on city literary figures reciting their poems, ghazals, nazams, this is an effort to give an impetus to citys Adab and culture. In the programme, both Hindi and Urdu poets would be participating, said Atma Prakash Mishra while talking to Hindustan Times. In our culture, poets are seen as a guide, reflection of society who give new direction to everyone. The literature is the mirror in which the reality is seen, and this show gives great poets a sense of identification in society, said Mishra. Five episodes of Once More were already shot a few days back said Mishra. The sets of the programme are aesthetically designed according to the spirit of Lucknow. The set gives an idea about the richness of our poetry, he said. Poets like Mukul Mahan, Sonroopa Vishal, Dr Vishnu Saxena, Anwar Jalalpuri, Sarvesh Asthana, Hasan Qazmi, Dr Kamal Musaddi, Ranjjannaa Shekhar, Surya Kumar Pandey, Ram Prakash Bekhud, Naseeem Nikhal, Kaleem Qaiser, have recited their poetries in the programme. Young upcoming poets will also be given a chance if they send their original poetry through mobile clips to the Doordarshan. Atma Prakash Mishra said, When I conceptualized the show I wanted to show Lucknowites what treasure in poetry they have in city. Not only the established poets would be shown in this show, but budding poets would be getting a chance to showcase their talent in the days to come. I hope this show brings out more talent. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON La Martiniere College could not have asked for anything more on the eve of its Founders Day the institution received a Russian origin T55 main battle tank Chikara on Tuesday night. Weighing 37 tonnes, it was inducted in the 42 Armoured Regiment in July 1973 and decommissioned in October 2012, said Adrian Michael, bursar of the college. The batch of 1983 had procured the tank from the army and gifted it their alma mater. These trophies are not just a tribute to our gallant boys but a motivation for our students, said college principal Carlyle McFarland while talking to HT. It came all the way from Pune after travelling for 5 days since Thursday. It reached college premises on Tuesday night. Four cranes of 15 tonnes each were used to download it from atop of a trailer-truck. The tank is placed on a raised platform in an open space that is now a part of colleges memorial park. The battle tank requires good polishing and colouring to remove the rust, said Michael. After the Founders Day ceremony, present and past students of the college visited the memorial park to catch a glimpse of the Chikara. They took photographs and posted it on social media, said Adrian Michael. Two years ago, the college received a Gnat, a jet fighter from which Air Marshal Denzil Keelor (an old Martinian) wreaked havoc on the Pakistani army during the 1965 India-Pakistan War. The college is expected to receive few more prized gifts. The aircraft is one of the finest trophies of the war. The air marshal, who won several gallantry awards, including Vir Chakra and Shaurya Chakra, during his illustrious career, played a pivotal role in getting the Gnat for the college. The prized aircraft was brought all the way from Chandigarh for the memorial park. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After the brutal murder of an eight-year-old boy in a Gurugram school, educational institutions in Lucknow have started approaching the district police for verification of their support staff, as directed by the education department. We have collected documents from all our support staff and submitted the same to the police for verification. Safety of students will not be compromised. We are following government directives and guidelines issued from time to time, said Geetika Kapoor, principal, St Teresas College, Ashiana. Meanwhile, a number of city schools stopped parents from entering the premises to drop and pick their child. They were told not to go up to classrooms and stand at the gate. In a reality check at Christ Church College, it was found that parents had to stand at the gate when children entered the school campus. A similar practice was put in place in other city schools also. Anxious parents waiting at school gates on Wednesday could be seen discussing safety measures. Parents suggested that to prevent recurrence of Gurugram-like incidents, there is a need for child protection services in collaboration with volunteer groups who engage with children in schools regularly. Besides, there should be public awareness on child rights, child vulnerability, and child protection services, they suggested. There is a need to set up a special police force comprising men and women to handle children related affairs. The force should also regularly interact with children in schools. Further, there is a need for stringent laws to deal with child abuse both in schools and at home, said Himanshu Rai, professor, IIM Lucknow. Amrita Chakraborty Dass, a parent, opined, The Gurugram incident has shocked the nation. The school is trying to cover it up and should not be given any such chance. Parents want justice. Every day, thousands of children are abused by adults or other children. But this particular incident is different. First of all, the school is the second safest place for children. When kids are in school, we parents feel that our children are in safe hands. But this incident has proved that children are not safe anywhere, she added. Read more: Schools undertake confidence-building measures in Lucknow LU professor Geetanjali Mishra emphasised on prevention of entry of outsiders, more connect between teachers and students. Physical presence of staff in less frequented or isolated areas could also help, she added. WHERE TO HAVE CCTV CAMS (as suggested by Gurugram cops) CRITICAL AREA COVERAGE Schools must have adequate CCTV coverage. Cameras must cover all critical areas of the premises. While CCTV at entrance to toilets is essential, it is not permitted to fit CCTVs inside toilets, to ensure that dignity is not compromised. TILT AND ZOOM CAPABILITY The cameras must have point, tilt and zoom capability and the recording capacity of the footage should be at least 45 days. All vehicles entering and leaving the premises should be caught on camera with at least a 50-metre range with a clear image of the vehicle number. REGULAR MAINTENANCE CCTV equipment must be maintained regularly and it must be ensured that once installed, the footage is viewed and the equipment used to bring in a strong control. GPS-EQUIPPED BUSES School buses must mandatorily have GPS and CCTV cameras. The issue of cost of equipment has to be settled in consultation with other stakeholders after discussing costs versus merits. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Three alleged members of a Bangladesh-based terror group were arrested at Charbagh railway station in Lucknow on Wednesday. Identifying the trio Mohd Imran, Rajidudeen and Mohd Firdaus as brothers who illegally immigrated to India, state anti-terrorist squad (ATS) inspector general of police Asim Arun said they had been staying in west Uttar Pradesh for the last few years on the basis of fake Aadhaar cards. The accused were taken into custody while boarding the Amritsar-Howrah Express, so they could return to Bangladesh via West Bengal. The three, said to be part of the al Qaeda-inspired Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), hail from Jasor district in Bangladesh. They had been staying at Deoband in Saharanpur district for a while now, and one of the brothers Mohd Imran even landed a teaching job at a local madrassa. Arun said the names of the three brothers came to light during the interrogation of Abdullah-al-Mammon, a key ABT operative who was arrested from Muzaffarnagar on August 5. The accused had reportedly gone missing soon after Mammons arrest. The case is being investigated by an ATS team led by additional superintendent of police Rajesh Sahani, and efforts are on to gain police custody of the accused so further information can be gleaned. Arun said Mammons arrest has exposed a wide network of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in the state. He has confessed to creating fake identification documents such as Aadhaar cards for such people since 2011. The police officer said that Mammon received his own fake identification documents, including an Indian passport, with the help of another key ABT operative called Faizan. However, Faizan managed to escape because the ATS reached his Saharanpur residence, Arun said, adding that a hunt is on to locate him. Mammon and Faizan allegedly accommodated illegal immigrants in slums across the region, and even provided them with jobs. They are also accused of preparing a large network of sleeping modules across the country by sending illegal immigrants to various cities. The Uttar Pradesh Congress roped in professors from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and senior party leaders to educate its cadres about the life, struggle and contribution of former Prime Minister the late Indira Gandhi. Professor Mridula Mukherjee and Professor Aditya Mukherjee of JNU and senior party leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, who worked closely with her and the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, spoke at length about her journey from being called goongi guriya to Durga and the iron lady. Indira had very clear views about her ideology and the fight against communalism. She never had any confusion about this, said Mridula Mukherjee, describing the former PM as a front- ranking world leader. Mukherjee recollected Indira Gandhis journey on elephant, tractor and jeep to Belchhi (Bihar) in 1977 to make her point that she was a strong fighter. It was on the basis of her strengths that she returned to power in 1980 within two and a half years of losing the Lok Sabha election. Aiyar said conspiracies were hatched against Indira at the outset as her own party leaders wanted her to be a puppet in their hands. But she never made compromises and stood strong, enunciating Indias independent policies at international forums. India faced the worst drought when Indira Gandhi became prime minister. She had to get wheat arranged from the USA as India faced a shortage of food grains. Indira Gandhi went to the USA to meet the then US President Lyndon B Johnson. The US President had come to know from a magazine article that Indira did not like to be addressed as Madam. The White House got in touch with Indian diplomats to know how the President should address the PM. An Indian diplomat and a relative of Indira Gandhi went to ask her (before the meeting with Johnson) about how the President should address her. Indira Gandhi told BK Nehru the President could address her as sir as more than half her cabinet colleagues had been doing, said Aiyar amid peals of laughter in the audience. Professor Aditya Mukherjee spoke about the economic policies, including nationalisation of banks, and said the strong structure built by her up to 1980 laid the foundation for economic liberalisation that Manmohan Singh rolled out during his tenure as finance minister later in 1991. Congress general secretary (incharge UP) Ghulam Nabi Azad said: As our focus remains politics, we politicians often remain ignorant about various facets of great leaders. Professors do study and consult books to speak about them. This is the time to fight an ideological war and we need to further strengthen the ideology the Congress leaders have cherished over the years, he said. Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Raj Babbar set the tone and tenor for the seminar, saying there was a fight between the desh bhaktas (patriots) and the so called Rashtra Bhaktas (nationalists) and attempts were being made to belittle sacrifices of those who laid down their lives for the country. This was the first of 10 seminars the Congress will hold across the state in coming days. Nine more seminars will be organised with the last one proposed in Allahabad on November 17 (Indira Gandhis birth anniversary), said party MLA and media coordinator for the seminars Aradhana Mishra. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Sangam city based Indian Folk Art Federation has roped in 1000 folk artistes who will educate rural people of Uttar Pradesh on the ills of open defecation. This will help the Yogi government achieve the open defecation free status across the state under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan of the PM. The Federation has decided to launch the campaign from Allahabad in coordination with the district administration and the zila panchayat. Folk artistes from 22 states are associated with the Federation. It also organised a three-day training workshop at the Prayag Sangeet Samiti to train these folk artistes so that they can deal with rural people on the important issue in an effective way. District magistrate Sanjay Kumar, chief development officer Samuel N Paul and municipal commissioner Harikesh Chaurasia too participated in the workshop that concluded on Tuesday. Folk artistes are also the rural people who can make other villagers understand well about the ills of defecating in the open. With this concept, the Federation has now decided to engage folk artistes in the noble mission in a strategic way, said Federations programme convener Dheeraj Agarwal. As per the plan, Agarwal said, the trained folk artistes would visit rural areas in teams wherein they would hold meetings with people to motivate them to use toilets. Besides, these artistes would also make them understand the objective behind the PMs Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and inform people about the grants being given by the state government to build toilets at homes, he added. The mission is to cover the entire state and this will be achieved in a phased manner. However, the Federation will be happy to extend its help and support to government of other states too if they contact us in this regard, said Agarwal. District magistrate Sanjay Kumar said the initiative was a welcome step. It would certainly help the local administration achieve its target of making Allahabad open defecation free by the end of December. The health department sealed three vaccines at the Veerangana Avantibai (womens) Hospital on Wednesday after a child died roughly two hours after vaccination. The body of the one-and-a-half-month-old child was sent for a post-mortem examination to ascertain the cause of death. The infant, Aradhika was brought for vaccination and administered doses of OPV (first dose), IPV (first dose) and pentavalent vaccine around 11.15 am. Post vaccination, the child left hospital but around 12.45 pm, her father A Tripathi again brought her to the paediatric department of the hospital. Dr Mohit and Dr Faizan examined the child but then declared her dead. The doctors informed the Wazirganj police and the body was sent for a post mortem-examination. The same vaccines were used to vaccinate other kids as well, said the chief medical officer of Lucknow Dr GS Bajpayee in a press statement. He said 17 other kids were administered the OPV, IPV and the Pentavalent vaccine. The family members said the child had no illness when brought for immunisation. They registered protest with the medical staff. The sealed vaccines included Pentavalant vaccine of Biologicale, IPV of Sanofi and OPV of Bio Pharma. These are likely to be sent to the lab in Kasauli for examination while a committee would take further decision on Thursday. Police lodged a complaint after the hospital superintendent Dr Neera Saxena informed them about the incident. A history textbook prescribed by Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, that came under fire for describing an ancient ritual to conceive a male child, has been removed from the curriculum. Ajit Deshmukh, registrar of the university, said that the vice-chancellor took the decision to remove the book from the list of reference books provided in the syllabus. The university issued a notification to announce this decision last month. HT had reported that the book in Marathi for first- year Bachelor of Arts (BA) students titled Bhartacha Itihas (Indian History), published by a Nagpur-based publisher, described the ritual in a chapter named Samajik Vikas (Social Development) that enlists 16 sacraments of life adopted under the Ashram system prevalent in ancient India. While explaining Punswan - the second sacrament - the book reads, It was a ritual to conceive a male child. It involved inserting powder of the stem of a Soma-like vegetable in the right nostril of the pregnant woman. Some texts have mentioned the Banyan tree. In another chapter titled Varnayavastha (caste-system), the book suggests that the caste system has been beneficial for the society. It claims that the caste system has been instrumental in protecting Hindu culture from foreign invaders and has contributed to development of various skills. It goes on to suggest that lack of inter-caste marriage has helped in preserving purity of blood. The passage on conceiving male child was flagged by Ganesh Borhade, an Ahmednagar-based activist, who suggested that the passage violates Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994. The act seeks to stop female foeticide and has banned prenatal sex determination. Section 22 of the law deals with the issue, publish, distribute or communicate any advertisement regarding pre-natal determination of preconception selection of sex by any means whatsoever, scientific or otherwise. Following a complaint by Borhade, the additional director of health services at the state family welfare office in Pune, in a letter, had directed the Amravati district surgeon to act against the registrar of the university. Describing the ritual, publishing it and making it available for public, prima-facie seems to be a violation of section 22 of the act, read the letter. The district collector took up the matter and it was resolved promptly. We hope that the state will now act against all such violations of PCPNDT Act in curricula, said Borhade. Earlier, a third-year Bachelor of Ayurveda, Medicine, and Surgery (BAMS) textbook was also flagged for teaching techniques to conceive a boy. Dr Asaram Khade, the Maharashtra PCPNDT Act consultant, had sent a letter to the joint secretary, public health, government of India, regarding the supposed violation of the PCPNDT Act in the syllabus. Passages from the book Caste-system is prevalent in India since centuries. If it were dispensable, it would have been thrown out of the society as per the law of nature. Thats why scholars of the opinion that the system is prevalent only due to its benefits. Its the pride of ones caste (sic) that protected Indian society and culture from foreign invaders. For example, The Rajputs had a such an intense sense of honour that they would prefer to be killed than to leave their religion. As a result, Greece, Hunas and Muslims couldnt claim victory over Hindu culture. Skills were developed as generation after generations were engaged in the same profession... This brought the country fame in every field. The caste barriers were strong. With a few exceptions, there were no inter-caste marriages. This helped in preserving the purity of blood. What is Punswan? It was a ritual to conceive a male child. It involved inserting powder of the stem of a Soma-like vegetable in the right nostril of the pregnant woman. Some texts have mentioned the Banyan tree. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Chief minister Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday met heads of leading banks and financial institutions to shore up funds for the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway project. He allayed banks fears on resistance to land acquisition, pending litigation in the Bombay high court and the governments response to the opposition, said an official, who attended the meeting. The bankers were told that the project is partly funded by the government agencies, including Mhada, MMRDA, MSRDC, while remaining funds will come from financial institutions, said the official. Fadnavis told the bankers that protest against land acquisition had slackened and 80% of the landowners had given their consent, added the official. The meeting was fruitful and more banks would lend for the 706-km expressway, said the CMs office. A senior Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) official said that this was the second meeting with representatives of banks. They (banks) had queries on concession agreement, repayment, safety issues from the lenders point of view etc. The chief minister answered their queries, said Kiran Kurundkar, joint managing director, MSRDC. The MSRDC has roped in SBI Caps to raise Rs13,000 crore from the domestic market, while Asian Development Bank will lend Rs 13,750. According to officials, of the project cost of Rs46,000 crore, Rs24,000 crore is required for civil construction and the rest for land acquisition, development of nodes, contingencies, financial charges, utility shifting etc. Fadnavis told the bankers that the expressway would bring in prosperity for farmers of 10 districts, said the official. He also appealed to the bankers to come forward and extend a helping hand for the cause, the official said. According to Kurundkar, land acquisition is progressing well and the government would acquire 50% of the land by October. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Mumbai crime branch recently arrested a 30-year-old robber involved in more than 20 cases of dacoity and robbery in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai district. The accused, Kishan Mohto, was wanted in robbery case in Karjat, where he, along with his six accomplices, robbed a senior citizen couple at knife point at their bungalow. Mohto was born the Pila house area in Grant Road, and started pick-pocketing and stealing in south Mumbai, before he shifted to Khapoli in Raigad district around decade ago. He joined a robbery gang in Khapoli, and was involved in several incidents of robbery and dacoity in Nashik and Raigad district. He, along with his gang, also committed several robberies in Andheri, Vile Parle and Navghar, where cases have been registered against them, according to a police officer. After the Karjat robbery that occurred in December 2016, we were on a lookout for him, as we had information that he used to visit Grant Road often to meet his friends, added the officer. As per the information, the officials of unit 2 of the Mumbai crime branch laid a trap at Mumbai Central railway station, and arrested him on Sunday. The police have recovered a pistol frim him Mohto was produced in a court and was granted judicial custody. The Karjat police took Mohtos custody on Wednesday for inquiry. Nearly two months after traps were set up in Aarey Milk Colony and Film City, Goregaon, to catch a leopard suspected to have attacked five children, killing one, forest officials in Mumbai said that the animal has been caught. A three-and-half year old male leopard was trapped in a cage near the Aarey helipad in Film City at 11pm on Wednesday, forest officials said. The animal is being quarantined and checked for injuries, and is expected to be released in the forest later. Forest officers are convinced that this was the leopard responsible for the attacks on children. The leopard was immediately transferred to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) for a medical checkup last night itself, said Jitendra Ramgaokar, deputy conservator of forest, Thane forest range. It was a scientific study to identify the problem animal. We laud the efforts of our forest officers and those who have supported them for their persistent efforts to ensure that the area remains safe. The fact that no attacks have happened since July is testament for the same. HT has been reporting since March about leopard attacks in Aarey and Film City, which border SGNP, that has around 35 leopards. Following attacks, the last of which was recorded in July, the state forest department installed two trap cages and stopped outdoor shoots at Film City and its neighbourhood in a 5km radius between Bapu Dham gate and the helipad, until the leopard was caught. Using camera trap images to trace the animals movement and goats as bait, we trapped the big cat, said Ramgaokar. Senior officials from Thane forest range said that the leopard will be microchipped and released in its natural habitat as per protocol. The animal will not be kept captive for more than eight days and released at an area within the premises of the national park itself. The microchip will help us follow its movement and study its habitat properly, said Sunil Limaye, chief conservator of forest, Thane forest range. Tranquillizing the animal was not an option because it would lead to health hazards for the leopard, since we hardly know anything about its medical condition, he added. HT had reported that the forest department was concerned about trapping a wrong leopard as a mother and cub were also reported to be in the area. We will trace the pug mark of this leopard and check whether he has any injuries to understand why so many attacks took place, said Limaye. A 15-member team had been trying to track the leopard since July. Forest officials said there could be six other leopards in the area bordering the park near Film City and Aarey. There are eight padas (tribal settlements), apart from slums and facilities like the Film City, in the area. The forest department had conducted programmes in these places to help people living in the area avoid attacks by the cats. The attacks July 28: 13-year-old Aarey Milk Colony resident, Aniket Dileep Page, was attacked near the pump house around 3.30pm. July 22: Two-year-old Vihaan Nilesh Garuda, son of an SGNP staff member, was attacked and killed near Maroshipada, a hamlet near Film City. May 29: A four-year-old boy, who lived at Royal Palms, Goregaon, was attacked March 17: A three-year-old boy was attacked near Khadakpada, a tribal hamlet. The boy escaped with injuries on his chest and throat after residents scared the leopard away. May 21: A three-year-old boy was saved by his mother, who snatched him away from the claws of a leopard that had pounced on him in Chafyachapada, Aarey. The boy suffered minor injuries. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Residents of buildings near the Mount Mary church steps, where hawkers have put up stalls for the Bandra fair, complained that a playground in the area was being used to dump garbage. Residents of Monalisa Co-op Housing Society said the garbage dumped in Veer Jijamata Bhosale Kridangan had been a source of foul smell and insects since the week-long fair began on Sunday. Pictures shared by residents showed garbage strewn on the ground and four overflowing bins on Wednesday morning. Later in the afternoon, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) cleared the area. The playground is a temporary arrangement to collect additional garbage during the fair, said H-West ward officer Sharad Ughade. Until a year ago, the playground was used as a holding area (as a pick-up point) for waste during the fair. But this year, garbage collected from our society, Nirmala Colony, Sea Breeze and even Kadeshwari Marg is brought here, said Anjali Kale, secretary, Monalisa Co-op Housing Society. According to the Bombay HC order on October 6, 2015, the BMC was required to immediately remove garbage during the fair, said residents. Social activist Lillian Pias, who was a petitioner in the case, wrote to the complaint officer and the BMC to ensure that waste was cleared. The playground is designated for emergency services such as ambulance, fire brigade and police officers to ensure the safety of visitors. The BMC is asking us to manage our waste otherwise they will not pick it up. But when they are unable to manage waste, how are they expecting us to come with a solution, said Pias,adding that she had approached the BMC over waste management, but to no avail. Ward officer Ughade said he would personally monitor waste management. The issue will be resolved immediately, he said. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has sent a notice to Wilson College in Girgaum to stop unauthorised construction of a bathroom on the terrace of the heritage structure. It served the notice on Monday under section 354 (A) of the Mumbai Metropolitan Act of 1888, which mandates a violator to provide proof to not raze the under-construction or newly built addition to a structure. The notice comes after RTI activist Santosh Daundkar complained to the BMC about alleged illegal construction. According to the notice, the college was erecting the bathroom on the terrace of the Mackichan hall without permission. The BMC had given 24 hours to the college to submit documents which allowed it to undertake construction. A civic official on the condition of anonymity said the BMC had not received any reply. The notice stated that if the college failed to provide permission papers or stop construction, the BMC can pull down the bathroom without any notice. Wilson College, which is one of the oldest colleges in the city , is also a Grade-III heritage structure. Minor repairs can be undertaken in the Grade III structure only after permission from the civic body. Despite repeated attempts from HT, college representatives were not available for comment. Bollywood actress Rani Mukherjee and actor Sonu Sood had recently come under the BMCs scanner for alleged illegal construction. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Mumbai police returned stolen property worth Rs3.41 crore to complainants who lost their valuables in various theft and robbery cases in north Mumbai over the last few months. The event was organised in the presence of Rajesh Pradhan, additional commissioner of police, north region and Vinay Rathod, deputy commissioner of police, zone XII in Goregaon (East), where the property was returned. A total of 43 cases were reported at seven police stations including Vanrai, Aarey, Dindoshi, Kurar, Samta Nagar, Kasturba Marg and Dahisar in the zone XII, where the police teams have been able to crack the cases and recover the stolen valuables. Out of the 43 cases, 16 involved chain snatchings and robberies, where women wearing gold chains and mangalsutra were targeted. Most of these women were senior citizens, said police. In one case registered at Vanrai police station, diamonds worth Rs34 lakh and valuable stones worth Rs2.65 lakh were stolen from NESCO ground at an exhibition centre on July 31 this year. Two Chinese nationals, who had arrived in the city a day before the robbery, stole the diamond and the stone, replacing them with a fake one. The men were apprehended at the international airport on the same day, minutes before they were to board a flight to Japan. In Samta Nagar, a servant was held for cheating his employer and stealing gold from him. The police recovered 6.28 kg of gold worth Rs1.83 crore, which was returned to the businessman. In Borivli (East), in the jurisdiction of Kasturba Marg police station, 235 mobile phones worth Rs52.56 lakh were returned to the complainant from the shop where the phones were stolen from. The Kasturba Marg police had arrested a man from Jharkhand in connection with the burglary case, where he along with his four other accomplices, broke into the shop on the night of June 27. The accused drilled a hole in the rooftop and made way with the phones. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP and daughter of party chief Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule will undertake a four month-long tour across 100 colleges in the state to interact with the students. Sule was in news recently following a claim by Shiv Sena Member of Parliament (MP) Sanjay Raut, in his weekly column in party mouthpiece Saamna, that she was offered a cabinet berth by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She will interact with students across all districts in the state, including Mumbai, on several serious issues like rape, dowry, addiction and female foeticide. This tour comes at the time when there is buzz in the states political circles that Sule will be projected as Maharashtras generation next leader, as most of the first-rung leaders of the party, including her cousin and former deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, are facing serious corruption charges. The four-month long tour, named Jaagar Yuva Sanwad Yatra, will kick off from Ahmednagar district in western Maharashtra from September 18, and will continue in four phases till December. Through the tour, the NCP MP will reach out to around 25,000 students from the 16-24 age group, to have a dialogue with them and sensitise them about pressing issues, said a senior NCP leader. In the first phase of four days, she is expected to cover all the districts of western Maharashtra. In October, she will visit Marathwada colleges, north Maharashtra colleges in November, and in December will interact with students from Konkan and Mumbai. This is a non-political program being executed with the help of YB Chavan Pratishthan, said the NCP leader. YB Chavan Pratishthan is a trust headed by the NCP chief, known for his work in the social and academic field. Over the past one year, NCP has been projecting Sule as one of its front-line leaders. She has also been seen aggressively taking on the state government, especially Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The NCP has suffered in the recent local elections in rural areas, as well as small towns and cities. Ahead of the 2019 polls, it will have to resurrect itself to remain relevant. In his column in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana on Sunday, that partys MP Sanjay Raut had quoted Pawar as telling him about a meeting with Modi, where the PM had said he was keen on taking Sule in the cabinet. Raut claimed that Pawar said that Sule, who was also present at the meeting, had refused the offer, saying she would be the last person to go with the BJP. Sule, however refuted Rauts claim. There has been no such meeting where I met Mr Modi with Mr Pawar, she said. Sule had first started a mission to save girl child in 2011, by kicking off a pad-yatra to raise awareness against rising cases of female foeticide. She also heads Rastrawadi Yuvati Congress a political platform for young women from 18 to 35 years of age. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The bloodcurdling murder of 7-year-old Pradyuman Thakur in Noidas Ryan High School is grim reminder of the dangers that lurk for children even in seemingly safe environs. Investigations continue to find out exactly how this gruesome murder happened, with the needle of suspicion pointing towards an allegedly perverted bus conductor. But irrespective of how the case unravels, fact remains that a young boy had his throat slit in a brutal assault in the schools bathroom. A young life was lost and the school authorities can hardly escape charges of neglecting safety measures at least. The belief that something like this can happen only in the hinterland of the country where lawlessness is commonplace is flawed stereotyping and obfuscates the real issue. Mumbai too, it will be recalled, had a series of incidents of rape or molestation of school kids by school bus staff not long back to show that such evil pervades even in large metros. In early 2015, the case of a 12-year-old girl from a reputable school in Dadar who had been periodically sexually assaulted by a bus cleaner in the schools toilet came to light. The girl was too traumatised to reveal this to her parents or school authorities, and it was not until she started getting panic attacks that the shocking truth was gradually revealed. A couple of years earlier, in 2013, a four-year-old girl had been molested by the cleaner of her school bus. This only became known when her parents asked her where she had learnt to kiss the way she did, and the girl replied, From conductor uncle. What morbid fantasy consumes a depraved mind is not easy to gauge and is not only an Indian problem. But this is precisely why it is imperative that stringent safety checks are put in place, particularly where children are exposed. After the hue and cry by activists and concerned citizens over the spate of incidents involving kids travelling by school bus across the country some years back, Maharashtra initiated a school bus policy. But even in Mumbai, where the movement to make school buses safe actually began, reportedly only a few bus operators adhere to the required norms. For the most part, it is business as usual. Undoubtedly, there is huge pressure on schools for proper maintenance given the number of children they handle. This is felt more acutely among schools that cater to the middle-class and below. Yet there is no excuse for laxity where basic security is concerned. Why and how can a bus cleaner have access to the same toilet as children as in the case of Noidas Ryan High School -- demands harsh scrutiny. The problem is as much disdain for accountability as absence of sensibilities. Demand far outstrips supply, profitability of enterprise takes precedence over education and safety and the law is toothless or willing to turn a blind eye. With public memory notoriously short, as soon as the outrage over one incident is over, the issue more often than not is forgotten. In effect, there is little to restrain recurrence of the same crisis. On a wider plane, there is something terribly wrong with a society that puts the health and safety of its children so low down its list of priorities. And this is not just restricted to schools. Consider how soon the deaths of children in Gorakhpur disappeared from the news cycle. In any ordinary, sensible conversation, infant and newborn deaths in a hospital should have shocked the conscience of the country.It should have been top of the mind until as much as is needed to be done was accomplished, more so when the deaths were caused by administrative and not medical failures. What we got instead was a deplorable, polarised political tu-tu main-main that obscured the tragedy, and a shocking statement from the state administration that babies die all the time. Unless such apathy is seen as criminal neglect, whether in a hospital or a school, they most likely will. Nearly two months after traps were set up in Aarey Milk Colony and Film City, Goregaon, to catch a leopard suspected to have attacked five children, killing one, forest officials in Mumbai said that the animal has been caught. A history textbook prescribed by Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, that came under fire for describing an ancient ritual to conceive a male child, has been removed from the curriculum. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, the Shiv Sena slammed his governments priorities and called the Rs1.08 lakh crore project unnecessary and a dream for the wealthy. In a bid to help families of farmers who have committed suicide in the state, the Maharashtra government has decided to provide jobs to their kin. Here are todays top five picks: 1. Child-killer leopard caught in Mumbais Film City Nearly two months after traps were set up in Aarey Milk Colony and Film City, Goregaon, to catch a leopard suspected to have attacked five children, killing one, forest officials in Mumbai said that the animal has been caught. A three-and-half year old male leopard was trapped in a cage near the Aarey helipad in Film City at 11pm on Wednesday, forest officials said. The animal is being quarantined and checked for injuries, and is expected to be released in the forest later. 2. Amravati university withdraws book that described ritual to conceive male child A history textbook prescribed by Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, that came under fire for describing an ancient ritual to conceive a male child, has been removed from the curriculum. Ajit Deshmukh, registrar of the university, said that the vice-chancellor took the decision to remove the book from the list of reference books provided in the syllabus. The university issued a notification to announce this decision last month. 3. Shiv Sena slams bullet train project even as PM Modi lays foundation stone As Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, the Shiv Sena slammed his governments priorities and called the Rs1.08 lakh crore project unnecessary and a dream for the wealthy. In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana the Sena said the Maharashtra government would have to spend Rs30,000 crore towards the project just to fulfil the wealthy dream of Modi. 4. Maharashtra likely to offer government jobs to kin of farmers who committed suicide In a bid to help families of farmers who have committed suicide in the state, the Maharashtra government has decided to provide jobs to their kin. Shiv Sena leader and state transport minister, Diwarkar Raote, had made a representation to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, seeking quota for jobs in Group C government jobs. The Group C jobs include clerical, stenographer and assistant positions. 5. Maharashtra to go cashless in rural areas, but wheres the internet? In a bid to promote a cashless economy, the Maharashtra government has planned to stop accepting cash for any of its payments, including fees, taxes, penalties in the coming months. This drive will start from the states rural areas, but achieving the goal is a herculean task and is likely to stay on paper. HT looks at the governments plan and hurdles ahead in a reality check of the announcement. A fortnight after the 117-year-old Husaini building collapsed killing 33 people and injuring another 16 people in Bhendi Bazaar in south Mumbai, the police have booked a trust, which owned the building, on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The building collapsed 48 hours after the August 29 deluge. The JJ Marg police on Wednesday registered an FIR against Saifee Burhani Upliftment Trust. The police said that the trust knew the building was dilapidated but failed to vacate it for demolition. A press statement issued by the police stated, Between March 11 till the building collapsed, the trust officials and other people were in the know that the building was dilapidated and must be demolished. MHADA had granted them permission to demolish it. They had prior knowledge that a sudden collapse could lead to deaths and injuries. Despite this, they did not get the building vacated. The complainant in the case is Anand Deshmukh, a sub inspector with the JJ Marg police. The case is being investigated by inspector Jaideep Gaikwad. When asked who are the other unidentified people booked, Gaikwad said, That is part of our investigation. As the investigation progresses,l we will know who all are involved in the case. We will collect reports from all concerned departments. A day after Husaini building in Bhendi Bazaar collapsed, the toll rose to 33 from 24. Among the dead was a 20-day-old infant. The collapse also claimed the life of five children. The building had 10 houses. Four on the first floor and one each on the floors above. It also housed commercial units such as godowns, a catering business and a fast-food joint on the ground floor of the structure. Five families were residing in the building at the time of collapse. Authorities pulled out a total of 46 people from the rubble. Traffic situation in south Mumbai is likely to get better for motorists if the traffic polices experiment to overhaul the flow of vehicles succeeds. The department has implemented a ban on heavy vehicles and private buses in south Mumbai from 7am till midnight. The order was passed by the citys traffic police on Tuesday and will be enforced for the next two months. The cops will monitor the situation to see if the move helps unclog the area. The ban was an extension of the blanket ban on heavy vehicles which is already in place in the city. While heavy vehicles and private buses are not allowed to ply inside city limits between 7am to 11am and 5pm to 10pm. The ban comes at a time when mega projects like Metro construction work is going on in south Mumbai. As per traffic officials, these constructions reduce road space when there is a steep increase in the number of vehicles plying in the city. The heavy vehicles are only allowed to ply from a minute past midnight (00.01 am) to 6.59 am, the order read. Except for ST buses, BEST buses, school buses, buses carrying private companys staff, Mumbai darshan buses, heavy vehicles providing essential services like vegetables, milk, bread and bakery products, drinking water tankers, petrol, diesel, kerosene tankers, ambulance, police vehicles, fire brigade vehicles and government and semi-government vehicles are exempted from the plying restrictions in the city. The order issued by Dr Saurabh Tripathi, DCP, traffic headquarters and eastern suburbs, who is also holding the charge of additional commissioner, traffic, has placed restrictions on parking of vehicles in south Mumbai. As per the order, All buses including school buses, buses carrying private companies staff, buses for Mumbai darshan and vehicles providing essentials shall only be parked at their privately-owned space or rented spaces or on authorized pay-and-park spaces. On-street parking of these vehicles on any other road in Greater Mumbai is totally prohibited. All heavy vehicles, excluding buses, will not be allowed to ply on the Eastern Freeway. The objections and suggestions may be conveyed in writing to additional commissioner of police, traffic or on email within 30 days of issuance of this order. On receipt of objections/suggestions, the same would be considered and final permanent notification will be issued thereafter, read the order issued by Tripathi. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Two unidentified bike-borne assailants shot dead a 50-year-old man when he was moving on his bike to offer Namaz at a mosque in Ghaziabads Maharajpur, barely 300 metres from his house and a stones throw from a police van. The victims wife is a former councillor. The family said the incident took place around 1.30pm when Haji Haroon was on his way to the mosque. He was shot dead by two Pulsar-borne assailants who fired multiple shots and escaped despite police presence barely 15-20 metres from the scene of crime near Bharat Electronics Limiteds unit. Senior superintendent of police HN Singh on Thursday evening suspended three policemen -- Ranjit, Harendra and Ram Ratan over alleged inaction. They failed to act though they were on duty in the area. They have been suspended with immediate effect. Several teams have been formed and we are probing all angles in the case. There is no clear motive that has come out in the case as yet, SSP Singh said. Mohammad Arif, Haroons son, said: There was a family function and there was a lot of gathering. My father told us that he will be back soon from Namaz and lunch was to begin. But he was shot dead barely 300 metres from our house and we heard rounds being fired. Initially we thought it was some tyre burst. No one, including the policemen, paid heed, said. In fact, the three policemen were in a patrol van and did not dare to stop the bikers or chase them. After my father fell down, agitated locals asked them to take him to hospital where he was later declared dead. It has been complete laxity on part of the policemen, he added. The family members said that they had no rivalry with anyone and Haji Haroon looked after all the work when his wife Shamim Begum held the post of the councillor from 2006 to 2011. Locals from Maharajpur attempted to block Link Road, which connects Anand Vihar with Mohan Nagar. They were later pacified by police who arrived in large numbers from nearby areas. Police sources said they had procured CCTV footage in which the two assailants were seen riding a bike and fleeing the spot. But both were wearing helmets. Locals said the bike had no registration number, leading to suspicion that the incident was planned. According to police, Haroon sustained four bullet injuries fired from close range. The family members have forwarded a police complaint at Link Road police station against the unidentified men. Police said they are probing personal enmity, election rivalry and property dispute among probable motives. The incident comes close to another incident in Khoda where a Bharatiya Janata Party leader, Gajendra Bhati, was recently gunned down by two bike borne assailants on September 2. The police arrested a sharp shooter and suspected the involvement of former MLA Amarpal Sharma behind the incident. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Uttar Pradesh urban housing minister Suresh Khanna on Thursday assured homebuyers in Amrapali Dream Valley that he will talk to Union finance and corporate affairs minister Arun Jaitley on waiving of interest on home loans. However, homebuyers are not convinced by the assurances. A delegation of eight buyers met Khanna and Noida MLA Pankaj Singh in Lucknow, who had called buyers for a meeting. Homebuyers have been protesting outside the Amrapali Groups corporate office in Sector 62 since August 12 demanding flat delivery. Buyers demanded concrete assurance from the government. The meeting took place between 7pm and 8pm. We are not satisfied with the response of the state government. The minister said that the government will not infuse funds into stuck Amrapali project to revive it and deliver flats to buyers. He assured that they will enforce confederation of real estate developers association of India members to give funds and deliver Amrapalis sick projects, said KK Kaushal, a buyer. CM Yogi Adityanath in August had formed a three-member committee to address buyers issues. The committee comprises industries minister Satish Mahana, Suresh Khanna and minister of state for industry and sugar mills Suresh Rana, who came to Greater Noida on August 31. They announced that Amrapali buyers need not pay the remaining flat cost to the builder until the builder readies flats for possession. The Amrapali Group had in 2009 launched Amrapali Dream Valley project with a total of 47 towers in Sector Tech Zone-4. Of 12,000 dwelling units, around 8,000 flats have already been sold but the builder has completed only 40% of the construction. Homebuyers said they have already paid more than 80% of the total flat cost but the builder is yet to finish even 60% construction. The housing minister refused to give a written assurance or provide a loan to Amrapali but assured help to safeguard buyers investment. We demanded that Amrapali not be allowed to sell land and divert funds. We also demanded waiver of interest on bank EMIs and rope in government agencies to finish the stuck projects. On these promises, both Pankaj Singh and Suresh Khanna assured help, said Rahul Kashyap, another buyer. Khanna assured buyers of a forensic audit to check fund diversion. The minister said that they spoke to central agencies HUDCO and NBCC to finish stuck Amrapali projects but the two agencies refused to take over the projects, said Kaushal. The minister assured homebuyers said that they will visit Noida on October 5 and discuss issues with realtors to find out solutions. Buyers, however, did not end their protest. We will discuss issues with other buyers and decide whether to end our protest or not, said Kaushal. The minister has given all assurances to buyers, that the state government will work to protect their interests. We will take up buyers issues on all available platforms until their issues are addressed. I asked buyers to come for a meeting so that their issues get addressed. Buyers need not worry the government will help them whenever they need it, said Noida MLA Pankaj Singh. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A 22-year-old Manipuri man who went missing after attending a musical concert of Chainsmokers in Noida on September 8 was found dead by the Noida police the next day near Nithari market. Three officers were suspended for laxity as the body was cremated without informing the mans family. The police failed to recognise the body of Pravish Chanam and cremated it after 72 hours without informing his family. A missing complaint was lodged by his brother Ravi Kant Chanam, a resident of Greater Noida, on September 9. The senior superintendent of police Love Kumar suspended three officers and sent one to police lines. SSP Kumar suspended sub-inspector Kishori Raman and constable Sanjeev Kumar of Knowledge Park Police station and sub-inspector-cum-chowki in-charge of Sector 20, Rakesh Babu. Akhilesh Tripathi, station house officer of Knowledge Park police station, has been transferred to the police lines. Chanam was missing after the concert on September 8. A grainy CCTV footage had shown Chanam being accompanied by an unidentified woman. Chanam had come to Noida from Manipur to attend a music concert. He had arrived on September 7 and was staying at a friends place.We found video footage at the entry of the concert where a person, who could be Chanam, was accompanied by a woman, but this couldnt be verified. Now, it has emerged that Chanam has been found dead, said Suniti, superintendent of police (rural). On September 9, Ravi Kant Chanam had lodged a missing person complaint at Knowledge Park Police station. However, SI Kishori Raman and constable Sanjeev Kumar had failed to inform the police control room about the missing persons case after lodging an FIR. On the same day, the police found an unknown body near the meat market in Nithari, Sector 20. After waiting for 72 hours, the Sector 20 police cremated the body. However, a few days later, Ravi identified his missing brother through the clothes and photograph of the body. The SSP then began an internal inquiry and found at least four policemen guilty of negligence. SSP Kumar has taken action against the policemen as they failed to report the missing persons case to the control room. Due to their actions, other police stations were not aware of missing person. When the body of Chanam was found in the meat market of Nithari, Sector 20 police team failed to identify the body, said Prabhat Dixit, public relations officer, Gautam Budh Nagar police According to the police, the post-mortem report stated that Pravish Chanam had died due to a drug overdose. Chanam had not been feeling well and had gone to district hospital on his own for a check-up. After the check-up, he was found near the meat market in mysterious circumstances. However, the post-mortem report revealed that he had died due to a drug overdose, said Anil Kumar Shai, station house officer, Sector 20 police station. SSP Kumar has given a stern warning to all SHOs, asking them to follow the protocol while dealing with missing person cases.The SSP has asked SHOs to follow the procedure in such cases and if a need arises, they must coordinate with phone calls and WhatsApp, said Dixit. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Agitated parents raised security concerns regarding their wards and questioned the management of Ryan International School at Greater Noida in the parent-teacher meeting held on Wednesday evening. Hundreds of parents were invited for the meet by the school management after they had raised security concerns in the wake of gruesome murder of eight-year-old boy in the toilet of Ryan International School at Bhondsi, Gurgaon. In the past one week, post the murder, police and parents have raised objections on the working style of the schools managed by the Ryan group. The meeting was held in the school campus where principal Sudha Singh took questions from parents regarding their safety concerns. Parents alleged that the school body is flouting CBSE norms and thereby compromising with the safety of their wards. The buses provided by Ryan School are not in yellow colour as ordered by CBSE and there are no emergency numbers displayed on the bus either. Moreover, drinking water is also not provided by the school, said Vikram Jethwani, a parent. The parents also raised issue of lack of teachers inside the school bus in the morning hours when their wards are picked from their houses. Often, my kid complains that the bus driver drives rashly. Also, attendance of students inside the bus is not conducted by the school teachers, said Dr Chandra, another parent. Principal Singh took cognizance of the issues concerning bus safety and said that the school management will take adequate steps in future. Currently, Ryan International School uses around 35 buses to ferry children which include their own buses and those rented on contract basis. All our buses have first aid kits and fire extinguishers along with lady staff to take care of the children. The bus drivers name and license is also mentioned on the school bus. However, the suggestions put forward by the parents are welcome and we will implement them soon, said Singh. Parents also raised concerns regarding police verification of bus drivers, conductors and housekeeping staff. Incidentally, in the Bhondsi school murder case, the prime suspect arrested by the police was the bus conductor. How do we know that the bus driver that has come to ferry my child in the morning is not drunk? Is he inspected by the school authorities every morning before he leaves with the bus? asked Anshu Pandey, a parent. How is the verification of the drivers and other non teaching staff carried out in the school? We dont want any male staff to enter the school premises post 7.15 am when the school officially opens. The housekeeping staff can come to clean the premises and leave before the school opens. We are okay with female helps but not male and we have seen in majority of the cases that it is the male staff who is the perpetrator, said Neha Sharma, another parent. The principal said that the police verification process is carried out by a third party contractor done under the supervision of the school management. I take care of my staff and I am responsible for their actions. Therefore, police verification process is carried out by the private contractor but it is supervised by me. We inspect the drivers every morning before they leave to ferry the children. Regarding barring entry of male helps in the school premises, it is not possible since we have a huge population of children studying from nursery to class 12, said Singh. Parents also wanted improvement in the use of CCTV cameras in the school premises demanding that the cameras must be monitored real time. There should be real time/live monitoring of the CCTV cameras and the equipment should be present everywhere in the school, said Nikhil, a parent. Other parents also suggested that CCTV cameras must be installed inside the classrooms as well. Singh, however, refused to install CCTV cameras inside the class and said that the school management is planning to increase the number of cameras. It is not advisable to put cameras inside the class as teachers are already present over there. Currently, we have 36 CCTV cameras inside the school premises and we will be adding eight more in the next few days, said Singh. Parents also suggested regular counselling and training workshops of teachers and non-teaching staff. Is there any training provided to the non-teaching staff? They must be counselled thoroughly regarding child sensitivity, said Manoj Dhamija, a parent. Another parent suggested regular counselling sessions of students to avoid instances of bullying. Singh said that the school management will increase the frequency of training workshops for the grade IV employees. We have a training session in every six months for the grade IV employees. We also have regular counselling sessions with the teachers and students. But the workshop sessions for grade IV will be increased, said Singh. The school management has also decided to constitute a committee of parents which will be represented by five of them. We will have one parent representative for nursery to class 1, one for class 2 to 5, one for class 6-9 and one for 10-12, said Singh. The school has also decided to let children leave the premises after school hours on the basis of their sections. Teachers and staff will hold placards which will mention the section of the children who will be leaving the premises after the school hours. This way, we will be able to avoid commotion, said Singh. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Three persons were dead on late Wednesday night when they were returning home to Delhi after a birthday party of one of the victims in Ghaziabad and their bike allegedly slipped into a drain at Site IV Industrial Area. The incident took place around 1am on Thursday when Akshay Kumar, Mohit Khokhar and Abhishek alias Bunty were triple riding on a Yamaha Fazer bike and ventured to the Site IV Industrial Area. According to the police, the bike hit a wall and all the three men, who were not wearing helmets, fell into a deep drain. Two of them died on the spot while the third, Akshay, succumbed to injuries at the hospital. It was his birthday and they might have come to celebrate in Ghaziabad. I came to know about it only by 2.45am when police called up. Two of them died while Akshay succumbed at the hospital. Akshay completed 23 years on Wednesday. His mother had died three years back and he was employed as a contractual employee with Ghaziabad municipal corporation and posted at Vasundhara zone, said Sawan Kumar, father of deceased Akshay. I am not in a position to say whether the boys were drunk or not. If it is a case, it will come out in the post mortem report. As per my knowledge, Akshay was not into the habit of drinking. The other boys came to our house on Wednesday night and all three planned for an outing as it was Akshays birthday. They were very good friends and shared a strong bond, he added. According to the family members, Mohit was pursuing his graduation through correspondence in Delhi while Abhishek had completed his hotel management and working with a hotel in Delhi. Both Akshay and Abhishek were residents of Janta flats near GTB Hospital in Delhi while Mohit was a resident of Durgapuri in Delhi. On the basis of preliminary investigation, the police have denied that the young men were drunk and said that it could only be known after the postmortem reports come. There were two other friends who were on a scooty and five of them were speeding when the bike lost balance and the three deceased men fell into a drain. Prima facie it seems that they lost balance of the bike and were probably driving at high speed, said Akash Tomar, superintendent of police (city). Upon the information by the two other friends on a scooty, the police arrived and fished out the bodies of the three young men. Their bike was later fished out of the drain with the help of a crane roped in by police. The bike belonged to Mohit and he was driving with the other two on the pillion. In a similar incident on Sunday evening, two young men aged 22-23 years, died at Loni after three of them were riding and their bike lost balance and hit a tree. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor Priyanka Chopras statement at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) that Sikkim is a state troubled by insurgency is shocking and untrue. It has deeply hurt the sentiments of the people in the state. I am surprised that Priyanka made this comment because she is one of the best and intellectually sharpest actresses, and she speaks sensibly. It could be that someone fed her with wrong information about the state. In fact, I am doing a cameo in her new movie, Pahuna, which got standing ovation at TIFF. Sikkim is one of the most politically peaceful states of the country and the credit for it goes to the people of the state. Sikkim became a part of India in 1975. My father was born much before that and his generation was emotional about the annexation. But then to the credit of his generation, they did not make it a festering political issue though such things have happened elsewhere in the world. Look at the protests in Hong Kong today. When I went on to captain India and it was seen as a great honour. Today every Sikkimese genuinely feels that they are part of India. Other than being politically peaceful, Sikkim is also one of the greenest states of the country and the people across the board are hospitable. It is true that parts of Northeast is violence-hit but all states are not. One of the main reasons why people from mainland India tend to lump all states together is because of a lack of awareness towards the region. But the situation is improving because more and more young people from the region are going to other parts of India to work, study and people-to-people contact is increasing. Bhaichung Bhutia is former Indian football captain The views expressed are personal Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said that the government was ready to offer top priority status to the information technology (IT) sector projects, involving a minimum investment of Rs 5 crore and employing more than 50 people in their core activity. Such a status would give these projects access to a set of special incentives. Announcing this at the Bihar IT and ITeS Investors Conclave 2017, Kumar urged investors to consider setting shop in Bihar, at least as a test case, to tap the huge potential. If you feel it is a good investment then you can expand. The state is willing to back you with the requisite support, he said. While several steps have already been initiated for the promotion of thrust areas, including IT, the government was willing to walk the extra mile for fast tracking investments in IT and ITeS (Information Technology enabled services) sector. The only rider is that the project should be up and running in three years to avail the special incentives, he said. Not only would proposals have access to online application facility and time bound clearance, they would be entitled for pre-production incentive of 100% waiver of stamp duty and registration charges, Kumar said, after releasing separate vision documents for promotion of investments in IT and ITeS and ESDM (electronic system design and manufacturing) sectors. At present, industrial policy 2016, which is in force, has linked all its incentives and re-imbursements to the post production stage to ensure that sops dont go waste in event of a project getting aborted midway. The chief minister said 10% subsidy on interest component, with limit of 30% of the project cost for other sectors, would be tweaked for IT sector investors to raise it to 50% for approved projects. Even the maximum ceiling for receiving such entitlement in the case of IT projects wouldl be raised from Rs 10 crore to Rs 20 crore, he promised. Kumar said all new proposals would not have to pay land conversion charges and get 100% exemption from paying SGST for five years, in addition to relief in ESI and EPF for Bihari employees and Rs 20,000 subsidy for employees undergoing skill development training on completion of one year in service. Maintaining that IT was the source of new knowledge, tackling corruption and cyber crime and bringing in transparency, Kumar said that the state has laid the ground work for the development of IT sector with adequate infrastructure and land pools at Rajgir, Bihta and Patna for the setting up of IT city, IT park and IT towers. Bihar has been a land of knowledge and learning. Our youths are intelligent, hardworking and dependable. And, above all, we are keen to reclaim our glory as the knowledge-hub. Promoting IT sector is the logical way forward, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The DNA samples of 10-year-old rape victims newborn child and accused victims 45-year-old uncle- do not match. The news has left everyone shocked and suspecting who is the other rapist and who is lying? Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) report reveals that the DNA of accused and newborn do not match. However, girls parents do not suspect anyone else other than the uncle, who used to stay near their house. The girl is still narrating the same story and naming the same man to the counsellors. However, the counsellors associated with the family sense something fishy in this entire case. They believe, Something is wrong somewhere with the family. In my career, I have dealt with many such cases but this was a very unusual case. Its not because a 10-year-old child was raped but how the family behaved and dealt with the entire case is unusual, said a senior official working with a social organisation. Usually, parents are stressed out, they cry, show anger, and then victimize themselves that why it happened with their child. But nothing of this sort was noted in this case, he said. They also found the mothers response very unusual. This girls mother remained extremely calm throughout the episode. She has that smiling face. I only saw her upset or crying, a day before the delivery of the child. However, father of the child was seen visibly upset. From the very first day, he dealt with the entire issue with maturity, but some things about him were not normal. Cop and 10-year-old rape survivor, both pregnant, share a special bond He added, For instance, when his child was admitted in the hospital, he was always concerned about attending his office. Even on the day of the delivery, he was reluctant to go to his office.This could be either his nature or maybe he is too poor and cannot afford to miss the office but it was weird. Secondly, he does not want to shift the school of the child or residence, which is quite weird as almost everybody knows about her in the school, he further explained. Another thing which bothers the counsellors is the parents perusal to send the child to school only 15 days post the delivery. According to a PGIMER psychologist, this could be because parents wanted to give a normal environment to the child. However, counsellors do not agree to this point. As a parent dont you know your childs medical condition? How can you send her to school when doctors have advised rest? a counsellor questions. Mothers reaction to DNA mismatch didnt go well with counsellors They counsellors found the familys reaction to DNA report little weird. They are not suspecting anyone else. They have taken a stand that they dont doubt anyone but as a parent they should doubt and think of other suspect as the person (other accused) is still roaming in open and can harm the child, said the officer. Their reaction does not seem to be okay, it seems they are hiding something, he said. He added,Earlier we were not going into much details as the child had given a statement, but now each and every aspect will be looked into. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a chargesheet against IFS officer Birendra Choudhary in its special court in a graft case of Rs 1 lakh. The officer was charged under Section 7 ( public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration on respect of an official act) and others of Prevention of Corruption Act. The 1,500 page challan also stated a list of about 20 prosecution witnesses, whose statements will be put on record. The CBI has also referred to another corruption case registered against Chaudhary, wherein he was booked by Mumbais anti-corruption cell where he was posted as deputy forest conservator at Dadar and Nagar Haveli in 2010. Meanwhile, the defence counsel withdrew his bail application. The bail plea will now be filed later. According to a report in Indian Express, as many as 51,500 film cans have gone missing from the National Film Archive of India (NFAI), which claims to have 1.3 lakh film reels in its vaults. A Pune-based private firm Cameo Digital Systems Pvt Ltd, which was given the task of barcoding all the reels in the possession of NFAI in 2012, found that 51,500 cans of film reels and over 9,200 prints were not physically present at the archives. Additionally, 4,922 cans containing 1,112 film titles, which are not listed in the NFAIs registers, were present in its vaults. This information formed a part of a set of reports that the firm submitted to NFAI along with a summary of inventory. The Indian Express got access to these reports under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The missing films list includes a number of historically and culturally important films. The films include those made by Satyajit Ray (Pather Panchali, its sequel Aparajito and Charulata), Mehboob Khan (Mother India), Raj Kapoor (Mera Naam Joker, Awaara), Mrinal Sen (Bhuvan Shome), Guru Dutt (Kaagaz ke Phool) and several other giants of Indian cinema, the report adds. Not just films made by Indian directors, several international films have also gone missing. These include works of Sergei Eisenstein (Battleship Potemkin), Vittorio De Sica (Bicycle Thieves aka The Bicycle Thief), Akira Kurosawa (Seven Samurai), Roman Polanski (Knife in the Water) and Andrzej Wajda (Ashes and Diamonds). National and international films from the silent era too are in the list. Apart from films, footage from real historical events from pre-Independence India have also disappeared. These include Mahatma Gandhis visit to Paris, the Indian National Congresss Karachi congregation and US president Richard Nixons address during his visit to India 1969. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop NASAs Cassini probe is counting its final hours before plunging into Saturn on Friday that will cap a fruitful mission that greatly expanded knowledge about the gas giant. Cassini flew by Titan one last time on Tuesday before transmitting images and scientific data from the flight. Mission engineers will use the information gathered from the encounter which they dubbed the goodbye kiss to make sure the vessel is following the right path to plunge into the gas giants atmosphere. When Cassini ends its 13-year tour of the Saturn system with an intentional plunge into the planet on Friday, the spacecrafts speed will be approximately 1,13,000 km per hour, NASA said. The missions final calculations predict loss of contact with the Cassini spacecraft will take place on Friday at 7:55am EDT (5.25pm IST). Cassini will enter Saturns atmosphere approximately one minute earlier, at an altitude of about 1,915 kilometres above the planets estimated cloud tops. When Cassini first begins to encounter Saturns atmosphere, the spacecrafts attitude control thrusters will begin firing in short bursts to work against the thin gas and keep Cassinis saucer-shaped high-gain antenna pointed at Earth to relay the missions precious final data. As the atmosphere thickens, the thrusters will be forced to ramp up their activity, going from 10% of their capacity to 100% in the span of about a minute. Once they are firing at full capacity, the thrusters can do no more to keep Cassini stable and pointed, and the spacecraft will begin to tumble. When the antenna points just a few fractions of a degree away from Earth, communications will be severed permanently, NASA said. The predicted altitude for loss of signal is approximately 1,500 kilometres above Saturns cloud tops. From that point, the spacecraft will begin to burn up like a meteor. Within about 30 seconds following loss of signal, the spacecraft will begin to come apart. Within a couple of minutes, all remnants of the spacecraft are expected to be completely consumed in the atmosphere of Saturn. Due to the travel time for radio signals from Saturn, which changes as both Earth and the ringed planet travel around the Sun, events currently take place there 83 minutes before they are observed on Earth. This means that, although the spacecraft will begin to tumble and go out of communication at 6:31am EDT at Saturn, the signal from that event will not be received at Earth until 83 minutes later. The spacecrafts final signal will be like an echo. It will radiate across the solar system for nearly an hour and a half after Cassini itself has gone, said Earl Maize, Cassini project manager at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Even though well know that, at Saturn, Cassini has already met its fate, its mission isnt truly over for us on Earth as long as were still receiving its signal, Maize added. By safely disposing of the spacecraft in Saturns atmosphere, we avoid any possibility Cassini could impact one of Saturns moons somewhere down the road, keeping them pristine for future exploration Where can you watch the plunge Live mission commentary and video from Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mission Control will air on NASA TV and the agencys website from 7 to 8:30am EDT (4.30 to 6 pm India time)on Friday. Launched in 1997, Cassini arrived in orbit around Saturn in 2004 on a mission to study the giant planet, its rings, moons and magnetosphere. When Venkateshwarlu and Eshwaramma lost their teenage son to dengue at the government-run Niloufer Hospital in Hyderabad on Wednesday, they thought things couldnt possibly get any worse. They were wrong. The duo brought the boys body to their rented residence at Venkateshwara Nagar Colony in Kukatpally hours later, only to find the landlord Jagadish Gupta blocking the entrance. The reason? Gupta had married his daughter off only three months ago, and it was considered inauspicious to allow a corpse into the house for at least a year afterwards. So Venkateshwarlu and Eshwaramma ended up spending the night with the body of 13-year-old Suresh once a happy-go-lucky Class VI student outside the house compound, even as the skies unleashed a veritable thunderstorm on them. The hapless couple pleaded with Gupta in the rain, asking him to at least allow the body into the compound, but he remained unmoved. Some of their neighbours took pity on the couple, and covered them with a tarpaulin. A few youngsters in the area even arranged for a freezer to keep the body in. It was only in the morning, after the rain had stopped, that the residents of the colony began protesting outside Guptas house. The family finally took the boys body to the cemetery and performed the last rites around 8 am. No police case was filed against the landlord. However, Andhra Pradesh Child Rights Association president P Achyuta Rao said they were planning to file a petition before the State Human Rights Commission. Though inhuman, such instances are not uncommon. There is a need for legal intervention to help bereaved families in such situations, he said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Gabriel Alberto Andrade has lived in a van for a year, unable to pay for a home in Spains Ibiza where rental prices have shot up as mass tourism takes its toll on locals. Known as much as a wild party island as a place of tranquility with coves of turquoise blue water, Ibiza has increased in popularity over the years. But behind the sea, sun, dancing and yachts lurks a serious problem of tourism overcrowding that is preventing many locals from finding affordable accommodation. Its not easy living in a van but rental prices are crazy, you just cant pay them, says Andrade, a 47-year-old Argentine who has lived in this part of the Balearic Islands since 2000, but was forced to move out of his home when he separated from his wife. In his metallic blue van, he sleeps on a sofa-bed and makes meals on a small gas cooker. On the roof, solar panels provide him with electricity. Just under a decade ago, he says he could rent a country house for just 400 euros ($470) a month. Now for that price, he would be reduced to sharing a room. The number of tourists visiting Ibiza, a small island of just 142,000 inhabitants, has almost doubled from 1.7 million in 2010 to three million in 2016, according to the regional statistics institute. This mirrors a similar trend in the rest of Spain, the worlds third tourism destination which close to 76 million people visited in 2016, although there are fears last months terror attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils may dampen their enthusiasm. Known as much as a wild party island as a place of tranquility with coves of turquoise blue water, Ibiza has increased in popularity over the years. (Shutterstock) In Ibiza, high demand for accommodation prompted the appearance of scores of tourist rentals, most of them without a permit, provoking a rise in real-estate prices and making it hard to find a room for less than 600 euros. The citizens Platform of those Affected by Rental Prices in Ibiza has detailed the existence of countless abusive offers -- 500 euros a month to live on a balcony, 300 euros for a mattress not including the bathroom, or 2,100 euros for a small caravan. The situation gets even worse in high season, when the number of people on the island triples and temporary workers are needed in the tourism industry and other sectors, such as health services. Such is the difficulty to find affordable housing that the Can Misses Hospital in Ibiza, the main one on the island, has rehabilitated an unused floor to provide accommodation for temporary workers. Javier Segura, a 30-year-old microbiologist, arrived in June and was forced to stay there after an unsuccessful search for a flat. Some of the offers were rip-offs and others were really pricey... over 2,000 to 3,000 euros, he says. And the offers with accessible prices, between 1,000 and 2,000, were all taken. Ibiza was once poor and relied solely on fishing and agriculture before turning into an attraction for visitors in the 1960s. (Shutterstock) In an ironic twist, the tourism sector itself is finding it hard to find much-needed temporary workers if it doesnt offer accommodation with the contract. Years ago in May, I would receive 10 to 12 CVs every day to come work in the summer, now just one or two come, says Joan Riera, owner of the Can Alfredo rice restaurant in Ibiza Town, who has since opted to hire local personnel only. We have perverted the system, deplores Lucas Prats, president of an organisation that promotes tourism. Before there were buildings dedicated to residential homes and those in tourism zones. Now everything is for tourism. As such, the regional parliament of the Balearic Islands has passed a law banning the use of apartments for tourists without a permit. It also limits to just over 623,000 the number of visitors who can stay in hotels or legal rental accommodation in one go, and plans to reduce that figure to around 500,000. The aim is to stop locals from turning against tourism, an important activity for an island that was once poor and relied solely on fishing and agriculture before turning into an attraction for visitors in the 1960s. In Ibiza there are no exceptions, we all live off tourism, says Prats. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more At least 50 people, including Iranians, were killed on Thursday in twin gun and car bomb attacks near the city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq, local officials said. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for twin attacks. In a statement released by its propaganda arm Amaq, IS said several suicide bombers had staged the assault on a restaurant and a security checkpoint. The toll has now reached 50 dead and 87 wounded, Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy health chief for the mainly Shiite province of Dhiqar of which Nasiriyah is the capital, told AFP. He warned that the death toll could rise as many of the wounded were in serious condition. The first attack struck close to a restaurant while shortly afterwards a car bomb targeted a security checkpoint in the same area, officials said. Security sources said the attackers were disguised as members of the Hashed al-Shaabi, mainly Shiite paramilitary units which have fought alongside the army and police against the Islamic State jihadist group to the north of Baghdad. The area targeted is used by Shiite pilgrims and visitors from neighbouring Iran headed for the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala further north, although Dhiqar has previously been spared the worst of the violence. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but IS regularly stages attacks in Iraq, where the jihadist group has lost swathes of territory to US-backed pro-government forces. Images showed that the nuclear test conducted by North Korea, which it claims was an Hydrogen Bomb, was powerful enough to sink an 85-acre area on the mountain under which it was likely detonated earlier in September, a Washington Post report said. Airbus Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite took pictures of the Mount Mantap before and after the nuclear test. They showed significant changes at Mount Mantaps peak elevation. Prior to the test, Mount Mantap was 2,205 meters high; the mountain has since diminished in height, wrote Jeffrey Lewis, head of the East Asia programme at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. You can see that the explosion visibly displaces the mountain, which demonstrates both how large the explosion was but also that it occurred in the same tunnel complex as the preceding four nuclear tests, said Lewis on the Arms Control Wonk website. Our friends at @AirbusDefence shared radar images of North Korea's nuclear test site showing post-test subsidence.https://t.co/DtWBQY2jUN pic.twitter.com/jII5NNJzKs Jeffrey Lewis (@ArmsControlWonk) 13 September 2017 The SAR satellites can observe environmental changes due to explosions and locate where the explosion might have occurred, said Lewis. US monitors measured a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake near the Norths main testing site on September 3, felt in parts of China and Russia, with an aftershock possibly caused by a rock cave-in. It was the sixth and most powerful test North Korea has conducted since its first in 2006, demonstrating a stunning advance in the countrys ability to build high-yield nuclear weapons. According to the Souths Yonhap news agency, Seouls National Intelligence Service said the test was the fifth the North had conducted in the same No. 2 tunnel at the Punggye-ri test site, and it was likely to have collapsed. North Korea is the only country in the world that still carries out underground nuclear tests. The North has four tunnel openings into four mountains at their Punggye-ri test site in its mountainous northeast. The first tunnel was abandoned after just one use, probably because gases leaked and authorities realised the geology there was unfavourable. They conducted their next five tests, including the September 3 test, at the second mountain: Mount Mantap. The others remain unused. The satellite images are additional proof that the September 2017 explosion was much larger than ever before at this site, Melissa Hanham, a researcher at the Center for Nonproliferation, was quoted as saying by the Post. Hanham added that the images from the Norths nuclear test last year did not show substantial change on the mountains surface. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrives for the official opening of the Ryomyong residential area, in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP File Photo) A US-based website that is linked to John Hopkins University, 38 North, raised its estimate for the yield of the blast to rought 250 kilotons. If true, the figure is more than 16 times the size of the 15 kiloton H-Bomb America dropped on Hiroshima in 1954. This large explosive yield is also quite close to what 38 North had previously determined to be the maximum estimated containable yield for the Punggye-ri test site, said 38 North. US officials have said they are still assessing whether it was an H-bomb, also known as a thermonuclear weapon, but that so far there is nothing inconsistent with the North Korean claim that this was a hydrogen bomb. A North Korean state agency threatened on Thursday to use nuclear weapons to sink Japan and reduce the United States to ashes and darkness for supporting a UN Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test. (With agency inputs) China on Thursday sent out a clear message to India about its deepening ties with Japan - New Delhi and Tokyo should forge a partnership conducive to peace in the region instead of an alliance. During Prime Minister Shinzo Abes two-day official visit to India, India and Japan discussed their joint role in the India-Pacific region where China is increasingly becoming assertive. The message from the foreign ministry in Beijing was couched in diplomatic terms but the message was sharp close ties between India and Japan should not be an effort to counter China. We advocate that regional countries should stand for dialogue without confrontation and work for partnership instead of alliance, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. We also stay open and welcome normal development of relations between the countries in the region. We hope that relations will be conducive to regional peace and stability and can play a constructive role in this regard, Hua told a regular news briefing. Beijing is closely tracking Abes high-profile visit to India. It certainly wouldnt have escaped Chinas notice that Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Abe in Gujarat, where he had welcomed President Xi Jinping exactly three years ago. An editorial in the nationalistic Global Time tabloid talked about expanding ties between New Delhi and Tokyo, and Japans narrow-minded outlook to encircle China. The editorial said that in a changing world, the India-Japan intimacy is more like a contrivance. As long as Chinese society is mentally strong enough, calls in the Indian and Japanese media for them to draw closer will be in vain. India and Japan are unlikely to form a military and political alliance with the US, despite not being able to let go of the mentality from the 20th century, said the editorial, which also referred to the recently resolved standoff between India and China at Doklam. After the Doklam standoff, more voices in the Indian media instigate the country to step up cooperation with the US and Japan against China and exaggerate the geopolitical significance of closer India-Japan ties. Yet this to a large degree has exposed the vulnerable feeling of the Indian strategic circle in front of China, it added. The editorial further said: They want to encourage themselves by calling for India's alliance with the US and Japan to showcase India's strategic potential to China. This suits the desperate needs of Indian society's mentality. It added, A strong China has the confidence that no Asian country can substantially challenge China's national security, nor can they by grouping together. China has been in the core of economic cooperation in Asia. Geopolitics is unlikely to go against the geo-economic situation. Sharing best practises in agriculture among the five BRICS countries can address the issue of food security, a leading Indian expert in the sector has said. Increased cooperation in the sector will also increase trade between Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the five members of the group, VS Sahney, chairperson of the BRICS agricultural business forum said. Sahney, who attended the recently concluded 9th BRICS summit in the coastal city of Xiamen in southeastern China, said cooperation in agriculture will also positively impact climate change. The five countries should work to harmonise quality parameters and quarantine restrictions, Sahney, chairperson of the Sun Group, said. Agriculture was one of the highlighted issues in the Xiamen Declaration, released after the BRICS plenary session last week. The BRICS nations leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in the field of food security, trade in agricultural products and investment in this sector. Noting the fruitful agricultural cooperation over the past years, we recognise the unique characteristics and complementarity of BRICS countries in agricultural development and vast cooperation potential in this area, the declaration said. It added: In this connection, we agree to deepen cooperation in the five priority areas such as food security and nutrition, adaptation of agriculture to climate change, agricultural technology cooperation and innovation, agricultural trade and investment. The BRICS member states heads have welcomed the establishment of a Coordination Centre for the BRICS Agriculture Research Platform in India which should contribute to the implementation of the above-mentioned goals. Two top US Democrats have said they have struck a deal with President Donald Trump to protect about 800,000 young immigrants, including from India, who came to America illegally as children. Trump had scrapped the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme earlier this month which protect some 800,000 people who came to the US illegally as children. The measures also provide temporary permits for work and study. Trump had said he would cancel the scheme, while giving Congress six months to enact a replacement plan for DACA recipients. Following talks over dinner at the White House, house minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said: We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall (Mexican), thats acceptable to both sides. We also urged the President to make permanent the cost-sharing reduction payments, and those discussions will continue, they said in a joint statement. While Democratic leaders sought to declare the deal as a victory for their priorities, Republican votes will be needed for any immigration overhaul. The White House, however, pushed back on the account of the agreement provided by the Democratic leaders. While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. Trump wants to build a wall along the United States border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants. According to a White House official, Trump had a constructive working dinner with Senate and House Minority Leaders as well as administration officials to discuss policy and legislative priorities. These topics included tax reform, border security, DACA, infrastructure and trade. This is a positive step toward the Presidents strong commitment to bipartisan solutions for the issues most important to all Americans, the official said. The Administration looks forward to continuing these conversations with leadership on both sides of the aisle, said the White House official. According to South Asian Americans Living Together (SAALT), a non-profit organisation, over 27,000 Asian Americans, including 5,500 Indians and Pakistanis, have already received DACA. An additional estimated 17,000 individuals from India and 6,000 Pakistan respectively are eligible for DACA, placing India in the top ten countries for DACA eligibility, it said. With the termination of DACA, as announced by the Trump administration, these individuals could face deportation at the discretion of the administration, it said. If theres one thing that unites Aung San Suu Kyis party, the army that once tried to crush her, and the majority of people in mostly Buddhist Myanmar, it is their vehement dislike of the Rohingya Muslims, seen as a threat to national security. We dont love the military, but we are together on this one, said Nyan Win, a top official of Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD), who the countrys former junta had detained for nearly three years. Our sovereignty cant be violated and that is why we are united. These people are illegal immigrants, thats for sure. But the international community never mentions that, said Nyan Win, 75, who chairs the ruling NLDs media team and is one of the most influential members of the party. But even as the United Nations has called the army crackdown on the Rohingya ethnic cleansing, western diplomats - from countries competing with China for influence in the Southeast Asian nation - say abandoning Suu Kyi or reimposing sanctions could risk Myanmars democratic transition. Though Rohingya families have lived in Myanmar for generations, they are denied citizenship and access to basic civil rights such as freedom of movement, decent education and healthcare. Attacks by Rohingya militants on security posts last month triggered an army operation that has killed more than 400 people, destroyed over 6,800 houses and sent nearly 400,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh. Rohingya refugees and rights groups say the army has launched a campaign aimed at driving them out. Fake news Suu Kyi, who holds the title of State Counsellor and is de facto head of government, has said the militant Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) is responsible for the burning of homes, civilian deaths as well as a huge iceberg of misinformation on the strife in Rakhine. Revered when she was under house arrest for some 15 years, the Nobel peace winner has been criticised by fellow Nobel laureates and some leaders across the world. A petition drive is under way to revoke her Nobel prize. Malala Yousafzai, a fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate, called on her to condemn the shameful treatment of the Rohingya, saying the world is waiting for her to speak out. Shame on you Malala! You know nothing about real situation in our country, Myanmar Internet user Nann Wint War wrote in a tweet. There is no Rohingya, only Bengali terrorists in Rakhine, said the tweet, a reference to Rohingya that suggests they come from Bangladesh. Suu Kyis government launched a media campaign aimed at shoring up public support for the operation. In Facebook and Twitter posts, it has shown off support for non-Muslims displaced by the violence and blamed the international community for distributing fake news about alleged rights abuses. Hard Evidence Please!, Suu Kyis spokesman, Zaw Htay, said in a tweet last week reacting to a BBC News report that Rakhine Buddhist villagers set Muslim houses on fire. You wrote you just saw it, share your #Evidence. Aung Shin, an NLD spokesman, said only Myanmar citizens understand the situation in Rakhine as foreign countries made their assumption based on questionable facts they obtained. Many in Myanmar fear the Rohingya present a threat to the Buddhist Rakhine majority in Rakhine State. Sixteen non-Muslims were killed and nearly 30,000 have also been displaced, fleeing to larger towns. True guardians The conflict in Rakhine has stoked communal tensions across the country. A mob armed with sticks and swords, threatening to attack a mosque in central Myanmar, was only dispersed on Sunday after police with riot shields fired rubber bullets. Muslims have voiced fear that other mosques will come under attack and have asked for tighter security. Thiri Thant Mon, managing director at Yangon-based investment advisory firm Sandanila, said many in Myanmar think the international community has wrongly directed its attention to the Rohingya fleeing Myanmar, instead of the suffering of Rakhine Buddhists in one of its poorest states. The entire population here just feel misunderstood. They feel like we are not bad people. Its not us, its them who are killing us and why arent you talking about it? said Thiri Thant Mon, who herself does not identify with such views. The Rohingya issue has put Suu Kyi in an awkward position politically, the diplomats said. The military still controls much of the state apparatus even after the 2011 transition to democracy. It portrays itself as the true guardians of nationalism and Buddhism. They say that could be a reason for Suu Kyis reticence. If she speaks out on such a sensitive issue, the situation will explode, making it harder for her to solve the problem in Rakhine, said Nyan Win, the NLD executive. We can accept them as humans but we cannot let them move around freely, which violates our sovereignty, he said, adding the Rohingya belong in camps for displaced people in Rakhine due to security reasons. We cant give them freedom of movement because they are not our citizens. An Indian-origin doctor was stabbed to death in the US state of Kansas and police have arrested a 21-year-old suspect on charges of first-degree murder, officials said on Thursday. Psychiatrist Achutha Reddy, who hailed from Nalgonda in Telangana, was found dead with multiple knife wounds near the Holistic Psychiatric Services building on Carriage Parkway in Wichita at 7.22 pm local time on Wednesday. One of his patients, 21-year-old Umar Rashid Dutt, also an Indian-American, has been arrested and charged with first degree murder. Reddy was pronounced dead on the scene by the police, Lt Todd Ojile, section commander of the homicide division at the Wichita Police Department, told reporters at a news conference on Thursday. The accused man was found at a country club after a security guard reported a suspicious person sitting in a car in the parking lot with blood on his clothes. Officers took the suspect, who was subsequently identified as Dutt, into custody. During the investigation, we learned that the 21-year- old suspect was a client of Dr Reddy and had been at the office. The suspect was in the business for a short time. He left and then later came back with Dr Reddy and they went into an office there, Ojile said. The officer manager told police she heard some disturbance and found Dutt assaulting Reddy. Reddy tried to leave but Dutt followed him and allegedly stabbed him numerous times in the alley. Umar has been held on $1 million bond. According to Wichita State University, he was a former student and was last enrolled in the spring of 2015. Reddy was an alumni of Osmania Medical College in India, from which he graduated in 1986. He later moved to the US and completed his residency in psychiatry from the University of Kansas Medical School in Wichita, and then began practising in 1989. He was running the Holistic Psychiatric Services in Wichita, apart from being affiliated to several hospitals in the area. He is survived by his wife Beena and their three children Radha, Lakshmi and Vishnu, besides his parents Bhadra and Parijata Reddy. The Indian American community in Wichita has expressed shock over incident. With a heavy heart, we regret to inform our community, that a member of our Wichita Indian Community lost his life last night. We will provide more information as it becomes available, Cultural Association of India-Wichita said. In February, Hyderabad engineer Srinivas Kuchibhotla, also from Andhra Pradesh, was shot dead in Kansas City in a racially motivated crime. (With PTI inputs) Iraqi forces backed by tribal fighters are manoeuvring into position in the western desert bordering Syria to launch an offensive against one of the last bastions of the Islamic State group. The jihadist group has suffered a string of defeats on the battlefield that have left in tatters its caliphate, three years after it was declared. After driving IS out of Nineveh province earlier this year, the Iraqi government set its eyes on Hawija, north of Baghdad, as well as the towns of Al-Qaim, Rawa and Anna in the western desert. On Tuesday an AFP correspondent who toured the region saw several artillery units positioning themselves around Rawa and Anna, around 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the border with Syria. Moving in clouds of dust, gunners set up their equipment in the rugged terrain and dug trenches before test-firing mortar rounds. Further in the distance the infantry deployed, backed by tribal fighters. Sheikh Qatari Kahlan, who commands one of the tribal units, said his forces were ready for battle. All the tribes wanted to take part to liberate the region and fight against IS, he told AFP. Tribe members inside Anna and Rawa are giving us information and assuring us that the battle will be ferocious but quick, he added, pointing an automatic rifle at the horizon. Up ahead a few palm trees dotted an otherwise desert landscape, through which runs an asphalt road. An Iraqi general, who declined to be named, estimated that more than 1,500 jihadists were in Anna, Rawa and Al-Qaim. Al-Qaim lies closer to the Syria border and just across from Deir Ezzor province where IS jihadists are facing separate offensives from US-led Arab-Kurdish forces and government troops backed by Russia. The Iraqi general said the battle for the three towns could begin after an expected assault on Hawija -- 300 kilometres (185 miles) -- or simultaneously. - We know their methods - Another Iraqi commander, Qotaiba Assaad, said he expected the offensive to retake Rawa, Anna and Al-Qaim to be quick and to our advantage. We have fought IS for three years and we know their methods: car bombs, snipers and bombs, said Assaad, who set up his unit in Al-Sagra a few kilometres away from Rawa and Anna. Lieutenant Colonel Jamal Amr said huge efforts and a real coordination between all our forces are needed to keep the jihadists from across the porous Iraq-Syria border. The battle for Hawija is expected to be more complicated because of its location in oil-rich Kirkuk province, which is at the centre of a long-running dispute between the Iraqi federal government in Baghdad and regional Kurdish authorities. An offensive targeting Hawija could also be postponed due to a referendum on Kurdish independence planned for September 25 -- which Baghdad has called unconstitutional and untimely. On Tuesday Iraqs parliament voted against plans by Kurdish leaders to hold the referendum. Iraqi forces and paramilitary units announced plans to retake Hawija on September 1, a day after recapturing Tal Afar and weeks after ousting IS jihadists from second city Mosul. IS once held almost one-third of Iraqs territory, but the US-led coalition supporting the fight against them said after the fall of Tal Afar that the jihadists were left with no more than 10 percent of that. Twenty-five people, most of them students, were killed Thursday when a blaze tore through a Malaysian religious school, in what officials said was one of the countrys worst fire disasters for years. The blaze broke out before dawn in the two-storey building, Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, located in the centre of the capital Kuala Lumpur. Firefighters rushed to the scene and the blaze was out within an hour but not before it wreaked terrible devastation -- pictures in local media showed ash-covered, fire-blackened beds. It really does not make sense for so many to die in the fire, Khirudin Drahman, director of Kuala Lumpurs fire and rescue department told AFP. I think it is one of the countrys worst fire disaster in the past 20 years. He said that the number confirmed dead was 23 students and two adult wardens, adding that they could have died due to smoke inhalation or got trapped in the fire. We are now investigating the cause of the fire, he said. Loga Bala Mohan, the governments federal territories deputy minister, said: We sympathise with the families. It is one of the worst fires involving so many lives in the capital in recent years. We urgently want the authorities to quickly probe the cause of the deadly fire so that we will be able to prevent future disasters. A fire department official at the scene said that the blaze broke out in bedrooms before dawn, and firefighters from a nearby station were on the scene within minutes. The Star newspaper reported that the fire and rescue department had raised concerns about fire safety measures at unregistered and private religious schools -- known as tahfiz, and had recorded 211 fires at the institutions since 2015. In August, 16 people including eight students fled an early morning fire at a family-run tahfiz in Baling, in the northern state of Kedah, the paper reported. There were 519 tahfiz schools registered across the country as of April, but many more are believed to be unregistered, the paper said. In October last year, six people died in a fire that swept through the intensive care unit of a major hospital in the southern state of Johor. Controversial Indian businessman Vijay Mallya on Thursday skipped his extradition hearing at the Westminster Magistrates Court, which set November 20 as the next date for a review hearing before the formal trial begins on December 4. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which represents the Indian government in court, told chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot that photographic evidence had been submitted along with a detailed note on the prison where Mallya would be lodged if extradited. According to the note, Mallya, who is wanted in India for financial offences, will be sent to the high security barrack number 12 of the Mumbai Central Prison (also known as the Arthur Road Jail). Prison conditions have been an issue in previous extradition hearings to India, the magistrate noted. CPS lawyer Mark Summers said the Indian government, anticipating that this would be an issue, submitted a detailed note on the prison conditions, including photographic evidence of the cell where Mallya may be lodged. Details of the prison conditions were also reiterated by former home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi to London, who informed his counterparts at the UK home office that the jail facilities were no less than those in European prisons. Though Mallya did not attend the hearing (case number1700934281), Arbuthnot noted that he remained on bail until December 4. Mallyas legal team had delivered a box of several hard-copy documents to the CPS recently, but the latter said a week had been lost since it was not submitted in electronic format, and thus had to be scanned. Mallyas defence team submitted the names of some individuals supposed to be experts in areas of aviation, banking, law and politics, who could be witnesses in the case. The CPS said it was awaiting some reports from the defence team. The extradition process in Britain includes several opportunities for appeal. If the court approves the extradition, it still has to be finally approved by the home secretary. For example, the extradition of Tiger Hanif wanted for two bomb attacks in Gujarat in 1993 has been cleared by court but is yet to be approved by the home secretary. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON China endorses Myanmars offensive against Rohingya Muslim insurgents, Myanmar state media said on Thursday, as the UN secretary-general described the operation, forcing nearly 400,000 people to flee to Bangladesh, as ethnic cleansing. The Myanmar military offensive in the western state of Rakhine was triggered by a series of guerrilla attacks on Aug. 25 on security posts and an army camp in which about a dozen people were killed. The stance of China regarding the terrorist attacks in Rakhine is clear, it is just an internal affair, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper on Thursday quoted Chinas ambassador, Hong Liang, as telling top government officials. The counter-attacks of Myanmar security forces against extremist terrorists and the governments undertakings to provide assistance to the people are strongly welcomed. China competes with the United States for influence in Myanmar, which in 2011 began emerging from nearly 50 years of strict military rule and diplomatic and economic isolation. Earlier this week, the Trump administration called for protection of civilians. The violence in Rakhine and the exodus of refugees is the most pressing problem Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has faced since becoming national leader last year. Critics have called for her to be stripped of her Nobel prize for failing to do more to halt the strife. She is due to address the nation on Tuesday. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council on Wednesday urged Myanmar to end the violence, which he said was best described as ethnic cleansing. When one third of the Rohingya population had to flee the country, could you find a better word to describe it? he told a news conference in New York. The government says it is targeting terrorists, while refugees say the offensive aims to push Rohingya out of Buddhist-majority Myanmar. Numerous Rohingya villages in the north of Rakhine have been torched but authorities have denied that security forces or Buddhist civilians have been setting the fires. They blame the insurgents. The government said on Wednesday 45 places had been burned. It did not provide details but a spokesman said out of 471 villages in the north of Rakhine, 176 of them had been deserted and at least some people had left 34 others. The spokesman, Zaw Htay, said the people fleeing to Bangladesh were either linked to the insurgents, or women and children fleeing conflict. According to government figures, 432 people have been killed, most of them insurgents, since Aug. 25. Bangladesh authorities say at least 100 bodies have been found in a border river and on nearby beaches, some with wounds. Smoke was rising from at least two places on the Myanmar side on Thursday, a Reuters reporter in Bangladesh said. It was not clear what was burning. DE-ESCALATE The term came into use during the war in the former Yugoslavia and it has been used in UN resolutions. It has also been acknowledged in judgements and indictments of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, according to the UN Office on Genocide Prevention. A UN commission of experts defined it as rendering an area ethnically homogeneous by using force or intimidation to remove persons of given groups. The 15-member Security Council met behind closed doors on Wednesday, at the request of Sweden and Britain, to discuss the crisis for the second time since it began and agreed to publicly condemn the situation. The council expressed concern about reports of excessive violence during the security operations and called for immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, de-escalate the situation, re-establish law and order, ensure the protection of civilians ... and resolve the refugee problem. British UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said it was the first statement from the Security Council on Myanmar in nine years. Such statements have to be agreed by consensus and Russia and China have traditionally protected Myanmar from any action. Bangladesh says all the refugees will have to go home and has called for safe zones in Myanmar. But Myanmar says safe zones are unacceptable. Aid agencies have to step up operations massively to help the refugees, a UN official said on Wednesday, adding that an earlier UN target of $77 million would not be enough to deal with the crisis. There are acute shortages of everything, the UN childrens agency said There are also fears of a humanitarian crisis on the Myanmar side of the border. The government has accused some aid groups of helping the insurgents and has severely restricted access. The aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres said it had reports that its clinics in Rakhine had been burned down and it called for unfettered access to people in desperate need. The idea of zero crucial to mathematics and all calculations is widely believed to have originated in India, but carbon dating at the University of Oxford has now proved that an Indian text mentioned it as early as the third or fourth century much earlier than thought. Considered the oldest recorded origin of zero, its mention in the Bakhshali manuscript dates it to a period hundreds of years than previously thought. It was found in 1881 in a field in Bakhshali village near Peshawar, and has been in the Bodleian Library of Oxford since 1902. The library said on Thursday that the surprising results of the first ever radiocarbon dating on the Bakhshali manuscript which contains hundreds of zeroes reveals that it dates from as early as the third or fourth century approximately five centuries older than scholars had previously believed. One of the pages of the Bakhshali manuscript, which was found in 1881 in a field in Bakhshali village near Peshawar. (Image courtesy: Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford) This means that the manuscript in fact predates a ninth century inscription of zero on the wall of a temple in Gwalior, which was previously considered to be the oldest recorded example of a zero used as a placeholder in India. The findings are highly significant for the study of the early history of mathematics, it said. The zero symbol that we use today evolved from a dot that was used in ancient India and can be seen throughout the Bakhshali manuscript. The dot was originally used as a placeholder, meaning it was used to indicate orders of magnitude in a number system for example, denoting 10s, 100s and 1000s, the library said. While the use of zero as a placeholder was seen in several different ancient cultures, such as among the ancient Mayans and Babylonians, the symbol in the Bakhshali manuscript is considered particularly significant for two reasons. First, it is this dot that evolved to have a hollow centre and became the symbol that we use as zero today. Secondly, it was only in India that this zero developed into a number in its own right, hence creating the concept and the number zero that we understand today. This happened in 628 AD, just a few centuries after the Bakhshali manuscript was produced, when the Indian astronomer and mathematician Brahmagupta wrote a text called Brahmasphutasiddhanta, which is the first document to discuss zero as a number. The document will be displayed in the Illuminating India: 5000 Years of Science' exhibition at the Science Museum in London from October 4. It is part of a season of exhibitions and events that celebrates Indias contribution to science, technology and mathematics. Although the Bakhshali manuscript is widely acknowledged as the oldest Indian mathematical text, the exact age of the manuscript has long been the subject of academic debate. The most authoritative academic study on the manuscript, conducted by Japanese scholar Hayashi Takao, asserted that it probably dated from between the eighth and the 12th century, based on factors such as the style of writing and the literary and mathematical content. The new carbon dating reveals that the reason why it was previously so difficult for scholars to pinpoint the Bakhshali manuscripts date is because the manuscript, which consists of 70 fragile leaves of birch bark, is in fact composed of material from at least three different periods. Marcus du Sautoy, professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford, said: Today we take it for granted that the concept of zero is used across the globe and is a key building block of the digital world. But the creation of zero as a number in its own right, which evolved from the placeholder dot symbol found in the Bakhshali manuscript, was one of the greatest breakthroughs in the history of mathematics. We now know that it was as early as the third century that mathematicians in India planted the seed of the idea that would later become so fundamental to the modern world. The findings show how vibrant mathematics have been in the Indian subcontinent for centuries. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Pakistan's defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan has said the onus of satisfying the United States about its concerns does not lie with Islamabad. We are here to give our point of view logically and with evidence. We will explain our position. But its not for us to satisfy them, Khan told reporters at the defence ministry on Wednesday evening. The government is currently, in Khans words, reassessing ties with the US and has simultaneously undertaken an outreach to regional countries ahead of talks with the US on future bilateral engagement. Foreign minister Khawaja Asif, after accompanying Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to the UN General Assembly session in New York next week, is expected to visit Washington for a meeting with secretary of state Rex Tillerson. Asifs meeting with Tillerson was originally scheduled for mid-August, but was postponed at Pakistans request after President Donald Trumps policy statement on Afghanistan and South Asia criticised Islamabads counter-terrorism efforts. The statement was seen as demeaning to Pakistan, dismissive of its sacrifices in the fight against terror and indifferent to Islamabads security concerns. Khan said Pakistan and the US need to have a frank and candid dialogue on issues concerning them, as differences between them would reflect in Afghanistan and other regional issues. He noted that the US did not share Pakistans threat perception about India, which he said was indulging in warmongering and building up its military capabilities. Khan also contended that a nexus between the US, India and Afghanistan in Kabul threatened Pakistan. The US knows all, but ignores the threats faced by us because of its strategic interests, he said. He said Pakistan would keep raising its concerns about India in future engagements with the US. The US cannot ignore the threat to us from India. It is (a) serious (situation), he said, adding it would be major challenge for the Pakistani side to get it acknowledged in upcoming talks. Khan said another challenge for Pakistan was that the US keeps changing the goalposts. Pakistan on Thursday warned that arms deals between Washington and New Delhi could potentially destabilize the region. Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said: We had expressed our concerns on the sale of advanced military technologies to India. We believe that such sales accentuate military imbalances in the region and undermine strategic stability in South Asia. Zakaria said the sale emboldens India to adopt aggressive military doctrines and even contemplate military adventurism. He accused India of involvement in subversive activities directed against Pakistan. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Wednesday urged Myanmars leader Aung San Suu Kyi to end the violence which has seen nearly 380,000 Rohingya Muslims flee to neighbouring Bangladesh. During a phone call, Trudeau stressed Suu Kyis role as a moral and political leader for the nation, as he voiced his deep concerns over the situation in Rakhine state for Rohingya Muslims, his office said in a statement. According to human rights organizations, 379,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar so far amid the armys ongoing violent response to attacks by Rohingya militants in Rakhine state last month. Trudeau called upon Myanmars military and civilian leaders to take a strong stand in ending the violence, promoting the protection of civilians and promoting unimpeded access for the UN and international humanitarian actors. Today I spoke with Aung San Suu Kyi to convey Canada's deep concerns for Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Details: https://t.co/R3jMdZwhQg Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) September 13, 2017 The UN has described the armys violent crackdown as a textbook example of ethnic cleansing, and called for immediate steps to end the violence Wednesday. Suu Kyi, an honorary citizen of Canada and Nobel laureate, has been criticized for her ambiguous position on the Rohingya crisis. At a press conference late Wednesday, government spokesman Zaw Htay announced Suu Kyi will address citizens next week with a message of peace and national reconciliation. The Myanmar leader has cancelled a trip to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly to tackle the crisis unfurling at home. A fire that blocked the only exit to an Islamic school dormitory killed 24 people who were trapped behind barred windows, mostly teenagers, on the outskirts of Malaysias capital early Thursday, officials said. A government official said a wall separating the victims from a second exit shouldnt have been there. Firefighters and witnesses described scenes of horror first of boys screaming for help as neighbours watched helplessly, and later of burned bodies huddled in a corner of the room. School employee Arif Mawardy said he woke up to what he thought was a thunderstorm, only to realise it was the sound of people screaming. Firefighters rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call at 5:41am and took an hour to put out the blaze, which started on the top floor of the three-story building, Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh said. He said there were at least 24 charred bodies, 22 of them boys between 13 and 17, and two teachers. We believe (they died of) suffocation ... the bodies were totally burnt, he said. Singh said 14 other students and four teachers were rescued, with six of them hospitalized in critical condition. Family members wait for news of their loved ones outside religious school Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah after a fire broke out. (Reuters Photo) The fire broke out near the only door to the boys dormitory, trapping the victims since the windows were barred, fire department senior official Abu Obaidat Mohamad Saithalimat said. He said the cause was believed to be an electrical short-circuit, though Singh said the investigation was continuing. Another fire department official, Soiman Jahid, said firefighters heard shouts for help when they arrived at the school. He said they found 13 bodies huddled in a pile on the right corner of the dorm, another eight on the left corner of the dorm and one in the middle near the staircase. Local media showed pictures of blackened bunk bed frames in the burned dormitory. A resident, Nurhayati Abdul Halim, told local media that she saw the boys crying and screaming for help when the fire broke. I saw their little hands out of the grilled windows; crying for help. ... I heard their screams and cries but I could not do anything. The fire was too strong for me to do anything, she said. She added that the school had been operating in the area for the past year. Noh Omar, Malaysias minister for urban well-being, housing and local government, said the schools original architectural plan included an open top floor that allowed access to two exit staircases. But he said a wall was built dividing that floor, leaving only one exit for the dorm. Firefighters carry a body out of religious school Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah after a fire broke out in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Reuters Photo) The wall shouldnt have been there, he said. He added that the school submitted an application for a fire safety permit that hadnt been approved. The Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah is a private Islamic center, known as a tahfiz school, for Muslim children, mainly boys, to study and memorize the Quran. Many such schools are exempt from state inspections. The Star newspaper said there were 519 tahfiz schools registered nationwide as of April, but many more are believed to be unregistered. The newspaper said the fire department had recorded 211 fires in such private Islamic centers since 2015. In August, 16 people fled a fire at a tahfiz school in northern Kedah state. Another tahfiz school was destroyed by a fire in May but no one was hurt. The worst fire disaster occurred in 1989 when 27 female students at a private Islamic school in Kedah state died when fire gutted the school and eight wooden hostels. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims, fleeing sectarian violence in Myanmar, have crossed the border into Bangladesh, short on food, water and shelter. The world has turned a blind eye, but Sikh volunteers from the UK-based international NGO Khalsa Aid have come to their aid, providing the refugees with much-needed relief. The volunteers are currently in Teknaf, a town on the border of Myanmar and Bangladesh. They have set up a daily langar service for 30,000 to 50,000 people, and aim to build stable and secure shelters for the refugees after the Bangladesh government allots land for the same. Amarpreet Singh, the managing director of the Indian wing of the charity organisation, said: These people are arriving in a desperate state. I have never seen anyone so relieved for a drink of water. They have no money to pay for public transport to the refugee camps. Local rickshaws have increased their rates because of the heightened demand so we have organised transportation to take families safely to the refugee camps. #RohingyaMuslims : Humanity is above all !! Our volunteers are on border of Bangladesh/Myanmar are reaching out to refugees. #Humanity. pic.twitter.com/uFdczAy681 Khalsa Aid (@Khalsa_Aid) September 12, 2017 Proud of our volunteers in Bangladesh ! They're working in tough conditions on the border areas distributing aid to #ROHINGYA refugees. pic.twitter.com/onIVu9a2K2 Khalsa Aid (@Khalsa_Aid) September 13, 2017 Singh has also called the situation the worst form of human crisis. As part of Khalsa Aid, we have been to more than 20 countries for the relief missions, but this is the worst I have ever seen, Singh was quoted by Australian radio broadcaster SBS Punjabi as saying. We have seen people living in the camps or open ground. The wet weather is making their lives even worse... It is an international human crisis, he said. Stating that langar is a core part of the Sikh faith, Singh said that there was no timeline for their efforts and they would continue to provide care for the refugees until the crisis is over. According to the Bangladesh envoy to India Syed Muazzem Ali, close to 380,000 Rohingya have fled violence in Buddhist-majority Myanmar since August 25, when the Myanmar Army launched a crackdown in Rakhine state following militant attacks on police posts and an army base. Myanmar spokesperson Zaw Htay on Wednesday said that 176 of the 471 Rohingya villages in Rakhine state had been deserted, with a further 34 partially abandoned. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was working to find a solution to the fate of 800,000 immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children, saying he was fairly close to clinching a deal. Were working on a plan - subject to getting massive border controls, Trump told reporters before heading out to survey hurricane-hit Florida areas. Were working on a plan for DACA. People want to see that happen. You have 800,000 young people, brought here, no fault of their own. He added: So were working on a plan, well see how it works out. Were going to get massive border security as part of that. And I think something can happen, well see what happens, but something will happen. Trumps remarks represented yet another shift in his position on the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme, with both allies and opponents unsure of what his next step will be. He had earlier this month ordered the shutting down of the programme, which prevents the deportation of undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children, including close to 8,000 people of Indian descent. However, he gave congress six months to legislate a solution to replace DACA, which was instituted through an executive order by former President Barack Obama in 2012. There is bipartisan support barring on the extreme far right to finding a way to legalize the stay of Dreamers, as DACA beneficiaries are called. Trump held discussions with the congressional Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer on Wednesday, after which the two said they had a deal to work on replacing DACA that did not include Trumps promise of a wall along the border with Mexico. But Pelosi and Schumers statement did not go down too well with Trumps base Breitbart News, a news-site run by Trumps former chief strategist Steve Bannon, referred to the president as Amnesty Don for letting the Dreamers stay, while firebrand conservative supporter Ann Coulter said it was ground enough to impeach him. Trump pushed back in a string of tweets on Thursday morning. No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote. The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built, he posted. However, he seemed to show support for the Dreamers in the very next tweets. Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really! They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security, he wrote. Trump has struggled to find a position on the issue he can stay with. While he promised to approach the fate of these immigrants an emotive issue with great heart, he has also tried to allay concerns among his supporters, who want to see the Dreamers deported as undocumented immigrants. Trumps own attorney general Jeff Sessions, who is a leading anti-illegal immigration hawk, called DACA unconstitutional while announcing its end earlier. The number of arrests made for terror-related offences in the UK jumped a record 68 per cent in the last 12 months up to June this year, according to official figures released on Thursday. According to the UK Home Office, 379 arrests reflects a spike during this year following a series of terror attacks across the country, marking the highest number of terror arrests in a 12-month period since records began in 2001. This includes the 12 arrests made in connection with the terrorist attack on Westminster Bridge and Westminster Palace (March 22, 2017), 23 arrests in connection to the terrorist attack in Manchester (May 22, 2017), 21 arrests in connection to the London Bridge attack (June 3, 2017) and one arrest in connection to the Finsbury Park Mosque attack (June 19, 2017), the Home Office said in its quarterly statistical bulletin. Of the total number of arrests, 105 people went on to be charged with a terror-related offence and 32 of them have since been found guilty. A further 68 were awaiting prosecution. The number of terrorist prisoners in British jails has also registered a hike in the past year by 35 per cent to 204. The Home Office said 91 per cent of those in prison on June 30 this year held Islamist extremist views and a further 5 per cent displayed far-right beliefs. The vast majority of those arrested were men aged over 30, British and of an Asian ethnic appearance and more than a third of those detained were white. More than three quarters were categorised as international terrorists, indicating they were linked to or motivated by a foreign group such as the Islamic State (ISIS). As well as intelligence operations and arrests, Scotland Yard carried out more than 600 stop and searches under the UKs Terrorism Act in the past year, 8 per cent of which resulted in arrests. British security services have previously revealed that they are monitoring around 3,000 people perceived to be an imminent terror threat, as well as a wider pool of 23,000 people who have previously appeared on the radar of counter- terror agencies. An estimated 19 terror plots aimed at the UK are believed to have been foiled in the past year alone. Vietnam on Thursday ordered tens of thousands of people to evacuate its central coastal area as Typhoon Doksuri closed in, with officials predicting the storm could be the most powerful in a decade. Doksuri is expected to make landfall in Vietnam midday Friday, packing heavy winds and rain. Officials ordered an offshore fishing ban, while some 47,000 people in Ha Tinh province began leaving their homes Thursday, according to an official from the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority who declined to be named. The storm is forecast to lash four central provinces with heavy rain and winds of up to 155 kilometres per hour (96 miles per hour), according to the Hong Kong Observatory. Panicked residents fortified their homes and hauled boats in from the water on Thursday. We have prepared sandbags to put on the roof so when the storm arrives it wont be blown off, Nguyen Thi Que, a resident of Ha Tinh province, said on state-controlled news site Zing. Further evacuations are expected in neighbouring Quang Binh, Nghe An and Quang Tri provinces. (We) have to evacuate people resolutely, even forcefully... to avoid any casualties when the storm arrives, Vietnams Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said Thursday, according to footage on Zing. Vietnam issued a category four danger warning, the second most severe of its five-tier warning system, as disaster management officials said it will be the worst storm to hit Vietnam in 10 years. The government said it had 250,000 soldiers on standby along with a fleet of vehicles and boats at the ready. Vietnam has already been hit by severe weather this year, with 140 people dead or missing in natural disasters since January, according to official figures. Around 235 people were reported dead and missing last year due to flooding and bad weather in Vietnam. Authorities estimated the losses at $1.7 billion. The Southeast Asian nation is routinely hit by tropical storms from around May to October, with its central coast most frequently affected. A group of unconventional young women groomed for OSS field work take on leeches, exploding toilets, and the finer points of propaganda warfare. It is urgently requested that great care be given in the selection of female personnel for SEAC (Southeast Asia Command), Lieutenant Commander Edmond Taylor, a young OSS intelligence officer, wrote in a tart 1944 memo to his superiors in Washington. From now on the women must be healthy, able, and at the same time should have a degree of sophistication and experience that qualifies them for coping with the unusual situations they will find in Ceylon. Taylor, an experienced war correspondent fresh from the European front, was no doubt exasperated that the entire contingent of OSS women dispatched to their small camp had spent the better part of a month prostrate with dengue fever. No sooner had the eight female recruits arrived in Kandy, a remote planters oasis nestled high in the jungle-covered hills of Ceylon, straight off the boat that had ferried them from California to Bombayabsurdly kitted out in fatigues, with everything from pith helmets and canteens to gas masks strapped to their backsthan they had succumbed to the mosquito-born virus. They presented quite a picture, covered in an angry red rash from head to toe, lined up in a row of cots in the makeshift infirmary that had been set up in an old Franciscan monastery. There was a degree of irony underlying the OSS commanders use of the phrase unusual situations. Despite their deep tropical tans, nearly all the men in Detachment 404 had been sick as dogs. The whole of India was a bacterial breeding ground, and many of the original members of Taylors OSS team, who had spent months in Calcutta and Delhi doing advance work before moving to their new base in Kandy, had suffered from repeated bouts of bacillary dysentery. The ubiquitous ailment, popularly known as Delhi belly or the Kandy canters, had taken its toll. They were all exhausted, irritable, and had lost a considerable amount of weight. Exacerbating matters, their tropical paradise came replete with huge cockroaches that scampered across their towels each morning, scorpions that hid in their bags and shoes, and six-foot-long cobras that came quietly through the open windows of the bamboo bashas where the team worked and made themselves at home in wastepaper baskets, drawers, and typewriter covers. In the midst of her first planning meeting at the OSS headquarters in Kandy, located on an old tea plantation, Elizabeth (Betty) MacDonald recalls glancing down to see a fat, sausage-like creature making a meal of her ankle, expanding before her eyes as it filled with bright red blood. When she interrupted the briefing and pointed to the problem, Colonel Carleton Scofield, the head of their OSS detachment and a psychologist in civilian life, sent her to the camp doctor, pausing only long enough to note with academic interest that it was the first leech he had seen in those parts. In the prejudiced view of many professional soldiers and OSS officers at the time, women simply did not belong in the forward areas, regardless of their individual nerve and dedication. Even Detachment 404s colonel, Richard Heppner, cabled headquarters that he had his hands full with a brilliant but tactless female OSS officer, a Harvard anthropologist named Cora Dubois, adding, You have the usual problems with army officers being placed under a womans command. As every prudent realist in the OSS was aware, however, they did not have much choice in the matter. There was a man shortage and the new civilian spy service was woefully understaffed as it was. While the paramilitary and guerrilla aspects of the OSS received the most glory, it was an organization of some 13,000 personnel at its peak, including 4,500 women whose faithful performance of a wide range of dutiesfrom answering phones and filing secret cables to undertaking research, writing reports, and assisting with the detailed planning of field missionstouched nearly every theater of war. Moreover, since many of the OSSs unorthodox activities could be conducted from behind a desk, women could be just as effective as men. While the vast majority of the women in the OSS remained in Washington and worked in support of the agencys far-flung operations, scores were sent overseas and carried out their assignments with the same mixture of audacity, self-reliance, and seat-of-the-pants ingenuity that General William Wild Bill Donovan inspired in all who served under him. In the summer of 1941, enormous intelligence gathering operation and administrative bureaucracy virtually overnight, Donovan began by hiring lawyers from his own Wall Street firm, as well as faced with building an prominent attorneys and businessmen of his acquaintance. He recruited a wide variety of PhDspsychologists, anthropologists, mathematicians, linguists, and ornithologistsas well as an assortment of creative types, including artists, writers, journalists, and inventors. Donovan had a penchant for hiring from the Ivy League and the Junior League, on the theory that the well off were harder to bribe, and developed a reputation for poaching talent wherever he could find it. With time of the essence, it simplified the vetting process if he kept it all in the family: if an officer had a sister or girlfriend with the right temperament and good typing speed, she was brought in with the promise of an upward move, and more opportunities to advance than at other agencies. If she had any special skills was fluent in one or more foreign languages, had lived or traveled extensively abroad, or had intimate local knowledgeshe would be whisked off to secret training schools in and around Washington, and put to work mastering cartography, cryptography (coding and decoding messages), producing propaganda and rumor campaigns, and creating convincing aliases and documents for agents being dropped behind enemy lines. Betty MacDonald, then a 28-year-old reporter who had just graduated from the Honolulu society pages to feature writing at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, quickly found her services in demand. She had been studying Japanese, and in spring 1943 her language skills landed her a job in the Morale Operations (MO) branch of the OSSthe psychological warfare division that dealt primarily with black propaganda, which consisted of manipulating information, lies, and rumors to undermine the morale and political unity of the enemy. MacDonald vividly recalls the day she was fingerprinted and sworn in, passing from carefree civilian life to military jurisdiction (under the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to which the OSS reported) and registering with shock that she was under the rigid authority of a scowling sergeant. Once ushered into the clandestine club, she quickly saw to it that her husband, a lieutenant with the naval reserves in Honolulu, was also recruited by the OSS. (Because of OSS regulations forbidding married couples to serve in the same theater, they spent the war far apart and eventually divorced.) Another raw recruit taking the oath alongside MacDonald was Jane Foster, a wild, messy blond from a wealthy San Francisco family, who had run off with a Dutch diplomat after college and spent a few years in Malaya and Balishe was fluent in four or five languagesbefore returning home and filing for divorce. Foster was a painter, naturally flamboyant, and irreverent to the bone. She was always saluting the wrong people, or not saluting anyone at all, MacDonald recalled. I liked her straightaway. Everyone did. Most of their fellow volunteers, men and women, appeared equally idiosyncratic and undisciplined, seemingly selected at random from the strangest corners of civilian life, giving the OSS the same ivory-tower unreality of a small liberal arts college, with the same tolerance for campus radicals, zealots, and oddballs. This impression was only reinforced by their experience at Station S, the OSSs secret assessment center, situated on a sprawling 118-acre Virginia estate that had once belonged to the family that owned Washingtons famed Willard Hotel. In these genteel surroundings, they submitted to three days of rigorous tests, a kind of mental fitness clinic pioneered by the British War Office Selection Board, which staged similar examinations in country estates all over England in an effort to screen officer candidates from the pool of eligible young men. Over the next few days, the two OSS women, along with a dozen young men who would soon be parachuting behind enemy lines, were put through their paces. Their chief instructors were Dr. Henry Murray, director of the Harvard Psychological Clinic, and Dr. Richard S. Lyman, a professor of neuropsychiatry at Duke University. Over the next few days, these two distinguished doctors and their team of graduate students administered every conceivable test in an effort to determine emotional fitness, stability, integrity, and leadership potential. There were some 32 different exams, beginning with the standard IQ and Rorschach tests, followed by Dr. Murrays own tricky little invention, the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)a picture-interpretation exercise in which the subject is handed a series of provocative yet ambiguous images and asked to furnish his or her own interpretation, with the idea that each individuals view will reveal hidden thoughts and experiences. Jane Foster, who trained in art history, recognized all of the images, could identify the painters, and ended up lecturing the doctors on the inappropriateness of the exercise. There were also live situation tests designed to measure their observation skills and initiative. In one experimental scenario, they were asked to search a hotel room and evaluate the occupant based on his or her belongings. MacDonald, despite her best efforts, could not summon an image of the man whose room she examined based solely on a half-consumed pint of bourbon, railroad ticket stubs from Cambridge, a suit from Brooks Brothers, neatly darned socks, and a copy of Harpers. A three-day crash course in small arms and OSS mechanical weapons, conducted on the rolling green fairways of the Congressional Country Club, completed their training. After their last session on the firing range, Foster and MacDonald giddily made their way to the ladies room to repair their makeup before heading back to town. Now that they were graduates of gun school, they felt confident they were ready for their first overseas mission. Moments later, they were rocked back on their heels by a loud explosion, and acrid smoke quickly filled the bathroom. It took them only a few seconds to recover their wits, and another few to work out that the nasty surprise had been triggered by the flush chain of the toilet.We had been introduced to out first booby trap, MacDonald recalled, adding dryly that it was just a little OSS reminder that an agent could never be too prepared. When their six- to eight-month sojourn into the never-never land of OSS agent finishing schools was finally overand they had mastered the finer points of forging documents, following people, arranging secret rendezvous, and interrogating suspectsthe OSS recruits received their scores. MacDonald and Foster discovered they had done exceedingly well on some tests (Jane, with her artists eye, earned by far the highest marks for her ability to observe and evaluate people) and very poorly on others. MacDonald recalled feeling rather deflated at the end, having been informed that she was an open-face-sandwich type and not Mata Hari material. They had both come away convinced their espionage careers were destined to be short lived, when they learned in the spring of 1944 that they would be going abroad as part of the OSSs expanded operations in India and Southeast Asia. Lord Louis Mountbatten, the supreme commander of SEAC, had consented to the OSS establishing an intelligence gathering base in New Delhi, as well as one in Kandy, Ceylon, where he had recently shifted his own headquarters. MacDonald was headed to Delhi, where she would be setting up a small Morale Operations unit, while Foster would be manning the Indonesia desk at the Kandy station, helping to produce black political warfare material (subversive leaflets, propaganda, posters, and cartoons) bound for Thailand, Malaya, Sumatra, and Burma. Their assignment was twofold: to undermine the Japanese army and, second, to turn the native populations against the Japanese and their collaborators. Since she was a civilian, MacDonald was given the military equivalent rank of second lieutenant and shipped out to India where she analyzed POW statements and captured enemy materiel, and tried to come up with devious ways to undermine the Japanese ideology and morale. After examining a stack of Japanese postcards, salvaged from a muddy leather bag found in the Burma jungles, she hit on a perversely effective idea for an MO campaign. Why not reproduce the postcards exactly as they had found them, hastily scrawled kanji in pencil complete with the stamp and censors mark, only replace the contents of the messages with reports of terrible conditions at the front? A sample poison pen message would read: Obasan, where are the supplies? We are starving in the jungle. How can we fight without bullets? These cards would run directly counter to the official line stating that the Imperial armies were marching through India, and could inspire anger, dissension, and political unrest on the Japanese home front. Project Black Mail, as it was dubbed, succeeded beyond their hopes. Shortly after the 400 falsified postcards were slipped into the Japanese postal system, MacDonald received the news that the Tojo cabinet had resigned. The political upset came on the heels of newspaper reports of the plummeting morale of the Japanese 18th Division in Burma, who were said to be suffering from scarce food and provisions. Meanwhile, in Ceylon, Foster achieved almost instant fameor infamywith her scheme to deliver anti-Japanese propaganda, packaged together with locally prized anti-malarial pills, stuffed into waterproof balloons made of SilverTex condoms. Theyre messages to the Indonesian people urging them to resist the Japanese, Foster told a dubious-looking Donovan when he toured her Morale Operations unit in Colombo, Ceylon. She hastened to explain that the submarines taking OSS agents to Malaya and Indonesia would release thousands of floating condom balloons along the island coasts, bearing the hopeful news that help was on the way and the Japanese would soon be driven from their shores. When not designing subversive material, Jane was busy training native agentsBatak, Malay, Thai, and Karenused by the OSS in intelligence-gathering missions. Of the OSS women a small number were ever assigned to actual operational jobs behind enemy lines, and that included Jane Foster. Because of her unusual language who served overseas, only skillsshe was fluent in MalayFoster was tapped to be part of the first OSS field team in Java after Japans formal surrender on August 14, 1945. The Japanese had occupied the area since March 1942, and intelligence from that part of the world was thin on the ground. The Indonesians were in full revolt against colonial Dutch rule, and the British and Dutch military leaders had decided to rearm the vanquished Japanese in order to allow them to keep the peace until reinforcements arrived. The situation in the capital of Batavia was confused and potentially volatile. Her commanding officer made it clear she had to volunteer for the assignmentOSS code for joining an operation that might be dangerous. Foster accepted the assignment without hesitation; it had been her cherished wish to see the liberation of Paris, but she would happily settle for the liberation of Indonesia. Foster had three principal missions: first, to help supervise the repatriation of American military and civilian prisoners of war; second, to make a formal record of their war crimes testimony; third, and most important, to file daily intelligence reports on domestic political developments in Indonesia to OSS headquarters in Washington. She was to wear a uniform and carry a pistol. As parting advice, her colonel advised her to brush up on her shooting skills. Foster was flown into Java on September 16, 1945, one month and a day after the capitulation of the Japanese emperor. The Japanese military was still very much in control. Japanese soldiers at the airport were armed, surly, and menacing, and instructed the OSS personnel that they could not be protected if they ventured beyond the hotel enclosure without being escorted by the Kempeitai, the dreaded Japanese Gestapo. Despite the threat, Fosters OSS team was determined to get the four to five hundred American POWsincluding army, navy, and air force personnel, along with some 200 civiliansout of Java as quickly as possible. The POWsmany of whom were from the 2nd Battalion, 131 Field Artillery, captured in the invasion of Java, and survivors from sunken cruiserswere in pitiful shape. They were barefoot and filthy, their bodies so emaciated they could scarcely support the ragged shorts that hung from their skeletal frames. The women POWs, housed in a separate but equally squalid camp, were mostly nakedtheir clothes had long since disintegratedthough some wore primitive underwear pieced together from old sacking. Like the men, they were starving, sick, and covered in lice. Foster spent two weeks working grueling 20-hour days, taking down the prisoners descriptions of forced labor, degrading conditions, meager rations, and poor medical care, along with mental and physical torture, routine beatings, and occasional beheadings. Some had survived 42 months of captivity, and spoke of watching friends slowly die. Foster transcribed their litany of horrors, and did what she could to make them comfortable, dispensing food, scotch, and cigarettes while they waited for the DC-3s that would airlift them to Singapore. When one Japanese camp commander refused to allow the removal of an ailing 70-year-old female POW, a Protestant missionary who was found semiconscious on the floor with a swollen belly and sores covering her body, Foster brandished her pistol and forced their way out. They made it safely back to the hotel, where Foster got the sister medical attention and snagged her a seat on a plane leaving the next morning. After the humanitarian phase of their mission was completed, and all the internees had been processed and flown to safety, Foster spent the following weeks filing reports on the explosive political climate. With the arrival of Dutch troops, violence erupted and the country teetered on the edge of revolution. In late October 1946, Washington sent a cable: Get Foster out of Java. The diplomatic situation was tricky enough without the complications that would result if an American woman were to be killed in the crossfire. Looking back across she and Foster accomplished, along with their female colleagues scattered across the globe, Betty MacDonald recently said she is extremely proud of how well they many decades to what carried out their wartime assignments. No matter what reservations some OSS officers might have had about sending women into the field, both MacDonald and Foster made significant contributions and acquitted themselves with honor. Fosters service record notes that she did an outstanding job on her specialty. MacDonald, who went on to serve with Heppner behind the lines in Western China, won a theater commendation award. She impressed the skeptical colonel sufficiently that the two were married in 1946. (After his death, she married Frederic B. McIntosh, a former air force fighter pilot, and took his name.) She worked with the CIA until her retirement in 1973 and, in addition to a wartime memoir, has written extensively about the important role of women in the OSS. At age 96, she still helps to edit the OSS Society Newsletter. We were so young and green when we first set foot in the OSS headquarters on E Street, she recalled with a laugh. All we wanted was to get overseas and do our part. We were too determined to let a little thing like inexperience get in our way. Originally published in the August 2011 issue of World War II. To subscribe, click here. The Unsinkable Higgins Boat I enjoyed your article The Bridge to the Beach (November/December). Only a few people knew how rugged the Higgins LCVP landing craft proved to be under actual combat conditions. After surviving three days on bloody Omaha Beach from June 68 with my LCVP assault boat, I was assigned duty with General Pattons Third Army, helping him cross the Rhine in Germany. We arrived at our predetermined launching area and had to get our boat into the river, so we fastened a cable to a bulldozer and the driver just pulled it off the back of the truck bed. With a loud bang, the boat fell five feet onto the cobblestone quay, then with the bulldozer blade the driver pushed it 30 feet into the Rhine. The boat took all this punishment and suffered no damage and not the slightest leak. Joseph Doyon Portland, Ore. Stand Clear! While reading through the November/December issue and enjoying another excellent effort by your staff, I could not help but smile when I saw the title of the article on page 29, The Man Behind the Bazooka. While an interesting and informative article, you realize, of course, one should never stand behind such a weapon when its firing! Ken Weiler Hanover, Penn. Friends of the Few I enjoyed reading Alex Kershaws article The Few Among the Few in the November/ December issuebut want to set the record straight. My father was Pilot Officer Hugh W. Reilley, whom Kershaw says passed himself off as Canadian when in fact he was an American. Actually, my father was Canadian. I have his birth certificate; it shows he was born in London, Ontario. Over the last 20 years or so, a number of books have appeared stating that Hugh Reilley was really an unsung American hero. I found there has been a great deal of fairy tale writing by some authors who dreamed up content for the sake of a good story. This statement does not apply to Kershaw, who found this misinformation during his research and has assured me that the issue will be corrected in the future. The fact that some of my fathers early life was spent in the U.S. may have con fused some. In any case, with the 70th anniversary of his death approaching, I want to share the real story. Those interested in learning more can visit a memoriam my cousin and I have created, at hughwreilley.blogspot.com. Chris H. A. Reilley Leicester, England Your story about the evolution of the Eagle Squadron in the RAF, and some of its members was very enjoyable to read. My interest in particular derives from my friendship with three former members of the squadron: Barrett Mahon, William Dodd Geiger and M. Slauson Vosburg, all of whom are now gone. Barrett was a schoolmate of mine in Santa Barbara, survived the war, and became Errol Flynns personal attendant. Bill was shot down over the English Channel in 1940 and spent the rest of the war in a German prison camp, participating in the Great Escape. Slauson survived, and was known as the best raconteur who ever lived. Thank you for resurrecting memories for me, a former sergeant in General Pattons army. Arthur O. Spaulding Ojai, Calif. In the article by Alex Kershaw there was a photo on page 41 of Vic Bono, an American in 71 Eagle Squadron. I knew Vic well. I worked with him on the water front in Portland, Oregon. Sadly, he passed away recently. I also flew as a volunteer in the RAF and, although I was not in an Eagle Squadron, I knew many of the Eagles. We socialized at the American Eagle Club, 28 Charing Cross Road. About 25 years ago, I attended a reunion of the Eagles at Hamilton Air Force Base where I saw Ches Peterson, Red McColpin, Vic, and a flock of others that I knew in England. It was a thrilling night! I turned 90 in January and am getting pretty slow, physically. But my memory is still active and I think a lot about those days when I wore RAF wings. Roland T. Fisher Lake Oswego, Ore. Navy Men Remember China Linda Kushs outstanding article in the November/December issue was an unexpected joy. I hadnt seen What Was the Navy Doing in China? until a SACO buddy called it to my attention. I had put my copy aside while working on SACO News, a bi-annual magazine of which I am the editor. I stopped immediately to get my copy of your magazine and I cant describe my shock and extremely pleased reaction as I read the article. I am a SACO veteran mentioned in her story, and I am so proud of her truthful reporting of our operations. Richard L. Rutan Palm Springs, Calif. When I returned to the U.S. in January 1946, my Marine Corps cronies asked where I had been for the past 18 months. I replied that I volunteered for duty in mainland China with a classified outfit. They then raised two questions: How did the U.S. Navy get to mainland China (the Japanese occupied all the coastal harbors and had cut off the Burma Road), and what did it do when it got there? I regret that Linda Kush was not around in the early spring of 1946 with her article. Her superb narrative would have saved me a great deal of explanation. William H. Sager Arlington, VA. Hypocritical Hitler I read in the November/December WWII Today section about Adolf Hitlers interest in Mercedes autos. I wonder if he would have wanted that car if he knew it was named for a Jewish girl, Mercedes Jellinek, whose grandfather was the Grand Rabbi of Leipzig. D. Walter Cohen Philadelphia, Penn. Movie Misprint The May/June Challenge says the film Patton was released in 1971. I believe the date should be 1970. I saw the movie while in Bangkok on R and R in early 1970. Virtually everyone in the theater was an American soldier and absolutely everyone was standing and cheering loud enough to be heard a block away. Michael Cusick Originally published in the April 2011 issue of World War II. To subscribe, click here. Russia Finally Condemns Stalin In a major break with precedent, the Russian parliament officially condemned Joseph Stalin for the first time ever this fall for his role in the Katyn Forest massacre during World War II, setting the stage for what could become a sweeping reassessment of the Soviet dictators place in Russian history. Published documents, kept in classified archives for many years, not only revealed the scale of this horrific tragedy, but also showed that the Katyn crime was carried out on direct orders of Stalin and other Soviet officials, the declaration from the Russian Duma said. A year after the Red Army occupied Poland in 1939, the Soviets massacred 22,000 members of the Polish intelligentsia and officer corps in the Katyn Forest, then tried to pin the blame on the Nazis. The parliamentary declaration, which was welcomed by the countrys former wartime alliesand which preceded a Russian presidential visit to Polandnoted that Katyn was also the scene of great tragedy for Soviet citizens too, thousands of whom were executed in the forest during the Great Terror of 193638. Dmitri Medvedev, Russias president, has joined this effort to distance Russia from Stalin as well, reportedly ordering a major deStalinization drive this winter, which news reports say may involve declassification of several secret Soviet archives, including the millions of case files the government kept on regular civilians. Human rights groups are also pushing the government to conduct searches for the remains of Stalin-era prison camps. The Russians took great pains during the 65th anniversary of V-E Day last year to draw a distinction between their countrys successes against the Nazis and the crimes of the Soviet leaders of the timeand many of the countrys highest-ranking officials are now using words to describe Stalin that would have been unspeakable only a decade ago. The Soviet Union was a very complicated state and if we speak honestly, the regime that was built in the Soviet Unioncannot be called anything other than totalitarian, Medvedev himself said recently. Unfortunately, this was a regime where elementary rights and freedoms were suppressed. OMG! The Wars Irreverent New Front World War II has its weighty tomes, its classic films, and its solemn memorials. But until last year, there was one ever-so important thing it didnt have: a Facebook page. That glaring omission was remedied recently, when College Humor, a comedy website, published a feature called OMG WWII on Facebook! that cleverly repackaged the war into the new medium of the social networkand served up a hilarious reimagining of how todays Facebook generation, with their ever-shortening attention spans and cryptic online shorthand (OMG, lol!), might have tweeted their way through the Second World War. Created by Matthew Leeb, an aspiring comedy writer in Los Angeles, the faux Facebook page has become a viral phenomenon, with more than a million views on the College Humor website alone. Leeb says it took him two and a half weeks to put the piece together, from compiling the history (all researched on Wikipedia) to selecting the right events and translating them into Facebook teenspeak.I didnt really know that much about World War II before I started this; I just knew the rough timeline of events from what you see in movies, Leeb says. When I started my research, I wrote down everything I could that struck me as funny or that I could make a joke out of, and then I just mashed it together with Facebook. In the months since it first appeared, Leebs work, with its lighthearted friending and defriending between Axis and Allies and cheeky references to everyone from Churchill to Mussolini, has been passed around offices and blogged about incessantly. A few college professors even contacted Leeb asking him if they could use the article in their classes. This fall, the page continued to spark a heated online debate about everything from the decline of American education to the role the Canadians played in World War II. (Leeb, a Canadian, has apologized for being unable to find a way to work his countrymen into the story.) There has been some predictable nit-picking about the pieces historical accuracy, ranging from consternation over the flags Leeb chose for each country to whether Italy really would have *liked* Germanys invasion of France. Some readers have lambasted Leeb for insensitivity, accusing him of disrespecting the millions who died in the war. (Lighten up, Leeb has replied.) There have also been a fair share of younger readers who dont seem to recognize the joke is partly on them. As one commenter put it: This is freaking hilarious. WTG n thx [way to go and thanks] 4 the giggle! In the end, though, most of the audience seems to agree with a reader named Janae Wiedmaier, who commented on the piece in August: Can we please, please have Part 2, the Cold War? I do have an idea to follow this up with a sequel, maybe the Civil War or the Cold War, Leeb says. But before he expands the franchise and finds a way to friend Khrushchev and Robert E. LeeLeeb has been busy converting his World War II concept into an iPhone app that can be used by teenagers as a study guide (along with other edits to make the piece more historically accurate)complete with live links under events like, say, the sinking of the Bismarck, that offer more context and details. Mastermind of American Airmen Rescue Receives Bronze Star George Vujnovich, who served as an American intelligence officer during World War II, was awarded a bronze star this fall for masterminding a little-knownbut monumentally successfuloperation that rescued 512 American airmen trapped behind enemy lines in Yugoslavia in 1944. Operation Halyard, as it was called, was one of the largest American rescue missions ever attempted, but it was kept secret for decades because it was made possible only with the help of a Serbian general who was a rival of Tito, an important American ally during the Cold War. I feel deeply satisfied, said Vujnovich, now 95 years old, after he received his medal in a ceremony in New York. Im sad because some of these men that we sent in are not here so they can share in this honor. Vujnovich, whose parents emigrated to the U.S. from Serbia, was studying medicine in Belgrade when the Germans overran the city in 1941, and he only narrowly escaped before being recruited into the Office of Strategic Services, the predecessor of the CIA. He was working as an operations officer in southern Italy in 1944 when he received word from his wife, who worked in the Yugoslav embassy in Washington, that hundreds of American fliers who had been shot down during the summer-long bombing campaign against the Ploesti oil refinery had survived and were being sheltered by Serb partisans. Working with a team of OSS officers, Vujnovich came up a with a plan to drop a group of agents behind German lines and construct an airfield that would allow American transport planes to ferry the aircrew out. He took responsibility for training volunteers so they could blend in, teaching them local customs like tying and tucking in their shoelaces and pushing food onto their forks with their knives during meals. It was a genius plan, said Tony Orsini, 87, a B-24 navigator who was one of the rescued men, at the awards ceremony. Vujnovich had originally intended to accompany his agents into Yugoslavia himself, but in a strange twist, his involvement was vetoed for political reasons by none other than Winston Churchill himself. The reasons are murkycentering around the British switching their allegiance from Draza Mihailovich, the Chetnik general whose men were protecting the American pilots, to a rival Croat leader, Josip Broz, known as Tito. Whatever the rationale, Vujnovich was out, so he chose another Serbian American, Lieutenant George Musulin, to lead his men, and the mission went off without a hitch. Musulin and a group of agents dropped into Yugoslavia in August 1944, and within weeks had constructed a secret airfield in the middle of a cornfield and were ferrying the pilots out on C-47s. Ultimately, 512 pilots were funneled through the Yugoslav countryside onto the waiting transport planeswithout incurring a single casualty. After the war, Operation Halyard was hushed up, with Tito in power and Serbs like Mihailovich on the outs. It was only after the Cold War ended that Vujnovich and his men were finally recognized. Musulin, who died in 1987, was posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit several years ago. Fourth Grader Raises $20,000 to Honor War Hero An 11-year-old Pennsylvania boy raised over $20,000 this fall to support the construction of a statue in Normandy of Major Dick Winters, the D-Day veteran made famous by the book and HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. Jordan Brown (left), whose home in eastern Pennsylvania is only a few miles from the farm where Winters, 92, lives, decided to start raising money after reading a newspaper article about the effort to build the monument, which will ultimately require $400,000 in donations. He said, Mommy, I want to make sure this happens, Yasmin Brown, his mother, told reporters. When he came to me, there was no way I could say no to this. Theres so much good in this. It was good on so many levels. Jordan has raised much of the money by selling army-green rubber wristbands, inspired by the yellow Livestrong bracelets that support cancer research, inscribed with the words HANG TOUGHa phrase Winters often used in combat to inspire his men. His parents helped him get started by giving him the first batch of 1,000 wristbands for his birthday. We need to thank these heroes before its too late, Jordan told reporters, saying his goal is to reach $100,000. The Winters monument is part of an effort called the Richard Winters Leadership Project, led by a Rhode Island filmmaker, Tim Gray, and supported by many of the men who fought with Winters through France and Germany. This is not a monument just for Major Winters, Gray, who is making a documentary film about Winterss leadership qualities, told reporters. We used him as an example of what leadership was on D-Day. The proposed bronze statue is expected to be raised this year at Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, a small town near where Winters and his company parachuted into France. (Information on donating to the monument foundation and ordering a wristband can be found online at timgraymedia.com/donate.) Originally published in the April 2011 issue of World War II. To subscribe, click here. Due out on November 10th, the reissue will be released across a variety of formats, including 180gm vinyl, streaming and a four-disc Deluxe Edition. The Deluxe Edition will feature previously unreleased material, including tracks such as 'Mike's Pop Song' and 'Devil Rides Backwards', in addition to 20 demos previously unheard, a companion Blu-ray with seven music videos and the original 1992 EPK video. Housed in a 12"x 12" life-top box, this edition will contain a 60-page book of never-before-seen photographs by Anton Corbjin and Melodie McDaniel, plus liner notes by journalist Tom Doyle who conducted interviews with all four members. The 25th Anniversary Edition will consist of two discs, and both editions will include a full live set, Live At The 40 Watt Club 11/19/92 performed in Athens, GA and their only live show during that year, which has been remastered from the original analog tapes by Stephen Marcussen. Advertisement Watch the trailer for the album below: The federal government expects to pay out $11 billion in insurance claims from Hurricane Harvey, making it the second costliest storm in the history of the National Flood Insurance Program. The program, however, won't have the money to meet those obligations - or those from Hurricane Irma, which have yet to be tallied - unless Congress provides more money, said Roy Wright, chief of the program and an administrator at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The government insurer has just $1.5 billion in cash on hand and $5.8 billion in borrowing authority. Wright said FEMA will seek additional funding from Congress over the next several weeks. "It is my personal commitment to ensure that every dollar a policyholder is entitled to under their policy is paid," he said in a conference call with reporters. "Congress has never turned their back on a flood insurance policyholder. I cannot imagine them doing so now." The $11 billion in insured claims is but a fraction of the total losses from Harvey, since only about one in seven homes in Harris County carry flood insurance. The storm dumped 51 inches of rain on the Houston area, spurring widespread flooding that swamped tens of thousands of homes and businesses, caused damage estimated at anywhere from $70 billion to $200 billion, and left many depending on federal disaster assistance likely to cover only small portions of their losses. The payouts for Harvey by the National Flood Insurance Program will exceed the $9 billion paid after Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast five years ago, but will fall short of the $18 billion payout after Hurricane Katrina battered Louisiana in 2005. The National Flood Insurance Program was created in 1968 to cover flood losses after private insurers pulled out of the market. The program insures about 5 million homes across the country - accounting for 98 percent of U.S. flood insurance policies - but has become controversial in recent years as losses have mounted and taxpayers, who subsidize some policies, pick up the bills. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the losses were so great, FEMA, which oversees the program, had to ask Congress for a loan. Hurricane Sandy added to it; now the program owes about $24 billion to the U.S. Treasury and runs a $1.5 billion yearly deficit. Republicans and Democrats alike have argued that the program must be overhauled and premiums raised to more accurately reflect the risk from flooding. Homeowners pay as little as $500 a year for the coverage and a report by the Congressional Budget Office this year found that premiums cover about three-quarters of what it was paying in claims. Critics argue that the program encourages homeowners to rebuild after multiple floods and developers to build in flood prone areas. In addition, FEMA was rocked by a series of scandals following Hurricane Sandy, as policy holders and advocates accused the national insurance program of delaying payments, sometimes for years, and underpaying claims by tens of thousands of dollars, even as private insurance companies, which administer the policies, skimmed money off the top. Wright's request for more money comes while the House is considering a package of bills, which passed out of the House Financial Services Committee earlier this year, designed to shore up the program, raising premiums and fees 2.5 percent, while reducing what insurance companies can charge to administer the program. Some lawmakers have said they want to tie money for Harvey to broader reforms of the flood insurance program. But Rep. Pete Olson, a Republican who represents flood-stuck communities like Pearland, Sienna Plantation and Katy, said Congress should approve flood relief without strings attached. "I just want the money," said Olson. "We should reform the federal flood insurance program; it's going bankrupt. But right now is not the time to do that. Right now, people have lost their homes. Dry wall and insulation is stacked in front yards. Right now is time to take care of these people." Wright said he's been working for three years to refocus the program to better serve policy holders, including sending FEMA staff to disaster areas before the disaster has hit. His agency has already waived some paperwork requirements for Harvey policy holders, extended grace periods for paying premiums and moved to speed up the home buyout program, to try to get homeowners to sell frequently flooded properties instead of rebuilding them. "We are seeing a very acute need to be able to move far faster," he said. Wright said about 84,000 Harvey victims have filed damage claims so far, and the flood insurance program already sent $177 million in advance payments. "That number will continue to climb very, very rapidly," he said. Policy holders with questions can call 1-800-621-FEMA. H-E-B will 10 supply trucks to Publix Super Markets Inc. to assist the Florida-based grocers operations and relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, the company said Tuesday. The San Antonio-based supermarket chain will send seven trucks of water, two trucks with ice and one with cleaning supplies Wednesday from its warehouse in Houston to Publix headquarters in Lakeland, about 35 miles east of Tampa, H-E-B spokeswoman Dya Campos said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Norway's government has saved so much money it doesn't know what to do with it all. The Scandinavian nation's sovereign wealth fund topped $1 trillion this week, or about $191,000 per citizen. The U.S. Congress, meanwhile, has authorized the government to incur more than $19 trillion in debt, putting every American taxpayer in hock for $165,000. Norway's socialist system has the largest savings account in the world, built from scratch in 1998 from oil and natural gas revenues. The fund now throws off more money from its investments than the country earns from energy. RELATED: Eliminating federal debt ceiling is irresponsible Norway created the fund because the electorate voted to save some of the profits from oil and gas for future generations. Norwegians know that oil and gas are limited resources and will eventually run out. Rather than spend all of the wealth created by those resources on this generation, they decided to invest it so future generations could also reap the benefits. The fund is now 2.5 times the country's gross domestic product. The government is allowed to spend 3 percent of the fund per year, but if you can believe it, many Norwegians think that's too much. The fund has also grown so large the government needs to overhaul it and consider new ways to invest the cash. Some Norwegian officials want to invest in new asset classes, including unlisted shares and unlisted infrastructure projects, according to the Reuters news agency. Yngve Slyngstad, the chief executive officer, said the fund is so big that adding new asset classes would not move the needle. "Realistically speaking, whether we should invest in infrastructure, private equity or the likes isn't a very important question for the fund," Slyngstad told Bloomberg News. Compare Norway's natural resource strategy with that of the United States, or even Texas. Here, both federal and state officials are more interested in helping corporations boost profits than to generate savings for future generations. They spend without regard to revenues, issuing more and more debt to avoid raising taxes. They keep promising that lower tax rates will somehow generate more tax revenues, even though that has never happened and never will. RELATED: Norway taps rainy day fund, will Texas? Experts will argue that Norway has several advantages that help it save money. The population is small, homogeneous and well-educated. The country also has huge energy resources that belong to the nation, not private individuals. Most of those factors, though, are by choice. Norway chose to educate the population and provide state-sponsored health care that leads to a smaller, healthier population. The government also chose to own the nation's natural resources on behalf of the population. Norway's success is not an accident or fate. Texas is also rich in natural resources, and the United States is one of the wealthiest nations on earth. We are extracting billions of dollars a year from American soil, yet we are burdening future generations with trillions in debt. Perhaps the U.S. could never achieve what Norway's leaders have, but we can certainly take a lesson from their wisdom. Brett Coomer/Staff While the recent dream job listing involving the Federal Emergency Management Agency was a hoax, FEMA is looking to hire people in the near future. The agency will pay about $14 to $34 per hour, depending on the position. They are searching for medical personnel, civil engineers, graphics specialists, nurses and crisis counselors, among other roles. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Conroe couple convicted of cruelly treating an entire herd of horses is suing a deputy and member of the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in federal court. Herman and Kathleen Hoffman were found guilty of five Class A misdemeanor counts of cruelty to livestock animals in May, almost two years after authorities seized more than 200 horses from the couple's dairy farm off League Line Road east of Interstate 45. The Hoffmans fought the seizure for months, appealing Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Wayne Mack's decision all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, which refused to hear their case. Now Playing: Gorge Spears turned himself in to authorities after he was recorded abandoning a dog in Dallas County, Texas on Sept. 11, 2017. Spears now faces animal cruelty charges. Video: Houston Chronicle The Hoffmans have bred horses for nearly 20 years. But in late 2014, advocates on social media accused the Hoffmans of starving and generally neglecting to treat the horses properly. The complaints finally drew an investigation by law enforcement officials. PAST COVERAGE: Couple found guilty of animal cruelty Their Conroe property the Calico Dairy Farm off of League Line Road was raided in June 2015. Agents with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, Precinct 5 Constable's Office and the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals were on the Hoffmans' farm for days as they were executing a search and seizure warrant and gathering evidence. Their latest attempt at reversing the 2015 seizure was filed in a Houston federal court, claiming Precinct 5 Constable's Deputy Gordon Welch, who filed for the search warrant, and Houston SPCA agent Deborah Michielson, who helped logistically coordinate the seizure, violated the couple's civil rights. Specifically, they claim Welch's warrant application "clearly lacked any facts which would constitute probable cause," according to the suit. Additionally, they claim Welch and Michielson failed to include a complete list of horses that were seized after the days-long raid. A handful of horses had to be euthanized by the Houston SPCA because of their dire condition. Montgomery County Attorney J D Lambright, who is defending Welch, believes the case will be tossed out. "It's already gone through the highest court in the state," Lambright said. "You can't say, 'Well, I don't like the answer I got from the (U.S.) Supreme Court, so I'm going to file this in federal court.' That's just not the way it works. That's what he's done here." While the Hoffmans' civil legal battle in federal court just started, they're still fighting their misdemeanor convictions on appeal in a state court. County Court-at-Law 1 Judge Dennis Watson sentenced Herman Hoffman to one year in jail and Kathleen Hoffman to 18 months' probation. Herman Hoffman will not start the sentence until his appeal a notice of which he filed immediately after the sentence was imposed is complete. Neither Herman nor Kathleen Hoffman have filed any briefs, which would outline their reasons for appealing. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Wednesday vowed not to cut taxes for the wealthy, extolled the virtues of bipartisanship as leading to "some of the greatest legislation ever passed" and then - in a surprise move announced deep into the night - agreed to cut a deal with Democrats saving hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants from deportation. That Trump did all of that while declaring himself "a conservative" only heightened the sense of surrealism that has wafted through the nation's capital over the past eight days, as the president has expressed a newfound, if tentative, willingness to work across the aisle - a development that has left many Republicans chagrined and some Democrats cautiously optimistic. Trump's outreach suggested that an unexpected deal he reached last week with Democrats may not have been an aberration. This week's effort began Tuesday at a bipartisan White House dinner with senators and proceeded to a gathering of House Democrats and Republicans on Wednesday afternoon. It was finally capped off Wednesday night by a presidential meal with the nation's two top Democrats, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Calif., during which they reached the contours of an immigration deal and discussed Beijing trade issues over a menu of Chinese cuisine. Calling the dinner "very productive," Schumer and Pelosi said in a statement late Wednesday that Trump had agreed to "enshrine the protections" of a Barack Obama-era executive order into law "quickly" protecting about 700,000 illegal immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. They would also "work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides," the statement said. In a separate statement, the White House described the gathering as "constructive" and that is focused on immigration, infrastructure and trade. "Bottom line: There really is a new strategy coming out of the White House," said Rep. Henry Cuellar, a moderate Texas Democrat who had turned down previous White House invites but decided to attend Wednesday's afternoon session. "He meets with the bipartisan senators last night. He meets with us. He meets with Pelosi and Schumer today. There is a new strategy in place." Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., a Trump supporter who also attended the afternoon gathering, said the president "has seen the theater up here and learned the lesson: Extremes on both the right and left are problematic to getting his agenda accomplished. You can't run a partisan bill to the finish line, so he knows he has to have his Plan B ready." After eight months of pursuing a mostly hard-right, pro-Republican agenda with limited success, Trump is now flirting with fulfilling his campaign promises to govern as a bipartisan dealmaker - including the possibility of legalizing thousands of undocumented immigrants after running stridently against the idea as a candidate. Trump could also be signaling the return of a recently bygone era when lawmakers of both parties dining - and working - with the president was hardly abnormal. But, then, these are not normal times. "It's up is down and down is up," said Jim Manley, a Democrat and former longtime Senate aide. "No doubt about it." Last Wednesday, Trump shocked and angered Republican leaders by agreeing with Schumer and Pelosi to provide Hurricane Harvey relief while raising the federal borrowing limit and funding the government through December. Then came Tuesday's bipartisan dinner for senators, which included talk of infrastructure projects and featured three Democrats up for reelection in 2018 in states that Trump carried: Sens. Joe Donnelly, Ind., Heidi Heitkamp, N.D., and Joe Manchin III, W.Va. After the afternoon meeting, several House Democrats expressed hope that they can work with the president. "He was very explicit in saying that there would be no tax cut in this package for the wealthy," said Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., referring to a pledge by Trump on Wednesday that would mark a notable departure from his previous proposals. "At one point, he said they may have to pay a little more." Still, Trump has done little to reach out to Democrats until the past week and has often openly derided them and Obama. Trump has begun dismantling Obama-era regulations and protections on issues including health care, labor and the environment. Last week, he also rescinded protections for 700,000 young undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children and known as "dreamers" - the same group he now says he wants to protect. Even on Wednesday, as the president played host to two bipartisan meetings, Trump and his team continued to equivocate. He expressed support for another Republican health-care plan - spearheaded by Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., - aimed at sharply curtailing Medicaid and other parts of the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare. In her daily press briefing, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders argued that Trump is always working on behalf of Republicans. "The president is the leader of the Republican Party and was elected by Republicans," Sanders said."He beat out 16 other candidates to take that mantle on. And certainly I think one of the strongest voices. And so the idea that the Republican Party ideas are not represented in that room is just ridiculous." Trump's reasons for engaging with lawmakers beyond the Republican leadership is deeply shaped by his experience on health-care legislation, which has so far stalled in the Senate after months of fits and starts, according to two people familiar with the issue who have spoken with him recently. Trump remains unhappy with GOP leaders for promising success earlier in the year, only to see the effort fall apart, said the people, who insisted on anonymity to speak candidly. Trump now believes that Republicans - who control both the House and the Senate - cannot be trusted to carry bills to passage by themselves and views it as his burden to create a better environment for his legislative agenda to garner support. What matters to him, one Republican lawmaker said, is "putting wins on the board - not the specifics." Instead of relentlessly courting members of the conservative, and often intractable, House Freedom Caucus, as he did on health care, Trump wants them to "feel the burn a little bit," the lawmaker added, framing the new outreach as Trump's way of reminding conservatives in both chambers that he likes them but does not need them. "They're not the only player he's willing to play with," said Michael Steele, the former Republican National Committee chairman. "He's saying to them, 'I'll be a free-range president.' " Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., who attended Tuesday's dinner, said jump-starting talks on tax cuts and other potential changes remains at the top of Trump's agenda. He said Trump wants to focus cuts on brackets that affect middle-class people. "Let's face it: If you want tax reform, you want to avoid pitfalls that make it impossible," Johnson said of Trump's approach on this priority. "Selling tax cuts for the wealthy is pretty impossible." "What I saw from the president was a genuine process to find bipartisan agreement on taxes and infrastructure," Johnson added. "My guess is some Democrats definitely agree with him." Manchin said the Tuesday dinner was "a very good, productive meeting," and said he believes the president, who was once a registered Democrat, is simply entering his legislative comfort zone. "The president seemed more at ease, more comfortable, talking about finding a bipartisan solution than trying to have to defend a rigid, one-side-only works," Manchin said. "I think he's able to approach legislation in a total sphere, not just one side." Moderate Republicans, in particular, have cheered this development, after long feeling sidelined inside the House as Freedom Caucus members and other conservatives have rebelled against their party's leadership. Trump's conservative critics, however, said his latest gestures reflect his liberal instincts on some issues and his intense desire for popularity. "He's always had that itch to liberate himself from the Republican Party," said William Kristol, a Trump critic and editor at large of the Weekly Standard magazine. "He ran against it in 2015 and 2016, and has attacked it in 2017. He wants to win and doesn't care about the substance of winning." Kristol added, "Democratic voters may loathe Trump, but he could conceivably give them lots of policy victories." Democrats say they are focused only on working with the president on areas where they believe they can get what they want in terms of their priorities, including protections for the dreamers and federal health-care subsidies for Obamacare. They have vowed not to trade dreamer protections for Trump's long-promised wall at the southern border - and in recent days the White House has indicated the two issues do not have to be linked. On other issues and with this president, many Democrats remain wary. Donnelly, despite being wooed by Trump and up for reelection next year, said he feels no pressure to vote for the Republican tax plan if he thinks it's a bad deal. "If the tax package makes sense, I'll support," Donnelly said. "If not, I'll pass." The halting forays into bipartisanship have proven a new experience for many. At Tuesday's dinner, Manchin was presented with yet another surprise in a week full of them - an apple strudel topped with what looked to be a delicate white egg. "I'm thinking, 'Boy, what do I do with this?' " Manchin said. "But I'm thinking, 'When in Rome,' so I take and bite, and, lo and behold, it's ice cream." Such is the dilemma facing Democrats in this moment of Trumpian outreach: The perks are enticing, but they are not entirely sure what they're dipping their spoon into. Donnelly, however, said he had no doubt. "I knew it was ice cream from the start," he said. - - - The Washington Post's Mike DeBonis, Ed O'Keefe and David Nakamura contributed to this report. WASHINGTON - Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz laid out a sweeping vision for tax cuts Wednesday that would go significantly further than what House Republicans and some in the Trump administration have proposed so far. In what his office billed as a "major policy speech," Cruz proposed scrapping some GOP plans that call for tax cuts be offset by corresponding tax measures to make them "revenue neutral." "Tax reform should not be revenue neutral," Cruz said in a speech at the Tax Foundation, a conservative think tank that helped work out some of the tax proposals of his 2016 presidential campaign, when he advocated for the dismantling of the IRS. 'Break even' on budget Cruz's formulation is more aggressive than a House Republican tax reform blueprint that calls for tax cuts to be paid for to avoid deepening deficits and debt. One of chief proponents of that approach is Republican Kevin Brady of The Woodlands, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. "I believe, both the most pro-growth approach we can take, and the fiscally responsible approach we can take, is to break even with the budget, counting on just solid, verifiable economic growth," Brady said at a Financial Services Roundtable event earlier this year. Many Republicans, however, argue that in general tax cuts pay for themselves, an idea that descends from the supply-side theories of the Reagan era, which former President George H.W. Bush famously called "voodoo economics." But with Republicans pressing for the first major tax overhaul in more than 30 years, Cruz's speech encapsulates an ongoing debate as to whether a final GOP tax plan should maintain current revenue levels. 'Pro-growth' reform House Speaker Paul Ryan, in an interview Wednesday with the Associated Press, declined to say whether he expects a GOP tax overhaul to be "revenue neutral," leaving open whether Republicans are willing to increase the national debt to enact major tax cuts. "We want pro-growth tax reform that will get the economy growing, that will get people back to work, that will get middle income taxpayers a tax cut and that will put American businesses in a better competitive playing field," Ryan said. "That is more important than anything else because if we have tax reform that doesn't actually fix our problems, then we'll lose more and more businesses, and the deficit will go even higher." In an address before an influential group of policy analysts, conservative thinkers and Capitol Hill staffers, Cruz argued that the federal government should actually lower the amount the government takes in from taxpayers, rather than simply shifting the burden from one group to another. Cruz's plan comes at a time when President Donald Trump and Republican leaders in Congress are trying to iron out the final details of a GOP tax package that's been in the works for the past year. Trump: Move fast Earlier Wednesday, Trump made a public plea to Congress on Twitter: "The approval process for the biggest Tax Cut & Tax Reform package in the history of our country will soon begin. Move fast Congress!" In a meeting with lawmakers from both parties Wednesday, Trump called for a bill focused on middle-class and business tax cuts. "The rich will not be gaining at all with this plan," he told reporters. "We are looking for the middle class and we are looking for jobs - jobs being the economy." Brady has promised to get a tax package through Congress by the end of this year, a timetable that many analysts see as wildly optimistic given a crunch of politically tricky legislative demands such as a getting a budget agreement, passing a government funding bill and raising the debt limit. Cruz, like other Republicans, has suggested that the predicted economic lift from individual and business tax cuts could chip away at budget deficits and the national debt. "If we focus on growth," he said, "it helps everybody." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Thousands of mourners bid farewell Wednesday to Houston police Sgt. Steve A. Perez, praising as a hero the dedicated officer who died in the floodwaters of Hurricane Harvey while trying to help others struggling in the storm. Honor guards, a riderless horse, a helicopter fly-over and a last radio call marked the traditional law enforcement service for the veteran officer in the city's first public expression of grief since the catastrophic storm hit Aug. 26. "His legacy is the legacy of what Texas law enforcement is all about," said Gov. Greg Abbott, who joined other dignitaries from across the region in speaking at the funeral. "He is a true Texas hero. He served God until the very last day. ... He is an example for all Americans and to people all across the globe." Perez, 60, drove into high water near Beltway 8 and the Hardy Toll Road while trying to get to work early on the morning of Aug. 27, after driving for hours trying to get into downtown Houston at the height of the rains that inundated the city. His body was found days later. Police Chief Art Acevedo said Perez's death was symbolic of all the sacrifices Houston made as it bore the brunt of the storm. "When he drove into the water that morning, God was there to catch him," Acevedo said. "He served as an absolute testament of the excellence of the men and women in blue." He made a pledge to Perez's widow, Cheryl, and their children, Maverick and Sabrina. "We're here with you," he said. "We're here for you, and you'll never be alone, I promise." The son of a firefighter, Perez was born in Los Angeles and grew up in San Antonio. He served in the U.S. Army and spent 34 years working as a Houston police officer, working in the juvenile and northwest divisions before being promoted to sergeant in 1992. He died days short of his 61st birthday. "He ran his race," Mayor Sylvester Turner told the standing-room-only crowd of more than 1,700 mourners at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on St. Joseph's Parkway in downtown Houston. "He was faithful, and he finished his course." Maverick Perez described his father as a man with an impeccable work ethic and a deep faith. He and his sister bragged to their friends about their dad's job as a policeman, he said. But as they got older, they became aware of the dangers of the profession. "We lived every day with fear, him leaving work and never returning," Maverick Perez said. "We knew our father was doing something big. He had a calling, the calling to protect and serve the great city of Houston." Among the mourners Wednesday were Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Houston City Council members and Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. Members of the Thin Blue Motorcycle Club showed up to honor the fallen officer, as did officials with the Texas Municipal Police Association. Outside the church, two fire trucks made an archway with their ladders extended, as an American flag waved and strains of somber music floated from speakers outside of the church as a crowd gathered to listen. As they so often do when a comrade dies in the line of duty, officers came from across the country, from as far away as California, New York, Detroit, and from Mobile, Ala., San Antonio and Dallas, to show support. "We are just thinking about his family," said Cedar Park Police Officer Rodney Wilk, one of four officers from the North Texas police department who had traveled to Houston for the funeral. Perez's death was the sacrifice that can come with serving in law enforcement, Wilk said, calling the sergeant's death a "terrible tragedy." "He easily could've stayed home that night," he said. "But he chose to go out to take care of his subordinates and the citizens of Houston." A long line of officers filed into the church sanctuary just after 9 a.m. "It's just hard to believe," one officer said. After the service, mourners filed out onto the closed street, surrounding Perez's family, who sat in chairs in the middle of St. Joseph's Parkway facing the sergeant's flag-draped coffin. Turner presented Cheryl Perez with a flag of the city. Acevedo presented her with the American flag that had covered his coffin. Abbott presented a Texas flag, drawing Perez's wife and daughter each into an emotional embrace. Across the street from the Co-Cathedral, a line of onlookers watched. Angela DeCoo, 47, had driven in from Spring Branch to pay her respects. "This family is forever changed by the flood," she said. "It's taken away so much from everybody." At 11:46 a.m., a flight of helicopters peeled across a cloud-cluttered sky, one peeling north and away. A minute later, three cracks of gunfire ripped across the landscape. Buglers played Taps and a color guard retired the colors. The pallbearers lined up to take Perez's coffin away to a private burial. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate It was a kitchen table conversation between a widow and a prosecutor that finally laid to rest the cold-blooded murder of Harris County Deputy Sheriff Darren Goforth. Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon described the moment on Wednesday in an interview after presenting a guilty plea at a court hearing that would send Goforth's killer, Shannon Miles, 32, to prison for life without parole. Alone with Kathleen Goforth in the kitchen of the family's Houston home in recent weeks, Ligon said he laid out the case against Miles. The brutal ambush of her husband at a gas station in August 2015 had been caught on surveillance video as he was shot repeatedly in the back of the head. The investigation had problems, but they were nothing insurmountable for an experienced team of prosecutors. And there was a defendant who would probably be sentenced to death and, because of his history of mental health problems, never be executed. "She said it was a no-brainer," Ligon said. "She made an incredibly compelling case that I had never thought I'd be as open to as I was. She wants today to be the last day that her name, or her kids' names, are associated with this case. She does not want to live with one foot in the cemetery. She wants to live the rest of her life with her kids and with the memory of her husband." After the brief plea hearing Wednesday in state district court, the widow broke down in tears as she explained that it was mercy for her children, not Miles, that led her to sign off on the controversial plea deal. "Mine and Darren's two children have been spared. They will not have the backdrop of their lives, for the next 10 to 25 years, being court dates, trials and appeals," she said, standing before a bank of reporters. "They won't have that inflicted upon them and that is merciful. It's compassionate, and it's the right thing to do." As she held up the last photos taken of her children with their dad, she briefly exposed tattoos on her left forearm memorializing her husband's life. "I know that Darren would approve with how this has played out because his primary concern would be what it always was: Ava and Ryan," she said. "And that's how I want him remembered - as a man who loved his family." The plea deal ends two years of national headlines that began when Miles gunned down Goforth, 47, next to his patrol car in a north Harris County gas station. 'Episodic psychotic' On Wednesday, law enforcement officers of every stripe filled the ceremonial courtroom of the civil courthouse as Miles appeared in a bright yellow jail uniform before state District Judge Susan Brown. Miles said little except that he was guilty and that he understood he would be sentenced to life without parole. The plea bargain, which was anticipated to upset members of the law enforcement community, came in part because of Miles' lengthy history of mental health issues has stymied the case. He has been in and out of state mental hospitals since being arrested days after the shooting. He also spent several months in a mental health facility in 2012. "He's an episodic psychotic and schizophrenic," said defense attorney Anthony Osso. "He has no memory of that day in his life." Osso, who spent months with attorney Charles Brown meeting with Miles, put together a large packet of mitigating circumstances to try to convince to prosecutors not to seek the death penalty. Experts said when Miles is medicated, as he was Wednesday, he is competent and can make decisions. When he does not take the medication, he is not. So, Osso said, prosecutors were likely to face an uphill legal battle to keep him medicated long enough to execute him. It was a realization that prosecutors agreed with. "The state's experts all came to the same conclusion, the likelihood of executing a mentally incompetent man was almost zero," Ligon said. He said he was convinced that Miles has some "crossed wires" and the difference was "an organic disability - a God-given wire crossing if you will - as opposed to a drug-induced crazy guy." "I can kill a drug-induced crazy guy and, frankly, that's what I thought I was getting when I started," he said. "It's different when you have a true mental deficiency." Ligon took over the case with Galveston County District Attorney Jack Roady in April after Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg recused her office because at least one of her top lieutenants had represented witnesses in the case. Ligon credited Ogg with offering to shoulder some of the expense of what could have been a multimillion-dollar prosecution. "To her credit, when I called her, Kim Ogg said, 'Give me the numbers, and I'll get you the money,' " he said. "Everyone bent over backwards to make this happen." 'Always be remembered' After the brief hearing, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said Goforth would be immortalized as a deputy sheriff. "He will always be remembered for his service, his bravery and his sacrifice," Gonzalez said. "Today, the Goforth family and the Harris County Sheriff's Office family are pleased to learn that justice will be served upon Deputy Goforth's killer." David Cuevas, the president of the Harris County Deputies Organization agreed. "Our hearts and prayers go always to Kathleen Goforth and her family," he said. "Justice has been served in this case." The mechanics of a plea deal Wednesday were problematic because the main criminal courthouse, which has secure access for defendants, is closed because of record flooding from Hurricane Harvey. Sheriff's deputies had to securely move Miles from the Harris County jail to the top floor of the Harris County Civil Courthouse. Plans for a plea deal were tenuous because of worldwide publicity and outrage about the ambush, which was considered an easy case because of the surveillance video. Ligon said he took the case, expecting to seek the death penalty under Texas law that allows for execution if a peace officer is intentionally killed in the line of duty. On Wednesday, he discounted several issues that had arisen as the case has progressed, saying that he and his team could have successfully navigated them in front of a jury. Now Playing: Katy area business owners describe the damage caused to their properties from a possible tornado along the Katy Freeway near FM 1463 during Hurricane Harvey Saturday, August 26, 2017. Video: Houston Chronicle AUSTIN -- A $30 million federal grant has been awarded to Texas to provide temporary jobs for people displaced by Hurricane Harvey who will help with cleanup, recovery and relief efforts, officials announced Wednesday. Texas Workforce Commission officials said the grant from the U.S. Department of Labor will be administered in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and local officials in affected communities, including many in the Houston area, to speed up the recovery effort. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON Conservationists and labor union officials argued Wednesday that the potential closing of the Environmental Protection Agencys regional lab in Houston, which is expected to play a key role in Hurricane Harvey recovery, is among harmful impacts of the Trump administrations drive to slice staff and mission in the agency. The EPAs Region 6 Environmental Services Laboratory, which serves a five-state region, is scheduled for closing when the lease on its rented, 41,000 square-foot space in southwest Houston expires in 2020, officials of the American Federation of Government Employees said they were told. What happens after that, the EPA isnt saying. The lab employs roughly 50 people, including chemists and biologists. Much of its work has been focused on testing samples from Superfund sites in the region. In recent days, the lab has been an EPA staging area in the aftermath of Harvey, a scientist at the lab said, adding that employees were told they can expect to do water testing during the recovery. The potential closing raises the prospect that water or soil samples in the future might need to be sent to another EPA lab or, perhaps, tested by independent contractors. The nearest EPA regional lab is in Ada, Oklahoma, 400 miles from Houston. At a news conference in Washington called to protest pending EPA cuts, critics said the decision to close the existing lab is ill-advised and would complicate the agencys work in the Gulf region. Whats in the water coming into my house? The EPA is the agency that everybody is counting on, said the Sierra Club's Mary Anne Hitt, referring to the agencys role after disasters like Harvey. John OGrady, who heads the AFGE section representing EPA employees, called the potential closing disconcerting. Speaking at the news conference, he added: We have a laboratory in Houston that is state of the art and is situated directly in an industrial petrochemical complex. And that laboratory is slated for closure. Why? How much money are we going to save with that? Clovis Steib, an EPA employee and the union president in the Dallas region, said in an interview that EPA officials told him in April about the decision to close the lab. The sobering news given to me was that in 2019 they would start tying together loose ends and in 2020 the facility would close because they are not going to renew the lease. They would shutter it. And people there wonder, of course, what does that mean for me? The EPA recently offered buyouts to 12 people at the lab; three of them accepted the packages, Steib said. Union officials visited offices of Texas members of Congress on Wednesday seeking to build support for keeping the Houston facility open. In an email, David Gray, the EPAs acting deputy regional administrator for Region 6, acknowledged that that the lease in Houston wont be renewed but disputed the union's conclusions. We are looking at alternatives that will continue to provide the analytical services to support our mission critical work in the Dallas office, he said. As a candidate, President Donald Trump vowed to reduce the EPA to little tidbits and early in his administration proposed reducing the agencys budget by 31 percent and cutting staff by one-fourth. Those cuts have since been scaled back by appropriators in Congress, but the reductions likely will be significant. For years before Trump arrived, discussions took place in Washington about a change in the EPAs approach to managing its 37 laboratories including ten regional labs that are housed in 170 buildings in 30 cities. The Government Accountability Office reported six years ago that the agency had ignored recommendations dating back to the 1990s about the value of consolidating or realigning labs. Hoping to stave off closure, Houston lab employees intend to give Congress a better understanding of what they have accomplished in recent years. For instance, they quickly analyzed over 3,000 samples as part of a PCBs removal action at the Old ESCO Manufacturing Superfund site in Greenville, according to reports to EPA headquarters. The Houston lab analyzed sediment samples collected in surveys of ocean-dredge sites in the Gulf of Mexico, testing for PCBs, pesticide residues and metals, among other pollutants. For criminal cases in the region, the lab does testing both in the investigative phase and in preparation for prosecution, the report noted. A lab employee said that the uncertainty about whether workers will have jobs or be offered transfers weighs heavily. We just dont know what the future is. The stress level under these circumstances is incredible, said the employee, who requested anonymity because employees are prohibited from speaking to reporters. For much of the last decade, our area's flood control discussion centered on building some type of protection to protect people from a large storm surge that might occur if a hurricane makes landfall near Galveston Bay. The discussion was broadened after our floods that occurred in 2015 and 2016 to include how to mitigate impacts from major rain events, and that focus will be even sharper after Hurricane Harvey. We need to continue the discussion and planning for storm surge mitigation, but we need to do so with a new realization: Federal dollars that might have been available for our region to construct a hurricane storm surge structure may be limited as there will be even more demand for those dollars for traditional flood control. It's probably time to consider less costly options that would protect the most vulnerable parts of the Houston Ship Channel. Over six years ago, the Rice SSPEED Center recommended a hurricane storm surge structure that would stretch across the base of the upper Ship Channel that would have theoretically protected most of the infrastructure on the Houston Ship Channel. Its cost was estimated to be $2 billion to $3 billion and it could theoretically have been designed and constructed in a matter of a few years. However, the idea gained little political support because it did not protect people who lived south of the upper ship channel. Since then, much of the local support has centered on promoting the "Ike Dike," a coastal barrier along the entirety of Galveston and Bolivar that could theoretically protect "everyone," but might cost $15 billion or more. In addition to the capital cost of an Ike Dike, we would also need to generate local tax dollars for its operation and maintenance. One estimate is that it would cost .5 percent of the total cost of the structure to operate and maintain annually, totaling $75 million a year. To date, there has been no proposal put forward on determining who would pay those new taxes. Of note, voters in at least one Louisiana parish have voted down proposals on two separate occasions to increase taxes to maintain their storm protection levees. A coastal spine seems simple enough, but additional levees and gates would need to be constructed across the region to protect everyone. Even without a hurricane storm surge, there is enough water in Galveston Bay to slosh around and cause flooding as the water gets pushed across the Bay in a big storm. The coastal spine would require a backside levee around Galveston to keep the island from flooding, an additional gate in Clear Lake to keep that area from flooding, and potentially a mid-bay gate to keep the upper Ship Channel area from flooding. Because of the proposed cost and complexity of such a structure, the Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a five-year Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Feasibility Study. The study began in November 2015 and is slated to be completed in April 2021. It is required under law before any federal dollars can be spent. The study will focus both on the proposed costs and benefits of several protection options, as well as the potential environmental impacts. If the Corps does review the Ike Dike and determine that it is the best option for our region, it will recommend it for federal funding. But it will do no good for us if the cost of the Ike Dike makes it unlikely to ever be funded. The original motivation for constructing a storm surge barrier was to protect our area's vulnerable ship channel infrastructure, which would save Galveston Bay from an environmental catastrophe that might occur should that area be devastated by a large storm surge. That concept morphed over time to the Ike Dike concept of protecting "everyone." It may be time to look back at a more reasonably priced structure like the Centennial Gate or some other ship channel levee or structure to protect our most important infrastructure and which would have a greater likelihood of being built because of its lower cost. Otherwise, we may be waiting until the next hurricane disaster to generate the federal dollars required to build an Ike Dike. Stokes is president of the Galveston Bay Foundation. A Cabool man was arrested and charged Wednesday after found in possession of a stolen vehicle. Brian Scott Powell, 49, of Cabool, is charged with first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, a felony. He was taken to the Texas County Jail and held on $75,000 bond after his arrest by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. While some people might think theyre doing something good by taking it upon themselves to stock Ozarks bodies of water with fish, Missouri Department of Conservation officials say the effects of their actions might not be desirable. In fact, the results can be downright detrimental. A lot of people dont realize what those effects might be, said MDC Texas County agent Chris Ely. Its an issue for us as far as our management of Missouris resources. A problem resulting from citizen stocking, so to speak, can be found right here in Texas County at the MDCs George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking. A lake was created at the facility that was scientifically stocked with small fish by MDC fisheries department experts. But a citizen introduced lunker largemouth bass and unwittingly caused many of the fingerlings to become meals. Our fisheries folks base their stocking numbers on the size of the lake and existing fish populations, said nursery assistant supervisor Dena Biram. When other people put additional fish in the lake, it changes the ability of the lake to provide what they need to survive. Fish will not survive in overcrowded conditions and larger fish of some species will eat smaller fish. Putting large fish in a newly stocked lake with fingerlings can defeat the purpose of stocking at all. Fortunately we have some great fisheries folks who helped with the issues. CHRIS ELY Ely stressed that moving fish from one place to another can move other undesirable things, too. The fish species may not be the issue, he said. The true issue can be the movement of exotics that can take place. Those exotic and often invasive species include the zebra mussel and a prolific single-celled called didymo (a.k.a. rock snot). By all means, we dont want those things in the Big Piney River, Ely said. It would cause havoc with whats already there. Disease might also spread if a fish is moved. Imagine buying what looks like a perfectly healthy fish from Walmart, putting it in your aquarium, and then all your other fish get sick, Ely said. Its the same concept we deal with, and thats why we prefer to do the stocking. Were very careful and we know that the fish we stock are clean. {{tncms-inline alignment=right content=

Call the MDC regional office in West Plains at 417-256-7161 (ask for fisheries). Ely can be reached at 417-260-2865 or agent Jeff Crites at 417-260-2855. The MDC fisheries department’s web address is www.fishing.mdc.mo.gov.

id=9d913e8e-bfc8-4120-a673-2104de635735 style-type=info title=More Information type=relcontent width=half}} Ely said due care and caution should also be used when stocking private ponds, or impoundments. The MDC recommends using its authorized fish species list as a guideline. If those species were to somehow escape an impoundment, theyre species that already exist in our river systems, Ely said. The ones we recommend putting into a pond in Texas County are bass, bluegill, catfish and maybe red ear sunfish, or what people call shellcracker. And depending on the impoundment, maybe crappie. Ely said bringing in exotic fish, like tilapia, isnt out of the question, but requires following stringent rules. If some species were to get into our rivers, he said, they might actually out-compete the natives. Then, eventually, we wouldnt have those species, which are largely responsible for making Missouri rivers what they are. The trick is to make sure an impoundment containing exotics is closed, with no possible escape route. We certainly allow tilapia to be raised in Missouri, Ely said, but they have to be in a closed system such that if it breaches, theres no drain path to your local stream. Ive seen some of these tilapia productions and theyre pretty neat. The issue isnt limited to fish, Ely said. This is a broader issue, he said. It could be plants, for example. Someone might move a plant because they think its pretty, and it ends up taking over a lake. Even with a farm pond, if you have questions about what to bring into it, our fisheries folks can look at it and say, this is what we recommend that you plant. They can even give you ideas where to get it. The bottom line is, stocking and moving aquatic species is something best left to qualified experts and officials, Ely said. The conservation department has been entrusted with the job of managing the fish, forest and wildlife resources of the entire state the taxpayers pay for us to do it, he said. So rather than taking it upon yourself to move these species around and not really know the whole story, let us do it. We understand someone might have good intentions, but we have specialized people who have been trained in that field and know what theyre doing and how to do it. If someone wants, for example, to have more catfish in a certain area, they should petition us to make that happen. Well be objective and take a look at it, and if its something that should be done, well do it. Several people try their luck at fishing in a small lake during an open house event last April at the Missouri Department of Conservations George O. White State Forest Nursery west of Licking. The lakes fish population experienced trouble when large bass were introduced by the public. Call the MDC regional office in West Plains at 417-256-7161 (ask for fisheries). Ely can be reached at 417-260-2865 or agent Jeff Crites at 417-260-2855. The MDC fisheries departments web address is www.fishing.mdc.mo.gov. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. dzika_mrowka via Getty Images 56 countries have received official invitations to gather in London this week for the world's largest arms fair. As buyers and sellers of arms are networking and making preliminary deals, we must not forget the appalling impact explosive weapons have on civilians and encourage all arms users to stop the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. Families trapped under rubble, children maimed by bombs, hospitals destroyed by air strikes... the tragedy happening in war torn countries right now highlights the devastating impact of explosive weapons. When these weapons are used in populated areas, 92% of people killed and injured are civilians. In 2016 they were 45,624 children, women and men. Advertisement Civilians exposed to the effects of explosive violence are marked for life. Besides killing and causing horrific injuries, explosive weapons spread terror, make people fear for their lives and destroy vital infrastructures. Shelters, hospitals and schools are being destroyed by bombs. Water and electricity networks are also ruined leading to food and water insecurity. Every day, our teams on the ground meet people who were at home, in the street or visiting friends when they were seriously injured in bomb attacks. Some have lost one or more relatives. People like 13-year-old Abdallah from Iraq who was caught in an explosion in Mosul with his best friend. He told our team: "I was sitting in the street with my best friend. Suddenly, a missile fell right next to us and there was a huge blast. Then I couldn't feel anything. I tried to get up three times but each time I fell down again. My leg was covered in blood. I tried to crawl over to my friend and cried out for help. The neighbours came and laid us on blankets and then took us to hospital. I was in surgery for two hours. My best friend died two or three days later. That's my story." Abdallah suffered a serious fracture in the explosion. Our team is providing him with rehabilitation care but also psychosocial support as he suffers from acute distress and often feels extremely anxious as a direct result of his trauma. Advertisement E. Fourt / Handicap International - Abdallah is receiving rehabilitation care from Handicap International's physiotherapist Indeed the impact on the mental health of civilians exposed to the effects of explosive violence is extremely worrying. And danger does not disappear when the conflict ends. The legacy of explosive weapons makes it dangerous for the local population to return. Civilians who return home are exposed to the danger of weapons that did not explode on impact, called "explosive remnants of war". Parties to present-day conflicts appear to think it's normal to bomb populated areas, such as towns and villages, without regard for civilian lives. But according to international humanitarian law (IHL), combatants must take all necessary precautions to spare the civilian population, who must not be subjected to indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks. Advertisement While many countries are gathering today at the world's largest arms fair, I think it is a good time to remind everyone to fully defend and enforce these fundamental principles of IHL. This week, Handicap International is launching its "Stop Bombing Civilians" international campaign. The campaign includes an appeal to members of the public worldwide to take selfies with the word "STOP" on their hand and to post them on social media along with the hashtag #StopBombingCivilians. HuffPost Six months ago, I was invited to join a colleague on an environmental expedition to document the effects of climate change first-hand. 2041, a company founded by the explorer and environmental activist Robert Swan, each year invite a group of forward-thinking game changers onto a ship with the aim of creating a sort of floating think tank to tackle this monumental issue. Advertisement Fast forward a few months and I am on board the Ocean Endeavour, looking out onto the last great wildernesses left on earth. Imagine the scene: the sun is setting, the waters below are black, the sky above is blue and pink, the monochrome mountains frame the scene. The vastness is humbling and the silence is deafening. I'm shivering on the deck with a camera the weight of a small child balancing on my shoulder and without a doubt, this is the most beautiful backdrop I have ever had the privilege to film on. Ordinarily I would now begin a campaign to ensure all my friends, family and random people in the pub knew how incredible this place was and that they had booked their tickets before the hour was out. However I can't do that, because Antarctica is suffering from a devastating disease which is being sped up by the increase in tourism. Climate change is a mammoth, pretty incomprehensible issue. Most people frankly ignore it as it isn't something you can see. The documentary we have made attempts to put the subject into bite-sized chunks, however for the purpose of this blog a couple of things are worth noting. The ice is melting in Antarctica, and the reason for it is almost certainly human activity: this is a belief held by 97% of the scientific community and me personally. One consequence of this ice melting is that sea levels will rise. This is already happening and the current NASA estimation is that by 2100 the sea levels will rise by up to four feet. Think about how much ice has to melt for that to happen globally! And that's if the ice caps don't melt entirely. If they did, it's game over. Advertisement The great thing about human beings is that they all built cities in the same way originally, near water. It was great for transport, food, travel. What that isn't so great for is climate change. Goodbye London, goodbye Shanghai, goodbye Mumbai, Hong Kong, Miami, New York, the list goes on of great cities that I love. That doesn't even cover all the Islands which disappear. That is a lot of people to rehouse. The world can't deal with the political refugees we have currently, let alone having to work out how we rehouse most of society. It is truly scary to think about the potential effects, and seeing this indescribable continent bleed into the surrounding water really pushed it home for me. And yet ironically travelling to Antarctica is one of the least globally friendly things I could have done. Antarctica is no longer the inaccessible place it once was. If anything it is becoming more like the last-minute package deals we offer to Spain. I, like many others on the expedition, felt 'Antarctica guilt'. We knew we were there to do a job, spread a message but we were also very aware of the hypocrisy of being there. One person travelling to the continent uses twelve tonnes of CO2 to get there, that is the equivalent of an average family of four living in the UK for a year. Which begs the question: Should I have gone? Am I just as bad as the other 44,000 people visiting this year? Possibly, yes. My only defence is that I was going there to do a job and I offset my carbon footprint. Of course I feel privileged to have seen this great continent. Of course I understand that stopping travelling to Antarctica in itself will not stop climate change in its tracks. However I would rather tell my friends, family and randoms in a pub to visit London, Shanghai, Mumbai, Hong Kong, Miami, New York and those beautiful Pacific islands and never go near our brilliant ice giant. Hopefully this will at least give them the experience of seeing those amazing places while they're still above water. Advertisement Dan Kitwood via Getty Images Mental health is rightly moving up the agenda in London. The Mayor of London has launched Thrive LDN, a city-wide movement, to raise awareness and challenge the stigmatisation of mental health issues. But does it ignore offenders and ex-offenders? Here at the London Assembly Health Committee we have been investigating access to mental health support for marginalised groups. We spoke with expert guests in the sector, front-line workers and ex-offenders themselves. And the message was clear: offender and ex-offender mental health is an overlooked area of mental health. Advertisement But we can't afford to overlook offender and ex-offender mental health. The mental health outcomes are shocking. Prisoners are four times as likely to suffer depression as the general population. Male prisoners are ten times as likely to have experienced a psychotic episode in the last year. And these issues can ultimately lead to suicide. The British Medical Association told us that 46 per cent of female offenders have attempted suicide at some point in their lives, compared to 6 per cent of the general population. So we need to get our interactions with these vulnerable people right from the very start. And that means from the very first point of contact with the police. The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime says that one in every ten calls the Met gets is related to mental health. All those we spoke to echoed Lord Adebowale's recommendation made four years ago for comprehensive officer training to recognise and de-escalate those suffering a mental health crisis. To its credit the Met has recognised the problem. All officers receive compulsory mental health training. Pilots are starting in North and East London for special Mental Health Investigation Teams and the Met is developing a triage service to divert women with mental health needs away from the criminal justice system in the first place. We need to get these schemes fully up and running, in order to save lives. Advertisement "People come in [to prison] and they come out worse" Prison is not meant to be a pleasant experience. But everyone deserves a second chance and our current prison system - violent, overcrowded and under-funded - far too often destroys any hope at a second chance. Core London prisons, such as Wandsworth, Brixton and Pentonville are all overcrowded. Wandsworth holds 50 per cent more prisoners than it was designed to. It's too easy to get hold of drugs. One in five heroin users reports first trying it in prison. Not enough staff means prisoners are in lock-up more often, unable to mix or go to classes. This isn't a healthy environment by any stretch of the imagination. We even heard of prisoners not being allowed to attend support services because there wasn't a guard free to accompany them. This is unacceptable. And leaving prison is just as bad. Continuity is severely lacking. Even if you managed to see a mental health professional whilst inside, too often you are starting at square one on the outside. Ex-offenders told us how common it was to leave prison without a job or a stable living situation lined up. This is a huge suicide risk. One in five of all ex-offenders who try to commit suicide do so in the first 28 days. If the Mayor is serious about a zero-suicide city, this time point - the first 28 days - is when we really need to get it right. So who is at fault? Some blame the way that probation is managed in London. For three years now the London Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) has managed the majority of offenders in London (high-risk offenders are still managed by the Ministry of Justice). Regulators say probation services have deteriorated and that London is "now poorer than any other area that has been inspected." Of course the CRC say they are going to fix this. The Mayor needs to keep the pressure up, and make sure that offender mental health is firmly on the agenda for the CRC. What can we do? Firstly, if the prison environment is so disastrous for mental health, we need to help people stay out in the first place. There are a myriad of reasons why people offend, but early intervention is always going to be a good thing. Everyone we spoke to praised Liaison and Diversion (L&D) services, small teams who operate in custody suites and try to identify vulnerable people and divert them away from the criminal justice system and into more appropriate settings. We at the London Assembly fully support L&D teams and hope the Mayor and others in the criminal justice world will support their expansion across London. Advertisement Secondly, the Mayor has powers over housing. No one should leave prison to then immediately be homeless. Barnado's says that children as young as 13 are being released from custody with nowhere safe to go. Supported housing is a post-code lottery, with different thresholds in each borough. Rehabilitation officers have to navigate this complex environment, but ultimately if the borough doesn't deem an offender a priority case then housing is very hard to come by. The Mayor needs to explicitly address this in his housing strategy and homelessness programmes. Thirdly, from 2019 the Mayor will run all employment support programmes in London. This is a real opportunity to better target programmes at this marginalised group. Meaningful employment is a significant driver of good mental health and is shown to reduce re-offending by up to 50 per cent. But having a criminal conviction is heavily stigmatised, and many routes into employment remain blocked. 60 per cent of those leaving prison do not have employment on leaving prison. The Mayor needs to lead by example too. We heard that public sector organisations have a particularly poor record in London for hiring ex-offenders. We can turn this around and the Mayor and the GLA can show leadership in this area. TOLGA AKMEN via Getty Images It's rare to see any cabinet minister being warmly congratulated by her opposition shadow in the House of Commons. On matters involving Rupert Murdoch, it is virtually unprecedented. Governments of all shades in Britain have an almost unbroken record of abject surrender when it comes to tackling the sprawling expansion of Murdoch's media empire. And yet, in responding to Secretary of State Karen Bradley's statement about the Murdochs' proposed 100% takeover of Sky on Tuesday afternoon, her opposite number Tom Watson could not have been more effusive. "This is the first time that a minister in the current government has ever stood in the way of what the Murdochs want... So well done, and as they say in the Black Country: 'she's a good 'un'". Advertisement Bradley deserved the plaudits. She had not only reiterated her intention to refer the 21st Century Fox bid to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for a full investigation on plurality grounds, but informed astonished MPs that she had changed her mind about a referral on another, entirely separate issue: whether Fox has a genuine commitment to broadcasting standards. She will come to a final decision in the next few weeks, but as things stand Fox will now be facing lengthy inquiries by the CMA on two separate public interest grounds. It was a principled and courageous - as well as legally correct - decision, and earned a headline in the following day's Guardian editorial that Bradley may or may not welcome: "Karen Bradley is standing up to the Murdochs." It was even more extraordinary in the face of a shockingly weak and pusillanimous series of recommendations by the media regulator Ofcom, who appeared to have bent over backwards to appease the Murdochs. In March this year, when Bradley first suggested her inclination to intervene in the bid, she made her concerns abundantly clear. First, full ownership of Sky "may increase [the Murdoch family's] ability to exercise influence over Sky News" in addition to its ownership of media enterprises across print, online and radio. Second, there were serious failures of corporate governance in respect of phone hacking at the News of the World, and Ofcom had stated in an earlier report that James Murdoch's conduct "repeatedly fell short of the exercise of responsibility to be expected of him as CEO and chairman". Given that James Murdoch would have increased influence over Sky News after the merger, there was good reason for Ofcom to consider any implications for standards at Sky News. Advertisement Ofcom's 146 page report, published by DCMS on 29 June, was bizarre in two respects. It concluded unequivocally, following a thorough 60 page analysis of the media market and media plurality, that the transaction did raise concerns about increased Murdoch influence. So far so good. It then - for reasons that remain obscure - allowed 21st Century Fox to propose undertakings that would supposedly strengthen the editorial independence of Sky News, and concluded that these undertakings would "mitigate" the plurality concerns. This was extraordinary for two reasons. First, the process of offering and then consulting on Undertakings in Lieu (UiLs) of referral should be at the discretion of the Secretary of State, not the regulator. Bradley made it clear in her statement to the Commons on the same day that she found this practice unusual. Second, the proposals - which involved a separate Editorial Board for Sky News with a majority of independent members - were laughably weak and clearly open to manipulation and circumvention by an organisation with an established track record of systematically ignoring guarantees of editorial guarantees (e.g. the Times and Sunday Times in the UK, and more recently the Wall Street Journal in the US). Having offered Fox an escape route on plurality, Ofcom then spent just 10 pages assessing the risk to broadcasting standards, and dismissed them. Yes, Fox compliance procedures were indeed inadequate but - prompted by Ofcom's concerns - Fox had improved them: so, a mild smack on the wrist for having to be reminded of its obligations but nothing to prompt undue concern. Advertisement Karen Bradley invited representations on Ofcom's report, and several campaign groups as well as a powerful cross-party coalition of MPs and peers argued vehemently that this was a wholly inadequate response to the history of corporate wrongdoing uncovered on both sides of the Atlantic. Senior journalists employed at the News of the World had been convicted of phone-hacking; public officials had been convicted of accepting bribes approved by Murdoch executives; a head of legal affairs was found to have lied to Parliament; million dollar settlements had been reached with victims of harassment at Fox News which included non-disclosure clauses to prevent the worst excesses being publicised. More recently, Fox News was revealed to be intimately involved in concocting an entirely untrue story that a young Democratic Party activist in the US was killed because he was the source of compromising leaks from the Democratic Party during the presidential election. This ruthless exploitation of a young man's death for political purposes - Fox News has admitted the story was untrue - has still not been explained away. Right-wing conspiracy theorists like Breitbart may be cavalier with their journalistic ethics, but does this sordid tale really give us confidence in the Murdochs' corporate commitment to broadcasting standards? When Bradley invited Ofcom to respond to these concerns, the regulator dug in its heels. Yes, it grudgingly agreed, there were "non-fanciful" concerns around Fox's commitment to broadcasting standards. But it still insisted that she should "exercise her discretion" not to make a reference to the CMA. Specifically on the Seth Rich story, Ofcom felt unable to reach a view on the "wider issues" raised. Ofcom was established 15 years ago to promote the interests of citizens. When the Murdochs made their bid for 100% of Sky in 2010-11, they met a robust and forensic regulator which worked hard to protect the public interest while a supine government worked behind the scenes to ease the merger through. It was only derailed by the Milly Dowler hacking revelations. Six years later, roles have been reversed. A supine regulator appears to have been captured by its most powerful stakeholder while a robust government looks determined to stand up for the public interest. When then prime-minister David Cameron addressed the House of Commons in the immediate aftermath of the phone hacking scandal, he warned that "never again should we let a media group get too powerful." Finally, we may have a government prepared to take that stand. But we should be profoundly worried that we also appear to have a regulator that has lost its bottle and in whom we can no longer have confidence to protect the public interest. Advertisement When the Welcome to Holland poem was shared with me, it was a welcome relief. It explained everything I felt as a parent of a newly autism diagnosed child, but it still left me feeling sad and I didn't like the comparison of Holland and Italy. I felt upset that I was on a different journey to that of my friends and as Joseph is an only child, I'd never experience what they would. I didn't resent them but felt sad that we wouldn't be doing the same things. I am now more accepting that we're on a different path. But on the whole, I think it's a bit floaty. Wishy washy, airy fairy. My feelings on it now have changed over the years and it needed to brought into the modern day to something that we can understand and relate to. What about this? Me and my mates were booked on an all inclusive to Mexico. It might not be everyone's cup of tea but we were gonna have long lazy summer days, drink cocktails and hang out. Maybe even have a few late nighters. Advertisement At the last-minute the stupid holiday company dropped a bollock. They booked me on a flight to Benidorm. I was absolutely gutted and was dreading it as I didn't think I would know anyone and I'd saved up my hard-earned cash for the Mexico holiday not Benners. I was slightly pissed off to say the least. Anyway, when I got there, a load of old mates had flown out to keep me company. We were up late every night. Some days I felt like I couldn't go out again I'd had such a heavy one the night before. Swore I'd never do it again but was back on the lash the following night. I didn't think I wanted Benidorm, but I keep going back. I'm still hoping for Mexico and there are glimpses on the horizon. It's not exactly a day trip though and takes a while to get there. I'm not saying I don't think about it, of course I do but Benidorm is ok despite what people may think. It's hard work doing it every day and I wonder how I do it sometimes. Who wants the slow-paced life though...? *substitute Benidorm for Bognor or Barbados. Substitute Mexico for Margate or Marbella. It doesn't matter, the message is still the same. We all have different visions, ideals and life can throw us some shit moves. Don't be ashamed for feeling sad for what you thought you was going to get. Don't feel alone and don't feel you have to feel the same as everyone else. Advertisement We're all different. I'm now off to get shitfaced in Benidorm.. CD Baby Donates Share Of Digital Sales To Hurricane Relief: Using Music To Benefit Others All this week, CD Baby is donating the net proceeds from all digital sales on the CD Baby music store to the Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund. We asked Kevin Breuner, CD Baby's Director of Marketing, what motivated the company to launch this campaign. "We've been looking for more opportunities as a company to reach out to our local community and to our neighbors around the world," Breuner told Hypebot. "It's also important for us to provide opportunities for our artists to use their music to the benefit of others. With Hurricane Harvey, and all the other natural disasters that have left communities in need of relief, this seemed like an obvious fit. The money raised will go to the Red Cross which has boots on the ground all around the world." Breuner also shared that he's encouraged to see that many indie musicians are telling their fans about the fundraiser, particularly on Twitter. The fundraiser runs thru Friday, September 15th (11:59pm PST), and the money collected will be given to the Red Cross who is actively working on the ground with Harvey and Irma victims. Buy some great indie music and support hurricane victims on CDBaby now! Share on: Pittsfield Police Investigate Reports of Man Trying to Grab Women Off Street PITTSFIELD, Mass. Police are seeking information in the wake of several reports of a man acting aggressively toward, or possibly assaulting, women. The incidents may be related as a number of witnesses have provided similar descriptions of a man calling to them to get into his vehicle. Some have reported two men in the car. The suspect is said to dark-skinned, standing about 6-feet-tall, with short hair and accent described as possibly Jamaican or African. The individual was seen operating, or as a passenger of, an older tan or silver Toyota Camry (or similar vehicle). In one case, a victim reports that the individual described above tried to physically force her into the vehicle, but she was able to strike him and flee. No, not what you thought. Japan has very dirty power generation with renewables stuck at around 10% for two decades then rising last year to approach 15%. New Zealand has now powered up from 80 to 85% renewables feeding its grid - around the figures of Iceland and Norway. Both Japan and New Zealand are on the Ring of Fire and both have hydrothermal energy and hydro power but Japan has little wind beyond the odd typhoon. No one knows how to trap gigawatts in hours from a typhoon. Japan's renewables are almost entirely photovoltaics despite overcast days being common. Japan must await Airborne Wind Energy tapping the better wind at 200-1000 meters. See the IDTechEx report, Airborne Wind Energy 2017-2027 . New Zealand does not need that. It is in the "Roaring Forties" so land-based conventional wind turbines are rarely still - something very unusual anywhere else in the world on land. So what about spare capacity for electric vehicles? They could not be more different. Japan has no spare capacity since the Fukushima disaster in 2011, the shutting of all nuclear power being compensated more by fossil fuel than renewables in the early years. New Zealand has enough power actual and committed to power all vehicles in Japan if tonight they all magically became pure electric. EV adoption is very different too. Neither government encourages them much: Japan because they would be unable to power them and New Zealand because of shortage of funds and commitment, though the country, paradoxically, is fiercely green and anti-nuclear. The Japanese should therefore welcome the new Energy Independent Electric Vehicles EIVs mostly reliant on sunshine to never get electricity from outside but with some use of wind, waves and tide to make their electricity on-board. Oddly, there is almost no work on these EIVs in Japan, the main developments coming from Europe, the USA and China. See the IDTechEx report, Energy Independent Electric Vehicles 2017-2027 . They will be much less needed in New Zealand. New Zealand EVs are dominantly pure electric, with Norway one of the very few countries where this end game is happening already though most are secondhand Nissan Leafs from Japan. As of this year, Japan is plug-in hybrid land with the dominant non plug-in hybrid sales being largely replaced by plug-in hybrids in one year flat. The Toyota Prius is now a PHEV brand to most people. The Prius prime is a runaway success. In contrast, pure electric cars are a small percentage and charging stations are tough to find. They pursue fuel cell hybrids and have something of a hydrogen charging infrastructure for them but buyers are few: driving down an extra congested road to find hydrogen is unattractive. In New Zealand they ignore fuel cells. Toyota has the world's two largest EV manufacturers if you include hybrids - Toyota and Nissan - most of what they make going abroad, indeed made abroad: New Zealand homemade EVs are little more than a few electric boats. Nevertheless, New Zealanders think they are backward: they are not. They even have huge opportunities and skills to make a large variety of niche EVs and export them. Top image: New Zealand Wind Energy Association Imperial Valley News Center How an invention promotion outfit demoted the truth Washington, DC - It sounds like there was some inventing going on at Florida-based invention promotion firm World Patent Marketing, but a Preliminary Injunction in a case brought by the FTC suggests it wasnt the kind that unsuspecting consumers bargained for when they forked over millions of dollars based on the defendants misleading promises about patenting and promoting their products. For FTC watchers, the opinion is a page-turner from start to finish. Well focus on just a few of the claims the company invented. The defendants initial business model involved online ads that induced people to submit their product ideas. Salespeople responded, telling interested consumers that World Patent Marketings review team was researching the proposal because the company is so selective with the ideas they choose to work with. After a bit of a wait, salespeople called the would-be entrepreneur back to say: We had our final meeting with the Review Team regarding your idea. And basically from all the research thats been done on [your idea], the research tells us theres definitely potential to patent your idea. Because of that, I have the green light from the company to let you know that WPM wants to be a part of your new product idea and help you to protect it and bring it to the commercial marketplace. So, first of all congratulations! . . . The company loved your idea! They think it has a lot of potential. Especially the Sr. Product Director, who is in charge of which ideas are considered for the upcoming trade show. He sees some good opportunities ahead. But as the U.S. District Court concluded, those salespeople were reading the pitch from a script. In fact, there is no evidence that WPM ever had a review team or rejected a large number of ideas. What about the companys Global Invention Royalty Analysis containing a marketability study created by a Harvard University & MIT Research Team? Despite the defendants claim that the University had given the green light to continue, the Court concluded that the defendants didnt have a relationship with Harvard, MIT, or any other college. The defendants malarkey induced many consumers to pay between $9,000 and $65,000 for a 10 Point Patent Protection & Publicity Commitment. (The pricier packages promised a global patent.) When consumers asked for updates, the defendants strung them along. Behind the scenes, the picture was less rosy because even when the companys contract patent agents submitted applications to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the PTO typically rejected them as deficient. In addition to patent services, the defendants claimed to offer product development and marketing know-how, touting that some of the worlds most respected brands trust World Patent Marketing, including, for example, Target. The FTC isnt the only one to say that was balderdash. A representative for Target testified that the defendants had no relationship whatsoever with the national retailer. The Court also cited misrepresentations regarding purported success stories, licensing and manufacturing agreements, and an Invention Team Advisory Board with big-name members who didnt actually advise the company or review invention proposals. One anecdote is particularly telling. When an undercover FTC investigator contacted the company, the salesperson claimed that the History Channel had run a whole segment on World Patent Marketing. The truth? The defendants paid $17,000 to air their own ad on the channel. It ran once at 6:00 AM on January 29, 2015. Not surprisingly, consumers started to speak up when their hefty cash outlays werent yielding the promised results. But according to the Court, the defendants intimidated and threatened customers to prevent them from complaining and to compel them to retract complaints a tactic consistent with the companys blog boast about a security detail of ex-Israeli soldiers who knockout first and ask questions late. By suppressing honest consumer reviews in an effort to maintain a false front of reputability, the company instituted a positive feedback loop in which their unfair and deceptive practices reinforce each other. Heres just one example of an email the company president sent to a dissatisfied consumer: Hey Genius [ ] I understand you emailed one of my board members telling her you think my company lacks integrity and you think we might be a fraud. Just wanted to let you know that is probably going to be the most expensive email you ever sent. I hope it was worth it . . . meet my attorneys Eric Creizman and Andrew Levi [ ] they really enjoy meeting new people. Even if you dont have invention promotion clients, the Courts opinion is a legal compendium on preliminary injunctions, asset freezes, the FTCs deception and unfairness standards, and the use (and misuse) of disclosures. For example, the Court offered four persuasive rejoinders to the defendants argument that they made numerous conspicuous disclaimers about the low likelihood that consumers would achieve success: Caveat emptor is not a valid defense to liability arising from misrepresentations. Even if caveat emptor were a valid defense, disclaimers or qualifications . . . are not adequate to avoid liability unless they are sufficiently prominent and unambiguous to change the apparent meaning of the claims and to leave an accurate impression. Anything less is only likely to cause confusion by creating contradictory double meanings. Even if the disclaimers contained unambiguous disclosures, they failed to change the net impression created by Defendants salespeople who verbally promised financial gain. To the extent that consumers even read the disclaimers, they were contradicted by statements from the companys salespeople. These representations were likely to cause confusion for consumers who, on the one hand, were told that the company believed their ideas would succeed, and on the other, read that most inventions fail. With the preliminary injunction in place, the defendants are prohibited from making misrepresentations to induce people to buy products or services, and from threatening anyone who complains about them a practice the Court held met the FTCs unfairness standard. The Court continued the asset freeze and made the court-appointed receiver permanent. Entrepreneurs, before investing in invention promotion services, consider this advice from the FTC. This Isnt Our Last Love Letter Dear Don Don, Way back in 92 I walked into the room and knew Never felt this way before I shook your hand while gazing into your eyes And the feeling grew As I took a seat I knew A love that would have my heart Forever I knew Way back in 92 They say love at first sight doesnt always last or isnt true We were the exception to that rule Our love had no where to hide A spark set fire As if this is how the universe started I never doubted our love or what we could do Together we grew Forming a bond everlasting That became our glue My euphoria was YOU Im eternally grateful for the love and life we shared For how fortunate we were : to have and to hold through sickness and in health Til death do us part Until we are together again This isnt our last love letter I love you with all my heart and soul Yours forever, Deirdre (Mrs. Hank Snow) Im fortunate to have fallen in love with, marry and make a life with the sharpest, coolest, funniest, most rare, bad ass, tender loving, loyal man on the planet, my husband Don Imus. A True American Hero I dont know why it has been so hard for me to write about my dear friend Don Imus. I certainly know what he meant to me, my family, my charity, my hospital and the millions of fans that listened and loved him for so many years. I keep reading all the beautiful condolences that people are writing about how much a part of their lives were effected by listening to him over the years. But what most people dont talk enough about is what he did for all of us. In every sense of the word, he was an American Hero. His work with children with so many different illnesses and his dedication to their future was unmatched by anyone I have ever known or heard about. Besides raising over $100,000,000 for so many causes, he took care of young people for over 20 years in a state where he could not breathe. Along with his incredible wife Deirdre, he created a world where children were not defined by their disease. That was a miracle! He was a miracle. I will miss him ever day for the rest of my life. I was blessed to be a part of his and Deirdes life. No one will ever do what he did. I love you Don Imus - A TRUE AMERICAN HERO David Jurist IMUS IN THE MORNING FIRST DAY BACK! Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Life Cinematic email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Angelina Jolie, 136 mins, starring: Sreymoch Sareum, Phoeung Kompheak, Sveng Socheata First They Killed My Father (which screened at the Toronto Festival this week) is Angelina Jolies fourth feature as a director. It is by some distance the best film she has yet made. Based on Loung Ungs memoir, this is the story of the extreme suffering of a middle-class Cambodian family during the Khmer Rouge years in the mid 1970s. It boasts an astonishing performance from newcomer Sreymoch Sareum, who plays Loung from the ages of five until nine, and from whose point of view we witness the horror as the country is re-made in Year Zero. Jolie has struck her Faustian bargain with Netflix which means that a film which would surely benefit from being seen on the big screen will get minimal play in cinemas. The upside is that it is instantly available to watch at home. Its easy to scoff at the Hollywood star as a do-gooding celebrity who helicopters herself into other cultures and tells stories which would be far better tackled by locals who understand what is at stake. In this case, she has chosen her collaborators very carefully. The film is executive produced and co-scripted by its subject Loung Ung and it is produced by Rithy Panh, the Cambodian author and filmmaker who himself survived the madness of the Pol Pot era. The actors are all Cambodians. We hear hardly any English in the film apart from a few words from President Richard Nixon, looking as shifty as always in archive footage as he claims that the US administration is trying to help the Cambodians to help themselves by abandoning them to Pol Pot. One of our first glimpses of Loung is of her face reflected in the familys TV screen. Loungs father is a captain in soon to be deposed President Lon Nols army. Her mother is a beautiful socialite. Her parents enjoy alcohol, music and food. As the film begins, Khmer Rouge forces are about to arrive in Phnom Penh. Locals blithely wave them in with their handkerchiefs, little realising what is about to unfold. In Democratic Kampuchea, as the country is re-christened, there is no banking, no trading, no private property - and no colour or enjoyment either. Loungs family is marched out of the city. Theyre told they can return in three days but they very quickly realise that they are unlikely ever to see home again. Her parents have to pretend that they are poor peasants. They are made to work the fields. What follows is a chronicle of despair. There are beatings and killings. Food is very short. If anyone shows any signs of being bourgeois, if they speak French or seem too educated, they will be punished severely. They are indoctrinated to love the communist leadership, the Angkar, more than their own relatives. Loungs parents do their best to shield the children from the death and suffering around them but it is so all pervasive that the kids cant escape it. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle includes several shots of the camp from high above. Just as in Rithy Panhs film The Missing Picture, in which Panh recreated Pol Pots Cambodia using clay figures and animation, the characters look as if theyre toys or cogs in some gigantic machine. At ground level, the picture is very different. Again and again, we will see some horrific incident and then we will be shown Loungs face as she looks on, trying to make sense of the cruel and bizarre happenings. Like Jim in JG Ballards Empire Of The Sun, she is tough and resilient - a little warrior. She adjusts far better to her new world than the adults around her. There are some very emotional moments here in which children and parents are separated. These are made all the more excruciating because none of the characters are allowed to express their feelings openly. (To do is considered the height of bourgeois decadence.) The closest we get to humour is when Loung and her siblings are enrolled in the peoples army and given a crash course in how to fight and kill the detested Vietnamese. Their instructors are almost comical in their fervour. One of the strengths of First They Killed My Father is its matter of fact quality. Only very late on does Jolie indulge in the kind of melodramatic flourishes youd expect in a Hollywood movie on the same subject. Instead, she shows us the madness of the Pol Pot years from the vantage point of the resourceful child, trying to rationalise the apocalyptic world in which she finds herself. First They Killed My Father will debut on Netflix 15 September. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Romanias Prime Minister, Mihai Tudose, recently raised the prospect of reopening the countrys huge Rosia Montana goldfield. The area had been mined from Roman times until the last state-run operation closed in 2006. An application by a previous government to make the area a Unesco world heritage site has now been withdrawn, paving the way for new development. Rosia Montana is nestled in the Carpathian mountains and, with 314 tons of gold, is home to Europes largest known deposits. A short-term mining bonanza promises employment for thousands of labourers and hundreds of millions of Romanian leu in investment in the EUs fastest-growing economy. But is the boom really worth it? After all, gold mining has historically resulted in long-term, chronic environmental problems. Rosia Montana is big, but the threats posed by acid mine drainage are bigger. The problem is, if completed, the project would use cyanide amalgamation to extract the gold from its ore body. This is the same cyanide used to poison people, fish and elephants. It has a toxic past in Rosia Montana, too: back in the 1970s, a copper mine in the area needed somewhere to store its cyanide-contaminated waste and the nearby village of Geamana was evacuated and flooded. It has been submerged under toxic waters ever since. Geamana is one of Romanias greatest ecological disasters, surpassed only in 2000 when a gold mine in Baia Mare in the north of the country spilled an estimated 100 tons of cyanide into a river. The latter incident was described as Europes worst environmental disaster since Chernobyl. No wonder that when the government first mooted the resumption of mining in 2013, it led to weeks of protests protests which now threaten to erupt again. Golds dirty secret Cyanidation was the breakthrough gold mining technology of the 1890s, when it enabled Anglo mining conglomerates to make colossal profits from low grade ores. Simply put: cyanidation involves mixing finely crushed ores (referred to as sands or, when water-based, slimes) in a weak cyanide solution (usually calcium cyanide). This solution is then mixed in large tanks and the gold separated from its ore body. The process increases yields of gold but produces immense quantities of highly-toxic waste that releases acid and metals into the environment. Around 90% of all gold extracted worldwide uses this method. The waste from cyanidation is a fine rock solution that is left in open air ponds while the concentration of acid is reduced to legal limits. The risk here is from dam failure or breakages in the lining of waste ponds, which can lead to catastrophic spills or leakage through the porous land surface into the water table. Waste water from a gold mine flows into the forest in Guyana, South America (Shutterstock) In nearly all metal mines, and some coal mines, acid drainage occurs because of the oxidation of iron ore found alongside precious mineral deposits. Uncovered by the mining process, the iron reacts with the air and releases sulphuric acid into the water. This process can last centuries. Spills from cyanidation waste are more short-lived, but more highly toxic than acid mine drainage occurring through iron oxidation. The ratio of waste to metal recovered in gold mining is vastly disproportionate: the Fimiston Super Pit, near the Western Australian town of Kalgoorlie, and until recently the largest open cut mine in the world, has returned approximately 1,640 tons of gold since operations began there in 1989. But thats only a small portion of the 15 million tons of rock extracted per year. On a more personal scale, a single gold wedding ring generates 20 tons of waste. The river runs yellow Cyanidation poses catastrophic ecological risks because cyanide leaks so easily into groundwater. Historical parallels suggest the Romanian proposal will most likely leave a toxic legacy. In 2015, as the US Environmental Protection Agency attempted to drain polluted water from the Gold King Mine in Colorado, which was closed in 1920, more than 3 million gallons were accidentally spilled into the Animas River. The polluted plume turned the entire river a deep mustard yellow. Water acidity levels increased 100-fold, and in some places a thousand times over levels considered safe for wildlife. The Animas River as normal, on the day of the Gold King Mine spill, and a day later (Shutterstock) The spill only posed no threat to fish in the Animas because ongoing pollution had already killed them. But the plume drained into the San Juan, a larger and cleaner river that flows into the spectacular Glen Canyon and, eventually, the Grand Canyon. There, the pollution threatened rare birds and endangered fish like the Colorado pikeminnow and razorback sucker. EPA chief Scott Pruitt returned to the site at the beginning of August this year vowing to complete the clean-up after the agency had walked away from the problem. At a water treatment plant installed on the site, 500 gallons of mercury and arsenic-laced water a minute flow from the Gold King Mine. The clean-up could take a decade and has already cost the EPA $29m (21m). The EPA has estimated that the cost of cleaning up just 156 mines in the US could be between $7bnand $24bn. Clean-up on most sites will take decades those with acid drainage will require water treatment in perpetuity. A global crisis Acid drainage is a little-known global crisis. The UN has even labelled it the second biggest problem facing the world after global warming. In the US, an estimated 22,000 kilometres of streams and 180,000 acres of freshwater reservoirs are affected by acid mine drainage. Rivers and lakes in Arizona, Patagonia, Guangdong in China, Ontario, Papua New Guinea, and at Rio Tinto in Spain, to name just a few, have all been polluted by acid mine drainage. In South Africa, the problem is chronic. Illegal gold mining in South Africa (EPA) These threats are prescient. Brazil recently announced a huge reserve in the Amazon rainforest has been earmarked for mining, including gold. In New Zealand, local activists fear the Karangahake Gorge is now under threat after a large, high-quality gold seam was found in the region. Around the Yellowstone National Park, mining companies are positively salivating at the possibility that Obama-era restrictions will be lifted, granting access to 3,000 tons of proven in-ground gold reserves. In Peru, marines have been dispatched to wage war against illegal mining on the River Santiago in the northern Amazon, which has done enormous damage to the regions bio-diversity and placed the livelihoods of 70,000 indigenous Awajuns and Wampis at risk. Multinationals hold out the promise of sustainable development through mining. But without careful forethought well find ourselves dealing with chronic pollution for centuries. Stephen Tuffnell is an associate professor of modern US history at the University of Oxford. This article was originally published on The Conversation (theconversation.com) Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov PM Phuc lauded the positive outcomes of the earlier talks between Minister Mammadyarov and Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, particularly measures to boost the bilateral relationship. The Azerbaijani Ministers visit will open up a new chapter for cooperative ties in different fields between Vietnam and Azerbaijan, he said. Having expressed his satisfaction about good political ties, PM Phuc said economic and trade relations remain modest, failing to meet expectations of both sides. The two sides need to review their regulations and policies to remove difficulties and facilitate trade and investment ties, the PM said, underlining the important role of enterprises in the field. The PM suggested the two sides continue exchanging delegations at all levels while maintaining and promoting the Inter-Governmental Committee for Economic-Commercial and Scientific-Technological Cooperation, saying that this cooperation mechanism is expected to help identify and promote cooperation in the fields of their forte, including energy, tourism, education and culture. Vietnam is willing to export its key products to Azerbaijan, such as agricultural and aquatic products, computers and components, and import machines, equipment and spare parts, crude oil, and crud oil-based products from the country, he said. For his part, Mammadyarov said the results of the talks with Deputy PM, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and his working session with Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh showed that the two nations have been on the right track to enhance cooperative ties. Highlighting the successful cooperation in the oil and gas sector, he said Azerbaijan will make greater efforts to boost cooperation with Vietnam in traditional fields and other potential spheres. PM Phuc acknowledged the guests idea on a new sea shipping route, pledging that he will assign relevant agencies to study to the proposal soon./. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The UNs special rapporteur on hazardous substances and wastes has said that he is deeply concerned the merger between Dow Chemical and DuPont may erase any remaining possibility of the victims of the Bhopal disaster seeing an effective remedy, more than three decades on from the tragedy. The two chemical giants completed the planned $130bn (100bn) merger to form DowDuPont earlier this month, but Tuncak fears that appropriate justice for those affected by the 1984 deadly gas leak at the Union Carbide India pesticide plant will now be even more challenging to achieve. Dow never owned or operated the factory that leaked the highly toxic methyl isocyanate fog in the early hours of 3 December 1984, but campaigners and Indian courts have tried to link it to the tragedy following its 2001 acquisition of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) the US-based majority owner of Union Carbide India (with 50.99 per cent shares) at the time of the disaster. Mr Tuncak told The Independent: The victims have faced insurmountable obstacles in getting past the corporate veil of Dow and UCC to find accountability and justice. This merger creates yet another layer of legal hurdles for victims to arrive at any semblance of an effective remedy and accountability for a preventable disaster now more than 30 years old. While he stopped short of explicitly saying Dow is responsible for ensuring the survivors of one of the worlds worst industrial disasters win due justice, Mr Tuncak said the question of where the liabilities lie remains highly complex. The tragedy of Bhopal and the responsibility of various actors, including Dow, has been a long-standing problem, and it has come up repeatedly throughout the course of the mandate I hold from the UN Human Rights Council, he said. It shocks the conscience and defies any sense of moral or ethical norms that a company believes it can simply acquire all the assets of a company, and leave potential liabilities surrounding a case such as Bhopal. If legal, this can deprive victims of their right to access to a remedy for human rights abuses, and must be corrected to the extent it is allowed under the law. Mr Tuncak will this week present a report to the UN Human Rights Council on general good practices in handling human rights and toxic chemicals. The document criticises corporate structures including parent-subsidiary relationships that prevent access to justice, and calls on states to ensure acquisitions do not prevent victims from accessing remedy for human rights abuses linked to toxic exposure. Dow acquired the shares of Union Carbide Corporation more than 16 years after the tragedy (AFP/Getty) (Getty) The report reads: Despite recognition that parent companies influence conduct within the corporate group, victims of corporate human rights abuses linked to toxic exposure can be left without justice or remedy because courts are reluctant to pierce the corporate veil. Furthermore, the acquisition of assets without the transfer of liabilities can deprive victims of the resources necessary to secure an effective remedy. Meanwhile, campaign groups also raised concerns over what they believe the Dow-DuPont merger might mean for Bhopal survivors. Joe Westby, a campaigner on business and human rights at Amnesty International, echoed Mr Tuncaks sentiments, saying it will now be even more difficult for victims to pin down who is responsible. Already Union Carbide has been able to hide behind complex, multinational corporate structures for decades to avoid accountability, he told The Independent. This merger will only make that more complex, so that is why it is very worrying. Shares of Dow and DuPont ceased trading at the close of the New York Stock Exchange on 31 August. The Dow-DuPont merger, which was announced in December 2015, will see the new DowDuPont operating as a holding company with three separate divisions agriculture, materials science, and specialty products. The Bhopal Medical Appeal launched a campaign targeting the Dow-DuPont merger and urging: Dont bury Bhopal. Tim Edwards, executive trustee of the UK charity that cares for survivors, said they have suffered injustice on an epic scale. Responsibility for remedying this injustice now belongs to DowDuPont, he told The Independent. Prior to a vote on the merger, survivors wrote to the boards of Dow and DuPont spelling out ongoing legal and reputational issues. DowDuPont want to bury Bhopal. They underestimate public memory; the power it holds to right historic injustice. Dow has consistently maintained it has no connection to or responsibility for the tragedy, which campaigners say killed as many as 22,000 people and left more than half a million others injured. The 1984 gas release from the plant in Bhopal, India was a terrible tragedy, a statement from DowDuPont reads. It is important to note that Dow never owned or operated the plant, which today is under the control of the Madhya Pradesh state government. Dow acquired the shares of Union Carbide Corporation more than 16 years after the tragedy, and 10 years after the $470m settlement agreement paid by Union Carbide Corporation and Union Carbide India, Limited was approved by the Indian Supreme Court. That settlement has been the subject of a lawsuit since 2010, when the Indian government sought to reopen the case after survivors, campaign groups and the government itself agreed the initial compensation level was based on disputed figures. Amnestys Mr Westby claimed: The compensation that was paid to the victims of the gas leak has been shown to be a wild underestimate of the extent of the suffering and death that was caused by the disaster. The figures used to calculate that compensation package are massively misjudged and were based on a discredited estimate of only 5,000 people being killed. Evidence that we have gathered, including figures from the Indian governments own studies, puts the death toll at about 22,000 people. Theres a similar situation with the number of people suffering disabilities and injuries. As a result, the compensation package was hugely inadequate for the actual extent of the suffering experienced by the people of Bhopal. Tuncak understands that toxic contamination persists around the pesticide factory in Bhopal (Getty) Beyond the question of adequate compensation, Mr Tuncak said there are other aspects of an effective remedy, for example the clean-up of the plant and access to safe drinking water for locals. Based on my understanding, toxic contamination persists around the pesticide factory in Bhopal not simply from the gas leak, but from terrible practices during its operation, and which continues to spread, he said. Mr Tuncak also insisted an apology is still necessary. In most of the cases Ive encountered, victims do not find closure until theres a sincere and meaningful apology by those who have caused harm, he added. Responsible companies involved in toxic chemical-related human rights abuses have issued apologies to victims in the past, even in cases where they were compliant with national laws. Dow this week declined to comment further on the specific concerns raised. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The proposed takeover of Sky by Rupert Murdochs 21st Century Fox will be referred to the competition and markets (CMA) authority, Culture Minister Karen Bradley confirmed on Thursday. I will issue and publish my formal referral decision in the coming days, she said. Earlier this week Ms Bradley already said that she was minded to refer the proposed tie-up and gave the two parties ten days to respond to her decision. On Tuesday, she said that her concerns relate to risks around media plurality and to Fox's commitment to broadcasting standards. Recommended UK says minded to refer Sky takeover by Rupert Murdoch to regulator Yesterday I received letters on behalf of both parties to the merger confirming that while they disagree with my minded-to decision, they would not be making substantive representations in relation to it, Ms Bradley said on Thursday. As a result, I can confirm my final decision is to refer the merger to the CMA for a Phase 2 investigation on media plurality and genuine commitment to broadcasting standards grounds, she added. She said that from the point of referral, the CMA has 24 weeks, or around six months, to conduct an investigation into the merger and provide her with advice. She said she would then come to a final decision on whether or not the deal can proceed, including any conditions that will apply in order to do so. Ofcom has already conducted an investigation into the possible takeover, after which the regulator raised concerns relating to the compliance procedures that Fox has in place for the broadcast of Fox News in the UK. That report found that the company only took action to improve its approach to compliance after Ofcom expressed concerns. On Thursday, 21st Century Fox said in a statement that "look[s] forward to engaging constructively with the CMA, as [an] independent authority, and hope[s] that the findings of this process will be respected by the Secretary of State". competition and markets (CMA) authority, Culture Minister Karen Bradley confirmed on Thursday. I will issue and publish my formal referral decision in the coming days, she said. Earlier this week Ms Bradley already said that she was minded to refer the proposed tie-up and gave the two parties ten days to respond to her decision. On Tuesday, she said that her concerns relate to risks around media plurality and to the commitment of broadcasting standards. Yesterday I received letters on behalf of both parties to the merger confirming that while they disagree with my minded-to decision, they would not be making substantive representations in relation to it, Ms Bradley said on Thursday. As a result, I can confirm my final decision is to refer the merger to the CMA for a Phase 2 investigation on media plurality and genuine commitment to broadcasting standards grounds, she added. She said that from the point of referral, the CMA has 24 weeks, or around six months, to conduct an investigation into the merger and provide her with advice. She said she would then come to a final decision on whether or not the deal can proceed, including any conditions that will apply in order to do so. Ofcom has already conducted an investigation into the possible takeover, after which the regulator raised concerns relating to the compliance procedures that Fox has in place for the broadcast of Fox News in the UK. That report found that the company only took action to improve its approach to compliance after Ofcom expressed concerns. In March this year Mr Murdochs company formally notified the European Commission that it was bidding nearly 12bn for the European pay-TV company. 21st Century Fox struck a preliminary deal to snap up the 61 per cent of Sky that it does not already own in December last year. If successful, the deal would likely strengthen the position of James Murdoch who is both chief executive of Fox and chairman of Sky in his 86-year-old fathers media empire. It would come more than five years after the media tycoons last tilt at taking full control of the business through News Corporation. Look[s] forward to engaging constructively with the CMA, as independent authority, and hope that the findings of this process will be respected by the Secretary of State. Subject to any further delays in the decision-making process, the company said it anticipates that the transaction will close by 30 June next year. In March this year Mr Murdochs company formally notified the European Commission that it was bidding nearly 12bn for the European pay-TV company. 21st Century Fox struck a preliminary deal to snap up the 61 per cent of Sky that it does not already own in December last year. If successful, the deal would likely strengthen the position of James Murdoch who is both chief executive of Fox and chairman of Sky in his 86-year-old fathers media empire. It would come more than five years after the media tycoons last tilt at taking full control of the business through News Corporation. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Camera manufacturer Nikon has suffered a storm of criticism after identifying 32 "creative individuals" to test and promote its new flagship camera without a single woman among them. The nearly three dozen photographers were drawn from some of the world's most populous areas by Nikon's Asia division to promote the new D850 DSLR. They were due to "embark on an experience with the latest FX-format D850 in their respective genres of wedding, nature, commercial and sports," the company said on its website. Recommended Why the good enough iPhone 8 might be better than the great iPhone X But the composition of the group attracted the ire of social media users who pointed out there were no women involved. One said: "Nikon, I think you just shot yourself in the foot." Another added: "Please do better ... there's are tons of capable female photogs out there". A third said: "When does the female version of the D850 come out? Will it be pink?" And yet another tweeted: "Got my D850 yesterday & there was a female photographer in the store who was also getting her D850 showed me this !! It's really sad". The 32 male photographers hailed from Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The 32 photographers Nikon listed were all men (Nikon Asia) Nikon Asia said in a statement on Twitter: "Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. Appreciate the support from our photography community to see better participation from female photographers as well. "Our photographers' meet was organised to share our latest innovation with our community, whom we truly value and respect. "Unfortunately, the female photographers we had invited for this meet were unable to attend, and we acknowledge that we had not put enough of a focus on this area. "We want to thank the community for raising this and challenging us to do more to support the creative talent of our female photographer community." World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Nikon Europe told The Independent in a further statement: "At Nikon we champion female photographers, here in the UK, across Europe and globally, and we look to praise and elevate unique female talent whenever and wherever possible. "The all-male line up of the road test of the D850 in Asia was an isolated occasion due to circumstance and not design. "At a global level, Nikon has invited four photographers to act as ambassadors for the launch of the D850, one of which is Italian photographer Rosita Lipari. "We take pride in celebrating female talent and include many brilliant female photographers in our Ambassador line-ups globally and will continue to do so." Ambassador Tran Quoc Thuy (left) delivered his speech at the ceremony (Photo: baoquocte.vn) Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Morocco Tran Quoc Thuy recalled the historical milestone of September 2nd, 1945, when President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence to give birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and open a new era of the country. He highlighted the achievements that Vietnamese people have achieved over the past 72 years, especially the international integration process. The Ambassador also emphasized the constant development of the Vietnam - Morocco relationship, since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1961, including exchanges of high-ranking delegations and cooperation in the fields of economics - trade, investment, culture, education and training. Particularly, the visit to Morocco of Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Phung Quoc Hien created an important progress in the bilateral relations. On this occasion, he also expressed optimism, confidence in the good future of the friendship and cooperation between the two sides./. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The number of arrests for terror offences in the UK has risen almost 70 per cent in a year to a record high. New statistics released by the Home Office show there were 379 arrests in the year to June, compared to 226 in the previous 12 months. It is the highest number of terror arrests on record, coming in the period that saw four attacks hit London and Manchester. A dozen suspects were arrested in connection with the Westminster attack in March, 23 people following the Manchester Arena bombing in May and 21 more arrests were made in the wake of the London Bridge attack the following month. The perpetrators of all three Isis-linked attacks died while carrying out the atrocities and none of those arrested have been charged. Only one arrest was made following the Finsbury Park terror attack in June, where a van was allegedly rammed into Muslim worshippers leaving evening prayers, killing one person. Ben Wallace, the security minister, said a further 19 terror plots have been foiled in the past year. Analysts fear the Westminster attack may have inspired other terrorists into action, starting a chain of atrocities (Getty) The tempo is increasing, he told The Independent, while praising the amazing work by police and intelligence officers. The Senior National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Policing said there has been a shift-change in momentum since March. Neil Basu, who is also Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, added: But while the terrorist threat has increased in recent months, so has our activity; reflected by this significant increase in arrests. Were taking every possible opportunity to disrupt terrorist activity be it making arrests for terrorism offences, intervening where there are signs of radicalisation, or working with communities to prevent terrorists operating in their area. Police, together with the security services, are determined to make the UK as hostile an environment for terrorists as possible. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Basu warned that there is no typical terrorist and urged the public to stay alert and report any suspicious activity to police. Timeline: European terror attacks since 2015 Of the 379 arrests made nationwide, just under a third resulted in a charge and half the suspects were released. The vast majority of those detained were men, aged over 30, British and of an Asian ethnic appearance, although more than a third of those detained were white. Fifty-four female terror suspects were arrested the largest proportion on record and 17 of those held were aged under 18. More than three quarters were categorised as international terrorists, indicating they were linked to or motivated by a foreign group such as Isis. More than 30 of the prosecuted terror suspects have so far been found guilty and dozens of cases remain ongoing, while there are more than 200 convicted terrorists already in prison. The Home Office said that the vast majority 91 per cent of those in custody held Islamist extremist views, while 5 per cent were from the far-right. As well as intelligence operations and arrests, the Metropolitan Police have carried out more than 600 stop and searches under the Terrorism Act in the past year, although only 8 per cent resulted in arrests. Finsbury Park attack Show all 14 1 /14 Finsbury Park attack Finsbury Park attack Police officers attend to the scene after a vehicle collided with pedestrians in the Finsbury Park, killing one person and injuring eight Reuters Finsbury Park attack The incident is being treated as a potential terror attack Reuters Finsbury Park attack A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder Reuters Finsbury Park attack Police cordon off a street in Finsbury Park AFP/Getty Images Finsbury Park attack A man prays in the street after the attack Reuters Finsbury Park attack Men gather and pray together in the street in the aftermath of the attack AFP/Getty Finsbury Park attack Reuters Finsbury Park attack PA Finsbury Park attack Onlookers gather near a police cordon EPA Finsbury Park attack Forensic investigators arrive at the scene PA Finsbury Park attack A forensic tent stands next to a van PA Finsbury Park attack A police officer talks with residents AFP/Getty Images Finsbury Park attack Onlookers watch proceedings at the security cordon AFP/Getty Finsbury Park attack Local residents react at the scene AFP/Getty Images Security services are currently monitoring around 3,000 people perceived to be an imminent threat, as well as a wider pool of 23,000 people who have previously appeared on the radar of counter-terror agencies. Among those known to security services but not considered an imminent danger were the perpetrators of the three Isis-linked terror attacks that have killed 35 victims in Britain this year. Recommended Britain faces higher threat as Isis loses fights in Syria and Iraq Westminster attacker Khalid Masood was described as a peripheral figure by Theresa May, while the Manchester bomber Salman Abedi was known to MI5 but not under active investigation and the ringleader of the London Bridge attack, Khuram Butt, was not thought to be a risk despite being a known member of Anjem Choudarys banned network. The Government has been increasing efforts to combat the presence of online propaganda and communications between militants using encrypted messaging apps. As well as domestic extremists, security services are attempting to manage the threat posed by returning foreign fighters. The arrival of up to 300 British jihadis from Isis former territories in Syria and Iraq was initially feared, but the actual number is now expected to be significantly lower. Of around 850 people who left the UK for the so-called Islamic State, around 350 have already returned and an estimated 200 have been killed. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Government has pleaded for valued EU citizens to stay in the UK after Brexit amid warnings of an exodus of skilled workers. Figures released last month showed that 122,000 Europeans left Britain in the year to March, sparking concern over the impact of a Brexodus on the economy, universities and public services. As European residents prepared to protest outside the Houses of Parliament demanding reassurances over their rights after Britain leaves the EU, the immigration minister released a public appeal. Brandon Lewis said EU citizens had an overwhelmingly positive impact on the social, economic and cultural fabric of the UK. They bring with them ideas, innovation and skills which our employers and businesses rely on from our universities to our farms to our financial institutions, he wrote in an article for The Times. Since the referendum, the Prime Minister, the Home Secretary and I have been clear that we want EU citizens in the UK to stay and have made protecting their rights a top priority. That is why in June the government outlined its offer to do just that. We confirmed that no-one living here lawfully will be asked to leave when we exit the EU and they will have a period to make an application to remain here. Former Bank of England governor: Brexit negotiations are "not going in the way that we might hope" In a direct appeal to the many Europeans considering leaving the UK ahead of Brexit, Mr Lewis added: We want you to stay the Government recognises how vital you are to this country, we are committed to protecting your rights. The conciliatory message struck a markedly different tone to last month, when ministers celebrated a drop in net migration driven by departing EU citizens. At the time, Mr Lewis hailed the figures as encouraging, with the Government continuing controversial plans to cut net migration to a target of 100,000 a year. Recommended EU citizens explain why they are leaving the UK But the Home Office promoted his latest article in an email to EU citizens, responding to protests while directing them to advice on their status. Tanja Bueltmann, a history professor at Northumbria University, said the email sent to anyone who signed up to receive Government updates took the biscuit. If they really meant they want us to stay, they would have guaranteed our rights fully on 24 June 2016, she told The Independent. Were over a year later and the rhetoric remains the same. It all sounds very nice but I dont see the action, I see the exact opposite. Prof Bueltmann said leaked Home Office documents had worsened fears by revealing plans to target low-paid EU migrants in a crackdown seeing Europeans stripped of their rights to bring relatives into Britain, while the Government could have powers to refuse entry and the right to work. Brexit: the deciders Show all 8 1 /8 Brexit: the deciders Brexit: the deciders European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier Getty Brexit: the deciders French President Emmanuel Macron Getty Brexit: the deciders German Chancellor Angela Merkel Reuters Brexit: the deciders Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker EPA Brexit: the deciders The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt Getty Brexit: the deciders Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May Getty Images Brexit: the deciders Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond PA Brexit: the deciders After the first and second appointed Brexit secretaries resigned (David Davis and Dominic Raab respectively), Stephen Barclay is currently heading up the position PA The aim of that policy document is to create a hostile environment, Prof Bueltmann said. It might be for people coming in the future but it still sends a message to all of us. Citizens are leaving because theyre simply fed up how long would you put up with this if you have other options? Mr Lewis claimed he had personally sought to reassure concerned Europeans and said that anyone living in the UK before an unspecified cut-off date will receive settled status giving them the same access to education, healthcare, benefits, pensions and social housing as Brits. EU citizens living here should be able to continue their lives as before, he added. However, we have also been clear about agreeing a reciprocal deal to protect the more than 1 million UK nationals living and working in the EU. No agreement has yet been reached in floundering Brexit talks, which are now the subject of a parliamentary inquiry over the Governments lack of progress. (REUTERS (REUTERS) Campaigners have been unconvinced by the protections announced so far, with some rejecting the settled status option and arguing it would strip them of equal family reunification rights and the ability to leave the UK and return after two years. Activists at a protest in Westminster on Wednesday said they wanted their rights guaranteed for life under the European Court of Justice to prevent a future government rolling back assurances. Protesters called for a free and simple registration process ensuring the 3.2 million EU citizens in the UK and 1.2 million British expats in the EU retain their current status for life. Nicolas Hatton, who founded The 3 Million campaign group, said Europeans felt their rights were under threat. The Frenchman, who has lived in Britain for 22 years, said it was wrong to move the goalposts after the match has started for those of us who are already living and working here. "We came to Britain and made it our home. We paid taxes, we started businesses, we started families, he added. "All we want is exactly what we have now. We're not asking for anything new or anything special." Additional reporting by PA Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Suited men and women are chatting over glasses of free wine and nibbles around a glossy bar, as soft music plays and a glitterball twinkles in the background. The scene may feel familiar but the setting is anything but. The drinkers are leaning on glass cabinets full of bullets, as the top of a tank can be seen peeking over a nearby screen. This is the inside of the worlds largest arms fair, and military personnel, politicians, private defence contractors and consultants have come to shop. The organisers of Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) hail its unrivalled scale, hosting more than 1,600 exhibitors from 54 countries. All 36,000 visitors are vetted and go through security checks before being allowed inside the cavernous ExCeL centre to mingle with state ministers and heads of the worlds largest militaries. A helicopter weapon on display at the DSEI arms fair in London on 13 September (Lizzie Dearden) Governments and private companies alike have set out their wares, with the Royal Navy even mooring warships outside for the occasion. The fair is punctuated by speeches and seminars featuring the glitterati of British politics and defence, including the Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, ministers and the chiefs of the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force and Joint Forces Command. Uniformed soldiers and suited delegates alike crowd into pop-up theatres for the talks as others gather at stands offering unlimited wine and beer or roam countless displays. Some of the worlds biggest arms manufacturers are selling their wares at glitzy stands, including BAE Systems, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman. One firearms dealer is urging visitors to play with an array of disarmed pistols, machine guns and rifles. Prices are not on display and potential buyers are whisked away for private consultations. Nearby, a firm manufacturing tanks and armoured personnel carriers is inviting potential clients inside prototype vehicles for meetings that could result in multimillion-dollar deals. At a huge stand operated by Leonardo, the parent company of Westland, a British Army Wildcat helicopter is on display. A representative tells The Independent the firm is seeking new clients round the world, striking deals to supply forces in South Korea and the Philippines. A man chats on his phone as he leans on a CV90 Battle Station in the BAE Systems display area (Getty) President Rodrigo Duterte stands accused of inciting war crimes against insurgents, while presiding over a bloody campaign seeing thousands of alleged drug dealers and users killed by police and vigilantes. But Leonardo said its sales to the Philippines government have been cleared through the UKs arms control and licencing regime, which requires the Government to guard against the risk of weapons being used to commit violations. Other buyers at DSEI include delegations from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, whose militaries have all faced accusations of abuses. Suited officials from around the world can be seen mingling with military officials and politicians, perusing displays including robots, tanks, armoured personnel carriers, drones, jets, underwater vehicles, ballistic missiles, hand grenades, rocket launchers and mortars. Advanced precision kill weapon system, reads the label on one missile. A tank has British By Birth emblazoned on the side. Other stands are less blunt, opting to lure in potential buyers with balloons, sweets and mascot teddies. The wares on offer range from the lethal to the mundane, including berets, tents, embroidery and even socks. Many of the exhibitors at DSEI sell protective and medical equipment for troops, or non-lethal devices that disrupt attacks by enemies. A former military serviceman is marketing devices to allow armies to hijack and divert enemy drones, of the type being used by Isis to bomb troops in Iraq and Syria. He believes opponents of DSEI have an oversimplistic view of the controversial event. There is a lot of stuff that kills people, but there is equipment like what we do which is protecting people as well, he adds. Its not black and white. Governments and private companies alike have set out their wares (Lizzie Dearden) Activists are unconvinced, launching days of protests attempting to disrupt the arms fair that resulted in more than 100 arrests. Andrew Smith, from the Campaign Against the Arms Trade, said: If DSEI was dedicated to providing medical and protective equipment it wouldnt be seeing these huge protests, but the fact is all the worlds biggest arms companies are there. There are some deadly weapons on display and the regimes that have been invited include known human rights abusers. He warned that the UK was facing a crossroads with the approach of Brexit, following a speech where the Defence Secretary called for Britain to use defence exports as a means of spreading its wings across the world. DSEI has coincided with international arms control talks in Geneva, sparking allegations of hypocrisy levelled at the British Government. The timing would be funny if it wasnt so tragic, says. Robert Perkins, a researcher for Control Arms. They are sitting in Geneva shuffling papers around while selling arms hand over fist to countries who commit human rights abuses. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Ten years after the run on Northern Rock heralded the start of the financial crisis, small investors whose shares became worthless when the bank was nationalised are to ask Theresa May to open an investigation into how they were 'ripped off' by the Government. More than 100,000 investors many of them pensioners saw the value of their holdings completely wiped out when Northern Rock was nationalised following the first run on a British bank since 1866. Many of them had been people of modest means, customers of Northern Rock who had got their shares in 1997 when it demutualised and switched from being a building society to a bank. They thought they had a nest egg invested in a solid provincial bank, the UKs fifth largest mortgage lender whose charitable foundation showed it remained true to its North East roots. But after the BBCs then business editor Robert Peston revealed Northern Rock had asked the Bank of England for emergency financial support, huge queues formed outside branches on September 14 2007, as customers rushed to get their savings out, fearing the bank was about to go bust. The run on Northern Rock later came to be seen as the moment when the first British victim was felled by the financial crisis that led to austerity. The queues of anxious customers became one of the defining images of the economic downturn. Northern Rock was nationalised in February 2008. Gordon Browns government insisted this was necessary to help save the economy and said the bank was not a going concern and was in administration. A Government-appointed valuer subsequently said the bank was worthless when it was nationalised, meaning Northern Rock shares had zero value and shareholders should get nothing in compensation The Northern Rock Small Shareholder Action Group has been fighting this ever since. While they accept that there is a risk that share value can go down as well as up, they say that the zero valuation was based on the false assumption that Northern Rock was in administration. Instead they say that the bank was never insolvent and in fact still retained considerable value. When they appointed a valuation expert of their own, they were told that at the time Northern Rock was nationalised, their shares were worth no less than 3 each and probably much more. About 150,000 small investors, they claim, had their savings stolen by a disingenuous government which had been scheming to prepare this valuable solvent company for sale at a profit to the taxpayer. Now, the shareholders are to present a letter to 10 Downing Street, along with a summary of the detailed and fastidious research they have commissioned, in order to persuade the Prime Minister to investigate their case. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA Speaking before handing in the letter on Thursday afternoon, Dennis Grainger, chairman of the action group, told The Independent: They [Gordon Browns government] nationalised the company, took everything and wiped out the shareholders. These werent shareholders as we often think of them. The majority I spoke to in the North East were just widows generally, older people in their sixties, seventies, eighties and even nineties small, ordinary, decent salt-of-the-earth-types. They got their shares after the bank was formed through demutualisation. They had never bought a share in their lives, and wouldnt know how to sell one. They just had their shares stolen from them. The little people were rubbed out. Mr Grainger, 71, a former Northern Rock employee who says he lost 114,000, added: We believed the Government rigged the valuation. It was absolute nonsense, contrived to remove the shareholders from the equation. The irony, he said, was that because Northern Rock had been based in Newcastle, drawing many of its customers turned shareholders from the surrounding area, Gordon Browns Labour government was effectively stitching up its supporters in the Labour heartland of the North East. The Government effectively shafted them, he said. They just didnt count as far as the Government was concerned. In the intervening years, the action group has challenged the zero valuation of Northern Rock shares at a High Court judicial review and in the Appeal Court, but lost both times. In 2009 the Appeal Court dismissed the shareholders claim that the valuation had been a charade and agreed with the Government that if the Bank of England and Treasury had not pumped money into Northern Rock, it would have folded because it couldnt pay its debts. The action group, however, has been given fresh hope by a BBC documentary broadcast on Monday in which Mervyn King, who was Governor of the Bank of England in 2007, appeared to reveal that he had advocated paying shareholders if Northern Rock ever made a profit. The shareholders argue that the Treasury is indeed set to make a profit on the 37bn it made available to bail out Northern Rock. This is because it has recouped much of the money through the sale of the banks assets, reducing the debt owed to it by NRAM, the body created to manage Northern Rocks loans, to 4.6bn. Since the Treasury owns all the equity in NRAM, which would bring in 4.7bn if sold at book value, it now appears the Government is set to make a profit. Some of this, Mr Grainger argued, should go to the shareholders, as proved by Lord King, who was shown telling the BBC's Inside Out North East: My plan was that the Government would acquire the shares legally by saying to the shareholders: We will ensure that you do have the claim on the residual value. I think that would have been a fair deal. [But] the lawyers in the Treasury said that wasnt feasible. Mr Grainger said: He was a bit late in saying it, but what Mervyn King has just said is significant. The Treasury, though, has pointed out that the zero valuation was upheld in court, and that it is obliged to recover the significant costs incurred by the taxpayer of the Northern Rock bail out. A spokesman added: When we intervened in Northern Rock, we legislated to compensate shareholders based on the valuation of an independent expert. They assessed that no compensation was due as the bank would have failed without taxpayer support. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A High Court judge has ordered the Home Office to bring an asylum seeker who was deported to Afghanistan back to the UK, saying the Government may have acted in contempt of court. It stands accused of violating a previous court order to fly Samim Bigzad to Kabul the city he fled two years ago after being threatened with beheading by the Taliban. The 22-year-old was forced on a plane from Gatwick Airport with less than four hours notice on Tuesday morning, to the dismay or relatives and campaigners who helped thwart a previous deportation last month. A Turkish Airlines pilot refused to take off with Mr Bigzad on board after activists alerted passengers and crew members. But they did not have time to make the same efforts ahead of the second deportation attempt and the asylum seeker was taken on flight to Turkey by immigration guards. Mr Bigzads legal representatives secured an emergency injunction on Tuesday night as he was held awaiting a connecting flight in Istanbul. The order required the Home Office to return the asylum seeker to the UK pending a judicial review, but he was instead put on the plane to Afghanistan. In a new order issued by the High Court on Wednesday, Justice Jay said the Government must take all steps available to procure [Mr Bigzads] immediate return to the United Kingdom. Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people Show all 13 1 /13 Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people A man reacts in shock after a suicide car bombing in a diplomatic zone of Kabul, Afghanistan, left at least 80 people dead Reuters Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people The Taliban has denied responsibility for the deadly suicide car bombing that set more than 50 cars alight Reuters Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people Two Afghan men carry one of the many injured in the attack REUTERS Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people A man tries to drive his vehicle heavily damaged in the blast AP Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people Two men walk away from the scene, covered in blood REUTERS Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people The bomb was detonated near the German embassy in the citys heavily guarded diplomatic district REUTERS Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people One of many cars destroyed in the attack burns Reuters Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people The attack sent plumes of smoke over Afghanistans capital AP Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people Several buildings have been damaged in the blast AP Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people The car bombing is thought to be one of the most deadly attacks ever to hit the capital Alamy Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people Wounded victims lie on their beds in Wazir Akbar Khan Hospital in Kabul AP Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people Relatives of Afghan victims mourn outside a hospital after the blast in Kabul Reuters Kabul bomb blast kills at least 90 people Crowds in Kabul survey the damage after the deadly attack EPA The document, seen by The Independent, said he must be put on the next available commercial or chartered flight with space, but Mr Bigzad remains at a hotel in Kabul awaiting his fate. Justice Jay gave the Home Office until 4pm on Friday to present a witness statement explaining why the claimant was sent on flight TK706 to Kabul and why he has not been returned on the UK on the first available flight. The judge added that the Government appeared to be in breach of the initial order made by Justice Morris and could be found in contempt of court over its actions. Recommended UK set to deport Afghan man threatened with beheading by Taliban The immediate imperative is for the defendant to bring about the return of [Mr Bigzad] to the UK, Justice Jay added, warning that any intention to challenge the original order is not a good reason for not complying with it. Jamie Bell, a solicitor with Duncan Lewis Public Law, said the Home Office had acted unlawfully in breaching a High Court order. This is the first step of Samims new legal battle and we now begin the fight for him to be allowed to stay in the United Kingdom, he added. We urge the Home Office not to detain Samim on return. Mr Bigzad's initial application for asylum was refused last year and was detained without warning during a routine immigration appointment in July. G4S accused of 'culture of intimidation' against asylum seekers He has been held at Brook House, where G4S guards were suspended after the mistreatment and abuse of asylum seekers was revealed by undercover footage broadcast by the BBC. Mr Bigzad said he was threatened with beheading by Taliban militants who targeted him because of his work for a construction company that had contracts with the Afghan government and American military. Islamist insurgents have launched frequent attacks on puppets accused of colluding with their enemies, amid a rise in conflict and terror attacks in Afghanistan. The Independent has seen evidence including contracts, tax returns and rental agreements that support Mr Bigzads claims. He believes he will be killed if he is forced to stay Kabul, which he fled in 2015 to join his father and cousin in the UK. I escaped from my country because I was targeted by the Taliban and I am scared to go back, Mr Bigzad said last week. I just need a chance for the Home Office to save my life. The young asylum seeker had hoped to build a life in the UK, where he has been living in Margate, Kent, while learning English and acting as the primary carer for his father a British citizen. Humanitarian organisations have appealed for the British Government to halt deportations to the country, where it announced it would be sending more troops to fight the Taliban earlier this year. But Kabul has been ruled officially safe for returns after Theresa May won a legal battle as Home Secretary in the Court of Appeal. Lance Stroll will be racing in unfamiliar territory this weekend as the Williams rookie tackles the Singapore Grand Prix for the very first time. After a three-race points scoring stint which started at his home race in Montreal, Stroll's efforts were fruitless in Great-Britain, Hungary and Belgium. But the 18-year-old returned to the top ten at Monza two weeks ago with a battling drive, proving his doubters - if there are any that still remain - wrong once again. Singapore could prove challenging however for the young Canadian, not only because of its unfamiliar scene but also because of the difficulties associated with the twisty and bumpy street track. Stroll is undaunted however, and will take it all in his stride, as usual. "Singapore is new territory for me, but I dont mind that at all," he says in Williams' race preview. "So far the only night race I have done was in Bahrain, but this will obviously be very different as it is on a street circuit. "I like the looks of the track from what I have seen and certainly it appears to be very technical." The Marina Bay's hot and humid - and electrifying - atmosphere can throw a spanner into a driver's works, but Stroll has prepared accordingly. "While I am sure Singapore as a place to visit is really cool, the temperature when we race there will be the exact opposite and the conditions will be hot and humid," he adds. "The race should be really demanding physically and we will do a bit of training in the heat before going there. "However, really you just have to carry on with the normal training and then suffer through the conditions." Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The EUs controversial trade deal with Canada will come into force next week, amid claims it could increase inequality. The Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement, or Ceta, will be applied in the UK on Thursday following seven years of negotiations. Politicians in the UK, Europe and Canada have heralded the deal as a boost to prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic, but some academics have suggested it will further concentrate wealth at the top of society. The UK will fall out of the deal when Brexit takes place in March 2019, but has pointed to the agreement as a potential blueprint for a future deal with Canada. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox informed Parliament in a written statement that the deal would provisionally come into effect on 21 September. He said: Canada is one of the worlds most developed economies and a significant trading partner for the UK. The provisional application of Ceta will benefit consumers and provide opportunities for British businesses with 98 per cent of all Canadian tariff lines being eliminated. This will create major opportunities for UK businesses across the whole economy and the Government is now working with our Canadian partners to ensure that UK businesses take full advantage of the provisional application of this agreement. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA Ceta has been approved by the European Parliament and the British Government, but some academics have suggested that the modelling used to ascertain the economic impacts of Ceta has been unreliable. In a paper in the International Journal of Political Economy, Pierre Kohler, of the United Nations, and Servaas Storm, of Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, wrote: Our results show that cost-cutting and competitiveness-enhancing measures induced by Ceta have negative long-term effects. They argued that seeking to boost exports as a substitute for nurturing domestic demand is not a sustainable growth strategy for Canada or the EU. Recommended The critics are wrong about CETA The pair claimed the trade deal would eventually lead to increased domestic private lending, facilitated through renewed financial deregulation, creating further instability in the economy. Jean Blaylock, policy officer at Global Justice Now, has said politicians had a long history of over-hyping the economic benefits of free trade deals. The group claims that the only winners from this deal will be the big corporations who will be getting a raft of new powers that enable them to sue governments, have enormous influence to weaken important protections on the food we eat and lock in the privatisation of vital public services like the NHS. Following Brexit, the UK will no longer be party to trade deals negotiated by the European Union, but politicians have pointed to Ceta which took seven years to negotiate as a possible format for an agreement with Canada. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Ministers are attempting to overturn international rules preventing the UK from using its 13bn foreign aid budget to help British overseas territories lashed by Hurricane Irma. Theresa May has made clear her frustration with Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) regulations, which block aid cash from being used in Anguilla, Turks and Caicos, and the British Virgin Islands as the islands are deemed to be too wealthy. International Development Secretary Priti Patel has written to the OECD calling for urgent reform to the rules to reflect the vulnerability of the Caribbean island states in the event of natural disasters. Recommended UK will not spend foreign aid on Hurricane Irma disaster relief She said: These rules were first established over 40 years ago. The world has changed dramatically since then, and we will work constructively with international partners to ensure the rules remain relevant and up to date. It comes as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson compared the destruction left by the storm to images from the First World War after returning from a two-day visit to view the relief effort. Mr Johnson, speaking during a press conference with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, said: Anybody whos seen the effects of a hurricane knows it is absolutely catastrophic, awe-inspiring. I have never seen anything like it. It is like the destruction you see in images from the First World War. I think anybody with an ounce of compassion would like to see spending by our Government helping these people get back on their feet and getting these British overseas territories helped in the long term. Of course we are looking across Whitehall at ways in which we can make sure that our aid budget can be used in that way and I know that Priti Patel and all my colleagues are looking at how we can do that. That is absolutely natural and we are on that right now. The Government has committed 57m towards the recovery effort but it faced claims from an unnamed minister that five times that sum could have been sent if the official aid pot was available. Downing Street insisted that the emergency relief effort has not been hampered in the wake of the deadly storm but acknowledged the Prime Minister was frustrated with the rules as they stand. Ms May has pledged to look again at overseas aid after coming under pressure from some MPs to ditch the UKs commitment to spending 0.7 per cent of the national income on aid. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 12 November 2022 The City of London Pride Group take part in the parade during the Lord Mayor's Show PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA Her spokesman said: We began detailed work after the election to change the rules to prevent precisely these kind of scenarios. He hinted the UK could be prepared to act alone if it could not find an agreement on changing the international rules, where the OECD governs how Britain and other 34 nations spend their aid budgets according to need. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A coyote survived a 35km (21 mile) journey embedded in the front grille of a car after being run over. Georgie Knox, from Airdrie, Alberta, was on her way to work when the coyote ran in front of her car and she "heard a crunch and believed I ran over and killed it." In a Facebook post, Ms Knox said a construction worker told her the animal was alive and still lodged in her car. "When I got out to look, this poor little guy was looking up and blinking at me," she wrote. 'When I got out to look, this poor little guy was looking up and blinking at me' (Georgie Knox/Facebook) Ms Knox said she had driven from Airdrie to Calgary, around 35km (21 miles) "at highway speeds." She then notified wildlife officials, who were able to rescue the coyote. "Miraculously, he was freed and had minimal injuries," she added. Where not to visit if you love animals Show all 9 1 /9 Where not to visit if you love animals Where not to visit if you love animals Monkey shows Chimpanzees are forced to perform demeaning tricks on leashes and are often subject to cruel training techniques. Animals who are confined to small, barren enclosures and forced to perform unsurprisingly show symptoms of stress and depression. Chimpanzees have been documented rocking back and forth, sucking their lips, salivating and swaying against enclosure perimeters in distress. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Marine parks Some parks confine orcas to concrete tanks and force them to perform meaningless tricks for food - many die in captivity. Orcas are highly intelligent and social mammals who may suffer immensely, both physically and mentally, when they're held in captivity. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Tiger shows Tigers are forced to live in an unnatural and barren environment and have to endure interactions with a constant stream of tourists. Since tigers never lose their wild instincts, across the world they are reportedly drugged, mutilated and restrained in order to make them safe for the public. However, every year, incidents of tiger maulings are reported at this type of tourist attraction. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Donkey rides Sunning on the beach is great for humans we can take a quick dip or catch a bite to eat when we get too hot or hungry. But it's pure hell for donkeys who are confined to the beach and forced to cart children around on the hot sand. Some donkey-ride operators at beach resorts in the UK even keep the animals chained together at all times. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Swimming with dolphins Some marine parks use bottlenose dolphins in performances and offer visitors the opportunity to swim with dolphins. Unfortunately, people are often unaware that these animals are captured in the wild and torn from their families or traded between different parks around the world. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Canned hunting Lions are confined to fenced areas so that they can easily be cornered, with no chance of escape. Most of them will have been bred in captivity and then taken from their mothers to be hand-reared by the cub-petting industry. When they get too big, they may be drugged before they are released into a "hunting" enclosure. Because these animals are usually kept in fenced enclosures (ranging in size from just a few square yards to thousands of acres), they never stand a chance of surviving. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Running of the Bulls Every year, tourists travel to Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls. The bulls who are forced to slip and slide down the town's narrow cobblestone streets are chased straight into the bullring. They are then taunted, stabbed repeatedly and finally killed by the matador in front of a jeering crowd. The majority of Spaniards reject bullfighting, but tourists are keeping the cruel industry on its last legs. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Horse-drawn carriages City streets are no place for horses. The animals toil in all weather extremes, suffering from respiratory distress from breathing in exhaust fumes as well as numerous hoof, leg and back problems from walking on pavement all day long. As easily spooked prey animals, horses subjected to the loud noises and unexpected sounds of city streets are likely to be involved in accidents, even deadly ones. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Zoos The zoo community regards the animals it keeps as commodities, and animals are regularly bought, sold, borrowed and traded without any regard for established relationships. Zoos breed animals because the presence of babies draws visitors and boosts revenue, yet often, there's nowhere to put the offspring as they grow, and they are killed, as we saw with Marius the giraffe in Denmark. Some zoos have introduced evening events with loud music and alcohol which disrupt the incarcerated animals even further. EPA The coyote was checked over by a biologist from the state's wildlife agency and then released in Kananaskis County, in the foothills and front ranges of the Canadian Rockies. "Clearly mother nature has other plans for this special little guy!" Ms Knox said. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Staunch conservative allies of President Donald Trump erupted in anger and incredulity late Wednesday after Democrats announced the President had agreed to pursue a legislative deal that would protect thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportation but not secure Trump's signature campaign promise: building a massive wall along the US-Mexico border. As midnight neared, social media accounts came alive as elected officials and activists on the right dashed off tweets and posts to share their shock. And in between those posts, there was a flurry of fuming calls and text messages - a blaring political fire alarm among Trump's diehard supporters. The reality is sinking in that Trump administration is on the precipice of turning into an establishment presidency, Sam Nunberg, a former Trump campaign adviser, said in an interview early on Thursday morning. While the initial wave of fury could change direction as new details emerge, the torrent represented the first major break of Trump's devoted base from the president on a core issue. Recommended Donald Trump denies reaching DACA agreement to protect Dreamers Representative Steve King, Republican-Iowa, one of the GOP's biggest immigration hawks, issued a dramatic warning to the President after he scrolled through news reports. If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair, King tweeted, referencing an Associated Press story on the bipartisan agreement. He added, No promise is credible. Conservative radio talk show host Laura Ingraham, who is friendly with Trump, mocked him for seeming to shelve the pledge that has animated his supporters since his campaign's launch. She later added, BUILD THE WALL! BUILD THE WALL! or maybe not really. Trump tried to ease the GOP backlash early on Thursday in a series of tweets that insisted the border wall will continue to be built and that no deal was hashed out with Democrats on the so-called undocumented dreamers. No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote, Trump wrote, referring to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), an Obama-era programme that has allowed 690,000 dreamers to work and go to school without fear of deportation. Breitbart News, the conservative website now run by former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, quickly became a gathering place for aggrieved Trump backers. Readers congregated by the thousands in the comments section for an article with a bright red headline: Amnesty Don. Days earlier, Bannon said on CBS's 60 Minutes that he was worried about losing the House now because of this, because of DACA, arguing that Republican voters would lack enthusiasm for Trump and the party if they felt it was drifting to the centre on immigration. If this goes all the way down to its logical conclusion, in February and March it will be a civil war inside the Republican Party that will be every bit as vitriolic as 2013, Bannon said, referencing the stalled fight that year over a comprehensive immigration bill. And to me, doing that in the springboard of primary season for 2018 is extremely unwise. This a betrayal of the highest order, a Breitbart editor, who was not authorised to speak publicly, said in a phone call late on Wednesday. Donald Trump should be ashamed of himself. He wasn't elected to do this. The editor was mostly echoed by the site's readers: Put a fork in Trump. He is done. PRIMARY TIME!!!! What a HUGE let down. I can reconcile Trump caving on virtually any issue, Amnesty and not building the wall are not one of them. Adding to the tumult in the deep of night: conflicting accounts over what exactly Trump and Democrats had brokered. Aides to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrat-New York, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Democrat-California, insisted that Trump had agreed not to request wall funding as part of their pact to soon move legislation to help undocumented immigrants who are protected by DACA, an executive order established by President Barack Obama in June 2012. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted at 10.21pm: While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to. Eleven minutes later, Matt House, an adviser to Schumer, tweeted: The President made clear he would continue pushing the wall, just not as part of this agreement. Sanders's Twitter assurance, however, did little to calm the roiled voices, especially in the populist-nationalist wing of the Republican Party - a wing deeply linked to Trump. Deep State Wins, Huge Loss for #MAGA, Fox Business anchor Lou Dobbs tweeted, alluding to Trump's Make America Great Again campaign slogan. Others who have supported Trump's immigration positions took a wait-and-see approach amid the chaos. My sense is that he told Chuck and Nancy what they wanted to hear, and they heard what they wanted to hear. I think there could be some mischief-making on the part of Schumer since the White House is walking it back, said Mark Krikorian, an immigration hard-liner who runs the Center for Immigration Studies, in an interview. Meanwhile, Fox News host Sean Hannity, who is in regular contact with Trump, directed his ire over the developments not at the president but at GOP leaders on Capitol Hill. Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Show all 22 1 /22 Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump talk as they leave the Army Museum at Les Invalides in Paris AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump arrive for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit on the island of Sicily in May 2017 Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Mr Trump was pressed on the subject at the G7 summit in Italy Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump gives a speeech at the Warsaw Uprising Monument on Krasinski Square Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May during a ceremony at the NATO headquarters before the start of a summit in Brussels, Belgium Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Montenegro's Prime Minister Dusko Markovic is seen to the right of Donald Trump at a Nato summit in Brussels REUTERS Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis meeting with US President Donald J. Trump EPA Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis poses with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump arrives at Palazzo del Quirinale ahead of the meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella Ufficio Stampa Presidenza della via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is seen during a joint press conference with the Palestinian leader at the presidential palace in the West Bank city of Bethlehem AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meets US President Donald Trump PPO via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with US President Donald Trump prior to the President's departure GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after delivering a speech at the Israel Museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump lay a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance as White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump watch on during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump visit to Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump takes his seat before his speech to the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump look at a display of Saudi modern art at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud take part in a signing ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips King Salman presents Donald Trump with The Collar of Abdulaziz al-Saud Medal at the Royal Court Palace on 20 May AP Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is welcomed by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn prior to their first foreign trip Getty Images Well Mitch GREAT JOB! Hannity tweeted, referring to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Republican-Kentucky. You failed so miserably with Healthcare and 'excessive expectations' now @POTUS has to deal with Dem Leaders! Hannity added later, I blame R's. They caused this. They wanted him to fail and now pushed him into arms of political suicide - IF TRUE. The Washington Post Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A McDonald's employee tried to flush her newborn baby down the toilet after giving birth in one of the restaurant's bathrooms, a court has heard. Sarah Lockner, 25, clocked out from an evening shift at a branch of the fast-food chain in Redwood City, California and went to the toilet after saying she had stomach pains. A colleague who checked on her found a large pool of blood outside the cubicle, and when another co-worker peeked over the door she saw Lockner holding a newborn baby. Recommended Homeless girl gives birth on street metres away from medical centre The employee ran for help and heard the sound of a toilet flushing. Lockner reportedly shouted at her not to call the police, reportedly saying she had a "heavy period". Officers who attended the scene on September 4 found the newborn without a pulse and not breathing, according to The Daily Journal. The infant was taken to Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital and placed in a medically induced coma. The baby has since been taken off life support and is expected to survive the tragedy. Lockner told police who were called to the McDonald's restaurant in Redwood City that she didnt know she was pregnant and was surprised she gave birth, San Mateo County District Attorneys Office said. Her boyfriend said he did not know either, and none of her co-workers knew, Chief Deputy District Attorney Karen Guidotti said, according to The Mercury News. We can all agree the facts of this case are pretty shocking. An infant, a newborn, is incredibly vulnerable, Ms Guidotti added. Its shocking to the community a person would behave this way with a helpless newborn. An employee at the branch of McDonald's in Chestnut street, Redwood, where Lockner gave birth in the toilet, described the event as a "tragedy". Mari Martinez told The Independent: "She was new here and nobody is really talking about it." World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Lockner is accused of attempted murder and other charges including inflicting great bodily harm to a child. She faces life in prison if convicted. The accused appeared in court on Monday and did not enter a plea, prosecutors said. She was remanded into custody and is due before the court again on September 18. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The teenage girl sent sexual images by New York politician Anthony Weiner targeted the former congressman to influence the 2016 Presidential election, it has been claimed. Mr Weiners lawyers have told a court that the child, 15 at the time, was trying to generate material for a book the Government has disclosed she is now shopping to publishers. She also wanted to somehow influence the US presidential election, in addition to securing personal profit, they added in a filing ahead of the 53-year-olds sentencing in the sexting case, according to the Wall Street Journal. The case became mixed up in the investigation into the emails of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton when Mr Weiners laptop was seized. Investigators found emails belonging to Huma Abedin, his now-estranged wife and a top Clinton aide, on the device, and it prompted the opening of a new inquiry by then-FBI director James Comey. Ms Clinton partly credits Mr Comey with having cost her the election. Mr Weiner is hoping to avoid jail time, it is reported. His lawyers say he is ill and had previously demonstrated an addicts self-serving delusion that the communications were all just internet fantasy. According to the New York Times, Mr Weiner wrote separately to the judge and said: Every day I quietly do what I can to keep getting better, and to fix the damage Ive done. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has doubled down on comments he made about there being blame on all sides for violence in Charlottesville, following a meeting with a black senator. Earlier this week, the President met with Tim Scott, the only African American Republican in the US Senate. Mr Scott wanted to discuss Mr Trumps response to the violence that left one young woman dead, and to press him to have a more diverse staff. Mr Scott said Mr Trump was receptive to what he had to say and that he wanted to make sure we were clear on the delineation between whos on which side, and the history of the nation. Miss Texas criticises Donald Trump for Charlottesville response in Miss America contest But on a flight back from Florida, Mr Trump repeated his previous assertion that both sides were to blame for the violence that left 32-year-old Heather Heyer dead. We had a great talk yesterday. I think especially in light of the advent of Antifa, if you look at whats going on there. You have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also and essentially thats what I said, Mr Trump said. Now, because of whats happened since then with Antifa. When you look at really whats happened since Charlottesville, a lot of people are saying and people have actually written, Gee, Trump may have a point. I said theres some very bad people on the other side also. Mr Trump faced widespread criticism following the violence last month that also left up to 20 people injured. The clashes took place as scores of white supremacists and neo-Nazis gathered in the Virginia college town to protest over plans to remove a statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee. They were met by dozens of counterprotesters, among them Ms Heyer. Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism. Mr Scott had previously been critical of Mr Trumps comments, saying that there was a need for the President to display clarity and moral authority and that his comments about equivalence on both sides had compromised that authority. Racism is real. It is alive. It is here, said Mr Scott. According to NBC, during the 40-minute meeting on Wednesday, Mr Scott said he told Trump about the history of three or four centuries of rape, murder and death brought at the hands of the KKK and people who believe in a superior race. Mr Scott said after the meeting that he had made clear that there was no equivalency to those protesting white nationalism at the rally. On Air Force One, Mr Trump was asked if Mr Scott had raised the issue of hiring more people of colour among this staff. We did talk about that, yeah. Its something I do and I certainly would continue to do. We talked about that, said Mr Trump. I told him I would do it and he knows weve already done it. But I told him and I told him very strongly I like that. Mr Scott has yet to comments about Mr Trumps latest remarks. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trump has reiterated his goal to lower the US corporate tax rate to 15 per cent to "match" China. But China has a standard corporate tax income rate of 25 per cent, according to the State Administration of Taxation. While certain enterprises in industries encouraged by the Chinese government can qualify for a reduced rate of 15 per cent, the majority of businesses pay the higher rate. The US President has said he hopes to lower the corporate tax rate from 35 to 15 per cent. "It would bring us to the level where China and other countries are. And we will be able to compete with anybody," Mr Trump said. In a tweet, he said: "China has a business tax rate of 15 per cent. We should do everything possible to match them in order to win with our economy. Jobs and wages!" Trump arrives in Texas to reassure Harvey victims and marvel at crowd sizes There has been no comprehensive overhaul of the US tax code since 1986, and the starkly different visions embraced by the Democrats and Republicans for how to move forward promise to make such a task difficult. Mr Trump has said the rich might see a hike in taxes as he pursues his tax overhaul by reaching out to Democrats to oppose cutting tax rates for the wealthy. Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Show all 22 1 /22 Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump talk as they leave the Army Museum at Les Invalides in Paris AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Donald Trump arrive for the group photo at the G7 Taormina summit on the island of Sicily in May 2017 Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Mr Trump was pressed on the subject at the G7 summit in Italy Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump gives a speeech at the Warsaw Uprising Monument on Krasinski Square Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May during a ceremony at the NATO headquarters before the start of a summit in Brussels, Belgium Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Montenegro's Prime Minister Dusko Markovic is seen to the right of Donald Trump at a Nato summit in Brussels REUTERS Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis meeting with US President Donald J. Trump EPA Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Pope Francis poses with US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump arrives at Palazzo del Quirinale ahead of the meeting with Italian President Sergio Mattarella Ufficio Stampa Presidenza della via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is seen during a joint press conference with the Palestinian leader at the presidential palace in the West Bank city of Bethlehem AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas meets US President Donald Trump PPO via Getty Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with US President Donald Trump prior to the President's departure GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after delivering a speech at the Israel Museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump lay a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance as White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump watch on during a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial museum AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump visit to Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Jerusalem accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu GPO via Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump takes his seat before his speech to the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia Reuters Donald Trump's international Presidential trips Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, US President Donald Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump look at a display of Saudi modern art at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud take part in a signing ceremony at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips King Salman presents Donald Trump with The Collar of Abdulaziz al-Saud Medal at the Royal Court Palace on 20 May AP Donald Trump's international Presidential trips US President Donald Trump is welcomed by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud upon arrival at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh AFP/Getty Images Donald Trump's international Presidential trips U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk on the South Lawn prior to their first foreign trip Getty Images Democrats have criticised the Republican tax overhaul efforts for benefiting mainly the wealthiest Americans, but Mr Trump said the rich would not be making gains with the plan, which he said was geared toward providing the largest tax cut ever for the middle class and creating jobs. "I think the wealthy will be pretty much where they are," the real estate mogul said of taxes on the rich, without specifying the income level. "If they have to go higher, they'll go higher, frankly." Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Donald Trumps eldest daughter - whom many hoped and believed would be a moderating influence on the President - has claimed she has no power to change his mind on issues he feels strongly about. Ivanka Trump said she also declined to speak out publicly about issues on which she disagreed with her father, because it would be an act of disloyalty. To voice dissent publicly would mean Im not part of the team, she said in a rare newspaper interview. That doesnt mean everyone in the White House has homogeneous views - we dont, and I think thats good and healthy - but that doesnt mean were publicly undermining [each other] and this administration. Mr Trump appears to trust his daughter more than many of his top officials (Getty) Ms Trump, 35, and her husband, Jared Kushner, both played key roles during the former reality television stars presidential campaign. After his surprise win, he insisted they join him in the White House, despite concerns raised by critics of Mr Trump about breaching anti-nepotism rules. The couple, who were previously a fixture among a wealthy, largely liberal social group in New York, took up positions as federal employees and moved to Washington in order to fulfil Mr Trumps wish. At the time, many believed Ms Trump in particular, would act as a moderating force upon her father, who ran on a nativist, nationalistic campaign. Since they entered the West Wing, the Washington press corps has reported battles for dominance between various factions within the White House. One seasoned political reporter said she had identified at least six different groups vying for Mr Trumps attention. Most had assumed that Ms Trump and her husband, had special access to the Presidents ear. Trump: "Ivanka wanted to make the trip... she said 'Daddy, can I go with you?' I like that" Yet in her interview with the Financial Times, Ms Trump claimed this was not the case. Some people have created unrealistic expectations of what they expect from me - that my presence in in and of itself would carry so much weight with my father that he would abandon his core values.Its not going to happen, she said. To those critics, why of turning my father into a liberal, Id be a failure to them. Despite that, she insisted that her father does listen to a range of opinions on issues. I think it benefits the president to be able to hear from people who both agree and disagree with him on any given issue, she said. And then, ultimately, the president makes his own decision. In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home Show all 13 1 /13 In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The front of the house Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The lobby Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The house exterior Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The patio Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The bedroom Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The living room Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The living area Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The Living Room Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The kitchen Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The living room Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The bathroom Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The living room Zillow In pictures: Ivanka Trump's Washington DC home The hall Zillow Mr Trumps relationship with his eldest daughter has long been the subject of fascination and study. Over a period of two decades, he frequently referred to her beauty, called her voluptuous and suggested he might date her if she was not his daughter. In 2003, he told shock jock Howard Stern: You know whos one of the great beauties of the world, according to everybody? And I helped create her. Ivanka. My daughter, Ivanka. Shes six feet tall, shes got the best body. She made a lot money as a model - a tremendous amount. Alongside this, as a member of his family, Mr Trump appears to trust her more than many of his senior officials or aides. The diplomatic world looked on with no small bewilderment at the G20 Summit in Hamburg in July, when the President had his daughter sit in for him at several meetings with other world leaders, rather than asking Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, or another diplomat. Before her father campaigned for the White House, Ivanka worked for him and developed her own fashion and accessories line. Critics have claimed she has used her position to bolster that business. When she appeared to deliver a keynote speech at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last summer, she wore her own designs and was sure to tweet a link for people who wanted to but them. In April, it was reported her company had won provisional approval from the Chinese government for three new trademarks, giving it monopoly rights to sell Ivanka brand jewelry, bags and spa services in the worlds second-largest economy. The announcement came on the day Ms Trump and Mr Kushner joined their father when he hosted Xi Jinping at his estate in Florida. As it happened, Ms Trump was seated next to the Chinese president. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} North Korea has fired a ballistic missile over Japan, its latest act of aggression against a neighbour and key Western ally amid a escalating war of rhetoric with the United States. The missile launch will prove a stern test for both President Doanld Trump and the UN who have so far failed to get Pyongyang to rein in its nuclear ambitions. The Japanese government said the missile, which was launched from Pyongyang's Sunan district, had passed over Hokkaido and the country's military did not try to shoot it down. The US military also said it had detected an intermediate-range ballistic missile, with Defence Secretary Jim Mattis saying the projectile put millions of Japanese into duck and cover. Japan issued a nationwide alert that urged residents in the country's north to take shelter, and Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters he condemned the attack in the strongest possible terms. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged China and Russia to take direct action against North Korea in response to its latest missile launch. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own," he said in a statement. This is the second time in recent weeks that a North Korean missile has flown over Japan, putting the country on high alert and emphasising the stakes as North Korea accompanies hostile language with displays of more sophisticated military technology. That provocative conduct has repeatedly spurred the United Nations to action but to little effect. Leaders are gathering soon for a United Nations General Assembly meeting, the first for Donald Trump. The UN Security Council planned to convene a meeting today to discuss the latest firing. While the White House confirmed that Mr Trump had been briefed last night, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders referred reporters to the State Department and the Department of Defense for a response. Earlier in the day Mr Trump told reporters that people in this country will be very, very safe. The latest missile reportedly travelled 3,700 km, farther than the 2,700 km logged by the prior missile hurled over Japan and far enough to potentially strike the American territory of Guam. North Korea has issued a series of threats against Guam, which hosts a substantial American military presence, and Korean state media called the prior test of a missile over Japan a a meaningful prelude to containing Guam. In a statement, US Pacific Command said the latest missile did not pose a threat to Guam. Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Show all 6 1 /6 Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Photos released by North Korea show Kim Jong-un talking to subordinates next to a device thought to be the new thermonuclear weapon. There is no way of independently verifying the pictures STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb North Korea claims it has successfully tested an advanced hydrogen bomb which could be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A diagram on the wall behind Mr Kim shows a bomb mounted inside a cone STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) attending a photo session with participants of the fourth conference of active secretaries of primary organisations of the youth league of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in Pyongyang STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A new stamp issued in commemoration of the successful second test launch of the "Hwasong-14" intercontinental ballistic missile KCNA via Reuters Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A new stamp issued in commemoration of the successful second test launch of the "Hwasong-14" intercontinental ballistic missile KCNA via Reuters An increasingly assertive North Korea has been displaying its advances in military technology by launching a steady drumbeat of missile tests and, last weekend, performing its sixth nuclear test that was far more powerful than previous attempts. In the wake of that test, the UN approved the latest round of sanctions, which seek to further stifle North Koreas economy by limiting energy exports and banning textile exports. But in response North Korea lashed out with a statement calling to annihilate the US imperialist aggressors" and reduce the U.S. mainland into ashes and darkness. The statement, issued by a spokesman for the government-run Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee and carried by Korean propaganda arm KCNA, also advocated the destruction of Japan. The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us, the spokesman said. While the United States initially did not formally concur with North Koreas statement that the device used for that nuclear test was a hydrogen bomb, yesterday Air Force General John Hyten cited the blasts size in telling reporters that Im assuming it was a hydrogen bomb. As North Korean has continued to defy the world with weapons tests and belligerent rhetoric, the warnings from Washington have kept pace. Donald Trump contributed to rising tensions when he warned in August that the United States would respond with fire and fury to continued menacing from North Korean. Since then, as North Korea has continued to flex its muscles, while the Trump administration has consistently kept the use of military force on the table. Mr Mattis has said America would marshal a massive military response to threats from North Korea saying America was capable of the total annihilation of a country. Before the latest missile launch Mr Trump alluded to working with China to tackle the North Korean peril, saying we have a great relationship with China, and the president of China, though China has chastised the US for escalating tensions. Mr Trump and Chinese President Xi Jingping emphasized a nonmilitary response after recently discussing the standoff on the phone, though Mr Trump pointedly did not rule it out. In an interview with Sky News, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull condemned the latest launch as dangerous and criminal but portrayed it as a sign that the latest sanctions imposed on North Korea are having their intended effect. This is a sign, I believe, of their frustration at the increased sanctions on North Korea, recently imposed by the Security Council. It's a sign that the sanctions are working. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that ethnic cleansing is taking place in Burma, leading to a "catastrophic" humanitarian situation for the Rohingya Muslim minority with nearly 380,000 people forced to flee to Bangladesh. The UN Security Council also condemned the violence, with Britain's UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft calling the statement - the first the UN's most powerful body has made in nine years on the situation Burma - an important first step. The secretary-general has been outspoken about calling for an end to the violence in Burma's Rakhine state, and sent the Security Council an official letter raising his concerns about a crisis the first time a UN chief has done so since 1989. Recommended Aung San Suu Kyi to give national address on Rohingya Muslim crisis Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International had accused the Security Council on Tuesday of ignoring large-scale ethnic cleansing of the Rohingyas and demanded that it hold an open meeting and urge an end to the violence. It's a first step, but the council needs to escalate this to the level that a crisis that bears the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing deserves, Human Rights Watch's UN Director Louis Charbonneau said after the council statement. We haven't seen that yet. Mr Guterres at a wide-ranging press conference called Burma one of two world issues at the top of global concerns, along with North Korea. Grievances that have been left to fester for decades have now escalated beyond Myanmar's [Burma's] borders, destabilising the region, the secretary-general warned. The humanitarian situation is catastrophic. Last week there were 125,000 Rohingya refugees who had fled to Bangladesh and the number has now tripled to nearly 380,000, he said. Rohingya refugees in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Rohingya refugees in pictures Rohingya refugees in pictures A young girl and a baby wade through mud after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh from Burma on 10 September Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees in pictures Rohingya refugees walk through a camp in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after arriving from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees in pictures A young Rohingya refugee gathers firewood after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees in pictures Rohingya refugees wait for sacks of rice to be distributed in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees arrive on a boat in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh after crossing from Burma on 8 September Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees react after being re-united with each other after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Getty Rohingya refugees in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees walk along the remains of a road after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh on a boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees wade through water after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees wade through water after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Myanmar Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees in pictures Rohingya Muslim refugees stand in the rain after arriving in Whaikhyang, Bangladesh by boat from Burma Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Rohingya refugees in pictures Indian children hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the alleged persecution of the Rohingya Muslims in Burma EPA/Raminder Pal Singh Rohingya refugees in pictures Supporters of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council (DPC), an Islamic organisation, listen to their leaders' speeches against Burma's persecution of Rohingya Muslims, during a demonstration in Karachi Reuters/Akhtar Soomro Rohingya refugees in pictures Hundreds of Iranians take part in a protest against violence in Myanmar after weekly Friday prayers, in Tehran EPA/Abedin Taherkenareh Rohingya refugees in pictures Indonesian Muslim activists hold placards and shout slogans during a protest against the alleged persecution of the Rohingya minority in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia EPA/Ali Lutfi Rohingya refugees in pictures Members of an Islamic organisation shout slogans against the Burma government during a protest in Dhaka, Bangladesh EPA Mr Guterres was asked whether he agreed with UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein that what's happening in Rakhine State is ethnic cleansing. He answered with a question: When one-third of the Rohingya population had to flee the country, can you find a better word to describe it? Rohingya have faced decades of discrimination and persecution by the majority Buddhist population in Burma, where they are denied citizenship despite centuries-old roots in the country. The current crisis erupted on Aug. 25, when an insurgent Rohingya group attacked police outposts in Burma's Rakhine state, killing a dozen security personnel. That prompted Burma's military to launch clearance operations against the rebels, setting off a wave of violence that has left hundreds dead, thousands of homes burned, and tens of thousands fleeing to Bangladesh. Mr Guterres reiterated his condemnations of the attacks by the insurgent Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army but said reported attacks by security forces against civilians are completely unacceptable. Rohingya Muslims flee violence in Burma The secretary-general called on Burma's authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law, and recognise the right of return of all those who had to leave the country. He also reiterated his call for the government to grant the Rohingyas nationality or at least legal status so they can get jobs, education and health care. Mr Guterres added that he had spoken several times with Burma's national leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. Ms Suu Kyi has cancelled a trip to the UN General Assembly in New York next week to deal with the crisis. Mr Rycroft said two high-level meetings on Burma were due to be held during the gathering of world leaders at the United Nations. British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson will co-host a ministerial-level meeting on Burma, while Turkey is also hosting a meeting organised by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The UN Security Council statement acknowledged the 25 August attacks on Burma's security forces but it condemned the subsequent violence. Council members in the statement expressed concern about reports of excessive violence during the security operations and called for immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, de-escalate the situation, re-establish law and order, ensure the protection of civilians, restore normal socio-economic conditions, and resolve the refugee problem. The Security Council also urged the government to implement the recommendations of a commission led by former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan calling for economic development and social justice to counter deadly violence between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine state. A Security Council diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because the consultations were closed, said even though the US, UK, Sweden and others wanted a tougher statement, many council members said it was a considerable achievement that all 15 countries including China agreed to send a clear message to Burma's government and military. Mr Rycroft said several council members called for a follow-up open council meeting and a presidential statement on the Burma crisis, which unlike a press statement becomes part of the Security Council's official record. He said Britain, which is in charge of drafting Burma statements, will get to work on that. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Vladimir Putin has maintained a vice-like hold on the top tiers of Russian power for almost 20 years. For international observers, the Russian leader is an unfathomable and enigmatic figure, and Russia itself is never easy to read. Internationally, the country faces isolation and economic sanctions amid crises in former Soviet states. But Mr Putin retains a remarkable public approval rating of 83 per cent in Russia, officially at least. Love him or loathe him, since Mr Putin rose through the ranks of Boris Yeltsins enfeebled government in the late 1990s, Russia has changed beyond all recognition. One of his early apparent successes was Russias sudden economic growth after he took power. Following the economically disastrous collapse of the Soviet Union and the required market reforms under Yeltsin, the new presidents administration slashed business rates, renationalised parts of the oil industry and exported oil during a period of rising prices. The results were rapid. Between 1999 and 2006, Russians real disposable income doubled. For many Russians, this period of unprecedented growth sealed Mr Putins reputation as a shrewd politician and he is still remembered for it today. But what does the Russian leader want now, and how is he going to get it? This week Russia and the former-Soviet state Belarus embark upon military exercises which European observers estimate could involve as many as 100,000 troops significantly more than the 5,500 Russian personnel and 7,200 Belarussian troops the Russian defence ministry has said will be involved. A US military commander has voiced concern that these excercises could be a "Trojan horse". In addition, previous iterations of the manoeuvres heralded Russias intervention in Crimea. But the war games are unlikely to provide the Trojan Horse for a land grab, as some in the US fear, says Mathieu Boulegue, a research fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs. Zapad is a routine exercise, so there is no cause for alarm in the sense that Russia will stick to the scenario, Mr Boulegue told The Independent. Everything they want to rehearse is ready and its been planned for the past few years. But there is a kind of game of hypocrisy with Russia on one side and the West on the other. We want to acknowledge Zapad as being potentially threatening, but we dont want to give Russia the chance to brag about its military prowess. But is the huge military exercise simply a distraction from what Mr Putin is attempting? US historian Amy Knight, author of forthcoming book Orders From Above: The Putin Regime and Political Murder, and described by The New York Times as the Wests foremost scholar of the KGB, suggests that recent criticism of opponents by the authorities could be read as preparations for the 2018 Russian presidential election, in which Mr Putin is expected to stand and win. In June, opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who has previously organised protests against Mr Putin, was arrested, charged with fraud and this week was pelted with sausages at an airport as he returned to Russia from Europe. What I see internally is that Putin is nervous about the presidential elections. One might say why would he be nervous? He has an over 80 per cent approval rating, and even the municipal elections last Sunday showed that United Russia the pro-Kremlin, pro-Putin party is dominating and so on. But I think Putin views things a little differently. He hasnt forgotten, nor have his colleagues, that around the last presidential elections there were mass demonstrations. In 2011, 2012, Navalny actually helped organise those. And it really shook the Kremlin. Russians are still suffering economically, Ms Knight said. Real income is going down because their pensions havent been raised, their wages havent been raised. People have economic woes theyre griping about and Navalny plays into that. I would say that the popular support for Putin is deceptive. The turnout last week was 14 per cent you see a lot of voter apathy. And we might see these protestors out on the street again, so I think the Kremlin is nervous about the elections. Putins game plan right now, internally, domestically, is to send warning signals to his critics, she said. Putin is as concerned about what the masses think, and possible unrest, as he is concerned about what he might face internally, at the top, among his elite. According to Ms Knight, the Zapad exercise is a means of showcasing Russias international strength and diverts internal attention to whats going on with the West. It plays on peoples sense of patriotism and makes Putin look like a strong leader, she says. I dont think they aspire to militarily control Ukraine, but its enough for them to try to destabilise the government there and make every effort to prevent Ukraine from joining Nato for example. I think taking over all of Ukraine would be biting off more than they can chew. But I might be wrong, she says. It is too simplistic to reach into history and read current events as a return to the Cold War. James Nixey, head of Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House, told The Independent: I certainly do not think that Russia is trying to recreate the Soviet Union. But, and its a big but, there are elements of the Soviet Union in what hes trying to do. The Russians feel protective [of former Soviet states], its kind of a schizophrenic attitude, because in some ways they see them as kindred, and in other ways they look down upon them and want to control them. That is the crux of the tension between Russia and the west right now, Mr Nixey says. The attitude towards the post-Soviet states is the most salient aspect. Russia's relationship with the former Soviet states must be seen in the context of Mr Putins concerns over what he perceives as Natos encroachment. I dont think Putin aspires, practically speaking, to have Nato dissolve, Ms Knight says, "but as we know, the Russians have supported Trump very actively, and President Trump, when he went over and met all the Nato leaders, he basically said he didnt really care about Nato. So I think on Putins wishlist is to have Trump not be impeached, to stay in power and to continue with his luke-warm attitude towards Nato. Whatever happens in the coming elections, few can imagine Russia without Putin in the near future. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Turkish Airlines plane was evacuated at Cologne Bonn Airport in Germany after a bomb threat. The plane had already begun to taxi on the tarmac when it was forced to make an emergency stop. "From the telephone call, it was clear the caller was targeting a Turkish Airlines flight," a police spokesman told Deutsche Welle. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty All 111 passengers were evacuated from the Istanbul-bound flight and officers with sniffer dogs searched the plane. No explosives were found. Police later gave the all-clear and the flight was allowed to take off. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Russian submarines have fired seven cruise missiles at Isis militants in Syria, Russias defence ministry reportedly said. The craft were operating in the eastern Mediterranean, news agencies said, and used Kalibr missiles to strike targets in the suburbs of Deir Ezzor, in Syrias east. The targets were command posts, communication centres, as well as militants weapons and ammunition stockpiles in areas of south-east Deir Ezzor under the control of Islamic State, the ministry said. Recommended Top Isis commanders killed in Syria by latest US and Russian bombing The submarines were the Kilo-class boats Velikiy Novgorod and Kolpino, according to Russian state media. The head of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said buses and vehicles carrying about 400 militants and civilians crossed into Deir Ezzor province on Wednesday. Syrian government forces broke a three-year Isis siege on parts of the provincial capital last week, and are now battling the extremists inside the city. The militants control less than half the city and are encircled on three sides with their backs to the Euphrates River. However, they still control rural areas outside the city and the border with Iraq. US-backed Syrian forces are meanwhile advancing in the surrounding province from the east and north, on the other side of the river, setting up a race to the border with Iraq. Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Show all 12 1 /12 Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man crosses a street in Aleppo, December 12, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A vendor sits inside an antique shop in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, December 12, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A view shows part of Aleppo's historic citadel, overlooking Aleppo city, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A view shows part of Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Visitors walk inside Aleppo's Umayyad mosque, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk inside the Khan al-Shounah market, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man walks past shops in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk along an alley in al-Jdeideh neighbourhood, in the Old City of Aleppo, Syria Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Visitors tour Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A general view shows the Old City of Aleppo as seen from Aleppo's historic citadel, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War People walk near Aleppo's Bab al-Faraj Clock Tower, Syria October 6, 2010 Reuters Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War Aleppo before the Syrian Civil War A man stands inside Aleppo's historic citadel, overlooking Aleppo city, Syria December 11, 2009 Reuters Bassem Aziz, a spokesman for the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, said they have taken control of an industrial area on the eastern bank of the river, a few miles from the government troops. Mr Aziz said they were about four miles away from the city's eastern entrance. At least five top Isis leaders were killed in US and Russian air strikes in the area last weeks. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Having spoken with survivors, residents and the community, it is clear that there have been systematic failures on the part of the local council and the national government in the two months since the tragedy. The first council meeting after the fire saw members of the affected community express their anger with the council. Theresa May has admitted that the initial response was not good enough. It goes much deeper. This is the culmination of years of Tory cuts and neglect. Addressing the systematic failures requires a systematic overhaul in how the poorest and most vulnerable are treated by government. The limited terms of reference for the inquiry are a disappointment to residents and many others. An opportunity to build broken trust has been missed with the risk that the Government, so heavily criticised for its response, is dodging its own responsibilities. These are six key ways the government has failed survivors and their families and loved ones of the bereaved. It is far from an exhaustive list. In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Show all 51 1 /51 In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police have released images from inside the tower where at least 58 people have died Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A still from a video shared by polices what appears to be a stationary bicycle sitting among the ashes In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A still from a video shared by police shows the remnants of a burnt-out bathroom In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Picture showing the lifts on an unknown floor Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emergency crews outside the front entrance to the tower Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Fire crews inspecting flats in the burnt out tower London Metropolitan Police In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Grenfell Tower is seen in the distance PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A drone flies near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire 'Theresa May Stay Away' message written on the messages of support at Latymer Community Church for those affected by the fire Ray Tang/REX In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire An aerial view of the area surrounding Grenfall tower Getty In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Donated shoes sit in the Westway Sports Centre near to the site of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Messages of support for those affected by the massive fire in Grenfell Tower are displayed on a well near the tower in London AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A local resident stands on her balcony by the gutted Grenfell Tower in Latimer Road Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Messages of condolence are left at a relief centre close to the scene of the fire that broke out at Grenfell Tower, EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A police officer stands by a security cordon outside Latimer Road station Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Firemen examine the scorched facade of the Grenfell Tower in London on a huge ladder AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A search dog is led through the rubble of the Grenfell Tower in London as firefighting continue to damp-down the deadly fire AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn comforts a local resident (name not given) at St Clement's Church in west London where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower David Mirzoeff/PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn hugs councillor Mushtaq Lasharie as he arrives at St Clement's Church in Latimer Road, where volunteers have provided shelter and support for people affected by the fire at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn meeting staff and volunteers at St Clementis Church in Latimer Road David Mirzoeff/PA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Firefighters with a dog walk around the base of the Grenfell Tower REUTERS/Peter Nicholls In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emotions run high as people attend a candle lit vigil outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near the 24 storey residential Grenfell Tower block in Latimer Road, West London Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Debris hangs from the blackened exterior of Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman speaks to Mayor of London Sadiq Khan outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman holds a missing person posters near the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Sadiq Khan speaking with a resident James Gourley/REX In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Ken Livingstone walks near the scene of the Grenfell Tower fire Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is confronted by Kai Ramos, 7, near Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks to a woman outside Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Yui Mok/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers distribute aid near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Family and friends of missing Jessica Urbano, 12, wearing photographs of Jessica pinned to their t-shirts gather near Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People gather to observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People light candles as they observe a vigil outside St Clement's Church following the blaze at Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People attend a vigil at Notting Hill Methodist Church near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A man distributes food from the back of a van near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A firefighter is cheered near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A T-shirt with a written message from the London Fire Brigade hangs from a fence near The Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A young girl on her way to lay flowers near Grenfell Tower Getty Images In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire The remains of residential tower block Grenfell Tower are seen from Dixon House a nearby tower block Getty In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers prepare supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block which was destroyed in a fire REUTERS/Neil Hall In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Volunteers move a car to make space for a lorry picking up supplies for people affected by the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire People distribute boxes of food near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower bloc REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A woman touches a missing poster for 12-year-old Jessica Urbano on a tribute wall after laying flowers on the side of Latymer Community Church next to the fire-gutted Grenfell Tower AP In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire A man looks at messages written on a wall near the scene of the fire which destroyed the Grenfell Tower block REUTERS/Paul Hackett In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Candles and messages of condolence near where the fire broke out at Grenfell Tower EPA In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police carry a stretcher towards Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Emergency services at Grenfell Tower Rick Findler/PA Wire In Pictures: Grenfell Tower after the fire Police carry out a body from Grenfell Tower in west London after a fire engulfed the 24-storey building Rick Findler/PA Wire Cuts from the top The British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association estimates that the cost of fitting Grenfell Tower with a sprinkler system would have been 200,000. Kensington and Chelsea Councils usable reserves are 274m. The backdrop to this is the Conservatives cutting back on health and safety legislation. David Cameron spoke of the health and safety monster when he was Prime Minister. Boris Johnson responded to being held accountable for cuts to the London fire service while he was Mayor by saying: Get stuffed. A National Audit Office report of 2015 found that since 2010, the government has reduced funding for fire and rescue authorities in England by between 26 per cent and 39 per cent. This has resulted in an estimated 17 per cent real-terms average reduction in spending power of stand-alone fire authorities from 2010-16. The Fire Brigades Union is warning of further cuts before 2020. Warnings from the local community The Grenfell Action Group repeatedly warned of fire hazards at the tower and in the local area, concluding that their pleas were falling on deaf ears, and predicted a catastrophe was inevitable. Recommendations had been made to prevent fatal fires before the Grenfell catastrophe Coroners made recommendations regarding retrofitting sprinklers in high rise residential buildings to prevent deaths, following fatal fires at Shirley Towers, Southampton (2010) and Lakanal House, Camberwell (2013). However, parliamentary under-secretary of state for communities and local government, Brandon Lewis, said in 2014: We believe that it is the responsibility of the fire industry, rather than the Government, to market fire sprinkler systems effectively and to encourage their wider installation. It is clear that fire sprinklers work, and I am happy that the Government continue to emphasise that. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry explained Brandon Lewis also outlined a commitment to be the first Government to reduce regulation, stating that new regulations are subject to a one in, two out rule. The Governments cutting red tape website highlights the scrapping of 2,400 regulations and 100m worth of savings to home builders and councils, by reducing hundreds of locally applied housing standards. The majority of Grenfell residents are still without housing, despite a broken promise from the Prime Minister to be housed within three weeks Progress on housing residents who have been given temporary accommodation in hotels has been disgracefully slow. After the fire, the vast majority of the Grenfell Tower residents are still in need of housing despite Theresa Mays promise in June that all will be offered rehousing within three weeks. May referenced 164 suitable properties being checked and made ready for people to move into. Grenfell fire victims honoured at charity football match The new council leader Elizabeth Campbell announced 99 housing units secured for the residents at the July council meeting. However, Sajid Javid has recently written to residents saying that they will be permanently housed within 12 months. Three months on and 181 offers of accommodation have been made, 64 offers have been accepted and 29 households rehoused: a small fraction of those in need. No proper amnesty for migrants and undocumented people I have been vocal in calling for an amnesty for any undocumented migrants who were survivors in Grenfell Tower. The priority here must be reaching out and supporting those in need. Offering an amnesty will give undocumented people the confidence to come forward. So far, a partial amnesty of one year has been offered, which must be applied for by the end of November: an unfair deadline given the trauma that people are facing. It would be a travesty if this partial amnesty resulted in detention and deportation in a years time. Martin Moore-Bick, the chair of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, has raised the importance of receiving evidence from former residents to Theresa May, and the need for others present in the building to come forward, but says some may be reluctant to do so because of concerns about their long-term immigration status. He urged the Government to take all necessary steps to dispel those fears and encourage as many people as possible to come forward to assist the Inquiry. It is time for the government to step up and remove the threat of deportation from all the survivors, and allow their testimony to be heard. Notting Hill Carnival revellers hold minute's silence for Grenfell Tower victims No compromise on the scope and timing of the inquiry In the Queens Speech, Theresa May called for a full public inquiry into the causes and to learn lessons following the Grenfell fire. She had promised that no stone would be left unturned. However, Sir Martin Moore-Bick has accepted that it will not include a broad examination of social housing policy, or the response from local or central government. Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union says the risk is that the inquiry might avoid probing deeper to examine the regime which allowed these deaths to happen, conveniently taking the spotlight off government ministers and any policies that were or werent in place that may have had an impact. The inquiry must meet the needs of the residents and survivors, covering all factors involved in the disaster, as well as their treatment prior to it and in the aftermath. Labour called for the inquiry to follow the model of the Lawrence Inquiry, that is, an inquiry into matters arising from the Grenfell Tower fire. This allowed for far reaching recommendations to identify and tackle institutional racism. This inquiry must not be perceived as a further betrayal or breach of trust with the local community. Diane Abbott is the Shadow Home Secretary and MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} In a memorable 2015 TED talk, Bill Gates told his audience that when I was a kid, the disaster we worried about most was a nuclear war. But today he says if anything kills over 10 million people in the next few decades, its most likely to be a highly infectious virus, rather than a war. Not missiles, but microbes. The consequences of a major flu pandemic would be world-changing. In 1918, a flu pandemic killed 50 million to 100 million people at the top end, more than the combined total casualties of World Wars I and II and for a slew of reasons, humans are arguably more vulnerable today than they were 100 years ago. The situation in England is very critical the NHS is not equipped to cope with any serious flu epidemic. The NHS is under tremendous pressure, as is now widely acknowledged. As social services for home helps and other care funding has fallen by 11 per cent in five years, this has resulted in serious bed blocking, with more than 2,500 hospital beds a day taken up by patients whose release has been delayed due to problems in the social care system. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 11 November 2022 City workers attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Lloyd's of London, in the City of London, to mark Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of the First World War PA UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA The number of yearly visits to A&E departments of all types of presentations increased by 9 million between 2000/01 and 2015/16. The Royal College of Emergency Medicine says hospitals must more than double current number of consultants to ensure safe care. GPs are seeing more patients than ever an increase of 15.4 per cent since 2010-11, with more than 350 million consultations every year but access to appointments is still problematic for many. So, it is of no surprise then that Simon Stevens, the CEO of the NHS England, has warned of a more pressurised flu season this year. Hospitals and GP services have been urged to brace themselves for an epidemic this winter. NHS England has promised to free up between 2,000 and 3,000 extra beds to help avoid a repeat of last years struggles but where are the nurses and doctors to cope with this pressure? Its all very good warning that theres going to be an epidemic, but isnt it more frightening that the NHS is wholly unprepared to actually deal with it? Tories defeated on NHS pay rise motion after DUP backs Labour Every part of the country faces a major crisis this winter as a result of the ruthless spending squeeze in NHS, social care and public health. The majority of NHS trusts in England are deeply concerned about the NHSs inability to respond to mounting pressures this coming winter. The real issue for many trusts is that the extra funding promised (1bn) for social care, partly allocated to ease winter pressure on the health service, is not getting through to the NHS. The clear message is that many places will struggle this coming winter. Majority of trusts report a lack of capacity in primary care, social care, mental health, community services, a lack of acute capacity and a lack of ambulance capacity to manage this winter. There is a clear risk that, as pressures continue to grow, the difficulties encountered last winter will be more severe and extensive this coming winter. The pressing issue with a flu crisis is that if an elderly individual contracts the virus, it can be more dangerous and debilitating hence a hospital admission may be necessary. But social care intervention may be needed to help them return home. If theres no funding or services available, their hospital discharge will be delayed. This sort of scenario will repeat itself over and over this winter just as it did last year. And we are not prepared for it, yet again. John Major: The NHS is about as safe with Tory Brexiteers as a hamster is with a phython To manage this risk, the health service needs the added NHS capacity that the extra social care funding promised to provide. The reality is that any extra funding will absorb some of the existing pressures. It would help to free up extra bed capacity in hospitals, pump much needed funds into community and mental health services, help to recruit more doctors, nurses and care home staff during this winter crisis. It would also make better use of community pharmacy services and enable the ambulance service to take more of the patient load. In the long term, we need to develop a realistic and sustainable long term approach to funding the NHS and social care, and a comprehensive workforce strategy that takes account of what the NHS is being asked to deliver. There is no time to lose. Last winter gave us the clearest possible warning that patient safety is now at risk. We have very short time to respond to those warnings. With the historical funding problems worsening in the last decade, a crisis in retention and recruitment, increasing demand, and collapse of social care in many places, I cannot be optimistic that the looming crisis can be averted by the measures announced. It seems to me that we need an injection of extra resources, not just a vaccine against the flu virus. Dr Kailash Chand OBE is the former deputy chair of the BMA council and honorary vice president of the BMA. Dr Chand writes in a personal capacity The blaze occurred in a house on Grove Road in the Rathmines area of Dublin A man has died in a house fire, gardai have said. The blaze occurred in a house on Grove Road in the Rathmines area of Dublin. Gardai said emergency services were alerted at about 8am. Three people were taken from the house and rushed to St James's Hospital where one man was subsequently pronounced dead. Gardai said it is understood the two other people were not seriously injured. Crews from Dublin Fire Brigade based in Dolphin's Barn and Donnybrook and three ambulances attended the scene. Some Irish exporting sectors have seen their dependence on the UK market increase since the turn of the millennium, even though the exports share overall to the UK has been declining. A new paper from the Department of Finance shows the extent to which some sectors are vulnerable to Brexit. The importance of the UK to Ireland as a destination market for exports has declined over the last 40 years. In the early 1970s, the UK accounted for more than 50pc of total Irish exports, whereas in 2015, the figure was just 17pc, the paper notes. But that trend is reversed for certain sectors. For example, the paper states that Ireland's exports to the UK in food and live animals has increased from 38pc of the sector's total exports in 2000 to 46pc in 2015. Manufactured goods exports have jumped from 43pc in 2000 to 55pc in 2015. "The figures thus reveal that although at the aggregate level there is a long-term trend decline in the UK export share, certain sectors still have a high exposure to the UK and for some, this has increased over the past 15 years," the paper states. Commodities and minerals exports have also seen their share of exports into the UK increase over that period. However, the proportional exposure of the chemicals sector has fallen over time. As has machinery, beverages and tobacco and agricultural residuals. The paper also states that 11 of the EU 27's top 15 most exposed products to the UK, on the proportional exposure measure, are Irish exports. Included in the top five are the Irish agri-food sub sectors, cereals, vegetables and fruit, and live anmimal products. "These sectors would face some of the highest tariffs if the EU registered WTO tariff schedule was applied to EU-UK trade," the paper states. "These findings have implications for the prospects of these sectors in the context of future trade negotiations between the EU and their vulnerability to post-exit UK trade policy." It also states that Britain's intention to pursue new trade deals could have "substantial negative consequences for these most exposed sectors in the Irish economy as it would be a significant step change in the trading relationship that has developed since EU membership." THOSE 2014 commemorations for the centenary of the start of the Great War threw up a surprising analysis. As those around the Kaiser argued for peace or war, there was no clear answer to what Britain would do. The reason? London was preoccupied with Ireland. It is an uncomfortable analogy for 2018. Thank goodness (and perhaps the EU) that we are not talking about war, but Brexit is potentially as serious a peacetime crisis as it is possible to imagine. It is in trying to prevent that potential becoming reality that the parallels with 1914 begin to alarm. It would be going too far to say the British government is preoccupied with Ireland. There is no Curragh mutiny threatening a military coup and the absence of a Belfast administration, while far more dangerous than seems generally recognised, it is not an imminent threat. Just as with 1914 though, the key question is what will Britain do? This is the background to last week's paper on the Irish Border from the Commission negotiator, and to the unusual stance of the Irish Government. The uncertainty has pushed everyone into uncomfortable positions. Dublin finds itself appearing to say that preserving cross-Border trade is a matter for London to sort out. Brussels came close to eating and keeping cake, by talking about special arrangements for Ireland with no change to EU laws and procedures. There is much in the accusation that Britain's stress on the Irish question was an attempt to engage in trade negotiations (or at least discussions) before the departure details had been agreed. Equally, the EU's position on that was based more on a lack of trust and fear of encouraging Nexit than it was to any sensible way of conducting successful negotiations. The peace process itself developed the mantra that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. That would have been a good formula for Brexit but it was never practical politics and cannot be resurrected now. The best way to start to reduce the uncertainty is for everyone to be clearer about their objectives and limits. That is beginning to happen and the key question for business is to what extent it is prepared to campaign for its own interests. Anyone who appreciates the legendary Japanese restraint will understand that their statements on the implications of Brexit are among the toughest of any group or government. Others, including Irish business, should consider following suit, in less polite terms. One has to be a bit careful of course. There are enough sensitivities here to keep an army of dentists happy but last week's dinner of the British-Irish Chamber of Commerce did see signs of a more robust approach. Tanaiste and business minister Frances Fitzgerald said that, with time running out, the Government had decided in recent weeks to be more forthright about its concerns. "Respectfully, with our EU partners, we are asking the UK government to think again. There are options available, particularly around the single market and customs union, which can resolve this major problem, if the UK government is minded to propose them," she said. Former EU Commissioner and former Northern Ireland Secretary Peter (now Lord) Mandelson was more explicit; "All this could be avoided if the British government took the sensible decision, on leaving the EU, to remain in the Single Market or at least the Customs Union. Or preferably both." The reality is that are no solutions which will not result in economic loss and political instability - and not just in Ireland - other than the UK remaining in at least the Customs Union: or perhaps "a" customs union. That little indefinite article has been appearing, not just in the comments of outsiders but in Britain as well. These are the realities which all concerned, apart from the diehard Brexiteers, now recognise. Many of them recognise it as well; they just think the price worth paying, but their numbers are falling, at least in Westminster. The British Labour Party is suggesting a transitional union which goes on for ever. That shows how far removed the British debate still is from reality, which in turn may explain why general support for Brexit has not changed much since the referendum. Another reason may be the fears of business about getting into politics. There is no escaping politics in an issue like this and time is running out for relying on warnings alone. Influential companies and organisations may have to actively campaign for the retention of a customs union, along with precise details on what they intend to do if that does not happen, to have any chance of making it happen. The onus in this case is on UK firms, or those with a significant presence there. It is all a bit more difficult for Irish companies, because the Republic's status is not changing, but they will have to overcome their misgivings. Perhaps it is a bit easier for a body with "British/Irish" in its name. It was its president, Eoin O'Neill, who said it would openly campaign for Britain to remain in "a customs union" and it was now time for pragmatic action rather than theorising. One should not underestimate the difficulties for such a campaign, with the implication that others are not being pragmatic, or even sensible, but it is clear that nothing else is going to work from an Irish point of view. An end to the Customs Union will wreak havoc everywhere, and in places one would not immediately think of if one is not involved, such as horse racing. The industry says it would be "decimated" (although its estimates were even worse than the strict meaning of decimation). The Irish Government scored a victory in getting Ireland on to the first phase of negotiations. Logically, as the British point out, it should have come later, with the trade talks, but that risked it being ignored in a wider agreement. Moving it forward, though, has made Ireland look like a standalone issue, which it is not. Its vulnerability is unique but there is no Irish solution to what is an EU problem. As expected, the movement of people question is almost resolved but the other all-island solutions look deeply unconvincing. There may be some limited scope - important nevertheless - in the area of agriculture and food which would allow fairly free movement of produce and animals. A different farming regime irks unionist sensitivities less than full border controls on the Irish Sea. Apart from that, if there is no Customs Union between the UK and the EU, almost everything else looks pie in the sky. The economic damage will be immense but, as we know, economic damage can be repaired over the medium term. Worse is the possibility that the constitutional settlement (we could stop calling it an 'agreement' for a start) would unravel: possibly not just the peace process but peace itself. Speaking of which: how about renewing an old slogan. "What do we want?" "A customs union!" "When do we want it?" "Um, 2021 would do." US property behemoth Hines has overhauled the fund that owns the vast Cherrywood site in South Dublin - one of the largest development landbanks in the State - as it prepares to sell down parts of the project to international investors. The Texas-based corporation restructured its ownership of the real estate in May 2015 when it shifted the asset into an ultra tax-efficient fund known as an Irish Collective Asset Management Vehicle (Icav). Under this structure, money flowing in and out of the vehicle is obscured from public view. Earlier this year Hines opted to split the entity that holds the majority of the Cherrywood strategic development zone, the Hines Cherrywood Development Fund Icav, into a number of smaller funds. The move paves the way for international investors to take a stake in the mammoth housing project, which will result in the construction of 4,000 homes and a new town centre, complete with shops, offices, a hotel and cinema. It is envisaged the fully-developed Cherrywood SDZ will support 8,000 homes. Sources said global pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and private equity firms are all viewed as possible stakeholders in the Hines controlled project. While Hines is moving to diversify its exposure to Cherrywood and inject fresh funds into the development, it will continue to steer the construction and project management of the strategically important site. Records compiled by the Central Bank of Ireland show that in May the property giant established two offshoot funds to the principal Cherrywood holding vehicle, with the establishment of a second land development vehicle and a separate retail fund. In June it established a multi-family fund. Hines declined to comment on the restructure. But sources close to the company said the move facilitates separate banking and funding options for the Cherrywood project and stressed the move was entirely appropriate. Hines's phased selldown of the sprawling landbank has been anticipated for some time. Last year Hines sold two lots at Cherrywood to the acquisitive listed-residential developer Cairn Homes for 21.5m and took an option to buy a third lot for 9.2m. News of the change to the Cherrywood fund structure comes as Hines prepares to submit its planning application for 1250 apartments and a town centre to Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council within the next two weeks. Michelle Jackson of agents TWM is seeking offers in excess of 1.95m for Maurice Mahon House, a high-profile, two-storey commercial investment opportunity at the heart of the affluent coastal town of Malahide in north county Dublin. The building, which is laid out currently as five individual units, extends to 484 sq m (5,214 sq ft) and is being sold on behalf of receiver Ken Tyrell of PwC. Prospective investors in the property stand to secure the benefit of a multi-let investment with a weighted average unexpired lease term of approximately 15 years. Tenants at ground floor include McGoverns Restaurant, Axa Insurance and Ellen B Boutique, while the upper floor is laid out as solicitors' offices and for leisure use. The property benefits from a secure yard for loading and storage along with car parking to the rear. The current total annual income is 191,330 per annum with an opportunity to grow this with the letting of a vacant unit. Michele Jackson says the property's pricing of 1,950,000 offers investors a very attractive net initial yield of 9.39pc prior to letting the vacant unit. The investment is an attractive lot size and offers investors the opportunity to asset management to achieve both rental and capital growth, Jackson adds. Telco Eir will complete its latest round of voluntary redundancies in the coming weeks, as an additional 250 people leave the business. The company has set aside 34m for redundancy payments for the current financial year, as it continues to hone its cost base in a hugely-competitive environment. Releasing full-year results yesterday, Eir said that its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose 4pc to 520m in the 12 months to the end of June, while underlying revenue was 1pc higher at 1.32bn. Over the past five years, Eir has cut its headcount by 2,200 to 3,279, and cut its operating cost base by more than 148m a year. The former semi-state company has witnessed a sharp improvement in its fortunes since it exited examinership in 2012, with rationalisation, investment and a recovering economy helping to revive the business. Eir is owned by investors including US firm Anchorage and Singapore wealth fund GIC. Part of Eir's strategy has been developing its network and services to be in a position to offer triple- and quadruple-play bundles to customers in an effort to reduce churn. Eir had 2.19 revenue-generating units per customer household at the end of June, compared to 2.06 a year earlier. A quarter of its customers are now on triple- or quad-play bundles, including mobile, TV, broadband and fixed-line services. It recently retired its Meteor mobile brand, bringing it under the Eir banner, in a further effort to boost bundle sales. "It's been part of our major strategic thrust to get as many people as possible on to bundles," Eir chief executive Richard Moat told the Irish Independent. "We've got 25pc of people on triple or quad-play bundles and that's going up every quarter. The more products people take from us, the longer they stay with us." He said that in some European countries, 80pc of telco customers avail of triple or quad-play bundles. Mr Moat said that within three to five years, it's feasible that Eir will have more than 50pc of its customer base availing of triple or quad-play bundles. About 18 months ago, Mr Moat told the Irish Independent that a stock market flotation of Eir would be "at least" two years away. A 1.29bn equity valuation was placed by Eir on the company last year. "An IPO (initial public offering) is always a theoretical possibility, but we're concentrating on improving the operational performance of the business. We made 4pc growth in earnings this year, and we want to continue that kind of level of growth going into the future." At the end of June, Eir had total gross debt of 2.3bn. Its interest bill has been slashed via various refinancings. Chief financial officer Huib Costermans said Eir has no further refinancing immediately planned. A farmer was sentenced yesterday for six months in Monaghan District Court. The 40-years-old Monaghan farmer, William Cranston of Skerrymore, Drumacrib, was sentenced to six months imprisonment at a special sitting of the District Court in Monaghan town. He was convicted on 13 charges relating to the alleged illegal importation of livestock, contrary to Department of Agriculture Food and Farm regulations between May 1 and December 30, 2014. The case was taken by the Minister and the charges also related to the possession of false ear-tags and the illegal exportation of animals. One of the charges was in respect of an alleged failure by Cranston to notify the Minister of the movement of livestock along the Monaghan/Armagh border. Judge Deirdre Gearty was told that Cranston was previously convicted for having a quantity of an illicit livestock fattening drug on his farm. Sentences in respect of each of the charges were imposed to run concurrently, from three to six-month terms of imprisonment. Galway farmer, Joe Healy will serve a second term as President of the IFA after nominations closed for the position today. IFA National Returning Officer Jer Bergin today announced that nominations have closed for the positions of IFA President, Deputy President and Regional Chairmen, for which elections take place every two years. Sitting President Joe Healy was the only nominee and has therefore been returned unopposed for a second term, commencing January 2018. Healy took over the position following the resignations of Eddie Downey and former general secretary Pat Smith amid a furore over salaries at the top of the orgainisation. Expand Close Joe Healy celebrates with his wife, Margaret and daughters Kiara, Anna and Nicole after he was announced as the new president of the Irish Farmers' Association in April last year. Photo: Damien Eagers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Joe Healy celebrates with his wife, Margaret and daughters Kiara, Anna and Nicole after he was announced as the new president of the Irish Farmers' Association in April last year. Photo: Damien Eagers Healy has stressed the organisation has gone above and beyond any legal accountancy requirements as it strives to deliver transparency to the farm families that back them following the pay revelations. Healy has aimed to return the organisation to concentrating on the important issues that impact on farmers' pockets through commodity prices has seen sentiment improve. He has said Brexit is the biggest challenge that has faced Irish agriculture and highlighted the need to look beyond the UK for exports. The president said new chief executive Damian McDonald, formerly of Horse Sport Ireland and a past Macra president, has been positive for the organisation, bringing experience and business acumen. Among the main challenges facing Healy faced during his first two years was to ensure the organisation remained adequately funded. The 2016 annual report showed membership at 75,829 - a drop on the 88,000 it stated just three years ago. Expand Close IFA president Joe Healy in discussions with the EU's chief Brexit begotiator Michel Bernier / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp IFA president Joe Healy in discussions with the EU's chief Brexit begotiator Michel Bernier Income had also taken a hit with 18.9m last year, down 1.2m from 20.1m in 2015. Deputy President Richard Kennedy was also returned unopposed today. Expand Close IFA President Joe Healy leads farmers on a protest at the Department of Agriculture on Kildare Street. Picture: Finbarr O'Rourke / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp IFA President Joe Healy leads farmers on a protest at the Department of Agriculture on Kildare Street. Picture: Finbarr O'Rourke Former Chairman of Wicklow IFA Tom Short was nominated unchallenged for the position of South Leinster Regional Chairman. He will succeed James Murphy, who will complete his second term at the January 2018 AGM. The slide in the value of sterling is costing the Irish agri-food sector millions per week, farming leaders have warned. After a week that saw sterling weaken to 93p against the euro, the IFA says that jobs will be lost and low-margin growers heavily dependent on the UK market could go to the wall. IFA economist Rowena Dwyer estimates the impact of weak sterling is about 15c/kg for beef exports. "This is a loss to beef farmers of close to 2m per week. Farmers cannot keep going at current loss-making prices," she warned. "The last time we saw this level of sterling weakness was in 2009. In the midst of domestic and international economic collapse, farm incomes fell by 30pc, averaging 12,000 that year." Employers' organisation IBEC has demanded "urgent action" on the exchange rate situation. "Failure to do so will severely damage our exports, result in substantial job losses and weaken our trading position in the post-Brexit environment," said IBEC food and drink director Paul Kelly. IBEC says 88p to the euro is the tipping point for food and drink exports to the UK, which were worth 4.1bn last year. However, the decline has accelerated in recent weeks. The body warned a sustained period at 90p could hit food exports by 700m. Mr Kelly called for an enterprise stabilisation fund in the upcoming Budget for low-margin but viable businesses such as mushrooms that have been hardest hit by currency fluctuations. Food chain "As we face into Budget pre-negotiations, currency fluctuations are pressing back down the food chain to the primary producer and we are looking at ways we can address that in the context of the Budget," said Mr Kelly. ICMSA president John Comer has warned that processors will pass back the impact of a weaker sterling on to farmers. "It is important that measures are put into the Budget to help deal with the volatility at farm level," he said, outlining a farm management deposit scheme that allows farmers to put away money tax-efficiently for a bad year. The IFA has called for a slice of the CAP crisis reserve fund and direct support from the EU for producers. Low-cost loans are also a priority in its pre-Budget position. Agriculture Minister Michael Creed said the Government was "acutely conscious" of the weakness of sterling as they face into negotiations for the Budget. "This is pressing back down the food chain to the primary producer and we are looking at ways we can address that in the context of the Budget," he said. IRISH beef exports could be on their way to China early next year pending the final decision of Chinese inspectors who completed an intensive round of checks on Irish plants last week. The Chinese team visited a number of processing plants including Slaney Meats in Bunclody, AIBP in Clones and Nenagh, Kepak Clonee, Dawn Charleville, Kildare Chilling and Liffey Meats. The dairy sector will continue to grow over the next decade and has the most positive long-term prospects of all the Irish farming enterprises, Lakeland Dairies chief executive officer Michael Hanley believes. And he doesn't envisage Brexit putting a brake on the current expansion in the sector. And Lakeland, which has 2,400 farming members on both sides of the border, will adopt a policy of "mixing and matching" its production capacity in both the Republic and Northern Ireland to meet any commercial scenario which a British exit from the EU might present when the negotiating process is completed, he added. "Brexit or no Brexit, the Irish dairy sector will expand. The dairy sector is the best farming enterprise in Ireland and that will remain the case whether we have a soft, hard, or dropping off a cliff outcome to the Brexit negotiations," Mr Hanley said at the official opening of the co-op's new 40m advanced milk drying plant in Bailieboro, Co Cavan. The plant, which is one of the biggest of its kind in Europe, will produce 160,000 tonnes of milk powders and 50,000 tonnes of butter annually Lakeland, which employs over 800 people, is constantly reviewing its business options in the light of Brexit, said Mr Hanley. But he emphasised that while the UK was an important and valued market for the co-op, they have customers in a further 79 countries globally. These alternative markets in Asia, the Middle East, China and Europe were both profitable and expanding and the company will continue to grow its non-UK business. 'Baloney' Mr Hanley said a "lot of baloney" has been spoken about Brexit and he preferred to await the final outcome before making a judgment on how it might affect Lakeland. His worst-case scenario would see the UK government adopting a "cheap food" policy which would turn the country into a "dumping ground" for inferior agricultural produce. That would affect all Irish agricultural sectors from beef to sheep to milk and ingredients. But if the British government pursued such a policy, it was likely to be met with market place resistance from its own consumers. In a generally upbeat take on the current health of the Irish dairy sector, Mr Hanley said: "If I was a farmer wanting to make a profit and educate a family, I would be in the dairy sector" The expansion at the Lakeland facility showed that the Irish dairy industry would continue to expand over the next decade. The "heavy lifting" in terms of investing in new "stainless steel" to meet the company's expansion plans was now in place with the completion of the new facility. The co-op now has one of the biggest milk drying facilities in Europe. The capacity of the plant to manufacture ingredients has effectively doubled. Lakeland now has the capacity to process over 1.2 billion litres of milk annually and convert this product into some 240 value-added dairy food service and food ingredients for the export market. "Our strategy is to create long-term competitiveness and sustainability for our milk producers to meet the long term needs of our customers in the global food industry," added the Lakesland CEO. "In particular we are addressing opportunities in the areas of infant formulas, dairy protein foods and health related nutritional products." Mr Hanley added that he expects milk and ingredient prices to remain firm over the next few years. Machinery is the single biggest cost incurred by tillage farmers when producing their cereal crop. Shay Phelan, a tillage specialist at Teagasc, told farmers at the Teagasc National Crops Forum that machinery can account for up to 40pc of the total costs of growing crops in Ireland - and this cost doesn't necessarily decrease if farm scale increases. Having conducted a survey on 139 farms, with an average size of 270 acres, Teagasc concluded that there is about 10 per acre of a difference in savings when it comes to farm size. However, farm fragmentation can increase machinery costs hugely. "Farm size doesn't necessarily dilute machinery costs. It brings costs down slightly but not hugely," said Mr Phelan. "Land fragmentation has an impact. Farms that are in the one block have fewer costs. There's almost 20 per acre of a difference with very fragmented farms, just in terms of wear and tear, and the diesel expenses of going over and back add to the costs on your farm." He added that machinery costs will be incurred somewhere along the line, whether you're a farmer with old machinery that will need to be repaired or replaced, or if you have bought new machinery and need to make repayments. "You need to ask yourself, do you need it or do you want it. You have to make those repayments whether you've a good or bad year. So avoid impulse buying. "Also, if you've older machinery, you may say it's costing me nothing but when it comes to passing it on to the next generation, it won't make the grade." Equipment co-ops One way in which tillage farmers could reduce their tillage costs is through machinery sharing. Stephane Diard, a French farmer and a member of a CUMA co-op, told those at the forum that sharing equipment brings down costs. "There's 5-15pc cost cutting of machinery if you're in a CUMA. There's more than 250,000 items of machinery in France's 12,000 CUMAs." Dermot Forristal of Teagasc said that "structure and support is key" if Ireland was to set up a similar system to the French CUMA, and that it is "not beyond the bounds of possibility" as Ireland has numerous co-ops already. "What's unique about CUMA is that there is a good structure behind it. CUMAs won't just happen, we need to build a structure around it. We need to take into account the unique structure we have here. Contractors are very strong here and are cost competitive. Maybe there's a way we could encompass contractors in CUMAs." Oliver Molloy of the Department of Agriculture addressed farmers on the TAMS machinery investment scheme. Some 489 tillage farmers have so far applied for TAMS, while roller/furrow presses, disc stubble cultivators and tractor steering controllers have been the most popular items applied for under the initiative. He reminded farmers that they have until October 6 to apply for the next tranche of TAMS and expects to get an increase in applications once farmers workload with the harvest reduces in a few weeks. CLAIRE FOX If you ever venture over to Eastern Europe, you will find that when the good citizens are looking for a quality starch food to go with their meat and vegetables, they don't talk about the potato, but reach for the 'Irish potato'. This is an example of the strong relationship we as a nation have to this basic of foodstuffs. You would think that with this strong relationship, at the very least, we would have a supply chain of potatoes that would be at least comprehensive, if not vibrant and progressive. Alas this is far from the case. The potato industry in Ireland is anything but vibrant, most of it isn't even Irish. Any review of the potato industry (and there has been no shortage of them) inevitably blames the reduction in potato consumption on the rise of 'pasta and rice' and 'hectic lifestyles'. These conclusions are usually accompanied by calls for more marketing and further reviews. While there is no doubt that there are many external factors working against the consumption of potatoes in Ireland, there are plenty of internal factors working against the sector as well. There is no doubt that when the history of the potato crop in Ireland is written, the impact that one variety Rooster, bred in Oakpark by Harry Kehoe, had on the industry will be writ large. As a variety it has its weaknesses, but it is a fantastic all-rounder, readily recognisable and has a strong brand following. But when the only 'table potato' on offer by every retail unit in the country for the entire year is one variety, we have a problem. Agronomically, it's a big problem. As well as the risk of one variety breaking down to a new pest or disease, more practically, the variety Rooster is very late maturing. It's a scary thought that as we approach the middle of September, the entire crop required to feed this country from now until next July is still sitting out in fields, not even desiccated in most instances. If the weather continues for another month as it has done for the last month, we have a big problem with the crop - we won't be able to get it all dug before winter. More importantly, we also have a problem with only 'offering' one variety to the consumer - it equals boredom and stasis. Consumers are constantly been 'wowed' and bombarded with the latest super foods. All the better if it comes from some far corner of some far flung rainforest. What chance does the bag of spuds have against exotic foodstuffs? The route to market of potatoes from imported seed to grower to packer to supermarket has been enforced by the supermarkets over the last 30 years. This single supply chain is another weakness to the industry. Currently all risk is borne by the grower. If a variety has a skin blemish, or doesn't yield or can't be harvested, the packer/supermarket can shrug their shoulders and walk away, the grower bears all the costs. The grower in turn becomes very conservative as they must to protect their business, so they only grow rooster as it's the best chance it will be sold. Also as only the strong growers can take the risk, the supply becomes increasingly consolidated to a very small number of very large growers, again not very sustainable in the long term. For example, take salad potatoes. This product offering has grown hugely in recent years, and has achieved a significant market share. It's practically all imported produce however. Teagasc have grasped this nettle and have implemented a demonstration programme to encourage the growth of salad potatoes in Ireland. Salad potatoes are very pernickety and are high risk. If the only route to market is through the existing supply structure, it's a doomed project. Growers will not take on the risk of growing the crop if they are left holding the baby of a high risk product. Supermarkets won't get enough supply to justify the switch from imported to Irish sourced material, and the stasis continues. Without some real 'knocking together of heads', and some real innovation being implemented, the sector is doomed, Irish potato or not. Richard Hackett is an agronomist based in north County Dublin and is a member of the ITCA and ACA. Bono and Ali Hewson are among the investors who will profit from the deal (Stock Image) A Dublin-born serial entrepreneur" has sold the hip San Francisco based coffee chain he heads in a $500m (420m) deal with Nestle. Bono and Ali Hewson are among the investors wholl share the wind-fall after Irishman Bryan Meehan's deal with Swiss food giant Nestle. Nestle - the maker of everything from KitKats to Nestle coffee - will buy a majority stake in Blue Bottle Coffee as the Nespresso owner seeks to cash-in on the rising demand for high end and so called artisan coffee brands. The company is under pressure from upstarts to retain its status as the worlds biggest coffee seller. Super-premium coffee maker Blue Bottle sells coffee within 48 hours of roasting it and has become a darling of the well heeled Silicon Valley tech elite since it was started as a home delivery service by musician and self declared coffee lunatic James Freeman in 2002. Irishman Bryan Meehan invested in the company in 2012 and as CEO has led dramatic growth across California and into Japan. By the end of this year the business is expected to have 50 outlets and will have spread across the US. Backing from Nestle will give it the financial firepower to become a global brand. Financial details havent been disclosed but Nestle is thought to be paying $500m (420m) for 68pc of Blue Bottle, with an option to potential build on that stake. Meehan, a Dubliner and Harvard graduate had previously founded the high end Fresh & Wild chain of organic supermarkets in London that was later sold to Whole Foods. He also co-founded the Nude skincare range, with Ali Hewson. It was sold to French luxury goods giant LVMH in 2011. The Blue Bottle chains appeal to the tech sector goes beyond its coffee. As well as Bono, its financial backers include founders of Twitter and Instagram. The companys growth to date has been boosted by around $120m (100m) raised in funding rounds from those backers of a kind more commonly associated with venture capital backing for high potential technology start-ups than bricks and mortar retail. After the sale to Nestle, Bryan Meehan will remain with the business as CEO and James Freeman will continue in his role as chief product officer. My goal as CEO has been to secure a sustainable future for Blue Bottle Coffee that would enable it to flourish for many years to come. Im excited to work with Nestle to take a long-term approach to becoming a global leader in speciality coffee. We felt a real kinship with the team and knew it was the right move for us, Bryan Meehan said after the deal was announced. Sean Kyne, T.D., Minister of State for Community Affairs,Lean Doody, Smart Cities Leader, and Prof Brian Donnellan, Maynooth University and chair of the All Ireland Smart Cities Forum Seven Irish cities met yesterday for the first All Ireland cities forum. The cities gathered along with Maynooth University to discuss the challenge of smart cities in Ireland. With technology recognised as an enabler of social and economic good, smart cities place a focus on creating environments to test new ideas, attract investment, enable service reform and promote partner collaboration. The forum, which isnt mandated by the Government, aims to discover what the best practice for smart cities is and should be. "We plan to share information, to discuss initiatives that have worked in different cities and how they may work in future. We want to collaborate, to learn how to best manage approaches and the best way to govern them," Professor Brian Donnellan, of Maynooth University, said. Challenges under discussion include governance, cohesive strategies to support city goals, appropriate relationships between economic development and IT, data integrity and privacy. The forum is made up of local government officials representing Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Galway, Waterford, Belfast and Derry. "Any forum on smart cities should adhere to the principle of the city user as consumers and that is our main purpose how to make life better for the inhabitants of these modern cities," Mr Donnellan said. Investors worry that the airlines employment model could at least now be subject to more scrutiny. Stock image Ryanair has insisted that a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) this morning does not change the status quo of its thousands of crew members who work for the carrier under Irish contracts. But shares in the carrier slumped more than 4pc in Dublin before rallying for a 2.6pc decline, as investors worry that the airlines employment model could at least now be subject to more scrutiny. The ECJ ruled this morning in case related to six Belgium-based Ryanair workers, that a jurisdiction clause that sought to prevent them from bringing proceedings before courts which do have jurisdiction under EU legislation in the air passenger transport sector, was not enforceable against those employees. It effectively means that Ryanair crew can now have disputes regarding employment contracts held in the country where they habitually carry out their work, such as a Ryanair base, rather than in Ireland, the country under which the contracts are drafted. The case had been referred to the ECJ by the Mons Higher Labour Court in Belgium. In a dispute, six employees of Crewlink, which provides staff to Ryanair, and of Ryanair itself, argued that the firms had to comply with and apply the provisions of Belgian law and that the Belgian courts had jurisdiction to adjudicate on their claims. The six employees brought proceedings before the Belgian courts in 2011. Expand Close Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary All the six crew members employment contracts were drafted in English, subject to Irish law, and included a jurisdiction clause providing that the Irish courts had jurisdiction in disputes. In those contracts, it was stipulated that the work of the employees concerned, as cabin crew, was regarded as being carried out in Ireland given that their duties were performed on board aircraft registered in that Member State, the ECJ said. Those contracts nevertheless designated Charleroi airport (Belgium) as the employees home base. Those employees started and ended their working day at that airport, and they were contractually obliged to reside within an hour of their home base. The ECJ said yesterday that an employees home base amounts to a significant indicator to determine from the place from where an employee habitually carries out their work. Ryanair said this morning that the ECJ had found in its favour, by rejecting the CTC Union argument that the home base should be the sole determinant of what court jurisdiction cane hear disputes on labour issues. It added: This ECJ decision does not change the status quo of Irish contracts of employment for Ryanair crew based across Europe. Ryanair will continue to employ its crew on Irish contracts of employment, and this decision only updates the criteria for assessing the jurisdiction of national courts to hear legal cases locally and does not alter the law applicable to the contract, which is determined by the Rome I regulation (593/2008). Irish legislation has adopted all EU directives on employment rights which are also covered in Ryanair contracts of employment and in some cases, offers better protection than some EU countries, Ryanair insisted. The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and the European Transport Workers Federation (ETF) welcomed the ruling. ITF general secretary Steve Cotton said the ruling "is a defeat for Ryanair and a victory for workers rights". "It upholds the fundamental principle of protecting mobile workers in aviation by ensuring that they can hold their employer to account in the country from which they genuinely discharge their duties not in a nation which they may never have visited and whose courts are foreign and based hundreds of miles from home and place of work." Aisling Byrne, Nu Wardrobe; Paddy Healy, Size/U and Vincent Farrelly, AquaRoot, who will go forward to the Climate Launchpad European finals in Cyprus. Photo: Orla Murray.; (left) a computer representation of the size-calculating onesie produced by Size/U IT was a trip to India and seeing the 'dark side' of the fashion industry which prompted Dubliner Aisling Byrne to co-found The Nu Wardrobe, an online platform which allows fashionistas to share and swap clothes. By paying a service fee ranging from 2 to 5, users can borrow an outfit, instead of buying an item which may be only worn once and which may have been produced in a country with lax environmental and labour standards. The company is one of three Irish finalists in a European-wide initiative called the Climate Launchpad, a green business ideas competition which is aimed at finding good ideas to help reduce harm on the environment. The competition is funded by Climate-KIC, which is managed by Sustainable Nation Ireland, based in the IFSC. A not-for-profit, Sustainable Nation was established by government to promote Ireland as a hub for sustainable business. The three Irish firms travel to the grand final in Cyprus next month, where a top prize of 10,000 is on offer, along with the opportunity to meet investors. Byrne says thenuwardrobe.com can currently be used by university students, but she hopes to expand the idea globally. "Myself (and co-founder Ali Kelly) had spent time in India where we could the dark side of fashion. When we got back we wanted to engage in sustainable way, but it's very expensive. "We started by running a swap shop in Dublin where people could swap their clothes, instead of buying new pieces. Expand Close A computer representation of the size-calculating onesie produced by Size/U / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A computer representation of the size-calculating onesie produced by Size/U "We did a trial for the Trinity Ball and 300 people signed up. It was an indication that people didn't want to spend money on something they'd only wear once." Nu Wardrobe launches in nine universities on Monday. By year-end, Aisling hopes to have 4,000 subscribers, and Cyprus could provide a valuable link-up with investors. "I think what we'll need to move outside of Ireland and the UK is to secure 50,000, to build the native technology and prove the product works, and then 750,000 to build it out," she says. The eventual winners of the Climate Launchpad will get access to funding, top-level corporate mentoring and a fast-track to scaling the business across Europe and beyond. The Irish finalists were whittled down from a list of 13, with ideas proposed ranging from an online platform allowing farmers to trade their fruit and vegetables directly with consumers (socialfeedia.ie) to plans to extract electricity from tidal currents (Wateramp). In the past, proposals have come from companies keen to produce edible insects and insurance companies which reward you for taking the bus. The second finalist going to Cyprus is Size/U, which aims to produce a "giant onesie" which contains embedded sensors which allows your body size to be accurately measured. While you might believe you're a slim fit, the technology will be able to inform the retailer of your exact measurements. It's aimed at reducing the amount of clothing being sent back to online retailers. "It costs around 100 to return an item of clothing between shipping, handling, cleaning and returning the item to the shelf," Paddy Healy says. "My co-founder Eoin Matthews came to me with the problem that in the online retail sectors there's a massive amount of returns. "Size/U is a wearable product, essentially a giant onesie, which has embedded sensors and measures the human body. "It measures whatever we deem fit, and for online shopping it could be your waist, chest or arm length." The firm has developed a 'sock' prototype, and said it would need up to 50,000 to develop a full body onesie. Aideen O'Hora from Sustainable Nation Ireland, says the competition is aimed at startups and those with a good idea who need help bringing it to market. "It's for somebody who has an idea which could be at the back of an envelope, or a bit more fleshed out, but they need a bit of help," she said. "The ideas are quite broad and span the whole climate innovation spectrum. They've had terrific support from our entrepreneur in residence, and external resources including the National College of Art and Design which came in for a session on product design. "You find that entrepreneurs can have a terrific idea, but can't take it forward. We're giving them business skills to help develop the idea and their team." The third finalist going to Cyprus is AquaRoot Ireland, founded by Vincent Farrelly, which aims to reduce water consumption and chemical use in food production. His system mimics a tree root network and uses 3D printing where an expandable foam forms a network of pipes. "With standard irrigation systems, you have to put plants near the pipes," he says. "With Aquaroot, the farmer can print about a hectare of land in about an hour using a cylinder attached to the back of a tractor. "It's like an expandable foam which expands to 50 times its size. You put seed in the pipe, and flow nutrient water through it and the plant grows. "We expect to use about 40pc less water and chemicals, and there's savings in time as well. It could also be applied in arid regions." It will last for one growing season, and because it's biodegradable, it will naturally break up or be ploughed back into the land. He expects to launch the project in September next year, and plans to focus on crops grown in greenhouses. While no Irish firm has won the European finals, many have gone on to secure investment and grow their business. Sustainable Nation also continues to provide support after the event. The leader of the Fine Gael delegation in the European Parliament, Sean Kelly MEP, has welcomed a pledge by the European Commission President to prioritise cyber security in the coming year. "In his State of the European Union speech to MEPs in Strasbourg this week, Jean-Claude Juncker listed improving cyber security as a priority and proposed new tools to combat cyber-attacks," Mr Kelly said in welcoming the proposals. The comments followed a call by the Ireland South MEP for a robust common EU cyber security strategy to be able to repel any cyber-attacks against EU energy supplies, the aviation sector, commercial sectors, and governments. Last year there were more than 4,000 ransomware attacks per day and 80pc of European companies experienced at least one cyber-security incident according to a statement from Mr Juncker to the European Parliament. "It is now almost daily that we hear about data breaches, malicious malware and online financial scams, and there are more sinister risks too from those who do not seek financial gain, but terrorists who want to cause damage and disruption," Mr Kelly continued. Mr Kelly further welcomed the proposal to create a European Cyber security Agency, to help defend Europeans against such attacks. "Cyber security and counter terrorism are priority areas for the EPP Group to which Fine Gael is aligned and we will continue to push for security and peace of mind for our citizens," he said. Donall O Cualain announced early on in the meeting to discuss Noirin OSullivans departure that he would not be putting his name forward to be the next permanent Garda commissioner Interim Garda Commissioner Donall O Cualain announced he would not put his name forward for the permanent position just minutes after taking charge of the management meeting held to discuss the fallout from Noirin O'Sullivan's shock resignation. Sources told the Irish Independent Mr O Cualain informed his senior management colleagues he had taken the decision not to seek promotion. He insisted he would remain in situ until a replacement was found for Ms O'Sullivan, who announced her retirement on Sunday, just halfway through her seven-year tenure. As part of her retirement package, Ms O'Sullivan will receive a tax-free lump sum of almost 300,000 and an annual pension worth more than 90,000. Despite the disquiet politically over the size of the package, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe this week said the arrangement was "entirely consistent" with existing Government policy. In Garda headquarters, senior gardai and civilian management met to discuss the fallout from Ms O'Sullivan's departure. One source said Mr O Cualain made the announcement that he would not apply for the post early on in the meeting. Following queries from the Irish Independent, the acting Commissioner confirmed his decision. "I am honoured to have been appointed acting Commissioner. My focus as acting Commissioner is to ensure that An Garda Siochana continues to protect and support communities, while progressing the significant changes to the organisation under the Modernisation and Renewal Programme," he said. Mr O Cualain spent several years serving as a sergeant on the Aran Islands. Since leaving, he is seen as someone who has risen through the force quietly. Colleagues point out that, unlike Ms O'Sullivan, many of his roles have been focussed on strategy and planning - rather than front-line policing. Following his promotion to the post of chief superintendent in 2005, he served for a short period in the divisions of Mayo and Sligo before taking charge of the Galway division. In July 2012, Mr O Cualain got his first major break when he was appointed assistant commissioner with responsibility for the southern and then the western regions. Just five months after Martin Callinan's resignation, his replacement Ms O'Sullivan appointed Mr O Cualain as deputy commissioner with responsibility for governance and strategy. Sources say he developed a close relationship with Ms O'Sullivan and was part of her inner circle. He regularly sat alongside Ms O'Sullivan as she faced grillings from TDs at various Oireachtas committees. He was also given the task of examining the practice of 999 calls being recorded in Garda stations - which was the subject of the Fennelly Commission. Mr O Cualain once again returned to his roots in 2015 when he was appointed head of the western division. Given his predominantly office-focussed environment, sources say there will now be a big focus on his battle against crime. "He has concentrated on the office environment and in academic qualifications and outside of the Garda headquarters he would not be as familiar with the crime scene in Dublin, organised crime or the terror situation. In terms of background he is the first uniformed branch garda to fill the role since Larry Wren," an officer said. "This probably will mean the detectives or investigators will be looking for him to show his mettle in the battle on crime. That is something that will be closely watched by the specialist units who carry a lot of sway in the modern police service," the source observed. Christopher Burnett has no idea why he was in Tyrrelstown A father-of-two who damaged a driver's door when he tried to break into a car had been drinking and has no recollection of his behaviour. Christopher Burnett (34) was upset and turned to drink after he split from his long-term partner. Judge David McHugh ordered Burnett to complete 200 hours of community service in lieu of four months in prison. The defendant, of Dromheath Avenue, Mulhuddart, admitted before Blanchardstown District Court to charges of criminal damage and trying to get into a motor vehicle. The incident took place at Castlecurragh Heath in Tyrrelstown on July 11 last year. Sgt Maria Callaghan said Burnett tried to get into a 2002-registered vehicle. He pulled back the frame of the driver's door and caused 100 worth of damage. Trouble The court heard the defendant had 32 convictions, but none since 2013. In relation to his previous convictions, defence solicitor Kelly Breen said Burnett tended to get into trouble when he had been drinking. Ms Breen said the father-of-two had stayed away from drink and had been out of trouble for some years. However, he and his long-term partner split up shortly before this incident and he went back to drinking. Ms Breen said Burnett has no recollection of the incident, and does not even know why he was in that area. She said the defendant, who is working part-time, was very sorry for his behaviour and she asked the judge not to send him to jail. He had brought with him the money for the damage he caused, she said. Ordering Burnett to complete community service, Judge McHugh said the defendant had made a considerable attempt to get into the vehicle. A MAN who had a murder charged dropped by the Special Criminal Court was immediately arrested by gardai and charged with the offence again at Dublin District Court. The charge against the Dublin man due to stand trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court for the murder of Noel Kirwan had earlier been struck out. He has been since remanded in custody. Jason Keating (26) was told by presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt that he was free to go after an application by the State, but gardai arrested him as soon as he left the courtroom. Mr Keating, of Lower Main Street, Rush, Co Dublin, has been re-charged with the murder of Noel Kirwan (62) outside his house at St Ronans Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 on December 22, 2016. The 62-year-old, a friend of Gerry The Monk Hutch, was sitting in a car outside his house in St Ronans Drive, Clondalkin, last December 22 when he was shot several times. He was the tenth person to die in the Hutch-Kinahan feud which has claimed 12 lives. His partner was in the passenger seat was but was not injured in the shooting. Earlier, state solicitor Rioghnach Corbett told the three-judge court that her application was to have the charge struck out. Counsel for Mr Keating, Mr Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC, said he understood that there was some difficulty with the certificate and charge sheet which were initially before the District Court. Last week the State made an application for Keating to be tried before the Special Criminal Court. The DPP can direct an accused face trial in the non-jury court if it deems the ordinary courts are inadequate for effective administration of justice. Mr O Lideadha told the court he also understood that it was the intention of the prosecution to restart proceedings against his client. This happened straight away and Mr Keating was then charged at Dublin District Court and remanded in custody. Last May 8, Mr Keating was brought to Blanchardstown District Court under armed escort charged with the murder of Mr Kirwan. Det Sgt Damian Gannon had told that Keating made no reply to the charge after caution. Legal aid was granted and he was remanded in custody. A woman in her 20s who was also arrested in connection with the investigation has been released without charge and a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. A 32-YEAR-OLD man accused of murdering Dublin grandmother Patricia OConnor, whose remains were found scattered across the Wicklow mountains, has been further remanded in custody. Kieran Green, with an address at Mountain View Park in Rathfarnham, Dublin, faced his fifth hearing when he appeared again via video-link before Judge Victor Blake at Cloverhill District Court on Thursday. Judge Blake remanded Mr Green in continuing custody to appear again at the same court on Sept. 28 next. He is charged with the murder of Patricia O'Connor. The killing allegedly took place at Mountain View Park between May 29 and May 30 last. Directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) have been sought. At his first court hearing, on June 15, Det Gda Connolly had said at 11.28 that morning, Mr Green was arrested at Bray Garda station. He replied it was self-defence to the charge after caution. He must apply to the High Court for bail on a murder charge and at his first hearing in June he had been remanded in custody to appear with an order for him to get medical attention. He was also granted legal aid after the district court was told he was on social welfare and has an adult and four children as dependants. Read More Ms O'Connor (61), who worked as a chef, was first reported missing on June 2 last. Later, human remains were discovered scattered in a 30km area across the Wicklow mountains including a human head and arms in a plastic bag. Three people were arrested on Sept. 2 last as part of the investigation into the death of Patricia OConnor. A 73-year-old man was arrested in Co Meath and two women, aged 19 and 38, were arrested in Dublin. The three were detained at Bray and Wicklow Garda stations under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 but were released the following day and files are to be prepared for the DPP. Public joint-stock company Ukrzaliznytsia in 2016-2017 failed to conduct fundamental reforms, Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan has said. "Let's be blunt: the reforms of 2016-2017 didn't happen. And until authority over Ukrainian Railways is returned to the Ministry of Infrastructure and until we fully implement corporatization - I don't believe we'll see any changes for the better. The temptation to use the lack of control and professional skills for personal enrichment is simply too great," the minister wrote on his Facebook page. As reported, in January 2017, referring to Secretary of the Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine Andriy Haluschak, the government transferred public joint-stock company Ukrzaliznytsia to the management of the government to increase efficiency of its corporate governance. He said that the amendments are aimed to creating the conditions for conducing the company's corporate governance reform. Under the law, the founder of Ukrzaliznytsia and its only shareholder is the Cabinet of Ministers. "Now the government as a shareholder will be able to quickly make effective decisions required for the functioning of the company and reforms," he said. Haluschak said that the role of the Ukrzaliznytsia's supervisory board as the management body headed by First Deputy Infrastructure Minister Yevhen Kravtsov would expand. Omelyan then said that this decision of the government is the issue of the further reform of Ukrzaliznytsia. "What is happening now is not the transfer of Ukrzaliznytsia from control of one party to another. This is the issue of reform if it were conducted or not. I as minister and citizen has no desire or any attempts to totally control or influence the enterprises which I am authorized to manage. Smeliansky, Nowak, Veckagans and other heads of central executive power agencies and enterprises can confirm any second that my only requirement is development and efficiency," he then wrote on his Facebook page. Michael Davis has been charged with the sexual exploitation of a child A MARRIED father-of-three has been sent for trial accused of luring a boy from a Luas stop to a hotel and offering the 12-year-old 50 to touch him. Michael Davis (51) is alleged to have asked the boy for directions at a tram stop in west Dublin before bringing him to a room in a nearby hotel. He is facing trial on a sexual exploitation charge and a book of evidence was served on him at Blanchardstown District Court today. Mr Davis, from Shortallstown, Dunmaggin, Co Kilkenny, is on bail pending his trial has not yet indicated how he intends to plead. He is charged with sexually exploiting a child at the Citywest Hotel, Saggart on October 20, 2016. The offence is under the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998. Expand Close Blanchardstown District Court / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Blanchardstown District Court A State solicitor told Judge David McHugh the book of evidence was ready and the DPP was seeking a return for trial to the next sittings of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The book was then served on Mr Davis. Judge McHugh gave him the formal notice that he must provide any alibi details to the prosecution within 14 days. He also ordered disclosure of the defendants garda interview video to his lawyers. Mr Davis was remanded on bail on existing terms and conditions to appear in the circuit court on October 20. The judge said the usual reporting restrictions would apply so that the alleged injured party is not identified. Defence solicitor John ODoherty said there was no further application after the judge asked if the accused was applying for legal aid. When he first appeared in court last June, Detective Garda Kate Flood told the judge she arrested Mr Davis at his home address that morning and brought him to Clondalkin Garda Station where he was charged. Det Gda Flood told Judge McHugh she was objecting to bail due to the seriousness of the alleged offence. She said it would be alleged the boy was approached at a west Dublin Luas stop by the accused who asked him for directions to a nearby hotel. Det Gda Flood added that the court would hear that the man offered to show the boy his hotel room and they went together to the room. She said it would be further alleged when they got to the room the man offered 50 to the 12-year-old if he touched him. She said the boy left the room and contacted gardai. Det Gda Flood said later that night the man spoke to three gardai and said the boy had wanted to see the room because he heard someone famous had stayed there. Previously, Mr Davis bail conditions were adjusted to enable him to go on a family holiday. Peter Kernan, arriving at the District Court in Dublin on January 24, 2017, he is charged with facilitating the travel of non-nationals. Picture credit: Damien Eagers NINETEEN extra charges have been brought against an Aer Lingus worker accused of money laundering and organising people smuggling at Dublin Airport. Peter Kernan (57) of the Old Rectory Lodge, Celbridge, Co. Kildare has been remanded on continuing bail pending the preparation of a book of evidence. He had been charged earlier with unlawfully facilitating the entry of two non-nationals into the State on Jan. 9 and Jan. 22 last. He also had a charge alleging that from Jan. 17 until Jan. 23 last at a premises at Clane Road, Celbridge, Co. Kildare, he had proceeds from criminal conduct: 10,000, 790 Stg and US $284, contrary to the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act. He is to face trial on indictment, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has decided, meaning he will be tried before a judge and jury in the circuit court. However, he appeared again at Dublin District Court where Judge Cormac Dunne heard that the book of evidence was not yet ready. Judge Dunne was also told that 19 new charges have been brought against the accused and they will also be part of the same case. Det Garda Mark Henebry told the court that Mr Kernan made no reply when the new charges were put to Mr Kernan. The accused did not address the court and his solicitor Michelle Finan said there was consent to the adjournment. Judge Dunne granted a time extension to the DPP to complete the book of evidence and remanded Mr Kernan on bail to appear again in six weeks. In the new charges there are additional counts for facilitating the entry of another five more non-nationals into the State at the airport on Dec. 29 and Jan. 1 last. Read More The other 14 charges are under the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Act for having the proceeds of criminal conduct totalling 40,354 at various locations including the GPO on OConnell Street in Dublin, post offices in Celbridge, Co. Kildare and in Enniscorthy in Co. Wexford, and at a business premises in the Ilac Centre in Dublin. These offences are alleged to have occurred on dates from November 2014 until January this year. He was arrested as part of an investigation by the Garda National Immigration Bureau. Gardai have seized his passport and his bail terms state he has to reside at his home address and notify gardai of any change, sign on three times a week at Leixlip Garda station, provide gardai with a mobile phone number on which he can be contacted at all times, not apply for a new passport and have no contact directly or indirectly with co-accused Frederick Cham. Aer Lingus employee, Mr Cham, 61, of Railway Cottages, Hazelhatch, Celbridge but originally from Hong Kong, was served with a book of evidence in July and has been sent forward for trial to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. They have not yet indicated how they will plead. A disabled man sexually assaulted and exposed himself to a frightened schoolgirl on a Dublin bus after she helped him on with his wheelchair in an act of kindness. James Callaghan (54) told the girl (18) she was "gorgeous" before trying to pull her towards him while his penis was out. The victim, who had sat next to him at his request because she did not want to be rude, said she felt "violated" after the assault. Callaghan, a former champion kick-boxer who was left with catastrophic injuries after a road crash, had denied sexually assaulting the girl, claiming he was exposed because he needed to urinate due to his medical condition. Finding him guilty, Judge David McHugh said he believed Callaghan was lying and his touching had been "sexual in nature and nothing else". The judge adjourned the case for a pre-sentence probation report. Callaghan, of Decies Road, Ballyfermot, pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting the girl on a bus in west Dublin on February 1, 2016. If you want to be healthy, wealthy and wise then stay in the education system until you get a qualification. The figures show that working for a qualification after the Leaving Certificate is a good investment. According to Education at a Glance, an Irish male graduate can expect to earn on average 330,000 more over their lifetime than a male who leaves the education system with the Leaving Cert or equivalent. In fact, the financial benefits of a degree to an Irish male graduate are among the highest in the world. For a female graduate, the earnings "premium" from having a degree is lower at around 250,000 - yet another sign of the gender pay gap. Graduates - both male and female - are much more likely to be working than those without a degree. In Ireland and a slew of other countries, the unemployment rates for adults who went to college are less than half of those who left at the end of second level and significantly lower than those who dropped out early. The biggest winners are those with information and communication technology skills. It's not just the graduates who benefit. So too do governments as third level graduates pay higher income taxes and social contributions and require fewer social transfers such as the dole. "This is the case in Luxembourg, Ireland and Portugal - countries with very large net financial and public returns," says the OECD report. Of course, not everybody with a degree is automatically doing well financially but comparative data show that, for the most part, Irish graduates are much better off than those who left the education system early or at the end of the Leaving Cert year. The report confirms that early school-leavers in Ireland are being increasingly penalised on the jobs front for dropping out of education too soon. Seven years ago, 68pc (a little over two in three) of 25 to 34-year-olds who left school early were in jobs - but that has since plummeted to 44pc (less than half). This is not unique to Ireland. Other countries where less than half of those who failed to complete upper secondary education are employed include Belgium, the Czech Republic, Greece, Israel, Lithuania, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and South Africa. Common sense tells us that not all early school-leavers fare badly in the jobs' stakes. We are all familiar with the 'self made' individual who was "never good at the books" but who had a keen nose for a business opportunity. As the OECD notes: "In several countries, the share of the low-educated with the highest earnings is 5pc or more - Brazil (7pc), Canada (7pc), Estonia (5pc), Ireland (5pc) Mexico (6pc) and Spain (6pc) - suggesting that factors other than educational attainment play an important role in high remuneration in these countries." Family connections, the right opportunities and luck are obviously such factors. We are fortunate, though, that the "stay in school" message is hitting home as the percentages remaining in the Irish system have risen over the past decade. But within the early school-leaver group is a category we should be alarmed about. Somewhere in the region of a fifth of young people in the 15-29 age group are the new NEETS - they are neither in employment nor in education. They are a challenge for policy makers and for society. The 452-page report is certainly not a quick read but is worth persevering with to learn, for instance, how other countries successfully use education and training to reduce inequalities that can persist across generations. Places like Germany, Austria and Switzerland that combine study with work-based programmes blunted the job loss effects of the recession for young people. Ireland is a relatively late comer to providing a wide range of these types of 'earn while you learn' programmes. But now Solas and the Higher Education Authority are expanding the number of work-study apprenticeships, some of which will lead to degrees with the remainder leading to other worthwhile qualifications. The remains of shooting victim Darragh Nugent is removed from the scene at Wheatfield Ave Neilstown Photo: Kyran O'Brien Garda forensic officers examine the scene of the shooting of Darragh Nugent at Wheatfield Avenue, Clondalkin. Darragh Nugent, a father of three, was gunned down Friends of a dad-of-three who was shot dead outside his house have set up a fundraiser for his funeral. Darragh Nugent (36) was gunned down outside his home on Wheatfield Avenue in Clondalkin on Monday night. It has since emerged, gardai were preparing to charge the victim with the 2012 murder of Gerard Eglington. The fundraiser has a 1,000 goal and reached 95 in 21 hours. Expand Close Garda forensic officers examine the scene of the shooting of Darragh Nugent at Wheatfield Avenue, Clondalkin. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Garda forensic officers examine the scene of the shooting of Darragh Nugent at Wheatfield Avenue, Clondalkin. The page reads; "On behalf of Darragh's loving girlfriend, children & Family, we've set up this page to see if our community could come together and help raise some costs towards his funeral arrangements. "Most will know how this was a sudden shock for us all, his 3 beautiful children, girlfriend & family would like to give him the best send off as they can, any little amount to help towards this cost would be hugely appreciated by them all." Expand Close The remains of shooting victim Darragh Nugent is removed from the scene at Wheatfield Ave Neilstown Photo: Kyran O'Brien / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The remains of shooting victim Darragh Nugent is removed from the scene at Wheatfield Ave Neilstown Photo: Kyran O'Brien Threats Nugent was suspected of making threats against his local rivals in recent days just over six months after he was arrested by officers on his way to kill a senior member of the rival gang. Now, Independent.ie has learned that Nugent was suspected of playing a central role in the murder of Gerard Eglington (27) who was gunned down at his home in Kilnacourt Woods in Portarlington, Co Laois in September 2012 as his stepdaughter, 11, and three-year-old son looked on. Nugent was arrested over the killing, which was linked to the Crumlin Drimnagh feud, and gardai were about to send a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to the case. A senior source confirmed: "This man was a key suspect in the case and the file was almost concluded on him. Gardai were confident that he would be charged with the murder." Independent.ie has learned that detectives found evidence linking Nugent to a car that was seized in the aftermath of the murder. Gardai carried out painstaking CCTV analysis which linked the car to the shooting. "This was a lengthy and detailed investigation." The Irish Sun is also reporting that Nugent was previously questioned by gardai over a pipe-bomb attack on the family home of RTE presenter Brian Ormond. The house was attacked in 2011 because Mr Ormond's brother is a serving garda. There could be medicine shortages in Ireland under a hard Brexit. (Stock picture) Ireland is at or near the bottom of a league table of 14 countries in Europe for access to new medicines, it was claimed today. The HSE promised to fund nine new medicines several months ago but patients are still waiting, according to the Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association. The body which represents the main drugs companies said: "From a country where patients had good access to new medicines, Ireland is falling down the list compared to our counterparts in Europe." The issue is outlined in a position paper for the Government which was distributed to politicians, including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today. When it comes to access to new cancer drugs and general medicines Ireland is bottom of the table, it says. A spokesman said: "We cannot hope to have a workable access process in Ireland if funding for medicines remains flat. This is despite the fact that the industry under the Framework Agreement is delivering on its commitment of 784 million in savings." The 170m refund of water charges would be better used wiping out the waiting lists for home help and homecare packages, according to Older People Minister Jim Daly. A spokesman for Mr Daly confirmed that he personally believed the refund windfall, which will be returned to householders who paid their water charges, should be used to clear the waiting list of thousands of people who need home support over the coming years. Family Carers Ireland revealed earlier this week that the lack of support, including the dramatic reduction in respite services, was leaving many people severely struggling. Mr Daly, who launched a research report on nursing home care yesterday, said a significant amount of work remains to be undertaken before final decisions are made on proposals to introduce a statutory home care scheme, including deciding the services it would offer. Government policy is "to support older people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes for as long as possible", he said. He was launching 'The Lived Experience of Nursing Home Residents in the context of the Nursing Home as their Home' report carried out by the University of Ulster for Nursing Homes Ireland. Mr Daly is under pressure to relax the regulations around the Fair Deal nursing home support scheme for farming families who are facing inheritance difficulties. A spokesman for Mr Daly said he has consulted with the Attorney General on legal obstacles and will be meeting the farming organisations with an update on the issue later this month. Scene of a building fire in Rathmines, Dublin this morning (Photo: Kyran O'Brien) Scene of a building fire in Rathmines, Dublin this morning (Photo: Kyran O'Brien) Scene of a building fire in Rathmines, Dublin this morning (Photo: Kyran O'Brien) Scene of a building fire in Rathmines, Dublin this morning (Photo: Kyran O'Brien)) Scene of a building fire in Rathmines, Dublin this morning (Photo: Kyran O'Brien) A man has told of how he jumped from an upstairs window to escape a fire which left at least three people injured, one of whom is seriously injured. Emergency services attended the scene of the fire which broke out on Grove Park, Rathmines, Dublin this morning at approximately 7am. Dublin Fire Brigade confirmed eight of their units and three ambulances attended the blaze. The period house is split into flats and the fire broke out in the middle floor. Expand Close Three people were injured in the building blaze which broke out this morning at approximately 7am on Grove Road / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Three people were injured in the building blaze which broke out this morning at approximately 7am on Grove Road One man told Independent.ie how he had to jump from an upstairs window to escape the flames. "The fire alarm went off at around 7am and I heard that, and when I looked out the door the building was full of smoke," said Gundars Lazdins (25). Expand Close Scene of a building fire in Rathmines, Dublin this morning (Photo: Kyran O'Brien) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Scene of a building fire in Rathmines, Dublin this morning (Photo: Kyran O'Brien) "I could not go down the stairs, then I started hearing bangs and explosions, and I said to myself 'I have to get out', so I wet a towel and put it over my head and jumped out the window onto an extension below me. There was no other way," he added. Gardai have cordoned off the scene. Expand Close Scene of a building fire in Rathmines, Dublin this morning (Photo: Kyran O'Brien)) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Scene of a building fire in Rathmines, Dublin this morning (Photo: Kyran O'Brien)) Details of any injuries are uncertain, but a number of people are believed to suffered smoke inhalation. Emergency services said everyone has been accounted for at the scene and the fire has been extinguished. Expand Close Scene of a building fire in Rathmines, Dublin this morning (Photo: Kyran O'Brien) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Scene of a building fire in Rathmines, Dublin this morning (Photo: Kyran O'Brien) Grove Park was closed to traffic, but since reopened shortly before 9am. Maja Glowacka (5) who died earlier this week from a suspected infection just days after starting school The tragic death of a five year old girl in Cork has sparked a massive outpouring of support for her heartbroken Polish family. A GoGetFunding page was set up to to help the family of Maja Glowacka (5) who died earlier this week from a suspected infection just days after starting junior infants in her local school in Carrigtwohill in East Cork. While the Health Service Executive (HSE) issued an advisory notice about a possible case of Meningococcal Disease (meningitis), it is now feared that the little girl may instead have died from a blood infection or sepsis. A medical inquiry remains ongoing into the precise cause of the little girl's tragic death. Family friend, Agnieska Lowas, set up the fundraising page with the aim of raising 2,000 to help the Polish family with funeral costs and foreign travel expenses. Incredibly, within 14 hours it had exceeded its goal by 400pc and had raised 8,300. Collection points have now been set up around East Cork by local community groups to help the Polish family. "Maja was a beautiful, cheerful little girl, loving her family and her big brother Mikolaj deeply," Agnieska posted. "As friends of the family and part of the Carrigtwohill community we would love to support them as much as we can." "The extended family is living in Poland and we are looking to help raise funds for all the funeral expenses that will take place abroad, their healthcare and living expenses while being out of work." "It is an urgent call and we are looking to raise the funds within one week. Every contribution counts and is much appreciated," she wrote. Maja had just started in junior infants at Scoil Mhuire Naofa, in Carrigtwohill, where her brother Mikolaj is also a pupil. The little girl became ill and was rushed to hospital but sadly died before her condition could be stabilised. It is the second blow for the family as Maja's father, Krzysztof, was previously diagnosed with cancer though he has successfully battled the illness. Friends are now supporting Maja's mother, Iwona, who is trying to console her older brother, Mokolaj, second class student at Schoil Mhuire Naofa. Special tributes to little Maja have been collected at Scoil Mhuire Naofa over recent days and counselling supports are being made available for everyone. Principal Anne Marie Moylan wrote to all the parents asking them to keep Maja and her family in their thoughts and prayers. Supreme Court in London could be final instance in Ukraine vs Russia debt lawsuit The decision of the Court of Appeal of London could be challenged in the Supreme Court, according to an offering memorandum for Ukraine's eurobonds. If Ukraine loses the counterclaim in the Court of Appeals or later in the Supreme Court and is not awarded with a decision on the suspension of the execution of the decision of the High Court in London issued on March 29, 2017, it will be liable for being executed. The hearings in the Court of Appeal are scheduled for January 2018. Ukraine recalled that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has a requirement to fairly settle this debt. In December 2015, the IMF said that eurobonds bought by Russia are an official debt The revised rules of the IMF permit providing financing to Ukraine despite the availability of unregulated official debt. As reported, the High Court in London late May 2017 approved an application of Ukraine to suspend the execution of the decision made on March 29, 2017 regarding $3 billion eurobonds bought by Russia. In addition, late July 2017 the court said that unconditional permission has been given to Ukraine to appeal against the judgment to the Court of Appeal. The court also refused the trustee's request for security for costs, and agreed with Ukraine's position that the question of the reimbursement of the Trustee's costs of the proceedings must be subjected to detailed scrutiny by the court, which will not take place until after Ukraine's appeal has been concluded. The Finance Ministry of Russia said that London's High Court on March 29, 2017 ruled that Ukraine needs to pay back Russia $3 billion in eurobonds along with accrued interest after reviewing Russia's case against Ukraine in an expedited procedure. The Policing Authority has been tasked with monitoring and assessing the implementation of the Garda Inspectorates 2015 Changing Policing in Ireland. Stock picture Garda trainees have been leaving the college at Templemore without driver training, while structures have not been put in place to enable gardai to asses risk, a damning report says. Gardai are facing harsh criticism from the Policing Authority for not implementing recommendations from a previous report to improve the standard of policing here. A review was presented to Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan as an assessment of the forces progress in implementing recommendations of the Garda Inspectorate report Changing Policing in Ireland. In relation to trainees not receiving proper driving training, the report said the problem was increasing and was a risk that needed to be addressed immediately. Among tasks not completed by the gardai was the recruitment of a senior civilian risk management officer and the development of a system to provide accurate attendance management data for garda and staff. A priority for the force has been to identify positions from which gardai can be redeployed and replaced by suitably qualified civilians. Expand Close Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins Read More The report said the medium term goal was to have 20pc of the overall garda workforce as civilians. It found most recommendations gardai said were completed, had not been. Of 50 the force claimed were completed, the Policing Authority was only satisfied with nine. However, it praised the work of gardai in implementing recommendations and issues relating to victims, such as victims support services. The considerable work undertaken by the Garda Siochana in this area and the positive outcomes for victims of crime deserves to be acknowledged, it said. Expand Close Garda Training College in Co Tipperary / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Garda Training College in Co Tipperary Read More The Authority recognises the progress made in a number of areas, however, the key issues previously identified persist. Specifically, these include the adequacy of reporting and governance arrangements, the pace of change and the need for more dynamic prioritisation of resources, it said. The minister said while there has been welcome progress in key areas, including victim services, significant improvements were required in respect of the pace of implementation of the Garda Inspectorates recommendations. The Policing Authority is performing an important task in overseeing this process and in supporting the gardai in implementing the reform agenda, he said. A suspected serial rapist has been arrested after a garda operation in Dublin this afternoon. The Romanian national, aged in his 40s, was being held after three sex workers alleged they were violently raped at different locations across the country. The most recent attack was in Portlaoise approximately a week ago and two previous attacks were reported at hotels in Co Galway and Dublin on earlier dates. The suspect was arrested in West Dublin this morning after a major national operation involving gardai from Co Laois, the garda Sexual Assault unit and local detective units. He is being held under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act at Lucan garda station in connection with the Galway attack. However gardai and sex industry workers suspect that there are a number of other victims who are "too afraid" to come forward and report the crimes. It is believed he attacked up to 12 women. The suspect was previously involved in the sex industry and had worked as a bouncer at a number of Irish brothels. One theory being examined is that the suspect was tasked by others with "eliminating the competition" in the sex industry. All of the known victims are foreign nationals working as prostitutes in Ireland. A senior source said: "The attacks, especially the one in Galway, were particularly violent. "This man contacted the women through a well-known website and then arranged to meet them at hotels." It is understood that in each of the cases he threatened the women with a knife before robbing and raping them. The source explained: "These were violent and despicable attacks. This man may have believed these women would be too afraid to come forward but thankfully they were brave enough to report the incidents to gardai. "Given his history as a security worker in the sex industry gardai are investigating if he was tasked with trying to intimidate women and force them out of his patches. "This man had shown a capacity for extreme violence and there is every chance he could have murdered one of these women." Following the most recent attack a major gardai were able to link it to the two previous incident. A major garda operation was put in place. It is believed that gardai were able to make the arrest after gathering "excellent quality" CCTV of the suspect at three different locations. DNA evidence has also been obtained by investigators. Officers have used a specialised computer system known as the Violent Crime Linkage Analysis system (Viclas) to determine if the alleged rapes are linked to one man. Viclas was developed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the early 1990s to compare different crimes for similarities. Detectives were able to narrow their search to a location in West Dublin and the man was arrested shortly after leaving a property this afternoon. He can be held for up to 24 hours. In recent years, gardai have investigated a number of rape cases involving prostitutes including an incident at a north Dublin hotel in 2012 where two sex workers were attacked. Sarah Benson, CEO of NGO Ruhama, said: "We are very pleased to hear that this alleged perpetrator has been arrested. We have been aware that the sex trade is and always has been a dangerous industry especially when there is organised crime is involved. "We are very pleased that the women affected came forward and engaged with the gardai in order to get support. This incident speaks to the inherent violence of the trade." Kate McGrew of the Sex Workers Alliance of Ireland (SWAI) said: "We commend the bravery and strength of the women who came forward to report these horrific incidents. This reporting is exceptional and we are glad we were able to connect the victims to safe and trusted individuals within the Gardai who then worked tirelessly to catch this man. "These networks on the ground are of heightened importance during this time when our precarious industry is seeing an increase in violence and crime. We encourage any sex workers who have been victims of crime to contact us for support and info on their rights. 085 824 9305" Advocacy groups for older people have said they will oppose any efforts to extend the pension age beyond 68. Age Action said any move to delay pension entitlements could have "serious health implications" for people who work in physically demanding jobs such as construction, agriculture or healthcare. It comes after a study by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) warned that the ageing population would put pressure on public expenditure in the years ahead. It has compiled a report which shows the cost of population ageing could be offset fully by extending the pension age to 70. The pension age is already set to rise from 66 to 68 over the next decade. Justin Moran, of Age Action, said the organisation would "be absolutely opposed to any suggestion to increase it again". "The overwhelming majority of us are going to rely on the State pension in retirement. We need to ensure it is fair and sustainable. But the solution is not simply to keep increasing the pension age," he said. Addressing the Oireachtas committee on Budget Oversight yesterday, ERSI director Alan Barrett said provision would have to be made for the changing demographic. He cited research which said one route to achieving this would be simply to raise the pension age. "Whether or not it's a good idea, I think the crucial point here people talk about is that it's really all about offering people choice. "When 65 became engrained as the retirement age, that was quite a long time ago now. Health status of 65-year-olds has changed enormously." Mr Barrett said the "simple truth" is that many 65-year-olds are "perfectly capable" of continuing to work but others are not. "The trick here and the policy prescription has to be about facilitating people if they want to work longer." Former social protection minister Joan Burton said raising the pension age to 70 would be "little short of a catastrophe". "I don't think societally and economically a lot of people who would really be on the pension would be able to sustain work until the age of 70," she said. The latest census figures show that the over-65 age group saw the largest increase in population since 2011, rising by more than 100,000 to close to 640,000. Mr Barrett said it was "absolutely critical" that the existing State pension system is protected. "The public social welfare pension system is one of the great success stories of Irish social policy," he said. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has been urged to fast-track the introduction of the tax on vacant sites. Picture: Collins A planned tax on vacant sites should be much higher than the 3pc of market value proposed by the Government, the Esri has said. The think-tank has urged Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe to fast-track the introduction of the tax which is currently due to come into effect from 2019. Kieran McQuinn of the Economic and Social Research Institute (Esri) said developers hoarding lands that are already well serviced should be targeted for extra penalties. Current policy is for a levy of 3pc of the market value to be applied by planning authorities on empty development sites, starting in 2019 on locations that were vacant during 2018. Mr McQuinn described the 3pc rate as "very, very low". At the Oireachtas Committee on Budgetary Oversight he also criticised the Government's Help-to-Buy scheme which gives grants to first-time buyers. "When you stimulate demand you are shoving up prices and that is ultimately what is likely to happen with such a scheme," Mr McQuinn said. While advising the Government to be "especially careful" that any future investment doesn't lead to a fresh economic crisis, the ESRI said increased spending on social housing was warranted. Read More The committee also heard warnings from the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Ifac) that the State's response to the housing crisis could have knock-on impacts on other sectors of the economy. Ifac's chairman Seamus Coffey said housing was a "serious issue" which "could have a severe impact on the economy". "We do feel that housing output should increase, we just need to be cautious of the impact that could have on the economy," he said. Mr Coffey warned that unless future investment was carefully measured, the economy could overheat "very quickly". Michael Tutty of Ifac said the body could see no "magic formula" for fixing the housing crisis and was not saying efforts to increase supply should be slowed down. However, he warned that if construction ramped up, "we can't be ramping up everything else in the economy at the same time or there will be overheating". Several TDs questioned whether there were enough tradespeople to sustain the growth in construction activity, with Dr Martina Lawless of Ifac replying that if people had to migrate to Ireland to fill gaps in the building sector it could have "spiralling effects". She said the high level of payments for property were a cause for concern in terms of the competitiveness and wage demands. Ifac told the committee that by its measurements Mr Donohoe would have in the region of 500m for new spending and tax changes on Budget Day. Mr Coffey said "substantial progress" had been made in terms of moving the public finances to a "safer position" since 2008. "The Government is likely to run a budget balance in 2018 for the first time in a decade, debt ratios look to be on a steady downward trajectory, and near-term interests and growth prospects are relatively favourable," he said. He said the economy was not overheating at present, "yet this is not a phenomenon that the Irish economy has been unfamiliar with, and conditions are changing rapidly". "Unemployment rates are already falling quickly, and supply pressures are evident in the housing market. Were a sharper than expected recovery in housing construction to take hold and overshoot regular annual completions so as to deal with any backlog of pent-up demand, overheating could materialise in future years." The recruitment of a new Garda Commissioner presents an opportunity for a better management, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said. Addressing the Fine Gael think-in, the Taoiseach said the retirement of Noirin OSullivan presents a new opportunity an opportunity for better management, for new leadership and also to bring about cultural and attitude change within in the gardai. He said Ireland has one of the lowest crime rates in the western world even though the gardai are often in the news for the wrong reasons. I think as a country and as a people we should be very proud of our gardai we shouldnt forget the work they do every single day to fight crime, to prevent terrorism and to keep us safe, he said. Read More Mr Vardakar said the government is considering all options when it comes to recruiting a new garda chief, noting the candidate could come from Ireland or abroad. Expand Close Noirin O'Sullivan is retiring / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Noirin O'Sullivan is retiring The most important thing is that the best person gets the job and that theyre in a position to bring the force forward, he said. A shake-up of European tax rules to standardise the way corporation tax is calculated would be a more serious threat to Ireland than Brexit, the head of the State's budgetary watchdog has warned. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker wants to see the so-called Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB) plan pushed through without requiring the agreement of all member states. In his published State of the Union address yesterday, he said he wanted it implemented via qualified majority voting (QMV), rather than by the unanimous agreement of all countries. But the Government here is opposed to the CCCTB plan, amid concerns it would undermine the competitiveness of the 12.5pc corporate tax rate that has helped make the country a favourite European base for US multinationals. Mr Juncker is "strongly in favour of moving to qualified majority voting for decisions on the Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base, on VAT, on fair taxes for the digital industry and on the financial transaction tax". He added: "Europe has to be able to act quicker and more decisively." But Fiscal Advisory Council chief Seamus Coffey said the introduction of CCCTB would be "more serious" than Brexit for Ireland. He said Ireland is "in a bit of a sweet spot" when it comes to attracting investment and raising corporation tax, particularly from US companies. "CCCTB would no longer leave us in that sweet spot," he said. He said the proposals would be "a threat" to Ireland and "a dramatic shift in terms of allocation of taxing rights". Read More "Let's just assume they both happen, in my view the CCCTB would be more serious. We can work our way around Brexit. "Yes, it will have a large impact and there's significant links between Ireland and the UK. "But in terms of our economic approach and attracting economic investment, the impact of the CCCTB would outweigh the risks of Brexit," Mr Coffey told the Oireachtas Committee on Budgetary Oversight. A spokesperson for Taoiseach Leo Varadkar last night said he will oppose any change to existing EU voting rights on corporation tax. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe will attend the informal Ecofin later this week where these issues will be discussed. Aidan Regan, assistant professor of politics and international relations at University College Dublin, said the bigger countries in Europe will want to push through CCCTB. "France, Germany, most of the member states want to get this through," Mr Regan told the Irish Independent. "They're not going to be held up by an island off the coast of Britain. So I'm not that surprised that Jean-Claude Juncker has suggested they will move to QMV for something like this. Whether they get that far and get it through, is an open question." To confuse matters, Mr Juncker did not make specific mention of CCCTB in his delivered address in front of the European Parliament yesterday. But the reference remained in his published address, in bold lettering, on the Commission's website throughout the day. Afterwards, European Commission deputy chief spokesperson Alexander Winterstein told the Irish Independent the published version had been authorised by Mr Juncker, and was accurate. Business group Ibec welcomed Mr Juncker's commitment to strengthen the European trade agenda and open markets for exports. But its director of policy and public affairs, Fergal O'Brien, added it had "strong concerns" about moving towards qualified majority voting on sensitive policy matters, such as taxation. "It is essential for the Irish economic model we maintain full sovereignty when it comes to decision making on all taxation matters. Now more than ever, in a post-Brexit Europe, Irish businesses must be competitive," he said. Middle income families pay the highest rates of tax on "far too modest incomes", Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will tell Fine Gael TDs today. At his first party think-in as leader, Mr Varadkar will outline his vision for a 'Republic of Opportunities' which will be built on three broad principles. The Irish Independent understands the Taoiseach intends to set the policy agenda he believes Fine Gael should carry into the next election. And he will talk about the need to provide "second chances" for people who have fallen on hard times. In relation to next month's budget, Mr Varadkar will tell TDs and senators that Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is putting together a package "to keep Ireland secure in a risky world". "So we will keep public spending increases modest and sustainable. "However, where we have scope in the budget, it will be used to reward work and enterprise, and will benefit those on middle incomes who pay the highest rates of tax on far too modest incomes...there should be no cap on aspiration in the Republic we wish to build," he will say. Sources said last night that he will define 'middle income' as workers earning close to the average industrial wage. Outlining his definition of the so-called 'Republic of Opportunities', Mr Varadkar will describe three key concepts which he believes Fine Gael should respect. "One - that everyone has an equal opportunity to be the best person they can be, that everyone gets a fair go and, in particular, that every child has the chance to grow up to be the best person they can be. "Two - that every part of the country has the opportunity to share in our recovery and prosperity. "And three - that there are second chances for all those who need them," he will say. Mr Varadkar will also use his opening address at the event in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, to make a commitment to steadily increase overseas development aid. It is understood he will also pay tribute to independent ministers Shane Ross, Denis Naughten and Katherine Zappone for their work. Meanwhile, Solidarity/People Before Profit has ruled out working with Sinn Fein as part of a left-wing alliance after the next election. Richard Boyd Barrett said that Sinn Fein is making a "big mistake" by toying with the idea of "propping up Fianna Fail or Fine Gael". Sinn Fein said Solidarity/PBP has "effectively ruled itself out of government". Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan assesses annual losses from corruption at public joint-stock company Ukrzaliznytsia at no less than UAH 10-15 billion. "This is enough to finance political parties, to line personal pockets, and to pay for smear campaigns against those trying to fight the corruption. [UAH] 15 billion in 2014 would have paid for a hi-speed railway from Kyiv to Odesa. [UAH] 2.5 hours and you're on the beach. [UAH] 15 billion in 2015 would have paid for a Kyiv-Lviv-Warsaw rail line. [UAH] 15 billion in 2016 - Kyiv-Kharkiv. [UAH] 15 billion in 2017 - 25 hi-speed Tarpan passenger trains with speeds of 220 km/h. Again, this money doesn't come from taxes - it comes from corrupt officials. This is an untapped resource!" he wrote on his Facebook page. The minister said that with all of these mega-projects, Ukrzaliznytsia would have gradually renewed its rolling stock, would have established a healthy working relationship with international companies, and would have started paying its employees a fair wage. The minister recalled that earlier First Deputy of the Department of Audit and Control of the PJSC Ukrzaliznytsia Vachtang Dzhakeli was arrested for an attempt to sell an important, but not quite integral, job at one of the regional railways. "When I asked Balczun for an explanation of just where he found such an odious individual - one who has quite the reputation for stealing from the companies he works at - Wojciech proudly said that it's his personal choice, that Mr. Vachtang has an excellent resume and that he's the perfect agent of anti-corruption. They've quietly fired the logistics manager Kushnirchuk [director for cargo transportation at Ukrzaliznytsia Maksym Kushnirchuk], whose work with Moscow you know about unless you've been living under a rock. Who was also, by the way, vouched for by Balczun," the minister wrote. Ukrzaliznytsia told Interfax-Ukraine that Kushnirchuk left the company of his own accord. Dzhakeli was detained by Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on September 13 when he was taking a bribe of $70,000. A power struggle has broken out between the Government and Garda management over who should replace Noirin O'Sullivan as Garda commissioner and how best to reform the force. Senior Garda officers are convinced the Department of Justice has selected Kathleen O'Toole as its early favourite. Sources within Garda headquarters also believe the Government will resist efforts to separate the intelligence services from policing, which many senior gardai believe is essential as part of the wider reform of An Garda Siochana. Ms O'Toole, who heads up the Commission into the Future of Policing, has also expressed caution about splitting the two. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan yesterday told the Cabinet he is not ruling out hiring an outsider for the role. "It's about expertise and suitability. The Policing Authority will have a broad and wide remit. The Government will not attempt to narrow or restrict," a well-placed source told the Irish Independent. Favourite Meanwhile, the former commissioner of Britain's largest police force has emerged as the new bookies' favourite. Bernard Hogan-Howe stepped down as commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police earlier this year after a tumultuous period in charge. Bookmakers Paddy Power said yesterday Mr Hogan-Howe stood at 25/1 in the betting. Those odds dramatically shortened to 2/1 by the evening. A photo showing a betting slip with Mr Hogan-Howe's name was shared among a number of WhatsApp groups yesterday. Asked if this may have affected the betting, a company spokesman said: "It's not a huge market so a couple of dozen bets would definitely lead to a big shift." Crowds walking in the Leidsestraat, one of the main shopping streets in Amsterdam. Photo: Deposit Authorities in Amsterdam are considering radical new measures to limit the number of tourists visiting the city. The plan? To deter budget travellers, but keep wealthy ones. There is certainly a pressing need to do something. Like other cities in Europe, Amsterdam has been inundated with tourists in recent years; the city of 800,000 residents welcomed an estimated 12 million visitors in 2016, which locals claim is Disneyfying the Dutch capital. We have to find a way of making the city liveable for our citizens, says Udo Kock, its deputy mayor for finance. But there is not one golden bullet. The authorities have already introduced measures to tackle runaway tourism, such as curbing Airbnbs activities, banning new hotels from the city centre and introducing a tax on overnight stays, currently set at five per cent of the room rate. Expand Close Crowds walking in the Leidsestraat, one of the main shopping streets in Amsterdam. Photo: Deposit / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Crowds walking in the Leidsestraat, one of the main shopping streets in Amsterdam. Photo: Deposit However, Kock claims more needs to be done and has announced plans for a new tourist tax that will adjust the composition of visitors. In other words: deter budget travellers. The proposed levy, which is just an idea at the moment and wont be discussed until next spring, would see a flat fee, of say 5 or 10, added to the cost of every overnight stay. The fee would be in addition to the current tourist tax of five per cent (which will rise to six per cent in the city centre next year). Kock admits the levy would disproportionately affect budget travellers; well-heeled guests, he reasons, are unlikely to quibble about parting with an extra 5 when they have already splashed out hundreds on a room. In future you will have a little less budget accommodation in Amsterdam and a little more of the upper segment, he predicted. Expand Close Amsterdam / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Amsterdam So is Amsterdam, a city famed for its openness, now becoming hostile to budget travellers? Kock claims not. They are more than welcome, he said. Just not as welcome, it seems, as high-rolling holidaymakers, who spend more money, create more jobs and are ultimately more valuable to the city. They go out for breakfast, out for lunch, out for dinner, he said. Maybe they will go to the theatre, see an opera. Critics claim the proposals are short-sighted and could prove ineffective. Much of Amsterdam's vibrancy and famed openness comes from youth travellers, many of whom tend to favour budget hotels, said Frank Uffen, partnerships director at The Student Hotel group, which has two properties in Amsterdam. The very things that make Amsterdam so unique and such a great place to visit are endangered by this kind of restrictive thinking. Some of the best young talent in Europe now lives and works in Amsterdam and the likelihood is, the first time they visited, they were a budget traveller. Others are slightly more supportive of the proposals. The general trend of penalising budget travellers is understandable because this group cause the most nuisance, said Elard Tissot van Patot, founder of Amsterdam Red Light District Tours. But this wont fix the problem. Uffen claims it is inevitable that more people will visit Amsterdam in the future and implored the authorities to look at other ways of managing growth, such as making the outskirts more attractive. Surely the better solution is to offer more diversity, more reasons to visit, and to work with the people and businesses of Amsterdam to grow our tourism business rather than restrict it to an outdated idea of the model visitor, he said. The authorities are taking very small steps to make the outskirts more desireable: while the overnight tourist tax will increase to six per cent in the city centre from January 1, 2018, it will come down to four per cent outside the canal belt. New cruise tax for Amsterdam Its not just budget travellers who find themselves caught in the crosshairs of the Amsterdam authorities: cruise passengers are also going to have to dig a little deeper if they want to visit the Dutch capital. We are broadening the base of the tourist tax to include those who visit on cruise ships, Kock said, claiming the measure would bring in an additional 2 million in tax revenue. The tax will be applicable to cruise passengers docking in the city overnight from 2019. Read more: Read More Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Hillary Clinton has hit back at Donald Trump after the president said she was blaming everybody (and every thing) but herself for her election loss. In two tweets spaced just minutes apart, the 45th president of the United States criticised Clintons new book, which dissects her losing 2016 election campaign in detail. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference The tome, released on Tuesday, is called What Happened. In it, the former Democrat senator and secretary of state takes responsibility for her role in the loss but also acknowledges there were other factors at play. Clinton was clearly feeling defensive about her new piece of work and used another literary creation of hers to answer her former election rival. Replying to Trumps tweet, she wrote: If you didnt like that book, try this one some good lessons in here about working together to solve problems. Happy to send a copy. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Wow. Will Trump take her up on the offer? Twitter users reacted with glee at the clap back, which featured a picture of her book It Takes A Village, released in 1996. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference It would seem Clinton is not done fighting Trump just yet. Life with the Caterham is pretty sweet. Okay, so you have to handle some obvious drawbacks the boot, for instance, simply isnt that large, while the clear plastic in the side screens doesnt move, so you cant go through a drive-through. In fairness, the car wasnt designed to do this, but its still worth considering. However, one of the key elements of the Caterham experience is the way it makes you feel. Ive been using this to commute daily, and not once have I found it too impractical or too uncomfortable for my daily drive. In fact, it puts you in a good mood for the day setting off with the engine howling away and the wind in your hair. I try to use it with the roof removed as often as possible, though recent weather has meant that its been up a little more than Id like blame the storms for this. Its also incredibly comfortable. Once youre in, hunkered between the transmission tunnel and the side screens, it feels a cosy place to be while the heaters yes, there are heaters actually do a good job of keeping you dry. Theres the odd occasion when you have to deal with a little bit of water ingress from the sides during heavy rain, but nobody ever claimed that this was an SUV. You learn to live with the little foibles and make the most of the positives. Everywhere you go, people stop and look at the Seven. Such is its personality that Ive given it a name Carl. I believe that all good cars deserve a name and thats why the 310 has got one now. Perhaps Im getting a little too attached for my own good this car does have to be returned, after all but Im enjoying having a genuinely involving car to drive every day, though Im concerned that Im going to feel it when Caterham eventually drags it away from me, kicking and screaming. Thats a little way off, thankfully. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference Id read online that a lot of Caterham owners had switched their conventional rear lights for new LED versions. Seeing as a lot of drivers had done this, I contacted Doug Taylor from Just Add Lightness, a UK company that specialises in LED light units for Caterham vehicles. After coming down and installing the new versions, the difference was immediately noticeable especially now the nights are starting to draw in. In addition, Caterham has sent me a set of uprated LED light units for the front. These do away with the chrome backs of the standard set, replacing them with a black matt finish instead. Ive yet to fit them though having driven another Caterham with the LED lights fitted I already know of the difference they make. They also have a blue hue to them, which I think looks fantastic on a car as classically styled as the Seven. Thankfully, the main reason why I havent yet been able to install the units is because Ive simply been driving the car too much and surely thats not a bad thing, is it? HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH: Finding out that the Caterham Seven 310S is a surprisingly capable everyday commuter Model: Caterham Seven 310S SV Price: 32,995 Engine: 1.6-litre petrol Power: 152bhp Torque: 168Nm Max speed: 127mph 0-60mph: 4.9 seconds MPG (COMBINED): N/A Emissions: N/A Mileage: 6,829 Ukraine's Supreme Court has rejected a motion by Gazprom to reverse a ruling by the Higher Economic Court on July 13, 2016, which upheld rulings by lower judicial authorities regarding a fine of UAH 172 billion ($6.6 billion at the current rate) imposed against the Russian gas giant, the Supreme Court said its own ruling. The Ukrainian Anti-monopoly Committee imposed the fine. Supreme Court judges looked at the motion and, guided by Article 111.16 of the Economic Procedural Code, found no grounds or a reversal. The Antimonopoly Committee in January 2016 decided to fine Gazprom UAH 85 billion for abuse of its monopoly of the Ukrainian market for transit shipments of natural gas. This decision was upheld on several occasions by Ukrainian courts. In the latest ruling, on February 22 the Kyiv business court of appeals upheld the ruling of a lower court confirming the order to recover the fine from Gazprom, which had already grown to UAH 172 billion (about $6.4 billion) with fines for nonpayment. Kyiv's business court on March 17, 2017 ruled to collect UAH 172 billion from the Russian company, as the court ruling took effect. The Antimonopoly Committee on April 11, 2017 sent a petition to enforce collection of UAH 172 billion from Russia's Gazprom to the State Enforcement Service of Ukraine. Ukrainian Justice Minister Pavlo Petrenko has said the Justice Ministry was exploring legal means to enforce the decision to recover funds from Gazprom in the territories of other states. At least 60 people have been killed in an attack on a checkpoint and nearby restaurant in Iraq, the governor of the country's southern Thi Qar province said. Yahya al-Nassiri said Thursday's attack, which also left 83 wounded, started with militants opening fire at the checkpoint and the restaurant on the main highway that links Baghdad with the southern provinces. That was followed by two suicide bombers, including one driving an explosives-laden car, he said. Mr Al-Nassiri said the majority of the dead are expected to be Iranian pilgrims who were inside the restaurant. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The Islamic State group often claims responsibility for large-scale attacks targeting security forces and Shiite civilians in Iraq. Shiite Muslim-dominated Thi Qar is located about 200 miles south-east of Baghdad. AP The Duke of Cambridge speaks to Logan Hynes, two, as he arrives for a visit to the the Guinea Gap Leisure Centre The Duke of Cambridge has been presented with an avocado to help with his wife's morning sickness by a four-year-old boy. William was given the green fruit by Archie Weatherall, whose mother is suffering from the same condition as the Duchess of Cambridge, as he arrived at Guinea Gap Leisure Centre in Wallasey, Wirral, on Thursday. Pupils from Riverside Primary School also gave the Duke teddy bears for children Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Headteacher Christina Lahive said: "Archie gave him an avocado because his mummy has the same sickness as the Duchess. "Avocados are meant to help. "William said he had never been given an avocado before and he said good luck to Archie with his new brother or sister." Kate, who is pregnant with the couple's third child, was forced to pull out of public engagements last week as she suffers from hyperemesis gravidarum. William met divers from the Merseyside branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club at the centre and watched children taking part in Swim England's Learn to Swim programme, before starting a water polo match by dropping the ball into the pool. Expand Close Royal bump: Kate Middleton suffers from acute morning sickness during pregnancies / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Royal bump: Kate Middleton suffers from acute morning sickness during pregnancies Read More Earlier in the day he visited Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool where he spoke to patients about his son starting school. Speaking to Teresa Jones, 87, in the hospital's frailty assessment unit, he said: "Most of the parents are in floods of tears and the children are absolutely fine." He added: "George rules the roost and Charlotte isn't far behind." He told Edna Dagnall, 75: "George started school last week so we're seeing how long that lasts for before he doesn't want to go to school one day." William told patient Pagan Tordengrav, 55, in the emergency department, that his wife was doing "very well". Speaking about daughter Charlotte, he said: "I think she's going to be trouble when she's older. All fathers say that." Ms Tordengrav, who has stage four cancer, told William she was a fan of rock bands Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. He said he preferred soft rock and told her: "I'm Linkin Park level." Ms Tordengrav told William he was the "prince of hearts". Read More The former helicopter pilot said he felt "nostalgic" after seeing an air ambulance parked on the hospital's helipad. Speaking to A and E volunteer John Geddes he said: "I looked longingly at the helicopter there. "It's nice to see the air ambulance, I feel very nostalgic about it." Before leaving the hospital he was taken to see the helicopter and spoke to members of the crew. William also met staff and service users at the Life Rooms in Walton, a community hub run by mental health trust Mersey Care. The centre offers group and one-to-one advice sessions on finances, addiction, and employment and offers a space for groups to meet. The Council of the European Union on Thursday extended sanctions against 149 individuals and 38 legal entities involved in violating the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, the Council said in a press release. The sanctions are extended through March 15, 2018, the press release said. Thus, the EU Council approved the recommendation of the Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to the European Union, agreed without discussion on September 6, about the next extension of individual restrictive measures. The EU Council also made its decision without discussion. The previous extension was held on March 13, 2017 until September 15, 2017. It concerned 150 people and 37 organizations. This "black list" was complemented on August 4 as the EU response to the supply of Siemens turbines to Crimea by three individuals and three legal entities of the Russian Federation, bringing the total number to 153 people and 40 organizations by the time of the last extension on September 14. The EU Council explained that "an assessment of the situation did not justify a change in the sanctions regime." The list was reviewed and the Council removed four deceased persons from the list of persons subject to these restrictive measures. Individual sanctions include the freezing of assets of individuals and legal entities in the European Union and a ban on travel to EU countries. These restrictive measures were introduced for the first time in March 2014. In addition to these, in connection with the situation in Ukraine, economic sanctions applying to certain sectors of the Russian economy and restrictive measures, imposed in response to the "illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol" and operating in their territories, are also valid. The woman claims in court documents that the band gang-raped her on their tour bus, according to local media. Polish heavy metal band Decapitated have been accused of gang rape after they were arrested on charges of first-degree kidnapping. The incident allegedly took place after the band's August 31 show in Spokane, Washington state. The four band members - Michael Lysejko, Waclaw Kieltyka, Rafal Piotrowski and Hubert Wiecek - were arrested in Los Angeles following the accusation of kidnapping. A woman claimed that she was held against her will by the band, which prompted Spokane police to work with the LA County Sheriff's office to place them in custody. The woman claims in court documents that the band gang-raped her on their tour bus, according to local media. She says that she and a friend were invited by the band to have drinks on their tour bus outside the venue after the end of the show. After boarding the bus, she was allegedly cornered in a toilet before the band took turns to rape her. Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, Micael Byden, talks with a U.S. soldier during the joint NATO exercise 'Aurora 17' at Save airfield in Goteborg, Sweden September 13, 2017. Henrik Brunnsgard/TT News Agency/via REUTERS U.S. captain Thomas Harris gestures during the joint NATO exercise 'Aurora 17' at Save airfield in Goteborg, Sweden September 13, 2017. Henrik Brunnsgard/TT News Agency/via REUTERS Neutral Sweden has launched its biggest war games in two decades with support from NATO countries, drilling 19,000 troops after years of spending cuts that have left the country fearful of Russias growing military strength. On the eve of Russias biggest maneuvers since 2013, which NATO says will be greater than the 13,000 troops Moscow says are involved, Sweden will simulate an attack from the east on the Baltic island of Gotland, near the Swedish mainland. The security situation has taken a turn for the worse, Micael Byden, the commander of the Swedish Armed Forces, said during a presentation of the three-week-long exercise. Sweden, like the Baltics, Poland and much of the West, has been deeply troubled by Russias 2014 annexation of Ukraines Black Sea peninsula Crimea and its support for rebels in eastern Ukraine. Expand Close Sweden's soldiers attend the Aurora 17 military exercise in Gothenburg, Sweden September 13, 2017. REUTERS/Johan Ahlander / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sweden's soldiers attend the Aurora 17 military exercise in Gothenburg, Sweden September 13, 2017. REUTERS/Johan Ahlander Russia is the country that affects security in Europe right now with its actions - the annexation of the Crimea and continued battles in eastern Ukraine - so it is clear that we are watching very closely what Russia is doing, Byden said. Around 1,500 troops from the United States, France, Norway and other NATO allies are taking part in the exercise dubbed Aurora. Non-NATO member Sweden has decided to beef up its military after having let spending drop from over 2 percent of economic output in the early 1990s to around 1 percent, and is re-introducing conscription. The armed forces, which at one point could mobilise more than 600,000, stand at just 20,000, with 22,000 more Home Guard volunteers. Expand Close Sweden's soldiers attend the Aurora 17 military exercise in Gothenburg, Sweden September 13, 2017. REUTERS/Johan Ahlander / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sweden's soldiers attend the Aurora 17 military exercise in Gothenburg, Sweden September 13, 2017. REUTERS/Johan Ahlander NATO generals say the Aurora exercise is not a response to Russian exercises that start on Thursday. But Byden, speaking as U.S. and French forces displayed mobile surface-to-air missile systems to be deployed during the exercise, stressed the importance of NATO for Sweden. We are a sovereign country that takes care of and is responsible for our safety. We do this together with others, ready to both support and receive help, he said. The United States shipped vehicles by sea from Germany, while France brought others by train. They are to be moved via a classified route to Swedens east coast for the exercise where U.S. attack helicopters will play the enemy during Aurora. The government is determined to stick to the countrys formal neutrality. Sweden has not fought a war since it clashed with Norway in 1814. But like its non-NATO neighbor Finland, Sweden has been drawing closer to NATO, allowing closer cooperation with alliance troops, with a view to working together in the event of an armed conflict. Global engineering firm GKN is losing two of its top executives, following the retirement of boss Nigel Stein and the departure of the companys finance director. Mr Stein is set to step down as chief executive on December 31 after five years at the helm, and will give up his directorship the following March. After a total of 13 years at the company, the GKN boss will be replaced by the current chief executive of the companys aerospace division, Kevin Cummings, who will take the reins as of January 1. We need your consent to load this Social Media content We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preference The engineering firm will also see group finance director Adam Walker step down from the board by year-end, after handing the role over to director of strategy and M&A Jos Sclater. GKN said that Mr Walker who has been finance director since February 2014 is leaving the company to take up an opportunity outside of the engineering sector. Departing chief Mr Stein said: GKN has excellent market positions, outstanding technology and is well positioned to continue its global growth. I am delighted that Kevin has been appointed to succeed me. This company has a long history of success based on the efforts of our dedicated employees around the world. I thank them greatly for their contribution. I would also like to thank Adam for his support over the past three and a half years and offer Kevin, Jos and the whole GKN team my best wishes for the future. Expand Close GKN sign / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp GKN sign Earlier this summer, the company said that it was expecting another year of growth with aerospace organic sales to grow slightly above market, after reporting a 15% rise in sales and a 14% jump in pre-tax profits for the half year to June 30. It is also forecasting above-market performance for its driveline and powder metallurgy operations, despite an expected drop in North American production. GKN said: 2017 is expected to be another year of growth, helped by the benefits of actions taken in 2016 and GKNs constant focus on continuous improvement. Donald Trump said the funding could come at a later date President Donald Trump has said he is "fairly close" to a deal with congressional leaders to preserve protections for hundreds of thousands of young immigrants living illegally in America. He declared Republican leaders are "very much on board" but pushed back against Democratic leaders' claims about a deal on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative. He also said his promised wall along the US-Mexico border would "come later" but would need to happen soon. "We're working on a plan subject to getting massive border controls. We're working on a plan for DACA. People want to see that happen," Mr Trump said. He added: "'I think we're fairly close but we have to get massive border security." After he landed in Florida, he declared repeatedly: "If we don't have a wall, we're doing nothing." Mr Trump, in a series of early morning tweets, disputed the characterisation of a private White House dinner on Wednesday night by his guests, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York and Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the top Democrats on Capitol Hill. Mr Trump said there was no deal, despite a statement from Ms Pelosi and Mr Schumer announcing a broad agreement. On the Senate floor on Thursday morning, Mr Schumer insisted that both sides were in agreement and there was no dispute. "If you listen to the president's comments this morning ... it is clear that what Leader Pelosi and I put out last night was exactly accurate," said Mr Schumer. "We have reached an understanding on this issue. We have to work out details, and we can work together on a border security package with the White House and get DACA on the floor quickly." Indeed, in the face of ferocious pushback from conservative lawmakers and media outlets including Breitbart, run by former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, the White House appeared focused more on shaping presentation of the agreement, than on denying it outright. "By no means was any deal ever reached," White House spokeswoman Lindsay Walters told reporters aboard Air Force One as the president travelled to Florida. "This is something that Congress needs to work on." But Breitbart was already labelling Mr Trump "Amnesty Don". "The Trump administration will not be discussing amnesty," Ms Walters said. The president wants "a responsible path forward in immigration reform. That could include legal citizenship over a period of time. But absolutely by no means will this White House discuss amnesty," she said, although most conservatives would consider "legal citizenship over a period of time" to meet the definition of amnesty. The House's foremost immigration hard-liner, Steve King of Iowa, addressed Mr Trump over Twitter, writing that if the reports were true, "Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." Mr Schumer and Ms Pelosi said in a statement that the details on border security needed to be negotiated, that both sides agreed "the wall would not be any part of this agreement" and that Mr Trump said he would pursue the wall later. Soon after, Mr Trump appeared to confirm that approach. "The wall will come later, we're right now renovating large sections of wall, massive sections, making it brand new," he told reporters before his Florida trip. He also said Republican congressional leaders, House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky favoured his approach on the immigration programme. "Ryan and McConnell agree with us on DACA," Trump said, adding that he had spoken to them by telephone. Mr Ryan, meanwhile, was adamant after speaking to Mr Trump and White House Chief of Staff John Kelly that no agreement had been reached. "The president wasn't negotiating a deal last night. The president was talking with Democratic leaders to get their perspectives," he told reporters on Capitol Hill. AP India and Japan on Thursday launched work on a high-speed train in the western Indian state of Gujarat, during a visit by Japan's prime minister Shinzo Abe. The "bullet" train will link Ahmadabad, the main commercial city in Indian prime minister Narendra Modi's native state, to India's financial capital of Mumbai. The 310-mile project will be financed by Japanese credit of 17 billion US dollars and is expected to be completed by 2022. The loan carries a nominal interest of 0.1% to be paid over the next 50 years. Mr Abe and Mr Modi also laid the foundation stone of an institute that will be set up in Gujarat's Vadodara city to train around 4,000 people to run the high-speed train. Analysts say building the high-speed train will give a boost to infrastructure development in India's fast-growing western industrial region, contribute to economic growth and decongest crowded cities. "A strong India is in Japan's interest and a strong Japan is in India's interest," Mr Abe said soon after he and Mr Modi pressed a button at the foundation laying ceremony for the high-speed train. Talks between Mr Modi and Mr Abe are expected to focus on security at a time when both countries share security concerns about a rising China. The two countries will also announce progress on an Asia-Africa growth initiative to pool Indian and Japanese efforts to strengthen infrastructure in African countries. Defence technology and cooperation in manufacture of military hardware, including a possible breakthrough on the US-2 amphibious aircraft, and technology cooperation on making unmanned ground vehicles and robots will also figure in Thursday's talks. The two leaders are also likely to consider progress in a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement between India and Japan, which was ratified and came into force in July. The countries are almost polar opposites. India's chaotic cities and its youthful population contrast starkly with Japan's orderly society, immaculate streets and mature economy. But those differences complement each other, and Abe and Modi repeatedly have emphasized shared interests and values. AP Anthony Weiner, right, with estranged wife Huma Abedin, an aide to Hillary Clinton Disgraced former US congressman Anthony Weiner should be spared from prison at his sentencing for sexting with a 15-year-old girl who dreamed about affecting the US presidential election, his lawyers said. The submission in Manhattan federal court referenced "Anthony's operatic self-destruction", describing the crime as "the final act ... born of deep sickness". But it blamed the girl, saying she has told government investigators it had been a goal of hers to affect last year's election. The court filing included letters from Weiner and his estranged wife, Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin, who appeared with him in state court earlier in the day at a divorce proceeding, looking more like a couple than not. In a heavily blacked-out letter, Ms Abedin wrote: "With Anthony, I have repeatedly found myself in circumstances I never imagined. "I am devastated by Anthony's actions, and I understand he must face their consequences." The lawyers described Weiner, a once powerful Democrat congressman from New York, as having committed a crime, though "one far less egregious than any sexting case that has been prosecuted in this district". They said he never sought out teenagers on the internet and did not engage in other predatory behaviours typical of those arrested in similar cases. "He responded to the victim's request for sexually explicit messages not because she was a teenager but in spite of it," the lawyers said. The lawyers said Weiner had caught the eye of "a curious high school student, looking to generate material for a book the government has disclosed she is now shopping to publishers". They said the girl documented their interactions from the outset, photographing her phone to preserve messages, before selling her story to a British tabloid for 30,000 US dollars. The lawyers said the investigation of Weiner was "quite improperly injected into the US presidential election, quite possibly affecting its outcome". "After the election was over, the high school student told government investigators that this had been one of her goals from the outset," Weiner's lawyers wrote. The girl told Inside Edition in an interview she knew that Mrs Clinton, a Democratic former US secretary of state, senator and first lady, would be running for president last year. "I wanted to see if Anthony was still up to the same antics," she said. In a letter to US District Judge Denise Cote, who will sentence Weiner on September 25, Weiner wrote that "regret for my crime is profound" and that he had endangered the well-being of a 15-year-old girl. "My continued acting out over years crushed the aspirations of my wife and ruined our marriage," he said. Hours earlier, Weiner and Abedin appeared briefly before a judge in their divorce case. They sat side by side and chatted casually while their lawyers met with state Supreme Court Justice Michael L. Katz. An FBI investigation into Weiner's online relationship with the girl became a factor in the presidential election. Then-FBI director James Comey announced in late October 2016 that an investigation into emails that had been kept on Mrs Clinton's private server needed to be reopened while the bureau looked at emails found during the Weiner probe. Although Mr Comey announced two days before the November election that nothing was found in the new search that would result in charges against Mrs Clinton, she has cited it as a reason for her loss to Donald Trump. Mr Trump, a Republican, became president in January and dismissed Mr Comey in May. Weiner, who unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 2005 and 2013, is eligible for a harsh term of years in prison in the sexting case but is likely to face less time. As part of his plea bargain, he agreed not to appeal any sentence between 21 and 27 months. In his sentencing letter, Weiner wrote that he now attends daily "mutual support meetings" as part of treatment and mentors those new to the programme. He said he was profoundly sorry to his victim. "My life isn't big and loud anymore," he said. "Every day I quietly do what I can to keep getting better and to fix the damage I've done." AP Brock Turner was convicted of assaulting a young woman after they drank heavily at a fraternity party in January last year (AP) The mugshot of Brock Turner, the student who was convicted of sexual assault and served half of a six-month sentence, has appeared in a criminal justice textbook in a reference to rape. The former Stanford University student was released from jail a year ago after serving three months. At the time, there was intense criticism of what was considered a lenient sentence, handed to him by Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky. Many claimed that Turner was treated in such a way because he attended an elite university. The case was also notable for the powerful victim impact statement read out in court, detailing the impact the January 2015 attack had on her. It has now been reported that Turner, who was initially indicted for rape but charged and convicted of sexual assault, has appeared in a college textbook - his face next to an entry and a definition of rape. The Daily Dot said that the entry was spotted by Washington State University student Hannah Kendall Shuman, who shared a photo of the entry on Facebook. The textbook, Introduction to Criminal Justice, second edition, by Callie Marie Rennsion, shows the Stanford swimmer-turned mugshot next to an entry that defines rape. Expand Close Brock Turner, the former Stanford swimmer convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, leaves the Santa Clara County Jail in San Jose, California, U.S. September 2, 2016. REUTERS/Stephen Lam / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Brock Turner, the former Stanford swimmer convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, leaves the Santa Clara County Jail in San Jose, California, U.S. September 2, 2016. REUTERS/Stephen Lam Read More After describing the attack Turner carried out on the female student, who was unconscious, the entry says that many were shocked by the length of sentence the 22-year served. Others who are more familiar with the way sexual violence has been handled in the criminal justice system are shocked that he was found guilty and served any time at all, it adds. In her statement, the victim of the 2015 attack spoke to Turner directly. Every day, I have to relearn that I am not fragile; I am capable; I am wholesome; I am not just the livid victim, she wrote. Your life is not over. You have decades of years ahead to rewrite your story." She added: But right now, you do not get to shrug your shoulders and be confused anymore. You have been convicted of violating me intentionally, forcibly, sexually, with malicious intent. Hillary Clinton has said she believes James Comey swung the election in favour of Donald Trump, saying that the former FBI director forever changed history. Mr Comey reopened the investigation into Mrs Clintons use of a private email server just days before the election something the Democrat candidate believes significantly harmed her campaign. It stopped my momentum, she said, in an interview on CNN to promote her new book, What Happened. I dont blame voters. It was a terrible time to try and break through the last days of a campaign when I had this hanging over my head. Mrs Clinton was asked whether she felt Mr Comey had a personal animosity towards her. I have no idea, she said. I know there had to be some pressure on him because Rudy Giuliani announced two days before that there was something big coming in two days. Hes never been clear about his motivation. She said she was troubled by the fact that he kept the investigation into Mr Trumps campaigns contacts with Russians secret, yet publicly announced the investigation into her own behaviour. Shortly after the interview, Mr Trump said Mrs Clinton blamed everyone but herself. Mrs Clinton said she relished now being able to speak openly after spending much of her adult life on this high wire, with no net. She defended her decision to write a book which is being heavily promoted across the United States and said it was a way of learning from the past. "I think it is important to focus on what happened because lessons can be learned," she said. "What is important is the fact that the Russians are still going at us. He himself admitted that before Congress." She said she is convinced the Russians acted to help the Trump campaign, and said: I think its probably bigger than Watergate because its about the future. We no longer worry about spies dressed in black. But they break in now and get through to the core of our being. I believe it did affect peoples votes. I believe it cost me votes, she said. Wikileaks, which released a slew of her partys emails, was a front for Putin, she said. Mrs Clinton, speaking hypothetically, said if she had won the presidency under similar circumstances to Mr Trump, she would have "said on the first day in office, 'We're going to launch the most thorough investigation.' "No nation, particularly an adversarial nation can mess with our democracy," she said. "I would have had an independent commission. I would have done everything I could to get to the bottom of it because it's not going to stop. That's what I'm worried about." She told how, before the January 20 inauguration, she wrestled with her conscience about attending. She spoke to Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush, to canvas their opinions, and ultimately decided to attend. I cant tell you I was looking forward to it, she said. I was just thinking what it was like when Bill won. What it was like when Al Gore lost. There were so many memories. She said she agreed with George W. Bushs assessment that Mr Trumps speech was some weird ----". The rhetoric was so divisive, she said. I call it a cry from the white nationalist gut. He had a chance to fill that role, but he didnt do it that day. Mrs Clinton said she could not forgive women who came up to her and apologised for not voting, or not doing more to help. "When it first started happening, it was so soon after the election," she said. "It was hard for me to comfort somebody who was coming to me and saying, 'Oh, I wish I had done more,' or, 'I'm sorry I didn't vote' because I think this was one of the most consequential elections that we have faced in a long time." She added: "So, no absolution. But I just hope people will take what happened this time seriously and be ready and willing to vote the next time." In the book, she writes: "I wanted to stare right in her eyes and say, 'You didn't vote? How could you not vote? You abdicated your responsibility as a citizen at the worst possible time! And now you want me to make you feel better? Of course, I didn't say any of that." She adds: "These people were looking for absolution that I just couldn't give. We all have to live with the consequences of our decisions." Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Sarah Lockner tried to flush her newborn son down a toilet A McDonald's employee tried to flush her newborn baby down the toilet after giving birth in one of the restaurant's bathrooms, a court has heard. Sarah Lockner, 25, clocked out from an evening shift at a branch of the fast-food chain in Redwood City, California and went to the toilet after saying she had stomach pains. A colleague who checked on her found a large pool of blood outside the cubicle, and when another co-worker peeked over the door she saw Lockner holding a newborn baby. The employee ran for help and heard the sound of a toilet flushing. Lockner reportedly shouted at her not to call the police, reportedly saying she had a "heavy period". Officers who attended the scene on September 4 found the newborn without a pulse and not breathing, according to The Daily Journal. The infant was taken to Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital and placed in a medically induced coma. The baby has since been taken off life support and is expected to survive the tragedy. Lockner told police who were called to the McDonald's restaurant in Redwood City that she didnt know she was pregnant and was surprised she gave birth, San Mateo County District Attorneys Office said. Her boyfriend said he did not know either, and none of her co-workers knew, Chief Deputy District Attorney Karen Guidotti said, according to The Mercury News. We can all agree the facts of this case are pretty shocking. An infant, a newborn, is incredibly vulnerable, Ms Guidotti added. Its shocking to the community a person would behave this way with a helpless newborn. An employee at the branch of McDonald's in Chestnut street, Redwood, where Lockner gave birth in the toilet, described the event as a "tragedy". Mari Martinez told The Independent: "She was new here and nobody is really talking about it." Lockner is accused of attempted murder and other charges including inflicting great bodily harm to a child. She faces life in prison if convicted. The accused appeared in court on Monday and did not enter a plea, prosecutors said. She was remanded into custody and is due before the court again on September 18. The ruling of Kyiv's Pechersky District Court that seized a Boeing 767-300 from the fleet of the country's largest airline, Ukraine International Airlines (UIA, Kyiv), does not ban the use of the aircraft, the company's press service has told Interfax-Ukraine. The company commented on the court ruling in case No. 757/50816/17-k, which was published in the single state register of court rulings on September 12. According to the document, in addition to the aircraft, the court also ruled to seize the premises of the Biola beverage plant, land plots in Odesa region, real estate in Odesa, Kyiv, Dnipro and other property in the case on PrivatBank (Kyiv). The decision was taken by the court on the basis of a motion from the prosecutor's office, which states that PrivatBank's management, abusing its official position, in 2014 seized the state funds of the National Bank of Ukraine worth over UAH 19 billion allocated for the bank's refinancing. The ruling foresees the possibility of filing a petition for a complete or partial cancellation of the seizure of property. It can also be appealed directly at Kyiv Court of Appeal within five days from the date of the ruling was issued. The seized plane has the state registration sign UR-GEB 1992 and was produced in 1992. It was registered in the register of civil aircraft of Ukraine, belongs to Portugal's Pennylane - Comercio Internacional LDA and is leased by UIA. The ruling refers to Article 170 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which states that the task of arrest imposed on property, among other things, is a ban on its use. At the same time, the company notes, according to Article 173 of the same code, which is also mentioned in the ruling, if the petition is satisfied, the investigating judge or the court issues a ruling indicating, in addition to a number of points, the ban or restriction on disposal of property. However, there is no such point in the court decision. Thus, there are no legal grounds for refusing to operate the aircraft, UIA said. UIA is the leading airline that connects Ukraine with over 80 capitals and key cities in Europe, Asia, America, the Middle East and CIS countries and provides connections with the routes of its international partners in over 3,000 other cities in the world. It conducts over 1,100 regular flights a week from Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Kherson, Vinnytsia, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi. The UIA fleet consists of 42 aircraft, in particular, four long-haul Boeing 767-300ERs, 25 medium-haul Boeing 737NGs, eight Boeing 737s (including one cargo Boeing 737-300SF) and five Embraer-E190s. UIA's home airport is Kyiv's Boryspil International Airport. Businessman Ihor Kolomoisky is a final beneficiary of the company. A judge has jailed former pharmaceuticals company boss Martin Shkreli after finding that he violated his bail on a securities fraud conviction with a social media posting she agreed posed a threat to Hillary Clinton. Defence attorneys had argued at a hearing in federal court in Brooklyn that the post by Shkreli, offering a 5,000 dollar bounty to anyone who could grab him one of Mrs Clinton's hairs while she is on a book tour, was political satire. But US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto did not see the humour, saying the offer could be taken seriously by fellow Clinton detractors. The Clinton offer could be viewed as "a solicitation of an assault", the judge said before revoking Shkreli's five million dollar (3.7m) bail. "This is not protected by the First Amendment," the judge said. "There's a risk that somebody may take him up on it." The government had told the judge that the message had alarmed the Secret Service detail that protects Clinton, a Democratic former presidential candidate and first lady. It also argued that it fit a pattern of veiled threats against female journalists who rebuffed Shkreli's social media advances and of taunts aimed at prosecutors in his case. On Wednesday morning, Shkreli, often called the "Pharma Bro", wrote to the court apologising for his behaviour, saying, "I am not a violent person." But the judge said: "He doesn't have to apologise to me." "He should apologise to the government, the Secret Service and Hillary Clinton." Shkreli watched in silence as the hearing unfolded and sometimes put his head down and appeared to scribble notes. After the judge's ruling, he remained expressionless as deputy US marshalls led him out a side door of the courtroom without handcuffing him. The government sought to get Shkreli locked up as a danger to the community amid the fallout from his social media post, which read: "The Clinton Foundation is willing to KILL to protect its secrets. So on HRC's book tour, try to grab a hair from her. I must confirm the sequences I have. Will pay 5,000 dollars per hair obtained from Hillary Clinton." The defence insisted it was merely a tasteless joke comparable to some of President Donald Trump's derisive comments. "Indeed, in the current political climate, dissent has unfortunately often taken the form of political satire, hyperbole, parody or sarcasm," the defence's court papers said. "There is a difference, however, between comments that are intended to threaten or harass and comments - albeit offensive ones - that are intended as political satire or strained humour." Shkreli, who is best known for hiking up the price of a life-saving drug and for trolling his critics on social media, was found guilty last month on charges, unrelated to the price-fixing scandal, that he cheated investors in two failed hedge funds he ran. The defence had argued that investors got their original investments back and even made hefty profits. Shkreli faces up to 20 years in prison at sentencing, set for January 16. AP Police and rescue personnel work at the school cordoned off after the fire on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur (AP) A fire that blocked the only exit to an Islamic school dormitory has killed 23 people, mostly teenagers, on the outskirts of Malaysia's largest city, officials said. A government official said a wall separating the victims from a second exit "shouldn't have been there". Firefighters and witnesses described scenes of horror - first of boys screaming for help behind barred windows as neighbours watched helplessly, and later of burned bodies huddled in corners of the room. Islamic teacher Arif Mawardy said he woke up to what he thought was a thunderstorm, only to realise it was the sound of people screaming. Firefighters rushed to the scene in Kuala Lumpur after receiving a distress call at 5.41am and took an hour to put out the blaze, which started on the top floor of the three-storey building, Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh said. Mr Singh said 23 charred bodies were recovered - 21 boys between the ages of 13 and 17 and two teachers. "We believe (they died of) suffocation... the bodies were totally burnt," he said. Mr Singh said 14 other students and four teachers were rescued. Health Minister S Subramaniam said six other students and a resident who went to help were taken to hospital, with four of them in critical condition. He said the 23 bodies were in the Forensics Department waiting to be identified through DNA. The fire broke out near the only door to the boys' dormitory, trapping the victims because the windows were barred, fire department senior official Abu Obaidat Mohamad Saithalimat said. He said the cause was believed to be an electrical short-circuit, although Mr Singh said the investigation was continuing. Another fire department official, Soiman Jahid, said firefighters heard shouts for help when they arrived at the school. He said they found a pile of bodies in the right corner of the dorm and another pile in the left corner. Local media showed pictures of blackened bed frames in the burned dormitory. A resident, Nurhayati Abdul Halim, was quoted as saying that she saw the boys crying and screaming for help. "I saw their little hands out of the grilled windows; crying for help. "I heard their screams and cries but I could not do anything. "The fire was too strong for me to do anything," she said. She added that the school had been operating in the area for the past year. Noh Omar, Malaysia's minister for urban well-being, housing and local government, said the school's original architectural plan included an open top floor that allowed access to two exit staircases. However, he said a wall had been built dividing that floor, leaving only one exit for the dorm. "The wall shouldn't have been there," he said. He added that the school submitted an application for a fire safety permit that had not been approved. The school, Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, is a private Islamic centre, known as a "tahfiz" school, for Muslim children, mainly boys, to study and memorise the Koran. School principal Mohamad Zahid Mahmod was quoted by the Berita Harian newspaper as saying the students were being housed in a temporary building because of renovation work at the main school building. He said they were due to move back at the end of this month. Mohamad Zahid said the school has been operating for 15 years and is registered with the state Islamic religious council. He said the school had housed 42 students, six teachers and two wardens. However, an official with the state religious council said it had no record of the school. The Star newspaper said there were 519 tahfiz schools registered nationwide as of April, but many more are believed to be unregistered. Many such schools are exempt from state inspections. The newspaper said the fire department has recorded 211 fires in such private Islamic centres since 2015. In August, 16 people fled a fire at a tahfiz school in northern Kedah state. Another tahfiz school was destroyed by a fire in May but no one was hurt. The worst fire occurred in 1989 when 27 female students at a private Islamic school in Kedah state died in a blaze that gutted the school and eight wooden hostels. AP Recent violence in Burma has driven hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims to seek refuge across the border in Bangladesh (AP) UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has said that ethnic cleansing is taking place in Burma against the Rohingya Muslim minority. His comments came as the UN Security Council condemned the violence that has led nearly 380,000 Rohingyas to flee to Bangladesh. Britain's UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said the council's press statement, following closed-door consultations, was the first statement the UN's most powerful body has made in nine years on the situation in Burma. He called it "an important first step". The secretary-general has been outspoken about calling for an end to the violence in Burma's Rakhine state, and sent the Security Council an official letter raising his concerns about a crisis - the first time a UN chief has done so since 1989. The Security Council has not agreed on a Burma statement since 2008 when the country was in a transition to democracy, mainly because of neighbouring China's support for the government and its military. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International had accused the Security Council on Tuesday of ignoring large-scale "ethnic cleansing" of the Rohingyas and demanded that it hold an open meeting and urge an end to the violence. "It's a first step, but the council needs to escalate this to the level that a crisis that bears the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing deserves," Human Rights Watch's UN Director Louis Charbonneau said after the council statement. "We haven't seen that yet." Mr Guterres at a wide-ranging press conference called Burma one of two world issues "at the top of global concerns", along with North Korea. "Grievances that have been left to fester for decades have now escalated beyond Myanmar's borders, destabilising the region," the secretary-general warned. "The humanitarian situation is catastrophic." Last week there were 125,000 Rohingya refugees who had fled to Bangladesh and "the number has now tripled to nearly 380,000", he said. Mr Guterres was asked whether he agreed with UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein that what is happening in Rakhine State is ethnic cleansing. He answered with a question: "When one-third of the Rohingya population had to flee the country, can you find a better word to describe it?" Rohingya have faced decades of discrimination and persecution by the majority Buddhist population in Burma, where they are denied citizenship despite centuries-old roots in the country. The current crisis erupted on August 25, when an insurgent Rohingya group attacked police outposts in Burma's Rakhine state, killing a dozen security personnel. That prompted Myanmar's military to launch "clearance operations" against the rebels, setting off a wave of violence that has left hundreds dead, thousands of homes burned, and tens of thousands fleeing to Bangladesh. Mr Guterres reiterated his condemnations of the attacks by the insurgent Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army but said reported attacks by security forces against civilians "are completely unacceptable". The secretary-general called on Burma's authorities "to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law, and recognise the right of return of all those who had to leave the country." He also reiterated his call for the government to grant the Rohingyas nationality or at least legal status so they can get jobs, education and health care. AP Minister of State of Great Britain for European and American Affairs Alan Duncan plans to pay a visit to Ukraine. "I will pay a visit to Ukraine after Azerbaijan, where I will make a statement that the rule of law must be ensured in international relations, which means that the sovereignty of other countries must be respected. Neighbors should not occupy each other's territories," Duncan said in Baku. With ISIS near defeat in Iraq, old disputes threaten efforts to rebuild nation MOSUL, Iraq - The collapse of the Islamic State in its most important Iraqi strongholds has brought a rare moment of hope for a country mired in war for most of the past four decades. It is also a moment of peril, as Iraq emerges from the fight against the militants only to be confronted with the same problems that fueled their spectacular rise in 2014. Old disputes between Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds over territory, resources and power already are resurfacing as the victors of the battles compete to control liberated areas or jostle for political advantage in the post-Islamic State landscape. These rivalries now are compounded by the mammoth task of rebuilding the towns and cities destroyed by the fighting, returning millions of displaced people to their homes and reconciling the communities that once welcomed the Islamic State's brutal rule as preferable to their own government's neglect and abuse. A failure to manage the post-conflict situation risks a repeat of the cycle of grievance and insurgency that fueled the original Iraqi insurgency in 2003, and its reincarnation in the form of the Islamic State after 2011, Iraqis and other observers say. But it is a vast and potentially insurmountable challenge, laid bare in the traumatized communities of Mosul. In the relatively unscathed eastern part of the city, life has bounced back. Traffic clogs the streets, music blares from markets and stores are piled high with consumer goods, such as cellphones, air conditioners and satellite dishes, that were banned or hard to find under Islamic State rule. In the ravaged west, which bore the brunt of the fighting, entire neighborhoods have been leveled beyond repair. In the Old City alone, 230,000 people have been left without habitation, and "they are not going home soon; the whole district has to be rebuilt," said Lise Grande, the deputy special representative of the United Nations mission in Iraq. So far, there is no sign of any reconstruction effort on the scale that will be required, said Hoshyar Zebari, a former Iraqi former foreign minister who is from Mosul and now works as an adviser with the Kurdish regional government. "All the writing is on the wall that there will be another ISIS," he said, using an acronym for the Islamic State. "The scale of frustration. The lack of hope. The lack of government stepping in. What can you expect?" Meanwhile, distractions loom as Iraq's attention shifts to the long-standing political rivalries that were put on hold by the imperative of confronting the Islamic State. The Kurdish region is pressing ahead with a referendum on independence - over the strenuous objections of Iran, Turkey and the United States - that has the potential to ignite a new war before the present one is over. The vote is reopening the contentious question of where the borders of the Kurdistan region lie, and tensions are rising in areas where the Kurdish peshmerga forces and Iranian-backed Shiite militias have been brought face-to-face by the war against the Islamic State. Rifts are emerging within Iraq's governing Shiite majority, which rallied behind the country's security forces and militias - known as al-Hashd al-Shaabi, or Popular Mobilization Forces - for the sake of fighting ISIS. There are sharp divergences, however, over the future identity of their country, over whether it should tilt further toward Iran or maintain an alliance with the United States, and over how far to go to reconcile minority Sunnis with the Shiites. These issues are expected to come to the fore in elections due in the spring of 2018 that could become a focus for conflict as the political parties behind the powerful Iranian-backed militias that played a big role in the fighting seek to capitalize on their victories on the battlefield by winning a bigger share in parliament. The country's Sunnis are in disarray, scattered among refugee camps or returning to wrecked homes in towns and cities that have been laid waste. Some 2 million of the 5 million people displaced by the fighting over the past three years have returned home. But 3.2 million still live as refugees, mainly in dismal camps, according to the United Nations. Many have no homes to which they can return, and others fear retribution from neighbors or the security forces, Grande said. In Mosul, there is relief that the militants have gone but also trepidation about what the future holds. Multiple militias roam the streets, loyal to a variety of political masters, government ministers, tribal leaders and members of parliament. The government security forces are spread thin, and some have been withdrawn and deployed elsewhere for the other battles still to be fought before the final territorial defeat of the militants. Some of the armed men in Mosul are local Sunnis, trained as part of a U.S.-promoted initiative to include locals in the city's future security arrangements. Others are members of the Iranian-backed Shiite militias that were kept out of the battle for fear they would inflame sectarian tensions, but which have moved in to set up offices and recruit local allies. The militias are needed because there are not enough police and other security-forces personnel to keep the city safe, said Mohammed al-Sayyab, a businessman originally from the majority-Shiite city of Basra who heads a small Sunni fighting force controlled by the minister of education. "We cannot say it is 100 percent safe. It is 70 percent safe," he said. "There are still ISIS sleeper cells. We are working to clear them, but we are up against a very clever enemy." Few think the Islamic State has gone away. Everyone, it seems, has a story about someone they know who was with the Islamic State and has reappeared in their neighborhoods, sometimes after being detained and released. Corruption within the security forces and judiciary contributes to the perception that Islamic State fighters have bought their way out of prison. Omran Mohammed Bashir, 32, who runs a laundry in eastern Mosul, ticked off on his fingers the former Islamic State members he has seen around his area and elsewhere in the city. Among them are a relative who has not been detained, even though her father reported her to the security services, and a man who commanded the fighters in Bashir's neighborhood; Bashir ran into the man while visiting a different part of Mosul. "I don't think there will be any support for another insurgency. The people of Mosul have learned a lesson," he said. "But it's unpredictable what will happen, especially if the situation continues like this, with no reconstruction and corruption inside the government." But Iraq has no budget for reconstruction, government officials say. Years of declining oil prices and the financial demands of the war against the Islamic State have left the country bankrupt, forced last year to take a bailout from the International Monetary Fund. The absence of a discernible reconstruction plan in turn fuels perceptions among Sunnis that the Shiite-led government is neglecting them, said Hassan Alaf, the deputy governor of Nineveh, the province in which Mosul lies. "It seems some of the politicians are not keen to bring life back to Mosul," he said. "We still suffer from sectarian conflict and its implications are reflected in the reconstruction." It will be left to the international community to come up with the money to repair the damage, much of it caused by the relentless airstrikes and artillery bombardments conducted under the auspices of the U.S.-led coalition formed to fight the Islamic State, according to Grande, the U.N. representative. The United Nations is planning a fundraising conference in Kuwait this month at which it will seek up to $100 billion in donations for Iraqi reconstruction. But the countries that so enthusiastically prosecuted the war are proving less willing to pay to fix the resulting damage, U.N. and aid agency officials say. The U.S. military has spent $14.3 billion on fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria over the past three years, according to Pentagon figures, but just 10 percent of that - or $1.4 billion - on repairs. The State Department has asked for $300 million to fund basic repairs such as fixing electricity and water systems in 2018, but the United States does not plan to contribute to the reconstruction effort. The military coalition led by the United States against the Islamic State "is not in the business of nation-building or reconstruction," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said earlier this year. One glimmer of hope lies in a recent rapprochement between the Iraqi government and Saudi Arabia, which have been icily estranged since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion brought a Shiite-dominated government to power in Baghdad. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has visited the kingdom, and so has the Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who has broken ranks with Iran's Shiite allies in Iraq to champion calls for reconciliation with Sunnis. U.S. and U.N. officials are hoping that the wealthy Arab states of the Persian Gulf will offer to provide much of the funding. But they are embroiled in their own conflicts, disputes and budget shortfalls, and may not have the will or inclination to come up with the many billions of dollars required. - - - The Washington Post's Kareem Fahim, Louisa Loveluck and Mustafa Salim contributed to this report. iraq-1stld-writethru Washington Post News Service (DC) 9/13/2017 7:00:22 PM Central Daylight Time A Winston-Salem man will not face any charges for shooting another man in a home invasion earlier this month, police said Wednesday. James Thomas Noah, 79, of Old Vineyard Road and Barbara Ella Melton, 77, were in their apartment on Saturday when there was a knock on the door about 2:30 p.m., Winston-Salem police said. Melton then opened the door, and Lourenco Marcus Reed, 26, of Lawrenceville, Ga., and another man shoved Melton and forced their way into the apartment, police said. Reed and the other man, whose face was covered with a cloth, then assaulted Noah with a blunt object, police said. Noah drew his handgun that he was carrying in his waistband and fired once, striking Reed in the head, police said. The other suspect ran from the scene. Officers found Reed inside the apartment with a gunshot wound to his head, police said. Reed was taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, police said. Wake Forest Baptist had no information on Reed on Wednesday, but police said his condition has remained unchanged since Sunday. District Attorney Jim ONeill of Forsyth County reviewed the evidence in the case and determined that Noah will not face any criminal charges, police said. Authorities are searching for the second suspect involved in the attempted robbery at the apartment, police said. Anyone with information regarding this incident can call Winston-Salem police at 336-773-7700 or Crime Stoppers at 336-727-2800. The third edition of Tax, Accounting and Audit in India is updated for 2017, and provides an overview of the f... Keystone Realtors IPO Day 1 subscription Live status Keystone Realtors IPO with an issue size of Rs 635 Crore shows restrained response today. The offer is subscribed only 6% on the day one with 5,82,309 total bids received against 86,47,858 bids... November 14, 2022 | 4:11 pm Inox Green Energy Services IPO of Rs 740 crore receives mild response from investors on day 2. The issue was subscribed 46% on Day 1. According to BSE data, investors made 4,67,21,280 bids out ... November 14, 2022 | 3:55 pm Markets end the day in red Indian markets had a range-bound day today. Markets ended the day in red. Nifty 50 ended, down by 20.55 points. Sensex ended, down by 170.89 points. Top Gainers today were Hindalco,... November 14, 2022 | 3:45 pm Fusion Microfinance IPO to list tomorrow Following the allotment, The IPO of Fusion Microfinance will list on Tuesday, November 15, 2022. The response to the public issues worth Rs. 1,104 crores has been relatively moderate with 2.95 ... November 14, 2022 | 3:27 pm Vascon Engineers inks JV agreement for commercial project in Kharadi, Pune Vascon Engineers Limited has entered into a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) on Monday. Vascon has signed the JDA with Landowner to develop a commercial project at Kharadi a well-es... November 14, 2022 | 3:04 pm Ten percent of schoolchildren in Ukraine study not in Ukrainian, with most of them, 9.4%, studying in Russian, Deputy Education and Science Minister Pavlo Khobzey has said. "According to last academic year's statistics, 10% of schoolchildren study not in the state language. Some 9.4% of them study in Russian, 0.4% in Hungarian and Romanian, and hundredths of a percent, about five schools, in Polish," he said on Ukraine's TV Channel 5 on Wednesday, September 13. Khobzey noted that now it was necessary to explain to the neighboring countries the provision of a new education law regarding the language of instruction. He said that on Wednesday he had a phone call with a Bulgarian deputy minister of education who asked him to explain whether the adoption of the law would mean the closure of the Bulgarian Sunday schools and the cancellation of the learning of the Bulgarian language. He noted that 78 people studied in the Bulgarian language in Ukraine, that there was no purely Bulgarian school and that in this case the provisions of the new law would not restrict the learning of the minority language. Khobzey expressed regret that the new law on education, which has many reform articles, was reduced to the discussion of an article defining the language of instruction. As reported, on September 5, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the law on education, which foresees that from September 1, 2018, children can receive preschool and primary education in the language of ethnic minorities, while simultaneously studying the state language. From the 5th grade children will begin to study in the state language, while learning a minority language as a separate discipline. If the language of national minority belongs to the languages of the European Union, one or several disciplines could also be taught in that language. For the past 8 years, the Indiana Hemophilia & Thrombosis Center and the Indiana State Department of Health have hosted the annual Sickle Cell-abration community event to raise awareness of sickle cell disease in the greater Indianapolis area. This years event, The 2017 Sickle Cell-abration: The Art of Style, will be held at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, 4000 Michigan Road, on Sept. 30 from 26 p.m. Doors open at 1:30 p.m., and the event is free. In addition to educational activities and a fashion show curated and presented by DaNisha Greene of Yours in Fashion Styling Co., guest speaker Dr. Edwards Donnell Ivy, program director for the Hemoglobinopathies Program, will share his firsthand accounts of living with sickle cell disease. For more information, click here. Last weekend, Kenneka Jenkins did what many teenagers do she lied to her parents and headed out to kick it with friends. If she was anything like the teens I knew growing up, there was some thought given to what to wear, who would be in attendance and what guy we might meet. The possibility of danger was something that rarely, if ever, crossed our minds. Life was about fun, and lots of it. Death, at that age, is a far-off concept. In that Chicago hotel room on the night of Friday, Sept. 8, something went terribly wrong. The video recorded by one of the young women there that evening has been viewed millions of times, its content analyzed and audio ripped apart bite by bite. Despite what many social media investigators and pontificators have to say, the facts by and large remain unknown. What is known, however, is that a 19-year-old woman walked into the Crowne Plaza hotel, went missing under strange circumstances and was later found dead in a hotel freezer. Her family called on all the help they could to locate her enlisting police and hotel employees, even knocking door to door in the hotel prior to learning her devastating fate. A bit closer to home, 13-year-old Belzer Middle School student Matthew McGee was killed outside a Castleton Square restaurant just after 10 p.m. last Saturday night. I wonder if his evening started out similar to Jenkins full of adolescent energy and excitement. I can imagine that it did. Scripture tells us that no one knows when their days will end. I get that, but I cant help but question why things went the way they did in the cases of Jenkins and McGee. When the young die, there are so many questions. We ask why, and why again, and look for ways to make sense of the nonsensical. Someone, somewhere knows what happened to them, and I pray that their heart is pricked enough to speak up and speak out so justice can be served. There is nothing these two young souls could have done to deserve what happened to them, and while none of us possesses the ability to turn back the hands of time and change whats taken place, we do have the power to affect what is right in front of us. I do not mean to sound self-righteous, but it is clear time and time again, hashtag after hashtag and vigil after vigil that we have to continue doing all we can to save our babies, our future, our next generation. A few ways to start include volunteering with a local organization geared toward youth empowerment, building stronger bonds with your children or the young people in your life and saying something when you see something out of order. The more methodical thinkers among us may note that it is impossible to save them all. While that may be true, we cannot ever stop trying. May God bless and keep the families of the lost and give them comfort in their time of grief. Pastor Corey Duncan Sr. began mentoring 20 years ago, spurred by a sudden familial tragedy. Duncan, then 19, looked on as his father walked his older sister, Joyce, down the aisle on her wedding day, and a moment that should have been a beautiful dream come true quickly turned into an unexpected nightmare. The bride suddenly collapsed, and it was later discovered that her heart had stopped beating. We called the ambulance, they come. There was a doctor in the audience who came up, and they cut her out of her dress and took her to the hospital. We were in total shock, said Duncan. Joyce went approximately 10 to 13 minutes with no oxygen to her brain and died not long after. Sometime later, Duncans family was invited to be guests on Montel Williams talk show during an episode about wedding day tragedies. While awaiting his time to go on set, Duncan had an idea. I was in the green room, and my mindset was, how do I keep my sisters legacy alive? She had just graduated from Indiana State University, was (in her) first year (as a) first grade teacher. He recalled that years prior, Williams, a motivational speaker, had visited his high school. He was phenomenal, Duncan recalled. I thought, I can do motivational speaking. From that moment, I started going around to schools, started mentoring, talking about the importance of education. That was the catalyst of it all. The Duncan family later started the Kimberly Joyce Duncan scholarship fund in his late sisters honor. The fund has given thousands of dollars to students headed to college. Today, he volunteers with the Bloom Project, a local nonprofit that provides one-on-one mentoring, college preparation and other services to young men ages 12-18. On Sept. 30, Duncan will facilitate a workshop at the organizations annual one-day seminar, Kings Feast. He sees the event as an investment in the future of our youth. As a preacher and pastor, my philosophy is that we gotta sow the seed. We cant always control the ground that it falls on, but we have to sow a seed. Theres another scripture that says train up a child in the way they should go, and when theyre old they wont depart from it, he said. Oftentimes, our children get out there, but if we train them up, they have a foundation to come back to. Where there is no investment, there can be no return. A direct impact The Kings Feast Symposium has made a huge impact on the community and is how Bloom Project Inc. was created, said founder and executive director Arnetta Scruggs. The Kings Feast Symposium began six years ago with 50 young males. Now, it has grown substantially to the point where we had 150-plus young males, ages 12-18 in attendance last year. The symposium is a multifaceted approach to engage each of the Kings that attend. We bring various community leaders to facilitate workshops to encourage and uplift the voices of the youth. Also, we work to increase the number of colleges and careers represented at our signature College and Career Fair. One of the newest additions is the Parent Workshop. This allows parents to be engaged and invested in the symposium alongside their King. Additionally, a workshop on interpersonal communication will be offered to the professional men in attendance. The fostering of new relationships, exposure to new opportunities and ability to learn from these youth are the reasons why we continue to put this event on annually, said Scruggs. When Mia Cobb moved to Indianapolis from Michigan with her two sons, TraShaun and Mekhail, she sought out ways to get them involved and engaged. They attended the first Kings Feast and have been consistent participants in the program ever since. It really benefited them, said Cobb. As they got older they started to do volunteering in the community and doing workshops. Cobb added that the Bloom Project has essentially become a part of her family, and shes noticed her sons becoming more mature as a result of their involvement. Being a single parent and raising sons, its only so much you can do. As women, mothers and single parents we try to provide and make sure they have the basics them being exposed to certain things we may not have the connections to expose them to, and then for them to see successful men who came from the same place theyre at now is just an awesome thing, she said. Its motivation for all the boys. They need to see things in real life besides whats on TV and the internet with all the crime and stuff going on, its needed. Especially here its needed. Mekhail Cobb, the eldest of Mias sons, said Kings Feast helped him to come out of his shell and has had a profound impact on his thoughts about the future. I already knew who I was, but it just opened me up to more opportunities, he said. The 18-year-old high school senior plans to pursue a degree in computer science and compete professionally in track and field. I dont know where Id be without the program, he said. Its showed me so much. Kings Feast For the first time, in so long, we are looking forward to an unusual pairing in Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal in their upcoming film, Raazi. The Meghna Gulzar directed film is based on the book, Calling Sehmat, the story is a real life adaptation of a 20-year-old Kashmiri girl who (married to a Pakistani military officer) spies for the Indian Intelligence. The film will see Alia's character married to a Pakistani army officer, which will be played by Masaan actor. And the good news is that the film which started its filming has already completed the first schedule. Dharma Productions posted a picture of the trio happily posing for the group picture. The comfort between the director and the co-stars is visible and we can already tell that it will depict on the silver screen as well. Earlier speaking to Mumbai Mirror about her character , Alia had also said, "It has helped me add extra layers to my character. The script is a lovely adaptation of the book, which is extensive; it has a lot of stories. I just wanted to get the backstory right in my head. Twitter Thanks to her mother, Soni Razdan being part German part Kashmiri, Alia mentioned how she felt closer to her roots. Talking about her role, Alia said, "Shes a 20-year-old girl so I have an idea about what she will be like but the film is based in a certain time period so the character needed a different approach. Ive been working on the dialect which is important to the narrative. I will be speaking Urdu but theres a Kashmiri twang to the girls diction which I have to perfect. Im also learning self-defence techniques as I have some action sequences, which is a first for me. Im watching old movies off a list that Meghna has given me. Raazi is scheduled for release in May 2018. The European Union said it is ready to accommodate more Indian IT professionals and denounced any form of protectionism in global trade, amid anxiety in India over the Trump administration's possible clampdown on H1-B visa. Pushing for deeper trade ties with India, a delegation of European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs also expressed "regret" over the failure by both sides to resume the stalled dialogue to firm the long-pending EU-India trade and investment pact. AFP ALSO READ: With Tougher Green Card Regulations, Indians Are Now Making Rs 3.4 Crore Investment In US Just To Get EB-5 Visa Criticising the new US government's protectionist rhetoric which triggered fears in Europe as well, head of the delegation David McAllister said Europe is "open" for allowing more Indian professionals who are high on demand. "Europe is open for people with high demand. Indian people are highly skilled. Our IT sector would not have been successful if we did not have skilled professionals from India," he said. Soon after taking over last month, Trump had decided to overhaul the work visa programmes like the H-1B and L1, a move that will adversely hit the lifeline of Indian tech firms and professionals in the US. ALSO READ: Industrialists Say Trump's Policies Including H1-B Visa Restrictions Could Be Good For India TOI/Representational Image Pressing for an early resumption of negotiations for the EU -India Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA), McAllister said the delegation urged the Indian leaders to resume the talks as the pact will significantly boost two-way trade. "We deeply regret that we are not being able to move ahead. We will use the visit to call for the resumption of talks for the agreement," he told reporters. The EU delegation, the second one here, will hold talks with a number of Union Ministers, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, the Vice Chairman of NITI Ayog Arvind Panagariya and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan among others. ALSO READ: Indians Working On H-1B Visa Made US Firms Remain Competitive Globally, Says Indian Envoy To US AFP A European Parliament Delegation for relations with India is also in the country and it had strongly sought resumption of talks for the trade pact during its meetings with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The BTIA talks have been stalled since May 2013, when both sides failed to bridge substantial gaps on crucial issues, including data security status for IT sector. Launched in June 2007, negotiations for the proposed agreement have witnessed many hurdles as both the sides have major differences on crucial issues. Delegation member Urmas Paet said the EU would like to have the trade pact with India on the lines of the recently concluded EU-Canada trade deal, which features a new mechanism on investment protection and dispute settlement. ALSO READ: Government Says India's Concerns Over H1-B Visas Are Being Discussed With Trump Administration PTI India has already made it clear that it will not allow investment to become part of any global agreement that allows investors to challenge governments in an international tribunal. In the EU-India Summit in Brussels last year, the two sides had failed to make any announcement on the resumption of the negotiations as many bottlenecks still remain. The two sides are yet to iron out issues related to tariff and movement of professionals but the EU has shown an inclination to restart talks. Besides demanding significant duty cuts in automobiles, the EU wants tax reduction in wines, spirits and dairy products, and a strong intellectual property regime. ALSO READ: Here Is Everything You Need To Know About The H1-B Visa And How The New Regulation Could Devastate The Indian IT Sector The site of a mother attending school is not common in India, however, it's a widely popular phenomenon across the world. Young mothers and women who get pregnant at an early age do not necessarily miss their education because of it, instead, beat all odds to excel in it. haikudeck Unfortunately, not all women have the support of their family or husband in such a case, leading to a high drop-out rate and unwanted stress. One student, who also a mother to toddler student at Texas A&M University and her experience with the teacher has moved the world. Ashton Robinson, emailed her professor to tell him she wouldn't be able to attend his class because she couldn't find a babysitter for her son and in reply, her professor asked her to bring her son along. Dr Musomam Ashton's teacher then held her son during entire class while Ashton studied with full concentration. She then took it to Facebook to share a video and picture of Dr Musomam and the post went viral. Almost everyone expressed utter delight and this kind gesture by her professor. This isn't a first such incidence, earlier this year another professor pitched in assistance in the same way for a student and even that bagged several accolades. Told my professor I missed class yesterday bc I couldn't find childcare & this was her response. I'm literally crying. So blessed/thankful pic.twitter.com/3QaThJRXdo Morgan King (@morgantking) June 16, 2017 The world needs more teachers like these guys! According to recent reports, Google is reportedly focusing on the ecommerce segment in India, looking to launch a localised payment platform in the country. A report by The Ken indicates that Google Tez, as its supposed to be called, will offer payment options beyond Googles existing Android Pay and Google Wallet. Tez is expected to support the Indian governments Unified Payments Interface (UPI), as well as other platforms like Paytm and MobiKwik, and will have a standalone app on launch. Google has, however, declined to comment on the news so far. The news makes sense however, as Android has a far larger market in India than in countries like the US and UK, as well as being the second largest smartphone market in the world. That, coupled with the Indian governments recent push towards a cashless society makes us a prime market to tap. If the government filings uncovered by the publication are correct, it looks like Google will also be looking to eventually expand Tez to Indonesia and the Philippines. With any luck, perhaps well see Tez begin operations in India by the end of the year. IMF First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton has said that Ukraine should take advantage of the growth of the world economy, the Ukrainian government's press service has reported. According to the report, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman met with Lipton in Kyiv on Wednesday. According to Lipton, the world economy is growing now, and now it is a moment of opportunities for Ukraine that can and should be used. He said that, in his opinion, Ukraine demonstrates good results in resolving the priority economic and social issues. According to Lipton, the fact that the government has managed to stabilize the situation over the past year creates good prerequisites for switching to more dynamic economic growth. Groysman briefed Lipton about the situation with the implementation of educational, pension and medical reforms and the reform of the management of state-owned enterprises, as well as the drafting of the state budget for next year. Following the talks on Wednesday, the sides agreed to continue cooperation to outline the next steps on the IMF's financial support for reforms in Ukraine. Were excited to announce that indmin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com. A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets. Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials. If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details. Anspill over the weekend that has blackened Athens' southeast coastline as far as the upscale Glyfada district and the waters off the major port of Piraeus turned political on Thursday , with the main opposition leader demanding the relevant shipping minister resign. U.S. Senate Votes For More War Scuttles proposal by Sen. Rand Paul to repeal the war authorizations By Connor O'Brien September 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The Senate Wednesday scuttled a proposal by Sen. Rand Paul to repeal the war authorizations that underpin the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as military action in a slew of other countries. The vote was 61 to 36 to table or kill Paul's amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. The Kentucky Republican's proposal would have repealed both the 2001 and 2002 authorizations for the use of military force six months after the bill becomes law, giving lawmakers a tight window to pass a new framework for U.S. military operations overseas. The first amendment vote on the defense policy bill H.R. 2810 (115) saw Republicans and Democrats join to defeat Paul's proposal, while most Democrats and a handful of Republicans joined him to support the repeal. In a floor speech Tuesday, Paul torched his fellow lawmakers for refusing to vote to authorize the myriad military actions the U.S. has engaged in since the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001. "I don't think that anyone with an ounce of intellectual honesty believes that these authorizations from 16 years ago and 14 years ago ... authorized war in seven different countries," Paul said. "I am advocating a vote ... on whether or not we should be at war," Paul said. "It should be a simple vote. It is like pulling teeth." But the war powers vote didn't come easy for the senator. Wednesday's vote came after Paul blocked Senate leaders' efforts to speed consideration of the must-pass defense policy bill for two days. Paul objected to procedural efforts to begin debate sooner and threatened to hold up all other senators' amendments if he wasn't granted a vote on his proposal. Paul was joined by senators from both parties who supported sunsetting the 2001 and 2002 AUMFs in order to force Congress to debate and pass a new authorization that covers the current military campaign against ISIS as well as other contingencies. Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine, who has pushed for a new AUMF with Arizona Republican Jeff Flake, said it was "way past time" for a vote. "There has been no particular motive or forcing mechanism that has made the [Foreign Relations] Committee take this up, bat it around, hear from experts, debate, amend it and send it to the floor," Kaine said of his and Flake's proposal. "Of all the powers Congress has, the one that we should most jealously guard is the power to declare war," he said. But opponents of the measure argued repealing the two war resolutions on such a quick timeline would endanger military operations in Afghanistan and against ISIS in Iraq and Syria and send mixed signals to U.S. troops and allies overseas. "I did not expect that 16 years later we would still be engaged in the evolution of that fight that began on 9/11," said Senate Armed Services ranking Democrat Jack Reed of Rhode Island. "But we cannot, I think, simply stop, threaten to pull back our legal framework with the expectation that in six months we will produce a new and more appropriate authorization for the use of military force." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell piled on Wednesday, arguing a repeal of the legal framework for military operations against terrorist groups "breaks faith" with the troops. Enacting a new war resolution to cover the ISIS campaign has proved to be a politically fraught effort. Former President Barack Obama sent Congress a proposed AUMF in 2015, though neither the Senate nor the House voted on the measure. Efforts to attach a repeal of the current AUMF to major bills, including the NDAA, have also been unsuccessful. In a classified briefing with senators in August, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the 2001 AUMF provides legal authority for current military operations in the Middle East, though Mattis has said Congress should enact a new resolution. This article was first published by Politico - No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Click Here For Your Free Daily Newsletter An Increasingly Militaristic Donald Trump Gets a Pass From Congress on War Powers Like Obama before him, Trump can continue using post-9/11 war authorizations to launch military ventures overseas. By Andrew Desiderio The Senate on Wednesday declined to give Congress more authority and oversight over presidential war powers, defeating a measure that would have limited President Donald Trump s ability to authorize military operations overseas. By a vote of 61 to 36, the chamber killed an amendment from Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) that would have scrapped the 2001 and 2002 authorizations for the use of military force, and would have, in turn, pressured Congress to draw up a new one within six months. Those authorizations have served as the primary legal basis for the United States foreign military incursions since the September 11 terror attacks. The measure was expected to fail, and Paul spun it as a victory that 36 senators, most of whom were Democrats , signed on. Many dovish lawmakersaligned with anti-interventionist conservativeshad attempted similar actions under the Obama administration , only to fall short. What gave proponents hope this time around was that Congress has recently taken decisive steps to reassert its authority with respect to the executive branch on a variety of domestic fronts. Wednesdays vote showed that re-shifting of the balance of powers has yet to extend to foreign affairs. Unless we could do something literally next week, we would be running into the reality of American military commanders wondering whether or not they should begin to plan for the extraction of our forces and the closing of our facilities, Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said on the Senate floor. Pauls amendment would have repealed those post-9/11 military authorizations within six months of the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, the annual defense policy bill. It would have also given Congress a window to draw up a new AUMF that encompasses the specific global security threats the U.S. and its allies currently face. What we have today is basically unlimited war anywhere, anytime, anyplace upon the globe, Paul said on the Senate floor. Even if my colleagues say, war, war, thats the answer everywhere, all the time, by golly, come down and put your name on it. Over the last eight months, Congress has shown its willingness to limit Trumps powers in other key arenas. After the president suggested he could fire special counsel Robert Mueller , senators from both parties quickly drafted legislation that would shield Mueller from Trumps influence. Additionally, both chambers overwhelmingly approved a new round of sanctions against Russia , dismissing the Trump administrations objections to key language in the legislation that handicaps the presidents ability to unilaterally lift or ramp up the sanctions. But a majority of senators argued on Wednesday that a repeal of the post-9/11 AUMFs was a step too far, creating unnecessary uncertainty for Pentagon officials, American soldiers, and U.S. allies overseas. Why would we vote to rescind the authority to defeat Al Qaeda and leave our forces in the field questioning whether the elected officials here in Washington have any understanding as to what is occurring in the theaters of active hostilities? Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said. All that we do to defeat Al Qaeda and ISIL rests on this AUMF. Lawmakers Blame Obama, Too Attempts to restrict a presidents foreign policy powers are always longshots, since lawmakers tend to be more comfortable deferring to the commander-in-chief on military matters. But efforts to draft new authorizations have grown more serious the longer the post-9/11 AUMFs have remained in place, and as the U.S. military has, under the Trump administration, expanded its presence in countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Libya, Yemen. In June, the House Appropriations Committee adopted a measure that would have repealed the 2001 AUMF and created a 240-day window for Congress to approve a new authorization. Even Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)the lawmaker who authored itwas stunned that it passed. But that measure never advanced further, as House Republican leaders stripped the amendment from the final defense appropriations bill before it was put to the floor and eventually approved. Lawmakers who support undoing the two AUMFs say it has nothing to do with Trump. They note that similar efforts began under George W. Bush and gained steam under Barack Obama, who himself encouraged Congress to draft new authorizations as both a senator and a presidential candidate. I dont know that this vote is a broader proxy for members feelings on Trump's foreign policy, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) told The Daily Beast. This has been a problem both in the Obama administration and the Trump administration. The Obama administration was guilty of an unjustifiable expansion of war authorization, as is the Trump administration. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), an Iraq War veteran who lost both of her legs in combat, questioned Trumps competence to lead the military. But she noted that she also pushed for similar restrictions when Obama was in office. We dont want to vote yes or no on an AUMF based on who is in the White House. These things need to be clear and the authorities need to be clear. But I think when people look to a commander-in-chief who is not competent in his position, people start to think twice, Duckworth told The Daily Beast. New Momentum? Paul and his allies argue that Congress has demonstrated it wont act on a new AUMF unless it has a clear-cut deadline to do so. They also believe that repealing the post-9/11 military authorizations is long overdue, and that the nature of the threats against the U.S. has changed in such a way that warrants a new legal basis for the executive branch to wage war. This is a different threat than we saw 16 years ago, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) said. Its our responsibility to give congressional authorization for the use of military force. If the 2001 and 2002 authorizations were repealed, there is at least one replacement measure Congress could consider. A new AUMF that Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) have been pushing for months would authorize military force specifically against ISIS, al Qaeda and the Taliban. Paul won over Kaine, who announced on Tuesday he would back the Kentucky senators amendment as a means to advance his and Flakes AUMF. Both senators have been pushing the Foreign Relations committee to mark up their proposal, and Kaine said Pauls amendment would force the committee to act more quickly. Weve got to be the Article 1 branch. Weve been acting like the article two-and-a-half branch for a very long time under multiple administrations. Weve got to be the Article 1 branch, and theres no power thats more important than war-making power, Kaine told reporters. Despite failing to secure a majority of senators on Wednesday, Paul said he was optimistic that momentum will continue to build toward a more targeted war authorization. It hasnt been easy to get the debate. Ive been trying to get this vote for five years, Paul told reporters. This would be a first step. 16 Years Ago, We Began A War On Terror That Will Never End By Rare September 13, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - On the 16th anniversary of 9/11, a prescient Hunter S. Thompson column from the day after the attacks was shared on social media. Thompson wrote at ESPN on Sept. 12, 2001: The towers are gone now, reduced to bloody rubble, along with all hopes for Peace in Our Time, in the United States or any other country. Make no mistake about it: We are At War now with somebody and we will stay At War with that mysterious Enemy for the rest of our lives. Thompson couldnt have been more right. More than a decade and a half since the attacks, the United States has led regime change in Iraq and Libya and is still bogged down in the longest war in American history in Afghanistan. During that time, Al-Qaeda has been diminished but remains . A group even more extreme that al-Qaeda, the Islamic State (also sometimes known as ISIS), has risen in the power vacuums created by U.S. interventions. After 9/11, we went into Afghanistan to oust the Taliban that had been harboring Osama bin Laden. That was a clear-cut objective that had popular support in the United States and around the world. In 2003, we went into Iraq, which had nothing to do with 9/11 though the Bush Administration sold it that way . Today, that war is remembered as one of the worst foreign policy decisions in U.S. history, particularly because it had nothing to do with 9/11. The two greatest beneficiaries of that war in Iraq were Iran and ISIS. The Obama-Clinton supported toppling of Libyas Moammar Gaddafi gave extremists an even better foothold in that country. High-level strategic advisor from Canada Jill Sinclair has discussed with Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak the reform of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry and the direction of further cooperation between Ukraine and Canada. Canada fully supports Ukraine and especially approves Ukraine's approach to NATO [...] We are working hard and persistently to ensure that NATO's dialogue with Ukraine is constantly maintained, Sinclair said during a meeting with Poltorak on Wednesday. The defense minister during the meeting said that all the reforms in Ukraine were implemented as scheduled, the official website of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported. "Currently, we are developing the infrastructure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Financial reform will also allow us to raise the interest of people to military service," Poltorak said. The minister also thanked the Canadian ambassador to Ukraine Roman Vaschuk for Canada's assistance in establishing a training center for military law enforcement service in Lviv. Home America: Imperial Bully Threatening World Peace By Stephen Lendman September 14, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - A mericas rage for unchallenged global dominance represents the greatest threat to world peace, security and humanitys survival. Its geopolitically out-of-control, both warrior wings of its duopoly governance hellbent on forcing its will on all other nations. Naked aggression is its favored strategy, punitive sanctions used to soften up targeted nations, imposed unilaterally or by the Security Council, its members bullied and pressured to go along instead of doing the right thing, slapping Washington down by refusing. .. The more often this happens, the harder it gets to resist. North Korea is being punished for developing powerful weapons intended solely for defense, not offense, its legitimate right, its choice which ones to pursue. .. A state of war has persisted with America since the uneasy 1950s armistice. The DPRK genuinely fears possible US aggression. Its only protection is having a formidable deterrent. Without it, theres no way to defend against an attack on its territory. .. Multiple rounds of Security Council sanctions failed to halt its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Nor will future ones imposed. Diplomacy is the only option, rejected by the Trump administration, preferring to maintain hostile relations, compounded by menacing threats. .. On Tuesday, Trump called new sanctions on Pyongyang no big dealnice (with no) impact. So why impose whats ineffective and counterproductive an obvious point the administration fails to address. Russia and China shamed themselves for going along with what they oppose, appeasing Washington, not doing the right thing, no strategic or other benefit gained by punishing a nation wanting only the ability to defend itself against hostile attack. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Click Here For Your Free Daily Newsletter Moscow and Beijing have powerful WMD arsenals for self-defense. So do other nations. Is North Korea not entitled to the same right? Washington maintains a military option against the country. The threat it faces is ominously real whether or not war is launched on its territory. How will China respond to Treasury Secretary Mnuchins threat to cut off Beijings access to Americas financial system if it circumvents sanctions on North Korea? .. We sent a message that anybody who wanted to trade with North Korea, we would consider them not trading with us, he blustered, adding: .. If China doesnt follow these sanctions, we will put additional sanctions on them and prevent them from accessing the US and international dollar system. Instituting these measures would harm America as much as China. At most, individual banks and other commercial enterprises doing business with Pyongyang could be sanctioned. Chances for measures harming hugely important Sino/US bilateral economic relations overall are nil. Still, Mnuchins threat was unacceptably hostile, certainly not going down well in Beijing. .. North Korea wont bend to Washingtons will. Development of its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities continues, more tests likely coming. US aggression on the country, if launched, would be devastating catastrophic if nuclear weapons are used. Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net - His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html - Visit his blog site at www.sjlendman.blogspot.com . Search Information Clearing House === Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. What's your response? - Scroll down to add / read comments Please read our Comment Policy before posting - It is unacceptable to slander, smear or engage in personal attacks on authors of articles posted on ICH. Those engaging in that behavior will be banned from the comment section. Click here to comment on our Facebook page Reagan Documents Shed Light on U.S. Meddling Special Report: Secret documents from the Reagan administration show how the U.S. embedded political action, i.e., the manipulation of foreign governments, in ostensibly well-meaning organizations, reports Robert Parry. By Robert Parry September 14, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Secret documents, recently declassified by the Reagan presidential library, reveal senior White House officials reengaging a former CIA proprietary, The Asia Foundation, in political action, an intelligence term of art for influencing the actions of foreign governments. The documents from 1982 came at a turning-point moment when the Reagan administration was revamping how the U.S. government endeavored to manipulate the internal affairs of governments around the world in the wake of scandals in the 1960s and 1970s involving the Central Intelligence Agencys global covert operations. Instead of continuing to rely heavily on the CIA, President Reagan and his national security team began offloading many of those political action responsibilities to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that operated in a more overt fashion and received funding from other U.S. government agencies. But secrecy was still required for the involvement of these NGOs in the U.S. governments strategies to bend the political will of targeted countries. If the political action of these NGOs were known, many countries would object to their presence; thus, the secret classification of the 1982 White House memos that I recently obtained via a mandatory declassification review from the archivists at the Reagan presidential library in Simi Valley, California. In intelligence circles, political action refers to a wide range of activities to influence the policies and behaviors of foreign nations, from slanting their media coverage, to organizing and training opposition activists, even to setting the stage for regime change. The newly declassified memos from the latter half of 1982 marked an ad hoc period of transition between the CIA scandals, which peaked in the 1970s, and the creation of more permanent institutions to carry out these semi-secretive functions, particularly the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which was created in 1983. Much of this effort was overseen by a senior CIA official, Walter Raymond Jr., who was moved to Reagans National Security Councils staff where he managed a number of interagency task forces focused on public diplomacy, psychological operations, and political action. Raymond, who had held top jobs in the CIAs covert operations shop specializing in propaganda and disinformation, worked from the shadows inside Reagans White House, too. Raymond was rarely photographed although his portfolio of responsibilities was expansive. He brought into his orbit emerging stars, including Lt. Col. Oliver North (a central figure in the Iran-Contra scandal), State Department propagandist (and now a leading neocon) Robert Kagan, and NED President Carl Gershman (who still heads NED with its $100 million budget). Despite his camera avoidance, Raymond appears to have grasped his true importance. In his NSC files, I found a doodle of an organizational chart that had Raymond at the top holding what looks like the crossed handles used by puppeteers to control the puppets below them. The drawing fit the reality of Raymond as the behind-the-curtains operative who controlled various high-powered inter-agency task forces. Earlier declassified documents revealed that Raymond also was the conduit between CIA Director William J. Casey and these so-called pro-democracy programs that used sophisticated propaganda strategies to influence not only the thinking of foreign populations but the American people, too. This history is relevant again now amid the hysteria over alleged Russian meddling in last years U.S. presidential elections. If those allegations are true and the U.S. government has still not presented any real proof the Russian motive would have been, in part, payback for Washingtons long history of playing games with the internal politics of Russia and other countries all across the planet. A Fight for Money The newly released memos describe bureaucratic discussions about funding levels for The Asia Foundation (TAF), with the only sensitive topic, to justify the secret stamp, being the reference to the U.S. governments intent to exploit TAFs programs for political action operations inside Asian countries. Indeed, the opportunity for political action under TAFs cover appeared to be the reason why Reagans budget cutters relented and agreed to restore funding to the foundation. William Schneider Jr. of the Office of Management and Budget wrote in a Sept. 2, 1982 memo that the Budget Review Board (BRB) had axed TAF funding earlier in the year. When the BRB last considered this issue on March 29, 1982, it decided not to include funding in the budget for a U.S. Government grant to TAF. The Boards decision was based on the judgement that given the limited resources available for international affairs programs, funding for the Foundation could not be justified. During that March 29 meeting, the State Department was given the opportunity to fund TAF within its existing budget, but would not agree to do so. However, as Schneider noted in the memo to Deputy National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane, I now understand that a proposal to continue U.S. funding for the Asia Foundation is included in the political action initiatives being developed by the State Department and several other agencies. We will, of course, work with you to reconsider the relative priority of support for the Foundation as part of these initiatives keeping in mind, however, the need for identifying budget offsets. A prime mover behind this change of heart appeared to be Walter Raymond, who surely knew TAFs earlier status as a CIA proprietary. In 1966, Ramparts magazine exposed that relationship and led the Johnson administration to terminate the CIAs money. According to an April 12, 1967 memo from the State Departments historical archives, CIA Director Richard Helms, responding to a White House recommendation, ordered that covert funding of The Asia Foundation (TAF) shall be terminated at the earliest practicable opportunity. In coordination with the CIAs disassociation, TAFs board released what the memo described as a carefully limited statement of admission of past CIA support. In so doing the Trustees sought to delimit the effects of an anticipated exposure of Agency support by the American press and, if their statement or some future expose does not seriously impair TAFs acceptability in Asia, to continue operating in Asia with overt private and official support. The CIA memo envisioned future funding from overt U.S. Government grants and requested guidance from the White Houses covert action oversight panel, the 303 Committee, for designation of someone to whom TAF management should look for future guidance and direction with respect to United States Government interests. In 1982, with TAFs funding again in jeopardy, the CIAs Walter Raymond rallied to its defense from his NSC post. In an undated memo to McFarlane, Raymond recalled that the Department of State underscored that TAF had made significant contributions to U.S. foreign policies through fostering democratic institutions and, as a private organization, had accomplished things which a government organization cannot do. [Emphasis in original] Raymonds bureaucratic intervention worked. By late 1982, the Reagan administration had arranged for TAFs fiscal 1984 funding to go through the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) budget, which was being used to finance a range of President Reagans democracy initiatives. Raymond spelled out the arrangements in a Dec. 15, 1982 memo to National Security Advisor William Clark. The issue has been somewhat beclouded in the working levels at State since we have opted to fund all FY 84 democracy initiatives via the USIA budgetary submission, Raymond wrote. At the same time, it is essential State maintain its operational and management role with TAF. Over the ensuing three and half decades, TAF has continued to be subsidized by U.S. and allied governments. According to its annual report for the year ending Sept. 30, 2016, TAF said it is funded by an annual appropriation from the U.S. Congress, competitively bid awards from governmental and multilateral development agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, United Kingdoms Department for International Development and by private foundations and corporations, a sum totaling $94.5 million. TAF, which operates in 18 Asian countries, describes its purpose as improving lives across a dynamic and developing Asia. TAFs press office had no immediate comment regarding the newly released Reagan-era documents. Far From Alone But TAF was far from alone as a private organization that functioned with U.S. government money and collaborated with U.S. officials in achieving Washingtons foreign policy goals. For instance, other documents from the Reagan library revealed that Freedom House, a prominent human rights organization, sought advice and direction from Casey and Raymond while advertising the groups need for financial help. In an Aug. 9, 1982 letter to Raymond, Freedom House executive director Leonard R. Sussman wrote that Leo Cherne [another senior Freedom House official] has asked me to send these copies of Freedom Appeals. He has probably told you we have had to cut back this project to meet financial realities. We would, of course, want to expand the project once again when, as and if the funds become available. According to the documents, Freedom House remained near the top of Caseys and Raymonds thinking when it came to the most effective ways to deliver the CIAs hardline foreign policy message to the American people and to the international community. On Nov. 4, 1982, Raymond wrote to NSC Advisor Clark about the Democracy Initiative and Information Programs, stating that Bill Casey asked me to pass on the following thought concerning your meeting with [right-wing billionaire] Dick Scaife, Dave Abshire [then a member of the Presidents Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board], and Co. Casey had lunch with them today and discussed the need to get moving in the general area of supporting our friends around the world. By this definition he is including both building democracy and helping invigorate international media programs. The DCI [Casey] is also concerned about strengthening public information organizations in the United States such as Freedom House. A critical piece of the puzzle is a serious effort to raise private funds to generate momentum. Caseys talk with Scaife and Co. suggests they would be very willing to cooperate. Suggest that you note White House interest in private support for the Democracy initiative. In a Jan. 25, 1983 memo, Raymond wrote, We will move out immediately in our parallel effort to generate private support for public diplomacy operations. Then, on May 20, 1983, Raymond recounted in another memo that $400,000 had been raised from private donors brought to the White House Situation Room by USIA Director Charles Wick. According to that memo, the money was divided among several organizations, including Freedom House and Accuracy in Media, a right-wing media attack group. In an Aug. 9, 1983 memo, Raymond outlined plans to arrange private backing for that effort. He said USIA Director Wick via [Australian publishing magnate Rupert] Murdock [sic], may be able to draw down added funds to support pro-Reagan initiatives. Raymond recommended funding via Freedom House or some other structure that has credibility in the political center. [For more on the Murdoch connection, see Consortiumnews.coms Rupert Murdoch: Propaganda Recruit. ] Questions of Legality Raymond remained a CIA officer until April 1983 when he resigned so in his words there would be no question whatsoever of any contamination of this propaganda operation to woo the American people into supporting Reagans policies. Raymond fretted, too, about the legality of Caseys role in the effort to influence U.S. public opinion because of the legal prohibition against the CIA influencing U.S. policies and politics. Raymond confided in one memo that it was important to get [Casey] out of the loop, but Casey never backed off and Raymond continued to send progress reports to his old boss well into 1986. It was the kind of thing which [Casey] had a broad catholic interest in, Raymond said during his Iran-Contra deposition in 1987. He then offered the excuse that Casey undertook this apparently illegal interference in domestic affairs not so much in his CIA hat, but in his adviser to the president hat. In 1983, Casey and Raymond focused on creating a permanent funding mechanism to support private organizations that would engage in propaganda and political action that the CIA had historically organized and paid for covertly. The idea emerged for a congressionally funded entity that would be a conduit for this money. But Casey recognized the need to hide the strings being pulled by the CIA. In one undated letter to then-White House counselor Edwin Meese III, Casey urged creation of a National Endowment, but added: Obviously we here [at CIA] should not get out front in the development of such an organization, nor should we appear to be a sponsor or advocate. A document in Raymonds files offered examples of what would be funded, including Grenada 50 K To the only organized opposition to the Marxist government of Maurice Bishop (The Seaman and Waterfront Workers Union). A supplemental 50 K to support free TV activity outside Grenada and Nicaragua $750 K to support an array of independent trade union activity, agricultural cooperatives. The National Endowment for Democracy took shape in late 1983 as Congress decided to also set aside pots of money within NED for the Republican and Democratic parties and for organized labor, creating enough bipartisan largesse that passage was assured. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Click Here For Your Free Daily Newsletter But some in Congress thought it was important to wall the NED off from any association with the CIA, so a provision was included to bar the participation of any current or former CIA official, according to one congressional aide who helped write the legislation. This aide told me that one night late in the 1983 session, as the bill was about to go to the House floor, the CIAs congressional liaison came pounding at the door to the office of Rep. Dante Fascell, a senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a chief sponsor of the bill. The frantic CIA official conveyed a single message from CIA Director Casey: the language barring the participation of CIA personnel must be struck from the bill, the aide recalled, noting that Fascell consented to the demand, not fully recognizing its significance. The aide said Fascell also consented to the Reagan administrations choice of Carl Gershman to head the National Endowment for Democracy, again not recognizing how this decision would affect the future of the new entity and American foreign policy. Gershman, who had followed the classic neoconservative path from youthful socialism to fierce anticommunism, became NEDs first (and, to this day, only) president. Though NED is technically independent of U.S. foreign policy, Gershman in the early years coordinated decisions on grants with Raymond at the NSC. For instance, on Jan. 2, 1985, Raymond wrote to two NSC Asian experts that Carl Gershman has called concerning a possible grant to the Chinese Alliance for Democracy (CAD). I am concerned about the political dimension to this request. We should not find ourselves in a position where we have to respond to pressure, but this request poses a real problem to Carl. Besides clearing aside political obstacles for Gershman, Raymond also urged NED to give money to Freedom House in a June 21, 1985 letter obtained by Professor John Nichols of Pennsylvania State University. What the documents at the Reagan library make clear is that Raymond and Casey stayed active shaping the decisions of the new funding mechanism throughout its early years. (Casey died in 1987; Raymond died in 2003.) Lots of Money Since its founding, NED has ladled out hundreds of millions of dollars to NGOs all over the world, focusing on training activists, building media outlets, and supporting civic organizations. In some geopolitical hotspots, NED may have scores of projects running at once, such as in Ukraine before the 2014 coup that overthrew elected President Viktor Yanukovych and touched off the New Cold War with Russia. Via such methods, NED helped achieve the political action envisioned by Casey and Raymond. From the start, NED also became a major benefactor for Freedom House, beginning with a $200,000 grant in 1984 to build a network of democratic opinion-makers. In NEDs first four years, from 1984 and 1988, it lavished $2.6 million on Freedom House, accounting for more than one-third of its total income, according to a study by the liberal Council on Hemispheric Affairs, which was entitled Freedom House: Portrait of a Pass-Through. Over the ensuing decades, Freedom House has become almost an NED subsidiary, often joining NED in holding policy conferences and issuing position papers, both organizations pushing primarily a neoconservative agenda, challenging countries deemed insufficiently free, including Syria, Ukraine (before the 2014 coup) and Russia. NED and Freedom House often work as a kind of tag-team with NED financing NGOs inside targeted countries and Freedom House berating those governments if they try to crack down on U.S.-funded NGOs. For instance, on Nov. 16, 2012, NED and Freedom House joined together to denounce a law passed by the Russian parliament requiring Russian recipients of foreign political money to register with the government. Or, as NED and Freedom House framed the issue: the Russian Duma sought to restrict human rights and the activities of civil society organizations and their ability to receive support from abroad. Changes to Russias NGO legislation will soon require civil society organizations receiving foreign funds to choose between registering as foreign agents or facing significant financial penalties and potential criminal charges. Of course, the United States has a nearly identical Foreign Agent Registration Act that likewise requires entities that receive foreign funding and seek to influence U.S. government policy to register with the Justice Department or face possible fines or imprisonment. But the Russian law would impede NEDs efforts to destabilize the Russian government through funding of political activists, journalists and civic organizations, so it was denounced as an infringement of human rights and helped justify Freedom Houses rating of Russia as not free. The Russian governments concerns were not entirely paranoid. On Sept. 26, 2013, Gershman, in effect, charted the course for the crisis in Ukraine and the greater neocon goal of regime change in Russia. In a Washington Post op-ed, Gershman called Ukraine the biggest prize and explained how pulling it into the Western camp could contribute to the ultimate defeat of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukraines choice to join Europe will accelerate the demise of the ideology of Russian imperialism that Putin represents, Gershman wrote. Russians, too, face a choice, and Putin may find himself on the losing end not just in the near abroad but within Russia itself. The long history of the U.S. government interfering covertly or semi-covertly in the politics of countries all over the world is the ironic backdrop to the current frenzy over Russia-gate and Russias alleged dissemination of emails that undermined Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clintons campaign. The allegations are denied by both Putin and WikiLeaks editor Julian Assange who published the Democratic emails and the U.S. government has presented no solid evidence to support the accusations of Russian meddling but if the charges are true, they could be seen as a case of turnabout as fair play. Except in this case, U.S. officials, who have meddled ceaselessly with their political action operations in countries all over the world, dont like even the chance that they could get a taste of their own medicine. Investigative reporter Robert Parry broke many of the Iran-Contra stories for The Associated Press and Newsweek in the 1980s. You can buy his latest book, Americas Stolen Narrative, either in print here or as an e-book (from Amazon and barnesandnoble.com ). Interventionism Produced the 9/11 Attacks By Jacob G. Hornberger September 14, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - One thing is certain about the U.S. mainstream medias memorialization of the 9/11 attacks. They are not about to mention, much less emphasize, that the attacks were among the rotten fruits of U.S. interventionism, the foreign-policy philosophy that continues to hold the United States in its grip. Given the ongoing debacles of death, destruction, tyranny, torture, ISIS, and refugee crises arising from U.S interventionism in Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Syria, and Afghanistan, the last thing interventionists want Americans to focus on is that interventionism gave us 9/11 as well. The 9/11 attacks were not the first time the World Trade Center came under a terrorist attack. The first attack came 8 years before, in 1993. When one of the terrorists, Ramzi Yousef, was brought before a federal judge for sentencing (because terrorism is a federal criminal offense, not an act of war), he angrily told the judge something to the effect of: Go ahead and call me a terrorist if you will. But the truth is that you all are butchers. What he was referring to was the U.S. governments intentional use of sanctions to kill thousands of children in Iraq prior to the 1993 terrorist attack on the WTC. In fact, it was the intentional killing of those children that partly motivated Yousef to attack the WTC in 1993. Thats why he called U.S. officials butchers prior to his sentencing because they were intentionally killing children lots of children, not one of whom had ever initiated any violence against the United States. After Yousef was sentenced, U.S. officials continued their sanctions on Iraq knowing that there were killing even more children and knowing full well that Yousef had been motivated to attack the WTC by such killings. Three years after Yousefs sentencing in 1996 Madeleine Albright, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, was asked if the deaths of half-a-million Iraqi children from the U.S. sanctions were worth it. Albright said that it was not an easy call but that, yes, the deaths were worth it. Not one single U.S. official, as far as I know, issued any condemnation or even mild criticism of Albrights statement. Thats undoubtedly because they agreed with her. By it Albright meant regime change in Iraq. During the 1980s, U.S. officials had helped Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein to kill Iranians in his war on Iran. By 1990, however, the U.S. government had turned against its former partner and ally because his army had invaded Kuwait as a result of an oil-drilling dispute between Iraq and Kuwait. U.S. officials decided that they wanted Saddam ousted from power and replaced with a pro-U.S. regime. Thats what the deadly sanctions that killed all those Iraqi children were intended to do bring regime change, which has long been a core element in U.S. interventionism. The idea was that as Iraqi parents saw their children dying from infectious illnesses and malnutrition (the Pentagon had intentionally destroyed Iraqs water and sewage treatment plants with that purpose in mind), they would overthrow Saddam and install a pro-U.S. regime. Alternatively, U.S. officials figured that Saddam might abdicate rather than watch all those Iraqi children die. It didnt work. By the time of the 9/11 attacks, the sanctions were still in place, hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children were dead and more were still dying, and Saddam Hussein was still in power. Prior to the 9/11 attacks, there were those who said: Stop the sanctions and stop killing those children because if you dont, youre going to have terrorist retaliation, just like the 1993 terrorist attack on the WTC. FFF was among them. Before the 9/11 attacks, we published op-eds and commentaries saying that if U.S. interventionism in the Middle East continued, there was the likelihood of terrorist retaliation on American soil. The noted scholar Chalmers Johnson said the same thing, especially in his excellent pre-9/11 book Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire . No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Click Here For Your Free Daily Newsletter U.S. officials ignored the warnings, just as they scoffed when high UN officials resigned in protest against what they called the genocide that U.S. sanctions were committing against innocent children. Not surprisingly, Osama bin Laden cited the U.S. governments massive killing of Iraqi children in his pre-9/11 declaration of war against the United States. Once many Americans bought into the they hate us for our freedom and values line after the 9/11 attacks, it became easy for U.S. officials to use the 9/11 attacks to justify their invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. The invasion of Iraq was intended to accomplish what the 11 years of sanctions had failed to accomplish regime change in Iraq. The war on Afghanistan was initiated because the Taliban regime refused to comply with President Bushs unconditional extradition demand for Osama bin Laden, notwithstanding the fact that there was no extradition treaty between Afghanistan and the United States. In the process, by using the 9/11 attacks to double down with more U.S. interventionism, America ended up with a perpetual threat of terrorist blowback and the never-ending war on terrorism, not to mention ever-increasing budgets and totalitarian-like powers for the Pentagon, the CIA, and the NSA. Thats how it that we now live in a society of forever wars, out-of-control federal spending and debt, assassination, kidnappings, regime change, coups, alliances with dictatorial regimes, and foreign aid for dictators. Obviously this was not the type of system envisioned by the Framers when they called the federal government into existence. Our American ancestors would never have ratified the Constitution if they had known that it was going to bring a federal government into existence that wielded totalitarian-like powers, intentionally killed children, and engaged in foreign interventionism. Unfortunately, later generations of Americans decided to abandon our nations founding principles of non-interventionism and a constitutional, limited-government republic. Americans who would prefer a society based on peace, prosperity, harmony, morality, and freedom would be wise to reflect on that decision today, the anniversary date of the 9/11 attacks, and beyond. US Threatens to Cut China Off From Dollar if it Does Not Uphold Sanctions Against N. Korea By RT September 14, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - The US could impose economic sanctions on China if it does not implement the new sanctions regime against North Korea, the US Treasury Secretary has warned. Steven Mnuchin said the restrictions could involve cutting off Beijings access to the US financial system. North Korea economic warfare works, Mnuchin said Tuesday at the Delivering Alpha Conference in New York City. We sent a message that anybody who wanted to trade with North Korea we would consider them not trading with us. The Treasury Secretary echoed the words of the US envoy to the UN, Nikki Haley, by calling the fresh round of sanctions against Pyongyang historic. Mnuchin added if China doesnt follow these sanctions, we will put additional sanctions on them and prevent them from accessing the US and international dollar system. Washington has, so far, been reluctant to impose economic sanctions on China over concerns of possible retaliatory measures from Beijing and the potentially catastrophic consequences for the global economy. Washington runs a $350 billion annual trade deficit with Beijing. China also holds $1 trillion in US debt, which amounts to 28 percent of US Treasury bills, notes and bonds held by a foreign government. US lawmakers, however, seemed to be more inclined to exert pressure on Beijing and other countries striking deals with Pyongyang as they demand a supercharged response to North Koreas nuclear tests, including imposing sanctions on companies from China and any other country doing business in North Korea. I believe the response from the United States and our allies should be supercharged, said Ed Royce, chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee during a hearing Tuesday. We need to use every ounce of leverage... to put maximum pressure on this rogue regime, he said, adding that time is running out. Royce also called on Washington to target major Chinese banks, including the Agricultural Bank of China and the China Merchants Bank for dealing with Pyongyang. He also said China was apparently reluctant to follow through on the sanctions adopted by the UN Security Council (UNSC) against the North. Its been a long, long time of waiting for China to comply with the sanctions that we pass and, frankly, with the sanctions that the United Nations passed, he said. The committee chair went on to say the US could give Chinese banks and companies a choice between doing business with North Korea or the United States. He added that the US should also go after banks and companies in other countries that do business with North Korea the same way. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Click Here For Your Free Daily Newsletter Committee members also expressed unease over the fact that the sanctions imposed on North Korea have so far been ineffective in preventing Pyongyang from developing its nuclear and missile programs. Weve been played by the Kims for years, Republican Representative Ted Poe said, referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his predecessors, as reported by Reuters. President Donald Trump also downplayed the role of the newly adopted sanctions later Tuesday. We think its just another very small step, not a big deal. I dont know if it has any impact, he told reporters at the start of a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. Trump also said he already discussed the issue with his State Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. He ominously added that those sanctions are nothing compared to what ultimately will have to happen without specifying what he meant by that. The UNSC unanimously approved a new resolution on sanctions against Pyongyang on September 11. Following a series of behind-the-scenes negotiations Sunday, diplomats agreed not to ban oil exports into North Korea. Instead, the ninth set of restrictive sanctions against Pyongyang authorized an annual cap of 2 million barrels of refined petroleum products to North Korea. It also banned the Norths textile exports the second-biggest export for the country, which totals $752 million according to data from the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency. Chinese and Russian negotiators managed to persuade the US delegation not to impose a travel ban or asset freeze on North Koreas leader Kim Jong-un. Americas Fragile Future The U.S. mainstreams flailing about over alleged Russian meddling in American politics reflects a nation that is rapidly losing its global dominance and fearful of even the slightest challenge, as Gilbert Doctorow explains. By Gilbert Doctorow September 14, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - Does the United States have a future as a great power? Twenty years ago posing this question would have seemed absurd. The United States was fully self- confident about its position as the sole surviving superpower in the world. It faced virtually no obstacles or objections to its performance on behalf of the public good, a process that supposedly brought order to the world either through the liberal international institutions that it helped to create after World War Two and dominated, or through unilateral action when necessary via coalitions of the willing aimed at bringing down one or another disruptive malefactor on a regional stage. From many voices abroad it heard amen to its claims of exceptionalism and farther-seeing vision that came from its standing taller, as Secretary of State Madeleine Albright put it. The indispensable nation. Fourteen years ago, when America prepared for its ill-conceived invasion of Iraq and encountered loud resistance from France and Germany, backed up by Russia, it became possible to wonder whether U.S. global hegemony could last. The disaster that the Iraqi adventure quickly became within a year of George W. Bush declaring mission accomplished rolled on and progressively diminished the enthusiasm of allies and others hitherto on the U.S. bandwagon for each new project to re-engineer troublesome nations, to overthrow autocrats and usher in an age of liberal democracy across the globe. Still, the doubts were discussed sotto voce. Governments tended to conform to what the Russians colorfully call giving someone the finger in your pocket. Observers spoke their piece privately against the violations of international law and simple decency that the United States was perpetrating and against the swathe of chaos that followed American intervention across the Greater Middle East. But such persons were on the fringes of political life and drew little attention. What has happened over the past couple of years is that doubts about the competence of the United States to lead the world have been compounded by doubts about the ability of the United States to govern itself. The dysfunction of the federal government has come out of the closet as an issue and is talked about fairly regularly even by commentators and publications that are quintessentially representative of the Establishment. In this connection, it is remarkable to note that the September-October issue of Foreign Affairs magazine carries an essay entitled Kleptocracy in America by Sarah Chayes. This takes us entirely away from the personality peculiarities of the 45th President into the broader and more important realm of the systemic flaws of governance, namely the extraordinary political power wielded by the very wealthy and the self-serving policies that they succeed in enacting, all at the expense of the general public that has stagnated economically for decades now, setting the stage for the voter revolt that brought Trump to power. And in an op-ed essay in The Washington Post on Sept. 1, which was remarkable precisely for its identification of the failing political culture in Washington, Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, says the following: Congress will return from recess next week facing continued gridlock as we lurch from one self-created crisis to another. We are proving inadequate not only to our most difficult problems but also to routine duties. Our national political campaigns never stop. We seem convinced that majorities exist to impose their will with few concessions and that minorities exist to prevent the party in power from doing anything important. McCain himself was until now a major contributor to the poisonous political climate in Washington, to partisanship that tramples patriotism under foot. One thinks of his unprecedented attack on fellow Republican Sen. Rand Paul several months ago whom he accused of working for Putin because the senator from Kentucky refused to vote for the accession of Montenegro to NATO. Permanent Gridlock Gridlock in the federal government is nothing new. In the past decade, work of the federal government came to a standstill when Congress and the President could not agree to the conditions under which the federal debt ceiling would be raised. Such an eventuality was just narrowly averted in the past few days. Public exposure and ridicule of a sitting president for personal failings, such as the case of Bill Clintons sexual transgressions, have been exploited for political gain by his opponents whatever the cost to national prestige. We have lived through that crisis of the political elites and the Republic survived. What is new and must be called out is the loss of civility in public discourse at all levels, from the President, from the Congress and down to the average citizen. The widely decried unsubstantiated personal attacks that otherwise would be called defamation during the 2016 presidential electoral campaign were symptomatic of this all-encompassing phenomenon. It signifies a dramatic decline in American political culture that the whole world sees and is beginning to act upon in self-defense. Let us start with President Donald Trump, who is attacked daily by the liberal media that represents the lions share of all television programming and print publications, media that vehemently opposes Trumps domestic and foreign policy positions. In their determination to ensure either his impeachment or effectively to strip him of powers, they speak of Trump the way cheaply printed caricatures for the masses lampooned Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette before the French Revolution. The President is publicly described by his compatriots as an imbecile, a rabid racist, a misogynist, a volatile and impulsive narcissist whose finger on the nuclear button gives us all goose pimples: this cannot be ignored by the wider world outside U.S. borders and it is not ignored. To be sure, Donald Trump has brought a good deal of this ignominy on himself by his intemperate comments on daily events, particularly at home but also abroad, where silence or a nod to conventional verities would be the better part of valor. He keeps his own counsel on foreign affairs and erroneously believes that his instincts are superior to the advice of experts. In his kitchen cabinet, there are no experts. In the official cabinet, he has for his own reasons assembled a group consisting mostly of neoconservatives and liberal interventionists, who made it easy for him to get their confirmations in the Senate but who are all pulling in the direction opposite to the America First concepts of nonintervention in the affairs of other states that he set out in his electoral campaign. Trump changes direction daily, even on matters as critical as the likely U.S. response to the ongoing crisis on the Korean peninsula. The tactic of unpredictability was an approach he said in the campaign he would use against enemies, in particular against terrorist groups, not to tip them off about U.S. intentions in advance and weaken the effect of eventual U.S. military strikes. But it makes no sense when applied to all other current business, which requires a firm hand on the tiller and sense of continuity and predictability, not constant disruption. Undoing Bonds The net result of Donald Trumps first six months in office has been to undo the bonds of mutual confidence with Americas allies and friends, and to put Americas competitors on notice that Americas role in the world is up for grabs. Foreign policy has opened up as a topic for discussion here in Europe ever since Donald scattered the chickens by his loose talk about NATO and Americas commitment or non-commitment to the Article 5 provision of all for one and one for all. This has given impetus to the long-spluttering plans to create a European Union army as an alternative to NATO, and as a rallying point for federalists in what will be a two-speed Europe. During the two terms of Obama, meddling in the internal politics of China and Russia, repeated hectoring over their alleged human rights and rule of law violations, but still more importantly the wrong-headed policy of simultaneous containment of these two giants through construction of military alliances and bases at their borders put in motion a strategic partnership between them that was once improbable but is now flourishing. The Russia-China axis is underpinned by vast joint investments and promises to remake the global power balance in the decades to come. Now, with Trump, the damage to American power in the Pacific region is spreading. His ripping up free trade accords and his incautious rhetoric regarding possible military strikes against North Korea have pushed both Japan and South Korea to explore actively and urgently how Russia can be befriended, at a minimum, for the sake of greater leverage against the big ally in North America. This has been demonstrated with perfect clarity by the meetings of Vladimir Putin with Japanese premier Shinzo Abe and South Korean president Moon Jae-in at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok over the past couple of days. Russias evolving political entente with both South Korea and Japan is providing support for the launch of ambitious foreign investment projects in its Far East as announced at the Forum. These include one which has the potential to re-shape the imagination of regional populations for a generation to come: revival of plans to build a $50 billion rail-auto bridge linking Hokkaido with the Russian island of Sakhalin, thus uniting Japan with the continent and facilitating freight shipments across Russia to Europe. No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Click Here For Your Free Daily Newsletter For its part, South Korea announced infrastructure investments for the Northern sea route linking South Korea with European markets through sea lanes kept open by Russian icebreakers. Like the Chinese One Belt One Road, these plans all dramatically reduce the importance to world trade of the long-standing U.S.-policed sea lanes off Southeast Asia up to and through the Suez Canal. Of course, the low point in Americas image in the world today under Trump is not entirely new. By the end of his two terms in office, George W. Bush had driven American prestige to what were then all time lows even among Europeans. There was a brief resurgence of American popularity at the start of Barack Obamas tenure in office. But that was quickly dissipated by his failure to deliver on the pledges of his campaign and inaugural address, as the Guantanamo Bay prison remained open, as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continued, and as drone strikes proliferated. Opening a Void But Donald Trump has shaken up the world order by repeatedly questioning the public good that the United States claimed to be delivering these past decades, opening a void without projecting a new vision of global governance. In the meantime, the unique value of Americas commitment to the public good is being eroded as other countries step forward with infrastructure and other plans that provide practical improvements in the public sphere. It is commonplace today within the United States to put all blame for the shocking decline in political culture at the door of President Trump with his boorish language and behavior. However, as we noted from the outset in citing Senator John McCains recent op-ed, Congress has contributed mightily to the erosion of civic values by its vicious and counterproductive partisanship. And yet a still greater threat to American democracy and to the sustainability of Americas great power status has come from the inverse phenomenon, namely the truly bipartisan management of foreign policy in Congress. The Republican and Democratic leaderships have maintained strict discipline in promotion of what are nearly identical neoconservative (Republican) and liberal interventionist positions on virtually every foreign policy issue before Congress. Committees on security and foreign affairs invite to testify before them only those experts who can be counted on to support the official Washington narrative. Debate on the floor of the houses is nonexistent. And the votes are so lopsided as to be shocking, none more so that the votes in August on the Countering Americas Adversaries through Sanctions Act. This measure moved sanctions on Iran, North Korea and Russia from the category of Executive Order to federal law. In the Senate, the bill passed 98 to 2. In the House, the vote was 419 for, 3 against. Such results remind us of the rubber-stamp legislature of the USSR, the Supreme Soviet, in its heyday. That particular vote was still more scandalous for its being drafted and passed without any consultation with U.S. allies and friends, though its intent is to control their commercial and credit policies with respect to the target countries under sanction. For Europeans, in particular, this puts into question their ability to pursue what they see as great economic benefits from trade and investment with Russia and Iran. In this sense, Congress demonstrated that it is pursuing a still more radical program of America First than the President. This in-your-face unilateralism works directly to the detriment of Americas standing in global forums. The New McCarthyism It would be comforting if the problems of our political culture began and ended with the elites operating in Washington, D.C. However, that is patently not the case. The problem exists across the country in the form of stultifying conformism, or groupthink that is destroying the open marketplace for ideas essential for any vital democracy. Some of us have called this the new McCarthyism, because the most salient aspect of groupthink is the ongoing hysteria over alleged Russian meddling in U.S. domestic politics. The denunciations of stooges of Putin and the blacklisting from both mass and professional media of those known to deliver unconventional, heterodox views on Russia and other issues of international affairs is reminiscent of what went on during the witch hunt for Communists in government and in the media during the early 1950s. However, no one is being hounded from office today. There are no show trials, as yet, for treasonous collusion with Russia. So, it would be safer to speak of an atmosphere of intimidation that stifles free debate on the key security issues facing the American public. Absence of debate equates to a dumbing-down of our political elites as intellectual skills atrophy and results in poor formulation of policy. The whole necessarily undermines Americas soft power and standing in the world. Groupthink in America today did not come from nowhere. Debilitating conformism was always part of our DNA, as is the case in a great many countries, though its emergence has been episodic and in varying degrees of severity. The present acute manifestation in the United States goes back to the mass paranoia which followed the 9/11 terrorist attacks when the George W. Bush administration introduced the Patriot Act, gutting our civil rights in exchange for the promise of security. Though the revelations of Edward Snowden have shown the extent and potency of the instruments of surveillance over the general population that were introduced by the Bush administration after 9/11, there was enough of state control exposed in the Patriotic Act text to silence anyone with doubts about U.S. government policies at home and abroad. When the harsh personalities of President Bushs immediate entourage were replaced by the liberal-talking officials of Barack Obama, people breathed easier, but the instruments of surveillance remained in place, as did the neocon middle and senior officials in the State Department, in the Pentagon, and in the intelligence agencies. Thus, for a whole generation the Washington narrative remained unchanged, giving encouragement in communities across the land to neocon-minded administrators and professors of American universities, publishers and owners of our mainstream newspapers, and other arbiters of public taste. That is quite sufficient to explain the current atmosphere of intimidation and groupthink. It is improbable that any Humpty-Dumpty successor to Donald Trump can put the pieces back together again and restore American dominance to where it was at the close of Bill Clintons first term as president. Given American hubris, will our political class accept an equal seat at the global board of governors or just walk away from the table? Gilbert Doctorow is an independent political analyst based in Brussels. His latest book Does Russia Have a Future? was published in August 2015. His forthcoming book Does the United States Have a Future? will be published in September 2017. This article was first published by Consortium News - Kleptocracy in America By Sarah Chayes September 14, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - "Drain the swamp! the U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump shouted at campaign rallies last year. The crowds roared; he won. Our political system is corrupt! the Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders thundered at his own rallies. His approval rating now stands at around 60 percent, dwarfing that of any other national-level elected official. Although many aspects of U.S. politics may be confusing, Americans are clearly more agitated about corruption than they have been in nearly a century, in ways that much of the political mainstream does not quite grasp. The topic has never been central to either major partys platform, and top officials tend to conflate what is legal with what is uncorrupt, speaking a completely different language from that of their constituents. Although the political establishment, including the justices of the Supreme Court, may cling to a legal notion of corruption, ordinary Americans more visceral understanding is in line with an anticorruption Zeitgeist that has swept the world in the past decade. In Brazil, huge, ongoing street protests over the course of two years have bolstered the federal police force and a crusading jurist, Sergio Moro, as they have investigated and brought to justice high-ranking perpetrators in a web of corruption scandals . Their work has already led to the impeachment of one president, Dilma Rousseff, and her successor, Michel Temer, is also in the cross hairs. A similar movement has shaken Guatemala, where a UN-backed commission has helped prosecutors bring charges against dozens of officials, including Otto Perez Molinawho was the countrys president until 2015, when he resigned and was arrested on corruption charges. Earlier this year, South Korean President Park Guen-hye met the same fate. In countries as varied as Bulgaria, Honduras, Iraq, Lebanon, Malaysia, Moldova, Romania, and South Africa, where governments havent been toppled, citizens have nonetheless shown remarkable collective energy in protesting corruption. Taken together, these disparate movements add up to a low-grade worldwide insurrection. Elsewhere, taking the pulse of their people, governments such as Chinas have launched top-down initiatives targeting crooked officials . Despite paying lip service to the problem of corruption for decades, leaders in rich, developed countries have never treated it as more than a second-order foreign policy concern. After all, corruption is hard to measure and easy to brush away with arguments about differing cultural norms and the value of facilitation payments in greasing bureaucratic wheels. But lately, it has become harder to deny that corruption lies at the root of many first-order global problems, such as the spread of violent religious extremism or the civil strife and mass casualties witnessed in South Sudan and Syrianot to mention the refugee crises that have followed on their heels. Corruption also plays a major role in the one truly global existential threat: the destruction of the environment. When speaking about the causal relationship between corruption and such issues, Im often asked questions along these lines: OK, corruptions a bad thing, but is there anything that can be done about it? Are there examples of countries that have pulled themselves back from the brink? The political scientist Robert Rotberg has surely fielded the same questions countless times during his distinguished career. He has now published a comprehensive and detailed response. His books answer to the second question is important: some places have indeed dramatically reduced corruption. A few names on that list are familiar success stories, such as Hong Kong and Singapore. OthersBotswana, Georgia, Rwandamight surprise some readers. Rotberg examines these cases, alongside those of both poorer performers and longtime paragons such as Denmark and Finland, in order to figure out what works. His conclusions are scattered throughout the book and then tabulated at the end in a single 14-step program. The book offers authoritative perspectives on a variety of devices that different regimes have applied to the task of fighting corruption. But Rotbergs analysis fails to spell out a reality that his own most fundamental conclusion suggests: corruption is not so much a problem for governments as it is an approach to government, one chosen by far too many rulers today. His suggestions may be helpful to countries that have already undergone some sharp transitions fueled by anticorruption sentiment, such as Brazil, Burkina Faso, Guatemala, South Korea, Tunisia, and Ukraine. The Corruption Cure, however, is less helpful when it comes to hard-boiled kleptocracies, such as Angola and Azerbaijan. Rotberg also downplays the role of developed countries in facilitating such regimes corrupt practices. And he sidesteps the rather pressing reality of developed countriesincluding the United States beginning their own unmistakable slides toward kleptocracy. CLEANING HOUSE To fight corruption, a good domestic legal framework is at least a start, Rotberg writes, as long as it clearly defines illegal behavior and its consequences. In the exemplary case of Singapore, anticorruption laws include stiff monetary fines and five-year terms of imprisonment for convicted offenders. Civil servants found guilty of corrupt acts can lose their jobs, their benefits, and their pensions. Apart from punishing acts of corruption after the fact, Singaporean law also does what the U.S. Constitution was at least partly designed to do: prevent corruption before it takes place. (That was the purpose of the Emoluments Clause, which prohibits U.S. officials from receiving gifts from foreign governmentsand which is currently the subject of renewed attention owing to three lawsuits charging that Trump has violated it.) In Singapore, Rotberg writes, public servants are prohibited from borrowing money from or financially obligating themselves to any person with whom they did or could have official dealings, whether or not they have corrupt intentions. Botswanas expansive legislation in this area defines an illegal emolument as any gift, benefit, loan, or reward; any office, employment or contract, any payments or discharges of obligations or loans; [or] any other service, Rotberg writes. But too often, Rotberg notes, such laws are just words on paper; what really matters is whether and how they are enforced. Another remedy he examines is anticorruption commissions. In Hong Kong in the 1970s, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) made significant inroads against long-standing traditions of illicit gift giving and profiting from official positions. To help the commission carry out its enforcement responsibilities, legislation placed the burden of proof in cases of unexplained wealth on the accused. The commissions independence was bolstered by a generous fixed annual budget and by the fact that the group reported directly to the colonial governor dispatched from the United Kingdoman official who, Rotberg writes, was considered incorruptible because of his allegiance to London. The ICAC was also subject to oversight by a group of prominent citizens and elected officials. And the commission was charged with corruption prevention and public education, as well as the investigation of wrongdoing. Within a few years of its launch, the ICAC was investigating numerous corruption networks, in which so-called triad gangs worked hand in glove with the police. The commissions prevention department visited government agencies, analyzed their permitting and inspection processes, and recommended improvements. Later, it helped reform the stock exchange and the professional ethics code for lawyers. But such commissions are no panacea, either, Rotberg finds. In many countries, including several in Africa, anticorruption commissions have been worse than ineffective: they have been weaponized to punish opponents of corrupt regimes. In Malawi, for example, Rotberg reports that local observers believed that the 20042006 anticorruption blitz was essentially an exercise in political persecution, since some of its main targets were ranking members of the opposition party. Transparency measures, such as making asset declarations mandatory for public officials, also appear on the list of measures taken by several of Rotbergs most improved countries. So do the streamlining of bureaucratic procedures (to remove red tape that might otherwise require a bribe to cut through) and increasing the salaries of civil servants (to reduce the material need to demand or accept bribes). Norms and standards promoted by international institutions can sometimes help, too. In Georgia, Macedonia, and Montenegro, eligibility requirements for EU membership, which all three seek, have catalyzed significant reforms. (Montenegros efforts so far, however, seem aimed more at checking boxes than at genuinely transforming the way authorities behave.) No Advertising - No Government Grants - This Is Independent Media Click Here For Your Free Daily Newsletter The list of effective measures also contains several drastic steps, including staff purges at agencies widely seen as thoroughly corrupt. Rotberg reports that when Mikheil Saakashvili came to power in Georgia in 2008, the new reformers discharged the entire staff of the ministry of education and recruited new employees by competitive examination; they also sacked 15,000 police officers. In President Paul Kagames Rwanda, it was all 503 members of the Rwandan judiciary, from top to bottom, who got the ax, in 2004. And almost immediately after her 2006 election as Liberias president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf fired virtually all the civil servants who had worked in the prior regimes Ministry of Finance. THE MAFIA STATE The drastic nature of such measures reveals a fundamental weakness in the way The Corruption Cure frames its eponymous problem. Rotberg, like so many authors before him, depicts corruption as an inchoate, corrosive force that seeps into governments that readers might presume are otherwise sound. The metaphor he keeps reaching for is a medical one. Corruption is an insidious cancer, a plague that infects, metastasizes, and cripples. Cure the disease, as the title of the book suggests, and the healed body politic can go out and play. But where does the sickness come from? In explaining how such a malady might take hold, Rotberg resists the temptation to moralize, venturing that corrupt officials may be behaving rationally. By adopting a conscious strategy of self-enrichment through corrupt behavior, they merely . . . act within the often zero-sum expectations of their class and their condition, he writes. Yet that portrait of widespread but uncoordinated opportunism miscasts the nature of contemporary corruption. Rather than a weakness or a disorder, it is the effective functioning of systems designed to enrich the powerful. Rotberg gestures at this fundamental reality toward the end of the book, when he paraphrases an assessment made by Guatemalas UN-backed anticorruption commission: That countrys ruling Patriotic Party was more a criminal gang than a political party. Its role was to rob the state, Rotberg writes. In Guatemala, elites constituted a criminal organizationa kleptocratic conspiracy capable of capturing a national revenue stream, a mafia running a state. This is what corruption looks in at least 60 countries where I have researched the problem: the deliberate operating system of sophisticated networks bent on self-enrichment and remarkably successful at achieving it. For officials in these places, corrupt acts often do not represent rational responses to a permissive environment, as Rotberg would have it; rather, they are a professional requirement . If you are a police officer in Afghanistan or Nigeria, a customs agent in Uzbekistan, or a top administrator in the Honduran environment ministry, you owe your superiors certain things: a cut of your harvest of small bribes, certainly, and perhaps some duly signed and stamped paperwork green-lighting activities that violate regulations. Those who do not perform these allotted tasks are demoted or sidelinedif theyre lucky. Sometimes they are shot. Its the old Mafia choice: plata o plomo, silver or lead. Take the money or take a bullet. These networks come in different forms in different countries. They can be highly structured or fairly diffuse, with varying degrees of internal rivalry and disrupting daily life where they hold sway. Depending on the sources available to them, they capture different revenue streams, including luxury tourism, oil sales, or high-end agricultural exports, such as succulent dates from Tunisia, green beans from Kenya, or the opium whose harvest absorbs much of the labor force in southern Afghanistan each spring. The networks weave together categories that people in developed countries tend to keep separate in their minds: public sector and private sector, black markets and stock markets, professional and personal. Consider the roles played by the Karzai family in post-9/11 Afghanistan, which I had the opportunity to observe at close quarters when I ran a nongovernmental organization established by President Hamid Karzais older brother Qayum. Karzai served in office for nearly 13 years. Qayum acted as a behind-the-scenes power broker, with a stake in a consortium that won millions of dollars in contracts from the U.S. government. Another brother, a self-proclaimed apolitical businessman, owned a cement factory and part of the countrys largest private bank, which was later found to operate like a Ponzi scheme. And a third brother served as both a local official and a main facilitator of the regions prodigious opium traffic. In countries such as Azerbaijan, the overlap between the public and private sectors is even more complete, with the ruling family controlling no fewer than 11 banks and sprawling consortia that net the vast bulk of public procurement. In Egypt, the militarys control over the economy has vastly expanded under the presidency of Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The kleptocracy over which Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez is striving to gain control remains somewhat more loosely structured: private-sector actors, government officials, and drug traffickers exchange favors and often overlap but maintain a certain degree of separation. In such networks, the role of members who hold public office is to craft laws and regulations and tailor their enforcement in ways that serve the networks aims. In return, they get to loot public coffers or siphon off government revenues; they also get cuts of the bribes extorted at the street level or shares in the companies that their practices benefit. If their activity destroys developmental prospects and is antithetical to economic growth and social betterment in their country, as Rotberg puts it, that is of no concern whatsoever. Bettering their countrys prospects is not their objective. Making money is. SWAMP THING Although Rotbergs disease metaphors elide this reality, his suggested anticorruption program is entirely shaped by it. The first of his 14 steps for a country fighting corruption is that it seeks, elects, or anoints a transformative political leader. In other words, reforming a severely corrupt country requires nothing short of regime change. In this sense, The Corruption Cure offers a critical warning: once youve toppled your government, make sure you pick a new chief of state on the basis of his or her concrete intentions with respect to corruption. Dont be distracted, for example, by a prospective leaders identity as a political outsider or stance on religious law: look closely at the actual content of his or her anticorruption platform. For although regime change may be necessary to anticorruption reform, it is clearly not sufficient. Corruption networks are deceptively resilient. Many have survived dramatic efforts to uproot them, ranging from the imprisonment of their leaders to violent revolts against their power. Sometimes they have countenanced their own decapitation, sacrificing a Hosni Mubarak (in Egypt) or a Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali (in Tunisia) to the mob in order to rebound better. In other cases, such as China, they have tried to stay a step ahead of the public by initiating high-profile but self-serving anticorruption measures. By focusing heavily on personal leadership, Rotberg implicitly acknowledges such phenomena without directly grappling with their implications. He thus circles around a crucial question: What is the relationship between kleptocracy and democratic practice? Modern democracy, after all, was developed as a means of guaranteeing government in the public interest. And yet an uncomfortable number of the leaders of Rotbergs most improved countries are authoritarians. If firm leadership from the top is so critical to reform, is it even possible for a democracy that has grown systemically corrupt to change course? The United States has become a testing ground for that question. The countrys slide into a kind of genteel kleptocracy began many years ago, arguably in the 1980s, when deregulation fever hit. The lobbying profession exploded, and industries began writing legislation affecting their sectors; public services such as incarceration and war fighting were privatized; the brakes on money in politics were released; and presidents began filling top regulatory positions with bankers. An economy of transactional exchanges took hold in Washington. Last year was a watershed in this process. In June, the Supreme Court dramatically narrowed the legal definition of bribery when it overturned the corruption conviction of former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell . Meanwhile, supporters of the Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clintonincluding many progressive advocates of campaign finance reformcould be heard defending the propriety of questionable foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation. Although Trumps supporters may think otherwise, his victory and ascent to the White House did not represent regime change; they represented very much more of the same, with a president who has invited top corporate executives not merely to provide advice or draft legislation but also to actually join his team. Such a presidency will only cement the system rigging Trump once decried. For Americans, as for the people of so many of the countries Rotberg discusses, the expulsion of one individual at the top will not be enough to repair the damaged republic. Americans should not fool themselves into thinking that all they must do is see Trump impeached or get out the vote for a standard Democratic or Republican alternative in 2020. The network that Trump is anchoring in Washington is exploiting a system that Americans have all allowed to evolve and from which they have averted their eyes. That network is empowered now and will prove resilient. TURNING THE TIDE I am a bit skeptical of tool kit approaches to fixing such deep-seated problems. But if a committed reformer (or, ideally, a network of reformers) were able to capitalize on the widespread indignation at the United States brand of kleptocratic governance and gain power, he or she should focus less on punishing overt corruption after the fact than on establishing behavioral norms that would head off such wrongdoing before it takes place. This reform movement would bring an end to the practice of writing the rules of the political and economic games in ways that favor those who have already amassed excessive power in both domains. It would craft and enforce the rules so as to afford a dignified living to those who perform underappreciated tasks (schoolteachers, those who care for the elderly, small farmers) or who have chosen to build their lives around nonmonetary values. A policy program to achieve that kind of change would begin with placing sharp curbs on campaign contributions and ending the anonymity that many significant political donors enjoy. Shifting to public-only financing for campaigns may seem radical, but that would be the best solution. Lobbying regulations must be tightened and fiercely enforced. Conflicts of interest must be defined more broadly. Ethical breaches must be swiftly sanctioned in a rigidly nonpartisan fashion, so as to change the incentive structure that currently rewards impropriety and not simply single out isolated offenders. Recent events have demonstrated that the gentlemans agreement governing the ethical practices of officeholders is toothless in the face of a determined violator. Unfortunately, it is now clear that the U.S. Office of Government Ethics needs disciplinary, not just advisory, powers. In general, federal regulatory agencies must be provided with more resources and independence, not less. But behavioral norms are not just a matter of legislation. They are a matter of culture, and those who would seek to improve the integrity of the U.S. government must address the cultural shifts that have made the slide toward American kleptocracy possible. For example, they could devise a detailed integrity pact and pressure elected officials across the political spectrum to sign it. It could include a pledge to release all tax filings and disclose all outside affiliations, to spend a certain minimum amount of time interacting with ordinary constituents, and to work for more stringent campaign finance, conflict-of-interest, and oversight legislation and enforcement. Voters could use such pledges as a base line for rating the performance of their representatives. Most important, would-be reformers must develop an inspiring vision that elevates values other than material growth and the accumulation of moneya vision that celebrates being satisfied with having enough, for example, or the effort to repair battered people and things, or the nurturing of the beauty around us. They must seek to transform the way Americans understand and measure the success of their society. Sarah Chayes - Senior Fellow - Democracy and Rule of Law Program There was a bit of unrest in Umuahia, Abia State on Tuesday as armed soldiers from the Nigerian Army laid siege on the Afaraukwu country home of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu. It was gathered that the well armed soldiers arrived the community on Tuesday with about 10 Armoured Carrier Vehicles and seven Hilux vans. The development, according to PUNCH, has caused panic in the area, forcing shop owners to close immediately. Some of the soldiers also invaded the Abia State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists on Aba Road, Umuahia, and destroyed laptops and other valuables. According to journalists at the secretariat, the soldiers claimed they saw somebody taking photographs of them from the building. The Chairman of Council Mr. John Emejor has confirmed the incident. Emejor who expressed disappointment over the incidents said a National officer of the Union Ezeogo Bonny Okoro was slapped by one of the soldiers. He said, Our press centre was invaded by soldiers, two Journalists lost their IPads and phones, while a national leader in the office was attacked. Our stand is that those involved in this attack on innocent Journalists should be fished out and punished in line with the constitution of the Country. When contacted the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 14 Brigade, Major Oyegoke Gbadamosi, confirmed the incident. He said he had asked the chairman of the Council to send the photograph of the damaged office to him. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the probe of past heads of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, over what it called poor remittances in the past. The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, who briefed Council about the performances of some government agencies, said JAMB for the first time remitted N5 billion to the coffers of the government with a balance of N3 billion still to be remitted compared to maximum N3 million per annum remitted in the past. JAMB in July announced the remittance of N5 billion to the Federal government, the highest so far in 40 years of its existence. The announcement was made by the new management of the examination body, headed by Professor Ishaq Oloyede. She said the disparity in the remittances of the two agencies in the past necessitated the decision to probe all previous heads of the two agencies. The minister also disclosed that other agencies with similar discrepancies in their revenue remittances will be probed. Source: ( PM News ) An Institute of Petroleum Technology (IPT) has been inaugurated by the Yaba College of Technology on Wednesday to address the dearth of local manpower in the oil and gas sector. According to the Chairman, Global Maritime West Africa Ltd.,Mr Ross Agazuma, said at the inauguration that the partnership would produce world class professional technicians for offshore, mining, petroleum and related industry. The college had in 2013 signed a tripartite memorandum agreement with the Global Maritime West Africa Ltd. and Society for Underwater Technology. The institute is to provide energy education with special reference to technology and related disciplines through effective teaching and learning in the college. Agazuma said that academic activities at the institute was structured into six faculties, comprising five centres namely Oil and Gas Technology Centre, Offshore Technology Centre, Centre for Risk and Safety Technology. Others are Pipeline Technology Centre and Energy and Technology Business Management Centre. The mandate of this institute is to train technical professional capable of finding and extracting minerals, oil and gas from earths crust and processing them into useful products. The institute will promote knowledge through active research and publication of research outcomes and provide professional services to the national and international communities, he said. Agazuma said that the institute would be the only institution that focus on specialised engineering technicians with business management in West African sub-region. Our mandate goes beyond our country to West Africa sub-region and to the whole Africa. Consequently, we have set our vision to become a centre of excellence in Nigeria and Africa for conducting cutting-edge research and for producing world-class professionals. It is well established that development and civilisation are directly dependant on the products of petroleum mining; every human activity uses tools which are products of petroleum and mining. We build our houses, make our farms, construct our roads, dams, factories using equipment made of metals and materials which are products of mining. Without mining, there can be no development. This is the main reason why any nation that has mineral resources is considered to be potentially rich, he said. Also, Mr Henry Okoro, speaking as the Chairman of the occasion, said that the institute would provide technical certificate to the highest level in the oil and gas. Okoro urged the Federal Government to invest more in skilled manpower and take it seriously to bring about meaningful development. Earlier, Dr Margaret Ladipo, Rector of the institution, said that the college was delighted to finally achieve its dream of producing competent students for the energy sector. Ladipo said that the partners would produce local content and make the youths employable in the oil and gas sector. The rector said that about 60,000 dollars was needed to train a student abroad, adding with the institute now in the college, many students would be trained. Nine members board of Trustees include Dr Margaret Ladipo as the Chairman, Mr Ross Agazuma, member and Prof. Okechukwu Ukwuoma of Society for Underwater Technology also a member. Source: ( PM News ) The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) on Wednesday elected Nigeria as Vice President, Africa at its ongoing 22nd General Assembly in Chengdu, Sichuan Province of Southwest China. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who led Nigerias delegation to the General Assembly assumed the seat on behalf of the country, for the next two years. NAN reports that Cape Verde was also elected alongside Nigeria as Vice President, Africa, of the global body charged with the responsibility of ensuring sustainable tourism development. The 22nd biannual session of the UNWTO being attended by more than 1,300 delegates from 75 countries also elected Colombia and Mexico to represent the continent of America at the General Assembly. Romania and Switzerland were elected as representative of Europe while Iraq was elected from Middle East and Srilanka from South Asia continent on the Assembly NAN reports that all the elections to the seats were done by acclamation by delegates as agreed by the General Assembly. The Chairman of the UNWTO Executive Council, Li Jinzao, who conducted the elections and the General Assembly said that the body suspended Rule 43 of its Statutes which stipulates secret balloting for the elections. Mr. Jinzao is the Chairman, Chinese National Tourism Administration, the host of the UNWTO 22nd General Assembly. Reacting to his election, Mohammed said that the last time Nigeria occupied the position of UNWTO Vice Presidency was 20 years ago, 1997, and it was a great honour to the country and him. I feel quite honoured and humbled to be called upon to serve as the Vice President of the General Assembly of the UNWTO and it is a very big honour to Nigeria. It has proven one thing that in the last two years, the administration has succeeded in pushing tourism and creative industry as a whole from the back burner to the front burner, from the side issue to the main issue This has also been noticed by the global community and I feel highly gratified about it, he said. The minister said that the position would propel him to do more in the development of the nations tourism and creative industry When you are recognised on a global stage like this, it encourages and spurs you to do more. One thought he was doing this out of sheer commitment but not knowing that he was being noticed globally and this is what I think it is impressive about this. My contributions to UNWTO at various events held in Cote d Ivoire, Madrid and Ethiopia have been borne out of conviction that, this is the way to go. But I was quite surprised when I got a call that I was being nominated to serve Africa as a Vice President of this General Assembly. What that means is that you are squarely in the saddle of driving the global agenda for tourism for the next two years, he said. Mr. Mohammed said that he would leverage on the new position to positively affect tourism in Nigeria. He said: With this new appointment, you will begin to look at yourself not just as a Nigerian citizen but as a World citizen and it means that a lot more will be expected from you. You cannot be serving as a Vice President of the UNWTO General Assembly and allow tourism and creative industry to lag behind in your country because it will be like, physician heals thyself first. It also gives one a closer access to the world tourism organisation and the way it works and it will be a good leverage for Nigeria. The outgoing Secretary General of UNWTO, Taleb Rifai, congratulated the new executives of the Organisation and enjoined them to work towards bringing more members to the fold. He noted that tourism had recorded successive growth in the last six years and the new leaders should leverage on the development. NAN reports that the election of the new Secretary-General of the global tourism body is expected to be ratified by the Executive Council before the end of the five-day General Assembly. It will be recalled that the Conference of Africa Ministers of Tourism under the aegis of UNWTO Commission for Africa (CAF) had ratified Nigerias bid to host the CAF 61st meeting in Abuja from June 4 to June 6 next year. Source: (NAN) The United States supports the deployment of the UN peacekeeping mission throughout the occupied territory, including the Ukrainian-Russian border, and the granting of a broad mandate to them, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. "However, I want to make it clear that such peacekeeping forces should have a broad mandate to maintain peace and security throughout the occupied territory of Ukraine, up to the border with Russia, including the border, in order to avoid deepening or consolidating the split within Ukraine," Nauert said a briefing in Washington. According to her, the United States unambiguously considers the UN peacekeeping mission as a means of protecting the citizens of Ukraine regardless of their nationality. "Our goal is simple. We want to restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as protect the Ukrainian regardless of their religious, ethnicity or language," the State Department representative said. In addition, Nauert noted the unwillingness of the Russian Federation to participate in improving the security situation in the occupied Donbas. "We have repeatedly called on Russia to ensure a real and lasting ceasefire. We would like both sides ... to take heavy weapons and ensure full, unhindered and safe access for international observers," Nauert said. The leadership of the Joint Health Staff Union, JOHESU, has been appealed to by the Federal Government through the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, not to embark on its planned industrial action. The appeal came few hours after the association threatened to begin a nationwide strike on September 20. JOHESU said the planned action was due to governments failure to meet its demands. The government is currently trying to pacify resident doctors who had been on strike since September 4, paralyzing services at secondary and tertiary hospitals across the country. JOHESU comprises all the other professional groups in the health sector and forms about 95 percent of health workers and health care providers in Nigeria. Speaking in Abuja, Mr. Adewole appealed to the leadership of the union to prevail on their members to shelve their planned strike. He said government would continue negotiation with the union and hoped that a consensus would be reached on the issues in contention. The minister further urged leaders of the union to consider the interest of Nigerians who would the ultimate victims of a strike action. The minister assured the JOHESU leadership of the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to the well-being of Nigerians, including the stakeholders in the health sector. Source:( Premium Times ) The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has accused the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police of engaging in kidnapping and armed robbery in the state. The governor, who spoke with newsmen in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, alleged that the SARS Commander, Mr Akin Fakorede, was planted in the state to sabotage the security architecture of Rivers and create an atmosphere of fear. Wike alleged, Most of the kidnappings and armed robberies taking place in this state are done by men of SARS. They use exhibit vehicles to operate. As the Chief Security Officer of the state, you complain, but they choose to play politics with crime. They fight crime in some states but they refuse to fight crime in Rivers State. We are done with the elections, but they are using SARS to create insecurity in the state. As I speak with you, they will deny. But the SARS operative, who was killed, was amongst those who raided the Rivers East Senatorial District Collation Centre. This man can be identified in the video as one of those who invaded the collation centre with Fakorede. The governor contended that the deliberate acts of violence being perpetrated by the police had been planned as part of the rigging process for 2019. I have never seen a country where they politicise crime. It is very obvious that they want to give the impression that Rivers State is unsafe. They want to instil fear preparatory to declaring during the elections that there are so many killings. Authorities deliberately trying to destroy a whole state and you want the people to be happy. I will no longer write (to the IGP). Now is the time to take my case to the public for the whole world to know what is happening, Wike added. The governor maintained that his administration had invested more than any other in security logistics and lamented that the police were working against the state. However, an official police signal with the title Police wireless message with reference number DT0: 121030/09/2017 INGENPOL-X-FHQ ABUJA TO-INGENPOL SEC ABUJA, noted that the squad received a distress call by one Mr Ifeanyi and immediately swung into action. The copy of the signal shown to newsmen also indicated that the IGPs Special Squad met three SARS operatives in an armed robbery operation before a gun battle began. The operatives, according to the signal, had taken the kidnap victim (Ifeanyi) to a Fidelity Bank ATM, where they compelled him to withdraw N500,000 as ransom. One of the SARS operatives was killed during the shootout with the IGPs Special Squad while Inspector Justice Nyeche, who led the IGP team was injured. Inspector Nyeche was said to be currently recuperating in an undisclosed hospital. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) Following the news of the alleged invasion by Soldiers into the home of the leader of Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, thousands of the members from different south-East states are heading to the home of their leader in Umuahia. The IPOB supporters who are seen in tippers, buses, and other cars showed up in protection of Kanu, whose home in Afaraukwu was surrounded by the Nigerian Army barely 48 hours after the clash between Army and IPOB members on Sunday evening which left three people injured. Tension returned in the state after the soldiers returned with about 10 Armored carrier vehicles and seven Hilux vans. The recent development has caused panic in the state, forcing shops to close and people to stay within the confines of their houses. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra have been accused by the Rivers State Police Command for of attacking its officers and killing one of them in Rivers State. This was made known by the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State Zaki Ahmed who spoke to journalists at the Commands headquarters in Port Harcourt that the incident occurred today at the Oyigbo Junction where mobile policemen were stationed. It comes a day after IPOB members clashed with members of a community in the area. After receiving distress calls from members of the community on Tuesday, the police had gone there and dispersed the IPOB members. The Police Commissioner said the IPOB members regrouped and attacked the mobile police men, killing the sergeant, injuring two others and setting their van ablaze. Ahmed said, Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, without noble authority, blocked the entire Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway and attacked some residents. The same group, which has no justification for their action, also attacked a police van from Police Training School, Nonwa enroute to Port Harcourt International Airport and burnt the police van. The driver, Inspector Emaikwu Ochoche was badly injured and is now on admission. They also carted away one AK-47 Rifle with 60 rounds of live ammunition and one Beretta Pistol with eight rounds of live ammunition. At the end of their rampage, many vehicles were damaged and stores were burnt. The timely response of the police restored normalcy and brought the situation under control as I made adequate deployment to arrest the situation. The police commissioner, who said the mob was dispersed with minimum force, added that 23 IPOB members were arrested in the process of restoring law and order. But that wasnt the end of it. The command was awakened to yet another sad incident today at about 00:10 hours where some dare-devil IPOB members regrouped and launched a surprise attack on the mobile policemen stationed and Oyigbo Junction, killing a police sergeant, Ahmed said. They also set the patrol van used by the security operatives ablaze, the police commissioner said, adding that those arrested will be arraigned as soon as the investigation into the incident is concluded. Source: ( PM News ) The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ,( EFCC ), on Wednesday confirmed that it has begun plans to extradite a former petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke. Several Nigerians have called for her extradition from the UK, after different corruption allegations were levelled against her. Properties worth billions of Naira linked to her have since been forfeited to the federal government, many permanently. Speaking on Wednesday while addressing journalists, civic groups and others, the EFCC acting chairman, Ibrahim Magu, confirmed the moves to extradite Mrs. Alison-Madueke. I want you to know that nobody will go unpunished. We are even seeking to extradite Diezani, but investigations are still ongoing, Mr. Magu said. We have reached a level where nobody can stop us in the fight against corruption, but we all must realise that we are all stakeholders, and this fight is for the future generation. He added that all Nigerians must play their roles, because EFCC can only do its best; but we must support the agency, and the law should take its course, policies should be strengthened, and punishment must be meted out in good time. Mr. Magu also blamed recent separatist agitations in Nigeria on corruption. Every evil that is happening now is caused by corruption: agitations, strikes, whatever. Corruption has chased our good human resources out of the country. It is the duty of this generation to correct the evils caused by corruption. The anti-graft chief also spoke on corruption among members of his organisation. I want you to tell us if there is corruption in the EFCC, he said. It makes no sense if people are fighting corruption and they are corrupt. So, tell us, dont keep quiet. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) Leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra,( IPOB ), Nnamdi Kanu, on Wednesday announced that his group are planning to re-consider its non-violent separatist struggle amid military operation in Nigerias Southeast. This was contained in a statement reported by Punch Newspapers. Mr. Kanus lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, however, told PREMIUM TIMES he had been unable get through to Mr. Kanu by phone and, so, could not confirm the statement reported to have been personally signed by the IPOB leader. On Friday the 15th of September 2017, the leadership of IPOB through the instrumentality of the Directorate of State (DOS) headquartered in Germany, will be meeting to vote on the viability or otherwise of continuing our struggle in this non-violent manner, Mr. Kanu was quoted as saying. There is urgent need to begin the process of defending ourselves in the face of relentless murderous attacks from the Nigerian state, he added. There is tension in the South-east, especially Abia State, Mr. Kanus home state, where the Nigerian Army commenced Operation Python Dance 2 on Sunday. Mr. Kanu announced he would break talks with the South-eastern governors, claiming he had uncovered an alleged assassination plan by the Nigerian military on his way to the meeting scheduled for Friday. He and the governors had met in Enugu on August 30 for talks to mitigate tension in the region. Another meeting was slated for Friday. But Mr. Kanu said he would not be available for the coming meeting. Apart from the alleged planned assassination, he said was busy attending to those injured and bereaved following the military operation. He also said the schedule clashed with the meeting to review his groups policy of non-violence. In view of the concerted effort by the oppressive Nigerian state to shatter the peace and tranquillity of the South-East and the rest of Biafraland through military intimidation, it has become necessary for me to clarify why, regrettably, I may not be able to attend Fridays meeting with the South-East governors as earlier agreed, for three main reasons. We are currently busy attending to our dead and injured from this latest round of unprovoked military onslaught against innocent civilians in our own land. All the casualties so far were shot by men of the Nigerian Army deployed to my house and those stationed along motor ways leading into Umuahia my hometown. I have been reliably informed also, that a detachment of soldiers responsible for the murder of innocent unarmed IPOB family members have now been stationed near Enugu to ambush and assassinate me on my way to the meeting with the governors on Friday, he was reported to have said. Source: ( Premium Times ) Ex-Workers of the Nigerian Airways Service took to the streets of the Murtala Muhammed Airport road, protesting over non payment of their pensions. The defunct National Airways was liquidated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005 while the workers have been in the trenches fighting for the payment of their final entitlements. Some of the former workers however took to the street on Wednesday morning over the delay in the payment of their entitlements and final benefits amounting to over N70 billion. They were carrying placards with inscriptions such as: Pls pay our severance benefits in full; We need our pay off, not monthly pension, Mr. President we prayed for your recovery every Friday since May 2017; among others. The peaceful demonstration amidst heavy security presence worsened traffic snarls at the domestic wing of the Lagos Airport. Source: ( PM News ) 67 persons have been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Edo State for allegedly trafficking in various drugs in the state. The information was disclosed by the Commander of the agency, Mr Buba Wakawa, to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Benin. Wakawa said the suspects that comprised 47 males and 20 females were arrested in various parts of the state between July and August. He also disclosed that suspected illicit drugs totaling about 779.572 kilogrammes were seized within the period. He said about 45.5 hectares of land estimated to yield about 216, 835 kilogrammes of suspected cannabis sativa were also destroyed. Giving a breakdown of the figure, the commander said that about 114.75 kilogrammes of suspected cannabis sativa were seized and about 667.62 kilogrammes of the same substance abandoned by the owners were confiscated. The commander said two grammes of Heroin; 26.1 grammes of suspected cocaine and 170 grammes of Psychotropic drugs were seized within the period. He further said that one vehicle was seized during the period. Wakawa described cannabis cultivation as a major threat to food security, peace and development in the state, and appealed for the urgent intervention of leaders at all levels. He said a cannabis survey was being conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) under the European Union (EU) funded project in collaboration with the Nigerian Government and technical support from the Nigerian Air Force. He explained that the exercise which was to access the scope of the problem in high-risk States had shown that what had been destroyed was a tip of the ice berg. According to the commander, vast expanse of fertile arable land in the state had been completely taken over by cannabis cultivators. He, therefore, called on the State Government to declare a State of Emergency to effectively tackle the situation due to its security implications. The situation calls for a State of Emergency. Our operations are impeded by huge logistic constraints. Manual destruction of the farms is a far cry considering the magnitude of cannabis cultivation in Edo, besides the security implications, food shortage, unemployment, deforestation, environmental degradation and high rate of criminality all militate against good governance. The Agency cannot win this fight in isolation and l call on the state government to intervene in addressing the situation before it further degenerates, he said. Source: ( PM News ) The residents in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, are beginning to live in fear after some armed robbers struck the area on Wednesday exactly 21 days after a similar incident jolted residents of the city. According to reports from the police spokesperson in the state, Ikechukwu Chukwu, said that four armed men, driving in a car, trailed a businessman who withdrew some unspecified amount of cash from Zenith Bank branch along Oron Road. He said the robbers attacked their victim along Oron Road, near the Mayflower School, a few metres away from the bank. The armed robbers opened fire on the mans car, then the car entered gutter and that is how they were able to get the man and transferred money from the boot of his car into their own car, Mr. Chukwu said. Mr. Chukwu said that the police were investigating the robbery and that there was a stop-and-search operation going on within the city. He said no life was lost in the incident. Source:( Premium Times ) The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Lagos Zone, on Wednesday expressed their dissatisfaction over the processes that led to the dismissal of ASUU chairman, Lagos State University (LASU) chapter and his deputy. Prof. Olusiji Sowande, ASUU Zonal Coordinator, said at a media briefing at LASU that the process was manipulated and did not follow due process. LASUs Governing Council had on Sept. 8 dismissed 15 academic s staff members, two non-academic staff members and demoted two others. The affected lecturers are ASUU Chairman, Dr Isaac Oyewunmi, and his deputy, Dr Adebowale Adeyemi-Suenu. Sowande said the trial of the union officials and 13 other lecturers by the management was a predetermined attempt to implicate the union leadership. He said ASUU was not against the discipline of any of its members who erred, but it believes in due process, fairness, justice and equity. We have reports that the Council Secretariat was instructed not to circulate the reports of the disciplinary cases to members of the council for consideration even on the floor of the meeting. We are aware too that the reports presented by the Chairman of the joint Senate-Council Committee on disciplinary matters did not reflect the deliberations and decision reached at the panel. Hence, the hurried power-point presentation made on the floor of the Councils meeting, he said. Sowande disclosed that the union was also aware of plans by the universitys management and the Council since 2016 to increase tuition again the union had resisted. He said the incubation of related obnoxious policies such as programme rationalisation as well as theno vacancy, no promotion policy were evils of yesterday that would not be allowed to return to the institution by the union. The Lagos Zone ASUU boss, however, condemned attempt by the LASU Vice-Chancellor to forcefully eject the ASUU-LASU chairman from the unions secretariat and the university premises. He warned the VC and gun-wielding security operatives in the institution to desist from the daily siege on the ASUU-LASU Secretariat. According to Sowande, the union will not continue to endure the unwarranted assault on the chairman and his deputy as they had maintained their calm in the face of needless provocation. Sowande said:Oyewunmi and Adeyemi-Suenu remain the Chairman and Vice-Chairman as the Secretary continues to oversee the secretariat while the union pursues justice in the matter to its logical conclusion. He described the demand by some ASUU-LASU Congress to dissolve the present ASUU-LASU executive and nominate a caretaker committee to oversee the affairs of the union as illegal and unconstitutional. The Council said that Oyewunmi was dismissed over the alleged demand of the sum of N50,000 from 2003 modular year students of Political Science Education of the sandwich programme to process their results. The council also claimed that Adeyemi-Suenu unilaterally altered the results of 12 students already advised to withdraw by the Senate in the Department of History and International Studies in the 2015/2016 academic session. Others were accused of defaulting on the conditions precedent to their training leave bond and abandonment of duty. Source: ( PM News ) Ukraine's SBU Security Agents in Luhansk and Donetsk regions during 2017 completed pretrial investigations involving 132 "military and bureaucracy" officials working for the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics. "Among the persons charged by the SBU with committing crimes against Ukraine's national security, 35 of the so-called high ranking officials included 'ministers,' 'deputy ministers,' 'deputies,' 'bank heads,' 'district administration heads' and commanders of militants and armed military units," the SBU said in Kyiv on Tuesday. SBU agents in Donetsk region sent to court incriminating evidence against the head of the Sparta militant group nicknamed Zhoga, who replaced assassinated Russian citizen Motorola as head of the unit. Zhoga sold fish before assuming command of the unit. Pretrial investigations into "emergencies," "tax collection and revenues," "foreign minister," "justice minister," "transportation," "culture" ministries, as well as "head of the republic central bank" and other so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) officials were also completed. Similar pretrial investigations into so-called Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) officials were conducted. "So-called DPR/LPR officials were accused of committing crimes pursuant to Part 1 of Article 258-3 and Part 2 of Article 258-5 of Ukraine's Criminal Code. The suspects in absentia were informed and put on the wanted list. The trial in absentia process will be employed in these cases. Measures to document anti-government activities of other so-called officials from these self-proclaimed republics continue," the statement said. Simon Lalong, the Plateau state governor, has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in Jos metropolis. A terse statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Affairs in Government House, Dr. Emmanuel Nanle, said the decision was to forestall the breakdown of law and order in view of the crisis in Abia State. He said, Following the unfortunate reaction and rumours within the Jos Metropolis in response to the agitation by Independent People of Biafra in South Eastern Nigeria, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong has directed an immediate imposition of curfew from dusk to dawn (6pm 6am) within the Greater Jos Bukuru Metropolis, until further notice. This is to forestall any break down of law and order. Children and teachers numbering over a score have been consumed in a raging fire which happened in a school in Malaysia, leaving families mourning. The fire at Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah a tahfiz boarding school where students learn to memorise the Quran was reported at 5:40am (21:40 GMT) Wednesday, according to a statement from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department. Khirudin Drahman, director of Kuala Lumpurs fire and rescue department, told AFP news agency the number of confirmed dead is 23 students and two teachers. It really does not make sense for so many to die in the fire, he said. I think it is one of the countrys worst fire disasters in the past 20 years. We are now investigating the cause of the fire. Seven people were taken to a nearby hospital for injuries, while 11 others were rescued. Firefighters rushed to the scene, and the blaze was out within an hour, but not before it wreaked terrible devastation pictures in local media showed ash-covered, fire-blackened beds. Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Amar Singh told reporters the boys who died were aged 13-17, and that they probably suffocated due to smoke inhalation. The dormitory had only one entrance, leaving many of the victims trapped inside, he said. An official said bodies were piled on top of each other, indicating a possible stampede as people tried to flee the fire. Some witnesses said they had heard the students crying for help after the fire broke out. Theyre still counting the bodies, which were piled on top of each other in a corner, Singh said. Hundreds of people, including families of some victims, gathered outside the school as more bodies were being removed by fire officials. The blaze began in the sleeping quarters on the top floor of the three-storey school building, fire officials said. The police chief said no foul play was suspected. Abu Obaidat bin Mohamad Saithalimat, deputy director of the fire department, told reporters outside the school the fire was likely caused by an electrical short circuit. Loga Bala Mohan, the governments federal territories deputy minister, said: We sympathise with the families. It is one of the worst fires involving so many lives. We urgently want the authorities to quickly probe the cause of the deadly fire so that we will be able to prevent future disasters. Tahfiz schools usually teach students between the ages of five and 18. Tansy Smethurst, the daughter of actress Rakie Olufunmilayo Ayola who plays Hermione in the Harry Potter stage play, has spent four years waking up every morning thinking shes in France after developing severe memory loss from holiday infection. The actress who was born in Wales to a Sierra Leonean mother and a Nigerian father, was on Holiday with her 13-year-old daughter in France when she developed spots on her body and was rushed to hospital in 2013. According to reports, she had an emergency surgery to remove a brain cyst and later suffered a serious infection that left her with severe memory loss. After having done 12 operations, since they returned home in Greenwich, south east London. Tansy woke up every day believing she was still on holiday in France Explaining her daughters condition, the 48-year-old actress told The Sun: She still has memory issues, for example when we drive to see family in Wales she will ask several times on the journey where we are going. There are moments when someone asks how you are and you burst into tears. She couldnt even remember her hospital room. Once she was up and walking she would go to the bathroom and come back and not recognise her room even though hers was the one decorated with balloons and the room next door was empty. She had no clue. I noticed one time she only identified her room because my coat was there and she remembered my coat. Even now, if something new happens she struggles. Routine is very good for her. According to her, Tansy suffers from the genetic disorder Neurofibromatosis Type 1, which causes benign tumours to develop on nerve endings throughout the body. Rakie added: Id never heard of the condition before Tansy was diagnosed. Things started to slot into place after that. At primary school Tansy had been tested for dyslexia, but the results came back that although she didnt have dyslexia, she had some difficulties with comprehension. It linked into the learning difficulties that are another potential symptom. We had to cope. There are moments, particularly when you least need it such as on the school run with Shani, when someone asks how you are and you burst into tears. It hits you unawares in all sorts of ways. I was emotional and angry too. I was angry at a lot of people, angry at the nurses, I was constantly apologising and crying too. It was also gathered that a recent scan showed that Tansy has largely recovered. Source: Linda Ikejis blog A female school teacher has been deeply embarrassed inside the school premises after she was found out to have stolen 3 married men. Sarudzai Mususa, a Zimbabwean teacher from Mabvuku, is reported to have been humiliated at the school premises by three women accusing her of bedding their husbands. According to H-Metro, the 48-year-old Sarudzai Mususa, a mother of three is alleged to have bedded Rugare Anywhere Nyamande, 43, prompting the latters wife Beritah Nyamande to take legal action. Sarudzai was left with no option, after she was confronted by Berita over a love message she sent to Rugare, but to admit her shenanigans saying the affair even resulted in a love child. She was called names in front of school children forcing her to leave the premises before end of lessons. Sarudzai has been cheating with my husband and other married men said Berita. She has caused untold suffering to my family and denying me my conjugal rights as she accommodates my husband every day for s*x that he comes home tired. We confronted her at the school and proved my claims by showing her messages she sent to my husband and she openly told me that she has a baby with husband. I am going to approach the court of law for adultery damages because she wants to increase her income by receiving maintenance from married men. I want to believe that she is luring married men using charms and is even older than my husband. Sarudzai refused to entertain H-Metro saying she is not aware of the story before hanging her phoned and blocking the journalist on her mobile phone. Contacted for comment, Rugare referred H-Metro to the civil court sating he has no right to give his side of the story since the case is yet to be heard before a magistrate. I understand the case is expected to be heard before the courts. It is best for you to get more information on the day, said Rugare. However, H-Metro has it on good authority that Berita approached civil court claiming $10 000 adultery damages and the case is expected to be heard on October 9 this year at Harare civil court. Lagos State and Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) has described the deployment of soldiers in the family house of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, in Umuahia, Abia State as illegal. This was made known in a statement released by Falana, on Wednesday, he said there was no legal basis for the involvement of soldiers in the place, President Muhammadu Buhari should direct the armed troops to withdraw and return to their barracks forthwith. He said the Commissioner of Police in Abia State should be allowed to take over Kanus case in line with the provisions of the Constitution and the Police Act. Tracing the involvement of the militarys involvement in civil issues since successive military regimes in the country, Falana said, regrettably, no conscious efforts have been made by the civilian government to demilitarise the country since power was transferred from former military dictators to the civilian wing of the political class in May 1999. He added, Hence, armed soldiers have been allowed to continue to be involved in the maintenance of law and order in all the states of the federation. Up till now, state governments have allowed armed soldiers to remain members of the police anti robbery squads. They have been deployed, from time to time, by the President to deal with the menace of herdsmen and kidnappers. They have just been authorised to deal ruthlessly with civilians who are involved in any form of agitation for self determination. There is no legal basis for authorising the Nigerian army to take over police duties. Even under the defunct military era in Nigeria, the military dictators had to declare a state of emergency to legitimise the usurpation of police powers by the armed forces, Falana said in the statement obtained by PUNCH. Source: ( PM News ) Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose on Twitter shared a photo of his campaign poster for his 2019 Presidency ambition. Fayose, who is oft to criticize the Buhari-administration had previously declared that he will be the president of Nigeria come 2019. The governor who currently owes public servants in his state a backlog of salaries is contesting under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). See the poster below: The chairman of Peoples Democratic Partys Governors Forum, Ayodele Fayoses presidential campaign poster, is currently making the rounds on social media as 2019 draws closer. The outspoken Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayoses presidential campaign poster under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2019 general elections, has emerged on social media. Governor Fayose had in a recent statement, boasted he will wrestle power from President Muhamamdu Buhari and acting President Yemi Osinbajo in 2019. Confirming the development, the Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said Fayose has truly launched his presidential campaigns on social media. He said, Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, has launched his presidential campaign on social media. He has opened a Facebook page and a Twitter handle ahead of the 2019 general election. The social media page is with the motto Strong, Reliable and Rugged as Fayose called on Nigerians to behold their next president. Fayose went on to describe himself with words like: Pro Masses. Accessible. Ekiti State Governor. Chairman, PDP Governors Forum. Husband and Father.. Hes Peter (The Rock). A businessman, Oladimeji Isiaka, has gone bankrupt after losing about N25m to suspected fraudsters who defrauded him under the pretext of curing his headache, Punch Nigeria reports. Isiaka, who lived in the Sango Ota area of Ogun State, sold his house and five cars to raise the money. However, after realising that he had been defrauded, he reportedly petitioned the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos State. Investigations by operatives of the command led to the arrest of five members of the syndicate at their base in Ibadan, Oyo State. They are Alasela Ottun; Yetunde Mustapha, aka Iya Aje Funfun; Ibrahim Jimoh, aka Olobe Aye; Akeem Alabi and Oyegbile Lateef. A police source said Isiaka was an in-law of Ottun and had sought his counsel sometime in October 2016 when he had the headache, which defied medications. Ottun, from Iwo, Osun State, after defrauding Isiaka of a few millions of naira, passed him to Mustapha, who pretended to be a white witch with answers to all his problems. Mustapha, 32, was said to have colluded with her boyfriend, Jimoh, who arranged a scheme through which millions of naira were collected from the victim. Mustapaha said she pretended to be a white witch whenever she spoke with Isiaka, adding that she wore white costume at Ottuns shrine. The chief herbalist, Alabi, 39, said: It is whatever the people seek that we use to defraud them. Some talk about business boom, some about making money or moving to a higher level in life. We make some fake concoctions and collect their money. Lateef explained that Isiaka had been cured of the headache, but he craved wealth, adding that it was his greed that the gang exploited. He explained that Isiaka was shown a sack filled with fake dollars, adding that he was asked to bring N8m for the preparation of rituals that would enable him to spend the money. He said, Whoever is looking for cheap things will run into heavy losses. He thought we cured him of his headache, not knowing it was God. We just took advantage of that to defraud him. The President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration will be dealing with the headache of another imminent strike from a major stakeholder in the labour sector. The United Labour Congress on Wednesday threatened that workers in the country would embark on an indefinite strike if the Federal Government failed to meet its demands by Friday (tomorrow). The threat came barely two weeks after the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment responded to the workers through a letter, which the ULC said largely failed to adequately address the critical issues raised in our demands. The union issued the strike threat after an emergency meeting of its National Administrative Committee, which was held jointly with the National Strike Committee in Lagos. In a statement signed by the President, ULC, Joe Ajaero, the union urged Nigerians to take precaution and stock up necessities, saying, The strike will be very effective as we hope to cripple all modes of transportation within the nation; ensure a total blackout nationwide; cut off petroleum product supplies; and disrupt banking operations, which will make life a bit more difficult for Nigerians. We regret these consequences on all of us, but we hope that these measures will help us create a nation that is better governed for the benefits of Nigerian workers and Nigerian masses. Ajaero said that the strike had become necessary having earlier issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government as a result of the decision of the Central Working Committee meeting of the congress on August 22, which expired on September 8, 2017. He said that in view of the governments rejection of the demands within the 14-day ultimatum, the ULC ordered an immediate issuance of a seven-day final strike notice, which would expire on Friday. He added, This course of action, though very painful to us at this time, is the only alternative available to us as we have exhausted all known peaceful processes towards an amicable resolution of the dispute. We, therefore, call on all genuine patriots to join hands in solidarity with us to urge the Federal Government and state governors to be kind enough to meet the demands of Nigerian workers and masses. The demands of the union include the immediate payment of all arrears of salaries owed workers at all levels of government without exception. Ajaero added that other demands were that the Federal Government honours its 2009 agreement with university lecturers under the umbrella of ASUU quickly and commences negotiations with them on new issues so that our universities will re-open. The roads leading to all the petroleum refineries and depots nationwide be repaired by the government to avoid the present carnage, wastage of products and properties on these roads. That the government should demand that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment set up a task force immediately to carry out factory inspections as most of our factories are death traps. The workers are also demanding an immediate review of the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, among others. Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, on Wednesday met with Igbo leaders in Kano. Heres what Gandujes DG Media & Communications, Salihu Tanko Yakasai, tweeted; H.E @GovUmarGanduje just finished a meeting with Igbo leaders in Kano to reassure them of his admins commitment to peace/stability in Kano, Yakassi tweeted alongside several images from the meeting. This came amid tension between Igbos and Northerners, especially in the South East. A video of armed members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), searching for Hausas in buses in the South-East, has surfaced online, Dailypost learnt. In the clip, they are seen armed and looking into the buses in search of Hausas. Recall that some Arewa Youth had issued a quit notice to Igbos living in the north, before withdrawing it later. IPOB members also clashed with the Hausa community in Rivers State on Tuesday. Militants of illegal armed formations have committed 25 shelling attacks of the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) area over the past day, as a result of which one Ukrainian serviceman has been injured, the press center of the ATO headquarters reported. "Over the past day, the intensity of enemy attacks in the ATO area has slightly decreased, while the most attacks of the enemy were recorded in the dark as usual, after 18:00 [...] In total, for the past day, Russian-occupation groups opened fire 25 times on the strongholds of the Ukrainian army. During military operations, one of our military has been injured. In several cases, when enemy shelling carried a direct threat to the lives of our defenders, the ATO forces opened fire in return to defeat," the ATO staff said on Facebook. In the Donetsk sector, militants fired on Avdiyivka's vicinity using grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms. Militants also fired near Pisky, Kamianka and Zaitseve. In the Mariupol sector, militants fired on the strongholds of the Armed Forces near Vodiane from rocket-propelled grenades, near Hnutove they applied infantry fighting vehicle, while small arms were used near Maryinka and Shyrokyne. In the Luhansk sector, the militants used anti-aircraft guns near Krymske and a grenade launcher near Stanytsia Luhanska. The National Examinations Council (NECO) has announced the release of the June/July 2017 Senior Secondary Schools Certificate (SSCE) with a total of 745, 053 candidates representing 70.85 percent out of the entire 1, 051, 472 that sat for the examination having at least 5 Credits and above including English and Mathematics. Candidates from the French speaking African countries who sat for the NECO SSCE will not be able to gain admission into any Nigerian university because none of them could make it Credit level in English and Mathematics. Out of the 1, 051, 472 candidates that sat for the examination, Edo and Bayelsa states came second and third respectively with 84.61 percent and 84.52 percent having 5 Credits and above including English Language and Mathematics. Registrar/Chief Executive NECO, Professor Charles B. U. Uwakwe disclosed this as he officially announced the results of the June/July SSCE examination at the councils headquarters along Minna-Bida road, Minna Niger state. Uwakwe said the number of candidates that passed with good grades represents 1, 11 percent improvement in the overall candidates performance when compared with the 2016 students performances in all the subjects. Candidates were examined in 76 subjects and 50, 586 candidates representing 4.81 percent were involved in examination malpractices, representing a 0.52 percent increment in the number of exams cheats compared to the number last year. Comparative analysis of the entire students performance in the examination for 2016 (69.74%) and 2017 (70.85%), Uwakwe said shows that there is 1.11 percent improvement in the general performance of candidates. He said, Out of the 1,055,988 candidates who registered for the examinations in Nigeria and other countries only 1,051,472 sat, as only 745,053 (70.85 percent) got 5 credits and above including Mathematics and English Language. Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, who is also the Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, has described the agitation by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, for a sovereign republic in the South-East as a childs play and also described the crusader Nnamdi Kanu as a child. Okorocha, who spoke yesterday after leading a delegation of the forum on a visit to internally displaced persons, IDPs, and victims of the recent Benue flood disaster in Benue State, said no reasonable Ibo man was backing the agitation. He said, I have always said that IPOB is an agitation group, but the captioning is bad when you talk of sovereignty within a sovereign nation and also talking of secession. Let me assure you that no Ibo person or man is in support of secession and people must see this as a childish act. We must stand up to address it before it becomes a national problem. As for us leaders in that area, it will be insane for anyone to think that the IPOB leader will ask us to follow him to seek secession. So Nigerians must learn to address it specifically. If you are addressing IPOB you should be specific and not to address it as if it is an Ibo affair. According to HeraldNg, Okorocha donated N10 million to the victims and also sympathized with Benue State over the disaster, stressing that his team was on a fact-finding mission to pave way for a visit of the entire All Progressives Congress, APC, governors in the country. In what will come across as a rather shocking development, a man has shot and killed his own wife and daughter before trying to kill himself. A 48-year-old South African police officer has fatally shot his wife, 46, and daughter, 20, in Phoenix, Milnerton on Thursday morning. According to Daily Sun SA, the officer, who is stationed at Milnerton police station, then turned the gun on himself, but he survived. He was transported to hospital for medical treatment, said police spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk. Circumstances surrounding the shooting that occurred at about 03:00 are under investigation, Van Wyk said. A double murder case was registered for investigation, he said. Van Wyk said IPID would provide further information to the matter. IPID spokesperson Moses Dlamini said he was not aware of it. Ill check, please get back to me after an hour, he said. In Nigeria, wedding is largely seen as an expensive venture, as it is done in three stages, the first being traditional wedding (or engagement) the second being the formal aspect, whether in church, mosque or at the registry, and the third being the reception. Arguably, wedding has always been one of the ceremonies that people cherish most, and its one of those that probably wont go away for the rest of time. Its significance is not just because it formally heralds the beginning of a matrimony, although that is significant, it is also because it is an important event that the people taking part in it are fully aware of. In christening, though the baby is alive, he or she may not be totally aware of the hapenings around them, while the dead are assumed to be unaware of their burial ceremonies. Interestingly, being a ceremony that marks the beginning of a lasting togetherness, the way and manner people go about it depends largely on the culture and tradition of the area they, especially the woman, hail from. On a cursory look at the way wedding ceremonies are held in some other climes, while it is capital intensive in some, it is purely ceremonial and cultural in some places and yet in some other places, it is held briefly. Also, in some places, it is a one-day event but in some other places, it is multi-day event, each with its attendant cost. For example, in Japan, the bride is painted pure white from head to toe and she and the husband become husband and wife once they drink sake (Japanese rice wine) together. In Jamaica, wedding is a community affair as everyone comes together to help in the planning and they all gather to see the bride and they assess her outfit. In Germany, the ceremony is done in three parts and it is capital intensive, while in Cuba, it is an expensive ceremony and any male guest who dances with the bride is expected to pin money to her dress to help the couple pay for their honeymoon. However, in Nigeria, wedding is largely seen as an expensive venture, as it is done in three stages, the first being traditional wedding (or engagement) the second being the formal aspect, whether in church, mosque or at the registry, and the third being the reception. While the traditional is seen as sacrosanct, the third stage, which is hosting people at a reception, seems to be the most expensive. And because of the cost of the ceremony, some people delay or shy away from wedding. But there is good news. Experts say it is possible to have a beautiful wedding that wont be too costly and wont appear cheap or pedestrian. An events planner, Miss Oluwatamilore Adeyemi shares some tips that could help people save cost: 1. Cut down the number of guests: It has been established that the number of guests or invited persons determines the size of the hall, the quantity of the food to be prepared, the quantity of drinks and the number of souvenirs, which would influence the amount spent eventually. This is the view of Adeyemi, as she adds that people who truly want to cut cost would limit the number of the persons they would invite and that leaving it open-ended would not do any good. She adds, I realise that most people want to impress and make a statement during their wedding. If you truly want to cut cost, there is no reason why you should have a wedding that is over 500 guests, because more guests make you spend more. If you are making food for 400 people, its cheaper than making food for 1,000 people. And a hall that would take 1,000 persons could cost about N1.5m, whereas a hall that would accommodate 250 guests could go for about N120,000. Look at how much you have saved. So, the first thing to do is to reduce the number of your guests. She stressed that it is better to have fewer guests that would enjoy the programme than having large number where majority would be dissatisfied or disgruntled. So, the rule is, cut down on your guest list and invite only those that actually matter. If the cost of food per person is N1,000 and you have 150 persons, you would only spend N150,000, but if you have 1,000 guests, you would spend N1.5m on food alone. Those whose presence you want to enjoy should be the ones at your wedding. And it also affects what you would spend to get a band, because the larger the hall, the more you would pay as they would have to bring more speakers and that tells on your fees too. 2. Be flexible about the day: The director of Bridal Consultants in the US, Dena Davey, said people should consider fixing their wedding on other days apart from Saturday, the usual day, so as to save cost. She said events hall managers also tend to charge more on Saturday than other days. But Adeyemi disagreed. She said, I dont agree because at the end of the day, people that really matter to you may not be able to attend, and it would look as if you are cutting them off, except you are sure that those people would all be on leave. The ideal time for a party is weekend when everybody is free. She said instead of holding it during the week, to save cost, people could explore the option of takeaway food, like serving them while coming from the registry as it removes the cost of hall, music band or hiring a disc jockey. She said, You could have a small thanksgiving in a hall; dance, eat and enjoy yourselves. The truth is that people dont really enjoy themselves at a wedding; they are so stressed and they are busy catering to people who have not eaten that they miss the fun at the end of the day. 3. Do some things yourself: Notably, one of the things that gulp money while planning for a wedding is invitation cards; not just the distribution, but the cost of printing them. Adeyemi said that, generally, invites are overrated and that on the average, one could cost between N500 and N1,000. She, however, advised that people could use e-invite; write a letter and send by mail, or prepare an access card, which she said could cost as low as N100. She said, Except you are really buoyant, then I think people should cut down on what they spend on cards. People assume that the beauty of the invitation card says a lot about their financial status, so at the end of the day, its all about showing off. You can save that money. 4. Dont seek to impress: From observation, one of peoples motivations when it comes to wedding planning is to impress and show people that they are well to do. But Adeyemi said that is not necessary. She said, Invite the people you can cater to and let them have food to eat. You could have agreed with the caterer that its one plate of food and two proteins per person, to avoid shortage. If you are inviting 200, make food for 350. Its better to have excess than shortage. It is not a must to buy alcohol, if you think it would shoot up your budget.Also, she said instead of inviting an artiste, people could just call a DJ or a small band. With either of the two, have a good time, dance with your parents and friends. 5. Talk to a credible event planner: It would appear that one good way to have a beautiful, low-cost wedding would be to talk to an event planner, who would help to reconcile the couples expectations with what their budget could cover. Adeyemi said this should come after both families have agreed on what they want, adding that even though people run away from engaging the services of event planners, erroneously thinking they couldnt afford it, taking that step is the way to go. She said, The planner would tell you the best venue that would save you cost in terms of logistics. For example, you could get a venue in Magodo for a higher price, but the logistics and the decoration could be cheaper due to access, while a cheaper hall in Abule Egba could attract higher cost of logistics and decoration. So, talking to a planner helps to put things in perspective and save cost. She added that a caterer or professional event planner would also make use of professional security personnel to keep away miscreants and other unwanted persons. Just as Davey suggests that such persons should consider using open spaces, parks or beaches, to avoid paying for halls, Adeyemi said for any event in an open space, there should be provision for security. 6. Your planner doesnt have to be a family member: Perhaps, one way people run into trouble during their wedding is when they give certain duties to unqualified family members. Findings show that this does not only lead to avoidable quarrels, it constrains the couple to accept things as they are so as not to offend family members. She said, Once family members are in charge, you could be looking at a flop, because they would take care of themselves and their own and there is a limit to how you could speak to them. But a professional would ensure that everybody gets a fair, equal treatment and not that someone would just come and ask for 10 pieces of meat. She stressed that it is lack of planning and mismanagement that oftentimes brings about shortage. She added, In Nigeria, we expect family members to do things for us, even when they are not competent. And that is why things flop because you dont employ the professionals. A caterer is conscious of a next time, so him/ he or she would serve you well so you could recommend him/her to others. There was a peaceful protest by the Military pensioners, on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Ministry of Finance to demand the payment of their pension arrears. The workers accused the ministry of refusing to release funds for the payment of the backlogs of their pensions. They chanted solidarity songs, while displaying placards with various inscriptions such as Pay us our pension, and Pension review should be based on 53.7 per cent effective from 2015. They called on President Muhammadu Buhari to authorise the payment of the 20.37 per cent balance of military pension increment since 2010, payment of balance of gratuities of contributory pensions with the National Pension Commission and the harmonisation of military pensions transparently and equitably. Other demands are that government should audit and re-organise the Military Pension Board to make it transparent and friendly to veterans, payment of military pensions to verified civil war veterans, and engagement of military veterans in the protection of critical infrastructure. They also demanded the payment of next-of-kin of fallen heroes equitable insurance benefits, and payment of balance of pension arrears of deceased veterans to Next-of Kin among others. Addressing journalists on the sidelines of the protest, the chairman of the group, Mr. Anthony Agba, said the group was demanding the payment of 20.37 per cent of their pension that was deducted illegally by previous governments. He said, We are here to demand the payment of our 20.37 per cent illegally deducted by the previous governments. We have come here to protest for the non-payment. As you can see, one of our members collapsed due to exhaustion and hunger caused by negligence of government. The minister of finance illegally deducted that money from the 53.37 per cent approved by the Federal Government. They said they deducted it for tax and housing but when we were in the military, we didnt pay tax. They have done it before and we kept quiet but we wont accept it anymore. We are retired soldiers and we want government to pay us the balance of 20.37 per cent and over pension is supposed to be reviewed since 2015, up till today they have not reviewed it. Another member of the group, Mr. Abiodun Durowaiye-Herberts, lamented that military pensioners had not been treated well by the government. Source: ( Punch Newspaper) Armed robbery cases have become rampant in churches across Lagos State, a development that poses as a source of concern to worshippers. It now increasingly appears that the men of the underworld have now shifted their focused to churches for survival following recent happenings in Lagos. Barely weeks that robbers invaded Deeper Life, CAC, Lords chosen, Catholic Churches and others to loot, another suspected robber has been arrested at a Celestial Church in Itire area of Lagos. Many worshippers have expressed concern over this development, asking for an urgent solution. P. M. Express reports that the latest suspect, a 48-year old Rafiu Kolawole was arrested at the Celestial church, Babalola Mama Parish located at Mushin Road in Itire where he went to steal church property. However, before he could cart away the property inside the church auditorium he was caught by securitymen who raised alarm and apprehended them. Kolawole was handed over to the Police at Itire Division who detained him for interrogation. P.M.Express reports that Kolawole admitted that he actually went into the church to steal but said before he could succeed he was caught and handed over to the police. It was gathered that Kolawole was asked why he chose to go to a place of worship to steal and he replied that it was the place he knew he would find things to steal these days. He was charged before Isolo Magistrates court for the alleged offence under the Criminal Code. He pleaded not guilty. The presiding Magistrates, Mr O.A. Ogbe granted Kolawole bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum. He was remanded in prison custody pending when he will fulfill his bail condition. The matter was adjourned till 27th of September, 2017. It was gathered that many churches have now become security conscious following the latest development. A senior pastor revealed that some churches barely keep much of their valuable especially the offering money in the churches because the criminals do not consider churches as sacred places any longer these days. Somkele Iyamah-Idhalama, Winner of the Trailblazer award in the 2017 AfricaMagic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA) unveiled as the latest brand ambassador of DStv Explora 2. Somkele will play the lead roles in soon to be released DStv Explora 2 campaign materials which include TV, Out-of-home, digital, radio and press adverts. As ambassador, Somkele will further promote the exciting features of the all new, sleek and cool decoder such as the BoxOffice and Catch Up services. Speaking about the new face of DStv Explora 2, John Ugbe, Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria said: Somkele is a great fit for the brand, She is a talented actress and we have watched her career take a tremendous leap! Her uniqueness and creativity as an actress coupled with her passion for excellence exemplify the essence of the latest model of our DStv Explora. Here are the photos: source: 36ng A top Boko Haram commander together with other members of the group had surrendered to the the Borno State Police command. This was confirmed in a statement made by, DSP Victor Isuku, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO),in Maiduguri that the insurgents unconditionally surrendered to men of the command. The counter terrorism effort of the Nigerian military, code named Operation Safe Corridor recorded another victory with the unconditional surrender to the police by high profile repentant Boko Haram terrorists. On September 10, at about 21: 00 hours, the intelligence arm of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) of the command, were able to negotiate a peaceful surrender of repentant Boko Haram terrorists with their families. One Ibrahim Dala (alias Abu Ali), formerly of Kawar Mela ward, Maiduguri, an Amir (commander) of the Mamman Nur faction, along with Audu Mustapha Bukar, 20; and Laminu Mustapha Modu, 25. They are all residing at Talala insurgents camp in Sambisa Forest, surrendered themselves unconditionally to Borno State Police Command. Isuku said Bukar and Modu were from Ngallamari village and claimed to have been held hostage by the sect sometimes ago and were conscripted. He listed other surrendered insurgents as Alhaji Ali, 25; Abubakar Mele, 30; Modu Umar, 20; Modu Maina, 15; Ali Kolo, 20; Bintu Abukar, 14; Falmata Abukar, 15; Hauwa Ali, 15; Husam Ali, 14, and Mallam Modu, 16. Isuku disclosed that there were five children among members of the families of the repented insurgents, explaining that the children aged between one and eight years. He added that the surrendered insurgents had made useful statement that would assist in the counter-insurgency campaign. Presently, they are undergoing preliminary profiling preparatory to transfer to the military. Source: ( PM News ) A woman has tried to flush her own baby down the toilet after giving birth to the child inside a restaurant bathroom. Sarah Lockner, a 25-year-old McDonalds worker gave birth in the restaurant bathroom and tried to flush the baby down the toilet, police said. According to The Sun UK, the young woman allegedly locked herself in a cubicle after complaining of stomach pain before colleagues found blood coming from under the door. She had been allowed to clock off early from her evening shift at the fast food branch in Redwood City, California on 4 September. But witnesses claim she did not leave the restaurant and instead went to the bathroom at around 10pm. Two concerned co-workers later checked on her and found blood on the floor, according to local paper the San Mateo Daily Journal. A female employee looked over the cubicle and saw Lockner holding a newborn baby in the toilet, it reports. She then claims to have heard the toilet flush when she ran to get help. Lockwood allegedly asked her not to call the police. Officers arrived to find a newborn baby without a pulse and not breathing. It was rushed to Lucil Packard Childrens Hospital and placed in an induced coma. The tot has since been taken off life support is expected to make a miracle recovery. Lockner allegedly told officers that she did not realise she was pregnant and was surprised when she gave birth. She stands accused of attempted murder, bodily harm and assaulting a child, and will appearing in court on 18 September. EU Council may extend sanctions for individuals, legal entities considered to be involved in undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity The EU Council for Justice and Home Affairs is expected to take a decision in Brussels on Thursday to extend targeted measures to individuals and organizations, which the European Union regards as "undermining the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine." As reported, on September 6, the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the EU countries agreed, without discussion, a recommendation to the Council of the EU on the next extension of these individual sanctions for six months. A diplomatic source in the EU institutions told Interfax that the decision of the council could be made on September 14. The previous extension was held on March 13, 2017 until September 15, 2017. These measures include the freezing of assets of individuals and legal entities in the European Union and the ban on travel to EU countries. According to the March decision of the EU Council, sanctions were extended to 150 people and 37 organizations. The decision of the EU Council is planned under section "A" of the agenda, that is, without discussion. After publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, it will enter into force. These restrictive measures were introduced for the first time in March 2014. In addition to them, in connection with the Ukrainian situation, economic sanctions also apply, affecting certain sectors of the Russian economy and restrictive measures imposed in response to the "illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol" and operating in their territories. Lean Hogs Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - 1 hour ago The uptrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading above support level 82.825, which will be followed by reaching resistance level 89.800 Feeder Cattle Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - 1 hour ago The uptrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading above support level 177.700, which will be followed by reaching resistance level 182.375 and if it keeps on moving up above that level,... Live Cattle Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - 1 hour ago The downtrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading below resistance level 154.175, which will be followed by reaching support level 151 Soybean Oil Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - 1 hour ago The downtrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading below resistance level 79.29, which will be followed by reaching support level 72.70 and if it keeps on moving down below that level,... Soybean Meal Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - 1 hour ago The downtrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading below resistance level 423.3, which will be followed by reaching support level 398.9 and 391.9 Soybean Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - 1 hour ago The uptrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading above support level 1423.2, which will be followed by reaching resistance level 1493.4 1512.2 Corn Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - 1 hour ago The downtrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading below resistance level 661.4, which will be followed by reaching support level 642.6 and 604 Wheat Weekly Forecast Kolhanov.com - 1 hour ago The downtrend may be expected to continue, while market is trading below resistance level 822.4, which will be followed by reaching support level 791.2 and 743.6 The issue of introducing civilian control over Ukraine's armed forces was discussed during a meeting between the state secretary of Ukraine's Defense Ministry Oleksandr Dublian with Canadian and British experts. "The sides discussed issues for achieving operation goals of the Strategic Defense Bulletin of Ukraine, which pertains to developing democratic civilian control over the armed forces by raising the effectiveness of the defense ministry, strengthening ties between it and the Verkhovna Rada and Ukraine's civil society. According to Dublian, effective democratic civilian control [over Ukraine's armed forces] will allow Ukraine to "receive maximum effect from resources and fulfillment of defense tasks, as well as facilitate implementing effective cooperation and coordination between defense and security sector agencies. Rental rates for self-storage units in California have increased more than 26 percent since 2014, according to data released by SpareFoot, an online marketplace for self-storage consumers. The average monthly rate across the state for a unit this year is $114, a bump of $9 (8.5 percent) from last year. By comparison, rates grew 11 percent in 2015 and 6 percent last year. Rates across the state were mostly stable through the Great Recession to 2014 due to slow development activity. Since then, steady rate increases have coincided with population growth, the report states. Though development of new storage facilities in California has increased, the number of new units coming online has lagged behind demand due to high barriers to entry in many municipalities. Among the states largest metropolitan areas, Los Angeles had the largest year-over-year price increase, jumping from an average rate of $135 in 2016 to $156 this year. Though Long Beach had steep price increases between 2014 and 2016, its average rental rate fell from $134 in 2016 to about $127 this year. Other cities showing steady price growth include Riverside, Sacramento and San Diego. The data released by SpareFoot echoes state figures from the August Self Storage Rent Index issued this week by Storage Seeker. Modesto, Calif., posted the largest rate increase in the nation last month at 15.5 percent. Among the top 10 growth markets, six were in California. SpareFoot.com helps consumers find and reserve self-storage units, with comparison shopping tools that show real-time availability and exclusive deals. With a network of more than 12,000 storage facilities ranging from mom-and-pop operations to real estate investment trusts, the company reaches prospective storage renters though partnerships with brands including SelfStorage.com and Penske Truck Rental. Boombox Inc., a startup specializing in valet self-storage services in the San Francisco Bay Area, has launched a Storing Hope initiative designed to raise money for homeless shelters in the region. Customers who move their belongings from a traditional self-storage facility to Boombox can designate their first month of rent to go to the homeless shelter of their choosing, according to the company website. The companys fundraising goal is to collect $100,000 in donations by the end of next year. Customers who dont specify a shelter when beginning service will have their rent sent to the San Francisco homeless shelter operated by the St. Anthony Foundation. Boombox founder Calvin Hemington views valet storage as a better alternative to self-storage in part because the company uses commercial warehouse space to store customer belongings rather than real estate that could potentially be used for affordable housing. San Franciscos homeless population is estimated at 7,500, with 3,146 living in shelters, according to a January census. City officials conduct a count every two years. We thought we could free up premium real estate in the city for better uses, such as homeless shelters or low-income housing, Hemington told the source. And at the same time, we could offer a better service for those who currently use self-storage. A statement on the company website indicates Hemingtons ultimate goal is to convert current self-storage facilities into low-income housing or homeless shelters. While most valet-storage operators have concentrated on by-the-bin storage and delivery services, Boombox launched in February with a storage-space model based on the size of its transport vans. The company estimates the space inside the van is about equal to a 50-square-foot self-storage unit. Customers who fill the van with boxes and oversized individual items pay $115 per month, according to the website. The monthly rental fee is $75 if a customer fills only half the van. Boombox requires a minimum three-month stay. Customers must request a two-person pickup team for stored items that weigh up to 100 pounds. Initial pickup service is normally free, but the two-person service costs $35. Customer belongings are stored in a secure warehouse in Tracy, Calif., about 60 miles east of San Francisco. Customers arent allowed to visit the facility. Boombox staff members code and photograph items that will be stored. Renters can then manage their belongings online and schedule items for return delivery for a flat fee of $20 per van load. The company requests deliveries be scheduled 48 hours in advance. Pickups to return delivered items back to the warehouse are assessed a flat fee of $25, according to the website. The Boombox service area includes 15 cities within the Bay Area, stretching from Berkeley to south of San Jose. We see ourselves as a hassle-free alternative to self-storage, Hemington told the source. Our model makes the most sense for people who see storage as an extension of their garage or closet. The company launched with private funds and isnt seeking venture capital, according to the source. It joins a growing list of valet-storage operators in the Bay Area, including Brute Storage, Closetbox, Clutter, Omni and Trove Technologies Inc. Considering whats happening around them and reflect on what they are seeing and hearing, and therefore what action should be taken Challenging assumptions they and others may have to ensure they are making a good decision and are being open to dissenting views and outlier opinions Checking their facts and interpretations of those facts as they are on the lookout for bias, which may adversely impact their thought processes and decisions. Clarify their understanding Help to seek out different ideas Ensure that outlier opinions and diverse views are heard Make sure the trade-offs from decisions are clearly articulated Uncover elements that may be missing from the conversation Ensure the discussion has examined the issue from multiple perspectives Challenge their own thinking processes, and that of those around them In todays frantic paced world, theres often an expectation that leaders need to have answers at their fingertips, and thats its not OK to say I dont know or Im not sure.However, in a world of increasing complexity and ambiguity, there are lots of unknowns. Its not possible for leaders to have all the answers all the time.Additionally, we are surrounded by more information than ever and its becoming harder to know which sources to trust. We are bombarded with information, disinformation and loads and loads of data.Discernment and good judgement is critical particularly because in a complex, ambiguous and inter-connected world everything may not be what it seems. When we take something on face value we may be missing key pieces of information or overlooking unseen options.And when leaders hold dogmatic views and are certain about their opinion they open ourselves to decision failures.History is littered with stories of leaders who thought they had the answers, ignored advice and consequently, made poor decisions. From the failure of Kodak, to AOLs disastrous purchase of Time Warner, to the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the demise of Arrium Steel.Brian Cox, Advanced Fellow in Particle Physics at the University of Manchester said: Being dogmatic is not a positive attribute. Being certain about things is actually not a positive thing. And so I think somehow our societies have got into this position where people feel that certainty and strength and this kind of 'I make decisions', that that is a trait to be valued.When leaders are certain they are right, they are close themselves off to other ideas and different opinions. This can lead to myopic and poor decision making, because of the bias we all have in how we process information and make decisions.Stanford Academic, Carol Dweck, confirmed this in her research on fixed and growth mindsets.She found that people who have a fixed mindset see intelligence as static a fixed trait. As a result, they want to always look smart and appear as though they have all the answers. They believe that success is based on talent alone not work. This means they will avoid challenges and give up more easily. They also ignore feedback, which they see as criticism, and feel threatened by the success of others.In contrast, people with a growth mindset believe that intelligence can be developed through hard work and effort. Consequently, they are more eager to embrace learning, take on challenges and persist, despite setbacks. They love learning and usually display higher resilience. They are also more willing to learn from others and receive feedback.In her book, Mindset : Changing the Way You Think to Fulfil Your Potential, she highlights companies that have failed because of their leaders fixed mindset.In contrast, leaders who are comfortable with uncertainty have a growth mindset and are more willing to embrace the art of curiosity. They recognise that good decision making comes from asking lots of questions, not finding the one right answer.And thats where scepticism plays its part.According to the dictionary, to be sceptical is to be not easily convinced or to have doubts or reservations. Its easy to paint the sceptic in a negative light as the person whos cynical and therefore to be dismissed.When in fact being sceptical means you are curious. It means you recognise you dont have all the answers and so are open to challenge and debate, rather than having a fixed idea or opinion. Sceptics question. They critically think and ponder ideas. They reflect on what is really happening.In doing this, they take the time to ensure they are:Core to this is being able to ask a good question.This isnt about asking a question to get the answer they want. Instead leaders need to ask questions that:By asking questions a leader shows they are interested in the ideas being shared and open to new information and thoughts. They are also welcoming divergent views and encouraging debate and discussion. All characteristics that are critical for successful leadership.So instead of encouraging leaders to find the answers, encourage them to ask the right question.It was the French anthropologist, Claude Levi-Strauss, who said: The wise man doesnt give the right answers, he poses the right questions.Being open to asking the right question is a hallmark of influential leadership. So, what question will you ask next?Michelle Gibbings is a change leadership and career expert and founder of Change Meridian. Michelle works with global leaders and teams to help them accelerate progress. She is the Author of Step Up: How to Build Your Influence at Work. For more information: www.michellegibbings.com or contact [email protected] Close to 60kms of coral reef off the coast of Mexico is the latest asset to enjoy insurance coverage.The reef, located near Puerto Morelos and part of the second largest reef system in the world, is now covered for damage by insurance giant Swiss Re , thanks to an innovative policy put together with local business owners.Swiss Re worked alongside non-profit The Nature Conservancy on the innovative product following research that suggested that for every one metre lost off the top of the reef, onshore damage could triple.Hotels and other businesses in the area, that rely on tourism from visits to the reef, will contribute to the Reef & Beach Resilience and Insurance Fund, which pays premiums to Swiss Re, and will pay out in the event of damage caused by a major event that damages the coral ecosystem, Fast Company reports.The parametric policy responds in the event of a major storm or hurricane and is designed to pay claims in 10 days or less.You get immediate cash influx for the repair, and the reef needs immediate attention, Kathy Baughman McLeod, managing director of climate risk and investment at The Nature Conservancy said.After a storm, coral first responders will head to the reef to assess damage and take broken coral to coral nurseries for rehabilitation, before it can be reattached to the main reef. If the storm that damages the reef does not meet the parameters of the policy, the fund is designed to act as self-insurance so repairs are still possible.Alex Kaplan, head of North America for Swiss Re Global Partnerships, said that uninsured losses from major natural disasters sparked the company into action.We viewed that as a catastrophic failure of the insurance industrys intent to do its job and add its value, Kaplan said, according to the publication.Kaplan noted that while the product is currently only available to one reef, it could be rolled out to other natural assets that are often damaged in natural disasters.In the attempt to create a market you have to start with the steps that people are most comfortable with and they are already familiar with, Kaplan said. The idea is we start here in Mexico with the coral reef talking about hurricanes, but five or 10 years from now, I hope were talking about . . . a much broader array of natural hazards. The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Human Rights, National Minorities and Interethnic Relations will hold a joint meeting with the Human Rights Committee of the European Parliament in Brussels on October 12, which will discuss, among other things, human rights violations in the occupied Crimea and on the uncontrolled Donbas, chairman of the parliament committee for human rights, national minorities and multicultural relations Hryhoriy Nemyria has said. "There will be a joint meeting of the Human Rights Committee of the Verkhovna Rada for the first time in history with the Human Rights Committee in Brussels, on October 12. Members of the committee are my friends, comrades and colleagues Refat Chubarov and Ukrainian President's Envoy for the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Jemilev [head and ex-head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people].One of the issues on the agenda of this meeting will be the violation of human rights in the occupied Crimea and Donbas," Nemyria said at a rally, which took place in Kyiv on Wednesday in support of the deputy head of the Mejlis Akhtem Chiygoz, who was condemned in Crimea. Disruptive technology, the untested waters of the Arctic, and piracy these are some of the top shipping risks Lloyds discussed in its latest release.The insurance market has stressed the importance of planning for shippings major risks, saying that 90% of world trade is still carried by the shipping industry. The list Lloyds came up with was created with insight and input from marine insurance professionals across the specialist insurance markets operations.The threat of a cyberattack that can sink ships was one of the leading issues Lloyds drew attention to. What sounds like something out of science fiction is now a real threat that shipping companies have to plan for.Its the new piracy and it is generating a lot of heat and noise at the moment, but very little light, said Lloyds Market Association Marine and Aviation manager Neil Roberts.While the shipping industry depends on on-board computers, such hardware is often self-contained, which gives the shipping industry some resilience from cyberattacks. Despite this, ship owners still have their cyber concerns.Usually the threat comes from an insider or a disgruntled employee, explained Roberts.That does not mean ship operators are completely untouchable from outside breach attempts. In one experiment, the University of Texas managed to spoof a ships GPS-based navigation system, sending the ship hundreds of yards off course, without triggering any alarms.Roberts said that there is currently not enough understanding of the difference between whats theoretically possible with cyberattacks on shipping companies and its likelihood, but the fear of the unknown is a concern for many.Autonomous vessels were another risk identified by Lloyds.We are working hard to understand what might happen with autonomous ships, stated Roberts. The technology is moving faster than the regulations. And before that regulatory change happens its difficult to see autonomous ships taking off in a big way. At the moment there must be a human master at sea.Self-driving watercraft and their possible risks are not new to insurance, Roberts explained. He cited remote underwater vehicles, which have been used in wreck diving. He, however, considers that a human element might still be required for absolute safety.If youre insuring an asset, then the asset is the same whether theres a crew on board or not, he said. The question is: does getting rid of the humans make it more or less safe? We know that there are many times when human intervention has led to collisions being avoided.With the polar regions opening up for tourism, exploration and commercial operations, further risk exposures could appear.This is at the new frontier of risk, commented Roberts. Within the Lloyds market there are specialist underwriters who will consider coverages for ships that specifically want to take Arctic sea routes.The salvage gap remains a large concern for underwriters, however.There are very few salvage options in the high north, Roberts explained.No ship captain wants to be the first to pollute the pristine Arctic ocean, added Lloyds controller of agencies David Lawrence. Protecting polar waters and the people who live in these extreme environments is paramount.Piracy remains a major risk for shippers, and earns a spot among Lloyds shipping risk highlights.Piracy is the direct result of social conditions. Provided the opportunities and means are present someone will always do it. Its like a balloon. If you squeeze it in one place it pops up in another, said Roberts.Following the 2010 hijacking of 49 ships by Somali pirates, ship owners were pressed to come up with ways to combat the threat. Some armed their ships with water cannons, while others chose to employ armed guards. A transit corridor was even established, and many countries contributed naval support.Now that uneasy truce is gradually being eroded and there have been some close calls recently. Nobody knows what will happen when the naval support is withdrawn at the end of next year, Roberts pointed out. Whats the number one asset of a brokerage giant like Burns & Wilcox? Youll be glad to know that its the people.Speaking at the Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association ( WSIA ) 2017 Annual Marketplace in San Diego, Daniel Kaufman , senior vice president at H W Kaufman Financial Group and managing director of Burns & Wilcox, explained the key elements of Burns & Wilcoxs success.The market hasnt been great for some time. It has been fairly depressed as rates continue to go down, Kaufman told Insurance Business. Were going to have to wait to see what happens to rates because of the recent storms. Only time can tell.But overall for us, regardless of what happens to rates, business is going well. We continue to write more policies year over year and take more market share, which is great.Developing a company like Burns & Wilcox requires strategy and careful planning. When it comes to mergers, acquisitions and talent scouting, the first deal is not always the best deal, according to Kaufman.We invest heavily in people, which is our number one asset, he said. Our motto has always been to invest in people and companies that fit with our organization on a cultural level. We have made good deals and we have walked away from a lot of deals. On top of that, were also growing organically, which is important.At Burns & Wilcox, we have invested heavily in specialization product areas like construction and healthcare, which are booming right now. Were partnering up with strong retailers who are consolidating, which is helping with our market share in those areas.Providing expertise in specialized areas is the definition of value as a wholesaler, according to Kaufman. In the evolving insurance world, the wholesale market can stay relevant by providing great value to both the market and the retailer, he added.Burns & Wilcox is a well-known name in North America. Successful business has spurred the company on to expanding its global presence and Burns & Wilcox Canada has five offices that mirror its US operation. In the past five years, the company has also acquired two Lloyds of London brokerages and an MGU in London.The world is becoming flat, Kaufman commented. Weve been investing heavily in North America but we want to be able to write risk all over the world. If an insured has a risk outside of North America, its important to have the ability to write that risk for them. Were always looking [for global opportunities]. We have looked and been close to some deals but have walked away. Its always on our radars. Florida Governor Rick Scott has issued a notice to the states insurance regulator, ordering the agency to freeze any and all efforts to increase property insurance rates.The governors decision follows Hurricane Irmas passing, which left many homes and businesses in the state in ruin. As of Tuesday, over 40% of Florida was without power, and it could take weeks to restore electricity in many affected areas.Gov. Scotts release which included directives from the governor to Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier did not list which rate proposals would be affected by the 90-day freeze, reported ABC.Last month, the Office of Insurance Regulation held a hearing on a proposal by Citizens Property Insurance that suggested an increase in consumer rates.Due to the devastating effects of Hurricane Irma, Floridians should be focused on getting back to their normal lives without their insurance premiums being increased, the governor said in a statement.Scott also asked that policyholders who had their coverage canceled or not renewed in the days leading up to the hurricane event be given a 90-day grace period.The governor requested the state insurance commissioner provide an additional 90 days for policyholders to file the necessary claims information to insurance companies. Scott cited the large numbers of residents who were displaced by the storm, who could use the more lenient filing period. No-one can deny the alarming workforce gap in the insurance industry. Over the next decade, countless insurance professionals are due to retire and not enough millennials are ready and willing to step into the space.There is a new generation of workforce entering the industry just not at the rate required. There are around 20 schools in the US with dedicated risk management programs and a number of internship programs, such as the Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Associations ( WSIA ) internship, to bring young people into the industry.Fresh talent brings new ideas and different communication methods, something baby boomers arent always so engaged with.Speaking at the WSIA U40s Executive Panel in San Diego, Brenda (Ballard) Austenfield, president, national property practice, RT Specialty , said: Everybody always talks about the communication between the two different age groups and how it can be an issue.The way I view it we all have the same goal. We hire people who truly want to be the best and give their best, so we need to connect in that way. I agree that communication style is different. There are times when its more comfortable to send an email versus going to see somebody in person, but I think its good for all of us to help each other understand that face-to-face is still the best communication.Austenfield added: Technology is changing our industry in a big way but the best part about our industry is that its still a people business. People will deal with brokers that they like and trust. The only way for you to earn that trust is by communicating in a meaningful way.Panelist Nick Abraham, managing director at Markel, said the one thing that stands out about the millennial generation is their awesome grasp of connectivity. He told the WSIA audience that younger workers have a willingness to talk and share and that can be exhausting but also energizing.Abrahams two-step approach to engaging with the millennial workforce starts with helping them to understand they cant know everything straight away and that specialty knowledge takes time and patience to develop. The second step is to encourage younger generations to engage in projects that utilize their strengths and help them feel that theyre doing something above and beyond their day-to-day responsibility.Its imperative to listen to whats important to the younger generation whether thats community involvement, alternative work arrangements or having a certain type of tech that makes the job easier, added Richard Schmitzer, president and CEO, James River Insurance. Getting feedback from the younger workforce keeps everybody engaged and it encourages a knowledge transfer that the whole workforce benefits from. Insurance claims are already pouring in from policyholders with properties damaged by Hurricane Irma.The United States mainland sustained about $18 billion of insured loss, with the majority of damage seen in Florida, followed by Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama, according to catastrophe modelling firm Karen Clark & Co.But the biggest claims of them all the large corporate claims could take years to be paid out, said Ken Frenchman, a principal in the insurance recovery litigation practice at McKool SmithThere are obviously going to be a significant amount of claims, he said. Clearly theres water damage, clearly theres wind damage. The sticky area in a lot of insurance disputes is whether wind caused the water damage, which is another issue. And, of course, there are business interruption issues, which are sometimes the most hotly contested.On the corporate side, the big claims, they could take a while to assess and adjust. We do see feet-dragging, of course, and we do see things get to court.Often, even six months later, disputes may not yet be filed in court with both sides still feeling they can resolve things. And after a dispute goes to court, it could be years before theres an insurance decision one way or the other.One of the Frenchmans cases was only recently settled from a dispute between a client and a carrier dating back to Hurricane Sandy in 2012 worth $400 million.Carriers will, obviously, scrutinize the submitted claims, paying out the simplest first. Sometimes, though, carriers will also drag their feet preferring to prolong the payment of large losses, Frenchman said.Youre dealing with insurance companies that have, just, portfolios of losses. They have to drag their feet a little bit, otherwise they get hit with these losses right away. Thats what they do, he said.Brokers, particularly in large brokerages, will often try and help their clients with the claims process, Frenchman said, as they can leverage their good-standing with a carrier to push for a settlement for their insured. That may work for simpler claims, he said, but if theres potential for a dispute then brokers will often recommend their client hires a lawyer.And I will say, there will probably be insurers that will deny claims they shouldnt be denying, but I will also say that there will be good-faith disputes out there. And if there are good-faith disputes where reasonable minds can differ then you want to work it out. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have highlighted a nasty problem the federal government often fails to enforce its own rules when it comes to flood insurance.Government-backed mortgages in flood-prone areas are required to carry flood insurance. But the government is well aware that homeowners in high-risk areas often dont carry the insurance theyre supposed to.Two years ago, the Federal Emergency Management Agency estimated that half of the 1.5 million homes required to carry flood insurance might not be doing so, according to a Bloomberg Businessweek report. But thats only an estimate; neither FEMA nor any other government agency actually tracks that data.This is a huge blind spot, Samantha Medlock, a senior advisor on flood insurance policy to President Barack Obama, told Bloomberg Businessweek. Medlock said that many homeowners who let their flood insurance lapse mistakenly believe that if their luck runs out, the federal government will come in and take care of them.Harvey and Irma showed just how dire the problem is. More than 80% of the homeowners in Texas counties hit by Harvey lacked flood insurance, Bloomberg Businessweek reported. In Florida, as many as 43% required to have flood protection didnt have it. A 2012 University of Pennsylvania study found that homeowners required to carry flood insurance typically stopped paying their premiums after just two to four years.And mortgage lenders and servicers who should make sure homeowners are keeping their insurance current can be lax, Bloomberg Businessweek reported. When government agencies discover lenders making or renewing loans without requiring necessary flood insurance, the penalties are often laughably light.That may change in the wake of Harvey and Irma, however.So far there hasnt been enough of a default risk to motivate lenders to do more on their own, voluntarily, but were seeing worse and worse events, Carolyn Kousky of the University of Pennsylvania told Bloomberg Businessweek. After Harvey, we might see a different kind of response. Sixteen patients and patient relatives have filed a lawsuit against Pittsburgh-based Jefferson Hospital, alleging that the healthcare facility was negligent in 2012 when a hospital pharmacy technician stole painkillers and replaced the drug with pills that do nothing for pain.The stolen Oxycodone was meant to ease the severe pain of patients, including several who have been diagnosed with late-stage cancer, the lawsuit claimed. Other patients that needed the pain medication were recovering from amputation or surgery, or were victims of an accident.[There was] at least a four-month period where patients in pain, who needed pain relief, did not get their pain relief and remained in pain, attorney Alan Perer said. It only came to light when a patients daughter looked at the pill that was being given by a nurse to her mother and said that did not look like an Oxycodone.This isnt something that the hospital discovered, and thats whats so upsetting about this, said Jennifer Webster, another attorney. [A brother of one patient] had been begging the nurses, My sisters in pain. Shes not someone to complain like this. These medications arent working.Both Weber and Perer of SPK the law firm of Swensen & Perer - filed the lawsuit in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday, WTAE-TV reported.The suit is looking to hold Jefferson Hospital to account for failing to prevent the Oxycodone theft back in 2012. The then-hospital pharmacy technician responsible for the crime, Cheryl Ashcraft, had pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six to 12 months in prison, plus three years on probation. Ashcraft admitted to switching the Oxycodone pills for anti-nausea medicine or thyroid medication. Insurance Recovery Group (IRG) has announced the appointment of Paul James as president and chief executive officer. James was appointed to the role by David A. Jollin, IRGs chairman of the board.Mr. James is a consummate insurance professional with a strong track record in delivering profitable growth and stellar sales and service results for key insurance organizations, Jollin said.Among the key priorities for James will be to continue the momentum of IRGs growth over the last decade, including the growth of Insurance Subrogation Group (ISG), an IRG division.Subrogation is one of the firms core strengths, James said. I see significant opportunities to expand subrogation services and capabilities to insurers, reinsurers, self-insurers, insurance syndicates, third-party administrators, managing general agents, captives and independent adjustment companies.James brings more than 25 years of industry experience to his new role. Most recently, he served as assistant vice president at Hanover Group. He was also an owner, president and sales director at Massachusetts-based Steffon, James and Finnegan Insurance Agency. Exxon Mobil Corp.s attempt to use accountant-client privilege to avoid handing over audit documents in a politically charged climate-change probe was dealt a final blow by New Yorks top court. The finding on Tuesday affirms a 2016 ruling that Exxon must comply with a subpoena by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who is investigating whether investors were misled about the possible impact of climate change on the energy companys business. Schneiderman had sued Exxon and its auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, seeking documents about the accounting and reporting of oil and gas reserves, the evaluation of assets for potential impairment charges or write-downs, as well as energy-price projections and projected carbon-cost estimates. Exxon had no legal basis to interfere with PwCs production, Schneiderman said Tuesday in a statement. Our fraud investigation continues to move full speed ahead, despite Exxons continued strategy of delay. Exxon spokesman Scott Silvestri declined to comment on the decision. Caroline Nolan, a spokeswoman for PwC, also declined to comment. Climate Inquiry Schneiderman in June revealed detailed findings from the two-year probe, including what he called significant evidence that Exxon may have used two sets of numbers one public and one secret to calculate the impact of global warming on its reserves. Exxon then accused the attorney general of wildly distorting how it calculates those numbers. Exxons separate lawsuit against Schneiderman and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, who is also investigating, seeks to derail the two probes. That case was moved by a Texas judge to New York federal court, where the dispute has largely gone back to square one. Exxon argues the investigations by the two Democratic attorneys general were politically motivated, and that the states had conspired with environmentalists to reach a conclusion about the companys actions before the probe had begun. Schneiderman has said there was nothing inappropriate about his meetings with environmentalists, and that the probe was justified by evidence the company had differing private and public stances on the reality of climate change. The dispute is heating up as Republicans in Washington consider their next step after Schneiderman said in February hed ignore a subpoena issued in a related congressional probe by the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, which also seeks to derail his investigation. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics New York Paul James has been appointed to the role of president and chief executive officer of Insurance Recovery Group Inc. (IRG) by David A. Jollin, IRGs chairman of the board. IRG is a national subrogation, second injury fund, COLA recovery and cost containment company operating in the property and casualty insurance industry. It is based in Framingham, Mass., and encompasses property and liability, automobile and trucking, fidelity and surety and workers compensation. As the new leader of IRG, James will be charged with growing the companys overall operations, building on IRGs 20-year record of industry leadership in insurance recovery and subrogation. Jollin stated in a company press release that James expertise in business development strategies, along with his experience spanning various sectors in the insurance industry, will be a strong asset to the firm. Jollin added that subrogation is one of the firms core strengths, and he sees significant opportunities to expand subrogation services and capabilities to insurers, reinsurers, self-insurers, insurance syndicates, third-party administrators, managing general agents, captives and independent adjustment companies. One of the key priorities for James in his new role will be not only continuing IRGs growth momentum over the last decade, but also growing the Insurance Subrogation Group (ISG), a division of IRG. James has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance industry. Most recently, he served as assistant vice president at Hanover Insurance Group. Prior to that, he was regional sales director for Travelers of Massachusetts. For many years, he was an owner of Steffon, James and Finnegan Insurance Agency Inc., where he was the president and sales director. Source: Insurance Recovery Group Topics Massachusetts Market Vice President of the European Commission on Energy Union Maros Sefcovic will arrive in Kyiv on a working visit on Friday, September 15, the EU Delegation to Ukraine has reported. According to the EU Delegation, the EC Vice President will deliver a speech on the geopolitical aspects of energy policy at the opening of the 14th annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES). "The Vice-President would like to discuss the progress of the reforms in the energy sector, the reforms of Naftogaz and the transportation of gas, including its search for ways to further develop cooperation between the EU and Ukraine in the context of the Energy Union," the report says. Sefcovic will also hold meetings with Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman, Deputy Prime Ministers Hennadiy Zubko and Volodymyr Kistion, Energy Minister Ihor Nasalyk and Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin. In addition, he will consider the issue of reforms in the energy sector with members of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Energy and Naftogaz Ukrainy CEO Andriy Kobolev. "The European Union strongly supports Ukraine's reforms in the energy sector, which are key to modernizing the economy, benefiting both consumers and enterprises. I'm waiting for a discussion with the Ukrainian leadership on our next steps. We must use the full potential of Ukraine in energy efficiency, energy and transportation of gas," the Vice President of the EC said on the eve of his visit to Kyiv. Professional Insurance Agents of New York Inc. has elected Fred Holender as president at an annual meeting of the associations board of directors in Glenmont, N.Y. Holender is director of administration for Lawley Service Inc. in Buffalo, N.Y. As a member of PIANY since the 1970s, Holender has served on the board of directors since 2013. He also served as president-elect in 2016-2017 and vice president in 2015-2016. He is vice president of the Government Affairs and Nominations Committees and is a member of the Executive/Budget & Finance and Member, Benefits and Services Committee, as well as the PIANYPAC Governing Committee. He also is chairperson of the associations Buffalo Advisory Council and primary coordinator of PIANYs Legislative district office visits. PIANY also elected two New York professional, independent insurance agents to serve a two-year term ending in 2019 on the board of directors. It elected Raymond J. Gills Sr., agency manager of Fire Mark Insurance Agency Inc. in Cobleskill, N.Y., and Jeffrey Leibowitz, CEO of Atlantic Agency Insurance & Risk Management with three locations in Suffolk County, N.Y. As an active member of PIANY, Gillis is a member of the Company/Industry Relations and Government Affairs Committees. He also is a member of the National Flood Insurance Program Reauthorization subcommittee and a member of the PIANY Albany Advisory Council. Leibowitz has been a PIANY member since 1996 and is a member of the Education/Conference and Member, Benefits and Service Committees. He also is a member of the PIANY Long Island Advisory Council and sits on the Peer Review Board for the New York Auto Insurance Plan. Additionally, new officers of PIANY were elected for the 2017-18 administrative year: Jamie Ferris of Lansing, N.Y., was named president-elect. Ferris is president of P.W. Wood & Son Inc. in Ithaca, N.Y. John R. Tomassi of Clifton Park, N.Y., was elected first vice president. Tomassi is president of the Winfield Group in Clifton Park, N.Y. Tim Dean of Hopewell Junction, N.Y., was elected vice president. Dean is president of Marshall & Sterling Inc. in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Anthony Kammas of Flushing, N.Y., was elected vice president. Kammas is president of Skyline Risk Management Inc. in Flushing. Bruce D. Rowledge of Scotia, N.Y., was re-elected treasurer. Rowledge is president of Rowledge Agency in Scotia, N.Y. David L. Sidle of Trumansburg, N.Y., was elected secretary. Sidle is president and CEO of David L. Sidle Agency Inc. in Montour Falls, N.Y. John C. Parsons of Skaneateles, N.Y., will serve as immediate past president. He is executive vice president of Parsons & Associates Inc. in Syracuse, N.Y. PIANY is a trade association representing professional, independent insurance agencies, brokerages and their employees throughout the state. Source: Professional Insurance Agents of New York Topics Agencies New York An Ohio man has been sentenced to over two-and-a-half years in federal prison for defrauding a New Jersey company out of nearly $1 million. Authorities say 44-year-old John Tekulve owned a medical supply company that sold products to the Essex County business. NJ.com reports Tekulve was sentenced Tuesday to serve 33 months in prison and to pay over $977,000 in restitution. Tekulve previously pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark to a charge of wire fraud. Prosecutors said he used the companys credit card to bill for products and services he did not provide. Officials did not name the company targeted in the scam. Information from: NJ Advance Media Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics New Jersey The industrys Blockchain Insurance Industry Initiative (B3i) has developed a reinsurance blockchain prototype for a property excess of loss contractand could be on the cusp of an industry revolution. Unveiled this week at the reinsurance Rendez-Vous de Septembre in Monte Carlo, B3i hopes that the prototype represents the beginning of a new, more efficient era for the industry. In October, the blockchain prototype will head into rigorous market beta-testing. Blockchains, also known as mutual distributed ledgers, are defined as a common set of records of transactions, which are mutual (shared), cant be changed and are stored in multiple locations with no central ownership. The technology is being touted as a solution to the industrys inefficient back-office processes. After launching the initiative [in October] last year, the B3i members have been seeking to fulfill the huge potential of blockchain with a singular vision: To build an efficient worldwide industry platform for market participants to more easily cede, handle and trade risks, said a statement issued by B3i. While the industry sells a highly valued product, the cost of delivering that product to end users remains stubbornly high, said James Slaughter, director of global reinsurance strategy at Liberty Mutual and a member of B3is steering committee. Some commentators estimate that up to 50 percent of the total cost of our product goes on non-risk bearing components, he told an audience of industry executives and members of the press, who attended the projects launch. To overcome such inefficiencies, B3i has been working this year to experiment with and explore blockchain technology and developing the prototypeto see if we could standardize and digitize the insurance transaction, he added. With the advent of smart contracts, distributed ledger technologies, and cryptography, we believe we can speed up the insurance transaction through the elimination of redundant and replicated processes, higher speed of execution and greater transparency, Slaughter added. Paul Meeusen, Swiss Res head of Finance and Treasury Services, explained that the prototype has been taken through robust testing and B3i has observed efficiency gains in the order of 30 percent, by taking out unnecessary reconciliation, duplication of work and waiting time. Meeusen also sits on B3is steering committee. The prototype application takes a property cat excess of loss contract, puts it on a shared ledger where terms are agreed in real time. We see who has signed what line, paid what premium and reimbursed what claim, in one single version, he explained. Great Idea with Technology Wrapper When people have great ideas and wrap new technology around it, great things tend to happen, he said, citing the example of Malcolm McLean, a former trucking company owner, who, in the 1950s in America, developed containerization for the shipping industry in response to the inefficiencies he had observed with cargo transportation. McLeans containers lowered shipping costs from nearly $6 per ton to 16 cents per ton, a 36-fold improvement. When McLean gave his patents, royalty-free, to the International Organization for Standardization, containers ultimately revolutionized the shipping industry. Meeusen said he mentioned this story because B3i is solving a very similar problem for the insurance and reinsurance industry. Our mission is to help manage and trade insurance risks better. B3is aim is to master our insurance contract data. And like with the container, if we package and standardize them well, trading becomes much easier, Meeusen continued. He went on to say that the prototype is scalable and could be enhanced to include reinsurance, commercial insurance and ultimately also primary insurance. B3is taglinerevealed at its launch presentationis Less Admin, More Insurance. The groups determination to realize that goal and make the industry more efficient was evident from all the speakers comments at the event. Collaboration Is Key Slaughter noted that the industry has been littered with failed attempts to standardize and digitize the insurance transaction. B3i is determined not to follow that path, but well only be able to do that if the whole market gets behind us and joins this exciting project. The collaborative element of the initiative will be the key to its success, said several industry executives whose companies are supporting B3i, who spoke at the event: Christian Mumenthaler, CEO, Swiss Re, recalled, when Swiss Re looked at the possibilities for blockchain technology, it was very clear to us that this was not something we should pursue as a stand-alone company. It was very clear that the benefit would only come through if we worked together as an industry. Amer Ahmed, CEO, Allianz Re, said: I think this collaboration model provides the foundation on which we can really build momentum together. The industrys participation is vital to the projects success, he added. We are really excited to go through the prototype testing to see how we can really bring this to life. Denis Kessler, CEO of SCOR, noted that the industry will share in the incredible, massive efficiency gains provided by this technology, internally for companies, for the industry and all its business partners, especially the brokers. We are going to share the productivity gains, we are going to share those efficiency gains. It will be to the benefit of all of us. In additional statements issued this week, other B3i member companies executives commented on the project. Greg Hendrick, president, P/C Insurance and Reinsurance at XL Catlin, said: To collectively explore how blockchain can help us be more efficient and better deliver for our clients is in the whole industrys interest. This is an exciting step for the B3i and a significant leap towards the future for the industry. Paolo Ribotta, head of Generali Global Corporate & Commercial at Generali Group, said: We are excited to witness the implementation of the working prototype that has been developed. B3i is a key initiative in the insurance and reinsurance ecosystem that by joining market forces and leveraging on blockchain technology, could further modernize our industry, streamlining communication and transactions, paving the way to unexplored opportunities eventually. Next Steps In a statement, B3i said the immediate next step for the blockchain initiative is to launch a market beta-testing program for the prototype starting in October 2017. All insurance industry participants (insurers, brokers, reinsurers) are welcome to join this testing program, B3i said. Existing B3i members and new participants will be able to take part in the test on an equal basis of a common testing agreement. The participants will be granted access to a sandbox environment to simulate the creation and settlement of contracts and will be expected to feedback comments and change requests through defined channels. The current 15 members of B3i are Achmea, Aegon, Ageas, Allianz, Generali, Hannover Re, Liberty Mutual, Munich Re, RGA, SCOR, Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance, Swiss Re, Tokio Marine Holdings, XL Catlin and Zurich Insurance Group. The current governance and 15 members of B3i will remain unchanged until Dec. 31, 2017, said B3i, noting, however, that a review is under way to consider creating a more permanent operation within a legal entity in 2018. This article was originally published on Carrier Management.com, the insurance C-suite publication from Wells Media Group. Related: Topics Tech Reinsurance Swiss Re A Hugo, Minn., construction company will pay $125,000 to settle a racial harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency reported. The EEOCs lawsuit charged that JL Schwieters Construction Inc. violated federal law when it subjected two black employees to a hostile work environment, including physical threats, based on their race. According to the EEOCs lawsuit, Willie Staple and Dion Pye worked for JL Schwieters Construction Inc. from September 2012 to December 2013 as carpenters. Staple and Pye were both subjected to racial harassment during their employment by a white supervisor, which included racially derogatory comments including calling them n-r. The supervisor also made a noose out of electrical wire and threatened to hang Staple and Pye, the EEOC charged. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. JL Schwieters Construction, Inc.; Civil Action No. 16-cv-03823 WMW/FLN) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The Sept. 6, 2017, court-ordered consent decree provides $125,000 in monetary relief to Staple and Pye. It also requires Schwieters to revise its policies in its employee handbook to outline a complaint procedure for complaining of racial harassment. The decree also requires the company to train its management personnel on Title VII including its prohibitions against race discrimination and racial harassment. Schwieters also is required to train its non-management employees on their rights under Title VII, including their right to file discrimination charges with the EEOC. Finally, the company must report complaints of race discrimination and racial harassment to the EEOC during the decrees two-year term. Source: EEOC Topics Lawsuits Construction Minnesota MJ Insurance, headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., has added Olivia A. Lahr and Amy Wells to the commercial insurance and risk management team as risk transfer specialists. Lahr and Wells will be responsible for developing client risk financing and transfer strategies. Lahr will specialize in the construction practice group and Wells will specialize in the transportation practice group where they will identify risk transfer trends and insights specific to those industries. Each will work directly with the risk analysis and client advocacy teams to create and execute risk management strategies and insurance programming. Prior to joining MJ Insurance, Lahr served as a large property underwriting specialist at CNA Insurance. Wells previously worked at Indiana Farmers Mutual Insurance Co. as an agency sales representative where she assisted the underwriting department. MJ Insurance is a commercial insurance, risk management and employee benefits consulting agency that, since 1964, has grown from a two-person start-up to an agency with more than 140 employees in both Phoenix, Ariz., and Indianapolis. Source: MJ Insurance Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance Risk Management With growth prospects becoming rarer in the continuing competitive insurance market, carriers are among three sets of buyers fueling a hot M&A environment for specialized managing general agencies, representatives of GC Securities said Sunday. In a blog item on Guy Carpenters GCCapitalIdeas.com website, Andrew Beecroft, managing director for GC Securities, noted that carriers, brokers and private equity firms are all interested in MGA acquisition targets, and that some have gone for high-teens multiples of EBITDAeclipsing the historic range of 8-to-12-times valuations. He said that while brokers are the most active buyers, insurance carriers continue to seek vertical integration. In addition, he believes that private equity firms are currently far more interested in investing in distribution via MGAs than in balance sheet companies. John Rowlands, a GC Securities senior vice president, described carrier motivations with reference to the challenging competitive market conditions stifling other growth opportunities. Carriers value MGAs specialist product and geographic expertise and distribution, he said, noting that MGA deals allow them to strategically grow and diversify with lower execution risk and costs. The blog item also mentioned the launch of new MGA incubatorsincluding Soros-backed Vibe MGA Management (Vibe MM) in Juneas drivers of M&A activity for MGAs. According to the Vibe MM website, the independent MGA incubator platform provides an entrepreneurial environment for ambitious underwriters, featuring a comprehensive range of services suited to the particular needs of an MGA client through its incubation period. Specialist services include capital investment for early stage and subsequent development; acquisition (where required to complement organic growth); capacity providers that support the aligned interests; and a structured approach to introducing new business opportunities, the website says, Vibe MM is a member of the Vibe group of companies, operating alongside Vibe Syndicate Management, a Lloyds managing agent managing Syndicate 5678 which underwrites a broad range of insurance and reinsurance business, and Inceptum Insurance Company, a leading provider of runoff insurance in the company market. The Group is owned principally by two investors: Quantum Strategic Partners Ltd., a private investment vehicle managed by Soros Fund Management LLC, and Pine Brook Partners. While strategic buyers like carriers tend to pay more that financial buyers, according to the GC Securities representatives, they also noted even financial buyers are paying high values for sufficiently desirable, citing the example of London-based CFC Underwriting which garnered an investment from Vitruvian Partners in March. The good times wont last forever for MGAs, however, Beecroft warned. He noted that only MGAs with sufficient specializations will succeed should markets harden, with carriers likely opting to rely on their own in-house expertise for less specialized lines of business. Recent MGA Deals From the Insurance Journal archives, here are some recent MGA acquisitions: In January, H.W. Kaufman Financial Group and Burns & Wilcox Canada acquired the high-value homeowners insurance practice from Quebec-based XN Financial Services Inc. (XN), which is a subsidiary of The Henner Group in France. Also, Hull & Co., a wholesale insurance subsidiary of giant Brown & Brown, acquired the commercial managing general agency operations of Insurance House. In February, Beazley expanded its presence in Canada with the acquisition of the specialist managing general agent, Creechurch Underwriters. In April, Alliant Insurance Services acquired SES Insurance Brokerage Services in Santa Ana, Calif. and Markel Canada, the Toronto-based subsidiary of Markel International, acquired the remaining 50 percent stake in Allsport Insurance Marketing Ltd. Also, San Diego-based K2 Insurance Services acquired Star & Shield Insurance, a Georgia affinity distributor to the public safety community. In June, Dallas-based insurance exchange MarketScout sold its workers compensation managing general agency business to Specialty Program Group. Also, insurtech startup Bridger purchased Pleasanton, Calif.-based SCJ Insurance Services. In July, JenCap Holdings agreed to acquire privately held Special Risks Facilities Inc., an MGA in Sterling Heights, Michigan. U.S. Risk Insurance Group acquired Strategic Insurance Underwriters, a specialist trucking MGA and broker headquartered in Sarasota, Fla. Also, The Hanover Insurance Group Inc. announced that Chaucer, the companys international specialty insurance group, acquired SLE Holdings, Lloyds managing general underwriting agency based in Australia. In September, Specialty Program Group reported it had acquired the assets of Burbank, Calif.-based wholesaler Monarch E&S Insurance Services. In 2016, Bermuda-based Aspen Insurance acquired Blue Waters Insurers Corp., a Puerto Rico specialist marine managing general agency. Markel International bought Galleon Marine Insurance Agency, a London MGA that specializing in marine professional indemnity and cargo liability business. Nexus Underwriting Management Ltd. bought Hong Kong-domiciled Beacon Underwriters Ltd., a marine managing general agent. Global Risk Partners completed its backing of the management buyout of LONMAR Global Risks, the London-based specialist Lloyds broker. Brown & Brown Inc. purchased Morstan General Agency Inc. of Manhasset, New York. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Carriers Agencies Excess Surplus Underwriting Insurance Wholesale London Canada Human Resources Monkey see. Monkey sue. Monkey settle. Attorneys representing a macaque monkey have agreed to a compromise in a case where they asserted the animal owned the copyright to selfie photos it had shot with a photographers camera. Under the deal, the photographer agreed to donate 25 percent of any future revenue from the images to charities dedicated to protecting crested macaques in Indonesia, said the lawyers from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals who filed the lawsuit. Attorneys for the group and the photographer, David Slater, on Monday asked the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to dismiss the case and throw out a lower-court decision that said animals cannot own copyrights. Andrew J. Dhuey, an attorney for Slater, declined to comment on how much money the photos have generated or whether Slater would keep all of the remaining 75 percent of future revenue. PETA and David Slater agree that this case raises important, cutting-edge issues about expanding legal rights for non-human animals, a goal that they both support, and they will continue their respective work to achieve this goal, Slater and PETA said in a joint statement. There was no immediate ruling from the 9th Circuit on the dismissal. PETA sued on behalf of the monkey in 2015, seeking financial control of the photographs for the benefit of the monkey named Naruto that snapped the photos with Slaters camera. Lawyers for Slater argued that his company, Wildlife Personalities Ltd., owns worldwide commercial rights to the photos, including a now-famous selfie of the monkeys toothy grin. The photos were taken during a 2011 trip to Sulawesi, Indonesia, with an unattended camera owned by Slater. Slater said the British copyright obtained for the photos by Wildlife Personalities should be honored worldwide. U.S. District Judge William Orrick said in a ruling in favor of Slater last year that while Congress and the president can extend the protection of law to animals as well as humans, there is no indication that they did so in the Copyright Act. The 9th Circuit was considering PETAs appeal. The lawyers notified the appeals court on Aug. 4 that they were nearing a settlement and asked the judges not to rule. A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit heard oral arguments in the case in July. Associated Press writer Paul Elias in San Francisco contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who opposes efforts to dismantle a new rule allowing customers to sue financial companies in class actions, released letters on Tuesday from U.S. bank CEOs in which they declined to defend lobbying against the measure and several said they already comply with it. Warren asked the bank CEOs if they believed the rule should be reversed. Despite the claims of their paid lobbyists, not a single one of the 16 CEOs I wrote was willing to defend efforts to gut the (Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus) pro-consumer arbitration rule, she said in a statement. The letters to liberal Warren showed Capital One , Bank of America, Ally Financial, T.D. Bank and HSBC North America rarely use mandatory arbitration clauses, where customer must give up the right to sue and agree to take possible future disputes to closed-door mediation as a condition of opening accounts. American Express, Citi, JPMorgan Chase & Co., PNC and SunTrust give new customers the opportunity to opt out of the clauses within a limited timeframe, the letters show. The rule, finalized by the CFPB in July, does not end arbitration. Instead, it says customers cannot be forced to only use arbitration in settling disputes. The practice has spread like wildfire across industries following the Supreme Court 2011s decision that the clauses are legal. The banking industry says the rule, effective next year, will drive up costs with time-consuming class actions. It also says arbitration is more effective in delivering restitution to individuals. A CFPB study found customers receive higher awards through arbitration than lawsuits on average but noted fewer arbitration cases lead to awards. Saying the rule only benefits trial attorneys, Republicans in the House of Representatives swiftly voted to kill it. The Senate, where Democrats and some conservatives say the rule restores customers constitutional rights to due process, has been slower to act. Under the Congressional Review Act, both chambers must approve a repeal resolution to kill the rule. Democrats also say arbitrations are rigged against customers because they are handled out of the public eye and arbitrators are often paid by companies. Mandatory arbitration clauses have grabbed the spotlight over the last year, after they blocked customers from suing Wells Fargo & Co. in the phony account scandal. Equifax Inc. included arbitration clauses when it offered credit monitoring to victims of its recent hack, but then removed them under public pressure. (Reporting by Lisa Lambert; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) Borrowing ideas from some insurtech startups, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty has a new platform for brokers and their Main Street customers from barber shops to bakeries and toy stores to tailor. The site, AllianzGo, promises U.S. brokers and policyholders some of the quick and simple processing features touted by new technology-oriented insurance start-ups focused on small commercial lines. The site offers instant premium indications based on a just a few pieces of information. Policies are issued in minutes, paper-based underwriting is all but eliminated, and policyholders have the option to pay online. Brokers can generate portfolio reports and submit claims. Policyholders can also submit and track claims and access all of their own documents through the platform. Todays commercial audience is tech-savvy and prefers to conduct research and transactions online. It is imperative for us to provide real-time and convenient products and services to meet these demands, says Bill Scaldaferri, CEO and president of AGCS North America. The site serves the small business segment operating in the business owners policy (BoP), commercial auto and workers compensation space in a range of industries, including retail, business services, offices, wholesale/distributors, commercial real estate, apartments and condominiums. AllianzGo is designed for businesses with up to $6 million in revenue per location and up to $10 million in total insured values per policy. Were prioritizing customer needs by investing in the best technology and solutions available. With AllianzGo, standard submissions will not require underwriter referral, accelerating the entire issue process and ultimately saving our customers time and effort, stated Atul Kulkarni, head of Small Commercial for AGCS North America. Following the integration of the Firemans Fund Commercial Insurance business in 2015, AGCS expanded into the small and mid-corporate segments. Key programs include agribusiness, package & small business, casualty and property. According to the company, mid-corporate policies generated 13 percent of its global gross written premium in 2016 of 7.6 billion. Commercial Lines Insurtech The AllianzGo functionality is reminiscent of that of some tech-oriented insurance startups including Next Insurance, which sells to janitorial services, photographers and other classes of business, and Bunker, which is focused on independent contractors and small businesses. Insurers including Chubb, Liberty Mutual and Hiscox have invested in some of these small commercial lines ventures. In developing its own small business platform, Allianz is not alone among carriers looking to compete in the online space for small commercial accounts. Last October Allstate debuted a platform that it says makes it possible for small business owners to buy a policy in about five minutes. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. created Berkshire Hathaway Direct Insurance Co. to sell insurance directly to businesses. American International Group and Hamilton Insurance have Attune and Starr Companies has a digital platform selling direct to small businesses called Starr Insure and it has a stake in CoverWallet. Travelers acquired Simply Business, a small business digital broker in the UK, for $490 million. QBE North America has taken a different route. QBE is relying upon Arrowhead, a national insurance program manager and subsidiary of Brown & Brown Inc., for the technology to manage its small commercial business. The principals see their approach as an alternative to carriers having to invest more in their legacy technologies or rely on insurtech developments. Related: Topics Agencies Commercial Lines InsurTech Excess Surplus Tech Business Insurance Allianz Digital small business insurance provider Next Insurance has unveiled a new online portal giving small businesses more control over their insurance policies. The portal offers what Next says are several unique insurance services, including the option to cancel a policy instantly with no penalty fees, add an additional insured with the click of a button and immediately generate proof of insurance. The goal of giving customers more access and control to their policies is to speed up and simplify the most common updates and requests made by customers, without costing them additional fees, according to the firm. In a society where almost every service is available online and instantly, insurance is lagging behind, said Guy Goldstein, co-founder and CEO of Next. Its unfortunate how many hoops businesses need to jump through in order to change or cancel their policy. Were on a mission to do away with all the legacy hurdles that the insurance industry forces customers to jump over, and launching this online portal gets us one step closer towards that reality. The following features are now available to Next Insurance policyholders within the new online portal: Additional Insured: Customers can add Additional Insured in one click, with immediate issue. Attaching a new Additional Insured to a policy is one of the most common policyholder requests and as it is often a prerequisite to the ability to attract projects or orders, time is of the essence, according to Next. This feature ensures Additional Insurance documentation on hand within minutes. Proof of Insurance: Customers can receive proof of insurance instantly, without the need for numerous phone calls to agents and long wait times for delivery. One-click Cancellation: Customers can instantly cancel policies, solving the problem of restrictions on the ability to cancel, cancellation fees, and long wait times between requesting and receiving confirmation. Policy Information: Customers can view all of their policy information. Payment Information: Customers can update and maintain payment information at any time. Founded in 2016 by a team of serial entrepreneurs, Next Insurance is headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif., and has received a total of $48 million in venture capital funding from Ribbit Capital, TLV Partners, Zeev Ventures, Munich RE Ventures, Markel, Nationwide, American Express, and others. Giving customers more control over their insurance appears to be gaining some traction. Personal lines insurtech Lemonade recently added a self-directing feature that lets consumers update their policies themselves in real time through their app, actions that are typically left to agents and brokers. They can make changes to their deductible, coverage amounts or add a new valuable they just purchased. Karlyn Carnahan, head of The Americas Property/Casualty Practice at Celent, recently told Carrier Management that other insurance carriers do have some abilities to permit certain types of changes to their policies, such as changing a billing plan or date or requesting endorsement but that policyholders are not typically given broad or complete control. Moving work to the user is not only more appealing to that consumer, but also reduces the processing cost for the insurance carrier. And of course the speed of executing the transaction can have financial benefits as well, Carnahan said. Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance A member of the qualification and disciplinary commission of prosecutors, Anatoliy Kovalenko, has opened disciplinary proceedings against Ukrainian Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko and Chief Military Prosecutor Anatoliy Matios after considering a disciplinary complaint from a number of citizens, the Ukrainska Pravda online news site has reported, referring to the respective decision of August 7. According to the disciplinary complaint, Lutsenko and Matios posted messages in social networks (Facebook) that violate the presumption of innocence. In accordance with the law of Ukraine on the prosecutor's office, a public statement that violates the presumption of innocence serves as the basis for bringing a prosecutor to disciplinary liability. The disciplinary complaint contains hyperlinks to respective posts published by the prosecutor general and the chief military prosecutor, which, in particular, disclose the names of suspects, detainees, and even passport data. Earlier, the qualification and disciplinary commission of prosecutors opened disciplinary proceedings against Matios for using offensive language in a post on his Facebook page. The number of people without health insurance in Texas continues to decline, but the state still has more residents without coverage than anywhere in the nation. U.S. Census Bureau data released Tuesday shows Texas 2016 rate of uninsured at 16.6 percent. Thats down from 17.1 percent in 2015 and 22.1 percent in 2013. That means about 1.2 million fewer Texans without health insurance last year, compared to 2013. Still, around 4.5 million Texans lacked health insurance, more than any other state. Texas uninsured rate also remained the countrys highest. The national 2016 uninsured rate was 8.6 percent. Advocates credit the Obama administrations signature health care law, and argue that Texas uninsured rates would have fallen farther if the GOP-controlled Legislature hadnt refused to expand Medicaid coverage as part of it. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Texas Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. (SHP&C) has acquired Stirling Insurance Services, Inc., headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. Stirling has served all of Florida for over 28, led by Terry Sgammato and his team who provide all insurance products and financial services for their clients. With local and national carriers, the acquisition will further Seeman Holtz Property & Casualtys foothold in South Florida and beyond. SHP&C continues to target high-quality independent agencies for geographic expansion and continued growth throughout the Unites States. With the addition of Stirling Insurance Services, Inc., SHP&C will continue to reach new and current clients. SHP&C offers: Homeowners coverage Automobile insurance Renters policy Private client Umbrella coverage Commercial and employee coverage Personal liability coverage According to Brett Williams, vice president of SHP&C the entire Stirling team will join the SHP&C Boca Raton office. We are thrilled to have Stirling join our family. Sgammato will join SHP&C in a directorship capacity The Seeman Holtz family of companies provides comprehensive financial and insurance advice to clients across the country. Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Florida Property Casualty Property Casualty Hurricane Irmas devastating storm surge came with weird twists that scientists attribute to the storms girth, path and some geographic quirks. A combination of storm surge, heavy rains and swollen rivers sent some of the worst flooding into Jacksonville, Florida, even though Irma roared into the opposite end of the state, had weakened to a tropical storm and its eye stayed at least 80 miles (130 kilometers) away. Although preliminary data suggest Irmas eye pushed a surge of more than 10 feet (3 meters) onto southwest Floridas Marco Island, the highest water levels were reported hundreds of miles away in Jacksonville and Savannah, Georgia, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. And southwestern Florida, which is prone to surges, saw the opposite at first: a strange-looking negative surge that sucked the water off the sea floor quickly enough to maroon several manatees. After the water pulled away from the beaches and bay, it came back with vengeance, but much of Floridas west coast wasnt swamped as badly as it could have been because Irmas track kept them safe from the storms stronger eastern side. You can call it bizarre; I might call it unusual or unique, said Rick Luettich, director of the Institute of Marine Studies at the University of North Carolina. What was very unusual about it was, it spanned two coastlines that were in different-facing directions. As a result, you got the opposite behavior on both coastlines. Tampa dodged a bullet on the weaker side of the storm, especially because Irmas southwestern eyewall had been broken up by high winds near Cuba, MIT meteorology professor Kerry Emanuel said. Jacksonville and the rest of the east coast, on the other hand, got the northeast brunt of the storm, where winds, surge and rainfall are at the strongest. And because hurricane winds spin counterclockwise and lined up perfectly perpendicular to Jacksonvilles St. Johns River, it just pushed the water from the Atlantic right into the river, National Hurricane Center spokesman and meteorologist Dennis Feltgen said. The citys concave coastline and the shallow water off the beach also made for a bigger storm surge buildup, funneling more water into Jacksonville, said storm surge expert Hal Needham of Galveston, Texas. On top of that, Jacksonville unlike western Florida only got one side of Irma, so the wind kept coming from the same direction, pushing the surge even higher, Needham said. Thats why Paul Johnson was surprised when Monday morning he woke up in Jacksonville, looked out the window and saw boats passing by where cars normally drive. The water was licking at his front door. Before long, the flooding rose nearly to the window of his beloved pickup truck. Ive lived here most of my life, and Ive never seen anything like that, he said. It was worse than last years Category 5 Matthew, which sat just off shore, because Irma grew to an immense 415 miles (670 kilometers) wide, Luettich said. The size of the storm made a huge difference, Luettich said. People tend to focus on top sustained winds, but thats only part of the equation that goes into storm surges. The storms size is another major factor, as with Katrina, said Jamie Rhome, who heads the storm surge unit at the National Hurricane Center. As bad as it felt on the east coast of Florida, things were significantly worse in the Florida Keys, Rhome said, as well as in the lower part of southwest Florida where the storms eye passed close by, such as Immokalee. Negative storm surge happened where Irmas eye moved over water east of the coastline and winds pushed the water away from the shore. That draining of the bay and coast tricks people, Rhome said, but Needham said the Tampa region has experienced this type of negative storm surge at least twice before. And because the reverse surge means the coastline must be refilled before water inundates land, the resulting speed and effect of the surge is lessened, Luettich said. Johnson said he had joked with his Facebook friends when Irmas track appeared to turn away from Jacksonville that the storm was too afraid to come near. But this storms punch came from so far away that it never had to. She got us back, Johnson said. She showed us, she sure did. ___ Galofaro reported from Jacksonville and Borenstein from Washington. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Florida Windstorm Hurricane A standoff over millions of dollars in unpaid insurance premium taxes is escalating between New Mexicos attorney general and the states largest health-care insurance provider. New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas this week renewed accusations that a for-profit insurance arm of Presbyterian Healthcare Services used an illegal accounting procedure to avoid paying millions of dollars in taxes and surcharges on insurance premiums. Subsidiary Presbyterian Health Plan has denied that it owes the state of New Mexico additional premium taxes. It filed a motion Monday to dismiss the attorney generals lawsuit. Presbyterian says state insurance regulators reviewed and approved the companys amendments to past tax payments. At a news conference in Albuquerque, Balderas urged Presbyterian to pay off tax liabilities dating back to 2003 that were circumvented with an illegal amendment. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Carriers Mexico New Mexico The Berkeley City Council this week gave police permission to use pepper spray to repel demonstrators attacking officers and others during violent protests of the kind that have repeatedly hit the city this year. The 6-3 vote by the council came ahead of another planned speech today at the University of California, Berkeley. The city banned pepper spray in 1997 as a crowd-control weapon, though most law enforcement agencies permit officers to use it to disburse violent crowds, Berkeley police Chief Andrew Greenwood said. Greenwood sought such permission at an emergency council meeting, saying it is preferable to batons and tear gas, which the city is allowed to use but disburses far wider than pepper spray. The council rejected its use for crowd control Tuesday, but agreed to modify its ban and expand police powers to use it. The council said pepper spray shall not be used as a crowd control technique to disperse a crowd or move a crowd, the motion stated. Police may use pepper spray upon specific individuals within a crowd who are committing acts of violence upon police or others. Berkeley police carry small canister of pepper spray for use on individual suspects. But the police chief said officers need permission to use bigger canisters if necessary. Officers were preparing for violence as soon as Thursday when conservative political commentator and former Breitbart editor Ben Shapiro appears on campus and again later this month when conservative figures have been invited to speak. It is a request made of urgency, Greenwood said. Dozens of people lined up at City Hall to oppose arming Berkeley police with the larger canister of pepper spray, saying it is too easy for officers to use and has the potential to be used on peaceful protesters. Some cities nationwide banned pepper spray after several high-profile incidents of police using it on peaceful protesters. An incident in which students at the University of California, Davis, were pepper-sprayed during a peaceful demonstration in 2014 led to a $1 million legal settlement for the protesters. Ishmael Tarikh, a civil rights lawyer with the National Lawyers Guild, said police must issue a dispersal order before firing tear gas canisters. Tarikh said police dont have to issue a warning when using pepper spray. Its a blunt instrument used for a very precise problem, he said. Four political demonstrations have turned violent in Berkeley since February, prompting officers to come up with new strategies to control rowdy and sometimes dangerous crowds. Berkeley police said they have not deployed tear gas at the other protests. Police say they are struggling to balance free speech rights with preventing violence. Berkeley is facing a large, armed, coordinated group at political events, Greenwood said. Our officers do not have the tools to address this threat, he said. Joseph Giacalone, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a former New York City police sergeant, said it would be advantageous for police to be able to use pepper spray during protests but tactical decisions should be made based on the conditions. He said although tear gas and pepper spray often cause the same effects, shooting tear gas at a group of protesters often means spraying innocent bystanders and people frequently throw the cans back at officers. There are going to be bystanders in that crowd, and lets face it, the people youre trying to control come prepared for it. They have gas masks on, Giacalone said. Later this month, a conservative group says it plans to bring former White House adviser Steve Bannon to speak on campus along with former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos and politically conservative commentator Ann Coulter. A Yiannopoulos appearance on campus in February was canceled for safety reasons when protests turned violent and spilled into downtown Berkeley. Protesters smashed windows of businesses and marred walls with graffiti. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics California Law Enforcement Education Universities Woodland Hills, CA, September 14, 2017- The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers is proud to welcome Christopher David Harney as Partner/Senior Vice President in its Los Angeles office. He will join the leadership team and continue his role as a producer and client advocate focused on delivering proven insurance solutions to clients. Christopher is an insurance industry veteran that brings over 20 years of experience developing and implementing complex risk management programs for some of the nations largest organizations. His expertise includes the following industries: Manufacturing, Commercial Real Estate, and Lawyers/Architects & Engineers Professional Liability. He possesses a strong technical background in Property, Casualty, and Professional Liability insurance coverages. Prior to joining the Liberty Company, Christopher was a Senior Vice President at Alliant Insurance Services. He had previously worked with other global insurance brokers prior to joining the Liberty Company. Christopher is actively involved and committed to community programs that provide resources and help to at-risk families/children in Southern California. He holds a bachelor degree in Business Administration from the University of Nevada, Reno. The Liberty Company Insurance brokers provides ambitious producers an entrepreneurial platform to achieve equity partnership and is celebrating 30-years as an independently owned full service broker with offices throughout California Media Contact Cheri Amaro, SHRM-SCP Executive VP/Director, Corporate Operations The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers, Inc. camaro@libertycompany.com 408.510.5802 Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Agencies EAST GREENWICH, RI - September 14, 2017 - (Investorideas.com Newswire) Verdi Productions, producers of SILENCE and BLEED FOR THIS, announces Theo Rossi for the lead role of Robert "Deuce" Dussault in its next feature film, VAULT. Principal photography on VAULT will start in early April 2018. Directed by Tom DeNucci, VAULT will be filmed entirely in the state of Rhode Island. Written by B. Dolan and Tom DeNucci, VAULT is inspired by true events and tells the story of a group of small time criminals, who in 1975, attempt to pull off the biggest heist in American history; stealing more than $30 million from the mafia in the smallest state in the union, Rhode Island. The film is being produced by Chad & Michelle Verdi, Nick Koskoff and Matthew Weiss. Nicholas Carmona, Dawn Vanzant and Tanja Lynch are executive producing. Verdi stated, "Landing Theo as our lead is huge for this project. My director Tom DeNucci and producing partner Nick Koskoff worked very hard to lock Theo in. Theo, Nick and I worked together on Bad Hurt, so there's a lot of good chemistry between us already. Rossi most recently starred in the breakout summer film "Lowriders" from Universal and Blumhouse which opened in May 2017 to great success. Rossi is currently filming Season 2 of his hit show "Marvel's Luke Cage" as the character 'Shades' streaming on Netflix. He will next be seen in the Eric Bress film "Ghosts of War". Verdi's current release, a documentary about fallen 9/11 hero Welles Crowther "Man in Red Bandana," opened nationally on Friday, September 8 and is available worldwide on VOD. Over the past six years, managing partner Chad A. Verdi has produced 16 feature films, including BLEED FOR THIS (starring Miles Teller, Aaron Eckhart, Katey Sagal, Ciaran Hinds), SILENCE (directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Liam Neeson, Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver), BAD HURT (starring Theo Rossi, Karen Allen, Ashley Williams) and the documentary THE 50 YEAR ARGUMENT(directed by Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi). Chad A. Verdi President Verdi Productions 214 Main Street East Greenwich, RI 02818 Bleed For This Silence verdifilms.com Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investment involves risk and possible loss of investment. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Contact each company directly regarding content and press release questions. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. More disclaimer info: http://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Top News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: GBT's (OTCPK: GTCH) Facial and Body Recognition Patent Application Received a Notice of Allowance San Diego, CA - November 9, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) GBT Technologies Inc. (OTC PINK: GTCH) with GBT Tokenize Corp. ("GBT/Tokenize") received a notice of allowance for its facial and body recognition non-provisional patent application. Top EV Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking EV Stock News: Mullen (NASDAQ: MULN) Enters into Agreement with Newgate Motor Group, one of Ireland's most Recognized Auto Groups, to Distribute the Mullen I-GOTM in Ireland and United Kingdom BREA, Calif. - November 9, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN), an emerging electric vehicle manufacturer, announces today that it has entered into an agreement to appoint Newgate Motor Group, one of Ireland's most recognized dealership groups, as marketing, sales, distribution and servicing agent for the Mullen I-GO in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: GBT's (OTCPK: GTCH) AI Driven Financial Technology Patent Application Received a Notice of Publication San Diego, CA - November 3, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) GBT Technologies Inc. (OTC PINK: GTCH) received a notice of publication for its financial software patent application. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: Intellagents, a FatBrain AI (OTCQB: LZGI) Company, Announces Hiring of Insurtech Industry Veteran as Chief Revenue Officer NEW YORK, NY - November 2, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI), the leader in powerful and easy-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for star enterprises of tomorrow, announces the hiring of Euan King, an experienced and respected Insurtech industry leader as Chief Revenue Officer for insurance technology-focused subsidiary Intellagents. Check out our Podcasts for great investor ideas: Get new posts by email: Subscribe Powered by Investorideas.com Newswire: Subscribe to Investor Ideas Newswire Right of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians to freedom and love of Motherland is danger to Russian authorities Condemned in the annexed Crimea deputy chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Akhtem Chiygoz, has sent a message to the rally participants in his support, which took place on the Independence Square in Kyiv on Wednesday. "Every Crimean Tatar, every Ukrainian should understand that our right to freedom, a decent life and love of the Motherland is a danger to the Russian authorities," Chiygoz's appeal to the rally participants, posted by his lawyer Nikolai Polozov on Twitter, reads. "I was listening to the verdict on September 11 and realized: much cynicism, and most importantly, the fear are behind every spoken word and actions of the judges and the Russian authorities over the strength, courage, and determination of my people. They are annoyed, frightened by true patriotism, which they do not understand and it is not inhered in them. It is convenient for them to cover themselves with false patriotism, impregnated with rotten national-chauvinism, which they impose not only on their people," the deputy head of the Mejlis said. "The verdict absorbed the hopelessness and anger of the collaborators, but their joy is premature. They will not be able to "make lie and meanness the main value." They will never be the authorities of the people," Chiygoz said. As earlier reported, a day earlier, MP from the Petro Poroshenko Bloc party, Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Refat Chubarov had announced holding a rally on the Independence Square in Kyiv on September 13 in support of Chiygoz, illegally convicted in the occupied Crimea. The rally was scheduled to start at 17:30. On September 11, the so-called "Supreme Court" of annexed Crimea sentenced Chiygoz to eight years in prison. He will serve his sentence in a penal colony. Chiygoz was arrested on January 29, 2015, on charges of organizing and participating in civil unrest at a rally in Simferopol on February 26, 2014, prior to the referendum on Crimea's accession to Russia. President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that the verdict of the Supreme Court of Crimea to Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Akhtem Chyigoz is another verdict of the Russian Federation, which at the international level is recognized as an occupier. Justice Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Petrenko during meetings in the Council of Europe will raise the issue of political prisoners in Russia and Russia-occupied Crimea, as well as the guilty verdict against Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Akhtem Chiygoz. The international non-governmental organization Amnesty International stands for the immediate release of deputy chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Akhtem Chiygoz, sentenced by the court in the annexed Crimea to eight years of imprisonment, the organization's press service said on Monday. The European Union regards the ban on activities of the Crimean Mejlis and the persecution of its leaders as "serious and unacceptable violations" of their rights. Press Release IPU concerned about the flawed justice in Mongolian MPs assassination case Geneva, 14 September 2017 Zorig Foundation A delegation of the Inter-Parliamentary Unions (IPU) Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians has expressed deep concern about the flawed justice, torture and intimidation in the investigation of the 1998 assassination of the parliamentarian and Minister of Infrastructure Zorig Sanjasuuren. Sanjasuuren is regarded by many as the leader of the democratic movement in Mongolia in the early 1990s. At the end of a three-day mission from 11-13 September 2017, the IPU delegation confirmed concerns that the trial and conviction of three individuals for the assassination of Sanjasuuren violated international fair-trial standards and further undermined the legitimacy and integrity of the judicial process. The secrecy of the investigation, trial and court decisions has created a climate of suspicion and rumours. Secret evidence was not accessible to the prosecutors office or to legal counsel. According to the IPU delegation, this has made it impossible to ensure respect for the right to a fair trial. The leader of the delegation, Afghani MP, Ms. Fawzia Koofi, stated, We are concerned about recurrent and credible reports about the use of torture and corruption to divert the course of justice in this case. We are shocked that such reports do not appear to have been seriously addressed by the judicial authorities through independent, credible and transparent procedures. Ms. Koofi added We are also worried about continued intimidation that makes it difficult for those taking an interest in the case to voice these concerns publicly without fear of arrest. Peoples right to speak freely about the case should be fully respected. In its dialogue with the authorities the IPU delegation met, it called for the judiciary to remedy the existing serious flaws by ordering a public re-trial in the presence of domestic and international observers. There is an urgent need to establish the truth. The IPU delegation regrets that it was not allowed to meet the convicts in prison or members of the Supreme Court. It nonetheless notes that it was able to hold constructive discussions with all other relevant parliamentary, executive and judicial authorities. It hopes that this dialogue will continue and contribute to appropriate solutions in the near future. The IPU delegation reminds the Mongolian authorities of the decision adopted unanimously by the IPU Governing Council during its 200th session in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 5 April 2017. The IPU delegation, comprising President Koofi and member, Al Alaradi, an MP from Bahrain, will inform the full Committee of its preliminary findings at its next session in October. The IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians provides protection and redress for MPs whose human rights have been violated or who are at risk. Examining the case since 2000, the Committee has made three fact-finding visits and taken 50 decisions as part of its investigation into the assassination of Zorig Sanjasuuren. The IPU Committee promises to never give up until justice is served. The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is the global organization of national parliaments. It works to safeguard peace and drives positive democratic change through political dialogue and concrete action. The Regional Conference of Young Parliamentarians of Africa will take place on 27 and 28 September 2017 at the National Assembly of Nigeria in Abuja. Jointly organized by the IPU and the Parliament of Nigeria, its theme is Empowering youth: Enhancing political participation for more inclusive and peaceful societies. Approximately 70 per cent of Africas population is under 30 years of age and young men and women literally hold the demographic balance of power on the continent. Young people are, however, vastly underrepresented in the continents parliaments. IPU research has revealed that less than 1.5 per cent of African parliamentarians are aged under 30. As todays young people become tomorrows adult population, failure to address their growing disengagement can lead to further disillusionment and lack of confidence in politics. This poses a threat to the future of democracy and can, in some cases, contribute to an environment ripe for radicalization. Political participation is therefore a powerful antidote to addressing many of the drivers of violent extremism. The Regional Conference of Young Parliamentarians of Africa will galvanize action to enhance youth political participation. It will bring together young parliamentarians to explore the obstacles to greater youth participation in politics in the African context and coordinate solutions to address them. It will also examine the link between political participation and the prevention of violent extremism, and consolidate proposals for actions to help young MPs tackle this scourge. The Conference is open to young men and women members of national parliaments in the Africa region, as well as IPU observers and selected youth organizations, networks and associations. Donor conference to finance 'Marshal Plan' for Ukraine to be held in Feb or March 2018 ex PM of Lithuania Former prime minister of Lithuania, the co-author of the "Marshal Plan" for Ukraine Andrius Kubilius has said that a donor conference to finance the project could be held in February or March 2018. "Discussions in the European Parliament [of the "Marshal Plan" for Ukraine] will continue until late November. Then the Eastern Partnership Summit [is to take place]. By this time we are to make our homework In February or March next year a first conference of donors who will take part in the "Marshal Plan" is planned," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday. First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economic Development and Trade Stepan Kubiv said at the briefing that on Thursday a meeting of the Ukrainian-Lithuanian commission for the project was held. Then ministries and agencies will analyze the key directions of promising development until 2020, discus them with the profile associations and by September 25, 2017 when the second meeting of the commission is to take place, the key five priorities are to be determined. He said that it is planned to create an "investment pool" consisting of funds of European financial institutions that will be ready to support the initiative. The Ukrainian-Lithuanian draft "Marshal Plan" for Ukraine was presented in European institutions and will be studied by the European Commission, Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to the EU Mykola Tochytsky said earlier. Two people every week are dying from mouth cancer in Ireland, it has emerged. Those most vulnerable to the killer illness are the homeless, experts have said. It has now been warned that with the country facing a homelessness crisis, the number of people at risk from mouth cancer is likely to increase. Blanaid Daly, Professor of Special Care Dentistry at Dublin Dental University Hospital, said homeless people were not accessing primary dental care services and that the services available on the Medical Card were very limited. Professor Daly added that the recent rise in the levels of homelessness in the country meant the likelihood of more people falling through the cracks was increasing. To mark Mouth Cancer Awareness Day next Thursday, dentists will be providing free oral exams for homeless people through the Simon Community's network in Cork, Dublin and Galway as well as with the Peter McVerry Trust and the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin. Prof Daly, who previously established a community dental service department for homeless people in London, said: "The reasons for homelessness are very diverse. "A lot of people say the lives of homeless people are chaotic but the reality is that life on the streets imposes chaos on them," she said. "If you are on the streets, where do you keep a toothbrush, toothpaste? What are you eating? Most will have no control over the latter "Into this challenging mix you may well have issues such as addiction, substance abuse and mental health issues." Dr Conor McAlister from the Irish Dental Association warned that drinking or smoking could increase the chances of getting oral cancer by up to 40 times. Three hundred cases of mouth and pharynx cancer are detected in Ireland each year. It kills 100 people annually - this is more than skin melanoma. "Head and neck cancer predominantly affects people who smoke and drink. Over the years of the awareness campaign, we've emphasised the importance of people attending a dentist on a regular basis so this form of cancer can be picked up at an early stage," Dr McAlister said. "Unfortunately with the homeless population, they're less likely to attend a dentist and therefore the chances of this disease being picked up early are much less," he added. A Dublin man has been charged with the murder of a dissident republican outside a pub in Co Meath four years ago. There were shouts of End Supergrass trials as Kevin Braney appeared in court. He was carried into court by a number of prisoner officers who were holding his arms and legs. Rail services in Dublin are returning to normal this morning, following last night's derailment in Dun Laoghaire. Passengers escaped injury when a Dart train went off the tracks at low speed. Let Me Tell You is a new bespoke podcast series from Hosts Daniel McConnell and Paul Hosford take a look back at some of the most dramatic moments in recent Irish political history from the unique perspective of one of the key players involved. Celebrity Big Brother star Jeremy McConnell claimed he entered a womans house without permission because he was intoxicated and became disorientated after he was chased by two men following a house party, writes Nicola Donnelly. The reality TV star was found by the house owner in the kitchen area of her home at 6.30am in Skerries, Co Dublin after she heard a noise downstairs. However, Balbriggan District Court heard the woman was not in fear but she had called gardai. The Dubliner told gardai, who arrived at the house in Kellys Bay Strand 10 minutes after the woman called them, that he was attending a house party in the same estate and became disorientated after he claimed two men were chasing him. McConnell (aged 26), of Boroimhe Laurels in Swords, Co Dublin pleaded guilty to trespassing at the womans house in Skerries on February 10. He had entered the womans home through a rear back door which was unlocked, the court heard. Garda John Lennon gave evidence he arrested the defendant at Balbriggan Garda Station on August 10 at 3.30pm. He said the defendant replied: Im sorry to the charge. Gda Lennon said he received a call on February 10 at 6.30am from a woman who reported a male had entered her house and was in the kitchen area. Ten minutes later Gda Lennon arrived at the property and met with the injured party. The defendant was still on the premises. He was socialising in the area and left a house party. He claimed he had been chased by two other men and was still disorientated but very apologetic, said Gda Lennon. When asked by Judge Dermot Dempsey if the injured party was put in fear, Gda Lennon said No, she said she wasnt in fear, she had her dog in the house. Addressing the court, McConnell, who starred in MTVs Beauty School Cop Outs, said I am extremely apologetic. I was intoxicated and went into the wrong house. He explained he has undergone rehabilitation since the offence and is now residing in Cardiff for the next three months for work reasons. When asked by Judge Dempsey if he brought any cash with him to court, indicating he may give the defendant the opportunity to make a charitable donation in lieu of a conviction, he replied: I didnt bring any cash with me today but I can come back next week. However, Judge Dempsey then proceeded handing down a conviction and fined him 150. After his court appearance, McConnell told this reporter: It was last year at a rough time. I am very sorry to the lady. Ive paid my fine and can finally move forward. She made me a lovely cuppa too. His latest conviction comes after he was found guilty of assaulting the mother of his child, UK actress Stephanie Davis. Yesterday he was sentenced by Judge Wendy Lloyd at Liverpool Magistrates Court. He was given a 20 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months and was instructed to take a Building Better Relationships course with the Probation Service. He was also ordered to undertake 15 days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirements and 200 hours of community service work. He had pleaded not guilty to assaulting Ms Davis at an address in Merseyside on March 10. Fifteen US Marines have been hospitalised after an amphibious assault vehicle caught fire during a training exercise today. The accident occurred at 9.33am local time (5.33pm Irish time) during a scheduled land-based exercise at Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego. Scientists are gearing up for the spectacular fiery grand finale of one of humanity's most ambitious and successful space missions. On September 15 the American space agency Nasa's Cassini probe will stop orbiting Saturn and fire its thrusters to begin a suicidal dive in to the planet's thick atmosphere. For a brief one or two minutes before burning up, the spacecraft will sample Saturn's ammonia-rich clouds and beam back new data about their chemical composition. The final pictures taken by Cassini will have been transmitted several hours earlier. Nasa predicts that it will lose contact with the space craft at around 12.55pm Irish time but this could change. Because Saturn is so far away, Cassini's last-gasp signals will be received on Earth 83 minutes after the probe's destruction. Launched in October 1997, Cassini took seven years to reach Saturn in July 2004, carrying with it a small European Space Agency lander called Huygens. Since its arrival more than a decade ago, the spacecraft has delivered a wealth of information about the ringed planet and its moons. A high-point of the mission came in January 2005 when Huygens dropped through the dense hydrocarbon atmosphere of Saturn's largest moon Titan, and touched down on a pebble-strewn surface with the consistency of wet sand. It was the first successful landing on a world in the outer solar system. During its parachute descent the probe captured images of features that looked like shore lines and river systems on Earth. Scientists now know Titan has lakes and seas filled with liquid methane and ethane. Another key discovery made by Cassini was a global ocean under the icy surface of another moon, Enceladus, that may sustain life. The spacecraft also investigated giant storms on Saturn and spotted raging hurricanes at both poles. In addition it has identified natural radio waves from inside the planet whose origin remains a mystery, and by studying the famous rings - made from dust, rock and ice - shed new light on how planets and moons form. Professor Simon Green, from The Open University, who helped develop Huygens's surface science package, said: "The Cassini-Huygens mission has transformed our understanding of the second largest planet in our solar system, Saturn, with its vast ring system and its unique moons. "Landing on Titan revealed a cold, but surprisingly Earth-like landscape, shaped by the flow of methane rather than water, and the icy volcanoes of Enceladus hint at a habitat for life below its frozen surface. "The scientific legacy of the mission will extend long beyond its fiery end in the clouds of Saturn." Scientists took the decision to kill off Cassini because of the remote possibility of the spacecraft colliding with Titan or Enceladus, both of which could be potential habitats for simple life forms. The probe is running low on the fuel it uses for course corrections and may soon be impossible to control. Rather than risk contaminating the two moons with Earth bugs, or further contaminating Titan after the Huygens landing, plans were made for Cassini's safe disposal. In the lead-up to the end of its mission Cassini has made a series of daring low orbit dives, each passing between the planet and its rings, to gather images and data that could not have been obtained earlier without putting the craft in jeopardy. Dr Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist from Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said: "The Cassini mission has been packed full of scientific firsts, and our unique planetary revelations will continue to the very end of the mission as Cassini becomes Saturn's first planetary probe, sampling Saturn's atmosphere up until the last second. "We'll be sending data in near real time as we rush headlong into the atmosphere. "It's truly a first-of-its-kind event at Saturn." Norwegian and Ryanair rival EasyJet announced a new booking platform to allow customers to use its website to book long-haul flights with other airlines, EasyJet said. EasyJet said that customers would be able to buy other airlines flights on EasyJet.com, and said it was the first global airline connections service by a European low fares airline. WestJet and Norwegian will offer flights to North and South America, as well as Singapore, from Gatwick. EasyJet said it was in talks with carriers in Asia about joining the scheme, which would expand into other airports in Europe. A spokesman for Norwegian said a partnership with EasyJet was an obvious and natural fit with Gatwick integral to both airlines. Norwegian have openly said we have spoken to a number of airlines, including both EasyJet and Ryanair, about co-operating on smooth, affordable transfers between long- and short-haul flights. "We will continue to explore opportunities with other airlines in future to offer passengers the best possible options for connecting flights, he said. A spokesman for Ryanair said discussions regarding connecting flights with other airlines are continuing when asked about a potential partnership with Norwegian. Shannon Airport announced Air Canada will fly direct to Toronto four days a week from June next year. Managing director of Shannon Airport, Andrew Murphy said: The new service will undoubtedly provide a major boost for Irish tourism and create new trade opportunities. Canadian tourists are high spenders and businesses along the Wild Atlantic Way in particular will benefit as the route will deliver significant Canadian visitors directly to their doorstep. There are over 4.4 million Canadians of Irish descent, making the Irish among the largest ethnic groups in Canada. The last time Air Canada operated a route from Shannon was in 2007. Canadian ambassador to Ireland Kevin Vickers said the direct route was a chance to enhance business, trade and tourism links between the two countries. Ryanair said it would offer a Shannon to Barcelona route next summer. Shannon head of aviation development Declan Power said Ryanair expected to carry 20,000 passengers on the route. The new routes come as CSO figures showed passengers at Shannon had fallen 5% from January to June. * Additional reporting Reuters Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has uncovered illegal business in several regions organized by former high-ranking officials during ex-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych's tenure. Documents and notes about police actions against Euromaidan protests were discovered during search and seizure operations against an ex-Interior Ministry official. "During the pretrial investigation conducted based on information received from the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine it was established that a number of enterprises registered in Vinnytsia, Kyiv and Odesa regions and in Kyiv, directly related to former high-ranking officials exported products during 2016-2017 were not reported in tax filings, thus signifying illegal operations to legalize goods of unknown origin," the PGO's press service said on Tuesday. It was established that the exported goods were purchased from farmer collectives and other agricultural producers for cash, without the requisite recordkeeping. In addition, these enterprises did not report received income and did not pay taxes on profit and value-added tax. The press service said searches at the home of one of the ex high-ranking officials found more than $200,000 in cash, 3 kilograms of gold, jewelry, paintings, icons, documents and notes relating to former official duties, including operations by law-enforcement agencies against protests, as well as weapons and ammunition. PGO spokeswoman Larysa Sarhan said on her Facebook page that the items were found at the home of a high-ranking police official who served during the Yanukovych presidency. During searches of an accomplice of the criminal group at his offices bookkeeping records and notes confirming illegal activities, along with fake government stamps, seals of enterprises and notary offices were also found. The question of whether to charge individuals involved in these criminal activities is under discussion. The PGO's department of special investigations is conducting a pretrial criminal investigation pursuant to Part 1 of Article 255 of Ukraine's Criminal Code against Yanukovych, who is suspected of creating a criminal organization, heading it and overseeing its activities. Chief executive Richard Moat said Eir was still engaged with the national broadband plan as the firm announced its full-year results to the end of June. Eir says it had underlying revenue of 1.32bn, up 1% year on year in the 12 months to the end of June. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation was 520m, up 4% year on year, Eir said. It said operating costs reduced by 26m or 5% year on year to 490m. It said its total group broadband customer base was 896,000 customers to June, up 42,000 compared to the same period last year. Some 6,000 were added in the fourth quarter to the end of June. Mr Moat said that while Eir was restricted in what it could reveal by a non-disclosure agreement on the national broadband plan, he confirmed Eir is still at the table. Irelands long-mooted broadband plan has been beset by delays and a contract has still not been awarded to one of the three bidders of Eir, Siro and Enet. The plan is government policy which aims to deliver high-speed broadband to every citizen and business in Ireland. It aims to achieve 100% coverage in three to five years of the start of large-scale introduction. The plan will now apply to 540,000 homes or 21% of the population, many of which are considered to be in difficult-to-reach areas for broadband companies. A decision on a contract has been delayed because of complications related to State subsidies and other factors. Experts now say it could cost up to 1bn instead of the 275m initially set aside by the Government, and that it means the project may not get off the ground. Regarding Eir Sport, Mr Moat said he was confident that there would never again be a repeat of a technical issue that marred coverage of the Irish rugby teams historic win over the All Blacks in Chicago last November. Due to a high number of subscribers attempting to connect to Eir Sport on the day of the match, thousands of users were locked out as the system failed, missing the occasion. Mr Moat said the systems are ready to cope with any extra demand if Eir Sport gained exclusive coverage to any high-profile sporting event that may cause a spike in viewers. Eir Sport now has 220,000 subscribers across all platforms, the company said. Its Eir Vision television package now has 71,000 customers, up 17,000. He said that Eir was open to potential tie-ups with platforms such as Netflix to enhance its television content offering, and that it was less exposed than major satellite broadcasters to the changing television habits of consumers. Chief financial officer of Eir, Huib Costermans said that the firm had made enormous progress with its mobile phone offering, with coverage now at 96% across the Republic. He said Eir did not need to offer very low-cost deals to customer to compete with other mobile operators. The Meteor network officially rebranded fully as Eir this month. We can compete with the Vodafones or the Threes, and we are well placed. We are not a price fighter, he said. Eir now has 1.06 mobile customers, of which almost half are on billpay contracts. May is set to ask the EU to let the UK keep access to its single market and customs union for a period after Brexit to help businesses adjust but a Toyota Motor executive warned the increased uncertainty of a transition phase could force it to move production elsewhere. She is preparing to deliver a speech outlining her current approach to the divorce. Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond this week gave an insight into its contents by saying the UK government wants a status quo transition. Many business leaders share Hammonds desire for a long, steady transition period, while others say the continually shifting sands underlying the UKs Brexit policies will make it impossible to plan for the longer term. Toyota executive vice president Didier Leroy said there was a strong need for clarity on the shape of Brexit. We will not postpone a new product for three more years just because the negotiation is going to take three more years, Leroy told Reuters in Frankfurt. Its clear that if we have to wait two to three more years to have a clarity on this topic, we will have a big question-mark about our future investment in the country. A subsequent statement from the company said it has no imminent decision or change of stance toward this business in the UK, although it added easy market access to the EU is vital for maintaining competitiveness. Speaking at the same event as Leroy, PSA Group chief executive Carlos Tavares told reporters he was impatient to get guidance on Brexit to make investment decisions. He said Brexit was already preventing investment and that by the end of the year the company will pick two scenarios for the split on which it will base its future decisions. Hammonds transition plan will grate with the most ardent supporters of Brexit as well as EU officials who dont want to reward he UKs decision and also want it to focus harder on settling the terms of divorce before discussing the future. A simple transition extending existing rules will also find favour with those businesses and banks that are desperate for the separation to be as smooth as possible so they have time to adjust. There is general agreement that it would not make sense to ask business to face two sets of changes, Hammond told a House of Lords committee. That implies that a transition or interim period would need to look a lot like the status quo, he said. Hammond spoke as Brexit negotiators postponed next weeks scheduled round of talks in Brussels until September 25. The aim is to give both sides more time to ensure they make progress when they do convene, a UK government spokesman said. Other officials said it was to give May space for her speech. The likeliest time spot is looking to be after her return from attending the UN in New York, around September 22. When she does speak shes likely to flesh out her Brexit strategy three months after an election cost her Conservative Party its parliamentary majority. That loss and the blow to her authority likely means she will have to soften her approach to Brexit from the hard and uncompromising one she outlined in January. Mays damaged standing received a boost yesterday when she won a vote in the House of Commons to guarantee her Tory government has a majority on key law-making committees, which scrutinise bills, despite not having won a majority in the election. Hammonds comments were an expansion of his remarks in July, when he said people should expect few immediate changes when the UK leaves the EU. However, back then his language was more coded. His willingness to be explicit about his goal suggests a cabinet consensus has since been formed. Brexit Secretary David Davis made similar comments last week. Hammond suggested the UK would be allowed to conduct negotiations on trade deals during the transition, but not implement them until the end of it. Bloomberg Judge James OConnor is being asked to meet the chairman of Kerry County Council and the councils chief executive to discuss the matter. The courts in Kerry consistently account for the highest contributions in the State to the poor box. Figures for 2016 released by the Courts Service in August showed that almost one-third of the 1.53m total collected and distributed came from the court office in Tralee. The vast majority of the almost 400,000 collected in Kerry was distributed among large overseas charities by Judge OConnor. The move by the county council is on foot of a motion by the mayor of Killarney Fianna Fail councillor Niall Kelleher, which was passed at the September monthly meeting. Cllr Kelleher called on the council to approach the courts service so that the poor box monies be allocated locally to community organisations across the county of Kerry and to charities based in Kerry. Cllr Kelleher said the court poor box gave people a chance in lieu of conviction. However, 90% goes to third-world charities overseas, he said. We in Kerry have a fantastic fund in the community support fund, Cllr Kelleher said, adding he would like to see that fund get more from the court poor box. As well as that, it would be nice to see Kerry-based charities getting the bulk of Kerry poor box monies, getting a greater share, he felt. Cllr Michael Cahill, Fianna Fail, seconded the proposal and said it was a very good motion. Cllr Cahill, who is from Glenbeigh and represents South and West Kerry, suggested that the chairman of Kerry County Council, John Sheahan, Fine Gael, and its chief executive Moira Murrell meet with Judge OConnor, whom he described as a very solid man. It would be great if we could get a bit more, Mr Cahill said. A council spokesman confirmed the meeting between the council officials and the judge is being sought. Criona Ni Dhalaigh is supporting proposed changes to planning guidelines in the city council area, which would mean the existence of other student accommodation within a 1km-radius should be considered when new developments are being planned. Applicants for student housing currently have to show on a map any such developments within 250m of where they want to build. Dublin City Council said the changes it proposes would not restrict new schemes, despite the claims of business group Ibec and the Union of Students in Ireland. In a report to councillors on feedback received on the proposals, senior council staff recommended the elected members back them. A vote was to have taken place at last Mondays council meeting, but was adjourned to be taken during a special council meeting that will consider local property tax rates on September 19. Ms Ni Dhalaigh, a Sinn Fein former lord mayor, said she agrees with the proposed variation to planning guidelines. In the Liberties area, theres an avalanche of student accommodation applications. Now we welcome student accommodation, theres no problem with that, but where is the family accommodation? she asked. What were looking for is a full examination of the impact of student accommodation, especially in the likes of the Liberties, [which] has been neglected for so long. She said a large number of applications have been made in the area all of a sudden. But theyre all going in for aparthotels, hotels and student accommodation, all of which is a transient population. So what were asking for is an assessment of the impact this is going to have on communities. Labour Party councillor Andrew Montague acknowledged the issue is concerning a lot of people, but said the council needs to ensure enough accommodation of any type is built in the city. Unfortunately, at the moment, the only type of accommodation thats being built is student accommodation. Now, if we make it more difficult and more restrictive to build student accommodation, we will get even less built than is being built at the moment, he said. Mr Montague said the prices of a lot of student accommodation being built recently are very high, and make these developments exclusive to just some potential tenants. But if those houses werent built, the people who can afford them would be taking housing further down the ladder and excluding other people from other parts of the city. It is the latest snag in the long-running saga over the 6,000-seat venue which was sanctioned for an initial 20m in state funding support in December 2014. Former taoiseach Enda Kenny turned the sod 19 months ago on the project, earmarked for the former Beamish and Crawford site. While site clearance and archaeological work has taken place, construction work has yet to begin. Independent Cllr Mick Finn, who raised the issue this week said: Failure to progress the issue is causing reputational damage to Cork, including the various parties involved. Following months of controversy, it emerged earlier this year that the project costs have soared. Developers BAM and its partners, Live Nation, told city councillors in February the costs had risen from 53m to 65m following a protracted internal redesign process which saw the venues footprint increase from around 10,000 sq/m to 13,500 sq/m. They said the redesign was essential to ensure the venue would be commercially viable. They said it has now been designed to be one of the most flexible and adaptable venues of its kind in the world, capable of hosting large rock concerts and conferences, as well as opera, intimate gigs and sporting events. But they said it now needs an extra 18m in state funding 12m plus a 6m contingency fund. Cllr Finn asked city officials for a progress report at this weeks meeting of city council. The citys head of planning and economic development, Pat Ledwidge, revealed that the council, which is managing the complex process, submitted the formal request for extra state funding for the events centre on March 28, and provided further information on June 13 to support the application. The Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht affairs requested further clarification on July 3. One of the items necessitated legal advice which is in the course of being obtained, he said. Once this advice is obtained, the information sought will be forwarded to the department. It is anticipated that this will happen within the next two weeks. It is understood the legal advice relates to complex procurement and tender procedures. The department will then have to consider the request before submitting it to the Department of Public Expenditure for a value-for-money audit. Mr Finn said it is concerning there are further legal issues that need to be sorted, external to the council. We really need to get a decision on whether or not this will happen for Cork and the region, he said. City Hall has repeatedly defended its handling of the process, saying public stewardship of the project has to be robust at all times given the scale of state investment. Leo Varadkar will deliver a speech today live on Facebook, themed around what he has deemed should be a Republic of Opportunity for Ireland going foward. While ministers will outline preparations for next months budget, there will also be a presentation on populism and a warning that Fine Gael should avoid trying to buy-off voters with fake promises. TDs, senators and ministers will gather for the two-day event in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, ahead of the Dail returning next week. After TDs and ministers arrive this morning, the Taoiseach will deliver a speech to the conference which is expected to mention the economy and the upcoming budget. Mr Varadkar is expected to pledge that, if there is scope in the budget, that it will benefit those on middle incomes who pay the highest rates of tax on far too modest incomes. The Taoiseach will also make a commitment to steadily increase overseas development aid as well as pay tribute to the independent members of Government Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe will deliver a presentation on investing in services and capital projects while Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy will outline changes and preparation ahead for the expected one million increase in Irelands population by 2040. This includes plans under the National Planning Framework. Separately, elected representatives will discuss future elections, including preparation for a possible snap general election. Senior party sources confirmed the meeting will also include a discussion on hosting a special delegate conference where there would be a vote on any future coalition involving Fine Gael. Promised reform in the party, outlined by Mr Varadkar in his leadership election bid, will also be discussed as will future financing for election campaigns and candidate selection conventions. These behind-closed-doors discussions will be led by Fine Gael deputy leader Simon Coveney,general secretary Tom Curran as well as the partys executive council chairman Gerry OConnell tomorrow. Elsewhere, the party will also hear a presentation from guest speaker Emmanuelle Schon-Quinlivan of University College Cork, who will give a speech on populism and lessons learnt from recent European elections. The speech is expected to focus on recent election outcomes in the Netherlands and France but also how nationalist fronts and populist voices initially dominated campaigns there. Dr Schon-Quinlivan is expected to suggest Fine Gael should not go down the road of old politics, of making unrealistic election promises and should instead honestly address challenges that it believes can be overcome. The academics speech also comes ahead of elections in Germany next week where a right-wing party called Alternative to Germany looks set to become the first major anti-foreigner party since the Second World War to enter the Bundestag parliament. A revamp of the scheme is now being considered which would see the lump-sum grant replaced with a State loan to buyers, similar to the British model. It comes as President Michael D Higgins commented on the homelessness and housing crisis, stating that people are being deprived of the most basic entitlements that most citizens take so much for granted. There was considerable debate within the Government prior to the introduction of the help-to-buy scheme last year. It is understood that former finance minister Michael Noonan had fought to bring in the British-style equity-stake model. Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy is also believed to be in favour of this model. However, the final decision to tinker with the current grant will lie with Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe. Addressing the homelessness issue yesterday, Mr Higgins reposted one of his own tweets from 2014 that said: Being homeless is not just about being deprived of a roof over your head, it is about being deprived of a sense of belonging, a place within a community, full participation with a voice in society. Whether that homelessness takes the form of being forced to sleep on streets and in doorways and in public parks, or being placed in emergency accommodation with all the uncertainly that entails, or having to care for a family in just one room with no access to cooking facilities or outdoor space; homelessness removes so many of the acts of discretion that define freedom." Quote from the President's speech on homelessness: https://t.co/bjbQpoue8g pic.twitter.com/OrvhFhUbRJ President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) September 13, 2017 Mr Murphy yesterday informed the Cabinet of a number of measures he is working on in a bid to tackle the homelessness crisis, including the reintroduction of bedsits and a clamping down of landlords who are abusing loopholes in legislation around rent pressure zones. Mr Murphy is also keen to cap the amount landlords can demand as a deposit to one months rent. The Government is also considering the help-to-buy grant announced by Simon Coveney, the previous housing minister, for first-time buyers of new homes and is looking at changing it as part of Budget 2018. Despite only being introduced in Budget 2017, the Government ordered a review of the help-to-buy scheme, which provided buyers with a grant of up to 20,000 towards the cost of a new home. While Mr Donohoe will sign off on any changes, the housing minister will also have an input into any modifications to the scheme. Mr Donohoe said: I have received a report in relation to help-to-buy and I am considering that and will deal with that on budget day. Sources within the Government say that the issue for many prospective homeowners is with access to funds and believe that a loan scheme, which would provide money up front, would provide a better solution than simply handing out a grant to buyers. A spokesman for Mr Murphy said: We are awaiting the report and no decision will be made until then, but we are considering all options. Everything is on the table. It is understood that a move towards a loan-type model would require legislation as it would be changing the help-to-buy from a grant scheme to a loan scheme. It comes as the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland warns that a decade-long housing crisis is looming unless the Government implements a range of radical and potentially unpalatable policies. The Society says that current new-build projections 17,000 for 2017 added to the cumulative undersupply of the past nine years means it will be 2026 before the country is building the 35,000 new houses per annum which the ESRI estimates is required to meet demand. Ireland has long been criticised by some of the larger EU countries over its low corporate tax rate and the commission is clearly on a collision course with the Government on the matter. In comments to the Irish Examiner, president Jean Claude Junckers office said the commission is demanding more transparency around each member states tax system and effective rates. The comments came after Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe insisted Irelands 12.5% rate would not be changed. While stating that tax rates are an area of national sovereignty and that it has no intention of interfering with that, the commission qualified that commitment by demanding greater harmonisation between the 27 member states. This means fairer tax competition no hidden rulings or special regimes and a level playing field for all businesses in the Single Market. This is what is captured in the presidents state of the union speech yesterday, the spokeswoman said. Mr Donohoe will face pressure to relinquish the low rate when he meets his counterparts this weekend. He will warn his European counterparts today that Irelands 12.5% rate is protected by EU treaties and that this country will not participate in potential changes. Speaking on RTE Radio before a European finance ministers meeting in Estonia, and as Fine Gaels pre-Dail think-in began, Mr Donohoe said Government will resist fresh attacks on the Irish tax level. Our stance on corporation tax of 12.5% and the development of things like a knowledge box and how we manage patents is an entirely legitimate and entirely sustainable policy choice for small, open economies like Ireland to take, he said. Let me be very clear and be very explicit about this, I and this Government will not participate in any decision that changes our ability to protect our national interest on key issues like that. At a later media briefing, Education Minister Richard Bruton said the existing EU treaties make it very clear that tax rate changes are not a competence of the EU, that is a competence of individual member states. Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein last night said Government is right to resist any fresh attack on the tax rate. Meanwhile, in Brussels, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said Brexit had the potential to affect Ireland more than any other EU state in terms of security due to the threat from dissident republicanism. UK-based Noel Moran and his wife Valerie are behind the money pot which aims to find innovative new technology solutions in the FinTech (Financial Technology) industry. Their company, Prepaid Financial Solutions Ltd. (PFS), is one of the fastest growing e-money institutions in Europe and employs 175 people across four locations. Last year it processed just under 1 billion and is one of the largest issuers of Mastercard prepaid cards throughout Europe. Recently it created 28 jobs at the Innovation Centre in Noels native hometown of Navan, Co Meath. The fund also provides for ideas from post-primary business students with a school prize of 10,000 worth of IT equipment and an iPhone 8 for each winning team member. Were seeking technology-driven solutions which will complement the services currently provided by Prepaid Financial Services, noted, Noel Moran, chief executive officer of PFS. Some of these areas include open banking, prepaid cards and e-wallet solutions, face recognition and biometrics, Blockchain payment solutions and fraud, as well as AI and data intelligence. Weve set aside up to 1m to invest in new technology and solutions that will enhance our existing offerings and we would like to start by giving our local community a chance to be a part of this new innovative department. We can help turn your ideas into reality and we can provide mentoring along the way. More information on the fund can be obtained at prepaidfinancialservices.com Caroline Sweeney, from Macroom, Co Cork, is mother to Jamie, 8, and Zara, 3. Earlier this month, she was told by doctors that her only option was palliative care. She has been encouraged to get her affairs in order and to write a will. Ms Sweeney told the Neil Prendeville Show on Corks RedFM, that she isnt ready to go to a hospice and wants to battle to extend her life in order to see her children grow up. She is currently exploring the possibility of undergoing experimental treatment in Germany, which would cost in the region of 30,000. Two weeks ago on a Friday I was brought in and more or less told to put my house in order and to get my will sorted. My poor children have lost their (grandfather) last October and have lost my partners mother. They have lost two family members. It is not about me. It is about my children, said Ms Sweeney. If I was in my 50s I would say thank you very much I have had a very nice time. Good luck. But I am 37 and I have two small girls who need their mum and I am not giving up for them. My oldest Jamie is making her holy communion next May. Ms Sweeneys sister, Michelle, said doctors are perplexed as to the reason for the development of the tongue cancer. Michelle Sweeney said her sisters condition is particularly startling given her age and the fact that she is a non-smoker and has lived a healthy life. She is relatively fit and there is no association with tongue cancer. There is no reason for it. Just bad luck. Caroline Sweeney was diagnosed with cancer on her tongue in June 2016. She underwent surgery to remove half her tongue. She also had chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In December, her cancer returned and Ms Sweeney had to have her whole tongue removed. Two weeks ago she was told that a new tumour has emerged on her neck. She also has spots on her lungs. Doctors informed her that the cancer is not survivable and that she needs to enter Marymount Hospice in the city. However, the sisters have explored radical new treatments on offer in Germany. Ms Sweeney says she is praying for a miracle that will extend her life. I am not ready for it (death). They want to put me on palliative care. The girls are my life. I have worked hard all my life. I just want a chance. Tongue cancer is less common than many other types of the disease. Most people who get it are older adults. One of the first signs of tongue cancer is a lump or sore on the side of your tongue that doesnt go away. It may be pinkish-red in colour. Incidences of tongue cancer are more common in smokers and heavy drinkers. Donations can be made to the fund at https://gogetfunding.com/carolines-fight-for-treatment/ Talks with U.S. on provision of lethal weapons to Ukraine enter practical phase - Klympush-Tsintsadze Negotiations between the United States and Ukraine on providing the Ukrainian state with lethal defensive weapons have moved to a practical stage, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze has said. "I would not make concrete forecasts as to which month or week we would expect such a decision, but I understand that our negotiations are moving to a practical level," Klympush-Tsintsadze said in an interview with Voice of America (VOA), posted on Thursday. According to her, such a decision is both political from the U.S. side and an important practical step for Ukraine, which will allow Ukrainian servicemen to more effectively defend themselves. The deputy premier recalled that the United States had already delivered military equipment to Ukraine, which allowed reducing human losses. "I think that the reasoning about saving the lives of our defenders is the most effective," she said. Among that eclectic lineup is one of the most intriguing groups to have emergedin the last few years Slow Moving Clouds, the trio of Dublin fiddler Danny Diamond, Cork cellist Kevin Murphy and Finnish nyckelharpa player Aki. The groups method, as evinced by their debut album Os, is to reach back into the traditional repertoire of Ireland and Finland to create a new, hybrid sound world, one in keeping with a mood of reinvention and invigoration that has taken in the trad world, winning new audiences and challenging preconceptions. The trio have also scored an early success in their scoring of Michael Keegan-Dolans Swan Lake (Loch na hEala), and when we meet in a Phibsboro pub, Diamond is just back from Australia, and gearing up to travel not only to Cork, but to Moscow with that show in October. For the Safe Harbour festival, the group have a gig in St Lukes with Saint Sister, and will be appearing at a number of secret events and at the Space for the Liberty Muse, a dance project with Jessica Dessner. They both recall the buzz the festival created first time out. Were very much looking forward to it, says Murphy, who has previously impressed in such groups as Interference and Seti The First. Weve assembled our musical arsenal away because we areworking on stuff for our second record so thats all there. Where the groups first album was mostly a collection of Irish and Finnish tunes, the second, says Diamond, will be more original compositions. I suppose we have the familiarity of playing together for a number of years now. We were wrestling with this idea of playing Irish and Finnish music together for ages but we found you have to make a different sound altogether and situate the traditions in that. The new album is an expansion of that world, but without the same underpinning from the repertoire. The same spirit of experimentation with tradition applies, however. Im not from as strong a trad background as Danny, says Murphy. Ive played in trad bands all my life, but Ive played in other kinds of bands too. But at the same time I always felt that if you slowed those tunes down and got in around the notes, theres lots there that is untapped. Diamond did find what he called license for the Slow Moving Clouds project in his work as a musical archivist. I was going back looking for hardcore trad stuff to inform my playing, but I found all these mavericks and old masters. You can go back to wax cylinders and youll hear this expansive music, but I think its got narrower and narrower over time. But to me it gave license to what we do, to explore and go in your own direction, not in this prescribed way. There is an eclecticism inherent in this groups DNA, with the three members coming from such different backgrounds. Perhaps that is what audiences have been appreciating. Musical lodestars for Murphy, for instance, include Loveless by My Bloody Valentine and Cale-era Velvet Underground. Look at All Tomorrows Parties, he says, its a folk song. Slow Moving Clouds play Live at St Lukes on Sunday. See soundsfromasafeharbour.com They play the Sugar Club in Dublin on November 7 WHEN cancer patient Donal Crowley was invited to Marymount Hospice for a consultation last February, the 61-year-old, who had been fighting an advanced-stage rare form of the disease for more than 18 months, was filled with trepidation. I was in a very dark place at the time, and up to that point, palliative care to me was synonymous with death and dying, he recalls. I was taken aback by the invitation because I believed it was synonymous with end-of-life care. The father of three adult children from Montenotte, Cork, was apprehensive as he arrived at the meeting, but he left the consultation some time later with a very different attitude. People think that palliative care is all about dying, says Ann McAtamney, Assistant Director of Nursing and Palliative Care at Marymount Hospice, who has worked in this area for the past 26 years. In fact, she says, it is about helping people live a better quality of life with a life-limiting condition. And indeed, far from being told that all was lost, Donal found himself being advised to attend the hospices Flexibility and Breathing Clinic for physiotherapy, because hed lost a lot of muscle tone and shed some three stone in weight: They gave me hope. As well as the clinical help, there was the hope. They didnt give me false expectations either; they were candid about my situation. Donal has not been unable to return to work since early July 2015, when he was sent to hospital by his GP after suddenly starting to experience such severe pain in his back that he could hardly breathe. Just a few days later the father-of-three adult children, received his life-changing diagnosis; Stage Four Neuroendocrine cancer, a rare form of the disease, which attacks the intestine, the pancreas and the lungs. Its called the Silent Cancer, and for good reason prior to that back pain he began to experience over that never-to-be-forgotten Friday morning, Donal had had no symptoms: I was healthy. I didnt smoke. I had a clean lifestyle and I played golf. However Stage Four is very advanced and we were all in sever shock. His initial prognosis was positive, he recalls, but as time passed it became increasingly negative. Soon after his diagnosis he began to be seen on a monthly basis, by palliative care nurses from Marymount Hospice. This service concluded last May: They were hugely helpful, because apart from helping me deal with the physical side of what was happening, the mental effect of cancer is very traumatic. This disease had struck me hard and they were of great assistance to me. Following his diagnosis, Donal had chemotherapy and two major operations to remove large tumours. The first of these operations, carried out in November 2015. It required the removal of 70% of his liver and left him fighting for survival on a life support machine. Cancer patient Donal Crowley at home in Montenotte. He says palliative care at Marymount helped him cope with the physical and mental aspects of the illness. Picture: Larry Cummins However, the resilient Corkman pulled through. Then came another huge blow - the unexpected death of his father in January 2016. Only a matter of weeks later, Donal underwent the second operation, this time to remove a number of tumours from his bowel diaphragm and rectum. He is still recovering from that operation, and has been in and out of hospital on several occasions - up to last July, in fact, he was still very ill. Last March, about a month or so after his consultation with Marymount, Donal underwent further treatment for a new tumour which had appeared on his liver - the treatment was successful, shrinking the tumour to half its size over three months. On September 4, Donal returned to hospital for a second procedure on the tumour, following which he will begin a fresh series of weekly physiotherapy sessions at Marymount Hospiece. Hes not worried about the concept of palliative care anymore: I think the general perception of palliative care is that it is associated with death and dying. My experience of it is about life and living. Palliative care has helped me mentally as well as physically, he says, adding: The other thing I learned through Marymount is to live for today and make the most of it. Palliative care, explains McAtamney, is aimed at enhancing a patients quality of life and positively influencing the course of the illness. It can be provided at different levels and in a range of settings, based on the needs of the patient, she adds. People mistakenly think palliative care only comes in when there are no other options but this is not the case because it can help people live longer, better lives. Any medical interventions that are necessary will continue to be carried out just because someone is being cared for by the palliative care team does not mean that they are no longer under the care of their oncology team, for example, she explains. Any patient, once admitted to the hospice will continue to receive appropriate intervention, for example, chemotherapy radiotherapy or surgical intervention. I dont think the public understands this. There is a perception that when someone is admitted to Marymount that theres no more to be done but in fact, that is not the case. Providing palliative care at an early stage in a persons illness such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy can help avoid complications and enhance the patients quality of life. Sometimes when a persons symptoms are well-managed they will live a longer and better life and this is a big part of palliative care. Very often people see being referred to palliative care as a negative, she says, adding that last weeks Palliative Care Week campaign aimed to raise awareness of this form of treatment as a positive thing. Irelands Biggest Coffee Morning, which supports the campaign, takes place on September 14th. For details visit www.thepalliativehub.com The billboards were first reported by Droid-Life, and contain the simple message Ask more of your phone, a Google icon and the date Oct. 4. Droid-Life got in touch with local retailers and was able to confirm that the billboards are indeed advertisements for the upcoming successor to the Google Pixel, which originally went on sale in October of last year. Although it has involved disturbing events ballistic missile launches, nuclear weapons tests, military exercises, inane bombast the North Korean crisis of recent months is largely an invented one. A year ago, the probability that North Korea would fire a nuclear-tipped missile at the US was essentially zero; the North did not have the capability to make such an attack. Pyongyang has since made technological advances. Despite what some analysts believe, others say there is no definitive, publicly available proof that North Korea has a missile with the range to strike the continental US, a miniaturised nuclear warhead to mate with it, and the shielding technology to make sure the warhead survives the heat and pressure of re-entry to the atmosphere. That doesnt, of course, mean the show is harmless. But even if the North acquires those technical capabilities, the likelihood it might attack the US with a nuclear missile will remain exceedingly low, for one overriding reason: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is, as former Obama administration arms control director Jon Wolfsthal has explained in authoritative detail, neither crazy nor suicidal. The North Korean leader knows his regime would be erased within hours (more likely minutes) of his use of a nuclear weapon. Roughly 1,590 nuclear warheads deployed on US ballistic missiles and bombers ensure that result. (The North has acquired the fissile material to build only 10 to 20 nuclear warheads, according to the most authoritative public reporting on the subject.) It is also quite unlikely that the US will make a pre-emptive military strike conventional or nuclear on North Korea, because doing so would almost certainly lead to hundreds of thousands of casualties in South Korea, and perhaps many more. Even without recourse to nuclear weapons, the North could fire thousands of rockets and artillery rounds in the early hours of a war, in a barrage of conventional explosives that would, as the North Korean state-run news service has threatened, turn Seoul into a sea of fire. Pyongyang also has huge stores of chemical artillery shells and rocket warheads and the capability, therefore, to also turn the South Korean capital into a sea of sarin and VX nerve gas. In light of the undeniable reality of mutual deterrence, the North Korean crisis of 2017 can most accurately be seen as a media puppet show put on by Kim and US President Donald Trump for their own public-relations purposes. Nonetheless, its a dangerous play. In the current overheated media environment, some piece of international theatre by Kim or Trump undertaken for political effect or negotiating edge or ego gratification could become so magnified by breathless, 24-7 repetition on cable TV and the internet that it becomes seen as a humiliating national insult. An emotional response to that insult could initiate a spiral of escalation that leads to catastrophe. To put things in more concrete terms: If US forces had shot down the North Korean missile recently fired through Japanese airspace, might Kim, in an act of pique or bravado, have fired another missile, perhaps in the general direction of Guam? Would Trump have then felt compelled to craft a macho response? Etcetera with a possible end result of mushroom clouds. The best way to reduce the threat of inadvertent war posed by the invented theatrical crisis in north-east Asia would be to persuade the prime thespians Kim and Trump that the show they have been putting on is unbelievable and unlikely to get either what he wants. However, I dont really expect that my views will motivate two world leaders of high (if largely unearned) self-regard to quickly change their policies on matters of life, death, and television ratings. So I propose a next-best approach: Journalists should stop writing and broadcasting about the North Korea situation as if everything had changed and war is very near. North Korea has been seeking a usable nuclear arsenal for years. Its latest underground nuclear test had a higher yield than earlier detonations, producing the explosive power of somewhat more than 100,000 tons of TNT, meaning it was four to five times the size of the bomb dropped on Nagasaki. The larger yield could have come from a fission bomb boosted with hydrogen isotopes or a true fusion weapon, commonly known as a hydrogen bomb; experts cannot be sure which, based on the information currently available. But even if the September 3 test involved a true hydrogen bomb, Sig Hecker former director of Los Alamos National Laboratory and one of the countrys foremost experts on North Koreas nuclear programme has told the magazine I edit, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, that it wouldnt be a game changer. If delivered to an American city, any North Korean nuclear bomb whether based on nuclear fission or fusion, whether its yield is 20 or 100 or 800 kilotonnes would produce devastation and the instant death of tens of thousands. Thats a devastating prospect. But again, North Koreas leaders know that to fire a nuclear weapon at the US or its allies would constitute certain national suicide. Clearly, North Korean nuclear bomb and ballistic missile tests are important events that the international news media must report. But the urgency that world news media are imparting to the crisis is, actually, a factor in extending it, thereby creating opportunities for miscalculation and war. The North Korean situation might begin to devolve into the kind of long slog of difficult diplomacy that leads to an acceptable resolution if more journalists downplayed the Kim and Trump Puppet Show and focused on reality: North Korea is a tiny, impoverished country that would be instantly vaporised if it ever launched a serious attack on the US, and so the probability of such an attack is vanishingly small. Absent a media environment that encourages a perception of crisis, the likelihood of an American pre-emptive attack is equally small. Journalists cant make US and North Korean leaders behave responsibly. But the media can help audiences understand that the Korean crisis is really a Korean standoff, and that a puppet show full of bluster is a rather pathetic substitute for professional diplomacy. John Mecklin is editor in chief of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and can be found on twitter via @meckdevil The units of the National Guard of Ukraine, performing tasks in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) zone, are ready for the introduction of the UN peacekeeping mission to Donbas, Commander of the National Guard Yuriy Alerov has said. "If it is a peacekeeping operation under the auspices of the United Nations, we are ready to support these measures. If it entails the need to increase [the number of servicemen of the National Guard in ATO], we will do it," he told journalists in Donetsk region on Wednesday. In his turn, First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Serhiy Yarovy said that today all the police units and the National Guard are ready to carry out tasks in the ATO zone," they are absolutely combat-ready and motivated." Answering the clarifying question, whether it concerns the possibility of introducing a UN peacekeeping mission in Donbas, Yarovy said: "Including." Earlier, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Vadym Prystaiko said that Ukraine would make a written version of the initiative to introduce a UN peacekeeping mission to Donbas after agreeing with partner countries. According to him, Russia's introduction of a "raw version" of the resolution hinders Ukraine, which is currently negotiating with partners. Ukraine plans to begin providing the Armed Forces with Warmate mini drones developed by Poland's WB Electronics. According to the Pol-Ukr portal, during the MSPO 2017 international defense exhibition held in Kielce (Poland) in early September, Ukraine and Poland signed an agreement providing for the delivery of Warmate mini drones to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the same time, the publication does not specify the status and details of the signed agreement. According to open sources, Ukraine and Poland have been implementing military-technical cooperation on the program of Warmate mini drones since 2016: in the framework of the license agreement signed in March 2016 between WB Electronics and PJSC CheZaRa (Chernihiv), Ukraine is preparing serial production of Warmate drones. According to Interfax-Ukraine sources in the defense sector, today the testing of Warmate drones with the modified strike component in Ukraine are at the final stage. As reported, Ukraine and Poland intensified military-technical cooperation in the new geopolitical situation and are currently working out plans for cooperation, including that in the joint creation of high-precision ground weapons, air defense weapons, unmanned equipment, and joint modernization of aircraft and armored vehicles. Ukrainian First Deputy Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko has said that Ukraine will submit a written version of the initiative on the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force to the Donbas after agreeing with partner countries. "The written initiative will be submitted when we can agree with our partners on the text that will be possible to adopt, not just to say that 'I'm a great peacemaker,' but to get this mission working," he told journalists before a government meeting on Wednesday, September 13. He noted that the introduction of a "raw version" of the resolution by Russia was hampering Ukraine, which is currently in talks with its partners. "We need to end the war in the east, and we believe that the UN should play a more active role, in particular [with regard to] our peacekeeping initiative, which President [Vladimir] Putin is now trying to intercept, putting forward his initiatives. We are not against authorship, but the main thing for us is to have a mission that would help disengage the sides and bring peace to the east," Prystaiko said. He recalled that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko put forward this initiative in 2015. According to him, the preparation of such a mission takes time as it requires funds and soldiers. The foreign affairs ministers of Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece and Romania have written to the Ukrainian foreign minister expressing their concern over the new law regarding education, Bulgaria's BGNES news agency reported, citing Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva. "We are certainly concerned, and it is no coincidence that we have a joint initiative with colleagues from other European countries which may be affected by this law. And today we, the foreign affairs ministers of Hungary, Romania, Greece and Bulgaria, signed a letter to the Ukrainian foreign minister in which we are signaling that this law should not affect minorities' rights and education in the native language. We will send the same letter to the Council of Europe and the OSCE," Zaharieva said. "Ukraine gave reassurances that the law is aimed at reinforcing the Ukrainian language and will not affect the study of European languages," she said. A few days ago the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to voice these concerns, the minister said. As reported, on September 5 the Verkhovna Rada passed an education bill launching an education reform in Ukraine. The bill determines, among other things, that teaching at schools should in the official language. As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience the local community. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Close Hungary is suggesting that Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko not sign the education bill passed by the Verkhovna Rada on September 5, which disregards the basic rights to the use of the native language, including in education, Hungarian Ambassador to Ukraine Erno Keskeny said. "Hungary suggests that the Ukrainian president, rather than sign the law in its present form, send it back to the Ukrainian parliament for refinement," Keskeny wrote on his Facebook page on Thursday. The main problem is that up to now ethnic minorities in Ukraine were allowed to be educated in their native tongue, from kindergarten through university, but in future such a possibility will only be limited to kindergartens and the first four years of school, the ambassador wrote. "With this decision the Ukrainian legislature has shown complete disregard for the basic rights to use ones native tongue, including [the right to] the education in ones native tongue, of around 150,000 citizens who see themselves as part of the Hungarian ethnicity and community," Keskeny said. "It leaves the indigenous community of Zakarpattia and its members without the right which they have exercised as a minority for almost one hundred years now, regardless of which state this territory belonged to, and which all other countries neighboring Hungary are guaranteeing to their respective Hungarian communities," Keskeny said. It was reported that on September 5, the Verkhovna Rada passed an education bill launching an education reform in Ukraine. The bill determines, among other things, that teaching at schools should be conducted in the national language. Local Dems sweep; town rejects pot Every Democrat on the local ballot won their race Tuesday, including Jamestown resident Peter Neronhas re-election as the states top prosecutor, and local voters followed suit with the statewide trend... Voters rebuff allowing retail pot sales in shops By a margin of 157 votes, the electorate decided Tuesday not to allow local businesses to cultivate, manufacture, test or sell recreational marijuana in Jamestown. The referendum to allow the... School board agrees to contract with North Kingstown Jamestown students entering high school can continue to choose North Kingstown as their destination for grades 9-12. We are pleased to continue this historic partnership, said Ken Duva, superintendent of... KYIV. Sept 14 (Interfax-Ukraine) - Most developers do not feel the problems associated with the low demand for primary housing in Kyiv, the head of the strategic consulting department at UTG, Rostyslav Symonov, has said. "Based on the results of our polls, about 70% of companies do not currently experience problems with the demand for housing," the expert said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine. According to him, the problem of a shortage of funds for financing projects ranks first for developers. "If in 2013-2014 the problem of low demand was in the first place, now it has become secondary for developers. There is the demand and now we see no prerequisites for its reduction," the expert said. According to Kostiantyn Oliynyk, the deputy head of the strategic consulting department of UTG, in the first half of 2017 the increase in housing sales in Kyiv amounted to 15% (22,600 transactions) compared to the same period in 2016, in Kyiv region to 22.4% (9,000 transactions). In this period, almost one million square meters of housing was commissioned in the market, whereas for the same period last year this figure was three times less and stood at 300,000 square meters. By continuing to browse or by clicking "Accept," you agree to our site's privacy policy. Local consumer advocates recommend that people keep close watch on financial accounts after the massive Equifax data breach. Slightly more than half of North Carolinas population of 10.2 million may have had their personal data hacked, the N.C. Attorney Generals Office estimates. Equifax made the hacking public on Sept. 7. The stolen data includes Social Security numbers, names, addresses and dates of birth. Nationally, more than 143 million individuals are expected to have been affected. Given that half of North Carolinians and Americans are affected, advocates and financial experts said consumers would be realistic to expect that their personal data has been compromised. Meanwhile, experts and advocates warn it could take days, if not weeks, for individuals to be notified of a direct impact on their personal data. Equifax has a section about the data breach on its website, www.equifaxsecurity2017.com. By clicking on the tab that says Potential Impact, consumers will be asked to enter their last name and last six digits of Social Security number. According to Equifax, consumers will get a message that says we believe that your personal information was not impacted by this incident or we believe that your personal information may have been impacted by this incident. If a credit card has been compromised, you will likely hear from the bank or card-issuer first, the Better Business Bureau of Northwest N.C. said. Consumers are not liable for fraudulent charges on stolen account numbers. However, go online to review your expenses; dont wait for the monthly statement. If you have questions, call the customer service number on your card. Most financial institutions serving the Triad and Northwest N.C. say they are talking with Equifax to determine how many customers have been affected so they can begin the process of issuing new debit and credit cards. Debit cards do not have the same protections as credit cards since debit transactions withdraw funds directly from your bank account. The banks and credit unions say customers should keep a close eye on all accounts and credit reports for irregularities and fraudulent activity. One way to do that is at www.annualcreditreport.com. Another is to request that credit reporting agencies Equifax (888-766-0008), Experian (888-397-3742) and Transunion (800-680-7289) place a free 90-day fraud alert on your credit line. Placing a freeze on credit is another line of defense, said Brian Wright, president and chief executive of the local BBB. Taking that step does not affect your credit score. However, it does mean consumers cant apply for new credit unless they request a temporary lifting of the freeze for a specific company to access your credit report. That action could take three business days to complete. For more information, click on go.bbb.org/creditfreeze or ncdoj.gov/creditfreeze. The state Attorney Generals Office said state law allows North Carolinians to request a credit freeze for free. Of course, we accept calls, live chat and emails from consumers concerned about their credit and personal data, Wright said. Gayle Anderson, president and chief executive of the Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce, said her group recommends that members and consumers talk with their financial institutions and take the actions they recommend. Advocates advise consumers be vigilant against fraud, such as not clicking on a link from an unsolicited email or social media message about the data breach. Beware of scammers who may purport to be from the retailer, your bank or your credit card issuer, telling you that your card was compromised and suggesting actions to fix the problem, Wright said. Phishing emails may attempt to fool you into providing your credit card information, or ask you to click on a link or open an attachment, which can download malware onto your computer. Josh Stein, the states attorney general, said his office has contacted Equifax to demand answers about how it will protect people and prevent future security issues. Data security must be a top priority. Stein said his office is inquiring about Equifaxs plans to waive fees collected for consumers who request a security freeze, reimbursements for consumers who choose to request a security freeze from other credit reporting agencies, and a detailed description of the credit monitoring and report lock Equifax is offering to consumers. I will work with my colleagues from other states to investigate this breach, Stein said. 22nd Century Group CEO to speak at tobacco forum 22nd Century Group Inc., a plant biotechnology company with a production plant in Mocksville, said that Henry Sicignano III, its chief executive, will speak at todays Global Tobacco & Nicotine Forum in New York City. Sicignano will participate on a panel discussing future next-generation products. The forum is noted for its exchange of global ideas and information for tobacco technologies and products. Attendees to the forum include public health advocates, policymakers, scientists and industry executives. 22nd Century, based in Clarence, N.Y., bought the cigarette-manufacturing equipment of defunct Renegade Tobacco Co. in 2013 for $3.22 million in a bankruptcy proceeding. Richard Craver Triad HealthCare Network adds medical directors Triad HealthCare Network said Wednesday it has added Drs. Beth Hodges and Rob Reade as medical directors to its primary care division. The network is a partnership between area health-care providers and Cone Health. Cone said the doctors will provide a physicians perspective in developing the networks various quality and savings initiatives. Hodges is a family medicine doctor at Hodges Family Practice in Asheville. Reade is a family medicine doctor at Eagle Family Medicine @ Triad. Both will continue seeing patients. Richard Craver Lexington Dialysis Center gets state OK for facility Lexington Dialysis Center has received conditional approval from state health regulators for its certificate-of-need application. The group has applied to spend $4.72 million on building a new facility on the same site at 233 Anna Lewis Drive. The group is affiliated with Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. High Point pharmaceutical company plans IPO Axium Pharmaceuticals Inc., based in High Point, has submitted a regulatory filing for a proposed initial public offering of its Class A common stock. The company plans to sell 50 million shares, while shareholders plan to sell 45.13 million shares. There is no underwriter of the IPO. The asking price is projected to be 10 cents a share, with potential gross proceeds of $9.51 million, including $5 million for use by the corporation. Axium focuses on utilizing drug delivery innovations for developing improved novel formulations and alternative dosage forms of existing biologically active molecules. Product candidates address various pharmaceutical markets, including neurological disorderss, infectious diseases and diabetes. Richard Craver My message to certain Democrats, starting with Hillary Clinton: Don't go away mad, just go away. Harsh as that seems, the nation's progressive-minded citizens have enough on their hands with Donald Trump in the White House and Republicans in control on Capitol Hill. We don't need to relitigate - to use a currently fashionable cable-news term - the 2016 election and its related frustrations. I dread seeing Clinton plugging her new book and reliving how Trump creeped her out by saddling up behind her in a debate; how Russians spoiled her chances; how James Comey botched public statements about her emails, and how the Electoral College needs to be scrapped. Enough! We've also had our fill of Bill Clinton, who teamed with his wife to ruin what should have been one of the easiest election victories in decades. His meeting with Attorney General Loretta Lynch while Hillary's email procedures were under investigation proved devastatingly dumb. The Clintons deserve prominent places in history but, for now, nothing they say or do can help unite Democrats or speed the election of a different president. Also on my no-fly list is Donna Brazile, the disgraced former Democratic National Committee leader, who foolishly used her contacts at CNN to get a debate question in advance for Mrs. Clinton. Why the party continues to allow Brazile to send out official emails is beyond me. Recently, Brazile wrote: "I don't have to tell you that Donald Trump has zero credibility when it comes to protecting our rights or the integrity of our elections." This from someone who cheated in an election campaign. We've also heard enough from Brazile's predecessor, Debbie WassermanSchultz, who blatantly tried to steer the nomination away from Bernie Sanders by scheduling debates at unpopular times and loading convention committees with Clinton supporters, to name but two of her indiscretions. The Florida congresswoman needs to no longer be seen or heard. So, too, California Senator Diane Feinstein, who was booed by her own Democratic supporters recently for saying that Trump "can be a good president" if he can "learn and change." Although Trump made a surprising decision to side with Democrats on dealing with the debt, stating that he can be a "good" chief executive is like saying David Duke can be a good Sunday school teacher. There are others, but it's really Hillary Clinton who has most worn out her welcome and exhausted us all. In her book, "What Happened," Clinton takes the blame for her stunning election defeat, but then criticizes just about everyone and everything, from Joe Biden to The New York Times. Just as dislike for Clinton helped galvanize Trump voters last November, hearing her now on countless interviews to plug her book will only serve to convince Republicans that they were right to support a deeply flawed candidate. It's too bad Hillary Clinton didn't do her country a service by waiting longer to cash in with a book. The least she can do now is show restraint in flogging it, while the rest of us try to figure out a way to make the presidency great again. Several years ago, my young friend Vivian accompanied her parents to her first Martin Luther King Jr. march, an early introduction to ground-level democracy. She had the opportunity to walk alongside folks who had marched for decades and to learn the words and the cadences of the great civil rights songs. What pleased her most was that the sign she made and carried caught the eye of passersby. At parades end, she said proudly, I got four honks and a thumbs-up. There are days when four honks and a thumbs-up would go a long way toward lifting my weary spirits out of the dumps. I especially need a few honks and a couple of attaboys when I hear stories like the ones I heard last Sunday afternoon when 75 or so people gathered in Miller Park in support of Dreamers whose lives now hang in the balance. A young woman who came to the U.S. when she was 7 said that she didnt know she was undocumented until she tried to enroll in Forsyth Tech and was asked to show her Social Security card, which, of course, she didnt have. Instead of going to school, she went to work in a minimum-wage job taxes withheld, by the way. DACA made it possible for her to go to college. For now. A grandmother, a Daughter of the American Revolution, talked about her foster-grandchild, a Dreamer, who lives in fear that she will be deported to Guatemala where her parents were murdered. We are a people of compassion, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said when he announced, with no sense of irony whatsoever, that DACA was being rescinded. He was right. We are also a people who have an inherent sense of fairness. Americans know intuitively that deporting young adults who were brought here as children, some of them as infants, sending them to countries they have never been to, isnt fair. It isnt right. It isnt compassionate. When asked in June whether Dreamers should be allowed to remain in America or be deported, the overwhelming majority of Americans, 78 percent, said they should be allowed to stay. Only 14 percent of all respondents just 22 percent of Republicans said they should be deported. Lindsey Graham, Republican senator from South Carolina, spoke for most Americans when he said, The compassionate thing to do is to give these kids legal status. Let them become citizens. They are all non-felons. They have no other country to go to. They came here as young children. Theyve lived their lives in America, and they would add great value to our country. That is the right thing to do regarding the kids. The question is whether the Republican-led Congress will represent the will of three-quarters of their fellow citizens or that of the far-right wing of their party. President Trump has given Congress six months to deal with the fate of the Dreamers. If Congress fails to do so, he says he may revisit the issue, a weak reed of hope for Dreamers and their supporters. Critics on the right have accused Trump of waffling on DACA. He launched his presidential campaign by promising, I will immediately terminate President Obamas illegal executive order on immigration. After he became president he expressed conflicted feelings. The DACA situation is a very very, its a very difficult thing for me, he said. I suppose it is somewhat encouraging that Trump is conflicted. But given his ideological instability, there is no guarantee that he wont waffle again (and again) between now and March. I would hate to think that where I will spend the rest of my life rests entirely in the hands of either Congress or Donald Trump. When the speeches were over in Miller Park, we took to the streets, figuratively speaking the sidewalks along South Stratford Road actually chanting, No hate. No fear. Immigrants are welcome here, and Yes, yes to education. No, no to deportation, and carrying signs that read Defend DACA and Protect Family. Most people drove by without comment. Some looked straight ahead, purposefully not looking our way. I am pleased to report that there were no abusive comments yelled from passing vehicles, at least while I was there. But we got quite a few honks and some thumbs-up, along with several shouts of encouragement, Americans voicing their support for doing the right thing, the compassionate thing. Six months from now, we will see if the folks in Washington have been listening. We often hear them in our neighborhoods, hovering in to land on hospital rooftops. Its a chilling sound but one that is at the same time reassuring: We worry about the seriously injured the copter crews are ferrying in. But were grateful for the fast-moving copters and their crews that often save lives when every minute is crucial. So it was disheartening to hear that a Duke University Health System helicopter crashed Friday, killing four people in Perquimans County in Eastern North Carolina. Two nurses, the pilot and the patient they were transferring from Elizabeth City died. McClatchy Regional News reported: The crash occurred around 11:45 a.m. as the Life Flight helicopter was returning to Duke from the Sentara Albemarle Medical Center in Elizabeth City, Perquimans County Sheriff Shelby White said. N.C. Highway Patrol spokesman Master Trooper Christopher Knox said the helicopter went down around near Belvidere, close to the Virginia border and about 160 miles east of Raleigh A spokeswoman for Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, Annya Soucy, said the helicopter had picked up a patient needing an inter-hospital transfer to Duke. Kevin Sowers, the president of Duke University Hospital, told McClatchy: Today is a tragic loss for all of us. The men and women of our Life Flight program know when they go to work every day that there are risks in taking off. Yet they go because theyre committed to saving lives. Thats an incredible part of our mission. Indeed. McClatchy reported that Duke Life Flight was the first hospital-based emergency transport service when it was founded in 1985. It has grown from that single helicopter to two, and seven ground ambulances, based in Durham and in Smithfield. Each helicopter both Eurocopter EC145s can travel at about 150 mph and cover all of North Carolina and parts of South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. That program, just as all our copter/hospital programs, is crucial. These programs have saved countless lives. The death of these lifesavers is heartbreaking. We owe them so much. Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car I dont know if perfect is attainable, especially considering weve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. Were spoiled and, as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite ... US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) [official website] on Wednesday introduced [press release] his Medicare for all bill. The Medicare for All Act of 2017 [text, PDF], which is cosponsored by 16 democrats including 2020 front runners Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, and Elizabeth Warren [CSPAN video stream] seeks to fundamentally change the American health care system to a single-payer [summary] plan. Under the bill, individuals would be given a benefits card that would allow them to have access to services including dental coverage and mental health treatment. The bill seeks to distinguish between basic, preventative health care needs and expansive coverage by creating plans with differing levels of coverage. The bill would also prevent private insurers from selling duplicate coverage and charging increased rates for similar care. However, there is a possibility of increased out of pocket expenses to offset the cost of care, and the exact cost is unknown. American healthcare implementation continues to be a contentious issue. Ohio Governor John Kasich, a Republican, and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, sent a letter [JURIST report] to Congress in September proposing a plan to preserve the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to stabilize the healthcare market. A married same-sex couple filed a lawsuit [JURIST report] against a former employer in August in the US District Court for the Central District of California that alleges the company discriminated by refusing to provide spousal health insurance. President Donald Trump signed the VA Choice and Quality Employment Act [JURIST report] also in August that will allocate $2.1 billion in government funds to the Veterans Choice Fund, and an additional $1.8 billion to core VA health programs and medical facility leases. The Brazil Supreme Court [official website] authorized another investigation on Tuesday into possible corruption and money laundering by President Michel Temer [BBC profile]. Supreme Court Justice Luis Roberto Barroso stated that there is enough evidence believe it is plausible the president received bribes in exchange for favoring a company operating in the port of Santos. The decision to launch a new investigation is rooted [Reuters report] from a wiretapped conversation of a former aide to the President who discussed the potential for bribes from a port operator. Should the investigation reveal incriminating information that leads to the prosecutor formally charging the president, Congress would have to vote [WP report] on whether the president should be put on trial. Two-thirds of deputies must agree to suspend Temer to be suspended until the end of the trial. Brazil has endured tumultuous times during which former presidents have been caught in scandals of receiving various bribes from various businesses. Former president Dilma Rousseff was impeached for corruption [JURIST op-ed] last year amidst a time of economic turmoil. In April Brazil Supreme Court ordered investigations [JURIST report] into eight cabinet ministers and dozen of lawmakers who are allegedly linked to the countrys so-called car wash bribery scheme. In May the Brazil Supreme Court authorized a corruption probe [JURIST report] into President Michel Temer and his alleged involvement with the bribery of a potential witness in a major corruption case. Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was implicated in the scandal [JURIST report] warranting charges to filed against him, including most powerful politicians. In November lawyers for ousted former Brazil president Dilma Rousseff [Britannica profile] filed documents [JURIST report] alleging current President Michel Temer took a large bribe. In June Brazils top electorial court dismissed a case [JURIST report] against President Temer for alleged illegal campaign funding in his 2014 election. International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda [official profile] renewed her calls [statement] to the Libyan government on Wednesday for the immediate arrest and surrender of Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf al-Werfalli, who is alleged to have participated in war crimes in Libya. Specifically, al-Werfalli is suspected of directly participating in seven incidents involving the deaths of 33 individuals. Stating that Libya has the primary responsibility to arrest al-Werfalli and surrender him to the custody of the ICC, Bensouda urged Libya authorities to use all means in their reach to do so immediately. Bensouda expressed further concerns regarding conflicting reports about the arrest of al-Werfalli. On the one hand, the Libyan National Army (LNA) released an official statement saying that it has arrested al-Werfalli and has placed him under investigation. On the other hand, Bensouda said that she received directly contradictory reports of al-Werfalli being still at large and involved in additional killings. Bensouda expressed her grave concern about: these new allegations, and generally about further violent loss of life in Libya, irrespective of the status of the perpetrators or their affiliation. Mr al-Werfalli stands accused of serious crimes. I therefore again call on Libya to take all possible steps to immediately arrest and surrender him to the ICC. I also invite the LNA to demonstrate its stated support for the Court by working with the Libyan authorities to facilitate Mr al-Werfallis immediate surrender to the ICC so that his guilt or innocence can be established before the Courts judges, with full respect for his due process rights. On a closing note, Bensouda also appealed all UN Member States, including those of the UN Security Council [official website], to aid Libya in its efforts to arrest and surrender al-Werfalli to ICC without delay. Last month, Bensouda issued her first statement [text] calling for the immediate arrest and surrender of al-Werfalli, following the issuance of an arrest warrant. This statement reiterates that call. Libya has remained politically unstable since the 2011 deposition of Muammar Gaddafi [Britannica profile] and subsequent civil war [JURIST backgrounder]. In July the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein [official profile] expressed concerns [JURIST report] that the Libyan National Army has committed and will continue to commit summary executions of men that have been taken prisoner. In November Bensouda informed [JURIST report] the Security Council that the ICC wants to significantly expand investigations in Libya in 2017. The ICC began work [ICC materials] in Libya in 2011 to investigate crimes against humanity, including murder and persecution. In September 2016 the UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Kate Gilmore [official profile], spoke on the deteriorating human rights situation [JURIST report] in Libya and called for accountability and reform. In May of last year Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported [JURIST report] that Islamic State militants had executed 49 people in the Libyan city of Sirte since seizing control in February 2015. In February 2016 the UN released a report detailing a litany of violations and abuses being committed by both state and non-state actors in Libya that may amount to war crimes [JURIST report]. The Israel High Court of Justice [Official website] ruled [judgment, in Hebrew] Tuesday that a law exempting ultra-Orthodox Jews from compulsory military service is unconstitutional [Haaretz report]. Israel has mandatory military service, but a 2015 law allowed the defense minster to grant exceptions from the draft to yeshiva students. The High Court ruled 8-1 that the law was unconstitutional because it discriminates between religious and nonreligous men who are eligible for the draft. The one dissent argued that not enough time has passed to determine if the law is unconstitutional. The decision of the court will not take effect for one year, giving lawmakers time to create a new draft law that does not discriminate. Proponents of the law have stated that the High Courts decision goes against Jewish decision. Menachem Moses, the head of the United Torah Judaism Knesset faction will be looking to enact a new law to protect us from the arrogant rulings of the High Court. Israel has seen on-going tensions related to gender, race, and religion in recent years. In June, a Jerusalem court ruled [JURIST report] that airline employees cannot ask women to move seats to accommodate ultra-Orthodox Jewish men. Israels Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked [official website] confirmed [JURIST report] that the countrys Judicial Appointments Committee has approved the first female judge to a Muslim religious court in April. In March, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia accused [JURIST report] Israel of establishing an apartheid regime against the Palestinian people. In July 2016, Israels parliament passed [JURIST report] a law that enabled the impeachment of legislatures for inciting racism or supporting armed struggle against the state. [JURIST] The Minnesota Supreme Court [official website] overruled [opinion, PDF] part of a state disorderly conduct statute on Wednesday, saying that it violated the First Amendment because it is overbroad. Minnesota Statues 609.72, subd. 1(2) [statute] makes it a crime for a person to disrupt a legally held assembly. The case was brought after defendant Robin Lyne Hensel appealed her conviction under the statute after she had silently protested at a City Council meeting and refused to leave when asked. The majority wrote, Due to the countless ways in which [the statute] can prohibit and chill protected expression, we conclude that the statute facially violates the First Amendments overbreadth doctrine. The dissent, agreeing with the state, wrote that the statute could be narrowly construed to prohibit only conduct not protected by the First Amendment. The First Amendment protection of free speech is one of the most highly adjudicated constitutional rights. Earlier this month the Department of Justice urged [JURIST report] the Supreme Court to rule in favor of the baker in a same-sex wedding cake case, evoking the First Amendment. Also in September a federal appeals court ruled [JURIST report] that a Wyoming data-trespassing law was subject to the First Amendment. In August two civil rights groups filed [JURIST report] lawsuits against President Donald Trumps transgender military ban, claiming in part that the ban violated their right to free speech. In November a Pennsylvania court found [JURIST report] that a law not allowing out-of-county poll watchers did not violate free speech. [JURIST] The House of Representatives of the Philippines [official website] on Tuesday voted 119-32 to cut the annual budget of the Commission of Human Rights (CHR) [advocacy website] down to 1,000 pesos, equivalent to USD $20. CHR originally requested [Reuters report] a budget of 1.72 billion pesos for 2018, an increase from their 2017 budget of 749 million pesos. While the government initially proposed a budget of 678 million pesos, supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte [official profile] justified the more drastic cut by alleging that the governments money was being wasted on the unnecessary defense of criminals rights. Human rights experts have criticized the cut, stating that the decision will prevent the Duterte administration from being held accountable for human right violations in the administrations war-on-drugs. Without the proper funding, it is expected that the CHR will be unable to continue its investigations into the ongoing execution of criminal suspects. The Philippines have been on the international spotlight ever since Duterte took office as the president. During Dutertes campaign last year, he had stated 100,000 people would die [Guardian report] in his crackdown on crime. Last month, a group of UN experts urged [JURIST report] the government of the Philippines to address reports of human rights violations that include threats against indigenous people, murder and the summary execution of children. Duterte promised the prior week to continue to escalate [JURIST report] the war on drugs in his country despite international concern over human rights violations. Earlier in July Duterte asked Congress to extend his order of martial law [JURIST reports] for the lower third of the country. Also in July the Philippines Office of the Ombudsman [official website] announced plans to charge [JURIST report] former Philippines president Benigno Aquino III for the botched anti-terror raid that led to what is known as the Mamasapano massacre in 2015. In June Philippine opposition lawmakers petitioned [JURIST report] the Supreme Court [official website] to reject President Rodrigo Dutertes imposition of martial law. In April a lawyer filed a complaint [JURIST report] against Duterte accusing him of extrajudicial killings during his nationwide anti-drugs crackdown. In March the Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] released a report accusing the police of falsifying evidence [JURIST report] in relation to the alleged police killings of citizens. This policy of sanctioned killings has been part of Dutertes rhetoric since his time as mayor of Davao City. A coalition of rights groups, led by Human Rights First [advocacy website], called [press release] on the US Departments of State and Treasury [official websites] Wednesday to use the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act [text] to sanction foreign citizens accused of human violations and corruption. The organization sent a letter to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin [official websites] asking them to use the act against 15 individuals from Azerbaijan, Bahrain, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Liberia, Mexico, Panama, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The list of individuals are public servants who range from former presidents to judges and police chiefs who are accused but not yet convicted of any violations. Human Rights First joined with dozens of other organizations listed in the letter believe these foreign persons committed acts of corruption human rights violations including torture and murder and would like the secretaries to levy sanctions on their finances. Global Magnitsky is a potentially revolutionary tool. It allows the United States the ability to sanction the worlds worst human rights violators and corrupt actors wherever they may be, putting them on notice that accountability knows no borders. Robust implementation of the Act has the potential to deter would-be kleptocrats and those that would use violence to silence dissent and maintain their grip on power, forcing these actors to think twice before committing their crimes. In short, the law positions the United States to take a leading role in the international community in combating impunity and protecting human rights defenders worldwide. The request comes on the heels of presidential authorization [press release] of the act. The act was named in an honor of Russian whistle blower Magnitisky [JURIST report] who was murdered after producing evidence against the country. The Pietermaritzburg High Court [official website] of South Africa ruled [judgment, PDF] Tuesday that the 2015 election of a faction loyal to South Africas president, Jacob Zuma, is invalid. Zuma loyalists took control [Reuters report] of the KwaZulu Natal province [Britannica materials], the ancestral home of the president, in 2015 at a party conference after ousting former African National Congress (ANC) [official website] KwaZulu-Natal chairperson, Senzo Mchunu. Judge Jerome Mnguni read on behalf of the court the two-sentence order that declared, The eighth KwaZulu Natal provincial elective conference unlawful and void. Many speculate that Tuesdays ruling could further dissolve Zumas support base, especially after Zuma narrowly survived a no-confidence vote last month in South Africas parliament. The ANC is reviewing the decision before announcing their next steps. Tuesdays setback adds to the South African presidents lengthy history of legal trouble. In June a South African court denied [decision, PDF] Zumas appeal of a prior court ruling [JURIST report] that he should face nearly 800 corruption charges. In April Zuma evaded impeachment [JURIST report] after the ANC reaffirmed its support for the president. The move to impeach Zuma came from opposition leaders after the Constitutional Court [official website] ruled [JURIST report] in March that he had ignored the order of the Public Protector to personally repay the amounts determined by the National Treasury, as they relate to the non-security upgrades to his private residence. Nearly three decades after it ended, Lebanon's civil war returned to haunt Beirut this week at a screening of the film "The Insult," which forcefully explores the taboos of the conflict. The movie opened to rave reviews at the Venice Film Festival, earning accolades for its French-Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri and a Volpi Cup for Palestinian actor Kamel El Basha. The advance screening on Tuesday was overshadowed somewhat by Doueiri's brief detention for filming in 2012 in Israel despite Lebanese legislation banning citizens from visiting the Jewish state. But viewers still packed multiple halls Tuesday night to watch the film at a cinema in central Beirut, which was ravaged by the bitter 1975-1990 war that divided Lebanon's capital. "The Lebanese civil war haunted me all the way to Los Angeles," Doueiri, who fled war-ravaged Beirut in 1983, told AFP. "The division between east and west Beirut stayed with me even though the war ended, the checkpoints reopened, and the capital was reunited." "The Insult" is Doueiri's second movie about the civil war, after his 1998 film on teenage life in the battle-torn capital, "West Beirut". The conflict erupted in 1975 between Lebanese Christians and armed Palestinian factions and eventually drew in Syria, Israel, the United States, and other Western countries. The 1990 peace accord that ended it never brought a reconciliation process. Instead, Lebanon's parliament issued a general amnesty absolving all parties of war crimes. - Opening old wounds - Almost 20 years later, "The Insult" carves out an ambitious goal: opening old wounds to pave the way to a much-needed, if belated, redemption. The movie, set in the post-war era, centres around a legal dispute between Christian nationalist Tony, played by Lebanese actor and comedian Adel Karam, and Palestinian refugee Yasser, played by Basha. A disagreement between the men over a water pipe snowballs into a court case and then into a violent, national crisis, opening up a Pandora's box of old grievances, prejudices, and trauma. The film has been praised by Lebanese critics for dealing frankly with the unresolved issues of the civil war. "The movie opens a necessary window to look on the remnants of Lebanese memory that we are not allowed to go near, discuss, or ask questions about," Lebanese movie critic Nadim Jarjoura told AFP. "The Insult also deals with a lot of other issues, including reconciliation with oneself. You cannot reconcile with the other without reconciling with yourself," he added. "You need to return to the past to leave it." The film contains sequences of forceful language and communal tension rarely depicted in Lebanese cinema. "Sharon should have annihilated you," Christian Tony screams at Palestinian Yasser as their tiff escalates into a feud, referring to Israel's former prime minister Ariel Sharon. Sharon was accused of "indirect" responsibility for the 1982 massacre of hundreds of Palestinians by Israel's Lebanese Christian Phalangist allies in Beirut's Sabra and Shatila camps. - 'Still at war' - Tony in turn finds himself assaulted with screams of "Zionist dog" during a court hearing between the men, evoking the still-controversial alliance that formed between some Christian factions and the Jewish state against Palestinians in Lebanon. "There's no side in the war that can say it, alone, was persecuted," 54-year-old Doueiri told AFP. "No single side can say it was the only one that was hurt. There will always be another side that has the right to say that the war spilt its blood, too." "The Insult" depicts the Lebanese as not yet having turned the page on the civil war, while their country is riven by new divisions including tensions related to the conflict in neighbouring Syria and the issue of the arsenal of the powerful Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. When Tony's lawyer asks if he would take up arms today, he replies: "We're still at war." "I'm not Jesus Christ to turn the other cheek," he says elsewhere in the film. "No, we are not all brothers." The film offers no easy answers, but a path to gradual reconciliation emerges between the men. The screening ended with a heavy silence, with the audience sitting quietly as the titles scrolled. But it provoked discussions, including between a father and son who were still locked in animated debate nearly an hour later. "You can't think like that, Dad, the civil war is over," the teenager could be heard telling his white-haired father. Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi (File Photo) Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi met with U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and President Donald Trump's Senior Adviser Jared Kushner here in the White House on Wednesday to promote bilateral ties. The two sides exchanged views on China-U.S. relations as well as international and regional issues of common concern. They agreed to strengthen communication at all levels, expand cooperation, work together to well prepare for Trump's state visit to China later this year at Chinese President Xi Jinping's invitation, and promote the sound and stable development of bilateral relations. Yang paid an official visit to Jamaica on Sunday and Monday and met with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday, when he stopped over in Washington. He will pay an official visit to Spain on Thursday and Friday at the invitation of the Spanish government. Political chaos in Washington and major global challenges facing the U.S. have left many Chinese wondering if Western democracy is on the verge of collapse. From the "Cultural Revolution" turmoil in Charlottesville, Virginia and the withering of the American Dream to Americas declining global leadership, some see the malfunctioning of the U.S. system and the feeling of American decline as evidence that the Western world is doomed. RELATED READING: Is America engulfed in a Cultural Revolution? That feeling of doom and gloom is made even more apparent because of the relative stability and success of China. As a recent article in the Financial Times by Michael Moritz pointed out, China is marching forward at a rapid pace, while the U.S. is either stuck in neutral or going into reverse. Americas growing list of political, social, and economic problems is troubling news for the U.S., and frankly the world, but it does not spell doom for the American system, nor does it necessarily prove that the Chinese system is superior. However, it does highlight the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two systems. In fact, China and the U.S. can both learn from each other. As facts show, the both systems have their positives and negatives, and you cannot reasonably argue that one is superior to the other. For example, while Chinas system is clearly superior at planning long-term national development strategies and policies, and executing them, such as large-scale infrastructure projects and ambitious science and technology plans, it is also dealing with corruption and other problems at home. Likewise, the U.S. system, while strong in some areas, such as the ability to self-correct, is weak in others. This reality punctures the myth of American supremacy and opens the door to peaceful coexistence, the rational idea that different systems can coexist peacefully. Take the U.S. state of Californias $64 billion effort to build a bullet train over a relatively short distance in the states Central Valley, which is noted in the Financial Times article. While California struggles to push forward this single project, China has built the worlds largest bullet train network. As of the end of 2016, China had some 22,000 kilometers (about 13,700 miles) of high-speed rail lines and more high-speed rail is on the way. In addition, massive rail projects are expanding outward, connecting China to countries around the globe under Chinas ambitious Belt and Road Initiative. RELATED READING: Op-Ed: The malfunctioning of the US system is making China "great again" Another example is poverty reduction, arguably the most telling sign of Chinas progress in human rights. Just recently, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that its nations official poverty rate in 2016 was 12.7 percent, with 40.6 million people in poverty, 2.5 million fewer than in 2015. While impressive, China has achieved unprecedented progress in poverty reduction, including lifting more people out of poverty than any other country in human history. In 2016 alone, China brought 12.4 million rural people above the poverty line, and the government aims to eradicate poverty by 2020. Moritz is dead-on to argue that there can be little debate about what the government in China has done and is doing to improve the wellbeing of its people. The American system makes it nearly impossible to plan and execute such ambitious long-term plans for its nations future, while a strong centralized system that can promote economic development for 1.4 billion people is crucial for China at this stage of its development. This shows that every country should have the right to choose its own political path based on its unique situation, and that no system is necessarily superior to the other. What works for the U.S. will not always work for China, and vice versa. But we can still learn from each other. And indeed, as Moritz has pointed out, China has much to teach the rest of us, including America, and the world should at least be open to the idea of taking notes from Chinas successes. (Photo/Hindustan Times) The US manufacturer of the newly-imported howitzer to India is not at fault for the misfire accident that damaged one of the two weapons, the latest report said. An Indian armys new M777 ultra-light howitzer was damaged in Rajasthans Pokhran ranges on September 2 when a 155mm artillery round misfired and exploded in the barrel, the Hindustan Times reported. It added that the accident is currently under investigation with the help of the weapon manufacturer BAE Systems. However, follow-up reports pointed out that the damage was caused by a shell manufactured by the Indian Defense Ministrys Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). It was also the third accident in four months that a prototype artillery gun under test has had its barrel damaged by shells from OFB, NDTV reported. In May and July, two prototypes of the Dhanush artillery gun also had their barrels damaged by the shells. The number of rounds successfully fired during user trial with ERFB BT ammunition from [the] M-777 howitzer gun were more than 1,100 and the round in which malfunction occurred was [the] 1164th round, said Dr. U Mukherjee, a spokesperson for the shell manufacturer, in a statement to NDTV. It is reportedly the supplier of some 90 percent of the artillery shells for the Indian army. According to the Hindustan Times, the 155mm, 39-calibre howitzer came to New Delhi in May as part of a $750 million deal with the U.S. A total of 145 howitzers have been ordered by the Indian army and 25 will be supplied in the coming two years. Globally, more than 1,090 M777s are in service and the weapon is also used in the U.S., Australia, and Canada for achieving accurate artillery fire. How Jean-Claude Juncker surprised everybody during his State of the European Union address. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker delivered his State of the European Union speech on Wednesday. Contrary to what might have been expected, his address did not abound with lamentations regarding Brexit, minutiae of the economic crisis-management or the resurgence of the right in the European East. To be sure, this triumvirate of issues that cloud the Union were tackled, but swiftly and with determination only to give way to a different tone. The head of the Unions executive was not, this time, reminiscent of Orpheus that looks back at his EU-ridice. Surprising many, the head of the Unions executive was not, this time, reminiscent of Orpheus that looks back at his EU-ridice but demonstrated a clarity of vision for the post-Brexit EU and presented an ambitious roadmap for its attainment. He captured a fresh forward-looking mood that seems to settle in, now that the fears of the collapse of the Schengen area, the euro or even the EU itself have subsided. No one was ready to see this technocrat to manage to translate this mood into operational ideas and leave the European Parliament in Strasbourg a statesman, albeit one without a state. True politics is about asserting oneself as a player on a common stage (Ranciere). When that stage is populated by nation-states, the EU has to appear strong and intelligible to its citizens in order not to be perceived as the odd one out. It is also about acting, through word and deed, rather than merely reacting, in order to create something new and extraordinary (Arendt). So what is this novel vision for the once-again EU27? The title of Junckers Roadmap for more united, stronger and more democratic Union is indicative. We are told that immediately after the UK leaves the Union in 2019 an extraordinary summit will take place in Sibiu, Romania, where unanimity on the future of Europe would be sought in order to pass a series of reforms. In a nutshell, the time has come for convergence. Firstly, and by far most importantly, theres Junckers outright rejection of the idea of a two-tire or multi-speed Europe, which has gained traction both among practitioners and in the academia. If he has his way, there will be no institutionalization of the core-periphery partition on the continent and no second class citizens of the EU. Secondly, the transnationalization of the elections for the European Parliament would be unlocked via the introduction of continent-wide lists and strengthening of the Euro-parties, so that this body would truly represent the citizens European interests, just as their national interests are represented in their national parliaments or the Council of the European Union. Thirdly, and quite unexpectedly, Juncker proposed to merge the presidencies of the European Commission and the European Council. so that the Union would be easier to understand if one captain was steering the ship. One can already see a Eurosceptic outcry against this seemingly federalist idea, which would assimilate the anatomy of the Union to that of a state. Yet, at base, it is nothing of the sort. The two bodies, their institutional tasks and functions remain separate. It is only that the citizens would have one less president to remember in the still overwhelmingly complicated constellation of EU politics. Furthermore, this measure is not without precedent since we have already witnessed the prior roles of the Commissioner for External Relations (dealing with Brussels-based competences such as trade) and the High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy (purview of member states) be joined under the double hat of Ashton and, later, Mogherini. The extraordinary about Junckers plan is that it does not require opening the Pandoras box of treaty change. The extraordinary about all of the above measures is that they do not require opening the Pandoras box of treaty change. The EU constitutional make-up would continue to be a tertium genus, something between an intergovernmental organisation and a state. The Lisbon Treaty would continue to equally protect both those who dread more Europe and those who would relegate the nation-state to the past. To use the Aristotelian parabola of a polity-as-ship, as Juncker himself did several times yesterday, these measures allow for a more democratic and accountable EU, able to navigate the narrow waters between nationalism and supranationalism. Moreover, this roadmap is remarkable because it can instil the much-needed confidence that frailty is no longer the condition of the EU but of those who do not evolve with time. And in the end, the following open question lurks: Can the crew achieve this with the illiberal fifth column among its 27 members? KEARNEY Jim Cudaback of Riverdale, who eventually served in the Nebraska Legislature for 16 years, munched on a CopeCake at CHI Health Good Samaritan Wednesday afternoon and smiled while remembering how Carol Cope politely nudged him to serve on five nonprofit boards in town. She also pushed me into running for the Legislature, Cudaback said with a chuckle. She said I should follow her husband after he got out. Cudaback did that. Ron Cope served in the Legislature from 1975-83. Cudaback served from 1990-2006. I really thank her for that, he added. She pushed me into getting involved. She was so sincere. She was a good judge of people. Gentle memories floated around town Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during the fifth-annual Walk in the Copes Shoes, a three-day tribute to the late Ron and Carol Cope. People were invited to do a random act of kindness. The free cupcakes at Good Sam typified that. They were offered because of the Copes involvement in and gifts to the hospital. Carol Hoban, a financial counselor at Good Sam, never knew Carol personally, but said, She volunteered here for 26 years. She was a good friend to the hospital. She had a soft spot in her heart for us. Organizations did random acts of kindness, too. Kearney Catholic High School had a food drive. Divas Floral Shop and Boutique delivered 150 single roses to hospitals, banks and individuals. The Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce Envoys helped move items from the Buffalo County Historical Societys Trails and Rails Museum to the museums new Family History Center. Also on Wednesday, a new biography, Ron & Carol Cope: A Nebraska Love Story, was published, a project of the Ron and Carol Cope Foundation and the Kearney Area Community Foundation. Author Todd von Kampen of North Platte autographed it at three places throughout the day, and each book purchaser had a Cope story to share. Denny Placzek, executive officer of the Kearney Family YMCA, remembered how he often babysat Copes poodle in his office when she came to the Y to work out. Pam Hromadka-Ernst of York drove to Kearney with her husband LeRoy for the day. Hromadka-Ernst was the administrative assistant at the Nebraska Center for Women when she first met Cope, who was on a committee that was building the prisons chapel. You were always the most important person when you were with Carol, Hromadka-Ernst said. She was an inspiration for all of us. At 5:30 p.m., the three-day celebration ended with prayers, music and the traditional launch of 13 balloons at the Cope gravesites at Kearney Cemetery. About 35 people attended. The 13 balloons represented Sept. 13, the day on which Carol was born in 1909 and died in 2012. In 2013, 10 of her friends who call themselves the Sole Sisters launched Walk in the Copes Shoes to mark that date. After the ceremonies, the crowd gathered for pizza and CopeCakes at the Copes former home, now the rectory for Prince of Peace Catholic Church. Stories flowed there, too. Whenever I talk about this day and the random acts of kindness, the response from people is always so positive, Sherry Morrow, a Sole Sister, said. Cindy Pickel Walker noted that Good Sams Ron and Carol Cope Heart Center opened the week of Carols 103rd birthday in 2012. Its first heart cath procedure was performed on Sept. 13, 2012, just hours before she died. Carolyn Menke, the unofficial chair of the Sole Sisters, said that in the early 1970s, Carol Cope gave a Hub paper carrier a $100 tip. The boys astonished mother called Cope. Carol said it was correct, that he was a very special paper boy who always left the Hub at the exact spot they wanted, Menke said. That act so inspired the boy that he is now a doctor in Arizona. The eyes of another Soul Sister, JoAnn Hoffman, sparkled as she recalled how, just hours before Cope died, Walker painted her nails as she lay in bed. She loved to have her nails painted, Hoffman said. Then it got very quiet, so I said, Lets stop and pray the rosary. They did. As Hoffman prayed, Cope opened her eyes. A few hours later, after all her friends had gone home, Cope died. KEARNEY City planners will take a look at requests for a residential parcel, an industrial subdivision and code amendments at their regular meeting Friday. The city is requesting to rezone and plat a .12 acre parcel, the Rice Addition, at vacated Avenue L on the south side of 16th Street. On behalf of the city, surveyor Trenton Snow is proposing the 10,169-square-foot lot be rezoned from urban residential single family and urban residential mixed density with a planned development to just urban residential single family. The city wishes to remove the planned development overlay since no development has occurred on the property since it was rezoned in 2004. Sun Development Inc. is requesting to vacate and plat Sun West Fifth Addition, one half block north of 16th Street and west of 17th Avenue. Presenter Craig Bennett of Miller and Associates will ask city planners to consider approving the requests for the 3.04-acre two-lot industrial subdivision. The property is zoned limited industrial district with a planned development overlay and will not be rezoned. There are no plans yet for the property. The planning commission will also consider several code amendments, including a request from Brent Yaw, a downtown business owner. Yaw is seeking to allow the encroachment of projecting windows, balconies or architectural features into the public right of way in the Central Business District. Currently, the only encroachment allowed for buildings constructed in that district upon a front property line is a cornice, a decorative molding around a building. @AmandaPush KEARNEY Confidence. Independence. Opportunity. Accessibility. Motivation. The words Kerri Gibbs and others use to describe the Thompson Scholars Learning Community come easily. Thompson Scholars and the Buffett Scholarship made such a difference in my life, the Cozad native and 2014 University of Nebraska Medical Center at Kearney graduate said. It made me the person I am today. Now working as a registered nurse at Platte Valley Medical Group in Kearney, Gibbs attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney for two years as part of the Thompson Scholars program before getting her UNMC nursing degree. She credits Thompson Scholars for changing her life. It helped me become more outgoing. Coming in to college, I was a very shy and introverted person. I was really nervous about college and making friends, she said. Living on Mantor third floor gave me a comfort zone and brought me out of my shell. Gibbs is one of the hundreds of students to participate in Thompson Scholars, which is celebrating its 10th year at UNK. A living/learning community for students who are awarded the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation Scholarship, the program began in 2008 at UNK, the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln through a partnership between the University of Nebraska and Buffett Foundation. The learning communities are named in honor of former UNO Dean William H. Thompson, the father of Susan Thompson Buffett. There are 429 students enrolled in the UNK program, and more than 900 have entered the program in its first 10 years. About 100 new UNK students receive the Buffett Scholarship each year. The Thompson Scholars community promotes academic, civic, social and leadership development to help students achieve academic success, become engaged in campus life, and graduate from college. The program focuses primarily on the first year, which is when students are transitioning to college, but it also provides services to second- through fifth-year students. First-year Thompson Scholars are housed together in Mantor Hall. They are assigned mentors who are academically a second-year student or above. These mentors also are Thompson Scholars who live within the Mantor Hall community. They play an integral support role in giving academic advice, connecting scholars to UNK resources and building relationships, Jennifer Harvey, the programs director, said. Living together during the transition to college provides students the ability to build relationships alongside peers with the same academic and scholarship expectations, Harvey said. By sharing academic pursuits, students are more able to connect their academic course work to their personal lives, providing for a more meaningful college experience, Harvey added. Alumni tell me they always think of themselves as Thompson Scholars, which tells me they take great pride in the community and legacy they are part of. Gibbs is one of those students who speaks proudly of her Thompson Scholars experience. She met her husband, John, through the program, and he continues to work for UNK and promote it as an admissions counselor. We owe so much to the program, and everybody involved with it at UNK, she said. I grew personally and academically. It offers so much encouragement, and so many resources, to so many people. Many Thompson Scholars students are the first in their families to attend college and have a financial need for access to college. While in the program, students practice fundamental skills such as time management, social development, academic success habits, professional communication, cultural awareness and civic responsibility. I have so many stories of students overcoming incredible odds to stay in college and to graduate, Harvey said. Some of my favorite stories are about Thompson Scholars alums who connect in the world with our current students, and the confidence that gives current Thompson Scholars that they can reach their goals, too. Congress has a lengthy to-do list this fall, but I am grateful to have spent August traveling the 3rd District and hearing directly from Nebraskans on your priorities. On my farm bill listening tour, I made stops in Broken Bow, Beatrice and South Sioux City, in addition to stops in Scottsbluff and Aurora earlier this year. These open forums led to constructive discussions about what is and is not working in the current farm bill and how we can improve agriculture policy moving forward. Many attendees spoke about the importance of crop insurance, which is a vital and successful public-private partnership we must continue to support. I appreciated having Nebraska Director of Agriculture Greg Ibach join us for these listening sessions, and I congratulate him on his nomination as U.S. Department of Agriculture under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs. President Trump has made an outstanding selection for this position, and the vast knowledge with which Ibach has served Nebraska so well will now benefit agriculture nationwide. Additionally, it was productive to come together with the entire Nebraska congressional delegation at the State Fair our states celebration of agriculture to talk about farm bill priorities. Our delegation is united around the need to grow our agriculture economy and open more doors for selling Nebraska agriculture products to consumers around the world. I also held public meetings across the 3rd District, including Arthur, Elwood, Falls City, Kimball, Neligh and Wayne. These discussions covered many different topics, from tax reform to trade to health care. It was abundantly clear Nebraskans are ready for relief from our broken tax code and health care system and also want to see our country pursue strong trade policies. In Congress, we remain committed to pursuing tax reform this fall. Speaker Paul Ryan stated at the start of September we want Americans to wake up on New Years Day 2018 with a new tax system. The conversation has shifted from whether tax reform will happen this year to what it will look like, which is a positive step. Simplifying our tax code is the best way to grow our economy, and both President Trump and Congress are making it the top priority. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, I also continue to push for more opportunity for Nebraska exporters to sell their products around the world. Renegotiation among the United States, Canada, and Mexico on the North American Free Trade Agreement is under way, and I am optimistic producers can benefit from modernizations as long as the current market access granted to U.S. exporters through NAFTA remains the baseline. There were recent concerns about the Trump administration pulling the U.S. out of KORUS, our trade agreement with South Korea. I opposed withdrawal, both for the health of our economy, as South Korea is an important trading partner, and from a geopolitical perspective. We cannot afford to damage our relationship with this important ally, especially given the dangerous advancements in North Koreas nuclear program. Thankfully, it appears the Trump administration plans to uphold the agreement. Rep. Adrian Smiths 3rd Congressional District encompasses 75 counties in central and western Nebraska. The effort to verify President Donald Trumps claim that millions of Americans voted illegally is a waste of time and money. Instead, Americans should support New York Sen. Chuck Schumers alternative: public hearings on the status of voting rights. Perhaps they could start in Texas, where a discriminatory voter ID law has been thrown out by the courts. Then lets move to North Carolina, where the push for restrictive voter laws was also stopped by the courts. And by all means lets take testimony from Secretary of State Chris Kobach in Kansas. In 2016, Kansas election authorities discarded 13,717 ballots more than all but six other states, The Associated Press reports. Kansas rejected more ballots than Florida, which is seven times its size. Missouri, with more than twice the population of Kansas, discarded just 3,803 ballots. The reason for tossing so many ballots in the trash seems clear: Its a reflection of Kobachs relentless campaign to make it harder for Kansans to vote. He is on a crusade to stop people from voting, former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander said last week. Kansans should be particularly worried because Kobach is running for governor. Voters will wonder if his anti-voter agenda is aimed at aiding his own candidacy. Other secretaries of state have supervised their own elections, of course. Such conflicts may be unavoidable. But the Kansas Legislature should revisit the states election machinery when it convenes in January. In the states four largest counties, the election commissioner is hand-picked by the secretary of state. Kobachs record is concerning. A new look at the role he plays in how elections are administered is warranted. Kobach should tell the people of Kansas how hell guarantee that every legitimate vote will be counted next year when hes on the ballot. Kansas City Star We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form In this Sept. 11, 2017 photo, Angelina Jolie, left, director/co-writer of the film "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers," and co-writer/human rights activist Loung Ung pose for a portrait during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up to our daily newsletter for all the latest Kent stories and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox. A 20-year-old BMW driver from Paddock Wood who had to be rushed to hospital after having a seizure at the wheel of his car had a "high level" of cocaine in his blood, a court heard this week. Police were called to the A228 in East Peckham during the morning rush hour on June 22, Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court was told on Tuesday (September 12). After feeling unwell, John Wills, of Warrington Road, had pulled over into the right hand lane, facing the oncoming traffic close to a roundabout. Prosecuting, James Nichols said: "At 8.30am, the police got a call from the ambulance service after reports a man had suffered a seizure behind the wheel. "When they arrived they found two bags of white powder that turned out to be cocaine. "The defendant was taken to hospital and blood tests showed he had drugs in his system. "He had 65 micrograms of cocaine per litre of blood, the legal limit is 10 micrograms he also had 800 micrograms of benzoylecgonine per litre (a derivative of cocaine), the legal limit is 50 micrograms. "Regular user" "This sounds bad but experts say it is normal for the benzoylecgonine to be this high a reading if you are a regular user of cocaine as it stays in the system for 28 days." Wills pleaded guilty to possessing 0.6 grams of cocaine, as well as driving with levels of cocaine and benzoylecgonine above the legal limit. Defending, David Dinkeldein, said his client was trying help after admitting he had a problem with drugs. "In mitigation he has no relevant previous convictions," Mr Dinkeldein said. "He pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and expresses remorse that he wants me to pass on to the bench. "He is a young man and is actively seeking help he has spoken to his GP who is referring him to a drugs service in Maidstone. "At the time he was going through a bad period as he was experiencing unemployment. "It was affecting him in a bad way although he is now employed as a forklift truck driver in Wrotham. "He was driving from his home to a friend's house in East Peckham but he pulled over as soon as he felt unwell and luckily no harm was caused to any other road users." "Poor standard of driving" Chairman of the bench, Mark Tucker, told the court Wills was likely to be given a community order due to the "high readings" of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in his system as well as his "poor standard of driving, pulling over into the right-hand lane of an A-road". But he said the case would have to be adjourned so that Wills could meet with the probation service before sentencing. Wills must return to Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court on October 3 and was given an interim driving ban until that date. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up to our daily newsletter for all the latest Kent stories and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox. A shocking video has emerged from the scene of the lorry crash near the Dartford Crossing this afternoon (Sept 14). A thick black smoke is seen gushing from the crash site on the carriageway in footage posted to YouTube by a shocked onlooker. Traffic has been building on the northbound carriageway, anti-clockwise, near to the approach to the tunnel entrances. It is understood the accident involved two lorries and a car, and happened just before the carriageway splits to go through the tunnels. A Kent Police spokesman told Kent Live: "Kent Police was called at 3.11pm on Thursday, September 14, to a report of a multi-vehicle collision on the M25 near Dartford Crossing. "Officers are currently at the scene and lane closures are in place. The Kent Fire and Rescue Service and the South East Coast Ambulance Service have also been called." Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up to our daily newsletter for all the latest Kent stories and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox. Four men who gang-raped a 16-year-old girl above a Ramsgate takeaway have not been deported immediately. Kent Live has been closely following the case of four men who were jailed last week for a total of 49 years in prison. Restaurant owner Tamin Rahmani, 38, of Northwood Road in Ramsgate, takeaway workers Shershah Muslimyar, 21, of Hovenden Close in Canterbury, Raffiullah Hamidy, 24, of no fixed abode and a 17-year-old boy from Ashford, who we cannot name for legal reasons, denied three counts of rape. There was a four-week long trial at Canterbury Crown Court, which resulted in the three men each being sentenced to 14 years in prison and the 17-year-old boy was given seven years half of which they will serve in custody. And a number of Kent Live readers have taken to our Facebook page to ask why the men have not been deported immediately. So we contacted the governments Home Office to find out why. A spokesman said: Any foreign national offender who has been given a custodial sentence would be considered for removal. But this is done on a case by case basis there is no blanket policy that if a foreign national is jailed then they will be removed. We do not routinely comment or speculate on individual cases. Previous examples have shown that people tend to serve their sentences before being deported. What we heard in the trial The jury was told sordid details of a night in Ramsgate in September last year, where a lost girl walking the streets alone had asked for directions. But rather than helping the victim, the men took her to a "grubby" room above 555 Pizza on Northwood Road and raped her multiple times. Mr Taylor added that the girl was pushed onto a mattress whilst men physically restrained her and stood by the door "so she knew there was no escape". The victim was then escorted out the premises, where she was found "sobbing", "hysterical" and "pacing up the road crying" by a woman who found her on the street. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up to our What's On newsletter for a weekly email covering the best of Kent's food, drink, and entertainment scene, as well as upcoming events Hawkinge's Lidl re-opened today (September 14) and eager shoppers rushed to grab their groceries from the revamped new store. The discount supermarket in Haven Drive closed its doors for a complete rebuild and refurbishment on New Year's Eve last year and people have waited nine long months for its return. So it was no surprise when crowds swarmed through the modern and open planned entrance at 8am. By 9am, the car park was rammed with families and couples rushing to get their shopping. The video above shows just how much the Lidl has increased in size, giving viewers a comprehensive tour around the massive 1,509 sq/m supermarket. It showcases the new sustainable store from all angles, which boasts state-of-the-art areas including a bakery, longer dual-style tills, customer toilets and baby changing. The footage also shows the large amounts of keen shoppers bustling between the aisles, enjoying the special offers as well as joining the mammoth queues at the self scan and checkouts. There were free goodies on offer for the supermarket's first customers, with food samples offered out as you enter the store and flowers being gifted upon departure. Residents living in Hawkinge and Folkestone have also been targeted with new offer leaflets, enticing them into the town's now largest Lidl. The other store in Shellons Street, near the town centre, is now much smaller. It is not yet known if this too will receive the same makeover as part of the German brand's plans to expand its stores. 15 new jobs have been created for the community. The store is still on the lookout for an assistant manager , according to Lidl's careers portal , and you can bag up to 35k a year. The new supermarket forms part of the company's ongoing expansion and regeneration plans in the UK which will see it open between 50 to 60 stores a year. On the lookout for a job? Click here to browse job opportunities across Kent Lidl UK's Regional Head of Property, James Mitchell, said: "We would like to thank all those who have played a part in improving our Lidl store in Hawkinge. "It is great for us to be able to create more jobs and investment opportunities in the area, and we can't wait to start serving our multi-award winning products to the local community once again." Ulan Udo, once a strong Inner Mongolian man who is now weak and sick, devoted almost his whole life to sand control in his hometown, turning deserts into green lands through three decades of persistent and unremitting endeavor. What are now meadows were once massive piles of sand over 20 years ago. Wind-blown sand in the spring season could be 30 to 60 meters tall, moving at a speed of five to six meters an hour. Local residents were forced to leave their home, but the Udu family chose to stay. In 1983 and 1990, Udus parents were contracted to manage the lands, covering a total area of 1,300 mu (87 hectares). Most of it is desert, with only 500 mu of green. So the family decided to make the land greener by hand. The green plan didnt go smoothly. Moving sand dunes were a constant threat to the family. Udu, then a 17-year-old young man in 1985, planted wormwood plants on the sand dunes, a green plant conducive to keeping sand together in wind. Disappointingly, all the plants were blown away in the next spring. The failure gave Udu a lesson that the fight against desertification requires a large-scale investment with more people and money. Udu continued this great cause after his father passed away in 1995. His mother and wife also joined in the fight and shared tough times with Udu. Their efforts did not pay off. Instead, they fell into despair as sudden winds would always ruin everything they had done, and years of sand controlling efforts ate up all their savings. The area before and after treatment. Another heavy blow to Udu took place five years later when his wife divorced with her crazy husband. In 1999, Udu thought building water projects was a new idea, and obtained loans worth thousands yuan with another five families to jointly dig four wells to water the land. However, this plan fell apart one year later. The others quit, leaving all the debt to Udu. And Udus marriage came to an end as well. Its not the last straw that breaks the camelback. Udu was resilient enough that nothing would stop him. He continued buying saplings and borrowing money to expand his forest. Until 2003, the green had expanded substantially from 500 to 3,000 mu, but this remarkable achievement was came from over 1 million yuan in loans. In the following three years, Udu was haunted by the loans and creditors. Ulan Udo and his mother work in the sand. It was not until 2008 that the Chinese government started providing cash for non-commercial forests, a favorable turn for Udu. He started to pay off his debts thanks to some 10,000 yuan from national funds. Udu is now addressed by his fellows as the silent rich man, because he is quiet and even silent, a man of few words who now owns a vast 13,000-mu meadow. But Udu is not rich himself, as he is still burdened with a debt of over 300,000 yuan, half of which he owes the bank. Years of hard work also consumed his health and the tough man suffers from back problems. Now he lives with his aging mother, and neither of them can perform heavy labor. Udu, the name of this sand fighter, literally means stars in the sky in Mongolia. Though burdened with debt and a hard life, this strong and heroic man has presented a green fortune to a piece of once barren land in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Ulan Udo receives interview. A Chinese woman has turned a world of sand into forest after stationing herself in Maowusu Desert, one of the four major sandy lands in China, for 30 years. The heroic woman Yin Yuzhen has won more than 80 awards, including the 2010 GAIA Prize, for spreading her story across the world. Hope for green land in desert Desert is often described as the incurable cancer of the earth. Some people choose to escape from it, while the others choose to stay to make changes. It is hard to associate Yins ecological park with a desert, in that it is surrounded by a green forest that stretches all the way to the skyline. Yins house, located in her ecological park, looks more like a small-sized museum. Photos and certificates of merit hang on the walls, as if they are telling the extraordinary achievements made by the owner of the house. Yin, born in Jingbian County, northwestern Chinas Shaanxi province, came to Uxin Banner, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, in 1985 to marry her husband Bai Wanxiang. However, there was nothing on this barren and sandy land of Maowusu except a tree planted by Bai and his father, let alone roads and electricity. The woman once planned to leave, but she gave up the idea because of her attachment to her family. Yin has always been a tough woman who believes that human beings should never be trapped by the sand. Inspired by a sprouting sapling beside a well, she decided to protect her family through forestation. Shaky saplings grow into a forest thanks to persistent efforts She and her husband bought 600 saplings in the spring of 1986 and planted them around her house. Though she had taken very good care of the trees, only 10 of them survived in the next year. But Yin saw hope rather than despair, saying it proved that trees could survive in this environment. The couple devoted all of their energy to planting trees in the desert, shedding a considerable amount of sweat and tears. Id rather die from exhaustion than from being bullied by sand was the only thing that motivated this tough woman. Finally, the shaky saplings grew into a forest. Apart from the joy of success, Yin also had some setbacks. Once 5,000 willows planted by her family in three months were blown away by a sandstorm. Most others might have given up, but Yin, started thinking how to ensure the trees could withstand the wind. She finally found the right way to carry out forestation in the desert. After 30 years of hard work by the Yin family, the sand world has been turned into endless green. Their endeavor not only touched Uxin Banner, but also China and the world at large. Forge ahead despite of fame She has received a number of awards for her efforts. She was once selected as a national model worker and was a nominee for the China Environment Prize. In September 2010, she was invited to deliver a speech at a seminar on desertification control held in Mongolia. A month later, she received the GAIA Prize at the International Conference on Water Resource and Environment in South Korea. In March 2012, she delivered a speech at the Ministerial Conference of the 6th World Water Forum in France. Later, she was awarded the Somazzi Prize, which is given to women involved in human rights and the protection of peace and freedom. Being touched by this tough woman, a number of people have come to visit her. Yin said that she has received assistance from thousands of people in recent years, and she recorded all of their names in a notebook. Some people told her that she should stop her undertaking of forestation since she has already made her name. But she says she is doing this for her descendants. In addition to forestation, Yin is also planning to make money from the sandy land. She hopes to upgrade her ecological park so that she can plant economic crops. Not long ago, Yin built a watch tower with the help of some good-hearted people. My dream is to turn the sandy land into a sea of green plants, she exclaimed, standing on the tower overlooking the field. Uxin Banner was a national model in the 50s because of forestation and environmental transformation. Its experience was first presented to the whole nation in the 60s through a press release. Half a century later, the people here are still making forestation efforts, introducing advanced treatment methods to the world. An ecological revolution is taking place here, and the sand-fighting stories of the Chinese people will continue. 3K Shares Share Approximately 300-400 physicians commit suicide annually. Given that a typical doctor has about 2,300 patients under his or her care, that means more than a million Americans will lose a physician to suicide this year. In a study of six medical schools, almost seven percent of students said they had thought of ending their lives in the last two weeks. In another recent study, 29 percent of residents suffered from significant symptoms of depression. And those symptoms escalated within a year of starting training. Medical students and physicians are raised in a culture where they are not allowed to show weakness or ask for help. In addition, to visit a psychiatrist can be professional suicide, meaning that they risk loss of license and hospital privileges and professional stature among peers and patients. This could easily be considered borderline abuse and it begins in medical school and continues through residency. A 1990 JAMA article reported on a survey of the incidence, severity and significance of medical student abuse. Approximately 46.4 percent of all respondents stated that they had been abused at some time while enrolled in medical school, with 80.6 percent of seniors reporting being abused by the senior year. Despite implemented reforms in the 1990s, according to a 2012 study in the Journal of Academic Medicine, more than half of all medical students still said that they had been intimidated or physically or verbally harassed. According to a 2014 study from the Journal of Academic Medicine, the nature of mistreatment differed between students interested in primary care and those interested in a subspecialty. It appears that faculty and residents are biased against certain specialties that differ from their own and may embarrass or criticize students who express interest in those specialty areas. Between 1996 and 2017, the median cost for tuition at a private medical school increased 130 percent while resident salaries during the same time period increased only 60 percent. Graduating medical student debt in 2014 averaged $180,000 6.7, according to a report from the Association of American Medical Colleges. In 2002, Paul Jung, MD, and two other physicians filed a class action antitrust lawsuit against the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) or the The Match. They alleged that the NRMP is a computerized processing system that assigns graduating medical students a single, non-negotiable employment opportunity. A rider, sponsored by Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), was attached to a pension act, the Pension Funding Equity Act, which President George W. Bush signed into law in April 2004. That provision states that the maintenance of or participation in the residency match does not constitute an antitrust violation, as long as there is no outright price fixing. It also says that the Match cannot be used as evidence in an antitrust case, the issue that Judge Friedman cited as the primary factor in his decision. Compounding this issue is the fact that 1,059, or 5.7 percent of allopathic U.S. seniors did not match. If you include international graduates, osteopathic graduates current and recent U.S. graduates, that number approaches 8,281 representing 23 percent of total applicants. In 1997, the Balanced Budget Act effectively cut the number of residency slots available by reducing the reimbursement allocated to hospitals involved with resident education for patient care. Meanwhile, with a nationwide shortage of 90,000 physicians projected by 2020, U.S. medical schools are on track to increase their enrollment by 30 percent. However, without more residency slots available, it will be difficult to increase the number of practicing physicians despite increased medical school enrollment. In 2013, two bills were introduced into the U.S. House, the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act and the Training Tomorrows Doctors Today Act. Neither bill passed. As a result of the current physician shortage, nurse practitioners and physician assistants are filling the void and now seeking independent practice. Organized medicine continues to seek legislation to oppose independent practice of mid-level providers and to expand the number of residency positions available to medical students. One anonymous physician has stated: Medical residents have fewer labor protections than Chinese factory workers. In 2012, the Fair Labor Association recommended capping workers at 49 hours per week including overtime and paying 1.2 million workers overtime they deserve. Residents, however, work well over 50 hours a week and furthermore, receive no overtime benefit, meals or gas mileage reimbursement for call duties. The usual bullying culprits of residents are the attending physicians. In a 2016 meta-analysis article by BioMed Central, the most frequently noted form of mistreatment was verbal abuse, with the most common perpetrators being fellow physicians of higher hierarchical power. Nurses are known to be involved in the act of bullying resident physicians. According to a 2014 study in the Journal of Surgical Education, surgical residents had experienced each of 22 negative acts (11.5-82.5 percent) surveyed, most commonly being ignored/excluded or treated in a hostile manner. We should always be aware of physicians needs and never ignore their cries for help. Never assume a physician will be able to deal with every problem on their own. Physician wellness programs with 24/7 access to psychologists skilled in physician mental health should be available in all areas. Moreover, just as our health care system is being overhauled, so too should medical training and labor laws protecting health care providers. Furthermore, indirect medical education from CMS should be used to increase residency positions and organized medicine needs to continue to advocate for this. Finally, we need to realize as physicians that many students will choose their desired specialty based on whom they consider to be a role model to them. If we want the best and brightest to follow in our footsteps, then we should set a positive example for them to follow and give them the positive attention and respect they deserve. Samer W. Cabbabe is a plastic surgeon and can be reached at Cabbabe Plastic Surgery. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 231 Shares Share One of the biggest points of contention in the ongoing discussion of burnout is that the system of health care is flawed. The endless bureaucracy, decreasing physician pay, and increasing meaningful use requirements that spawn endless clicking on an already inefficient electronic medical record platform have become unbearable by most practicing physicians today. Furthermore, all the talk about mindfulness only riles up more anger in physicians as they feel they are being blamed for their burnout. While there is a case for physicians taking personal responsibility for their own self-care skills (or sometimes lack thereof), we must acknowledge the flaws of our current medical system. The shift to this value based system is a bad idea; not only because it does not reflect the true value of the work we do, but also because this devaluation is causing physicians to be required to see more patients in less time (as if 15 minutes was not bad enough) putting physicians even more at risk for burnout, depression, and suicide, and putting patients at risk for increasing medical errors. This way of operating is clearly not sustainable: not for doctors, not for patients, and not for the system as a whole. Like the real estate market, our health care system is doomed to implode if nothing changes. However, the question persists: If the system must change, how can we as physicians be at the source? Where can we be responsible in creating a new paradigm for the practice of medicine? With this mindset, Ive been on somewhat of an inner quest. Over the last year or so, I have looked into various medical models, seeking out something that would give doctors back their autonomy, joy, power, and freedom. I envisioned a model that involved physicians coming together and forming their own cooperative that provided primary and specialty care to patient in a membership environment. This would be a direct pay model, with access to participating radiology centers, pharmacies, and laboratories. I began a search to see if there were existing models, already in place that I could glean from, and I soon discovered that I was not the only person thinking along these lines. One group of physicians out of Oregon took to this cooperative business model, starting their physician-patient cooperative in 2005 initially as a non-profit to positively impact the status of health care. It has grown to be a rather robust multi-specialty organization with clinic and employer group locations in Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, and New Mexico. Furthermore, the clinic includes not only traditional primary and specialist care, but also complementary/alternative therapies such as acupuncture, naturopathy, chiropractic, and nutritional therapies. They run off a tiered membership model that allows for flexibility of access for the patient, as well they have an employer membership option. While, Im not completely privy to the inner workings of this model (physician membership, compensation, profitability, and overall sustainability), for this organization at least, it seems to be a successful model that has allowed for a more expanded yet affordable access to care for the patients, while putting the power of medicine back in the hands of the physicians. Its worth exploring how this and similar models could become more of the norm rather than the exception. As I learn more, I am sure that all of the pros and cons of this model will become evident, but I believe that physician cooperatives could be a game changing model for physicians that creates the best of both worlds: access for patients, and the opportunity for physicians to once again truly practice medicine on their terms. Maiysha Clairborne is an integrative medicine physician and can be reached at The Stress Free Mom MD. She is the author of The Wellness Blueprint: The Complete Mind/Body Approach to Reclaiming Your Health & Wellness. Image credit: Shutterstock.com ADS ADS The Tiffany Metro is the new watch collection for ladies characterised by the diamond-set bezel complemented by baguette- and round-cut diamonds as hour markers on the flinque-finished dials. There wasnt any specific vintage model that inspired the Tiffany Metro but many timepieces and jewellery found in the brands archives, says Nicola Andreatta, vice president and general manager of Tiffany & Co Swiss Watches. For example, different S-link bracelets seen on many vintage Tiffany jewellery pieces including a Blue Book bracelet led to the inspiration for the new bracelet used with Tiffany Metro watches. The idea for the Tiffany Metro dial and rounded case came from a vintage Tiffany pocket watch. The original dial had a subsidiary sweep seconds at the six oclock position and this explains why the seconds counter on the automatic version of the Tiffany Metro is similarly placed. The quartz version of the Tiffany Metro is a two-hand watch. The dials flinque finishing is in line with the brands philosophy of playing with light, explains Andreatta. This play with light is a signature characteristic of Tiffany. Every detail in this watch is thought in a way so as to play with the reflection of light on it. That is why we have the flinque finish on the dial and the alternating shiny and brushed planes on the case and bracelet. What is actually the key highlight of the Tiffany Metro is the round brilliant diamond set on the crown. The diamond is not highly visible especially when one is looking top-down at the dial. Andreatta concedes, acknowledging that the precious diamond is somehow subtly hidden. However, he highlights that this is a world premiere in watchmaking as every diamond on the crown is serialised and comes with a certificate detailing the history and authenticity of the stone. The Metro watch for ladies with two different bracelets Tiffany & Co. Unlike most other watch brands who are explicitly stating that their activities are aimed at the millennials, the Tiffany Metro isnt targeting any specific age group. We would like to state that this watch is designed to target a sophisticated consumer. She is confident of where she is in life. Authentic, intelligent and curious, she appreciates the finer things in life. She is one who is up-to-date with fashion trends; she knows who she is and she uses jewellery and watches for self-expression, surmises Andreatta. Nicola Andreatta, Tiffany & Co.'s CEO Tiffany & Co. For the gentlemen, there is the Tiffany Square Watch with a heavy vintage feel. Made to commemorate the 180th anniversary of the founding of Tiffany (1837 to 2017), its inspiration came from a 27mm Tiffany watch with a square case produced in the 1920s. The Tiffany Square Watch is housed in a 27mm by 35.88mm case in 18K yellow gold and features a dial with Art Deco-type Arabic numeral fonts with vintage-style hour and minute hands. This Tiffany Square Watch marks the brands return to in-house calibre manufacturing with its square manual-winding movement. This in-house Tiffany movement is what Andreatta defines as a calibre designed, engineered and manufactured by their craftsmen in Switzerland. Square watch for men Tiffany & Co. Yes, Tiffany was once a manufacturer of watch movements. The brands manufacturing facility commenced operations in 1866 at Place Cornavin in Geneva. At that time, it was deemed the largest of its kind. The movement is manual-winding to keep the watch thin. This explains the Tiffany Square Watchs thickness which is less than 7mm. Why are its current creations so intertwined with the brands storied past? Tiffany timepieces are about what weve been and this is the only way to understand what well be in the future. We should learn how to understand the past and use it to shape our future, says Andreatta. By Mai Nguyen HANOI, Sept 14 (Reuters) - The subdued sentiment in Asian coffee markets extended into this week on low stocks in Vietnam and Indonesia while importers refused Vietnamese offers citing high prices, traders said on Thursday. In Vietnam, exporters offered the 5 percent black and broken grade 2 robusta variety at a discount of $40 to par to the London ICE January contract , tightening from last week's $70-$80 discounts, traders said. Traders said importers turned down offers by Vietnamese exporters as the prices quoted were too high, crimping trade in the world's biggest robusta producer. Vietnamese farmers quoted 43,400-44,000 dong ($1.91-$1.94) per kg , slightly higher than 42,200-43,000 dong from a week earlier, tracking a slight gain in London prices, traders said. The London January futures contract has risen as much as 4.84 percent since September 6 when it hit its lowest in more than a month, Thomson Reuters data showed. Tropical Storm Doksuri, which swept through the Philippines, is expected to intensify to a strong typhoon and hit central Vietnam later this week. However, traders expect the storm to bring good rains to the Central Highlands, Vietnam's major coffee growing area, instead of destroying the crop. In rival Indonesia, traders quoted the grade 4 defect 80 robusta beans at between par and a $10 premium to the London November contract, tightening from premiums of $70-$80 a week ago. "Buyers also know there's no stocks," a Bandar Lampung-based trader told Reuters, noting that the market was very quiet. "At most there are 20 truck-loads of stocks," the trader said, referring to stocks at his company and adding that each truckload carried around 10 tonnes of beans and that this should be enough to fulfil export contracts. ($1 = 22,726 dong) (Reporting by Mai Nguyen; Additional reporting by Mas Alina Arifin in Bandar Lampung; Editing by Sunil Nair) ATHENS, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Emergency central bank funding to Greek lenders dropped by 3.7 billion euros ($4.40 billion), or 11 percent, in August compared to the previous month, Bank of Greece data showed on Thursday. Emergency funding, which is more costly than borrowing from the European Central Bank, dropped to 30.9 billion euros ($36.77 billion) from 34.6 billion euros at the end of July, the data showed. Greek banks have relied on emergency liquidity assistance (ELA) drawn from the Greek central bank since February 2015 after being cut off from the ECB's funding window due to stalled bailout talks between the government and its official lenders. Their dependence on the ELA emergency lifeline has declined since June last year when the European Central Bank reinstated banks' access to its cheap funding operations. (Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou) (Kitco News) - In another case of market spoofing, a former UBS trader was charged with manipulating gold, silver, platinum and palladium prices. Conspiracy, wire fraud and commodities fraud are among the charges brought against Andre Flotron, a Swiss citizen, who was employed by the bank in Switzerland and the U.S. The ex-UBS trader allegedly used spoofing to fix prices by placing large orders on precious metals futures on CME Group's commodities exchange but never executed the trades. Flotron and his co-conspirators placed one or more large orders for precious metals futures contracts on one side of the market which, at the time Flotron and his co-conspirators placed the orders, they intended to cancel before execution, according to the complaint filed in Connecticut. The former trader is accused of executing smaller trades on the opposite side of the market while the spoof orders were pending in order to make money from the price moves they created with their fake trades. These actions triggered a false market reaction to benefit the trader, the complaint explained. Flotron created the false appearance of substantial supply or demand to fraudulently induce other market participants to react to his deceptive market information. Flotron appeared in a federal court in Newark on Wednesday, after being arrested while visiting his girlfriend in New Jersey, Bloomberg reported. He now faces up to 25 years in prison and will be held in jail without bail until his court appearance in Connecticut on September 22. The alleged spoofing activities were carried out between July 2008 and November 2013, according to the investigation. Flotron reportedly left his position at the UBS in 2014, CNBC said, citing an unnamed source. Another UBS trader allegedly helped Flotron carry out these fake trades, but it is unclear if anyone else involved in the scheme would be charged. Flotron expects to fight all allegations against him. Were going to fight this case, his attorney, Marc Mukasey, said in court. Theres a big issue here as to whether or not this was a government-created crime [or industry practice]. The former trader is the second person to be publicly charged in the U.S. investigation into the fixing of precious metal prices. Former Deutsche Bank employee, David Liew, settled with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) in June, after admitting to spoofing precious metals markets. He is now completely banned from trading commodities on CFTC-regulated markets. HELSINKI, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Finland's largest healthcare company, Terveystalo, said on Thursday it was planning to raise around 100 million euros ($119 million) by relisting on the Helsinki bourse's main list. The company was listed in Helsinki in 2007-2009 before buyout fund Bridgestone bought it out. Existing owners will sell some shares along with the new share issue, Terveystalo said. The company is currently 92-percent owned by Swedish private equity firm EQT. CEO Yrjo Narhinen said in a statement that the government's proposed health care financing reform was improving the outlook for the sector. "There is an increasing demand for healthcare services and Finland has a large, attractive and growing healthcare market... The social and healthcare reform is critical for Finland, and in order to meet the goals... we need both public and private resources." Some Finnish pension funds and other institutional investors have commited to taking a stake of around 36 percent of the shares at a maximum valuation of 1.25 billion euros, Terveystalo said. Terveystalo acquired Finnish healthcare company Diacor earlier this year and now has annual sales of around 700 million euros and 180 clinics across the country. Carnegie, Morgan Stanley, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken are among banks arranging the IPO. ($1 = 0.8417 euros) (Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl; editing by Jason Neely) DUBAI, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Qatar's sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority has reduced its stake in upscale jeweller Tiffany & Co as it rebalances its asset portfolio, according to Morgan Stanley, which managed the deal. QIA sold 4.4 million shares in the jeweller through a block sale completed on Thursday, Morgan Stanley said in a statement, reducing QIA's stake to 9.5 percent from 13 percent, according to Thomson Reuters data. QIA has also recently cut its stakes in Russian energy giant Rosneft and Swiss bank Credit Suisse . Market sources said the Tiffany share sale was valued at around $415 million. Morgan Stanley did not give the value of the Tiffany share sale, or who bought the shares but said QIA had agreed to a 90-day lock-up. "QIA has been a shareholder in Tiffany for over five years, and this transaction forms part of the portfolio rebalancing actions undertaken by QIA from time to time," Morgan Stanley said. The sale comes after QIA and Glencore agreed this month to sell part of their stakes in Rosneft. QIA's stake in Swiss bank Credit Suisse, one of its most prominent foreign investments, has also fallen, Reuters reported last month. QIA has denied investor speculation it is having to cut back on overseas assets because Qatar's economy is slowing. Last month it said it would soon announce new international investments. Qatar's economy has been under pressure since June 5 when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and transport ties with Doha, accusing it of backing terrorism, a charge which Doha denies. QIA has substantial cash reserves, estimated at around $300 billion, but some economists have speculated it might be called upon to support the economy. Qatar's government deposited billions of dollars into the banking system in June and July to help offset a pull-out of funds by banks from other Arab states due to the diplomatic crisis. (Reporting By Tom Arnold and Saeed Azhar; Additional reporting by Lance Tupper; Editing by Susan Fenton) LONDON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Another prolonged bout of wrangling over the debt ceiling in the United States could prompt Fitch to review the country's AAA credit rating with "potentially negative implications", the agency said on Thursday. Fitch assigns a stable outlook to its U.S. rating. The United States managed to avert a threatened government shutdown recently when Congress approved extending the government's debt limit for three months after President Donald Trump struck a deal with Democratic congressional leaders. Congress and the White House now face a Dec. 8 deadline on the debt limit and government spending. Edward Parker, a managing director at Fitch Ratings, said the debt ceiling would be back on the agenda fairly soon, possibly around February or March, which were typically months of large negative cashflows from the U.S. Treasury. "If we do get back down to the wire, with the debt ceiling not being raised or suspended when the Treasury is running out of money, then we would review the U.S. rating with potentially negative implications," he told Reuters on the sidelines of a Fitch sovereign ratings conference in London. (Reporting by Claire Milhench; editing by Sujata Rao) Watches are not rocket science. Or are they? Watches are not rocket... Perhaps you dont have a PhD. Well, thats a shame, because with some watches, youll need one to understand how to tell the time. Perhaps you dont have a PhD. Well,... By Ed Stoddard JOHANNESBURG, Sept 14 (Reuters) - South Africa's Chamber of Mines said on Thursday that mines minister Mosebenzi Zwane had pledged in writing to a court that he would not publicly say changes to an industry charter were "law" until a judicial challenge has been completed. Zwane released the revised mining charter in June, giving mining companies, many of which are pressured by rising costs and volatile or depressed prices, 12 months to meet a new 30 percent minimum for black ownership, up from 26 percent. The government in July suspended implementation of the new mining law, which includes raising the level of shares blacks should own in mining firms, pending a court ruling. The industry has said it was not consulted on many of the new rules. But Zwane irked the industry last week at a mining conference in Perth, Australia, when he said that the revised charter was law and companies had 12 months to comply with it. "His comments caused further damage to investor confidence in an industry already struggling to secure investment," the chamber said in a statement. "The Minister's latest written undertaking now includes a commitment to provide clarity about his undertaking to suspend implementation whenever he discusses the Charter in the public domain," it said. The chamber provided a copy of his written undertaking to the Pretoria High Court. The matter will be heard before a full bench of judges on December 13 and 14. The ministry said in a separate statement it looked forward to the hearings "when the matter will finally be heard by the High Court." "The ministry is of the view that this matter should be resolved speedily as part of government's efforts to address growing impatience and anger experienced by sections of our country's population as a result of continued marginalisation in key economic sectors of our economy," it said. The Mining Charter was first introduced in 2002 to increase black ownership of the mining industry, which accounts for about 7 percent of South Africa's economic output. (Editing by Pritha Sarkar) By Anthony Boadle BRASILIA, Sept 14 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has invited three Latin American leaders to dine with him next week in New York as he seeks to address the Venezuela crisis and build bridges with the region after an acrimonious start with neighbor Mexico. The political and economic turmoil in Venezuela, source of 10 percent of the oil consumed by the United States, will almost certainly top the agenda when he receives the center-right presidents of Peru, Colombia and Brazil at Trump Tower on Monday evening, diplomats said. "Trump needs to show that he has good friends in the region who share a positive agenda with the United States, but I am not sure he will get what he wants," said a Brazilian diplomat, who asked not to be named to be able to speak freely on the matter. White House officials confirmed Trump will dine with several Latin Americans leaders on Monday night with Venezuela expected to be the main topic of conversation. Cuba will also be discussed, one of the officials said. The dinner will take place on the eve of the opening of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, who will leave office after elections next year, has decided not to attend. Trump has annoyed Mexico, his country's main trading partner in Latin America, by accusing it of stealing U.S. jobs, threatening to pull out of the North American Free Trade Agreement and insisting it pays for a border wall he plans to build to keep out illegal immigrants. Trump has no major initiatives under way with other Latin American countries. In fact, two of his three guests on Monday - Colombia and Peru - are members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership which the United States withdrew from shortly after he took office. On Wednesday, Trump upset Colombia, the South American nation with the closest ties to Washington, by threatening to blacklist it for failing to stop a surge in cocaine production, most of which ends up sold on the streets of U.S. cities. The two countries have long been close allies in the fight against illegal narcotics but in recent years broadened the focus of their relationship to include trade and Colombia's peace process with leftist guerrillas. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos' government rejected the criticism of his country's anti-drug record on Thursday. Shared concern over how to deal with Venezuela, where at least 125 people were killed in four months of demonstrations against the Socialist government, will dominate Monday's dinner, according to Latin America expert Michael Shifter. "Trump and his team are very worried about Venezuela and they want to consult with Venezuela's neighbors Colombia and Brazil, and Peru's President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who has taken a leading role on the Venezuelan issue in the region," said Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington-based policy group. Thousands of Venezuelans have spilled over the border into Colombia and Brazil, fleeing the once-prosperous oil-producing nation that opponents of President Nicholas Maduro say has become a dictatorship. While the Latin American leaders due to meet with Trump have stepped up pressure on Maduro to free political prisoners and hold general elections, they are unlikely to agree to the tougher unilateral economic sanctions that the U.S. president favors. "Colombia and Brazil prefer a negotiated solution to the crisis and not economic sanctions that will hurt the Venezuelan people more than the government," the Brazilian diplomat said. Meetings due this week in the Dominican Republic between the Venezuelan government and the opposition could be a start in solving the crisis, as long as Maduro is not just out to win time, the diplomat said. The opposition, however, says it has so far only agreed to send a delegation to discuss with Dominican President Danilo Medina the conditions under which talks could begin. Peru has not objected to the financial sanctions imposed by the Trump administration on the Maduro government, Shifter said. "But if the U.S. ratchets up sanctions, like cutting off oil imports, and takes a more interventionist position on Venezuela, that could distance the United States from its Latin American neighbors," he said. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Additional reporting by Julia Cobb and Luis Jaime Acosta in Bogota, Mitra Taj in Lima, Steve Holland in Washington and Lisandra Paraguassu in Brasilia; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Alistair Bell) (Adds details from report) OTTAWA, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Canadian new home prices rose in July as Vancouver saw strong demand from buyers, while prices in Toronto were unchanged for a second month in a row following provincial measures to rein in the market, data from Statistics Canada showed on Thursday. Nationally, prices were up 0.4 percent from June, slightly exceeding economists' forecasts for a gain of 0.3 percent. Compared to a year ago, prices were up 3.8 percent. The new housing price index excludes apartments and condominiums, which have seen strong demand in Vancouver and Toronto recently as potential buyers have been priced out of more expensive single-family homes. Vancouver led the price growth in July with a 2 percent monthly increase. A tax on foreign buyers implemented by the provincial government in August 2016 initially cooled the market but prices and sales have been heading back up recently. Prices in the west coast city have climbed 7.7 percent since the start of 2017 when a loan program for first-time buyers was introduced by the British Columbia government, the statistics agency said. In Toronto, Canada's largest city, prices were unchanged on the month, though they were still up 7.4 percent from a year ago. Toronto home sales have dropped in the wake of a number of measures taken by the Ontario government in April to cool the market, including a foreign buyers tax. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Graphic - Canada new housing prices Graphic - Canada economic snapshot ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Leah Schnurr; Editing by Bernadette Baum) (Adds background of permitting issue, CEO and analyst comments, stock price) By Susan Taylor TORONTO, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Canada's Eldorado Gold Corp said on Thursday it received formal notice of arbitration from Greece, another advance in a long-running permit tussle, but the miner repeated more progress is needed for it to reconsider investment plans. Eldorado warned on Monday that it would halt new investment in its Stratoni mine and Olympias and Skouries projects from Sept. 22. It cited permit delays and a lack of clarity on an arbitration process that Greece announced in June to settle differences over mine development. The Vancouver-based company said on Wednesday that the arbitration notice alleges its technical study for a metallurgical plant to treat concentrates is deficient and therefore violates the project's environmental terms. Eldorado said it was confident its study met requirements. Shares of the company were up 1.4 percent at C$2.83 on the Toronto Stock Exchange and 1 percent higher in New York at $2.31. "Despite the Greek government's refusal to engage with Eldorado, we believe that this matter could still be resolved through good faith negotiations. We again invite the ministry to engage with us for such purpose," Chief Executive George Burns said in a statement. "Upon approval and receipt of all the required permits and a government that engages in good faith with the company, we will then be in a position to re-assess our investment options in Greece." Eldorado received two permits for its Olympias project on Wednesday, but said it is awaiting permits for its two other projects. "We expect the next week will be a key period for Eldorado's investments in Greece as we see how the government reacts to Eldorado's hardline stance on future investment," RBC Capital Markets analyst Dan Rollins said in a note to clients. "We anticipate the start of arbitration over the coming days and appointment of an Eldorado nominee to the three-person arbitration panel." The arbitration notice relates to a plan submitted in 2014 for the Madem Lakkos metallurgical plant, for treating Olympias and Skouries concentrates, Eldorado said. The company's investment in northern Greece is among the biggest since the country's debt crisis began seven years ago and is viewed as a test of the state's resolve to attract foreign capital. However, differences with the country, especially over compliance with environmental regulations, have dragged on for years. (Additional reporting by Nivedita Bhattacharjee; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Meredith Mazzilli) (Adds comments from sources and fund managers) By Maria Pia Quaglia, Elisa Anzolin and Simon Jessop MILAN/LONDON, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Tyremaker Pirelli has given up on what sources say was an initial valuation goal of 9 billion euros ($11 billion) ahead of its return to Milan's stock market next month, after several fund managers baulked at paying such a lofty price. The maker of Formula 1 racing tyres said on Thursday its owners would sell up to 40 percent of the company within a price range of 6.30-8.30 euros per share, giving it a valuation of between 6.3 billion and 8.3 billion euros. Controlling shareholder China National Chemical Corporation (ChemChina), which took over Pirelli two years ago and delisted it, and two other shareholders had been looking for a premium valuation of up to 9 billion euros, sources familiar with the matter have said. However, fund managers raised doubts, citing Pirelli's relatively high debt, complex governance structure and risk that the share price could be hit by a wave of selling once a lock-up period for one of the existing minority shareholders expires. At the top of Pirelli's price range, ChemChina and the two minority shareholders will raise up to 3.3 billion euros in the IPO, assuming Pirelli's bankers take an over-allotment. That would make it Europe's second largest offer this year behind the 3.4 billion euros raised by Allied Irish Banks in June. The price range represents a multiple of 11.3-14.9 times Pirelli's forecast 2018 earnings, according to estimates published by Banca IMI, a global coordinator for the IPO. Banca IMI valued Pirelli at between 7.6 billion and 8.7 billion euros. But four Italian fund managers said the group was worth 6.6 billion to 7.5 billion euros, or 11.9-13.5 times 2018 earnings. That would put Pirelli above rival tyremakers Michelin and Continental but short of the industry's most highly valued manufacturer, Finland's Nokian . Angelo Meda, head of equities and portfolio manager at Banor SIM, which manages 4.8 billion euros in assets, trimmed his maximum valuation after the price range was released. "I am not going to buy it if it's valued at more than 7 billion euros," he said. One large London-based investor who has looked at Pirelli's offer said the group was a good business but questioned whether it deserved a premium valuation. Pirelli declined to comment. Giacomo Tilotta, portfolio manager at AcomeA SGR, also cut his valuation, saying Pirella was attractive at around 6.6-7.0 billion euros compared with 7.0-7.5 billion euros previously. He said debt was the main reason why the company should not carry a hefty premium over peers. Pirelli's net debt is 3.1 times estimated 2017 core earnings, compared with 0.8 times for Michelin in the first half of 2017, while Nokian is cash positive. VALUATION DEBATE Pirelli, established in 1872 and one of Italy's best-known corporate names, said it would list in the first half of next month. It is expected to set a listing date of Oct. 4. The company markets itself as a premium tyremaker focusing on upmarket consumer tyres. The group's less profitable truck and industrial tyre business is being retained by ChemChina. Banca IMI said in a study that Pirelli warranted a valuation above its direct peers' average 2018 earnings multiple of 11.1, citing its "superior financial profile and higher expected earnings growth". Shares in rivals Continental and Michelin sell on a 2018 earnings multiple of around 11, according to Banca IMI. High-end winter-tyre manufacturer Nokian Tyres commands 15.7. "Pirelli is at the forefront of a trend for fitting vehicles with larger and larger tyres, but it's not a protected niche," said the London-based investor. "Other tyremakers are making in-roads into this market, which might erode its profit margins as competition heats up," the investor added. A person familiar with the matter said more than 700 potential investors in Europe, Britain and the United States had expressed an interest in the IPO, which is being marketed by nine Italian and foreign investment banks, led by global coordinators Banca IMI, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley. State-owned ChemChina holds 65 percent of Pirelli's sole shareholder, Italy-based Marco Polo, through a Luxembourg-based firm. Pirelli boss Marco Tronchetti Provera and banks UniCredit and Intesa Sanpaolo hold around 22 percent of Marco Polo via a holding company. The rest is held by investment fund LTI, linked to Russia's Rosneft , which has a lock-up period of 180 days after the IPO. The person familiar with the matter said Rosneft had never said it would sell out, while another source close to the deal said Rosneft's post-IPO stake would be small. ChemChina will remain the biggest shareholder after the IPO, with around 40 percent, though Pirelli has said most of its directors will be independent and that Tronchetti Provera will play a key role in picking his successor in 2020. Banca IMI gave Pirelli an enterprise value of up to 12 billion euros, including net debt of 3.36 billion euros. Two years ago, when ChemChina bought the business and delisted it, Pirelli had an enterprise value of roughly 8.3 billion euros, though that included the industrial tyre division. "Now that the company is a bit smaller they are seeking an enterprise value of up to 12 billion. That's too much," said Meda. ($1 = 0.8410 euros) (Additional reporting by Agnieszka Flak in Milan; Writing by Silvia Aloisi; Editing by Mark Bendeich, Greg Mahlich) (Adds deputy CEO comment) JOHANNESBURG, Sept 14 (Reuters) - South Africa's Aspen Pharmacare expanded its anaesthetic drugs portfolio with a $766 million deal with AstraZeneca as it focuses on injectibles rather than making tablets. Aspen, a drugmaker with operations in 50 countries, has looked to injectibles such as anaesthetics to increase sales, building up its business in the past year with the commercial rights to AstraZeneca drugs and products from GlaxoSmithKline . The deal with AstraZeneca covers the intellectual property and manufacturing rights to a portfolio of anaesthetics a year after Aspen bought the commercial rights in all parts of the world excluding the United States. The move is part of a broader push into injectible drugs (also called steriles) which now represents 58 percent of Aspen's manufacturing, compared to 12 percent four years ago. "Injectibles could get up to 75 percent of our manufacturing by 2022," Deputy Chief Executive Gus Attridge told Reuters. The price comprises an upfront $555 million and performance related payments of up to $211 million, Aspen said. "By acquiring the underlying intellectual property (Aspen) is best placed to maximise the value of this portfolio, including through the development of additional products and markets, leveraging the intellectual property that it will own," it said. Aspen expects the transaction will be complete during the final quarter of 2017 and estimates it could contribute $90 million per year to profit, Attridge said. The company also paid $370 million for GlaxoSmithKline's anaesthetics drugs in February. The company said profits, up 46 percent, were helped by a 7 billion rand ($532 million) revenue contribution from its anaesthetics portfolio in the year to the end of June. Total revenue was up 16 percent to 41.2 billion rand. The drugmaker posted headline earnings per share of 1,299.5 cents for the year, up from 889 cents a year earlier. Headline earnings per share strips out certain one-off items and is the main profit measure in South Africa. Profits were also supported by firmer sales in Aspen's home market during the second half of the year. "In South Africa, a strong turnaround in the second half lifted the full year private sector performance by 9 percent, while the public sector edged up 1 percent to 1.5 billion rand," the company said. Shares in Aspen were up 1.5 percent at 289.23 rand by 0750 GMT, compared with a 0.5 percent drop in the Johannesburg securities exchange's benchmark Top-40 index . ($1 = 13.1472 rand) (Reporting by TJ Strydom; editing by Jason Neely/Keith Weir) The Labour Party is misleading New Zealand workers by trying to suggest they wont increase income taxes. It is time for Bill English and Steven Joyce to stop the scaremongering and lies, and front up to New Zealanders about the impact of their tax cuts. New Zealanders should be very concerned that a principal National Party fundraiser and a list MP, highly placed inside the party, was a member of the Chinese intelligence service. The National Party either spectacularly failed to check out this candidate, or were totally naive about what his background meant. In China, once a spy always a spy. With the polls closing in just ten days The Opportunities Party has launched a strategic voting campaign designed to remove Winston Peters and New Zealand First from their position as monarch makers in the New Zealand election. The Green Party will provide genuine support for students by bringing in a universal post-graduate student allowance and increasing allowance rates for all students. Todays decision by the Electoral Commission clearing Maori Party candidate Wetex Kang of a bribery allegation which the New Zealand Herald beefed up on its front page last week, shows that Wetex is the victim of a smear campaign led by a troublemaker angry that he didnt want her as his campaign manager. ACT would increase the period that young people can be sentenced to youth justice facilities to 1 year, to remove them from the situations they were in when they were offending. Currently, youth justice facilities are available for young people on remand or sentenced to the youth court for 3-6 months. Legalising prostitution has been a dismal failure. In 2003 our Government used the dubious process of Conscience Votes to legalise prostitution. There was no mandate from the population to do so and it was based on a false premise of making sex work safe. National 10-points ahead in Reid Research poll, Jacinda under pressure, and Nats launch new attack ad. Newshub Reid Research: National 47.3%, Labour 37.8%, NZ First 6.0%, Greens 4.9%, Maori, ACT 0.6%, TOP 1.6%, Maori 1.1% Latest update as of 9am Tuesday: National Party $8.17b; Labour Party $22.91b; Green Party $13.28b; NZ First $27.53b; Maori Party $12.17b; ACT -$2.43b; TOP $13.69b Full details here. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr Vanguard Letters by Stacey Kirk on Scribd Stuff reports: A visibly emotional Bill English has laid a direct challenge to Labour politicians; tell the students of Vanguard Military Academy to their face, that they would shut their school. On his first visit to a charter school set up by the National-led Government as part of a promise to ACT under their support deal English was welcomed by a stirring full-school haka; the All Blacks Kapa o Pango with a military flair and additional verses telling the schools story. He was then handed a stack of letters many handwritten by each of the students, detailing how the academy had changed their lives. It is shameful that Labour will force charter schools like Vanguard to close, when so many students from massively disadvantaged backgrounds are having their lives changed for the better there. Why is Labour putting placating the teacher unions ahead of giving these students the opportunity to turn their lives around and succeed? English spoke to the school but had to steel himself partway through his speech choking back emotion while he talked about Opposition parties wanting to shut charter schools down. You know what changes individual lives, what changes a country, is trying something different if what were already doing doesnt work, he said. That is why were campaigning hard for the ability to continue to with whats lit your eyes up whats re-motivated you, whats making fine young New Zealanders. My challenge to the other political parties is this; I dare them to come down here, look you in the eye and tell you theyre going to take away your opportunity. Not just say it in the media, or in the Parliament, or in their party meetings but come here and say it to you. Because I cant see any reason why any adult would want to take away whats created this family whats fired up your aspiration. because thats what were here for you, each one of you matters. Schools like Vanguard could not operate under the state school system. It is the charter school model that has allowed them to be more flexible and make such a huge difference in their students lives. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr The world's "most important" forum on financial inclusion kicked off in Egypts Sharm El-Sheikh on Thursday, with a keynote address by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. The two-day 9th Global Policy Forum, organised by the International Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI), brings together some 95 states and 119 international financial institutions. During his address, President El-Sisi stressed on the importance of financial inclusion as one of Egypts main targets that will help include all citizens, especially women and youth. It should ensure their access to financial services and help in merging the informal economy into the formal one, Sisi added. This should boost economic growth and improve the living standards of citizens. El-Sisi noted that Egypts budget deficit stood at 9.5 percent during the fourth quarter of the 2016-2017 fiscal year, which ended in June, down from 11.5 percent during the same quarter last year. During the conference, Egyptian representatives will discuss the countrys experience with financial inclusion, especially with regard to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, state news agency MENA said. AFI has said the forum is the "largest and most comprehensive event" it has ever held. The gathering will introduce "unique financial inclusion initiatives undertaken by members in the Arab region," AFI said on its website. Under the auspices of the Council of Arab Central Banks and Monetary Agencies Governors, and in the presence of President El-Sisi, the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF), the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, and the AFI launched the Financial Inclusion for the Arab Region Initiative (FIARI) on 14 September 2017 during the 2017 AFI Global Policy Forum held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. FIARI aims to help accelerate policies and actions conducive to enhancing Arab societies access to financial services through an effective coordination mechanism by supporting the implementation of national financial inclusion policies. The regional initiative uses financial inclusion as a driving force for sustainable economic and social development in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). During his speech in front of the summit, chairman of the board of the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF) Abdel-Rahman Al-Hamidy highlighted the importance of the programmes aimed at enhancing financial inclusion in the Arab world. He also highlighted how momentum towards financial inclusion in the Arab region was reinforced by the regional Financial Inclusion Task Force (FITF) in 2012 and organising an Arab Financial Inclusion Day to be held annually on April 27. The official forum was preceded by three days of AFI meetings in Sharm El-Sheikh, including AFI policy working group meetings and the annual AFI general meeting. The official forum was preceded by three days of AFI meetings in Sharm El-Sheikh, including AFI policy working group meetings and the AFI annual general meeting. The AFI general meeting endorsed the Sharm El-Sheikh Climate Change Accord, which mandates the AFI network to pursue peer learning on practical policy solutions to the intersecting challenges of financial inclusion, climate change and green finance. Last year's forum was held in Nadi, Fiji. Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shouky will fly to New York from London on Friday to take part in the UN General Assembly, the ministry said in a statement. Shoukry will take part in the assemblys high-level debate, which will begin on Tuesday 19 September, with a focus on the theme, Focusing on People: Striving for Peace and a Decent Life for All on a Sustainable Planet. The minister is also scheduled to attend a high-level meeting on combating online terrorism as well as a series of ministerial meetings on the Middle East, Syria, South Sudan and central Africa, as well as talks by the Group of 77 (G-77) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Shoukry is flying from London, where he took part in a six-party ministerial meeting on the Libyan crisis on Wednesday which was attended by foreign ministers of the US, the UK, France, Italy, the UAE and Egypt, alongside the UNs Libya envoy. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi will also attend the 72nd session of the UNGA. Search Keywords: Short link: KCDC awarded $11 million in tax credits for Five Points Phase 3 revitalization KNOXVILLE The Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) recently announced that Knoxvilles Community Development Corporation (KCDC) has been awarded $1.1 million in annual tax credits over a 10-year period, a total of $11 million, for the continued development of affordable housing in the Five Points community. Five Points Phase 3 revitalization, made possible by low-income housing tax credits through the Tennessee Housing Development Agency and designed by Knoxvilles BarberMcMurry Architects and Pittsburgh-based Urban Design Associates, will include 80 one- to three-bedroom affordable housing units within 28 duplex and triplex buildings along with a playground and park.. The revitalization of Five Points with a focus on affordable housing, community spaces and safe neighborhoods has been and remains a priority for us, KCDC Executive Director and CEO Ben Bentley said. The housing tax credits enable us to continue the momentum in implementing the Five Points Master Plan. The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) is a credit against federal income tax liability each year for 10 years for owners and investors in low-income rental housing. The credits will allow KCDC to raise private equity for Phase 3 of the Five Points Master Plan. Designed by Knoxville's BarberMcMurry Architects and Pittsburgh-based Urban Design Associates, Phase 3 construction is slated to begin in early 2018. It will include 80 one- to three-bedroom units within 28 duplex and triplex buildings designed to reflect the fabric of the surrounding community at Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and McConnell Street. Phase 3 will also include a new playground and open green space. The process for approval of the tax credits is rigorous, and qualifying agencies must demonstrate the need for affordable housing in their communities and have a viable plan in place to build new residential units for lower-income individuals and families. KCDC effectively demonstrated how low-income housing tax credits will enable development of affordable housing in the Five Points community, THDA Executive Director Ralph M. Perrey said. We have worked with KCDC on other phases of the Five Points Master Plan and are excited to see the continued progress in this neighborhood. On Aug. 30, KCDC, city and county officials, THDA and other community stakeholders will hold the official ribbon-cutting for The Residences at Five Points on Bethel Avenue, the three-story, 90-unit housing complex for the elderly and disabled. The Residences at Five Points, which includes new sidewalks, energy-efficient construction and other features, marks the realization of Phase 1 of the Five Points Master Plan. Earlier this year, KCDC broke ground on Five Points Phase 2, an affordable housing complex to be built on the east side of McConnell Street along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. Total construction cost is approximately $13 million and will be funded through a combination of low-income housing tax credits from THDA and a low interest Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) loan from Home Federal Bank. The 10-building, 84-unit development is expected to be completed in the early summer of 2018. The Five Points Master Plan, led by Johnson Architecture, was developed with years of community input as a guide to replace outdated complexes with modern, energy efficient affordable housing units. This plan builds on previous redevelopment in the area, including the adaptive reuse of the Eastport School as The Residences at Eastport, a 60-unit LIHTC project for elderly. Beginning in 2009, the City of Knoxville committed $800,000 annually for 10 years to the total Master Plan project for infrastructure improvements. An additional $1.55 million was committed for 2018 in the citys annual budget. All phases of the Five Points Master Plan will use these funds to upgrade infrastructure, add or widen existing streets and construct new sidewalks to improve walkability and connectivity of housing to the community. Five Points is an important community in Knoxville, Bentley said. KCDC is proud of the progress to date and looks forward to the neighborhoods future thanks to the hard work, dedication and commitment of all of our stakeholders. Since 1936, KCDC has been dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for the citizens of Knoxville and Knox County. KCDCs mission is to improve and transform neighborhoods and communities by providing quality affordable housing, advancing development initiatives and fostering self-sufficiency. For more information, call 865-403-1100 or visit www.kcdc.org. Egypts flagship airline EgyptAir is set to resume flights between Cairo and Tokyo, Japan starting October following a four-year suspension, a statement by the airline read on Thursday. EgyptAir chairman Safwat Mosalam said that flights would resume starting 29 October, with one flight scheduled every Saturday evening. The number of flights could increase depending on the demand in the Egyptian tourism market, according to Mosalam. The resumption of flights reflects Egypt's keenness to be present in the Japanese travel market, Mosalam said. Weekly EgyptAir flights to Tokyo and Osaka were suspended in 2012 following a decline in the number of Japanese tourists visiting Egypt. Flights were briefly resumed before were suspended again in 2013. Egypt has been seeking to attract more tourists from Asian markets following a drop in Russian tourists who rank first among foreign visitors to the country since Russia suspended flights after a Russian airliner crashed shortly after taking off from Egypts Red Sea resort town Sharm El-Sheikh. In November 2016, EgyptAir resumed direct flights between its popular tourist hub Luxor and Tokyo in an effort to "revive tourism to [Luxor], which is considered one of the most important touristic destinations in Upper Egypt, according to EgyptAir. Search Keywords: Short link: By Yoon Ja-young Economic ministers of 51 Asian and European countries will gather in Seoul next week to discuss measures for inclusive and sustainable economic growth. The seventh ASEM Economic Ministers' Meeting (EMM), hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, will be held at COEX in southern Seoul on Sept. 21 and 22. Launched in 1996, the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) comprises 20 Asian and 31 European countries. ASEM has been holding summits as well as ministerial meetings to strengthen ties between Asian and European countries. The economic ministers' meeting, however, hasn't taken place since 2005. During the ASEM EMM they will discuss facilitation of trade and investment, industrial cooperation and promotion of interaction between businesses for sustainable economic growth in Asia and Europe. At the meeting in Seoul, around 250 delegates from 51 Asian and European countries including economic, trade, or industry ministers as well as those representing ASEAN and the EU will gather under the theme "innovative partnership for inclusive prosperity of Asia and Europe." The agenda has three key tasks: facilitating and promoting trade and investment, strengthening economic connectivity, and sustainable and inclusive growth. On the first day, participants will first coordinate their ideas in a regional meeting, which will be followed by a drafting session. On the second day, there will be plenary sessions where ministers will discuss each of the three key tasks. There will be press conferences to share meeting outcomes. There will also be bilateral meetings among major participants to discuss economic cooperation. On the sidelines of the ASEM EMM, there will be diverse events including forums, seminars and exhibitions next week, which was designated as ASEM Week by the government. The Young Leaders Summit, scheduled Sept. 17 to 21, will have 150 young leaders from 51 countries participating, coming from diverse sectors including startups, businesses and universities. They will discuss issues such as future jobs, entrepreneurship and innovation, challenges and opportunities, from the perspective of young people. The event is hosted by the Asia-Europe Foundation. At the Global Eco-Innovation Forum scheduled for Sept. 19 and 20, there will be discussions to promote sustainable consumption and production by small and medium-sized businesses. There will also be a joint forum by Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Asian Development Bank, which will examine how to bolster cooperation and enhance the competitive edge of businesses in their advancement into overseas markets. At the Asia-Europe Economic Forum on Sept. 20 and 21, economic experts from the two continents will look into pending economic and trade issues. They will also provide advice for economic policy makers of the ASEM member countries gathering for the meeting. The Global Materials Tech Fair scheduled for Sept. 22, meanwhile, will provide a glimpse into global trends in the materials and components industries, in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. There will be a forum on Korea's policy direction on this issue as well. "We hope it will provide an opportunity for Asia and Europe to establish innovative partnerships for inclusive prosperity," an official in charge of the ASEM EMM Preparatory Group said. By Park Hyong-ki Workers of the state-run Export-Import Bank of Korea (Eximbank) are continuing to block their newly appointed Chairman Eun Sung-soo from coming inside the headquarters and into his office. They are refusing to recognize Eun as their chief, demanding him not to take the job given by the government. "It is currently in talks with the union to settle the dispute with hopes that the new chief could start his work and introduce new policies as soon as possible," Eximbank said in a statement. Financial Services Commission (FSC) Choi Jong-ku criticized the Eximbank union for being "old fashioned" and inflexible in the way it is dealing with the situation. Eun has been blocked for four days. The longest period of workers' resistance to the appointment of a new chief was five days for Lee Duk-hoon in 2014. FSC Chairman Choi was the only executive who did not face any union resistance when he became the Eximbank chairman. Like Eun, Lee then faced strong union opposition with the Eximbank workers refusing to accept him as he was a "parachute appointee" who was close to former President Park Geun-hye. This time, the union is arguing the same thing, as well as criticizing his past support for a former government-backed system enabling state-run financial companies pay their employees based on their performance. Eun advocated for the merit-based pay system when he was the chief executive of Korea Investment Corp., a sovereign wealth fund. The former government sought to replace the old structure that incrementally increases annual salaries as part of financial reform. Former Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Yim Jong-yong even gave state-run financial companies an ultimatum, saying that if they do not adopt the system, they will suffer such consequences as budget cuts. The workers claimed it was an excuse for banks to easily lay off people whenever they wanted. The Cespedes Memorial Park in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province / Korea Times photo by Jung Min-ho Cespedes may be first Westerner who came here with Bible By Jung Min-ho CHANGWON, South Gyeongsang Province Who was the first Westerner to step on Korean soil? For a long time, many people believed it was Jan Janse de Weltevree, a Dutchman who was washed ashore in 1653, and then Joao Mendes, a Portuguese trader whom they thought arrived 50 years before him. Who brought the first Bible to Korea? This was another question that long remained unanswered, though Seocheon County claimed that Murray Maxwell, a British Royal Navy officer, did so when he visited the town in 1816. The monument of the first recorded Westerner who came to Korea with the Bible Today many historians, including National Institute of Korean History President Cho Kwang, agree that Gregorious de Cespedes, a Spanish Jesuit priest, was the first recorded Westerner who came to Korea with the Bible in 1593. Yet his name is barely known here largely because it was Japanese Catholic general Konishi Yukinaga who invited the priest to Korea while Japan invaded the country. According to Cho, Cespedes stayed in the Woongcheon Japanese Fortress for a year, doing missionary work for both Japanese and Koreans and then returned to Japan, where he spent the rest of his life until he died in December 1611. Those who are interested in learning more about the history may want to visit the Cespedes Memorial Park, which opened in Jinhae County two years ago. There, visitors can see a monument that provides some information about Cespedes as well as walls decorated with his face and symbols of Spain. But the park seems to draw little attention from people and the Changwon City Government is reluctant to promote the place because of historical controversies surrounding Cespedes, who had close ties with Japan that caused tremendous pains to Korea for many generations. A Changwon City Government tourism official said he is concerned that the improvement of the site may draw more tourists with more controversies. The sculpture and history records of one of the most revered Christians in Korea Hometown of a revered Christian martyr Today, it is difficult to drive downtown of any big city in Korea without seeing several church buildings. And it doesn't take much courage to go into one of those buildings. But it wasn't long ago that, to become Christians, people had to risk everything they had. Under Japan's colonial rule from 1910 to 1945, many Christians, like the revered Joo Ki-chul, were tortured and killed for refusing to pay reverence at Shinto shrines. Born in 1897 in Changwon, Joo turned to Jesus Christ and became a pastor in 1925. It was a beginning of a tough journey as a defender of the faith. He stood up to Japan's coercion and, in 1938, was put in prison, where he suffered years of torture. Joo died there on April 21 1944. The city government opened a memorial hall to honor him in 2015. In the building, which is in the walking distance from the Cespedes Memorial Park, visitors can see photos of Joo and other Christian martyrs in Korea as well as their stories of suffering. Joo's old pulpit and letters to fellow Christians are among the things displayed there. It is a great place to learn about how the Protestant Church was planted in Korea, where 29 percent of the population now consider themselves Christians. For many Christians, it is also a good place to reflect, repent and remind themselves of what they should live for. By Kim Jae-kyoung South Korea obtaining nuclear armament will not stop North Korea's military provocations or deter its nuclear threats, experts on the North said Thursday. They expect deploying tactical nuclear weapons will only give Pyongyang more reason to speed up its nuclear development. "The call to reintroduce nuclear weapons reflects an understandable frustration," Stephan Haggard, director of the Korea-Pacific Program at the University of California San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy, told The Korea Times. "But it does very little to strengthen the deterrent. Moreover, reintroducing nuclear weapons would only provide further justification for North Korea to continue with its own nuclear program. This is simply a bad idea." Joseph DeTrani, a former U.S. special envoy to the six-party talks, also said he is not in favor of deploying tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea, citing the U.S.'s extended nuclear deterrence commitment to the South. "The U.S. is committed to the defense of South Korea, and our nuclear umbrella for South Korea and Japan is a very important and credible element of our deterrence strategy," he said. "North Korea's nuclear brinkmanship is being addressed with missile defense deployments (THAAD), joint military exercises, enhanced sanctions, better trilateral cooperation between Seoul, Tokyo and Washington and getting more information into North Korea." Following the North's sixth and most powerful nuclear test Sept. 3, there have been growing calls both in Washington and Seoul to redeploy tactical nuclear weapons to counter its intensified provocations. The debate gained steam after U.S. Senator John McCain, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said Sunday the U.S. should seriously consider redeploying nuclear weapons in the South. Sean King, senior vice president of Park Strategies, a New York-based political consultancy, believes South Korea having its own nuclear weapons will not influence North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. "U.S. nukes in South Korea won't help the situation, as it only plays into North Korea's propaganda hands," he said. "I also don't think Pyongyang would ever nuke the South anyway, as it wouldn't want to spread nuclear fallout on territory that it considers its own." Geraldine Dy holds a poster asking for help for Kopinos in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday./Courtesy of Koo Bon-chang By Kim Se-jeong A Filipina mother staged a protest outside the main gate of the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday, demanding help for Kopinos, children born to Korean fathers and Filipino mothers. Next to Geraldine Dy was her eight year old son, Jared Keystone Kim, shyly clinging to his mother. The poster she was holding proclaimed: "I am KOPINO, Half of me is Korean and the other half is Filipino. I waited, am waiting and will be waiting for my father." Kim is one of approximately 40,000 Kopinos in the Philippines which is only an estimate because there's no official count. Last year, Dy filed for child support from the father, and last week, the two flew to attend a session at a court in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. The father didn't initially recognize his son, and insisted that he see the boy in person. "They (the father and the son) looked so much alike. I was surprised. The mediator was also very surprised," the mother said. The meeting with the father resulted in a consent and Dy left the court with a promise of at least 200,000 won per month sent to her son by his father until he turns 18. "I am so thankful for this," the mother said. "With this money, he has a future. I will save this money for him." Dy and her son's father, Kim, met in Manila in 2008. Kim was a student studying English and Dy was looking for a job. Kim moved into her flat, and "I thought we were quite serious." She learned that he wasn't serious enough after she got pregnant. "One day, I arrived home and found a message that he was leaving me," Dy said. The baby came in 2009, and in 2010, the mother found the Korean father on Facebook. "Sorry that I can't take care of you. Please forget me" was his reply. "I was fine. I said, okay, that's it,' she recalled. Not much later, she wrote him again for help because this time his son fell sick. "He didn't reply to my message," the mother said. Asking for child support occurred to her as an option last year after her encounter with We Love Korea (WLK), an NGO helping Kopinos. "I am now living with my boyfriend who accepts my son as his own and is supportive of everything I do. But, as my child gets older, he needs more things, and I can't ask my boyfriend for everything." She was among a few lucky Kopino mothers who managed to get the money. Many mothers can't even locate their childrens' fathers, according to Koo Bon-chang, an activist who founded WLK. WLK has contacts with almost 3,000 Kopino mothers in the Philippines and has assisted those who wished to initiate legal fights against the fathers. Most Kopino fathers are long-term residents in the Catholic country where abortion is illegal. The narrative is common. The couple meets and starts a relationship; the woman gets pregnant and the man flees the country to escape his obligations. Koo's Facebook postings of the fathers' photos drew huge public attention in 2015 and early 2016. Activists have waged campaigns to raise awareness about the issue and to get the Korean government to act to deliver the care the children need, but no meaningful response to that has happened so far. Dy said she wanted to show solidarity by the protest in front of the National Assembly. "I want to support other Kopinos." By You Soo-sun A letter issued by the government in 1975 states, "We forego somewhat our plans for social welfare and the interests of our children." / Courtesy of Karri Ann Garza For many adoptees, finding their birth families is a way to mend their past and move forward. In Korea, the process is especially long and costly, lonely and upsetting and, more often than not, unfruitful. What further troubles many of them is the feeling that Korea, the country they were born into, had sold them off. This may not be just a feeling. In a 1975 letter issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, now the Ministry of Health and Welfare, then-Minister Ko Jae-pil wrote, "We forego somewhat our plans for social welfare and the interests of our children." This, he defended, was inevitable to secure a stronger national defense in dealing with constant threats from North Korea. Yet, over three decades later, there are still not enough resources dedicated to them. In email and phone interviews with The Korea Times, adoptees raised questions over the legitimacy and transparency of the birth family search process, the parties involved and some of the legal provisions stipulated in the Special Adoption Law. Here are some of the stories that reveal the ordeals adoptees spoke of. Karri Ann Garza (Kang Hea-ryun) as a baby. / Courtesy of Karri Ann Garza Karri Ann Garza's (Kang Hea-ryun) story Karri Ann Garza was born as Kang Hea-ryun in Yeonhui-dong, northwestern Seoul on Jan. 27, 1977. Facilitated by Eastern Social Welfare Society, Garza was adopted by a family in the United States in 1978. Her search has a medical purpose. She was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia, a chronic pain disorder, at a young age. She also has a rare nerve disease and hypothyroidism, commonly associated with a poor immune system, fatigue and depression. But like many others, it's a longing to know where she came from that has primarily driven her search. Garza explained she does not feel complete, as if there is a hole in her heart. Questions continue to linger: "With adoption, not only did I lose my parents but I lost my whole natural family. Do I have siblings?" After having her daughter, the impetus became stronger. "One night at dinner, my daughter kept insisting she was Chinese and I didn't understand it. I finally realized that she didn't know she was Korean because I didn't know I was Korean." While her adoption record tells her she is Korean born to Korean parents, questions about her identity continue to linger. And the information that has been given to her, she believes, is flooded with incongruencies. "I know I am not the person medically in my file. My file states I had a forehead scar and tuberculosis. I know I had neither." When she visited the adoption agency in June after a $125 filing fee, several letters and forms, and a flight to Korea she was told her parents could not be located. She had to fight to get her translator to accompany the file review, and the social worker, she claimed, flipped through merely half the pages. The mother of Megan Green (Noh Jee-yung) gave this baby picture of Green to Holt Children's Services prior to her adoption. / Courtesy of Megan Green Megan Green's (Noh Jee-yung) story Megan Green was born in Daejeon on Feb. 21, 1984. Two years later she was given up for adoption through Holt Children's Services. Just two days after she landed in Omaha, Nebraska, to meet her adoptive parents, years of torture began. "Mom liked to use cruel and unusual forms of punishment," she said. These included sleep deprivation, waterboarding, starvation and physical torture. She grew up with three siblings, two of whom were also adopted and suffered similar childhoods. Green began her search in May 2016. Both her parents were deceased, yet she still was not granted access to her parents' information, not even their names. "I asked them if my suicide attempts, diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression could be grounds for releasing my parents' information to me and the Korea Adoption Services said no. I feel as though I am being lied to about something." When asked what was most difficult for her during the whole process, she said it was the way some of the social workers at Korea Adoption Services, an organization under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, had treated her. "I felt invalidated, like I was just another case number to them and that the abuse, neglect and torture I went through didn't matter to them," she said. She said one told her, in a cold voice, "We hear these kinds of stories from adoptees all the time." "When we were sent for adoption our Korean identity was erased, as if we never existed. Well, we do exist. We are people, not case numbers." From 2012 and 2016, just 17 percent of the 7,093 adoptees that had requested the search were given their biological parents' information. For almost half, the information was insufficient or incorrect to continue with the search. And while some progress has been made, the process is too burdensome on the adoptees. And many adoptees remain skeptical of these agencies. "Government has over and over stated they have to protect the rights of citizens we were once Korean citizens too until we were told to leave the country. We were told to get out, we were sold." The Egyptian and Saudi air forces started on Thursday the joint military drill "Faisal 11," which Egypt is hosting for several days, the Egyptian armed forces announced. The air forces from the two countries are engaging in military exercises including joint air combat missions using the most up-to-date tactics. The Faisal 11 drill is the latest in a series of military exercises between Egypt and Saudi Arabia that aim to boost Egyptian-Saudi military cooperation. Search Keywords: Short link: By Jun Ji-hye The possibility of dialogue between the United States and North Korea is being cautiously raised even after the U.N. Security Council's (UNSC) adoption of harsher-than-ever sanctions against Pyongyang. One instance backing the possibility was unofficial talks held in Switzerland between a former high-ranking U.S. government diplomat and a senior North Korean foreign ministry official. Japan's NHK reported Thursday that Evans Revere, former U.S. principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asia, exchanged views with Choe Kang-il, deputy director general of the North Korean foreign ministry's North American affairs bureau, while the two were attending a three-day international security conference on Northeast Asia that wrapped up Wednesday. What they discussed during their talks remained unknown as Choi refused to answer reporters' questions and left the venue by car, NHK added. But it is believed that among the issues was the latest sanctions resolution unanimously approved Monday by the UNSC on the Kim Jong-un regime in response to its sixth nuclear test conducted Sept. 3. It is viewed that the new sanctions resolution was harsher than ever, but also left some room for dialogue as its final version was significantly watered down compared to the draft circulated by the U.S. last week. The final version eliminated a total ban on oil supplies to the impoverished state and an international asset freeze on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his sister, Yo-jong measures included in the draft resolution. US tactical weapons could be both blessing and curse By Kim Rahn Controversy is rising over whether South Korea should redeploy U.S. tactical nuclear weapons here as deterrence against North Korea's growing nuclear threat. While supporters say Seoul should have nuclear armament for defense balance as Pyongyang is virtually a nuclear state, many experts say having such weapons will bring considerable side effects such as a larger defense cost payment to the U.S. and a backlash from neighboring countries including China. Conservative political parties are calling for the redeployment of tactical nuclear weapons, which the U.S. pulled out of South Korea in 1991 as a prelude to the two Koreas' joint declaration on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Even some members of liberal parties, including the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, are asking for redeployment. Rep. Kim Joong-ro of the minor opposition People's Party said, "50 million people in South Korea have been taken hostage by the North's nuclear weapons. We have to consider all options including redeploying U.S. tactical nuclear weapons." By Jun Ji-hye Commander of the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Gen. Vincent K. Brooks will be awarded a state medal from South Korea for his dedicated service amid mounting North Korean threats on the Korean Peninsula. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks "Gen. Brooks will be conferred with the Tongil Medal of the Order of National Security Merit during an Armed Forces Day event Sept. 28," the Ministry of National Defense said Thursday. The event will be held at the headquarters of the Navy's Second Fleet in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. It will be the first time for a USFK commander to receive a state medal at the government's official event to commemorate the service of the country's troops. Armed Forces Day falls Oct. 1, but the government decided to advance the date of the event to before the 10-day Chuseok holidays that begin, Sept. 30. It will also mark the first time for the government to hold the annual ceremony at a naval base. Previously, such events have been held at the Gyeryongdae tri-service headquarters in South Chungcheong Province. In the ceremony to be attended by more than 3,500 people, the military plans to display its strategic weapons such as Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missiles to show its national defense and deterrence capability, the ministry added. Banned book Happy Sara' back in spotlight after author's death By Kang Hyun-kyung Professor and author Ma Kwang-soo, who was found dead on Sept. 5, is still at the center of controversy for his watershed fictional work "Happy Sara." The book was banned in 1992 for "depraving and corrupting" the younger generation. Tied up with rope, Ma Kwang-soo (1951-2017), the former professor of literature at Yonsei University and the author of the banned fictional work "Happy Sara," appears at the Seoul Central District Court on Dec. 2, 1992. He was arrested earlier that year while teaching a class at the university for "creating and disseminating obscene materials" through his book. / Korea Times file photo A posthumous debate about the author goes on whether he was an intellectual who had lived way ahead of his time and consequently was persecuted, or an unrepentant social outcast. In 1992, the court sentenced Ma to an eight-month jail term with two years suspended for "creating and disseminating obscene materials" in the guise of a literary work. "Happy Sara," published in 1991, described in great detail about the college student Sara who follows her sexual desires and explores various unconventional sexual relationships. Her affair with a married professor, sex with her girlfriend and frequent one-night stands were explicitly described in the fiction with the frequent use of words deemed by media as unfit for publishing. Ma, a former professor of literature at Yonsei University, was found dead in an apparent suicide at his home in Seoul. Those who are familiar with him said he suffered depression and had difficulty making ends meet after retirement because he spent all his fortune on his legal fights. The author of 60 books, including essays, poetry collections and fiction, has since sparked a heated debate about the banned book among readers. According to the nation's largest offline and online bookstores Kyobo and Aladin, respectively, 1,500 copies of his books have been sold during the past week, a figure somewhat remarkable considering his books' monthly sales record was merely one or two copies before his death. On Naver, the nation's largest Internet portal, social media postings of the most searched topics showed that Ma's death rekindled a debate about "Happy Sara," 25 years after it was banned. "Ma's arrest and ensuing conviction because of Happy Sara' shows how excessive and barbarian the law enforcement officials were when they executed the law," literary critic Hwang Hyun-san lamented on Twitter to commemorate Ma's death. "The law is there to protect freedom of expression, not erode it." Han Seung-heon, a lawyer who defended Ma during the 1992 trial, said things might turn out differently if the case were taken to court now. Depending on the judges, he said Ma could have avoided a conviction if a judge had been convinced that "Happy Sara," despite its explicit descriptions of sexual relationships, has some literary value. His remarks indicate Korean society today has become more tolerant than 25 years ago of different views and perspectives about various topics, including sexuality, while experiencing a surge of publications and materials dealing with such topics. "The controversy over the 1992 ruling about Happy Sara' has persisted over the past 25 years, because the initial ruling has left room for debate," Han said. Han said he was convinced Ma was not guilty after conducting a thorough textual analysis of "Happy Sara" when he defended Ma in the courtroom. "Its content as a whole was not something punishable under the Anti-Obscenity Law. So I pleaded not guilty for him," he said. "There has been no change in my opinion since 1992." As Ma said in his speech for his retirement ceremony at Yonsei University in 2016, "Happy Sara" took a heavy toll on his life. He was arrested on violations of the Anti-Obscenity Law while teaching his students in class in 1992, and was convicted later. He appealed, but in 1995 the Supreme Court upheld the Seoul Central District Court's initial ruling. In the courtroom, his book became an object of ridicule. It was described by legal and literary experts, who were called there as witnesses, as "toxic waste," or "a junk product" that has no literary value. Ahn Kyung-whan, then a law professor of Seoul National University, said "Happy Sara" had no literary, artistic, political or social merit whatsoever and thus was not in the interest of the public good, which paved the way for the court's decision that the story was just obscene material. The ruling drew the ire of literary people, as well as liberal activists. They criticized the law enforcement authorities for their "abusive" use of the Anti-Obscenity Law and violations of freedom of expression. They alleged those who were involved in the ruling were out of touch with the changing social norms. Some media outlets raised a right-wing conspiracy theory and reported Ma became a target of a premeditated witch hunt driven by a handful of ultra-right figures, including then Prime Minister Hyun Soong-jong, who were discontent about the fiction for causing an unnecessary social problem. According to them, Hyun directed the prosecution to arrest and persecute Ma for a series of his works that caused a stir about existing moral values and social norms. The ruling about "Happy Sara" wreaked havoc on Ma's life. He was fired from the university in 1995 after the highest court confirmed his crime. He managed to return to his teaching job in 1998 after he was granted a special pardon following the years-long advocacy activities carried out by some liberal activists and by his students. His on-campus struggles, however, continued. In the early 2000s, he failed to pass his university's re-evaluation of faculty members for "underperformance" in research and academic activities. He was reinstated after his years of legal battles against the decision by the university authorities. While going through such eventful experiences, Ma said he was traumatized and suffered lingering depression as he felt a sense of betrayal from his fellow faculty members. Ma said he was a loner at the university. Conservative journalist Cho Kab-je shed light on a lesser-known aspect of Ma. In his website posting, titled "Commenting Ma Kwang-soo," Cho challenged the 1992 ruling and described Ma as a normal professor who liked teaching and reading, not much different from other academics, and apparently had no intention to agitate society. "Living in a society flooded with various obscene materials, I wonder why people felt so offended particularly by his book," he wrote. "Was this because he was a professor at a prestigious university? I believe the public appeared to have been confused between the character he created in his fiction and the real Ma and he was painted as an obscene writer. Society punished him in the name of justice. I don't know whether it was appropriate or not." In his latest poem, titled "Sara's Courtroom" describing the silly atmosphere of his trial, Ma ridiculed the hypocrisy of society. "The head judge tried hard to manage his facial expressions so he would look serious. He asks me if I would recommend Happy Sara' to my daughter, if I had one. "He made me wonder why he's worried so much about daughters, not sons... Another judge to his left was yawning, while the third one on the right had a sadistic smile on his face. "The way I look makes me sad. My hands are tied with rope because I wrote a novel. I go through this ridiculous suffering just because I was born in this hopeless country." By Lee Kyung-min The court and prosecution are in conflict over a series of rejections of arrest warrants for key criminal suspects from the two former administrations. The Seoul Central District Court rejected an arrest warrant for a former executive at Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), Wednesday, dismissing the prosecution's claim he should be punished for tampering with evidence. The court said while the official did order his underlings to shred documents containing key company information including accounting data, he did so to protect his self-interest, not to protect that of others whose influence he was under. An individual destroying evidence is not subject to criminal punishment because such an act is a Constitutional right against self-incrimination, it said. However, this determination triggered a heated response from the prosecution. "Under such narrow and restrictive reasoning, not one individual will be subject to punishment for tampering with evidence. We strongly denounce the court's decision," it said. Park was the third among four suspects for whom the court refused to issue arrest warrants. This also reflected frustration as it put major brakes on the prosecution's investigation into defense industry corruption under the previous Park Geun-hye administration. It is one of two major tasks alongside the investigation into the National Intelligence Service (NIS) over its wide-ranging unlawful activities that benefited Park and her predecessor Lee Myung-bak. This is the latest development in the conflict between the two entities. Last Friday, the prosecution publicly denounced the court for rejecting its request to issue arrest warrants for two retired NIS officials, both of whom played key roles in an online smear campaign in the lead up to the 2012 presidential election to help then candidate Park and hurt her major liberal opponent Moon Jae-in. In a rare statement, the prosecution said it could not help but question whether an outside factor other than the law or principle was at play in the court's decision in neglecting to issue arrest warrants. "A string of rejections of arrest warrants indicates the wide gap of criteria between the current judges and their predecessors. We are left confounded," it said. The comment apparently targeted three judges in charge of issuing warrants that were posted in February at the court including Kang Boo-young, Oh Man-seok and Kwon Soon-ho. "Given the circumstances, the prosecution is greatly challenged in its duty to uncover the truth and hold accountable the criminally liable involved in the influence-peddling scandal and wrongdoings under former administrations." Since February, the court has denied the prosecution's warrant requests twice sought for Chung Yoo-ra, the daughter of Choi Soon-sil, and Woo Byung-woo, the former presidential secretary for civil affairs who faced charges of dereliction of duty. Also managing to avoid arrest was former presidential aide Lee Young-seon, who was suspected of allowing unlicensed medical practitioners to enter the Cheong Wa Dae residential area violating security protocols and of obtaining mobile phones for Park and her aides under borrowed names. In response, the court issued a statement denouncing the prosecution for raising what it called a groundless accusation. "Arrest warrants are issued after a full and thorough review based on the merit of each cases including whether suspects pose flight risks or are likely to destroy evidence. "It is highly regrettable that the prosecution is continuing to make unfounded, galling allegations that undermine the court's judgment, which came reflecting their frustration about the court's decision. It is highly inappropriate," it said. Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office head Yoon Seok-yeol said Wednesday the prosecution's earlier statement was to clarify its stance in written form to prevent speculation from spreading further. / Korea TImes file By Bahk Eun-ji A U.S. man living in Muan, South Jeolla Province, was charged with attacking an old man who complained about the American's dogs not be on leashes. Muan police booked the American, 40, without detention for allegedly leaving the other man, 64, with a fractured skull. Police said the American and his girlfriend were carrying dogs in their arms in an elevator of an apartment block at about 11.30 p.m. Police said the older man told them to leash their dogs, even though the couple were holding leashes in her hands. The American told police, "I pushed him to make space between him and my girlfriend because he kept complaining about the leash while standing right beside her." CCTV footage from inside the elevator shows the men arguing for about 10 seconds before the American pushes the older man out of the elevator when it stops. The old man was knocked out and suffered a fractured skull, police said. Police are still investigating. By Kim Se-jeong Policymakers, lawmakers, law enforcement officials and citizen representatives in Seoul will meet on Friday to discuss issues of ethnic Korean Chinese living in southwestern Seoul. Seoul Metropolitan Government is hosting the meeting at the National Assembly. It said the meeting will aim at reviewing and discovering common problems that affect life in five districts Guro, Geumgcheon, Yeongdeungpo, Dongjak and Gwanak and finding solutions. "The population of ethnic Korean Chinese in Seoul is concentrated in those five districts and they are generating problems in terms of social adaptation, education and integration with local populations," the office handling foreign residents said in a statement. Ethnic Korean Chinese began to come to Seoul beginning in 1992 after China and South Korea opened diplomatic relations. They're considered as Koreans by law and receive working permits upon arrival. According to statistics, 222,000 are currently living in Seoul, with 139,000 or 63 percent staying in five districts. Economic opportunity and transportation were the main points to attract them to the area. It had affordable housing and many factories which meant potential jobs for them. However, the immigrant population contributed to a worsening stigma in the area. Many locals see the area as a less safe place, with frequent crime. Social integration between immigrants and natives has been a tall order. When the news of a murder involving a Chinese suspect was reported a few years ago, the native residents of the area were fearful and perceived it as a discriminatory crime. Friday's meeting isn't the first of its kind. Previous meetings generated projects such as a neighborhood patrol, installing safety lights on the streets, providing Korean language classes and vocational training to the immigrant population and supporting community meetings. The city said it's currently working on revitalizing the neighborhood streets in Daerim-dong with an aim to attract tourists to the area as well. "We are confident that the meeting will make these neighborhoods good places so everyone can live together harmoniously," said a city official. By Choi Ha-young Park Seong-jin President Moon Jae-in's pick for minister of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and startups, Park Seong-jin, is unlikely to get the post, following the National Assembly Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee failed to approve the nomination, Wednesday. Speculation is that Park may voluntarily withdraw soon. In Monday's committee hearing, even ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) lawmakers were hard on Park's conservative-leaning remarks and activities that do not fit Moon's liberal policy lines. Asked about the age of the earth, which is 6,000 years old according to radical creationists, Park answered: "In the view of creationism within churches, it is 6,000 years old. I don't believe it as a scientist but believe it religiously." The remark went viral online sparking a public backlash. By Kim Hyo-jin Whether or not Supreme Court chief justice nominee Kim Meong-su will get parliamentary approval is up in the air as the opposition parties are taking issue with his ideological orientation. If Kim's confirmation is voted down, in addition to the rejection of Constitutional Court chief designate Kim Yi-su, the Moon Jae-in administration's drive for judicial reform could further lose steam, pundits said Wednesday. The two-day confirmation hearings at the National Assembly ended with the opposition parties launching a scathing attack on what they claim was Kim's left-leaning position. Kim now awaits the parliamentary vote in a plenary session. His confirmation requires a majority vote of the current 299 Assemblymen, which gives the third-largest People's Party hold the deciding vote. Kim Yi-su's confirmation motion was voted down Monday falling two votes short of winning endorsement. Amid growing concerns, ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairwoman Choo Mi-ae called on the opposition to back Moon's choice in the vote. "I ask fellow lawmakers to make a prudent decision based on public sentiment, not political interests or the intention of boasting of their presence," Choo said in a party meeting. "If the National Assembly keeps operating according to mere political strategies, public anger reflected in the candlelit rallies against the presidential corruption scandal will soon head toward the legislature." The People's Party members say the party is likely to leave the decision in the hands of its respective lawmakers without guidance from the leadership, as they did in the previous vote for Kim Yi-su. Opposition parties raised questions over Kim's political neutrality, as he led a study group of liberal-minded judges. The nominee defended himself, saying that the group of judges has no specific political orientation. The conservative opposition fears that Kim's tilted orientation could bring a leftist swing in the judiciary. The head of the Supreme Court has the authority to appoint three judges of the nine-member Constitutional Court, 13 Supreme Court justices, and three members of the 11-member National Human Rights Commission. Moon tapped Kim, the incumbent head of the Chuncheon District Court, Aug. 21, to replace Yang Sung-tae whose term ends Sept. 24. The DPK pitched him as a figure to spearhead judicial reform, one of Moon's key pledges. Opposition lawmakers criticized Kim for leaving his positions on controversial social issues unclear. In a report submitted to the Assembly prior to the hearings, he advocated human rights of homosexuals and sexual minorities, saying "they have rights our society should protect." But when asked for his opinion during a parliamentary session, he said "I know that there are many discussions and controversies over the issue but I have not thought deeply about it." By Kim Rahn Personnel affairs have become a major obstacle to the Moon Jae-in government as it faces problems in appointing ministers and other top policymakers. Not only the opposition but also the ruling party are demanding Cheong Wa Dae overhaul its personnel screening system. A slew of failures to appoint desired picks for each post are derailing the President's state management and reform plans, coupled with the opposition's disapproval of top justice nominees for political reasons. On Wednesday, the National Assembly concluded the SMEs and startups minister nominee Park Seong-jin was unfit for the post because of his controversial religious and historical views along with ethical lapses. What was notable was that the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) also rejected the nomination, a rare move by a ruling party which usually supports government decisions. It would have been possible for Moon to push ahead with appointing Park because an Assembly endorsement is not required for this ministerial position. But he may not choose to do so because it could aggravate the political situation with a stronger backlash from the opposition bloc. Park's appointment could spur opposition parties to vote down a motion to confirm Supreme Court Chief Justice nominee Kim Meong-su, who they claim is politically biased and is likely to swing the judiciary to the left. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters, now controls more than two-thirds of the Islamic State group's former Syrian stronghold Raqqa, a monitor said Thursday. The SDF entered Raqqa in early June, after months of fighting to encircle the city with support from the US-led coalition against IS group. The militia "controls 70 percent of Raqqa after taking the Al-Thakana district in the centre of the city," said Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. "The advance was made possible by violent clashes and heavy air strikes by the international coalition," he told AFP. "We can say that the battle for Raqqa has entered its final phase," he added. "The end of fighting will be dictated by the international coalition. Air power will be the main, determining factor." The fierce fighting has pushed civilians to flee away from the frontline into remaining IS group-held areas in the north of the city, the monitor said. Tens of thousands of people have fled the fighting since the SDF offensive began. The UN estimates up to 25,000 people could remain trapped in the city, though the Observatory said the number is now fewer than 10,000. The monitor said "a few hundred" militant group remain in the city, adding that the SDF was continuing to sustain losses, with IS group using mines and snipers to target the attacking force. The SDF is also fighting a separate campaign in neighbouring Deir Ezzor province, seeking to push the militant group from territory they control in the oil-rich region that borders Iraq. More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011 before spiralling into a brutal civil war that has drawn in international players. Search Keywords: Short link: By Kim Rahn President Moon Jae-in has said he is opposed to South Korea having its own nuclear weapons to counter North Korea's nuclear threat. This was the first time for the President to express his opposition to redeploying U.S. tactical nuclear weapons or developing the South's own weapons, although other government officials have previously indicated this should be considered. "I don't agree that Seoul needs to develop our own nuclear weapons or redeploy U.S. tactical nuclear weapons here to deter North Korea's nuclear threat," Moon said in an interview with CNN Thursday, ahead of his visit to New York next week for the United Nations General Assembly. Moon's remarks come amid divided opinions here over whether South Korea should redeploy U.S. tactical nuclear weapons that were pulled out in 1991. Conservative opposition parties are calling for the redeployment, and Defense Minister Song Young-moo also said it could be an option to consider as deterrence against North Korean threats. By Doug Bandow North Korea staged its sixth nuclear test. There's no evidence that the weapon has been miniaturized to fit on a missile, but the test was the North's most powerful yet. And it follows steady North Korean progress in missile development. Despite matching Kim Jong-un bluster for bluster, President Donald Trump is doing no better than his cerebral predecessor in halting Pyongyang's military developments. The good news is that Kim Jong-un doesn't intend to wage war on America. Rather, he hopes to prevent Washington from attacking the DPRK. Unfortunately, negotiated denuclearization is dead. The fearful, even paranoid, North Korean regime has invested too much and is too close to creating a nuclear deterrent. Moreover, Pyongyang faces ever greater threats: the Republic of Korea has continued to race ahead economically, China and Russia are undependable friends, and the U.S. is far more aggressive internationally. Washington even took advantage of Libya's voluntary denuclearization to oust the latter's dictator. Despite the president's insistence that "all options are on the table," there is no politically viable military option. Any strike likely would trigger full-scale war. Pyongyang is aware of America's capabilities and if faced with U.S. military attack would not likely allow Washington to build up its forces and strike at leisure. Increased sanctions would hurt North Korea but probably not stop its nuclear and missile programs. Two decades ago famine killed at least a half million people, without changing Pyongyang's course. Moreover, China is not yet ready to impose the sort of economic penalties that could cause a North Korean implosion. President Donald Trump should follow his earlier instinct for engagement. To start he should stop threatening war. Doing so reinforces the Kim dynasty's case for building nukes and missiles. The U.S. also should talk to Pyongyang. To encourage substantive talks Washington should pick up the idea from both the DPRK and China for freezing joint U.S.-ROK military exercises in return for suspending North Korean missile and nuclear tests. The further its programs develop the less likely Pyongyang will ever halt them. Moreover, the steady increase in regional tensions and rising panic in Washington makes confrontation more likely. The president tweeted a threat to end trade with "any country doing business with North Korea," no doubt aimed at China. However, if the administration wants support for tougher measures, it needs to negotiate with Beijing. The People's Republic of China' influence with the DPRK is limited. Moreover, the North's survival is a security issue for China, which wants neither a failed state nor a united U.S. ally hosting American military forces on its border. Worse, attempts to threaten and browbeat China's nationalistic leadership are likely to backfire. In this case the PRC likely would find support from Moscow, which has its own reasons for making life more difficult for the U.S. In return for Chinese support, Washington should lower the peninsula's rhetorical temperature, offer to talk with the North, and develop a comprehensive benefit package in exchange for denuclearization. The U.S. also should accommodate the PRC's interests: For instance, offer to help care for refugees from a North Korean collapse, give Beijing a free hand intervening in the DPRK, and promise to remove U.S. forces in the event of reunification. U.S. officials also should consider how to deal with a nuclear North Korea. Bilateral communication would become even more necessary, like with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Improving missile defense would take on greater urgency. Most important, Washington should reconsider outdated policies which endanger the U.S. America should phase out its security treaty with and military deployment in South Korea. If the North develops the ability to destroy American cities, Washington's participation in another Korean War will become far too dangerous. The moment Pyongyang found itself to be losing it could target America's homeland. Even Washington's long-standing nuclear umbrella would become problematic. Although nonproliferation remains a worthy objective, in Northeast Asia it ensures that only China, Russia, and now North Korea possess the world's most fearsome weapons. But if nuclear war arrived, what president would sacrifice U.S. cities for the ROK? It is time to consider countervailing South Korean and Japanese nuclear deterrents. An extra benefit: If Beijing saw such a response as likely, it would have greater incentive to act against the North. The latest nuclear test dramatically reminds us of the DPRK's growing capabilities. Washington should consider new approaches to disarming North Korea. Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and a former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan. He is the author of "Tripwire: Korea and U.S. Foreign Policy in a Changed World" and co-author of "The Korean Conundrum: America's Troubled Relations with North and South Korea." By Donald Kirk President Moon Jae-in has to be a master of the art of compromise. He was all for the latest watered-down UN sanctions that cut down but don't cut off the flow of oil from China and Russia to North Korea. The US would far prefer to see all the oil traffic ended, but the deal had to be the best anyone could hope for considering the foreign ministers of both China and Russia had told South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha they were not going to go for a deal that left North Korea with no oil. No telling exactly how the North would react to a total ban on oil imports, but it would be reckless to think they would see the light, halt their nuclear and missile programs and agree to talk over all the other festering issues between the South and North. The liberal Moon also has to balance the scales between hugely disparate factions at home. In a left/right standoff, rightists, waving Korean and American flags, demand the extremes of a nuclear South Korea, a South Korean military that's ready to "decapitate" Kim Jong-un, plus a number of others, and to reunify Korea on South Korean terms. At the other end of the spectrum, leftists and radicals want to bring about the withdrawal of America's remaining 28,500 troops, close the U.S. bases and do away with the Korean-American alliance. THAAD, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense counter-missile battery that will probably never launch a missile, makes an easy punching bag, a symbol of the hated U.S. South Korean relationship. Moon is artfully sticking closely to the historic U.S.-Korea alliance but leaving one thing crystal clear. He is not going to say, sure, go ahead, to any ideas President Trump may have about a preemptive strike on North Korea. It's fine for B1 bombers to fly up from Guam on mock bombing runs, for the latest F35 Stealth fighters to strafe a make-believe Kim Jong-un hideout, for Aegis-class destroyers to launch cruise missiles off the east coast, even for South Korean F15's and ships to join in the fun on land and sea, but that's as far as it goes. So what happened to the red line that Moon has mentioned? Actually, there is no red line. Or, to be realistic, the North will have to open fire for real to draw the U.S. and South Korea, Japan too, into counterattacking for real. None of that is too likely. Kim will not be so stupid as to order an attack on a live target, and Trump, whatever he might fantasize, faces constraints that H.R. McMaster, his national security adviser, has presumably made clear to him. North Korea's expressions of outrage about sanctions, though, do inspire a question. It's fashionable for professors of certain persuasions to say that sanctions don't accomplish a thing, that North Korea has no problem evading them and will go on with ever more strident threats and tests too. Maybe so, but if sanctions are so ineffective, why does North Korea make such a fuss about them? And if they're hurting, as their expressions of rage would suggest, have they considered investing the funds they're wasting on nukes and missiles in more constructive enterprises, like health care, road building and a lot of stuff that every visitor to Pyongyang, however tightly controlled, can clearly see are badly needed? That question gives rise to yet another question. We are all aware of China's unremitting objections to THAAD, and we're familiar with the bullying inflicted in revenge on South Korean enterprises in China. The polemics against THAAD in the Chinese media are a lot more scathing than anything they say about North Korea's nukes. One other thing Moon has made clear. He doesn't want South Korea to go nuclear. He opposes bringing back the nukes the U.S. withdrew in 1990 to pave the way for the Denuclearization Agreement that South and North Korea signed in 1991 the deal that Kim Jong-il ignored by carrying on the nuclear program more aggressively than ever. Nor does Moon want the South to develop its own nukes. Thank God for that. Japan and Taiwan would then go nuclear, and some nut would order a surprise nuclear strike. No, we don't need another nuclear power in Northeast Asia. Donald Kirk, www.donaldkirk.com, has been covering war and peace in the region for decades. He's at kirkdon4343@gmail.com By Kang Seung-woo Oh Jun-ho, KAIST professor of mechanical engineering A video clip of the total solar eclipse over North America last month by a Korean professor of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has been selected as NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD). The APOD, provided by the U.S. space agency and Michigan Technological University, is a renowned website featuring celestial pictures, and posts an image or photograph of the universe every day. According to KAIST, Thursday, Oh Jun-ho, professor of mechanical engineering, recorded the cosmic event in Warm Springs, Ore. on Aug. 21 and his three-minute video features pink solar prominences and a detailed corona stretching across the sky. U.S. citizens experienced the first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse in 99 years on that day. "The video frames were taken in Warm Springs, Ore. with equipment specifically designed by Oh Jun-ho to track a close-up of the Sun's periphery during the eclipse. As the video ends, the Sun is seen being reborn on the other side of the Moon from where it departed," the APOD said. Oh's video clip can be watched at https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170912.html The KAIST professor has become the second Korean to make the APOD list following professional photographer Kwon O-chul, whose images have been posted on the website five times. "I was able capture the solar eclipse thanks to months of preparation based on years of experience and trial and error," Oh said. Oh began chasing an eclipse in 1999 in Turkey and since then, he has shot them on 11 occasions. Oh is known for his creation of Hubo, a multifunctional, walking humanoid robot that won the Darpa Robotics Challenge in 2015, held in the U.S. The competition tested if robots could perform complex tasks in dangerous, human-engineered environments. Gyeongnam Steel CEO Choi Chung-kyung speaks during an interview at his office in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. / Courtesy of Gyeongnam Steel This is the fourth in a series of interviews with regional leaders of the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry. ED. Gyeongnam Steel founder shows how to manage employees By Kim Tae-gyu CHANGWON, South Gyeongsang Province All happy families are alike: each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. To paraphrase the legendary Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy, all happy companies are alike. They are profitable, grow and share their fruits with their employees through high wages and generous benefits. Gyeongnam Steel would be the perfect example of the good company. Since its beginning in 1990, the sales partner of the country's top steelmaker POSCO has never lost money. It has chalked up fast growth to mark around 270 billion won ($238 million) in annual sales and is popular among jobseekers thanks to high salaries. The Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province-based company provides money for tuition of employees' children from kindergarten to university no matter how many children they have. The firm offers monthly support to employees with newborns. It also covers the medical expenses of its workers and their family members. Such policies are based on the management philosophy of its founding CEO Choi Chung-kyung, who says the company has never suffered any troubles with regard to its management-labor relationship. "Over the past quarter century, we have never had any labor problems. In fact, we don't even have a trade union as employees have no interest in forming one," the 71-year-old said in a recent interview. "I always encourage our employees to work hard to make profits so that we can share them. They have done so and that's why we have been profitable every year since we started." Choi points out that offering higher remuneration than the market norm benefits the company in the long run. He seemed to talk about the efficiency wage although he didn't mention the word specifically. This hypothesis argues that management has incentives to offer higher wages than market equilibrium to increase productivity and efficiency. As a result, employees hardly move to other firms that pay lower market wages for their labor. And the low turnover rate reduces the high cost of replacing labor. "If people worry about their job security, they cannot do their best. Plus, as our salaries are higher than those of our competitors, they work much harder," the self-made CEO said. "I strongly believe, as we increase input, the output jumps. I appreciate my guys for their hard work." Another outstanding policy of Gyeongnam Steel is that it has never employed irregular workers, a strategy that President Moon Jae-in would love to spread. "Even those who are working at our in-house restaurants are regular workers. I think that's why they provide such great meals to our employees," Choi beamed. Gyeongnam Steel CEO Choi Chung-kyung speaks during a meeting between companies and citizens of Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, in this April, 2017, photo. / Courtesy of Gyeongnam Steel Balanced growth Choi also heads the South Gyeongsang Province office of the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI). He is vice chairman of the Seoul-based KCCI. As a regional leader of the KCCI, he stresses the balanced development of the country where most companies want to operate in Seoul and its vicinity. "The size of Seoul, Incheon and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province is just 11 percent of our territory. But the three areas accommodate almost four fifths of the country's 100 largest conglomerates," he said. "Against this backdrop, talented people just don't want to work in regions far from Seoul. This should be addressed as soon as possible for the balanced development of Korea." He pointed out that imbalance is not just specific to Seoul but also applicable to South Gyeongsang Province. "Changwon accounts for 37 percent of our province's industry and this appears to be too much. I am trying hard to boost development of other cities," he said. He is also known for being an outspoken proponent for unifications between the two Koreas, which failed to happen after the Korean War (1950-53). The two countries are still technically at war because the three-year battle was halted by an armistice, not by a peace treaty. "Unifications would offer great opportunities to South Korea. North Korea is filled with rich natural resources and an inexpensive but great labor force. We have to put forth great efforts to achieve unification." Pierre Leclercq, the new design center styling executive of Kia Motors/ Courtesy of Kia Motors By Jhoo Dong-chan Kia Motors has recruited another star designer. The nation's second-largest automaker said Thursday that it has appointed former Chinese Great Wall Motors design head Pierre Leclercq as its design center styling executive. He has earned his reputation by participating in various global automotive design projects. Leclercq will join Kia Motors this month to begin his new duties, cooperating with Hyundai Motor Group's chief design director Peter Schreyer and Kia Motors Design Center head Youn Seon-ho. "Leclercq has demonstrated his dynamic and creative design philosophy through his career, perfectly matched with Kia Motors' design DNA," a Kia Motors official said. "He will be involved in Kia Motors' various projects to introduce a new approach to its design concept." Born in 1972 in Belgium, Leclercq has taken various design posts in major automobile markets including the United States, Europe and China after graduating from the Art Center College of Design in California. Leclercq started his professional career by interning at Italian supercar design brand Zagato and the BMW Design Studio in Munich. He then joined Ford's design studio in Torino, Italy, participating in the U.S. carmaker's design projects, including the Ford GT. In 2000, he joined BMW once again to design the German carmaker's SUV models such as the second-generation X5 and first-generation X6, contributing to establish the carmaker's design identity in SUVs. Leclercq was promoted to a chief designer post in BMW's high-performance division named M in 2011. Under his leadership, BMW M boasted its dynamic and innovative design characteristics with the M3 and M4 high-performance sedan as well as the X5M and X6M SUV. Leclercq then joined Great Wall Motors to head the Chinese automaker's design projects. He introduced the revamped Haval H6 SUV during the Shanghai International Motor Show in April. Kia Motors said the model was "well received for its refined design." Leclercq said he is very excited to work at Kia Motors. "I have had a great deal of interest in Kia Motors' vehicle designs," he said. "I am very happy to be a part of the carmaker's design innovation." Kia Motors' commitment to design started in 2006 by hiring former Audi designer Peter Schreyer, one of the top three car designers in the world at that time. He was also widely known for his design contributions to the Audi TT. Kia Motors' sister brand Hyundai Motor also recruited design executive Simon Loasby from Volkswagen China three months ago, aiming at expanding its design spectrum. Employees of Korea Gas Corp. (KOGAS) operate a drilling machine to extract natural gas in the waters off the Eastern African nation of Mozambique. / Courtesy of KOGAS By Lee Hyo-sik Korea Gas Corp. (KOGAS) is considering importing natural gas from the United States and Iran to diversify its import sources away from the Middle East and Africa. It also plans to explore opportunities to acquire gas field stakes in the two countries. "We will actively consider bringing natural gas from the U.S. as our supply contracts with Qatar and Oman are set to expire by 2025," a KOGAS official said. "We will carefully review prices, supply guarantees and other factors before making any decisions. KOGAS will strengthen its partnership with U.S. energy firms for the joint exploration and commercialization of natural gas." During President Moon Jae-in's visit to the world's largest economy in June, KOGAS signed a memorandum of understanding with Exxon Mobile and other American energy companies. The state-run enterprise also plans to expand its business in Iran in accordance with changing geopolitical conditions. "Iran is rich in natural gas so we would like to work closely with both public and private energy companies there. But first we will weigh geopolitical risks associated with the Middle Eastern nation before making any business decisions," the official said. Iran holds the world's largest gas reserves at 1,201 trillion cubic feet, followed by Russia with 1,140 and Qatar with 866. Currently, KOGAS is involved in 24 natural gas exploration and development projects in 13 countries. It holds a 10 percent stake in Mozambique's largest offshore field estimated to hold 85, or 1.92 billion tons of natural gas. The company also has stakes in multiple gas fields in Iraq, as well as jointly producing natural gas in waters off Myanmar with POSCO Daewoo. It holds interests in gas fields in Oman and Qatar, bringing significant amounts of liquefied natural gas to Korea. "KOGAS has been making every effort to secure a stable supply of natural gas to keep Asia's fourth-largest economy running smoothly," the official said. "Given that Korea depends on imports for most of its energy needs, it is a must for the country to pay greater attention to business opportunities in the area of natural resources development. We will continue to nurture talented manpower and bolster cooperation with construction and energy companies." Activists in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Seoul on Sept. 10 urge the Myanmar government to stop killing Rohingya people. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk By Chyung Eun-ju, Park Si-soo The U.N. Security Council has called for urgent steps to end Myanmar's "ethnic cleaning" against Rohingya Muslims in which hundreds have been killed and more than 370,000 have fled to neighboring Bangladesh. In a statement issued Wednesday, the 15-member council acknowledged the initial attacks on Myanmar security forces but "condemned the subsequent violence," and called for "immediate steps to end the violence in Rakhine, de-escalate the situation, re-establish law and order, ensure the protection of civilians." Secretary-General Antonio Guterres threw his weight behind the decision, calling on Myanmar's government to give the Rohingyas citizenship or legal status, which they do not have. "This is a dramatic tragedy, people are dying and suffering in horrible numbers and this needs to stop," he said. U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein called the ongoing bloodshed "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing." An activist holds up a sign that reads "STOP Rohingya GENOCIDE" in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Seoul, Sept. 10. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk The Myanmar government said Wednesday its de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi would deliver a speech on the crisis on Sept. 19. The speech will be about "national reconciliation and peace," according to government spokesman Zaw Htay. The Nobel Peace Prize laureate has come under harsh international criticism for not speaking up for the troubled ethnic minority. Suu Kyi has already canceled her attendance to the U.N. General Assembly later this month to avoid criticism. Analysts say she has been a difficult position because of the military's political power. Related Suicide bombers kill 7 in attack on Iraq power plant Suicide bombers attacked a restaurant and a police checkpoint on a highway near the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya on Thursday, killing at least 15 and wounding many, police and medical sources said. One attacker detonated his explosive vest inside the restaurant, south-west of Nassiriya, while three to four other attackers opened fire at the people inside, police sources said. Sources at city hospitals said four Iranian citizens were among those killed. Police said the death toll could rise as several of the wounded were in a critical condition. Bomb attacks in southern Iraq, where the bulk of the countrys oil is produced, are relatively rare. No group immediately claimed responsibility, but the attack occurred with Iraqi forces battling to defeat Islamic State militants in areas under their control. Search Keywords: Short link: Separate suspected Russian and US-led coalition strikes on several parts of Syria's Deir Ezzor province killed at least 39 civilians on Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The strikes hit several parts of the eastern province, where separate Russian and US-backed ground offensives are underway against the Islamic State group.. Search Keywords: Short link: A US citizen fighting for the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria has surrendered to a US-backed alliance, a defense official said Thursday. "We are aware that a US citizen surrendered to the SDF on or about September 12," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. The SDF, or Syrian Democratic Forces, are a largely Kurdish alliance that also includes Syrian Arab fighters. The group is supported by US weapons, air strikes and intelligence as they battle IS in Syria, where the fight is currently focused on Raqa and the Euphrates River valley. The official did not provide additional details. Earlier, Colonel Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for the US-led anti-IS coalition, said the SDF "has taken note" to ensure that any fighters they capture are brought to "the proper authorities." In June, a US man who had traveled to Raqa in December 2015 was convicted of helping IS. Mohamad Jamal Khweis had agreed to become a suicide bomber but surrendered to Kurdish peshmerga forces in northern Iraq after becoming disillusioned. Search Keywords: Short link: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is holding talks in London with senior British and French officials on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. All three nations are permanent members of the U.N. Security Council which this week approved new sanctions to punish Pyongyang's latest nuclear test explosion. The officials will also discuss the response to Hurricane Irma that has caused havoc in the southeastern United States and the Caribbean. They will then discuss the chaos in Libya with representatives from the U.N., Italy, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. It is Tillerson's second visit to Britain since taking office in February. His first meeting Thursday was with British Prime Minister Theresa May. Before returning to Washington, Tillerson is due to address a press conference with his British counterpart Boris Johnson. Search Keywords: Short link: U.S. President Donald Trump visits hurricane-ravaged Florida on Thursday where police are probing the deaths of eight patients inside a nursing home as Hurricane Irma left millions in the state without power. Police in Hollywood, north of Miami, opened a criminal investigation on Wednesday after finding three dead patients at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hill, a facility that had been operating with little or no air conditioning. Four more patients died at or en route to hospital and a fifth was later identified as having died the night before, officials said. The death toll from Irma stood at 81, with several hard-hit Caribbean islands accounting for more than half the fatalities, and officials continued to assess damage inflicted by the second major hurricane to strike the U.S. mainland this year. Trump will visit Fort Myers in southwest Florida, an area hard hit by the storm, for a briefing on Hurricane Irma. He will then travel south to Naples, Florida to meet with residents tackling the aftermath of storm, the White House said in a statement. "The devastation left by Hurricane Irma was far greater, at least in certain locations, than anyone thought - but amazing people working hard!" the president said in a Tweet on Tuesday. One of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record, Irma bore down on the Caribbean with devastating force as it raked the northern shore of Cuba last week. It barreled into the Florida Keys island chain on Sunday, packing sustained winds of up to 130 miles per hour (215 km per hour) before plowing up the Gulf Coast of the state and dissipating. In addition to severe flooding across Florida and extensive property damage in the Keys, residents faced widespread power outages that initially plunged more than half the state into darkness. Some 4.3 million homes and businesses were still without power on Wednesday in Florida and neighboring states. About 150 of the Florida's nearly 700 nursing facilities were without electricity as of Wednesday morning, according to the Florida Health Care Association, which represents most of them. Florida Power & Light provided electricity to parts of the nursing home in Hollywood but the facility was not on a county priority list for emergency power restoration, the utility said. Total insured losses from the storm are expected to run about $25 billion, including $18 billion in the United States and $7 billion in the Caribbean, catastrophe modeler Karen Clark & Company estimated on Wednesday. The Florida Keys were particularly hard hit, with federal officials saying 90 percent of its homes were destroyed or heavily damaged. The remote island chain stretches nearly 100 miles (160 km) into the Gulf of Mexico from Florida's southern tip, connected by a single highway and series of bridges. On Key West, at the end of the archipelago, hundreds of residents who had refused evacuation orders lined up on Wednesday outside the island's Salvation Army outpost for water and military-style rations after enduring days of intense heat with little water, power or contact with the outside world. The stench of dead fish and decaying seaweed permeated the air. Irma wreaked utter devastation on several of the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, where at least 43 people died. Irma hit Florida about two weeks after Hurricane Harvey plowed into Houston, killing about 60 and causing some $180 billion in damage, mostly from flooding. Search Keywords: Short link: Catalan separatists were poised Thursday to launch their campaign for a banned independence referendum in a major high-profile event, despite mounting pressure to stop the vote. The campaign kickoff will take place at 8:00 pm (1800 GMT) at a 10,000 seat capacity bullring in the port of Tarragona, attended by Catalan president Carles Puigdemont and representatives of Catalonia's main separatist parties and associations. But there were doubts whether the rally would go ahead after organisers of the gathering were "warned it was illegal," said the central government's office in Catalonia. Asked during a TV interview if an operation was under way to stop the event in Tarragona, Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said: "You can't cooperate and you can't participate in this referendum." A manager for the company that runs the bullring, who did not want to be named, told AFP they had not received any official request to not let the rally go ahead. The pro-independence camp has two weeks to fire up its base and win over its critics who are reluctant to take part in the referendum set for October 1. In July, a poll commissioned by the regional government found that 49.4 percent of Catalans were against independence while 41.1 supported it. More than 70 percent, though, wanted a referendum to settle the matter. If they win, the separatists vow to declare independence within days for the wealthy northeastern region of Spain, with its capital Barcelona, home to around 7.5 million people. The Catalan government has not established a minimum participation for the outcome of the referendum to be valid but a high turnout is key for the legitimacy of the vote. Pro-separatists are a minority in Tarragona, the capital of a province with the same name with a population of around 130,000, and several chemical and oil refineries. The city's Socialist mayor, Josep Felix Ballesteros, has refused to provide facilities for the referendum. Parties that oppose secession will not take part in the campaign for the referendum, which was declared illegal by Spain's Constitutional Court, and have asked their supporters to boycott the vote. Carles Ruiz, the Socialist mayor of Viladecans, a town of 65,000 residents, denounced "pressure" on those mayors who refuse to participate on social media or in person. "Some post photos of the mayors or of their homes," he told AFP. Spain's conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who will travel to Barcelona on Friday, has also urged Catalans to stay away from the poll. Spanish state institutions are ratching up the pressure almost daily on Catalan officials to stop the referendum. Spain's public prosecutor has ordered a criminal probe of the over 700 Catalan mayors who have so far agreed to help stage the referendum and threatened to arrest them if they do not turn up for questioning in court. But a big question mark remains over Barcelona, Catalonia's biggest city run by Mayor Ada Colau, a left-wing former activist. On Thursday, she tweeted that people would be allowed to vote "without putting institutions or public workers at risk," without detailing how this would actually happen. A city hall spokesman was unable to give further details. Prosecutors have also filed legal proceedings against the five members of an electoral board set up by the regional government to oversee the banned vote. And they have ordered police to seize ballot boxes, election flyers and any other item that could be used in the referendum and launched an official complaint against Puigdemont and other top Catalan officials over their referendum plans. The pro-separatist camp argues that the attempts by Madrid to stop the referendum may in fact boost support for their cause. "The attitude of the state is so aggressive that no democrat can remain indifferent," Ramon Pique, the coordinator of the campaign of the Catalan National Assembly, an influential pro-independence citizens group, told AFP. Search Keywords: Short link: Historic ties of north Meck span throughout region Though the north Mecklenburg area didnt see significant population growth until a few decades ago, its rich history dates back to the Revolutionary War. That was the basis of... An easier-than-expected first mammogram experience HUNTERSVILLE Scheduling a cancer screening probably ranks somewhere on your to-do list between "clean out the garage" and "donate those clothes that don't fit." Sure, you'll get to it at... This article appears in the September 15, 2017 issue of Executive Intelligence Review. CHINA AND RUSSIA DRIVE NEW PARADIGM BRIC S Summi t an d Easter n Economic Forum Give Hope to Mankind by Mike Billington [Print version of this article] Sept. 9Participants in the new world paradigmincluding representatives of most of the human racegathered together in two dramatic conferences during the week of September 3-8: the BRICS Summit in Xiamen, China, followed by the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in Vladivostok, Russia. These meetings could not have come at a more dramatic moment in history. The western financial system is facing a catastrophic collapse, exceeding by an order of magnitude the crisis which began in 2007. Faced with this looming disaster, the British empire, through its financial centers in the City of London, Wall Street, and across Europe, is resorting to extreme measures to sabotage this move by the majority of the worlds nations. The Chinese and Russian-led process, in rejecting the Washington Consensus (better called the British Empire straight-jacket), which imposed austerity and political-economic conditionalities on supposedly sovereign states, is instead engaging in the win-win policies of the China-Russia New Silk Road (Belt and Road Initiative), offering nation-building through infrastructure and industrial development, without political dictates. Perhaps even more frightening to the Lords of London and Wall Street, is the intention of President Donald Trump to join in this New Paradigm, to break the imperial East vs. West divide in favor of friendship with Russia and China, both in combatting international terrorism and through participation in the New Silk Roadincluding welcoming Chinese help in rebuilding the crumbling U.S. industry and infrastructure. This is the core motivation driving the British-directed coup attempt against President Trump. Now is the time for the American people to back President Trumps best intentionsto join in the phase shift in history demonstrated this past week in Asia. This has been the commitment of the LaRouche movement, including this journal, for the past fifty yearsto bring the world together behind a peace through development perspective, bringing humanity out of its squabbling childhood to cooperate in building our world, and worlds beyond. BRICS-Plus China was the host for this years annual BRICS Summit, its tenth, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Chinas President Xi Jinping, as the host, initiated a process he called BRICS-Plus, expanding the vision of BRICS-centered development by inviting five other nations representative of the developing sector in Southeast Asia, Africa, Ibero-America, Central Asia and the Mideast. (The participating countries were Thailand, Guinea, Mexico, Tajikistan, and Egypt.) At the concluding press conference of the BRICS Summit, President Xi said: The dialogue of emerging market and developing countries hosted by China has sent a strong message for closer South-South cooperation and global development cooperation. He said the BRICS needed to reach out extensively to other countries to forge development partnerships and establish an open and diverse network of development partners. Xi Jinpings address to the BRICS Business Forum, which included business leaders from the BRICS and 20 other countries, praised the role of the BRICS over the past ten years, which held steady against the global economic crisis unleashed by the bursting of the speculative bubble in the US and Europe in 2007-08. In the past ten years, Xi said, our combined GDP has grown by 179%, trade by 94%, and urban population by 28%. All this has contributed significantly to stabilizing the global economy and returning it to growth, and delivered tangible benefits to three billion and more people. View full size Xinhua/Ju Peng Xi also said: Some people, seeing that emerging market and developing countries have experienced growth setbacks, assert that the BRICS countries are losing their luster. It is true that, affected by complex internal and external environments, we BRICS countries have encountered headwinds of varying intensity. But the growth potential and trend of our countries remain unchanged, and we are fully confident about it. The BRICS mechanism is characterized, he continued, by the fact that the countries treat each other as equals and seek common ground, taking a results-oriented innovative approach to matters so that the results will benefit allthey developed themselves to help others with the well-being of the world in mind. He added: BRICS is not a talking shop, but a task-force that gets things done, thus giving concrete expression to the endeavor of building a new type of international relations featuring win-win cooperation . . . The Belt and Road Initiative is not a tool to advance any geopolitical agenda, but a platform for practical cooperation. It is not a foreign aid scheme, but an initiative for interconnected development which calls for extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. I am convinced that the Belt and Road Initiative will serve as a new platform for all countries to achieve win-win cooperation. A major topic of discussion at the Summit was the functioning of the New Development Bank (NDB), the BRICS bank set up at the BRICS Summit in Brazil in 2014, which has begun lending over this past year, beginning with four infrastructure investments in Russia, China and India, totaling $1.4 billion. The first regional center of the NDB, the African Regional Center, was established in South Africa in August. The South African Deputy Minister for International Relations, Luwellyn Landers, wrote in the Sept. 6 issue of Voices360: The BRICS Bank was originally intended by the BRICS leaders to supplement the existing efforts of multilateral and regional financial institutions for global growth and development. However, the expectations for this Bank have clearly outweighed its modest origins, and it has now evolved to become a symbol of a new generation financial institution that will serve the developmental needs of the Global South. He noted that NDB loans will be approved in a streamlined manner, and without setting conditionalities, as is the case in the established Western Multilateral Development Banks. Landers continued: The NDB comes at an opportune moment, as we transition from a unipolar world order with a declining power to a multi-polar world order, challenging the previous orders hegemon(s). The BRICS Bank therefore provides emerging markets and developing countries with an alternative global financial and institutional architecture. It also provides the global South with an amplified voice to articulate our core needs and set new agendas according to shared rule-formulation practices. To this end the NDB has indicated a number of innovative measures that will ultimately challenge the pre-eminence that the Washington Consensus has cultivated since the post-Second World War era. For example, the NDB is embarking on facilitating loans in the local currency of its members, which indirectly challenges the role of previous dominant currencies. As a result, countries requesting a loan no longer need to absorb the uncertainty inherent in fluctuations of currency in respect of their repayments. This in itself will provide new certainty for lenders as well as borrowers, indicative of the type of qualitative paradigm shift intended with these initiatives. He added that the NDB will oversee the establishment of a BRICS rating agency, to provide an alternative to the London-New York agencies Standard and Poors, Fitch, and Moodys. He noted that the NDB will not impose its demands on the country needing assistance. This constitutes the fundamental difference between Chinese cooperation versus Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the West/OECD. The West has pursued, through its ODA programmes, a form of relationship which has been perceived as that of neo-colonialism. Great Projects A number of large-scale infrastructure projects were officially signed on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, in bilateral discussions between the heads of state. Thailands Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha signed a contract for China to build the first high speed railroad in the country, from Bangkok to Korat in Thailands Northeast, which will begin construction next month. This railroad will eventually be extended to Laos, to connect with the rail line China is building through Laos, thus connecting Kunming, China, and points north, to the ports in Thailand. Prayut intends to make Korat the hub for the development of the entire Mekong River region. Ironically, Korat was the site of one of the primary U.S. airbases which rained bombs and napalm across Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam during the Indochina War, but it will now be the center of the regions development. The Brazilian power companies Eletrobras and Eletronuclear signed an MOU with the China National Nuclear Corporation to facilitate Chinas assistance in completing the long-delayed 1.4 MW Angra 3 nuclear power plant, which has been repeatedly stalled since its launch in 1984, for political reasons. Unfortunately, there was no mention of the Interoceanic Rail Corridor, a railroad project traversing the South American Continent, which was agreed upon by Brazil, China and Peru at the BRICS Summit in 2014 at Fortaleza, Brazil. President Michel Temer, who replaced the deposed President Dilma Rousseff, has undermined many of the projects which she had championed. India and China The presence of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the BRICS Summit was a critical step forward in the sometimes contentious relations between China and India. The military showdown which had festered for many weeks on the trilateral border of China, India and Bhutan, regarding contested sovereignty between Bhutan and China over the Doklam region, had threatened to undermine relations between the two Asian giants, and possibly prevent Modis attendance at the Summit. (Modi had skipped the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in May.) But the Doklam crisis was amicably settled just days before the BRICS Summit, and Modi played an important role in the proceedings. He met for over an hour privately with Xi Jinping, and agreed to work to improve trust and cooperation between the two nations. Both pointed to the historic China-India Treaty of 1954, in which the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence were codified, which became the basis for the agreement among the formerly colonized nations of Asia and Africa at the Bandung Conference in Indonesia in April 1955. These principles are respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, equality, and peaceful coexistence. China had not wished to include reference to the terrorist organizations which are based in Pakistan in the final communique, due to concern for relations with Pakistan, but ceded ground to Modi on this issue, accepting reference to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in the joint statement. JeM is active against India in Kashmir, while LeT operates across South Asia, and has recently organized a terrorist operation within Myanmar among the Rohingya Muslim population. Modi visited Myanmar after the BRICS Summit, giving support to the Myanmar government in its fight against this terrorist network. Eastern Economic Forum Immediately following the BRICS Summit, over 3,500 people from 60 countries gathered in Vladivostok, Russia, for the third annual Eastern Economic Forum, targeting the development of the vast, resource-rich, but underdeveloped and under-populated Russian Far East. The Russian Far East, together with the Arctic, can be considered the last New Frontier on Earth, comparable to the development of the American West during our first century as a nation. In greetings sent to all the participants before the opening, President Vladimir Putin wrote: Russia is faced with an ambitious target: to provide the best possible conditions for doing business in the Far East; to launch new manufacturing capabilities, and to create additional jobs. . . . Russias Far Eastern strategy is based on openness to collaboration and an interest in promoting the broadest possible international cooperation. As such, the theme of working together within multilateral structures such as the Eurasian Economic Community, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, ASEAN, and APEC, takes up, by tradition, an important part of the Forum agenda. I am confident that your discussions will facilitate the development of effective models for combining various integration processes, and will help us to move further towards creating a Greater Eurasian partnership. Japan-Russia Cooperation: The two primary developments at the Forum were, first, Japan and South Koreas participation in the process of developing the Russian Far East; and, secondly, the interrelated issue of solving the crisis regarding North Korea. Of the 3,500 participants in the Forum, fully 1,300 were from Japan, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and three of his ministers, and a large number of business leaders. The growing friendship between Abe and Putin was further consolidated, with concrete discussion of building a rail connection between Russia and Japanfirst from the Russian mainland to Sakhalin Island, and then from Sakhalin to Japans northern island, Hokkaido. Putin described the project as absolutely global in nature, and suggested it could be completed within three to five years. A Japanese economist who attended the Forum said that the Japanese business leaders were extremely enthusiastic, perceiving that the political relations between the two countrieswhich have never signed a peace treaty from World War II due to conflicting sovereignty claims over the four Kuril Islands (called the Northern Territories in Japan)had so improved that they could begin to think freely of joint investment and development projects, without concern that political problems would interfere. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov said of this Sakhalin rail project that it would create a completely different context for the Kurils. Putin and Abe had already launched joint development projects in the Kurils. Speaking before the Forum, Abe told TASS: President Putin visited my hometown of Nagato last December. The history of Japanese-Russian relations entered a new era at that time. Russia and Japan have made considerable progress over the past year, which we had been unable to make over the past 70 years. We should put an end to the abnormal situation when we still dont have a peace treaty. In fact, both Abe and Putin expressed confidence that they would be able to sign a peace treaty during their terms in office. Peace and Development in Korea: The western media (and most governments) are warning that a war between the U.S. and North Korea is nearly unavoidable. This is not the view in Asiaincluding in South Korea. While China, Russia and South Korea have supported extremely tough sanctions on Pyongyang due to its continuing advances in missile and nuclear weapon development, they are at the same time preparing for cooperation with North Korea in fundamental infrastructure, trade and industrial development. Not only is this the only sane approach, since a war would be catastrophic for all of Asia and probably the entire world, but it also is essential to bring North Korea into the process of developing the Russian Far East and bringing all of the East Asian nations together for mutual benefit. The new South Korean President, Moon Jae-in, held a long meeting with Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Forum. Speaking to the press afterwards, the two men presented an inspiring vision, and several concrete programs, for working together towards the transformation of the Russian Far East, while creating the conditions for a solution to the escalating crisis over North Korea. This involves a development process that will include both the necessary security for all nations, together with economic development of North Korea and the region. President Putin praised South Korea as one of Russias key partners in the Asia-Pacific Region, noting that bilateral trade had increased 50% over the past six months to $10 billion per annum, while more than 600 Korean companies are working in Russia. He said the two presidents have agreed to stimulate the operation of the joint investment and finance platforms in the Far East, where we can make use of the opportunities offered by the priority development areas and the Free Port of Vladivostok. He added that the two nations will discuss a trade agreement between South Korea and the Eurasian Economic Union. Putin noted the potential involvement of South Korean companies in the construction of infrastructure facilities in Russia, including the modernization of Far Eastern ports and shipyards, and the joint development of the Northern Sea Route. Most important, Putin said: I would like to say that Russia is still willing to implement trilateral projects with the participation of North Korea. We could deliver Russian pipeline gas to Korea, and integrate the power lines and railway systems of Russia, the Republic of Korea and North Korea. The implementation of these initiatives will be not only economically beneficial, but will also help build up trust and stability on the Korean Peninsula. These are the policies which were entirely eliminated under the former South Korean government of President Park Geun-hye, under intense pressure from President Obama. President Moon Jae-in also addressed cooperation in the development of the Russian Far East, noting that his government had created a Northern Economic Cooperation Committee under his own leadership, to help make Korea a leader in the development of the Far East. The Committee is tasked with strengthening economic cooperation with Northeast Asian and Eurasian countries. He added: Next year, we will create a Korean-Russian Regional Cooperation Forum. It should bolster contacts between regional governments in Korea and the Russian Far East. Speaking at the Plenary Session, Moon said: I propose to build nine bridges between Korea and Russia for simultaneous and multilateral cooperation. Among the nine bridges were gas, rail, the Northern Sea Route, shipbuilding and agriculture. Moon noted, The worlds first icebreaking liquefied natural-gas tanker was built by a Korean shipbuilding company and transferred to Russia, opening the era of the Northern Sea Route, which until then seemed to lie in the distant future. Like Putin, Moon said the two had agreed to build up the basis for the implementation of trilateral projects with participation of the two Korean states and Russia, which will connect the Korean Peninsula and the Russian Far East. . . . The development of the Far East will promote the prosperity of our two countries, and will also help change North Korea and create the basis for the implementation of the trilateral agreements. We will be working hard on this. Following Putins speech at the EEF, the North Korean delegate to the EEF, Minister of Foreign Economic Affairs Kim Yong Jae, said: We are not opposed to trilateral cooperation, but this is not an appropriate situation for this to be implemented, referring to the threats coming from the U.S. As to the war danger, both Putin and Moon were totally clear. In an interview with TASS, Moon said, Our stance is firmthere should be no more wars on the Korean Peninsula. Nobody but Korea is in the position to decide if there may be war on the Korean Peninsula again. We have no intention of toppling the North Korean regime or achieving unification by means of a takeover. We seek to resolve the North Korean nuclear problem and to guarantee security to the North Korean regime. We wish to build a system of lasting peace in the Korean Peninsula. Also, we wish to create an economic community in which the South and the North might prosper together. This would be useful for the development of Russias Far East, too. For his part, Putin, speaking in his press conference at the end of the BRICS Summit, said: Everyone remembers well what happened to Iraq and Saddam Hussein. Hussein abandoned the production of weapons of mass destruction. Nonetheless, under the pretext of searching for these weapons, Saddam Hussein himself and his family were killed during the well-known military operation. Even children died back then. His grandson, I believe, was shot to death. The country was destroyed, and Saddam Hussein was hanged. Listen, everyone is aware of it and everyone remembers it. North Koreans are also aware of it and remember it. Do you think that following the adoption of some sanctions, North Korea will abandon its course on creating weapons of mass destruction? Russia condemns these exercises on the part of North Korea. We believe they are provocative in nature. However, we cannot forget about what I just said about Iraq, and what happened later in Libya. Certainly, the North Koreans will not forget it. Sanctions of any kind are useless and ineffective in this case. As I said to one of my colleagues yesterday, they will eat grass, but they will not abandon this program unless they feel safe. What can ensure security? The restoration of international law. We need to advance towards dialogue between all parties concerned. It is important for all participants in this process, including North Korea, not to have any thoughts about the threat of being destroyed; on the contrary, all sides to the conflict should cooperate. In this environment, in this situation, whipping up military hysteria is absolutely pointless; it is a dead end. Interestingly, in the EEF Plenary Session, Putin said that he saw willingness on the part of the Trump Administration to ease tensions with North Korea. We can see the current Administrations willingness to ease the situation, he said. It is of note that the U.S. was represented at the EEF by 400 participants, including executives of ExxonMobil, IBM, and Abbott Laboratories. It should be obvious to American business interests that it is insane for the U.S. to be largely boycotting the biggest economic development process in history, on a global scale, because of the Obama Administrations demonization of Russia and his military and economic encirclement of China, through the Pivot to Asia and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Trump has pulled out of the TPP, and has made it clear that Americas interests are best served by cooperation with Russia and China. A total of 217 agreements worth nearly $44 billion were signed at the EEF, according to the Russian presidential envoy to the Far East Federal District, Yury Trutnev. Unfortunately, none were with American firms. Asia Moves Ahead Other Great Projects are getting underway in Asia. On Monday, September 11, a major conference is being held in Bangkok on the building of the Kra Canal (now called the Thai Canal), involving several of the people who participated in a Kra Canal conference held in Bangkok in 1984, where Lyndon LaRouche was a keynote speaker along with leading political and scientific figures from Thailand, Japan, and across Asia. The project was delayed by a combination of political crises and the so-called Asian Financial Crisis of 1998. It has now gained new impetus from the Belt and Road Initiative, as it would be a key hub for the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. This editorial is in the September 15, 2017 issue of Executive Intelligence Review. REPORT FROM NEW YORK Victory Requires Understanding Your British Enemy [Print version of this editorial] Sept. 11On Sept. 9, Executive Intelligence Review sponsored a day-long event in Manhattan, titled The Russian Hack Inside Job: Whos Trying To Destroy the Presidency and Start a World War with Russia? That event, moderated by Dennis Speed, featured presentations by three guests: longtime EIR Editorial Board member William F. Wertz, Jr., accompanied by William Binney and Ray McGovern, both leading members of the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS). William Binney is a retired thirty-year veteran of the National Security Agency and the subject of the recent documentary film A Good American. Ray McGovern was a top analyst with the Central Intelligence Agency for twenty-seven years. View full size Jason Ross Although efforts to sabotage and destroy the Trump Presidency will continue, the repercussions of what was presented at the Sept. 9 New York event now make any intention to continue with the Russia-gate attacks on the Trump Administration extremely untenable, as well as risky for all those involved in the attack. In the course of their two presentations and the ensuing discussion, Messrs. McGovern and Binney presented a devastating critique of the allegations that the Russians interfered in the U.S. election and hacked DNC computers. In one sense, this was the final word on all of the lies that have been circulated by the establishment media in recent months. This event accomplished a powerful intervention, one which now opens the possibility for defeating the enemies of President Trump and securing a new U.S. strategic orientation. The Current Battlefield What took place in New York must be viewed within the context of the global battle, now underway, as to the future for both America and all of the world. Out of great crises, great opportunities arise, and leadership is tested. Let us review the current situation: Already, it was the suffering of the American people, and the hopes raised by the Trump campaign, that led to the election of Donald Trump ten months ago. Now, the anguish of the millions of Americans who are living through the effects of hurricanes Harvey and Irma is crying out to our nations leaders, calling for action, and action now. At the same time, global events have reached a point where they must now go one way or another. War or Peace? President Trumps cooperation with Russia in Syria has brought that war to a point where victory and peace are within sight. Trumps stated intention to improve relations with Russia and China has moved forward. Yet, even in the face of this progress, efforts continue, and are escalating, to provoke war in the Korean peninsula, to poison U.S.-Russian relations, and to push the world into a geometry of heightened crisis-management. Overhanging all of this is the Damocles Sword of the London-Wall Street speculative financial system, now bankrupt according to any traditional legitimate accounting method, and overripe for a collapse worse than 2008. We are at an unprecedented moment. This is a crisis. But it is also an opportunity. All of the Russia-gate attacks, all of the Charlottesville-related racism allegations, all of the anti-Trump hatred can be swept away if leadership is provided now. Justice and opportunity for Americans can be secured if leadership is provided now. The loss and suffering of millions can be alleviated if leadership is provided now. All that is required to accomplish this, is for growing numbers of Americans to finally listen to the wise words of Lyndon LaRoucheto recognize that the type of leadership that is now required is exactly that which Lyndon LaRouche has provided for the last forty-odd years. The need for global monetary reform was first addressed by LaRouche forty years ago in his International Development Bank proposal; the great projects now under consideration, such as the Transaqua project, the Thailand (Kra) Canal, and others, were proposed by LaRouche twenty, thirty, or more years ago. A comprehensive, national water-management system, which would protect against both floods and drought, was put forward by LaRouche in the 1980s; the murderous drug epidemic that is ruining and killing our youth was taken on by LaRouche in the 1970s with the publication of Dope, Inc., and he spearheaded a fight against drugs in the 1980s. The list goes on; but the key truth that must be grasped is that all of the life-and-death crises we are now facing are solvable. Leadership, as discussed by H. Graham Lowry in his article on Abraham Lincoln in this current issue of EIR page 8, is the key ingredient. LaRouche has provided that leadership, and it is time for people to listen to him. The New York EIR event is the latest intervention by LaRouche, operating through his Manhattan Project, to create new potentials for victory. Those now conspiring to destroy the Trump Presidency suffered a huge defeat on September 9, and this now creates new possibilities for moving forward with an agenda of peace and economic development. Critical Controversy and Deadly Weakness It is impossible to win a war if you dont know whom you are fighting. One of the greatest weaknesses to be found among the defenders of President Trump is in their continually referring to the Deep State as the source for the attacks on the President. On Sept. 9, Will Wertz provoked a great deal of controversyand anxietywith a presentation that correctly named the historic, as well as current, strategic enemy of the United States as the British empire. Drawing on historical and economic material discovered and developed by the LaRouche movement over many years, Wertz demonstrated not merely a two-hundred-year ongoing conflict between Britain and America, but the axiomatic and conflicting outlooks of the American republican-impulse tradition versus the British imperial view. The details of what Wertz articulated (as well as the full speeches of Binney and McGovern) may be viewed in the full video of the event. Here, it is sufficient to state that Wertz presented a concise historical overview, beginning with George Washington, and going on through Abraham Lincoln, William McKinley, Franklin Roosevelt, and John Kennedy, of the evidence that the British empire has always been the mortal enemy of the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. A number of participants at the New York event were perturbed or even outraged at what Wertz presented. Generally, the objections took two forms: either that Britain is our ally, and it is unacceptable to attack it in this way; or, that Britain today is no longer a major power, and to accuse it of having significant influence over U.S. policy-making or the U.S. intelligence community, is absurd. One could answer these objections by presenting a laundry list of evidence of Britains anti-American designssuch as Tony Blairs role in the first Iraq War or the role of Christopher Steele, MI6, and GCHQ in the current efforts to destroy President Trumpbut there is a larger issue to address. There is a great weakness among many American patriots. At the worst, it takes the form of Anglophilia; but a lesser, if still fatal, weakness is an illiteracy as regards American history and the true nature of world affairs over the last two-and-a-half centuries. Most Americans simply dont know what it was all about. They dont grasp the Mission of America, as it was conceived by Washington, Hamilton and Lincoln. They also have no comprehension of the oligarchical principle and what motivates the controllers of empire. As a result, they dont see the battlefield today for what it truly is. They are crippled in how they fight. It is precisely the themes developed by Wertz in his presentation which are vital and which must be fought out with every American. 9/11 There will be many repercussions from Saturdays New York event. One of these, undoubtedly, will be to refocus attention, once again, on 9/11. In response to a question about 9/11, William Binney stated, They had all the data to stop 9/11 before 9/11 in their databases, and didnt know it. It was all there. Even the date of the attack was given. Even the date of the attack was given! And he went on to say, In fact, I think, according to some sources, they had actually had somebody in there who was saying the attack was coming but didnt know the date or anything, and they were trying to report that but they couldntNSA wouldnt let them report it. The LaRouche organization, together with many other men and women of courage, has battled for sixteen years to expose the government lies about 9/11, and to hold Saudi Arabia and Great Britain to account as the perpetrators of that crime. The evidence of Saudi/British involvement is conclusive. By addressing this directly and publicly at the New York event, from his vantage point as an expert and the author of many of the data-mining and intelligence-gathering programs utilized by the NSA, Binney has reopened a critical flank, one which holds out hope for justice. One thing is certain: The enemies of our nation are not sleeping soundly tonight. Crisesand the tragedy that often accompanies themare also singularities, times when people unite around that which is important. It is often at just such moments when great things might be accomplished. As the flood-waters recede from hurricanes Harvey and Irma, a new hope is being born. An aroused people are acting to save the nation. We witnessed an inkling of the power of that future on Sept. 9 in New York. PRESS RELEASE Senate Debates Policy of Endless Wars Sept. 13, 2017 (EIRNS)In a 61-36 vote today, the Senate tabled the amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) presented by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), calling for repeal of the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), as well as the 2002 AUMF against Iraq. As noted on the www.thinkprogress.org website, this was the first time in 15 years that the full Senate has voted on Congresss role in initiating war. Speaking this morning, Sen. Paul noted that "we have fought the longest war in U.S. history under an original authorization to go after the people who attacked us on 9/11. That war is long since over. The war has long since lost its purpose. And its a long time [overdue] that ... we have a debate in Congress over whether we should be at war or not. It is the Constitutional role of Congress." In his remarks supporting the amendment, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) recalled that when he initially voted for the AUMF, he wasnt voting for "endless war." But, thats what in fact evolved. Sen. Pauls amendment would have meant a six-month sunset on both the 2001 and 2002 AUMFs, providing a window during which to debate a newer, more specific AUMF. In the House, meanwhile, Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) has written Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) calling on him to immediately schedule a debate on the Afghanistan war. Should Ryan not act, Rep. Jones warned, he will be complicit "in the waste and abuse of taxpayers money," by denying a debate to the members "who have taken an oath to uphold the Constitution." At a time when wildfires and hurricanes are devastating part of the U.S., Jones concluded, "we need to use our tax dollars wisely. We must help out our own people first and foremost" [emphasis in original]. PRESS RELEASE Teflon Donald Trump Sept. 13, 2017 (EIRNS)That is the headline on a lengthy Politico article dated Sept. 13, which says: "Democrats have attacked the president every which way, but polling and focus groups show none of its working." The Democratic Party has been conducting all sorts of private polls and focus groups, especially in swing states, which confirm what LaRouche PAC organizers know from daily organizing activity across the country: that the attacks on Trump as "unfit" for office, as "ineffective," as being "out to enrich himself," and as being "in cahoots with Russia," are all falling flat. "None of it is working," Politico reports, adding: "Pollsters are shocked by how many voters describe themselves as exhausted by the constant chaos surrounding Trump [who is] still viewed as an outsider shaking up the system, which people in the various survey say they like, and which Democrats dont stack up well against." Trump is given credit "for the improving economy," and Politico says "voters are also generally unimpressed by claims that Trump exaggerates or lies, and they dont see the ongoing Russia investigation adding up to much." All of which bodes very poorly for Democrats in the upcoming elections, since none of their hot-button issues are viewed favorably by voters, and Hillary Clintons obsessive and unending sour-grapes pronouncements are only making things worse for them. Well-informed Democratic Party sources tell EIR that all factions in the party have been pleading with Hillary to just put a lid on it, since shes done massive damage with her sore loser statements. But rather than scaling back, shes getting worse. PRESS RELEASE Trump Likely To Visit China and Other Asian Countries, Around November East Asia, APEC Summits Sept. 13, 2017 (EIRNS)U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to visit China and other Asian countries in November. Citing an unnamed U.S. official, Reuters reports that President Trump is likely to make a stop in China in November; the visit is a follow-up to the invitation that Chinese President Xi Jinping extended during their April meeting in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, and also their July meeting in Hamburg on the sidelines on the G20 summit. The visit would be either right before or right after the U.S.-ASEAN summit and the East Asia Summit in the Philippines, Nov. 13-14, as well as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, Nov. 6-11, in Da Nang, Vietnam. Japanese public broadcaster NHK, also citing unnamed diplomatic sources, reports that Trump was also considering visiting Japan and South Korea during his Asian tour in November. In February, Trump accepted Prime Minister Shinzo Abes invitation to visit Japan by the end of the year. "The February agreement is still valid. We would definitely like to make it happen sometime within this year. But no specific timing has been fixed yet," a Japanese Foreign Ministry official said. The Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun said that Japan, the United States, and South Korea could hold a trilateral summit on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Sept. 21. The APEC summit could also be the site of various bilateral meetings between Trump and other heads of state and government. TASS has mooted the possibility that one of those might be with Russian President Putin. Blue Bottle Coffee, the Oakland-based coffee roaster and retailer known for its high-end specialty coffee, is now part of Swiss food giant Nestle. Nestle and Blue Bottle announced the acquisition a majority stake for Nestle on their respective websites Thursday. Blue Bottle will continue to operate as a stand-alone entity, Nestle said, and the current management and employees will keep a minority stake and run the business. Founder James Freeman is to stay on as chief product officer, and Bryan Meehan is to keep his chief executive role. Advertisement For Nestle, the deal marks an entry into the world of third-wave coffee, driven by independent, specialty roasters and fueled by dedicated coffee lovers. Its also a chance for Nestle to expand its presence in North America, building on its Nescafe and Nespresso coffee brands. This move underlines Nestles focus on investing in high-growth categories and acting on consumer trends, Nestle CEO Mark Schneider said in a statement. Blue Bottle Coffees passion for quality coffee and mission-based outlook make for a highly successful brand. Their path to scale is clearly defined and benefits from increasing consumer appreciation for delicious and sustainable coffee. Blue Bottles Meehan and Freeman said in a company blog post that their decision to sell to Nestle was a complex one, involving many discussions, considerations, questions. The concept of Nestle as a figment, or symbol, was one thing Eiffels dictum there is an attraction in the colossal comes to mind, they said. But standing on the banks of Lake Geneva, meeting one worldly, genuine person after another was a different thing altogether. The colossus of our imaginings crumbled. We found kinship. Nestle wants to help us realize our dream of bringing Blue Bottle Coffee to more people, they said. Sure, its a business deal. But more importantly, to us, this deal brings with it an attendant recognition and belief in our accomplishments. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Sciacca writes for the Contra Costa Times/McClatchy. An inspector general is looking into Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchins request for a U.S. military plane for his European honeymoon in August, triggering new questions about his use of government aircraft following a controversial trip with his wife to Kentucky during the solar eclipse. The Treasury Departments inspector general is looking at all requests for and use of government aircraft by the secretary as part of an inquiry that began after Mnuchins Kentucky trip last month, Rich Delmar, counsel to the inspector general, said Thursday. Mnuchin requested a military jet for the couples honeymoon in Scotland, France and Italy because he is a member of the National Security Council and needed access to secure communications during the trip, according to a Treasury statement. The request was withdrawn after a secure communications option was identified during the Secretary's extended travel, the department said. We have multiple issues around the world where the secretary is directly involved in national security, notably North Korea, Iran, and Venezuela, among others, said a Treasury spokesperson. It is imperative that he have access to secure communications, and it is our practice to consider a wide range of options to ensure he has these capabilities during his travel, including the possible use of military aircraft, the spokesperson said. Mnuchin said Thursday the story was quite misreported and the request was not about his personal convenience. The government has never paid for any of my personal travel, he said when asked about it during a forum hosted by Politico. At the time, my staff wanted to make sure I constantly had access to secure communication and secure information. This is one of the things we explored. This had nothing to do with convenience, Mnuchin said. This was purely about national security. ABC News, which first reported the request, said use of an Air Force jet would have cost about $25,000 an hour to operate. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate committee that oversees the Treasury Department, said on Twitter on Wednesday that Mnuchins request was obviously wrong and forehead-slapping stuff. Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), a sharp critic of the Trump administration, tweeted to Mnuchin that Treasury is not your slush fund & Air Force is not your fleet. Mnuchin, a wealthy former Wall Street executive and Hollywood movie producer, married Scottish actress Louise Linton on June 25 at the Trump International Hotel less than a mile from the White House. President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence and their wives were among the guests. Asked by reporters Thursday about the honeymoon request, Trump said he had just heard about it and was surprised. I doubt he would do it. I've known him a long time; he is a very straight shooter. So it could be that he used a plane and he's paying for it, Trump said on Air Force One as he returned to Washington from hurricane-ravaged Florida. Trump said he had total confidence in Mnuchin and that hes a very honorable man. After the couple returned from their honeymoon in Edinburgh, Paris and Milan, Linton caused controversy by posting a picture on Instagram of herself and Mnuchin getting off an Air Force jet after a trip to Kentucky on the day of the solar eclipse. The picture tagged expensive designer clothes she was wearing. Mnuchin held an event with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and visited Fort Knox, where he and Linton viewed the eclipse near the path of totality. After an Oregon woman commented archly on the Instagram post, saying "Glad we could pay for your little getaway. #deplorable, Linton slammed her in a response. Did you think this was a personal trip?! Do you think the US govt paid for our honeymoon or personal travel?! Lololol, Linton said. Linton then suggested that she and Mnuchin contributed more to the U.S. economy and paid more in taxes than the woman who had criticized her. Linton later apologized for her comments. But the controversy led to criticism of the couple and the inquiry by Treasurys inspector general. Treasury officials defended Mnuchins visit to Kentucky as official government travel and said he would reimburse the government for bringing his wife along. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonprofit group that seeks to foster accountability in government, has sued the Treasury Department for the release of documents related to the Kentucky trip. The lawsuit includes a request for all records concerning authorization for and the costs of Secretary Mnuchins use of a government plane for any purpose since his appointment as Treasury Secretary, Jordan Libowitz, a spokesman for the group, said in an email. "We intend to make public any and all records that exist, he said. jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com Twitter: @JimPuzzanghera UPDATES: 2:05 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Mnuchin and Trump. This article originally was published at 9:45 a.m. Hugh Hefner spoke with the L.A. Times often and always had something memorable to say (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times) Understanding Playboy-in-Chief Hugh Hefners revered and reviled lifestyle was often just a question or two away. The iconoclastic publishing mogul, who died Wednesday at 91, was an open book when it came to his views on swinging ways and sexuality, particularly how his puritanical upbringing shaped his career and gave rise to the revolutionary Playboy empire. Over the years, the perennially pajama-clad Hef was interviewed often by the Los Angeles Times. Heres a sampling of some of his memorable quotes. On sexualitys problematic origins in America: Our society is fragmented, he asserted in 1994. Messages regarding human sexuality have always been mixed in America. We are a schizophrenic nation. We were founded initially by Puritans, who escaped repression only to establish their own. Then the founding fathers gave us the Constitution to separate church and state. But the one thing that got left out of all those laws was human sexuality. On the life he made for himself: Much of my life has been like an adolescent dream of an adult life, he told The Times in 1992. If you were still a boy, in almost a Peter Pan kind of way, and could have just the perfect life that you wanted to have, thats the life I invented for myself. OBITUARY: Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who shook up American morality with an ideal of swinging singlehood, dies at 91 On why he was so happy: You will find in my bedroom images from long ago, little photographs and things from when I was a kid. Im a very happy guy, and part of that has to do with my connection to my childhood, he said in 2009. On how he became Hef: Through a lifetime, you reinvent who you are, he explained in 2009. I actually reinvented myself the first time when I was 16, when a girl rejected me. I started referring to myself as Hef, started changing my wardrobe the same thing I did in 1959-1960 with the magazine, when I came out from behind the desk and started living the life and got the first Playboy mansion, started to drive a Mercedes 300SL. On how the 1942 film Casablanca led to the Playboy Club: I think I opened the first Playboy Club because of Casablanca. I wanted to have a place where people came to hang out as they did at Ricks, he said in 2010. It has everything not only Bogies charismatic character, but lost love, redemption, patriotism, humor it had a great musical score. On traditional attitudes toward marriage and sex: If you dont commit, he told The Times in 1994, you dont get hurt. I was always unwilling to commit to marriage because I was afraid to lose the romance. On the Playboy brands global status: It has been said that the two most famous trademarks in the world are Coca-Cola and the Playboy bunny rabbit, he said in 1994. There is certainly no one else in our area that represents the American dream in this particular kind of way. That rabbit means economic freedom, personal freedom and political freedom. That potential is unlimited. On the Playboy Jazz Festival: Ive never found anything that Ive cared more about than the music from my youth. I loved the Beatles, sure, but I never became except for dancing purposes a hard rocker. To me, there is something incredibly celebratory, and so wonderful about really good big-band swing and Dixieland, he said in 2002. When I started, I just wanted to put out a mens magazine. But by the end of the 50s, it was so successful that I seized it as a vehicle for changing the direction of my life, he added. And that crucial change in my life was also associated with jazz, because it all began within a space of about six months after the first Playboy Jazz Festival in August of 1959. Hugh Hefner, founder of the Playboy empire, relaxes during a visit to England in 1966. (John Downing / Getty Images) On his personal legacy: One of the reasons that I have such tremendous satisfaction at this point in my life is because I know Ive made a difference, he said in 1994. Ive made a difference in a way that really matters to me. On publishings shift to digital: I dont sit around thinking about, Gee, what happened to the new generation and they dont read enough and why is the internet replacing books? he said in 2009. On his fame and sex appeal: I think that just as [Henry] Kissinger said, power is the ultimate aphrodisiac. Celebrity is the ultimate aphrodisiac in todays world. And Im lucky enough to have fallen into a unique kind of celebrity, he said in 2009. So against all logic, nothing else matters age doesnt matter. When [my last long-term] relationship ended, last year, they were climbing over the gate. ... young women. Endless numbers of young women. ALSO Hugh Hefners life pushing boundaries started with comics Hugh Hefners Playboy Mansion was hedonistic headquarters for his brand Your legacy lives on: Hugh Hefner is remembered as an innovator, friend and supporter of civil rights The writer, director and actor Mike White has a knack for telling stories about the chasm between what people really want and who they really are. His sweet-and-sour satires are minefields of personal disappointment, bitterness and despair, littered with the wreckage of broken promises and unmet expectations. The characters who populate them, from the animal-loving loner played by Molly Shannon in Year of the Dog to Laura Derns post-rehab whistle-blower on the HBO series Enlightened, are typically dismissed as societys weirdos and losers. Brad Sloan (Ben Stiller), the middle-aged family man in Whites wonderful new comedy, Brads Status, is neither a weirdo nor a loser by any stretch of the imagination. He runs a small nonprofit based in Sacramento and enjoys a pleasant middle-class existence with his loving wife, Melanie (Jenna Fischer), and their smart, college-bound son, Troy (Austin Abrams). But Brad also worries intently about money and the future, and deep down he is troubled by what he suspects is his own mediocrity. He is reminded of this whenever he hears news of his four closest college buddies, who have all gone on to far greater material success than he has. Advertisement His old pal Billy (Jemaine Clement) is now a tech titan enjoying an early retirement on a Maui beach, while Craig (Michael Sheen, deliciously smug) has become an in-demand political pundit and bestselling author. Jason (Luke Wilson) is a major Wall Street player with his own private jet. And White himself pops up briefly, and with tongue firmly in cheek, as Nick, an in-demand Hollywood director with a beach house that was recently featured in the pages of Architectural Digest. In one of the movies wittiest touches, we first glimpse these characters not as they really are, but rather as dreamlike projections of Brads jealousy. The camera, drifting about like an inebriated bumblebee, alights on these men of power and privilege, watching them strut through their enviably perfect lives, accompanied by Brads sulky voice-over and adding hilarious insult to injury the drooping, dithering violins of Mark Mothersbaughs score. We are, in short, firmly in the realm of the male midlife-crisis comedy, a subgenre with its own long, proud tradition of mediocrity. But White seems well aware of the potential pitfalls, and he avoids them with a self-awareness that his protagonist could use more of. Starting from a single key insight into human behavior the natural compulsion to compare oneself to others White has spun a funny, empathetic and surprisingly grounded comedy that itself defies obvious comparisons. He is aided by one of Stillers richest performances in years, one that fits nicely alongside the men the actor has played in recent films like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, While Were Young and the forthcoming The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected). Once a fixture of outrageous mainstream comedy, whether as a much-abused straight man in Meet the Parents or a boisterous object of ridicule in Zoolander, the actor has become an all-too-plausible avatar of middle-aged discontent. He embodies everyday normalcy with extraordinary ease. The slender story is set in motion when Brad and Troy head to Boston on a college-scouting trip, with both Harvard and Tufts on the agenda. Theres a cringe-making beauty of a scene in which Brad realizes that his son has an excellent shot at getting into Harvard, and Stiller plays out his reaction all sorts of marvelously complex notes: a rush of pride at Troys accomplishments, a flush of shame at having underestimated him and a faint tinge of resentment that his own child might soon eclipse him. In other words, Brads weakness for comparing himself to others isnt limited to his friends. But rather than milking the father-son relationship for easy conflict or cheap laughs, Brads Status gives them all sorts of realistically thorny and affectionate scenes to play, many of them rooted in the everyday foibles of traveling to a strange new place. Brad, trying to upgrade their flight, is cruelly reminded that hes an economy passenger all the way. Troy accidentally misses his Harvard interview, creating an awkward situation that Brad ill-advisedly tries to fix by getting in touch with Craig, whos a member of the school faculty. Although nearly every interaction forces Brad to consider the ramifications of his toxic self-regard, Brads Status isnt interested in punishing him. At the heart of Whites work is not only a deep love for his characters but also a sincere belief in the possibility of their redemption not through the kind of self-help bromides that he skewered mercilessly on Enlightened, but through a gradual awakening to the needs of others. Empathy is the natural antidote to envy, and its a lesson that Whites characters must stumble toward, in clumsy yet heroic fashion. Youre 50 years old and you still think that the world was made for you, says a Harvard student (Shazi Raja, an excellent newcomer) who winds up getting to know Brad more deeply than she expected or probably wanted. Its a pointed line of dialogue and a slightly self-conscious one, as if White were trying to preempt the accusation that his movie is merely wallowing in white male privilege rather than holding it up for barbed comic scrutiny. Its no spoiler to point out that the movie concludes on an unresolved, discordant note. To reward Brad with a tidy ending, after all, would only indulge his sense of himself as the center of the universe. Fittingly enough, its Troy very appealingly played by Abrams as a young genius and an absent-minded teenager rolled into one who ultimately pulls Brad back to reality. He leaves us with the lovely realization that the solution to Brads problem, the proof that hes always been meant for extraordinary things, has been under his nose all along. ------------ Brads Status Rating: R, for language Running time: 1 hour, 41 minutes Playing: Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood; and AMC Century City 15, Century City See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers justin.chang@latimes.com @JustinCChang ALSO: Review: Jennifer Lawrence endures the hell of other people in Darren Aronofskys darkly exhilarating mother! Toronto Diary: Highlights from the fall film festival From Dunkirk to Detroit, it was a summer of war at the movies Lets reinvent the term clickbait as a nonpejorative, percussive lure to signal the joyous return through restoration by Milestone Films of George T. Nierenbergs 1979 tap dancing documentary No Maps on My Taps and his short follow-up from 1985, About Tap. Partly credited with helping reinvigorate a sidelined dance form, No Maps spotlights a trio of veterans Chuck Green, Bunny Briggs and Sandman Sims in an intimate concert backed by bandleader Lionel Hampton. An hour-long swell of glorious African American history and feared-forgotten artistry, it toggles among these street-trained virtuosos exuberantly telling of the styles heyday Bill Bojangles Robinson was a god, tap contests ruled the alley behind the Apollo and showing their stuff in thrillingly individualistic performances. (Greens dapper hoofing to the Ellington classic Caravan evokes nothing less than the adventure of exotic travel, and when Sims elegantly works his square of dusted sand, the shuffle beat is almost hypnotic.) The more stylized, studio-bound About Tap is hosted by taps celebrated late-20th-century custodian/innovator Gregory Hines, whose Broadway fame in Eubie! surely helped inspire No Maps. About adds a couple of extra shadings: the gliding grace of master Jimmy Slyde, and the polyrhythmic footwork of Steve Condos. Together, these films make a breathtaking case for tap as the ultimate bridge between music and dance: the body an instrument, the feet in sync, the movement and sound something to behold. Advertisement ------------- No Maps On My Taps and About Tap Running times: 58 minutes and 25 minutes No rating Playing: Ahrya Fine Arts, Beverly Hills See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com Its fair to say youve never seen a Holocaust-related documentary like Red Trees, which is not necessarily a plus. Director Marina Willer (who co-wrote with Brian Eley and Leena Telen) eschews the usual archival clips of marauding Nazis and concentration camp horrors to recount the story of her Czech-born father, architect Alfred Willer, whose family was one of just 12 Jewish households to survive the German occupation of Prague. She opts for an artistically woven series of gorgeously shot images (cinematographer Cesar Charlone was Oscar-nominated for 2002s City of God), some of which, captured in and around Prague, are specific to Alfred Willers childhood, while others are more impressionistic. Shooting also took place in London and in Brazil, where Willer made his postwar home. Advertisement Cinematically and emotionally its a mixed bag, a slow-moving visual treatise and occasional vanity piece that requires but doesnt always earn our indulgence. Voice-over duties, shared mostly by the filmmaker and the late actor Tim Pigott-Smith, prove an uneasy mix. Pigott-Smiths British accent feels a bit incongruous, especially since Alfred Willer, seen here in footage shot largely in 2015, mainly speaks Portuguese. As for the title, it relates to Alfred Willers color blindness, which, among other things, made him see green leaves as red. More broadly, it serves as a metaphor for acceptance of the different. ------------- Red Trees Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 20 minutes Playing: Laemmle Monica Film Center, Santa Monica See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com It turns out a flawed film can still be profoundly affecting if it hits you in the right place on the right day, as the romantic drama The View From Here proves. Writer/director Kellen Garner stars as one half of the estranged couple at the center of this story. After two years apart, Mark (Garner) and Gillian (Doree Seay) reunite at the funeral of Marks father, and try to reconcile the ugliness of their breakup and unresolved feelings in an attempt at closure. Thats a story nearly anyone can relate to, and the raw, unfiltered emotions Garner brings to their interactions cut deeply. Seay is a wonderful and serious screen presence, and theres a knowing ease in the onscreen connection between she and Garner. Advertisement But Garner has saddled The View From Here with a rather half-baked tortured chef subplot that never feels authentic. Mark is an up-and-coming chef opening a new restaurant in San Francisco, Gillian the rookie designer he takes a chance on when she boldly criticizes his menu. It seems as though its meant to be inspired by the kitchen dramatics of Burnt or Kitchen Confidential, but it lacks the blood, sweat and tears of a real restaurant kitchen. Its all too sterile and stilted, distracting from the deeply emotional story of love and loss at its core. ------------- The View From Here Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 42 minutes Playing: Arena Cinelounge Sunset, Hollywood See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com Contrasting images of family and home life against larger social forces is becoming an unlikely signature for filmmaker Deniz Gamze Erguven. Her debut feature, Mustang, nominated for an Academy Award for foreign language film in 2015, told the story of a group of sisters struggling for personal freedom, opening up to a world that was to remain closed to them. Erguvens latest film, Kings , her English-language debut, maps out similar territory: the difficulty of maintaining a healthy, balanced life at home when the outside world seems to be driving everyone apart. Kings takes place against the ambitious backdrop of the 1992 L.A. Riots and opens with a dramatization of the 1991 shooting of Latasha Harlins, the 15-year-old African American girl killed by a Korean convenience store owner that set the city on edge. In a warm, graceful performance, Halle Berry plays Millie, a single woman raising foster children, tending to them all as if they were her own. There are squabbles over noise and nuisances with her neighbor Obie (Daniel Craig), a British writer who is one of the rare white faces in their South Central neighborhood. As events seem to inevitability hurtle toward violence, the riots erupt in a surreal haze. Millie and Obie go out into the chaos in hopes of bringing the children safely back home. Halle Berry in Deniz Gamze Erguvens Kings. (Toronto International Film Festival) The film has taken about 11 years to get made. The Turkish-born, Paris-based Erguven spent time in South Central neighborhoods, with the LAPD and emergency services workers and doing extensive research in an attempt to create a broad view of the events, a portrait at once sweeping and specific of the tremors that led up to the seismic hit of the riots. Some of the films most fantastical elements the manager of a fast food restaurant bargaining with rioters, police handcuffing people to streetlights are stories she was told as urban folktales. The movie has its world premiere as part of the Toronto International Film Festival on Wednesday night, with distributor the Orchard planning to release the film in the spring. In an interview in Toronto in the early evening on Tuesday, Erguven acknowledged a touch of nervousness about how the film would be received. Rooted in reality and her own research, the story also takes some unexpected flights. As she said, For me, the film is more of an emotional account of the riots than a historical account of the riots. What was it that first drew you to the story of the L.A. Riots? Why not explore something closer to home for you, such as the 2005 French banlieues riots? As crazy as it seems, there were two initial stories. A very tiny individual event, which is being refused a French citizenship, but for me it was like a deep, deep shock. In a way, the feeling was being in a country that you love deeply and that country rejects you. For me, a lot of the resonance of the L.A. riots starts on that point. Then the riot happened in France a few months after I was rejected a French nationality, and I could see a materialization of what I felt. So I recognized it very deeply. And for months I was reading and discussing about violence and eventually came to the L.A. riots. I never had even the slightest drive of making a film about the French riots, but the L.A. riots, there was something about an old woman going to burn a palm tree with a lighter, someone being at that emotional level strikes a very specific note. And as strange as it may seem, I guess I could relate to that more. In France, you felt only anger; in the L.A. riots, you also felt different things. You felt heartbreak, madness, the rules of the world going upside down. That was the perfect embodiment. My feelings were as complex and messy and mixed as all of that. Then when I arrived in South Central a bit less than a year later, in August 2006, every step confirmed that initial intuition. The way I can best explain it was I was an archaeologist trying to dig out something and you suddenly see a piece of the Sphinx. You know its there, and you know its huge, but you only see a little parcel of it. I always felt with Kings that it existed before I started working on it, and then I just found it. For me, the film is more of an emotional account of the riots than a historical account of the riots. filmmaker Deniz Gamze Erguven on 'Kings' What made you want to open the film with the shooting of Latasha Harlins? Thats an event often overlooked even by people in Los Angeles. In South Central, it was very obvious. People who spoke about the riots, the level of knowledge and impact between Latasha and the Rodney King verdict [was equal]. It was almost more shocking. For me, what makes the world not turn right anymore is Latashas death. You cant come to terms with what happened to her. And then she becomes like a ghost. Even for me, shes Latasha, shes someone to me. People see through her to see a little sister or daughter, and there is something very haunting about her. People talk about the time of the riots, and even David Lynch when he talks about the movie he had done approximately the same year, Wild at Heart, said there was something palpable in Los Angeles; people were having fights on street corners. I remember coming to Los Angeles both before and after the economic crisis of 2008, and I remember that feeling. All of a sudden people are fighting for no reason, and you can feel a specific vibe. I imagine from what people were telling me that before the riots the tension was there, people were more aggressive. So its volatile. Anything could spark it. Something was really moving underneath Los Angeles for the entire year between Latashas death and then the Rodney King verdict. FULL COVERAGE: Toronto International Film Festival 2017 There was a lot of conversation around filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow and her film Detroit as to whether it was even her story to tell. Are you ready for some of that same response to come at you as a French-Turkish filmmaker looking at the L.A. Riots? Of course. Im just hoping that they will see the amount of small details and empathy. I think the look is very loving. In 11 years Ive heard a lot of reasons not to make this film, but none of those counted for me. The drive for me, whatever happened in that first intuition, has driven me for 11 years. Films have their own thing. Films tell you to do something, and you just do it. Its as if they are stronger than you and have a life of their own. Did the success of Mustang and its visibility from the Academy Award nomination help you to bring Kings back to life? Initially, there was a moment it was obvious Kings was not going anywhere. I had been spending more than five years on it. I had tried every possible route. I had done every workshop, banged on the door of every producer I knew, tried the French way, the American way. Nothing worked. And after a while, it really felt I was banging my head against the door and I needed to stop. I remember it was really an awful moment: I put I dont know how many versions of the script in a box, and I accepted that this movie was not going to exist. Then I made a joke of it as Mustang was starting up; it was my evil master plan to be able do Kings afterwards. And it worked. ALSO Brie Larson finds strength in lightness and whimsy with 'Unicorn Store' Angela Robinson on a superhero's hidden message of love in 'Professor Marston and the Wonder Women' From 'The Big Sick' to 'Brigsby Bear,' what does box office mean for indie movies these days? How do you depict a nightmare? How do you re-create and do justice to events completely outside ordinary human experience? Filmmakers who represent the Holocaust have dealt with this dilemma for decades, and Angelina Jolie faces it in First They Killed My Father, her examination of the nightmarish horrors of Cambodias Khmer Rouge regime. The result are always impressive but not emotionally compelling, a film whose integrity you admire but arent swept away by. Impeccably made by a team that includes Oscar-winning cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle and Cambodias top filmmaker, Rithy Panh, as a producer, the movie certainly works hard to do everything right. Advertisement Taken from the memoir subtitled A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers by Loung Ung (who co-wrote the screenplay with Jolie), First They Killed My Father is accurate to the terrifying 1975 story of what happened when the Khmer Rouge took over a country undermined after the U.S. dropped 2.7 million tons of bombs on it during the Vietnam War. Ideological zealots, the militarized Khmer movement determined to destroy everything modern and/or Western and create a theoretically classless agricultural society where everyone would be turned into a peasant. An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians died in this turmoil, roughly a quarter of the population, and Jolie has made sure that the re-creations of the period are as accurate as possible. The film is not only shot in the Khmer language with some 500 Cambodians working as part of the production team but the cast, including some 3,500 background actors, is entirely Cambodian as well. Jolie herself has intense personal connections to the material, having adopted her son Maddox from a Cambodian orphanage, being awarded Cambodian citizenship by royal decree, and, according to an article in Vanity Fair, being a close friend with co-writer Ung. One of the things First They Killed My Father does well, aided by a Marco Beltrami score, is create the sense of dread, unease and disorientation that 5-year-old Loung and her family felt as their lives were forcibly ripped from their moorings and cast adrift in a pitiless sea. Before that dislocation, however, we see the happy, middle-class life led by Loung, her five siblings, her army captain father (Phoeung Kompheak) and her warm and loving mother (Sveng Socheata) in the countrys capital city of Phnom Penh. Then on April 17, 1975, the Khmer Rouge entered the city, chanting unity, unity and we are all Cambodians. Disheartened by what America had done, people felt, as someone in the film says, If there is a chance to rebuild, we have to take it. Rebuilding, however, was not on the mind of the Khmer Rouge leadership. Under the pretext that Phnom Penh must be evacuated because an American bombing was imminent, the capitals residents were told they had to leave their homes at once. But rather than the promised return after three days, Loung and her family were never to go home. They were part of a massive relocation program, taken deeper and deeper into the countryside to a series of labor camps the film meticulously re-creates. Extreme regimentation was the order of the day at these locations, hair cut short and all clothing dyed the same drab shade of dark green, with loudspeakers and party leaders blaring sentiments like, It is better to make a mistake and kill an innocent person than leave an enemy alone. The Khmer Rouge, which called itself Angkar, did all it could to break the normal bounds of society, telling children, Angkar is your mother and father now, and not hesitating to break up families to further its aims. Loung herself, played by Sareum Srey Moch, is portrayed as a young woman with impressive presence. First They Killed My Father shows us everything the litany of depredations visited on this child, her siblings and her parents, through her eyes. Sareum can handle the screen time, but focusing the film on a character who is more watcher than actor creates a kind of distance that does not help things. Though this story couldnt mean more to Jolie, she hasnt been able to make it mean as much to us. Scrupulous and perhaps constrained at the thought of overdoing things, Jolie has allowed the enormity of the story to get the best of her, creating a film that is more disturbing than moving. In the final analysis, First They Killed My Father does not get under the skin like the documentaries of her producer, Rithy Pran, haunting films like S-21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine and the Oscar-nominated The Missing Picture. For those wanting a more affecting, even overwhelming sense of the terrors of Khmer Rouge rule, those would be the place to go. ----------------- First They Killed My Father No rating Running time: 2 hours, 16 minutes Playing: Landmark, West Los Angeles See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers kenneth.turan@latimes.com @KennethTuran ALSO Angelina Jolie, Vanity Fair at odds over explanation of controversial childrens casting game Angelina Jolie relies on sweat equity in making Unbroken Gold Standard: AFI Fest: Angelina Jolie Pitts By the Sea a little bitty art film that may be too leisurely for some The quasi-magical realist film In Search of Fellini has its heart in the right place but wears its studied quirks on its sleeve, leading with influences and references rather than a strong story. Co-writer Nancy Cartwright (the voice of Bart Simpson) draws from her personal experiences pursuing the legendary Italian film director Federico Fellini in her youth as the inspiration for this whimsical tale of film, fandom and finding your way in a very intimidating world. Ksenia Solo stars as Lucy, a sheltered Ohio girl on the cusp of womanhood, who discovers the magic of Fellini films right as her mother, Claire (Maria Bello), is ready to push her gently from the nest. Anxious and completely unprepared for the workforce, Lucy hops a plane and finds herself lost in Verona in a Fellini-esque bacchanal. As directed by Taron Lexton, youre never quite sure whats real and whats not in In Search of Fellini, with handsome Italian men swooping in to save Lucy, calls to Fellinis angry office manager, and nightmarish orgies of excess interspersed throughout this fantastical fable. Solo plays Lucy with wide-eyed naivete, and while cute, her constant haplessness and need to be rescued by men, from men, starts to grate. The plot makes not a lick of sense, but the imagery is striking, and the adoration of Fellinis films comes through loud and clear. Advertisement ------------- In Search of Fellini Rated: R, for sexuality and nudity and language Running time: 1 hour, 33 minutes Playing: AMC Dine-in Sunset 5, West Hollywood; Laemmle NoHo 7, North Hollywood See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com Kill Me Please, the audacious debut film from Brazilian writer-director Anita Rocha da Silveira, is a sexy, disturbing mash-up of Halloween and Heathers, but it is its own entirely original beast a teenage dream thats a total nightmare. In a suburb of Rio de Janeiro, a group of teenage girls have become obsessed with the victims of a local serial killer, searching for crime scenes around their neighborhood and poring over the dead girls social media profiles. Bia (Valentina Herszage), in particular, seems to get a very specific thrill from mulling the details of each grisly rape and homicide. While the killings persist, the girls explore the boundaries of their social status and sexuality. The abstract and raucous Kill Me Please captures the specifically feminine obsession with murder and crime as a cathartic coping mechanism for the very real fear of harm at the hands of men. Vigilance becomes obsession, which morphs into tempting fate. Advertisement Bodies in liminal states between life and death, adult and child exist in a state of psychic mayhem. For these young women, their curiosity about sex is inextricably entwined with their learning about the dangers of the world. Kill Me Please acknowledges the dark and riotous physical energy of teen girls in this tribute to slasher films and coming-of-age comedies that proves to be a new classic from first frame to last. ------------- Kill Me Please In Portuguese with English subtitles No rating Running time: 1 hour, 41 minutes Playing: Arena Cinelounge Sunset, Hollywood See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers calendar@latimes.com School Life is as charming, intimate and warm-hearted an observational documentary as youd ever want to see. Called In Loco Parentis when it captivated audiences at Sundance, School Life is in some ways as straightforward as its new title as it takes us through Headfort School, the only primary-age boarding establishment in Ireland. But School Life is more than a year in the life of an unusual educational institution located in an enormous 18th century mansion surrounded by lush greenery near the town of Kells, a massive place that was once, like Downton Abbey, the heart of a great estate. Advertisement As directed by Neasa Ni Chianain and David Rane, School Life also provides an empathetic example of what it takes to enable children to learn and flourish as well as an examination of exceptional teachers and an up-close illustration of just how it is they do what they do so well. The teachers in question are John and Amanda Leydon, whove taught at Headfort for 46 years each, though John likes to point out that Amanda has two weeks seniority on him because the trout fishing was so good (42 in one day) that he reported late for his first year to take advantage of it. Given their age and experience, its no surprise that School Life begins at the Leydons small cottage on the grounds as they candidly discuss the possibility of someday stepping aside. If we dont go here, what else would we do all day? John wonders, and Amanda says, If I cant go up stairs, if I get irritable, if I cant communicate with the students, if I was no good, Id get myself out straightaway. To achieve this kind of intimacy with your subjects, to get the kind of access that allowed children between the ages of 8 and 13 to unself-consciously relax, to allow their emotions to show on their faces, was not something that came easily. First of all, the filmmakers, who are married, did almost all the shooting by themselves, with Ni Chianain doing the cinematography and Rane handling the sound. More than that, they committed to a total-immersion process that involved three years of their being based out of an office at the school. One year was devoted to research and two years to filming, with the first years shoot used to ensure financing and the second year used to create the finished film. Headfort, which is primarily Irish but draws from as far away as the U.S., South Korea and Tanzania, is a caring, open place where students are told your own education is up to you and the goal is not just to educate but to create caring, empathetic adults. Though married and longtime colleagues, Amanda and John have quite different teaching styles, both of which have helped shape the Headfort ethos. With her love of literature and words, Amanda is something of a big kid herself, as delighted to be reading the Famous Five young adult novels as her charges and the moving force behind a gleeful student adaptation of, of all things, Hamlet. With his wispy, flyaway white hair and acerbic manner (Dont hurt it, its done nothing to you, its only a piano, he says to a would-be musician), John may seem forbidding at first. But as his students, especially those he mentors in a ragtag rock band, soon discover, John cares as passionately about them as Amanda does, offering encouragement and being always available when they need him. Though the teachers never vary, their charges, being young, change markedly over time, and School Life allows us to watch transformations in Eliza, a strong student who has fears of fitting in; Ted, a shy boy who flourishes in that Hamlet production; and Florrie, a young model who initially isnt sure what to make of the place. School Life is there at the last day of school, of course, and it turns out that saying goodbye to the special place that is Headfort is as hard for us as it is for the students. Something magical happened there, and weve been privileged to watch it take place. ---------------------- School Life Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes Playing: Laemmles Monica, Santa Monica See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers kenneth.turan@latimes.com @KennethTuran When we first meet Jenny Davin (Adele Haenel), the smart, uncompromising young doctor who occupies every frame of Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardennes The Unknown Girl, she is seeing a patient at the end of a long day at her clinic. A routine examination is interrupted by a sudden emergency in the waiting room, and even after the crisis is averted and the last of the patients have gone home, Jenny and her intern, Julien (Olivier Bonnaud), are tired, frustrated and on each others last nerves. When the door buzzes, she orders him not to answer it a directive that feels less like a matter of after-hours procedure than an assertion of her authority. You may not think much of this curt exchange in the moment. But one of the lessons of the Dardenne brothers stirringly humane working-class dramas is that even the smallest lapses in judgment can have unpredictable, often shattering consequences. Sure enough, a police detective comes around the next morning with news that an unidentified young black woman has been found dead on a nearby riverbank, under circumstances that suggest foul play. Surveillance footage confirms that she approached the door of the clinic the night before, frantically pressed the buzzer and, when no one answered, ran off toward her untimely death. Advertisement If Id opened the door, shed still be alive, Jenny says, and while no one blames her for ignoring a late visitor or failing to grasp the danger afoot, the doctor feels a deep sense of personal responsibility. While the police go about their investigation, Jenny becomes determined to learn the dead girls name, so that her family will at least know what happened to her. She starts showing the girls photo to each of her patients and asking if they recognize her a rudimentary game of detective that nonetheless exposes the deep layers of everyday apathy and injustice in and around Seraing, the Belgian factory town she calls home. By this point, the Dardennes devotees could probably construct a map of Seraing based on a close study of their movies, which have turned this small world of nondescript apartments and construction zones into one of the most vivid and recognizable landscapes in international cinema. Even if youve never seen a film by the Dardennes Id start with their 2003 masterpiece, The Son, or one of their two Palme dOr-winning dramas, Rosetta (1999) and LEnfant (2005) chances are youve seen a picture, like Darren Aronofskys Black Swan or Andrea Arnolds American Honey, whose handheld camerawork bears the influence of the brothers unflinching observational style. But what sets the Dardennes apart isnt the extremity of their visual and formal techniques. Its the uncompromising moral vision and piercing emotional honesty at the heart of their work, their understanding that the most gripping stories are borne not of narrative contrivance but of human desperation. The Unknown Girl is an imperfect but absorbing addition to the canon, a carefully plotted thriller of conscience in which Jenny spends most of the movie patiently and persistently atoning for her mistake. The camera follows her as she keeps up her inquiries about the dead girl, seeing patients in her clinic, making the rounds at their homes and at one point visiting a seedy cyber cafe in one of Seraings African immigrant communities, where the victim may have once been a regular. Most of the individuals Jenny questions brush her off. But a few of them find that they want to talk, in spite of themselves, and in these privileged moments the directors unflinching focus pays off. Nearly every encounter is shot in a single uninterrupted take, as if a single cut would undermine the authenticity of the interaction. Jenny becomes more than a detective or an interrogator in these moments; through the rules of doctor-patient confidentiality, she offers them the liberating seal of the confessional. The Dardennes are known for eliciting superb performances from their actors, including their regular muses Olivier Gourmet and Jeremie Renier, who turn up in crucial supporting roles here. But Haenel, who was 26 when the film was shot, is front and center: This is some of the subtlest, most empathetic acting youll see in a movie all year. Jennys calm, by-the-book manner with her patients might seem a bit too chilly and reserved at first, but that knowing professionalism is precisely what they find so comforting. Her competence inspires respect, loyalty and trust in ways that simple warmth could not. The Unknown Girl first screened in competition at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, where it drew uncharacteristically mixed reviews; the Dardennes, citing the disappointing reaction, opted to trim the film by seven minutes before theatrical release. Truth be told, I didnt notice much of a difference when I viewed the new cut last month, and in any event, a slight shift in running time probably wouldnt solve the movies problems or, for that matter, obliterate its very real virtues. In making their first true genre piece, the directors have ironically neutralized the element of surprise. Forcing their usual ethical query into the structure of a whodunit, the Dardennes have emerged with a narrative that, as compelling as it is, can also feel prosaic and even a bit predictable, especially in the overly aggressive melodrama of the closing scenes. Some might further question the effectiveness of a movie that frames a harrowing story of black immigrant suffering from a perspective of white guilt, though I would counter that Jennys sense of moral impotence, and her desire to be rid of it, is crucial to the point the Dardennes are making. There is something deeply moving about how seriously they regard their heroines profession, and the way they link it to a higher social calling. A good doctor must listen carefully, ask the right questions and diagnose the human condition itself. True healing, the film reminds us, is a matter of not only the flesh but also the spirit. ------------ The Unknown Girl Not rated (In French with English subtitles) Running time: 1 hour, 46 minutes Playing: Laemmles Royal Theatre, Los Angeles See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Movie Trailers justin.chang@latimes.com @JustinCChang L.A. roots country musician Sam Outlaw was nearly clotheslined in his own living room not long ago. That potentially bizarre mishap led to a moment of self-reflection that he turned into a song and, now, his latest video, Dry in the Sun. The Times is premiering the video, which was shot in Central California at a spread owned by actor-musicians Kevin Costner and his son, Joe Costner. Im very much a Type A, go-get-em kind of guy, said Outlaw, who is in Nashville this week for AmericanaFest, the musical gathering in conjunction with the 2017 Americana Music Assn. Awards, in which Outlaw is nominated for emerging artist. Advertisement On one hand, he said, that means I can be good at accomplishing things and achieving goals, but on the other, it can also mean Im sometimes short on patience. My wife had done the laundry and left some things out to dry in our living room, said the 35-year-old South Dakota-born transplant to Los Angeles. When I rounded the corner, I almost ran into the clothesline and started getting all worked up, thinking, Why are these in here? Why arent they outside? Then it hit me, Dude chill out! Whats wrong with you? Let the clothes be. The song is from his second album, Tenderheart, released in April. Its a short-and-sweet ode to letting nature take its course, which has any number of applications to real-life stressers. Its just a quick little two-minute folk-pop song, said Outlaw, who was born Sam Morgan and took his mothers maiden name for his surname its not a stage name. To be honest, initially I was just hoping maybe I could get a sync [synchronization license usage] in a laundry commercial. But it does have meaning for me. Its about trying to relax, and stopping to smell the roses. He and his wife, Andie, have a 1-year-old, which reinforces Outlaws effort to have a more relaxed outlook. Tenderheart is a domestic record but also a modern one in which big-city life is an equal part of ones family. He gives equal attention to missing an old neighbor on the ballad Bougainvillea, I Think and a reliably devilish friend on the Mellencamp-style rocker Trouble. Outlaw first turned ears with his Ry and Joachim Cooder-produced 2015 LP Angeleno. Players like Dawes Taylor Goldsmith and My Morning Jackets Bo Koster helped flesh out a contemporary update of that 70s California country sound, with a heavy Mexican American influence. L.A. county singer Sam Outlaw, shown with his wife, Andie, and son, Leo, 1, at their home in Glendale. Family life helped inspire his song Dry in the Sun, which has become his latest video, (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Ive got a son now, and I dont want him growing up with a father who creates a walking-on-eggshells vibe in the house, he said. So in that respect Im working on being more peaceful, and Im actually working with a guided meditation program that helps you retrain your brain. My goal is to be a calmer, more chill person. The director of the video, Jesse Fleece, introduced Outlaw to Joe Costner, which led to the offer of the familys coastal spread as the backdrop during the shoot. We all got together with a bunch of friends, threw ourselves a little picnic party, drank some very good Central Coast wine and filmed a little slice of that party and pretended to play some music, he said. After the video shoot, we put together a bonfire and played songs around the campfire. All in all, pretty chill. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour randy.lewis@latimes.com Follow @RandyLewis2 on Twitter.com For Classic Rock coverage, join us on Facebook As seems to be becoming faddish, Sundance Channel has added a by-subscription, premium streaming wing called Sundance Now. To tempt you to part with a portion of your monthly discretionary spending, it is offering the glittering bauble of Riviera, a 10-episode conspiracy thriller packed inside a dysfunctional family drama, or vice versa, imported from the U.K. and set in the hills of Monaco and the south of France. Its pretty. The miniseries pedigree on paper is impressive; its created by The Crying Game writer and director Neil Jordan, from an idea by superstar rock manager Paul McGuinness, with some early-episode screenwriting by prize-winning novelist John Banville (The Sea, The Infinities). (As Benjamin Black, Banville is also the author of several works of crime fiction.) There is a joke somewhere in here about three Irishmen going into a bar; certainly, one can imagine that Riviera was hatched in one, over a couple of rounds. One of those projects that enlists an international cast to appeal to multiple global markets, it centers on the Clioses, a Greek family with banking interests and various shades of personality disorder. Julia Stiles is Georgina, the young American brought into their giant hilltop villa as the new wife of father Constantine Clios (Anthony LaPaglia), whose art collection she oversees. She has displaced mother Irina (Lena Olin), who is around all the time anyway, seeming to scheme when she isnt, and scheming often when she seems not to be. Advertisement Its no spoiler to say that, early in the proceedings, a yacht blows up, not accidentally, taking Constantine with it maybe and that things in the Clios house dont get easier afterward. Money-minded number-one son Christos (Dimitri Leonidas) has a full deck of sex, drug and gambling addictions; son Adam (Iwan Rheon) is writing, or more likely not writing, a novel about the negative impact of marketization on contemporary human relations. (Sounds like a real page turner, says his older brother). Daughter Adriana (Roxane Duran), when we meet her, is carving up her own arm. Unanswered questions lead Georgina to go sleuthing into family affairs (Adrian Lester, as an old friend, helps out), which quickly lead in and out of secret apartments and hidden rooms, with clues and puzzle pieces guiding her from station to station (where a simple note would have sufficed). Various official lines of inquiry are also opened, with an appealing Amr Waked as a Nice police detective Riviera somehow becomes more convincing when everyone is speaking French and Phil Davis as a man from Interpol who thinks its a shame that rich people dont pay their fair share of taxes. There are corrupt people who are supposed to be bad guys, and bad guys with heart; some of them are literally in bed together. (There is a good bit of sex in it, but it tends to begin at the end of a scene, or to end at the beginning of a scene, and is relatively discreetly presented.) For the most part, and to the extent that you can tell one from the other, the villains are better imagined, and better company, than the heroes. The 10-episode arc and multiple threads mean that things will inevitably turn out to be other than they seem, perhaps several times over. No one is who they seem, are they? is actually a line of dialogue. And yet very little is actually surprising; the outcomes are mathematical. If you have any experience with this sort of story, you know pretty much at the start who is trouble and who only looks like trouble. Its not unwatchable; even a mediocre mystery can keep you watching until the end, even through 10 hours, and often enough therell be a satisfying personal exchange or well-mounted action scene. The setting is spectacular, without any help from the camera. Though most characters remain thin, the performances are pleasant at worst -- Stiles is good with her character in states of stress, if less convincing in the quieter moments; one never buys her as an art expert. That she and LaPaglia have almost no screen time together, either before his character is blown up, or in flashbacks compromised by special effects, means you never really feel her stated devotion. Every myth has been painted a thousand times, Constantine says in one of those flashbacks, regarding a painting central to the plot. But thats what makes them special; its how the painter chooses to retell the story that makes it interesting. Or not. Riviera Where: Sundance Now When: Anytime, starting Thursday robert.lloyd@latimes.com Follow Robert Lloyd on Twitter @LATimesTVLloyd ALSO: Julia Stiles works her wiles on Dexter A fine Ciaran Hinds stars in The Sea, which struggles with its literary roots Messika has tapped Gigi Hadid as its first ambassador, kicking off a push into the U.S. by the rapidly expanding French jeweler. Valerie Messika, who established the brand a dozen years ago, selling modern settings geared towards younger women, told WWD that she selected star model Hadid for her youth and connection to fashion. She exudes a certain warmth, said Messika, who plans to open the brands first stores in the U.S. in Miami and Los Angeles this year, as well as a shop-in-shop at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York. Its the market that has scared us the most, she said of the U.S., citing its size and the number of competing brands. Advertisement It will either be a fiasco or an enormous success, because theres nothing like us, said Messika, who once noticed on a visit to Bergdorf Goodman that many of the gems sold in the store were colorful, contrasting with her brands focus on diamonds. For the campaign that will appear in magazines this fall, Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott shot shadowy images of Hadid with splashes of red lighting. The Move Addiction collection, a collaboration with Hadid, features diamonds set in pink, white or yellow gold and will be available in the brands stores next month. Rings start at around $980 and the high-end range, made up of four pieces, includes a $60,000 choker. The daughter of a diamond dealer, Messika founded the brand based on the idea that women could buy themselves jewelry, like they would buy a handbag or a pair of shoes. I didnt want diamonds to be stuffy, I wanted to break the norm and show theyre not just for brides, she said. Present in 55 countries, including Russia and in the Middle East, the brand has 400 points of sale. ALSO Fall fashion alert: Corduroy, an unsexy staple of cooler months, is returning with 1970s flair Four Hollywood costume designers reveal all about the looks from some of your favorite TV shows Marc Jacobs closes New York Fashion Week with a colorful trip to ... somewhere To see what free speech looks like in 2017 at the birthplace of the famed movement, consider the elaborate preparations underway for a talk Thursday by a conservative writer. Ben Shapiro isnt nearly as controversial as some right-wing speakers who have roiled the campus over the last year. Nonetheless, UC Berkeley has told students that counseling is available to those stressed by all the commotion. A large swath of the campus will be closed off, including the plaza where the free speech movement began in the 1960s. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on security, and police now can use pepper spray on protesters after a 20-year-old ban was lifted by the City Council this week. Students and Black Panther supporters listen to Eldridge Cleaver, Black Panther minister of information, at Sproul Plaza on Oct. 3, 1968. (Pirkle Jones / University of California Press) (University of California Press) Shapiros appearance is a key test for Berkeley, which has been hit by a series of violent clashes between far-left and far-right agitators that have sparked soul-searching in this liberal community about the line between protest and criminal behavior. Berkeley has become a favorite spot for far-right demonstrators to speak out, knowing they can get attention and push buttons in enemy territory. The Thursday event marks the start of a parade of right-wing speakers who may be coming to campus over the next month. They include former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon and right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos , who announced that they will appear as part of a Free Speech Week event on campus. The event is organized by Yiannopoulos and a student group. On Tuesday, Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof stressed that this event is far from a done deal the student group hadnt yet satisfied the requirements for bringing a speaker or followed proper procedure. Protesters watch a fire on Sproul Plaza during a rally against a scheduled appearance in February by Milo Yiannopoulos at UC Berkeley. (Ben Margot / Associated Press) (Ben Margot / Associated Press) Weve never seen a situation like this But UC Berkeleys new chancellor, Carol T. Christ, has said allowing these talks is essential, trumpeting the belief that the best response to hate speech is more speech rather than trying to shut down others. That leaves officials with the task of keeping the peace and trying to keep the various warring sides under control. They hope to do it with what officials say are unprecedented security measures. Weve never seen a situation like this. Its very unique. Its a very different political dynamic where free speech at Berkeley has become the occasion for the right and left to confront each other, Christ said Wednesday. I believe very strongly in Ben Shapiros right to speak on campus. I dont agree with Ben Shapiro; in fact I profoundly disagree with him. But I believe he was legitimately invited by a student group and that he has the right to speak. Its a really troubling situation. City and campus officials are taking heightened steps to prevent the sort of chaos that descended on campus when Yiannopoulos tried to speak in February. Police officers and physical barriers will be set up in a roughly half-mile-long perimeter around six campus buildings Thursday afternoon, cutting off access to Sproul Plaza, the site of Mario Savios famous 1964 address during the free speech movement and a common meeting ground for activists of all stripes. Mario Savio stands atop a police car in front of Sproul Hall on Oct. 1, 1964. (The Bancroft Library / Courtesy of UC Berkeley) (Credit: Courtesy of UC Berkeley, / Credit: Courtesy of UC Berkeley,) In order to pass through the security perimeter, people will have to show tickets for the speech. Those who show up to protest will encounter an increased and highly visible police presence, Provost Paul Alivisatos said in a letter to the campus last week. If protesters spill into the city business district south of campus, along Telegraph Avenue, they will encounter the citys police force which is now free to use pepper spray on individual protesters officers deem are committing acts of violence. Berkeley police officers make arrests during protests several weeks ago. (Los Angeles Times) (Alene Tchekmedyian) Berkeley police try to keep order Berkeley police have come under criticism for not doing enough to break up the violence that has marred past protests. Berkeley Police Chief Andrew Greenwood successfully pitched the City Council on Tuesday to adjust a 1997 ban on the use of pepper spray as a crowd-control technique. Greenwood argued that police needed another tool besides batons and tear gas to deal with the violence that has come with the new wave of protests. Councilwoman Linda Maio, who voted for the measure, agreed, citing the prospects of large protests if Yiannopoulos and Bannon come to campus in the coming weeks. This is a new phenomenon that is evolving, and we really dont know what to expect, she said of the protests over the last few months. On Wednesday, the city also announced it was banning a wide range of weapons, including bricks, Mace and dynamite in a square-mile area centered around UC Berkeleys campus. Since the election, Berkeley residents have seen months of clashes between activists on the left who employ black-bloc militant tactics and once-obscure far-right organizations such as the Proud Boys and the Fraternal Order of Alt-Knights. The skirmishes have resulted in thousands of dollars of property damage in Berkeley and a handful of criminal charges. The situation at Berkeley on Thursday will be a far cry from Shapiros visit to the campus in April 2016. A conservative voice that fights Trump , Bannon Shapiro was met with little, if any, controversy then. The website he edits, the Daily Wire, wrote at the time that the audience at Berkeley was civil and polite, perhaps more so than any other university Shapiro has visited in the last few weeks. The month before that speech, Shapiro resigned from the Bannon-led Breitbart News after a colleague of his accused then-Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski of assaulting her. Steve Bannon is a bully, and has sold out Andrew [Breitbart]s mission in order to back another bully, Donald Trump; he has shaped the company into Trumps personal Pravda, Shapiro wrote in a statement at the time. During the election, his lashing critiques of Trump made him one of the more prominent opponents of the then-Republican nominee in the conservative movement. This opposition to candidate Trump also made him the target of anti-Semitic harassment. The Anti-Defamation League released a report last fall detailing anti-Semitic harassment of journalists on Twitter during the first half of the 2016 election cycle. It found Shapiro to be the No. 1 target. Shapiro was frustrated by a Berkeley decision earlier this month to shrink the number of seats in the audience for his address. Fitting in with a broader critique hes offered in his writing, Shapiro also ridiculed the idea that anyone would need to seek counseling because he was speaking. As far as them ensuring that I have a venue trying to make sure that its secure, Im not sure all of what theyre doing makes sense, but Im appreciative that theyre at least trying, Shapiro said. Its very easy to get kids riled up by doing the shtick Yiannopoulos does, but thats not my game, and its always why the comparisons are weird for me. It is unclear what level of protests will greet Shapiro. Organizers with the group RefuseFacism.org were busy on campus Wednesday handing out fliers promoting a demonstration against Shapiro set for Thursday evening. At Tuesdays packed City Council meeting, Raphael Kadaris, an organizer with the group, drew loud applause from the audience when he said the council members were acting as collaborators with what he claims is a growing fascist movement in the nation for allowing the police use of pepper spray. These people dont care about free speech, he said, referring to the conservative speakers coming to campus. They are using free speech as a pretext to get a foothold, to normalize fascism on these college campuses and to recruit a new generation of fascist youth into their movement. Some faculty members have called for a boycott during the free speech week. Christ said Wednesday the challenge is to protect free speech in this charged environment. I think were in an area which presents both challenges to the law and challenges to university policy when a speaker occasions the university to first of all spend extraordinary amounts of money and take extraordinary measures that are quite disruptive to the universitys main business in order to protect the right of free speech. Milo Yiannopoulos announced he plans to make an appearance at UC Berkeley as part of a Free Speech Week event on campus. (David Ng / Los Angeles Times) (David Ng / Los Angeles Times) javier.panzar@latimes.com benjamin.oreskes@latimes.com teresa.watanabe@latimes.com ALSO 9 arrested as protesters gather at UC Berkeley for talk by conservative speaker Ben Shapiro UC Berkeley is sending mixed messages about freedom of speech Steve Bannon to speak at 'Free Speech Week' event at UC Berkeley UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol T. Christ: 'Free speech has itself become controversial' UPDATES: 8:45 a.m.: This article was updated with a faculty call for a boycott. This article was originally published at 5 a.m. The Otay Mesa site where models of competing proposals to build President Trumps border wall are to be built is now nearly surrounded by a chain-link fence, though there is still no official timeline for when companies that won a bidding contest will begin work. Over the last week, the approximately 8-foot-high fence has been constructed around the building site. A green screen on the fence blocks views of the work on the prototype walls and is plastered with signs from Customs and Border Protection designating it a restricted area and warning off trespassers. The fencing is the most visible sign of preparation for the wall work the first step in the Trump administrations controversial quest to construct hundreds of miles of new wall along the southwest border. Advertisement Although there is no start date, Customs and Border Protection officials have met with the San Diego County Sheriffs Department to discuss the construction, which could draw protests. The department is considering setting up a designated protest area for opponents, sheriff spokesman Ryan Keim said in a statement. In our effort to better protect the people of this county, the department is currently evaluating the need and possible location of a free speech area where citizens can peacefully express their viewpoints, Keim said in a statement. The Sheriffs Department recognizes the high-level of emotions associated with this project and we are committed to providing the highest levels of law enforcement services in our effort to protect our communities, the statement said. The possibility of protests has shadowed the wall-building project since the government first solicited bids for the prototypes in March. The 76-page bid request includes a section on security, advising contractors they are responsible for security for their equipment and workers, and requiring a security plan including detailed provisions for fall-back positions, evacuation routines and methods, muster area in the event of a hostile attack. In another section, bidders were asked about any prior work on controversial jobs. Describe your experience executing high profile, high visibility and politically contentious design build projects, the proposal said. On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Customs and Border Protection had sent a memo Sept. 6 to state and local law enforcement warning of protests and potential violence. The memo apparently warned that protests could be similar to those against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota, which at its peak in 2016 and 2017 attracted thousands of protesters and led to hundreds of arrests. Carlos Diaz, a spokesman for the agency, said it does not comment on leaked memos. The statements from the Sheriffs Department did not directly address the memo. Courts have ruled the government can regulate the time, place and manner of speech without violating the 1st Amendment, so long as the government does not restrict the content of the speech, said David Loy, legal director for the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties. That power allows the government to establish free speech zones. Each case is different and has to be evaluated on the specifics of where the area is set up, he said. The bottom line is the government has to err on protecting freedom of speech, said Loy. The free speech zone has to be meaningful. It cant be a postage stamp space where three people can stand. Customs and Border Protection has awarded contracts to half a dozen companies to construct two kinds of wall models one made of solid concrete, another of other materials. The models are to be 18 to 30 feet high and 30 feet long. When the contracts were announced Aug. 31 and Sept. 7, Customs and Border Protection said work would begin in 30 days. But since then the agency has said repeatedly that there is no timeline for the projects start. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Sept. 6 memo pegged construction to begin Sept. 26. The walls will be constructed on a patch of ground beneath a power line tower, a few dozen yards north of the border with Mexico. Moran writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune. Justino Mora doesnt consider the surprise Wednesday night negotiations between President Trump and Democratic leaders on a plan to save DACA a victory. Its too early to say, Mora, cofounder of the Los Angeles-based immigrant advocacy group UndocuMedia, said Thursday. He and other DACA participants shared skepticism and disapproval of the negotiations. I dont trust the Trump administration because theyre always changing their mind, he said. Were literally blinded. We dont know what the deal really entails. Advertisement Trump met for dinner Wednesday night with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) to discuss a plan to enshrine DACA into law. DACA is the acronym for the Obama administration program that shielded from deportation nearly 800,000 immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally as children and provides them renewable two-year work permits. Were working on a plan subject to getting massive border controls, Trump told reporters Thursday morning, adding that people want to see a legislative solution for the so-called Dreamers. Shortly after the dinner, the two Democrats issued a statement saying that they had agreed with Trump to pursue legislation to legalize the status of Dreamers. They issued another statement saying that the details of border security remain to be negotiated. Justino Mora is a co-founder of the immigrant advocacy group UndocuMedia. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) Mora, 28, a DACA participant and UCLA graduate, came to the U.S. illegally at age 11 with his mother and two siblings. The family fled poverty and domestic violence in their home near Mexico City. He was angered that DACA participants were not at the meeting with Trump, Pelosi and Schumer. He considered the agreement to beef up border security a bad strategy that could ruin the chances of a better deal on immigration reform. Theyre compromising way before the fight even begins, he said. Thats exactly the problem with the Democratic Party they want an early victory and are willing to throw everyone under the bus. Enforcement is not something that should be taken lightly. And he took issue with the back-and-forth between the Democrats and the White House on whether an agreement was actually reached. Trump tweeted early Thursday, No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote. Despite the messy politics, Mora thinks theres still a chance to get comprehensive immigration reform. He said the Democratic Party needs to erase the narrative of good and bad immigrants by ensuring that the parents of Dreamers are included in reform deals. In the meantime, Mora said the frequent changes to his future are like a roller coaster ride. It feels like Im in Six Flags every day, he said. Karla Estrada, with her parents Gloria and Angel in their apartment in Chino. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times) Karla Estrada, 26, can relate. She braced herself for DACAs end, always knowing the program would be temporary. The negotiations Wednesday threw her yet again. I dont even know what I think anymore, she said. Trump is like an abusive ex. The DACA participant said she wonders what kind of agreement three politicians could come to over one night of negotiations. She worries that stepped up enforcement means more raids. I think thats what Trump wants credit, that he did something good, she said. Theyre strategizing with our lives because they know if they pass something like this theyll get some votes for the next election. Though DACA allowed Estrada to get a steady job with better pay, she wouldnt consider a codified version of the program, which does not provide a path to citizenship, as cause for celebration. In Pelosi and Schumers briefs they didnt mention a path to legalization, she said. Theyre saying they want to enshrine DACA. What does that mean? Meaning they wont give us a path to citizenship, so were just going to renew [the work permits] every two years forever? I wont agree with or accept that deal. If theyre going to give us something, theyd better give us at least the DREAM Act. Pelosi said at a news conference that an eventual path to citizenship would be part of the legislation. But Trump, speaking on his return to Washington, said, Were not talking about that. Were not talking about amnesty at all. Estrada, who works as a paralegal at an immigration law firm in Los Angeles, was brought illegally to the U.S. at age 5. Her parents moved back to Cuernavaca, Mexico, earlier this year, shortly after her brothers voluntary departure which allows deportable immigrants to leave the country before theyre issued final removal orders. Estrada is the only remaining member of her immediate family in the U.S. She said passing the DREAM Act would be bittersweet. She worries that other Dreamers would stop fighting for comprehensive immigration reform if given their own chance at citizenship. Still, she acknowledged that such a change would mean she could visit her family in Mexico and continue working in the U.S. without fear. Luis Ojeda, a 27-year-old Fresno immigrant rights activist, sees the negotiations as a bait-and-switch. Despite gaining full-time employment through DACA and permission to attend his grandmothers funeral in Colima earlier this year, he has always thought the program missed the mark. Ojeda, two of his siblings and his parents crossed the border illegally when he was 4. The family struggled in Mexico. His father now works at a dairy near Fresno. Left out of the program were people like his parents and some family members who have criminal convictions. He saw it as a maneuver by the Obama administration to gain support from those in the immigrant rights movement without making more of a serious attempt to fix the nations broken immigration system. Wednesdays negotiations, Ojeda said, are little more than an extension of that maneuver. Any more funding for enforcement just means more people are going to be deported, he said, and thats not worth giving anyone a work permit. andrea.castillo@latimes.com @andreamcastillo UPDATES: 7:05 p.m.: This article has been updated with additional comments from DACA participants. This article was originally published at 11:25 a.m. A veritable whos who of far-right rock stars such as Pamela Geller, Mike Cernovich and Erik Prince are slated to join Milo Yiannopoulos, Ann Coulter and former White House strategist Stephen K. Bannon at UC Berkeley later this month for Free Speech Week, event organizers say. The lineups release Thursday comes as university officials say student organizers have failed to provide the paperwork necessary for the event to go forward. Past events featuring planned appearances by Yiannopoulos and Coulter have been marred by violence from demonstrators. The upcoming appearances of Bannon, Yiannopoulos and Coulter have previously been reported. On Thursday however, Yiannopoulos company announced an expanded roster of speakers for the multi-day event, which starts Sept. 24. More guests will be revealed in the coming days, Yiannopoulos said. Advertisement Our plan was to slowly release the names of our confirmed speakers over the next two weeks, but the reaction to our announcements of Steve Bannon and Ann Coulter was so huge that we decided to put out the full list, Yiannopoulos said. We still have plenty of surprises coming though! Campus spokesman Dan Mogulof said the Berkeley Patriot student group thats working with Yiannopoulos has yet to sign contracts with the campus venues to host the speakers. "[If] you want to rent a venue, you have to sign a contract, he said. The university is prepared to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on security arrangements. We cant provide them with that if we are not sure the event is going to happen. He also said the student group has not provided essential information required to provide security for the events. Mogulof would not disclose what deadlines the student group faces. Berkeley Patriot spokesman Bryce Kasamoto, a 20-year-old senior studying political science and public policy, said Wednesday that the group expected to meet the campus deadline, which he said was approaching within the next week. It is all going to be ready and finalized pretty soon, " he said. This event is going to go forward and its going to be very exciting. He said the group has 11 members and plans to launch its own newspaper during the event. We are just going to communicate with them directly and not through the press, Mogulof said. We still have hopes that this can all still get done on time. Event speakers will also include James Damore, a former Google engineer who was fired over a memo he wrote about gender differences, which was widely viewed to be sexist. Damore is scheduled to speak Sept. 25, along with Monica Crowley, a former Fox News personality who was prevented from joining the Trump administration following reports of plagiarism in her doctoral dissertation and a recent best-selling book. That days theme is Zuck 2020" and will conclude with a special debate on regulation of tech companies as public utilities, the release said. The Sept. 26 theme is Islamic Peace and Tolerance Day, and according to the release, it will include remarks from Geller, who regularly espouses anti-Islamic views and once said President Obama will do nothing but beat up on our friends to appease his Islamic overlords. Prince, the founder of now defunct military contractor Blackwater who has recently been advocating for private contractors to be sent to Afghanistan instead of U.S. troops, will also speak. Breitbart Londons editor, Raheem Kassam, who was an active supporter of the Brexit movement, will also speak that day. The final days theme is Mario Savio is Dead, which references the late activists famous 1964 address during the free speech movement. Bannon, Coulter, Yiannopoulos, Cernovich and current Breitbart editor Alex Marlow are all slated to speak that day. In the release, Yiannopoulos said specific times and locations for each speaker will be released in the coming days. The Mario Savio Award for Free Speech will be awarded the final day, Yiannopoulos said. Savios widow, Lynne Hollander Savio, has said she is exploring legal options to stop Yiannopoulos from co-opting her husbands name for the award. Here is the full list of scheduled speakers and dates of appearance: Sunday, Sept. 24: Feminism Awareness Day Miss Elaine, Lucian Wintrich, Lisa DePasquale, Chadwick Moore and Milo Yiannopoulos Monday, Sept. 25: Zuck 2020" , Monica Crowley, the street artist SABO, Jordan Peterson and James Damore Tuesday, Sept. 26: Islamic Peace and Tolerance Day Raheem Kassam, Katie Hopkins, Erik Prince, Pamela Geller, David Horowitz and Milo Yiannopoulos Wednesday, Sept. 27: Mario Savio is Dead Mike Cernovich, Ariana Rowlands, Stelian Onufrei, Alex Marlow. Milo Yiannopoulos, Stephen K. Bannon and Ann Coulter. benjamin.oreskes@latimes.com @boreskes ALSO UC Berkeley is sending mixed messages about freedom of speech UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol T. Christ: Free speech has itself become controversial UPDATES: Sept. 15, 12:23 p.m.: This article was updated to reflect that Heather Mac Donald wont be speaking. The initial news release indicated Mac Donald would be speaking. 3:35 p.m.: This article was updated to reflect that Michael Malice wont be speaking. The initial news release indicated that Malice would be speaking This article was originally published on Sept. 14 at 1:55 p.m. The towering statue of St. Junipero Serra had stood at the foot of a staircase leading into the Old Mission Santa Barbara for years. This week, however, workers were forced to remove the statue of the controversial figure after someone poured red paint over the sculpture and cut off its head. I think people forget the friars do live here, said Monica Orozco, the missions executive director. Anytime something like this happens to anyones home, its difficult for people. The vandalism, which occurred between midnight and 6 a.m. Monday, has triggered an investigation, said Sgt. Joshua Morton, spokesman for the Santa Barbara Police Department. No arrests have been made. Employees are reexamining security measures for the 13-acre property, which is home to 20 friars and houses the Franciscan School of Theology, Orozco said. It also serves as a historical museum, mausoleum and event space. The missions statue is one of several Serra sculptures that have been defaced since Pope Francis elevated the friar to sainthood two years ago. In most cases, the statutes were splashed with paint, toppled over or decapitated. Missions with ties to Serra have also become targets for vandals throughout California. In January 2015, a lone vandal destroyed statues, including a tombstone, at the San Gabriel Mission. The property was one of only two missions that Serra had called home. This statue of Father Junipero Serra, at the north end of Carmel-by-the-Sea, was vandalized Sept. 23, the day Serra was canonized in Washington, D.C., by Pope Francis. Someone poured black paint on the statue. A neighbor cleaned it. (Robin Abcarian / Los Angeles Times) (Robin Abcarian) Serras legacy Serra, an 18th century Spanish Franciscan friar, founded nine missions from San Diego to Sonoma and baptized thousands of Native Americans. To critics, Serra is a symbol of the mission systems harsh treatment of indigenous tribes who were pressured to assimilate. He viewed the indigenous tribes as heathens who desperately needed the Gospel. Pope Francis and other supporters say Serra was a defender of indigenous tribes. At Serras canonization ceremony in September 2015, Francis said, "Junipero sought to defend the dignity of the native community, to protect it from those who had mistreated and abused it. That same year, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles launched a website dedicated to countering any negative portraits of Serra as the Catholic Church made efforts to reshape the Mallorca-born missionarys image. Father Junipero Serras statue stands in Brand Park across the street from the San Fernando Mission. (Steve Osman / Los Angeles Times) (Steve Osman/Los Angeles Times) Serra-related monuments and buildings vandalized along Central Coast The vandalism began on the day Francis canonized Serra. Someone tossed black paint on a statue of Serra at the north end of Carmel. Days later, vandals struck the Carmel Mission, where his remains are buried. A statue of Serra had been toppled and splashed with green paint. The words "Saint of Genocide" were scrawled on the base. Brown paint was poured on a nearby grave stone. In November 2015, vandals splashed red paint across the front door of the Mission Santa Cruz, one of 21 Spanish Franciscan missions in California. The mission was not founded by Serra but by his successor, Father Fermin Francisco de Lasuen. The following year, someone used a sledgehammer to decapitate a Serra statue at Lower Presidio Historic Park in Monterey. In August, one or more vandals painted the hands of a Serra statue in red. Vandals scrawled murderer on the monument, which stands at Brand Park across the street from the San Fernando Mission in Mission Hills. veronica.rocha@latimes.com A Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting two inmates inside a county jail facility, Sheriff Jim McDonnell said Thursday. Deputy Giancarlo Scotti, 31, was arrested at 6 p.m. Wednesday on suspicion of two counts of rape and two counts of oral copulation under color of authority, McDonnell said at a Thursday morning news conference. Scotti, a 10-year veteran of the agency, posted $100,000 bail and was placed on administrative leave pending further investigation. He still is being paid pending the filing of criminal charges, McDonnell said. Advertisement There was no indication other personnel were involved, the sheriff said. Somebody who is in custody is in our care. Were responsible to ensure their safety, he said. This is appalling. Its a violation of the trust the public puts in us as a public entity. Reached by phone Thursday, Scotti declined to comment. The assaults occurred early Wednesday morning at the Century Regional Detention Facility, McDonnell said. The victims, described only as adult women, reported the assaults to a teaching instructor around 9 a.m. Wednesday, he said. The women were in the same cell, according to the sheriff, who said Scotti was able to put himself in a place where he was alone with the two. The attacks took place over the course of an hour, he said. Its not clear whether Scotti threatened the women, used physical force or exerted his influence as a law enforcement official in the course of the attacks. Inmates cannot legally consent to sexual intercourse with deputies under state and federal law. Its disgusting to all of us, to anyone who wears a badge, McDonnell said. He said Scotti, like all guards in a custody setting, was not armed at the time of the incident. The Assn. for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, which represents rank-and-file deputies, issued a statement Thursday regarding Scottis arrest. We urge the public to withhold judgment until the facts of the case are proven, the statement said. We too believe there should be zero tolerance for any law enforcement officer who is proven to have taken advantage of anyone who is in custody. Authorities have yet to present the case to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. Scotti is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 5, McDonnell said. Like thousands of correctional facilities in the U.S., the countys jails are bound by the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act, signed into law in 2003, which mandates that facilities protect inmates from sexual assault. The federal standards, enacted in 2012, include barring cross-gender strip searches and other measures to prevent inappropriate or illegal conduct. Facilities must pass an audit every three years in order to be compliant with the law. To date, no facility within the Los Angeles county jail system the nations largest has undergone an audit, said Karen Dalton, assistant division director of custody in the Sheriffs Department, citing a shortage of auditors. Dalton, the departments PREA coordinator, said the Century detention facility is scheduled to complete a test audit next month in preparation for a full review. As of two months ago, male guards at the facility, which houses female inmates, began announcing that theres a male on the floor when entering a dorm. Officials have also begun offering confidential support services for inmates, she said. Dalton said federal guidelines do not allow male guards to be alone in a cell with female inmates, except in urgent circumstances. Most of the guards at the Century facility are women. Dalton said the swift action taken against Scotti is an example of the system working properly. We put PREA in place for the sexual safety of all of our inmates, and the fact that these women reported it right away speaks volumes, she said. McDonnell said he was announcing Scottis arrest due to the departments commitment to transparency. However, Michele Ynfante, the campaign lead for Dignity and Power now, a group that advocates on behalf of incarcerated people and their families, questioned how open the department was willing to be. She said she was escorted out of Thursdays news conference by Sheriffs officials. Ynfante said she was sexually assaulted by a deputy at the Century facility when she was being held there in 2011 and wanted to attend the sheriffs announcement as part of her advocacy work in the jail system. Some of those people [inside] dont have a voice. We were just there to collect information, she said. Ynfante said officials told her she could not attend the event because she is not a credentialed member of the press. Department spokesman Capt. Darren Harris said Ynfante had agreed to leave after being told she did not have press credentials. She would be provided a video of the event along with a statement, he said. Scottis arrest is the latest in a string of high-profile sexual misconduct allegations against Los Angeles law enforcement officers. LAPD Officer Robert Cain was accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old member of the police departments cadet program in June, after an investigation sparked by the theft of police cruisers and other LAPD equipment by members of the program. Last month, Sheriffs Sgt. Michael Spina was charged with sexual battery and false imprisonment after he groped a subordinate deputy at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility, prosecutors said. Spina touched the victims breast while masturbating and watching a pornographic video in 2016, and told the woman she owed him for approving a time-off request, court documents show. The Sheriffs Department is still investigating what it described as alarming and disturbing claims of sexual misconduct involving a deputy and a member of the agencys Deputy Explorer program, an education initiative for young people ages 14 to 21. Times staff writers Richard Winton and Joseph Serna contributed to this report. james.queally@latimes.com maya.lau@latimes.com For breaking California news, follow @JamesQueallyLAT and @mayalau on Twitter ALSO Fence rises around site for border wall models; law enforcement weighs special area for protesters Police discover three children killed in West Sacramento apartment; Its very difficult Are West Hills and Los Feliz home invasion robberies connected? LAPD investigates UPDATES: 5:35 p.m.: This article was updated with information on federal mandates to protect inmates from sexual assault, comments from an advocate and from a department spokesman. 1:55 p.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from McDonnell, the deputies union and background on sexual misconduct allegations made against other Los Angeles law enforcement officials. 11:20 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from Sheriff Jim McDonnell. 11 a.m.: This article was updated with the identity of the deputy and other details of the case. This article was originally published at 9:05 a.m. Russian diplomats were cited this week for violating Bay Area burning restrictions after smoke was seen billowing from their consular office in San Francisco, a day before it was closed under federal order. Regulators with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District do not know what diplomats were burning that produced the thick, black smoke on Sept. 1, but they dont believe it was firewood, said agency spokeswoman Lisa Fasano. The districts air emission regulations prohibit residents from burning garbage or other materials in wood-burning fireplaces. Advertisement On Tuesday, Fasano said, the district sent a notice of violation to the now-shuttered consular office in the 2700 block of Green Street. She said district officials are hoping the notice will be forwarded to the diplomats new mailing address. The Trump administration ordered the consulates closure a month after the Russian government ordered the U.S. to cut its diplomatic staff in Russia. Russia had until Sept. 2 to close the office in San Francisco, the chancery annex in Washington and the consular annex in New York, the State Department announced last month. As the diplomats prepared to leave Sept. 1, the column of smoke was spotted above the consular office. The smoke was an unusual sight that day in downtown San Francisco, where temperatures reached a staggering 106 degrees, setting an all-time heat record for the area. The smoke sparked concerns and triggered a call to the San Francisco Police Department. Firefighters determined the smoke was coming from a chimney inside the consular office. Air quality inspectors also headed to the neighborhood and took several photographs of the smoke, Fasano said. When the diplomats receive the notice, she said, they are required to reach out to the districts legal team to settle the issue. If a settlement cant be reached, the diplomats have the option of going to court, Fasano said. veronica.rocha@latimes.com Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA A federal appeals court decided Wednesday that the identities of noncitizens released by the federal government from immigration jails in 2013 may be withheld from the public. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals said that disclosing the detainees names would amount to an unwarranted invasion of their personal privacy and possibly jeopardize their safety. The detainees would be publicly identified as unauthorized immigrants who had previously been held in government detention, a status which carries with it the potential for stigma, harassment, discrimination, illegal detention, and even violence, Judge Stephen Reinhardt, a President Carter appointee, wrote for the court. Advertisement The Obama administration released more than 2,000 immigration detainees to save money at a time when the federal government was facing major budget cutbacks. The government said that none of those released had serious criminal records and that all would be monitored pending proceedings on whether they should be deported. USA Today filed a freedom of information request in 2013 and discovered that some of the immigrants released had been charged with serious crimes. The government records, though, withheld the names of the detainees. Edward Tuffly, the treasurer of the National Border Patrol Council, the union for Border Patrol agents, went to court to try to compel the government to disclose the names of 149 noncitizens released in Arizona. The 9th Circuit, upholding a district judges decision, said protecting the former detainees privacy outweighed the public interest in their names. The names, linked to the information the government already released, would reveal some detainees medical conditions and arrest and conviction records, the court said. The records showed that 53% of the former Arizona detainees had no criminal convictions, the 9th Circuit said. Of those with convictions, 87% were for minor offenses, including traffic violations and disorderly conduct, and 7% were convicted of more serious crimes, the court said. The rate of criminal convictions is lower among the released detainees than among adult Americans in general, and the crimes previously committed by the few with a prior record are far less serious, Reinhardt wrote. maura.dolan@latimes.com Twitter: @mauradolan J.P. Donleavy, the incorrigible Irish American author and playwright whose ribald debut novel The Ginger Man met scorn, censorship and eventually celebration as a groundbreaking classic, has died at age 91. Donleavy, a native New Yorker who lived his final years on an estate west of Dublin, died Monday in Ireland. His death was confirmed by personal assistant Deborah Goss. The author of more than a dozen books, he sometimes was compared to James Joyce as a prose stylist, but also was admired for his sense of humor. The Ginger Man, first published in 1955, sold more than 45 million copies and placed No. 99 on a Modern Library list of the greatest English language fiction of the 20th century. Advertisement The Ginger Man has undoubtedly launched thousands of benders, but it has also inspired scores of writers with its vivid and visceral narrative voice and the sheer poetry of its prose, American novelist Jay McInerney wrote in the introduction for a 2010 reissue. When the novel was published, authorities targeted its profanity and graphic sexual content. It was banned in Ireland and the United States. Several publishers rejected the book before it was acquired by Paris-based Olympia Press, which specialized in explicit and avant-garde materials. To Donleavys fury, Olympia released the book through an imprint dedicated to pornography. The Ginger Man is an ambling, picaresque tale about the adventures of Sebastian Dangerfield, an American in Dublin after World War II who neglects and abuses his wife and child, mooches off his friends, bilks his landlords, drinks wherever he can run up a tab and rarely lets a womans appearance go unnoticed. I have discovered one of the great ailments of Ireland, 67 percent of the population has never been completely naked in their lives, Sebastian observes. I am bound to say that this must cause a great deal of the passive agony one sees in the street. Often cited as prophetic of the cultural revolution of the 1960s, The Ginger Man sold so well that it enabled Donleavy to buy Olympia after he and the publisher spent years suing each other over rights to the book. The author initially had less success adapting The Ginger Man for the stage. The play opened in London in 1959 with Richard Harris as Dangerfield, but closed within days in part because of objections from the Roman Catholic Church. A New York production starred Patrick ONeal, who later opened a Manhattan restaurant and named it after Donleavys book. The Ginger Man is also among the most prominent novels never to have been made into a feature film, although those trying included Robert Redford, Mike Nichols and Johnny Depp. Donleavy, a bearded, green-eyed man who spoke with an Anglicized accent, never lost his affinity for odd and provocative behavior. Cornelius Christian, the protagonist of A Fairy Tale in New York, arrives at U.S. Customs with his wifes body in a box. In A Singular Man, the wealthy George Smith composes a will that calls for his estate to be auctioned off and the proceeds converted to banknotes of small denominations and placed in a steel receptacle six feet high and one foot in diameter. Reviewing A Singular Man in 1963 for the National Observer, a little known Hunter S. Thompson praised Donleavy as a humorist in the only sense of the word that has any dignity, one forever at war with despair. Sebastian Dangerfield was based on a classmate at Trinity College, but Donleavy seemed to share many of his vices, telling the Associated Press in 1992 that at school I took my degree in drinking and harlotry in the finer pubs of Dublin. He was married (and divorced) twice and was nonchalant when interviewers noted that his second wife twice conceived children with other men. He became an Irish citizen in middle age after the government granted artists tax-exempt status. Money, above all things, Donleavy responded when asked by the Paris Review in 1975 about his motivations. Fame goes, but money never does. Its got its own beauty. Its never gone to ashes in my mouth. Ive always exquisitely enjoyed it. And maybe a little bit of revenge. The son of Irish immigrants, James Patrick Donleavy was born in New York City, wrote poetry as a child and had some early success as a painter before turning to fiction in his early 20s. As he explained to the Paris Review, he thought the novel was his quickest path to fame and set out to write a book that would shake the world. Donleavy served in the Navy during World War II, attended Trinity in the late 1940s and began working on The Ginger Man soon after. The author would endure a wave of rejections and recalled a visit to the Boston offices of Little, Brown and Company, which had recently published of J.D. Salingers The Catcher In the Rye. The editor called me around there on a hot, sweaty afternoon, he told the Paris Review. He sat me a good distance away from his desk, and the manuscript was in a shadowy corner of the room. He leaned back in his chair very nervously and pointed at the manuscript, with his hand trembling, and said, Theres obscene libel in that book! So that was the end of Little, Brown. Donleavy lived long enough in Ireland to absorb his adopted countrys dark humor about mortality. When I die, he once wrote, I want to decompose in a barrel of porter and have it served in all the pubs in Dublin. Another time, he composed an epitaph in rhyme: When Im dead, I hope it may be said: his sins were scarlet, but his books were read. President Trump told Florida hurricane victims his administration is there for you 100% as officials moved urgently to safeguard the states vulnerable elderly and restore power to millions of homes and businesses still without electricity. The president and First Lady Melania Trump arrived aboard Air Force One in Fort Myers on the peninsulas southwestern Gulf coast, then traveled by helicopter to Naples, 40 miles away. It was Trumps third disaster-zone visit in less than three weeks. In a Naples mobile home park, not far from where then-Hurricane Irma made its second landfall in Florida, Trump shook hands with residents, quizzed people about how they were faring and joined volunteers serving lunch. Advertisement We love the people of Florida, he said, pledging that he would be back to monitor recovery progress. We are there for you 100% These are special, special people. Earlier, he hailed his own administrations performance as well as that of state and local officials. I think were doing a good job in Florida, Trump said in a brief question-and-answer session with reporters after landing in Fort Myers. Addressing a group of rescue workers and officials assembled in an airport hangar, he paid special tribute to first responders and Florida Gov. Rick Scott. The governor, flanking him, in turn praised the White House and federal response. As you know, our states been devastated, Scott said. Floridas nascent restoration drive is projected to take months and cost billions of dollars, after the storm battered parts of the Florida Keys, triggered serious flooding in the northern part of the state and upended daily life in major cities and small towns in between. The presidential visit to Florida comes a day after at least eight patients died in a sweltering nursing home in Hollywood, Fla., that was left with limited power after Irma pounded the region. On Thursday, the citys law enforcement was granted a search warrant in an ongoing investigation. Raelin Storey, a spokeswoman for the city, said the facility had some power early Wednesday, but the buildings air-conditioning system was not fully functional. Scott on Thursday directed the Agency for Health Care Administration to issue an emergency moratorium to prevent the facility in question from housing any patients. Hot, humid conditions coupled with a lack of power have particularly imperiled Floridas large population of the elderly, and some preemptive evacuations were underway to protect nursing home residents. From left, Vice President Mike Pence, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet Florida residents impacted by Hurricane Irma in Naples on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) Fire rescue teams removed 122 people from two assisted-living facilities near Orlando as a safety measure, a fire department spokeswoman said. In suburban Fort Lauderdale, residents of an assisted-living facility that lost power were moved to similar institutions close by that had electricity. Statewide, nearly 2.7 million homes and businesses still lacked power, officials said Thursday. But both Trump and Scott pointed to progress in restoring the electrical grid. Late Wednesday, Florida Power & Light reported that nearly 442,000 of its 1.1 million customers in Miami-Dade County were still without power. In nearby Broward County, 300,000 were without electricity, but repairs were moving ahead. After initial stumbles in earlier disaster-zone visits and criticism over a perceived lack of empathy for those affected, Trump appeared more comfortable Thursday in the role of consoler-in-chief, tasked with the ceremonial duty of rallying flagging spirits in the hurricane zone. Still, he raised some eyebrows by injecting politics into Thursdays visit, declaring in his arrival remarks that Scott, a Republican, should run for the Senate, challenging Democrat Bill Nelson. He also struck a somewhat odd note in announcing that he wanted to make sure storm-affected people were happy. As Florida struggled to revive its commercial and business life, school classes remained disrupted. Officials from the Miami-Dade Public School District said schools would remain closed the rest of the week because of power issues. In Naples, the Collier County Public School District remains closed and will not reopen until next week. Since Irma made landfall Sunday, 31 people in Florida, South Carolina and Georgia have been killed in storm-related circumstances. At least 38 people were killed in the Caribbean, where the storm, then a much more powerful Category 5 hurricane, devastated a string of Leeward Islands in the eastern Caribbean. Times staff writer Lee reported from Los Angeles, McDonnell from Naples and King from Washington. ALSO Eight dead at a Florida nursing home that lost power during Hurricane Irma Irma hits Jacksonville, Fla., with its worst flood in a century The incredible stories of the die-hards who looked Irma in the face and stayed UPDATES: 11:10 a.m.: This article was updated with additional Trump quotes, his visit to a mobile home park and a search warrant issued in the nursing home where several deaths occurred. 9:05 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from Trump, his departure for Naples and more nursing home evacuations. 8:05 a.m.: This article was updated with the president and first ladys arrival, more nursing home evacuations and other details. This article was originally published at 6 a.m. The FBI is investigating two Russian government-funded media organizations that operate in the United States following accusations that they were part of a massive Kremlin operation to help swing last years presidential election to Donald Trump. Russia Today, Moscows flagship English language television broadcaster, and Sputnik News, a radio and wire service funded by the Kremlin, claim to be legitimate news gathering organizations, no different from the BBC. But the FBI is exploring whether the two Russian organizations should be required to register as foreign agents, invoking a U.S. law originally passed before World War II to prevent the spread of Nazi propaganda. Advertisement A U.S. intelligence community report on Moscows interference in the 2016 presidential race concluded in January that Sputnik and RT, as Russia Today is known, were part of a multi-faceted Russian intelligence operation aimed at discrediting democracy and helping Trump win in November. Some former employees of the Russian media organizations, which operate from separate offices several blocks from the White House, agree with that assessment. Sputnik is not a news agency. Its meant to look like one, but its propaganda, said Andrew Feinberg, a former White House correspondent for Sputnik. He said FBI agents interviewed him for two hours last month about the Russian governments influence over the operation. Feinberg said that during his five months at Sputnik, his editors were interested almost exclusively in stories about political conspiracies, and made clear that the organization took orders from Moscow. They always wanted to make the U.S. government look stupid, he said. I was constantly told, Moscow wanted this or Moscow wanted that. The question of who dictated editorial decisions was of particular concern to the FBI agents who questioned him, Feinberg said. They wanted to know, Did they get their direction from Moscow, and of course the answer was Yes, he said. He said he gave the FBI thousands of emails to and from editors from his time at Sputnik. Mindia Gavasheli, the Sputnik bureau chief in Washington, declined to comment Wednesday. RT said on its website Tuesday that it had received a letter from the Department of Justice requesting it register as a foreign agent. The company did not say if it would comply. The war the U.S. establishment wages with our journalists is dedicated to all the starry-eyed idealists who still believe in freedom of speech, RT Editor in Chief Margarita Simonyan said. Those who invented it have buried it. The FBI investigation was first reported by Yahoo News. It wasnt immediately clear if it was part of the much broader investigation being led by Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III into whether Trumps aides illegally cooperated with Russian authorities before or after last years election. Trump and Russias government have denied improper dealings. The Foreign Agents Registration Act, passed in 1938, requires anyone in the U.S. who acts at the order, request, or under the direction or control of a foreign government to register with the Justice Department and to disclose financial information. The statute, known as FARA, provides an exception for any news or press service as long at its coverage is not directed by a foreign government. The exception has long allowed news organizations funded by foreign governments but free from their control over editorial decisions like the British Broadcasting Corp. or Germanys Deutsche Welle to operate on U.S. soil without registering with the Justice Department. FARA experts say that if RT and Sputnik refuse Justice Department requests to register, they could face civil or criminal prosecution under the law. The law carries penalties of up to five years in prison and fines up to $10,000. If its the case that they are directed by the Russian government, then it raises a strong question as to why they are not registered under FARA because they would not be covered by the media exception, said Joe Sandler, a Washington attorney who is expert on what FARA covers. Other foreign media under more direct government control have been registered for years. They include China Daily, a Beijing news outlet; NHK Cosmomedia, a Japanese TV news operation; and KBS Korean Broadcasting System, a South Korean company, records show. RT and Sputnik differ from most foreign media based in Washington in that they produce English-language articles and programming intended for American audiences. Their reporters show up routinely at White House and State Department briefings. Their broadcasts, news stories and opinion pieces frequently conform to Kremlin views on issues such as the war in Syria, Russias seizure of Crimea and U.S. sanctions on Moscow. The U.S. intelligence report on Russian interference in the 2016 election describes RT and Sputnik as part of Russias state-run propaganda machine. It said they made increasingly favorable comments about Trump as the campaign progressed while consistently offering negative coverage of Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee. Sputnik has expanded its U.S. operations since the election. In June, it announced that it had subleased a radio station in Reston, Va., and began broadcasting on July 1 into Washington and its suburbs in northern Virginia. Using a signal that formerly broadcast bluegrass music, Sputnik shifted the programming to a 24-hour talk format that consistently criticizes U.S. government policy and parrots Kremlin themes. Why the myth of Russian interference in U.S. election is destroying American democracy, was the subject of one recent Sputnik podcast. Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), House sponsor of a bill to strengthen Justice Department enforcement of FARA, said RT serves as a propaganda arm for the Russian government to spread often false, always biased, information to benefit whatever whims of the Russian government and Vladimir Putin are the topic of the day. But Alexandra Ellerbeck, North America program director for the Committee to Protect Journalists, said registering Russian media as foreign agents could have serious repercussions, especially in Russia. The Russian government already requires foreigners working for nongovernmental organizations, such as human rights monitors and legal aid groups, to register. In an era of increasingly tense relations, and tit for tat diplomatic expulsions, Russia may now require any foreign media operating in Russia to register as well, she warned. In a separate move Wednesday, the Homeland Security Department ordered federal agencies to stop using anti-virus software and other computer products from AO Kaspersky Lab, a privately owned Russian company, warning that Russian authorities might exploit the software to penetrate or disrupt sensitive U.S. digital systems. The order, issued by Homeland Securitys acting secretary, Elaine Duke, gave federal civilian agencies 30 days to inventory all Kaspersky software products on their systems and 90 days to stop using it. The department is concerned about the ties between certain Kaspersky officials and Russian intelligence and other government agencies, Homeland Security said in a statement. The risk that the Russian government, whether acting on its own or in collaboration with Kaspersky, could capitalize on access provided by Kaspersky products to compromise federal information and information systems directly implicates U.S. national security, it added. In a statement, Kaspersky denied inappropriate ties with any government and said it was disappointed by the order, which it called completely unfounded. No credible information has been presented publicly by anyone or any organization as the accusations are based on false allegations and inaccurate assumptions, the company said. A Utah police chief will decide the punishment for a detective caught on video dragging a nurse from a hospital and handcuffing her after a police review board found that he had lost control. Salt Lake City Det. Jeff Payne became upset during a long wait to draw blood from a patient, and his frustration spilled over when nurse Alex Wubbels, based on hospital policy, refused to draw blood, a report from the independent Police Civilian Review Board said. His verbal actions were loud, aggressive and overly mission-driven, said the report, released Wednesday. It added that Payne very clearly lost control of his emotions. Advertisement That report and another from Salt Lake City Police Department internal affairs investigators will be considered by Police Chief Mike Brown as he weighs possible punishment, which could include firing. Paynes lawyer, Greg Skordas, said Thursday the boards conclusions were speculation. When I look at a police report, I think just the facts. You dont need that kind of stuff, he said. Payne will go before the police chief on Sept. 25 to give his side of the story. Paynes only other black mark in his 27-year tenure on the Salt Lake City police force was a written reprimand from 2013, Skordas said. The report also faults supervisor Lt. James Tracy, who told Payne to arrest the nurse if she didnt allow the blood draw, for not seeking legal advice on drawing blood from a car crash victim without a warrant or formal consent. Police have since said Wubbels was right, and have changed department policy. Tracys attorney, Ed Brass, didnt have immediate comment, saying he hadnt been provided a copy of the report. Salt Lake City police opened an internal investigation a day after the July 26 arrest. Payne and Tracy were put on paid administrative leave after widespread attention followed the release of the body-camera video by Wubbels and her lawyer on Aug. 31. The civilian review board report said that a third unnamed officer missed a chance to step in and calm things down. Salt Lake City police spokeswoman Christina Judd said the department trained officers on how to de-escalate situations rather than using force. After dinner at the White House, top Democrats say they and President Trump have agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly. Here are the stories you shouldnt miss today: TOP STORIES New Hope for the Dreamers Advertisement Another week, another deal between President Trump and the Democrats? House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer said the two sides reached an agreement to provide legal status for 800,000 immigrants who came to the U.S. illegally as children that would be part of a border security package. One potential sticking point: Chuck and Nancy, as the president called the two last week, say money for Trumps signature border wall would not be included, a contention White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders denied. So how does this play to Trumps base? Breitbarts headline was simply: Amnesty Don. More Politics -- Leading Democrats are expressing support for Sen. Bernie Sanders single-payer health insurance effort, while Trump praised but stopped short of endorsing the latest GOP health plan. -- In a narrow vote, the Senate declined to repeal the authorization that Congress gave for military action after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. -- A survey has found that partisan divisions in the U.S., already at a high point during President Obamas years in office, have hardened further under Trump. Tragedy at a Florida Nursing Home The misery after Hurricane Irma is being compounded with more tragedy. Eight patients at a nursing home in Hollywood, Fla., have died amid sweltering heat and a power outage. Officials say they are conducting a criminal investigation into what happened but believe it may be related to the loss of power. The victims were five women and three men who ranged in age from 71 to 99. Meanwhile, as the death toll rises and hundreds of thousands of residents remain without power, President Trump will survey the damage in Florida today. Trailer homes were destroyed by Hurricane Irma at the Sea Breeze trailer park in Islamorada in the Florida Keys. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Moscow on the Potomac Like many foreign media organizations funded by their governments, Russia Today and Sputnik News have reporters in Washington. Unlike most, they produce English-language stories meant for American audiences. Now the FBI is investigating the two after accusations they were part of a massive Kremlin operation to push last years election in Trumps favor. One former White House correspondent for Sputnik says it is not a news agency. Its meant to look like one, but its propaganda. At UC Berkeley, Free Speech Doesnt Come Free UC Berkeley is hoping for the best and preparing for the worst when conservative writer Ben Shapiro speaks today at Sproul Plaza, birthplace of the 60s free speech movement. After recent violent clashes between far-right and far-left agitators, officials have geared up: Theyve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on security and lifted a ban on police using pepper spray on protesters. The university is even offering counseling to stressed-out students. Where Did the Donations Come From? As the leader of L.A.s new pro-charter school board, Ref Rodriguez has been at a high point in his political career since being elected board president in July. Now he stands accused of giving $24,000 of his own money, disguised as donations by others, to his 2015 campaign. Rodriguez is facing three felony counts of conspiracy, perjury and procuring and offering a false or forged instrument. In a statement, he defended his intentions. MUST-WATCH VIDEO -- Paradise has seen better days. The Florida Keys are battered, if not entirely bowed. -- Film director Dee Rees reflects on how her post-World War II drama, Mudbound, speaks to America today. -- Sen. Kamala Harris signs on to Sen. Bernie Sanders single-payer health plan. CALIFORNIA -- L.A. has been officially named as host of the 2028 Summer Olympics, but some opponents vow to fight on. -- Anaheim has declared a state of emergency over the growing homeless community along the Santa Ana River, clearing the way for the removal of hundreds of people. -- Californias powerful interest groups have long relied on what they could pull off in the final hours of the states legislative year. This time, theres more transparency. -- Officials have charged former rap mogul Marion Suge Knights fiancee and business partner with violating a court order by selling sealed video evidence to TMZ. HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS -- Director Darren Aronofskys film mother! isnt easily described. Suffice it to say, it looks to blow your mind. -- The horror movie It, adapted from the Stephen King novel, is expected to continue its box-office domination. Even those in the industry are surprised how well its doing. -- After a traumatic on-set accident, actor Dylan OBrien is back and ready again to prove hes an action hero. -- Yo-Yo Ma managed to do the impossible at the Hollywood Bowl: hold an audience in rapt attention for nearly three hours. CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD Patrick Swayze was a classically trained dancer who gained movie star status in Dirty Dancing, but he didnt want to be known as the dance dude and often spoke of the loneliness of fame. On this date in 2009, he died of pancreatic cancer at age 57. NATION-WORLD -- Authorities say one student was killed and three others were wounded when a fellow student opened fire Wednesday morning at a high school near Spokane, Wash. -- Pharma Bro Martin Shkrelis bail was revoked and he was headed to jail after he offered to pay a $5,000 bounty for a strand of hair from Hillary Clinton. -- Two Israeli Supreme Court rulings could hurt the governing coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. -- As Myanmar draws condemnation for violence that has driven Rohingya Muslims to flee, leader Aung San Suu Kyi is skipping this weeks U.N. General Assembly. -- NASAs Cassini spacecraft is in its final hours before it will be destroyed in Saturns atmosphere, but its still providing scientific data. BUSINESS -- Amazon probably wouldnt get mega-subsidies to create a second North American headquarters in California, but it still might land in SoCal. -- The startup Bodega learned an important branding lesson, the hard way. Now its issued an apology. SPORTS -- Former USC running back LenDale White wondered: Without football, what value did he have? -- Pitcher Yu Darvish had a strong outing against the San Francisco Giants, and the Dodgers breathed a sigh of relief with their second consecutive win after a monster losing streak. OPINION -- UC Berkeley is sending mixed messages about freedom of speech. -- A scholar at Princeton University outlines what to expect if Trump undoes the Iran nuclear deal. WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING -- ABC News reports Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin asked to use an Air Force jet to take him and his wife on their honeymoon in Europe. -- Bill OReilly has some things to say about Trump, Charlottesville and Megyn Kelly, but not about his firing from Fox News Channel. (The Hollywood Reporter) -- A cinematographer discusses the art of properly lighting black actors faces. (Mic) ONLY IN L.A. This 1929 Spanish-style hacienda in Brentwood was once owned by Cindy Crawford, as well as Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck. So it only makes sense that it has a starring role in the film Home Again. But dont look too closely at the kitchen countertops in the movie: Theyre fake. If you like this newsletter, please share it with friends. Comments or ideas? Email us at headlines@latimes.com. Last month, UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ issued a powerful statement reminding the university community that the 1st Amendment protects even speech that most of us would find hateful, abhorrent and odious and that public expression of many sharply divergent points of view is fundamental both to our democracy and to our mission as a university. That was a welcome announcement. In earlier episodes this year Berkeley had stumbled canceling planned appearances by conservative firebrands Ann Coulter and Milo Yiannopoulos for fear of violent protests. Now, however, it is going ahead with a scheduled appearance Thursday by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro. Thats a win for free expression on campus, where provocative ideas and civil debate should be encouraged rather than squelched. Still, even as the university took that step forward, it may have muddied its own message. In a Sept. 7 missive to the UC Berkeley community headlined Ben Shapiro visit: Logistics and resources, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Paul Alivisatos described security preparations for Shapiros visit, called on protesters to demonstrate peacefully, but then said this: Advertisement We are deeply concerned about the impact some speakers may have on individuals sense of safety and belonging. No one should be made to feel threatened or harassed simply because of who they are or for what they believe. For that reason, Alivisatos wrote, the university was referring students and faculty to support services, including mental health counseling for students. Why did that bother us? Its certainly justifiable even laudable for UC Berkeley to offer counseling to students in distress whatever the cause. Still, there seemed to be a troubling implication that listening to views that offend you is hazardous to your mental health. That happens to be an increasingly popular idea in higher education. Two years ago, in an article in The Atlantic, Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt warned: A movement is arising, undirected and driven largely by students, to scrub campuses clean of words, ideas, and subjects that might cause discomfort or give offense. The authors argued that this trend presumes an extraordinary fragility of the collegiate psyche. The same assumption seems to inform Alivisatos letter. Shapiro is conservative and, from what weve seen of his speeches, he is blunt about what he believes, regardless of whose feelings he might hurt. In one appearance, for example, he said that a transgender female is a boy who thinks hes a girl. If students who hear him feel threatened or harassed and believe that counseling would in some way help them, fine. But university professors and administrators should make sure they send another message as well: that college is a time to broaden ones thinking, to listen to others, to re-examine preconceived opinions, to entertain new ideas. And that disagreeable, uncomfortable and even noxious opinions are often clarifying rather than harmful or dangerous. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook Its almost always the role of local school districts in California to create new public schools. Even charter schools start by seeking permission from their local school boards to operate. So a bill in Sacramento that would order the state to create a charter-like school specializing in the so-called STEM fields of science, tech, engineering and math cant help raising eyebrows. It doesnt help that no one is being especially forthcoming about who started the push for this school, which would be located in Los Angeles County, probably in the heart of the city, and operate similarly to a charter school. Two differences are that it would report to the state superintendent of public instruction and would close in five years unless new legislation is passed to keep it alive. In general, one-shot end runs around the usual system, with separate sets of rules, are a bad idea. Advertisement Theres only one argument to offset the skepticism that AB 1217 provokes, but its a compelling one: With support from Caltech, UCLA, philanthropist Eli Broad and others, this promises to be an outstanding school, the kind of well-funded, heavily enriched institution that affluent people would pay big money to send their kids to but that remains beyond the grasp of poor families. Some great magnet and charter schools operate in the L.A. Unified School District, but not nearly enough to meet the needs of the predominantly low-income student body. AB 1217 would give preference for admission to the new STEM school to low-income students as well as foster kids and those who are not fluent in English in other words, students with serious educational challenges. Regular charter schools, by contrast, have to offer equal access. Whether such preferences are a good idea is a complicated question. There would be outrage if a public school were allowed to give special consideration to, say, rich kids. Is an admissions advantage that swings in the other direction acceptable? In our opinion, it is. The reality is that the public education system has long handed the advantage to wealthier people who can afford to live in communities with better-funded schools and who are better equipped to enhance their childrens education. Making efforts to level the playing field are welcome. Bills like this shouldnt become a habit, and theres little doubt that its backers also want to escape the close scrutiny of L.A. Unified. Thats not a good thing. But right now, the overriding concern should be providing as many great public schools for low-income kids as we can manage. This bill would get the state one school closer. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook In announcing President Trumps decision to roll back the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions cited the safety and jobs of American citizens and the need for a system of immigration that serves the national interest. In the past, Sessions said, failing to enforce immigration laws has put the country at risk of crime, violence and even terrorism. But the best data indicate that immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children, the so-called Dreamers, do not take jobs from citizens and commit far less crime than other groups. They also contribute billions of dollars to the economy every year. There is another distinction that sets Dreamers apart, of course: Most of them are from Mexico, and they are not white. Trumps move to end DACA, therefore, must be understood within the historical context of Americas exclusionary immigration policies, the bulk of which have relied on the pseudoscience of eugenics. Advertisement Beginning with the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, race-based immigration policies arose alongside eugenics, a form of social engineering that separated humanity into desirable and undesirable groups. Anglo-Saxons were placed atop the ranking of groups considered desirable, while the bottom rankings were occupied by Eastern and Southern Europeans, Asians, Africans and Native Americans. President Theodore Roosevelt was heavily influenced by eugenics and once remarked that the country needed good breeders as well as good fighters. Over the years, Trump has demonstrated a fondness for eugenic principles, repeatedly promoting the view that genes make the man. Eugenics informed American immigration policy most blatantly during the period between the world wars. IQ tests were employed as instruments of discrimination, used to identify who would be confined and even sterilized. The Immigration Act of 1924 excluded many Jews and Italians and nearly all Africans and Asians. American experts even promoted eugenics abroad. In accepting an honor from the Nazi government in 1936, the American eugenicist Harry Laughlin praised Germany for having nurtured the human seed-stock of the United States. After the Holocaust demonstrated the evil inherent in eugenics, the word faded from use, but application of the theory did not die. An Eisenhower administration policy called Operation Wetback targeted undocumented brown-skinned people in California for deportation in the 1950s, and many states fought to preserve discriminatory practices driven by eugenics, including Oregon, which continued to order forced sterilizations until 1981. Over the years, Trump has demonstrated a fondness for eugenic principles, repeatedly promoting the view that genes make the man. You have to be born lucky, Trump told Oprah Winfrey in 1988, in the sense that you have to have the right genes. He later spoke of being a gene believer, declaring, I have great genes, and all that stuff. Others are not as blessed as he is, Trump has said: Some people cannot, genetically, handle pressure. In an interview I conducted with Trump, he told me that he had a genetic gift for real estate. His son Donald put it more explicitly, explaining that his family subscribes to a racehorse theory that places a high value on human bloodlines. Indeed, the elder Trump frequently refers to blood. Im proud to have that German blood. Great stuff, he once said. More recently, in an interview with the New York Times, the president praised his granddaughters good, smart genes. Trumps extended circle displays a regard for genes that is unseemly at best and, at worst, dangerous. In March, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin told a journalist, Mike Allen of Axios, that Trumps perfect genes were responsible for his energy and health. When Allen asked for clarification, Mnuchin said, Hes got perfect genes. More troubling, Sessions earlier this year held up the Immigration Act of 1924 as an example of good policy. One of Trumps national security officials, Michael Anton, wrote an essay against immigration in which he argued: Diversity is not our strength; its a source of weakness, tension, and disunion. Immigrants hurt the economy, Anton wrote, ignoring fact. True to eugenic orthodoxy, he insisted that communities are de-Americanized by immigrants. It gets worse. Trump appointed Julie Kirchner to serve as ombudsman of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Previously, Kirchner was the executive director of the Federation for American Immigration Reform an anti-immigration group whose founder, John Tanton, espoused eugenic views. Do we leave it to individuals to decide that they are the intelligent ones who should have more kids? Tanton once wrote. And more troublesome, what about the less intelligent, who logically should have less. Who is going to break the bad news to them? Eugenicists would argue that Trump and Tanton are merely applying science to human social problems. But science and history show that eugenics is just racism, dressed up in a suit and tie. Trumps move against Dreamers is more of the same. Arguments about the economy and public safety do not justify the decision, but eugenics explains it. Michael DAntonio is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and the author of The Truth About Trump. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook For years, I worked with congressional Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to vigorously police Barack Obamas presidency. We attacked the Obama administration with speed and enthusiasm. No corner of the federal government was safe from our scrutiny. Any appearance of impropriety was thoroughly investigated. We told the American people and ourselves that taxpayers had a fundamental right to know what was going on with their money inside their government. Like a mantra, we spoke out about the need to hold the executive branch accountable and provide a check-and-balance to the presidents power. Advertisement Flash forward to 2017: Under the Trump administration and an even larger congressional majority, oversight Republicans are completely MIA. It is beyond inappropriate for Kushner to continue working inside the West Wing and on the federal government payroll. What happened to their bravado and self-righteousness? What happened to holding the president to the highest possible standard of ethical scrutiny? A new report from Bloomberg reveals how President Trumps son-in-law and senior White House advisor, Jared Kushner, is on a desperate hunt for cash to address hundreds of millions of dollars his familys real estate business owes on a 41-story office building on Fifth Avenue. The mortgage on the building is due in just 18 months. And Kushners hunt for cash appears to be an international one, shaking the money trees in South Korea, France, Israel, China, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. At the same time, Kushner, as reported by the Washington Post, has been playing the role of shadow diplomat, becoming the primary point of contact for presidents, ministers, ambassadors from more than two dozen countries in Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. In June, when Kushner, who has zero diplomatic and foreign policy experience, traveled to the Middle East to pursue a peace deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians, it is conceivable that he was simultaneously furthering his hunt for cash. Remember when candidate Trump accused Hillary Clinton of running a vast criminal enterprise out of the State Department? Well, Mr. President, what in the world would you call what your daughters husband is doing right now from inside the West Wing? At best, its a conflict of interest. At worst, its an invitation for bribery. Either way, it is beyond inappropriate for Kushner to continue working inside the West Wing and on the federal government payroll. He may be using his position and proximity to the president to gain access to high-profile, international money men in the hopes that theyll cut him and his family a hundred-million-dollar check. What strings do you think that check would come with and does anybody really believe those strings align with the best interests of the United States of America? Keep in mind, Kushner still has a security clearance! And when Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) led an effort in July to revoke that clearance, congressional Republicans unconscionably blocked it because they would rather play politics than act in the best interests of the country they are sworn to protect. They apparently think its fine to leave our country vulnerable to someone who is a prime target for blackmail and financial extortion. Remember, too, that congressional Republicans were foaming at the mouth at the prospect of investigating Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Foundation had she won the presidency. Some of their activities certainly warranted scrutiny but no more so than what Kushners up to. So much for the devotion to vigorous oversight that we championed and regurgitated for the eight years under President Obama. I can tell you with 100% certainty that if a relative of Obama had been working in the West Wing while also soliciting foreign dollars for the family business, we would have launched a full-scale investigation that would have included depositions, subpoenas and congressional hearings. Maybe the congressional oversight committees will finally start doing their jobs and investigate the vast criminal enterprise being operated out of the West Wing. More likely, nothing will happen and Trump, with the silent acquiescence of Republicans in Congress, will help institutionalize this corruption. Kurt Bardella is a political commentator and is a former spokesperson and senior advisor for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee under Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Vista). Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook. ALSO Editorial: Enough DACA drama. Make a deal and stop letting Dreamers twist in the wind Michael DAntonio: Trumps move to end DACA has roots in Americas long, shameful history of eugenics Phil Zuckerman: The Trump administrations alternative Christianity Jersey City has turned sharply against Donald Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner Rabbi that oversaw Ivanka Trumps conversion joins chorus criticizing presidents Charlottesville response Susan Rice, President Obamas United Nations ambassador and national security advisor, must feel a little like Raymond Donovan. Not the Showtime TV character, but the Reagan-era Labor secretary who was forced to leave office and tried on fraud charges. After he was acquitted, he famously asked: Which office do I go to get my reputation back? This past spring, Rice was accused by President Trump and his supporters of breaking the law by unmasking the names of Trump aides in surveillance transcripts made by the National Security Agency. Now it comes out, from Rices testimony to the House Intelligence Committee last week, that she had every reason in the world to discover those names. She did not break the law. Shes just collateral damage in the administrations attack on facts and reality. The Rice affair was an outgrowth of the presidents wild claim, made on March 4, that the Obama administration had engaged in illegal wiretapping of Trump Tower. Terrible! he tweeted. Just found out that Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism! Advertisement There was not, of course, an iota of evidence to support this charge which Trump clearly made to distract attention from the very real scandal of his campaigns links to Russia. The tapping story has now been definitively refuted by the Justice Department. Both FBI and NSD [National Security Division] have no records related to wiretaps as described by the March 4, 2017 tweets, the Justice Department recently wrote in a court filing. There is, of course, no chance that Nunes, Trump or anyone else will apologize to Rice for impugning her integrity. Unable to support Trumps ludicrous claim on its face, his more creative fans in the fever swamps of the far right tried to come up with fanciful explanations of how the supposed wire-tapping might have occurred. Former Judge Andrew Napolitano said on Fox News that, even though the NSA hadnt spied on Trump, its British counterpart, the Government Communications Headquarters, had done so. Trump appeared to endorse this claim, which was swiftly and angrily refuted by the British government, straining trans-Atlantic relations. And then came Version 3.0 of the Obama surveillance scandal, as some on the right called it: the notion that Rice had illegally unmasked names of Trump associates whose conversations were incidentally collected during the course of wiretapping directed against someone else. This allegation first surfaced April 2 on the Twitter account of Mike Cernovich, a far-right conspiracy theorist who also alleged that Hillary Clinton ran a child-sex-abuse ring out of a Washington pizza parlor. Within 24 hours, Eli Lake of Bloomberg View had reported that Rice had requested the identities of U.S. persons in raw intelligence reports on dozens of occasions that connect to the Donald Trump transition and campaign. Unlike Cernovich, Lake did not say this supported Trumps wire-tapping allegations or that Rice did anything illegal, but those details were lost in the rush by right-wing media outlets Fox News, Breitbart, the Daily Caller, the Washington Examiner, Gateway Pundit and others to bolster Trumps specious charges by dragging Rices good name through the mud. Before long the president of the United States was accusing her in the media of having committed a crime. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Tulare), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, proved particularly zealous in pursuing the allegations. He made a dramatic trip to the White House to brief the president and reporters on supposed evidence that incriminated Rice. In fact, the evidence was ginned up by far-right White House aides, including Ezra Cohen-Watnick, who was subsequently fired from the NSC staff. Nunes had to recuse himself in April from the House investigation of Kremlingate, and he found himself under investigation from the House Ethics Committee for possibly leaking classified information. The entire Susan Rice scandal began to collapse like an overdone souffle in early August when Lake, who had helped set the story in motion, reported that national security advisor H.R. McMaster had concluded that his predecessor had done nothing wrong. And now Rices testimony to the House Intelligence Committee explains what she was doing: her job. Rice unmasked the names of Trump associates because she was trying to learn why the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, had made a secret trip to New York after the November election. It turns out that UAE Foreign Minister Sheik Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan was meeting with Trump transition officials as part of an effort to set up a secret back-channel to Russia. Neither the Trump aides nor the UAE bothered to inform the Obama administration, which was still in office and still in charge of U.S. foreign policy. According to CNN, Rices explanation appears to have satisfied some influential Republicans on the committee, undercutting both Nunes and Trump and raising new questions about Trump associates and the Russians. Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.), one of the leaders on the House probe of Kremlingate, said: I didnt hear anything to believe that she did anything illegal. So much for this faux scandal. There is, of course, no chance that Nunes,Trump, the right-wing media or anyone else will apologize to Rice for impugning her integrity. Indeed Trump on Thursday told reporters what she did was wrong. The president and his enablers will never allow truth, comity or common decency to get in the way of their crazy conspiracy theories. Max Boot is a contributing writer to Opinion and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook UPDATES: 3:35 p.m.: This story was updated with additional information. In the midst of major global crises, from North Korean missile tests to the continuing fight against Islamic State, President Trump is seemingly obsessed with one foreign policy goal: undoing the July 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which eased international sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on Irans nuclear program. While Trump has long expressed his disdain for the multilateral deal between Iran and six world powers including the United States the latest development is that his U.N. ambassador last week laid out a spurious case for U.S. withdrawal. Conveniently, the self-defeating plan involves punting responsibility for sabotaging the agreement to Congress. If the United States scuttles the deal, the consequences will be drastic, not least for the cause of nuclear nonproliferation and Americas global credibility. As I learned in meetings with Iranian political figures during a trip to Iran last month, an about-face will also lead to a shift in that countrys foreign policy. Advertisement The Iranian foreign policy establishment has long been divided on the merits of normalizing relations with the West and containing U.S.-Iranian tensions. The more intransigent school of thought in Tehran holds that U.S. policies are no better than bullying and that any flexibility Iran shows will only invite more pressure. If Trump goes ahead with his stated wish to undo the Iran nuclear deal, a domestic consensus will form not to trust the United States on any future issue. Since President Hassan Rouhanis election in 2013, the more conciliatory Iranian foreign policy establishment has been ascendant. This faction pinned much of its credibility on the peaceful resolution of the nuclear crisis and the West delivering on its side of the nuclear deal namely sanctions relief thereby validating their arguments on the benefits of such negotiations. The nuclear deal thus became a seminal criterion in Tehran for judging whether the West, in particular the United States, could be trusted. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared in April 2015: Now, this [nuclear negotiations] is a new experience. If the other side [the United States] sets aside its bad behavior, this will become a new experience for us, one that will tell us that, well, we can also negotiate with them about other issues. But, if they repeat the same behavior and take the wrong path, it [the negotiations] will only reinforce our past experience. Because Trump has put the deal in his crosshairs, advocates of diplomatic engagement with the West in Iran are being discredited. If he goes ahead with his stated wish to undo it, a domestic consensus will form not to trust, negotiate or cooperate with the United States on any future issue. Policymakers in Tehran will also watch to see if Europe goes along with any Trump-led initiatives to pressure Iran. If European leaders hold steadfast to the deal, as they have said they will, it will prove that Iran can pursue a relationship with the West minus the United States. Iran may well cooperate with Europe and only Europe on regional issues such as defeating Islamic State and stabilizing neighboring countries. On the other hand, if Europe follows the U.S. despite full Iranian adherence to the terms of the nuclear deal, then Tehran would have legitimate grounds to prioritize Iranian security over all other considerations. Specifically, such a betrayal of Irans good faith will ignite calls in the countrys security establishment to bolster Irans means of deterrence including its ballistic missile program and regional alliance network. Iranian relations with Eastern countries such as Russia, China and India could also change. During the Obama administration, these states joined in on anti-Iran sanctions, shocking then-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who had a look to the East policy. If they decide to buck Trump and perhaps Europe as well Irans geopolitical orientation will decisively shift toward the East. Iran will in the new multipolar age look to these rising powers for cooperation in the realms of trade, security and international politics. As Trump weighs his next move, he should know that spiking the nuclear deal wont return Iran, or the world, to the status quo ante. If he goes back on his predecessors promise, Americas hold on the region will deteriorate as Iran loses any remaining faith in the U.S. and builds partnerships elsewhere. Seyed Hossein Mousavian is a scholar at Princeton University and a former head of the Foreign Relations Committee of Irans National Security Council. His latest book is Iran and the United States: An Insiders View on the Failed Past and the Road to Peace. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook President Trump loves to make deals. Last night, his stunned supporters discovered how much hes willing to give away when he senses one is within reach. It took the better part of 12 hours to clear up, but it looks as if Democratic leaders Charles E. Schumer and Nancy Pelosi persuaded Trump to make Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, the program protecting young immigrants from deportation, the law of the land. That agreement still needs to make its way through Congress, of course, where many in the Republican majority likely will vote against their president on this one. Advertisement Heres what Trump told reporters Thursday morning as he headed for his helicopter for a trip to Florida: Were working on a plan, subject to getting massive border controls. Were working on a plan for DACA. People want to see that happen. You have 800,000 young people, brought here, no fault of their own. So were working on a plan. Well see how it works. But what about his promised wall on the border with Mexico? The wall will come later. Were right now renovating large sections of wall, massive sections, making it brand new. And heres what Schumer and Pelosi said in a joint statement: There was no final deal, but there was agreement on the following: We agreed that the President would support enshrining DACA protections into law, and encourage the House and Senate to act. What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security. While both sides agreed that the wall would not be any part of this agreement, the President made clear he intends to pursue it at a later time. So, despite the initial confusion, theyre pretty much on the same page. Even though Trump, later in the morning, doubled back to emphasize that the wall will still be built some day. Very important is the wall, he said. It doesnt have to be here meaning the DACA bill but they cant obstruct the wall if its in a budget or anything else. If theres not a wall, were doing nothing. In other words: DACA now, wall later. Score a victory for Schumer and Pelosi, who made it clear that they would not support money for a wall as the price of a DACA law. They agreed, instead, to support a border security package including new technology, drones, air support, sensor equipment, [and] rebuilding roads along the border. For Trump who never really sounded comfortable with the idea of exposing 800,000 Dreamers to deportation that was close enough for now. Look, 92% of the people agree on DACA, but what we want is very, very powerful border security, OK? he said. Immigration hard-liners in Trumps base suddenly, belatedly realized that their champion has few fixed principles. (What took them so long?) But does this mean Trump is pivoting toward the center, adopting a new strategy of working mainly with Democrats instead of his own adopted party? Only partly. What he appears to be doing is closer to what Bill Clinton called triangulating declaring himself free to make bipartisan deals when he can find them. Hes a free-range chicken, former GOP Chairman Michael Steele said this week. Trumps new tack is clearly a product of his frustration with GOP leaders inability to pass a healthcare bill on simple party-line votes. But hell still need help from Republicans to get anything done in Congress The biggest test will come soon, when Republicans release an official proposal for cuts in corporate and individual income taxes. Thats the centerpiece of Trumps economic plan. Schumer and Pelosi have vowed to resist any tax cut for the wealthy. Trump has promised that his plan wont give anything to the top 1%, even though every version of the plan so far does just that. doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com Twitter: @DoyleMcManus Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: I got quite emotional reading Teresa Watanabes article on the resistance in Monterey to Japanese American internment. (When California rounded up Japanese Americans for internment camps, Monterey emerged as the center of the resistance, Sept. 10) My mother grew up in a house one block above Cannery Row in Monterey. Her father was known as the potato king of Carmel Valley. My father grew up managing his fathers farm in San Luis Obispo. Restricted by the race-based California Alien Land Law from owning the land they worked, the families were tenant farmers. Both families were displaced twice. The initial exclusion order evicted them from the coast. Executive Order 9066 put the families, then staying with friends on farms near Fresno, on trains to the Arizona desert. My parents met and married in the internment camp called Poston 3 in Arizona. They resided in Denver until they could return to the Monterey Peninsula. Advertisement Did my parents see the petition of welcome? They might have heard of it, might even have based their return upon it. They never did tell my brother and me why they returned to California and to Monterey in particular. My whole life I have admired the writings of John Steinbeck and the scientific work of Ed Doc Ricketts, both fiction and nonfiction. Their public support for their fellow community members, of diversity and civil rights, and of my family, only deepens my esteem for them. Gobind Tanaka, Eagle Rock .. To the editor: Time has a way of healing wounds and softening the memories of experiences endured during ones life. The history of the unjustified and discriminatory treatment of Japanese Americans living on the West Coast after the bombing of Pearl Harbor is one that should never be forgotten. The Go For Broke National Education Center should be praised for its efforts to inform the public of the courageous acts by a minority of white Americans who stood up against the venomous voices and media that played their part in fomenting the racism. The Monterey Peninsula Herald was not the only newspaper guilty of stirring resentment and fear. Based on the news clippings saved by my mother, a second-generation Japanese American, our own Los Angeles Times participated in the fomenting of hysteria and racism. Larry Naritomi, Monterey Park Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook To the editor: After endless promises that nuclear waste could be stored safely, we now learn that there is no place to safely store tens of thousands of tons of uranium and plutonium for hundreds of thousands of years. (Theres no great answer for nuclear waste, but almost anything is better than perching it on the Pacific, editorial, Sept. 11) The current industry solution is to store it unsafely where it was generated (near major metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and San Diego) or to get political revenge and force it on Nevada (a state that produces no nuclear waste and continues to suffer from 928 atom bomb tests). Did anyone notice that two of Floridas nuclear power plants quickly shut down before the hurricane? Or that South Carolina has abandoned construction of two new plants after wasting $8 billion on them? How about the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station being closed following a generator failure and radiation accident? Advertisement The public is finally realizing that nuclear energy is environmentally unfriendly, very expensive, completely unreliable and very dangerous. Add to that the current dilemma: There still is nowhere to store the toxic waste [the plants] generate. Roger Johnson, San Clemente .. To the editor: For 15 years, hundreds of environmental groups have advocated for hardened on-site storage of irradiated nuclear fuel, as close and safely as possible, to the point of generation as a necessary interim measure. Why ship highly radioactive waste a thousand miles to the east when it could be moved just a few miles? San Onofres wastes can be transferred out of the tsunami zone, away from the earthquake faults, across the 5 Freeway, further inland and to higher ground. By moving the dangerous nuclear fuel rods into the heart of Camp Pendleton, there would be the added bonus of many thousands of U.S. Marines to help guard it. The push to turn the New Mexico-Texas borderlands into a nuclear wasteland is an environmental injustice. The large Hispanic population already suffers significant pollution from oil drilling, natural gas fracking, uranium enrichment and low-level radioactive waste disposal. Kevin Kamps, Takoma Park, Md. The writer monitors radioactive waste for the group Beyond Nuclear. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook California farmworkers will have to undergo sexual assault prevention training By Jazmine Ulloa Gov. Jerry Brown/ (Monica Davey/ EPA) Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday signed legislation to ensure farm labor contractors train employees on how to prevent and report sexual assault, a response to a 2013 PBS Frontline investigation that found sexual violence against women was a pervasive problem in California fields. Senate Bill 295 by Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel) makes sexual harassment training mandatory at all businesses that supervise farm employees or provide them with lodging, transportation or other services. The training has to be conducted or interpreted in a language that employees can understand, the law stipulates, and farm labor contractors will have to provide proof of all of their materials and resources to the Farm Labor Commission as part of the license renewal process. Under the new law, the state labor commission also will be able to charge a $100 civil fine for any violation of the new requirements. The PBS Frontline investigative documenatory, Rape in the Fields, The Hidden Story of Rape on the Job in America found more than half a million women work in U.S. fields. Most do not have legal residency in the country, and sexual harassment and violence often go unreported. A 2012 Human Rights Watch survey found 80% of 150 women in Californias Central Valley had experienced some form of the abuse. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Los Angeles voters can cast ballots in Assembly race on Tuesday By Chris Megerian Wendy Carrillo is one of 13 people running for a state Assembly seat. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) The political dominoes from U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxers retirement are almost done falling. Her decision two years ago to forgo reelection led to a reshuffling that eventually left vacant a state Assembly seat in Los Angeles. There are 13 candidates running in the special election, and the primary is Tuesday. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gov. Brown signs major housing legislation By Liam Dillon At a signing ceremony in San Francisco on Friday morning, Gov. Jerry Brown signed 15 bills aimed at addressing the states mounting housing problems. It is a big challenge, Brown said. We have risen to it this year. The bills could add nearly $1 billion in new funding for low-income housing developments in the near term as well as lessen regulations that slow growth. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Watch live: Gov. Jerry Brown signs bills to tackle Californias housing crisis Gov. Jerry Brown and state lawmakers are gathered in San Francisco for the signing into law of a package of proposals designed to tackle some of the most pressing parts of Californias housing crisis. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Businesses in California will be required to tell customers exactly how much their automatic renewal will cost By Mina Corpuz California will require online businesses that offer free trials to tell customers exactly how much an automatic renewal will cost under a law signed by Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday. The laws author, Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys), thinks the bill, known as SB 313, will make it easier for customers to cancel service. Consumers need to know what they are signing up for and that they can just as easily cancel any service or subscription online as when they started it online, Hertzberg said in a statement. Streaming services like Hulu and Spotify and the file-sharing site Dropbox have elicited lawsuits and consumer complaints about their automatic service renewals, according to Hertzbergs statement. The law goes into effect in July. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Heres why Californias early primary in 2020 is destined to pick the next president. (Nah, not really) By Mark Z. Barabak (Harry Chase / Los Angeles Times) Today we answer questions. Woo-hoo! Now that Gov. Jerry Brown has signed the bill, it looks like California is moving up its 2020 presidential primary. Finally! Uh. No more watching from the sidelines as small-fry states like Iowa and New Hampshire throw their weight around. Um. Im already fluffing pillows and prepping the guestroom for all the 2020 hopefuls wholl be camped out. Er. What? You dont seem too excited. Look, it would be great if California voted in a truly meaningful presidential primary. Its been about 50 years since that happened. But its about as likely in 2020 as President Trump dumping Vice President Pence and running for reelection on a unity ticket with Hillary Clinton. How can that be? Lots of reasons, both political and practical. Do tell. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Poll: Californians like Obamacare more than ever but are divided on single-payer healthcare By Melanie Mason Members of the California Nurses Assn. and other supporters rally at the state Capitol for a single-payer health plan June 28. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) As the latest attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act fizzles, the law has reached its highest popularity in California in four years, according to a new poll released Wednesday by the Public Policy Institute of California. Nearly 60% of the Californians hold a generally favorable view of the healthcare law, and just over a third of Californians see it unfavorably the highest approval rating since PPIC began tracking the laws popularity in 2013. But while Democrats and independents back the law, known as Obamacare, with strong majorities, three-quarters of Republicans have negative views of it. Only 18% of Californians believe congressional Republicans should try again to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, and 58% of adults want to see bipartisan efforts to improve the law. Underscoring the GOPs challenge in dramatically reducing governments role in healthcare, two-thirds of the states adults believe it is the federal governments responsibility to ensure that all Americans have health coverage. But Californians are divided on whether to substantially increase government involvement through a single-payer system, such as the Medicare for All proposal recently introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). A national single-payer insurance program such as Medicare for All gets support from 35% of Californians, according to the poll. Support is higher among Democrats 44% and independents 34% than among Republicans. Only 6% of Republicans back such a system. But the current system, a patchwork of government and private insurance options, isnt particularly adored by Californians. Just under 30% of adults support continuing with a mix of private and public insurance options, while 36% of Democrats, 21% of Republicans and 31% of independents see that mixed system as the best way to provide health coverage. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Half of Californias likely voters think Sen. Dianne Feinstein should retire, poll finds By Phil Willon (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times) As Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein contemplates a 2018 bid for reelection, a new poll has found that 50% of Californias likely voters think she shouldnt run again. Just 43% of likely voters support Feinstein running for a sixth term, according to a Public Policy Institute of California poll released Wednesday. The results are similar among all California adults, not just likely voters, with 46% saying she should not run for another term and 41% saying she should run. Feinstein, 84, has come under increased pressure from members of Californias left, many of whom were infuriated when earlier this month she called for patience with President Trump and refused to back demands for his impeachment. Still, the poll found that Feinstein remains popular. More than half of likely voters 54% approve of the job shes doing, compared with 38% who disapprove. Thats on par with Gov. Jerry Browns approval rating, and it bests the marks for Californias other Democratic senator, Kamala Harris. When likely voters were asked about Harris, the former state attorney general elected to the Senate in November, 47% approved of the job she was doing in Washington and 30% disapproved. Almost a quarter of voters didnt offer an opinion about Harris. The contrasting results on Feinstein are difficult to decipher but at the very least indicate voters remain restless. Partly, this is a holdover from last years election in which you saw many Democrats wanting a more liberal alternative at the presidential level and you saw many independents wanting an outsider, said Mark Baldassare, president of Public Policy Institute of California. As people are looking to next year, theres a desire for something new. Speculation continues that Feinstein may face a Democratic challenger. Among those who have been mentioned is state Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles), who is weighing his next political move after he terms out of office in 2018. De Leon lashed out at Feinstein after her comments about Trump in early September. In her last election, Feinstein trounced her Republican opponent, Elizabeth Emken, by a 25-percentage-point margin in 2012. She won by almost an identical margin in 2006 when challenged by former Republican state Sen. Richard Mountjoy. However, California has since switched to a top-two primary system. The two candidates who receive the most voters in the June primary election will advance to the 2018 general election, regardless of their party. Two Democrats faced off in the finale of Californias 2016 U.S. Senate election, with Harris besting then-Rep. Loretta Sanchez. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Barbara Boxer says if Sen. Dianne Feinstein runs for another term, she should expect a tough race By Mina Corpuz Former Sen. Barbara Boxer (Mina Corpuz / Los Angeles Times ) Its one of the hottest political parlor games in California right now: Will she run again? Everyone is waiting for Sen. Dianne Feinstein to announce if shell seek a sixth term. And even though they served as colleagues in Washington for more than two decades, former Sen. Barbara Boxer said she has no inside intel on what Feinstein will do in 2018. I believe she is running until I see any other indication, Boxer said Wednesday at a Sacramento Press Club lunch. Every single race is hard.... Anyone who runs against her will give her a tough race. Feinstein, 84, has made clear she is taking her time, even as ambitious politicians eye the seat she has held since 1992. One long-shot Democrat already is raising money for the race, and Feinstein recently drew criticism from California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, who has not ruled out a primary challenge against her. Boxer said Wednesday her own priority for next years midterm election is flipping several Republican-held House seats in Southern California. Theres no such thing as an off election year, she said. Its an on year. Much of this work will be done through the political action committee Boxer founded, PAC for a Change. The organization also supports electing more Democrats to the Senate and standing up to President Trumps policies, she said. Since leaving the Senate in January, Boxer has also given speeches and promoted her book, The Art of Tough. She doesnt like to consider herself a retiree. Boxer also skirted a question about her pick for governor in a race that already is crowded with several Democrats. All of the candidates, she joked, are like my sons and daughters. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Californias top elections officer now says his agencys website wasnt the one scanned by Russian hackers By John Myers Secretary of State Alex Padilla (John Myers / Los Angeles Times) Five days after saying he had been told Russian hackers scanned the states main elections website for weaknesses in 2016, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla said Wednesday that it turns out it didnt actually happen that way. Padilla said that his office was given incorrect information by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and that the Russian operation was instead focused on scanning the network of the state Department of Technology. Our notification from DHS last Friday was not only a year late, it also turned out to be bad information, Padilla said in a statement. Bryce Brown, a spokesman for the states information technology agency, said officials had long known about suspect activity that occurred on our network last summer but didnt know anything else until the notification from federal officials. Although we did not have knowledge of the source until now, we have confirmed our security systems worked as planned and the activity was blocked as it happened in 2016, he said. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment. On Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that federal officials also reversed course in a notification they had made to Wisconsin elections officials about Russian activity. In June, federal officials told Congress that 21 states elections systems were targeted by Russian activity. Padilla insisted last week that the scanning incident found no vulnerabilities or access to any California voter information, and he criticized DHS officials for the delay in sharing information about 2016 activities. On Wednesday, he said hopes that federal officials will continue to work with the states in preventing cyberattacks. I remain committed to a partnership with DHS and other intelligence agencies; however, elections officials and the American public expect and deserve timely and accurate information, Padilla said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Hollywood tour buses could get more rules slapped on them under the law Gov. Jerry Brown just signed By Patrick McGreevy A tour bus passes the late Carrie Fishers gated home in Beverly Hills. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times) Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday signed legislation aimed at reining in the proliferation of tour buses offering to take fans to the homes and gathering spots of celebrities in Hollywood and other trendy neighborhoods. The measure allows cities and counties to adopt rules that restrict the routes or streets used by the tour buses, and prohibit the use of loudspeakers on open-topped buses and vans. Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian (D-Sherman Oaks) introduced the proposal in response to a report by NBC Los Angeles that found some tour buses were operating unsafely without proper permits. He also cited complaints about topless buses on narrow streets of the Hollywood Hills, Malibu and Bel-Air. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Latino state lawmakers back Antonio Villaraigosa for California governor By Phil Willon Antonio Villaraigosa gives a pep talk in Los Angeles at Cathedral High School, where he once was also a student. ((Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) The Legislatures California Latino Caucus on Wednesday endorsed former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for governor. While expected, the nod from the politically influential caucus is a boon for Villaraigosa, a former Democratic Assembly speaker and the only major Latino candidate running for governor. Villaraigosa has lagged behind Lt. Gov. Gavin Newson in early polls and fundraising. As Assembly speaker and Los Angeles mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa worked to strengthen our economy, expand our healthcare, improve our schools and invest in strategic infrastructure projects that create middle-class jobs, Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego), chair of the caucus, said in a statement Wednesday morning. An intriguing aspect of the endorsement is that one of the most prominent members of the California Latino Caucus is Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles). In Sacramento, speculation abounds over whether De Leon may run for governor, and the Villaraigosa endorsement could indicate De Leon has other plans for his political future. Villaraigosa joins a slate of other Latino statewide candidates endorsed by the caucus: Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-Azusa) for lieutenant governor; current appointee Xavier Becerra for attorney general; incumbent Alex Padilla for secretary of state; Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) for insurance commissioner; and Assemblyman Tony Thurmond (D-Richmond) for superintendent of public instruction. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California is trying to educate people about marijuana before recreational sales start By Patrick McGreevy Months before California allows the sale of marijuana for recreational use, the state has launched an education campaign about the drug, including highlighting the potential harms of cannabis for minors and pregnant women. The state is scheduled to issue licenses starting Jan. 2 for growing and selling marijuana for recreational use, expanding a program that currently allows cannabis use for medical purposes. In response, the California Department of Public Health has created a website to educate Californians about the drug and its impacts, including how to purchase and safely store cannabis. We are committed to providing Californians with science-based information to ensure safe and informed choices, said State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith. The website, Lets Talk Cannabis, notes it is illegal for people under 21 to buy marijuana for non-medical use and warns that using cannabis regularly in your teens and early 20s may lead to physical changes in your brain. The site also warns that marijuana edibles may have higher concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. If you eat too much, too fast you are at higher risk for poisoning, the website warns. The state urges parents and guardians to talk to their teenagers about legal and health issues surrounding marijuana use. The state officials also say consuming cannabis is not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or who plan to become pregnant soon, noting that it can affect the health of your baby. The website got good marks from legalization activist Ellen Komp, deputy director of Californias chapter of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. The website is fairly accurate, she said, but added, The risks with pregnancy are somewhat overstated, telling women they should not use cannabis for nausea or even if they are thinking of getting pregnant. Some 43% of Californians have used marijuana for recreational purposes and 54% said they have not, according to a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll last November. Among those who have not used it, just 2% said they are much more likely to use it if Proposition 64 passed, which it did, while 5% said they are somewhat more likely to use it, and 89% said they are no more likely to smoke pot if it was legalized. Other advice from the states site: driving under the influence of cannabis is illegal and increases the chance of a car accident, and cannabis should be stored in a locked area to avoid poisoning children and pets. Updated at 11:30 am to include data from poll on marijuana use. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Todays newsletter: Republicans fail again to repeal Obamacare By John Myers Todays Essential Politics newsletter details the last gasp of the Republican efforts in Washington to repeal the Affordable Care Act, efforts that President Trump insisted on Tuesday arent over. We also take a look at the win by Roy Moore, a former chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, in a Senate runoff that saw the president back the losing candidate. And weve got the details of what happens if Gov. Jerry Brown, as expected, signs the sanctuary state bill into law. The newsletter comes out Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Are you a subscriber? Sign up below. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement After meeting with Trump, California Democrats say they want a seat at the tax reform table By Sarah D. Wire Ahead of Republicans plans to unveil a more detailed overview of their tax reform plan Wednesday, President Trump sat down with a bipartisan group of members that included California Democratic Reps. Linda Sanchez and Mike Thompson. Sanchez, of Whittier, who serves on the House committee that has authority over tax legislation, said members didnt learn much about the details of the plan Tuesday. There were kind of generalities but no specificity, which is why were interested to see what they put out tomorrow, because clearly its not something thats had Democratic input, Sanchez said. According to a White House transcript of part of the meeting, Trump said the plan is focused on making the tax code simple and fair, increasing the deduction most families can take, lowering the business tax rate and bringing wealth stored overseas back to the United States. Thompson, of St. Helena, said the president listened to what Democrats had to say, but he didnt get the impression that the policy plan would change before it becomes public Wednesday. I dont think it was that kind of meeting. We all agreed we wanted a fair, easy-to-work-with tax code that generates more jobs, said Thompson, who is also on the committee. He said repeatedly he wants to be successful. Republicans are set to unveil a consensus document Wednesday they say will be a much more detailed overview than previous tax policy papers theyve released. But it is not expected to be an actual plan or bill. Republicans will huddle with Vice President Mike Pence for half of Wednesday to discuss tax reform. Democrats are holding their own tax reform forum too. Its been 30 years since Congress has passed a major tax overhaul, and Republican leaders have set an ambitious timeline for passing a tax-reform measure, indicating they want to get it to Trumps desk by the end of the year. Sanchez said she tried to stress in the meeting that Democrats should play a role in writing the final bill. There wasnt discussion about the group sitting down with Trump again, she said. The president was very pleased that it was a bipartisan effort, which sort of confused me because that was the first meeting where there were members of the Democratic side of the Ways and Means Committee there, Sanchez said. I dont know if theyve been telling him that the process is bipartisan or if he knew it wasnt bipartisan but didnt care, but I thought that was kind of odd. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Judge rewrites summary of proposed gas tax repeal initiative, saying it was fundamentally flawed By Patrick McGreevy A Chevron gas station in Sacramento shows prices in February. ( (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) A judge on Monday rewrote the title and summary for a proposed initiative that would repeal recent gas tax increases in California. He rejected a title and summary written by the state attorney generals office as fundamentally flawed. Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy M. Frawley criticized the attorney generals office for not mentioning in the title that the ballot measure would repeal newly approved taxes or fees. This is not a situation where reasonable minds may differ, Frawley wrote in his ruling. The Attorney Generals title and summary ... must be changed to avoid misleading the voters and creating prejudice against the measure. The initiative proposed by Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach) would repeal a bill approved in April by the Legislature and governor that would raise the gas tax by 12 cents per gallon and increase vehicle fees in order to generate $5.2 billion for road repairs and to improve mass transit. The title and summary will be placed on petitions to be circulated by those trying to qualify the measure for the November 2018 ballot. The title and summary are also placed on the ballot if enough signatures are collected. The original title written by Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerras office was: Eliminates recently enacted road repair and transportation funding by repealing revenues dedicated for those purposes. Allens attorneys argued the voter could read that to mean that the Legislature identified existing funds for transportation and the initiative would take those funds away. The judges title says: Repeals recently enacted gas and diesel taxes and vehicle registration fees. Eliminates road repair and transportation programs funded by these taxes and fees. The judge also made it clear in the summary that an Independent Office of Audits and Investigations that would be eliminated by the initiative is newly established. Representatives of the attorney generals office were not immediately available to comment on whether the ruling would be appealed. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Democrats to try to force vote on Dream Act with rarely successful procedural move By Sarah D. Wire House Democrats are trying to force a vote on Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allards version of the Dream Act, they announced in a news conference Monday. The House and Senate have less than six months to address the legal status of people brought into the country illegally as children before the program protecting them from deportation ends in March. In the weeks since President Trump announced he was ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Democrats have pushed for a quick vote on Roybal-Allards bill, which is backed by every House Democrat and four Republicans. There are also a handful of other Republican-sponsored bills that could be considered. To force a vote, Democrats would need a majority of the House 218 members to sign whats called a discharge petition to pull the bill from the House Judiciary Committee and bring it to the House floor. Roybal-Allard, a Democrat from Downey, said she believes there is enough support to pass the bill if Democrats can get it to the House floor. Democratic leaders said they expect all House Democrats will sign the petition. The American people overwhelmingly oppose deporting our Dreamers, Roybal-Allard said. But the Republican leadership is ignoring the wishes of a majority of the American people. Democrats hold only 194 seats, and would have to convince 24 Republicans to buck their party leaders and sign the petition. House leaders control which bills come to the floor for a vote and when. Although discharge petitions have been used in the past to shame congressional leadership into letting a bill move forward, the procedural move is rarely successful. This month, Republican Rep. Mike Coffman of Colorado filed a discharge petition for the Bridge Act, a Republican- sponsored bill to address the legal status of people brought to the country illegally as children. Five members of Congress had signed on as of Monday. FOR THE RECORD Sept 26, 12:38 p.m.: An earlier version of this post identified the member of Congress who filed a discharge petition for the Bridge Act as Rep. Mike Thompson. It was Rep. Mike Coffman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California lawmakers grant some megaprojects relief from environmental law, but not others By Liam Dillon Developers plan to build two skyscrapers near the Capitol Records building in Hollywood. (Reed Saxon / Associated Press) When professional sports team owners, Facebook and big developers have asked California lawmakers for some relief from the states main environmental law over growth, the answer usually has been yes. The law, the California Environmental Quality Act, requires developers to disclose and reduce a projects effects on the environment a process that often can get tied up in lengthy litigation. This year, legislators passed a measure aiming to shorten any potential environmental lawsuit against Facebooks expansion of its headquarters, two skyscrapers planned in Hollywood and other megaprojects to less than nine months. Doing so has led many to question why only big projects get such relief. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print The fate of Californias biggest campaign donor disclosure bill may hinge on some small details By John Myers Members of the California Fair Political Practices Commission. (Rich Pedroncelli/AP) You wouldnt expect to see the leader of Californias campaign watchdog agency rooting for Gov. Jerry Brown to veto sweeping new disclosure rules for political donors. And yet, thats where things stand in a seven-year debate over helping voters follow the money. I think we can do better than this bill, said Jodi Remke, chair of the California Fair Political Practices Commission. Remke and her staff have raised a red flag about the fine print tucked inside Assembly Bill 249, the California Disclose Act, that rewrites rules for campaign contributions that are earmarked. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Oceanside lifeguard receives Californias highest public safety honor By Mina Corpuz Medal of Valor recipient David Wilson stands with his parents, a family friend, Gov. Jerry Brown and Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra. (Mina Corpuz / Los Angeles Times ) An Oceanside Fire Department officer who risked his life to save a boater received the states highest award for public safety officers on Monday. Gov. Jerry Brown and Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra presented David Wilson with the Public Safety Medal of Valor at a ceremony at the state Capitol. In July 2016, Wilson rescued a man whose boat crashed into a jetty in Oceanside Harbor. The victim was barely conscious and jammed between two rocks. With only a short window between each set of waves, Wilson dove underneath the water and swam into the boulders to free the victims legs. You earned it, Brown said at the ceremony. You were assaulted by the waves and the rocks, and you went ahead anyways. Thats why you are the only one getting a medal of honor. A review board made up of law enforcement officers reviewed 21 nominations for the Medal of Valor. The award is given out once a year. There can be more than one recipient, but this year Brown chose one. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement 7.5 million Californians could lose coverage under latest Obamacare repeal effort, state health insurance exchange says By Melanie Mason Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California, the states health insurance exchange, in 2013. (Rich Pedroncelli / AP) Californians who get their health coverage on the individual market could face dire consequences under the current Republican effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, warned a new analysis released Monday by Covered California, the states health insurance exchange. Under the latest plan, which is being led by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), 7.5 million Californians could lose their health insurance by 2027, the analysis said. It also said the repeal could trigger a collapse of the states individual insurance market. The Graham-Cassidy plan takes resources away from California and from the majority of states, which means that far fewer Americans would have insurance or the existing protections from insurers, said Peter V. Lee, executive director of Covered California, in a statement. The effect on California would be devastating, and lead not only to there being more uninsured people than there were before the Affordable Care Act, but would also cause huge negative impacts on the health care delivery system, the economy and on those with employer-based coverage, Lee said. The report comes on the heels of another grim analysis by Gov. Jerry Browns administration, which estimated that the Senate proposal would strip California of nearly $139 billion in federal funds from 2020 to 2027. The Covered California report looked at two different scenarios for how state officials could respond to such a slash in federal dollars. If the state chose to prioritize protecting Medi-Cal, which provides coverage for low-income Californians, the analysis projects the collapse of the individual insurance market by 2021. If officials chose to direct attention to the individual market by stepping in to cover subsidies now paid for by the federal government, that could lead to large reductions in the Medi-Cal program. In both scenarios, the result would be up to 7.5 million fewer Californians with health insurance, according to the report. Proponents claim Graham-Cassidy gives states flexibility and choice, but in reality it puts states into a lose-lose situation, Lee said. Under this plan, California and states across the nation would be forced to either turn their backs on their most needy residents, or let the individual market be destroyed. Either way, millions lose coverage. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Todays newsletter: Sports spat starts with California teams By Christina Bellantoni Todays Essential Politics newsletter details President Trumps sports spat, which originated with California teams before becoming national political drama on football fields across America. It also notes last falls USC/Los Angeles Times poll, which found huge partisan divisions in how California voters viewed Colin Kaepernick at the time. Democrats liked him more, while he had just 6% favorability among tea party Republicans here. The state was evenly divided on whether to support his protest during the national anthem. The newsletter comes out Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Are you a subscriber? Sign up below. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Attorney running against Sen. Dianne Feinstein is hosting Hollywood fundraiser By Christine Mai-Duc Pat Harris may be a long-shot candidate for U.S. Senate, but hes not fundraising like one. On Monday Harris, a Democrat challenging Sen. Dianne Feinstein, is set to tread territory familiar to many prominent statewide candidates looking for cash: the Hollywood fundraiser. The event is to be held at the Catalina Jazz Club on Sunset Boulevard and is being billed as a CD release party for Carol Welman, a jazz musician and Harris wife. Tickets range from $150 for a single ticket to $2,700 for a VIP dinner for two. (An email to Welmans subscriber list earlier this week advertised tickets for as little as $30). Harris announced that he was running last month on a platform that includes support for single-payer healthcare and a pledge that he will only take campaign donations from individuals. Facing pressure from progressive activists, Feinstein has been coy so far about whether shell retire or run again in 2018. Either way, shes stockpiled $3.5 million in her campaign war chest. As of June 30, Harris had raised no money except for $104,685 he loaned his own campaign. Three other candidates have also filed to run against Feinstein: Democrats Steve Stokes and David Hildebrand, and independent Jerry Carroll. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Rep. Keith Ellison headlines dinner for Orange County Democrats, who declare orange is the new blue By Christine Mai-Duc The focus was on 2018 as Orange County Democrats gathered Saturday night in Costa Mesa to bask in their high hopes here. Headliner and deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Rep. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, urged unity as dozens of Democrats navigate crowded primaries throughout the state. Ellison getting star treatment tonight, speaking to VIP attendees & meeting congressional candidates & gubernatorial hopeful @DelaineEastin pic.twitter.com/2Bh8K5H1Qu Christine Mai-Duc (@cmaiduc) September 24, 2017 Much of focus tonight on flipping 4 GOP congressional seats in OC. Ellison: "We need 24 more seats...I figure 4 of em we can get right here" pic.twitter.com/CDDbGWpNnT Christine Mai-Duc (@cmaiduc) September 24, 2017 The theme of the annual awards dinner was Orange is the New Blue, a twist on the title of a popular Netflix show and the latest indication of Democrats rosy outlook as they try to flip the countys four GOP-held House seats next year. Ellison told the crowd it was not the proper role of the DNC to choose among the many primary contenders. But you will sort it out running spirited campaigns, you will sort it out over ideas, and when it is over we need you to hold hands and support the Democrat. Ellison pushed for a return to grass-roots organizing and outreach to voters of all stripes and not just during election years. We cannot come a month before the election, tell them ... Come vote for us, Ellison said. Weve got to be in their lives in a physical, palpable way. Then we do have to have the right words, we do have to stand up for them. Ellison on more permanent solution for DACA: no wall, no increase in detention beds "but there might be some other things" Dems can agree to pic.twitter.com/yrmOGfXYan Christine Mai-Duc (@cmaiduc) September 24, 2017 In an interview, Ellison also stressed the need to pass legislation for young people brought to the country illegally who were allowed to stay and work under the Obama Administrations Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Ellison said Democrats are open to negotiating certain immigration enforcement provisions in order pass a replacement for DACA, which President Trump announced he will end in March. But he said Democrats wont acquiesce to Trumps demand for a border wall or allow additional capacity for immigration detentions. There are certain things that are simply not on the table the wall or more detention beds, were just not doing that, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Russians tried to find weaknesses in Californias election website last year, say state officials By John Myers Secretary of State Alex Padilla (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Californias chief elections officer said U.S. government officials believe Russian hackers tried to find weaknesses in the states election website during the 2016 campaign, but that theres no evidence their effort was successful. Secretary of State Alex Padilla said the Department of Homeland Security only told him on Friday of last years attempt. He described the attack as a scanning of the states website in hopes of finding weaknesses in its computer network. Our office actively monitors scanning activity as part of our routine cybersecurity protocols, Padilla said in a statement. We have no information or evidence that our systems have been breached in any way or that any voter information was compromised. Those involved were Russian cyber actors according to Padillas description of information he received from federal officials. In June, a top federal official told the Senate Intelligence Committee that systems in 21 states were believed to have been scoured by cyberattackers. The election website, www.sos.ca.gov, contains public information about voting procedures as well as data on past election results and current issues. More sensitive data, including the electronic files of some 17 million registered voters, are not included on the website. A leaked National Security Agency document earlier this year outlined a Russian effort to hack into devices made by a Florida-based voting software company. One California county, Humboldt, used the companys software, but did not find any evidence of tampering. Padilla, a frequent critic of President Trumps special panel investigating the potential of voter fraud, said federal officials should have notified him much earlier of the attempted breach. The practice of withholding critical information from elections officials is a detriment to the security of our elections and our democracy, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Antonio Villaraigosa jabs at Gavin Newsom over his apparent embrace of single-payer healthcare bill By Melanie Mason Supporters of a measure to establish single-payer healthcare in California were thrilled by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsoms embrace of their bill on Friday, but a rival gubernatorial campaign was less impressed with his position. A spokesman for former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa accused the lieutenant governor of flip-flopping because after Newsom was asked if he explicitly endorsed the legislation Senate Bill 562 he responded that he endorsed getting this debate going again. This is an outrageous parsing of words when millions of people are at risk of losing their healthcare, Villaraigosa spokesman Luis Vizcaino said in a statement. It is a yes or no question, lieutenant governor. Are you for SB 562 or not? The nurses and California voters deserve the truth, Vizcaino added. The question of backing SB 562 is thorny since it was shelved earlier this year after Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) called it woefully incomplete. Backers have said theyd be willing to make changes to the measure, but the contours of those proposed changes have not been made public. Vizcaino said Villaraigosa has always supported universal healthcare and the concept of single payer, but agreed with Speaker Rendon that the bill couldnt be sent to the governor without a funding plan. Speaking to reporters, Newsom said he saw a single-payer system in which the government covers healthcare costs as the best way to achieve universal coverage and said he would be actively engaged in designing and developing it if SB 562 does not pass next year. RoseAnn DeMoro, executive director of the California Nurses Assn./National Nurses United, said she saw Newsoms remarks as a clear endorsement of their measure and a stance she said was not surprising. We always knew Gavin would support our bill, DeMoro said. She lambasted Villaraigosa who does not support SB 562 for criticizing Newsom, whom her group endorsed nearly two years ago. I want Villaraigosa to explain to the Latino community why he doesnt think they should have ... comprehensive healthcare, she said. Villaraigosas being disingenuous. He knows better. Hes just politically posturing trying to find a wedge issue and he knows better. UPDATE 4:32 p.m.: This post was updated with an additional statement from Villaraigosas spokesperson on the former L.A. mayors support for universal healthcare. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print In San Francisco, Bernie Sanders plays two roles: Obamacare defender and single-payer advocate By Melanie Mason View Twitter post Sen. Bernie Sanders headed west to drum up support for his recently unveiled Medicare for All proposal Friday, but first trained his sights on the Obamacare repeal bill currently gripping Congress. Sanders (I-Vt.), whose speech was the cornerstone of a California Nurses Assn. gathering in San Francisco, blasted the Republican plan led by Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina as horrific legislation. How cruel, how immoral it is, to say to those millions of Americans, we are going to take away that health insurance that keeps you alive, Sanders said. Sen. John McCain announced on Friday he could not support the measure, dealing the GOP plan a blow. Sanders thanked McCain for his stance, prompting the liberal crowd to cheer the Arizona Republican. Some Democrats had worried that Sanders push for his single-payer plan could distract from efforts to oppose the repeal bill. But the senator was explicit in his appeal to the approximately 2,000 supporters in attendance to focus their energy on defeating the repeal measure. Our job is to continue to make sure the Republicans do not get the 50 votes they need ... I beg of you, please, do everything you can to stop the bill, he said. Still, the crux of Sanders speech focused on his single-payer bill, which he sold as an improvement over the status quo. The Affordable Care Act, as we all know, made significant improvements to our healthcare system, Sanders said, citing the expansion of the number of Americans with health insurance and the ban on insurance companies ability to deny coverage to people with preexisting conditions. But we must be honest and acknowledge that with all the gains of the Affordable Care Act, it does not go far enough, he added. The bill expands the Medicare program to cover the healthcare costs of all Americans with no out-of-pocket payments for patients. The measure does not include a plan to finance such a system, but Sanders has released a report laying out various ways to cover the costs, including a progressive income tax. During his pitch, Sanders said the implications extended beyond health policy. It is a struggle about what this great nation stands for, Sanders said. It is a struggle about whether or not every working person in this country has healthcare as a right or whether we allow insurance companies and drug companies to continue to rip us off. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Gas tax foes win victory as they try to get a repeal on November 2018 ballot By Patrick McGreevy A Chevron gas station in Sacramento shows prices in February. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) In a rare court rebuke of the state Attorney Generals Office, a judge said Friday that the title and summary written for a proposed initiative is misleading and that hed do a rewrite himself to make it clear the measure would repeal recently approved increases to gas taxes and vehicle fees. Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy M. Frawley said he would draft a new title and summary to be placed on petitions for the initiative after attorneys for the state and proponents of the ballot measure could not agree on compromise language. In this circumstance, I honestly believe that the circulated title and summary that has been prepared is misleading, Frawley told attorneys during a court hearing Friday. He hopes to release the new title and summary by Monday. The initiative proposed by Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach) would repeal a bill approved in April by the Legislature and governor that would raise the gas tax by 12 cents per gallon and increase vehicle fees to generate $5.2 billion annually to fix the states roads and bridges and improve mass transit. Allen and his attorneys said the state attorney general sought to confuse voters with a title that does not use the words taxes or fees. The title was proposed to say: Eliminates recently enacted road repair and transportation funding by repealing revenues dedicated for those purposes. Allen, who is running for governor in 2018, said the court decision showed the attorney general was trying to sway voters against the initiative. Justice is being served for the voters of California, Allen said after the court hearing. I think that he [the judge] has properly seen that the attorney general has tried to intentionally mislead the voters of California because he has tried to prejudice their vote and tried to keep increased taxes for Californians. A coalition of business, labor and government officials called Fix Our Roads, which supports the gas tax legislation, had representatives in the courtroom who later criticized Allen for seeking political gain at the expense of California motorists. This is more about Travis Allens gubernatorial race than anything else, said coalition spokeswoman Kathy Fairbanks. Hes condemning voters to driving on potholed roads and being stuck in traffic. Allen said the initiative and his campaign for governor are both aimed at giving voters power to fight higher taxes. Finally ordinary Californians are understanding that they actually can hold Sacramento accountable, Allen said. This is why Im running to be the next governor of California, because for too long Sacramento has been run by out-of-touch elitists that are coming from Sacramento and the Bay Area of San Francisco. A second initiative to repeal the gas tax has been proposed by a different group of Republican activists. Allen said he supports the second initiative but noted it has to collect many more signatures because it seeks to change the state constitution. It has a long way to go, Allen said. If the judge issues a new title and summary Monday, Allen said the petitions will hit the streets immediately and he is confident they will get the 365,880 signatures to qualify the measure for the November 2018 ballot. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print We will have universal healthcare in the state of California, Gavin Newsom promises single-payer advocates By Melanie Mason View Twitter post Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has made his most explicit endorsement yet of a controversial single-payer healthcare proposal that has roiled Democratic politics in California. Newsom appeared Friday before the California Nurses Assn., the most ardent backers of SB 562, a stalled bill to establish a system in which the state would cover all residents healthcare costs. Theres no reason to wait around on universal healthcare and single-payer in California, Newsom said. Its time to move 562. Its time to get it out of committee. The line prompted cheers and a standing ovation from the audience of about 1,500 members of the nurses union. He capped off his remarks with a promise: If we cant get it done next year, you have my firm and absolute commitment as your next governor that I will lead the effort to get it done. We will have universal healthcare in the state of California. Enthusiastic nurses in the room heard an unequivocal backing of their effort to push forward with the bill. When he says hes going to get this done, he means, seriously, that he will pass SB 562 and make sure that there is healthcare for all Californians, said Catherine Kennedy, a neonatal nurse from Roseville. But speaking to reporters after his address, Newsom was less clear in embracing the specifics of the proposal. I 100% support moving this process along, getting this debate going again and addressing the concerns, the open-ended issues that the nurses themselves have acknowledged as it relates to the need of going through the legislative process and to fill in the blanks on the financing plan, among other issues, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement President Obama appears in an Assembly race mailer in California but read it closely By Christina Bellantoni The race to replace Jimmy Gomez, who was elected to Congress earlier this year, has so far been waged by mail and door-knocking in northeast Los Angeles. Most of the mailers feature local leaders and endorsements from groups including Planned Parenthood and the Sierra Club. But one mailer that arrived in my mailbox Thursday has a much more familiar face former President Barack Obama. While it might seem like one to the casual voter sorting through junk mail, this isnt an endorsement. Want to know what kind of job Gabriel Sandoval will do in the Assembly? Listen to the people hes worked with in the past, the mailer reads, above Obamas official White House portrait. In small type, it notes that Sandoval served as a Senior Civil Rights Attorney and Senior Advisor for a White House initiative within the Department of Education. It features a glowing quote over an image of a July 12, 2013, letter from the president to Sandoval written on White House letterhead. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Healthcare a hot issue in race for California governor By Phil Willon Antonio Villaraigosa, left, and Gavin Newsom (Brendan Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images; Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) With the hyperpartisan politics surrounding healthcare stirred up by efforts to repeal Obamacare and calls for a single-payer system, both Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa are claiming the mantle of healthcare visionary. On the campaign trail the two Democratic candidates for governor are touting their signature healthcare accomplishments from earlier in their political careers as their bona fides. For Newsom, its about Healthy San Francisco, the nations first municipal universal healthcare program, approved while he was mayor; and for Villaraigosa, its Healthy Families, which provided healthcare coverage to the children of Californias working poor, legislation he authored as a California assemblyman. But do they deserve all the credit? It sure doesnt look that way. Healthy San Francisco is one of the many topics Newsom is expected to highlight when he speaks to the California Nurses Assn. convention in the Bay Area on Friday morning. On Thursday night, Newsom took a shot at the latest Republican effort in Washington to roll back the Affordable Care Act a bill written by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) The numbers on this make my skin crawl. Under Graham-Cassidy, an individual with metastatic cancer could see their premiums increase by $142,650. Diabetes? $5,600. Want to tackle the opioid crisis? Gets a lot tougher if an individual suffering from drug dependence sees their premiums go up by $20,450, Newsom said in an email sent out by his campaign. This is not a game. Lives are at stake. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Rep. Duncan Hunter calls for preemptive strike against North Korea By Joshua Stewart, San Diego Union-Tribune Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine) introduces U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions at a news conference. (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) Rep. Duncan Hunter said that the United States needs to launch a preemptive strike against North Korea in order to prevent the rogue nation from harming the U.S. first. You could assume, right now, that we have a nuclear missile aimed at the United States, and here in San Diego. Why would they not aim here, at Hawaii, Guam, our major naval bases? Hunter, an Alpine Republican, said Thursday during an appearance on San Diego television station KUSI. The question is, do you wait for one of those? Or two? Do you preemptively strike them? And thats what the president has to wrestle with. I would preemptively strike them. You could call it declaring war, call it whatever you want, Hunter continued. Hunter, a member of a House Armed Services Committee and the subcommittee with jurisdiction over the United States nuclear arsenal, did not say whether the military should strike North Korea with conventional or nuclear weapons. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Will Bernie Sanders push for Medicare for All help or hinder the California effort for single-payer? By Melanie Mason When Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders visited Beverly Hills last May, he made a full-throated appeal for California to lead the country and pass a pending state proposal to establish single-payer healthcare. On Friday, hell return to California for a San Francisco speech trumpeting his own higher-stakes plan a bill to drastically overhaul the nations healthcare system by covering everyone through Medicare. The push for single-payer, in which the government pays for residents medical care, has already rattled Californias political landscape. Now, the Sanders measure brings an additional jolt, elevating the issue to a national debate that has implications for the future direction of the Democratic Party and early jockeying in the 2020 presidential race. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement What will Kevin de Leon do when his term in the California Senate expires next year? By Patrick McGreevy State Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, speaks during the last regular Senate floor session of the year. ( (Rich Pedroncelli / AP)) As he gaveled down what may be his last full year as leader of the California Senate on Saturday, Kevin de Leon had still not said what he planned to do next. Will he run for governor or U.S. Senate? Does he want to be mayor of Los Angeles some day? De Leon told reporters they will have to wait to find out. His advisors, supporters and political observers have their own ideas what De Leon could do next. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Skelton: The presidential election bills on Gov. Browns desk may be satisfying politics, but theyre risky ideas By George Skelton Two presidential election bills are on Gov. Jerry Browns desk, sent to him by the Democratic Legislature. Both should be tossed in the trash. No doubt Im in the minority on this. These bills do offer some fun, even if theyre flawed. One has strong pluses that are outweighed by unacceptable minuses. The second is a mean-spirited gotcha bill aimed at the Democrats No. 1 enemy: President Trump. It may be satisfying politics, but it sets a risky precedent. The first bill moves up Californias presidential primary from June to March. Great idea. But it also moves up the state primary along with it. A horrible idea. The second measure would require all presidential candidates to release their tax returns for the last five years. Anyone who refused wouldnt be allowed on the California ballot. Thats a sharp poke at Trump, who in 2016 was the first presidential candidate in 40 years not to release his taxes. Yes, watching Trump squirm would be entertaining. And maybe the tax information would be useful for some voters. But even if the disclosure requirement were constitutional and theres substantial doubt about that its a crummy precedent. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California Senate leader preparing for legal fight over sanctuary state legislation By Sarah D. Wire California Senate President Pro Tem Kevin De Leon (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) Gov. Jerry Brown hasnt yet signed legislation making California a so-called sanctuary state, but state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon is preparing to defend it in court. In between several immigration events in Washington on Wednesday, De Leon (D-Los Angeles) said he met with former U.S. Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. who has served as outside counsel to the Legislature for much of the year to continue to further discuss inoculating California from [U.S. Atty. Gen.] Jeff Sessions Department of Justice. Passed early Saturday by the Legislature, the sanctuary state bill would limit state and local law enforcement communication with federal immigration authorities and prevent officers from questioning and holding people on immigration violations. Sessions has threatened to withhold some federal grant funds from cities and counties that refuse to assist federal immigration agents. Holder and other former Justice Department lawyers believe the bill is defendable, and if the Trump administration tries to compel California cities to act by withholding funds, it will find itself in court, De Leon said. Defenders of so-called sanctuary cities often rely on a 1996 Supreme Court ruling that cited the 10th Amendment and found the federal government cant compel local governments to cooperate with enforcing federal laws. It is immoral, and quite frankly un-American, that Americas top law enforcement official would withhold dollars that our local police officers need precious dollars we need desperately to counter terrorism, to deal with the issue of human trafficking as well as international drug cartels, De Leon said. On Tuesday, Sessions urged Brown not to sign the bill, calling it unconscionable and a threat to public safety. Brown responded to Sessions comment on CNN by calling the legislation well-balanced. It protects public safety, but it also protects hardworking people who contribute a lot to California, Brown said. He has until Oct. 15 to sign the bill. De Leon also shot back against Sessions statement that the federal money isnt an entitlement, saying Californians pay more in federal taxes than they receive in federal funding. Thats not a gift or a grant from the Department of Justice to California. Those are our dollars; they belong to the people of California, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California, with alliance of states, pledges to keep pushing climate policies despite lack of federal progress By Chris Megerian (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) California and a growing alliance of states committed to fighting global warming said Wednesday that theyre slashing greenhouse gas emissions at the rate required by the Paris climate agreement. However, the rest of the country would need to join their effort for the United States to actually hit the target of cutting emissions by at least 26% below 2005 levels by 2025. President Trump has pledged to pull the country out of the Paris deal, but the states reiterated their pledge to keep pressing forward during a news conference in New York. Were all in, California Gov. Jerry Brown said. Eventually, Washington will join with us. You cant deny science forever. Californias climate goal is even more ambitious than the Paris target. A law signed by Brown last year requires the state to cut emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. California became a founding member of the U.S. Climate Alliance, along with New York and Washington state, months ago. Either we end this problem, or this problem will end us, said New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. On Wednesday, North Carolina became the 15th member of the U.S. Climate Alliance. Other members include Massachusetts, Oregon and Puerto Rico. Clean air and a healthy environment are vital for a strong economy and a healthier future, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a newly elected Democrat, said in a statement. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Bay Area cities sue major oil companies over climate change By Chris Megerian (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) San Francisco and Oakland are suing to get five oil companies, including San Ramon-based Chevron, to pay for the cost of protecting the Bay Area from rising sea levels and other effects of global warming. These fossil fuel companies profited handsomely for decades while knowing they were putting the fate of our cities at risk, San Francisco City Atty. Dennis Herrera said in a statement. The lawsuits, which were filed Tuesday in state court in San Francisco and Alameda counties and announced Wednesday, dont ask for a specific dollar amount. But the cities could try to put oil companies on the hook for billions. Long-term improvements in San Franciscos seawall are projected to cost $5 billion, according to one of the lawsuits. The law is clear that the defendants are responsible for the consequences of their reckless and disastrous actions, Oakland City Atty. Barbara J. Parker said in a statement. A spokesman for Chevron, Melissa Ritchie, said the lawsuits would not help address climate change. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a global issue that requires global engagement and action, she said in a statement. Should this litigation proceed, it will only serve special interests at the expense of broader policy, regulatory, and economic priorities. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California sues to stop Trumps border wall: No one gets to ignore the laws. Not even the president By Patrick McGreevy California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announces lawsuit against Trump Administration. California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra filed a lawsuit Wednesday alleging that President Trumps proposal to expedite construction of a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border violates laws aimed at protecting the environment. Becerra announced the legal challenge standing in front of the existing border fencing at Border Field State Park near San Diego, saying the federal government failed to comply with federal environmental laws and relied on federal statutes that dont authorize border wall projects in San Diego and Imperial counties. No one gets to ignore the laws. Not even the president of the United States, Becerra said. The border between the U.S. and Mexico spans some 2,000 miles. The list of laws violated by the presidents administration in order to build his campaign wall is almost as long. He said the project involves the improper waiver of 37 federal statutes, many aimed at protecting the environment. Filed in federal court in San Diego and including the California Coastal Commission as a plaintiff, the lawsuit states its purpose is to protect the State of Californias residents, natural resources, economic interests, procedural rights, and sovereignty from violations of the United States Constitution and federal law. Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra at the U.S.- Mexico border where he announced lawsuit to stop a proposal for a border wall. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) The lawsuit also alleges that federal officials have not shown any data suggesting new border barriers in the San Diego area will reduce illegal entry into the U.S., nor that there is a significant problem in that area. It adds that the wall would have a chilling effect on tourism to the United States from Mexico. In August, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a notice that it was waiving federal and state laws on the environment to expedite the construction of prototypes of the wall along the San Diego border with Mexico. The California lawsuit claims the federal government violated the U.S. Constitutions separation-of-powers doctrine by vesting in the Executive Branch the power to waive state and local laws. The lawsuit also says the Department of Homeland Security decided to build the walls without complying with the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the Coastal Zone Management Act. As a result, the lawsuit alleges, the federal government lacks proper environmental analysis of the impact of the 400-foot prototypes of the wall currently planned, as well as the 2,000-mile-long final wall. A federal official declined comment. As a matter of policy, we do not comment on pending litigation, said Tyler Q. Houlton, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security. State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) stood with Becerra at the event, saying the wall is unnecessary and will put a barrier between relations involving the two countries. Maybe to people in Iowa, it sounds like a really good idea, she said. We dont need more structure. We need a good relationship [with Mexico]. Times staff writers McGreevy reported from Sacramento and Ulloa from San Diego. AG @XavierBecerra takes some shots at Trump: He hasn't made the transition from candidate to president. #borderwall pic.twitter.com/liSJdrAK2v Jazmine Ulloa (@jazmineulloa) September 20, 2017 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California to sue Trump administration over plan for U.S.-Mexico border wall By Patrick McGreevy California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra plans to announce a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of the state that will challenge President Trumps proposal to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, a project Becerra has called medieval. Becerra is scheduled to travel to Border Field State Park near San Diego to announce that a lawsuit is being filed in federal court over construction of border wall projects in San Diego and Imperial counties. The lawsuit, which includes the California Coastal Commission as a plaintiff, states its purpose is to protect the State of Californias residents, natural resources, economic interests, procedural rights, and sovereignty from violations of the United States Constitution and federal law. It adds that the wall would have a chilling effect on tourism to the United States from Mexico. The states lawsuit alleges that the Trump administration has failed to comply with federal and state environmental laws and relied on federal statutes that dont authorize the proposed projects. The brief alleges the federal government violated the U.S. Constitutions separation-of-powers doctrine by vesting in the Executive Branch the power to waive state and local laws, including state criminal law.. The lawsuit also says the Department of Homeland Security decided to build the walls without complying with the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. As a result, the lawsuit alleges, the federal government lacks proper environmental analysis of the impact of 400-foot prototypes of the wall currently planned, as well as the 2,000-mile-long final wall. The Democratic attorney general has been critical of the wall for months, including in April during an appearance on ABCs This Week. Im still trying to figure out who believes that a medieval situation to fix our broken immigration system is what we need, Becerra said. He also accused Trump at the time of reneging on his promise to have Mexico pay for the wall. I think American taxpayers probably are very much aligned with Mexico. None of them, whether its Mexico or our taxpayers, wants to pay for a medieval wall, he said. This is the latest of more than two dozen lawsuits and legal briefs filed against the Trump administration by Becerra, who was appointed attorney general in January and is running for election to the post next year. He previously sued to challenge Trumps plans to end a program that protects young immigrants from deportation, ban immigration from some countries and roll back environmental laws. Last week, three advocacy groups sued the federal government to block construction of a border wall, alleging that the Trump administration overstepped its authority by waiving environmental reviews and other laws. The action by the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and Animal Legal Defense Fund seeks to prevent construction of wall prototypes in San Diego. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said last month that prototypes for a border wall may be completed by the end of October. Becerras lawsuit is the latest attempt by California Democrats to fight the wall proposal. A bill that would have banned state government contracts for any company that helps build the wall passed the state Senate, but stalled recently in an Assembly committee. Sen. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) authored the bill, testifying at a committee hearing that the wall is another attempt to separate and divide us. It sends a message that we are better off in a homogenous society. Todd Bloomstine, a lobbyist representing the Southern California Contractors Assn., opposed the bill, asking the panel, What next unpopular project would be [on the] blacklist? Read the lawsuit >> UPDATE 8:30 a.m. This article was updated to provide additional details of the lawsuit. This article was originally published at 6 a.m. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Judge rules state used misleading language in summary of ballot measure to repeal California gas tax By Patrick McGreevy GOP Assemblyman Travis Allen, in red tie, with Democratic state Sen. Bob Hertzberg, left, and Charles Munger Jr., far right, in 2014. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) A judge tentatively ruled Tuesday that the state-written title and summary of an initiative to repeal the recent gas-tax increases were misleading and should be rewritten by the state attorney generals office. The ruling by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy M. Frawley, scheduled to be finalized at a court hearing on Friday, was welcomed by the initiatives lead proponent, Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach). This preliminary ruling is a major victory for Californians, Allen, a candidate for governor, said in a statement. This brings us one step closer to repealing Jerry Browns hugely unpopular gas tax. I look forward to the final ruling on Friday, and ensuring that the Repeal the Gas Tax Initiative receives the straightforward ballot title and summary that it deserves. Judge Frawley agreed with Allens legal claims that the title and summary drafted by Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerras office is confusing, misleading, and likely to create prejudice against the proposed measure. The judge said the initiative would repeal taxes and fees approved by the Legislature this year, but the title and summary issued by the state makes it sound like it would eliminate transportation funding without using the words taxes and fees in the title. He ordered state officials to come to Fridays hearing prepared to discuss alternate language for the ballot measure. To avoid misleading the voters and creating prejudice against the measure, the Attorney General must prepare a true and impartial statement that reasonably informs voters of the character and real purpose of the proposed initiative in clear and understandable language, the ruling says. The existing circulating title and summary fails this test. If the judge finalizes the order after hearing arguments Friday, Allen can use the new title and summary to circulate a petition. Allen needs to collect 365,000 signatures from registered voters in 150 days to put the measure on the November 2018 ballot. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Gov. Jerry Brown: Trumps rhetoric about North Korea adds to non-rational bluster By Mina Corpuz (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) California Gov. Jerry Brown said President Trumps name calling and threats at the United Nations can get in the way of diplomacy and statesmanship. Earlier Tuesday, Trump called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un a Rocket Man on a suicide mission and said the United States may have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea. It just raises the temperature and the exchange of non-rational bluster back and forth, Brown said in a interview with CNNs Jake Tapper. I dont think thats positive. Brown is in New York for some climate meetings related to the United Nations General Assembly. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Yes, dahlink: Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, widower of Zsa Zsa Gabor, is running for California governor By Phil Willon Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, widower of actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, outside of the couples Bel-Air mansion in 2011. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times) Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, widower of the whimsical celebrity and actress Zsa Zsa Gabor, is back. Von Anhalt has filed to run for governor of California his second attempt after a short-lived campaign in 2010 saying hes fed up with seeing roads falling apart, people struggling to afford rent and an explosion of homelessness in the state. Ive lived in this city for 36 years. Ive never seen so many people eating out of a trash can in the Western world, Von Anhalt said Tuesday. We talk about Hollywood, and this being the entertainment center of the world. How is this possible? Von Anhalt, Garbors ninth and last husband, is running as an independent. He filed an official Candidate Intention Statement with the California Secretary of States office Monday, the first step in launching an official campaign. The 74-year-old Bel-Air resident, a German immigrant, said he has enough money to help support his own campaign. He said he dropped out of the 2010 governors race only because his wife became seriously ill. She died in December. She was the one who wanted me run, Von Anhalt said. Von Anhalt also flirted briefly with a run for Los Angeles mayor in 2013, a race eventually won by Eric Garcetti. FOR THE RECORD 5:33 p.m.: An earlier of this post said Von Anhalt was age 71. He is 74. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Assemblyman urges other legislatures to join California in censuring President Trump By Mina Corpuz Assemblyman Tony Thurmond (D-Richmond) speaks with Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) A California lawmaker who authored a resolution to support a censure of President Trump sent letters to 49 other state legislatures Tuesday to urge them to join the effort. Assemblyman Tony Thurmond, a Richmond Democrat, sent the letters days after the Assembly became the first state legislative body to support a congressional censure of the president. California has spoken and we look to the rest of the nation to join us, Thurmond said in a statement. Its important that all our states unite and show that the United States of America stands against hate. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print After cap-and-trade vote, Assemblyman Chad Mayes faces a second Republican challenger for reelection By Patrick McGreevy Chad Mayes of Yucca Valley leaves the Assembly floor before resigning as Assembly Republican leader on Aug. 24. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)) Former Palm Springs Police Chief Gary Jeandron on Tuesday became the second Republican to announce plans to challenge Assemblyman Chad Mayes (R-Yucca Valley) in the 2018 election. Jeandron, a La Quinta resident, said he was angered over Mayes vote as Assembly Republican leader to support an extension of the states controversial cap-and-trade program, which requires businesses to buy permits to release greenhouse gas emissions. Jeandron saw the action as continuing a wrongful tax increase and said he is signing a no-tax pledge. I just dont believe [Mayes] has held Republican values, Jeandron told The Times. He has been blinded by ambition. He has been seduced by the governor. Mayes vote led to an outcry by Republican leaders, and he eventually succumbed to pressure to step down as leader of the Assembly Republicans. Mayes defended his position, telling colleagues during the floor debate, many of us believe that climate change is real and we have to work to address it. Jeandron, who lost to Mayes in the 2014 election, joins San Jacinto City Councilman Andrew Kotyuk in planning to challenge Mayes for the 42nd Assembly District seat. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Republican John Cox tasted political defeat many times before launching his bid for California governor By Phil Willon Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox speaks to the Lincoln Club of Riverside County in June. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) Candidate for California governor John Cox is relatively new to the states politics, but Cox has run for office multiple times, and even tangled with Barack Obama on the debate stage when the pair ran in the 2004 Illinois U.S. Senate race. Neither candidate was considered their partys favorite. But things began looking up for Obama, of course, who won the Senate race and then the presidency. Cox dropped out before the GOP primary election. It was his third try for elected office in Illinois and his third defeat. Now hes back, this time in his new home of California, running for governor against a trio of Democratic heavyweights. Once again, Cox is a practical unknown. Once again, the Republican is in a left-leaning state reaching for a coveted political office. Once again, Coxs campaign is being fed by cash from his own bank account. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print After she was confronted by protesters, Pelosi says Democrats want a clean Dream Act with no border wall By Jazmine Ulloa House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi on Monday said she understood the fear in young protesters who shouted her down at a San Francisco news conference, asking for a legal path to citizenship for themselves and their parents. Speaking at Sacramento State hours after the disruption, Pelosi said she agreed with the protesters, pointing to the Dream Act as only the first step to broader immigration reform. We are all disrupters ourselves, she said, standing next to fellow congressional Democrats. So we recognize it and respect it in others. At Sac State, @NancyPelosi on SF protests today: We are all disruptors ourselves. So we recognize it and respect it in others. #dacadeal pic.twitter.com/W1WKQikmsc Jazmine Ulloa (@jazmineulloa) September 19, 2017 Both press events were scheduled by Pelosi to discuss a legislative fix to help thousands of young people affected by President Trumps decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The Obama-era policy provided temporary status for 800,000 people brought to the country illegally as children. Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York met with Trump last week after the termination of DACA was announced. In Sacramento, Pelosi said they had come to an agreement to a clean Dream Act, which would provide a path to permanent status for citizens who work, study or serve in the military, without tougher border enforcement or increased deportations. Meanwhile, Democrats are fighting with the president over the construction of a wall along the U.S-Mexico border. And House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin has made it clear he wants some kind of border security, Pelosi said. That is not under discussion, she said. We can discuss other issues, but we are not going to discuss how we protect the Dreamers. At Sac State, @NancyPelosi arrives to talk #DACAdeal and help for Dreamers. Elected officials from every level of government also present. pic.twitter.com/yoESsRC1Ok Jazmine Ulloa (@jazmineulloa) September 18, 2017 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Feinstein, who called for patience with Trump, lashes out over his attacks on Clinton By Sarah D. Wire Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said it was appalling and disgusting to see President Trump retweet a video edited to look like he hit former rival Hillary Clinton in the head with a golf ball. He continues to obsessively lash out at her at his rallies, with his words and now through social media in a manner that is utterly unbecoming of the president of the United States, Feinstein said in a statement Monday. Every one of us should be offended by the vindictive and candidly dangerous messages the president sends that demean not only Secretary Clinton, but all women. Grow up and do your job. Clinton is out with a new book about the campaign, and Trump has repeatedly used Twitter to deride her as a sore loser. He retweeted the animated GIF Sunday which shows him hitting a golf ball that then knocks down Clinton. Feinstein, who has yet to say whether shell run again in 2018, has walked a fine line with Trump in recent months. Shes criticized him at times, but drew ire from some progressive Californians last month when she called for patience in dealing with the president, saying that Trump could be a good president if he learned and changed. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement California lawmakers are building a wall against President Trumps policies By George Skelton California state legislators ended their annual session the way they began it building a wall to protect undocumented immigrants from President Trump. Not an iron wall, as Trump promised to erect along the U.S.-Mexico border, but a legal barrier to prevent local police and sheriffs from teaming with the presidents agents to enforce federal immigration law. The legislators did a lot of other things, too, before adjourning early Saturday until January. They sent Gov. Jerry Brown bills to address Californias dearth of affordable housing, to borrow $4 billion for parks and waterworks, to spend $1.5 billion in greenhouse-gas pollution fees, to provide tuition-free community college for first-year students and to lift some secrecy from prescription drug pricing. Earlier in the session, the heavily Democratic Legislature passed its boldest, most controversial bill of the year: A $5.2-billion annual increase in fuel taxes and vehicle fees to finance transportation infrastructure, especially to repair crumbling highways. Republicans will attempt to repeal the bill at the ballot box in 2018. Brown says that borders on insanity. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump is riding a very dead horse on climate change, Gov. Brown says at New York conference By Ann Simmons (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press) Gov. Jerry Brown on Monday touted steps California has taken toward a healthier climate, but warned that powerful forces he called climate deniers are resisting technologies and policies designed to improve conditions. I like all the optimism around here, but I dont want to minimize the steep hill that we have to climb, Brown said at the start of a gathering of international leaders called Climate Week NYC. Decarbonizing the economy when the economy depends so totally on carbon is not childs play. Its quite daunting. Hosted by the Climate Group, an international nonprofit organization that works with business and government to promote clean technologies and policies, the event was scheduled to bring together high-profile governors, executives of Fortune 500 companies and leaders of multinational businesses for a week to share their strategies in tackling climate change. The discussions come amid concerns about global warming and after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma caused devastation in Houston, Florida and across parts of the Caribbean. Some scientists believe that warmer ocean waters caused by climate change are creating stronger storms. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Nancy Pelosi shouted down at DACA news conference for working with Trump By Sarah D. Wire Dreamer protesters have disrupted a Pelosi presser in CA, asking for protections for Dreamer & their parents: https://t.co/o3zGNJvblL Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) September 18, 2017 More than four dozen immigration activists upset with Democrats for negotiating with President Trump shouted down House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi at a San Francisco news conference Monday. We are not your bargaining chip, the crowd chanted at one point, according to KCBS News political reporter Doug Sovern. VIDEO: Chaos at @NancyPelosi #DACA event as 40+ undocumented hijack her news conf in SF: "We are not your bargaining chip! Let us speak!" pic.twitter.com/KC2WyrjqSy Doug Sovern (@SovernNation) September 18, 2017 'All of us or none of us' Crowd takes over DREAM Act event. Pelosi getting blasted by about 100 young 'undocumented youth' pic.twitter.com/RgwnZ4dB3O Evan Sernoffsky (@EvanSernoffsky) September 18, 2017 San Francisco Chronicle reporter Evan Sernoffsky said on Twitter that some in the group were yelling, All of us or none of us. Other reporters said the group chanted, Shut down ICE. Pelosi held the news conference to advocate for speedy passage of a legislative fix to the legal status of hundreds of thousands of people brought to the country illegally as children. Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York met with Trump last week after he announced an end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The Obama-era program deferred deportation for some people brought to the country illegally as children. Pelosi and Schumer said their discussion with the president included the possibility of adding more immigration enforcement which some immigration advocates are against to legislation to address DACA. At the news conference, Pelosi first made remarks and introduced an immigrant in the country illegally, at which point the shouting began, according to a Pelosi aide. The group surrounded Pelosi, with some gesturing close to her face. She attempted to calm the crowd for about half an hour before leaving the news conference. The aide said the group was made up of local DACA beneficiaries. We need to have a conversation, but that was completely one-sided; they dont want any answers, Pelosi told reporters afterward, according to a transcript. Pelosi said the activists should be focused on Republican members of Congress, not Democrats. I understand their frustration, Im excited by it as a matter of fact, but the fact is theyre completely wrong. The Democrats are the ones who stopped their assault on sanctuary cities, stopped the wall, the increased deportations in our last bill that was at the end of April, and we are determined to get Republicans votes to pass the clean Dream Act. Is it possible to pass a bill without some border security? Well well have to see. We didnt agree to anything in that regard, except to listen, Pelosi said. UPDATES 1:06 p.m. This post was updated with more details throughout and quotes from Pelosi. This post was originally published at 12:12 p.m. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Democrats hopes of flipping seats in California are soaring, but it wont be as easy at it seems By Christine Mai-Duc (Associated Press / AFP/Getty Images) Democrats know they have to win at least a few seats in California if they want to regain control of the House in 2018. But though the energy and hopes of many Democratic activists here are soaring, flipping Republican-held seats here could be harder than it appears. There are a few bits of conventional wisdom that suggest Democrats have a long road ahead. For one, Republicans often turn out in greater numbers than their Democratic counterparts in midterm-election years. And even though Hillary Clinton won seven of the Republican-held districts Democrats are now targeting, past election data show voters there still lean much more conservative than other parts of the state. If past is prologue, says Rob Pyers, research director for the nonpartisan election guide California Target Book, Democrats will have a hard time picking up more than a couple of seats in California. With most voters unlikely to tune in until at least next spring, there are many factors that could affect the political calculus, including whether the California Republican Party will be able to field a competitive candidate for governor, or whether ballot initiatives such as a potential repeal of the newest gas tax hike will propel GOP voters to the polls. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California will be the keeper of the nations future in the era of Trump, state Democratic lawmakers promise By Melanie Mason State Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, from left, Gov. Jerry Brown and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press) Within a day of President Trumps election last November, Californias top Democratic lawmakers responded with a joint statement that contained an audacious promise. It was their state, not Washington, D.C., that would be the keeper of the nations future. An artistic rendering of that vow, with looping calligraphy and a roaring grizzly, is now on display in the offices of Senate leader Kevin de Leon and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. In the wake of Trumps win, the words seemed to be a sort of foundational document Californias declaration of resistance. That pugilistic posture is often conveyed in shorthand: California versus Trump. But the ensuing legislative year, which ended Friday, revealed the messy reality of squaring up against the federal government. Its been challenging, De Leon (D-Los Angeles) said, bleary-eyed as he took a break during the final days of the session. You have to debate, you have to negotiate, you have to make your case, and I think at the end of the day, well still have the most far-reaching policy in the nation. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print California Politics Podcast: Lawmakers leave Sacramento after a busy year By John Myers From immigration issues to housing, some of the biggest debates of the Legislatures nine-month session happened at the very end. In governing, as in life, deadlines often make things happen. On this weeks California Politics Podcast, we take an early look at some of the most important decisions lawmakers made in the final few days of the 2017 session in Sacramento. That includes a landmark decision to intervene in the issue of illegal immigration, and to pass a long discussed package of bills to begin addressing Californias housing crisis. We also look at some of the broader political themes of the entire legislative year -- most notably, the effort by Democrats in the Legislature to provide a resistance to actions taken by President Trump. Im joined by Times staff writers Melanie Mason and Liam Dillon. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Passage of sanctuary state bill draws rebukes from Trump administration officials, praise in California By Jazmine Ulloa Supporters of state sanctuary bill SB 54 rally outside the Hall of Justice. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) California lawmakers on Saturday passed a sanctuary state bill to protect immigrants without legal residency in the U.S., part of a broader push by Democrats to counter expanded deportation orders under the Trump administration. The landmark legislation by Sen. Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) would limit state and local law enforcement communication with federal immigration authorities, and prevent officers from questioning and holding people on immigration violations. But the bill sent to Gov. Jerry Brown drastically scaled back the version first introduced, the result of tough negotiations between Brown and De Leon in the final weeks of the legislative session. Its passage already is reverberating across the country. Trump administration officials have sounded off in opposition. And immigrant rights groups and some California law enforcement officials have come out in support of what they call a hard compromise. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Supporters unable to resurrect California clean-energy proposal on final day of legislative session By Chris Megerian Environmentalists rally in front of Assemblyman Chris Holdens office in Pasadena on Thursday. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times) Despite a last-minute push from environmentalists and actors from The Avengers, legislation that eventually would require all of Californias electricity to come from clean sources failed to advance this year. Facing opposition from unions and utilities, Assembly leadership refused to put the measure, SB 100, up for a vote on Friday, the final day of the legislative session. The decision to not move the bill this year is disappointing, said Kathryn Phillips, director of the Sierra Clubs California chapter. But we are committed to moving this policy next year. Theres no time to waste. The measure, written by Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon ( A nearly two-decade stalemate over the legal status of hundreds of thousands of young immigrants moved closer than ever to resolution Thursday as a president eager for tangible victories proved willing to get one by abandoning a position dear to many of his supporters. The tentative agreement, worked out over dinner Wednesday night between President Trump and the top two Democrats in Congress, could give legal status to nearly 800,000 so-called Dreamers, people who came to the country illegally as children. The move came slightly more than a week after Trump announced that he would end an Obama administration program known as DACA that provided Dreamers a shield against deportation and permission to work legally in the United States. The agreement would, in effect, enshrine the DACA protections in law in return for increased spending on border security. Advertisement Trumps decision to end DACA, formally known as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, had been a major victory for immigration restrictionists, both within his administration and outside it. But Trump, who has repeatedly shown a personal soft spot for the Dreamers, never seemed truly in sync with a willingness to see the young immigrants forced out of the country, despite his own call for their deportation during the presidential campaign. The presidents decision to negotiate a deal with House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and Senate Democratic leader Charles E. Schumer of New York infuriated many of his supporters, leading to cries of betrayal. Trump, however, seemed undeterred. People want to see that happen, Trump told reporters Thursday morning, referring to the deal as he prepared to head to Florida to look at hurricane recovery efforts. You have 800,000 young people, brought here, no fault of their own. So were working on a plan, well see how it works out. Were going to get massive border security as part of that. And I think something can happen, well see what happens, but something will happen, he said. In addition to Trumps personal feelings about the Dreamers, Republican members of Congress attributed his sudden outreach to the Democrats to unhappiness over his failure to achieve big legislative goals in the first eight months of his administration. Hes very frustrated in how things are not getting done, and hes talking with the Democrats. Whats he supposed to do? asked Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.), one of Trumps earliest supporters in Congress and a longtime foe of illegal immigration. He didnt come here to do nothing. He came here to keep his promises. Legislation to resolve the issue, known as the Dream Act and championed by Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Downey), has been under debate since early in the George W. Bush administration. Longtime advocates cautioned that the treacherous politics of immigration could still upset the tentative deal. At least for now, however, Trumps willingness to back a legalization measure appeared to have broken the logjam in Congress, with even longtime supporters of immigration restriction saying they now viewed the young immigrants as a special case, justifying a legislative solution. Youll find the majority of the Republicans on the floor agree that weve got to address the Dreamers, said Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho). These children did not break the law. If I go into a bank and rob a bank, and have my 6-year-old kid with me, they dont prosecute the 6-year-old. White House officials, siding with Pelosi, said they wanted to see legislation pass before Congress takes a scheduled recess in early October, perhaps forestalling the ability of the restrictionist side of the debate to rally opposition. The vehemence of that opposition was evident Thursday. Amnesty Don ... Trump Caves on DACA, screamed a headline on Breitbart News, the conservative website run by Stephen K. Bannon, Trumps former chief strategist. Sean Hannity, the Fox News commentator and one of Trumps most loyal supporters, likened the presidents willingness to give legal status, and perhaps citizenship, to the Dreamers to President George H.W. Bushs breaking of his no new taxes pledge a decision that led to a conservative revolt that doomed Bushs presidency. But Trump, who last year boasted that his supporters would stick with him even if he shot a person on 5th Avenue, may not face such a high price. Polling has repeatedly shown that large majorities of Americans, including a majority of Trump voters, have sympathy for the Dreamers and support legal status. Moreover, voters tend to take their cues on policy matters from leaders they trust. Many African American voters opposed same-sex marriage until President Obama endorsed it, for example. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), one of the leading immigration hawks in Congress, conceded that point, saying that while he would oppose the new Dream Act, as he had four years ago when it last came up for debate, a deal would be harder to resist now. In 2013, at least we had a president to oppose. Its harder to resist a president of your own party, he said. It could be a kind of Nixon-China moment, said Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee. Thats the type of deal you do want to reach. President Nixon, a longtime anti-communist, normalized relations with the communist government in China in 1972. Throughout the day Thursday, Trump sought to defend himself against charges that he was breaking a promise. Responding to a shouted question as he left the White House about whether he favors amnesty, Trump shouted back: The word is DACA. Later as he arrived in Florida, Trump amplified that defense. Were not looking at citizenship. Were not looking at amnesty. Were looking at allowing people to stay here, he said. Were talking about taking care of people, people who were brought here, people whove done a good job. Trump also talked about the importance of his long-sought wall along the U.S. border with Mexico, but notably did not say that money for it would have to be part of a DACA deal, which Democrats have insisted they would not agree to. Very important is the wall. We have to be sure the wall isnt obstructed, he said. It doesnt have to be here [in the DACA deal], but they cant obstruct the wall if its in a budget or anything else. Well only do it if we get extreme security, not only surveillance but everything that goes with surveillance, he said. Trump said he had briefed House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on his discussions with the Democratic leaders, calling them both early Thursday. They were on board, he said. McConnells office released a statement Thursday morning that offered lukewarm support for the emerging deal. As Congress debates the best ways to address illegal immigration through strong border security and interior enforcement, DACA should be part of those discussions. We look forward to receiving the Trump administrations legislative proposal as we continue our work on these issues, the statement said. Ryan insisted talks were just beginning. Theres no agreement, he said. These were discussions. In a statement Thursday morning, Pelosi and Schumer said that there was no final deal, but there was agreement on the following: We agreed that the president would support enshrining DACA protections into law, and encourage the House and Senate to act. What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security, they said, adding that the deal would not include money for the border wall. The president made clear he intends to pursue [wall funding] at a later time, and we made clear we would continue to oppose it. Another potential issue could be whether the legislation would give Dreamers an eventual path toward full citizenship. Pelosi said at a news conference that would be part of the deal. Trump, speaking on his return to Washington, said, Were not talking about that. Were not talking about amnesty at all. Among the items the two sides agreed on, Pelosi and Schumer said, were border security measures including new technology, drones, air support, sensor equipment, rebuilding roads along the border and the bipartisan McCaul-Thompson bill, a border security measure that passed the House in July. Inside the White House, Trumps staff was scrambling to come up with contours of a deal. Immigration advocates worried that hard-liners in the White House, led by senior policy advisor Stephen Miller, would try to seed the administrations proposal with terms that would be unacceptable to Democrats. Democratic congressional staff members, who have been through a lot of immigration battles, were on the lookout for possible deal-breakers. Among the measures Democrats would probably resist would be efforts to require all employers to check federal immigration databases before making new hires critics say the databases arent reliable or to limit Dreamers future ability to sponsor relatives for immigration status. Several members of Congress on the Democratic left wing and longtime advocates for immigrants expressed skepticism that Trump would follow through. It entirely depends on what we mean by some security, said Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.). Pelosi, at a news conference, sought to quiet such fears in words that encapsulated how much the atmosphere on Capitol Hill had changed. I trust the president, in that regard, she said. ALSO The end of DACA would be a big win for Mexico, foreign secretary says DACA participants skeptical of Trump deal to provide legal status for Dreamers Sheriff Joe Arpaio on Trump and DACA: Whatever final policy he supports, Ill also support. Hes very intelligent UPDATES: 4:20 p.m.: This story was updated with additional reaction and analysis. The story was first published at 10:15 a.m. President Trump, by his second deal in as many weeks with Democratic leaders, has upended the political calculations of both of their parties: Many Republicans are left fuming of his betrayal, while some Democrats have begun warning party leaders against getting too cozy with a president they vow to resist. Trump is betting that he can play the two sides against each other and finally notch some legislative achievements, in turn reassuring centrists and improving his dismal poll ratings. The risk, as the presidents nationalist allies already are warning, is that Trump alienates some among his loyalists even as other voters remain resolutely hostile, and he sinks further. With the latest deal, Trump could not have chosen an issue more likely to test his core supporters. After winning election on an anti-immigration platform, he has agreed with Democrats to seek a law protecting from deportation roughly 800,000 young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children a group of whom he formerly said flatly, They have to go. Advertisement After nearly eight months of playing only to his base, Trumps moves suggest a stunning course correction. He, characteristically, expresses confidence of how it will turn out. If the Republicans dont stick together then Im going to have to do more and more with Democrats, he told reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday. The people out there definitely agree with me. It is an unprecedented challenge from a president to his partys legislative leaders, who nominally control Congress. But Trumps gamble that Democratic leaders can help him win deals on immigration, taxes, infrastructure and more also will challenge their ability to corral their own restive rank-and-file members and party activists who have deep qualms about working with Trump, and giving him victories. Theyre negotiating with someone that we dont trust, said Angel Padilla, policy director for Indivisible, an anti-Trump group that claims 6,000 chapters, speaking of the Democratic congressional leaders, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco. Padilla said details, still to be resolved, are crucial for advocates on the left, who would oppose any plan they view as fueling Trumps deportation machine. Their distrust was fueled by Trump, who said after his White House dinner on Wednesday with Schumer and Pelosi Chinese food, a Schumer favorite that a final deal would have to include measures for extreme border security and an understanding about separate new funding for the Southern border wall. Angel called Trump a white supremacist, underscoring the vitriol directed at the president from the left, adding, We dont want people normalizing this. Its not acceptable. Its not normal behavior. Similarly, Nick Berning, chief communications officer of MoveOn.org, accused Trump of trying to advance a white nationalist program and warned, Democratic leaders would be letting the country down if they failed to continue resisting his toxic agenda. That enmity is mirrored within Trumps base, especially on immigration. I have no doubt Trump is a good negotiator in real estate, but mobbed-up bosses and crooked building inspectors are much more reliable negotiating partners than Chuck Schumer, said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies, which advocates for immigration restrictions. I dont think the president knows what hes getting into with this guy. Krikorian, like the usually pro-Trump, right-wing news site Breitbart, dubbed the president Amnesty Don. Other Trump allies say the president is seeing the potential rewards of bipartisanship, but simply needs to keep advisors and congressional Republicans more in the loop. Obviously, hes not a guy who dots the Is and crosses the Ts, said Christopher Ruddy, the chief executive of Newsmax and a longtime Trump friend. Its always going to be his style to sort of let things all hang out there. Hell figure that out, Ruddy added. He does things by trial and error and he finds what works. Democrats who support engaging with Trump, at least on a limited basis, point to the latest agreement as evidence that they are better off having a seat at Trumps table than not. They are banking on the ability of their more seasoned leaders to outfox Trump, who has no previous government experience and has been unable to score big legislative wins with Republicans. Hes the president of the United States. We offered him something that was for the good, a path to a better budget, to pass DACA, to have our agenda have more leverage in the debates that are coming up. And he accepted it, Pelosi said in an interview after last weeks fiscal deal with Trump but before Wednesdays dinner. So I think anytime a president wants to accept our proposal, were going to do that, she added. Pelosi said Democrats would work with Trump when they see common ground she cited the potential for an infrastructure deal but would oppose him vigorously on other issues. For example, she dismissed Trumps goal on taxes as simply seeking tax cuts for the high end and for certain special interests in our country. On Thursday, Schumer was overheard on the Senate floor boasting that he told Trump, Youre much better off if you can sometimes step right and sometimes left. If you have to step just in one direction youre boxed. Its going to work out and itll make us more productive, too, Schumer said. The lefts pressure on Democratic leaders to resist Trump is likely to grow, however, if the still-to-be-determined legislative deals fall short. Last weeks stopgap agreement to keep the government funded and to raise the nations debt ceiling until early December -- was comparatively easy: Pelosi and Schumer won the legislative leverage they wanted without giving up anything. Republican leaders had wanted to extend the debt limit beyond the 2018 midterm elections, both to spare conservatives from facing that unpopular debt vote again soon and because they generally need Democrats votes for the must-pass legislation, which is what gives Democrats broader leverage. Issues that require compromise would be much harder for the Democrats even a jobs-creating program to build roads, bridges and other infrastructure, which Pelosi noted is normally a bipartisan issue. Trump favors an infrastructure program that relies mostly on tax incentives for private-sector investments. Democrats say that would lead to giveaways and leave unbuilt many needed public projects that hold no appeal to corporations. They want direct federal spending, but that would upset many Republicans. The only acceptable way to deal with Trump is if he gives Democrats an outright victory, said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, citing last weeks fiscal deal as an example. Anything below that normalizes him and potentially hands him reelection. Immigration advocates worry especially about allowing the Dreamers to become part of broader negotiations over tougher immigration enforcement, as Trump has proposed. They cant feel like theyre being used as a bargaining chip for anything, said Jose Dante Parra, a former Senate Democratic leadership aide who now heads a consulting firm called Prospero Latino. If the deals really do benefit most people, if they can make that argument, I think theyll be OK. A Senate Democratic leadership aide cautioned against reading too much into the party leaders broader willingness to compromise, insisting that the price for any Democratic cooperation is going to be extremely high. Pelosi and Schumer, after all, also must excite anti-Trump activists ahead of the 2018 elections and will balance that get-out-the-vote imperative against the merits of any legislation that could grant Trump a big victory. Staff writers Mark Z. Barabak and Brian Bennett contributed to this report. noah.bierman@latimes.com Twitter: @noahbierman ALSO California could flip the House, and these 13 races will make the difference Turning aside risk, Democrats rally to Bernie Sanders single-payer health plan Democratic leaders say they have reached agreement with Trump to provide legal status for Dreamers Democratic leaders said Wednesday night they have reached agreement with President Trump to provide legal status for 800,000 immigrants who came to the country illegally as children, part of a package that would include border security but not money for a wall on the Mexican border. The deal, announced after a dinner of Chinese food at the White House, would need to be approved by Congress. But it could provide further momentum to a budding movement toward bipartisanship that began last week when Trump reached a fiscal agreement with Democrats to keep the government open to early December and authorize enough borrowing to pay the nations debts. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York said in a joint statement that the two sides agreed to write into law protections from deportation for the so-called Dreamers, which would be incorporated into a broader measure that would beef up border security. Advertisement Pelosi and Schumer said the deal would not include Trumps signature promise to build a border wall, loathed by Democrats. But White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a Twitter statement denying that the wall was excluded from an agreement to replace the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to, Sanders wrote. However, the administration has indicated in recent days that Trump would be open to pursuing border wall money in separate legislation to avoid holding up a bill to help Dreamers, and Democrats were adamant that Trump had agreed. The President made clear he would continue pushing the wall, just not as part of this agreement, tweeted Schumer spokesman Matt House. But disagreement over whether the deal includes the wall or not could scuttle it. Building the border wall is important for many Trump supporters. But Democrats made it clear to the president that wall funding is a nonstarter, particularly in the House, where Pelosi will need to find votes for stepped-up border security from within her party to make up for Republicans who oppose granting legal status to Dreamers. The two Democratic leaders said they also urged Trump to help stabilize health insurance markets created under the Affordable Care Act, by making permanent the federal cost-sharing payments to offset unanticipated losses, but apparently no agreement was reached. Whatever might emerge on the DACA issue, Trumps eagerness to accommodate Dreamers represents a remarkable turnaround since his days as a candidate, when he promised to end DACA as part of a broader crackdown on immigrants who entered the country illegally. Trump announced only last week that he would begin phasing out the policy, established by President Obama in 2012, that had allowed Dreamers to obtain renewable work permits or seek an education and remain in the country without fear of deportation. The replacement bill sought by Democrats, the Dream Act, would go further than DACA, providing the young immigrants with a pathway to eventual citizenship. The deal would include that path to citizenship, according to a person briefed on the White House dinner. The contours of a deal began taking shape last week, shortly after Trump made his decision to phase out DACA over the next six months, saying he was giving lawmakers time to provide a legislative solution. Trump promised repeatedly during the presidential campaign that he would build a border wall, and Mexico would pay for it. The White House still insists Mexico will reimburse any U.S. expenditures, but Mexican officials contend that they will never pay for the wall. On the other hand, the White House has been backing away from its insistence that wall funding be included in a bill to give legal status to Dreamers, while insisting that the money would still be a priority for the administration in separate legislation. Before Wednesdays dinner with Pelosi and Schumer, Trump indicated during a bipartisan meeting with rank-and-file lawmakers at the White House that he understood the difficulty of tying wall money to a DACA fix, and lawmakers said they understood he would work on funding the border wall through separate measures. The president is committed to sticking by his commitment that a physical structure is what is needed to help protect America, White House legislative director Marc Short told reporters at a breakfast sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor. Whether or not that is specifically part of the DACA package, or a different legislative package, I am not going to prejudge here today. Trump had previously threatened to shut down the government if he could not get wall money included in a fiscal bill to keep the government open. News of a possible deal late Wednesday sparked a cautious reaction from Cesar Vargas, co-director of the Dream Action Coalition. Details matter, he said. We wont celebrate just yet. Opposition was swift, and strong, from those Republicans most opposed to any leniency for illegal immigration. @RealDonaldTrump Unbelievable! Amnesty is a pardon for immigration law breakers coupled with the reward of the objective of their crime, tweeted Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa). Breitbart News, run by Trumps former chief strategist, Stephen K. Bannon, ran a headline Wednesday night decrying Amnesty Don, accusing the president of caving on his promise to revoke DACA. And Sean Hannity tweeted: And if @POTUS doesnt keep that promise, and goes for amnesty, it will be the political equivalent [of] read my lips, no new taxes. Dreamers have long been among the most sympathetic figures in the immigration debate. Even many who favor cracking down on illegal immigration have said the country should find a way to grant them legal status, since they came as minors with no choice in the matter and have little experience in navigating their home countries. Trump, who put illegal immigration at the center of his campaign, has struggled with it as president. He promised repeatedly to end DACA, which he called illegal. But he has often expressed sympathy for its recipients. We are gonna deal with DACA with heart, Trump said at a February news conference. The DACA situation is a very difficult thing for me, as I love these kids, I love kids. I have kids and grandkids, and I find it very, very hard doing what the law says exactly to do and, you know, the law is rough. Late Wednesday, Pelosi sent a letter to House Democrats recapping the meeting with the president and reiterating that the Dream Act, sponsored by Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Downey), must be part of any deal. She also said that during an earlier meeting with House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), she suggested a bipartisan Homeland Security bill that could be the basis for the border security package. Any solution to the challenge facing the DREAMers must include the DREAM Act sponsored by Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, Pelosi wrote. lisa.mascaro@latimes.com noah.bierman@latimes.com UPDATES: 9:30 p.m.: The story was updated throughout with additional details on the discussions and background on DACA. 8 p.m.: The story was updated with a tweet from the White House spokeswoman denying that a border wall was excluded from the purported deal. The story was originally published at 7:20 p.m. Sept. 14, 2017, 11:22 a.m. America would lose if DACA recipients are forced out, says Mexicos foreign secretary (Reed Saxon / AP) Recent comments from President Trump and senior Democrats over the fate of the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program, DACA, have triggered confusion among supporters and detractors of the plan. For Mexico, whose nationals comprise the majority of DACA recipients, one thing is clear: Phasing out the program -- which protects some young people who entered the country illegally as minors from deportation -- would hurt America. I dont know of any country that is willing to ship doctors, accountants, lawyers to another country, Mexicos foreign secretary Luis Videgaray told The Times in an interview Tuesday. Thats just a transfer of human capital. That would be a big win for Mexico to have these young kids that are law abiding, creative, full of energy and well trained. All of them have a high school diploma. And the majority of them are college educated. It would be a big loss to the U.S., to the U.S. economy in particular. Videgaray said contingency plans had been made in case DACA recipients were forced back to Mexico. They include changing the laws in Mexico so that education certificates issued in the U.S. are recognized by Mexican institutions, allowing returnees to avoid problems transferring their professional skills; ensuring their eligibility for loans and social benefits; and creating a data base to match returnees with appropriate companies. Its very appealing to have college educated, English-speaking people and many companies in Mexico are looking for that profile of people, Videgaray said. Read more Washington Sept. 14, 2017, 8:31 a.m. Reporting from Washington Trump pushes deal on DACA as many supporters erupt in anger (Brendan Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images) President Trump on Thursday defended his negotiations with Democratic leaders on immigration, as many of his most prominent supporters denounced the idea of a deal to legalize the status of hundreds of thousands of young immigrants who are in rthis county illegally. Were working on a plan subject to getting massive border controls. Were working on a plan for DACA, Trump told reporters on Air Force One as he prepared to fly to Florida to inspect hurricane recovery efforts. DACA is the acronym for the Obama administration program that shielded nearly 800,000 young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children, the so-called Dreamers, from deportation. Trump last week said he would phase out the program starting in six months. People want to see that happen, Trump said, referring to a legislative solution for the Dreamers. You have 800,000 young people, brought here, no fault of their own. So were working on a plan, well see how it works out. Were going to get massive border security as part of that. And I think something can happen, well see what happens, but something will happen, he said. Responding to a shouted question on whether he favors amnesty, Trump shouted back: The word is DACA. Trump met for dinner Wednesday night with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) to discuss the issue. Shortly after the dinner, the two Democrats issued a statement saying that they had agreed with Trump to pursue legislation to legalize the status of Dreamers. The two released an additional statement Thursday morning saying that as we said last night, there was no final deal, but there was agreement on the following: We agreed that the President would support enshrining DACA protections into law, and encourage the House and Senate to act. What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security, with a mutual goal of finalizing all details as soon as possible, they added. The deal would not include money for Trumps long-sought wall along the border with Mexico, they said, adding that. the President made clear he intends to pursue it at a later time, and we made clear we would continue to oppose it. Both sides agreed that the White House and the Democratic leaders would work out a border security package. Possible proposals were discussed including new technology, drones, air support, sensor equipment, rebuilding roads along the border and the bipartisan McCaul-Thompson bill, a reference to a border security measure. Trump confirmed most of that, telling reporters that the wall will come later. Were right now renovating large sections of wall, massive sections, making it brand new, he said, referring to efforts to repair and upgrade some sections of existing border fences. Trump also said he had briefed House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on his discussions with Schumer and Pelosi and that they were on board. Talk of a deal, however, sparked angry reactions among many of Trumps supporters. Amnesty Don ... Trump Caves on DACA, screamed the headline on Breitbart, the conservative website run by Steve Bannon, Trumps former chief strategist. Sean Hannity, the Fox commentator and one of Trumps most loyal supporters, likened the presidents negotiations to President George H.W. Bushs breaking of his no new taxes pledge a decision that led to a conservative revolt that doomed Bushs presidency. Ann Coulter, the conservative commentator who already has been critical of Trump, went the furthest, calling for Trumps removal from office. Read more CaliforniaLegal Sept. 11, 2017, 8:30 a.m. Reporting from Sacramento California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra to announce a lawsuit challenging Trumps DACA decision California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra (Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press) California on Monday will wade into the legal battle over President Trumps decision to scrap the nations 5-year-old program protecting young immigrants without legal residency. Read more Sept. 6, 2017, 11:25 a.m. Reporting from Washington 15 states, D.C. file lawsuit challenging Trumps DACA shutdown (Ted S. Warren / Associated Press) Lawyers for 15 states, led by New York and Washington, filed suit against President Trump on Wednesday over his planned repeal of the DACA program, arguing that federal authorities have backtracked on their promise to protect young immigrants who came forward and registered with the government. They urged a federal judge in Brooklyn to block the move to rescind the Obama-era program on the grounds the reversal is unauthorized by and contrary to the Constitution and laws of the United States. Its clear that President Trumps DACA repeal would cause huge economic harm to New Yorkand thats its driven by President Trumps personal anti-Mexican bias, said New York Atty. Gen. Eric Schneiderman who led the suit. He was joined by state attorneys from Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia. California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said Tuesday he too planned to sue to defend Obamas 2012 order, which has protected from deportation more than 200,000 immigrants who came to this country as children and settled in California. However, he did not sign on the New York suit. The legal action by the Democratic state lawyers mirrors a similar effort by Republican attorneys from Texas and more than 20 other states. They filed suit in a federal court in south Texas alleging Obama had gone too far in 2014 when he expanded DACA and introduced a new program to cover about four million immigrant parents who had legal children in this country. The Texas suit led to a national order that blocked Obamas 2014 policy from taking effect. While conservatives have described Obamas action as unconstitutional, the Texas judge ruled on procedural grounds that the Democratic administration failed to publish its new rule as an official regulation. Now the Democratic state attorneys argue that the abrupt repeal on the DACA order should also be blocked on procedural grounds. They also say the repeal should be blocked on the grounds that it is motivated by discrimination against Mexicans and because it violates the due process of law by suddenly changing the rules for the young immigrants. 12:56 p.m.: This article was updated with staff reporting. CaliforniaWashington Sept. 6, 2017, 10:15 a.m. Democrats make Capitol Hill pitch for quick consideration of DACA fix Protests Sept. 5, 2017, 7:29 p.m. DACA supporters pledge to protect one another Zuleyma Chazari, a DACA recipient and USC student, hoists a sign outside City Hall. (Sonali Kohli / Los Angeles Times) Thousands who were supposed to march to the federal building in downtown Los Angeles to protest President Trumps move to end the so-called Dreamers program instead stopped in front of City Hall on Tuesday evening. As organizers and DACA students spoke on the steps, many in the crowd who couldnt hear their words hoisted signs and led their own chants of, Immigrants are welcome here. Its important to show up, especially now that the Trump administration and other forces are threatening our livelihood, said Sean Tan, a 24-year-old DACA recipient and public policy graduate student at UCLA, who spoke at the rally. The march ended shortly after 7 p.m., with the crowd facing City Hall with hands clasped and raised in the air, pledging to protect and fight for one another. But they didnt disperse immediately, instead continuing to chant. For the record: A caption in this post previously misspelled the name of protester Zuleyma Chazari. It has been corrected. Education Sept. 5, 2017, 6:54 p.m. California education officials vow to protect vulnerable students from deportation Within minutes of the Trump administrations announcement that it would end protections for nearly 800,000 young immigrants in the country without legal status, California campus leaders began a furious pushback. From large campuses to small, education leaders on Tuesday vowed to join together to protect their vulnerable students. California is home to the nations largest concentration of students about 214,000 as of last year who received temporary protection from deportation under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Read more Sept. 5, 2017, 6:46 p.m. Thousands gather in downtown L.A. in support of DACA Thousands filled Placita Olvera in downtown Los Angeles with their babies, their students, their loved ones and friends, all in protest of President Trumps decision Tuesday to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. They began to gather before 5 p.m., leading chants including, We are the immigrants, mighty might immigrants and a protest favorite, El pueblo unido jamas sera vencido (The people united will never be defeated). By 5:50 p.m., the speeches began but were difficult to hear. That didnt stop the masses from cheering and holding up their signs. Somebodys got the video on Twitter. Well see it later, Los Angeles Leadership Academy history teacher Peta Lindsay told Bryan Pena, an 18-year-old DACA recipient and freshman at Cal State L.A. When Pena got to the protest, he was reminded that relative to undocumented students in other states, he has some support in California. This is a sign ... that were welcome here, he said, pointing to the crowd and their signs with messages like Protect immigrant families! and Let my students dream. But outside of California, its a different story, he said. Im still not accepted in the USA. Shortly after 6 p.m., protesters began their march along Alameda Street toward the federal building. Protests Sept. 5, 2017, 6:08 p.m. Activists rally in L.A. to support DACA Legal Sept. 5, 2017, 5:47 p.m. Washington Trumps move to end DACA faces legal challenges U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions speaks at the Justice Department about President Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trumps repeal of an Obama-era program that shielded hundreds of thousands of Dreamers from deportation faces a determined challenge in the courts from immigrant rights lawyers who call the change abrupt, unjustified and unconstitutional. But they recognize it will not be easy to block Trumps action because the president has broad power over immigration enforcement, a point often made when President Obama was in the White House. Some are already looking to a federal judge in Brooklyn, N.Y., who has before him a lawsuit filed on behalf of Martin Batalla Vidal, who was born in Mexico, but has lived in New York since he was brought there as a 7-year-old. His lawsuit, related to a proposed expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that was blocked in 2015, is pending before U.S. District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis, a President Clinton appointee. On Tuesday, a team of immigrants rights lawyers sent a six-page letter to the judge saying they wanted to expand Vidals lawsuit and make it a challenge to Trumps repeal order. Read more Sept. 5, 2017, 4:13 p.m. DACA fears in an L.A. Unified classroom Teacher David Wiltz addresses Tuesdays news on DACA. (Joy Resmovits / Los Angeles Times) The news can teach you lessons and teachers have your back. Thats the message David Wiltz told his social studies students at Thomas Jefferson High School south of downtown L.A. on Tuesday. The juniors, a mix of English learners and special-needs students, fidgeted, listened and rested their heads on their desks as Wiltz engaged them in a conversation about President Trumps decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Quick question: Did you hear what happened this morning? he asked, pointing a long ruler at students. What did Trump do this morning? Read more Sept. 5, 2017, 3:42 p.m. L.A. county and city officials call on Congress to pass Dream Act Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis speaks about DACA outside the Hall of Administration. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles politicians on Tuesday criticized the Trump administrations decision to scrap protections for young men and women in the United States without legal status and urged Congress to pass legislation to aid so-called Dreamers. Los Angles County supervisors Hilda Solis and Janice Hahn and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti rallied downtown to join supporters of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The program, put in place by then-President Obama, shields those brought to the country illegally as children from being deported. U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions said Tuesday that the administration will phase out DACA beginning in six months, a move that pushes the issue to Congress. Sessions announcement marked one of those dark days in our history, said Solis, whose district includes many immigrant communities, including El Monte and Boyle Heights. Read more Sept. 5, 2017, 3:28 p.m. Sen. Dianne Feinstein says she agrees DACA is on shaky legal ground as she calls on Congress to act Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) signaled Tuesday that she believes former President Obamas executive order to protect young immigrants who were brought into the U.S. as minors was on shaky legal ground, and said that is why Congress must act. Feinstein was asked about the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program during an appearance on MSNBC. DACA was executive order. Legal is the law of passage of something, Feinstein responded. You know there are 10 attorneys general that are prepared to sue. I dont want to get into that. The point is DACA is here and weve got 800,000 young people who depend on this. Meet the Press Daily host Chuck Todd said that Feinsteins answer implied that the program was on shaky legal ground. It is, Feinstein responded. Thats why we need to pass a law, and we should do it. The Democrats words questioning the legality of the DACA program seemed to echo U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions explanation for why the Trump administration was phasing it out, saying that Obama had exceeded his legal authority. Feinsteins remarks are likely to fuel criticism among the most liberal members of her party, some of whom have said that she has grown out of touch with her constituents as she ponders whether to seek a sixth term next year. Feinstein set off a furor last week when she declined to call for President Trumps impeachment and urged patience over his presidency. After this item was published, a spokeswoman for Feinstein emailed to clarify that the senator was obviously referring to the legal threat posed by the lawsuit that the state attorneys general were threatening. Updated at 4:45 p.m.: This post was updated to add a comment from Feinsteins office. California Sept. 5, 2017, 2:01 p.m. California legislators say state should be a beacon of hope and opportunity for DACA recipients California lawmakers said Tuesday that they plan to protect young adults whose immigration status is jeopardized by the end of the DACA program. At news conference at the Capitol attended by more than 20 legislators, Senate Speaker Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) said California should be beacon of hope and opportunity. Were not going to allow one single executive decision on DACA to reverse generations of progress at the height of our historic diversity, economic output and our sense of global responsibility, he said. Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell), chair of the Legislative LGBT Caucus, said Trumps other actions against Muslims and transgender service members dont show a commitment to diversity. Our president clearly wasnt held enough as a child, he said. Its important that we talk about how we embrace love. Assemblyman Marc Levine (D-San Rafael), chairman of the Legislative Jewish Caucus, called the Presidents decision evil. He has lulled and lured young people to register with the government ... and then take that information and use it as a tool to deport them, Levine said. That is ethnic cleansing. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) said there are up to 20 bills in the Legislature that protect immigrant rights. Young people who know no other country than this need to know that their country will do the right thing, he said. This Legislature will be leading the way and making sure that California does the right thing. Opinion Sept. 5, 2017, 2:35 p.m. Editorial: Ending DACA was an act of pure cruelty by Trump What public good is achieved by yanking such people from their homes, families and communities and sending them to countries where they are strangers and often dont even speak the language? The Times Editorial Board Read more Sept. 5, 2017, 2:23 p.m. Gubernatorial candidate Delaine Eastin at the California Democratic Party convention in May. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles) Former state schools chief Delaine Eastin, a Democrat running for California governor, on Tuesday expressed strong support for the young people currently shielded from deportation under the DACA program. Eastin has called for enhanced protections of all immigrants and has been a harsh critic of the Trump administration since jumping into the race last fall. Along with supporting the impeachment of the president, Eastin has blasted efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and said she favors establishing a single-payer health care program. Eastin on Tuesday called on Congress to immediately take action to protect young people known as Dreamers. The Presidents decision to end DACA is devastating to some of our best and brightest young people, Eastin said in a statement. Legal Sept. 5, 2017, 2:49 p.m. Texas Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton applauds Trump for scrapping DACA Texas Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton (Jay Janner / Associated Press) Texas Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton on Tuesday praised President Trumps decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that gave protection from deportation and work permits to more than 800,000 immigrants who came to the United States illegally as children. Paxton described the program, commonly known as DACA, as unlawful because former President Obama created it in 2012 without congressional authorization. The Obama-era program went far beyond the executive branchs legitimate authority, Paxton said in a statement. On June 29, Paxton was among nine state attorneys general and one governor who co-signed a letter to the Trump administration setting a Sept. 5 deadline to phase out DACA or face the coalitions challenge to the program in court. I applaud President Trump for phasing out DACA, Paxton said. Had former President Obamas unilateral order on DACA been left intact, it would have set a dangerous precedent by giving the executive branch sweeping authority to bypass Congress and change immigration laws. The program targets young people sometimes called Dreamers who arrived in the U.S. before they were 16 years old and were under the age of 31 as of June 2012. It also requires continuous residence in the U.S. since 2007. Those who qualified for the program were granted two-year renewable work permits. Paxton also led a U.S. Supreme Court challenge, filed by 26 states, to an expanded program known as Deferred Action for Parents of Americans, introduced by Obama in November 2014. The so-called DAPA expansion sought to shield certain immigrants who have lived in the United States illegally since 2010 and grant them three-year renewable work permits. In February 2015, the Supreme Court issued a preliminary injunction temporarily halting that program from going into effect, and in June the Trump administration announced that the program would not be implemented. Sept. 5, 2017, 1:59 p.m. Mayor Garcetti responds to Trump administration ending DACA program Sept. 5, 2017, 1:56 p.m. I have a great heart for these folks were talking about.... Really we have no choice, we have to be able to do something. I think its going to work out very well, and long term its going to be the right solution. President Trump to reporters Tuesday afternoon For years, Californias most powerful interest groups relied on what they could pull off once night fell on the state Capitol in the final hours of every legislative year. A flurry of controversial ideas would be quietly slipped into pending bills. Tax breaks. Fast-track authority on big development deals. New public employee union contracts. In many cases, the efforts would appear hours or even minutes before the last gavel fell. This week, months after voters imposed a 72-hour public review period, the change was striking: Only 13 bills were amended or re-written on Tuesday, the deadline for any bill to be heard before Friday nights adjournment of the Legislature for 2017. Advertisement I think the voters sent a very clear message, saying they expect greater transparency from the Legislature, said Tom Scott, executive director of the National Federation of Independent Business state branch. The business group and a coalition of government watchdog groups were supporters of Proposition 54, the state constitutional amendment that promised to give the public more access to the inner workings of how bills are written and considered in Sacramento. Nearly two-thirds of voters supported it on the Nov. 8 ballot. The ballot measure requires bills be made public for three days before a final vote which means none of the legislation that will be approved or rejected this week can be revised. Nor can any new bills be considered through end-runs around legislative rules. Proposition 54s impact, while most obvious during the time that lawmakers wind down their work, has changed the contours of several high-profile negotiations this year perhaps none more politically risky as the springtime decision to raise fuel taxes and vehicle fees to fund a $52-billion transportation plan. Lawmakers complained the rules made it hard to cobble together the specific policies needed for the tax increase to win support from a supermajority of members in both the Senate and Assembly. The debate even prompted the ballot measures backers to fire off a warning letter to legislative leaders, and some warned of a court fight if the rules were not closely followed. As the legislative session ends, not all lawmakers think California voters made the right decision. So you need time when youre actually engaging in amendments, negotiating, said state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) on Tuesday. The 72-hour rule actually hurts the people of California, because it stops and curtails negotiations, creativity. De Leon has been deeply involved in a series of late-session negotiations, including his efforts to aggressively expand the states renewable energy mandates and create a so-called sanctuary state system in California to limit the role of local law enforcement in aiding federal immigration officers. He called it a holier than thou, sanctimonious argument that bills needed three days of public review before lawmakers cast their final vote. Political Road Map: Theres a simple reason some say its time for a larger California Legislature Supporters of the new law have complained that it has been applied inconsistently in the two houses of the Legislature. Last December, the Assembly approved a series of house rules that define the public review period as only applying to bills whose next stop is the governors desk and not to bills that still required the approval of the state Senate. Assembly Republicans balked at those rules, and warned Democrats they were risking a legal challenge that could nullify bills too quickly shuffled to the Senate. While the effort to impose a strict interpretation of the new law was rejected, Democrats seemed to concede at least the possible existence of a problem. Last week, they took the unusual step of bringing back a group of springtime bills unaltered by the Senate, but originally passed by the Assembly without 72 hours of public review. Im glad that Assembly leadership appears to be acknowledging its mistake, Assemblyman Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) said during floor debate last week. The law may have also sparked the beginning of a more fundamental shift in Sacramento: the value of getting more bills crafted early, so that the proposals dont get caught up in end-of-session attempts at leveraging political support for other more controversial bills. A legislator is always better served to work out issues with their bill as early as possible, said Assemblyman Ken Cooley (D-Rancho Cordova), the chair of the Assembly Rules Committee. Scott, one of the original backers of the Proposition 54 political campaign, said the ballot measures other elements new rules mandating videotaping of all legislative hearings have shed substantially more sunlight on what happens in the statehouse. But he said the rules governing the details of bills still dont go far enough to allow the public time to consider the impact of new laws. Voters expected the 72-hour requirement to serve as a minimum, not a maximum, he said. Los Angeles Times staff writer Melanie Mason contributed to this report. john.myers@latimes.com Follow @johnmyers on Twitter, sign up for the daily Essential Politics newsletter and listen to the weekly California Politics Podcast. ALSO: Voters chose transparency. But for the Legislature, interpretation is the issue Proposition 54 offers several new rules on transparency in Sacramento Updates on California politics What happens when the congressional representative of this uber-liberal enclave who also happens to be leader of House Democrats starts dancing with the devil? Nancy Pelosi, along with her Senate counterpart, Charles E. Schumer, convinced President Trump to override his advisors and ignore congressional Republicans by agreeing to a three-month extension of the nations debt limit, emergency aid for Hurricane Harvey victims and other federal spending. The next day, at Pelosis behest, the president tweeted reassurance to Dreamers immigrants brought to America illegally as children that they neednt worry about deportation during the six months Congress works to resolve their ambiguous state. Advertisement And Wednesday night, Nancy and Chuck, as the president chummily called the pair, joined the president for dinner at the White House, where Democrats said they reached agreement with Trump to permanently protect the Dreamers as part of a larger border security package. Trump failed to win a measly 10% of the vote here in November but, even so, many said they were just fine with Pelosis new BFF. If Democrats can work with him to accomplish something, they should, said Marie Mansi, a cheery 80-year-old who retired years ago as a legal secretary. I dont think it should be a fight. Even though, she added with a gale of laughter, I think hes an idiot. Marie Mansi is no Trump fan, but still thinks Democrats should seek common ground. (Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times) Fabian Namgalies is no Pelosi fan too long in office and doesnt like Trump either, but he concurred. I think politicians should always be working toward a solution, whether its with the wrong guy or not, said the 38-year-old management consultant. Its much better than what the Republicans did under [President] Obama. In fact, in nearly two dozen random interviews with constituents an admittedly nonscientific survey not one person objected to Pelosi and fellow Democrats cutting deals with the president. Trump admirers (yes, they exist in San Francisco), Trump haters, supporters of Pelosi and critics of the Democratic leader were unanimous. As attorney Daniel Stern, a 51-year-old Trump voter, put it, Anything that encourages bipartisanship is a good thing, absolutely. Daniel Stern, one of Trumps rare San Francisco supporters, believes bipartisanship is a good thing. (Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times) Politically, Pelosi enjoys plenty of leeway at least within these 47 square miles hugging the Pacific. Since her first election in 1987, Pelosi has routinely been returned to Washington with about 80% support. And while a primary opponent has stepped up, challenging Pelosi from the left, his odds of success appear to fall somewhere between exceedingly unlikely and vanishingly small. Speaking from Washington, Pelosi was blunt and far more pragmatic than the loopy-lefty portrayal her critics like to present. We have our responsibility to find our common ground, she said in an interview. We have our responsibility to stand our ground if it goes beyond a certain point. There have been times, she noted, when her role as Democratic leader left her crossways with some of her more combustible constituents. The called-for impeachment of President George W. Bush was one such occasion. (Her refusal to go along resulted in Pelosi being picketed in her district as a right-wing warmonger.) This, however, does not seem to be one of those out-of-step occasions. On the one hand, Id like to see him crash and burn... On the other hand, if hes going to be in there, lets get something done. San Francisco voter John Lamkin Shelley Handler says she lacks the words to describe her contempt for Trump, yet Democrats should set aside reflexive partisanship. (Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times) Shelley Handler, lunching on a chicken and feta salad at a sidewalk cafe in Russian Hill, said she didnt have enough bad words in her vocabulary to describe her feelings toward Trump. Even so, the 67-year-old former chef went on, people need help when their homes are blown away or flooded. Its not a partisan issue. Its getting the work done that has to happen. Yes, some suggested, there was a concern that Democrats, by working with Trump, will normalize or legitimize his presidency, to use two of the words popular with the anti-Trump resistance. On the one hand, Id like to see him crash and burn as quickly as possible, so we can get on with it, restaurateur John Lamkin, 59, said behind a woolly white beard. On the other hand, if hes going to be in there, lets get something done. This anything-for-the-sake-of-the-party thats been going on for the last 20 years is hooey. Recently Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein appeared in her hometown and set the left-wing afire by allowing as how, maybe, Trump might not be so horribly terrible after all. John Lamkin said he wanted Trump to crash and burn, but also sees a need to get things done in Washington. (Mark Z. Barabak / Los Angeles Times) Actually, Feinstein said with enough caveats to employ a decent-sized law firm Trump could end up being a good president, given time, patience and a thoroughgoing personality transplant. The statement was the rhetorical equivalent of packing peanuts, the kind of airy bromide that fills space and keeps relations between politicians at least minimally decent. Naturally, liberal activists were prepared to string the former San Francisco mayor from the Golden Gate Bridge because, well, Donald Trump. For most politicians the inclination is to play to their base, which, for California Democrats, means competing to see who can be most extravagantly opposed to the president. That helps explains why Feinsteins hope-he-doesnt-fail aside created such an uproar, especially among those who would like to see her step down after 2018 to give someone less centrist a shot at the Senate. But negotiation, compromise and settling for the proverbial half-loaf are the essence of politics, and a remedy for the gridlock so many in both parties profess to abhor. If the sentiments in this anti-Trump stronghold are any indication, voters may be ahead of the politicians and political activists when it comes to setting aside animosities for the sake of accomplishment. Even if it means dealing with the devil. mark.barabak@latimes.com @markzbarabak on Twitter ALSO The end of DACA would be a big win for Mexico, foreign secretary says DACA participants skeptical of Trump deal to provide legal status for Dreamers Editorial: Enough DACA drama. Make a deal and stop letting Dreamers twist in the wind California is about to become a so-called sanctuary state. What does that mean? It means California will refuse to help federal agents deport people who came here illegally but are staying out of trouble and contributing positively to the state. For the record: An earlier version of this article included a quote from state Senate leader Kevin de Leon, stating: Were directly saying to the federal government that youre not going to take mothers from their children, and fathers from their mothers. De Leon said, "... Youre not going to take mothers from their children, and fathers from their children. But it means ratting out the bad guys to the feds the convicted robbers, killers, drug traders and other assorted criminals. Advertisement If youre a violent felon, we dont want you in this country, says state Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles). Whether youre from Ireland or Korea, it doesnt make any difference. Most of us, however, would like to do more than merely boot violent felons back to their native lands. Wed also like to send packing thieves, narcotics peddlers and a lot of other scum. That was achieved in the sanctuary state compromise forced by Gov. Jerry Brown in negotiations with De Leon. Brown, as usual, was treading a narrow middle course. The governor told NBCs Meet the Press in August that we want to be very understanding of people who have come to our state, have worked in our economy often for decades, picking our food, working in our restaurants, working in our high-tech industry But, he added, You do have people who are not here legally. Theyve committed crimes. They have no business in the United States in the manner in which theyve come and conducted themselves subsequently. So the compromise on De Leons bill, SB 54, basically is this: Leave the good ones alone. Help kick out the bums. Whats not to like, unless youre among the small minority of Californians who insist on rounding up all 2.6 million undocumented immigrants living in the state about one-fourth of the U.S. total and hauling them back across the border. Many of these hard-liners conveniently ignore the reality that if their ancestors had needed legal documents, theyd today be living in Europe. Actually, many of the Latino immigrants have deeper roots in America than these nativists. There has always been a lot of emotion wrapped around any immigration legislation. The sanctuary state bill is very reflective of the fright and hatred created by President Trump in California, especially among Latinos. If Trump hadnt won the presidency, thered be no need for this measure, De Leon told me. There has to be a firewall to protect our state. Were directly saying to the federal government that youre not going to take mothers from their children, and fathers from their children. The California public seems to agree with that concept. In a January poll, the Public Policy Institute of California found that 85% of the states residents believe undocumented immigrants should be allowed to stay in the country legally. Moreover, 65% favored the state and local governments setting their own policies to protect the rights of undocumented immigrants. That public attitude is why roughly 40 California sanctuary cities and counties, including Los Angeles, already refuse to cooperate with federal immigration agents, at least to some extent. The De Leon bill would make that statewide policy. The basic tenet is this: State and local tax money should be used to enforce state and local laws. It shouldnt be used to help the feds enforce their immigration laws. Updates from Sacramento Sure, a lot of this is political. Democrats are waving the party flag and trying to persuade young Latino citizens to vote. Latinos have been growing in numbers, but their voter turnouts are pathetically low. But its also personal for Latino politicians. Many tell stories of their parents or grandparents migrating here illegally, working hard, dodging the feds and creating the American Dream for their children. De Leons mother migrated to San Diego illegally and cleaned wealthy peoples homes to scrape by. De Leon often rode the bus with her to work. The Senate leaders bill also reflects one other factor: the failure of any president or Congress in 30 years to enact immigration reform. Too many politicians have been playing to the extremists on both sides. De Leons original bill would have forbidden state prison officials and local jailers from notifying the feds about the pending release of an inmate here illegally unless hed been convicted of a violent or serious felony. But that excluded a bunch of crimes. There was a big squawk among law enforcement. The Brown-De Leon compromise adds those other crimes to the list allowing immigration officials to be notified crimes such as sexual abuse, repeated drunk driving, assault, burglary, possession of an illegal firearm, drug dealing and much more. In addition, the compromise allows immigration officials to interview undocumented inmates in jail. They can dig into law enforcement databases. And state prisons are exempted from the bill. The measure still must pass the Legislature before it adjourns for the year Friday. And it will. The California Police Chiefs Assn. has dropped its opposition and is neutral. The California State Sheriffs Assn. is still opposed. The reality is its probably three-fourths of a loaf, and were grateful for that, says Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown, president of the group. Were very grateful for the governor. We salute him for his willingness to put his foot down and listen to us But there still are too many loopholes. And it doesnt cover lots of misdemeanor crimes that are serious. Its a good compromise, however especially for about 2.6 million law-abiding undocumented immigrants. george.skelton@latimes.com Follow @LATimesSkelton on Twitter ALSO Gov. Brown is right about the sanctuary state bill: Protect law-abiders and help boot the bad guys How far left can Californias legislative Democrats go before Republicans benefit at the ballot box? California Democrats want a sanctuary state for immigrants here illegally. But those who are felons should be sent packing Trump promotes sons Justice with Judge Jeanine interview President Trump promoted via Twitter an interview with his son Eric Trump just before it aired Saturday night on Fox News Justice with Judge Jeanine. Eric Trump on @JudgeJeanine on @FoxNews now! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 Eric Trump called into the show to defend his father from criticism prompted by the first government shutdown in more than four years, as well as a series of Womens March events that saw protesters in dozens of cities take to the streets to oppose the presidents policies. .@EricTrump joined me over the phone from Mar-a-Lago ! pic.twitter.com/Hro3TzUW52 Jeanine Pirro (@JudgeJeanine) January 21, 2018 Speaking to host Jeannine Piro who is reportedly an old friend of the presidents Eric Trump offered effusive praise for his father, ticking off glowing statistics to illustrate the strength of the U.S. economy and gains against Islamic State fighters overseas. My fathers working like no ones ever worked before to bring back this country and to fulfill his promise to make America great again, said the executive vice president of the Trump Organization. He also repeated a sentiment recently expressed on Twitter by his father: That Democratic lawmakers forced a government shutdown on the anniversary of the presidents inauguration in a bid to distract from his achievements. You look at this whole government shutdown, and the only reason they want to shut down government is to distract and to stop his momentum, Eric Trump said. I mean, my father has had incredible momentum. Hes gotten more done in one year than arguably any president in history. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweets: a perfect day for all Women to March President Trump hailed the nationwide Womens March gatherings Saturday. On Twitter, the president called it a perfect day for all Women to March, seeming to imply that those taking part were celebrating his administrations accomplishments: Beautiful weather all over our great country, a perfect day for all Women to March. Get out there now to celebrate the historic milestones and unprecedented economic success and wealth creation that has taken place over the last 12 months. Lowest female unemployment in 18 years! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Participants in the marches across the United States were actually seeking to deliver a powerful rebuke to Trumps policies and mount a crucial mobilization for this years midterm elections. But Trump continued to tout his administrations unprecedented success in tweets sent later in the day: Unprecedented success for our Country, in so many ways, since the Election. Record Stock Market, Strong on Military, Crime, Borders, & ISIS, Judicial Strength & Numbers, Lowest Unemployment for Women & ALL, Massive Tax Cuts, end of Individual Mandate - and so much more. Big 2018! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The Trump Administration has terminated more UNNECESSARY Regulation, in just twelve months, than any other Administration has terminated during their full term in office, no matter what the length. The good news is, THERE IS MUCH MORE TO COME! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 21, 2018 In addition to the roll call of major American cities where womens marches took place including New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Dallas, Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta protesters also raised their voices in suburbs and small towns, reflecting the aim of coalescing a broad-based movement on the anniversary of Trumps inauguration to oppose the presidents stance on immigration, healthcare, racial divides and an array of other issues. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump calls shutdown a present from Democrats By Associated Press President Trump is blaming Democrats for the government shutdown tweeting that they wanted to give him a nice present to mark the one-year anniversary of his inauguration: This is the One Year Anniversary of my Presidency and the Democrats wanted to give me a nice present. #DemocratShutdown Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 That comes after Senate Democrats late Friday killed a GOP-written House-passed measure that would have kept agencies functioning for four weeks. Democrats were seeking a stopgap bill of just a few days in hopes that would build pressure on Republicans, and they were opposing a three-week alternative offered by GOP leaders. Democrats have insisted they would back legislation reopening the government once theres a bipartisan agreement to preserve protections against deporting about 700,000 immigrants known as Dreamers who arrived in the United States illegally as children. Trump on Saturday accused Democrats of holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration: Democrats are holding our Military hostage over their desire to have unchecked illegal immigration. Cant let that happen! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Democrats are laying fault for the shutdown on Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress and the White House and have struggled with building internal consensus. In a series of tweets hours after the shutdown began, the president tried to make the case for Americans to elect more Republicans to Congress in November in order to power through this mess: Democrats are far more concerned with Illegal Immigrants than they are with our great Military or Safety at our dangerous Southern Border. They could have easily made a deal but decided to play Shutdown politics instead. #WeNeedMoreRepublicansIn18 in order to power through mess! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 He noted that there are 51 Republicans in the 100-member Senate, and it often takes 60 votes to advance legislation: For those asking, the Republicans only have 51 votes in the Senate, and they need 60. That is why we need to win more Republicans in 2018 Election! We can then be even tougher on Crime (and Border), and even better to our Military & Veterans! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 #AMERICA FIRST! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 The stopgap spending measure won 50 votes in the Senate, including five from Democrats. Although the House and Senate were in session Saturday, it was unclear whether lawmakers would take any votes of consequence. Trump had been set to leave Friday afternoon for a fundraiser at his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., where he intended to mark the inauguration anniversary. But he remained in Washington and ended up scrapping his plans to attend the Saturday fundraiser. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweet casts doubt on likelihood of averting shutdown President Trump appeared to cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching a deal to avert a government shutdown Friday night in a tweet. Trump also sought to blame Democrats for what would be the first shutdown since 2013. His message came just hours before the midnight deadline by which lawmakers must pass a measure to fund government agencies, or some operations will cease. Not looking good for our great Military or Safety & Security on the very dangerous Southern Border. Dems want a Shutdown in order to help diminish the great success of the Tax Cuts, and what they are doing for our booming economy. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 20, 2018 Despite last-minute negotiations Friday between Trump and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, Congress remained deadlocked over a spending bill and the federal government was headed toward a shutdown at midnight. Senate Democrats joined by some GOP deficit hawks and immigration allies were set to filibuster a stopgap funding bill approved by the House on Thursday. A Senate vote was planned for 10 p.m. Eastern, and even White House officials predicted it would fail. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Lisa Mascaro. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump signs surveillance law after confusing tweets By Associated Press President Trump on Friday signed a bill into law to renew a foreign intelligence surveillance program, announcing his action in the latest in a series of confusing tweets about the spy program: Just signed 702 Bill to reauthorize foreign intelligence collection. This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 19, 2018 Trumps tweet on Jan. 11 created chaos in the House just before it voted to reauthorize what is known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. He linked the intelligence program to a dossier that alleges his presidential campaign had ties to Russia. That caused people to wonder if he didnt support the program that allows U.S. spy agencies to collect intelligence on foreign targets abroad. Trump and other Republicans have alleged that Obama administration officials improperly shared the identities of Trump presidential transition team members mentioned in intelligence reports. Democrats say there is no evidence that happened. Shortly before the House vote, and after conferring with House Speaker Paul Ryan, Trump did an apparent about-face. This vote is about foreign surveillance of foreign bad guys on foreign land, he tweeted. We need it! Get smart! In his tweet announcing that he had just signed the bill, Trump wrote: This is NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election. I will always do the right thing for our country and put the safety of the American people first! There are no obvious links between the dossier Trump spoke of, which includes salacious but unsubstantiated allegations against him, and the reauthorization of the spying program, or between the program and Trumps oft-repeated claims that the Obama administration conducted surveillance on Trump Tower during the presidential campaign. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print In tweet, Trump suggests that Pennsylvania trip is a political one The White House press office was once again forced to walk back a tweet from President Trump on Thursday morning after he described a trip to Pennsylvania later in the day as a political one a statement that would force the Republican Party, not taxpayers, to pay for the journey. The White House had said Trump was going to an industrial equipment company outside of Pittsburgh to highlight the good economy and new tax cuts, making it an official, policy-oriented event. It was widely assumed that the trip had a political cast the area is holding a special election to fill a congressional seat vacated by a Republican who resigned. Trump, by his tweet, seemed to confirm that politics was the whole purpose: Will be going to Pennsylvania today in order to give my total support to RICK SACCONE, running for Congress in a Special Election (March 13). Rick is a great guy. We need more Republicans to continue our already successful agenda! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 Trump later shared via Twitter a pair of video clips of his speech at H&K Equipment, in which he touted the tax cuts he signed into law just before Christmas and tried to turn the conversation back to his accomplishments after weeks dominated by distractions, including questions about his mental health and comments about immigration that some considered racist: Departing Pittsburgh now, where it was my great honor to stand with our incredible workers, and to show the world that AMERICA is back - and we are coming back bigger and better and stronger than ever before! pic.twitter.com/kWPgylqFzj Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 AMERICA will once again be a NATION that thinks big, dreams bigger, and always reaches for the stars. YOU are the ones who will shape Americas destiny. YOU are the ones who will restore our prosperity. And YOU are the ones who are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! #MAGA pic.twitter.com/f2abNK47II Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2018 The Republican National Committee, rather than the White House, is supposed to pay for political travel so that taxpayers are not financing party activities; for trips that combine policy and politics, parties have split the cost under past presidents. Neither the RNC nor the White House responded to emails sent Thursday asking who would pay. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement later Thursday suggesting that taxpayers would foot the bill. She insisted that Trump would be conducting government business while in Pennsylvania. Read More This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump tweets praise of Bob Dole after awarding him Congressional Gold Medal By Associated Press Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole knew the art of the deal before President Trump published the 1987 book of the same name. The two shared a stage under the Capitol dome Wednesday as Dole, 94, accepted Congress highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, for his World War II service and decades of work in the House and Senate. Trump later praised Dole in a tweet, attaching to his message a video composed of clips from the ceremony: Today, we witnessed an incredible moment in history the presentation of Congress highest civilian honor to our friend, and true AMERICAN HERO, Bob Dole. #CongressionalGoldMedal pic.twitter.com/qNQqDLRmCk Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2018 At the ceremony, the president saluted Dole as a patriot and gave tribute to Doles struggle as a veteran who worked his way back from a grievous shoulder wound he suffered in Italy. He knows about grit, said Trump. But it was Doles penchant for working across the aisle that earned him his latest award, according to the legislation. Bob Dole was known for his ability to work across the aisle and embrace practical bipartisanship, reads the legislation Trump signed in September. Some of the awards 300 recipients include George Washington and Mother Teresa, according to the Congressional Research Service. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump touts report that seeks to link terrorism cases with immigration By Joseph Tanfani The Trump administration on Tuesday released a report attempting to link terrorism with migration, arguing that it was evidence of the need to dramatically reshape the nations immigration system. New report from DOJ & DHS shows that nearly 3 in 4 individuals convicted of terrorism-related charges are foreign-born. We have submitted to Congress a list of resources and reforms.... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 ....we need to keep America safe, including moving away from a random chain migration and lottery system, to one that is merit-based. https://t.co/7PtoSFK1n2 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The report, ordered by President Trump in an executive order last year, said that 75% of the 549 people convicted of terrorism charges since 9/11 were born outside the U.S. Administration officials called that a sign that the U.S. needs to scrap its policy of family preferences for visas, which they call chain migration, and a diversity visa lottery program. But the report did not specify how many if any of the convicted terrorists entered the country through those means. It also did not detail how many of the convictions were related to attacks or plans in the U.S. versus overseas and how many involved people who went to fight overseas for the Islamic State or another terrorist group. Those details were not available, officials said. The report, due last year, is being released in a highly charged moment in the immigration debate, as Trump and some Republicans in Congress seek tough new border and immigration measures in return for a deal protecting the 690,000 people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Trump also fired off a pair of tweets on the topic earlier Tuesday: We must have Security at our VERY DANGEROUS SOUTHERN BORDER, and we must have a great WALL to help protect us, and to help stop the massive inflow of drugs pouring into our country! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The Democrats want to shut down the Government over Amnesty for all and Border Security. The biggest loser will be our rapidly rebuilding Military, at a time we need it more than ever. We need a merit based system of immigration, and we need it now! No more dangerous Lottery. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The focus of our immigration system should be assimilation, a senior administration official said on Tuesday, speaking on condition that his name not be used. He said the nation should give priority to potential immigrants who speak English, who have an education and those who are committed to supporting our values not family members of people already here. The official said the timing of the report was coincidental. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweets welcome to president of Kazakhstan By Associated Press President Trump said Tuesday that he and the president of Kazakhstan are united in a shared determination to prevent North Korea from threatening the world with nuclear devastation. Trump and President Nursultan Nazarbayev discussed North Korea along with other issues during meetings at the White House. Today, it was my honor to welcome President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan to the @WhiteHouse! pic.twitter.com/TerYFZViax Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 Trump said Kazakhstan, once part of the Soviet Union, is a valued partner in our efforts to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons. Together we are determined to prevent the North Korean regime from threatening the world with nuclear devastation, he said, as both presidents addressed journalists between meetings. Nazarbayev noted that his country once had one of the worlds largest nuclear arsenals but voluntarily gave it up after the Soviet Union collapsed. He said his country is in talks with Iran, which was the focus of a global deal that lifted some economic sanctions in exchange for Irans curbing its nuclear program. Trump has sharply criticized the Iran nuclear deal and threatened last week to pull out soon unless other countries fix what he says are terrible flaws. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump falsely claims his approval rating among black Americans has doubled By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump lashed out at the news media Tuesday morning in a tweet denouncing the special counsel investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion among members of his campaign team. Do you notice the Fake News Mainstream Media never likes covering the great and record setting economic news, but rather talks about anything negative or that can be turned into the negative. The Russian Collusion Hoax is dead, except as it pertains to the Dems. Public gets it! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the presidents tweet, but it appeared as though he was watching Fox & Friends. A short time later, Trump tweeted a headline from a report that aired during that mornings episode: 90% of Trump 2017 news coverage was negative -and much of it contrived!@foxandfriends Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 The segment focused on the latest survey results from conservative watchdog Media Research Center, which purportedly analyzed the evening news broadcasts on ABC, CBS and NBC from Jan. 20 to Dec. 31 and found that 90% of the statements made about Trump were negative. Study: 90% of Trump media coverage in 2017 was negative pic.twitter.com/vbrwup4Drg FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 16, 2018 But believe it or not, through all this negative coverage, they did a survey of 600,000 people about how black America views this president, co-host Brian Kilmeade said. His numbers have actually doubled in approval. Trump highlighted the statement in another tweet: Unemployment for Black Americans is the lowest ever recorded. Trump approval ratings with Black Americans has doubled. Thank you, and it will get even (much) better! @FoxNews Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 16, 2018 But its not true. The claim appears to have originated from a misreading of data from the online polling firm SurveyMonkey, according to factcheck.org. The firm polled 600,000 Americans in 2017 and found that Trumps approval rating among blacks actually dropped from 23% early in his presidency to about 17%, as of the week ending Jan. 3. Some conservative outlets, including Breitbart, produced an average from those and other SurveyMonkey figures and compared them to the scores Trump received from black voters in the 2016 exit polls. That methodology is not sound. And since the statistics measure different things, the comparison is misleading. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump goes after senator who surfaced his immigration remark By Associated Press President Trump turned his Twitter torment Monday on the Democrat in the room where immigration talks with lawmakers took a famously coarse turn, saying Sen. Richard J. Durbin misrepresented what he had said about African nations and Haiti and, in the process, undermined the trust needed to make a deal. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting, Trump tweeted, using a nickname to needle the Illinois senator. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military. Senator Dicky Durbin totally misrepresented what was said at the DACA meeting. Deals cant get made when there is no trust! Durbin blew DACA and is hurting our Military. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 Trump was referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects young people who came to the United States illegally as children. Members of Congress from both parties are trying to strike a deal that Trump would support to extend that protection. Trump also cast doubt on the likelihood of reaching an agreement in tweets sent earlier Monday: Statement by me last night in Florida: Honestly, I dont think the Democrats want to make a deal. They talk about DACA, but they dont want to help..We are ready, willing and able to make a deal but they dont want to. They dont want security at the border, they dont want..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 ...to stop drugs, they want to take money away from our military which we cannot do. My standard is very simple, AMERICA FIRST & MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2018 On a day of remembrance for the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Trump spent time at his golf course with no public events, bypassing the acts of service that his predecessors staged in honor of the civil rights leader. Instead, Trump dedicated his weekly address to Kings memory, saying Kings dream and Americas are the same: A world where people are judged by who they are, not how they look or where they come from. That message was a distinct counterpoint to words attributed to Trump by Durbin and others at a meeting last week, when the question of where immigrants come from seemed at the forefront of Trumps concerns. Some participants and others familiar with the conversation said Trump challenged immigration from shithole countries of Africa and disparaged Haiti as well. Without explicitly denying using that word, Trump lashed out at the Democratic senator, who said Trump uttered it on several occasions. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump thanks pundit for laudatory Fox & Friends spot By Alex Wigglesworth President Trump thanked Fox News personality Stuart Varney after Varney praised Trump during an appearance on Fox & Friends. In a pair of tweets early Sunday, Trump quoted from Varneys commentary, in which he argued that Trump deserves more credit for the booming economy. The pundit, who also hosts a show on Fox Business Network, cited moves by some corporations to raise workers minimum wage or pay out one-time bonuses in response to the GOP tax cuts. President Trump is not getting the credit he deserves for the economy. Tax Cut bonuses to more than 2,000,000 workers. Most explosive Stock Market rally that weve seen in modern times. 18,000 to 26,000 from Election, and grounded in profitability and growth. All Trump, not 0... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 ...big unnecessary regulation cuts made it all possible (among many other things). President Trump reversed the policies of President Obama, and reversed our economic decline. Thank you Stuart Varney. @foxandfriends Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 14, 2018 Varney was reacting to a quote from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), who on Thursday called the bonuses handed down to workers pathetic in comparison to the gains corporations are expected to see from the tax cuts. In terms of the bonus that corporate America received versus the crumbs that they are giving to workers to kind of put the schmooze on is so pathetic, Pelosi told reporters. Its pathetic. Varney shot back Sunday that the bonuses, along with explosive stock market growth, are enriching all Americans. This is a huge shot in the arm, its the result of this tax cut deal and I think President Trump should get the credit for it, he said. .@Varneyco Sets the economic record straight after Nancy Pelosi calls U.S. mass bonuses crumbs pic.twitter.com/BvjIHGm3HE FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) January 14, 2018 The sweeping tax plan passed last month lowers the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and cuts personal income taxes. Analysts say the benefits will largely flow to corporations and the wealthy, as theyre more likely to be in positions to share in corporate profits. For instance, Wells Fargo & Co., which responded to news of the tax overhaul by announcing it will raise workers pay to at least $15 an hour, also reported that it expects to pay an effective tax rate of 19% this year, down from about 31% in previous years. That should amount to tax savings of more than $3 billion annually. On average, middle-class Americans are expected to see a very small tax cut in the near term and a tax increase after 2025, when all of the tax cuts for individuals expire. The tax cuts for corporations, however, are permanent. This post contains reporting from Times staff writer James Rufus Koren. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump touts MLK proclamation in tweet, but ceremony is overshadowed by reports of racist remarks By Associated Press President Trump signed a proclamation Friday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, noting the contributions of a great American hero. Today, it was my great honor to proclaim January 15, 2018, as Martin Luther King Jr., Federal Holiday. I encourage all Americans to observe this day with appropriate civic, community, and service activities in honor of Dr. King's life and legacy. pic.twitter.com/samlJsz1Nt Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 Overshadowing the event was mounting backlash from Trumps comments during a private meeting with lawmakers the day before. A short time after the meeting, which was called to discuss a possible immigration deal, reports emerged that Trump had asked participants why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin, the Senates second-ranking Democrat, appeared to confirm those reports on Friday. Trump did not respond Friday to several questions about the incident, including whether he actually used vulgar language to describe African nations, or if he is racist. The president said at the White House that love was central to the slain civil rights leader. Trump said the nation celebrates King for standing up for the self-evident truth Americans hold so dear, that no matter what the color of our skin or place of our birth, we are all created equal by God. This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump criticizes Democrats in tweet calling for stricter immigration rules President Trump hit out at Democrats on Thursday night in a tweet calling for stricter immigration rules. Trump wrote that members of the party seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the border with Mexico: The Democrats seem intent on having people and drugs pour into our country from the Southern Border, risking thousands of lives in the process. It is my duty to protect the lives and safety of all Americans. We must build a Great Wall, think Merit and end Lottery & Chain. USA! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018 It wasnt immediately clear exactly what prompted the tweet. Earlier Thursday, Trump rejected a bipartisan compromise to resolve the standoff over so-called Dreamers, young immigrants who were brought to the United States illegally as children but have temporary permits to work, attend school or serve in the military. The president drew widespread condemnation after reports emerged that he had asked participants in an Oval Office meeting about the proposal why the United States should accept immigrants from shithole countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump touts bill aimed at improving border screening for fentanyl By Associated Press President Trump signed legislation Wednesday aimed at giving Customs and Border Protection agents additional screening devices and other tools to stop the flow of illicit drugs. Speaking at a surprise bill-signing ceremony while flanked by members of Congress from both parties in the Oval Office, Trump described the bill as a significant step forward in the fight against powerful opioids such as fentanyl, which he called our new big scourge. He echoed that language Thursday in a tweet: Yesterday, I signed the #INTERDICTAct (H.R. 2142) with bipartisan members of Congress to help end the flow of drugs into our country. Together, we are committed to doing everything we can to combat the deadly scourge of drug addiction and overdose in the United States! pic.twitter.com/ELZvFol5Lo Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 The legislation will pay for new portable and fixed chemical screening devices to detect and intercept fentanyl at ports of entry and in the mail, along with other laboratory equipment and personnel, including scientists. Trump has made fighting the opioid epidemic a centerpiece of his administration, though critics say he hasnt dedicated nearly enough money or resources to make a difference. Trump suggested during his remarks on Wednesday that hed like to take a more aggressive approach to the drug crisis but the countrys not ready for what he has in mind. So were going to sign this. And its a step. And it feels like a very giant step, but unfortunately, its not going to be a giant step, because no matter what you do, this is something that keeps pouring in, he said. And were going to find the answer. There is an answer. I think I actually know the answer, but Im not sure the countrys ready for it yet, he added. Does anybody know what I mean? I think so. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump applauds news that Toyota-Mazda plant is slated for Alabama By Associated Press Japanese automakers Toyota and Mazda on Wednesday announced plans to build a mammoth, $1.6-billion joint-venture plant in Alabama that will eventually employ about 4,000 people. President Trump lauded the news in a tweet: Cutting taxes and simplifying regulations makes America the place to invest! Great news as Toyota and Mazda announce they are bringing 4,000 JOBS and investing $1.6 BILLION in Alabama, helping to further grow our economy! pic.twitter.com/Kcg8IVH6iA Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Good news: Toyota and Mazda announce giant new Huntsville, Alabama, plant which will produce over 300,000 cars and SUVs a year and employ 4000 people. Companies are coming back to the U.S. in a very big way. Congratulations Alabama! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2018 Several states had competed for the project, which will be able to turn out 300,000 vehicles per year and produce the Toyota Corolla compact car for North America and a new small SUV from Mazda. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and company executives held a news conference to announce that the facility is coming to the Huntsville area not far from the Tennessee line. Production is expected to begin by 2021. The decision to pick Alabama is another example of foreign-based automakers building U.S. factories in the South. To entice manufacturers, Southern states have used a combination of lucrative incentive packages, low-cost labor and a pro-business labor environment, because the United Auto Workers union is stronger in Northern states. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump highlights call for border wall in tweets on visit with Norways prime minister By Associated Press President Trump praised Norways prime minister in a tweet on Wednesday after Erna Solberg became the first foreign leader to visit with the president in 2018. Today, it was my great honor to welcome Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway to the @WhiteHouse - a great friend and ally of the United States! Joint press conference: https://t.co/qWR1BhfQZI pic.twitter.com/PJvwznjRCO Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Trump also shared via Twitter a video clip of a joint news conference he held with Solberg on Wednesday afternoon. In the clip, Trump responds to a question from a reporter by saying there can be no bipartisan immigration deal absent funding for his long-promised wall along the U.S. border with Mexico. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been seeking a solution for hundreds of thousands of so-called Dreamers, young people who were brought to the United States as children and are living here illegally. The United States needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval. The safety and security of our country is #1! pic.twitter.com/4CFzQXb5aS Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 We need the wall for security, we need the wall for safety, we need the wall for stopping the drugs from pouring in, Trump said Wednesday. Any solution has to include the wall because without the wall, it all doesnt work. On Tuesday, Trump drew widespread attention when he said during a meeting with a bipartisan group of lawmakers that he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. That contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill in subsequent tweets and public comments. Read More This post contains reporting from Los Angeles Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump praises Cabinet in tweet touting meeting By Associated Press President Trump promoted a meeting of his Cabinet on Wednesday, sharing via Twitter a link to a video of the session posted on the White House YouTube account. In his tweet, Trump thanked his Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country and wrote that the last year has been one of monumental achievement. I want to thank my @Cabinet for working tirelessly on behalf of our country. 2017 was a year of monumental achievement and we look forward to the year ahead. Together, we are delivering results and MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! https://t.co/ptXa1hAPwW pic.twitter.com/yv6RALkQf3 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The former reality television star continued to dispense accolades at the meeting Wednesday, greeting reporters in the Cabinet Room by saying: Welcome back to the studio. Then he proceeded to relive a Cabinet Room session from the prior day, when he had allowed reporters and TV cameras to stick around for much of his meeting with a bipartisan group of legislators on the thorny issue of immigration. It was a tremendous meeting. Actually, it was reported as incredibly good. And my performance you know, some of them called it a performance I consider it work, Trump said. Trump went on to say he had received letters from news anchors calling it one of the greatest meetings theyve ever witnessed. He added that the media will ultimately support Trump in the end, because theyre going to say, if Trump doesnt win in three years, theyre all out of business. Asked for examples of letters received from news anchors, the White House said it had received private communications. It also offered a series of positive on-air comments and tweets from journalists about the unusual access to the meeting. During his remarks, Trump swung from praising his own meeting coverage to telling journalists that they were dependent on his presidency for ratings to threatening a strong look at libel laws. Still, Trump thanked the journalists in front of him, joking: Youve gotten very familiar with this room. I appreciate your nice comments yesterday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump blasts DACA ruling in tweet calling courts broken and unfair By Lisa Mascaro President Trump denounced the federal courts Wednesday as broken and unfair after a district judge in San Francisco issued a nationwide injunction keeping protections in place for so-called Dreamers. Trump tweeted: It just shows everyone how broken and unfair our Court System is when the opposing side in a case (such as DACA) always runs to the 9th Circuit and almost always wins before being reversed by higher courts. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 On Tuesday night, U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco temporarily blocked the Trump administrations decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA, which has protected from deportation some 700,000 people who came to the country illegally as children. Alsup granted a request by the state of California, the University of California and other plaintiffs to stop Trump from ending DACA on March 5. The administrations decision to end DACA, which was announced in September, was based on a flawed legal analysis, Alsup wrote in his decision. Dreamers would be irreparably harmed if their DACA protections, which allow them to live and work legally in the U.S., were stripped away before the courts had a chance to fully consider their claims, he ruled. The action is the mirror image of a ruling in 2015 by a federal judge in Texas who ruled in favor of that state when it sought to block President Obama from expanding DACA to include the parents of Dreamers. Trump administration officials praised that judicial ruling. By contrast, they sharply criticized Alsups decision. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump thanks lawmakers for productive immigration meeting, says deal must include border wall President Trump thanked a bipartisan group of lawmakers for participating in a meeting on immigration legislation on Tuesday. Much of the discussion involved so-called Dreamers, an estimated 700,000 young people who were brought to the country illegally as children and are now facing deportation. In a tweet, Trump wrote that there was strong agreement to negotiate a bill to protect Dreamers, as well as put into place some of the reforms favored by Republicans. Thanks to all of the Republican and Democratic lawmakers for todays very productive meeting on immigration reform. There was strong agreement to negotiate a bill that deals with border security, chain migration, lottery and DACA. https://t.co/SdqAQ3aL3z pic.twitter.com/8DYHZHspAy Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 The most notable exchange of the meeting came when Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the San Francisco Democrat, asked Trump whether he would be agreeable to signing a stand-alone bill to protect the Dreamers, before moving on to a more comprehensive immigration bill. Yeah, I would like to do it, Trump responded. The statement drew widespread attention because it contradicted the Republican consensus that Dreamers fate needed to be part of a broader immigration bill that would include some version of Trumps promised border wall and other immigration reforms. Trump later backed away from a stand-alone Dreamer bill, tweeting that a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico must be part of any deal: As I made very clear today, our country needs the security of the Wall on the Southern Border, which must be part of any DACA approval. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 Pressure has been mounting for Congress to broker an immigration deal by Jan. 19 as part of a must-pass budget package to fund the government. This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Noah Bierman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump thanks officers and veterans in tweets President Trump doled out a slew of accolades Tuesday via Twitter. He thanked the nations law enforcement officers, including in his message a hashtag denoting a day of appreciation organized by a national support group for law enforcement families. On behalf of the American people, THANK YOU to our incredible law enforcement officers. As President of the United States - I will fight for you, and I will never, ever let you down. Now, more than ever, we must support the men and women in blue! #LawEnforcementAppreciationDay pic.twitter.com/Qb4uxB4JRm Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trump later expressed gratitude for federal immigration agents, in particular: .@ICEgov HSI agents and ERO officers, on behalf of an entire Nation, THANK YOU for what you are doing 24/7/365 to keep fellow Americans SAFE. Everyone is so grateful!#LawEnforcementAppreciationDay President @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/HXCpTlruVo Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 The president thanked veterans as he cited his administrations efforts to curb the number of veteran suicides by improving mental health treatment for the high-risk group: Today, it was my great honor to sign a new Executive Order to ensure Veterans have the resources they need as they transition back to civilian life. We must ensure that our HEROES are given the care and support they so richly deserve! https://t.co/0MdP9DDIAS pic.twitter.com/LP2a8KCBAp Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 Trumps tweet included photos of the president signing an executive order Tuesday directing the secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs to develop a plan to provide seamless access to mental health and suicide prevention resources for 12 months for members leaving the armed forces. Also on Tuesday, Trump touted a law he signed the day before designating the birthplace of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a national historic park: It was my great honor to sign H.R. 267, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act, which redesignates the Martin Luther King, Junior, National Historic Site in the State of Georgia as the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. https://t.co/Qe0b6HBFTY pic.twitter.com/QTgaqTawPT Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2018 And he thanked House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) for sharing a video compilation comprised of clips of politicians and commentators praising the GOPs tax cut bill: Thank you @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy! Couldnt agree w/you more. TOGETHER, we are #MAGA https://t.co/QaxtqpyXTR Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 10, 2018 This post contains reporting from the Associated Press and Times staff writer Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump hails tax bill in tweets recapping speech to farmers By Associated Press Connecting with rural Americans, President Trump on Monday hailed his tax overhaul as a victory for family farmers. Farm country is Gods country, Trump told the annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Trump became the first president in a quarter-century to address the federations convention. His Southern swing also included a stop in Atlanta for the national college football championship game. Cant wait to be back in the amazing state of Tennessee to address the 99th American @FarmBureau Federations Annual Convention in Nashville! #AFBF18 On my way now - join me LIVE at 4:00pmE: https://t.co/QaljAqekdD. pic.twitter.com/Wm7Io0hYT8 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Joined by Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and a group of Tennessee lawmakers, Trump said most of the benefits of the tax legislation are going to working families, small businesses, and who the family farmer. The package Trump signed into law last month provides generous tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, and more modest reductions for middle- and low-income individuals and families. In every decision we make, we are honoring Americas PROUD FARMING LEGACY. Years of crushing taxes, crippling regs, & corrupt politics left our communities hurting, our economy stagnant, & millions of hardworking Americans COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN. But they are not forgotten ANYMORE! pic.twitter.com/MdYS7xnukQ Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The president vastly inflated the value of the package in his speech, citing a total of $5.5 trillion in tax cuts, with most of those benefits going to working families, small businesses and who? The family farmer. The estimated value of the tax cuts is actually $1.5 trillion for families and businesses because of cuts in deductions and the use of other steps to generate offsetting tax revenue. We have been working every day to DELIVER for Americas Farmers just as they work every day to deliver FOR US. #AFBF18 pic.twitter.com/QDH7fvFkZ7 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 From Nashville, Trump traveled to Atlanta to watch Alabamas Crimson Tide and Georgias Bulldogs face off Monday night in the College Football Playoff National Championship. We are fighting for our farmers, for our country, and for our GREAT AMERICAN FLAG. We want our flag respected - and we want our NATIONAL ANTHEM respected also! pic.twitter.com/16eOLXg6Fi Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Before departing for the game, Trump referenced his ongoing defense of the American flag and the national anthem, saying there was enough space for people to express their views. We love our flag and we love our anthem, and we want to keep it that way, he said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweet hails drop in unemployment rate for African Americans By Associated Press President Trump touted a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans on Monday in a tweet. African American unemployment is the lowest ever recorded in our country. The Hispanic unemployment rate dropped a full point in the last year and is close to the lowest in recorded history. Dems did nothing for you but get your vote! #NeverForget @foxandfriends Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 The rate fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Trump also hailed the development via Twitter on Saturday. His latest tweet on the topic came about an hour after it was discussed during an episode of Fox & Friends, according to Mediaite. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump talks up the economy and dresses down the media in Sunday tweets With President Trump cheering from the sidelines, the White House on Sunday pressed its defense of the presidents fitness to govern, as fired former aide Stephen K. Bannon reversed course and apologized for his role in a new books explosive portrait of Trump. The presidents critics, meanwhile, said Trumps stream of taunts and insults in response to the book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, released last week served only to underscore the authors unsettling portrayal of Trumps year-old presidency, depicting a leader whose own aides consider him childish, ignorant and dangerously erratic. Trump provided more ammunition Sunday morning, as he continued to attack the book via Twitter while preparing to depart Camp David for the White House: Leaving Camp David for the White House. Great meetings with the Cabinet and Military on many very important subjects including Border Security & the desperately needed Wall, the ever increasing Drug and Opioid Problem, Infrastructure, Military, Budget, Trade and DACA. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Ive had to put up with the Fake News from the first day I announced that I would be running for President. Now I have to put up with a Fake Book, written by a totally discredited author. Ronald Reagan had the same problem and handled it well. So will I! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 The most vehement defense of Trump on Sunday came from senior advisor Stephen Miller, a onetime Bannon acolyte who distanced himself from his former mentor. In a combative appearance Sunday on CNNs State of the Union, Miller called the book grotesque and writer Michael Wolff the garbage author of a garbage book. Trump is known to closely monitor aides televised performances in putting forth his case, and he gleefully weighed in within moments of Millers televised clash with host Jake Tapper. CNN has long been a particular target of Trumps ire. Jake Tapper of Fake News CNN just got destroyed in his interview with Stephen Miller of the Trump Administration. Watch the hatred and unfairness of this CNN flunky! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trumps reaction, however, seemed to bolster Tappers on-air depiction of Miller as using his appearance on the show to play to the president rather than addressing questions put to him. I get it theres one viewer that you care about, the host said exasperatedly after Miller turned the discussion repeatedly to negative news coverage of the president while deflecting specific queries. Later on Twitter, Trump took up two themes that have been prevalent on his social media feeds recently. The president again went after the news media, tweeting that the recipients of his self-proclaimed most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year, which he promised earlier in the week to announce on Monday, would actually be revealed the following Wednesday: The Fake News Awards, those going to the most corrupt & biased of the Mainstream Media, will be presented to the losers on Wednesday, January 17th, rather than this coming Monday. The interest in, and importance of, these awards is far greater than anyone could have anticipated! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 Trump later lauded a New York Post opinion piece that compared him favorably with his predecessor, President Obama, as well as Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. In quoting the op-ed, Trump initally misspelled consequential as consensual, but he deleted those tweets and re-sent the messages. His is turning out to be an enormously consequential presidency. So much so that, despite my own frustration over his missteps, there has never been a day when I wished Hillary Clinton were president. Not one. Indeed, as Trumps accomplishments accumulate, the mere thought of... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 ...Clinton in the WH, doubling down on Barack Obamas failed policies, washes away any doubts that America made the right choice. This was truly a change election and the changes Trump is bringing are far-reaching & necessary. Thank you Michael Goodwin! https://t.co/4fHNcx2Ydg Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2018 Trump also continued talking up the economy, which has been enjoying a period of strong gains. The Stock Market has been creating tremendous benefits for our country in the form of not only Record Setting Stock Prices, but present and future Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Seven TRILLION dollars of value created since our big election win! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 7, 2018 In addition to Miller, other senior administration officials made the rounds of Sunday news talk shows to decry the claims made in Wolffs book. CIA Director Mike Pompeo said Wolffs characterization of Trump as averse to digesting classified briefing material was ludicrous, and the ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, insisted that that those around Trump love their country and respect their president. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Laura King. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Responding to book that mocks his intelligence, Trump tweets hes like, really smart By Tracy Wilkinson President Trump declared himself a very stable genius on Twitter on Saturday and later in a televised news conference called the author of a book that questioned his mental fitness a fraud. His comments came on a bone-cold day at Camp David during a weekend retreat with top administration officials and Republican congressional leaders strategizing on the years legislative agenda, including matters such as infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and national security. Now that Russian collusion, after one year of intense study, has proven to be a total hoax on the American public, the Democrats and their lapdogs, the Fake News Mainstream Media, are taking out the old Ronald Reagan playbook and screaming mental stability and intelligence..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....Actually, throughout my life, my two greatest assets have been mental stability and being, like, really smart. Crooked Hillary Clinton also played these cards very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 ....to President of the United States (on my first try). I think that would qualify as not smart, but genius....and a very stable genius at that! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Still, Trumps explosive rebuttal to author Michael Wolffs claims not only opened the day, but it also ensured the presidents capability to fill the highest office in the land was a topic that would not go away. In his early-morning tweets, Trump said two of his greatest assets have been mental stability, and being, like, really smart. He noted that his former Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, played these cards [about competence] very hard and, as everyone knows, went down in flames. I went from VERY successful businessman, to top T.V. Star to President of the United States (on my first try). Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement In morning tweets, Trump touts job numbers and takes digs at news media By Associated Press President Trump used Twitter on Saturday morning to tout a drop in the unemployment rate for African Americans. He also used the tweets as an opportunity to take digs at media outlets whose past coverage he has found to be critical. The African American unemployment rate fell to 6.8%, the lowest rate in 45 years. I am so happy about this News! And, in the Washington Post (of all places), headline states, Trumps first year jobs numbers were very, very good. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The unemployment rate for African Americans fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972. The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from. Still, the rate for black workers remains well above those for whites and some other groups, something experts attribute in large part to decades of discrimination and disadvantages. Robust job creation has lowered unemployment for all Americans. U.S. employers added nearly 2.1 million jobs in 2017 the seventh straight year that hiring has topped 2 million. In his tweet, Trump praised a report that noted the numbers, touting the fact that it appeared in the Washington Post (of all places). Minutes later, Trump renewed his attack on an ABC News reporter who was suspended last month after filing an erroneous report on Michael Flynn, Trumps former national security advisor. Brian Ross, the reporter who made a fraudulent live newscast about me that drove the Stock Market down 350 points (billions of dollars), was suspended for a month but is now back at ABC NEWS in a lower capacity. He is no longer allowed to report on Trump. Should have been fired! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 The reporter, Brian Ross, was reportedly reassigned within ABC News upon returning from his unpaid suspension. But on Saturday, Trump wrote that he should have been fired. Trumps tweets came hours before he was set to host congressional Republicans and administration officials at Camp David. The meeting scheduled to begin at midmorning Saturday was expected to touch on the budget, infrastructure, immigration, welfare reform and the shape of the midterm election this fall. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump commends Sen. Rand Paul after he proposes eliminating all U.S. aid to Pakistan President Trump commended Sen. Rand Paul after the Kentucky Republican announced plans to introduce legislation that would eliminate all U.S. aid to Pakistan. Trump tweeted Friday night: Good idea Rand! https://t.co/55sqUDiC0s Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 On Thursday, the Trump administration announced it was suspending security assistance to Islamabad until the country moves aggressively against local militants who have attacked U.S. troops in neighboring Afghanistan. Trump has repeatedly expressed frustration at the apparent inability of Pakistani authorities to rein in militants who cross out of the countrys rugged tribal areas to attack U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump continues to lash out at Sloppy Steve Bannon in tweets on tell-all book By Associated Press President Trump is praising a major Republican donor family for distancing themselves from his former advisor Steve Bannon. Trump tweeted Friday: The Mercer Family recently dumped the leaker known as Sloppy Steve Bannon. Smart! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trump has continued to lash out at Bannon over an explosive new book that quoted his former aide as questioning Trumps competence and describing a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower among Donald Trump Jr., Trump campaign aides and a Russian lawyer as treasonous and unpatriotic. On Thursday, billionaire GOP donor Rebekah Mercer issued a statement distancing her family from Bannon. Mercer is a co-owner of Breitbart, the populist website Bannon helps run. I support President Trump and the platform upon which he was elected, Mercer said. My family and I have not communicated with Steve Bannon in many months and have provided no financial support to his political agenda, nor do we support his recent actions and statements. The book, Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, quickly shot atop Amazons best-seller list, and the publisher moved up its release date by four days, to Friday. Trump took up the topic again on Twitter on Friday night, denouncing both Bannon and the books author, Michael Wolff, in starkly personal terms: Michael Wolff is a total loser who made up stories in order to sell this really boring and untruthful book. He used Sloppy Steve Bannon, who cried when he got fired and begged for his job. Now Sloppy Steve has been dumped like a dog by almost everyone. Too bad! https://t.co/mEeUhk5ZV9 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 6, 2018 Trumps message linked to a meme depicting a parody book cover titled, Liar and Phony, that featured a photo of Wolff and disparaging quotes about the author. In a tweet sent earlier Friday morning, Trump suggested the book was intended to serve as a distraction from the FBIs investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, which Trump wrote is proving to be a total hoax. Well, now that collusion with Russia is proving to be a total hoax and the only collusion is with Hillary Clinton and the FBI/Russia, the Fake News Media (Mainstream) and this phony new book are hitting out at every new front imaginable. They should try winning an election. Sad! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 That came amid reports that Trump directed his White House counsel to tell Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to not recuse himself from the Justice Departments Russia investigation. Trumps effort to keep Sessions, a vocal and loyal supporter of his election bid, in charge of an investigation into his campaign offers special counsel Robert Mueller yet another avenue to explore as his prosecutors work to untangle potential evidence of obstruction. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump praises the economy ahead of meetings at Camp David By Associated Press President Trump is praising the strength of the U.S. economy ahead of meetings at Camp David with congressional Republicans. Trump tweeted early Friday: Dow goes from 18,589 on November 9, 2016, to 25,075 today, for a new all-time Record. Jumped 1000 points in last 5 weeks, Record fastest 1000 point move in history. This is all about the Make America Great Again agenda! Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Six trillion dollars in value created! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The president also told reporters on the South Lawn that the tax cuts are really kicking in after Congress passed a package of tax cuts at the end of 2017. And the president praised the December jobs report, which found U.S. employers added 148,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate stayed at 4.1%, the lowest level since 2000. The modest but steady pace of hiring is a reassuring sign for investors who have been buoyed by the just-passed Republican tax plan and have been sending stock market indexes roaring to uncharted heights. The president is meeting with Republican congressional leaders and members of his Cabinet on Friday and Saturday to discuss the 2018 agenda. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump tweets as Dow crashes through 25,000 By Associated Press President Trump dispatched a congratulatory tweet as the Dow Jones industrial average rose above the 25,000-point mark Thursday, just five weeks after its first close above 24,000. Dow just crashes through 25,000. Congrats! Big cuts in unnecessary regulations continuing. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 After the Dow closed above 25,000, Trump shared a graphic depicting the stock indexs record-setting rise. MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/iONbr1DkVk Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Later in the day, the president was back on Twitter, complaining that news outlets had barely covered the stock market milestone. He suggested that the strength of the economy would be the biggest story on earth, had it unfolded during the presidency of his predecessor. The Fake News Media barely mentions the fact that the Stock Market just hit another New Record and that business in the U.S. is booming...but the people know! Can you imagine if O was president and had these numbers - would be biggest story on earth! Dow now over 25,000. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 The Dow broke past 1,000-point barriers in 2017 on its way to a 25% gain for the year, as an eight-year rally since the Great Recession continued to confound skeptics. Strong global economic growth and good prospects for higher company earnings have analysts predicting more gains, although the market may not stay as calm as it has been recently. The Dow has made a rapid trip since it reached 24,000 points Nov. 30, partly on enthusiasm over passage of the Republican-backed tax package, which could boost company profits this year with across-the-board cuts to corporate taxes. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump reacts to Fire and Fury book in tweet lashing out at author and Sloppy Steve President Trump lashed out at the author of a soon-to-be-released book about the chaotic first year of his presidency Thursday night. In a tweet, Trump called Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, a phony book and claimed that hed never spoken to its author, Michael Wolff. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve! Trump wrote. He appeared to be referring to former White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon, whose stunning criticisms of Trump and his circle figure prominently in the title. I authorized Zero access to White House (actually turned him down many times) for author of phony book! I never spoke to him for book. Full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that dont exist. Look at this guys past and watch what happens to him and Sloppy Steve! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2018 Trumps tweet came hours after he had his lawyer demand that Henry Holt & Co. and Wolff stop publication the book. Instead, the publisher expedited the books release to Friday, four days before it was slated to hit bookstore shelves, in response to unprecedented demand. Published excerpts on Wednesday and Thursday whetted that appetite and roiled Washington. Bannons comments, including that it was treasonous and unpatriotic for Trumps son Donald Trump Jr., son-in-law Jared Kushner and campaign manager Paul Manafort to have met in 2016 with Russians said to have dirt on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, prompted Trump on Wednesday to rebuke his former advisor, saying Bannon had lost his mind. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Brian Bennett and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump thanks senators who attended meeting on immigration President Trump tweeted thanks to Republican senators who attended a meeting about possible immigration legislation on Thursday. In his message, Trump also listed his top priorities when it comes to any type of overhaul of the nations immigration system. Thank you to the great Republican Senators who showed up to our mtg on immigration reform. We must BUILD THE WALL, stop illegal immigration, end chain migration & cancel the visa lottery. The current system is unsafe & unfair to the great people of our country - time for change! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Trumps tweet echoed his remarks at the beginning of Thursdays meeting, when he insisted again that constructing a border wall and overhauling two legal immigration programs must be part of any deal with Democrats to protect the so-called Dreamers from deportation. Two-year deportation protections and work permits given under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program begin to expire March 6 under an executive order. Trump announced in September that he was ending the Obama-era program, but told Congress to draft a law to continue protections for people brought to the country illegally as children a group that has widespread public support. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writer Brian Bennett. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump resumes Twitter war against kneeling NFL players President Trump has resumed his Twitter war against NFL players who kneel during the national anthem to protest social injustice and racial inequality. In a tweet early Thursday, Trump replied to a supporter who shared a meme that appears to depict family members lying on the grave of a fallen soldier with the caption: This is why we stand. Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! Trump wrote. So beautiful....Show this picture to the NFL players who still kneel! https://t.co/tJLM1tvbvb Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The president has denounced players who kneel during the anthem in previous tweets. Hes also called for the firing of players who do so. His latest message came amid news that the NFL finished the regular season with TV ratings that fell nearly 10% below the previous season. Analysts attribute the drop to controversies facing the league, as well as changing viewing habits and a possible saturation point in the number of games available. Read More This post contains reporting from Times staff writers Stephen Battaglio and Alex Wigglesworth. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump credits himself with facilitating talks between North and South Korea By Associated Press President Trump says his tough stance on nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula is helping push North Korea and South Korea to talk. Trump tweeted early Thursday: With all of the failed experts weighing in, does anybody really believe that talks and dialogue would be going on between North and South Korea right now if I wasnt firm, strong and willing to commit our total might against the North. Fools, but talks are a good thing! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 That assertion is in conflict with some of the presidents own statements. Last year, he ridiculed Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for talking about negotiations with the North. This week, Trump seemed open to the possibility of an inter-Korean dialogue after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare overture toward South Korea in a New Years Day address. But Trumps ambassador to the United Nations insisted that talks wont be meaningful unless the North is getting rid of its nuclear weapons. The overture about talks came after Trump and Kim traded more bellicose claims about their nuclear weapons. In his New Years Day address, Kim repeated fiery nuclear threats against the United States. Kim said he has a nuclear button on his office desk and warned that the whole territory of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear strike. Trump mocked that assertion Tuesday evening in a tweet. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print After disbanding his vote fraud panel, Trump still says voting system is rigged By Brian Bennett One day after disbanding his troubled voter fraud commission without any findings of fraud, President Trump continued to call the U.S. voting system rigged and said states should require that Americans have voter-identification cards. In two tweets on Thursday morning, Trump blamed the commissions failure on the lack of cooperation from mostly Democrat States that refused to hand over voter rolls because they know that many people are voting illegally. However, voting supervisors in Republican-led states refused as well, objecting on privacy and other grounds. Many mostly Democrat States refused to hand over data from the 2016 Election to the Commission On Voter Fraud. They fought hard that the Commission not see their records or methods because they know that many people are voting illegally. System is rigged, must go to Voter I.D. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 As Americans, you need identification, sometimes in a very strong and accurate form, for almost everything you do.....except when it comes to the most important thing, VOTING for the people that run your country. Push hard for Voter Identification! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Despite Trumps assertions, analysts have not found evidence of widespread voter fraud. Trump created the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in May after alleging, without proof, that millions of illegal votes were cast for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Trump was elected after winning a majority in the electoral college, but the nationwide count showed Clinton received nearly 3 million more votes. The commission sought personal data on voters across the country and faced mounting lawsuits in recent months over privacy concerns. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump touts another good day for stocks, credits tax cut By Associated Press President Trump touted another good day for the stock market Wednesday in a tweet. Stock Market had another good day but, now that the Tax Cut Bill has passed, we have tremendous upward potential. Dow just short of 25,000, a number that few thought would be possible this soon into my administration. Also, unemployment went down to 4.1%. Only getting better! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Big gains for technology and healthcare stocks helped U.S. indexes set records again Wednesday. Some analysts attributed the surge to investor enthusiasm for Trumps $1.5-trillion tax cut. All told, Wall Street analysts estimate the tax package should boost earnings for companies in the Standard & Poors 500 index by roughly 8% this year. Thats much more generous than the average tax cut of 1.6% that middle-class families will receive, according to the Tax Policy Center. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 The public has been less enthusiastic about the tax law. A Monmouth University poll last month found that nearly half of Americans disapproved of it, with only 26% in support. Still, as Trump also noted on Twitter, some workers have seen a benefit: So far, dozens of companies have announced bonuses and higher minimum wages as a result of the tax cut. AT&T, Comcast, Bank of America, and American Airlines have all pledged to pay $1,000 bonuses to their employees. Some 40 U.S. companies have responded to President Trumps tax cut and reform victory in Congress last year by handing out bonuses up to $2,000, increases in 401k matches and spending on charity, a much higher number than previously known. https://t.co/bmWrwWzxMR Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 Investors also appear less concerned than many politicians about how the additional profits will be used. The Trump administration says it expects companies will plow much of the extra profit back into their businesses, purchasing more software, machinery, and other equipment. Those investments will make workers more productive and provide a key boost to the economys long-run growth. They should also boost wages and salaries for employees. Opponents of the tax law respond that companies are more likely to pass the windfall on to shareholders in the form of higher dividend payments and share buybacks, which raise the price of those shares still in investors hands. Previous cuts in corporate tax rates, in the United States and overseas, havent always led to higher wages. For Wall Street, its all good, at least in the short run. Most analysts take the view that either way, companies and the economy will benefit. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump reacts to death of Mormon Church president By Associated Press President Trump mourned the death of Mormon Church leader Thomas S. Monson on Wednesday evening. Trump tweeted a link to a statement in which he said that Monson demonstrated wisdom, inspired leadership, and great compassion and delivered a message of optimism, forgiveness, and faith. Melania and I are deeply saddened by the death of Thomas S. Monson, a beloved President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...https://t.co/ETD3fWtfU3 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 4, 2018 A church bishop at the age of 22, Monson became the youngest church apostle ever in 1963 at the age of 36. He served as a counselor for three church presidents before assuming the role of the top leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in February 2008. After a life of church service, Monson died Tuesday at his home in Salt Lake City, according to church spokesman Eric Hawkins. He was 90. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump tweets that Iranian protesters will see great U.S. support at the appropriate time By Associated Press President Trump continued to express support for Irans anti-government protesters on Wednesday. In a tweet, Trump commended the protesters and pledged that the United States will support them at the appropriate time. Such respect for the people of Iran as they try to take back their corrupt government. You will see great support from the United States at the appropriate time! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Trumps tweet Wednesday morning came as Iranian Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo sent a letter to United Nations officials complaining that Washington was intervening in a grotesque way in Irans internal affairs. The President and Vice-President of the United States, in their numerous absurd tweets, incited Iranians to engage in disruptive acts, the ambassador wrote to the U.N. Security Council president and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The U.S. didnt immediately respond to the letter, which maintains that Washington has crossed every limit in flouting rules and principles of international law governing the civilized conduct of international relations. At least 21 people have been killed and hundreds arrested in Iran during a week of anti-government protests and unrest over economic woes and official corruption. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people took part in counter-demonstrations Wednesday backing the clerically overseen government, which has said enemies of Iran are fomenting the protests. Trump has unleashed a series of tweets in recent days backing the protesters, saying Iran is failing at every level and declaring that it is time for change in the Islamic Republic. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump congratulates Sen. Orrin Hatch upon news of his retirement By Associated Press President Trump congratulated Sen. Orrin Hatch for an absolutely incredible career upon news of Hatchs impending retirement. In a tweet Tuesday afternoon, Trump called Hatch a tremendous supporter and wrote that he will be greatly missed in the Senate. Congratulations to Senator Orrin Hatch on an absolutely incredible career. He has been a tremendous supporter, and I will never forget the (beyond kind) statements he has made about me as President. He is my friend and he will be greatly missed in the U.S. Senate! pic.twitter.com/0VjzLEeHTl Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Hatchs decision to retire from the Senate after four decades lets the Utah Republican walk away at the height of his power after helping to push through an overhaul of the tax code and persuading Trump to downsize two national monuments. Retirement also preserves the 83-year-olds legacy by allowing him to avoid a bruising reelection battle that would have broken his promise not to seek an eighth term. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump tweet exaggerates progress in improving veterans care By Associated Press President Trump played up tremendous progress in improving care for veterans in his first year on Tuesday in a tweet. His message linked to an Instagram video describing eight accomplishments that show Trump is fighting for our veterans. But it overstates the impact of these steps. We will not rest until all of Americas GREAT VETERANS can receive the care they so richly deserve. Tremendous progress has been made in a short period of time. Keep up the great work @SecShulkin @DeptVetAffairs! https://t.co/ir25vW15hx pic.twitter.com/OtuzIgxMn6 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Of the eight achievements cited, two are ceremonial proclamations recognizing National Veterans and Military Families Month and National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Two are pieces of legislation that extended the troubled Veterans Choice program on a temporary basis. This became necessary because the Trump administration repeatedly miscalculated the amount of taxpayer dollars available to pay for care from private doctors outside the Veterans Affairs system when veterans had to endure long waits for treatment at VA medical centers. The departments poor budget planning caught lawmakers off guard. A fifth claim involves telehealth, a step letting doctors practice medicine across state lines using digital technology. Announced in August, it has yet to take full effect because a proposed VA regulation hasnt been completed. The VA wants authority to practice across state lines to come from legislation, not a regulation. On Wednesday, the Senate approved a telehealth measure that now goes to the House. A sixth claim refers to legislation that streamlines the appeals process for disability compensation claims within the VA. This step has had limited effect so far because it applies to new disability claims, not the 470,000 pending claims. The last two initiatives make it easier for the VA to discipline employees. The department has pointed to more than 1,300 employees who have been fired under Trumps watch. Because their infractions are not detailed in public documents, the effect on veterans care is not fully known. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump unleashes his first tweetstorm of 2018 By Noah Bierman President Trump clearly didnt resolve to change his Twitter habits this year. With nine disparate tweets over three hours on Tuesday morning, the first working day of 2018, Trump continued to exploit social media to be the most aggressive commentator in chief in American history. For any other president, his posts would have made for a monumental day of (mis-)statements. Yet for Trump, the series attacks on political foes and media, provocations of foreign leaders and self-praise for events he had nothing to do with was all but unremarkable. His Twitter barrage sent between 7:09 a.m. and 10:16 a.m. reflected a familiar gamut after nearly a year in office: Attacks on political foes: Nearly 14 months after his election, Trump called for the jailing of Huma Abedin, Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid (his misspelling, another occasional feature of Trump tweets). Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid, Huma Abedin, has been accused of disregarding basic security protocols. She put Classified Passwords into the hands of foreign agents. Remember sailors pictures on submarine? Jail! Deep State Justice Dept must finally act? Also on Comey & others Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 In the same tweet, he disparaged the Deep State Justice Dept, headed of course by his appointees, calling on it to act against James B. Comey, the FBI director he fired for investigating the Russia thing. Diplomatic provocations: Trump again called North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Rocket man, ridiculed the volatile nuclear-armed foe for recent military defections and openly speculated about potential talks between North and South Korea. Sanctions and other pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not - we will see! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not we will see! Trump wrote. Later Tuesday, Trump tweeted: North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times. Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Also later Tuesday, Trump tweeted an attack on Pakistan, his second in as many days, and added a new one against Palestinians: It's not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They dont even want to negotiate a long overdue... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ...peace treaty with Israel. We have taken Jerusalem, the toughest part of the negotiation, off the table, but Israel, for that, would have had to pay more. But with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Undermining media: Trump offered Congratulations! to A.G. Sulzberger, who took over as publisher of the New York Times this week. The Failing New York Times has a new publisher, A.G. Sulzberger. Congratulations! Here is a last chance for the Times to fulfill the vision of its Founder, Adolph Ochs, to give the news impartially, without fear or FAVOR, regardless of party, sect, or interests involved. Get... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 ....impartial journalists of a much higher standard, lose all of your phony and non-existent sources, and treat the President of the United States FAIRLY, so that the next time I (and the people) win, you wont have to write an apology to your readers for a job poorly done! GL Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the two-part post was really yet another slam against a perceived media foe: Trump said the paper had a last chance to fulfill its journalistic mission, and accused it of relying on phony sources and substandard reporters just days after he granted another exclusive interview to the paper. As a bonus, the tweet contained a recycled falsehood, that the paper apologized after the election for reporting on him unfairly. It didnt. Trump later said on Twitter that he would soon announce the most dishonest & corrupt media awards of the year. Stay tuned! I will be announcing THE MOST DISHONEST & CORRUPT MEDIA AWARDS OF THE YEAR on Monday at 5:00 oclock. Subjects will cover Dishonesty & Bad Reporting in various categories from the Fake News Media. Stay tuned! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 The president also tweeted a quote from Fox Business Networks Lou Dobbs Tonight, which aired a segment praising Trumps first-year accomplishments. Dobbs reportedly joined Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday for a gala to celebrate New Years Eve. President Trump has something now he didnt have a year ago, that is a set of accomplishments that nobody can deny. The accomplishments are there, look at his record, he has had a very significant first year. @LouDobbs Show,David Asman & Ed Rollins Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018 Taking credit: Trump congratulated himself for policing the border with Mexico, an area where his policies and anti-immigration rhetoric are believed to have had some effect on reducing illegal crossings. Thank you to Brandon Judd of the National Border Patrol Council for your kind words on how well we are doing at the Border. We will be bringing in more & more of your great folks and will build the desperately needed WALL! @foxandfriends Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 He took credit for employee bonuses by companies after he signed Republican tax cuts into law last month. Companies are giving big bonuses to their workers because of the Tax Cut Bill. Really great! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 But the jaw-dropper was Trump congratulating himself for planes not crashing. Since taking office I have been very strict on Commercial Aviation. Good news - it was just reported that there were Zero deaths in 2017, the best and safest year on record! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 It was the safest year on record worldwide, but the American streak without commercial jet passenger deaths goes back to 2009. Trump, who has promoted deregulation as one of his top accomplishments, has not signed off on any new airline safety regulations. The White House pointed to new security screening of passengers, to electronic devices to prevent terrorist attacks and to Trumps support for privatizing air traffic control a proposal that has gotten nowhere in Congress. Falsehoods: Trump said President Obama, in brokering the 2015 nuclear arms limitation deal with Iran, foolishly gave money to the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. He didnt. The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their pockets. The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 The nuclear deal, which included major U.S. allies as signators, released Irans own funds that had long been frozen. Trumps art of the deal: When Trump sees a big deal looming, he often blasts the other side to gain leverage, as hes written. This week he resumes a showdown with Democratic lawmakers over funding the government and immigration protections for so-called Dreamers, who were brought to the country illegally as children. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA - just interested in politics. DACA activists and Hispanics will go hard against Dems, will start falling in love with Republicans and their President! We are about RESULTS. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Trump, who in September ordered a gradual end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, sought to shift blame for the resulting controversy, saying Democrats are doing nothing for DACA and are just interested in politics. Trump has insisted that any help for Dreamers be paired with funding for a border wall and a crackdown on legal immigration. Democrats, and some Republicans, are opposed. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement In tweet, Trump suggests U.S. will withdraw financial assistance to Pakistan By Shashank Bengali Pakistan lashed out Monday after President Trump accused its leaders of lies & deceit and suggested the United States would withdraw financial assistance to the nuclear-armed nation it once saw as a key ally against terrorism. It was the presidents latest broadside against Pakistan after a speech in August in which he demanded its leaders crack down on the safe havens enjoyed by Taliban militants fighting U.S.-backed forces in neighboring Afghanistan. The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 U.S. Ambassador David Hale was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to discuss the presidents statement, U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire said. Pakistan lodged a strongly worded protest and asked for clarification about Trumps comments, according to two foreign office officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Pakistans prime minister, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, called a Cabinet meeting for Tuesday and a meeting of the National Security Committee on Wednesday to discuss Trumps New Years Day tweet. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump continues to tweet in support of Iranian protesters By Laura King President Trump expressed renewed support Sunday for protesters in Iran, declaring that people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. In a tweet from his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, the president said the nationwide economic protests that began on Thursday and have taken on wider political overtones as they have grown in size were a signal that Iranians will not take it any longer. Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Trump has tweeted about the protests for three days straight as Iranians took to the streets despite a heavy police presence, tear gas and scores of arrests. The defiance gained urgency after two people were reported shot to death in the city of Dorud, about 200 miles southwest of Tehran. As the conflict escalated, Iranian authorities on Sunday slapped a temporary ban on Instagram and the messaging app Telegram, which were widely used to fan protest fervor. Iran, the Number One State of Sponsored Terror with numerous violations of Human Rights occurring on an hourly basis, has now closed down the Internet so that peaceful demonstrators cannot communicate. Not good! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Irans leaders already are casting Trumps increasingly effusive expressions of support for the demonstrators as opportunistic meddling and are painting the demonstrators as foreign pawns, adopting a strategy that some analysts say could jeopardize the legitimacy of the nascent antigovernment protests. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump tweets condolences after Colorado deputies are shot in ambush, one fatally By Associated Press A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriffs deputies in Colorado early Sunday, killing one and injuring four others, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush. Two civilians were also injured. President Trump expressed sorrow, writing on Twitter: My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @DCSheriff, and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all! #LESM Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost Trump Jr. to speak privately to Senate staff on Thursday (Richard Drew / Associated Press) President Trumps oldest son is expected to meet privately with a Senate committee investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, several senators said Wednesday. Donald Trump Jr.'s appearance Thursday before the Senate Judiciary Committee would probably focus on a meeting he had with a Russian lawyer and others during the final stretches of last years campaign. Emails released in July show that Trump Jr. was told the session at Trump Tower in New York was part of a Russian government effort to aid his father, the Republican nominee. Special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating that meeting, also attended by Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then-campaign chairman, Paul Manafort. A grand jury has heard testimony about it. Trump Jr. has also agreed to appear in the coming weeks before the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is conducting its own investigation. Separately, President Obamas national security advisor, Susan Rice, was meeting on Wednesday with the House Intelligence Committee, according to a person familiar with the interview. This person wasnt authorized to discuss the committees confidential work and spoke on the condition of anonymity. That committee has subpoenaed the Justice Department and the FBI for documents related to a dossier of salacious allegations involving Trump and possible ties to Russia. As for Donald Trump Jr., some Democratic senators said they planned to attend his session though tradition dictates that senators cannot ask questions at such interviews conducted by committee staff. Sens. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said they would be there. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) was considering it. I go in with an open mind, Durbin said. I want to hear his answers to questions there are plenty of questions about the involvement of the Trump corporation as well as the Trump campaign with the Russians and other foreigners, and I just want to hear what Mr. Trump has to say. Durbin said he would be shocked if questions werent asked about whether Trump Sr. knew about the Trump Tower meeting. The critical part of his testimony will be following the financial dealing, Blumenthal said. He said he also wants to find out what Trump Jr. may know about potential obstruction of justice, adding there may have been conversations between the two about the firing of FBI Director James Comey and other matters. Blumenthal and Coons said the private interview is no substitute for a public hearing, which the committee chairman, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), has promised will happen. This meeting is far less important than his public testimony, under oath, before the American people, Blumenthal said. Grassley would not say on Wednesday whether he would issue a subpoena for Trump Jr. if he refuses to testify publicly. Meanwhile, the Justice Department is reviewing subpoenas from the House intelligence committee. In a letter Friday that was obtained by the AP, the committee wrote that it had served subpoenas on Aug. 24 to the department and the FBI for documents related to the committees investigation of Russian meddling. The Justice Department and FBI had missed the original Sept. 1 deadline, so the committee extended the deadline to Sept. 14. The letter was signed by the committee chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), who stepped back from the Russia investigation this year after he was criticized for being too close to the White House. Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Texas) took over the leading role, but his name does not appear on the letter. As chairman, Nunes retains subpoena power in the committee. According to the letter, the original subpoenas requested any documents related to the dossier and sought information about whether the department was involved in its production. If the documents are not produced, the committee is seeking to compel Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, who has withdrawn from investigations examining connections between Trump and Russia, and newly installed FBI Director Christopher Wray to testify in an open hearing. The committee issued two additional subpoenas to Sessions and Wray on late Tuesday. Resort to compulsory process was necessary because of DOJs and FBIs insufficient responsiveness to the committees numerous Russia-investigation related requests over the past several months, the letter said. If the committee is unable to obtain documents or testimony, Nunes wrote, the committee expressly reserves its right to proceed with any and all available legal options, including a House vote to hold Sessions and Wray in contempt. The Justice Department confirmed it was reviewing the subpoenas but declined further comment. The dossier attracted public attention in January when it was revealed that then-FBI Director Comey had briefed Trump, soon before he was inaugurated as president, about claims from the documents that Russia had amassed compromising personal and financial allegations about him. Its unclear to what extent the allegations in the dossier have been corroborated or verified by the FBI because the bureau has not publicly discussed it. Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, said Tuesday evening on MSNBC that the subpoenas were issued over the objections of Democrats. Schiff said Republicans are working harder to discredit those who compiled the dossier than to find out if the allegations in it are true. He said Republicans should be more focused on getting documents from the White House. The subpoenas were first reported by the Washington Examiner. What disbelief and shock to see fire creeping over our Verdugo Mountains to Burbank Hills Estates! Residents of over 30 years were notifying each other, especially the seniors, of the horrifying blaze. There was immediate action of the fire department and police protection on the scene. Neighbors responded with food and refreshments as needed. Fire trucks remained overnight at the cul-de-sac home of good neighbor Ed Strang, who provided food and tended to their personal needs throughout the night protecting the homes on our street. Afterwards, signs were posted on backyard fences thanking the firemen for saving all the homes in our neighborhood. Special thanks for the protection provided by our local Burbank police by blocking streets and enforcing ID requirements for entrance to our homes. We were blessed being protected by the best in uniform. As a fire captains daughter, I have memories of our dad coming home smelling of smoke, and giving us a hug and kiss with a story to share, all in a days work. We are eternally grateful for the hard work and dedication of our fire and police departments for saving our precious homes and belongings. Heidi and Les St. Royal Burbank .. Newly elected Burbank City Councilwoman Sharon Springer is becoming a rising super star on the council. Unlike her predecessor, she gets along well with her colleagues on the panel; she does her homework and studies the issues facing Burbank; she keeps her constituents informed via Facebook and social media; she asks intelligent and well-reasoned questions; she truly cares for the people who live and work in Burbank, businesses in Burbank and even folks who pass through Burbank. Our city is blessed to have her as a member of the council, and I look forward to exciting years ahead. Tom Wollnik Burbank .. Burbank is about to be connected to the Los Angles River bike path due to the coming completion of the Victory Boulevard overpass that connects Burbank and Glendale with Griffith Park over the 134 Freeway. In addition to creating bike lanes on the overpass, it adds a concrete bike lane underneath as well as ramps down from both sides that link the Los Angeles River bike path from downtown L.A. at the I-5 Freeway overpass for 10 continuous miles north to the Mariposa Street bridge to everywhere in Burbank. Cyclists are required to give the right of way to horses on the Mariposa Bridge, as well as to walk or carry their bikes across. Local horseback riders attempted to encourage a ban of even the possession of a bicycle on the bridge; however in December 2015 City Atty. Amy Albano advised the Burbank City Council at its regular public meeting that such a ban would be unenforceable. Doug Weiskopf Burbank -- Immigration is a national issue with implications for our local communities. The Trump administration recently announced its intention to reverse the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, leaving the fate of 800,000 immigrants in jeopardy. The League of Women Voters of Glendale/Burbank supports DACA and immigration reform that protects, not deports, the 800,000 young people who were brought to the United States as children. Using innocent young people as pawns to advance a legislative agenda is shameful and reinforces the administrations reputation as a bully. As a country of immigrants, we are made stronger by our diversity. Reversing the DACA policy undermines the trust and confidence in the fairness of our government institutions. The League of Women Voters is opposed to deportation of non-criminal undocumented immigrants and we urge Congress to pass a clean Dream Act to protect these young immigrants. Mary L. Dickson President, League of Women Voters of Glendale/Burbank As the Bolsa Chica Land Trust celebrates its 25th anniversary this weekend, the group is focusing on acquiring 11 acres of developer-owned property on the Bolsa Chica mesa considered to be a sacred Native American site. Kim Kolpin, the trusts executive director, said raising $1 million toward buying the Ridge and Goodell sites off Bolsa Chica Street in Huntington Beach is the groups primary goal. The property, where ancient Native American remains and materials were uncovered by archaeologists, was once eyed for development. The trust has collected $600,000 so far, largely through its nearly 5,000 members, Kolpin said. The Trust for Public Land, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that facilitates and funds the creation of parks and protected lands, is working with the Bolsa Chica trust to try to secure the property. The amount the Trust for Public Land has to raise is confidential as part of an agreement with the property owner, developer Signal Landmark, according to Paolo Perrone, a project manager for TPL. The purchase agreement arose after years of dispute between Signal Landmark and the Bolsa Chica Land Trust. In 2008, Signal proposed a 22-unit townhome project on the property. The city approved the project in 2010. The proposal then went before the California Coastal Commission because the parcel is in Huntington Beachs coastal zone. The Bolsa Chica Land Trust sued the city later in 2010, claiming it should have prepared an environmental impact report rather than a mitigated negative declaration determining the project wouldnt have a significant impact on the environment. The lawsuit was tabled pending the outcome of the commissions review. At the time, the trust said the project risked endangering a site that was home to 9,000 years of Native American artifacts. Kolpin said the site is particularly important because archaeologists uncovered a large collection of cogged stones there in the early 2000s. The palm-size stones have teeth-like protrusions around the exterior, similar to a cog wheel. Kolpin said archaeologists arent sure what the cogged stones were used for, but they were probably ceremonial. According to an academic paper on the excavation, the site enabled researchers to develop a new cogged stone typology. Kolpin said 176 ancient human remains also were uncovered at the site. She said the battle with the developer wounded the local Native American community. The city and Signal withdrew the original proposal from Coastal Commission consideration in 2014, and about two years later, the trust dropped its lawsuit and entered the current agreement, which has an option permitting the developer to build a 36-townhome development on 2.5 acres of the property if the money cant be raised to buy it. The remaining land would be dedicated to open space to be controlled by a government agency or a nonprofit. In late June, the Huntington Beach Planning Commission voted to move the 36-townhome project forward by allowing a host of amendments to the land-use and zoning classifications on the 2.5 acres, including modifying the use from open space to residential. In the original agreement, the two trusts had until October this year to raise the money, but they can extend the deadline if needed. Perrone said TPL will extend the deadline, though it doesnt yet know how much. Kolpin said Signal has been working in good faith. Signal representatives could not be reached for comment. The Bolsa Chica trust will hold a 25th-anniversary celebration from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Huntington Harbour Yacht Club, 3821 Warner Ave. A brief update on the planned acquisition of the Ridge and Goodell sites will be given, and Charles Lester, former executive director of the Coastal Commission, will be a featured speaker. Reservations can be made at bclandtrust.org/#feature. The organization suggests a $25 donation per seat. benjamin.brazil@latimes.com Twitter:@benbrazilpilot Newport Beach plans to buy a $4-million piece of land on Newport Boulevard to relocate its Lido-area fire station. The City Council voted 6-1 on Tuesday night to approve the purchase of a 17,693-square-foot 0.4-acre parcel at 2807 Newport Blvd. to build a firehouse to replace the aging, undersized facility at 475 32nd St. Weve outgrown that fire station on 32nd Street, Newport Beach Fire Chief Chip Duncan told the council. We just cannot get the equipment in and out of there. Mayor Kevin Muldoon voted against the purchase in deference to neighbors nuisance concerns. Dennis Halloran, who lives near the proposed firehouse site and is on his homeowners associations noise committee, wanted the council to say no to the McFire station, a reference to the McDonalds restaurant that most recently stood at the site. Putting a fire station next to $50 million worth of residences and businesses is not enhancing our quality of life, Halloran said. He said the 32nd Street site would be adequate with a little imagination, such as using repurposed shipping containers as buildings or using parking lifts to fit more employee cars. Councilman Jeff Herdman, who lives less than a block from the fire station on Marine Avenue on Balboa Island, said sirens on the compact island are a nonissue. Trucks may sound an intermittent siren to alert people on the narrow avenue, he said. I think youre worrying a little too much about a problem that probably wont even exist, he said. The 32nd Street fire station was built in 1953 and sits on 11,612 square feet in a mixed-use area with limited onsite parking for fire personnel. Its garage cannot fit the ladder truck, fire engine and two ambulances assigned to the station all at one time, and with street access only from 32nd, it lacks a pull-through for the large ladder truck, requiring firefighters to stand on the street to pause traffic so the truck can back in, Duncan said. The new site, about 0.3 miles away, can be accessed from three streets: 28th Street and both directions of Newport Boulevard, which runs in the area as one-way stretches separated by a short block. The propertys owners, MNG Newport Beach, bought it last summer with plans to develop a shopping center but had not yet started building when city staff approached them earlier this year. The McDonalds that used to be on the site was approved in 1994 but did not install a speaker at the drive-through window, among other concessions to neighbors anxieties about noise, traffic and trash. City Community Development Director Seimone Jurjis said staff approached MNG Newport Beach after seeing a for-lease sign on the property and negotiated a price. It had not been listed for sale. The property will sell for more than the $3.5 million the citys appraiser suggested, Jurjis said. The city will begin an 18-month design and entitlement process, followed by 14 months of construction, making the station ready around mid-2020. Early estimates put the cost of buying and developing a new site at $9.2 million total, while upgrading the 32nd Street parcel would cost about $8.6 million, according to a staff report. During the design and entitlement phase, the city could convert the cleared lot on Newport Boulevard to paid public parking, which could be good for about $100,000 in revenue, according to the staff report. Of the citys seven other fire stations, only the one at 20401 Acacia St. in Santa Ana Heights is not close to homes. That station is about 600 feet from the closest houses. Duncan said he knows sirens can be loud and intrusive, but often captains choose to not run the sirens, especially in the late night or early morning. But there are times when state vehicle code requires it, such as when firefighters need other vehicles to yield the right of way or if they have to pull into opposing traffic to get through quickly. And Newport Beach has a long history of placing fire stations in residential areas, Duncan said. We want them there because thats what were there to do is protect the people in the neighborhood, he said. hillary.davis@latimes.com Twitter: @Daily_PilotHD I am a victim of Team Newport. After serving conscientiously for a decade on the city of Newport Beach Aviation Committee as the alternate for District 6, with the wonderful Shirley Conger, I felt kicked aside by my councilman. I have the credentials and experience for the position of full member representative. I am a licensed pilot for both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters and I am a flight instructor for instruments, multi-engine, at an Airline Transport Rating level. I know the Southern California airspace and John Wayne Airport traffic well. As a retired reserve captain I had the pleasure of flying for the Orange County Sheriffs Department for over 20 years. I am also a board member of the Airport Working Group (AWG). Councilman Scott Peotter decided to step over me and appoint someone else to the member representative position and leave me as the alternate. Of the three vacancies, the other two council members, as is usual protocol, appointed alternates, and Peotter was the only one to assign a representative and passed me by. I am sure his appointee is a fine woman and will do her best. It just seems a little unfair. It was hoped that maybe the other council members would at least have voiced some appreciation of my time served. Lets review. I am in District 6, and in the last City Council election supported a neighbor and friend, Mike Toerge. Since our city is not based on a district vote (as Peotter did win a majority of votes in his own district) Peotter was carried on the shirttails by the Team Newport group, which have pretty much taken over Newport Beach local government, as they said they would. I had hoped that maybe some other council members might have voiced support for me, and I would have been able to help familiarize appointee Lauren Kleiman with the history of the committee and have her take my position when I left voluntarily. I wish her well and thank my fellow members on the Aviation Committee for their friendship and support, but I feel that resigning will save me further embarrassment in my endeavors to serve my city in this capacity. I have reluctantly resigned. Bud Rasner Newport Beach * Growth initiative puts residents first Re. Is Costa Mesa growth-control measure Draconian or about sound decisions? Debaters disagree, (April 27): If the ballot initiative by Costa Mesa First is so Draconian why did more than 5,500 Costa Mesa citizens already sign petitions supporting it? Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer was quoted as saying, Theyre called elections, you elect people to council, they put people on Planning Commission and, if they dont do well, you unelect them. You cant unelect planning commissioners, but you can do so to council members. I know a lot of people who have said they are going to take advantage of unelecting several council members. I know I am. But if the ballot initiative by Costa Mesa First is such a bad idea, why is council now going to write a competing growth measure? They should have listened to their public and already done something to deal with excessive growth, especially the cubist, high-density construction methods. Larry Courter Costa Mesa A long-time Huntington Beach resident is on a mission to inform the American public about this nations deadliest disaster on the high seas, and the U.S. governments lengthy attempts to cover up the catastrophe. Janet Sidoti Delude also has a compelling, personal motivation for speaking up: Her father was aboard the British troop transport HMT (His Majestys Transport) Rohna, which was sunk by a German airborne missile during World War II, an event that caused the deaths of 1,050 American soldiers, 124 members of the ships 195-man crew and two of the three Red Cross workers aboard. Secretary-treasurer of the Rohna Survivors Memorial Assn., Delude said the organization at its annual meeting next year will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the ships sinking that occurred in the eastern Mediterranean, about 15 miles off the coast of Algeria, at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 23, 1943, the day after Thanksgiving. Although the passage of the Freedom of Information Act in 1967 forced the government to make public previously censored news of the tragedy, complete details still are not forthcoming, said Delude, 70, a retired manicurist who, along with her husband, Jim, a retired aerospace worker, divide their time today among Orange County, Long Beach and Coarsegold, north of Fresno. Many of the Rohna survivors, for years, have had difficulty convincing their families and friends that they were aboard the Rohna, Delude said. I still receive letters from relatives of men who died or were injured on the ship, asking how, when and where they met death or were wounded. Its a mystery why the government still wont give us all the facts about a sea disaster that took place 74 years ago. Theres no mystery, however, why U.S. military and civil authorities initially hushed up the Rohna sinking that fell nearly two years after the U.S. entered WWII following Japans attack on Pearl Harbor. HMT Rohna, a 19-year-old, 461-foot former passenger and cargo liner that saw service in India and the Far East and was appropriated by the British in 1942 to transport troops to Asia, was sunk by a radio-controlled glide bomb dropped by a German Heinkel heavy bomber. The fact that the Germans had developed this new technology was immediately kept secret by the U.S. and its allies, as it was feared our military and civilian population would be demoralized by the news if it leaked out, according to Delude. As a consequence, the Rohnas survivors, and the crews of the ships that rescued them, were sworn to secrecy. They were forbidden to speak or write to their families about the guided bomb. They couldnt even talk about it among themselves. They were told theyd be court-martialed if they disobeyed. I understand the need for secrecy during the war, but the secrecy went on for many years after the war ended, she continued. And today, we still are stonewalled by the government when we try to get the complete story. Deludes father, Army Air Corps Staff Sgt. Peter J. Sidoti, was the middle of 10 children born in Cleveland, Ohio, to a bakery owner and his wife. Enlisting in the Army at 22 and trained as a bomber tailgunner, he was one of the approximately 2,100 U.S. soldiers aboard the Rohna when it was hit and sank. And he was among the estimated 800 who survived. My dad was playing cards when the bomb struck, she said. There was a huge fireball that engulfed the ship, and hundreds were killed at once. Although he suffered a head injury and burns to the arms and legs, Dad managed to reach one of the ships big guns and shoot down two or three German bombers. It may be the first time in history that an Army tailgunner shot down enemy aircraft from the deck of a sinking ship. Dad was a real hero! The Rohna, which was named for a city in the Indian province of Punjab, immediately began to list, and those still alive struggled to reach the lifeboats, only to find most of them damaged by the German bomb or rusted to their davits,Deliude said. The survivors then jumped into the sea, many of them climbing aboard rubber life rafts that had floated free from the sinking ship, hatch covers or pieces of wood. Hundreds more died in the water. It was a horrific scene. My father passed out on deck and was tossed into the sea. A shipmate was able to pull him aboard a big floating piece of wood. The ship sank about an hour after it was hit, and the USS Pioneer, a 221-foot minesweeper, and several British warships protecting the Rohna and 24 other ships in a convoy that was heading to Asia, rescued Sidoti and the others. No other ships in the convoy were hit. It took many years for the crew of the USS Pioneer, like the dead and injured aboard the Rohna, to win recognition from the U.S. government. Sidoti was transferred to a military hospital in the Algerian port city of Phillipeville, where he lay unconscious for three days. After awakening, he was shuttled to nearly a dozen hospitals in North Africa and the U.S. He received a medical discharge and got married three months after returning home. He suffered PTSD, vision problems, constant headaches and had a metal plate put in his head by the surgeons, said Delude, a mother of three and grandmother of five. He found it difficult to hold down a job. But he joined the Air Force Reserve when he came home, and he did his best for his country. My father died in 1982 at the age of 60. After government censorship decreased, Sidoti and the other survivors, and those killed aboard the Rohna, eventually received, posthumously, medals for their service. Several monuments honoring the ship and crew have been erected across the nation and congressional resolutions have honored them as well. When the Rohna Survivors Memorial Assn. holds its meeting in Memphis in 2018, Delude hopes at least two of the estimated 20 living survivors will be able to attend the 75th anniversary of the disaster. Of the 20 we believe are still alive, hardly any can travel. Theyre too old, ill or both, she said during an interview at the Laguna Woods home of Jo and Rod Duplechin, who formerly lived across the street from her family in Huntington Beachs Huntington Village neighborhood near Marina High School. At the organizations meeting next year, Delude hopes attendees will join her in signing a petition asking the government to provide complete information about the disaster. Its difficult to believe the Pentagon is purposely hiding the complete facts about an event that happened so long ago, she said. Contributor DAVID C. HENLEY lives in Newport Beach. North Korea on Friday test-launched yet another ballistic missile over Japan, South Korean officials said, the latest provocation in an escalating standoff with the international community over its illicit nuclear program. The apparent intermediate-range missile was launched Friday morning near Pyongyang, the capital, flying for roughly 2,200 miles before landing in the North Pacific Ocean, according to South Korean defense officials. In a show of defense, South Korean military officials said they immediately retaliated by sending a missile of their own about 150 miles into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan the same distance as the base where the North Korean missile originated. Advertisement Our military is closely monitoring the North Korean army for further provocations with strengthened vigilance by following their movements and maintaining our readiness, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said his government would hold an emergency meeting in response to the launch. The initial assessment indicates it was an intermediate-range ballistic missile that launched at 6:57 a.m. near Sunan, North Korea, just north of Pyongyang, said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Dave Benham, a U.S. Pacific Command spokesman. Sunan is the site of Pyongyangs international airport. We are working with our interagency partners on a more detailed assessment, and we will provide a public update if warranted, Benham said. We continue to monitor North Koreas actions closely. President Trump was briefed on the launch by White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on other countries to take new measures aimed at further isolating North Korea economically and diplomatically. China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labor, he said. China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own. In Japan, the government sent warnings by text messages and broadcasts across 12 prefectures. It also urged its citizens to stay away from anything that might be missile debris, according to the Japanese broadcaster NHK. Japan cannot condone this serious act of provocation, said Yoshihide Suga, Japans chief Cabinet secretary. The government will coordinate closely with the United States, South Korea and other relevant countries. He said Japan would consult with the United Nations to ensure the safety of its residents. Japan has been increasingly rattled by North Koreas aggressive missile program. This was North Koreas 15th missile test in 2017 and among more than 60 since Kim Jong Un took power in 2011. The launch represents another example of the Norths brash refusal to listen to the international communitys concerns. Perhaps more troubling, it is further evidence of an advancing technical capability, including the launch of three missiles in recent weeks and the underground test of a powerful nuclear device. North Korea has boasted recently about acquiring the ability to arm a missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland with a hydrogen bomb. Security experts say that moment gets closer with each test. Both intelligence and history had North Korea watchers expecting another test. South Korean lawmakers received a report from the nations spy agency that a suspected missile had been moved across the country. Many of the launches in recent years have involved short- and medium-range missiles launched into the East Sea between North Korea and Japan. The launches violate United Nations resolutions intended to curb Pyongyangs nuclear ambitions. Kims father, Kim Jong Il, also oversaw missile tests roughly two dozen before he died in late 2011. The younger Kim has drastically stepped up testing, both of nuclear devices and missiles, since taking power. In a televised speech earlier this year, he said the country had a national goal of building and deploying powerful missiles and of arming them with nuclear warheads that could reach the U.S. mainland. Last week, one of the countrys vice ministers for foreign affairs, Choe Hui-chol, briefed foreign ambassadors on the most recent nuclear test, the countrys sixth, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency. Choe reportedly said the test, North Koreas most powerful, was significant in the countrys drive for a state nuclear force. He also said the nations leaders are studying U.S. reactions to its efforts. We will not take even a step back from the road of our option but keep bolstering the nuclear deterrence for self-defense to defend our government and people from the U.S. nuclear war threat, Choe said, according to KCNA. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization now estimates that the most recent nuclear test produced a yield of 100 to 600 kilotons, backing North Koreas claims that it was a hydrogen bomb. Also this week, South Koreas Nuclear Safety and Security Commission announced the detection of trace amounts of radioactive xenon, which may have originated from the test. The agency said the radioactivity poses no threat to the public. As the fallout from Kims decision to continue testing continues, few claim to understand fully the leaders real intentions. Some speculate that the missile and nuclear programs are defensive to protect the family dynastys hold on power. Others believe the cash-strapped country might use its new power to extract concessions from its neighbors and the United States or perhaps use it as leverage to gain more influence in the discussion about Korean unification. The latest launch came as U.S. Defense Secretary James N. Mattis was in Omaha visiting the headquarters of U.S. Strategic Command, which oversees the militarys nuclear arsenal. A day earlier, Mattis had toured Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, where nuclear-capable B-52 bombers and nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles are based. The long-planned trip was intended for Mattis to get an update on the nations strategic nuclear weapons complex. The United States has more than 28,000 troops on the Korean peninsula. The forces conduct annual military drills that aggravate the North. Some countries, such as China and Russia, have suggested the U.S. halt those maneuvers in exchange for a freeze in North Koreas testing. Neither side has shown a willingness to explore such a plan, however. Meanwhile, military officials here say they have approved installing more United States anti-missile systems on a former golf resort-turned-military base in a southern region of the country, Seongju County. The system, known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, was deployed to counter North Koreas shorter-range missiles not those that might threaten United States targets in the Pacific, such as Guam, or the U.S. mainland. We have temporarily installed four additional THAAD launchers to protect our citizens from North Koreas growing nuclear and missile threats, Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun said this week. The missile system has been controversial, both at home and abroad. Locals residents have protested, even trying to block the system physically on roads leading to the base, saying the system might make their villages military targets. Theres also concern, some said, about health hazards from the systems powerful radar, though its unclear whether those worries have merit. China, a key South Korean trade partner and counterpart on any North Korea solution, has vigorously opposed the THAAD deployment. In addition to diplomatic objections, China has in the past blocked its residents from booking tours to Seoul and forced the closure of dozens of shopping centers in the country run by Lotte Co., a major South Korean retailer. Global Times, a Chinese Communist Party tabloid, linked the defense system with North Koreas nuclear weapons development, calling them a malignant tumor that threatens regional stability. The newspaper insisted the systems deployment ignores Chinas safety. How self-centered is that? it said. Are these conservative South Koreans delusional because they had too much kimchi? Still, the stepped-up North-South tensions seems to have smoothed over South Korean government hesitation, for now. We will conduct a strict environmental analysis of the THAAD site, and once the results are out we will make a final decision on whether to permanently deploy THAAD, defense spokesman Moon said. The Defense Ministry also said last week that South Korea could seek to acquire its own defensive missile systems. Stiles is a special correspondent. Times staff writers W.J. Hennigan and Tracy Wilkinson in Washington contributed to this report. UPDATES: 7:25 p.m.: This article was updated with a comment from U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. 6:05 p.m.: This article was updated with President Trump being briefed on the launch. 5:20 p.m.: This article was updated with more U.S. comment and Mattis visit to the U.S. nuclear site. 5:05 p.m.: This article was updated with Japanese reaction, background and analysis. This article was originally posted at 3:20 p.m. When Russian troops reach the border of the Republic of Veyshnoria as scheduled this week, the enclaves patriotic defenders have pledged, according to their ministry of foreign affairs Twitter account, to greet defectors from the Russian military with Veyshnorian hospitality: stew, honey, bread and lard. Veyshnoria is not a real country, but a hypothetical adversary created for this weeks massive joint military exercises conducted by Russia and Belarus. The operation, Zapad 2017, will be one of the largest Russian military exercises since the Cold War. And while Veyshnoria is make-believe, the hype around the exercises unfolding along NATOs borders has put Western military alliances on high alert. Concerns are particularly high in neighboring Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania all former Soviet republics and now NATO members as well as Poland, whose relations with their former ruling state have grown more tense since the conflict in Ukraine. Advertisement The exercises are part of Russias routine military training schedule and have taken place every four years since the days of the Red Army. This year, it falls in the territory of Belarus, a former Soviet republic that maintained a military alliance with Moscow even after the breakup of the Soviet Union. But this years drills come at a time when relations between Moscow and the West, particularly the United States, have deteriorated. Moscow has been flexing its military muscle, sometimes provocatively. Moscow sees the presence of NATO troops in its bordering countries and former Warsaw Pact states and Soviet republics as an encroachment into Russias sphere of influence. Russian fighter jets have buzzed U.S. naval vessels in the Baltic and Black Seas. These exercises will be first Russia has held since Moscows annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, when unmarked Russian troops entered the area ahead of a referendum vote the West denounced. Russian President Vladimir Putin at first denied that they were Russias soldiers, but later admitted their presence, saying they had been sent to defend Russian speakers on the Black Sea peninsula. Moscow then backed separatist militias fighting against government forces in eastern Ukraine, an ongoing conflict that has killed more than 10,000, mostly civilians. Under the Zapad scenario, Veyshnoria is a Western-backed breakaway region in Belarus, with Russian and Belarusian militaries charged with defeating the rebels. In Belarus, jokes and memes aside, there are some who say its alarming to have so many Russian troops there. The government in Minsk, the Belarus capital, is heavily reliant on Russias financial largess, which comes in the form of cheap oil and gas, and loans to prop up its largely state-run economy. In return, Moscow has asked for loyalty from Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. But Putin and Lukashenko have a contentious relationship. In 2015, a year after Russias annexation of Crimea, Russia proposed to put a new airbase in Belarus. There has been speculation that Russia could use the base to set up another annexation scenario in Belarus, or use it to launch military maneuvers against the West. Lukashenko eventually rejected the Kremlin idea. Russia is a signer of the what is known as the Vienna Document, an agreement between Russia and European nations to alert each other of military drills conducted with 9,000 or more troops. When an exercise involves 13,000 or more troops, the participating nations must allow international observers to attend, according to the agreement. In the past, Russia has avoided this requirement by declaring fewer troops. Russia has said no more than 12,700 will participate in Zapad. However, military analysts following the preparation ahead of the drills have estimated that Russia could be sending in as many as 100,000 troops, along with tanks, artillery units, aircraft, and other equipment. Part of this speculation is based on past Russian military exercises, such as in 2009 and 2013, when the estimates of Russian troops were closer to 100,000. In addition, the Russian Ministry of Transport issued a tender last year for 4,000 railway carriages to be used for military maneuvers around the time of Zapad preparations. That would be three troops per carriage thats fairly luxurious for moving in 13,000 troops, said Piers Cazalet, a deputy spokesman in NATOs press office. The real issue is Russias lack of transparency with the other signers of the Vienna Document, he said. NATO and its allies regularly invite Russia to its exercises, and Russia regularly sends observers. But theres never been a Russian exercise opened up for observation, Cazalet said. This is the thing that most concerns us at the moment, Cazalet said. This has happened before, its an ongoing argument and its a shame that we cant make any progress with it, so Id categorize it as weary frustration. Belarus, a nation of 10 million, has lived under the authoritarianism of Lukashenko for 23 years, earning the landlocked country the title of Europes last dictatorship. But when the Belarusian Ministry of Defense announced on Aug. 29 that the joint exercises would include the hypothetical Veyshnoria as one of three fictional countries, Belarusian Internet users responded with an enthusiasm typical of the small, former Soviet republics dry sense of humor. Several Twitter accounts and Facebook pages dedicated to Veyshnoria appeared, declaring in Russian, Belarusian and English the virtues of the great land and people of Veyshnoria. A blue, yellow and white flag was created, as was a page where one could sign up for a passport. Its not the first time Belarusians have responded to tense political situations with humor. In 2016, Lukashenko made a speech declaring the importance of the countrys booming technology sector, urging his nation to get undressed and work until you sweat. The Internet was filled with photos of naked office workers huddled around computers and conferences tables posted on social media sites with the hashtag #getnakedandwork. Its just probably that we respond more to political situations just because of the political situation in the country, said Juliana Kornyushko, the editor of the Belarus Feed online news site. If we could earn from our jokes, we would be rich. Twitter: @sabraayres Ayres is a special correspondent. ALSO The end of DACA would be a big win for Mexico, foreign secretary says American rap, local whiskey: Tiny Bhutan guards tradition as it opens up to the world Why two Israeli Supreme Court rulings could hurt Netanyahus governing coalition Relations between the United States and Mexico have been strained since the inauguration of President Trump, who has threatened to dismantle the North American Free Trade Agreement, vowed to make Mexico pay for a border wall and during his campaign called Mexican immigrants rapists. But Mexico has not given up hope that relations can improve, said its foreign secretary, Luis Videgaray. For us this is the most important relationship in the world, he said in an interview with The Times editorial board and reporters. We believe also for America, Mexico is a very important relationship as well, and its in the best interest of both sides to work it out in a constructive way. Advertisement Here is the interview, edited for length and clarity. Whats it like being Americas neighbor in the era of the Trump administration? We are partners and were friends. And one thing that neither of us can do is move away from each other. So no matter what the political environment is on either side of the border, weve got to figure out a way to work together. I think weve been able to establish good relationships with people on President Trumps team, and that gives us an opportunity to do better than what most people expect in terms of the relationship. And we are working towards that on many fronts, particularly on trade. But I dont want to shy away from telling you that these are challenging times. Are the challenges of President Trump more or less than the challenges of candidate Trump, in terms of the rhetoric? There are some things that fortunately President Trump is not saying anymore, things that he said as a candidate. But theres still some negativity in things he says about Mexico. The tone is not as inflammatory as it was, but a lot of people in Mexico remember what was said [during] the campaign. That is still there and is somewhat reinforced every now and then. Does Mexico still consider America a friend? It is very clear that America is still Mexicos friend. But in my lifetime, this is probably one of the more challenging times that we face in the relationship and particularly because it comes after a time when the opinion that most Mexicans have of the U.S. [has] improved significantly. Younger generations of Mexicans are not anti-American. On the contrary, [they] feel very natural about the relationship; they like American culture and American goods. Maybe [there were some issues] for my parents and grandparents generations. But not anymore. So the fact that [there is] this position from the White House, its certainly a bit of a contrast. Is it something that can be reversed? I think so, yes. Absolutely. Were not at the point of no return. If U.S.-Mexico relations continue to deteriorate, how would this impact the role Mexico plays in helping with the war on drugs, fighting terrorism, stemming migration? The political margin for continuing support in all of these tasks would be reduced. Any Mexican government would face strong pressure from public opinion questioning any kind of cooperation with a U.S. government that is not willing to cooperate with Mexico on other stuff. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, left, shakes hands Feb. 23 with Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray Caso at the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Mexico City. (Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press) You have been quoted as saying that renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement, NAFTA, could potentially end in a better agreement that would be a win for everybody involved. How so? The treaty can be better in many ways. We acknowledge that this is a relatively old treaty 25 years since it was negotiated, 23 since it was enacted. The world has changed. Weve learned a lot by doing other agreements. So it can be strengthened in a way that is quite positive for the three economies, by introducing better standards for things like the environment, labor, intellectual property protection, by introducing things that were excluded from the original treaty either because of regulation think of energy or things that didnt exist, like everything related to the Internet and e-commerce. What do you say to unemployed American auto workers who believe they lost their job because of NAFTA and they voted for Trump because he promised to possibly scrap this agreement? I think a lot of scapegoating has been done on NAFTA. The reality is, a lot of the jobs have been lost mostly to technology. And that is something that happens well beyond the reach of NAFTA or any other trade agreement. Many people in those states that were red states in last years election depend on NAFTA for a significant amount of jobs. You cannot have a simplistic approach to this. Yeah, some jobs might have moved to Mexico [but] some jobs are created because of trade with Mexico. Overall, a substantial number of jobs in agriculture, in manufacturing, depend on having access to the Mexican market. What would be Mexicos future without NAFTA? Certainly Mexico is better with NAFTA than without it. But its not the end of the world if NAFTA does not remain. We will continue doing business with the U.S. only not through NAFTA rules, through [the World Trade Organization], just as a lot of countries do. We probably will be looking at other arrangements, expanding other trade relationships including [with] Brazil, Asia, Europe. So we do have a contingency plan. Is phasing out the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program, DACA, a bad idea? I dont know of any country that is willing to ship doctors, accountants, lawyers to another country. Thats just a transfer of human capital. That would be a big win for Mexico to have these young kids that are law-abiding, creative, full of energy and well trained. All of them have a high school diploma. And the majority of them are college-educated. It would be a big loss to the U.S., to the U.S. economy in particular. At a time when there are real labor shortages in the U.S., its hard to understand why you want to ship out of the country this very talented human capital. But to us, it doesnt matter if its the Mexican economy winning and the U.S. economy losing. What really matters is what these young people want, and they want to stay. And for a reason. This is a country where they grew up. They are proud of their Mexican origin and heritage, but they feel American and they want to stay. But why should Americans embrace people who came here illegally? Rules are rules. Having a few of these DACA people around might help to bring investments into the U.S. that would create a lot of jobs even for those that complain. What we want to have is a rapidly growing economy. Thats the best tool for creating good paying jobs, and having talented people creates growth. So again, this is about value creation. This is not a zero-sum game. What kind of arrangements are being made to integrate DACA returnees if they have to go back to Mexico? Were focusing on a few things. First of all, education. We are changing the laws so that education certificates issued in the U.S. are immediately recognized by Mexican institutions, so they will have no problems. If they are accountants or physicians, they can have a job in Mexico. Second, were making sure that we have spaces in all of public universities around the 32 states to offer all educational opportunities for the DACA people who want to continue their education in Mexico. Third, together with the private sector, our Ministry of Labor is putting together a list of job opportunities that are suitable to their skills. Its very appealing to have college-educated, English-speaking people and many companies in Mexico are looking for that profile of people. And through our social programs and our social network, we are making sure that if they come, they will have health coverage, they would be eligible for state-sponsored loans, and then in general the whole array of benefits that social programs in Mexico provide. Is President Trumps desire to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico being addressed by Mexico? The wall is not a bilateral issue. Its not something that we discuss with the American government. Every country has a sovereign right to protect its borders, the best way that they see fit. So when we meet with U.S. representatives, we never discuss the wall. We obviously dont like the idea of a wall. Its not a friendly gesture. And my own personal opinion is that it might not even work for the purposes that its meant to work for. But theres absolutely no possibility that Mexico would contribute to the financing of a barrier between our countries. And as weve said many times before that thats not a bargaining position. Thats not a negotiating strategy. Our position is based on principle, on our sovereignty and on our dignity. And that will not change. In May, a Mexican family stands next to the border wall between Mexico and the United States, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. (Herika Martinez / AFP/Getty Images) But there must be shared interest in having a secure border? We want to see the border as secure as possible [to] stop illegal flows both ways, including guns that are shipped illegally into Mexico, including U.S. cash that goes into the hands of the [drug] cartels and creates a lot of violence both [in the U.S] and in Mexico in particular. So we definitely have an interest in having a secure border. But a wall is not it. If the U.S. government wants to engage in a serious conversation about border security, we are absolutely open to that. What is it going to take to get U.S.-Mexico relations back to a high point? We need to have a good agreement on trade that obviously includes Canada. Our security cooperation has got to be based on the principle of shared responsibility. Weve got to move on from blaming each other about security issues, the drug trade and international crime organizations, and I think were on a good track. Weve got to cooperate more on Central America. Its a fact that a lot of migration flows that we are seeing into the U.S. through Mexico come from Central America. Some Americans have stereotypes about Mexico and Mexicans. What do such people need to know? A lot of people dont know that they have a job because they are selling things to Mexico and to Mexicans. Theres substantial Mexican capital in the U.S. There are many companies that are Mexican-owned that have invested in the U.S., and Mexican companies create jobs in the U.S. for Americans, not for Mexicans. The fact is that there are a lot of good things about the U.S.-Mexico relationship that happen all across the United States. To read the article in Spanish, click here ann.simmons@latimes.com For more on global development news, see our Global Development Watch page, and follow me @AMSimmons1 on Twitter ALSO: A new report shows just how much Trump has hurt Mexicos view of the U.S. After an earthquake and a hurricane and Trumps failure to send condolences Mexico rescinds offer of aid to U.S. They helped clean up the wreckage of 9/11. Now they face the threat of deportation Because of President Trump, more Mexicans view the United States unfavorably than at any time in the last 15 years, according to a report by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center. The report found that 65% of Mexicans hold a negative opinion of the U.S. more than double the share two years ago. Since announcing his candidacy for president more than two years ago, President Trump has repeatedly accused Mexico of stealing American jobs, attacked it for supplying drugs to the U.S. and vowed to make Mexico pay for construction of a border wall. Advertisement Although Trump and many of his key policies are unpopular around the globe, his ratings are particularly low in Mexico, where just 5% say they have confidence that he will do the right thing regarding world affairs his lowest rating among 37 nations surveyed by Pew. The report released Thursday highlights just how much relations have deteriorated between the two longtime allies since Trumps November election, which unsettled Mexicos financial markets and shocked many people here. In recent days, Mexicans have been angered over Trumps decision to end a program that protected from deportation some immigrants who have been living illegally in the U.S. since childhood. They were also offended by his weeklong delay in sending condolences to Mexico after nearly 100 people were killed in last weeks magnitude 8.1 earthquake a common courtesy when U.S. allies suffer tragedies. I dont remember a time when the U.S. treated us with so much contempt, said Julio Martinez, 46, who manages a pet supply store in Cuajimalpa, a borough on the western side of Mexico City. Martinez said his opinion of the U.S. has worsened because Americans have not stopped their president from insulting their neighbor to the south. Why arent people protesting to defend Mexicans? Martinez asked. Supporters of President Trump attend a June 21, 2017, rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. ((Scott Olson / Getty Images) ) Trumps repeated criticisms have stirred anti-American feelings that have long existed just under the surface in Mexico, where students learn at a young age that the U.S. invaded Mexico in the 1840s and stole half of its territory. Just this week Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto presided over a ceremony celebrating the Ninos Heroes, young cadets who died defending Mexico City from American invaders. One of the cadets famously wrapped himself in the Mexican flag and leaped to his death rather than be captured. Trump, said Jorge Guajardo, who served as Mexicos ambassador to China from 2007 to 2013, is just proving what we have long expected from the United States, that they are not necessarily our friends. Guajardo said Trump and others in Washington dont understand that Mexico-bashing could have serious consequences. They think we dont have any option but to put up with their attacks, but very soon they will find that wed rather wrap ourselves in our flag and jump to our death rather than put up with this, he said. Its unfortunate, added Guajardo. Both countries had worked for over two decades to come closer and be good neighbors instead of adversaries. He said the growing tide of anti-American sentiment could hurt the efforts to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, which Trump ordered in an effort to close the roughly $60-billion trade gap with Mexico. A billboard by U.S. artist Mitch OConnell depicting President Trump is displayed in Naucalpan de Juarez, in the state of Mexico. (Bernardo Montoya / AFP/Getty Images) The sad state of U.S.-Mexico relations could even give Pena Nieto an incentive to walk away from NAFTA negotiations, he said, although the countrys business interests depend heavily on the 1994 accord, which abolished tariffs on goods moving through North America. According to the Pew survey of 1,000 people across the country, Mexicans growing doubts about the U.S. extend to economic cooperation between the countries. Just 55% of Mexicans said economic ties between Mexico and the U.S. are good for their country, down from 70% in 2013. Mexican politicians hoping to replace Pena Nieto in next years presidential election have picked up on that populist sentiment. Left-leaning Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has said NAFTA negotiations should wait until after the 2018 election, and Sen. Roberto Gil Zuarth of the right-leaning National Action Party, or PAN, has called on Mexico to leave the negotiating table unless Trump shows the country respect. Even advertisers have embraced Mexican nationalism, with businesses as varied as a tequila company and a bank marketing themselves with slogans that invoke Mexican pride. Despite growing doubts about the U.S., a third of Mexicans still say they would move to the U.S. if given the opportunity, a figure that has remained relatively steady since Pew began asking that question in 2009. However, Mexicans say they are less willing to live and work in the U.S. without authorization. Only 13% say that they would do so, down from 20% two years ago. Mexicans continued interest in moving to the U.S. may have more to do with their dissatisfaction about how things are going at home. The survey also revealed a population that is downbeat about the direction of the nation and worried about corruption and rising levels of violence. Pena Nietos popularity has plummeted to its lowest level since Pew began asking about him in 2011, a year before he took office. Just over a quarter of Mexicans have a favorable view of Pena Nieto today, down from a peak of 61% in 2011. Thats because of rising levels of violence, repeated corruption scandals among the presidents ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, and Pena Nietos decision last summer to invite then-candidate Trump for an official meeting in Mexico City. The PRI has also seen its support fall almost by half to 27% from 49% since 2013, according to Pew. Carlos Antonio Heredia Zubieta, a professor of international relations at Mexicos Center for Research and Teaching in Economics, said he thinks voters will turn away from the PRI in next years election, because of numerous scandals involving several PRI governors and Pena Nietos family. The president, Heredia said, has not aggressively curbed corruption as promised. Justice has been late, ineffective and selective, he said. Results for the survey were based on face-to-face interviews with 1,000 adults from March 2 to April 10. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4.4 percentage points. Cecilia Sanchez in The Times Mexico City bureau contributed to this report. To read the article in Spanish, click here kate.linthicum@latimes.com Twitter: @katelinthicum ALSO Trump pushes deal on DACA as many supporters erupt in anger After an earthquake and a hurricane and Trumps failure to send condolences Mexico rescinds offer of aid to U.S. Mexico expels North Korean ambassador over nuclear tests UPDATES: 3:05 p.m.: This article was updated with the polls margin of sampling error and when it was conducted. This article was first published at 7 a.m. Vodafone has announced it will offer customers the chance to acquire the new generation iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus this month. Customers will be able to pre-order iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus beginning Friday, September 15 at Vodafone.ie and Vodafone stores, and both will be available in stores starting on Friday, September 22. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are a new generation of iPhone featuring a new glass and aluminium design in three beautiful finishes - space grey, silver and a new gold made with the most durable glass ever in a smartphone, Retina HD displays, A11 Bionic chip and is designed for the ultimate augmented experience. The worlds most popular camera gets even better and wireless charging brings a powerful new capability to iPhone. The iPhone 8 Plus features dual 12-megapixel cameras and introduces Portrait mode with Portrait Lighting, bringing dramatic studio lighting effects to iPhone, allowing customers to capture stunning portraits with a shallow depth of field effect in five different lighting styles. Additionally, iPhone X, the future of the smartphone, will be available to pre-order at Vodafone on Friday, 27th October 27. iPhone X features a gorgeous all-glass design with a beautiful 5.8-inch Super Retina display, A11 Bionic chip, wireless charging, an improved rear camera with dual optical image stabilization and Face ID, enabled by the new TrueDepth camera. For more details on pricing and data plans, please visit Vodafone.ie. Pricing for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will be available on Friday, September 15, and for the iPhone X on Friday, September 27. For more details on iPhone please visit www.apple.com A new analysis of bones taken from a century-old excavation at Carrowkeel in County Sligo has revealed evidence of the burial practices and death rites of the ancient people of Ireland. The findings, which have been published in the journal Bioarchaeology International, are part of a project applying modern techniques and research questions to the human remains. The team of researchers includes Sam Moore, lecturer in Prehistoric Archaeology at IT Sligo, and the groups work focussed on the 5300 years-old Passage Tomb Complex at Carrowkeel. This site is one of the most impressive Neolithic ritual landscapes in Europe. The bones were analysed from an original excavation of Carrowkeel in 1911, led by Prof R.A.S. McAlister, explains Sam. They were subsequently presumed missing or lost until a group of boxes with the name Carrowkeel on them was discovered in the archive in the University of Cambridge in 2001. The bones date from between 3500 and 2900 BC." The project was led by Dr Thomas Kador (University College London), with osteological research undertaken by Dr Jonny Geber from the Department of Anatomy at New Zealand's University of Otago. The group also included Sligo based archaeologist Dr Robert Hensey and independent researcher Padraig Meehan. The team analysed bones from seven passage tombs that included both unburnt and cremated human remains from around 40 individuals. Dr Geber says he and his colleagues determined that the unburnt bone displayed evidence of dismemberment. "We found indications of cut marks caused by stone tools at the site of tendon and ligament attachments around the major joints, such as the shoulder, elbow, hip and ankle," he says. Dr Geber says the new evidence suggests that a complex burial rite was undertaken at Carrowkeel, which involved a funerary rite and placed a particular focus on the "deconstruction" of the body. So why would people in pre-historic Ireland have performed such rituals? Attempting to understand the reasons these ancient communities dismembered the bodies is one of the real fascinations with this research, says Sam Moore. In the societies of the past, ancestry had more to do with group identity. This appears to have held real importance in Neolithic Ireland. While evidence of similar pre-historic funerary rites has been uncovered in the UK, this is the first definitive discovery of similar practices during the same period on the island of Ireland. The re-analysis of the bones uncovers high level of complexity and diversity of the funerary rites, which perhaps was not fully recognised previously. The new study has been able to show that the Carrowkeel complex was a highly significant place in Neolithic society in Ireland, which had an important role in facilitating interaction with the dead and a spiritual connection with the ancestors. There are more road crossings on the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic than on the entire Eastern border of the European Union. Actually, there are 275 Irish border crossings, compared to 137 from Finland to Greece, according to figures obtained by my Alliance colleague Stephen Farry MLA. That emphasises why the Irish border is such an issue for Northern Ireland, for the UK and for Ireland. Yet the Governments Position Paper on Northern Ireland and Ireland is woefully inadequate, failing to deal with issues of both trade and justice co-operation. It is clear is that this is one area where those leading the campaign for Brexit have no idea how to resolve matters. We have had simplistic thoughts from the likes of Owen Patterson, citing TIR freight and Customs seals, while DUP MPs have suggested that automatic number plate recognition works on Irish toll motorways, so ANPR could perform border checks. Has Owen Patterson forgotten all that he and I heard about smuggling when he was Secretary of State for NI and I was Stormont Minister of Justice? While ANPR can identify a vehicle, can the DUP tell me how to identify who and what is in it? Having campaigned for Remain, and horrified by all that is emerging from negotiations on an almost daily basis, I remain of the view that the people of the UK and Gibraltar should have the right to vote on the final deal. Second to that comes the softest possible way of leaving the EU. Ideally, the UK as a whole would remain in the Customs Union and in the Single Market. This would avoid the need for any form of physical border controls on the land border, which would present clear targets for dissident republican groups. Although some nationalists are suggesting that Northern Ireland should remain within the Customs Union while GB leaves (citing our vote for Remain), this would be at least as destabilising from a unionist perspective as border posts would be to nationalists, and would also create major difficulties for trade between the constituent parts of the UK. While there may well be a need for a special deal for Northern Ireland, that is not the same as special status. Despite the constitutional position, recent years have seen increasing integration of business and public services across the island of Ireland. Justice agencies work in partnership to fight terrorism and organised crime. We have a single energy market, significant cross-border supply chains (especially in agri-food), shared provision of acute hospital services. Business regulation is different in Northern Ireland from that in England, Wales and Scotland. All of that leads to the possibility that Northern Ireland could remain in the Single Market, even if the rest of the UK left. It would be a unique arrangement, but might be a way of squaring the circle. Instead of talking about imaginative solutions, the Government needs to produce them. Editors Note: This will be discussed in a fringe meeting hosted by Liberal Democrat Voice on Sunday 17 September at 1pm in Bayview 2 at the BIC. David Ford will be one of the speakers. * David Ford was leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland until 2016 and is a former Northern Irish Justice Minister Federal Conference is probably the best fun that you will ever have in your life. You will thoroughly enjoy every exhausting moment. If youre new, it can be a bit overwhelming until you get used to the sensory overload. I had a long break from going to them and when I returned, in 2011, I spent the first day wandering round in a state of wide-eyed amazement, like a child in a toy shop. So, with that in mind, I thought Id throw together a fairly random list of tips and hints for getting the best out of the annual cornucopia of Liberal Democracy. If you have any other Conference survival tips, let me know. 1. Plan your days The Conference day starts with breakfast fringes as early as 7 and goes on until the small hours. Theres a comprehensive training programme alongside the debates in the hall. There are spokespeople Q & As. There are competing fringe choices to be made, even though the overall selection has reduced in recent years. You can guarantee that you will never be bored and that several things you want to see will be on at the same time. If you want to go to the big fringe events with Vince or other VIPs, then you need to get there early. Be aware as well that you can eat quite well for free by choosing the right fringe meetings look for the refreshments symbol in the directory. I might add, because I wouldnt be doing my job as editor properly if I didnt shamelessly plug our own events, that you will get some lovely grub at the Lib Dem Voice meetings. Theres one on Saturday night on adult education with Vince, chaired by our Mary Reid at 8:15 in the Purbeck Suite at the Marriott. On Sunday lunchtime, the Alliance Partys David Ford and others in Bayview 2 at the BIC at 1pm to discuss the effects of Brexit on Ireland and Gibraltar. Believe me, its much easier if you sort out your diary in advance. The best laid plans will always be subject to a better offer or meeting someone you havent seen for years randomly in a corridor, but its best to at least try to get some order into the proceedings. The Conference App is a real help for this. You can download it from whichever App store you use (search for Lib Dem Conf) on your phone. It allows you to add events to your schedule and is pretty flexible. 2. Make time to do the Exhibition properly Organisations pay the party a small fortune to have a stall in the exhibition. Its therefore only polite for us all to take time to visit their stalls. But its not just about manners. They are actually really interesting. You have a mix of companies trying to sell you things, voluntary organisations wanting to tell you things and book stalls that are just far too tempting. Its a good opportunity to sign up for some of the many Party groups the Humanists and Secularists, or ALDC, or Liberal Democrats for Electoral Reform to name but a few. Its your chance also to sign up for things like Liberator or the Journal of Liberal History. If youre going to do it properly, itll take you a while, probably a good couple of hours, but its really worth it. You learn loads, meet lovely people and pick up some good freebies. 4. To Glee or not to Glee? You either love or hate The Glee Club, the raucous end of Conference singathon. Im firmly in the love it camp. Singing the traditional, funny or downright rude songs that make up the Liberator Song Book is a great way to end Conference on a high. There are regular guest appearances by various parliamentarians. Its a tradition that new MPs do a turn and there are four of them this year. The day after the event a couple of years ago, there was a very funny interview with Alistair Carmichael on the World at One where Martha Kearney played a recording of us singing The 12 days of Coalition. He talked his way out of it admirably. I thoroughly recommend that you give this madness a go. It is unique and nobody laughs at ourselves like we do. Spare a thought for poor Jennie Rigg, though. She has been co-presenting the event for the last two Conferences and does an amazing job. However, she is also a member of the Federal Conference Committee and has been put on chairing duty at 9am the following morning. 5. Dont assume youll bump into your friends by accident There have been conferences where some of my best friends were there and I never saw them. Conference is a big place. If you want to make sure you catch up with people, organise in advance. If youre there on your own for the first time, we are a pretty friendly bunch, so dont be shy. Speak to the person next to you in the coffee queue whether its a parliamentarian or another activist. 6. Try and get out and see some of Bournemouth I had never actually been to Bournemouth until two years ago and it quickly became my favourite Conference venue. I just fell in love with the place. We had some gorgeous weather. I skived off a policy session to go to the beach and eat ice cream with my friends two years ago and suffered zero guilt. I had also been worried when people talked about this massive hill from the Conference Centre to the Conference Hotel. Utter nonsense. Its barely a slope. I was 7 stone heavier then and managed it easily. By far the best place to hang out in Bournemouth for me is the Goat and Tricycle pub. A wide variety of fabulous beer, delicious food and a lovely courtyard make it a great place to relax. This article from Olive magazine last April has some great restaurant suggestions. I fancy the fish and chip place. 7. Come and say hello Mary Reid, Joe Otten, Chris White and I will be there. Come and have a chat and tell us what youd like to see on the site. I also intend to make use of Facebook Live to chat to people about their impressions of Conference so if you want to take part in that, email me at [email protected] Have a fantastic conference and enjoy your stay in Bournemouth. * Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates The Staffordshire Regiment Museum at DMS Whittington in Lichfield has started a shoebox campaign for brave soldiers serving abroad. 2 Mercian currently has four companies overseas. Three companies are serving in Iraq fighting the so-called Islamic State as part of the ongoing Operation Shader; one company is in South Sudan on Operation Trenton, supporting the UN mission in what is one of the UK's largest operational deployments in the world. A spokesman for the museum said: We are looking for donations which we can send to show the lads that they are being thought of back home whilst serving away from their families and loved ones in some challenging parts of the world. Please dont forget to add your notes and letters as the lads love to hear from back home. The first boxes to go have already been warmly received. In a heart-warming thank you message, Commanding Officer of A Company 2 Mercian Major Andy Bourne MBE said: I just wanted to drop you a note to say thank you for the welfare boxes that you have sent out to us in South Sudan. They were very warmly received by the soldiers who shared out the contents between them. Life is quite bleak out here and the mail only comes through once or twice a month at the moment so your parcels meant a lot. Your actions have made a bunch of soldiers in a remote part of Africa feel like they have a big regimental family out there looking out for them and you cannot buy that feeling. Thank you again. Donations can be dropped off at the Staffordshire Regiment Museum, Defence Medical Services, Whittington, Lichfield, WS14 9PY until the end of October 2017. People can bring lose items or pack their own boxes, which must weigh no more than 2kg. Travel or individual packs are preferred rather than family or bulk packs. Liquids including alcohol, aerosols and anything flammable CANNOT BE SENT. You can follow the campaign and see updates from the lads in 2 Mercian on the Staffordshire Regiment Museum Facebook page. What could you send our lads abroad? Heres some ideas but feel free to add anything else you think appropriate. PRINGLES BISCUITS CHOCOLATE BARS NUTS SHORTBREAD CRISPS DRIED FRUIT FRUIT PASTILLES CRACKERS TOFFEE/FUDGE OATCAKES LOLLIPOPS CHEWING GUM FRUIT/CEREAL BARS NOODLES SMALL CAKES MINTS SAVOURY RICE PACKETS CUSTARD ENERGY SWEETS PUZZLE BOOKS PAPERBACK BOOKS MAGAZINES PENCILS/PENS TRAVEL GAMES MESSAGES OF SUPPORT SHAVING FOAM/RAZORS SHAMPOO SHOWER GEL LIP SALVE TISSUES TALC POWDER IMODIUM TOOTHBRUSHES/TOOTHPASTE ROLL-ON DEODORANT PAINKILLERS PLASTERS SUN SCREEN BOARD members, staff and guests of the Lime Tree Theatre had more than one reason to celebrate last Saturday as the arts centre unveiled its autumn season line-up. The venue was also celebrating its fifth anniversary during which time an impressive 200,000 customers have passed through the doors, First opened in September 2012, the Lime Tree has hosted a wide variety of shows and events and continues to attract audiences from all over Limerick and the mid-west region. In five years the management team, with Louise Donlon at the helm, has established the Lime Tree Theatre as a top touring venue in Ireland a fact borne out by the cream of Irish touring companies like the Abbey, Druid, Opera Theatre Company and Ballet Ireland treading its boards. It can't be a birthday without CAKE! #HappyBirthdayLimeTree pic.twitter.com/xVu8MQkMNT Lime Tree Theatre (@LimeTreeTheatre) September 9, 2017 Rough Magic, Fishamble and more recently Pat Moylan Productions - who brought the world premiere of Angelas Ashes, The Musical to Limerick - have also underlined the credentials of the venue based in Mary Immaculate College. Professor Eugene Wall, president of Mary Immaculate College, said:On behalf of Mary Immaculate College, I would like to wholeheartedly congratulate the Lime Tree Theatre as it celebrates its fifth birthday. Since opening its doors in 2012, the Lime Tree Theatre has established itself as a premier cultural venue on both a local and regional level and has brought touring productions from the Abbey Theatre and Druid back to Limerick after a long hiatus. From the Plough and the Stars in 2012 to Angelas Ashes earlier this year, the theatre has continued to wow audiences with its innovative offerings, added Professor Wall. In its five years, the venue has also established an annual children's festival, the Bualadh Bos, where over 10,000 children have experienced performing arts through the festival. LIMERICK City and County Council are putting in place hubs' to help families living in hotels and bed and breakfasts. At this weeks housing committee meeting in County Hall, council official Carmel Kirby revealed there are currently 65 families having to stay in local hotels due to the fact there is no suitable housing for them. In an effort to help them be ready to return to permanent accommodation, the local authority is opening two facilities next month one to house 10 families, the other 30. These families are our real priority at the moment, said Ms Kirby, What we are preparing for those is two family hubs. While they are not the ideal solution for families, they certainly provide a better solution than bed and breakfast and hotel accommodation. She also revealed a third building which will help a further four families the council is in the process of refurbishing. After that, any vacant stock which comes up, we will actively and pro-actively get these units back into use, and this will help with the remaining families in this emergency homeless situation, Ms Kirby stated. The council official said she is not in a position to state where in the city these units will be located. Separately, Ms Kirby also announced two other measures to get the housing waiting list down proposed modular homes and rapid build facilities. She said: We have 3,131 people on the housing waiting list. We need to see how we can provide emergency accommodation as quickly as possible. We have a lot of this emergency accommodation in Limerick, and its been extremely well managed by approved housing bodies. But there does seem to be an increase in the numbers in emergency accommodation, and well need to provide quick build modular homes for these people. Meanwhile, councillors say the local authority is being tied up in its wishes to build new homes, because of bureaucracy. Independent councillor Richard ODonoghue, a builder by trade, said: Material costs are going on. Regulation on houses is causing a huge problem. By 2020, for example, every house will have to have a ventilation hut. The problem is getting bigger and all we are getting in return is bureaucratic bull. The idea of using modular homes was previously raised in 2015, with council officials saying they had been contacted by providers and were reviewing this information. At the time, Cllr Cian Prendiville, Solidarity, expressed opposition. But former Education and Housing Minister Jan OSullivan backed the proposals. FORMER Limerick Leader reporter Fergal Keane, now one of the most well known journalists working for the BBC, will launch his new book, Wounds, in Limerick next week. The book is a memoir about Irish people who were caught up in the War of Independence and Civil War, including his grandmother Hannah Purtill, her brother Mick and their friend and well known Republican Con Brosnan. There were will be great Limerick interest in the book, particularly in a fascinating chapter on the attack on the RIC station in Kilmallock by the IRA and the story of Tobias OSullivan the head of the RIC and Sean Forde the leader of the IRA column that attacked the station. Keane goes into great detail in the book on the different incidents that happened in Limerick and Kerry during those troubled times. The author started his journalistic career with the Leader in 1979 before heading to Dublin to the Irish Press and then RTE, before his big move to the BBC, first covering Northern Ireland and then moving on to become South Africa correspondent. He covered the end of apartheid and the genocide in Rwanda. Later he was appointed Asia correspondent for theBBC. He has won virtually every award of note in journalism and was given an OBE for service to journalism in the 1997 New Years Honours list. On Tuesday next, September 19, at 6pm in OMahonys book store in Limerick he will chat to Limerick Leader editor, Eugene Phelan about everything from his time working in Limerick to his travels around the world and of course his latest book, which has already received rave reviews. Wounds is described as a family story of war and love, and how the ghosts of the past return to shape the present. It is a powerful memoir about Irish people who found themselves caught up in the revolution that followed the 1916 Rising , and in the pitiless violence of civil war in north Kerry, Limerick and other areas after the British left in 1922. Keanes grandmother Hannah features as does her brother Mick and his friend Con Brosnan, and the story of how they and their neighbours took up guns to fight the British Empire is explored. Keane uses the experiences of his ancestral homeland in north Kerry to examine why people will kill for a cause and how the act of killing reverberates through generations. THE Mayor of Limerick has accused a Limerick Leader journalist of being unprofessional for reporting on crime affecting farmers, after he asked her to leave a meeting which was convened to deal with the issue. The remarks, which were made by Mayor Stephen Keary during a local area council meeting this week, have been strongly criticised by the editor of the paper, Eugene Phelan (see comment below). Councillors were prompted to distance themselves from Cllr Kearys remarks after an outburst during the official council meeting this Tuesday, at which the journalist Maria Flannery was in attendance. He said: I think it was very poor journalism and very unprofessional of the journalist that, when asked to refrain from making a comment on the meeting, she didnt do so. Ms Flannery was invited by local farmers to attend a meeting on August 31 over thefts from farms in the county. Almost 30 members of the public, farmers and farming representatives attended the meeting, as well as Mayor Stephen Keary and two senior gardai from the Newcastle West district. Ms Flannery was also in attendance. At the farming meeting, Cllr Keary insisted that the gathering was private, and asked farmers to vote on whether they wanted the press there or not. Cllr Keary said that farmers may make their statements to the press outside the meeting. They voted to continue the meeting without the press present. Ms Flannery left. A story on quad bike thefts appeared in the Limerick Leader last week, after the journalist was contacted by victims of theft who shared their experiences. There was a clear indication from the show of hands that they [the farmers] did not want a member of the media at the meeting. I asked her to leave, and she did. I was most disappointed when I saw it on the front page of the Limerick Leader last week, the mayor said at this weeks council meeting. Cathaoirleach of the district, Cllr Richard ODonoghue, said that he was disappointed in Cllr Keary for calling a meeting after the public representatives were asked to allow gardai to follow lines of inquiry. Independent Cllr Emmett OBrien distanced himself from the comments about the journalist, saying, I dont think its fair to call into question the professional integrity of members of the media. They have a job to do, we have a job to do. Sinn Fein Cllr Ciara McMahon did not want to be associated with the comments and said there is no such thing as a private meeting. Im not going to target any individual. You were asked to maintain integrity on that issue by the gardai at that meeting, and the rest of us kept it private. Its very hypocritical to give out to the media about being asked to keep something private, when you made that a public issue, she told Cllr Keary. The mayors party colleague Cllr Adam Teskey also disassociated himself from the comments. Editor Eugene Phelan said that the mayor had no business seeking to effectively censor the local press. After having to apologise for controversial remarks about migrants prior to taking office as mayor, one would have thought that Cllr Stephen Keary would have learnt his lesson. Unfortunately, it appears not, he said. To call a young journalist doing her job unprofessional is entirely unacceptable. He succeeded in getting Maria Flannery ejected from a meeting of farmers concerned about thefts and felt we should not be writing about crime Cllr Keary will not decide what goes in the Limerick Leader. This was a matter of public interest and as such, the public had a right to know about the concerns regarding farm thefts in County Limerick. I hope Cllr Keary will have the good grace to apologise. _____________________________________________ COMMENT | Our journalist deserves apology from mayor CLLR Stephen Keary, the Mayor of Limerick City and County, owes an apology to Leader journalist Maria Flannery. An outstanding young reporter, Maria wrote a story last week about deep concern over the theft of dozens of quad bikes from farms in County Limerick. She had been asked to attend a meeting in Rathkeale called over the spate of thefts. It was attended by more than 30 farmers, gardai from the Newcastle West division and Mayor Keary. Without any justification whatsoever, Mayor Keary called for a vote seeking to have our reporter excluded from this important meeting even though she had been invited by some of the farmers present. Mayor Kearys vote was passed but thankfully it did not prevent our reporter from informing you, our readers. Like any good journalist, she spoke to several of those present and reported their concerns accurately. Incredibly, however, the mayor saw fit to denigrate our journalist at a local area council meeting this week, claiming she had been unprofessional in reporting the facts, after he had sought to exclude her from the meeting. For this, he was rightly condemned by his council colleagues, who also wondered why they were not invited to the same meeting. This was a matter of public interest and Mayor Keary had no business seeking to effectively censor the local newspaper. It is not up to him or indeed any other politician to decide what the Limerick Leader does or does not publish. The least Mayor Keary should do is apologise to a journalist who was only doing her job. PENSIONERS who claim they were sexually abused as children by a teacher at a Limerick school, whom they describe as a monster, have called for an inquiry into why he has not been prosecuted. Five complainants, now aged in their early 70s, provided written statements to gardai outlining allegations of sexual abuse and physical assaults by a teacher, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in Limerick city in the late 1950s. The teacher later went on to become principal of a school in the Mid-West and has since retired. One of the complainants has since passed away and another is in ill health. A fifth made allegations of physical but not sexual assault. Two of the alleged victims are now urging the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan to conduct an inquiry into the case, after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) directed that no prosecution be brought. They said they were left devastated when they learned of the DPPs decision in 2012, and want justice to be served before we die, or he [the teacher] dies. The men are now seeking a new investigation by a different Garda division, and have also queried what specific recommendations were sent by gardai in Limerick along with the file to the DPP. I feel that something extraordinary happened with this case; that a massive injustice was done to us. I have repeatedly asked them for this injustice to be put right. What is the point of being Minister for Justice if they cant administer justice? one questioned. One of the complainants, who has written in excess of 20 letters to various authorities on the case, said he feels that each authority contacted has hidden behind a veil of confidentiality. In his statement to gardai, which was taken at Mayorstone garda station in Limerick on July 8, 2011, the complainant outlined that his teacher would sit beside him and ask him to show him his homework. When he would sit down beside me, he would put his hand up my shorts and touch my penis. He would masturbate me for maybe five or so minutes while pretending to be watching me do sums or show him my homework, he alleged. I was afraid to say anything. This was a regular occurrence and he would do this to me very often, sometimes day after day. He would move around the class and do the same to other boys immediately after leaving me. He was also very violent and would beat us for the smallest reason. He also used a leather strap. I don't know how many times he assaulted me sexually but it lasted as long as I was in his class. I never really spoke to any of the boys in the class about it. We were terrified of him. I can remember the air of fear that would come over the class when he entered the classroom and the relief when he left the room, he told gardai. He said he eventually decided to make an official complaint decades later - because this has played on my mind all my life." As a result of what happened me I was very careful and anxious in the upbringing of my own children. I didnt trust anybody really since that happened to me. In an additional statement to gardai at Mayorstone in November 2011, he was asked why he hadn't made a complaint earlier. He said that he was not aware his former teacher was still alive, met him and confronted him about what he had done to me. An official with Tanaiste Frances Fitzgeralds office wrote to him this March and again in April, stating that the minister appreciates the very serious nature of the matters, which you raised and is conscious of the trauma suffered by victims of sexual offences. She has asked me to convey her sincere sympathy in relation to your experiences, it read. The Tanaistes office stated that it has no role in the investigation, prosecution or trial of alleged offences and it is not open to her to intervene in individual cases." It is the Tanaistes legal position, rather than a lack of empathy on her part, that prevents her from intervening in the manner you are seeking, states the letter. Chief Superintendent Dave Sheahan, head of the Limerick garda division, outlined that complaints were made by three men in June, July and November 2011. A fourth complainant was later identified and a formal criminal complaint of sexual assault from that person was included in the investigation. A fifth complainant was also identified and that person alleged physical assault, but not sexual assault, claiming that he and others in the class were beaten with leathers, drumsticks and the legs of chairs. Chief Supt Sheahan, in a letter sent to one of the complainants, said the suspected offender was interviewed on two separate occasions, and during the course of the investigation, legal and procedural guidance was sought from and provided by the State solicitor for Limerick city. He said the file was sent with specific recommendations to the office of the DPP, which is standard practice. Chief Supt Sheahan said he is unaware of the reasons why the DPP directed that no prosecution be issued, and said disclosing or withholding such reasoning is a matter solely for the DPP. Chief Supt Sheahan said school records for the period were obtained and examined, but such records were in poor condition. One of the alleged victims who has obtained the same records strenuously rejects this. He said that the documents are clearly legible and could help identify all pupils in the class, whom he feels should have been contacted by gardai as part of their investigation. But Chief Supt Sheahan said that gardai "for reasons of sensitivity, will not approach any suspected, alleged or possible victim of sexual abuse without an initial direct approach being made by that person to gardai." The principal objective of An Garda Siochanas position is to ensure that no further stress or pain is caused by Garda actions, wrote Chief Supt Sheahan. He outlined that he could make a formal complaint to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission, but when the complainant took this option he said he was informed by that office that is was too late to do so. The Director of Public Prosecutions office, in correspondence to one of the alleged victims, stated that it would not be appropriate to discuss in detail the material furnished by An Garda Siochana to its office. It would, in any event, serve no useful purpose. The file was considered when initially submitted and a decision made not to prosecute. The DPPs office outlined that the file was further reviewed in 2012 and again in November 2015. The office acknowledged that the decision must be disappointing and upsetting, but stressed that the decision was only made after careful consideration of all the available evidence. One of the complainants has initiated High Court proceedings for damages against his former teacher, but said he does not have the finances to advance his claim through the court. He is seeking damages for allegations of sexual assault, child sex abuse, assault, false imprisonment, inflection of emotional suffering, psychological injuries, nervous shock and other damages. ONE of Limerick's oldest citizens, who was a cousin of the executed patriot Kevin Barry, passed away peacefully today, aged 104. Sr Eileen Doyle was the oldest surviving nun living at Mount St Vincent on OConnell Avenue in Limerick city for many years. The Mercy community said she will be "sadly missed" by the Order, as well as nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, extended family, relatives and friends. Born on July 22, 1913 in Wicklow, she was only seven years old when her famous cousin Kevin Barry was the first republican to be executed by the British since the leaders of the Easter Rising in November 1920, at the age of 18. She shared her birth date, she noted in a interview on her 102nd birthday with the Limerick Leader, with Prince George of Cambridge and the fashion designer Oscar de la Renta. All her life, she said, she was always a "healthy little devil, and never had a serious illness. The second youngest in a family of nine, she outlived all her siblings. While Sr Eileen lived in Limerick for most of her life, she also lived in America for 11 years, teaching in Florida and in Mobile, Alabama in the 1970s. She was also the first principal of Ballynanty school, and believed that hard work, prayer and eating lightly has helped her live a long and healthy life. I worked hard, I think that kept me going. I eat lightly, but still I eat enough. I was 21 when I joined the Sisters of Mercy, after training in Mary Immaculate as a teacher and I entered the convent then. I think this is a good place to be now, she said. Looking back, she says that joining the nuns was the right decision for her. Im happier that I chose this way of life. I dont know would I have been able to face all those problems that married people have. Reposing at Mount St. Vincent Convent Chapel, O'Connell Avenue tomorrow, Friday, from 3pm with evening prayer at 6pm. Funeral Mass at St. Josephs Church, O'Connell Avenue, on Saturday at 12.30pm followed by burial in St. Mary's Convent Cemetery. May 1, 2021, 4 AM Alpine skier and 1980 Olympic competitor Viki Woodworth served as the photographic model for the figure of the skier superimposed on the NT of VERMONT on this 2002 Greetings From America stamp. U.S. Stamp Notes By John M. Hotchner I keep track of living people shown on United States stamps and have another example to add to the list. It is the Vermont stamp from the 2002 Greetings From America panes issued first with 34 and later with 37 denominations (Scott 3605 and 3740, respectively). Shown at upper-right on this stamp is a skier modeled from a photograph taken in New Hampshire or Utah. Connect with Linns Stamp News: Sign up for our newsletter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter An 1866 statute still on the books prohibits the placing of a portrait of a living person on United States currency and securities. For a long time, the U.S. Post Office Department (the predecessor of the USPS) properly interpreted that as applying to stamps. In more recent times, U.S. Postal Service authorities modified the interpretation to suggest that living people could be shown as long as they were not being honored. Then, several years ago, Patrick R. Donohoe, postmaster general at the time, announced that in his view the statute does not apply to stamps at all, and the field was clear to put living people on U.S. stamps in any way the Postal Service saw fit. Some members of Congress were not thrilled with the concept, and members of the U.S. Postal Services board of governors also suggested that this would not be a great idea. Thus, despite the postmaster generals public stand, to date, no U.S. stamps have been issued specifically and intentionally honoring living people. But over the years, most recently with the Harry Potter commemorative stamps of 2013, living people have been shown on U.S. stamps more than 75 times. This can be explicit, as with the 1945 3 stamp commemorating the raising of the American flag on Iwo Jima (Scott 929), or the characters from the Star Wars film series on the pane of 41 stamps issued in 2007 (4143). Or it can be subtle, as with many stamps that have used living people as models for figures on stamps. In the case of the Vermont Greetings from America stamp, the skier from the photograph is former Olympian Viki (Fleckenstein) Woodworth. She was voted the top female U.S. skier in 1977 and was a member of the 1980 Olympic team that competed in Lake Placid, N.Y. I asked her to reflect on the photograph and how it came to be used in the stamp design. Here is the story in her own words: When I was a ski racer, I worked with several photographers and they would usually pay me by the hour. One particular photographer, his name is David Brownell, took some pictures of me jumping off cliffs and they got used everywhere. For instance they showed up on the cover of two magazines and I didnt get paid for either one. I think he just sold the photo to the stamp company. He never contacted me or told me it would happen, I just saw it! Amazing Huh?!! Photographers can be funny that way and once they have the rights to your photo they can do whatever they want. The particular image on the stamp looks exactly like a postcard that a ski area called Attitash in N.H. had with the picture of me on it. I cant seem to find it in my boxes and boxes of photos and memorabilia but it is exactly the same. So the photo was from a live session at either Park City, Utah, or Attitash. I did not realize at the time that he would just use the photo various places, but I didnt mind in the end. My opinion of the accuracy of the image is great. I did not receive any publicity at the time of the issuance of the stamp. My name is not mentioned on the stamp and I think it was just supposed to be generic. I am OK with that. My thanks to Henry Lukas, education director of the Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History, who brought this story to light after speaking with Woodworth at a museum event. During the 35 years I have been writing on this subject for Linns, I have covered most of the instances of living people on U.S. stamps, and have a list that is available to Linns readers. To obtain the list, send a No. 10 stamped, addressed envelope and 25 in mint postage to John Hotchner, Box 1125, Falls Church, VA 22041. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. As cities all over the U.S. clamor to be the home of Amazon's new $5 billion campus, there are a few reasons why Texas might have an edge. Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos has numerous ties to the Lone Star State. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A man slain in San Franciscos Mission District last month was shot by two teenagers wielding a gun that had been stolen three days earlier from a city police officers personal car, officials said Wednesday. Investigators announced the arrests, made Monday and Tuesday, of Erick Garcia Pineda and Daniel Cruz, both 18-year-old city residents, on suspicion of murdering Abel Enrique Esquivel Jr. on Aug. 15. According to a GoFundMe page seeking to help the victims family, Esquivel, 23, was shot about 2 a.m. while returning home from his night shift at a market, after he resisted two hooded individuals who tried to rob him. Officers responding to the 3200 block of 26th Street found Esquivel wounded, officials said. Police determined he had been shot a block away, near South Van Ness Avenue. He was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he died the next day. Investigators said the gun that killed Esquivel was a personal firearm owned by an unnamed officer. It had been stolen Aug. 12 from his car at an undisclosed location in San Francisco, which in recent years has seen an epidemic of vehicle break-ins. Officials did not say whether the gun was properly secured and the car locked. Martin Halloran, president of the police officers union, said the officer did not know the weapon had been stolen until after the shooting. There were no visible signs of the burglary, and the officer did not realize that the vehicle had been broken into, nor that the firearm had been stolen, Halloran said. The officer, a highly decorated veteran, is devastated. Department officials said they opened an internal investigation into the circumstance of the theft. Guns stolen from law enforcement vehicles have been used in a number of shootings in recent years in the Bay Area. In 2015, a gun stolen in San Francisco from a car belonging to a U.S. Bureau of Land Management agent was used to kill Kathryn Steinle, 32, on Pier 14. A few months later, a gun stolen from a U.S. immigration agents rental car in San Francisco was used to kill artist Antonio Ramos, 27, as he painted an antiviolence mural in Oakland. A San Francisco police bulletin in October 2015 decreed that officers who must leave firearms in unattended vehicles secure them in the locked trunk, out of public view. If a member is unable to secure a firearm in a vehicle as described above, the member shall not leave a firearm in an unattended vehicle, the bulletin states. Under no circumstances shall any firearm be left unattended in a vehicle overnight. In the aftermath of last months gun theft, Pineda, Cruz and 24-year-old Jesus Perez-Araujo, who was also arrested this week, went on a crime spree, police said. They committed a series of Mission District robberies between Aug. 13 and Aug. 15, authorities said, and assaulted a victim on Mission Street just minutes after Esquivel was shot. Pineda was jailed on suspicion of murder, robbery, conspiracy, burglary and attempted murder, and Cruz was booked on of suspicion of murder, conspiracy, robbery and possession of stolen property. They are both being held without bail. Perez-Araujo was booked on suspicion of robbery, burglary and conspiracy, and is being held in lieu of $340,000 bail. According to his family, Esquivel was a compassionate young man who volunteered at a community center in the Mission District. Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo The Ninth Hour By Alice McDermott Farrar Straus Giroux. 247 pp. $26 --- "The Ninth Hour," Alice McDermott's superb and masterful new novel, begins with a suicide and culminates in murder. The book's real thrills, though, are in the feats of its storytelling. McDermott lays out all the pieces at the beginning: In the early years of the 20th century, a 32-year-old man asphyxiates himself in a railroad flat, and two nuns come to the aid of his pregnant widow. Her baby, Sally, will in time marry a man named Patrick, and Sally and Patrick's children narrate this novel to extraordinary effect. They put their family's stories together, returning again and again to the same place, often with rhythmical cadence, knowing it better and feeling it more deeply each time, as in a prayer or psalm: "When our father was very old - we were growing old ourselves - he told again the story he had told her that wet night, the story of his grandfather's funeral." The Catholic Church lurks in every McDermott novel. It is the sea in which most of her Irish American characters swim. Children dressing for Mass. An aunt who was once a nun. A crucifix hanging over a couple's bed. In "The Ninth Hour" - whose title suggests not only the Midafternoon Prayer but also the time of death of Jesus and of the suicide of Sally's father - we go directly into the belly of the beast, down to the basement laundryroom of the Little Nursing Sisters of the Sick Poor. There the young widow, Annie, has been given a job by the nuns. Amid the "smell of wet wool, bleach, vinegar, turpentine, pine soap, and starch," Annie and Sisters Illuminata, Jeanne and Lucy raise Sally from birth to adulthood. Full of visions and forebodings and bargains with God, these nuns puzzle and fret over their two basement mortals, arranging their futures like chess pieces, certain they are setting things to rights as best they can. But despite their vows, these women are as flawed and carnal as any of McDermott's other brilliantly hewn characters. Sister Illuminata is physical, nearly sexual, with the laundry, "always moving, her sleeves rolled up, her veil tied back ... bending over the washbasin or feeding wet clothes into the cracking wringer, or ironing, ironing - this was the area of her greatest expertise - throwing her whole body into it, elbows and back and hips." And before she dies, Sister St. Saviour has turned her back on God "the way a bitter old wife might turn her back on a faithless husband." McDermott, who won the National Book Award in 1998 for "Charming Billy," has said that she does not write about Catholics and Catholicism merely because she is interested in them. "I have used Catholicism simply to give my characters a vocabulary that they might not otherwise have," she said. "My sense of all religions is that all we're doing is giving language to our common experience of uncertainty, of yearning." When she discovered literature, she found that similar questions were being addressed in fiction. As in the Catholic liturgy, "the language transcends itself ... casts a spell, calls forth spirits." One of the most powerful and sublime spirits of "The Ninth Hour" is Red Whelan. He took Patrick's grandfather's place as a soldier in Civil War so that he could continue both his education and the family's trajectory out of poverty. When Whelan returned to their house missing an arm and a leg, he was brought upstairs and Patrick's young sister cared for him the rest of his long life. McDermott returns to Whelan again and again. His sacrifice emboldens the family much like Jesus' sacrifice emboldens the church. "Is this what Red Whelan threw away an arm and a leg for?" becomes a refrain passed down from generation to generation, as a threat, a prod, a haunting. There are so many ways to read this beautiful novel: as a Greek tragedy with its narrative chorus and the sins of the fathers; as a Faulknerian tale out to prove once more that the "past is not even past"; as a gothic tale wrestling with faith, punishment and redemption a la Flannery O'Connor; or as an Irish novel in the tradition of Anne Enright and Colm Toibin, whose sentences, like hers, burn on the page. But "The Ninth Hour" is also a love story, told at a languid, desultory pace and fulfilled most satisfyingly at the end. Patrick falls in love with Sally when he looks from his pram into hers, but it isn't until years later that he woos her - with a story. --- King is the author, most recently, of the novel "Euphoria." The Aeneid By Virgil. Translated from the Latin by David Ferry University of Chicago. 416 pp. $35 --- Ours is a great age for classical translation. Just in the past dozen years, Virgil's "Aeneid" has been tackled by Robert Fagles, Stanley Lombardo, Frederick Ahl, Sarah Ruden and, now, David Ferry, who previously gave us the best modern English version of Horace's odes. Being the work of an award-winning poet, Ferry's "Aeneid" can be read with excitement and pleasure - but so can all those other translations. What really matters is to read at least one of them. Born in 70 B.C., Publius Vergilius Maro, commonly known as Virgil, was the greatest of all Roman poets. After a childhood spent in provincial Mantua, he was educated in Milan and Naples, as we would now call them, and finally arrived in Rome around the time Lucretius brought out his cosmological masterwork, "On the Nature of Things," and Catullus published his overheated love poems. Virgil's genius was quickly recognized, and his later career, as well as that of his friend Horace, was partly fostered by the proverbially rich Maecenas, an ardent patron of the arts. According to early biographies, the poet was tall, shy and of a philosophical temperament. The unreliable Suetonius adds that "he very often suffered from stomach and throat troubles, as well as with headache; and ... ate and drank but little. He was especially given to passions for boys, and his special favorites were Cebes and Alexander, whom he calls Alexis in the second poem of his Bucolics." Whether Virgil really was gay remains open to question. There is no doubt, however, about his literary perfectionism. After his first two collections of pastoral poetry - "Bucolics" (also known as "Eclogues") and "Georgics" - Virgil spent a dozen years working on "The Aeneid," his epic account of the Trojan hero Aeneas and the legendary prehistory of Rome. Planning to devote a further three years to polishing his Homeric magnum opus, the unfortunate poet instead fell mortally ill in 19 B.C. and ordered his friends to destroy the manuscript. The Emperor Augustus himself countermanded this deathbed wish. Virgil's self-composed epitaph was laconically modest: "Cecini pascua, rura, duces" - "I sang of pastures, farms and commanders." For the next 1,800 years, "The Aeneid" was generally viewed as the pre-eminent masterpiece of the Western literary tradition. Its famous opening words, "Arma virumque cano" - Ferry translates them straightforwardly as "I sing of arms and the man" - can be found scribbled as graffiti at Pompeii. An awed Dante follows the arch-poet through Hell and Purgatory. In essence, wherever Latin was studied, Virgil's poetry was revered. An English "Aeneid" first appeared in a 16th-century Scottish version by Gavin Douglas - highly praised by Ezra Pound - and was followed in the 17th century by John Dryden's classic rendering in heroic couplets. In the 18th century - the so-called Augustan age of English literature - Virgil was, if anything, even more deeply cherished. Back in the Middle Ages, his Fourth Eclogue had been thought to predict the birth of Christ; by the time of Pope, Johnson and other neoclassicists, "The Aeneid" was practically a sacred text, a majestic argument for self-discipline, religious obedience and sacrifice. After all, its hero was always described as "pius," a multivalent adjective that blended "pious," "dutiful" and "loyal." However, for the Romantics of the next generation, and for readers ever since, that characterization sounded priggish - or worse. Wasn't "pius Aeneas" a cad to abandon his lover Dido, the queen of Carthage? Wasn't he a brute to slay his enemy Turnus when the man was pitifully pleading for his life? Yeats mischievously claimed that a disbelieving Irish sailor once groused, "Aaach, a hero, him a hero? Bigob, I t'ought he waz a priest." Then, too, didn't "The Aeneid" fundamentally glorify Roman imperialism as well as suck up to the Emperor Augustus in particular? Even from an aesthetic viewpoint, the epic's "Iliad"-like second half lacks the variety and excitement of the first, aside from the thrilling battlefield exploits of the female warrior Camilla. Yet despite numerous cavils, "The Aeneid" still fuels modern imaginations. Bernard Shaw named his witty play about the false romanticization of war "Arms and the Man." Hermann Broch produced one of modern fiction's most challenging classics in "The Death of Virgil." Ursula K. Le Guin's last major novel, "Lavinia," focused on the Italian princess that Aeneas eventually weds. And just before his death, Seamus Heaney finished a translation of Aeneas' eerie visit to the Underworld. As the prophetic Sybil memorably points out, "Facilis descensus Averno" - the descent into Hell is easy. What's hard is getting out. Read today, "The Aeneid" often looks all too contemporary. Consider its basic premise: Fleeing a burning, ravaged city in Asia Minor, a group of displaced exiles set sails in desperate search of a new homeland. Instead of welcome, they encounter distrust and hatred. In this light, the poem becomes a tale of human endurance, of hope against hope, as well as a reminder of the fragility of civilization and the paramount need for compassion, forgiveness and reconciliation. Ferry stresses this interpretation in his preface, where he quotes a passage from Book 11: Aurora rose, spreading her pitying light And with it bringing back to sight the labors Of sad mortality, what men have done, And what has been done to them; and what they must do To mourn. This is beautifully said, and yet it's only one possible approach to these lines. Compare, for instance, Allen Mandelbaum's mid 20th-century version: (BEGIN ITAL)Meanwhile Aurora showed her gracious light(END ITAL) (BEGIN ITAL)to miserable mortals, bringing back(END ITAL) (BEGIN ITAL)their work and tasks.(END ITAL) Ferry seems more "poetic" but also wordier. How does Robert Fitzgerald render the Latin? Or Lombardo or Ruden? For a classic as rich, as inexhaustible as "The Aeneid," no single translation, however fine, can ever be enough. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Need some help planning your week? Now that Houston is coming back to life after Hurricane Harvey, we've gathered a list of activities going on in Houston the week of Sept. 14 to 21 for residents of all ages. Discovery Green has added new family friendly activities. Your kids can rent model boats all weekend, or participate in STEM class on Saturday. More information is provided in the gallery above. SEE THIS: Houston rapper Trae Tha Truth releases video tribute in the wake of Hurricane Harvey The Mary J. Blige concert at the Smart Financial Centre is back on again, Tuesday, Sept. 19, after her original date was cancelled due to Hurricane Harvey. The Zac Brown Band, Sublime, Sammy Hagar and more will be in town this week too. There are also a few Hurricane Harvey benefits to check out. Some of those are the Texas Flood Jam and Harvey Flood Relief Reception. HARVEY: How to help victims of the Texas storm Sept. 16 is Mexican Independence Day. You better believe Houston will be celebrating. El Big Bad is hosting a big party, and Discovery Green will be host to the Texas Taco Music Fest. Check out the gallery above for a list of activities and things to do in Houston for kids, young and old. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate "RuPaul's Drag Race" made the switch to VH1 this year and drew a record-breaking number of viewers for its ninth season. The show just won three Emmys, including RuPaul's second for outstanding host. But if anyone needed more proof that RuPaul has ushered drag into the mainstream, they should have been at the Houston date for War on the Catwalk of House of Blues. Five drag queens on a major stage in downtown Houston on a Wednesday night in front of hundreds of adoring, screaming, finger-snapping fans. PHOTOS: RuPaul's DragCon draws more than 35,000 fans at NYC debut Several of them were young girls and women. In groups or with moms and dads. And every single one of them seemed to be having the time of their lives. Season 9 winner Sasha Velour was the big draw. She's a magnetic, masterful performer who uses shadows and light, costumes and facial expressions to tell a story. But her real genius is transforming familiar pop songs into works of art. She went from white robe, wings and halo to sparkling red and good horns, with a flick of her wrist, during Annie Lennox tune "Precious." Velour turned Kesha's "Praying" into a tour-de-force. She stood shadowed against a white screen in a spiked black dress, bending and turning to create strange shapes. Even amid so much sparkle and sass, it was an astonishing moment. "This is a space where we are all on top of the world," Velour said. She had strong support in the audience from an aunt who lives in Houston, the parents of her partner and her own father (Papa Velour). "This is the effect of 'Drag Race.' My dad is supposed to be teaching a class today at the University of Illinois," Velour said. WERQ THE WORLD: 'Drag Race' tour features Valentina, Kim Chi, Violet Chachki, Michelle Visage She spoke about safe spaces and creativity, unity and fantasy. And Velour also challenged the crowd to use it all to rally against bigotry and racism. "F*** Trump!" someone yelled. The crowd cheered. Velour echoed the sentiment. Trinity Taylor proved a frequently hilarious host. She opened with a nearly bare-bottomed run through Whitney Houston's "It's Not Right but it's OK," then pointed out one mom and her daughter. Taylor jokingly chided mom for bringing her 13-year-old to a show that would feature mention of explicit sex acts. Mom covered up her daughter's ears. There were death drops, outfit reveals and audience participation. Taylor pulled the shirt off a muscular fan named Roberto, invited five guys onstage for a dance-off and straddled a bearded man in the front row. Shea Coulee acknowledged she was in "the birthplace of Beyonce" after shimmying through "Partition." Aja brought a bit of fly-girl burlesque. LIGHTS, CAMERA: Houston drag queen stages Facebook Live marathon for hurricane victims Alexis Michelle belted Stephen Sondheim classic "Ladies who Lunch," had the audience roaring with her spot-on Liza Minnelli impersonation and addressed the city's recent troubles. "The world's been in a strange space -- socially, politically. And that has its own set of feelings," she said. "And of course physically. You guys know. "But the energy that we have been hearing from all of you backstage is a testament to how resilient humankind is. Thank you for letting your spirit ring loud a clear." Beyond words, the queens donated all proceeds from merchandise sales to the Montrose Clinic. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The October issue of Elle magazine has hit Houston newsstands, and those who pay attention to bold-faced names will want to check out its Style Across America feature. Highlighting Houston, the magazine picked three well-dressed women -- Chris Goins, retail director at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Araceli Graham, founder of Cooperativa, and Amber Elliott, the Chronicle's society writer -- to represent the city's scene. Also included as trendsetters were handbag designer Hayden Lasher, Abejas creative director Tamar Mendelssohn, designer Erin Breen and interior designer Laura Weaver. Goins was photographed in front of an Old Master at the MFAH and Graham looks chic in well-worn jeans and a bright red sweater in busy Montrose. Elliott was photographed walking through some of the city's planned greenspaces in a colorful Fendi skirt, Gianvito ankle boots and a Louis Vuitton clutch. Though she was born in Baton Rouge, Elliott's parents moved their family to Houston when she was just 2 years old. The 31-year-old graduated from Cy-Fair High School and attended both Texas A&M and Texas State-Round Rock. Elle fashion news editor Naomi Rougeau, a longtime friend of Elliott, first contacted her to ask for recommendations for the Style feature. She replied with a detailed list of 12 fashionable women -- but her own name wasn't on the list. "They've done Dallas and Nashville, so it's a cool nod to Houston to see us listed as a hip and fashionable city," Elliott said. "I was so proud when Naomi told me they were featuring Houston." In the end, Rougeau's editor insisted that Elliott be included, and there she is on a glossy page, recommending her favorite consignment shops (More Than You Can Imagine), hair stylist (Tray at Birds Barbershop) and Brasserie 19 (for truffle fries, one of her guilty pleasures). (Full disclosure: Both Elle and the Houston Chronicle are owned by Hearst Corp.) Dishing on upcoming events, she said that she just ordered a vintage Oscar de la Renta gown for the next MFAH Grand Gala Ball, which will include an Oscar de la Renta fashion retrospective curated by Vogue editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley. Her two-piece, strapless iridescent ballgown has floral applique and a matching wrap. Not only does she love the old-school look, but it's much more affordable than new, five-figure couture gowns. (For those who are curious, she found it at www.therealreal.com.) While it will be hard to top this year's over-the-top Super Bowl parties and galas, Elliott said her favorite events include the San Luis Salute mardi gras event in Galveston because there's nothing else like it, and the intimate opening night dinners held by arts groups such as the Houston Symphony. The Houston Opera Ball ranks up there, too, as the only white-tie event in the city. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A photo of a replica of the Alamo built by patriotic Texans on a military base outside of Baghdad is again gaining attention on social media. The homage to home was constructed during Operation Iraqi Freedom by members of Alpha Company of the 141st Infantry Regiment. It has been posted three times over the past four years on the Facebook page of the Texas Military Forces Museum, located on Fort Mabry in Austin. Each time the photo received plenty of love. It also was posted on the museums Twitter page. RELATED: Photos: Replica of original 1950s Whataburger store in 'the city where it all got started' Its not surprising that members of the 141st would build their own Cradle of Texas liberty. The 141st traces it's lineage back to Company A of the Texas Volunteers at the Alamo. Their motto is Remember the Alamo. The photos were taken in 2010 by soldiers at Camp Liberty outside of Baghdad, said Lisa Sharik, deputy director of the museum. Its been popular every time weve posted the image. Originally posted in 2013, it was shared 193 times. Re-posted in 2015, it got 185 shares. Most recently it appeared in April. The photo shows four members of the 141st standing outside the Tactical Operations Center building. which has been adorned with the iconic Alamo roofline made of painted plywood. Theyre posing next to a pair of T-walls, security barriers standing in front of the building. One is painted with the Texas flag behind a state map topped with the legend Dont Mess with Texas. The other carries the company insignia and the two commanders names. RELATED: Writer says the Alamo should be remembered - but not so fondly Black, Alamo-style doors and windows have been painted on the facade, and a makeshift cannon guards the entrance. Above the building flies the Texas flag and below it, the 1824 flag of the Texas Revolution. That Texas flag went with me on my deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and Egypt, said Staff Sgt. Patrick Young, who helped build the Alamo mockup. It took us about a month to build it. A second photo shows several dozen members of the 141st personal security detail posed in front of the building. RELATED: Texas family pays thousands for this miniature, backyard version of Gruene Hall The faux Alamo became something of a landmark at the camp, which was adjacent to Camp Swift. People would drive by, stop and take pictures all the time, said Young, who lives in Houston and is now with the 143rd Infantry unit of the Texas National Guard. There were lots of Texans in camp who werent in our unit and they loved coming by and seeing our own Alamo. rmarini@express-news.net Twitter: @RichardMarini On this date in ... 1917: Laborers throughout Albany united to apply pressure to city officials in an effort to get the erection of the new city building at Beaver and Eagle streets started as soon as possible. They said that hundreds of local workmen were unemployed or underemployed because of the scarcity of work in Albany and its surrounding communities. The men also claimed that nearly every other city in the country was in an opposite position, with an abundance of labor jobs. 1967: The Albany County Health Department would launch a $70,000 rat control program, funded by the state as part of its $4.5 million rat control program. Albany was the first upstate county to have a control program developed to the point where it was eligible to receive state funds. The program was to start immediately in Arbor Hill and the South End. Earlier this month, the state made $750,000 available to New York City to expand its rat control program. 1992: When Bill Mahoney became a cop, Ike was still a general, Elvis was in knickers and the word "crack" described the sound made by Ted Williams' bat. That was 43 years ago and now, at the age of 65, Mahoney opted to call it a career, retiring from his job as undersheriff of Albany County. He held the position since 1977, aside from a brief stint as acting sheriff in 1979. Want to read more about the Capital Region's past? Have any memories or thoughts about how our history relates to today's events? See http://blog.timesunion.com/history/ This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate State Rep. Richard Pena Raymond held a news conference Wednesday to unveil the "In God We Trust" specialty license plate. Raymond was joined by veterans and members of the clergy. "I believe it's important to never forget that this simple phrase is so powerful, because it brings people together and reminds us of our common purpose," Raymond said. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill that instructed the Department of Motor Vehicles to create the specialty plate. After having reviewed different designs for the plate, Raymond chose local Texas artist Betsy Crum from Brazos Film and Videos. READ MORE: License plates rejected by the Texas DMV in 2017 Her artwork features the silhouette of the State of Texas with the words "In God We Trust." Her approach was modern yet reverent of this concept for the specialty license plate, a news release from Raymond's office states. "I passed this bill for two reasons: it would allow Texans to display our national motto and their belief in God in a meaningful way and it would help veterans who have fought so many wars to protect our rights to those beliefs," Raymond said. All revenues of the specialty plate will go to the Texas Veterans Commission, which acts as the official advocate for Texas Veterans as they seek their rightfully earned benefits. RELATED: Suspect delivered large quantities of Nuevo Laredo drugs to 61-year-old Laredo woman, authorities say In 2007, Raymond also passed a bill to display the words "In God We Trust" in the House of Representatives Chamber. The license plate is available for purchase at txdmv.gov/motorists/license-plates/specialty-license-plates/ Angelina Jolie is quickly coming into her own as a fine director, and she takes a quantum leap in First They Killed My Father, which tells the story of the Cambodian genocide from the viewpoint of a little girl from Phnom Penh. Like her earlier effort In the Land of Blood and Honey, about the Bosnian conflict, Jolie has crafted an intimate epic about a tough war subject that probably would have gone unmade without her humanitarian influence and star power. First They Killed My Father is a much more assured film, even if a bogged-down middle section prevents it from greatness. The proceedings get off to a strong start, with news footage about U.S. forces secretly bombing Cambodia an act that many believe paved the way for the tortuous Khmer Rouge regime to take power. After that brief context, we are whisked to the Cambodian capital, where we meet a government-friendly family watching from their balcony as rebels take control of the city. One of those family members is Loung, a girl who will be our tour guide to misery: families being rounded up and forced into harsh work camps where there is little to no food. And thats only the beginning of the horrors, which claimed the lives of 25 percent of the nations people during the 1970s. The exodus scenes, and the initial days at the work camps, are masterfully crafted. But Loung (Sareum Srey Moch) is a reactive character she is a small child, after all and for long stretches, our main character isnt doing much of anything except witnessing atrocities. Though we never stop caring about her, we find ourselves hurrying to find out about Loungs fate, and for the film to tell its story. But that is just what it does in the final 20 minutes, with a shocking sequence in a minefield and a moving finale that pays respect to Cambodias dead. Throughout, Jolie handles it all with admirable restraint. There are times when she could have used less restraint, but her film is a powerful reminder about the Cambodian genocide and that we should not forget about it. David Lewis is a Bay Area freelance writer. First They Killed My Father Historical drama. Starring Sareum Srey Moch. Directed by Angelina Jolie. (Not rated. 136 minutes.) Eight Special Forces students and instructors were injured in an explosion at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on Thursday, the U.S. Army said. The incident comes just a day after 15 Marines were injured, some severely, when their armored vehicle caught fire in California and two days after a soldier fell to his death from a helicopter in Fort Hood, Texas. As negotiations to leave the European Union drag on, much of Britain's tabloid press has frequently struck an indignant tone, blaming European allies for the slow progress. However, one attempt to reach out to these Europeans to justify the pro-Brexit position has fallen flat on its face - thanks to a rogue translation that resulted in Germanic gibberish. The editorial in question appeared on the website of the Sun, a fervent Brexit supporter and Britain's best selling newspaper, on Sunday. It aimed to convince a European audience that its leaders were harming the EU by taking a hard-line stance on Brexit - perhaps a reference to some sly English-language stories in the German press - and so it was written in the German language. That was the plan, at least. However, the ensuing article mangled the German language. There were grammatical mistakes in nearly every line, with some colloquial British phrases translated literally in a way that would make no sense to a German reader (pigheaded intransigence, for example, became "schweinkopf-unnachgiebigkeit"). Even the title, which was meant to imply European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and chief negotiator Michael Barnier were harming millions of people, was mistranslated - as it was written, it could also imply they were helping millions of people. The article was little noticed when first published, but this week became the subject of mockery among German speakers. The translation was such a mess that it begged the question: How was it published? Many reasoned that the original German text must have been run through Google Translate, though they quickly realized that it was actually too poor a translation for that. Could another, less sophisticated machine translation service have been used? Was it an intern with a dictionary, or a rogue German speaker out for sabotage? A spokesman for the Sun denied that the text had been run through Google Translate and suggested it was simply a translation mishap. "Since our piece was calling on European business and industry leaders to lobby their politicians for a good deal for all sides, we thought it made sense to allow our readers across Germany to see the piece," the spokesman said. "Much like the Brexit negotiations, though, sometimes things get lost in translation - we hope that both sides can be as flexible and adaptable as the Sun in clearing up any confusion as quickly as possible." It certainly is true that some things have been lost in translation in Brexit talks - and knowledge of a second language may be an issue for both sides. Sixty-one percent of Britons do not speak another language in addition to their mother tongue, according to a 2012 report from the European Commission. That's one of the lowest figures across Europe. In contrast, only 34 percent of Germans only spoke their mother tongue, and many expect the English language to further lose its importance in a post-Brexit EU. Brexiteers have accused their counterparts in the EU of being too inward-looking in their negotiations over Britain leaving. But with a largely one-way language barrier, there is also a real danger that many in Britain don't actually understand the European position at all. --- The Washington Post's Rick Noack contributed to this report. The heated debate in South Korea over redeploying U.S. nuclear weapons on its territory has now reached Washington. A senior delegation of South Korean lawmakers is in town making the case to the Trump administration and Congress that such a move is needed to confront North Korea's growing nuclear capability and place more pressure on China. "We are here to ask for redeployment of tactical nuclear warheads in South Korea," Lee Cheol Woo, the head of the intelligence committee of South Korea's National Assembly, told me Thursday morning. Lee is heading a delegation of members of the Liberty Korea Party, the opposition to President Moon Jae-in's Democratic Party. He is also the chairman of the assembly's special committee for nuclear crisis response. Moon told CNN yesterday that he does not agree that tactical nuclear weapons should be reintroduced to South Korea or that Seoul should develop its own nuclear weapons. He warned it could "lead to a nuclear arms race in northeast Asia." But Lee's delegation believes that as the North Korea nuclear crisis worsens, a push by the Trump administration or Congress could help persuade Moon's government to change its position, as it has already done regarding the deployment of the THAAD missile defense system. "The ruling party came to power based on their opposition to the deployment of THAAD and having tactical nuclear weapons in South Korea," Lee said. "But if there were to be additional requests from the U.S. government, then they would have to listen to the many voices that are asking for the additional deployment of nuclear warheads." The delegation will meet with the State Department's special representative for North Korea policy, Joe Yun, and senior Asia-focused lawmakers including Sens. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska. The delegation touts rising South Korean public support for their initiative. Even before Kim Jong Un's latest nuclear test, South Korean polls showed that 68 percent support reintroducing nuclear weapons and that 60 percent support South Korea developing nuclear weapons of its own. The United States stationed nuclear weapons in South Korea for most of the Cold War, but they were removed by President George H.W. Bush in 1991. After South Korea's defense minister suggested this month it's worth reviewing the idea, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., said "it ought to be seriously considered." Trump administration officials have said they are not ruling out the possibility, should the South Korean government request it. Adding nuclear weapons to the already volatile situation on the Korean peninsula seems to run counter to the stated U.S. goal of completely denuclearizing the peninsula. But proponents of the idea lay out three key reasons it could be helpful. First, North Korea is very close to achieving the capability to launch nuclear weapons via both intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched missiles. That changes the calculus of strategic deterrence. Putting nukes in South Korea would strengthen the ability of the United States and South Korea to retaliate, thereby bolstering that deterrence. Separately, the Chinese government would surely oppose putting nuclear weapons back in South Korea. Beijing has been subjecting the South Korean economy to severe punishment in response to the THAAD deployment. But the threat of South Korea going nuclear could push Beijing into doing more to rein in Pyongyang. Lastly, since North Korea is now a de-facto nuclear state, putting nukes back in South Korea could be a bargaining chip for future negotiations with Pyongyang. But what about Moon's warning about potential escalation? Kim Tae Woo of Konyang University, a member of Lee's special committee, said that the benefits of the move outweigh the risks. "First of all, we want to destroy the North Korean belief that they can decouple the alliance by threatening the U.S. continent," he said. "And also we have to destroy the Chinese belief that China can let the North Korea nuclear program go on." The current U.S. strategy is to cooperate with Beijing to increase pressure on North Korea to change its calculus and eventually bring it back to the table. "But do you think the current strategy is working?" Kim said. So long as Moon is in power, prospects for putting nukes back in South Korea will remain slim. The Trump administration would be unwise to publicly break with Moon on such an important issue. Alliance unity is an important signal to Pyongyang and Beijing. But ignoring the fact that North Korea's nuclear advancement is changing the strategic situation is also deeply unwise. The only thing worse than failing to prevent a new nuclear arms race would be losing it. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Staunch conservative allies of President Donald Trump have erupted in anger and incredulity after Democrats late Wednesday announced that the president had agreed to pursue a legislative deal that would protect thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportation but not secure Trump's signature campaign promise: building a massive wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Nearing midnight and into Thursday, social media accounts came alive as elected officials and activists on the right dashed off tweets and posts to share their shock. And in between those posts, there was a flurry of fuming calls and text messages - a blaring political fire alarm among Trump's die-hard supporters. "The reality is sinking in that Trump administration is on the precipice of turning into an establishment presidency," Sam Nunberg, a former Trump campaign adviser, said in an interview early Thursday morning. While the initial wave of fury could change direction as new details emerge, the torrent represented the first major break of Trump's devoted base from the president on a core issue. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, one of the GOP's biggest immigration hawks, issued a dramatic warning to the president after he scrolled through news reports. "If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair," King tweeted, referencing an Associated Press story on the bipartisan agreement. He added, "No promise is credible." Conservative radio talk show host Laura Ingraham, who is friendly with Trump, mocked him for seeming to shelve the pledge that has animated his supporters since his campaign's launch. "Exactly what @realDonaldTrump campaigned on. Not," Ingraham wrote on Twitter. She later added, "BUILD THE WALL! BUILD THE WALL! or maybe not really." Trump tried to calm the conservative outrage early Thursday in a series of tweets that insisted the border wall "will continue to be built" and that no deal was hashed out with Democrats on the undocumented young immigrants known as "dreamers." "No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote," Trump wrote, referring to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, an Obama-era program that has allowed 690,000 "dreamers" to work and go to school without fear of deportation. As he departed the White House on Thursday en route to Florida, which has been ravaged by Hurricane Irma, Trump told reporters that "the wall will come later The wall is going to be built, it'll be funded a little bit later." "We are working on a plan for DACA," Trump said, calling the negotiations "fairly close" to concluding. Congressional Republican leaders, he added, were "very much on board" with his position. Conservative polemicist Ann Coulter, who wrote a book titled "In Trump We Trust," did not buy the president's explanation. "At this point, who DOESN'T want Trump impeached?" Coulter tweeted on Thursday morning. Breitbart News, the conservative website now run by former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon, quickly became a gathering place for aggrieved Trump backers. Readers congregated by the thousands in the comments section for an article with a bright red headline: "Amnesty Don." Days earlier, Bannon said on CBS's "60 Minutes" that he was "worried about losing the House now because of this, because of DACA," arguing that Republican voters would lack enthusiasm for Trump and the party if they felt it was drifting to the center on immigration. "If this goes all the way down to its logical conclusion, in February and March it will be a civil war inside the Republican Party that will be every bit as vitriolic as 2013," Bannon said, referencing the stalled fight that year over a comprehensive immigration bill. "And to me, doing that in the springboard of primary season for 2018 is extremely unwise." "This a betrayal of the highest order," a Breitbart editor, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said in a phone call late Wednesday. "Donald Trump should be ashamed of himself. He wasn't elected to do this." The editor was mostly echoed by the site's readers: "Put a fork in Trump. He is done." "PRIMARY TIME!!!!" "What a HUGE let down." "I can reconcile Trump caving on virtually any issue, Amnesty and not building the wall are not one of them." Adding to the tumult in the deep of night: conflicting accounts over what exactly Trump and Democrats had brokered. Aides to Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., asserted that Trump had agreed not to request wall funding as part of their pact to soon move legislation to help undocumented immigrants who are protected under the executive order. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted at 10:21 p.m.: "While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to." Eleven minutes later, Matt House, an adviser to Schumer, tweeted: "The President made clear he would continue pushing the wall, just not as part of this agreement." Sanders's Twitter assurance, however, did little to calm the roiled voices, especially in the populist-nationalist wing of the Republican Party - a wing deeply linked to Trump. "Deep State Wins, Huge Loss for #MAGA," Fox Business anchor Lou Dobbs tweeted, alluding to Trump's "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan. Others who have supported Trump's immigration positions took a wait-and-see approach amid the chaos. "My sense is that he told Chuck and Nancy what they wanted to hear, and they heard what they wanted to hear. I think there could be some mischief-making on the part of Schumer since the White House is walking it back," said Mark Krikorian, an immigration hard-liner who runs the Center for Immigration Studies, in an interview. Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, tweeted Thursday that his efforts to work with Democrats on immigration policy were "undercut" by Trump's moves and asked the White House staff to "brief me." Meanwhile, Fox News host Sean Hannity, who is in regular contact with Trump, directed his ire over the developments not at the president but at GOP leaders on Capitol Hill. "Well Mitch GREAT JOB!" Hannity tweeted, referring to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. "You failed so miserably with Healthcare and 'excessive expectations' now @POTUS has to deal with Dem Leaders!" Hannity added later, "I blame R's. They caused this. They wanted him to fail and now pushed him into arms of political suicide - IF TRUE." "As of July 7, health actors had recorded more than 23,200 cases of acute watery diarrhea (AWD) since August 2016, according to the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of Sudan (GoS) Ministry of Health (MoH)."- U.S. Agency for International Development, fact sheet, July 27, 2017 "The U.S. Embassy in Khartoum informs U.S. citizens that there are confirmed reports of cholera cases in some areas of Sudan, including the greater Khartoum metropolitan area, that have resulted in fatalities."- U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, emergency message, June 1 The State Department and USAID are related agencies, both reporting to the secretary of state, but there is an odd disconnect in how they have described a looming public health emergency in the African country of Sudan. The embassy declared that there were "confirmed reports" of cholera that have killed people, whereas USAID, citing the World Health Organization and the Sudanese government, said there were cases of "acute watery diarrhea," known in medical circles as AWD. What's going on here? --- The Facts According to the WHO, there are three types of diarrhea: acute watery diarrhea, which lasts several hours or days; acute bloody diarrhea, also called dysentery; and persistent diarrhea, which lasts 14 days or longer. AWD can include cholera, which is an acute diarrhea infection caused by ingestion of food or water that is contaminated with Vibrio cholerae bacterium. (Cholera infections are most commonly acquired from drinking water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.) If left untreated, however, cholera can kill within hours. AWD is a symptom of cholera, but cholera requires more urgent care and immediate rehydration. The first indication of a problem in Sudan was in August 2016, when 100 deaths, mainly children, were reported in Sudan's Blue Nile state. "A medical worker from Blue Nile state revealed an increase in incidences of diarrhea that he believes to be cholera," reported Radio Dabanga, an independent news source that operates out of the Netherlands with correspondents in the field. "He attributes the spread to polluted water and said that hospitals in the state have to isolate patients with diarrhea to avoid infecting others." Sudan has known little but civil conflict since its independence more than a half-century ago, especially between the largely Arab, Islamic northern part of the country and the largely animist and Christian African south, which formed the independent country of South Sudan in 2011. There are also ongoing conflicts in other parts of the country, principally Darfur in the West and the Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile, which border South Sudan. President Omar al-Bashir, who has ruled the country since 1989, was indicted by the International Criminal Court in 2009 for allegedly pursuing a genocide campaign in Darfur. South Sudan, the world's youngest country, descended into civil war shortly after independence, and a cholera outbreak was declared there in May 2014. The index, or first, case was retrospectively identified with an onset of illness on April 23, and then four cases were laboratory-confirmed in Kenya; by May 25, officials had reported 586 cases, including 22 deaths. The WHO has assiduously tracked the spread in the country and administered more than 1.5 million doses of cholera vaccination in an effort to stem the spread, but an additional 2 million doses are required, according to the agency. Recent reports say another 2,500 cases in South Sudan have been registered since April, for a total of 8,000, including 250 deaths. The cholera outbreak in South Sudan is probably linked to the growing health emergency in Sudan. ACAPS, a nonprofit, nongovernmental project that assesses humanitarian needs, on June 16 issued a report stating that a "cholera outbreak" that started in Blue Nile "began to spread rapidly as of April this year. Conservative estimates suggest a minimum of between 15,000- 23,000 people infected, with 280-820 deaths." But the group said that without immediate intervention, infection is likely to spread further now that it had reached the densely populated capital of Khartoum. Almost 2 million people live in the capital. ACAPS said a factor in the rapid spread may be the large refugee population from South Sudan that fled the fighting and is crowded in refugee camps in the White Nile state. "ACAPS is curating and triangulating a lot of different sources to produce its own independent analysis," said spokeswoman Caroline Draveny. "In the case of Sudan, all data we analyzed led us to call it cholera." In its reports in South Sudan, WHO acknowledged that "all the states bordering South Sudan are affected" by a growing number of cases of acute watery diarrhea. But here's the problem: The government in Sudan refuses to acknowledge one. In fact, Khartoum has actively sought to prevent hospitals, doctors and journalists from reporting that there is a cholera outbreak. As far back as January, doctors reported that laboratory tests on acute diarrhea samples proved that it was cholera. "The management problems at the Health Ministry have impeded containment of the disease. Instead of acknowledging the disease and taking measures to prevent the spread of cholera during the past six months, the authorities opted for not announcing the test results," said one doctor. Al-Fateh Omar al-Sayed, a leader of the Sudanese Doctors Union and the National Epidemiological Corporation, in June told Radio Dabanga that the cholera epidemic has turned from a severe temporary situation to a constant epidemic. But the Sudanese government has taken steps to play down the threat: --In April, newspaper reporter Ammar al-Daw was detained for reporting on the outbreak and accused of defamation by the health minister of his home state, Gedaref, of violating the Information Crimes Act. The reporter was accused of "defamation for publishing materials related to the watery diarrhea that has swept many localities in the state and led to the death and infection of hundreds." --In June, the Sudanese health ministry fired a hospital director who dared to publicly say it was treating cholera cases. --In July, security officers questioned a group of volunteers who had set up an awareness campaign on how to prevent the spread of cholera in the area. "The volunteers were told to stop mentioning cholera," Radio Dabanga reported. "WHO has not received any lab results to date that confirm cholera in Sudan," said Gregory Hartl, a WHO spokesman. "However, the Government of Sudan has confirmed an outbreak of AWD. Preventing the spread of the AWD outbreak and saving lives are two of the highest priorities for WHO and Sudan's Federal Ministry of Health. WHO is coordinating efforts with all parties to ensure an effective and rapid response. Early detection is key to containing any outbreak, regardless of the cause." He added that "whether an outbreak is called 'cholera' or 'acute watery diarrhea' does not alter WHO response, and in the case of Sudan, WHO and partners are free to act on the ground to support the government in providing people with the care they need." He did not respond to a query about whether a cholera declaration would allow the use of the cholera vaccine to prevent further spread of the disease. In an open letter to WHO, a group of U.S. physicians have decried "WHO's failure to confirm or disconfirm the findings of Sudanese labs tests in Geneva, using stool samples appropriately transferred from Sudan." Addressing WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the letter said: "Your failure to transport stool samples from victims in Sudan to Geneva for official confirmation of cholera makes you fully complicit in the terrible suffering and dying that continues to spread, out of control, with daily new reports confirming that this is indeed a cholera epidemic." When he was health minister of Ethiopia, Dr. Tedros, as he is known, was accused of covering up cholera outbreaks by labeling it as AWD to avoid harming the country's tourism industry. Tests by the United Nations confirmed it was cholera that had led to 60,000 infections and more than 600 deaths. WHO's Hartl insisted: "Sending stool samples overseas is not called for at this point. WHO understands that the capacity of the Central Public Health Laboratory of Sudan to test and confirm Vibrio cholerae has been demonstrated in the past, and that the Government of Sudan has in fact performed such laboratory tests in response to the recent outbreaks." A USAID spokesman noted that "typically, a cholera outbreak is declared by the Ministry of Health in the affected country, in coordination with the World Health Organization. In Sudan, there is no official cholera declaration." He said USAID was responding to the AWD outbreak and added: "The United States calls on the Government of Sudan to support timely testing and identification of the causes of acute watery diarrhea, in order to enable both government and international donor efforts to address the immediate outbreak, and provide longer-term solutions." The U.S. Embassy in Khartoum did not respond to a query about why it warned of a cholera outbreak. Representatives of the Sudanese Embassy in Washington and Sudanese mission to the United Nations did not reply to queries about the government's handling of the health emergency. An admission of a cholera outbreak would be embarrassing for the regime in Khartoum, exposing its deeply troubled health system. It also comes as the Trump administration is facing an October deadline on whether to lift some sanctions on Sudan. One of the issues under review is improving humanitarian access throughout Sudan. Eric Reeves, a senior fellow at Harvard University's Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights who closely follows Sudan, said it was "preposterous" to assume that a government that punishes people for uttering the word cholera could be trusted to report accurate lab results. The embassy announcement indicated the outbreak was "only now getting attention because it is occurring in areas where Americans might travel (not the case with Darfur, Eastern Sudan, Blue Nile, or South Kordofan)," Reeves said. "Up until then, only Sudanese lives were at risk." "Any time a specific disease appears in certain nations, political sensitivities unfortunately arise about announcing it," said Amesh A. Adalja, senior associate at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. "Cholera is a disease that does carry some stigma around it and that may be behind the 'acute watery diarrhea' label despite the diagnosis of cholera being confirmed. In early stages of an outbreak when precise causation hasn't been established, a clinical descriptor will temporarily suffice but once a definite disease agent has been confirmed it is important to name it exactly and respond accordingly." The Pinocchio Test We understand the diplomatic niceties here. A country's health ministry is supposed to declare a health emergency, and WHO may be reluctant to intervene for fear that the regime would eject needed medical professionals. But it seems absurd for the State Department to warn Americans of confirmed reports of deaths from cholera while USAID sticks with the more politically convenient designation of acute watery diarrhea, even as the death toll rises. Amazingly, the death toll may be higher (800) in Sudan than South Sudan (250), but that's because WHO has been able to respond to the crisis in South Sudan with a program of vaccinations and education about the deadly disease. The Pinocchios here are mainly for the Sudanese government, which refuses to admit an apparent cholera outbreak, but WHO and USAID should not escape blame either. Words make a difference. The accusations that WHO's director-general tried to mask a cholera outbreak in Ethiopia by labeling it as AWD, when tests showed otherwise, make it even more imperative that the international agency should appear above politics. Four Pinocchios Ten months after Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari declared a victory over Boko Haram, the Islamist militant group is stepping up attacks in the far northeast of the country. Boko Haram militants deployed at least 80 children as "human bombs" this year, Mark Lowcock, the United Nations under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said on Tuesday in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, the group's birthplace. The most spectacular attack occurred in July when the Islamist fighters targeted a state oil company research team, killing 48 people and seizing several hostages. "This is a kind of pattern that's unlikely to change very much for months to come," Malte Liewerscheidt, Nigeria analyst at London-based risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft, said by phone. "It's a constant thorn in Buhari's flesh in the sense that one of his key promises when he was campaigning was that he'd deal with this problem." The Nigerian government estimates that more than 20,000 people have died since Boko Haram, which is opposed to Western-style education, started an insurrection in 2009 to impose its version of Islamic law on Africa's most populous nation. The number of people in need of food assistance in the country's northeast, the epicenter of the violence, rose to 5.2 million from 4.7 million between March and June due to persistent insecurity, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. Boko Haram has carried out 83 attacks so far this year, the same number as in all of 2016, while suicide bombings accounted for 27 percent of all assaults, up from 19 percent last year, according to Verisk Maplecroft. A key challenge the government faces is how to curb the attacks while increasing protection for civilians and aid workers, according to Nnamdi Obasi, West Africa analyst for the Brussels-based International Crisis Group. "The government needs to drain the group's membership, de-radicalize former members and counter extremist narratives," Obasi said. "Perhaps more importantly, it needs to reverse the bad governance, economic desperation and social hopelessness that push so many youths to radical ideologues." Army spokesman John Enenche didn't immediately answer calls seeking comment. "The Nigerian army has all along been involved in the restoration and construction of roads and bridges demolished by the terrorists to open up transportation routes in the North East," Defence Headquarters said last month in a report on its website. "The Nigerian military is committed to eliminating terrorism from the northeast." Under military pressure from Nigeria and its neighbors and facing internal dissent, Boko Haram is no longer the unified fighting force it was at the start eight years ago, according to security analysts including Liewerscheidt of Maplecroft. There are now two principal factions, one led by Abubakar Shekau, that's mainly active in southern Borno state, and the other led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi, which operates in the north around Lake Chad. Al-Barnawi's force has proved the more resilient, planning and executing attacks on military targets, including the ambush of the oil exploration team, while Shekau's group, seemingly on the back foot, is relying more on suicide attacks, which include bombs strapped to children, Liewerscheidt said. The government's attention remains mostly on Shekau, who's declared loyalty to Islamic State. On July 22, army chief Tukur Buratai gave his troops 40 days to capture Shekau. "Even if they capture Shekau, that wouldn't mean that the uprising would be over," Liewerscheidt said. "These things typically don't have a well-defined end point. They start petering out over time, and it's very unlikely there's going to be one last decisive action that puts this thing to rest." --- Bloomberg's Mustapha Muhammad and Michael Olukayode contributed. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate For Montgomery County District Attorney Brett Ligon, his office and its tough stance on punishment is why he believes it is often selected to handle the prosecution of serious cases in other jurisdictions. Since January, Ligon has served as special prosecutor or attorney pro tem twice for neighboring counties. In January, Ligon was appointed as a special prosecutor to investigate Ellis County Sheriff Johnny Brown, who assaulted a pair of Whataburger patrons around 2 a.m. New Year's Day. Prosecutors in Ellis County recused themselves from the investigation, citing their close relationship with the sheriff, according to court documents. Ultimately Brown, 57, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge after stepping down and surrendering his Texas peace officer license. Most recently, Ligon was appointed attorney pro tem by Harris County 185th state District Court Judge Susan Brown after Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg filed a motion to recuse her office April 5 in the case involving the fatal shooting of Goforth as he filled his patrol car with fuel in August 2015. According to the order appointing Ligon, Ogg recused the office because now Assistant District Attorney Vivian King previously represented a witness in the case while in private practice. "A lot of it is pure reputation," Ligon said. "Our office is incredibly professional." "When we get appointed, we aren't being appointed by a panel," Ligon said, "they are calling us specifically to handle these cases." Ligon has served as district attorney since being elected in 2008 after serving as an assistant district attorney with the Harris County District Attorney's Office and as staff counsel for the Houston Police Officers' Union. On Wednesday, in a plea deal, Shannon Miles admitted guilt in the shooting death of Harris County Sheriff's deputy Darren Goforth in exchange for a life without parole sentence. While Ligon said he originally was going to seek the death penalty, other factors were considered in the case. Miles' mental illness, Ligon said, weighed "quite heavily" on him and other prosecutors. "It wasn't a recent manifestation that just came up just because of the criminal case," Ligon said. "I can kill a drug-induced crazy guy; and frankly, that is what I thought I was getting when I started. It's different when you have a true mental deficiency." In response to questions that the sentence wasn't tough enough for Miles, Ligon said life without parole is a "beat-down" enough in this case. "You die nameless, you die faceless and nobody gives a good goddamn about you," he said. "That is the beat-down of life without parole. I have executed people and I have put them on life without parole; and I will tell you, neither one of those are good options." As the flames engulfed the building, the boys cried for help. The teens pressed their faces to the windows of their school dormitory, begging for rescue. They couldn't escape the three-story building, witnesses said, because there were bars on most windows. "The children were crying for help, but I couldn't help them as the door was already on fire," one neighbor told Reuters. The man, Hazin, said his family called the fire department after hearing screams. "I saw their little hands out of the grilled windows; crying for help," added local Nurhayati Abdul Halim to The Associated Press. " I heard their screams and cries but I could not do anything." At least 21 boys, ages 13 to 17, and two teachers were killed in the blaze Thursday at the Darul Koran Ittifaqiyah school in Kuala Lumpur, according to media reports. The fire broke out around 5:45 a.m. at the top floor of the dorm. Most of the students were asleep in bunk beds in rooms where metal grills covered most windows. There was only one door in and out. Some boys were able to open one window, witnesses said, and about 14 escaped that way. Mohamad Arif Mawardi, 24, was asleep on one of the building's lower floors when the fire started. He was awakened by screaming and managed to escape. "We wanted to help the others, but we couldn't because the fire was rampant," Arif told Reuters. "There was nothing we could do." Firefighters said it took an hour to extinguish the blaze. Once inside, emergency officials described blackened rooms, charred bed frames lining the walls and burned bodies huddled in corners. Fire department official Soiman Jahid told Reuters that the fire might have been caused by a short circuit or mosquito repellent coil. Malaysian officials say they're investigating the incident. They noted that the original architectural design for the dorm included two staircases for exit, but a wall made it impossible for students to access the second exit. According to the school's principal, the students were being housed in the dorm temporarily while the school underwent construction. They were to move back into the main school later this month. The incident has renewed calls for greater scrutiny and regulation of "tahfiz" schools. There have been 211 fires at private Islamic centers since 2015. In 1989, 27 female students at a private Islamic school were killed when their residence hall was set on fire. Officials said that they've already launched an investigation. "We found that there was some security features that should have been complied with but weren't," Zahid told reporters outside the school, according to Reuters. In the hours after the fire, the boys relatives gathered outside the school. "The pupils all got locked in and they couldn't escape and got burned," Nadia Azalan, sister of a 13-year-old victim, told Reuters. In tears, she gathered with family members outside the burned building. "Safety should come first," she told reporters. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A woman who was born and raised in the Madeley Quarter area of Conroe but left to pursue her career goals decades ago now is working on her dream of revamping the neighborhood by refurbishing homes. Sallie Watkins was away from Conroe for some 30 years as she built a career with the Social Security Administration, working as a regional director in Kansas City and later as a national management officer in Virginia. She returned to Conroe in mid-2000 to take care of her ailing mother, while still working for the Social Security Administration in Houston. "I was so used to multitasking that I could take care of my mother in Conroe, work as a project analyst for the agency out of my Houston office and still have time to do things" she said. Now, back in town, likely for good, Watkins is in the early stages of a fledgling effort to provide affordable homes in the Madeley Quarter area. "Just because I want to save my neighborhood," she said as she explained her undertaking. The neighborhood, referred to as both Madeley Quarter and Madeley Quarters located east of downtown, enjoys an exceptionally rich history, including being home to a once-thriving Normal and Industrial College, an institution that was founded more than 100 years ago. The school opened in 1903, according to the Texas Center For Regional Studies, at a time when the country was still struggling to recover from the divisive post-Civil War reconstruction era. The school's founder, Jimmie Johnson, is considered a Conroe pioneer. In addition to the college, Conroe Community Cemetery, which dates back to the 1890s, is located in a peaceful setting in the neighborhood, adjacent to Fluornoy Park. Luther James Dorsey, a former U.S. Army "Buffalo soldier," is buried there, as well as some of Conroe's earliest residents. Conroe Mayor Toby Powell also has roots in the area, having grown up on North Fourth Street and having attended what was then Travis Junior High School. Powell's parents and other relatives also are buried in the cemetery. As for Watkins and her refurbishment plans, she's purchased six properties in Conroe, with five of them in the Madeley Quarter neighborhood. So far, she's refurbished one home, which she's offering for sale. "I want to use the properties to place and renovate affordable homes for the neighborhood and to build homes for active senior citizens," she said. "I've learned a lot from this project -- one thing that it is not easy, but it is worthwhile." After the flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey, Watkins says she's going to be looking at additional homes to purchase, with the expectation of a possible increased demand for homes in the area. In addition to the efforts by Watkins, earlier this summer Conroe officials also kicked off an effort to clear the Madeley Quarter of trash, debris and unwanted junk. The neighborhood cleanup project is being funded by federal money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The department, through its Community Development Block Grant program, provides grant money to cities for such projects. The leaders of five Maryland school systems have called on Gov. Larry Hogan and state lawmakers to continue protecting the rights of undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children. The unusual joint appeal this week came in response to President Donald Trump's decision to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in six months if Congress doesn't act. The education leaders - from Prince George's, Montgomery, Anne Arundel and Howard counties, and Baltimore City - wrote that the end of the program would have "direct and damaging effects" on Maryland students. "It is a direct threat to Maryland's economic stability and safety, as it will strip students of their ability to work and drive legally, pay taxes and pursue postsecondary opportunities," the education officials said. "Parents who lose work authorizations will face deportation or be moved into a dangerous underground economy, causing financial uncertainty for their families and harmful stress on their children - our students." Other education leaders nationally have spoken out about the DACA rollback. Chiefs for Change, a bipartisan group of school leaders, issued a statement last week saying its members are deeply troubled by the decision to scrap protections for DACA beneficiaries, widely called "dreamers." "Pushing these young people into the shadows will hurt our schools and communities," the group said. The Obama administration created DACA in 2012 to allow undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children to legally work and live in the country. But critics say Obama overstepped his authority, and they assert DACA drains jobs and other benefits from legal residents. Nationally, 690,000 people are enrolled. In Maryland, the five schools chiefs said ending DACA could take a toll on educators' ability to motivate students. Family instability and fear of deportation can disrupt learning, school officials said, and students who don't see a path to the future may question the value of education. Exactly how many Maryland students are part of DACA is unclear because federal numbers do not delineate age or school enrollment. But based on other research, Randy Capps, of the nonprofit Migration Policy Institute, a Washington think tank, estimated that 2,800 to 3,200 students in K-12 schools in Maryland are DACA beneficiaries. An additional 1,500 to 2,500 undocumented Maryland students ages 10 to 14 would have become eligible for DACA in coming years as they turned 15, the minimum age for the program, Capps said. Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, D, announced Monday that his office had joined three other states in filing a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from winding down DACA. Last week, 15 states and the District of Columbia filed similar legal action. The education leaders sent their letter the next day, addressing it to Hogan, R, Senate President Thomas "Mike" Miller, D-Calvert, and House Speaker Michael Busch, D-Anne Arundel. They pointed to the state's emphasis on equity and asked for continuing support of the Maryland Dream Act, which provides in-state tuition breaks for undocumented immigrants. Amelia Chasse, a spokeswoman for Hogan, said the governor did not support the Trump administration's action on DACA and strongly believes Congress needs to act. Hogan has consistently said securing the nation's borders must be a priority, his spokeswoman said, but "focusing immigration efforts on children and young people, many of whom have never known another home and came to this country by no fault of their own, should not be where enforcement efforts are concentrated. Instead of targeting innocent kids, we should be targeting criminals." Miller and Busch also issued statements voicing concern for students. "These children are part of our school community, and are here through no fault of their own," Miller said. "They should remain as students in the school system, and we should do whatever we can at the state level to protect them." Busch said on Wednesday that no one wants to see immigration agents pulling kids out of classrooms in Maryland. "We should not back away from these students who are in Maryland through no fault of their own, trying to better themselves and contribute to our state," he said. The five school district leaders signing are Kevin Maxwell, chief executive in Prince George's County; Jack Smith, superintendent in Montgomery County; George Arlotto, superintendent in Anne Arundel County; Sonja Brookins Santelises, chief executive in Baltimore City; and Michael Martirano, interim superintendent in Howard County. Maxwell, who initiated the effort, said in an interview that he was concerned about student attendance and family uncertainty in the wake of Trump's action. The district has not noticed a spike in absences, but he said increases are hard to detect so early in the school year. "We want to make sure our families know our schools are a safe place for them," he said. Sweden is serious about becoming a cashless society. How serious? Even the Abba Museum no longer accepts cash. Now that is serious. Some researchers are predicting that cash there will be a "very marginal payment form" by 2020. Things are definitely trending in that direction. According to this BBC report, less than 20 percent of retailers now use cash. That's half what it was just five years ago. From public transit to tourist attractions, other businesses also have gone cashless. Since the government and banking officials announced their plans to reduce bank notes and coins in 2010, the circulation of Swedish krona has fallen by 40 percent. Many believe that Sweden has succeeded in going cashless so quickly because of its connected infrastructure, smaller population (10 million) and a higher level of trust by the people in the country's banking system. A concern is whether this significant reduction in cash transactions will be a problem for the country's small business owners. For some, it will be. But most seem to be adapting just fine. They've been helped by a rapidly growing cottage industry of mobile applications and devices such as Swish and iZettle. These technologies have given freelancers, craft-makers, traders, merchants and even panhandlers various options for accepting payments. Swish, for example, is used by more than half of the country's population. Two-thirds of retailers in a soon-to-be-published survey say they plan to phase out cash payments completely by 2030. "We offer payment by cash as well, but the sales are better when people can pay by card," one fruit and vegetable stall owner told The Local Europe AB. "Nobody carries around cash anymore." Going cashless presents both opportunities and challenges for small businesses. It's quicker to accept and offers more options for customers. Plus, smart business owners can collect other data (i.e. email addresses) to use for their marketing. Avoiding cash transaction also creates a safer environment for a company's employees and also has helped reduce the level of illegal activity. The downside? Some business owners don't want others - in particular others in the government - to know what they're earning and it's pretty tough to hide that information after a digital transaction has been completed. Some older customers are slower to adapt. Oh, and then there's the fees. "We pay high card transaction costs," another business owner told The Local Europe AB. Regardless, it looks like Sweden is well on its way to a cashless society and small business owners there will need to adapt. Their success will likely lead to similar changes here in the United States. WASHINGTON -- Democratic leaders announced late Wednesday that they agreed with President Donald Trump to pursue a legislative deal that would protect hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportation and enact border security measures that don't include building a physical wall. The president discussed options during a dinner at the White House with Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., that also included talks on tax reform, infrastructure and trade. Trump has showed signs of shifting strategy to cross the aisle and work with Democrats in the wake of the high-profile failures by Republicans to repeal the Affordable Care Act. "We're working on a plan for DACA," Trump said as he left the White House on Thursday for a trip to survey hurricane damage in Florida. Trump said that he and Congress are "fairly close" to a deal and that Republican leaders Rep. Paul Ryan, Wis., and Sen. Mitch McConnell, Ky., are "very much on board" with a deal that would address DACA. The agreement must include "massive border security," Trump said in response to shouted questions about whether he had reached a deal on the terms Schumer and Pelosi had described. "The wall will come later" he said, apparently confirming a central element of the Democrats' account. Earlier Thursday, amid backlash from conservative supporters, Trump had sought Thursday to reach out to his GOP base with messages claiming his agenda would remain intact on signature issues such as the border wall. In a series of tweets, Trump wrote that "no deal" was made on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, an Obama-era program that has allowed 690,000 dreamers to work and go to school without fear of deportation. He further wrote that agreements on "massive border security" would have to accompany any new DACA provisions, and insisted that "the WALL will continue to be built." But he again put lawmakers on notice that he favors some protections for the so-called "dreamers." "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military?" Trump wrote in back-to-back tweets. Really! . . . They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security." "The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built." - Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 A possible alliance between Trump and the Democrats on immigration would represent a major political gamble for a president who made promises of tougher border control policies the centerpiece of his campaign and pledged to build a "big, beautiful wall" along the U.S.-Mexico border. A majority of Republicans, especially in the House, have long opposed offering legal status, and a path to citizenship, to the nation's more than 11 million undocumented immigrants. In a sign of the potential trouble for the president, Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, an immigration hard-liner and early Trump supporter, wrote that if reports of a potential immigration deal are accurate, the president's "base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." Trump has vacillated over the fate of the dreamers, who have lived in the country illegally since they were children. Under mounting pressure from the right, Trump moved two weeks ago to begin dismantling the program. In announcing the decision, the president made clear that he expected Congress to pursue a plan to protect the DACA recipients, offering a six-month delay until their two-year work permits begin to expire in March. In a statement, the White House described the meeting as "constructive" and said the administration "looks forward to continuing these conversations with leadership on both sides of the aisle." A similar positive readout was given by Schumer, who said Thursday that he expected White House to "support enshrining the DACA protections into law." "What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security with a mutual goal of finalizing all the details as soon as possible," Schumer said during a Senate floor speech. "While both sides agreed that the wall would not be part of this agreement, the president made clear he intends to pursue it at a later time and we made clear that we will continue to oppose it." "Details will matter, but it was a very, very positive step" to have Trump agree to seek legal protections for "dreamers." Schumer noted that lawmakers have in the past supported a bipartisan plan to spend billions of dollars on border security technology to track illegal border crossings and to hire more U.S. Border Patrol agents. He dismissed talk of a border wall as "A 'Game of Thrones' idea for a world that is closer to 'Star Wars.' " Congressional aides familiar with the exchange said that Trump and the party leaders agreed to move quickly on legislation to protect dreamers, though aides did not disclose whether they agreed that the goal should be for dreamers to eventually be offered a path to citizenship. In a statement, Schumer and Pelosi said they had "a very productive meeting at the White House with the President. The discussion focused on DACA. We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides." In a letter to her Democratic colleagues in the House, Pelosi said she hoped the deal could be done "in a matter of weeks." White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed that DACA and border security were discussed, but she said excluding border wall funding from a package deal was "certainly not agreed to." Earlier in the day, Trump held a bipartisan meeting with a group of House members. Afterward, several Democrats involved in those talks said the president also had made clear that he did not expect border wall funding to be included in a legislative deal on the dreamers. They said Trump was not giving up on the wall but that he emphasized the money could be added to another bill, though he was not specific. "He said, the wall doesn't have to be necessary," Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, told reporters at the White House. "He said we're going to add [wall funding] somewhere else. . . . We've told him we don't want to tie this [together]. He said, 'DACA, we're going to do it early. We're going to do some kind of border security.' He brought up the wall. He said that doesn't have to be on this DACA bill." Democrats, and some Republicans, have resisted funding for a wall, saying such a structure is not worth the billions of dollars it would cost. Breitbart, the conservative news outlet headed by former Trump adviser Stephen Bannon, called reports of an immigration deal a "full-fledged cave" by Trump on "amnesty" for the dreamers. Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have introduced legislation, called the Dream Act, that would offer dreamers a path to citizenship. The number of undocumented immigrants that would potentially be covered by that bill, however, is expected to be far larger than the number of those who have DACA protections, a prospect that would probably engender more Republican opposition. Cuellar said that he told Trump the Dream Act has sufficient bipartisan support to pass and that the White House should be pushing for a vote. Trump, Cuellar said, told the group: "Oh, it will be on the floor." But Trump also instructed Democrats to consider tougher restrictions on legal immigration, including provisions of a bill called the Raise Act, introduced by Republican Sens. Tom Cotton, Ark., and David Perdue, Ga., which would slash legal immigration levels by half over the coming decade. Immigrant rights groups are strongly opposed to such measures, but Trump endorsed that legislation during an appearance with the GOP senators at the White House last month. And Republican leaders are already wary of the spending agreement Trump brokered with Democrats last week on a three-month spending plan to raise the debt ceiling and keep the government funded. Pelosi and Ryan met earlier Wednesday to begin discussing the broad parameters of the forthcoming immigration debate. Ryan's team signaled that despite the administration's eagerness to quickly seal the deal, it will take awhile. AshLee Strong, Ryan's spokeswoman, said that regarding the plight of the dreamers, the speaker "reiterated that any solution needs to address border security and enforcement, which are the root causes of the problem. Discussions among the Republican conference will continue in the coming weeks." Ryan is already facing growing pressure from House conservatives who have begun to question his leadership and have even floated names of possible replacement as speaker. An agreement between Trump and Democrats on a bill to protect dreamers could potentially put Ryan in the position of having to decide whether to bring it for a vote with the prospects that it might pass with more Democratic support than among the GOP. --- Brian Murphy and Anne Gearan contributed to this report. SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea's trade community is on the defensive after President Donald Trump's renewed call to terminate a free-trade agreement with the country, which many experts here see as a puzzling move during an inopportune time of heightened tensions over North Korea's nuclear and missile program. Earlier this month, Trump instructed advisers to prepare to withdraw from the agreement, also known as Korus. He seemed to be making good on a threat he had floated since April, when he claimed that the deal, now in its fifth year, was "horrible" and left America "destroyed." The man who negotiated the free trade agreement, or FTA, for South Korea vigorously disputes that, and argues that the timing couldn't be worse. "South Korea has been an adamant ally to the United States for the last 70 years. Now, North Korea is provoking and China is expanding their power, flexing muscles," said Choi Seok-young, who is now ambassador to the United Nations. "We don't quite understand what is the main purpose of Mr. Trump attacking Korea by terminating Korea-U.S. FTA at this critical time." His American counterpart, Wendy Cutler, warns that an American pullout from the agreement would likely drive South Korea into a closer economic relationship with China. The White House has not made a formal announcement on terminating the deal. In fact, days after reports surfaced of Trump's move to withdraw, the United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer contradicted Trump, telling reporters that the administration wants to negotiate the deal and make "some amendments" instead. The uncertainty may be why, at least in part, that the administration of South Korean President Moon Jae-in has not yet publicly responded to Trump's latest threat. Since Trump's election, officials here have stressed that the agreement, while not perfect, is designed to be mutually beneficial. Trump's consistent criticism of the deal has left South Korean trade officials and experts rejecting his characterization of it as a U.S. job killer, and instead highlighting gains that U.S. has made in the Korean market, sometimes to the detriment of Korean workers. "The U.S. argument to renegotiate the Korus FTA is very difficult to understand from the Korean perspective," said Choi. He called it a "revolutionary" move. "That makes me wonder: How can we trust the United States? They pushed it very strongly 10 years ago," he said, "and after a while, they come back to abolish it. It's a matter of trust, and this kind of attitude does not help in strengthening allies." The agreement was negotiated and signed under George W. Bush. It was ratified by Congress in 2011 and took effect in 2012. It wasn't universally acclaimed in South Korea. Both in 2008 when the agreement was signed, and in 2011 when Congress ratified it, there was strong opposition here to the deal. There were daily demonstrations by Korean workers, particularly farmers who opposed increased U.S. beef imports. In 2011, an opposition leader set off tear gas on the parliament floor in protest. Since 2012, Korus has produced mixed results for the United States. The U.S. merchandise trade deficit with South Korea more than doubled, which is the basis of Trump's rejection of the deal, even though economists generally agree that trade imbalances are a result of broader macroeconomic factors and not simply because of bilateral trade of goods and services. Overall, Korea accounts for only 2.5 percent of the 2017 U.S. trade deficit in goods and services. The trade growth on both sides has been slower than initially anticipated. Some major U.S. industries, including beef and dairy, have benefited. South Korean experts note that this increase in imports of cheap, high-quality U.S. agriculture and dairy products has hurt Korean agricultural workers. The U.S. service surplus with Korea increased under Korus. And so far in 2017, U.S. merchandise exports to Korea have seen a sharp increase compared to 2016, while U.S. imports from Korea have been flat, noted Jeffrey Schott at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. The South Korean government-funded Korean Institute for International Economic Policy says that if Korus were terminated, the United States would lose its advantage in auto, manufacturing, agriculture and service sectors in Korea. The research institute estimated that if the United States withdrew from the deal, its exports would drop 2 percent while U.S. imports would drop 4.3 percent. Korus removed car tariffs in 2016, allowing rapid growth of U.S. car exports to Korea. Imports have been taking a larger share of the Korean car market over the past five years, and since 2012, the sale of U.S.-made cars in Korea increased by almost 90 percent, according to Schott. This isn't helping the Korean car market, which already is struggling to compete with European and Japanese imports, said Kim Jong-bum, international trade law professor at Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies. For example, "Hyundai is facing more competition in the Korean market because the markets are open to the EU and U.S. cars. And they are very high quality cars," Kim said. But it's not been all bad, as the Korean auto market also has benefited from exports to the United States, he said. Government data released this week showed Korean auto exports to North America and Europe rose sharply in August. If the United States abolishes the trade agreement, its major trading partners, such as European Union and Canada, would enjoy duty free access, said Cutler, while American goods might face an average 14 percent tariff. "Our companies and farmers would quickly lose the important inroads that they have made in the Korean market," said Cutler, currently vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute. Cutler said 2016 was "a record year for Korean investment in the United States, which has resulted in tens of thousands of high paying U.S. jobs. It's hard to believe that this trend would continue without Korus." WASHINGTON - What do you call two senators from different parties who plan to perform together at a concert? The Amateurs. That's the band name Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., are using Friday for a one-night-only performance at the Rhythm & Roots Reunion in Bristol - a city in southwestern Virginia or northeastern Tennessee, depending on where you're standing. Alexander and Kaine represent either side of the town and are the states' former governors. They both strike a moderate tone on Capitol Hill and are well liked by members of both parties, with whom they frequently collaborate. They're also accomplished musicians. Given that common bond, is their upcoming concert the key to restoring bipartisanship in Washington? Maybe. After all, Alexander leads the committee responsible for salvaging health-care legislation, and Kaine is a member. Alexander has tried to negotiate deals to keep the Senate from overhauling its procedural rules, and Kaine wants to strike a bipartisan deal on when Congress declares war. For now, let's just admire their musicality. Alexander, 77, is a skilled piano player who has used his keyboard prowess throughout his political career. During his failed 1996 presidential campaign, "I played all over Iowa," he recalled. "I've sang the 'Tennessee Waltz' in every little town in Iowa. It didn't really work." Kaine, 59, is a self-taught harmonica player who picked up the habit and began playing publicly during his 2005 gubernatorial bid. The pair discovered each other's musical talents in 2014 thanks to another senator, Ted Cruz, R-Texas, when he forced a rare Saturday voting session just a few days before Christmas. During the all-day ordeal, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., had her electric keyboard wheeled into the Capitol so colleagues could play Christmas carols. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., was among those who sang, while Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Thad Cochran, R-Miss., took turns at the keyboard. Eventually, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., went to find Alexander. "Thad's run out of songs," Wicker told him. "Can you come and play some more?" Kaine was there with his harmonica, and the two discovered a mutual interest. During a recent visit to East Tennessee with their wives, they agreed to perform at the festival Friday. Neither man is a stranger to performing for voters. Kaine performed on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" last year while campaigning to be vice president. In addition to playing piano for voters back in 1996, Alexander has performed at anniversary concerts for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and did concerts with community orchestras and symphonies when he was governor in the 1980s. "People came to see the governor make a mistake on the piano, and it worked out great," Alexander said. He's also used his talent to his legislative advantage. Cochran, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, keeps a baby grand piano in his office. "Every time I go down to see him," Alexander said, "I play him a little song before I ask for my appropriation allocation." Kaine carries seven harmonicas with him: "Keys A through G. So they can say, 'We're playing it in D.' OK, I'll find the D and I'll play in D." "I have the reverse problem," Alexander deadpanned. "When I show up in Tennessee, they usually move the piano out of the room and make sure I don't play for them." Bristol, where they'll perform Friday, is called the "Birthplace of Country Music" and is home to a museum dedicated to the cause. This headliners for this year's festival include Dwight Yoakam, and Alexander and Kaine are set to perform at the opening event along State Street, which runs along the state line. To perform, they needed a name, so Kaine came up with four options and gave his more senior colleague the right to choose. The Capitol Hillbillies? The Bluegrass Roots? Two-System Party? "My personal favorite was Two-System Party," Kaine said, but Alexander demurred. "The fourth one I put on the list was the Amateurs, and Lamar goes, 'That's the one.' And I said, 'Why do you like that one?' And he said, 'You've got to set expectations.' " Their set will include old-time country, gospel and bluegrass classics: "Turn Your Radio On," "Keep On the Sunny Side of Life," "I Saw the Light" and Alexander's signature song, "Tennessee Waltz." (Alexander performed the song with Patti Page at a recording session in Nashville in 2013.) They rehearsed in shirt sleeves, with Kaine standing next to the brown Baldwin piano wheeled into Alexander's office for the rehearsals. A gold plaque on the piano says it was presented to Congress in 1966 by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Alexander said it had needed a good tuning before they rehearsed. Anyone who happened to walk down the hall on the fourth floor of the Dirksen Senate Office Building might have heard the music. Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side Keep on the sunny side of life It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way If we keep on the sunny side of life After the concert Friday, Kaine is performing at a wedding of a family friend Saturday. He's playing with his church's gospel choir at a 40th-anniversary concert next week and at a Richmond event later in September. "The one thing I've learned is, it's hard to not think about work," he said. "But if I play music, I'm not thinking about work." Alexander started playing piano at age 3 and looks just as in command at the keys as he is on a committee-room dais. He began by learning classical music and quickly learned how to play more-popular tunes. "I was trained to play classical music, but I would goof off," he said. "My music teacher would say: 'OK, your left hand is jumping all around. You've been playing that Jerry Lee Lewis stuff again.' " As the rehearsal ended, he played four bars of "Tennessee Waltz" for reporters: I was waltzing with my darlin' to the Tennessee Waltz When an old friend I happened to see I introduced him to my loved one And while they were waltzing My friend stole my sweetheart from me So will this be a regular gig? Could they take over open-mic night at a Washington speakeasy? "We'll take it a step at a time," Alexander said. With that, the two senators exited into an adjoining room to strike up a conversation about legislation. Who knows? Maybe music is, in fact, the key to bipartisan dealmaking. --- Video: Sens. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., practice ahead of a musical performance on the Tennessee and Virginia state line this Friday. URL: http://wapo.st/2eXKm6k Embed code: Conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro delivered his speech at the UC Berkeley campus under extraordinary security that required attendees to pass through metal detectors and police barricades that held back hundreds of protesters. The event at Zellerbach Hall appeared to do what UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ has said she hoped for when she declared a free speech year on campus: provide an open exchange of ideas. Shapiros speech included a question-and-answer session in which audience members respectfully challenged his opinions. Security cost the university an estimated $600,000. Police from all nine Bay Area counties were brought in to keep order on and off campus and to secure Zellerbach and the surrounding area, which was off-limits to anyone without a ticket to the event. The large contingent of law enforcement was a deterrent, said Margo Bennett of the UC Berkeley police. For the most part it was an orderly event, attended by respectful, orderly people, she said. The crowd in the street was loud, but not violent. The evening stood in stark contrast to the Feb. 1 fiery chaos that shut down an appearance by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos and resulted in $100,000 worth of damage to the schools student union and smashed windows at downtown businesses. At that event, black-clad protesters infiltrated police barriers. None of those so-called antifa protesters showed up for Shapiro. Still, UC Berkeley officials said they went to unprecedented lengths and used extraordinary measures to prevent a similar result. There was a general sense of relief that it was peaceful, said UC spokesman Dan Mogulof, . Even after the event ended, hundreds of protesters remained on the streets chanting for fascists to go home. Shapiro took the stage at Zellerbach with several hundred in the audience. While there were 1,000 tickets issued to the free event, not all the seats were filled in areas of the venue that organizers had described as being sold out. Shapiro lamented that the university cut off the number of people allowed in and blocked off the balcony over concerns by police that agitators would throw things from above. The audience included people who said they agreed with Shapiro and some who challenged his views on abortion, sexism and other hot-button issues. In a free country, if you fail, it is probably your own fault, he said to chuckles and a smattering of applause. Alla Kushnir, 30, traveled from Sacramento with five friends to hear Shapiro. I thought it was great, she said. I love this guy. Michael Vancea, 18, and a student at Ohlone College in Fremont also thought the event was entertaining. There were people of all backgrounds, with people disagreeing, he said. I really liked that. Shapiros speaking engagement, sponsored by the Young Americas Foundation, was seen as a test case for UC and Berkeley police, given the possibility of even more controversial speakers appearing on campus in two weeks, including Yiannopoulos, conservative author Ann Coulter and Steve Bannon, President Trumps former adviser. While no official appearances are scheduled, Bennett said the university will nonetheless prepare for the possibility. Now well look for lessons learned and gather to plan, she said. This is where our work on that begins. Shapiro noted how times had changed and that only 18 months ago he had spoken at UC Berkeley and that there had been only two security guards. He noted the significant security and thanked Berkeley, saying the city did something amazing. Berkeley has actually achieved building a wall before Donald Trump did, he said. Shapiros speech focused on criticism of the antifa, or so-called antifascist movement, saying, America is watching because you guys are so stupid, he said. You can all go to hell you pathetic, lying, stupid, jackasses. Hundreds of protesters participating in a Refuse Fascism rally, were kept off campus just outside the south gate, where there were at least nine arrests, including Hannah Benjamin, 20, of Fremont, was arrested for battery on a police officer and carrying a banned weapon, and Sarah Roark, 44, of San Francisco, as well as Michael Paul Sullivan, 29, of Hayward, were also arrested for carrying a banned weapon, police said. At times the rally erupted in a few shouting matches, but no major violence. Xochitl Johnson, 42, of Oakland, one of the Refuse Fascism organizers, said Shapiro and other speakers make students rethink their beliefs and tamp down their activism. People come out of his speeches and they think he made sense, Johnson said. Theyre wrapping themselves in the veil of free speech to bludgeon these young people on these campuses with white supremacy, xenophobia, racism and hatred. Shapiro, 33, graduated from Harvard Law School in 2007, and from UCLA in 2004. Hes the author of about a dozen books, most condemning the political left and accusing universities of indoctrinating youth. He opposes President Trump and aligns more with libertarian views. He edits the Daily Wire, a conservative blog, and hosts the online Ben Shapiro Show, where hes called women who have abortions baby killers and said that a man and a woman do a better job of raising a child than two men or two women. Ray Sullivan, a freshman, had looked forward to the appearance and was among those who got a ticket. I personally agree with a lot of what Ben Shapiro has to say, he said. I was very concerned about personal safety..., but once I got here I felt a lot more comfortable after I saw the police. Kimberly Veklerov, Lizzie Johnson, Nanette Asimov and Jill Tucker are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com, ljohnson@sfchronicle.com, nasimov@sfchronicle, jtucker@sfchronicle.com Thursday Russia embarks on a week of combat exercises and military maneuvers that will be closely watched by neighboring countries and the United States. Dubbed Zapad - or "West" - 2017, it's the latest edition of a quadrennial large-scale drill that was once a key mobilization for the Soviet Union and its allies in the Warsaw Pact. This year, only the forces of Russia and Belarus are involved, but given the tensions surrounding Moscow's relations with Europe and the United States, it's no surprise the exercise is being treated as a momentous geopolitical act. "The exercises will show off a military that has been transformed under President Vladimir Putin into an effective force that has deployed to Syria and Ukraine in recent years," wrote my colleagues David Filipov and Michael Birnbaum. "The official Thursday start - Western observers say the deployments started weeks ago - comes as relations with the West scrape all-time lows." - What's happening during the exercises? Official Russian figures claim the exercises will involve 12,700 troops and 680 pieces of military hardware, including 138 tanks. But Western officials suggest that the numbers are probably far higher, with estimates ranging from 70,000 to as many as 100,000 participants. Putin and his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, will appear on the sidelines over the weekend, a sign of how important the drills are to the Russian leader. The Russian defense ministry bills Zapad 2017 as a defensive exercise, conjuring up a scenario where the combined armies of Russia and Belarus face off against an incursion from the imagined state of Veishnoriya, located for their purposes in northwestern Belarus. Veishnoriya - "a distillation of the Kremlin's darkest fears about the West," as the New York Times put it - is supported in its menacing activities by two other fictive nations, Lubeniya and Vesbasriya. Observers in the region aren't being too speculative when they suggest that these three invented states are stand-ins for the Baltic nations on Russia's borders. The storyline of the exercise sees militant groups linked to Veishnoriya and backed by the West infiltrate the border - ironically in perhaps much the same manner as the "little green men," widely assumed to be Russian soldiers, who appeared in Ukraine in 2014. "The illegal militias are backed from abroad, providing them with armaments and naval and air capabilities," explains a summary from the Russian defense ministry. "In order to neutralize the opponents, land forces will be deployed to cut off their access to sea and block air corridors in the region, with the support of the air force, air defense forces, and the navy." The drill has a "strictly defensive character, its execution will not present any threat for the European community as a whole, nor for the neighboring countries," the Russian defense ministry said. - Why are Russia's neighbors concerned? While military exercises are routine affairs - indeed, NATO is conducting its own in the Baltic states - Russian maneuvers yield no shortage of concerns for countries in the region. One fear is that Zapad 2017 will serves as a "Trojan horse," giving Moscow cover to leave behind some of the troops and military equipment it deployed for the exercise. "We can't be totally calm," Lithuania's defense minister told reporters. "There is a large foreign army massed next to Lithuanian territory." Some in the West have urged the Russians to be more transparent in their actions to build up trust. "With more military activities along our borders in the air, at land and at sea, the risk for incidents, accidents, miscalculations is increasing," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told The Washington Post. "Transparency is the best way to avoid those kinds of incidents, accidents." But just in case, four NATO battle groups - including U.S. troops - are on alert in the Baltic states and Poland, while U.S. jets will patrol Baltic airspace. Poland has also shut down its airspace near Kaliningrad, the Russian exclave on its northern border. In Latvia, Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics told The Post that the country's leaders are "not panicking" but are being "cautious" because "what we are seeing is that the exercises are of an offensive nature, they are exercising access and area denial, they are exercising against at least four NATO member states under the pretext that they are fighting [separatists.]" My colleagues unpacked the possible implications of these maneuvers further: "One is to rehearse the capability to seal off Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, and deny access to the Baltic Sea to NATO forces attempting to come to their rescue. The other is to present a strategic challenge to U.S. and NATO leaders by demonstrating the high cost of defending the Baltics, thus sowing uncertainty about the viability of the alliance." And even in Belarus, the beleaguered opposition held a protest last week over the presence of such a large Russian military footprint on Belarusian soil. - What do the exercises mean for Russia? The last iteration of Zapad exerices in 2013 came at a far more tense time inside Russia. Putin's rule was shaken by mass protests in Moscow, while political uncertainty and crisis roiled next-door Ukraine. Not long after the drills, Russian troops annexed Crimea after the Russian-friendly government in Kyiv was ousted; Moscow later committed itself to supporting a long-running insurgency in eastern Ukraine. This year, as it simulates fighting the sort of separatists it props up in Ukraine, Russia is operating from a far more confident position. Its largely successful campaign in Syria served as a showcase for its enhanced military capabilities. The buildup to the exercises has been widely broadcast in patriotic displays on Russian television. Putin has presided over the "restoration of Russian pride in their armed forces," said Michael Kofman, a senior research scientist at CNA Corp., who suggests such military exercises are "a very important tool of legitimacy" for Putin. The exercise, said Kofman, who was speaking at an event hosted in Washington this week by the Center for the National Interest, is yet another example of the Russians "trying to demonstrate themselves as a power in the international system." It's a system, though, that sees distrust abound both in Moscow and Western capitals. "While Zapad-2017 isn't likely to produce a new military hot spot," wrote Simon Saradzhyan of Harvard's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, "the possibility of conflict continues as long as the underlying animosities are not addressed." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Wednesday vowed not to cut taxes for the wealthy, extolled the virtues of bipartisanship as leading to "some of the greatest legislation ever passed" and then - in a surprise move announced deep into the night - agreed to cut a deal with Democrats saving hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants from deportation. That Trump did all of that while declaring himself "a conservative" only heightened the sense of surrealism that has wafted through the nation's capital over the past eight days, as the president has expressed a newfound, if tentative, willingness to work across the aisle - a development that has left many Republicans chagrined and some Democrats cautiously optimistic. Trump's outreach suggested that an unexpected deal he reached last week with Democrats may not have been an aberration. This week's effort began Tuesday at a bipartisan White House dinner with senators and proceeded to a gathering of House Democrats and Republicans on Wednesday afternoon. It was finally capped off Wednesday night by a presidential meal with the nation's two top Democrats, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Calif., during which they reached the contours of an immigration deal and discussed Beijing trade issues over a menu of Chinese cuisine. Calling the dinner "very productive," Schumer and Pelosi said in a statement late Wednesday that Trump had agreed to "enshrine the protections" of a Barack Obama-era executive order into law "quickly" protecting about 700,000 illegal immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. They would also "work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides," the statement said. In a separate statement, the White House described the gathering as "constructive" and that is focused on immigration, infrastructure and trade. "Bottom line: There really is a new strategy coming out of the White House," said Rep. Henry Cuellar, a moderate Texas Democrat who had turned down previous White House invites but decided to attend Wednesday's afternoon session. "He meets with the bipartisan senators last night. He meets with us. He meets with Pelosi and Schumer today. There is a new strategy in place." Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., a Trump supporter who also attended the afternoon gathering, said the president "has seen the theater up here and learned the lesson: Extremes on both the right and left are problematic to getting his agenda accomplished. You can't run a partisan bill to the finish line, so he knows he has to have his Plan B ready." After eight months of pursuing a mostly hard-right, pro-Republican agenda with limited success, Trump is now flirting with fulfilling his campaign promises to govern as a bipartisan dealmaker - including the possibility of legalizing thousands of undocumented immigrants after running stridently against the idea as a candidate. Trump could also be signaling the return of a recently bygone era when lawmakers of both parties dining - and working - with the president was hardly abnormal. But, then, these are not normal times. "It's up is down and down is up," said Jim Manley, a Democrat and former longtime Senate aide. "No doubt about it." Last Wednesday, Trump shocked and angered Republican leaders by agreeing with Schumer and Pelosi to provide Hurricane Harvey relief while raising the federal borrowing limit and funding the government through December. Then came Tuesday's bipartisan dinner for senators, which included talk of infrastructure projects and featured three Democrats up for reelection in 2018 in states that Trump carried: Sens. Joe Donnelly, Ind., Heidi Heitkamp, N.D., and Joe Manchin III, W.Va. After the afternoon meeting, several House Democrats expressed hope that they can work with the president. "He was very explicit in saying that there would be no tax cut in this package for the wealthy," said Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., referring to a pledge by Trump on Wednesday that would mark a notable departure from his previous proposals. "At one point, he said they may have to pay a little more." Still, Trump has done little to reach out to Democrats until the past week and has often openly derided them and Obama. Trump has begun dismantling Obama-era regulations and protections on issues including health care, labor and the environment. Last week, he also rescinded protections for 700,000 young undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children and known as "dreamers" - the same group he now says he wants to protect. Even on Wednesday, as the president played host to two bipartisan meetings, Trump and his team continued to equivocate. He expressed support for another Republican health-care plan - spearheaded by Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., - aimed at sharply curtailing Medicaid and other parts of the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare. In her daily press briefing, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders argued that Trump is always working on behalf of Republicans. "The president is the leader of the Republican Party and was elected by Republicans," Sanders said."He beat out 16 other candidates to take that mantle on. And certainly I think one of the strongest voices. And so the idea that the Republican Party ideas are not represented in that room is just ridiculous." Trump's reasons for engaging with lawmakers beyond the Republican leadership is deeply shaped by his experience on health-care legislation, which has so far stalled in the Senate after months of fits and starts, according to two people familiar with the issue who have spoken with him recently. Trump remains unhappy with GOP leaders for promising success earlier in the year, only to see the effort fall apart, said the people, who insisted on anonymity to speak candidly. Trump now believes that Republicans - who control both the House and the Senate - cannot be trusted to carry bills to passage by themselves and views it as his burden to create a better environment for his legislative agenda to garner support. What matters to him, one Republican lawmaker said, is "putting wins on the board - not the specifics." Instead of relentlessly courting members of the conservative, and often intractable, House Freedom Caucus, as he did on health care, Trump wants them to "feel the burn a little bit," the lawmaker added, framing the new outreach as Trump's way of reminding conservatives in both chambers that he likes them but does not need them. "They're not the only player he's willing to play with," said Michael Steele, the former Republican National Committee chairman. "He's saying to them, 'I'll be a free-range president.' " Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., who attended Tuesday's dinner, said jump-starting talks on tax cuts and other potential changes remains at the top of Trump's agenda. He said Trump wants to focus cuts on brackets that affect middle-class people. "Let's face it: If you want tax reform, you want to avoid pitfalls that make it impossible," Johnson said of Trump's approach on this priority. "Selling tax cuts for the wealthy is pretty impossible." "What I saw from the president was a genuine process to find bipartisan agreement on taxes and infrastructure," Johnson added. "My guess is some Democrats definitely agree with him." Manchin said the Tuesday dinner was "a very good, productive meeting," and said he believes the president, who was once a registered Democrat, is simply entering his legislative comfort zone. "The president seemed more at ease, more comfortable, talking about finding a bipartisan solution than trying to have to defend a rigid, one-side-only works," Manchin said. "I think he's able to approach legislation in a total sphere, not just one side." Moderate Republicans, in particular, have cheered this development, after long feeling sidelined inside the House as Freedom Caucus members and other conservatives have rebelled against their party's leadership. Trump's conservative critics, however, said his latest gestures reflect his liberal instincts on some issues and his intense desire for popularity. "He's always had that itch to liberate himself from the Republican Party," said William Kristol, a Trump critic and editor at large of the Weekly Standard magazine. "He ran against it in 2015 and 2016, and has attacked it in 2017. He wants to win and doesn't care about the substance of winning." Kristol added, "Democratic voters may loathe Trump, but he could conceivably give them lots of policy victories." Democrats say they are focused only on working with the president on areas where they believe they can get what they want in terms of their priorities, including protections for the dreamers and federal health-care subsidies for Obamacare. They have vowed not to trade dreamer protections for Trump's long-promised wall at the southern border - and in recent days the White House has indicated the two issues do not have to be linked. On other issues and with this president, many Democrats remain wary. Donnelly, despite being wooed by Trump and up for reelection next year, said he feels no pressure to vote for the Republican tax plan if he thinks it's a bad deal. "If the tax package makes sense, I'll support," Donnelly said. "If not, I'll pass." The halting forays into bipartisanship have proven a new experience for many. At Tuesday's dinner, Manchin was presented with yet another surprise in a week full of them - an apple strudel topped with what looked to be a delicate white egg. "I'm thinking, 'Boy, what do I do with this?' " Manchin said. "But I'm thinking, 'When in Rome,' so I take and bite, and, lo and behold, it's ice cream." Such is the dilemma facing Democrats in this moment of Trumpian outreach: The perks are enticing, but they are not entirely sure what they're dipping their spoon into. Donnelly, however, said he had no doubt. "I knew it was ice cream from the start," he said. - - - The Washington Post's Mike DeBonis, Ed O'Keefe and David Nakamura contributed to this report. It has been big news that millions of people are suffering without air conditioning in states hit by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. High temperatures are not only creating miserable conditions - they're also endangering health. What's not big news? That schools in the Orinda Union School District in California just closed temporarily because temperatures were above 100 degrees and they don't have air conditioning - ever. Or that scores of schools in San Diego and in Oregon and Washington just released students early because classrooms bereft of air conditioners were sizzling in record temperatures. Or that in June, schools in at least 20 New Jersey districts sent kids home early in the heat, and the same thing happened in other states. Every school year, thousands of classrooms sizzle in high temperatures with only fans (if they even have them) to circulate the (hot) air - even though research shows that indoor climate is an important factor in people doing their work well. And decades of research has shown a connection between school performance and temperature. A 2017 Harvard University study looked at 4.5 million high school exit exams from New York City and found that "hot temperatures exert a causal, statistically significant, and economically meaningful impact on student outcomes by reducing performance on high-stakes exams as well as possibly reducing the amount of learning achieved over the course of the school year." The renowned Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory cites research from decades ago that found student performance in reading speed and comprehension and in multiplication was much poorer - as much as 30 percentage points lower - when the temperature was between 81 and 86 degrees compared with when it was 68 degrees. Other studies found that students did worse when the room was at a low of 62 degrees than when it was set closer to 80, though students worked more slowly in the warmer temperatures. Later studies found the same pattern, though with different temperature thresholds. This comes as no surprise to teachers and students, who are expected to show up at school and do their work no matter how hot or cold it is in their classrooms. Indoor air quality has been given short shrift by school reformers, who have focused on test scores and curriculum standards as key mechanisms for academic improvement. When Chicago public school teachers went on strike in 2012, one of their demands was that schools be air-conditioned - and some people ridiculed them, even though temperatures in the summer can soar. A story on the 74, an education website, found that in 11 of the country's biggest school districts - some with consistently warm temperatures and others with temperature spikes - many schools and classrooms have no air conditioning. And many of those with air conditioning have systems in less-than-stellar shape. A 2014 study by the U.S. Education Department's National Center for Education Statistics, with data from the 2012-2013 school year, found that 30 percent of district-level staff across the country rated their heating, air-conditioning and ventilation systems as being in fair or poor condition. In this New York Times opinion piece, teacher Sara Mosle wrote: "My first year as a public school teacher, I taught at Manhattan's P.S. 98, which did not have air-conditioning. From mid-May until June's end - roughly 17 percent of the school year - the temperature in my classroom hovered in the 80s and often topped 90 degrees. "Students wilted over desks. Academic gains evaporated. Even restless pencil tappers and toe wigglers grew lethargic. Absenteeism increased as children sought relief at home or outdoors. By day's end, my hair was plastered to my face with perspiration. "It seems obvious: schools need to be cool. It's absurd to talk about inculcating 21st-century skills in classrooms that resemble 19th-century sweatshops." It's not just the temperature that can affect school performance. Studies have made a link between student achievement and building quality, noting that kids perform better when they are in classrooms with regulated air, windows that open, air that doesn't emit foul odors, paint without lead and walls without asbestos. It has long been known that temperature can affect not only performance but also health in the workplace and at school. In 1931, the New York Commission on Ventilation, trying to determine what air temperature was healthiest for students, conducted experiments in city and rural schools. In a 2002 report detailing this work, Glen Earthman, a professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, wrote: "Students were subjected to varying temperatures while in the classroom and measures of the number of reported illnesses were taken to compare with the temperatures. The commission reported that when classrooms are not maintained within the narrow band of temperature and humidity tolerances of 67 to 73 degrees and 50 percent relative humidity, there were more reported cases of student illnesses than students in a properly controlled thermal environment. The results of the commission study confirmed earlier studies conducted in the workplace that found excessively high temperatures tend to produce harmful physiological effects on workers. That part of the study that dealt with overheating showed that 15 percent less physical work was performed at 75 degrees than at 68 degrees with humidity at 50 percent; while at 86 degrees with 80 percent humidity, the decrease was 28 percent as compared to that performed at 68 degrees with humidity at 50 percent. Despite the age of this research, these findings are just as germane today as they were three quarters of a century ago." Surely there will be those who will say that kids have gone to school for many years - and around the world - in the heat and get their work done. Mosle noted in her piece that Michael Bloomberg, when he was mayor of New York, made that argument during a heat wave, yet officials in cities commonly warn the young and the old to find a cool play to shelter for health reasons when the heat rises too high. And when American cities lose power in storms, the importance of air conditioning to sustained high-quality work is recognized. Here's part of a Washington Post story in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, which left millions of people without power in Florida: "Any disaster that wipes out electrical service hits especially hard in the South, where tens of millions of Americans rely on the cocoon of comfort provided by air conditioning. Without it, many cities could barely exist, let alone prosper. When the lights go out in Florida, the muggy, buggy reality can be jarring even to longtime residents. "There were signs on social media that some people were growing angry and tired of waiting. Others steeled themselves for an extended period without electricity." The air conditioning will, thankfully, go back on for millions of people, but many schools will continue to face extreme temperatures inside classrooms and offices. Just don't expect it to make big news. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Yet another Walgreens burglary attempt drew police to the River Oaks area early Thursday morning. The security company flagged authorities after three men were spotted on camera breaking through glass doors at the front of the building on Westheimer and Weslayan. It's unclear whether they succeeded in nabbing any goods once inside the building, and police did not immediately release a suspect or vehicle description. The would-be thieves fled the scene before officers arrived. The heist is just the latest in a long string of burglary attempts at Houston-area Walgreens locations. In June, two men robbed customers at a Cypress-area Walgreens on Holzwarth, just after targeting a Family Dollar on FB 1960. In an apparently unrelated case earlier the same day, several burglars busted through the front door of a Walgreens at the Woman's Hospital of Texas, but it wasn't clear what they stole. A week before that, burglars targeted two pharmacies in half an hour, one at the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic's Woman's Center and the other at the Walgreens at Memorial Hermann Southwest, where the thieves apparently nabbed narcotics. Back in October, burglars hit up three Walgreens in one night in an apparent smash-and-grab spree. It wasn't clear what all they stole, but authorities recovered pill bottles littered by a nearby dumpster. The Houston Chronicle is proud to present "Hurricane Harvey: by the staff of the Houston Chronicle," a 192-page book that captures the wide-reaching devastation and Houston's steadfast spirit and comradery. Written by the award-winning staff of the Houston Chronicle, this hardbound narrative features breathtaking photos and compelling stories from across the region. A portion of the proceeds from this book will go to help those impacted by the hurricane in Houston and across the Texas Gulf Coast through a donation to the Greater Houston Community Foundation Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund and Rebuild Texas Fund. Also available is the George Bush biography aptly named "George H.W. Bush: An American Journey" which takes us from the former president's days as a youth in Massachusetts to retirement in Houston. This heirloom-quality, 160-page book features stories and historic photos from Houston Chronicle Archives and the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum. Check out the gallery above to view some of the historic and remarkable photos found in each book. Both books are set to publish in December 2017 but are available for pre-sale with an added discount HERE sold separately or as a set. These make for a perfect Christmas gift or commemorative pieces to add to any Texas home. These books will go fast so reserve your copies today. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ROSENBERG - Dolores Yanez sat at a long, folding table in the parish center at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, savoring a few moments of rest. Rest had been hard to come by in recent weeks. Since Hurricane Harvey assaulted the small, rural municipality of Rosenberg two weeks prior with massive flooding along the Brazos River for the second year in a row, she'd filled nearly every waking hour with the task of organizing the relief efforts at the parish. The community had been blessed with donations, she said, but she feared it wasn't enough. "We need money," she said. "I think all of it is going to Houston." As the world rallied around the nation's fourth largest city with the adage "Houston Strong" and watched clips of flooded urban and suburban streets, some of those who experienced catastrophe in the more outlying areas - like Rosenberg - feared that their communities would be overlooked as the region shifts into long-term recovery. It's a concern echoed by disaster relief experts who have observed the especially difficult challenges of recovery facing vulnerable populations - including those living outside of urban areas. "People that are the most vulnerable when the sky is blue are even more vulnerable when the sky is gray," said Jeff Schlegelmilch, deputy director for Columbia University's National Center for Disaster Preparedness. "So much of the attention tends to go to the highly populated areas." Areas that are more removed from resources in the city - from health care and education to employment and infrastructure - have a much harder time bouncing back after disaster strikes, Schlegelmilch said. And in Rosenberg, the vulnerability caused by geography is compounded by poverty and the fact that many of those hardest hit by the floods are Hispanic immigrants or descendants of immigrants. The majority of Our Lady of Guadalupe's parishioners hail from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras or are descended from immigrants, Yanez said. Many work as maids, child care providers or construction workers and struggled to make ends meet, even before disaster struck. "They live paycheck to paycheck," said Elsa Cantu-Cortez, a local Realtor and parishioner helping Yanez run the relief effort. In Rosenberg, a city of just less than 37,000, roughly one in five residents earned an annual income below the poverty line in 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Fifty-one homes and five businesses reported damage from the floods, said city spokeswoman Jenny Pavlovich. In the aftermath of the disaster, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church served as the conduit between relief agencies and the community It's a phenomenon that Schlegelmilch observed in many rural communities when he toured parts of Southeast Texas in the hurricane's aftermath. In smaller towns from Rockport to Beaumont, local faith-based and community organizations stepped up to supplement government emergency aid. "There were encouraging signs," he said. "What I worry more about is long-term recovery." Still, Schlegelmilch estimates that Harvey recovery could take 10 years for some storm victims. By the second Thursday after the storm, Our Lady of Guadalupe's parish center was relatively calm. A couple dozen teenagers goofed off between volunteer work, and a handful of people sat in folding chairs, waiting for their turn to register with FEMA and Catholic Charities. The Monday before, however, the Salvation Army had served 800 meals to flood victims out of the parish kitchen. The lull, Yanez speculated, was because so many people were busy cleaning out their flood-damaged homes. On one street in neighboring Richmond, the residents had been so set on mucking out their homes before mold set in that they had been living without running water or usable bathrooms. "They were living in muck," Cantu-Cortez said, her voice breaking with emotion recalling the living conditions she had seen there. Rosenberg has gotten some attention from donors hoping to help areas likely to be overlooked as charitable giving descends upon the Greater Houston Area. SCORE International - a global medical mission group - coordinated with the Houston nonprofit San Jose Clinic to set up free medical care for flood victims at Our Lady of Guadalupe church. The volunteer doctor and other medical personnel also set up shop on a porch in one of the devastated Rosenberg communities to give tetanus shots and replace lost prescriptions. United Sikhs, a United Nations-affiliated international charity, specifically chose Rosenberg as a recipient for a couple truckloads of supplies because the organization seeks to fill gaps in service and reach the "outliers" in disasters, said Gurvinder Singh, the organization's director. A church in Connecticut adopted Our Lady of Guadalupe, and a city in Alabama adopted the city of Rosenberg, pledging to send supplies. But the need is difficult to keep up with. "The needs right now will change next week," Cantu-Cortez said. Donors have been responsive, but the recovery is daunting. "Some messages don't get out fast enough," she said. For many of the homes damaged in Rosenberg during Harvey, it was the second major flooding event in just more than a year. When the Tax Day floods swelled the Brazos River last April, water submerged the low-lying neighborhoods near the banks. Of the 51 homes flooded this year, 18 of them were vacant. Fewer homes were damaged by Harvey simply because they had already been demolished after the Tax Day floods left the city to clean up more than $900,000 worth of damage, said Pavlovich, the city spokeswoman. But of those who chose to return, many elevated and rebuilt their homes, believing - or at least hoping - that they would be prepared for the next flood. Angelina Arguello's home on Cumings Road rested on top of several cinder blocks, elevating it a couple of feet off the ground. It was a precaution her adult daughter, Laura Rendon, who lives a few blocks away, had helped her make after the Tax Day floods ravaged the home that their family had moved to from Mexico 30 years before. The flood in 2016 had forced the family to throw away nearly everything, ripping out all of the walls and essentially rebuilding the decades-old home from scratch. Arguello had just moved back into her home a few days before Harvey hit. In spite of the elevation, 8 inches of water filled the house as record rainfall caused the Brazos River to, again, spill over into the neighborhood. Rendon's nearby home was also flooded with 5 feet of water for a second time, forcing Rendon, her husband, her grandson and Arguello to evacuate and take refuge with her brother in Needville. After last year's flood, Rendon's family stayed at her brother's home for six months while they rebuilt their house, but this time, she's determined to get back into her own space more quickly - even if that means living in the damaged home as repairs are ongoing. She noted that, because they experienced similar flooding last year, her family was more prepared when Harvey hit. They stacked furniture on tables before the flood and kn o ew how to muck out a home and navigate FEMA aid in the aftermath. "We got smarter this year," Rendon said. But recovering from flooding is not an experience she wants to continue repeating. After dealing with the devastation two years in a row, Rendon is considering moving away from her home of more than three decades. "I don't think I'm ever going to be comfortable here," she said, tears filling her eyes. "A home is supposed to be a safe place, and it's not." For now, Rendon and her family are throwing themselves into rehabilitation, but she's not sure how much longer she or her neighbors will stick around if flooding continues to be an issue. "It's going to be a lonely community," she said. "I don't know if they'll want to return." Rendon said that she had a positive experience receiving aid from FEMA after last year's floods, but she's afraid that - with the far greater scope of Harvey's devastation - this time the help may take much longer to reach her family. Back at Our Lady of Guadalupe, Nidia Ayala hugged her 2-year-old son, Jose Tolentino, on her lap as she waited to meet with a FEMA representative. Her home had taken on nearly 5 feet of water, and she was staying with family, unsure what to do next. "These people are waiting forever for FEMA," Cantu-Cortez said. Making the parish center a resource facility for FEMA and other organizations was a decision church leaders had been hesitant about, Yanez said. The church community was eager to open its doors and serve as a resource center for FEMA and global charities, but some also believed that - without the extensive applications and long waiting periods plaguing larger agencies and organizations - the church would be more able to provide direct assistance. "If we do our own thing, we can cut a lot of red tape," Yanez said. "We're a church. We help everyone." Yanez's husband, Albert Yanez, a deacon at the parish, led an effort to re-purpose the small building across the street from the church that normally serves as a clothing distribution center into a miniature resource center for Harvey victims. As the donations of cleaning supplies, toiletries and baby items come in, they are sorted and displayed. "We tell (people), 'Take what you need,'" Albert said. "Whatever comes in, we give it out." An injured hawk that decided to hunker down with a Houston taxi driver prior to Hurricane Harvey has been released back into the wild. Last month, "Harvey the Hurricane Hawk" went viral for its calm demeanor with William Bruso, the cabdriver who temporarily housed the female hawk. With Harvey gone, national weather officials are entering the final stages of tallying up how much rainfall Houston-area neighborhoods received. The National Weather Service recently released a post-Harvey report ranking which Houston and Greater Houston areas were inundated with the most rain during Harvey. A South Texas police department called "fake news" on a Washington Post report officials claimed sensationalized the effects of Hurricane Harvey, which was a Category 4 storm at landfall, on the town. The Aransas Pass Police Department shared a photo of CNN's logo changed to say "Fake News Network," on Facebook Tuesday. The post included a link not to CNN but to a Washington Post article titled: "'Nowhere else to go': Small Texas towns decimated by hurricane struggle to rebuild amid poverty." PHILADELPHIA For the seventh year in a row, the Express-News Taste section has been named best newspaper food section in its division by the Association of Food Journalists. In its circulation category, the Express-News Taste section prevailed over the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. A Kentucky man whose pickupwas seized two years ago by federal agents at the border in Eagle Pass sued the government Wednesday to try to get his vehicle back and to provide others in similar situations prompt hearings in asset forfeiture cases. The federal class-action lawsuit, filed in Del Rio by the Virginia-based Institute for Justice on behalf of Gerardo Serrano and others in situations like him, is the latest effort by Serrano to get his 2014 Ford F-250 back. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents seized the truck on Sept. 21, 2015, at the international bridge in Eagle Pass as Serrano was headed to Piedras Negras, Mexico to visit relatives. Serranos truck was seized under the governments asset forfeiture program, a civil process for taking money or property the government believes is involved in a crime. In an interview, Serrano said he believes agents seized the truck to retaliate because he stood up for his rights. Serrano said agents questioned him about pictures he had snapped on his cellphone of a tolling area on the bridge. When he wouldnt give them the pass code to log into the phone without a warrant, they pulled him out of the truck and searched it. They found a pistol magazine in the truck loaded with five .380-caliber rounds. The truck was being used to smuggle arms or munitions of war, according to documents Serrano received from CBP. Serrano denies that, and hes never been charged. During the dispute, one agent told him I dont care about your rights, Serrano alleged, adding that another laughed when Serrano was told the CBP was seizing the truck. All they wanted was to hurt me, Serrano, 59, said. All they wanted to do is circumvent our rights yours and mine to achieve a goal that is unconstitutional. That does not belong here. It belongs in Cuba or it belongs in Venezuela. Serranos situation isnt unique. Several people, many of them innocent, have lost property to the feds because of controversial asset forfeiture laws Congress passed years ago that gained traction in the 1980s during the war on drugs. The civil forfeiture law turns the ordinary criminal process on its head, said Robert Everett Johnson, an attorney with the Institute for Justice. It forces people to prove their innocence in order to get their property back. In Serranos case, he had to post a $3,800 bond to seek a hearing. The federal government deposited his check, but they have yet to give him a hearing, or even file a forfeiture lawsuit to get the court process going, Johnson said. In the meantime, Serrano said hes had to keep up loan payments on the truck of $673 a month, plus more than $700 a year to keep his insurance current. And, hes had to find alternate transportation for the two years hes been without a vehicle. As a matter of policy, we do not comment on pending litigation, the CBP said in a prepared statement Wednesday. However, lack of comment should not be construed as agreement or stipulation with any of the allegations. In DHSs homeland security mission, our trained law enforcement professionals adhere to the Departments mission, uphold our laws while continuing to provide our nation with safety and security. Activists on the right and the left have called for reform to federal asset forfeiture laws, which they say have a standard of proof thats too low and create a process thats too confusing, making it easy for the government to take private property. Supporters of asset forfeiture say not only does it allow police to take proceeds of crime and property used to commit crimes away from criminal networks, but it provides much-needed funding to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Bills have been introduced in Congress over the past two years to reform the forfeiture laws and rein in governmental abuses cited in scathing Congressional reports, but none have yet been signed into law. This is why you never want to give a government so much power, said Serrano, who unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for one of Kentuckys congressional seats in 2014. Theres no reason for them to hold my truck for two years. gcontreras@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The man who shot two San Antonio police officers, killing one and critically wounding the other, had a tombstone tattooed on his left wrist that read RIP COPS, according to an autopsy released Wednesday by the Bexar County medical examiners office. The autopsy also found that Andrew C. Bice, 34, had several opiates in his body, including codeine, morphine, and 6-monoacetylmorphine, one of three active ingredients of heroin. The RIP COPS tattoo, which the San Antonio Express-News also obtained a photo of, sheds new light on Bices mind-set on June 29. RELATED: Girlfriend of gunman who shot and killed SAPD officer shares photos, his text messages Police said then that Bice fired at officers Miguel Moreno and Julio Cavazos before running from the scene and killing himself. The two officers, who were on patrol to focus on car burglary prevention, had approached Bice and another man, walking near Tobin Lofts, to check their identification. The medical examiners office also released Morenos autopsy Wednesday. It found that Moreno died as a result of a gunshot wound to the head. He also had a gunshot wound on his left hand. Moreno, 32, an officer for nine years, died June 30. Cavazos, 36, was wounded in the chin and recovered. Bice, who had an extensive criminal record in Louisiana and Texas, had several tattoos on his body, including a cross, a Chevrolet symbol, snakes, flowers and two that read Only God can judge me and F... wit me, with the obscenity spelled out. He also had one tattoo with a clock and prison bars. In some gangs or criminal organizations, a clock tattoo represents doing time, according to a report about U.S. gangs by the Canada Border Services Agency. RELATED: Details of Miguel Moreno's life revealed through memories of friends and family Bice also had tattoos that read MOB, possibly an acronym for Money over bitches, and MPR, which can stand for Money, Power, Respect or Marijuana, Pot, Reefer. The report also notes that tattoos used by criminal organizations can have several different interpretations. The autopsy, which the San Antonio Express-News obtained through an open records request, concluded that Bice died as a result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He also had a gunshot wound in the left upper buttocks, which likely was a result of return fire from Moreno or Cavazos, the report concluded. Morenos organs were donated, including his heart, both lungs, liver, spleen, pancreas and kidneys to various recipients, according to the report. We as citizens have a huge debt for his sacrifice, Pastor Manuel Ortiz said during Morenos funeral service in July. He gave the gift of life to so many. Miguel Moreno III will continue to live on. eeaton@express-news.net Twitter: @emilieeaton This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A 27-year-old man was arrested Wednesday in connection with a fatal shooting at a Southeast Side bar. David Hinojosa, 27, was charged with murder in the death of 37-year-old Joseph "Dash" Torres, who was, according to a GoFundMe page created to raise money for his family, a father of four. Hinojosa is accused of gunning down Torres at the Sugartime Texas bar in the 2700 block of Bill Miller Lane around 8 p.m. On Aug. 14. Witnesses reportedly told police Torres and Hinojosa were arguing on the patio of the bar when Hinojosa pulled out a gun and shot Torres. RELATED: Man fatally shot on patio of Southeast Side bar identified Now Playing: David Hinojosa, 27, was arrested Sept. 13, 2017 in connection to a fatal shooting at the Sugartime Texas bar on Bill Miller Lane. Joseph "Dash" Torres, 37, was killed in the shooting. Video: San Antonio Express-News "They were acquaintances," said Sgt. Michelle Ramos, a spokeswoman for the San Antonio Police Department. "They were regulars at the bar." Ramos said detectives conducted interviews with witnesses to the shooting and reviewed security camera footage during the investigation, and eventually named Hinojosa as a suspect in the shooting. It is unclear if anyone else is wanted in the slaying. The Lone Star Fugitive Task Force found Hinojosa Wednesday on the Southeast Side and arrested him on an unrelated warrant, Ramos said. He was brought in for questioning and police secured a warrant for his arrest on a charge of murder. He was later escorted to the Bexar County Jail. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com cdowns@mysa.com Twitter: @calebjdowns SACRAMENTO California would pick up the first year of community college for virtually all full-time freshmen under a bill passed by the state Legislature on Wednesday and headed to Gov. Jerry Brown. AB19 by Assemblymen Miguel Santiago, D-Los Angeles; David Chiu, D-San Francisco; and Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, would waive the $46-per-unit fee for full-time students in California entering their first year of community college. Low-income students already can apply for a fee waiver, but the bill would cover the cost for an additional 19,000 students first year. Each student taking 12 units each semester would save $1,104 a year under the bill. Our state used to make higher education affordable, and for California to stay a great state, it has to be affordable again, Chiu said. Students would still be responsible for other educational and living expenses if not covered by financial aid or scholarships. Lawmakers said they hope the bill will increase enrollment and college completion rates. City College of San Francisco saw its enrollment spike after the college made attendance virtually free for San Francisco residents who have lived in the state for at least a year. Fall enrollment was up 16 percent over last year, or nearly 4,900 students. Brown has not indicated whether he supports AB19. The bill was among hundreds lawmakers have moved through so far this week. Bills must pass by the end of the legislative session Friday or they die for this year. Among the bills passed by the Legislature on Wednesday were: SB63 by state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, which would allow new mothers and fathers working for smaller businesses to receive 12 weeks of job-protected parental leave. Brown vetoed a similar measure by Jackson last year. Jackson said she worked with Brown to address his concerns and is confident he will sign her legislation this time. SB63 would require businesses with 20 to 49 employees to offer parental leave. The bill does not require that leave to be paid. Companies with 50 or more employees are already required to provide 12 weeks of leave. The bill would extend the job protections to 2.7 million more Californians. Those workers already pay into the states family leave program, but for employees at smaller companies, there is no guarantee that their job will be waiting for them when they return. Any parent knows that the birth of a child comes with many challenges, Jackson said. But losing a job should not be among them. SB17, by Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina (Los Angeles County), which would require pharmaceutical companies to notify health plans before raising the cost of drugs. Supporters say that disclosing drug price hikes and requiring manufacturers to explain those increases will increase transparency and allow health insurers to negotiate lower costs. SB20, by Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, which would require bus drivers and passengers to wear seat belts if a bus has them. Hill introduced the bill after a crash last year in San Jose in which two passengers were ejected from a bus and died. The federal government requires new buses to be manufactured with seat belts, but California does not mandate that passengers put them on. AB280 by Assemblyman Evan Low, D-San Jose, which would allow taxpayers to donate a portion on their income tax return to a fund that would help law enforcement eliminate the states rape-kit backlog. Low said since the state does not have a dedicated funding source in the budget, the voluntary donation would help ensure that evidence taken following a sexual assault is processed quickly. There is no excuse for leaving critical evidence unexamined, Low said. AB785, by Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer, D-Los Angeles, which would bar individuals convicted of a hate crime from buying or possessing a gun within 10 years of their conviction. Existing law prohibits people convicted of other crimes, like assault or battery, from owning a gun for 10 years, but that does not include hate crime convictions. AB250 by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, D-San Diego, which would create a program to reduce the cost of campgrounds, cabins, hostels and motels along the states coast for low- and moderate-income families. Too many California families simply cant afford a trip to the beach, Gonzalez Fletcher said. Rental rates are astronomical. Throw in parking, gas and all the other expenses, and ... our beautiful ocean is out of reach for many hardworking families. Melody Gutierrez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mgutierrez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @MelodyGutierrez Local News, Crime, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: September 14 2017 Jeremey Collazo Sold Over 2,000 Glassines Of Heroin To An Undercover Detective, Will Be Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison. New York, NY - September 14, 2017 - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the guilty plea of Jeremey Collazo for his role in a drug trafficking ring that distributed heroin throughout New York and Bronx counties. On four separate dates, Collazo was captured selling plastic bags filled with heroin to an undercover detective. In one instance, Collazo smuggled the heroin inside audio speakers into a storage unit that was utilized by law enforcement and outfitted with undercover cameras. Once inside of the storage unit, Collazo opened the speakers and removed the hidden heroin bags to give it to the undercover detective. In total, Collazo sold more than 2,000 glassines of heroin during the course of this investigation. The narcotics dealing was part of Operation Steal Horses a long-term investigation conducted by the Attorney Generals Organized Crime Task Force and the New York Police Departments Auto Crime Division, which resulted in the arrest of a ten individuals in Bronx County for participating in organized motorcycle-theft and narcotics rings. Well continue to act to take dangerous drugs and those who deal them off our streets, said Attorney General Schneiderman. Too many New York families are plagued by the opioid epidemic and the violence that often come with it. Were committed to continuing to work tirelessly with our partners in local law enforcement to stop the flow of illegal and dangerous drugs. As part of the long-term investigation, law enforcement also employed street-side covert cameras, confidential informants, and undercover officers. Collazo, 30, of Bronx County, pled guilty on September 13, 2017 to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a B level felony conviction. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Bronx County Supreme Court Justice Steven L. Barrett, on October 4, 2017, to 3 years in prison, with 5 years of post-release supervision. The Bronx County motorcycle and heroin indictments against the remaining defendants are still pending. The charges against the remaining defendants are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. Local News, Business & Finance, Seasonal & Current Events By Chris Boyle Published: September 14 2017 The BOOM Business Network will be holding its second bi-annual BOOM Business to Business Expo and Executive Speaker Conference on Thursday, October 19 at the Huntington Hilton in Melville. Long Island, NY - September 14, 2017 - In todays competitive Island business scene, companies are often vying for any possible leverage in a bid to achieve necessry success; luckily for them, the In todays competitive Island business scene, companies are oftenfor any possible leverage in a bid to achieve necessry success; luckily for them, the BOOM Business Network is here to lend a helping hand in an altogether big way. The BOOM Business Network will be holding its second bi-annual BOOM Business to Business (B2B) Expo and Executive Speaker Conference event on Thursday, October 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Huntington Hilton in Melville. The event incorporates near-limitless networking opportunities and informational conferences that can assist business owners and professionals to develop and grow, according to Frank Gargano, BOOM Business Network President and Founder. The Expo is really an event that seeks to bring together the Long Island business community so we can all invest in one another, help support each other's businesses, owners, entrepreneurs, and executives, he said. Our goal is to keep as many of the financial resources on Long Island as we possibly can by investing in local businesses. That's really what the mission statement of the Expo is all about. Frank Gargano, BOOM Business Network President and Founder. Photo Credit: BOOM Business Network The first Expo, held this past April, was an unbridled success, attracting over 100 business exhibitors, 50 speakers, and 50 partnering business organizations, in addition to at least 2,500 attendees. Only a half year later, Gargano said, and the BOOM B2B Expo has already grown by leaps and bounds, offering more education and networking opportunities to Long Island business owners than ever. In October, were planning on anywhere between 130 and 140 business exhibitors this time, and somewhere between 75 and 90 executive speakers, he said. Overall attendance should at the very least mirror the April event, if not exceed it, as word of mouth about the Expo has been spreading across the Long Island business community. The October 19th event is slated to start with an executive breakfast first thing in the morning between 8 and 10 a.m., featuring speakers consisting of local politicians and the Supervisors of numerous Long Island municipalities, including Oyster Bay Huntington , and others. In addition, another vital part of the BOOM B2B Expo is the speaker conference, which gives a wide variety of executives and business owners from Nassau and Suffolk Counties a voice to communicate about their products, services, and expertise in the marketplace; this way, Gargano said, they are able to promote themselves and their company to a very receptive audience. With the business climate in the United States and especially New York becoming more difficult to navigate, Gargano said that Long Island especially presents a unique series of both benefits and obstacles for local business owners, thus necessitating the existence of an event like BOOM. The BOOM Business Network was originally founded three years ago, and eventually I was asked to consider putting together an event such as this by more than a few of our members...in fact, our entire business network has been, in part, created through the suggestions of our membership, he said. It was suggested by members that we produce some sort of all-day conference, and I really wanted it to be about the speakers. Out of all of the business-to-business expos I had personally attended, it seemed more about the exhibitors and less about the speakers...I wanted to put them all on an even playing field for attendees, and I wanted to put a focus on established business owners and decision-makers that people wanted to connect with, and that could really make a difference in their business. The BOOM B2B Expo consists of networking opportunities and informational conferences that can assist business owners and professionals to develop and grow. Photo Credit: BOOM Business Expo The current plan is for the Expo to be held as a bi-annual event, which Gargano said is necessary to properly address the fast-paced and ever-evolving economic and business scene on Long Island. Right now, there will be two BOOM Business to Business Expos every year, one in the spring and one in the fall, as opposed to just having one huge annual event, he said. When you have just one massive event a year, you could lose the quality of your attendees and your participation. The inaugural BOOM B2B Expo was held at the Huntington Hilton, which Gargano said was a perfect venue for such an event; going forward and with continued success it is his wish to continue holding the Expo there for the foreseeable future, providing Long Islands entrepreneurs with the means of staying ahead of the competition and achieving the success they so richly deserve. I'm very comfortable with our relationship with the Hiltonthey do a terrific job, and what I like about it is that it's a professional environment, he said. It's very classy and upscale, and it speaks to our membership and our following. The philosophy behind planning this event is to have somewhat of a smaller venue, and to keep it that way...as long as the business community wants BOOM to continue organizing the Business to Business Expo, we're going to continue to do it. Local News, Crime By Long Island News & PR Published: September 14 2017 Benjamin Lopez of Levittown, 23, and Deangelo Gill of Uniondale, 19, are accused of causing multiple lacerations on two their victims, police report. NCPD report the arrests of (L to R) Benjamin Lopez, 23, of Levittown, and Deangelo Gill, 19, of Uniondale, in connection with a Homicide / Assault that occurred in Levittown on Wednesday, September 13. Levittown, NY - September 14, 2017 - Homicide Squad detectives report the arrests of Benjamin Lopez, 23, of Homicide Squad detectives report the arrests of Benjamin Lopez, 23, of Levittown , and Deangelo Gill, 19, of Uniondale , on Wednesday, 09/13/17, in connection with a Homicide / Assault that occurred in Levittown on Wednesday, September 13, 2017 at 1:50 pm. According to police, Second Precinct police responded to a 911 call for an Assault that occurred at a Levittown residence. Upon arrival Second Precinct police observed a 24 year old male with multiple lacerations to both arms. Further investigation revealed that an 83 year old female was also observed with multiple lacerations to her body. The female victim was pronounced deceased at the scene by a Nassau Police Medic. The 24 year old male was transported in a Nassau Police ambulance to a local hospital and treated for his injuries. He is listed in serious condition. The defendants Lopez and Gill are each being charged with Murder 2nd Degree and will be arraigned on Thursday, 09/14/17 in First District Court, Hempstead Local News, Crime, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: September 14 2017 The Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to detain and remove illegal aliens who participate in criminal gang activity, and barr gang members from coming to the United ... Long Island, NY - September 14, 2017 - Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) announced that the Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act (H.R.3697), legislation that he cosponsors, passed the House of Representatives on September 14, 2017. The Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to detain and remove illegal aliens who participate in criminal gang activity, and bar gang members from coming to the United States. The bill also prevents criminal alien gang members from eligibility for immigration benefits, such as asylum, special immigrant juvenile status, and temporary protected status. Additionally, the Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act also provides local law enforcement with the resources they need to deport illegal alien gang members. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has found that members of violent transnational gangs are comprised largely of foreign-born nationals. Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Health & Wellness, Politics By Long Island News & PR Published: September 14 2017 Massapequa is epicenter for opioid-related deaths for three consecutive years. Long Island, NY - September 14, 2017 - Today, Senator John E. Brooks was joined by organizations, agencies and individuals fighting the local opioid epidemic. Together, the coalition called for greater public awareness of drug use prevention, symptoms and resources to combat addiction. Recent reports identify the Massapequa area as having the most opioid-related deaths in years 2015, 2016 and 2017 to date in Nassau County. Workers in the field of addiction point to a pervasive attitude towards addiction of not my family; not my friends; not me that is hindering the path to wellness for many on Long Island. Senator Brooks said, This epidemic is destroying our communities and its time for us to reclaim our children, neighbors and loved ones; we must break free of the stigma that surrounds substance abuse. The opioid crisis is indiscriminately affecting Long Island families in all communities. Absolutely no one is immune. We are standing united today to say that we can no longer allow shame or stigma to take one more life. Several organizations who joined Senator Brooks today are a part of his Opioid Policy Working Group and meet regularly to discuss ways that they can collectively raise awareness on substance abuse and work towards prevention. Organizations include: Every Child Matters, LICADD, Yes Center, LIRA, NYC Board of Education-experienced advocates, Nassau County District Attorneys Office, South Oaks Hospital/ Northwell Health System, National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, Massapequa Takes Action (MTA), Merrick Community Coalition, SCPD Joint LI Heroin Task Force, LindyCares, Family and Children's Association, Family In Support of Treatment (FIST)/Seafield, Nassau County Police Department, Drug Free LI, Kiwanis, Copiague Community Cares Coalition, Nassau PTA, BMHTF. According to practitioners and educators, the first steps recommended for parents, guardians and other adults raising youngsters, in order to prevent drug use; detect it; and begin to recover are: Start talking with children at a very young age; it is NEVER too early - and learn to listen when they talk to you. Closely watch childrens social habits and friends. Don't think you are the only one facing these issues - don't be ashamed to ask for help; remember, this is a disease. Those who are on the front lines of the battle stated top priorities: Educating families about warning signs and symptoms of drug addiction. Eliminating the stigma associated with addiction that discourages both parent and child from seeking help: Drug addiction is a disease. Availability of more treatment centers Establishing a recovery high school(s) Insurance to cover longer stays in treatment in order for programs to be effective. Treatment on demand: when an individual finally agrees to seek help, the window of opportunity is very small. Numerous persons turned away at hospital emergency rooms make their next call to their drug dealer to avoid going into painful withdrawal. Broadcasting the message: Recovery is possible! Everyone Can Help Addiction prevention begins long before the onset of substance use. Every individual must evaluate his own perceptions and norms about recreational alcohol and marijuana use. All substances can act as a pathway to addiction and lead to lifelong consequences. As the demands of our current culture results in higher stress levels for families, modeling healthy coping skills and being aware of our own struggles as parents can greatly affect our children. Becoming educated about family, peer and individual risk factors is a critical start to knowing how to build resiliency in each child and family. While the community has lost so many young people to this epidemic, there are adults of all ages and walks of life battling addiction and emotional pain in our neighborhoods. We must continue to reduce the stigma of addiction so that parents in the shadows of their own addiction are comfortable seeking help for themselves and their families. Everyone in the community can also play a vital role by joining groups such as the Massapequa Takes Action (MTA) Coalition to strengthen their efforts. Schools must continue to support partnerships that allow for integrated prevention programming for all students. Coalition members are already working closely with school districts, police departments, state officials, counseling centers and other groups. There are support groups for families and friends who suffer as much as or even more than the addict, such as parents helplessly watching a child slowly killing him or herself, as well as bereavement groups specifically for those who have lost a loved one to addiction. Practitioners are emphatic that addiction is a family disease and it often destroys the family. To a person they vow to continue to fight for every individual affected by the disease of addiction. Comments from speakers and local leaders Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said, Everyone has a role to play in the fight to end the opioid epidemic and I commend Senator Brooks and all of our community partners for shining a spotlight on this crisis and promoting the resources that are available to those struggling with addiction. My office will continue our multi-front assault to reclaim our communities from the grip of opioid abuse with aggressive and collaborative enforcement efforts, innovative programs to end the treatment gap, education campaigns to prevent drug abuse, and legislative advocacy for stronger laws to take on heroin dealers. We are grateful to Senator Brooks for his strong support. Jamie Bogenshutz, Executive Director, YES Community Counseling Center said, This is an issue that affects us all; no one is immune to the dire consequences that has an impact on every member of the community, either directly or indirectly. To make a difference, we must all be a part of the efforts to learn more, do more, and be more for one another! Jeffrey L. Reynolds, Ph.D., CEAP, SAP, President & CEO, Family and Children's Association said, "What's most important is ensuring that resources recently allocated as part of the state budget process translate into services related to evidence-based prevention, access to treatment on demand and support for people in recovery." Janice Talento, Founder/President, Drug Free Long Island said, The disease of addiction does not discriminate. We all need to work together to change how our communities view and treat those struggling. Anthony Rizzuto LMSW, CASAC, Executive Director & Founder of Families In Support of Treatment (FIST) said, "We are seeing a record number of overdose deaths on Long Island. We need to work towards treatment on demand if we are going to make a difference." Dr. Thomas J. Fasano, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction, Massapequa Public Schools said, Our mindset needs to change regarding the dangers of opioids and how easily a problem can start. The danger is not just facing our youth, but everyone in our community. We need to work together to raise awareness, educate, advocate for legislation and to provide resources to parents, physicians, and of course anyone in crisis. We ask for everyones participation in our community efforts to address this serious issue, and we will continue to work collaboratively with the Massapequa Takes Action Coalition, as we have for years. We greatly appreciate the attention this matter is receiving by Senator Brooks providing this venue. Julia 10 This article will talk about the best alternatives to FunAnime. FunAnime is a website where you can watch anime for Kochi: A day after the High Court slammed the the Kerala police in the sensational actress attack case, the team probing the case on Thursday expressed their displeasure to the Director General of Prosecution. The investigation team had reportedly miffed the prosecution for not passing the accurate details to the court, regarding the case. There were also reports that the prosecution revealed some of the key details in the court with out the consent of the police team. Meanwhile, actor Dileep who was arrested in the sensational actress assault case will not submit the bail plea in High Court today. However, the HC had deferred the hearing of the anticipatory bail plea of director Nadrisha to September 18 and has been asked to present before the investigation team today. STUART An Ararat man charged with raping a pregnant woman in 2016 entered an Alford plea to the charge Wednesday in Patrick County Circuit Court. He received an active sentence of five years and 10 months in accordance with a plea agreement. One day before in Patrick County General District Court on Tuesday a judge sent a 2017 rape charge against the same man on to Circuit Court. That case involves a different alleged victim. In the 2016 rape case, Circuit Court Judge Martin F. Clark Jr. sentenced Maurice Chevelle Carter, 52, to 35 years in prison, with all suspended except for five years and 10 months on conditions including 20 years of good behavior and 10 years of supervised probation. Clark also ordered that Carter register as a sex offender, take sex offender class(es), not possess alcohol or illegal drugs (including prescription drugs for which he does not have a prescription), and that he have no direct or indirect contact whatsoever with the victim. An Alford plea is a guilty plea in which a defendant maintains his innocence but acknowledges that the prosecution has sufficient evidence by which a jury or judge could find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. According to testimony Wednesday, Carter has acknowledged that he had sexual intercourse with the alleged victim but denies that it was nonconsensual; however, he indicated he could see how it might be viewed that way. Patrick County Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Dayna Kendrick acknowledged there were some weaknesses in the prosecutions case, which was a factor leading to the plea agreement. Kendrick and Carters lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Caitlin Reynolds, indicated the alleged victim supported the plea agreement. As part of the plea agreement, the prosecution dropped but could reinstate four other charges against Carter from the June 27, 2016 incident: strangulation, object sexual penetration and two counts of forcible sodomy. The alleged victim testified at a preliminary hearing in Patrick County General District Court in September that Carter is a relative of her fiance. She testified that on June 27, 2016, she and her fiance picked up Carter from his workplace at a restaurant in Mount Airy, North Carolina. She said they made a number of stops while driving, including to buy gasoline and once to hang out at Carters house, and then went back to Mount Airy because she was having pains that she thought might be related to her pregnancy, with plans to go to the hospital there. The alleged victim said her fiance was driving and was arrested on a traffic charge in Surry County, North Carolina. Then they went to the magistrates office and Carter indicated he would lend the $300 needed to post the cash bond but the money was at Carters home, the alleged victim said. She indicated she then started driving Carter home, and at one point Carter said he was getting sick. The alleged victim said she pulled over, Carter got out of the vehicle, went to a ditch, and it sounded like he was throwing up. She said he returned to the vehicle and told her to let him drive, but she said no. She said she and Carter struggled over the car key, and she finally gave him a key, but it was a house key, not the car key, and Carter couldnt start the car. She indicated that at various points during the struggle Carter pushed her inside and outside the car, and she bit him at one point. She said he pushed her to a tree farm a short distance away on Unity Church Road in Patrick County and allegedly raped her there. The alleged victim testified she was 23 weeks pregnant at the time of the alleged rape, which she said happened early on the morning of June 27, 2016. She said she was worried for herself but I was more worried for the baby during the alleged rape. She alleged that she kept telling Carter that she was pregnant, but that Carter said he knew that and for her to stop saying that. She alleged he also would put his knee on her belly, with his weight behind it. The alleged victim alleged she tried to defend herself by kicking, pushing and biting Carter. She alleged that he choked her and she lost consciousness a number of times. She alleged she suffered bruises, scratches and, on her head, a spot where he bit her. The alleged victim also said earlier in the day, she had smoked a couple puffs of marijuana. During her summary of the prosecutions evidence Wednesday, prosecutor Kendrick also gave details of the two counts of forcible sodomy and the one count of object sexual penetration that Carter allegedly committed on the woman during the incident. Defense lawyer Reynolds called one witness during the hearing Wednesday: Carters mother. She testified that her son was living with her before his arrest. She said he was very helpful to her around the house, and with mowing and in other ways. She also said she needs him, after having had some surgery several months ago. She said he had some difficulty when he was going to school and didnt graduate from high school. She said is religious, that he went to church, and attended group meetings for people who had gotten out of jail to help keep them out of trouble. Kendrick introduced a summary of Carters criminal record into evidence. After reviewing it, Judge Clark said, Its a bad record. (It includes robbery and multiple other convictions.) In her closing argument, Kendrick described it as a heinous crime and said Carter has a violent criminal record. She asked Judge Clark to impose a significant period of suspended sentence. Reynolds noted that Carter cooperated with investigators. 2017 charges sent to Circuit Court In the 2017 rape case, which a Patrick County General District Court judge on Tuesday sent to Circuit Court, Carter is accused of raping a woman taxi driver pm July 5, 2017. A criminal complaint by Investigator L.J. Martin of the Patrick County Sheriffs Office alleged the following: A woman employed by Mayberry Taxi was working when she picked up a man in the 200 block ofPaynetown Road in the Flat Rock area in her taxi. The man requested to be driven to the 3000 block ofUnity Church Road. During the transport, the man took a knife and held it to the womans throat. The man then took more than $200 in cash and a Rossi firearm from the woman as well as cash that belonged to the taxi company. The man then forced the woman out of the car and took her behind an abandoned old house on Unity Church Road, where he forced her clothes off and raped her. Investigator Martin spoke with a man who stated that Maurice Carter recently was at his residence in the 200 block of Paynetown Road in the Flat Rock area. The man Martin spoke with said he called Mayberry Taxi from his cell phone for Maurice Carter and that Mayberry Taxi picked up Carter. Kendrick said the next grand jury is set for Dec. 4 and that Carter remains held without bond in the Patrick County Jail. Patrick County Commonwealths Attorney Stephanie Vipperman told the Martinsville Bulletin there is no connection between the alleged victims in the two rape cases. As for the plea agreement in the 2016 rape case, Vipperman said: Ms. Kendrick met with the victim, after which the victim agreed this plea offer was the best outcome both for herself and the Commonwealth. She was hesitant to relive the incident again on the witness stand and undergo a vigorous cross-examination with the risk of him walking away free. The victims wishes were a driving force in the plea offer. Vipperman said Carter was released on bond May 22, 2017, on the charges from the 2016 incident. Vipperman explained: The state lab is so understaffed and has such a backlog that the PERK kit we submitted for forensic examination had still not been analyzed by the original trial date. Laws protecting the defendants right to a speedy trial require the Commonwealth to bring him to trial within five months of his preliminary hearing if hes incarcerated and nine months if hes out on bond, or we are forever barred from prosecuting him. She added: We unfortunately had no choice but to release him on bond to give the lab four additional months to complete the analysis. We obviously would have preferred him to remain incarcerated, but we had no choice due to the lab backlog and laws protecting his speedy trial rights. MARTINSVILLE The antics of a trying-to-reform womanizer are played out on stage in Present Laughter, TheatreWorks Community Players new show which opens on Sept. 21. The cast is: Stevie Byrd as Garry Essendine; Anneliese Williams as Daphne Stillington; Lou Ann Black as Miss Erickson; Scott Trent as Fred; Cindy Hollingsworth as Monica Reed; Max Hall as Roland Maule; Steve Petrick as Morris Dixon; Steve McPeak as Hugo Lyppiatt; Jane Reid as Lady Saltburn and Joanie McPeak as Joanie Lyppiatt. Tonight, TheatreWorks will give a preview of the show during Back Stage at the Black Box, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Black Box Theatre. The event will have refreshments and opportunities to talk with the performers and the behind-the-scenes crew. RSVP online through the volunteer link on www.twcp.net or call 632-2800. Stevie Byrd used to act in BRATS (Blue Ridge Arts and Theatre Society) in Stuart, but he hasnt done any major show in five years, he said. However, he did bowl over the crowd in laughter with the recent variety show, A TheatreWorks Summer Vacation. Byrd and his wife, Lanetta, were in several plays together with BRATS, he said. His wife became a regular actress with TWCP after BRATS stopped operating. His skits in the variety show were about being a TheatreWorks widower, always on the sidelines as his wife was on the stage. In Present Laughter, his character, Garry Essendine, is the main role. Garry is a successful, adored and womanizing actor in the England of a few generations back. Real-life wife Lanetta plays Liz, Garrys estranged wife. In preparing for his role, the memorization in this play here is off the hook, he said. Theres a lot of lines, and I learn them every way I can: I use my wife Lanettas method of writing them down; Steve McPeaks method of placing a card over (a line) and looking at the cue line of the person in front of you; do it out loud in my head; talk to the dog whatever, trying to get something to stick. His learning process is going smoothly, though, he said it really helps a whole lot when youve got an experienced bunch of people like this one in TheatreWorks. Anneliese Williams, a 17-year-old junior at Magna Vista High School, plays the role of Daphne Stillington, who is infatuated with Garry, she said. After a night at his place, she ended up getting her heart broken later on, when she found out he was still married. Yet she has to deal with him again when her aunt brings her in for an audition with Garry. Of the age difference in her character and Garry, who is going through a mid-life crisis, when playing with people my parents age, its kind of awkward, but she tries her best, she said. Williams, the daughter of Tara and Andrew Williams, said that she and her family have lived in Martinsville for two years. They are from Tallahassee, Florida. Shes been watching news of Hurricane Irma thinking of her family and friends, she said, and luckily, theyre OK. They made it to a safe place. She has acted in school plays and musicals since she was in sixth grade, she said, and plans to study acting in college. Jane Reid of Danville plays Lady Saltburn, Daphnes aunt. Reid is the firm administrator of a CPA firm in Danville. Though this is her first time acting with TheatreWorks, she has done quite a bit in community theater in Danville, Gretna and South Boston, anywhere theres a part where I think they might require an actor like her. She describes Garry as a very flamboyant actor who has lot of groupies and followers, people who just love him, and women are very attracted to him. Hes trying to get away from that in a way, but people just keep flanking to him. He gets caught in a precarious situation. One of the more difficult parts to this show is trying to keep a British accent and not sound like a Southern belle, Reid said, but its fun to do it. She gets ideas for how to talk with a British accent by watching British television shows and movies, paying special attention to the vowel sounds. She described the show as very typical British farce. If people like PBS programs I think theyll love this show. Theres a lot of that type of humor. I think (the audience) will fine it quite funny, Williams said. It has a very dry sense of humor. Present Laughter is a comedy by Noel Coward, written in 1939. The show will be presented at 7 p.m. Sept. 21, 22, 23, 29 and 30 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 1. Tickets ($16) are available through the Visitors Center, Daily Grind and Janice Cain Stationery. MARTINSVILLE-On Tuesday night, city council members received the names of three city residents interested in filling an unexpired term on the Martinsville School Board. During a public hearing, James Hyler of Oakdale Street and Patrick Wright of Spruce Street voiced their interest, and Councilwoman Kathy Lawson said Andrew Hall has told her he is interested in the seat. Lawson did not give Halls street address. Under state law, the council can consider only people whose names were mentioned during the hearing. Teague said the hopefuls will be interviewed privately on Sept. 26 before an announcement of the councils choice is made. Unlike in many localities such as Henry County where school boards are elected by voters, the Martinsville School Board is appointed by the council. Whoever is chosen will fill the unexpired term of Lawrence Mitchell ending June 30, 2018. Mitchell recently resigned from the board, citing irreconcilable differences with Chairwoman Joan Montgomery and other board members. He also has said he thinks the relationship between the school board and the council is too political. The council also voted to recommend that Martinsville Circuit Court appoint Benjamin Sharpe to the citys Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) to fill an unexpired term ending Sept. 22, 2019. The BZA considers requests for variances from city zoning rules and appeals of rezoning decisions. It is a quasi-judicial board, therefore its members are court-appointed based on council recommendations. Shentel given approval for monopole Following a public hearing during which nobody spoke, the council approved a special use permit for Shentel to replace a tall wooden pole at 400 Broad Street, on which cellular phone antennas are installed, with a slightly taller steel monopole. Shentel representatives have said the company is upgrading phone service and the wooden pole is not strong enough to support the necessary new equipment. Officials have determined that in the unlikely event that the monopole collapses, it would do so within 50 feet of its base, avoiding homes and other buildings nearby. The higher pole will be painted umber so that it blends into the area by more closely resembling trees and utility poles, said Max Wiegard, a Roanoke lawyer representing Shentel. It also will help improve phone service, Weigard said. Upgrading equipment The council also gave City Manager Leon Towarnicki permission to proceed in developing a $266,600.86 purchase agreement with Ronco Communications to upgrade the telephone system used by city offices. The upgrade is needed, Towarnicki said, because current equipment is aging and reaching a point in which it cannot be repaired and parts will not be available. Amid discounts that it obtained from Ronco, the city will be able to pay $100,000 in the current fiscal year and the remaining $166,600.86 in the budget year that will start next July 1, he said. Taking advantage of current discounts in addition to stretching funding over two fiscal years significantly lessens the financial impact (of the purchase) to the city, Towarnicki said. Officials had anticipated that upgrading the system would cost about $500,000, he said. The council also approved an emergency appropriation of $45,685 from the capital reserve fund to replace a faulty air-conditioning chiller compressor at the municipal building. Towarnicki said about $200,000 will remain in the fund after the compressor is replaced. Honoring Irving Groves Jr. Mayor Gene Teague presented a proclamation honoring Irving Groves Jr., a retired banker and civic leader who died earlier this month. The proclamation mentions that Groves was deeply committed to serving his community, such as by serving on the boards of numerous local organizations. In terms of his impact, Groves was one of the giants of our community, Teague said. Most of Groves contributions were made outside the public spotlight, he added. Accepting the proclamation were Groves daughters, Jett Wood and Mattie Sheppard. Dad and Mom (the late Jett Carter Groves) loved this community more than life, I think, Wood said, mentioning that is why they both devoted a lot of time to serving it. After months of varying contract offers, stretches of radio silence and one possible jump to the KHL, the Boston Bruins finally have their man in 21-year-old forward David Pastrnak. The skilled winger finally agreed to a new contract with Boston Thursday, signing a six-year, $40 million deal that will keep the Czech native with the Black and Gold through the 2022-2023 season. For Bruins general manager Don Sweeney, who addressed the media on the first day of the team's training camp Thursday, locking up Pastrnak to a long-term deal was a collaborative effort by both the organization and Pastrnak's agent, J.P. Barry. :I think that it's important to acknowledge the work that J.P and his group and David, as well," Sweeney said. "As well as our group and the support of ownership. To me, I always said that we were going to find a deal. "It took time, right up against it. It wasn't a deadline, we didn't look at it that way. We had a strong line of communication. I just think the work paid off for both sides to find a good landing spot and I know that both sides are extremely happy to have it resolved and get the full complement (of players) at camp, which I think everybody would acknowledge is in the benefit of everybody's interest." While Pastrnak -- who planned to remain in the Czech Republic until inking a new contract -- was not present during Thursday's off-ice testing at Warrior Ice Arena, Sweeney noted that the forward is flying to Boston and is expected to land Friday night. The timing of Pastrnak's deal came at a good time with training camp just about to start up for Boston, but Sweeney reiterated that the organization wasn't setting the start of camp as a deadline to strike a deal with Pastrnak's party. "No, there's no timeline," Sweeney said. "There's just a level of communication and respect for both parties and understanding where their positions are and keep working at it. As I said, J.P and his camp and our camp, they just stayed at it and I just have to tip my hat to how it was handled in that regard. "I think we just found the right landing spot for both sides that made a deal that worked. We worked on some structure stuff last night. Again, there's a lot of variables that go into it and a lot of work. The result is a positive one to where we stand today." Despite the prolonged contract discussions, there was no question that Sweeney and the Bruins were committed to locking up Pastrnak to a long-term deal. Pastrank is coming off of a breakout campaign, ranking second on the Bruins in both goals (34) and assists (36). "We felt all along that David is a big part of what we're trying to build here and he's a motivated player, he made a hell of a jump last year," Sweeney said. "He's earned, in my belief, the opportunity to be in the top five of those guys coming off entry-level and we paid him accordingly. That's a huge commitment from the organization." When looking at Pastrnak's deal, it's easy to find comparable numbers to other young forwards -- including Nashville's Filip Forsberg (six years, $36 million) and Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau (six years, $40.5 million). Of course, Leon Draisaitl's new mega deal with the Edmonton Oilers (eight years, $68.5 million) certainly spiked the market -- something that Sweeney made note of. "Draisaitl is a comparable, certainly," Sweeney said. "As were several other players that fall into the same band. They were all discussed and sort of blended in and created some different levels of conversation for sure." LONGMEADOW -- A building contractor, a financial services professional and an ophthalmologist have partnered to buy the historic Brewer-Young mansion overlooking Longmeadow Town Green, but at this point they are staying tight-lipped about what they plan to do with it. Henry Clement, the contractor, said Wednesday that the partners hope to have more to say next week. At this point they have yet to approach the town with their ideas. They know they will need not only official approval but also the backing of townspeople, who hold dear the home, with its long history and Greek Revival columns. The partnership, Longmeadow Historic Preservation Partners Inc., bought the 11,000-square-foot home at 734 Longmeadow St. for $470,200, according to a deed dated Sept. 7 on file at the Hampden County Registry of Deeds. Paperwork on file with the corporations division of the Massachusetts secretary of state's office lists the three partners of Longmeadow Historic Preservation Partners as Clement, financial services professional Christopher Orszulak and ophthalmologist and eye surgeon Dr. Andrew Lam. According to Longmeadow property records, Andrew and Christina Lam own the adjacent carriage house property, 734R Longmeadow St. The carriage house, which they bought from "The Weight of Water" author Anita Shreve in 2009, was once part of the Brewer-Young estate but had long ago been subdivided off. Orszulak lives in Longmeadow. Clement, of Granby, owns Innovative Building and Design and is a residential building contractor doing new homes and renovations, as well as restorations of historic homes. He said he's worked with Orszulak before. Once the home of the Young family behind Absorbine and Absorbine Jr. liniments, the Brewer-Young mansion was built in 1885. It has 11 bedrooms, five full bathrooms and three half baths. The Rev. Samuel Wolcott, composer of more than 200 Christian hymns, was the first to live in the home. Edward Brewer bought it in 1901. Later the home was famously owned by Ida Young, who named the property Meadowview Farms and entertained lavishly there. The mansion features a living room-ballroom, marble floors in the front foyer, leather embossed wallpaper on the first floor and Egyptian-themed murals. Its glassed-in conservatory was based on the Crystal Palace from the London Great Exhibition of 1851. For a many years the mansion was opened periodically for fundraisers and designer showcases. Ida Young died in 1960 at the age of 95. The home stayed in the family into the 1990s and then started changing hands. Businessman Shahkar M. Fatemni bought the mansion in 2000 for $700,000. JP Morgan Chase Bank foreclosed on Fatemni and the mansion in 2014. But the bank was unable to get Fatemni to leave until it obtained an eviction order from Western Housing Court in Springfield. Chase replaced the rotting front portico at a cost of $90,000 after the town insisted that the bank not follow its plan of shoring up the old porch structure and instead replace it. Observers speculated for months as to what would happen. The bank put the mansion up for sale in July with a list price of $444,200. The property was under agreement within weeks. According to the real estate website Zillow.com, the home had been on the market off and on in recent decades. The most recent asking price before this sale was $1.2 million in 2013. It listed for $2.2 million in 2010. The town has the property assessed at $838,000. It had a 2017 tax bill of $21,104, according to the listing. The town lists the replacement cost for the home at $1.6 million. The Brewer-Young mansion today includes 1.8 acres of land, a remnant of extensive grounds that were largely lost to the construction of Interstate 91. The property is zoned for residential use, meaning the new owners would have to go to the town for permission to convert it into a business. Sean Keohan, chief operating officer of the Boston Globe since 2014, has left the company, sources have confirmed to the Business Journal. Multiple sources inside the newpaper say Keohan is no longer in his role. An email to Keohan bounced back today saying the account had been disabled. When contacted on his cell phone later in the day and asked if he was still employed by the Globe, Keohan hung up without comment. Calls to other Globe executives were all directed to Jane Bowman, vice president of marketing, but multiple messages left with Bowman this afternoon were not returned. The news comes less than two months after the Globe's CEO, Doug Franklin, resigned after less than seven months in the role. In a note explaining Franklin's departure, Globe owner John Henry said that former Politico chief financial officer Vinay Mehra will become the president and chief financial officer, and that Globe Managing Director Linda Henry (Henry's wife), "will take on more responsibility." The Globe has had significant problems with its new printing facility in Taunton since it moved its print functions there in June (although it's unclear whether Keohan's departure is related to them). The Boston Heraldhas publicly blamed the new facility for late deliveries and flawed print quality, and Henry has also acknowledged the problems, blaming frequent breakdowns on the printing presses. In an interview Tuesday night after the news broke, Dan Kennedy, a Northeastern professor and longtime blogger about the Boston area media industry, said the Globe's new printing problems are an "absolutely enormous" problem. "A lot of their business moving forward is going to be outside printing, and they're just infuriating their customers," said Kennedy. He said he doesn't know what the exact problem at the new facility is, and it appears that newsroom staffers don't either. "I've talked with several people in the last few days. No one knows," he said. Superman saves a group of immigrants from a hate crime in the latest issue of Action Comics, and fans and critics are divided over the message DC Comics is sending. In Action Comics No. 987, Superman encounters everyday people who commit crimes driven by greed, fear, and pettiness. In one incident, the Man of Steel comes across a gunman -- an angry, unemployed American -- who opens fire on a group of immigrants because as cheap laborers they stole his job from him. (Two are women wearing Muslim chadors and one of the three men pleads with the gunman in Spanish.) Superman disarms the gunman, turns him over to the police, and asks that the officers make sure the immigrants are safe and taken care of. There is no mention as to whether they are undocumented or not. There was disagreement about DC Comics choice of victims. One Twitter user asked whether Superman was "pro ILLEGAL immigrants," while another lamented, "I remember when Superman was for truth, justice and the American way, now he breaks the law and protects illegals." Fox News' Todd Starnes wrote that "the Man of Steel has now become a propaganda tool for the defenders of illegal aliens." In the opposing corner, Time magazine political editor Ryan Teague Beckwith tweeted that "As an undocumented immigrant who came to the U.S. as a child, Superman is technically a Dreamer." Superman has always stood up for what's right K. Landgraf (@cheesybones) September 14, 2017 As an undocumented immigrant who came to the U.S. as a child, Superman is technically a Dreamer. https://t.co/KDrJ8nE6mw ryan teague beckwith (@ryanbeckwith) September 13, 2017 Ohmygawd! How ridiculous is this! Why couldn't superman protect me from Obamacare health care penalty! Geezus! Ex-DemLatina (@ExDemLatina) September 14, 2017 I remember when superman was for truth, justice and the American way, now he breaks the law and protects illegals. Keith Stewart (@stewdude59) September 14, 2017 CHICOPEE - The City Council will begin the process to lower the speed limit on Front Street where three schools, the library and a park are all located. Councilor William Zaskey, who represents Ward 4 which includes Front Street, also proposed the council consider adding raised crosswalks on the street to slow down traffic. A new state law allows cities and towns across Massachusetts to adopt a reduced speed limit of 25 mph on residential streets, targeting thickly settled areas and business districts. It also allowed communities to create safety zones in areas where there are places which have specific reasons to slow traffic. Front Street is a poster child for a continuous safety zone since it includes the main library, a health center, Szot Park, senior housing and three schools - St. Stanislaus, Dupont Middle and Chicopee High - all within seven-tenths of a mile, Councilor James K. Tillotson said. "I never realized we had so many things to fit into the criteria," he said. "There are an awful lot of children in this area." Zaskey said he has been trying to find ways slow down traffic on that street for years. Currently there is only one school zone sign, which lowers the speed limit to 20 miles an hour when school is in session, on the street. That sign is front of St. Stanislaus School and drivers tend to speed up after that even though the two other schools are right after that. "There is no one going 20 mph in that area and we need to address that," Zaskey said. He said a number of other communities have crosswalks that are raised slightly and are effective in slowing down traffic. "Why can't we do that in Chicopee?" There are four crosswalks within that area. If they were all raised then it would force drivers to slow down, he said. Other councilors said they supported both ideas and voted 12-0 to send the proposal to the city's engineering department. "I like the idea of raised crosswalks," Councilor Gerard Roy said. "I think it is a super idea. I drop off the kids at school every day and people are just flying," Councilor Timothy S. McLellan said. SPRINGFIELD -- Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni's office is assessing options in response to a Hampden Superior Court judge's granting of a new trial for Angel Hernandez. Hernandez was convicted of first degree murder in the Oct. 14, 2008, fatal shooting of Alberto Rodriguez in Springfield. Charles L. Wilhite, who was convicted of the killing in December 2010 with Hernandez, was found not guilty of the murder in early 2013 after he was granted a new trial. James Leydon, spokesman for Gulluni, said, "We have an option to appeal to the Massachusetts Court of Appeals. The DA's office is still in the process of reviewing the motion and assessing all options." Wilhite had a large number of supporters who organized under the name "Justice for Charles." Vira Cage, an aunt of Wilhite, said that group has reorganized under the name of Community Coalition for Justice in support of Hernandez. The coalition is demanding the immediate release of Hernandez in light of the granting of a new trial. "Justice requires the immediate release of Mr. Hernandez, who we believe like Charles is innocent," Cage said. Holly Richardson, Community Coalition for Justice member and organizer with Out Now, said, "We are extremely pleased and grateful for Judge (Edward) McDonough's decision to grant the motion for a new trial. We now call on the district attorney's office to learn from the outcome of Charles Wilhite's second trial and spare the City of Springfield another wasteful trial and to allow an innocent man to be home with his family now." Ellen Graves, CCJ member and organizer with Arise for Social Justice, said, "We are prepared to mobilize the community around Mr. Hernandez so he too can have his freedom and life back." Hernandez, convicted at age 44, is serving a mandatory sentence of life without the possibility of parole. Two witnesses, Nathan Perez and Giselle Albelo, who testified for the prosecution at the 2010 trial of Wilhite and Hernandez, were convicted of perjury. Wilhite won a new trial in part because of witness recantations. In granting Hernandez a new trial, Judge Edward J. McDonough wrote that because the perjury convictions and the recanted testimony didn't exist at the time of Hernandez's trial, it meets the definition of newly discovered evidence. FALL RIVER - Two Fall River men are in custody following a shooting Monday that sent a Fall River man to the hospital. The Fall River Herald News reported that Chad Guilmette, 21, of 309 Almond St., was arrested Wednesday. Guilmette is accused of shooting the unidentified victim several times. A second man, Christopher Pettey, 26, was arrested Tuesday when investigators found him hiding in the basement of the Almond Street building both he and Guilmette lived in. He is being charged as an accessory. The victim was transported to Rhode Island Hospital Monday night with multiple gunshots wounds after he was reportedly shot near the corner of Division and Almond streets in what police said was a dispute over a stolen dirt bike. His condition is unknown. According to police statements, witnesses said a white male fired a silver handgun at a group of people as they stood on the corner of Almond and Division streets just after 10:30 p.m. After executing a search warrant on the suspects' home, officers found an AR-15 assault-style rifle in the third-floor attic of the building. They are attempting to trace the weapon to an owner and determine if it is connected with the shooting. The Greenfield Human Rights Commission will consider recommendations for shielding the town's students from the efforts of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Any policy to protect young undocumented immigrants in the classroom must ultimately be approved by the School Committee, but the Human Rights Commission may make a recommendation. The matter will be discussed at the Human Rights Commission's Sept. 18 meeting, said chairman Lewis Metaxas in an email. Under the proposal, any ICE agent hoping to enter a school would have to notify the superintendent and district counsel and provide a warrant signed by a judge or magistrate. Any agent would have to present his or her credentials. Public school staff would be barred from inquiring of a student's immigration status or that of the student's family. They would not be able not disclose, without parental consent, the immigration status of any student, or refer students or families to ICE. Teachers, administrators and staff would be trained on how to respond to ICE requests. Families would be notified about efforts to gain information through the school system. State and federal law requires school districts to provide all elementary and secondary students with equal access to public education, regardless of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or immigration status. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey in May issued guidance to public school districts regarding their rights and obligations with respect to requests from federal immigration officials. SPRINGFIELD -- A 32-year-old Holyoke woman was sentenced Wednesday to three years in state prison after admitting to selling heroin on three different days to a man she did not know was an undercover police officer. Hampden Superior Court Judge Tina S. Page sentenced Maribel Rosado to the state prison term followed by a year of probation. Rosado pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of heroin and one count of possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Three counts of violating a drug-free school zone were dropped as part of a plea agreement. Assistant District Attorney Christopher E. McDonald said Rosado sold 100 bags of heroin to an undercover officer on South Summer Street in Holyoke on Jan. 6, Jan. 19 and March 1, all in 2016. He said on March 3, 2016, the officer arranged to buy 700 bags of heroin from Rosado for $2,000. When officers approached her to arrest her she dropped the 700 bags on the ground, McDonald said. He said the state prison recommendation was in light of Rosado having a serious record and the amounts she was selling. Defense lawyer Lauren F. Olanoff said Rosado has lived in Holyoke and raised her children there. Rosado's boyfriend and mother were in court to support her. Olanoff said Rosado has been very successful during the 399 days she has spent awaiting trial at the Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center in Chicopee, both at her job there and participating in programs. SPRINGFIELD -- The lawyer in the murder case against Jose Villegas-Rodriguez will argue in an Oct. 17 hearing that his client's statement to police should be suppressed because it was not voluntary. Michael S. Hussey, lawyer for Villegas-Rodriguez, wrote in a motion filed in May that "the veiled threats, promises and other forms of psychological coercion" used by detectives "improperly overcame the defendant's will" rendering incriminating statements involuntary. Villegas-Rodriguez, 33, and Edward Gonzalez, 25, both of Holyoke, have denied a murder charge for the January 25, 2016, shooting death of 71-year-old Juan Zayas in Springfield's North End. Zayas, a North End community activist and father of a Massachusetts state trooper, was shot to death around 5:30 p.m. in front of his home at 38 Brookline Ave. Hussey notes in his motion Villegas-Rodriguez begins to talk about the car driven to the fatal shooting and further incriminates himself by admitting being at the crime scene with the shooter. Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni said after the August 2016 arraignment of the two men that he cannot discuss the motive for the killing. Gulluni repeated his earlier statement that the shooting is not considered related to Zayas' son being a state trooper. On Wednesday the murder case and two unrelated cases against Villegas-Rodriguez were in Hampden Superior Court to set dates. An Oct. 17 date was set for hearing on the motion to suppress Villegas-Rodriguez's statement to police. The interview in question was conducted at the Holyoke Police Department on May 25, 2016, by Holyoke detective Edward Sustache and Springfield detective Jose Canini. At the time Villegas-Rodriguez was brought into the Holyoke station on arrest warrants relating to two other unconnected crimes but he was also questioned about Zayas' killing. Hussey writes, "A review of the transcript clearly indicates that from the beginning of the interrogation, the defendant was confused, nervous, scared, and had memory problems from being hit by a car." "The defendant appeared confused throughout the interview. He informed the police of his confusion and memory problems, but nonetheless continued to be subject to persistent interrogation," Hussey wrote. The lawyer said Villegas-Rodriguez signed the Miranda warnings card but almost immediately said, "I do not understand this. I do not understand." Villegas-Rodriguez's other two cases -- unrelated to the murder -- cover a total of 12 charges. In one case he is charged with armed robbery, accused of robbing Christobal Rodriguez and hitting him on the head on April 15, 2016 in Holyoke. Later that day, according to prosecutors, Rodriguez spotted Villegas-Rodriguez and ran him over with his car. Villegas-Rodriguez has also denied charges in the armed robbery of a Chicopee bar on July 28, 2015, in which he and another man were accused of beating the 64-year-old owner. Wilmer Torres, 35, of Holyoke, has pleaded guilty in that armed robbery. He was sentenced to 18 to 20 years in state prison followed by five years probation. Chicopee police said the two men broke into Chief's Lounge on Chicopee Street in the early morning hours. When owner Mario Docarmo, Jr. confronted them, according to police, the men beat him, breaking his eye-socket and nose and inflicting other injuries. Motion to suppress statements in Springfield murder case by The Republican/MassLive.com on Scribd Catholic and Episcopal bishops in Massachusetts issued separate statements calling on Congress to remedy President Donald Trump's recent move to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The program, instituted by executive order under President Barack Obama in 2012, allows some 800,000 young people brought to the United States illegally as children to remain here without fear of deportation and be able to work and pursue an education. Trump announced Sept. 5 he will end the program unless Congress agrees to enact it into law within six months. The president met with Democrattic leaders on Wednesday night to craft a deal. In a letter issued Wednesday, the commonwealth's Catholic bishops called the DACA program "successful since its inception" and said its "children and young adults are innocent of any wrongdoing" and "should not be punished for living in the United States of America." "They are known as 'Dreamers.' However, their dreams have fast become a nightmare. Last week President Trump terminated the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program established five years ago by the Obama Administration. The President's decision puts at risk, for deportation, the lives of approximately 19,000 Massachusetts residents and another 780,000 individuals across the country. Each of these young individuals faces a traumatic and frightening future," the statement reads. "These children and young adults are innocent of any wrongdoing. They should not be punished for living in the United States of America. They have no other country to call home. They are our current students. They are our high school and college graduates. They are service workers and professionals. They are productive members of our society. In short, they are supporting themselves and their families and have become an integral part of the melting pot we call America." The signers -- Boston Archbishop Sean P. O'Malley, and Bishops Robert J. McManus, Worcester; Mitchell T. Rozanski, Springfield, and Edgar M. da Cunha, SDV, Fall River, - conclude: "In that same American spirit, we, the four Catholic Bishops of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, urge Congress to also come together, to support the dreamers in their time of need, not to abandon them resulting in irreparable harm to thousands of families. Members of Congress must put political differences aside and work on a bi-partisan effort to re-establish those protections for so many that have been eliminated thus renewing their American dream." O'Malley, a Franciscan with a doctorate in Spanish and Portuguese literature and a history of working with immigrant communities , had urged Trump not to eliminate DACA in his weekly blog on Sept. 1. He called the Dreamers the type Trump "wants to invite to this country -- those who can hold a job, contribute to our society, obey our laws, and serve our country." The statement from the Episcopal bishops, issued Sept. 5, urges "members of Congress to quickly develop lasting legislative solutions for all immigrant families through bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform." "The Episcopal Church has rooted its support for protecting these undocumented youth in our decades-long commitment to walking with immigrants and refugees, and our strong belief that these young Dreamers are children of God and deserve a chance to live full lives, free from fear of deportation to a country they have never been to or know little about," the statement reads. "DACA was more than a means to an end. DACA was the embodiment of our hope and an acknowledgement of the innocence and powerlessness of children everywhere. Giving these Dreamers a chance to live in the light and work toward citizenship was good for us. It was good for the soul of this great nation. The health of the soul of this nation depends upon our compassion and generosity towards Dreamers." It adds, "Together with leadership of the Episcopal Church nationally we urge Congress to provide a way for Dreamers to become U.S. citizens, and to enact moral and consistent immigration policy that allows immigrants who want to contribute to this country the chance to do so while keeping our borders secure." It is signed by Western Massachusetts Episcopal Bishop Douglas J. Fisher, Massachusetts Bishop Alan M. Gates, and Massachusetts Bishop Suffragan Gayle E. Harris. The statements reflect ones issued at the national level by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on Sept. 5, which called the cancellation of DACA "reprehensible." An executive committee of USCCB on Sept. 12 also called for an extension of the deadline for current DACA beneficiaries in Texas and Florida who must renew their status between Oct. 5 of this year and March 5, 2018, and also asked Trump administration to allow 75,000 refugees into the United States in 2018, instead of admitting only 50,000 the government. Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop and Primate Michael B. Curry and President of the House of Deputies the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings issued a Sept. 5 statement, saying, "We believe that these young people are children of God and deserve a chance to live full lives, free from fear of deportation to countries that they may have never known and whose languages they may not speak." The United Methodist Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church also issued statements critical of Trump's decision. Catholics were split in whom they supported in the 2016 presidential election of Trump, who had the support of many evangelicals, some of whose leaders also urged balanced decision making in considering the fate of Dreamers. Pope Francis is reported to have urged Trump to re-consider his DACA decision, telling reporters on his return trip Sept. 11, from Colombia to Rome, "If he is a good pro-life believer he must understand that family is the cradle of life and one must defend its unity." The DACA program gives protection from deportation to unauthorized immigrants who entered the country before the age of 16 and are age 30 or under, resided here continuously since June of 2007, and committed no serious offenses and pose no threat to public safety. The Department of Homeland Security is currently only allowing those who participate in the program to continue to renew their applications for two years for the next six months until March 5, 2018. After that, the administration will accept no more renewals. On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Nancy Pelosi, both Democrats, said in a joint statement that they had met with Trump and their was agreement "to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security" in a way that was "acceptable to both sides." Polls seem to support this bipartisan approach to possible citizenship. There has been widespread protest here and nationally against Trump's move to rescind DACA. Your Montana University System (MUS) and the State Department of Labor and Industry (MTDLI) have been working to further opportunities to prepare students for good-paying and high demand jobs in Montana. Two of our major efforts will be featured at the September Board of Regents meeting scheduled for Sept. 13-14 on the campus of Montana Tech in Butte. John E. Cech http://helenair.com/opinion/columnists/a-pipeline-to-montana-s-future-workforce/article_a562fc4c-b001-5cea-8c8d-b61846f4a644.html While answering questions from the crowd, Hessburg said that mitigation measures are not one-size-fits-all, noting "there is solid evidence" supporting thinning and burning, and prescribed burning if implemented correctly. When asked after the talk to clarify the comments, Hessburg said that logging alone, without additional slash or broadcast burning, is not supported by research as effective and can exacerbate wildfire if woody debris is left on the ground. TOM KUGLIN [email protected] http://helenair.com/news/local/researcher-confronts-tough-truths-about-learning-to-live-with-wildfire/article_a72c2224-5cf3-5a0c-8eae-6abc4f41c447.html SBA 504 Loans offered statewide! Real estate and equipment, acquisitions, renovation, and new construction. Low, fixed-rates up to 25 years with as little as 10% down. A Marion man currently serving prison time was given at least eight-and-a-half more years after he was found guilty of driving around with counterfeit money in a 2015 case. Jeffery Daniel Waycaster, 34, of Triple J. Mobile Home Park, Marion, was found guilty of habitual felon and possession or transportation of five or more counterfeit instruments. He was sentenced to 102 to 135 months in prison consecutive to any previous judgments. He must pay a court-appointed attorney $1,680. Waycaster was also found not guilty of forging and counterfeiting currency. During the summer of 2015, McDowell County sheriffs deputies received numerous reports of bogus money being passed at local businesses. On Sept. 28 the same year, Waycaster was stopped on Tate Street driving a reportedly stolen vehicle. According to Detective Billie Brown, authorities searched the car and located 11 pages of fake, uncut $20 bills. This finding led to an extensive, months-long investigation and the arrest of other potential suspects, including 33-year-old Jimmy Eugene Lowery Jr. of U.S. 70 West in Old Fort, 29-year-old Justin Ray Rector of Johnson Hollow Road in Marion and 35-year-old April Christine Evans of Triple J. Mobile Home Park in Marion. Prior to the arrest, Waycaster and his girlfriend, Evans, were living with a male acquaintance in his home. The homeowner came home early from work one day and found Evans in the living room copying $20 bills on his printer, according to District Attorney Ted Bell. Waycaster subsequently told officers that he knew Evans learned how to counterfeit the money from someone they previously lived with. After discovering the counterfeiting, the homeowner told the two to leave, after which Waycaster took the mans car to go to the hospital and did not return it. The homeowner reported this to the Sheriffs Office, who located Waycaster with the vehicle and the pages of fake bills. Waycaster told authorities that another suspect, Jimmy Lowery, had left the pages in the car. During the trial, the jury determined that Waycaster did not join Evans in creating the counterfeit bills nor was he actively present at the time the act was committed and found him not guilty on the counterfeiting charge. Further charges against Waycaster remain pending in McDowell County Superior Court. Waycaster is currently serving prison time for a series of consecutive charges in McDowell, including interfering with an electronic monitoring device and habitual felon, according to N.C. Department of Public Safety records. With these combined convictions, Waycaster is facing a minimum of 11-and-a-half years in prison. The following cases were heard in McDowell County Superior Court during the week of Aug. 18: Khirey Devonta Cherry, 25, of Old Glenwood Road, Marion Correctional Institution, was found guilty of four counts of malicious conduct by a prisoner and sentenced to 24 to 38 months in prison consecutive to previous judgment. Jamie Smith Deyton, 37, of Saw Mill Hollow Road, Burnsville, was found guilty of misdemeanor stalking. She must serve eight months of supervised probation. She must not be on property of the victim. She must pay a court-appointed attorney $1,500. She must pay court costs. Marlene Denis Gray, 33, of Kathleen Park, Marion, was found guilty of driving while impaired, level four and driving while license revoked. She was given credit for 48 days time served. She must serve 12 months of supervised probation consecutive to previous judgment. She must perform 48 hours of community service. She must pay a court-appointed attorney $400. She must pay court costs. Gray was also found guilty of two counts of malicious conduct by a prisoner. She was sentenced to 20 to 33 months in prison consecutive to previous judgment. She was given credit for 99 days time served. She must pay a court-appointed attorney $1,520. She must pay court costs. Ashley Renee Johnson, 30, of Moody Town Road, Marion, was found guilty of two counts of obtaining property under false pretense. She was given a six- to 17-month suspended sentence. She must serve 24 months of supervised probation. She must pay $144.20 restitution to the victim. She must pay a court-appointed attorney $480. She must pay court costs. Raymond Joiner, 33, of Old Glenwood Road, Marion Correctional Institution, pleaded not guilty and was found guilty of habitual felon and two counts of malicious conduct by a prisoner. He was sentenced to 146 to 188 months in prison consecutive to previous judgment. Jonathan Derick Mace, 24, of Old Morganton Road, Marion, pleaded not guilty and was found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail. He was giving credit for 253 days time served. Deana Marie McKinney, 35, of Fairview Park Drive, Marion, was found guilty of possession of methamphetamine. She was given credit for 32 days time served. She was given a six- to 17-month suspended sentence. She must serve 36 months of supervised probation. She must pay a court-appointed attorney $420. She must pay court costs. Melissa Ann Mitchell, 38, of Nix Creek Road, Marion, was found guilty of felony probation violation out of county. Her probation was revoked. She was given credit for 48 days time served. William Alexander Moore, 25, of Chambers Chapel Circle, Morganton, was found guilty of possession of stolen goods or property. He was given credit for five days time served. He was given a six to 17 month suspended sentence. He must serve 30 months of supervised probation. He must pay a court-appointed attorney $780. He must pay court costs. Curtis Darnell Williams Jr., 23, of Old Glenwood Road, Marion Correctional Institution, was found guilty of two counts of malicious conduct by a prisoner. He was sentenced to 17 to 30 months in prison consecutive to previous judgment. Margot A. Withrow, 53, of U.S. 70 East, Nebo, was found guilty of violation of a domestic protective order. She was sentenced to 20 days in jail. She was given credit for four days time served. Withrow also pleaded not guilty and was found guilty of injury to real property. She must serve 18 months of supervised probation. She must not have contact with the victim. She must pay a court-appointed attorney $560. She must pay court costs. China plans to expand use of ethanol in gasoline nationwide by 2020 to curb smog and fossil fuel demand, the government said Wednesday, joining United States, Brazil and other nations that use blended fuel. The announcement adds to a series of initiatives to clean up smog-choked Chinese cities and control surging demand for imported oil. The government is spending heavily to develop an electric car industry and has raised sales taxes on vehicles with larger engines. Plans call for China to develop a demonstration facility by 2020 that can make 50,000 tons of ethanol a year from cellulose, according to the Cabinet's National Energy Administration. It said that would expand to commercial scale by 2025. "It is an ideal alternative to fossil fuel," said an unidentified NEA official quoted by the official Xinhua News Agency. Smartphones have become an indispensable part of modern life, even when it comes to raising a child, but experts warn against children's first exposure to the device at too young an age. Ahn Dong-hyun, a professor at Hanyang University College of Medicine in Seoul, said, "In academia, it is recommended that children should not be exposed to video devices including smartphones before they reach 36 months. Unilateral stimulation of visual and auditory senses at this age can be harmful." Until they reach the age of three, babies' brain neural circuits form rapidly, and they need to receive well balanced stimulation of all five senses. However, smartphones only stimulate the visual and auditory senses. "Most video clips have sounds and images that change very quickly. If babies get used to such stimuli, their brains do not develop in a balanced way, and they don't react to smaller stimuli in reality that are slower and weaker," said Lee Eun-hye, a pediatrician at Kyunghee University Hospital. "Ultimately, they may struggle to gather and memorize information and have slower language development." The Air Force successfully completed its first live-fire drill of a Taurus long-range air-to-surface cruise missile on Tuesday, a spokesman said Wednesday. Fired from a fighter jet over Daejeon, the Taurus is capable of striking a major North Korean command facility in Pyongyang with pinpoint accuracy. A new, large-scale study in Finnish women suggests that vitamin D deficiency can significantly raise the risk of multiple sclerosis, which makes it a reliable predictive marker for the disease. By contrast, correcting this deficiency may reduce the risk. Share on Pinterest Deficient vitamin D levels may increase MS risk by over 40 percent. It is not currently known what causes multiple sclerosis (MS), a debilitating neurological disease that is estimated to affect 400,000 people in the United States. However, it is known that women are at much higher risk of developing the disease than men. And new research in a large sample of women has found a risk factor: low vitamin D levels. The new study was published in the journal Neurology, and the first author of the paper is Dr. Kassandra Munger, of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, MA. Dr. Munger explains that to date, There have only been a few small studies suggesting that levels of vitamin D in the blood can predict risk. But the new research examines a much larger cohort. Studying vitamin D and MS risk Dr. Munger and colleagues examined the data available from the blood tests of more than 800,000 Finnish women. The blood was collected as part of the prenatal testing in the Finnish Maternity Cohort. Using data from national medical registries, the researchers also examined which women received an MS diagnosis during a period of 9 years. Of all the study participants, 1,092 women developed MS 9 years after they had their blood tested. Dr. Munger and team compared these women with 2,123 age-matched study participants who did not go on to develop MS. The team defined vitamin D deficiency as under 30 nanomoles per liter. Insufficient levels were considered to fall between 30 and 49 nanomoles per liter, and normal levels were defined as 50 nanomoles per liter and above. Dr. Munger and team used conditional logistic regression to adjust for possible confounders, such as the year during which the blood sample was taken, the number of times that the woman had been pregnant, and her number of pregnancies carried to term. Low vitamin D raises MS risk by 43 percent Of the participants who had MS, 58 percent had vitamin D deficiency. By comparison, 52 percent of the women who did not develop MS had deficient levels of the vitamin. Finnish women have historically been reported to have low vitamin D levels. Interestingly, the researchers found that women with vitamin D deficiency were 43 percent more likely to develop MS than their counterparts who had normal levels of the vitamin. Women with the deficiency were also 27 percent more likely to develop MS compared with women who had insufficient levels. Additionally, the study found that with each vitamin D increase of 50 nanomoles per liter, the risk of MS decreased by 39 percent. Our study, involving a large number of women, suggests that correcting vitamin D deficiency in young and middle-age women may reduce their future risk of MS. Dr. Kassandra Munger Understanding the ecosystem of multidrug-resistant bacteria, and how antibiotics affect them, could lead to better infection prevention. What's worse than getting exposed to a kind of bacteria that modern antibiotics can't kill? Getting exposed to more than one - because they may work together to cause an infection, new research suggests. And trying different antibiotics to control one such "superbug" may only encourage others lurking nearby, according to new findings made in hundreds of nursing home patients by a team from the University of Michigan. In fact, the researchers say it's time to think about such bacteria as members of an antibiotic-resistant ecosystem in healthcare environments - not as single species that act and respond alone. Forty percent of the 234 frail elderly patients in their study had more than one multidrug-resistant organism, or MDRO, living on their bodies. Patients who had specific pairs of MDROs were more likely to develop a urinary tract infection involving an MDRO. The researchers created a map of interactions among bacteria and classes of antibiotics, which they've published with their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Eventually, that kind of mapping could help healthcare providers. For instance, they could choose to treat a patient with a specific antibiotic not just because of its ability to kill one MDRO, but also for its potential downstream impact on other MDROs that may be lurking on the patient, or nearby. But that will take time, and more research in the laboratory and in healthcare facilities, say the researchers, led by systems biologist Evan Snitkin, Ph.D. of the U-M Medical School Department of Microbiology and Immunology. So in the meantime, they hope their new findings will give healthcare providers and patients even more reason to avoid using antibiotics in the first place unless they're truly necessary - because "superbugs" evolve in response to them. An ecosystem of resistance The researchers used detailed data from a long-term study of nursing home patients led by U-M geriatrician Lona Mody, M.D., M.Sc., who studies infection transmission and prevention in nursing homes. The team also included Betsy Foxman, Ph.D., a longtime researcher in the epidemiology of antibiotic resistance and urinary tract infections. Nearly two-thirds of the patients studied were treated with one or more of 50 different antibiotics during the study period. All the patients in the study used a urinary catheter to empty their bladders for at least three days during the study period. This allowed the researchers to look at patterns of urinary tract infections, which in nursing home and hospital patients often arise from bacteria entering the bladder along a catheter. The findings showed that colonization of such patients' skin, noses and throats with common MDROs was not random. "We observed a complex network of interactions, with acquisition of each of six different MDRO species being influenced by different sets of antibiotics, and primary MDRO colonization in turn increasing the risk of acquisition and infection by other MDROs," says lead author Joyce Wang, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in Snitkin's lab who led the analysis. Colonization with one MDRO increased the risk of acquiring other MDROs - but not all others. It was as if they were interacting very specifically with other species. And treatment of a patient with any given antibiotic increased their chances of being colonized with an MDRO - which in turn altered their risk of becoming colonized with another MDRO later. Superbug cooperation The researchers focused on two of the most dangerous MDROs -- vancomycin resistant Enterococcus (VRE), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) - as well as four Gram-negative bacteria that have evolved resistance to two powerful antibiotics. One of the four, Proteus mirabilis, causes many catheter-associated UTIs and can form biofilms that involve many bacteria. It's known to release a compound called urease, which acts as a means of communication among bacteria. The other three species of MDRO studied were Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These same species are known to cause many infections in hospitals, which have poured major effort into fighting them and preventing their spread. But, says Snitkin, "A lot of the attention in infection prevention is paid to large academic hospitals - but this is a fruitless endeavor if you're not controlling the same organisms in all the connected healthcare facilities and nursing homes," where patients go after a hospital stay, or live long-term. "We need to understand what clinical practices drive the spread of MDROs in healthcare facilities, and counterintuitively, it appears that a key factor is the use of certain antibiotics used against an individual organism that may impact other circulating organisms." In short, every nursing home and likely every hospital in America is home to a natural experiment in the evolution of bacteria strains, to become resistant to drugs and to survive on a host patient or travel between hosts. The people who work to prevent infections in healthcare facilities could someday harness advanced DNA sequencing techniques to help them combat superbugs, Snitkin says. These tools, which he and his colleagues have been using in their research labs for a decade, help pinpoint exactly which strains of different bacteria are present, and how they're evolving. That, combined with knowledge about how different MDRO strains interact with one another and how specific antibiotics affect them, could help steer doctors' decisions in future. Article: Network of microbial and antibiotic interactions drive colonization and infection with multidrug-resistant organisms, Lona Mody et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1710235114, published online 12 September 2017. The Drugs and cosmetic Act, 1940 was passed in British India to regulate the manufacture, distribution, and sale of drugs in the colony. This Act also governed the import of the drugs in the country. A related Drugs Rules were passed in 1945. Later on, after Indian independence, the Act underwent various amendments from time to time and is now known as the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The important amendments in the Act were as follows:(1 Trusted Source UPDATES ON THE AMENDMENTS MADE ON THE DRUGS AND COSMETICS RULE 1945 (AMENDMENT RULES 2018) ON LABELING OF MEDICINES RULES 96 & 97 Go to source) The Drugs (Amendment) Act, 1955 (11 of 1955) The Drugs (Amendment) Act, 1960 (35 of 1960) The Drugs (Amendment) Act, 1962 (21 of 1962) The Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Act, 1964 (13 of 1964) The Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Act, 1955 (19 of 1972) The Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Act, 1982 (68 of 1982) The Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Act, 1986 The Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Act, 1995 (71 of 1995) However, the primary objective of this act remains constant. The Act clarifies that the drugs and cosmetics that are sold in India should always be safe, effective and meet stringent quality standards. The drug sales have increased over the years and new drugs are constantly being added to the drug formulary. To ensure safety of end consumer the drug regulatory body schedules the drugs according to their therapeutic effect. Drugs and Cosmetics Act differentiates prescription drugs, narcotic and psychotropic(2 Trusted Source Opioid substitution therapy: Legal challenges Go to source) substances, over the counter drugs and medical devices, with a view to promote safety in public health. This scheduling system helps law makers, law enforcers, and healthcare professionals identify the nature of existing as well as new drugs. Advertisement Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 The Drugs and Cosmetic Rules of 1945 allocated provisions for the classification of the drugs under various given schedules including details regarding the storage, display, sale and the prescription of an individual schedule.(3 Trusted Source The Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 Go to source) The prominent schedules included Schedule G, H, X, J. Other schedules included A,B,C,E,F,K,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,Y. Schedule F has sub-categories of F -I, F-II,F-III and F-F while schedule P has a sub category called P-I. This schedule contains a list of drugs that can be sold only against the prescription of a registered medical practitioner. Another provision needs to be followed is that, only the required amount of medications mentioned in the prescription can be dispensed. These drugs can be supplied only to the licensed parties. The drug label must exhibit the text Rx and Schedule H drug warning: To be sold by retails on the prescription of a Registered Medical Practioner only. As per the notification on 16th March 2006 released by the Department of Health under the Ministry of Health and family welfare there are 536 Schedule H drugs. The original list contained 510 drugs but this has been revised by the Drugs Technical Advisory Board, and the present list includes about 536 drugs. Abacavir Abciximab Acamprosate Calcium Acebutolol Hydrochloride Aclarubicin Albendazole Alclometasone Dipropionate Actilyse Acyclovir Adenosine Adrenocorticotrophic Hormone (Acth) Alendronate Sodium Allopurinol Alpha chymotrypsin Alprazolam Alprostadil Amantadine Hydrochloride Amifostine Amikacin Sulphate Amiloride Hydrochloride Amineptine Aminoglutethimide Aminosalicylic Acid Amiodarone Hydrochloride Amitriptyline Amlodipine Besylate Amoscanate Amoxapine Amrinone Lactate Analgin Androgenic Anabolic, Oestrogenic & Progestational Substances Antibiotics Apraclonidine Aprotinin Organic Compound Of Arsenic Arteether Artemether Artesunate Articaine Hydrochloride Atenolol Atracurium Besylate Injection Atorvastatin Auranofin Azathioprine Aztreonam Bacampicillin Baclofen Balsalazide Bambuterol Barbituric Acid Basiliximab Benazepril Hydrochloride Benidipine Hydrochloride Benserazide Hydrochloride Betahistine Dihydrochloride Bethanidine Sulphate Bezafibrate Bicalutamide Biclotymol Bifonazole Bimatoprost Biperiden Hydrochloride Biphenyl Acetic Acid Bitoscanate Bleomycin Brimonidine Tartrate Bromhexine Hydrochloride Bromocriptine Mesylate Budesonide Bulaquine Bupiva Caine Hydrochloride Bupropion Buspirone Butenafine Hydrochloride Butorphanol Tartrate Cabergoline Calcium Dobesilate Candesartan Capecitabine Captopril Carbidopa Carbocisteine Carboplatin Carboquone Carisoprodol L-Carnitine Carteolol Hydrochloride Carvedilol Cefadroxyl Cefatoxime Sodium Cefazolin Sodium Cefdinir Cefepime Hydrochloride Cefetamet Pivoxil Cefpirome Cefpodoxime Poxetil Ceftazidime Pentahydrate Ceftizoxime Sodium Cefuroxime Celecoxib Centchroman Centbutindole Centpropazine Cetirizine Hydrochloride Chlordiazepoxide Chlormezanone Chlorpheniramine Maleate Chlorpromazine Chlorzoxazone Ciclopirox Olamine Cimetidine Cinnarizine Ciprofloxacin Hydrochloride Monohydrate / Lactate Cisplatin Citalopram Hydrobromide Clarithromycin Clavulanic Acid Clidinium Bromide Clindamycin Clobazam Clobetasol Propionate Clobetasone -Butyrate Clofazimine Clofibrate Clonazepam Clonidine Hydrochloride Clopamide Clopidogrel Bisulphate Clostebol Acetate Clotrimazole Clozapine Codeine Colchicine Corticosteroids Cotrimoxazole Cyclandelate Cyclosporins Daclizumab Danazole Dapsone Desloratadine Desogestrol Dexrazoxane Dextranomer Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide Dextropropoxyphene Diazepam Diazoxide Diclofenac Sodium/Potassium/Acid Dicyclomin Hydrochloride Didanosine Digoxine Dilazep Hydrochloride Diltiazem Dinoprostone Diphenoxylate, Its Salts Dipivefrin Hydrochloride Di-Sodium Pamidronate Disopyramide Docetaxel Domperidone Donepezil Hydrochloride Dopamine Hydrochloride Dothiepin Hydrochloride Doxapram Hydrochloride Doxazosin Mesylate Doxepin Hydrochloride Doxorubicin Hydrochloride Drotrecogin-Alpha Ebastine Econozole Efavirenz Enalapril Maleate Mefenamic Acid Epinephrine Epirubicine Eptifibatide Ergot, Alkaloids Of Whether Hydrogenated Or Not, Their Homologoues, Salts Esomeprazole Estradiol Succinate Estramustine Phosphate Etanercept Ethacridine Lactate Ethambutol Hydrochloride Ethamsylate Ethinyloestradiol Ethionamide Etidronate Disodium Etodolac Etomidate Etoposide Exemestane Famciclovir Famotidine Fenbendazole Fenofibrate Fexofenadine Finasteride Flavoxate Hydrochloride -Fluorouracil Fludarabine Flufenamic Acids Flunarizine Hydrochloride Fluoxetine Hydrochloride Flupenthixol Fluphenazine Enanthate And Decanoate Flurazepam Flurbiprofen Flutamide Fluticasone Propionate Fluvoxamine Maleate Formestane Fosfestril Sodium Fosinopril Sodium Fosphenytoin Sodium Fotemustine Gabapentin Galanthamine Hydrobromide Gallamine, Its Salts, Its Quaternary Compound Gancyclovir Ganirelix Gatifloxacin Gemcitabine Gemfibrozil Gemtuzumab Genodeoxycholic Acid Gliclazide Glimepiride Glucagon Glycopyrrolate Glydiazinamide Goserelin Acetate Granisetron Guanethidine Gugulipid Halogenated Hydroxyquinolines Haloperidol Heparin Hepatitis B. Vaccine Hyaluronidase Hydrocortisone -Butyrate Hydrotalcite Hydroxyzine Ibuprofen Idebenone Indapamide Imipramine Indinavir Sulphate Indomethacin Insulin Human Interferon Intravenous Fat Emulsion Iobitridol Iohexol Iopamidol Iomeprol Iopromide Irbesartan Irinotecan Hydrochloride Iron Preparation For Parenteral Use Isepamicine Isocarboxazid Isoflurane Isonicotinic Acid Hydrazine And Other-Hydrazine Derivatives Of Isonicotinic Acid Isosorbide Dinitrate/ Mononitrate Isotretinoin Isoxsuprine Itopride Ketamine Hydrochloride Ketoconazole Ketoprofen Ketorolac Tromethamine Labetalol Hydrochloride Lacidipine Lamivudine Lamotrigine Latanoprost Leflunomide Lercanidipine Hydrochloride Letrozole Leuprolide Acetate Levamisole Levarterenol Levobunolol Levocetirizine Levodopa Levofloxacin Levovist Lidoflazine Linezolid Lithium Carbonate Lofepramine Decanoate Loperamide Lorazepam Losartan Potassium Loteprednol Lovastatin Loxapine Mebendazole Mebeverine Hydrochloride Medroxy Progesterone Acetate Mefenamic Acid Mefloquine Hydrochloride Megestrol Acetate Meglumine Iocarmate Melagenina Melitracen Hydrochloride Meloxicam Mephenesin, Its Esters Mephentermine Meropenem Mesterolone Metaxalone Methicillin Sodium Methocarbamol Methotrexate Metoclopramide Metoprolol Tartrate Metrizamide Metronidazole Mexiletine Hydrochloride Mianserin Hydrochloride Miconazole Midazolam Mifepristone Milrinone Lactate Miltefosine Minocycline Minoxidil Mirtazapine Misoprostol Mitoxantrone Hydrochloride Mizolastine Moclobemide Mometasone Furoate Montelukast Sodium Morphazinamide Hydrochloride Mosapride Moxifloxacin Mycophenolate Mofetil Nadifloxacin Nadolol Nafarelin Acetate Nalidixic Acid Naproxen Narcotics Drugs Listed In Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances Act, Natamycin Nateglinide N-Butyl--Cyanoacrylate Nebivolol Nebumetone Nelfinavir Mesilate Netilmicin Sulphate Nevirapine Nicergoline Nicorandil Nifedipine Nimesulide Nimustine Hydrochloride Nitrazepam Nitroglycerin Norethisterone Enanthate Norfloxacin Octylonium Bromide Ofloxacin Olanzapine Omeprazole Ornidazole Orphenadrine Orthoclone Sterile Oxazepam Oxazolidine Oxcarbazepine Oxethazaine Hydrochloride Oxiconazole Oxolinic Acid Oxprenolol Hydrochloride Oxybutynin Chloride Oxyfedrine Oxymetazoline Oxyphenbutazone Oxytocin Ozothine Paclitaxel Pancuronium Bromide Pantoprazole Para-Amino Benzene Sulphonamide, Its Salts & Derivatives Parp-Amino Salicylic Acid, Its Salts, Its Derivatives Parecoxib Paroxetine Hydrochloride D-Penicillamine Pentazocine Pentoxifylline Pepleomycin Phenelzine Sulphate Phenobarbital Phenothiazine, Derivatives Of And Salts Of Its Derivatives Phenylbutazone Pimozide Pindolol Pioglitazone Hydrochloride Piracetam Piroxicam Pituitary Gland, Active Principles Of, Not Otherwise Specified In this Schedule And Their Salts Polidocanol Polyestradiol Phosphate Poractant Alfa Praziquantel Prednimustine Prednisolone Stearoylglycolate Prenoxdiazin Hydrochloride Promazine Hydrochloride Promegestone Propafenon Hydrochloride Propanolol Hydrochloride Propofol Protristyline Hydrochloride Pyrazinamide Pyrvinium Quetiapine Fumerate Quinapril Quinidine Sulphate Rabeprazole Racecadotril Raloxifene Hydrochloride Ramipril Hydrochloride Ranitidine Rauwolfia, Alkaloids Of, Their Salts, Derivatives Of The Alkaloids Or Rauwolfia Reboxetine Repaglinide Reproterol Hydrochloride Rilmenidine Riluzole Risperidone Ritonavir Ritodrine Hydrochloride Rituximab Rivastigmine Rocuronium Bromide Ropinirole Rosoxacin Rosiglitazone Maleate Salbutamol Sulphate Salicyl-Azo-Sulphapyridine Salmon Calcitonin Saquinavir Satranidazole Secnidazole Septopal Beads & Chains Serratiopeptidase Sertraline Hydrochloride Sibutramine Hydrochloride Sildenafil Citrate Simvastatin Sirolimus Sisomicin Sulphate S-Neominophagen Sodium Picosulphate Sodium Cromoglycate Sodium Hyaluronate Sodium Valproate Sodium And Meglumine Iothalamates Somatostatin Somatotropin Sotalol Sparfloxacin Spectinomycin Hydrochloride Spironolactone Stavudine Sucralfate Sulphadoxine Sulphamethoxine Sulphamethoxypyridazine Sulphaphenazole Sulpiride Sulprostone Hydrochloride Sumatriptan Tacrine Hydrochloride Tamsulosin Hydrochloride Trapidil Tegaserod Maleate Teicoplanin Telmisartan Temozolamide Terazosin Terbutaline Sulphate Terfenadine Terizidone Terlipressin Testosterone Undecoanoate Teratolol Hydrochloride Thalidomide Thiacetazone Thiocolchicoside Thiopropazate, Its Salts Thymogene Thymosin-Alpha Tiaprofenic Acid Tibolone Timolol Maleate Tinidazole Tizanidine Tobramycin Tolfenamic Acid Topiramate Topotecan Hydrochloride Tramadol Hydrochloride Tranexamic Acid Tranylcypromine, Its Salts Trazodone Tretinoin Trifluperazine Trifluperidol Hydrochloride Triflusal Trimetazidine Dihydrochloride Trimipramine Tripotassium Dicitrate Bismuthate Tromantadine Hydrochloride Urokinase Valsartan Vasopressin Vecuronium Bromide Venlafaxine Hydrochloride Verapamil Hydrochloride Verteporfin Vincristine Sulphate Vinblastine Sulphate Vindesine Sulphate Vinorelbine Tartrate Xipamide Zidovudine Hydrochloride Ziprasidone Hydrochloride Zoledronic Acid Zolpidem Zopiclone Zuclopenthixol The schedule H1 drugs were mainly allocated to restrict the selling of antibiotics through over the counter (OTC) sales, after it was noted that any number of these drugs could be bought from pharmacies across India without any limitations. Irrational prescribing of antibiotics and other drugs by doctors and chemists lacking a registered pharmacist has contributed to the increasing antibiotics resistance and tolerance of psychotropics. In response to these serious issues, antibiotic forums, scientific meetings and symposiums were conducted by medical fraternity and various educational institutions. As a result, the Government of India issued a gazette notification, GSR 588 (E) dated on 30. 08. 2013 regarding schedule H1 Drugs which shows the importance of this schedule.(5 Trusted Source Health Ministry notified on implementation of Schedule H1 drugs in D&C rules | No more OTC selling of antibiotics Go to source) Schedule H1 Drugs: The schedule H1 drug includes 3rd & 4th generation antibiotics, anti-tuberculosis drugs and certain habit-forming drugs like psychotropic drugs. To dispense these drugs two main criteria have to be followed strictly. Advertisement 1) The drug supplied under the schedule H1 specification should be recorded in a separate register at the time of supply, mentioning the name and address of the prescriber, name of the patient, and the name of the drug along with the quantity supplied. This register has to be maintained confidentially up to three years and should be open for inspection. 2) The schedule H1 drugs should be labeled with the symbol Rx in red, clearly displayed on the left top corner of the drug label. The label should also bear the following words in a box with a red border. "Schedule H1 Drug-Warning:(6 Trusted Source Rules for Selling of Drugs Under Schedule H1 Go to source) -It is dangerous to take this preparation except in accordance with the medical advice. -Not to be sold by retail without the prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner." Alprazolam Balofloxacin Buprenorphine Capreomycin Cefdinir Cefditoren Cefepime Cefetamet Cefixime Cefoperazone Cefotaxime Cefpirome Cefpodoxime Ceftazidime Ceftibuten Ceftizoxime Ceftriaxone Chlordiazepoxide Clofazimine Codeine Cycloserine Diazepam Diphenoxylate Doripenem Ertapenem Ethambutol HCl Ethionamide Faropenem Gemifloxacin Imipenem Isoniazid Levofloxacin Meropenem Midazolam Moxifloxacin Nitrazepam Pentazocine Prulifloxacin Pyrazinamide Rifabutin Rifampicin Sodium Para-aminosalicylate Sparfloxacin Thiacetazone Tramadol Zolpidem The schedule H1 drug list, however, shows no limitation of using the drugs as topicals or for external use such as in ophthalmic, ear or nose preparations. It is a known fact that a gazette notification alone will not help. Apart from this several measures have to be executed by the respective authorities at all levels. They are as follows: a) Surveillance of OTC sales b) Studying patterns of antibiotic sensitivity and resistance c) Launching of appropriate antibiotic and psychotrophic policies in a healthcare facility d) Creating awareness about rational use of antibiotics in all levels of medical setups including teaching medical institutions e) Conducting frequent pharmacy inspections Illegal drug trafficking activities can be eliminated by categorizing drugs as scheduled drugs; this ensures patient health and safety. Ultimately, the registered pharmacists should firmly understand their responsibility in adequately managing drugs being sold through their pharmacy under the drugs regulatory law. Although the seventh season of Game of Thrones' is over, we just can't get enough of the finale episode that blew our minds away. From Viserion, the undead dragon brutally crushing the wall' to Jon and Dany finally fulfilling fans' wishes by taking incest to another level, this season ended on a really high note. We are sure many of you must be wondering what the actors might be doing, now that season 7 is over? Preparing for season 8'? NO. Some are actually living their lives, away from all the tension of killing or getting killed on their quest to sit on the coveted throne. At least Jon Snow aka Kit Harington is definitely having the time of his life. For all those who thought this man knows nothing, he sure knows how to have fun, with his partner in crime Ser Davos (played by Liam Cunningham). HBO Since Westeros is not a place where you can attend to your fanciful wishes of riding in racing cars, Jon Snow, the King in the North made sure that he rides one in real-life. Kit Harington along with Liam Cunningham, took some time off Winterfell and travelled to Monza, Italy, where they rode in swanky two-seater Formula 1 cars. The duo looked super excited, and in fact were all smiles as they geared up for the ride. According to The Drive, Harington said after his ride, I was cursing at all of you for putting me in that thing! He further added, That's the most fun I've had. The first lap I think I was just surviving. Check out the video here. No matter how scared the two were while riding in the racing car, we are sure the experience is definitely safer than the kind of sh*t they had to deal with in Westeros since no one is hatching a plan to kill them all. Having said that, although Jon Snow couldn't ride the dragon, at the very least, he got to ride in a beast that's fiercer in real life. HBO The number of employed people grew by only 212,000 in August to reach 26.74 million, the smallest on-year increase in six months, according to Statistics Korea on Wednesday. Youth unemployment meanwhile rose to 9.4 percent, the highest level for the month of August since 1999, when Korea was reeling from the impact of the Asian financial crisis. The administration of President Moon Jae-in has made job creation a top priority, but so far to no effect. On-year, jobs increased by about 400,000 a month until April and then dropped to 375,000 in May, when Moon took office. It has been falling since. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on Wednesday decided to take China to the World Trade Organization over its unofficial boycott of South Korean goods and services. The ministry is also weighing other legal options against China's drastic retaliation over the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery from the U.S. here. After the full deployment of the THAAD battery was completed last week, the government sent another letter to the Chinese government voicing Seoul's concerns over snowballing losses suffered by South Korean businesses in China due to the boycott. It decided to bring up the matter in a WTO meeting next month. The government already raised the issue in WTO meetings in March and June and will continue to lodge complaints in upcoming meetings with Chinese trade officials. Yangtze River Bridge to reopen ahead of the National Day holiday From:Shanghai Daily | 2017-09-13 09:35 Renovation work on the Yangtze River Bridge, a major crossing for visitors from urban Shanghai to Chongming Island, will be finished by September 25. Shanghai Road Administration Bureau said on Tuesday that this means that traffic on the bridge wont be disturbed during the National Day holiday. Repairs to the bridge, much of it involving broken surface areas, started on July 11. Some lanes had to be shut during the renovation period. The bureau said the bridge will be now safer for motorists and their driving experience will be improved. Disney makes life harder for the scalpers From:Shanghai Daily | 2017-09-13 09:19 SHANGHAI Disneyland will no longer issue fast entry tickets in paper form to visitors starting from today. Police believe the move could help to deter scalpers from trying their luck at the park. Also the park will strengthen identification verification procedures of "Fastpass" holders identities at its attractions, police said yesterday. Scalpers are a common sight around Shanghai Disney Resort and are often spotted approaching visitors. Police said disputes between visitors and scalpers are frequent. Disneyland says a visitors Fastpass tickets should correlate to their entrance tickets. "Most of the victims were tourists from out of town who hoped to save time and be able to play at more attractions and didnt have much knowledge about the rules of the theme park," said Shen Zhen, an official of the Police Department of Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone. If caught, the scalpers are usually punished with an admonition, a fine or five to 15 days of detention. The Disney Resort hasnt announced the exact date when visitors can use the app to get fast entry, but in the meantime, entry tickets can be digitally stamped at a Fastpass machine. Meanwhile, instead of examining a Fastpass holders identity once at attractions, staff will now do it twice to ensure the fast entry ticket is linked to the entrance ticket, police said. This day marks eighteen years from the tragic loss of Giannos Kranidiotis. Giannos Kranidiotis was a distinguished figure among Greeks worldwide. A pioneer with innovative ideas, as well as a dynamic politician, he remained committed to the promotion of the interests of Greece and Cyprus. Having been one of the visionaries who ushered in the European course of the Republic of Cyprus, he decisively contributed, with systematic and quiet effort, in its accession to the European Union. Today, at a critical juncture as regards the Cyprus issue, the diplomatic legacy of Giannos Kranidiotis continues to serve as a source of inspiration for Greek foreign policy. We shall continue, in close collaboration with the Republic of Cyprus, to faithfully serve his policy for a reunited Cyprus, free of occupation forces or intervention rights. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A priest in his collar. An aged Danish Boy Scout. A pair of Japanese tourists. On Aug. 25, 1973, a photographer coaxed them into his loft on the top floor of a San Francisco Victorian for a photoshoot. Now, 44 years later, the photographer is trying to track them all down. Jeff Cohen, then a budding freelance photographer, woke up that summer morning looking for something to do. He decided to approach strangers strolling past his Union Street loft and invite them upstairs. Shortly after that day, Cohen moved away from San Francisco and the photos were packed up and forgotten. Four decades later, after raising a family and retiring from his 30-year-long career as an editor at Playboy Magazine, Cohen rediscovered the portraits while unpacking his new photo studio in Chicago. VINTAGE PHOTOS: When the 3-ring circus still came to town Cohen had the full names and addresses of his subjects from 1973, and with the advent of social media, he decided to try to track down some of the strangers. Within a couple weeks of looking, he connected with two of them. Less than three years after beginning his search, he's found a total of eight. He hopes to find all of them and display their recent photos, taken with the same Hasselblad film camera, alongside their 1973 portraits. His search led him to a self-proclaimed hippie in the Sierra Nevada foothills, an established artist in Los Angeles, and a reclusive photography professor in Vermont. One woman, Cohen says, sends him a message every few days. "She's in a bad relationship," he said. "I think I must be part-shrink." VIDEO: Summer of Love remembered 50 years later In his searching, Cohen learned some of his subjects have been long dead, others have grown up and grown estranged from the people with whom they were photographed, like the trio in slide 7 of the above gallery. Cohen says the two men brothers haven't spoken in 20 years. Then there's Brother Michael Finney. Cohen tracked him down on Tuesday after searching for months. The challenge? The priest got married after leaving the church and took his wife's last name. The pair currently live on a commune, says Cohen. WAY BACK WHEN: 4 cans of lima beans was enough to cross Golden Gate in the 70s Not much has changed for Nancey Kearney, now 60 and living 3,000 feet above sea level in Sonora, Calif., where she moved not long after Cohen took her photo. She was just 16 at the time and visiting San Francisco from Sacramento for the day when Cohen found her "sauntering around the city" in a new peasant dress. "I was a hippie back then," she said from her Sonora home, which she shares with chickens, dogs, cats, guinea pigs and other rescue animals. "Well, I guess I'm still a hippie." Kearney admits that she's thought about that day in 1973 "so many times throughout the years." She says she didn't hesitate when Cohen asked to photograph her. "Though I certainly would freak out now," she said. "Most people would." She continued, "It was a very innocent time. People weren't afraid of each other as they are now." Cohen believes therein lies the charm of the long-forgotten photographs: The whimsy in the knowledge that such a feat would be difficult to accomplish today. "It's a sign of the times," he said. Cohen returned to his old studio in October while vacationing in the Bay Area (see a photo of the house in the above gallery). He discovered that the old Victorian still stood, though barely. Cohen, never one to shy away from interactions with strangers, knocked on the front door and found his old landlord inside, signing away the deeds to the house at that exact moment. The new buyer planned to knock it down to build condos, Cohen said. Yet another sign of the times? The house sold for $2.6 million. "If only I'd stuck around," Cohen said with a tinge of nostalgia. If you recognize any of the subjects, Cohen asks that you send him an e-mail at jeff@jeffcohenphotography.com. Read Michelle Robertsons latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com. HURON COUNTY -- Verizon Wireless customers who use a high amount of data will no longer have service in the Upper Thumb come mid-October. The nationally-known company has recently sent letters to various residents in the area who have been using "a significant amount of data while roaming off the Verizon Wireless network," a letter from Verizon states. As of a Oct. 17, Verizon customers will no longer have service since their primary place of use is outside the Verizon service area, the letter reads. "Earlier this month we notified a small group of customers who live outside our service area and who use a significant amount of data that we won't be their service provider after Oct. 17," stated Laura Meritt, public relations for Verizon, in an email to the Tribune. "This does not affect customers who live within the Verizon service area." Meritt could not specify what is considered to be a "significant amount" of data, but did note that not all Verizon customers will lose service -- just a "very small group of customers." It's unclear if Verizon customers in Huron County are the only users in the state of Michigan who are being affected by this. "We're providing advance notice to these customers so they have plenty of time to port their wireless number to another company before their Verizon Wireless service ends," Meritt stated. "We regularly review accounts with data use that primarily takes place outside of the Verizon network." The company is encouraging its users to evaluate their provider options and switch their service to another provider before Oct. 17. After the October date, customers will no longer be able to transfer their phone numbers to a different provider. Verizon is also notifying customers that any outstanding device payment plan balances for devices purchased prior to Sept. 12 will be waived no later than Oct. 31. For those who still have additional questions, call Verizon at 800-922-0204 or press *611 on your Verizon Wireless phone between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Several messages left with other Verizon representatives seeking more information were not returned. Camp Lejeune Town Halls Aim to Help Those Exposed to Toxic Water. Heres How You Can Go. Retired Marine Master Sgt. Jerry Ensminger made it his mission to tell the world that if they lived or served on Camp Lejeune... A training exercise involving demolitions killed one special operations soldier, Staff Sgt. Alexander P. Dalida, 32, of Dunstable, Massachusetts, and injured seven others at the Army's largest base Thursday. The injured soldiers were taken to the base's Womack Army Medical Center for treatment, said Lt. Col. Rob Bockholt, a spokesman for the U.S. Army's Special Operations Command, which is based at Fort Bragg. Bockholt said he could not describe the extent of the injuries or what caused them. "There was an incident that occurred on one of the ranges," he said, adding that the command is investigating. "We're looking into exactly what happened." The incident at Bragg is the latest training accident to result in injured military personnel. Five Marines are in critical condition and 10 more are receiving medical care for burns after an amphibious assault vehicle erupted into fire during training at Camp Pendleton, California, on Wednesday morning. Officials with 1st Marine Division said Wednesday evening that eight of the 15 Marines aboard the vehicle were medically evacuated to the Burn Center at University of California San Diego Health, with three Marines there in critical condition, and five Marines in serious condition. Another four Marines were taken to University of California Irvine's Medical Center, where two remain in critical condition and the other two are receiving treatment, their condition unknown, officials said. One Marine is in stable condition and being treated at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, and two more are being treated on base at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton with minor injuries. The cause of Wednesday's AAV fire is not yet clear. Marine officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. Fort Bragg is home to about 57,000 military personnel. It is the largest Army installation by population and covers about 161,000 acres. Special Operations Command has about 23,000 soldiers spread over several sites. -- Staff writer Hope Hodge Seck contributed to this report. -- The Associated Press contributed to this report. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Even as the Air Force struggles to deal with its own pilot shortage crisis, the service is working to train foreign pilots, especially from key allies like Turkey. "We've really had to prioritize where we can place our fixed amount of resources against international pilot training," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein recently told Military.com during an interview. His comments came as the chief was traveling to the annual conference of the National Guard Association of the United States in Louisville, Ky., and after ongoing discussions with combatant commanders in the U.S. Central Command and U.S. European Command areas of responsibility on training needs. Related content: Turkey "is one of the top if not the top of priorities for training. So my direction to our team is, 'We need to move forward aggressively to support Turkey,' " Goldfein said during an interview aboard an Air Force C-37A. "At some point, as [we're] aggressively supporting Turkey as they try to rebuild their air force as a strategic partner post-coup attempt, someone starts falling off that [training] list that I just can't get to [right away]," he added, referring to the attempted takeover last July by a group of Turkish armed forces. The plotters failed to overthrow Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but strained relations between Turkey and the U.S. The countries share use of Incirlik Air Base, a critical installation for operations against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and throughout Europe. The coup also rattled Turkey's armed forces -- nearly 500 generals and military pilots face trials and more than 45,000 people have been jailed for their alleged close ties to the plot. The U.S. also has personnel stationed at NATO's Allied Land Command based at Izmir Air Station on the western coast and Turkey's Mugala base for training purposes. The effort to maintain relations is steady, Goldfein said. "We're also looking to try to get into some creative work with contracting as well, where we can work with a country that I just can't support because I'm out of pilots, or out of maintainers, so we're still looking at ways to try to get them what they need," he said. Even as the U.S. works to partner with Turkey, Ankara has signaled an interest in partnering with Moscow on various weapons programs. Turkey, a NATO ally, in July agreed to purchase four Russian-made S-400 mobile missile batteries known as the "Triumf" for $2.5 billion over the next few years. The advanced system has been spotted in Syria and can carry multiple, short- to very long-range missiles with a variety of sensor systems. Turkey finalized the deal this week. When asked if recent news of Turkey cooperating more closely with Russia changes the dynamic with U.S. efforts, Goldfein said, "At the point where they start bringing others in who should not have access to our technology, or if they start buying into other systems that can't be in close proximity to our systems, that's a problem." "What I tell all of our international partners is, they've got to protect the technology that we sell them and there are rules that are driven primarily by the State Department to ensure that our technologies don't fall in the wrong hands," the chief said. "I'm pretty blunt with our international partners that says, 'You don't want to go there,'" he said. Goldfein said he has had "direct conversations" with his counterparts in Turkey "at the highest levels," but added "they are a sovereign nation" and can do as they please -- a point recently reiterated by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. "This is a sovereign decision," Mattis told reporters in July, even as he questioned Turkey's intended use. "We'll have to see, does it go through? Do they actually employ it? Do they only employ it in one area? But we'll have to take a look at it. Obviously, it's not going to be interoperable." -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. A Marine veteran who left the service as a staff sergeant had his Silver Star award upgraded to the prestigious Navy Cross in a ceremony Thursday presided over by a two-star general. Eric Smith, a native of Waxahachie, Texas, was presented by Maj. Gen. Paul Kennedy, head of Marine Corps Recruiting Command, with the military's second-highest valor award in recognition of his heroic actions while serving in Ramadi, Iraq, in 2004. The medal was upgraded to the Navy Cross as part of an awards review initiated by the Pentagon in early 2011 to ensure that troops serving in wars after Sept. 11, 2001, were properly recognized for their heroism. Smith's Navy Cross is the 40th presented to a Marine since the Sept. 11 attacks, officials said. "I am honored and humbled to receive the upgraded award of the Navy Cross," Smith said in a statement. "I understand that this places me in a category of Marines that I would have never imagined to be a part of," he said. "I firmly believe that I was an ordinary Marine placed in an extraordinary situation." In the medal presentation ceremony in Irving, Texas, Kennedy described the incident in which Smith's heroism took place. It was April 6, 2004, and, after a relatively peaceful time early in the deployment of 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, "the streets of Ramadi erupted into flames" as insurgents waged what would be an intense three-day war on the American troops, he said. As units were pinned down around the city, quick-reaction forces were dispatched to provide reinforcement and a way out. Smith, who had been supposed to rest ahead of a patrol the next day, was called upon to go out with a makeshift QRF when other assets were exhausted. He was teamed with a lieutenant and a staff sergeant, who raced into Ramadi to save another squad when they themselves were ambushed. "The lieutenant was killed, and the staff sergeant was killed, and somebody had to step up to lead those Marines to safety," Kennedy said. "You heard what he did in the citation. He did it out of the love of the people he was fighting for, his comrades." Twelve Marines were killed that day, and 33 Marines and a Navy corpsman from 2/4 would die over the course of the deployment to Ramadi. According to the citation for Smith's Silver Star, presented in 2006, the Marine -- then a corporal and a squad leader -- was, as part of the QRF, ordered to reinforce a squad being attacked by the enemy. On the way to the objective, two Marine Humvees were ambushed, and the platoon commander critically wounded in the attack. "Under heavy machine gun and rocket-propelled grenade fire, Corporal Smith assumed command of the platoon, and led them 50 meters across open ground to covered positions," Smith's citation reads. "He then ran back across the fire-swept field to evacuate his platoon commander and his weapons." For Smith, the day was not done. He then used machine guns and his platoon's 7-ton truck to lead a counterattack against the local insurgent forces, accomplishing the original mission of rescuing the isolated squad. Then, according to the citation, he worked with an Army Bradley fighting vehicle platoon to evacuate casualties and work out a plan for all units involved in the fight to return to safety. "By his bold leadership, wise judgment, and loyal dedication to duty, Corporal Smith reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service," the citation reads. Smith is now a paramedic with the Irving, Texas, Fire Department and a member of the Texas Task Force 2 Urban Search and Rescue team, according to an autobiographical statement provided by Marine Corps officials. He is also attending Navarro College, where he is pursuing degrees in fire officer and emergency management administration. In brief remarks at his ceremony, Smith remained humble about what he had done. "I'm honored and humbled to be singled out against a sea of deserving Marines," he said. "The significance of this award is not lost on me, and I will wear it with pride." It is fitting that Smith should be the 40th Marine to receive the Navy Cross since the Sept. 11 attacks, as he was a student at the School of Infantry when the towers fell. "On 9/11, we were checking out gas masks from supply when the towers were struck," he said in his autobiographical statement. "And I knew I would not serve a peacetime enlistment." -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. U.S. troops in Syria have taken custody of an "enemy combatant" U.S. citizen who surrendered or was captured by U.S.-partnered forces who said he was fighting for ISIS, a Pentagon spokesman said Thursday. "Syrian Democratic Forces turned over to U.S. forces an American citizen who surrendered to the SDF on or around September 12," Marine Maj. Adrian Rankine-Galloway, a Pentagon spokesman, told CNN. "The US citizen is being legally detained by Department of Defense personnel as a known enemy combatant," Rankine-Galloway said. Earlier reports that an American was in the custody of the mostly-Kurdish SDF were not disputed by U.S. officials but they withheld further comment. In a video briefing to the Pentagon from Baghdad, Army Col. Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, said, "We have seen the same reports" on an American being held by the SDF. He deferred questions to the State Department, which has yet to comment. Dillon said he could not immediately recall any other incident involving an American citizen in Iraq or Syria "either being captured or surrendering" after joining up with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. He said that five ISIS fighters, clutching leaflets urging surrender dropped by the U.S. on Raqqa in eastern Syria, had turned themselves into the SDF but that a U.S. citizen was not among them. Another U.S. military spokesman, Army Maj. Earl Brown, told the Daily Beast, "We are aware of the report that a U.S. citizen believed to be fighting for ISIS surrendered to Syrian Democratic Forces on or about Sept. 12." He deferred questions to the Justice Department and added, "The coalition's mission is to defeat ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and we will pursue ISIS fighters regardless of nationality." Fox News reported two military officials confirming that a U.S. citizen believed to have joined up with ISIS was being held by the SDF. Although Dillon said he was unaware of other incidents of Americans being captured, Mohamad Jamal Khweis, 27, of Virginia, was indicted last November on charges of aiding terrorism after he was captured in Iraq. He was turned over to U.S. authorities and later convicted in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, of charges including conspiring to provide material support to a terrorist group. In an interview with Kurdish TV after his capture, Khweis claimed he made "a bad decision" to follow a young woman to Mosul and ended up in ISIS training facilities. "I wasn't thinking straight, and on the way there I regretted" the decision to join ISIS, he said. "I don't see them as good Muslims," Khweis said of ISIS. "I wanted to go back to America." The legal status of foreign fighters caught in Iraq and Syria has been on an ongoing issue for the Obama administration and now the Trump administration. President Donald Trump indicated during the campaign that foreign fighters who came into the custody of the U.S. military should be sent to the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detention facility for trial before military commissions rather than in civilian courts. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. The U.S., the United Kingdom and the United Nations pressured the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq on Thursday to hold off on a Sept. 25 independence referendum that Shiite factions warn could trigger a civil war. In a statement, KRG President Masoud Barzani said he had heard the arguments against the referendum from the visiting delegation. "We will discuss this issue with the leadership of Kurdistan and will announce our stance in the near future," he said, according to the Kurdish news agency Rudaw. The delegation that met with Barzani included U.S. Special Envoy to the anti-ISIS coalition Brett McGurk, British Ambassador to Iraq Frank Baker and U.N. Special Representative to the Secretary-General Jan Kubis. Without giving details, Barzani said, "The visiting delegation presented an alternative in place of the holding the referendum on September 25," but "it is not just my decision," Rudaw reported. Although the results of the referendum would be non-binding and leave Iraq's five million Kurds short of their dream of an independent state, the vote could fracture the tenuous alliance of Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis in Iraq against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Kurdish Peshmerga forces played a major role in clearing the way for the Iraqi Security Forces to take back Mosul from ISIS, according to the U.S. military. In an interview with the BBC on Monday, Barzani said the KRG would be "prepared to draw our own borders" if the central government in Baghdad did not accept the expected "Yes" outcome of the Sept. 25 independence referendum. A key issue for the KRG is the disputed status of Kirkuk in oil-rich northeastern Iraq. In the fight against ISIS, Kurdish Peshmerga forces pushed south to take the city, which has large Arab and Turkmen populations. Shiite militias allied to the central government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi have warned that Kurdish attempts to annex Kirkuk would trigger civil war. Turkey and Iran have also warned the KRG of repercussions. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told state television last month, "In that country [Iraq], which has been through so many problems, a referendum on independence can make the situation even worse. God forbid, it could even bring it to civil war." In the BBC interview, Barzani said, "If any group wants to change the reality of Kirkuk using force, they should expect that every single Kurd will be ready to fight over it." Barzani said of the referendum, "This is the first step. This is the first time in history that people in Kurdistan will freely decide their future." "After that, we will start talks with Baghdad to reach an agreement over borders, water and oil," he added. "We will take these steps. But if they don't accept, that will be another matter." In a video briefing to the Pentagon on Thursday from Baghdad, Army Col. Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, said the U.S. is counting on the Peshmerga to join with the ISF in plans to retake one of the last ISIS strongholds in the central city of Hawija. "It's going to require all elements of the Iraqi Security Forces," he said. "Those plans are continuing, they're underway. The way we see it is -- it will require all elements of the Iraqi Security Force and Peshmerga." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Military families are always on the go, and most times the best way to communicate with loved ones who may be spread throughout the country is with cellphones. Thats why its great news that most of the major cellphone service providers offer military discounts on wireless plans to active-duty service members, and in some cases, veterans as well. Do some comparison shopping to find the right cellphone plan for you and your family. Remember to take into consideration the many different plans offered for talk, text and data use. Once you know what you want, use the following military discounts to get the best deal to suit your needs. Please contact the cellphone provider to check your eligibility. Verizon Verizon Wireless offers exclusive discounts for active-duty service members, veterans and their families. The specifics of the discounts may vary, so contact Verizon or visit their website. AT&T AT&T offers exclusive discounts to military and veteran families, including a 25% discount on eligible unlimited wireless plans. The savings on AT&T unlimited plans start at less than $27 per month per line when you get four lines. Sign up for the discount at an AT&T retail store or visit their website. Boost Mobile Boost Mobile will allow service men and women to keep their accounts and phone numbers while deployed overseas. While enrolled in the Deployed Military Program, no service charges will be incurred and no reactivation fees will be applied when the account is restored. T-Mobile T-Mobile offers exclusive discounts to active-duty military, veterans, and their families, with 50% off the regular Magenta plan rates for family lines. 5G access is included in every plan. U.S. Cellular U.S. Cellular offers a 15% military discount on cellphone plans. The 15% discount is applied to calling plan charges on individual single line and/or Family plans. Stay Up-to-Date With Military Discounts Want the scoop on military discounts? From travel to phones and everything in between, troops, military families and veterans can stay on top of military discounts. Become a Military.com subscriber and get full access through our newsletter. If you think about it, there is not a better time to build a new morning fitness habit than right now with the end of... The duo fell in love while working in Mumbai and came to Delhi by April-end or May first week after facing opposition from their families. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Pursuant to Regulation 30 and 33 of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, we hereby submit the following:1. Standalone Unaudited Financial Results for the First Quarter ended on 30th June, 2017, duly signed as approved and taken on record by the Board of Directors of the Company.2. Report of the Statutory Auditors of the Company, viz. M/s. DJNV & Co., Chartered Accountants, Ahmedabad, dated 14th September, 2017, addressed to the Board of Directors of the Company on the Limited Review of the Standalone Unaudited Financial Results as aforesaid.The meeting was commenced at 11:00 A.M. and concluded at 12:50 P.M.Source : BSE Read More live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More A meeting of Board of Directors of the Company has held on Thursday, 14th September, 2017 at 2.00 P.M. at the Registered Office of the Company at 94/4, UG-F, UG-9, Village Patparganj, Delhi-110091 and the board has approved the unaudited financial results of the company for the quarter ended 30th June 2017. The Board meeting commenced at 2.00 PM and concluded at 4.40 PM.Pursuant to Regulation 33 of SEBI (LODR) Regulation, 2015, we enclose the following:1.Un-audited Statement of Financial Results of the Company (Standalone) for the quarter ended 30th June 2017.2.A copy of the Limited Review Report of the Statutory Auditors, M/s AM & Associates, Gurgaon.3.For the expansion of business, the Board has decided to take over the company 'ARTHA LOGISTICS PRIVATE LIMITED', having CIN: U63030DL2017PTC313543 and making it wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.4.The Board also decided to form a new wholly owned subsidiary of the Company namely 'ARTHA CARRIERS PRIVATE LIMITED.'Source : BSE Read More Rajat Bose of rajatkbose.com told CNVC-TV18, "I have three stocks. To start with, Piramal Enterprises where on the upside, Rs 2,850 to about Rs 2,862 would be the target. Stop loss is just below Rs 2,800. Piramal Enterprises can even touch Rs 2,900, maybe in a day or two." "In Bank of Baroda you put a stop loss below Rs 143.50 and buy it, targets are Rs 151 and Rs 152.50. I am expecting a lot of action to happen in Bank of Baroda today." "Finally, in Bombay Dyeing , you put a stop loss at Rs 163.40 and the target would be Rs 170 and Rs 173. Bombay Dyeing has actually given a breakout with a gap today. Unless that gap is filled between Rs 161 and Rs 159 Bombay Dyeing is likely to retain its momentum and scale higher highs," he said. The Securities and Exchange Board of India is still working on the Satyam case and will take at least 3 months more to give a final order against PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a source close to the developments told Moneycontrol. The markets regulator is cross-examining PwC officials involved in the case and the delay is due to their non-availability. SEBI will also give a personal hearing to the officials post cross examination. The problem is that most officials are out of the country and are available only on video conference. The time difference across countries and non-availability of officials may delay the process of investigation, the source said. In January, the Supreme Court asked the regulator to expedite the proceedings in the case and finish the investigation in the next six months. However, SEBI filed an affidavit seeking more time to complete the investigation. Another source told Moneycontrol: SEBI has not made much progress in the case in the past five years and now a new regime has taken over which is handling the investigation. Under the new regime, the case is being taken seriously but they have to re-work on investigation strategy which is delaying the case further. In 2009, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) had filed a 13,000-page report to Ministry of Corporate Affairs Ministry. Former judge AP Shah also wrote to Finance Minister on July 10, 2017 and requested to take serious action against PwC. Shah also said that the regulators should take a decision against PwC in Vijay Mallya as well. PwC was the auditor of United Spirits at the time when the companys subsidiary defaulted on its bank loans. In April, SEBI Chairman told reporters in a press conference that the regulator can take action against auditors. PwC moved SEBI for consent on the matter. However, till the investigation is not complete SEBI will not take a call on the consent plea. Although the latest iPhone product launch has caused quite a stir worldwide, Apples market position in China could make all the difference to the companys future revenues. The data points out that China is expected to sell 424.5 million smartphones in 2017. This is almost a third of the entire smartphone market, where 1.517 billion smartphones are expected to be sold worldwide this year. Greater China, which includes Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, continues to be the largest hub of smartphone revenues. It is expected to raise USD 148.3 billion from smartphone sales for companies in 2017. The closest contender is the United States, which is expected to raise USD 81.7 billion in smartphone sales in 2017. Hence, for Apple to keep its phenomenal growth trajectory in place, the most recent being the trillion dollar mark, it must ensure its strong market presence in China. Since the beginning of the first quarter in 2016, Apple has consistently lost its foothold in the Chinese smartphone market by showing a drop in revenues. The third quarter of 2017 showing a 9.5 percent drop in sales revenue. However, Apples reputation precedes itself as a premium smartphone maker. A survey shows Apple users command the greatest brand loyalty over any other phone users. Close to 92 percent of iPhone users in the US will buy an upgraded version of an iPhone should they wish to make the switch in the next 12 months. Thus, Apple needs to find out a way to capitalize on the Chinese smartphone market, which grew by 3 percent between April and June 2017. Although the rise was seen due to four major Chinese brands, Apple needs to muscle its way back through Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi to ensure continued growth. According to a report by Reuters, a yardstick poll of the public in China show they are daunted by the steep USD 1,000 price tag of the iPhone X, the most expensive price attached to an iPhone till date. If Apple manages to negotiate this price point, the rest will be taken care of by itself, provided that Apple continues to deliver on its brand value of premium, innovative smartphones. The Centre said it has taken up highway projects worth Rs 34,100 crore to decongest the national capital and sought Delhi government's support in expediting the work. Chairing a high-level meeting on 'Projects on Decongestion of Delhi, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said a comprehensive exercise for decongesting arterial road network of national highways connecting NCT Delhi was on. He further said that projects were being expedited and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken up comprehensive development and decongestion of NH-1, NH-8 and NH-24. The NH-1, NH-2, NH-8, NH-10 and NH-24 converge in Delhi. Briefing the media after the meeting, Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Harsh Vardhan said, "The Centre has taken up projects worth Rs 34,100 crore to decongest Delhi that includes Rs 6,000 crore project on NH24." He also sought cooperation from the Delhi government, saying the Centre's approach is positive in developing the arterial network and the state government should come forward and cooperate. Other stakeholders like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have assured their full support in the initiative, he said. Reviewing the projects during the meeting it was felt that for complete decongestion, interconnectivity among National Highways need to be improved for which a few more roads are required to be developed, officials said. The issues pending with the Delhi government included permission to fell trees for Dhaulakuan junction as it required cutting of 1,900 trees. The Delhi government was also asked to expedite land acquisition for Dwarka Expressway. Tata Steel live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Tata Steel today said a final decision on merging its European business with German major Thyssenkrupp is yet to be taken as the "strategic discussions" are still continuing. Both the companies have been in discussion for a merger of their steel businesses for almost over a year. "Tata Steel would like to clarify that it continues to be in strategic discussions with Thyssenkrupp," the Indian steel major said in a statement. The clarification has come in the wake of media reports saying Thyssenkrupp and Tata Steel may sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) this month. Tata Steel said: "The talks are currently ongoing and a decision regarding the same would be taken upon completion of the above discussions." On September 11, Tata Steel had announced that it has concluded a new agreement under which its UK business stands separated from the 15-billion pound British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS). "Tata Steel UK has received confirmation from the pensions regulator that it has approved a regulated apportionment arrangement (RAA) in respect of BSPS," it had said. The pact, signed by Tata Steel with the trustee of the BSPS, will pave the way for the Indian steel major's merger with ThyssenKrupp. The merger would create the second largest steel maker in Europe. accusing it of promoting Google Shopping in organic search results while simultaneously demoting rival services. Tech giant Google said its 'Translate' app will support seven more Indian languages, including Bengali, Gujarati and Kannada, to enable users to translate even visuals like road signs in English to these regional languages. "In an effort to bring down language barriers, Google today announced several updates to its Translate App. Google Translate has also added support for conversation mode in regional languages including Bengali and Tamil," the US-based firm said in a statement. Starting today, users in Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu can experience offline translations and instant visual translation in these languages, it added. Offline support will enable Indian language users to translate a word or sentence even when they are not connected to the internet. To use offline translations capabilities, users will need to download the specific language pack from the Translate app when connected to the internet. The Translate app allows users to use the camera mode to capture a photo of English text and get a translation for it in these languages. With Word Lens feature, users can instantly translate text using their camera to understand visuals like street signs or restaurant menus that are written in English. These features are already available for Hindi language on the Google Translate app. Apple has finally launched the most awaited phone of the year, iPhone X on Wednesday with loads of features which can take your breath away tempting, right? Well, if you are an investor you would have thought how can I make my money work for me given that Rs 100,000 is not a small amount. An iPhone is not comparable to stocks but we spoke to analysts on D-Street on they would do if they have an option to buy an iPhone or stocks for the same amount. The iPhone X will be available in India from November 3 starting at Rs 89,000 for the 64 GB variant, while the 256 GB storage variant will cost around Rs 1,00,000. Yes, there are a lot of iPhone lovers in India and abroad but what if I tell you that with the same amount you could actually double your money in probably couple of years considering the fact that we are in a bull market. Buying an Apple mobile out of a desire would be a choice of many people, however purely from opportunity cost point of view, the mobile of such a big price tag would not be economical, Shrikant Akolkar - Research Analyst, Angel Broking told Moneycontrol. A mobile would only depreciate in value, no matter which brand it is. Companies also continue to slash prices as soon as the new model is launched, so an expensive mobile which one is buying would not be worth even 25 percent of its original cost after 4-5 years, he said. Akolkar further added that an MF or equity investment would appreciate at 14-15 percent CAGR during the same period. Purely from a returns point of view, investing in stocks or mutual funds would be a better option, he said. The S&P BSE rose over 20 percent so far in the year 2017 while the Nifty rose 23 percent in the same period. Equity will be in limelight for the years to come especially after fixed income, real estate and gold have disappointed investors. Analysts on D-Street are talking about a level of 17000 on the Nifty50 in the next 4 years. Investors will be better off putting their money in specific stocks rather than buying a depreciating asset, which could create wealth in the next couple of years, suggest experts. Buying an asset by way of investments in either stocks or mutual funds is a much better option than spending money on an iPhone X. The correct stock picking could create enough wealth for investors to maybe buy 2 iPhones in the next few years, Jimeet Modi, CEO, SAMCO Securities told Moneycontrol. Stocks & Funds to BUY: Investors will be better off picking up quality stocks if they have Rs100,000 money in hand which includes companies like Asian Granito, Navlar Corporation, Maruti Suzuki, KEI Industries, Music Broadcast, Tata Power, Torrent Power, Havells India, REC, BEML, and Coromandel Fertilisers. There is another way investors can use the spare money by putting in mutual funds either by way of systematic investment plans (SIPs) or by one-time payment for a period of 4-5 years. SIPs are good for retail investors who are not actively involved in markets and there are many good MFs one can choose to do SIP in take the top performing large cap MFs over the past 5 years and invest in those, Rishi Kohli, CEO, Pro Alpha Capital told Moneycontrol. Diversification is the key to smart investing. Investors can look at diversifying the amount between SIP & stocks. While investing in equities one requires skills, knowledge, risk-taking capability and time to beat the market. Many investors directly invest in equity for more return, but most of them underestimate its risks looking only at the reward side, Johnson Kandi AVP Business Strategy & Learning, KIFS Trade Capital told Moneycontrol. The model portfolio should have SIP (30%) + Direct MF (30%) +Equity (40%). The sector which has looked to bottom out looks to be Pharma & Infra Sector. Till the next launch of iPhone a SIP of Rs5000 in each of the sector looks to be promising and may reduce the cost of purchase via returns you will fetch from these investments, he said. Top funds to bet on include names like Reliance Pharma Fund (Pharma sector), TATA Equity PE Fund (large cap Fund), L&T Infrastructure Fund. A Bitcoin (virtual currency) coin is seen in an illustration picture taken at La Maison du Bitcoin in Paris, France, June 23, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/Illustration - RTS18BQW The price of bitcoin against the US dollar fell below USD 4,000 on September 13 and losses were extended on Thursday with the exchange rate around USD 3,800. At the time of filing this copy, bitcoin was trading at USD 3,835-levels, as per the Coindesk price index. The price of bitcoin is down 23 percent from its all-time high of USD 5,000 on September 2 and it has lost a total market cap of USD 19 billion since then. Other major crypto-assets, such as ethereum, litecoin, ripple and bitcoin cash, have witnessed a double-digit fall over the past one week. While many blame JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon's recent remarks on bitcoin being a 'fraud' for this price fall, traders still believe that China remains to be the reason behind it. Crypto traders who were short on bitcoin may have been influenced by Dimon's comments but crediting him for the entire price fall is stupid, a trader said. Many market elites and bigwigs ranging from Nobel prize winning economists like Robert Shiller to legendary fund manager Howard Marks have spoken against bitcoin but that did not impact the price movement. In fact, Dimon had spoken against bitcoin in the past as well. In 2015, he had said, "This is my personal opinion, there will be no real, non-controlled currency in the world." There is no government thats going to put up with it [bitcoin] for long there will be no currency that gets around government controls. Almost a year after his comments, Japan accepted bitcoin as a currency and formed regulations around it. Recently, the municipality of Chiasso in Switzerland said that it will accept tax payments in bitcoin. The crypto-community and traders don't pay much heed to such negative comments from bankers and market pundits and giving Dimon the credit for this price drop may not be wise. It has been observed that rather than expert comments, any negative news in the past regarding the technological development or regulatory landscape around bitcoin has led to a price correction. A few examples would be the Silk Road incident, China's initial crackdown on exchanges earlier this year and the heated scaling debate. All these instances which clouded the future of bitcoin's technological development and mainstream acceptance have led a price fall in the past and the same is happening again. Experts believe that this is a temporary pullback due to the recent ban on initial coin offerings (ICOs) and bitcoin exchanges in China and the rally will continue once there is more clarity. It should be noted that the country has not banned bitcoin and still allows for over-the-counter (OTC) purchase of the cryptocurrency. The Chinese government understands very well that like the internet, bitcoin as a whole cannot be banned as it is not constrained within the borders of one nation. The best that they can do is to regulate the businesses based on bitcoin, like cryptocurrency exchanges, as a ban would allow bad actors to find means of using bitcoin through circumvention technologies. Mayank Joshipura Warren Buffett, The Oracle of Omaha has said, Be greedy when others are fearful and be fearful when others are greedy. Depressed markets offer investment opportunity to buy quality businesses at cheap valuation. He refers such opportunity as fat pitch. But, buying in times when everyone else is selling and fear factor is high, it is not easy at all. Most investors fail to exploit such opportunity. In fact, most investors end up following a 'Buy on dips' strategy and think that they follow the footsteps of Warren Buffett. The idea of buy on dips is not a bad one. But when used to buy momentum stocks on small corrections leads to a disaster. Applying value rationale to momentum stocks doesn't work. I call this value in momentum strategy. Let us understand how this trap works. Few days back a friend of mine called me and said he wanted to invest a sizable sum of money in equities. Knowing that he has never invested in equity considering it risky, I asked him a simple question, "Will you hold onto your equity investments if markets fall by twenty percent in next six months?" He changed his mind quickly, and said he would not invest in equity now but when Nifty drops to a level of 9,000. Now, this is interesting. Markets can go up, down or remain sideways in next six months. But he has now decided to follow 'buy on dips' strategy or one may say I made him think about buying on dips. Is this a right strategy? Thats the question. Global market including India, are in upward momentum and are making new highs. Valuations are not cheap as price-earnings ratio at the top end compared to historic levels, liquidity flows and momentum drive the markets higher. Veteran Investor, George Soros coined the term reflexivity to explain extreme price movements way beyond fundamentals. He said, Rising prices attract buyers, whereas falling prices attract sellers. This is very different than what our economics professors tell us, but that is the fact. It drives momentum in asset prices and creates bubble on the way up and fat pitch like value investing opportunity on the way down. The biggest problem with the investors is that they are human beings and they have emotions. Both momentum and value are successful investment strategies. But, searching for 'value in momentum' invites trouble. Let us understand how it unfolds. Most investors come to know about the stocks that have performed really well in the recent times from various sources. Business channels, pink newspapers or friends sharing their success stories etc. Once they know about a stock like this, they go back and check whether they can invest into it and make similar fortunes. But, the price of the stock has already soared up in the recent past and it prevents him from buying stock at prevailing price. Do they drop the idea of buying that stock? The answer is no. They keep tracking it and wait for buy on dips opportunity. They decide to buy it, if it comes down from the current levels or recent highs by say twenty percent. They jump out of their chair and grab it as soon as it falls. Dont get me wrong, there is no harm in buying a stock at a price twenty percent lower than prevailing price. But for that, we should have done some analysis- fundamental or technical-to suggest that it is a great price to buy. In most cases, investors look at 20% fall from the price anchor in their mind and nothing else. So our buy on dips investors buy a stock just because it has fallen 20% and ignore everything else. He does not ask important question to himself before buying. Why the stock is falling? What is the fair value of the stock? They enter the stock at a price level where momentum investors are exiting. They enter at a price level, too high for Warren Buffett style value investors to even consider buying it. These buy on dips investors become the door of exit for the momentum investors who have decided to dump the stocks. For example in my friend's case, his Nifty anchor level is set at around 9900-10000., He is looking at an entry at ten percent lower from that level. His 'buy on dips' level. If you look at some metric like price-earnings, you will realize that there is nothing much to choose between Nifty level of 9900 and 9000. At 9900 Nifty, the trailing twelve months price-earnings ratio is around 25 and at 9000 it would be around 23. By no means 23 price-earnings ratio, fits into fat pitch definition of Warren Buffett style value investors. Nifty may continue to decline from even 9000 levels till it becomes attractive to value investors. If he decides to add to his position at every decline, or say buy on every small dips, his problem gets compounded. We have seen plenty of examples in the history of such buy on every dips traps. Tech stocks in year 2000, real estate & infrastructure stocks in 2008 and so on. Investors are still nursing their wounds and blame market manipulations for their losses. The fact remains that the biggest culprit for their losses is a thoughtless strategy of buy on every dips and nothing else. My sincere advice is that please stay away from the only price driven "buy on dips" or even worse "buy on every dips" strategy. Value and Momentum investing are two very different things and neither Warren Buffett nor Ben Graham has advised us to go and search for value in momentum stocks. Ashwani Gujral of ashwanigujral.com told CNBC-TV18, "CG Power is a sell with a stop loss of Rs 86, target of Rs 78 and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) with a stop loss of Rs 163, target of Rs 150." "Bharat Forge is a buy with a stop loss of Rs 1245, target of Rs 1280," he said. At 14:37 hrs Oil and Natural Gas Corporation was quoting at Rs 159.15, down Rs 2.05, or 1.27 percent. It has touched an intraday high of Rs 162.45 and an intraday low of Rs 158.65. Bull's Eye, CNBC-TV18's popular game show, where market experts come together to dish out trading strategies for you to make your week more exciting and compete with each other to see whose portfolio is the strongest. Remember these are midcap ideas not just for the day, but stocks that look attractive in the medium-term as well. This week, Sumeet Jain, Vijay Chopra and Ruchit Jain battle it out for top honours. Below their top stock picks and analysis: Sumeet Jain of Destimoney Securities Buy Bombay Dyeing with a stoploss at Rs 153.50 and target of Rs 172 Buy Gujarat Pipavav with a stoploss at Rs 143 and target of Rs 159 Buy MOIL with a stoploss at Rs 404 and target of Rs 428 Buy Oriental Bank of Commerce (OBC) with a stoploss at Rs 124 and target of Rs 144 Vijay Chopra of enochventures.com Buy Sun Pharma with a stoploss at Rs 485 and target of Rs 530 Buy Wockhardt with a stoploss at Rs 620 and target of Rs 680 Buy REC with a stoploss at Rs 160 and target of Rs 180 Buy GMR Infrastructure with a stoploss at Rs 16.80 and target of Rs 18.75 Ruchit Jain of Angel Broking Buy United Spirits with a stoploss at Rs 2590 and target of Rs 2750 Buy Deepak Fertilizers with a stoploss at Rs 377 and target of Rs 410 Buy TV18 Broadcast with a stoploss at Rs 41.65 and target of Rs 45 Sell Apollo Hospitals with a stoploss at Rs 1100 and target of Rs 1025 Disclosure: Reliance Industries has acquired management control of Network18, which owns TV18 Broadcast and moneycontrol.com live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Indian market climbed a wall of worries with respect to geopolitical concerns, earnings growth, weak macro triggers and is on track to hit fresh record highs. Markets are driven by massive liquidity from domestic investors as well as the optimism of a double digit earnings growth which could well start reflecting in the numbers of India Inc. in the next two quarters. We are in a bull market and there will be an intermittent correction but any dips, if any, should be used as an opportunity to buy into quality stocks, suggest experts. "This is a bull market and, therefore, we continue to be a buyer, especially on any dips, albeit we expect a moderation in returns in the months ahead. Midcap valuations look stretched. Additionally, stocks of some high-quality companies look rich too." Ridham Desai of Morgan Stanley said in a note. "Cyclically adjusted valuations are now nudging 5-year highs, as is the market cap to GDP. Most other valuation metrics look reasonable, though valuations on their own - unless at extreme points - rarely give a clue of where stocks are heading," he said. Desai further added that it doesnt look like that the market is pricing in a multi-year growth cycle, implying meaningful upside potential to stocks over the next 3-5 years. We have collated a list of top ten stocks which could create wealth for investors in long term. If investors hold them for 1 year they could give up to 37% return: Brokerage firm: Angel Broking Dewan Housing Finance: Accumulate| Target Rs 610| Return 10.5% Backed by healthy capital adequacy and increasing demand for home loans DHFLs loan book is expected to report 23 percent loan growth over next two three years. Angel Broking expects the companys loan growth to remain 23 percent over next two years and earnings growth is likely to be more than 28 percent. The stock currently trades at 1.8x FY2018E ABV. Karur Vysya Bank: BUY| Target Rs 180| Return 19% Karur Vysya Bank (KVB) had a fairly strong loan CAGR of 14.9 percent over FY11-17.However, FY17 was year of consolidation and loan book grew by only 4.7 percent. The domestic brokerage firm expects loan growth to pick up to 11 percent over FY17-19. Deposit growth is expected at 9 percent during the period. There were 25 bps improvements in NIM during FY17, with a share of CASA growing and cost of fund coming down NIM is expected to improve further going ahead. Angel Broking expects KVB to post a strong loan book and earnings CAGR of 11 percent & 22 percent over FY2017-19E. The stock currently trades at 1.7x FY2019E ABV. TV Today Network (TTNL): BUY| Target Rs 344| Return 30% TTNL enjoys a strong viewership ranking in the Hindi and English news channel categories. The companys Hindi news channel Aaj Tak has maintained its market leadership position occupying the No.1 rank for several consecutive years in terms of viewership. TTNL's English news channel - India Today has been continuously gaining viewership; it has now captured the No. 2 ranking from No. 4 earlier. Its other channels like Dilli Aaj Tak and Tez are also popular among viewers. Angel Broking expects TTNL to report a net revenue CAGR of 9 percent to Rs727 crore and net profit CAGR of 13 percent to Rs121 crore over FY2017-19E. KEI Industries: BUY| Target Rs371| Return 26% KEIs current order book (OB) stands at Rs 3,233 crore (segmental break-up: Rs 2,154cr in EPC, Rs667cr in Cable, Rs200cr in EHV, Rs49cr in Substation, rest in EPC L1 business). Its overseas business grew by 28 percent in the last 3 years due to strong order inflows from State Electricity Boards, Power grid, etc. KEIs export (FY17 8-10% of revenue) is expected to reach a level of 14% to 15% in the next two years with higher order execution from current OB of Rs180cr and participation in various international tenders worth Rs500cr. We expect a strong 26 percent growth CAGR over FY2017-19 in exports. Angel Broking expects KEI to report net revenue CAGR of 14% to Rs 3,392 crore and net profit CAGR of 13 percent to Rs125 crore over FY2017-19E. GIC Housing Finance: BUY| Target Rs655| Return 25% Backed by the new management, GICHF is aiming for 2.0x growth in the loan book over the period of FY16-FY19E to Rs 16,000 crore. GICHF has healthy capital adequacy and is seeing an increase in demand for home loans. GICHFs loan book is expected to report 24.3% loan growth over next two year. Angel Broking expects the GICHFs loan growth to grow at a CAGR of 24.3 percent over the next two years and RoA/RoE to improve from 1.7%/19.0% in FY17 to 2.0%/23.0% in FY19E. The stock is currently trading at 2.4x FY2019E ABV. Brokerage Firm: SMC Global Engineers India Ltd (EIL): BUY| Target Rs187| Return 18% EIL has a healthy balance sheet and strong cash balance. The company is best placed to benefit from a revival in Oil & Gas capex, given its dominant position in the segment. The companys order inflows have improved in the last one-two years. The company has a healthy mix of domestic and overseas orders. Thus, it is expected that the stock will see a price target of Rs.187 in 8 to 10 months time frame on a target P/E of 32.87x and FY18 (E) EPS of Rs.5.7. Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd: BUY| Target Rs144| Return 37% The company has a very good order book in hand, it has almost Rs.2,100 crore of orders, out of which close to Rs.1,300 crore are in Hi-Tech Agri Input division, about Rs.300 crore in the food division and about Rs.500 crore in the plastic division. The company is looking at a quite significant revenue growth in India and outside. The management expects about 25 percent increase at the EBITDA level earnings and expect to maintain debt at the levels which achieved in FY17 and that is now reaching a comfortable post and that would allow to further reduce the interest cost, any stress on the balance sheet. Thus, it is expected that the stock will see a price target of Rs.144 in 8 to 10 months time frame on a target P/E of 21x and FY18 (E) EPS of Rs.6.88. Suprajit Engineering Ltd: BUY| Target Rs349| Return 22% The company is the most preferred manufacturer of cables and meets the demand of virtually every major OEM in the automotive sector. It would more focus on cables in the export market for better positioning. Steady demand from specific OEMs and the shoring up of control-cable growth in the auto and non-auto markets, exports and replacements would guide the further growth to the company. According to the management, its profitability would improve in coming years as its capacity expansion and integration with the acquired companies is almost done. SMC expects the stock to see a price target of Rs 349 in 8 to 10 months time frame on a target P/E of 31.95x and FY18 (E) earnings of Rs.10.91. Techno Electric & Engineering Ltd: BUY| Target Rs461| Return 29% The management of the company is confident of the companys potential to expand the EPC segment on the back of capex revival, led by PGCIL and SEBs, with strong visibility of traction in the order book and healthy revenue due to healthy trade receivables. In FY18, the management has said that it would focus on the closure of projects, which it believes will prune retention money and improve working capital cycle. Thus, it is expected that the company would see good growth going forward and the stock will see a price target of Rs.461 in 8 to 10 months time frame on a one-year average P/E of 22.34x and FY18 (E) earnings of Rs.20.63. Arvind: BUY| Target Rs464| Return 13% The company enjoys a global leadership position in textiles as well as Carries an unmatched domestic portfolio of apparel brands and retail formats. Lower investments in brands and repositioning of Unlimited, management of the company expects the operating margin to improve in near term. Companys capability in manufacturing garments, coupled with its positioning of the most preferred franchise/distribution partner in India. It is poised to benefit from an increase in demand for apparels, thus it is expected that the stock will see a price target of Rs.464 in 8 to 10 months time frame on three-year average P/E of 22.50x and FY18 (E) earnings of Rs.20.62. The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Domino's Pizza live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Shares of Jubilant Foodworks staged a recovery from Wednesdays decline, as the stock rose over 4.5 percent intraday on Thursday. Investors reacted positively to the companys assurance that all its food ingredients were safe for consumption. The company has carried out a comprehensive inspection across vendors and stores and would like to reassure that all our food ingredients are safe for consumption and we have not received any other complaint of this nature, the company said in a statement. Further, it added that the company maintained stringent hygiene and quality standards for its products and all of these products and quality standards were certified. The stock was aided by a report from Deutsche Bank which said that the incident may not have any material impact on the companys operations, while estimates too remained unchanged. It forecast EBITDA growth of 35 percent over FY17-19. In fact, the stock remains a top pick in consumer discretionary space. On Wednesday, reports emerged that bugs were found in Dominos Pizzas oregano seasoning sachets, which led to a fall in its share to as low as 6 percent. Analysts were quick to point out that lack of response from the company could be very damaging for the company going forward. At 11:16 hrs Jubilant Foodworks was quoting at Rs 1,368.95, up Rs 47.15, or 3.57 percent, on the BSE. It touched an intraday high of Rs 1,382.00 and an intraday low of Rs 1,347.05. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Shares of Ferro Alloys Corporation, Chartered Logistics and Gujarat Sidhee Cement added 9-20 percent intraday Thursday on the back of robust June quarter numbers. Ferro Alloys Corporation has turned profitable in Q1FY18 as it has reported profit of Rs 38.1 crore against loss of Rs 1.5 crore, in a year ago period. The profit includes one-time gain of Rs 24.8 crore. Revenue was up 5.5 percent at Rs 144.8 crore. Chartered Logistics has reported 16.7 percent increase in its Q1 net profit at Rs 3.5 crore against Rs 3 crore, in the same quarter last year. Meanwhile, revenue was down 13.2 percent at Rs 33 crore versus Rs 38 crore. Gujarat Sidhee Cement's Q1 net profit rose 79.2 percent at Rs 8.6 crore versus Rs 4.8 crore. Revenue was up 3.6 percent at Rs 156.9 crore against Rs 151.5 crore. The operating profit (EBITDA) was up 147 percent at Rs 14.1 crore and margin rose 520 bps at 9 percent. At 14:20 hrs Gujarat Sidhee Cement was quoting at Rs 31.45, up 13.95 percent and Chartered Logistics was quoting at Rs 21.85, up 6.07 percent. At 14:22 hrs Ferro Alloys Corporation was quoting at Rs 10.56, up Rs 1.76, or 20 percent. There were pending buy orders of 794,437 shares, with no sellers available. Posted by Rakesh Patil live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More ICICI Direct's research report on Linc Pen and Plastics Linc Pen & Plastics (Linc) posted a muted Q1FY18 performance, largely tracking a decline in exports (down 50% YoY) on account of currency appreciation and trade barriers in its key export markets. Domestic sales also came in lower on account of de-stocking ahead of the implementation of new indirect tax regime i.e. GST Net sales in Q1FY18 were at Rs 67.5 crore, down 22.4% YoY EBITDA for the quarter came in at Rs 2.9 crore with corresponding EBITDA margins at 4.2%. PAT in Q1FY18 was at Rs 0.5 crore The management commentary suggests a softer Q2FY18. However, growth may pick up in H2FY18 as repeat orders pour in from new export markets while demand stabilises in the domestic market. The company is hopeful of ending the year marginally positive viz. FY17. Outlook Linc is a prominent writing instrument player domestically with good brand recall and is a trusted name in the market place. The company is also the sole distributor of Uniball brand of pens by Mitsubishi Pencil Company (Japan), which, in turn, holds ~13.5% stake in Linc. Linc also has a healthy balance sheet with debt-equity at 0.4x as of FY17. It has a controlled working capital cycle with net working capital days at ~90 days. Linc is also enthused by the implementation of GST as the GST rate of 12% on its product profile. This makes it neutral for the companys operations whereas it will provide a level playing field against its unorganised segment competitors. Going forward, however, the growth trajectory is expected to be muted amid increased digital penetration domestically and headwinds witnessed in export markets. Therefore, we revise downward our growth assumptions and now expect sales to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% over FY17-19E with corresponding PAT CAGR of 11.1% CAGR over FY17-19E. We value Linc at Rs 245 i.e. 17x P/E on FY19E EPS of Rs 14.3. We assign a HOLD rating to the stock. For all recommendations report, click here Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Read More live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Oil retailers Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation rallied as much as 4-5 percent in morning trade Thursday after the government ruled out its intervention in daily revision in oil prices and cut in excise duty. Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday ruled out government intervention to disrupt the daily revision in petrol and diesel prices despite Rs 7.3 per litre spike in rates since July, saying the reform will continue. He however remained non-committal on cutting taxes (excise) to soften the blow of relentless rise in prices since July 3, the government need to finance huge infrastructure and social projects has to be balanced with consumer needs. Terming the criticism of spike in rates as unfair, he said the drop in prices for over a fortnight after the daily price revision was introduced on June 16 has been ignored and only "temporary" phenomenon of rising trend is being highlighted. India relies on imports to meet 80 percent of its needs and so domestic fuel rates have been aligned to movement of equivalent product prices in the international market since April 2002. Previously the rates were changed every fortnight but since June 16 they are revised daily, Pradhan said, adding that the daily revision immediately passes on the benefit of any reduction in international oil prices to consumers and avoids sharp spikes by spreading them in small doses. The government had between November 2014 and January 2016 raised excise duty on petrol and diesel on nine occasions to take away gains arising from plummeting international oil prices. In all, duty on petrol was hiked by Rs 11.77 per litre and that on diesel by 13.47 a litre. The windfall from the excise duty hikes helped the government bridge its budgetary deficit. Morgan Stanley remained overweight on BPCL with target price of Rs 597 per share, IOC with target of Rs 571 and HPCL with target of Rs 543 as it sees strong upcoming earnings season and even stronger 2018 after no intervention by government. According to the research house, oil marketing companies are likely to report core profit growth of 20-25 percent on strong refining margins It expects trend of core profit growth to extends next year as margins inching up At 09:38 hours IST, the stock price of IOC was quoting at Rs 427.35, up 2.69 percent while HPCL was at Rs 468.45, up 2.43 percent and BPCL was at Rs 517.70, up 3.47 percent on the BSE. (With inputs from PTI) Jude Sannith CNBC-TV18 In the post-RERA Era, Tamil Nadu could become one of the first states to overhaul its existing housing policy, as the government plans changes to existing guidelines surrounding land-pooling, low-cost housing and project approvals. The first of these proposals involves the State Housing and Urban Planning Department planning an overhaul of Tamil Nadus existing Land Pooling policy. There are different models of land pooling across the country, and we are working on one of our own, said TN Housing and Urban Development Secretary DP Yadav, in an exclusive chat with CNBC-TV18. According to the proposal, the Urban Planning Department is assessing the possibility of opening up land banks along Chennais Outer Ring Road, for the development of commercial projects, abutting the corridor. The role of the planning authorities should be to open areas of development in a directional manner. So, we are working on certain guidelines, Yadav added. Over the next few months, the Housing Department will also consider a long-pending proposal to introduce a first-of-its-kind Township Policy in the State. In June, CREDAI Tamil Nadu had presented the proposal to the State Housing Minister, Udumalai Radhakrishnan, making a case for better infrastructure like metro-water connections and power sub-stations in the vicinity of large township projects outside Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) limits. This is at a conceptualisation stage and our people are working on it. So, Im hopeful that in three or four months time, we should have a framework, said Yadav, adding that planning authorities were doing all it can to ensure proper road connectivity in the immediate vicinity of these projects. The Housing Department is mulling changes to the system of approvals for residential projects. "We have been discussing the introduction of a Trust and Audit model for approvals, where our projects are deemed approved within a period of 30 days, as opposed to the nine months that it usually takes for these approvals to come through," said Ajit Chordia, President, CREDAI Tamil Nadu. Another proposal being worked on is to do with changes to Tamil Nadus Affordable Housing Policy. At present, the only incentive that developers have, to build low-cost homes is a relaxation in Floor Space Index or FSI. However, it (the incentive) has not been working out as there havent been many takers, says Yadav. Granted FSI and utilizing that FSI are two very different things. We want to see what changes we could make to the policy, so that the FSI that is granted, is also utilized. CREDAI and the State Housing Department have so far conducted three rounds of meetings, to discuss changes to the policy. Although we had something more in FSI, we still had to follow the same norms: setback space, distance between blocks and OSR remained the same, says Chordia, So, while the objective of the government is laudable in awarding the developer to have more FSI to make his product more affordable, in practice, we have not seen many private projects utilizing this FSI benefit. While the industry has been upbeat about these proposals seeing the light of day, some developers urge caution with expectations. With political uncertainty in Tamil Nadu at its peak, there are fears over whether these proposals will remain merely on paper for an extended period. Earlier this month, a merger between two factions of the AIADMK saw Former TN Chief Minister O Panneerselvam sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister, who assumed additional charge of the Housing and Urban Development Ministry. We havent had the chance to meet the new minister yet, said a Chennai-based builder requesting to not be named, Remember that a number of these proposals were made when the previous minister was in office. Since we dont know when the present dispensation intends to act on these proposals, they remain proposals for the time being. Moneycontrol News About 51,500 cans of film reels and over 9,200 prints were not physically present in the storage of the National Film Archive of India, as per a report in the Indian Express. The National Film Archive of India, the storehouse for most of the countrys and international film reels, had got a Pune-base private firm Cameo Digital Systems Private Limited in 2010 to paste barcodes on every reel in custody. Two years later, the firm completed the project and submitted a set of reports to the institute along with an attached summary of the inventory, which contained the tally of missing reels. Another strange detail in the report was that 4,992 cans containing 1,112 film titles which are not listed in NFAIs registers, were present in its vaults. NFAI director Prakash Magdum conceded that 28,400 film reels were disposed off in the past between 1995-2008 and were not struck off from the records. When contacted an official from NFAI said that poor record-keeping and shortage of staff were to blame for the missing reels. The missing list in the report also included hundreds of culturally and historically important titles including celluloid prints of films by Satyajit Ray (Pather Panchali and its sequel Aparajita also Charulata), Mehboob Khan (Mother India), Raj Kapoor (Mera Naam Joker, Awaara), Mrinal Sen (Bhuvan Shome), Guru Dutt (Kaagaz ke Phool) and several other Indian classics. World cinema classics such as Bicycle Thieves, Battleship Potemkin and Akira Kurosawas Seven Samurai were also missing. Moreover, the list includes prints of over a hundred silent films from Indian and International cinema. along with some films that contain historical footage. Also reported missing was historical footage that included Mahatma Gandhis visit to Paris, Indian National Congresss Karachi aggregation and US President Richard Nixons address during his visit to India 1969. An official quoted in the Indian Express report said that the 51,500 missing reels included a 1,500 that were destroyed during a fire in 2003, and that the organisation had multiple copies of some of the missing films. The NFAI claims to have about 1.3 lakh film reels in its custody, containing 20,576 titles, which includes Indian as well as foreign films. Magdum also pointed out that the discrepancy in the numbers could be due to the records maintained at NFAI being in terms of reels whereas the counting by private agency Cameo being done in terms of cans. Stock verification reports at NFAIs library also show that over 1,761 books on cinema also went missing, as per the report. The records accessed by Indian Express through RTI also contain an audit report which states that the library had not carried out physical verification for 15 years in violation of the General Financial Rules, according to which stock verification has to be done once in three years. New Delhi may soon get a third ring road that will ease the traffic congestion faced by the city. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has proposed a project to build a 49-km long corridor that will solve the traffic troubles of the capital. In a meeting held by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the NHAI suggested the completion of the Urban Extension Road 2 project in the capital along with the Faridabad-Noida-Ghaziabad Express Highway. The NHAI has envisioned a two-phase project in which the first phase will be executed by it while the next phase will be done by the Government of Delhi. In the first phase, a corridor will be built to connect NH 1 and NH 8. This will be followed by Phase II where NH 8 will be connected to both NH 2 and NH 10. As per the officials, the new corridor will provide an alternative route to the traffic coming from these highways. According to the NHAI, the existing Outer Ring Road which terminates near the Salimgarh fort leaves no alternative routes for vehicles that come through NH 2. Delhi governments proposal to build Kalindi bypass as a way to reduce congestion has also not materialised as yet. New Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari has put river-linking projects on fast track but atleast four states have raised objections on the grounds that they do not have surplus water to divert or that it is a matter of state to decide, reported Hindustan Times. Since a state decides how it utilizes its resources such as water, convincing every state and resolving interstate disputes that already exists for water and settling down all objections is important for the success of government's plan. According to the report, out of the 30 proposed projects, only one the Ken Betwa Link has obtained all the necessary clearances from the central government. The government has plans to launch the project by the end of this year. However, the Ken Betwa project, which will divert excess water from the Ken that flows through Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to the water-deficit Betwa in the Bundelkhand region, is facing objections from both the states as neither of them are giving their approval to the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Phase I of the project. Though Gadkari claims that all environmental clearances have been obtained for Ken Betwa, Himanshu Thakkar, the founder at South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) said that the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Ken-Betwa project is not valid as the project configuration had changed, so a new EIA is required. The Bundelkhand region has witnessed 13 droughts in past 15 years (2002-16), and India has spent over Rs 31,000 crore for drought proofing and on drought relief, according to a Centre for Science and Environment report. Also Read: Maharashtra, Gujarat to sign pact on river-linking project soon: Nitin Gadkari Similarly, states like Kerala, Odisha, Telangana, and Karnataka have opposed several river linking projects including Pamba - Achankovil - Vaippar link Project, Mahanadi (Manibhadra) Godavari link, Godavari (Inchampalli) - Krishna link and Netravati Hemavati link for varied reasons. The project also aims to build dams in Nepal and Bhutan, but both the countries have not given their consents to the project. Also, Bangladesh has voiced concerns about the impact of diverting water from the Ganga and Brahmaputra, stated the report. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rs 5.5 lakh crore pet project aims to end deadly floods and droughts by linking nearly 60 rivers. The project includes linking of the mighty Ganges, which the government hopes will cut farmers' dependence on fickle monsoon rains and bring millions of hectares of cultivatable land under irrigation. Gadkari had said on Monday that the government is aiming to start the "actual work" on the Ken- Betwa, Damanganga-Pinjal, Par-Tapi-Narmada river-linking and Pancheshwar and North Koel dam projects in the next three months. The DPRs for the above four projects have been prepared and have been rolled out for getting clearances, said the report. The National Water Development Agency, a nodal body for the project, is conducting pre- feasibility or feasibility studies for the rest of the 16 linking projects identified in the peninsular region and 14 in the Himalayan region. Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu has sought a performance and expenditure audit of Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV) after discovering that the government-owned channel has incurred an annual expenditure of Rs 60 crore, reports The Economic Times. The channel was founded in 2008 and covers proceedings of Rajya Sabha (Upper House) of Parliament. The Vice-President, who is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, has raised questions over the making of a feature film, renting office space and hiring cabs. He has also questioned why did RSTV did not buy its own office space instead of paying an annual rent of Rs 25 crore to the New Delhi Municipal Corporation for using Talkatora Stadium. In addition, RSTV officials also did not have details about the channel's viewership. Naidu also said that efforts need to be made to expand the channels reach, apart from rationalisation of manpower and other resources. Naidu stressed the need for maximising the strength of RSTV and exploring a business tie-up with Prasar Bharati. Tillerson Shinzo Antonio Guterres Antonio Guterres for 'new measures' against North Korea 21:30 According to some media reports, the US is considering a policy to shoot down the next missile North Korea test-fires, leading to increasing concerns about the outbreak of a worldwide conflict. 21:10 In his address to the UN General Assembly, US President Donald Trump said that "Rocket Man" Kim Jong-un is on a suicide mission. "If the righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will triumph," Trump said. 20:04 The United States is only 1 out of 193 member countries of the United Nations and still pays more than 22 percent of its entire budget, Trump pointed out. However, he added that if the money results in achieving the goal its is earmarked for -- peace -- then the investment is more than just well worth it. 19:59 "I have changed the rules of engagement in our fight against the al-Qaeda and other terrorist organisations," Trump said. 19:56 "Other than the vast military power of the United States, it is the Iranian people that Iran's leaders fear most," Trump said. 19:52 Thank China and Russia for joining UN vote, but we must do more in this situation, says Trump. 19:50 The United States has great strength and patience, Trump said. But if it is forced to defend itself or its ally, then it will destroy North Korea. 19:48 "We must oppose threats to sovereignty, from the Ukraine to the South China Sea," Trump said. 19:45 The United States will continue to be a friend to the world, especially to its allies, Trump said, but will not settle for a one-sided deal where the US gets nothing. 19:44 As President of the United States, I will always put America first, says Trump. 19:40 Trump quotes President Truman as saying that the United Nations is only as strong as its individual member countries. 19:38 "To put it simply, we meet at a time of both phenomenal promise and great peril," Trump said. 19:36 Trump says US to spend USD 700 billion on military. "Our military will soon be the best it has ever been," Trump said. 19:35 President Trump starts his address to the General Assembly. He is expected to talk about North Korea and Iran. 19:33 President Temer of Brazil concludes his address to the General Assembly. 19:26 As is customary every year, Brazil spoke first in the UN General Assembly meeting. President Temer is still speaking and has hit out against terror in his speech so far. 19:09 US President Donald Trump is slated to address the General Assembly later in the session. Trump is expected to talk about the North Korean and Iranian crises but going by what his aides have indicated, the speech is expected to have a "philosophical" tone to it. 19:07 UN General Assembly president Miroslav Lajcak has started addressing the meet. 19:05 "We are not only facing a refugee crisis, we are facing a crisis of solidarity," Guterres said in his address to the UN General Assembly. 19:03 While addressing the meet, Guterres called on UN General Assembly leaders to build a UN system aimed at supporting member nations in bettering their citizens' lives. September 19, 19:00 UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has started addressing the meet and has warned that we must not sleepwalk our way into a war. 11:11 UNSC condemns 'highly provocative' North Korea missile launch The UN Security Council on Saturday strongly condemned North Korea's "highly provocative" launch of a missile that flew over Japan and demanded that Pyongyang immediately halt such actions. Read the full story here. 10:06 North Korea: Want to maintain "equilibrium" of military force with the United States North Korea said on Saturday it aims to reach an "equilibrium" of military force with the United States, which earlier signalled its patience for diplomacy is wearing thin after Pyongyang fired a missile over Japan for the second time in under a month. "Our final goal is to establish the equilibrium of real force with the U.S. and make the U.S. rulers dare not talk about military option," North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was quoted as saying by the state news agency, KCNA. 20:40 US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Friday that North Korea's continuing missile tests threaten the entire world and stressed the United States was working closely with regional allies Japan and South Korea on the problem. "In East Asia, an increasingly aggressive and isolated regime in North Korea threatens democracies in South Korea, Japan, and more importantly, and more recently, has expanded those threats to the United States, endangering the entire world," Tillerson said to a gathering of the Community of Democracies. "We first look to our regional allies South Korea and Japan. By working with them and other democratic partners, we continue to build consensus at the United Nations Security Council to create a united international front that upholds our values and strives to make us safer." Reuters Report 18:30 The United States wants to exhaust every diplomatic option on North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes and wants to see loopholes in the North Korean sanctions regime closed, US disarmament ambassador Robert Wood said on Friday. Asked if war or a military strike was possible, Wood told reporters in Geneva: "We are not taking any options off the table but ... we are pursuing the diplomatic track right now. "That's where we are. We want to exhaust all diplomatic options," Wood said. Reuters report 18:00 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned North Korea's missile launch over Japan on Friday and said he would discuss the situation at the United Nations General Assembly's gathering next week. "The Secretary-General calls on the DPRK leadership to cease further testing, comply with the relevant Security Council resolutions, and allow space to explore the resumption of sincere dialogue on denuclearisation," Guterres said in a statement, adding that he would discuss it "with all concerned parties in the margins of the upcoming" UN General Assembly. 17:28 A poll by Gallup Analytics suggested the majority of Americans appeared ready to support military action against North Korea, at least as a last resort. Some 58 percent said they would favour taking military action if economic and diplomatic efforts failed to achieve US goals. 16:32 It was another day of consolidation for the Indian market as equity benchmarks ended flat amid rising geopolitical tensions after North Korea launched another missile that flew over Japan. The 30-share BSE Sensex was up 30.68 points at 32,272.61 and the 50-share NSE Nifty fell 1.20 points to 10,085.40. The market managed to recover in last hour of trade as the Nifty clawed back above 10,100 level but failed to hold those gains. 15:51 Asked at the briefing if Beijing would change its approach, Hua said China will "continue to comprehensively and completely implement the relevant resolutions of the Security Council." 15:25 China has finally reacted to this morning's missile launch. Beijing has condemned it and appealed for restraint to avoid inflaming tensions in the region. "The Chinese side opposes the DPRK's violation of the resolution of the (UN) Security Council, and its use of ballistic missile technology for launch activities," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said. 15:06 North Korean state media has yet to reference the launch, but a commentary published in the Rodong Sinmun newspaper Friday said "no matter how strong the pressure is, it doesn't work on us." 14:19 The White House said President Donald Trump has been briefed about the missile launch. "The President has been briefed on the latest North Korea missile launch by General Kelly," White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. 13:44 Japan has warned that "similar actions (by the North) would continue" as Pyongyang appeared to have shrugged off UN sanctions agreed earlier this week. 13:21 The heated debate in South Korea over redeploying US nuclear weapons on its territory has now reached Washington, The Washington Post reports. A senior delegation of South Korean lawmakers is in town making the case to the Trump administration and Congress that such a move is needed to confront North Koreas growing nuclear capability and place more pressure on China. 12:47 Japan's defence minister believes North Korea "has Guam in mind" after its most recent missile launch, noting it had sufficient range to hit the US territory, reports AFP. Pyongyang has threatened to hit the US Pacific territory with "enveloping fire," sparking dire warnings from US President Donald Trump. Itsunori Onodera said Friday's missile, which overflew Japanese territory, flew 3,700 km - "long enough to cover Guam", which is 3,400 km from North Korea. "We cannot assume North Korea's intention, but given what it has said, I think it has Guam in mind," Onodera said. 12:16 The benchmark BSE Sensex dropped by 75 points or 0.23 per cent in morning trade today as losses in pharma, oil&gas, banking and power stocks widened amid lingering worries over North Korea. 11:44 The US dollar fell sharply against the safe-haven yen and Swiss franc in early Asian hours in response to the launch, although losses were quickly pared in very jittery trade. 11:22 As major suppliers of oil to the regime, Russia and China must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement. 10:56 Last month, North Korea fired an intermediate range missile from a similar area near the capital Pyongyang that also flew over Hokkaido into the ocean and said more would follow. The first time was unexpected, but I think people are getting used to this as the new normal, said Andrew Kaz, who teaches English in Kushiro City in Hokkaido. The most it seemed to disrupt was my coffee. 10:28 South Korea's Moon says dialogue with North is impossible at this point. 10:08 Echoing Washington's reaction, Australias Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has harshly condemned North Koreas missile launch as reckless and dangerous, and called for even tougher punishments against Pyongyang. 09:59 The United Nations Security Council will meet at half past midnight IST on Saturday on the latest North Korea missile test, diplomats said, at the request of the United States and Japan. 09:36 Rising living standards will limit the effect of any sanctions on North Korea, reports Bloomberg. Although the country is still poor, its gross domestic product grew by an estimated 3.9% in 2016, to about USD 28.5 billion, the fastest pace in 17 years. 09:22 Australias foreign minister, Julie Bishop, says North Korea is gaining greater capability with each missile launch. 09:19 South Korea fired two ballistic missiles in a show of strength against the North but one failed. Yonhap news agency reports that the South Korean military reacted while Pyongyangs missile was still in the air, firing two Hyunmoo-2 missiles close to the South-North border. The exercise took place just six minutes after the North Korean missile was launched, it said, and was intended to demonstrate to Kim Jong-un how swiftly Seoul could launch a retaliatory attack. 09:08 Friday's missile flew farther and higher than the last North Korean projectile launched in August. It passed over Japan before landing in the sea at roughly 7:16 am, roughly 2,000 kilometers (about 1,240 miles) east of Japan's Hokkaido island, according to reports. The previous launch had landed only about 1,180 kilometers (733 miles) east of Hokkaido. 08:53 President Moon ordered officials to closely analyse and prepare for new possible North Korean threats like EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) and biochemical attacks, Moons spokesman Park Su-hyun said. 08:50 South Korean President Moon Jae-in said North Koreas latest launch of a missile over Japan will only result in further diplomatic and economic isolation for the North, and officials said Moon had also warned of possible new threats, reports Reuters. 08:44 The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said that the ballistic missile did not pose a threat to North America. It further determined that the ballistic missile did not pose a threat to Guam. 08:35 US President Donald Trump has yet to issue an official statement on North Korea's latest missile launch. Stay tuned to his Twitter handle. 08:20 The EU expanded its North Korea sanctions list, as the international community builds pressure on Pyongyang over its nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programmes, reports AFP. The 28-member bloc said it was adding nine individuals and four organisations to the blacklist, including the North Korean state-owned Foreign Trade Bank, in line with UN sanctions announced in August. 08:15 "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has said. 08:10 Gold rose on Friday to pull further away from a two-week low, after North Korea fired another missile over Japan, triggering the latest round of safe-haven buying in markets while weighing on the dollar. 08:07 The dollar fell to as low as 109.55 yen in early Asian trade, but later came off that low and was last trading at 110.05 yen, down 0.2 percent from late US trade on Thursday. Against another safe haven, the Swiss franc, the dollar slipped 0.2% to 0.9621 franc. 08:03 South Korea has called an urgent National Security Council meeting while a similar meeting is also underway in Tokyo. 07:58 President Moon Jae-in's administration also said on Friday that the country conducted its own ballistic missile test into the sea, according to Reuters. 07:55 Seoul immediately responded to its northern neighbour's latest act of provocation on Friday with military drills and its own missile test. 07:50 Most indexes in Asia were moderately lower on Friday after North Korea launched a missile in the direction of the east. By 8:38 am HK/SIN, the dollar recouped losses against the safe-haven yen, trading at 110.13 yen after falling as low as 109.54 on the news. The Swiss franc, another safe-haven currency, traded at 0.9627 francs to the dollar after strengthening as high as 0.9610 earlier. Gold prices climbed as high as USD 1,334.36 an ounce before paring gains to trade at USD 1,331.90 by 8:37 a.m. HK/SIN. Still, that remained a touch above the USD 1,329 seen before the news. The yellow metal is often regarded as a safe haven in times of geopolitical uncertainty. 07:47 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was in India till last night, described the launch as unacceptable. The international community needs to come together and send a clear message to North Korea that it is threatening world peace with its actions, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters in Tokyo. 07:45 US officials said Washingtons commitments to the defence of its allies remained ironclad. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for new measures against North Korea and that these continued provocations only deepen North Koreas diplomatic and economic isolation. 07:40 US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said the launch put millions of Japanese into duck and cover, although residents in northern Japan appeared calm and went about their business as normal. 07:30 Kim Jong-un is at it again. North Korea fired a missile that flew over Japans northern Hokkaido far out into the Pacific Ocean on Friday, according to Reuters. The missile flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific about 2,000 km east of Hokkaido, Japans Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said. The missile reached an altitude of about 770 km and flew for about 19 minutes over a distance of about 3,700 km, according to South Koreas military - far enough to reach the US Pacific territory of Guam, which Pyongyang has previously threatened to strike. 16.23 US Vice President Mike Pence today reportedly spoke with the High Representative of the European Union Federica Mogherini via telephone to discuss North Korea and the Western Balkans. 16.10 The Japanese government has revised its wording of the alert messages sent out when a foreign missile is launched in Japan's direction. The revision comes after many people complained about alerts issued under the J-ALERT national emergency warning system on August 29, when North Korea launched a ballistic missile that flew over Japan. People complained that they did not know where to take shelter. The wording in the revised version mentions the last area the missile passed through and the direction it is headed. 16.05 South Korean officials have said that US President Donald Trump is set to visit South Korea in November as a part of his whistle-stop tour of Asia. Trump's visit will be a monumental one since this is the first time he will be in the Korean Peninsula after North Korea's latest nuclear test. 16.00 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today called for strict enforcement of a UN resolution against North Korea over its latest nuclear test, saying the world must force a change in Pyongyangs policies. Abe made the remarks during a visit to India, which was aimed at deepening economic and defence ties to balance the weight of a rising China. "Id like to appeal to the world, together with Prime Minister Modi, that we need to have North Korea change its policy through the thorough implementation of the newly adopted Security Council resolution by the international community. Prime Minister Modi and I are in full agreement on this," Abe said. 15.45 Japans top government spokesman said on Thursday that a North Korean threat to sink Japan with a nuclear bomb is extremely provocative and outrageous. 15.41 According to some North Korean government documents obtained by Japanese daily The Yomiuri Shimbun, North Korea has been pressing Chinese companies to increase their exports of gasoline and other refined petroleum products since August. A source with close knowledge of the Chinese-North Korean relationship said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un issued an order to stockpile gasoline and has restricted how much could be distributed on the market. Last week, there were multiple reports of gasoline prices skyrocketing in Pyongyang but the price rise was attributed to the UN sanctions imposed on the rogue nation. However, it could have been because of a strategic stockpiling of gasoline by the government, which would have shortened supply in the local market. 14.55 Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris, who owns a telecom company in North Korea, has said that the war of words between Kim Jong-un's regime and the Donald Trump-led US government could make them look "stupid" in the end, if neither one of them makes good on their threats. "If you threaten and you don't act you really look stupid, so it's best not to," Sawiris told CNBC in an exclusive interview. Read the full story here. 14.52 North Korea, which is currently undergoing a famine due to insufficient rain, has started promoting 'labour tours' for tourists visiting the rogue nation. These tours involve tourists working in the North Korean countryside, planting rice, picking fruits and weeding fields. Although this might not be one's idea of a holiday, the North Korean tourism website explains that the project aims to show visitors the farming culture of the country, as well as to present the locals life and daily habits. 14.48 South Korean President Moon Jae-in has reportedly dismissed the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons in his country, warning it could lead to a nuclear arms race in northeast Asia. The statement comes after numerous calls by citizens for South Korea to have nukes of its own in light of the rapidly escalating North Korean threat. 14.42 While conducting a review of the United States' old but intimidating nuclear arsenal, US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis told the reporters travelling with him that the US is not intimidated by North Korea. "You can leave no doubt at all," he said. "Don't try it. It won't work. You can't take us out." 13.27 News has just come in that the North Korean regime was observed moving a mobile missile launcher over the last 48 hours to the west coast. The observation was made my intelligence agencies, who have said that this could mean another North Korean nuke test is around the corner. 13.13 Despite the US currently dealing with catastrophe, or the possibility of it, on multiple fronts (Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, and North Korea), US President Donald Trump found the time to criticize his primary rival in last year's presidential elections Hillary Clinton. "Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and every thing) but herself for her election loss. She lost the debates and lost her direction!" Trump tweeted earlier today. "The "deplorables" came back to haunt Hillary.They expressed their feelings loud and clear. She spent big money but, in the end, had no game!" he said in another tweet. 13.07 After US President Donald Trump told his advisors last week to prepare to withdraw from the South Korea-US Free Trade Agreement, South Korean ambassador to the UN Choi Seok-young today said that Trump's actions at the moment seem very confusing. "South Korea has been an adamant ally to the United States for the last 70 years. Now, North Korea is provoking and China is expanding their power, flexing muscles. We dont quite understand what is the main purpose of Mr. Trump attacking Korea by terminating Korea-U.S. FTA at this critical time," Choi said. Choi was the one who negotiated the Free Trade Agreement on behalf of South Korea seven years ago. His American counterpart Wendy Cutler, who is now Acting US Trade Representative, has also warned that if US pulls out of the Korea-US FTA, South Korea could build stronger economic ties with China. 12.45 Former US President Jimmy Carter today slammed current President Donald Trump's way of handling the North Korea situation, saying that, had he been president, he would have treated the North Koreans with respect. "I know what the North Koreans want. What they want is a firm treaty guaranteeing North Korea that the US will not attack them or hurt them in any way, unless they attack one of their neighbours," Carter said. "But the United States has refused to do that." 12.35 US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in London today, ahead of a special summit hosted by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson to discuss North Korea and Libya. Tillerson will reportedly meet with US ambassador to the UK Woody Johnson and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian to talk about North Korea. 12.33 The South Korean government said today that it was considering giving North Korea USD 8 million in aid through international organisations, regardless of the political situation. According to Seoul's unification ministry, the government plans to hold a meeting on inter-Korean cooperation next Thursday to finalize whether or not to offer humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people in North Korea. 12.30 New Yorker staff writer Evan Osnos recently went on a dangerous trip to North Korea to learn more about its leader Kim Jong-un andits regime. The journalist reported that in Pyongyang, talk of war, nuclear weapons and missiles was everywhere. It was all people were talking about, and it was also the state's primary agenda. Most billboards in the city have pictures of missiles and other weapons, while some have a picture of the US Capitol reduced to rubble and North Korean missiles flying into it. Read an interview of Osnos done by WYSO host Terry Gross here. 12.19 The South Korean Ministry of National Defence has said that it will put some of its "strategic" weapons on display during the Armed Forces Day event later this month in a show of firepower against North Korea. 12.00 In an interview with international affairs magazine Global Brief, Singapore's Ambassador-at-Large Bilahari Kausikan has talked about what he thinks will be China's response if the US and North Korea go to war against each other. He reckons China's response will be limited since North Korea would have brought it upon itself by provoking the US right from the onset. However, he believes China will have to respond in some limited capacity because a conflict against North Korea and its regime would, in the end, become about the survival of a fellow Lenninist state. Read edited excerpts here. 11.44 Fox News' Hollie McKay has written an insightful article on how Russia benefits from propping up the North Korean regime. Read the story here. 11.40 The United States has started a review of its own arsenal of nuclear weapons, most of which were built during the cold war. The arsenal is aging and upgrading and modernizing it will likely cost over USD 1 trillion. The review is expected to take months to complete. Critics of the US' ICBMs have said that the silos meant to launch them are all in very compromising positions and will be sitting ducks if a war breaks out. Given the cost of modernzing them, they said the US should focus on building other weapons that might survive a first strike by the enemy. 11.25 The US Navys Seventh Fleet around Japan usually has around six Aegis ships assigned to BMD operations. Japan operates four ships of its own. They are armed with interceptors designed to shoot down warheads in space before they plunge to their targets. Around half of the ships would normally be at sea at any one time. 11.16 Japans navy is reportedly supplying fuel to US ballistic missile defence (BMD) ships in the Sea of Japan. By providing fuel to the US Aegis destroyers as well as its own BMD ships, Japan hopes to ensure patrols can be maintained without unnecessary gaps. 11.07 According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, North Korea is likely to face severe shortage of food in the near future, despite a drought in the country having recently ended. Rainfall this year was "considerably lower" than a corresponding period in 2001, when cereal production in the communist dictatorship plunged to record lows, the organisation said in its report. 09.59 A day after a UN commission of experts monitoring the sanctions imposed on North Korea said that it is looking into the supply of portable air defence systems, surface-to-air missiles and radar to Mozambique involving the North Korean Haegeumgang Trading Corporation, the Mozambican government has responded to the allegation. The government has promised to cooperate with the United Nations into investigations of the allegation that a Mozambican company breached UN sanctions against North Korea by buying weaponry from Kim Jong-un's regime. 09.56 An opinion piece by James Stavridis of Bloomberg has talked about how a naval blockade of North Korea would be the best way to cut it off and bring in stronger sanctions in the future. Read the full story here. 09.53 North Korea on Thursday made the most explicit threat yet of actually using nuclear weapons against another country. North Korean state-run news agency KCNA said, citing a statement by North Korean communist organisation Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee (KAPPC), that Japan should be sunk into the sea. The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche, KCNA said. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us. 09.50 According to a report by The Sun, think tanks linked to US President Donald Trump have quietly started preparing studies on the aftermath of the war with North Korea. The studies are about how North Korea would have to be occupied and how best to handle an insurgency by the country's fanatical soldiers after it is occupied. Read the story here. 09.45 As it stands North Korea test-fired a thermonuclear weapon, with an estimated yield of around 250 kilotons (initial estimates were between 50 kt and 160 kt) on September 3. The nuclear test was condemned by countries across the world and the United Nations. The United States issued multiple warnings to North Korea, asking it stop its nuclear weapons program. South Korea conducted a naval drill off the east coast. The US and South Korea deployed THAAD missile defence systems across South Korea. The United States demanded that the UN impose the strongest possible sanctions on North Korea, including cutting off the country's oil supply completely. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that imposing tough sanctions is not the answer to resolving the situation with North Korea. Putin iterated that North Korea is not going to give up its nuclear arsenal, regardless of how many sanctions are imposed on it. There was widespread speculation that North Korea would test-fire another nuke on September 9, the anniversary of its founding. North Korea, however, celebrated the anniversary with flowers and parades, and did not test a nuclear weapon that day. The US pushed a proposal to strengthen the already-existent UN sanctions on North Korea. It was doubtful whether China or Russia, both permanent members of the UN Security Council, will agree to pass it when it was put to a vote. In order to get the proposal passed, the US watered it down to a more acceptable level. The UN imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Monday, after the Security Council passed the proposal with a 15-0 vote. North Korea rejected the sanctions imposed on it and said that the US would now encounter the "greatest pain" it had ever experienced. South Korea conducts first live-fire missile drill. US defence analysts said satellite imagery confirmed that North Korea had resumed work at the nuclear testing site. 09.23 US-based defence analysts yesterday said that North Korea had resumed work at its underground nuclear weapon testing site. After studying recent satellite images, the analysts said they had detected new vehicles, mining carts and other signs of activity at the Punggye-ri underground nuclear test site in northeast North Korea. Rating agency Standard & Poor's has said that the tensions in the Korean Peninsula are not high enough to downgrade South Korea's sovereign rating. "As long as there is no actual war outbreak, I think the impact is relatively limited, and that's why we don't change our outlook on the rating of South Korea," Kim Eng Tan, senior director of Asia-Pacific sovereign ratings at S&P, was quoted as saying by a Korean newspaper. 09.11 What happened when we were asleep? The US State Department issued a statement saying they haven't given up on diplomacy to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons. Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said that the department is "realistic" but also "optimistic" that diplomacy will resolve the issue, expressing satisfaction with the new UN Security Council resolution against the North. The Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee (KAPPC), a North Korean communist organisation, demanded that that the United States be "beaten to death" like a "rabid dog" for pushing fresh UN sanctions on Pyongyang over its latest nuclear test and added that ally Japan should be "sunken into the sea". Welcome to the live coverage of the rapidly developing situation in the Korean Peninsula. We will bring you updates as and when they come, along with a lot of interesting analyses and opinion pieces on the North Korea crisis. Former drug company executive Martin Shkreli aka Pharma Bro stands with his attorney Benjamin Brafman after exiting U.S. District Court upon being convicted of securities fraud, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, U.S., August 4, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri - RC12D61A34D0 Martin Shkreli, popularly known as Pharma Bro, has been ordered to be jailed by a US judge while he awaits sentencing in a separate securities fraud. Shkreli was out on a USD 5 million bail after his December 2015 arrest. His bail was revoked by US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto in Brooklyn citing a Facebook post by Shkreli in which he placed a bounty on Hillary Clintons hair. He had offered USD 5,000 for a strand of Clinton's hair. The September 4 post, which was made shortly before Clinton embarked on a book tour, prompted a call from US Secret Service who declared that Shkreli posed a danger to the public. The post now stands deleted. In court, Shkreli argued that his post was protected by the right to free speech but the judge rejected it saying any of Shkrelis Facebook followers could take that seriously. This is a solicitation of assault in exchange for money, Reuters quoted the judge. That is not protected by the First Amendment. Earlier, he had also said that he will have sex with a female journalist Lauren Duca who writes for Teen Vogue. He was banned from Twitter for harassing her. This, as expected, did not go in his favour at the hearing. Shkreli in a letter to the judge on Tuesday had apologised for the post. "I understand now, that some may have read my comments about Mrs Clinton as threatening, when that was never my intention when making those comments," Shkreli said in his letter according to The Sydney Morning Herald. However, the same day he defiantly posted on Facebook: Lol Hillary Clinton's presumptive agents are hard at work. It was just a prank, bro! But still, lock HER up. Spend your resources investigating her, not me!! Shkreli is convicted for defrauding hedge funds MSMB Capital and MSMB Healthcare and he's currently facing a jail term. The sentencing will be done on January 16, next year. Shkreli rose to prominence after he raised the price of a life-saving AIDS drug Daraprim by 5,000 percent overnight. This resulted in him being dubbed Americas most hated man". (With inputs from Reuters and The Sydney Morning Herald) GANGWON-DO, SOUTH KOREA - AUGUST 29: In this handout image provide by South Korean Defense Ministry, A bomb hits a mock target at the Pilseung Firing Range on August 29, 2017 in Gangwon-do, South Korea. The ballistic missile launched by North Korea flew over Northern Japan and fell into the Pacific Ocean. (Photo by South Korean Defense Ministry via Getty Images) North Korea has threatened to sink Japan and turn the US to ashes and darkness after the UN Security Council approved a fresh round of sanctions on the hermit nation after it tested a nuclear bomb earlier this month. The Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which oversees North Koreas relations with the outside world, said that the US should be beaten to death as a stick is fit for a rabid dog". The statement was published in a report by North Korea's official news agency KCNA. Accusing the US of perpetrating the sanctions, the committee said, Now is the time to annihilate the US imperialist aggressors. Let's reduce the US mainland into ashes and darkness. Let's vent our spite with the mobilisation of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now. These are voices of the Korean army and people. Threatening to sink Japan for enraging Pyongyang, the committee said that even after the missile being fired over it, it has not come to senses. A telling blow should be dealt to them who have not yet come to senses after the launch of our ICBM over the Japanese archipelago. The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Juche is the ideology propagated by the founder of the country Kim Il-sung, which puts emphasis on self-reliance. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us, the committee added. This is the first time that North Korea has explicitly threatened Japan since it fired a ballistic missile over the country. The UNSC, in a unanimous decision, supported the resolution sanctioning ban on North Korean textile imports and restrictions on oil exports to the country. The resolution was drafted by the US. Representative Image. Separate suspected Russian and US-led coalition strikes on several parts of Syria's Deir Ezzor province killed at least 39 civilians on Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. The strikes hit several parts of the eastern province, where separate Russian and US-backed ground offensives are underway against the Islamic State group. The logo of Toshiba Corp is seen as window cleaners work on the company's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, February 14, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTSYJK2 Toshiba Corp said on Wednesday it has agreed to focus on selling its prized chips unit to a group led by Bain Capital and South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix, although it is not ruling out a deal with other bidders. The announcement came after sources told Reuters on Tuesday that Toshiba was now favouring the Bain group after failing to bridge disagreements with rival suitor Western Digital Corp. Wednesday marks the third time the embattled Japanese conglomerate has failed to meet a target date to sell the $18 billion business - the world's second-biggest producer of NAND memory chips. Without an agreement soon, it will be difficult for Toshiba to gain by the end of the financial year in March, regulatory approval and hence the funds it needs to cover billions in liabilities at it U.S. nuclear unit. Toshiba said in a statement it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Bain to accelerate discussions, and hoped to reach agreement in late September. But it added that the memorandum was not legally binding and did not prevent it from negotiating with other parties. A representative for Bain was not immediately available for comment, while SK Hynix declined to comment. Western Digital, which jointly invests in Toshiba's key NAND memory plant but which has been at loggerheads with the Japanese firm for much of the auction - said it was disappointed as well as surprised at the development given its legal position. "We remain confident in our ability to protect our JV interests and consent rights," the California-based firm said in a statement. Sources have said that discussions with Western Digital faltered as Toshiba, fearing its partner was angling to eventually take over the chip business, sought to limit the U.S. firm's future stake in the unit. The Bain group's latest offer is worth 2.4 trillion yen ($22 billion), including a 200 billion yen investment in infrastructure, they said, declining to be identified as the talks were private. The group had been chosen preferred bidder in June. But those talks lapsed as Japan government investors who had been part of that consortium told Toshiba they were reluctant to close a deal in the face of legal challenges posed by Western Digital. The current offer by Bain and Hynix is designed to get around the legal risks by inviting the state-backed investors - the Innovation Network Corp of Japan and the Development Bank of Japan - to invest in the business only after any arbitration with Western Digital is settled. But it remains uncertain whether Toshiba will be able to complete the transaction by the end-March as Western Digital is likely to seek a court injunction on the sale. A California court has ordered Toshiba to give the U.S. firm two weeks' notice before a deal is closed. SK Hynix's participation could also prolong antitrust reviews, industry watchers said. The South Korean chipmaker plans to limit its role to financing, but it's unclear if it hopes to gain a stake in the future. If Toshiba does fail to secure sufficient financing by end-March, it is likely to report negative net worth, or liabilities exceeding assets, for a second year running - a scenario that could result in a delisting from the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Shares of Toshiba ended flat, while SK Hynix shares rose 1.3 percent. Representational picture UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called for a political solution to the current situation in Korean peninsula, which has worsened in recent months in the wake of series of ballistic missile and nuclear tests by Pyongyang. "The solution can only be political. Military action could cause devastation on a scale that would take generations to overcome," Guterres told reporters at a news conference at the UN headquarters in New York. Noting that nuclear and missile tests by the North Korea have created great instability and tension on the Korean peninsula, throughout the region and beyond, the UN Secretary General said unity in the Security Council is critical. This week's unanimous adoption of a new resolution by the Security Council sends a clear message that North Korea must comply fully with its international obligations, he said and called on all Member States to ensure the full implementation of this and other relevant Security Council resolutions. "But Security Council unity also creates an opportunity for diplomatic engagement an opportunity that must be seized," Guterres said. Meanwhile in an interview to Atlantic Council, a top American think-tank, Nicholas Burns, a former top American diplomat said that the new sanctions imposed by UN Security Council on North Korea are not enough. "The sanctions are a step forward, but they are not significant enough. It is disappointing that Russia and China will not agree to tougher sanctions because that is what is required," he said. "We are in a new and dangerous phase of the crisis following the apparent hydrogen bomb test and also the ballistic missile firing by North Korea over Hokkaido," Burns said. "The world community has got to take stronger actions against North Korea to convince the North Koreans to freeze their nuclear program and agree to negotiations to try to diminish this crisis," he said. Noting that the Chinese have a direct interest here, he said, but they are hesitating in deepening their own leverage and coercion against North Korea. "It may be that China worries that a dissolution of the North Korean regime could lead to a flow of North Korean refugees into China, " Burns said. "It is certainly true that the Chinese worry that any kind of crisis that could weaken or destroy North Korea and could lead to the unification of the Korean Peninsula with its capital in Seoula country that is aligned with the United Statesis not in China's interests," he said. Friends In Pink is still on the radar and growing every year Letter to editor: Voting is necessary to protect democracy Education Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu. Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu. Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events: International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu. EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu. Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets June Homecoming: Participant $18 per person; Sustainer $25 per person; Benefactor $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events: SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available for information call 610-275-1960 Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above) SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m. Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. 4 p.m. computers are available during those hours. Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863. Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376. Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com. The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes: Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020. CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313. The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events: Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m. Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m. Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30. Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301. For Kids & Families The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443. Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950. Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required. The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950. Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus. Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage. Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun. Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train. Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world! Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class. Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org. Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583. Community Events at the Ambler Y: -YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register. Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org. Health Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot. The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information. Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245. Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net. Spring Aquatic Programs UDHS Pool: -Summer is just around the corner Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required. Shallow Water Aerobics Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR. Adult Swim Instructions Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR -Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21. -Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m. -Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons. -Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates. Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994. SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com. Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org. Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs: FITNESS CLASSES Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month. Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30 9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly. SUPPORT GROUPS Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000. Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30 7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047. New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30 4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931. Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325. Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes. Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com. Librarytalk Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744 www.upperdublinlibrary.org APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS: Storytimes: Please register in the library. o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m. o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m. o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6. APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS: North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS: NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org. One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register contact info above. Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744. o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register. Meetings: Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m. Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m. Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org. For children and teens at Blue Bell: * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m. * May 14 Despicable Me * June 11 Alpha and Omega * Special Events * April watch for date of spring/Easter events * April 14 at 4:30 p.m. Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children. * April 14 at 7 p.m. Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided. * April 16 at 1 p.m. Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King. * April 16 at 1:30 p.m. Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes? * April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button. * April 30 through May 3 Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults. * May sign up for Science in the Summer * June sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children * June sign up for Summer Reading, all ages For adults at Blue Bell: * Daytime Book Discussion Group fourth Tuesday, Jan April at 1:30 p.m. * April 26 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Night-time Book Discussion Group third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. o April 19 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked? *Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs * Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class. * Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class. * Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m. * Giant Book Sale, April 29 May 3 o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults! o Held during library hours. o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m. o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join. * Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series o May 11 at 1 p.m. Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society * Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room. * Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read. * Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome. * Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome. *Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older. * Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours * Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours * Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday! Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library. * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * For adults: * Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn. * Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net * Special Events: * April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian. * April 19 at 7 p.m. Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m. * April 21 at 7 p.m. Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades. *May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. *May 10 Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *May 12 at 1:30p.m. Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. *May 17 Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. Meetings and Lectures The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833. The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313. Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200. The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/. LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings. Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org. Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org) -Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them. The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter. For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps. Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin. Special Events The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County. The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065. Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members. Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex. The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com. The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348. The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org. Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163. The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu. The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com. The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net. Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages. 13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries. Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family. The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler. JPRN Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike. Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately. Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways. Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table. Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374 Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall: -Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store. Music and Theater The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html. Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free. The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org Religious News The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276. Reunions St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net. Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572. Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779. Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411. Support New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149. PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931. The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296. Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656. Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group every other Wednesday, 7 8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information. CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7 8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich, In July 2017, the president of the United States announced a ban on transgender people serving in the military. This hasty decision, announced on Twitter, outlined no details in regards to what would happen to current active trans servicemembers. The announcement came amid a disagreement around a $790 billion defense and security spending package scheduled to vote on. The disagreement threatened the bills ability to pass. In the same week, lawmakers argued whether or not taxpayers should pay for gender transition and hormone therapy despite its infinitesimal cost. And thats how the president tweeted his solution and shut down support for 15,000 active-duty members of our military without a concrete policy in place. Since then, groups of House Democrats, a bipartisan group of senators, retired generals and admirals, and many others have requested, advised, and written letters to the president in order to urge him to reject this unconstitutional directive. Many trans veterans have tweeted their disappointment, and others are suing. But there are also those who agree with the presidents planned policy. The military is already a hard place to be for a trans person. In one series of tweets, the president further alienated countless active-duty soldiers some currently overseas. Trans soldiers sacrifice Im a transgender veteran and gave my entire youth (19-26) to the service of my country. Its all I know. This is outrageous and so wrong. Tomi Kay, transgender Army veteran Every person who fights for our country reserves, active, veteran sacrifices part of themselves to their country. They sacrifice time with family, the normalcy of a civilian job, their safety, their food choices, and where they live, among so many other things. They sacrifice what their purpose is for the entirety of their active duty. Being in the military has a way of defining who you are, and its a sacrifice to give your identity to the government in order to fight for freedom. For a servicemember, no matter your race, gender, sexuality, age, level of education, rank, or religion, youre a soldier and youre sacrificing so much to be a soldier. Many transgender service members sacrifice so much more than the average soldier. For one, while transgender soldiers make up a small percentage of military members, they serve at a higher rate than most other demographics. Its also a scary job to have as a trans person, so many stay quiet to avoid backlash. The general view of LGBTQ service members has been leaning in a positive direction, and Trumps announcement pushed this issue the other way. Mental health issues in transgender people are largely triggered by stigma and inequality, so his comments were highly damaging. What is it like being a trans soldier? Its about sacrifice, just like any other soldier. Trans soldiers experience trauma Dont talk about my service [Donald Trump]. You will never be as good as me and thousands of servicemembers. No matter how hard you try. Rachel Lauren Clark, transgender Marine Corps veteran A soldiers life is something that they agree to sacrifice when putting on their uniform and vowing to protect their country. The same flag lies over their coffin regardless of their gender or orientation. They can be shot, injured, wounded, or left with a life deeply affected by PTSD. They may lose fellow soldiers, have lasting mental health problems as a result of war, or experience mental health issues while overseas. Soldiers may battle the grief of losing a loved one back home while they continue to battle overseas or the grief of losing another soldier. They may experience anxiety or depression as a result of missing the birth of children, the declining health of a parent, or other family emergencies. Trauma comes in all forms, and those in service can experience it in so many different ways while serving their country. Some are lasting, others are short-term, some are physical. Some new recruits experienced trauma within training, in dealing with other recruits, or in unfair treatment from higher ranking officers. In a world where LGBTQ soldiers are just gaining equality within the military world within the last five years, its extremely damaging for the president to encourage the viewpoint that they are not welcome. The world of military interaction and training is a harsh, gruelling, and demanding environment; youre transformed, both inside and out. The most self-assured recruit is stripped down, and for the marginalized recruit the difficulties are multiplied. What is it like being a trans soldier? Its accepting the possibility of experiencing trauma, just like any other soldier. Trans soldiers battle life as a civilian When you attack transgender military members you are attacking Americas war fighters. [Donald Trump] once again shows his apathy for service. Shane Ortega, transgender Marine Corps and Army veteran Military service members join up, go through the riguors of basic training, serve their country in whichever capacity, and come home a completely different person. A soldiers experiences no longer relate to the average civilian. If soldiers experienced trauma as a result of serving, they come home with that battle. Transgender men and women who serve are handling the transition from soldier to civilian as well as their potentially handling their own gender transitions in some capacity. Mental health can be a concern, finding the right career path can be hard, and adapting into a world they used to be a part of are all a battle for military members going from one extreme to another. Some military members can find fulfilling careers in military social work where they can feel at home, and at peace helping others. Others find education programs designed for veterans to help them move forward in their civilian life. No matter what their military career looked like, its difficult to go from living life as a soldier to living life as a civilian. They miss home, and then they miss the battlefield. They miss freedom, and then miss structure. They connect with family, and then connect with fellow service members. They have to integrate back into a job, a home, a life that seems foreign. The transition is easier for some, harder for others. What is it like being a trans soldier? Its battling the transition back to being a civilian, just like any other soldier. Trans soldiers do it for your country As a trans vet I am disgusted!! My being trans was never a deterrent nor a distraction from my duty to serve. Being validated made me better. Toni Miller, transgender veteran Theres a great deal of pride that comes with serving your country. If you ask a vet which branch of the military they served in, they straighten up a bit before telling you. Theres pride there, and each branch tells their soldiers, airmen, sailors, marines, and guardsmen how proud they should be to be a part of their branch. Rightfully so, because it takes a hell of a lot to commit to a life in the military. Words like bravery, gumption, leadership, and heroism dont just apply to a certain type of service member it applies to all of them, including transgender service members. Transgender military members join despite possible backlash and harassment, because they are proud to serve their country. Freedom comes at a price, and transgender soldiers fight for their countrys right to hate them. They fight for their right to be who they are. What is it like being a trans soldier? Trans soldiers fight for your country, just like any other soldier. A ban on transgender military service men and women is an attack against all people who fight for this country. Being a trans soldier is just being a soldier, because they are a soldier, pilot, sailor, and a marine before they are anything else. The military is a group of siblings. They protect each other, they are a unit, and they sacrifice everything for our country. When the president, or anyone else, separates transgender service members from the rest of their community, they are promoting a dangerous dialogue. Backlash against transgender service men and women isnt solely backlash against someone whos trans, which is in itself horrific. Its backlash against a soldier, the same soldier we celebrate and the same soldier we mourn. What is it like to be a trans soldier? Its a lot like being a soldier. A premium commercial property on the corner of Monterey Road and Main Avenue in Morgan Hills popular downtown is up for sale, according to an online real estate listing. El Toro Brewing Company brewpub, owned by Geno and Cindy Acevedo, currently occupies the 17605 Monterey Street address and has since opening in 2006. Now, the building is for sale at a hefty price tag of $5.4 million. Rare opportunity to own a unique brew pub restaurant facility and downtown development opportunity in the heart of energized downtown Morgan Hill, reads the real estate listing, which can be found on laurenronan.com/property/ca/95037/morgan-hill/-/17605-monterey-st/58ad17adbb97525a02000001/. John Telfer of South County Realty in Morgan Hill is the listing agent. The building, which sits on about a .75-acre lot with a large parking area, is 7,257 square feet with 300 indoor seating as well as 100 outdoor seats in a 2,000 square foot patio dining area. Amenities in the listing include a Wolfgang Puck wood fired pizza oven and fire pit, custom-designed Poppy Jasper stone bar, central AC and kitchen facility designed for high capacity restaurant operations. The Acevedos could not be reached for comment. The building, originally built in 1964, was the old Morgan Hill police station before the Acevedos purchased and remodeled it. After launching El Toro Brew Company in 1994, the couple opened the pub 12 years later in the prime location. In 2007, the Morgan Hill Redevelopment Agency loaned the Acevedos $400,000 for construction costs to remodel the building when El Toro moved in a year earlier. The pub owners were behind on payments to the RDA as of 2011, when the agency was dissolved by the state of California. The loan transferred to state authorities at that time. The building was previously occupied by the Morgan Hill Police Department. The Acevedos originally purchased the property from the RDA. They invested $1 million in equity and $1.9 million in bank loans to purchase and remodel the building before they acquired the RDA loan. This story has been updated to clarify the listing agent for the property sale. Young musicians from the Mariachi Academy helped kick off National Hispanic Heritage Month with a Sept. 12 performance at the Morgan Hill Library. Other local events celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 include: Family Loteria Night, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Morgan Hill Library, 660 W. Main Ave. All ages are welcome to participate and learn how to play Mexican bingo and try to win a small prize. Mexico Independence Day Event, 10 a.m. Sept. 17 at Galvan Park on Crest Avenue: A free, community event celebrating Mexicos Independence Day, featuring live music and performances. This event is hosted by Grumaza Grupo Mazahua. 90-minute Zumba Class, 4 p.m. at the Community and Cultural Center, 171 W. Edmundson Ave.: Enjoy a free, fun and outdoor Zumba class outside. This event is hosted by the City of Morgan Hill. Outdoor Latin Concert, 4 p.m. Oct. 8 at Community and Cultural Center, 17000 Monterey Road: Son Latinos will headline the concert with a host of other Bolivian, Peruvian, Mexican and Venezuelan music at the free concert. Patrons are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs and snacks. The City of Morgan Hill is hosting this event. The Morgan Hill City Councils choice for the next city manager brings a wealth of financial expertise and knowledge of the citys culture and operations to her prospective new post as City Halls top staff person, according to a majority of the elected officials. < Christina Turner, who has served as Morgan Hills Assistant City Manager for Administrative Services since the beginning of 2016, was selected Sept. 6 as the best applicant for the job of city manager. The council voted 4-1 in closed session to authorize the mayor and city attorney to begin negotiating an employment contract with Turner. Councilman Rich Constantine voted against the motion, but he agrees with his elected colleagues that Turner will do a fantastic job as city manager. < Mayor Steve Tate said the council is expecting to approve a finalized contractwhich will specify Turners salary, benefits and other compensationby Sept. 27. < Turner will be replacing City Manager Steve Rymer, whose salary in 2016 was about $248,000. The city hired Turner at an annual salary of about $189,000 in 2016, not including benefits. < Rymer accepted a job in early August as the City Administrator of Rochester, Minn. He will continue working for Morgan Hill until the end of September. < Turner, who the city hired from the City of Gilroy in January 2016, said she is excited to begin working as Morgan Hills city manager as soon as the negotiations are complete. < She cited her previous work in South Countywhich brings a depth of knowledge of the region where Morgan Hill officials are continually in pursuit of ongoing partnershipsas one aspect of her qualifications for city manager. She also thinks her strong financial background in both the public and private sector influenced the councils decision to point to her as the top candidate for the job. < As city manager, Turner said she wants to continue to cultivate the good morale we enjoy at the city, and find ways to keep the team energized and doing great things for Morgan Hill. < She added, We have an amazing group of talented professionals. < On Sept. 6, the council interviewed Turner and three other city staff members for the city managers position. The other applicants who made it to the council interview were Police Chief David Swing, Community Services Director Chris Ghione and Economic Development Director Edith Ramirez. < The interviews included a series of questions from the council members, as well as a self evaluation, Tate said. < They all did a fantastic job, Tate said. Any one of them could have done the job (of city manager). Christina came out a little bit better than anyone else. Shell be an outstanding team leader, and keep the same spirit going that Steve (Rymer) has created. Were very excited to have her. < Councilman Larry Carr added that the city would have been in excellent hands with any of the four finalists, but Turner rose a little bit more to the top. < Christina brings a little bit of a unique financial background from both the public and private sector that will help us in the future as we move forward, Carr said. < Councilwoman Caitlin Jachimowicz added that Turners familiarity with Morgan Hill after working about 18 months as one of two assistant city managers illustrates her diverse knowledge of what it takes to lead City Halls staff of about 193 public works, planning and development, police, community services and administrative employees. < She is passionate about the collaborative culture we have at City Hall, and I expect a seamless transition, Jachimowicz added. Overall, I think she is just what we need right now to tackle some financial challenges coming our way. < Councilman Rene Spring shared similar sentiments: It was a very tough choice to select our next city manager from this great pool of internal candidates! he said in a press release from City Hall. They all greatly impressed me, and I look forward to continuing working with all of them. I am very excited to work with Christina Turner as our new city manager. Christina will be a great city manager for Morgan Hill and has my full support. < One councilman in dissent < While Councilman Rich Constantine agreed that all four of the city manager applicants who made it to council interviews were all good applicants for the job, he voted against the Sept. 6 closed session motion to negotiate with Turner. He said he felt the majority of the council was leaning toward Turner for reasoning he described as not fair. < I think Christina is going to be a great city manager. However, I didnt like the reason (for picking her)it was because she was a woman, Constantine said of the councils discussion. I dont like when people are picked because of their race or gender. Thats where the conversation went, and seemed to be stopped. < That said, Constantine said he is extremely satisfied with the selection of Turner for the job. I look at the future as being very bright for Morgan Hill. < Constantine declined to specify which of the four candidates he preferred. < The council expects to approve a finalized contract for salary and other compensation at their Sept. 27 meeting. The Morganton Department of Public Safety responded to Cedarbrook Apartments on Wednesday after a soda bottle containing pellets, liquid and a possible fuse was found by a maintenance worker. The bottle was found on the property around 9 a.m. near a dumpster about 100 yards away from Forest Hill Elementary School, maintenance worker Duane Weilnau said. Weilnau said he was going to throw the bottle in the dumpster until he realized it looked suspicious. Instead, he placed it in a bucket and brought it to the main office. Pam Leeson, the property manager, said she then called police to come investigate the potentially dangerous device. Law enforcement officers spent hours at the apartment complex investigating the bottle. Four residents were evacuated and others were warned by officers about the potential threat, Capt. Jason Whisnant said. The police just knocked and said if you want to leave, you need to leave now because theyre going to block the road, resident Isabella Anes said around 11:30 a.m. I just walked in. I was at the library. I just came home and found all of this, so I dont really know whats going on right now. Its kind of scary. Public safety officers used the departments new robot to approach the bottle, which was placed just outside the office, Chief Ronnie Rector said. It has all the characteristics of an incendiary device, Rector said. Whether its an actual incendiary device or not, we have to treat it that, in fact, it is real and its a danger to the officers and to the people who live here. Bomb technicians with the State Bureau of Investigation were called to dispose of the device. The public safety robot was used to pick up the bottle and move it into the parking lot. The bomb technicians then used a water cannon technique to make the device safe. The technique caused a loud sound similar to a firework, but the bottle did not explode. Just because it didnt do more doesnt mean it wasnt an explosive device, Rector said. Evidence has been gathered and will be sent off for further analysis. Rector said he is unsure when and how the bottle was placed near the dumpster. Weilnau said he walked by the dumpster Tuesday night and does not remember seeing the bottle. Forest Hill Elementary School was told about the bottle by law enforcement officers, Rector said. However, students and staff were never in any danger, he said. Public Safety does not have any suspects at the moment, Rector said. Charges may vary depending on the results of the investigation. Burke County EMS; Burke County Emergency Services; the Burke County Fire Marshal and a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent were also on hand to assist MDPS and the SBI. The News Herald was the first news outlet at the scene. Ryan Wilusz is a staff writer and can be reached at rwilusz@morganton.com or 828-432-8941. Emma Wall: Hello, and welcome to the Morningstar series, "Ask the Expert." I'm Emma Wall and I'm joined today by Morningstar Fund Analyst, Pete Brunt. Hello, Pete. Peter Brunt: Good morning, Emma. Wall: So, we are here today to talk about a new fund that's just come under Morningstar analysts and you've awarded it a Silver rating, haven't you? Brunt: Yeah, that's right, yeah. So, it's the Artisan Global Value Fund, which is not so well-known in the U.K. It's managed by a couple of guys out of America. The fund is $1.7 billion at the moment, but actually they manage $17 billion in total including their U.S. mutual funds. So, this Irish-domiciled vehicle has been they have been managing that since 2011. But actually, they have a much longer track record. It goes back to about 2007 on the global mandate. They have been managing an EAFE mandate, which is global ex-U.S., since 2002. And their experience dates back to the late '90s when they were working at Harris Associates, which is a very well-established investment house in America. Wall: And I suppose that's a really interesting point because it would be rare, well at least in my experience, to award a Silver rating to a fund that we've never even heard of and it's because they have that track record outside of the U.K. running a very similar mandate that you are awarding them this Silver Rating? Brunt: Exactly. So, this is really bringing the Irish-domiciled fund in line with our view in America on the U.S. mutual funds. So, we are piggybacking of our analysts in America. And so, yes, it's unusual, but in this case, we already know the investors very well. Wall: And what do you like about it, because track record isn't enough to deserve a Silver rating? Brunt: That's true. So, these guys, obviously, as you mentioned, very experienced. They have been doing it for a long time. They have good resource. They have got six pretty experienced analysts with them. They have a very well-structured process that we value highly. What's interesting about the fund is that there has been a lot of talking; you and I have talked about quality growth in the market. This has got a value tilt. So, they are still trying to identify companies that have very little debt and that have a higher return on capital, but they are looking more into the value space. And you are not going to find this fund full of consumer staples. Currently, it's overweight financials; it's got an overweight to IT as well. But it has a very different profile to some of the funds that we've discussed in the past. So, for those that are looking for a global equity fund with a more value tilt but still has the quality aspect, we think this is a good example. Wall: And what about price, because that's the other one of those Ps that we do rate here at Morningstar? Brunt: A fair question. So, this fund is actually we would consider it a little bit more expensive than peers. So, that's something to bear in mind. But overall, you are right, one of five pillars that we consider and we consider the other four to be of good strength to sort of give that enough for us to still have a positive Silver rating. Wall: Pete, thank you very much. Brunt: You're welcome. Wall: This is Emma Wall for Morningstar. Thank you for watching. Maintaining independence and editorial freedom is essential to our mission of empowering investor success. We provide a platform for our authors to report on investments fairly, accurately, and from the investors point of view. We also respect individual opinionsthey represent the unvarnished thinking of our people and exacting analysis of our research processes. Our authors can publish views that we may or may not agree with, but they show their work, distinguish facts from opinions, and make sure their analysis is clear and in no way misleading or deceptive. To further protect the integrity of our editorial content, we keep a strict separation between our sales teams and authors to remove any pressure or influence on our analyses and research. Read our editorial policy to learn more about our process. Warren Buffetts bid to double his stake in Home Capital Group Inc. was rejected by shareholders of the Canadian mortgage lender in a September 12 vote. About 89 per cent of investors voted against the offer, which would have boosted Berkshire Hathaway Inc.s stake from about 20 per cent to 38 per cent. Stockholders including CIBC Asset Management had objected to the deal, arguing it would dilute the stock by selling shares to Berkshire at an almost 30 per cent discount. This decision on the second tranche is a clear message that the majority of our shareholders believe that Home Capitals improved deposit inflows and liquidity position diminish the need for additional capital, Chairwoman Brenda Eprile said at a special shareholder meeting in Toronto after the vote, as quoted by Bloomberg. Home Capital executives declined to comment further. Buffett didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on the vote. Berkshire Hathaway agreed to buy shares in two tranches in June when the troubled bank was facing a run on deposits after a regulator accused the company of misleading shareholders about falsified mortgage applications. The proposed $400 million investment included an initial purchase at $9.55 a share, followed by a second round at $10.30 each. The second tranche required approval from a majority of voting shareholders, excluding Berkshire. Home Capital has already benefited from the Buffett bump, according to David Hillock, a 63-year-old retiree who voted against the Berkshire purchase. To provide so many shares at such a deep discount dilutes the company-- it just didnt seem worth it. Hillock owns about 100,000 Home Capital shares, which he bought when the stock traded around $6 this year, more than doubling his investment to about $1.4 million. 30-year-old nurse and private investor Mathias Uy changed his vote just before the meeting. The original problem at Home Capital was a crisis of confidence and adding more money wouldnt really solve the problem, Uy said after the meeting. The settlement of whatever lawsuits were pending largely fixed the crisis and the initial tranche of Buffetts investment helped a lot. Home Capital settled with the OSC and investors in a class action lawsuit last month. Uys one concern when voting his 3,200 shares was the risk of Buffett taking profits and walking away from the company, but said he found solace in the CEOs history of holding shares for the long term. Buffett has already made about 40 per cent on his investment. Last month, he indicated his plan to stick with Home Capital even if shareholders voted against the second tranche. The growth of residential property prices nationwide will weaken significantly in the next half decade as cooling policies in the hottest markets will make themselves felt, according to the latest study by Moodys Analytics. Canadians need to prepare for several years of retrenchment with 1.3 per cent annual price growth per year at most over the next 5 years, Moodys said. Exact turning points are difficult to predict, but the combination of restricted mortgage lending, taxes on foreign purchases in the largest metro areas, and the expectation of higher mortgage rates means that house prices are likely to experience a slowdown in the next few years, according to report author Andres Carbacho-Burgos, as quoted by the Financial Post. Affordability as measured by the median dwelling price to median family income ratio is also close to a record low, so it is hard to see house prices maintaining the same momentum as before, the study added. Moodys also cautioned that further measures to curb speculation in Toronto and Vancouver will exacerbate the slowdown. Current trends in these markets will continue to hold, however. Greater Toronto is likely to maintain moderate house price growth, while the more policy-restricted market in Vancouver will lead to prices holding steady in coming years, the report stated. Reporter-Telegram file photo The Midland County Courthouse was evacuated Thursday after someone called in a threat to the District Attorneys Office, according to County Judge Mike Bradford. He said the courthouse is closed to the public for the remainder of the day but employees will be allowed to pick up car keys and other items. Other Midland County facilities, including the library and the Annex, will remain open. A recent vote from Midland County commissioners was a step toward an agreement that would expedite blood-alcohol and narcotics analyses for those arrested inside the county. Commissioners on Monday authorized Midland County to enter a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Public Safety. DPS hadnt signed the agreement as of Wednesday afternoon, according to District Attorney Laura A. Nodolf. Under the agreement, the county would pay about $153,000 over two years for a DPS analyst that would have the task of testing blood-alcohol content and narcotics samples after related arrests in Midland County. Nodolf told commissioners lab results currently take six months. The agreement would create a 30-day turnaround time. Its a great way for Midland County to put some speed in the process of getting people cleared or getting people to trial in our judicial system, County Judge Mike Bradford said. We certainly had to wait many weeks or many months under the previous system. With current procedures, law enforcement officials obtain blood samples or conduct field tests on substances before sending them to a lab. Nodolf said the agreement would make the next steps move more quickly. While the officers use presumptive tests to be able to make a decision whether or not to arrest an individual at that point in time, I am not going to indict somebody until I have verification back from a laboratory certifying that the controlled substance is what it is and the weight that it is, she said. Nodolf also said moving the process along would allow offenders to consider entering the newly created Drug Court program closer to the time of arrest. The county began considering an agreement after DPS in July announced it would charge local agencies for analyses that state crime labs previously conducted for free, according to Nodolf. DPS held off on charging, and Nodolf said the agreement allows the county to pay one fee in case the department decides to charge for analyses in the future. Also, she said having someone with a Midland County caseload would be at an advantage. They are dealing with a large number of narcotics and blood-alcohol related offenses, Nodolf said. So to be able to say that we have one person whos going to be dedicated to Midland County to analyze our cases, thats huge. Nodolf told the Commissioners Court she was working on a start date for the agreement and said she could give them an update after one is in place. DPS, as of press time, didnt provide comment about its end of the agreement. State Rep. Tom Craddick and Texas Public Policy Foundation Executive Vice President Kevin Roberts offered their perspective of the last legislative session and policy issues in Texas at Wednesdays Midland County Republican Womens luncheon. The main takeaway is that whether or not we think progress is being made, that we are making progress, there is a positive outlook for the future of Texas, said Grace Jones, MCRW vice president and program chair, and that weve got great people who are working hard to undo a lot of the damage that has be done over the past few years. Both provided their perspectives on policy issues and educational reforms in Texas and followed with a question-and-answer session. Craddick covered highlights from the last session of the House of Representatives, including border security, sanctuary cities legislation and the texting and driving ban he authored. Mainly, I hope what everyone takes away from what we did in this last regular session are several of the things that will affect our area so they know whats going on from the states aspect, Craddick said. Its always great to speak to the Republican Womens Club for two reasons -- you all understand what is going on, and you care. When Roberts stepped up to the podium, he outlined his presentation by describing what the foundation does on a national scale. He also provided an overview of what to look forward to in the coming months. What is happening in Texas in terms of policy is important not just for Texans themselves, but I really believe for Americans as well, said Roberts. And a group like ours is important because we give the information to keep making those good decisions. And for the average voter, there are good things going on in politics and policy, and if they want to get involved it might be through campaigns but it also might be picking a policy area and digging their teeth into it. The next luncheon will be held on Oct. 11 and will feature Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Councilman J.Ross Lacy as speakers. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Police on Tuesday identified the eight people who were shot and killed Sunday at a Dallas Cowboys watch party in Plano, Texas. The eight victims were gunned down by 32-year-old Spencer James Hight around 8 p.m. at the home of his ex-wife, 27-year-old Meredith Emily Hight, in the 1700 block of West Spring Creek Parkway. RELATED: Possibly sleeping driver killed after sports car 'tumbled end over end,' burst into flames Several neighbors reported the shooting to police, and an officer was dispatched to the Hight home. He heard gunshots and entered the property through the back. "He observed shooting victims down in the backyard and immediately understood what was occurring," said Plano Police Chief Gregory Rushin. The officer, who has not been identified, entered the home, found Spencer Hight and fatally shot him, ending the attack. In total, Hight killed eight people and injured one other. Plano police identified the victims as Hight's ex-wife, Meredith; 33-year-old Anthony Michael Cross; 24-year-old Olivia Nicole Deffner; 29-year-old James Richard Dunlop; 22-year-old Darryl William Hawkins; 31-year-old Rion Christopher Morgan; 28-year-old Myah Sade Bass and 25-year-old Caleb Seth Edwards. The surviving shooting victim has yet to be identified. Meredith Hight's mother told The Associated Press that her daughter owned the home and had recently divorced Spencer Hight following six years of marriage. RELATED: Police searching for suspects who stole hot rod, El Camino from North Side business According to posts on Meredith Hight's Instagram, the couple had a wedding ceremony in Jamaica in May 2012. "Pretty much what I live for," reads the caption of a photo of Spencer and Meredith from January 2015 on Meredith's Instagram. But by April of this year, Spencer Hight referred to Meredith as his ex-wife in Facebook posts. Plano police said the investigation into the shooting has been handed over to the Texas Rangers. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com cdowns@mysa.com Twitter: @calebjdowns E! News: In the finale, Lestat isn't burned and instead left in the dump, meaning he's still alive. Can you definitely say if we will see Lestat in season two? Jacob Anderson: Yes, I can definitely say that you will see Lestat in season An assisted living facility in Apopka has been evacuated because of electricity issues stemming from Hurricane Irma. Brookdale evacuated 82 residents from Wekiwa Spring facility Facility was evacuated because of electricity issues Greentree Assisted Living also evacuated 39 people RELATED: 8 die at South Florida nursing home On Wednesday Brookdale evacuated the Wekiwa Spring facility. A total of 82 residents were taken to sister facilities that do have power. Orange County Fire Rescue said four 911 calls came about patients at the facility. Three were transported to hospitals when a captain chose to notify Department of Children and Families. DCF then requested the assistance of the Orange County Sheriffs Office to help with the evacuation. Brookdale says families were notified before the residents were moved. This is an at risk population," said Kat Kennedy with Orange County Fire Rescue. "Nursing homes and assisted living facilities. So its been top of mind since the storm was approaching. I think what happened in South Florida certainly shined a light on the severity of the situation. And as the time goes by, the situations can deteriorate very rapidly. Brookdale did evacuate some of its facilities before Irma made landfall as well. Brookdale said the Wekiwa Spring residents will remain at the temporary locations until power is restored and officials clear the facility. If you have a specific question about a loved one, you can contact the Resident and Family Connection line for help at 1-877-400-5296. Orange County also oversaw a mandatory evacuation for Greentree Assisted Living off Forest City Road. According to reporter Erin Murray, 39 people were placed on a LYNX Orlando bus and evacuated. A 25-year-old man is accused of slamming a gas station employee to the ground after he was told he couldn't cut the line of vehicles waiting to gas up at a gas station in Ocala, police said. 25-year-old man accused of getting into fight Fight ensued after he reportedly skipped line at gas station At least 2 witnesses recorded the fight on their cellphones The Ocala Police Department stated it received numerous 911 calls about a fight that occurred at the gas pumps of Diamond Oil on Northeast 16th Avenue. According to a police report, Rashad V. Johnson arrived at the gas pumps with a female driver, identified as Brittney Newton. The driver is accused of cutting the post-hurricane waiting line that was being organized by a Diamond Oil employee. The employee approached Johnson and Newton and instructed them to either move to the back of the line or leave, police said. Johnson ignored the employee and began pumping gas while Newton went inside. After Johnson continued to ignore demands, police said the employee removed the gas handle from the vehicle and inadvertently spilled fuel on Johnson. Johnson then reportedly grabbed the employee and lifted him off the ground by about 6 inches to 1 foot, witnesses said. He then "forcefully slammed him against the vehicle, causing him to fall to the ground," police said. Johnson claimed the victim purposefully sprayed gasoline on him, but all witnesses advised it was not intentional. Two witnesses took cellphone video of the incident. Police said witness statements given at the scene aligned. Johnson was arrested on charges of battery on a person over 65 years old. He was transported to the Marion County Jail. Port Canaveral is recovering from a shutdown before Irma, but restoring power and water service is impeding the return to full operation. Port Canaveral shut down during Hurricane Irma Port officials trying to have power and water fully restored Cruise ships starting to deport and arrive again Port Canaveral: Latest IRMA information One of the big challenges weve had and that weve overcome in getting the fuel back out on the street is a lack of water from the city of Cocoa, said Capt. John Murray, the port's director and chief executive officer. Fuel is priority one, and the port is moving gasoline, diesel and jet fuel throughout Florida. Its critical that the port operates for waterside restaurant Millikens Reef. Manager Antero Carreiro was pleased to see some operations up and running again. Its good news for everybody. Anybody thats local loves coming to the port, he said. Some cruise ships started arriving and departing. They have received cruise ships that were diverted from the port before Irma. As operations get back to normal, passengers are urged to check with their cruise lines to confirm their schedules. Initial surveys show mainly cosmetic repairs and debris removal are needed at Port Canaveral. Considering what could've happened, we are in very good shape," Murray said. "Compared to Hurricane Matthew, we've had more damage than Matthew. This is a much larger storm. Even though the eye was farther from us, it was much more intense and had a larger scope. So we did incur more damage. That said, the damage is not so significant that we have had issues with moving ships in and out of the port, he said. Staff at Milliken's Reef say theyre fortunate, too, in dodging any crippling issues from Irma. Despite the phone lines being down, they are ready to serve people. Come on down here, join us on the weekend. Every day is a happy hour, Carreiro said. The U.S. Coast Guard will officially determine when everything is back online at Port Canaveral. Two Central Florida nursing homes were evacuated Wednesday night as a lack of power remains the top concern Thursday morning following Hurricane Irma. Brookdale evacuated 82 residents from Wekiwa Springs facility Green Tree assisted living facility also evacuated 39 people Many homes, businesses still without power days after Irma Now, some of sounding the alarm with the hope that leaders will focus on senior care following the storm. "I want them to go to these facilities, to be inspected to make sure that they're hurricane read," said Maryann Latorre, whose 83-year-old father had to be evacuated from a nursing home. "These are our mothers and fathers, our grandparents. They deserve the best care." Orange County Fire Rescue officials were called to the Green Tee assisted living facility on Forest City Road, where 39 residents were evacuated, some by LYNX bus. On Thursday morning, a manager at Green Tee said it had notified the state about its issues, and it determined it was best to move their residents to sister facilities. They have a small generator to power a refrigerator, and eight residents did stay behind, using window air-conditioning units. But officials there said it could be another couple of days before the facility has power. On Wednesday night, Orange Fire Rescue directed all of its sectors to check every nursing home to make sure they have food, water and power. Meanwhile, 82 people were evacuated from the Brookdale Wekiwa Springs Senior Living facility on South Wekiwa Springs Road in Apopka, also because it is without electricity. Most were taken to sister facilities that do have power. Three people were hospitalized after a Fire Rescue captain chose to notify the Department of Children and Families. DCF then requested the assistance of the Sheriffs Office to help with the evacuation. Brookdale said families were notified before the residents were moved. "This is an at-risk population," said Kat Kennedy, with Orange County Fire Rescue. "It's been top of mind since the storm was approaching. I think what happened in South Florida certainly shined light on the severity of the situation. And as the time goes by, the situations can deteriorate rapidly." Brookdale did evacuate some of its facilities before Irma made landfall, as well. Brookdale said the Wekiwa Spring residents will remain at the temporary locations until power is restored and officials clear the facility. Three people were taken to a hospital, including Latorre's father. "Nobody called to help him, not until I called and complained," Latorre said. "When I talked to Elder Abuse, they called paramedics to help my dad, and they said he needed to go out and he evaluated." Latorre said her father suffered a cut on his arm after he fell during the hurricane. She said doctors diagnosed him with dehydration, as well. "I was shocked to see and feel that there was no air, there was no lighting, it was dark," she said. This all comes on the heels of a tragedy in South Florida when eight people died in a sweltering nursing home in Hollywood Hills. Gov. Rick Scott said hes demanding answers, directing agencies to work with law enforcement on an investigation. News 13 spoke with a communications coordinator at Brookdale, who said that they're mobilizing additional generators to supplement power and that every community has an emergency plan. In addition, they devised activities for some seniors, like bus trips, to keep them occupied and cool. Hydration stations have also been set up in various spots. A statement on their website said in part: "In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, we remain focused on the safety and comfort of residents and our associates that care for them. While we are still assessing the extent of property damage and power outages at our communities, we are working as quickly as we can to return to normal. We are mobilizing generators to communities that may need additional power." If you have a specific question about a loved one at Brookdale, you can contact the Resident and Family Connection line for help at 1-877-400-5296. WASHINGTON A recent Government Accountability Office report found the Department of Veterans Affairs is not managing its outgoing mail effectively, and spending more on mail than most in the federal government, including the Social Security Administration and the Department of Treasury, including the IRS. The VAs reported spending on mail spiked by over $100 million in Fiscal Year 2014, however, the number of mailings went down from previous years. This week, the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing to examine the VAs mail management program and get answers on where the money is going. In the hearing, U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington (TX-19), a member of the subcommittee, said, I think its incredibly important that we have effective and efficient operations for the Federal Government; especially when youre a service organization -- especially when youre serving our heroes. Using data that the VA reported, lawmakers found several discrepancies in mail volume and costs. For example, the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) in Huntington, West Virginia, sent Priority Mail for .03 cents each, while a Memphis Medical Center sent Priority Mail for $39 each. A VA facility in Alexandria, Louisiana, reported sending First Class letters for .08 cents, while a location in Decatur, Georgia, reported sending the same letters for $58.29 each. A Denver Medical Center sent nearly 10,000 Airmail packages and 65,000 UPS Ground Packages at no cost, while facilities in Temple and Waco reported spending $40,000 to mail just 16 business reply letters. The most egregious example was the Decatur, Georgia Medical Center sending one FedEx Ground Package at a cost of $11,257. When pressed for an explanation, the VA explained these as data entry errors. The claimed Priority Mail in Memphis had cost $3.90, the mail in Temple cost $40, the Decatur FedEx was $112, and the First Class in Decatur never existed. I feel like the taxpayer is being fleeced over and over because of the this not-so-exciting issue of operations and management, Arrington said. This is just a symptom of the root problem, and thats the lack of accountability. COLLEGE STATION Low wheat prices likely mean planted acreage around the state will remain static or drop slightly, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialist. Dr. Clark Neely, AgriLife Extension state small grains specialist in College Station, said wheat producers globally were expected to provide an overabundance of the commodity, which should keep prices low for the foreseeable future. Its tough to make money in wheat right now, Neely said. Until someone has a natural disaster or the other producing regions of the world begin cutting back acreage, its likely that we wont see prices improve. Texas producers planted 4.7 million acres of wheat for grain production and grazing last year, Neely said. It was the lowest planted acreage for the state since 1973. In 2017, U.S. wheat producers were on track to plant the fewest acres since the U.S. Department of Agriculture began keeping records in 1919, he said. Meanwhile, Russia, the second-largest wheat producing region of the world, is anticipating excess wheat production. The price of cash wheat in Texas remains around $3.71 per bushel compared to $6-$7 per bushel in 2014, Neely said. He suspects some producers will forgo planting acres because the break-even price is around $5-$5.50 per bushel. In some cases, producers may try to cut back on input costs to make the crop pencil out, he said. Weve already seen a significant migration of wheat acres over to cotton. In other cases, delayed cotton planting could mean producers may fail to have enough time to transition from cotton to wheat in the fall. Neely said most of the state is reporting good subsoil moisture, and producers in the Rolling and High Plains regions are hoping for rain to improve topsoil conditions before planting acres for grazing. Producers should be preparing to plant or already planting wheat for grazing, he said. Grain wheat planting should get underway in the High Plains by mid-October and wind up in South Texas by mid-December. Theyre just getting started in the High Plains, and most of the state has good, deep soil moisture, he said. They just need a little rain to get the plants up and going in dryland fields. How producers utilize wheat amid low prices will depend on the weather and operational margins, he said. Planting for fall grazing is often opportunistic, he said. If there is moisture in the next 10 days, youll see more acres planted for fall grazing. Harvested acres depends on conditions as well. If theres a dry spring, you may see more acres grazed out rather than taken to grain if producers feel grain yield potentials are low. In some cases, producers will plant winter wheat for the sole purpose of a cover crop in a cotton rotation. Neely said producers decision to cut back on input costs could penalize them at the market. Last year, some producers were docked for low protein content as a result of inadequate fertilization and average or above-average yields from favorable rainfall. Above-average summer rains in the High Plains could mean additional weed problems for wheat producers, Neely said. Not only does this add to input costs with additional tillage or herbicide, but producers should watch out for volunteer wheat, he said. Wheat streak mosaic virus was a problem last year in the region and could be an issue again if volunteer wheat isnt controlled in order to break the green-bridge effect. In addition to cultivation and applying herbicides effectively, producers may want to consider planting a resistant variety to deal with this disease. AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries: SOUTH PLAINS: Subsoil and topsoil moisture levels were beginning to dry out. Some cotton producers started irrigation to finish out the crop, and bolls were big and beautiful. Cotton bollworms formerly present in both Bt and non-Bt cotton began to cycle out. Cotton aphids were more widespread in cotton, and overall numbers had not levelled off. Forecasts called for warm weather which should provide sufficient heat units for late-planted cotton. Yield estimates looked better than estimated in late July. Peanuts looked good in the field but continued to be monitored for foliage diseases. Fields treated with fungicide before Aug. 10 were still relatively clean. Grain sorghum was past flowering and into soft dough stage, and producers monitored for headworms. Producers were reporting corn earworm larvae. Sugarcane aphids continued to be found in more fields and were moving west. Farmers were balancing early corn and sorghum harvests when not planting wheat. Pastures, rangelands and cattle were in good condition. PANHANDLE: Temperatures were cool in the morning then warmed to near-normal for most of the district. No rain was reported. Soil moisture was mostly adequate. Producers were busy with corn silage harvest, and sorghum silage harvest was to begin soon. Wheat drills were starting to move after the ground dried up enough to prepare for plantings. Wheat planting was in full swing in some areas as producers tried to get some early plantings in for grazing. The corn crop was turning colors and looked good with the recent rains. Producers saved one to two irrigations on their crop, and harvest was coming up at the end of the month. The cotton crop potential was reported to be tremendous if warm and dry days come soon. Dry, warmer weather assisted cotton progress in Hall County. Pastures and other crops continued to look better. Cattle conditions looked better as well. All crops were in the final stages of maturity before harvest. Rangelands and pastures were showing the beginning stages of dormancy. AMARILLO Michelle Renee Whitman, aka Michelle Renee Weaver and Raven, 46, of Amarillo, was sentenced Wednesday for printing counterfeit checks that were used at various stores and banks, announced John Parker, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. Whitman, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater to serve a total of 210 months in federal prison. Whitman pleaded guilty in June 2017 to two counts of uttering and possessing counterfeited securities of an organization. In addition, Judge Fitzwater ordered that Whitman pay $9,746.71 in restitution. She has been in custody since her arrest in April 2017. BERLIN Zacks Burgers and Shakes on High Road is more than just grilled patties and hand spun milkshakes. Zach loved his family, loved serving his customers and always had a giant smile on his face, Kristin Yousef said of her nephew, Zacharias Zach Hatzisavvas, who worked at Plan B Burger Bar in West Hartford before his death in July. Hatzisavvas, a New Britain resident, died of cancer three days after his 22nd birthday. His family planned to open the Berlin restaurant, formerly Victorias Cafe, before his death. Now it serves as a memory of their son. Yousef said Hatzisavvas father, owner of Zacks Burgers and Shakes, is not in a place where he can talk about his son yet. Hatzisvvas was taking classes at Tunxis Community College while working at Plan B Burger Bar. Before that, he attended Central Connecticut State University. He enjoyed basketball, swimming, reading and spending time with friends, according to his obituary. Zach had a smile that filled the room with joy, a goofy laugh that was extremely contagious, and a caring heart filled with love for those around him, it states. The restaurant has so far captivated the community, with many expressing excitement on social media about a new place to eat in Berlin. Chris Edge, the towns economic development director, said it fits in well with the area. I think an opportunity for quick in and out food is great, he said. The menu consists of grilled patties with a choice of toppings and bun, including wheat and gluten free options. Hand spun milkshakes come in traditional chocolate and vanilla flavors as well as a Reeses Peanut Butter creation. Yousef said the family is hoping to keep Hatzisavvas memory and love of great burgers alive. Our family is still coping with grief, she said. A community coming together to show love and support is what this world needs more of. akus@record-journal.com 203-317-2448 Twitter: @KusReporter Editors note: The latest in our occasional series looking at the impact of the Archdiocese of Hartfords reorganization of Catholic parishes. MERIDEN The day starts early for the Rev. Thomas Sievel, pastor of the newly-formed Our Lady Queen of Angels parish, and the weekends are non-stop. Sievel meets often with parishioners and deacons from the five separate churches that merged to create the new parish in June. There are seven Sunday Masses he must contend with, in addition to the weddings, the funerals, the baptisms and confirmations at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, St. Joseph Church and Holy Angels Church. St. Laurent and St. Mary Churches closed their buildings in the city. Were trying to learn what each of the parish sites were doing, how they worked and managed, Sievel said. The second stage is to begin to form a new parish. Sievel asked the outgoing pastors for recommendations of parishioners to serve on a transitional parish council. In the past five to seven weeks, the group looked at the financial and administrative roles within the congregations and made recommendations. The archdiocese mandated that the administrative home for Our Lady Queen of Angels parish be at Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The closures and mergers came earlier this year, when the Archdiocese of Hartford made the decision to create 127 parishes out of its existing 212 statewide. Of the 127 parishes, 68 remained as they are, and 59 merged in unions of two to six churches. The Archdiocese of Hartford serves Hartford, Litchfield and New Haven counties. The challenge in the early days was to address the sadness parishioners felt about losing either their church building, their pastor or their parish, Sievel said. This is a great loss, to lose your place of worship. Were pioneers in all this, Sievel said. You have to listen to people and challenge people to see the bigger picture. We have more resources, more people, more financial ability. I know there is a lot to be done at all campuses. The new goal is to identify and utilize the strengths in the three existing churches. This means frequent travel to the other churches for Sievel and Parochial Vicar the Rev. Eduar Gutierrez-Tovar, and assigning roles for each; Holy Angels is home to religious education, St. Joseph rectory is a meeting site. Sievel refers to them as campuses to encourage members to think as a parish. The archdiocese faced a dilemma with churches that had too many liturgies in too many places that were sparsely attended. If financial conditions and trends in a parish and school are problematic, short-term solutions and optimism typically do not change the conditions, or underlying factors and influences, according to an archdiocese report. The goal, according to the office of pastoral planning, was fewer liturgies in larger places that are more than 70 percent full can create the experiences, sense of community, and quality of liturgy that results in growth across many aspects of parish life. The archdiocese also faced a priest shortage. Since 1965, the total number of active priests in the archdiocese has dropped from 535 to 186. Sievel came to Meriden from East Haven, where he led the St. Vincent de Paul Church and took on a unique role in the local community. In 2009, four police officers were arrested after they were recorded on video harassing Latinos in the community. The Rev. James Manship, who was the pastor of St. Rose of Lima in New Haven, sought justice for his parishioners after they complained about being profiled, harassed and assaulted by the four police officers. Manship recorded the officers on video and was arrested. He later became a witness in a federal civil rights case and in the criminal cases against the four officers. The East Haven Police Department was under a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice to make changes. The police chief was ultimately fired. Manship is now assigned to St. Rose of Lima in Meriden, where he and Sievel remain in contact. We were concerned by the activities of the police and their marginalization of Latinos, Sievel said. After the consent decree, the East Haven Police Departments acting chief called on Sievel for help. He said, I want you on the inside, Sievel said. We became chaplains and became an integral part of that department working within the department for a more diverse (personnel), more attuned to peoples needs and expectations. Sievel served as police department chaplain for five years, and helped implement diversity training for the officers, attending roll calls, going on calls, and comforting residents in times of disasters. There was a culture there (in the department), as there was in this town, that was not right, Sievel said about East Haven in a 2014 New Haven Register article. We told the U.S. Department of Justice in our conversations with them that the problems run much deeper than the department. It wasnt easy to leave his East Haven congregation and he empathizes with the parishioners from St. Laurent and St. Mary, because his own family parish in Torrington also closed. Its very real, he said. I have some of that feeling. By inviting people into the life of the church to live out the faith, we can create a new congregation. So many of us (priests) moved on the same day. We have some idea what it is to lose community; your church. Initially, people were waiting to see what it was going to be, now there is growing pains. We have to grow into the new. The archdiocese assigned its priests based on discussion among the archdiocesan personnel board, according to an e-mail from Deacon Ernest Scrivani of the office of pastoral planning. The intent was to establish a best-match between each faith community and the pastor, pastoral associate(s) and deacon(s) serving the faith community, Scrivani stated. Regardless of where they serve in the archdiocese, it is always good for clergy to promote productive relationships with community leaders, as the knowledge and experience gained from these relationships can enhance a priests or deacons ability to serve in a more effective pastoral manner. Manship and Sievels experiences in East Haven did not factor into the decision to move the priests into Meriden, however the archdiocese views their experiences in community engagement as a plus for the city. Its a benefit to have them in Meriden, but there are societal issues in every community that warrant thoughtful/prayerful engagement. So, Meriden is not alone, Scrivani stated. Daniel Gaffney, a trustee at St. Joseph Church, was among those selected for the transitional parish council. He recalled Sievel asking for members of St. Laurent and St. Marys to serve on the council with the representatives from the other three churches. In Meriden, the writing was on the wall, Gaffney said. There were not enough priests to cover the Masses; we knew change was inevitable. Gaffney and other St. Joseph parishioners had hoped St. Joseph and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel schools would merge, instead of one closing. As trustee, Gaffney signed the documents to close St. Joseph. That was a tough pill to swallow, Gaffney said. But the merger has been very good. Its been encouraging to see Mass times change so we can have Masses in all three parishes. As a whole, the transition has been as smooth as it can be, he said. Mass attendance has increased and there is renewed enthusiasm throughout the parishes. The archdiocese is also seeing increased attendance in many parishes and revitalization among members. It is also using technology more, as an evangelizing tool on parish websites and apps. People are beginning to experience and appreciate the positive aspects of having new faces in the crowd; of sharing charisms, traditions and in general gaining an appreciation of our Catholicity, Scrivani stated. Gaffney said Sievel was a solid choice for the reorganization. Father Tom is the right person to lead, Gaffney said. Hes been given a monumental task; a school and pastoral outreach. He has really been on top of his game. They know the priests that could accomplish this. He must be high on their list. Congrats to the R-J Editor: Please accept my congratulations on the Record Journals 150th anniversary. I read with great interest the commemorative magazine that you published and had to express my support and regard for this milestone within your organization. As a former journalist and adjunct professor of journalism at Quinnipiac University, I am appreciative that we still have fine news organizations such as the R-J that are willing to disseminate information and provide coverage of our communities, state, nation and world. It is imperative that our Fourth Estate continue to watch over government and other entities within society while also providing a tool for citizens to help with their decision-making in whatever format/medium of the digital day. My parents always had a copy of the Record-Journal on our kitchen table during my youth, and I continue to subscribe to the paper in my own household. Thank you for your tenaciousness and longevity in an industry that has surely faced its share of challenges over the years. Heres to another 150 years! Dawn A. Miceli, Southington Love and unity Editor: The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association held its national Meet A Muslim day this past Saturday, with Muslims from nearly 70 chapters located throughout the United States participating. Because there are a staggering number of Americans who do not personally know a Muslim, AMYA sought to help people understand the true teachings of Islam. Our Connecticut Chapter held the event in Bushnell Park in Hartford. Throughout the day, many people passed by our sign that read: I am a Muslim / Ask Me Anything. Incidents like these prove the power of love and unity two Islamic principles that motivated hundreds of Muslims to hit the streets and thousands of Americans to embrace them. Yasir Ameen, North Haven The University of California Board of Regents has approved 3 percent raises for eight of its 10 chancellors. UCSF Chancellor Samuel Hawgood was the highest-paid campus leader to receive a raise. His salary will increase from $795,675 to $819,545 a year. The other chancellors are: UC Irvines Howard Gillman, $499,550 to $514,537. UCLAs Gene Block, $454,574 to $468,211. UC San Diegos Pradeep Khosla, $449,208 to $462,684. UC Santa Barbaras Henry Yang, $401,020 to $413,051. UC Merceds Dorothy Leland, UC Riversides Kim Wilcox and UC Santa Cruzs George Blumenthal, $394,655 to $406,495. Chancellors from UC Berkeley and UC Davis joined the university in July and August, respectively, so they werent included in the merit-based salary increase. The increases passed Wednesday with a 10-6 vote. The regents based their decision on comparisons to other chancellors in the Association of American Universities, which represents UC and 34 other public universities in the U.S. According to the regents executive summary, eight UC chancellors are at or below the 10th percentile compared to their counterparts in the organization. UC chancellors remain in the bottom fourth of compensation as compared to their peers, despite the demanding and highly complex work they do, said Dianne Klein, press secretary for UCs president. She said regents met Thursday morning and discussed how to develop a long-term plan to align chancellor salaries with what is seen in the marketplace. But representatives from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, a union for public service workers, said the raises were excessive and alarming. The regents actions are troubling, AFSCME President Kathryn Lybarger said. UC has become a living monument to income inequality. AFSCME represents thousands of workers at UC, including food service, sanitation and hospital employees. Lybarger said UC is taking advantage of these workers, who havent seen anywhere near the salary growth as the management level. According to an analysis by AFSCME, the gross pay for all UC chancellors combined has increased by 33 percent in the past six years. And in 2016, there were 80 people at UC who were paid more than $400,000 more than President Trump receives. We shouldnt be running a public university system in California on the backs of the lowest paid workers, Lybarger said. Its outrageous and its not how you run a university. In 2014, UC approved 20 percent raises for its three lowest paid chancellors UC Merced, UC Santa Cruz and UC Santa Barbara. The decision came one day after finance executives told the regents that academic quality was in jeopardy due to budget shortfalls. Chancellors also received raises last year, Klein said. Alison Graham is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: agraham@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @alisonkgraham The CEO of San Antonio-based refiner Valero Energy Corp. said Thursday that Hurricane Harvey caused a pretty brutal three week period for us. Joe Gorder said Harvey, which made landfall north of Corpus Christi on August 25, and moved up the Texas Gulf Coast to Houston and Beaumont-Port Arthur, affected operations at five of the companys refineries, shutting down three and leading two to run at reduced rates. Gorder spoke at the first CEO Leadership Luncheon hosted by the Free Trade Alliance at Valeros headquarters. Gorder commended the efforts of Valeros employees who worked to protect the companys refineries from storm related damage, including those that tried to and ultimately failed to prevent flooding at the Valeros Port Arthur refinery. Gorder said the historic deluge in Port Arthur was too great for the refinerys pumps to keep up. He also said the San Antonio fuel shortages and long gas station lines that followed were because the infrastructure that sends fuel to San Antonio a Valero refinery in Three Rivers, two in Corpus Christi, and two other Corpus Christi refineries owned by Flint Hills Resources and Citgo Refining were all shut down by Harvey. He added that a Houston Exxon Mobil refinery and pipeline to San Antonio were also shutdown, further restricting supplies. Our team did an incredible job moving every barrel we had up these pipelines and into the San Antonio market to try to keep people from being inconvenienced by the fuel shortages, and they did a fantastic job, Gorder said to a round of applause. Gorder also discussed Valeros movement into Mexico, spurred on by the 2013 Energy Reform Act that opened up the country to outside investment. The most recent deal was an Aug. 3 fuels export announcement which includes a long-term export deal to ship refined fuels into Mexicos Veracruz and onward to Mexico City and Puebla. Gorder said what keeps him up at night is what comes at us from a policy perspective both legislative and on the regulatory front because thats where the risk is to us. He noted that Valero has beefed up its staff in Washington, D.C. because this is so material to the business. One regulatory issue in particular that Gorder said gets my blood pressure up is the Renewable Fuel Standard, an Environmental Protection Agency regulation that requires refiners to blend a certain amount of ethanol into their gasoline, and if they dont have enough blending capacity to meet the requirements they must purchase credits to make up the difference. Gorder said Valeros cost of Renewable Identification Numbers, or RINs, the credits used for compliance, is between $800 million and $1 billion a year. According to Valeros 2016 annual filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, to the degree that we are unable to blend biofuels at the required percentage, we must purchase biofuel credits to meet our obligation. After the talk, Gorder said the Renewable Fuel Standard is poorly crafted legislation that people have learned to exploit. Its being paid to individual companies out there that are capturing these credits, brokers who are between us and you, Gorder told the audience during the event. What this means is youre paying 8- to 10 cents a gallon more than you need to for your fuel because of this policy. Emails to the EPA for a response to Gorders comments were not immediately returned. rdruzin@express-news.net @druz_journo This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Mexican airliner Volaris will launch its nonstop, low-fare route from Mexico City to San Antonio International Airport on Friday. The Mexico City-based airline will fly passengers between the two cities daily, said Juliana Ramirez, Volaris ancillary revenue manager, in an interview Thursday. Introductory fares for round-trip tickets start at $205. San Antonios proximity to Mexico and its large Hispanic population made the city a key Hispanic market for Volaris, Ramirez said. The low-cost flights are aimed at residents in both cities with family members and friends in the other, but the company also hopes to pick up leisure and business travelers, Ramirez said. Volaris joins Aeromexico, InterJet and Delta in offering nonstop routes to Mexico City from San Antonio International Airport. The company also operates a nonstop route from San Antonio to Guadalajara. The Mexican airline company also launched a nonstop route from George Bush International Airport in Houston to Mexico City this year and has nonstop flights from Guadalajara and Mexico City to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The San Antonio airport has been beefing up its offerings of nonstop routes within the past several months, operating as a hub for 38 nonstop flights to destinations in the U.S. and Mexico. Denver-based Frontier Airlines announced in August the low-cost airline will fly passengers direct to Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. and Ontario International Airport east of Los Angeles beginning in October. Frontier previously launched nonstop, year-round routes to New Orleans, Phoenix, San Diego, Chicago and Philadelphia. The San Antonio International Airport logged record traffic in July with more than 848,000 passengers, almost 6 percent more than in July 2016, the airport said earlier this month. More than 5.2 million passengers have traveled through San Antonio International Airport as of Sept. 1, a 4.4 percent increase from the same period last year, the airport said. jfechter@express-news.net Twitter: @JFreports This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Considering the host is CBS Late Shows topical pundit Stephen Colbert, whose audience has multiplied in both San Antonio and across the nation since Donald Trump took office, expect this years Emmy Awards telecast to be rife with humorous pokes at our volatile president. Also lending provocative support are some of the nominees, including Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon, who are up for supporting actor and actress in a comedy for their hilarious turns as election rivals Trump and Hillary Clinton on Saturday Night Live. In short, its shaping up to be the most political TV awards show in history. Colbert certainly isnt trying to convince anyone otherwise. Asked by the Associated Press how political the show could get, he said the Emmys are about honoring television, and the biggest television star of the last year was Donald Trump. The fact that he's not nominated, it's a crime, he added. It's a high crime and a misdemeanor that you are not nominated, sir. Where's the investigation of that? Where was James Comey on that? But thats it for predictions about the tone of the awards show, which airs at 7 p.m. Sunday on CBS. Lets move on to Emmys main focus, the nominees which shows and actors will get the statuette, and which ones actually should win. My biggest beef this year? Michael McKean whose performance as Jimmys afflicted, maddeningly holier-than-thou sibling Chuck in Better Call Saul pushed all the emotional buttons wasnt nominated for supporting actor-drama. That said, on to those that were: Best Drama Nominees: Better Call Saul, The Crown, The Handmaids Tale, House of Cards, Stranger Things, This Is Us, Westworld Will win: This Is Us (NBC). Despite being surrounded by so many cable and streaming heavyweights, the family drama will shine for being the one broadcast network show that not only resonated with the masses and critics but also delivered a much-needed gift of sweet solidarity in a world so full of angst. Should win: Handmaids Tale (Hulu). Its cautionary tale sadly is scarily familiar today. That relevance, coupled with stunning visuals, engaging character studies and suspense that kept viewers on edge hour after hour should get rewarded. However, I wouldnt be opposed to the highly entertaining horror-sci-fi throwback Stranger Things (Netflix), reminiscent of such 80s maestros as Stephen King, Steven Spielberg and John Carpenter. Best Actor-Drama Nominees: Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us; Anthony Hopkins,Westworld; Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul; Matthew Rhys, The Americans; Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan; Kevin Spacey, House of Cards; Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us. Will win: Sterling K. Browns performance was too engaging, not to mention moving, for Emmy to ignore, particularly in the standout father-son road trip episode with supporting actor nominee Ron Cephas Jones. Should win: Bob Odenkirk delivered his most powerful season yet as Sauls conflicted lawyer/con man, making every scene memorable, whether with McKean as his insufferable lawyer brother or Rhea Seehorn as fellow attorney and love interest Kim Wexler. Best Actress-Drama Nominees: Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder; Claire Foy, The Crown; Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid's Tale; Keri Russell, The Americans; Evan Rachel Wood, Westworld; Robin Wright, House of Cards. Will win: Claire Foy. She already took home the Golden Globe for her nuanced portrait of young Queen Elizabeth II, and will repeat here for showing how excruciatingly torn the currently reigning English monarch must have been between her royal duty and her oft-slighted husband, Prince Philip (Matt Smith). Should win: Elisabeth Moss, Elisabeth Moss, Elisabeth Moss! Her multifaceted portrayal of Offred whose ferocious determination to survive overrode the all-consuming fear and pain she felt as captive sex partner and procreational prisoner has no equal in this contest. Best Comedy Nominees: Atlanta, Black-ish, Master of None, Modern Family, Silicon Valley, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Veep Will win: Veep (HBO). No one can dispute that this comedy dominates the entries in terms of laugh-out-loud humor, timely parody and an ensemble with no comic rival but the fact that its won so many years in a row makes the choice a yawner. Should win: Master of None (Netflix). The sophomore outing of Aziz Ansaris comical drama was a beginning-to-end masterpiece, with its captivating character nuggets, heartbreaking central love story and astonishing visuals that often resembled a vintage Vittorio De Sica film. However, I wouldnt be unhappy if FXs fiercely fresh Atlanta about three very different guys bent on making a sizable dent in the titular citys rap scene bagged the prize. Woe to my TV set if tired ABC sitcomModern Family takes the statuette. Best Actor-Comedy Nominees: Anthony Anderson, Black-ish; Aziz Ansari, Master of None; Zach Galifianakis, Baskets; Donald Glover, Atlanta; William H. Macy, Shameless; Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent Will win: Donald Glover, whose portrayal of wild-haired, uphill-climbing, visionary Earn was flawlessly genuine. Should win: Glover. However, if Ansaris name were called out, my smile certainly wouldnt fade. Best Actress-Comedy Nominees: Pamela Adlon, Better Things; Jane Fonda, Grace and Frankie; Allison Janney, Mom; Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt; Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep; Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish; Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie. Will win: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, a TV comedy treasure who maintains her satiric sparkle year after year. Should win: Pamela Adlon, if only for the sake of shaking up the category a bit. She brings major attitude to the role of a harried single mom of three daughters on this distinctly different FX series. Best Limited Series Nominees: Big Little Lies (HBO), Fargo (FX), Feud: Bette and Joan (FX), Genius (National Geographic Channel), The Night Of (HBO) Will Win: Its a toss-up between Big Little Lies and Feud for delightful drama, addictive storylines and sheer star power. Fargo and The Night Of, however, were far from slouches in terms of sly suspense and colorful characterization. Should win: Big Little Lies for never disappointing and delivering unnerving twists in every episode. Best Actor-Limited Series/Movie Nominees: Riz Ahmed, The Night Of; Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: The Lying Detective; Robert DeNiro, The Wizard of Lies; Ewan McGregor, Fargo; Geoffrey Rush, Genius; John Turturro, The Night Of Will win: Robert DeNiro, just because hes, well, DeNiro, and was able to add needed heft to the role of swindling sleazebag Bernie Madoff. Should win: Riz Ahmed, whose expressive performance as the accused in a grisly murder of a young woman kept the viewer transfixed throughout this racially charged thriller. Almost as good was Ewan McGregor in the dual role of two warring siblings in Fargo. Best Actress-Limited Series/Movie Nominees: Carrie Coon, Fargo; Felicity Huffman, American Crime; Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies; Jessica Lange, Feud: Bette and Joan; Susan Sarandon, Feud: Bette and Joan; Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies Will win: Nicole Kidman, whose Lies portrayal of an abused wife and mother whos stubbornly in denial is mesmerizing. Should win: Its a coin toss between Kidman and Jessica Lange, who, as Joan Crawford, delivered the more complicated and ultimately heartrending portrayal of the two Feud divas. However, this category brims with so much female talent that it would be anything but tragic if Sarandon, Witherspoon or Coon were to take the actress honors instead. Jeanne Jakles column appears Thursdays and Sundays in mySA. jjakle@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate One of the original players in the San Antonio food truck scene is making a comeback. Dominic Chacon has resurrected his Toastie Buns business, which catered its last event in 2014 at the AT&T Center. It returns to the scene noon-4 p.m. Sunday with an appearance at Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling, 4834 Whirlwind Drive. In the past month, Ive been pumping up the return on social media, and this weekend, chef Dom is going to be back serving those gourmet cheeseburgers, Chacon said. RELATED: First-ever Fideo Loco Festival and Cook-Off coming to S.A. When the mobile food scene started to heat up in 2011, Toastie Buns was part of the initial wave. The truck was there for the opening of the since closed Boardwalk on Bulverde food truck park, and Chacon said it was the first mobile specialty burger operation in the city. We lucked out to get in when we did, he said. I still run into people that remember us from there. The menu was in a state of constant evolution, but Chacons signature was to include some sort of zany topping on all of his burger and sandwich offerings, from a fried egg to roasted green chiles. The business namesake was those home-baked buns. Toastie Buns offers a classic sweet white bread and a multi-grain, with a vegan bun in the works. RELATED: Whataburger giving away 1,000 taquitos, $1,000 on social media Chacon shuttered the business and sold the original truck to care for his grandfather after he became ill with symptoms of Alzheimers Disease. However, he got the itch to make a return last year and found a trailer for sale from the same people who created the original Toastie Buns kitchen out of an old truck. I went online and there was this beautiful brand new trailer, he said. This trailer was built to satisfy the most anal person ever. The seller said that he just needed his investment back, so I went to the bank and purchased it. Chacon said there is still some tweaking to do with the initial menu reboot, but he plans to offer about six items, split between burgers and sandwiches. He has up-sized his burgers from quarter-pounders to half-pounders. RELATED: A 'Mexican food diet' is good for you, says author Toastie Buns passed all city inspections and acquired all permits to hit the road earlier this week. And Chacon cant wait to get back to cooking on Sunday. Im already figuring out a plan, he said. I learned from the past days that you have to plan for these gigs a week in advance instead of days. They want me to be at the location at 11:30 a.m.; Ill be there by 10. Chacon said hes in the process of trying to put together a more set schedule for the truck and, he hopes, a permanent location with steady hours. But for now, hes just happy to have the business up and running again. To keep up with the status of Toastie Buns, follow the resurrected Facebook page: Toastiebuns. cblount@express-news.net Twitter: @chuck_blount This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Authorities said Wednesday they uncovered an operation where the suspects crossed prescribed medication from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, to sell pills at a home in Las Misiones neighborhood, off Texas 359. Laredo police said Rosa Elia Lopez Maldonado, 42, would buy large quantities of Alprazolam and Clonazepam in Nuevo Laredo and deliver them to Julia Castaneda Ortiz, 61, in Laredo. On Tuesday, police arrested both women and charged them with two counts of manufacture, delivery of a controlled substance. READ MORE: Third person arrested in $200,000 embezzlement case of Laredo-area loan service, police say Laredo police said they had recently received a Crime Stoppers tip regarding suspected narcotics activity at a home in the 400 block of Campanario Lane. Authorities then conducted surveillance of the home. At 7:27 a.m. Tuesday, LPD's narcotics unit executed a warrant to search the residence. Police identified the occupants as Castaneda, of Laredo, and Lopez, of Nuevo Laredo. During the execution of the warrant, Castaneda allegedly pointed to a plastic bag in the kitchen area containing several glass medicine jars with Alprazolam, also known as Xanax, and Clonazepam, LPD said. RELATED: Zetas massacre suspect deported at international bridge in Laredo Lopez allegedly admitted to delivering the pills to Castaneda, according to police. LPD said Lopez would buy the medication at Farmacias Guadalajara, Farmacias Calderon and Farmacias Benavides. In total, police discovered 1,950 pills of Alprazolam weighing about 505 grams and 375 pills of Clonazepam with an estimated weight of 80 grams. Police said the pills had an estimated street value of $10,000. WASHINGTON Upending the political order in the nations capital for the second time in a week, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and her Senate counterpart, Chuck Schumer of New York, said Wednesday night that they had reached an agreement with President Trump to shield undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children from deportation and to increase border security, but without building a wall. The two Democrats made the announcement after dining on Chinese food with Trump at the White House. The deal came just one week after Trump, Pelosi and Schumer stunned Republicans by announcing a three-month agreement to raise the federal debt limit without attaching conservative budget reductions. We had a very productive meeting at the White House with the president, Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement. They said the discussion focused on the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, the Obama-era rules that now protect 690,000 immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children without legal documentation. The Trump administration said last week that it would phase out the protections and handed the issue to Congress to resolve. We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, thats acceptable to both sides, Pelosi and Schumer said. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders quickly contradicted the Democrats on whether the deal excluded building a wall on the Mexican border, a main Trump campaign promise. While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to, Sanders said in a tweet. Schumer press secretary Matt House countered on Twitter that Trump had made clear he would continue pushing the wall, just not as part of this agreement. It was not immediately clear how the DACA protections would be enshrined. Under the program, recipients who are working or full-time students have been eligible for two-year permits shielding them from deportation. In a letter to House Democratic colleagues, Pelosi said, We insisted that the bipartisan DREAM Act would be the basis for that protection. The bill would grant permanent-resident status to DACA recipients and create a path to U.S. citizenship. The sudden flurry of deal making between Trump and the nations top two Democrats has shocked Republicans in Congress, who had been operating under the assumption that unified GOP control of the Senate, House and White House meant Republicans alone would dictate policy. Until now, Trump has governed largely as a hard-right conservative on everything from environmental policy to immigration to health care. But after the failure of Republicans to repeal the Affordable Care Act in July, following seven years of GOP promises to do so as soon as they had the power, Trump began criticizing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other members of his own party. Then came the debt ceiling deal with Pelosi and Schumer. Donald Trump said from the beginning that his job is to get things done for the American people, not just the Republican Party, said GOP strategist Ford OConnell. If Republicans cant muster the votes in Congress, hes going to work with Democrats. OConnell said one of the big misconceptions about Trump is that he is an ideologue. Hes about accomplishments. Still, any deal on immigration in Congress will require some Republican support, and conservatives reacted harshly to Wednesday nights news. Breitbart News, the hard-right website run by former top Trump aide Steve Bannon, who said he would serve as Trumps wing man now that he is outside the administration, labeled the president Amnesty Don and said Trump was guilty of a full-fledged cave on DACA recipients. Trumps sudden pivot to Pelosi, long caricatured by Republicans as a loathsome symbol of San Francisco liberalism, and Schumer, a fellow New Yorker, upends nearly two decades of GOP governing strategy. Under the so-called Hastert Rule, named after the former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, congressional Republicans have sought to pass all significant legislation on party-line votes. The approach empowered the partys conservative wing in Congress, gave hard-liners enormous leverage to dictate the terms of legislation and moved the party increasingly rightward. With Republicans holding all the branches of government and a big House majority, it appeared with Trumps election that Democrats were powerless to stop much if any of the GOP agenda. But the failure of the health care law repeal appears to have scrambled that equation. Pelosi is among the longest-serving party leaders in Congress and known as a shrewd tactician. And Republican opposition to immigration reform has not been monolithic. Trump himself has expressed sympathy with children brought into the country by their parents illegally, even as he has cracked down on other immigrant groups. With Democrats votes, a DACA compromise would require only a few Republicans to sign on. Even before the dinner meeting, two California House Republicans in heavily Latino districts, Reps. Jeff Denham of Turlock (Stanislaus County) and David Valadao of Hanford (Kings County) said Wednesday that they would support such legislation. OConnell said Republicans would have to get a substantial boost in border security in return for legalization . Democrats are going to vote to legalize the Dreamers (DACA recipients) and a lot of moderate Republicans are, OConnell said. Republicans are just nervous about making sure they get the most out of that. Advocates for DACA recipients were cautiously optimistic. Zachary Nightingale, an immigration attorney in San Francisco, said that he believed Trump wants a deal on Dreamers so he can claim that he achieved something President Barack Obama was unable to. He noted that the White House seemed aware that a majority of the public supported the group of immigrants. If the Democrats go into it thinking Trump will bring the GOP around, it just might work, Nightingale said. But what the deal is remains to be seen. Chronicle staff writer Hamed Aleaziz contributed to this report. Carolyn Lochhead is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: clochhead@sfchronicle.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate First responders in Liberty County received a bit of appreciation from the Cleveland public as the Sears Hometown Store hosted lunch for local law enforcement and EMS workers on Sept. 12. Sears Hometown Store partnered with Joe Salas, the marketing director of Martin Chrysler and Martin Chevrolet Buick GMC, to provide lunch in the form of hamburgers and hotdogs straight off of the grill. "We just wanted to show appreciation to our first responders, our military and prior military," said Sears Hometown Store Manager Ray Myers. The event was planned months ago for Sept. 12 but took on extra significance following Hurricane Harvey. Cleveland Brookshire Bros. donated some of the items used in the cookout along with Mrs. Baird's. Sears Hometown Store helped to serve the recipients alongside Salas. "He supplied the pit and the manpower for all the cooking," said Myers. Salas states that first responders in the area tend to be very respectable and notes that citizens have much to be thankful for in their regard. "Without them we wouldn't be able to function as a community," he said. Among those who came to enjoy lunch were Cleveland Police Chief Darrel Broussard and Cleveland Fire Chief Sean Anderson. "It's a great showing of support from the business community to express the appreciation for first responders," said Broussard. Broussard expressed his thanks, noting that the flooding from Hurricane Harvey has helped to draw the city and its citizens closer to their first responders. "I've seen a pouring out of support," he said. "I hope that it continues for a very, very long time." Anderson also expressed his appreciation on behalf of Cleveland Fire Department especially in the wake of Harvey. "We had to do a little more than what we're normally doing," he said. The following items are compiled from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports. Skunked A Rockwall County game warden responded to a call from a local law enforcement officer about a traffic stop involving three subjects that had been driving the neighborhoods shooting rabbits from a public roadway. When the warden arrived on scene, he found three young men standing around a truck with a bed full of dead rabbits. One young man was only wearing a trucker hat, boots, and some brightly colored underwear. The subjects said they had shot a skunk earlier in the evening and when the individual approached it, the skunk sprayed him. The others wouldn't let him back in the truck with his clothes on. Citations pending. Don't Pull the Plug Game wardens were patrolling for bank fishermen on Lake Ray Hubbard when they observed a vessel drifting away from the boat ramp that appeared to be sinking. Witnesses say they heard the boat's operator yelling to call 911 after he forgot to install the drain plug. The wardens used their vehicle loud speaker to instruct the individual, who was seated in the bow of the boat, to put on a life jacket. He complied and the wardens asked another boat coming into the ramp to tow him to shore. Once the boat was back on a trailer and draining water, the owner confessed to the wardens that this was only his second time on the water. During his maiden voyage he had damaged his truck's tailgate while attempting to load the boat on the trailer. The wardens provided some advice and a water safety digest to the new boat owner. Bagged and Tagged Grayson County game wardens were tipped off about a white-tailed deer that was shot with a firearm in an archery-only county in November 2016. The wardens confronted the individual at his home and questioned him about the big buck. The subject eventually admitted he killed the deer with a pistol, after several shots, and then tagged the deer as being harvested in Fannin County. The deer was seized and several citations were issued. The cases are pending. The deer scored over 177 inches under the Boone & Crockett scoring system, netting a civil restitution value of over $10,000. Not for Sale A Titus County game warden responded to a complaint of a subject selling catfish without a commercial license. The subject was arrested for warrants out of Upshur County and also cited for not having a commercial fishing license. Warnings were issued for waste of fish and selling flathead catfish. Baited Birds Smith County game wardens were patrolling during opening weekend when they came across several hunters finishing up cleaning dove. During the check, it was determined the nine hunters were hunting over an area baited with milo. Citations were issued for hunting dove over a baited area. Wardens seized 97 dove and donated them to a local needy family. Cases and civil restitution are pending. The Buck Stops Here A Goliad County game warden received a call from a landowner claiming to have found a dead white-tailed buck on his property that appeared to have been shot. After talking to the landowner and inspecting the deer, the warden concluded it had indeed been shot. The farmer told the warden he had stopped a vehicle near his property late the night before and got the driver's name. An investigation into the shooting resulted in multiple cases filed against four individuals. Civil restitution charges were filed for a white-tailed buck deer scoring 125 1/8 Boone & Crockett. Holy Snap! In mid-August, game wardens participated in a joint patrol operation in the Gulf of Mexico targeting fishing violations for reef fish and highly migratory species. While on patrol, wardens observed a recreational fishing vessel fishing near gulf shrimp boats and made contact with the 10 people on board. During the inspection, it was found that there were 40 red snapper on board. Each person was over their federal limit of two red snapper per person. Cases were filed and referred for federal violations and federal restitution on 20 red snapper over the limit on board the vessel. Caught and Released A Williamson County game warden was patrolling the Overlook Park on Lake Georgetown following several complaints that people were taking undersized striped bass. The warden found one individual who didn't have a valid fishing license and was in possession of three striped bass measuring 17, 18, and 19 inches. The warden confiscated the fish and was able to release two of them back into the water alive. The other striped bass was donated to a needy family. The fisherman was issued citations for not having a fishing license and possession of undersized striped bass. Civil restitution is pending. After the Storm Willacy County game wardens wasted no time patrolling the county upon returning from Hurricane Harvey disaster relief operations in Woodsboro and Rockport. During opening weekend of dove season, the wardens seized at least 80 mourning dove from various groups for violations ranging from no hunting license, to over daily bag limit and unplugged shotgun. They also even made time to surprise a couple of gill netters as they were retrieving their nets and catch out of the water. Over 30 citations were issued. The cases and restitution are pending. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NEW HAVEN >> Ten thousand and counting. That is the number of families that have stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in New Haven, which officially celebrated the opening of its newest home with well-wishers filling the grounds of the Howard Avenue facility Wednesday. For the Arnold family of Ledyard, however, their celebration and gratitude for the home, where families can stay when their children are hospitalized, has been a daily event for the past seven years. It began on June 16, 2010, when their daughter, Naomi, was born prematurely at one pound, five ounces and was rushed to Yale New Haven Childrens Hospital. With 2-year-old Bennet in tow, Brett and Eileen Arnold didnt know what they were going to do and where they would be able to live as Naomi began her long hospital stay. As his voice cracked remembering the worry and tension around the hospitalization, Brett Arnold said the Ronald McDonald House, which was then on George Street, became their home for three months until Naomi was able leave the hospital. It was a tough summer, Brett Arnold recalled, but they could not have gotten through it without the excellent medical care Naomi received and the support of the Ronald McDonald House staff for themselves and their toddler son. As a thank you, the Arnolds, every year, cook a Thanksgiving dinner in July for the latest families to populate the house, many of whom come from overseas, and many of whom are low-income. The thanks on Wednesday extended to the staff at the house, particularly house manager Wendy Kirby and her team, as well as the hospital, the 800 donors who raised $5.5 million and to Stocky Clark, the executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, under whose direction the project advanced. Special thanks was given to Claire DiMartino, 82, who was one of the founding members of the house 32 years ago when she had a very sick child. DiMartino still remains a volunteer and fund organizer. The idea behind the house was to allow families to focus on their critically ill children when they are far from home and let the staff take away the day to day normal living worries that would crowd out that focus. Located across the street from the Childrens Hospital, the new $11.5 million facility has 20 bedrooms, a capacity that will increase to 42 bedrooms after phases two and three are finished. It is designed by Svigals & Partners Architects with families in mind and features sunrooms and family lounges, a childrens playroom, a teen room and family patio with an outdoor playground planned when they have the money. The local McDonalds owner-operators of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts contributed $2 million, as they donated $1 for every pound of french fries they served. They also put out containers to collect donations from the public. New Haven Mayor Toni Harp said the wife of the citys pension finance adviser had a baby while he was working in New Haven. When their infant had to stay in the newborn unit for a few more days, they looked for hotel rooms but they were all filled in the city. They ended up staying at the Ronald McDonald House. Their experience was phenomenal. Thats what this place is all about, Harp said. While that was an example of a short stay, the average time a family will be at the house is three months, with one family staying there for more than a year, as it involved a transplant. Donations are accepted from the family, but they are not charged if they cant afford to make one. We want to welcome them, love them, serve them a daily ration of hope so that they can refill their reservoir of optimism for the future. What matters most is how well emotionally, physically, financially these families are prepared for the day they leave here. We want them to be together ... and we want them to feel they have had a very positive experience, Clark said. Register online at newcanaanlibrary.org for events at the New Canaan Library, 151 Main St. History of Silvermine: Covering parts of Wilton, Norwalk and New Canaan is the unique valley known as Silvermine, rich in history and personality, not the least of which is its designation as an arts colony. Samuel Schmitt, author of the book Silvermine, part of the Images of America series printed by Arcadia Publishing, will speak about the history of Silvermine Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Adrian Lamb Room. Schmitt will present a talk and slide show on the history of Silvermine based on his book. He will trace the history of the area, with special emphasis on the early Silvermine artists, including his grandfather, the painter Carl Schmitt. Wildlife in suburbia: Abnormal frogs are hopping around Americas suburbs, and funny as that might seem, the effects of environmental pollutants on wildlife is nothing to take lightly. David K. Skelly, director of the Peabody Museum of Natural History, is a field biologist whose research focuses primarily on the ecology and development of amphibians. At 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21 he will speak to how suburban environments affect wild animals, and what that means for humans. Seeing is being: A show about awareness and moments of clarity those rare moments when everything seems to stand still and one actually sees opens in the H. Pelham Curtis Gallery on Sept. 21 and runs through Nov. 5. An opening reception for Seeing is Being will take place Sept. 23 from 3-5 p.m. in the Curtis Gallery with a Q&A with the artists Deb Chaney, Cris Xavier and Edhu Nascimento beginning at 3:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend. Seeing is Being is sponsored by the Art Committee of New Canaan Library and is curated by Mary Moross and Micaela Porta. The Western Connecticut Council of Governments is seeking public comment on the draft five-year Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. The CEDS outlines economic development strategies to enhance the economy of the Western Region of Connecticut, encompassing the municipalities of Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Danbury, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Norwalk, Redding, Ridgefield, Sherman, Stamford, Weston, Westport, and Wilton. A 30-day public review comment period of this draft document is required prior to adoption and submittal of this report to the U.S. Economic Development Administration. This public review comment period ends Sept. 20. Anyone desiring to review the draft document may do so at the WestCOG office in Sandy Hook, 1 Riverside Road, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The CEDS can also viewed at westcog.org. Printed copies are available upon request. Comments should be received no later than 2 p.m., Sept. 20. Comments may be submitted by email to eesposito@westcog.org or in writing, addressed to Elizabeth Esposito and sent to the Sandy Hook office. The Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut, which serves children in Stamford, Greenwich, Darien and New Canaan, is seeking additional volunteers for its Youth, Empowerment, & Support Mentoring Program. The YES Mentoring Program supports children, ages 6 to 18, who are involved in System of Care in Stamford and Norwalk. CGCs System of Care program helps families access integrated services to meet complex needs and safely maintain children at home. Through YES, youth will have the opportunity to interact and participate in fun, age-appropriate activities with a positive role model. While the mentor is spending quality time with the child/teen, parents will have some time to themselves. Each YES session lasts 12 weeks, and youth will meet with their mentor for three hours a week. Every mentor will complete thorough interview, orientation, and background checks. The mentor and family will work together to develop a convenient schedule of enjoyable activities for the child. To learn more about the YES Mentoring Program or to volunteer, contact Sheila Figueroa at sheila.figueroa@childguidancect.org or 203-517-3346. Emily's List, a political action committee that pushes to elect Democratic women candidates who support abortion rights, says it is putting Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, R, "on notice" for 2018. The political group says it will back a candidate to run against Hogan next year and raise money for that campaign because the governor vetoed a bill that required companies with 15 or more employees to provide paid sick leave and because he appointed Robert Moffitt, a critic of President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, as chairman of the state's health-care commission. "Governor Larry Hogan has amassed a shameful record of turning his back on women's rights and shortchanging Maryland families," said Emily Cain, executive director of Emily's List, in a statement. The statement also asserted that Hogan "failed to protect Planned Parenthood funding." In fact, Hogan declined to block a bill that requires Maryland to reimburse Planned Parenthood clinics for their services if Congress defunds the organization, allowing the measure to become law this year without his signature. Bryan Lesswing, a spokesman for Emily's List, said the group viewed Hogan's refusal to sign the measure as "turning his back" on the funding. A spokeswoman for Hogan did not immediately return a call for comment. Emily's List would not say whether it supports Krishanti Vignarajah, who entered the race last month. Vignarajah is a former aide to Michelle Obama. "It's early in the cycle, and the field is not defined yet," Lesswing said. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, a policy consultant who is married to U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., has said she is considering a run. In addition to Vignarajah, the field of Democrats vying to challenge Hogan in 2018 so far includes five men: Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker, former NAACP chairman Benjamin Jealous, state Sen. Richard Madaleno, entrepreneur Alec Ross and lawyer Jim Shea. Hogan is one of three Republican governors whom Emily's List has put "on notice." The others are Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu. "Women candidates and women voters are stepping up at historic levels and will change the tide in states across the country this election cycle," Cain said in a statement. "Voters know that women and families deserve better from their state elected officials than these legislators and officials, who have sought to drastically limit - and in some cases outright ban - reproductive health options, end critical workplace protections, and roll back voting rights." Emily's List got its start 30 years ago by backing then-Rep.Barbara A. Mikulski, D-Md., for U.S. Senate. Last year, after Mikulski announced her retirement, the group unsuccessfully threw its weight behind then-Rep. Donna F. Edwards, D-Md., to become Mikulski's successor. Edwards lost in the Democraticprimary to then-Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who went on to win the general election. FAIRFIELD There may not be a state budget in place yet, but the Board of Education is already looking to next year and beyond. The board Tuesday agreed to set up an ad hoc committee to take an in-depth look at ways the school system can save money, especially with state funding in serious jeopardy. Structural change means more than just facilities, Supt. of Schools Toni Jones said. Were going to turn over every stone. School board Chairman Phil Dwyer said rather than just have the committee be made up of Board of Education members, he thought they would be best served by creating this kind of committee, but have it be board-based, asking for representatives from the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance, the Representative Town Meeting, as well as the community. As we address this question, there is no hidden agenda, Dwyer said. What we really want to do is show the community we have asked ourselves whatever difficult questions have to be asked, and have provided answers. A consultant that will provide enrollment data will also look at each buildings room usage, and that will be provided to this committee. All of our budgets really come down to is theyre a take off on our enrollment count, Dwyer said, and they hope to have the consultants report by October. I think we all know waiting until January is not an option, board member Jennifer Maxon-Kennelly said. I just love the idea of drawing in all these other town bodies. She said the issue needs people with a wide variety of backgrounds. I think this is a wonderful idea, and I cant wait to see it get off the ground. Board member Jessica Gerber asked if there would be any kind of timeline for the committee, even if it was just a tentative one. When will they form, when will they meet, are they going to vote on something, or make a list of suggestions, Gerber said. For me, after tonights meeting, if board says yes, this seem like a good approach, I will start recruiting, Dwyer said. Im hoping to start it as soon as possible. Whether the committee brings forth all options in cost saving, or make specific recommendations will be up to the school board, Dwyer said. Either way, he said, Ultimately, its the board that makes the decision. Eileen Liu-McCormack suggested the committee initially present ideas with pros and cons, and, if the board wants them to narrow down their suggestions, empower them to do so. But at the start, have them present the ideas to the board first, so we can hear all the ideas, she said. Some ideas that were thrown out for consideration during the towns last budget process including redistricting, or even closing a school. This committee will make sure the board has factual information about what you can or cant do, and is it worth it Jones said. For example, if a recommendation is to close a school, but it only saves about $200,000, she said, is it really worth it. Board member Nick Aysseh said he thought it was important to have a written charge from the school board, as well as a tight time line. In that charge, we should include deadlines, Aysseh said. I think this has to be done before we start recruiting volunteers. Dwyer said his intent is to go on parallel tracks draft a charge and time line, while at the same time reaching out to the other boards for representatives. My intention is that before the week is out, this board will have a draft commission statement, Dwyer said, and at the same tie, Im talking to other boards for recruitment purposes. Its not ideal but I dont think we have the luxury of time to sit back, Liu-McCormack said. Dwyer said his inclination is to have the committees report for use by the boards during the next budget process. There may be some issues, he said, that would not, or could not, be implemented for several years, but the committee could provide some ideas that they think could be put into the upcoming budget. greilly@ctpost.com; @GreillyPost New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, D, will announce plans Thursday to force thousands of aging buildings there to become more energy efficient, a first-of-its-kind initiative intended to make the Big Apple a national leader in reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. The initiative would mandate that owners of existing buildings larger than 25,000 square feet invest in more efficient heating and cooling systems, insulation and hot-water heaters in the years ahead. If approved by the City Council, the requirements would apply to about 14,500 private and municipal buildings, which the mayor's office says collectively account for nearly a quarter of New York City's emissions. Most buildings would need to comply with new efficiency targets by 2030, or their owners would face penalties. "This means bringing the worst-performing buildings in line with the best-performing buildings," said Mark Chambers, the city's director of sustainability. Some older structures are "burning three or four times" as much fossil fuel as newer, more efficient buildings, he noted. "It's sort of like the Lake Wobegon effect," added Dan Zarrilli, the city's chief resilience officer. "We want everyone to be above average." The proposed mandates would be the latest - and boldest - action the de Blasio administration has taken to position New York City as a leader in slashing greenhouse-gas emissions to mitigate the effects of climate change. In 2014, de Blasio announced his "8050" plan, with a goal to reduce those emissions 80 percent from 2005 levels by the year 2050. In June, de Blasio signed an executive order reaffirming the city's commitment to the international Paris climate accord just days after President Trump announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the agreement. "We have to take matters into our own hands," de Blasio said as he directed city agencies to report by Sept. 30 on their efforts to achieve reductions in carbon emissions. Though building regulation is a frequent area of contention between New York's government and its business community, there are indications the two sides could find common ground on this issue. Last month, the Urban Green Council, the Real Estate Board of New York and other groups made joint recommendations for how to make local buildings more energy efficient. "There is remarkable unanimity across the industry that we need to get to these places," Russell Unger of the Urban Green Council told Crain's New York at the time. But the proposal is unlikely to garner universal support. For starters, the de Blasio administration will propose annual penalties that increase with a building's size and its fossil-fuel usage. Beginning in 2030, a 30,000-square-foot apartment building that exceeds certain energy targets would pay $60,000 for each year it doesn't meet the new standards, according to the mayor's office. A building with 1 million square feet that was operating outside the required efficiency standards would pay as much as $2 million in annual penalties. Buildings not in compliance also would be prevented from receiving permits for major renovations. The administration insists the new initiative could lead to lower long-term energy costs and create as many as 17,000 "green jobs" as older structures are retrofitted. But many owners are likely to face big upfront costs to meet the new requirements. City officials said they intend to help owners afford energy upgrades through low-interest financing. "These proposals require careful analysis, discussion and debate," said John Banks, president of the Real Estate Board of New York. "The manner in which these goals are pursued will determine whether or not the future of our city is comprised of mini-storage facilities and buildings without windows or 21st-century energy-efficient buildings that yield good jobs and affordable housing." New York is not alone in working to curb greenhouse-gas emissions. After Trump's announcement that he would pull the United States out of the Paris climate pact, numerous governors, mayors and businesses independently pledged to push forward with emissions reductions. A group called Climate Mayors - which has 377 members, including de Blasio - committed to working toward the goals laid out in the Paris agreement. Not all of New York City's environmental initiatives have been successful. A city law mandating a fee on plastic bags was blocked in February by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D, although he said he would have a task force work on a statewide plan to address the "plastic bag problem." SEOUL - North Korea fired another missile over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Friday morning, just a day after Pyongyang said that Japan "should be sunken into the sea" with a nuclear bomb and that the United States should be "beaten to death" with a stick "fit for a rabid dog." This was the second time in less than three weeks that North Korea sent a ballistic missile over Japan, and the launch came less than two weeks after North Korea exploded what is widely believed to be a hydrogen bomb. The latest launch immediately sparked angry reactions from Tokyo and Seoul. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the international community had to unite to punish Kim Jong Un's regime, calling this week's U.N. Security Council sanctions "the floor, not the ceiling." "China supplies North Korea with most of its oil. Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labor," Tillerson said in a statement, singling out the two veto-wielding members of the Security Council, who are also the closest thing to allies that North Korea has. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own," he said. The missile was launched from the Sunan airfield just north of Pyongyang about 6:30 a.m. local time, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. It flew 2,300 miles over 17 minutes, passing over Hokkaido and landing some 1,200 miles to the east in the Pacific Ocean. The launch immediately triggered emergency alerts in Japan, with text messages and loud speakers telling residents beneath the missile's potential flight path to seek shelter. The Japanese government warned people not to approach any debris or other suspicious-looking material, a reflection of the fact that North Korean missiles sometimes break up in flight. Echoing Tillerson, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that the international community must "firmly unite to send out a clear message" to Pyongyang. "We need to have North Korea understand that they will have no bright future if they keep going this way," he said. But Japan did not try to shoot down the missile. South Korea, however, immediately fired two of its Hyunmoo-II missiles 155 miles into the sea - the same distance it would have had to travel to reach the Sunan airfield. In Seoul, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has been staunchly in favor of engagement with North Korea, said that dialogue was "impossible in a situation like this." In Washington, the White House said President Donald Trump was briefed on the latest North Korean missile launch by his chief of staff, John Kelly. The missile did not pose a threat to North America or to the U.S. territory of Guam, the U.S. Pacific Command said. The Pacific island of Guam is home to large Air Force and Navy bases and was the target of recent rhetorical threats from North Korea. "We continue to monitor North Korea's actions closely," the Pacific Command said in a statement. David Wright, co-director of the global security program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the latest missile launch was worrying. "The range of this test was significant since North Korea demonstrated that it could reach Guam with this missile," he said, although he noted it is not known if the missile was carrying a payload, something that influences range. Guam lies 2,100 miles from North Korea, well within technical reach of the intermediate-range missile. Friday's launch appeared similar to the previous launch, on Aug. 29. On that day, North Korea fired a Hwasong-12 - an intermediate-range ballistic missile technically capable of flying 3,000 miles, enough to reach Guam - from the Sunan airfield. But it also flew to the east, over Hokkaido and into the Pacific Ocean, rather than on a southward path toward Guam. Analysts said that after testing its missiles by firing them straight up and having them crash into the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, North Korea was apparently testing its missiles' flight on a normal trajectory without crossing a "red line" of aiming at the United States. On Thursday, a North Korean state agency had issued an alarming threat to what it offensively called the "wicked Japs." "The four islands of the [Japanese] archipelago should be sunken into the sea by [our] nuclear bomb," a spokesman for the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee said in a statement carried by the official news agency. Hokkaido is the northernmost of Japan's four main islands. "Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," the committee spokesman said. This is the first missile launch since North Korea conducted a huge nuclear test Sept. 3, which analysts say appeared to live up to Pyongyang's claim that the device involved was a hydrogen bomb, exponentially more powerful than a normal atomic device. That test, combined with the rapid pace of missile launches and North Korea's stated goal of wanting to be able to strike the mainland United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, has caused alarm around the world. The U.N. Security Council imposed its toughest sanctions ever against North Korea on Monday, setting limits on its oil imports and banning its textile exports. But the new sanctions were a compromise. To win the support of China and Russia, the United States had to tone down its demands, which included a total oil embargo and a global travel ban on Kim. Tillerson's statement reflected the Trump administration's frustration with the reluctance of Beijing and Moscow to inflict real pain on Pyongyang. The North Korean statement that hit out at Japan on Thursday also displayed Pyongyang's anger at what it called the "heinous sanctions resolution." The North Korean people and military wanted "the Yankees, chief culprit in cooking up the 'sanctions resolution,' [to] be beaten to death as a stick is fit for a rabid dog," said the committee statement delivered through the spokesman. The Sept. 3 nuclear test, North Korea's sixth, is now widely assumed to have been a test of a hydrogen bomb, as Pyongyang claimed in its state propaganda. The Japanese government estimates that the force of that explosion was 160 kilotons - more than 10 times the size of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 - but some analysts have said its yield could have been as much as 250 kilotons. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, traveling from Washington to view U.S. nuclear weapons at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, said Wednesday that the North Korean nuclear test appeared to be "100 kilotons or more." "It's a large one," he said. Earlier, Air Force Gen. John Hyten, the chief of U.S. Strategic Command, said that he "had to assume" that North Korea had probably tested a hydrogen bomb, judging by the size of the explosion. Speaking just before the North's latest missile launch, Hyten, who oversees U.S. nuclear forces and monitors North Korea, told reporters that the size, yield and other indications in North Korea's most recent nuclear test "equates to a hydrogen bomb." He said he could not confirm that a hydrogen bomb was tested but said the test was significant "because of the sheer destruction and damage you can use and create with a weapon of that size." "The change from the original atomic bomb to the hydrogen [bomb] changed our entire deterrent relationship with the Soviet Union," Hyten said. "It is significantly of concern not just to Strategic Command but to everybody in the free world. It should be of concern to people in the neighborhood, which is Japan and Korea, as well as China and Russia." Hyten said that if North Korea can mount a bomb of that power on a missile, it could potentially destroy a city. The United States has the ability to deter a nuclear attack on itself or its allies because of the nuclear weapons it maintains, Hyten said, but it's a "different question" whether the United States can stop North Korea from building nuclear weapons. Hyten said that the United States still has not seen North Korea "put everything together" with a nuclear warhead mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile but that it is only a matter of time before the North Koreans do so. "Whether they have the ability, I don't have any insight into that," Hyten said. "I can just look at historic examples and say that it could be within months or it could be within years." --- Lamothe reported from Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska. David Nakamura in Washington contributed to this report. SEOUL, South Korea - New radar satellite images show the Sept. 3 nuclear test by North Korea was powerful enough to sink a roughly 85-acre area on the peak of a mountain above the tunnels where the test likely took place. North Korea carries out its nuclear tests in a complex of tunnels at its Punggye-ri site and images of the mountains, in this case Mount Mantap, above it can give experts a sense of where the device was tested exactly and how powerful it was. The new Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite images, captured before and after Sept. 3, showed "significant changes at Mount Mantap's peak elevation. Prior to the test, Mount Mantap was 2,205 meters high; the mountain has since diminished in height," wrote Jeffrey Lewis, head of the East Asia program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in California. "You can see that the explosion visibly displaces the mountain, which demonstrates both how large the explosion was but also that it occurred in the same tunnel complex as the preceding four nuclear tests," Lewis wrote on the Arms Control Wonk website. "This is useful because the relationship between the size of the explosion and the magnitude of the seismic signals is sensitive to the overburden - how much rock is above the explosion." The images were taken by Airbus, a space technology company that makes earth observation satellites, using its TerraSAR-X satellite, and provided to experts at the center. The device, which North Korea described as a hydrogen bomb capable of being placed on a ballistic missile, was the most powerful tested to date. Original estimates had put its yield in the 100 kiloton range, but updated seismic data analyzed by experts this week put it closer to a whopping 250 kilotons, or nearly 17 times more powerful than the bomb that flattened Hiroshima. The new images are "additional proof that the September 2017 explosion was much larger than ever before at this site," said Melissa Hanham, senior research associate at the Center for Nonproliferation. In comparison, radar images of last year's nuclear test did not show a noticeable change in the surface area of the same mountain, she said. The sunken area corresponds with some of the highest peaks of Mount Mantap, Hanham said. "It makes sense that they would use their existing tunnel network attached to the North Portal entrance, because this leads to where the overburden is the greatest," Hanham said. "If they used a tunnel with less overburden, they might have blown the top off the mountain." The growing threat from the north has led to more South Koreans calling for their own nuclear weapons. A Gallup Korea poll conducted after the Sept. 3 test found 60 percent of respondents supported nuclear weapons for the south. But in an interview with CNN on Thursday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in ruled out the idea: "To respond to North Korea by having our own nuclear weapons will not maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula and could lead to a nuclear arms race in northeast Asia." In response to the Sept. 3 nuclear test, the United Nations on Monday unanimously agreed on its toughest sanctions against North Korea to date, setting limits on its oil imports and banning its textile exports. North Korea condemned the sanctions, and warned that the United States would "suffer the greatest pain" it has ever experienced for leading the effort to ratchet up economic pressures on the reclusive nation. On Thursday, North Korea issued another threat, this time targeting both Japan and the U.S. In a statement issued by North Korea's official news agency, Pyongyang said it would use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and "reduce the U.S. mainland to ashes and darkness." Police opened a criminal investigation Wednesday into the deaths of at least eight people at a South Florida nursing home that apparently was without air conditioning amid ongoing power outages from Hurricane Irma, according to local officials. Three people died at the facility in Hollywood, Florida, and three others were pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital, said officials in the city between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Two other deaths were reported later Wednesday afternoon. Authorities evacuated more than 100 other people from the facility, the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, including bringing some to nearby hospitals. Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief said it was not immediately clear what caused the deaths at the nursing home, which is believed to have lost air conditioning after the storm. "We're conducting a criminal investigation into the deaths that occurred here," Tomas Sanchez, the Hollywood police chief, said at a news briefing Wednesday. "It's a sad event." Sanchez said that officials believe the situation at the nursing home "may be related to the loss of power" caused by Irma, but said they were not ruling anything out. He declined to say whether the electricity was entirely out at the facility or if only the air conditioning was out, saying that was still under investigation. Police said their investigation would determine what led to the deaths, and in a statement Wednesday evening, authorities pointed blame at the facility's air-conditioning. "The initial investigation has determined that the facility's air conditioning system was not fully functional," Hollywood city officials said in a statement. "Portable [air-conditioning] units were being used in the facility, but the facility was excessively hot." The rehabilitation center is located across the street from Memorial Regional Hospital, the flagship facility of the Memorial Healthcare System and one of the largest hospitals in the state. An official from Memorial said that the health-care network was helping with evacuating people from the rehabilitation center, which is not part of the Memorial system, and will take some to its other hospitals in the region. The facility had a history of poor inspections and citations. The facility is rated "below average" on the Medicare website, which evaluates facilities based on performance in health inspections, staffing and quality measures. The facility's administrator, Jorge Carballo, said in a statement obtained by the Miami Herald that the center "evacuated this morning due to a prolonged power failure to the transformer which powered the facility's air conditioning system as a result of the hurricane. Unfortunately, early this morning several patients experienced distress and there were three fatalities at the facility and three at the hospital they were transferred to." Carballo did not return messages left by The Washington Post. Randy Katz, chairman of the department of emergency medicine at Memorial Regional Hospital, said fire and rescue received a call early Wednesday morning about a patient in distress at the rehabilitation facility. The authorities quickly realized the facility had no air conditioning, Katz said, and took the patient to the hospital. A nurse from Memorial Regional walked over to the rehabilitation center around 6 a.m. Wednesday and decided it was in the best interest of the patients to get them out of the building. "There was no air conditioning," Katz said. "The temperatures, particularly on the second floor, were extremely hot there were a number of patients who looked like they were in distress." Katz said hospital staff went room to room in the facility, locating patients and evacuating the building. Memorial Regional emergency room is treating 115 patients who were taken to various hospitals in the system. They are being treated mainly for dehydration, respiratory issues including respiratory failure, heat exhaustion and high fevers. WASHINGTON - The Universal Medicare for All legislation backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and 16 Senate Democrats does not include details on how it might be paid for. Today, as the bill's supporters gathered for a crowded, hourlong launch event, Republicans and some liberal columnists took dead aim at that aspect of the bill, asking if Sanders had wedded vulnerable Democrats - and likely 2020 candidates - to a program that would hike taxes. "Rather than working to identify the problems with our health care system, she'd rather raise taxes and throw more money at it," Leah Vukmir, a Republican vying to challenge Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., in 2018, said in a statement. "We cannot afford $1.4 trillion in new spending when our national debt is already more than $20 trillion." On Wednesday afternoon, after the launch was over, Sanders' Senate office released a white paper on possible ways to pay for the legislation. He has rejected public estimates of how much similar plans might cost, and suggested no hard estimate for the new bill. But the "white paper," a combination of possible tax hikes and possible savings, is as close as Sanders will currently get to satisfying the critics. The six-page document assumes that "our federal government could save up to $500 billion per year" if most insurance was replaced by universal Medicare, waving away more than a third of the yearly cost expected by Republicans. The taxes themselves fall on both employers and employees. Sanders floats the idea of a 7.5 percent tax on employers - who would no longer be footing a bill for employee health care - with one workaround. "As workers shift into the new system, employers will be required to pay either 75 percent of what they are currently paying for health care costs for each of their employees who enroll in Medicare for All, or the 7.5 percent payroll tax, whichever is higher," he writes. Another tax, of 4 percent, would hit individuals, on the theory that they would end up saving money relative to the cost of premiums. "A typical family of four earning $50,000, after taking the standard deduction, would pay a 4 percent income-based premium to fund Medicare for All - just $844 a year - saving that family over $4,400 a year," writes Sanders. Families below the poverty line would pay no net new tax. The next big slice of funding: higher tax rates on the very wealthy. Income less than $250,000 would be taxed at current rates; income higher than that would be hit harder, on an upward sliding scale, ending at a 52 percent tax on income over $10 million. (The highest income tax rate has not cracked 50 percent since 1981, when President Ronald Reagan slashed the top rate from 70 percent to 50 percent. It is currently 39.6 percent.) The wealthy would not be done paying after that. Sanders imagines a tax on financial institutions worth more than $50 billion, a one-time tax on offshore profits (an idea that is continually floated then sunk in tax reform negotiations), a higher estate tax (topping out at 55 percent), and a 1 percent wealth tax on the richest 0.1 percent of households. How much of this do supporters of the Sanders bill support? A few ideas have gained their attention before, like the tax on financial institutions. But since the 1980s, Democrats have hesitated to run on tax increases for anyone but the very wealthy. In a few conversations after the launch event, Sanders' Democratic allies veered away from discussions of new taxes, emphasizing ideas that could expand health care without voter-worrying costs. "It costs the government nothing to enable people to have Medicare as a public option," said Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., who in 2016 was the only Senate colleague to back Sanders' presidential bid. Lawyers representing a group of students and a professor urged leaders of the University of North Carolina on Wednesday to remove a statue of a Confederate soldier from the Chapel Hill campus, arguing that it violates federal anti-discrimination laws. The statue honoring University of North Carolina alumni who died for the Confederacy has been controversial for years and a focal point for student protests. In 2015 someone painted "KKK" and "MURDERER" on it. But after violent clashes followed a white supremacist gathering for a Confederate statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, last month, the fight intensified in Chapel Hill, with hundreds of people chanting, "Tear it down!" The bronze and marble monument known as "Silent Sam" was erected at the state flagship university in 1913 after being commissioned by the Daughters of the Confederacy. A side panel shows a woman - symbolizing the state of North Carolina - urging a student to leave his books to fight. In 2005, the university added a sculpture nearby honoring enslaved African-Americans. Hampton Dellinger, a former deputy attorney general in the North Carolina Department of Justice, and colleagues at a Washington law firm, wrote on behalf of a dozen students, including the president of the campus NAACP chapter, which endorsed it, the UNC Black Law Students Association and a law-school professor. The letter to UNC Chancellor Carol Folt and UNC system President Margaret Spellings and their respective boards of trustees begins: "We write on behalf of UNC Chapel Hill students to request that you immediately remove the monument of an armed Confederate soldier, known as Silent Sam, from the middle of campus. "Silent Sam should go for many reasons including its incompatibility with the "inclusive and welcoming environment" promised by UNC's nondiscrimination policy. "We are providing legal notice of an additional reason why Silent Sam must come down now: the statue violates federal anti-discrimination laws by fostering a racially hostile learning environment. "As UNC's Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office acknowledges, federal laws guarantee a series of rights to members of the UNC campus community. Among the applicable laws are Title IV and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which forbid racial discrimination at UNC as an institution of higher learning and a recipient of federal funds. "Because Silent Sam violates the rights guaranteed by these and other federal laws, we request that you authorize its immediate removal in order to avoid needless litigation. "Any federally funded institution (such as UNC) that is deliberately indifferent to a racially hostile learning environment runs afoul of federal law." But the university has argued that it does not have the legal authority to remove the statue. In 2015, the state legislature acted to prohibit state agencies from permanently removing any "object of remembrance." Joel Curran, a spokesman for the university, wrote in a statement, "We have received the letter and understand that for many people the Confederate Monument's presence can engender strong emotions, and we are respectful of those emotions. "While we do not have the unilateral legal authority to move the monument, these students have raised questions about federal civil rights law that will need to be addressed, and we will work with our Board of Trustees and Board of Governors to do so. "In the meantime, the Chancellor's Task Force on UNC-Chapel Hill History is developing an interpretive plan for McCorkle Place that will include signage presenting historical context of how the monument was erected as part of a broader effort to tell the honest and accurate history of the University." After Charlottesville, people have taken down Confederate statues in several cities and campuses, while others have warned that removing historical monuments can create a dangerous whitewashing of history. Last month, President Donald Trump wrote on social media, "Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You . . . " . . . can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson - who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish! Also . . . ". . . the beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!" Aaron Epps, one of the students who signed onto the letter, said: "As a black male in the South I can't help but feel that the statue is disrespectful. . . . When I first came to campus, I definitely felt like I didn't belong. Statues like this necessarily contribute to that feeling of not fitting in and not belonging." A lot of his friends feel the same way, he said. "That statue is literally a reminder that they're three-fifths of a person and they don't belong," he added. --- LETTER Read the full letter to UNC about Silent Sam here: https://www.scribd.com/document/358831223/Letter-to-UNC-about-Silent-Sam#from_embed WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the tax changes he hopes to push through Congress could end up raising tax bills for the wealthiest Americans, contradicting projections from independent experts and breaking with claims made Tuesday by his own treasury secretary. "I think the wealthy will be pretty much where they are," Trump said before a meeting with Democrats at the White House about the tax cut effort. "Pretty much where they are . . . If they have to go higher, they'll go higher." Trump offered no specifics or evidence for how why the taxes would go up. Trump's characterization is a shift from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's statements Tuesday, when the cabinet official said many wealthy Americans would see a tax cut as a result of the plan. The only wealthy Americans who could see their taxes remain flat would be those living in states such as New York and California, Mnuchin said. The White House and GOP leaders are hoping to slash income tax rates for the wealthiest Americans while curbing some of the tax breaks that these people can claim. Those changes in New York and California, Mnuchin said, should essentially offset each other, leading to no decrease in revenue. But both Trump's characterization of the tax plan and Mnuchin's are at odds with the projections of budget experts, who say the current ideas would disproportionately benefit the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans. Based on some details Trump and Mnuchin gave about their tax effort back in March, the Tax Policy Center estimated that half of all the benefits from Trump's tax cut plan would go to the top 1 percent of all Americans. It found that each household in the top 1 percent of Americans would receive - on average - a $175,000 tax cut. Conversely, the average tax cut for moderate-income households would be $760. The proposal would, among other things, cut income tax rates, cut investment tax rates, cut corporate tax rates, jettison the alternative-minimum tax - which is paid by wealthier Americans - and also end the estate tax, which is also targeted at the wealthiest Americans. "All of our estimates suggest that the ideas being bandied about would greatly reduce tax burdens for high-income households," said William Gale, a senior fellow in the economic studies program at the Brookings Institution. The administration's mixed messaging is fueling confusion about the tax cut plan the White House and GOP leaders are trying to craft and push into law by the end of the year. Many House and Senate Republicans have expressed anxiety about the effort, as many details remain closely held, prompting GOP leaders to promise some more information within two weeks. Trump's comments come during two days of meetings with Democrats, when he's trying to court support from the left to help him secure more votes for any planned tax cut. Many Democrats have said they would not support any tax plan that reduces taxes for the wealthy. In mid-November, shortly after Trump was elected but before he was sworn in, he visited the upscale 21 Club in Manhattan and received a loud ovation from the other diners. Someone took a video of him when he was addressing the crowd, and he told them, "We'll get your taxes down, don't worry about it." President Donald Trump on Thursday condemned the violence by the anti-fascist protest movement known as "antifa," saying their tactics around the country have proved him right for denouncing bad actors on both sides of the racially charged clashes with white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, last month. Trump said he explained his views on antifa to Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., during their private meeting at the White House a day earlier. Scott had expressed disgust with Trump's handling of the Charlottesville aftermath. "We had a great talk yesterday," Trump said, during an on-record discussion with reporters on Air Force One en route to Washington after a trip to view hurricane-relief efforts in Naples, Fla. "I think, especially in light of the advent of antifa, if you look at what's going on there, you have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also, and essentially that's what I said." The president added that "because of what's happened since then with antifa, when you look at really what's happened since Charlottesville, a lot of people are saying, and people have actually written, 'Gee, Trump may have a point.' I said there's some very bad people on the other side also." Trump faced widespread political backlash after he waited two days to specifically condemn the hate groups, including the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis, that organized the Unite the Right rally. Violent clashes on the streets culminated in the death of a woman who was killed when a man participating in the rally plowed his car into a group of counterprotesters. Even after denouncing the hate groups by name, Trump within days mounted a defense of his initial response, asserting there were "very fine people" among the marchers and suggesting both sides were to blame for the violence. Trump said Scott presented legislation he was working on to help create jobs and put people to work, which Trump said he supported. Asked whether the senator had pressed him to add high-ranking African Americans to his White House staff and administration, Trump said: "We did talk about that, yeah. It's something I do, and I certainly would continue to do. We talked about that. I told him I would do it, and he knows we've already done it. But I told him, and I told him very strongly, I like that." The president was not specific about whom he might hire or when or for what positions. Later Thursday, the White House announced that Trump had signed legislation condemning the Charlottesville violence and hate groups. Trump issued a statement saying he was pleased to sign it. "As Americans, we condemn the recent violence in Charlottesville and oppose hatred, bigotry, and racism in all forms," Trump said. "No matter the color of our skin or our ethnic heritage, we all live under the same laws, we all salute the same great flag, and we are all made by the same almighty God. We are a Nation founded on the truth that all of us are created equal. As one people, let us move forward to rediscover the bonds of love and loyalty that bring us together as Americans." - - - The Washington Post's Anne Gearan contributed to this report. FAIRFIELD Two projects, designed to improve safety, have been approved by the Board of Finance. One is the replacement of the Valley Road bridge over Horse Tavern Brook, while the other provides pedestrian improvements along Kings Highway, according to William Hurley, the towns engineering manager. Hurley said the bridge replacement project costs $3.2 million, of which the town will be reimbursed $2.56 million. The bridge is rated poor by the Connecticut (Department of Transportation), Hurley said, with exposed rebar and corrosion on the beams. The final design is completed, he said, and the project will go out to bid in October. If the project is not put out to bid by then, Hurley said, the town would lose the federal reimbursement. Once the bridge is replaced, Hurley said, it will have a 50 to 75-year life span, with only minor maintenance needed during the first five to 10 years. He said they had to do 13 different models to get the hydraulics correct on the design. Asked if there was any chance the town would not receive funding due to the states financial condition, Hurley said the money comes from the federal government and is merely administered by the state DOT. The second project, which makes pedestrian improvements on Kings Highway from Chambers Street to Villa Avenue, had previously been approved at $2 million. However, Hurley said additional grant funding was received and the project, which originally ended at Brentwood Avenue, was extended. Because of the additional funding, approval was needed for another $1.4 million to cover the rights of way easements, improved drainage, and the extension to Villa Avenue. The town will receive 80 percent reimbursement for the project from the state, and it is expected the towns share of the project will be $462,000. New sidewalks are proposed along both sides of Kings Highway, along with median improvements for better access and aesthetics. The new concrete sidewalks will include handicap accessible ramps and there is also a landscaped pocket park. Congressman Joaquin Castro's people had no comment about a potential run for Texas governor Thursday afternoon after a Democratic party representative told the Dallas Morning News he was considering it. When asked if the San Antonio Democrat was thinking about running for governor against Republican Greg Abbott, Castro's political director Matt Jones said: "No comment." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Two teachers at Tivy High School in Kerrville have been accused of participating in improper student-teacher relationships, district officials said in an email to parents Wednesday evening. "We regret to inform you that Kerville ISD has recently received two separate and unrelated allegations of improper teacher/student relationships at Tivy High School," said Superintendent Mark J. Foust. A teacher was placed on indefinite administrative leave after district officials were notified of possible misconduct on Sept. 7. On Tuesday, officials were told another teacher was involved in an improper relationship and was put on indefinite administrative leave. The letter did not name the teachers allegedly involved. The district is working with the Kerrville Police Department on the cases, Foust said. "These allegations are of behaviors that will not be tolerated in our school district and that are not indicative of our faculty and staff," he said. The Texas Education Agency opened a whopping 302 investigations into educators in the 2016-2017 school year, the most in at least seven years. RELATED: TEA investigations into improper student-teacher relationships jumped 36 percent in past year Improper relationships, which includes any sexual contact between a teacher and student, have plagued Texas school districts for years, with 1,503 investigations opened since the 2010 fiscal year. A slew of bills were filed to curb the issue during the 85th Legislative Session and Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 7 in May. The new law, which went into effect Sept. 1, requires principals to report to superintendents if a teacher is terminated or resigns after being accused of an improper relationship with a student. It increases the penalty for superintendents who don't report the misconduct to the TEA and automatically revokes teaching certificates for educators who are required to register as sex offenders. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Alamo City ranked second the state in a report that examined what steps Texas cities were taking to use green technology to reduce flooding. A report from the Environment Texas Research & Policy Center released Tuesday said multiple buildings in San Antonio are already using green stormwater infrastructure with features that "reduce runoff by keeping rain on-site where it falls." Mission Branch Library, the Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building, Trinity University and the University Health System, are among some of San Antonio's greener structures. Roofs, permeable pavement, and rain cisterns are a few of the green features. But the news for the city wasn't all good. "While San Antonio placed second, its score of 65 (percent) shows the city can improve its policies," reads the report. RELATED: Photos show Harvey's wrath as floods devastate Houston "San Antonio already has some good policies for green infrastructure in specific areas, but it can do even better by creating new policies for the whole city," said Brian Zabcik, a clean water advocate at Environment Texas. Austin scored the best, at 90 percent. "The state's capital has long been known for its environmental policies, so its high score isn't surprising. But actual use of GSI/LID features in Austin is lower than the city's official support would lead one to expect," according to the group. Houston, which just experienced massive flooding in the wake of Harvey scored 50 percent. "Even before Hurricane Harvey devastated the city this year with unprecedented amounts of rain, Houston had been struggling to compensate for decades of development built with inadequate drainage," the report said. Click through the slideshow to see how some San Antonio buildings are taking the lead in green infrastructure and flood reduction. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @Kbrad5 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Investigations into improper teacher-student relationships jumped 36 percent in the 2017 fiscal year, records obtained by mySA.com show. The Texas Education Agency opened 302 investigations into improper relationships in FY2017. It was at least the seventh year in a row that number has increased. Improper relationships, which includes any sexual contact between a teacher and student, have plagued Texas school districts for years, with 1,503 investigations opened since the 2010 fiscal year. A slew of bills were filed to curb the issue during the 85th Legislative Session and Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 7 in May. The new law, which went into effect Sept. 1, requires principals to report to superintendents if a teacher is terminated or resigns after being accused of an improper relationship with a student. It increases the penalty for superintendents who don't report the misconduct to the TEA and automatically revokes teaching certificates for educators who are required to register as sex offenders. RELATED: Gov. Abbott signs crackdown on inappropriate teacher-student relationships Now Playing: Prep School Nightmare: How a Student Abused by 2 Teachers Helped Expose Decades of Sexual Misconduct by Teachers Video: Brandpoint A request for comment from the TEA was not immediately returned. Having sex with a student is a second-degree felony in Texas and records show six people were arrested for an improper relationship between an educator and student in Bexar County from September 2011 to July 17, 2017. Between January 2010 and December 2016, 63 San Antonio-area educators had their teaching certificates revoked 24 of them were arrested, mySA.com found using an Austin American-Statesman database. Here is a breakdown of investigations: Fiscal year 2009-2010: 141 Fiscal year 2010-2011: 152 Fiscal year 2011-2012: 156 Fiscal year 2012-2013: 163 Fiscal year 2013-2014: 179 Fiscal year 2014-2015: 188 Fiscal year 2015-2016: 222 Fiscal year 2016-2017: 302 Months before the lawmakers convened in Austin this year, the TEA lamented social media had contributed to the rise in investigations. "Unfortunately, social media has also made it more prevalent," said DeEtta Culbertson, TEA information specialist, in June 2016. While social media does give educators more access to students, it also helps in reporting such cases, she said. "There is more awareness, so there is more reporting," she said. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 The late, great New England poet Robert Frost begins his famous poem Mending Wall with a line, Something there is that doesnt love a wall, and then alludes to its builder as an old-stone savage. The poem pokes fun of the cliche good fences make good neighbors. Poets and artists have long been avatars of artistic justice and creators of thought-provoking works, challenging us to re-examine a controversial issue without the rose-colored glasses of optimism. And if our Pulitzer-Prize winning poet were alive today, Frost would probably have something witty to say about Donald Trump. The latest in artistic expression is a giant, 70-foot photo installation of a one-year-old grinning Mexican toddler staring down with large hands around a border fence viewable from the California side of the Mexican border. The smiling Mexican child gripping the border fence seems to be saying, This wall is childs play. And interestingly, the installation coincides with the latest setback for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), which may have a silver lining forcing the Republican Congress to enact legislation to settle this issue, once and for all. Trump and Democrats says they are nearing a deal. If Congress fails to pass a measure, Donald Trump may have the last laugh at the expense of Speaker Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell. Once Congress passes tax reform legislation benefitting the wealthy and then votes against raising the debt ceiling, the Republican majority will own it. But back to the smiling baby and the Trumpian wall. The French artist JR, who plastered it recently in Tecate, Mexico, is keeping mute in the tradition of artists to let the public decide. In an interview with the New York Times, JR did say, When we built walls, people build tunnels. We close places, they went by the water. The history of humanity is the story of migrating. And JR is right. Walls will not keep people from exploring, migrating, visiting and fleeing oppression. Native Americans did not build walls to limit migration from outside its geographical boundaries. And the infamous Berlin Wall crumbled at the ring of freedom with Ronald Reagans relentless clamoring, Tear down this wall! The smiling one-year-old baby with large hands is not saying, Tear down this wall, Mr. Trump, but he is smiling at the old geezers who supported him. One obvious interpretation is that the smiling Mexican baby may be Americas future because the aging white population is going to need young, resourceful people to rebuild the economy and jump-start our aging infrastructure. If you dont believe me, take a hard look at the hard-hat construction workers building our highways and soon to be hauling off the debris from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The message seems to say: Invest in DACA and the young. They will save America and make America great again. Stay tuned for the next episode from Boss Tweet. Julian S. Garcia is a freelance writer and a former editor of ViAztlan: an international journal of arts and ideas. He is the author of the forthcoming, Voices from the Rivers and La Fantastica Curandera. A country home belonging to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila was burned to the ground and a police officer killed in the attack carried out overnight Sunday into Monday morning. We firmly condemn this barbarous act and call on the population to disassociate from any actions likely to compromise peace and development in this part of the country, lawmakers said in a statement on Monday. The farmhouse was near the village of Musienene in North Kivu, about 2,700 km east of the capital Kinshasa, and a short distance from the Ugandan border. President Kabila was not at the house when the attack occurred, and it was not immediately clear who carried out the attack. Accusations have been leveled against the Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and Mai-Mai community-based militia groups. The residence of the head of state in Musienene has been targeted in an attack from 03:00 (01:00 GMT) and then burned by the Mai-Mai, one unnamed army official told AFP. The attackers ransacked everything before setting the house and some vehicles on fire. On Friday, nine soldiers were reported killed in two ambushes, which the army blamed on Mai Mai rebels.The army recorded a loss of nine soldiers in two ambushes in the Baraka operational zone in the South Kivu province, an unnamed military official told AFP. The ADF has also been blamed for its part in a recent surge of attacks including the assault on a UN base in North Kivu that killed 15 Tanzanian peacekeepers and five Congolese soldiers earlier this month. Last week the armies of the DRC and neighbouring Uganda launched a joint-military strike against the Congo-based ADF. The DR Congo has been mired in a political crisis since Kabila refused to step down as president when his term expired a year ago. A brutal civil war from 1998-2003 left millions of people dead, as much from hunger and disease as from fighting between armed groups that stalked Congos mineral-rich eastern borderlands. AFP/Reuters Breaking News via Email 13 people died on the spot while 31 others were injured in a road accident involving a Chawasarira bus and a commuter omnibus that occurred near Kadoma tollgate along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway today. The accident occurred at around 9 am after the tollgate near Muzvezve River. Zimbabwe Republic Police Officer Commanding Kadoma Chief Superintendent Garikai Gwangwava confirmed the accident. 13 people died on the spot while the bus driver lost a limb with several others injured. The bus was heading towards Kwekwe when a commuter omnibus going towards Kadoma made a sudden u-turn in front of the bus resulting in the accident. The commuter omnibus was dragged by the bus for about 72 metres while everyone onboard was trapped. The commuter omnibus was dragged by the bus for about 72 metres while everyone onboard was trapped, he said. Kadoma General Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Frankson Masiye said the 31 injured were attended to at the institution. We attended to 31 patients but they have all been discharged, except for one who has been transferred to a Harare hospital, l suspect it is the bus driver, he said. The owner of the commuter omnibus, Mr Datsun Mapfumo said the vehicle plies local routes and was coming from Donain, Venice heading to Kadoma. Herald Breaking News via Email Mnangagwa to enjoy Mugabe-like powers in constitutional shake-up Two-term limits for parliamentarians President Emmerson Mnangagwa will soon enjoy unbridled powers similar to those exercised by former president Robert Mugabe as Zanu PF has put in motion plans for sweeping constitutional changes that are likely to make the incumbent leader a political demigod. It has also been learnt that the new constitutional changes will see term limits being imposed on the partys Members of Parliament (MPs) in order to avoid careerism and give more members a chance to serve in that capacity. Zanu PF secretary for legal affairs Paul Mangwana told TellZim News in an interview that the party had already set up a committee to come up with the roadmap for public consultations on the issue. Mangwana refused to shed more light on why they want the constitution amended and what is expected in the new amendment but said the people will decide on the new provisions. We have set up committee to come up with the road map on how we are going to do the consultation processes. We want to realign the old constitution with the new dispensation and it is the people who will have an input on the changes not the leadership. What the people want is what will be put in the constitution. I am not the people so I cannot tell you what changes will be effected. We will simply give people the current constitution and tell them to bring forward the changes they want to see for the better of the party, said Mangwana. The issue first came out in the open a few weeks ago when Mangwana addressed a Masvingo Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC). At the meeting, Mangwana hinted on the proposed changes among them the two term limits to all parliamentarians and the composition of an advisory council. We are coming to you soon for consultations on the proposed amendment of the partys constitution and we would like your input. Should we have term limits on parliamentarians or should we retire some of our old guards and put them into the advisory team? It is all up to you so make sure when the process starts you will be ready, said Mangwana then. Other party sources said the proposed amendment to the partys constitution is aimed at giving President Mnangagwa too much power and carte blanche to make some of the most important decisions on behalf of the party. People are going to give power to President Mnangagwa. The one centre of power is going to be the biggest change we are going to see in the proposed amendment. President Mnangagwa wants to be in control total control of the party and by giving him all the power, he will be able to deal with anyone who wants to stand in his way, said the source. Asked if the new amended constitution will address the succession issues within the ruling party, the source said Zanu PF does not have a succession and if anyone raise that they will be seen as the enemy. Succession will be left open because no one will ever raise the issue. It will be suicidal to suggest that, said the source. TellZim Breaking News via Email PARLIAMENT has dumped debate on a motion to thank former President Robert Mugabe for his address during the official opening of the current Fifth Session of the Eighth Parliament, after President Emmerson Mnangagwas ascension to the Presidency last November. The motion had been moved by Zanu PF proportional representation MP Annah Rungani in September this year. Debates on motions in reply to the Presidents speech have often been characterised by praise-singing of Mugabe by Zanu PF legislators, while opposition MPs criticised his policies. However, last week before Parliament adjourned, Mabvuku-Tafara MP James Maridadi (MDC-T) suggested that the motion be removed from Parliaments Order Paper, as it was no longer useful to discuss Mugabes speeches. This is a new dispensation and we cannot be debating the past. I think we must look into the future and allow Mugabe and his past to go quietly so that we then look forward to the future, he said. I think it is a bit demeaning on the incoming President Mnangagwa that we still talk about the past, President Mugabe. I think it is very unfortunate, but I think that motion should fall away. Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda agreed it was not proper to keep on debating about Mugabe when he is no longer in power. I think it does create some invidious position for debate and I will kindly ask the mover of the motion to withdraw the motion from the Order Paper, Mudenda said. Rungani had to withdraw the motion, and, instead, Parliament would now debate issues raised by Mnangagwa in his inaugural State of the Nation Address. Meanwhile, Parliament has taken a short Christmas break, but will return early in January to pass the 2018 National Budget, as well as to pass different Bills that have come under the attention of the House, as well as international agreements that require urgent approval. Some of the Bills currently before Parliament include the Electoral Amendment Act, the Public Entities Corporate Governance Bill and others. Parliament will also discuss the proposed reappointment of Mildred Chiri as Auditor-General for a further term in office effective from February 25, 2017. NewsDay Breaking News via Email SAVANNAH, Ga. In recognition of Blood Cancer Awareness Month, enmarket stores will be selling paper icons to collect donations for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). These donations will directly benefit LLS Light the Night in October. All enmarket stores across Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina will be featuring the paper icons. Customers who purchase a paper icon will be able to personalize it with their name and it will then be displayed on surfaces inside the store. The paper icons will be sold from Tuesday, September 5 to Saturday, September 30. The company has set an aggressive goal to raise $90,000 in support of LLSs mission to cure blood cancer and help patients and their families. Every year, we come together as a company to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Societys Light the Night event, said Matt Clements, marketing director of enmarket. Most of us have a close friend or family member [who] has been affected by some type of cancer. This holds true for blood cancer in the enmarket and Colonial Group family. The cause is near and dear to our hearts, and our company is dedicated to championing the fight against leukemia and lymphoma. Blood cancers are cancers of the blood, bone marrow or lymph nodes that affect normal blood cell production or function. Nearly 1.3 million people in the United States are living with, or are in remission from, leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma. Blood cancer can affect anyone, at any time, said Jennie Brewster, Savannah & Augusta area director of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Georgia Chapter. There is no way to prevent or screen for most blood cancers, so we are focused on finding cures. Support from companies like enmarket is so important. We and our patients are so grateful for their efforts. Savannahs Light The Night will take place at 5:30 pm on Friday, October 13 in Daffin Park. During the event, participants carry different colored illuminated lanterns to signify if they are cancer patients or survivors, supporters or attending in memory of someone. Spirit of America - Michigan International Speedway The Spirit of America blood drive will return to Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan and it promises to be just as memorable as in years past. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. What began in 2002 as a tribute to honor the victims and heroes of 9/11, has now evolved into so much more. This event isnt just a blood drive - its a unique opportunity for the community to honor and remember all those affected by 9/11. Since its inception in 2002, the Spirit of America blood drive has collected more than 10,194 blood products, potentially helping save more than 30,438 lives. Those who attempt to donate blood will have the opportunity to ride the MIS tram around the track, to the Home of the Brave exhibit. The exhibit is a 4,000-square-foot multi-media exhibit featuring videos, presidential letters, magazines, newspapers, and more. Donors will be treated to lunch in the Champions Club overlooking the track and will receive a Spirit of America gift bag, a commemorative pin and t-shirt. At the end of the tour, donors get an up-close view of more than 3,000 American flags proudly displayed at Unity Field to honor the victims of 9/11. Each flag represents a victim of the attacks, and are placed by community volunteers and the Columbia Central High School Honor Society. Michigan Blood is proud to be part of the 15th Anniversary Spirit of America Event, said Heidi Seitz, donor relations manager for Michigan Blood. What a great experience donors get to be a part of not only helping to save lives, but showing tribute and keeping the victims memories alive. To participate in this extraordinary event and behind the scenes MIS experience, individuals must have an appointment to donate blood. The blood drive runs from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments can be made by calling 1-866-MIBLOOD (642-5663). Beginning June 11, donors can also schedule online by visiting https://donate.miblood.org To donate blood, individuals must be 17 years old (16 with parent/guardian consent), weigh at least 110 pounds and pass a health screening. Also, donors should not donate whole blood within 56 days of the event. Blood donors should bring photo ID or two pieces of non-photo ID. Additional information about blood donation can be found at www.miblood.org. Event details can be found at www.SpiritofAmericaBloodDrive.com. Related Posts: Find the newest releases to watch from National Geographic on Disney+, including favourite documentary series and films Free Solo, The Rescue, Shark Beach with Chris Hemsworth and The World According to Jeff Goldblum. Primary Schools in Tipperary are being encouraged to plant an Oak Tree this Tetra Pak Tree Day More than 1,000 free Oak tree saplings will be made available to primary schools nationwide. The Tree Council of Ireland supported by Tetra Pak is calling on primary schools in Tipperary to get involved in Tetra Pak Tree Day 2017 on Thursday 5th October. The aim of Tetra Pak Tree Day 2017 is to encourage primary school children across the country to put down their school books for a few hours and get outside to enjoy all that trees and our natural environment have to offer. The theme of this years campaign is Our Planet, Our Choice - Ar bPlaineid, Ar Rogha to convey that we are all responsible for our environment. It will see over 1,000 Oak tree saplings* being made available for primary schools through the website, www.treeday.ie. Tipperary primary schools are encouraged to log onto www.treeday.ie where they can apply for an Oak tree sapling which they can plant on their school grounds. Planting these saplings will help teach children about the importance of planting trees to improve biodiversity on the school grounds. In addition, guided woodland walks will be organised nationwide with locations and details of the local walks on www.treecouncil.ie/tree-day. The Oak tree is a deciduous tree native to Ireland of which there are two types found here, the Sessile Oak and the Pedunculate Oak. The Oak tree is important ecologically as it provides habitats for hundreds of invertebrate species along with many species of birds and mammals. Tetra Pak Tree Day gives children, teachers and parents an opportunity to connect directly with trees, nature and the outdoors. Through this years campaign, the school children of Tipperary will learn about how to become more environmentally aware. In addition, the campaigns mascot Sammy Squirrel will feature on the back of Avonmore School Milk cartons including seven important environmental messages to encourage children to think about our environment and the role they can play in protecting it. The Tree Council of Ireland is proud to continue this important aspect of environmental education and is urging primary schools in County Tipperary to get involved and celebrate Tetra Pak Tree Day on Thursday 5th October. People Before Profit TDs Richard Boyd Barrett and Gino Kenny will visit Clonmel next Monday, September 18 to meet with local people and recruit new members to the left-wing socialist party. The Dublin based TDs will man an information stall about the party and its policies on O'Connell Street from 2pm to approximately 4pm and will be available to answer queries from members of the public and to listen to their concerns. South Tipperary's People Before Profit convenor Anne Condon said the aim of this visit by deputies Barrett and Kenny was to promote the party and its policies in Tipperary and highlight that it was a national party offering a political alternative to the bigger parties. The TDs will also be recruiting new members to the 12 year-old party at the information stall. Ms Condon said the party has made no decision yet in relation to whether it will run a Tipperary candidate in the next General Election. She confirmed People Before Profit plans to run candidates in the three South Tipperary based municipal districts in the next local elections in 2019. The local branch of People Before Profit meets in Hearn's Hotel on the last Tuesday of every month. For further information check out PeopleBeforeProfit Tipperary's Facebook page. The Fine Gael hierarchy arrived in Hotel Minella in Clonmel this morning for a two day parliamentary think-in with the task of winning back the seat lost in Tipperary in the 2016 general election high on the agenda. The seven remaining candidates seeking a FG nomination in the Tipperary constituency to contest the next general election will avail of every opportunity over the two days to be pictured with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and leading FG figures with would be candidates jockeying for favour in what will be an intriguing internal contest. The difficulty of the task of the chosen candidates ,however, will have a huge bearing on what Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Health Minister Simon Harris and Education Minister Richard Bruton actually deliver at a local level in response to campaigns concerning overcrowding at South Tipperary General Hospital and funding for five Tipperary primary schools for more resources in a disadvantaged area. Hospital consultants and Oireachtas members ,who were refused a hearing with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, have now been granted a meeting with Health Minister Simon Harris on Friday at 4.15pm in Tipperary Town where he will visit the Circle of Friends cancer care centre at 3.30pm. Education Minister Richard Bruton met with the principals of the five Tipperary primary schools in The Park Hotel this morning.The exclusion of the five primary schools in Tipperary Town crying out for more resources in an area of high disadvantage levels from the DEIS programme was raised with Minister Bruton and the school principals made a powerful case for inclusion in the programme for over an hour. We were very happy to get to meet Minister Bruton and to be given an opportunity to put the case to him for the five schools and 720 pupils.Given the information presented to him this morning we are hoping that Minister Bruton will consider including the five schools in the DEIS programme said Louise Tobin, Princpial of St.Josephs. Following the decision of former TD and Minister Tom Hayes to withdfaw from the FG contest, seven candidates remain in the race for the Fine Gael nomination for the next general election. Their names will go forward to the Fine Gael Tipperary Declaration convention which takes place in The Ragg, Thurles next Friday night, September 15. Those now going forward are former TD Noel Coonan, councillors Michael Murphy, Michael Fitzgerald and Mary 'Hanna' Hourigan, as well as Garret Ahearn, son of former TD, the late Theresa Ahearn; Shelagh Marshall and Mary Newman The Declaration Convention will give each of the candidates an opportunity to put their case forward to the Fine Gael party membership in Tipperary in advance of a selection convention early in 2018 where the party members will decide who to nominate to contest the next general election whenever it occurs The event in the Ragg will kick start the process which will be followed by five candidate husting events in the coming weeks, one in each of Carrick-on-Suir, Roscrea, Tipperary, Nenagh and Clonmel. Speaking ahead of the Declaration convention, Chairperson of Fine Gael in Tipperary, Lucy McCormack, said - We are delighted to see such interest in the party in contesting the nomination and for the membership to have such an array of people to choose from. It should be a great event on Friday night and I would invite anyone with an interest to come along and see for themselves. "Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and other ministers will be in attendance and it will be a chance for members ad supporters to hear from and meet with them as well as our eight potential candidates. "It is intended to have the hustings complete prior to Christmas and the selection convention itself held early in the new year." Cookie Policy The website uses cookies. You can deactivate or block cookies either by changing the settings within our Privacy Preference Centre or within your Browser. Please note that if you deactivate cookie groups from the Privacy Preference Centre and save your changes, then those groups will only be deactivated the next time you visit the site, or by refreshing the page. Additionally you can then remove the cookies from your machine using the methods described below. 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The legal basis for this processing via Google Analytics is consent, Art. 6 sec. 1 sent. 1 lit.a GDPR, to analyse our websites traffic, improve the users experience and optimise the website in general. We do not share information on your web behaviour with any 3rd party providers without your explicit consent. Consent is provided by clicking the appropriate button on the web banner that appears on your first visit to the website. You can clicking on the Manage cookies/Do not sell my data link in the footer of the page. The legal basis for this processing is Art. 6 sec. 1 sent. 1 lit. a GDPR and represents you consent to accepting 3rd party targeting cookies. Depending on the provider the information generated about your use of the website may be transferred to and processed in third countries, e.g. the United States. For further information about the potential risks of a cross border data transfer please refer to section XI. The tools collect only the IP address assigned to you on the date you visit this site, rather than your name or any other identifying information. The provider will use this information in order to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activities and to provide other services relating to website and internet use to us. Google Analytics We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland (Google). The cookie set by Google Analytics on your device causes your web browser to transmit corresponding information to Google each time our website is called up. For example, Google Analytics collects data about the website from which a data subject has accessed a website (so-called referrer URL), which subpages of the website have been accessed or how often and for how long a subpage has been viewed. On our behalf Google will use the information generated by the cookie for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity and providing other services relating to website activity and internet activity in connection with the use of the website and according to your consent preferences. The processing affects the following data categories: IP addresses Online identifiers (including cookie identifiers) Device identifiers Technical characteristics of users (e.g., browser type and version, device type, operating system) Measurement of user behavior (e.g., views of individual pages / content, views of content from different areas, session duration / dwell time, bounce rate Use of individual website functionalities (e.g. timetable information, search queries, downloads) Referral URL We use the addition "_gat._anonymizeIp" for web analysis via Google Analytics. By means of this add-on, your IP address is shortened and anonymized by Google before transmission to the USA if our website is accessed from a member state of the European Union or the European Economic Area. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. The legal basis for the data transfer is Art. 28 GDPR in conjunction with the data processing agreement. The transfer of your personal data is subject to your consent according to Article 6 sec. 1 sent. 1 lit. a GDPR. You can consent to the processing of your data by Google Analytics using our Consent Manager, prevent the collection of your data or revoke consent once given. For revocation, call up the cookie settings again at the bottom of our website. The information processed by Google about your use of this website may be transmitted to a Google server outside the EEA and processed there. The cross-border transfer is safeguarded by the Standard Contractual Clauses 2021. Your personal data will be anonymized by Google 14 months after your last activity, unless there is a legal obligation to retain it. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser or by amending your preferences. In addition to that you may prevent the collection of the information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including you IP address) and the processing of this data by Google if you download and install the browser plug-in available at the following link: http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. You can access the Google Analytics privacy policy here. In addition to the above, we use historic pseudonymised Google Analytics data to recommend content to you based on your website activity, particularly suggesting articles that may be of interest. We work with Faculty AI, Level 6, 160 Old Street, London, EC1V 9BW, UK, who act as a data processor on our behalf in this activity, a data processing agreement is in place to support this. The data transfer to Faculty AI in the UK is secured by the adequacy decision of the EU Commission. Faculty AI are an AI service delivery company, find out more about Faculty AI here. The legal basis to process your data in this instance is Article 6 sec. 1 sent. 1 lit. f GDPR, our legitimate interest to improve and increase the use of our website as well as your interest in discovering content that is relevant to you. SpeedCurve We use SpeedCurve, a performance monitoring tool to identify, analyse and help fix website performance issues. SpeedCurve will process your personal data on our behalf, including your IP address. We have a data processing agreement in place to support this arrangement. The legal basis for this processing is Art. 6 sec. 1 sent. 1 lit. a GDPR and reflects your consent to non-essential performance measuring cookies. You can update or withdraw your consent by clicking Manage cookies/Do not sell my data in the page footer. IX. Third party content and social media plug-ins This website may contain links to third party websites. We are not responsible for the content and the data collection on respective third party websites; please check the privacy policy of respective websites for information of respective websites data processing activities. 1. Social media plug-ins We use the following social media plug-ins: Facebook, Twitter. This allows you to communicate with such services and like or comment from our website. Social media plug-ins enable a direct communication between your device and the servers of the social media provider, allowing the social media provider to communicate with you and collect information about you browsing our website. This processing is based on Article 6 sec. 1 sent. 1 lit. f GDPR and represents our legitimate interest to improve your website experience and to optimise our services. Please note that we neither have the control of the extent of personal data that is collected by the respective plug-in provider nor do we know the processings purpose or the period your personal data will be retained. Further information about the processing of your personal data in the providers course of operation is provided via their respective privacy policy. Moreover, you will be provided with further information with regard to your rights and setting concerning privacy. a) Facebook Social Plugins We use so-called social plugins (plugins) of the social networking site facebook.com, a service of Meta Platforms Inc, 1 Hacker Way Menlo Park, California 94025, USA (Meta). The plugins can be identified by one of Facebooks logos (white f on blue tile or a thumps-up-sign) or by the additional text Facebook Social Plugin. The list of Facebook Social Plugins and their appearance can be accessed via: http://developers.facebook.com/plugins. If a user visits one of the websites using such a plugin, the users browser directly connects to Facebooks servers. The plugin and its content are made available directly on Facebooks servers and included in the website by the users browser. Due to the integration of the plugin Facebook collects the information that a user is visiting the corresponding website. If the user is logged in on Facebook at the moment he or she visits the website, Facebook may be able to connect the visit on the website to the users Facebook account. If the user interacts with the plugin for example if he or she presses the like button or comments on something the users browser transmits this information to Facebook. Facebook stores this information. If a user is not a member of Facebook, Facebook may collect and store the users IP-address. Facebook states that it only collects anonymized IP-addresses in Germany. The reason for and scope of the data acquisition and information about the way in which the data is processed and used by Facebook, as well as the users rights in this respect and settings options for protecting the users privacy can be found under: http://www.facebook.com/policy.php. If the user is a member of Facebook and does not wish Facebook to collect personal data via this homepage and to link this with his data stored on Facebook, the user needs to log off from Facebook before going to this homepage. The user may also block Facebooks plugins using add-ons for the users browser, for example the Facebook Blocker. b) Twitter We use the twitter-button. The button is provided by Twitter Inc., 795 Folsom St., Suite 600, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA. (Twitter) The buttons are marked using the text Twitter or Follow and a stylized blue bird. The button enables the user to share an article or a website of this homepage on Twitter or to follow the provider on Twitter. If a user visits one of the websites using such a button, the users browser directly connects to Twitters servers. The Twitter-button and its content are loaded directly from Twitters servers and included in the website by the users browser. According to the providers knowledge, Twitter collects the user IP-address and the websites URL when the button is loaded from Twitters servers. However, this data is only be used for loading and displaying the Twitter-button. Further information can be found in Twitters privacy statement under: https://twitter.com/privacy. Should you have any questions regarding our privacy policy, please contact us via the email address dataprotection@springer.com. X. Information sharing Where personal data is disclosed to third parties for the purposes mentioned above the legal basis for the transfer of your personal data is Article 6 sec. 1 sent. 1 lit. b and f GDPR. Some of the recipients may reside outside the EEA. For further information about cross border transfer in general and transfers outside of the EEA see section on Cross border data transfers. We may disclose your personal data to contractors who assist us in providing the services we offer through the website. Such a transfer will be based on data processing agreements (Art. 28 GDPR). Therefore, our contractors will only use your personal data to the extent necessary to perform their functions and will be contractually bound to process your personal data only on our behalf and in compliance with our requests. In the event that we undergo re-organisation or are sold to a third party, any personal data we hold about you may be transferred to that re-organised entity or third party in compliance with applicable law. We may disclose your personal data if legally entitled or required to do so (for example if required by law or by a court order). The legal basis for this will be Article 6 sec. 1 sent. 1 lit. c GDPR (in conjunction with the respective national law). 1.Peer Review and Author Services In the course of providing our peer review services, your data may be accessed by different members of the editorial team such as editors and assistant to the editorial office. To determine the locations of the Editorial board members, you may refer to a journals homepage. Granting access to your personal data and the respective processing activity will be based on our and the legitimate interest of the respective society publishing the Journal in successfully publishing high quality articles and papers and ensuring the quality and significance of the respective research published in our journals, products and databases, Article 6 sec. 1 sent. 1 lit. f GDPR. In order to do so we and/or the respective society may process your personal data to find, contact and evaluate suitable and qualified peer reviewers within the relevant research community. This also includes data sharing between us and the respective society. For example, we may share reviewer and author data to publish the journal. Please note that the society and we are independently responsible for the respective data processing conducted. We neither have the control of the extent to which personal data is processed by the respective society nor do we control the processing purpose or the period your personal data will be retained. It is also possible that the above-mentioned societies may disclose your personal data to their business partners, third parties or authorities. For further information on the data processing under the societys control please refer to the respective societys privacy notice. We provide TOC (table of content) alerts to members as part of the services they are entitled to under their membership with the society. This is a core element of the overall service and to this end your personal (i.e. name and email address) data is transferred to Springer Nature by the society. The legal basis for processing is Art. 6 (1) 1 lit. b GDPR. Individual members may opt-out of TOC alerts at any time by contacting customerservice@springernature.com or using the unsubscribe link in every email. This applies equally to Book Series Partners, in the event that book volume alerts are sent to a Series Partners registered recipients. Your personal data will be transferred to and processed inside and outside of the EEA. For further information on cross border data transfer, please refer to section on Cross border data transfers. As an author well share your personal data with third parties, like your institution or employer. This is required to manage and approve payment of associated Article Publication Charges (APCs) in order to fulfill the publication of your manuscript. The legal basis is Art. 6 (1) 1 lit. b GDPR. By submitting your article for consideration, you acknowledge that if you are recognised as affiliated to an institution or funder with a Springer Nature open access agreement, your name and contact details may be shared with a representative from that institution or funder in order for us to verify whether they agree to cover, in full or in part, the article processing charge (APC) that is payable upon editorial acceptance of submitted articles. For this, the legal basis is Article 6 sec. 1 sent. 1 lit. b GDPR, to fulfil our contractual obligations to you. Should you choose not to follow the open access route to publication we may still share your personal data with the institution or funder youre affiliated with. Importantly we will only do this post publication to ensure theres no bearing on the evaluation of your submission prior to acceptance. The legal basis to share your data in this instance is Article 6 sec. 1 sent. 1 lit. f GDPR, our legitimate interest to develop and improve our open access program to the benefit of authors and the scientific community generally. Customer service, administrative, operational and systems support is provided by other entities of the Springer Nature Group and third party contractors (together Contractors). We may disclose your personal data to Contractors who assist us in providing the services we offer through the Submission and Peer Review System. Such a transfer will be based on data processing agreements in accordance with Article 28 of the GDPR. Therefore, our Contractors will only use your personal data to the extent necessary to perform their functions and will be contractually bound to process your personal data only on our behalf and in compliance with our requests. Further services, provided by third party technology and service providers, are similarly bound by data processing agreements. a. Research Square We work closely with Research Square (of which Springer Nature is an investor) to provide Springer Nature authors with optional services to improve their manuscript and provide greater transparency into the peer review process. Research Square (Research Square R&D LLC, 601 W. Main St. Suite 102, Durham, NC, USA) provides software and services to the research community to help them communicate, publish and promote their research. Where enabled on the journal Springer Nature authors are provided with access to a private author dashboard upon submission to the journal which provides granular insight into the status of their manuscript as it progresses through the peer-review process, and a place where authors can improve their manuscript via free and paid for services offered by Research Square, should they wish. Where offered during submission, authors will be able to opt in to the In Review service which posts their manuscript as a permanent, public, preprint on the Research Square platform. The preprint will be published under a CC-BY license. To be able to offer both services, Springer Nature will send Research Square R&D LLC data on the authors manuscript and status updates as it progresses through the peer-review process. The data transferred includes: manuscript metadata (title, authors (names, email addresses, corresponding author details) subject areas, keywords, funding information); manuscript, figure, table and supplementary information files (but not cover letters and any other files explicitly indicated to be for use of editorial staff only) of initial submissions only for hybrid and subscription titles, and all versions for Open Access titles; notification and date of key stages in the peer-review process. These stages include but are not limited to: passing of initial checks, manuscript assignment to an editor, peer reviewers invited, peer reviewers agreed, peer review reports returned, editorial decision. For journals that operate an open or transparent peer review model for all submitted manuscripts, the reviewer reports (but not reviewer identities) are also passed to Research Square. For these titles only the reviewer reports are posted in the private author dashboard and never publicly. Research Square uses this data to populate the peer review timeline in the private author dashboard, and surface free and paid for services that are appropriate to the author depending on where their manuscript is within the peer-review process. If authors have opted in for the In Review service during submission this data will be used to post the manuscript as a public preprint and populate the public peer review timeline (if offered). For the Private Author Dashboard your data is shared based on Article 6 sec. 1 sent. 1 lit.f GDPR and represents our legitimate interest to increase transparency of the peer review process and support authors in improving their manuscript. For In Review your data is shared based on Article 6 sec. 1 sent. 1 lit. a GDPR, your explicit consent to this optional service. Research Square acts as a data processor on our behalf, please see their Privacy Policy and Terms of Service for further information as to how Research Square will process your data. b. DataSeer To better enable us to offer our Research Data Support service we have partnered with DataSeer to improve how we help customers of this service organise and describe their data in a useful way, meet publisher, funder or institutional requirements for data sharing, and to get more credit and readership of their data and associated publication. We are also using DataSeer technology to assist with quality control checks we administer for certain Data Note article types. For this purpose we are using tools provided by DataSeer Research Data Services 4521 John Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5V 3X3 (DataSeer). Data Seer act as a data processor on our behalf, please see their privacy policy for more information as to how Data Seer process your data. As an author we may share your manuscript, including name and email address, with Data Seer to provide you with the services described above. The legal basis for this processing is Article 6 sec. 1 sent. 1 lit. f GDPR and represents our legitimate interest to improve user experience and services offered to authors, institutions and funders. 2. 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If you would like to access your user information, such as I.P address or BPIDs, then please click the following link: debug A suspect at the center of a child homicide investigation dating back to 2011 made her initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon in a courtroom packed with friends and family members. Holli Barlow, 29, faces a felony child abuse charge with a special allegation of willful harm or injury resulting in death. Prosecutors allege the Vallejo resident, who turned herself in to police Monday evening, failed to obtain medical care for 3-year-old Eden Lynch, who was in her sole care on August 31, 2011. Barlow, with tears in her eyes, made a brief appearance and waved at her mother. Her arraignment was pushed back two weeks and she did not enter a plea. The judge set bail at $150,000, which her attorney indicated she would pay. Holli, her family, and her children are an intact unit that is dealing with the loss of Eden and moving forward with their lives, defense attorney Randolph Daar said. This will now be an opportunity to put to rest some of the issues that are still resolving. Child Protective Services reports show Barlow called 911 after hearing a thud and finding Eden unresponsive next to her toddler table. Paramedics rushed the little girl to Childrens Hospital Oakland, but Eden never regained consciousness. She died three days later. The coroner ruled Edens death a homicide, caused by blunt-force trauma. The latest development in this nearly 6-year-old cold case comes after weeks of questions from the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit about the little girls death. The Alameda County DA declined to comment on the case. She is the second person to be charged in connection to Edens death. Prosecutors with the United States Coast Guard charged petty officer Jimmy Barlow, Edens father, with four counts of felony child endangerment last July. He faces a military court-martial scheduled to begin December 4. I just hope the truth comes to light and we get to know more about what really happened, Edens mother Erica Lynch said. None of this would have happened if [NBC Bay Area] did not run your story. After Jimmy was charged last year by the Coast Guard, Edens maternal grandparents contacted NBC Bay Area, frustrated the Alameda County District Attorneys Office never filed charges against Holli. Jimmy Barlows attorney denied any wrongdoing by Eden's father and Holli Barlow. He told NBC Bay Area last month that Edens death was the result of an accident.. Holli and Jimmy Barlow, now married, were dating when the father was awarded custody of Eden. Four months after she came to Alameda to live with her father and Holli Barlow, Eden was dead. According to medical records obtained by the NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit, Holli Barlow told doctors at Childrens Hospital Oakland that Eden collapsed while playing at their Alameda apartment. Holli Barlow told medical staff Eden had fallen down a flight of seven-to-eight concrete steps nine days earlier. CPS reports show doctors didnt believe Edens injuries matched Holli Barlows account of what happened. They alerted Child Protective Services and the Alameda Police Department. Now, just days after mourning the sixth anniversary of Edens death, her mother said she learned Holli Barlow was in custody when the Investigative Unit contacted her during a work meeting where her colleagues were discussing their faith. Its all in Gods time. We were talking about God and it happened. Lynch said. I just miss everything about Eden. I just hope truth comes to light, that we get to know more about what really happened. If you have a tip for the Investigative Unit email Vicky Nguyen at vicky@nbcbayarea.com or you can email theunit@nbcbayarea.com or call 888-996-TIPS. Follow Vicky Nguyen on Twitter @vickydnguyen and Facebook www.facebook.com/VickyNguyenTV The University of California, Berkeley will seal off large parts of its campus like a fortress with a closed perimeter and a "very large" visible police presence Thursday, when the birthplace of America's free speech movement faces its next potential clashes. City and campus authorities anticipate demonstrations at a speech by conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, a former Breitbart editor and are preparing for possible violence with a variety of new strategies and tightened security. For the first time in two decades, officers will be armed with pepper spray after the City Council modified a 1997 ban at an emergency meeting this week. The tactics to boost security are the latest indication of growing frustrations in Berkeley and other liberal cities that have become targets of violent political protests since the election of President Donald Trump and battlegrounds for extremist groups that support and oppose him. "We have seen extremists on the left and right in our city," said Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin, a Democrat who backed the police request to use pepper spray. "We need to make sure violence is not allowed." Shapiro's event, organized by campus Republicans, is being watched as a warm-up act for later this month when provocative, right-wing speaker Milo Yiannopoulos says he plans to hold a Free Speech Week on Berkeley's campus with a 20-person lineup that includes Ann Coulter and Steve Bannon, Trump's ex-chief strategist and head of Breitbart News. Campus officials say the event is not yet confirmed. It will be Yiannopoulos' second attempt to speak at Berkeley this year, after an event in February was abruptly canceled when masked, hooded left-wing anarchists dressed in black rioted outside the event, setting fires and smashing windows on campus and on nearby city streets. Police and UC Berkeley officials were criticized at the time for giving demonstrators wide latitude and standing aside as the masked anarchists hurled Molotov cocktails at officers and caused $100,000 worth of damage. Violence escalated at subsequent off-campus protests and authorities say they have learned hard lessons as they struggle to balance free speech rights with preventing violence. Yiannopoulos posted on his Facebook page that he intends to bring along 16 Navy SEALs to his Berkeley appearance later this month. UC Berkeley's Provost Paul Alivisatos sent a recent campus-wide message detailing security plans, saying no one wearing masks or carrying weapons of any sort will be allowed on campus. Police will block off the building where Shapiro is scheduled to speak and several other buildings hours before the event starts. Anyone entering the secure zone to pick up tickets must present a photo ID. Nearby parking lots will be closed. Berkeley police Chief Andrew Greenwood said police will make "very strong, rapid arrests" Thursday night if any protesters have weapons or wear masks. The security measures include closing Sproul Plaza, the campus' central hub that was the epicenter of the 1960s Free Speech Movement and site of its most historic protests, sit-ins and speeches. "Things have changed," UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof said. "We're a quantum leap away from the sort of arrangements we needed to make in the past for events that have the potential to attract strong political support or opposition." In contrast, a similar event featuring Shapiro on campus in 2016 before Trump was elected and also hosted by Berkeley College Republicans had "basic security." It went off peacefully and made no major headlines. For Thursday's event, Mogulof said authorities are deploying "very, very large numbers of police officers" from campus, city and regional law enforcement agencies. Berkeley's frustrations are shared by officials in other famously liberal cities such as Seattle and Portland, Oregon, where Trump supporters and left-wing protesters have repeatedly taken to the streets in supposed free speech demonstrations that have resulted in violence. At a protest last week in Portland, police said anti-fascist protesters threw smoke devices and other projectiles at officers trying to keep the peace between pro- and anti-Trump crowds. Seven people were arrested. Black-clad protesters have been a menacing presence at protests in the Pacific Northwest since before Trump was elected, often clashing with police at May Day marches, and they continue to show up at the many demonstrations. Greenwood, the Berkeley city police chief, sought permission for police to use pepper spray because he said it is preferable to batons and tear gas for crowd control. Tear gas when fired disperses much more widely than pepper spray, raising the risk of hurting peaceful protesters who may be near violent demonstrators, Greenwood said. "It is a request made of urgency," Greenwood told the City Council, calling protecting protesters and police amid continued violence in the city "a unique problem." He added: "The scope and scale of these demonstrations in our community is unprecedented." A piece of legislation that would have allowed women in Berkeley to bare their breasts in public stalled Tuesday night, angering a naked activist who protested by leaping onto a table and launching into an expletive-filled rant against city officials. I dont care who you are, said Gypsy Taub, as officials filed out of the room. My body belongs to me. Taub, who describes herself as a body-freedom activist, also called city officials oppressive and said they were a joke during her 20-minute demonstration. At one point, she hopped onto the council dais, squatted low and waived the gavel repeatedly. The stalled ordinance would have amended Berkeleys municipal code, which currently bans the public display of any portion of the breast at or below the areola. Like most nudity ordinances, the section applies only to females. The activist directed most of her ire at absent Councilmember Sophie Hahn, who delivered the harshest criticism of the proposal earlier in the evening. "We have a lot of fake news. I really question whether this might be a fake womens movement, Hahn said, describing herself as a lifelong feminist who is active in women's organizations. She said she found it disappointing that the proposal did not go through the city's Commission on the Status of Women, of which she is a former chair. If it did go to the commission, I think that it would not be ranked very highly, Hahn added tartly, rattling off a list of issues including human trafficking, sexual harassment, domestic violence and lack of access to safe abortions that need tackling. Taub protested shortly after 11 p.m, when only a handful of people were present. One man who stayed to watch the demonstration removed his shirt in an apparent show of solidarity. After completing her demonstration, Taub told NBC Bay Area she was surprised she wasnt arrested. She has been detained before at other naked protests in the Bay Area, most of which took place in San Francisco. The point of her demonstrations, she said, is to highlight the inherent oppressiveness of nudity bans. I dont feel that any part of us is disgusting or indecent or obscene, Taub said. It makes absolutely no sense to say the body that you were born with, and are going to die with, is something that you should hate or be ashamed of. She also believes nudity bans are barriers to healthy relationships. Sexual oppression is damaging because human sexuality is an expression of love, Taub said. When its contaminated with body shame, it destroys peoples intimacy and their ability to love, and give and receive pleasure. Toward the end of Taubs demonstration, a Berkeley police officer asked her to leave. Taub said she didnt mind. He was telling us very politely that he was closing out the chambers, Taub said. "I'm sure it made (the city officials') day more interesting." Introduced through the office of Councilmember Kriss Worthington, the proposal was heavily influenced by the #FreeTheNipple campaign. The online movement takes leading social media sites to task for banning photos of the naked female breast, including breastfeeding photos. Simone Stevens, who wrote the proposal when she interned for Worthington over the summer, said she was disappointed with Hahns comments. I respect her caution and her passion for doing what she thinks is right, but I don't respect the contempt she showed to the toplessness movement last night, Stevens said via email. Times are changing. Just because celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Rumer Willis support a movement, does not mean it is simply pop-culture hogwash. The proposal written by Simons references the online campaign and also touts potential benefits to transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals. It is nonsensical and sexist that Berkeley criminalizes the display of the female nipple while allowing the display of the male nipple, the proposal read. Berkeley has sought to uphold an equal standard of living for all its citizens, no matter what gender they may identify as. In an email to NBC Bay Area, Worthington said he considered the proposal to be one small, additional step towards equality. Now that it stalled, he is talking with community members about a potential ballot initiative. I will listen closely to what the activist women want before I take additional action, he said. The mug shot of Brock Turner, the convicted sexual assaulter from Stanford University in 2016, now appears in a college textbook as the definition of rape. An image of Turner in the textbook was posted on Facebook by Washington State University student, Hannah Shum, who made the discovery while working on homework for her Criminal Justice 101 class. The post has since gone viral with more than 100,000 shares. In 2016, Turner faced a 10-year conviction in the Santa Clara County Superior Court on three counts of sexual assault but only served three months of a six-month sentence in jail. He may have been able to get out of prison time, said Shum in her Facebook post. But in my Criminal Justice 101 textbook, Brock Turner is the definition of rape, so hes got that goin for him. The caption beneath Brocks mug shot states: Brock Turner, a Stanford student who rapped and assaulted an unconscious female college student behind a dumpster at a fraternity party, was recently released from jail after serving only three months. Some are shocked at how short this sentence is. Others who are more familiar with the way sexual violence has been handled in the criminal justice system are shocked he was found guilty and served any time at all. What do you think? The authors of the textbook Introduction to Criminal Justice: Systems, Diversity, and Change, are Callie Marie Rennison and Mary Dodge, both law professors at the University of Colorado. NBC Bay Area has reached out to the authors for further comment. San Francisco police officials said a gun used in a gang-related homicide was stolen from a police officer's vehicle. Three suspects in the deadly shooting reported in August were arrested this week, police said. The suspects have been identified as Erick Garcia Pineda, 18, Jesus Perez-Araujo, 24, and Daniel Cruz, 18. All three men are San Francisco residents. On Aug. 15, police responded to a reported shooting at an apartment on the 3200 block of 26th Street in San Francisco's Mission District. When officers arrived they found 23-year-old Enrique Esquivel Jr. suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was transported to a hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. During the investigation, police discovered the weapon used in the homicide was a personal firearm registered to a San Francisco Police officer that was stolen from his personal vehicle on Aug. 12. Police officials said the department is conducting an internal investigation into the circumstance of the theft of the firearm. Martine Halloran, president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association, provided the following statement on Wednesday: "A few weeks ago, a vehicle belonging to an SFPD officer was burglarized and the officer's personal firearm was stolen, unbeknownst to him. There were no visible signs of the burglary, and the officer did not realize that the vehicle had been broken into, nor that the firearm had been stolen. Days after the burglary, that firearm was used in a gang-related homicide. The officer, a highly-decorated veteran, is devastated. He is working with the Department to fully comply with its investigation into this case." Former San Francisco Supervisor David Campos wrote the city's secured weapons law last year with this very type of tragedy in mind. "The idea was to make sure that every person in the city, every San Franciscan, knows if they have a responsibility if they have a gun and they leave it in a vehicle, it has to be secured," Campos said. NBC Bay Area's Investigative Unit has found that between 2010 and 2015, 412 guns were stolen in San Francisco. Campos wrote the gun control law partly in response the July 2015 shooting death of Kate Steinle at Pier 14. She was killed with a gun stolen from a federal officer's vehicle. "If anything, there's an expectation that police officer's would be held to a higher standard," Campos said. All three suspects have been booked into San Francisco County jail. Investigators also said Pineda, Perez-Araujo and Cruz are tied to several robberies that occurred in the Mission District between Aug. 13-15. Pineda was booked on charges of homicide, multiple counts of robbery, conspiracy, burglary and attempted murder. Perez-Araujo was booked on multiple counts of robbery, burglary and conspiracy. Cruz was booked on homicide, conspiracy, robbery and possession of stolen property charges. Police are not releasing the suspects' booking photos at this time. NBC Bay Area's Terry McSweeney contributed to this report. The birthplace of Americas Free Speech Movement faces yet another test Thursday when conservative speaker Ben Shapiro shows up to speak at UC Berkeley. Shapiro spoke at Berkeley last year without any incident. Since then, events surrounding conservative speakers in the city have turned violent, and Berkeley city officials are taking extra measures to prep for them.[[444531323, C]] On Tuesday, the Berkeley City Council approved the use of pepper spray to deal with violet protesters. In an interview with NBC Bay Area Wednesday. Shapiro said he was all for protesting, but condemned the violence that came with it, specifically the group that calls themselves "Antifa" militant anti-fascists who show up at rallies in black masks and spark chaos, sometimes setting fires and breaking city property. Berkeley police have banned masks and weapons from Thursday's event.[[444319853, C]] UC Berkeley has also offered counseling services to their students in light of a slew of conservative speakers such as Milo and Steve Bannon planning to speak on campus. UC Berkeley police will be blocking off several buildings on campus before Thursday's event, and anyone picking up tickets will need to present a photo ID. Police have warned of "strong, swift arrests" if protesters have weapons or wear masks. Shapiro is expected to speak from 7 to 9 p.m. at Zellerbach Hall at the invitation of the Berkeley College Republicans and Young America's Foundation, a conservative student group. Here are some exceprts from our interview with Shapiro, who is currently editor-in-chief of The Daily Wire, a conservative news and opinion site. How do you feel about tomorrow? How do you feel about the attention? Well, confused, Im just coming to campus to give a speech about the uselessness of violence in political discourse and in the United States generally as well as the problems with identity politics and now half the citys being shut down. Ive to admit that Im sort of confused as to what Ive done to cause this Sort of like Godzillas coming to town. I know Ive been working out, but I dont think Im that threatening. You came to Berkeley last year, and there were no protests so is this surprising? Yes, it was a packed house, no protests, everybody was fine. I speak at 20-25 different campuses a year, the vast majority of them we dont have anything like this. Its pretty obvious that antifa or whatever groups are agitating here have no interest in what I have to say. Theyve just decided that anybody whos not an anarchist communist must be a Nazi. Some protesters have come out and called you a white supremacist what do you have to say to them and to protesters in general? Well you see this thing on my head here, this is called the yamaka. Not a lot of people who wear yamakas are white supremacists. Generally we are their targets. According to the Anti-Defamation League, the number one recipient of white-supremacists and alt-right anti-Semitism among journalists on the internet last year. So, read a book, learn to read. Literacy can be your friend, Antifa. Berkeley police can now use pepper spray is that a good thing? Yeah, what took so long? I mean, you get violent with a cop, you get pepper-sprayed. Why is this controversial? If Berkeley had shut this down, nipped it in the bud earlier this year, they wouldn't have had a continuous series of riots every five minutes. What u think about Milo and Steve Bannon planning to come to Berkeley? Im no ally of Milos or Steve Bannons this has been eminently clear from the ongoing controversy between all of us over the last year and half. Really breaks down into three questions: One is, if youre a student group, is it worthwhile inviting Milo or Bannon. Its your choice. If I were a student group, I wouldnt be inviting them, particularly Milo, whos a provocateur, not an actual conservative mind espousing a view point. The second question is, does Berkeley have a duty to defend the free speech rights of these people, and the answer is, of course they do. Ive defended people like Milo who again I think is gross. Ive defended Milos right to be in any venue where he's invited, abiding by law. And then the final question is, are these people going to be saying anything thats worthwhile? I think its a mistake to conflate free speech ability with the value of the message. What's your message to students coming to coming to Berkeley to hear you speak. The title of the lecture is fighting campus thuggery. It seems rather appropriate given whats going on. Were going to be talking about why groups like Antifa are destroying the public debate. Were also going to be talking about the identity politics of the left more broadly and the identity politics of the right right, and why the alt-right is a reactionary and nasty response to the leftist identity politics thats become so prevalent on campus. This notion that if I disagree with you politically, then somehow its an attack on you personally, it's an attack on your identity. It's a way to deligitimize political debate. Thoughts about protesters in general? Protesters I'm fine with. I have always been fine with protesters in fact I enjoy them. In all my speeches, I always say, If someone disagrees, they should raise their hand and go to the front of the Q&A line. I'm going to do an hour of Q&A tomorrow night, and if you have a problem with me, what I recommend is that you sit, and listen to the lecture, and you bring your question to me at the end of my speech. I'm not here for the riot, I'm more interested in talking to the students. I get paid the same either way. There's a difference between protesters and people who are acting violently. If you protest outside, that's your right. Welcome to America, that's First Amendment, and more power to you. If you decide to get violent with people, now you're being a fascist thug. Are you taking any extra precautions for your own security? We staffed up a little bit more. We've been told by UCPD that it would be worthwhile for us getting more than my usual security. Usually we have two members of our security. We've significantly more coming this time. Last time, Young America's Foundation had to foot what was originally a $15,000 bill for what was additional security. They've downsized that to $9,000. But the university is taking this really seriously. UCPD is taking this really seriously, so it would be foolish to not take this seriously. Your thoughts about the university providing counseling to students in case they need it after your speech? If you need counseling because I'm talking, let me suggest you needed counseling long before you even heard of me. If you really need psychiatric counseling because everything I'm saying is so hurtful and terrible, then you're not going to be able to survive in a free and open society where people disagree with you sometimes. This is the part the administration does that annoys me. Like I'm very pleased they're trying to hold the event, that they're providing security, that's their duty, but the stupidity that the administration has to warn the students about me, I somehow doubt that they would be sending a letter like this if Ta-Nehisi Coates was coming to town. The New York Times said in its story yesterday that you oppose identity politics, abortion and Donald Trump who or what do you oppose the most? In order it would go: abortion, Antifa and President Trump. President Trump I don't oppose when he does good things. I call myself "sometimes Trump." ... I did not vote at the top of the ticket at the last election cycle. A judge Wednesday denied a motion by Ghost Ship warehouse master tenant Derick Almena to have the charges against him dismissed or modified in the fire that killed 36 people at the Oakland warehouse last December. Almena's attorneys filed the motion on the grounds that the charges aren't specific enough. Tony Serra, one of several attorneys for Almena, 47, who's charged with 36 counts of involuntary manslaughter, argued that the charges against Almena and co-defendant Max Harris, 27, the warehouse's creative director, are "fatally ambiguous" because they say that the two men engaged in a lawful act in an unlawful way. Serra told Alameda County Superior Court Judge Yolanda Northridge, "We say to the court: Make them (the prosecution) specify what act was violated. We ask the court for fair play." Prosecutor David Lim didn't address the specifics of Serra's comments, saying only that his office followed the proper procedures in filing the charges against Almena and Harris. Northridge then denied Serra's motion without comment. Almena and Harris, who remain in custody in lieu of $750,000 bail, were scheduled to enter pleas Wednesday but they postponed doing so until Sept. 27. A preliminary hearing, where a judge will determine if there's enough evidence for them to stand trial, is scheduled to begin on Nov. 13. Serra said the hearing will last one or two weeks. Almena and Harris are each charged for their roles in the deadly blaze during a crowded dance party at the warehouse at 1309 31st Ave. in Oakland's Fruitvale district on Dec. 2 and could face 39 years in state prison if they're convicted. Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said when she filed the charges against Almena and Harris on June 5 that their actions were "reckless" and created a high risk of death for the people who attended the dance party, for which Almena and Harris had failed to get permits from the city of Oakland. Mary Alexander, the lead attorney in civil lawsuits that have been filed on behalf of the families of 31 of the 36 fire victims, attended the hearing for Almena and Harris Wednesday. She said afterward that Alameda County Superior Court Judge Brad Seligman on Tuesday denied a motion by PG&E to be removed from the civil case. Alexander said Seligman previously denied a similar motion by warehouse owner Chor Ng to be removed from the lawsuit. Among the other defendants who are named in the civil lawsuits are Almena, the city of Oakland, Alameda County and the state of California. The University of Berkeley, California community is seething with tension. Organizers of a four-day parade of right-wing bigwigs on Thursday released the lineup of speakers for Free Speech Week, just hours before Ben Shapiro makes a closely-watched appearance on campus. From Sept. 24 to 27, Free Speech Week will feature about two dozen people, including provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, conservative commentator Ann Coulter, alt-right social media star Mike Cernovich, and former Google engineer James Damore, who was fired after penning a memo that criticized the tech giants diversity policy, according to the SF Gate. The first day has been dubbed Feminism Awareness Day, the second will be called Zuck 2020, the third Islamic Peace and Tolerance Day and the fourth Mario Savio is Dead, the SF Gate reported. Yiannopoulos is expected to speak on all four days. Although UC Berkeley is referred to as the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement, the campus community is furious about the upcoming events. As of Thursday, a letter calling for a boycott of classes and other activities during Free Speech Week had garnered signatures from 132 faculty members from several departments, the Daily Californian reported. As concerned faculty members, we cannot remain silent while students, staff, colleagues, and fellow community members are threatened, says the letter, which was penned by seven faculty members, including those who chair the Gender and Womens Studies, African American Studies and Ethnic Studies departments. The letter decries asking students and staff to choose between risking their physical and mental safety by attending classes amid harassment, intimidation, violence, and militarized policing. It also expressed concern that threats are not only physical, and people who dont agree with the way of thinking of Free Speech Week invitees might be exposed to online threats. Acknowledging that UC Berkeley must provide a safe space for differing ideas and perspectives, there are forms of speech that are not protected under the First Amendment, the letter said. It continued: Milo, Coulter and Bannon do not come to educate; they and their followers come to humiliate and incite. If the administration insists upon allowing the Alt-Right to occupy the center of our campus for four days then faculty cannot teach, staff cannot work and students cannot learn. The faculty members stressed that they will not provide people associated with the alt-right the attention they crave and a boycott is the only responsible course of action. The letter says classes should be canceled so students can stay home, and buildings and departments should be closed so staff can ensure their own safety. Further, it asks other faculty members to not penalize scared UC Berkeley students who are miss classes. As faculty, we reject both the administrations false rhetoric of false equivalency that all speech including hate speech merits value and respect and also the impulse to see direct confrontation as the only strategy of resistance, they concluded. For his part, UC Berkeley spokesman Dan Mogulof told NBC Bay Area that there is no mistaking the university's legal responsibility. He wrote in an email: "The protections for free speech contained in the first amendment as interpreted by subsequent case law oblige us to allow any speaker who has been invited in accordance with our policies to speak without discrimination in regard to content. It is up to faculty to decide how they plan to cover the curriculum for their classes over the course of a semester." Here is the full lineup for Free Speech Week: Sunday, Sept. 24: Feminism Awareness Day Miss Elaine Lucian Wintrich Lisa DePasquale Chadwick Moore Milo Yiannopoulos Monday, Sept. 25: Zuck 2020 Heather Mac Donald Monica Crowley Sabo Jordan Peterson James Damore Tuesday, Sept. 26: Islamic Peace and Tolerance Day Michael Malice Raheem Kassam Katie Hopkins Erik Prince Pamela Geller David Horowitz Milo Yiannopoulos Wednesday, Sept, 27: Mario Savio is Dead Sales indicate that the Bay Area housing market is continuing to tighten. News reports about homes selling for well over the asking price like one in Sunnyvale that sold for $800,000 more than was needed may seem like a dream come true, but the trend is making things difficult for both buyers and sellers. Realtor Lynsie Gridley told NBC Bay Area that only 36 homes are for sale across Campbell. Of Santa Clara Countys roughly 415,000 houses, which includes townhomes and condos, an estimated 900 are on the market. That marks a 43 percent decrease from last year. The shortage of single-family homes hits the Bay Area particularly hard sending more families out of the region. As things stand, only 737 single-family residences are up for grabs in Santa Clara County, 1,043 in Alameda County, 409 in San Mateo County and 35 in San Francisco. The lack of inventory is putting both buys and sellers in unenviable positions, Gridley explained. People looking to cash in on the hot housing market or downsize are staying put in their homes out of fear that they wont find anything else to buy. She also doesnt think the housing bubble will burst. We dont see that happening, Gridley said. All the economists are looking at the job market and all of our growth around here and though it seems unsustainable, we dont foresee it coming down. When they first boarded the Norwegian Escape a week ago, passengers knew exactly where they were going. Now they have no idea. The cruise ship, with about 4,000 guests on board, departed from Miami on Saturday, Sept. 2, and was scheduled to return a week later, after making stops in Honduras, Belize and Mexico. The boat made it to the Honduran island of Roatan on Monday and Belize the following day. But on Tuesday, passengers were told that their ports of call at Mexico's Cozumel island and the Costa Maya had been canceled. The dangerous and powerful Hurricane Irma, which had carved a path of death and destruction across a string of Caribbean islands, was headed straight for Florida, home to a fair number of passengers on the ship. Many of those passengers had already switched from relaxation to disaster-preparation mode, and were eager to get home to secure their belongings and ensure the safety of their pets. Michael Davis, who lives near the water in St. Augustine, Florida, was one of them. "Once they said, 'We're heading back,' then the mood shifted from vacation time to, 'Alright, let's get home and get it taken care of,'" said Davis, 42. But there was only a short window of time to drop them off before it would be too dangerous to dock in Miami. So the ship arrived in port Thursday afternoon, two days early, allowing hundreds of passengers to disembark. Hundreds more had no reason to get off, however, and knew that competing with Florida residents evacuating the state ahead of the storm for rental cars and flights was a losing proposition. So they chose a second option: a "cruise to nowhere." The Escape headed back out to sea Thursday evening, with a new manifest of about 4,000 that included some of the original passengers as well as some fellow travelers who disembarked early from another ship called the Norwegian Sky. They, too, had decided to prolong their seagoing adventures. The cruisers have no idea where they are headed or when they will return. A lot of it, they were told, would be up to Irma: which path she decides to take and how long she lingers. "We said to guests that we cannot confirm when or where you'll be coming back, but obviously we'll make every effort to return the ship to port as soon as it's safe to do so," said Norwegian Cruise Line spokeswoman Vanessa Picariello. Picariello said the ship "is heading west," but she did not have a more precise route. She said the ship will try to make a port of call if it's safe to do so "but if not, guests will enjoy a cruise to nowhere and be able to be safe and out of the storm." Picariello added that the ship plans to return to Miami, but that cruise officials will look into alternate ports if the one in Miami is damaged by the hurricane. Margaret Cunningham of Battle Ground, Washington, said she decided to stay on board with her husband, Mike, after the captain assured them the ship could avoid Irma and even outrun a hurricane. "They've been very clear that they're not going to run out of food. They're not going to run out of water. They're not going to run out of booze very important and so we're just going to stay on and enjoy the ride," said Cunningham, 65, who is recently retired. Barbara Engel, who could not get a flight home to Dallas, said she believed staying on the ship was her best option. "I've got everything here and more than I would want, and we can run" from the storm if necessary, Engel, 49, said shortly before the ship pulled into port in Miami on Thursday. "So really, all told, I think I'm in the best place I can be at this time." Debbie Kendrick, of Courtland, Ohio, said she has enjoyed the cruise, even if she hasn't slept quite as well because she doesn't know when or where it will end. "I appreciate that the cruise line wants to keep us safe," she said. "They're not just dropping us off." Associated Press Airlines Writer David Koenig contributed to this report. U.S. Virgin Islands officials on Thursday confirmed dock security in hurricane-ravaged St. Thomas prevented more than two dozen stranded people from boarding a ferry last week set to carry 600 Marriott customers to Puerto Rico. "What occurred with the non-Marriott guests was a necessity, that is normal, legal protocol," said Beverly Nicholson-Doty, commissioner for the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. "Marriott acted quickly to secure their ferry because they already had a list of names from the hotels for their manifest. So they were able to move a lot quicker. We had visitor centers opened to register guests and have them evacuated." "We know people were anxious to leave but we still had to follow protocol," she said. Social media erupted with outrage over the incident and some stranded visitors said Marriott had left them behind despite having room for hundreds of people. Marriott International said they did not the authority to allow non-Marriott guests onto their chartered ferry. One of the stranded visitors documented the ferry leaving behind victims of Hurricane Irma in a Facebook video, saying she was being denied access by the Marriott crew. Another stranded visitor wrote in a Facebook post that the company denied "humanitarian aid to women, elderly people and children." Nicholson-Doty with the U.S. Virgin Islands said other cruise ships were set up to have as many people as possible evacuated before another storm hit. Stranded visitors were required to go to a 24-hour visitor center and register for evacuation. A second storm, Hurricane Jose, was unpredictable and Marriott had a short window of time to get visitors on their way, Tim Sheldon, president of Caribbean and Latin America for Marriott International, earlier said in a detailed interview with Forbes. The company also was prevented from taking others by dock security, he said. Marriot International released a statement giving details of the incident: "On Friday, Marriott was able to secure a ferry to transport about 600 of our guests from St. Thomas to Puerto Rico. These were guests who had to stay behind after the airport closed in advance of Hurricane Irma. The ferry departed St. Thomas Friday, September 8, with the Marriott guests onboard. There were a number of additional people gathered at the dock who were not our guests who also expressed a desire to leave St. Thomas. We very much wanted to assist these other travelers to Puerto Rico, however, the Marriott team on-the-ground was told they had no authorization to board additional passengers who were not on the manifest. This was enforced by dock security. With Hurricane Jose on a path to St. Thomas, the ferry had a tight window to pick up passengers and safely depart. As a company, Marriott places a priority on the safety and security of our guests, but we also have a long tradition of looking out for the greater community. In this case, we werent able to help and as grateful as we are that we were able to transport our guests, we are saddened that we were not able to do the same for more people. We continue to work with local authorities in St. Thomas to help support the relief efforts there." According to FEMA, since Sept. 11, nearly 443,000 meals and 146,000 liters of water have been transferred to St. Thomas and St. John. "We recognize the damage. We are working on relief and recovery. We have a journey ahead of us," Nicholson-Doty said. The pregnant high school teacher who was missing from Maryland was found buried in a shallow grave on Wednesday, and her boyfriend has been charged with killing her. Laura Wallen, an Olney, Maryland, resident who was four months pregnant, had been missing for nine days. A search and rescue team found the 31-year-old's body about noon Wednesday in Damascus, Maryland, Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger said in a news conference Wednesday night. Wallen's boyfriend, Tyler Tessier, 32, was arrested hours later and charged with first-degree murder. On Monday, he spoke at a news conference with Wallen's family, holding his girlfriend's mother's hand. Police said Tessier was the father of Wallen's baby and asked Wallen's father for permission to marry her despite being engaged to another woman. "He has been deceiving and lying their entire existence and their relationship was the only thing that Laura and her family ever fought about," Wallen's father, Mark Wallen, said after a judge ordered Tessier held without bond Thursday afternoon. Police said both women knew about their past relationships with Tessier, but both believed he was dating them exclusively. According to charging documents, Wallen sent Tessier's fiancee a text message on Aug. 28 asking if the two could meet. "It's important that some things are cleared up and I would imagine that if you were in my position, you'd want some answers as well. By no means is this an attempt at confrontation, just looking for an explanation," the text message read. A pregnant woman who had been missing for more than a week was found dead and her boyfriend has been charged in her murder. Police described a troubling text Laura Wallen sent before her death. News4's Shomari Stone reports. She was reported missing a week later. Tessier told police he last saw Wallen alive Sept. 4, but her family said they hadn't seen her since Sept. 1. Investigators have interviewed Tessier's fiancee, but police have not said whether they believe she was involved. On Monday, Tessier, of Damascus, pleaded for his girlfriend's safe return. "If somebody has her, please understand that you've taken away a huge person in so many people's life," Tyler Tessier said Monday. "I don't know where she is. I don't know. I pray that she's safe and that she comes back. That's all I care about." Police had suspected Tessier's "involvement" since the investigation began, and allowed him to speak at the family's news conference as an investigation strategy, Manger said. "The decision to allow him to participate in that news conference was a calculated decision made by the detectives in this case for the express purpose of hearing what he had to say. It was done with the approval and knowledge of the victim's family," the police chief said. "He is a monster and he is a liar," Mark Wallen said. "And it was absolutely the hardest thing my wife could do would be to sit next to him and hold his hand." The investigation is ongoing. It could not immediately be determined if Tessier had an attorney. In additional to murder, Tessier was charged with altering evidence and making a false statement to an officer. Wallen was a beloved social studies teacher at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Maryland. Her students and coworkers worried when she failed to show up for the first day of school on Sept. 5. "She was exemplary," district superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano said early Thursday. "She led with her heart, care and compassion." Grief counselors were available at the school. Grief counselors were available at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, Maryland, on Thursday after missing teacher Laura Wallen was found dead Wednesday. "She was exemplary," district superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano said. "She led with her heart, care and compassion." News4's Justin Finch reports. Manger said Tessier was the last person known to have seen Wallen. Surveillance video shows the two together on Saturday, Sept. 2, at a grocery store near Wallen's home. Later that day, Wallen texted her sister and said Tessier had taken her on an "adventure" to a farm. "Tyler has me on an adventure in the country ... don't know why I'm here but it's for something," she wrote, court records say. "Really where are you?" her sister replied. "I'm waiting in a field," Wallen wrote. "Take a picture," her sister said. Wallen sent a photo of a large field with a tree line, police said. Her body was found in what appears to be that same field. The property, near Prices Distillery Road, belongs to a close friend of Tessier, according to charging documents. Wallen's sister told police she received a "troubling" text message from Wallen's phone on Monday, Sept. 4. Manger said Tessier is believed to have actually sent the text, which read, "The baby isn't Tyler's." The text went on to claim the baby belonged to an ex-boyfriend, a man police say she hadn't seen in two years. According to charging documents, the name of the ex-boyfriend was misspelled in the text, which Wallen's sister found odd. Additionally, the texts "were not consistent with the writing style she has come to know," police said. Police say Tessier also gave conflicting statements about his last interaction with Wallen. According to charging documents, Tessier initially told police that he last saw her on Monday, Sept. 4. During that meeting, Tessier said Wallen was "crying hysterically" and asked him to give her back the key to her home. Tessier claimed he later asked her to meet him at Columbia Mall, but she never showed up. Investigators noted that the mall is across the street from where Wallen's car was found. Police say Tessier told them he went back to her home, but didn't go inside because he had given her his key. But a neighbor later told police they saw Tessier walking Wallen's dog that afternoon. Wallen's family found the dog inside her locked home that evening. During his last interview with police, Tessier claimed Wallen told him that he was not the father of her child and that she needed time to go tell her ex-boyfriend that he was the father, charging documents state. Manger said Tessier drove Wallen's Ford Escape to the Columbia area, and he admitted to getting rid of the front tag. Tessier also admitted to throwing out Wallen's driver's license and iPhone, Manger said. Tessier told police he got rid of the items to "buy her time," charging documents say. When police asked him to spell the name of the ex-boyfriend, investigators say he misspelled it the same distinctive way it was misspelled in the text message Wallen's sister received. A vigil for a missing Maryland woman's safe return became a gathering to grieve after news of her murder. News4's Jackie Bensen reports some students who knew Laura Wallen are angered and upset. Wallen's Ford Escape was found Sept. 7 at an apartment complex in Howard County. The SUV was not far from Wilde Lake High. Tessier also texted an acquaintance asking for a ride to Baltimore and their help "to clean up a mess," Manger said. That person declined to help. Wallen's body finally was found Wednesday, Sept. 13. Members of a search team saw a freshly dug area on a large farm, and then cadaver-sniffing dogs found Wallen's shallow grave. A purple piece of fabric was in plain view, police said. "Laura is in the loving arms of God now," Mark Wallen told a News4 reporter via text message on Wednesday. Tessier was living in three different locations, Manger said, adding that police have interviewed everyone who he lived with. Manger said the owner of the property where her body was found has no involvement with her murder. An autopsy will determine Wallen's exact cause and manner of death. Wallen's family said she was excited about her pregnancy and posted her sonogram on her refrigerator. She spent the days before her death preparing her classroom for the new school year, friends said. "We were praying for a good, old fashioned miracle. God did not give us the miracle that I asked for, but he did give us a miracle nonetheless. We have our daughter back," Mark Wallen said. Christmas trees are popping up in a small Kansas town as residents prepare to celebrate the holiday early for a 3-year-old boy with terminal cancer. Lebo residents will celebrate Christmas on Sunday as a tribute to Christian Risner, who was placed in hospice care last month, the Wichita Eagle reported . Christian, who graduated from preschool on Thursday, has Rhabdoid kidney cancer, which has created tumors in his kidneys and lungs. Doctors say he has less than three months to live. His hometown in southern Kansas has rallied around him. Santa will make an appearance during Sunday's events, brining toys to a community potluck hosted by the Lebo Baptist Church. A horse-drawn sleigh will take Christian to look at the array of trees and holiday lights residents and businesses put up around town. "He loves Christmas and we have told him Christmas comes on Sunday," said his mother, Sarah Risner. Lebo resident Kelly Freund said she saw Christian's struggles in fighting cancer and wanted to help. She said the idea of ensuring he sees one more Christmas "has taken off like wildfire." "I have gotten so many messages from people from so many different states. It's pictures of people putting Christmas trees up in support of Christian," she said. A silent auction will take place at the church Sunday, with proceeds going to help with the family's medical expenses. Richard Odum, pastor at the church, said was moved watching Christian's fight over the last year and half with an incurable cancer, adding: "It is a hard deal to know he is hurting." Christian went into hospice after undergoing a procedure that drained 16 ounces of fluid from his lungs. "Some days are good, some aren't," Risner said. "I don't know why God has chosen my child. I accept he needs him more than I need him, and I don't like it. But I am grateful I get to be his mom." Over the weekend, Transylvania University student Paola Garcia posted a YouTube video in which she said she was targeted by a fellow student on social media because of her immigration status. By Wednesday, that video had gone viral, and the student she named, Taylor Ragg, was no longer enrolled at the university. In the video, a tearful Garcia talks about how she has lived in the United States since she was 2 and has faced all kinds of adversity. "I usually suck it up, bite my tongue, let it go. I never asked for help but that is what I am here to do now," she said. Garcia, born in Mexico, is in the United States under former President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which President Trump is dismantling. According to Garcia, Ragg posted a message in a closed Facebook group titled "10th Crusade Enthusiasts in late August, which led to a flood of messages that ranged from threats of reporting her to immigration authorities to racially offensive remarks. His post included a screenshot of Garcia's Facebook profile along with his comment, "Everyone go report this illegal at my school." Efforts to contact Ragg were unsuccessful; he has deleted his Facebook and Twitter accounts. The Lexington Herald Leader reported that when they asked for a comment, Ragg responded, "Lexington Herald Leader is Fake News." Garcia said that she took screenshots of all the threats and comments and reported them to university officials. Transylvania University initially released the following statement: "Transylvania University does not condone or tolerate hatred, bigotry, bullying or harassment in any form and will address any such behavior in a manner consistent with our policies, procedures, and values as a University. We value every member of this community on the basis of their humanity, not on the basis of their ethnicity, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or legal status. We are aware of the situation that has occurred on social media and are investigating the matter very seriously. But per University policy, we cannot comment any further on any specific personnel or student issue." Later in the day, Michele Sparks, the vice president of Marketing and Communications, sent the following statement by email: "I am writing to inform you that Taylor Ragg is no longer enrolled at Transylvania University. Per University policy and federal laws, we cannot offer any further details into the matter." Access Health CT has extended the end of open enrollment from Dec. 15 to Dec. 22. The announcement comes a day after one that Anthem and ConnectiCare Benefits, Inc. will continue to offer plans on the exchange in 2018. This is great news for our customers, said Jim Wadleigh, CEO of Access Health CT (AHCT), said. We are very pleased that both Anthem and ConnectiCare have decided to stay with us next year so that Connecticut residents can continue to have multiple health insurance plan options. In collaboration with our carrier partners, weve decided to extend the Open Enrollment Period from December 15 to December 22 so that individuals have more time to shop, choose and use the best plan for them. Anyone enrolling in health insurance during this time will have coverage that begins on January 1, 2018 once the first premium payment is made, Wadleigh said in a statement. Open Enrollment starts Nov. 1. Access Health CT is also opening several in-person enrollment locations. Wadleigh said there is still a tax penalty for not having coverage and residents are extended to visit AccessHealthCT.com. Floridians who have been stranded in Connecticut because of Hurricane Irma are beginning to head back home. "There's no power in some places, there's no food. We are still waiting to get power, food, gasoline, the traffic is horrendous, said Josh Pattek, who visited Cheshire for a wedding on Friday with his family. On Wednesday, he and his family were finally returning to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Pattek said he's unsure what he'll find when he returns. "Hopefully we get home and everything is still intact and we are ready to go," Pattek said. Flights were delayed for dozens of travelers who were heading south from Bradley Airport but those issued cleared up by the late afternoon. Pattek said he is eager to get home, yet worried to find his home damaged. Two men were arrested in Jacksonville, Florida, after strapping a utility pole to their SUV and trying to make off with it. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office tweeted a photo Wednesday of the two shirtless men sitting handcuffed on a curb near their vehicle with a huge JEA utility pole lying across the SUV's roof. Victor Walter Apeler, 46, and Blake Lee Waller, 42, were arrested and charged with grand theft, NBC affiliate WCMH-TV reported. The pole was valued at $2,500, according to WCMH-TV. According to a police report, Apeler told officers they were moving the pole because it had fallen near traffic lanes, Action News Jax reported. Looting in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma has been a concern for Florida police. Earlier this week, more than two dozen people were arrested in Fort Lauderdale and Miami for Irma-related looting. The state has not had a budget for two and a half months and lawmakers said they have reached a deal with Governor Dannel Malloy. Lawmakers will be voting on the nearly thousand-page bill either Thursday night or early Friday morning. "While we are finishing up the last few implementing languages, we have reached a budget agreement with the house and senate democrats and also the governor's office," Speaker of the House, Rep. Joe Aresimowicz said. Democratic lawmakers who spent Wednesday at the State Capitol with Malloy said they are on the brink of a budget and believe they are close to having enough support in their own party to bring the latest version of the budget to a vote soon. The urgency of the present moment cannot be overstated. It is critical that a responsible budget is passed by the General Assembly, one that provides greater predictability and stability for the people and businesses of Connecticut. Local governments, community providers, parents, teachers and students all of them are best served by passing a budget, and passing it now, Gov. Dannel Malloy said in a statement. The latest version of the budget does not appear to have the tax increases that Democrats had initially pushed for and that the governor said he would veto. House Majority Leader Matt Ritter (D) said there will be virtually no tax increases; no sales tax increase, which could have gone from 6.35 percent to 6.5 percent; and no 75-cent tax on vaping products in the budget they bring to a vote. He added that the city of Hartford will not have to file bankruptcy There will be no need to file bankruptcy. They will be able to pay their debts. Theyll be able to pay their legal obligations. There will be strings attached with that, Ritter said. Theyre going to have a year to manage their finances to make changes, to work with an oversight board to see where they are. Lawmakers who met with the governor Wednesday said the negotiations are significant because striking a deal with Malloy is the only way to get a spending plan in place to avoid somewhere in the neighborhood of $300 million in education cuts statewide, meaning there will be fewer Democrats, if any, voting no. The budget framework now being finalized by the General Assembly appears to be a balanced and responsible compromise. After finalizing an historic agreement with state employees to save tens of billions of dollars, this budget includes hundreds of millions of dollars in spending cuts, achieving balance without any increases to the sales or income tax rates. It would restore hundreds of millions in town aid, and also include a fair and transparent education funding formula that supports schools and students in communities across Connecticut big and small. And, it would offer real structural reforms to put our state on better financial footing now and into the future, Malloy said in a statement. The state House of Representatives budget talks have been moved to this afternoon and the state Senate might not see the budget until midnight or later. Republicans said they want the chance to present their own balanced budget today as well. The budget they proposed earlier this week called for no new taxes and no tax increases and now they said they are being shut out of talks. To hold us til 2, 3 oclock in the morning is not a good thing for government. Its not fair to the people in the state of Connecticut and its fundamentally wrong, Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano, said. I think the reason why theyre doing this is to scare people into voting for their budget, which really is a false choice and a false narrative. If a budget is not passed by the end of the month, Malloys education funding cuts to 135 cities and towns go into effect in October. It still remains to be seen exactly how lawmakers plan to fill a $3.5 million shortfall over the next two years. Some of the burden to cover teacher pensions looks to be shifting to cities and towns. Whats in the final budget will not be clear until it comes to a vote. Fewer Catholics are filling the pews in some North Texas churches, and politics appears to be a big reason why. Just this week, former White House adviser Steve Bannon claimed in an interview with 60 Minutes on CBS that bishops defend undocumented immigrants because they need them. "People are living in fear unnecessarily, and it saddens me," said Auxiliary Bishop John Gregory Kelly. Bishop Kelly knows some undocumented immigrants in the Diocese of Dallas are now too afraid to attend church service. "They're our brothers and sisters," he said. The bishop says he was taken aback by the 60 Minutes interview with Bannon. Bannon told CBS journalist Charlie Rose that he had wanted President Donald Trump to abolish the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program that protects young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Rose told Bannon, who is Catholic, that Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, criticized Trump's decision to end DACA. Bannon then fired back at the church and bishops. The following is a transcript provided by CBS' 60 Minutes: BANNON: "The bishops have been terrible about this, by the way. You know why? You know why? Because unable to really to come to grips with the problems in the church, they need illegal aliens, they need illegal aliens to fill the churches. It's obvious on the face of it. That's what-- the entire Catholic Bishops condemning. They have -- they have an economic interest. They have an economic interest in unlimited immigration, unlimited illegal immigration." ROSE: "Boy, that's a tough thing to say about your church." BANNON: "As much as I respect Cardinal Dolan and the bishops on doctrine, this is not doctrine. This is not doctrine at all. I totally respect the pope and I totally respect the Catholic bishops and cardinals on doctrine. This is not about doctrine. This is about the sovereignty of a nation. And in that regard, they're just another guy with an opinion." "I thought the statement reflected a very cynical viewpoint," said Bishop Kelly. "We support undocumented human beings, we support all human beings, because they're human beings. They have a basic human dignity. They're created in the image and likeness of God." Kelly noted the issue of facing undocumented people affects him personally. "Many of our parents and grandparents and great-grandparents came to this country for the same reason people are coming here now: to escape persecution or war, poverty, to have a better life for their children and themselves," he said. The bishop went on to say, "We welcome the person in front of us, whether they're rich or poor. Jesus said, 'I was a stranger and you welcomed me.' So we welcome that person in front of us. We can't say, 'Well, I'm sorry, you don't have enough money, or I'm sorry, you don't have papers.' We just say, 'You are our brothers and sisters, so we welcome you.'" The Diocese of Dallas says it is experiencing growth, especially with people moving to North Texas from other parts of the country for work. The diocese insists it does not depend on undocumented immigrant parishioners, but welcomes them with open arms. Bishop Kelly said he has heard some parishes report a drop in the number of children signed up for educational programs. He has also been informed of an incident at a local parish where someone's truck was stolen, but the owner did not report it to police out of fear. Kelly said the Diocese of Dallas will continue to welcome, protect, promote and integrate all who walk through their doors. "You are our brothers and sisters. You're our family. We care for you," he said. An injured hawk that got into a Houston man's taxicab before Hurricane Harvey made landfall was released back into the wild Wednesday in North Texas. The female Cooper's hawk was released in a Plano park after spending the last two weeks in rehabilitation for a head injury. Cab driver William Bruso, who dubbed her "Harvey the Hurricane Hawk" in online videos that went viral, took her home after she got into his taxicab Aug. 25. Liz Compton of the TWRC Wildlife Center picked up the animal the next day as Harvey's rains fell. Compton said the hawk couldn't fly because of head trauma, probably from flying into something. After a week-and-a-half of treatment, Compton took the hawk to a Dallas-area center for exercise before releasing her back to the wild. On Wednesday, Bruso made a four-and-a-half hour drive from Katy, Texas, to Plano for a much-anticipated reunion with his former passenger. "Today is a special day," the Houston-based cab driver said. "Harvey the hawk that made its way in my taxi to seek refuge from the hurricane, she's being released in the wild today." Bruso and crowds of families from all over North Texas gathered at Oak Point Park in Plano not only to see Harvey's release but to embrace the hawk as a symbol of hope, survival and triumph amid devastation from Harvey the hurricane. Richard Fry brought his daughters to get a glimpse of the bird after seeing the viral video online. "This story touched my heart," Fry said. "Harvey the hawk did give me hope. I see the kindness in people." "And the miraculousness at a second chance of being released into nature when he might not have made it," added Fry's daughter, Amanda Fry. For Bruso, sharing this message was a magical experience. "It's full circle. Full, amazing circle," Bruso said. "What happened today is what is supposed to happen. Harvey was set free, and I hope she does not look back." County officials in southeast Texas are asking the federal government for $17 million to purchase over 100 homes at high risk of flooding. The Houston Chronicle reports the Harris County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to apply for a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant. The funds would be used to buy and demolish homes that are at least 2 feet (0.61 meters) below the flood plain. The grant application is based on flooding in the previous two years, so it may not apply to the estimated 136,000 buildings in the county that were flooded during Hurricane Harvey. More than 1,000 residents have requested the county Flood Control District buy their homes damaged in the hurricane. Local and FEMA officials say they hope to expand and speed up the buyout process. The University of Tennessee says one of its professors has helped identify a species of giant prehistoric crocodiles that roamed the coasts and waterways of what's now north-central Texas about 95 million years ago. A university news release Wednesday said Stephanie Drumheller-Horton was on the team that identified the species that grew up to 20 feet long and likely ate whatever they wanted, from turtles to dinosaurs. The team found the fossilized bones at an Arlington, Texas, dig site discovered in 2003. The species, Deltasuchus motherali, is named for dig site volunteer Austin Motheral, who first uncovered fossils of the crocodile with a small tractor when he was 15 years old. The university said the crocodile is the first of what may be several new species from the fossil site. North Korea conducted its longest-ever test flight of a ballistic missile Friday, sending an intermediate-range weapon hurtling over U.S. ally Japan into the northern Pacific Ocean in a launch that signals both defiance to its rivals and a big technological advance. Since President Donald Trump threatened the North with "fire and fury" in August, Pyongyang has conducted its most powerful nuclear test, threatened to send missiles into the waters around the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam and launched two missiles of increasing range over Japan. July saw its first tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles that could strike deep into the U.S. mainland when perfected. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the latest launch, and the White House is referring to the Department of Defense for further comments. "North Korea's provocative missile launch represents the second time the people of Japan, a treaty ally of the United States, have been directly threatened in recent weeks," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own," he continued. The growing frequency, power and confidence displayed by these tests seem to confirm what governments and outside experts have long feared: North Korea is closer than ever to its goal of building a military arsenal that can viably target both U.S. troops in Asia and the U.S. homeland. This, in turn, is meant to allow North Korea greater military freedom in the region by raising doubts in Seoul and Tokyo that Washington would risk the annihilation of a U.S. city to protect its Asian allies. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the latest missile traveled about 3,700 kilometers (2,300 miles) and reached a maximum height of 770 kilometers (478 miles). Guam, which is the home of important U.S. military assets, is 3,400 kilometers (2,112 miles) away from North Korea. North Korea has repeatedly vowed to continue these tests amid what it calls U.S. hostility by which it means the presence of nearly 80,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan and South Korea. Robust international diplomacy on the issue has been stalled for years, and there's little sign that senior officials from Pyongyang and Washington might sit down to discuss ways to slow the North's determined march toward inclusion among the world's nuclear weapons powers. Friday's test, which Seoul said was the 19th launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea this year, triggered sirens and warning messages in northern Japan but caused no apparent damage to aircraft or ships. It was the second missile fired over Japan in less than a month. North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sept. 3. The missile was launched from Sunan, the location of Pyongyang's international airport and the origin of the earlier missile that flew over Japan. Analysts have speculated the new test was of the same intermediate-range missile launched in that earlier flight, the Hwasong-12, and was meant to show Washington that the North can hit Guam if it chose to do so. It was met with the usual outrage. South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered his military to conduct a live-fire ballistic missile drill in response and instructed government officials to pursue "stern" measures to discourage further provocations. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said one of the two missiles fired in the drill hit a sea target about 250 kilometers (155 miles) away, which was approximately the distance to Pyongyang's Sunan, but the other failed in flight shortly after launch. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis both called the North Korean launch a reckless act. The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency closed-door meeting to be held Friday afternoon in New York. South Korean experts have said North Korea wants to make missiles flying over Japan an accepted norm as it seeks to win more military space in a region dominated by its enemies. North Korea initially flight-tested the Hwasong-12 and the ICBM model Hwasong-14 at highly lofted angles to reduce their range and avoid neighboring countries. The two launches over Japan indicate North Korea is moving toward using angles close to operational to determine whether its warheads can survive the harsh conditions of atmospheric re-entry and detonate properly. North Korea's August launch over Japan came weeks after it threatened to fire a salvo of Hwasong-12s toward Guam and bracket the island with "enveloping" missile fire. North Korea has been accelerating its nuclear weapons development under leader Kim Jong Un, a third-generation dictator who has conducted four of North Korea's six nuclear tests since taking power in 2011. The weapons being tested include hard-to-detect solid-fuel missiles designed to be launched from road mobile launchers or submarines. North Korea claimed its latest nuclear test was a detonation of a thermonuclear weapon built for its ICBMs. The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved new sanctions earlier this week over the nuclear test. They ban all textile exports and prohibit any country from authorizing new work permits for North Korean workers two key sources of hard currency. They also prohibit North Korea from importing all natural gas liquids and condensates, and cap Pyongyang's imports of crude oil and refined petroleum products. North Korea's Foreign Ministry denounced the U.N. sanctions and said the North will "redouble its efforts to increase its strength to safeguard the country's sovereignty and right to existence." President Donald Trump doled out hoagies and handshakes in the sweltering Florida heat on Thursday as he took a firsthand tour of Irma's devastation and liberally dispensed congratulatory words about the federal and state recovery effort. Trump, who was in and out of the state in about three hours, got an aerial view of the water-deluged homes along Florida's southwestern coast from his helicopter, then drove in his motorcade along streets lined with felled trees, darkened traffic lights and shuttered stores on his way to a mobile home community hit hard by the storm. Walking along a street in Naples Estates with his wife, Melania, the president encountered piles of broken siding and soggy furniture sitting on a front porch, and residents and volunteers who were happy to get a presidential visit. "We are there for you 100 percent," Trump said before donning gloves and helping to hand out sandwiches to local residents from a lunch line under a canopy. "I'll be back here numerous times. This is a state that I know very well." As he left the state, Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he planned another hurricane-related trip, to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, which were both badly hit by Irma. "I spoke to both governors. We've got it very well covered," Trump said. "Virgin Islands was really hit. They were hit about as hard as I've ever seen." The president brushed off a question about whether the recent hurricanes had made him rethink his views on climate change, which he has previously dismissed as a "hoax." He said: "If you go back into the 1930s and the 1940s, and you take a look, we've had storms over the years that have been bigger than this." Trump earlier met with federal and state leaders in Fort Myers, where he was brimming with enthusiasm for the state and federal response effort, calling it "a team like very few people have seen." The president couldn't resist injecting a political flavor into his visit, telling reporters in Fort Myers that he was hopeful that Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a two-term Republican, would run for the Senate, where Democrat Bill Nelson is up for re-election next year. "I don't know what he's going to do. But I know at a certain point it ends for you and we can't let it end. So I hope he runs for the Senate," Trump said. Trump's visit offered him the chance to see how people are coping with Irma's aftermath and how the Federal Emergency Management Agency is responding. Many Florida residents remain swamped and without electricity. Nearly 2.7 million homes and businesses, about 1 in 4 Florida customers, were still without power Thursday. But as Trump's comments about Scott suggested, politics wasn't far from the surface in Florida, the largest and most pivotal state in recent presidential elections. Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in Florida last year by about 1 percentage point. Vice President Mike Pence, who joined Trump on the trip, promised Floridians: "We're with you today. We're going to be with you tomorrow and we're going to be with you until Florida rebuilds bigger and better than ever before." Trump's trip to Florida was his third in less than three weeks to the storm-ravaged South. After Harvey struck Texas, Trump drew criticism for having minimal interaction with residents during his first trip in late August. He saw little damage and offered few expressions of concern. On his second visit, to Texas and Louisiana, he was more hands-on. He toured a Houston shelter housing hundreds of displaced people and walking streets lined with soggy, discarded possessions. This time, Trump made sure to connect with a community in recovery. He hewed toward hearty handshakes and enthusiastic promises rather than hugs and tears, but he was well received by people grappling with the storm. Florida's southwestern coast is a haven for retirees seeking warm weather and beautiful sunsets across the Gulf of Mexico. In Lee County, which includes Cape Coral and Fort Myers, the Florida Emergency Management Agency said 66 percent of the area's 290,000 electrical customers were still without power Wednesday. Widespread outages led to long lines outside of the relatively few stores, gas stations and restaurants that had reopened. The situation was even worse to the south in Collier County, home to Naples. Days after Irma passed, almost 80 percent of homes and businesses were still without electricity, and floodwaters still covered some communities entirely. A 29-year-old man who fatally stabbed his lover, and left the man's body in a plastic storage container in the victim's Los Angeles apartment, was sentenced Wednesday to 16 years to life in state prison. A Los Angeles Superior Court jury found Kenneth Mullen Watkins guilty Aug. 8 of second-degree murder for the January 2016 slaying of Terry Nigale Benjamin, whose body was discovered on Jan. 23, 2016, after neighbors in his apartment complex in the 4100 block of Santo Thomas Drive complained about a foul smell. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Herriford declined the defense's request to strike the knife enhancement that added a year to Watkins' sentence, citing the "multiple stab wounds" to Benjamin, the circumstances of the attack and the disposal of the 52-year-old victim's body. Benjamin's younger sister told the judge that her brother was a "role model always guiding me with wisdom" and that she feels "like a part of me has been taken away." Pam Sturrock said her brother's life was "so violently taken," and that it will have a ripple effect for years to come. Daniel Solis, who went to college with the victim, said, "A beautiful light has been put out." Speaking directly to Benjamin's killer, Solis said, "You killed him and shoved him in a container and left him there to rot." Lois Tedrow, who described herself as Benjamin's "California mom," described him as a "wonderful, generous person" who "would give you the shirt off his back." "I just miss him every single day," she said. Deputy District Attorney Deann Rivard said the victim -- who had a "sexual relationship" with Watkins -- was stabbed 10 times in the chest, back and top of the head and left in a storage container in his kitchen. The prosecutor lauded the work of police Detectives Rene Castro and Chris Courtney, who found a Walmart receipt on the victim's dining room table that led them to the store, where they obtained video surveillance footage of the victim and an individual later identified as the defendant wearing clothes that matched bloody clothing found on top of Benjamin's body. The detectives obtained fingerprint evidence from inside the residence and the victim's vehicle to identify Watkins, who acknowledged under questioning by police that he had stabbed Benjamin, according to Rivard. Watkins' attorney, Philip C. Dube, called what happened "a tragedy." "Mr. Watkins and I stand behind this being a matter of self-defense ... He insists that the victim came at him with a knife and he defended himself, and he will take that to his grave," the defense lawyer said outside court. The prosecutor countered that "there was no evidence at the crime scene that would support a claim of self-defense" other than the "defendant's self-serving statements." Watkins was arrested in March 2016 and has remained behind bars since then. Russia on Thursday kicked off a massive mobilization of military forces expected to be the largest exercise since the Cold War. The war games have triggered unease among U.S. officials and their allies in Eastern Europe, NBC News reported. Land, sea and air units will be taking part in the exercise across a huge area encompassing western Russia, Belarus, the Baltic Sea and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Moscow says fewer than 13,000 troops are participating, meaning they don't have to invite international observers. But NATO members and Western military experts believe as many as 100,000 troops may be involved in the drills. But analysts don't believe that Russia is about to launch a war. "NATO remains calm and vigilant, and committed to keeping Estonia and all our allies safe," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said last week in Estonia, one of the tiny Baltic nations that borders Russia and often worries about undue influence from Moscow. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More Nature not only offers Hai Phong advantages of a marine economy but also beautiful natural wonders. Hai Phong is not only the largest port city in the North Vietnam but also a major tourist and cultural center of the country. Hai Phong is famous for Cat Ba Islands. Visiting this island, you will not only have a chance to bathe at beautiful beaches but also discover Cat Ba National Park and surrounding islands such as Monkey Island, Cat Ong Island, ... Cat Ba is a group of small islands stretching to Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh). Cat Ba is made up of nearly 400 large and small islands, forming a beautiful water painting. To the south-east of the island is Lan Ha Bay, and to the west is Cat Gia Bay with beautiful beaches. If you choose diving for fun, Lan Ha Bay is the best choice. In the clear water, you can see colorful small fish in the bottom of the coral reefs. Considered the jewel of Hai Phong, Cat Ba is an attractive tourist destination for domestic and foreign tourists. Cat Ba is a convergence of beaches, mangrove forest, primary forest, and historical sites. Summer in Cat Ba is always full of sunshine, but the severity of the sun is eased by the beaches of white sand and green coconut trees. Cat Ba always brings a sense of peace to travellers. Do Son is also a beautiful beach of Hai Phong. If Cat Ba is a majestic, unspoiled space, Do Son is a true resort space with comfortable tourist services along with stretches of beaches. Cat Ba is not far away from Do Son. If you come to Hai Phong, you should visit Do Son to enjoy the resort services and seafood attractions, then take a boat from to Cat Ba to enjoy the scenery here. Coming to Cat Ba, you will be sitting on boats gliding through the waves, watching the vast stretch of coastline. There are many tourist boats to Cat Ba. A very pleasant experience in Cat Ba is to stand on the top of the Than Cong Fortress with binoculars to look at each small island around. Here, you can admire the full view of Cat Ba island. Cat Ba has many beaches. You will have a memorable experience if you walk around the beach in the morning. For photographers, Cat Ba is a great place to get beautiful photos. Coming to Lan Ha Bay, part of Cat Ba Island, you can enjoy the diving services. The water here is clear enough to see the bottom with shells and eroded stones with strange shapes. Located in the Lan Ha Bay are fishing villages. Spend one night out at the fishing village to discover the normal life of local fishermen. Hai Phong has famous seafood market such as Cau Von, May Chai, Cuong Ca, or Ngoc Hai Hai Phong is bestowed by nature with the richness of seafood as well as the economic value brought by the sea. Hai Phong beach attracts a large number of tourists every year. It is difficult to find land where sea tourism is easy and cheap, with poetic beauty like Hai Phong. Hai Phong cuisine is an interesting "mystery" for devotees. "Haiphong is truly a place to eat and play" with many unique and delicious dishes like crab cakes, crab spring rolls, duck cakes, fish noodles, spicy bread, crab hotpot,.... To explore all specialties of Hai Phong, you will have to visit this city several times. A New Jersey police officer has been arrested, accused of collecting thousands of dollars in disability benefits she wasn't entitled to, according to the Union County prosecutor's office. The Elizabeth Police Department officer, 39-year-old Alana Velazquez of Rahway, was served at the police department headquarters Wednesday morning, and released pending a September 27 court appearance. Prosecutors say Velazquez was injured on the job in January 2016. She had a supplemental insurance policy that didn't cover injuries on the job -- but she submitted documents containing false and forged information that indicated she was hurt while working. Velazquez allegedly received $8,600 in disability benefits to which she wasn't entitled as a result of the alleged fraud, prosecutors say. She could be sentenced up to 5 to 10 years in prison if convicted. Attorney information for Velazquez wasn't immediately available. A woman who answered the phone at the Elizabeth Police Department said she couldn't comment on the arrest and hung up. Before Donald Trump was elected president, before "antifa" became a household term and before the FBI classified Insane Clown Posse music fans as a gang, Christy Coyne and Kevin Bobsein met at a military base in Kuwait. The year was 2010. He was a computer engineer with the government. And she worked in academic support for a university that provided higher education on the base. The nonmilitary Americans on the base stuck together, and Bobsein, 33, asked for her number one day when they saw each other eating. She nearly ripped a page out of the book she was reading to write it down, but he told her not to ruin the book, and she knew right then she liked him. They went to a local flea market together on their first date where they ate sandwiches and saw everything from used underwear to furniture for sale. They traveled to Dubai, Jordan and throughout Europe together and now live in a cramped apartment in Northeast D.C. with their 18 pound cat, Mr. Miyago. But one of the more unusual events they may experience together may unfold right in their backyard -- on their wedding day. The couple is planning their Sept. 16 wedding at the D.C. War Memorial -- an idyllic and popular wedding location that on this particular day will be nestled between a pro-Trump rally, a rally for Insane Clown Posse fans and charity events. Insane Clown Posse fans call themselves Juggalos and are more known for wearing clown face paint and outrageous antics than blending into idyllic wedding locales. "I figure they're humans, they'll be okay, they'll see it's a wedding and stay away,'' Bobsein said. "Or, who knows, maybe it'll make for good photos." "I laughed I was like, Oh my gosh, half of my family is afraid of clowns," said Coyne, 38. "Everyone's just rolling with it, there's nothing we can do about it." The couple applied for the $90 National Park Service permit to have their wedding at the D.C. War Memorial in March. At the time, they knew there would be other events on the Mall, but didn't know just how many they would be, or how ridiculous they would sound to their out of town guests. The National Park Service says Sept. 16 is one of its busiest days of the year, with more than 30 groups and people seeking permits for events on federal park space across the District. The events include protests, charity races, group exercise classes and two weddings at the D.C. War Memorial. The pro-Trump "free speech" rally dubbed the Mother of All Rallies will take place near the Washington Monument. The Juggalo rally, which is protesting the FBI's 2011 classification of the group as a gang after crimes were committed by people who identified as Juggalos, will start near the Lincoln Memorial, according to Park Service permits issued to the group. More than 3,000 Juggalos are expected to attend. Another anti-Trump rally will unfold near the White House. The D.C. War Memorial is in a secluded area near the Washington Monument. Bobsein and Coyne said a National Park Service employee alerted them in June that their wedding coincided with the Juggalo rally and asked them if they wanted to change dates. By then, it was too close to the wedding date and they decided to stay put. They say they don't expect any issues or interruptions during their short afternoon ceremony, but conceded that all the hubbub on the Mall could make it a little noisy. They acknowledge that they did start looking into the Juggalos gang classification when they learned their wedding coincided with their protest. Though they had never listened to any Insane Clown Posse music, they do sympathize with their mission. "I support their cause, it seems ridiculous," Coyne said of the FBI gang classification. "Let them be." The ceremony will be less than an hour, in the middle of the afternoon, with a fairly quick exit so they can clear out in time for another wedding later in the afternoon. They plan to take professional photos at the memorial, and then head to their reception in D.C.'s Brookland neighborhood. Their 150 guests could interact with some of the protesters as they find Ubers and cabs to take them across town to the venue, where local pizza, beers and a DJ await them. "Our goal is just for everyone to have a good time, a lot of drinking and a lot of dancing," Bobsein said. The U.S. Park Police wouldn't discuss its security plan for the day, but said the agency is prepared for all the events. The Juggalos said they expect their event to be peaceful and don't plan to interact with any of the political protesters. "We will definitely try to walk around the weddings,'' Jason Webber, an organizer of the Insane Clown Posse rally, said in an interview last month. But, he added, "Juggalos make excellent wedding guests." Bobsein said they plan to have a very D.C. celebration. Their reception will be catered by Petworth's Timber Pizza, and the "godmother" of D.C.'s popular bocce ball leagues will be officiating the wedding ceremony. (Bobsein and Coyne are big bocce ball players.) So all the events on the Mall happening at the same time as their wedding will just be part of it. It is not clear if any of the protest groups plan to confront their opponents during the day. And while the couple didn't want to get into politics, they said they haven't participated in any protests in the Trump era and do not plan to start on their wedding day. But, they said, their wedding will be open to two D.C. guests who they never officially sent an invitation to. "If President Obama and Michelle want to stop by, they are welcome to," Bobsein said. Earlier this year, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin asked to use a government jet to fly to Europe for his honeymoon, but withdrew the request, a department spokesman told NBC News. ABC News first reported Mnuchin's request and withdrawal, which touched off an "inquiry" by the Treasury Department's Office of Inspector General. Officials told the outlet that the unusual request could have cost about $25,000 an hour. The request for the government jet was made so Mnuchin could have "secure communications" during the flight, but he was able to obtain them without it, so he withdrew the request, a Treasury spokesman said Wednesday night. Mnuchin and his wife, actress Louise Linton, were criticized last month, when they traveled to Kentucky, where he participated in an event at Fort Knox, on a government plane. He also spent part of the day watching the eclipse, and Linton's response to a critic on Instagram drew condemnation, prompting her to apologize. What to Know The arrests come months after a bombshell I-Team report exposed allegations of extreme hazing of customs officers at Newark Airport Authorities announced in July they had broken up a customs team at Newark Airport and suspended nearly a dozen officers One officer claims there was a notorious conference table known as "the rape table" in middle of the room where senior officers went wild Three Customs and Border Protection officers have been arrested following a bombshell I-Team report exposing allegations of extreme, sexually abusive hazing of colleagues at Newark Airport, federal prosecutors said Wednesday. Tito Catota, 38, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey; Parmenio Perez, 40, of Hawthorne, New Jersey; and Michael Papagni, 32, of Staten Island, are charged with forcibly assaulting, impeding, intimidating and interfering with two male customs officers while they were on duty. All three men appeared in federal court later Wednesday and were freed on $100,000 bond. Attorney information for the men wasn't immediately available. A spokesman for Customs and Border Patrol told News 4 in a statement it welcomes the indictments and that it "fully supported" the investigation by the Inspector General. "We do not tolerate misconduct in our ranks and are committed to a safe workplace environment free of harassment or intimidation," said spokesman Anthony Bucci, adding that CBP authorities took "administrative and management actions to correct the situation." He added, "The overwhelming majority of CBP employees, and our men and women in uniform at the port of Newark, perform their duties with honor and distinction, working tirelessly every day to keep our country safe." According to the criminal complaint, all three officers were assigned to the agency's pPassenger Enforcement Rover Team (PERT), an elite passenger screening team at Newark that was disbanded in May, two days after the exclusive I-Team report. The removal of the team wasn't revealed until July, though, when acting CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan disclosed in a letter to U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), who had sought action in the case, that 11 officers had been suspended pending the outcome of a federal investigation. The two male victims referred to in the criminal complaint are not named, though three came forward publicly to the I-Team months ago with allegations matching the behavior described in the federal court documents. According to the complaint, one victim was assigned to PERT in October 2016. Within his first two weeks on the job, Papagni allegedly told him that the PERT office table in the team's second-floor officer at Terminal C was known as the "rape table," and threatened that the victim would have to get on it. Months later, the victim was asked to forward a document related to the prior drug seizure. While the victim and another individual were scanning it, Papagni allegedly warned the victim he had five minutes to get out of the office or Papagni would teach him "what this team is about." Moments later, another individual with customs shut off the lights in the PERT office. Papagni, Catota and another person held the victim down, according to the complaint. While they did so, Perez allegedly got on top of the victim and grinded against his genitals through his clothing in a motion simulating a sex act, the complaint says. The victim tried to push him off but could not. Eventually, Perez got up and the three people holding down the victim let him go, the complaint says. The second victim was also forced onto the purported "rape table;" in his case, it was in November 2016, the complaint says. He allegedly saw one officer lock one of the doors to the office and tried to leave, but was grabbed by Catota, Papagni and Perez and thrown onto the table, the complaint alleges. While two of the defendants held him down, the other got on top of him and grinded against his leg, again simulating a sex act, the complaint alleges. The victim struggled to break free until the suspects eventually released him. Wednesday's arrests come nearly four months to the day the I-Team exposed the hazing allegations in an exclusive report. The hazed officers told the I-Team the abuse happened for years in that secure room in Terminal C. Though no victims are identified in the criminal complaint, officers came forward to the I-Team with allegations similar, if not exactly akin, to what prosecutors allege. "Once the lights go out, they grab you up like a gang, and they forcibly throw you on the table and one officer ended up mounting me and pretty much riding me like a horse," CBP officer Vito Degironimo said, describing it as sexual attack. "Im grabbed by other officers against my will. I dont know how much more criminal you can get." "Hazing wouldnt do this justice. This is complete assault. They take you in a room and your fellow officers are all watching as officers grab you," he said. CBP officer Diana Cifuentes, who also said she suffered abuse at the hands of fellow officers, said, "Im afraid for my life, my safety." In June, a fourth officer who was not assigned to PERT and did not want to be named, told the I-Team hed been taped to a chair by fellow officers and feared suffocation when a plastic bag was placed over his head. The DHS Office of Inspector General launched an investigation in late January after CBP headquarters became aware of the alleged misconduct at Newark Airport. All of the officers who spoke with the I-Team have been interviewed by the DHS Office of Inspector General and all requested transfers out of Newark. McAleenan said in his July letter to Waterson Coleman that managers and enforcement team trainers from JFK Airport had been assigned to Newark to review and assess operations, provide training, and assist with the organization of Newarks Enforcement Team." Federal prosecutors said Wednesday they were appalled by the allegations. "The defendants, who were members of a unit responsible for identifying dangerous contraband and threats to national security, allegedly subjected their own colleagues to senseless physical abuse, all while on duty at Newark Liberty International Airport," Acting U.S. Attorney William Fitzpatrick said in a statement. "This behavior would be abhorrent in any environment, especially one serving a critical law enforcement function. The hardworking men and women who protect our borders deserve better." Watson Coleman commended CBP and DHS for taking action on the Newark allegations, but said now the attention needs to focus on preventing such alleged abuse in the future. "Beyond the outcome of this specific incident, we need to work diligently to ensure that CBP and DHS leadership take the steps necessary to eliminate abuse and other inappropriate conduct issues within the agency," Watson Coleman's statement said. "It is imperative the men and women who help keep our nation secure can do their jobs safely and with dignity and that they are held to the highest legal, ethical and performance standards." Pennsylvania will go broke Friday and the state treasurer says he would not bail out the state again as it faces the ignominious distinction of failing to pay all its bills for the first time. The state's general fund will run dry following more than two months of failed efforts in the General Assembly to close a $2.2 billion budget deficit. The first bill that will not be fully paid is a roughly $2 billion Medicaid payment to eight medical insurance providers, officials said. For weeks, Treasurer Joe Torsella has warned state lawmakers that the general fund would run out of money Sept. 15. He previously issued a short-term loan to allow the government to meet its financial obligations through August. But he said more recently he would not issue another loan through what is called the Short-Term Investment Program (STIP). Torsella seemed inclined earlier in the week to issue another loan if the General Assembly approved a funding package that balances the 2017-2018 budget. The $32 billion budget was approved in June by the Republican-controlled General Assembly even though lawmakers knew of the revenue shortfall. The House did narrowly approve a funding package late Wednesday night. It relies on transfers of money from funds dedicated to transportation, environmental protection and numerous other state programs as well as future expected revenue. "As of right now, we are not updating our position," Torsella's spokesman, Mike Connolly, said Thursday, adding that the treasurer needs to see a balanced budget before another loan would be considered. Gov. Tom Wolf, who will decide what bills will go unpaid Friday, expressed dissatisfaction with the House package. His spokesman, J.J. Abbott, told PennLive.com that it "fails the basic test of solving the fiscal problems." On Thursday, he said more details would be released Friday morning about problems facing the state in paying its bills. Here's a detailed look at what immediately happens when the general fund goes to zero. Philadelphias opioid crisis is only getting worse, according to a report issued by the mayors task force. In 2016, 907 people died from overdoses, more than three times the number of homicides in Philadelphia. But officials project as many as 1,200 people could die from opioid-related overdoses this year, with thousands more suffering from non-fatal overdoses, according to Mayor Jim Kenneys Task Force to Combat the Opioid Epidemic. The opioid crisis is one that strikes all of us, David T. Jones, the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities Services, said. Only by talking about how it affects us can we help stop folks from becoming addicted in the first place and help those in search of recovery. We need to pull this epidemic out of the shadows and hold everyone accountable to see it end. One possible solution for the burgeoning epidemic is supervised injection sites, an idea recently praised by the Democratic nominee for Philadelphia district attorney. Its an idea that remains untested in the United States, but has shown some success in Canada and Europe. If theres a chance that [these injection sites] can reduce the harms that this national crisis is inflicting, we have a moral obligation, Larry Krasner said. I dont think saving lives in controversial. Currently, the only legal safe injection site operates in Vancouver, Canada. But the idea is not new to Philadelphia, where advocates and lawmakers have called for something similar to be placed near heroin hotbeds, such as the Kensington and Fairhill neighborhoods. A petition calling for Philadelphia to create safe injection clinics was made earlier this year. So far its gained 1,742 supporters. "We're ready to heal," Dan Martino, a local activist who started the petition earlier this year, told NBC10. "We're ready to move forward. We're ready to beat this." Recently, Martino joined hundreds of people dressed in black as they marched through Kensington on Overdose Awareness Day. Attendees said they felt trapped in their own neighborhoods and judged by people who dont understand the epidemic. They're not junkies. They're not scumbags. They're people that we love," said Ronnie Sue Kiser. Nationally, drug overdose deaths involving heroin increased from 8 percent in 2010 to 25 percent in 2015, according to a study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Similarly, overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids increased from 8 percent in 2010 to 18 percent in 2015. In Philadelphia, more than 55,000 residents are thought to be misusing or abusing opioids, city officials said. Nearly 470,000 people used prescription opioids last year, according to report. Often users will quickly move from powerful painkillers to heroin when they can no longer afford the legal drugs. NBC10 explored this transition and how the crisis is claiming an increasing number of lives in a special, six-month long investigation, Generation Addicted. Police are searching for a gunman who robbed a restaurant in Warminster and may be responsible for a string of other robberies in Bucks County. The unidentified suspect entered Santuccis Square Pizza & Restaurant on W. Street Road in Warminster Township late at night on September 1 as the business was closing. He broke through our screen door right as I was about to exit my office, said Nick Carelli, whos family owns the restaurant. The armed robber demanded money. I tried to negotiate a little bit and told him were just employees, we dont have access to that portion, Carelli said. But since I wasnt by myself and had the kids there I got a little nervous about what he was going to do. He threatened to shoot us in the head if I didnt open it up. Carelli told NBC10 the gunman wasnt satisfied once the safe was opened up however. All we had was this change money, we had like coins and quarters and nickels for the cash register, Carelli said. I was like, You can have that if you want. So I took all of them. It was like 50 pounds worth of coins. The gunman was carrying a plastic shopping bag. Carelli was hoping the weight of the money would break the bag. Luckily it actually did rip his bag on his way out and I got most of my coins back which is great, Carelli said. They fell like a trail on the street, down Olive Street. The suspect has not been found. Police also believe hes responsible for other robberies in the Bucks County area, including one at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery on York Road in Warminster in late August. During that incident, the manager was forced to the ground at gunpoint. The only thing that we really saw was that he had like a brownish reddish beard or a goatee that stuck under his mask, Carelli said. He was a big guy. He was about like 61, 220. Police say the suspect has carried a silver gun during all of the robberies and normally strikes around the same time. His hands and his body is covered in all black, Warminster Township Police Chief Jim Donnelly said. Same duration of time. Moments in. Moments out. If you have any information on the suspect, please call Warminster Township Police. The Trump administration is poised to extend sanctions relief to Iran, avoiding imminent action that could implode the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, even as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Thursday accused Tehran of not respecting the entire agreement. The administration's next move in its monthslong review of its Iran policy was expected later Thursday, when President Donald Trump faced a deadline to decide on extending waivers that allow Iran to conduct much of its international commerce. The waivers were first issued by the Obama administration and are America's part of the deal's central bargain. In exchange for Tehran rolling back its nuclear program, the U.S. and other world powers agreed to suspend wide-ranging oil, trade and financial penalties that had choked the Iranian economy. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the deal, but has yet to pull out of it. The White House is seeking ways to find that Tehran is not complying with the agreement. "The Trump administration is continuing to review and develop its policy on Iran," Tillerson said at a news conference with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson in London. Trump has made clear that "we must take into account the totality of Iranian threats, not just its nuclear capabilities," the top U.S. diplomat said, citing obligations to uphold regional and international security. "Iran is clearly in defiance of these obligations," Tillerson said, pointing to its support of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, cyber activity and testing of ballistic missiles. Iran rejects that it has broken the agreement. And it can point to a U.N. report this week showing that Iran was meeting the conditions on its nuclear program set out in the accord. The July 2015 deal was reached by Iran, the U.S., Britain, France, China, Germany and Russia. Trump faces a couple of deadlines. Under U.S. law, the president must certify to Congress every 90 days whether Iran is adhering to the agreement. If the president doesn't certify compliance, Congress has 60 days to decide whether to re-impose sanctions lifted under the agreement. The next certification deadline is Oct. 15. But first Trump must decide to extend sanctions relief to Iran under a separate clock. Administration officials say Trump was ready to do so and that no serious alternatives have been presented with the caveat that Trump could still change his mind. The bigger question they and people outside government are pointing to is the one in a month's time. Several officials and people close to the matter have described Trump as determined to "decertify" Iranian compliance with the nuclear deal at that point a finding that would jeopardize the entire agreement. The officials weren't authorized to discuss such internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity. Tillerson said talks continue with the president and his senior advisers, but "no decision has been made." Trump, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, said he is inclined not to certify Iranian compliance after having twice found it compliant at earlier deadlines. Iran deal opponents inside and outside the administration argue that Tehran's full compliance is unproven, particularly on allowing nuclear inspections at military sites. They argue that at the very least Iran is violating the spirit of the agreement with its ballistic missile tests. Those, however, aren't specifically covered in the nuclear agreement. Whatever step by the Trump administration on Thursday, it will set the stage for talks on the agreement's future with European allies and others during next week's U.N. General Assembly. Standing beside Tillerson, Britain's Johnson compared the tensions over North Korea's nuclear advance with the relative certitude that the Iran deal has provided. Johnson said there are two sides to the deal: The Islamic Republic behaving itself, and the U.S. and the others ensuring Iran enjoys economic benefits. Iran, with its young population, "could be won over to a new way of thinking," Johnson said, adding that he has pushed that argument with Tillerson and other Americans. Associated Press writer Bradley Klapper contributed to this report. The Trump administration on Tuesday waived environmental laws and other reviews to replace a small stretch of border wall in Calexico, California, the second time it has exercised that authority in less than two months. Critics said the move was an overreach and a threat to the environment. The waiver extends 3 miles (5 kilometers) west from the downtown border crossing in the city of 40,000 people, according to a notice in the Federal Register. The Department of Homeland Security will replace an airstrip landing-mat-style fence about 14 feet (4.3 meters) high with a bollard-style fence up to 25 feet (7.6 meters) high. Elaine Duke, the acting Homeland Security secretary, said replacing fence in the area was one of the highest priorities for border security. The government plans to award a contract in November and begin construction in February. It marks the seventh time the government has waived environmental reviews under a 2005 law. That law exempts the government from the National Environmental Protection Act, which calls for extensive reviews of environmental impacts, and a host of other laws. Last month, Homeland Security waived reviews for a 15-mile (24-kilometer) stretch in San Diego. The Center for Biological Diversity has challenged the San Diego waiver in federal court, arguing that the law doesn't apply to replacing barriers. The lawsuit also seeks to block plans to build prototypes in San Diego for what President Donald Trump has called "a big, beautiful wall" with Mexico. Brian Segee, an attorney for the environmental advocacy group, said the latest waiver was unconstitutional. But he was undecided whether to include it in his lawsuit before U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel, a target of Trump's enduring scorn over lawsuits that alleged fraud at the president's now-defunct Trump University. "The Trump administration is willing to ignore the law and destroy the environment in its rush to build a destructive, divisive wall that no one else wants," Segee said. Homeland Security said it has made significant gains in the Border Patrol's El Centro, California, sector, which includes Calexico, but more needs to be done. The Border Patrol made 19,448 arrests during the last fiscal year less than 5 percent of the total on the border with Mexico. Downtown Calexico, which is about 120 miles (192 kilometers) east of San Diego, has been one of the more challenging area for Border Patrol agents in the area. People who enter the country illegally often try through the highly polluted New River. The Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to maintain its restrictive policy on refugees. The justices on Tuesday agreed to an administration request to block a lower court ruling that would have eased the refugee ban and allowed up to 24,000 refugees to enter the country before the end of October. The order was not the court's last word on the travel policy that President Donald Trump first rolled out in January. The justices are scheduled to hear arguments on Oct. 10 on the legality of the bans on travelers from six mostly Muslim countries and refugees anywhere in the world. It's unclear, though, what will be left for the court to decide. The 90-day travel ban lapses in late September and the 120-day refugee ban will expire a month later. The administration has yet to say whether it will seek to renew the bans, make them permanent or expand the travel ban to other countries. Lower courts have ruled that the bans violate the Constitution and federal immigration law. The high court has agreed to review those rulings. Its intervention so far has been to evaluate what parts of the policy can take effect in the meantime. The justices said in June that the administration could not enforce the bans against people who have a "bona fide" relationship with people or entities in the United States. The justices declined to define the required relationships more precisely. A panel of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a district judge's order that would have allowed refugees to enter the United States if a resettlement agency in the U.S. had agreed to take them in. The administration objected, saying the relationship between refugees and resettlement agencies shouldn't count. The high court's unsigned, one-sentence order agreed with the administration, at least for now. The appeals court also upheld another part of the judge's ruling that applies to the ban on visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Grandparents and cousins of people already in the U.S. can't be excluded from the country under the travel ban, as the Trump administration had wanted. The administration did not ask the Supreme Court to block that part of the ruling. Angelina Jolie arrives for an interview with the familiar harried air of a parent who has just barely managed to withdraw from her children, all six of whom she's left having breakfast upstairs in their Toronto hotel suite. "The reason I was a little late is they made me change," Jolie says, smiling. "They thought what I was wearing was too revealing." It's just another example of the extreme balancing act of Jolie's life, one which combines global celebrity with humanitarian devotion, A-list stardom with sober filmmaking, glamour and family. "I actually went to a premiere once with pee on me," she says. "It was when the kids were little and I just got peed on at the last minute. There was nothing to do but wear it." But Jolie's latest film, the powerfully immersive Cambodian genocide drama "First They Killed My Father," represents a kind of amalgamation of Jolie's multifarious life. Her initial interest in Cambodia came when she arrived in a much earlier life to make "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" in 2000. She became infatuated with the country and its people, began goodwill work for the U.N.'s refugee agency and adopted her first child, Maddox, from Cambodia. "First They Killed My Father," which hits Netflix and select theaters Friday, is based on Loung Ung's 2000 memoir. The film hues close to Ung's perspective as a five-year-old girl living with her family in Phnom Penn when the Khmer Rouge march in, force the residents to flee and then imprison Ung's family in a labor camp, brutally indoctrinating them to a classless society. Some two million (nearly a quarter of the country) died during the Khmer Rouge's four year reign of terror. The film isn't just a shattering view of war through a child's eyes, it's intended as a cathartic healing for Cambodia itself, and a personal journey into the past of Maddox's countrymen. The 16-year-old, credited as an executive producer, collaborated with her mother on the production, which was shot in Cambodia with local actors, both professional and not. "I said to my son Maddox, who's known Luong his whole life, when you're ready, we should tell Luong's story. But we have to tell it together," Jolie says. "We had this script for a few years and he came up to me and said, 'I'm ready.'" Jolie's heavily-watched appearance at the Toronto International Film Festival was her most public since she filed for divorce from Brad Pitt after 12 years together two of them married. Jolie acknowledged it's been a difficult period of transition and that her filmmaking has been put on pause. She has an acting gig lined up ("Maleficent 2") but the yearslong work of directing has for now been tabled. "I've needed to take over a year off just to be with my kids," Jolie says. "All I've done is some of my humanitarian work and my teaching. I've done nothing else for over a year. Now that they're all older, the decisions really have to be made together because they home school and they'll be with me and they have a lot of opinions about what to do." Now that her children are getting older, Jolie hopes that the other children will work with her, too. But, she assures, Maddox had to work hard, and wouldn't have earned a credit if he didn't. "I asked Maddox and Pax if they'd work with me again. I think all the kids eventually want to do something. My little boy who's nine said he wants to train me because he thinks I'm out of shape. So maybe I'll just be working with my children," says Jolie, joking but also delighted about the idea: a close-knit, globe-trotting clan of moviemaking adventurers, schooled in classrooms in Cambodian rice fields and African plains. "Now," she says, "where next?" Luong Ung, 47, came to Vermont from a refugee camp in Thailand as a 10-year-old. She now is married and lives in Cleveland, but she and Jolie have long been friends. She and Jolie co-wrote the script. Jolie also enlisted Rithy Panh, the Oscar-nominated director of the Cambodian genocide documentary "The Missing Picture," as co-producer. "There's probably a Hollywood version of this, but this wasn't about that," says Ung. "This was about honor and celebration and remembrance." If Pahn had said no, or if she couldn't film the movie in Cambodia, Jolie says she wouldn't have made "First They Killed My Father." For a county still struggling with its history of genocide, the process of remembering and re-enacting was more important than the finished work. "It's not really the film itself," says Jolie. "Preparing to make it was also preparing to understand and communicate with a country and help a country to speak." Pahn likes to joke that Jolie, 42, is "a Cambodian woman reincarnated." It's clear that the two are bonded by a strong belief in family. Pahn's experience may represent Cambodia's, but "First They Killed My Father" is also an indelibly heart-wrenching story about a family torn apart by war, yet unbroken. "Even when the soldiers told us my parents were enemies of the state, I knew they loved me and I loved them. There was never a question about that," says Pahn. "After I lost them, what they said to me at a young age, their spirits continue to say to me. I continue to be raised by my parents." Making the film had its own emotions. Jolie had a therapist on set for those whose memories were too painfully resurrected. One man dropped to his knees when he saw the Khmer Rouge actors marching over a bridge. Despite the care taken in the process, Jolie found herself defending the film's casting process after she was quoted in Vanity Fair describing an improvisation game in which money would be given and then taken from young actors. Jolie says the suggestion that it was a real scenario was "false and upsetting." Jolie instead hopes the film brings audiences closer to the Cambodian people, as well as other countries now experiencing violent tumult. "This could be Syria," she says. "This could be Myanmar." But it also concludes Jolie's most massive undertaking a movie made for an entire country. "I didn't plan on becoming a director," Jolie says. "But through directing I've had to learn a lot. And I've tried different styles and I've learned different things. When I did 'Unbroken,' I was going to the classics that I loved and trying to understand that. This one, I think I finally found something that was just mine, that wasn't something that I was in any way trying to emulate. I was thinking: I know children and I love the way children look at things." After breeding and releasing almost 100 endangered Pacific pocket mice, researchers discovered mice reintroduced into Orange County's Laguna Coast Wilderness Park have started breeding on their own, according to the San Diego Zoo. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and California Department of Fish and Wildfire released a new group of 25 pocket mice last month into a 1.6-acre fenced section of the park. The offspring have also begun breeding. "This is a major milestone for a program that has so many delicate and important stages," said Debra Shier, Ph.D., Brown Endowed Associate Director of Recovery Ecology at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. "There are four major stages for reintroducing a species to the wild: release, establishment, growth and regulation. Right now, we have reached the growth phase for this population. I think if we continue on this trajectory, we will have successfully established a new population in the wild." Breeding facilities use air conditioning and humidifiers to mimic coastal temperature and humidity levels the mice require to prepare them for the wilderness. Researchers will continue to provide supplementary food to the mice as they navigate the wild terrain. [G] Pacific Pocket Mice to be Relocated to Orange County Scientists consider these mice vital to their ecosystem because they seed disperse for native plants throughout their habitat, according to the San Diego Zoo. The Pacific pocket mouse breeding program started in 2012 and took 34 adult Pacific pocket mice from three remaining wild habitats to an off-exhibit area at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, according to the San Diego Zoo. [[389810611,C]] The programs managed by staff at San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, working closely with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildfire and OC Parks. The Pacific pocket mouse is the smallest in North America, weighing six and seven grams. Its currently listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Parts of Florida inched back toward normal with workers restoring power, clearing roads and replenishing gas supplies, even as teams scoured the state's southernmost islands and authorities warned of mass devastation. With a dozen dead in Florida and nearly 10 million without power, Florida Gov. Rick Scott said, "We've got a lot of work to do." On Wednesday morning, President Donald Trump said he was planning to visit Thursday "to meet with our great Coast Guard, FEMA and many of the brave first responders." The cost of Hurricane Irma to Florida has already surpassed what the state spent during Hurricane Matthew last year. During a Wednesday briefing at the Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, 32 state government agencies have reported spending more than $273,522,000 on preparations and recovery efforts. The final tally for Hurricane Matthew, which affected the state last October, was about $268,499,000. Florida House of Representatives Speaker Richard Corcoran says the Legislature could call a special session if needed to tackle storm-related issues. Lawmakers were scheduled to be in Tallahassee this week for the first round of committee weeks to prepare for next year's legislative session, but that was called off last week. The next committee week is slated to convene on Oct. 9. Gov. Rick Scott said on Tuesday that it was too early for his office to assess the need for a special session. Residents drifted back from shelters and far-away havens Tuesday to see Hurricane Irma's scattershot destruction. Flooded streets remained, and the count of damaged and totaled homes ticked upward even as some curfews were lifted, flights resumed and amusement park rides again twirled. "Everything's gone," said Jen Gilreath, a 33-year-old bartender whose Jacksonville home filled with knee-high floodwaters. As crews labored to repair the lone highway connecting the Keys, residents of some of the islands closest to Florida's mainland were allowed to return and get their first look at the devastation two days after Irma roared in with 130 mph (209 kph) winds. Officers had removed a roadblock on U.S. 1 that was posted just south of Florida City on Monday, opening up for those who live in Key Largo, Tavernier and Islamorada at 7 a.m. Tuesday. Entry requires a yellow re-entry sticker or proof of residency or business ownership. Returning residents should consider that there are limited services on the islands, county officials said. Meanwhile, Monroe County was still under a dusk-to-dawn curfew, and extra law enforcement has been brought in to help with security. Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Brock Long said preliminary estimates suggested that 25 percent of the homes in the Keys were destroyed and 65 percent sustained major damage. "Basically, every house in the Keys was impacted," he said. The number of deaths blamed on Irma in Florida climbed to 12, in addition to four in South Carolina and two in Georgia. At least 37 people were killed in the Caribbean. The Florida deaths include four people who died of carbon monoxide poisoning from electric generators in two separate incidents. "We've got a lot of work to do, but everybody's going to come together," Scott said. "We're going to get this state rebuilt." Glimpses of Irma's economic toll were emerging, with Florida saying 31 state agencies had already amassed nearly $250 million in preparation and recovery expenses. In the meantime, officials warily eyed storm damage to its citrus crops, an issue Sens. Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio planned to address at a joint news conference Wednesday morning with growers. The number of people without electricity in the steamy late-summer heat dropped to 9.5 million just under half of Florida's population. Utility officials warned it could take 10 days or more for power to be fully restored. About 110,000 people remained in shelters across the state. In hard-hit Naples, on Florida's southwest coast, more than 300 people stood outside a Publix grocery store in the morning, waiting for it to open. One man complained loudly that the line had too many gaps. Others shook their heads in frustration at word of another delay. At the front of the line after a more than two-hour wait, Phill Chirchirillo, 57, said days without electricity and other basics were beginning to wear on people. "At first it's like, 'We're safe, thank God.' Now they're testy," he said. "The order of the day is to keep people calm." While nearly all of Florida was engulfed by the 400-mile-wide (645-kilometer) storm, the Keys home to about 70,000 people appeared to be the hardest hit. Drinking water and power were cut off, all three of the islands' hospitals were closed, and the supply of gasoline was extremely limited. Search-and-rescue teams made their way into the more distant reaches of the Keys, and an aircraft carrier was positioned off Key West to help. Officials said it was not known how many people ignored evacuation orders and stayed behind in the Keys. Crews also worked to repair two washed-out, 300-foot (90-meter) sections of U.S. 1, the highway that runs through the Keys, and check the safety of the 42 bridges linking the islands. In Islamorada, a trailer park was devastated, the homes ripped apart as if by a giant claw. A sewage-like stench hung over the place. Debris was scattered everywhere, including refrigerators, washers and dryers, a 25-foot (8-meter) fishing boat and a Jacuzzi. Homes were torn open to give a glimpse of their contents, including a bedroom with a small Christmas tree decorated with starfish. One man and his family came to check on a weekend home and found it destroyed. The sight was too much to bear. The man told his family to get back in the car, and they drove off toward Miami. The Lower Keys including the chain's most distant and most populous island, Key West, with 27,000 people were still off-limits, with a roadblock in place where the highway was washed out. Although the Keys are studded with mansions and beachfront resorts, about 13 percent of the people live in poverty and could face big obstacles as the cleanup begins. "People who bag your groceries when you're on vacation the bus drivers, hotel cleaners, cooks and dishwashers they're already living beyond paycheck to paycheck," said Stephanie Kaple, who runs an organization that helps the homeless in the Keys. Corey Smith, a UPS driver who rode out the hurricane in Key Largo, said it was a relief that many buildings on the island escaped major damage. But he said conditions were still not good, with branches blocking roads and supermarkets closed. "They're shoving people back to a place with no resources," he said by telephone. "It's just going to get crazy pretty quick." A Maryland woman, touched by a New York Times photo essay that depicted the devastation of Hurricane Harvey on Houston residents, found a way to help a stranger replace some of what was lost. Ann Dahms, of Frederick, Maryland, read about Shirley Hines, whose home was flooded during the storm. Hines lost most of her belongings, including a set of treasured mugs from her late mother. Dahms decided to search for the mugs, which were white with a red stripe and gold detailing. "Whenever she was feeling down, she would get one of those mugs and she said, 'I drink me some coffee,'" Dahms said. "And I just realized she had to have a new one." Dahms discovered three were for sale online and brought them all. Manny Fernandez, the Times reporter that spoke to Hines about what she had been able to save after Harvey flooded her home, took his wife, daughter and son to Houston to hand deliver the mugs to Hines on Sunday. "It was as if God was saying to me, 'It's going to be okay,'" Hines said. "And I just been telling myself ever since then 'I am so blessed.'" The mugs brought back memories for Hines of her mother. The two would sit down and drink coffee together. "The cup of coffee every morning gave her strength for whatever awful day was ahead," Dahms said. "And everybody needs a cup like that." People were drooling over a selfie posted to the Gainesville Police Department's Facebook page as Irma made her way across Central Florida Sunday. The viral photo has inspired the police department to create a calendar to raise funds for victims of Hurricane Irma. The photo featured three photogenic police officers with the caption "Officers Nordman, Hamill and Rengering...part of the night crew getting ready to do some work." Once the photo was posted, the comment section lit up with more than 89,000 flirtatious messages. By Tuesday night, the post had more than 141,000 shares with people from across the nation gushing over the officers' attractive features and making "special" requests. Miranda Jo English wrote: "Packs up and moves to Florida to start living a life of petty crime." In another hilarious comment, Jamie Lee Daniels wrote: "The hunkapotumus is a rare, elusive, and mythical creature. Here we are lucky to see 3 huddled together in the wake of hurricane Irma. I'm a well trained hunkapotumus handler. Send them my way and they will be well taken care of." Gainesville police had some fun with the flirty commenters and listed an update to the hunky selfie: "1. We are dying with the comments. You've actually made our chief blush with some of them. 2. MRS. Nordman and MRS. Hamill have also enjoyed knowing how millions of women are going crazy over their husbands. 3. We can confirm that Officer Rengering (far right with the amazing hair) IS SINGLE. 4. On another note, Officer Rengering is being placed into Cougar Prey Protective Care, similar to the witness protection program for his safety. 5. Please do not call 9-1-1 and request this group respond to your "incident" 6. There WILL be a calendar. Thank you all for the hilarious comments...they have brightened our time up here. As for the calendar, we are going to try and do something fairly quickly and funds raised will go to Hurricane Irma recovery here in Florida." Many commenters seem to be looking forward to a calendar. Facebook user Alaina Craven wrote: "Do a calendar, add puppies and I'm pretty sure we can rebuild Texas and Florida." The police department later posted a selfie featuring another hunk of a cop, which of course garnered hundreds of flirtatious comments a few hours after it was posted. Facebook user Danielle Motley wrote: "I'm starting to think Gainesville PD sold their soul to have the most beautiful police force I've ever seen." Senate Republicans are struggling with how many billions of dollars President Donald Trump's tax code overhaul will add to the deficit as they work on a GOP budget plan that's a prerequisite to any far-reaching change in the nation's tax system. Trump had dinner Tuesday with a group of Republican and Democratic senators to talk taxes, after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and GOP members of the Budget Committee met with two top Trump administration officials to make progress on forging the budget plan, which is required to stave off potential Democratic blocking tactics and pass the subsequent tax bill with just GOP votes. Trump will have dinner with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday night, the latest overture by the Republican president to work with his adversaries. The as-yet-undrafted bill to overhaul the tax code is the top priority for Trump and Republicans after the collapse of their effort to dismantle Barack Obama's health care law. Trump's top economic adviser, Gary Cohn, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin met with McConnell, R-Ky., and budget panel members. House Speaker Paul Ryan declined Wednesday to say the evolving Republican tax cut plan won't add to the nation's already mammoth budget deficits. A chief goal of the effort will be to spark economic growth, he said in an AP Newsmaker interview. Ryan, R-Wis., said the GOP's goal is to enact tax overhaul into law by the end of this year, not simply push it through the heavily Republican House, "so that we start 2018 in a new tax system." "From my standpoint, let's set ourselves up for success on tax reform," Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., a member of the committee, said before the meeting with Cohn and Mnuchin. The meeting ended in late afternoon without specific proposed numbers for the size of the budget coming forward. Not wanting to show disappointment, participants stressed that it was intended to be preliminary. Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Orrin Hatch said afterward that the group, which discussed the broad outlines of the deficit trade-off for a new tax bill, had not reached an agreement. Hatch, R-Utah, said he expected more information to come soon. Mnuchin signaled ahead of the meeting that the administration would be open to changes sought by lawmakers to improve the chances for passage of a tax overhaul this year. In an interview with CNBC, Mnuchin also said the administration would "absolutely" consider making tax cuts retroactive to the start of this year if overhaul legislation didn't pass until 2018. In addition, the administration would consider including an infrastructure spending bill as part of the tax legislation, Mnuchin said. "This is a pass-fail exercise," he said, indicating that the critical goal was to enact legislation. "Passing tax reform, which hasn't been done in 31 years, that is a win," he said. Capitol Hill Republicans have promised that the tax rewrite will be "revenue neutral" and not add to the nation's $20 trillion-plus debt, but they are in fact counting on budget maneuvers to find hundreds of billions of dollars to help maximize cuts to corporate and individual tax rates. For starters, they are going to assume the tax legislation will mean higher economic growth and greater future tax revenues. Underscoring the president's desire for tax legislation, Trump hosted a bipartisan group of senators for dinner at the White House, including a trio of moderate Democrats from states Trump won last November and whose votes he'd like to have on a tax bill. Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Donnelly of Indiana were joined at dinner by Republican Sens. John Thune of North Dakota, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Hatch, the White House said. "I had a productive conversation with @POTUS @realDonaldTrump about ways we can work together in a bipartisan manner on tax reform," Manchin tweeted after the dinner, along with a photo of himself and the president. He said in a statement that he would "continue to fight for a simpler tax code that lowers rates for West Virginians," but said that must be done "without adding to our staggering debt." Heitkamp said she welcomed any chance "to talk with the president about issues important to North Dakota" and was looking forward to reviewing Trump's plans in more detail. "It's encouraging that this meeting included Republican and Democratic senators, as I've long said I want to work with those on both sides of the aisle on a comprehensive, permanent tax reform plan that works for North Dakota workers and retirees and helps grow the economy, and I hope these bipartisan discussions continue," she said. Manchin, Heitkamp and Donnelly are the only Democratic senators who did not sign a letter addressed to Republican leaders and Trump that said the Democratic caucus would not support a tax overhaul that cuts taxes for the "top 1 percent" or adds to the government's $20 trillion debt. The White House, meanwhile, said the president "looks forward to continuing to work with members from both parties to grow the economy, provide tax relief and look for real solutions." "When members of different parties sit down together for friendly conversation about the legislative agenda, after not doing so for 8 years, it certainly is progress," Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. House action has been held up by a battle between moderates and conservatives over whether to pair spending cuts with the filibuster-proof tax measure. Senate action has been on hold while the House struggles. An impasse could doom the tax overhaul effort. GOP aides say the Senate panel is also likely to reject a House plan to link $200 billion in spending cuts to the tax legislation a key demand of House conservatives. The momentum toward deficit-financed tax cuts runs counter to the longtime promises from top Capitol Hill leaders that this year's effort to rewrite the tax code wouldn't add to the government's $20 trillion-plus national debt. And it sets up a scenario in which many of the promised new tax rates would expire after 10 years. That's because of the Senate's arcane rules. On the budget panel, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., is hoping to limit the deficit cost of the tax effort, while Toomey is on the other end of the spectrum favoring more robust deficit-financed tax cuts. GOP leaders have asked them to try to craft an agreement among the 12 budget panel Republicans. Any Republican defection on the budget plan would deadlock the narrowly divided committee. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report. #suitcase murder suspect Justice minister orders extradition of 'suitcase' murder suspect to New Zealand South Korea's justice minister on Monday ordered the extradition of a woman believed to be the mother of two children whose bodies were found in suitcases in New Zealand in August,... #KBO KBO sets salary cap for 1st time In an unprecedented move designed to ensure a level playing field, the top South Korean baseball league announced Monday it has set a salary cap for the next three seasons. The ... The teachers' union in Vermont's largest city has announced it will go on strike Thursday. The Burlington Education Association said Wednesday evening, more than eight hours after negotiations began for the day with the city's school board, that the sides were unable to reach a compromise to avert a strike. The primary sticking point, according to the union, has been working conditions, including how much class prep time educators have, and what strategies the district will employ to close the so-called achievement gap between students. "The board continues to claim that it wants to work collaboratively with us to address the achievement gap, but their actions say otherwise," union president Fran Brock, a Burlington High School history teacher, said in a written announcement of Thursday's strike. The union has roughly 400 members, according to the Vermont NEA. It previously announced a plan to strike Wednesday, but following a request from Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger and the involvement of an experienced mediator, the union agreed to delay the strike and return to the bargaining table. In a statement late Wednesday, the Burlington School Board said it resolved disagreements over operational issues at the city's high school early in the bargaining session. Subsequent demands from the union, however, could not met, the board said. The board said in the statement that it offered teachers significant healthcare savings, a three-year contract, and an 8 percent salary increase, which is an average of more than $6,000 per teacher. The board said the union rejected these offers, and announced that there will be no school in Burlington Thursday. The union said it was very disappointed the board imposed terms of employment at the beginning of the month, following the expiration of the previous contract. Those terms, the union said, included non-teaching duties on elementary school educators, which limited time spent with students. Burlington's teachers will begin their strike Thursday morning. A former top CIA official and the agency's current director issued statements slamming Harvard University over the school's decision to invite Chelsea Manning, who was convicted of leaking classified information, to be a fellow. Mike Morell, former deputy director and acting director of the CIA, sent a resignation letter Thursday to the dean of Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. Morell, who was a non-resident senior fellow, says he cannot be part of an organization that "honors a convicted felon and leaker of classified information." He says leaking classified information is "disgraceful." Current CIA Director Mike Pompeo canceled his scheduled appearance Thursday at Harvard over Manning's appointment. "Ms. Manning betrayed her country and was found guilty of 17 serious crimes for leaking classified information to Wikileaks," Pompeo said in a statement. "I am especially saddened because I hold a degree from Harvard Law School," Pompeo continued. "The students there now are owed an institution that acts responsibly; an institution that does not sanction or legitimize the criminal path Ms. Manning took to undermine our national security." Manning, who has been invited to be a visiting fellow at the Kennedy school's Institute of Politics, responded Thursday afternoon with a simple tweeted message: "good ... #WeGotThis" The 29-year-old transgender woman told ABC's "Good Morning America" in a recent interview that she was prompted to give the 700,000 military and State Department documents to WikiLeaks because of the human toll of the "death, destruction and mayhem" she saw as an Army intelligence analyst in Iraq. She told ABC that she has "accepted responsibility" for her actions. Manning was released from a military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on May 17 after serving seven years of a 35-year sentence, which was commuted by former President Barack Obama in his final days in office. Obama said in January he felt justice had been served. Harvard also invited former White House press secretary Sean Spicer, former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. Harvard says Manning will be among fellows who will visit the campus for a "limited" number of events meant to spark campus discussion. A man has died after being stabbed in Lynn, Massachusetts, early Thursday morning. The victim, a 33-year-old man, was stabbed near Union and Green streets around 2 a.m. He was transported to Salem Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The victim's name has not been released. Massachusetts State Police have been called in to assist in the investigation of the incident. No arrests have been made at this time. A Massachusetts teenager attending Lafayette College in Pennsylvania went to a party off-campus the night before he was found unconscious at his dormitory last Sunday afternoon, sources have told NBC10 in Philadelphia. McCrae Williams, a 19-year-old Weston native, apparently made it back to his room, the sources said, adding that a woman accompanied him from the party Saturday night to his dorm. They are the first details to emerge from an investigation that still leaves much unknown about what led up to Williams being found Sunday afternoon at Ruef Hall North on campus. He died Monday at Lehigh Valley Hospital, officials said. Local police have begun talking with Lafayette students about the hours leading up to a call for medical help by fellow students Sunday, sources said. Police believe "a chain of events" led to his death. An autopsy released Wednesday by the Lehigh County coroner revealed that Williams died from blunt force trauma to his head. The coroner did not, however, release a manner of death, saying that may come after toxicology test results are finalized. Authorities told NBC10 that more details from the ongoing investigation could be released next week. Williams was set to plat lacrosse at the Patriot League school. Family Photo Authorities in Easton, Pennsylvania, say the teenager died with his parents at his side at Lehigh Valley Hospital around 5 p.m. Monday. Lafayette public safety officers responded to a medical emergency outside Ruef Hall North a dorm where about 150 first-year students live around 4:20 p.m. Sunday, Easton police said. "Investigators believe the chain of events leading to the medical emergency call started on Saturday in the late afternoon into the evening hours," police said in a news release. Dr. Catherine Hall, the head of school at Noble and Greenough School, where Williams played lacrosse in high school, announced that he died after falling and suffering a head injury. "McCrae fell over the weekend and suffered a major head injury," she wrote in a letter sent to parents. "Our hearts ache for McCrae's parents, Dianne and Chris, and his brother, Chase, as they face this unfathomable loss." Robby Mook, who managed Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, is a fellow at Harvard's Belver Center co-directing a bipartisan project to protect the democratic process from cyberattacks. Easton Police, Lafayette College Public Safety, the Northampton County District Attorney's Office and the Lehigh County Coroner's Office are investigating Williams's death. "We extend our deepest sympathies to McCraes family and friends," Lafayette President Alison Byerly said in a letter sent to the college community. "We will share information about memorial plans when it becomes available." A vigil for Williams was held Tuesday night and counselors are available to students, the university said. Two Massachusetts residents are facing multiple charges after one allegedly tried to start a fight after another was allegedly drunk behind the wheel, before crashing into another car with a child in the backseat of their car. Webster police say officers responded to the Sunnyside Farms Convenience Store on Lake Street around 8 p.m. on Wednesday for a report of a fight. When they arrived, officers learned that the fight was sparked by a car crash. While an officer was speaking with a man, identified as 28-year-old Carmelo Rivera of Worcester, the officer allegedly noticed Rivera was showing signs of intoxication and kept trying to initiate a fight with another person involved in the crash. Although he was asked to calm down several times, Rivera allegedly challenged other officers to fight, and when the officers tried to place him into custody, he fought with them, even after police used a stun gun in an effort to subdue him, according to authorities. Police say eventually officers at the scene learned Rivera was only a passenger in the crash, and that the driver of the car he was a passenger in was Stephanie Mcardle, 35, of Millbury. Mcardle also displayed signs of intoxication, and was arrested after failing field sobriety tests. Police say she blew at .15 during a breathalyzer test at the station. Officers also filed a report with the state's Department of Children and Families after finding a 3-year-old child in the car at the time of the crash. Rivera is due in Dudley District Court on Thursday for multiple charges, including disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, resisting arrest and three counts of assault and battery on a police officers. He was also wanted on a warrant out of Connecticut. Mcardle's bail was set at $40 at the station. He is also due in Dudley District Court on Thursday for operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and reckless endangerment of a child while operating under the influence. It's unclear if either of the accused have attorneys. It's the end of an era for one of the oldest hardware stores in the nation. After 235 years, Elwood Adams Hardware in Worcester, Massachusetts, is closing its doors. The store, a fixture on Main Street since 1782, has been selling hard to find hardware and tools in the oldest brick building in the city longer than the United States has had presidents. "1970 I used to come here to buy wholesale for the lumber yard, and Ive been here ever since 47 years," said customer Ron Bousquet, with R & K Home Improvement Co. Assistant store manager Mark Lannon has worked at Elwood Adams for 35 years. "I started here it was my first full time job," he said. Lannon started at the store just after high school, when the store was celebrating its 200th anniversary, and he never left. Now hes preparing to close up shop as Elwood Adams has become a victim of big box stores, online retailers and an aging customer base. "Our customer base is getting older and the grandkids and the sons of these guys are picking up their iPhone and not walking in the building anymore," Lannon said. But its clear to their loyal customers that Elwood Adams is about much more than just hardware. "Its really bad, I didnt think Id take it this bad but I am," Bousquet said getting choked. Customer T.J. Poplawski who works nearby said he will miss the store and staff. Lannon says the feeling is mutual. "Wherever I go, I hope some of these people are still in my life, I hope to see them in another capacity," said Lannon. "But it is tough because weve got some really, really close friends, not just customers." Elwood Adams Hardware says theyre planning to close up shop sometime in the next few weeks but theyre hoping for a buyer for the building so the history can live. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has reiterated that the introduction and execution of Aadhaar, demonetisation and goods and services tax have played a critical role in making financial inclusion a reality in India. He also acknowledged that the minor glitches of GST will be addressed by the GST Council. He added that the Aadhaar legislation will stand the test of constitutionality of using the unique identification number for giving government benefits. Jaitley emphasised that the women were empowered by financial inclusion. Speaking at the Conclave on Financial Inclusion organised by United Nations in India, Jaitley said about 30 crore families have been given bank accounts since the initiave was launched in September 2014. He said the countrys biggest ever bank account opening drive, Jan Dhan Yojana, was initiated as a platform for financial inclusion. He pointed out that 42 per cent of households were unbanked before the Jan Dhan Yojana. It aims to give every household access to banking facilities by offering them zero-balance accounts across all commercial banks. Dismissing the negative comments from opposition and analysts that Jan Dhan accounts had more than 77 per cent zero-balance accounts, Jaitley said it has come down to 20 per cent and even these would become operational once the direct benefit transfer is expanded. The finance minister reminded the gathering that three months after the scheme was launched, 76.81 per cent of the accounts had zero balance. But, the number of zero-balance accounts has now come down to 20 per cent, he noted. Further, 99.99 per cent of households now have at least one bank account thanks to the successful implementation of the Jan Dhan Yojana. Jaitley said Aadhaar was an evolving idea under the previous United Progressive Alliance regime. When National Democratic Alliance came to power, it gave the necessary legislative backing to make it purposeful, he noted. NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has reiterated that the introduction and execution of Aadhaar, demonetisation and goods and services tax have played a critical role in making financial inclusion a reality in India. He also acknowledged that the minor glitches of GST will be addressed by the GST Council. He added that the Aadhaar legislation will stand the test of constitutionality of using the unique identification number for giving government benefits. Jaitley emphasised that the women were empowered by financial inclusion. Speaking at the Conclave on Financial Inclusion organised by United Nations in India, Jaitley said about 30 crore families have been given bank accounts since the initiave was launched in September 2014. He said the countrys biggest ever bank account opening drive, Jan Dhan Yojana, was initiated as a platform for financial inclusion. He pointed out that 42 per cent of households were unbanked before the Jan Dhan Yojana. It aims to give every household access to banking facilities by offering them zero-balance accounts across all commercial banks. Dismissing the negative comments from opposition and analysts that Jan Dhan accounts had more than 77 per cent zero-balance accounts, Jaitley said it has come down to 20 per cent and even these would become operational once the direct benefit transfer is expanded. The finance minister reminded the gathering that three months after the scheme was launched, 76.81 per cent of the accounts had zero balance. But, the number of zero-balance accounts has now come down to 20 per cent, he noted. Further, 99.99 per cent of households now have at least one bank account thanks to the successful implementation of the Jan Dhan Yojana. Jaitley said Aadhaar was an evolving idea under the previous United Progressive Alliance regime. When National Democratic Alliance came to power, it gave the necessary legislative backing to make it purposeful, he noted. By PTI NEW DELHI: Tata Steel today said a final decision on merging its European business with German major Thyssenkrupp is yet to be taken as the "strategic discussions" are still continuing. Both the companies have been in discussion for a merger of their steel businesses for almost over a year. "Tata Steel would like to clarify that it continues to be in strategic discussions with Thyssenkrupp," the Indian steel major said in a statement. The clarification has come in the wake of media reports saying Thyssenkrupp and Tata Steel may sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) this month. Tata Steel said: "The talks are currently ongoing and a decision regarding the same would be taken upon completion of the above discussions." On September 11, Tata Steel had announced that it has concluded a new agreement under which its UK business stands separated from the 15-billion pound British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS). "Tata Steel UK has received confirmation from the pensions regulator that it has approved a regulated apportionment arrangement (RAA) in respect of BSPS," it had said. The pact, signed by Tata Steel with the trustee of the BSPS, will pave the way for the Indian steel major's merger with ThyssenKrupp. The merger would create the second largest steel maker in Europe. NEW DELHI: Tata Steel today said a final decision on merging its European business with German major Thyssenkrupp is yet to be taken as the "strategic discussions" are still continuing. Both the companies have been in discussion for a merger of their steel businesses for almost over a year. "Tata Steel would like to clarify that it continues to be in strategic discussions with Thyssenkrupp," the Indian steel major said in a statement. The clarification has come in the wake of media reports saying Thyssenkrupp and Tata Steel may sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) this month. Tata Steel said: "The talks are currently ongoing and a decision regarding the same would be taken upon completion of the above discussions." On September 11, Tata Steel had announced that it has concluded a new agreement under which its UK business stands separated from the 15-billion pound British Steel Pension Scheme (BSPS). "Tata Steel UK has received confirmation from the pensions regulator that it has approved a regulated apportionment arrangement (RAA) in respect of BSPS," it had said. The pact, signed by Tata Steel with the trustee of the BSPS, will pave the way for the Indian steel major's merger with ThyssenKrupp. The merger would create the second largest steel maker in Europe. By PTI GANDHINAGAR: Fifteen Japanese firms signed pacts expressing their intention to invest in Gujarat at the 12th India-Japan Annual Summit here today. These companies include Moresco, Toyoda Gosei, Topre and Murakami. On the concluding day of the summit today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe also did remote inauguration of Suzuki Motor Corporation's car manufacturing facility expansion work at Hansalpur village near here. This facility is Suzuki Motor Corp's first wholly-owned unit in India producing 2,50,000 cars every year. "That will be tripled to 7,50,000 units in the future," announced Abe. Speaking at the 'India-Japan Business Leaders Forum', Abe said he supports Prime Minister Modi's vision of 'Make in India' and Japan is committed to help the country in this direction. "Strong Japan is good for India and strong India is good for Japan," Abe said in his speech at the plenary session marking the end of the two-day summit. On the occasion, both the leaders also performed symbolic ground breaking for an upcoming plant at Hansalpur for the production of lithium-ion car batteries, the first such plant in India. Both the leaders also inaugurated four 'Japan India Institutes of Manufacturing (JIM)'. One such institute has been set by Maruti Suzuki at Ganpat Vidyanagar in Mehsana. Speaking at the session, Gujarat Chief Secretary J N Singh informed the audience about the upcoming 'Japan Industrial Township' at Khoraj in Ahmedabad, which is aimed at "facilitating industrial opportunities for the Japanese companies". Singh said the proposed township will be spread across 1,750 acres, having industrial, commercial, residential and recreational areas. In his speech, Modi said his dream of seeing a mini-Japan in Gujarat is finally fulfilled. "When I first visited Japan as Chief Minister of Gujarat, I had said that I want to see a mini-Japan in Gujarat. Today, that dream has come true. I am happy to see so many friends from Japan happily living and doing business in Gujarat," said Modi. He also thanked Japan and Abe for providing financial assistance for the upcoming Convention Centre at Varanasi, his constituency in Uttar Pradesh. "You know that the ancient and holy city of Varanasi is my second home. The project of Varanasi Convention Centre is a symbol of cultural co-operation between Kyoto city of Japan and Varanasi. It was conceived by Prime Minister Abe and me when we visited Varanasi together in 2015," he said. Responding to Abe's comment on India-Japan relations, Modi said that growing convergence between the two countries on strategic and economic issues has the capacity to stimulate the global economy. "I am confident that strong India and strong Japan will also be a stabilising factor in Asia and the world. In this mutual and global pursuit, I thank Prime Minister Abe and Japan for being a perfect partner," he said. GANDHINAGAR: Fifteen Japanese firms signed pacts expressing their intention to invest in Gujarat at the 12th India-Japan Annual Summit here today. These companies include Moresco, Toyoda Gosei, Topre and Murakami. On the concluding day of the summit today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe also did remote inauguration of Suzuki Motor Corporation's car manufacturing facility expansion work at Hansalpur village near here. This facility is Suzuki Motor Corp's first wholly-owned unit in India producing 2,50,000 cars every year. "That will be tripled to 7,50,000 units in the future," announced Abe. Speaking at the 'India-Japan Business Leaders Forum', Abe said he supports Prime Minister Modi's vision of 'Make in India' and Japan is committed to help the country in this direction. "Strong Japan is good for India and strong India is good for Japan," Abe said in his speech at the plenary session marking the end of the two-day summit. On the occasion, both the leaders also performed symbolic ground breaking for an upcoming plant at Hansalpur for the production of lithium-ion car batteries, the first such plant in India. Both the leaders also inaugurated four 'Japan India Institutes of Manufacturing (JIM)'. One such institute has been set by Maruti Suzuki at Ganpat Vidyanagar in Mehsana. Speaking at the session, Gujarat Chief Secretary J N Singh informed the audience about the upcoming 'Japan Industrial Township' at Khoraj in Ahmedabad, which is aimed at "facilitating industrial opportunities for the Japanese companies". Singh said the proposed township will be spread across 1,750 acres, having industrial, commercial, residential and recreational areas. In his speech, Modi said his dream of seeing a mini-Japan in Gujarat is finally fulfilled. "When I first visited Japan as Chief Minister of Gujarat, I had said that I want to see a mini-Japan in Gujarat. Today, that dream has come true. I am happy to see so many friends from Japan happily living and doing business in Gujarat," said Modi. He also thanked Japan and Abe for providing financial assistance for the upcoming Convention Centre at Varanasi, his constituency in Uttar Pradesh. "You know that the ancient and holy city of Varanasi is my second home. The project of Varanasi Convention Centre is a symbol of cultural co-operation between Kyoto city of Japan and Varanasi. It was conceived by Prime Minister Abe and me when we visited Varanasi together in 2015," he said. Responding to Abe's comment on India-Japan relations, Modi said that growing convergence between the two countries on strategic and economic issues has the capacity to stimulate the global economy. "I am confident that strong India and strong Japan will also be a stabilising factor in Asia and the world. In this mutual and global pursuit, I thank Prime Minister Abe and Japan for being a perfect partner," he said. By Reuters KHOBAR: Saudi Arabia is expected to launch a tender process for its first nuclear reactors as early as next month and will reach out to potential vendors from countries including South Korea, France and China, industry sources said. The world's top oil exporter wants to start construction next year on two plants with a total capacity of up to 2.8 gigawatts, three industry sources said, as it follows Gulf neighbour the United Arab Emirates in seeking atomic energy. This will make it the second country in the Arab world to tap nuclear power as a way to diversify its energy supply for its 32 million population. The UAE's first plant is expected to come online next year after delays. While a possible multi-billion-dollar Saudi tender would be smaller than those being considered in India and South Africa, Saudi Arabia's deep pockets and the lack of any anti-nuclear movement in the country could make it one of the strongest prospects for an industry struggling for contracts following the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan. "Competition will be fierce," an industry source said, adding Saudi Arabia was expected to send a Request for Information (RFI) to suppliers in October, marking the official start of the tender process following feasibility studies. Saudi Arabia will likely provide more detail on the plans at the general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, in Vienna next week, the sources said. The plants are part of long-standing plans to diversify the OPEC member's energy supply and has received extra momentum as part of its Vision 2030, a sweeping economic reform programme launched last year by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The government agency tasked with the nuclear plans, The King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE), did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In the longer-term, Saudi Arabia is considering building 17.6 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2032, KACARE says on its website. That is the equivalent of about 17 standard nuclear reactors making it overall the biggest contract in the world, after South Africa and India. A South Korea-based industry source with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed Riyadh was expected to issue the RFI for the first two plants in October to five potential bidders - South Korea, China, France, Russia and Japan. The target is to pour the first concrete of reactor casing in 2018, a Saudi source familiar with the plans said, although nuclear construction timelines frequently face delays. France has spent several years trying to make its case for selling its reactors to the kingdom. A top French minister and chief executives of French utility EDF and reactor builder Areva visited the kingdom in 2013 while a Saudi delegation led by KACARE chief Hashim bin Abdullah Yamani went to Paris in July to discuss Riyadh's atomic plans. KACARE also discussed feasibility studies to build the first two reactors in the kingdom with Chinese officials in Beijing last month, pan-Arab media reported. Russia's state-owned nuclear company Rosatom has also been in talks with KACARE about Saudi Arabia's atomic ambitions. They will all face steep competition from U.S., Japanese and South Korean consortia. Westinghouse-Toshiba has deep ties with the Middle East, and a South Korean-led consortium dealt the French a humiliating blow with its surprise win of a $40 billion contract in Abu Dhabi in 2009. The first of four Kepco-built reactors is due to come online next year. KHOBAR: Saudi Arabia is expected to launch a tender process for its first nuclear reactors as early as next month and will reach out to potential vendors from countries including South Korea, France and China, industry sources said. The world's top oil exporter wants to start construction next year on two plants with a total capacity of up to 2.8 gigawatts, three industry sources said, as it follows Gulf neighbour the United Arab Emirates in seeking atomic energy. This will make it the second country in the Arab world to tap nuclear power as a way to diversify its energy supply for its 32 million population. The UAE's first plant is expected to come online next year after delays. While a possible multi-billion-dollar Saudi tender would be smaller than those being considered in India and South Africa, Saudi Arabia's deep pockets and the lack of any anti-nuclear movement in the country could make it one of the strongest prospects for an industry struggling for contracts following the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan. "Competition will be fierce," an industry source said, adding Saudi Arabia was expected to send a Request for Information (RFI) to suppliers in October, marking the official start of the tender process following feasibility studies. Saudi Arabia will likely provide more detail on the plans at the general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, in Vienna next week, the sources said. The plants are part of long-standing plans to diversify the OPEC member's energy supply and has received extra momentum as part of its Vision 2030, a sweeping economic reform programme launched last year by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The government agency tasked with the nuclear plans, The King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE), did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In the longer-term, Saudi Arabia is considering building 17.6 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2032, KACARE says on its website. That is the equivalent of about 17 standard nuclear reactors making it overall the biggest contract in the world, after South Africa and India. A South Korea-based industry source with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed Riyadh was expected to issue the RFI for the first two plants in October to five potential bidders - South Korea, China, France, Russia and Japan. The target is to pour the first concrete of reactor casing in 2018, a Saudi source familiar with the plans said, although nuclear construction timelines frequently face delays. France has spent several years trying to make its case for selling its reactors to the kingdom. A top French minister and chief executives of French utility EDF and reactor builder Areva visited the kingdom in 2013 while a Saudi delegation led by KACARE chief Hashim bin Abdullah Yamani went to Paris in July to discuss Riyadh's atomic plans. KACARE also discussed feasibility studies to build the first two reactors in the kingdom with Chinese officials in Beijing last month, pan-Arab media reported. Russia's state-owned nuclear company Rosatom has also been in talks with KACARE about Saudi Arabia's atomic ambitions. They will all face steep competition from U.S., Japanese and South Korean consortia. Westinghouse-Toshiba has deep ties with the Middle East, and a South Korean-led consortium dealt the French a humiliating blow with its surprise win of a $40 billion contract in Abu Dhabi in 2009. The first of four Kepco-built reactors is due to come online next year. Rashmi Belur By Express News Service BENGALURU: The recent murder of a seven-year-old student at a private school in Gurugram, Haryana, has raised concerns over the safety of children on campuses. A visit to several schools in Bengaluru revealed the sorry state of affairs. While most government and private aided schools do not comply with safety norms, private unaided schools which constitute around 82 per cent of institutions in the city, seem to have scored better regarding child safety. There are over 5,000 schools in the city of which government-run and aided schools constitute together just 12 per cent. A majority of private unaided schools are equipped with CCTV cameras and security personnel. No unauthorised person, including parents, is allowed to enter the campus. In case of emergency, we will contact the parents, or if there is an emergency from their side, they must produce the identity card provided by us and contact the class coordinator, said a senior supervisor at a private unaided school in South Bengaluru.At National Hill View Public School in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, the security personnel discourage people from standing near the gate. At places like Carmel School in Padmanabhanagar, even school vans are not allowed beyond the gate. If the regular person who picks up a child cannot come, they have to inform us a day earlier or send their ID card with the stand-in guardian. Otherwise, we will keep the child in the school till the parent comes, a staffer said. A few schools have issued GPS-enabled student ID cards. Bangalore International School in Jayanagar monitors students activities using the tracking system to ensure their safety during school hours. Holy Child School at Nayandahalli, which is run out of a commercial building and charges Rs 12,000 per annum as fees, has three CCTV cameras one at the washroom corridor, one outside and another on first floor. School secretary Nishat Ashrafi said, Following some cases of alleged sexual assaults on children, we stopped recruiting male staff and we give priority to safety. I have never had issues regarding safety of my child in the last four years. During admission, the school authorities informed us about the safety measures and showed us where the CCTV cameras are. Though I have a parent ID card, I cannot enter the campus unless I have been invited, said the parent of a student of Little Flower Public School in Hosakerehalli .However, even in many of these unaided schools, background verification of the staff is not done by the police. Some of the schools have not displayed the child line number and have not publicised their child protection policy, which is mandatory. A few of them have even ignored setting up of School Management Committees to ensure safety of children as per Right to Education Act. No safety measures The scene in government-run and government-aided schools is shocking as they do not have any safety measures in place no CCTV cameras or security personnel. Only a few aided schools installed CCTV cameras and have provided ID cards to students and parents. Ravishankar, Headmaster of Rajarajeshwari School (aided) in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, said, We have CCTV cameras at the entrance and corridors. As ours is an aided institution, we have no financial support to install cameras in classrooms.NSVK School (aided) in Banashankari has no security measures. To make matters worse, the school has no compound wall too and any one can easily enter the premises. Security measures are completely lacking in government-run schools. Of the 10 schools Express visited, this reporter and the photographer were not questioned or stopped anywhere. None of the schools were equipped with CCTV cameras and vehicles could easily enter the premises. There is no pick-up and drop-off facility. Students will have to come on their own and we are not aware who drops them off or who picks them up. We cannot close the gates as the mid-day meal and milk suppliers have to enter. Installing CCTV cameras is not our responsibility, it is up to the government, said the headmaster at a government school in Malleswaram. Safety norms Installation of CCTV must at schools There should be access control at entry points GPRS should be installed in school vehicles ID cards should be provided to parents/guardians Floor-wise vigilance should be ensured Background check, police verification must for teaching and non-teaching staff Document verification still pending Private school managements blame the police for delay in document verification of staff. According to school managements, such verification has been pending for almost a year. Though the schools are submitting applications for background verification of staff by paying Rs 251 at the police commissioners office, the applications are pending since a year. I planned to hire a person from Nepal as a security guard. I have no way of doing a background check on him. Unfortunately, even the police department is not doing it, said D Shashikumar, general secretary of the Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka. BENGALURU: The recent murder of a seven-year-old student at a private school in Gurugram, Haryana, has raised concerns over the safety of children on campuses. A visit to several schools in Bengaluru revealed the sorry state of affairs. While most government and private aided schools do not comply with safety norms, private unaided schools which constitute around 82 per cent of institutions in the city, seem to have scored better regarding child safety. There are over 5,000 schools in the city of which government-run and aided schools constitute together just 12 per cent. A majority of private unaided schools are equipped with CCTV cameras and security personnel. No unauthorised person, including parents, is allowed to enter the campus. In case of emergency, we will contact the parents, or if there is an emergency from their side, they must produce the identity card provided by us and contact the class coordinator, said a senior supervisor at a private unaided school in South Bengaluru.At National Hill View Public School in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, the security personnel discourage people from standing near the gate. At places like Carmel School in Padmanabhanagar, even school vans are not allowed beyond the gate. If the regular person who picks up a child cannot come, they have to inform us a day earlier or send their ID card with the stand-in guardian. Otherwise, we will keep the child in the school till the parent comes, a staffer said. A few schools have issued GPS-enabled student ID cards. Bangalore International School in Jayanagar monitors students activities using the tracking system to ensure their safety during school hours. Holy Child School at Nayandahalli, which is run out of a commercial building and charges Rs 12,000 per annum as fees, has three CCTV cameras one at the washroom corridor, one outside and another on first floor. School secretary Nishat Ashrafi said, Following some cases of alleged sexual assaults on children, we stopped recruiting male staff and we give priority to safety. I have never had issues regarding safety of my child in the last four years. During admission, the school authorities informed us about the safety measures and showed us where the CCTV cameras are. Though I have a parent ID card, I cannot enter the campus unless I have been invited, said the parent of a student of Little Flower Public School in Hosakerehalli .However, even in many of these unaided schools, background verification of the staff is not done by the police. Some of the schools have not displayed the child line number and have not publicised their child protection policy, which is mandatory. A few of them have even ignored setting up of School Management Committees to ensure safety of children as per Right to Education Act. No safety measures The scene in government-run and government-aided schools is shocking as they do not have any safety measures in place no CCTV cameras or security personnel. Only a few aided schools installed CCTV cameras and have provided ID cards to students and parents. Ravishankar, Headmaster of Rajarajeshwari School (aided) in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, said, We have CCTV cameras at the entrance and corridors. As ours is an aided institution, we have no financial support to install cameras in classrooms.NSVK School (aided) in Banashankari has no security measures. To make matters worse, the school has no compound wall too and any one can easily enter the premises. Security measures are completely lacking in government-run schools. Of the 10 schools Express visited, this reporter and the photographer were not questioned or stopped anywhere. None of the schools were equipped with CCTV cameras and vehicles could easily enter the premises. There is no pick-up and drop-off facility. Students will have to come on their own and we are not aware who drops them off or who picks them up. We cannot close the gates as the mid-day meal and milk suppliers have to enter. Installing CCTV cameras is not our responsibility, it is up to the government, said the headmaster at a government school in Malleswaram. Safety norms Installation of CCTV must at schools There should be access control at entry points GPRS should be installed in school vehicles ID cards should be provided to parents/guardians Floor-wise vigilance should be ensured Background check, police verification must for teaching and non-teaching staff Document verification still pending Private school managements blame the police for delay in document verification of staff. According to school managements, such verification has been pending for almost a year. Though the schools are submitting applications for background verification of staff by paying Rs 251 at the police commissioners office, the applications are pending since a year. I planned to hire a person from Nepal as a security guard. I have no way of doing a background check on him. Unfortunately, even the police department is not doing it, said D Shashikumar, general secretary of the Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka. A Sharadhaa By Express News Service Yogaraj Bhats latest directorial Mugulu Nage, starring Ganesh, is running its third week in theatres and still has housefull shows. The film will spread smiles across borders.It will be released widely across the US, with screening in more than 50 theatres; this will be a first for a Kannada film. The movie will then travel to Singapore, Australia, and the Middle East among other countries. Ganesh Ganesh, Bhatru and the team are now planning their travel to the US. An overwhelmed director tells City Express, I was happy to see housefull boards in spite of heavy rains in Bengaluru. Now that the sun is back, we see more and more audiences coming in with smiles. I am thankful for that. Apparently, there is a waiting audience abroad and they have already booked tickets for the shows. It is only because of the demand that the distributors are planning to take it to as many screens as possible, and I am happy to spread the happiness, he says. With all the popularity, will Bhatru keep the same style in his future scripts? Bhatru replies, I have always gone by what I like and,to connect to the audience, I pay attention to the audio track and ensure that we have unique characters. Every film that wins over an audience is a rebirth for the director, likewise Mugulu Nage is a rebirth. Every film is a child birthed by the director, and then it goes to school. Mahabharata needs time As for helming Mahabharata, Bhatru says, The project will take time as it has three big investors coming together. It is also a subject that cant be done overnight. Waiting to write the best for Sudeep Yogaraj Bhat confirms that he will work with Sudeep for a project, to be produced by MN Kumar, and that he is currently working on its script. So, what would be the subject? It will be tailor made for the actors image, he replies. Sudeep is a fine artist with an international appeal, who has knowledge of contemporary performance. I have shared a few scripts of mine with him but I believe that my best script is yet to be written, and it will be for the versatile star. Going by his directorials such as Autograph, Shanti Nivasa and Swathi Muthu, he seems to have a classical bent. So I would want to stay as close as possible to that, adding more dimensions to it, says Bhatru, adding, I am excited to work on a script for Sudeep, and it now being written. Meanwhile, I need to sit with the actor for another round of discussions, which will be done once he is back from his shoot. Yogaraj Bhats latest directorial Mugulu Nage, starring Ganesh, is running its third week in theatres and still has housefull shows. The film will spread smiles across borders.It will be released widely across the US, with screening in more than 50 theatres; this will be a first for a Kannada film. The movie will then travel to Singapore, Australia, and the Middle East among other countries. GaneshGanesh, Bhatru and the team are now planning their travel to the US. An overwhelmed director tells City Express, I was happy to see housefull boards in spite of heavy rains in Bengaluru. Now that the sun is back, we see more and more audiences coming in with smiles. I am thankful for that. Apparently, there is a waiting audience abroad and they have already booked tickets for the shows. It is only because of the demand that the distributors are planning to take it to as many screens as possible, and I am happy to spread the happiness, he says. With all the popularity, will Bhatru keep the same style in his future scripts? Bhatru replies, I have always gone by what I like and,to connect to the audience, I pay attention to the audio track and ensure that we have unique characters. Every film that wins over an audience is a rebirth for the director, likewise Mugulu Nage is a rebirth. Every film is a child birthed by the director, and then it goes to school. Mahabharata needs time As for helming Mahabharata, Bhatru says, The project will take time as it has three big investors coming together. It is also a subject that cant be done overnight. Waiting to write the best for Sudeep Yogaraj Bhat confirms that he will work with Sudeep for a project, to be produced by MN Kumar, and that he is currently working on its script. So, what would be the subject? It will be tailor made for the actors image, he replies. Sudeep is a fine artist with an international appeal, who has knowledge of contemporary performance. I have shared a few scripts of mine with him but I believe that my best script is yet to be written, and it will be for the versatile star. Going by his directorials such as Autograph, Shanti Nivasa and Swathi Muthu, he seems to have a classical bent. So I would want to stay as close as possible to that, adding more dimensions to it, says Bhatru, adding, I am excited to work on a script for Sudeep, and it now being written. Meanwhile, I need to sit with the actor for another round of discussions, which will be done once he is back from his shoot. By Express News Service The Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) had announced an indefinite strike which stalled the filming of over 55 movies. On Tuesday night, it was called off. According to sources, the shoot of Rajinikanths Kaala, Imsai Arasan 24 am Pulikesi and Vemals Mannar Vagera have resumed. Also, we hear the post-production work of Mersal is going on in full swing.Sources also say that Kaala will have a month-long schedule. Things have been sorted amicably. An agreement has been signed that says the Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC) will work only with FEFSI employees, added a source. The Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI) had announced an indefinite strike which stalled the filming of over 55 movies. On Tuesday night, it was called off. According to sources, the shoot of Rajinikanths Kaala, Imsai Arasan 24 am Pulikesi and Vemals Mannar Vagera have resumed. Also, we hear the post-production work of Mersal is going on in full swing.Sources also say that Kaala will have a month-long schedule. Things have been sorted amicably. An agreement has been signed that says the Tamil Film Producers Council (TFPC) will work only with FEFSI employees, added a source. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: At least 19 people, mostly women, drowned and 25 went missing after their overloaded boat carrying over 60 people capsized in river Yamuna in Baghpat district of western Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. Sources said, seven children were also present on the ill-fated boat. There has been no clue about them. According to Baghpat DM Bhawani Singh, the boat, which was hired privately by the travellers, sank close to Katha village, 20 km from the district headquarters Baghpat. "Most of the people present on the overloaded boat were women. It was ferrying people more than its capacity. As soon as it reached mid-stream it capsized," said the district magistrate. As the boat capsized, 50-year-old Shimla Devi, somehow, caught hold of her husband Rajbirs kurta and managed to swim across safely to the river bank as Rajbir knew swimming. But the sight of drowning and screaming children is not letting her have any peace. While rescue teams including NDRF flood units were immediately rushed to the spot and over 11 persons were saved, police and Provincial Armed Constabulary began rescue operations and fished out 19 bodies till filing of this report. The search to trace others was still on. CLICK BELOW TO WATCH VIDEO: After the incident, the villagers resorted to violence on Delhi-Saharanpur highway protesting against the delayed administrative response to the tragedy. The local villagers went on a rampage, resorting to stone pelting and arson. In the frenzy, the local mob set a truck and a police vehicle on fire. Critical of those rescued were referred to Meerut while those with minor complications were admitted to district hospital.As the immediate cause of the tragedy was not yet known, the district police sources said that the ill-fated boat was heading towards Haryana when the incident took place. In fact, farmers and labourers from this side of river cross Yamuna on a daily basis to go to their fields on the other side. However, according to principal secretary, Information, Avnish Awasthi, a magisterial probe was ordered to ascertain the reason for the tragedy. LUCKNOW: At least 19 people, mostly women, drowned and 25 went missing after their overloaded boat carrying over 60 people capsized in river Yamuna in Baghpat district of western Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. Sources said, seven children were also present on the ill-fated boat. There has been no clue about them. According to Baghpat DM Bhawani Singh, the boat, which was hired privately by the travellers, sank close to Katha village, 20 km from the district headquarters Baghpat. "Most of the people present on the overloaded boat were women. It was ferrying people more than its capacity. As soon as it reached mid-stream it capsized," said the district magistrate. As the boat capsized, 50-year-old Shimla Devi, somehow, caught hold of her husband Rajbirs kurta and managed to swim across safely to the river bank as Rajbir knew swimming. But the sight of drowning and screaming children is not letting her have any peace. While rescue teams including NDRF flood units were immediately rushed to the spot and over 11 persons were saved, police and Provincial Armed Constabulary began rescue operations and fished out 19 bodies till filing of this report. The search to trace others was still on. CLICK BELOW TO WATCH VIDEO: After the incident, the villagers resorted to violence on Delhi-Saharanpur highway protesting against the delayed administrative response to the tragedy. The local villagers went on a rampage, resorting to stone pelting and arson. In the frenzy, the local mob set a truck and a police vehicle on fire. Critical of those rescued were referred to Meerut while those with minor complications were admitted to district hospital.As the immediate cause of the tragedy was not yet known, the district police sources said that the ill-fated boat was heading towards Haryana when the incident took place. In fact, farmers and labourers from this side of river cross Yamuna on a daily basis to go to their fields on the other side. However, according to principal secretary, Information, Avnish Awasthi, a magisterial probe was ordered to ascertain the reason for the tragedy. Fayaz Wani By Express News Service SRINAGAR: Security forces achieved a major breakthrough in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday by killing two militants including Lashkar-e-Toibas operational chief Abu Ismail, who was the mastermind of the July 10 attack on Amarnath yatris in which eight pilgrims were killed and over two dozen injured. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Muneer Khan in a hurriedly convened press conference told reporters that LeT operational chief and wanted militant Abu Ismail and his associate Abu Qasim were killed in a swift and brief encounter in Arigam area of Nowgam in outskirts of Srinagar this afternoon. He said police, army and CRPF had received specific information about movement of Abu Ismail. Accordingly, a naka was laid at Arigam area in Nowgam. The police, CRPF and army men had laid an ambush in the area and intercepted the two in an open field at around 4.15 pm The militants tried to escape by firing on the security forces. The fire was returned by the troops and in the brief gunfight, Abu Ismail and his associate Abu Qasim alias Chota Qasim were killed, IGP said. Both were Pakistani nationals and two AK 47s and UBGLs were recovered from the encounter site. After killing of LeT militants, mobile internet service in Srinagar was suspended for some hours. However, the services were restored later in the evening. IGP termed Abu Ismails killing was a major achievement of security forces and severe jolt to Lashkar. He said Ismail was the mastermind of July 10 attack on Amarnath yatris in Botengoo area of south Kashmirs Anantnag district in which eight pilgrims were killed and two dozen others injured. The special thing about this operation is that it was based on wishes of people. After the attack on yatris, every section of people had condemned it and demanded that perpetrators should be brought to justice and today they were brought to justice by security forces, Khan said. After the attack on yatris, police had formed a SIT headed by a top police officer to probe the attack and track down the militants involved in the attack. After his name figured as mastermind of the attack, Ismail was on run but under radar of the security forces, another police official said. He said the operation to track Abu Ismail needed a lot of meticulous intelligence, patience and planning. He remained under radar and finally after two months of hardwork, we managed to kill him today. Abu Ismail was A++ category militant while his associate Abu Qasim was A + militant. IGP said now a foreign militant and a local militant of LeT are wanted in Amarnath yatra attack case. We will hunt them also, he said. He said the security agencies are going after the militant leadership to create leadership vacuum among the militants. We are going after the militant leadership as eliminating the leadership is important. Priority is to eliminate militant leadership because they lure the youth to militancy, the IGP said. Ismail had taken over as Lashkars Kashmir chief after killing of Abu Dujana in August this year. GoC Victor Force, B S Raju, said it was an extremely important operation. He said Ismail was directly involved in killing of 14 security personnel and 8 civilians and injuring other people. We are after foreign militant leadership of LeT. We killed Abu Qasim, Abu Dujana and now Abu Ismail. Now LeT has serious deficiency in leadership and it would give us opportunity to go after them with more vigour and kill the militants so that people and normalcy is restored, he said. The Army official said synergy between all three agencies including police, CRPF and army would continue and they would continued to launch joint operations against militants. IG CRPF Srinagar Randeep Singh Sahi said the operation was well coordinated and based on specific input. He said besides being mastermind of Amarnath yatra attack, Ismail was involved in many militant attacks on security forces. The excellent coordination on ground between the security agencies has resulted in positive results and led to killing of top militants, he said. SRINAGAR: Security forces achieved a major breakthrough in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday by killing two militants including Lashkar-e-Toibas operational chief Abu Ismail, who was the mastermind of the July 10 attack on Amarnath yatris in which eight pilgrims were killed and over two dozen injured. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Muneer Khan in a hurriedly convened press conference told reporters that LeT operational chief and wanted militant Abu Ismail and his associate Abu Qasim were killed in a swift and brief encounter in Arigam area of Nowgam in outskirts of Srinagar this afternoon. He said police, army and CRPF had received specific information about movement of Abu Ismail. Accordingly, a naka was laid at Arigam area in Nowgam. The police, CRPF and army men had laid an ambush in the area and intercepted the two in an open field at around 4.15 pm The militants tried to escape by firing on the security forces. The fire was returned by the troops and in the brief gunfight, Abu Ismail and his associate Abu Qasim alias Chota Qasim were killed, IGP said. Both were Pakistani nationals and two AK 47s and UBGLs were recovered from the encounter site. After killing of LeT militants, mobile internet service in Srinagar was suspended for some hours. However, the services were restored later in the evening. IGP termed Abu Ismails killing was a major achievement of security forces and severe jolt to Lashkar. He said Ismail was the mastermind of July 10 attack on Amarnath yatris in Botengoo area of south Kashmirs Anantnag district in which eight pilgrims were killed and two dozen others injured. The special thing about this operation is that it was based on wishes of people. After the attack on yatris, every section of people had condemned it and demanded that perpetrators should be brought to justice and today they were brought to justice by security forces, Khan said. After the attack on yatris, police had formed a SIT headed by a top police officer to probe the attack and track down the militants involved in the attack. After his name figured as mastermind of the attack, Ismail was on run but under radar of the security forces, another police official said. He said the operation to track Abu Ismail needed a lot of meticulous intelligence, patience and planning. He remained under radar and finally after two months of hardwork, we managed to kill him today. Abu Ismail was A++ category militant while his associate Abu Qasim was A + militant. IGP said now a foreign militant and a local militant of LeT are wanted in Amarnath yatra attack case. We will hunt them also, he said. He said the security agencies are going after the militant leadership to create leadership vacuum among the militants. We are going after the militant leadership as eliminating the leadership is important. Priority is to eliminate militant leadership because they lure the youth to militancy, the IGP said. Ismail had taken over as Lashkars Kashmir chief after killing of Abu Dujana in August this year. GoC Victor Force, B S Raju, said it was an extremely important operation. He said Ismail was directly involved in killing of 14 security personnel and 8 civilians and injuring other people. We are after foreign militant leadership of LeT. We killed Abu Qasim, Abu Dujana and now Abu Ismail. Now LeT has serious deficiency in leadership and it would give us opportunity to go after them with more vigour and kill the militants so that people and normalcy is restored, he said. The Army official said synergy between all three agencies including police, CRPF and army would continue and they would continued to launch joint operations against militants. IG CRPF Srinagar Randeep Singh Sahi said the operation was well coordinated and based on specific input. He said besides being mastermind of Amarnath yatra attack, Ismail was involved in many militant attacks on security forces. The excellent coordination on ground between the security agencies has resulted in positive results and led to killing of top militants, he said. By Express News Service PATNA: Police in Bihars southern Jamui district are probing allegations that a village panchayat convened to discuss the rape of a minor girl imposed a fine of Rs 31,000 on the victims father. Members of the panchayat near Jamui town also allegedly threatened the man that if the fine was not deposited, the girl would be made to wear a garland of shoes and paraded in the village. The panchayat accused the girl of having a bad character and said her father should not have named the accused, said police sources. According to the girls father, his 14-year-old daughter was raped in his house on Sunday night. My wife was away that day. I heard the shrieks of my daughter in her room in the night and rushed there to see Rakesh, a youth from the village, committing rape on her. He tried to flee when I yelled at him, but my neighbours gathered immediately and caught him, he said in his complaint to police. The accused was freed by the villagers after some chiding that night and the girls father was asked to attend a meeting of the village panchayat the next day. But the decision of the panchayat, which met on Monday morning, left the girls father utterly shaken. Instead of deciding to punish the accused, they (panchayat members) asked me to immediately deposit a fine of Rs 31,000 to the panchayat. They refused to acknowledge that my minor daughter was raped. Due to poverty, I am yet to fix a front door in my house, said the victims father. The panchayats decision also left most villagers shocked and prompted the victims father to approach police. We are probing the allegations made against the panchayat members and also the allegation of rape of the minor girl. Suitable action as per law would be taken against panchayat members if the allegations are found true, said Sanjay Kumar, a police official who is looking into the case. In another similar case in the district, a panchayat under Jhajha police station last week asked a woman who was allegedly raped to pay a fine of Rs 11,000 and prevented her from approaching police. PATNA: Police in Bihars southern Jamui district are probing allegations that a village panchayat convened to discuss the rape of a minor girl imposed a fine of Rs 31,000 on the victims father. Members of the panchayat near Jamui town also allegedly threatened the man that if the fine was not deposited, the girl would be made to wear a garland of shoes and paraded in the village. The panchayat accused the girl of having a bad character and said her father should not have named the accused, said police sources. According to the girls father, his 14-year-old daughter was raped in his house on Sunday night. My wife was away that day. I heard the shrieks of my daughter in her room in the night and rushed there to see Rakesh, a youth from the village, committing rape on her. He tried to flee when I yelled at him, but my neighbours gathered immediately and caught him, he said in his complaint to police. The accused was freed by the villagers after some chiding that night and the girls father was asked to attend a meeting of the village panchayat the next day. But the decision of the panchayat, which met on Monday morning, left the girls father utterly shaken. Instead of deciding to punish the accused, they (panchayat members) asked me to immediately deposit a fine of Rs 31,000 to the panchayat. They refused to acknowledge that my minor daughter was raped. Due to poverty, I am yet to fix a front door in my house, said the victims father. The panchayats decision also left most villagers shocked and prompted the victims father to approach police. We are probing the allegations made against the panchayat members and also the allegation of rape of the minor girl. Suitable action as per law would be taken against panchayat members if the allegations are found true, said Sanjay Kumar, a police official who is looking into the case. In another similar case in the district, a panchayat under Jhajha police station last week asked a woman who was allegedly raped to pay a fine of Rs 11,000 and prevented her from approaching police. Vikram Sharma By Express News Service RENI: At 67, Bali Devis eyes light up at the mention of the word andolan. The grit and determination she and other women of this village displayed in 1974 when they hugged their trees in the face of abuse and threats from 200 axe men are still evident as she reminisces about the Chipko Movement. Bali Devis memories of the day are crystal clear. The date was March 26, 1974. The men of the village had been invited to the district headquarters to receive their seasonal compensation for land taken over by the Army after the Chinese war. This was a ploy to keep them away from the village that night. As it turned dark, 200 axe men led by a contractor quietly entered the forest. Their task: To fell as many trees before the men returned in the morning. But the gutsy women of the village decided to fight it out. Led by Gaura Devi and Bali Devi, they hugged the trees and stuck to it all night. Bali Devi was one of the key participants in the Chipko Movement then. As president of the Mahila Mangal Dal now, still continues with her non-violent agitations to protect, trees, forests and rivers. After every natural disaster, governments talk big but do nothing till another disaster strikes, she says in an exclusive chat with New Indian Express at her home in Reni village where the Chipko andolan began and made the world sit up and take notice. Since the Chipko Movement, foreign countries have understood the perils of not protecting the environment but in our country we are doing exactly the opposite: chopping trees and destroying forests. In the name of hydro electric projects, we build dams across rivers by upsetting the balance of nature. Tragedies like the one in Kedarnath in 2013 will happen again and again if we don't save our eco-system, she warns. Bali Devi is among the few from the Chipko Movement still alive. Several decades after Chipko Movement, the elderly woman says the fight is far from over. The Chipko andolan was successful but the problems have not ended. In 1982, our forest was declared the Nanda Devi National Park. In 1992 it became the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve and the government took complete control of the forest and the natural resources in this area, thereby denying us our traditional rights. We staged several protests but the governments of the day are just not bothered. They just labelled us as thieves. I never imagined that so many decades after the Chipko Movement we would be dispossessed of our forests, which we worship. But our fight is on.'' The villagers of Reni, Lata and other habitations here used to be successful traders. But after the India-China war in 1962, when the trade route to Tibet was closed, most of them turned to farming. But the demarcation of the Nanda Devi National Park made the forest out of bounds to them, not allowing them to graze their sheep, gather food and medicinal herbs. The forest was our lifeline. It was sacred and we depended on it and nurtured it like our mother. Today, many of villagers are finding it difficult to eke out a livelihood, says Bali Devi adding that the issue of Nanda Devi still remains an emotive issue for villagers here. Bali Devi is among the few from the Chipko Movement still alive. Our leader Gaura Devi is dead and so are many of the other women who participated in the andolan. But I will continue to fight. In the last few months, we have been protesting the construction of dams but the government has not been paying heed, she says. Ask her about other environmentalists in the country today, she dismisses them, saying, ''They just collect awards.'' She names no one. Bali Davi says life has changed a lot for her and for her fellow villagers since Chipko: Back then we used to be rich, culturally and socially. Today, no one is interested in their culture and traditions. That feeling of oneness is not there. There is too much influence of TV and other consumer products. There is an urgent need to retain our culture and traditions. The Earth is our mother and she gives us everything -- water, air, food, the nature. We should take care of it. Bali Devi sings a ditty from the Chipko Movement: Come sisters, come brothers/well save the forests, our forests/we will protect and/we will drive the contractor away. And after a pause, she adds, I will not give up. RENI: At 67, Bali Devis eyes light up at the mention of the word andolan. The grit and determination she and other women of this village displayed in 1974 when they hugged their trees in the face of abuse and threats from 200 axe men are still evident as she reminisces about the Chipko Movement. Bali Devis memories of the day are crystal clear. The date was March 26, 1974. The men of the village had been invited to the district headquarters to receive their seasonal compensation for land taken over by the Army after the Chinese war. This was a ploy to keep them away from the village that night. As it turned dark, 200 axe men led by a contractor quietly entered the forest. Their task: To fell as many trees before the men returned in the morning. But the gutsy women of the village decided to fight it out. Led by Gaura Devi and Bali Devi, they hugged the trees and stuck to it all night. Bali Devi was one of the key participants in the Chipko Movement then. As president of the Mahila Mangal Dal now, still continues with her non-violent agitations to protect, trees, forests and rivers. After every natural disaster, governments talk big but do nothing till another disaster strikes, she says in an exclusive chat with New Indian Express at her home in Reni village where the Chipko andolan began and made the world sit up and take notice. Since the Chipko Movement, foreign countries have understood the perils of not protecting the environment but in our country we are doing exactly the opposite: chopping trees and destroying forests. In the name of hydro electric projects, we build dams across rivers by upsetting the balance of nature. Tragedies like the one in Kedarnath in 2013 will happen again and again if we don't save our eco-system, she warns. Bali Devi is among the few from the Chipko Movement still alive.Several decades after Chipko Movement, the elderly woman says the fight is far from over. The Chipko andolan was successful but the problems have not ended. In 1982, our forest was declared the Nanda Devi National Park. In 1992 it became the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve and the government took complete control of the forest and the natural resources in this area, thereby denying us our traditional rights. We staged several protests but the governments of the day are just not bothered. They just labelled us as thieves. I never imagined that so many decades after the Chipko Movement we would be dispossessed of our forests, which we worship. But our fight is on.'' The villagers of Reni, Lata and other habitations here used to be successful traders. But after the India-China war in 1962, when the trade route to Tibet was closed, most of them turned to farming. But the demarcation of the Nanda Devi National Park made the forest out of bounds to them, not allowing them to graze their sheep, gather food and medicinal herbs. The forest was our lifeline. It was sacred and we depended on it and nurtured it like our mother. Today, many of villagers are finding it difficult to eke out a livelihood, says Bali Devi adding that the issue of Nanda Devi still remains an emotive issue for villagers here. Bali Devi is among the few from the Chipko Movement still alive. Our leader Gaura Devi is dead and so are many of the other women who participated in the andolan. But I will continue to fight. In the last few months, we have been protesting the construction of dams but the government has not been paying heed, she says. Ask her about other environmentalists in the country today, she dismisses them, saying, ''They just collect awards.'' She names no one. Bali Davi says life has changed a lot for her and for her fellow villagers since Chipko: Back then we used to be rich, culturally and socially. Today, no one is interested in their culture and traditions. That feeling of oneness is not there. There is too much influence of TV and other consumer products. There is an urgent need to retain our culture and traditions. The Earth is our mother and she gives us everything -- water, air, food, the nature. We should take care of it. Bali Devi sings a ditty from the Chipko Movement: Come sisters, come brothers/well save the forests, our forests/we will protect and/we will drive the contractor away. And after a pause, she adds, I will not give up. Anand ST Das By Express News Service PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his younger son Tejaswi Yadav were sent a legal notice by a close friend of chief minister Nitish Kumar over personal attacks and objectionable references that the father-son duo had allegedly made against him at a recent rally in Bhagalpur. Uday Kant Mishra, a well-known educationist who is currently a member of Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA) and who sits on the board of a few other government organisations, shot off the legal notice through his lawyer on Thursday, asking Lalu and Tejaswi to apologise unconditionally within the next 15 days. I was deeply hurt by the personal attacks and objectionable references made against me without any basis at all at RJDs public rally in Bhagalpur on September 10. I have therefore sought legal recourse, said Mishra, who has been a friend of Nitish Kumar since their college days more than three decades ago. Both Lalu and Tejaswi Yadav, who is currently the leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, had referred to relations between Mishra and Nitish Kumar in the context of the Rs 1,200-crore Srijan scam. What relation does he (Kumar) have with Mishra? Why was it that Nitish stayed in Mishras house whenever he came to Bhagalpur? asked Lalu at the RJD rally organised to expose the involvement of the JD(U)-BJP government in the scam. The legal notice says since Mishra is neither a criminal nor a convicted person, there is nothing wrong with the chief ministers visit to his house. During the occasional visits to his house, Nitish Kumar seeks the blessings of Mishras old mother, says the notice. I have not received it yet, said the RJD chief when asked about the legal notice and refused to speak anything more on the matter. JD(U) leaders said Lalu and his two sons Tejaswi and Tej Pratap Yadav should immediately apologise for making highly objectionable and undignified comments against the chief minister and one of his close friends. Lalu and his sons have been talking to the chief minister and his friend in the context of the Srijan scam. If there is any basis behind their statements, they should approach CBI or the courts with evidence, said JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar. PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and his younger son Tejaswi Yadav were sent a legal notice by a close friend of chief minister Nitish Kumar over personal attacks and objectionable references that the father-son duo had allegedly made against him at a recent rally in Bhagalpur. Uday Kant Mishra, a well-known educationist who is currently a member of Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA) and who sits on the board of a few other government organisations, shot off the legal notice through his lawyer on Thursday, asking Lalu and Tejaswi to apologise unconditionally within the next 15 days. I was deeply hurt by the personal attacks and objectionable references made against me without any basis at all at RJDs public rally in Bhagalpur on September 10. I have therefore sought legal recourse, said Mishra, who has been a friend of Nitish Kumar since their college days more than three decades ago. Both Lalu and Tejaswi Yadav, who is currently the leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, had referred to relations between Mishra and Nitish Kumar in the context of the Rs 1,200-crore Srijan scam. What relation does he (Kumar) have with Mishra? Why was it that Nitish stayed in Mishras house whenever he came to Bhagalpur? asked Lalu at the RJD rally organised to expose the involvement of the JD(U)-BJP government in the scam. The legal notice says since Mishra is neither a criminal nor a convicted person, there is nothing wrong with the chief ministers visit to his house. During the occasional visits to his house, Nitish Kumar seeks the blessings of Mishras old mother, says the notice. I have not received it yet, said the RJD chief when asked about the legal notice and refused to speak anything more on the matter. JD(U) leaders said Lalu and his two sons Tejaswi and Tej Pratap Yadav should immediately apologise for making highly objectionable and undignified comments against the chief minister and one of his close friends. Lalu and his sons have been talking to the chief minister and his friend in the context of the Srijan scam. If there is any basis behind their statements, they should approach CBI or the courts with evidence, said JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar. By Express News Service AHMEDABAD: The bonhomie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe was on full display Wednesday as the two leaders held an eight-kilometre road show in Ahmedabad during which Abe donned a kurta pyjama along with a Nehru jacket. Modi received the Japanese PM at the Ahmedabad airport with a tight hug during the latters two day India visit. Thereafter, they ditched a cavalcade of swanky luxury cars and opted for a Maruti Gypsy for the road show en route to the Sabarmati Ashram. Perhaps returning the warmth shown by Modi, Abe decided to give up his black suit for the road show. He was, however, not alone as his wife Akie too decided to wear an Indian attire. It was probably the first time Modi held a joint road show with a visiting head of government. The road show, designed to showcase Indias cultural diversity, saw artistes from several states performing on 28 stages erected along the roads. Later at the Sabarmati Ashram, the two leaders paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi. Modi was seen explaining the significance of charkha (spinning wheel) to the guests. Subsequently, the two leaders visited the famous Sidi Saiyyed Mosque a 16th-century yellow sandstone mosque and a symbol of a time when Gujarat was under Muslim rule. The mosque was built in 1573 under the regime of the last Sultanate of Gujarat. The days programme ended with a dinner at Ahmedabads famous Agashiye rooftop restaurant, where Modi hosted Abe and his wife. The welcome accorded to the Japanese PM is significant in light of recent strain in the India-China relationship. Besides, Japan is considered an all-weather friend by India. Japan has heavily invested in Indias infrastructural development. Abe will attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project Thursday. More than 10,000 people are expected to attend the function. Indo-Japan annual summit Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will hold the 12th Indo-Japan annual summit meeting at Gandhinagar Thursday after which agreements will be exchanged. Later, an India-Japan business plenary meeting will be held. AHMEDABAD: The bonhomie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe was on full display Wednesday as the two leaders held an eight-kilometre road show in Ahmedabad during which Abe donned a kurta pyjama along with a Nehru jacket. Modi received the Japanese PM at the Ahmedabad airport with a tight hug during the latters two day India visit. Thereafter, they ditched a cavalcade of swanky luxury cars and opted for a Maruti Gypsy for the road show en route to the Sabarmati Ashram. Perhaps returning the warmth shown by Modi, Abe decided to give up his black suit for the road show. He was, however, not alone as his wife Akie too decided to wear an Indian attire. It was probably the first time Modi held a joint road show with a visiting head of government. The road show, designed to showcase Indias cultural diversity, saw artistes from several states performing on 28 stages erected along the roads. Later at the Sabarmati Ashram, the two leaders paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi. Modi was seen explaining the significance of charkha (spinning wheel) to the guests. Subsequently, the two leaders visited the famous Sidi Saiyyed Mosque a 16th-century yellow sandstone mosque and a symbol of a time when Gujarat was under Muslim rule. The mosque was built in 1573 under the regime of the last Sultanate of Gujarat. The days programme ended with a dinner at Ahmedabads famous Agashiye rooftop restaurant, where Modi hosted Abe and his wife. The welcome accorded to the Japanese PM is significant in light of recent strain in the India-China relationship. Besides, Japan is considered an all-weather friend by India. Japan has heavily invested in Indias infrastructural development. Abe will attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project Thursday. More than 10,000 people are expected to attend the function. Indo-Japan annual summit Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe will hold the 12th Indo-Japan annual summit meeting at Gandhinagar Thursday after which agreements will be exchanged. Later, an India-Japan business plenary meeting will be held. By Express News Service The streets of Ahmedabad came alive with song-and-dance performances, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe held an eight-km road show on Wednesday. Abes three-day visit will bring the famed Shinkansen Japanese bullet train to India. The project is expected to reduce the travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad from seven to just two hours by 2023. About 80 per cent of the project would be funded by the Japan Investment Cooperation Agency. But beneath the cultural performances and infrastructural pacts, its deep and shared concern over Chinas assertiveness in the region that brings India and Japan together, said the Japanese media. Amid Chinas assertive activities in the East and South China seas, as well as the Indian Ocean, Modi and Abe are expected to affirm the importance of promoting collaboration in fields like defence equipment and trilateral joint drills, involving the US, Japan and India, reported the Nikkei Asian Review. Discussions on Indias long-pending proposal to buy US-2 ShinMaywa amphibious aircraft from Japan are likely, said sources. The leaders, they said, may also continue talks on co-production of military equipment that was mooted during the India-Japan annual defence ministerial meet in Tokyo earlier this year. The nations are also likely to enhance their cooperation in non-energy areas of the nuclear sector, a senior government official was reported as saying by news agency PTI. Stronger defence ties amid China threat The PMs are likely to discuss bolstering of defence ties amid Chinas growing assertiveness in the region. There may be talks on Indias proposal to buy the US-2 amphibious aircraft from Japan and joint development of military gear. Boost for nuclear co-op in non-energy areas? The countries may enhance cooperation in non-energy areas of the nuclear sector, an official said, adding that there could be negotiations on having a Japanese credit-line to procure equipment for building nuclear power plants in India The streets of Ahmedabad came alive with song-and-dance performances, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe held an eight-km road show on Wednesday. Abes three-day visit will bring the famed Shinkansen Japanese bullet train to India. The project is expected to reduce the travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad from seven to just two hours by 2023. About 80 per cent of the project would be funded by the Japan Investment Cooperation Agency. But beneath the cultural performances and infrastructural pacts, its deep and shared concern over Chinas assertiveness in the region that brings India and Japan together, said the Japanese media. Amid Chinas assertive activities in the East and South China seas, as well as the Indian Ocean, Modi and Abe are expected to affirm the importance of promoting collaboration in fields like defence equipment and trilateral joint drills, involving the US, Japan and India, reported the Nikkei Asian Review. Discussions on Indias long-pending proposal to buy US-2 ShinMaywa amphibious aircraft from Japan are likely, said sources. The leaders, they said, may also continue talks on co-production of military equipment that was mooted during the India-Japan annual defence ministerial meet in Tokyo earlier this year. The nations are also likely to enhance their cooperation in non-energy areas of the nuclear sector, a senior government official was reported as saying by news agency PTI. Stronger defence ties amid China threat The PMs are likely to discuss bolstering of defence ties amid Chinas growing assertiveness in the region. There may be talks on Indias proposal to buy the US-2 amphibious aircraft from Japan and joint development of military gear. Boost for nuclear co-op in non-energy areas? The countries may enhance cooperation in non-energy areas of the nuclear sector, an official said, adding that there could be negotiations on having a Japanese credit-line to procure equipment for building nuclear power plants in India By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Hours after jointly inaugurating work on India's first bullet train, India and Japan strongly pitched for a "zero-tolerance" approach towards terrorism and agreed to strengthen cooperation against terror groups like Al-Qaida and Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The two countries signed 15 agreements in key areas, including civil aviation, trade after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe as they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in strategic areas of defence, security, trade and civil nuclear energy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe emphasised the need for stronger international partnership in countering terrorism and violent extremism, including through increased sharing of information and intelligence. They called for enhanced bilateral cooperation in this regard. The two Prime Ministers also called for Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorist attacks including those of the November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai and the 2016 terrorist attack in Pathankot. They looked forward to the convening of the fifth India-Japan Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups including Al-Qaida, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lakshar-e-Tayyiba, and their affiliates, according to the joint statement issued after the summit. The two leaders also condemned in the "strongest terms" the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism, it said. "They shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that must be forcefully combated through concerted global action in the spirit of 'zero tolerance'," the document said. The two prime ministers called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. The joint statement also stated that Modi and Abe called upon all UN member countries to implement UNSC resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions dealing with the designation of terrorist entities. While both countries agreed to enhance military cooperation, both leaders are looking forward to the possibility of joint field exercises between Indian Army and Japans Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF) in 2018, and reciprocal visits by air assets to each others country. Two leaders also noted recent progress in bilateral cooperation on defence equipment and technology, including the commencement of the technical discussion for the future research collaboration in the area of Unmanned Ground Vehicles and Robotics. Japans readiness to provide its state-of-the-art US-2 amphibian aircraft was appreciated as symbolising the high degree of trust between the two countries. The two governments decided to continue their discussions in this regard, statement further read. Besides, emphasizing the significance of defence and security cooperation in enhancing the strategic partnership between the two countries, in this context, both leaders welcomed the regular and institutionalised engagement through the annual Defence Ministerial Dialogue, the National Security Advisers' dialogue, the "2+2 Dialogue, the Defence Policy Dialogue and Service-to-Service staff talks. Without mentioning China and even the South China Sea, the two leaders also deliberated upon important regional and global issues and affirmed strong commitment to their values-based partnership in achieving a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international law are respected, and differences are resolved through dialogue, and where all countries, large or small, enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight. Asserting that the India-Japan civil nuclear pact reflected a new level of strategic partnership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe said they looked forward to setting up a working group to boost cooperation in this arena. Modi and Abe reaffirmed their commitment to work together for India to become a full member in multilateral export control regimes such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Wassenaar Arrangement and the Australia Group. The two Prime Ministers also condemned in the strongest terms North Koreas continued development of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, including the latest nuclear test conducted by North Korea on 3 September as well as its uranium enrichment activities. R Recognising that North Koreas continued pursuit of nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and its proliferation links, including the launch of a ballistic missile flying over Japanese territory on 29 August 2017, pose grave and real threat to international peace and stability and the international non-proliferation efforts, the two Prime Ministers strongly urged North Korea to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and not to take any further provocative actions, and to fully comply with its international obligations under relevant UNSC resolutions including the newly and unanimously adopted resolution 2375, and other international commitments, Joint statement further stated. NEW DELHI: Hours after jointly inaugurating work on India's first bullet train, India and Japan strongly pitched for a "zero-tolerance" approach towards terrorism and agreed to strengthen cooperation against terror groups like Al-Qaida and Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The two countries signed 15 agreements in key areas, including civil aviation, trade after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe as they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in strategic areas of defence, security, trade and civil nuclear energy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe emphasised the need for stronger international partnership in countering terrorism and violent extremism, including through increased sharing of information and intelligence. They called for enhanced bilateral cooperation in this regard. The two Prime Ministers also called for Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorist attacks including those of the November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai and the 2016 terrorist attack in Pathankot. They looked forward to the convening of the fifth India-Japan Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups including Al-Qaida, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lakshar-e-Tayyiba, and their affiliates, according to the joint statement issued after the summit. The two leaders also condemned in the "strongest terms" the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism, it said. "They shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that must be forcefully combated through concerted global action in the spirit of 'zero tolerance'," the document said. The two prime ministers called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. The joint statement also stated that Modi and Abe called upon all UN member countries to implement UNSC resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions dealing with the designation of terrorist entities. While both countries agreed to enhance military cooperation, both leaders are looking forward to the possibility of joint field exercises between Indian Army and Japans Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF) in 2018, and reciprocal visits by air assets to each others country. Two leaders also noted recent progress in bilateral cooperation on defence equipment and technology, including the commencement of the technical discussion for the future research collaboration in the area of Unmanned Ground Vehicles and Robotics. Japans readiness to provide its state-of-the-art US-2 amphibian aircraft was appreciated as symbolising the high degree of trust between the two countries. The two governments decided to continue their discussions in this regard, statement further read. Besides, emphasizing the significance of defence and security cooperation in enhancing the strategic partnership between the two countries, in this context, both leaders welcomed the regular and institutionalised engagement through the annual Defence Ministerial Dialogue, the National Security Advisers' dialogue, the "2+2 Dialogue, the Defence Policy Dialogue and Service-to-Service staff talks. Without mentioning China and even the South China Sea, the two leaders also deliberated upon important regional and global issues and affirmed strong commitment to their values-based partnership in achieving a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international law are respected, and differences are resolved through dialogue, and where all countries, large or small, enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight. Asserting that the India-Japan civil nuclear pact reflected a new level of strategic partnership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe said they looked forward to setting up a working group to boost cooperation in this arena. Modi and Abe reaffirmed their commitment to work together for India to become a full member in multilateral export control regimes such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Wassenaar Arrangement and the Australia Group. The two Prime Ministers also condemned in the strongest terms North Koreas continued development of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, including the latest nuclear test conducted by North Korea on 3 September as well as its uranium enrichment activities. R Recognising that North Koreas continued pursuit of nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and its proliferation links, including the launch of a ballistic missile flying over Japanese territory on 29 August 2017, pose grave and real threat to international peace and stability and the international non-proliferation efforts, the two Prime Ministers strongly urged North Korea to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and not to take any further provocative actions, and to fully comply with its international obligations under relevant UNSC resolutions including the newly and unanimously adopted resolution 2375, and other international commitments, Joint statement further stated. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: India and Japan on Thursday agreed to an open sky arrangement under which the airlines of both countries can operate an unlimited number of flights. The agreement was signed after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan PM Shino Abe. The move is ought to increase air travel and tourism between the two countries. Travel portal Yatra.com said the free movement of airlines between the two countries will also lead to reduction in price of air tickets. The agreement will not only encourage connectivity and passenger travel between the two countries, but will also result in reduction in airfares on these routes, Yatra.com's COO Sharat Dhall said. The agreement was signed in accordance with the National Civil Aviation Policy (NACP), 2016. The NACP permits the government to enter into an open sky air services agreement on a reciprocal basis with SAARC nations as well as countries with territory located entirely beyond a 5,000 kilometre radius from New Delhi. The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement saying, The two Prime ministers welcomed the expansion of civil aviation connectivity between India and Japan, utilising the recently updated open sky policies between the two countries. Japanese carriers All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines and Indian carriers Air India and Jet Airways are the airlines that fly between the two countries. Pertinently, last week, full service carrier Vistara had announced plans to enter into a code share partnership with Japan Airlines by next year. Vistara is also likely to unveil plans for international operations soon and Japan is on the radar, it had said. Last year, India signed an open sky agreement with Greece, Jamaica, Guyana, Czech Republic, Finland, Spain and Sri Lanka. India also signed a bilateral open sky agreement with the US in 2005. In 2003, India had signed an open sky agreement with the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). NEW DELHI: India and Japan on Thursday agreed to an open sky arrangement under which the airlines of both countries can operate an unlimited number of flights. The agreement was signed after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan PM Shino Abe. The move is ought to increase air travel and tourism between the two countries. Travel portal Yatra.com said the free movement of airlines between the two countries will also lead to reduction in price of air tickets. The agreement will not only encourage connectivity and passenger travel between the two countries, but will also result in reduction in airfares on these routes, Yatra.com's COO Sharat Dhall said. The agreement was signed in accordance with the National Civil Aviation Policy (NACP), 2016. The NACP permits the government to enter into an open sky air services agreement on a reciprocal basis with SAARC nations as well as countries with territory located entirely beyond a 5,000 kilometre radius from New Delhi. The Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement saying, The two Prime ministers welcomed the expansion of civil aviation connectivity between India and Japan, utilising the recently updated open sky policies between the two countries. Japanese carriers All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines and Indian carriers Air India and Jet Airways are the airlines that fly between the two countries. Pertinently, last week, full service carrier Vistara had announced plans to enter into a code share partnership with Japan Airlines by next year. Vistara is also likely to unveil plans for international operations soon and Japan is on the radar, it had said. Last year, India signed an open sky agreement with Greece, Jamaica, Guyana, Czech Republic, Finland, Spain and Sri Lanka. India also signed a bilateral open sky agreement with the US in 2005. In 2003, India had signed an open sky agreement with the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). Rajeev Tamhankar By All companies big or small needs someone to represent them. And most big companies hire celebrities for this purpose. They sign contracts worth crores and get these celebrities to endorse their brand. They do signings, launch products and are covered in press releases. Unfortunately, thats not the luxury that startup founders have! But then who can become our brand ambassadors? The CEOs of course. A CEO in a startup just doesnt have to be the lead for business development and marketing. He should also be the spokesperson for the startup. I would go so far to say that the CEO has to be the brand he is representing. Take Steve Jobs, for instance. He positioned Apple as an inspiring brand by himself taking launch event speeches and endorsements and giving that communication in his media statements. Elon Musk for Tesla could be another example. Here are three reasons why the CEO has to be the brand ambassador: You know your brand best No one can tell what your startup is going to look like; except you, the CEO. Because you have envisioned it. You know its rights, its wrongs, its wins, its losses, its successes and its failures and there is no one better to talk about them than you. When you give a press conference or launch a product or communicate with the journalists, you are the best person to talk about your brand. Feedback loop is completed Brand ambassadors often get direct queries and complaints and feedbacks. Customers will walk down to a brand ambassador at a launch event and ask him queries on things that matter to the customer. Imagine if someone else is your spokesperson, he will be taking that feedback and he may or may not be having the time or the interest to communicate the same to you. But if you are the brand ambassador yourself, the feedback comes to you first-handed. You get praised and bashed on social media. But at least you know what is going right or wrong with your company and can use those suggestions to keep improving your product. CEOs are the startup culture A company is made of its employees. And a startup has very few of them. Obviously whatever the CEO and the founders are, become a part of day to day startup life. A CEO thus not just represents the brand but also the company culture and thus it makes it easier to attract prospective partners, clients and future employees when he himself is the spokesperson. If you have any queries write to Rajeev@TBSPlanet.com. Rajeev Tamhankar @rajeevtamhankar Rajeev Tamhankar is IIT-R Alumnus, Entrepreneur of The Year17 (Print Business) and the Founder of TBS Planet Comics All companies big or small needs someone to represent them. And most big companies hire celebrities for this purpose. They sign contracts worth crores and get these celebrities to endorse their brand. They do signings, launch products and are covered in press releases. Unfortunately, thats not the luxury that startup founders have! But then who can become our brand ambassadors? The CEOs of course. A CEO in a startup just doesnt have to be the lead for business development and marketing. He should also be the spokesperson for the startup. I would go so far to say that the CEO has to be the brand he is representing. Take Steve Jobs, for instance. He positioned Apple as an inspiring brand by himself taking launch event speeches and endorsements and giving that communication in his media statements. Elon Musk for Tesla could be another example. Here are three reasons why the CEO has to be the brand ambassador: You know your brand best No one can tell what your startup is going to look like; except you, the CEO. Because you have envisioned it. You know its rights, its wrongs, its wins, its losses, its successes and its failures and there is no one better to talk about them than you. When you give a press conference or launch a product or communicate with the journalists, you are the best person to talk about your brand. Feedback loop is completed Brand ambassadors often get direct queries and complaints and feedbacks. Customers will walk down to a brand ambassador at a launch event and ask him queries on things that matter to the customer. Imagine if someone else is your spokesperson, he will be taking that feedback and he may or may not be having the time or the interest to communicate the same to you. But if you are the brand ambassador yourself, the feedback comes to you first-handed. You get praised and bashed on social media. But at least you know what is going right or wrong with your company and can use those suggestions to keep improving your product. CEOs are the startup culture A company is made of its employees. And a startup has very few of them. Obviously whatever the CEO and the founders are, become a part of day to day startup life. A CEO thus not just represents the brand but also the company culture and thus it makes it easier to attract prospective partners, clients and future employees when he himself is the spokesperson. If you have any queries write to Rajeev@TBSPlanet.com. Rajeev Tamhankar @rajeevtamhankar Rajeev Tamhankar is IIT-R Alumnus, Entrepreneur of The Year17 (Print Business) and the Founder of TBS Planet Comics Karamatullah K Ghori By For decades, Pakistanis of all hues have been nurtured on a familiar slogan: The China-Pakistan friendship is deeper than the ocean and higher than the Himalayas. The shibboleth has been further embellished with a footnote: the friendship between the two neighbours is time-tested and is an all-weather union. Well, those Pakistanis who took the message of these morale-boosting slogans to heart have recently been made to re-evaluate their commitment to their being immune to the vicissitudes of changing times and circumstances. Pakistan was still at odds with itself trying to recover from US President Donald Trumps blunt warning to it to change its course on terrorism. But then came an even bigger shock when China joined the chorus of its BRICS comradesBrazil, Russia, India and South Africato declare some of the Pakistan-based radical and militant groups and armed factions a matter of regional security concern and demanding that their patrons be held accountable for sleeping with the devil. The 43-page joint declaration issued by the BRICS, on September 4, at the end of their summit in Chinas Xiamen, was a timely reminder to those in Pakistan who still have a thinking cap on their heads and can appreciate the timeless validity of that historic aphorism that says there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies in inter-state relations, but only a states national interests have permanency. Thou too, Brutus, an uninitiated Pakistani may well have said throwing up his arms in despair at what, to most novices, seemed like a stab in the back from Pakistans all-weather friend. But those with a sharper focus on China-Pakistan relations of the past six decades know theres more of Chinas own despair in this episode, vis-a-vis Pakistan. China has truly been Pakistans number one benefactor and those, like this scribe, who have been professionally part of the long history of China-Pakistan camaraderiein more ways than onewould readily vouch for it. Its not only the ongoing and headlines-making CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) saga that has excited the imagination of even the layman in Pakistan; China has lent a helping hand to Pakistan in dire circumstances when there was rarely another to bail it out from its frequent trucks with adversity. But China has its soft underbelly, its proverbial Achilles heel, right where its land border meets with Pakistan. China has faced the issue of Muslim insurgency for long years in its Xinjiang province. Xinjiang was the land of the Turkic people until it became part of the Peoples Republic in 1949. The natives of Xinjiang, speaking classical Turkish language and practising Islam, had nothing in common with the Hans of China. But the Chinese embarked on a determined plan to colonise Xinjiang. The influx of Hans from the traditional heart of China may have led to a near-parity, today, in Xinjiangs demography between the Turkic people and Hans but has triggered an insurgency from the locals resenting Chinas colonial push. The standard-bearer of that insurgency is the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) which claims to have thousands of armed militants resisting Chinas onslaught. But while the ETIM militants may indemnify their struggle as a freedom movement, to the Chinese they are terrorists posing a threat to Chinas territorial integrity in perhaps the most sensitive part of the Peoples Republic. Thats where ETIM becomes an embarrassment and a headache for Pakistan, too. The rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Pakistan ushers in a natural milieu of sympathy for Xinjiangs Muslim freedom fighters. China has long grumbled and remonstrated in closed-door dialogue with Pakistan, though not publicly so until this Xiamen Declaration, about the support ETIM has been receivingmostly covertly but often overtly toofrom Pakistani jihadist outfits, some of which have been named in the Xiamen demand. One can well imagine the kind of dilemma it poses to Pakistans policymakers, especially those tasked with keeping the Chinese in good humour on this issue of extreme sensitivity to China. Its, for Pakistan, a Catch-22. China is Pakistans principal benefactor. The ongoing CPEC has, understandably, been hailed and propagated by the Pakistani power-brokers as the greatest thing that has happened to the country in the 21st century. Pakistans future economic progress and prosperity is in the balance and riding, critically, on the successful completion of CPEC. But Pakistan has its Islamic underpinnings too, which makes it imperative for its people inspired by the universal brotherhood of the Muslim Ummah to stand shoulder to shoulder with their oppressed brethren in any corner of the world. Xinjiangs oppressed Muslims, to add to the agony of Pakistani policymakers, happen to be right next door. How to square the circle of the Muslim insurgency in China is something that Pakistani leaders would rather prefer to forget but cant. China may have a valid argument that its Muslim insurgents have been getting, at the very least, a pat on their back from the Pakistani jihadists, if not a much robust dollop of help in both men and materiel. China adding its name, for the first time, to those breathing down Pakistans neck to redouble its efforts to tighten the noose around its militants and terrorists should usher in a moment of truth for Pakistan. When your best friend calls on you to rein in your home-based rogues and terrorists youve to listen intently. Its Pakistans call to take the sting out and prove its sincerity to its soulmate. Karamatullah K Ghori Former Pakistani diplomat K_K_ghori@hotmail.com For decades, Pakistanis of all hues have been nurtured on a familiar slogan: The China-Pakistan friendship is deeper than the ocean and higher than the Himalayas. The shibboleth has been further embellished with a footnote: the friendship between the two neighbours is time-tested and is an all-weather union. Well, those Pakistanis who took the message of these morale-boosting slogans to heart have recently been made to re-evaluate their commitment to their being immune to the vicissitudes of changing times and circumstances. Pakistan was still at odds with itself trying to recover from US President Donald Trumps blunt warning to it to change its course on terrorism. But then came an even bigger shock when China joined the chorus of its BRICS comradesBrazil, Russia, India and South Africato declare some of the Pakistan-based radical and militant groups and armed factions a matter of regional security concern and demanding that their patrons be held accountable for sleeping with the devil. The 43-page joint declaration issued by the BRICS, on September 4, at the end of their summit in Chinas Xiamen, was a timely reminder to those in Pakistan who still have a thinking cap on their heads and can appreciate the timeless validity of that historic aphorism that says there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies in inter-state relations, but only a states national interests have permanency. Thou too, Brutus, an uninitiated Pakistani may well have said throwing up his arms in despair at what, to most novices, seemed like a stab in the back from Pakistans all-weather friend. But those with a sharper focus on China-Pakistan relations of the past six decades know theres more of Chinas own despair in this episode, vis-a-vis Pakistan. China has truly been Pakistans number one benefactor and those, like this scribe, who have been professionally part of the long history of China-Pakistan camaraderiein more ways than onewould readily vouch for it. Its not only the ongoing and headlines-making CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) saga that has excited the imagination of even the layman in Pakistan; China has lent a helping hand to Pakistan in dire circumstances when there was rarely another to bail it out from its frequent trucks with adversity. But China has its soft underbelly, its proverbial Achilles heel, right where its land border meets with Pakistan. China has faced the issue of Muslim insurgency for long years in its Xinjiang province. Xinjiang was the land of the Turkic people until it became part of the Peoples Republic in 1949. The natives of Xinjiang, speaking classical Turkish language and practising Islam, had nothing in common with the Hans of China. But the Chinese embarked on a determined plan to colonise Xinjiang. The influx of Hans from the traditional heart of China may have led to a near-parity, today, in Xinjiangs demography between the Turkic people and Hans but has triggered an insurgency from the locals resenting Chinas colonial push. The standard-bearer of that insurgency is the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) which claims to have thousands of armed militants resisting Chinas onslaught. But while the ETIM militants may indemnify their struggle as a freedom movement, to the Chinese they are terrorists posing a threat to Chinas territorial integrity in perhaps the most sensitive part of the Peoples Republic. Thats where ETIM becomes an embarrassment and a headache for Pakistan, too. The rise of Islamic fundamentalism in Pakistan ushers in a natural milieu of sympathy for Xinjiangs Muslim freedom fighters. China has long grumbled and remonstrated in closed-door dialogue with Pakistan, though not publicly so until this Xiamen Declaration, about the support ETIM has been receivingmostly covertly but often overtly toofrom Pakistani jihadist outfits, some of which have been named in the Xiamen demand. One can well imagine the kind of dilemma it poses to Pakistans policymakers, especially those tasked with keeping the Chinese in good humour on this issue of extreme sensitivity to China. Its, for Pakistan, a Catch-22. China is Pakistans principal benefactor. The ongoing CPEC has, understandably, been hailed and propagated by the Pakistani power-brokers as the greatest thing that has happened to the country in the 21st century. Pakistans future economic progress and prosperity is in the balance and riding, critically, on the successful completion of CPEC. But Pakistan has its Islamic underpinnings too, which makes it imperative for its people inspired by the universal brotherhood of the Muslim Ummah to stand shoulder to shoulder with their oppressed brethren in any corner of the world. Xinjiangs oppressed Muslims, to add to the agony of Pakistani policymakers, happen to be right next door. How to square the circle of the Muslim insurgency in China is something that Pakistani leaders would rather prefer to forget but cant. China may have a valid argument that its Muslim insurgents have been getting, at the very least, a pat on their back from the Pakistani jihadists, if not a much robust dollop of help in both men and materiel. China adding its name, for the first time, to those breathing down Pakistans neck to redouble its efforts to tighten the noose around its militants and terrorists should usher in a moment of truth for Pakistan. When your best friend calls on you to rein in your home-based rogues and terrorists youve to listen intently. Its Pakistans call to take the sting out and prove its sincerity to its soulmate. Karamatullah K Ghori Former Pakistani diplomat K_K_ghori@hotmail.com By Express News Service BENGALURU: A day after a gaffe by Water Resources Minister M B Patil claiming that the Siddaganga Mutt senior pontiff Shivakumara Swamiji had favoured a separate Lingayat religion, leaders of the Lingayat-Veerashaiva camps met at Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash Patils official residence in Jayamahal to reach a consensus over their respective demands. However, the meeting failed to arrive at a consensus. Minister Patil was not present. Senior leaders from both camps said that an expert committee will be constituted to look into the legalities and feasibility of having a separate religion. Among other aspects that need to be discussed are nomenclature and what the religion actually prescribes.The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha considers Lingayats as part of Veerashaiva sect. Now, the organisation wants a separate status for Veerashaiva-Lingayat together. Lingayat seers, however, do not consider themselves as part of either Veerashaiva or Hinduism. Minister of State for Municipalities and Local Bodies, Eshwara Bheemanna Khandre, who is also secretary general of the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, told reporters after the meeting, We will need to have more meetings. We still have to discuss about our respective opinions. Till we reach a consensus, our members are requested not to go the media with their personal opinions. Minister for Higher Education Basavaraj Rayareddy, who is also one of the five ministers in the Siddaramaiah cabinet batting for a separate Veerashaiva-Lingayat religion, said, We will form an expert committee that will look into the legalities of having a separate religion. In our first meeting we have made progress, just enough for a preamble. We are all one, nobody is our enemy here. We are all friends. Mahasabha president Shamanur Shivashankarappa and Karnataka unit chief N Thippanna reitereated the decision. Mines and Geology Minister Vinay Kulkarni, Aland MLA B R Patil, JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti and retired IAS officer SM Jamdar were among those present. BENGALURU: A day after a gaffe by Water Resources Minister M B Patil claiming that the Siddaganga Mutt senior pontiff Shivakumara Swamiji had favoured a separate Lingayat religion, leaders of the Lingayat-Veerashaiva camps met at Medical Education Minister Sharanprakash Patils official residence in Jayamahal to reach a consensus over their respective demands. However, the meeting failed to arrive at a consensus. Minister Patil was not present. Senior leaders from both camps said that an expert committee will be constituted to look into the legalities and feasibility of having a separate religion. Among other aspects that need to be discussed are nomenclature and what the religion actually prescribes.The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha considers Lingayats as part of Veerashaiva sect. Now, the organisation wants a separate status for Veerashaiva-Lingayat together. Lingayat seers, however, do not consider themselves as part of either Veerashaiva or Hinduism. Minister of State for Municipalities and Local Bodies, Eshwara Bheemanna Khandre, who is also secretary general of the All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, told reporters after the meeting, We will need to have more meetings. We still have to discuss about our respective opinions. Till we reach a consensus, our members are requested not to go the media with their personal opinions. Minister for Higher Education Basavaraj Rayareddy, who is also one of the five ministers in the Siddaramaiah cabinet batting for a separate Veerashaiva-Lingayat religion, said, We will form an expert committee that will look into the legalities of having a separate religion. In our first meeting we have made progress, just enough for a preamble. We are all one, nobody is our enemy here. We are all friends. Mahasabha president Shamanur Shivashankarappa and Karnataka unit chief N Thippanna reitereated the decision. Mines and Geology Minister Vinay Kulkarni, Aland MLA B R Patil, JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti and retired IAS officer SM Jamdar were among those present. By Express News Service KARWAR: Tension prevailed in Bhatkal town in Karnataka on Thursday after protesters pelted stones on the Town Municipal Council (TMC) office in protest. Following the incident, the Block Education Officer shut down schools and colleges in the town as a preventive measure. Opposing the Bhatkal TMC's action of vacating its 34 TMC shops that were illegally occupied by vendors, a shopkeeper, Ramachandra Naik, set himself ablaze at the TMC complex. His brother Eshwar Naik who went to rescue him was also injured in the incident. Ramachandra sustained more than 50 percent burn and was admitted to the Manipal hospital along with Eshwar who sustained 25 per cent burns. After the incident, local people staged a protest, and some of them pelted stones at the TMC office. The district administration of Uttara Kannada has deployed hundreds of police personnel in the town to control the situation. Meanwhile, local people staged a protest and threatened to block national highway-66 (Mangaluru-Mumbai). They calmed down only after the district DC assured them of visiting the spot. They also accused the DC of creating the problem in the first place. According to police, additional superintendent of police Gopal Byakod visited the spot, both deputy commissioner S S Nakul and SP Vinayak Patil are in their way to Bhatkal. "If the stone pelting incident continues, police may impose curfew (section 144) in Bhatkal town. KARWAR: Tension prevailed in Bhatkal town in Karnataka on Thursday after protesters pelted stones on the Town Municipal Council (TMC) office in protest. Following the incident, the Block Education Officer shut down schools and colleges in the town as a preventive measure. Opposing the Bhatkal TMC's action of vacating its 34 TMC shops that were illegally occupied by vendors, a shopkeeper, Ramachandra Naik, set himself ablaze at the TMC complex. His brother Eshwar Naik who went to rescue him was also injured in the incident. Ramachandra sustained more than 50 percent burn and was admitted to the Manipal hospital along with Eshwar who sustained 25 per cent burns. After the incident, local people staged a protest, and some of them pelted stones at the TMC office. The district administration of Uttara Kannada has deployed hundreds of police personnel in the town to control the situation. Meanwhile, local people staged a protest and threatened to block national highway-66 (Mangaluru-Mumbai). They calmed down only after the district DC assured them of visiting the spot. They also accused the DC of creating the problem in the first place. According to police, additional superintendent of police Gopal Byakod visited the spot, both deputy commissioner S S Nakul and SP Vinayak Patil are in their way to Bhatkal. "If the stone pelting incident continues, police may impose curfew (section 144) in Bhatkal town. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, the Keralite priest kidnapped over a year ago from Yemen, was released from captivity, the Union Government on Wednesday said it had a role in securing the priests release, but denied reports of any ransom being paid.The MEA works quietly, does its work without making too much noise and ultimately ensures the work gets done, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a state outreach conference organised by the Ministry of External Affairs. Singh replied in the negative when asked whether any ransom was paid to the captors. Fr Tom Uzhunnalil Asked about the role played by Oman for the release of the priest, he said when direct methods do not yield results, indirect methods have to be adopted. The aim is to get the problem solved and in achieving that aim, anybody who assists us is welcome. In such situations, we need to take anyones help, he said. To a query on reports about the seizure of assets of Indias most wanted gangster Dawood Ibrahim by the UK government, Singh admitted things are happening. But we cant let the cat out of the bag now, he said without giving further details. He also declined to comment on the Kulbushan Jadhav case, the hearing of which was slated to be held at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Jadhav was sentenced to death by a court in Pakistan earlier this year on charges of being an Indian spy. Asked about how India was planning to handle the Rohingya Muslim refugee issue, Singh said the Union Government would stick to its refugee policy. We have taken in people as part of our policy and we will go as per the policy we have made in dealing with them, he said. V K SiNgh giving lame excuses: Kadakampally TPuram: Refusing to accept Union Minister of state for External Affairs General V K Singhs claim that permission was denied to attend the United Nations World Tourism Organisation meet in China due to protocol issues, Tourism and Cooperation Minister Kadakampally Surendran said the Union Minister was giving lame excuses. Referring to VK Singhs claim, he said UNWTO was an organization promoting tourism across the globe. The minister said it was Taleb Rifai and designated UNWTO General Secretary Zurab Pololikashvili who invited him to the meet. He said if there were any protocol issue involved, the Centre could have informed in advance. A day after Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, the Keralite priest kidnapped over a year ago from Yemen, was released from captivity, the Union Government on Wednesday said it had a role THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, the Keralite priest kidnapped over a year ago from Yemen, was released from captivity, the Union Government on Wednesday said it had a role in securing the priests release, but denied reports of any ransom being paid.The MEA works quietly, does its work without making too much noise and ultimately ensures the work gets done, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a state outreach conference organised by the Ministry of External Affairs. Singh replied in the negative when asked whether any ransom was paid to the captors. Fr Tom Uzhunnalil Asked about the role played by Oman for the release of the priest, he said when direct methods do not yield results, indirect methods have to be adopted. The aim is to get the problem solved and in achieving that aim, anybody who assists us is welcome. In such situations, we need to take anyones help, he said. To a query on reports about the seizure of assets of Indias most wanted gangster Dawood Ibrahim by the UK government, Singh admitted things are happening. But we cant let the cat out of the bag now, he said without giving further details. He also declined to comment on the Kulbushan Jadhav case, the hearing of which was slated to be held at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Jadhav was sentenced to death by a court in Pakistan earlier this year on charges of being an Indian spy. Asked about how India was planning to handle the Rohingya Muslim refugee issue, Singh said the Union Government would stick to its refugee policy. We have taken in people as part of our policy and we will go as per the policy we have made in dealing with them, he said. V K SiNgh giving lame excuses: Kadakampally TPuram: Refusing to accept Union Minister of state for External Affairs General V K Singhs claim that permission was denied to attend the United Nations World Tourism Organisation meet in China due to protocol issues, Tourism and Cooperation Minister Kadakampally Surendran said the Union Minister was giving lame excuses. Referring to VK Singhs claim, he said UNWTO was an organization promoting tourism across the globe. The minister said it was Taleb Rifai and designated UNWTO General Secretary Zurab Pololikashvili who invited him to the meet. He said if there were any protocol issue involved, the Centre could have informed in advance. A day after Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, the Keralite priest kidnapped over a year ago from Yemen, was released from captivity, the Union Government on Wednesday said it had a role By Express News Service CHENNAI: Refusing to give up their fight against the ruling faction of the AIADMK, 18 MLAs owing allegiance to ousted deputy general secretary of the party T T V Dhinakaran lodged a complaint against TN police with the local police in Karnataka where they have been holed up for the past few days. A team of officials from CB-CID had gone to the resort in Kodagu in Karnataka, ostensibly looking for former minister P Palaniappan, MLA, who is facing a case of abetment of suicide of a government contractor four months ago. However, Palaniappan managed to evade them. According to other MLAs with him, a team of 30 police officers from TN were harassing them to withdraw their representation given to the Governor withdrawing their support to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. The officers, they alleged, were insisting on them speaking to the Chief Minister over phone. On behalf of the MLAs, former minister V Senthil Balaji lodged a complaint with Suntikoppa Police, Somwarpet Taluk, Coorg district. We have sought protection from Karnataka police and the officials in the station have agreed, Balaji told Express. Some of the TN officers visited their rooms with offers of `20 crore each if they withdrew the representations given to the Governor, and warned of dire consequences if they failed to do so, alleged Balaji. From September 8 till date, a TN police team consisting of 30 officers who are in civil dress are staying at our resort and calling us to their vehicles and harassing and threatening us to move from the resort, he said in the complaint. MLA seeks advance bail in contractor suicide case Chennai: T T V Dhinakaran loyalist and MLA Palaniappan, who apprehended arrest in connection with a criminal case, has moved the High Court seeking advance bail. One Subramanian (58), a contractor, committed suicide by consuming poison at a farm house in Sevitturanganpatti in May last. The police recovered a suicide note, which implicated former minister Palaniappan in the crime. The CB-CID, which was holding the probe, summoned Palaniappan and he had attended the enquiry. The police issued summons again, but he did not appear. The police came to know he was part of the Dhinakaran group camping at Kudagu. Fearing arrest, Palaniappan has sought anticipatory bail. CHENNAI: Refusing to give up their fight against the ruling faction of the AIADMK, 18 MLAs owing allegiance to ousted deputy general secretary of the party T T V Dhinakaran lodged a complaint against TN police with the local police in Karnataka where they have been holed up for the past few days. A team of officials from CB-CID had gone to the resort in Kodagu in Karnataka, ostensibly looking for former minister P Palaniappan, MLA, who is facing a case of abetment of suicide of a government contractor four months ago. However, Palaniappan managed to evade them. According to other MLAs with him, a team of 30 police officers from TN were harassing them to withdraw their representation given to the Governor withdrawing their support to Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. The officers, they alleged, were insisting on them speaking to the Chief Minister over phone. On behalf of the MLAs, former minister V Senthil Balaji lodged a complaint with Suntikoppa Police, Somwarpet Taluk, Coorg district. We have sought protection from Karnataka police and the officials in the station have agreed, Balaji told Express. Some of the TN officers visited their rooms with offers of `20 crore each if they withdrew the representations given to the Governor, and warned of dire consequences if they failed to do so, alleged Balaji. From September 8 till date, a TN police team consisting of 30 officers who are in civil dress are staying at our resort and calling us to their vehicles and harassing and threatening us to move from the resort, he said in the complaint. MLA seeks advance bail in contractor suicide case Chennai: T T V Dhinakaran loyalist and MLA Palaniappan, who apprehended arrest in connection with a criminal case, has moved the High Court seeking advance bail. One Subramanian (58), a contractor, committed suicide by consuming poison at a farm house in Sevitturanganpatti in May last. The police recovered a suicide note, which implicated former minister Palaniappan in the crime. The CB-CID, which was holding the probe, summoned Palaniappan and he had attended the enquiry. The police issued summons again, but he did not appear. The police came to know he was part of the Dhinakaran group camping at Kudagu. Fearing arrest, Palaniappan has sought anticipatory bail. By Express News Service NALGONDA: A psychiatrist from Miryalguda was stabbed to death in his clinic in a Kansas city in the United States of America, on Wednesday night. Dr Achutha Reddy (57), of Seetharampuram of Miryalguda town, had been practicing in the US for more than 25 years, according to information reaching here. His relatives in Telangana received information that he was stabbed to death by a client in his holistic clinic in Wichita, Kansas, late on Wednesday night. Dr Achutha Reddy The accused was identified as 21-year-old Umar Rashid Dutt. He reportedly attacked the doctor inside the clinic when the office manager tried to stop him, allowing the doctor to flee. However, the accused pursued him and continued the attack in an alley behind the clinic, police were reported as saying. Achutha Reddy is an alumnus of Osmania Medical College from where he graduated in 1986. He had been practicing in East Wichita since 1989, and was running the Holistic Psychiatric Services there. His relatives, who heard from Wichita police, said Achutha Reddy suffered multiple stab wounds and died instantly. The accused is said to have been nabbed at the Witchita Country Club and booked forfirst-degreee murder. The deceased doctors parents Bhadhra Reddy and Parijatha live in Miryalaguda town. Bhadhra Reddy said his son was a non-controversial person. He was a calm person and was running the hospital successfully from last few years, he said. Relatives are excepting the body to reach Miryalguda in a few days. NALGONDA: A psychiatrist from Miryalguda was stabbed to death in his clinic in a Kansas city in the United States of America, on Wednesday night. Dr Achutha Reddy (57), of Seetharampuram of Miryalguda town, had been practicing in the US for more than 25 years, according to information reaching here. His relatives in Telangana received information that he was stabbed to death by a client in his holistic clinic in Wichita, Kansas, late on Wednesday night. Dr Achutha ReddyThe accused was identified as 21-year-old Umar Rashid Dutt. He reportedly attacked the doctor inside the clinic when the office manager tried to stop him, allowing the doctor to flee. However, the accused pursued him and continued the attack in an alley behind the clinic, police were reported as saying. Achutha Reddy is an alumnus of Osmania Medical College from where he graduated in 1986. He had been practicing in East Wichita since 1989, and was running the Holistic Psychiatric Services there. His relatives, who heard from Wichita police, said Achutha Reddy suffered multiple stab wounds and died instantly. The accused is said to have been nabbed at the Witchita Country Club and booked forfirst-degreee murder. The deceased doctors parents Bhadhra Reddy and Parijatha live in Miryalaguda town. Bhadhra Reddy said his son was a non-controversial person. He was a calm person and was running the hospital successfully from last few years, he said. Relatives are excepting the body to reach Miryalguda in a few days. By Associated Press KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian authorities were investigating the cause of a fire early Thursday that blocked the only exit of an Islamic dormitory on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, killing 23 people, most of them teenagers. Firefighters and witnesses described scenes of horror first of boys screaming for help behind barred windows as neighbors watched helplessly, and later of burned bodies huddled in corners of the room. Islamic teacher Arif Mawardy said he woke up to what he thought was a thunderstorm, only to realize it was the sound of people screaming. Firefighters rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call at 5:41 a.m. and took an hour to put out the blaze, which started on the top floor of the three-story building, Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh said. Singh said 23 charred bodies were recovered 21 boys between the ages of 13 and 17 and two teachers. "We believe (they died of) suffocation ... the bodies were totally burnt," he said. Singh said 14 other students and four teachers were rescued. WATCH VIDEO | Fire kills at least 23 at religious school in Malaysia Health Minister S. Subramaniam said six other students and a resident who went to help were hospitalized, with four of them in critical condition. He said the 23 bodies were in the Forensics Department waiting to be identified through DNA. The fire broke out near the only door to the boys' dormitory, trapping the victims because the windows were barred, fire department senior official Abu Obaidat Mohamad Saithalimat said. He said the cause was believed to be an electrical short-circuit, though Singh said the investigation was continuing. Another fire department official, Soiman Jahid, said firefighters heard shouts for help when they arrived at the school. He said they found a pile of bodies in the right corner of the dorm and another pile in the left corner. Local media showed pictures of blackened bed frames in the burned dormitory. A resident, Nurhayati Abdul Halim, was quoted as saying that she saw the boys crying and screaming for help. "I saw their little hands out of the grilled windows; crying for help. ... I heard their screams and cries but I could not do anything. The fire was too strong for me to do anything," she said. She added that the school had been operating in the area for the past year. Noh Omar, Malaysia's minister for urban well-being, housing and local government, said the school's original architectural plan included an open top floor that allowed access to two exit staircases. But he said a wall had been built dividing that floor, leaving only one exit for the dorm. "The wall shouldn't have been there," he said. He added that the school submitted an application for a fire safety permit that hadn't been approved. The school, Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, is a private Islamic center, known as a "tahfiz" school, for Muslim children, mainly boys, to study and memorize the Quran. School principal Mohamad Zahid Mahmod was quoted by the Berita Harian newspaper as saying the students were being housed in a temporary building because of renovation work at the main school building. He said they were due to move back at the end of this month. KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian authorities were investigating the cause of a fire early Thursday that blocked the only exit of an Islamic dormitory on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, killing 23 people, most of them teenagers. Firefighters and witnesses described scenes of horror first of boys screaming for help behind barred windows as neighbors watched helplessly, and later of burned bodies huddled in corners of the room. Islamic teacher Arif Mawardy said he woke up to what he thought was a thunderstorm, only to realize it was the sound of people screaming. Firefighters rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call at 5:41 a.m. and took an hour to put out the blaze, which started on the top floor of the three-story building, Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh said. Singh said 23 charred bodies were recovered 21 boys between the ages of 13 and 17 and two teachers. "We believe (they died of) suffocation ... the bodies were totally burnt," he said. Singh said 14 other students and four teachers were rescued. WATCH VIDEO | Fire kills at least 23 at religious school in Malaysia Health Minister S. Subramaniam said six other students and a resident who went to help were hospitalized, with four of them in critical condition. He said the 23 bodies were in the Forensics Department waiting to be identified through DNA. The fire broke out near the only door to the boys' dormitory, trapping the victims because the windows were barred, fire department senior official Abu Obaidat Mohamad Saithalimat said. He said the cause was believed to be an electrical short-circuit, though Singh said the investigation was continuing. Another fire department official, Soiman Jahid, said firefighters heard shouts for help when they arrived at the school. He said they found a pile of bodies in the right corner of the dorm and another pile in the left corner. Local media showed pictures of blackened bed frames in the burned dormitory. A resident, Nurhayati Abdul Halim, was quoted as saying that she saw the boys crying and screaming for help. "I saw their little hands out of the grilled windows; crying for help. ... I heard their screams and cries but I could not do anything. The fire was too strong for me to do anything," she said. She added that the school had been operating in the area for the past year. Noh Omar, Malaysia's minister for urban well-being, housing and local government, said the school's original architectural plan included an open top floor that allowed access to two exit staircases. But he said a wall had been built dividing that floor, leaving only one exit for the dorm. "The wall shouldn't have been there," he said. He added that the school submitted an application for a fire safety permit that hadn't been approved. The school, Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, is a private Islamic center, known as a "tahfiz" school, for Muslim children, mainly boys, to study and memorize the Quran. School principal Mohamad Zahid Mahmod was quoted by the Berita Harian newspaper as saying the students were being housed in a temporary building because of renovation work at the main school building. He said they were due to move back at the end of this month. By Associated Press ROCKFORD: A shooter opened fire at a high school in Washington state today, killing one person and injuring at least three others, authorities said. Brian Schaeffer of the Spokane Fire Department told reporters that one person died at Freeman High School in the tiny town of Rockford, south of Spokane, and three injured victims were taken to a hospital. Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children's Hospital received three pediatric patients, spokeswoman Nicole Stewart said. They were in stable condition, and family members were with them, she said. Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said at the scene that the shooter was in custody, The Spokesman-Review newspaper reported. WATCH VIDEO | One student dead in Washington state school shooting Worried parents rushed to the school in the town of about 500 people near the Idaho border, about 25 miles southeast of Spokane. The two-lane road into town was clogged as people sped to the school. Cheryl Moser said her son, a freshman at Freeman High School, called her from a classroom after hearing shots fired. "He called me and said, 'Mom there are gunshots.' He sounded so scared. I've never heard him like that," Moser told the newspaper. "You never think about something happening like this at a small school." Ambulances and a Lifeflight helicopter were sent to the school. Stephanie Lutje told The Associated Press that she was relieved to hear her son was safe after his high school near Freeman was put on lockdown. She commended the school district for its communication with parents. "It's been amazing, within probably 15-20 minutes of hearing about it, I'd already received a phone call, I'd already received a text message saying that their school is OK," she said. She still worried for others she knew, including a co-worker who had yet to hear from her son, a sophomore at Freeman."My stomach's in knots right now," she said. Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement that "all Washingtonians are thinking of the victims and their families, and are grateful for the service of school staff and first responders working to keep our students safe." ROCKFORD: A shooter opened fire at a high school in Washington state today, killing one person and injuring at least three others, authorities said. Brian Schaeffer of the Spokane Fire Department told reporters that one person died at Freeman High School in the tiny town of Rockford, south of Spokane, and three injured victims were taken to a hospital. Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children's Hospital received three pediatric patients, spokeswoman Nicole Stewart said. They were in stable condition, and family members were with them, she said. Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said at the scene that the shooter was in custody, The Spokesman-Review newspaper reported. WATCH VIDEO | One student dead in Washington state school shooting Worried parents rushed to the school in the town of about 500 people near the Idaho border, about 25 miles southeast of Spokane. The two-lane road into town was clogged as people sped to the school. Cheryl Moser said her son, a freshman at Freeman High School, called her from a classroom after hearing shots fired. "He called me and said, 'Mom there are gunshots.' He sounded so scared. I've never heard him like that," Moser told the newspaper. "You never think about something happening like this at a small school." Ambulances and a Lifeflight helicopter were sent to the school. Stephanie Lutje told The Associated Press that she was relieved to hear her son was safe after his high school near Freeman was put on lockdown. She commended the school district for its communication with parents. "It's been amazing, within probably 15-20 minutes of hearing about it, I'd already received a phone call, I'd already received a text message saying that their school is OK," she said. She still worried for others she knew, including a co-worker who had yet to hear from her son, a sophomore at Freeman."My stomach's in knots right now," she said. Gov. Jay Inslee said in a statement that "all Washingtonians are thinking of the victims and their families, and are grateful for the service of school staff and first responders working to keep our students safe." By PTI ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his children were today summoned by an anti-graft court to appear before it on September 19 in two more corruption cases. They were summoned after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) last week filed four cases against Sharif, his family members and finance minister Ishaq Dar. The Islamabad-based accountability court today ordered Sharif and his children -- Maryam, Hussain and Hassan and son-in-law captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar -- to appear before it on September 19 in Azizia Steel Mill, Hill Metal and Avenfield properties cases. The summons come a day after the same court asked the ousted prime minister and his sons and daughter tp appear before it on September 19 in another corruption case related Flagship Investment company in the UK. The cases are based on the July 28 judgement of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case. The court disqualified 67-year-old Sharif and ordered cases against him and his family. Meanwhile, a five-judge larger bench of the Supreme Court yesterday started hearing of the review petitions by Sharif and others against the judgement. Sharif and his family are unlikely to appear as they have already stated that they would not appear before the NAB courts until the decision by the apex court about the review petitions. The Supreme Court had asked the anti-corruption watchdog to file the cases by September 8 against Sharif, his sons, daughter, son-in-law and Dar. ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his children were today summoned by an anti-graft court to appear before it on September 19 in two more corruption cases. They were summoned after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) last week filed four cases against Sharif, his family members and finance minister Ishaq Dar. The Islamabad-based accountability court today ordered Sharif and his children -- Maryam, Hussain and Hassan and son-in-law captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar -- to appear before it on September 19 in Azizia Steel Mill, Hill Metal and Avenfield properties cases. The summons come a day after the same court asked the ousted prime minister and his sons and daughter tp appear before it on September 19 in another corruption case related Flagship Investment company in the UK. The cases are based on the July 28 judgement of the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case. The court disqualified 67-year-old Sharif and ordered cases against him and his family. Meanwhile, a five-judge larger bench of the Supreme Court yesterday started hearing of the review petitions by Sharif and others against the judgement. Sharif and his family are unlikely to appear as they have already stated that they would not appear before the NAB courts until the decision by the apex court about the review petitions. The Supreme Court had asked the anti-corruption watchdog to file the cases by September 8 against Sharif, his sons, daughter, son-in-law and Dar. By PTI ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is reassessing ties with the US, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan has said and accused Washington of ignoring the threats to his country from India. Khan's remarks came amidst tension in ties between the US and Pakistan after President Donald Trump accused the country of providing safe havens to terrorists. Khan said yesterday that it was not possible for Pakistan to satisfy the US, Dawn reported. "We are here to give our point of view logically and with evidence. We will explain our position. But it's not for us to satisfy them," he told the media. The government, he said, was "reassessing ties with the US", and has simultaneously undertaken a regional outreach ahead of talks with Americans on future bilateral engagement. Khan said the two countries needed a frank and candid dialogue on the issues concerning them, as differences between them would reflect in Afghanistan and other regional issues. The defence minister expressed discontent that the US did not share Pakistans threat perception about India. He also claimed that a nexus existed between the US, India and Afghanistan that was threatening Pakistan. "The US knows all, but ignores the threats faced by us because of its strategic interests." He said Pakistan would keep raising concerns about India in future engagements with the US. "The United States cannot ignore the threat to us from India. It is [a] serious [situation]," he underscored, adding that it would be major challenge for the Pakistani side to get it acknowledged in the upcoming talks. Khan said the other challenge for Pakistan was the fact that the US "keeps changing the goalposts". Pakistan, he said, would advise the US that intensifying kinetic operations (lethal or offensive combat missions) in Afghanistan would not work and the only way forward lay in a politically negotiated settlement of the conflict. Dawn reported that Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif would accompanying Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to the UN General Assembly session in New York next week and is expected to use the opportunity to visit Washington for a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Asif's meeting with Tillerson was originally scheduled for mid-August, but was postponed on Pakistans request after Trumps policy statement on Afghanistan and South Asia. Asif is currently visiting several countries to garner support for Pakistan's point of view regarding Afghanistan. ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is reassessing ties with the US, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan has said and accused Washington of ignoring the threats to his country from India. Khan's remarks came amidst tension in ties between the US and Pakistan after President Donald Trump accused the country of providing safe havens to terrorists. Khan said yesterday that it was not possible for Pakistan to satisfy the US, Dawn reported. "We are here to give our point of view logically and with evidence. We will explain our position. But it's not for us to satisfy them," he told the media. The government, he said, was "reassessing ties with the US", and has simultaneously undertaken a regional outreach ahead of talks with Americans on future bilateral engagement. Khan said the two countries needed a frank and candid dialogue on the issues concerning them, as differences between them would reflect in Afghanistan and other regional issues. The defence minister expressed discontent that the US did not share Pakistans threat perception about India. He also claimed that a nexus existed between the US, India and Afghanistan that was threatening Pakistan. "The US knows all, but ignores the threats faced by us because of its strategic interests." He said Pakistan would keep raising concerns about India in future engagements with the US. "The United States cannot ignore the threat to us from India. It is [a] serious [situation]," he underscored, adding that it would be major challenge for the Pakistani side to get it acknowledged in the upcoming talks. Khan said the other challenge for Pakistan was the fact that the US "keeps changing the goalposts". Pakistan, he said, would advise the US that intensifying kinetic operations (lethal or offensive combat missions) in Afghanistan would not work and the only way forward lay in a politically negotiated settlement of the conflict. Dawn reported that Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif would accompanying Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to the UN General Assembly session in New York next week and is expected to use the opportunity to visit Washington for a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Asif's meeting with Tillerson was originally scheduled for mid-August, but was postponed on Pakistans request after Trumps policy statement on Afghanistan and South Asia. Asif is currently visiting several countries to garner support for Pakistan's point of view regarding Afghanistan. By PTI ISLAMABAD: Pakistan today summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh over alleged "ceasefire violations" by Indian troops along the Line of Control (LoC) which resulted in the killing of two civilians. Director General (South Asia and SAARC) Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned Singh and "condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations" by the Indian forces, the Foreign Office said. The firing in Phulian sector yesterday killed two persons including a woman and injured three others, it claimed. The Foreign Office said that despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations. "The deliberate targeting of civilians is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws," it said. It said Dr Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement, investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations, and instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit and maintain peace along the LoC and the Working Boundary. He also urged the Indian side to allow the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions. India maintains that UNMOGIP has outlived its utility and is irrelevant after the Simla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the Line of Control. The Foreign Office also accused India of committing more than 700 ceasefire violations this year which resulted in the killing of 32 Pakistani civilians. ISLAMABAD: Pakistan today summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh over alleged "ceasefire violations" by Indian troops along the Line of Control (LoC) which resulted in the killing of two civilians. Director General (South Asia and SAARC) Dr Mohammad Faisal summoned Singh and "condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations" by the Indian forces, the Foreign Office said. The firing in Phulian sector yesterday killed two persons including a woman and injured three others, it claimed. The Foreign Office said that despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations. "The deliberate targeting of civilians is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws," it said. It said Dr Faisal urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement, investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations, and instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire in letter and spirit and maintain peace along the LoC and the Working Boundary. He also urged the Indian side to allow the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per the UN Security Council resolutions. India maintains that UNMOGIP has outlived its utility and is irrelevant after the Simla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the Line of Control. The Foreign Office also accused India of committing more than 700 ceasefire violations this year which resulted in the killing of 32 Pakistani civilians. By PTI WASHINGTON: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said that there can be no military solution to the problem in Afghanistan and it should work for creating political solution in the country. "I believe it is important in Afghanistan to invest in the conditions to create a political solution. I believe that is possible," Guterres told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York. He was responding to a question on resolving the lingering crisis in Afghanistan. "I don't think there is a military solution to the crisis in Afghanistan, as I don't think there is a military solution for practically any crisis in the world," he said. Guterres said he believes that investing in creating such a condition means the engagement in dialogue with the relevant parties. "Even when the US have announced their surge, they were also saying that they believe a political solution is necessary," he said. "So, it is clear for me that, independently of short-term measures that might be taken, the political solution is the long-term road that we need all to move on," Guterres said. WASHINGTON: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said that there can be no military solution to the problem in Afghanistan and it should work for creating political solution in the country. "I believe it is important in Afghanistan to invest in the conditions to create a political solution. I believe that is possible," Guterres told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York. He was responding to a question on resolving the lingering crisis in Afghanistan. "I don't think there is a military solution to the crisis in Afghanistan, as I don't think there is a military solution for practically any crisis in the world," he said. Guterres said he believes that investing in creating such a condition means the engagement in dialogue with the relevant parties. "Even when the US have announced their surge, they were also saying that they believe a political solution is necessary," he said. "So, it is clear for me that, independently of short-term measures that might be taken, the political solution is the long-term road that we need all to move on," Guterres said. By AFP WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday announced economic sanctions on 11 individuals and companies accused of supporting Iran's Revolutionary Guards or engaging in hostile cyber attacks on US banks, the Treasury Department announced. The move came the same day the White House was expected to announce an extension of sanctions relief under a landmark 2015 deal on Iran's nuclear programme, which was negotiated by the prior Obama administration. Trump has criticized the agreement but maintained it so far. WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday announced economic sanctions on 11 individuals and companies accused of supporting Iran's Revolutionary Guards or engaging in hostile cyber attacks on US banks, the Treasury Department announced. The move came the same day the White House was expected to announce an extension of sanctions relief under a landmark 2015 deal on Iran's nuclear programme, which was negotiated by the prior Obama administration. Trump has criticized the agreement but maintained it so far. By PTI ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan on Thursday agreed for a joint action plan to improve border security, officials said. Senior security officials of the two countries met at the Ministry of Defence in Kabul where Pakistan was represented by a six-member delegation led by Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza. The officials discussed issues relating to "cross-border firing and attacks, counter-terrorism and coordinated actions on their respective sides along the border" and exchange of prisoners, the army said in a statement here. A trilateral meeting with Afghan and American officials was also held, where the participants reaffirmed their resolve to eliminate threat of militancy including uprooting the Islamic State terror group from the region. It was the first such meeting since US President Donald Trump's allegations that Pakistan harbours "agents of chaos". ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan on Thursday agreed for a joint action plan to improve border security, officials said. Senior security officials of the two countries met at the Ministry of Defence in Kabul where Pakistan was represented by a six-member delegation led by Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza. The officials discussed issues relating to "cross-border firing and attacks, counter-terrorism and coordinated actions on their respective sides along the border" and exchange of prisoners, the army said in a statement here. A trilateral meeting with Afghan and American officials was also held, where the participants reaffirmed their resolve to eliminate threat of militancy including uprooting the Islamic State terror group from the region. It was the first such meeting since US President Donald Trump's allegations that Pakistan harbours "agents of chaos". Top vote-getter appears to secure role as Newport mayor The new council will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 15 to vote on who will be mayor and vice chair for the next two years. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Sunshine to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 42F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy with snow showers developing after midnight. Low near 30F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 60%. Snow accumulations less than one inch. Hours after claiming Rohingya Muslims are "serious threat to national security", the Ministry of Home Affairs said its "draft" affidavit was made public "by mistake" and that it would submit a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court.was first to access the affidavit signed on September 11 by Ravi Sunder, Deputy Secretary in the Foreigners' Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, which was even served upon a lawyer and was ready to be filed in the Court.Photograph of a copy of the affidavit..Soon afterbroke the story, the government decided to put the affidavit on hold for "correction".The lawyer, who was sent a copy of the affidavit, was also informed that the affidavit has been served (to him) by mistake."Before the affidavit is finalised reflecting the stand of the central government after consideration of all concerned departments, an un-finalised copy is served inadvertently," read the letter sent to the lawyer concerned.But sources have confirmed that the stand of the government regarding deportation of Rohingya Muslims would remain unchanged."There is no rethink or review of the position by the government. They will have to be deported," said a source.He added that the fresh affidavit needs to "fine tune some details, add some more inputs apart from also suggesting some recourse for Rohingyas outside Indian territory".But the official asserted that there is no question of allowing illegal immigrants to stay on Indian soil.In its "draft" affidavit, the MHA called Rohingya Muslims as a class vulnerable to be exploited for terrorist activities by ISIS, and told the Supreme Court that they must be deported in the larger interest of the nation. A number of terrorists have been killed in Kashmir in the last seven months. They include Lashkar commander Bashir Ahmad Wani and Abu Dujana, Hizb commander Sabzar Bhat, among others. The latest to join them is Abu Ismail, the Amarnath yatra attack mastermind, who was shot dead along with another LeT operative in an operation conducted on the outskirts of Srinagar on Thursday.Ismail took over Lashkars leadership in Kashmir from Abu Dujana, who had left the terror group for Zakir Musa-led al-Qaida outfit. Dujana was killed in an encounter last month. Abu Ismail's death is a big success for the forces. He was an A++ category, or the most wanted category, militant. B S Raju, General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Armys victor force, said, Ismails death will cause a serious deficiency and a big vacuum in Lashkars leadership.But as IGP, Kashmir Police, Muneer Khan, in a press conference in Srinagar on Thursday, said, This doesnt mean militancy has ended. We still have a long way to go.The long way is because, after Abu Ismail, there are five more militant leaders that the forces are desperately trying to hunt down. The following, according to Khan, are the five most wanted men in Kashmir right now.The man is on top of the forces list. After his split from Hizbul, he launched the Kashmir chapter Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind of al-Qaida. In a very short span, Musas become intensely popular not just among Valleys youth but among cadres of other terror groups also. Many militants, including the once chief of Lashkars operations in Kashmir Abu Dujana, have joined him at various stages, and possibly lent him help in the form of weapons and ground network support.Hes considered quite dangerous because hes been using propaganda to call for an Islamic caliphate in Kashmir and throughout India, an ideology thats rapidly gaining ground in the Valley.The chief of Hizbul Mujahideen, Naikoo, and an A++ category militant, Naikoo at 29, is one of the most experienced Hizbul commanders and at present its head of operations in Kashmir. He took over from Yaseen Ittoo after his death in an encounter last month. Naikoo, who is from Durbug, Awantipora, is considered tech savvy. He is considered to be a moderate among the Hizbul militants. In a recent, militant funeral he appeared in public to counter Zakir Musas anti-Pakistan propaganda and tried to whip-up support for Pakistan.He has been booked by police in several murder cases including that of policemen. To bolster his moderate image he had earlier during the year also released an 11-minute video asking Kashmiri Pandits to return to the Valley. Naikoo overlooks at the massive Over Ground Worker (OGW) support for Hizb, which the oldest terror group in the valley.Remember the group photograph shared by slain Hizb commander Burhan Wani? Padder is now the only active militant of the 12 men shown in the picture. Apart from Padder, only Tariq Pandit, who featured in that photograph, is alive as he had surrendered.Padder also comes from a family of farmers. Not much is known about Padder, except the fact that Hizbul thinks highly of him. Padder is a school dropout who joined militancy about 4-5 years ago. He was with LeT until he joined Hizbul in 2015. After Musa left as the chief of Hizb, Saddam Padder was one of the top contenders to be the next Hizb chief, a place later taken by Naikoo. While he might not be highly educated, he is considered a clever militant and was among the few people whom Wani trusted.The most likely person to take on Lashkar leadership in the Valley is Zeenat. The 28-year-old is a resident of Sugan Zanipura, Shopian, and was recruited in 2015. He is considered one of the main accused in the Shopian attack in February that left three soldiers dead. Known as an IED expert, he is a former member of Al-Badar terror outfit.He was once arrested in 2008 where he is said to have confessed to being an over ground worker (OGW). He was eventually released four years later and is said to have gotten married too before joining the Lashkar module.Not much is known about JeM commander, whose code name is Khalid. He is believed to have trained and infiltrated from Pakistan and is active in north Kashmirs Sopore area. Khalid is believed to have a hand behind the suicide attack on District Police Lines in south Kashmir district Pulwama a month ago, that killed four CRPF men and four policemen.His name had cropped up for the first time in October 2016, when the Army busted a JeM module in Baramulla. Police officials had then said that the module, headed by Khalid, was responsible for the attack on an army convoy in Baramulla in August that year, which killed two Army men and one cop. Ahmedabad: Pakistan may deny it but its global isolation over terrorism is certainly underway. After the United States and China, it was Japans turn on Thursday to condemn Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. For India, it was another win after the BRICS Xiamen declaration as it got Japan to exert pressure on Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorist attacks, including those of the November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai and the 2016 terrorist attack in Pathankot. The joint statement by India and Japan also mentioned Pakistan-based terror outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad as they called for a zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism. In the statement, which was issued after the bilateral meeting between visiting Japenese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gandhinagar, the two nations underlined the need for all countries to ensure that their territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries while hinting towards Pakistan. All countries must work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists," added the statement. Pakistan was also cornered over the issue of nuclear proliferation as the statement condemned North Koreas continued development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes. Modi and Abe "stressed the importance of holding accountable all parties that have supported North Koreas nuclear and missile programmes." This was clearly aimed at both Pakistan and China. In the backdrop of the Doklam standoff and the backing India received from Japan, it was expected that the two leaders would take on China. Although Doklam was discussed at the meeting, it did not find a specific mention in the press statements. The Director General of Press and Public diplomacy of Japan, Norio Maruyama, said that important strategic issue concerning India were discussed but I will not name them. The joint statement, however, did mention the need for freedom of navigation, overflight and "unimpeded lawful commerce in accordance with international laws" without specifically naming the South China Sea. The two Prime Ministers also reiterated their desire and determination to work together to maintain and promote peace, stability, and development in the Indo-Pacific region, the statement added. While Japan's stand on China could be on expected lines due to its own problems over the Senkaku islands, but its stand against Pakistan is more significant. Japan is the third largest contributor to the aid provided to Pakistan globally. In February this year, reports from Pakistan said that Japanese government had agreed to extend a grant aid of $4.43 million. This was largely to support the promotion of economic and social development in the field of security improvement and counter-terrorism. Abu Ismail, the top Lashkar commander, who is believed to have orchestrated and carried out the attack on Amarnath Yatra bus in July, in which nine pilgrims were killed, was shot dead along with another LeT operative in an operation conducted on the outskirts of Srinagar on Thursday.Abu Ismail's death is a big success for the forces, who had counted him as one of the most wanted men in Kashmir along with four others.According to sources, the encounter had started around 4.15 pm in Aaribagh of Nowgam district on the outskirts of Srinagar. It lasted just three minutes. The terrorists were holed up in a house when the forces launched the operation. The other LeT terrorist killed in the attack was Abu Kasim, officials said.Security agencies had launched a manhunt to nab Ismail soon after the attack on pilgrims on July 11. Ismail was a Pakistani national and dubbed to be the successor to Lashkars Kashmir chief, Abu Dujana, a dreaded terrorist and one of the most wanted men in Kashmir. Ismail was supported by local militants in the attack.Speaking to News18, Kashmirs Director General of Police SP Vaid confirmed the death of Ismail. Calling him Lashkars most important man in the Valley, he said it would be a huge blow for the Pakistan-based terror outfit.Ismal was involved in the attack on the Amarnath Yatra pilgrims. The attack has been avenged, he said, adding that people of the Valley need peace and good days are back.Giving more details about the encounter, Vaid said that security forces had received specific inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area and mounted an operation. He said the two terrorists killed are Pakistani nationals. Two weapons have been recovered from them, he added.Police said that Ismail had succeeded Abu Dujana last month as operations chief of Lashkar and was now trying to strengthen the organisation after suffering reverses in military operations.Many top LeT commanders like Abu Qasim, Bashir Lashkari and Ali have been killed in the last few months giving a body blow to the outfit. Ismail, according to sources, was trying to lure locals into Lashkar and also liaise with Hizbul Mujahideen and Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad.Sources said Ismail had entered the Valley after Hizbul commander Burhan Wani's killing and quickly rose to the top position in Lashkar. Police said that 15 FIRs were lodged against Abu Ismail and he was involved in number of terror attacks in south Kashmir, including several attacks on police and other security forces. Kolkata: One of the key accused in Burdwans Khagragarh blast case was arrested by Kolkata Police Special Task Force (STF) on Thursday. The accused has been identified as Sheikh Burhan (30) a resident of Shimulia in Mangalkot area of Burdwan district. National Investigation Agency (NIA) had announced a reward of Rs 3,00,000 for his arrest. He was wanted in Khagragarh blast case numbered 1134/14 under Burdwan police station. Acting on a tip off, Burhan was arrested from BB Ganguly Street under Muchipara police station, a senior police officer said. On 2 October, 2014, a massive explosion occurred in a two-storeyed building in the Khagragarh locality of Burdwan. The building was owned by Nurul Hasan Chowdhury who used to stay in another house across the road. Nurul was a leader of the Trinamool Congress and the ground floor of the building was used as TMC party office. The BJP then alleged that TMC is sheltering Bangladeshi terrorists in Bengal. The case was later taken over by the NIA and on March 2015 the agency filed a 164-page charge sheet naming 21 people in a conspiracy by the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen, Bangladesh (JMB). In October 2014, NIA made the first arrest and the person was identified as Habibur Shiekh. He was an alleged operative of the terror module and trainer at the Simulia madarasa in Burdwan. He was arrested from Muluk which is on the outskirts of Bolpur town. Four of the accused named in the 164-page charge sheet filed before an NIA Special Court in Kolkata are Bangladeshi nationals. Out of 13, 21 accused are behind bars and the remaining seven, including three Bangladeshi nationals, are still absconding. During interrogation, Burhan told the cops that they wanted to create a terror network in West Bengal and Assam to build an Islamic state against Bangladesh. New Delhi: Rajasthan Police may have filed a closure report giving a clean chit to six accused in the lynching of dairy farmer Pehlu Khan near Rajasthans Alwar, but his family in Nuh, Haryana has not received any closure. Irshad Khan, Pehlus son who was an eyewitness to his fathers lynching, has vowed to approach the Supreme Court if justice is not meted out. Pehlus neighbor Azmat Khan, who was also beaten up along with him on April 1 this year, has also raised doubts on the police investigation. Azmat claimed that he and the other eyewitnesses were never given the opportunity to identify the accused. A total of 7 men were arrested since April in connection with the lynching. Earlier this month, the fifth of seven accused received bail from the Rajasthan High Court. These were the same people on that day. Their names were even a part of my fathers statement. It is only due to pressure that they have been acquitted. We will go to the Supreme Court if justice is not meted out. We wont stop till all 15 of them (accused) are in jail, Irshad said. He added, Not a single leader, or even a cop, visited our house after the incident. I lost my father in the attack. They took our cows, stole our money and broke the vehicle we were travelling in. To this day, not a single penny has been given to us. Azmat told News 18, Who chehre main zindagi bhar nahi bhool sakta (I can never forget those faces in my life). It has been five months since that horrid day when Pehlu Bhai was beaten to death, police have even closed the investigation against those six men and to this day, we have not been summoned to identify the accused. I have serious doubts over the way police have carried out this investigation. Something is seriously wrong with the probe, he added. On April 1, Pehlu, along with four others had gone to a cattle fair in Jaipur and was returning to Haryana with two cows. We booked a mini-truck to transport the cows and had all the necessary paperwork. We are milkmen and we know the entire process well. I was with Pehlu Bhai and the hired driver in the mini-truck and his sons were following us in their own car. Somewhere near Behror, a group of men stopped us. First they told the driver, who was a Hindu, to run away and then they started beating us up. They even tore the permission papers we had. Azmat said they were able to name the accused in the FIR because the men beating them up were referring to each other by name. The whole scene went on for hours and a huge crowd had gathered. Nobody lifted a finger to help us. When the police came, they took us in an ambulance to the hospital and that was where our statements were recorded, he said. During the incident, the men proclaimed proudly that they were members of the Bajrang Dal. They were referring to each other by their names and I made it a point to remember all of them. However, since then, the police have never asked us to identify them. If I just saw their faces once, I could identify them instantly. Pehlu bhai succumbed to his injuries in the hospital but those of us left behind will continue to fight for justice, he added. After the attack, police recorded Pehlus statement in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Behrors Kailash Hospital. An FIR was registered against Om Yadav (45), Hukum Chand Yadav (44), Sudhir Yadav (45), Jagmal Yadav (73), Naveen Sharma (48) and Rahul Saini (24) were booked in addition to 200 unnamed accused. On September 1, the Rajasthan CID-CB asked Alwar Police to remove these six from the list of accused. Only three minutes of firing and it was all over. Lashkar commander Abu Ismail, the mastermind of the Amarnath Yatra attack in July, and his associate Abu Qasim tried to run away on seeing the security forces but lay dead within minutes of a shootout in Nowgam on the outskirts of Srinagar.It was a crisp and meticulous operation. We had marked them well and they had no answer to our planning, Kashmirs Inspector General of police, Muneer Khan, told News18.He attributed the swift and precise operation to the specific intelligence inputs received by the police. They were told about the pin-point location of Ismail, right down to the house where he was hiding.Although Ismail is the eighth big commander to be eliminated this year, what made Thursdays operation different was speed with which the security forces took him out.Khan attributed this to peoples prayers. He said the exact details of Ismails whereabouts were known to the police because he had attacked the Amarnath Yatra and broken the unwritten rule that pilgrims are off-limits.Police enjoyed the goodwill of Kashmiris in this operation because every local here was praying for the end of the killers of the pilgrims. Kashmiris were angry when the militants killed Amarnath yatris two months ago," he said.Referring to it as an excellent operation, a senior officer said inputs about Abu Ismail's presence in south Kashmir had been available to the forces since August. Police had formed special crack teams in almost all south Kashmir districts to go after him and the others wanted for the Amarnath attack.But hostility towards security forces in the villages there had kept him safe for this long. Over the last few weeks, repeated attempts were made to draw him out.We knew it would be difficult to carry out an operation against him in south Kashmirs villages. It was important to draw him out of his comfort zone. The last few operations in Kulgam and Pulwama were all aimed to make it difficult for him, an officer aware of the operation told CNN-News18.Left to right: Abu Ismail with his associate Abu Qasim and Abu Dujanas close aide Arif Lelhari. All three are dead now. (Photo: Qayoom Khan)A police officer based in south Kashmir told News18 that around a week ago, Ismail moved from south Kashmir to Srinagar. We had him under surveillance. There was no way he could have escaped, the officer said.Police sources revealed that the duo could have been killed last week itself on the day home minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Kashmir. The operation, however, was aborted because no one in the government wanted bloodshed that day, they said.We were sure we will get them in quick time. In fact, they were never off our radar, a police officer who was part of operation told News 18. Police were so confident about its intelligence - both human and technical - that they chose another day to eliminate the two.That day was Thursday, when they received information that Ismail was hiding in a house in Aaribagh in Nowgam.The joint team formed for the operation carefully surrounded the house and plugged any escape routes that Ismail may have kept for such a situation. To surprise the terrorists, the soldiers and policemen had arrived at the hideout in a tipper and not routine security vehicles.They had made sure that it would not be a long-drawn out encounter, like several others have been in Kashmir.Director General of CRPF, R Bhatnagar, said that although Ismail and Qasim had tried to fire at the security personnel, it was in vain. The two terrorists were shot dead and the security men came out unscathed.With Ismails death, all but one foreign and one local militant involved in the attack on Amarnath pilgrims have been killed. New Delhi: Prominent academic institutions like JNU, Delhi University, IIT Delhi, ICAR besides Supreme Court Bar Association are among several hundred organisations barred by the Centre from receiving foreign funds. The registration of these institutions under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA) has been cancelled by the Union Home Ministry as these have failed to file their annual returns for five consecutive years. No organisation is allowed to receive funds from abroad unless it is registered under the FCRA. It is mandatory under the law for such organisations to submit income and expenditure statement to the government annually else their registration is cancelled. Among the institutions whose FCRA licence have been cancelled include Jawaharlal Nehru University, University Of Delhi, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Indian Institute Of Technology, Delhi, Panjab University, Indian Council Of Agricultural Research, Gargi College, Delhi and Lady Irwin College, Delhi, according to the documents accessed by PTI. Other organisations whose FCRA registration were cancelled include Supreme Court Bar Association, Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, Gandhi Peace Foundation, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, Armed Forces Flag Day Fund, School Of Planning & Architecture, Delhi and FICCI Socio Economic Development Foundation. The Doon School Old Boys Association, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, Delhi, Dr. Zakir Hussain Memorial Trust, Dr Ram Monohar Lohia International Trust, Co-ordinating Voluntary Adoption Resource Agency have also been barred from receiving donations from abroad and their FCRA registrations cancelled. The FCRA registration of the Bombay Diocesan Society, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka, Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, Bangalore, Shri Mahatma Gandhi Charitable Trust, Gujarat and Sri Satya Sai Trust were also cancelled by the home ministry. The action came after the organisations failed to file the returns for five consecutive years, 2010-11 to 2014-15, despite serving repeated notices, a home ministry official said. In May, as a one-time measure, all NGOs were given an opportunity for one month to file their missing annual returns by June 14 without paying any penalty. Email and SMS alerts were also sent to them regularly for one month beginning mid- May, the official said. The organisations were asked to furnish their replies, if any, by July 23, failing which, the ministry had said, it would be presumed that they have nothing to say and action as proposed would be taken as per FCRA. According to the FCRA, the renewal of registration for receiving foreign funds cannot be granted unless the annual returns are uploaded on the FCRA website by the organisation. Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Women's Commission Chairperson M C Josephine has received death threats and human excreta by post. The commission said that the threats started after they filed a case against MLA P C George. The case against George is related to his alleged derogatory remarks against the actress who was abducted and sexually assaulted in Kochi in February 2017. Josephine said that she will hand over the letter to the police. Human excreta has been sent twice to this office by post. I have been receiving these letters for some time now, she said. The letters were also abusive apart from threatening. I will not say that this is done by the followers of PC George, but the letter can indicate many things, she added. George, an independent MLA, had made insensitive and derogatory remarks about the actress in the last week of July. Questioning her statement in the kidnapping and sexual assault case, he asked, If the victim was so brutally assaulted as the police says, how could she get back to work the next day? The victim, a popular south Indian actress, was abducted and sexually assaulted in Kochi on February 17 while she was on her way back from a shooting location. A group of men who stopped her car after a chase, sexually assaulted her in the moving vehicle for about two hours. They also allegedly took pictures and videos of the crime before dropping her off by the roadside. Popular Malayalam actor Dileep and his wife Kavya Madhavan have both been question extensively by the police. Kavya, a state-award winning actress who has worked in over 76 Malayalam films, married Dileep in 2015 following his divorce from his first wife Manju Warrier. The police case is that a supari of Rs 1.5 crore was offered for the attack. Personal enmity is suspected to be the reason for the crime, with police saying that Dileep had a bitter falling out with the actress who is a good friend of Manju. Dileep, charged under various IPC sections including criminal conspiracy, has been lodged in a jail in his home town of Aluva since his arrest on July 10. His second bail plea was also rejected by the Kerala High Court. The post-mortem report in the Ryan International School murder case says that there was no sexual assault. The report confirms that one of the nerves in the neck of the seven-year-old boy was cut by a knife. Earlier, the Bombay High Court granted interim protection from arrest to Ryan International Groups chairman and managing director till Wednesday. Stay tuned for live updates: Read all the Latest News, Breaking News and Coronavirus News here. India is trying its hardest to play catch-up with China in the field of submarines, particularly nuclear submarines. New Delhi is going to spend $15 billion with the objective of significantly augmenting its fleet of submarines by the targeted year 2023-24, a very stiff target indeed because of (a) the involvement of foreign vendors and (b) because of Indias own very notorious red tape. And as I argued about the Indo-Russian strategic ties having been rebooted Russia is set to play a pivotal role in the context of Indias quest for submarines too. Russia has already been roped in to lease out a nuclear submarine third one for India. India is going to acquire its third nuclear submarine on lease from Russia for 10 years at a cost of $2.5 billion. Russia will take six years for delivering it to India. Besides, India is on the cusp of launching its second nuclear submarine in two or three weeks which is likely to be operational in 2019. Over and above this, India is working on a $12 billion project for constructing six nuclear-powered submarines with conventional warheads under Prime Minister Narendra Modis Make in India programme. But all of this put together may prove to be far too inadequate, even if presuming that all the above-mentioned projects are completed on time, something that has never happened. Read on! Consider the following measures that India is taking to beef up its submarine power. India's second indigenous nuclear submarine will be launched in two or three weeks and will be fully operational by 2019. In Navys parlance launching of a boat refers to the process of transferring the vessel to the water from a dry dock. Once launched, the boat will undergo extensive sea trials before it is commissioned. The launch is likely to be done by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in keeping with the tradition that a boat is launched by a woman much like the first indigenous nuclear submarine, INS Arihant, which was launched in 2009 by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's wife, Gursharan Kaur. Indias only operational nuclear submarine INS Arihant was commissioned in the Indian Navy in August 2016 a proud moment which made India the first country outside the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to have indigenously built a nuclear submarine. Russia will lease out a nuclear submarine to India for ten years after retrofitting it. The to-be-leased submarine will be stripped down to the hull and then rebuilt in the presence of Indian shipbuilding team at Russian shipyard Severodvinsk to witness the complex refitting and modernization process of nuclear attack submarines. It will take six years for Russia to hand over the retrofitted submarine to India. However, the Russian track record in meeting its deadlines has been abysmal and a delay of one or two years, if not more, should be factored in. The new boat will be named INS Chakra-III. The total cost of Russias third nuclear submarine lease to India in with retrofitting is pegged at $2.5 billion and Indians have told the Russians to deliver the boat within the agreed timeline and the cost. If India had gone for a completely new nuclear submarine it would have cost the double and pushed the deadline to almost a decade. Indian viewpoint is that considering the current geopolitics, it made more sense to have the nuclear submarine retrofitted and also keep the cost down. However, the presence of Indian shipbuilding team at the Severodvinsk yard to witness and assist in the refitting and modernization of the third nuclear submarine India intends to lease from Russia is not a done deal yet and negotiations are still under way. If the negotiations are successful, as is the optimism in New Delhi, the Indian shipbuilders would get the vital experience which would hold them in good stead as they are being tasked with the responsibility of constructing at least six nuclear-powered submarines in India at an estimated cost of over $12 billion. India has contacted six foreign shipyards in Russia, France, Japan and Germany with a formal request for information about building six non-nuclear submarines equipped with air-independent-propulsion systems. The reasons of India being far behind China in terms of submarine fleet despite its China-specific endeavour, is not far to seek. India has 15 submarines operational, including two nuclear subs, in contrast to Chinas 70 operational submarines. Moreover, the current gap between Indian and Chinese submarine strength is only going to increase further as China has built a nuclear submarine mass production superfactory at Bohai Shipyard which builds submarines by using modular fabrication techniques. This will enable China to build as many as a dozen nuclear submarines in just three years' time. India's submarine project is largely China-specific as Pakistan is no match. For years India has been pin-pricked by China which has significantly increased its submarines activities in the Indian Ocean and the African coast, ostensibly for anti-piracy missions even though its hard to fathom how a strategic asset like a submarine can be used against pirates. The United States has decided to help India in a big way as far as this particular problem is concerned. Washington will soon be making off-the-shelf sale of surveillance drones which are going to be paired with the Poseidon military aircraft to track Chinese maritime movements in the area particularly those of submarines. Besides, there have been reports suggesting that the Trump administration is also working to build radar stations on islands in the Indian Ocean and an "undersea wall" of sensors between southern India and northern Indonesia to track the activities of the Chinese submarines. The US-led international community keen on reining in China is finding a golden opportunity to do this through India as Washingtons traditional allies like Japan and South Korea have proven to be far too inadequate in meeting this strategic objective of containing China. Not just the US but other willing Indian partners like Russia and Japan too have been lending vital diplomatic and military support to India to meet the Indian deficiencies and counterbalance China. This is the biggest dilemma for China. Even though China is far more superior than India in military terms, China is still not able to milk this advantage because of India's rapidly increasing diplomatic footprints. The Doklam episode demonstrated this Chinese dilemma. (Rajeev Sharma is a strategic analyst and columnist who tweets @Kishkindha. Views are personal) New Delhi: There has been a lot of talk about the campaign-like atmosphere associated with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abes visit to Ahmedabad. A lot of political commentators compared Wednesdays road show from the airport to Sabarmati Ashram to an election road show. Many even argued that this was Prime Minister Narendra Modi sounding the political bugle in his home state Gujarat which goes to the polls in two months. Forget about Modi for a moment, it is Shinzo Abe who needs this visit to shore up his sagging popularity ratings back home. The Abe administration suffered a major setback in July when it lost the Tokyo gubernatorial elections. A new start-up party, Tokyo First, run by former LDP leader Yuriko Koike, secured a shock victory by defeating Abes party, the LDP. For the first time Abes invincibility was shaken. Then in August, there was a major corruption scandal in which Abes former defence minister and someone who was being groomed as his successor, Tomomi Inada, was forced to resign. Abe had to usher in a major cabinet reshuffle, wherein he had to make way for rivals within his own party. Former defence minister Itsunori Onodera was brought back. Former foreign minister Fumio Kishida was moved to a very powerful position within the party. Many say he may launch a run for LDP leadership next fall, before the general elections. Back to the scandal that cost Abes protege her job, this involved a famous school Moritomo Gauken in which the allegation was that Abes wife Akie Abe had donated a million yen and the government had given land to the school at throwaway prices. While the probe did not directly implicate Abe or his wife, there is a sense in Japan that the Abes managed to save themselves by the skin of their teeth. Meanwhile, Tokyo Governor Koike is expected to launch a run for Prime Ministership next year. Her candidature, if it happens, is expected to strike a chord among many Japanese, as her pitch would be to get elected as Japans first woman Prime Minister. If she manages to win, it will be revenge served cold to Abe. After all, Koike left the LDP after a bitter parting of ways with Abe. This explains why major Japanese newspapers on Thursday had front page articles and photographs of Abe with Modi in the roadshow in Ahmedabad. This helps shore up Abes popularity ratings which have sunk below 40 percent. Abe, much like Modi, believes in personalised diplomacy. He was one of the first world leaders to call on US President Donald Trump much before he even formally took over the presidency in January this year. Abe had managed to control much of the damage caused by Trumps outspoken comments during the campaign when he said that Japan must pay for its own security. Trump had also called for a return of American soldiers serving in Japanese bases. But all this has gone awry with North Koreas frequent provocations, including last weeks hydrogen bomb test. Japan has the most stake in reining in North Koreas abhorrent behaviour because its security is directly threatened. Abes conservative, strongman image threatens to be peeled off by an erratic 31-year-old dictator, Kim Jong-Un, to his immediate west. Four years on, Abes much touted macro-economic policies, coined Abenomics have failed to show any magic. The Japanese economy continues to be subdued. Japans trade with major partners, including India, has been decreasing in the last few years. It is especially worrying that with both US and Europe showing signs of a turnaround, Japan still continues to lurk dangerously close to deflation territory. It is clear that if Abe wants a third term beyond 2018, for which the LDPs party constitution was amended, he could do with all the help he gets. And who better to turn to than his old pal Modi? Washington: The widow of Indian-techie Srinivas Kuchibhotla, who was killed in February this year in an alleged hate crime can stay in the US for now after the intervention of a influential lawmaker as she initially lost her residency rights following her husband's death. Sunayana Dumala, whose 32-year-old husband Kuchibhotla was killed at a Kansas bar in February, fell out of status because her permission to reside in the US was tied to Kuchibhotla through marriage, Congressman Kevin Yoder was quoted as saying by the NBC News. "We're not going to let this happen to Sunayana," Yoder said on twitter. Dumala managed to regain her residency status as she lost it after the assassination of her husband Kuchibhotla, an engineer on H-1B visa. "When Sunayana lost her status, to me it really added insult to injury," Yoder told NBC news. He later helped her get a temporary work visa of her own. "It would have been a real tragedy, on top of the initial tragedy she suffered, to attend her husband's funeral in India and then be locked out of the US because of it," Yoder was quoted as sayinng by The New York Times. "This woman suffered enough. We need to fix this," he said. In a Facebook post, Yoder said Dumala lost her husband Srinivas in the tragic shooting at Austins Bar and Grill in Olathe a senseless murder no one should ever have to endure. "But because of "unfair backlogs" on green card, Sunayana was faced with the prospect of having to return home to India because of her visa status," he said. "Thankfully, we were able to help her stay for now and are working towards a permanent fix, but if our bill had already been signed into law she would likely have already gained permanent residence and would not have faced the threat of deportation on top of the horrific loss of her loving husband," Yoder said. Thanking the Congressman for his efforts, Dumala said there is need to fix for many like her out there. "I agree with you that many of us should join our hands and fight united for this fix. Especially all the women out there, I urge you to shed your fears and raise your voice. It will be very powerful when few hundred or thousands of them raise voice and say we don't want to be another Sunayana. We are not doing anything wrong just asking our fair right," Dumala wrote on Facebook. The legislation introduced by Congressman Yoder seeks to eliminate the per-country cap for employment-based immigrants, allowing green cards to instead be given on a first-come, first-served basis. Between 230,000 and two million Indian workers are in line for a green card, which means that they could be waiting for decades, if not longer, he said. "Many of us think this is an injustice, it's discriminatory, and the system is failing people like Srinivas and Sunayana," he said arguing that the law should explicitly address people whose spouses are the targets of hate crimes. "I think we ought to have a special exception. You don't get deported because your husband was murdered. They don't come and grab you at a funeral and say, Now you've lost your status," Yoder said. The chocolate industry is indirectly driving massive and illegal deforestation in Ivory Coast, fuelling a catastrophic decline in wildlife, a green group said Wednesday. "In several national parks and other protected areas, 90 percent or more of the land mass has been converted to cocoa," the group Mighty Earth said in its investigation. "Less than four percent of Ivory Coast remains densely forested," it said. "The chocolate companies' laissez-faire approach to sourcing has driven extensive deforestation in Ghana as well." Habitat loss has been disastrous for protected species, ranging from chimpanzees and leopards to pygmy hippos and elephants, it said. The animals are forced into ever-smaller areas, making it easier for them to be tracked down and slaughtered by poachers. In Ivory Coast, the world's biggest cocoa producer, accounting for 40 percent of world output, "deforestation has pushed chimpanzees into just a few small pockets, and reduced the country's elephant population from several hundred thousand to about 200-400," the report said. It said major chocolate brands were indirectly involved in a "shocking" trade, in which growers produced cocoa in national parks, who sold it to middle men, who then sold it on to a handful of firms that control roughly half of the world's market. From there, it was sold to big chocolate companies. "According to our analysis, 291,254 acres (117,900 hectares) of protected areas were cleared between 2001 and 2014," Mighty Earth said. Over the same period, Ghana, another big West African producer, lost 7,000 square kilometers (2,700 square miles) of forest, or about 10 percent of its entire tree cover. Around a quarter of that deforestation in Ghana was connected to the chocolate industry, the report charged. Traders Cargill, Olam and Barry Callebaut, which are named in the report, say on their websites that they are aware of the problem of deforestation in the cocoa sector, and have set up to programs for deforestation-free supply chains. The world demand for chocolate stands at around three million tonnes annually, a figure that rises between two and five percent each year, in a market worth around $100 billion (84 billion), according to the report. The only time I was shown the door in Palma De Mallorca pic.twitter.com/NpI8rfcnBx Aashna Harjani (@AashnaHarjani) September 14, 2017 Tourism kills neighbourhoods read a graffiti daubed on a tourist bus soon after it was attacked by a group of people in Barcelona in July. The Catalan capital with its outlandish architecture and thriving nightlife draws nearly 32 million visitors a year. It is the locals who, however, bear the brunt of this influx as they have increasingly started feeling alienated in their own city. For them, basics like navigating the city is a problem as tourists come in hordes and literally take over public transport. The bigger problem, however, for them is the soaring housing and rent prices. Most locals prefer renting out their apartments to tourists over other locals as one of them pointed out they can make up to five times more money through tourists.As reports suggested, locals vent their frustration by pasting anti-tourists stickers on lampposts, taking out demonstrations and at times, even throwing buckets full of water on tourists. Contrary to these reports, my journey through not just Barcelona, but through other parts of Spain was spotless.The locals (whom I came across) far from hurling abuses were more than welcoming. Not once did I feel any hostility from them. The reason could perhaps be as my tour guide Edward pointed out that the locals had toned down the anti-tourist rhetoric after the Las Ramblas attack. He said, "It was tourists who were targeted in the attack, there is a great possibility that the anger has mellowed because of it."While the anger seemed to have only subsided in Barcelona, a bunch of people I came across in Valencia was completely at odds with the ones I met in Barcelona. Vincete, a resident of Valencia, said, "I don't think tourism is having a negative impact on our lives. I like tourists. They give us work. Without tourists, I would have no work."Desi, who has been working in Spain for the past 10 years, rubbished reports of protests and demonstrations due to tourism and said," Tourism is helping the economy. More tourism would mean better GDP for us."The sentiment was not-so-overt in the holiday island of Palma De Mallorca either. From all the places I visited in Mallorca, it was only at the entrance of the Bellver Castle that I saw a scribbling that said 'tourists go home'.The Spanish government has taken cognizance of the local people's sentiments and to appease the people it recently passed a law to cap the number of beds in Airbnbs. They have also introduced a complaint number where people can report any illegal Airbnbs.So in case, you are headed to Spain, don't fear the locals they are only as nice as you are to them. : Priyanka Chopra met Queen Rania on the last day of her visit to Jordan and she says it was a privilege and honour to meet her.Priyanka on Wednesday shared a photograph of herself along with the Queen of Jordan and said that she is a "true inspiration"."I had the privilege and honour of meeting Her Majesty, Queen Rania of Jordan again... This time in Amman. It is amazing to see the full extent of support that the Kingdom of Jordan has provided during the ongoing Syrian refugee crises. The numbers are staggering and overwhelming but the good work continues day after day. Queen Rania is a true inspiration," Priyanka wrote alongside the image.The Mary Kom actress added: "Her tireless efforts to help those in need comes straight from the heart and has always been consistent... as a Unicef Eminent Advocate for Children, she leads by example as is so evident by the countless programmes for children that she is involved in. She does this all with such grace and calm."Priyanka visited Jordan as a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador. She says meeting Queen Rania "further reiterated" her commitment to help children the world over."Because every child matters, no matter where they come from," added Priyanka.The Baywatch star says she is "looking forward" to meeting Queen Rania again "at the United Nations General Assembly in NYC next week which we both will be speaking at."She added: "Thank you Jordan for the hospitality and I will see you again. To support the work that Unicef is doing".Priyanka was in Jordan to help children uprooted by the civil war in Syria.A large number of Syrians died or were forced to leave their homes due to the conflict. Since then, a number of Syrians have taken shelter in neighbouring countries like Jordan. "When you are against the tide, it's YOU who needs to stand up for yourself......But don't forget the smile " #Judwaa2 #AaTohSahi pic.twitter.com/qIimdBSkHY taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 13, 2017 Sorry Bhai hai nahi varna pakka puch ke bataati. Abhi ke liye behen ka answer chalega ???? https://t.co/Snv6dlNhWj taapsee pannu (@taapsee) September 13, 2017 A post shared by Fatima Sana Shaikh (@fatimasanashaikh) on Jun 6, 2017 at 10:20pm PDT A post shared by RASARIO (@rasario) on Mar 2, 2017 at 10:15am PST sexist nonsense. The photogs went out of their way to take these pics.. and frankly I don't give a damn,I'm proud of my body! https://t.co/zryjBBYI6B Sonam Kapoor (@sonamakapoor) March 3, 2017 Was such a lovely coincidence to be in #berlin at the same time as the Prime Minister. Thank you @narendramodi Sir for taking the time from your packed schedule to meet me this morning. A post shared by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on May 30, 2017 at 1:04am PDT Legs for days.... #itsthegenes with @madhuchopra nights out in #Berlin #beingbaywatch A post shared by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on May 30, 2017 at 4:23pm PDT Of the many things most of us relish online, nothing can be pitted against a celebrity being trolled on social media. In the world of social media, from popular stars to starlets and socialites, nobody is spared. And the recent addition to the list of stars being bullied by trolls is Taapsee Pannu.The actress, who would soon be seen in David Dhawans Judwaa 2 along with Varun Dhawan and Jacqueline Fernandez, took to Twitter yesterday to share stills from the film.Since the actress uploaded a couple of her photos in a bikini, her post invited trolls for dressing inappropriately.Yese pic upload karne se best h ki, porn movie's main hi kaam kar lo.. Aur sharam karo #Taapsee, read a post on Twitter.Jaysudha, who admitted to being a fan of Taapsee, advised her to avoid being skinny. Tapsee too skinny is not good.. seems lik a old lady..i lik u lot pls tc dear, her tweet read.Veera Reddy sounded a tad shocked. I am n't expected taapsee these types of photo shoot, he tweeted.But the worst comment came from Kaushal Kumar who tweeted, Paise kam pad gaye they kyaBut Taapsee was quick to give a fitting reply to all the trolls, and shut down the haters for ridiculing her choice. Irked by a comment that stated her brother would have been extremely proud of her bikini post, Taapsee tweeted, "Sorry Bhai hai nahi varna pakka puch ke bataati. Abhi ke liye behen ka answer chalega ????"This isnt the first time that celebrities have taken on haters, and set an example for everyone to embrace their beautiful bodies irrespective of what one thinks.Most recently, Hate Story actor Bhairavi Goswami slut shamed Kriti Sanon by using abusive language. For the unversed, Kriti had uploaded a dance video on Arjun Kapoor to show her fun side and support for his recent release Mubarakan. While Kamaal R Khan first first shared the same with a caption that read, Ye Dekho Kiriti Bechari, Raabta Ke flop Hone Ke Baad, mentally disturb Ho Gayee hai!, it was actress Bhairavis reply on KRKs tweet that didnt go down well with many. She is really behaving like a deranged woman. How did she become an actress. No headlight, no bumper . Even college students look better, she wrote.Read on to know about celebrities who have fought back against body shaming.Actress Fatima Sana Shaikh was slammed by social media users after she took to Instagram to share her photos clad in a black monokini on the beach of Maldives. Fatima, who has been filming Thugs of Hindustan, in Malta, was at the receiving end for 'dressing inappropriately' in the holy month of Ramadan. Needless to say she was slut-shamed and mocked her wearing 'indecent clothes' in the religious month.When Aneri Vajani took to her official Instagram account to share a photo of herself to celebrate International Yoga Day, little did she realize she would be attacked for her fashion choice.Credit: @ Aneri Vajani In the photo which Aneri shared, she was slut shamed for being scantily dressed. In fact, there were those too who said dieting ki be hadh hothi hae yaar, omg she looks like she has malnutrition and she being an Indian is disgracing herself.Sonam Kapoor was slammed for wearing a black Rasario Atelier jumpsuit at an event recently. She was ridiculed on social media for her choice. But the actress was quick to take to Twitter to lash out at those who made sexist comments. The photogs went out of their way to take these pics...and frankly I dont give a damn, Im proud of my body! (sic) she wrote.Priyanka Chopras decision to opt for a dress that had her flashing her legs during her recent meeting with Indias PM Narendra Modi lead to sanskari rage. But the Baywatch star gave a fitting reply to all the trolling. She flashed more flesh on social media in a photo that also featured her mother Madhu Chopra. New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday raised questions over Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's state visit to Ahmedabad and not the country's national capital and hoped it would not be used for political purposes in view of the forthcoming Gujarat assembly elections. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said it was "quixotic" that Abe was not being hosted in Delhi. "We do not want to transgress propriety by commenting on a state visit but it is rather quixotic that the Prime Minister of a country as important as Japan, who is almost India's strategic partner in many respects, is strangely not even being hosted in Delhi," he said. He hoped a state visit was not being used for "political purposes" in view of the elections in Gujarat, slated to be held later this year. "With an election in Gujarat around the corner, it does raise a question -- and I hope this is not the case -- that a state visit is actually being used for political purposes because the manner in which it is structured is rather awkward," he told reporters here. Tewari said India had a great relationship with Japan and that relationship, its foundations and consolidation had been laid during the UPA regime. Japanese Prime Minister Abe arrived here today on a two-day visit with a packed agenda that includes the laying of the foundation stone for India's first bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Tewari also criticised the government over the handling of the Rohingyas issue and said the criticism India had been subjected to by the United Nations Human Rights Council was "absolutely unprecedented". "The stand which this government has taken on the Rohingyas is totally contrary to India's traditions where we have welcomed the persecuted from any part of our neighbourhood," he said. He said India had not faced "this kind of ignominy". "So, therefore, you can be critical of (Congress vice president) Rahul Gandhi, but I think the time has come for the NDA-BJP Government and the Prime Minister to introspect that mere speeches and road shows with leaders of other countries do not substitute for diplomacy," Tewari said. On Gandhi's recent remarks in the US about being ready to take over as the party chief, he said the Congress was a democratic party and an organisational election process was on. "You don't second guess an organisational election process. It will culminate logically in what the aspirations and the desires of the Congress workers are," he said. New Delhi: American Linguists Noam Chomsky in his path-breaking Natavist Theory argues humans have innate ability to develop language. Politicians in that sense are endowed with far superior faculties. They can device a whole new set of idioms to communicate with the masses. The turn of phrase, the pregnant pause, the subtle nod or the un-expected chuckle they all match up to the altering fault-lines. Its a continual process. And only the best who can innovate and reinvent at regular intervals can survive the stiff competition. That precisely is what Siddaramaiah set out to do early this year. Fending all for himself against a resurgent BJP, Karnataka Chief Minister has less than twelve months to salvage the situation. Any help from a weakened central leadership was a far cry. So the Kuruba leader, trained in the best traditions of socialist politics, drafted a new narrative. If BJP was establishing itself as the dominant pole in the national polity, the counter pole could well be soft sub-nationalism. It could manifest itself in so many different forms separate state flag, hegemonic dominance of Hindi over Kannada. The outcome of the next years Assembly polls notwithstanding, the experiment got traction for a beleaguered Congress in Karnataka. Perhaps it had to. For a country which reorganized its provinces on linguistic lines, it had to. For the language is not only about its origin or its syntax or the grammar, it defines so many things, the people and their past, their culture, their traditions, history. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, quietly watching the developments in Karnataka, was quick to learn and emulate. Her education minister announced Bangla would be made compulsory from class 1 to 9. There was no government order to that effect, not legislative were made to enforce the decision. But it was enough to trigger protests in Nepali speaking hill districts of the state, triggering counter-polarisation in the rest of the state. Both Karnataka and West Bengal have offered enough evidence in the last six months to offer a credible counter-narrative to other regional satraps. Biju Janata Dal has been quick to emulate Didi in the neighbourhood. Party PM Tathagata Satpathy tested waters recently by raking up the language issue recently when he replied to a Union ministers Hindi letter in chaste Oriya and made a huge furore on social media. Is this an attack on other languages, he asked. In Tamil Nadu, DMK leader MK Stalin has also raised the issue of imposition of Hindi. Tamil Nadu in the past has seen violent clashes during anti-Hindi protests, dealing a body blow to Congress. Till date, Congress has not recovered from that loss. Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is the latest to join the language bandwagon against hegemonic-dominance of Hindi. The state government by a Cabinet decision earlier this week has made Telegu a compulsory subject from 1st to 12th standard. But who would know about the sensitivity of the subject better than the BJP. Not very far back, in the state of Goa in 2012, the party had successfully mobilised support against giving government grants to English-medium schools. The movement sought to promote Konkani and Marathi in school education. Much to the chagrin of the then state RSS chief Subhash Velingkar, after winning elections, BJP government did not do much to address the issue. Velingkar later formed his own regional outfit to challenge the BJP in 2017 Assembly polls. Having acquired a dominant position in the national polity, BJP may have to tread with caution as it works to expand its political footprint. Corporative federalism needs to go beyond mere working relations between the Centre and the state. Jaipur: Rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav on Thursday hit out at the Narendra Modi government, alleging it wanted an opposition-free India, which, he said will never happen. He made the remarks at the third Sanjhi Virasat Bachao convention, a platform floated by him to rally anti-BJP forces after the JD(U) under Nitish Kumar joined the NDA. The meeting was attended by leaders of opposition parties, including CPI(M)s Sitaram Yechury, Congress Anand Sharma and Sachin Pilot, TMC leader Sukhendu Roy and RLDs Jayant Chaudhary. You (the BJP) want an opposition-free India and not a Congress-free India. But this will never happen. We will join hands to save our composite culture, Yadav said, asserting their objective was to unite all political parties. The leader of opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Rameshwar Dudi and Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar Ansari, who was suspended from the JD(U) last month, and National Conference leader Surjeet Singh also attended the event. Yadav said in the 2014 general election, people had voted against the NDA and the BJP as it had only 31 percent of the total vote share. We are not option-less. There are many issues but the challenge is that the opposition is scattered. At Panchkula, a baba was convicted and he was not the sole culprit even those (politicians) who asked for his support (are culprits). When religion and politics meet, then a country becomes Iraq, Syria, and Pakistan, he said, adding the work of politics is to serve the people. He hit out at the BJP-led government for unfulfilled promises, failure of demonetisation, cow vigilantism and woes of farmers, labourers and small traders. CPI(M) general secretary Yechury said the opposition parties coming together was not a coalition for elections but to save the countrys composite culture. They are taking the nation towards fascism, he alleged. Pilot, the state unit chief of the Congress, said when Rajiv Gandhi was the prime minister he never spoke of an opposition-free India but the BJP wants an India without the Congress and opposition. (But) this is not going to happen, today or tomorrow, he said, claiming all agencies in the country are asked to target opposition. Congress Sharma, a former Union minister, said the country does not want a pracharak but requires an administrator. He added that a country runs on principles and not deceit. Rashtriya Lok Dals leader Choudhary also hit out at the NDA government. Asus, the Taiwanese consumer electronics brand, has launched the latest generation of Zenfone smartphone series in India. The newly launched series consists of the Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro and two versions of the Zenfone 4 Selfie smartphone one with a single camera setup and one with a dual lens front camera setup. All three smartphones go on sale on September 21, 2017 and will be available on major e-commerce websites and offline market.The Asus Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro is priced at Rs 23,999 and is powered by Android 7 Nougat operating system. The phone has two cameras at the front, one is 24MP and the other is a 5MP camera. The front camera on the Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro features f/1.8 aperture lenses and the latest Sony Exmor RS IMX362 image sensor. The camera at the back is 16MP. Asus Zenfone 4 Selfie, Pro Smartphone Series Launched at Rs 9,999 (Image: Md Waquar Haider/News18)The Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro packs in a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 Processor along with an Adreno 506 GPU. The 3000 mAh battery is non-removable and the phone comes with a 5 Magnet loud-speaker which is powered by an NXP SmartAmp aimed to provide high fidelity audio. It is also packed with 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. The ZenFone 4 Selfie Pro comes with 5.5-inch full HD display.The Asus Zenfone 4 Selfie is priced at Rs 14,999 and gets Android 7.1 Nougat operating system. It has a 20MP and an 8MP camera at the front with f/2.0 aperture lenses and a 16MP rear camera setup. The Asus Zenfone 4 Selfie is priced at Rs 14,999 and gets Android 7.1 Nougat operating system. (Image: Md Waquar Haider/News18)For smooth performance, it features a Snapdragon 430 Octa-core SoC from Qualcomm and is paired with Adreno 505 GPU. The ZenFone Selfie gets 4GB RAM and 64GB internal storage. The battery on the ZenFone Selfie is 3000 mAh and is non-removable. The display is a 5.5 inch HD IPS LCD unit and has a 74.2 percent screen-to-body ratio.The Asus Zenfone 4 Selfie has been launched at a price tag of Rs 9,999 and comes with Android 7.1 Nougat operating system. As for the camera setup, the ZenFone 4 Selfie is the only model launched among the three that features a single front camera, which is a 13MP unit with f/2.0 aperture. The rear camera, on the other hand, is a 13MP. ZenFone 4 Selfie comes with a 13-megapixel sensor at front as well as back, both with support for Portrait mode (Image: Md. Waquar Haider/News18)The phone features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 Octa-core SoC paired with Adreno 505 GPU aimed at providing a better experience. The ZenFone 4 Selfie is packed with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. The battery on ZenFone Selfie is a 3000 mAh non-removable. It comes with 5.5 inch HD IPS LCD and has a 74.2 percent screen to body ratio. European Union states could have lost 5.4 billion euros in tax revenues from Google and Facebook between 2013 and 2015, according to a report of the EU lawmaker responsible for a corporate tax reform that could raise online giants' tax bill. The document, seen by Reuters, will be published on Thursday, the day before EU finance ministers begin a two-day meeting in the Estonian capital Tallinn, in which they will discuss how to increase taxes on large online businesses accused of paying too little in Europe.Digital multinationals "minimize the overall tax burden in the EU by routing all revenues to low-tax member states such as Ireland and Luxembourg," said the report, prepared by EU socialist lawmaker Paul Tang. The document focuses on the social network Facebook and search engine Google, now part of Alphabet, because the two U.S. companies book most of their EU revenues in low tax-rate Ireland, a move that allows them to pay in the EU much lower taxes than those they face in the rest of the world.It says that Google pays taxes worth up to 9 percent of its revenues outside the EU, but this ratio goes down to no more than 0.82 percent inside the EU. "Facebook's taxes as a share of their revenues recorded outside the EU is between 28 percent and 34 percent, whereas in the EU this is a remarkably low ratio of 0.03 percent to 0.10 percent," the report adds. This resulted in estimated revenue losses for EU states, other than Ireland, of between 51 and 54 billion euros between 2013 and 2015, the report concluded.Tang is in charge of steering through the EU assembly a tax reform, known as common corporate tax base, which aims at harmonising national tax deductions on business profits. He plans to introduce an amendment that would force online multinationals to pay taxes in the EU countries where they are present with a "digital platform" that generates at least 5 million euros of annual turnover. Existing rules require online companies to pay taxes only where they have a physical presence and a tax residence, regardless of where they generate their profits.Tang's amendment is similar to a proposal made by the Estonian presidency of the EU, and that will be discussed by EU finance ministers this week. If EU states decided to tax the revenues of digital companies, rather than their profits, as proposed by France with the backing of Germany, Italy and Spain, that could have generated 4 billion euros in tax revenues from Google and Facebook between 2013 and 2015 if a 5 percent rate was applied, the report estimated.That measure would also force Amazon to pay taxes. The U.S. online retailer, with an EU tax residence in Luxembourg, has been mostly exempted from taxes in the 2013-2015 period because it did not make profits, the report said. Three new crew members have arrived at the International Space Station, restoring the station's crew to six, NASA said on Wednesday. NASA astronauts Mark Vande Hei, Joe Acaba and Alexander Misurkin of the Russian space agency Roscosmos arrived at the International Space Station at 10.55 pm EDT on Tuesday (8.25 am on Wednesday, India time). The space station's crew came down to three after record-breaking NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and her Expedition 52 crewmates Jack Fischer of NASA and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos came back to Earth earlier this month.The three new crewmates launched aboard the Soyuz MS-06 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 5.17 pm (3.17 a.m. Baikonur time Wednesday), orbited Earth four times, and docked at the space station. The new crewmates join Expedition 53 Commander Randy Bresnik of NASA and Flight Engineers Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos and Paolo Nespoli of ESA (European Space Agency.) The new Expedition 53 crew members will spend more than four months conducting approximately 250 science investigations in fields such as biology, Earth science, human research, physical sciences and technology development, NASA said.Bresnik, Ryazanskiy and Nespoli are scheduled to remain aboard the station until December, and Vande Hei, Acaba and Misurkin are slated to return in February 2018. Vodafone is looking at investing in laying ultrafast full-fibre broadband connections to homes and businesses in Britain if it can find partners to share the costs, a top executive said on Wednesday. The mobile network operator said on Monday it would spend 2 billion euros on new full-fibre connections in Germany and also has invested in fixed line broadband networks in Italy, Portugal and Spain.Vodafone UK CEO Nick Jeffery said he had the capital available to make an investment in Britain. "We are a committed investor, our strategy is very clear," he said at the launch of a report commissioned by Vodafone called "Digital Super Towns, Unlocking the UK's digital potential". "If we can find the right economics and the right partners we'll invest here." Britain's broadband infrastructure is dominated by network operator Openreach, owned by the former state monopoly telecoms company BT, which provides connections to Vodafone and other service providers as well as BT.Cable company Virgin Media, owned by Liberty Global , has a rival network and there are a host of smaller providers like CityFibre. Until recently Openreach has focused on deploying new technology to speed up the 'last mile' of existing copper phone lines instead of running fibre at much greater cost all the way into homes and businesses. However, Openreach is now sounding out its wholesale service operator customers about whether they would be willing to co-invest in full fibre connections. The Telegraph newspaper said last month Vodafone was in talks about making such an investment."We would work with any provider who can give us the scale and access and good economic costs to connect fibre to the homes of Britain," Jeffery said, but declined to comment on whether a deal with Openreach was in prospect. Vodafone needed to make an adequate return, he said, which could need government incentives or partners taking a long-term strategic view to reduce the cost of individual connections. The UK government's digital economy minister Matt Hancock said on Wednesday the focus had to be on full-fibre and 5G mobile broadband networks after completing the roll-out of faster copper-based networks."The regulator Ofcom has legally separated BT and Openreach, and the test of that separation will be whether Openreach now works with other providers as well as with BT to provide the infrastructure for other retail companies to get out there," he said at the same event. A spokesman for Openreach said the company was continuing to consult with its operator customers about investing in full- fibre networks. Kuala Lumpur: Twenty-five people, most of them students, were killed Thursday when a blaze tore through a Malaysian religious school, in what officials said was one of the country's worst fire disasters for years. The blaze broke out before dawn in the two-storey building, Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, located in the centre of the capital Kuala Lumpur. Firefighters rushed to the scene and the blaze was out within an hour but not before it wreaked terrible devastation -- pictures in local media showed ash-covered, fire-blackened beds. "It really does not make sense for so many to die in the fire," Khirudin Drahman, director of Kuala Lumpur's fire and rescue department told AFP. "I think it is one of the countrys worst fire disaster in the past 20 years." He said that the number confirmed dead was 23 students and two adult wardens, adding that they could have died due to smoke inhalation or got trapped in the fire. "We are now investigating the cause of the fire," he said. Loga Bala Mohan, the government's federal territories deputy minister, said: "We sympathise with the families. It is one of the worst fires involving so many lives in the capital in recent years. "We urgently want the authorities to quickly probe the cause of the deadly fire so that we will be able to prevent future disasters." A fire department official at the scene said that the blaze broke out in bedrooms before dawn, and firefighters from a nearby station were on the scene within minutes. The Star newspaper reported that the fire and rescue department had raised concerns about fire safety measures at unregistered and private religious schools -- known as tahfiz, and had recorded 211 fires at the institutions since 2015. In August, 16 people including eight students fled an early morning fire at a family-run tahfiz in Baling, in the northern state of Kedah, the paper reported. There were 519 tahfiz schools registered across the country as of April, but many more are believed to be unregistered, the paper said. In October last year, six people died in a fire that swept through the intensive care unit of a major hospital in the southern state of Johor. In a Croatian port sits a boat built to carry bananas from Africa to Italy, that laid mines for Nazi Germany and was sunk by Allied planes before it was salvaged as the personal yacht of a globe-trotting communist leader.Josip Broz Tito and the state he led - Yugoslavia - have long passed into history, and the boat, the Galeb (Seagull), was left to rust in a corner of Rijeka's once mighty docks.Now, with Rijeka readying to become European Capital of Culture in 2020, city authorities have secured European Union money to restore the 117-metre (384-feet) boat as a museum, just as debate in Croatia rages over the life and deeds of the man who graced the pink mattress in the front port-side cabin.If the Galeb was a symbol of Tito's prestige on the world stage a communist leader welcome in ports West as well as East its restoration is part of Croatia's own tortured process of reconciliation with its 20th century history.To conservatives in Croatia, Tito who was born in what is today Croatia to a Croat father and Slovene mother was a totalitarian dictator: to look fondly on him means to be nostalgic for a shared federal state that denied Croats their own until they forged one in a 1991-95 war.Liberals, however, recall his guerrilla fight against the Nazis and the relative freedom and prosperity of Yugoslavs compared to those who lived in the Soviet Union or in its shadow.They see in the disdain of conservatives a thinly veiled fondness for the World War Two Croatian state that collaborated with the Nazis but was snuffed out with Tito's Partisan victory a sentiment that has gained a foothold in mainstream Croatian politics in recent years.It is a tug-of-war over history and identity that was encapsulated this month in the renaming by Zagreb's city council of the capital's Marshal Tito Square to Republic of Croatia square.Days later, the government ordered the removal of a plaque near the site of a World War Two concentration camp that bore a notorious slogan associated with the Nazi puppet regime in Croatia."We live in a time when history is being reinvented retroactively," said Ivan Sarar, who as head of culture at Rijeka's city council is in charge of its 2020 makeover."It's interesting that just by undertaking this (restoration) we have already been declared revisionists," he told Reuters. The interior of the yacht Galeb is seen in the port city of Rijeka, Croatia, September 6, 2017. (Photo: REUTERS)After years of false-starts, work on restoring the Galeb is imminent a mammoth, multi-million-euro task to recreate the 1950s chic of Tito's floating palace, host to over 100 heads of state and some of Hollywood's finest.Some of the furniture remains - in Tito's cabin, his turquoise-tiled bathroom and the adjacent salon with doors that open to the deck. But the ship itself is little more than a rotting hull. The interior of the yacht Galeb is seen in the port city of Rijeka, Croatia, September 6, 2017. (Photo: REUTERS)The Galeb was the stage for Tito's major contribution to history, said Sarar, a showcase for the non-aligned movement he helped found in answer to the East-West polarisation of the Cold War.But Sarar stressed: "We won't be soft on anyone."He noted Tito's cosy ties with dictators around the world, the exodus of Italian residents of Rijeka when he took the city as part of Yugoslavia, and his denial of democracy during 35 years of one-man rule until his death in 1980. Yugoslavia fell apart in war a decade later and some 135,000 people were killed.It was Tito's seizure of Rijeka and the Istrian peninsula that cemented his status in this part of Croatia as a liberator. Dozens of streets in Istria still bear his name, as do others in the Balkans - most notably in Serbia, once the dominant republic in Yugoslavia.Conservatives, however, struck a blow with the renaming of Zagreb's Marshal Tito Square, part of a deal struck by the mayor to secure his majority in the city assembly.The man behind the initiative, leading right-wing politician Zlatko Hasanbegovic, told Reuters that while Tito was "undeniably a significant historical figure," so were Napoleon, Stalin and Lenin."In all countries, streets and squares bear the names of those who embody the values with which the entire nation identifies itself," he said, describing the restoration of the Galeb as part of an attempt to revive the cult of Tito."Those insisting on it should ask themselves how the tens of thousands of victims of Yugoslav communism look on that kind of quasi-cultural exhibitionism."In Rijeka, Sarar denied planning any kind of homage to Tito."We want to create a place for dialogue, away from the current situation of extreme black, white and red truths that lead nowhere," he said. "It's bound to be difficult." Reuters: Myanmar stands accused by rights groups of ethnic cleansing and human rights violations after violence broke out in the northwestern state of Rakhine, triggering an exodus of about 400,000 Rohingya Muslims to southern Bangladesh. At least 400 people have been killed, and thousands of homes and villages have been torched since the military launched a counter-offensive against Rohingya insurgents in late August. Myanmar does not recognise the roughly 1.1 million Rohingyas as citizens, leaving them effectively stateless. The following are questions and answers on the violence: WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VIOLENCE IN MYANMAR? The military says it is protecting Myanmar against attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), which it has labelled a terrorist group and accuses of killings and destruction in Rakhine state. Human rights monitors and fleeing Rohingya say the army and ethnic Rakhine Buddhist vigilantes have mounted a campaign of arson aimed at driving out the Rohingya. Rights groups say an independent investigation is required to determine possible abuses or violations by various parties. DOES THE VIOLENCE AND EXODUS AMOUNT TO ETHNIC CLEANSING? Yes, according to United Nations officials and rights groups. Top UN officials have said the violence in Myanmar is a case of "textbook ethnic cleansing". The UN has in the past defined ethnic cleansing as "rendering an area ethnically homogeneous by using force or intimidation to remove persons of given groups from the area." Ethnic cleansing is not recognised as a separate crime under international law. But allegations of ethnic cleansing as part of wider, systematic human rights violations have been heard in international courts against individuals - including former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, who was convicted of genocide. Phil Robertson, deputy director for Asia at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said initial investigations in Myanmar were "indicative of an ethnic cleansing campaign". "When an army is burning people out of their villages all over northern Rakhine state and using violence against civilians, it results in the kind of incredible refugee flows we're seeing," he added. Myanmar has denied allegations of ethnic cleansing. ARE WE SEEING GENOCIDE, WAR CRIMES, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY? Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has said the killing of hundreds of Rohingya amounted to genocide, but rights groups have so far stayed away from these labels, because all three categories are clearly defined and covered in international law. For the ongoing violence to be considered war crimes, the parties involved would have to be at war. Currently, experts say, Myanmar is not technically at war because it only has one party - the military - that is organised enough to carry out intensive fighting operations. "We have not yet been able to determine whether a 'state of war' is present in Rakhine state," said HRW's Robertson. Crimes against humanity and genocide could be taking place even in the absence of war, but, under UN definitions, there would need to be proof of other conditions such as broader, systematic attacks against the Rohingyas. WHAT DOES THE DISCOVERY OF LANDMINES MEAN? Human rights groups have accused Myanmar of laying anti-personnel mines along the border with Bangladesh to prevent Rohingya refugees from returning to Rakhine state. Because the crisis is not currently defined as a war, this cannot be considered a war crime, according to experts. However, it would violate other international human rights laws, even though Myanmar is not party to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. "For nations that are not parties to the treaty, the use of anti-personnel mines violates customary international law, because the weapons are inherently indiscriminate and cause disproportionate long-term harm to civilians," said Richard Weir, a legal expert at HRW. A Myanmar military source told Reuters that landmines were laid along the border in the 1990s to prevent trespassing and the military had since tried to remove them, but that none had been planted recently. WHO SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE VIOLENCE AND HOW? In international law, an individual can be held criminally responsible for when a state or military commits war crimes or crimes against humanity. Rights groups have called for an independent investigation of abuses by all parties, including ARSA. Many believe the government and the military should be held responsible. "Myanmar is systematically violating the rights of the Rohingya... and both the government and the military now need to suffer serious consequences for this," said HRW's Robertson. CAN THE MYANMAR MILITARY BE HELD RESPONSIBLE? This depends on the findings of an independent investigation, if the Myanmar government allows one to take place, experts say. Rights groups have called for the UN Security Council to also reprimand Myanmar in other ways, for instance, by imposing sanctions such as an arms embargo. They have also urged countries, including the United States and Australia, to suspend bilateral military ties. CAN MYANMAR LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI BE HELD RESPONSIBLE? The 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner has faced widespread international criticism for not doing enough to protect the Rohingya community. Suu Kyi has no direct control over the military, which remains powerful under Myanmar's army-written constitution. But she is Myanmar's foreign minister and de facto civilian leader and has defended the military operation. "It's premature to speculate," said Robertson, adding that individual responsibility should be based on an impartial investigation. WHO TRIES SUCH CASES? The International Criminal Court (ICC), based in The Hague, Netherlands, has the jurisdiction to prosecute crimes of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Myanmar is among the countries, which also include the United States and China, that are not signatory to the treaty that created the ICC, so it is not obligated to cooperate. But if the UN Security Council were to refer a case to the court then Myanmar, being a member of the UN, would be subject to its jurisdiction. Ad hoc tribunals and commissions have been set up in the past to hear cases of mass human rights violations. For instance, the United Nations established the International Criminal Tribunals for Yugoslavia and Rwanda to deal with crimes that took place there. WHAT INTERNATIONAL LAWS ARE THE ROHINGYA PROTECTED BY? Rights groups say they are protected by various UN human rights treaties, primarily the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which Myanmar voted for in 1948. The document includes provisions for the right to life and right to a nationality - particularly relevant to the Rohingyas, who are effectively stateless. New York: Martin Shkreli was sent to jail on Wednesday after a US judge revoked the bail of the former pharmaceutical executive over a threat aimed at Hillary Clinton -- which he insists was a joke. Once dubbed "The Most Hated Man in America" for jacking up the price of an HIV drug, the 34-year-old was convicted of securities fraud last month for mismanaging two investment funds. Freed on a five-million-dollar bail while awaiting sentencing, Shkreli was hauled back into court to answer for having offered a $5,000 reward to anyone who would grab a strand of Clinton's hair. His lawyer Benjamin Brafman -- who has painted his client as a misunderstood "genius" -- argued long and hard with US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto against sending him to jail. Shkreli himself had written to the judge apologizing for his "poor judgment" and insisting he "never intended to cause alarm or promote any act of violence whatsoever." "It never occurred to me that my awkward attempt at humor or satire would cause Mrs. Clinton or the Secret Service any distress," Shkreli wrote. But Judge Matsumoto decided otherwise, ruling that his online threats constituted "solicitation of assault" and posed a danger to the community. "His bail was revoked and he was remanded to a detention facility," said Tyler Daniels, spokesman for the US Attorney's office in Brooklyn. He will now remain in prison until his sentencing hearing, set for January 16 next year. Shkreli is best known for ratcheting up the price of HIV drug Daraprim from $13.50 a pill to $750 overnight in 2015. Although that incident had nothing to do with his trial, so great was his notoriety that it was initially difficult to find an impartial jury. Seoul/Japan: A North Korean state agency threatened on Thursday to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a UN Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test. Pyongyang's Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which handles the North's external ties and propaganda, also called for the breakup of the Security Council, which it called "a tool of evil" made up of "money-bribed" countries that move at the order of the United States. "The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," the committee said in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency. Juche is the North's ruling ideology that mixes Marxism and an extreme form of go-it-alone nationalism preached by state founder Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of the current leader, Kim Jong Un. Regional tensions have risen markedly since the reclusive North conducted its sixth, and by far its most powerful, nuclear test on Sept. 3. The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously on a US-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions on Monday in response, banning North Korea's textile exports that are the second largest only to coal and mineral, and capping fuel supplies. The North reacted to the latest action by the Security Council, which had the backing of veto-holding China and Russia, by reiterating threats to destroy the United States, Japan and South Korea. "Let's reduce the US mainland into ashes and darkness. Let's vent our spite with mobilization of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now," the statement said. Japan's Nikkei stock index and dollar/yen currency pared gains, although traders said that was more because of several Chinese economic indicators that were released on Thursday rather than a reaction to the North's latest statement. South Korea's won also edged down around the same time over domestic financial concerns. DANCING TO THE TUNE The North's latest threats also singled out Japan for "dancing to the tune" of the United States, saying it should never be pardoned for not offering a sincere apology for its "never-to-be-condoned crimes against our people", an apparent reference to Japan's wartime aggression. It also referred to South Korea as "traitors and dogs" of the United States. Japan criticised the North's statement harshly. "This announcement is extremely provocative and egregious. It is something that markedly heightens regional tension and is absolutely unacceptable," Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a regular news conference on Thursday. North Korea had already categorically rejected the Security Council resolution imposing sanctions over its latest test, vowing to press ahead with its nuclear and missile programmes in defiance of international pressure. A tougher initial US draft of Monday's resolution was weakened to win the support of China and Russia. Significantly, it stopped short of imposing a full embargo on oil exports to North Korea, most of which come from China. The latest sanctions also make it illegal for foreign firms to form commercial joint ventures with North Korean entities. US President Donald Trump has vowed that North Korea will never be allowed to threaten the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, but has also asked China to do more to rein in its isolated neighbour. China in turn favours an international response to the problem. The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies. The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. Washington: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called for a political solution to the current situation in Korean peninsula, which has worsened in recent months in the wake of series of ballistic missile and nuclear tests by Pyongyang. "The solution can only be political. Military action could cause devastation on a scale that would take generations to overcome," Guterres told reporters at a news conference at the UN headquarters in New York. Noting that nuclear and missile tests by the North Korea have created great instability and tension on the Korean peninsula, throughout the region and beyond, the UN Secretary General said unity in the Security Council is critical. This week's unanimous adoption of a new resolution by the Security Council sends a clear message that North Korea must comply fully with its international obligations, he said and called on all Member States to ensure the full implementation of this and other relevant Security Council resolutions. "But Security Council unity also creates an opportunity for diplomatic engagement - an opportunity that must be seized," Guterres said. Meanwhile in an interview to Atlantic Council, a top American think-tank, Nicholas Burns, a former top American diplomat said that the new sanctions imposed by UN Security Council on North Korea are not enough. "The sanctions are a step forward, but they are not significant enough. It is disappointing that Russia and China will not agree to tougher sanctions because that is what is required," he said. "We are in a new and dangerous phase of the crisis following the apparent hydrogen bomb test and also the ballistic missile firing by North Korea over Hokkaido," Burns said. "The world community has got to take stronger actions against North Korea to convince the North Koreans to freeze their nuclear program and agree to negotiations to try to diminish this crisis," he said. Noting that the Chinese have a direct interest here, he said, but they are hesitating in deepening their own leverage and coercion against North Korea. "It may be that China worries that a dissolution of the North Korean regime could lead to a flow of North Korean refugees into China, " Burns said. "It is certainly true that the Chinese worry that any kind of crisis that could weaken or destroy North Korea and could lead to the unification of the Korean Peninsula with its capital in Seoul-a country that is aligned with the United States-is not in China's interests," he said. A Lynchburg man died after a Wednesday-morning crash at the intersection of Forest and Timber Ridge roads. Jon Stephen Leotti, 25, was driving a 1995 Buick LeSabre on Timber Ridge Road and stopped at a stop sign at Forest Road, according to Virginia State Police spokesman Sgt. Rick Garletts. Leotti then failed to yield the right of way at the intersection, Garletts said. A Dodge Avenger struck the Buick at 7:32 a.m., and the Buick went through a yard and crashed into a nearby home. Leotti wore a seatbelt. He was taken to Lynchburg General Hospital, where he died, Garletts said. The Dodges driver was taken to Lynchburg General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No one at the residence was injured. Police still are investigating the crash. Banks, ANSA McAL spearhead hurricane relief efforts In a statement issued by its head office in Toronto, Canada, Scotiabank has expressed solidarity with all of its customers, employees and communities who have been affected by Irma and said it had donated US $500,000 to organisations supporting the relief efforts in the region. Describing the devastation caused by Irma as heartbreaking, president and CEO of Scotiabank, Brian Porter, said Scotiabank has been part of the affected communities for decades. We are committed to the region, and will support our customers and employees during these challenging times. The Canadian Red Cross will receive US $250,000 of Scotiabanks donation, with the remainder being directed to initiatives supporting young people in the affected communities. Red Cross Societies are already active, mobilising volunteers to the possible affected areas and relaying public awareness messages. Relief supplies are on standby in Panama and the Dominican Republic to ensure an immediate response. The Canadian Red Cross has a presence in the area and is co-ordinating with the International Federation of the Red Cross and supporting the mobilisation of regional Red Cross teams...To make a donation to the Hurricane Irma relief fund, please visit the Canadian Red Cross website, Scotiabank stated. Noting that the damage associated with Hurricane Irma has resulted in a number of fatalities and caused damage to infrastructure, cutting communities off from water and electricity, the bank said its immediate focus is on ensuring the safety of its employees. We are continuing to assess the impact on our business operations. While details are still coming in, you get a good idea of the rebuilding effort that residents and businesses such as Scotiabank face in the BVI. In a video posted to the Facebook public group, BVI Abroad - Hurricane Irma by Ronald Evans on September 6, you can see an entire wall of glass missing from a section of the Scotiabank branch in Road Town, Tortola, BVI. That same branch also had holes in its outer walls and parts of the Scotiabank logo were missing. Customers who have banking questions or who require support, can find the appropriate contact information by searching More Scotiabank Sites on www.scotiabank.com Our thoughts continue to be with the people of the affected regions as they demonstrate strength and resilience following the devastation,Scotiabank shared. Fellow Canadian bank, RBC Royal Bank, made an initial commitment of US $40,000 to Red Cross agencies in St Maarten and Antigua/Barbuda to assist with relief efforts in these countries in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. Then on September 11, RBC announced it would be making an overall commitment of US $300,000, this money going to relief efforts both here in the Caribbean and in the United States. CEO of RBC, Caribbean Banking, Rob Johnston, said on Friday that the first images coming out of these islands show the extent to which Irma destroyed the homes of our employees, residents and their communities. We are committed to supporting recovery efforts and are proud to partner with the Red Cross to support the great work of first responders. RBCs Caribbean Incident Management Team was activated at the early warning stage of Irmas trajectory and has been in constant communication with national agencies in the region ever since to ensure our precautionary and relief efforts are co-ordinated, efficient and effective. As the situation continues to evolve, we will assess the hurricanes impact on our clients, employees and communities and will mobilise additional relief efforts accordingly, RBC stated. Johnston said employees are also stepping up to support relief efforts and we honour their commitment, as they are making donations to support relief efforts directly and through RBCs global donations programme. RBC assured that it will work with national agencies, industry and government to ensure the safety of our employees and support the recovery and rebuilding efforts for our clients and communities. Meanwhile, the ANSA McAL Group of Companies (ANSA McAL) too has pledged its support to the effort. Through its subsidiary; Guardian Media Limited (GML), the conglomerate is partnering with the American Chamber of Commerce the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) to provide immediate assistance to those affected. PADF is dedicated to serving vulnerable people in Latin America and the Caribbean through sustainable community development. PADFs programmes have generated thousands of jobs, saved lives and property, protected vital natural resources, upgraded skills training and medical services, and improved conditions for thousands of disadvantaged Latin American and the Caribbean people. PADF has created a special portal for our ANSA McAL family to make financial donations for relief for Hurricane Irma; www.padf.org/ irmaamchamtt. Please visit this website and make a donation if you can. Logistics present a nightmare at this time, as most of the infrastructure in some of the Leeward Islands were completely destroyed. We will continue to keep you posted with what our group is doing to assist our Caribbean family. Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns, ANSA McAL said. Enabling the ease of doing business One of the concerns of the private sector in Trinidad and Tobago centres on the need to improve the national business environment and the ease of doing business. For most economies, the private sector is the engine that drives growth. However, sustainable businesses cannot develop unless there are policy measures in place to support efficient and effective operations. The business community looks to government as custodians of the economy - to create an enabling environment that encourages sustainability, fewer barriers to entry and as level a playing field as possible. Despite improvements in some areas, such as the time it takes to register a business and the Ministry of Trade and Industrys (MTIs) Single Electronic Window (SEW), there is still much to be done. At present, some of the conditions to which business is oft n subjected can be described as difficult and ti me-consuming. Routine transactions which should last no more than 15 minutes in a government office are likely to turn into an all-day exercise. This, coupled with our archaic labour laws does nothing to foster efficiency. The latest rankings speak volumes: In the World Banks Ease of Doing Business Index, out of 190 countries, Trinidad and Tobago ranked 150 for Registering a Property, 149 for Dealing with Construction Permits and 145 for Paying Taxes. The TT Chamber is quite aware that de-regulation alone will not satisfy the needs of the private sector in promoting business growth. In last years budget, several incentives for business were announced. To the Governments credit, these are investments for the future. But it would be interesting to find out how well those incentives have fared; what, if any, were the challenges experienced and if Government will return with an improved package of incentives for the next fiscal term. Another of our concerns is our ability to develop and promote programmes targeting the promotion of innovation and increased productivity. And this is where we focus our attention on our business incubators. Currently, there are several of them in operation in TT. The Chamber has already begun engaging these incubator programme, as we provide solid support for the next wave of businesses to make a difference in the economy. But at the government level are entrepreneurs and start-ups being sufficiently incentivised? Improving the business environment and ease of doing business is no simple undertaking. In fact, it is the kind of task that extends beyond one term of office for any administration. If we want to count ourselves among the best and most productive, we as a country must take the necessary steps to implement the institutional support measures to help us to achieve that goal. Disaster risk management Hurricane Irma has been a stark reminder of the dangers posed by extreme weather. Tropical storms are not uncommon to the Caribbean and unfortunately disaster occurrences cannot be eliminated. But the effects highlight the importance of disaster risk management. In the public sector, many government departments work together in a disaster response to save and sustain lives and protect livelihoods. The consequences of not being able to recover from a natural disaster in a timely manner can include loss of reputation in the eyes of public and other government departments, inability to provide timely reporting and the loss of public confidence. Organisations need to have a robust disaster risk management plan in place. This includes asset and threat identification, quantifying the potential losses, assessment of vulnerabilities, and evaluation of counter measures. It should also include definition of incidents and crisis assessment criteria, escalation procedure; and crisis management team roles and responsibilities. Without effective plans in place, businesses can find it difficult to respond immediately. But its important to remember that a plan only works as a safety net to mitigate the impact of a disaster; you can never disaster-proof a company. The British Virgin Islands (BVI) was one of several places directly hit by Hurricane Irma. The off shore business and legal centre has declared a state of emergency as a result of the catastrophic damage. The big four global accounti ng firms all have a presence in the BVI, as well as many other professional services businesses. All will now need a considerable amount of time to recover before they are able to restart operations. The UK has pledged a 32m cash injection to its territories in the region. There have also been other pledges of assistance. The CCRIF, formerly the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility; Scotiabank; the United Nations Development Programme; and the University of the West Indies have, in total, committed over US$16.4 million in relief eff orts. The CCRIF announced that it would pay out $US15.6 million (EC$42 million) to the governments of Antigua & Barbuda, Anguilla, and St Kitts & Nevis to aid their recovery. The CCRIF said the passage of the category five hurricane triggered the payments on the countries Tropical Cyclone polices Many businesses have become adept at responding during disasters to help those worst affected. Last year when Hurricane Matt hew struck parts of the Caribbean, GraceKennedy Ltd, one of the Caribbeans largest conglomerates, donated J$2.5 million in non-perishable food items to Haiti . Items include crates of porridge mixes, corned beef, sausages, mackerel, cheese, beans, juices and water products. In Jamaica, GraceKennedy staff collected items of clothing and other essentials to send to Haiti through Food For the Poor (FFP) Jamaica, the largest charity organisation in Jamaica. Other forms of contribution from GraceKennedys subsidiaries and partners are also under way. Then Hi-Lo Food Stores (Massy Stores) set up collection points at its 13 locations and supported FFPs appeal for non-perishable items. All donations were collected by FFP, which organised the shipment of items to Haiti . FFPs Haiti office handled distribution there. Walmart, one of the worlds largest retailers, has become practiced at responding to natural disasters, sometimes more quickly than governments. Within the first three days following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan on March 11, 2011, the retailer had associates, working across Japan, taking action to help by setting up distribution points for relief items in its store parking lots when the stores themselves were too damaged to open. Its stores and distribution centres provided donations to the victims including water, food and sanitary items. The statement added that Walmart associates worked around the clock to keep supplies going to the Seiyu stores as the chain is called in Japan which had become a lifeline for local communities. Natural disasters can come from anywhere at any ti me. Nobody has the power to know when a disaster will hit, but everyone has the power to prepare. Businesses that prepare for the worst will always be grateful that they did. Man held for Dominican Republic womans murder Police investigators were able to determine that Rodriguez worked at a guest house in Chaguanas and was a frequent visitor to the suspects home. Police are working on information that Rodriguez arranged to meet with the suspect at the walkover on Monday night and was robbed of cash. Police also received a video footage of the suspect and another man walking away from the walkover on Monday with one of the men being in possession of the womans handbag. The suspect allegedly told police he and the woman were attacked by two men and Rodriguez robbed of her handbag. Asked why he did not report the matter when the stabbing took place, the man said he became frightened and went to a friends home because he was in a confused state. Investigators said yesterday that Rodriguez may have entered this country a few months ago and had overstayed her time. Yesterday efforts were being made by police to contact her relatives so arrangements could be made for her body to be returned to that country for final rites. Need to regulate security firms Giving an overview of the private security industry yesterday at a symposium hosted by the Joint Select Committee on National Security at the Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain, Belford said an actual accurate figure on the size of private security firms is difficult to obtain. About 20 to 25 firms operate officially with an acceptable standard of institutional capacity and functional guidelines, he said. Demand for private security services grew by leaps and bounds over the past ten years due to increase in business activity and concerns about violent crime. Due to the lack of regulation, only firms that employ precepted officers are obliged to register with the Ministry of National Security. A total of 200 private security companies have been approved to operate as protective service agencies but over 50 percent are now inactive. Belford said several fly by night security companies are operating with no approval. In addition, there are over 8,000 supplemental (precepted) police officers and 24,000 security (non-precepted) officers in TT. According to Belford, legislative reform is a critical first step in addressing issues within the private security industry. Proposed reform requirements to improve the industry include the establishment of training and operational standards to facilitate certification, and monitoring and inspecting the operations of licensees to ensure compliance. It was also proposed that character investigations be done and background checks made for applicants. Current challenges that face the industry, Belford said, include clients continually cutting costs, wage issues, overtime payments and conflict between the Estate Police Association (EPA) and major private security companies, over employment terms and wages. In addition, he said, some companies recruit undocumented migrants who are subjected to exploitation. Another challenge is that the relationship between private security companies and the Police is somewhat uncertain. Diaz: I have right to call pan meeting He also denied reports that the meeting had to be called off because of the protests, adding that the meeting began at 6 pm and ended at 8.45 pm, with 62 percent of all bands registered with Pan Trinbago having a representative at the meeting. Gregory Lindsay, speaking on behalf of Concerned Individuals for Pan (CIP) challenged the legality of the Diazs meeting. But contacted for comment yesterday, Diaz thundered: According to the constitution I have a right as president to call a meeting at short notice. So I dont know who is advising them or which lawyer is telling them things. The meeting was to brief members and they (CIP) were not there when I started it (the meeting). The circular was to deal with Panorama and no other business. It was very straightforward. Diaz claimed that five people, who never even played pan before turned up and disrupted the meeting. They are not panmen. I dont know which band they claim to represent. People bring them out to talk and say no Panorama, just to disrupt a meeting! Ninety percent of the members want Panorama. But three bands say they dont want Panorama and they hired some fellas to hold placards and make noise, Diaz claimed. He reiterated that Pan Trinbago does not pay Panorama performance fees (remittances) to panmen but instead negotiates with the National Carnival Commission (NCC) and the Community Development, Culture and Arts Ministry. Diaz said he told the members that they have to wait on the Budget to know what is the allocation for steelbands for 2018. He indicated that Minister Nyan Gadsby-Dolly asked the NCC to ensure all interest groups find a new way forward for Carnival and as Pan Trinbago president he conveyed this to his members at the meeting on Tuesday. Coming out of that meeting, was a plan to carry small bands semi-finals for Panorama to Chaguanas where each band will be required to play a Chutney song in addition to the usual Panorama tune while the medium and large band semis will be in Port of Spain as usual, but with a change of format. Diaz indicated that Pan Trinbago is considering mixing the medium with large bands in that after each medium band plays, a large band will follow. That format will continue into final night for the medium and large bands in Port of Spain, while the small bands final will be held in San Fernando. All prelims will be held at various panyards starting January 4. Dr Dish (Pvt) Limited, which recently partnered Econet Media Limited (Mauritius) to distribute Kwese TV satellite content to the Zimbabwean viewership, has filed an urgent chamber application seeking permission to operate its broadcast business, pending determination of a Supreme Court appeal by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe. High Court judge Justice Charles Hungwe last week handed down a judgment allowing Dr Dish, in partnership with Econet Media, to provide the service pending confirmation of the provisional order. He set aside an earlier decision by BAZ cancelling the content distribution licence awarded to Econet Medias partner, Dr Dish (Pvt) Ltd. Justice Hungwe allowed Dr Dish to enjoy the full benefits of its licence, pending finalisation of the main dispute. Dissatisfied with the outcome, BAZ through its lawyers T.H Chitapi & Associates, on Monday filed a notice of appeal at the Supreme Court seeking the setting aside of the High Court decision. Pending determination of the Supreme Court challenge, Dr Dish has approached the High Court with an urgent chamber application for leave to execute the High Court judgment. In the application, Dr Dish argued that Kwese TV will suffer financial prejudice if the Supreme Court appeal sets aside the High Court judgment. Applicant had 24 145 subscribers (before the High Court judgment), reads the application. At least 5 429 more subscribers have joined applicants network since the judgment was handed down, bringing the total subscribers to 32 429. The violation of the Constitutional rights of applicants subscribers will be perpetuated if leave to execute pending appeal is not granted on an urgent basis. Dr Dish argued that 1 635 people employed by Kwese risk losing their jobs if the urgent chamber application failed. The peoples right to freedom of the media will also be violated, Dr Dish argued. Dr Dish argued that the appeal filed by BAZ was meant to frustrate the Kwese TV project and that it had no prospects of success. The appeal is not bona fide, reads an affidavit by Dr Dish director Mr Nyasha Muzavazi. It has been made for purposes of delay and for the purpose of harassing the applicant and depriving the members of public access to Kwese content that applicant is distributing. Dr Dish questioned why BAZ was turning a blind eye to several illegal satellite television operators, who were selling DIGISat and Zuku decoders on the streets, but exerting its energy on the Kwese project. Dr Dish was in 2007 issued with a licence to specifically provide My TV Africa channels to Zimbabwean viewers, but it struggled to pay the required fees for years. It also reached a point of failing to provide the service until BAZ issued a notice of intention to cancel the licence in October last year. Last month, Dr Dish partnered Econet Media Limited (Mauritius) and paid all the outstanding fees before notifying BAZ of its intention to add the Kwese TV channels to its list of content. BAZ received the money, but went on to terminate the licence through a letter dated August 22 this year. herald Install the Newser News app in two easy steps: 1. Tap in your navigation bar. 2. Tap to Add to Home Screen. A woman hospitalized after she was hit by a falling tree while protecting her three young sons is suing New York City and the Central Park Conservancy for $200 million, WABC reports. According to ABC News, 39-year-old Anne Monoky Goldman was pushing two of her children, ages 4 and 2, in a stroller while her 41-day-old infant was strapped to her chest Aug. 15 in Central Park when a 75-foot-tall elm tree fell on them. Monoky Goldman was pinned under the tree for 10 minutes or so before being rescued. "They had to go take her out with chainsaws," a witness told the New York Daily News at the time. Her lawyers say she suffered spine and neck injuries and a concussion. Her 2-year-old son was treated for a brain hemorrhage and concussion. In the lawsuit filed this week, lawyers claim the tree fell because it was decayed underground, posed a danger to all park visitors, and hadn't been properly maintained or inspected. Monoky Goldman was released from the hospital last week, but her lawyers say she has to lay flat in bed for the next two to three months while her neck fractures heal. They say she may not be able to walk again. "She can't pick up her baby, she can't breast-feed, she can't do her job" doing social media for Tory Burch, one attorney tells the Daily News. The city is reviewing the lawsuit. (A pregnant woman was killed by a falling tree in an NYC park in 2013.) In the immediate aftermath of North Korea's sixth nuclear test on Sept. 3, experts described the blast as six or seven times as powerful as the one that destroyed Hiroshima. That measure might not even come close. According to research site 38 North, the resulting 6.1 magnitude earthquake must have been caused by the release of roughly 250 kilotons, or a quarter megaton, of energyequivalent to 17 times the strength of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, and very near the estimated maximum yield that can be contained at the Punggye-ri underground test site, report the Washington Post and Bloomberg. This assessment tops all others so far: US intelligence said the blast was 140 kilotons, while South Korea said it was 50 kilotons. Pyongyang says it tested a hydrogen bomb that can be mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile, but South Korea's Nuclear Safety and Security Commission has been unable to confirm that. Though the commission found the xenon-133 isotope in air samples collected after the nuclear test, other radioactive isotopes normally present during a nuclear explosion weren't detected, reports the AP. Tritium, traces of which are typically found after a hydrogen bomb is detonated, was one of those noticeably absent. That doesn't mean the North is misleading the international community, however. The North made changes "to make radioactivity less detectable from a distance" after a 2006 nuclear test sent xenon and krypton isotopes into the atmosphere, the AP notes. (Read more North Korea stories.) A former administrative assistant to an Arkansas county official has pleaded guilty to fraudulent use of a credit card after prosecutors accused her of using public money to buy personal items, including a tuxedo for her pet pug, the AP reports. Kristi Goss was set for trial this week but pleaded guilty Monday. Authorities accused Goss of fraudulently charging $200,000 to a Garland County credit card on purchases including the dog tuxedo, a diamond bracelet, tickets to Arkansas Razorbacks sporting events, sequined throw pillows, and pet insurance. Goss had worked as an administrative assistant for the Garland County judge in Hot Springs. Goss will be sentenced in November. (Read more pug stories.) London police say a woman has been arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary near the London school attended by 4-year-old Prince George after a security incident at the school, the AP reports. Police said Wednesday the 40-year-old woman was arrested after an individual gained access to the Thomas's Battersea School in south London on Tuesday, and CNN reports that the woman allegedly attempted to break in to the school. Police did not provide more details. The woman is being questioned and has not been charged or identified. George, son of Prince William and his wife Kate, started school last week. London's Metropolitan Police say the force is working with the school to review its security arrangements. Police are part of the security measure in place to protect George, who is third in line to the throne behind William and Prince Charles. (Read more Prince George of Cambridge stories.) As a wealthy former Goldman Sachs banker, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is used to traveling in stylebut his request for a government plane to take him and new wife Louise Linton on their European honeymoon was rejected. Officials tell ABC News that Mnuchin's office made a formaland unusualrequest after his June wedding to the Scottish actress, but officials decided he did not need the US Air Force jet, which would have cost around $25,000 an hour to operate. A Treasury Department spokesman says Mnuchin, a member of the National Security Council, asked for the jet for the honeymoon to Scotland, France, and Italy because he wanted to maintain secure communication, Politico reports. Travel on military aircraft, however, is usually reserved for Cabinet members who deal more directly with national security, the Guardian reports. "You don't need a giant rulebook of government requirements to just say yourself, 'This is common sense, it's wrong,'" Sen. Ron Wyden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, tells ABC. "That's just slap your forehead stuff." The Treasury Department's Office of Inspector General is looking into the honeymoon request as well as a trip Mnuchin and his wife made to Kentucky on a government aircraft last month. He says the trip was for meetings and not to see the eclipse, which he viewed from Fort Knox. (On that trip, Linton had a "Marie Antoinette moment.") The search for missing Maryland teacher Laura Wallen has ended with the discovery of her body in a shallow graveand the arrest of boyfriend Tyler Tessier. Police found the 31-year-old's body in a field in Damascus, Montgomery County, on Wednesday afternoon and arrested Tessier the same day, the Baltimore Sun reports. Wallen, a social studies teacher who failed to show up for the first day of classes at Wilde Lake High School last week, was four months pregnant, and investigators say it will be up to the county attorney's office whether Tessier will also be charged with the murder of their unborn child, reports FOX 5. Wallen was last seen on surveillance video leaving a grocery store with Tessier Sept. 2. Police believe she was killed the next day, when Tessier asked an acquaintance for help to "clean up a mess." On Sept. 4, her sister received messages from Wallen's phone. Police believe they were sent by Tessier, who has admitted disposing of her iPhone and driver's license. On Monday, Tessier appeared with Wallen's parents at a press conference and made a tearful plea for her safe return. Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger says Tessier was already a suspect at the time and police made a "calculated move" to let him speak. "This is one of those tragic cases where you have an absolutely innocent victim," says Manger, who has not disclosed a motive. "Just a senseless killing." (Read more Maryland stories.) In a move that stunned many Republicans, Democratic leaders announced Wednesday night that they had reached a deal with President Trump to protect Dreamers from deportation in return for funding extra border securitybut not a wall. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced the deal after a White House dinner, the AP reports. "We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides," they said in a joint statement. A source says the deal also includes a pathway to citizenship for the almost 800,000 young immigrants involved. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted that DACA and border security were discussed at the meeting, though "excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to," the Los Angeles Times reports. This is the second time in two weeks that Trump has bypassed Republicans to cut a deal with Democrats and immigration hardliners are furious over what they see as an amnesty, the Washington Post reports. If reports of the deal are true, Trump's "base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair," said GOP Rep. Steve King. "No promise is credible." Breitbart.com called the deal a "full-fledged cave" and dubbed the president "Amnesty Don." (Read more Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals stories.) The Salt Lake City police detective who arrested a nurse for following hospital rules may be losing his job on the force as well as his paramedic job. An internal affairs report released Wednesday is extremely critical of both Detective Jeff Payne, who carried out the arrest, and watch commander Lt. James Tracy, who ordered it, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. Investigators said the men, who were placed on administrative leave Sept. 1, violated five departmental policies, including courtesy in public contacts and conduct unbecoming of an officer. Payne's behavior was "inappropriate, unreasonable, unwarranted, discourteous, disrespectful" and showed "extremely poor professional judgment," investigators wrote. Payne and Tracy have 20 days to respond to the report, after which Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown will decide on possible further action, which could include firing both men. At a press conference Wednesday, Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski said the incident, which has led to a change in policies, is not "reflective of who we are as a city or as a police department," the BBC reports. A separate report from the Police Civilian Review Board also found that Payne and Tracy violated policies in the arrest of nurse Alex Wubbels, who refused to let Payne draw blood from an unconscious patient without a warrant or consent. The FBI is involved in a criminal investigation of the July 26 incident. (Read more Salt Lake City stories.) Eight Marines were rushed to a San Diego burn center and seven others were also hospitalized after their amphibious vehicle caught fire during a training exercise at a military base. Three of the Marines were listed in critical condition Wednesday afternoon at the Burn Center at University of California San Diego Health and five were in serious condition, the Marine Corps said in a statement. Four other Marines were rushed to the University of California Irvine Medical Center in nearby Orange County, including two in critical condition, the AP reports. Another Marine at a hospital in La Jolla was in stable condition and two others were treated for minor injuries at a Navy hospital at Camp Pendleton. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Marines and their families affected by this incident," a Marine Corps statement said. The Marines from the 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, and 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion were conducting a combat readiness evaluation as part of their battalion training at about 9:30am on a beach at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base, north of San Diego, when the amphibious vehicle ignited, said Marine 1st Lt. Paul Gainey. According to an anonymous defense official who was not authorized to discuss the incident publicly, the amphibious vehicle got stuck and then caught fire as the Marines were trying to free it. The armored vehicle is used to carry Marines and their equipment from Navy ships onto land. It resembles a tank and travels through water before coming ashore. It has been used in the Marine Corps since the 1970s. The command is investigating the incident. (Read more Camp Pendleton stories.) The death toll has risen, and may continue to rise, at a Florida nursing home that lost air conditioning as a result of Hurricane Irma. Two more patients died in hospitals following the evacuation of the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills on Wednesday, bringing the total number of dead to eight. Three patients died at the facility earlier Wednesday, while three others died in hospitals. The deceased ranged in age from 71 to 99 and their causes of death are not yet clear. But the medical director at a hospital across the street from the facility, where evacuees were taken, says most were treated for "respiratory distress, dehydration, and heat-related issues," per Local 10. He adds at least 12 other patients are in emergency care. The Rehabilitation Center has been barred from admitting patients as agencies investigate. Hollywood police are also conducting a criminal investigation. The facility has previously faced issues regarding care and safety and a pending lawsuit claims employees "failed to properly monitor and supervise the care and treatment" of a patient who suffered infections, sepsis, and dehydration, report the Washington Post and Miami Herald. A man who'd been trying to fix the facility's AC unit, however, says Florida Power & Light could be at fault. Despite repeated calls to the company to repair a fuse, no one showed up, he tells Local 10. Florida Power & Light counters that the Rehabilitation Center wasn't on Broward County's list of critical infrastructure. (Read more Florida stories.) North Korea has made more of the kind of blood-curdling threats that the world found easier to shrug off before Pyongyang stepped up its nuclear program. The "Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee," North Korea's state agency for dealing with the outside world, issued a statement Thursday calling for the islands of Japan to be "sunken into the sea" with nuclear bombs and for the US mainland to be reduced to "ashes and darkness," the Guardian reports. "Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," said the committee's statement, which also called for the US to be "beaten to death like a rabid dog" and denounced the United Nations Security Council as a "tool of evil." The committee called for the breakup of the Security Council, which imposed its toughest-ever sanctions on North Korea earlier this week. It called the council a "money-bribed" group that does whatever the US asks it to. Before the sanctions vote, which passed the 15-member council unanimously, Pyongyang warned that the US would face the "greatest pain" in its history. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Pyongyang's threat to sink the country is "extremely provocative and outrageous," the AP reports. The statement "significantly escalates tension in the region and is absolutely unacceptable," he said Thursday. (The world may have underestimated Pyongyang's latest nuclear test.) One way not to get your power back on quickly in the wake of hurricane: steal a utility pole. Restoring service likely wasn't the intent, however, of two men in Jacksonville, Fla., who were involved in one of the weirder post-Irma crimes yet. Per the Miami Herald, the two were arrested Wednesday morning after being pulled over with a Jacksonville Electric Authority pole tied down on the top of an SUV. WJAX reports a call came into police that two guys without shirts had been seen strapping the pole onto a Kia Sorrento, and an officer soon tracked the Kia down and made a traffic stop. Inside the Kia: 46-year-old Victor Walter Apeler and 42-year-old Blake Lee Waller, still sans shirts. Apeler told cops they were simply getting the downed pole out of the way of traffic, but after cops searched a pawn database, they found Apeler had nearly 75 scrap-metal sales this year alone. He and Waller were both charged with grand theft, with the pole said to be worth $2,500. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office posted a photo on Facebook of the two shirtless suspects sitting on the curb, the pole still perched atop the Kia, inviting the inevitable commentary that such a Florida crime often invites. (Read more Hurricane Irma stories.) On July 29, tourists were understandably bummed when stinky black watera combination of wastewater and sewagewas discharged right next to the Maid of the Mist and Rainbow Bridge docks at scenic Niagara Falls, the Buffalo News reports. Now, the state of New York is fining the Niagara Falls Water Board $50,000 for the incident that Gov. Andrew Cuomo says was "inexcusable" and has tarnished the landmark's reputation around the world. In addition to the fine, the Niagara Falls Water Board must get state approval for all future discharges and complete mandatory retraining of all employees, WGRZ reports. "We can conclude the Niagara Falls Water Board is responsible for a number of operating deficiencies, which led to human errors and led to the black water discharge," says the executive deputy commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation. The Niagara Falls Water Board had blamed old equipment and a miscommunication between employees at the sewage plant for the unsightly discharge, the AP reports. But state officials say it happened because protocol wasn't followed. "To say, 'This is an old plant,' is baloney. This was operator error," Cuomo says. (Read more Niagara Falls stories.) US military officials say a man believed to be an American citizen who was fighting with Islamic State militants has surrendered in Syria and is now in US custody, the AP reports. Maj. Adrian Rankine-Galloway, a Pentagon spokesman, says the man surrendered to Syrian Democratic forces around Tuesday and has been turned over to US military forces. Galloway says the man is being legally detained as a known enemy combatant. It's not clear if the detainee and the US forces holding him are still in Syria, but the plan is to take the man into Iraq, where he would be then turned over to the US State Department or Justice Department. US officials are working out what they will do with the man, if he is confirmed as an American. (Read more Syria stories.) Sorry! This content is not available in your region Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Variably cloudy with snow showers. High 24F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.. Tonight A few snow showers around in the evening, otherwise mostly cloudy. Low 6F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 30%. New Delhi: Salman Khan, who is busy shooting for his upcoming movie Tiger Zinda Hai, has finally wrapped up its shooting in Abu Dhabi. The actor has been shooting in Abu Dhabi for 50 days along with Katrina Kaif, who happens to play the female lead in the movie. Salman took it to micro-blogging site Twitter to share the news and said that he had a wonderful time shooting there. He tweeteed, "Leaving #AbuDhabi after a great schedule of 50 days for #TigerZindaHai, had a wonderful time." Interestingly, Tiger Zinda Hai has been the much talked about sequel of Salman-Katrina's 2012 Ek Tha Tiger, which will bring the two actors together after five year. Leaving #AbuDhabi after a great schedule of 50 days for #TigerZindaHai, had a wonderful time . a Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) September 14, 2017 Talking about the movie, Khan as revealed that Tiger Zinda is being made on a huge scale and will be bigger than its prequel. Salman also stated that the plot of the is inspired by a real incident and that the movie will have some mind blowing action sequences. aTiger Zinda Hai is going to be bigger than Ek Tha Tiger for sure. It begins from where we left off in part one. Tiger Zinda Hai has things that you have never seen before in Indian cinema. We are making this film on a huge scale, especially the action.a aThe action scenes that I have shot with the team in Austria and Abu Dhabi are on another level. There are horses, tanks, big weapons and thereas this whole army, military backdrop. Itas like something you see in Hollywood films.a He makes another interesting revelation, aThe plot is also inspired by a real incident. Itas a really nice script. I cannot tell you what the true story is, as Adi (Aditya Chopra) will kill me!,a he added further. Helmed by Ali Abbas Zafar, Tiger Zinda Hai is slated to release by the end of this year. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Madhya Pradesh Police rescued two teenagers from Uttar Pradeshs Agra, who had run away from their homes to complete a task of the 'Blue Whale Challenge' game, from a railway station in Hoshangabad district. A senior police official of Hoshangabad district told the media that the two girls were seen wandering in the station. "We handed the girls to Child Welfare Committee (CWC)," said the police official. The CWC members were shocked to learn that the duo girls from Uttar Pradesh ran away from their houses to complete second stage of the Blue Whale Challenge Game. The CWC during counselling have learnt that the two girls had left Agra and boarded the Punjab Mail on Tuesday. The girls told the CWC members that they had switched off their mobile-phones till after boarding the train. Also Read: 'Play Blue Whale game or Annabelle will kill you', MP students threatened A senior CWC official told the media that the handed over the girls to their parents. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A Border Security Force personnel was killed by cow smugglers near the Indo-Bangladesh borders on Thursday. According to initial reports a BSF team posted near the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengals North 24 Parganas was attacked by cow smugglers. The deceased BSF personnel was part of the team that intercepted the mini-truck in which cow smugglers were trying to smuggle the cattle across the border. The deceased BSF personnel has been identified as Tushar Kanti Das of BSFs 64 Batallion. Superintendent of Police P Sudhakar said, The truck trying to escape hit Kanti. Also Read| West Bengal: Mob lynches 2 Muslim youths transporting cows Another senior official of the West Bengal Police willing not to be named said that Kanti suffered fatal injuries due to the hit. Kanti was rushed to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Also Read| 200 cows died due to starvation in his gaushala, BJP leader blames own government The speeding-truck after hitting Kanti also dashed a road-side shop. The driver of the mini-truck managed to escape but the helper was caught and handed over to police. Police recovered four cows from the truck. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Howrah (WB): Fourteen live bombs were recovered from a shop in Howrah district on Thursday, where a man was injured in an explosion on Wednesday, police said. Bomb squad personnel, during the search in the shop on Thursday morning, found the explosives, a police officer said. Komer Ali, the shop owner, who was injured in the explosion, has been admitted to Uluberia hospital with severe burn injuries, the officer said. Investigation into the incident is underway, he said adding police has not been able to interrogate Ali as he is in hospital. Read more: Amit Shah accuses TMC of unleashing violence against BJP party workers The explosion happened at the Teen Kapati Pool under the jurisdiction of Manikpur police station on Wednesday evening when Ali was closing the shop, the officer said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Ministry of Women and Child Development has invited suggestions to make schools safer for children. The government is making an all-out effort to underpin Child Safety in Schools. Send us Your Suggestions with hashtag #MissionSchoolSafety (sic), tweeted MWCD on Wednesday. The ministry is under pressure to create a stringent system to check schools and other educational institutions for safety measures after seven-year-old Pradhyuman was brutally murdered by allegedly a bus conductor in school washroom on September 8. The Govt. is making an all-out effort to underpin Child Safety in Schools. Send us Your Suggestions with hashtag #MissionSchoolSafety. pic.twitter.com/RjS6daxmBu Ministry of WCD (@MinistryWCD) September 13, 2017 The hashtag has received several responses. The chief concern shown by parents and caregivers is background check of school staffs and increased presence of security cameras. Read | Ryan Murder Case: CBSE issues Annexures for Safety of Children in School A tweeter user, Neha Mathur suggested that there should be access to live screening in schools to parents. Stricter laws and periodic check of teaching and non-teaching staff. Several inputs also suggested spot checks and regular audits of private schools. Government body should give surprise checks to ensure safety measures are followed, another user said. By law schools shld be held responsible for any mishaps drng school hrs incl travel (sic), Amit Singh said on Twitter. Read | Ryan murder case: Top school officials held; murdered student's father moves SC seeking CBI probe #Missionschoolsafety access to live screening in schools to parents. Stricter laws and periodic check of teaching and non-teaching staff Neha Mathur (@neehamathur) September 13, 2017 Govt body 2giv surprise checks 2ensure safety measures r followd,Schools shd giv parents list of safety follwed by thm! #MissionSchoolSafety Rukmani Varma (@pointponder) September 13, 2017 #MissionSchoolSafety All School Staff should undergo Classes and Physchological Test and Display of Punishment n Rules should be Everywhere Ashutosh Jaiswal (@Ashutosh010982) September 13, 2017 - #cctv everywhere. - staff in restrooms. - parents can enter school anytime to audit. - phone at all rooms #MissionSchoolSafety Vidhi Sharma Nayyar (@vdhisharma) September 14, 2017 Suggestion : Schools/Colleges in India must organize free counselling both for students and their parents and teachers #Missionschoolsafety Miss Bose (@srejanabasu) September 14, 2017 #missionschoolsafety All d schools shud be given 1-2 months to folow all the rules on safety for child whether it appointment/CCTV/training seena (@seenavinuraj) September 13, 2017 For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Security forces on Thursday gunned down Lashkar commander Abu Ismail in Nowgam encounter along with another terrorist, who is yet to be identified. Ismail was also allegedly involved in the Amarnath attack earlier this year, which killed eight pilgrims. LeT commander was identified as the main culprit in the attack, who carried out the attack to revenge the death of his predecessor Bashir Lashkari. The encounter which killed Ismail started between security forces and terrorists at around 5 PM at Aarigam, Nowgam in outskirts of Srinagar. Here are the live updates: #6:40 PM Militant leadership has to be eliminated because they also misguide our children and lure them into this: Muneer Khan, IGP Kashmir #6:35 PM In a very brief encounter both the terrorists were killed. 2 AK 47s were recovered: Muneer Khan, IGP Kashmir on terrorists killed in Nowgam I take this opportunity to congratulate team. This operation is a result of ppl's prayers: IGP Kashmir, Muneer Khan Operation was important because we are expecting vacuum in the top leadership of LeT: BS Raju, GOC Victor Force #6:25 PM: J&K Police was after him since Amarnath attack took place. He was also involved in several other attacks: DGP Kashmir SP Vaid on Abu Ismail Congratulate team. It hardly took half an hour to complete operation. He was one of our prime targets: Muneer Khan,IGP Kashmir on Abu Ismail pic.twitter.com/Tz3w8VEnlF ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2017 #6:15 PM: 2G and 3G Mobile internet services restored, 4G service still blocked in Srinagar #5:55 PM: Mobile internet services blocked in Srinagar LeT commander Abu Ismail & another terrorist killed by security forces in Nowgam. Ismail was involved in Amarnath attack (visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/ZcINJWHHdG ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2017 Also read: Abu Ismail: LeT terrorist who masterminded attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mumbai: The Union government is trying its best to make fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim irrelevant by seizing his properties in Mumbai. However, authorities are facing legal hurdles in seizing his properties, a senior police official said on Wednesday. Some of the properties in the city, from where Dawood started his organised crime syndicate, are mired in litigation. Some other properties were auctioned off by the authorities. In case of the auctioned properties, winning bidders have not been able to pay the amount due to lack of funds, the official said. The comment comes amid reports of seizure of Dawoods UK-based properties by the British authorities this week. Indian authorities were in talks with their UK counterparts in this regard and had also sent a dossier in 2015 consisting a list of over a dozen properties - houses, flats and hotels - owned by the fugitive gangster. The Indian government has maintained that the 61-year-old underworld don, a key accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, is in Pakistan and that the neighbouring nation was creating hurdles in getting him back to face the law here. The UAE government had also reportedly seized Dawoods assets valued at Rs 15,000 crore.In 2003, authorities had identified the gangsters properties in Mumbai and had been trying to auction them off. But, most of them are in the name of relatives or aides, so it is not easy to freeze or attach them, said another official of the Mumbai Police. With PTI inputs For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: At least 25 people, including students, were killed in a fire that broke at a school in the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur in the wee hours of Thursday. The fire broke out in Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, a religious school located in Malay settlement of Datuk Keramat. A fire department official told a news agency that 25 people were killed in the incident. Two school wardens were among the dead. He said it was the worst fire incident in the past two decades and they are trying to establish the cause of the incident. At least 25 people, including students, killed in fire that broke at a school in Kuala Lumpur, reports Reuters ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2017 The official further added that the fire broke out in bedrooms and they rushed to the spot. "It really does not make sense for so many to die in the fire," Khirudin Drahman, director of Kuala Lumpur's fire and rescue department told AFP. "I think it is one of the country's worst fire disaster in the past 20 years." He said that the number confirmed dead was 23 students and two adult wardens, adding that they could have died due to smoke inhalation or got trapped in the fire. "We are now investigating the cause of the fire," he said. Loga Bala Mohan, the government's federal territories deputy minister, said: "We sympathise with the families. It is one of the worst fires involving so many lives in the capital in recent years. "We urgently want the authorities to quickly probe the cause of the deadly fire so that we will be able to prevent future disasters." A fire department official at the scene said that the blaze broke out in bedrooms before dawn, and firefighters from a nearby station were on the scene within minutes. The Star newspaper reported that the fire and rescue department had raised concerns about fire safety measures at unregistered and private religious schools -- known as tahfiz, and had recorded 211 fires at the institutions since 2015. In August, 16 people including eight students fled a nearly morning fire at a family-run tahfiz in Baling, in the northern state of Kedah, the paper reported. Also Read | Delhi: 6 injured after fire breaks out in Munirka For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A senior US official on Thursday has put to rest India's worries on the H-1B visa programme, which is currently being reviewed by the Donald Trump administration. The official has stated that there are no restrictions in place. The official also added that about 70 per cent of the visas that were issued under the category of H-1B over the past nine months have been given to Indians. As a matter of fact, 1.2 million Indian visas were adjudicated last year by the US. The official said that there has been an increase of six percent in year after year in terms of the issuance of H-1B visas and L1 visas are given to Indians. He said that there no restrictions as such but H-1B visa programme is under review. The issue will not be discussed on the table in the upcoming Ind-US bilateral dialogue on consular relations, according to the official. Another issue, on the revoking of the Deferred Action for Children Arrival (DACA) programme, will be under discussion in the talks to be conducted on September 27 in Washington. The repealing of the programme has affected over 7,000 Indian-Americans. United States President Donald Trump had signed an executive order to tighten the rules of H-1B visa programme, in order to stop the visa abuses. The DACA amnesty programme issued work permits those immigrants who arrived in the United States illegally as children. The official has said that the US processed about 88,000 student visa application in 2016. This is a rise of 15 percent from the year 2015. At present, about 1.6 lakh students from India are studying in the United States. This is the second highest number of international students in the country after China. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: After the closing of probe against six people who were accused of lynching a dairy farmer Pehlu Khan in Alwar, activists and civil society members have criticised the state government and police for the decision. Pehlu Khan died two days after cow vigilantes thrash him in April. Speaking to Hindustan Times, CPI (ML) Politburo member Kavita Krishnan said that the decision to close down probe is deeply condemnable and shocking but not unexpected. Kavita said that the closure of probe was expected as home minister and other ministers were in favour of giving clean chit since the time investigation had begun. Author-activist Harsh Mander finds a pattern in all mob-lynching cases. He said that police always treat the victim as guilty and make all efforts to protect the accused. Mander even went ahead to say that if the police are forced to file case against the accused then they also make sure that cross-cases are filed against victim. The Rajasthan police on Thursday gave a clean chit to all six accused in connection with Pehlu Khan murder case. He was beaten by a group of men in Alwar while transporting cattle. 55-year-old Pehlu Khan, hailing from Nuh in Haryana, had died in a hospital in Behror of Alwar district on April 3 after he and four others were attacked by a mob of cow vigilantes while transporting cattle procured from a weekly market in Jaipur to their village. A video footage of the incident had gone viral on social media. The issue had also rocked Parliament and Rajasthan State Assembly where opposition mounted pressure on the government for swift action against the accused involved in the lynching incident. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Rajasthan police on Thursday gave a clean chit to all six accused in connection with Pehlu Khan murder case. He was beaten by a group of men in Alwar while transporting cattle. 55-year-old Pehlu Khan, hailing from Nuh in Haryana, had died in a hospital in Behror of Alwar district on April 3 after he and four others were attacked by a mob of cow vigilantes while transporting cattle procured from a weekly market in Jaipur to their village. A video footage of the incident had gone viral on social media. The issue had also rocked Parliament and Rajasthan State Assembly where opposition mounted pressure on the government for swift action against the accused involved in the lynching incident. Police had registered a case of culpable homicide against six named and 200 unnamed accused. An FIR was registered on the basis of Khan's statement which he gave from his bed in ICU. (With PTI Inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is currently on a tour to India and is also set to participate in the 12th annual India-Japan summit in Ahmedabad. He along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the proposed $ 17 billion high-speed Ahmedabad-Mumbai Rail Network, commonly known as the bullet train, on Thursday in Ahmedabad. Further, he will also sign various agreements on strategic, financial and development cooperation between the two countries. The bullet train, which has a capacity to accommodate 750 people, is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities from seven to three hours. The target for the completion of the project is December 2023, though officials say there are indications that the government may seek an earlier deadline of 2022. The train will stop at each of the 12 railway stations on the route, but only for 165 seconds. A 21-km-long tunnel will be dug between Boisar and BKC in Mumbai, of which seven km will be under water. The entire line will be at an elevation of around 20 m which will reduce land acquisition.This technology will revolutionize and transform the transport sector, said Railways Minister Piyush Goyal, welcoming the prospects for growth brought by Japans high-speed shinkansen technology. Japan is providing 81 percent of the funding for the 1.08-trillion-rupee ($16.9-billion) project, through a 50-year loan at 0.1 percent annual interest. India would make all-out efforts to complete the line by August 2022, more than a year earlier than planned, the government said this week. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind will launch Swachhta Hi Seva (Cleanliness service) sanitation campaign on Tuesday in Kanpur. Swachhta Hi Seva is a fortnight long campaign to highlight Narendra Modi governments flagship cleanliness initiative Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Kovind will launch the campaign from Ishwari Ganj village, a spokesperson said. President will also inaugurate a Solid-Liquid Waste Management Scheme at Kanpur and distribute tri-cycles meant for carrying garbage among sanitation-workers. Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanth will also be present at the programme. The nation-wide campaign is being coordinated by Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. The program includes voluntary work and will focus on mass mobilisation and reinforcement of jan andolan for contribute to Mahatma Gandhis dream of a clean India. The nationwide campaign to be launched on Friday will seek large mobilisation of people from all walks of life, including the prime minister, union ministers, chief ministers, member of parliament and NGOs to undertake Shramdaan for cleanliness and construction of toilets and to make their surroundings free from open defecation. The program aims to clean public and tourist places in specific. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The BJP-led Central government informed the Supreme Court that it cannot allow Rohingya Muslims to stay in India as refugees since they pose a threat to the national security and could be used by foreign and domestic foreign terror groups to create chaos in the country on Thursday. The Ministry of Home Affairs in an affidavit file in the apex court has said that intelligence inputs have suggested that Rohingyas are linked with various terror groups. The Centre has claimed that Rohingya militant groups are active in Jammu, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mewat. In the affidavit the Centre has also claimed that the Rohingya Muslims can be used as cadres by ISIS. The affidavit says, No illegal immigrant has the right to stay in India. National interest warrants their deportation. Earlier this week, the United Nations' high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein had criticised India for wanting to deport Rohingya refugees. Earlier, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had also termed Rohingya Muslims a threat to national security. "I have already cleared our stand with regard to illegal immigrants. We cannot rule out the possibility of security threat," Singh had said. Supreme Court will hear a plea filed by two Rohingya immigrants Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir challenging the governments decision to deport the immigrants back to Myanmar. The plea was filed by senior advocate Prashant Bhushan on behalf of the two Rohingya immigrants. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Following the shocking incident of murder in Ryan International School, Gurugram, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released a set of Annexures for the Safety of Children in Schools. The guidelines have been issued by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt of India vide D. O. letter No. 10-11/2014-EE.4 dated 09.10.2014,(Annexure-1), Undersigned and affiliated by Jaiprakash Chaturvedi (DEPUTY SECRETARY). The CBSE Annexure read, As the children are spending most of their time in school, the concern of parents about the safety of school children is increasing every other day regarding their physical safety, mental & emotional health or child abuse owing to increasing incidents involving safety and wellbeing of school children. The onus for safety and security of children in school campus shall solely lie upon the school authorities. It is a fundamental right of a child to engage and study in an environment where he/she feels safe and is free from any form of physical or emotional abuse or harassment. 2. Moreover, the schools should also strive to promote a better understanding amongst their teachers and staff on the laws protecting the safety, security and interests of the students and device means to take immediate remedial and punitive action against such violations. The staff members should also be educated to recognize their protective obligation towards students and to ensure safety and well being of children in schools. 3. The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt of India has issued a comprehensive set of guidelines vide D. O. letter No. 10-11/2014-EE.4 dated 09.10.2014 (Annexure-1) regarding preventive mechanisms and procedures for institutionalizing a system to ensure safety and security of children in schools. Also Read: 7-year-old killed at Ryan International school in Gurugram: A horrific tale of helpless father 4. The Board has also from time to time issued instructions to implement and sensitize the schools for ensuring the safety and security of students during school time and while in transit to school and back home (please see reference quoted above). These exhaustive provisions are required to be strictly followed by every school affiliated with CBSE to ensure complete safety of school children in school. In addition, the school authorities may immediately take following measures to enhance the security of children in Schools: (a) Get the security /safety audit done of their premises and personnel from theirrespective local police station and follow the security related advice for the safetyof School children. This may be complied and reported online on CBSE websitewww.cbse.nic.in within 2 months of receipt of this circular. (b) Install CCTV Cameras at all vulnerable areas/point in the School premises andensure they are functional at all times. (c) They must get the police verification and psychometric evaluation done for all thestaff employed. Such verification and evaluation for non-teaching staff such as, bus drivers, conductors, peon and other support staff may be done very carefullyand in a detailed manner. (d) Ensure that supporting staff is employed only from authorized agencies andproper records are maintained. (e) To constitute a parent-teacher-students committee to address the safety needs ofthe students and to take regular feedback from parents in this regard. (f) The access to school building by outsiders should be controlled and visitorsmonitored. (g) To provide training and development for staff to address their responsibilities toprotect children from any form of abuse. (h) The school shall constitute separate committees for redressal ofpublic/staff/parents/students grievances, Internal Complaints committee on sexualharassment and committees under POCSO (Protection of Children from SexualOffence) Act, 2012 and details of the these committees along with contact detailsshall be displayed prominently on School Notice Board and conspicuously on theschool website for information of all stakeholders. 5. It is reiterated, that all schools affiliated with CBSE are hereby directed tostrictly adhere to all the guidelines issued by MHRD and Board from time to time. Anyviolation/lapses with regard to safety and well being of children in school campuswould invite appropriate action including the disaffiliation of the school as per theprovisions under Affiliation Bye-Laws of the Board.(JAIPRAKASH CHATURVEDI). Also Read | JKBOSE Class 12 Bi-Annual Kashmir Result 2017 announced at jkbose.co.in For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Bombay High Court on Thursday rejected anticipatory bail applications of Augustine Pinto, Grace Pinto and Rayan Pinto. But, the Bombay High Court will give Augustine Pinto, Grace Pinto and Rayan Pinto interim protection from arrest till Friday only if they submit their passports. Bombay High Court asked Augustine Pinto, Grace Pinto and Ryan Pinto to submit their passports to Mumbai Police Commissioner by 9 PM on Thursday. Earlier on Wednesday, the Bombay High Court extended the interim protection from arrest granted to the trustees of Ryan International Group till Thursday, even as the father of the seven-year-old Pradyuman sought to oppose their anticipatory bail pleas. The Pintos, who sought protection from arrest till they have approached the court concerned in Haryana, were on Tuesday granted interim protection from arrest till Wednesday. The Pintos are being investigated since a 7-year-old boy Pradyuman was found with his throat slit on the morning of September 8 in the toilet of the Ryan International school in Gurugram. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: At least 19 people were killed and 12 others were rescued & admitted to a local hospital after a boat carrying 60 capsized in river Yamuna in Uttar Pradeshs Baghpat on Thursday. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for kin of those dead in Baghpat boat capsize incident. "Death toll in Baghpat boat capsize rises to 19," Baghpat DM Bhawani Singh said. In a separate incident, at least 6 people were killed after drowning in river Ganga in Bihars Maranchi. The police were rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation. #UPDATE Death toll in Baghpat boat capsize rises to 19: Baghpat DM Bhawani Singh ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 14, 2017 Earlier, a similar incident happed on July 10 wherein a boat carrying 11 people including three boatmen capsized in Vena River in Nagpur. One person died while 7 others were feared drowned. "Seven people are feared drowned in the incident which occurred between 6 pm and 6:30 pm. While three persons including two boatmen and a college student were rescued, one body was fished out in the night," said Shailesh Balkawade, SP, Nagpur Rural. ALSO READ: Nagpur tragedy: 1 dies, 7 feared drowned as boat capsizes in Vena river For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Jailed Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was a sex addict and his ill health is nothing more but withdrawal symptoms, said a team of PGIMS doctors who examined the rapist godman. Dera chief Gurmeet Singh has been diagnosed as a sex addict. According to the doctors, he is suffering from the disease known as satyriasis, an excessive and uncontrollable desire for sex. "The baba is, in fact, a sex addict. He has no access to physical pleasures in the jail which is the cause for his restlessness. He can be treated. However, if the treatment is delayed, it can lead to a bigger problem," a doctor who examined him in the jail told India Today. Also Read: Dera's IT head arrested for tampering with computers before search ops Ram Rahim Singh, who is in Rohtak Sunaria Jail, had complained of uneasiness and restlessness. A team of doctors visited him in the jail. After the examination, it was found out that the so called Baba is a sex addict and having withdrawal symptoms as he has no way to achieve physical pleasure inside the jail. During his trial in the rape case, Ram Rahim Singh declared himself medically unfit to have sex. However, the CBI court had rejected his claims. The self-styled godman and chief of Dera Sacha Sauda sect was sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping two Sadhavi (women followers) in 2002. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Sharad Yadav faction of Janata Dal (United) on Thursday met Election Commission officials and staked claim for the partys symbol. The faction also sought four weeks time to submit relevant documents. It is to be noted that the EC had refused to take cognisance of Sharad Yadav factions earlier plea by saying that it lacked supporting documents. As per Arun Kumar Shrivastav, a close aid of Yadav and the party's general secretary before its president Nitish Kumar removed him from the post, the partys national executive will meet in New Delhi on Sunday. Shrivastav said that the meeting will showcase support for Yadav in the party. He added that most of the state units support Yadav in fight against Kumar. The national council meeting is scheduled on October 8. It will be clear on September 17 how much support Sharad Yadav has in the party. It is Bihar Chief Minister Kumar and not Yadav who strayed from the partys avowed position and betrayed it by joining hands with the BJP, he said. In its application before the EC, the Yadav faction also registered its protest against its earlier decision, claiming it was based on hyper-technical ground and the Commission should have allowed them a hearing. The JD(U) leaders backing Kumar have claimed that an overwhelming number of popularly elected members of the party and its office bearers are with the Bihar CM, and Yadav enjoys little support. They had also submitted affidavits of the leaders supporting Kumar with the Commission. With PTI inputs For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Tue., Nov. 15, 5:30 p.m. Lincoln Library 326 S. Seventh St., Springfield Downtown Free History Some of the weird and wacky requests made to the Sangamon Valley Collection will be presented by a panel of experts. The Sangamon Valley Collection manager and city historian, Curt Mann, along with assistant Stephanie Martin, will discuss some of the requests they have handled. Other panelists include Cinda Klickna, the society's vice president and Mike Kienzler, SangamonLink editor and Summer Griffith, Lincoln Library director will offer insights into the future of the SVC. 217-525-1961 New Delhi: The main opposition party Congress on Thursday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for overlooking Indias other "serious issues" for the Bullet train project. The reaction from Congress came minutes after PM Modi along with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe laid the foundation stone of Indias first ever bullet train project. Terming the move as misplaced priority, Congress leader Anand Sharma said there are other serious issues on the agenda and bullet train is not Indias priority. Our prime minister should not limit it to the photo opportunity and theatrics. There are serious issues on the agenda. Prime Minister Modi has misplaced the priority. The bullet train is not Indias priority, Anand Sharma told ANI. Also Read | PM Modi says bullet train will add speed to India's growth Reacting to this, Anand Sharma reminded Modi of Indias harsh realities and said the Prime Minister is only trying to impress Japanese premier. He is seeking to use this opportunity just to impress Shinzo Abe. This is the time to show the result as to where we are, he said. India has plans to run the bullet train on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai route by 2022. Total 12 stations have been proposed including Surat and Vadodara. According to the railway ministry officials, the operating speed of the bullet train will be 320 kilometers per hour and the maximum speed will be 350 kilometers per hour. The high-speed train will reduce Mumbai to Ahmedabad time from 8 hours to 2 hours. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: After orbiting the gas giant for over thirteen years, NASAas Cassini spacecraft is all set to conduct its "Death Dive to Saturn" on September 15. Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, labels Cassini as Saturnas first planetary probe and calls it a mission that has been packed full of scientific firsts and will continue to provide unique planetary revelations until the last second. Cassini's final plunge: September 14: Cassini, which has offered a never-before-seen look into the gas giant, will take last images of moons Titan and Enceladus. It will also capture the hexagon-shaped jet stream around the planet's north pole, and features in the rings. 5:45 PM EDT: Cassinias antenna will turn towards the Earth. The spacecraft will then beam back final images and data. September 15, 4:37 AM EDT: The afinal plungea will start and during this phase, Cassini will begin sending real time data. It will roll itself for optimal sampling of the atmosphere. 7:53 AM EDT: The spacecraft will step into the Saturn's atmosphere, at an altitude of about 1,190 miles above the planet's estimated cloud tops. During its dive into the atmosphere, the spacecraft's speed will be approximately 70,000 miles per hour. After making an entry, the thrusters would be firing at 10% capability to maintain directional stability. Till this time, it will be sending the data. 7:55 AM EDT: Cassinias thrusters will be at their full capacity and missionas final calculations predict loss of contact, bringing an end to the maneuver has been dubbed as the "goodbye kiss." A Are you ready to take the plunge? On Friday, @CassiniSaturn will complete a remarkable mission studying Saturn: https://t.co/75BvC0U5NT pic.twitter.com/gqetofLYi0 a NASA (@NASA) September 13, 2017 For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Nokia 8 that has finally hit the Asian market is all set to make its way to the Indian Market. It was recently in Malaysia adn is likely to become the first Android-powered Nokia smartphone to receive the Oreo update. The Nokia smartphone is expected to get the Android 8.0 Oreo update by the end of this year. Till then, Nokia 8 users would have to do with Android 7.1.1 Nougat OS, which the phone currently runs on. However, Nokia 8 is not the only Nokia-branded smartphone to have Oreo update facilty. HMD's Chief Product Officer, Juho Sarvikas, has recently confirmed that all the Android-powered Nokia handsets would get updated to Android 8.0 Oreo. Talking about other Nokia smartphones, the upcoming Nokia 9 was also spotted on GFXBench recently with Android Oreo. Nasiriyah: At least 74 people including Iranians were killed in twin gun and car bomb attacks near the city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq on Thursday, according to a new toll. "The toll has now reached 74 dead and 93 wounded," Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy health chief for the mainly Shiite province of Dhiqar of which Nasiriyah is the capital, told AFP. He warned that the death toll could rise as many of the wounded were in serious condition. The attack occurred as Iraqi forces battled to defeat Isis militants in areas under their control. Isis claimed the twin slayings through its propaganda agency Amaq. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Pakistan is areassessinga ties with the US, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan has said and accused Washington of ignoring the athreatsa to his country from India. Khanas remarks came amidst tension in ties between the US and Pakistan after President Donald Trump accused the country of providing safe havens to terrorists. Khan said on Wednesday that it was not possible for Pakistan to satisfy the US, Dawn reported. aWe are here to give our point of view logically and with evidence. We will explain our position. But itas not for us to satisfy them,a he told the media. The government, he said, was areassessing ties with the USa, and has simultaneously undertaken a regional outreach ahead of talks with Americans on future bilateral engagement. Read |A Days after condemning JeM, LeT, China pats Pakistanas back for doing its abesta to fight terrorism Khan said the two countries needed a frank and candid dialogue on the issues concerning them, as differences between them would reflect in Afghanistan and other regional issues. The defence minister expressed discontent that the US did not share Pakistanas threat perception about India. He also claimed that a nexus existed between the US, India and Afghanistan that was threatening Pakistan. aThe US knows all, but ignores the threats faced by us because of its strategic interests.a He said Pakistan would keep raising concerns about India in future engagements with the US. aThe United States cannot ignore the threat to us from India. It is [a] serious [situation],a he underscored, adding that it would be major challenge for the Pakistani side to get it acknowledged in the upcoming talks. Khan said the other challenge for Pakistan was the fact that the US akeeps changing the goalpostsa. Read |A US banking regulators shut down Pakistan's Habib Bank amid money laundering concerns Pakistan, he said, would advise the US that intensifying kinetic operations (lethal or offensive combat missions) in Afghanistan would not work and the only way forward lay in a politically negotiated settlement of the conflict. Dawn reported that Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif would accompany Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to the UN General Assembly session in New York next week and is expected to use the opportunity to visit Washington for a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Asifas meeting with Tillerson was originally scheduled for mid-August, but was postponed on Pakistan?s request after Trump?s policy statement on Afghanistan and South Asia. Asif is currently visiting several countries to garner support for Pakistanas point of view regarding Afghanistan. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Informatiile publicate de evz.ro pot fi preluate de alte publicatii online doar in limita a 500 de caractere si cu citarea sursei cu link activ. Orice abatere de la aceasta regula constituie o incalcare a Legii 8/1996 privind dreptul de autor. Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido is recalling about 400,000 eyeliner sticks. Officials at the firm say plastic splinters have been found in some items. They received complaints in July and August from consumers who bought the "Integrate Killer Wink Gel Liner." A company investigation detected contamination in the product's core part. The particles presumably mixed in with the core during the filling stage. Shiseido has decided to recall all sticks sold since their market launch 6 years ago. The officials fear the defect may harm users. Researchers at Michigan State University and the University of Illinois at Chicago recently conducted "the first nationwide study of positive relationships." Bill Chopik, an assistant psychology professor who studies relationships and their effects, and Matt Motyl of the University of Illinois at Chicago studied survey data of 127,070 adults from all states to find the best and worst states for romantic relationships. Click through the slideshow to see the best and worst states for lovers. According to a press release, the study "measured both attachment anxiety, in which people are 'clingy' and constantly worried their partner will leave them, and attachment avoidance, in which people dislike intimacy and are more distant and cold toward their partners." The best states for relationships scored low in both of those categories and reported high marriage rates. "When I think of New York, I think of the anxious Woody Allen type, and New York had one of the highest scores for attachment anxiety," Chopik said in the release. The study, published in the Journal of Research in Personality, found that geography may have something to do with romantic success. For example, "secluded mountainous areas tend to cater to loners and people who dislike social interactions, which could help explain some of the findings.... Conversely, California, which Chopik said "seems like a romantic place with beautiful sunsets, oceans and warm weather," ranked high on the list. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate When Hillary Clinton set out to break barriers, doorbusters wasnt part of that plan. As if it was Black Friday, Clintons upcoming book-signing Saturday at Costco in Brookfield is being met with hype and hand-wringing in a town that hasnt voted for a Democrat for president since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. The winner of the presidential popular vote last year, Clinton will visit the wholesale warehouse on Route 7 near Danbury at noon as part of her national tour to promote, What Happened. Clinton diehards camped out overnight for Tuesdays tour launch in New York City, which has locals wondering if a similar scene will play out in Brookfield and whether the town is prepared for crowd control, gridlock and potential protests. Greg Dembowski, Brookfields Republican Town Committee chairman, said a dozen police and EMS personnel have been assigned to work the event, in addition to Clintons Secret Service detail and Costco security. So whos paying for that? Dembowski said. For a town that doesnt even support the Democrats, it just blows my mind. Brookfield Police Chief James Jay Purcell declined to discuss staffing plans for Saturday or the costs involved with Clintons visit for security reasons. A request for comment was also left Thursday for First Selectman Stephen Dunn, the towns chief elected official and a Democrat. Clinton is expected to sign 1,000 copies of her memoir from noon to 2 p.m. during the members-only event at Costco, which will distribute numbered wristbands to people as they line up. Michael Zacchea, Brookfields Democratic Town Committee chairman, hopes to be one of them. People I talked to are excited about this, Zacchea said. (But) she certainly is a polarizing figure in our national political landscape. Zacchea said it would be unfortunate if a circus-like atmosphere resulted that goes for Clintons fans and detractors. I hope that its sort of a different market and different vibe here, Zacchea said. This is Brookfield. Its a nice community, nice people. I hope that its a nice event. In her 512-page book published this week by Simon & Schuster, Clinton dishes the dirt on her rival for the Democratic nomination, Bernie Sanders, and loss to Donald Trump in the November election. The $30 memoir details Clintons meeting with Nelba Marquez-Greene, who lost her daughter, Ana Grace Marquez-Greene, at Sandy Hook Elementary School, during a visit to Hartford. Clinton will return to Connecticut on Oct. 21 for another book signing at Wesleyan R.J. Julia Bookstore in Middletown, which sold out within 15 minutes. Both events will be a homecoming of sorts for Clinton, who met Bill Clinton when the two studied at Yale University. The majority of Connecticut voters supported her, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a Yale classmate of Clinton. Blumenthal said he hasnt read Clintons book and doesnt plan to attend either signing, however. Im not her agent, he said. Brookfield Republican Selectman Martin Flynn Jr. bemoaned Clintons visit. We wont be shopping on that day thats for sure, Flynn said. Its gonna be a disruption to the people in Brookfield. twitter.com/gettinviggy; nvigdor@hearstmediact.com; 203-625-4436 HIGHLIGHTS ADF Group recorded revenues of $45.3 million and $93.9 million for the three-month and six-month periods ended July 31, 2017 , respectively, which is more than double the revenues recorded in the corresponding periods a year ago. and for the three-month and six-month periods ended , respectively, which is more than double the revenues recorded in the corresponding periods a year ago. Net income for the three-month and six-month periods ended July 31, 2017 , is up compared with the same periods last year. , is up compared with the same periods last year. The order book stood at $135.1 million as at July 31, 2017 . TERREBONNE, QC, Sept. 14, 2017 /CNW/ - ADF GROUP INC. ("ADF" or the "Corporation") (TSX: DRX) recorded revenues of $45.3 million for the second quarter of the 2018 fiscal year, compared with $19.9 million for the same period a year ago. For the six-month period closed on July 31, 2017, ADF Group recorded revenues of $93.9 million compared with $45.3 million during the corresponding period in 2016. The second-quarter gross margin, as in percentage of revenues, stood at 9.5% compared with 15.1% for the corresponding period a year ago. For the first semester ended July 31, 2017, the gross margin reached $9.5 million or 10.1% of revenues, compared with $9.1 million or 20.1% a year ago. The increase in revenues for the analysed periods stems largely from the activity level, and therefore, the costs incurred on projects that are underway, whereas the decrease in margins is mostly attributable to the drop in prices obtained on recently awarded contracts. ADF posted a second-quarter net income of $1.9 million ($0.06 per share, basic and diluted) compared with a net income of $0.2 million ($0.01 per share, basic and diluted) a year ago. For the six-month period ended July 31, 2017, the Corporation posted a net income of $2.3 million ($0.07 per share, basic and diluted) compared with a net income of $1.2 million ($0.04 per share, basic and diluted) for the first semester ended July 31, 2016. On July 31, 2017, the Corporation's working capital stood at $32.1 million, up by $7.3 million over January 31, 2017. In addition, during the three-month and six-month periods ended July 31, 2017, the Corporation generated cash flows from its operating activities of $8.4 million and $6.2 million, respectively. The Corporation thus remains in a solid position to support its ongoing operations, pursue its development projects and remunerate its shareholders in accordance with the dividend payment policy. As at July 31, 2017, the Corporation's backlog stood at $135.1 million, compared with $194.5 million on January 31, 2017. The contracts on hand on July 31, 2017, will be carried out between now and the end of the fiscal year ending January 31, 2019. Financial Highlights Three (3) Months Six (6) Months Periods ended July 31, 2017 2016 2017 2016 (In thousands of dollars, and dollars per share) $ $ $ $ Revenues 45,278 19,861 93,916 45,301 EBITDA 2,102 1,669 5,183 4,712 Net income 1,927 245 2,281 1,210 Per share (basic and diluted) 0.06 0.01 0.07 0.04 Cash flows from (used in) operating activities 8,420 (612) 6,231 (2,378) Average number of outstanding shares (basic, in thousands) 32,635 32,623 32,631 32,622 Average number of outstanding shares (diluted, in thousands) 32,671 32,694 32,666 32,696 Outlook "Standing at close to $94.0 million, revenues for the first six months of the current fiscal year are almost at the same level as the annual revenues recorded during the fiscal year ended on January 31, 2017. This increase is the result of our hard work aiming at growing our order backlog," said Mr. Jean Paschini, Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer. Dividend On September 13, 2017, ADF Group's Board of Directors approved the payment of a semi-annual dividend of $0.01 per share, which will be paid on October 17, 2017 to shareholders of record as at September 29, 2017. Conference Call With Investors ADF Group Senior Management will host a conference call with investors on Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern time) to discuss the results of the three-month and six-month periods ended July 31, 2017. To take part in the conference call, please dial 1-866-865-3087 a few minutes prior to the conference call scheduled start time. A replay of the conference call will be available from Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. until midnight, Thursday, September 21, 2017, by dialing 1-855-859-2056; followed by the access code 7 8 4 9 8 5 8 9. The conference call (audio) will be available on ADF's website at www.adfgroup.com. Members of the media are invited to listen in. About ADF Group Inc. ADF Group Inc. is a North American leader in the design and engineering of connections, fabrication, including the application of industrial coatings, and installation of complex steel structures, heavy steel built-ups, as well as in miscellaneous and architectural metals for the non-residential infrastructure sector. ADF Group Inc. is one of the few players in the industry capable of handling highly technically complex mega projects on fast-track schedules in the commercial, institutional, industrial and public sectors. The Corporation operates two fabrication plants and two paint shops, in Canada and in the United States, and a Construction Division in the United States, which specializes in the installation of steel structures and other related products. Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements reflecting ADF objectives and expectations. These statements are identified by the use of verbs such as "expect" as well as by the use of future or conditional tenses. By their very nature these types of statements involve risks and uncertainty. Consequently, reality may differ from ADF's expectations. Non-IFRS Measures Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") is not a performance measure recognized by IFRS standards, and is not likely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Management, as well as investors, consider this to be useful information to assist them in assessing the Corporation's profitability and ability to generate funds to finance its operations. Refer to Section 9 "Non-GAAP Measures" of the Corporation's Management's Discussion and Analysis for Three-Month and Six-Month Periods Ended July 31, 2017, for the definition of this metric and reconciliation to the most comparable IRFS measures. All amounts are in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise indicated. SOURCE ADF Group Inc. For further information: Jean Paschini, Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer; Jean-Francois Boursier, CPA, CA, Chief Financial Officer, Tel.: (450) 965-1911, Website: www.adfgroup.com Related Links http://www.adfgroup.com CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2017 /CNW/ - The Boyd Group Inc. (the "Boyd Group" or "Boyd") today announced the acquisition on September 8, 2017 of a collision repair center in Lafayette, Louisiana, previously operated as Prestige Auto Body & Customs of Lafayette. Lafayette is located in southwestern Louisiana, and the location is close to the high traffic intersection of interstate highways 90 and 10. "With the opening of this strategic location in Lafayette, an hour west of our Baton Rouge location, we are now better positioned to serve our customers and insurance partners in southwestern Louisiana," said Tim O'Day, President and COO of the Boyd Group's U.S. operations. "We are pleased to broaden our reach into the state and we look forward to increasing our footprint with further accretive locations." The Boyd Group is continuously looking to add new collision repair locations to its existing network in Canada and the U.S. Interested collision repair center owners are asked to contact Kim Allen at the contact coordinates below for more information. About The Boyd Group Inc. The Boyd Group Inc. (the "Company"), directly and through subsidiaries, is one of the largest operators of non-franchised collision repair centres in North America in terms of number of locations and sales. The Company operates locations in five Canadian provinces under the trade names Boyd Autobody & Glass (http://www.boydautobody.com) and Assured Automotive (http://www.assuredauto.ca), as well as in 20 U.S. states under the trade name Gerber Collision & Glass (http://www.gerbercollision.com). The Company uses newly acquired brand names during a transition period until acquired locations have been rebranded. The Company is also a major retail auto glass operator in the U.S. with locations across 31 U.S. states under the trade names Gerber Collision & Glass, Glass America, Auto Glass Service, Auto Glass Authority and Autoglassonly.com. The Company also operates a third party administrator, Gerber National Claims Services ("GNCS"), that offers glass, emergency roadside and first notice of loss services. GNCS has approximately 5,500 affiliated glass provider locations and 4,600 affiliated emergency roadside services providers throughout the U.S. For more information on The Boyd Group Inc. or Boyd Group Income Fund, please visit our website at (http://www.boydgroup.com). SOURCE Gerber Collision & Glass For further information: Stephen Boyd, Vice President, Corporate Development, Tel: (204) 594-1776, [email protected]; Kim Allen, Director of Business Development, Tel: (847) 410-6003, [email protected] More than $34M in funding to support early-career researchers as they develop the skills and knowledge for the jobs of tomorrow ST. JOHN'S, Sept. 14, 2017 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada values the role that young researchers play in producing the knowledge, discoveries and innovations that help build a strong future for Canada. Their research experiences equip them with the skills and expertise they need for the jobs of tomorrow; jobs that contribute to a stronger, sustainable economy and a healthy, vibrant middle class. That is why the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science on behalf of the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, announced 166 new Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship recipients and 70 new Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship recipients, for a total investment of $34.7 million. Minister Duncan made the announcement today at Memorial University of Newfoundland. The awards she presented will support some of Canada's brightest doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows. The specialties of these young researchers span the health sciences, the natural sciences and engineering, and the social sciences and humanities. The research being conducted by the following three young researchers illustrates the range of disciplines being supported: Dr. Madeleine Mant , with Memorial University of Newfoundland's Department of Archaeology, is using her SSHRC Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship to investigate the life histories of 18 th - and 19 th -century sailors. She will combine archaeology, history, chemistry and experimental physics to help bring the past to life. Simon Boudreault , a biochemistry graduate student at Universite de Sherbrooke , will use his CIHR Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship to study the human papillomavirus, one of the most common sexually transmitted infections in Canada , and one which can lead to cancer. Melanie Chanona , a PhD student in oceanography from the University of British Columbia , has received a NSERC Vanier Scholarship to study the changes in the way the warm waters from the Atlantic Ocean mix with the chilly waters of the Arctic Ocean, potentially causing loss of Arctic sea ice. Quick facts Launched in 2008, the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships was named after Governor General Major-General Georges P. Vanier . Established in 2010, the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program is named after Dr. Frederick Banting , Nobel Prize winner for the discovery of insulin. Both the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program and the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program are funded through the three federal research granting agencies: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The program is administered through CIHR. Quotes "We are honoured to celebrate all of the talented recipients of this year's Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships and Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships. We believe in the potential of the next generation of researchers whose curiosity and ambition is driving us towards a bolder, brighter future for all people. Today's investment demonstrates our government's commitment to supporting researchers as they gain the skills and experiences needed for the jobs and opportunities of tomorrow." The Honourable Kirsty Duncan Minister of Science "I'm happy to support the world's most promising research talent in Canada, so that our country remains a leader in discovery and applied research. I congratulate the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholars and Banting Postdoctoral Fellows and wish them continued success with their research that will benefit the health of all Canadians." The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor Minister of Health "The federal research agencies CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC are proud to support the prestigious Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships and the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships. Through these programs we are supporting the creation of Canada's next generation of researchers whose work will have a tremendous positive influence on the wellbeing of citizens from around the world." Dr. Roderick R. McInnes, CM, O.Ont., MD, PhD, FRSC Acting President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research Associated links Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships Full list of Vanier Scholars SOURCE Canadian Institutes of Health Research For further information: Ann Marie Paquet, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, 613-404-2733, [email protected]; David Coulombe, Media Relations, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 613-941-4563, [email protected] Related Links http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca OTTAWA, Sept. 13, 2017 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that he will travel to New York City, from September 19 to 21, to lead Canada's delegation to the opening of the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). At the UNGA, the Prime Minister is scheduled to deliver Canada's national address on the afternoon of September 21. The UNGA, with its 193 member states, provides an important opportunity for Canada to voice its commitment to strengthening multilateralism and the rules-based international order, advancing human rights, including gender equality and women's empowerment, and championing diversity and inclusion. While in New York, the Prime Minister will be honoured at the Atlantic Council dinner on September 19 as part of the annual "Global Citizen Awards." He will receive the award in recognition of his leadership to advance inclusiveness, diversity, and economic growth that works for everyone. On September 20, the Prime Minister will speak to more than 6,000 youth at WE Day New York to mobilize youth action on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. He will also participate in the Bloomberg Global Business Forum to discuss how leaders from business and government can create a more transparent, equitable, and sustainable framework for the global economy. Quote "In building a better world, multilateralism is the recognition that we are stronger when we stand together. Canada believes our collective peace and prosperity can only be achieved through diverse and meaningful partnerships. A modern United Nations focused on the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century will ensure a brighter future for all." Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada Quick Fact Canada is the fifth largest donor to the UN system. Associated Links This document is also available at http://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: 613-957-5555 Related Links http://pm.gc.ca/ OTTAWA, Sept. 14, 2017 /CNW/ - The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, issued the following statement after learning of the death of Member of Parliament Arnold Chan: "Canada lost one of its most devoted servants today. "I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of my close friend and colleague Arnold Chan. On behalf of all Canadians, Sophie and I offer our deepest condolences to his wife, Jean; to their three sons, Nathaniel, Ethan, and Theodore; and to Arnold's parents, brother, friends, and constituents. "Arnold was elected to serve the people of Scarborough-Agincourt in 2014. For three and a half years, he distinguished himself as a thoughtful, kind and above all tireless advocate for Canadians. He believed deeply in our democracy and became one of its most faithful and eloquent guardians. "Arnold accomplished all of this despite battling cancer throughout most of his time as an MP. Even at his sickest, he found the strength to stand up in the House of Commons and represent his constituents, who he cared about so deeply. "In June, Arnold delivered an impassioned speech to the House. I encourage all Canadians to take time today to listen to Arnold's words, which hold lessons for us all. He reminds us that real democracy means listening to each other instead of talking over each other, and that our civic duty includes not just casting a ballot but taking care, in our everyday actions, of the country we are lucky to call home. "In 2015, Arnold became Deputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. He was a committed advocate for the Armenian-Canadian community and chaired the Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group. "I am forever enriched by Arnold's friendship, as Canadians are by his leadership and devoted service. He leaves us with wise words that he truly embodied: 'We should use our heads, but follow our hearts.'" This document is also available at http://pm.gc.ca SOURCE Prime Minister's Office For further information: PMO Media Relations: 613-957-5555 Related Links http://pm.gc.ca/ HONG KONG, Sept. 14, 2017 /CNW/ - Vistra, a leading global corporate service provider, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Corporate Services business of Deutsche Bank's Global Transaction Banking division. 'Corporate Services' provides management and administration of SPVs and asset holding companies to banks, non-bank financial institutions and corporates. The business specialises in the administration of structures for: (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150611/748772 ) Structured Finance transactions (CLOs, CDOs, Securitizations, Mortgage-Backed Securities); Aircraft Leasing; Commercial Real Estate holding; and Investment Funds (mainly private equity and real estate). Operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Jersey, Mauritius, Cayman Islands and the US, the business employs 139 staff globally. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. Expected to close in the first half of 2018, the transaction will assist Vistra to continue on its progressive growth trajectory. The acquisition strengthens Vistra's international network and provides further scale and expertise for existing jurisdictions. All of Deutsche Bank's Corporate Services staff will be given the opportunity to join the combined operation to support and grow the client relationships that are at the core of this acquisition. Terms of the agreement are not being disclosed. Commenting on the acquisition, Onno Bouwmeister, Vistra's Group Managing Director of Alternative Investments' division stated "This acquisition marks another significant step in Vistra's growth, broadening our presence in seven of our existing locations across Europe, the Cayman Islands and Mauritius. It gives us presence in Ireland, a key strategic jurisdiction particularly in light of the upcoming 'Brexit' process, and additional capability in Mauritius where the bulk of the back-office administrative activity is carried out to high quality standards. This additional expertise in the Capital Markets sector will have a significant impact on our Alternative Investments division, creating exciting opportunities for our new employees and clients alike. We look forward to working together to build on our achievements to date and take Vistra to the next level." Jose Sicilia, Deutsche Bank's Head of Trust and Agency Services, Global Transaction Banking said "Our main goal with this transaction was to find a partner that will continue to deliver the highest quality services to our Corporate Services clients as well as a dedicated Corporate Service provider for our staff. This will enable us to sharpen our focus on our existing award-winning securities services business. We feel we have achieved our objective with Vistra." About Vistra Ranked in the top four corporate service providers globally, Vistra is a versatile group of professionals, providing a uniquely broad range of services and solutions. Our capabilities span across company formations to trust, fiduciary, private client services, and fund administration. Vistra employs over 3,500 employees in 74 offices across 44 jurisdictions. For more information, please visit http://www.vistra.com SOURCE Vistra Group By GMM 13 September 2017 - 09:39 Chase Carey says he wants Singapore to stay on the F1 calendar. The spectacular night race in the Asian city-state has become one of the most popular stops on the annual F1 calendar. But a deal beyond this weekends event has not yet been agreed, with Singapore being allocated mere provisional status on the 2018 race schedule. F1 chief executive Carey said on Wednesday: "We are actively engaged with our partners. Our goal is to reach a new deal. "We have a great relationship with our partners, a deal has not been concluded but discussions are still ongoing," he told the local Straits Times newspaper on the sidelines of a sport conference in Singapore. Carey continued: "Singapore anchors our Asian strategy, it is the signature race for Asia. "This is the marquee race and our goal is to renew the contract. It is certainly a race we are proud of." HARTFORD >> After months of missed deadlines and weeks of uncertainty, the legislatures Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee adopted a two-year revenue package that establishes a cellphone tax, reduces a popular middle class tax credit, creates a statewide property tax on seasonal homes, and increases taxes on hotels and hospitals. Democrats, who hold a one-vote majority over Republicans on the committee, voted 26-25 in favor of the revenue estimates over the objections of the minority party. Republican lawmakers objected to the tax and fee increases, but promised with hours of debate ahead of them to keep their commentary and questions short. Sen. L. Scott Frantz, R-Greenwich, said Connecticuts brand is hurting. The budget, in general, is a commentary on the health and the leadership of the state, Frantz said. This revenue plan is an indication that were desperate, he added, citing the 49-cent cellphone tax as an example. Frantz said the statewide property tax on a seasonal home will be an unmitigated disaster like it was in Vermont. He said Vermonts real estate market still hasnt recovered. He said he doesnt know where the state even got an estimate on taxing vacation homes. The Office of Fiscal Analysis said that it would generate $32 million a year. An increase in the real estate conveyance tax that was proposed as part of Gov. Dannel P. Malloys compromise budget last week was not included in the package. That tax would have raised about $50 million in the first year and $77 million in the second year of the budget. Over the objections of municipalities, the package also includes a shift in teacher retirement costs to municipalities. The change in how those costs are funded would generate about $91.9 million for the state in 2018 and $189.7 million in 2019. Middle class homeowners would also lose $100 of the $200 property tax credit. The reduced $100 credit would only apply to homeowners over the age of 65 or those with dependents. Cigarette taxes would increase 45 cents per pack, but there would still be no tax on vaping, also known as e-cigarettes. A broad-based sales tax increase and an enhanced sales tax on food and beverages sold by restaurants was scrapped in the negotiations Democratic legislative leaders had with Malloy. The hotel tax will increase 1.75 percent, to 16.75 percent. The 1.75 percent increase is expected to help with tourism marketing. The package also includes an increase in the hospital tax. But the Connecticut Hospital Association, which has previously opposed the tax, said it supports the increase. Read more at CTNewsJunkie.com. NEW HAVEN >> Geoff Fox, the popular TV meteorologist in Connecticut for many years, is coming back to WTNH News 8 in New Haven. Fox made the announcement Wednesday night on his Facebook page. He provided more details in an interview with the New Haven Register. Fox now lives in California but he said he can deliver the weather news from a studio he built in his home. He has been doing this for a TV station in Nebraska. Fox was doubly excited when he spoke with the Register because last week he completed chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer. All my treatment is over! he said. No one is saying cured or in remission. But every outward indication says this amazing surgery did the job. (Its called a Whipple procedure.) Fox has been chronicling his battle with cancer on his blog (http://www.geofffox.com). He calls the blog my permanent record. He said his followers, friends and family have helped get him through the medical struggle. A photo on his Facebook page notes his last day of chemo was June. 22. The response Ive gotten on social media has been humbling, he said. Not everybody gets that chance. He added, Im very lucky, unbelievably lucky. Fox said he will return to Channel 8 on Monday at 5 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. For a while he expects to also be on the air at 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. According to Fox, he will be with the station initially just for the summer. Well feel it out, to see how much strength I have. Im OK with that, he said. He thanked the New Haven Register for reporting on his youthful optimism last December, which sparked renewed interest about him among his Connecticut followers. In the interview last year, Fox said he tells other people with cancer, I dont think they should be scared. Some of it has been painful, some of it has been demoralizing. But you can do it! And this week he praised Rich Graziano, WTNHs general manager, for calling him up and offering him a job there again. Fox said the odds of receiving such a call is like having a meteorite hit my house! WTNH News Director Keith Connors said Wednesday in a statement Fox was a fixture at WTNH for almost three decades. Connors said when WTNH reporter Ann Nyberg reported on Foxs cancer fight, the station received an, overwhelmingly positive feedback from our viewers. Were delighted hes beaten cancer and will be coming back to News 8 for the summer, Connors said in the statement.Teaming Geoff up with our senior meteorologist Fred Campagna gives us a formidable one-two punch in early evening weather. It will allow us to do live weather reports from across Connecticut all summer long and showcase the extraordinary expertise of our weather team. He spent 27 years with Channel 8. But in 2011, to his shock and dismay, his contract wasnt renewed. He later worked for WTIC (FOX CT) for 19 months but lost that job because of inappropriate use of social media, which then became public. In announcing his comeback on Facebook Live Wednesday evening, Fox said I really love you guys in Connecticut and he thanked the public for their support. Asked if he might move back to Connecticut, Fox said, I dont think so. I think this is where Ill stay. I have so many interconnected doctors out here. Call Randall Beach at 203-680-9345. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate With a mandatory evacuation in place, residents in Aransas Pass and surrounding cities either fled their coastal homes or stocked up on supplies as Hurricane Harvey made made its fateful journey to Texas late last month. Davonn Phothiboupha did neither. The 20-year-old self-proclaimed "faith junkie" made plans to weather the storm in a beach pavilion. "I thought it would be a good place to experience (Harvey) from," he said. He had experienced 10 hurricane warnings in Hawaii that didn't result in much, so he figured this one would be the same. RELATED: Touching video shows moment Rockport man finally speaks to mom days after Harvey That was his plan, at least, until Aug. 25, when a woman named Arianna, who he had met two weeks before, called Phothiboupha "out of the blue" with an invitation to stay in a survival capsule owned by a woman named Linda Castor on Holiday Beach. Phothiboupha, a new Texas resident from Iowa, dropped his original plan and joined the women in the pod around 7 p.m. on Aug. 26, after stocking it with supplies. Castor told her guests that she had bought the bright orange spaceship-looking shelter from a Corpus Christi flea market a few years earlier. "She said God told her to buy it," Phothiboupha said. Castor told the Corpus Christi Caller Times that she bought the pod for $5,000. According the newspaper's archives, the pod was once a survival capsule used on an offshore drilling platform. UPDATE: How businesses in Port Aransas, Rockport, Corpus Christi are doing after Hurricane Harvey When Phothiboupha asked if they would be "blown away," Castor answered, "Well if the wind can blow 14,000 pounds." Phothiboupha said the bottom of the pod was buried into the ground, but he was weary of its fiberglass construction. "We didn't know what to expect," he said. "It was pretty intense, we could feel the build up." He fell asleep around 10:30 p.m. and didn't wake up until "the scariest moment of the night," after the eye of the hurricane passed and a nearby shed crashed onto the pod. "Really big gusts would make it shudder, but it didn't rock or sway," he added. The pod wasn't equipped with air conditioning and inside was stuffy. Puddles formed on the floor throughout the night. RELATED: 'Tons' of S.A. families are buying emergency bunkers from North Texas company The group was awakened around 10 a.m. by patrolling police, asking if they were OK. They stepped outside of the pod to see what the hand-me-down shelter had protected them from. Phothiboupha said Castor's home had an apartment built on top of it. "That completely blew off, so did the roof," he said. "Certain houses look like they just got blown up, some people describe it as looking like a war zone." Phothiboupha, who turns 21 on Sept. 23, said where he was staying before Harvey is "completely trashed" and he's unsure of what's next for him, but he's staying busy with volunteer work at a local church. "I'm just waiting on the Lord," he said. "Just helping out where I can, cutting up trees, moving brush to the side of the road, that's the main task here." mmendoza@mysa.com Twitter: @MaddySkye GUILFORD >> About 100 people met Wednesday to face the reality of being part of a culture that is still stained by the truth that white people owned black Africans in their own town. The meeting, held at the Guilford Free Library, was organized by the Witness Stones Project, which plans to embed granite and brass memorials in the sidewalks outside where enslaved people lived in Guilford. The crowd heard from a panel, then talked about their experiences among themselves and with the rest of the gathering. The fact that slavery was not just a Southern institution was repeated by many, as were the experiences of people witnessing or facing racism in their own lives. Dennis Culliton, chairman of the Witness Stones Project and an eighth-grade history and language arts teacher at Adams Middle School, told of the history of slavery in Guilford, which began in the 17th century with the Indian servants of William Leete to the 18th century with the bill of sale of Bocha, a Carolina Indian to Samuel Scranton in 1713 to the record of birth of Pompey to Montros and Phillis in 1729. There were about 60 slaves in Guilford in 1774, Culliton said, declining to three in the 1810 census. The death of the last enslaved person in Guilford is Pompey at 89 years old in 1819, he said. The project was inspired by the Stolpersteine, which Doug Nygren, a Guilford resident, saw in Berlin, Germany, where he has an apartment. The small monuments, translated as stumbling blocks, honor Jews and others killed in the Holocaust. That gave him the idea for how we could make the people whod been enslaved here be more real to us, that somehow we could be reminded of them and have the memory of them brought to us. The Germans want to remember what happened. They dont want to hide it, he said. To hide it is shame. In addition to Stolpersteine, the Holocaust is remembered with posters on bus stops and a massive field of stone blocks. On the other hand, Bristol, England, which was heavily involved in the slave trade, has not been so willing to face its history. A bridge named in honor of a 12-year-old slave named Pero Jones has become covered with love locks, according to Hazel Carby, professor of African-American studies at Yale University and a native of Bristol. Not only the slave traders, but most of the business people of Bristol profited from the sale of Africans, including such mundane trades as sailmakers and shoemakers. Its a horror story and a crime against humanity, she said. Later in the meeting, Culliton pointed out that making barrel staves was once a major industry in Guilford. The barrels held goods that were traded for slaves. Making barrel staves in Guilford was right where we could put ourselves next to the people from Bristol, he said. In most of Europe and North America, the dominant belief is that the role of the historian is to reveal the truth, said Carby. However, at best, history is a story about power, a story about those who won, she said. The Rev. Ginger Brasher-Cunningham, pastor of the First Congregational Church for the past two years, was born in Birmingham, Alabama, during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. I want us to be aware tonight that we are working to build a compassionate community here in Guilford, she said. We must believe every person is beloved and cherished. She said those who feel defensive about being white should remember that there is so much more for us to learn. Marji Lipshez-Shapiro, senior associate director of the Anti-Defamation League of Connecticut and, like all the speakers, a Guilford resident, said that as a Jew she was taught that the Jews during World War II were led like sheep to the slaughter. I said, I dont want anything to do with that. I dont want to be a victim. Like the European Jews, the enslaved Africans were not submissive, she said. Lipshez-Shapiro said she is working with others on a curriculum and planting the seeds for much better teaching of enslavement. In a town that is mostly white, she said, We need to learn to embrace the conversation and experiences that make us uncomfortable. We can be really too comfortable here when it comes to the issue of race. Among audience members who spoke was the Rev. Harrison West, rector of Christ Episcopal Church, who said his house was owned by slaveholders. I just have to wonder who lived there, this little shack a part of the house thats older than the grander part you see on the street. Barbara Johnson said that a sign she hung on her house, saying, No matter where you are from, were glad youre our neighbor in English, Spanish and Arabic, was cut in half. There is still prejudice today, she said. Knowing that slavery was here makes it for me more immediate. I think its important to recognize that slavery was economically important in the North as well as something that we usually think of as happening in the South, said Dolores Hayden. I think having physical reminders of the history that has taken place in a particular location can be particularly powerful. The installation of the first three stones for Moses, his mother Phillis and Candace is scheduled for Nov. 2, according to Culliton. For more information go to https://witnessstones.org. Call Ed Stannard at 203-680-9382. The Igbo Youths Initiative has warned that Igbo youths would not fold their arms if the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu is killed by the Nigerian Government.The group stressed that the death of Kanu would lead to another civil war in the country.President of the association, Prince Alexander Ezeobi gave the warning while reacting to the alleged invasion of Kanus residence by men of the Nigerian Army.Ezeobi also warned the Nigerian Army to leave Kanus hometown immediately.In a statement, Ezeobi said, It is very unfortunate that the Army has left the north east where they are currently losing ground to the terrorist group, Boko haram to the peaceful south east to intimidate hapless citizens.I want to say that what they (Army) are doing in the south east is operation show of shame. If they have strength what happened to the ultimatum given for the kill or capture of Abubakar Shekau?They should know that Nnamdi Kanu has become the voice of the voiceless Nigerians. He represents the suffering masses and we are solidly behind his quest for a restructured Nigeria.However, if those who dont want Nigeria to become better kill him, we the youths would not fold our hands .Whenever an Igbo youth remove his shirt, things would happen.So, we want to appeal to the military to stop this provocation in the interest of peace. President Muhammadu Buhari and Gen. TY Buratai The 'Python Dance' panacea is a dramatic product of the intersection of the Biafra paranoia of President Muhammadu Buhari, and the snake fetishism of his army chief, General Tukur Yusuf Buratai. The ongoing destructive Python Dance of the Nigerian troops in the South East states of Nigeria is easily the most futile conceivable strategy for defeating the growing Biafra consciousness in Igboland. Its a thought out police witch-hunt operation, and it is destined to end in a shameful retreat like all brawny wars waged against persuasions rooted in hearts and minds. The barbarous militarization of the reasonably quiet geopolitical zone is a bald-faced abuse of the Nigerian army. Emptying the barracks into civilian space in the absence of a present or imminent security threat is creating a gladiatorial arena for no just reason. It should never have happened because it is unconstitutional for the President of Nigeria to deploy troops on a whim. And even if were, it's a repulsive course of action because its atmospherics cannot but help solidify the case for Biafra 2.0, radicalize the youths of the region, and create the perfect storm that didnt exist before the soldiers siege. The Python Dance does not have any perceptible prospect of getting Igbo heartland over a barrel. It can only be counterproductive. It will lend momentum to Nnamdi Kanus cause, enlarge his support base, and enhance his profile as an ordained prophet-leader of Biafras second exodus. The Python Dance panacea is a dumb idea. The only way it begins to make sense as a present-day reality is understanding that it is a dramatic product of the intersection of the Biafra paranoia of President Muhammadu Buhari, and the snake fetishism of his army chief, General Tukur Yusuf Buratai. President Buhari is sick of Biafra. He is obsessed with Biafra. He dreads Biafra, nourishes that dread, and makes his nightmares out of its intangible essence. Buhari is so tormented by a seemingly ubiquitous apparition of Biafra that he is expressing and exercising that fear as state policy. He is radiating that fear like a distressed coward vested with military omnipotence. He is transmitting that fear as a command, making his anxiety the lived experience of other people. The current siege on Igboland stems from Buharis desperate need to attack his own Biafra paranoia. He fears that if he hesitates to preemptively destroy Biafra, Biafra will destroy him. He believes the only pro-Biafra activists that can't haunt him and aggravate his fears are the ones killed in cold blood. Buhari unleashed Nigerian soldiers on Igboland in a bid to annihilate the fear he harbored within. The facts on the ground did not demand the deployment of a trigger-happy army of occupation to the South East. But he had to validate his Biafran paranoia by dispatching the military. President Buharis short broadcast on his return from London, after 104 days in medical exile, was all about the putative unity of Nigeria and how Biafra would secede over the dead bodies of its canvassers. Of the myriad issues that needed to be addressed, he laser-focused on Biafra. He prioritized and singularized it. As far he was concerned, it was the most serious problem of Nigeria because it represented his greatest private headache. During his first briefing with military chiefs, he gave them marching orders to destroy threats to national security and unity, and by that he meant Biafra. The Biafra he never tires of vowing to crush. Fortunately, he has a brutal automaton for chief of army staff. Buratai is in sync with his commander in chiefs anti-Igbo hate. And he received the instruction as another chance to immortalize himself as a militant agent of the Grim Reaper. In November last year, he launched Operation Python Dance 1 in the five South East states. He rationalized the provocative militarization as a mission necessitated by violent agitations by separatist groups. That was a false pretext for invading the Igbo space and assaulting the sensibilities of the people. There were no violent agitations in Igboland at the time. Buratais relaunch of his Python Dance consequent upon Buharis order scarcely lasted 24 hours before claiming its first innocent causalities: 3 dead and 20 severely wounded. By Buratais standards, this figure from the armys raid of Nnamdi Kanus residence is nothing. Its nowhere close to his Zaria overkill. The military occupation of the South East has now thrown parts of the zone into turmoil, with civilians mustering some forms of resistance. This is a needless crisis. It is a case of making trouble for the fun of it. The codename of the military operation, Python Dance, reveals that its purpose is to satisfy an expensive taste. General Buratai is a snake fetishist who takes pride in indulging his fantasy. He is cashing in on his headship of the Nigerian army to eternalize his fascination for snakes. General Buratai keeps the statuette of an Egyptian cobra on his official desk. He farms snakes. He takes selfies with snakes. He feels an affinity for snakes. He launched Python Dance to assert himself. For some reason, Buratai derives a sense of meaning from snakes. His pursuit of Python Dance is a quest to ensure to ensure that his life counts. Its an attempt to secure historical significance. Buratai has purported to kill Abubakar Shekau many times. He has declared Boko Haram defeated countless times. But both Shekau and the death cult he leads continue to exist and kill with abandon. Buratai recently set for himself a 40-day target to get Shekau dead or alive. That deadline passed without any incident. Shekau was not captured, and Buratai did not resign. In fact, after Buratai failed to make good on his promise to capture or kill Shekau, Nigerias most serious threat, Buhari rewarded the army chief with the easier task of terrorizing civilians of South East Nigeria. The spoiled general has seized that face-saving, achievable challenge as an opportunity to execute a snake-themed military operation. Nnamdi Kanu was a mere source of bombast on a pirate radio station until President Buhari made him a folk hero. Buharis arrest and incarceration of Kanu turned him into a martyr and phenomenon. He is now the most popular Igbo man alive. The grotesque Python Dance plays into Kanus narrative of Nigerias hatred for the Igbo race. It furthers the perception that Nigeria continues to maintain a policy of hostility against Igbo people after the 30 month-long civil war that wasted 3 million Biafrans. The deaths and human violations resulting from the operation will inevitably multiply the grievances that are fueling the agitation for Biafras secession from Nigeria. The siege on Igboland is legitimizing Kanus quest for Biafras self-determination. His house arrest will make him a prisoner of conscience. Every state sponsored act of intimidation helps his cause. 'Python Dance' is snake oil. It will avail Nigeria nothing. Except romancing Buhari's paranoia and his army chief's snake fetish. ****************** Happy New Month Nigeria! Welcome to the month of June. As the world searches for a respite from all its troubles since 2020 began, one can ... North Korea has threatened to destroy Japan with nuclear weapons and reduce the US mainland to ashes and darkness in response to the countries effort to ramp up sanctions on the isolated east Asian nation. The four islands of the [Japanese] archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche, the countrys Asia-Pacific Peace Committee said in a statement carried by state news agency KCNA. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us. Juche, or self-reliance, is the official ideology of North Korea, originally crafted in the 1950s by founding father Kim Il Sung grandfather of the current supreme leader, Kim Jong Un. Accusing Japan of dancing to the tune of the US sanctions, the peace committee also said Tokyo had not yet come to senses after the launch of our ICBM over the Japanese archipelago. Late last month North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japans northern island of Hokkaido, a move that prompted US President Donald Trump to warn that all options are on the table for dealing with Pyongyangs weapons programmes. Yoshihide Suga, Japans cabinet secretary, hit back at North Korea on Thursday, saying the threat to his nation was outrageous and provocative in the extreme and warning that it would considerably raise regional tensions. The latest war of words comes as Pyongyang lashes out at the international community for imposing yet more sanctions on the reclusive regime after its sixth and most powerful nuclear test this month. On Monday the UN Security Council agreed its latest round of measures, which include halting North Korean textile exports, capping fuel imports and banning the use of North Korean overseas labour. The move, aimed at putting pressure on North Koreas supreme leader Kim Jong Un to abandon his nuclear weapons programme, could deprive the regime of more than $1.3bn in annual revenues. Following the vote, Pyongyang said it would redouble its efforts to produce weapons of mass destruction, warning that the US would face the greatest pain it ever experienced. North Korean state rhetoric is regularly shrill and forms part of a policy of coercive diplomacy in which it threatens conflict in an attempt to cow opponents into concessions. The US was the chief culprit for the sanctions, which amounted to state terrorism, the peace committee said, adding: Now is the time to annihilate the US imperialist aggressors. Meanwhile, South Korea on Thursday said it was considering providing $8m of aid to North Korea through international organisations as it attempts to spur cross-border engagement. The move is likely to be criticised as detrimental to the maximum pressure strategy espoused by Japan and US for dealing with North Korea. Washington (CNN) Former national security adviser Susan Rice privately told House investigators that she unmasked the identities of senior Trump officials to understand why the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates was in New York late last year, multiple sources told CNN. The New York meeting preceded a separate effort by the UAE to facilitate a back-channel communication between Russia and the incoming Trump White House. The crown prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, arrived in New York last December in the transition period before Trump was sworn into office for a meeting with several top Trump officials, including Michael Flynn, the president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his top strategist Steve Bannon, sources said. The Obama administration felt misled by the United Arab Emirates, which had failed to mention that Zayed was coming to the United States even though it's customary for foreign dignitaries to notify the US government about their travels, according to several sources familiar with the matter. Rice, who served as then-President Obama's national security adviser in his second term, told the House Intelligence Committee last week that she requested the names of the Americans mentioned in the classified report be revealed internally, a practice officials in both parties say is common. Rice's previously undisclosed revelation in a classified setting shines new light on a practice that had come under sharp criticism from the committee chairman, California Rep. Devin Nunes, and President Donald Trump, who previously accused Rice of committing a crime But her explanation appears to have satisfied some influential Republicans on the committee, undercutting both Nunes and Trump and raising new questions about whether any Trump associates tried to arrange back-channel discussions with the Russians. "I didn't hear anything to believe that she did anything illegal," Florida Rep. Tom Rooney, a Republican helping to lead the panel's Russia invesigation, told CNN of Rice's testimony. He declined to discuss any of the contents of her classified remarks. Through a spokeswoman, Rice declined to comment about her testimony. Nunes refused to answer questions when asked about Rice Tuesday evening. It's unclear precisely which Trump officials Rice discussed at the House meeting. But multiple sources have confirmed to CNN that Zayed met at the time with Flynn, Kushner and Bannon. The three-hour discussion focused on a range of issues, including Iran, Yemen and the Mideast peace process, according to two sources who insisted that opening up a back-channel with Russia was not a topic of discussion. Still, the fact that the New York meeting occurred prior to the Seychelles session and that the UAE did not notify the Obama administration about why the crown prince was coming to the United States has raised questions in the eyes of investigators on Capitol Hill. A secret meeting in the Seychelles But the Trump Tower meeting came shortly before the UAE brokered a meeting to open lines of communications with the United States and Russia, with a clandestine January meeting in the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean, according to reports in CNN and The Washington Post. That meeting is now under investigation on Capitol Hill, though it's unclear whether Rice mentioned the Seychelles meeting in the testimony. A senior Middle East official told CNN that the UAE did not "mislead" the Obama administration about the crown prince's visit, but acknowledged not telling the US government about it in advance. The meeting, which took place December 15, 2016, the official said, was simply an effort to build a relationship with senior members of the Trump team who would be working in the administration to share assessments of the region. "The meeting was about ascertaining the Trump team's view of the region and sharing the UAE's view of the region and what the US role should be," the official said. "No one was coming in to sell anything or arrange anything." A spokesperson for the crown prince declined to comment. The Seychelles meeting -- and the circumstances around it -- has been a subject of interest to Hill investigators looking at any potential link between the Trump campaign and Russia. The Washington Post initially reported in April that the UAE brokered a pre-inauguration meeting between the founder of the security firm Blackwater, Erik Prince, who is a close Trump ally, and an associate of Vladimir Putin's in the Seychelles Islands. The purpose of the meeting was part of an effort by the UAE to persuade Russia to curtail its relationship with Iran, including in Syria, according to the Post. And it occured shortly after Bannon, Flynn and Kushner also met in Trump Tower with Zayed, whom the Post said helped arrange the Seychelles meeting with Russia government officials to set up the private discussions with the Trump team. But the senior Middle East official told CNN this week that Prince's name was not discussed at the Trump Tower meeting. And Prince himself has said he did nothing wrong, telling CNN's Erin Burnett last month: "I was there for business." Both the White House and Prince have strongly denied that Prince was working as a liaison for the Trump administration. Prince said he met with a Russian while at the Seychelles but "I don't remember his name." "It probably lasted about, as long as one beer," he said about the meeting. Explaining 'unmasking' For her part, Rice had been called to the House Intelligence Committee to testify partly over what Nunes and other Republicans believed was an abuse in the practice of "unmasking" -- or revealing the identities of Americans who were communicating with foreign officials under surveillance by the US intelligence community. Simply unmasking the names of individuals in classified reports does not mean that their identities will be revealed publicly, and Rice denied to the committee that she leaked classified information to the press, sources familiar with the matter said. But Rice's suggestion that she unmasked the names of US individuals -- who turned out to be Trump associates -- over concerns about the propriety of the crown prince's visit to the United States could help her fend off attacks that she was out of line in the actions she took. Rep. Trey Gowdy, a South Carolina Republican who is helping lead the House investigation, told the Daily Caller "nothing that came up in her interview that led me to conclude" that she improperly unmasked the names of Trump associates or leaked it to the press. Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, did not say explicitly whether Trump still believes Rice committed a crime but added the issue of leaking and unmasking needs to be investigated. "We've seen illegal leaking of classified materials, including the identities of American citizens unmasked in intelligence reports," Sanders told CNN. "That's why the President called for Congress to investigate this matter and why the Department of Justice and Intelligence Community are doing all they can to stamp out this dangerous trend that undermines our national security." Nunes was forced to step aside from running the Russia investigation amid a House ethics inquiry into whether he improperly disclosed classified data. The ethics inquiry came in the aftermath of his bombshell comments that Obama administration officials had improperly unmasked the names of Trump associates, a revelation that Trump used as cover for his unsubstantiated claim that Obama had Trump Tower wiretapped during the election to spy on him. The Justice Department said in a court filing Friday that the DOJ and the FBI have no evidence to support Trump's claims. But on Tuesday, the Republican who took over the investigation from Nunes said there was no reason to bring Rice in for further questioning. "She was a good witness, answered all our questions," Rep. Mike Conaway, the Texas Republican now running the House Russia probe, told CNN. "I'm not aware of any reason to bring her back." The Police in Borno on Wednesday said a top Boko Haram commander together with other members of the group had surrendered to the comman... The Police in Borno on Wednesday said a top Boko Haram commander together with other members of the group had surrendered to the command in the state.DSP Victor Isuku, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), said in a statement issued in Maiduguri that the insurgents unconditionally surrendered to men of the command. The counter terrorism effort of the Nigerian military, code named Operation Safe Corridor recorded another victory with the unconditional surrender to the police by high profile repentant Boko Haram terrorists.On September 10, at about 21: 00 hours, the intelligence arm of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) of the command, were able to negotiate a peaceful surrender of repentant Boko Haram terrorists with their families. One Ibrahim Dala (alias Abu Ali), formerly of Kawar Mela ward, Maiduguri, an Amir (commander) of the Mamman Nur faction, along with Audu Mustapha Bukar, 20; and Laminu Mustapha Modu, 25. They are all residing at Talala insurgents camp in Sambisa Forest, surrendered themselves unconditionally to Borno State Police Command.Isuku said Bukar and Modu were from Ngallamari village and claimed to have been held hostage by the sect sometimes ago and were conscripted. He listed other surrendered insurgents as Alhaji Ali, 25; Abubakar Mele, 30; Modu Umar, 20; Modu Maina, 15; Ali Kolo, 20; Bintu Abukar, 14; Falmata Abukar, 15; Hauwa Ali, 15; Husam Ali, 14, and Mallam Modu, 16. Isuku disclosed that there were five children among members of the families of the repented insurgents, explaining that the children aged between one and eight years.He added that the surrendered insurgents had made useful statement that would assist in the counter-insurgency campaign. Presently, they are undergoing preliminary profiling preparatory to transfer to the military. (NAN) Ex-President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his achievements so saying there is need to encourage ... Below is an excerpt of the interview: Ex-President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his achievements so saying there is need to encourage him to do more.He also appealed to leaders and youths in Africa to embrace change to tackle the continents challenges besieging it.The former President said his, Thursday, on a CNN global affairs interview programme hosted by Chief International Correspondent, Christiane Amanpour. While he called on African youths not to accept the status quo, he said there is need for them to make bitter sacrifices. On the challenges facing the African continent, he said there is need to change from the status quo.He said: There are many challenges. How do we feed our population that is supposed to double in about a generation from now? How do we provide jobs for them and employment? Now, these are the challenges. It cannot be business as usual. We cannot sit in the cool and comfort of our past and think that we will be able to bring about change. Change has to come.The fact that Jose Eduardo dos Santos decided to go, for me, is some comfort. That he handpicked somebody to succeed him may not be good as it should be. Maybe that somebody may not do it the way he would have wanted to do it. So, let us see what happens in AngolaYes, I would have been happy to be told let us wait and see.I was put in prison.I spoke for democracy. I said if any military man wants to continue to rule, he should put off his military uniform and contest election and for that, I was put in jail. But when I was in jail because Nigerians and the international community stood for me, I came out of jail. When I was released from jail, the hope I had materialized. I am an optimist. I am always full of hope. I look for the best even in the worst of situation. But again, we go back to the same point when you have an elite that is either controlling the ruling of the country or controlling, in the example of Jose Eduardo dos Santoss daughter, who runs some of the lucrative business in the country. You can see why it would be disheartening for Africas youth. There is a limit to how much you can take on unless you are truly a devil I incarnate and when there is too much pressure, you will give in.Yes, I believe that they must be ready to also make a bitter sacrifice and that means not accepting the status quo. Look at what happened in Burkina Faso, the leadership there did not want to go, but when pressure was too much, they gave up.President Buhari has not disappointed me. Yes, he is fighting corruption, he is fighting insurgency. We are not there yet and it is not a one night wonder. With what he has done, we should credit him and encourage him to do more.Stop doing what is wrong like impunity and corruption. Africa is not destined to have. People try to make excuses, there should be no excuse and then we must place our individual countries and Africa above all interests. I believe that this is what we should do and if we do this, we will get there. Senator Dino Melaye (All Progressives Congress, Kogi West) has urged the Court of Appeal in Abuja to set aside the judgement, allowing t... Senator Dino Melaye (All Progressives Congress, Kogi West) has urged the Court of Appeal in Abuja to set aside the judgement, allowing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to proceed with the process to recall him.His request is contained in a notice of appeal filed Wednesday by his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN).Melaye faulted the decision by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja, dismissing his fundamental rights enforcement suit and giving INEC the nod to proceed with Melayes recall processIn his first ground of appeal, Melaye contended that the trial judge erred in law by holding that the petition presented to INEC for his recall was valid, even when the petition exhibited by INEC was not signed by more than half of the registered voters in the plaintiffs appellants constituency as is required by section 69 of the 1999 Constitution.Melaye argued that the petition presented to INEC by the purported constituents and exhibited before the court as Exhibit lNEC 1, was only signed by three persons, which number is less than the half of the registered voters in the constituency as provided for by section 69 of the Constitution.He said a mere statistical analysis and general summary for the recall of Senator Dino Melaye (Exhibit DM13) done by INEC itself and wholly relied upon by the trial court to hold that the petition was valid, can neither replace nor take place of the petition itself, which was tendered by INEC as exhibit.Melaye also argued that the trial judge was in error when he held that the counting of the 90 days provided for by section 69 of the Constitution was halted in June 23, 2017, when theplaintiff/appellant commenced this action and subsequently ordered that the period would continue to run from September 11, 2017, the date of the judgment of the trial court was delivered.He said contrary to the judges finding, the time fixed by the Constitution for the doing of an act cannot be extended or expanded or elongated or in any way enlarged regarding what is to be done where not done within the time so fixed.Melaye said such time fixed by the Constitution, lapses since the court has no jurisdiction to extend the time fixed by the Constitution for the doing of an act.He also argued in another ground of appeal that Justice Dimgba was wrong by failing to consider the notice to produce issued on INEC to produce the petition for the recall of the plaintiff/ appellant and not invoking the provisions of section 167(d) of the Evidence Act, in the face of failure of the INEC to produce the purported petition allegedly signed by the plaintiffs/appellants constituents despite service of a notice to produce on it.Melaye said instead of doing this, the judge relied on mere statistical analysis prepared by INEC itself to validate a petition which was invalid on its face.Identifying his perceived errors In the judgment, Melaye stated that INEC, in its counter-affidavit to this originating summons, exhibited the purported petition for the recall of the plaintiff which was signed by only three persons, a number grossly less than the number as required by the Constitution.He added that he issued and served on INEC a notice to produce the petition for the recall as signed by more than half of the registered voters in the plaintiffs constituency, which it failed to do.Notwithstanding the notice to produce INEC failed, refused and neglected to produce the said petition before the court.The court failed to invoke the provisions of section 167(d) of the Evidence Act to the effect that failure by INEC to produce the said petition meant that such petition, if it were produced, would have been adverse to the interest of lNEC, he saidMelaye also argued that the judge erred in law when he failed to act on uncontroverted facts in the plaintiffs/appellants affidavit in support of his Originating Summons and also his further affidavit in opposition to the defendants/respondents affidavit in opposition to the plaintiffs originating summons.Justice Dimgba had while directing INEC to proceed with the signatures verification exercise, also ordered the commission to issue an amended recall timetable giving the senator a minimum of two weeks to equip and be able defend himself against the recall process.The judge ordered that the amended timetable, alongside the copies of the petition, the list of signatures and the list of the names of the voters who signed in support of the recall petition, be served on Melaye. Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has extended the dawn curfew he imposed on Aba to Friday, Sept. 15. Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has extended the dawn curfew he imposed on Aba to Friday, Sept. 15.Ikpeazu made this known in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Enyinnaya Appolos, in Umuahia on Wednesday.He advised residents and visitors to cooperate with security agents in order to ensure the maintenance of law and order within the commercial city and its environs.Ikpeazu expressed displeasure that people were being compelled to raise their hands while passing through security checkpoints.He, therefore, urged security agents and all authorities concerned to ensure that such acts, and other forms of inhumane and barbaric treatment of people were discontinued immediately.Following security concerns, the Abia Government on Tuesday clamped a three-day dusk to dawn curfew in the states commercial nerve centre beginning 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.The curfew has now been extended to Friday. Plateau state Governor Simon Lalong, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Jos over reported clash in the states capital. Plateau state Governor Simon Lalong, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Jos over reported clash in the states capital.It can be recalled that tension had arisen in Jos as Igbo traders allegedly closed shops for fear of a reprisal attacks following reported clash between Igbo resident in Rivers state and the Hausa community.The director of press and public affairs to Governor Lalong, Emmanuel Nanle Samuel, who gave the statement also said that the governor was dismayed at the tension that was building up in the state.According to the statement, Consequently, the governor has directed an immediate imposition of curfew from dusk to dawn (6pm 6am) within the Greater Jos-Bukuru Metropolis, until further notice.The deployment of security personnel to all flash points within the metropolis has also been directed to ensure compliance with the curfew order and to avert any further breach of law and order. The governor wishes to assure all citizens that the security and welfare as the primary concern of government is assured by the Rescue Administration. He is therefore enjoining all citizens to go about their business with the assurance that their safety is guaranteed. He further appealed to all religious and community leaders, neighbourhood vigilantes as well as all law abiding citizens to ensure nobody is allowed to take advantage of this unfortunate situation to engage in criminality.The governor wishes to restate that Plateau state remains home to all citizens of Nigeria irrespective of religion, ethnic extraction or political persuasion. He therefore enjoins all peace loving citizens to ensure that nothing is allowed to upset the hard earned peace in the state. The ruling All Progressives Congress APC Thursday summoned the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Aisha Alhassan ov... The ruling All Progressives Congress APC Thursday summoned the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Aisha Alhassan over comments regarding her political allegiance ahead of the 2019 presidential elections.This was as the party said the minister has apologised to it over the comments which it said were not well-thought out.The minister who arrived the national secretariat of the party at about 1:45pm was ushered into the office of the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun where discussions were held behind closed doors. The minister had recently stirred the hornet nest when she granted a media interview where she pledged her unflinching loyalty to a chieftain of the party and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar rather than her boss, President Muhammadu Buhari.NE understands that the party had been slow in weighing in on the matter especially as the Buhari-led presidency had not really taken a position on whether to punish the minister or not.The minister who was grilled for over two hours later left the secretariat at exactly 4pm in a brown jeep, marked Kaduna DKA 536 AA. Though she declined speaking to journalists on the reasons for her visit and the outcome of her meeting with the chairman, it was gathered that the minister actually restated her earlier position on who to support in the 2019 presidential elections, explaining that the president had promised to go for just one term.It was gathered that the party viewed her outbursts as an embarrassment especially as the president has a right to go for a second term. The party felt the minister could have expressed her views within and not to the public, because it came as an embarrassment to the administration but there is no provision for sanctions and we can only just caution her going forward, said a top source. However, confirming the essence of the meeting, spokesman of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi who saw the minister to her car said, Yes, the party invited her and she has come.Since the issue of the comment she made came up, the party has not said anything regardless of what individuals may have told you because we are a party that recognized the right of her members to express their opinions or views. We also had an opportunity to discuss with the minister to understand what she said and in what context she said so before we know how to respond. So, when she came, we asked her to explain to us what truly transpired and in what context she said what she said and she did offer these explanations.Now, having offered her explanations, we acknowledged that as a member of this party, she is entitled to her opinion and she is entitled to her choice. However, as a senior member of this party, her statements represent an act of indiscretion because with the kind of position she occupies even within the party, she is a party leader in her own right, what she said was not what she was supposed to say at the time that she said it; that she ought to have exercised greater judgement than she did and she acknowledged that yes, maybe she ought not to havemaybe the timing was wrong and she apologised that if she had put the party in any difficult position, she apologised. I want you to take note of the fact that nobody is questioning her right to take the position she has taken.We have not come out to say, why are you saying you are supporting this person? she has a right to her choice and to support whoever she wants to support afterall she is not saying she supports a member of another party but what we are saying is that with the position she occupies, she ought to have exercised greater sense of discretion and better judgment knowing that making that kind of statement would definitely create some other situations for the party, if not for the government.On whether the party asked her to resign from the cabinet, Abdullahi said: No, that did not come up. What we just said was that we understand the context in which she said what she said but it was an act of indiscretion for someone occupying the position she is occupying in the party to make that kind of statement. If this was 2018 and the people have filed their applications to say they are contesting and she now comes out and says she is supporting this person, how can that be an issue? But we are still in 2017. We are still far away. Atiku has not said he is contesting. He has not collected any form. He has not announced to anybody that he is contesting.So, that is what we mean by the timing. It is not that she had no right to say what she had said. In an earlier interview, Chief Odigie-Oyegun had said; The decision, whether our President will run for a second term, is a decision only President Buhari can make, and he will make it at the proper time. For now, he still has nearly two years of painful, strenuous reconstruction of the Nigerian economy and all the other promises he made both in anti-corruption and on security is still serious work in progress. At the proper time, he will decide, and at the proper time, the APC will decide and the public will know. The minister in an interview with the Hausa Service of the BBC had reportedly declared; Atiku is my godfather even before I joined politics.And again, Baba Buhari did not tell us that he is going to run in 2019. Let me tell you today that if Baba said he is going to contest in 2019, I swear to Allah, I will go before him and kneel and tell him that Baba I am grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve your government as a minister but Baba, just like you know, I will support only Atiku because he is my godfather. If Atiku said he is going to contest.If because of what I said, I am sacked, it will not bother me because I believe in Allah, that my time has elapsed that is why Baba is not a mad man like those calling for my sack. They have been sending it and spreading that if Baba sees this I will be sacked. Elder statesman Edwin Clark says recent media reports of a rift between former President Goodluck Jonathan and Bayelsa Gov. Seriake Dickson are mischievous.Clark, who is the National Leader of the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), made this known in a statement in Abuja.He said that reports making the rounds on the rift were meant to cause disaffection between the two and to create tension in Bayelsa.In the past few days, the media have been inundated with stories about a so-called rift between a former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan and the Governor of Bayelsa.As a father to both of these important Nigerians, I categorically want to state that these reports are the handiwork of fifth columnists.It is the handiwork of persons who are deliberately out for mischief by creating disaffection between these two sons of mine.As we all know, Jonathan has continued to maintain a fair level of dignified silence as expected of a statesman and he is working assiduously towards ensuring peaceful development of this country.Lately, he became an acclaimed global citizen and international statesman with presence in almost all the continents.This is obviously a source of envy and discomfort to some who are now the purveyors of these stories of supposed rift.The elder statesman further noted that Dickson on his part was working assiduously to see to the development of the state and had no time for such frivolities.As can be attested by Retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Prof. Wole Soyinka, acclaimed writer, and Prof. J. P. Clark, following our recent journey to Bayelsa, Dickson is doing a great job.He is investing heavily in the education sector. He had declared a State of Emergency in Education since 2012.So, the revolution taking place today with free education at both primary and secondary levels with free boarding and free uniforms are unprecedented.With such footprints and other developmental strides, these stories of rift are deliberately intended at distracting him.They are also meant to create tension in a state that is today adjudged as one of the most peaceful in the country.All through our stay of about one week, no incident of security threat or violence was recorded.Also during the period, PANDEF held its General Assembly, which was attended by over 150 delegates from across the Niger Delta Region.Clark also said that the alleged threat of impeachment of Dickson was only a rumour, adding that the relationship between the legislature and the executive in the state was cordial.He urged the general public to disregard the reports, describing them as non-existent tales. The United Kingdom government has reiterated its support to Nigeria and neighbouring countries to defeat the destructive Boko Haram terrorists in the Northeast and the Lake Chad Basin region. The countrys Permanent Representative to the UN, Matthew Rycroft, made the pledge in his statement on Wednesday at the Security Council briefing on the Lake Chad Basin. Rycroft said it was clear that the Security Council members should all redouble their efforts to implement the commitments that they made in resolution 2349 against Boko Haram. The UK will play our part. We remain committed to partnering with Nigeria and its neighbours to degrade and defeat Boko Haram. We remain committed to helping people in need in the region, having scaled up our humanitarian support to 130 million dollars this year. We also announced an additional 260 million over four years, as part of the North East Nigeria Transition to Development programme. But we all need to play our part in the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund launched in February with an appeal for one billion dollars this year. As of last month that appeal is less than half funded. As the Secretary-Generals report makes clear, insufficient funding from the donor community continues to limit the provision of food aid, development and recovery activities. And just as the international community must act, so too should governments in the region. We look to the Government of Nigeria and affected countries to provide greater resources where they can and to further prioritise the humanitarian response. We also call on them to expedite all remaining registrations for humanitarian organisations in the region, as the Secretary-Generals report notes. We welcome the increased civil-military coordination in the humanitarian effort and urge this to continue, he said. Rycroft, however, regretted that six months on from the visit of Security Council Fact Finding Mission to the Lake Chad Basin, the situation remained deeply troubling. Yes, Boko Haram has been degraded, yes territory has been reclaimed, but Boko Haram is far from a spent force. They are down but not out, shifting their tactics from land grabs to opportunistic attacks. Maiduguri now faces weekly suicide attacks, many from girls forced to be suicide bombers. Over 400 people have been killed since we visited. Boko Harams shameful, sickening abductions of young women and girls continues unabated. Those that return continue to face stigma and discrimination, which is why the UK will host a ministerial event here on the 18th of September to launch a new set of global principles to tackle such stigma. The continuing barbarity is only exacerbating the humanitarian crises. Since we visited, the number of Nigerians seeking refuge in neighbouring countries has only marginally decreased. Nearly two million people are still displaced in North East Nigeria and over eight million in need of urgent, life-saving assistance. And while the numbers of forced returns have fallen, we have seen thousands of people pressured back into areas where they dont feel safe, the UK envoy said. According to him, it is clear that a long term solution will only be found through addressing the root causes which led to Boko Harams emergence. That, I think, was the main lesson for many of us on our visit. That search for the longer term root causes requires a regional plan to address the political, economic, governance, transparency and accountability issues. So we support calls for greater funding to strengthen the UNs monitoring presence on the ground. In short, Mr President, there is a lot more that all of us need to do. Six months on from our visit, we cannot afford to lose focus, he said. ATLANTIC CITY -- Richard Washart took a gulp of the beer he had been served at an Atlantic City casino restaurant, and immediately felt burning pain. He ran to the bathroom, where he experienced the first of six rounds of projectile vomiting. He tried to drink water from the faucet, but was unable to, due to the pain in his mouth and throat. A short time later, he began vomiting blood and went to a hospital; a doctor said he had never seen a patient survive with such severe burns to the esophagus and stomach. Washart, of the Seaville section of Upper Township, is suing the restaurant, McCormick & Schmick's which is located at the Harrah's casino, claiming he was served beer tainted by a caustic agent used to clean beer tap lines. Harrah's is not a defendant in the suit. A New Jersey jury got the case Thursday, left to deliberate whether the restaurant and a company it hired to clean its beer lines were responsible for Washart's injuries. The restaurant blames a company it uses to clean its beer lines, Kramer Beverage Co., of Hammonton, which denied being at the restaurant on Nov. 6, 2012, when the incident took place. "Richard Warshart went with his colleagues to McCormick & Schmick's, drank a draft beer, and immediately felt a searing, burning pain," his lawyer, Paul D'Amato said outside the courtroom. "There's no doubt the beer had cleaning agent in it." D'Amato said Kramer Beverage is mostly responsible for the episode, noting that they do not follow industry recommendations to use pH testing strips that cost 15 cents apiece to check beer after lines have been cleaned. But, he also said the restaurant itself violated New Jersey's Adulterated Food Act by serving Washart a tainted brew. Washart was hospitalized for six days. He declined comment Thursday. Robert Paessler, a lawyer for Kramer Beverage, denies the company was at the restaurant on the day in question. "The first question right off the bat: Did Kramer Beverage clean a line on Nov. 6, 2012? The answer is no. That's the end of the case." George Godfrey, a lawyer for McCormick & Schmick's, said the restaurant did nothing wrong, and that the only way caustic material could have gotten into the beer line is if Kramer had cleaned it. A restaurant manager testified during the trial he saw a Kramer employee that day who told him he had cleaned the beer lines, but Kramer disputes it. D'Amato noted that Kramer destroyed records that could have shown where the company's line cleaners worked that day. JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST -- Citizen-Airmen of the New Jersey Air National Guard's 108th Wing left for the Virgin Islands Thursday in support of relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. "People need help and we're glad to do it." said Airman Stephen Molnar, of Mansfield, during a short break from debriefing sessions. Besides saying goodbye to his wife and baby, Molnar had one more thing to do before boarding a bus to the flight line, re-enlist. Molnar's original six-year term with the 108th was close to expiring, so under the open doorway of a former airplane hangar, space and time were made for a brief swearing-in by Brigadier General Michael L. Cunniff, The Adjutant General, New Jersey. Cuniff said: "I am very proud of our 108th Security Forces Airmen answering the call for our state mission and domestic operations. I know our Airmen will provide the necessary support to the people of the Virgin Islands in their time of need." The state's guard joins thousands of other military members already in place performing various duties. More than 120 citizen-soldiers and 40 vehicles from the 253rd Transportation Company in Cape May arrived in the Orlando area on Monday to support Florida civil authorities. There are currently 19,000 Army and Air National Guard members in support of Hurricane Irma either in Florida or in transit to the area. Following Hurricane Harvey, U.S. Air Force and Marine units from the base participated in several rescue and humanitarian mission to the Houston area. Marines from Marine Aircraft Group 49 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst joined with the U.S. Department of Defense... Posted by Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on Tuesday, September 12, 2017 Michael Mancuso may be reached at mmancuso@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @michaelmancuso or Facebook. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook. We're guessing you've heard all about the giant data breach at Equifax, the credit reporting company. It's a doozy. By any standards, it's probably the most important hack we've ever seen, affecting, according to Equifax, some 143 million consumers. That's well over half the population of the United States. There was a lot of confusion when the news first came out. The company's press release wasn't exactly transparent, and it led to a lot of questions among consumer advocates. Many of those questions remain, and we expect it will take some time before consumers get better answers. We wanted to give you, dear readers, the best answers available today, so we turned to Bob Sullivan, a Jersey transplant and one of Bamboozled's consumer heroes. Sullivan has written several books and he writes consumer columns -- he's our kinda guy. Here's some of what he had to say about the Equifax mess: Bamboozled: How is this data breach different from others we've seen? Consumer expert Bob Sullivan. Bob Sullivan: It's both the size of the hack and the "quality" of the data stolen. Sure, some hacks have been "bigger" - Yahoo lost a billion email addresses and passwords. But Social Security numbers are the keys to the ID kingdom, so this Equifax hack is probably the most important consumer data theft ever. B: Equifax set up a website to help consumers, but critics say there's a lot wrong with the site. What's the deal? BS: There's a lot wrong with the site, though much of it has been fixed. First, the domain -- equifaxsecurity2017.com -- looked like an email phisher's domain. Then, the terms and conditions on the site seemed to suggest users waived rights to sue the company. Initially, people who signed up for the firm's "free" mea culpa offer were in danger of being auto-enrolled in a paid product after the free trial ended. In addition, users were supposed to enter some information and find out if they were among the victims, but entering "dummy" data returned positive results, suggesting the entire system wasn't really working. Equifax has clarified its terms and says the data check tool is now working. I wouldn't be so sure. B: Critics say Equifax's offer for free credit monitoring is tricky for consumers. Why? BS: There were concerns about the class action waiver -- the "ripoff clause" -- and about the auto-enroll. Equifax has changed the terms on the site to say the waiver doesn't apply to the data leak, but I still wouldn't want to argue that point in front of a judge some day. Not sure how much I trust Equifax not to use this incident as an upsell, either. Finally, while ID theft protection can be helpful, it sure seems like a token gift given what happened. B: Arbitration clauses hidden in fine print have been under fire for some time. Is it fair for consumers? BS: No, it's terribly unfair. There's been a decade-long effort to ban class action waiver language in so called standard-form contracts - the usual fine print consumers face when they sign up for almost anything. It worked, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is on the verge of banning these ripoff clauses. The bureau's future is in doubt under the Trump administration, however, so stay tuned. B: So should we sign up for the offer? BS: I would wait a week or two and see if additional information emerges. There's no harm in waiting, and that way, you'll probably get some clarity about what's really in the offer. B: What steps should we take to protect ourselves? BS: First, go get a copy of your credit report from one credit bureau at annualcreditreport.com and put a mark on your calendar to get another one in about three months. Next: Watch your mail for anything suspicious; check all your bank accounts at least weekly for signs of fraud; listen closely when applying for a loan or a government benefit for any signs that someone else might be using your SSN. Also, get your annual SSN benefits statement online and look for anything unusual (you have to get it online now; it used to be mailed. Do that here.) Finally, consider putting a security freeze on all your accounts. This is the most serious, but most proactive, step you can take in the wake of the hack. But take this step with great care. If you plan to shop for a car loan or a home loan any time soon, you probably shouldn't do this. Security freezes lock credit report files so no one - not even you - can open a new credit account in your name. But note: Freezes generally cost money (rules vary by state), and they can be a hassle. When it comes time to get a mortgage or an auto loan, consumers sometimes don't remember the procedure to "thaw" their reports. Others who move or experience other personal information changes, like marriage-related name changes, have reported similar frustrations. So if you go this route, store the associated PIN and other information about how to thaw your account very carefully. Trans Union has a handy grid showing you the varying fee levels, by state and consumer criteria. B: What about Equifax executives who reportedly sold company stock before Equifax went public with the news? BS: It certainly looks bad. Were the trades somehow scheduled before the incident was discovered? Not officially, anyway, but that is a possible explanation. On the other hand, we've been told the executives didn't know about the hack on the day the trades were made. What executive wouldn't know about such a serious incident at their company? B: Anything else you'd like to add? BS: Just keep your eyes wide open. View any emails you get about this - from Equifax, or a potential hacker - with great skepticism. To read more of what Sullivan has to say on this and other consumer topics, check out his website. Have you been Bamboozled? Reach Karin Price Mueller at Bamboozled@NJAdvanceMedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KPMueller. Find Bamboozled on Facebook. Mueller is also the founder of NJMoneyHelp.com. Stay informed and sign up for NJMoneyHelp.com's weekly e-newsletter. NEWARK -- Rutgers University will host a free presentation and legal advice session this weekend for young immigrants living in the country illegally as lawmakers continue to debate the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals -- or DACA -- program. The event, titled "What does it all mean?", will be held Saturday in Conklin Hall at Rutgers-Newark from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Samantha Rumsey, a staff attorney with the Rutgers Immigrant Rights Clinic, will offer a one-hour presentation and question-and-answer session on the DACA program. That will be followed by free, one-on-one consultations with attorneys and law students. The event will be closed to the media to help protect the privacy of the unauthorized immigrants, organizers said. "As an educational institution, we believe we have an obligation to educate the community about changes to immigration law and policy, especially where there is time-sensitive information to which the public needs to be alerted. We also think that, where possible, Rutgers has a responsibility to help the community," Rutgers Law professors Anjum Gupta and Randi Mandelbaum, who helped put together the event, said in a statement. President Donald Trump's administration announced last week that it is ending DACA program created by the Obama administration. The program allowed immigrants brought to the country illegally as children to remain in the U.S. to work and go to school without fear of deportation. The possible end of the program has left many DACA recipients, including those attending New Jersey colleges, unsure what to do next. Trump and Democrats in Congress indicated Thursday that they might be close to a deal to protect "Dreamers" if the legislation also includes increased border security. "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!....." Trump said on his Twitter account. Nearly 800,000 young immigrants are covered by DACA, including more than 22,000 in New Jersey, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Some estimates say an additional 50,000 immigrants living in New Jersey illegally were eligible to apply. Under New Jersey's "Dreamer" law, unauthorized immigrants are eligible to attend the state's public colleges and universities at in-state tuition rates. Rutgers has previously held "undocuRutgers" college fairs designed to help unauthorized immigrants apply for college. Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook. TRENTON -- Amid whistles, cowbells and shouts from opponents, the proposal of a controversial cross-state pipeline cleared its last major hurdle Thursday as it received the blessing of New Jersey's Pinelands Commission. The Southern Reliability Link, a 30-mile long, $180 million natural gas pipeline proposed by New Jersey Natural Gas, was approved by the Pinelands Commission on an 8-4 vote. The pipeline is planned to run through Burlington, Monmouth and Ocean counties. The project is designed to strengthen the NJNG network and enhance reliability, by offering a backup source of natural gas should the primary line become disrupted. Opponents of the plan argue that the Southern Reliability Link is unnecessary, and if NJNG wants to improve reliability it could instead construct a 5-mile long alternative pipeline farther north, in the Freehold area. NJNG said it will foot the proposed pipeline's $180 million bill in full. The pipeline has already received permits from the state Department of Environmental Protection and been approved by the state Board of Public Utilities. According to New Jersey Natural Gas spokesman Michael Kinney, the project is still waiting on road opening permits in Burlington County and continues to work with Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on an easement. "We're pleased with today's outcome, it's an important step forward for this project," Kinney said after the vote. Kinney would not speculate on when the final permits would be secured, or when construction of the pipeline would begin. A little more than 12 miles of the Southern Reliability Link's proposed 28-mile route cuts across the Pinelands reserve; it was this section that the Pinelands Commission voted Thursday to approve. In approving the pipeline, the commission followed the recommendation of Executive Director Nancy Wittenberg. The four commission members who voted against the pipeline (D'Arcy Rohan Green, Candace McKee Ashmun, Mark Lohbauer and Richard Prickett) all cited disagreements with Wittenberg's recommendation. Lohbauer delivered the main dissent while speaking just before the vote; he argued that by approving the pipeline the commission would fall short of its mission to protect the ecologically sensitive Pinelands. Lohbauer's statements drew the applause of environmental groups in the audience. "The Pinelands Commission deliberately ignored the law, violated their oath of office and basically betrayed the public and the people of New Jersey in approving this pipeline," Jeff Tittel, the president of the New Jersey Sierra Club, said after the vote. New Jersey Sierra Club President Jeff Tittel (left) speaks against the Southern Reliability Link before the Pinelands Commission meeting on September 14, 2017. Meanwhile, opponents of the pipeline are already turning their eyes to court. Tittel said that his organization will argue that the commission violated its own comprehensive management plan because the pipeline primarily benefits areas outside of the Pinelands. The comprehensive management plan says that development in the Pinelands must primarily benefit people living within the reserve. "I think the commission had been setup and the staff had been committed for years to get both pipelines through, no matter what," said Carleton Montgomery, the executive director of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. The second pipeline he referred to is the Cape Atlantic Reliability Project. "Its a low point in the history of the Pinelands Commission." Also during the meeting, the commission unanimously approved a resolution to map Wharton State Forest and designate roads for off-road vehicles. Environmental groups cheered this action, but argued that it was a small positive to the much larger negative that was the pipeline vote. Michael Sol Warren may be reached at mwarren@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MSolDub. Find NJ.com on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- Mayor Steve Fulop won praise from Democrats nationwide for his new campaign ad lampooning Gov. Chris Christie's infamous day at the beach, but the cheeky spot was yanked from YouTube over a copyright claim. The 30-second ad features three blink-and-you-miss-'em moments showing an aerial photo of Christie and his family soaking up the sun on July 2 at Island Beach State Park, which was otherwise deserted because of a state government shutdown. The photo was taken by Andrew Mills of NJ Advance Media. The video disappeared from YouTube last night, replaced by an error message saying the ad was removed "due to a copyright claim by NJ Advance Media/NJ.com." NJ Advance Media and Barcroft, the company that licenses the company's photos, declined to comment. A request for comment from Fulop's campaign was not returned. Mark Putnam of Putnam Partners, who worked on former President Obama's 2008 and 2012 campaigns, produced the ad. The commercial, part of a $100,000 ad buy that includes three weeks of air time on television, drew national attention to Fulop, a Democrat who is seeking a second term in November's nonpartisan mayoral race. Outlets like Salon and The Week that rarely mention Jersey City posted stories about the commercial, embedding the YouTube version that is now unavailable. The spot features Fulop in casual wear sitting on a beach chair while touting what his campaign sees as his four-year-old administration's accomplishments. Fulop, who often targeted the Republican governor when Fulop was mulling a bid to succeed him next year, says in the ad that "instead of more negative politics, this is a way to show you what we're getting done in Jersey City." It is still playable on Fulop's Facebook page. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- Jurors viewed crime scene pictures of the lifeless body of Marilyn Albizu this afternoon during testimony in the murder trial of the Jersey City man charged with strangling her in 2014. Nathan Williams III, 36, is accused of killing the 33-year-old mother of one of his children on June 17, 2014, in the Old Bergen Road home they shared, although they were no longer a couple. Albizu is seen lying on her back in the hallway of the apartment she shared with Williams, the child they had in common and another of her children. Her legs were bent beneath her at the knees, her right arm lay across her forehead and her other arm was stretched across the floor. The victim's face appeared completely purple and there was blood on her chin, as well as a small amount of blood on the floor and walls. Her arms and hands were also bruised. The pictures were displayed while Jersey City Police Officer Patrick Egan was on the witness stand. Egan responded to the home with his partner on a welfare call at about 6:30 p.m. that day. The officers forced the door open after a neighbor told them she heard the sounds of fighting coming from Albizu's apartment earlier. That day started with Albizu speaking to Lenisha Murray, who was also a mother of one of Williams children, and telling her that Williams was with a third woman. Murray testified she went to the apartment that morning and found Williams in bed with Alicia Santana. Murray and Santana both said Williams left the bedroom and went to the kitchen where they heard Albizu yell "Don't hit me." Albizu, who later had a bump on her forehead, called police and Williams took off. Police responded and issued a warrant for his arrest, according to testimony. Williams was arrested later that night after a police chase that ended with him jumping off a Newark overpass, breaking his legs and a hip in the fall. He faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted of murder. He was charged with murder after the medical examiner determined Albizu was strangled to death. Today marks the end of a third day of testimony in the trial which will resume on Tuesday at 9 a.m. The state may rest on Wednesday. It is not yet known if the defense plans to present a defense case. The trial is before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Vincent Militello in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City. Testimony was also heard today by the neighbor, Aretha Jackson-Harris, a former Jersey City school teacher who has since moved out of state. The state is represented by Hudson County Superior Court Judge David Feldman. Williams is represented by attorneys James Lisa and Max Novel. JERSEY CITY -- The long simmering feud between Mayor Steve Fulop and the largest of the city's two police unions boiled over tonight as 100 cops appeared at City Hall to accuse Fulop of putting politics over good policing and paint Public Safety Director James Shea as an "absentee" leader. The protest comes as the city and the Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association spar over a new contract for the union's roughly 700 members. The administration has asked a state arbitrator to resolve the dispute, an action the union's president said tonight is evidence the city "had no desire to bargain in good faith." JCPOBA President Carmine Disbrow used his remarks to council members tonight to pummel the administration, a 10-minute speech punctuated with applause and lusty cheers from the cops standing behind him. Disbrow attacked Fulop for his recent campaign ad that ends with two men in police uniforms hoisting a seated Fulop "like a king on his throne;" tied vehicular crashes involving pedestrians to the city's disbanding of the police motorcycle squad; and called the police department "currently leaderless." "I know what some of you are thinking, that as long as we have Public Safety Director Shea in place, leaving the chief's seat empty is not truly a concern," Disbrow told council members tonight. "Unfortunately ... a politically appointed and too often absentee civilian is no substitute for a uniformed professional with a careers' worth of experience." Disbrow said Fulop is leaving the police chief position vacant to avoid any political problems in advance of November's mayoral race. Fulop is seeking a second term on Nov. 7. The police officers who appeared at tonight's council meeting first marched outside City Hall holding signs reading, "Support the JCPD." One officer taped a sign to the door leading to Fulop's office. Asked to comment, city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said Disbrow's comments "undermine his credibility." "The facts are Jim Shea was one of the most senior officers in the entire NYPD," Morrill said in an email. "He ran robbery for the entire city, the police academy, and joint terrorism task force for all of NYC. Carmine can say he wants more money from Jersey City taxpayers, but he can't touch Jim Shea's credibility as an officer." The city has argued that the union's protest tonight was sparked by the administration's request to curtail the use of mandatory comp days and sick time. "We offered the police union a similar offer that was approved by every other union in Jersey City including the fire department and police supervisors union," Morrill said. "There is no reason that this one police union should have infinite days to take off when they want, or place a burden on Jersey City residents with higher taxes." Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- A neighbor testified today in the trial of a Jersey City man accused of killing an ex-girlfriend that she heard people fighting next door and then the sound of a body being dragged. Aretha Jackson-Harris banged her knuckles loudly on the witness stand to describe what she heard during testimony at the trial of Nathan Williams III, 36. He is charged with strangling Marilyn Albizu, 33, on June 17, 2014, in the Old Bergen Road apartment they still shared. Authorities say Williams was angry that Albizu had revealed to another woman that Williams was cheating on her with a third woman. Jackson-Harris, a retired Jersey City teacher, said she was home with strep throat that day and had fallen asleep in the afternoon, but she was jarred awake when she "heard that noise" coming from the next apartment. "There was a sound of someone fighting," she testified. "When I heard it, I woke up because it scared me. Then I didn't hear anything." She said she ran into the hall and called Albizu's name but got no answer. She said she went back into her apartment and turned off the air-conditioner and "that's when I heard dragging. I started banging (on the floor) with my umbrella and nobody answered. ... I heard no more noise." She said she rang Albizu's bell and no one answered. She went outside and asked a neighbor if he had seen anyone leave and the man said he had not. She then went the rear of the building and called Albizu's name again, but there was no reply. Under questioning by Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor David Feldman, Jackson-Harris testified that when she went back into the building she texted her aunt to tell her about what she heard. She said it was 5:17 p.m. That day started with Albizu speaking to Lenisha Murray, who was also a mother of one of Williams' children, and telling her that Williams was with a third woman. Murray testified she went to the Old Bergen Road home that morning and found Williams in bed with Alicia Santana. Santana testified yesterday afternoon that at the time she was pregnant with Williams' child. Murray and Santana both said Williams left the bedroom and went to the kitchen, where they heard Albizu yell, "Don't hit me." Albizu, who later had a bump on her forehead, called police and Williams took off. Police responded and issued a warrant for his arrest, according to testimony. When police responded to the Old Bergen Road home at about 6:30 p.m. that day, they found Albizu's body. Williams was arrested later that night after a police car chase that ended with him jumping off a Newark overpass, breaking his legs and a hip in the fall. Officials said a gun fell out of his pocket as he plummeted. Jackson-Harris said she fell asleep again that afternoon and her daughter woke her saying there was someone at the door. She opened it and it was the police. As the officer was about to leave, Jackson-Harris said she "ran back downstairs and told him he should check (on Albizu) because I heard noise." Williams and Albizu were no longer a couple at the time of the incident. Jackson-Harris said Albizu and a former boyfriend fought often but that man was incarcerated at the time of the homicide. Jackson-Harris will return to the witness stand after the lunch break for cross-examination by the defense. JERSEY CITY -- The 31-year-old convicted rapist who authorities say struck again just months after being released from prison could face a life sentence if found guilty of the heinous crime. Marquis Gilchrist, of Ocean Avenue, is charged with breaking into a 22-year-old's apartment on Fairmount Avenue and raping her at knifepoint on Aug. 13. During a detention hearing Thursday morning, defense attorney Joel Silberman said he would "not waste the court's time fighting this detention hold" because Gilchrist is already being held in state prison for violating parole. Gilchrist was sentenced to up to 15 years in prison for raping a woman inside an apartment on the same Jersey City block in 2003. He was paroled in November. Gilchrist violated conditions of his parole and was arrested Aug. 23. Two days later, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office arrested Gilchrist and charged him with aggravated sexual assault, burglary, terroristic threats and weapons offenses. According to a redacted copy of the affidavit of probable cause, the victim provided a physical description of the suspect to the Special Victims Unit and a sketch was created. "Information provided to the (Hudson County Prosecutor's Office) detective" resulted in Gilchrist being named a suspect in the crime. The sketch resembled the 31-year-old and the victim identified Gilchrist from a photo lineup. Police classified the attack as a "home invasion stranger rape." Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale said during Thursday's brief hearing that Gilchrist would remain in jail pending trial and that he could face life in prison if convicted. Gilchrist is expected in court again on Oct. 16. Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. A Hudson County man is facing a decade in prison after being found guilty of attempted murder for a 2015 hammer attack in northern California, officials announced. Adam Kendall, 28, of Harrison, was convicted on Sept. 5 in Mendocino County court for an assault in Covelo that left a 40-year-old man with serious injuries, California authorities said. On May 16, police were called to a neighborhood about 175 miles north of San Francisco on reports of one man beating another with a hammer. Kendall ran from police when they arrived, authorities said at the time. Kendall was found hiding in a trailer a short time later and surrendered to police. Authorities say the 28-year-old had flown to California the same day as the assault with the purpose of attacking the victim over an unpaid debt. The victim's injuries included a broken eye socket and wrist, police said. Kendall is expected to be sentenced today, The Ukiah Daily Journal reported. One report described Kendall as a "bi-costal drug dealer." In 2014, he was arrested for punching and spitting on three cops after fleeing a crash in Jersey City. He was charged with DWI in that case. Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find -- The Jersey Journal on Facebook. EDISON -- The son of Edison's mayor could serve prison time after being indicted on a drug possession charge while on probation for a drug conviction, court documents show. Kyle Lankey was arrested May 17 in South Plainfield after police found 17 Xanax pills on the 31-year-old in a small, purple case inside a sock, according to a criminal complaint. Lankey was indicted Sept. 1 by a Middlesex County Grand Jury on a charge of possessing a controlled dangerous substance, court records show. Police found the drug after Lankey had crashed his car into a telephone pole on West Avenue in the borough at 1:16 p.m., according to the arrest report. He was charged with reckless driving, possession and driving under the influence. Lankey, the son of Edison Mayor Thomas Lankey, is scheduled to appear Monday before Middlesex County Superior Judge Joseph Rea for a post-indictment conference, court records show. Assistant Prosecutor Jessica Ma said during a hearing Aug. 8 the state would seek a prison term after Kyle Lankey's attorney rejected a deal on the charges, according to an audio recording of the proceeding. He has pleaded not guilty to the new charges. Lankey may be re-sentenced on his 2016 conviction on counts of possession and distribution of heroin if county officials cannot resolve both cases together, the prosecutor's office said. Superior Court Dennis Nieves sentenced Lankey to four years of probation in March 2016 after he admitted to drug charges, which stemmed from an arrest two years ago when authorities found him unconscious behind the wheel of an idling car on a home's lawn. Law enforcement sources previously told NJ Advance Media that Lankey was found with about 200 packets of heroin, a small amount of marijuana, pills and about $400 in cash. Lankey's attorney could not immediately be reached for comment. "Countless families in New Jersey - and elsewhere - are victims of our national opioid crisis," Mayor Thomas Lankey said in a statement to NJ Advance Media, which claimed news of the arrest was sent to news outlets for "underhanded political reasons." "Most families do not have their personal business make news headlines," he said. "My family's personal struggle is now being exploited as a political weapon to smear me. That is absolutely disgraceful." This story has been updated to include the details of the arrest. NJ Advance Media reporter Craig McCarthy contributed to this report. Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEW BRUNSWICK -- A 20-year-old man has been charged with stabbing another Rutgers student following an altercation outside an off-campus fraternity party early Sunday, according to a report. Robert Mannifield, of North Brunswick, attacked the other student with a box cutter type object on Delafield Street between Courtland and Bristol streets around 12:45 a.m., authorities told MyCentralJersey.com. The victim, a 20-year-old junior from Toms River, was stabbed three times near his abdomen, his parents told the website. The business major is recovering at home after being treated at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, the report said. His parents said their son doesn't know Mannifield, the report said. They added that their son exchanged words with a member of the fraternity after his friend was denied entrance to the party, the report said. Mannifield is charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEW BRUNSWICK -- As Alicia Martinez left her boyfriend's home in June 2015, her ex-boyfriend, Giver Vasquez, waited outside in his car. He had placed a GPS tracker on Martinez's vehicle and hours earlier, illegally bought a handgun and ammunition, prosecutors said. On that morning June 24, 2015, Vasquez followed Martinez, 24, of New Brunswick, to an industrial park where she worked on Docks Corner Road in South Brunswick. Before she got out of her car in the parking lot, Vasquez shot Martinez in the head in front of her friends and co-workers, authorities said. "This is nothing short of a cold-blooded execution," Assistant Prosecutor Bina Desai said Thursday during opening arguments in his trial before Judge Pedro Jimenez. Vasquez, 28, also from New Brunswick, confessed to the killing and was charged with murder, stalking, possession of a weapon and unlawful possession of a weapon, prosecutors said. He has pleaded not guilty in court. His defense attorney, Robert Corbin, told the jury there is "no question" that his client was responsible for Martinez's death. He asked the jurors, however, to consider the conditions surrounding her death and their relationship, suggesting that the crime was an act of passion, not a planned murder. "This is a unique case," Corbin told the jurors, saying it is not a case about who killed Martinez, but why. The killing was the first murder in South Brunswick since 2008 and the first time someone died by gunfire at the hands of a criminal in the township since 1989. Authorities have said Martinez was shot three times at about 7 a.m. that day outside the Prologis complex in the Dayton section of the township. After the shooting, Vasquez fled to Pennsylvania, where police arrested him the next day in New Hope. He was extradited to New Jersey, where a judge kept his bail at $2 million. During a previous hearing, Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Scott LaMountain said Vasquez was in the United States illegally. He said the two had a "tumultuous relationship." Alicia Martinez's brother, Marlon Martinez, has said his sister moved to the United States from Honduras when she was about 15 to escape difficult circumstances. "She was trying to make her American dream come true," he said in 2015. "She was very happy about her life." Martinez's family declined to comment Thursday outside the courtroom. Prosecutors will call law enforcement experts and Martinez's boyfriend and co-workers, among others, to testify at trial, she said. Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEW BRUNSWICK -- A babysitter of 30 years pleaded guilty Thursday to a charge she endangered the welfare of a 6-month-old boy who died shortly after being placed in her care. Marianne McIntire-Caulfield, 62, of the Iselin section of Woodbridge, pleaded guilty to second-degree engendering the welfare of a child. She will enter a program for first-time offenders for a period of three years. As part of her plea agreement, McIntire-Caulfield cannot have any unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16. She was also barred from operating a daycare in New Jersey. Authorities responded to McIntire-Caulfield's home Dec. 1, 2015, after she called police about a 6-month-old boy in distress, police said. The baby, William, was taken to John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison, where he died a short time later. The caretaker was charged four weeks later. She admitted in court Thursday that she placed the child, who had a history of acid reflux issues, on his stomach for a nap. Her defense team, however, claimed the child died of sudden infant death syndrome. McIntire-Caulfield was babysitting for as many as eight infants that day. They were subjected to "unsanitary conditions," the prosecutor's office has said. During the hearing, the infant's mother, Tracy Vidaurre, said McIntire-Caulfield manipulated her and her husband by lying about possessing a license to run a daycare. She also claimed to be a registered nurse trained in CPR. "None of this was true," she said. That became clear to Vidaurre's husband, Rob, when he went to pick up two of their sons that day and McIntire-Caulfield came to the door with William "lifeless in her arms," Tracy Vidaurre said. "She went from being the most trusted person in my family's lives to someone we wish we'd never met," Vidaurre said. "She gained our trust by manipulating and lying to us for years." Vidaurre said she and her husband daydream about what their child would have been like had he not died that day. They also frequently answer questions from their other sons about when they will see William again. "The phrase, 'This too shall pass,' does not apply to child loss," Tracy Vidaurre said. If McIntire-Caulfield does not complete the program, she could be re-sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, Superior Court Judge Michael Toto said. In answering questions from her defense attorney, Darren Gelber, McIntire-Caulfield said she performed CPR on the child after calling police. She said she now understands that professionals recommend infants be placed on their backs for sleep. "Do you now understand that the reason why the [American Academy of Pediatrics] made that recommendation was to try to reduce the number of death by SIDS and to reduce the risk of suffocation in infants?" her attorney asked. "Yes," she responded. Vidaurre, appearing before the judge with a photograph of William, called McIntire-Caulfield devious and neglectful, saying she acted in greed by lying to them about her qualifications. She said McIntire-Caulfield was aware of the child's acid reflux issues and was instructed to put him to sleep sitting upright, not on his back or stomach. "We literally felt our hearts break on Dec. 1, 2015," she said. "Time stopped and our world crumbled." McIntire-Caulfield's defense team said she had the child's best interest at heart and had cared for the family's other children. While Gelber called the incident an immeasurable tragedy, he said the defense team does not agree with allegations brought by the Vidaurre family. "This case, your honor, in many respects has no explanation," he told the judge. "Even the medical science I reviewed in connection with this case can't seem to establish the cause of William's death." Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook. ASBURY PARK -- The city's former acting police chief, Anthony Salerno Jr., filed a lawsuit last month against the city and its officials, claiming his promotion to full chief was hindered because he is white. Salerno's lawsuit, filed in Monmouth County Superior Court on Aug. 30 and obtained by the Asbury Park Press, is the second racial discrimination lawsuit filed against the city in nearly three months. Sgt. Marshawn Love claims he was demoted by Salerno because he is black. But in Salerno's case, he claims Mayor John Moor, who is white, Councilman Jesse Kendle and Councilwoman Yvonne Clayton, who are both black, prevented Salerno from shedding the "acting" title to "satisfy their agenda of promoting more officers of color in the (police) Department," the lawsuit states. "It is clear that racial motivations, not financial considerations, are forestalling the legitimate promotion of Deputy Chief Anthony Salerno," the lawsuit says. Salerno, then a 26-year veteran of the police department, was promoted from captain to deputy chief in May 2014. He became acting chief following the retirement of police Chief Mark Kinmon. Salerno, 64, retired in April and reportedly received a $127,000 payout on top of his pension for unused vacation and sick time. State pension regulations require police and firefighters to retire at the age of 65. Salerno states in the lawsuit that he remained in the "acting" role for 29 months and after he was denied a promotion, was asked to stay on until the end of 2017. The city of Asbury Park receives "substantial financial assistance" from the state and has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the state Department of Community Affairs. According to the lawsuit, that memorandum of understanding prohibits "assigning any person in an 'acting capacity.'" The lawsuit says when Moor, the city's mayor, was advised of the violation of the memorandum, he responded by saying, "Let him sue, who cares, if he wins, we'll promote him." The city also "refused" to make promotions that Salerno and the city manager recommended to Moor and the council because "to do so, the city would have to promote white officers to the rank of chief of police, deputy chief, captain, lieutenant and sergeant given the racial composition of the current promotional lists," according to the lawsuit. An attorney representing Salerno, Charles Uliano, said "the complaint speaks for itself," and declined to comment further. Moor said in an email that the "City and its representatives do not comment on either pending or ongoing litigation." Salerno was recently a defendant in a lawsuit filed by Love, a former captain who was demoted to sergeant. Love was disciplined by Salerno for twice leaving the scene of a June 2016 shooting in which former Neptune Police Sgt. Philip Seidle, who was off-duty at the time, shot his ex-wife to death on a crowded Asbury Park street in broad daylight. Love was one of the first officers to arrive at the scene and as captain, was the highest-ranking officer present. However, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni concluded following an internal investigation that Love violated police protocol by leaving the scene as the most senior member and recommended he be disciplined. Nearly a year after Love was demoted two ranks to sergeant, he filed a lawsuit, claiming he was penalized because he is black and that he was "scapegoated for the Seidle shooting." Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips -- For fans of great white sharks, Thursday offered up a two-fer. OCEARCH, a nonprofit research organization, said "Finn," a 4-foot pup that last appeared off the Jersey coast earlier this month, was swimming off Asbury Park as of around 8:14 a.m. At that time, OCEARCH recorded a "ping" -- a signal emitted by an electronic tag -- from the shark. Finn had followed a jagged, 272-mile course beginning off Montauk at the southeastern tip of Long Island. Another female pup, a five-footer named Amagansett, was detected near Finn, according to OCEARCH. The 90-lb shark pinged in the same general area of ocean, off the coast between Asbury Park and Brick, around 2:18 p.m. Amagansett was tagged in August off the Long Island coast. The two join Mary Lee, another tagged great white who drew widespread attention when she first appeared off the Jersey Shore. Mary Lee last pinged in state coastal waters June 17 off Long Beach Island. Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Sen. Bernie Sanders unveiled yesterday the latest version of his plan to expand Medicare to cover all Americans. Universal health care coverage was central to the Vermont senator's 2016 presidential campaign. More than a dozen Democrat senators, including U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ, lined up behind the independent's plan. "Clearly Democrats are seeing that the vast majority of their constituents and, increasingly, the majority of the American people support single-payer," Sanders spokesperson Josh Miller-Lewis told ABC News. The plan would would give the government even more control over health care, something Republicans will likely not support. Hillary Clinton last year during her presidential campaign said Sanders' idea of "health care for all" would be too costly. Many Democrats accused Sanders of being disloyal to then-President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, which has been under attack by Republicans. Sanders plan would extend Medicare to all Americans, regardless of age. The government already guarantees health care to anyone over age 65 through the program. It would be phased in over four years. Sanders' team has acknowledged that a Republican-controlled Congress and GOP administration will almost certainly never consider such legislation. Lewis-Miller said the bill was designed as a negotiating tool. Do you support Sanders' plan of Medicare for all? Vote in our informal, unscientific poll and tell us how you voted in the comments. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. This might come as a disappointment to some, but the trajectory of America's return path to greatness was well established by the time Donald Trump and his dizzy economic vision for the country came down that escalator. There is no denying the numbers contained in the Census report issued Tuesday, which showed remarkable economic growth in 2016, the final year of the Obama Administration: The data showed the largest two-year increase in median income in 50 years, the highest middle-class income ever recorded, a lower poverty rate, and another uptick in health care coverage - just a few signs that the rumored death of the American dream might have been exaggerated. President Trump will likely claim credit for the progress that predated his administration, but he would be better served to examine the source of these positive outcomes. One indisputable takeaway is that the shadow of the great recession was lifted by his predecessor: The median income - that's the household income that sits in the middle of the salary ladder - rose 3.2 percent last year (to $59,039), after rising 5.2 percent in 2015. With the Affordable Care Act in its third full year of implementation, the number of uninsured fell to another historic low in 2016 - to 28.1 million, down from 29 million. If this rate had fallen in states without Medicaid expansion at the same rate it fell in expansion states, another 4 million would have had coverage. But perhaps the most important lesson found within the data were the numbers on poverty - which fell from 43.1 million to 40.6 million, despite a slight rise among seniors. The Census data credits programs such as the earned income tax credit, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps), and Social Security for lifting tens of millions of Americans out of poverty each year, even though SNAP isn't counted as poverty measure. Now ponder the consequences of a Trump-engineered economy on the most vulnerable population, which the Center for American Progress did with alarming results. The policy research group measured the impact of three cuts that Trump proposes in his budget - specifically, the elimination of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a 29-percent cut in SNAP ($190 million over 10 years), and the repeal of Medicaid expansion, which has helped 12 million Americans gain health care. Upshot: Trump's cuts would have increased the number of Americans in poverty by 2.3 million, the CAP calculated. And that's before he takes a meat-axe to Social Security, disaster relief, services for Americans with disabilities, or another windmill-tilt toward Obamacare - each one another sacrifice at the altar of millionaire tax cuts. True, some gains in the Census report may be modest, but progress doesn't always arrive with the blare of trumpets or grab you by the earlobes. Sometimes progress inches along like a shadow at high noon. We still live in a country where children are 23 percent of the population, but account for 33 percent of Americans in poverty. Women are still 1.4 times more likely to be poor than men. Income inequality is still growing, with the collective worth of the 400 wealthiest Americans now up to $2.4 trillion. And the anxiety of the American worker is still palpable. But the president who used his inauguration address to sound alarms about how the "wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has dissipated over the horizon" is still anxious to apply more trickle-down flim-flammery on the economic rot only he seems to see. And now there is more at stake than anyone thought. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) Survivors of Hurricane Ian face a long emotional road to recover from one of the most damaging storms to hit the U.S. mainland. For those who lost everything to disaster, the anguish can be crushing to return home to find so much gone. Grief can run the gamut from frequent tears to utter despair. The Lee County medical examiner says two men in their 70s even took their own lives a day apart after viewing their losses. Experts say suicides climb after disasters and more funding for mental health should be provided as climate change makes storms and fires more frequent and devastating. The study looks at two smaller-scale projects that are in some ways predecessors to the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, the $2 billion plan to slow land loss erasing Louisiana's coast. Construction on that project could begin as early as next year, while a similar one on the opposite side of the river known as the Mid-Breton Diversion could follow. Welcome to nonleaguedaily.coms news provision, your go-to source for all non league updates, rumours, interviews, and much more besides. Founded by a team with a genuine passion for the world of non league football, nonleaguedaily.com understands exactly what supporters of the so-called lower leagues are looking for. You want the high-quality reporting, in-depth analysis, and match reporting that matches that is more commonly found in the journalism for the top flights, but with the focus firmly fixed on the national leagues. We understand that your passion, interest, and dedication is constant, and we believe you need a news service that matches that commitment with its own dedication and thoroughness so thats what you can expect from our site. The latest non league news, as and when it happens Conventionally, non league news has always travelled fairly slowly, especially when compared to the instantaneous, constant breaking news cycles found in the upper leagues. Tales are told on terraces, rumours passed between pub patrons and circled between supporters at the latest game, often forced to remain somewhat local initially before word eventually spreads to other locales. For us, this slow spread may be fairly organic in nature, but it simply isnt compatible with the modern football environment. Its also not conducive to the current fast-paced, always-available media landscape, nor the way that people tend to consume news nowadays. Thats why we have put together a non league news source that fans can turn to for the latest updates, as and when they happen, and as and when you want to read them. Non-league news now is the only acceptable speed at Betting.co.uk. We update our non-league football news coverage constantly, bringing you all the latest developments and seeking to spread the word as quickly and accurately as possible. So if youre wondering whats happening both with your local team and with the lower leagues as a whole, you can visit us for non league news now, and be confident the stories you find are completely up to date. News reported by passionate fans Our efforts to bring you the very best non league football news are undeniably a professional concern, and one that we take seriously. We are if youll excuse the uncharacteristic tooting of our own horns good at what we do, and we know that the efforts we make in this regard are one of the reasons our site has enjoyed such success thus far. However, everyone who writes for us also shares our readers enthusiasm for non league football. Were not just churning out content in the hopes of cashing in on a professional dream; were here because we want to be, and will always be dedicated and committed to non league football as an entity and thriving in the experience of being able to talk about our favourite subject whenever we can. We create non-league news now that is written by genuine fans and enthusiasts, for fans. We know what you want to know and what matters most to an ardent non league supporter, and we always ensure that focusing on these elements is our guiding principle as we seek to solidify our status as an online non league paper fans can always rely on. When compiling non league news, we think with the mind of a fan first and foremost. We cover the angles and stories that we find compelling and that we know our fellow non league enthusiasts also care about. News doesnt have to be dry and formulaic, in our opinion. When its written by people who are genuinely as fascinated by the stories they are reporting on as their readership will be, we believe news can be interesting, compelling, and even have a sense of personality and humour. News content written with passion and expertise We believe that thanks to our dedication, insightfulness, and commitment to our subject matter of non league today, we are offering the best of both worlds to those searching for an online non league paper. We give you the professional approach we feel is appropriate for news about one of the most intriguing aspects of UK football; an aspect that we genuinely feel does not receive the interest and plaudits that it should be generating. Nevertheless, we dont let that professionalism take over everything we do: we remain committed fans, nurturing our own personal interest in non league football and ensuring every word we compose is infused with a sense of passion and dedication that enhances the posts we create. Its therefore obvious that our non-league content today isnt ever going to be dry, basic, or put together by a tired staff writer who has never heard of any team below the Championship before they rush off to the pub for the evening. Our writers are genuine experts: were covering non league football because we want to, because we believe in it, and because its where our strengths lie. The result is informed content that capitalises on our deep knowledge of the history, as well as the present-day realities, of non league football in the UK. Beyond news: the nonleaguedaily.com interview series One of our goals with nonleaguedaily.com is to not just dryly report the news from an outsiders perspective, effectively regurgitating press releases that are devoid of genuinely illuminating information. We also go right to the source of the stories: the managers and club insiders who have direct experience, and often influence, on the sport and how it is managed. We regularly conduct interviews as part of our news provision, asking the questions that are on everyones lips and providing the best possible view into the non league world. We have reporters pitchside at matches, microphone to hand and plentiful questions ready to be asked. The end result for you, the reader, is the kind of information and close-up looks into the non league world that just cant be found anywhere else. As our commitment to providing interesting interviews amply demonstrates, we want to be involved in breaking the stories that everyone then talks about, rather than following along and focusing solely on what everyone already knows. If youre looking for leading content that you cant find anywhere else, and that goes right to the centre of the non league world, then you can turn to nonleaguedaily.com for all the benefits of a conventional non league paper, but in electronic, easily-accessed form. A host of other content to enjoy alongside the non league today Our focus on providing non league news will always be maintained: we consider this aspect the most important of what we do, and it will always be the recipient of our time, dedication, and interest. Well be here, a consistent and trustworthy news portal, for as long as non league football news exists. With that said, when you have read up on the latest goings-on, were here with further content for you to enjoy. Naturally, given our partnership with leading brand Betting.co.uk, we provide guidelines for those interested in the world of sports betting. Well help you find the best UK bookmaker with our plentiful coverage of existing brands; ideal if youre looking to put your newfound knowledge, courtesy of us, about non league to use and place a few bets. Furthermore, we also provide highlights of all the latest UK betting offers, so you can ensure youre achieving the best value with all the latest betting deals whenever youre betting on the latest non league matches. Youll find all of this coverage is as consistent and reliable as our non league news provision, Non league features and deep dives Returning to the world of non league football, we also provide a range of feature content that goes deeper and further into the non league world than ever before. Less instantaneously topical but still hugely relevant to the modern game, our features are the dream deep dives that we feel non league fans deserve. Were always striving to do better, offer more, and ensure that non league fans can enjoy the same wealth of content as followers of the top tiers, so you can expect top-flight content with the same commitment and dedication as found throughout the upper echelons of the sport. So whether youre looking to find the most recent non league football news, seeking a new bookmaker for your non league bets, or hoping to delve deep into a niche non league-related topic, nonleaguedaily.com is always going to be worth a visit. Return to nonleaguedaily.com for all your non league news needs Weve told you what you can expect from nonleaguedaily.coms news; now we need to put our confidence where our promises are, make sure we deliver on those promises, and establish trust as an online non league paper you can trust. We look forward to welcoming you back to our news section and showcasing the best we have to offer, from exciting new non league interviews to cutting-edge news to transfer speculation. If you want to truly have your finger on the non league pulse, then nonleaguedaily.com is always going to be here for you. A senior at Abraham Lincoln High School faces suspension for bringing a pistol-style pellet gun to school in his backpack Thursday morning. Officials determined no threat was made, and parents were notified of the incident shortly after the BB gun was discovered. School officials found the BB gun in the male students backpack while investigating a conflict between a couple students, said Diane Ostrowski, the chief communication officers for the Council Bluffs Community School District. We understand, at this time, that the Council Bluffs Police have no intent to file charges, Ostrowski told The Nonpareil. There was absolutely no threat made. Ostrowski said school officials were investigating a rumor at the school, and they had to seek out the students. The BB gun did not meet the legal definition of a firearm, which would have carried a mandatory expulsion under federal law, according to the districts student handbook. The districts code of conduct calls for a suspension for school for the possession of a weapon or a look-alike weapon, Ostrowski said. In a message to parents, the district quickly disclosed the discovery of the BB gun. During an immediate investigation of the situation, we determined there was no real threat to anyone at school, the message said. Please know we take situations like this seriously and act quickly, working with law enforcement as necessary. North Platte Public Library to host Science Saturday for youth The North Platte Public Library is working with teacher Jeanene Lusk to offer a science maker-space event for third through eighth grades. This event will be from 9:30 a.m. to noon on the third Saturday of the month. This Saturday will be a polymer party. Attendees will make two kinds of slime, grow orbies, make snow as well as other activities. Lusk is the presenter and is handling all registrations. There is a $20 fee per person per session to cover material costs and instructor time. For more information, call Lusk at 308-530-5515. Registration forms are also at the library. St. Pats brunch celebrates railroaders this Sunday Railroaders will be celebrated at the St. Patrick Catholic Church breakfast/brunch from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday in the Parish Hall at the corner of East Fourth and Chestnut streets. This all-you-can-eat brunch features real scrambled eggs, French toast, biscuits and gravy, ham and sausage, homemade fruit breads and beverages. Cost is $6 for adults and $4 for children younger than 10. All doors to the hall will be open. Make It Monday returns to the North Platte Public Library Last springs popular Make It Monday, a free monthly craft session for all ages, is returning to the North Platte Public Library on Monday. The Make It Monday session is from 4 to 6 p.m. This months theme is Husker painting fun. Some of the supplies include wood Nebraska cutouts. Preregistration is not required. All supplies are furnished, and participants work at their own pace. There are projects geared for children and adults. Library staff member Shelly Deardoff organizes these sessions. This has become a great intergenerational activity or a time for friends to enjoy getting together and doing crafts. Make It Monday continues on the third Monday of each month through December. The schedule will be adjusted in January and February. Community picnic set for Sunday at Memorial Park Neighbors old and new are invited to attend the annual Platte Valley Community Picnic from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday at Memorial Park at Fourth and Bryan. The event is a potluck, so bring food, drink and table service. The District 8 Community is between the North and South Platte River, and between Splinter and Range Road. For more information, call Joan at 308-520-6800. Open Journal of Epidemiology Vol.07 No.04(2017), Article ID:79078,8 pages 10.4236/ojepi.2017.74024 Dental Caries and Associated Determinants among Students of the Military School of Saint Louis (Senegal) Massamba Diouf1*, Mababou Kebe2, Mamadou Lamine Guirassy3, Mbathio Diop1, Abdoulaye Diouf4, Aida Kanoute1, Jean-Claude Guinan5, Amadou Dieng1, Abou Dramane Sanghare5, Daouda Cisse1, Daouda Faye1, Cheikh Mbacke Lo1 Abstract Full-Text PDF Full-Text HTML Full-Text ePUB Linked References How to Cite this Article 1Public Health Service, Department of Dentistry, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal 2Dental Office, Military Hospital, Dakar, Senegal 3Service of Periodontology, Department of Dentistry, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal 4Service of Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Dentistry, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal 5Public Health Service, Faculty of Dentistry, Felix H Boigny University, Abidjan, Cote dIvoire Copyright 2017 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY 4.0). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Received: August 7, 2017; Accepted: September 11, 2017; Published: September 14, 2017 ABSTRACT Introduction: Due to its health, social and economic morbidity, dental caries leads to absenteeism and a drop in school performance among schoolchildren. The objective of this work is to study dental caries and its determinants in pupils known as Children of Troop (CT) of the Military School of Saint Louis (MSS). Method: This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. Recruitment was exhaustive. The collection was made at the school and has covered the period of March 10 throughout June 13, 2014 in an individual interview, based upon a deliberate consent, using a questionnaire drawn up on the basis of the variables studied. The bivariate analysis was done with the Epi Info software version 3.5.3. Results: The mean age of CT was 14.9. The prevalence of caries was 61.2%. Determinants related to caries were: sugar intake between meals (OR = 6.44 [3.4 - 11.9]); insufficient tooth brushing (OR = 14.3 [8.8 - 23.29]); (OR = 3.84 [2.38 - 7.14]) and for regular dental visits (OR = 5.26 [3.44 - 8.33]), with the last dental visit dating back more than one year. Conclusion: In the face of challenges of school performance of CT, it is necessary to set up a control plan focusing mainly on the factors identified and associated with dental caries in military school. Keywords: Military School, Child of Troop, Dental Caries, Determinants 1. Introduction Dental caries is a microbial, multifactorial disease that succeeds in destroying the hardest substance of the human body, the enamel [1] . This disease is identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the most important public health issues [2] . Mortality as a consequence of caries is practically non-existent. However, dental caries is an important cause of morbidity. For developing countries such as Senegal, dental caries is a public health concern because of its impact on the quality of life of people suffered from tooth decay and the high cost of care [2] . The consequences and complications of decay are pain, loss of teeth (causing disturbances in occlusion, nutrition, aesthetics and psycho-social life), local, locoregional and focal distance. The prevalence of caries varies from geographical regions to the availability and accessibility of health services. Social determinants are also very pronounced [3] [4] . During the 20th century, the epidemiological situation of tooth decay has evolved differently in the world. In developed countries, the prevalence has significantly decreased [5] and is attributed to the rise of living standards, generalization of fluoridated toothpastes and means of prevention [6] . The global burden of these diseases is significantly higher among poor and underprivileged population groups [7] . Other determinants such as hygiene level, sugar consumption, individual biological characteristics, intervene in the onset of tooth decay. Sixty to ninety percent of schoolchildren worldwide have cavities that often cause pain and discomfort. Pulpitis is the main reason for school absenteeism in many countries [8] . Africa is one of the most affected continents by dental caries, especially in school-aged children. In Senegal, tooth decay is also a problem for schoolchildren. In the Dakar region in 2014, a prevalence of 41.8% was observed among schoolchildren in the age of 12 [9] . The Armed Forces Medical Services contributes to maintaining morale of the troop by taking after of their state of health. In the service, childrens health is a special concern. Among these children, some come from military families, but also Children of Troop (C.T) from the Miltary School of Saint-Louis (MSS) and a boarding school with military supervision. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of dental caries and associated determinants. 2. Materials and Methods This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study. It was based on the MSS, a general secondary school and a military training center in Senegal. The population under study has consisted of the MSS troop children enrolled during school year 2013/2014. Recruitment was exhaustive; The number of children of troop (C.T) was 485. Students who were unavailable or refused to take part in the survey on the basis of deliberate consent were not included in this study. Data collection took place at the dental office of Bango military camp where MSS is housed with a WHO survey form adapted to the objectives of this study. A pre-test was carried out in a secondary school in Dakar on 50 pupils by the dentist of the dental center of Ouakam military hospital in order to make the necessary final modifications. An information sheet was administered to each C.T. Participation was free and voluntary. The questionnaire was anonymous and the data collected were confidential and kept in a secure location. The Epi Info software version 3.5.3 enabled the capture of the data collected. A cleanup of the files was done with the analysis program of the same software for a correction of the outliers data and errors of input. The results were expressed in mean and proportions in univariate analysis and in odds ratios with their confidence intervals in bivariate. The significance level was 5%. 3. Results 3.1. Socio-Demographic Characteristics At the end of the data collection, 441 people were surveyed from March 10 throughout June 13, 2014. This difference in size is related to the absence of pupils on the day of the interviewers visit. The mean age of C.T was 14.9 years with extremes of 10 years and 20 years. Senegalese nationality was dominant (73.9%) followed by Burkina Faso (3.9%), and Gabon (3.6%). Urban C.T constituted 85.3% of the total population size (Table 1). 3.2. Dental Caries and Associated Determinants The prevalence of dental caries in C.T. was 61.2%. In their majority, children of troop have consumed sweet foods between main meals of the day, i.e. 85.9%. These foods were made up of 38.3% candy. The other sugars represented 34% (Table 2). Relating to the habits of oral hygiene, only 2 pupils havent cleaned their teeth versus 439, i.e. 99.5%. The method of brushing was horizontal at 57.9% and fluoridated pharmaceutical paste was used by 14.8% (Table 2). In the younger category (age group 10 - 14 years), the prevalence of caries was 55.5%. Brushing teeth several times a day was a protective factor and single dental brushing was 8.33 times more likely to have decay than those who brushed teeth several times a day but within the confidence interval IC = [4.34 - 16, 66] (Table 2). 4. Discussion 4.1. Limits and Methodological Considerations The survey has investigated the presence of dental caries noted only during the study period and not to its history which could be materialized either by a definitive filling or by an absent tooth. The factors associated with the carious pathology were then studied. It should be recalled that the medical examination of aptitude in force army requires candidates who have passed the MSS exam to Table 1. Distribution of sociodemographic characteristics of children of troop. Table 2. Relationship between dental caries and other variables. treat decayed teeth subject to their definitive admission. This may underestimate the severity of dental caries in children. 4.2. General Considerations The situation of dental caries in this general educational institution with a military framework is rather worrying with an overall prevalence of 61.2%. The latter is explained by factors whose statistical links with caries have been demonstrated in our study. These include sugar intake between meals, inadequate dental brushing, time to last visit of more than one year, and low awareness of regular brushing and regular visits. Prevalence of tooth decay found by age groups was respectively 55.5% between 10 and 13 years, 63.6% between 14 and 16 years and 62.8% between 17 and 20 years. However, the mean age in the caries group was not statistically different from the mean age in the caries-free group (p = 0.594). Regardless of age, prevalence in the different age groups was high. These prevalence proportions collected in the study are corroborated by global data of 2007 [5] , and also by epidemiological surveys carried out in Senegal, which showed that 50% to 70% of the students examined were carrying at least one condition of dental disease [9] [10] . However, rates higher than those of our study are observed in a national pilot study on dental caries in Senegal [11] . The same is true in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Morocco, Cote dIvoire, Cameroon [12] [13] [14] [15] . Rates lower than those of the MSS are also reported in Congo, in schools in Brazzaville [16] , France, in 2005 on a sample of 1000 children of 12 years old, in 2002 in the Gironde [17] . Differences in prevalence (compared to MSS) are explained by the variation in determinants of tooth decay. Thus, the existence of dental offices with accessible services, the fluoride in water and the good behavior of the population in terms of oral hygiene, i.e. observing a good quality of dental brushing, contribute to a prevention of dental caries [18] . On the other hand, harmful consumption of sugar, inadequate dental brushing and a deficient oral health system contribute to a high prevalence, especially when there is no fluoride in the area and the population is in a situation of precariousness [19] . The lower prevalence of MSS can be explained by the accessibility of dental care to pupils (C.T) with the existence of a dental office located a few meters from the school and especially by the management of the decayed teeth before Admission to school. Dental brushing, although deficient, is widely practiced in MSS, where C.T also enjoy good living conditions. Behavioral determinants such as poor oral hygiene due to a dental brushing deficit also explain high prevalence observed elsewhere [13] . Areas with lower prevalence benefit from a better health care system as in France [17] . The existence of statistical links between the occurrence of dental caries and the risk factors are indicative of the high prevalence observed at the MSS. In dental caries, the difference was statistically significant between sugar consumers between meals and others. There were 67.3%, respectively, compared with 24.2% (p < 0.001). Children troop consumers of sugars between meals were 6.44 times more likely to present dental caries than non-consumers. Indeed, the westernization of the food habits of the populations residing in the major African cities has led to an abusive consumption of sweets, confectionery and pastries, among others [15] . The degradation of the sugars fermentable to organic acids by the cariogenic bacteria of the plate (Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, Actinomyces) is responsible for demineralization of the enamel when the pH passes below 5.5 then the dentine, more fragile, Below 6.5. The development of tooth decay arises from a lasting imbalance in favor of demineralization, i.e. when acid production is prolonged (prolonged and/or repeated contact time between bacteria, sugars and enamel tooth) and/or when the buffering capacity of the saliva is decreased [3] . In another study, a high prevalence of 81.4% was explained in part by the fact that 76.2% of students consumed more than three cariogenic foods per day [20] . 5. Conclusions This descriptive, cross-analytical study revealed a 62.1% prevalence of tooth decay and a statistically significant association of factors associated with its occurrence. The study showed links with the consumption of sugars between meals, dental brushing, last visit and awareness in relation to regular brushing and regular visits. In view of this high prevalence, which could be harmful to health of the students of this school, it is necessary to implement a checkup plan focusing on factors identified and associated with tooth decay in the Military school of Saint Louis. Cite this paper Diouf, M., Kebe, M., Guirassy, M.L., Diop, M., Diouf, A., Kanoute, A., Guinan, J.-C., Dieng, A., Sanghare, A.D., Cisse, D., Faye, D. and Lo, C.M. (2017) Dental Caries and Associated Determinants among Students of the Military School of Saint Louis (Senegal). Open Journal of Epidemiology, 7, 299-306. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojepi.2017.74024 References With couples support, facility now $650,000 short of $4.95 million goal GOTHENBURG Home Agency owners Jim and Sharri Baldonado announced that their family along with the Home Agency are donating $100,000 to the Gothenburg Health Foundation to build the Gothenburg YMCA. We are grateful for the opportunity to support the Gothenburg YMCA project, Jim said. Since 1990, the Home Agency has had a presence in Gothenburg, building many great relationships and business partners. Gothenburg has played a significant role in our success and ability to grow into being one of the largest writers of crop insurance in the nation. We are excited for this opportunity to give back to a community that has given so much to us. We are committed to Gothenburg and see this as a special occasion to intentionally invest in the communitys future. We also hope this encourages others in Gothenburg to step up and help fund this great project. The Home Agency is using this opportunity to honor the memory of Gothenburg Sergeant Glenn Haas. When completed, the YMCA will feature a tribute memorializing Haas on behalf of the Home Agency. I didnt get to know Mr. Haas very well as he was killed six months after we opened our office in Gothenburg, Baldonado said. His wife, Janet Haas, has been a very important part of our success in Gothenburg and we feel like this is something Janet and her family will be very proud of. Groundbreaking for the $4.95 million project has occurred and completion is scheduled for April 2018. This contribution from the Home Agency moves the fundraising needle past $4.3 million, leaving less than $650,000 to raise. The YMCA will be connected to Gothenburg Health as part of a joint project featuring a hospital renovation. The Gothenburg YMCA will have year-round recreation opportunities for all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. When complete, the facility will include a high school regulation size gymnasium with two cross-courts; a four-lane swimming pool with space for kids play and physical therapy; an indoor walking track; a wellness center with weights and cardio machines; a spacious group exercise room; mens, womens and family locker rooms; a fun and educational child watch room; and a comfortable social lobby with free Wi-Fi access. In addition to all these planned components, there will be an abundance of educational space which include the potential for mentorship programs, early childhood development, after-school programs and career development opportunities for students, depending on community wants and needs. Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson and Ryan Sothan, outreach coordinator for the Consumer Protection Division, were in North Platte on Wednesday to educate the public about consumer fraud. The recent Equifax security breach is of significant importance and concern, Peterson said. It is one of the largest private sector breaches, but what makes the Equifax (breach) so significant is that it involves Social Security numbers and birth dates, Peterson said. The Yahoo and eBay breaches were probably bigger, but it didnt have such sensitive information. Peterson said his Consumer Protection Division has been in contact with officials in other states that will be working together as well as doing their own investigations. This one is going to take some time because there are about 146 million breaches and its estimated that Nebraska could potentially have over 720,000 affected, Peterson said. Thats pretty significant. The attorney generals Office for a Day event at the North Platte Senior Center focused on potential consumer fraud scams. The big worry there is identity theft, and it is the No. 1 consumer complaint in Nebraska as well as across the nation, Sothan said. That is where somebody has your Social Security number and uses it to largely perpetrate financial fraud and theft. The biggest concern from the Equifax scam, Sothan said, is that crooks will file fraudulent tax returns using the stolen Social Security numbers. The average tax return in America is about $3,100, Sothan said. So one of the first things you can do to protect yourself going forward into 2018 is to file your taxes as early as possible so you can be guaranteed your return. Sothan said for those who have concerns about whether their information was breached, there are two methods of checking. The first is to go to the Equifax website at equifaxsecurity2017.com and click on the Potential Impact tab. Enter your last name and the last six digits of your Social Security number and the site will tell you if you have been affected, Sothan said. The other method is to call the Equifax toll free number, 1-866-447-7559. Sothan shared information on some of the popular frauds and scams in Nebraska. The list includes impostor scams, identity theft, prizes, sweepstakes and lotteries, home repair and improvement, health care, banks and lenders, charitable solicitations and debt collection. The one thing people can do is to understand that a legitimate agency or business will not contact you by phone and ask for immediate payment. Sothan talked especially about the Internal Revenue Service collection scam. The IRS will not call you telling you that you owe taxes, Sothan said. They will also not require you to pay in a certain way. Sothan said scammers will ask for payment by a debit card or some other means, and that should send a warning to the individual that this is not a legitimate call. If you owe money to the IRS, you will always be sent a letter with information on how to contact the IRS to resolve the issue, Sothan said. One of the things we try to do is we understand that senior citizens are disproportionally pursued by those who have various scams to try to get money, Peterson said. The difficult challenge we have is so many of those scammers are operating outside of this country, so we dont have any enforcement ability, or they are outside the state, which makes it difficult also. Peterson said the attorney generals office is committed to making people aware of how to avoid being scammed. These scams can take a persons life savings, Peterson said. The best thing we can do is to try to make you aware of how these scam operations work. Were trying to help you become as educated as you can be. The seed for a community concert series was planted in the mind of the Rev. Jeffrey Nelson, rector of the Episcopal Church of Our Savior in North Platte. After sharing his idea over several years, all the pieces came together after the Lenten Noon Concert Services in the spring. The Downtown Community Concert Series was born. I know this was cooking around in my head for quite a while as a way to further engage the community in a little bit of a different way, Nelson said. I shared that with some other folks and we just finally had the mix of folks who caught that vision too. Nelson said the Lenten concerts seemed to really catch peoples interest and they seemed to enjoy them. On Saturday, the Downtown Community Concert Series will open with a performance by the Trinity Episcopal Cathedral Choir from Omaha. Titled Choral Evensong, the concert begins at 5 p.m. at the Episcopal Church of Our Savior, 203 W. Fourth St., which will host all the performances in the series. The Trinity choir will present a traditional service of sung evening prayer, including music for choir, congregation and organ. Choral works by Nebraska composers will be featured in honor of the state sesquicentennial. What follows over the next several months will be concerts that feature local musicians. Nelson said one in particular is a revival of a previous collaboration between his church and First Lutheran Church. Were doing a traditional Anglican/Episcopalian service called Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in December, Nelson said. There has been some interest in reviving that again because it is an uniquely Anglican thing and a part of our heritage thats really fun to share. The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols will be at 4 p.m. Dec. 17 and will include local musicians and congregational song. Concert organizers include the Rev. Jan Ekstedt, pastor of First Christian Church; Carolyn Cline, organist at the Episcopal church; and David Lindley, pianist. They will come together to perform at each concert in the series. At 7 p.m. Nov. 9, Ekstedt, Cline and Lindley will perform at the second concert, titled Espanol. The program will include Spanish dance music, including malaguena and a tango, performed by violin, piano solo and piano duet. Ekstedt will perform on the violin and Cline and Lindley on the piano. In 2018, the community concerts will include the second season of the Noon Lenten Concert Series on Feb. 20 and 27 and March 6, 13 and 20. The final concert in the series will be at 7 p.m. April 19 and is titled Americana. The music will be distinctly American, featuring selections by George Gershwin, Aaron Copland and Scott Joplin. For more information, call the Episcopal Church of Our Savior, 308-532-0515. A free will offering will be taken at each concert. Doug Peterson knows what its like to turn down drugs. The state attorney general said he turned down acid in eighth grade and a line of cocaine a few years later. Now, Nebraskas top law officer wants teens to have the courage to say no, too. Peterson spoke to the entire North Platte High School student body on Wednesday about the dangers of drugs. He also spoke about the hazards of social media, including sexting extortion and online predators. He said he wants kids to understand how dangerous drugs can be, and how imperative it is for kids to have someone to talk to. I think of my own life and someone has to be talking about it, Peterson said. Peterson said he was a normal high school student, and his friends pressured him to do drugs. He said saying no was always natural to him. I stayed drug free because I never wanted to disappoint my mom, he said. Students said they were surprised to learn that drugs like marijuana could lead to mental disorders like schizophrenia. I was shocked by the way it affects you, junior Jacob Melchert said. Peterson also warned students about cases in which students have been blackmailed after sharing private photos and become targets of online predators posing as teens. Junior Shaniece Epler said of the online dangers, We should look into it more and be safe about it. Epler said she thinks many students engage in sexting, but fewer people should do it. Its not hard to say no, she said. Just follow your heart. The late team changes, injury news and line-up rumours heading into the second week of the 2017 NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series. Match Draw Widget [2017] Telstra Premiership - Finals Week 2: Broncos vs Panthers Broncos: Injured pair Darius Boyd and Tevita Pangai Jnr (both hamstring) won't play on Friday night, with the pair omitted from the 21-man squad a day out from kick-off. No late changes expected. Panthers: Penrith should be as per the starting 17 named on Tuesday for their trip to Brisbane, with Sitaleki Akauola and Jed Cartwright the men to drop off the reserves. Despite reports he might play Matt Moylan won't take to the field on Friday night, not listed on the Panthers team list. Match Draw Widget [2017] Telstra Premiership - Finals Week 2: Eels vs Cowboys Eels: Tepai Moeroa (concussion) is unlikely to play. Should he fail to prove his fitness Kenny Edwards will start in the back row with David Gower or Peni Terepo joining the bench. Cameron King (arm) was restricted to light duties earlier in the week but should be right to go. Kaysa Pritchard is on standby if King is ruled out. Cowboys: Hooker Jake Granville (hamstring) didn't train earlier in the week but will be right to play. Centre Justin O'Neill is a good chance of returning from an elbow injury, which would likely see Javid Bowen or Antonio Winterstein make way. Broncos v Panthers: Schick Preview Eels v Cowboys: Schick Preview Winning habits: Cleary's gameday diary Boyd rules himself out of Panthers clash Unpredictability key to Eels' finals push Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our free Nuneaton & Bedworth email updates are the best way to get headlines direct to your inbox Nuneaton's Council House has finally been sold - and is set to be converted into flats. After more than a year on the market, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has struck a deal to sell the former council house. As contracts have not officially been exchanged, information on who it has been sold to and for how much has to remain confidential. However, it has been confirmed that the building, which sits next to the Town Hall and was once home to scores of employees, will be converted into residential apartments. A spokesperson for the borough council said: At this stage we have received an acceptable offer and will progress the sale. The intention would be to convert the council house into residential apartments but until we exchange contractors we cant say anything more. Les Snowden, the head of estates and emergency planning at the borough council, was officially given permission, under delegated authority by an officer, to forge ahead with the sale on Wednesday, September 6. But at the time of going to press, no further information about the deal was available. What is known is that the sale, once it has gone through, will bring to an end a saga that has run for more than year. It was in the summer of 2015 that the council revealed that it planned to either sell off or rent the building but it was not put on the market until the start of last year. Staff were moved out of the building, with some relocating to the Town Hall while others were asked to hot desk so that the building could be sold. From day one, the cash-strapped authority has said that the decision to no longer use the Council House building was not only to raise some much-needed revenue, but to also implement more agile working and make full use of the space in the Town Hall. Old Style Inn, a longtime staple of the downtown Valparaiso dining scene across from the Porter County Courthouse, has served its last slice of prime rib after feeding diners for generations. Owners Kenn and Mary Grcich posted on the restaurant's website "thanks for 17 great years" and posted the "that's all folks" logo from Looney Tunes cartoons to the Old Style Inn's Facebook page. They had owned the restaurant at 5 Lincolnway in Valparaiso for 17 years, but it had been open since 1932. They could not be immediately reached for comment. The old school restaurant with deep-wood paneling had a traditional Region menu with lake perch, all-you-can-eat frog legs, walleye, bluegill, duck, crab legs, pasta and several steaks. The downtown mainstay offered baked squash as an alternative to potatoes and always served corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day. It was well known for its huge chunks of juicy prime rib of beef, which was the signature menu item and so popular as a special that it was offered daily. Online reviewers called Old Style Inn "legendary" and compared it to an Italian family restaurant on Chicago's South Side. Many remarked it lately served a mainly older clientele. A wave of old school dining institutions have recently been closing across Northwest Indiana, including Strongbow in Valparaiso, Bronko's in Crown Point, The Patio in Merrillville, the Bread Basket in Hammond, Rodini's in Michigan City and Kelsey's Steak House in Portage. HIGHLAND A 28-year-old who missed his shot eight years ago at "American Idol" is getting a second chance after wowing a panel of judges last week on "Windy City Live's" "Chicago Idol." Justin Ray's big win in the local competition Friday earned him a Silver Ticket, guaranteeing him an audition later this year in front of the national show's executive producers for a finalist position. It also allows him to bypass the long, grueling preliminary auditions that he fought for weeks to get through in 2009. At that time, Ray was only 20 when he made it to the Top 30 during the popular singing show's Season 9 but failed to move on after that. "American Idol," set to air next year, is on its 16th season. "I am on cloud nine. I'm so excited and happy for a second chance. I was a lot younger then, just developing my voice and finding out who I was as a vocalist. I'm stronger now and know who I am vocally," Ray said. When his godmother sent him a link and told him to audition for "Windy City Live's" competition, Ray said he was doubtful. "I thought, 'I dont know, Ive auditioned my life away' ... 'X-Factor,' 'The Voice,' 'America's Got Talent,' 'The Sing Off.' ... Every audition you can think of, I've probably done it," he said. According to "Windy City Live," the panel of judges included two of the show's co-hosts, ABC 7 Eyewitness News Anchor Terrell Brown and celebrity guest Haley Reinhart, who placed third in the 10th season of "American Idol." The judges had nothing but praise for Ray after he belted out a rendition of Etta James' "At Last." Brown said he had goosebumps as he heard what was an emotional and almost "perfect performance." Ray, who is a worship team member at Family Christian Center in Munster, said the support from family, friends and his church family has been phenomenal. "It's very emotional for me and overwhelming," he said. This upcoming tryout is not only Ray's second chance, but his last. The cut-off age for auditions is 28, he said. He says he's already brainstorming song ideas for the executive producers. "You want to give them some variety. Maybe some old school, a ballad, something uptempo. I'll have six in my pocket ready to go," he said. "I love songs that inspire people and give them hope." 'It's my passion' Lake Station's Maddy Haskell was also among the 10 competitors last week to perform on "Windy City Live" and blow away the judges. "I sing because it's my passion. I don't want fame, money. It's just something that I love and can't let go of," she said. She and eight others won the fast pass, which allowed them to cut the line at the "American Idol" auditions, held in Chicago this past Monday. The 18-year-old said she didn't make it to the next round but that she's perfectly OK with not winning. She said her mother, who told her to audition for "Windy City Live's" local competition, is her No. 1 fan. "It's my senior year (at Chesterton High School.) I think my friends are more upset than I am. I was smiling when I walked out. It was the coolest experience ever. How can I be mad? I made it on live TV," she said. "It was really cool to have all these people cheering for me." To see Haskell and Ray perform on "Windy City Live's" "Chicago Idol," visit abc7chicago.com/entertainment/the-windy-city-live-chicago-idol-competition/2392114/ ABSTRACT Introduction: Occupational dermatitis has long been an unforeseen consequence of industrial progress. Today, most occupational diseases are dermatosis throughout the world. The morbidity and the various prejudices concern different actors, especially those of the cashew industry in Bobo-Dioulasso to Burkina Faso. We considered it appropriate to conduct this study in women who handle cashew nuts in the cashew nut shelling station at a factory. The aim is to contribute to the search for preventive and curative solutions adapted to this health risk. Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study with a descriptive purpose in May 2016. The study involved 112 women present in the factory in the shelling unit and having given their approval during our visit. This station is occupied by 118 women. Results: The prevalence of all dermatosis and dermatitis was estimated respectively at 98.21% and 88.39%. The manual shelling station with a shearing machine was exclusively occupied by illiterate women (72.3%) without personal protective equipment, with an average age of 33.74 8.49 years. Among the clinical forms of contact dermatitis, the erythematous contact dermatitis was most observed (86.4%), followed by palmar keratoderma (70.9%), nail disorders (33.6%) and chemical burns (30%). The implication of Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL) was established with identified promoting factors. Aesthetic damage related to hand injuries had a significant psychosocial impact in 97.32% of cases. Discussion: Few studies exist on dermatitis and the health impacts in the reality of cashew because they reach vulnerable subjects without social welfare and health protection. The cashew nuts shell contains a highly irritating brown oily liquid. Dermatitis occurs during contact with this oily juice. The international literature reports this corrosive effect throughout the history of the chain. Human factors, technical factors and work environment aggravate the situation and compromize workwomen health. Conclusion: Cashew huskers had dermatitis with an impact on daily life. Working conditions and security of employment, hygiene attitudes and anacardic acid were identified as causes of this situation. It is imperious to take measures in collaboration with the occupational physicians to ensure these womens health at work and improve their quality of life. Keywords: Dermatitis, Aesthetic, Shelling Unit, Cashew, Anacardic Acid, Burkina Faso 1. Introduction Occupational diseases result from dysfunctions arising from the interactions between human factors, technical factors, work environment and factors related to work organization [1] . Today, about 20% - 34% of occupational diseases in Europe are dermatosis [2] . Occupational dermatosis accounts for more than 10% of the cutaneous pathology in France and affects 1% to 2% of active employees [3] . In Burkina Faso, according to the 2009 report of the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) conducted by Ouedraogo et al. on the medico-legal aspects of occupational dermatosis, into the 41 occupational diseases reported to the CNSS from 1979 to 2009, four were occupational dermatitis, with a frequency of 9.8% [4] . Processing units of cashew nuts in their diversity nowadays face enormous difficulties in managing health risks. The shell of the nut is composed of two shells, one on the outside green and fine, the other internal brown and hard, separated by a cavity structure which contains a caustic phenolic resin consisting of 90% acid and 10% cashew Cardol called cashew balm. The contents of the husk defined as CNSL or Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (corrosive oil contained in the shell of the nut) or cashew acid or anacardic acid, cause damages on the integument. [5] The cashew factory located in Bobo-Dioulasso employs more than 250 of whom 90% are female. The factory shelling station employs 118 women. It has capacity for processing 1.300 tons of raw cashew nuts per year. The finished products are transported to supermarkets in Europe and marketed in BIO and Fair-trade. Throughout the process of transformation, the cashew kernel is largely processed by hand to remove the finished product [5] . It result from irritated and allergic dermatitis related to mechanical and chemical factors; there are main factors, and sometimes associated [6] . Few studies exist in Africa and around the world on the health impacts in the reality of cashew nuts. The shelling station in Bobo-Dioulasso is exclusively occupied by vulnerable women. We conducted a study in a cashew processing factory to study the impact of cashew nut manipulation on the health of workwomen. The aim was to contribute to the search for a preventive and curative solution adapted to this health risk which gradually compromises the hope of these courageous women, in search of their financial autonomy. 2. Methods We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study with descriptive purpose in May 2016 in a cashew processing factory. The sampling took into account all the women at the shelling station and present during the passage of the investigation team consisting of a dermatologist, an occupational doctor, three interned trainees in Medicine, a preparer in Pharmacy and a photographer. It was a survey to single passage during a day in a workstation at risk according to the reports of the factory. The variables studied were socio-demographic, clinical and concerned working conditions. A standardized survey form was designed for data collection. She was informed by a direct face-to-face interview with the woman completed by the physical examination data. The data entered on the computer using the Epi Data and Word software, were analyzed using the Epi Info version 7 software. The Pearson Chi square test was used to compare the proportions with a significance level of 0.05. The stata 12 software was also used to analyze the correlations of variables at the 25% threshold. Ethically, when a dermatosis was found in a woman, advice was given and a masterful preparation (White Vaseline + almond oil + weak corticosteroid) was given as well as an adapted medical prescription according to the cases. The feedback on the validated recommendations was given to the company and the workers. 3. Results During our study, 112 female huskers were included, questioned, examined and among them, 110 had at least one dermatosis and 99 had dermatitis, with respective prevalences of 98.21% (110/112) and 88.39% (99/112). In terms of socio-demographic characteristics, the cashew shelling station was exclusively occupied by women. The mean age in our study population was 33.74 8.49 years with extremes of 18 and 65 years and a median of 34 years. The age group of 30 to 39 years was the most represented with 38.39%. In terms of education, non-literate workers accounted for 72.3% of our population. Of the 112 employees, 109 lived in a couple (97.3%). At the interrogation, the notion of personal atopy was found in 10 employees (8.9%). The notion of family atopy was found in 6 employees (5.4%). Of the 112 employees, 74 had previously had a dermatological history related to cashew nuts. The mode of occurrence was specified in 64 employees: the occurrence was regular in 46 cases i.e. 71.87% and occasional in 18 i.e. 28.13%. The occurrence of dermatitis resulted in a work stoppage in 14 employees, i.e. 12.5% (14/112). This stop lasted on average 6.29 days 4.68 days with extremes of 2 and 14 days. The cessation of work resulted in the modification of the signs of dermatitis in 12 cases without treatment. The average length of service in the unit was 2.78 1.75 years with extremes of 1 day to 7 years. The median was 3 years. All the workwomen in our sample worked full-time. The majority of them did not use protective equipment, ie 109 out of 112 employees (97.32%). The cashew kernel is largely processed by hand to remove the finished product. During labor all women used pure cashew oil in 100% (112/112), castor oil 11.6% (13/112), and cotton oil 9% (10/112) to relieve the corrosive effects of the nut content on the skin. The soap was systematically used by 105 out of 112 women for cleaning just after work (93.75%). To clean dead skin and stains, rubbing stone and lemon were used respectively by 64 (57.1%) and 32 patients (28.6%). Of the 105 employees using the soap, the brand name was specified by 86 employees (81.9%). Traditional black soap and the SN CITEC factory soap were the most used, with respective proportions of 39.0% (41/105) and 25.7% (27/105). Some rare and curious products were used by 19 (18.1%) women at home to eradicate skin damage: the tamarind juice per 5 women, the brewery residues (BRAKINA BREWERY) by 5, the ash by 3 and the bleach by 3 women. The analysis of the elementary lesions made it possible to pose 110 diagnosis of contact dermatitis (88.39%) with many clinical presentations: inflammatory erythematous lesions (Figure 1) (86.4%), palmar keratoderma (Figure 2) (70.9%), skin detachment by chemical burns due to CNSL (Figure 3) (30.0%). Table 1 shows the frequency of its clinical presentations. On the topographic level, lesions were mainly on the palms of the hands in 93.75%, the back of the hands in 91.07%, the nails 30.36%, the forearms in 24.11% and the ocular conjunctiva in 2.7%. The dermatitis evolved from an average of 2.35 years with extremes of 1 day to 6 years. The median was 3 years. Pruritus and lichenification were the main associated signs, with frequencies of 49.1% and 40.0% respectively. Contact with cashew is the main etiological factor in 104 cases, i.e. 94.55% of those who presented lesions and who worked without protection. At the multivariate statistical analysis, erythematous contact dermatitis (ECD) were significantly associated with a medical past history of dermatitis (p = 0, 0005) (Table 2). Palmar keratoderma were significantly associated with those Figure 1. Erythematous contact dermatitis was the clinical form most observed. Figure 2. Palmar keratoderma by prolonged and repeated contact with Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL). Figure 3. Burning skin and detachments from contacts with Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL). who use castor oil (P = 0.0020) and oil from cotton (p = 0.0081) (Table 3). The use of black soap (p = 0.0303) and an age of more than 4 years (p = 0.0044) were associated with skin detachment; this is recorded in the following table (Table 4). The hands lesions had a psychological impact on 109 workwomen (97.32%). The following table shows the distribution of patients according to the type of psychosocial repercussion (Table 5). Table 1. Distribution of patients according to the anatomo-clinical form of dermatitis among the 110 cases of dermatosis. ECD*: Erythematous Contact Dermatitis; Other*: Allergic Contact Dermatitis, Injuries by device and Scar of injuries. Table 2. Distribution of Erythematous Contact Dermatitis (ECD) according the sociodemographic characteristics. 4. Discussion Our study was transversal prospective in a professional environment. The main limit of our study was the bias of information concerning socio-demographic data and working conditions. Table 3. Distribution of palmar keratoderma according to the sociodemographic characteristics. During our study at the shelling station, the prevalence of dermatitis was 88.39%. These results are significantly higher than those of Cisse and al. [7] in Guinea who found 41.72% of contact dermatitis at this post. The increase in cases is due to the industrial and semi-industrial transformation which is growing strongly in Burkina Faso. This recent development supported by the Non-governmental organization (ONG Oxfam), now seems to attract a lot of investors [4] . All employees were women living in precarious situations. In this female population, 72.3% were uneducated. Few articles exist on dermatitis and the health impacts in the reality of cashew nets because they reach subjects at the bottom of the scale without social and health protection. It is a subsistence job for vulnerable women [5] [7] . Regarding working conditions, the women worked without a protective device with a shearing machine. To calm the pain and repair after-effects caused by anacardic acid the women used pure cashew oil in which they regularly plunge their hands with immediate relief according to them. In our study each woman used other products at home after work. What is worrying is that these products Table 4. Distribution of skin detachments (chemical burns) according to the socio-demographic characteristics. Table 5. Distribution of patients according to the type of psychosocial impact. are too basic such as soda, ash and too much acid (some residue from brewery) and corrosive products such as bleach that will aggravate the lesions instead of treating them [8] [9] . Concerning personal protective measures, the vast majority (99%) justified the non-use of gloves by the fact they aggravated hands injuries. In fact, in contact with the machine blades, the gloves are perforated and the CNLS penetrates [9] . Contact dermatitis is common among workers in the cashew nut factory. This is why the current trend in other countries is the use of automatic shelling machine and adapted gloves to minimize contacts. The etiology of dermatitis is attributed to cashew nuts such as Eleonora, Anacardium is responsible for irritative and allergic dermatitis by chemical contact [6] . According to Catherine PAQUET [10] , her shell contains a highly irritating brown oily liquid. Dermatitis occurs during contact with this oily juice. The international literature reports this corrosive effect throughout the history of the chain [11] [12] [13] [14] . We observed mainly erythematous contact dermatitis (ECD). There are the most frequent of all occupational dermatitis [8] [9] . At the multivariate statistical analysis, the palmar keratoderma was significantly associated with those using castor oil (p = 0.0020) and oil from cotton (p = 0.0081. Certain oils (cotton and castor) aggravate the situation without one knows why. Yet these oils have the reputation of relieving the burns [15] . The use of black soap and seniority age of more than 4 years was associated with skin detachments, highlighting the role of soda and repeated contacts with CNSL [9] . These lesions were localized on the hands which had a high relational, social and aesthetic value. Then the morbidity and aesthetic prejudice had a psychological impact on 109 employees ie 97.32%. As for the psychosocial repercussions, the events were associated and often diversified. Women were stigmatized in 73.4% of cases (80/109). They avoided of contacts and greetings in 40.36% of cases (44/109). But in front of necessities and financial precariousness, they resigned themselves and ended by becoming indifferent. In spite of the understanding of the spouses in this struggle for survival, marital life was disrupted in 7.34% of cases (8/109). We have not been able to find in the international literature a study on the psychological repercussions. 5. Conclusion The prevalence of dermatitis in our study was 88.39% in many clinical presentations: Inflammatory erythematous lesions (86.4%), associated with palmar keratoderma (70.9%), skin detachment skin by chemical burns due to CNSL (30.0%). The psychological impact of dermatitis was quite significant. The etiopathogenesis was clearly established on the data of the literature and the observations of the study. Associated factors have been identified. Cashew huskers had dermatitis with an impact on daily life. Then, working conditions and security of employment, hygiene attitudes and anacardic acid were identified as causes of this situation. It is imperious to take measures in collaboration with the occupational physicians to ensure these womens health at work and improve their quality of life. Indeed cashew industry is at full extension in Burkina Faso with the creation of new factories and recruitment of vulnerable women. Larger studies in many factories will undoubtedly identify the contours of the problem and propose suitable solutions to the benefit of cashew processing factories of Burkina Faso. Cite this paper Andonaba, J.-B., Lompo, S.S., Ouedraogo, V., Ouedraogo, F., Ouedraogo, M.S., Konate, I., Diallo, B. and Traore, A. (2017) Skin Damage and Aes- thetic Disadvantage Observed in Women in the Hand Craft Shelling Chain of Cashew Nuts in a Factory to Bobo-Dioulasso, Bur- kina Faso. Journal of Cosmetics, Derma- tological Sciences and Applications, 7, 211-220. https://doi.org/10.4236/jcdsa.2017.73020 References CROWN POINT Area veterans are being asked to relate their military experiences as part of a history project event taking place Friday. Staff members from the office of U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Indiana, will host the Veteran's History Project event at at Adam Benjamin Jr. Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday. The project is an effort by the Library of Congress to preserve the historic experiences of those who served in the U.S. military by recording their personal narratives and archiving them for future use by historians, teachers and the other members of the public. Donnelly's staff and other Hoosier volunteers will be present Friday to interview veterans. Area residents who would like to volunteer to interview the veterans also are welcome. Veterans who want to share their stories and volunteers wanting to interview them should respond to Donnelly's office by contacting Ryan Wiegand at Ryan.Wiegand@donnelly.senate.gov. Donnelly will not be present, but in a release said: "The men and women who courageously served our country have moving stories to share about their service. It is important that we record their statements so that future generations have the opportunity to learn from their experiences and appreciate the sacrifices they have made to protect our freedoms." VALPARAISO The new Center for the Sciences at Valparaiso University is, like you might expect from a chemistry building, ready to bond with other molecules. The building is designed to be part of a foursome, joining the engineering building and two future buildings to form a quadrangle. No date has been set for construction of those buildings yet. "The idea is to create a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) village right here," said physics professor Andy Richter, chairman of the faculty committee that helped design the building. Collaborating with the engineering department, which is already housed at the nearby Gellersen Center, could bring new types of engineering degrees, Richter said. The $30 million Center for the Sciences was built with borrowed money, not alumni contributions, with the aim of building interest in the sciences, Richter said. "Were hoping increased enrollment would essentially pay for it," Richter said. "Youve got to plunk down some money to support the sciences every now and then." The new building is 56,000 square feet and offers primarily wet labs for chemistry, biochemistry and biology. It features "safe, efficient workspaces," Richter said, and modern lab facilities like the students will be using at their places of employment upon graduation. The interdisciplinary lab at the buildings core is designed to allow nine faculty members and students to work simultaneously. The lab has large windows so their work is on display. Claire Mammoser, of Gaylord, Michigan, is a senior chemistry student at VU. Her current research is on incorporating unnatural amino acids, those not naturally occurring in the human body, into proteins in living cells. This is pure research, but it could have health applications in the future. The large labs make a big difference for her, she said. "In this case, just in terms of the spaces that we have that are available to us, its a lot easier to have big projects and multiple projects spinning in the same space," Mammoser said. The interdisciplinary lab takes almost the entire first floor of the building. "What we have here is really a lab that looks like the ones at big research schools," Mammoser said. She predicts it will be a good recruitment tool for VU. Jennifer Holt, associate professor of chemistry, was involved in the faculty committee trying to design the building. Her office is near a place for students to study, and near the labs, so she is easily accessible to her students. The new, modern equipment has the potential to change the way lessons unfold. In just the few weeks the new building has been in use for instruction, Holt said, she found herself showing a spreadsheet not just to a small group of students but to an entire class because of the large monitor in the room. Movable tables allow students to pair up in different ways for more hands-on activities, which will bring more innovative teaching, Holt said. "We have a lot more research area in terms of square footage and better equipment and opportunities," Holt said. That will be looked favorably upon by employers looking to hire college graduates, she said. Holt hopes VU will attract more and stronger students because of the new building, too. Jon Schoer, associate professor of chemistry, is involved in two areas of research taking water samples in the community for analysis, but also collaborating with colleagues in the College of Engineering to see if water molecules can be split to create hydrogen for fuel. The proximity to the Gellersen Center and solar furnace will make collaboration easier, he said. Using more modern instrumentation helps, too. More advanced instruments are able to process more quickly and efficiently, Schoer said. "Its a gorgeous building, and its got spectacular lab facilities," he said. The labs are the highlight of the new building, but the public art inside is also worth noting. A large glass installation by Hot Shop Valpo represents water, a fundamental solvent for chemistry. The sculpture, a gift of chemistry chairman Steve Engerer, reflects light through the large windows in the lobby and is intended to remind visitors of the universitys motto, "In thy light, we see light." GARY U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos will visit the city of Gary on Friday as part of her four-day, six-state 2017 Rethink School Tour. DeVos is scheduled to visit Gary Middle College at 11:30 a.m. and then will go to 21st Century Charter School. She kicked off her 2017 Rethink School Tour earlier this week in Wyoming, according to a U.S. Department of Education news release. DeVos' tour will "highlight the innovative and groundbreaking work happening in schools across America ... and showcase creative ways in which education leaders are meeting the needs of students in K-12 and higher education," the release stated. MICHIGAN CITY Police are warning residents to be vigilant when vetting where their money goes to aid hurricane victims in Texas and Florida. "The aftermath of a natural disaster is a hotbed for all sorts of scammers," Michigan City Sgt. Chris Yagelski said in a news release. "We all have friends or relatives that have been affected by the recent storms and of course we all want to help," Yagelski said. "Just as with our local NIPSCO heading south to assist in rescue efforts, more and more people want to help, donate or send food and water to victims in need." Within days of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma beating down on the Texas and Florida coasts, "cybercriminals" snapped up scores of Internet domain names, such as Irma, Harvey, help, relief and victims," he said. These bogus websites are claiming to be charities set up for relief to storm victims. "Cybercriminals are opportunists and, sadly, events like Harvey and Irma are prime examples of their preying on our empathy and trust," he added. "People all over the world quickly rushed to their social media accounts to find the best avenues to donate to victims, but these same avenues are ideal for scammers who try to convince victims to donate to their fraudulent causes." The Michigan City Police Department encourages people to contribute to relief efforts but urged residents to donate money and supplies through well-established organizations and pay attention to possible red flags that could indicate scams. Anyone contacted directly by a person requesting money and claiming to represent an organization should proceed with caution and skepticism. A better option is to donate through more trusted methods, including well-established organizations websites. Police urged people to never give out any personal information, such as bank account or debit and credit card numbers, to organizations or charities. Anyone who believes they have been scammed should contact Yagelski at 219-873-1461, ext. 1020, or email ASKACOP@Emichigancity.com VALPARAISO Two people were flown to a Chicago-area hospital and a 27-year-old Valparaiso woman was arrested on drunken driving charges early Monday after she crashed into a home off Vale Park Road, police said. Valparaiso police responded to the scene about 1 a.m. and found a trail of damage along Vale Park Road just east of Calumet Avenue. A vehicle had crashed through two fences and struck a home in the 1500 block of Aster Avenue, trapping the two residents in their bedroom, police said. The driver of the vehicle, Ivoree Richardson, 27, of Valparaiso, showed strong signs of intoxication, police said. Officers also found an alcoholic beverage bottle in her vehicle. Valparaiso Fire and EMS personnel freed the residents, a 45-year-old man and 45-year-old woman. Their conditions were not known late Wednesday morning, police said. Richardson was taken to Porter Regional Hospital, where her blood alcohol content was found to be 0.434 more than five times the legal driving limit of 0.08, police said. Richardson was treated and released from the hospital. She was booked into the Porter County Jail on charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury, operating while intoxicated with a prior/felony, operating while intoxicated while endangering others and operating while intoxicated with a blood alcohol content of more than 0.15. Alfredo Estradas dedication to helping pave the way for the advancement of other Latino attorneys was recognized at the Indiana State Bar Associations annual awards luncheon Aug. 30 in Indianapolis, where he received the Trailblazer/Abriendo Caminos Award. Estrada is an associate attorney at the Merrillville firm Burke Costanza & Carberry. He is the co-chair of the firm's immigration practice group and a member of the firms litigation practice group. Estradas practice involves immigration, civil litigation in both state in federal courts and representing municipal and governmental entities. Estrada is admitted to practice law in Indiana, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District, and the U.S. Immigration Court. Estradas immigration practice mainly focuses on representing undocumented clients with USCIS application/petitions and removal defense in front of Executive Office of Immigration Review, Immigration Court. He is a member of the Indiana State and Lake County bar associations. Estrada has successfully advocated for immigrants by lobbying local municipalities to adopt a Welcome City ordinance. The Welcome City ordinance requires the adopting municipality to review all current municipal documents to determine whether immigrant status is required in regards to the municipal benefit, increases communication with immigrant residents and appoints an official to review U Visa certification applications. He has been successful in the cities of Gary and East Chicago and is currently in communication with multiple other municipalities. Estrada is a former steelworker and a lifelong resident of Northwest Indiana. He earned his undergraduate degree in political science from Purdue University Calumet and continued his pursuit of education and earned his law degree from Valparaiso University Law School. While at Valparaiso University School of Law he was a member of the Honors division, a full-tuition scholarship recipient and graduated magna cum laude. GARY The family of an 87-year-old man who died this week after being assaulted in his own neighborhood is trying to raise funds to give him The police chief in LaPorte is stepping down, but will stay on until the position is filled. Adam Klimczak, 43, turned in his letter of resignation Wednesday after close to 21 years on the force. Klimczak said he chose to retire from the department to explore job opportunities away from law enforcement. ''This is something I've been considering for quite some time,'' Klimczak said. He was appointed police chief by former Mayor Blair Milo just prior to her taking office in 2012 following two separate stints as chief of detectives. Milo left a month ago to become Indiana's secretary of career connection & talent, a position created by Gov. Eric Holcomb. She was replaced by Mark Krentz, who was elected during a caucus of 20 Republican precinct committee members in the city. ''I just felt with her leaving and a new mayor coming in, it may be time to just pull the trigger and go ahead and take the plunge," Klimczak said. Klimczak was often criticized by city Councilman Roger Galloway the past several years for not being out in the public enough and not doing enough to combat the drug problem. Galloway declined comment when contacted Thursday. Klimczak said creation of the Drug & Crime Reduction Strike Force that targets problem areas as they develop with a greater police presence and extending help to heroin addicts who asked for it were among the highlights of his career. He especially enjoyed his days in the detective bureau. ''Working those cases from start to finish and helping people who were victimized made you feel good. It was very enjoyable to work in the detective bureau,'' Klimczak said. His late father, Stan Klimczak, was assistant police chief in LaPorte when he retired more than a decade ago. VALPARAISO Approval of a proposed $14 million residential development in the city's downtown has been delayed by two weeks. At the end of a nearly three-hour meeting this week, the city's Plan Commission failed to take action on a 48-unit condominium development proposed to be built at the former St. Paul Catholic Church/School site. The commission agreed on Tuesday to hold a special meeting at 7 p.m Sept. 26 to decide on whether or not to grant developer Bob Coolman his requests for planned unit development and primary plat. Plan Commission President Bruce Berner, who asked that the decision be delayed for two weeks, told residents who packed the meeting room there wouldn't be a second public hearing at the Sept. 26 meeting. "There will be no public hearing but just the vote which will be yes or no and it be forwarded to the City Council. You will get another opportunity to speak at the City Council public hearing," Berner said. Berner made his statement after the commission allowed for more than an hour of comments and questions, both pro and con for the project, from some 15 residents. Reaction from residents was mixed with some stating they were happy with the project and the fact that something was being developed at the long vacant site. But the majority, including resident Sue Brown, spoke of concerns about increased traffic the development would bring, the high number of condominiums proposed and its affordability. Brown and other residents said they hadn't gone to the neighborhood meetings and needed more time to digest the impact of the proposed project since just learning about it. 'I submit to you that we need more time," Brown said. Resident Jim Jorgensen termed himself a "reluctant supporter," noting the project's exit is almost on his property and will mean a major disruption. "We support it because it's a private investment and is a continuation of the enhancement of the downtown. We have absolute confidence it will be an excellent project," Jorgensen said. "I'm not comfortable to vote tonight," Berner said. Coolman, president of Coolman Communities Inc. of Valparaiso, gave a one-hour presentation on his plans for a $14 million to $15 million investment that will cover nearly the entire block surrounded by Campbell Street, Chicago Street, Academy Street and Chestnut Street. The condominiums, which Coolman described as "upscale, urban and sophisticated," will include four residential owner-occupied buildings, each with 12 two-and-three bedroom units. Each building will have 10 condominium-style units in the three-story center and two-story town homes on each end. A price point for the cost of the condominiums has not yet been determined, Coolman said. "It's been the focus of my company to not just build homes but good neighborhoods which is certainly true of St. Paul Square," Coolman said. Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims have been called the world's most persecuted minority, a people without a country. In the last two weeks, in numbers estimated to be nearing 300,000, Rohingya have been fleeing for their lives into already-crowded refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh. It is the third such mass exodus in four decades. A look at what's behind it. STATELESS IN OWN STATE An estimated 1 million to 1.2 million people in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine self-identify as Rohingya. The government of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, refuses to recognize them as one of the country's 135 lawful ethnic minorities, instead calling them Bengalis, with the implication that their native land is in Bangladesh and they are illegally settled in Myanmar. They are similarly unwelcome in Bangladesh. What has made the situation particularly dire for the Rohingya was the passage in 1982 of a citizenship law that had the practical effect of making most of them stateless and depriving them of most of their civil rights along with economic opportunities. They are legally restricted in their right to travel, to marry and in the number of children they can have. In practical terms, access to decent education and health care, as well as employment, is also limited. HISTORY OF MIGRATION The legitimacy of the Rohingya claim to indigenous status is a matter of sharp debate inside Myanmar. But most historians agree that by the 9th century, there was an independent kingdom of Arakan in what is now Rakhine state, and thanks to contact with Arab traders who arrived by sea, Islam made increasing inroads among the local population. Over several centuries, an admixture of outsiders Arabs, Turks, Persians, Mughals and Pathans congealed with the local population to form what many scholars recognize as the Rohingya. Arakan was conquered by a Burmese king in 1784, but natural barriers with the rest of Burma prevented Buddhist colonization in northern Arakan. Britain's annexation of Arakan in 1824-26, attaching it to its colony of India, was a fateful turning point. South Asians, including Bengali Muslims, moved into Arakan as cheap labor, many integrating into the established Muslim community. Even the handful of Myanmar Buddhist nationalists willing to accept the idea of an indigenous Rohingya identity draw the line here: Descendants of settlers during the British colonial period, they believe, have no legitimate claim to be natives of the region. RISE OF BUDDHIST NATIONALISM The British followed the traditional but cynical colonial practice of placing minority people in this case Indians in midlevel administrative positions. In those jobs they were privileged but also resented by Burmese Buddhists. When Burmese nationalism, strongly supported by the Buddhist clergy, blossomed in the 1920s and '30s, the Rohingya, identified by many with the Indian influx, were put in an awkward position. Burma's political separation from India in 1937 saw riots against them. World War II's Japanese invaders, who fostered a tactical alliance with Burmese nationalists, had little patience for any friends of the British. In 1942, with the physical withdrawal of the British from Arakan, grisly massacres by Buddhists against the Rohingya Muslims, and vice versa, established a blood feud. DISCRIMINATION AND FLIGHT The Rohingya, like the country's other minorities, fought the post-war civilian government for greater autonomy and in turn were promised equal rights. But a military dictatorship that seized power in 1962 sought to deny the minorities' demands and promoted strong nationalism favoring the majority Buddhist Burmans. Rohingya became targeted by security forces in the 1977-78 crackdown, which sent some 200,000 fleeing across the border into Bangladesh. The junta's renewed onslaught in 1991-92 forced another 250,000 into Bangladesh. Most eventually returned, though with the same lack of legal rights as before and in many cases to find their land had been taken over. Indignities large and small had become part of daily life, and tensions with the Buddhist Rakhine minority, dominant in southern Rakhine but seeking to expand north, resulted in bloody communal rioting in 2012, taking at least 200 lives and driving at least 120,000 Rohingya into displacement camps, where most subsist to this day. A wave of anti-Muslim sentiment, fanned by ultra-nationalist Buddhists taking advantage of a democratized political atmosphere, kept tension at a boil. ROHINGYA INSURGENTS A shadowy group of Rohingya insurgents staged raids on police outposts last October, killing nine border guards. The army responded with "clearance operations" that human rights groups say involved organized brutality against Rohingya villagers. The insurgents, now calling themselves the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, used newly recruited members to launch much larger attacks on Aug. 25, triggering larger and harsher reprisals. The government says about 400 people have been killed, nearly all of them "terrorists." Rohingya refugees accuse security forces of indiscriminate killings and burning villages. Many Rohingya and their supporters say the crackdown is a long- term plan for ethnic cleansing; some even call it genocide. The World War II Memorial in Garys Buffington Park was recently subjected to a senseless act of vandalism by unknown criminal elements. By all appearances, the monument suffered blows from a sledgehammer in an effort to topple the 22-ton granite slabs containing an Honor Roll of the 1,031 men and women from the East Side, most of them Emerson graduates, who served our country during World War II, including six who gave the ultimate sacrifice in that conflict. Dedicated on Nov. 18, 1945, in the presence of city officials, civic leaders, servicemen and women, east-siders and other Gary residents, the memorial was financed by the contributions of the mothers of those who served in our armed forces. The memorial was sponsored by the East Side Honor Roll Club. George Kuny, Gary park botanist, designed the grounds around the memorial, an area originally illuminated at night with floodlights. The three granite slabs containing the names of veterans on both sides is flanked on either side by a stone urn and embellished with decorative carving and an inscription that reads: "12-7-41 9-2-45 East Side Honor Roll Franklin D. Roosevelt Those Who Served Our Country in World War II PRO DEO ET PATRIA" Brass flames on top of the urns, crafted by industrial arts students at Emerson High School, were another original feature of the Memorial, but later were vandalized. For many years, Garys Memorial Day parade concluded with a ceremony at the memorial honoring Gary veterans and accompanied by area high school bands. Today, the memorial stands sorely neglected and vulnerable to the predations of vandals who care nothing of its history and the many sacrifices it represents. Each name inscribed on the memorial has its own story to tell, like that of fighter pilot Harry Warnke, Emerson Class of 1939, who perished during a training flight on the island of Oahu; or my uncle, Ernest Matheus, who survived being shot by a Japanese sniper while serving with the CBs in the Pacific. The veterans whose names were chipped off the Memorial include R.J. Dwyer, G. Early, B. Ebert, E.E. Eckstrom, W. Eckstrom, W.A. Heldman, L.C. Herr, B.K. Hess, J. Hile, J.G. Hile, R.L. Galbert, D.W. Gant, G.G. Gasper, J.J. Gasper, P.K. Geisert, L. Genduso, M.W. Georges, and A.L. Gerometta. A complete list of those on the Honor Roll may be found on the Internet at Emerson65.com/EHShonorRoll.htm. What did the veterans of World War II, most of them deceased, do to deserve this senseless and heartless act of destruction? Whether this was an isolated criminal act of vandalism or part of the larger effort to erase our history by misguided fringe political actors, it is a tragic reflection of the lack of respect and honor due these brave men and women. It also reflects a continued pattern of neglect that affects other Gary architectural monuments, including the nearby Emerson High School, arguably the most famous high school building in America, which has been repeatedly vandalized since its closure in 2008. Let us hope that the city of Gary does the right thing and restores this memorial to its former state so the memory of these brave individuals will continue to be preserved for posterity. The NYPD is on the lookout for white supremacists in the city as the department tries to fight back against hate crimes, which remain on the rise. NY1 Criminal Justice Reporter Dean Meminger has the details from police headquarters. After the deadly violence in Charlottesville, Virginia last month involving the KKK and white supremacists, the NYPD acknowledges it is keeping a watch on these groups as best it can. "While those of us at the NYPD and the U.S. government broadly track groups that commit acts of domestic terrorism which is a crime there is no official government list of designated domestic terrorist groups like there is for foreign terrorist organizations," said Meaghan Gruppo of the NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau. For the first time in a public forum, the NYPD spoke about what it called white nationalist violence. There are concerns some attacks may have been inspired by Dylann Roof, the 21-year-old who shot and killed nine African-Americans inside a Charleston, South Carolina church two years ago. Police say that mass killing may have inspired the stabbing death of 66-year-old Timothy Caughman on a Manhattan street in March. The man charged in that murder allegedly traveled to New York to kill black men. "There are similarities: They were both radicalized online, they both frequented sites that discussed black-on-white violence and advocated for white supremacy over different minority groups, and they both allegedly penned manifestos," Gruppo said. While speaking with Jewish leaders about security for the Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, NYPD officials said new groups are popping up, looking to recruit millennials to become white supremacists. Rabbis at the forum said it was important to get this information. "The police will protect us, but they are trying to inform us of the types of people that lurk in shadows," said Rabbi Jacob Goldstein, a Crown Heights community leader. "It gave me a chill of what society we live in, what's going on in this day and age, that we have to be extra careful," said Rabbi Abe Friedman, an NYPD liaison. The NYPD says so far this year, 273 hate crimes have been reported across the city most of them anti-Semitic. That's a dramatic increase, and the NYPD says it is searching for ways to prevent them. "Because it is our mission to make sure nobody in New York City lives their life in fear," Police Commissioner James O'Neill said at the forum. Photo above of white nationalists who rallied in Charlottesville. Record Number of Black Candidates Seeking History During Midterm Elections While some already are household names like Stacey Abrams in Georgia, Val Demings in Florida, and Anthony Brown in Maryland, others like Natalie James in Arkansas, Will Boyd in Alabama,... Tell the Supreme Court: We Still Need Affirmative Action One of the great joys of my life is teaching. Im fortunate to teach classes on social justice at the University of Pennsylvania, one of the most respected schools in... Auburn alumna and former NASA astronaut Jan Davis will present An Auburn Astronaut: My Journey into Space at 3 p.m. Friday as part of the Auburn University Libraries Discover Auburn Women of Distinction, a lecture series celebrating 125 years of Auburn women. The event is part of the This is Auburn speaker series. Davis will speak in the atrium of the Auburn Alumni Center. Davis logged more than 670 hours and orbited the earth 325 times on three Space Shuttle flights. She joined NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville in 1979 as an aerospace engineer. In 1987, she was selected to join the Astronaut Corps at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Davis held many leadership positions with NASA before retiring from the agency in 2005. She continues to work with Gastion Technologies, a NASA contractor, at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. She did her graduate research work in mechanical engineering at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and is a 1971 graduate of Huntsville High School. She earned bachelors degrees from Auburn University and the Georgia Institute of Technology in mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering, respectively. Davis was elected to both the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame and the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame and is active on the Auburn Engineering Alumni Council. In 2002, she was given the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive. She has received NASAs Exceptional Service Medal, Space Medal and Outstanding Leadership Medal. In 2012, she received Auburn Universitys Lifetime Achievement Award. She is married to the Hon. Dick Richardson, judge for the District Court of Madison County, and has two children. She frequently speaks on topics related to space and science. Daviss talk is being delivered Friday as part of Auburns homecoming celebration weekend. Todd Barrish Entering a partnership with a venture capital firm is a complex decision. In 2016, there were 898 venture firms in the United States alone. This competitive market makes the process of choosing a VC difficult. Entrepreneurs need to consider their investment strategy and search for investors with expertise in their market. Before agreeing to meet with a VC, the most promising entrepreneurs conduct meticulous due diligence by reading blogs, Tweets and articles. This poses a question: in venture capital where everyones money is just as green how can your VC firm stand out? VC marketing and PR trends Over the past three years, venture capital firms have recognized an increasing need for marketing and PR. In 2014, an East coast team became the first venture firm in Boston to hire a Director of Platform. A Platform in venture capital is when investors offer resources to entrepreneurs beyond money and their partners time and expertise. Directors of Platform oversee strategic internal and external initiatives like marketing and design to support portfolio companies and the local startup community. From a strategic perspective, these hiring decisions make sense. Firms that dismiss the power of branding, risk competing solely on price, valuation and terms not the most powerful differentiators. According to Jyoti Bansal, founder of AppDynamics (a company acquired for $3.7 billion), the top three considerations when choosing a VC include credibility of the firm, compatibility of partners and the firms belief in the startup [Entrepreneurs] want [their] key investors and board members to have a fundamentally strong conviction in what [they] do as a company and [who they are] as an entrepreneur, wrote Bansal. A VC firm must communicate these. Demonstrating credibility and capturing the personality of your partners requires intentional public relations efforts. So, what does effective PR look like for a top VC firm? The power of public relations in VC Five years ago, Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz proved the power of branding and content marketing for VC firms. By engaging in aggressive marketing through blogs and Twitter, these two venture capitalists appealed directly to their target audience: top-tier entrepreneurs. To strengthen the firms PR efforts, Andreessen Horowitz hired Margit Wennmachers, founder of Outcast Communications. Wennmachers organized dinners with reporters and pitched story ideas to build a strong brand for the firm. These strategies were instrumental in establishing Andreessen Horowitzs credibility and consequent success. In just three years, Andreessen Horowitz raised $2.7 billion more than any other venture capital firm in that same time span. Horowitz isnt an isolated case. Some of the most successful VC firms have adopted integrated marketing and strategic PR campaigns: First Round Capital leveraged the power of Camille Ricketts, Head of Content and Marketing, to grow their new publication, First Round Review. Jason Lemkin launched SaaStr Annual. Two years later, the event attracts over 10,000 attendees. Mark Suster, angel investor and investment partner at Upfront Ventures, built his brand by creating content for entrepreneurs on Twitter and his blog, Both Sides of the Table. Fred Wilson branded his firm, Union Square Ventures, through his AVC blog and Twitter. Today, you will be hard pressed to find a venture capital firm where at least one partner isnt actively producing content in an effort to position themselves as the smartest VC out there, said Janessa Lantz, senior manager of marketing at Hubspot. The best VC firms use integrated marketing campaigns to build brands that are consistent and received by the firms target market. From company publications to events, blogs to Tweets, VC firms cannot dismiss the power of branding. Why early stage VC firms should outsource PR While it may not make sense to hire a full-time Director of Platform as an early stage VC, investing in public relations is a smart move. VC firms that build strong brands, achieve several distinct advantages: Brand credibility can lead to enhanced deal flow. Platform offerings can be additional differentiators in an over-competitive market. Firms can achieve better deal terms and structures. Teams can leverage brand equity to attract and retain high caliber employees. Companies tend to be most successful when they tie their vision and objectives to tangible communication strategies and tactics. How can your firm benefit from integrated PR and strategic communications? *** A 17-year PR veteran, Todd Barrish founded and leads day-to-day operations at Indicate Media, a digital public relations agency located in downtown New York City. Diana Birkett Rakow is the new VP-external relations at Alaska Airlines, succeeding Joe Sprague, who left Sept. 1 after a 17-year stint. Diana Birkett Rakow She was VP-PA, communications and brand manager at Kaiser Permanente, joining the managed care consortium with its acquisition of Group Health Cooperative. Rakow led Group Health's 75-member strong PA/marketing team and its budget in excess of $25M. Earlier, she worked three years on the US Senate Finance Committee. At the airline, Rakow is in charge of corporate communications, government relations and community outreach teams in Alaska, Hawaii, San Francisco and Seattle. The Alaska Air Group (Alaska Air, Virgin America and Horizon Air) flies 40M passengers a year to about 120 destinations in the US, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica and Cuba. Good things come to those who work. That's not the official motto of the Piston's Wild Motorsport Group, but it could be. If you're reading this site, there's a pretty good chance you're a gearhead. There's also a pretty good chance you're an avid off-road enthusiast, too. Most of us are fortunate enough to live in an area where one can wheel as they please, perhaps through trails cared for by the Bureau of Land Management, for example. In the Portland area of the Pacific Northwest, one group had to build their playground literally from the ground up. The Piston's Wild Motorsport Group is a team of off-road enthusiasts who set out to open up off-road trails that had been shut down at the state level about ten years ago. Irresponsible wheeling by other people and nefarious activities by local ne'er-do-wells conspired to scupper everyone's enjoyment of the great outdoors. Piston's Wild sought to right these wrongs and prove that not all off-roaders stomp anthills and burn hybrids in their spare time. Horsepower has always been a jerk magnet, after all, and it doesn't take more than a couple of bad apples to spoil the bunch. Where one clown goes, blaring their exhaust through a set of open headers at sunrise or leaving a pile of trash in the woods, others inevitably follow. It was up to the Piston's Wild to clamp down on these boneheads if they wanted to make any headway with the government in Olympia. "One of the real turning points was when government officials were invited to accompany some respectful off-road wheeling," said one club member. "DNR wasn't keen at first, pointing to the past bad behavior of other off-road enthusiasts. We really had to get in there and earn the trust of our local governments." So the group took the suits in Olympia out for a few hours of wheeling, with Tread Lightly being the message of the day. In other words, after years of misuse and abuse by jerks - none of whom are welcome at Piston's Wild - the good folks of this motorsport group had to prove they had no interest in tossing beer bottles at road signs or opening up a chop shop in the woods. Other groups tried to turn the tide too but were discouraged and scared off by miles of government red tape and unfair prejudices against off-road wheelers. Through lots of planning and a good bit of stubbornness, Piston's Wild persevered and proved themselves to be stewards of the land and a proponent of the Tread Lightly movement. I heard the term "betterment of the sport" a lot during the day, and that ethos is clearly what the club is all about. With the government on-board, Piston's Wild started building some trails. I rode up to the trailhead in an immaculate 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser, shiny black and bearing 237,000 miles on its odometer. Rolling on beefy 315/75/R16 BFGoodrich All-Terrains, this FJ80 sported a 3-inch lift in the front and a 2-inch lift in the rear to help accommodate the truck's natural rake. A true Toyota guy who works on transfer cases and axles at Daimler Trucks, its owner also has an FJ40 at home in the garage and just traded a mint FJ Cruiser as part of a fleet reduction program. Safe to say, these are serious off-roaders who know what they're doing and love the hobby. Currently, there are five miles of trails for club members to enjoy, with seven more miles being opened in the foreseeable future. By following through on promises and earning the trust of the suits in Olympia, a total of thirty-five miles of trails will eventually be built ... and that's just the stuff for off-road wheelers. The efforts of Piston's Wild have also allowed horseback riders and hikers to plan their own trails, too, proving that all hands can co-exist. The group's efforts have definitely broken down the traditional "us-versus-them" mentality between off-roaders and hikers and horseback riders and everyone else who wants to use the forest in a sustainable manner. After all, there's plenty of forest for everybody. The Yacolt Burn area, so known for a massive fire in 1902 which scorched nearly half a million acres of woods, was selected for the group to build some trails upon. Roughly one-fifth of that area will be carefully developed into trails ... and it's all done with volunteer work. "Our membership has invested over 40,000 volunteer hours in this project over last few years," explained Crystal Crowder, President and Founding Member of Piston's Wild. "GPSing, surveying, building ... our team has created everything you see here from scratch." Standing at the summit of a trail they've dubbed Old Ugly, surrounded by supportive club members and framed by the beautiful Oregon wilderness, the pride in her voice is evident. These are good people. BFGoodrich Tires was a great kickstarter in the early days and continues to be a big supporter of the group. With the backing of a respected corporation, Piston's Wild grew from ankle-biter status to driving-force, causing government officials to sit up and take notice. Naturally, just about everyone in Piston's Wild run BFGs on their rigs, a testament to the group's positive attitude and commitment to thanking those who have helped them on their journey. It's clear, then, that the Piston's Wild group know how to work ... and it didn't take long to learn they also know how to have fun, too. Darel Crowder has over 30 years of amateur off-road racing and rock-crawling experience, having built his own rigs from the frame up. He is also a Founding Member of Piston's Wild. You probably recognize the last name from earlier in this story: he and Crystal have been married for over 20 years. "The Old Ugly trail you just wheeled is about two miles long, climbing 1000ft of elevation," Darel explained. "We built it ourselves using our own skid steers, Bobcats, and excavators. Nothing went to waste, and we made sure to respect the land while building these trails." He then expertly placed the rig's right front wheel on a boulder the size of a Ram 1500 and eased onto the throttle, deploying a few of his rig's 350 horsepower. It would've taken me the better part of a week to execute the same maneuver. This guy is good. "There's more to these trails than meets the eye," said Darel with a fantastically mischievous grin. "I've buried rocks and boulders along the way that will only reveal themselves over time. That way, as the trail matures and seasons, it'll present different challenges as time goes on." The out-and-back style trail features a couple of good playgrounds for max-flex opportunities and some well thought out switchbacks as the track snakes its way up the hill. This would be a good time to mention that Darel and his team custom built this rig with their own hands for the King of the Hammers event in California. Considered to be the toughest one-day off road race in the country, it combines desert racing and rock crawling, expanding from one race to a series of five races now held throughout a week in February. The rig's tub and grille are from a Jeep YJ but that's where the similarity to anything that rolled off Jeep's assembly line comes to an end. Pretty much everything else has been custom built and designed by Darel and his team. Running the 4500 Class in King of the Hammers, the rig deploys 37" BFGoodrich KM2 tires and gonzo 14" Fox shocks giving it yawning-chasm levels suspension travel. It has a 108-inch wheelbase and is 2-inches wider than a Jeep TJ. The big 6.0L V8 growls like Chewbacca on a bad fur day and unleashes its 350 horsepower with a mere flex of the driver's big toe. Darel and Crystal's 1979 Jeep CJ-5 is on the trail with us as well. Old Yeller packs a Dana 44 rear and Dana 30 front, with 4:56's all around. A Detroit Locker up front and an ARB locker in the aft cabin keep the wheels turning. Big 35-inch BFGoodrich KM2's on 15-inch beadlocks are turned by a fuel-injected AMC 258 hooked to a T-18 heavy duty transmission. These people certainly know how to build a rig but they don't do it with a megabucks shop or top-dollar race team. Their ingredients are perseverance, determination, a wood stove, and some pretty tall jack stands. They're hard-core too: in a sport where most people deploy an automatic transmission, just about everyone in the club runs a manual. It is difficult to rock crawl with a stick shift unless you have three legs. One enterprising club member, a generous and knowledgeable guy who allowed me aboard his bright orange 1999 TJ with 37-inch BFGs, has installed a hand throttle on his Jeep's gear shift. Smart man. In fact, the whole group is generous with their time and talents, and not just to this slovenly journalist who showed up from the East Coast to drive their rigs. Piston's Wild is working with other clubs in the area to help them cut through government red tape in their own quests to build the sport. A Forest Watch patrol now exists to keep an eye on the area. The exhausting volunteer hours led to these successes, changing the attitude from "no one owns this woodland area so who cares" to "we all own this and it's important." By making that shift, they've created a culture of responsibility and have earned the right to enjoy the trails they've built. At the end of the day, Crystal gave me a run back into town in their black Super Duty dually. Glancing at the odometer, I learn it has covered 618,000 miles, putting an exclamation point on Darels declaration that "we're in it for the long haul." These people know how to work and, thanks to their efforts, they've earned their place to play. Agricultural News Taiwan Goodwill Mission Members Pledge to Purchase 5M Metric Tons of Corn, 500K Tons of DDGS Members of the 2017 Taiwan Agricultural Goodwill Mission pledged Wednesday to purchase 5 million metric tons (197 million bushels) of U.S. corn and 500,000 tons of U.S. distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS) between 2018 and 2019. The commitment was made during a signing ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. The members of the Goodwill Mission also signed letters of intent to purchase soybeans and wheat. The biennial team is part of a long-term effort to strengthen economic ties between Taiwan and the United States. "The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) has worked in Taiwan for more than four decades and has watched Taiwan grow into one of our largest customers," said Deb Keller, USGC chairman and a corn farmer from Iowa. "The Goodwill Mission helps us maintain a healthy trading relationship with Taiwanese buyers and end-users by providing continued confidence in the U.S market." Prior to the official ceremonies, the corn representatives of the Goodwill Mission visited the farm of Chip Councell, USGC past chairman, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Councell participated in the Wednesday signing ceremony on behalf of the Council and U.S. corn producers, with Keller in Southeast Asia for a Council-sponsored regional trade summit. The Taiwanese delegation was also honored this week in Washington at a reception with government officials and representatives of the agriculture industry, sponsored jointly by the Council, U.S. Wheat Associates, the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), the North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) and the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA). Following the events in D.C., corn members of the Goodwill Mission will travel to Iowa, Indiana and Missouri to sign letters of intent with those states' governors, tour farms and elevators and meet with local producers, agriculture groups and policymakers. Taiwan is an important market for U.S. agricultural products, particularly U.S. grains. Taiwan is the fifth largest market for U.S. corn. Thus far in the 2016/2017 marketing year (September-July) Taiwan has purchased 2.91 million tons (114.5 million bushels) of U.S. corn, the highest sales in the last seven marketing years. Taiwan also ranks as the third largest buyer of U.S. barley in 2016/2017. The Goodwill Mission has been organized by Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) every other year since 1998 and allows Taiwanese participants to gain familiarity with U.S. coarse grains' yield, production and quality. The Goodwill Mission also provides education on the advantages of U.S. coarse grains and co-products as well as reconfirms the commitment by the United States to serve as a long-term, reliable supplier for Taiwan. Source - US Grains Council WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady NSI Top Agricultural News Agricultural News American Pecan Council Wastes No Time "Shelling" Out Its Strategy to Market America's Native Nut The newly organized American Pecan Council held one of its first board meetings this Wednesday in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director and alternate board member Ron Hays attended the meeting, during which he spoke with Cathy Calhoun of the creative company Weber Shandwick, who presented on the agency's marketing strategy planned on behalf of the council. You can hear Hays' complete interview with Calhoun, by clicking or tapping the LISTEN BAR below at the bottom of the story. Upon walking into this newly forged relationship, Calhoun says she and her team saw nothing but opportunity for the American Pecan Council. "We did a lot of research and dug in and found the American pecan story just wasn't being told," she said. "Pecans aren't getting their fair share of the uptake in other nuts and especially in the health conversation. There's a great health story that isn't being told." In addition, she says there is also an amazing story about the pecan's heritage and obviously - people love the taste of pecans, too. "That's what we've been lucky enough to get to help do," Calhoun interjected. "We're trying to frame the message, focused on health, heritage and taste - so, that we can tell the story in a focused way to really get some impact in the marketplace, and frankly, drive some awareness that we hope is going to drive a lot of demand for American pecans." The nutritious qualities of pecans will be heavily promoted in the council's advertising, Calhoun says, since consumers have become increasingly health conscious over time; an aspect that Calhoun believes other nut varieties have positioned themselves on and ridden to achieve great success with. "If you look at what's happening with almonds and walnuts, they've really taken that on and seen a lot of people looking at them very differently and our story is just as compelling if not better," Calhoun asserted, with the explanation that pecans are more than just pie filling. "We definitely want to be a part of that conversation - about health and also snacking. We love pie, but we want to drive other usages, especially in snacking and things that are a little more health oriented." Calhoun insists she and her team are eager to work and grow with the American Pecan Council, now working to establish a physical office of operation. In the meantime, though, she is encouraging pecan lovers to visit their new website, at AmericanPecan.com. "I see a lot of head room. We've been given a wonderful product to tell the story," she remarked. "I think we have an incredible council working with us and guiding this program." Listen to Ron Hays and Cathy Calhoun from the APC's creative team talk about their marketing plans. WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady NSI Top Agricultural News The University of Nebraska-Lincoln next year will join a long list of colleges and universities that have gone smoke-free. A wave of institutions have banned tobacco over the past 15 years, including Creighton University, the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Metropolitan Community College will go smokeless Sunday. Iowa State University and the University of Iowa are among the many institutions that are smoke-free in Iowa. At UNL, the smokeless policy will go into effect Jan. 1. The policy includes university-owned property and parking lots around Memorial Stadium. UNLs student government last March surveyed students and found that 84 percent supported a policy restricting smoking; 88 percent of faculty and staff supported one. Tobacco use until now has been allowed at UNL as long as it was 10 feet away from buildings, or 25 feet away from some other buildings. UNL Student Regent Joe Zach of Omaha called going smoke-free a no-brainer from a health perspective. Zach said that students were overwhelmingly in support of it and that he had heard no opposition as of midweek. Ayat Aribi, external vice president for the Association of Students of the University of Nebraska, said some students smoked so close to the entrance of Love Library that staffers complained about the smell of cigarette smoke pervading their offices. Aribi said she doesnt smoke and hates the smell of it. Nevertheless, banning smoking from campus seems a little bit intrusive to Aribi, of Lincoln. They should be able to do it as long as theyre not harming other people, she said. Julie Langholdt, dean of student advocacy at Metro, said drifting and secondhand smoke were concerns on Metros campuses. Surveys indicated 77 percent of employees at Metro supported going smoke-free and 69 percent of students backed it. The underlying issue is that its for the health and well-being of the entire college community, Langholdt said of the ban. UNLs and Metros policies also ban electronic cigarettes and chewing tobacco. Smoking is clearly on the decline. A state survey found that 31 percent of Nebraska youths had tried smoking in 2015, down from 60 percent in 2003. The number of campuses banning smoking has soared over the past 15 years. Americans for Nonsmokers Rights in Berkeley, California, said more than 1,900 institutions are smoke-free now, up from about 1,500 some 18 months ago. The organization believes that the first school that went smoke-free was Ozarks Technical Community College in Missouri in the early 2000s, said Bronson Frick, associate director of the national organization. The trend started with community colleges, Frick said, because many didnt have dormitories to worry about. Over time, the movement has advanced to four-year institutions with residence halls. Its something students and parents increasingly expect in higher education settings, he said. A lot of young people now have grown up in smoke-free environments. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 480,000 Americans die annually from smoking and second-hand smoke. Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the nation, the CDC says. Dr. Kristina Bailey, an associate professor in UNMCs division of pulmonary critical care, said she is concerned about the growing use of vaping, or electronic cigarettes. We dont know yet if its safe or not, Bailey said. I think were going in the right direction in terms of cigarette smoking. ... As a lung doctor, I dont think we can ever move in the right direction rapidly enough. WASHINGTON (AP) Senators on Wednesday rolled out competing plans for the nations health care system, with a group of GOP senators making a last, long-shot effort to undo Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders proposing universal government-run coverage. Despite opposition and little time, Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., proposed legislation that would do away with many of the subsidies and mandates of the 2010 law and instead would provide block grants to the states to help individuals pay for health coverage. If you believe repealing and replacing Obamacare is a good idea, this is your best and only chance to make it happen because everything else has failed except this approach, Graham told reporters. The senators said that some states would get more money to provide health care than they get through the current system. They are modeling their effort after the welfare legislation passed under President Bill Clinton in the 1990s. They said states are better equipped than Washington to determine how best to meet the needs of their residents. They also acknowledged that they have an uphill battle to get the bill passed before Oct. 1, when the GOP effort to repeal the law loses its protection against Democratic filibusters. To my Republican colleagues, dont let the health care debate die. Dont leave the field with your tail between your legs. Keep fighting, Graham said. President Donald Trump lauded the senators effort, but it was unclear how much energy the White House was actually putting into the health care drive with GOP attention shifting to a tax overhaul. Inaction is not an option, and I sincerely hope that Senators Graham and Cassidy have found a way to address the Obamacare crisis, Trump said. Sanders, the Vermont independent who caucuses with Democrats, was unveiling legislation that would allow Americans to get health coverage simply by showing a new government-issued card. Consumers also would no longer owe out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles. In an interview, Sanders said Tuesday that his measure would most likely be paid for in a progressive way. Aides said it would probably be financed by income-adjusted premiums people would pay the government, ranging from no premiums for the poorest Americans to high levies on the rich and corporations. I think in a democracy, we should be doing what the American people want, Sanders said, citing polls showing growing support for the concept. He released his bill, which he calls Medicare for All, hours after the Census Bureau said the proportion of uninsured Americans fell to 8.8 percent last year, the lowest figure on record. Several Democrats were introducing their own bills that expand coverage without going as far as Sanders, including possible presidential aspirants Sens. Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Ohios Sherrod Brown. Several Democrats facing tough re-elections next year in GOP-leaning states say they want to focus on strengthening Obamas existing law, including Montanas Jon Tester and Missouris Claire McCaskill. The Bellevue police chief has been put on administrative leave at his own request after officers gave the chief a no-confidence vote. Capt. Dave Stukenholtz will serve as acting chief while Police Chief Mark Elbert is on paid leave, City Attorney Pat Sullivan said in a press release Thursday afternoon. Citing a pattern of dishonest and deceptive conduct, members of the Bellevue police union voted 72-1 Wednesday to tell the city administration that they had lost confidence in Elbert. Gary Young, the police unions attorney, said the union is asking the mayor, city administrator and City Council to remove the 49-year-old Elbert. The union made up of 87 of the departments 98 sworn officers sent out a press release Wednesday night with several allegations against the chief. The unions allegations were fabricated, Elbert responded in a statement, and included gross mischaracterizations. I am confident that any review of how I have conducted myself regarding such personnel matters or any other matter in my role as the Chief of Police will conclude that I have discharged my duties in a responsible and wholly appropriate manner at all times, Elbert wrote. The union said it has tape recordings of the chief instructing a member of the department to deceive other department members and to hide information from the city administration. The union has not released copies of the recordings. Young said Thursday that the audio recordings which he described as showing reprehensible manipulation of an employee have been played for city officials. Young also accused Elbert of trying to coerce union members to change the results of qualifications testing and evaluations. The union also alleged that Elbert had made derogatory comments toward women and racial minorities, an accusation the chief said he found particularly offensive. These allegations are not only entirely false, but also inconsistent with my professional conduct during my 20-plus years in law enforcement, and my personal conduct as well, reflected, in part, by the fact that I am a father to minority children and a young daughter and would never tolerate such comments or actions, Elbert wrote. The union has two petitions pending before the Nebraska Commission of Industrial Relations objecting to city actions. In June, the union filed a petition alleging, in part, that the city started an investigation into union members in retaliation for a memo sent to members by the unions lawyers. The city disputes those allegations. The memo contained legal advice for officers dealing with internal affairs investigations and expressed concern about the firing of a sergeant who was later reinstated by Bellevue City Administrator Joe Mangiamelli. The second petition asked the city to halt its retaliatory investigation into another member of the union who was placed on administrative leave. The documents dont reveal why the officer was placed on leave, but the city said the action was not retaliatory. Elbert said in his statement that he cant comment in detail about pending personnel matters, which the union leadership knows. It is disheartening that rather than pursue their claims in a proper forum, certain individuals and union counsel have attempted to retaliate against me and other members of the department with false statements and innuendos, Elbert said. City officials referred all requests for comment to Sullivan, the city attorney. He said in a statement Thursday: This is a personnel matter which will remain confidential, but the BPOAs press release will not lessen the citys focus on investigating and disciplining any alleged acts of employee impropriety. The unions attorney said its complaints are not only about the issues pending before the Commission of Industrial Relations. Its little to do with whats before the commission and everything to do with Mark Elberts practices in leading the Police Department, Young said. The attorney said the city should name a new chief who will show absolute integrity in internal investigations. Elbert joined the Bellevue department in January 1996 after spending a little more than two years as an officer with the Fremont Police Department. Elbert was promoted to the departments top spot in 2013, replacing longtime Chief John Stacey, who resigned after a series of controversies. LINCOLN Overtime hours and turnover rates continued to increase among Nebraska correctional workers this year, despite recent reform efforts. A report, issued Thursday by the inspector general of the Nebraska correctional system, said it remains in a significant staffing crisis that has broad impact. When correctional employees work high amounts of overtime, (low) morale, burnout, complacency and fatigue can take place, and mistakes or errors on the job can be made, said Inspector General Doug Koebernick. His second annual report showed little progress in the Department of Correctional Services on staffing and other key issues, including prison overcrowding, the overuse of solitary confinement and the lack of programming available to help inmates get ready for life back in the community. Corrections Director Scott Frakes said Koebernick had shared many of those findings and recommendations over the past year. He said he plans to review the report carefully and to consider the inspector generals recommendations. We have launched several initiatives to address challenges we have identified internally, including those the inspector general observed in his report, Frakes said. As part of addressing its problems, Koebernick called for the department to prepare a budget request to the Legislature and governor that fully addresses the agencys needs. The request should include the funds needed to recruit and retain all staff, not just front-line workers, he said. It also should include the amounts needed for programming needs, infrastructure and building needs. Pressure from past administrations prevented corrections officials from asking for all the resources they needed at that time, Koebernick said. It is now up to them to inform policymakers what they need to meaningfully improve their part of the justice system, he said. Spokeswoman Dawn-Renee Smith said the departments last budget request accurately reflected the agencys needs. She said it asked for nearly 100 additional protective services staff, but the department was funded for less than 20. The request also included additional program-related positions and capital construction projects to address capacity, which were funded. The inspector general position was created in 2015 following a series of legislative investigations into the state prison system. A special legislative committee in 2014 launched the first investigation to probe how corrections officials had dealt with Nikko Jenkins, a mentally troubled inmate who went on a killing spree that left four dead in Omaha following his release from prison. That investigation broadened after The World-Herald uncovered widespread sentence miscalculations that led to the premature release of hundreds of inmates. Among the concerns listed in the inspector generals report: Overtime averaged 33,202 hours per month during the first half of 2017. Thats up 4.3 percent compared with last year and 50.5 percent compared with 2014. Money spent on overtime totaled nearly $9.3 million in the fiscal year that ended June 30, up from $3.3 million in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2011. The report did not look at 2015 because of the unusual amount of overtime needed to deal with a fatal riot at the Tecumseh State Prison on Mothers Day. The turnover rate for all corrections employees hit 25.03 percent last year, up from 17.88 percent in 2013. Turnover for front-line workers correctional officers, corporals and caseworkers remained high but declined slightly from last year. There were 292 vacant positions in corrections as of June 30, up from 252 vacancies one year earlier. Nebraskas prisons held 62 percent more inmates than they were designed to hold, as of Aug. 14. The state now ranks second nationally in the level of prison overcrowding. Koebernick called for the department and the State Board of Parole to put together a plan for dealing with a correctional system overcrowding emergency, if one was declared. State law allows the governor to call such an emergency if the prison population is more than 40 percent above design capacity. Starting in 2020, an overcrowding emergency would be declared automatically if the prisons remain above that population threshold. Making such a declaration would require the state to parole enough inmates to bring the population down to capacity. Use of restrictive housing, commonly known as solitary confinement, and protective housing increased despite changes meant to decrease their use. There were 389 inmates in restrictive housing and 447 in protective management units as of August, or 15.9 percent of the total prison population. By comparison, there were 319 inmates in restrictive housing and 310 in protective management in November 2014, or 11.7 percent of the total. The rising number of inmates in restrictive housing has led to the practice of double-bunking inmates who have the most difficulties getting along with others. Koebernick said the practice worsens the effects of restrictive housing. Double-bunking forces inmates to share an 88 square-foot room with one desk, one chair, one sink and one toilet. The inmates are kept in their cells for all but a couple hours of the day. In July, inmate Patrick Schroeder pleaded guilty to strangling Terry Berry Jr., his roommate in a double-bunked restrictive housing cell. The coyote dashed through the darkness and in an instant snatched the black and white puppy. Kari Olson said she never saw her familys 7-pound Sheltie again. Olson said she let the 4-month-old pup named Oreo outside to go to the bathroom at 9:30 p.m. last week. She was standing just 10 feet away when the coyote grabbed the dog from the front yard of her Sarpy County home near 198th and Harrison Streets. Its the second reported time in the past two months that a coyote has grabbed a dog in the area. In July, a coyote snatched a familys 4-pound Yorkie from the yard of an acreage west of Lincoln. Both homes are in newly developed or near rural areas, where coyotes are more likely to be seen. The Nebraska Humane Society said it has not received many calls about coyote sightings or about the predators taking pets. Kelli Brown, the agencys field operations director, said its rare for a coyote to attack a dog, but owners must be vigilant. She said pets should never be left outside unless they are on a leash or in a fenced area. Olson said that for a moment she thought the coyote was a dog as it ran from the side of her home and snatched Oreo. It just grabbed her and took off, Olson said. It was just a blink. Youre like, What the heck was that? The coyote ignored the familys full-grown, 30-pound Sheltie standing next to Oreo. Olson said she heard yelps from the puppy as the coyote ran off with her through an empty lot across the street and into a ravine. She said she and her family searched the ravine and surrounding area with flashlights. A Sarpy County sheriffs deputy helped them look for the dog. The searchers saw no signs of the pet initially, but later noticed a trail of blood along a paved walking path near the ravine. She said the loss of their pet was traumatic for her family, and her children were in tears. Olson called the Humane Society the next day and the agency set up a live trap for the coyote, baited with meat in the familys yard. So far a coyote has not been caught. Olson said that her family misses Oreo and that shes learned a lesson: Never let a dog out without having it on a leash. Sam Wilson, a wildlife biologist with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, said there have not been any recent problems with coyotes normal food supply of rodents, rabbits and ground-nesting birds that would cause the predators to go after pets. He said that statewide the coyote population has been steady. He said there was evidence in the early 2000s that mange killed off some coyotes in parts of southeast Nebraska. It appears that the population may have rebounded in recent years, he said. So if people are noticing more coyotes, that rebounding population could be a reason, he said. Wilson said coyotes usually weigh 30 pounds and are common in Nebraska; theyre most likely to be seen in rural areas or in newly developed areas near creeks, fields and similar habitats. There are fields near Olsons home, which was built in 2012 and is about 5 miles from the Elkhorn River. There have been other incidents in the region this year involving coyotes, including one in Hastings in July, when a 1-year-old boy was bitten by a coyote. In March, south of the Millard area, a badly injured coyote was rescued after it was found hanging from a fence it was caught in. Brown, of the Humane Society, said residential expansion means that coyotes must learn to adapt. These guys are forced to learn to live in these areas, she said. WASHINGTON (AP) The fate of 800,000 young immigrants hung in the balance Thursday as top lawmakers, White House officials and President Donald Trump squabbled over whether an agreement had been struck to protect them and if so, exactly what the deal was. Facing intense backlash from conservatives inside the Capitol and out, Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republican House members adamantly insisted that there was no agreement to enshrine protections for the immigrants brought to the U.S. as children and now here illegally. John Cornyn of Texas, the No. 2 Senate Republican, put it this way: There was a deal to make a deal. Trump said he was fairly close to an agreement that could protect the young Dreamers who had been covered under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA while also adding border security, as long as his long-promised wall along the Mexican border was also separately addressed. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer whose dinner with Trump Wednesday night was at the heart of the controversy insisted that there was discussion and even agreement on legislation that would offer eventual citizenship to the immigrants in question. We agreed it would be the DREAM Act, Schumer told reporters, referring to a bipartisan bill that would allow immigrants brought here as children and now in the U.S. illegally to work their way to citizenship in as little as five years if they meet certain requirements. What was clear was that the outcome for the young immigrants themselves was still unresolved and subject to much further debate and negotiation and that the politics of immigration, which has defeated Congress for years, remained as tricky and explosive as ever. After winning the White House on a campaign that was remarkably harsh toward immigrants and revolved around construction of a wall along the entire border with Mexico, Trumps sudden pivot infuriated some of his closest allies and seemed to contain more potential to alienate his base than any of his other unconventional moves. He was so explicit during the campaign on the issue of the border wall and border security that if he were to backtrack on that promise, I dont think hed have a single friend left in the country. Democrats arent going to support him and he would lose the entire Republican base, said Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif. Administration officials quickly recognized the danger in the backlash, and the White House shifted into damage control mode, with press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders denying that a deal had been struck or the wall excluded from it. Some also wondered aloud Thursday whether the president was aware of the minutiae of the DREAM Act legislation discussed on Wednesday, including the fact that it includes an eventual path to citizenship. Were not looking at citizenship, were not looking at amnesty. Were looking at allowing people to stay here, Trump told reporters as he traveled to view hurricane damage in Florida. And were working with everybody. Republican. Were working with Democrat. But very importantly, what we want: We have to have a wall, Trump said. If we dont have a wall, were doing nothing. Despite Trumps denial, two people briefed on Wednesday nights proceedings said that citizenship was explicitly mentioned when Democrats raised the DREAM Act. Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, who was among the group Wednesday, spoke up that the bill does include citizenship, according to the people briefed. Whether or how Trump digested Mulvaneys statement was unclear. But the posture struck by Ryan and others on Capitol Hill seemed designed to protect the president from a backlash from his conservative base. Ryan energetically disputed the idea that any deal had been struck, though his argument seemed to turn largely on semantic distinctions. These were discussions, not negotiations; there isnt an agreement, Ryan said. The president wasnt negotiating a deal last night. The president was talking with Democratic leaders to get their perspective. I think the president understands that hes going to have to work with the congressional majorities to get any kind of legislative solution. The office of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., released a statement Thursday that offered lukewarm support for the emerging deal. We look forward to receiving the Trump administrations legislative proposal as we continue our work on these issues, it said. Among Democrats, several, especially on the partys left, expressed skepticism that Trump would actually follow through. Pelosi, at a press conference, sought to quiet fears on her side. I trust the president, in that regard. Some of Trumps supporters in Congress who have opposed immigration legislation in the past seemed resigned to a deal. This is an opportunity for all of us, said Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., an early Trump backer. A perfect trade. Trump is frustrated with gridlock in Congress, and you cant blame him, Barletta added. Immigrant advocates and Latino lawmakers reacted cautiously, with several saying that any celebration would be premature. This report includes material from the Tribune Washington Bureau. The writer is a chemistry professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The Nebraska State Board of Education has approved new science standards, in the reporting of which The World-Herald states that a lot more little Einsteins will be running around Nebraska. If only it were that easy. New science standards are the proverbial rearrangement of deck chairs on the Titanic when confronted with the actual, major problem facing education in this state. What might that be? Before revealing the problem, allow me to provide my credentials: I am a full professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, having taught chemistry and physics classes for 28 years and seeing at close hand the products of both private and public schools. I am also the father of six children my wife and I planned on three to five, but momentum carried us who each attended four years of Omaha Public Schools high schools after private and home schooling through eighth grade. I have, therefore, seen much of public education from both the inside and outside. The curricula and teachers are very good. For example, one of my daughters scored a perfect 36 on her ACT exam while a senior at Omaha Northwest. Two things must be true for such a thing to happen: The student must have a great deal of native intelligence and must be getting very good instruction. During the 24 child-years of my parental experience with OPS teachers and administrators, I have not a complaint to register. They did well by my kids. I have had outstanding students from the public school system in my classroom, as well. For example, I have had several public-school graduates perform and publish undergraduate research in solid-state chemistry, which is no mean feat. On the other hand, I have had students too numerous to count who are either dumb as dirt or amazingly ignorant. I once had a graduate of a public high school sitting in my office who did not know that 12 inches make a foot. Seriously. Nor can many of them distinguish between different magnitudes of numbers. On more occasions than I can remember, I have asked a student how many millions are in one billion (when teaching the metric system) and received this typical answer: Ten? Twenty? Nor do they know what a centimeter is, nor do they understand scientific notation, nor can they multiply or divide by 10, nor can they do simple algebra. So what is the problem? Parents. When I first started teaching at UNO in the early 1990s, I was so appalled by my students poor math skills that I had myself appointed to an OPS math-focus committee, which was looking into the issue. In the course of my membership, I toured most of the OPS high schools and discovered that there was very good instruction and top-notch programming, particularly at Omaha North. The problem, however, became very apparent during the committee deliberations. Parents on the committee wanted two conflicting goals: They wanted outstanding outcomes, and they did not want their kids to fail. When push came to shove, the latter took precedence. And once not failing becomes the primary factor, all standards depart, human nature being what it is. Schools then degenerate into what I call industrial-strength day care. Of course, some parents would raise Cain if all classes were merely industrial-strength day care, so schools also have honors classes, AP classes, and dual-enrollment classes. In other words, public high schools (and maybe private schools I have less evidence with them) are dual-track: a college-prep track and what I call a knucklehead track. And it is sad when a graduate of the knucklehead track appears in one of my college classes and suddenly discovers that all the As he has earned in high school are meaningless. So celebrate the new science standards, but do not expect any new Einsteins. The major problem remains. Travel To Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka Now, At Half the Price of iPhone X, Book Tickets Now* Feature oi-Madhuri After Apple officially announced the iPhone X, it is being hyped by everyone because of the over expensiveness. Apparently, iPhone X comes in two storage variants, where 64 GB which will cost around Rs. 89,000, 256 GB which will cost Rs. 1,02,000; which is literally more than a cost of round trip around many amazing places such as Thailand, Singapore, Viet Nam, Hong Kong and more. Additional to that many exciting international flights offers from 'Yatra' and 'MakeMyTrip' could get you something more each time. Now scroll below to find out places that you can travel in the half price of iPhone X. Most Popular Places and Flight Price For A Round Trip: Banglore to Thailand: Flight ticket booking for this trip will cost you approximately Rs. 22000. Banglore to Viet Nam: Banglore to Ho Chi Minh City will cost you around Rs. 22000. Chennai to Singapore: This round trip will cost you around Rs. 9,500. Chennai to Malaysia: Chennai to Kuala Lumpur will cost you around Rs. 13,000. Mumbai to Sri Lanka: Mumbai to Colombo will cost one approximately Rs. 20000. Mumbai to Taiwan: Mumbai to Taipei will cost you around Rs. 44,000. Hyderabad to Indonesia: Hyderabad to Denpasar Bali, will cost around Rs. 26,000. Hyderabad to Cambodia: Hyderabad to Phnom Penh will cost you around Rs. 22,000. Delhi to Nepal: Delhi to Kathmandu round trip will cost around Rs. 38,000. Delhi to China: Also New Delhi to Hong Kong will cost approximately Rs. 32000. Where the price for 64 GB iPhone X is set around Rs. 70,500 and approximately Rs. 81,500 for 256 GB iPhone storage variant. There are many offer bash from MakeMyTrip and Yatra for your international flight ticket booking. Such as using coupon HDFCINT at MakeMyTrip one can get up to Rs. 8,000 Cashback to Card on International Flights. Valid on Thursdays on HDFC bank credit cards. Click here to go to MakeMyTrip now. And using coupon INTFLY17 at Yatra one can get up to Rs.15,000 OFF on international flights. Click here to go to Yatra now. Now grab the unbelievable discounts on flights and plan your holiday in advance. You can save more on your traveling, stay and more, visit 'Oneindia Coupons' to grab the best deals and offers. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 17:48 [IST] 14 live bombs recovered from shop in West Bengal India oi-PTI Howrah (West Bengal), September 14: Fourteen live bombs were recovered on Thursday from a shop where a man was injured in an explosion yesterday in West Bengal's Howrah district, police said. Bomb squad personnel, during the search in the shop this morning, found the explosives, a police officer said. Komer Ali, the shop owner, who was injured in the explosion, has been admitted to Uluberia hospital with severe burn injuries, the officer said. Investigation into the incident is underway, he said, adding, police has not been able to interrogate Ali as he is in hospital. The explosion happened when Ali was closing the shop yesterday at the Teen Kapati Pool. The area comes under the jurisdiction of Manikpur police station, the officer said. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 15:00 [IST] UP ATS picks up two more accused in Al-Qaeda radicalisation case 22 dead after boat capsizes in river Yamuna, UP CM announces Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar At least 22 people died after a boat carrying 60 people capsized in river Yamuna in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh. Twelve people have been rescued and admitted to hospital. The boat was supposed to carry only 10-15, but due to the number of passengers being boarded, the boat turned turtle in the middle of the river. At present, the villagers are helping police in rescue operations. The SDRF team has also left from Meerut to the spot. #Visuals from Baghpat: 19 dead after a boat carrying more than 60 people capsized in river Yamuna; rescue operation underway. pic.twitter.com/RX2DdtM4KR ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 14, 2017 Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath announced compensation of Rs 2 lakh each for next of kin of those dead in the incident. District Magistrate Bhawani Singh said Police and PAC personnel have fished out 22 bodies so far. "The boat was ferrying passengers more than its capacity. Most of the passengers of the ill-fated boat were women. As soon as the boat reached mid-stream it capsized," the district magistrate said. Eight people have been referred to Meerut hospital and 11 others admitted to the district hospital, said Singh. As per News18, the number of ambulances available is also very less. People are being transported to the hospital in only two ambulances. (With agency inputs) PM Modi remembers Abe as 'phenomenal' as he offers tribute in Japan PM Modi arrives in New Delhi after attending State Funeral of Shinzo Abe in Tokyo India's first bullet train project launched India oi-Vikas By Vikas Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Thursday laid the foundation stone of the 508-km long Mumbai-Ahmadabad High-Speed Rail in Ahmadabad. Recommended Video PM Modi -Shinzo Abe to lay foundation stone for Bullet Train project today | Oneindia News Here are the live updates from the bullet train foundation laying event: 11:20 am: Modi and Abe leave the venue 11:03 am: "On 75 years on India's independence, around the year 2022-23, I wish that both PM Shinzo Abe and I inaugurate the BulletTrain," Modi said. 11:00 am: Modi calls Japan as India's strong friend 10:58 am: PM calls for high speed connectivity. 10:57 am: PM Modi says bullet train project will boost employment. 10:56 am: I would like to state that India-Japan partnership is special, strategic and global: PM 10:55 am: "If technology is used to empower the poor we can win the fight against poverty," Modi said. 10:50 am: "Now next generation growth will happen at places where there are high speed corridors," the PM said. 10:45 am: "Transport system is of prime importance for a nation's development," Modi said. 10:40 am: "Thank my friend Shinzo Abe, he took personal interest and assured that there should be no glitches in the project," says PM Modi 10:30 am: PM Modi begins address 10:25 am: Abe extends support to 'Make in India'. I really like Gujarat & I really like India. I will do whatever I can for India: Japanese PM Shinzo Abe #BulletTrain pic.twitter.com/AUNZphsmOA ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2017 10:22 am: Abe says India and Japan are key partners, adding, "Dear friend PM Modi is a far sighted leader,he made a decision of making New India and chose Japan as partner, we completely support it." 10:20 am: Japanese PM Shinzo Abe starts his address with "Namaskar" 10:15 am: India's first high speed rail project inaugurated by PM Modi and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in Ahmedabad. 10:12 am: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said, "Welcome Japanese PM Shinzo Abe and express gratitude towards Japan. Entire Gujarat is experiencing immense joy today." 10:10 am: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis equates foundation laying of the bullet train to laying foundation of 'New India'. 10:05 am: Railway Minister Piyush Goel says bullet train will be a will be a symbol of brotherhood between people of India and Japan. 9:55 am: PM Modi and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe arrive at the stage for inauguration of High Speed Rail from Mumbai to Ahmedabad 9:45 am: PM Modi and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe inspect a model of the high speed rail from Mumbai to Ahmedabad 9:40 am: Stage set for foundation-laying ceremony of bullet train The bullet train will significantly reduce the travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The travel time will be reduced from eight hours to anywhere between two-three hours depending on the number of stations. It is expected to run at an average speed of 250 km per hour, with a top speed of around 320 km per hour. On the Ahmedabad-Mumbai route, 12 stations have been proposed: Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati. Of the 508-km stretch, 92 per cent of the route will be elevated, six percent through a tunnel and the rest on the ground. The high-speed train will pass through the country's longest tunnel of 21 km, of which seven km will be under the sea, said an NDTV report. India and Japan will also sign several agreements on strategic, financial and development cooperation. The two sides are also likely to agree on bolstering bilateral defense and maritime security cooperation. Abe will also seek India's support for new U.N. Security Council sanctions resolution that imposes restrictions on exports of crude oil and petroleum products to North Korea. The MoUs will be signed in sectors like engineering and automobile, infrastructure, IT and skill development. According to reports, Abe will also push Modi for the sale of the US 2i amphibious aircraft ShinMayWa from Japan. The is said to be worth 1.3 billion dollars and the two countries had differences over the price. [Modi hosts dinner for Japanese PM at heritage hotel in Ahmedabad] Abe arrived in Ahmedabad on Wednesday for a two-day India visit. Abe was received at the airport by PM Modi, who shares a good rapport with his Japanese counterpart. The visit, which is Abe's first since December 2015, is part of an agreement between the leaders to make alternating bilateral visits. Modi visited Japan in November last year. OneIndia News PM Modi arrives in New Delhi after attending State Funeral of Shinzo Abe in Tokyo Abes visit: Is Gujarat visit being used for state polls, asks Congress India oi-PTI The Congress on Wednesday asked the Central government as to why Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was hosted in election-bound state of Gujarat. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said it was "quixotic" that Abe was not being hosted in Delhi. "We do not want to transgress propriety by commenting on a state visit but it is rather quixotic that the Prime Minister of a country as important as Japan, who is almost India's strategic partner in many respects, is strangely not even being hosted in Delhi," he said. He hoped a state visit was not being used for "political purposes" in view of the elections in Gujarat, slated to be held later this year. Recommended Video PM Modi's bullet train project is not India's priority, says Congress | Oneindia News "With an election in Gujarat around the corner, it does raise a question -- and I hope this is not the case that a state visit is actually being used for political purposes because the manner in which it is structured is rather awkward," he told reporters. Tewari said India had a great relationship with Japan and that relationship, its foundations and consolidation had been laid during the UPA regime. Tewari also criticised the government over the handling of the Rohingyas issue and said the criticism India had been subjected to by the United Nations Human Rights Council was "absolutely unprecedented". "The stand which this government has taken on the Rohingyas is totally contrary to India's traditions where we have welcomed the persecuted from any part of our neighbourhood," he said. He said India had not faced "this kind of ignominy". "So, therefore, you can be critical of (Congress vice president) Rahul Gandhi, but I think the time has come for the NDA-BJP Government and the Prime Minister to introspect that mere speeches and road shows with leaders of other countries do not substitute for diplomacy," Tewari said. On Gandhi's recent remarks in the US about being ready to take over as the party chief, he said the Congress was a democratic party and an organisational election process was on. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 8:54 [IST] Actress molestation case: Kerala women's commission chief alleges death threat India oi-Anusha The Chairperson of Kerala's State Women Commission has alleged that she received a death threat on Thursday over a case pertaining to the actress molestation case. M C Josephine also alleged that a cover containing human feces was found in the mail. The Kerala women's commission has been receiving backlash from supporters of P C George, an independent MLA, ever since they registered a case against the legislator. He was booked for his insensitive comments against a leading Malayalam actress who was molested in February this year. The commission has initiated legal proceedings against the MLA after he questioned the veracity of the actress' claims of being molested. "This is intolerance towards women's reaction to issues. I will hand over the letters to the Director General of Police. Attacking me is equal to attacking all the women in Kerala since I represent them. I had been receiving the letters for quite some time now, but I was tolerant and did not file a complaint. I believe in showing maturity holding this post. I will not say that it is done by PC George's followers. But those letters can indicate many things," Josephine told the media on Thursday. Previously, Josephine and George had engaged in a public spat over the issue of booking the legislator. On Thursday, the Chief of the women's commission alleged that she had been receiving death threats ever since a case was filed against the legislator. The commission filed a case against the MLA in August this year for his derogatory statements. Josephine told the media on Thursday that she had been receiving anonymous death threats but on Thursday, baiters crossed all limits of decency by sending her human excreta. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 17:13 [IST] Aircel-Maxis case: Aircel 2G customers may have to port to other operators, if SC rules adverse India oi-Deepika By Deepika To avoid the catastrophe if Supreme Court cancels Aircel's 2G spectrum license, Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has asked the operator to prepare its 2G subscribers port to other operators. The new directive will affect only the 2G mobile subscribers of Aircel in fourteen telecom circle. The case relates to alleged irregularities in the Aircel-Maxis deal and the grant of 2G spectrum licence in 2006. DoT on January 18 wrote to Aircel saying the available facility of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) can be exercise by the subscribers provisionally. "Accordingly, Aircel/Dishnet Wireless Ltd is hereby directed to take necessary action well in advance to inform all existing subscribers through SMS to avail the Mobile Number Portability facility provisionally for continuity of their mobile service, in case the Hon'ble Supreme Court passes the proposed order, to avoid any inconvenience," it said. DoT said the restraint is for use of 2G spectrum originally granted to Aircel Telecommunications in November 2006. DoT also asked sectoral regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to take necessary action in this regard. It asked Trai to "issue suitable directions/regulations for MNP process" to Aircel addressing the probable porting issues like generation of large number of Unique Porting Code (UPC) to cater to subscribers in the 2G service areas, increase in validity of UPC code, relaxation of rejection porting clause of 90-days, etc to make the MNP process convenient for the consumers. The DoT asked both Aircel and Trai to inform it about the action taken by January 27 so that it can intimate the Supreme Court. Earlier this month, the apex court had proposed to cancel the 2G licence granted to Aircel if the owner of Maxis, the Malaysia-based Anantha Krishnan, who bought the majority shares of the Indian telecom company, and his one-time key aide and Director Augustus Ralph Marshal fail to present themselves before it. Proposing to cancel the licence, the court said Krishnan and Marshal would not be allowed to frustrate the due course of law by avoiding to appear before the court. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 16:43 [IST] Rahul appears before ED: 'Bulldozers missing', says Karti as he takes dig over heavy deployment near Cong HQ Aircel Maxis case: Nothing to add to statement made in Nov 2014, Karti tells CBI India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Karti Chidambaram on Thursday wrote to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), saying he has nothing to add to his previous statement made in November 2014. He also wrote that he should not be insisted to appear again. Karti was summoned by CBI on Wednesday in INX Media case. Last month, when CBI asked Karti Chidambaram about his role in facilitating Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) approval given to media house run by Peter and Indrani Mukherjea - INX Media, Karti had claimed that he had recorded his statement in CBI in November 2014 and explained to CBI officer that he was not familiar with FIPB. The FIR lodged by the CBI on May 15 had alleged irregularities in FIPB clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs 305 crore in 2007 when Karti's father, P Chidambaram, was the Finance Minister. The CBI had claimed that the FDI proposal of the media house, cleared by Chidambaram, was "fallacious". The FIR was registered on May 15 before the special CBI judge in New Delhi and the registration of the case was followed by searches at the residences and offices of Karti and his friends on May 16. (With agency inputs) Amarnath yatra attack avenged: How the terrorists were taken down one by one Amarnath Yatra attack avenged: Mastermind terrorist Abu Ismail shot dead India oi-Vicky By Vicky Abu Ismail, the terrorist who masterminded and led the Amarnath yatra attack has been killed in an encounter. After months of tracking he was traced to Aribagh in Jammu and Kashmir. An associate of his was also killed in the encounter. He has been identified as Chhota Qasim. Both Ismail and Qasim were residents of Pakistan. The encounter which was fierce lasted a couple of hours before both Ismail and his associate were killed by security forces. The Director General of Police S P Vaid informed that specific intelligence on the movements of the terrorists was available. Read | Abu Ismail Case File Based on specific inputs, the security forces cordoned off the area in which both were staying. An official informed OneIndia that the bodies of both the terrorists have been recovered. In July terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba opened fired on a bus from Gujarat carrying pilgrims. 8 yatris were killed in the attack. Detailed investigations showed that Ismail was involved in the attack. The police said that he had masterminded the attack and was also present at the crime scene. He was the first to open fire on the bus, the police also said. The killing of Ismail is a major success. He is the fourth A++ terrorist to be killed in Kashmir in recent months after Abu Dujana, Sabzar Bhat and Burhan Wani. Ismail in his mid 30s had been part of the Lashkar for the past seven years. He was part of a camp comprising 200 terrorists who had been training to launch attacks in India. He recently took over as the Lashkar chief in Kashmir from Abu Dujana who was killed in an encounter. IB officials say that the investigations suggested that Ismail had activated the over ground operatives of the Lashkar in the Valley to carry out the attack. Ismail apart from activating his over ground operatives also got in touch with some locals of the Hizbul Mujahideen. The cadres of the Hizbul had helped in logistics which were in turn shared with the Lashkar. The local Hizbul operatives are more familiar with the area, officials said. OneIndia News At ground zero in Ayodhya, BJP prepares for 2019 Lok Sabha polls with Ram mandir politics? India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Lucknow, Sep 14: The obsession of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, is not new. The saffron party's affiliates like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), to name a few, too are simply possessed with the idea of building the Hindu temple in the disputed site of Ayodhya. That is why on a frequent basis, leaders of the BJP, the RSS and other Hindu organisations keep on reminding voters about building the Ram temple in Ayodhya. As the saffron party is facing flak over its failure on demonetisation, economic slow growth, job loss, agricultural crisis, deaths due to mob lynching and insistence on nationalism and love for cow, to name a few current problems of the country, so it has decided to go back to its pet project--building the Ram temple at the disputed site of Ram Janmabhoomi in the temple town of Ayodhya. According to a report by The Indian Express, although Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas (the organisation formed as a trust to promote and oversee the construction of the temple in Ayodhya) is stockpiling stone blocks and other building materials in Ayodhya to prepare for the construction of Ram temple, only one artisan is engaged in carving stones at the Nyas workshop. Then, why is only one artisan carving stones, when the VHP has been constantly highlighting its effort to build the temple at the earliest? Reports say the VHP is planning to unveil a mini-design of the proposed Ram temple in Agra on Saturday. If the VHP is so serious about building the temple at the earliest, does not it need to engage more workers to finish construction work? These are definitely some of the first questions even a child would ask seeing the huge gap between preparation and rhetoric of the Hindu organisations over building the Ram temple. The opposition parties say the claim of the VHP and other Hindu groups to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya is merely a "gimmick" before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The real motive of the associates of the BJP, as per the opposition parties, is to polarise voters on the Hindu and Muslim lines before the elections. The opposition parties allege that the BJP has failed to provide development in the country (an election slogan of Prime Minister Narendra Modi), so the saffron party is going back to temple politics. "The BJP has no agenda of development. They only want to keep the Ram temple issue alive for political interests and divide society on religious lines. They are highlighting the arrival of stones in the media just to show off," Pawan Pandey, former Samajwadi Party MLA from Ayodhya and a minister in the previous Akhilesh Yadav government, told The Indian Express. "The BJP has the Prime Minister elected from UP and has its chief minister in UP," Pandey said. "Why are they not passing a bill in Parliament for building a Ram temple? They only want to gain from lord Ram's name by bringing stones." However, on Tuesday, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in a meeting with diplomats from over 50 countries in the national capital said that his organisation was bound by the Supreme Court verdict on the Ram temple and Babri temple case. The final verdict on the Ayodhya case by the apex court is slated to take place on December 5, a day before the 25th anniversary of the Babri masjid demolition. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 11:43 [IST] Portals of Gangotri shrine close for winters, devotees can worship at Mukhba village now Anand Mahindra's tweet about UPI at country's 'last tea shop' is every Indian's emotion Australian man arrested for using satellite phone in Uttarakhand India oi-Madhuri An Australian man who hails from Queensland was been arrested from Badrinath on Monday for allegedly using a satellite telephone. The 46-year-old man have been identified as Stuart Ian Scott. According to Deepak Rawat, a station officer at Badrinath in Uttarakhand, said that Scott was arrested after authorities detected the use of a satellite telephone two days ago, in the locality of the yoga and meditation ashram where he was staying. The incident happened when Scott was using phone which got detected near sensitive Himalayan border with China. When the officials questioned Scott, he said that he is unaware about ban on satellite phone. While, the other people present there said that they had informed Scott about about ban on using satellite phone in India. According to Telegraph and Wireless Act, using of satellite phones, without Government authorisation can be illegal. A case has been registered against him under the relevant section of Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 17:25 [IST] 'Brace for Kisan Parliament', agitated farmers warn Modi government India oi-Anusha Come November 20, 2017, and farmers from across the country are all set to run their own 'Kisan Parliament'. Tired of the union as well as state governments refusing to address their concerns, a united farmers front is all set to run a 320-days farmers' parliament as the winter session of the parliament will be underway. "On November 20, we will hold a massive procession at Ram Lila Maidan in New Delhi. Next day onwards, from the commencement of the winter session of the Parliament till its last day, we will hold a parallel parliament, the parliament of the farmers. The Kisan parliament will 543 chairs will be set up at Jantar Mantar and go on for 32 days," said Ayyakannu, a farmer leader from Tamil Nadu. He is currently spearheading the agitation in New Delhi. At the Kisan Parliament, issues ailing the farming sector will be discussed by farmers from across the country. The session will end by passing a resolution which will include recommendations for permanent solutions to farm crisis in India, farmer suicides, and loan waivers. "Farmers in India are an unorganized sector and hence the government takes us for fools. The promise of river-linking, minimum support price, profitable purchase rates- none of them have been fulfilled. I can only ask the Prime Minister to think about what will happen if 20-30 per cent farmers in India unite and vote against him," Ayyakannu, said. Farmers from Tamil Nadu led by Ayyakannu have been protesting to highlight the agrarian crisis in the state. A massive two-week long protest in Rajasthan was withdrawn only on Thursday after the government promised a loan waiver. In states like Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh where loan waivers have been announced, red-tapism is making a mockery of the farmers. Given the scenario, farmers have decided to make their voices heard loud, united and clear. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 13:52 [IST] Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train: Govt allots 5.6 thousand cr, Maharashtra will also have to contribute Bullet train is not India's priority: Congress slams PM Modi India oi-Deepika By Deepika Recommended Video PM Modi's bullet train project is not India's priority, says Congress | Oneindia News As Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, the Congress slammed the latter for getting involved more in photo opportunity, sidelining priorities. The stategic partnership between Japan and India is very important but the prime minister has misplaced it with bullet trains. His priorities are not common man's priority, Congress leader Anand Sharma told reporters. Asserting that the bullet train is not India's priority, Sharma said "Our prime minister should not limit it to the photo opportunity and theatrics. There are serious issues on the agenda." During the United progressive Alliance (UPA) government several important agreements were signed between India and Japan were of utmost importance, the prime minister should take them forward rather than to impress Abe, he said. Meanwhile, severely criticising the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, ruling NDA ally Shiv Sena dismissed it as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "expensive dream" which will "loot the nation of Rs 108,000 crore". Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday laid the foundation stone for the ambitious Rs 1.08 lakh crore ($17 billion) 508-km Ahmedabad-Mumbai High Speed Rail. The high speed rail project that is scheduled to be completed by 2022, has been financed by Japan. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 13:01 [IST] Delhi: NGT refuses to lift ban on 10-year-old diesel vehicles India oi-Deepika By Deepika The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday refused to lift ban on diesel vehicles which are more than 10-years-old in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). The Green Tribunal has dismissed Centre's plea seeking modification of its ban order on diesel vehicles. A bench headed by justice Swatanter Kumar government's plea on the ground that the Supreme Court has also junked a similar plea. Refusing to lift the ban on 10-year-old diesel vehicles in Delhi-NCR, NGT said, "one diesel vehicle causes pollution equal to 24 petrol vehicles and 40 CNG vehicles". NGT order has come in the wake of rising pollution levels in Delhi and NCR causing health risks for its population. In April 2015, the tribunal had ordered that all diesel vehicles of more than 10 years old would not be permitted to ply in Delhi. In January 2017, the Centre moved the Supreme Court seeking the lifting of the ban on 10-year-old diesel vehicles in Delhi and NCR, saying it was affecting the economically weaker section of people. The government had asked the Tribunal to remove the ban on older diesel cars in the capital stating that they were not major contributors to air pollution. The Central Government argued that the NGT can't prove that 10-year-old or more diesel vehicles are the sole reason for causing pollution while other kinds of fuel - like CNG and petrol cause pollution in different capacities. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 14:39 [IST] Sasikala on a 'vow of silence' in prison, says Dinakaran Dinakaran-faction moves Madras HC seeking floor test in Tamil Nadu assembly India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar TTV Dinakaran-faction MLAs on Thursday moved Madras High Court with a plea seeking floor test in Tamil Nadu assembly. Around 19 MLAs said to be backing expelled AIADMK deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran. Subsequently, the Madras HC ordered Tamil Nadu Advocate General to respond at the earliest whether there would be any action to disqualify 19 MLAs supporting Dinakaran. Meanwhile, Dinakaran-faction MLA's met Election Commission officials in Delhi and urged them to consider VK Sasikala's removal from AIADMK as illegal. Vijila Sathyananth, one of the leaders of the faction, said that soon the party will hold a General Council meet after the consent of VK Sasikala. Delhi: TTV Dhinakaran faction MLAs met EC officials; say AIADMK Gen Council meet where VK Sasikala was ousted shouldn't be considered legal pic.twitter.com/bQu82lqakw ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2017 Ever since being expelled from the party, Dinakaran has been saying that he would go to any extent to 'protect his party'. He had played down the general council meeting called by EPS-OPS faction. The general council called by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami led faction removed Sasikala from the post of temporary general secretary and Dinakaran as deputy general secretary. RB Udaykumar, Tamil Nadu Minister, who read the resolution at the council meeting announced that all announcements of TTV Dinakaran are not binding on the party. OneIndia News Ghatkopar Building collapse victims gets temporary accommodation at Bhandup India oi-Madhuri Around 7 families, which were victims of Ghatkopar Building collapse, received temporary accommodation at Manav SRA scheme at Bhandup on Thursday. According to Ghatkopar West MLA Ram Kadam, "We were trying to get accommodation for them in Ghatkopar, but vacant flats were not available. There were flats in the Manav SRA scheme at Bhandup and these residents will be moving here. CM Devendra Fadnavis has sanctioned the flats on a temporary basis as a special case. Each flat is 269 sq feet." At least 17 persons, including a 11 women and three-month old baby, were killed when a four-storied residential building crashed in Ghatkopar suburb of Mumbai on Tuesday morning. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 18:25 [IST] India fully equipped to face any challenge: Nirmala Sitharaman India oi-Deepika By Deepika The Indian armed forces are fully equipped to face any contingency, Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday. The military is closely monitoring the situation along the border with Pakistan and is prepared to respond any attack. "I assure the people of the nation that we are prepared to deal with every kind of situation. The Defence Ministry, along with the Indian Army, is all decked up. We are monitoring every situation very diligently and closely," said Sitharaman. As part of the disengagement, the Chinese troops left the dispute area of Dokalam along with bulldozers and removed the tents which they had pitched. Reportedly, there were about 1700-1800 Chinese troops in the area where they proposed to build a road and all of them have left. Meanwhile, the Pakistani troops have violated the ceasefire more than three times in this month. Pakistan violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control 449 times in 2016 as compared to 405 violations in 2015. 23 security personnel were killed in the two-year period. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 14:04 [IST] Sumo: Is Japan's national sport on the ropes? As 'RRR' performs well at Japan box office, SS Rajamouli confirms sequel to NTR-Charan-starrer India-Japan sign 15 agreements, Modi hails Japanese investment India oi-Vikas By Vikas Recommended Video India-Japan relationship: going steady and strong, reasons behind | Oneindia News Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed Japanese investment in India and said the agreements signed between the two nations will strengthen 'India-Japan partnership'. Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe earlier today witnessed an exchange of agreements between the two nations. The two nations signed 15 agreements/MoUs which would deepen 'special strategic and global partnership', said the External Affairs Ministry. "In 2016-17 Japan invested 4.7 billion dollars in India, which is 80% higher than last year...I heartily welcome the agreements signed today, they will strengthen India-Japan partnership," Modi said. Modi said that the postal departments have agreed to start a 'cool box service' for Japanese living in India so that they can order their favourite food from Japan. He also urged Japanese business community to open a maximum number of Japanese restaurant chains in India. Abe, on his part, recalled a joint naval exercise between India, Japan and the US, saying that it was a testimony to the fact Modi and US President Donal Trump share 'strong ties of trust'. "It (joint naval exercise Malabar) will further deepen cooperation between India, Japan and the US," he added. Following is the list of important agreements signed between India and Japan: Agreement for international joint exchange program in science and technology. Joint research contract between Japan's AIST and India's DBT. MoU between DBT and National Institute of Advance Science and Technology MoU on promotion of cooperation in research related activities. MoU on international academic and sports exchange between LNIPE and Nippon Sports Science University. Letter of Intent between LNIPE and University of Tsukuba, Japan. India-Japan investment promotion roadmap RoD on civil aviation cooperation. MoC on 'Japan-India special program for Make in India'. MoC on disaster risk management. MoC in the field of Japanese Language education. India-Japan Act East forum. Arrangement for administrative instruction for the implementation of cool EMS service. For more details on agreements signed click here. OneIndia News Speed: The train will have a top speeds of 320-350 km per hour and it is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities to around 2 hours from the existing 7-8 hours. The fares could be in the range of Rs 3000 - Rs 5,000. Options: Passengers will have two speed options in trains: High-speed: It will take 2.58 hours to reach the destination Rapid high-speed: It will cover the distance in 2.07 hours. Capacity: Initially, each high speed train will have 10 cars and the capacity to accommodate 750 people. It will increase to 16 cars that will accommodate 1,200 people. According to initial estimates, around 1.6 crore people are expected to travel by the bullet train annually. By 2050, around 1.6 lakh commuters should travel by the high-speed train on a daily basis. Station Information: On the Ahmedabad-Mumbai route, 12 stations have been proposed: Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati. Route: The railways will only require around 825 hectares of land for the project as 92% of the route will be elevated, six per cent will go through tunnels and only the remaining two per cent will be on the ground. India's longest tunnel -- 21-km-long -- will be dug between Boisar and BKC in Mumbai, 7km of which will be under the sea. The train tracks will elevated to 18 metres for most of its route to ensure the train runs over the existing railway route. The remaining, less than 40km, stretch will be under sea between Thane and Vasai, and underground in Mumbai. Photos Courtesy:ANI Twitter Project completion The 508km-long Mumbai to Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) is scheduled for completion in December 2023, but commencement date has been sought to be advanced to August 2022. To fund the ambitious Rs 1,10,000-crore project, a loan of Rs 88,000 crore will be taken from Japan. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will fund it at a low rate of interest of 0.1% per annum. This loan has to be repaid to Japan in 50 years, with 15 years grace period. OneIndia News Is Indias first bullet train based on Japans Shinkansen network? India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Amid fanfare the Mumbai to Ahmedabad High Speed Rail project's foundation was laid on Thursday in Ahmedabad. Not only the project is a joint venture of India and Japan, but also it will be based on the Shinkansen super speed trains in Japan. The Shinkansen meaning 'new trunk line' started in 1964 hailed as the symbol of innovation and technological advancements in Japan after the devastation of the World War 2. Although Japan is prone to natural disasters like earthquakes, the network boasts of zero accident fatalities in its 53-year service. A minor derailment was reported due to earthquake. The network presently links most major cities on the islands of Honshu and Kyushu, and Hakodate on northern island of Hokkaido, with an extension to Sapporo under construction and scheduled to commence in March 2031. It also had the highest ridership annually before giving up the title to its rival China. The train attains the maximum speed of 320km. The trains are operated by the staff known for their punctuality. As per Economic Times, crew members of the Shinkansen trains are asked to give an explanation if the train arrives a minute late to its destination. A video on YouTube titled 'The 7-Minute Miracle Of Japanese Train System' shows the crew members respectfully bowing as a Shinkansen entering the station, waiting for passengers to disembark and swiftly cleaning every car of the super speed train in seven minutes. The Shinkansen project is environment-friendly too. The train hardly emits any carbon dioxide, Nitrogen Oxide and other harmful gases. An undated report of the Japan Railway & Transport Review said : "If the Tokaido Shinkansen had not been constructed, about 15,000 tons more CO2 would have been emitted in 1985. This corresponds to the annual amount of CO2 emitted by industry in and around Tokyo." The fares for Shinkansen were, however, costly. Former member of the railway board, RC Acharya, wrote in an article for Hindustan Times in 2015 that a Shinkansen trip from Tokyo to Kyoto (514 km) costs Rs 7,700. It isn't surprising too that the estimate fares for the proposed Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train is estimated to range between Rs 3,000 - Rs 5,000. OneIndia News Jaitley statue at Kotla: Angry Bedi asks DDCA to remove his name from stands, quits membership Reforms in India being done by conviction, not compulsion: PM Narendra Modi BJP leaders pay tribute to former minister Arun Jaitley on his third death anniversary Jaitley confident of Aadhaar passing 'test of constitutionality' India oi-Vikas By Vikas In the wake of Supreme Court hearing a petition challenging the government's move to make Aadhaar mandatory, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has exuded confidence that Aadhaar would pass the "test of constitutionality". Addressing a conclave on Financial Inclusion organised by the United Nations in India, Jaitley said that Aadhaar has been an important leap forward for India, reported Deccan Herald. The deadline for Aadhaar being mandatory would be extended to December 31, the Centre told the Supreme Court on August 30. The SC is hearing a batch of petitions challenging the decision of the government to make Aadhaar mandatory. The Centre said that at present the deadline for making Aadhaar mandatory was September 31. This information was given by the Centre after the petitioners had sought for an early hearing of the matter. The petitioners also quoted the recent decision of the Supreme Court which had said Right to Privacy is a fundamental right. The Attorney General also asked the CJI to list the matter before a five judge Constitution Bench instead of a 3 judge Bench. The court while taking note of the petitioners' request agreed to post the matter for hearing in the first week of November. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 17:17 [IST] Use of pellet guns: Centre asked to consider other means Nothing in Kashmir will work if secession is sought says SC Pak at UN calls for international probe on use of pellet guns by India Know how pellet guns killed and blinded people in Jammu and Kashmir India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Srinagar, Sep 14: The controversial use of pellet guns to disperse protesters by security forces in trouble-torn Jammu and Kashmir was once again discussed at length on Wednesday at an event hosted by the Amnesty International in Srinagar. The rights body asked for an immediate ban on the use of pellet guns as a crowd- control measure in Kashmir, asserting that violence in any form, including stone-pelting, was not acceptable. The discussion was part of an event where Amnesty International released a report--"Losing Sight in Kashmir - The Impact of Pellet-Firing Shotguns". The rights body asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to initiate a prompt, independent and impartial probe into incidents, where the use of pellet guns led to deaths or injuries. The international non-profit organisation said that pump action guns used by the Indian security forces in Kashmir have killed at least 14 people and blinded hundreds since July 2016. The report named 88 people, who were injured by pellets fired by security forces to quell protests in the Valley between 2014 and 2017. Of them, 31 suffered injuries to both the eyes, with two of them losing their vision completely, the report said. Speaking on the occasion, the executive director of Amnesty International India, Aakar Patel, demanded that the central and state governments ensure "the weapons are used in line with international human rights standards". "Pellet guns are only used in Jammu and Kashmir and not anywhere else in India. We have raised the issue with the government and it has assured us that they will be used only in extreme situations. We were told that the government understands that the damage caused by pellets is disproportionate," he said. Patel said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his Independence Day speech last month, had conceded that change in Kashmir will not come from guns or abuses. "If the government truly meant what it said, it must end the use of pellet-guns," he said. The executive director condemned stone-pelting too. "We are against any form of violence, but that does not mean that if people resort to stone-pelting, they should be blinded," Patel told reporters, adding that if investigation suggest use of arbitrary force, the suspects should be tried in civil courts. He said apart from the civilians, about 16 security personnel suffered pellet injuries, to emphasise that such weapons are inherently indiscriminate and their use can hurt police and armed forces personnel. The report also recommended full reparation in line with international standards of those injured by pellets and the families of those who were killed. This year in May, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to consider effective means other than use of pellet guns to quell stone pelting mobs in Jammu and Kashmir as it concerns life and death. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 7:54 [IST] Why Punjab farmers burn stubble at this scale when others do not 30 per cent down: How Haryana aced the decrease in stubble burning Maharashtra: Farmers in Palghar protest against bullet train project India oi-PTI As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe laid the foundation stone for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project in Gujarat, a group of farmers from Boisar in Palghar district protested against the project fearing acquisition of their lands. The farmers, who held the demonstration outside Boisar railway station, said they will be ruined if their agricultural lands are acquired for the project. During the protest, which was jointly organised by Shetkari Sangarsha Samiti and Advasi Ekta Parisahd, the protesters waved black flags and raised slogans against the project. Kaluram Dodhade of Bhoomi Sena, who took part in the protest, said, "There are mostly small farmers in Palghar and if their lands are acquired for the project, they will be ruined." The protesters also alleged that the BJP-led government was going ahead with the project without taking the farmers into consideration. Palghar DSP Majunath Shinge said, "It was a symbolic protest and there was no law and order situation." When contacted, Palghar district collector Prashant Narnavre said the agitation was carried out peaceful. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 16:12 [IST] PM Modi arrives in Japan to attend former premier Shinzo Abe's state funeral International news brief: Japan holding state funeral for ex-leader Abe amid tensions & more PM Modi attends State funeral of former Japanese PM Shinzo Abe in Tokyo | VIDEO PM Modi remembers Abe as 'phenomenal' as he offers tribute in Japan PM Modi arrives in New Delhi after attending State Funeral of Shinzo Abe in Tokyo Modi-Abe urge Pakistan to bring perpetrators of terror to justice India oi-Vikas By Vikas Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on Thursday denounced terrorism in strong terms and urged Pakistan to bring perpetrators of terror to justice. During the joint statement at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, both leaders asserted that Pakistan must bring to justice the perpetrators of terror attacks, including 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot attacks, said reports. "PM Modi and PM Abe look forward to convening 5th Japan-India consultation on terrorism and to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats from groups including Al-Qaida, ISIS, JeM, LeT and their affiliates," news agency ANI quoted the joint statement as stating. Modi and Abe also witnessed the signing of agreements between India and Japan during 15 agreements/MoUs were signed. Abe appreciated Modi's economic reforms especially the GST initiative and reiterated strong support to initiatives like Make In India and Digital India. Both leaders also condemned in the strongest terms North Korea's continued development of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. [India-Japan sign 15 agreements, Modi hails Japanese investment] PM Modi and Shinzo Abe earlier on Thursday laid the foundation stone of the 508-km long Mumbai-Ahmadabad High-Speed Rail in Ahmadabad. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 15:16 [IST] Looking forward to review progress of India's bi-lateral relations: PM as he heads to G20 Summit Modi-Abe visit world's largest Mahatma Gandhi museum - Dandi Kutir India oi-Vikas By Vikas Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, who is on a two-day official trip to India, on Thursday visited world's largest museum based on life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, Dandi Kutir, in Gandhinagar. This is the only museum depicting biography of the Father of the Nation using sophisticated technologies like audio, video, 3-D visual and 360-degree shows. Modi and Abe had visited even Sabarmati Ashram on Wednesday where the Prime Minister took great interest to explain about life and principles of Mahatma Gandhi to his Japanese counterpart. Dandi Kutir gives a glimpse of Gandhi's early life as it is beautifully portrayed with the help of audio- visuals. From his birth on 2nd October 1869 in Kathiawad, to his childhood when he was a shy, remarkable and unique student. It also traces his marriage to Kasturba and his experiments with youth. Spread over 15 acres, the Dandi Kutir complex is a part of the Mahatma Mandir, an impressive business convention centre, initiated by the state government when Modi was the chief minister. Recommended Video PM Modi, Shinzo Abe visit Sabarmati Ashram, pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi | Oneindia News [India's first bullet train project launched] Modi and Abe earlier today laid the foundation stone of the 508-km long Mumbai-Ahmadabad High-Speed Rail. The bullet train will significantly reduce the travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The travel time will be reduced from eight hours to anywhere between two-three hours depending on the number of stations. India and Japan will also sign several agreements on strategic, financial and development cooperation. The two sides are also likely to agree on bolstering bilateral defense and maritime security cooperation. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 12:24 [IST] 'Murder of Hindu woman by Muslims in Kerala turned out be fake India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Thiruvananthapuram: The video of "murder of a Hindu woman by communists and jihadis" in Kerala tweeted out from handles of right-wing sympathisers has turned out to be fake. The video was, in fact, from a street play organised by Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) against the murder of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh. As per News18, DYFI clarified that the video was a part of a street play held at Manjeri in Malappuram district of Kerala. According to the DYFI president PA Mohammed Riyas, their intention was to highlight the role of RSS in the attack on freedom of speech. The video shows two men dragging the woman out of car and shoot her. A man then addresses the onlookers in Malayalam. The only word non-Malayalam speakers understand in this monologue is RSS. One of the first to tweet the video was a Twitter user called Amitesh Kumar, who called it "another gory murder in Kerala by Commie/Jihadi goons." In the video, the man was actually saying that the "RSS murdered her for speaking against them." He further says, "This is the real face of RSS. Traitors. They are a threat. Silence is dangerous. This silence, despite fascism making its way into your kitchen, is dangerous." DYFI has decided to file a complaint against those who are promoting such fake messages. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 9:08 [IST] NEET irregularities: MCI 'cancels' admission of 778 MBBS students in Puducherry India oi-Deepika By Deepika The Medical Council of India (MCI) has rescinded the admission of 778 students in MBBS course at four deemed universities and three private medical colleges and hospitals in the Union territory for failing to adhere to the prescribed rules and norms in the admission process. The MCI, in its order dated September 7, said the monitoring sub-committee had found glaring deficiencies in admission of MBBS students during the last academic year by deemed universities and private medical colleges. Acting on a complaint filed by the Puducherry UT All Centac Students Parents Association, alleging fraud and ordered a probe which found that of the 1,200 students who joined the bachelor of medicine, bachelor of surgery, or MBBS, in 2016, 778 were admitted overlooking the top court's directives on the national eligibility-cum-entrance test (NEET). The Council had directed the Secretary Health and Director of Health Sciences to ensure the discharge of all students who were not admitted through Centac and also those admitted after last date of admissions. The institutions have been directed to comply with the order within two weeks. The colleges have also violated the directions of the SC to maintain transparency and fairness in the admission process has been totally and blatantly disregarded. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 10:36 [IST] No floor test in Tamil Nadu assembly till September 20: Madras High Court India oi-Anusha The Madras High court on Thursday said that there won't be a floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly until September 20. The order comes as an interim relief to Edappadi Palanisamy government that is currently in the minority. The High Court will hear the petition seeking a floor test in the assembly on Wednesday, until when no floor test will be held. The court refused to order an urgent floor test. The order currently gives the assembly speaker, Dhanapal, enough time to initiate proceedings to disqualify 19 rebel MLAs of the AIADMK. The DMK, as well as the TTV Dinakaran faction of the AIADMK, had moved the High Court seeking a floor test in the assembly. The attorney general told the court that Tamil Nadu Governor Vidhyasagar Rao would return to the state by Monday and hence a decision should be arrived at only after his return. Currently, the Edapapdi Palanisamy government is in the minority with more than 21 MLAs pledging their support to TTV Dinakaran. 19 MLAs of the AIADMK have already petitioned the Tamil Nadu governor withdrawing their support to the Edappadi Palanisamy government. The speaker who has issued multiple notices to all 19 MLAs is looking for ways to disqualify them. Edappadi Palanisamy government, along with the support of O Panneerselvam loyalists, currently has a strength of 114 MLAs while 117 is the simple majority in the house. In the case of disqualification of 19 TTV Dinakaran loyalists, Edappadi Palanisamy may be able to save his government since the strength of the house will be reduced by the number of legislators disqualified. OneIndia News Please treat us with dignity, we are not terrorists say Rohingyas in SC India oi-Vicky By Vicky Please treat us with dignity, we are not terrorists said a plea filed by nearly 7,000 Rohingya Muslims living in 23 settlements across Jammu. There is not a single case of terrorism against us, the plea also stated. A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra has asked the Centre to clarify its position. The case came to the court following a government move to deport Rohingya. The court is scheduled to hear the issue on September 18. All 7,000 Rohingya have nothing to do with terrorism, the petition also said. The petition, filed through Mohammad Yunus, a Rohingya, described the life of the average Rohingya in Jammu. It said there had not been a single allegation of terrorism against any Rohingya ever since the community began living in Jammu. "Not a single one of them has ever engaged in any terrorist activity," the petition said. Recommended Video Rohingya muslim: Debate over providing shelter in Manipur | Oneindia News "The local police have for over a year conducted interrogation of all the Rohingya and have taken full details of each family. The local police have inspected the settlements several times every month. All the Rohingya cooperate with the police and give them all the required information," the petition also added. Saying that branding Rohingya as terrorists was both unfair and discriminatory, it asked the court to direct the government to treat the community with some dignity, not to displace the community, which had undergone years of persecution in their own native land of Myanmar. "The approximately 7,000 Rohingya reside peacefully on privately owned lands rented out by Indian nationals, most of whom are Hindus. The Rohingya are paying rent to these landlords on a timely basis. None of the landlords have ever voiced any complaints or objections about the conduct of their Rohingya tenants," the petition further stated. On Wednesday, India agreed to send humanitarian aid to the Rohingya Muslims who were displaced in Myanmar and took refuge in Bangladesh. The decision came in the wake of high-level talks during which India was appraised of the mammoth humanitarian crisis. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 6:23 [IST] Rajasthan announces Rs 20,000 crore farm loan waiver, farmers call off protest India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer The Vasundhara Raje government on Thursday morning announced a farm loan waiver of Rs 20,000 crore. The scheme is expected to waive off loans up to Rs 50,000 for farmers, many of whom have been protesting for more than two weeks now. The announcement came after the third round of meeting between the government and representatives of the protesting farmers. The meeting on Wednesday went on for 11 hours before the government decided to join the list of states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab- that have already announced waivers for farm loans. The Raje government will now constitute a team that will study the loan waiver disbursal process applied in other states. "We have agreed to waive loans for farmers up to Rs 50,000. A team of specialists will talk to stakeholders in other states and chart out the process of loan waiver and its impact in Rajasthan," said Prabhulal Saini, state's agriculture minister. Farmers who had been protesting for more than two weeks in the state also withdrew their protests. The two-week protest in Sikhar saw massive road blocks, inconvenience, and traffic snarl on highways due to agitating farmers. Talks were held with an 11-member delegation of farmer representatives by cabinet ministers Prabhulal Saini, Ajay Kilak, Pushpendra Singh and Rampratap. The initial demand of the farmers included implementation of the Swaminathan committee recommendations and waiver of all loans amounting to Rs 49,500 crore. While the government agreed to introduce a waiver scheme for Rs 20,000 crore, nearly half of what was demanded, Raje government agreed to other demands placed before it by agitating farmers. Farmers were assured that the government would purchase crops at minimum support price (MSP), increasing farmers' pension from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000, removing the ban on the sale of cattle imposed by the state government and implementation of the Swaminathan commission recommendations. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 13:25 [IST] India's first Night Sky Sanctuary to be set up in Ladakh to boost Astro tourism in India Religious conversions in Ladakh: Tracing the crux of the Muslim-Buddhist problem India oi-Vicky By Vicky Tension is simmering in Ladakh over allegations of forcible conversions of Buddhist girls to Islam. The Muslims community has made a counter claim. The Ladakh Buddhist Association has said that their pleas to the government have fallen on deaf ears and they plan to petition the Prime Minister on the issue. With tension simmering the Muslim community too has sought for protection. Ladakh has seen violent clashes in the past and the LBA had called for a boycott of all Muslims. The same was however lifted later on. Ladakh forms almost two-thirds of the territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It however accounts for just 3 per cent of the population. Communal harmony in this region is crucial as this area borders Pakistan occupied Kashmir, Baltistan and Tibet. The relations have traditionally been harmonious and there is no record to show that terrorist groups backed by Pakistan have been able to make any major headway into this region. Considering this factor the government will have to step in and sort out this issue. Failure to do so could see terrorist groups make a headway into the region and wreck havoc. Buddhist-Muslim relations: Leh and Kargil are the two districts in Ladakh. Both districts have almost an equal population of Buddhists and Muslims. The majority of the population in Kargil are Shia Muslims. While the Sunnis are in minority, the remaining comprise Buddhists in the Zanskar Valley. The Sunnis were in fact welcomed by the Buddhist kings as they saw the Sunnis play an important role in the economic growth. The Sunnis in the region are descendants of the trader community. The Buddhists and the Shias shared a similar culture. They wore the same dress and almost ate identical food. For a long time inter-religious marriages were common. In fact in the 17th century, the ruler of Ladakh Jamyang Namgyal married Gyal Khatun, the daughter of Shia ruler Khaplu. History shows that when Ladakh was invaded by a joint army of Tibet and Mongolians in 1681, the ruler of Ladakh appealed to Mughal emperor Aurangazeb for help. The emperor obliged and inflicted heavy defeat on the Tiber-Mongolian army. In return the Ladakh ruler allotted land in Leh to the Sunni Muslims who built a Mosque. Kashmiri Muslim colonialism: Traditionally the relations have been good. However owing to several political changes in recent years, there has been tension seeping in. The Ladakh Buddhist Association declared a boycott of Muslims and it remained in force till 1992. There were violent clashes during those years which resulted in police firing and loss of several lives. Houses were burnt down on the allegation that people had indulged in forced conversions. Those Buddhists who visited Muslim houses to which their relatives were married were penalised. Tempers cooled off once the boycott was lifted. However relations were never the same as doubts persisted. The boycott was enforced as the Buddhist groups felt there was a sustained effort at Kashmir Muslim colonialism. Insecurity: After Jammu and Kashmir had been acceded to India, the Buddhists demanded that Ladakh must bear the same relation to with J&K as did Kashmir with India. However the insecurities among the Buddhists grew even further in 1989 when militancy broke out. What made matters worse is the demand in Kashmir for complete independence of accession to Pakistan. On the back of their minds was also the fact that the number of Muslims had increased in Kargil and in the coming decades the Buddhists would be in minority. The LBA then began a struggle demanding a separate constitutional status of a Union Territory for Ladakh. This led to the boycott amidst allegations of forced conversions. The Sunnis had also become dominant in the region as they dominated the economy. However the Buddhists decided to boycott them labelling them as Kashmiri agents. The government had to intervene in 1992 following which the Leh Autonomous Hill Council, providing the Leh district with considerable internal autonomy was set up. In the security 2000 the then chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir tabled a resolution in the assembly calling for the restitution of the pre-1953 status of J&K as an autonomous entity with the Union of India. Protests broke out again and LBA sought that Ladakh be declared a union territory. With the insecurity back, it is an urgent problem that the government would need to address. If the problem continues to linger on, one would witness violent clashes again and this would give fodder to Pakistan. OneIndia News Rohingya crisis: Humanity, diplomacy and an Intelligence Bureau note India oi-Vicky By Vicky There is no one easy way to solve the Rohingya issue. After India said that it would start deporting the Rohingya from India, there was condemnation from several quarters. Speaking to top officials in New Delhi who were part of a brain storming session on the issue, one gets the idea that there would be different approaches to tackle the problem. We see the humanitarian side to the problem and have even sent out relief. However there is a danger lurking around the issue as jihadis have planned on making merry of the problem, the officer said. On the table at the meeting were petitions, statements and an Intelligence Bureau note. All these issues were seriously considered before it was decided that the approach needs to be multi-fold. While India does recognise the human aspect to the problem, it would not act blindly on the cause as the country cannot be a happy hunting ground for the bloody thirsty Hafiz Saeed of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba. The IB note makes several points to make out a case that the Rohingyas are vulnerable. The attempts made by the Lashkar-e-Tayiba to repeatedly reach out to them, the recent statement of support by Jaish-e-Mohammad boss Maulana Masood Azhar among the few points that have been made. Attempts have been made to infiltrate the Rohingya settlements by Lashkar cadres and secret meetings on arms training that need to be imparted also forms part of the note. It is a problem of plenty said the officer in the know of the meeting. The idea is not to drive them back to a place that is burning. The idea is to work a way around the problem. They will need to stay until the tensions in Myanmar simmer down. Talks would be held with the government there to find a way out. Moreover India has been in touch with Bangladesh as well following which the decision to send aid was made. The officer while explaining that the problem has been fought on two fronts also speaks about the note which raises a red flag. There is visit to Thailand by Maulana Ustaad Wazir of the al-Qaeda the note speaks of. He is said to have visited there to train some Rohingyas the note also states. Further the note also says that while terror groups may not be entirely successful in radicalising all Rohingyas, they could try and infiltrate some others into their camps. The note further speaks about the need fo better border patrolling. The BSF has so far not been successful in convincing the Rohingya to return. OneIndia News Rohingya threat to national security, could be used by ISIS: Centre in SC India oi-Vicky By Vicky The Centre has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that the Rohingyas are a national threat. The centre said that they could be used by terror groups such as the Islamic State. The government said national interest warrants their deportation and the court should not interfere in the proceedings. The centre also said that there are intelligence alerts that some Rohingyas are linked with terror. These groups are active in Jammu, Delhi, Mewat and Hyderabad, the centre further stated. The next date of hearing is on Monday. The response from the Centre came on a petition filed by two Rohingya who sought a directive not to be deported. A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra had asked the Centre to clarify its position. The case came to the court following a government move to deport Rohingya. The court is scheduled to hear the issue on September 18. The petitioners meanwhile said that all Rohingyas have nothing to do with terrorism. The petition, filed through Mohammad Yunus, a Rohingya, described the life of the average Rohingya in Jammu. It said there had not been a single allegation of terrorism against any Rohingya ever since the community began living in Jammu. "Not a single one of them has ever engaged in any terrorist activity," the petition said. "The local police have for over a year conducted interrogation of all the Rohingya and have taken full details of each family. The local police have inspected the settlements several times every month. All the Rohingya cooperate with the police and give them all the required information," the petition also added. Saying that branding Rohingya as terrorists was both unfair and discriminatory, it asked the court to direct the government to treat the community with some dignity, not to displace the community, which had undergone years of persecution in their own native land of Myanmar. "The approximately 7,000 Rohingya reside peacefully on privately owned lands rented out by Indian nationals, most of whom are Hindus. The Rohingya are paying rent to these landlords on a timely basis. None of the landlords have ever voiced any complaints or objections about the conduct of their Rohingya tenants," the petition further stated. OneIndia News Whatever happened is wrong, Law will take its course: Rakesh Tikait on Singhu lynching Sad but true, no one killed Pehlu Khan, as 6 accused get clean chit India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Jaipur, Sep 14: Why always justice eludes victims of mob lynchings? First it was Mohammad Akhlaq, who was killed by a mob on suspicion of storing beef at his home in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, in 2015. Till now, his family is waiting for justice for the deceased. Thereafter, came several cases of killings and beatings of people in the name of cow protection by gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes) across the country. This year in April, once again a horrific incident of mob lynching rattled the nation. The victim was Pehlu Khan, a 55-year-old dairy farmer from Jaisinghpur village in Nuh tehsil of Mewat, Haryana, who was allegedly beaten to death by gau rakshaks on suspicion of cow smuggling in Behror area of Alwar, Rajasthan, on April 1. Because of merciless beating, Khan died in a hospital. However, before his death he named six people as prime accused in the case. Moreover, the entire incident was captured on mobile phones, which clearly showed goons beating Khan black and blue. Now, after more than five months of the brutal episode, the Rajasthan police have given clean chit to the six men accused by Khan as his murderers. The police came to the decision based on statements of the staff of a cow shelter and mobile phone records, Hindustan Times reported. The staff of the cow shelter said the six accused--Om Yadav (45), Hukum Chand Yadav (44), Sudhir Yadav (45), Jagmal Yadav (73), Naveen Sharma (48) and Rahul Saini (24)--were present at the Rath Gaushala at the time of the incident. "Based on the findings of the investigating officer, it is recommended that the names of the six accused be removed from the case," the investigation report said. The family of Khan alleged that there were efforts being made to let the accused go scot-free. "We were transporting the cattle with all the required permits, but the vigilantes threatened us then started assaulting us with belts, sticks, metal knuckle-caps. My father was punched in the eye and hit in stomach. He bled profusely, and, on April 3, he died at a hospital," said 19-year-old Arif, Pehlu Khan's son. The opposition Congress had demanded a CBI probe into the matter. Several anti-BJP parties have alleged that the six men accused of killing Khan belonged to right-wing groups and thus the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, both at the Centre and in the state, does not want to punish the culprits. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 13:10 [IST] Sharad Yadav asks EC for more time to submit documents for JD(U) symbol India pti-PTI New Delhi, Sep 14: After its earlier plea was set aside, the Sharad Yadav-led JD(U) faction on Thursday again filed a fresh claim before the Election Commission for the party's symbol and sought four weeks' time to submit relevant documents. The EC had on Tuesday refused to take cognizance of its previous plea citing lack of documents to support its assertion. Arun Kumar Shrivastav, a close aid of Yadav and the party's general secretary before its president Nitish Kumar removed him from the post, told a press conference that the party's national executive will meet in the national capital on Sunday. The meeting, he claimed, will show Yadav's support in the party and it will be followed by the national council meeting on October 8. Shrivastav claimed that most of the state units are with Yadav in his fight against Kumar. "It will be clear on September 17 how much support Sharad Yadav has in the party. It is Bihar Chief Minister Kumar and not Yadav who strayed from the party's avowed position and betrayed it by joining hands with the BJP," he said. In its application before the EC, the Yadav faction also registered its protest against its earlier decision, claiming it was based on "hyper-technical" ground and the Commission should have allowed them a hearing. The JD(U) leaders backing Kumar have claimed that an overwhelming number of popularly elected members of the party and its office bearers are with the Bihar CM, and Yadav enjoys little support. They had also submitted affidavits of the leaders supporting Kumar with the Commission. PTI Why are schools faltering in ensuring the safety of children? India oi-Shreya By Shreya The brutal murder of 7-year-old Pradyuman Thakur in Gurugram's Ryan Internation School shook the entire country as it brought out the blatant apathy of school authorities. Even before the one got the chance to recover from the shock of the cold blooded murder, a 5-year old girl was allegedly raped by a peon in Tagore Public School in Delhi's Shahadara a day after Pradyuman's murder. Investigation in both cases reveals the security lapses on the part of school authorities. Case in point would be Pradyuman's murder which happened inside the school premises that too in the bathroom meant for only children. However, the bus conductor who confessed to the crime said that he and other drivers and conductors would use the washroom without any hindrance from the authorities. Just one day after the incident, when a 5-year-old girl was raped inside a classroom in Delhi's Tagore Public school, the child's uncle alleged that the peon accused of the rape was hired by the school authorities without any proper verification. The question is where do the parents go if a child is not even safe inside classrooms and school premises? How long will school authorities shirk of responsibility? Will education institutes become just money minting machines in future? In light of the two horrific incidents of rape, murder and sexual assault, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Anil Baijlal reportedly wrote to Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia to adopt security measures laid down by Delhi police before schools are provided recognition. The statistics of crime against children in the country is shocking and displays the sorry state of child safety and security. According to the NCRB data a total of 14,913 cases under the 'Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act', 2012 were registered during the year 2015, however, only 10091 were convicted. 18,258 males and 422 females were acquitted during 2015. Low Conviction Rate A total of 84,440 cases reported under crime against Children were disposed of by police during 2015. Out of 21,604 cases in which trials were completed, 7,690 cases ended in conviction. Thus the conviction rate under crime against children at the national level stood at 35.6%. Joyanto Mukherjee, Founder, Tutored and Trained said, "Schools have become auto piloted management spaces where systems are running but no one is checking them regularly. Big loopholes are covered up as that will affect school image and PR. Schools at end of the day are huge official revenue generating spaces. A reason why I keep on saying that they should be audited internally at least 4-5 times a year. I know schools who have tried to cover up sexual harassment cases, underplayed suicide cases and what not only to uphold the image. We are sitting on a time bomb and such incidents are going to only increase. Basic know how of support staff and understanding their jurisdiction is never taken seriously. The problem starts there. Ask a school teacher to name all the bus drivers and she won't know the names of more than four. Till the time systems are not checked and audited, these incidents will crop up everywhere," Joydeep Mazumdar, Engineer said, "It certainly plays on the mind. Uneasiness spreads every time one reads about such a crime. But there is also a role to play as a parent. Abuse when physical is easily visible but emotional abuse can be just as damaging, and since they are more subtle, they usually go unnoticed. Important to observe and communicate with the child every day. Very important to believe what the child says. Many a time, the early signs of trouble are revealed much before the actual crime. As teachers and parents, we must not ignore those signs." Shreyosi Sahani, Corporate lawyer said, "No. I have a constant fear that something adverse will happen to my child. School authorities assure us of safety, and of clean records, but then, they must have assured Pradyumans parents, too." Suvodip said, "I think the schools must ensure that proper surveillance on children is maintained, and verification must be done before employing staff in such institutions," A generation in which children are perpetually under threat of horrifying and life-threatening game such as the Blue Whale, sexual assaults, abduction, will schools also fail in ensuring safety? OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 16:20 [IST] Thief calls cops for help after being caught by mob Why India decided to send aid to Rohingya Muslims India oi-Vicky By Vicky Recommended Video Rohingya crisis: India sends humanitarian aid to Rohingyas in Bangladesh | Oneindia News India has said that it would send a consignment of humanitarian assistance to Bangladesh meant for the Rohingya Muslims. Bangladesh is facing a huge problem due to the sudden influx of lakhs of refugees from Myanmar. India which has maintained that the Rohingyas posed security threat decided to send aid due to two reasons. Sources told OneIndia that the same was done on the request Bangladesh. There was a request made by the Bangladesh High Commissioner, Syed Muazzem Ali last week. Following this consultations were held with Indian envoy Harsh Vardhan Shringla who briefed them on the ground situation. Shringla was called to New Delhi urgently Monday following which there was a briefing. He returned to Bangladesh on Wednesday after getting an assurance from the government on the relief assistance. Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali had met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar last week and discussed the issue of Rohingyas in detail. An Indian aircraft will carry the first consignment of humanitarian assistance tomorrow...It will land at Chittagong airport at 11 am. Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla would hand over the relief materials to Bangladesh's Road Transport and Bridges Minister and Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader. Bangladesh, which is facing a big influx of Rohingyas from Myanmar, has called on the international community to intervene and put pressure on Myanmar to address the exodus. According to the UN estimates, over 379,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar's Rakhine state into Bangladesh since August 25 when fresh wave of violence erupted. According to media reports, the violence began when Rohingya militants attacked police posts in Myanmar's northern Rakhine state. Rohingya residents - a stateless mostly Muslim minority in a Buddhist-majority nation - allege that the military and Rakhine Buddhists responded with a brutal campaign against them, according to the reports. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 6:16 [IST] Why Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi wants politicians to go back to school India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Chennai, Sep 14: It is interesting to see that Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi has appealed to the political community of the country to go back to school. It is not that the noted child rights activist wants our politicians to revisit classrooms to once again repeat what they have already learnt in their childhood, but to understand what are the ills afflicting the Indian education system in the aftermath of a large numbers of cases of violence, sexual assaults and murders against students in schools. The Nobel Peace laureate has appealed to the politicians to go back to school, as an ordinary parent, to assess and understand how schools can be made safe for children. Satyarthi also rued the fact that schools, considered to be the safest places for children, have no safety mechanisms to take care of students. He slammed the fact that more and more children in schools are facing rape, abuse and molestation across the country. Satyarthi said, "I urge all of the political community in the country to go to school as an ordinary parent. See things on your own, feel the environment, question them. Schools are supposed to be institutions of learning and safe haven for our children. It should not be places of torture." "Unless we do not wake up to the dire need to take strong action, our children will continue to suffer. We will fail to make India safe for our children," he added. The noted child rights activist made the appeal to the politicians at the Bharat Yatra march in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, on Wednesday. In fact, Satyarthi started the pan-India, Bharat Yatra, on September 11 in Kanyakumari in the southern state to focus on the need to ensure safety and well-being of children across India. As a part of the march, the Nobel laureate, several other activists and like-minded people are travelling across the country to create awareness against child rape and child sexual abuse, issues hardly discussed in the country. The aim of the campaign is to encourage people to report against cases of child sexual abuse, strengthening intuitional response including medical health and compensations, ensuring protection for victims and witnesses during trials and increasing convictions of child sexual abuse in a time bound manner. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 10:02 [IST] Iraq gets a new government after a year of deadlock 37 dead including Iranians in twin attacks in south Iraq International oi-Madhuri At least 37 people including Iranians were killed after twin attacks took place in gun and car bomb attacks in south Iraq on Thursday. Meanwhile, according to various social media, Iraqi police in Ziqar province said that more than 60 people were killed in attacks on a restaurant among which 30 were Iranians. The first attack struck close to a restaurant while shortly afterwards a car bomb targeted a security checkpoint in the same area, officials said. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for twin attacks that killed at least 50 people in southern Iraq today. In a statement released by its propaganda arm Amaq, IS said several suicide bombers had staged the assault on a restaurant and a security checkpoint. OneIndia News NASA gravity map reveals Red planet's interior, evolution International pti-PTI Washington, Sep 14: NASA scientists have found evidence that Mars' crust is not as dense as previously thought, which means that at least a part of it is relatively porous, suggests a gravity map of the red planet. The finding may help better understand the red planet's interior structure and evolution, according to the US space agency. However, scientists said that they cannot rule out the possibility of a different mineral composition or perhaps a thinner crust. "The crust is the end-result of everything that happened during a planet's history, so a lower density could have important implications about Mars' formation and evolution," said Sander Goossens of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, US. The researchers mapped the density of the Martian crust, estimating the average density is 2,582 kilogrammes per cubic metre. That is comparable to the average density of the lunar crust. Typically, Mars' crust has been considered at least as dense as Earth's oceanic crust, which is about 2,900 kilogrammes per cubic metre. The new value is derived from Mars' gravity field, a global model that can be extracted from satellite tracking data using sophisticated mathematical tools. The gravity field for Earth is extremely detailed, because the data sets have very high resolution. Recent studies of the Moon by NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory, or GRAIL, mission also yielded a precise gravity map. The data sets for Mars do not have as much resolution, so it is more difficult to pin down the density of the crust from current gravity maps. As a result, previous estimates relied more heavily on studies of the composition of Mars' soil and rocks. "We are coming to the conclusion that it is not enough just to know the composition of the rocks," said Greg Neumann, co-author of the research paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. Before taking on Mars, the researchers tested their approach by applying it to the gravity field that was in use before the GRAIL mission. The resulting estimate for the density of the Moon's crust essentially matched the GRAIL result of 2,550 kilogrammes per cubic metre. From the new model, the team generated global maps of the crust's density and thickness. These maps show the kinds of variations the researchers expect, such as denser crust beneath Mars' giant volcanoes. PTI Imran Khan discharged from hospital, to resume long march from same point where he was shot This cop from Pakistan became a millionaire overnight: Here is how Pakistan reassessing ties with US, says it's not our job to satisfy US International oi-PTI Pakistan's defence minister on Wednesday said it is not Islamabad's job to satisfy the US, and added that his government is currently "reassessing" ties with Washington, Pakistani media reported. Khan's remarks came amidst tension in ties between the US and Pakistan after President Donald Trump accused the country of providing safe havens to terrorists. Khan said yesterday that it was not possible for Pakistan to satisfy the US, Dawn reported. "We are here to give our point of view logically and with evidence. We will explain our position. But it's not for us to satisfy them," he told the media. The government, he said, was "reassessing ties with the US", and has simultaneously undertaken a regional outreach ahead of talks with Americans on future bilateral engagement. Khan said the two countries needed a frank and candid dialogue on the issues concerning them, as differences between them would reflect in Afghanistan and other regional issues. The defence minister expressed discontent that the US did not share Pakistan's threat perception about India. He also claimed that a nexus existed between the US, India and Afghanistan that was threatening Pakistan. "The US knows all, but ignores the threats faced by us because of its strategic interests." He said Pakistan would keep raising concerns about India in future engagements with the US. "The United States cannot ignore the threat to us from India. It is [a] serious [situation]," he underscored, adding that it would be major challenge for the Pakistani side to get it acknowledged in the upcoming talks. Khan said the other challenge for Pakistan was the fact that the US "keeps changing the goalposts". Pakistan, he said, would advise the US that intensifying kinetic operations (lethal or offensive combat missions) in Afghanistan would not work and the only way forward lay in a politically negotiated settlement of the conflict. Dawn reported that Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif would accompanying Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to the UN General Assembly session in New York next week and is expected to use the opportunity to visit Washington for a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Pakistan's foreign minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif last month also postponed his scheduled visit to Washington to meet with US secretary of state Rex Tillerson. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 15:36 [IST] Explained: How Delhi is picking up the pieces after the violence Nirbhaya convicts left no stone unturned to escape gallows, failed to get relief In a relief to the poor, Govt extends free ration programme by 3 months Rohingya crisis: India sends relief materials for refugees in Bangladesh International oi-Deepika By Deepika India on Thursday reached Chittagong with 50 metric tonnes of relief assistance for the lakhs of Rohingya refugees who have fled the violence in Myanmar's Rakhine province for Bangladesh. The first tranche of 53 metric tonne reached Chittagong with an IAF plane on Thursday afternoon. The Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Shringla met the first flight and handed over the relief consignment to Bangladesh's Road Transport and Bridges minister, Obaidul Quader. India hands over 1st consignment of Op Insaniyat, humanitarian assistance Bangladesh, on account of large influx of refugees into Bangladesh pic.twitter.com/sJGqN8eqLV ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2017 In a statement on Thursday, the MEA said India would be sending relief material in multiple consignments, the first tranche of which was delivered in Chittagong by an IAF aircraft on Thursday. The statement said, "The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets etc." For good measure, India promised to "provide any assistance required by Government of Bangladesh in this hour of need." The Indian assistance comes as the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called the Rohingya crisis a "humanitarian catastrophe". "Violence in Myanmar has created a humanitarian catastrophe. Aid has been severely disrupted and 380,000 refugees have fled to Bangladesh. On Wednesday, The UNSC expressed concern at reports of excessive violence during security operations by Myanmar. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 15:05 [IST] Rohingya HUMAN crisis: Never seen anyone so happy for a sip of water says Khalsa Aid International oi-Vicky By Vicky Recommended Video Rohingya Crisis: Khalsa Aid reaches Bangladesh to provide assistance | Oneindia News I have never before seen anyone so relieved for a small sip of water. This is the Rohingya HUMAN crisis we are speaking about. In the midst of the ethnic cleansing taking place in Myanmar, lakhs of Rohingya Muslims have fled the country. They have taken refuge in India and Bangladesh. Only recently a fresh of Rohingya fled the country to take refuge in Bangladesh. Khalsa Aid was quick to respond to the plight of the Rohingya Muslim refugees. Khalsa Aid is an international NGO with the aim to provide humanitarian aid in disaster areas and civil conflict zones around the world. The organisation is based upon the Sikh principle of 'Recognise the whole human race as one'. Here is what Khalsa Aid is doing for the Rohingya Muslims" 'You have no doubt seen images of 100,000s of Rohingya Muslims crossing borders to find a safe haven in Bangladesh. Whole families have literally run for their lives - some have carried infants only a few days old in their arms. They have lost siblings, parents, partners to the killings. Their homes and entire villages burnt to the ground. Our team in India, led by Amarpreet Singh, arrived at the Bangladesh border on 9 September. The team offered fresh water to the refugees disembarking from the boats and arranged free transportation to take them to the refugee camps. "These people are arriving in a desperate state. I have never seen anyone so relieved for a drink of water. They have no money to pay for public transport to the refugee camps. Local rickshaws have increased their rates because of the heightened demand so we have organised transportation to take families safely to the refugee camps" says Amarpreet Singh, Khalsa Aid Director, India "Our immediate priority is to supply water and food as refugees continue to arrive hungry and parched - a daily langar service has been set-up for 30,000 to 50,000 people. Our second priority will be to help build more secure and stable shelters once the local government allots suitable land. Official records show that 350,000 refugee have arrived in Bangladesh, however the reality is that it is close to double that figure. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, September 14, 2017, 11:18 [IST] Blacklisting Mahmood blocked by China: The man who raised funds under garb of religion in India 'The solution can only be political': UN chief on Korean crisis International pti-PTI Washington, Sep 14: With ties between Pyongyang and neighbouring countries worsening after the H-bomb test, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called for a political solution to the current situation in Korean peninsula. "The solution can only be political. Military action could cause devastation on a scale that would take generations to overcome," Guterres told reporters at a news conference at the UN headquarters in New York. Noting that nuclear and missile tests by the North Korea have created great instability and tension on the Korean peninsula, throughout the region and beyond, the UN Secretary General said unity in the Security Council is critical. This week's unanimous adoption of a new resolution by the Security Council sends a clear message that North Korea must comply fully with its international obligations, he said and called on all Member States to ensure the full implementation of this and other relevant Security Council resolutions. "But Security Council unity also creates an opportunity for diplomatic engagement an opportunity that must be seized," Guterres said. Meanwhile, in an interview to Atlantic Council, a top American think-tank, Nicholas Burns, a former top American diplomat said that the new sanctions imposed by UN Security Council on North Korea are not enough. "The sanctions are a step forward, but they are not significant enough. It is disappointing that Russia and China will not agree to tougher sanctions because that is what is required," he said. "We are in a new and dangerous phase of the crisis following the apparent hydrogen bomb test and also the ballistic missile firing by North Korea over Hokkaido," Burns said. "The world community has got to take stronger actions against North Korea to convince the North Koreans to freeze their nuclear program and agree to negotiations to try to diminish this crisis," he said. Noting that the Chinese have a direct interest here, he said, but they are hesitating in deepening their own leverage and coercion against North Korea. "It may be that China worries that a dissolution of the North Korean regime could lead to a flow of North Korean refugees into China, " Burns said. "It is certainly true that the Chinese worry that any kind of crisis that could weaken or destroy North Korea and could lead to the unification of the Korean Peninsula with its capital in Seoula country that is aligned with the United Statesis not in China's interests," he said. PTI Sky News 13 Nov 2022 Football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has said he feels "betrayed" by Manchester United and claims he is being forced out of the club. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. by Graham Pierrepoint Recent movie news has been somewhat awash regarding the chops and changes that have been taking place with regard to future movies in Disneys Star Wars franchise. A number of directing staff have been let go from their posts or have parted ways with production teams in moves that many have been speculating about for some time and with Episode IX (as yet untitled) having released Colin Trevorrow in recent days, talk of his replacement has been rather fervent. Its perhaps surprising, too, that a replacement has been found so quickly and its someone most moviegoers will be all too familiar with. JJ Abrams is back on board for Episode IX its official having helmed Episode VII, The Force Awakens, to critical and major fan acclaim two years ago. The Star Trek franchise director is regarded as one of the most recognizable and trusted names in modern sci-fi and with Disney bringing Abrams back on board for another installment, its a move that many will assume to be either genius or simply playing it safe. Episode VIII, The Last Jedi, has been directed by Rian Johnson in his stead and well get to see that installment later this holiday season. Lucasfilm confirmed the news, with Abrams reportedly taking on co-writing duties with Chris Terrio. Terrio was responsible for helping to form the award-winning Argo and hes behind the screenplay for the forthcoming Justice League movie, as well as having been the chief writer for last years Batman V Superman which was, unfortunately, met with considerable critical dissonance. Abrams return to Star Wars is a little surprising as it was thought that the new trilogy of movies in the canon would be taken on by a different director at each turn but the director of The Force Awakens is a considerably safe pair of hands. Trevorrow - the director behind 2015s barnstorming success Jurassic World allegedly departed Episode IX due to differing creative visions. The movie has since brought on screenwriter Jack Thorne perhaps most famous for bringing Harry Potter to the stage to supply considerable rewriting. While Abrams may have been the safest option to save both face and the outcome of the new trilogy, it remains to be seen what will happen with other directors lined up for future Star Wars movies will this be a curse easily outlived? We value your privacy. Focus Taiwan (CNA) uses tracking technologies to provide better reading experiences, but it also respects readers' privacy. Click here to find out more about Focus Taiwan's privacy policy. When you close this window, it means you agree with this policy. Oneindia 21 Apr 2022 One LeT terrorist was killed in an encounter with the security forces in Kashmirs Baramulla area. #Kashmir #Baramulla.. Steve Nadel Benedicte Gravrand, Opalesque Geneva: As the number of hedge funds investing in cryptocurrencies or in ICOs has been rising, so have concerns surrounding such investments. Steve Nadel, hedge fund attorney and partner at Seward & Kissel LLP in New York, talks to Opalesque about those concerns. Opalesque:Could you tell us about the issues around hedge funds investing in cryptocurrencies? Steve Nadel:A lot of issues need to be addressed - for example, howdoyou get a proper valuation?Some of these cryptocurrencies are trading on multiple exchanges. Normally, with currencies, there is a set time, a fixing price - 4 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time -when the value is assigned. That really hasn't happened here. These cryptocurrencies may be trading at potentially different values on different exchanges. So that's a big issue that needs to be addressed. Opalesque:What about the hedging? Steve Nadel:Right now it's pretty challenging to hedge. We are expecting to see some futures coming out in the future, but right now there isn't much in the way of being able to hedge these transactions. Opalesque: You mentioned issues concerning custodianship. Steve Nadel:With respect to the custodian issue,the question ishow do y...................... To view our full article Click here Opalesque Industry Update - Kettera Strategies LLC, which owns and operates Hydra, a global macro, FX, and commodity managed account marketplace, today announced the expansion of Hydra with the launch of Hydra Global Hedge offering access to equity-based hedge fund strategies. "The new Hydra Global Hedge marketplace was built to answer the challenges investors face when trying to incorporate equity hedge fund strategies into their portfolios," said Terri Engelman Rhoads, President of Kettera and an industry veteran who has built and run hedge fund managed account platforms for Guggenheim and others. "Investors will now be able to access equity-based hedge fund strategies through a limited liability vehicle but with the added features of a managed account such as daily transparency and additional liquidity, giving investors the ability to know where their portfolio stands on a daily basis and proactively manage their risk." Hydra Global Hedge is an expansion of the established Hydra marketplace, which has distinguished itself in the macro/managed futures space by providing investors with daily transparency, intra-month liquidity and notional funding capabilities. "We are excited to expand the success of Hydra into liquid equity strategies including global equity long/short, with plans to offer other equity-based hedge fund strategies," said Jon Stein, Chief Executive Officer of Kettera. Kettera's new equity-focused marketplace provides investors the opportunity to participate in various strategies while offering advantages that may not otherwise be available by going directly into an investment manager's fund. These advantages include daily transparency, monthly liquidity, diversification, risk monitoring and control, lower investment minimums, potentially lower fees, governance improvements, and administrative convenience. Kettera has selected Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC as the initial prime broker and NAV Consulting as the administrator for this new platform. RSM US LLP will serve as the auditor and BMO Harris, NA as the custodian bank to Hydra Global Hedge. Sidley Austin, LLP is the US counsel and Stuart, Walker & Hersant is Cayman counsel. Independent service providers are a key feature of the Hydra marketplace, which is dedicated to due diligence and objective oversight that is free from the conflicts of interests often found in bank and brokerage-owned platforms. Service providers are independent companies unaffiliated with Kettera. There is no form of legal partnership, agency, affiliation, or similar relationship between these service providers and Kettera. Hydra is available to US and non-US investors via a master-feeder structure. Art Nouveau, Art Deco these are terms we associate not only with a particular period in historythe turn of the 20th century and the ensuing jazz-age of the 20sbut also with particular locales: Paris, New York, L.A., London, Vienna, or the Jugendstil of Weimar Munich. We probably do not think of Rio de Janeiro. This may be due to biases about the privileged location of culture, such that most people in Europe and North America, even those with an arts education, know very little about art from the colonies. But it is also the case that Brazil had its own modern art movement, one that strove for a distinctly Brazilian sensibility even as it remained in dialogue with Europe and the U.S. The movement announced itself in 1922, the centennial of the South American nations independence from Portugal. In celebration, artists from Sao Paulo held the Semana de Arte Moderna, seven days in which, the BBC writes, they constructed, deconstructed, performed, sculpted, gave lectures, read poetry and created some of the most avant-garde works ever seen in Brazil. 1922 also happened to be the year that a Rio de Janeiro-born artist, illustrator, and graphic designer who went by the name J. Carlos (Jose Carlos de Brito e Cunha) took over the direction of the magazine Para Todos. Founded in 1918, the magazine began as a film rag, and its covers faithfully featured photo spreads of movie stars. But in 1926, Carlos, who had already proven himself a major talent in Brazilian Art Deco graphic design, writes Messy Nessy, began drawing his own cover illustrations, and he continued to do so for the next four years, as well as drawing thousands of cartoons and writing vaudeville plays and samba lyrics. His work clearly draws from Euro-American sources, including several unfortunate racial caricatures. But it also introduces some uniquely Brazilian elements, or uniquely Carlos-ian elements, that seem almost proto-psychedelic (we might imagine a jazz-age Os Mutantes accompanying these trippy designs). J. Carlos was a prolific artist who collaborated in design and illustration in all the major publications of Brazil from the 1920s until the 1950s. In all, its estimated that he left behind over 100,000 illustrations. So devoted was Carlos to the art and culture of his native city that he apparently turned down an invitation by Walt Disney to work in Hollywood. Print magazine describes Carlos work as a cross between Aubrey Beardsley and John Held Jr., and while there is no shortage of the willowy, doll-like flappers, elongated, elfin figures, and intricate, spidery patterns we would expect from this derivation, Carlos is also doing something very different from either of those artistsor really from anyone working in the Northern Hemisphere. He has since become a heroic figure for Brazilian artists and scholars, inspiring an extensive web project, a visual thesis on Issuu, and two recent documentary films (all in Portuguese), which you can find here. In 2009, Carlos received a posthumous honor that probably would have thrilled him in life, a tribute song by the Academicos da Rocinha samba club. Listen to it here and find several more of Carlos Para Todos covers at Messy Nessy, Print, and the Brazilian blog Os caminhos do Journalismo. Related Content: Download Hundreds of Issues of Jugend, Germanys Pioneering Art Nouveau Magazine (1896-1940) Download Influential Avant-Garde Magazines from the Early 20th Century: Dadaism, Surrealism, Futurism & More Oscar Wildes Play Salome Illustrated by Aubrey Beardsley in a Striking Modern Aesthetic (1894) Harry Clarkes 1926 Illustrations of Goethes Faust: Art That Inspired the Psychedelic 60s Josh Jones is a writer and musician based in Durham, NC. Follow him at @jdmagness Superconductors Market 2017 Trends, Research, Analysis & Review Forecast 2022 Superconductor market is accounted for $0.82 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach $2.71 billion by 2022 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/959992-superconductors-global-market-outlook-2016-2022 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/959992-superconductors-global-market-outlook-2016-2022 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=959992 https://www.linkedin.com/company/wise-guy-research-consultants-pvt-ltd-?trk=biz-companies-cym https://www.wiseguyreports.com Global Superconductors IndustryGlobal Superconductor market is accounted for $0.82 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach $2.71 billion by 2022 growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.6%. Growing demand from medical industry for MRI, booming market for electric motors are the major factors propelling the market growth. In addition, increasing research & development activities, innovative technological developments are the other factors bolstering the market growth during the forecast period. On the other hand, fluctuating raw material prices is hindering the market growth.Try Sample Report @The widespread research involved in the development of high temperature superconductors (HTS) will also boost up the demand for superconductors in the power industry. The magnetic resonance imaging sector holds the leading share by consumer applications, and the electronic devices sector is anticipated to experience the fastest growth due to the rising applications of superconductors in this segment. Asia-Pacific is the primary regional market for this industry and is predictable to dominate in the future with the expected positive economic outlook in upcoming markets such as India, China, and Japan.Some of the key players in global superconductor market include American Superconductor, Evico GmbH, Hitachi, Ltd., Hyper Tech Research, Inc., Metal Oxide Technologies, Inc., Siemens AG, Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd., Superconductor Technologies, Inc., Toshiba Corporation, Bruker Corporation, Ceraco Ceramic Coating Gmbh, Deutsche Nanoschicht Gmbh, Fujikura Ltd., and Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd.Products Covered: High temperature superconducting materials Low temperature superconducting materialsApplications Covered: Electronics Medical Research & Development Other ApplicationsFor Detailed Reading Please visit WiseGuy Reports @Regions Covered: North Americao USo Canadao Mexico Europeo Germanyo Franceo Italyo UKo Spaino Rest of Europe Asia Pacifico Japano Chinao Indiao Australiao New Zealando Rest of Asia Pacific Rest of the Worldo Middle Easto Brazilo Argentinao South Africao EgyptWhat our report offers:- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments- Market share analysis of the top industry players- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants- Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsBuy now @Some Major Points from Table of content:1 Executive Summary2 Preface2.1 Abstract2.2 Stake Holders2.3 Research Scope2.4 Research Methodology2.4.1 Data Mining2.4.2 Data Analysis2.4.3 Data Validation2.4.4 Research Approach2.5 Research Sources2.5.1 Primary Research Sources2.5.2 Secondary Research Sources2.5.3 Assumptions3 Market Trend Analysis3.1 Introduction3.2 Drivers3.3 Restraints3.4 Opportunities3.5 Threats3.6 Product AnalysisContinued..For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comAbout UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.Contact Us:Norah Trent+1 646 845 9349 / +44 208 133 9349Follow on LinkedIn:Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt LtdPune 411028Maharashtra, GlobalPh: +91 841 198 5042 Global Palm Oil Market 2017 Industry Research Report Global Palm Oil Market 2017 Industry Research Report https://www.qyresearcheurope.com/goods-720176.html https://www.qyresearcheurope.com/ The Global Palm Oil Market Professional Survey Report 2017 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Palm Oil industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Palm Oil Industry analysis is provided for the international market including development history, competitive landscape analysis, and major regions development status.Secondly, development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures. This report also states import/export, supply and consumption figures as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin by regions (United States, EU, China and Japan), and other regions can be added.Then, the report focuses on global major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. Whats more, the Palm Oil industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered.In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.This report studies Palm Oil in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2012 to 2016, and forecast to 2022.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringFelda Global VenturesSime Darby PlantationGolden Agri ResourcesIvomasRGE PteIOIGenting GroupBumitama AgriKLKLondon SumatraWILMARMusim MasAstra Agro LestariBy types, the market can be split intoCrude Palm OilPalm OleinBy Application, the market can be split intoFood industrySurfactantsPersonal CareCosmeticsAgrochemicalBy Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want)North AmericaChinaEuropeSoutheast AsiaJapanIndiaTo ask a professional report sample or make an order, please browse our detailed product link:Table of contents:1 Industry Overview of Palm Oil2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Palm Oil3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Palm Oil4 Global Palm Oil Overall Market Overview5 Palm Oil Regional Market Analysis6 Global 2012-2017E Palm Oil Segment Market Analysis (by Type)7 Global 2012-2017E Palm Oil Segment Market Analysis (by Application)8 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Palm Oil9 Development Trend of Analysis of Palm Oil Market10 Palm Oil Marketing Type Analysis11 Consumers Analysis of Palm Oil12 Conclusion of the Global Palm Oil Market Professional Survey Report 2017Related Reports:Europe Palm Oil Market 2017 Industry Research ReportChina Palm Oil Market 2017 Industry Research ReportUSA Palm Oil Market 2017 Industry Research ReportKorea Palm Oil Market 2017 Industry Research ReportJapan Palm Oil Market 2017 Industry Research ReportIndia Palm Oil Market 2017 Industry Research ReportContact Details:Contact Details:Company Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITED | focus on Market Survey and ResearchTina| Sales ManagersEmail: sales@qyresearcheurope.com or tinaning@qyresearch.comTel: 0086-20-22093278(CN)Web:QYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. The company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team); QYResearch has always pursuit product quality, adhere to the quality is the soul of business.Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District Exhaust Outlet Casing Pipe Flange Gasket Market Report Now Available at Top Global Research Firm of 2017 Exhaust Outlet Casing Pipe Flange Gasket Market http://cutt.us/7kXsh http://cutt.us/dgLRI http://www.9dresearchgroup.com Global Exhaust Outlet Casing Pipe Flange Gasket Market Research Report 2017 Production, Demand, Growth, Size, Supply, Market Development, Application, Segmentation, Opportunity, Forecast and Analysis by 2022The Exhaust Outlet Casing Pipe Flange Gasket Market Report includes the overall market view of the Exhaust Outlet Casing Pipe Flange Gasket market. In order to provide complete information about the market, chronological data was collected which also included the statistical data. Rigorous researches and studies were made while collecting the data and with the help of reliable methodologies, the data collected was verified and validated. The opinions from the industry experts were taken into consideration while studying the report.Request for Sample Report:This study estimates, analyzes, and forecasts the global Exhaust Outlet Casing Pipe Flange Gasket market in terms of revenue and volume. The market numerals provided in the report portray the global demand for the product, except the supply or production. The Exhaust Outlet Casing Pipe Flange Gasket Market report also examines a number of restraining and driving factors and their effect on the global market in the future.The report furnishes an in-depth analysis of the global Exhaust Outlet Casing Pipe Flange Gasket market by its key applications too. The report further categorizes the global Exhaust Outlet Casing Pipe Flange Gasket market on the basis of key geographical areas as Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. In addition, the report provides revenue and volume for each application segment for every region. This comprises several unique country-specific information.On the basis of country and application, the Exhaust Outlet Casing Pipe Flange Gasket Market report highlights the magnetism of every country and segment with the help of various tool. The overall study consists of value chain analysis that gives a thorough understanding of major players in the supply chain, particularly ranging from raw material manufacturers to end-users. Moreover, the report provides the global market cutthroat competition with the help of Porters Five Forces Analysis.Check discount before purchasing this report @This Exhaust Outlet Casing Pipe Flange Gasket market report also includes all the major market players involved in the global market. The complete company profiles are included. The companys production, sales, future market plans and strategies, challenges that are being faced, the advancements that are made in the technology, and various aspects are all included within the market report.Finally, the conclusion section consists of the opinions made by the industrial experts and other observations that were made about the market.9D Research Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Joel JohnTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651Email: sales@9dresearchgroup.comWeb: Nuclear Medicine 2017 Global Market Expected to Grow at CAGR of 6.27% and Forecast to 2022 Nuclear Medicine Market https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2248834-global-nuclear-medicine-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2248834-global-nuclear-medicine-market-report-2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=2248834 Nuclear Medicine Market 2017Executive SummaryWith the slowdown in world economic growth, the Nuclear Medicine industry has also suffered a certain impact, but still maintained a relatively optimistic growth, the past four years, Nuclear Medicine market size to maintain the average annual growth rate of 6.27% from 3500 million $ in 2013 to 4200 million $ in 2016, The analysts believe that in the next few years, Nuclear Medicine market size will be further expanded, we expect that by 2021 , The market size of the Nuclear Medicine will reach 5890 million $.This Report covers the manufacturers' data, including: shipment, price, revenue, gross profit, interview record, business distribution etc., these data help the consumer know about the competitors better. This report also covers all the regions and countries of the world, which shows a regional development status, including market size, volume and value, as well as price data.Request a Sample Report @Besides, the report also covers segment data, including: type segment, industry segment, channel segment etc. cover different segment market size, both volume and value. Also cover different industries clients information, which is very important for the manufacturers. If you need more information, please contact BisReportSection 1: Free--DefinitionSection (2 3): 1200 USD--Manufacturer DetailGE HealthcareBracco ImagingMallinckrodtLantheus Medical ImagingBayerTriad IsotopesNordionJubilant PharmaEli LillySIEMENSChina Isotope & RadiationDongchengSection 4: 900 USD--Region SegmentationNorth America Country (United States, Canada)South AmericaAsia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea)Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy)Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC)Section (5 6 7): 500 USD--Product Type Segmentation (Tc-99, I-123/131, In-111, Xe-133, Th-201)Industry Segmentation (Diagnostic, Therapeutic, , , )Channel (Direct Sales, Distributor) SegmentationSection 8: 400 USD--Trend (2017-2021)Section 9: 300 USD--Product Type DetailSection 10: 700 USD--Downstream ConsumerSection 11: 200 USD--Cost StructureSection 12: 500 USD--ConclusionComplete Report Details @Table of Contents Analysis of Key PointsSection 1 Nuclear Medicine Product DefinitionSection 2 Global Nuclear Medicine Market Manufacturer Share and Market OverviewSection 3 Manufacturer Nuclear Medicine Business Introduction3.1 GE Healthcare Nuclear Medicine Business Introduction3.1.1 GE Healthcare Nuclear Medicine Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2013-20163.1.2 GE Healthcare Nuclear Medicine Business Distribution by Region3.1.3 GE Healthcare Interview Record3.1.4 GE Healthcare Nuclear Medicine Business Profile3.1.5 GE Healthcare Nuclear Medicine Product Specification3.2 Bracco Imaging Nuclear Medicine Business Introduction3.2.1 Bracco Imaging Nuclear Medicine Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2013-20163.2.2 Bracco Imaging Nuclear Medicine Business Distribution by Region3.2.3 Interview Record3.2.4 Bracco Imaging Nuclear Medicine Business Overview3.2.5 Bracco Imaging Nuclear Medicine Product Specification3.3 Mallinckrodt Nuclear Medicine Business Introduction3.3.1 Mallinckrodt Nuclear Medicine Shipments, Price, Revenue and Gross profit 2013-20163.3.2 Mallinckrodt Nuclear Medicine Business Distribution by Region3.3.3 Interview Record3.3.4 Mallinckrodt Nuclear Medicine Business Overview3.3.5 Mallinckrodt Nuclear Medicine Product Specification3.4 Lantheus Medical Imaging Nuclear Medicine Business Introduction3.5 Bayer Nuclear Medicine Business Introduction3.6 Triad Isotopes Nuclear Medicine Business Introduction.Section 4 Global Nuclear Medicine Market Segmentation (Region Level)Section 5 Global Nuclear Medicine Market Segmentation (Product Type Level)Section 6 Global Nuclear Medicine Market Segmentation (Industry Level)Section 7 Global Nuclear Medicine Market Segmentation (Channel Level)Section 8 Nuclear Medicine Market Forecast 2017-2021Section 9 Nuclear Medicine Segmentation Product TypeSection 10 Nuclear Medicine Segmentation IndustrySection 11 Nuclear Medicine Cost of Production Analysis....ContinuedBuy Now @Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India 2017 Global Bioplastic Packaging Material Market analysis and Industry Forecast Global Bioplastic Packaging Material Market https://goo.gl/HnXNRv https://goo.gl/qzbVWb https://market.biz/ http://emarkets.eu/ 2017 Global Bioplastic Packaging Material Market Report is a proficient, and rigorous research report on the world's major regional market conditions of the Bioplastic Packaging Material industry, focusing on the key regions (USA, Europe, China, Japan, India, South East Asia) and the dominant countries (United States, Germany, Japan and China).The report primarily presents the Global Bioplastic Packaging Material Market fundamentals: definitions, categorization, applications and industry chain overview, business policies and strategies, product specifications, manufacturing operations, cost framework.Further it scrutinizes the world's vital region market conditions, including the product price, capacity utilization,profit, capacity, industry growth rate, production, supply and demand. Lastly the report covers SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.Do Inquiry Before Buying Report at:Further the industry report enlists the prominent competitors and offers the substantial industry Analysis of the chief terms impacting the market.The report includes the prophecy, Analysis and discussion of current and forthcoming industry facts, market dimensions, market share evaluations and profiles of the key industry vendors.Prominent players in Bioplastic Packaging Material market include:*Arkema*Dupont*Heritage Pioneer Corporate Group*Novamont*Metabolix*Reverdia*Solvay*Bioamber*Corbion*NatureWorks*With no less than 15 top players.Global Bioplastic Packaging Material Market SegmentationThe Global Bioplastic Packaging Material market is sectioned into USA, Europe, China, Japan, India, South East Asia and etc. Asia Pacific has the major market share followed by Europe. Europe will have higher market growth in Bioplastic Packaging Material market during forecast period.Get Sample Copy Of Report at:This report analyzes the Bioplastic Packaging Material market by the following segments:Country level analysis:1.USA2.Europe3.Japan4.China5.India6.South East AsiaGlobal Bioplastic Packaging Material Market, by Type*Bio-degradable Material*Non-Biodegradable MaterialGlobal Bioplastic Packaging Material Market, by Applications*Food & Beverages*Kitchen Utensils*Electronics Industries*Other IndustryOverall the report on Global Bioplastic Packaging Material Market acts as valuable and profitable guide for industry players and other individuals who are keen in studying the Bioplastic Packaging Material market.KEY PERKS OF THE REPORT1. Thorough understanding of the blueprints followed by the leading players in this market to stay competitive2. Extensive analysis about the growth map of the market in upcoming five years.3. Detailed analysis of the dominant market players and their market share.About Us:Market.Biz is designed to provide the best and most penetrating research required to all commercial, industrial and profit-making ventures in any sector of online business. We take pride in our ability to satisfy the market research needs of both domestic and international businesses.Market.Biz has access to the worlds most comprehensive and up-to-date databases in your business sector, including countless market reports that can provide you with valuable data relating to your business. We understand the needs of our clients, and keep our reports updated as market requirement changes.Contact US:GlobeMetrixJames JohnsonS no. 51/14 First Floor, Office Number 4,Vishwa Arcade, Near Navale Lawns,Pune, Maharashtra, India 411041.Tel: +1(857)2390696Email: inquiry@market.bizWebsite:Blog: Blood Flow Measurement Devices to 2019: Trends, Business Strategies and Opportunities Blood Flow Measurement Devices http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1419 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/1419 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=1419 1500 cfm segment with an estimated 4.4% CAGR over 2016-2024.Request and Download Sample Report@Considering material type, cast iron segment will continue dominance with over 60% value share, reaching a value of US$ 1,718.2 Mn in 2024. This segment will also demonstrate the fastest CAGR of 5.3% over the forecast period. Stainless steel segment will also grow moderately at 5%, attaining a value worth US$ 876 Mn in 2024.Based on the end-use industry, oil and gas sector will retain dominance over others, with over US$ 931 Mn by the end of 2024 in terms of revenues. Chemical processing and general process industries will continue to maintain the second and third largest segments respectively. Among these, general process industries will display a higher CAGR of 5.8% over 2016-2024, bagging the revenues of over US$ 511 Mn. Paper and pulp, and power segments are expected to grow steadily throughout the assessment period.Dekker Vacuum Technologies Inc., Busch Vacuum Technics Inc., Flowserve Corporation, Tsurumi Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Atlas Copco Airpower N.V., Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Tuthill Vacuum & Blower Systems, and Graham Corp. are some of the key players that constitute the competitive landscape of the global liquid ring vacuum pumps marketplace. Persistence Market Researchs report includes in-depth profiling of key companies.Buy Full Liquid Ring Vacuum Pumps Market ReportAbout UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Protein Expression Market Trends, Future Prospects Make enquiry before buying the report: https://www.psmarketresearch.com/send-enquiry?enquiry-url=protein-expression-market https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/protein-expression-market https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/protein-expression-market/report-sample https://www.psmarketresearch.com Global protein expression market is likely to grow from $1.4 billion in 2016 to $3.0 billion by 2023. Major key players in the market are developing products with technically advanced features that are designed to produce high protein yield, maintaining a balance of speed and scalability, thereby enhancing its application in the drug development workflow.Geographically, North America has been the largest market for protein expression, with the U.S. being the larger contributor to the regional market, as compared to Canada. The dominant position of the North American market is mainly attributable to the rise in R&D infrastructure, increased aging population, rise in healthcare expenditure and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases in the region.Make enquiry before buying the report:Europe is the second largest market for protein expression, after North America. The Germany has been the largest contributor to the European protein expression market, followed by the U.K. and France. The growth of the European market is mainly attributable to the growing aging population, increase in infections, rising incidences of cardiovascular diseases, chronic pain, and neurological disorders and R&D infrastructure. The protein expression market is expected to witness the fastest growth in Asia-Pacific during forecast period. Rising prevalence of diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, increasing R&D spending, growing aging population and increasing per capita income are some of the driving factors boosting the Asia-Pacific market.Access report overview:Key players are launching new products in the market to offer advanced protein expression products. In August 2017, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. launched Thermo Scientific Krios G3i which is designed to deliver innovative enhancements necessary for rapid adoption of cryo-EM. The Thermo Scientific Krios G3i can be used independently or together in a single particle analysis workflow to make structural analysis of the proteins, protein complexes and other biomolecular structures faster, easier and more accessible.Download Free Sample of This Research Report :In July 2017, Agilent Technologies Inc. expanded its portfolio of instruments for molecular diagnostics with the introduction of the AriaDx Real-Time PCR System. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is routinely used in laboratories to help identify pathogens, genotype infectious agents, and for cancer diagnostics. The open platform of AriaDx makes it compatible to existing fast chemistry-based assays that are DNA binding and probe-based. This feature enables assay developers and partners with optimized reaction chemistries to quickly validate their assays on the AriaDx.Some of the other key players operating in this industry include Merck KGaA, Genscript Biotech Corporation, Agilent Technologies, Inc., Promega Corporation, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Qiagen N.V., New England Biolabs Inc., and Lonza Group Ltd.Contact:Mr. Kundan KumarManager Client Partner347, 5th Ave. #1402New York City, NY - 10016Toll-free: +18887787886 (USA/Canada)Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.comWeb:347, 5th Ave. #1402New York City, NY - 10016,USA Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) Market, 2016 - 2024 by Segmentation: Based on Product, Application and Region http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/community-acquired-pneumonia-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=4314 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) Market: OverviewCommunity-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has been a leading cause of mortality among people with infectious diseases and affects people of all age groups. CAP is mainly bacterial in nature and can be caused by a wide range of microorganisms; the most common being streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). Other pathogens include Haemophilus influenzae, mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Legionella sp.Obtain Report Details @Increasing prevalence of specific risk factors for CAP in patients has contributed to rising incidence of the infection across various regions. The infection accounts for a significant number of hospital admissions every year. Fuelled by substantial economic and clinical burden of the infection worldwide, a host of treatment modalities to manage CAP has recently emerged. They focus on managing antimicrobial resistance for the most common pathogens, particularly among geriatric population, and evaluating the various vaccination options to prevent these infections. In addition, advancement in diagnostic technologies has increased awareness related to disease incidence, especially in developed nations, thereby fuelling the growth of the market.The report offers in-depth insight into the key drivers and restraints, current diagnostic trends, emerging treatment modalities, regulatory landscape, market share and size of major segments, and competitive landscape. The strategically motivated insights help various stakeholders gain a better understanding of the market dynamics and identify imminent investment pockets.Global Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) Market: Trends and OpportunitiesRising prevalence of CAP across various regions and the increasing awareness regarding the related diagnostics and therapeutics are the key factors propelling the market. An expanding ageing population, especially in developed countries, is associated with comorbid disease conditions, which has stimulated the demand for advanced CAP treatments. In addition, the concomitant incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among adult population has increased the morbidity of CAP in some regions, catalyzing the market growth.However, the rising case of antibiotic-resistant pathogens has hindered the efficacy of antimicrobial treatments and vaccines. This is likely to impede the growth of the market to an extent. Nevertheless, numerous clinical studies in understanding the etiology of the infection and the launch of new biomarkers that help in better risk stratification of patients affected by CAP are crucial developments creating promising opportunities for market players. In addition, the release of the newer pneumococcal conjugate vaccines is anticipated to expand the treatment modalities of CAP.Global Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) Market: Regional OutlookEurope and North America are prominent markets for community acquired pneumonia. The growth of the regional markets is expected to be driven by robust healthcare infrastructure and increasing awareness about the availability of advanced biomarkers and diagnostic tests. The advent of new treatment therapies, including vaccines, is anticipated to boost the regional market.Meanwhile, Asia Pacific is expected to expand at an impressive CAGR over the forecast period. Expanding healthcare infrastructure, driven by booming medical tourism in developed and developing countries, and substantial government funding to augment healthcare facilities are the key factors spurring the demand for CAP treatments in Asia Pacific. Furthermore, increasing discretionary spending on healthcare in various countries is expected to propel the Asia Pacific market in the coming years.Companies mentioned in the reportMajor players operating in the CAP market include KYORIN Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., AstraZeneca Plc, BioAegis Therapeutics, Inc., Biotest AG, and Pfizer Inc. Key strategies adopted by companies to consolidate their presence across major regions are mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and collaborations.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Octreotide Acetate Market 2017 - Samarth Pharma, Critical Care, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Neiss Labs, Novartis Octreotide Acetate Market https://goo.gl/tbUi67 https://goo.gl/3EQAvK http://www.apexresearch.biz Apex Research, recently published a detailed market research study focused on the "Octreotide Acetate Market" across the global, regional and country level. The report provides 360 analysis of "Octreotide Acetate Market" from view of manufacturers, regions, product types and end industries. The research report analyses and provides the historical data along with current performance of the global Octreotide Acetate industry, and estimates the future trend of Octreotide Acetate market on the basis of this detailed study. The study shares "Octreotide Acetate Market" performance both in terms of volume and revenue.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here:Top Manufacturers Analysis of This ReportThe market research report explores the Octreotide Acetate market across the globe along with major regions and countries. The research report provides a detailed study on each and every aspect of "Octreotide Acetate Market". The research report studies the entire value chain from raw material to end user industries. The report also shares import/export statistics along with production and consumption for all major regions and countries. Moreover, the research study classifies the Octreotide Acetate market based on major product types, application and end users industries of Octreotide Acetate. Besides, the report also covers geographical segmentation for Octreotide Acetate market. The report further provides production, capacity, price per region, gross margin, production cost, for all major regions and countries listed in report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Octreotide Acetate is determined by assessing the major industry participants, production capacity, production capacity utilization rate, Octreotide Acetate market's production chain, pricing by each manufacturer and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Octreotide Acetate market globally.Enquire Before Buying @The worldwide Octreotide Acetate market 2017 is further analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Octreotide Acetate production volume, data pertaining to demand and Octreotide Acetate supply, and the revenue garnered by the product. The report provides upstream and downstream analysis covering major raw material used in manufacturing of Octreotide Acetate along with detailed manufacturing sources. The report also shares list of major raw material manufacturers along with their manufacturing locations. Detailed raw material price trend analysis along with manufacturing cost analysis is also incorporated into the report. Various methodical tools such as investment returns, feasibility, SWOT analysis and market attractiveness analysis has been implemented in the research study to present a comprehensive, detailed study of the industry for Octreotide Acetate across the world.About UsApex Research offer latest market research reports and update to serve you with immediate on-line access to professional insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends. Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemica1l and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezBusiness Development Executive| sales@apexresearch.bizPhone: +177390426831155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4250Chicago, IL 60606 Automotive Cockpit Electronics Market - Report Analysis and Market Insights for highly profitable investment decision : Industry Outlook by 2019 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automotive-cockpit-electronics.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1883 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Electronics in automotive industry has increased ease of driving, safety and also vies to provide quality infotainment. Automotive electronics industry provides solutions for perfect combination of design, feel, ergonomics and quality through electronics. The solutions provided include instrument clusters, displays, infotainment & navigation, and telematics. Cockpit electronics has a large market and has seen a high growth rate in recent times. This trend in growth for automotive cockpit electronics market is expected to continue over the coming years.Browse Premium Industry Research Report with Analysis:Regionally, North America and Europe currently form the largest market for automotive cockpit electronics market dominated by U.S., Canada, Germany, Italy and France. APAC region holds the distinction for forming the fastest growing market in terms of sheer volume. China and India hold the key for future market trends in automotive cockpit electronics market owing to large population, increase in living standards and high growth rate of automotive industry in these regions. Key drivers for automotive cockpit electronics market are increased spending capacity of people who now prefer better driving experience and thus go for higher end vehicles such as A-class and sedans that have more scope for higher end electronics facilities. Growing interest in super cars and racing cars has also driven this market. The major challenge to look for in this market is designing products that have relatively long product lifecycle. The automotive industry has high reliability and safety standards. The opportunities lie in investing in constant research oriented outlook as this segment is dominated by ever evolving technologies.Request a Sample PDF for Research Report & Insights:Some of the key players in this market are Continental AG, Denso Corp., Alpine Electronics Inc., Delphi Visteon Corp., Bosch Pioneer, Johnson Controls, IAV, Magneti Marelli, Hangsheng Electronics Co., Ltd., Harman International Industries Inc., KPIT Cummins, Panasonic Corp., Nippon Seiki, Visteon Corp., Valeo, and Yazaki Corporation.This research report analyzes this market depending on its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. Geographies analyzed under this research report includeNorth AmericaAsia PacificEuropeRest of the WorldThis report provides comprehensive analysis ofMarket growth driversFactors limiting market growthCurrent market trendsMarket structureMarket projections for upcoming yearsThis report is a complete study of current trends in the market, industry growth drivers, and restraints. It provides market projections for the coming years. It includes analysis of recent developments in technology, Porters five force model analysis and detailed profiles of top industry players. The report also includes a review of micro and macro factors essential for the existing market players and new entrants along with detailed value chain analysis.About UsTransparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We are privileged with highly experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700Albany NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453E-mail: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Soil Moisture Sensor Market Forecast to 2025 with Key Companies Profile, Supply, Demand, Cost Structure, and SWOT Analysis Get Flat 25% Discount(Offer available up to October 15, 2017) ReportsWeb http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001554796/discount http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001554796/sample http://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW0001554796/buying http://www.reportsweb.com/soil-moisture-sensor-market-to-2025 Soil moisture sensor monitor the moisture level of the soil by measuring the volumetric water content by using principle of capacitance. Soil moisture sensor helps in understanding changing climatic condition and helps in protecting the critical water resources. Changing environmental conditions and increasing demand for water resource protection is increasing the demand for soil moisture sensor market.Get Flat 25% Discount in This Report at(Offer available up to October 15, 2017)The report aims to provide an overview of Global Soil Moisture Market along with detailed segmentation of market by type and end users, and five major geographical regions. Global Soil Moisture Market is expected to witness high growth during the forecast period due to increasing adherence to environmental regulation.Request Sample Copy is Available atGlobal Soil Moisture Sensor Market Players:- Imko Micromodultechnik Gmbh- Campbell Scientific, Inc.- Decagon Devices- Acclima, Inc.- The Toro Company- Stevens Water Monitoring System, Inc- Delta-T Devices Ltd- AquaCheck Pvt. Ltd.- Irrometer Company, Inc.- Sentek Pvt. Ltd.Inquire about this Report atObjectives of Soil Moisture Sensor Market Report are as follows: To provide overview of the global Soil Moisture Sensor market To analyze and forecast the global Soil Moisture Sensor market on the basis of components, application, size and technology To provide market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Soil Moisture Sensor market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South America (SAM), which are later sub-segmented across respective major countries To evaluate market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend To provide exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions To profiles key Soil Moisture Sensor players influencing the market along with their SWOT analysis and market strategiesComplete Report is Available atContact Us:Phone: +1-646-491-9876Email Id: sales@reportsweb.comReportsWeb is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028 OMAHA It was launched in June and now Midland Universitys Innovation Campus is already being recognized for its innovative approach to education. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos visited the campus Wednesday as part of her Rethink School tour. She spent a little over an hour at the campus at 11213 Davenport Street, speaking in a private meeting with Midland University President Jody Horner before spending time sitting in on one of the universitys Code Academy classes. Our goal is to help everyone, including educators and students, begin to think differently about how we do school and this is a really great example here of meeting students where they are at and really addressing needs in the community, DeVos said. The Code Academy is designed by tech professionals to be a unique, first-in-the-region program that aims to prepare students for a career in coding and web development while studying part time in Omaha just a few nights a week. We are very proud of our Code Academy, it provides an alternative route for students and gets them ready within a 10 month time frame, Horner said. Here in Omaha we have over 400 open coding and web development roles and they pay significant amounts of money. DeVos listened to the Code Academy instructor teach students about different coding languages and also talked with students about why they decided to enroll in the course. Frankly I think we have done a disservice to young people for many years by suggesting that the only path to success as adults is through a four-year college or university, DeVos said. We see lots of opportunities. This is a great example right here today, of different pathways and different options and so we are going to continue to build on that theme that there are really great opportunities that dont require a four-year college. Horner said she highlighted the innovative programs at Midlands new Omaha campus during her visit with DeVos. We talked about innovation in the higher education space, Horner said of their conversation. I was able to share a little bit of the programs we are doing at Midland University and commended her on her focus on innovation. The Rethink Schools tour visits schools and programs that are developing and driving innovation in education to meet students individual needs. I have visited a lot of schools over the past number of months, many of which are approaching education differently than the traditional approach that we have undertaken for many many years, DeVos said. I think that is really good, I think we need to see more of both in traditional schools, and charters and any other choices that parents have to make. It is not about supporting what kind of school, it doesnt matter what comes in front of the word school, but really supporting a full range of choices so that students needs are best met. During the visit Secretary DeVos spoke of the federal governments role in higher education, and her vision for the future of the Department of Education. I think we have a great opportunity now with Congress considering re-authorization of the Higher Education Act to look more holistically at how the federal government does support higher education, she said. We have to become more flexible around how we support students in pursuing alternative pathways through credentialing and certification programs, apprenticeship programs and two-year colleges that prepare them for a variety of opportunities. Before making the visit to Omaha, Secretary DeVos started the Rethink School tour in Casper, Wyoming on Tuesday, and also spent time at the Firefly Autism House and the Air Force Academy in Colorado earlier in the day Wednesday. The tour continues Thursday and will include stops at the private Nelson Mandela Elementary School in North Omaha, St. Marys Catholic School in Lincoln and the Science Focus Program known as the Zoo School in Lincoln. Global Renewable Energy Certificates Market - Size, Trend, Share, Opportunity Analysis, and Forecast 2014-2025 https://www.progressivemarkets.com/industry-research/renewable-energy-certificates-market https://www.progressivemarkets.com/enquiry-about-report/renewable-energy-certificates-market https://www.progressivemarkets.com Renewable Energy Certificate Market is an internationally accepted certificate to stimulate development in the renewable energy sector. It is a key tool for the energy industry, which provides tax benefits, rebates, and in subsidizing product development in the generation of renewable energy. These are also known as green certificates, renewable certificates, green tags, and tradable renewable certificates. The REC is an environmental attribute analogous with the generation of one megawatt hour of green energy. Renewable energy certificates are classified based on renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, biomass energy, wind energy, hydroelectric energy, and geothermal energy.The global renewable energy certificates market is segmented based on the type and geography. Based on the type, the market is bifurcated as solar energy, biomass energy, wind energy, hydroelectric energy, geothermal energy, and others. Geographic breakdown and deep analysis of each of the aforesaid segments have resulted in the following regions: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.Request Sample At:Market Dynamics:Drivers: Stimulates development in renewable energy sector Provides subsidy to support the production of electricity from renewablesRestraints: Stringent regulatory frameworkMarket Players:The top players in the global solar energy market include 3Degrees Corporation, 3 Phases Renewables LLC., Arcadia Power, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Carbon Solutions Group, EDP Renewables, NuPath Energy, Renewable Choice Energy, Santee Cooper and Sky Energy, Inc.MARKET LANDSCAPEBy Type Solar Energy Biomass Energy Wind Energy Hydroelectric Energy Geothermal Energy OthersBy Geography North Americao U.S.o Canadao MexicoEnquire About Report At:Table Of Contents:Executive summary1.1. Key Findings1.2. Market Attractiveness and Trend analysis1.3. Competitive Landscape and recent industry development analysis2. Introduction2.1. Report Description2.2. Scope and Definitions2.3. Research Methodology3. Market landscape3.1. Growth Drivers3.1.1. Impact Analysis3.2. Restrains and Challenges4. Market by Type4.1. Solar Energy4.1.1. Historical Market Size by Region, 2014-20164.1.2. Market Forecast by Region, 2017-20254.2. Biomass EnergyProgressive Markets is the answer to every possible business query. It is a market research and business consulting firm, headquartered in India with an aim to deliver up-to-date executive support to foster overall growth of an organization in its domain. Progressive Markets was found with an initiative to bridge the gap between enterprises and global opportunities.Contact Us:Asia Pacific Intelligence CentreUnited StatesEAST COAST U.S.Direct: +1-646-564-2246Toll Free + 1-888-906-9222Email: help@progressivemarkets.comWeb: Worldwide Analysis on Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum Market Strategies and Forecasts, 2016 - 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/collagenase-clostridium-histolyticum-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=4474 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum Market: OverviewCollagenase clostridium histolyticum is primarily used in the treatment of Dupuytrens contracture and Peyronie's disease. Thus, the global market for collagenase clostridium histolyticum is gaining traction due to the rising prevalence of these two diseases, especially in developed countries. Collagenase is an enzyme that helps in breaking down the chord of thickened tissue and permits straightening of fingers. Some of the primary medications available in the market based on this enzyme are Xiapex (Europe), Xiaflex (U.S.), and Collagenase Santyl.Obtain Report Details @The report identifies and meticulously examines the trends and opportunities impacting the growth of the global collagenase clostridium histolyticum market. It extensively covers the entire value chain of the market along with the suppliers and distributor analysis. For a clear understanding, the report segments the market on the basis of geography and provides data for the market across each segment. The key players in the market are profiled along with their business strategies, market shares, latest developments, and revenue and cost structures. The report includes a separate section of recommendations by industrial experts for both established as well as emerging players in the collagenase clostridium histolyticum market.Global Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum Market: Drivers and RestraintsBesides their conventional use in the treatment of Peyronie's disease and Dupuytren's contracture, collagenase clostridium histolyticum is used in various medical areas such as wound care, necrotic tissue, burn management, and pain management. In addition to this, over the past few years, an increase has been witnessed in the number of clinical studies, especially in developed countries, focused on discovering other usages of collagenase in human healthcare. Therefore, its widening scope of applications is providing a fillip to the global collagenase clostridium histolyticum market. The market is thriving due to the lack of other standard and reliable medicines and therapies for the treatment of Dupuytren's contracture and Peyronie's disease.On the other hand, the presence of stringent regulatory approval framework and high prices of collagenase are acting as stumbling blocks for the global collagenase clostridium histolyticum market. Moreover, a raft of side effects is associated with the use of collagenase clostridium histolyticum. They include, itching on the treated hand, blisters at the site of injection, painful sexual intercourses, painful erection, and swollen and painful glands in the area around elbow and underarms. However, increasing research and development activities for the introduction of safer drugs and therapies are likely to unfold tremendous growth opportunities for the global collagenase clostridium histolyticum market.Global Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum Market: Geographical SegmentationIn terms of geography, the report divides the global biofuels market into Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. North America will be a prominent market for collagenase clostridium histolyticum, thanks to high awareness among the populace regarding diseases such as Peyronies and Dupuytrens and their medications. Rapid clinical advancements are also contributing to the growth of the region. Europe will also account for a substantial share in the market, owing to the rising prevalence of the aforementioned diseases. The presence of advanced healthcare infrastructure is also responsible for the prominence of both the regions.Global Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum Market: Competitive LandscapeThe global collagenase clostridium histolyticum market is highly competitive and consolidated in nature owing to the presence of a handful of large players. The majority of key companies are involved in mergers and acquisitions and collaborations to strengthen their position in the market. Players are also paying high attention to clinical advancements in order to provide improved and safer drugs. Some of the prominent participants in the global collagenase clostridium histolyticum market are Healthpoint Ltd., BioSpecifics Technologies Corp., Auxilium Pharmaceuticals Inc., Actelion Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc, Smith & Nephew Plc., Advanced Biofactures Corporation, and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Growlers Market Forecast Research Reports Offers Key Insights 2017 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2648 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2648 www.futuremarketinsights.com Introduction:Packaging solutions are necessary in that they protect and preserve a product from any type of harm such as leakage, contamination, damage, etc. during the course of transit, consumption, and storage. Over the last few years, packaging solutions have grown in terms of appearance, features, colors and convenience. A growler is a type of vessel or container that is used to transport beer while also protecting it from degradation. These growlers are also described as simply air-tight jugs. They are becoming increasingly popular and are being widely used to bring the craft beer experience home. The sudden increase in demand for craft beer over the past years has brought many changes to society. The amendments made in state laws created the brewpub culture, which in turn, made growlers an essential accessory for craft beer lovers. These growlers are available in different colors, materials, and features.Growlers Market Market Segmentation:The global growlers market is segmented on the basis of material type, opening type, capacity type, and sales channel type. On the basis of material type, the global growlers market is segmented into stainless steel, glass, polymer, and ceramic, wherein the glass is further segmented into clear glass and amber glass. Stainless steel growlers have gained traction as these are quite durable and also keep beer cold for longer periods. The ceramic based global growlers market is expected to account for less market value and volume share due to its high cost and very low availability. On the basis of opening type, the global growlers market is segmented into the twist-up cap, flip top cap, and others. On the basis of capacity type, global growlers market can be segmented into 32oz, 64oz, 128oz, and others. The 64oz based growlers have a huge demand in the global growlers market. On the basis of sales channel, the global growlers market is segmented into online sales, supermarket / hypermarket, independent stores, and beer breweries. Beer breweries are expected to account for a significant market volume share. Online sales are expected to gain a higher market value share due to the growth of e-tailing which has enabled wider availability of growlers in terms features and design.Request Report Sample@Growlers Market Market Dynamics:One of the significant factors that will contribute towards the growth of the global growlers market is the growing demand for craft beer consumption. Since growlers are primarily made for craft beer consumption, this particular trend will impact the demand positively. Another important factor that will contribute to the growth of the global growlers market is that beer can now be easily transported and with the same freshness and taste as the original with the help of air tight jugs. Moreover, these jugs provide drinkers with the facility of adjusting the quantity of beer poured. Yet another reason that will add to the growth of the global growlers market is that some states have now created laws that allow growler filling facilities at places other than bars and breweries. Adding to this is the environmental sustainability aspect -- the reusable nature of growlers is expected to drive the growth of the global growlers market. However, the large consumption of packaged beer in bottles and cans is expected to hamper the growth of the global growlers market. Moreover, the demand for bottles and cans is expected to grow due to growing brand consciousness amongst people and brand loyal beer drinkers who end up purchasing the same beer. Furthermore, the low availability of growler filling stations is still expected to hinder the growth of the global growlers market as these growler filling stations require long term huge investments.Visit For TOC@Growlers Market Regional Outlook:Geographically, the global growlers market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). The growth of the global growlers market is expected to witness a healthy CAGR over the forecast period of 2016-2024. Given the high consumption of beer, North America and Europe are expected to be the biggest contributors to the global growlers market in terms of value and volume. Moreover, the availability of breweries and bars along with filling stations in places such as supermarkets, restaurants, etc. will also be a contributing factor for the North American and European region. Furthermore, India and China are expected to account for a significant market volume share in the Asia-Pacific region. This trend of increasing beer consumption is gaining huge traction among these lucrative economies and is expected to drive the growth of the global growlers market.Growlers Market- Major Players:Some of the major players identified across the globe in the growlers market are Michigan Beer Growler Company, DrinkTanks, Beer City Glass, PORTLAND GROWLER CO., Glass and Growlers, Goose Creek Growler Company, GrowlerWerks, Inc., Tote Glass, Inc., The Cary Company, and DISTRIMATICS, USA.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy Market Estimated to Exhibit 7.7% CAGR through 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/continuous-renal-replacement-therapy-market https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/continuous-renal-replacement-therapy-market/toc https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1211 www.futuremarketinsights.com Rising prevalence of acute kidney disorders and associated risk factors such as diabetes continue to escalate the popularity of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Additional factors such as the globally increasing geriatric population, greater R&D initiatives and technological advancement in dialysis procedures are expected to further boost the demand for CRRT over the course of time. CRRT has proven to be quite an effective dialysis procedure and hence being rapidly adopted by a number of healthcare organisations. A new study conducted by Future Market Insights projects that revenue of the global market for continuous renal replacement therapy is set to increase at an impressive CAGR of 7.7 % during the forecast period (2017-2027). Moreover, robust marketing and product innovation from CRRT dialysis equipment manufacturers are favourably impacting the markets revenue growth.FMIs report titled Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 20172027 reveals that in 2016, North America accounted for the largest revenue share of the global CRRT market. The presence of an advanced healthcare infrastructure and widespread awareness about the availability of latest dialysis treatments is supporting the growth of the CRRT market in North America. Meanwhile, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) is expected to emerge as the most lucrative market for CRRT over the forecast period, reflecting a CAGR of 8.8%. Towards the end of 2027, the regions market is estimated to surpass a valuation of US$ 333 Mn.Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy Market Report Overview @The report mentions that many of the leading market players are actively focusing on introducing new technologies as well as upgrading their existing products in order to expand their market presence. At the same time, some of the bigger companies are going into strategic alliances to leverage the opportunities present in regions such as North America and APEJ.Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA, Baxter International Inc., B. Braun Melsungen AG, Nikkiso Co., Ltd, NxStage Medical, Inc., Asahi Kasei Corp, NIPRO Corporation, Medica spa., Toray Medical Co., Ltd, Medtronic plc., Bain Medical Equipment (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., INFOMED SA., Medical Components, Inc., Medites Pharma, S.R.O., Jihua Medical Apparatus & Instruments Co., Central Admixture Pharmacy Services Inc., Haidylina for Advanced Medical Industries, Hemoclean Co. Ltd., FARMASOL Medical Products Ind. and Trd. Co. are among the top companies that operate in the global market for continuous renal replacement therapy.Global Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy Market: Key OpportunitiesA strong product pipeline likely to benefit the global CRRT market in the years to come. Owing to the integration of extracorporeal technology, CRRT products are now catering a broader patient base.Request to view Table of Content@Companies are investing in future growth by purchasing expertise and relevant technologies.Novelty in dialysis treatment is facilitating interventional procedures with minimal patient discomfort. Based on product, the consumables segment is projected to account for the largest value share of the market during the forecast period. This segment is gaining traction primarily due to an expanding pool of patients suffering from acute kidney disease and increasing demand for dialysis in renal replacement therapy.By end user, both dialysis centre and hospitals currently account for sizeable revenue shares of the market. The rising healthcare spending in the emerging economies is anticipated to result in the establishment of more hospitals and new multi-specialty dialysis centres in the near future.A Sample Report is Available Upon Request @Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Pyrethroids Market Growth with Worldwide Industry Analysis 2015 - 2023 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pyrethroids-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=4477 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Pyrethroids are organic insecticides that are synthetic analogs of pyrethrins. Pyrethrins are natural insecticides derived from pyrethrums found in flowers of Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium and Chrysanthemum coccineum. Pyrethroids, which means pyrethrin-like, are widely used as household insecticide against arthropods (insects). It is a systemic insecticide that acts as a nervous toxin (inhibits depolarizing of the axons of the sodium voltage-gated pump) and leads to paralysis and eventual death of the targeted insects. Pyrethroids insecticides have a peculiarly short life and biodegrade immediately in the presence of sunlight due to high light sensitivity. Pyrethroids are little or non-toxic to humans and other mammals, aves and reptiles, moderately toxic to fish, amphibians and other aquatic fauna, and extremely toxic to insects. However, long term acute exposure could result into skin irritation and other diseases symptomatic of respiratory disorders in sensitive individuals.Obtain Report Details @Pyrethroids insecticides are primarily used as broad spectrum household and industrial insecticides against bugs and flying insects. These are extensively used by the household insecticide formulators across the world. Pyrethroids insecticide has been recognized as a substitute for environmentally harmful insecticides by the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) when used in regulated quantities. It is the key active ingredient in a variety of insecticide formulations (more than 35,000 formulated products).The pyrethroids insecticide market is driven by rising demand for hygiene products for the rapidly increasing global population and households. Pyrethroids are one of the safest insecticides currently in commercial use. High potency and effectiveness have earned pyrethroids the position of the preferred ingredient in household and industrial insecticides. However, supply constraints due to its natural origin are expected to be the major restraining factor of the pyrethroid insecticides market. Additionally, pyrethroids are highly susceptible to breakdown in sunlight, heat and moisture, which restricts their use in farms, fields and open spaces. In order to counter this deficiency, a second generation of pyrethroid insecticides has been developed; however, these are more toxic to mammals and other animals.In terms of geography, Asia Pacific is the largest consumer of pyrethroid insecticides riding on high sales of insecticide products to its large population base. Emerging economies including China, India, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are the major consumers of pyrethroid insecticides for application in a variety of insecticide formulations. Populous countries including China and India are growing rapidly and there is a general increase in prosperity of the population. This in turn is expected to drive demand for hygiene products and for pyrethroid insecticides. Major market players have established their production facilities in Asia due to the availability of cheap labor and land, and comparatively lenient norms and regulations against chemicals. Australia and Africa are the chief cultivators of the chrysanthemum flowers that are used to derive pyrethroids. North America is another key consumer of pyrethroids. Brazil, South Africa and Central Africa contribute to major demand for pyrethroids in Rest of the World. Brazil is one of the worlds most populated tropical countries, which makes it an attractive market for pyrethroid insecticide suppliers. Europe is expected to grow comparatively slower than other parts of the world due to strong government control over potentially harmful chemicals.Somw of the key players in the pyrethroids insecticide market include Monsanto, Syngenta AG, Dow AgroSciences, Bayer CropScience, Shanghai Mingdou Agrochemical Company Limited, Sumitomo Chemical Corporation and SinoHarvest Corporation.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Market Dynamics to Escalate Demand for Standard Based Communication Servers Throughout 2015 - 2021 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/6095 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/6095 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Standard based communications servers are open computing systems that function as a carrier-grade universal platform for an extensive assortment of communications applications. These servers enable the equipment providers customize the system architecture as per the requirement by adding potential value to it. Irrespective of the differentiated features and specification, the standard based communications servers offer attributes such as open platform, carrier grade and flexible.A sample of this report is available upon request @The standard based communications are designed in accordance with the industry standards and provide interoperability with the architecture. Moreover, standard based communications servers offer carrier grade attributes as they provide extended lifecycle support, high availability, and longevity of supply. Additionally, these servers are upgradable without any disruption and offer high speed for real time communication applications to ensure high quality of service.The standard based communication servers offer an introductory platform for building a network infrastructure using the several equipment for applications such as IPTV, wireless broadband and other IP multimedia subsystems. These servers are based on managed industry standards such as Advanced Telecommunication Computing Architecture (ATCA), Advanced Mezzanine Card, Micro Telecommunication Computing Architecture, High Platform Interface (HPI), Carrier Grade Linux and Application Interface Specification (AIS). The Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) refers to string of specifications by Peripheral Component Interconnect Industrial Computers Manufacturers Group (PICMG), which is developed to meet essential necessities for carrier grade equipment.In addition to these standards, the standard based communication server is governed by different industry associations and vendor alliance programs. The industry associations include SCOPE Alliance and Communication Platforms Trade Associations. The vendor alliance programs include Intel Communications Alliance, Motorola Communications Server Alliance and Mobicents Open Source Communications Community.ATCA integrates the latest interconnect technologies, manageability and serviceability, improved reliability and next generation processors. The specifications provided by PICMG for Advanced Mezzanine Card (AMC) identify the base-level necessities for a variety of mezzanine cards that are optimized for ATCA Carriers. AMC enhances ATCAs flexibility by widening bandwidth and provides multi-protocol interface to individual servers. MicroTCA specification is basically a framework for directly combining AMC modules, instead of using an ATCA. Moreover, MicroTCA is designed for smaller equipment for application running on low entry cost, small physical size and high scalability. This framework is primarily used for Wi-Fi, wireless base stations, VoIP access gateways and WiMAX radios.Carrier Grade Linux is basically an enhanced version of Linux that is used by the communication servers to offer high security, high availability, scalability and easy maintenance. HPI and AIS are defined by Service Availability Forum (SA Forum) for telecommunication platform to maintain the availability of communication services. The HPI specifies the interface used between the middleware and the primary hardware and the operating system. The AIS specifies the interface between the application and middleware. Moreover, AIS enables applications to run over a variety of computing modules and provides easy migration between the platforms.The standard based communications servers market is primarily driven by the rising demand for high speed and compatible servers across the communication industry. The progressive and vigorous communication server ecosystem consists of several hardware and software providers, server vendors, standard bodies, vendor alliance programs, industry associations and the end-users.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Leading players in standard based communication servers market are NEC Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, AltiGen Communications, Inc., Emerson Network Power, Barrcuda Networks, Inc., Fenestrae B.V., Estech Systems, Inc., B Labs, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Siemens Enterprise Communication GmbH, Cisco Systems Inc., Sun Microsystems, Avaya, Inc. and IBM Corporation.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Polyolefin Resin Market - Trends, Growth Propellers, Segmentation And Top Players 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=461 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=461 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=461 Global Polyolefin Resin Market: SnapshotThe polyolefin resin market is likely to rise at a steady rate in the coming years due to their rising use as a replacement to a large number of polymers in applications varying from the automotive industry to the paints and coatings and construction sectors. Polyolefins are unreactive to most chemicals at room temperature, which makes them perfect for use in a large number of applications. Rising awareness regarding the environmental unviability of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has been a major driver for the global polyolefin resin market, as it has driven the demand for polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene.The booming automotive industry has become a key consumer in the global polyolefin market in recent years due to the structural advantages provided by polyolefin in automotive interiors. Automotive interiors need to be resistant to moderate physical impact as well as significant amounts of everyday chemicals, a task at which polyolefins excel. Their cost-efficient physical properties have been a prime factor driving demand from the global polyolefin market from the automotive industry. The light weight of polyolefin resins also makes them important for the automotive industry due to the growing acknowledgment of the importance of the weight of a vehicle in its emissions.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Emerging countries in Asia Pacific are likely to be important to the global polyolefin resin market in the coming years due to their steady demand for cheap passenger cars. Countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea also house flourishing automotive sectors that have played pioneering roles in the global automotive industry, which is another key driver for the global polyolefin resin market. The booming consumer electronics industry in the region is also likely to present promising opportunities to the Asia Pacific polyolefin resin market.Global Polyolefin Resin Market: OverviewPolymers containing one or more olefinic groups are called polyolefin resins. These high molecular weight hydrocarbons are renowned for their ability to withstand exposure to a wide range of chemicals at the room temperature. These hydrocarbons are also known to be highly adaptable to a variety of fabrication mechanisms and usable across a number of applications. Also less expensive than a vast range of polymers, polyolefin resins find extensive usage across industries such as automotive, construction, paints and coatings, medical, and packaging.Request TOC of the Report @Of the variety of thermoplastics used in the industrial sector, polyolefins are the largest product segment. Although in the market for several decades, polyolefin resins have started gaining increased attention in the past few years owing to the trend of replacing polyvinyl chloride with polyolefins across several applications owing to the latters relatively less taxing impact on the environment and human health. Although PVC continues to be the preferred material for a plethora of applications in the industrial sector, stringent government regulations advocating the limited use of PVC could lead to vast growth opportunities for the polyolefin market.Global Polyolefin Resin Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe polyolefins market will be chiefly driven due to the increased rate of replacement of PVC with the material as well as its rubber like features, making it suitable for a variety of high-performance industrial applications. The low cost and the capability of being manufactured with the help of a number of modern technologies such as blow molding, extrusion, injection molding, and calendaring will also benefit the market in the next few years. Non-polyolefin resins manufactured from elastomers can also substitute polyolefin resins. However due to the higher production cost of non-polyolefin resins prevents the entry of substitutes in the global market.Request Discount of the Report @Global Polyolefin Resin Market: Geographical and Competitive DynamicsAsia Pacific is presently the leading regional market for polyolefin resins, chiefly owing to the presence of some of the worlds largest manufacturers of the compound. The region also leads the global polyolefin resins market as China is the worlds largest manufacturer of the compound and production capacities of other Asian countries such as India, Indonesia, and Malaysia are also rising. Automobile industry, the largest end user of this product, is growing rapidly in developing economies in the region such as China and India, which has further fuelled the overall consumption of polyolefin resins.Owing to the easy availability of low cost raw materials, several European and North American companies entering Asia Pacific by setting up production sites in the region. North America is also one of the leading markets for polyolefin resins, but the demand for the compound in the region is mostly fulfilled by imports from Asia Pacific. However, owing to the recent rise in production of shale gas has allowed the easy availability of cheap raw materials, which is expected to fuel the production of the polyolefin resins in the region in the next few years.Some of the key vendors operating in the global polyolefin resins market are Dupont, China National Petroleum Corporation, LyondellBasell Industries NV, The Dow Chemical Company, and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Spinal Cord Stimulators Market to Grow at a Value CAGR of 6.4% through 2027 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/spinal-cord-stimulator-market https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/spinal-cord-stimulator-market/toc https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2030 www.futuremarketinsights.com Introduction of affordable devices would pave huge opportunities for the global spinal cord stimulators market across developing economies. Customized spinal cord stimulators as per the requirements of an individual is expected to offer higher growth potential for leading market players. Specialists in healthcare settings are more likely to prescribe devices that are smaller in size, owing to their easy implantation and less painful surgical procedure.In terms of value, an impressive 6.4% CAGR is estimated for the global spinal cord stimulators market by a report of Future Market Insights (FMI). In 2017, the market will account for nearly US$ 2,000 Mn in revenues; by 2027 this number is estimated to reach US$ 3,568.2 Mn. Growth of the market is primarily attributed to under penetration of potential market.Spinal Cord Stimulators Ability of Reducing Opioid Analgesics Addiction to Drive the Market GrowthMajority of patients with chronic pain are increasingly depending upon opioid analgesics; however spinal cord stimulators is capable of reducing this addiction to a great extent. Entry of additional competitors in the market is expected to increase awareness about effectiveness of spinal cord stimulators. Spinal cord stimulators are comparatively more cost-effective than conventional medical management (CMM). Leading companies in the market are taking initiatives in improving technology for spinal cord stimulators. The aforementioned factors are estimated to drive growth of the global spinal cord stimulators market.Spinal Cord Stimulators Market Report Overview @However, spinal cord stimulators have little access to evidence-based data in order to confirm effectiveness of these devices for management of chronic pain. Clinical validation of spinal cord stimulation is based on observational data, instead of verified data. This had led several private insurance companies to refuse reimbursement of costs, which in turn is impeding the market growth. In addition, complications associated with spinal cord stimulators, such as paresthesia- characterised by burning sensation, is further expected to restrain growth of the global spinal cord stimulators market.Rechargeable Spinal Cord Stimulators will Remain Sought-After Product in the MarketIn terms of value, rechargeable spinal cord stimulators are expected to remain sought-after product in the market. Revenues amassed from sales of rechargeable spinal cord stimulators are expected to reach US$ 2,530.4 Mn by 2027-end. In addition, sales of non-rechargeable spinal cord stimulators are anticipated to expand at 4.6% CAGR through 2027. Factors such as low battery life, and requirement of surgery for replacement of battery are restricting adoption of non-rechargeable spinal cord stimulators across the globe.Application of spinal cord stimulators will remain highest in failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), with sales estimated to surpass US$ 1,000 Mn in 2017. In addition, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is projected to be the second-fastest growing application of spinal cord stimulators in the market. In terms of value, sales of spinal cord stimulators in CRPS are estimated to register 5.8% CAGR through 2027.Adoption of Spinal Cord Stimulators to Witness Fastest Growth in Ambulatory Surgical CentresRequest to view Table of Content@Although hospitals will continue to be largest end-users of spinal cord stimulators, adoption will witness fastest growth in ambulatory surgical centres. Sales of spinal cord stimulators in hospitals are estimated to account for revenues worth US$ 627.9 Mn in 2017. Demand for spinal cord stimulators in ambulatory surgical centres is projected to exhibit 6.8% CAGR through 2027. In contrast, demand for spinal cord stimulators in clinics will remain sluggish in the market.North America will continue to remain dominant in the global spinal cord stimulators market, with sales estimated to reach nearly US$ 3,000 Mn in revenues by 2027-end. Western Europe will remain the second-largest market for spinal cord stimulators, expanding at 6.1% CAGR through 2027. In addition, markets in Eastern Europe and Japan are estimated to exhibit parallel expansion at 6% CAGR through 2027.Key market players identified in FMIs report include Boston Scientific Corp., Medtronic Private Limited Company, St Jude Medical LLC, Nevro Corp, Nuvectra Corporation, Stimwave, Saluda Medical PTY Limited.A Sample Report is Available Upon Request @Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: IoT Fleet Management Market 2017 is expected to witness the fastest growth https://www.alltakemarketresearch.com/enquiry/request_sample/10547 https://www.alltakemarketresearch.com/report-detail/IoT-Fleet-Management-Market This report studies the global IoT Fleet Management market, analyzes and researches the IoT Fleet Management development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeIBM Corporation?Intel CorporationOracle CorporationAT&T, Inc.Cisco Systems, Inc.TomTom International BV?Sierra Wireless?Trimble Inc.Verizon Communications, Inc.?Omnitracs LLC ?Request For Free Sample Of The Report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, IoT Fleet Management can be split intoPassenger VehiclesCommercial VehiclesObtain Report Details @Market segment by Application, IoT Fleet Management can be split intoRouting ManagementTracking and MonitoringFuel ManagementRemote DiagnosticsOthersAbout UsAlltake Market Research is division of the Alltake LLC. that offers premium quality market intelligence, market research, industry analysis reports & forecast data for different domains across the business industry.Alltake Market Research understands the importance of market analysis for any strategy that is implemented in any organization or association. In order to provide the best solution, Alltake Market Research have associated with major organizations within market research and consultancy firm. This portfolio offers market analysis report at one place for different business verticals. Alltake Market Research ensures to offer you with the most reliable and quality market research available.Contact UsAlltake Market Research16192, Coastal Highway Lewes,DE 19958, United StatesUS - 188 8587 9717UK - 4480 0680 0195Email sales@alltakemarketresearch.com Driver Safety Market - Trends, Opportunities and Global Forecast to 2022 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2007 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/driver-safety-market-2007 Market Overview:Stringent regulations from government regarding drivers safety and growing concerns regarding road accidents have surge the demand for the driver safety technologies. Increasing road accident has made the manufacturer to work on the automotive safety & technologies to prevent the accidents. With the introduction of new technologies such as driver alertness detection system, electronic stability control (ESC), and others has contributed in the growth of the driver safety market. These technologies tackle the safety issues and various causes such as drivers distraction caused by tiredness and drowsiness and have helped to lower down the road accidents in the recent times.Moreover, Truck drivers who are only permitted to drive in the dark night and involves dangerous route. These factors significantly contribute to driver fatigue and distraction which can result in accidents hence in turn is expected to increase the demand for driver fatigue and distraction monitoring systems amongst the commercial vehicles.Request a Sample Copy @Key Players of Driver Safety Market: Denso Corporation Robert Bosch GmbH Continental AG Magna International Inc. Valeo S.A. Tobii AB Seeing Machines Infineon Technologies AG Optalert PTY Ltd Smart Eye ABBrief TOC:1. Report Prologue2. Introduction2.1. Definition2.2. Scope of the Study2.2.1. Research Objective2.2.2. Assumptions2.2.3. Limitations2.3. Market Structure2.4. Market Segmentation3. Research Methodology3.1. Research Process3.2. Primary Research3.3. Secondary Research3.4. Market Size Estimation3.5. Forecast Model4. Market Dynamics4.1. Drivers & Opportunities4.2. Challenges & Restraints4.3. Value Chain Analysis4.4. Porters Five Forces Analysis5. Driver Safety Market, By Type5.1. Introduction5.2. Driver Alertness Detection System5.3. Vehicle-To-Vehicle Communication5.4. Electronic Stability Control5.5. Eye-Tracking/Blink-Monitoring5.6. Pressure/Angle Steering Sensor5.7. Lane Departure Warning5.8. OthersContinueRegional Analysis:Asia-Pacific is the major regions for the Driver Safety Market. Asia-Pacific is expected to show significant growth in driver safety market. Government regulations regarding safety, increasing competition in the automotive industries have led manufacturers to adopt the safety technologies which in turn will boost the Driver Safety Market. North America and Europe will show the static growth for the driver safety market as the driver safety market is already established in the region due to safety awareness and concerns for the road safety.Target Audience: Government and research organization Manufacturers of Driver safety Traders, distributors, and driver safety suppliers Investment bankers and M&A ConsultantsBrowse Report Details @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Download India Green Building Market Opportunity Outlook 2020 Report https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-india-green-building-market-opportunity-outlook-2020.php India has a great tradition of building environment friendly homes throughout its history. Various renewable and natural items like bamboo, agricultural residues, clay etc. have traditionally been used in vast areas of India, particularly in rural areas. But the concept of modern green building having minimum impact on environment began to grow in late 1990s. Then the rating system for green buildings started in early 2000s with the formation Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) by the TERI and MNRE and then Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). Since then green building movement in India gained tremendous impetus over the years. Now there are more than 4500 green building projects in India with about 4.17 Billion Square Feet built-up area which is only second after the USA in terms of built area as well as number of projects. But the current stock of green buildings in India is only 5% of the total buildings in India that shows the massive market potential of green buildings in India.Green buildings are being considered as the modern day architectural marvels because of their potential to protect environment and transforming real estate market substantially. Indias National Housing Bank (NHB) andndash; Indias state-owned housing financial institution has projected that India's real estate sector is expected to surpass US$ 150 Billion industry by 2020, building on initiatives such as smart city mission. Green buildings being a special segment of the real estate industry as whole and ongoing trends of promotion of sustainable development, a substantial party of the real estate market is going to be in green building sector. As per the industry estimates, for the new buildings, Indias green building market is projected to be in the range of US$ 30 Billion to US$ 40 Billion. Almost three fourth of the buildings to be constructed in India by 2030 are yet to be built. As the awareness about green buildings is on the rise along with favorable policies, a major portion of these buildings will be green buildings.The new high-rise residential, communities and mixed-use development are expected to be the top three sectors for green building growth in India in the coming years. Environment friendliness and reduced operating costs are already among the parameters real estate customers consider serious before investing. The promotion of green buildings andndash; the aspect it largely lacked till three-four years ago, is going to have immense impact on the future green building market.Growth in green building market in India is also likely to bring about enormous economic growth by creation of a new industrial sector. The notion of green building being a completely new in India, there are very few number of existing professionals in the sector. But as the market grows, there will be demand for architects, technicians, energy experts, environmentalists, consultants etc. having adequate knowledge of the sector. Some of the green building rating agency providers like IGBC or GRIHA has already started building professionals dedicated for green buildings. In next one decade or even less, the trend will enhance remarkably. As the worth of green buildings is being perceived by more sections of the society with the passage of time, the ultimate objective of sustainability i.e. economic development maintaining the environment looks easy to achieve.India Green Building Market Opportunity Outlook 2020 Report Highlights:India Green Building Market OverviewWhy India Needs Green BuildingIndia Green Building Market By SectorIndia Green Building Construction Materials MarketIndia of Green Building Rating SystemIndian Government Policy on Green BuildingFor Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.comReport Weblink:1. Overview of Green Building2. India Green Building Market Overview3. Why India Needs Green Building3.1 Environmental Benefits of Green Buildings3.2 Economic Benefits of Green Buildings3.3 Social Benefits of Green Buildings4. India Green Building Market By Sector5. India Green Building Construction Materials Market5.1 Overview5.2 Market Size6. India of Green Building Rating Systems6.1 India Green Building Council(IGBC)6.2 Green Rating For Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA)6.3 BEE Star Rating For Commercial Building7. India of Green Buildings Regulatory Bodies7.1 GRIHA Council7.2 India Green Building Council (IGBC)7.3 Bureau Of Energy Efficiency(BEE)7.4 Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)7.5 The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation7.6 Ministry of Environment and Forest7.7 State governments7.8 Local Governments7.9 Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI)8. Indian Government Policy on Green Building8.1 Energy Conservation Building Code8.2 Energy Efficient Solar/ Green Buildings8.3 Mandatory GRIHA Rating for Government Buildings8.4 Smart Cites8.5 Integrated Energy Policy8.6 Local Government Environmental Norms for Buildings9. India Green Building Market Favorable Parameters9.1 Rapid Urbanization and Economic Growth9.2 Largely Untapped Market9.3 Favorable Policies9.4 Growing Environmental Concerns and Promotion of Sustainability9.5 High Return-on-Investment and Shorter Payback Period10. India Green Building Sector Challenges10.1 Improper Government Policies10.2 Higher Cost than Conventional Buildings10.3 Lack of Awareness and Proper Understanding10.4 Lack of Skilled Manpower and Technology11. India Green Building Market Future OutlookKuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Kuick ResearchNew Delhi - 110001India+91-11-47067990 Chemical Pulp Market Detailed Analysis and Forecast by 2020 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/chemical-pulp-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=3526 www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Chemical Pulp Market: OverviewChemical pulps are man-made fiber of cellulose that are at the backbone of the paper industry, finding application in the production of printing and writing paper via white pulps, whereas brown pulp is used to manufacture packaging paper and paperboard. The superior quality of paper can also be produced from chemical pulping, utilizing programs such as deposit control, washing, cooking, and bleaching. Owing to its usefulness, the demand in the global chemical pulp market is expected to escalate at a robust rate during the forecast period of 2016 to 2024.This report on the global chemical pulp market offers comprehensive analysis of all the major factors that will favor or challenge the growth of the demand in the near future. Prepared using proven research methodologies, the report aspires to serve as a dependable decision-making document for the stakeholders of the chemical pulp market. A number of leading vendors operating in the chemical pulp market have also been profiled in the report in order to represent the competitive landscape, and highlight the opportunities of new entrants.Obtain Report Details @Application-wise, the global chemical pulp market can be segmented into paper and board production and textile. Based on product type, the market can be categorized into white, brown, and specialty. On the basis of processing method, the market can be bifurcated into sulfite pulp process and sulfate pulp process. Geographically, the report takes stock of all the important regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America.Global Chemical Pulp Market: Trends & OpportunitiesThe prosperity of packaging industry is having a pied piper effect on the global chemical pulp market. With rapid urbanization and flourishing ecommerce, the demand for packaged items has escalated in the recent past and the trend is expected to continue throughout the forecast period, providing traction to the chemical pulp market. The sectors that primarily utilize chemical pulp produced paper packaging are pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, and personal care. Chemical pulp are also used to manufacture nano cellulose. Specialty pulp find application in the textile industry and in the production of hygiene products.Make an Enquiry @Relative ease of production, easy access to raw materials, efficient production, and growing number of large-scale producers are some of the other factors that are expected to augment the demand in the global chemical pulp market. On the other hand, volatility of raw materials and growing popularity of substitutes such as synthetic paper is expected to hinder the growth rate of the market during the forecast period.Global Chemical Pulp Market: Regional OutlookVast populated countries such as India and China serve the maximum demand from Asia Pacific, which is the most lucrative region for the vendors in the chemical pulp market. Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, and Philippines are also emerging into profitable country-wide markets in Asia Pacific market for chemical pulp. Personal care and hygiene products pose the maximum demand for chemical pulp coming from North America and Europe, as these products do not pose any environmental concerns.Companies mentioned in the research reportThe global chemical pulp market is marked by the presence of both small and large players. In order to gain ground over their competitors, prominent players constantly invest in research and development activities to produce products of improved quality as well as promote their products to targeted customers. Dow Chemical Co., AkzoNobel NV, Clariant International AG, SNF Floerger, Nalco Holding Co, Kemira Oyj, BASF SE, Shell Chemicals, ERCO Worldwide, Ashland Inc, Bayer AG, Solvay SA, Buckman Laboratories International Inc., and Cytec Industries are some of the key companies currently operating in the global chemical pulps market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Macro and Microeconomic Factors Continue to Impact LTE-Advanced Test Equipment Market https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/6694 https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/6694 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com LTE (Long-Term Evolution) advanced is a wireless communication standard and a major advancement to the existing LTE standards. The advantage of LTE advanced standard over LTE standard is its ability to optimize and use advanced topology networks, thereby improving communications and ensuring proper utilization of network resources.A sample of this report is available upon request @Another advantage is the ability to introduce multicarrier to support high data rates of up to 100 MHz. LTE-advanced test equipment are monitoring and test tools that ensures mobility, interoperability and high quality services of LTE advanced standards in wireless communications.The LTE-advanced test equipment market is segmented on the basis of products into network tester, simulation instrument, drive test tool, air interface monitoring, vector signal generator, sweep generator, protocol conformance test instrument, and terminal radio communication tester among others.The increasing transfer of data rates is the major factor fuelling the growth of LTE-advanced test equipment market. Now-a-days consumers are looking to perform various tasks such as bill payment and other work related tasks while on the move. This leads to increased mobile data traffic and puts pressure on service providers of wireless networks for improved efficiencies. This triggers the need for the deployment of effective LTE-advanced test equipment to test performance and conformity with the standards. Such testing methods ensure high quality services and efficient use of LTE-advanced standards, thereby contributing to the growth of LTE-advanced test equipment market.Another factor fuelling the growth of LTE-advanced test equipment market is the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT). This has further led to increased data transfer encouraging network operators to efficiently utilize the available resources so as to increase data rates. This gives rise to the stiff competition among the network operators for deployment of efficient LTE-advanced test equipment so as to efficiently expand the available wireless networks, thereby fuelling the growth of test equipment market.However, the compatibility issue of LTE-advanced terminal with LTE is adversely affecting the growth of this market. An LTE-advanced stations performance is affected in situations of backward compatibility of base stations with LTE. Due to such a limitation, the service providers are reluctant in investing for LTE-advanced standards from LTE.This limited use of LTE-advanced standards restricts the growth of LTE-advanced test equipment market. Another roadblock to the growth of the LTE advanced test equipment market is the high investment required for Research and Development (R&D) so as to keep them abreast with changes in the technology. s. Also, the degree of complexities in integrating multiple technologies at various frequency bands makes the new entrants unaffordable, thereby restraining the growth of this market.To overcome the limitations in existing services, the major players in the market are introducing solutions to meet the advanced testing configurations. For instance, Azimuth Systems, Inc., one of the major players in the market recently launched ACE RNX testing platform. This platform enables customers to implement and execute complex multi-link test cases during the development and deployment of next generation wireless technologies such as LTE-advanced.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Some of the other players in the market are AT&T Inc., Alcatel-Lucent, LM Ericsson and Huwei Technologies Co. Ltd.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: Global Histology Equipment Market 2017 : Leica, Roche, Thermo Fisher, Agilent, BioGenex Histology Equipment http://bit.ly/2wrhJor http://bit.ly/2x1pHGM Market Research Explore : The report 2017 Global Histology Equipment Market mainly highlights thoughtful facts and intelligence of Histology Equipment market in conjunction with prevailing and future market trends throughout the forecast period from 2017 to 2022. It additionally executes the great study of price, current geographical zones, technology, demand-supply and therefore the consequences it might wear the market growth of Histology Equipment trade.Do Enquiry concerning this analysis Report :Tissue dissection, slicing, preparation, probing, staining, and analysis require tools that reliably produce high-quality samples. Any histology procedure involves embedding tissue followed by a slicing or chopping step for slide preparation. Microtomes, cryostats, freezing stages, and tissue choppers are available. Additionally, staining tools, such as automated stainers, are available for immunohistochemistry that is performed simultaneously. Many histology experiments require perfusion; perfusion systems and chambers are listed for easy evaluation.The graph of Histology Equipment trade can show increase rate among next 5 years which can, in turn, cause the conclusive outlook of future for varied promoting players considering the profit chain of Histology Equipment market. The report additionally performs in-depth analysis and appraisal of Histology Equipment industry that may embellish shoppers to possess a substantial share within the Histology Equipment market.Histology Equipment market analysis based on leading market players:LeicaRocheThermo FisherAgilentBioGenexSakura FinetekIntelsintBiocareMajor applications as follows:Slide-staining SystemsScannersTissue-processing SystemsThe report wraps major countries concerned in Histology Equipment market. It additionally imparts effective study on varied sections of Histology Equipment market like opportunities and market arrangement of high leading players.The global Histology Equipment market is well- organized consistent with leading players/manufacturers, geographical zones, applications and merchandise varieties. Thorough analysis for every class is provided within the report in conjunction with its forecast amount and market volume. Analyzing every category helps investors to realize data regarding the actual marketplace for a specific space.The report highlights the efforts taken by survey team to investigate separate varied system accommodations, vendors, dealers and business associates can get benefitted with this report.Access Full Report with TOC at :The report additionally covers profiles of the key Histology Equipment vendors within the international market together with their monetary survey, market winning ways, new developments and merchandise offerings within the global Histology Equipment market.Hence, this report can useful for Histology Equipment vendors, system integrators, and connected business partners to acknowledge key investment regions and outline their ways.About Us :MR Explore provides a range of marketing and business research solutions designed for our clients specific needs based on our expert resources. The business scopes of MR Explore cover more than 30 industries including energy, new materials, transportation, daily consumer goods, chemicals, etc. We provide our clients with one-stop solution for all the research requirements.Contact Us :Enid SteelEmail : sales@marketresearchexplore.comUnited States Automotive Metal Stamping Market Trends and Global Forecast to 2022 Automotive Metal stamping Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2002 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/automotive-metal-stamping-market-2002 Market Scenario:Metal stamping is a process in which metals are punched to achieve the desired shape. The process is performed with the help of stamping dies. The Metals used in automotive metal stamping are aluminium, steel, brass, copper and stainless steel.The growth of global automotive metal stamping market is expected to be driven by the booming automotive industry and the rapid increase in demand for smart automobiles. The increase in competition in the automotive industry is also leading to the rising demand of the metal stamping market. The process of metal stamping is applied in various stages of manufacturing in the automotive industry, such as panels, brackets, bonnets, roofs, hangers, and others, thus constantly inducing demand in the automotive metal stamping market. Increase in the use of metal sheet for the manufacturing of automobile chassis, transmission components, interior & exterior structural components, is projected to drive the growth of global automotive stamping market over the forecast period.Request for a Sample Copy @Key Players:The key players of Automotive metal stamping market are Aro Metal Stamping co. (U.S.), Kenmode Precision Metal Stamping (U.S.), Martinrea International Inc. (Canada), Shiloh Industries, Inc. (U.S.), Acro Metal Stamping Co. (U.S.), Manor Tool & Manufacturing Company (U.S.), American Industrial Company (U.S.), Wisconsin Metal Parts, Inc. (U.S.), and Clow Stamping Co. (U.S.).Brief TOC:1 Executive Summary2 Research Methodology2.1 Scope of the Study2.1.1 Definition2.1.2 Research Objective2.1.3 Assumptions2.1.4 Limitations2.2 Research Process2.2.1 Primary Research2.2.2 Secondary Research2.3 Market size Estimation2.4 Forecast Model3 Market Dynamics3.1 Market Drivers3.2 Market Inhibitors3.3 Supply/Value Chain Analysis3.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis4 Global Automotive Metal Stamping Market, By Technology4.1 Blanking4.2 Embossing4.3 Flanging4.4 Bending4.3 Coining4.4 OthersContinueRegional Analysis of Automotive Metal Stamping Market:The metal stamping market in North America and Europe region is expected to grow, owing to the growing automotive industry in the region. The emerging trend of replacing the ferrous materials with the non-ferrous materials for reducing the weight of the machinery, is further driving the market in the region. North America region is also expected to grow further due to the existence of major players such as Kenmode Precision Metal Stamping, and Wisconsin Metal Parts, Inc. in the region.Browse Full Report @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Download Australia Solar Power Sector Future Outlook 2020 Report https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-australia-solar-power-sector-future-outlook-2020.php Australias solar energy resources are among the best in the world, with high levels of solar radiation and considerable land-mass suitable for large-scale solar developments. With more than 35% of countrys land-mass having arid or semi-arid climate including around 20% deserts, solar radiation per square meter in Australia is higher than any other continent. That is why Australia is eyeing to tap these huge and inexhaustible resources to generate substantial proportion of electricity so that it can improve its position from being one of the highest per capita emitter of greenhouse gases. But despite this comparative advantage, the share of solar power based electricity output in Australia still is half the OECD average. The cost of materials and installation, the difficulties in storing solar energy, and the need for substantial additional infrastructure are impediments to the expansion of the industry. However, advances in solar technology and reductions in cost are likely to see the percentage of solar energy increase over coming decades.Solar PV installations in Australia are mainly categorized according to the size of PV based generation systems andndash; small scale with system size maximum 100 kW, medium scale with system size between 100 kW and 1 MW and large scale with system size over 1 MW. Small scale installations dominate Australias solar energy sector with total installed capacity of more than 500 MW till June 2016 followed by approximately300 MW of large scale (solar system installed capacity over 1 MW) solar PV projects and 8 MW of medium scale (solar PV system sized between 100 kW and 1 MW in terms of installed capacity).A large majority of the solar PV systems generating electricity in Australia are roof-top installations in residential buildings with system size below 100 kW. The country has the highest number of residential roof-top solar PV systems and these systems form the major element of solar energy sector in Australia. As in September 2016, there are about 1.58 Million small scale solar PV installations in homes throughout Australia. In recent years, large scale solar PV installations also have grown substantially.Solar PV technology and battery energy storage system (BESS) andndash; these two are going to complement to each other for market expansion. As of now, about 30% of the households having roof-top solar PV systems have battery energy storage systems are also integrated. But as the essence of energy storage is becoming more evident to the households particularly for those using solar power, more installations of battery based storage system is going to make major gain in next five years. More than 50% of the future installations of solar PV systems are likely to come with storage system thus growth in solar energy sector is directly creating a market for BESS which is substantial and has enormous potential to grow further.Australia Solar Power Sector Future Outlook 2020 Report Highlights:Australia Solar Power Sector OverviewAustralia Solar Power EconomicsSolar Feed-in-Tariff by StateSolar Energy Policies and Regulatory FrameworkAustralia Solar Energy Sector Future OutlookFor Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.comReport Weblink:Australia Solar Power Sector Overview1.1 Solar Power Installed Capacity1.2 Trends in Solar Power in Australia1.3 Solar Power Contribution in comparison with other RE TechnologiesAustralia Solar Power Economics2.1 Solar System Costs2.2 Electricity Tariff for Solar2.3 Incentives/Subsidies for Solar System Installation2.3.1 Small-Scale Technology Certificates (STC)2.3.2 Large Scale Generation Certificates (LGC)2.3.3 Feed-in-Tariff (FiT)Australia Solar Feed-in-Tariff3.1 Victoria3.2 New South Wales3.3 Tasmania3.4 South Australia3.5 Queensland3.6 Western Australia3.7 Australian Capital Territory (ACT)3.8 Northern TerritoryAustralia Solar Power Growth Potential4.1 Projected Installed Capacity4.2 Projected Capacity by UsersAustralia Solar Energy Policies Framework5.1 Renewable Energy Target Scheme5.2 Solar Towns5.3 Solar CommunitiesAustralia Solar Energy Regulatory Bodies6.1 Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)6.2 Clean Energy Regulator6.3 Clean Energy Finance Corporation6.4 Clean Energy CouncilAustralia Solar Energy Regulatory Framework7.1 Roles of Different Regulatory Bodies7.2 Ensuring Solar Products are Safe7.2.1 Solar PV Panel Approval7.2.2 Inverter Approvals7.2.3 PV Mounting Frames7.3 Ensuring that Products are Produced to the certification StandardsAustralia Solar Energy Market Favorable Parameters8.1 Suitable Climatic Conditions8.2 Attractive Retail Electricity Tariff8.3 Ambitious Target For Renewable Energy8.4 Favorable PoliciesAustralia Solar Energy Market Challenges9.1 Absence of Domestic PV Module Manufacturer9.2 Political Risk9.3 Less Attention To Large Scale and Commercial Installation9.4 Diverse Solar Resources9.5 Possible Mismatch Between Electricity Demand and GenerationAustralia Solar Energy Sector Future OutlookAustralia Solar Energy Competitive Landscape11.1 Canadian Solar11.2 Kyocera11.3 Tindo Solar11.4 Suntech Power11.5 Solar Shop Australia11.6 SunPower11.7 First SolarKuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Kuick ResearchNew Delhi - 110001India+91-11-47067990 Cancer Tissue Diagnostics Market to Grow at a CAGR of 8.3% through 2026 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/cancer-tissue-diagnostics-market https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/cancer-tissue-diagnostics-market/toc https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4191 www.futuremarketinsights.com The National Cancer Institute (NCI), which is a part of National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the US estimated 1,685,210 new cases of cancer in the country in 2016. In the same year, NCI also projected 595,690 deaths due to carcinogenic ailments. Cancer research activities have surged rapidly over the past few years, which has led to more product approvals for cancer diagnostic and treatment purposes. A recent study conducted by Future Market Insights (FMI) reveals that the global cancer tissue diagnostics market, which is currently valued at over US$ 4345 Mn, will expand at a healthy CAGR of 8.3% during the forecast period (2016-2026). During these ten years of the forecast, the global demand for cancer tissue diagnostics is expected to grow by leaps and bounds as diagnostic technologies will continue to get more efficient and credible.FMIs report titled Cancer Tissue Diagnostics Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 20162026 also cites that North America represents the most lucrative market for cancer tissue diagnostics, followed by Europe and APAC. In 2016, North America accounted for more than 36% share of the global market. The cancer tissue diagnostics market in this region is expected to reach a valuation of US$ 4,017.7 Mn towards the end of 2026. This growth is primarily attributed to factors such as the constantly extending list of cancer biomarkers and the presence of advance healthcare infrastructures in the region. Meanwhile, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) is also anticipated to witness a strong growth of its market over the next couple of years. By 2026-end, the regions market is expected to reach US$ 1,107.7 Mn in terms of revenue.The report further projects that in situ hybridization will continue to be the leading cancer tissue diagnostics type. In terms of revenue, in situ hybridization tests are projected to account for the largest share of the market during the assessment period. Cases of breast cancer have been quite high amongst all the cancers type of late. Hence, procedures for breast cancer diagnostics are expected to remain relatively higher than for other cancer types in 2017 and beyond.Cancer Tissue Diagnostics Market Report Overview @Key Factors Boosting the Global Cancer Tissue Diagnostics Market Include:Inclusion of cancer screening tests in national cancer screening programs in various countries.Havier discretionary funding for cancer research that is resulting in the development of more efficient diagnostic procedures.Arrival of revolutionary second and third -generation diagnostics platforms that are quickly gaining popularity in the market.Novelty in imaging techniques and availability of affordable diagnostics.Request to view Table of Content@Abbott Laboratories, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Ventana Medical Systems, Inc, Bio Rad Laboratories Inc., Enzo Life Sciences, Inc., Abcam plc., BioGenex, Cell Signaling Technology, Inc., Agilent Technologies, Inc., PerkinElmer Inc. are some of the prominent companies operating in the global market for cancer tissue diagnostics. Many of these market players are implementing merger and acquisition strategies to increase their market presence. Furthermore, cancer diagnostic assay kits developers, instrument manufacturers and technology license providers are also partnering with each other in order to increase their consumer base.A Sample Report is Available Upon Request @Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Specialty Oxidants Market Key Players Analysis - Akzo Nobel N.V, Evonik, Arkema Group, Mitsubishi Gas, Solvay https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4155 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/specialty-oxidants-market-4155 Market HighlightSpecialty Oxidants such as sodium chlorate and hydrogen peroxide are strong oxidizing agents, and are employed predominantly to oxidize organic and inorganic compounds. Specialty oxidants are used for an array of application across a broad spectrum of industries including textiles, paper & pulp, health care & personal care. Sodium chlorate is also used as an oxidant in chemical synthesis; in the mining industry for the extraction of vanadium and uranium. Additionally, hydrogen peroxide is used as a raw material for the production of propylene oxide and is widely acceptable in hydrogen propylene oxide (HPPO) process.Increasing awareness regarding HPPO process is expected to drive the global specialty oxidant market in the next few years. Rising demand from end use industry such as paper & pulp for specialty oxidant, where hydrogen peroxide find usage in de-inking and bleaching of the paper and pulp, is expected to boost the market growth.Request a Sample Copy @Key Players Akzo Nobel N.V (the Netherlands), Aditya Birla Chemicals (India), Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Ltd (India), Evonik (Germany), Arkema Group (France), MITSUBISHI GAS CHEMICAL COMPANY, INC (Japan), Solvay (Belgium) others.SegmentationThe global specialty oxidants market is segmented on the basis of type, application, end use industries, and regions.On the basis of type, the market is segmented into sodium chlorate, hydrogen peroxide, and others. Based on the application, the market is segmented into defoliant, bleaching, propulsion, cleaning & extraction, and others. Bleaching based segment is the largest segment as compared to other applications.On the basis of end use industries, the market is categorized into healthcare & personal care, wastewater & water treatment, food processing, pulp & paper, textile, and others.On the basis of regions, the market is segmented into Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America, and the Middle East & Africa.Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 50 market data tables and figures spread in 110 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Global Specialty Oxidants Market Research Report- Forecast till 2023Intended Audience Specialty Oxidant manufacturers Traders and Distributors of specialty oxidant Production Process Industries Potential Investors Raw Material Suppliers Nationalized LaboratoryTable of Content1 Executive Summary2 Scope of The Report2.1 Market Definition2.2 Scope of The Study2.2.1 Research Objectives2.2.2 Assumptions & Limitations2.3 Markets Structure3 Market Research Methodology3.1 Research Process3.2 Secondary Research3.3 Primary Research3.4 Forecast Model4 Market Landscape4.1 Five Forces Analysis4.1.1 Threat of New Entrants4.1.2 Bargaining power of buyers4.1.3 Threat of substitutes4.1.4 Segment rivalry4.2 Value Chain/Supply Chain of Global Specialty Oxidants Market5 Industry Overview of Global Specialty Oxidants MarketContinueIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.For further information on this report, visit @List of TablesTable 1 World Population by Major Regions (2016 To 2030)Table 2 Global Specialty Oxidants Market: By Region, 2016-2023Table 3 North America Specialty Oxidants Market: By Country, 2016-2023Table 4 Europe Specialty Oxidants Market: By Country, 2016-2023Table 5 Asia-Pacific Specialty Oxidants Market: By Country, 2016-2023Continue.List of FiguresFigure 1 Global Specialty Oxidants Market SegmentationFigure 2 Forecast MethodologyFigure 3 Five Forces Analysis Of Global Specialty Oxidants MarketFigure 4 Value Chain Of Global Specialty Oxidants MarketFigure 5 Share Of Global Specialty Oxidants Market In 2016, By Country (In %)Continue.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Smart Textiles for Military 2017 Global Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 9.6% and Forecast to 2020 Smart Textiles for Military 2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/809537-global-smart-textiles-market-for-military-2016-2020 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/809537-global-smart-textiles-market-for-military-2016-2020 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=809537 WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On - Smart Textiles for Military 2017 Global Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 9.6% and Forecast to 2020.The analysts forecast the global smart textiles market for the military to grow at a CAGR of 9.6% during the period 2016-2020.Smart textiles or smart fabrics are created by integrating electronic components into them to increase the functionality of the product. Some of the integral parts of smart textiles are sensors, actuators, and control units. These fabrics are capable of interacting with the environment and have the ability to react to physical stimuli from thermal, mechanical, electrical, and chemical sources. Smart textiles are capable of health monitoring, ballistic protection, and inducing technological applications like global positioning system (GPS) system and sensors. Many countries are increasingly emphasizing on providing smart textile-based clothing to soldiers, primarily for protection, safety, and better connectivity and coordination.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comCovered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global smart textiles market for the military for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the expenditure of each region (Americas; Europe, the Middle East, and Africa [EMEA]; and Asia-Pacific [APAC]) on acquiring these smart textiles/fabrics for enhanced performance of soldiers on battlefields..The market is divided into the following segments based on geography: Americas APAC EMEAThe report, Global Smart Textiles Market for the Military 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors BAE Systems Mide Technology Ohmatext TenCate W.L Gore & AssociatesOther prominent vendors Advanced Fabric Technologies BeBop Sensors Directa Plus DuPont Intelligent Textiles Outlast TechnologiesMarket driver Improved military and homeland security performance For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge Designing complications For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend Growing use of nanotechnology For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this report What will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be? What are the key market trends? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Ask Query @Table Of Contents Major Key PointsPART 01: Executive summary HighlightsPART 02: Scope of the report Market overview Top-vendor offeringsPART 03: Market research methodology Research methodology Economic indicatorsPART 04: Introduction Key market highlightsPART 05: Market landscape Market overview Market size and forecast Five forces analysisPART 06: Market segmentation by types Global active smart textiles market for the military Global passive smart textiles market for the military Global ultra smart textiles market for the militaryPART 07: Geographical segmentation Smart textiles market for the military in Americas Smart textiles market for the military in EMEA Smart textiles market for the military in APACPART 08: Market driversPART 09: Impact of driversPART 10: Market challengesPART 11: Impact of drivers and challengesPART 12: Market trendsPART 13: Vendor landscape Competitive scenario BAE Systems Mide Technology Ohmatex TenCate W. L. Gore & Associates Other prominent vendorsPART 14: Appendix List of abbreviationsContinue.For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comBuy 1-User PDF@ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028. Excipients Market provides a comprehensive overview of developments in the said market during the 2015-2023 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/latin-america-excipients-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/10883 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=10883 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ The top three participants in the Latin America excipients market, Ashland Inc., BASF SE, and FMC Corporation, hold a collective share of 26.2% in the market in 2014. Ashland Inc. will focus on restructuring its global programs and integrating centralized supply chains for retaining its competitive edge in the overall market, TMR expects. On the other hand, BASF SE and FMC Corporation are investing in result-driven research and development to introduce effective products to their existing product portfolio.Browse Market Research Report:In the coming years, in addition to catering to the pharmaceutical industry, the players in the Latin America excipients market will expand the applications of their excipients to improve revenues, expects TMR.Pharmaceutical Industry Backs Progress of Excipients MarketThe Latin America excipients market is mainly being driven by the booming pharmaceuticals industry that uses excipients as flavoring agents, binders, disintegrants agents for making tablets, capsules, and other forms of drugs. The research states that the pharmaceutical industry in Latin America will progress at a CAGR of 8.1% in terms of revenue between 2015 and 2023. The increasing population of geriatrics is acting as a fulcrum for the pharmaceutical industry in Latin America by giving it ample opportunities for develop solutions and tap the unmet medical needs.A TMR analyst says, Concurrent with this trend, the oral solid dosage drugs segment is also experiencing a remarkable boost. Its wide usage across a range of medical problems is also making it a popular medium of drug delivery amongst both patients and physicians. The study states that oral solid drugs require excessive excipients during the manufacturing process. Thus, the increasing the aforementioned factors will be collectively responsible for the rise of the excipients market in Latin America.Get TOC Of This Report @Expensive Raw Materials Throw Spanner it the WorksThe Latin America excipients market is currently grappling with the issue of expensive prices of raw materials used for manufacturing organic excipients. This is the biggest restraint hampering the growth of the organic excipients market in the region. Organic excipients are made from maize, corn, and starch. However, these raw materials are also being demanded by the energy sector for generation of cleaner energy solutions. Owing to the growing applications of these raw materials and their poor yield, the rise in prices is creating an impediment for the excipients market in Latin America.Besides overcoming these restraints, the Latin America excipients market has various opportunities that it needs to work towards. For instance, the resistance of potential consumers towards the introduction of new excipients must be won with accurate information. If these efforts are realized, the technological developments to make new excipients will help players win bigger revenues.Get accurate market forecast and analysis on the Excipients market. Request a sample to stay abreast on the key trends impacting this market @TMR states the opportunity in the global excipients market will be worth US$626.9 mn by 2023. The market was valued at US$359.0 mn in 2014 and is anticipated to rise at a steady CAGR of 6.4% between 2015 and 2023. The fastest-growing product segment, sugar and other excipients, is anticipated to acquire a share of 19.33% on the basis of volume by 2023.The analysis of the global excipients market is based on the findings of the report by Transparency Market Research. The research report, titled Excipients Market - Latin America Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2015 2023, explains every aspect of the market in absolute detail.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.Contact UsTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Ethylene Glycol Market - By Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2025 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=482 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=482 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=482 Ethylene Glycol Market: SnapshotOne of the key factors boosting the growth of the Chinese ethylene glycol market is the increasing demand for PET bottles from the packaging industry. As food brands are seeking safer and healthier packaging alternatives, demand for PET packaging is increasing, which in turn is driving the growth prospects of the Chinese ethylene glycol market. PET containers can help retain the food aroma, flavor, and appearance. As PET bottles are easy to handle, light in weight, and can be re-sealed without any inconvenience, their demand will continue to grow, which in turn will boost the growth of the ethylene glycol market. The lead author of the report has stated that the flourishing growth of the automotive industry will also be a driving factor for the growth of the ethylene glycol market in China.The demand for polyesters fibers for coated fabrics, seat belts, conveyor belt fabrics, in China will boost the growth of the market. This is because ethylene glycol is required for the manufacturing of polyester fibers. The Chinese ethylene glycol market is fragmented with the presence of small and large players. This is expected to create intense market competition among players. China has feedstock advantages and closer proximity to end-user markets, and this will drive the ethylene glycol in the country. The demand for ethylene glycol will rise from the downstream applications and textile industries. Fabrics made using polyester are extensively used in home furnishings, apparels, blankets, computer mouse pads, bed sheets, and upholstered furniture.Request Sample Copy of the Report @China Ethylene Glycol Market: OverviewThe China ethylene glycol market is likely to experience a tremendous growth, primarily due to the burgeoning demand for polyester fibers across the globe. Polyester fibers are widely used in the textile industry in the manufacturing of carpets, upholstery, conveyer belts, and seat belts. Ethylene glycol is an organic compound primarily used in the manufacturing of polyester fibers and polyethylene terephthalate. Globally, Asia Pacific is one of the key consumer as well as manufacturer of ethylene glycol. China is one of the important growth sites of the Asia Pacific market.At present, China uses conventional processes for the production of ethylene glycol. Manufacturers are shifting their focus from conventional petrochemical route to coal. The country is expected to commercialize its coal-based manufacturing processes in the forthcoming years across all projects. Several manufacturers in the country produce ethylene glycol using syngas, a mixture of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide.Request TOC of the Report @The report is a complete, professional study for existing as well as new manufacturers in the China ethylene glycol market. It provides essential insights into the industry chain structure along with an extensive understanding of the upstream raw materials and downstream demand chain and import and export statistics. It also sheds light on the currently available production capacities and the efficiency at which they are utilized. The competitive landscape of the market has been derived using tools such as Porters five force analysis and market attractiveness analysis. It offers a detailed overview of drivers, restraints, opportunities, and trends of the China ethylene glycol market.China Ethylene Glycol Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe growing demand for PET resin from the food and beverage industry for the manufacturing of water bottles and food containers is driving the China ethylene glycol market. The rising demand for antifreeze agents is also bolstering the growth of the market. Ethylene glycol is used as antifreeze in the automotive industry. Moreover, it is extensively used in medical sterilization and as heat transfer agent and coolant in geothermal pumps and air conditioning systems. The increasing production capacity for ethylene glycol is favoring the growth of the market.Request Discount of the Report @On the flip side, the efficiency of the existing production setups is low and therefore, the output has not increased as significantly as production capacities have increased. Volatile prices and transportation of raw materials, particularly ethylene dioxide are primary concerns for players in the market.China Ethylene Glycol Market: Regional SegmentationEast China will be a prominent regional segment during the forecast period. Zhejiang, Anhui, and Jiangsu are the major revenue contributors to the growth of the region, primarily due to high ethylene glycol consumption in these provinces. Hebei province located in North China also serves as a major hub for the China market. Shijiazhuang Lanyang Chemicals Co. Ltd. and Shijiazhuang Panjiang Chemicals Ltd. are among the major producers of ethylene glycol in the province.China Ethylene Glycol Market: Key Manufacturers Mentioned in the ReportSome of the prominent players in the China ethylene glycol market are Jiangsu Tianyin Chemical Co. Ltd., Hebei Qilong Chemicals Co. Ltd., Royal Dutch Shell, Sinopec, China National Petroleum Corporation, and Anhui XinYuan Chemical Co. Ltd.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:Rohit BhiseyHead - Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com Aircraft Actuator Market Predicted to Witness Surge in the Near Future( 2017-2027) https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4065 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4065 www.futuremarketinsights.com An actuator is a device which controls the movement and mechanism of the system and requires an energy source or a control signal. Where the energy source or control signal can be electric voltage, hydraulic pressure, pneumatic pressure or mechanical power. The aircraft actuator is consists of a reduction gear, which is used to control and maintain the rotating motion. It is a key component of an aircraft of a spacecraft, it plays an important role for control and flight. Additionally, their actions ensure the aircraft safety as well as passengers safety. Above the use of electric aircraft actuators, the use of piezoelectric concepts is also used for the application in vibration control and noise control.Aircraft actuator has many applications such as flaps, landing gear, weapons systems, etc. Traditionally, hydraulic actuators were used in landing gear, but owing to the advancement of technology and reliability, use of electric actuators is increasing. Also, for the same application, heavy-duty linear actuators are being used, which can tolerate high pressure, as the weight of the aircraft creates a difference in its efficiency. Flap actuators are positioned on the wings in order to maintain flight efficiency also at the low speed of air. As the large aircraft (for e.g. commercial aircraft) are required to maintain the speed of air during landing.Request For Report Sample@Electric actuators and hydraulic actuators are the most reliable actuators for fighter planes, in order to effectively control the bay doors, which hold weapons. They are used because they are technologically advanced, have stop modules for emergency and sensors are mounted on the device.Aircraft Actuator Industry:Market DynamicsSome of the factors which are driving the market of the aircraft actuator industry are increasing passenger traffic across the world, increasing aircraft capability of reducing weight limits, etc. are influencing the manufacturing of aircraft. Additionally, the growth of aircraft actuator market is directly proportional to the growth in aircraft manufacturing industry. This has added rise to the procurement of low weight and power-efficient aircraft actuator. Increasing use of electromechanical actuators due to its high efficiency and reliability as compared to other products is the trend of the aircraft actuator market. Additionally, increasing focus on the use of piezoelectric actuators and magnetic actuators, which are small in size and provide high energy density and support to the aircraft system, are the trend of the industry. Some of the factors such as excessive system topologies, safety issues, technological up gradations, government regulations, etc. can be considered as the restraints for the market of aircraft actuator industry.Aircraft Actuator Industry: SegmentationSegmentation of the Aircraft actuator market on the basis of product type:ElectricElectromechanicalElectrohydraulicPiezoelectricSegmentation of the Aircraft actuator market on the basis of application:Landing GearAircraft FlapsWeapons SystemsOthersSegmentation of the Aircraft actuator market on the basis of aircraft type:AirbusJet planesCargo planesAircraft Actuator Market: Regional OutlookNorth America region dominates the market for aircraft actuator systems followed by Asia-Pacific and Europe. And the growth in North America region is expected to grow with rising CAGR over the forecasted period. And the growth in the region is owing to the factors such as less price of oil, upgraded fiscal & monetary policy, supportive private sector, and low labor cost available in this region. Additionally, North America is leading the market of the military and fighter aircraft. Also, Asia-Pacific region holds the large market as compared to other regions, in terms of revenue.According to the product type, in Asia-Pacific and North America regions, electrohydraulic sub segment dominates the market of aircraft actuator industry, followed by electro-hydrostatic sub segment. The rising growth of above-mentioned sub segments is attributable to their benefits such as low investing costs, energy efficient, high power density and capacity, easy implementation, etc. Additionally, the market share of Latin America and The Middle East and Africa is expected to increase over the period of forecast.Visit For TOC@Aircraft Actuator Market: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants in the Aircraft actuator market, identified across the value chain, include, Moog Inc., maxon motor ag, Sitec Aerospace GmbH, Progressive Automation Inc., Tamagawa seiki Co,.Ltd., PARKER HANNIFIN CORP, Aero Space Controls Corporation, Beaver Aerospace & Defense, Inc., Eaton Corporation PLC, Rockwell Collins, Price Wheeler Corp., etc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACTFuture Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Polyurethane Coatings Market Key Players: Akzo Nobel N.V., Valspar Corporation, Sherwin Williams Company, PPG Industries, Inc., BASF SE, Evonik Industries - Forecast to 2023 Polyurethane Coatings Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2976 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/polyurethane-coatings-market-2976 Market Research Future (MRFR) Announces the Publication of its Research Report Global Polyurethane Coatings Market 2016-2023.Market Forecast:Commenting on this report, an analyst from Market Research Future (MRFR)s team said, Global Polyurethane Coatings Market size is expected to grow in terms of consumption at 3781.62 KT by 2023. The market witnessed a significant growth over the forecasted period owing to growing applications such as into automotive, aerospace industry, household industry, construction, electronics industry, and others.Market Research Future (MRFR) recognizes the following companies as the key players in the Global Polyurethane Coatings Market: Akzo Nobel N.V.(Europe), Valspar Corporation (US), Sherwin Williams Company (US), Ppg Industries, Inc. (US), Axalta Coating Systems, LLC (US), Asian Paints Limited (India), BASF SE (Europe), Covestro AG (Europe), Jotun A/S (Europe), Evonik Industries (Europe), and Others.The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to a SWOT analysis of key vendors.Receive a Sample Report upon Request @Segment Analysis:The global polyurethane coatings market has been segmented into technology and end use industries. On the basis of technology, the market has been divided into solvent-borne, water-borne, spray, powder, and others (high solids, acrylic based). Among these technology, water-borne polyurethane coatings have cover the largest market due to highly applicable in plastic coating, wood coating, metal coating, fiber coating and others. The driver for water-borne polyurethane coatings is its low volatile organic chemical (VOC) content which makes it a better coating option in various end use industries due to this water-borne polyurethane coating market has scope for its extension in different regions which can make a more big market in terms of consumption of polyurethane coatings. Secondly, solvent-borne polyurethane coating remains the dominant polyurethane coating type and is expected to be the largest in coming future market.Furthermore, on the basis on end user, the global polyurethane coatings market has been segmented into automotive, aerospace industry, household industry, construction, electronics industry, and others (transportation, textile). Among all automotive industry is dominating industry. Polyurethane coatings provide a cars exterior with the durability, scratch resistance, high gloss, and corrosion resistance.Details of Report @In addition, in construction industry, it is also used in the footwear industry, coating and adhesives, and freezers industry. Polyurethane coatings is also used in the production of medical gloves and manufacturing of furniture products.Market Drivers:The major driving factors of polyurethane coatings market are growing demand from automobile industry from various region including APAC, North America, Europe and Middle East. In addition, the increasing demand from automotive, construction and aerospace industry is expected to fuel market growth of polyurethane coatings in near future. Strict environmental regulations due to health issues from polyurethane coatings are expected to hamper the growth of polyurethane coatings.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com Rapid Advancements will boost Sirens Market Size Further ( 2017-2027) https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4274 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4274 www.futuremarketinsights.com Increasing threats and accidents in developing economies have led to a rapid increase in the number of victims and a loss of potential business. Adoption of security solutions, such as sirens is an effective way of tackling these challenges. Motorized sirens are used for home security, whereas long range sirens are suitable for mining and industrial applications. Hand operated sirens are used when no power supply is available or when backup is required. Other sirens are hydraulic or air driven and mostly find applications in plants and factories. Lithium batteries have replaced alkaline batteries in sirens now, since lithium batteries need not be replaced for several years. Modern sirens use latest technologies and find applications in civil defense, emergency vehicles, security systems and others. Typically, sirens are made of stainless steel, aluminum or UV stabilized polycarbonate to avoid corrosion and are equipped with protection cages. An LED flashing siren has a light source with a semi-permanent lifespan and it is used in places where bulb replacement is a problem.Some additional features of sirens include a solar panel upgrade system to keep the batteries charged and a number of digital communication methods, including Ethernet, satellite, IP, fiber optic and others. Sirens have conformal coatings on their electronics, which help protect them against harsh environments. Some of the systems are made in such a way that they can be expanded or scaled depending on future capabilities. Omni-directional sirens can be used in areas of high noise levels and those with large population densities as they provide a greater area of coverage. Sirens have external controls with triggers, which can be customized according to needs. The lightening types of sirens include bulb revolving, LED flashing and xenon lamp strobe. The loud speakers in sirens are adopted from latest piezoelectric ceramic technology.Request For Report Sample@Sirens Market: DynamicsRising population and rapid urbanization have led to an increase in demand for security solutions. The need for implementation of security has paved way for the use of electronic equipment on a large scale globally, which in turn has created opportunities for the global sirens market. As these products are durable with a high voltage capacity and easy to install, they find high selling propositions. Characteristics and properties of electronic and pneumatic equipment play a vital role in security solutions, thereby driving the global sirens market with a rise in diverse end-user applications, such as industrial warning systems, community warning systems, campus alert systems and military mass warning systems.With the increase in demand for security solutions, it has become a growing trend to use personal protective equipment, which in turn has surged demand for the global sirens market. The replacement of sirens with modern technologies requires huge investment. However, growth of the market may yet get hampered with the emergence of modern communication technology. Failure of sirens from lightning strikes or equipment malfunction is another common factor, which may affect market growth.Sirens Market: SegmentationSegmentation of the global siren market by product type:ElectronicElectro-mechanicalRotatingSingle/dual tonedOmnidirectionalSegmentation of the global siren market by application:Civil defenseIndustrial signalingEmergency vehiclesHome/vehicle safetySecurity/warning systemsMilitary useOthersSegmentation of the global siren market by installation type:Wall mountingSelf-standingWater proof connectorSirens Market: Region-wise OutlookIn the global sirens market, the dominant share is held by the U.S., India, China, Japan, Australia, Germany, Singapore and the UAE. This can be attributed to the demand for security solutions in developed as well as developing economies.Visit For TOC@Sirens Market: Market ParticipantsSome of the key market participants identified in the global siren market are Acoustic Technology Inc., Sentry Siren Inc., MA Safety Signal Co. Ltd, Whelen Engineering Co. Inc., Federal Signal Corporation, B & M Siren Manufacturing Co., Projects Unlimited Inc., Phoenix Contact, Mallory Sonalert Products and Qlight USA Inc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACTFuture Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Wireless Printers Industry 2017: Trends and Forecast Report with Project SWOT Analysis, Investment Feasibility Analysis etc. http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1301443 http://www.researchmoz.us/global-wireless-printers-industry-2017-trends-and-forecast-report-report.html http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG http://deep-research-report.blogspot.com/ ResearchMoz added Latest Research Report titled " Global Wireless Printers Industry 2017, Trends and Forecast Report " to it's Large Report database.Wireless Printers Report by Material, Application, and Geography Global Forecast to 2021 is a professional and in-depth research report on the world's major regional market conditions, focusing on the main regions (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific) and the main countries (United States, Germany, united Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and China).The report firstly introduced the Wireless Printers basics: definitions, classifications, applications and market overview; product specifications; manufacturing processes; cost structures, raw materials and so on. Then it analyzed the world's main region market conditions, including the product price, profit, capacity, production, supply, demand and market growth rate and forecast etc. In the end, the report introduced new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis.Request for Sample PDF of Premium Research Report with TOC:The report includes six parts, dealing with:1.) basic information;2.) the Asia Wireless Printers Market;3.) the North American Wireless Printers Market;4.) the European Wireless Printers Market;5.) market entry and investment feasibility;6.) the report conclusion.Browse more details @Table of ContentsPart I Wireless Printers Industry OverviewChapter One Wireless Printers Industry Overview1.1 Wireless Printers Definition1.2 Wireless Printers Classification Analysis1.2.1 Wireless Printers Main Classification Analysis1.2.2 Wireless Printers Main Classification Share Analysis1.3 Wireless Printers Application Analysis1.3.1 Wireless Printers Main Application Analysis1.3.2 Wireless Printers Main Application Share Analysis1.4 Wireless Printers Industry Chain Structure Analysis1.5 Wireless Printers Industry Development Overview1.5.1 Wireless Printers Product History Development Overview1.5.1 Wireless Printers Product Market Development Overview1.6 Wireless Printers Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.1 Wireless Printers Global Import Market Analysis1.6.2 Wireless Printers Global Export Market Analysis1.6.3 Wireless Printers Global Main Region Market Analysis1.6.4 Wireless Printers Global Market Comparison Analysis1.6.5 Wireless Printers Global Market Development Trend AnalysisChapter Two Wireless Printers Up and Down Stream Industry Analysis2.1 Upstream Raw Materials Analysis2.1.1 Upstream Raw Materials Price Analysis2.1.2 Upstream Raw Materials Market Analysis2.1.3 Upstream Raw Materials Market TrendAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the world's fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMoz's service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Contact Us:Mr. Nachiket Ghumare90 State Street, Albany NY, United States - 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074 / Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:Follow me on Blogger at: Photoluminescent Film Market Size Estimated to Observe Significant Growth During ( 2017-2027) https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4350 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4350 www.futuremarketinsights.com The photoluminescent films are films that absorb light and convert that light energy into visible wavelength of light. Photoluminescent in films is one of the form of light emission which is initiated by excitation of photons. They are ideal solution for emergency exits and directional signage in hips, airlines, buildings, ferries, railcars due to its superior luminosity and conformability. There are several factors that influence the photoluminescent films to glow for long in the dark the biggest factor would be how much amount of light energy it absorbs before the source of light is removed, if the photoluminescent film is left in light for a longer period of time it will glow for significantly longer period of time than left in the light for brief time. Initially if the source of light is removed the photoluminescent film will emit the energy rapidly as the photons move quickly, where about 80-85% of light emery will be exhausted for the first thirty minutes of being removed from the source of light and the glow will eventually fade as the energy is used. The photoluminescent films can be recharged as many times as required as the phosphor in those tapes can take absorb light and emit energy as many times as required.Global Photoluminescent film Market: Market DynamicsPhotoluminescent films market is driven by safety product applications, as they provide safety way guidance system as they dont need electricity to glow in the dark if they are properly maintained. in emergency situations where there is power failure the photoluminescent films will immediately light the way to safety even in smoke condition. The photoluminescent films are most effective in areas that are frequently exposed to light and have shorter periods of darkness, like the photoluminescent films are used widely in warehouse where lights are always on which ensures that that photoluminescent films will be always charged and would glow in the event of power failures. The restrain to photoluminescent film market would be that the light energy might only last for few hours.Request For Report Sample@Global Photoluminescent film Market: Market segmentationOn the basis of product type, the global photoluminescent film market is segmented into:SheetsRollsOn the basis of end users, the global photoluminescent film market is segmented into:Automobile IndustryFood & Beverage IndustryPharmaceutical IndustryTransport & logistic IndustryManufacturing IndustryOn the basis of material finishing, the global photoluminescent film market is segmented into:Satin finishMatt finishOn the basis of material, the global photoluminescent film market is segmented into:PaperPlasticPPPEPETOn the basis of composition, the global photoluminescent film market is segmented into:FacestockRelease linerAdhesiveGlobal Photoluminescent film Market: segmentation overviewManufacturing industry has higher rate of usage of photoluminescent film, similarly photoluminescent films are widely used in safety applications, followed by Transport & logistic Industry. The photoluminescent films market has sluggish growth rate in the food and beverage industry.Global Photoluminescent film Market: Regional overviewBased on the geographies, the global photoluminescent film market is fragmented into seven key regions- Latin America, North America, Eastern Europe, and Western Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia-Pacific except Japan and Japan. Among the regions mentioned above Asia Pacific is expected to have a higher growth rate in the forecasted period due to the growing demand for photoluminescent films from the manufacturing industry, followed by Western Europe and Eastern Europe. Middle East and Africa and Latin America are expected to grow at a sluggish rate over the forecasted period.Visit For TOC@Global Photoluminescent film market playersSome of the market players identified in the global photoluminescent film market includes:Steinhauer + Co3MDHgateZhejiang Minhui Luminous Technology Co.,LtdInnova Solutions.Jessup Manufacturing CompanyEverGlow NA Inc.L & B GROUP CO., LTDABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACTFuture Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Global Body Lotion Market Projections, SWOT Analysis, Risk Analysis, Trends and Forecast by 2021 Market Research Report 2017 https://www.reportsmonitor.com/request-sample/?post=285008 https://www.reportsmonitor.com/2017-global-body-lotion-industry-research-report/ www.reportsmonitor.com ReportsMonitor.Com Adds 2017 Global Body Lotion Industry Research Report to Its Database.The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Body Lotion industry market by types, applications, players and regions. This report also displays the production, Consumption, revenue, Gross margin, Cost, Gross, market share, CAGR, and Market influencing factors of the Body Lotion industry in USA, EU, China,India, Japan and other regions, and forecast to 2022, from 2017.GET SAMPLE REPORT @Market Analysis by PlayersJohnson & JohnsonLVMHCrabtree & EvelynAmarte Skin CareAhavaClinique LaboratoriesDermalogicaGalderma LaboratoriesThe Body ShopSavannah BeeEve LomYuMeiJingLOccitane en ProvenceLUSHCosmeMarket Analysis by Regions:North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanOthersMarket Anaysis by Types:AdultsKidsMarket Analysis by Applications:BeautyHealthTable of Contents1 Body Lotion Market Overview1.1 Product Overview of Body Lotion1.2 Classification of Body Lotion by Product Category1.2.1 Global Body Lotion Sales (Volume) and Growth (%) Comparison by Types (2012-2017)1.2.2 Global Body Lotion Sales Market Share (%) by Types in 20161.2.3 Type 11.2.4 Type 21.2.5 Type 31.2.6 Type 41.2.7 Type 51.3 Global Body Lotion Market by Applications/End Users1.3.1 Global Body Lotion Sales (Volume) Comparison by Applications (2012-2017)1.3.2 Application 11.3.3 Application 21.3.4 Application 31.3.5 Application 41.3.6 Application 51.4 Body Lotion Industry Development Factors Analysis1.4.1 Body Lotion Industry Development Opportunities AnalysisBROWSE FULL TABLE OF CONTENTS and REPORT DESCRIPTION @About Us:Reports Monitor (ReportsMonitor.com) is a platform to meet the market research and business intelligence requirements. Our aim is to change the dynamics of the Market Research industry by providing quality intelligence backed by data. Your requirement for market forecasting is fulfilled by our exclusive quantitative and analytics driven intelligence. We have a vast collection of reports, covering maximum industries worldwide. Our process is meticulously planned and executed in order to use maximum resources and explore the market for getting genuine insights. Decision makers can now rely on our distinct data gathering methods to get factual market forecasting and detailed analysis.Contact Us:Jay MatthewsDirect: +1 513 549-5911Email: sales@reportsmonitor.comWebsite: Gears Market Report 2017 Volkswagen, Daimler, Toyota, Ford, Eaton Gears market https://goo.gl/XiW5Sk http://www.spiremarketresearch.com/global-gears-market-research-report-2017/ Gears Market Research 2017A market study Global Gears Market examines the performance of the Gears market 2017. It encloses an in-depth Research of the Gears market state and the competitive landscape globally. This report analyzes the potential of Gears market in the present and the future prospects from various angles in detail.The Global Gears Market 2017 report includes Gears market Revenue, market Share, Gears industry volume, market Trends, Gears Growth aspects. A wide range of applications, Utilization ratio, Supply and demand analysis are also consist in the report.It shows manufacturing capacity, Gears Price during the Forecast period from 2017 to 2022.Sample Report Of Gears Market:Manufacturers Analysis and Top Sellers of Global Gears Market 2017 : Toyota Volkswagen General Motors Ford Daimler Fiat Chrysler David Brown Eaton Robert Bosch Honda Magna Caterpillar CHSTE ZF Friedrichshafen Aisin Seiki Dana Holding FLSmidth MAAG Gear GKN plc Emerson Electric Bonfiglioli Allison Transmission Shaanxi Fast Gear Sumitomo Heavy Industries Winergy AAM BorgWarner Carraro SpA SEW-EURODRIVE Meritor Rotork plcFirstly, the report covers the top Gears manufacturing industry players from regions like United States, EU, Japan, and China. It also characterizes the market based on geological regions.Further, the Gears report gives information on the company profile, market share and contact details along with value chain analysis of Gears industry, Gears industry rules and policies, circumstances driving the growth of the market and compulsion blocking the growth. Gears Market development scope and various business strategies are also mentioned in this report.Access Report :The Gears research report includes the products that are currently in demand and available in the market along with their cost breakup, manufacturing volume, import/export scheme and contribution to the Gears market revenue worldwide.Finally, Gears market report gives you details about the market research findings and conclusion which helps you to develop profitable market strategies to gain competitive advantage.About Us:"Spire Market Research" is a leading market intelligence team which accredits and provides the reports of some of the top publishers in the field of technology industry. We are as a firm expertise in making extensive reports that cover all the necessary details about the market assessments such as major technological improvement in the industry.Contact Us5001 Spring Valley Road,Suite 400 East,Dallas, TX 75244, USA Edge Data Center Market 2017 Leading Growth Drivers, Emerging Audience, Segments, Sales, Profits & Analysis Edge Data Center Market https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4180 https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/edge-data-center-market-4180 Market Highlights:On the basis of regional analysis the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. North America region is generating highest market share in the edge data center market owing to better network infrastructure, digitization and higher technology implementation. Digitization in North America is mainly due to the invention of advanced technology and economies benefitting from it. North America region is leading due to presence of major players from the region in the edge data center market.The adoption of edge computing by both small and medium enterprises is boosting the market in the region, especially one into IT & telecommunication, healthcare and education. The Edge Data Center Market is gaining demand as organization are demanding for strong security technology and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data. And increased research and development spending by vendors in the region is driving the biometric system market. The increasing cyber-attacks and strict compliance regulation is driving the market in the region.The edge data center market is growing rapidly over 13% of CAGR and is expected to reach at USD 1,740 Million by the end of forecast period.Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 30 market data tables and figures spread over 100 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Edge Data Center Market -Forecast to 2023.Major Key Players: Rittal (Germany) Cisco Systems, Inc. (U.S.) Elliptical Mobile Solutions (U.S.) Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. (China) Panduit Corp (U.S.) Anixter International (U.S.) Wave-2-Wave Solution Corporation (U.S.) Zellabox (Australia) Dell Inc. (U.S.) Silicon Graphics, Inc. (U.S.)Request a Sample Report @Edge Data Center Market Segmentation:The edge data center market has been segmented on the basis of region that includes North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. North America accounts for highest share in edge data center market owing to well established network infrastructure. Followed by Europe, the market is in maturity phase and North America region is expected to grow at a faster pace as compare to Europe due to Eurozone debt crises.Market Research Analysis:Regional analysis for edge data center market is studied in different geographic regions as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World. Europe is one of the prominent player in edge data center market owing to well established network infrastructure. Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow at the highest CAGR in edge data center market owing to high adoption of edge data center by small and medium enterprises in the region.The region is continuously investing into research and development of edge data center market. Increasing IT landscape is boosting the market in the region. The emerging economies from countries such as China, India, Japan and Korea majorly contributes to the revenue generated from the edge data center market in the region. The developing economies from the region is mainly focusing towards the growing demand of edge data center.Browse Full Report Details @Intended Audience Investors and consultants System Integrators Government Organizations Research/Consultancy firms Technology solution providers IT Solution Providers Original Equipment ManufacturersTable of Contents1 Market Introduction1.1 Introduction1.2 Scope of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions1.2.3 Limitations1.3 Market Structure2 Research Methodology2.1 Research Type2.2 Primary Research2.3 Secondary Research2.4 Forecast Model2.4.1 Market Data Collection, Analysis & Forecast2.4.2 Market Size EstimationContinuedList of TablesTable 1 Edge Data Center Market, By ComponentsTable 2 Edge Data Center Market, By Organization SizeTable 3 Edge Data Center Market, By VerticalContinuedList of FiguresFigure 1 Research TypeFigure 2 Edge Data Center Market: By Components (%)Figure 3 Edge Data Center Market: By Organization Size (%)ContinuedAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 524/528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com Automotive Additives Market Predicted to Witness Steady Growth During the Forecast Period ( 2017-2027) https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4625 https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4625 www.futuremarketinsights.com An automotive additive is a chemical matter which when added to fuel or oil in a small quantity improves the quality of the fuel or the oil. The automotive additive can be a fuel additive or an oil additive. Fuel additives increase the octane rating of the fuel. Fuel additives can also act as lubricants and can also help in preventing corrosion, thus increasing the efficiency of the automobile. Thus, fuel additives decrease the problems related to stumbling or weak acceleration. Oil additives are compounds that help in increasing the efficiency of base oil. Nearly all the commercially available Motor oils contain additives. These oil additives are highly essential for proper lubrication of the motor. Automotive additives can be in the form of liquid or powder.The Automotive Additives Market is expected to grow at a moderate CAGR during the forecast period.Automotive Additives Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe demand for fuel efficiency is increasing gradually. This can be achieved by adding automotive additives to the fuel. Also, now people prefer high segment cars instead of low segment cars. Hence, the demand for automotive additives is also increasing due to the requirement of lightweight materials in an automobile, to achieve fuel efficiency. According to Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations, emissions need to be decreased, and lightweight materials are to be used in vehicles. This factor is also expected to drive the growth of Automotive Additives Market in the forecast period.Due to growing concern about comfort, durability, quality, safety and color, demand is increasing in the interior application of the Automotive Additives Market. With the increase in the electrification of the cars, Automotive Additives Market is expected to growth at a fast pace.Request For Report Sample@Volatility in prices of additives, the high price of the oil and fuel automotive additives and the engine downsizing trend going on in the automobile industries, are the factors that are expected to affect the growth of Automotive Additives Market.Automotive Additives Market: Market SegmentationAutomotive Additives Market can be segmented by Plastic, by Plastic Additives, by Vehicle type, by Automotive Application, or by region.By PlasticPolypropylene (PP)Polyurethane (PUR)Poly-Vinyl Chloride (PVC)Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)By Plastic AdditivesPlasticizersAnti-ScratchStabilizersAntioxidantsOthersBy Vehicle TypePassenger CarLight Commercial VehicleHeavy Commercial VehicleElectric VehicleBy Automotive ApplicationExteriorInteriorUnder the HoodElectronics & ElectricalBy RegionNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRoWAutomotive Additives Market: Regional OutlookIn the forecast period, Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow and become the largest market for automotive additives by the end of the year 2017. The reason behind this is that the Asia-Pacific region is the hub for the production of passenger cars and electric automobiles. The fastest growing segment in the Automotive Additives market is expected to be Polypropylene Plastic. This is because the use of Polypropylene Plastic has increased in the automobile industry. This growth is expected to occur in all the regions- North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World, but majorly in China, US, and Japan. As the use of plastics is increasing, Interior Application Market of Automotive Additives Market is expected to have the greatest market share. The use of plastics is increasing in the automobile industry due to the emission regulations and laws for the use of lightweight materials in vehicles led by the government.Visit For TOC@Automotive Additives Market: Key PlayersSome of the major players in the Automotive Additives Market are:-Akzo Nobel N.V. (Netherlands)BASF SE (Germany)ClariantCovestro AG (Germany)The Dow Chemical Company (U.S.)Evonik IndustriesExxonMobil Corporation (U.S.)Kaneka CorporationLanxessPolyOne CorporationSabic (Saudi Arabia)SolvayABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACTFuture Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: Cyber Security Global Market Key Players Cisco, Oracle, Dell, Symantec, Huawei, Intel, Check Point Analysis and Forecast to 2022 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/1218947-global-cyber-security-market-size-status-and-forecast-2022 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/1218947-global-cyber-security-market-size-status-and-forecast-2022 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=1218947 SummaryThis report studies the global Cyber Security market, analyzes and researches the Cyber Security development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeCiscoOracleDellSymantecHuaweiIntelCheck PointTrend MicroIBMHPMicrosoftJuniperEMCFortinetKasperskyQuantumAvastHillstone NetworksNSFOUSESETRequest a Sample Report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Application, Cyber Security can be split intoDefenseMilitaryBFSIpublic utilitiesHealthcareTelecomAt any Query @Table of ContentsGlobal Cyber Security Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Cyber Security1.1 Cyber Security Market Overview1.1.1 Cyber Security Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Cyber Security Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Cyber Security Market by End Users/Application1.3.1 Defense1.3.2 Military1.3.3 BFSIpublic utilities1.3.4 Healthcare1.3.5 Telecom2 Global Cyber Security Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Cyber Security Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Cisco3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Oracle3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Dell3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Symantec3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Huawei3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Intel3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Check Point3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Trend Micro3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 IBM3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 HP3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Cyber Security Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Microsoft3.12 Juniper3.13 EMC3.14 Fortinet3.15 Kaspersky3.16 Quantum3.17 Avast3.18 Hillstone Networks3.19 NSFOUS3.20 ESET4 Global Cyber Security Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.1 Global Cyber Security Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.2 Potential Application of Cyber Security in Future4.3 Top Consumer/End Users of Cyber SecurityBuy Now @Continued....Contact Us: sales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US) ; Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.ADDRES:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India Chewing Gum: Global Market Sales, Consumption, Demand and Forecast 2017 2020 Chewing Gum Market 2017 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/809533-global-chewing-gum-market-2016-2020 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/809533-global-chewing-gum-market-2016-2020 https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=809533 WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On - Chewing Gum: Global Market Sales, Consumption, Demand and Forecast 2017 2020.The analysts forecast the global chewing gum market to grow at a CAGR of 1.25% during the period 2016-2020.Chewing gum is a product that is mostly bought on impulse. Therefore, attractive packaging and the correct placement of these products, like at the checkout zones of supermarkets and hypermarkets, are expected to drive the market during the forecast period. Chewing, especially for an extended period, is regarded as indecorous in many countries such as Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. Therefore, consumers in such countries often favor consuming mints to chewing gum. This will likely hurt the overall demand for chewing gum over the next five years. Moreover, the littering of masticated gum, which does harm to the environment, is an associated problem with gum consumption.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comCovered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global chewing gum market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the retail sales of chewing gums to individual customers in the global market.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography: Americas APAC EMEAThe report, Global Chewing Gum Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendors Lotte Meiji Holdings Mondelez International Perfetti Van Melle WrigleyOther prominent vendors Arcor August Storck Bourbon Cemoi Cloetta Colombina CRM Group Crown Confectionery Ezaki Glico Ferrara Candy Haribo Lindt Morinaga & Co. Orion Yildiz HoldingMarket driver Perceived oral and dental health benefits of sugar-free chewing gums For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge Mouth fresheners as alternatives to chewing gum For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend Growing demand for nicotine chewing gums For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this report What will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be? What are the key market trends? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Ask Query @Table Of Contents Major Key PointsPART 01: Executive summary HighlightsPART 02: Global confectionery market summary Market overview Market size and forecast Differentiating factors of market Consumer insights Market entry barriersPART 03: Scope of the report Market overview Key-vendor offeringsPART 04: Market research methodology Research methodology Economic indicatorsPART 05: Introduction Key market highlightsPART 06: Market landscape Global gums market Global chewing gum market: Market size and forecast Five forces analysisPART 07: Market segmentation by product ingredient Global chewing gum market by product ingredient Global sugar-free chewing gum market Global sugared chewing gum marketPART 08: Market segmentation by product category Global chewing gum market by product categoryPART 09: Retail format segmentation Global chewing gum market by retail format Hypermarkets, supermarkets, and convenience stores Drugstores Others (e-retailers and specialty stores)PART 10: Geographical segmentation Geographical segmentation Chewing gum market in the Americas Chewing gum market in APAC Chewing gum market in Europe Chewing gum market in MEAPART 11: Key leading countries US China Brazil JapanPART 12: Market drivers Perceived oral and dental health benefits of sugar-free chewing gums Consumer inclination toward impulse purchase Product lining strategy of manufacturers Innovative packaging and marketing initiativesPART 13: Impact of driversPART 14: Market challenges Mouth fresheners as alternatives to chewing gum Environmental concerns Government regulations Competition from local and unorganized playersPART 15: Impact of drivers and challengesPART 16: Market trends Emergence of functional chewing gums Increase in demand for chewing gums with natural ingredients Flavor and product innovations Growing demand for nicotine chewing gumsContinue.For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comBuy 1-User PDF@ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028. Automotive Interior Materials Market Research Report | Forecast up to 2023 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/report-toc/1178 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1178 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=1178> To take part in our international event either as a speaker, sponsor, exhibitor or as a delegate please contact us at events@intelligence-sec.com or call us on +44 (0)1582 346 706 ***** Cyber Security Summit: Los Angeles Wednesday, November 29, 2017 | 7:45AM to 6:00PM | The Beverly Hilton https://cybersummitusa.com/2017-losangeles/ ***** LAAD Security 2018 | Apr 10-12, 2018 | Sao Paulo-SP| www.laadsecurity.com.br LAAD Defence & Security 2019 | Apr 02-05, 2019 | Rio de Janeiro-RJ | www.laadexpo.com.br **** About SecuritySolutionsWatch.com SecuritySolutionsWatch.com features thought leadership interviews about security solutions. Our flagship In The Boardroom program, now in its 15th year, has delivered outstanding content about security solutions from leading global brands such as: Cisco Security, Dell EMC, HP Cybersecurity, Gemalto, HID Global, ImageWare, Siemens Security and SONY Security, just to name a few. What's YOUR cybersecurity, physical security, mobility, payments, safety or "smart" solution? We invite you to please join us "In The Boardroom", more details here, or here: http://www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Main/ThoughtLeadershipOpportunity_July2017.pdf Please click here for our Media Kit (http://www.securitysolutionswatch.com/MediaKit.html) Please click here or here: http://www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Main/170502%20RATE_CARD-4.pdf for additional details about our offerings. ***** FOR MORE CONTENT ABOUT SECURITY THREATS AND SOLUTIONS... ...PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER (http://securitysolutionswatch.com/newsletters/newsletter_2017_08.html ) And PLEASE VISIT US ON TWITTER HERE: https://twitter.com/SecStockWatch ***** THIS PRESS RELEASE, AND ALL ADVERTISING, CONTENT AND ALL OTHER MATERIAL AND INFORMATION WHICH APPEARS ON SECURITYSOLUTIONSWATCH.COM AND/OR SECURITYSTOCKWATCH.COM, ONLINE AND/OR IN PRINT, IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS OF USE, CONDITIONS, AND DISCLAIMER HERE:www.securitysolutionswatch.com/Main/Terms_of_Use.html. Contact: Ali Eng Publishing Team Leader ALE (at) SecuritySolutionsWatch (dot) com USA 1+914.690.9351 Astana, Kazakhstan - Expo Astana 2017 came to a close last weekend in Astana, Kazakhstan. Hosted under the theme Future Energy the exhibition was held from June 10 - September 10, 2017. Participants came from as many as one hundred and fifteen (115) countries and twenty-two (22) International Organisations. Inclusive were twelve CARICOM Member States; Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname. While Trinidad and Tobago did not participate in the exposition , the twin-island Republic was well represented and actively promoted by four panists of the Caribbean Steelpan Connextion Ensemble, which is based in Belmont. Through the vigorous and generous efforts of Ms. Leela Ramoutar, Commissioner of the CARICOM Pavilion, the four travelled from Trinidad in early July to Astana. Caribbean Steelpan Connextion Ensemble with Ms. Ramoutar Caribbean Steelpan Connextion Ensemble with Ms. Ramoutar According to the groups manager, Ms. Israel McLeod (MA), the team deemed their participation an absolute success but one which was not without its challenges. McLeod reiterated the need for Government (together with the steelpans parent body, Pan Trinbago) to place on its front burner, structured, informed and realistic solutions, to alleviating the costs on the shipping, air freight and insurance of instruments as an example. This she felt, would help to create more international travel for steelpan orchestras, thereby making bands more self-sufficient and consequently, increasing the income for its membership through global performances. When asked about the reception of the steelpan, McLeod also relayed that it greatly mesmerized, the attendees and exhibitors while boosting the morale of my guys. In fact, McLeod boasted that it was because of Ms. Ramoutars vision and passion, that the CARICOM Pavilion won the Gold Award for Joint Pavilion Design Content during the award ceremony of the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE). These world expositions present incredible opportunities for the branding, marketing and promoting of countries, said Ms. Ramoutar. She concluded that the CSC Members made sure that Trinidad and Tobago was well represented as the TT Flag was proudly displayed at every performance and inclusive of the Expo Parade. now available! Order yours now! When Steel Talks shirtsnow available! PONTIAC When the Threshermen's Bluegrass Festival in Pontiac debuted 25 years ago, everyone involved was, well, a quarter-century younger. And, in some cases, a quarter-century healthier. Also in better shape: the audience for traditional bluegrass, which, in the 25 years since, has aged and, alas, dwindled ... right alongside its performers and organizers. For the event's approaching silver anniversary (Sept. 22-23), time is extracting its toll in the way it always must: the party at Threshermen's Park (site of the annual Labor Day weekend Threshermen's Reunion) has reached its last call. "I would say that it's definitely the end of an era," laments Greg Cahill, founder of Chicago's nationally renowned, Grammy-nominated Special Consensus, which opened the first festival in 1992 and is coming back to help bid adieu next weekend. Other bands from that first fest scheduled to be back are Indiana's All-American Bluegrass Band (originally known as Blue Knight), Karl Shifflet & Big Country from Texas, and Illinois' own Living Water and Firebox. By Cahill's count, the passing of the Threshermen's Bluegrass Festival has left only one surviving bluegrass fest in the state: the relatively recent Frankfurt Bluegrass Festival in Frankfurt, on the northeast frontier of Illinois. "I really, really hate to see this go away," Cahill says. "There have been anywhere from four or five successful festivals around that state that have just kind of passed out of existence in recent years." His recollection of that first fest is a warm one: "I remember really enjoying it then, and again every time we came back (around five times, he estimates). "It had such a down-home feeling, and the folks who were there were there to love the music. They kept that sense of community, and that's the thing that's going to be sorely missed." Festival founder Doyle Hurd admits that, yes, "It's been a lot of hard work ... but also a lot of fun." Flashing back to that first festival in 92, he remembers "we had it outside, using the campground. I think the Threshermen people were a little worried ... the word was going around that it was going to be another Woodstock, with a rough crowd and a lot of drinking going on." Hurd chuckles at that misplaced portent of doom. "We've never allowed drinking," he says of what might be considered the anti-Woodstock festival: no substances of any kind allowed, other than maybe the burgers and buns stocked in camper refrigerators (the event has space for campers who want to make a weekend of it, and cheap ... just $10 for electric hook-up and $5 for no hook-up). The festival began its life with the idea that it would always be an outdoor affair. "That first Friday night it turned out really good," Hurd says of the fiddling under the stars. "Then ... it poured down rain all the next day." The only hope for escape was a Threshmern's storage shed on the park grounds ... filled to the rafters with threshing equipment. "The park manager wanted to know what we were going to do," recalls Hurd. The only hope was the big old shed, but ... "Well, we had to work like nuts before showtime to clean out the inside," he says. But they emptied it, and Day Two of the first festival went on as planned. In fact, the indoor space proved so adaptable to their means that the concert part of the fest has remained there ever since. Attendance in 1992 was measured in the hundreds, but it grew over time, eventually peaking in the thousands (around 2,500) during the festival's heyday. Pontiac's Mark Osman, pulling on his radio deejay past, has served as a festival emcee for around 18 of its 25 years. "Everybody's getting older ... I'm going to be 62, and I'm the baby of the bunch!," he laughs. Not only are organizers getting up in years, but, notes Osman, also the die-hard bluegrass fans who've followed the festival circuit around the region in their campers and motor homes. "At one point we had as many as 120 campers," he says. "But some of those people, who were really dedicated fans, got older and are no longer able to follow the circuit." The only hope for the festival being revived would be for new blood to come in and infuse it with new life, meaning a younger audience to keep the event going for another 25 years. "These festivals are getting more scarce," says Hurd. "The audience just isn't there anymore." Even so, Hurd says the festival's audience has some youth in its make-up. And he says he is in talks with someone who might be willing to take the event over in the years ahead. "It's a lot of hard work to put on a festival like this," Cahill admits. "There are just so many variables involved, especially with so many of the fests being run strictly by volunteers, which is the case in Pontiac." For anyone wanting to take on the challenge, just call Doyle Hurd at 815-674-3559. By day, Travis Langley is a mild-mannered professor of psychology at Henderson State University in Arkansas. By night, away from the classroom, he's a high-flying shrink to the superheroes, so to speak picking apart the oft-damaged psyches of everyone from the Dark Knight to the Man of Steel. And not just superheroes, but also the equally cracked villains who would do them (and us) in. Here, for example, is Langley's take on Heath Ledger's The Joker from Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" (2008): "This character who attracts psychotic henchmen may have lingering symptoms from his own past psychosis. He keeps making involuntary, repetitive movements flicking his tongue, smacking his mouth which suggest tardive dyskinesia, a condition that arises as a consequence of long-term or high-dosage use of antipsychotic (neuroleptic) medication." Who knew? As for the Dark Knight himself ... "When is post-traumatic stress pathological? The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders lays out specific criteria. Criterion A: Trauma. Yes, the event that created Batman (1) involved death or physical danger and (2) horrified the survivor. Criterion B: Persistent re-experiencing. Yes, Bruce re-experiences his parents' murders through recurrent, vivid recollections ..." Langley's 2012 book, "Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight," is where it all started (the above analyses included). It became not only an academic success, but faster than a speeding bullet a surprise hit among more casual pop culture consumers not scared off by the science of behavior and mind. The fact that the name Batman preceded it made all the difference ... well, that, and Langley's breezy, accessible writing style One reviewer described it as "much less dry and much more entertaining than many of the others which populate the ever-growing field of texts about pop culture and the sciences ... rather than just telling us what we should know or think about Batman, the book supplements our own interest in the hero, and provokes us to think more about what's going on in his head. (Starpulse.com) In the five years since, Langley has edited and contributed to an entire book shelf's worth of analytical anthologies all equally popular and sporting seal-of-approval forewords by everyone from Adam West to Stan Lee. And he's done it with super-heroic productivity, probing the mental states of characters in popular TV series ("Game of Thrones," "The Walking Dead," Dr. Who"), long-running multimedia franchises ("Star Wars," "Star Trek"), and, of course, comic books ("Wonder Woman," "Captain America," "Iron Man"). Langley will be on the campus of Illinois State University Thursday and Friday for a series of presentations that tap his special insights into the psychology of pop culture, from "Batman's" personal PTSD issues to the character's empowering and inspiring us in our everyday lives (see accompanying story for the complete schedule). "I've always loved fantastic heroes, especially superheroes who fly ... but, no, there aren't any photographs of me at 9 months old holding some comic books and looking delighted," he confesses of his claim to fanboy-dom. If there was an epiphany of things to come in Langley's adult life, it occurred as recently as 10 years ago, "when I decided to bring together my nerdy personal interests and the professional side of my life, which, until that point, had been two entirely different things." The marriage occurred by way of a course he taught at Henderson University that merged literature and psychology. "The students' assignments were to analyze literary characters like Hamlet, Tom Sawyer and Ahab," he says, adding that the results were "really powerful" in the way that his students seemed to be learning for more deeply than he was expecting by subjecting these famous characters to analysis. Eventually the classroom analysis graduated from iconic literary heroes to those working pop culture's turf, via comic books, movies and TV. A scholarly journal article about his students psychoanalyzing Batman led to his deciding the subject merited more ... a whole lot more ... a full-blown book, in fact. "I'd been trying for years to get another project going, and, I thought, this is the one I could get a literary agent and a publisher for, and who would do some unique things with it." During the four-year (2008-12) genesis of "Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight," Langley found him testing the waters of serious fandom, then eventually swimming into the deep end, from whence he has yet to return. "I met comic scholars ... I met Adam West on a convention panel in 2009 ... I communicated with the producer (Michael E. Uslan) of the 'Batman' movies." And so it went over the four years, during which the death of Joker actor Heath Ledger delayed publication by a full year (it was decided the book should be published to coincide with the release of "The Dark Knight," which was held back because of the death). Langley's prediction was twofold: "This is either going to go spectacularly bad, or it's going to be a nice, beneficial experience." Happily for him, it's the latter option that has held true, leading to Langley as the go-to man for speaking at comic book conventions, including the apex of them all, San Diego's Comic-Con, and serving as the voice of super-psychoanalysis for such film documentaries as 2013's "Legends of the Knight," a screening of which he will attend at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Normal Theater, followed by his participation in a post-film panel discussion. Along the way, he's met many of his own heroes in the world of comics, from Stan Lee (who, as noted, penned the foreword to one of his books) to "my childhood Batman, Adam West." The 94-year-old Lee, says Langley, "gets" what he's up to in his books, one of which is devoted to Marvel's Captain America and Iron Man (2016's "Captain America vs. Iron Man: Freedom, Security, Psychology"). "Anything you do that involves looking at people ... that's psychology," says Langley. "Looking at what's going on in the world ... that's psychology. "Stan didn't need to study it, he already has a good sense of it. In writing his scripts, he bought a depth to the characters at a time when other comics had gotten to be pretty flat. He added these dimensions ... a human quality. He was, and is, a real student of human nature." Then there was the time that "Adam (West) once asked me if I thought Batman was crazy," recalls Langley. "I told him 'Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight' is my answer." After reading the book, West told him, "That was marvelous!" "He was really delighted that Batman was crazy," Langley notes with pride ... both professional and fanboy-ish. BLOOMINGTON Students worried about deportation or judgement based on their familys citizenship were told they have nothing to fear while attending Bloomington District 87 schools. The District 87 school board approved a resolution on Wednesday affirming the district as a welcoming and safe environment for all students, regardless of immigration status. The resolution doesnt fundamentally do anything in terms of policies and procedures we already have in place, but it sends the clear message to students that you mean something to us and we care about how youre feeling. We wanted to show in a very public way that we support you and well do all we can to keep you safe, said Superintendent Barry Reilly. Reilly said there are probably students enrolled in District 87 who come from illegally immigrated families, but said he hopes the resolution will "alleviate any worries those students may be feeling" after recent changes to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. This sends a message to the general community so those kids and their families know we have their back, said Reilly. The teacher in front of them in the classroom will be more important than anything we do here. The idea for the resolution was developed by a group of teachers who were approached by students who said they were afraid of deportation and being uprooted from their homes and schools. Kim Taber, a teacher at Bloomington Junior High School, read comments from worried students to the board. I worry when I go home, I wont see my parents and Ill be left alone with my siblings, Taber read from a student comment. It means a lot that the resolution was so strongly supported by the board, said Taber after the meeting. We want to see students feel successful in a country where they dont often get that message. To hear it straight from the district is powerful. BJHS teacher Helen Brandon said students of immigrant families often feel forgotten, devalued and an unwelcome member in the community. We welcome you and care about you, said Brandon. In a climate where outside voices are not always supportive and are sometimes frightening, we want to help kids hear, firmly, that they are wanted here with us at school, added Julie Riley, BJHS teacher. Gavin Nicoson, a freshman at Normal Community West High School, attended the District 87 meeting as a member of Not In Our School, a group against bullying and discrimination in schools. I feel that these issues and worries with students are more prevalent. Im sure its hard for those students to go home where they are accepted and loved and then go to school where they are worried that people dont accept them. This gives me hope, said Nicoson. McLean County Unit 5 Superintendent Mark Daniel said the Normal-based district has discussed the resolution with District 87, particularly how the district partnered with teachers to develop the message. Unit 5 will begin a similar process and we expect it could result in a resolution as well, said Daniel. NORMAL Midwest Food Bank, in the middle of its hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief efforts, has announced an open house at its new headquarters, 2031 Warehouse Road. The food bank, which distributes food and supplies to not-for-profit agencies and disaster sites without charge, will open to the public 2 to 5 p.m. Sept. 21, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. "When we began this effort on our family farm south of Bloomington, I never would have envisioned it becoming this large," Midwest Food Bank President and CEO David Kieser said in a prepared statement. "We have tried to follow the Lord's leading and He has provided blessing after blessing." The faith-based, nonprofit organization moved its headquarters including offices, warehouse and distribution center from 1703 S. Veterans Parkway, Bloomington, to 2031 Warehouse Road, Normal, in April. The Warehouse Road location had been the site of Bloomington-Normal Seating Co., a Mitsubishi Motors North America supplier that closed in December 2015 after the car plant ceased production. Kieser told The Pantagraph last fall that the food bank had outgrown the Veterans Parkway building. The new location is nearly 100,000 square feet, almost quadruple the size of the former location; has additional space for frozen and refrigerated items; has eight more loading docks; and increased parking. The increased space has allowed Midwest Food Bank to add 25 agencies to its distribution schedule. Midwest Food Bank is a Salvation Army First Responder, meaning food bank volunteers assemble, pack and truck disaster relief boxes to areas of natural disasters, where the food and supplies are distributed by Salvation Army to people in need. The food bank has eight locations in Illinois, Indiana, Georgia, Florida, Arizona and Kenya, Africa. 100 years ago Sept. 14, 1917: The Association of Commerce is sending out bronze medals to the 300 soldiers serving from McLean County. They bear the inscription, McLean County, Illinois honors her soldier (name). Serve well. Sept. 4, 1917. They can be worn as medals or watch fobs. 75 years ago Sept. 14, 1942: Three of the four local movie theaters the Irvin, Castle and the Normal are selling war bonds. Movies playing right now include Honeymoon for Three, featuring Lt. James Stewart. (His military service was well documented during his film career.) 50 years ago Sept. 14, 1967: James Hart, who used to write news and poetry for this paper, left an estate of about $100,000 when he died. He lived at the YMCA and paid $3 rent per week. The fortune was left to relatives, friends, churches and public concerns. Hart was 85 when he died. 25 years ago Sept. 14, 1992: Construction of the Eastland Plaza office building will begin next month at Eastland Drive and the future intersection of the Williamsburg Drive extension. It will have 12,000 square feet. Owner Jerry Gilbert expects completion next spring. TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Perfecto, the leading continuous testing and monitoring platform for optimizing DevOps pipelines, today announced the appointment of Jim Moran as executive chairman of its board of directors. In this newly created, full-time role, Moran will focus on helping the company accelerate its profitable growth in the DevOps and application development and QA markets, and work closely with the Perfecto board and executive team to extend the companys market leadership and navigate its strategic growth options. Moran brings a wealth of experience with technology startups across a variety of markets including enterprise SaaS and cloud, open source, payments, mobile commerce, and communications & infrastructure. Most recently, he was managing director at North Bridge Venture & Growth Equity Partners investing in and advising both early-stage and growth-oriented companies including mobile wallet provider Paydiant (acquired by PayPal), and endpoint security solution Confer Technologies (acquired by Carbon Black). The race to deliver a best-in-class digital experience has never been more fierce, said Liron Gitig, Perfecto board member and partner at investor FTV Capital. Perfectos acceleration of cycle time and faster delivery of digital services make its solutions mission-critical for software development organizations. Jims expertise and leadership make him the right executive to help us capitalize on this massive market opportunity. Prior to joining North Bridge, Moran played key leadership roles in the success of multiple startups including CEO of Covergence Networks (acquired by ACME Packet), COO of Virtusa (IPO); CRO and co-founder of edocs (acquired by Siebel/Oracle), and SVP of sales and GM at CheckFree Corporation (IPO). Jim brings tremendous strategic insight and operational experience to Perfecto at a time when we are seeing strong, profitable growth in a market with unlimited opportunity, said Eran Yaniv, CEO of Perfecto. He knows what it takes to disrupt and scale to win in big markets and is adept at developing winning go-to-market strategies to do that. His track record is exceptional and I am looking forward to working with him to maximize the tremendous potential we have here. Perfecto has an enormous opportunity ahead and is extremely well positioned to capitalize now, said Moran. As enterprises execute on their digital strategies, their software development and QA organizations must accelerate their level of innovation and time-to-market to engage with their users in new ways using web, mobile and IoT. Perfecto is in a market-leading position to support these efforts by optimizing their software delivery pipelines and assuring flawless digital user experiences. About Perfecto Perfecto is the leading cloud-based platform for web, mobile and IoT software testing, empowering global enterprises with the tools they need to deliver better digital experiences for their users. With Perfecto, developers and testers can implement continuous testing throughout the DevOps cycle, using the most reliable lab offering real browsers, smartphones and devices using real-world networks, locations and scenarios. With more than 3,000 customers across all major industries, Perfecto is enabling faster release cycles that set the speed of digital innovation. For more information, visit perfectomobile.com, join the Perfecto community, or follow us on Twitter at @PerfectoMobile. The bodega - known outside of New York City as the corner store - is a lifeline for people living in cities where despite being packed into homes like sardines, simple amenities can often be surprisingly hard to come by. The bodega is also a community center, a second home to visit for conversation, family, culture and comfort. However, a new app by two former Google employees, Paul McDonald and Ashwath Rajan, called "Bodega" aims to disrupt the corner store business by installing over 50 "five-foot-wide pantry boxes filled with non-perishable items you might pick up at a convenience store." So basically, a vending machine, though purchase of small goods through a glass panel is made through an app and not pocket change. It also uses artificial intelligence to "preempt what people might need" by studying user habits and "constantly reassess[ing] the 100 most-needed items in that community." Investors in the new technology include senior executives from Silicon Valley heavyweights like Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox and Google. After a Fast Company profile on the startup came out today, Twitter sharpened its proverbial pitchforks and quickly went about skewering the founders for trying to disrupt the bodega industry and its beloved cats. tfw you just heard about Bodega pic.twitter.com/0HVVRaARq4 Daniel Radosh (@danielradosh) September 13, 2017 Dear Bodega Cats, Now's the time to start the revolution. Morgan Jerkins (@MorganJerkins) September 13, 2017 My bodega guy lives in my building; I'd like to see your dumb machine bring you an egg sammie at 11pm & talk about its world travels https://t.co/siSA2hFLKl Danielle Henderson (@knottyyarn) September 13, 2017 if you replace my bodega with a fucking box i will launch you into the sun leon (@leyawn) September 13, 2017 You not getting one magnum, a chopped cheese sangwich and a Dutch from a bodega box foh b Desus Nice (@desusnice) September 13, 2017 If the Bodega app really wanted to be accurate, though, it would call itself Deli & Grill. This is a joke exclusively for New Yorkers. Joe Berkowitz (@JoeBerkowitz) September 13, 2017 Wealthy tech bros are so uncomfortable interacting w working class POC that they think a glorified vending machine is better than a bodega. https://t.co/wPWhfkwBrx vero bayetti flores (@veroconplatanos) September 13, 2017 You get the idea. Though there are many aspects of our lives which have been and continue to be irrefutably improved by technology - ordering delivery online rather than over the phone comes to mind - the bodega is one thing that did not require further improvement or, God help us, disruption. As Madison Malone Kircher writes over at Select All, "[The bodega] has been, for all intents and purposes, perfected. So somebody please tell Silicon Valley to stay the hell away." Artist Amaris Castillo practically grew up in and around bodegas. Her parents, both immigrants from the Dominican Republic, have worked in or ran bodegas for as long as she can remember. She created the photojournalism project "Bodega Stories" to show the intimacy of the community that bodegas foster, which to her are irreplaceable. "I feel like the guys behind this completely missed the point," she told PAPER. "They don't understand the importance of bodegas. It's angering, it's maddening, it's frustrating, but I'm so happy to see how much support bodegas have gotten today. It even became a Twitter moment." Castillo got choked up talking about her father, a "bodeguero" (or bodega owner) who now runs a store in St. Petersburg, Florida with her mother. The store is currently experiencing a power outage related to Hurricane Irma, but Castillo was able to get ahold of her father, translating from Spanish his thoughts on the subject: "Perhaps these two men have not had to sacrifice as I and so many have," Castillo's father said. "I've been working in bodegas for over 30 years to push my family forward. I don't agree that these men are trying to overshadow the sacrifices that all bodegueros have made -- for a profit." The loss of human-held jobs at the machinated hands of technology is as old as capitalism, but the particular tone-deafness of replacing one of the few community-oriented spaces left in major cities is particularly striking, and a large part in why the online outcry against the app-run vending machines was so loud. McDonald and Rajan said they did some outreach before launching the product - which are less mini-corner stores and more just, vending machines - and said that 97% of the Latin American community they surveyed said the name "Bodega" was not a "misappropriation of that term" nor did it have "negative connotations." On the contrary, the term bodega is highly positive, bringing to mind, as Castillo pointed out, "The banter between the owner and the customers, the laughter, the chatter, the grittiness, the fact that you can get pastelitos or empanadas or breakfast sandwiches 24 hours." She added, "I know that gentrification is happening. But it's frustrating." As long as the march of capitalism and the evolution of technology move forward, there will always be people looking to profit off the disruption - and end of - another industry. The startup plans to have 1,000 "Bodega" locations across the country by 2018, telling Fast Company, "Eventually, centralized shopping locations won't be necessary, because there will be 100,000 Bodegas spread out, with one always 100 feet away from you." As long as we have the ability to make our purchasing decisions for ourselves, however, community spaces can and will remain an integral part of daily life. Splash image of Castillo's parents, courtesy of the artist In anticipation of Marc Jacobs' show this evening at 6pm (sharp!), we've put together a helpful timeline of the beloved New York designer's most important moments through the decades. From grunge to goth to total glam, no designer has made New York a more relevant, exciting and surprising place for fashion. With no sign of letting up (or decamping like some of his contemporaries), Jacobs has a history of delivering fashion moments every season and we expect nothing less tonight! Late 70's A teenage Marc Jacobs (b. 1963) snags a job as a stockboy at white hot boutique Charivari on the Upper West Side. The store's owners, the Weiser family, would also sell his knits when he was a fashion student. 1984 He graduates from the prestigious Parsons Fashion, Art & Design School where he won the coveted Designer of the Year Award. 1986 Marc shows his first collection under the Marc Jacobs label with partner Robert Duffy. November 1992 After four years designing for the iconic American label Perry Ellis, Jacobs' Spring 1993 grunge collection (Christy Turlington opened) was a shot across the bow to the fashion establishment, and most critics and powers-that-be-saw it as a direct attack. Suzy Menkes wrote that "Grunge is ghastly," and he was promptly let go from the his directorship at the brand. But they couldn't have been more wrong. It was the defining moment of his career and a bellwether moment of 90s fashion. The moment became emblematic of his instinctual and gutsy approach to fashion and has been elevated to mythical status in the pantheon of fashion history, and opened the flood gates to the prevailing mood of the decade. 1995 As a fledgling young designer, often strapped for cash, Jacobs would sometimes depend on the kindness of local billionaires for venues. In 1995 he showed at the Plaza Hotel, then owned by Donald Trump who had, at the urging of Anna Wintour, let the designer show there. 1997 Marc Jacobs with Steven Meisel and Naomi Campbell at a Louis Vuitton NYC store opening / Getty Images Jacobs is named the Creative Director of Louis Vuitton which would become one of the most dynamic (and lucrative) "dust offs" of a European house with the appointment of a young, not-French, designer. Sept 10, 2001 Sarah Jessica Parker and Sofia Coppola at Marc Jacobs SS02 / Getty Images On the Monday evening before 9/11, Marc Jacobs showed a star-studded (and, naturally, 90-minute-delayed) fashion show at Pier 54, with the Twin Towers glistening but a few hundred yards away. Glamorous, celebrity-packed and incidentally poignant (the direction was 70's flower child), the show, and party that directly followed on the water front with SJP, Monica Lewinsky, and Donald Trump to name a few, is seen in context as a tragically dazzling snapshot of life in New York before the world changed the next morning. 2001 With the infusion of capital and status via his Vuitton appointment, Jacobs & Duffy launch Marc by Marc Jacobs, a diffusion line at lower price point which would attract younger (and tbh cooler) customers to the brand, until it was dissolved in 2015. 2006 Hana Soukupova carrying the soon-to-be-famous Stam Bag Marc Jacobs was at the forefront of the It Bag phenomenon and 2006's Stam Bag (named after aughts goddess Jessica Stam) was essentially the mascot for the whole moment. Quilted and gilted, it was the perfect reduction of the granny geek/chic that Jacobs was feeling at the moment and was boffo at the cash register. If you google any paparazzi pic from that year, this bag is in it. 2007 After years of glasses and self conscious schlub, Jacobs started wearing less and going out more. He hit the gym, dyed his hair smurf blue, and got, among others, a SpongeBob SquarePants tattoo. His Spring 2008 show was famously 2 hours late and shown in reverse, indicating that things were definitely changing chez Jacobs. 2011 Jacobs can work a theme like no other and one of the most ebullient and beloved shows recently was his 2011 ode to fashion goddess and OG stylist Grace Coddington. 2012 Two of the studded pilgrim shoes from FW12 / Getty Images Much hay was made of his psychedelic Fall 2012 collection what with their trip hats and PFunk coats and knickers but the most lasting image was these studded pilgrim shoes (the reference was more Marie Antoinette but w/e) 2014 Kendall Jenner walking the Marc Jacobs FW14 runway / Getty Images For his Fall 2014 collection, Jacobs cast a relative unknown (jk) Kendall Jenner in her first "Big New York Show." Whether it was a foregone conclusion that she would be a runway star is hard to say, but Jacobs' move was a signal to the industry that she was a fashion force and she's done alright since! 2015 Jacobs is a New Yorker to the core and for his Spring 2016 show he took over the soon-to-be gutted Zeigfeld Theatre in a razzle-dazzle ode to the flashy and gritty New York of yore. Beth Ditto was poured into a flowing white gown and the New York Doll's song "Trash" was blared by a big brass band. 2016 Lady Gaga and Marc Jacobs after the FW16 show / Getty Images Lady Gaga made one of her most low key appearances to date in Jacobs' compelling (and mostly silent) Noh-inspired Fall 2016 show. With only the sound of an occasional ceremonial gong, the goth goddesses with plastered hair and ghostly eyes floating across a white set left attendees agog at the dark power possible in a fashion show. It is exactly the kind of unexpected poetry and spectacle that only Jacobs seems to be capable of at a moment when the relevance of a live fashion show is questioned every season. As we've learned, New York loves a good reason to party, and what better reason than NYFW? An exhaustive week of shows means a demanding week of partiesbut that's a good thing. The seventh night of fashion week saw a number of noteworthy events including a Cindy Crawford-hosted party celebrating her partnership with Levi's RE/DONE, a Milk Makeup function honoring rapper Leikeli47'st latest album, Wash & Set and BAJA EAST basking in the debut of their latest collection. See below for some party pics and to check out the attendees including Kaia Gerber, Duckie Thot and our very own Mickey Boardman. Last February, one of the most brilliant shows at New York Fashion Week: Men's was Palomo Spain, the exuberant, agender line out of Madrid helmed by Alejandro Gomez Palomo. In the seven months since, the brand has continued to wow fashion fans (including us), whether with its Kito Munoz-photographed campaign featuring sensual images of naked Adonises flanking models wearing Palomo Spain designs or the nod it got from Beyonce, who wore a dress by the brand in her first photo with new twins Sir and Rumi. Inspired by the creativity and vision coming from Alejandro and his team, we asked them to collaborate with us on a shoot in our fall Beautiful People issue. As the brand unveils its latest collection during Madrid Fashion Week today, click through to see the results of the Paper x Palomo partnership. And, after seeing all the images, shot by Munoz, we hope that you'll take a cue from the models and swoon for Palomo Spain as much as we already do. Photography and Creative Direction by Kito Munoz Styling by Adrian Valle Set and flower design by Daniel Del Valle All clothing by Palomo Spain Make up: Silvina Souza Hair: Fer Martinez Production: Pedro Aguilar de Dios Assistant: Javier Veleiro Set design assistant: Johan Zoo Lighting: Andres Paduano Models: Moises Gallardo, Oscar Franco & Hugo Fokker Special thanks to Hotel Wellington, Jose Tarin & Carlos de Troya You can read my guest post over at the Buddhism-Controversy Blog, Revisiting the Crisis in Burma and Buddhisms Role in it. According to TIME magazine, there is a growing network of extremist Buddhists across Asia. Scholar Michael Jerryson has written extensively of this network of Islamophobic monks in Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Burma in Lions Roar. Certainly, many Buddhists are actively reaching out to their Muslim neighbors and hoping to educate fellow Buddhists that their is nothing to fear in Islam. However, it is also clear that there are Buddhist monks using their religious authority to teach hatred of Muslims. (9/14/17 correction, the original title suggested that the above video came from the BBC) Support independent coverage of Buddhism by joining a community of fellow learners/practitioners at Patreon. Like American Buddhist Perspectives on facebook. The Spanish successfully established colonies and missions along the eastern coast of Florida and Georgia in the sixteenth century. Though this territory collectively called La Florida was not rich in gold and silver, it was a strategic location since Spanish galleons full of riches sailed back to Europe along the coast. Fearful of British attacks and unfriendly natives along the coast, the Spanish had an interest in colonizing the region. After the successful founding of Saint Augustine in present-day Florida in 1565, the Spanish founded a string of missions along the coast, both on the mainland and barrier islands. By 1597 there were five missions in Coastal Georgia where Franciscan friars preached the Gospel, learned the indigenous Guale language, and lived peacefully with the native population. Most Guale natives not only embraced Christianity but also welcomed European goods such as glass beads, metal tools, various cloths and other luxury items. The friars lived among the Guale without any military presence, giving evidence to the good relations between the Guale and the missionaries. Friar Luis Geronimo de Ore (a Peruvian Franciscan friar) recorded in 1618 after visiting La Florida, that on September 1597, the friar assigned to the mission of Tolomato (near Eulonia, Georgia) did not allow a baptized, Guale man to take a second wife. Juanillo, who was the heir to a Guale chiefdom, opposed Friar Pedro de Corpas fidelity to Christian teaching on marriage and killed him on September 14th, 1597. Juanillo and the men he assembled continued to the other missions to kill all the friars. Before arriving to Saint Catherines Island, Juanillo ordered the chief of the island to execute the two friars stationed there, Friar Miguel de Anon and Friar Antonio de Badajoz. Unwilling to carry out the order, the chief begged the friars to flee south to the mission on San Pedro Island (present day Cumberland Island). The friars refused to believe the rumors of coming murder. Once Juanillo and his men reached Saint Catherines, the two friars were brutally killed after they prayed fervently inside the mission, today marked by twelve palm trees. The Guale men also killed Friar Blas de Rodriguez near Darien and Friar Francisco de Verascola as he returned by canoe from Saint Augustine to his mission on present-day Saint Simons Island. A sixth friar, Francisco de Avila, was kidnapped and experienced horrible tortures until he was liberated months later. The diocesan process for the beatification of Pedro de Corpa and Companions, or the Georgia Martyrs as they are commonly called, is already complete. At the present moment Father Giovangiuseppe Califano, OFM, the Postulator of the Cause, is overseeing the redaction of the final historical document which will be presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints next year. There is currently a need for greater devotion to these martyrs and also more awareness about their story. These five men left everything that was familiar to them in Spain to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in distant lands. They died as witnesses to the Christian faith as they shared with others what they themselves had received. At a time when the institution of marriage must be strengthened and upheld, the witness of Fray Pedro de Corpa and Companions fills us with great hope. The presence of Spanish missionaries in Georgia over four hundred years ago also encourages the many Latino Catholics who now call Georgia home. Picture of the Five Georgia Martyrs from Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church in Jasper, Georgia. Check their great website here. In a recent interview, Rep. Steve King of Iowa made the following comments: Im making this point that if we shut off the DACA program, and there are 800,000 of them in the United States today, they would deployand I use that word that wayback to their home territories, most likely. And they would go back there with a U.S. taxpayer-funded education, many of them the college education, they will have top-notch English skills, they would understand how a free-enterprise economy works, how a generally corrupt-free society, first world works. They would have seen the transportation system we have, the educational system, the research and development systems that we have, how a civilized people interact with each other. All of that would go with them back to their home countries, and wouldnt that be the best economic and cultural development, civilizational development that, say, Mexico could ever experience? While there is a lot that could be said about Rep. Kings commentsand by that I mean that his view of DACA recipients countries of origin is backwards and simplistic, and his belief that he should be able to make people move to across international boundaries regardless of whether they want to just because of his say so is horrific and tyrannicalmy mind immediately went to a very similar argument made in a very different time. Did you know that during the antebellum period, individuals not unlike King argued that the U.S. should send freed blacks to Africa to civilize and bring Christianity to the continent? No really. The American Colonization Society (ACS) was founded in 1817. To do this, the ACS founded a colony on the west coast of Africa; this colony would ultimately be known as Liberia. By the 1830s the ACS had under criticism from abolitionists who feared that its purpose was to rid the United States of its colored population. And indeed, this was one of the selling points of the ACSmany who supported the society believed that a large free black population was incompatible with the United States. The ACS objected, of course. Their goal was not to rid the nation of its colored population, they argued, but rather to spread civilization, sound morals, and true religion throughout Africa by sending free blacks to colonize the continent. Do you see the similarity to Rep. Kings remarks? Lets take a look: Existence of a group that is unwanted (whether by Rep. King or by the ACS). Belief that this group has been civilized during their time in the U.S. Belief that a benighted region of the world needs this civilizing influence. Of course, those African Americans who emigrated to Liberia were typically not forced to do so, and not all whites who supported colonization were merely trying to get rid of the nations free blacks. As the Library of Congress states: From the start, colonization of free blacks in Africa was an issue on which both whites and blacks were divided. Some blacks supported emigration because they thought that black Americans would never receive justice in the United States. Others believed African-Americans should remain in the United States to fight against slavery and for full legal rights as American citizens. Some whites saw colonization as a way of ridding the nation of blacks, while others believed black Americans would be happier in Africa, where they could live free of racial discrimination. Still others believed black American colonists could play a central role in Christianizing and civilizing Africa. Still, there were those who toyed with the idea of forced colonization, similar to the proposal Rep. King is making today. Some believed the federal government should forcibly resettle the countrys entire African American population, whether in Africa, the Caribbean, or South America. How did financing the emigration of free blacks to Liberia turn out? Not so great. It turns out that telling people to go forth and civilize a land of benighted heathens is not such a great idea. Under the guidance of the American Colonization Society, the colonys free black immigrantswho became known as Americo-Liberiansfounded the nation of Liberia in 1847. These Americo-Liberians made up a small percentage of the new nations population, but became the countrys elite; they didnt give the indigenous inhabitants the right to vote until 1946. It seems that when youre told youre better than everyone else by virtue of being more civilized, you sometimes believe it. Would someone please tell Rep. King that trying to civilize other nations by sending people he doesnt want back to the places their ancestors come from is a terrible idea? How about we stop trying to deport people based on skin color or immigration status and instead start supporting trade policies and international treaties that promote the fair development of all nations. Oh, and we could stop talking about other countries like were still British imperialists. DACA recipients have benefitted from seeing how a civilized people interact with each other, Rep. King wrote. What, you mean shooting unarmed black men, jailing drug offenders, defunding family planning, and resegregation our schools? Cheese on crackers, wasnt this civilized people rhetoric supposed to have died with Teddy Roosevelt? How very Victorian you sound, Rep. King. And no, thats not a compliment. I have a Patreon! Please support my writing! Patna: District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agrawal on Wednesday held a meeting with the representatives of senior citizens of Patna to get a better understanding of their plight and asked officials to come up with ideas that offered protection to the elderly in terms of their expenses, health care, and social activities. Holding the meeting at Patna Collectorate's Seminar Hall, Agrawal asked the officials to ensure the senior citizens were being paid a minimum of Rs. 10,000 per month by their children and those who default on this payment, would owe them that amount along with interest accrued on them. It is not clear under what law Agrawal issued his directives. "The life and health of our elderly people is our responsibility and money should not come in way when it comes to protect them and provide them a decent lifestyle," he said. Agrawal also directed the officials to ensure the retired men and women were given their pension without any delay or red tape. "We will have this kind of meeting with our senior citizens every three months so we can continue to evaluate progress made in their lives. I have also asked the local police station in-charges and SDOs to pay careful attention to the complaints of the elderly people and resolve their issues without any delay or bureaucratic roadblock," the DM said. Patna: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Suraj Nandan Kushwaha on Wednesday filed a case against the son of Lalu Prasad Yadav and former Health Minister Tej Pratap Yadav for lying to the Election Commission when he failed to list his land in Aurangabad that he bought for a price of Rs. 53.34 lakh in 2010. "Tej Pratap Yadav bought 45.24 decimal land in Aurangabad for a price of Rs. 53.34 lakh on January 16, 2010 from seven different persons on the same day to escape the scrutiny of the Income Tax Department. The payment was made through IICI Bank, Connaught Place branch in New Delhi. Today Tej Pratap is running a Hero Honda showroom on this plot under the name of Lara Distributors Pvt. Limited," Kushwaha said adding the former Health Minister intentionally omitted any mention of it when he was filing his nomination papers in 2015. The BJP leader said that this was a criminal act that is punishable under Section 125-a of the Indian Penal Code. In his lawsuit, Kushwaha asked the court to issue an arrest warrant for Tej Pratap Yadav and punish him to the full extent of the law. French English Regulated information Bone Therapeutics reports strong interim results from ALLOB Phase IIA spinal fusion study Significant clinical and radiological improvements compared to baseline Results pave the way for future development in the growing and significant lumbar spinal fusion market Gosselies, Belgium, 14 September 2017, 7am CEST - BONE THERAPEUTICS (Euronext Brussels and Paris: BOTHE), the bone cell therapy company addressing high unmet medical needs in orthopaedics and bone diseases, today reports strong interim efficacy and safety results for the Phase IIA lumbar spinal fusion trial with its allogeneic cell therapy product, ALLOB. Results for the first 15 patients in the study show evidence of successful fusion and important clinical improvements in function and pain after the 12-month follow-up period. The Phase IIA trial in lumbar spinal fusion is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the addition of ALLOB to the standard of care procedure in which an interbody cage with bioceramic granules is implanted to achieve fusion of the lumbar vertebrae. Endpoints of the study include radiological assessments, with the evaluation of fusion (CT-scan) and intervertebral mobility (dynamic X-rays); clinical assessments, with the improvement in functional disability and reduction in pain; and safety assessments. 16 patients were eligible but 15 were treated as one patient was withdrawn due to a last-minute change in surgical procedure, which was unrelated to the study. From a radiological perspective, dynamic X-rays reveal absence of motion at the treated level in all of the 15 patients at 12 months. Continuous bone bridges (or fusion) were observed by CT-scans in 9 out of 15 patients 12 months after the surgery, while the remaining 6 patients showed evidence of bone formation without continuous bony bridging. Clinically, a clear and statistically significant improvement in functional disability from the pre-treatment baseline was observed at 12 months using the Oswestry Disability Index, with a mean score improvement of 55%. In addition, back and leg pain was strongly reduced, by 59% and 90% respectively. From a safety perspective, treatment with ALLOB was well tolerated in all patients. As previously described in the literature covering clinical studies with allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells or their derivatives, it was observed that blood samples of about half of the patients contained donor-specific antibodies, either pre-existing or developed after administration, however no clinical consequences were observed. Recruitment will continue in the study to allow the Company to perform a final analysis on 32 patients with completion of recruitment expected by the end of 2017 or early 2018. Thomas Lienard, Chief Executive Officer of Bone Therapeutics commented: "These positive data add to a growing body of evidence on the safety and efficacy of ALLOB, giving us confidence in our progress towards commercialization. Degenerative spinal conditions are extremely debilitating, represent a large and growing market and current treatments can be sub-optimal. Therefore, the potential for ALLOB to enhance the standard of care is an important step forward in the treatment of these conditions." Miguel Forte, Chief Medical Officer of Bone Therapeutics commented: "The clinically significant improvement in functional disability together with a marked reduction in back and leg pain are supportive of the feasibility of Bone Therapeutics' allogenic cell therapy product in spinal fusion. These initial clinical and radiological results and the tolerability of the treatment, make the Company confident in continuing this open-label, Phase IIA study and bringing this innovative treatment approach to patients." The Company intends to capitalize on these strong interim Phase IIA results for lumbar spinal fusion and will aim at delivering a body of well controlled data on the application of ALLOB in this major indication. As a consequence, the Company will halt the recruitment for its exploratory study in rescue treatments for failed spinal fusion and close the study upon completion of the follow-up of existing patients. Bone Therapeutics also announced today that Miguel Forte, Chief Medical Officer, has informed the Board of his intention to pursue a new opportunity outside the Company. Miguel will leave his position at the end of October to take up a new role as Chief Executive Officer of a non-competing biotechnology company. Bone Therapeutics has already begun the search for a replacement and will make an announcement in due course. Guy Heynen, Chief Clinical and Regulatory Officer will act as Interim Chief Medical Officer until the transition is complete. About Spinal Fusion Spinal fusion is considered as the gold standard surgery for treating a broad spectrum of degenerative spine disorders, including degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, scoliosis and stenosis, to relieve pain and improve function. Spinal fusion consists of bridging two or more vertebrae with the use of a cage and graft material, traditionally autologous bone graft, - placed into the intervertebral space - for fusing an unstable portion of the spine or immobilizing a painful vertebral motion segment. Although spinal fusion surgery is routine, non-union and failure to relieve lower back pain are still frequent and up to 35% of spinal fusion patients are not completely satisfied with their surgery (Owens et al. 2016 and Aghion et al. 2012). About Bone Therapeutics Bone Therapeutics is a leading cell therapy company addressing high unmet needs in orthopaedics and bone diseases. Based in Gosselies, Belgium, the Company has a broad, diversified portfolio of bone cell therapy products in clinical development across a number of disease areas targeting markets with large unmet medical needs and limited innovation. Our technology is based on a unique, proprietary approach to bone regeneration which turns undifferentiated stem cells into "osteoblastic", or bone-forming cells. These cells can be administered via a minimally invasive procedure, avoiding the need for invasive surgery. Our primary clinical focus is ALLOB, an allogeneic "off-the-shelf" cell therapy product derived from stem cells of healthy donors, which is in Phase II studies for the treatment of delayed-union fractures and spinal fusion. The Company also has an autologous bone cell therapy product, PREOB, obtained from patient`s own bone marrow and currently in Phase III development for osteonecrosis and non-union fractures. Bone Therapeutics` cell therapy products are manufactured to the highest GMP standards and are protected by a rich IP estate covering nine patent families. Further information is available at: www.bonetherapeutics.com. Contacts Bone Therapeutics SA Thomas Lienard, Chief Executive Officer Jean-Luc Vandebroek, Chief Financial Officer Tel: +32 (0)2 529 59 90 investorrelations@bonetherapeutics.com For Belgium and International Media Enquiries: Consilium Strategic Communications Amber Fennell, Jessica Hodgson and Hendrik Thys Tel: +44 (0) 20 3709 5701 bonetherapeutics@consilium-comms.com For French Media and Investor Enquiries: NewCap Investor Relations & Financial Communications Pierre Laurent, Louis-Victor Delouvrier and Nicolas Merigeau Tel: + 33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 bone@newcap.eu For US Media and Investor Enquiries Westwicke Partners John Woolford Tel: + 1 443 213 0506 john.woolford@westwicke.com Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company or, as appropriate, the Company directors` current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, competition and technology, can cause actual events, performance or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such person`s officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Mercedes-Benz inks deal to resume Iran trucks business 09/13/17 Source: Press TV Mercedes-Benz, a division of Daimler AG, has signed a contract with Iran Khodro to distribute its trucks in the Middle Eastern country, the German automaker has said. The deal signed on Tuesday includes creating a joint venture to provide sales and after-sale services in the Islamic Republic, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported. Another deal will be signed next month to create a joint venture for production of heavy vehicles including Actros trucks in Iran, the report said. Daimler first signed letters of intent with local partners Iran Khodro Diesel and Mammut Group to arrange a "comprehensive re-entry" into Iran in January 2016. The areas of cooperation included a joint venture for local production of Mercedes-Benz trucks and powertrain components plus the establishment of a sales company for Mercedes-Benz trucks and components, the automaker said at the time. Daimler also plans to return as a shareholder in the former engine joint venture Iranian Diesel Engine Manufacturing Co (IDEM) based in Tabriz to build diesel engines. The German company has said it intended to buy 30% of shares which it had sold in IDEM. The company has a long track record in Iran with a business dating back to the 1950s, where it sold up to 10,000 vehicles a year. There is a high pent-up demand in the Iranian truck market, where the country is estimated to replace 56,000 commercial vehicles over the next three to five years. According to Iran's Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade predictions, about 200,000 commercial vehicles will be replaced in the coming years. US Military Readying a More Aggressive Approach Against Iran 09/14/17 By Jeff Seldin, VOA U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) WASHINGTON - The United States is looking to counter Iranian influence in the Middle East with a more aggressive approach in cyberspace. "They operate almost entirely in what we refer to as the gray zone, that space between normal international competition and armed conflict," the commander of U.S. Central Command, General Joseph Votel, said Wednesday in Washington, calling it "an area ripe for cyberspace operations." "We at CENTCOM are examining ways to compete in the gray zone," he said. "Integrating cyberspace operations as part of a holistic approach is clearly a critical part of that." Tehran's 'malign influence' U.S. intelligence and military officials have long warned of Tehran's "malign influence" in the Middle East. And they say Iran is increasingly relying upon its cyber operations to shape both the battlefield and the information environment in places like Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Votel told an audience at the Billington CyberSecurity Summit that, like Russia, Iran has focused its attention on social media, and has seen its efforts pay off on the international stage. "[Iran's] ability to use cyberspace to manipulate information out there, to propagate their message, I think, is the key aspect that we deal with," Votel said. "The recent disagreement between Saudi Arabia, the [United Arab] Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt with Qatar is a glaring example." Russia and China Although Votel described Iran as "clearly the top threat" to long-term stability in the Middle East, he said Russia and China have also been carrying out various types of cyber operations across the region. But the CENTCOM commander said he believes efforts to counter Iranian, Russian and Chinese cyber operations across the Middle East could soon get a needed boost. Votel called President Donald Trump's decision last month to elevate the status of U.S. Cyber Command "very helpful," saying it would help the U.S. military to normalize the need to include a cyber component in almost all of its usual operations. CENTCOM, which is responsible for U.S. military operations spanning 20 countries from Egypt to Pakistan, is also concerned about the Islamic State terror group. Despite continued losses by IS fighters on the battlefield in Iraq and Syria, U.S. military officials worry about a strengthening "virtual caliphate" that continues to cultivate followers. "Not all of our adversaries have tanks, fighter aircraft and warships, but they all have computers and they all have access to the web," Votel said. About the author: Jeff Seldin works out of VOA's Washington headquarters and is national security correspondent. You can follow Jeff on Twitter at @jseldin or on Google Plus. Nuclear Weapons Experts Warn Trump Against Abandoning Iran Deal 09/14/17 Source: VOA WASHINGTON - More than 80 experts on nuclear non-proliferation issues urged the Trump administration Wednesday to not abandon the global agreement reached with Iran to curb Tehran's nuclear weapons development program. Arms Control Experts Urge Trump to Honor Iran Nuclear Deal https://t.co/olRKfQcNFL LobeLog (@LobeLog) September 14, 2017 The group, including numerous academics and some former U.S. State Department officials, said the pact that took effect in January 2016 "has dramatically reduced the risk posed by Iran's nuclear program and mandated unprecedented monitoring and transparency measures that make it very likely that any possible future effort by Iran to pursue nuclear weapons, even a clandestine program, would be detected promptly." ICYMI on Atomic Pulse: NTI intern Margaret Williams discusses the Iran deal with NTI CEO @ErnestMoniz https://t.co/pA4sKqS02o pic.twitter.com/ODq3yHV8au NTI (@NTI_WMD) September 13, 2017 The agreement among six world powers - Russia, China, France, Germany, Britain and the U.S. - and Iran was supported by former U.S. President Barack Obama. Current U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized the deal but not moved to withdraw the U.S. from it. Economic sanctions against Iran were dropped in exchange for Tehran limiting its nuclear program. Last week, Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called the deal a "very flawed and very limited agreement" and contended that "Iran has been caught in multiple violations over the past year-and-a-half." The Case Against the Iranian Nuclear Deal Is One Big Lie https://t.co/EIwwUBOyTj LobeLog (@LobeLog) September 14, 2017 The nuclear non-proliferation experts said they "firmly support vigorous efforts to monitor and enforce compliance" with the agreement. The group said it was "concerned by statements from the Trump administration that it may be seeking to create a false pretext for accusing Iran of noncooperation or noncompliance with the agreement in order to trigger the reimposition of nuclear-related sanctions against Iran." They said that abandoning the deal "without clear evidence of an unresolved material breach by Iran ... runs the risk that Tehran would resume some of its nuclear activities." Most of the recently licensed local banks operating in Ghana will struggle to meet the Central Banks GHS400 million minimum capital requirement, and so would have to resort to the stock market, additional investment or mergers and acquisitions to stay afloat, financial analyst, Toma Imihere, has said. The Bank of Ghana has given all the 33 universal banks up the end of December 2018 to recapitalise from GHS120 million to GHS400 million. The recapitalisation is expected to shore up Ghanas economy with GHS9 billion if all the banks are able to meet it. Speaking on Class FM Thursday, 14 September, Mr Imihere said virtually all the transnational banks will easily fall on their parent groups to meet the requirement while a few local banks with good financial standing will also make it. In his estimation, a lot of the causalities will be new local banks. First of all, we have somewhere between 10 and 12 banks that are already there the GHS400 million when you take out their shareholding funds, take out their statutory reserves and their credit risk reserves, when you take those ones out, either they are already above the GHS400 million or they are so close that all they need to do is just capitalise their profits for the 2017 financial year and they will get there. Now you have another nine that because of their foreign ownership, they belong to very big banking groups, banks like Societe Generale that have the pedigree, the financial backing from their parents to get there, he explained. Mr Imihere, however, pointed out that: It is not compulsory that the parents will agree to put up the money. The parents are going to look at the returns they are getting and the returns they are expected to get if they put up the money. If they decide this child is worth it, they can afford to do it. What it means is that we still have about 12 to 15 banks or so whose situation is going to be up in the air. Unfortunately, most of them are relatively young local banks. He singled out three local banks which he said will definitely make it among the lot. The local banks that will certainly get there are uniBank, Fidelity Bank, Cal Bank, those ones, they dont have any problem, he added. For the banks that are unlikely to make it, Mr Imihere proposed a number of options. One is that they can go to the stock market. After two years of a depressed stock market during the first half of this year, the GSE financial index rose by 15% if you analyse that and assume that the trend will continue, this year you are talking about a 30% rise which, considering returns currently in Ghana, 30% is good returns but thats an average. Of course it differs seriously from bank to bank but right now banking stocks put on the stock market are quite attractive. That is one option. Another option is to go look for new shareholders, especially these new banks whose shareholders have just put up GHS120 million, its going to be a tall order expecting them to go and bring another GHS280 million or so. Dont forget these guys might have the money but they are also looking at how diversified their investment portfolios are; you dont put all your eggs in one basket. Of course you can go and look for other investors by private placement; there are still a lot of people who want to get into banking. That is a shareholders issue. The last thing, of course, is mergers and acquisitions. I think that the BoG deliberately licensed several new local banks in order to give them the opportunity to merge to retain their local identity ahead of the deadline, he said. Source: classfmonline Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Three local banks: uniBank, Fidelity Bank and Cal Bank, will definitely meet the GHS400 million new minimum capital requirement of the central bank, financial analyst Toma Imihere has said. The local banks that will certainly get there are uniBank, Fidelity Bank, Cal Bank, those ones, they dont have any problem, Mr Imihere told Moro Awudu on Class91.3FMs Executive Breakfast Show on Thursday, 14 September. Also, the Finder newspaper has said GCB Bank and to some extent ADB Bank are more likely than not, to meet the new requirement. The Bank of Ghana has given all the 33 universal banks up the end of December 2018 to recapitalise from GHS120 million to GHS400 million. According to Mr Imihere, most of the recently licensed local banks operating in Ghana will struggle to meet the GHS400 million minimum capital requirement and so would have to resort to the stock market, additional investment or mergers and acquisitions to stay afloat. The recapitalisation is expected to shore up Ghanas economy with GHS9 billion if all the banks are able to meet it. Mr Imihere said virtually all the transnational banks operating in Ghana will easily fall on their parent groups to meet the requirement while a few local banks with good financial standing will also make it. In his estimation, a lot of the causalities will be new local banks. First of all, we have somewhere between 10 and 12 banks that are already there the GHS400 million when you take out their shareholding funds, take out their statutory reserves and their credit risk reserves, when you take those ones out, either they are already above the GHS400 million or they are so close that all they need to do is just capitalise their profits for the 2017 financial year and they will get there. Now you have another nine that because of their foreign ownership, they belong to very big banking groups, banks like Societe Generale that have the pedigree, the financial backing from their parents to get there, he explained. Mr Imihere, however, pointed out that: It is not compulsory that the parents will agree to put up the money. The parents are going to look at the returns they are getting and the returns they are expected to get if they put up the money. If they decide this child is worth it, they can afford to do it. What it means is that we still have about 12 to 15 banks or so whose situation is going to be up in the air. Unfortunately, most of them are relatively young local banks. For the banks that are unlikely to make it, Mr Imihere proposed a number of options. One is that they can go to the stock market. After two years of a depressed stock market during the first half of this year, the GSE financial index rose by 15% if you analyse that and assume that the trend will continue, this year you are talking about a 30% rise which, considering returns currently in Ghana, 30% is good returns but thats an average. Of course it differs seriously from bank to bank but right now banking stocks put on the stock market are quite attractive. That is one option. Another option is to go look for new shareholders, especially these new banks whose shareholders have just put up GHS120 million, its going to be a tall order expecting them to go and bring another GHS280 million or so. Dont forget these guys might have the money but they are also looking at how diversified their investment portfolios are; you dont put all your eggs in one basket. Of course you can go and look for other investors by private placement; there are still a lot of people who want to get into banking. That is a shareholders issue. The last thing, of course, is mergers and acquisitions. I think that the BoG deliberately licensed several new local banks in order to give them the opportunity to merge to retain their local identity ahead of the deadline, he said. Source: classfmonline Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video There was excitement at the Takoradi Market Circle yesterday when some elderly persons in the area dressed like students and marched through the principal streets of Takoradi with chop boxes on their heads to signify the commencement of the governments free Senior High School (SHS) policy. The action of the ecstatic adult students brought economic activities in the area to a halt, as most of the traders left their wares and shops to catch a glimpse of the neatly dressed adult students. Some of the adult students later stormed the offices of Daily Guide to propagate their message. One of them, Kweku Darko praised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for fulfilling his campaign promise. He appealed to all Ghanaians to see the governments free Senior High School (SHS) scheme as a major national programme which must be sustained at all cost. He, therefore, called on workers in educational institutions to work hard to ensure the success of the programme. Mr Darko noted that the free SHS programme should not be politicized because Ghanaians had embraced it to enhance the countrys human resources. It closes the chapter on education for the privileged few whose parents were well-to-do and opened the floodgates for prospective students whose parents are not rich and could not hitherto send them to school because of financial constraints, he emphasized. A visit to some of the second cycle schools in Takoradi yesterday revealed that most parents were excited about the implementation of the Free SHS policy, which took effect on September 11, 2017 by the NPP government. Parents, who spoke to Daily Guide after going through the registration processes without paying a dime, explained that the new policy must be sustained to bring relief to everyone. A parent told the paper that I am a single parent and did not pay the boarding and admission fees and all that of mu children. I pray that the free SHS programme would continue, because it has brought relief to all parents, God bless the president, he added. Another parent, who went through the admission process without making payment, also explained that it has lessened my burden. I finished everything for my son in a few minutes. Many parents thronged the various secondary schools in the Sekondi Takoradi on the first day of the implementation of the policy. At the St. Marys Senior High School, at Apowa in Ahanta West District, some parents formed queues as early as 5:00am. A list of the over 700 first-year students, who had been posted to the school through the Computerized School Selection and Placement System, was pasted on the schools notice board. Three hundred 300 students were admitted to the boarding houses. The headmaster of the school, Rev Father George Aduah Ansah, disclosed that the schools authorities extended the official admission hours to 6:00pm daily to ensure that we offer admission to all students. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ghana Education Service (GES) has visited some selected schools in Accra to observe My First Day at School with a call on parents to ensure they play their responsible roles to maintain their children in school. The visit, made in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, was to encourage pupils who were entering kindergarten for the first time to feel welcomed in their new environment. Schools visited included Adentan Community Kindergarten, Ogbojo Presbyterian Basic School, and Adjiriganor Adenta Municipal Assembly Kindergarten and were presented with reading books, pencil case filled with pencils and souvenirs. Professor Kwesi Opoku Amankwa, GES Director General, said the Ministry considered the initiative as an important one in the lives of new kindergarten pupils to enable them fit in the new environment they found themselves in. He said the GES as well as the Ministry of Education was looking at the future of the pupils and not only their first day in school, hence the need to give this support and encouragement to help the children. Prof Amankwa said government had identified education as critical in the building of a cohesive and prosperous country, whose children and young people, would be equipped with the requisite knowledge, skills, and aptitudes to compete with the best in the world and was hopeful that this gesture would ensure the children remained in school. Mr Yaw Boabeng Asamoah, the MP for Adenta Constituency said Ghana had made significant history with the launch of the Free SHS Policy saying; teachers also have a space in the revolution that is going on and urged them to engage government constructively to ensure that every teacher benefitted. Mr Alexander Nii Noi Adumua, the Adenta Municipal Chief Executive, advised the senior pupils to act as elder brothers and sisters to the new pupils to create an enabling environment for them. Mrs Mary Hammond, the Coordinator of My First Day at School, urged parents not to shirk their responsibilities towards their children but to ensure that the children had good education, which ensured their future success. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video 51-week clinical study confirms that Sandoz proposed biosimilar adalimumab matches reference medicine Humira * safety and efficacy profile[1] Sandoz proposed biosimilar adalimumab is currently under review by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of several immunological diseases Sandoz expects that approval of biosimilar adalimumab would further improve access to treatment for people living with immunological diseases Holzkirchen, September 14, 2017 - Sandoz, a Novartis division and the pioneer and global leader in biosimilars, today announces new data on its proposed biosimilar adalimumab. Data from a long-term study of patients continuously treated with the proposed biosimilar or the reference medicine show that efficacy and safety profiles of the two medicines match throughout 51 weeks of treatment in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis[1]. Results were presented at the 26th Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) in Geneva, Switzerland. "Patient access to often critical and expensive biologic medicines is one of the key challenges facing healthcare systems in developed economies today," said Mark Levick MD, PhD, Global Head of Development, Biopharmaceuticals, Sandoz. He added: "Biosimilars are fundamentally changing the ability of healthcare systems to address this challenge. This clinical data supports the safety and efficacy of our proposed biosimilar adalimumab and offers a real alternative for patients living with immunological diseases." Sandoz is committed to increasing patient access to high-quality biosimilars. We are the pioneer and global leader in biosimilars, with five biosimilars currently marketed worldwide, as well as a leading global pipeline. We plan to launch a total of five major oncology and immunology biosimilars between 2017 and 2020, including adalimumab, which is currently being reviewed by the European Medicines Agency. Sandoz is well positioned to continue leading the biosimilars industry based on our experience and capabilities in development, manufacturing and commercialization. As a division of Novartis, the first global healthcare company to establish a leading position in both innovative and off-patent medicines, we benefit strongly from this unique blend of experience and expertise in many different market environments. About the study ADACCESS (NCT02016105) is a Phase III confirmatory randomized, double-blind, controlled, 51-week study to compare efficacy and safety between Sandoz biosimilar adalimumab and the reference medicine. The study consists of three treatment periods. During the first 17-week treatment period, eligible patients with active, but clinically stable, moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis were randomized to receive either biosimilar adalimumab or its reference medicine. In the second period, patients were re-randomized into four groups; the first two groups continued with their originally assigned treatment and the other two switched to alternating treatment every six weeks until Week 35. In the third period, patients received their initially assigned treatment up to Week 51[1]. The Phase III confirmatory study demonstrates that Sandoz biosimilar adalimumab matches the reference medicine in terms of efficacy and safety up to Week 51. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index 75 (PASI 75) response rates for patients who received biosimilar adalimumab continuously throughout the study were 75.2% at Week 17 and 84.5% at Week 51, compared with 67.8% at Week 17 and 79.6% at Week 51 for patients who received continuous treatment with the reference medicine[1]. PASI 75 response represents an improvement of at least 75% in the severity of a patient's psoriasis. Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) response rates were also similar between the two groups in the study throughout the 51 weeks. There were no clinically relevant differences in adverse events between the two treatment groups, and the immunogenicity profiles were similar[1]. Disclaimer This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by words such as "potential," "can," "will," "plan," "expect," "anticipate," "look forward," "believe," "committed," "investigational," "pipeline," "launch," or similar terms, or by express or implied discussions regarding potential marketing approvals, new indications or labeling for the investigational or approved biosimilar products described in this press release, or regarding potential future revenues from such products. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations regarding future events, and are subject to significant known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labeling in any market, or at any particular time. Neither can there be any guarantee that, if approved, such biosimilar products will be approved for all indications included in the reference product's label. Nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be commercially successful in the future. In particular, our expectations regarding such products could be affected by, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including clinical trial results and additional analysis of existing clinical data; regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; the particular prescribing preferences of physicians and patients; competition in general, including potential approval of additional biosimilar versions of such products; global trends toward health care cost containment, including government, payor and general public pricing and reimbursement pressures; litigation outcomes, including intellectual property disputes or other legal efforts to prevent or limit Sandoz from selling its products; general economic and industry conditions, including the effects of the persistently weak economic and financial environment in many countries; safety, quality or manufacturing issues, and other risks and factors referred to in Novartis AG's current Form 20-F on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Novartis is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. About Sandoz Sandoz is a global leader in generic pharmaceuticals and biosimilars. As a division of the Novartis Group, our purpose is to discover new ways to improve and extend people's lives. We contribute to society's ability to support growing healthcare needs by pioneering novel approaches to help people around the world access high-quality medicine. Our portfolio of approximately 1000 molecules, covering all major therapeutic areas, accounted for 2016 sales of USD 10.1 billion. In 2016, our products reached well over 500 million patients, and we aspire to reach one billion. Sandoz is headquartered in Holzkirchen, in Germany's Greater Munich area. *Humira is a registered trademark of AbbVie Biotechnology Ltd. References [1] Blauvelt A et al. A phase III confirmatory study comparing GP2017 with reference adalimumab in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis: 51 week results from the ADACCESS study. Poster #P0405 presented at the 26th Congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV), 13-17 September 2017. # # # For further information, contact: Novartis Media Relations Central media line: +41 61 324 2200 media.relations@novartis.com Eric Althoff Novartis Global Media Relations +41 61 324 7999 (direct) +41 79 593 4202 (mobile) eric.althoff@novartis.com Chris Lewis Sandoz Global Communications +49 174 244 9501 chris.lewis@sandoz.com Tara Lanigan Sandoz Global Communications +49 172 829 5276 tara.lanigan@sandoz.com Novartis Investor Relations Central investor relations line: +41 61 324 7944 investor.relations@novartis.com The 1992 Constitution of Ghana has some provisions that calls for the need for free compulsory basic education. For instance, Article 25 (1) says; All persons shall have the right to equal education opportunities and facilities and with a view to achieving the full realisation of that right (a) basic education shall be free, compulsory and available to all; (b) secondary education in its different forms including technical and vocational education, shall be made generally available and accessible to all by every appropriate means, and in particular, by the progressive introduction of free education. In Article 38 (1) stipulates that; The State shall provide educational facilities at all levels and in all the regions of Ghana, and shall, to the greatest extent feasible, make those facilities available to all citizens. The Government shall, within two years after Parliament first meets after the coming into force of this Constitution, draw up a programme for implementation within the following ten years, for the provision of free, compulsory and universal basic education. The aforementioned provisions in the supreme law of the land clearly highlight the need for free compulsory and universal education at the basic level, therefore, gives credence to the implementation of the Free Senior High School (SHS) Policy by the Government. Government Promise and Critique of the Policy The Free SHS programme is a long-held campaign promise by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that seeks to increase enrolment in schools by removing the burden of all major mandatory fees from parents and guardians and making it a responsibility of the government. The NPP, while in opposition, trumpeted the policy and mentioned it in its 2008, 2012 and 2016 campaign manifestos saying they would implement the policy when given the nod to rule this country. This is in spite of the fact that some critics said it would not be feasible given the economic circumstance of the country. They said the policy could be rolled out progressively while others indicated that it could be feasible in 20 years time. Ghanaians, however, gave the Party the benefit of the doubt and voted for them in the 2016 general elections, in order to implement its much-talked about policies including the Free SHS policy. True to its promise, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led government officially rolled-out the policy on Tuesday, September 12, 2017 at the West Africa Senior High School in Adenta Municipality of the Greater Accra Region. So far, government has projected to spend GHC 480 million on more than 400,000 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates who qualified for admissions in the 2017/2018 Academic Year. In terms of its sustainability, President Akufo-Addo said, it would be funded with the countrys oil and gas proceeds and other natural resources through the Annual Budget Funding. The President expressed the belief that investing in the human resource of the nation was the best investment for the future that would propel the development of the nation. He said some Asian countries like South Korea and Japan had pursued similar education models, which yielded great dividends. Benefits of the Policy The Free Senior High School /Technical and Vocational Education Training (SHS/TVET) Policy initiative is intended to relieve the huge financial burden on parents and guardians to ensure that students who qualified for second cycle education would have quality, equity and accessible education. It also marks the end of the era when financial constraints were a barrier to the aspirations of children who wanted to access second cycle education. President Nana Akufo-Addo at Okuapeman SHS earlier this year, spelt out fees that would be absorbed by the Government under the Free SHS Policy. The President said apart from the tuition fees, which is already free, other fees would be scrapped including admission fees, library fees, science centre fees and computer laboratory fees. The Government is also giving free textbooks, free boarding fees and meals, and absorbing the examination fees, utility levies. The day students, he said, will get a free hot meal a day. The policy would also cover agricultural, vocational and technical institutions at the high school level, while government continues with the construction of new public senior high schools. Government had declared plans to upgrade 42 existing SHSs across the country into model schools to enhance teaching and learning. The Free SHS Policy is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs- 4) Target One, which stipulates that; By 2030, all boys and girls complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education, leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes. It also states that by 2030, all girls and boys will have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education, so that they are ready for primary education. Dr Matthew Opoku-Prempeh, the Minister of Education, during the launch, said the Government has already paid 20 per cent of the fees of the beneficiaries to their respective SHSs. He said: No matter how poor a childs family is, he or she will never be shackled by the manacles of school fees as he or she lived out his or her dream. The days of poor students being left on the streets because of poverty are over, the days of parents at their wit ends scramble to find admission fees are over, the days of young students being driven from the classroom to go home for their school fees are over, he emphasised. The Education Minister noted that the implementation of the historic policy would be etched in the letters of gold as one of the greatest legacies of President Nana Akufo-Addos government. Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, said such a major policy intervention given to Ghanaians was arguably the most significant policy initiative aside the National Health Insurance initiative. He called for effective leadership to ensure the success and sustainability of the policy. Ghanaians of all political divides have also hailed the policy as a laudable one and called for its sustainability in order to alleviate poverty in the country. Challenges with the rolling out of the Policy There were, however, some teething challenges regarding the implementation of the policy. More than 150,000 BECE candidates who duly qualified for placement into SHSs of their choice were not placed under the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS), while some male students were placed in female schools and vice versa. More also, some candidates who selected boarding schools were also placed in day schools far away from their areas of residence. There were problems with the online placement portal as parents and students were finding difficulties accessing it thus, creating unnecessary tension and inconveniences leading to the extension of the deadline of the self-placement to September 30.2017 by the Ministry of Education. Meanwhile, some head teachers are said to be charging unapproved fees from parents and guardians and it has been reported that the Ghana Education Service Council has summoned them for questioning. It was alleged that some school heads were charging parents fees to buy mobile phone credits so that they could call them whenever the need arises while some were charging PTA levies, raincoat fees, cutlass fees and demanding paints for painting the school building, among other ridiculous charges in spite of persistent warning by the Government to them, to resist from charging unauthorised fees. Moreover, the Conference of Heads of Private Second Cycle Schools (CHOPSS) has called on the Government to include private schools in the implementation of the Policy Mr Joseph Dzamesi, the General Secretary of CHOPSS, at a press conference in Accra, said private SHSs contributed significantly not only to the educational sector but also in the area of job creation and to the growth of the economy, hence the need for their inclusion in the Policy. He said they were not there to compete with public schools but rather to complement the efforts of Government in providing access to secondary education for Ghanaian children. He said: If all private SHSs close down, access to secondary education for the more than 50,000 students currently enrolled by the private SHSs would be jeopardised. Mr Dzamesi, therefore, called on the Government to, as a matter of urgency, include private SHSs among the schools listed on the self-placement website, and also pay for the distribution of textbooks, computers, buses, equipment and chemicals for science laboratories, technical and vocational workshop He said while public schools would get those resources for free, private schools could pay a discounted price for them so that government could recoup some of its investments. He called on the Government to support the efforts of private schools by periodically assisting them to deliver best quality education. CHOPSS called on government to re-introduce a more realistic cut-off point for qualification into public high schools so that they could also get enrolment considering the fact that about 10,000 people were employed by the Association. Dr Kwabena Tandoh, an Education Consultant, suggested that, there should be a public/private partnership between the government and the private schools so that parents whose children were enrolled there would also benefit from the policy. It is my fervent expectation that government would take a critical look at these criticisms and suggestions and make the necessary adjustment that would ultimately inure to the benefit of Ghanaian children and alleviate poverty among Ghanaians. Free SHS Policy is a laudable policy worthy of emulation by other African countries, therefore, Ghana cannot afford to fail. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper Malik Kweku Baako has advised Exton Cubic Group Limited to go to court over its license revocation by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. Owners of Engineers and Planners were subcontracted by Exton Cubic Group to prospect for bauxite at Nyinanhini in the Ashanti Region. Ibrahim Mahama, brother of former President john Dramani Mahama owns E&P. But equipment belonging to E&P were impounded by the Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei Mensah arguing that he was not briefed about the companys operations which falls under his jurisdiction. The license of Exton Group was later revoked by the Ministry describing its mining lease as invalid. Speaking on Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV on Thursday September 14, 2017, Mr Baako described as untidy the seizure of the equipment which led to the revocation. According to him, the group was treated unfairly by the government. He likened the Exton Cubic case to the persecution of the EO Group and other indigenous Ghanaian companies which have suffered the same fate. He believes the court could determine the outcome of the revocation if diplomacy intervention fails. Yes it was untidy, I have to be very frank with you, everything the sequence of events, the Ministers, Ashanti regional Minister, substantive Minister, over the seizure of the equipment, all those things were completely untidy. And at the end of the day there is cancellation of license. I think that also lack some honesty, thats my feeling. And then I think that the Exton Cubic Group Limited people should just proceed to court, thats my feeling. I would have wished I dont talk so much about some of these things because sometimes I look at quite diplomacy could resolve some of these things, if it doesnt you go to court to determine the outcome, he said. Source: ultimatefmonline Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The US State Department will from September 14, 2017 (Wednesday) stop issuing certain kinds of visas to selected citizens of Cambodia, Eritrea, Guinea and Sierra Leonem due to the affected nations refusal to take back US deportees. Reuters reports that the new policy sent out in cables by Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, to consular officials around the world, said the four countries were denying or unreasonably delaying the return of their citizens from the United States. According to Tillerson, the new decision will be lifted in a country, if it accepted its deportees. 1. The provision for Eritrea: The cable stated that any Eritrean who applies in their own country for most U.S. business or tourist visas to the United States, will be rejected. 2. In Guinea: For Guinea, the US will no longer issue a range of tourist, business and student visas to government officials and their immediate family members who apply from inside the country. 3. In Cambodia: Only Foreign Ministry employees at or above the rank of director general, and their families, who apply inside Cambodia, will be barred from getting some visas for personal travel, the third cable said. 4. Sierra Leone sanction: According to the fourth cable, Sierra Leone sanctions will see only Foreign Ministry and immigration officials denied tourist and business visas at the U.S. Embassy in Freetown. However, there are exceptions which will honour application from citizens of the four nations who apply for visas from outside their countries, as well as exceptions on humanitarian grounds or for travel deemed in the interest of the United States. The new policy does not affect visas already granted. Source: Daily Graphic Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former Minister of Health in the erstwhile John Mahama administration, Alex Segbefia, has denied any involvement in a contract to purchase some 30 ambulances estimated at $2.4 million. No contract was signed under my tenure . . . and people keep forgetting that I was a Minister for eighteen months . . . no contract was signed under my tenure, he disclosed. 30 out of 200 ambulances procured by the Ministry of Health in 2016, did not meet specifications, compelling the Ministry to suspend the purchase and distribution of the ambulances to government hospitals. According to the Minister of Health, Kweku Agyemang Manu, during the transition period, it was noted that the ambulances were supplied but they were not accepted because of the specification deficiencies. However few months on, the Ministry of Health noted that the ambulances had been paid for. The Ministry has therefore referred the issue to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for investigations. Speaking in an interview on Citi FM's 'Eyewitness News', Wednesday, Mr Alex Segbefia says he will assist in any investigation because he was not involved in the purchase. I have no problem with any investigation . . . I will be happy to assist anyone. I am aware of the issue of the ambulances . . . but in the same vein, one was being careful that we acted in a way which did not put us into the era of another judgment debt if we are to abrogate the contract without going through all the right processes and procedures. My understanding was that the contract was contracted between a company called Big Sea and government and they were to procure 200 ambulances. 30 of those ambulances arrived in the country but they were not fit for purpose and we therefore had to look at a way of ensuring that they become fit for purpose. I sent people from the Ministry of Health to go directly and speak to the suppliers and they gave us particular timetable as to sending down further equipment that were required to make them fit for purpose, he explained. According to him, the issue turned into a court case as a result he had written to the Ministry of Finance at a certain point to indicate that no payment should be made to anyone till that court case was resolved. Even though he doesnt know if payment was subsequently made, All I can say is that my suspicions (and I stand to be corrected); I say suspicion because payment had nothing to do with the Ministry of Health; the actual payment. My recollection (and I stand to be corrected) is that this was a contract that dealt with a letter of credit between finance and the suppliers. Finance did the transaction and payment was to be made on production of a bill of lading. But there was a clause which stated that before shipment takes place there has to be inspection with approval from the Ministry; that has never been done and to my understanding was never approved. But once the shipment was done, it is possible that payment may have been made . . . the vehicles were not fit for purpose . . . as to what has happened for the past eight months, I cannot tell . . . while the investigation is going on, it is also important to see how quickly putting all politics aside; if there is a shipment at the port which will make these ambulances fit for purpose; lets get the equipment out of the port, lets take out the ambulances and lets deal with what has gone wrong," he urged. Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video New Patriotic Party (NPP) member, Gabby Otchere-Darko, has sued Revelap Publishers & Suppliers limited, the publishers of the Ghana Palaver newspaper, and a Ghanaian citizen, for defamation. The defamation concerns a news story published in the Ghana Palaver newspaper on Tuesday, September 12, 2017, alleging that the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, gave Mr. Otcehre Darkos law firm a $20 million review contract. The newspaper said this information was from unimpeachable sources and described this alleged sole-sourced contract given to Mr. Otchere-Darko as an act of nepotism, whilst disparaging his law firm, Africa Legal Associates. Mr. Otchere-Darko is seeking an injunction restraining the defendants from further publishing the defamatory content that spawned this lawsuit. He is also demanding legal fees as part of his suit. Mr. Otchere-Darkos lawyers, in the writ said the allegations were utterly false, products of the defendants imagination and were mischievously calculated by the defendant to disparage him [Otchered Darko] and to create disaffection for him and to bring him into odium in the eyes of right thinking members of the Republic and global community. The lawyers held that Mr. Otchere-Darkos reputation, especially as a lawyer had been damaged, and he had suffered debilitating distress and embarrassment. Further, he has been inundated with numerous calls from business associations and social relations and friends, and he has had to answer very mortifying questions, the lawyers added. Source: citifmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Parliament says public inputs and suggestions on the Bill for the Office of the Special Prosecutor are still welcome. The Chairman of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament, Mr Ben Abdallah Banda, said until the bill was passed into law, recommendations from the public would be considered by the committee to improve its content. Addressing the closing ceremony of a stakeholders conference to discuss views and perspective of civil society organisations (CSOs) on the bill, Mr Banda said Parliament attached great importance to inputs from CSOs and other members of the public. He said Parliament, in its wisdom, deemed it necessary to have a brainstorming session on the bill so that the public could all take ownership of the project. Special Prosecution Agency A professor in law, Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh said the creation of the Office of Special Prosecutor was good for the countrys democracy and the fight against corruption at the top. Prof Prempeh said it was erroneous for people to think that the Office of the Special Prosecutor would usurp the role of the Attorney-General and noted that if in doubt people could consider it as Special Prosecution Agency. For his part, the Member of Parliament for Adentan, Mr Samuel Buabeng Asamoah, said the Office of the Special Prosecutor would greatly assist in fighting political corruption. Mr Shaibu Mahama (standing), MP for Daboya-Mankarigu, making a suggestion at the forum Mr Shaibu Mahama (standing), MP for Daboya-Mankarigu, making a suggestion at the forum Three-tier approach An Investigating Advisor for Strengthening Action Against Corruption (STAAC-Ghana), a civil society organisation, Mr Ken Isaac, recommended a three-tier force for the special prosecutor. He said tier-one should include conducting investigations from inception to prosecution, while tier two should involve directing other law enforcement agencies to conduct investigations and in the tier three supervise other law enforcement agencies to conduct investigations. He said the process would make the special prosecutor to be aware of cases that were under investigations and also to follow up diligently. Minority supports bill The Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, last Tuesday said the Special Prosecutors Bill, though in its current form is not perfect, was needed by the country. He said corruption hurt economies and that is why all of us should be united around this noble cause. The people need it, the economy needs it, the environment needs it and Ghana needs it, he noted and added that although the bill in its current form may be not be perfect, no bill has ever been. He, therefore, advocated a consensus among CSOs and other stakeholders to ensure the bill succeeded. Mr Iddrisu said corruption could best be fought through the creation and strengthening of systems for accountability, transparency and public participation. Source: Daily Graphic Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former Deputy Minister of Agriculture, William Quaitoo has stated that vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is the best person to lead the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for future elections. According to him, he [Bawumia] should succeed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo if he refuses to seek for re-election. Speaking on Accra-based Starr FM, the former deputy Agriculture minister said no one qualifies to lead the NPP in 2020 election to retain power except Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. He advised the party to give opportunity to Bawumia to contest the position if the Nana Addo refuses to run for re-election. According to him, this will help erase the thought that the NPP is an Akan based party and disliked people of the North. He said NPP has been perceived for far too long as an Akan party and though Bawumias tribe are in the minority. Dr Bawumia should be Nana Akufo-Addos successor, he said. William Quaitoo added that "Yes, in the sense that NPP has been treated for far too long as being an Akan party, though his [Dr. Bawumia] tribe are in the minority, I think seriously that if NPP should elect Dr. Bawumia as our next flagbearer when Nana steps down it will go a long way to erase this erroneous impression." Source: Pulse Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Founder and President of Concerned Voters Movement (CVM), Mr Razak Kojo Opoku has said the rejection of Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo in 2008 and 2012 presidential elections by majority of Ghanaians was God's doing. A press statement issued on 12th September, 2017 signed by Mr. Razak Kojo Opoku indicated that God purposely made Nana Akufo-Addo lose the 2008 and 2012 general elections for Ghanaians to be able to see his importance and enjoy his leadership at the right time. He pleaded with God to forgive Supreme Court Judge, Atuguba who presided over the 2012 presidential elections petition and ruled in favour of the then president, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama with 5-4 ruling in August, 2013. "God, respectfully forgive Atuguba for his 5-4 ruling in 2013. For he had regretted of his past poor judgement, as today Atuguba grandchildren and relatives are attending SHS Free of charge under President Akufo-Addo's Government," Mr. Razak Opoku wrote. He also described the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) as 'practitioners of doubting Thomas who campaigned against Nana Addo that implementation of the Free SHS was impossible. "God has make Free SHS Policy possible under President Akufo-Addo's Government to shame the Practitioners of doubting Thomas Concept (NDC)". Below is the full statement; The Regrets of 2008/2012 general elections and Tears of Joy for the fruits of the 2016 general election; Case of Free SHS Policy---CVM First and foremost, God forgive us of our stubbornness in 2008 and 2012. Our hearts were hardened, corks were inserted into our ears and our eyes were blinded during the 2008 and 2012 General Elections in accordance with *John 12:40, 2 Corinthians 3:14 and 2 Corinthians 4:3-4*. God, we rejected Nana Akufo-Addo in 2008 and 2012 general elections out of ignorance and truly to Your Word in *Hosea 4:6 & Job 36:12*, the Citizens of Ghana were indeed perishing under the Mills/Mahama Administration with: Dumsor, Corruption, wastage of resources, mismanagement, discrimination, economic hardship, cancellation of allowances for teachers and nurses, gross disrespect to God's Anointed Ones and Religious Leaders, Insults to Chiefs and Traditional Authorities, Collapsed Healthcare & Education, Public debts of over $40 billion etc. We didn't know that we were rejecting the implementation of the Free SHS Policy, One District One Factory, One Constituency one Million Dollars, Planting for Food and Jobs, Economic Stability & Growth, Good Governance, Patriotic-Selfless & non-materialistic President when we voted against Akufo-Addo in 2008 & 2012. God, respectfully forgive Atuguba for his 5-4 ruling in 2013. For he had regretted of his past poor judgement, as today Atuguba grandchildren and relatives are attending SHS Free of charge under President Akufo-Addo's Government. God, the Citizens of Ghana are very much thankful to you for Your Saving Power in the 2016 general election. We are grateful to God for the opening of our eyes in accordance with *Acts 26:17-18*, to vote massively for Akufo-Addo in the 2016 general election. One of the end results of our votes in 2016 is the successful implementation of the Free SHS Policy. Ghanaians gave NPP four years mandate and hopefully by the end of the four years mandate, SHS 1-3 shall be Free as promised since 2008 General Election. Ignorant NDC and their associated fanatics doesn't even appreciate the fact that: 1. Roman wasn't built in one day. 2. God himself even didn't use one day to finished creation. 3. Ghana's Political Independence wasn't achieved in a day. 4. It has taken 25 Years since adoption of the 1992 Constitution to realise the implementation of the Free SHS Policy under President Akufo-Addo. 5. A Woman doesn't have pregnant and instantly gives birth to a Child at the same time. 6. A Baby cannot walk & talk within a day at the same time at birth. 7. A female child cannot use one day to develop breast, grow pubic hair and menstruate at the sometime at birth. 8. A male child cannot use one day to grow facial hair (beard) and produce sperms at the same time at birth. 9. All Religions started at one point and spread worldwide. 10. All businesses started at one point and spread Regionally, Nationally and Globally. Everything on the face of this Earth undergoes processes and by the end of the NPP four years mandate, all the students from SHS 1-3 shall enjoy the Free SHS Policy. It is far better to start the Free SHS Policy with the 1st Year Students than doing nothing at all about it. As expected, the *Political Pharisees of Ghana (NDC)* are lamenting about the implementation of the Free SHS Policy. We do appreciate the NDC lamentations because Your Word has informed us of who they are in Jeremiah 5:21, Ezekiel 12:2, Mathew 13:14-15 and Mark 4:12. God has make Free SHS Policy possible under President Akufo-Addo's Government to shame the *Practitioners of doubting Thomas Concept (NDC)* Ghanaian Parents and Voters are celebrating President Akufo-Addo today with the Regrets of rejecting him in the 2008 & 2012 general elections. Ghanaian Parents and Voters again are celebrating President Akufo-Addo with the Tears of Joy for voting for him as the President of Ghana in the 2016 general election. I am proud of Free SHS Policy, I am Proud of NPP Government and I am proud of President Akufo-Addo. God bless President Akufo-Addo with long life deeply saturated with good health and Energy to continue to deliver on his promises to Ghanaians. .....Signed..... Razak Kojo Opoku (CVM Founder & President Source: ghanaweb.com/Daniel Kaku Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Finnish English Metsa Board Corporation Stock Exchange Release 14 September 2017 at 11:15 am EEST NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, NEW ZEALAND, SINGAPORE, SOUTH AFRICA OR SUCH OTHER COUNTRIES OR OTHERWISE IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH THE OFFERING OF THE NEW NOTES (AS DEFINED BELOW), THE TENDER OFFER (AS DEFINED BELOW) OR THE RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. Metsa Board Corporation (the Company) is considering the issuance of new euro denominated fixed rate notes (the New Notes). The issue is expected to take place in the near future subject to market conditions. The target size of the issue is minimum EUR 200 million. At the same time the Company announces a cash tender offer for its EUR 225 million 4.00 per cent notes due 13 March 2019 (ISIN: FI4000085550) (the 2019 Notes) based on the terms and conditions set out in the Tender Offer Memorandum dated 14 September 2017 (the Tender Offer). Pursuant to the Tender Offer, the Company offers to purchase any and all of the 2019 Notes, although the Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, not to accept any of the 2019 Notes for purchase. Whether the Company will purchase any 2019 Notes validly tendered is subject to, without limitation, the pricing of the New Notes. The purchase price per EUR 1,000.00 in principal amount of the 2019 Notes will be determined as provided in the Tender Offer by reference to a fixed purchase yield of -0.25 per cent1. Accrued and unpaid interest will be paid in respect of all 2019 Notes validly tendered and delivered and accepted for purchase. The Offer Period closes at 4:00 p.m. Finnish time (EEST) on 25 September 2017. The final Tender Offer results will be announced on or about 26 September 2017. The settlement date of the Tender Offer is conditional to the completion of the issue of the New Notes, which is expected to occur on or about 29 September 2017 and no later than 6 October 2017. With the issue of the New Notes and the Tender Offer the Company manages upcoming debt repayments and secures financing for general corporate purposes. Danske Bank A/S and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) act as Dealer Managers, and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) Helsinki Branch acts as a Tender Agent for the Tender Offer. Information in respect of the Tender Offer may be obtained from the Dealer Managers. Danske Bank A/S and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) act as Joint Lead Managers for the issue of the New Notes. Dealer Managers: Danske Bank A/S, +45 45 14 67 24, liabilitymanagement@danskebank.dk Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ), +46 8 506 230 27, LiabilityManagement@seb.se Tender Agent: Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ) Helsinki Branch [1] For information purposes only, the purchase price in respect of the 2019 Notes will, when determined in the manner described in the Tender Offer Memorandum on the basis of a settlement date of 29 September 2017, be 106.191 per cent. Should the settlement date of any 2019 Notes accepted for purchase pursuant to the Tender Offer differ from 29 September 2017, the purchase price will be recalculated, all as further described in the Tender Offer Memorandum. Additional information: Jussi Noponen, Chief Financial Officer, tel. +358 10 465 4913 Katri Sundstrom, VP, Investor Relations, puh. +358 400 976 333 METSA BOARD CORPORATION DISCLAIMER This announcement must be read in conjunction with the Tender Offer Memorandum. This announcement and the Tender Offer Memorandum contain important information which should be read carefully before any decision is made with respect to the Tender Offer. If any holder of 2019 Notes is in any doubt as to the contents of this announcement or the Tender Offer Memorandum or the action it should take, it is recommended to seek its own financial and legal advice, including in respect of any tax consequences, from its broker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial, tax or legal adviser. Any individual or company whose 2019 Notes are held on its behalf by a broker, dealer, bank, custodian, trust company or other nominee or intermediary must contact such entity if it wishes to tender such 2019 Notes pursuant to the Tender Offer. None of the Company, the Dealer Managers or the Tender Agent makes any recommendation whether holders should tender 2019 Notes pursuant to the Offer. Important Information The information contained herein is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa or such other countries or otherwise in such circumstances in which the release, publication or distribution would be unlawful. The information contained herein does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of, the New Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration, exemption from registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This communication does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. The New Notes have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or under the applicable securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons except pursuant to an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. This communication does not constitute an offer of New Notes to the public in the United Kingdom. No prospectus has been or will be approved in the United Kingdom in respect of the New Notes. Consequently, this communication is directed only at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom, (ii) persons who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order"), (iii) high net worth entities falling within Article 49(2) of the Order and (iv) other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). In addition, this communication is, in any event only directed at persons who are "qualified investors" pursuant to the Prospectus Directive (2003/71/EC, as amended). Any investment activity to which this communication relates will only be available to, and will only be engaged with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents. Nine companies are one step closer to a big pay day. The nine companies, including Harrisburg-based Intag and Carlisle-based Crimewatch Technologies, haves been selected as finalists for the "Rise of the Rest" $100,000 pitch competition that will take place at the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center on October 10. The nine startups that have been chosen as finalists are Benefix, TurnoutNow, Augean Robotics, Crimewatch Technologies, Intag, Device Events, Schedule Engine, Teamology and Fizika Group LLLC. Steve Case, America Online co-founder and chairman and CEO of Revolution LLC, a venture capital firm, is rolling into central Pennsylvania on his "Rise of the Rest" startup bus tour. Case will be making stops in the York and Lancaster areas before heading to the Harrisburg Midtown Art Center for a "fireside chat" with Penn State University President Eric Barron. The "fireside chat" will be followed by the pitch competition and the winner will take home a $100,000 investment from Case. The competition was announced back in June and eligible startups for the pitch competition had until August 15 to enter the competition. Eligible startups for the competition have to have a product or service that's live or in beta form and have measurable performance indicators such as revenue, customers, successful beta results and are currently raising -- or have near-term plans to raise capital. Startups must also be based within a 75-mile radius of central Pennsylvania. Companies will be judged on whether they have a "bold idea," have the potential to employ a large number of people, the skills of the team, potential customer growth or revenue, business model and quality of application responses and other supporting materials, according to the website. Other stops on the the sixth tour that will take place between Oct. 10 and Oct. 17 will include Ann Arbor, Michigan; Indianapolis, Columbus, Ohio; and Green Bay, Wisconsin. The "Rise of the Rest" bus tour has held competitions in 26 cities, including Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, over the last three years. Four of the nine companies for the central Pennsylvania competition are based in Lancaster County, and Dauphin, Cumberland, York, Franklin and Chester counties will all have one company in the final competition. The founder or the CEO of each of the companies will be pitching for their company. Here is more information about the finalists: Intag, based in Harrisburg, develops modular ecosystems for resilient agriculture and hyper-local food. Crimewatch, based in Carlisle, is a technology tool that organizes criminal justice information. Device Events, based in York Township, develops software that identifies patterns of problems with medical devices to improve patient safety and reduce risk. Benefix, based in Lancaster, is an open platform for the world to access health benefits. TurnoutNow, based in Lancaster, provides event data using wearable tech and predictive analytics. Schedule Engine, based in Lancaster, equips contractors to deliver a modern customer experience. Fizika, based in Lancaster, helps those at risk of developing dementia reduce heart health risks and maintain brain health. Teamology, based in Chambersburg, bridges the divide between technology and teamwork to change the world of education. Augean Robotics, based in Charlestown, Chester County, builds robotic following carts for workers in rugged environments. More information about the finalists can be found here. Ten goats and a miniature donkey arrived at Carnegie Mellon University this afternoon to landscape (i.e. eat) an overgrown hillside. The dedicated workers will spend 24 hours a day there until their job is done on the 2/3 acre patch of land just north of the Pausch Bridge. The hillside is overgrown with Japanese hops and various other weeds, but the goats will make quick work of it, probably leaving campus on Saturday. "They eat 24 hours a day, essentially," said Gavin Deming, founder and executive director of Allegheny GoatScape. "They eat, eliminate and rest, and then they keep eating. This is around the clock." The practice has grown in popularity as an environmentally friendly alternative to herbicides. Goats will indiscriminately eat plants and kill any seeds through their digestive system, thereby slowing the spread of invasive species while also providing fertilizer. Passersby will see leaves rustling as the Nigerian dwarf goats, Nubian goats and Saanen goats get their fill of invasive species and prolific weeds. While the goats eat away at the hillside, a miniature donkey named Hobo will keep them company. "The donkey is here for kicks, honestly," Deming said. "He's part of the herd because he's essentially the shepherd. There are a lot of coyotes, as you may or may not know, in Pennsylvania and in Allegheny County. His primary role is to keep stray dogs and coyotes away." Hobo will also alert campus police if anything is amiss at the buffet. Signs and electric fencing is set up to keep students out of the way, but the donkey is a second line of defense. The lot is located adjacent to the Gates Center for Computer Science, where students can take a break from studying to check in on the herd or catch a glimpse from on the Pausch Bridge. "We wanted it to be highly visible," said Dave Wessell, supervisor for Facilities Management and Campus Services. "This is an activity that usually transpires in the backend of parks, highway right of way, wood lots. It's usually places the public has to go to, to see. Here we have the public, and the goats came to the public." The difficult part was finding an appropriate location for the goats to clear. Goats will eat pretty much everything, but Deming says they particularly love grape vine and knotweed. Some plants may survive the herd's active mouths, but you can't tell which until the goats are done. Deming started Allegheny GoatScape in January after taking over the business from Steel City Grazers and turning it into a nonprofit. He also works for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, and through that role he connected with the former owners to clear property near Bates Street in Oakland. When they decided to move on, he jumped on the opportunity to run the business. Benefits of goatscaping include the animals' ability to traverse steep inclines, as well as the fact that they don't require much maintenance and are able to work around the clock. "I cannot believe how much people love this," Deming said. "I grew up in Michigan and we didn't have farm animals, but we lived around farms and it was always just another animal that was around. Here it's like going to the zoo and getting to see an active animal." --- See more life and culture videos: After high winds and heavy rains brought by Hurricane Harvey, a mysterious sea creature with fangs and no face washed up on the shoreline in southwest Texas - giving the Internet a challenging task: to identify it. Preeti Desai, social media manager at the National Audubon Society, posted pictures of the critter earlier this month on Twitter, asking, "What the heck is this??" Desai, who said she had accompanied conservationists assessing the damage from the storm, spotted the creature on a beach in Texas City, about 15 miles from Galveston. The Internet gave its best guesses: A gulper eel. A "bloated" moray eel. No, an alien. "I follow a lot of scientists and researchers," Desai told BBC News about her plea for answers on social media. "There's such a great community of these folks that are very helpful, especially when it comes to answering questions about the world or identifying animals and plants." She said someone suggested that she contact Kenneth Tighe, a biologist with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Tighe, an eel expert, told Earth Touch News that the creature was most likely a fangtooth snake-eel, or Aplatophis chauliodus. Fangtooth snake-eels live in burrows 100 to 300 feet down in waters stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to French Guiana, "with only snout and eyes exposed, darting to feed on other fishes and crustaceans," according to FishBase, an online database for fish species. Other possibilities? Bathyuroconger vicinus or Xenomystax congroides. "All three of these species occur off Texas and have large fang-like teeth," Tighe told Earth Touch News. "Too bad you can't clearly see the tip of the tail. That would differentiate between the ophichthid and the congrids." Desai told BBC News that she left the dead eel alone to "let nature take its course." She wrote in a post Sept. 8 on Audubon's website that in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, she traveled to Houston to help document "the effects of the hurricane on birds and their habitats." "I joined Audubon Texas's Coastal Conservation program manager, Victoria Vazquez, and coastal warden, Dennis Jones, to visit some of the rookery islands off the coast of Galveston and assess the damage," she wrote. "They wanted to take a look at things like how much land had been lost and how much plant cover was missing due to being uprooted or washed away. Changes like these could affect the number of species that will be able to nest on the habitat in the future." "Audubon Texas and partner organizations like Houston Audubon collectively own or lease more than 170 coastal islands, some of which appear and disappear as currents shift and waves wash over them. These islands, even when they're no more than sandbars, are supremely important for many colonial water birds - birds that gather in groups - as they nest and breed during the spring and summer months. Visit at the right time and you'll find American Oystercatchers, Brown Pelicans, Least Terns, and more. (But be careful - birds are especially vulnerable during nesting season and no visitors are allowed on the islands from February through August.) Brown Pelicans in particular were at risk of extinction in the 1970s, and although they've made a comeback since then, their nesting areas (and those of many other species) are now in trouble due to rising sea levels and stronger storms caused by climate change. So it was a positive that most of the chicks had fledged by the time Harvey hit." Still, people on social media were more interested in - and spooked by - the sea creature she stumbled upon while she was there. (c) 2017, The Washington Post. Story by Lindsey Bever Altoona's status as a distressed municipality under Act 47 has been terminated, making the city the first to exit distressed status under the time limit imposed by Act 199. Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin made the announcement on behalf of Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday. Altoona i s the 13 th municipality to exit the program and completed the fastest exit of distressed status by a city, according to a news release. The city adopted its revised Act 47 Recovery Plan on Dec. 10, 2012, and is the largest municipality to ever recover from distressed status under Act 47. "Altoona's dramatic turnaround provides an inspiration for all Pennsylvania municipalities that fiscal stability, achieved through thoughtful and proactive collaboration among stakeholders, is a fully attainable goal within a five-year period," Davin said. "It also affirms state government's important role in providing struggling municipalities with additional financial support so they can rebuild strong and effective communities. This is a vital lifeline that must be preserved." The news comes a day after a report released by Pennsylvania Economy League showed that fiscal decay has accelerated in all sizes of municipalities throughout Pennsylvania One of the key findings in that report was that m unicipalities in the state's Act 47 distressed municipality program generally performed worse than average despite state assistance. The report in its entirety can be found on PEL's website. VANCOUVER, B.C., Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Copper Fox Metals Inc. (Copper Fox or the Company) (TSX-V:CUU)(OTC:CPFXF) is pleased to announce that Carmax Mining Corp. (Carmax) (TSXV:CXM) has executed a communications agreement with the Tahltan Central Government related to the Eaglehead copper project. The communication agreement provides for among other things; ongoing discussions, presentations, sponsorships and employment opportunities. Elmer B. Stewart, President and CEO of Copper Fox stated, Copper Fox is pleased to have played a part in developing the relationship between the Tahltan Central Government and Carmax. This agreement is the first step in providing for ongoing meaningful communication between Carmax and the leadership and members of the Tahltan First Nation with respect to current and future activities performed by Carmax within the traditional territory of the Tahltan First Nation. Copper Fox, through its wholly owned subsidiary Northern Fox Copper Inc., owns 65.4% of the issued shares of Carmax. Carmax is the registered owner of the Eaglehead project. About Copper Fox Copper Fox is a Tier 1 Canadian resource company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V:CUU) focused on copper exploration and development in Canada and the United States. The principal assets of Copper Fox and its wholly owned Canadian and United States subsidiaries, being Northern Fox Copper Inc. and Desert Fox Copper Inc., are the 25% interest in the Schaft Creek Joint Venture with Teck Resources Limited on the Schaft Creek copper-gold-molybdenum-silver project located in northwestern British Columbia and a 100% ownership of the Van Dyke oxide copper project located in Miami, Arizona. For more information on Copper Foxs other mineral properties and investments visit the Companys website at http://www.copperfoxmetals.com. For additional information contact: Investor line 1-844-484-2820 or Lynn Ball, at 1-403-264-2820. On behalf of the Board of Directors Elmer B. Stewart President and Chief Executive Officer Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of the Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is generally identifiable by use of the words believes, may, plans, will, anticipates, intends, budgets, could, estimates, expects, forecasts, projects and similar expressions, and the negative of such expressions. Forward-looking information in this news release include statements about: communication agreement with the Tahltan Central Government and the possibility of further exploration activities on the Eaglehead project. Information concerning exploration potential also may be deemed to be forward-looking information in that it reflects a prediction of the mineralization that would be encountered by further successful exploration. In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, Copper Fox and its subsidiaries have made numerous assumptions, regarding, among other things: the geological, financial and economic advice that Copper Fox has received is reliable and is based upon practices and methodologies which are consistent with industry standards. While Copper Fox considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause Copper Foxs actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. Known risk factors include, among others: that the communication agreement may not be implement as intended or at all; the possibility that future exploration on the Eaglehead project may not occur on a timely basis, or at all; fluctuations in copper and other commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; uncertainty of estimates of capital and operating costs, recovery rates, and estimated economic return; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs or in construction projects and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals A more complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing Copper Fox is disclosed in Copper Fox's continuous disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com. All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and Copper Fox disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law. Mounties swarmed 377 Winnipeg St. in September to arrest a man who was wanted for failing to serve an intermittent jail sentence. Some people living in the area were disappointed to see police leave so quickly. TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lydian International Limited (TSX:LYD) (Lydian or the Company) announced today that the Company will attend the 2017 Denver Gold Forum to be held September 25 27, 2017 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Howard Stevenson, Chief Executive Officer of Lydian, will host one-on-one meetings during the conference and present to attendees on Tuesday, September 26, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. The presentation will provide an update on construction and upcoming activities at the Companys Amulsar Gold Project in Armenia. The presentation will be available on Lydians website at www.lydianinternational.co.uk. About Lydian International Limited Lydian is a gold developer, focusing on construction at its 100%-owned Amulsar Gold Project, located in south-central Armenia. Amulsar presents an opportunity for a large-scale, low-cost operation with production expected to begin in mid-2018. Open pit mining and conventional heap leach processing contribute to excellent scale and economic potential. Amulsar will be Armenias largest gold mine, with estimated mineral resources containing 3.5 million measured and indicated gold ounces and 1.3 million inferred gold ounces. Gold production is targeted to average approximately 225,000 ounces annually over an initial 10-year mine life. Existing mineral resources and open extensions provide opportunities to improve average annual production and extend the life of mine. The Company is committed to good international industry practices in all aspects of its operations including production, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility. For more information and to directly contact us, please visit www.lydianinternational.co.uk. Caution regarding forward-looking information Certain information contained in this news release is forward looking. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events, results, outcomes or developments that the Company expects to occur are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects, intends, anticipates, proposed or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results will, may, could, would, should, or occur or the negative connotation of such terms. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements with respect to: the realization of mineral resource estimates and the timing of development of the Amulsar Gold Project, including the expected start date of production; the potential improvement of average annual production and extension of the Amulsar Gold Project mine life through the evaluation of currently defined inferred resources and from open extensions at depth; the commitment to and implementation of good international industry practices; the expected gold production from, and life of mine of, the Amulsar Gold Project; the expected mining methods at the Amulsar Gold Project; the estimated cash cost per ounce of gold over the life of mine of the Amulsar Gold Project; and the expected cost of operations at the Amulsar Gold Project. Statements concerning mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking information to the extent that they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered when the property is developed. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, without limitation: changes in gold and silver prices; adverse general economic, market or business conditions; regulatory changes; failure to improve average annual production and extend the Amulsar Gold Project mine life through the evaluation of defined inferred resources and from open extensions at depth; as well as Risk Factors included in the disclosure documents filed on and available at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results and future events could materially differ from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All of the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Federal Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau speaks to supporters as he visits Liberal candidate for Scarborough-Agincourt Arnold Chan, right, at his campaign office in Toronto on Wednesday, May 21, 2014. Chan has died of cancer. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young CORK, Ireland, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SolarWinds, the worldwide leader in network management software, today announced SolarWinds Network Insight for Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASA). SolarWinds Network Insight for Cisco ASA provides comprehensive monitoring well beyond hardware health and performanceand the ability to manage access control lists (ACLs). Having the ability to see into the performance of next-generation firewalls is essential to successfully managing a hybrid IT environment. SolarWinds Network Insight for Cisco ASA is available in the latest versions of SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor and SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager, both part of the SolarWinds Orion Platform . Devices like Ciscos Adaptive Security Appliance have complex states that cannot be understood simply by looking at tables of statistics, said Christoph Pfister, executive vice president of products, SolarWinds. Leveraging SolarWinds deep knowledge of networking for hybrid IT environments, weve created Network Insight for Cisco ASA to visualise the critical functions of this device and make it easier to resolve problems and mitigate threats quickly. Network Insight for Cisco ASA empowers IT pros to deliver secure and reliable connectivity for their business. Our ability to troubleshoot IPsec using the new ASA features in NPM 12.2 has given us visibility into metrics for both remote and site-to-site VPN metrics, which have traditionally only been monitored through three or four disparate tools that were difficult to manage, or lacked historical data collection and correlation, said Nick Zourdos, network administrator and NPM 12.2 beta user. Not only has this already shown us how we can directly impact the delivery of key business services, but NPM 12.2 has given the team a whole new monitoring experience and appreciation for that aspect of the job. SolarWinds Network Insight for Cisco ASA In modern hybrid IT environments, firewalls provide critical connectivity to cloud-based assets. Standard monitoring tools do not provide the needed visibility into key firewall metrics such as VPN tunnel connectivity and failover status and availability. SolarWinds Network Insight for Cisco ASA goes beyond basic up/down and provides network administrators with: Visibility into, and reporting and alerting for: VPN tunnel visibility (LAN-to-LAN) High availability and failover status Hardware status Interface monitoring with critical configuration data such as security level Connection count ACL Monitoring: Filter, search, and view ACLs with the firewall rule browser Show relationships with ACLs, context, and objects Snapshot, version, compare, and backup ACL configs Analyse ACL configs and highlight shadowed, redundant, and unused rules In addition to SolarWinds Network Insight for Cisco ASA, SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor and Network Configuration Manager also include support for F5 BIG-IP environments with SolarWinds Network Insight for F5 BIG-IP. Support for additional appliances is expected in future releases. Also New in SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor PerfStack improvements, including real-time polling for key metrics and support for additional metrics such as Syslog, UnDP, SNMP traps, and more improvements, including real-time polling for key metrics and support for additional metrics such as Syslog, UnDP, SNMP traps, and more Support for high availability (HA) multi-subnet deployments and disaster recovery Pricing and Availability Pricing for SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor starts at 2,195. Pricing for SolarWinds Network Configuration Manager starts at 2,160*. Pricing includes the first year of maintenance. For more information on SolarWinds IT management products, including downloadable, free 30-day evaluations, visit the SolarWinds website or call +353 21 500 2900. *Prices as of September 13, 2017. Pricing may vary based upon the jurisdiction and applicable currency. Please contact a local SolarWinds sales representative to find pricing specific to your jurisdiction. Additional Resources Connect with SolarWinds About the SolarWinds Orion Platform The Orion platform is a modular and scalable unified monitoring platform. It allows IT departments to add modules as their needs grow, providing ever richer visibility into their environments. While these modules are sold as individual products, they run on a unified platform, with a single web-based dashboard, centralised management and access control, unified alerting and reporting, and consolidated metrics and data, which enables context-rich dashboards that centralise data from multiple parts of the stack into an application-centric view. The SolarWinds Orion Platform is trusted by 425 of the Fortune 500 companies to monitor, visualise, and analyse the performance of networks, applications, systems, and databases on-premises, in a hybrid environment, or in the cloud. About SolarWinds SolarWinds provides powerful and affordable IT management software to customers worldwide, from Fortune 500 enterprises to small businesses, managed service providers (MSPs), government agencies, and educational institutions. We are committed to focusing exclusively on IT, MSP, and DevOps professionals, and strive to eliminate the complexity that our customers have been forced to accept from traditional enterprise software vendors. Regardless of where the IT asset or user sits, SolarWinds delivers products that are easy to find, buy, use, maintain, and scale, while providing the power to address key areas of the infrastructure from on-premises to the cloud. This focus and commitment to excellence in end-to-end hybrid IT performance management has established SolarWinds as the worldwide leader in both network management software and MSP solutions, and is driving similar growth across the full spectrum of IT management software. Our solutions are rooted in our deep connection to our user base, which interacts in our THWACK online community to solve problems, share technology and best practices, and directly participate in our product development process. Learn more today at www.solarwinds.com. The SolarWinds, SolarWinds & Design, Orion, and THWACK trademarks are the exclusive property of SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC or its affiliates, are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other countries. All other SolarWinds trademarks, service marks, and logos may be common law marks or are registered or pending registration. All other trademarks mentioned herein are used for identification purposes only and are trademarks of (and may be registered trademarks of) their respective companies. 2017 SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC. All rights reserved. MEDIA CONTACTS: Danielle Killick Katherine OKeeffe Text100 SolarWinds Phone: 07974161187 Phone: +353 21 500 2954 LondonSolarWinds@text100.com pr@solarwinds.com President Donald Trump answers a question from the media as he arrives at the White House, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, in Washington. Trump is returning from Florida after viewing damage from Hurricane Irma. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) An Alaska state representative has been accused of ethics violations by the Legislative Ethics Committee. The Daily News-Miner reported Tuesday that the Committee claims Republican Rep. Tammie Wilson of North Pole violated two parts of the Ethics Act in January 2014. The Committee claims Wilson produced and sent a postcard about air quality issues to constituents outside her legislative district using state resources and included the return address of an official legislative office on the postcard. Wilson has long been involved with the subject of air quality in F... Deer numbers look good in Northern Lower Peninsula, spotty in Eastern U.P. The annual statewide firearm season for white-tailed deer will begin just before sunrise on Nov. 15 and end on Nov. 30. Forest Hill, MD, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Who: Apache Struts is a popular Open Source framework for creating enterprise-grade Java Web applications. Apache Struts powers front- and back-end applications and Internet of Things (IoT) devices for many of the world's most visible financial institutions, government organizations, technology service providers, telecommunications agencies, and Fortune 100 companies. Apache Struts is an Apache Software Foundation Top-Level Project (since 2004) and is overseen by a self-selected team of active contributors to the project. A Project Management Committee (PMC) guides the Project's day-to-day operations, including community development and product releases. What: On 7 September 2017, credit reporting agency Equifax announced a data breach affecting 143 million consumers. https://investor.equifax.com/news-and-events/news/2017/09-07-2017-213000628 Following this announcement, additional claims stated that the breach was caused by CVE-2017-9805, an exploit in Apache Struts that was disclosed on 4 September 2017. https://qz.com/1073221/the-hackers-who-broke-into-equifax-exploited-a-nine-year-old-security-flaw/ On 9 September 2017, the Apache Struts PMC issued a statement on the Equifax data breach that included details on its response process to reported vulnerabilities and also provided recommended security guidelines. https://s.apache.org/8thB On 13 September 2017, Equifax issued a statement confirming that "The vulnerability was Apache Struts CVE-2017-5638". https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/ This vulnerability was patched on 7 March 2017, the same day it was announced. https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/WW/S2-045 In conclusion, the Equifax data compromise was due to their failure to install the security updates provided in a timely manner. When: Apache Struts CVE-2017-5638 was originally reported on 7 March 2017. Where: For downloads, documentation (including security guide and bulletins), and how to become involved with Apache Struts, visit http://struts.apache.org/and https://twitter.com/TheApacheStruts About The Apache Software Foundation (ASF) Established in 1999, the all-volunteer Foundation oversees more than 350 leading Open Source projects, including Apache HTTP Server --the world's most popular Web server software. Through the ASF's meritocratic process known as "The Apache Way," more than 650 individual Members and 6,200 Committers across six continents successfully collaborate to develop freely available enterprise-grade software, benefiting millions of users worldwide: thousands of software solutions are distributed under the Apache License; and the community actively participates in ASF mailing lists, mentoring initiatives, and ApacheCon, the Foundation's official user conference, trainings, and expo. The ASF is a US 501(c)(3) charitable organization, funded by individual donations and corporate sponsors including Alibaba Cloud Computing, ARM, Bloomberg, Budget Direct, Capital One, Cash Store, Cerner, Cloudera, Comcast, Facebook, Google, Hortonworks, HP, Huawei, IBM, Inspur, iSigma, LeaseWeb, Microsoft, ODPi, PhoenixNAP, Pivotal, Private Internet Access, Red Hat, Serenata Flowers, Target, WANdisco, and Yahoo. For more information, visit http://apache.org/ and https://twitter.com/TheASF # # # The Apache Software Foundation. "Apache", "Struts", "Apache Struts", and "ApacheCon" are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Apache Software Foundation in the United States and/or other countries. All other brands and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This piece, titled, The New Plague, depicts life in Philadelphia in the age of COVID. Artist and educator Raphael Tiberino began painting at the age of four and has been in the spotlight as a professional creative for over 25 years. ALISO VIEJO, Calif., Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cianna Medical, Inc., today announced that its next-generation SCOUT radar localization system featuring real-time distance measurement will be exhibited for the first time at the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium in Chicago, IL, September 14-17, 2017. The next-generation SCOUT technology advances the power of RADAR for breast tumor localization, making it the most precise and broadly applicable localizing system in the industry. It is clinically proven to be both consistent and predicable, and both physicians and patients will benefit from its unprecedented 60 mm range and 360 signal detection with +/- 1 mm accuracy. The real-time distance measurement and instant signal response will make it easier for surgeons to locate non-palpable tumors during breast surgery. SCOUT, an FDA-cleared localization system, is the worlds only technology that utilizes radar in human tissue, and it is changing the standard of care for breast tumor localization. Previously published data established SCOUT as an accurate and reliable method to localize and excise breast lesions. SCOUT has been quickly adopted at over 150 leading medical facilities across the United States, and it has been used in more than 16,000 patient procedures to date. Alice Police, M.D., breast surgeon, University of California, Irvine, recently completed validation of the next-generation SCOUT system that will measure and display distance in millimeters. SCOUT is the standard of care for all my breast lesion localizations. The distance feature provides more control over the procedure, which is important for predictable outcomes, Dr. Police stated. The Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium is a multidisciplinary event that brings together leading national and international medical, surgical and radiation oncologists to present, debate and evaluate cutting-edge technology and approaches in the management of breast cancer. About SCOUT The FDA-cleared SCOUT system features a proprietary, highly sophisticated reflector that is precisely placed at the tumor site up to 30 days before a lumpectomy or surgical biopsy. During the procedure, the surgeon scans the breast using the SCOUT guide which emits 50 million pulses per second, allowing the surgeon to lock in on the reflectors precise location with 1mm of accuracy. This higher level of localization precision allows better surgical planning that may improve cosmetic results, as less tissue may need to be removed. SCOUT has an exceptional detection range of 1mm 60mm, documented migration of <2% across multiple studies, and is OR compatible.1 SCOUT has received significant recognition from medical societies and industry associations including, most recently, being honored as a Gold winner at the 2017 Medical Design Excellence Awards. About Radar Technology The SCOUT system uses highly sophisticated radar technology. Radar is used when unprecedented precision is required. Applications using radar include ground penetrating radar, automobile safety systems, flight control systems and antimissile and air-defense systems. About Cianna Medical, Inc. Cianna Medical is the world leader in wire-free breast localization and has been focused on breast conservation for over 10 years. Cianna Medical develops, manufactures and markets innovative medical technologies that reduce costs, improve quality and reduce the anxiety and stress breast cancer treatments place on women and their families. Cianna Medicals world-class research, development and commercialization teams developed the worlds first non-radioactive, wire-free breast localization system and the worlds only technology that utilizes radar in tissue. Cianna Medical is focused on expanding applications that continually advance patient care. Its SCOUT and SAVI Brachy technologies are FDA-cleared and address unmet needs in the delivery of radiation therapy, tumor localization and surgical guidance. Please visit www.ciannamedical.com for more information. Media Contact: Erich Sandoval LAZAR PARTNERS for Cianna Medical esandoval@lazarpartners.com (917) 497-2867 1 Cox CE, Russell S, Prowler V, et al. A Prospective, Single Arm, Multi-site, Clinical Evaluation of a Nonradioactive Surgical Guidance Technology for the Location of Nonpalpable Breast Lesions during Excision. Ann Surg Oncol. 2016;23(10):3168-74. Dublin, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Power Rental Market: Latin America 2017" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering. Latin American Power Generation Rental market research report includes market size, growth rates, vertical end-user split, competitive market share data and revenue forecasts from 2016-2023 for the Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and the Rest of Latin America (Chile, Peru, Colombia). The study is a comprehensive analysis including market share splits by fuel type (diesel, natural gas others), output power, application, end-user group and rental provider. Furthermore, profiles of key companies, growth drivers, restraints, challenges, and quotations from industry participants are also included in this analysis of the temporary power opportunity. The Latin American Power Rental Market is mature and competitive with the presence of regional and national market participants trying to get a strong foothold in the market. The market is projected to experience moderate growth during the next seven years driven by economic growth, an increase in infrastructure, demand from events, and the continuing shift from ownership to rental. This study aims to provide a detailed analysis of the Latin American Power Rental Market along with competitive intelligence for the year 2016. The market numbers included in this report represent revenues generated by companies operating in the Latin American Power Rental Market by country (Argentina, Mexico and Brazil). The base year for the study is 2016 and the forecast period is from 2016 until 2023. This study captures the following information on Latin American Power Rental Market: Market Size, Growth Rate, Revenue Forecasts (2016-2023) Growth Drivers & Restraints Market Data Quotes by Key Industry Participants Market Share Analysis Market Trends Key Topics Covered: I. Scope of Research II. Quotes III. Market Definitions and Segmentation IV. Methodology V. Executive Summary VI. Market Drivers a) Population and Urbanization Growth b) Increasing Energy Demand c) Economic Expansion d) Demand from Events e) Continues ship from ownership to rental f) Impact Analysis of Market Drivers VII. Market Restraints a) Lower oil & gas Prices b) Decreased Prices of Metals c) Intense Competition d) Economic Instability e) Explosive Growth of Renewable Energy f) Impact Analysis of Market Restraints VIII. Competitive Advantages IX. Market Trends X. Opportunities XI. Latin America Market Data a. Regional Analysis b. Revenue Forecast c. Revenue Share By Fuel d. Revenue Share by Power Output e. Revenue Share by Applications f. Revenue Share by End User XII. Market Share by Revenues XIII. Argentinian Power Rental Market a) Country Information b) Market Drivers c) Market Restraints d) Revenue Forecast e) Enarsa's Mobile Power Generator Units f) Market Share by Revenues XIV. Brazilian Power Rental Market a) Country Information b) Market Drivers c) Market Restraints d) Revenue Forecast a) Market Share by Revenues XV. Mexican Power Rental Market a) Country Information b) Market Drivers c) Market Restraints d) Revenue Forecast a) Market Share by Revenues XIV. Rest of Latin America a) Chile b) Peru c) Colombia d) Revenue Forecast Companies Mentioned Aggreko Aggreko plc Caterpillar Inc. Cummins Inc. Herc Equipment Rentals Sunbelt Rentals United Rentals For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/rs5knb/power_rental ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Santa Fe Gold Corporation (OTC:SFEG), a U.S. based mining and exploration enterprise with emphasis on Gold, Silver, Copper, Precious, Industrial and Base metals and owner of multiple claims, including the Malone Mines complex incorporating 20 associated mine sites, the Playas Lake Bed area of Hidalgo County, New Mexico and a Silver mining opportunity with a potential major Porphyry Silver discovery, is pleased to announce it has acquired 100% of Bullards Peak Corporation and Black Hawk Consolidated Mines Company, which includes formerly optioned AG1 Silver Mine and all lands surrounding the project to include potential Porphyry Silver Discovery and all rights to same. The company has already initiated all of the processes to begin production as soon as possible. Santa Fe Gold has already paid $1.5 Million and expects to complete purchase within the next few months. Purchase of the properties includes two (2) percent royalty of the Net Smelter Returns (the NSR) in perpetuity. The properties, located in the South-Western US comprise 13 patented and 81 un-patented claims estimated to contain upwards of Three Million tons of unusually high-grade deposits and multiple vein structures, which according to recently completed assays, suggests that some ore vein values could be in the thousands of dollars per ton range. Negotiations with buyers ready to pay such amounts per ton of ore delivered from the mine site are ongoing. President and CEO Tom Laws Comments: "These are exceptional acquisitions for Santa Fe Gold that will now control highly prospective lands in one of the most highly mineralized zones anywhere on Earth, with particularly high concentrations of Silver, including presences of near pure Silver nuggets in the upper zones nearer to the surface. Given the dimensions and extent of the vein structures, we believe this will be a flagship property for Santa Fe Gold that can be brought into production relatively quickly and procedures are already under way to begin production as quickly as possible. "The main Silver mine and potential Porphyry Silver deposit beneath represent tremendous upside potential and value for Santa Fe Gold which is estimated to contain at least 135 Million ounces of Silver and depending upon the extent of the Porphyry deposit discovery, could add as much as a quarter of a Billion ounces, potentially valuing this property well into the Billions of Dollars. Proprietary surveillance methods have recently revealed extraordinarily high concentrations of Silver and Gold in these deposits, consistent with other veins in the region." In recounting the uniqueness of this property CEO Tom Laws emphasized he has never seen anything like it anywhere before in his more than 40 years career in mining and after intense negotiations over many months with a favorable outcome, makes it one of our most important accomplishments to have been able to consummate this deal for the benefit of shareholders. Our growing portfolio of highly sought-after properties, with more to come, demonstrates the strong commitment, dedication and confidence in the future of Santa Fe Gold as management is intent on building the company to new heights and continues to progress towards a restart of production per our previously announced plans around asset acquisitions and production ramp-up at a particularly opportunistic time for gold, silver and precious metals." Area is Rich in High Grade Deposits As commented previously, the area in general and its surroundings, has an uncommon history of exceptionally high grades, as borne out by previous very high-grade discoveries reported by Santa Fe Gold in 2012, where assays showed bonanza type high grades of 7.73 ounces of gold per ton and 269.75 ounces per ton of Silver. While such exceptionally high grades are rare and could be considered as an anomaly, they do prove that such grades exist. Historic mining of the Malone Mines Complex uncovered similar high-grade showings as borne out with grades reportedly as high as 16 oz. per ton at one time encountered in the highest yielding mine areas of this complex of mines which Santa Fe Gold already has under its control, where some 80% of all the gold discovered in New Mexico has been found. Release of Completed Financials Imminent Regrettably the earlier anticipated release of financials was set back by the severe impact of Hurricane Harvey and unprecedented flooding in Houston and other coastal areas of Texas. The release of quarterly and annual financials can be expected to be rolled out forthwith and the company will then be up to date and compliant and eligible for higher exchange listing. About Santa Fe Gold Santa Fe Gold is a U.S.-based mining and exploration enterprise and owns the following mining assets: The Knights Peak region of Grant County, New Mexico comprising the Malone Mines, Patanka, Hillcrest Barranca and Principal Mines, altogether incorporating some twenty mine sites and all located at Knights Peak, together with an expanded area surrounding the Malone Mines in the southern region of Burro Mountains, New Mexico. The company also owns significant holdings in the Playas Lake Bed Area of Hidalgo County. Santa Fe Gold now adds two mining companies to its portfolio, with substantial Silver holdings. The companys Development Team continues to be extremely active in acquiring additional properties over recent months as it finalizes analysis of a number of attractive, economically viable opportunities and executes on the company's acquisition program that is totally focused on positioning the company to resume mining and production operations expected later this year. For more information and to register for updates: Please visit www.santafegoldcorp.com. Forward Looking Statements Please refer to the Forward-Looking Statements link at the bottom left of Santa Fe Gold's website for all relevant disclosures. Frank Mueller CFO (505) 255-4852 SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) (Valero) and Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE:MMP) (Magellan) announced today the expansion and joint development of the marine storage facility currently under construction along the Houston Ship Channel in Pasadena, Texas. The Pasadena facility, which will handle petroleum products, including multiple grades of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, and renewable fuels, will be owned by a limited liability company that is owned 50/50 by Magellan and Valero Terminaling and Distribution Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Valero (VTDC), and will initially include five million barrels of storage, truck loading facilities, and two proprietary ship docks. As Magellan previously announced in July 2016, phase 1 of this facility, which is already under construction, includes approximately 1 million barrels of storage and a new marine dock capable of handling Panamax-sized ships or barges with up to a 40-foot draft. This first phase will now be owned by the jointly-owned company. Further, this facility will be expanded by an incremental four million barrels of storage, a three-bay truck rack and a second marine dock capable of handling Aframax-sized vessels with up to a 45-foot draft (phase 2). After completion of this expansion, the Pasadena facility will be connected via pipeline to Valero refineries in Houston and Texas City, Texas and the Colonial and Explorer pipelines in addition to the already planned connection to Magellans Galena Park terminal facility. Combined, phases 1 and 2 of the Pasadena marine terminal are currently estimated to cost approximately $820 million, which will be funded equally by capital contributions from Magellan and Valero. Both phases are fully contracted with long-term customer commitments. Magellan currently serves as construction manager and will serve as operator once construction is complete. Phase 1 of the new terminal is expected to be operational in early 2019, with phase 2 expected to come online in early 2020, subject to receipt of necessary permits and regulatory approvals. Valero is excited about this opportunity to work with an exceptional organization like Magellan to jointly develop this flexible and well-positioned terminal, said Joe Gorder, Valero Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. This project provides another example of our commitment to growing our portfolio of logistics capabilities to support our long-term strategy of expanding and extending our supply chain. Magellan is pleased to join forces with Valero to combine our extensive pipeline and terminals capabilities with their world-renowned refining and marketing expertise to further expand the state-of-the-art marine facility being constructed in Pasadena, said Michael Mears, Magellans Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. Demand for refined products from the Gulf Coast continues to grow, and together, we are well-positioned to continue expanding our marine capabilities to meet this demand from both domestic and international markets. If warranted by additional demand, the new Pasadena facility could be expanded to include an incremental five million barrels of storage, another three docks, and expanded truck loading capacity for a maximum footprint of up to 10 million barrels of total storage and up to five docks. All future expansions are expected to be owned by the jointly-owned company. About Valero Valero Energy Corporation, through its subsidiaries, is an international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels and other petrochemical products. Valero, a Fortune 50 company based in San Antonio, Texas, with approximately 10,000 employees, is an independent petroleum refiner and ethanol producer, and its assets include 15 petroleum refineries with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.1 million barrels per day and 11 ethanol plants with a combined production capacity of 1.4 billion gallons per year. The petroleum refineries are located in the United States (U.S.), Canada and the United Kingdom (U.K.), and the ethanol plants are located in the Mid-Continent region of the U.S. In addition, Valero owns the 2 percent general partner interest and a majority limited partner interest in Valero Energy Partners LP, a midstream master limited partnership. Valero sells its products in both the wholesale rack and bulk markets, and approximately 7,400 outlets carry Valeros brand names in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Ireland. Please visit www.valero.com for more information. About Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE:MMP) is a publicly traded partnership that primarily transports, stores and distributes refined petroleum products and crude oil. Magellan owns the longest refined petroleum products pipeline system in the country, with access to nearly 50% of the nations refining capacity, and can store approximately 100 million barrels of petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel and crude oil. More information is available at www.magellanlp.com. Safe-Harbor Statement Statements contained in this release that state the companys or managements expectations or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements intended to be covered by the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The words believe, expect, should, estimates, intend, targeting, and other similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. It is important to note that actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements based on numerous factors, including those outside of the companys control, such as delays in construction timing and other factors. For more information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed or forecasted, see Valeros annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and our other reports filed with the SEC and on Valeros website at www.valero.com, and VLPs annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC and on VLPs website at www.valeroenergypartners.com. Contacts Valero: John Locke, Investor Relations (210) 345-3077, john.locke@valero.com Lillian Riojas, Media Relations (210) 345-5002, lillian.riojas@valero.com Magellan: Paula Farrell, Investor Relations (918) 574-7650, paula.farrell@magellanlp.com Bruce Heine, Media Relations (918) 574-7010, bruce.heine@magellanlp.com Salt Lake City, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. (PRMI) announced the formation of the PRMI Giving Network a service initiative aimed to help transform communities across the globe and to inspire and create real change through nutrition, service, and education. Through this initiative, it recently partnered with The Kids In Need Foundation (KINF) to raise $150,000 in eight weeks to help children succeed in classrooms across America. The PRMI Giving Network allows us to expand upon PRMIs community service efforts and will provide a companywide opportunity to participate in our corporate giving, said David Zitting, CEO of PRMI. Last year, I was proud that our first-ever companywide fundraising competition raised more than $152,000 and provided 1.67 million meals to people in need through Feeding America. This year, I know our partnership with The Kids In Need Foundation will be a great success that will help thousands of students nationwide. Giving back has always been in our DNA and putting a name to our outreach is something our company is thrilled about, said Steve Chapman, CFO of PRMI. Our hope for the PRMI Giving Network is to expand on our current efforts not just nationally, but globally. Sixteen million children in the United States come from families struggling with extreme poverty. The Kids In Need Foundations mission is to ensure that every child is prepared to learn and succeed by providing free school supplies nationally to students most in need. It is tough for a student to learn without the appropriate tools in the classroom, says Dave Smith, executive director, The Kids In Need Foundation. We know that when kids have the school supplies they need, their interest in learning improves, and their self-esteem increases. Because of the generosity of the PRMI Giving Network, more students will have the school supplies they need to succeed this year. Most importantly, they will feel the intangible benefit of community support." PRMI kicked off the KINF Backpack Challenge at its 8th annual National Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. At the end of the eight-week campaign, each branch office will get the opportunity to participate in the PRMI Week of Giving, which will donate thousands of backpacks filled with supplies to local low-income school districts across the country. To learn more about the campaign, please visit fundraise.kinf.org/prmi and follow the initiative on social media with #PRMIBackpackChallenge and #PRMIGivingNetwork. About The Kids In Need Foundation The Kids in Need Foundations mission is to ensure that every child is prepared to learn and succeed in the classroom by providing free school supplies nationally to students most in need. The Kids In Need Foundation, a national 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1995, has distributed more than $900 million in school supplies since its inception, and directly benefited 5.4 million students and more than 150,000 teachers last year alone. For more information, visit KINF.org, and join us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @KidsInNeed. About PRMI Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc. (PRMI) was founded in 1998 by Dave Zitting, Jeff Zitting and Steve Chapman. PRMI has grown into a nationwide, multibillion-dollar operation with over 1,800 employees and nearly 250 branches. The company is licensed in 49 states and serves all segments of the market. PRMI is a privately held company that focuses primarily on traditional residential loan products. For information on PRMI, please visit www.PrimaryResidentialMortgage.com PRMI is an Equal Housing Lender. NMLS #3094. Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a180413e-b550-4946-9577-5b035c07f6d2 Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8cac478f-5216-48a8-98e7-4b67595c6831 Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cdbbbf29-d386-42a3-bfab-fbe18c517aa5 S-033188 Phase 3 CAPSTONE-1 Study Results for Treatment of Influenza Presented at the European Scientific Working Group on Influenza Conference Details Category: Small Molecules Published on Thursday, 14 September 2017 10:07 Hits: 1212 OSAKA, Japan I September 13, 2017 I Results of a S-033188 Phase 3 study in influenza patients (CAPSTONE-1) were released at the 6th European Scientific Working Group on Influenza Conference (ESWI), held on September 10-13, 2017 in Riga, Latvia. Additionally, Shionogi & Co., Ltd. (hereafter "Shionogi") presented data on the nonclinical activity of this investigational drug against A/H7N9 (vian influenza). S-033188 is a novel cap-dependent endonuclease inhibitor with potent anti-viral efficacy. Important findings for S-033188 presented at ESWI include the following: Phase 3 CAPSTONE-1 study results (abstract # PL0501) The CAPSTONE-1 study was a randomized, double-blind, multicenter, parallel-group, placebo and oseltamivir-controlled study that enrolled 1,436 otherwise healthy patients diagnosed with influenza. Patients aged 20 to 64 years were randomly assigned in a ratio of 2:2:1 to receive a single one-time oral dose of 40 or 80 mg of S-033188, according to body weight, 75 mg twice daily of oseltamivir or placebo for five days. Patients aged 12 to 19 years were randomly assigned in a ratio of 2:1 to receive either a single one-time oral dose of S-033188 or placebo. Key results for S-033188 were: Significant improvement in time to alleviation of symptoms (TTAS) compared with placebo. The median TTAS was 53.7 hours in S-033188 group, compared to 80.2 hours in placebo group (p<0.0001). TTAS was similar between S-033188 and oseltamivir groups. Significantly greater reduction in viral titer compared to placebo or oseltamivir. At 24 hours after start of treatment, mean viral titers decreased by approximately 4.4, 1.2 and 2.5 log 10 TCID 50 /ml from baseline in the S-033188, placebo and oseltamivir groups, respectively (p<0.0001, S-033188 vs placebo or oseltamivir). TCID /ml from baseline in the S-033188, placebo and oseltamivir groups, respectively (p<0.0001, S-033188 vs placebo or oseltamivir). Significant reduction in time to cessation of viral shedding compared to placebo or oseltamivir. Time to cessation of viral shedding was significantly shorter in the S-033188 group (median 24.0 hours) than in either the placebo (96.0 hours, p<0.0001) or oseltamivir groups (72.0 hours, p<0.0001). Significantly faster resolution of fever compared to placebo (median 24.5 vs 42.0 hours). S-033188 was generally well tolerated with a numerically lower overall incidence of adverse events (20.7%) compared with placebo (24.6%) or oseltamivir (24.8%). S-033188 demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in the incidence of treatment-related adverse events compared to oseltamivir (p=0.0088) Inhibitory effect of S-033188 against avian influenza A/H7N9 virus in vitro and in vivo (abstract # SPA4P09) S-033447, the active form of S-033188, demonstrated more potent antiviral activity against the A/Anhui/1/2013 strain than oseltamivir acid (mean EC 90 values: 0.80 nM vs. 15.41 nM) in the virus yield reduction assay. S-033188 completely eliminated mortality in this mouse model and exhibited significantly longer survival time compared to vehicle or oseltamivir. In addition to Phase 3 and A/H7N9 presentations, exploratory data from the completed Phase 2 study and nonclinical activity data in an immunocompromised mice model were shown at the conference. "We are very excited that a single one-time oral dose of S-033188 demonstrated this rapid viral load reduction and reduced duration of virus shedding, compared with oseltamivir," said Dr. Tsutae Den Nagata, Chief Medical Officer. "Also, we believe this drug will be able to address potential public health concerns, for example, pandemic influenza caused by avian influenza viruses such as A/H7N9." Based on the results from CAPSTONE-1, Shionogi plans to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) to the PMDA in Japan later this year. Shionogi is currently conducting another global Phase 3 study (CAPSTONE-2) in individuals at high risk for influenza-related complications; patient enrollment in the study is ongoing. A US NDA is planned. About S-033188 S-033188 is a cap-dependent endonuclease inhibitor with a novel mechanism of action being studied for the treatment of influenza using a one-time dosing regimen. Development and commercialization of S-033188 are in collaboration with F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. About Influenza Epidemic and pandemic influenza remain a major public health concern, and novel influenza drugs that will offer significant improvement over current therapy are urgently needed. Worldwide, annual influenza epidemics are estimated to result in 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness, and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths.1 In general, those at highest risk of influenza-related complications include children under 2 years of age, adults over 65 years of age, pregnant women, and people of any age with certain medical conditions, including chronic heart, lung, metabolic diseases (such as diabetes) and weakened immune systems. About Shionogi Shionogi & Co., Ltd. is a major research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to bringing benefits to patients based on its corporate philosophy of "supplying the best possible medicine to protect the health and wellbeing of the patients we serve." Shionogi's research and development currently target two therapeutic areas: infectious diseases, and pain/CNS disorders. For over 50 years, Shionogi has developed and commercialized innovative oral and parenteral anti-infectives. In addition, Shionogi is engaged in new research areas, such as obesity/geriatric metabolic disease and oncology/immunology. Contributing to the health and quality of life of patients around the world through development in these therapeutic areas is Shionogi's primary goal. For more details, please visit www.shionogi.co.jp/en/. For more information on Shionogi Inc., the U.S. based subsidiary of Shionogi & Co., Ltd., headquartered in Florham Park, NJ, USA, please visit www.shionogi.com. For more information on Shionogi Ltd., the UK-based subsidiary of Shionogi & Co. Ltd., headquartered in London, England, please visit www.shionogi.eu. SOURCE: Shionogi TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian Business and PROFIT today ranked HonkMobile, North Americas fastest and most convenient way to find and pay for parking, No. 6 on the 2017 STARTUP 50 ranking of Canadas Top New Growth Companies. The STARTUP 50 ranks younger Canadian companies on two-year revenue growth and winners are profiled in the October issue of Macleans magazine and online at CanadianBusiness.com. Honk made the 2017 STARTUP 50 list with a two-year revenue growth of 1,431%. Honk is a leader in digitizing the parking experience with user growth exceeding 2,000% over the past two years. The Honk app allows motorists to seamlessly search, pay for, and top up parking directly from their smartphone, tablet or computer. Honk has eliminated the frustration of circling the block by allowing drivers to reserve a parking spot before they leave the front door. Users receive a 15-minute text notification before their parking is set to expire and the app allows them to buy additional time remotely, removing the hassle of running back to add more time at the meter. This award recognizes Honks significant achievements in transforming parking across North America since its launch in 2013. Driven by consumer demand, Honk has launched in cities across North America, expanded its parking inventory to include a majority stake of Canadas postsecondary institutions, and partnered with municipalities and private parking operators to provide safe, affordable and convenient parking. Honks customer-centric vision has made feeding the meter a thing of the past offering several different payment options including all major credit cards, Apple Pay, PayPal and Masterpass. This years STARTUP 50 winners are truly remarkable. Not only have they brought new offerings to market, theyve earned enough traction to grow their revenues exponentially in a short period of time, says Deborah Aarts, STARTUP 50 and PROFIT 500 program manager. Any aspiring entrepreneur should look to them for insight into how to create, and grow, a thriving startup today. The 2017 STARTUP 50 ranking is a testament to the great customer service weve been offering parkers and parking operators over the past 4 years, said Honk Founder and CEO Michael Back. We are honoured to be ranked amongst Canadas Top New Growth Companies - a recognition of our leadership and innovation in the industry. We remain steadfast in our commitment to continuously modernize the parking experience and find new ways to offer drivers an affordable, convenient and worry-free parking. About the STARTUP 50 and PROFIT 500 Ranking Canadas Top New Growth Companies by two-year revenue growth, the STARTUP 50 profiles the fastest-growing startups in the country. It is a companion list to the PROFIT 500 ranking of Canadas Fastest-Growing Companies, which has, for 29 years, been Canadas most respectable and influential ranking of entrepreneurial achievement. Both the STARTUP 50 and PROFIT 500 are published in Macleans magazine and at CanadianBusiness.com. For more information on ranking visit PROFIT500.com or CanadianBusiness.com About Canadian Business Founded in 1928, Canadian Business is the longest serving and most-trusted business publication in the country. It is the Countrys premier media brand executives and senior business leaders. It fuels the success of Canadas business elite with a focus a focus on the things that matter most: leadership, innovation, business strategy and management tactics. Learn more at CanadianBusiness.com About HonkMobile Honk is North Americas leading provider of on-demand mobile payments for parking. Honks innovative cloud-based technology streamlines parking by allowing users to search, pay for, and top up parking from their mobile phone, tablet or any internet connected device. Honk is already accepted at over 800 locations and 150,000 parking spaces across Canada and the United States. Using a single account, motorists can pay for parking anywhere Honk is accepted across North America. The HonkMobile app can be downloaded for free on both iOS and Android at www.honkmobile.com or via the App Store or Google Play. For information, interview and images, please contact: Mia Brown Director, Marketing mia@honkmobile.com 416.788.7555 Malaysia Airlines Plans to Fly to US Again? Malaysia Airlines is in the spotlight for the past few days. They just signed the deal for 16 aircrafts with Boeing worth US$ 4.86 billion (which includes maintenance, repair and overhaul services). They ordered 9 Dreamliner B787 jets and 8 B737-Max from Boeing. With the nine new Dreamliner B787 jets, Malaysia Airlines has the capacity to offer more long-haul flights. Thus, with our Prime Minister investing billions and dollars to United States in this official trip to meet US President Donald Trump, there might be some deals for Malaysia Airlines to get approval to have landing rights in US. It could be a possibility in our opinion and we are still hoping for the VISA waiver for Malaysians traveling to US from this trip. It will still take some time for any possibilities of Malaysia Airlines to fly back to United States. It will take a few years for the Dreamliner B787 to deliver so there are still plenty of time. Malaysia Airlines stop its flights to Los Angeles in 2014 and other destinations like Buenos Aires, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Paris, Amsterdam and more in the past decade. There are reports that Malaysia Airlines is eyeing to fly to New York and other cities in Europe as well as expanding new destinations in South Korea and Japan. It is still too early to tell whether Malaysia Airlines will fly back to United States but we really hope for the VISA waiver for Malaysians traveling to US soon. Wilson Ng A Father and traveler who enjoys to eat, shop, travel and taking pictures with Samsung S22 Ultra and Sony ZV-1. Im a full time blogger, youtuber and father for two. I used to travel around 17 International trips per year but now staying at home. Remember to follow us at www.instagram.com/placesandfoods and www.youtube.com/placesandfoods. For advertisements or features, contact me at [email protected] See author's posts 888poker XL Eclipse Day 3: Roman Romanovskyi Wins $500K High Roller September 13, 2017 Eric Mertens On the third day of the 888poker XL Eclipse Series, 11 new tournaments started. Most of the attention went to the $2,100 High Roller, where the best players in the world competed for the first prize of $107,500! Let's take a look at this tournament and the results of the other events that played out on Tuesday. XL Eclipse #36 - $500,000 High Roller Buy-in Date Players Prize pool $2,100 September 12 243 $500,000 After more than 11 hours of play, Event #36 - $2,100 XL Eclipse High Roller finally crowned a winner. Roman "Romeopro33" Romanovskyi from Ukraine claimed the victory and the first prize of after beating "lacibaby64" in the deciding heads-up. This event, with a buy-in of $2,100, saw 171 players register and those players made 72 rebuys to get a total amount of 243 players. 888poker guaranteed at least $500,000 so there was a bit overlay. The prize pool was $500,000 with 27 places paid. Familiar faces like Anton "anteen" Bertilsson, Mike "SirWatts" Watson, Chris "888Moorman" Moorman, Scott "AggroSantos" Margereson and Fabricio "DrMiKee" Gonzalez missed out on making the money. The bubble didn't take that long, after "OMGsete" losing with pocket sevens against the pocket eights of "AlexMax15". After the players reached the money, it went pretty quickly to a final table. On the bubble of the final table, Canadian "SleepinAwake" was the shortest stack with ten left and he went all in with ace-nine. Big stack Roman "Romeopro33" Romanovskyi found ace-queen and saw his hand held. "SleepinAwake" finished in tenth place for $8,750 while the remaining nine players were moved to the official final table. On the final table, "AriGold17" exited in ninth place for $10,000 after losing with ace-jack against king-queen. "AlexMax15" (eight, $15,000) followed him to the rail, he busted with king-ten against ace-eight. The remaining seven players played for a while before "2pacnrw16" (seventh, $20,000) and Nicholas "PKaiser" Fierro busted in quick succession. Dutchman "Poker86ss" busted in fifth place after losing with two pair against the straight of "allesrigged". The final four players played together for a while before "allesrigged" lost his chips with ace-queen against the five-three of Simon "Isildur1337x" Matsson. He had to settle for fourth place and he received a prize of $43,750. With three players left, once again it took a while before someone busted. Then, from the small blind, Romanovskyi put all the pressure on Matsson in the big blind. Matsson called with ace-eight and was in front against the ten-four of his opponent. Ukraine's Romanovskyi flopped a ten, turned a four and won the hand to bust Matsson in third place for $48,750. Romanovskyi started the heads-up with even stacks, but in just a few minutes he took full control. In one of the first big hands, he secured himself of this victory and the first prize of $107,500. In the last hand, he won with king-queen against queen-nine on a queen high board. Place Player County Prize 1 Roman "Romeopro33" Romanovskyi Ukraine $107,500 2 laciababy64 Czech Republic $77,500 3 Simon "Isildur1337x" Matsson" Sweden $58,750 4 allesrigged Germany $43,750 5 Poker86ss Netherlands $30,000 6 Nicholas "PKaiser" Fierro Chile $25,000 7 2pacnrw16 Germany $20,000 8 AlexMax15 Arabia $15,000 9 AriGold17 Canada $10,000 XL Eclipse #30 - $15,000 Lightning 6-Max Buy-in Date Players Prize pool $109 September 12 118 $19,500 The first winner of the day came from the XL Eclipse #30 - $15,000 Lightning 6-Max. In this traditional event, 195 players competed for a prize pool of $19,500. "nomoney4ever" from Croatia came out on top and secured himself of the first prize of $5,070. Place Player County Prize 1 nomoney4ever Croatia $5,070 2 r4ndomr4gs Sweden $3,413 3 GramNaKartke Czech Republic $2,535 4 ihavenoboss Costa Rica $1,658 5 Ph4N888 Romania $1,268 6 Nicholas "PKaiser" Fierro Chile $878 XL Eclipse #31 - $15,000 Breeze Buy-in Date Players Prize pool $55 September 12 318 $15,900 Place Player County Prize 1 aaureliio Brazil $3,077 2 T.NAPOLEAO Brazil $2,306 3 Smithstudent Russia $1,749 4 flooow. Austria $1,312 5 gonzalo888lo Argentina $906 6 konnichiwah Netherlands $700 7 rikaak Brazil $541 8 Odesit73 Ukraine $382 9 RagingStoic Germany $278 XL Eclipse #32 - $15,000 Deepstack Swordfish Buy-in Date Players Prize pool $30 September 12 666 $18,315 Finnish player "sheikkkeri" added an impressive result on his resume after winning the XL Eclipse #32 - $15,000 Deepstack Swordfish. He received the top prize of $3,434. In the final heads-up, he defeated Brittish player "2MIDGETZ". Place Player County Prize 1 sheikkkeri Finland $3,434 2 2MIDGETZ United Kingdom $2,473 3 888_Hun United Kingdom $1,832 4 MECTEPEO Russia $1,374 5 tutuia20 Brazil $962 6 TankeVicius Morocco $778 7 gambler0602 Lithuania $595 8 Lellusion Brazil $412 9 AboldMove Latvia $258 XL Eclipse #33 - $40,000 Crocodile Buy-in Date Players Prize pool $160 September 12 270 $40,500 One of the biggest winners on Day 3 came from the XL Eclipse #33 - $40,000 Crocodile. Players paid their buy-in of $160 and in total there was $40,500 in the prize pool. "PROCHRIS1" from Switzerland was crowned as a winner in this event and he received the first prize of $8,282. Place Player County Prize 1 PROCHRIS1 Switzerland $8,282 2 MalakiasCF United Kingdom $6,075 3 Triple_20 Czech Republic $4,577 4 uR4iseM3Up Austria $3,443 5 silvtom Germany $2,349 6 Valfierno1 Argentina $1,823 7 calvaroe Sweden $1,418 8 Graftekkel Netherlands $1,013 9 PVACC444 Canada $770 XL Eclipse #34 - $15,000 Swordfish Buy-in Date Players Prize pool $30 September 12 635 $17,463 Place Player County Prize 1 Openpunks Malta $3,299 2 McKarty18 Lithuania $2,392 3 VinceDiKoins Latvia $1,764 4 PGergo11 Czech Republic $1,327 5 s4lb31p3st0 Germany $932 6 GOGOslowroll Brazil $742 7 bratok_38reg Russia $568 8 iTSReTSaM Aruba $393 9 elpato123 Colombia $262 XL Eclipse #35 - $20,000 Monsoon Buy-in Date Players Prize pool $55 September 12 509 $25,450 Place Player County Prize 1 progree69 Argentina $4,810 2 FreierBoy Germany $3,525 3 TomBrady17 Canada $2,596 4 mr.salgado Brazil $1,960 5 cheloxPY Paraguay $1,374 6 Magnf1cious Lithuania $1,082 7 ob1wahn Germany $827 8 GOGOslowroll Brazil $573 9 iTSReTSaM Aruba $389 XL Eclipse #37 - $200,000 Mini High Roller Buy-in Date Players Prize pool $215 September 12 658 $200,000 For the players who couldn't afford the biggest buy-in ($2,100) of the day, there was a Mini edition of the High Roller on the schedule. This tournament had a buy-in of $215 and there were 658 players competing for a prize pool of $200,000. Every finalist of this tournament would secure himself of $2,820 but all eyes were on the top prize of $37,500. That top prize went to Malta's "SuprNintend0" after beating "backdown8" from Sweden in the final heads-up. The Swedish runner-up received $27,000 for his second place, while "MechaREcorta" received $20,000 for third. Place Player County Prize 1 SuprNintend0 Malta $37,500 2 backdown8 Sweden $27,000 3 MechaREcorta Argentina $20,000 4 T0X16 Germany $15,000 5 birdgamecray Canada $10,500 6 jimmyman22 Czech Republic $8,500 7 B.Mitchell Sweden $6,500 8 kiskutya23 Czech Republic $4,500 9 Elon_Musk Czech Republic $2,820 XL Eclipse #38 - $50,000 Tuesday Challenge Buy-in Date Players Prize pool $109 September 12 523 $52,300 Another big winner was crowned in the XL Eclipse #38 - $50,000 Tuesday Challenge. This event was played by 523 players to create a prize pool of $52,300. In the end, it was Brazil's "LobBoXt" who won the event for $9,885 while his fellow countryman "SemogrotciV" finished in second place for $7,244. Place Player County Prize 1 LobBoXt Brazil $9,885 2 SemogrotciV Brazil $7,244 3 Kamphu94 Germany $5,335 4 DuduPa1986 Canada $4,027 5 morewater Denmark $2,824 6 Fabricio "DrMiKee" Gonzalez Uruguay $2,223 7 Pimmelspeck Germany $1,700 8 Nodeal00 Moldavia $1,177 9 myhometown Sweden $800 XL Eclipse #39 - $15,000 Tornado Buy-in Date Players Prize pool $109 September 12 127 $17,300 Place Player County Prize 1 gusma Brazil $3,979 2 CuriousCall Romania $2,768 3 Rodisking Denmark $2,102 4 popsnpoker Canada $1,557 5 summuNNN United Kingdom $1,038 6 yrkkk Lithuania $865 7 unclesala Switzerland $692 8 bienemajo Austria $519 9 tmurdah Netherlands $433 XL Eclipse #40 - $65,000 Turbo High Roller Buy-in Date Players Prize pool $160 September 12 273 $65,000 Last but not least, players could enjoy the $65,000 Turbo High Roller which had a buy-in of $160. In total, 374 players competed in this event which wasn't enough to get above the guaranteed prize pool of $65,000. The lion's share of this money was for Norway's "WulfricB", who took the victory after just three hours and 46 minutes. He received the first prize of $13,292.50 while runner-up "GOLDandVODKA" had to settle for second place ($9,750). Place Player County Prize 1 WulfricB Norway $13,292.50 2 GOLDandVODKA Latvia $9,750 3 allesrigged Germany $7,345 4 rascada United Kingdom $5,525 5 cikipaujeje Lithuania $3,770 6 Viachello Estonia $2,925 7 BEN_TIMOVER Ireland $2,275 8 Anton "anteen" Bertilsson Sweden $1,625 9 Valfierno1 Argentina $1,235 Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print The only African American Republican in the U.S. Senate was brought to the White House on Wednesday to give Donald Trump a lesson, explaining to the ignorant president something any leader should know that America has a dark past when it comes to racial issues. According to The New York Times, GOP Sen. Tim Scott met with Trump in the Oval Office to deliver a pointed lecture to the president about racism and his disturbing response to the Charlotteville terrorism last month. More from the report: Tim Scott, the lone black Republican in the Senate, delivered a pointed lecture on Americas 300-year legacy of racism to President Trump on Wednesday in response to what he called Mr. Trumps sterile response to the riots in Charlottesville, Va., last month. The president invited Mr. Scott, a conservative from South Carolina who had expressed disgust with Mr. Trumps equivocal reaction to the white supremacist protests that left one woman dead, to the Oval Office for what Mr. Trumps staff described as a demonstration of the presidents commitment to positive race relations. When a reporter asked the senator if the president had expressed regret, a pained look flashed on Mr. Scotts face. He paused for a few seconds and replied, He certainly tried to explain what he was trying to convey. Soon after the meeting ended, White House officials emailed reporters a photograph of Mr. Trump listening intently as Mr. Scott made a point, with both sitting in chairs often used for bilateral meetings with foreign leaders. The White House misidentified him as Tom Scott. Trumps effort to move past his despicable Charlottesville response by inviting the only black Senator into the Oval Office backfired horribly and was nothing more than a photo-op for the president. As the report indicates, Trump didnt appear to have any interest in changing his mind about what he expressed in the wake of Charlottesville. Instead, the president who built a campaign and won the presidency in large part because of his skill stirring up racial resentment tried to defend his post-Charlottesville ignorance. He couldnt even pretend to act apologetic in a private meeting with the nations only African American senator; he doubled down. This meeting could have given Trump an opportunity to learn something about race relations in America a subject he seems to know very little about but the president only made things worse. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders smeared Obama while falsely claiming that Trump has been more bipartisan in one deal than Obama was in eight years. Video: Huckabee Sanders said, This president has done more for bipartisanship in the last eight days than Obama did in eight years. Sarah Huckabee Sanders was lying. Here are the facts. Because of divided government, Obama relentlessly pursued Republican votes, and almost all of his domestic policy achievements came from bipartisan deals. Here is a brief list of Obamas bipartisan deals via a Real Clear Politics article: 1), The Recovery Act 2). Repeal of Dont Ask Dont Tell 3). Dodd Frank 4). Surveillance reform 5). Food Safety Bill 6). mandatory prison sentence reform 9). 2010 tax cuts 10). 2012 tax cut deal to raise taxes on the very wealthy 11). the sequester 12). numerous CRs negotiated with Republicans to keep the government open The list above is partial, and there are dozens of more legislative accomplishments during the Obama years that were bipartisan and never got the credit or attention that they deserved. It is a total lie to suggest that because Trump made one deal with Democrats, he is more bipartisan, but that is the fantasy world that Republicans are living in. The Trump administrations sole and only purpose isnt to govern but to smear, undo, and demean Obamas legacy with lies and false statements. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print On October 3, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that could deem partisan gerrymandering constitutional. Simply put, partisan gerrymandering makes some voters more equal than others, ostensibly based on their party preference. As recently as 2013, this argument was considered a poor attempt to obscure what was really raced based gerrymandering. The case, Gill v. Whitford, challenges Wisconsins electoral map and was brought by the Campaign Legal Center. In honesty, partisan gerrymandering has been part of our political landscape throughout our history. However, in todays America, race is an undeniable factor determining our partisan preferences. Theres no escaping the reality that the Republican Party is the party of white privilege, while the Democratic Party has become the party for people of color, women, the LGBT community, people who welcome immigrants instead of feeling threatened by them. The Republican Party has been hostile to minorities since the civil rights era. However, its racial animus was, by comparison, subdued. The Republican Party doesnt hide its opposition to programs intended to provide equality of opportunity to people who endured structural racism from Americas inception. It isnt above masking its desire to rig elections in a manner that gives a privileged white mans vote more weight than that of a woman, a person of color, or a member of any other minority. With Donald Trump as its face and its leader, the Republican Party has openly become the party that defends white supremacists, fascists and neo-Nazis. As it moved further and further to the right, the Republican Party became less appealing to minorities who recognize the Republican Partys policies are harmful to their interests. Moreover, it has become politically correct for Republicans to reduce concerns about equality and policies that adversely affect minorities as identity politics a term used to disparage and dismiss the interests of anyone who doesnt fall in the category of privileged white men. Conversely, the majority of people in the increasingly marginalized demographics are Democrats. In short, we live in an age where partisan gerrymandering and racial gerrymandering really are the same thing. In 2013, Republicans like Greg Abbott, as then Texas Attorney-General denied that his state gerrymandered its electoral maps based on race. He told the court, Texas gerrymandering was exclusively about providing Republicans with an electoral advantage. While the Trump wing of the Republican Party is dominant and the Republican Party officialdom supports partisan gerrymandering that opinion is not universal. Several prominent Republicans filed briefs to argue partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional. They include: Senator John McCain of Arizona; Gov. John R. Kasich of Ohio; Bob Dole, the former Republican Senate leader from Kansas and the partys 1996 presidential nominee; the former senators John C. Danforth of Missouri, Richard G. Lugar of Indiana and Alan K. Simpson of Wyoming; and Arnold Schwarzenegger, a former governor of California. Republican opponents of gerrymandering express a variety of concerns should partisan gerrymandering be ruled constitutional. Trevor Potter, president of the Campaign Legal Center and a former Chairman to the Federal Election Commission argues that partisan gerrymandering attacks the heart of political legitimacy. When speaking of the prominent Republicans who oppose partisan gerrymandering, Potter said: They know that elected officials legitimacy comes from being freely chosen by voters, not through seizing power from voters to keep themselves in control, The courts saw through Gregg Abbotts arguments in 2013 but that was at time of relative normalcy. Today, we have a president who defends Russia and white supremacists, above everyone else and above the values that crossed party lines until Trump ran his divide and conquer campaign. Theres a struggle between those of us who defend a great, albeit imperfect, America where people, facts and progress matter and an American with an institutionalized social hierarchy where ones dignity and value is measured by the color of their skin and their gender, rather than the content of their character. The America we defend is one where all votes are equal, vs. the Trump version where some votes are more equal than others. The Supreme Courts ruling on the constitutionality of partisan gerrymandering can either save or irreparably damage the American where there is a equal place for every voter regardless of the basis of their citizenship, the color of their skin, their gender, sexual identity or religion. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Unshackled and ready to become a political force once again, Hillary Clinton made a fresh set of attacks on Donald Trump, calling the president out for being immature and unqualified to be in the White House. Clinton said that she hoped her worst fears about a Trump presidency wouldnt come true, but she is now compelled to speak out with a sense of urgency. The comments came in a new interview with The New Yorker. More from that interview: I think the President and his Administration pose a clear and present danger to our democracy, she said. I hoped, back on the day after that election, that I wouldnt be sitting here, all these months later, feeling compelled to say that with a sense of urgency. But I am, and I do. Trump, Clinton went on, is immature, with poor impulse control; unqualified for the position that he holds; reactive, not proactive; not strategic, either at home or on the world stage. And I think he is unpredictable, which, at the end of the description one can give of him, makes him dangerous. The latest incident with North Korea? Going after our ally, South Korea, while North Korea is threatening the region, threatening us? Going after China, which we need, whether we like it or not, to help us try to resolve the aggressive behavior of Kim Jong Un? It puts a smile on Kims face. Just like him going after nato and the Atlantic alliance puts a smile on Putins face. He admires authoritarians. In fact, before this crisis with North Korea, he was praising Kim Jong Un. He clearly has a bromance toward Putin, whom he lauds as a great leader. Hes being played by the Putins and the Kim Jong Uns of the world. Im not even sure hes aware of that. Because he has such a limited understanding of the world. Everything is in relation to how it makes him feel. And therefore he has little objective distance, which a leader must have. Making decisions in the Oval Office requires a level of dispassionate, reasoned analysis. Weve seen no evidence hes capable of that. Clintons new set of attacks comes a day after her new tell-all book, What Happened, was released, documenting her feelings about the 2016 election. The book tour has given her a chance to jump back in the political arena in a way she hasnt been since her stunning electoral defeat last fall and she hasnt held back in the least. In her interview with The New Yorker, Clinton summed up the last nine months in a way that most Americans would now probably agree with: Its like a bad movie. You cant believe anybody would ever green-light it, and all of a sudden it happens. The former Democratic nominee may not be running for president again, but she is clearly done sitting on the sidelines and ready to take on the most dangerous president this country has ever seen. Raleigh, NC, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Real Estate Standards Organization, or RESO, today revealed the 2017 RESO DataComp, its first-ever data competition sponsored by Realtors Property Resource, will begin on September 17, at 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time, culminating in live demonstration before a distinguished panel of industry judges from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pacific Time on October 17 at the Pendry Hotel in San Diego, during the RESO fall conference. RESO is an independent non-profit with more than 725 active members, including the National Association of Realtors, multiple-listing services, real estate associations, brokerages - representing over 800,000 brokers and agents - and industry technology providers. RESO creates and promotes the adoption and utilization of standards that drive efficiency throughout the real estate industry. The RESO DataComp is welcoming tech start-ups outside the real estate industry, as well as new innovators from Universities to incubators. A total of $25,000 in Cash Prizes is being made available, provided by prize sponsors that include FBS, the creators of Flexmls and Stratus Data Systems, Inc. RESO DataComp is open to all tech companies, startups, colleges, incubators and others who believe they have the next big idea that could revolutionize real estate through data, said Jeremy Crawford, CEO of RESO. We are challenging the freshest minds in the developer community to take our hottest technology standard the RESO Web API and push the envelope by showing us how we can improve the real estate industry ecosystem, he added. DataComp details Unlike a Hackathon that lasts for hours, the RESO DataComp data competition is comprised of a month-long development cycle. With an optional entry fee of $25 which RESO will donate fully to a nonprofit it is designed to be open to anyone: from the home hacker to the corporate coder, as long as they are a legal U.S. resident and 18 years of age or older at the time of submission. Individuals or teams are eligible to submit an entry, with teams comprised up to five (5) individuals. Registration must be completed online (https://resodatacomp2017.eventbrite.com) by October 16th, 2017. $25,000 Cash Prizes include: $10,000 USD for Best Startup $5,000 USD for Best use of Listing Data $5,000 USD for Best use of Non-Listing Data $5,000 USD for Crowd Favorite According to the official rules of the RESO DataComp, submissions can come from all technology sections, including, but not limited to mobile, web, VR, AR, device, hardware, and drone. The most important requirements: entries must select at least one RESO Web API v1.0.2 Compliant Provider. RESO Web API compliant providers available during the competition will include the RPR-AMP platform, FBSs Spark API platform, California Regional MLSs API platform and Zillow Groups Retsly platform. Live real-time MLS data will be provided by Sandicor, California Regional MLS, Arizona Regional MLS, Austin Central Texas Realty Information Service and other datasets within the RPR-AMP platform. Participants will also have access to tax data provided through the RPR-AMP and Retsly platform. MLS Data is a critical component requirement to the functionality of the submission. A full set of the DataComp rules can be downloaded in a PDF from the RESO website here (https://www.reso.org/download/reso-data-competition-rules). The panel of judges for the RESO DataComp will be announced at the RESO Fall Conference, and will include experts from both real estate and technology sectors. The Judging Criteria: 30% Originality: Considering the current real estate technology ecosystem, how unique is this product? 30% Execution: How well was this product executed on both the front end and back end? 25% Data Use: How well was a RESO compliant API used in this product? 15% Presentation: How well does the Participant describe and demonstrate their product to the audience and Judging Panel during the Demo? The Live Demonstration portion of the competition the final stage of judging will be held on the afternoon of Tuesday, Oct. 17, during the RESO Fall Conference meeting in San Diego, October 17-19, at the uber-hip Pendry San Diego. Each team must present a live demonstration on site to be considered for the competition, remote entries and non-demo based presentations are not allowed, such as PowerPoint. Wednesday afternoon, October 18, will feature DataComp winner presentations. Registration to the conference is limited to just over 300 people and details are available online at www.reso.org/fall-mtg. About RESO The mission of the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) is to create and promote the adoption of standards that drive efficiency throughout the real estate industry. RESO was incorporated in November 2011, as an independent, not-for-profit trade organization that was previously a section of the National Association of REALTORS. RESO has more than 725 active members, including NAR, multiple-listing services, real estate associations, brokerages and industry technology providers. For more information, visit www.reso.org. Contact RESO via email at info@reso.org. # # # Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cc71df2b-bbc3-47ea-842f-0a6cb6dd312c Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1f596b46-5934-4269-9f2f-1dc920a8f40a Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Donald Trump promised to veto Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Medicare For All bill because he loves America and refuses to let all Americans have health insurance. Trump tweeted: Bernie Sanders is pushing hard for a single payer healthcare plan a curse on the U.S. & its people Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 I told Republicans to approve healthcare fast or this would happen. But don't worry, I will veto because I love our country & its people. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 Trump who is under investigation for colluding with Russia during the 2016 election thinks that every American having health insurance would be a curse upon the country. Trumps tweets are straight out of the playbook that Republicans plan to use against Bernie Sanders if he ever wins the Democratic presidential nomination. Trump and the Republicans plan to paint Sanders as un-American, and they have a whole powerful argument ready to go. It is warped, but what the President is arguing is that taking health care away from people is the American way, and he is promising that as long as he is president, there will be no universal access to health care. Trump is arguing against his own people having access to healthcare as if it is an American value to be held hostage by insurance companies. The Presidents clumsy tweets show why single payer will be an impossible sell to the bulk of the country. They also provide an opportunity for Democrats as they reveal that the Republican Party deeply committed to the wrong side of the health care issue. Bernie Sanders Medicare For All bill will never get a vote in Congress, but as long as Republicans hold the position that people should lose their health insurance, health care will be a winning issue for Democrats. Berkeley Electric Cooperative enlisted the help of firefighters to rinse off equipment that was inundated with saltwater during Tropical Storm Irma. Flooding, especially on sea islands, was one of the last hurdles utilities faced in restoring power after the Monday storm. Provided Charleston, SC (29403) Today Partly cloudy. High 62F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers late. Thunder possible. Low 54F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Two things are motivating the Charleston County School District to consider the idea. The first is the difficulty in attracting teachers to an area where they would struggle to afford housing. The second is the fact the district already owns land where apartments could be built. Read moreWith rents unaffordable, the Charleston school district considers building teacher housing LONDON, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Insurers find it increasingly challenging to differentiate themselves in the eyes of their customers. In response, some innovative insurers are adopting a radically new approach looking beyond their standard insurance products and offering an ecosystem of value-added services that provides consumers with a one-stop shop to address their broader needs. This allows insurers to overcome the low-touch nature of their industry, creating opportunities for more frequent interactions with customers, which has a remarkable correlation to customer loyalty. Working with Research Now, Bain & Company surveyed more than 170,000 insurance policyholders in 20 countries to gauge how loyal they are to their carriers. This years insurance loyalty report, Customer Behavior and Loyalty in Insurance: Global Edition 2017, revealed a significant trend: the growth of purchaser interest in ecosystem services. Insurers are discovering new ways to build loyalty by offering their customers an interconnected array of services that extend beyond insurance. Of those interested in ecosystems, nearly 90 percent of respondents in China, 61 percent in the UK and just over half in Australia said they would be willing to switch providers if their desired services were offered an indication of the extent to which these services have the power to attract new customers. We are seeing a growing polarization in the insurance sector between low-cost providers on one end, those who are redefining the very nature of what it means to be an insurers on the other, and commoditized players in the middle, said Henrik Naujoks, who leads Bains insurance work globally. While the ecosystem approach may not be a good fit for every insurer, those that do want to become the central player, must move fast and decisively to fend off the competition. Customers using ecosystem services said they are willing to pay higher premiums if ecosystems services are included a strong sign that companies can use an ecosystem strategy to break free from the commoditization trap. Bain found that within the price competitive automotive insurance sector, up to 60 percent of survey respondents would be willing to pay more for additional services. Additionally, Bain found that many of these ecosystem services help people live healthier and safer lives, which, not coincidentally, can lead to fewer insurance claims and potentially boost insurers profitability. What Customers Want The Bain survey shows that insurance customers around the world have clear, and strikingly similar, preferences when it comes to ecosystem services: theyre looking for safety, prevention, convenience, and rewards for good behavior. However, the ecosystem concept is still in its infancy, especially in most developed markets an average of fewer than less than 10 percent of customers said they have used more than three ecosystem services. Those who do use these services are overwhelmingly pleased. Across markets, the Net Promoter Score a measure of customer loyalty of satisfied users is, on average, 50 percent higher than for those who are not offered any services. This is particularly true in Asian markets, especially Japan and China, where the loyalty gap is as high as 60 percentage points. However, careful selection of services, the right partners, and a convenient customer interface are critical to avoid disappointments. Building the Ecosystem As they get ready to venture into the ecosystem, insurers will face a series of critical, and often challenging, decisions. Bains experience shows that these strategic choices are best tackled early on, beginning with a three-pronged strategic approach: Define your role in the ecosystem . Given your specific position in the market, what are the opportunities to establish an ecosystem? Do you want to be a sole owner or a co-owner of the system, or would it make more sense to be a supplier, with no ownership stake? Would joining with a partner such as a technology company, retailer or big data provider bring benefits such as a new pool of customers or fresh data and insights? . Given your specific position in the market, what are the opportunities to establish an ecosystem? Do you want to be a sole owner or a co-owner of the system, or would it make more sense to be a supplier, with no ownership stake? Would joining with a partner such as a technology company, retailer or big data provider bring benefits such as a new pool of customers or fresh data and insights? Select your target customers . Do you want to focus on your base of existing policyholders or do you open your services and ecosystem fully or partially to prospects that are currently not and may never be policyholders? . Do you want to focus on your base of existing policyholders or do you open your services and ecosystem fully or partially to prospects that are currently not and may never be policyholders? Create clarity on how to make money. Do you expect ecosystem offerings to cover their costs? Do you want them to generate a separate revenue stream? Determine what the economics of the ecosystem should look like for your company, customers, and partners at the outset and over time. The industry has historically been slow-moving, but that doesnt mean that things are not changing, said Naujoks. Companies that succeed in the future will be those that successfully redefine the very nature of what it means to be an insurer. Editors note: To receive a copy of the report or arrange an interview, contact: Aliza Medina at aliza.medina@bain.com or +44 20-7969-6480 GREENVILLE Few South Carolinians know that red-light cameras were made illegal in the state in 2010. While the red-light camera ban may be in keeping with this states tendency to lean toward a less is more approach to the public road system, I dont believe its for the better. Read moreCommentary: Repeal SC ban on red-light cameras to help save lives LAS VEGAS Control of the U.S. Senate may come down to Nevada, where a slow ballot count entered its final act Saturday in the nail-biter contest between Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto and Republican challenger Adam Laxalt. Read moreSenate control may come down to Nevada as count nears end ST. PAUL IBM is seeking more than $33 million from the state of Minnesota over research tax credits the company says it was due. In a lawsuit filed Wednesday against the Minnesota Department of Revenue, the New York-based technology giant contends that it qualified for more research tax credits than it was granted for a span of a few years. IBM acknowledged it made the initial error when computing the credits as part of corporate tax filings. From tax years 2012 to 2014, IBM said it claimed only $265,000 in research credits despite being eligible for many times that based on expenses it had. The company sought to recover the extra money in amended tax documents filed in 2016 but was denied additional credits in a department order issued this March. ADVERTISEMENT IBM's lawsuit in Ramsey County District Court seeks a larger refund for the years in question plus interest. The Revenue Department, which declined to comment on the lawsuit, has 20 days to file a response in court. Rochester residents can take advantage of the lingering warm weather at two different art fests this Saturday and Sunday. Take a tour of Zumbrotas local art scene, or enjoy live music and vendors at the Driftless Area Art Fest. Pack up the car and Gogh! Zumbro River Art Splash Follow the orange signs and balloons through Zumbrota, and youre sure to find something worth seeing. The Zumbro River Art Splash, a self-guided tour through the areas art studios and collections, compiles the work of SE Minnesota painters, photographers and sculptors. The Saturday fest features the work of more than 30 artists in six locations across Zumbrota and Oronoco from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. "Last year, we had over 200 people come out for this one-day event," Artify Collective proprietor Stacy Drenckhahn said. "A lot of people are just really excited to support local artists." ADVERTISEMENT Several of the locations in Zumbrota are within walking distance, but Drenckhahn cautioned drivers from getting caught in construction on Highway 58 on their way to the home studio and Squash Blossom Farm, which are a little further out of town. The Zumbro River Fiber Arts Guild will have demonstrations of weaving and fiber arts in Zumbrotas City Hall, Drenckhahn said. The Zumbrota Covered Bridge should also be displayed to great effect. Those struck by the local attraction may even be able to purchase a print of the view by painter Brian Cragun at the Artify Collective, she added. "Its neat for the visitors and families to come talk to the artists," Drenckhahn said. "Its a great way to connect with local artists, support local art, and find something beautiful." Art Splash By the Numbers 4 - stops within walking distance of one another 6 - locations on the art studio tour 12 - years since the Zumbro River Valley tour began. 30 - minutes drive to the Zumbrota Public Library, the first location on the self-guided tour. 58 - highway currently undergoing construction. Try Highway 60 West instead. If You Go: When 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 Admission Free. More info at zaac.org Free. More info at zaac.org Where 6 locations in and around Zumbrota Driftless Area Arts Festival Those who dont mind making a longer drive for twice as many artists can head to Soldiers Grove, Wisc., for the Driftless Area Art Fest. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, making it possible to visit both art fests in a single weekend. ADVERTISEMENT All of the artists are from the areas of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa that make up the Driftless Area. "We really do feature the talent in this area," event chair Liz Quebe said. "We consider ourselves a regional show." Located a little more than two hours from Rochester, this years festival will feature the work of 80 artists, 10 food vendors, and live music in a central tent. Keep an eye out for regional food options as well, Quebe said. Each food vendor is encouraged to offer a few dishes featuring local or organic products. Quebe, an artist herself, will have her oil paintings on display over the weekend. Admission and parking are free, but attendees might want to bring cash for any pieces that catch their eyes. For the second year, the festival will hold silent auctions from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Bring the kids as well; children can paint pumpkins or make cork art, Quebe said. The festival displays student art in a gallery, and proceeds from the Youth Art Auction will benefit school art programs. The auctions have raised nearly $10,000 since 2006. "Its just a pretty nice community spirit we have here," Quebe said. Driftless by the Numbers: ADVERTISEMENT 2.25 - hours drive from Rochester, approximately. 13 - years since the festival began in the Driftless Area. 80 - visual artists 5,000 - number of attendees each year 10,000 - dollars raised for youth art programs since 2006. If You Go: When 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16 10 a.m. to 4p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16 10 a.m. to 4p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17 Admission Free, driftlessareaartfestival.com Free, driftlessareaartfestival.com Where Beauford T. Anderson Park,Soldiers Grove, WI With fall fast approaching, it is time for farmers across the region to concern themselves with something important: health insurance. Since 2013, the average annual premium through the federal exchange has risen 105 percent for the 39 states utilizing the federal exchange under the Affordable Care Act, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That includes states such as Iowa, which has seen a 110 percent increase from 2013 to 2017, Wisconsin (93 percent) and Illinois (120 percent). Those increases, said Nick Gerhart, chief administrative officer of Farm Bureau Financial Services in West Des Moines, Iowa, are likely to keep climbing. "Right now we're getting ready. It's two months to open enrollment," Gerhart said. "When people look at the rates, they'll be very shocked and disheartened." With enrollment dates less than two months away ACA enrollment begins Nov. 1 Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., said, "There are things we can do to make the exchanges more competitive." ADVERTISEMENT He added that the Minnesota Legislature's work to make the MnSure exchange more competitive should help Minnesotans. "The state Legislature has done some good things on that," he said. "I hope the federal government grants their waiver." For individuals or families with access to employer-based health insurance, he said, none of this matters. Those plans, while generally increasing, are not part of the federal exchange under which Iowans live, nor the state exchanges for states, like Minnesota, that run their own individual health insurance markets. But for anyone who owns a small business and most in agriculture fit that description the individual health insurance marketplace has become a financial burden. "We've heard stories from farm families where a spouse is getting a job just for health benefits. About 7 percent of Iowans, he said, are purchasing insurance through the federal exchange. That amounts to roughly 77,000 people that will again be facing increases for 2018. For example, two 55-year-old individuals in Iowa City with no tax-credit assistance would be paying premiums plus deductibles of around $45,000. A family of four with two parents at age 28 and two young children would pay $27,000 annually in premium plus deductible. With prices going that high, Gerhart said, the current 5 percent of uninsured Iowans will likely increase. "I think that number goes up," he said. Mike Orbeck, president of the Sterns County Minnesota Farmers Union, said a switch to MinnesotaCare in 2017 saved him money. His plan, which costs $71 a month for just himself has no deductibles and modest copays. "I've never had better health insurance than I have right now," he said. Orbeck said he hit the sweet spot with his income, making enough that he was not put on Medical Assistance but not making little enough from his dairy and crop operation to qualify for a $400 monthly subsidy. ADVERTISEMENT Not everyone in Minnesota is so lucky. At a Minnesota Farmers Union meeting in Oronoco in March, farmer Mike Frost said the premium on the plan he could get through Minnesota's health insurance exchange for his family of three rose 73 percent from 2016 to 2017. His monthly premium for a high-deductible plan is $2,143. Orbeck said he would have been in the same boat without a subsidy and a new plan. His Blue Cross Blue Shield plan in 2016 was $444 a month for just himself with a $6,700 deductible. For 2017, that same plan would have climbed to $560 monthly and a $6,800 deductible. "If I ended up in the hospital, everything I made in the year would be gone," he said. The answer in Minnesota, according to Orbeck, is to expand MinnesotaCare. "I have a friend who was on Minnesota Care," he said. "Last year, he was in the hospital for six days total. The bill was around $140,000. His portion was $1,400." Eric Walker, who grows corn on 1,500 acres near Zumbro Falls, said his family is fortunate to have health insurance through his wife's employer. But he said farm families that do not have someone working off the farm for insurance are not as fortunate. "I've got a lot of friends who have problems," he said. "One of my friends who has a dairy farm, by the time you take a family plan, the $20,000 premium puts their family in the negative." HAYFIELD Mary Ann Moon's desire to travel the world wasn't a surprise to her siblings. Hayfield's Frank Moon said his sister, who died Sept. 2, became interested in far-off lands after getting hooked on their father's stories from his days as a merchant seaman. "He would talk about his experiences in these other countries, and it interested all of us, but her more so," he said. Later, the family hosted a visitor from Chile in their Amiret home. The visitor piqued Mary Ann Moon's interest, leading her to spend six months in Chile as part of the International Farm Youth Exchange program. After returning home and earning bachelor's and master's degrees from Mankato State Teacher's College, the urge to travel remained. ADVERTISEMENT In 1957 10 years after graduating high school she became a Department of Defense employee, planning to work on one or two overseas military bases. "I never intended to make it a career," she told a reporter from the Tracy Headlight-Herald more than two decades later. Frank Moon said his sister started moving from base to base. Her contract allowed her to move every two years, and she took advantage of that until landing in Germany. "That's where she started staying longer, if they let her," Frank Moon said, noting the last 16 years of her 34-year career were spent in Ansbach, Germany. From her first assignment at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines, Frank Moon said his sister tried to take in local activities and learn the local language. When she was allowed, she lived off base, which gave her more insights into her surroundings. Her career took her to at least 11 bases in 10 countries, including Korea, Japan, Morocco, West Pakistan, West Germany, Crete, Ethiopia and Italy. "There was always one more country, one more thing I wanted to do," she told the Tracy Headlight-Herald in 1980. Her frequent moves also likely were part of the reason she was able to connect with her students, who were the children of military men and women. ADVERTISEMENT Frank Moon said his sister's classrooms varied from traditional classes because students frequently came and went with limited notice throughout the year, requiring a special welcoming approach. "She had a knack of being able to negotiate with the kids," said her brother, who also was a teacher. "She could earn their respect and cooperation one way or another." When it came time to retire in 1991, Mary Ann Moon opted to build a home in Hayfield, where Frank and his wife, Betty, lived. "There were six of us kids, but she decided this was a good location to build a house where someone would stay put after she got the house built," he said. However, having a permanent stateside home didn't mean Mary Ann Moon was ready to stay in one place. After retiring, she became a volunteer for schools in Espanola, N.M., and Beverly, Ky, helping teachers for weeks or months at a time. She also served as a substitute teacher in Hayfield, as well as a mentor in the district's first-grade reading program. Her quest for lifelong learning also never faltered, said Frank Moon, who noted she was an active lover of the outdoors and gathered and identified native plants, leaving some still needing research. A memorial service for Mary Ann Moon will be 11 .m. Saturday at Sargeant United Methodist Church, with visitation from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. ADVERTISEMENT CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cobalt Holdings, Inc., a Managed Services Broadband Network operator providing fiber-optic Carrier Ethernet, wireless and Wi-Fi services to the hospitality industry and mobile network operators in Mexicos Riviera Maya, today announced the appointment of Michael J. Mahoney as its Chief Technology Officer. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6f42d522-8977-40a8-a476-971ca4afe3e5 Mr. Mahoney has a history of successful leadership in start-up and entrepreneurial companies. He has deep experience in cross-border networks, telecommunications, and IT systems, having served as EVP Operations and Technology, President, and CEO of international carrier Viatel. While at Viatel he supervised the design and construction of the 8,700-km Circe fiber-optic network, delivered on time and under budget (US$1.6 billion). I am very excited to help build Cobalts Carrier Ethernet network in a region that has limited broadband connectivity, Mahoney said. In particular, we are providing guaranteed bandwidth to the areas more than 500 hotels and resorts with more than 200,000 rooms, as well as offering fronthaul and backhaul connectivity to mobile network operators. We are the only provider that will design, build, maintain and, most importantly, finance a state-of-the-art high-speed Internet access service for hotels and resorts in exchange for a small per-room per-day charge. Mahoney was responsible for Viatels transformation from a US$73 million revenue telecom reseller to a US$750 million revenue trans-Atlantic pan-European facility-based carrier. Expanded service offerings included high speed Internet access, managed bandwidth, off-site data storage hosting, VPNs and highly secure point-to-point Ethernet networks. I have worked with Mike at Viatel. He has deep technical acumen, with broad expertise in operations, finance and business development, He has proven ability to quickly analyze key business drivers and develop strategies to grow revenue and margins, said Larry Malone, President of Cobalt. Our objective is to bring world-class Managed Broadband Services to the Riviera Maya region, including completing a dedicated fiber-optic network, with international connectivity to the rest of the world. About Cobalt Holdings Cobalt Holdings, Inc. is a privately held broadband development Company, with headquarters in Lake Bluff, Illinois. Through its Mexico operating subsidiary, Cobalt Broadband Services S.A. DE C.V., the Company provides fiber-optic network, wireless and commercial-grade Wi-Fi services to the hospitality industry and mobile network operators in Mexicos Riviera Maya. Company management has more than 150 years of combined telecommunications experience in emerging markets around the world. For more information, go to: www.cobaltholdings.net. Contact: Phil Allen Cobalt Holdings, Inc. 101 Waukegan Rd., Suite 600 Lake Bluff, IL 60044 303.898.0625 pallen@cobaltholdings.net www.cobaltholdings.net Mary Ellen Trueman was surprised to hear her will wouldn't likely withstand a court challenge. The 76-year-old Rochester resident said she had prepared the one-page legal document using an online service and felt confident she was covered, but when she went to update it, she was told otherwise. The update was done during a wills clinic sponsored by Legal Assistance of Olmsted County, which paired 26 low-income seniors with local attorneys. Trueman said her intent was to make a few changes, but she walked away with a new six-page document and a better sense that her wishes would be carried out. "It was excellent from beginning to end," she said of the process that took about an hour as a volunteer attorney explained everything being done. ADVERTISEMENT She said she was surprised of the legal detail required since she has a limited income and little to pass on. Karen Nath, volunteer attorney program coordinator for Legal Assistance of Olmsted County, said it's important to have a legally binding will, even if you don't have a large estate. She said the document helps dictate how possessions are dispersed after someone dies. "It allows for the passage of items that are personal to them," she said, noting that could be a family heirloom or another cherished item. Marie Maher said she already had a will prepared by an attorney to provide that security when she attended the June clinic. It had cost her about $400, but she still needed legal documents to establish a power of attorney and an advance health-care directive. She also wanted to update her will. She said without the wills clinic, she would likely still be needing those documents. "I think I would have let things go," she said. "Things like that slip by the wayside." Chris Wendland, one of 14 attorneys who volunteered for the Legal Assistance clinic, said that's common, and he frequently hears about people putting the documents off for too long. "There's a very substantial need in the community for this service," he said, noting he provides similar services for pay as a partner at the Rochester law firm Wendland Utz, but the pro-bono work offered through Legal Assistance has it's own rewards. ADVERTISEMENT "I don't get hugs from my other clients," he said. Nath said Legal Assistance of Olmsted County decided to connect attorneys with low-income seniors after seeing the need. "They really are critical documents," she said of wills, powers of attorney and advance health-care directives. The three documents allow a person to have a say in what happens to them or their property if they die or become incapacitated. She said the nature of the documents make them something people too often avoid discussing, but putting them in place can actually ease minds. "You are helping family members by defining what you want," she said. A second wills clinic will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Rochester Public Library, 101 Second St. SE. Again, the Legal Assistance of Olmsted County is recruiting local attorneys to help create the legal documents and will match them with low-income seniors. To secure a spot in the clinic, seniors can contact Nath, either by email at karen@laocmn.org or phone, 507-287-2036. Once registered, there is a questionnaire to complete, so Nath recommends signing up early to allow time to complete the document. LAKEVILLE While the appeal against the permit for a hog farm in rural Goodhue County is awaiting its day in court oral arguments are set for Sept. 21 in the Minnesota Court of Appeals in St. Paul those who filed the suit are looking to score points in the court of public opinion. Residents of Goodhue County, including some of the neighbors of the proposed 4,600-swine hog finishing facility proposed on property about five miles outside Zumbrota, held a news conference today in front of Kohlnhofer Insurance Agency in Lakeville, releasing a citizen-led report on hydrogen sulfide emissions monitoring at several of the Kohlnhofer family hog operations in Goodhue County. "One of the things that came out of the state findings of fact (on the proposed farm) was that state models said the proposed facility will produce less hydrogen sulfide than my neighbor's 70 brood cows," said Kristi Rosenquist, one of the individuals who appealed the Goodhue County conditional use permit for the hog facility. Rosenquist said she scoffed at that notion, and she and her neighbors decided to prove the MPCA modeling for air quality is not realistic. They decided to take samples of air for hydrogen sulfide emissions at several of the Kohlnhofers' farm sites. "There are times you don't smell anything, and times you are gagging," she said. ADVERTISEMENT The results of those tests, she said, show that, "as we feared, they are almost certainly exceeding the state health standards." Chuck Peterson, a planner with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's environmental review unit, said the state standards can be somewhat difficult to understand. The Minnesota Department of Health states hydrogen sulfide levels higher than 7 parts per billion are a health risk, but that standard is not enforceable by either the MPCA or DOH. The enforceable standard is a 30-minute average greater than 30 ppb more than twice during a five-day period or a 30-minute average greater than 50 ppb more than twice in a year. Peterson said the monitoring season for air quality near hog facilities runs from April to October each year because readings tend to be highest in the hot summer months. According to the report compiled by the group, two of the Kohlnhofers' six existing sites in Goodhue County had a pair of 30-minute readings above 30 ppb during the month of readings from June 29 through Aug. 2. The Holst I Finishing facility at 24589 390th St. in Goodhue had 18 sample sessions started with 11 taken to the full 30-minute average. Two one July 28 at 35.59 ppb and the second on July 30 at 33 ppb exceeded the 30 ppb plateau, though the combination of the two does not exceed the state standard. At a second site, Jeff Finishing at 37112 280th Ave. in Goodhue, nine samples were started with three being taken for the full 30-minute average. Two of those readings both on July 3 for 42.64 ppb and 33.38 ppb exceeded the 30 ppb threshold. Again, with no other readings that week exceeding the 30 ppb level, the findings do not show the site violating MPCA regulations. Most of the sample sessions that were not finished began with low readings. Rosenquist said the citizens group would approach the property line of one of the farms then walk around taking readings until one came up with higher numbers. Several individual readings reached above 50 ppb, but as Peterson noted, that alone is not a violation. "If they are getting readings like that at a site, that's reason to turn that into the MPCA," he said. Though he cautioned that any such readings taken with a handheld sensor which the group used are not enforceable. "A lot of it has to do with how close you are to the site." ADVERTISEMENT With oral arguments on the appeals case coming next week, Yon Kolhnhofer, one of the owners of the proposed hog facility, said those opposed to the project are simply grasping at straws. He noted that despite their sampling during the most opportune time to find violations, the Kohlnhofer farms all passed. He also questioned whether data collected from amateurs was valid. "There is no report," he said, referring to the information given out in Lakeville this morning. "A report comes from scientists. I could collect data, and no one is going to believe it." MINNEAPOLIS Decades after a 17-year-old was found murdered, prosecutors in Minneapolis say they have enough evidence to charge the alleged killer. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced a second-degree murder charge Wednesday against Darrell Rea, 62, in the death of Lorri Mesedahl in 1983. Freeman said DNA evidence made the prosecution possible. "This is a great example of how we do not give up," Freeman said, flanked by police at a news conference. "We are not going to rest. We want to seek answers and find the people that are responsible for these crimes no matter when they occurred, no matter what year they occur, our detectives are always working on these cases." Authorities allege Rea, of St. Louis Park, raped Mesedahl before killing her in north Minneapolis 34 years ago. ADVERTISEMENT "Mr. Rea has been a suspect in this case for a long time," Freeman said. "He's a suspect on a number of other cases. As you know there's no statute of limitations for homicide so we could change him with that. We believe he was involved in other rape cases but the statute of limitations has passed." Rea will make his first court appearance on Friday. Prosecutors plan to seek $1 million bond. Mesedahl's parents are no longer alive. A friend thanked law enforcement for pursuing the case. MINNEAPOLIS The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that part of a disorderly conduct law that bars people from disturbing public meetings is unconstitutional and violates the First Amendment, a decision that some call a victory for free speech at a time when public dissent is critical. The ruling comes in the case of a Little Falls woman who was escorted from a City Council meeting in 2013 and charged with disorderly conduct after she refused to sit in the gallery. The majority found the statute under which Robin Hensel was charged and convicted is unconstitutional because it's overbroad and can't be reasonably narrowed. The justices said there are "countless ways" in which the statue could chill protected speech. They invalidated the law and ordered that Hensel's conviction be vacated. Hensel's attorney, Kevin Riach, said the ruling was a win for free speech. "We're at a time in our history where our democratic norms and values are under attack and it's critical that people be able to publicly dissent and hold their government accountable," he said. "This decision takes a tool away from those who would seek to squash that dissent." ADVERTISEMENT Scott Flaherty, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, said other statutes can be used to address disruptive behavior and this ruling doesn't legalize the broad interruption of meetings. He also said the decision provides a road map if lawmakers choose to rewrite the law to pass constitutional muster. Nathan Midolo, an attorney who represented the state, called the ruling disappointing and said its impact is being evaluated. Hensel has a history of being at odds with Little Falls leaders and sued the city when it forced her to remove signs from her property. Wednesday's ruling stems from a 2013 incident at City Hall. Hensel went to a City Council meeting and sat in the public gallery with signs depicting dead and deformed children. She also wore a sign on her head that read: "Speech restricted here." When others complained of obstructed view, they were allowed to sit between the gallery and the councilors. Because of Hensel's actions, the meeting was adjourned and rescheduled. When it reconvened, Hensel placed a chair in the space where others sat days earlier and refused to move. She was escorted from the room, charged with disorderly conduct and convicted. Hensel said Wednesday it was a "slap in the face to ... free speech" when city leaders forbade her from sitting in that area and the Supreme Court "was clearly able to see that what I was doing was demanding equal treatment." She argued on appeal that the disorderly conduct statute violated the First Amendment. The state argued that the law doesn't ban all conduct at meetings, but only conduct done with intent of causing a disturbance. The Supreme Court sided with Hensel, saying: "The statute is broad and ambiguous, prohibiting any conduct or speech that 'disturbs an assembly or meeting,' whether expressive or not. An individual could violate the statute by, for example, wearing an offensive t-shirt, using harsh words in addressing another person, or even raising one's voice in a speech." ADVERTISEMENT On dissent, Justices G. Barry Anderson and Lorie Skjerven Gildea agreed the law is unconstitutionally overbroad, but said it could be narrowed and shouldn't be invalidated. But the majority said the court shouldn't rewrite laws. Hensel, meanwhile, said she'll continue to speak out for change. "The way to get justice for all, equal treatment for all and to change how our government operates is to get people to do exactly what I have done," she said. "When you put signs in your yard and you speak at a public meeting, you are wearing your convictions on your shoulder." The college meltdown continues. The sharp decline in applications and new student enrollments that have taken place at the University of Missouri and Evergreen State College has spread to Oberlin College, which also saw the administration cater to radical students and deranged faculty. The Daily Caller reports: Yet another American college is suffering an unexpected plunge in enrollment and a massive budget deficit after a series of outbursts by radical fringe protesters and professors. This time, the school is Oberlin College, a private, 2,900-student enclave of progressivism in small-town Ohio where the cost for a single year of tuition, fees and room and board is $69,372. Oberlin is facing a $5 million budget shortfall for the 20172018 academic year due to lower student enrollment and a related drop in revenue, reports The Oberlin Review, the student newspaper. . . The school is most famous because Obama-loving leftist student Dylan Bleier and his sidekick Matt Alden allegedly circulated virulently racist, anti-Jewish and anti-gay messages around campus for the shock value, according to Bleier. Former Oberlin president Marvin Krislov called off school for a day and made a huge fuss, despite apparently knowing full well it was all a hoax. The Oberlin administration then exploited the hoax to implement an aggressive agenda focused on student relations. Meanwhile, down at Charlottesville, students yesterday seem determined to vindicate President Trumps rhetorical question about where statue toppling would end when they covered up a statue of Thomas Jefferson with a tarp: University of Virginia students scaled a statue of Thomas Jefferson to shroud the idol in darkness during a rainy day protest Tuesday. The students covered the statue with a black tarp and proudly posed with the slick bronze figure. Dozens of protesters on the Charlottesville, Va., campus chanted and condemned the founding father as a racist and rapist. But this weeks prize for campus self-immolation goes to Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Understand that tiny, elite Reed (tuition + room & board: $67,000) has always been a fairly left-leaning place, but is apparently not left enough for some students. Remarkably Reed still has a Western Civilization requirement (Hum 110) for all freshmen first-year students, and this does not sit well with nitwit students who think civilization is a code-word for oppression (though one wonders just where they got their ideas of liberation from). It is not enough apparently to complain about this state of affairs. Students took it upon themselves to disrupt the class, whereupon the professors who were leading the class simply canceled the class, much to the annoyance of the protesters, as you can see in this short five-minute video: It wasnt enough to disrupt this class. The nitwits came back to the next session of the class, which was supposed to be dedicated to a discussion of the Epic of Gilgamesh. Silly me, I always thought the Epic of Gilgamesh came from the ancient Middle East, a non-White, non-Western culture, but maybe the problem here is cultural appropriation . . . or something. Apparently reading the ancient Greeks is oppression, but reading a non-Western text is also oppression. Good to know. Anyway, this video is 17 painful minutes long, but scroll ahead to about the 7 minute mark where youll see the students enrolled in the class are none too happy with the protesters. Will the administration have the stuffing to suspend or expel some of these brats? A backlash from other students seems to be building, according to a report on the matter in The Economist: Yet at Reed College this term there are also signs of a counter-revolution. A professor of Muslim studies refused to lecture in front of protesters and taught his class of 150 students outside, under a tree. Some freshmen have shouted down protesters. One (black) student told them: This is a classroom. This is not the place. Right now we are trying to learn. We are freshmen students. The rest of his speech was drowned out by applause. You do have to wonder sometimes if these idiots were actually recruited by Steve Bannon as a covert part of the Trump 2020 campaign. For more see this detailed account of the matter from Inside Higher Ed. Minnesota Senator Al Franken seeks to bar Minnesota Supreme Court Justice David Stras from consideration to fill a vacancy on the Eighth Circuit. He has done so by withholding his blue slip on Justice Stras. President Trump nominated Justice Stras to the Eighth Circuit four months ago. Before announcing his opposition, Franken asserted that he was studying Strass record. The Associated Press reported on August 24: A spokesman for Franken said this week that the Democratic senator is still reviewing Stras lengthy record before giving his approval, faulting the White House for putting Stras name forward without consulting his office about possible candidates. When he announced his opposition to Stras last week, however, Franken cited nothing from Strass scholarly or judicial record. Franken has posted his statement online here. Franken found Stras guilty of having served as a law clerk to Justice Thomas, of having spoken favorably of Justice Scalia and of having associated with the (nonpartisan) Federalist Society. Franken gravely expressed his supposed concerns: I have grown concerned that, if confirmed to the federal bench, Justice Stras would be a deeply conservative jurist in the mold of Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia, justices who the nominee himself has identified as role models. Franken had more in this vein: Justice Strass professional background and record strongly suggest that, if confirmed, he would embrace the legacy of his role models and reliably rule in favor of powerful corporate interests over working people, and that he would place a high bar before plaintiffs seeking justice at work, at school, and at the ballot box. This is in equal parts distasteful and disingenuous. It reeks of McCarthyite guilt by association, but in this case the associations are all to be admired. There is a reason Franken can find nothing in Strass record to support his fantasia. In truth, Justice Stras is his own man. Yesterday the Wall Street Journal called Franken out in the editorial I wrote about in The Franken factor. Lawrence ODonnell invited Franken to respond to the Journal editorial. Franken touted the interview in the tweet below. He also touted the column by Walter Mondale defending him in the Star Tribune this morning. I'll be joining @Lawrence @TheLastWord to talk about why I want a judge on the 8th Circuit Court who will work on behalf of all Minnesotans. Sen. Al Franken (@SenFranken) September 14, 2017 Nothing in Strass record suggests that he would fail work on behalf of all Minnesotans (and Americans) if he were to serve on the Eighth Circuit. He certainly has done so on the Minnesota Supreme Court. Franken is uninhibited by shame. The lies continue. If Franken succeeds in blocking Justice Stras, the nomination is likely to go to a lawyer from an Eighth Circuit state unlike Minnesota, a state with two responsible senators each Iowa, say, or Arkansas. Does Franken think such a nominee will work on behalf of all Minnesotans? I do, but not in the sense that Franken pretends to concern himself with. He continues to exploit the ignorance of voters, if not of the MSNBC crowd. In light of Frankens behavior, the Journal called on Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Grassley to disregard Frankens failure to return his blue slip. Franken demonstrates the absurd lengths to which the blue slip business can be taken. He is a disgrace. Somethings gotta give. Today the New York Times reports that Senate Majority Leader McConnell is advocating that the blue slip be made strictly advisory when it comes to appeals court nominees[.] Reporter Carl Hulse quotes McConnell speaking in an interview for a Times podcast: My personal view is that the blue slip, with regard to circuit court appointments, ought to simply be a notification of how youre going to vote, not the opportunity to blackball. Hulse adds that McConnell also said he favored retaining the blue slip authority for district court judges. I take this as a preview of coming attractions, but we shall see. Dublin, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global and China Natural Rubber Industry Report, 2017-2021" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering. In 2016, the global natural rubber output edged up 1.1% year on year to 12.4 million tons, and the consumption rose by 3.8% year on year to 12.6 million tons, indicating the gap of 200,000 tons between supply and demand. In the context of steady growth in rubber demand and underproduction, it is expected that the global natural rubber market will continue to be in short supply in 2017-2021, with the supply and demand gap of about 700,000 tons by 2021. At present, the regional structure of the global natural rubber supply and demand is uneven. Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Vietnam and China are the world's top six natural rubber producers, contributing 86.5% to the global total output in 2016; wherein, Thailand ranked first with the output of 4.5 million tons and the share of 36.3% in 2016. In the world, natural rubber is mainly consumed in Asia, Africa, Latin America and other emerging industrialized areas, which enjoyed the share of about 75% in 2016. China is the world's largest producer of natural rubber, and its consumption in 2016 jumped by 4.6% year on year to 4.896 million tons, of which 77.9% was used for radial tires. Driven by the steady development of the tire industry, China's natural rubber consumption is expected to keep an AAGR of 4.5% during 2017-2021 and hit 5.788 million tons by 2021, of which about 90% will be used in radial tires. Restricted by natural rubber resources, China produced about 764,000 tons of natural rubber in 2016, accounting for only 6.2% of the global output. By 2021, China may produce 1.079 million tons. Amid the serious imbalance between supply and demand, China saw the gap of about 4.132 million tons in 2016; the gap will reach 4.709 million tons by 2021. In terms of the price, the natural rubber price bucked the downward trend to rise rapidly from H2 2016 to mid-February 2017 and peaked at RMB20,700 / ton since 2014, thanks to higher market prices of international commodities (crude oil, etc.) and quick demand growth of downstream industries (such as heavy truck tires). Later, the main producer Thailand released its storage for four consecutive times, resulting in accelerated supply; however, the consumption growth remained unchanged, so that the natural rubber price dropped down from late February to the end of June, but rebounded slightly in July. In the next year, the broad market and short supply may boost the natural rubber price to show a slight uptrend. The world's leading natural rubber manufacturers are mainly distributed in Southeast Asia (Thailand and Singapore, etc.), including Sri Trang Agro-Industry, Von Bundit, Thai Hua Rubber Public, TRUBB, Southland Rubber and Sinochem International; among them, Sri Trang Agro-Industry is the world's largest natural rubber producer, and its sales volume accounted for 11.9% of the global total consumption in 2016. Chinese natural rubber manufacturers are mainly large-sized agricultural reclamation and rubber groups, represented by Sinochem International, China Hainan Rubber, Guangken Rubber, Yunnan State Farms Group and so on. In recent years, major producers have actively deployed overseas markets and seized more market shares. Sinochem International acquired the Singapore-listed company Halcyon Agri Corporation Limited in 2016 to fulfill a global layout of major natural rubber producing areas in West Africa, Southeast Asia and China; in April 2017, the company established Halcyon Natural Rubber (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. to integrate natural rubber marketing and trade of Sinochem International in China. Guangken Rubber took over Thai Hua Rubber Public Co., Ltd. which is Thailand's third largest natural rubber producer in August 2016. As soon as the acquisition is completed, the company will obtain the natural rubber capacity of 1.5 million tons/a, and surpass Sinochem International to rank first in China by capacity. The "Global and China Natural Rubber Industry Report, 2017-2021" highlights the following: Supply & demand, regional distribution, prices, competitive landscape and development trends of global natural rubber market; Supply & demand, import & export, regional structure, competitive landscape, development trends of Chinese natural rubber market; Tapping area and planting area of natural rubber in China and around the world; Development of applications of natural rubber in China, such as tyre, rubber belt & hose; Operation and development in China of 5 global natural rubber companies; Operation and development strategies of 5 key Chinese natural rubber companies. Key Topics Covered: 1 Basic Concept of Natural Rubber 1.1 Definition 1.2 Classification 1.3 Industry Chain 2 Development of Global Natural Rubber Market 2.1 Status Quo 2.2 Supply 2.3 Demand 2.3.1 Consumption 2.3.2 Consumption Structure 2.4 Main Natural Rubber Producing Areas 2.4.1 Thailand 2.4.2 Indonesia 2.4.3 Malaysia 2.4.4 Vietnam 2.5 Price 2.6 Competitive Landscape 2.6.1 by Revenue 2.6.2 by Capacity 2.7 Development Trend 3 Development of Chinese Natural Rubber Market 3.1 Status Quo 3.2 Supply and Demand 3.2.1 Supply and Regional Structure 3.2.2 Demand and Consumption Structure 3.3 Import and Export 3.3.1 Import 3.3.2 Export 3.4 Price 3.5 Competitive Landscape 3.5.1 by Enterprise 3.5.2 Substitute Products 3.6 Development Trend 4 Development of Global and China Natural Rubber-related Industries 4.1 Upstream 4.2 Downstream 4.2.1 Tyre Industry 4.2.2 Others 5 Key Global Players 5.1 Sri Trang Agro-Industry Plc. 5.2 Thai Rubber Latex Corporation (Thailand) Public Co., Ltd. (TRUBB) 5.3 Thai Hua Rubber Public Co., Ltd. 5.4 Von Bundit Co., Ltd. 5.5 Southland Rubber Co., Ltd. 6 Major Chinese Companies 6.1 China Hainan Rubber Industry Group Co., Ltd. (601118) 6.2 Sinochem International Corporation (600500) 6.3 Yunnan State Farms Group Co., Ltd. 6.4 Guangdong Guangken Rubber Group Co., Ltd. 6.5 Xishuangbanna New Gaoshen Rubber Incorporate Company For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/82tcl5/global_and_china About Research and Markets FORM 8.3 PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the "Code") 1. KEY INFORMATION (a) Full name of discloser: OCTOPUS INVESTMENTS LIMITED (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a): The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named. (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates: Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree Clinigen Group plc (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: (e) Date position held/dealing undertaken: For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure 13/09/2017 (f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer? If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state "N/A" NO 2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security. (a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any) Class of relevant security: Interests Short positions Number % Number % (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 5,087,497 4.42 (2) Cash-settled derivatives: (3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell: TOTAL: 5,087,497 4.42 All interests and all short positions should be disclosed. Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions). (b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors' and other employee options) Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists: Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages: 3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in. The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated. (a) Purchases and sales Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit 0.1p Ordinary Sale 1090 10.595 (b) Cash-settled derivative transactions Class of relevant security Product description e.g. CFD Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit (c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options) (i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit (ii) Exercise Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit (d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities) Class of relevant security Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable) 4. OTHER INFORMATION (a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer: Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none" None (b) Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to: (i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or (ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced: If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state "none" None (c) Attachments Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO Date of disclosure: 14/09/2017 Contact name: Annaliese Maisch Telephone number: 0207 710 6477 Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service and must also be emailed to the Takeover Panel at monitoring@disclosure.org.uk. The Panel's Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code's disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129. The Code can be viewed on the Panel's website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk. WATERTOWN, Conn., Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crystal Rock Holdings, Inc. (NYSE MKT:CRVP) announced its financial results for its third quarter and first nine months that ended July 31, 2017. These results will be filed on Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission today. Total sales for the third quarter ending July 31, 2017 decreased $1.5 million or 9% from the same period in fiscal 2016. Gross profit for the third quarter ending July 31, 2017 decreased $709,000 or 8%. The Company's net income for the quarter ending July 31, 2017 was $171,000 compared to net income of $729,000 in the corresponding period of 2016. The net income for the quarter ending July 31, 2017 resulted in a net income of $0.01 per share compared to a net income of $0.03 per share for the same period in fiscal 2016. Total sales for the nine months ending July 31, 2017 decreased $5.2 million or 10% from the same period in fiscal 2016. Gross profit for the same periods declined 5% or $1.2 million. Gross profit as a percentage of sales was 53% for the nine month period ending July 31, 2017 compared to 50% the same period in 2016. The Company had a net income of $69,000 compared to a net income of $939,000 for the nine month periods ending July 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The net income resulted in a net income per share of $0.00 in fiscal 2017 compared to a net income of $.04 per share for the same period in fiscal 2016. "We continue to increase our sales volume in bottled water and water cooler rental units, as well as staying on course with our strategy to reduce non-profitable, low margin accounts and categories. While we feel the immediate pressure on revenue from discount competitors, our short term gross profit percentages have grown year to date in fiscal 2017, while our long term commitment to premium value and convenience are materializing through higher customer satisfaction ratings and an increase to our customer account base," stated Peter Baker, President and CEO, Crystal Rock Holdings, Inc. "Despite increased competition from internet sales that is rapidly impacting all industries, we are focused on optimizing our point of sale, cross selling capabilities and technology infrastructure in order to continually offer more convenience and value in our customer experience." ABOUT CRYSTAL ROCK HOLDINGS, INC. Crystal Rock Holdings, Inc. (NYSE MKT:CRVP), operating through its subsidiary Crystal Rock LLC, markets and distributes water and coffee service, office supplies, refreshment beverages and other break room items to the commercial office and at home markets throughout the Northeast. For over 100 years, the company has provided quality and high value service, and its the largest independent delivery provider of its kind in the United States. It bottles and distributes natural spring water under the Vermont Pure brand, purified water with minerals added under the Crystal Rock Waters label and it roasts and packages coffee under its Cool Beans brand. Launched in 2010, the Crystal Rock Office brand features traditional office supplies, break room items, furniture and janitorial and sanitation products. The majority of its sales are derived from a route distribution system that delivers water in 3- to 5-gallon reusable, recyclable bottles, and coffee in fractional packs or pods. Crystal Rock believes Little Things MatterTM to the customer experience with high standards for delivering premium service excellence and results in customer productivity - at work or at home. Through technical innovation, a branded customer experience and a commitment to community and environment, Crystal Rock family values are integral to the relationships between employees and customers. More information is available at CrystalRock.com. CRYSTAL ROCK HOLDINGS, INC. Results of Operations (Unaudited) (Unaudited) Nine Months Ended: Three Months Ended: July 31, July 31, July 31, July 31, 2017 2016 2017 2016 (000's $) Sales $44,069 $49,237 $14,944 $16,394 Income from operations $1,097 $2,735 $563 $1,593 Net Income $69 $939 $171 $729 Basic net earnings per share $0.00 $0.04 $0.01 $0.03 Diluted net earnings per share $0.00 $0.04 $0.01 $0.03 Basic Wgt. Avg. Shares Out. (000's) 21,358 21,358 21,358 21,358 Diluted Wgt Avg. Shares Out. (000's) 21,358 21,358 21,358 21,358 Note: This press release contains forward-looking statements including about our strategic direction, customer service, technology platforms and product channels. Such forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statement. These risks, uncertainties, and factors include, but are not limited to, those factors set forth in our Annual Report for the Fiscal Year ended October 31, 2016 and subsequent filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The reader is cautioned not to unduly rely on such forward-looking statements when evaluating the information presented in this news release. MONTREAL, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Big Bang ERP, a Montreal cloud solution consulting firm was announced today as #49 on Canadian Business and Macleans 2017 STARTUP 50 ranking of Canadas Top New Growth Companies. Big Bang ERP has been growing rapidly since their start in 2015. With a total of 70 employees and counting, Big Bang ERP is a leading cloud business solutions partner of NetSuite, Salesforce, Rootstock and ServiceNow. The strategic placement of their head office (Montreal) and international office (Mauritius) allows their dedicated team of experts to work around the clock to satisfy the needs of their customers. Cloud-based ERP, CRM, MRP & ITSM systems have become many companies' backbone, and we are passionate about our customers getting the right solutions from day 1 which is why we act as trusted advisors and implementation experts for all cloud business application needs. We have worked hard to bring tangible value to everything we do and are excited to be recognized in the 2017 STARTUP 50 - Mark Rhyman, Co-CEO and Chief Business Development Officer at Big Bang ERP. About STARTUP 50 Ranking Canadas Top New Growth Companies by two-year revenue growth, the STARTUP 50 profiles the fastest- growing startups in the country and serves as a companion list to the longstanding PROFIT 500 ranking of Canadas Fastest-Growing Companies. This years STARTUP 50 winners are truly remarkable. Not only have they brought new offerings to market, theyve earned enough traction to grow their revenues exponentially in a very short period of time. Any aspiring entrepreneur should look to them for insight into how to create, and grow, a thriving startup today. - Deborah Aarts, STARTUP 50 and PROFIT 500 program manager. About Big Bang ERP Big Bang ERP is a boutique consulting firm that helps businesses optimize and streamline their processes by implementing cloud business solutions. Their highly skilled team of experts works hand-in-hand with organizations to achieve exceptional business improvements with cloud business solutions. For more information about Big Bang ERP, visit: http://bigbangerp.com. Take a peek into life at Big Bang ERP: @BigBangERP (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) Contact Information Ryveann Morris PR & Content Specialist Big Bang ERP 1-844- 361-4408 ext 157 Ryveann.Morris@bigbangerp.com May be of interest to you President Andrzej Duda talks to Malta leaders about cooperation Andrzej Duda and Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed their conviction that war reparations demanded a calm debate, the Polish president's top aide, Krzysztof Szczerski said. Minister Szczerski added that the two heads of state, "focused on various historical aspects and current Polish-German relations". "They spoke about the debate regarding German war reparations for Poland's WW2 losses, which has been going in Poland", the official went on. "The presidents discussed various political and legal conditions related to war reparations. They expressed their conviction that the issue required calm discussion, and declared that - irrespective of how the situation developed in this field - they would do their best to ensure that the rich achievements in Polish-German relations of recent years were maintained", the minister stressed. The official added that the meeting lasted an hour, which was longer than planned. "The first part of the meeting focused on the future of European politics in the light of German elections. During a discussion on the EU's future, the two presidents agreed that it was necessary to mobilise European countries to overcome the current impasse and seek positive solutions for the entire EU", Minister Szczerski wrote in a statement. According to the official, the EU's internal and external security, the necessity of animating economic growth within the single market and a proper response to the migration crisis were considered top priorities by the two presidents. Minister Szczerski also added that the two heads of state agreed that in the light of Brexit, the EU needed to reaffirm its unity and efficiency without unnecessary divisions and internal tensions. (PAP) WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Accra, Ghana-based IMANI Center for Policy and Education was named one of six finalists for this year's prestigious $100,000 Templeton Freedom Award for its IMANIFesto Initiative, which estimated the costs and rated the feasibility of all campaign promises of Ghanas main political parties in the run-up to the countrys 2016 election with a three-pronged quantitative assessment framework. "IMANIFesto became a reference point that benchmarked political promises along quantifiable metrics that the common man could relate to and is now the blueprint for political communication along the lines of policy promises, said Franklin Cudjoe, founding president and CEO of IMANI. It is exciting to know that IMANIFesto will become the most potent tool to help narrow the gap between political wish lists and reality in Ghana and anywhere we export the idea to primarily the rest of Africa and anywhere else politicians evade scrutiny." IMANIFesto forced the countrys political parties to attempt to justify many of their unrealistic campaign promises to the public by determining and publicizing the financial viability of each promise, its potential impact on private sector development, and overall policy implications of its implementation. IMANIFesto stirred public debate with each campaign publication and subsequent press event, which pressured political parties to reform several of their previously unrealistic promises. Near-constant attention in the national media and IMANIs savvy use of social media made IMANIFesto a household name in Ghana. IMANIs engagement of millions of Ghanaians has reminded the people of Ghana that the power to hold the government accountable is in their hands. "IMANI demonstrates the vital role that civil society organizations can play in making government leaders more accountable to citizens, said Atlas Network CEO Brad Lips. Its IMANIFesto Initiative finally forces politicians to reconcile their campaign rhetoric with the real-world trade-offs that face policymakers in office." What: IMANIs IMANIFesto Initiative named one of six finalists for Atlas Network's prestigious $100,000 Templeton Freedom Award When: Nov. 8, 2017, 7:30 p.m. Where: Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner closing ceremony Capitale, 130 Bowery, New York, NY 10013 (Bowery and Grand St.) Press Contact: Daniel.Anthony@AtlasNetwork.org or 202-449-8441 Awarded since 2004, the Templeton Freedom Award is named for the late investor and philanthropist Sir John Templeton. The award annually honors his legacy by identifying and recognizing the most exceptional and innovative contributions to the understanding of free enterprise, and the public policies that encourage prosperity, innovation, and human fulfillment via free competition. The award is generously supported by Templeton Religion Trust and will be presented during Atlas Network's Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner gala dinner ceremony Nov. 8, 2017 in New York City. The winning organization will receive a $100,000 prize and the runners-up will each receive $25,000. The 2017 Templeton Freedom Award finalists are: Beacon Center of Tennessee (Nashville, Tenn., United States) Tackle the Hall Tax project Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) (Norcross, Ga., United States) Prisoner Reentry Initiative IMANI Center for Policy and Education (Accra, Ghana) IMANIFesto initiative Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies (IEE) (Porto Alegre, Brazil) Forum da Liberdade Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) (Mexico City, Mexico) Anticorruption Reform Initiative for Mexico, 3for3 Macdonald-Laurier Institute for Public Policy (MLI) (Ottawa, Canada) "Aboriginal Canada and the Natural Resource Economy project About IMANI Center for Policy and Education Based in Accra, Ghana, IMANI Center for Policy and Education stimulates public discussion of the promotion of economic prosperity rights, the rule of law, open and unconditional trade, free speech, and decentralization of power and resources. IMANI educates individuals on the value of free markets and human initiative made manifest through entrepreneurship. It continues to affect the public policy and corporate realm of society through forums, congregations, and published articles. About Atlas Network Washington-based Atlas Network is a nonprofit organization that strengthens the worldwide freedom movement by connecting more than 470 independent partners in over 90 countries that share the vision of a free, prosperous, and peaceful world where limited governments defend the rule of law, private property, and free markets. Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/be01e3dc-8b20-440c-a88f-e4bafb949643 Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/54056da8-6d75-40ef-ba7d-442e2d8980ab CAPE MAY Fay Yu and her team had positioned cameras upstairs at the Cape May Fish Market an area only used for storage for the restaurant after learning that employees were hearing things, though no one was inhabiting the rooms. What she found was pretty creepy, she said. We captured some things and did see something on camera, Yu said. Yu is an executive producer for Haunted Towns, a show on Destination America, and Cape May will be the next town featured on the show. The show follows the Tennessee Wraith Chasers (TWC) ghost-hunting team as they investigate some of the most notoriously haunted towns across America. Using different techniques, TWC ventured into Cape Mays haunted house, the Emlen Physick Estate, and explored other businesses rumored to be haunted, like the Cape May Fish Market. The new episode on Cape May will air Sept. 19, and Yu said that unlike other tragic towns the show has visited like Gettysburg and Savannah, Georgia Cape May was more of a pleasant experience when it came to spirits that inhabited the resort. In general, Cape May felt like a pretty positive space even with reports of paranormal activity there was nothing aggressive or dangerous, just a whole lot of activity compared to other towns, Yu said. And there were reports. Though Yu didnt want to give away the premise of what they find during the episode, she did say there were deceased Physick members passing through the Emlen Physick Estate, and that there was a free-flowing of spirits when it came to paranormal activity around the property. We felt like there was probably a lot of that going on, she said. The team partnered with Craig McManus, a Bergen County medium who authored the book The Ghosts of Cape May: new haunts, old ghosts. McManus also leads tours in Cape May throughout the year. While the national television spotlight will help get the word out for Cape May, haunted tours already help with its tourism. Ghosts-related tours and events comprise 10 percent of annual tour revenue, according to the Cape May Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC). The tours become even more popular during the Halloween season. Halloween is always a fun time to come to Cape May, said Susan Krysiak, director of media relations for MAC. (The tours) are very popular, not just in the fall but during the summertime. And having the town be featured on Destination America should only add to that popularity, Krysiak said. This is a great opportunity for people across the country to learn about Cape May, she said. We have a real reputation for being a bit haunted. Krysiack said Cape May wraps its haunting experiences into history lessons, and Yu said that historic feel is evident as soon as she and her team started learning about Cape May through McManus and other town residents. The show is not just haunted locations; its the idea that there is something bigger going on and that some towns in this country have seemingly higher amounts of paranormal activities and [the show tries to learn if] there is something that explains that or is it just a coincidence, Yu said. I found Cape May so interesting because we had never done a town like that before. The history of it being a popular craze to practice spiritualism and that it was a fad, that to me was so interesting and we hadnt done anything like that before. The show premieres on Tuesday, Sept. 19, at 10 p.m. on Destination America. TRENTON The Pinelands Commission unanimously approved a resolution Thursday designating which roads in Wharton State Forest are appropriate for recreational use by motor vehicles. The commission has been working for about two years to develop the map as a way of preventing further damage to soil, plants and animals caused by drivers leaving roads and driving through fire breaks, trails and wetlands, Commissioner Ed Lloyd said. Members of the public who spoke were all in favor of the resolution and map. We see so much destruction out there, it breaks my heart, said Rosemarie Mason, of Port Republic, a member of the Outdoor Club of New Jersey who heads the maintenance crew for the 57-mile Batona Trail. The hiking trail often has deep ruts and mud areas caused by dirt bike or motorcycle riders, who also regularly take down signs posted by the club, she said. We see tire tracks through little ponds and bogs, Mason said. Only street-legal, registered cars, trucks and motorcycles are allowed in Wharton, but that rule is often broken, with all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes being driven there regularly, according to environmentalists. Rosemaries sister Diane Mason, of Absecon, is also a club member and said she hopes the map becomes a tool for law enforcement and a way to discourage people from visiting who would abuse the state forest. Keep out the guys who come from out of state in mass numbers, she said. They have no love of the pines. They just want to go out and tear things up. The commission created a map of good roads for visitors to drive on using U. S. Geological Survey topographical maps from the 1970s to the 1990s. It is available to view on the commissions website as part of its Sept. 14 meeting packet, but no printed edition yet exists. The data and resolution will be forwarded to the Department of Environmental Protection, the resolution states. It will be up to the DEP to use it in its stepped-up enforcement efforts at Wharton, commission Executive Director Nancy Wittenberg has said. The DEP issued a statement Thursday that fell short of enthusiasm for the map. DEP does not object to the Pinelands Commissions map because it does not affect our cooperative relationship with the Commission or the various stakeholders weve been working with to protect Wharton, including the commission, other stakeholders and user groups, the statement read. The DEP called the map useful as a guide, but said, it is based on maps that are many years, even decades, old and should not be relied upon as a definitive map of all the roads and trails within the state forest. The commission added language to the resolution requested by the Enduro community, which runs annual motorcycle races through the Pinelands, using smaller trails on a special-use basis. The resolution says the commission does not intend the map be used by DEP as part of its review of Special Use permits. About two dozen people spoke in favor of the map, and about 200 people attended the meeting, which also saw the commission vote to approve an application by New Jersey Natural Gas Co. to build a 30-mile pipeline, about 12 miles of which would pass through the northern part of the Pinelands Reserve. While environmentalists cheered the vote on the Wharton map, they were disappointed with the pipeline vote. Its a good plan overall, but there are some environmentally sensitive areas that we would like to be taken out (of the areas where people can drive), said Jeff Tittle, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. He called it a good beginning but was suspicious of why the Wharton vote happened on the same day as the NJ Natural Gas Co. pipeline vote. They put it up today for green cover over the pipeline, Tittle said. it was very difficult to watch (you) split the baby in half, said Doug OMalley, executive director of Environment New Jersey, in speaking to the commission after the vote. You acted today to protect Wharton and to sacrifice parts of the Pines to pipelines. MARGATE The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to install a drainage pipe system under the new sand dune in Margate, according to a consent order. The order confirming an agreement between the city, the Army Corps and the state Department of Environmental Protection will require the Army Corps to design, construct and fund an alternative drainage system. In return, Margate will withdraw its lawsuit against the state and federal governments. The consent order was presented Sept. 12 to U.S. District Court Judge Renee Bumb, who signed it later in the day. Mayor Michael Becker called the agreement "a big win for Margate." Becker said the agreement calls for the Army Corps to install a lateral pipe across the entirety of the city's beach bulkhead, with five 48-inch outfall pipes that will drain storm water to the ocean. A precast concrete inlet will collect storm water at existing scuppers. The outfalls will be located at Brunswick, Granville, Lancaster and Vendome avenues, in addition to the one that already exists at Monroe Avenue. They will be completely covered by the sand dune and berm system, he said. The big picture is that they agreed that short-term solutions were not working, Becker said. Although the city did not win its lawsuit to stop the dunes from being built, we move forward, he said. But Margate Citizens Questioning the Beach Project Executive Director Dan Gottlieb, who led the group to stop the dune from being built, called the drainage system the continued industrialization of what was a beautiful and unbroken beach. With massive steel outfall pipes, were now faced with a problem that didnt have to happen, and this solution is unsightly and has potential public safety consequences, Gottlieb said. A separate consent order has been sent to Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Julio Mendez for his consideration, according to Margate attorney Jordan Rand. While there is still considerable work to be done, I cannot overstate my admiration for the city officials who so ferociously advocated for their residents, Rand said. This resolution, however, was also the result of cooperation at all three levels of government, city, state and federal. I commend all involved for taking this problem seriously and committing to do what it takes to resolve it. Mendez had issued a temporary restraining order Aug. 3 halting the project after standing bodies of water from two rainstorms blocked beach access and caused lifeguards to develop rashes. He ordered the parties to come to the table every day if necessary to solve Margates drainage issues. Bumb later modified the restraining order, allowing the project to continue, but with conditions, such as improving beach access, draining and testing any standing water and installing safety fences around ponds. The contractor has since filled in excavated areas between the toe of the dune and the bulkhead, and installed temporary sump pits that allow water to percolate. The agreement states that the Army Corps will design a manifold and outfall storm water collection system seaward of the citys existing bulkhead system and that it will be paid for with federal funds allocated for the dune project. City engineer Ed Walbergs conceptual design plan, which the Army Corps last year said was too expensive to implement, put the cost of the project at about $10 million. Gottlieb said the agreement confirms the Army Corps and DEP never adequately understood the problem they were creating with their lack of an effective drainage system like the simple and effective system which Margate had in place for decades. The parties have been meeting for weeks to achieve the long-term solution to the drainage and safety concerns identified in the citys lawsuit. Margate officials and residents testified in court that the citys existing storm water drainage system would present problems if the dune wall was built, and that the citys border-to-border bulkhead system would provide enough protection during storms. Most of the citys flooding issues come from the bay side, they said. The engineered beach is part of Gov. Chris Christies storm protection plan to build one contiguous sand dune the entire length of the state. The drainage system will be completed over the winter, Becker said. It has to be done by May 2018, he said. After more than three years of wrangling at a cost to taxpayers of $350,000, Becker said he has developed a positive outlook on the situation. I am accessible to the people of Margate, and I hear what they are saying. But they are calming down now, and all our problems will work out. By next summer, we should be OK. Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Individuals with congenital heart disease (CHD), the most common birth defect diagnosed in one in 100 births, are living longer. In fact, there are now 1.4 million adults in the U.S., more than children, currently living with one of the many different types of congenital heart defects that range among simple, moderate, and complex. To better serve this population, the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA), the only organization in the country that specifically serves adults with CHD, announced the launch of the ACHA Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) accreditation program. This accreditation program will provide a community of support and network of experts with knowledge of the disease. To date, eleven (11) centers have earned the ACHA ACHD Accredited Comprehensive Care Center designation: Ahmanson/UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center (Los Angeles, CA) Adult Congenital Heart Program, Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA) Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic at the University of Colorado Hospital (Denver, CO) Boston Adult Congenital Heart (BACH) and Pulmonary Hypertension Program (Boston, MA) University of Michigan Adult Congenital Heart Program (Ann Arbor, MI) Washington University Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program (St. Louis, MO) Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at Childrens Hospital & Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine (Omaha, NE) Cincinnati Children's Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program (CCHMC) (Cincinnati, OH) COACH: Columbus Ohio Adult Congenital Heart Disease & Pulmonary Hypertension Program (Columbus, Ohio) Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at University of Washington & Seattle Childrens Hospital (Seattle, WA) Providence Adult and Teen Congenital Heart Program (PATCH) (Spokane, WA) Over several years, ACHA worked with doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and ACHD patients to define and vet the criteria for accreditation, which includes medical services and personnel requirements, and create a rigorous accreditation process. Accreditation will elevate the standard of care and have a positive impact on the futures of those living with this disease, said Mark Roeder, President and CEO of ACHA. Coordination of care is key, and this accreditation program will make care more streamlined for ACHD patients, improving their quality of life. Treatment options frequently change and, of the adults living with CHD, fewer than 10% see an ACHD cardiologist who specializes in adult care. Were standardizing and enhancing the quality of care for adult CHD patients throughout the country, Roeder added. ACHA works to empower the ACHD community with education and expertise to enable the transition between pediatric and adult congenital heart disease care, ultimately helping patients thrive and live longer lives. I have patients who wont travel because they are nervous about receiving care away from home, added Curt Daniels, MD, Chair of the ACHA Medical Advisory Board. This network will help solve that issue, because I can now contact an accredited center when my patient is in the area, should a need for care arise. In addition to the accredited centers, there are eight (8) organizations currently going through the ACHA ACHD Accreditation process including submitting a completed application and site visit prior to 6/1/17: Connecticut Adult Congenital Heart (CTACH) Service (Hartford, CT) Adult Congenital Cardiology Clinic at the University of Florida Jacksonville Pediatric Cardiovascular Center (Jacksonville, FL) NYU Langone Medical Center Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program (New York, NY) Medical University of South Carolina Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program (Charleston, SC) UT Southwestern and Children's Health Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program (Dallas, TX) Texas Childrens Hospital Adult Congenital Heart Program (Houston TX) UW Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program (Madison, WI) Wisconsin Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program (WAtCH) (Milwaukee, WI) By accrediting institutions, were encouraging others to meet the criteria, Roeder concluded. Because patients are now living longer, there is a need to understand how to treat individuals with typical ailments associated with aging, along with CHD. Accreditation will ultimately help providers understand what patients need, and patients understand what they are getting in terms of care to deliver patient-centered care. ### The ACHA ACHD Accreditation Program was partially funded by Actelion Pharmaceuticals U.S., Inc. ACHA and Actelion Pharmaceuticals have partnered together since 2007 to support the CHD community. About the Adult Congenital Heart Association The Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life and extending the lives of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD). ACHA serves and supports the more than one million adults with CHD, their families and the medical communityworking with them to address the unmet needs of the long-term survivors of congenital heart defects through education, outreach, advocacy, and promotion of ACHD research. For more information about ACHA, contact (888) 921-ACHA or visit www.achaheart.org. Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7491cd46-c7fe-4299-9f4a-c3bd2236008a Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4bca3463-092b-4936-8b34-e995d54433e9 Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/43f2305c-2247-45e1-aa33-a386c372eb04 When Stockton University removed a sculpture of its namesake late last month and received an outpouring of criticism in response, it said it hoped the affair would be a teachable moment for students and the community. We agree and hope the universitys administrators have learned their lessons from it, too. Learning from past mistakes in order to do better in the present and future is the fundamental benefit of history. Thats why even reminders of painful parts of history such as the Civil War should be preserved (as opposed to some war-related monuments that were created to protest Americas expansion of civil rights). Prompted by the tragic events in Charlottesville, Virginia, university officials rushed to join the subsequent dispute over monuments and history, removing the bust of Richard Stockton from its library because he was a slaveholder. The administration didnt inform the college community of the decision and action until the next day. Lesson No. 1 is dont be in a hurry to embroil the college in an emotional dispute. The day-after memo also announced the removal would be temporary until an exhibit putting its namesake in historical context could be developed. The removal was characterized as an attempt to address a longtime controversy over Richard Stockton. But not only is evidence of such a controversy lacking, people werent even aware of the issue. The head of the Atlantic City NAACP admitted he didnt know Richard Stockton owned slaves. The late Vera King Farris, longtime college president and an African-American, led the school to change its name in 1993 to the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, in part to emphasize its namesake. The sculptures removal created more controversy over Stockton than everything previous in the schools history. University President Harvey Kesselman said the college had formed a committee earlier this year to address the Stockton bust and that it would take a very close look and have an honest and fair assessment of how we got to where we are. Yet four days after the removal, he sent a message to the Stockton community saying he had asked our provost to establish a Richard Stockton Exhibit Committee for that purpose and that it would hold its first meeting in a few days. The college lowered its namesakes profile as casually as it elevated him at its founding in 1969. The trustees had wanted to call the school South Jersey State College, but the state thought that was too similar to what was then Rutgers College of South Jersey. The trustees reconsidered and named it Richard Stockton State College to honor the memory of New Jerseys signer of the Declaration of Independence, according to the schools account of its history. That soon devolved to simply Stockton State College, or just Stockton State. Handling sensitive and potentially inflammatory issues is challenging for any institution. Public colleges must simultaneously respect the views of their sometimes volatile students and other stakeholders such as alumni, parents, donors and government officials. If theyre insufficiently pro-active, they might be labeled by advocates for failing to address an issue. But acting without proper deliberation can have harmful consequences, too. The University of Missouri prematurely bowed to racism activists in 2015, enraging many stakeholders, and this years freshman enrollment is down by one third. Given the sequence of events, the Stockton administration seems to have quickly realized it acted hastily. Encouraging a community dialogue on the namesake and his image, and appointing a committee to research the matter and make recommendations are good approaches but should have been done before removing the bust from the library. Better still, university officials should have admitted that acting first and engaging the community afterward was an error that it was addressing. Everyone makes mistakes, and understanding and acknowledging them clears the path for forgiveness and doing better next time. Thats the constructive reason for looking back over a history of whatever scope and length. VIENNA, Austria and MASON, Ohio, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- JAGGAER, producers of the world's most comprehensive Source to Pay (S2P) solutions suite, today announced its recent eProcurement solution software compatibility expansion with SAP Fiori apps for a more user-friendly interface. Developed in cooperation with Villeroy & Boch, a leading global premium ceramics manufacturer, the compatibility expansion now enables customers to integrate their purchase requisition and approval processes into their SAP Fiori landscape for faster and easier completion. Customers will benefit from the advantages of the Fiori user interface, allowing them to approve shopping carts more efficiently. The JAGGAER SAP Fiori app has been seamlessly integrated into our existing infrastructure. It has helped us make our approval processes leaner and provides our employees with a modern, intuitive interface. We value user-friendliness, which is why it was important to us that the current connection to the SAP portal and via single sign-on (SSO) would continue to function, says Jorg Reiter, Manager of Processes, Tools & Methods at Villeroy & Boch AG. The release and approval process for purchase requisitions is one of the core processes in eProcurement and because the transaction is so frequent, it is typically associated with savings opportunities. Delays during this process can also delay important orders or result in follow-up costs. JAGGAERs integrated SAP Fiori app enables its customers to see at a glance how many approval processes are still open. They can immediately approve or reject outstanding releases for which they are responsible, or they can forward them to other users. All of the necessary information (accounting, delivery, detailed description, attachments, etc.) are transferred from eProcurement and seamlessly integrated. Benefits: User-friendly, Intuitive, Accepted In many companies, the SAP Fiori apps provide a central location for approvals. The contemporary design and intuitive interface on all browsers and devices (desktop, tablet, smartphone) makes it easier to operate for SAP users. Users can access outstanding approvals at any time and from anywhere, making it easy for them to effectively use spare minutes on the go to quickly process the large volume of PREQs that dont require any special attention. This reduces lead times and processing times drastically and prevents follow-up costs that may result from delayed decisions. The new SAP Fiori approval app for JAGGAER shopping carts is based on the standard SAP Fiori app for approvals and purchase requisitions. About Villeroy & Bosch: Villeroy & Boch is a leading global premium brand for ceramics. Founded in 1748, the family-owned company with its headquarters in Mettach, Germany stands for innovation, tradition and timeless elegance. As a renowned lifestyle brand, Villeroy & Boch offers bathroom and wellness, and tableware products and is represented in 125 countries. www.villeroy-boch.com About JAGGAER: Global Indirect and Direct Spend Management Solutions JAGGAER offers the only comprehensive and complete spend solution suites enabling commerce between any businesses, anywhere. We pioneered spend solutions over two decades ago and have continued to lead the innovation curve by listening to customers and analyzing the market. Our solutions suites are trusted by the world's largest higher education, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, life sciences, automotive, engineering, construction equipment, serial production and medical technology companies. Our indirect and direct spend solutions suites collectively form a global network processing billions of dollars in annual spend between 1,000+ customers and 2.5 million suppliers. JAGGAERs SaaS based, Source to Pay (S2P) solutions enable an efficient relationship between buyers and suppliers, covering the entire spectrum of needs, from spend analysis to sourcing, through contract and supplier relationship management. Additionally, JAGGAER holds 38 patents, more than any other spend management company, and acquired POOL4TOOL, a direct solutions company, in 2017. Learn how our solutions can power your organization. www.JAGGAER.com To join the conversation, please visit our blog at https://JAGGAER.com/blog/ or follow up on Twitter @JaggaerPro. JAGGAER Presents REV2018: Educate Innovate Accelerate Join us for our annual conference: https://www.jaggaer.com/rev/ Media Contact News@JAGGAER.com 919-659-NEWS ST. JOHNS, Newfoundland, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aurion Resources Ltd. (Aurion) (TSX VENTURE:AU) is pleased to report that drilling has begun at the Aamurusko prospect on its 100% owned Risti Project in Northern Finland. A total of 21 diamond drillholes are proposed over a distance of approximately 1.1 km along a Northeast-Southwest trending 1.0 km wide corridor. Within this corridor a total of 717 quartz vein blocks have assayed from nil to 2520 grams per tonne (g/t) Au and average 32.97 g/t Au with 102 assaying >31 g/t Au (one ounce per tonne Opt). Aurion has also made several new high grade gold discoveries along regional unconformities southwest, northwest and east of Aamurusko. Further details are provided below. Highlights: 21 diamond drillholes (3400 metres) are proposed over 1.1 km strike length 717 quartz blocks average 32.97 g/t Au within core 1.4 by 1.0 km trend 102 (14%) quartz blocks assayed greater than 1 ounce per tonne (opt) Au Channel sampling of quartz blocks assayed as high as 43.3 g/t Au over 1.65 m 2232 rock samples across Risti Project average 11.8 g/t Au. Multiple new high grade gold discoveries regionally Aamurusko Aurion has received assays for 717 rock samples of predominantly large and angular quartz (+/- tourmaline +/- Fe-Oxide) blocks within the core of the Aamurusko mineralized corridor comprising an area measuring 1.4 km long by 1.0 km wide. These samples assayed from nil to 2520 g/t (81.4 opt) with 102 assaying greater than 31 g/t Au (1 opt), Many of these quartz blocks contain abundant coarse visible gold, range in size from 0.1 to 32 m3 and average 0.35 m3. The distribution of the results of all 717 samples is presented in the following table. Number of samples Au Grade (g/t) Percentage of 717 total samples 329 >0.1 46% 248 >0.5 35% 216 >1.0 30% 163 >5.0 23% 133 >10.0 19% 102 >31.0 14% The underlying quartz veins are hosted by clastic rocks of the Kumpu Group (including quartzites and polymictic conglomerates) and mafic volcanics of the Sodankyla Group. The Kumpu Group polymictic conglomerates are unconformably in contact with the Sodankyla Group mafic volcanics. This contact is interpreted to be a major regional structure/fluid conduit and is the primary target unconformity. Channel Sampling A total of 32 individual saw-cut channel samples were collected from several large quartz blocks at Aamurusko. All channel samples were collected at either 0.25 m or 0.5 m lengths, 4 cm widths and 10-15 cm depths. Individual channel sample grades range from nil to 143.3 g/t Au. The length weighted average composite grades range from 0.15 g/t Au over 1.0 m to 43.3 g/t Au over 1.65 m. The following table summarizes the channel sample results to date. Discovery Boulder #1 Length Weighted Average Grade (g/t Au / m) 43.34 g/t Au / 1.65m 11.58 g/t Au / 1.5m 11.57 g/t Au / 1.7m Discovery Boulder #2 20.64 g/t Au / 2.5m 0.15 g/t Au / 1.0m Quartz block #3 12.66 g/t Au / 0.7m Quartz block #4 1.88 g/t Au / 1.00m Diamond Drilling A total of 21 diamond drillholes are proposed for the Phase 1 drill program now currently underway. The holes range from 100 m to 220 m depth (average 150m approximately). The drillholes are designed to test a combination of quartz block size, density and grade over a strike length of approximately 1.15 km (See attached map). Readers are advised that it is highly likely that the program will be modified as drilling progresses and geological information and assays are collated and interpreted. Regional Exploration Ongoing regional reconnaissance prospecting has focussed on the regional unconformities between the Kumpu Group clastic sediments and the mafic and ultramafic rocks of the Savukoski Group. This has resulted in several new early stage gold discoveries throughout the Risti Project. To date Aurion has received assays from 2232 rock samples across the entire Risti project. The average of all samples is 11.8 g/t Au. A number of these new discoveries are discussed below. K2 A cluster of quartz blocks up to 2m3 in size were discovered subcropping over a 100 m distance approximately 1.7 km southwest along strike from the Aamurusko prospect. These quartz blocks assayed from nil to 166.0 g/t Au with visible gold noted. Sixty six samples were collected with eight samples assaying > 1.0 g/t Au including highs of 12.15 and 166.0 g/t Au. The area between K2 and the southern end of the Aamurusko trend is low lying and overburden covered. Notches Beginning approximately 3.0 km east of Aamurusko, reconnaissance prospecting has outlined widespread stockwork and breccia style quartz veins exposed in boulders, sub outcrop and bedrock over a distance of approximately 5 km. Six hundred and twenty-two samples have been collected so far. The highlights include 7 samples which assayed greater than 10 g/t Au including two which assayed 420.0 and 622.0 g/t Au. Coarse visible gold has been noted here. The assay results are summarized below. Number of samples Au Grade (g/t) Percentage of 622 total samples 108 >0.1 17% 51 >0.5 8% 36 >1.0 6% 7 >10.0 1% 3 >31.0 0.5% Risti NW Limited reconnaissance prospecting has identified gold mineralization at a major unconformity located approximately 5.5 km North-Northwest of Aamurusko. Eighty-three samples have been collected to date with five assaying greater than 1.0 g/t Au and highs of 8.1 and 14.1 g/t Au. Please see attached link to maps on our website: https://aurionresources.com/news/2017/aurion-starts-drilling-at-aamurusko-and-identifies-new-gold-zones/ Other Work at Risti Geophysics Aurion has completed a detailed ground magnetic survey over the Aamurusko prospect and results are being interpreted. A detailed ground resistivity survey is currently underway. These surveys will assist in drill targeting. Soil Sampling Approximately 500 soil samples have been collected and assays are pending. BoT Sampling A large Base of Till (BoT) sampling survey is underway focussed primarily on the unconformities that are overburden covered and the area between Aamurusko and the Notches. Baseline Environmental Survey A baseline environmental study was initiated prior to drilling. The survey includes initial water and moss sampling from watercourses in the vicinity of the drilling area at Aamurusko as well as flora and fauna surveys. Summary The Risti Property comprises an area of approximately 15,000 ha and covers approximately 30 km of interpreted regional unconformities defined by the contact between the Kumpu Group conglomerates and the older mafic and ultramafic volcanics, of the Sodankyla and Savukoski Groups adjacent to the Sirkka Shear Zone, a major regional fault/deformation zone in the CLGB. The setting of the Aamurusko gold mineralization, is analogous to the setting of many of the world class gold deposits in the Timmins camp of the Abitibi province of Northern Ontario. More than 72.5 million ounces of gold in several deposits in the Timmins camp are hosted by polymictic conglomerates and mafic volcanics proximal to major unconformities adjacent to the regional Porcupine-Destor fault/deformation zone. Aurion controls 200,000 ha of mineral tenements within the Paleoproterozoic, Central Lapland Greenstone Belt (CLGB). The primary focus is on this highly prospective previously un-recognized target concept within the CLGB, of which Aurion controls approximately 70 km along the Sirkka Shear Zone. Mike Basha, President and CEO of Aurion commented: Our work this season has substantially enhanced our confidence in the understanding of the Aamurusko system, prior to drill targeting. Moreover, our regional reconnaissance prospecting and geological mapping work has identified additional high grade gold discoveries regionally, confirming the exploration potential of a previously unexplored geological context in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt. Now with a treasury of approximately $23 million we can systematically develop our projects. Quality Assurance and Quality Control All samples were delivered to ALS Minerals preparation facility in Sodankyla, Finland where sample preparation work was completed. All analytical work was completed at ALS Minerals facility in Loughrea, Ireland. ALS Minerals is an internationally accredited lab and are ISO compliant (ISO 9001:2008, ISO/IEC 17025:2005). All samples were analyzed for gold using the Au-AA24 procedure (50g fire assay with AAS finish: Detection Limit 0.005 g/t gold; Upper Limit 10g/t gold). Any samples that returned overlimit values (>10.0g/t gold) were automatically analyzed by gravimetric analysis, Au-GRA22 (50g gravimetric analysis: Detection Limit 0.05g/t gold: Upper Limit 1,000g/t gold). Any samples containing visible gold were analyzed by Au-SCR24 1kg, Screen Fire Assay Au (0.05-1,000ppm) by 1kg screen fire assay (50g nominal sample weight). The sample pulp (1kg) is passed through a 150 micron stainless steel screen. Any material remaining on the screen (>150 micron) is retained and analyzed in its entirety by fire assay with gravimetric finish and reported as the Au (+) fraction. The material passing through the screen (<150 micron) is homogenized and two sub-samples are analyzed by fire assay with AAS finish. The average of the two AAS results is taken and reported as the Au (-) fraction result. All three values are used in calculating the combined gold content of the plus and minus fractions. The gold values for both the (+) 150 and (-) 150 micron fractions are reported together with the weight of each fraction as well as the calculated total gold content of the sample.) Multi-element analysis (ME-ICP61, four-acid digestion, 35 element ICP-AES) was completed on all samples. Certified standards and blanks were inserted every 25 samples. ALS has its own QA/QC protocol using standards, blanks and duplicates. Qualified Person Mike Basha, P.Eng., P.Geo., Aurions President and CEO, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has approved the technical disclosure and verified the technical information in this news release. Forward-Looking Statement Certain statements contained in this release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words could, intend, expect, believe, will, projected, estimated and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Companies current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and Aurion is not obligated to update or revise any forwardlooking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forwardlooking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forwardlooking information contained herein. On behalf of the Board, Mike Basha, President & CEO For further information on Aurion Resources please contact: Mike Basha at (709) 699-8300 or (709) 722-2141 or mbasha@aurionresources.ca; Or Gord Fernandes, Capital Markets Advisor at (416) 805-9635 or gordon.fernandes@phoenixadvisors.ca For contact in Europe: Mathias Forss, MSc, Exploration Manager Scandinavia, at + 358 50 591 3976 or mathias.forss@geopool.fi For further information on these projects please visit our website at www.aurionresources.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. HOUSTON , Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TPC Group announced today that it has resumed full operations at both its Houston and Port Neches facilities. Initial operations at the Houston facility started as early as September 2 and the majority of operations were on-line by September 7, 2017. Port Neches brought initial operations capability on-line on September 8 with production restored by September 13, 2017. The efforts of TPCs employees helping each other, helping neighbors and the community, and restoring our operational capability has been remarkable, said TPC Group Chairman, President and CEO, Ed Dineen. I am truly humbled, proud and amazed at the overall response to this tragic and catastrophic storm. We know that there are many suppliers and customers who count on TPC as an integral part of their businesses, said Charlie Graham, senior vice president, commercial. We are very pleased that we have recovered so quickly to be there for them. TPC Groups Lake Charles Terminal was not been impacted by the storm and continues to maintain normal operations. About TPC Group TPC Group Inc. is a leading producer of value-added products derived from niche petrochemical raw materials, such as C4 hydrocarbons, and provider of critical infrastructure and logistics services along the Gulf Coast. TPC Group sells its products into a wide range of performance, specialty and intermediate segments, including synthetic rubber, fuels, lubricant additives, plastics and surfactants. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, with an operating history of more than 70 years, TPC Group has manufacturing facilities in the industrial corridor adjacent to the Houston Ship Channel and Port Neches, Texas, and operates a product terminal in Lake Charles, Louisiana. For more information, visit the TPC Group's website at www.tpcgrp.com. CONTACT: Andrew Grygiel, Investor Relations 713.840.2045 Sara Cronin, Media Relations 713.475.5243 VIENNA, Austria, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The GLOBAL TOP 100 BRAND CORPORATIONS RANKING by European Brand Institute - Europe's independent brand and patent valuation experts, examined more than 3.000 brand corporations and their brands in 16 industries, according to the latest ISO valuation standards. Ranking: http://www.europeanbrandinstitute.com/rankings/2017globaltop100/ Facebook, poster child for Consumer Engagement increases its brand value by +44% (EUR 54.763 bn), climbing up to global rank 10 (+44%) within 4 years. Apple slightly loses but remains world's leading brand corporation with brand values of EUR 144.571 bn (-3%), followed by Google EUR 107.913 bn (+17%) and Microsoft EUR 76.867 bn (+2%). China Mobile EUR 55.589 bn (+5%) moves to global rank 8. LVMH remains Europe's most valuable brand corporation, representing brand values of EUR 49.979 bn (+15%/global rank 12), followed by Belgian AB Inbev EUR 41.674 bn (+3%/global rank 17) and Swiss No.1 Nestle EUR 37.745 bn (-1%/global rank 20). Germany's Telecom EUR 25.217 bn (+2%/global rank 32) replaces Volkswagen Group (EUR 23.363/-12%) on top. Austrian's Red Bull (EUR 15,247 bn) holds global rank 74. Gerhard Hrebicek, President European Brand Institute: "Average growth of GLOBAL TOP 100 shows +6,4%, TOP 10 rise by +12,4%. Strong brands become even stronger and more valuable. Facebook shows the highest relative growth (+44%), followed by Adidas gaining +41% and KraftHeinz (+34%). US brand corporations, dominating IT & Technology, are leading 10 industries and are worth 62% of TOP 100. US brand corporations are leading with 49 (0) amongst TOP 100 brand corporations. Europe represents 34 (-1) with Germans leading, whilst Asia catches up with 17 (+1). Press Contact: European Brand Institute Dr. Gerhard Hrebicek T:+431532100014 office@europeanbrandinstitute.com http://www.europeanbrandinstitute.com SOURCE European Brand Institute GmbH (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/556230/ASA_CORM.jpg ) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150323/735844 ) ASAcampus (the Joint Laboratory of the ASAlaser Research Division and the Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio" of the University of Florence) and its spokespersons Dr Monica Monici, Dr Francesca Cialdai and Dr Leonardo Vignali will play an active part in the CORM project, one of the 11 Italian experiments of the ASI Bio mission VITA on-board the SpaceX Falcon 9 CRS-12 Dragon rocket launched last 14 August from the Kennedy Space Centre, Cape Canaveral, Florida. Other researchers from both the University of Florence (Dr Alberto Magi) and the University of Rome "La Sapienza" (Dr Stefano Cacchione) are also taking part in the CORM project, coordinated by Dr Matteo Lulli and Prof Sergio Capaccioli of the University of Florence. The experiment, whose hardware was manufactured by Kayser Italia, studies the Coenzyme Q10 as a countermeasure for damage to the retina caused by microgravity and radiation in space. Dr. Monici explains "The researchers of the ASAcampus Joint Laboratory have been studying both the role played by physical factors such as gravity, mechanical stress and electromagnetic radiation in biological processes, and the applications of physical factors for therapeutic purposes for several years now. We are pleased to be able to contribute to the CORM experiment, which, as it is carried out on the ISS under real microgravity conditions, is a good opportunity to obtain information concerning the potential damage caused by the space environment on the retinal cells and to evaluate the effectiveness of the Coenzyme Q10 as a countermeasure." "CORM - Dr Lulli and Prof Capaccioli continue - evaluates the possibility that the Coenzyme Q10 may protect retinal cells from molecular and structural alterations induced by the microgravity and radiation present on the ISS, culminating in death by apoptosis. The properties of the Coenzyme Q10, already the subject of one of our patents which led to the production of eye drops for treating corneal and retinal disorders, in preventing retinal cell death, may have important effects on astronauts, particularly in view of long-term missions, and on Earth for all those ophthalmologic pathologies which are characterised by a high level of apoptosis. After a complete Earth-based test, the experiment was set up in a NASA-hosted laboratory at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, housed in a unique hardware produced by Kayser Italia and sent to the ISS on 14 August together with the other experiments included in the VITA mission. On returning to Earth on 17 September, the cells will be analysed on the basis of certain parameters we have set as an indicator of their integrity." The CORM project was funded by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), which also co-ordinated the development and the operations of the experiments, managed the contract, and secured access to the International Space Station (ISS) through a specific agreement with NASA. The CORM experiment on the International Space Station has been successfully launched. ASA congratulates its researchers and all the researchers of the CORM team. The researchers of the Joint Laboratory of the ASAlaser Research Division and the Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio" from the University of Florence in the CORM Experiment Team. The project, one of the 11 on-board the rocket launched on 14 August, will be carried out on the International Space Station (ISS) during the VITA mission by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), involving Paolo Nespoli, the Italian astronaut from the European Space Agency (ESA). SOURCE ASA Srl PRETORIA, South Africa, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- MINISO successfully held the "Change the World" Promotion Conference in Sheraton Pretoria Hotel in South Africa. A large number of local developers and investors were invited to the event. This promotion conference lasted for two days, providing a platform for local businessmen to understand more about MINISO and vice versa. Since MINISO was established in 2013, it has been actively developing in the international market. So far, MINISO has reached strategic cooperation agreements with nearly 60 countries and opened more than 2,000 stores all over the world, including the U.S., Russia, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Australia and Egypt. South Africa is a potential country with vast territory and abundant resources. In the integration of world economy and transition as well as upgrading of consumption, the retail industry in South Africa enjoys new opportunities. Under economic globalization, enterprises may not be able to develop well if they do not think globally. Exploring opportunities elsewhere can make enterprises stronger. MINISO expects to open 10,000 stores in 100 countries by 2019, with global revenue of USD 15 billion, and this plan is just around the corner. Myra He Cell Number: 86-20-36228788-8830 Email: myra@miniso.com SOURCE Miniso Japan TOKYO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has released recommended routes via the KYUSHU x TOKYO website to encourage travelers to venture beyond Tokyo to the Kyushu region and take advantage of both areas' wide ranges of features. These two fascinating regions are particularly well-known throughout Japan for their historically significant sites as well as their more contemporary cultural attractions. The website suggests easy trips from Tokyo, and has also invited influencers from abroad such as media representatives and famous travel bloggers to cover these routes. Their travel reports, sharing their experiences from a non-Japanese viewpoint, are coming soon. KYUSHU x TOKYO Website: http://www.kyushuandtokyo.org/ Recommended routes: STUDY & ART Japan's new trend, an "accommodation bookshop," is like a secret hideaway in a stylish place. After enjoying reading at your own private and special space, take a trip to the Dazaifu Tenman-gu Shrine, known as the Wisdom of God. A great itinerary with art, literature and so much more. (Photo: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/opn/release/201709015258/?images) Travel Information from Tokyo to All Regions: http://www.tourism-alljapanandtokyo.org/?lang=en Related Links http://www.kyushuandtokyo.org SOURCE Tokyo Metropolitan Government DUSSELDORF, Germany, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On the evening of September 7th local time, the Investment seminar and the tasting of Chinese Famous Liquor Wuliangye was held by Yibin, Sichuan Province in Dusseldorf, Germany. Wuliangye International (Europe) GmbH also was formally declared its opening on the same day. Liu Zhongbo, Yibin Municipal Party Secretary, said in his speech that Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping is now positively implemented in Yibin. Yibin fully expands the opening to the outside world, and constantly deepens the foreign cooperation. This is to promote the development and reformation of Yibin to a higher level. Nordrhein-Westfalen has already established friendly relations with Sichuan Province before with good cooperation basis and achievements, all of which become the norm of friendly relations between China and Germany. Nordrhein-Westfalen, with advanced experience of industrial transformation and development, has a large number of excellent enterprises. Yibin will strengthen all-round cooperation and communication with Nordrhein-Westfalen in intelligent manufacturing, new energy vehicles, healthcare, modern service, science and technology education and personnel exchange, etc. As the city of liquor in China, Yinbin not only has great advantage in liquor industry, but also owns the world famous liquor Wuliangye. Yibin will grasp the historical opportunity of Belt and Road Initiative to promote the "stepping out" of liquor industry. Yibin will spread great traditional Chinese culture through liquor and make the national business card Wuliangye worldwide. Li Shuguang, chairman of Wuliangye Group, said China and Germany are two world powers at both ends of Belt and Road Initiative. With the 45th anniversary this year, China-Germany friendship thrives. Wuliangye will build a world influential national brand and world-famous "Chinese business card" as a bridge of friendship between two countries. Chairman Lishuguang said on the opening ceremony that the establishment of Wuliangye International (Europe) GmbH took an important step for the internationalization of Wuliangye. Europe is the world's leading consumer market for wines and drinks and a top priority in international development of Wuliangye. Wuliangye will strengthen the cooperation with Germany in industrial investment and internationalization capacity, so as to create a new situation of mutual benefit between Chinese and European enterprises. Recently, with the increasingly stepping out of internationalization Wuliangye is actively involved in Belt and Road Initiative and makes frequent appearances at the important international stages as Summer Davos and The Astana Expo. Wuliangye also makes great efforts to spread liquor brand and culture in Kazakhstan, Israel, Czech, and other Belt and Road countries, enhance cooperation of liquor industry and investment in practical terms and make great achievements in international strategy, which makes Wuliangye industry leader and national brand of liquor industry internationalization. Image Attachments Links: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=296340 SOURCE Wuliangye Group Yanfeng Automotive Interiors (YFAI), the global leader in automotive interiors, is a pioneer in the development of new materials for vehicle interiors. At the IAA, with the activeSkin concept, the company presents its vision of integrating intuitive controls into vehicle interiors, which blur the boundaries between the digital and analog worlds. This new development concept enables the display of data on soft surfaces. Functional and decorative surfaces in vehicle interiors will increasingly merge in the future. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/554119/Yanfeng_Automotive_Interiors.jpg ) "The future generation of surface is more intelligent than ever. We can simply move our hands over a fabric-covered surface in the car and an interactive surface or dynamic ambient decorative lighting appears. The surfaces interact with us," said Han Hendriks, Chief Technology Officer for YFAI. "This is impressive technology." activeSkin from YFAI maximizes freedom of design New levels of design freedom for interiors can be realized with activeSkin. The old design principle "form follows function" will be completely redefined with this new concept development. In the future, car interiors will increasingly have the atmosphere of a Next Living Space, with surfaces which are not only decorative and have a pleasant feel, but are also fully interactive. "We offer functionality on demand, which is only visible when it is needed. With this, we have the possibility of personalization functions into interior surfaces," said Hendriks. The activeSkin technology enables a freedom on interaction design. The quality and elegance with which the imaging and data transfer is implemented is convincing. "With activeSkin, we can achieve a 3D effect with a surprising sense of depth," explained Hendriks. What was recently a vision for the future could become part of our mobile reality by 2022. About Yanfeng Automotive Interiors: Yanfeng Automotive Interiors (YFAI) is the global leader in automotive interiors. YFAI is redefining how people relax, work and play in their vehicle interiors today and decades from now. Headquartered in Shanghai, the company has approximately 110 manufacturing plants and technical centers in 20 countries and more than 33,000 employees globally. They design, develop and manufacture interior components for all automakers. Established in 2015, Yanfeng Automotive Interiors is a joint venture between Yanfeng, one of the largest automotive suppliers in China and Adient, the global leader in automotive seating. For more information, please visit http://www.YFAI.com . The detailed press text is available in our Media Center at http://www.yfai.com. Please visit our IAA microsite or follow us online: http://www.yfai.com/the-next-living-space YFAI Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YFautointeriors For more information please contact: Yanfeng Automotive Interiors Jagenbergstrae 1 41468 Neuss Germany Astrid Schafmeister Tel .: +49 2131 609-3028 E -Mail: astrid.schafmeister@yfai.com Internet: http://www.YFAI.com SOURCE Yanfeng Automotive Interiors WILLISTON, N.D., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The 7th annual Bakken Oil Product & Service Show (BOPSS) features some of the latest innovative solutions for the oil and gas industry in the Williston Basin. Being held October 4 & 5, 2017, BOPSS is the only oil and gas trade show and conference located in Williston, North Dakota in the heart of the activity. The event includes a Product and Service Showcase as well as technical presentations and panel discussions highlighting new and innovative products, services, industry activity and techniques. BOPSS Product and Service Showcase Product and Service Showcase A number of new and timely products and services have been selected for the Product Showcase including the Extended Life Fire Tube from PatLoc Saefty Systems that will be launched at the event. weTrack is a new well equipment tracking and analytics program from RPT Industries in Bismarck, North Dakota that was released earlier this year. RPT Industries is the maker of Rod Pump Tracker, an industry standard downhole pump tracking platform that has expanded their product line. The electronic logging device (ELD) mandate from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will see another compliance deadline in December of 2017. The Showcase will provide an update on compliance requirements and solutions from Qv21 and AssetWorks for all trucking companies affected by the regulations. Technical Presentations & Panel Discussions A number of technical presentations and panel discussions provide information on the latest market conditions and the use of emerging technologies and techniques. Topics include: State of the Market and Economy Drones in the Bakken SPE Speaker Series: Well Stimulation, Down Hole Tools and Facility Production Operations TENORM Analysis and Waste Acceptance Production Chemical Optimization: Emerging Techniques and Tools LoadPass: The New Uniform County Truck Permit System Do Business Better in the Bakken The Bakken Oil Product & Service Show brings together oil and gas operators, services companies and other companies to connect and do business better in the Bakken. People who should attend include: Drilling and Production Superintendents and Foreman Rig Hands Frac Crews Petroleum Engineers and Production Optimization Engineers HSE Professionals Chemical Program Managers Truck Drivers and Lease Operators Information and Registration: More information and event registration is available on the website at www.BakkenOilShow.com. About DAWA Solutions Group, LLC. The Bakken Oil Product & Service Show is produced by DAWA Solutions Group, LLC. DAWA Solutions Group is a business consulting firm helping people do business better. We are a team of passionate professionals that excel at strategic planning, project management, application development, creative graphic design and event production. Contact Bakken Oil Product & Service Show c/o DAWA Solutions Group PO Box 936 Williston, ND 58802 Erica MacDiarmid 701-577-1100 [email protected] www.BakkenOilShow.com SOURCE DAWA Solutions Group Related Links http://www.BakkenOilShow.com About 1.6 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2016 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Seminalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state. "Each of these students deserves this amazing honor," said Toby Walker, BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Head of School. "Our program infuses students with a love of learning. There are many ways to demonstrate that passion. This is one of those ways, and we're proud of them." The honored students at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley are: Nitya Baddam Alvin Kin William Cao Vinay Krishna Bethany Chen Rishab Mitra Brian Chen Sergey Pavlov Pavan Gowda Aaron Sun Christopher He Anushree Thekkedath Kimberly Hou Nikki Wang Jerry Huang Patrick Wang Shrivats Kannan Angela Ye Eish Kapoor Shreya Khandewale Lorne Zhang From the approximately 16,000 Seminalists, about 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist level, and in February they will be notied of this designation. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. The scholarship winners of 2018 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join more than 330,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title. About BASIS Independent Schools BASIS Independent Schools are part of the BASIS Curriculum Schools network, serving students from Preschool through Grade 12. The acclaimed BASIS Curriculum has cultivated excellent student outcomes every year since its founding in 1998, educating students at the highest international levels and preparing them to be participants, not spectators, in the 21st century global workforce of commerce and innovation. The network's schools and students have consistently prospered by any measure national rankings, OECD/PISA testing, Advanced Placement achievement, National Merit Scholarship honors, and college admissions, among many others. There are currently thirty-two BASIS Curriculum Schools: twenty-five public charter schools in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, and Washington, D.C., five independent schools in California, New York, and Virginia, and two international schools in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, China. For more information, please visit BASISIndependent.com or BASISed.com. SOURCE BASIS Independent Schools Related Links http://www.basisindependent.com PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Second Annual "Kids Music Day" will be celebrated on Friday, Oct. 6. This year, the organization Keep Music Alive is partnering with hundreds of music schools across the nation and beyond to help spotlight the importance of including music in children's education. Events being held by participating music schools include open houses, student music performances, community/family jams, instrument petting zoos, instrument donation drives and more. Keep& Music Alive "Kids Music Day" is one of two music-related holidays founded by Keep Music Alive. In March 2017, the organization partnered with over 600 music schools in all 50 states and Canada to offer free lessons to new students as part of the Third Annual "Teach Music America Week." Vincent James, co-founder of Keep Music Alive and "Kids Music Day," said, "We recognize that many public schools across the country are cutting or reducing their music and arts programs. Research has shown how critical music and arts education are to developing our children's minds and character. Our mission is to highlight musical programs, wherever possible, to help raise awareness of how valuable music really is to our children and our collective future." Some of the largest music school chains in the nation will be participating in this year's "Kids Music Day" in many of their locations, including Music & Arts, Kindermusik, Music Together and the legendary School of Rock. Keep Music Alive is dedicated to promoting the value of music for children's education, for therapy and for overall happiness in society. The organization published the book series 88+ Ways Music Can Change Your Life, featuring inspirational music stories from musicians, music teachers and music fans from around the world, including a number of celebrities. Fifty percent of all proceeds from 88+ Ways Music are donated to organizations that provide musical instruments and instruction to schools and communities in need. Current beneficiaries include Guitars in the Classroom, Spirit of Harmony and The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation. For more information on Kids Music Day and Keep Music Alive, please visit www.KeepMusicAlive.org, www.KidsMusicDay.org or contact Vincent James, (610) 874-6312 or [email protected]. SOURCE Keep Music Alive Related Links http://www.KeepMusicAlive.org CHESAPEAKE, Va., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Virginia cities of Chesapeake, Alexandria and Falls Church are the latest to purchase the new Verity Voting system from Hart InterCivic. Each of these cities has an established relationship with Hart, and choosing Verity's paper ballot technology was a natural progression. Working with a trusted vendor will help the cities efficiently meet Virginia laws requiring paper ballots. Verity's compact, secure polling place devices make setup straightforward and voting easy. (PRNewsFoto/Hart InterCivic) "We have history in Virginia and understand the changes that have been mandated across the Commonwealth," said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic. "Many localities have already moved to Verity. We are working closely with our newest Verity adopters to transition smoothly to the system. They've made the best choice." Officials in each of the three upgrading cities chose the innovative Verity Scan digital scanning device, allowing voters to scan their paper ballots in the polling place, and the accessible Verity Touch Writer ballot marking device. The two devices share the same secure, compact hardware platform as well as an easy-to-use interface. Alexandria and Falls Church chose Verity Build's user-friendly interface to format ballots and predefine elections, while Chesapeake will contract with Hart for ballot production services. Tabulation will be handled in each jurisdiction by Verity Count, secure, easy-to-use software that tallies and reports cast vote records from Verity voting devices. Verity's portable, briefcase style and collapsible ballot box simplify transport, setup and storage. Many election managers see reductions in delivery trips and transport costs. These Verity purchases build on more than a decade of professional election partnerships between Hart and Virginia localities. With more than 100 years of election experience, Hart is known for top-rated customer service and flexible innovation. "Hart's expertise in the change management methods needed to transition to new voting technology are paying off as upgrades roll out across Virginia," said Braithwaite. "We welcome Chesapeake, Alexandria and Falls Church and expect more announcements soon." For more information on the Verity Voting system, please visit www.hartintercivic.com/verityoverview. About Hart InterCivic, Inc. Austin-based Hart InterCivic is a full-service election solutions innovator, partnering with state and local governments to deliver secure, accurate and reliable elections. Working side-by-side with election professionals for more than 100 years, Hart is committed to helping advance democracy one election at a time. Hart's mission fuels its passionate customer focus and a continuous drive for technological innovation. The company's new Verity Voting system makes voting more straightforward, equitable and accessibleand makes managing elections more transparent, more efficient and easier. SOURCE Hart InterCivic, Inc. Related Links http://www.hartintercivic.com MOSCOW, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mechel PAO (MOEX:MTLR) (NYSE:MTL), a leading Russian mining and metals company, reports a court decision that may have an impact on the value of Mechel PAOs shares. According to court information, the Fifteenth Arbitration Court of Appeal left unchanged the decision to charge Mechel PAO jointly with other respondent parties a sum of 12.7 billion rubles to recover Rostov Electrometallurgical Plant OOOs damages. The lawsuit was based on the claim that Mechel jointly with other respondent parties caused damages to the enterprise by their actions in 2009-2013. The company does not admit these allegations and insists that all deals made within the framework of its cooperation with Rostov Electrometallurgical Plant were transacted based on market economy conditions and so could not damage the enterprises operations. Mechel PAO does not agree with the courts decision and will appeal it in a court of cassation. Mechel is an international mining and steel company. Its products are marketed in Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa. Mechel unites producers of coal, iron ore concentrate, steel, rolled products, ferroalloys, heat and electric power. All of its enterprises work in a single production chain, from raw materials to high value-added products. Some of the information in this press release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the future financial performance of Mechel, as defined in the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We wish to caution you that these statements are only predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. We do not intend to update these statements. We refer you to the documents Mechel files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Form 20-F. These documents contain and identify important factors, including those contained in the section captioned Risk Factors and Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements in our Form 20-F, that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained in our projections or forward-looking statements, including, among others, the achievement of anticipated levels of profitability, growth, cost and synergy of our recent acquisitions, the impact of competitive pricing, the ability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals and licenses, the impact of developments in the Russian economic, political and legal environment, volatility in stock markets or in the price of our shares or ADRs, financial risk management and the impact of general business and global economic conditions. WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being issued by Action on Smoking and Health. Today, 95 organizations from around the globe published an open letter to Philip Morris International (PMI) demanding that they immediately cease the production, marketing and sale of cigarettes. The move was prompted by a similar recommendation from the Danish Institute for Human Rights, which had been hired by PMI to perform a human rights evaluation. Read the letter here. Tweet about it here. PMI owns and markets some of the world's most popular brands of cigarettes including Marlboro. Tobacco use is the world's leading cause of preventable death, taking over 7 million lives a year. If current trends continue, tobacco will kill one billion people this century, according to the World Health Organization. "Tobacco companies have known for more than half a century that cigarettes cause death when used as intended, and yet they still produce and market them aggressively." said Laurent Huber, Executive Director of Action on Smoking and Health. "They could have removed these deadly products from their portfolio, but instead there is plenty of evidence that they have labored to engineer cigarettes to be as addictive as possible. This is unconscionable, and PMI has admitted as much in the past." In May the Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR), after conducting a human rights evaluation of PMI, concluded that the company could not adhere to global human rights norms while still selling tobacco products. DIHR ended their relationship with PMI. Philip Morris, PMI's parent company, promised for decades to stop selling cigarettes if they were found to harm health. On November 30, 2016, Philip Morris International's CEO Andre Calantzopoulos spoke with BBC Radio 4's Today, acknowledging, "It's, to me, very simple. We produce a product that causes disease." BBC's Dominic O'Connell pushed back saying, "If you were concerned about the consumer, you wouldn't sell cigarettes." Visitors to PMI's website are greeted with the words, "Designing a Smoke-Free Future," seemingly admitting that selling cigarettes is unethical and their desire to stop. "If PMI thinks it should stop selling cigarettes, what are they waiting for? Clearly, when faced with the choice between personal profit and consumers' deaths, they choose consumers' deaths," said Laura Graen, Senior Policy Advisor of Unfairtobacco. "This letter singles out PMI because of DIHR's strong statement, but of course the message and logic applies to all tobacco companies." ACTION ON SMOKING AND HEALTH Founded in 1967, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is America's oldest anti-tobacco organization, dedicated to a world with ZERO tobacco deaths. Because tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide, ASH supports bold solutions proportionate to the magnitude of the problem. www.ash.org UNFAIRTOBACCO Founded in 2004, Unfairtobacco exposes how tobacco industry harms farmers, consumers and the environment. The project's work in the area of development politics was recognized by the World Health Organization with a WHO World No Tobacco Day Award 2017. www.unfairtobacco.org U.S. Media Contact: Megan Arendt, ASH Cell: (202) 390 9513 European Media Contact : Laura Graen, Unfairtobacco SOURCE Action on Smoking and Health Related Links http://ash.org In early 2017, two outstanding representatives of Chinese private entrepreneurs, including Mr. Chen Zemin, Founder of China Sanquan Group and Board Chairman of Zhengzhou Dimette New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., who proposed the idea of "The First Year of China's Geothermal Development", and Mr. Zhou Haijiang, Board Chairman of China Hodo Group, who held the new book release conference for The Modern Enterprise System with Chinese Characteristics , attracted widespread concern with their breakthrough and innovativeness. The program "Chinese Dream: Pioneers" interviewed the two outstanding representatives of Chinese private entrepreneurs in the first time. "Chinese Dream: Pioneers" is an exclusive interview program mainly to interview pioneers and leaders in all walks of life under the premise of Chinese dream. It aims to demonstrate personages' and enterprises' brave innovation and struggle for dreams. The two interviews left a deep impression on general producer Zhang Xiaoyan. According to her, the wisdom and mind demonstrated by the two guests in the interview is a typical representation of Chinese private entrepreneurs. Their business intelligence not only stays in enterprises' self-development, but seeks human well-being as the enterprise development vision. This not only shows the growth of Chinese private entrepreneurs but also closely concerns the continuous development of China's economy. As the Chinese economy has more and more interactive collaborations with the global economy, the development of China's private entrepreneurs increasingly keeps pace with the development of enterprises around the world. Not long ago, the BRICS National Business Forum was held in Xiamen, Fujian, China. The participating representatives of the business community included a number of Fortune 500 companies and representatives of Chinese private entrepreneurs. Chinese private entrepreneurs' positive participation in the global economy attracts attention of media from the participating countries. "Chinese Dream: Pioneers" will pay close attention to Chinese private entrepreneurs by giving more key reports on them in the future, so that the audience can be inspired and enlightened from their true feelings. SOURCE Chinese Dream: Pioneers NAPERVILLE, Ill., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aasonn, LLC, a global HR strategy and technology services company, announced today that Shaffiq A. Jetha has joined the company as the Senior Vice President of Global Sales & Marketing. Shaffiq brings to Aasonn more than 25 years of experience in the HR services and human capital management (HCM) space. His depth of industry knowledge and proven track record of success building high-performance sales organizations will be instrumental in growing Aasonn's customer base. Based in Vancouver, Canada, Shaffiq previously held business development and sales leadership positions with NGA Human Resources and Ceridian. Shaffiq joins the executive leadership team at Aasonn that will continue to lead the next phase of the company's long-term growth strategy. He will replace outgoing sales and marketing leader Sal Como who had been filling the role on a planned interim basis. During his time at Aasonn, Sal was an effective and transformational change leader who enabled the organization to achieve sales and marketing excellence. "Shaffiq reinforces Aasonn's customer-centric philosophy and approach," said Bill Carroll, Aasonn CEO. "He brings to Aasonn a wealth of experience, skills and know-how, and we are very much looking forward to the value he will bring our customers, partners, employees and stakeholders." "I am delighted to join the Aasonn family during such an exciting time in the company's history when there is so much potential to make great happen together," Shaffiq added. "Aasonn is known within the industry for having top-notch talent, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to cultivate a collaborative sales culture that will drive the company's future growth." About Aasonn Aasonn empowers HR teams to transform the enterprise with innovative, flexible human capital management and benefits services in the cloud. The premier global provider of HR as a Service solutions, Aasonn's offerings include cloud-based HCM implementations, full-service HR operations with on-shore call centers, innovative self-service technologies to enhance the employee experience, and post-implementation support and actionable analytics. As SAP SuccessFactors' most experienced implementation partner, Aasonn helps companies of all sizes transform HR systems and processes, so they realize higher returns from their talent management investments and create competitive workforces that deliver results. Visit aasonn.com to learn more. Contact: Christina Nahal Marketing Director [email protected] SOURCE Aasonn Related Links http://www.aasonn.com WARSAW, Poland, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Abris Capital Partners, an independent private equity fund manager currently celebrating its 10th anniversary of investing in Central & Eastern Europe (CEE), has secured 500 million from international investors to support further investment in the region. In line with Abris' strategy, the new fund will be invested in medium-sized, private businesses chiefly in Poland and Romania, but also elsewhere in CEE. Neil Milne and George Swirski, Managing Partners and Co-founders of Abris Capital Partners, said "We are delighted that, despite the current political and economic challenges in our region, we have been able to once again obtain the support of many prestigious international institutional investors. We have secured new commitments from several US and European investors which have never previously invested in CEE, as well as obtaining a high level of renewed commitments from our existing Fund I and Fund II limited partners. We attribute this interest largely to the effort we have put into our two earlier funds - these funds continue to hold a number of particularly attractive portfolio companies and have also completed several recent successful exits. The fact that we achieved our targeted 500 million is, we believe, evidence that our institutional investors share our confidence in the growing quality and scale of the CEE mid-market. Since we started Abris in 2007, we have been able to help many local, family-founded businesses grow to become successful national and even international champions; this has generated attractive investment returns in the process." Pawe Gierynski, CIO at Abris Capital Partners, adds: "We have a strong, integrated team working to the highest standards of responsible investing. We are practitioners, not theoreticians and aim to work hand-in-hand with our entrepreneurs to professionalise their businesses and achieve shared strategic and financial goals. With Fund III, we plan to continue our strategy and will search for opportunities in traditional as well as less obvious business areas, with a focus on the food, financial services and e-commerce logistics sectors. " About Abris Capital Partners Abris Capital Partners is an independent private equity fund manager which invests in Central & Eastern Europe. Abris manages the capital commitments of many prestigious, international institutional investors including university endowment funds, pension funds, insurance companies and private asset managers. Since its inception in 2007, Abris has secured cumulative commitments of nearly 1.3 billion from investors, all targeted at mid-market opportunities in CEE. The typical financial commitment by Abris ranges from 30-75 million, usually with the acquisition of a majority shareholding. Since 2007, Abris funds have made more than 20 investments in Poland and elsewhere in CEE. Amongst the businesses in Poland which have flourished under Abris ownership are Siodemka, Novago, Masterlease and Alumetal, the latter two being listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Other successful businesses remaining under Abris ownership include UrgentCargus in Romania, and GetBack, Graal and CARGOUNIT in Poland. Abris Capital Partners Ltd. is regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission. SOURCE Abris Capital Partners Related Links http://www.abris-capital.com ST. LOUIS, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aclara, a leading supplier of smart infrastructure solutions to more than 800 electric, gas and water utilities, has been named to the 2017 GovTech 100, a compendium of 100 companies focused on and making a difference in, and selling to, state and local governments. The GovTech 100 companies are active in one or more market segments: administrative, service delivery, intelligent infrastructure and civic-tech focus areas. Now in its second year, the list is compiled by Government Technology magazine, a respected source of information for municipal, county and state governments. Aclara has been supplying solutions to utilities since 1972. Today, Aclara is widely recognized as an innovator and provider of intelligent technologies and value-added services for utilities around the world. The company's growing roster of customers in the U.S. includes a formidable list of 800 electric, water and gas utilities, most of them municipals and rural electric cooperatives. Aclara customers include utilities as diverse as Consolidated Edison Company of NY, Inc. and Orange and Rockland (O&R) Utilities, Inc., DC Water, Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative, Missouri American Water and the City of Munroe Falls, Ohio. "As a provider of smart infrastructure solutions, Aclara can also be considered a leader in civic tech, which has been described as the bridge between government's mission and modern technology's potential," said Allan Connolly, Aclara's President and CEO. "Our focus is on providing utilities with leading-edge solutions and a single point of accountability from initial planning to implementation and beyond." Aclara's suite of end-to-end solutions includes smart meters and edge devices, advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), headend and consumer engagement software, installation services, provision of labor, and data analytics to equip operators with the actionable intelligence needed to manage their distribution networks. About Aclara Aclara, an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, Inc., is a world-class supplier of smart infrastructure solutions (SIS) and services to more than 800 water, gas, and electric utilities globally. Aclara SIS offerings include smart meters and other field devices, advanced metering infrastructure and software and services that enable utilities to predict and respond to conditions, leverage their distribution networks effectively and engage with their customers. Meter Reading Holdings LLC operates three sister companies, Aclara Technologies, Aclara Meters, and Smart Grid Solutions collectively referred as Aclara. Aclara won a Frost & Sullivan Global Smart Energy Networks Enabling Technology Leadership Award in 2017 and was named a finalist in three categories of the Platts Global Energy Awards in 2016. Aclara has also been shortlisted for the 2017 UK Energy Innovation Awards. Visit us at Aclara.com, follow us on Twitter @AclaraSolutions or read our blog. SOURCE Aclara Related Links http://www.aclara.com COLUMBUS, Ga., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac, the leading provider of voluntary insurance sales at the worksite in the U.S. and a longtime champion of the childhood cancer cause, today announced that it will once again sponsor CureFest. A grassroots event, CureFest aims to make childhood cancer research a national priority by uniting the childhood cancer community, the general public, the brightest medical minds and elected leaders as one voice against childhood cancer. This is the second year that Aflac has sponsored CureFest after becoming the event's first national sponsor in 2016. Organizers recently announced that Disney star and Top 40 artist Sabrina Carpenter will perform at the event. Her appearance is slated for Sunday, Sept. 17, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The event is open to the public, with no admission charge. Joining Carpenter will be 17-year-old childhood cancer survivor and 2016 "America's Got Talent" semifinalist Caly Bevier and acclaimed 11-year-old "So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation" competitor Diana Pombo. "Last year, Aflac became the first national sponsor of CureFest, and we are pleased to be back in 2017 to support this incredibly important cause," Aflac Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer Catherine Hernandez-Blades said. "According to 2014 figures from the National Cancer Institute, childhood cancer receives 4.1 percent of federal funding allotted to cancer treatment and research. Aflac believes that needs to change. Holding this annual event and bringing the power of celebrity and a large group of people who are committed to the cause together to raise needed attention is just what the doctor ordered for children and families facing cancer." Aflac recently announced its Aflac Childhood Cancer Campaign, which expands on the company's 22-year commitment to childhood cancer through four key areas: awareness, action, fundraising and volunteering. "CureFest is a great fit for the Aflac Childhood Cancer Campaign because we share the goal of building a movement around childhood cancer," Aflac Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Gail Galuppo said. "As a pioneer in cancer insurance, Aflac sees the impact of the disease every day as we support our policyholders. So, it makes sense that our corporate citizenship commitment focuses on providing innovative care and support to children who have cancer." "We are delighted to once again have Aflac as a national sponsor for CureFest," said CureFest organizer Michael Gillette. "We applaud their leadership in giving more than $118 million to the cause. With the help of Aflac and other childhood cancer champions, who wear their collective hearts on their sleeves when it comes to children and cancer, we know that we are on the right path to finding a cure so that no family ever has to hear the words, 'Your child has cancer.'" One simple way to help is by communicating on social media. Aflac donates $2, up to $1.5 million, each time an individual creates, shares or interacts with a social media post using the hashtag #Duckprints.* *Related social actions include: Twitter - $2 for any tweet using the hashtag #Duckprints or for retweets of Duckprints-related tweets. Facebook - $2 for any share of posts related to Duckprints or using the hashtag #Duckprints. YouTube - $2 per view of the Duckprints videos on YouTube. Instagram - $2 for every post using the hashtag #Duckprints. For more information about the Aflac Children's Cancer Campaign, please go to www.AflacChildhoodCancer.org About Aflac When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For more than six decades, Aflac insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the leader in voluntary insurance sales at the worksite. Through its trailblazing One Day PaySM initiative, Aflac U.S. can receive, process, approve and disburse payment for eligible claims in one business day. In Japan, Aflac is the leading provider of medical and cancer insurance, and insures 1 in 4 households. Aflac insurance products help provide protection to more than 50 million people worldwide. For 11 consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies. In 2017, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the 19th consecutive year and included Aflac on its list of Most Admired Companies for the 16th time. In 2015, Aflac's contact centers were recognized by J.D. Power by providing "An Outstanding Customer Service Experience" for the Live Phone Channel. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac and One Day PaySM, visit aflac.com or espanol.aflac.com. Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus and American Family Life Assurance Company of New York. Media contacts Jon Sullivan, 706.763.4813 or [email protected] Aflac analyst and investor contact David A. Young, 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667, FAX 706.324.6330, or [email protected] SOURCE Aflac Related Links http://www.aflac.com HOUSTON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- alliantgroup, the nation's leading provider of specialty tax services, will be attending Oklahoma State University's College of Engineering, Architecture & Technology Career Fair on Tuesday, September 19th from 9 am to 3:30 pm at Gallagher-Iba Arena. The CEAT Career Fair is the largest career fair to take place at the university and is among the largest student run career fairs in the nation. A firm that has a substantial number of clients in the fields of architecture, engineering and technology, alliantgroup representatives will be on-site to meet with students to discuss the career opportunities that exist for technical professionals at the company. Specifically, alliantgroup is looking for students with a strong STEM background that will be able to work with some of its top clients in the architecture, engineering and technology industries. For students interested in pursuing a career at alliantgroup, the firm offers a unique opportunity to work at an organization with a strong core purpose that benefits U.S. businesses, helps create jobs and spurs broader economic growth. alliantgroup also offers substantial benefits to its employees including a generous compensation package, medical and dental coverage, a 401(k) match savings account and perks such as access to the firm's onsite gym and a fully developed health and wellness program. "For those students looking to jump right into their career and for those looking to be part of a company with a strong sense of purpose, I'd advise them to stop by our booth during the conference to learn more about our fantastic organization," said Dhaval Jadav, alliantgroup CEO. alliantgroup is a premier tax consultancy and the nation's leader in specialty tax services. The firm exists to help U.S. businesses and their CPA advisors accurately identify and properly claim all available federal and state tax credits, incentives and deductions. Headquartered in Houston and with offices in Boston, Chicago, New York, Orange County, Sacramento, Orlando, Indianapolis and Washington, D.C., alliantgroup has helped over 12,000 American companies claim over $6 billion in government-sponsored incentives. For more information on alliantgroup, please follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. SOURCE alliantgroup KIEV, Ukraine, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovecs, a global software development outsourcing company with R&D based in Kyiv, today announced the construction of the new multimedia space - InnoHub. The goal of the project is to create a permanent interactive platform for team development, knowledge sharing and international communications among developers. InnoHub by Innovecs "Our company has exclusive access to international IT, development and programming experts. Our aim is to share and spread opportunities and knowledge through an sizable hub that will not only help develop the potential for our employees and partners, but also raise the profile of the Ukrainian IT industry to an international level," says Alex Lutsky, CEO of Innovecs. "InnoHub is conceived as an innovative environment that will teach the latest technologies from different perspectives, share the experience of Ukrainian programmers and foreign professionals, as well as, aimed to improve business management skills and other areas." The development of the project is managed by Olga Safina, the former head of communications and events at UNIT.City, former art director at VDNG. Olga was also involved in launching projects such as "FEDORIV Hub," and the creative space "Chasopys." "InnoHub is built to meet the needs of the Innovecs team, but it will open the doors to all participants of the IT industry. We aim to create an active environment focused on interaction and learning, using all the assets in our toolkit, including international experience, foreign cases and access to experts from around the world. We are interested in technology, science and business through the prism of IT and innovation, and we are open to cooperation in those areas," says Olga Safina, director of InnoHub. InnoHub will be located in an area of 600 m2 and will become part of the company's office space. The opening is scheduled for December 2017. About the company: A global firm with offices in New York, San Francisco, London, Frankfurt, Bern and Tel Aviv, as well as R&D center and head office in Ukraine, Innovecs provides extensive software development expertise in areas such as advertising technology, financial innovation, e-commerce, logistics, telecommunications and healthcare. The company works with forward-thinking technologies like Blockchain, BI & BigData, cloud computing and various mobile solutions. To learn more about Innovecs please visit www.innovecs.com. For more information please contact: Iryna Chubur Innovecs PR [email protected] SOURCE Innovecs Related Links http://www.innovecs.com CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AmTrav, a leading business travel agency, has announced the release of a2b, a first-of-its-kind corporate booking tool and the last piece of a completely in-house, end-to-end corporate booking solution. "It's a game changer," said CEO Jeff Klee. "Our previous booking tool was only 4 years old and still great, but a lot has changed. We built a brand-new platform from the ground up with today's tools, for today's travelers, to separate ourselves even further." a2b's differences start with a clean, modern user interface that makes booking and managing travel for individuals and staff while monitoring and controlling travel costs both easy and quick. This is in stark contrast to the vast majority of hard-to-use corporate booking tools on the market. a2b then layers on features unique to the tool that are critical to business travelers and their employers. With a2b, business travelers and travel managers can: Self-manage travelers, preferences, and company forms of payments; invite new travelers to join; and designate who has permission to book and manage for who. Easily compare airline fare "brands" and even Mix & Match choices. (e.g. book business class for your outbound red-eye, but the cheapest Basic Economy for your daytime return.) See rich in-flight amenity details so you know, among other things, the WiFi speed, in-flight entertainment options, and seat pitches of the flights you are considering. Access your negotiated corporate discounts with airlines, hotels, or car vendors. Set travel policies to maximize savings (e.g. must book within $25 of lowest available) and, optionally, designate an approval flow for purchases. of lowest available) and, optionally, designate an approval flow for purchases. View interactive, real-time reports to see who is spending what, and where there are opportunities to save. Access a "Where are My Travelers" map to see where your travelers are at any moment in time. Book premium and extra leg room seats on major airlines without having to leave the tool. For companies whose policies don't permit premium seats, travelers can purchase them on a personal credit card. Today, even the largest providers of corporate travel management services offer what behind-the-scenes is a crazy amalgamation of third party tools by different vendors. AmTrav has taken a different approach and has built an entire end-to-end platform in-house, allowing them to be much more nimble and responsive. "The other guys have a team of travel agents that use Vendor A's system, an online booking tool built by Vendor B, a reporting system built by Vendor C, etc. etc.," said AmTrav President Craig Fichtelberg. "When something goes wrong, you don't know who you can call for help." In another break with tradition in the corporate travel world, AmTrav makes a2b available with no contracts, no commitments, and no fees. "Our competitors all have these long contracting and onboarding processes, which leads many small and medium sized businesses to believe they lack the time and resources to work with TMCs," said Fichtelberg. "AmTrav offers these SMBs an easier, faster, and cheaper alternative. To try us out, just click a button and you can start booking immediately." About AmTrav For the past 25 years, AmTrav has been the leading provider of business travel services committed to eliminating the hassles of corporate travel; as a result we have helped over three million people travel with ease. With a2b, our award-winning corporate booking tool, our skilled team of U.S.-based travel consultants, and our 24/7 phone and chat lines, we have simplified the booking process, reduced costs, and solved travel problems for companies and individuals of all types. In the process of building ahead-of-the-curve booking tools for business travelers, AmTrav has achieved many firsts: first to seamlessly combine low-cost carriers with traditional carriers in a single booking; first to show which flights offer WiFi and live TV; first to include the airlines' premium and extra leg room seats; and the first to let customers compare all airline fare brands on a single screen. These firsts, along with our continued commitment to performance and innovation, have led to national recognition, industry accolades and accelerated growth. SOURCE AmTrav KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 14, 2017 NorthPoint Logistics, a freight forwarder, cold storage, and customs brokerage company announced today that Amy Rice has joined NorthPoint Logistics as it's first Chief Operating Officer. In this position Ms. Rice will assume responsibility in designing and implementing the business operations nationally and globally, managing relationships with partners/vendors/clients/employees, establishing policies that promote company culture and vision, and oversee the operations of the company. In this position she will report directly to NorthPoint Logistics Chief Executive Officer Diogo Lobo. Prior to joining NorthPoint Logistics, Ms. Rice was Vice President of Operations at Marisol International. She is a Licensed Customs Broker, a Certified Export Specialist, and a Certified Customs Specialist with 20 years' experience in global trading and supply chain. www.northpointlogistics.com SOURCE NorthPoint Logistics Related Links http://www.northpointlogistics.com GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today Steelcase announces a relationship with FLOS, a renowned Italian lighting group with a collection of finely crafted decorative lighting including pendants, sconces, table & floor lamps. Steelcase will offer a collection of FLOS lighting throughout the U.S. and Canada, with availability expected in November 2017. FLOS lighting supplements an already extensive Steelcase portfolio, offering greater choice and consolidated distribution by the largest dealer network in the industry. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c68c54be-ee74-48f8-a515-2b4f22d2517f FLOS offers finely crafted lighting solutions that can help create inspiring and inviting places to work. This new relationship helps architects, designers and clients by providing convenient access to a range of compelling design options supported by reliable, commercial distribution at scale, said Allan Smith, Vice President, Global Marketing, Steelcase. Founded by Sergio Gandini in 1962 in Merano, Italy, FLOS has revolutionized the art of lighting by many while embracing innovation. The company has cultivated long and successful partnerships with some of the worlds most renowned designers and has grown its offerings to include residential, commercial and custom products. FLOS designs are included in many permanent collections of design and art museums around the world. FLOS is delighted to work with Steelcase, bringing our lighting designs to one of the great furniture companies in the world and its far-reaching dealer network in North America, said Jack Schreur, CEO, FLOS USA. This new relationship will introduce FLOS lighting to new audiences while meeting a critical need for architects and designers. Steelcase partners with a diverse network of thought-leaders and organizations around the world. These partners enrich its offering, contribute to continuous learning and promise greater value to Steelcase customers. FLOS is the latest of recently announced global and regional Steelcase partners. About Steelcase Inc. For over 105 years, Steelcase Inc. has helped create great experiences for the world's leading organizations, across industries. We demonstrate this through our family of brands - including Steelcase, Coalesse, Designtex, PolyVision and Turnstone. Together, they offer a comprehensive portfolio of architecture, furniture and technology products and services designed to unlock human promise and support social, economic and environmental sustainability. We are globally accessible through a network of channels, including over 800 dealer locations. Steelcase is a global, industry-leading and publicly traded company with fiscal 2017 revenue of $3.0 billion. www.steelcase.com About FLOS Established in 1962 in Merano, Italy, FLOS is recognized as a world leading manufacturer of innovative lighting solutions in the residential and architectural sectors, featuring high quality products and systems characterized by fine design. The company has a rich catalogue of iconic products by legendary designers including Achille Castiglioni, Philippe Starck, Antonio Citterio, Piero Lissoni, Marcel Wanders, Konstantin Grcic, Jasper Morrison, Patricia Urquiola, Ron Gilad, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, Michael Anastassiades and many more. FLOS is sold in more than 94 countries worldwide and has single-brand stores in Rome, Milan, Paris, Hong Kong, Stockholm, New York and Lyon. usa.flos.com Contact: Beth Massey beth.massey@bdeonline.biz 212-353-1383 Megan Ochmanek mochmane@steelcase.com 734-309-0472 Moeda launched this year after its win at The Global Goals for Sustainable Development Hackathon. Chairwoman, CEO, and Co-Founder Taynaah Reis reflected on what she sees as an evolution of the international business community in favor of the Global Goals: "We're seeing an historic and significant shift in the business environment, where businesses see greater shared value and potential returns in helping societies become more prosperous -- by supporting longer-term developmental efforts, rather than simply relying on short term profits. Our efforts are strategically focused on leveraging this economic and social shift." The evening will begin with a social cocktail hour and feature presentations from three innovative initiatives in coordination with the UN-led, landmark project -- The Global Goals for Sustainable Development (Agenda 2030). In addition to the featured hosts, partners, and stakeholders, invited guests include representatives and Ambassadors of U.N. Member States, senior officials from the United Nations, and leaders of both the private and philanthropic sectors. Moeda and its co-hosts look forward to an incredible evening with illuminating guests from a variety of different sectors and backgrounds. "Collective action is needed more than ever to achieve sustainable development for all by 2030," said Reis, "Join us!" About Moeda: Founded in April 2017 by Taynaah Reis, Brad Chun, and Isa Yu, Moeda is the first cooperative banking system powered by blockchain technology. Moeda harnesses the power, speed and efficiency of blockchain technology, to empower underfunded and unbanked entrepreneurs worldwide. About The Global Goals for Sustainable Development: "The Global Goals" are 17 goals adopted by the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015, and enacted in January 2016. Its mission is to improve the health of the planet and its people by 2030, through the achievement of 17 specific, sustainable goals. SOURCE Moeda Related Links https://moeda.in WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is an open letter written by the Appleseed Network; all views expressed are theirs. Report cover, "A DREAM Deferred: From DACA to Citizenship" (Appleseed, 2014) The Appleseed Network Immigration Collaborative is disappointed that the Trump Administration decided to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program, which it had continued over the past seven months. "The DACA issue goes to the heart of who we are as a country. DREAMERS have demonstrated their skills, their passions, and their love for this country," said Malcolm Rich, co-chair of the Appleseed Network Immigration Collaborative and Executive Director of the Chicago Appleseed Fund for Justice. "By allowing this to happen we will certainly hurt the DREAMERS but we will hurt this country even more." In June 2014, on the two-year anniversary of DACA, Appleseed issued the report "A DREAM Deferred: From DACA to Citizenship." This report analyzed the DACA Program and its implementation, and presented a series of recommendations for future programs like DACA to ensure effective enactment and broad participation. Steven Schulman, an author of the report and Chair of the Appleseed Network Board of Directors and the Immigration Collaborative, notes that "DACA provided an important sense of security to individuals who had been brought to the United States as children, but had been unable to secure other immigration statuses. DACA allowed these Americans in every sense but citizenship to work, attend school and be productive members of society. It is now up to Congress to provide immigration status to these individuals." Based on the lessons we learned from stakeholders as we researched and wrote "A DREAM Deferred," Appleseed recommends that any proposed alternative to DACA consider the following: These individuals need a long-term solution, which will allow them to continue to build lives in the United States and contribute to American society. DACA provided only temporary reprieves from removal, and provided no guarantee of how the government would use their information in the future, leaving many applicants feeling vulnerable. and contribute to American society. DACA provided only temporary reprieves from removal, and provided no guarantee of how the government would use their information in the future, leaving many applicants feeling vulnerable. Cost and eligibility criteria should be established that do not present obstacles for eligible recipients. DACA's high fees with no available fee waivers and vague eligibility criteria led many eligible persons to decline to pursue DACA relief. Outreach to undocumented immigrants in rural areas or in communities with limited internet access is critical. These populations were less informed about DACA, and thus did not utilize the program to the fullest extent. Input from immigration organizations and pro bono lawyers is necessary to create an integrated strategy of outreach and organizing, communications, policy and law to provide high-stakes, high-quality legal advice and assistance to help applicants. Appleseed believes that individuals who were brought to the United States as children, and have been unable otherwise to obtain immigration status, should have a path to permanent status in the country in which they have grown up and to which they have already contributed. Congress can and should do this through an effective and fair program that is implemented in an efficient manner. About Appleseed Network Appleseed Network is a nonprofit network of 18 public interest justice centers in the United States and Mexico dedicated to building a society in which opportunities are genuine, access to law is universal and equal, and government advances the public interest. For more information, visit www.appleseednetwork.org. Media Contacts: Malcolm Rich +1.312.988.6565 [email protected] Steven Schulman +1.202.887.4071 [email protected] Related Links Appleseed Network Website SOURCE Appleseed Network Related Links http://www.appleseednetwork.org NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Arup, the global design and consulting firm for the built environment, is pleased to celebrate the opening of The Emma and Georgina Bloomberg Center at Cornell Tech's Roosevelt Island campus. The building, designed by Arup and Morphosis architects, under the direction of Pritzker Prize-winner Thom Mayne and Principal Ung-Joo Scott Lee, is a departure from traditional academic facilities, with a variety of spaces designed to support different learning modes, including flexible spaces to encourage collaboration as well as private work spaces, adapting open-plan offices from the tech world to the academic arena. The art-in-architecture program is a key component of The Bloomberg Center, with newly commissioned works throughout the building by artists Alison Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Riedel, Matthew Ritchie, and Matthew Day Jackson. The building also features a space designed specifically to house a Works Projects Administration (WPA) Federal Art Project mural by Ilya Bolotowsky from the decommissioned Goldwater Memorial Hospital previously on the Cornell Tech site, as well as a ground-floor cafe that is open to the public. Arup provided multiple consultancy services on the project, including structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection engineering, acoustic and audio-visual consulting, communications, facade, lighting/daylighting design, security and smart building consulting, as well as key sustainability, LEED, and net-zero energy goal consulting. "We are entering a new era for tech in New York, and the Cornell Tech campus is at the heart of it," said Andrew Winters, Cornell Tech's Director of Capital Projects. "The Bloomberg Center is our main academic hub on campus and, inspired by the Bloomberg model, we're reinforcing our commitment to innovation and sustainability by pushing the boundaries of current energy efficiency practices and setting a new standard for building in New York." The Cornell Tech Roosevelt Island campus is an entire academic environment designed with both innovation and sustainability in mind. "As Cornell Tech's first academic building, The Bloomberg Center is particularly influential," noted Arup Project Manager Tom Rice. "It was very gratifying to work so closely with Morphosis and Cornell to deliver an overall design that pays careful attention to flexibility and integration, while ensuring a building energy performance that is revolutionary in terms of sustainability standards." The building is not only targeting an ambitious LEED Platinum certification, but also the aspiration of net-zero energy levels as part of the campus's broader sustainability program. Net-zero energy distinction requires enough energy to be produced on-site to offset all of the annual building energy consumption and is a design feature that is particularly difficult to achieve in buildings that are in constant use. Early in the design process, Arup set an energy use intensity (EUI) target that was used as a benchmark throughout the project. Final energy models estimated a site EUI of 38.5 kBtu/ft2/year and a source EUI of 90.5 kBtu/ft2/year, levels that are exceptionally low for a building of this type. Using a stepped approach to reach the project's low-energy goals, the design team's first priority was reducing energy demand as much as possible through both load reductions and passive- and energy-efficient design, with renewable energy then employed to power much of the building's systems. As part of this, the building is designed to be completely electric, utilizing an extensive geothermal system that makes use of highly efficient, electrically-powered ground-source heat pumps, as well as a rooftop array of photovoltaic panels. Additionally, the facade design went beyond the fundamental aspects of establishing continuity of waterproofing and insulation; facade systems were carefully selected to manage daylight, to maximize insulation, and to conserve cooling and heating loads with passive means. Careful attention to detail in the design phase facilitated a unique stud-wall panel system, which mitigated thermal bridging and established continuity of insulation at interlocking joints, which, at the same time, enhances the unique quality of the building and its spatial experiences. Complementing the careful design to work towards the goal of net-zero standards is the consideration of smart building design. Arup worked closely with Cornell Tech and Morphosis to insure the building itself could be used as a teaching tool for smart buildings, big data, IoT, AI, and other applications. All of the building data from every system will contribute to a "data lake" from which students, researchers, and instructors can create products, applications, and experiments for the built environment. "The Bloomberg Center links Cornell University's and Cornell Tech's communities, connecting its upstate and downstate locations and resources to foster new research, form new industries, and start new businesses," stated Ung-Joo Scott Lee, Principal at Morphosis. "Cornell University's leadership and core mission in advancing sustainability further links the two campuses together and, working in close collaboration with Arup, our team looks to demonstrate that high-performing, net-zero buildings are not only critical for our built environment but ultimately provide healthier, more productive, and greater collaborative environments." About Arup Arup provides planning, engineering, design, and consulting services for the most prominent projects and sites in the built environment. Since its founding in 1946, the firm has consistently delivered technical excellence, innovation, and value to its clients, while maintaining its core mission of shaping a better world. Arup opened its first US office more than 30 years ago and now employs 1,400 people in the Americas. The firm's employee-ownership structure promotes ongoing investment in joint research to yield better outcomes that benefit its clients and partners. Visit Arup's website, www.arup.com, and the online magazine of Arup in the Americas, doggerel.arup.com, for more information. Contact: Ioana Botzoman [email protected] 646.661.2111 Contact: Rebecca Maloney [email protected] 617.412.6632 SOURCE Arup Related Links http://www.arup.com DALLAS, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. (NYSE: AHT) ("Ashford Trust" or the "Company") announced today that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.12 per diluted share for the Company's common stock for the third quarter ending September 30, 2017. The dividend, which equates to an annual rate of $0.48 per share, is payable on October 16, 2017, to shareholders of record as of September 30, 2017. The Board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.5281 per diluted share for the Company's 8.45% Series D Cumulative Preferred Stock for the third quarter ending September 30, 2017. The dividend, which equates to an annual rate of $2.1125 per share, is payable on October 16, 2017, to shareholders of record as of September 30, 2017. The Board declared a dividend of $0.4609 per diluted share for the Company's 7.375% Series F Cumulative Preferred Stock for the third quarter ending September 30, 2017. The dividend, which equates to an annual rate of $1.8438 per share, is payable on October 16, 2017, to shareholders of record as of September 30, 2017. The Board declared a dividend of $0.4609 per diluted share for the Company's 7.375% Series G Cumulative Preferred Stock for the third quarter ending September 30, 2017. The dividend, which equates to an annual rate of $1.8438 per share, is payable on October 16, 2017, to shareholders of record as of September 30, 2017. The Board declared a dividend of $0.1875 per diluted share for the Company's 7.50% Series H Cumulative Preferred Stock for the third quarter ending September 30, 2017. This dividend is pro-rated for the number of days the Series H Cumulative Preferred Stock was outstanding during the quarter. The dividend, which equates to an annual rate of $1.875 per share, is payable on October 16, 2017, to shareholders of record as of September 30, 2017. Ashford Hospitality Trust is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on investing opportunistically in the hospitality industry in upper upscale, full-service hotels. Ashford has created an Ashford App for the hospitality REIT investor community. The Ashford App is available for free download at Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store by searching "Ashford." Certain statements and assumptions in this press release contain or are based upon "forward-looking" information and are being made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements in this press release include, among others, statements about the Company's strategy and future plans. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties. When we use the words "will likely result," "may," "anticipate," "estimate," "should," "expect," "believe," "intend," or similar expressions, we intend to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions and uncertainties, many of which are outside Ashford Trust's control. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only made as of the date of this press release. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. We are not obligated to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances, changes in expectations or otherwise. SOURCE Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. Related Links http://www.ahtreit.com CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bible study groups, pastors, and Christian speakers will have the opportunity to study the book of Judges through a new lens with the help of Talbot Davis' latest book, Crash Test Dummies, from Abingdon Press. Set to release on September 19th, 2017, it's the fifth book release from Author and Pastor Talbot Davis. The topic of Crash Test Dummies was originally a sermon series shared at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church. The series was well received, and several other UMC pastors have used the series to craft sermons for their congregations. Crash Test Dummies The book transforms the book of Judges into short chapters and study questions. "When I opened the book of Judges and started to study it, I began to lose heart. I simply could not figure out how to turn obscure history into a compelling sermon," said Davis. Davis shares that the point of Judges isn't redemption; it's a view of anarchy, summed up in the closing verse: Judges 21:25: In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. More literally: everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Davis worked to transform a book short on redemption and turn it into a message of hope. Focusing on God's refusal to condone sin, Davis shares how God seeks to empower his people, sharing real-life scenarios that identify with readers from all walks of life. On Tuesday, September 19th, Good Shepherd United Methodist Church is hosting a book signing at ArtSpace Studio, 14126 Rivergate Parkway, #200, Charlotte, N.C., in the Rivergate shopping center. From 7 p.m. 9 p.m., Davis will be signing books, and Crash Test Dummies will be available for photo shoots. Books sold at the event will benefit Carolina Cross Connection, a mission trip ministry. All of Talbot's books, including Crash Test Dummies, are available for purchase through Abingdon Press, TalbotDavis.com, Amazon, and major book sellers. About Talbot Davis Talbot Davis is a pastor at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, a modern congregation in Charlotte, N.C. He leads a talented group of pastors and support staff. Since Talbot began serving at Good Shepherd in 1999, average worship attendance has quadrupled, growing from 500 to 2000 each Sunday. Talbot is an accomplished event speaker, the author of four other books, and an avid blogger at www.TalbotDavis.com. He resides with his wife in Charlotte, N.C., and has two grown children. Media Contact: Markelle Harden [email protected] 803-610-3992 SOURCE Talbot Davis Related Links http://www.talbotdavis.com IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoGravity, a FinTech pioneer on a mission to transform car shopping and financing, was named the Grand Prize Winner of the prestigious 2017 F&I Digital Media Awards at the 2017 F&I Showroom Industry Summit. The company was also awarded the "Best Mobile App" award and the "Most Unique and Artistic Content" award for its user-friendly digital media content. The awards ceremony took place in Dallas, Texas on September 13, 2017. "This was a remarkable win for the AutoGravity team," said Andy Hinrichs, Founder and CEO of AutoGravity. "We are honored to be recognized by our peers and fellow industry leaders for our work driving the innovation and digitization of the car shopping and financing journey." The F&I Digital Media Awards honors companies and individuals driving innovation in the digitization of Automotive Finance and Insurance. Finalists were evaluated by a panel of judges to determine category winners and the overall grand prize. "The importance of technology in transforming the auto financing experience cannot be understated," said Hinrichs. "AutoGravity is committed to providing an unmatched digital experience for our users, our lenders and our dealership partners. This award reinforces our momentum towards becoming the industry standard for digital car shopping and financing." For more information about the F&I Digital Media Awards, please visit: http://fidigitalmediaawards.com. For more information about AutoGravity, please visit: https://www.autogravity.com. About AutoGravity AutoGravity is revolutionizing the way people buy and finance cars. Harnessing the power of the smartphone, AutoGravity technology provides a new level of transparency, convenience and speed to the car shopping and financing process. AutoGravity partners with the world's leading banks and financial services companies to give car buyers direct control over their car financing options while connecting them to a nationwide network of trusted car dealerships. Available on iOS, Android and Web, AutoGravity empowers car buyers with up to four binding offers in minutes. Based in Irvine, California, AutoGravity was founded by an international team of digital natives and auto industry veterans. For more information on AutoGravity, please visit www.autogravity.com and follow @AutoGravity on Twitter. SOURCE AutoGravity Related Links https://www.autogravity.com LEVERKUSEN, Germany and BOSTON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bayer and Ginkgo Bioworks will create a new company focused on the plant microbiome. Improving the microbes' ability to make nitrogen fertilizer available for plants offers a major potential benefit to sustainable agriculture. The deal provides a Series A investment of USD 100 million by its parent companies and Viking Global Investors LP. The new company will be co-located with Ginkgo in Boston's thriving biotechnology community and in West Sacramento, California, home of Bayer's R&D activities around plant biologics. The new company will focus on technologies to improve plant-associated microbes with a major focus on nitrogen fixation. While some crops such as soybeans, peas and other legumes can pair with specific microbes that live within the plant and fulfill their nitrogen needs, most other crops cannot. Nitrogen fertilizer is therefore an essential component in modern agriculture. It can however add cost to growers when used inefficiently. In addition, use of nitrogen fertilizer is a major environmental concern, driving greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution. The endophytic microbes to be developed by the company aim to provide a platform to flexibly deliver new agronomic advantages. This is expected to have a profound positive benefit to growers, agriculture and society alike. The new biotech company is the fifth investment by the Bayer Lifescience Center (BLSC), which operates as a strategic innovation unit within Bayer and directly reports to Bayer's Board of Management. The BLSC has the mission to uncover, encourage and activate fundamental breakthroughs by creating and building new companies together with entrepreneurial best-in-class partners, such as Ginkgo Bioworks for synthetic biology. Along with the investment in this new company, previous investments in Casebia (CRISPR/Cas technology) and BlueRock (induced pluripotent stem cell technology), the BLSC has recently made some of the largest-ever Series A investments across the biotech and AgTech industries. "Accessing the microbiome is part of Bayer's innovation strategy. We are launching this enterprise to develop transformative agricultural products based on the latest synthetic biology technology," said Kemal Malik, member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG and responsible for Innovation. "We have exclusively partnered with Ginkgo to build a leading player in this field." In addition to the the initial USD 100 million Series A investment by Bayer, Ginkgo, and Viking Global Investors LP, Ginkgo will provide exclusive access to its technology, laboratory and office spaces, and will build a new facility exclusively for the new company. Bayer will also provide exclusive access to proprietary microbial strains and all necessary development know-how. Dr. Mike Miille will be named interim CEO of the new company. He is a biotech veteran in the field of agricultural use of the microbiome, former CEO of AgraQuest and currently Vice President Strategy and Business Management Biologics at Crop Science, a division of Bayer. The Board of Directors of the new company will be composed of two representatives from Ginkgo Bioworks - Dr. Jason Kelly and Dr. Reshma Shetty - and two representatives from Bayer - Dr. Axel Bouchon and Dr. Juergen Eckhardt. "Biology is changing industries as diverse as flavor and fragrance to consumer electronics. Agriculture is the original biological technology, and the more we can learn to work with the soil microbiome, the more we can discover new ways to add value to farmers and return to its biological, and more sustainable, roots," said Jason Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks. "We're thrilled to be working with Bayer to bring this transformational aspiration to life." The new company will operate out of Ginkgo's Boston Seaport facility. Ginkgo is a rapidly growing biotech company building a versatile automated platform for engineering biology, with applications across industries such as consumer products and personal care, health and medicine, and food and agriculture. In the past 24 months, Ginkgo has raised USD 154M in venture capital, which has driven the growth of its platform technology. Ginkgo's third generation automated foundry, Bioworks3, is currently under construction and will be used by the newly formed company to develop technologies with applications in sustainable agriculture. The West Sacramento area site is a global Crop Science R&D site, hosting the Biologics R&D team, focused on innovative biological pest and disease management solutions. The site houses Bayer's center of excellence for research and development in this area, making Bayer a leading company for research, development and production of microbial-based solutions. "The plant microbiome is one of the next frontiers in sustainable agriculture," said Axel Bouchon, Head of the Bayer Lifescience Center. "And it may enable us to take a major leap in plant physiology: producing nitrogen fertilizer directly in the plant. We are excited to combine state-of-the-art plant science and leading microbial technology to help tackle this challenge. With Ginkgo we have found the best-in-class partner to achieve this fundamental breakthrough." Closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions and expected to occur in the fall of 2017. Hiring for the new company is currently underway. About Ginkgo Bioworks Headquartered in Boston, Ginkgo Bioworks uses the most advanced technology on the planet biology - to grow products instead of manufacture them. The company's technology platform is bringing biotechnology into consumer goods markets, enabling fragrance, cosmetic, nutrition, and food companies to make better products. For more information, visit www.ginkgobioworks.com. About Biological Crop Protection at Bayer: Bayer offers a broad portfolio of biological crop protection products to farmers based on microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria include VOTiVO, TWO.O, Flocter, Serenade, Sonata, Contans, BioAct and Requiem. For more information, go to www.bayer.com. Bayer: Science For A Better Life Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2016, the Group employed around 115,200 people and had sales of EUR 46.8 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.7 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to www.bayer.com. kj (2017-0273E) Forward-Looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments. SOURCE Bayer Related Links http://www.bayer.com CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Berlin Packaging, the world's leading supplier of plastic, glass, and metal containers and closures, today announced the launch of a newly-designed website for Dangerous Goods, its division that has been helping companies safely and economically ship hazardous and temperature-sensitive materials for more than 35 years. Berlin Dangerous Goods offers thousands of standard U.N.-rated containers and packaging systems, and the company also engineers, tests, and certifies custom solutions to meet customers' specific needs. The website's new e-commerce functionality now allows Dangerous Goods' customers to shop 24/7 for popular items, while still enjoying the rich information and insights the site has always offered. With a dramatically improved user experience rooted in customer feedback, the site's new features include: Enhanced Sign-in Benefits Time-saving capabilities only offered to Dangerous Goods account holders, where users can save items to their "wish lists," view transaction histories, track orders and deliveries, and much more. Best Sellers Page Useful to users who are new to hazmat shipping or may not know exactly what they're looking for, this site page details the most popular products among current customers. "Ask DG" Available on every site page, the "Ask DG" feature allows users to contact Dangerous Goods' customer service team, who will quickly respond with a knowledgeable answer. Responsive Search Removing the guesswork, the new search function auto-populates and actively responds to users as they type, bringing up a list of product suggestions. Intuitive, Responsive Design Different devices require different viewing options, and the new Dangerous Goods site adapts to show properly on any device. Beyond a seamless online shopping experience and extensive product selection, the new Dangerous Goods website provides a comprehensive toolbox of references, guides, and glossaries on the regulations impacting the transport of hazardous materials. This portal supplements the nearly 100 years of regulatory and packaging experience of the Dangerous Goods team. "The website's rich content, intuitive navigation, and clean design lead to a better user experience, allowing our customers to make smart, compliant packaging choices," said Jason Kozlowski, Marketing Manager at Dangerous Goods. "Our new website is a straightforward way for customers to learn about what we offer and even self-service through e-commerce, and everything is backed by our skilled sales, service, engineering, and production teams. We see the online channel as just another way to deliver the products and insights of our experts." To learn more and try out the robust new e-commerce site, visit BerlinDangerousGoods.com. About Berlin Packaging Berlin Packaging is the only Hybrid Packaging Supplier of plastic, glass, and metal containers and closures. See HybridPackagingSupplier.com and GreaterFaster.com for more on how the company exists to help people and companies excel. With 40,000+ available SKUs, 200+ packaging consultants, and 100+ sales and warehouse locations across North America and Europe, the company has the right products, expertise, and geographic proximity to help customers increase their net income through packaging products and services. Berlin Packaging supplies billions of containers and closures annually as well as warehousing and logistics services for customers of all sizes in all industries. It is the only company in its sector to be ISO 9001 certified, to have Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) certification, and to achieve 99% on-time delivery of its shipments every month for more than 13 years. Related services and specialty product divisions include Studio One Eleven custom packaging and graphic design, Berlin Global sourcing solutions, E3 profit-oriented consulting, Berlin Financial financing for equipment and capital improvements, Berlin Quality advocacy, Dangerous Goods transport, Freund Container & Supply convenience, and Qorpak laboratory supplies. The company can be reached at 1.800.2.BERLIN or BerlinPackaging.com. Media Contact: Derek Serafin [email protected] (312) 670-8945 SOURCE Berlin Packaging Related Links http://BerlinPackaging.com COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) will host an Investor & Analyst Conference on Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. in Columbus, Ohio. We invite you to view the video webcast of the Conference through the Investor Relations section of our website http://www.biglots.com. If you are unable to join the live webcast, an archive of the conference will be available through the Investor Relations section of our website http://www.biglots.com/ after 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 19, 2017 and remain available through midnight, Tuesday, September 26, 2017. All times are Eastern Time. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) is a unique, non-traditional, discount retailer operating 1,428 BIG LOTS stores in 47 states with product assortments in the merchandise categories of Furniture, Seasonal, Soft Home, Food, Consumables, Hard Home, and Electronics, Toys & Accessories. Our vision is to be recognized for providing an outstanding shopping experience for our customers, valuing and developing our associates, and creating growth for our shareholders. Big Lots supports the communities it serves through the Big Lots Foundation, a charitable organization focused on four areas of need: hunger, housing, healthcare, and education. For more information about the Company, visit www.biglots.com. Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and such statements are intended to qualify for the protection of the safe harbor provided by the Act. The words "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "objective," "goal," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "will," "should," "may," "target," "forecast," "guidance," "outlook" and similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements. Similarly, descriptions of our objectives, strategies, plans, goals or targets are also forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate to the expectations of management as to future occurrences and trends, including statements expressing optimism or pessimism about future operating results or events and projected sales, earnings, capital expenditures and business strategy. Forward-looking statements are based upon a number of assumptions concerning future conditions that may ultimately prove to be inaccurate. Forward-looking statements are and will be based upon management's then-current views and assumptions regarding future events and operating performance, and are applicable only as of the dates of such statements. Although we believe the expectations expressed in forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of our knowledge, forward-looking statements, by their nature, involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, any one or a combination of which could materially affect our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Forward-looking statements that we make herein and in other reports and releases are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those discussed in such forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, current economic and credit conditions, the cost of goods, our inability to successfully execute strategic initiatives, competitive pressures, economic pressures on our customers and us, the availability of brand name closeout merchandise, trade restrictions, freight costs, the risks discussed in the Risk Factors section of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other factors discussed from time to time in our other filings with the SEC, including Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. This release should be read in conjunction with such filings, and you should consider all of these risks, uncertainties and other factors carefully in evaluating forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date thereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You are advised, however, to consult any further disclosures we make on related subjects in our public announcements and SEC filings. SOURCE Big Lots, Inc. Related Links http://www.biglots.com Executive panel discussions on topics including international themes, digital trends and investor participation Presenting companies include those supporting the PreK-12, postsecondary and corporate training sectors NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - BMO Capital Markets, the investment and corporate banking arm of BMO Financial Group (NYSE, TSX: BMO), is holding its 17th annual Back to School Investor Conference today in New York. The conference is the longest-running institutional investor conference dedicated to the education and information sector, and is also one of the largest. This year, the conference is also featuring a virtual reality campus tour hosted by Laureate Education, where participants can tour through the student experience, from orientation to graduation, at Laureate's Lima, Madrid and Sao Paulo campuses. "The globalization of the education and information sector is a major part of the evolution of the industry evident at our conference this year, from the companies presenting to our first virtual reality experience," said BMO Capital Markets analyst Jeff Silber. "As companies become more global and education becomes more global, investors are looking for insights and analyses to understand this changing landscape better." The conference is expected to draw more than 900 participants, including 200 global education and information services companies. It also features leading institutional investors, private equity and venture capital funds, as well as industry specialists. "There has been continued evolution of the education sector being more broadly defined, more software enabled, more global and in general, following the path of education itself," said Susan Wolford, BMO Capital Markets' Group Head of Technology and Business Services. "Especially in a year of high M&A interest at attractive valuations, we are looking forward to lively discussions that focus on the evolution of the sector." The conference is framed around a series of high-level fireside chats, industry panels and Q&A sessions on topics including: Investing Across the Spectrum How the Business of Education is Reinvesting Higher Ed The Business of Running a School Private School Trends: The Road to Global Citizenship Edtech Investing: A Second Wind? Participating Companies * 160over90 (Private) 2U (TWOU) Achieve3000 (Private) Adtalem Global Education (ATGE) American Public Education (APEI)** Ascend Learning (Private) Bain Capital (Private) Bennett Day School (Private) Black Mountain Systems (Private) Bright Horizons Family Solutions (BFAM) BrightBytes (Private) Busy Bees (Private) C 2 Education (Private) Cadence Education (Private) Cambridge Information Group (Private) CampusLogic (Private) Capella Education (CPLA) Cengage Learning (Private) Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (Private) Chancelight (Private) Charter Schools USA (Private) Chegg (CHGG) China Distance Education Holdings (DL) Cision (CISN) Civitas Learning (Private) Colibri Group (Private) Compliance Solutions Strategies (Private) CoStar Group (CSGP) Crisis Prevention Institute (Private) D2L (Private) Degree Quest (Private) Degreed (Private) Diligent (Private) Discovery Education (Private) Dulwich International College Group (Private) Dun & Bradstreet (DNB)** Edmentum (Private) EduCo Global (Private) Ellucian (Private) Endeavor Schools (Private) Everfi (Private) Fenergo (Private) Finalsite (Private) Follett Corporation (Private) Frontline Education (Private) Fulcrum Financial Data (Private) Gartner (IT)** GEMS Education (Private) GEMS Education Americas (Private) General Assembly (Private) GL Education (Private) Global Schools Foundation (Private) Global University Systems (Private) GP Strategies (GPX) Grand Canyon Education (LOPE) GSV Asset Management (Private) GTCR Capital Partners (Private) Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMHC) Ilumno (Private) Information Services Group (III) Integrative Nutrition (Private) International Schools Partnership (Private) IRI (Private) K-12 (LRN) Keypath (Private) Kindercare (Private) Laureate Education (LAUR) Lumerit (Private) McKinsey & Company (Private) MissionU (Private) Moody's (MCO) ** National Heritage (Private) New Markets Venture Partners (Private) Nobel Learning Communities (Private) Oliver Wyman (Private) Owl Ventures (Private) Pansophic Learning (Private) Parthenon EY (Private) PeopleAdmin (Private) Performance Matters (Private) PowerSchool (Private) Providence Equity (Private) PSI Services (Private) Rainbow Child Care Centers (Private) Reach Capital (Private) Renaissance Learning (Private) Rethink Education (Private) Revature (Private) Rosetta Stone (RST) Ruffalo Noel Levitz (Private) S&P Global (SPGI) Scriyb (Private) Shorelight (Private) SPECTRUM AG (Private) Straighterline (Private) Strayer Education (STRA) Teachstone (Private) TES Global (Private) The Center for Education Reform (Private) The Learning Experience (Private) The Noodle Companies (Private) TPG Capital (Private) True Office Learning (Private) Turnitin (Private) Universal Technical Institute (UTI) University Ventures (Private) Verisk Analytics (VRSK) Vista Equity Partners (Private) Vistage (Private) Web Financial Group (Private) Weld North (Private) Worldstrides (Private) Wyzant (Private) Xignite (Private) * List of companies registered **Denotes companies participating in one-on-one meetings only About BMO Capital Markets BMO Capital Markets is a leading, full-service North American-based financial services provider, with approximately 2,400 professionals in 30 locations around the world, including 16 offices in North America, offering corporate, institutional and government clients access to a complete range of investment and corporate banking products and services. BMO Capital Markets is a member of BMO Financial Group (NYSE, TSX: BMO), one of the largest diversified financial services providers in North America with US$569 billion total assets and over 45,000 employees as at July 31, 2017. SOURCE BMO Financial Group VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- US Cobalt Inc. (the "Company") (TSXV:USCO) (Frankfurt:26X) (OTCQB:SCTFF) is pleased to provide the following progress update on its 2017 exploration and drilling program at its 1,800 acre Iron Creek cobalt property located in the Idaho Cobalt Belt in Idaho, USA. The Company has completed 20 drill holes in the current program at Iron Creek, and drilling has intersected numerous zones of massive to semi-massive sulfide mineralization in structurally controlled zones close to historical drill holes that reported high-grade cobalt and copper mineralization. Rehabilitation of Adit Number One is complete and sampling has confirmed high grade cobalt mineralization in the underground exposures, as previously announced (see Company news release dated July 31, 2017). Work is ongoing to open and rehabilitate Adit Number Two, with the portal now exposed and rehabilitation of the portal expected within two weeks. The drill core samples for 13 holes have been delivered to the assay lab and final geochemical assays are pending. Brian Kirwin, Sr. Vice President, Exploration of the Company commented, "We have decided to expand this Phase One drill program given the encouraging visual indicators that have been encountered in the drill core and the very exciting results from the underground sampling of Adit Number One. Numerous zones bearing substantial sulfide mineralization have been encountered over notable widths during our current drilling campaign in the No Name Zone. The sulfide mineralization appears continuous within the primary No Name Zone structural corridor, as well as within several structural zones in the footwall. This type of structurally controlled sulfide mineralization has been shown to contain high grade cobalt mineralization in the Adit Number One underground channel sampling, and in the historical drilling. We are excited to continue the rapid exploration of Iron Creek and to confirm the historical estimates and to expand these zones. The Company recently expanded its planned diamond drill program from 30,000 feet to approximately 40,000 feet. The initial drill campaign is designed to confirm the historical estimates of cobalt and copper mineralization on the Iron Creek property. The expanded drill program includes drill holes testing the depth potential of the cobalt mineralization below the historical estimates. A total of 20 holes have been drilled with a combined length of 15,376 feet. The expanded drilling campaign consists of a total of 41 drill holes with a combined length of 40,000 feet. The Company feels there is the potential for the expansion of the known zones based on the results from underground sampling, encouraging sulfide mineralization encountered in the current drilling program, and structural geological interpretation. Mr. Garry Clark, P. Geo., of Clark Exploration Consulting, is the "qualified person" as defined in NI 43-101, who has reviewed and approved the technical content in this press release. For additional information please contact: US Cobalt Inc. Wayne Tisdale, President T: (604) 639-4457 E: info@uscobaltinc.com Website: www.uscobaltinc.com. Reader Advisory This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. In particular, forward-looking information in this press release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the proposed exploration program on the Property. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. We cannot guarantee future results, performance or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause the results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: general economic conditions in Canada and globally; industry conditions, including governmental regulation and environmental regulation; failure to obtain industry partner and other third party consents and approvals, if and when required; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; liabilities inherent in mining operations; competition for, among other things, skilled personnel and supplies; incorrect assessments of the value of acquisitions; geological, technical, processing and transportation problems; changes in tax laws and incentive programs; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions and dispositions; and the other factors. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in our expectations except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Annual initiative has raised C$19.5 million since 2005, supporting more than 3,000 students Program donates a day's worth of trading commissions generated by BMO Capital Markets in Canada , the U.S. and Europe TORONTO, NEW YORK and LONDON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - BMO Capital Markets, the investment and corporate banking arm of BMO Financial Group (NYSE:BMO)(TSX:BMO), today announced that its 2017 Equity Through Education trading day raised C$1.6 million from institutional equity trading commissions to donate toward educational scholarships for students in North America and Europe. Each year, BMO Capital Markets donates a day of institutional equity trading commissions from the United States, Canada and Europe to charities that provide greater access to education for less advantaged students through scholarships, bursaries and other academic programs. The initiative has raised C$19.5 million and has helped more than 3,000 students since it was launched in 2005. "Since 2005, BMO Capital Markets has helped more than 600 Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) Scholars with funding provided through its annual Equity Through Education program," said Della Britton Baeza, JRF's President & CEO. "This generous support includes direct sponsorship of 20 JRF/BMO Capital Markets Scholars and we could not be more grateful. BMO has embraced our approach of providing four years of financial aid accompanied by comprehensive mentoring and job placement services for college students who, in turn, positively impact the workplace and all of society in keeping with the legacy of our heroic namesake." "Equity Through Education creates opportunity for driven students, who otherwise might not have the chance to achieve their full potential," said Alan Tannenbaum, Managing Director and Co-head of Global Equity Products, BMO Capital Markets, and Executive Sponsor of the program. "BMO is committed to supporting charities focused on education and student success, which in turn helps to promote diversity in the workplace." This year, the proceeds from the BMO Capital Markets Equity Through Education trading day will go to the following charities: About BMO Capital Markets BMO Capital Markets is a leading, full-service North American-based financial services provider, with approximately 2,400 professionals in 30 locations around the world, including 16 offices in North America, offering corporate, institutional and government clients access to a complete range of investment and corporate banking products and services. BMO Capital Markets is a member of BMO Financial Group (NYSE, TSX: BMO), one of the largest diversified financial services providers in North America with US$569 billion total assets and over 45,000 employees as at July 31, 2017. SOURCE BMO Financial Group MILWAUKEE, WI, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - BMO Harris Bank today announced the appointment of Sang Kim as Regional President, Retail Banking, Wisconsin. Chris Michalski, the previous Regional President, has been appointed Head of U.S. Mortgage Sales, BMO Harris Bank. In his new appointment, Kim will be responsible for overseeing a network of approximately 200 BMO Harris locations, and delivering the breadth of BMO Harris' retail banking, small business banking and premier services across Wisconsin. Based in Milwaukee, he will report directly to Emilio Cooper, Head, Sales and Distribution, U.S. Retail Banking for BMO Harris Bank. "Sang's strong leadership skills, coupled with his diverse financial acumen, will help us drive an exceptional experience for our customers throughout Wisconsin," said Cooper. "I am excited to have him lead a talented team of professionals." Kim is very active in the community, serving on a number of local boards, including the United Way - Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, Discovery World in Milwaukee, Junior Achievement Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Bankers Association. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics with concentrations in finance and multinational management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Most recently, Kim served as Regional President for the Wisconsin-Michigan region at another financial institution. Michalski, in his new role, will have accountability for driving mortgage growth throughout the bank's branch footprint. He will lead a team of over 400 mortgage professionals across the U.S. Michalski served as Regional President for the Southeast Wisconsin Region since 2015 playing a key role in growing the brand and the business while deepening relationships with customers. He joined BMO in 2010 as Market Manager, leading his team to numerous successes and strong business growth. He will report to Emilio Cooper and will be based out of Chicago. Cooper added, "This is a great role for Chris who has aquired a tremendous amount of knowledge across our business. He is passionate about our customers' financial desires, and will be a valuable mentor and leader to his fellow mortgage professionals." About BMO Harris Bank BMO Harris Bank provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through nearly 600 branches and fee-free access to over 40,000 ATMs across the United States. BMO Harris Bank's commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid-market focus throughout the U.S. For more information about BMO Harris Bank, go to the company fact sheet. Banking products and services are subject to bank and credit approval. BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a highly diversified financial services provider with total assets of CDN$709 billion (as of July 31, 2017), and more than 45,000 employees. SOURCE BMO Harris Bank LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The California Labor Commissioner's Office cited 14 garment manufacturers and contractors $372,135 for labor law and garment registration violations, following inspections of 18 garment manufacturers last month in the Los Angeles area. The businesses cited employ 170 workers in the Los Angeles garment district. The penalties included $275,835 in fines and stop orders for seven employers operating without workers' compensation insurance coverage. Fourteen businesses were cited $34,300 for garment regulation violations, including failure to register as a garment manufacturer, display the garment registration or maintain required records. Investigators also confiscated 5,725 illegally manufactured garments with an estimated street value of $103,000 from six of the businesses. "Garment manufacturers who thwart the law threaten workers' rights and undermine honest employers in the industry, making it difficult for legitimate businesses to succeed," said Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su. "These illegal entities should take note: We will shine a light on the underground economy and those who contract with unregistered contractors will also be held accountable." The Labor Commissioner's office is also pursuing wage theft investigations on those employers who failed to pay proper wages under the California Labor Code. The Garment Manufacturing Act of 1980 requires that all industry employers register with the Labor Commissioner and demonstrate adequate character, competency and responsibility, including workers' compensation insurance coverage. Garment manufacturers who contract with unregistered entities are automatically deemed joint employers of the workers in the contract facility. Clothing confiscated from illegal operations cannot be sold, and will be donated to a non-profit agency that will provide the items to homeless and domestic violence shelters in the Los Angeles area. The Labor Commissioner also administers a special wage claim adjudication process for garment workers pursuant to California's AB 633, passed in 1999. This law provides not only an expedited process for garment workers to file wage claims but also provides a wage guarantee where garment manufacturers are responsible for wage theft at their contractors' facilities. The Labor Commissioner's Office, officially known as the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, is a division of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). Among its wide-ranging enforcement responsibilities, the Labor Commissioner's Office inspects workplaces for wage and hour violations, adjudicates wage claims, investigates retaliation complaints and educates the public on labor laws. In 2014, Commissioner Su launched the Wage Theft is a Crime multilingual public awareness campaign. The campaign defines wage theft and informs workers of their rights and the resources available to them to recover unpaid wages or report other labor law violations. Employees with work-related questions or complaints may contact DIR's Call Center in English or Spanish at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734). Members of the press may contact Peter Melton or Luke Brown at (510) 286-1161, and are encouraged to subscribe to get email alerts on DIR's press releases or other departmental updates. https://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaDIR https://twitter.com/CA_DIR http://www.youtube.com/CaliforniaDIR http://www.dir.ca.gov/email/listsub.asp?choice=1 The California Department of Industrial Relations, established in 1927, protects and improves the health, safety, and economic well-being of over 18 million wage earners, and helps their employers comply with state labor laws. DIR is housed within the Labor & Workforce Development Agency. For general inquiries, contact DIR's Communications Call Center at 844-LABOR-DIR (844-522-6734) for help in locating the appropriate division or program in our department. SOURCE California Department of Industrial Relations, California Labor Commissioner's Office "Be creative when preparing your video. all super heroes, animals and creative characters are encouraged to be included," said Dr. Avik Kabessa, Carmel's Chief Executive Officer. "Adding background music, humor or sound effects will keep your video lively and interesting. And remember everyone is partial to kids. Let imagination fly, and the sky be your limit. We look forward to some exciting entries," Kabessa concluded. Carmel core six business principles of on-time, no hassle, flat rate, professional drivers, insured vehicles, and live assistance at 866-666-6666, are the basis for the "practice safe six" contest. Interested parties can enter the contest by visiting www.carmellimo.com and click on the contest link, and simply follow three easy steps: Step One Participants are asked to take a video of themselves or a friend holding a phone with the Carmel App on it. While anything goes, the video must include the words "Practice Safe 6" and "Carmel It." Step Two The video is then uploaded to be approved. Once approved, Carmel will upload the video to Carmel's Facebook page. Step Three Participants are encouraged to get as many people as possible to "Like" your video on the Carmel Car and Limousine Facebook page. The more "Likes" a video receives, the better the chances to win. The contest begins on Sept. 15, 2017 at 12PM ET and ends on Oct. 15, 2017 at 12 PM ET. No purchase necessary to win. The contest's Terms and conditions can be viewed at: https://www.carmellimo.com/campaigns/PracticeSafe6 For 35 years, New York City-based Carmel Car and Limousine Service, has been the transportation service of choice for people in 360 major cities around the world. Carmel's free worldwide mobile APP comes with $36 car cash when the user downloads the APP. It is available at the App Store, Google Play, or at www.carmellimo.com SOURCE Carmel Car and Limousine Service Related Links http://www.carmellimo.com ATA was co-founded by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician, Matt Sorum, and mother of two, Abby Berman, in 2012 in response to LAUSD's threat to eliminate its arts education budget for elementary schools within the district. Supported by artists and musicians such as Jane Lynch and Slash, ATA has developed a K-5th music curriculum that immerses students in music theory, instruments, and vocal music. "Elementary students all over Los Angeles depend on Adopt the Arts to provide instruments for their music classes, and the success of our program hinges on the support of the arts and music community coming together and believing in this cause," said Matt Sorum, Founder of Adopt the Arts. "Casio's generosity in providing keyboards to Rosewood Avenue Elementary goes beyond simply putting instruments in a classroom this donation showcases an ongoing commitment to growing arts education programs and making it a priority for schools in the greater Los Angeles area." Through ATA-sponsored classes and programs, students attend a designated music class twice a week. By the end of their 5th grade year, students of the program can sight-read music notation, play an instrument, sing in harmony, and have an understanding of musical histories and cultures from around the world. To date, ATA has donated over 1,000 instruments to 30 schools and has fully adopted 2 elementary schools in LAUSD. For Rosewood Elementary, Casio's SA-46 Mini Keyboard provided the best solution for its new classes. The SA-46 is the perfect instrument to help students start their musical journey. It features endless exploration with 100 tones, 50 rhythms and 10 practice tunes built right into the instrument. The SA-46 is also designed specifically for younger students, offering 32 mini keys and 5 drum pads, in a lightweight and portable package. It even has an easy to read LCD panel and built-in speakers for playing aloud with an instructor, or a 3.5mm mini stereo headphone output for quiet play during class or at home. "We are proud to work with an organization like Adopt the Arts to provide keyboards to students at Rosewood Avenue Elementary," said Stephen Schmidt, Vice President of Casio's Electronic Musical Instrument Division. "The benefits of learning to play a musical instrument at a young age are endless, and we are honored to provide these students with the tools they need to inspire their love of music." To learn more about Casio's SA-46 Keyboard and its full portfolio of electronic musical instruments, please visit www.CasioMusicGear.com. To learn more about Adopt the Arts, please visit www.adoptthearts.org/. About Casio America, Inc. Casio America, Inc., Dover, N.J., is the U.S. subsidiary of Casio Computer Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, one of the world's leading manufacturers of consumer electronics and business equipment solutions. Established in 1957, Casio America, Inc. markets calculators, keyboards, digital cameras, mobile presentation devices, disc title and label printers, watches, cash registers and other consumer electronic products. Casio has strived to fulfill its corporate creed of "creativity and contribution" through the introduction of innovative and imaginative products. For more information, visit www.casiousa.com. SOURCE Casio America, Inc. Related Links http://www.casiousa.com "We are very proud and excited to see Rich Lester opening his fifth location in Utica," said Thomas E. Wolfe, President/CEO of Ziebart International Corporation, headquartered in Troy, Michigan. "Consumers' interest in keeping their vehicles looking new and ensuring the highest resale value are two of the many reasons Ziebart products and services are in high demand." With an average of 90 inches of snowfall a year, vehicle owners turn to the experts at Ziebart to enhance and maintain the value and appearance of their cars and trucks throughout all seasons. "We believe Utica has excellent future trajectory and couldn't be more excited. We have hired some very qualified local people that we were able to give excellent jobs and opportunity for advancement here. The people of Utica can expect top quality work and an excellent customer experience," says Lester. "We want the Utica clientele to be happy that they did business with Ziebart and considering the severe weather we receive in this part of the country, the Ziebart franchise will fill a really nice niche to keep the cars and trucks properly protected." Ziebart of Utica opened on July 17th, 2017, with the Grand Opening scheduled for October 4, 2017. Ziebart of Utica's grand opening special will run through the first of the year. The store is located at 1430 Oriskany St., West Utica, NY, 13502. Lester has been a franchisee with Ziebart for 46 years and is the longest standing franchisee in the system. Through many systemic and economic changes, Lester has maintained a strong brand presence with his Cicero, Syracuse, Binghamton, and Albany locations. He has been awarded Ziebart's top honor, Dealer of the Year, four times and has consistently remained one of the systems top performing multi-unit owners. Ziebart International Corporation is headquartered in Troy, MI, representing a global franchise network of vehicle protection and appearance services for nearly 60 years. The company was founded on rust protection in 1959 and operates approximately 400 licensed locations with 950 service centers in 33 countries. Ziebart is the world's leading name in automotive services that renew, protect, preserve, and enhance the appearance of cars and trucks. Ziebart offers a full line of appearance and protection services for both the interior and exterior of vehicles, including Professional Detailing, Window Tint, Ceramic Z-Gloss Paint Coating, Z-Shield Paint Protection Film, Vehicle Wraps, genuine Ziebart Rust Protection and Undercoating, Rhino-Linings Sprayed-on Bed Liners, Truck Accessories and much more. Visit www.ziebart.com for more information. Media contact: Larisa Walega Ziebart International Corporation (248) 837-3941 [email protected] SOURCE Ziebart International Corporation Related Links http://www.ziebart.com Daniel and her sister, who co-starred on the hit teen drama series "Sweet Valley High," and Cole Hauser, who stars in the upcoming drama series "Yellowstone" alongside Kevin Costner, greeted and cheered on the riders as they arrived in Salt Lake City after completing their segment. A total of 93 Bristol-Myers Squibb employees on seven teams, all novice riders, will bike a total of nearly 2,800 miles during the 21-day mission to raise funds and awareness for SU2C, which brings together collaborative teams of researchers to help get new therapies to patients faster and save lives now. The ride kicked off on Sept. 6 on the Oregon Coast, and the teams of riders will continue journey across the U.S. through Sept. 26, when they arrive at the Jersey Shore. Bristol-Myers Squibb will match funds raised during the 2017 Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer Ride dollar-for-dollar up to a total of $500,000. This is the fourth Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer Ride benefiting Stand Up To Cancer. Last year's Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer Ride raised over $1 million for SU2C's collaborative cancer research programs. Bristol-Myers Squibb will continue to match donations through Oct. 15, 2017. To donate, go to www.cancerbikeride.org. "It meant so much to be there with my family to cheer on these amazing riders. I was so inspired and humbled by the strength, passion and love of all the riders I met and spoke with. Being a cancer survivor I'm especially grateful for SU2C, Bristol-Myers Squibb and these dedicated riders for raising money for cancer research that's helping to save lives now," said Brittany Daniel. "Monday was a special day for my sister Brittany, Cole and me, especially because I felt like we were the three amigos who battled and beat cancer with Brittany. We loved sharing our strength, compassion, and dedication with the Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer riders. It was an inspirational day with lots of loving and support pouring through everyone," said Cynthia Hauser. For more information, please visit www.cancerbikeride.org. SOURCE Stand Up To Cancer Related Links http://www.cancerbikeride.org (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160524/371287LOGO ) (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/556340/IARD_CEOs.jpg ) Today we announce our further commitment to develop, in collaboration with others, new robust responsible marketing standards for digital channels that represent best-practice in this rapidly-changing field. Information technology is changing our world faster than at any time in history and the explosion of digital channels has transformed the way in which people understand and interact with our brands. This is now the arena where our consumers want to engage with us. Although we have achieved significant progress in strengthening and expanding marketing codes of practice, digital media presents evolving opportunities with improved consumer insights, better data and technology. We are determined to use these opportunities to set robust responsibility standards for digital marketing that take account of the changing landscape and reassure others that we direct our advertising only to those adults who can lawfully buy our products. By working with our marketers internally, agencies and social media companies we believe we can create these rigorous standards for our industry and potentially for others. We know we can achieve more together than we can by working separately, and we welcome the opportunity to play a full and proactive role in further reducing the harmful use of alcohol in support of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. Signed: Carlos Brito Ceet 't Hart Alexandre Ricard Chief Executive, AB InBev Chief Executive, Carlsberg Group Chief Executive, Pernod Ricard Naoki Izumiya Ivan Menezes Chief Executive, Asahi Group Chief Executive, Diageo Mike Dolan Jean-Francois Van Boxmeer Chief Executive, Bacardi Limited Chief Executive, Heineken Matt Shattock Yoshinori Isozaki Chief Executive, Beam Suntory Chief Executive, Kirin Holdings Company Paul Varga Mark Hunter Chief Executive, Brown-Forman Chief Executive, Molson Coors Notes to editors: In 2012, we launched a five-year program of commitments to support Member States in their efforts to implement the WHO Global Strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. The 11 signatories to the Beer, Wine and Spirits Producers' Commitments to Reduce Harmful Drinking are Anheuser-Busch InBev; Asahi Group Holdings; Bacardi; Beam Suntory; Brown-Forman Corporation; Carlsberg; Diageo; Heineken; Kirin Holdings Company; Molson Coors ; Pernod Ricard. ; Pernod Ricard. The Producers' Commitments - Reducing underage drinking - Strengthening and expanding marketing codes of practice - Providing consumer information and responsible product innovation - Reducing drinking and driving - Reducing underage drinking - Strengthening and expanding marketing codes of practice - Providing consumer information and responsible product innovation - Reducing drinking and driving Enlisting the support of retailers to reduce harmful drinking SOURCE IARD LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cetera Financial Group ("Cetera" or "the Company")*, a leading network of independent firms supporting the delivery of professional financial advice, and Cetera Financial Institutions today announced that Cathay Bank will transition its retail wealth management program back to the Cetera Financial Institutions platform after a brief period away. Cathay Bank is a Los Angeles-based bank that opened in 1962 to serve the needs of Chinese-American clients in southern California. Today, it is a subsidiary of Cathay General Bancorp, a publicly-held bank holding company with over $14.5 billion in assets and 58 branches across the United States and one in Hong Kong. Cathay Bank currently offers wealth management services in the U.S. only. Cetera Financial Institutions is the Cetera firm specifically focused on serving the wealth management programs of banks and credit unions. With 53 financial professionals located in 41 of the bank's branches, Cathay Bank's retail wealth management program focuses on providing financial planning, retirement, insurance and investment management services to a wide variety of clients, including numerous high-net-worth individuals. The bank's retail wealth management program, which began in 2002, today maintains over $507 million in brokerage assets. LeAnn Rummel, President of Cetera Financial Institutions, said, "We are delighted to welcome Cathay Bank back to Cetera Financial Institutions after a very brief period away from us. We're very pleased that we have been able to come together in a relationship that is stronger than ever before. Cathay Bank's decision to rejoin our platform reaffirms once again the strength of our service culture and expertise in serving financial institutions, as well as the power of Cetera's vision for an advice-centric future for the industry. We believe Cathay Bank will be the first of a number of institutions that, after a brief period of working with other platforms, develop an even greater appreciation for Cetera Financial Institutions' value proposition and decide to return to the fold." Ms. Rummel continued, "Cathay Bank continues to be in high-growth mode and is specifically emphasizing its wealth management program as a key growth driver. We look forward to working closely with the bank to support and expand its base of high-net-worth retail clients. Our work with Cathay Bank will include a specific focus on several of its priorities for its wealth management program, including increased recruiting of financial advisors, growing its life insurance business and training and education to help advisors thrive under evolving fiduciary rules." Philip Hurst, Senior Vice President and Director of Wealth Management at Cathay Bank, said, "We are very excited to work with Cetera Financial Institutions once again. The transformation of Cetera Financial Group over the past year has been extremely successful and the company is doing better than ever. In addition to its expertise in supporting bank-based wealth management programs like ours, what attracted us back to Cetera was its service culture, access to its executive leadership team and deep understanding of financial institutions, which is especially critical in this new fiduciary era. Cetera's Advice Architect Ecosystem of technology-driven tools was also a very compelling factor for us, as were the company's training capabilities and rapid responsiveness to our needs. We also appreciate the scale and resources available to them as part of one of the nation's largest independent broker-dealer networks. Cetera's value proposition has helped us grow successfully in the past, and we look forward that it will continue to drive our growth in the future." About Cetera Financial Institutions Cetera Financial Institutions is a marketing name of Cetera Investment Services LLC, a self-clearing registered broker-dealer that delivers customized investment and insurance solutions to financial institutions nationwide. Cetera Investment Services helps institutions expand their financial offerings, which allows clients to pursue their financial goals through a holistic approach while delivering sound and strong financial solutions. Advisory services are offered through Cetera Investment Advisers LLC, an SEC registered investment adviser firm, where financial advisors receive a wide array of solutions and back-office support, so that they can focus on their clients. Cetera Investment Services LLC and Cetera Investment Advisers LLC are members of Cetera Financial Group, which provides leading wealth management and advisory platforms and innovative technology to financial advisors and financial institutions nationwide. Cetera Investment Services is a member of the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC), the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). For more information, see www.ceterafinancialinstitutions.com. About Cetera Financial Group Cetera Financial Group ("Cetera") is a leading network of independent firms empowering the delivery of professional financial advice to individuals, families and company retirement plans across the country through trusted financial advisors and financial institutions. Cetera is the second-largest independent financial advisor network in the nation by number of advisors, as well as a leading provider of retail services to the investment programs of banks and credit unions. Through its multiple distinct firms, Cetera offers independent and institutions-based advisors the benefits of a large, established broker-dealer and registered investment adviser, while serving advisors and institutions in a way that is customized to their needs and aspirations. Advisor support resources offered through Cetera include award-winning wealth management and advisory platforms, comprehensive broker-dealer and registered investment adviser services, practice management support and innovative technology. For more information, visit cetera.com. * "Cetera Financial Group" refers to the network of independent retail firms encompassing, among others, Cetera Advisors, Cetera Advisor Networks, Cetera Investment Services (marketed as Cetera Financial Institutions), Cetera Financial Specialists, First Allied Securities, Girard Securities, and Summit Brokerage Services. All firms are members FINRA/SIPC. Media Contacts: Matthew Griffes Haven Tower Group 424.652.6520 ext. 103 [email protected] Joseph Kuo Haven Tower Group 424.652.6520 ext. 101 [email protected] SOURCE Cetera Financial Group Related Links http://www.cetera.com DALLAS, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Trial lawyers Richard A. "Dick" Sayles and Mark S. Werbner, co-founders of the Dallas law firm Sayles Werbner, have again been ranked among the top litigators in Texas by Chambers USA. Both name partners and the firm earned recognition for their commercial litigation work in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business. Published by London's Chambers and Partners, it is viewed as one of the nation's most respected legal guides. Sayles is described by those interviewed by Chambers researchers as doing a "fantastic job" representing individuals and corporations in both state and federal courts on corporate matters. Werbner was noted for his "fine Dallas reputation" in commercial litigation. "We work hard for our clients," said Sayles. "To be regularly included in Chambers' exclusive listing is a tremendous honor." Werbner said he was grateful for the praise from "our peers in the legal community and our clients." The exclusive Chambers listing identifies law firms and lawyers who demonstrate the top technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, diligence, commitment and other qualities most valued by clients. The list is developed after thousands of attorney and client interviews. To learn more about Sayles Werbner in the Chambers USA guide visit https://www.chambersandpartners.com/USA/firm/118006/sayles-werbner-pc. With a combined 50 years of courtroom experience, Dick Sayles and Mark Werbner have tried more than 200 cases. Both have been named Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Texas chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Sayles is a member of the elite invitation-only International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Sayles Werbner is known for winning some of the highest profile cases in U.S. history, including a groundbreaking terrorism lawsuit that led to the first civil liability verdict against a foreign bank for providing material financial support to terrorists. Since 2010, the firm has made the US News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America list of Best Law Firms. Sayles Werbner maintains an international reputation as a proven trial law firm in complex business litigation, life-altering personal injury cases, and practically every type of case that requires courtroom expertise. To learn more, visit swtriallaw.com. For more information, contact Sophia Reza at 214-559-4630 or [email protected]. SOURCE Sayles Werbner Related Links http://www.swtriallaw.com French English MONTREAL, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- There is still much work to be done to help Canadians understand visual health risks and the importance of prevention, before consequences become irreversible. These are the findings of a discussion paper on Canadians and the risks to their visual health, published by Essilor Canada. Based on an omnibus survey conducted by Ipsos among 1,200 Canadians and the comments of two experts in optometry, this document provides a summary of their knowledge and understanding of the risks to Canadians visual health and their behaviours when confronted with visual health issues. It also offers recommendations for Canadians to actively manage their visual health, as well as suggestions for all stakeholders in the eyecare industry to improve education and prevention. The discussion paper can be consulted and downloaded at bit.ly/2xSonGf. An infographic accompanying this announcement is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2f4c17c4-e68d-4b75-89c6-29b32488d49e Generational Differences in Knowledge, Understanding and Attitudes Towards Risk Factors While 41% of Canadians surveyed acknowledge they have a limited understanding of the risks to their visual health, there are discrepancies between generations. For example, a greater proportion of Millennials (aged 18 to 34) reported having a good knowledge of risk (65%) compared to the older generations (57% for 3554 year-olds and 58% for those aged 55 and over). The survey also measured the importance Canadians place in several external and behavioural risks factors. According to them, the two biggest external risk factors for visual health are exposure to UV rays on sunny or summer days and exposure to artificial UV radiation. These are considered very important for 65% and 63% of Canadians, respectively, compared to exposure to UV rays on overcast, rainy or winter days (39%), exposure to digital screens (35%) and exposure to artificial light sources (26%). For respectively 66% and 55% of respondents, having uncorrected vision problems (such as blurry vision, nearsightedness or farsightedness) and driving while exposed to the blinding reflections of the sun are the most important behavioural risk factors, followed by wearing uncomfortable eyeglasses with twisted or misadjusted frames, or scratched lenses or inappropriate lenses impairing vision (44%), driving at night while exposed to blinding lights such as car headlights or traffic lights (40%), doing prolonged or meticulous tasks (34%), and working or engaging in activities at night or in the dark (31%). Here again, generational differences are reflected in the emphasis on external and behavioural risk factors. Canadians over the age of 35 seem to be more aware of the risks associated with exposure to UV rays on sunny days than Millennials: 66% of those aged 3554 and 74% of those aged 55 and over consider this risk very high, compared with only 55% for 1834 year-olds. Conversely, younger generations are more aware of the risks associated with exposure to digital screens, while only 29% of Canadians over 55 consider this risk problematic (36% of 1834 year-olds and 40% of 3554 year-olds). Many baby boomers have seen a vision loss in their parents, and certainly remember how it has made them very dependent and has seriously affected their quality of life, says Dr. Diana Monea, optometrist based in Calgary (Alberta). As they grow older, they understand that eye diseases like cataracts or age-related macular degeneration can happen to them, with serious consequences if they do not protect their visual health. As they are exposed to digital screens as part of their work and everyday life1, Canadians aged 18 to 54 seem increasingly concerned about overexposure to harmful blue light2. We need to wait for longitudinal studies to see if excessive blue light exposure actually causes damage to retinal cells but recent studies are showing that visual performance and visual comfort increase while wearing lenses that selectively filter high energy blue light far better than non-selective yellow filters, explains Dr. Jack DiBerardino, optometrist based in Orangeville (Ontario). Visual Health, a Precious but Misunderstood Capital If Canadians rightly recognize natural and artificial UV rays as the main external risk factor, Dr. DiBerardino is surprised that these figures are not higher: Despite the many media campaigns over the last few decades on this issue, 35% and 37% of the population, respectively, are still unaware of these risks Thats a lot. I think Canadians understand well the harmfulness of UV rays to their skin through sunburns or, more seriously, melanomas, but they do not make a connection with the risks to their eyes. The study also sheds light on visual health issues faced by Canadians and their attitudes towards these: 85% of Canadians have experienced visual health problems in the past 12 months through itchy, teary or dry eyes (56%), eye strain (55%), difficulty seeing objects that are far (39%) or near (37%), and double vision (12%). It appears in the study that Canadians are most sensitive to visual risks that cause pain or discomfort, but those are not necessarily the most dangerous for the eye. Indeed, there is a notable difference between the symptoms, their intensity and the risks. A lot of people are not aware of the silent risks, risks like UV overexposure which do not present painful symptoms, but can pose serious long-term threats. On the other hand, while 85% of Canadians have experienced visual health issues in the past 12 months, only 57% have consulted an eyecare professional. Among the main reasons given for not consulting an optometrist, minimal discomfort and financial considerations (budget, insurance coverage) are the most frequent. These justifications are of particular concern to the eyecare experts, who see this as a lack of education on the part of Canadians about the importance of preserving their visual health, which cannot be improved over the course of their lives. Many people take their visual health for granted until they are affected by a serious problem, says Dr. Monea. The pain, continuous aggravation, or blurry vision, will then lead people to consult as an emergency. Unfortunately, it might be too late and the damage is sometimes irreversible. Visual Health, a Secondary Priority Among Other Health Issues in Canada Canadians often see the preservation of their visual health as a secondary priority, especially among younger generations, who are the most likely to have failed to consult an eyecare professional after experiencing a visual health issue: The question of non-consultation of an eyecare professional is the result of the emphasis placed on visual health in relation to other health or well-being issues, such as dental or aesthetic care, explains Dr. DiBerardino. Visual health is clearly in the background among younger generations, with social acceptance deemed more important. People aged 55 and over are certainly the most health conscious and they devote more resources, time and money to this. However, all eyecare experts are unanimous about the need to better prevent visual health risks before problems arise and to encourage regular eye examinations, especially for children, for whom vision is the main learning vector. We know that 80% of classroom learning is visual, yet only 15% of children have a comprehensive eye examination before starting school. We also know that as much as 25% of all school-age children have an undiagnosed vision or health problem. This potentially leaves many kids at a disadvantage when it comes to school and learning performance. If Canadians are entitled to expect more from governments in terms of eyecare coverage, the eyecare experts believe that industry stakeholders should work together to develop concerted actions to raise awareness of the importance of eye health, and to educate Canadians on the way to prevent eye diseases, as well as correct and protect their vision. Solutions can also be found in better collaboration with other healthcare professionals, particularly family doctors, who are often Canadians primary healthcare contact. About Essilor Canada Because Canadians have visual needs that impact their lives, and because we care about their vision, Essilor Canadas mission is to Improve Lives by Improving Sight. It translates into everything we do: our products, services, technologies, trainings, philanthropic initiatives, as well as in our involvement in health, environment and safety. Present in Canada since 1972, Essilor is proud to contribute to the growth of our countrys economy with over 1000 employees, 3 digital surfacing laboratories and 40 regional and partner laboratories. Essilor Canada is a subsidiary of Essilor International, the world leader in ophthalmic optical products that invests heavily in research and development to create new products always better adapted to the needs of wearers. Essilor creates, manufactures and personalizes a wide range of corrective lenses and coatings that are distributed through eyecare professionals and help prevent visual health issues, correct and protect vision. Canadians can entrust their vision to Essilor brands such as Varilux, Eyezen, Crizal, Xperio and Transitions. 1 30% of adults spend over 9 hours a day using digital devices. Vision Council 2015 Digital Eye Strain report 2 Blue light is both helpful and harmful, as its at the limit between visible and invisible light. Blue-turquoise light is necessary for our visual acuity and well-being, while blue-violet light is harmful, since it penetrates our eye and may damage the retina. Media contacts: SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Driven by the growth of tech services, Tek Experts, a technical and business services multinational, opened new offices at Terra Campus in Tres Rios on September 13th, establishing a major source of employment in Costa Rica. Since its launch in the country in 2012, Tek Experts has been committed to increasing its Costa Rican operations, and with the opening of the new building, the company intends to place an additional 450 people it is planning to hire in the next 6 months. Currently Tek Experts is located in the Condal building, and with the new space, Terra Campus, it will be significantly expanding the office space that Tek Experts has in Costa Rica. The new building consists of two floors, extensive office space, areas for relaxation, training rooms, panoramic views, ample parking, a dining area, and it is easily accessible since it is very close to Terramall. The President of the Republic, Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera, said: "We are continuing to work on strengthening Costa Rica's competitive conditions so investments that are already established in this country, as well as those we are currently attracting, can continue - as in the case of Tek Experts - expanding operations and creating jobs. This reaffirms for us that alliances with productive sectors are enabling us to keep generating wellbeing for the population." Luis Guillermo Campos, Country Manager at Tek Experts Costa Rica, said: "We are pleased to announce the new opportunities for employment that position Costa Rica as one of the Central American countries cultivating quality human talent, and we feel confident as we invest in new offices and create opportunities for growth and development in an innovative and professional environment." Alexander Mora, Minister of Foreign Trade, said that "Five years ago, as a result of our good investment climate and recognized track record, Tek Experts decided to bet on Costa Rica, establishing a sophisticated technical services and business operation. Following this, it has grown sustainably, creating high quality jobs and contributing to the strategy of adding value to our exports. It fills us with pride to know that today its local headquarters has been transformed into the powerhouse of its operations, and that it has a growth plan that will enable it to employ more than 450 Costa Ricans in innovative, sophisticated and competitive technologies. As the Government, we uphold the commitment to foster the necessary conditions so our companies can continue to grow and take a bigger and bigger share of global markets and global value chains." Alfredo Hasbum Camacho, Minister of Labor and Social Security, added "I celebrate the announcement of Tek Experts' expansion in our country. This is one more indication that the human talent of our citizens is valuable, and that's what gets foreign investors to keep their eyes on Costa Rica. At the Ministry of Labor we've been working on building up training in technical careers that makes it possible to fill the jobs that come with projects such as this one." Jorge Sequeira, Managing Director of CINDE, said that "The added value of exports of IT services and exports enhanced by IT companies has held steady between 80% and 90%, making Costa Rica into a net exporter of these kinds of high value added services. The announcement made by TEK Experts about hiring another 450 people gives an indication of the valuable contribution that Costa Rican human talent is providing for multinationals, playing a role in the consolidation of their business at the global level." As of now, Costa Rica has the group's largest operation, and occupies 40% of the company's global spreadsheet. Furthermore, the professional profile that Tek Experts is seeking in the country features systems engineers, computer engineers, programmers, software support engineers, computer sciences and specialists in administration to support its new clients and new projects all over the world. The company is also trying to make the most of its non-technical experience, recruiting people with linguistic skills and experience in customer service, training administration, Human Resources, Quality Assurance and data analysis. Tek Experts employs more than 2000 people around the world, and 750 in Costa Rica. This expansion reaffirms the company's commitment to the Costa Rican market, confident that without any doubt it will generate more opportunities and investments to strengthen the capacities of employees in Costa Rica. Those interested can apply through the website at: www.tek-experts.com. About Tek Experts With offices and employees all over the world, Tek Experts offers support of leading industry software, application development, training and education, sales support, customer service, hardware support and software solutions in Europe, Asia and the Americas. The company has installed part of its operations in Costa Rica due to its proximity to strategic clients, which has facilitated business logistics. One of the goals the company is pursuing is to keep on growing at the same level and quality it has achieved thus far, and to keep on investing in strengthening the capacities of its employees. SOURCE Costa Rican Investment Promotion Agency Related Links http://www.cinde.org RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 28th, COMPAREX USA invites the public to donate to American Red Cross disaster relief efforts while having fun at our first annual StrangerFest fundraiser. From 5-9pm in the downtown Raleigh Warehouse District at 311 S. Harrington St, we're raising funds for relief efforts, as well as collecting as many disaster comfort kits as possible to be sent to the Red Cross. Local breweries and food vendors will be catering this Stranger Things-themed party, with events ranging from a Thriller dance off and two costume contests (best traditional Halloween costume and best Strangers Things/80s costume), to tarot card readings, face painting, a Demogorgon DJ (if you don't know, you will), and so much more. The entire area will be turned into the iconic Upside Down from the show, an eerie alter dimension mirroring our own world. Between Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, thousands of people have been displaced and massive damage has been caused. Right out of the gate and even before its peak, this hurricane season has been one to remember. Those in the path of these hurricanes have been uprooted and some have lost everything due to flooding and wind damage. And while the media is focused on these large, catastrophic disasters, local disasters are still occurring. The American Red Cross responds to all disasters, large and small, and in the wake of everything seen in the past two weeks, they need support now more than ever. Tickets for the event are $20, which equals 20 tickets to use on beer and food. They can be purchased online at https://strangerfestraleigh.eventbrite.com or at the door. There is also an option for additional donations. Whether you're a fan of Stranger Things, love the 80s or just want to give back, get ready for a fantastic time. For information about the event, please visit https://strangerfestraleigh.eventbrite.com. About COMPAREX As a global IT company with thirty years of experience, COMPAREX is one of the world's leading IT service providers and no. 1 software license management company in the EMEA markets. COMPAREX develops innovative services that support management and leverage software products, leading to an overall improvement of workforce productivity. COMPAREX serves corporate customers spanning from small businesses to large international corporations as well as public institutions, supporting every customer during their digital journey towards productivity optimization. SOURCE COMPAREX USA Related Links http://comparex.com RESTON, Va., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- comScore today announced that it has extended access to its free viewability measurement solution around the globe. First announced in April 2017, comScore Viewability has completed live testing by worldwide advertisers, agencies, publishers and ad networks, and is now broadly available. comScore Viewability is a self-service solution that enables clients to continuously measure digital campaigns within and across publishers and ad networks through an easy-to-use interface that reports baseline display and video viewability metrics. Providing broad access to viewability metrics promotes trust and transparency in advertising and shifts focus toward more advanced measures of ad impact, such as in-target reach and frequency and lift in brand equity, sales, or visits to retail stores and other destinations. "We're now several years into the viewability debate, yet it seems like our industry is having the same conversations while overlooking advertisers' more critical needs," said Dan Hess, executive vice president of products at comScore. "By offering free viewability measurement, we're taking a stand to help marketers benefit from more meaningful metrics, such as who is truly being reached and the impact of creative and placement decisions." "If we're to achieve true cross-platform measurement, we need to be confident that impressions are being measured on the same 'opportunity to see' basis that has been a standard for decades in television," Hess continued, "By making viewability a given, we're enabling clients to connect the dots and understand the total impact of advertising investments across both digital and TV." comScore Viewability uses the same measurement tag and technology as comScore validated Campaign Essentials (vCE), meaning the metrics provided in comScore Viewability will align with vCE-reported data. vCE is accredited by the Media Rating Council (MRC) for both display and video viewability for impressions in desktop and mobile environments, and includes filtering of both general and sophisticated invalid traffic (IVT). comScore Viewability is not accredited at this time. To sign up for comScore Viewability, please click here. To receive updates related to viewability and other comScore advertising solutions, please click here. What the Industry is Saying "In order to create a total video marketplace where buyers can plan across platforms to achieve advertising goals, viewability is key to leveling the playing field between digital and TV. This new viewability solution will help expand access and use of viewability measures, allowing the industry to turn its focus back to making sure that ads have an impact." - Lyle Schwartz, president of investment, North America, GroupM "IAB applauds comScore for providing critical support for the digital ad industry's viewability standard. It is critical that this industry stop wasting time on unproductive arguments about baseline standards and start investing time on what really matters the strategies, ideas, and executions that move hearts, minds, and wallets. The MRC standard for viewable impressions was agreed to and has evolved under consistent cross-industry participation. It's time for the entire marketing-media ecosystem to accept it and move on to more productive innovations, including agreement on how to measure cross-media audiences and engagement." - Randall Rothenberg, president and CEO, Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) "Viewability has been one of those important issues that no one was quite willing to make the first move on. What comScore just made is a leadership move. They've changed the conversation and created a new normal on the issue of viewability. It's great to see." - Doug Weaver, CEO, Upstream Group "Establishing viewability as a baseline standard is critical to the evolution of digital advertising it further helps bridge the measurement gap between digital and TV. By better aligning advertising across all platforms, advertisers can then take the next step to better understanding their campaign and brand performance." - Alison Fennah, executive business advisor, Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Europe "Offering free viewability measurement will allow for more comprehensive reporting and help close the gaps where viewability is not currently reported getting us one step closer to our industry goal of making digital measurement comparable to other media." - Marla Kaplowitz, president and CEO, American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As) "Giving the market broad access to viewability metrics is a critical step in moving digital advertising forward. We applaud comScore for taking this step to bring greater trust and transparency to the industry, and working to level the playing field between digital and TV advertising." - Blaise D'Sylva, vice president of media at Dr. Pepper Snapple Group "At Oath, we're committed to helping advertisers and publishers build their brands and take action on real metrics across screens. As the digital advertising industry continues to grow, viewability is a top priority and marketers want greater transparency and trust in the marketplace. We're excited to see the steps comScore is taking to enhance viewability measurement on a global scale, which will offer clients greater control and in turn drive more dollars to digital." - Tim Mahlman, President, Head of Programmatic Ad Tech Platforms, Oath "We're glad to see comScore's efforts to bring more transparency and accountability to digital advertising. By making viewability measurement accessible for all, our publisher community can better demonstrate the real value that they bring to media buyers and their brands." - Jeff Hirsch, CMO and head of U.S. publisher development, PubMatic About comScore comScore is a leading cross-platform measurement company that measures audiences, brands and consumer behavior everywhere. comScore completed its merger with Rentrak Corporation in January 2016, to create the new model for a dynamic, cross-platform world. Built on precision and innovation, comScore's data footprint combines proprietary digital, TV and movie intelligence with vast demographic details to quantify consumers' multiscreen behavior at massive scale. This approach helps media companies monetize their complete audiences and allows marketers to reach these audiences more effectively. With more than 3,200 clients and a global footprint in more than 75 countries, comScore is delivering the future of measurement. Shares of comScore stock are currently traded on the OTC Market (OTC:SCOR). For more information on comScore, please visit comscore.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including, without limitation, comScore's expectations as to the impact of comScore Viewability, validated Campaign Essentials (vCE) and comScore's entire suite of advertising products. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from expectations, including, but not limited to, comScore's ability to achieve its expected financial and operational results. For additional discussion of risk factors, please refer to comScore's respective Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings that comScore makes from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), which are available on the SEC's website (www.sec.gov). Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date such statements are made. comScore does not intend or undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or new information after the date of this press release, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. SOURCE comScore Related Links http://www.comscore.com NEW YORK, LONDON and OSLO, Norway, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Confirmit has partnered with Infobip, a world leader in mobile messaging, to enable organizations running Market Research, Customer Experience or Employee Engagement programs to benefit from enhanced international SMS capabilities and coverage. The integration of Infobip's SMS technology with Confirmit's SMS Flex extension provides coverage of 800 mobile networks in 190 countries and offers a streamlined process for the design and deployment of SMS surveys. The ability to send cost-effective SMS survey invites and receive timely responses will extend the reach and immediacy with which feedback can be gathered via the mobile channel. Terry Lawlor, EVP Product Management at Confirmit explained: "In an increasingly mobile world, most survey participants have their mobile phones with them at all times even in situations when they might be considered offline due to poor internet coverage or data roaming constraints. Approaching mobile users for feedback via their preferred method of communication at any time, in any location, represents a real opportunity for market insights and customer experience professionals to understand consumers in new and insightful ways." The Infobip/Confirmit integration will enable customers, panelists or employees to be invited to take part in a variety of short, personalized or branded SMS surveys: One-way (an SMS message provides the participant with a short URL link to an online mobile web survey) Two-way (the participant receives an SMS message question and answers by replying directly with an SMS message) A combination of both (the participant has the option of clicking on the short URL link to complete the online mobile web survey, or to answer the survey by replying with an SMS message) Keyword (SMS surveys are initiated by participants sending a keyword from his/her mobile phone) Kevin Britt, Country Manager UK and Ireland at Infobip added: "SMS surveys offer a hugely engaging and efficient way to measure customer experiences in a simple and highly convenient manner. Asking for feedback in-the-moment undoubtedly delivers far greater accuracy because you are engaging with participants immediately after the experience takes place. What's more, for customers who choose only to provide their mobile number as their point of contact, SMS is the only logical solution." Harnessing SMS in feedback and research programs complements existing survey methods, enabling companies to send timely reminders to take part in online surveys, for example. More importantly, it offers increased survey invite open rates (SMS benefits from a 98 percent average), improved response rates (typically 30 percent or more) and all mobile phones have SMS capability. "The mobile channel offers the flexibility, convenience and speed that customers and employees now expect when engaging and communicating with brands and employers," continued Lawlor. "There is clearly huge potential for SMS going forward for organizations that want to proactively seek feedback, and we are delighted to have partnered with Infobip to offer enhanced SMS capabilities as part of the Confirmit Horizons platform." About Confirmit Confirmit is the world's leading SaaS vendor for multi-channel Voice of the Customer, Voice of the Employee, and Market Research solutions. The company has offices in Oslo (headquarters), Grimstad, London, Moscow, New York, San Francisco, Sydney, Vancouver, and Yaroslavl. Confirmit's software is also distributed through partner resellers in Madrid, Milan, Salvador, and Tokyo. Confirmit powers Global 5000 companies and Market Research agencies worldwide with a wide range of software products for feedback / data collection, panel management, data processing, analysis, and reporting. Customers include Aurora, British Airways, British Standards Institution, Copart, Cross-Tab, Dow Chemical, GfK, GlaxoSmithKline, GMO Research, KeepFactor, Morehead Associates, Nielsen, Research Now, RS Components, QRS, SSI, Sony Mobile Communications, and Swisscom. Visit www.confirmit.com for more information. About Infobip Infobip's SMS platform operates on a globally-distributed proprietary cloud. Since 2006, Infobip's mission has been to create seamless mobile interactions between businesses and people. Its industry-leading platform is engineered from the ground to be the most robust communications gateway in the industry with six data centres in North America, Africa, Europe and Asia. If you are interested in learning more about integrating Infobip with Confirmit, give us a call or visit our website at www.confirmit.com. To learn more about Infobip's product and service offerings, please visit Infobip's website at www.infobip.com or send an email to [email protected]. Media Contacts: Emma Walter Matter Communications 978-518-4820 [email protected] SOURCE Confirmit Related Links http://www.confirmit.com LONDON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Synopsis After contracting between 2012 and 2015, the German construction industry recovered in 2016 as a result of an improvement in economic conditions and subsequent investments in construction projects, growing by 2.1% in real terms. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5098966 This upturn follows a sluggish recovery from the eurozone crisis and weak business confidence, and continued growth is expected over the coming years, supported by a revival in investor confidence and subsequent public and private sector investments in infrastructure, residential, and energy and utilities construction projects. The government's focus on the development of the country's transport infrastructure through the implementation of the Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan (FTIP) 2030 is expected to drive the industry's growth, with construction output in real terms forecast to record a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.37% from 2017 to 2021. Summary Timetric's Construction in Germany Key Trends and Opportunities to 2021 report provides detailed market analysis, information and insights into the German construction industry, including: The German construction industry's growth prospects by market, project type and construction activity Critical insight into the impact of industry trends and issues, and the risks and opportunities they present to participants in the German construction industry Profiles of the leading operators in the German construction industry Scope This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the construction industry in Germany. It provides: Historical (2012-2016) and forecast (2017-2021) valuations of the construction industry in Germany using construction output and value-add methods Segmentation by sector (commercial, industrial, infrastructure, energy and utilities, institutional and residential) and by sub-sector Breakdown of values within each project type, by type of activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) and by type of cost (materials, equipment and services) Detailed profiles of the leading construction companies in Germany Reasons To Buy Identify and evaluate market opportunities using Timetric's standardized valuation and forecasting methodologies. Assess market growth potential at a micro-level with over 600 time-series data forecasts. Understand the latest industry and market trends. Formulate and validate strategy using Timetric's critical and actionable insight. Assess business risks, including cost, regulatory and competitive pressures. Evaluate competitive risk and success factors. Key Highlights Efficiently developed transport infrastructure is vital for the economic growth of Germany. Accordingly, under the flagship program FTIP, the government is investing heavily in transport infrastructure projects. According to Timetric, the infrastructure construction market is expected to post a nominal forecast-period CAGR of 4.75%, as compared to 1.02% registered during the review period. The ongoing urbanization in the country is expected to drive fresh demand for new housing units over the forecast period. According to Timetric, the residential construction market is expected to maintain its leading share in the industry over the forecast period, to account for 47.7% of the industry's total value in 2021. The government is focusing on transforming the country into a digital economy. Accordingly, in March 2017, the government announced plans to invest EUR100.0 billion (US$111.8 billion) until 2025 to develop internet networks across the country by 2025. In support of the achievement of the 2030 renewable energy target, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy is developing the Merkur offshore wind farm in the German North Sea. With an estimated investment of EUR1.6 billion (US$1.8 billion), the wind farm, when completed in 2019, is expected cater to the energy needs of over 500,000 households. Germany is considered one of the more favorable investment destinations in Europe, owing to its strategic location and availability of skilled workforce. In a bid to accelerate the pace of foreign investments, the government has announced attractive tax subsidies. Owing to the country's attractive investment scenario, in November 2016, Amazon, one of the world's largest online retailers, announced plans to construct a logistics center in Winsen. The government's initiative is expected to provide a boost to the construction industry in the years to come. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5098966 About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers https://www.reportbuyer.com For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 208 816 85 48 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumer Watchdog today called upon the executives of Google and Facebook to testify at a Senate hearing next week rather than hide and explain their position that a key Internet law should not be amended so websites that facilitate online sex trafficking, like Backpage, can be held accountable. "Tech giants shouldn't hide behind their computers and refuse to look victims of online sex trafficking and their families in the eye, when they are spending millions on surrogates to stop accountability to those families," said John M. Simpson, Consumer Watchdog's Privacy Project Director. The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday on the bipartisan Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA) that would narrowly amend Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. Axios reported (https://www.axios.com/senator-wants-google-facebook-to-testify-on-sex-trafficking-bill-2484950077.html) that two Senate sources said Google and Facebook executives were invited to testify, but refused. Instead Abigail Slater, general counsel, for the Internet Association is scheduled to appear to oppose amending the law. "Google and Facebook throw money around Washington like drunken sailors in their lobbying to influence policy behind closed doors," said Simpson. "Why won't Google's Eric Schmidt, Larry Page or Sergey Brin and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg appear before Congress to explain and attempt to justify their position? What are they afraid of? They need to come out of their pampered Silicon Valley bubble and engage publicly." The bipartisan Senate bill, the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act of 2017 (SESTA) was introduced by Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH). Its 27 cosponsors include Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO). A similar House bill, Rep. Ann Wagner's H.R. 1865, the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017, has 140 co-sponsors. Many tech companies and other defenders of Section 230 claim it promotes and protects free expression on the Internet, but a U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations staff report shows that websites like Backpage aid and abet under-age sex traffickers using the blanket protection of the Act. By one count 73% of child trafficking reports in the United States involve Backpage. "Internet freedom must not come at the expense of children who are sex trafficked," said Simpson. "Just as the First Amendment does not allow you to shout fire in a crowded movie house, or to assist hit men and drug dealers in their criminal activity, CDA Section 230 must not be allowed to protect an exploitative business that is built on child sex-trafficking." The solid tech industry wall of opposition to SESTA is beginning to crack. This week 21st Century Fox joined Tech giant Oracle and CoStar Group in supporting the bipartisan bill. Google has led the Tech industry's drive to block amending CDA Sec. 230. Virtually all of the groups voicing opposition to amending Sec. 230 after S.1693 was introduced have received funding from Google. Groups include the Internet Association, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Center for Democracy and Technology, and the Computer and Communications Industry Association, the R Street Institute, and the Software and Information Industry Association. Backpage's abuses and the fight by its victims to hold it accountable are the subject of the documentary film, I am Jane Doe, (http://www.iamjanedoefilm.com) which is now available on Netflix or can be downloaded from Google Play, iTunes or Amazon. Visit our website at www.consumerwatchdog.org SOURCE Consumer Watchdog Related Links http://www.consumerwatchdog.org COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CoverMyMeds, a leader in electronic prior authorization (ePA) solutions, today announced plans to expand its specialty solution by developing a new e-Referral platform to help patients get the specialty medications they need to live healthy lives. Currently, the process for initiating and monitoring treatment for patients who need specialty drugs depends on a series of manual activities for providers, specialty pharmacies and payers. This includes the coordination of insurance coverage, selection of an appropriate specialty pharmacy, prior authorization (PA), patient consent, and enrollment in patient assistance programs. These processes, when done manually, often result in treatment delays and gaps in therapy for patients, as well as administrative waste and lack of visibility into patient outcomes. CoverMyMeds plans to expand its specialty solution by building upon the success it has already achieved in specialty medication access. In 2016 alone, more than 300,000 providers used CoverMyMeds to request prior authorization for specialty medications. By using CoverMyMeds, these participants can reduce prescription abandonment and ensure appropriate medication access, while greatly reducing turnaround time for specialty PA determinations. CoverMyMeds' e-Referral platform for specialty medications will connect specialty pharmacies, providers and payers to more efficiently coordinate treatment with specialty therapies and help improve ongoing care management. With the platform, providers will be able to identify which specialty pharmacies can service the patient, select an appropriate network pharmacy, and efficiently complete the steps necessary to coordinate and monitor treatment within their normal workflow. Specialty pharmacies in the CoverMyMeds network would then receive a complete set of electronic information required to process the patient's therapy. Through its e-Referral platform, CoverMyMeds will maintain a neutral network that allows participation by all pharmacies, providers and payers. The company is currently inviting specialty pharmacies to learn more about the CoverMyMeds specialty platform by visiting go.covermymeds.com/specialty. Upon launch, the e-Referral platform will be available through the entire CoverMyMeds network, including the more than 500 integrated electronic health records (EHR) systems, payers representing 80 percent of U.S. prescription volume, 700,000 providers and all specialty pharmacies who choose to participate. The result will be rapid, appropriate access to specialty therapy, reduced administrative burden and a technology network that allows participants to advance towards outcome-based specialty care. Tony Gottschalk, vice president of specialty access programs, leads the plans for the company's expanded specialty solution. Tony brings more than 20 years of biopharmaceutical industry experience to the CoverMyMeds team, with a focus on innovation, partnership, patient care and regulatory compliance. "Our plans for CoverMyMeds' specialty e-Referral platform will offer increased transparency and collaboration among providers, payers, specialty pharmacies and hubshelping to decrease administrative burden, increase speed to therapy and improve medication adherence for patients," said Gottschalk. "Our approach builds upon CoverMyMeds' market-leading position in ePA, our leading network of EHR integration partners, and one of the largest user-bases of providers in the country. We believe that the scale of our network and our unique technology capabilities will help solve some of the most challenging problems in specialty medication management. Last year alone, CoverMyMeds helped millions of patients obtain access to their specialty medications, and we expect continued adoption of our solutions as the industry's growing pipeline of specialty drugs reaches the market, creating a mandate to our industry to lead the way towards outcomes-based specialty therapy management." For more information about CoverMyMeds' expanded specialty solution, please visit go.covermymeds.com/specialty. About CoverMyMeds CoverMyMeds is a leader in electronic prior authorization (ePA) solutions, and one of the fastest growing health care technology companies in the U.S. CoverMyMeds' software suite automates the medication prior authorization process for more than 500 electronic health records (EHR) systems, 62,000 pharmacies, 700,000 providers and most health plans and PBMs. By ensuring appropriate access to medications, the company helps its customers avoid billions of dollars each year in administrative waste and avoidable medical spending caused by prescription abandonment. Visit www.covermymeds.com for more information. SOURCE CoverMyMeds Related Links http://www.covermymeds.com CALGARY, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Canadian Pacific (TSX: CP) (NYSE: CP) will release its third-quarter financial and operating results at 4:01 p.m. eastern time (2:01 p.m. mountain time) on October 17, 2017. CP will discuss its results with the financial community in a conference call beginning at 4:30 p.m. eastern time (2:30 p.m. mountain time) on October 17. Conference Call Access Toronto participants dial in number: 1-647-427-7450 Operator assisted toll free dial in number: 1-888-231-8191 Callers should dial in 10 minutes prior to the call. Webcast We encourage you to access the webcast and presentation material at investor.cpr.ca. A replay of the third-quarter conference call will be available by phone through to November 17, 2017 at 416-849-0833 or toll free 1-855-859-2056, password 98468121. Access to the webcast and audio file of the presentation will be made available at investor.cpr.ca. About Canadian Pacific Canadian Pacific is a transcontinental railway in Canada and the United States with direct links to eight major ports, including Vancouver and Montreal, providing North American customers a competitive rail service with access to key markets in every corner of the globe. CP is growing with its customers, offering a suite of freight transportation services, logistics solutions and supply chain expertise. Visit cpr.ca to see the rail advantages of CP. CP-IR SOURCE Canadian Pacific Related Links http://www.cpr.ca Announced in May of this year, the "AI for Everyone" Challenge was created to help advance cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence projects. The challenge is granting eight awards to companies, organizations or individuals using AI to solve critical problems. "The potential of AI to solve real problems is predicated on the quantity and quality of the training data that can be used to teach a machine learning model how to work in the human world," said Robin Bordoli, CEO of CrowdFlower. "The goal of this challenge is to offer resources to ambitious data scientists everywhere to help jump start their ground-breaking projects that otherwise might take years to get started. Today's winners Melissa and David and their bold projects targeting major societal contributions are examples of the type of work we want to support." Kiva.org engineer Melissa Fabros' winning submission centers around the creation of the world's largest, most diverse set of training data for facial recognition. One of the biggest problems with facial recognition today is the limited amount of training data available to teach an algorithm how to process the image. As a result, algorithms struggle to accurately process the faces of people across a wide range of skin colors or if the image isn't perfectly clear or well lit. Kiva, which has been focused on crowdfunding micro-loans in across 80 countries has amassed a database of more than 900,000 human faces from varying global ethnicities. As part of Kiva's crowdfunding process, photos and descriptions of borrowers are reviewed by hundreds of volunteers each month before being posted to Kiva.org. Using the CrowdFlower Human-in-the-Loop AI platform, Kiva hopes that their volunteers will have a strong tool to help catch mistakes and make recommendations. This is turn will assist volunteers in reviewing more loans each month. Kiva will convert those raw images into detailed training data sets and make them available to academics researching machine learning algorithms and facial recognition capabilities of AI. The second winning proposal centers around developing enough training data to enable machine learning platforms to better help medical researchers looking for cures to cancer and infectious diseases. Today, these researchers study the behavior of living cells both individually and collectively over time using a microscope. The challenge however is the work is manually intensive, extremely complex and time consuming. David Van Valen, M.D., Ph.D, a Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University who will be starting his own research group at Caltech next fall as a new assistant professor believes AI can augment these researchers' quest to rid the world of these diseases. To that end, Van Valen's work at Stanford has shown that AI and deep learning systems can speed up researcher's efforts, but success requires a massive amount of training data to teach a machine learning algorithm how to best determine the location, identity, and state of a cell. Using the CrowdFlower platform, Van Valen's project will label and catalogue thousands of images of mammalian cells as they change over time. By annotating at a pixel level, Van Valen will create a massive library of training data that can be used to train machine learning algorithms. These annotated datasets and trained algorithms will allow scientists to perform experiments that were previously impossible and enable them to make important discoveries about human disease states. Finalists were selected by a group of distinguished judges including members of CrowdFlower's Scientific Advisory Board: Barney Pell, founder at Moon Express; Pete Warden, Staff Research Engineer at Google; Monica Rogati, independent data science advisor; Adrian Weller, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge; Jack Clark, Director of Strategy and Communications at OpenAI and Lukas Biewald, founder at CrowdFlower. Selection is based on the innovation of the project, its importance to the advancement of AI and the overall potential impact of the proposed initiative. Applications for the next wave of winners is currently open. Interested parties can apply for the CrowdFlower "AI for Everyone" Challenge at https://www.crowdflower.com/ai-for-everyone/. To learn more about CrowdFlower visit www.crowdflower.com About CrowdFlower CrowdFlower is the essential human-in-the-loop AI platform for data science and machine learning teams. The CrowdFlower software platform trains, tests, and tunes machine learning models to make AI work in the real world. CrowdFlower's technology and expertise supports a wide range of use cases including autonomous vehicles, intelligent personal assistants, medical image labeling, consumer product identification, content categorization, customer support ticket classification, social data insight, CRM data enrichment, product categorization, and search relevance. Headquartered in the Mission District in San Francisco and backed by Canvas Ventures, Trinity Ventures, Industry Ventures, Microsoft Ventures, and Salesforce Ventures, CrowdFlower serves Fortune 500 and fast-growing data-driven organizations across a wide variety of industries. For more information, visit www.crowdflower.com SOURCE CrowdFlower Related Links http://crowdflower.com HYDERABAD, India, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyient Limited ("Cyient") a global provider of engineering, manufacturing, geospatial, network and operations management services to global industry leaders, has signed a definitive agreement to divest its 49% equity ownership in IASI. Established in 2003, Isabela, Puerto Rico, IASI is a 51:49 Joint Venture between Pratt & Whitney and Cyient. IASI provides aerospace defence design, development & related services, primarily to United Technologies and its business units. The transaction would be EPS neutral. The closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Krishna Bodanapu, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Cyient Ltd. commented, "We continue to embark on the journey towards realization of our "Design-Build-Maintain" Strategy. To enable greater focus on the strategy, we have been exiting the non-core businesses. This is the second divestment post the sale of Infotech Enterprises IT Services (IEITS) that we did in October of 2015 as a part of our strategy to exit the IT services business. This divestment is a step in the right direction and will aid us in becoming more focused striding towards achieving our vision. We will continue to evaluate and rebalance our business portfolio." About Cyient: Cyient (Estd: 1991) (NSE: CYIENT) provides engineering, manufacturing, geospatial, network and operations management services to global industry leaders. Cyient leverages the power of digital technology and advanced analytics capabilities, along with domain knowledge and technical expertise, to solve complex business problems. As a Design, Build and Maintain partner, Cyient takes solution ownership across the value chain to help clients focus on their core, innovate, and stay ahead of the curve. Relationships form the core of how Cyient works. With nearly 14,000 employees in 21 countries, Cyient partners with clients to operate as part of their extended team, in ways that best suit their organization's culture and requirements. Cyient's industry focus includes aerospace and defense, medical, telecommunications, rail transportation, semiconductor, utilities, industrial, energy and natural resources. For more information, please visit www.cyient.com. Follow news about the company at @Cyient. For further media inquiries, please write to [email protected] SOURCE Cyient Related Links http://www.cyient.com Clifton, NJ, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Associa Community Management Corporation New Jersey (CMC-NJ) announced that it recently obtained the Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC) designation through the Community Associations Institute (CAI). The AAMC accreditation demonstrates a company's commitment to providing unique and diverse services to community associations. An Accredited Association Management Company ensures that their staff has the skills, experience, and integrity to help communities succeed and their managers have advanced training and demonstrated commitment to the industry. While we all take pride in the job we do day-to-day, its always nice to get recognized for the branchs hard work, stated Jeff Cirkus, CMC-NJ vice president. Its an honor to have our industrys stamp of approval with the highest accreditation in the business. The AAMCs top requirement is advanced training of employees, and as a company, we have always understood and valued the importance of manager education. However, prior to joining the Associa family, we didnt have the means to support it in the necessary way, continued Cirkus. At the time we were acquired by Associa in 2016, we had six managers who had obtained a CAI designation, now we have 12. Additionally, 15 of our managers have taken advantage of the classes hosted and taught by Associa instructors via the Virtual Terminal Center (VTC) right from our conference room. We couldnt have accomplished this accreditation without the support of Associa and specifically the Associa University team. With more than 180 branch offices across North America, Associa delivers unsurpassed management and lifestyle services to nearly five million residents worldwide. Our 10,000+ team members lead the industry with unrivaled education, expertise and trailblazing innovation. For more than 40 years, Associa has provided solutions designed to help communities achieve their vision. To learn more, visit www.associaonline.com. Stay Connected: Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/associa Subscribe to the Blog: https://hub.associaonline.com/ Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/associa Join us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/associa Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/07082839-f5a7-43e4-ae51-fad1e7c33d3b "DFW Airport is pleased to provide our customers with additional choices when they fly across the Atlantic," said Sean Donohue, CEO for DFW International Airport. "Icelandair will offer our customers a full-service option whether traveling to Reykjavik, Scandinavia or some of the most popular destinations in Europe." The new route will open up more travel choices for DFW customers via the Icelandair hub in Reykjavik, which serves more than 25 destinations in Europe. "As we celebrate our 80th anniversary, we are pleased to offer the largest route network in Icelandair's history," said Birkir Holm Gudnason, Icelandair CEO. "Our new service from Dallas Fort Worth will provide a refreshing alternative for travelers from Texas with non-stop flights to Iceland and beyond. The new DFW route will also open opportunities for European travelers wanting to explore the Dallas Fort Worth region and the great Lone Star state. We look forward to welcoming Dallas Fort Worth travelers aboard." Icelandair Service Inaugural service Wednesday, May 30, 2018 Reykjavik Keflavik International Airport (KEF) to DFW Departs KEF 5:15 p.m. (GMT) and arrives DFW at 8:40 p.m. (CDT), Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays DFW to KEF Departs DFW at 5:00 p.m. (CDT) and arrives KEF at 6:00 a.m. (GMT), Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Mondays Travelers from Iceland can take advantage of DFW's facilities at International Terminal D that feature highly efficient customs processing, as well as world-class shopping, dining and amenities. DFW's geographic position, size and amenities also makes for convenient connections from Europe and Asia to points across North America, Central and South America. When Icelandair launches service in May 2018, the airline will be the 17th international carrier to serve DFW International Airport. About Dallas Fort Worth International Airport: Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW) Airport earned the distinction of the best large airport in North America for customer service in 2016 from Airports Council International. DFW Airport warmly welcomes more than 65 million customers along their journey every year, elevating DFW to a status as one of the most frequently visited superhub airports in the world. DFW Airport customers can choose among 167 domestic and 57 international nonstop destinations worldwide. DFW is elevating the customer experience with modernized facilities and updated amenities, as well as through a $2.7 billion Terminal Renewal and Improvement Program. Centered between its owner cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, DFW Airport also serves as a major economic generator for the North Texas region, producing over $37 billion in economic impact each year by connecting people through business and leisure travel. For more information, visit the DFW web site. Follow @dfwairport on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest SOURCE DFW International Airport GILLINGHAM, England and QUEBEC CITY, Canada, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Delphi Automotive PLC (NYSE: DLPH) has signed a commercial partnership agreement with LeddarTech, a Canadian company developing solid-state LiDAR technology. Delphi, a leader in autonomous driving technology, and LeddarTech, a Canadian start-up focused on an advanced, proprietary signal processing technology, will collaborate to develop a low-cost, corner LiDAR solution. "There is increasing customer demand for solid-state LiDAR as the time to market for autonomous vehicles is being accelerated," said Glen De Vos, Delphi senior vice president and chief technology officer. "LeddarTech technology has the right level of discrimination and range for LiDAR sensing solutions placed around the corners of the vehicle." The core technology can be developed rapidly and allows for easy vehicle integration. "Delphi has extensive sensor, radar and systems engineering knowledge and experience to complement LeddarTech's unique, patented sensing technology," said Charles Boulanger, LeddarTech chief executive officer. "We are glad to collaborate closely with Delphi to develop and rapidly commercialize a solid-state LiDAR solution that provides the best performance at the lowest cost." To further support the commercial partnership, Delphi has made a minority investment in LeddarTech. About Delphi Delphi Automotive PLC is a high-technology company that integrates safer, greener and more connected solutions for automotive and transportation sectors. Headquartered in Gillingham, U.K., Delphi operates technical centers, manufacturing sites and customer support services in 46 countries. Visit delphi.com About LeddarTech LeddarTech is the developer and owner of Leddar, a patented solid-state LiDAR sensing technology that constitutes a novel approach to light detection and ranging. Developed over 10+ years of R&D, Leddar is a unique combination of advanced light wave digital signal processing and software algorithms that enable the production of solid-state LiDARs delivering superior performance and reliability at a highly competitive price. LeddarTech sensors are used in multiple mobility-related markets including automotive, intelligent transport systems, drones, and industrial vehicles. LeddarTech's technology contributes to improving our safety and our quality of life through applications minimizing the risks of accidents, reducing traffic congestion, and improving transport efficiency. http://www.leddartech.com SOURCE Delphi Automotive PLC Related Links http://www.delphi.com DUBAI, UAE, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- An independent EDM producer from Afghanistan with a significant following in the Middle East is hoping to break into the global music scene with the release of his third album. 'Lip Service' is music producer and a newly-trained DJ Shuja Rabbani's latest body of work to be released under his own record label, Rabbani Records. It consists of 21 tracks that are available for purchase and streaming on all major online music platforms. The album release means that Rabbani has now produced a record consecutively for three years. Much like his previous albums, 'Lip Service' is predominantly EDM focused but also draws on inspiration from other styles and regions to produce a multi-faceted sound. Instruments from around the globe have been incorporated into the tracks, including countries like India and the Caribbean. Turkish and Arabian instruments have also been blended in over the artist's signature electronic beats. One of the most exotic instruments used in this album is the Gubal and the Hang, similar instruments that are both manufactured in Switzerland. The track titled 'Avicenna' has tunes almost entirely made by using these instruments. Rabbani will be releasing three singles to promote his new album and style across the globe. This first single will be 'Casanova', followed by 'Turkish Delight' and 'Pharaoh'. All of these tracks incorporate ethnic world sounds and electronic beats, creating an entirely new sound of dance music that DJ's will be able to mix into tracks immediately. Speaking about his new work, Rabbani said: "The new album represents my love for world music which I have attempted to combine along with modern electronic beats. It's representative of who I am as an artist who also happens to be a global citizen." Rabbani has a significant social media presence that is continuing to grow immensely. He is hailed as one of the most influential personalities on social media to come from Afghanistan often seen posting news and updates for his fans on his social media platforms. Rabbani's frequent use of social media to promote his artistic and professional work for the past five years has been developing him into a personal brand as a result of high quality and diversified digital content that appeals to topics of interest for multiple generations of Afghanistan and beyond. He uses the hashtag #EDMA which stands for Electronic Dance Music Afghanistan so followers can keep up to date with his progress more easily, helping to cement a unique positioning of his online brand. Within last year, his online popularity as an Afghan music producer has resulted in his music being used at two different international events, both in the Middle East and in Europe, to represent Afghanistan at cultural events and represent the changing face of Afghanistan's new generations that are working as the country's leading disruptors and cultural change leaders. Rabbani continues:" As an independent artist, I'm grateful for the institutions that are reaching out to me in representing another side of Afghanistan that the international community does not get to see much. I hope to continue working hard to inspire Afghan artists to look beyond their borders and reach out to the global audience through their talents." It would seem that Rabbani is interested in more than the music scene though, as he continues to juggle a range of different work-related endeavors. With an interest in international affairs, Rabbani writes articles and commentaries on contemporary issues, which he posts on his personal blog. His commentary has been published in leading international news channels. Rabbani's professional role in an international organization means he is particularly business savvy by spending time reviewing business and self-development books, and business-related articles on human resources and personal growth. To find out more about Shuja Rabbani, and how he is revolutionizing the global EDM music industry, go to: http://www.shujarabbani.com Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ShujaRabbaniPage Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShujaRabbani Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shujarabbani/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/shujarabbani About Shuja Rabbani is an EDM DJ and music producer from Afghanistan who is making waves in the electronic music scene. He has now released 3 albums and is continuing to gain recognition and support internationally through the various social media channels he utilizes to promote his multiple lines of work. SOURCE Rabbani Records ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy has restored more than half of the customers who lost power as a result of Hurricane Irma with 800,000 customers back on as of Wednesday afternoon. A total of 800,000 customers have been restored, but 600,000 Duke Energy customers are still without power in the state. More than 12,000 workers are working to safely and quickly restore service. Duke Energy serves 1.8 million customers in Florida. "Our crews are making great progress all around our territory," said Harry Sideris, Duke Energy Florida president. "We have set restoration times for our counties and are laser-focused on getting customers back on as quickly and safely as possible. We appreciate the patience our customers have shown during this stressful time." Sideris added that over 3,000 power poles, more than 1,100 transformers and more than 1,000 miles of wire are being replaced due to storm damage. Tuesday, the Duke Energy Foundation announced it would donate $250,000 to the Florida Disaster Fund. The fund, administered by the Volunteer Florida Foundation, is the State of Florida's official private fund established to assist Florida's communities in times of disaster. Times of restoration The company expects to complete power restoration to essentially all Duke Energy Florida customers in the following areas: By midnight Friday, Sept. 15 : The western portion of its service area. This includes Pinellas and Pasco counties : The western portion of its service area. This includes and counties By midnight Sunday, Sept. 17 : central and northern portions of the service area. This includes Alachua , Bay , Brevard , Citrus , Columbia , Dixie , Flagler , Franklin , Gilchrist , Gulf , Hamilton , Hernando , Jefferson , Lafayette , Lake , Leon , Levy , Madison , Marion , Orange , Osceola , Polk , Seminole , Sumter , Suwannee , Taylor , Volusia , and Wakulla counties. : central and northern portions of the service area. This includes , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and counties. Restoration in the severely impacted areas of Hardee and Highlands County may extend beyond Sunday due to rebuilding the electrical system that suffered significant damage in those areas. Our crews are focused on restoring the largest number of customers each day. Some customers will see their service restored much earlier. As crews respond to make repairs and restore service, specific estimated times of restoration will be updated for individual areas and customers. In some cases, service may be delayed for customers where the electrical meter or other customer equipment is damaged and requires repair and inspection. Due to the heavy volume of outages and technology issues, the company's online reporting tool is not updating properly. Outage numbers on the automated system do not reflect the actual number of customers restored. Until corrected, the company will send out updated outage numbers throughout the day via its online channels. For company updates, resources, videos and additional information, visit news.duke-energy.com/irma. Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. Outage reporting and status updates At any time, customers without power can report their outage by: Texting OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply) Restoration process After assessing damage, Duke Energy will first restore power to critical infrastructure such as emergency centers, fire stations, hospitals, water treatment and other public safety and health facilities. The company simultaneously will safely repair major power transmission lines, damaged substations and other large-scale electrical equipment to restore power to the largest number of customers, as quickly as possible. Work to restore power to small pockets of customers will soon follow the large-scale repairs. For customers in the hardest-hit areas that require rebuilding the system, this may take a week or more. Read more for further details. Duke Energy is working closely with local emergency management officials and public safety agencies in multiple Florida cities and towns, ensuring a coordinated and collaborative damage assessment and power restoration process. Downed power lines are hazardous Duke Energy reminds customers and the public to stay away from downed power lines that have fallen or are sagging, and to consider all power lines and trees, limbs or anything in contact with power lines energized and dangerous. If a power line falls across a vehicle you're in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, try to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground. Flooding safety tips Turn off your power at the circuit breaker panel or fuse box if rising water threatens your home or if you evacuate your home. Stay away from downed power lines and electrical wires. DO NOT drive over or stand near downed power lines. Electric current passes easily through water. Never replace a fuse or touch a circuit breaker with wet hands or while standing on a wet or damp surface. Do not try to drive through flooded areas; most flood-related deaths occur in automobiles. If your home or business is flooded, Duke Energy cannot reconnect power until the electrical system has been inspected by a licensed electrician. If there is damage, an electrician will need to make necessary repairs and obtain verification from your local building inspection authority before power can be restored. Customers using generators If you use a generator at home to provide power until your service is restored, please watch for utility crews and turn the generator off when crews are in your area. The electrical load on the power lines can be dangerous for crews making repairs. The excess electricity created by a generator can feed back onto the electric lines, severely injuring a line technician who might be working on a power line, believing it to be de-energized. Read other tips for using a generator. About Duke Energy Florida Duke Energy Florida owns and operates a diverse generation mix, including renewables, providing about 8,800 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 1.8 million customers in a 13,000-square-mile service area. With its Florida regional headquarters located in St. Petersburg, Fla., Duke Energy is one of the largest electric power holding companies in the United States. Its Electric Utilities and Infrastructure business unit serves approximately 7.5 million customers located in six states in the Southeast and Midwest. The company's Gas Utilities and Infrastructure business unit distributes natural gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in the Carolinas, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. Its Commercial Renewables business unit operates a growing renewable energy portfolio across the United States. Duke Energy is a Fortune 125 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DUK. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center serves as a multimedia resource for journalists and features news releases, helpful links, photos and videos. Hosted by Duke Energy, illumination is an online destination for stories about people, innovations, and community and environmental topics. It also offers glimpses into the past and insights into the future of energy. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. Media Relations 24-Hour: 800.559.3853 SOURCE Duke Energy LONDON, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dmitry Leus, founder of East-West Connect, has written in EU Today explaining there are bigger issues to be resolved than who should pay for the relocation of the European Banking Authority (EBA). It has been reported in recent days that the European costs of the relocation of the EBA after the country leaves the EU. Mr Leus wrote: "Indeed Michel Barnier, the EU's chief negotiator on Brexit, has said the UK should 'fully cover' the costs of all agencies being moved, including the EBA and also the European Medicines Agency (EMA). One of the vice-presidents of the committee, German conservative Markus Ferber , has been quoted as saying: 'Without Brexit there would not be any need to relocate the EBA and hence the UK has to settle the bill,' ." Mr Leus continued: "Of course we do not know what exactly any relocation costs will be. But surely they will be a minor proportion of the overall costs associated with Brexit. It seems something of a distraction to get caught up in a debate about these specific costs." He explained: "From a banking perspective, a much bigger priority seems the issue of 'passporting.' There is an EU rule that allows a bank to locate a fully regulated entity on one EU member state and operate across other states without the need for additional local regulation in the other countries. This is commonly called "passporting". This practice allowed London to be very much the financial hub for the rest of Europe. Indeed, a large proportion of Europe's hedging, foreign exchange, lending and securities transaction have taken place in London. The big challenge facing banks is how to manage the future of their European business once London is no longer a part of the EU." Mr Leus commented: "Regarding this passporting dilemma, one option would be for the UK to remain in the single market by joining the EEA and thereby having a similar status to Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. But would the UK really do this, given that being part of the EEA means accepting free movement as well as the authority of the European Court of Justice, which the UK leadership is against? An alternative to passporting could be equivalence. This is where cross-border trading is possible due to countries recognising each other's standards. Back in the 1990s this occurred between the UK and the USA regarding mutual access to derivatives markets. Could equivalence be a possible mechanism for the UK post-Brexit? It is not impossible, given that some EU legislation accepts the principle of equivalence. But the EU legislation on this is not complete. Equivalence in commercial banking and primary insurance are not yet covered by EU legislation. If the equivalence route were to be pursued, the UK would need to have a detailed agreement as a framework for resolving any future disputes as well as what would happen in cases where rules differed between markets." He concluded: "There is a great deal to resolve and debate. Who pays for the move of the EBA seems as though it should be low on the list of priorities." About East-West Connect East-West Connect is a London-based forum focused on investment risk and opportunity in Central and Eastern Europe. We provide news and analysis about the investment and economic climate of the region. East-West Connect was founded by Dmitry Leus, an entrepreneur and banking and financial services professional. He started his career as FOREX specialist at Russia's Lesprombank in the mid-90s. He later became Head of International Settlements of the bank, and in 2000 began running the South-West section of Lesprombank. In 2002, he was appointed Chairman of the Russian Depository Bank. In 2006 he founded Zapadny bank, where he worked as Chairman until late 2013. Since 2014, the e-commerce market of Europe and the UK is of special interest for him and he actively invests in the European and CIS financial sector. In parallel, he works as an expert in business development and helps large corporate companies build effective management and improve the quality of the services provided. http://eastwest-connect.org/ SOURCE East-West Connect - Two-year data from the ILLUMENATE European randomized clinical trial (EU RCT) validates durable clinical performance of Stellarex low-dose drug-coated balloon - Trial includes 328 peripheral arterial disease patients from 18 centers across Germany and Austria AMSTERDAM and LAS VEGAS, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, announced the two-year results from the ILLUMENATE European randomized clinical trial (EU RCT) demonstrating the efficacy of Philips Spectranetics' Stellarex .035" drug-coated balloon (DCB) for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in comparison to uncoated balloon angioplasty. Marianne Brodmann, M.D., of the Medical University of Graz in Austria, presented the data today as a late-breaking trial at the Vascular Interventional Advances (VIVA 17) Annual Conference. The ILLUMENATE EU RCT, which is part of a series of five trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of Stellarex for superficial femoral artery and popliteal disease, includes 328 PAD patients from 18 centers across Germany and Austria and compares the Stellarex DCB to an uncoated angioplasty balloon. The results show that at 24 months, 75.9% of patients treated with Stellarex maintained blood flow through the treated segment of the diseased artery, assessed through blinded core-lab adjudicated patency. Only 61.0% of patients treated with an uncoated balloon still maintained blood flow at 24 months. The data shows that Stellarex demonstrates higher efficacy and patency results, and longer treatment durability compared to an uncoated balloon, which is the current standard of care in the United States. "The Stellarex DCB produced durable results in this rigorous trial, validating earlier findings among the ILLUMENATE trial series," stated Marianne Brodmann, M.D. "These consistent, top-tier outcomes are achieved with a low-dose balloon.* Stellarex is the first low-dose DCB to demonstrate a significant treatment effect at two years." The ILLUMENATE EU RCT has independent evaluation including supervision by a clinical events committee, a data safety and monitoring board, and assessment by angiographic and duplex ultrasound core laboratories. Philips Spectranetics fully funded the ILLUMENATE EU RCT as part of the ILLUMENATE series of five trials to evaluate the benefits of Stellarex .035" for various patient groups in comparison to an uncoated percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) balloon, which is the current endovascular standard of care. "We are committed to providing proven clinical solutions that positively impact patient outcomes," stated Christopher Barys, Image Guided Therapy Devices Business Leader for Philips. "We are proud to have the only low-dose drug-coated balloon with a proven treatment effect at two years compared to the current endovascular standard of care in the U.S. The addition of Stellarex in the Philips portfolio through the Spectranetics acquisition reinforces our commitment to helping physicians decide, guide, treat and confirm the right therapy for their patients." The Stellarex drug-coated balloon is designed to restore and maintain blood flow to arteries in patients with peripheral arterial disease. Spectranetics launched the device in Europe in January 2015 and received FDA approval in the U.S. in July 2017. Philips acquired Spectranetics in August 2017 to continue the advancement of its unique portfolio of image-guided therapy solutions to deliver enhanced care for patients. Visit the Philips and Spectranetics booths (406 and 405) at VIVA 17 to experience Stellarex and Philips' other innovative offerings that deliver seamless care in the vascular space. Follow the #VIVA17 conversation at @PhilipsLiveFrom throughout the event. * Low-dose DCBs are those that deliver a dose of only 2 micrograms of the drug paclitaxel per square millimeter, which is lower than some other DCBs on the market. For further information, please contact: Alicia Cafardi Philips Group Press Office Tel: +1 412-523-9616 E-mail: [email protected] Kathleen Lozen Philips Image Guided Therapy Devices Tel: +1 617-529-2958 E-mail: [email protected] About Royal Philips Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2016 sales of EUR 17.4 billion and employs approximately 71,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter. SOURCE Royal Philips Related Links http://www.philips.com MOSCOW, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Elcomsoft Co. Ltd. updates Elcomsoft Phone Breaker, the company's forensic extraction tool. Version 8.0 becomes a major release with support for local and cloud backups, data and cloud passwords produced by iPhones and iPads running iOS 11, including the newly announced range of iPhone devices. Elcomsoft Phone Breaker 8.0 receives the ability to decrypt local backups saved by devices running iOS 11, run GPU-accelerated attacks on passwords protecting encrypted backups, download system backups, photos and media from iCloud Drive and access synced information from iCloud, including access to iCloud Keychain. "iOS 11 became even more secure than iOS 10", says Vladimir Katalov, Elcomsoft CEO. "With multiple changes to data formats, encryption schemes and communication protocols, getting support for iOS 11 ready by the time the new OS is released was a challenge and a major achievement of our research and development team." In addition, the eighth version of Elcomsoft Phone Breaker now provides Two-Factor Authentication support (a long-time Forensic edition exclusive) for users of Forensic and Professional editions at no extra charge. The update is free of charge to all customers who purchased or renewed their Elcomsoft Phone Breaker or Elcomsoft Mobile Forensic Bundle license within one year. Discounted renewal is available to customers whose maintenance plan has already expired. About iOS 11 and Its Forensic Implications The newest update of Apple's mobile OS, the iOS 11, is a 64-bit exclusive. The new OS is provided as an immediately available update to users of iPhone 5s, SE, and iPhone 6/Plus through 7/Plus as well as the corresponding versions of iPad and iPod Touch. Considering the speed of adoption of major iOS updates, iOS 11 should be running on the majority of compatible devices in a matter of months, if not weeks. iOS 11 includes multiple changes and enhancements to its security model. While some of the more obvious changes were outlined in New Security Measures in iOS 11 and Their Forensic Implications [https://blog.elcomsoft.com/2017/09/new-security-measures-in-ios-11-and-their-forensic-implications/], most of the changes in the new OS were made under the hood. One of the most important changes to iOS 11 from the forensic standpoint is the limited ability for law enforcement specialists to perform logical acquisition of iOS 11 devices unlocked with any method other than passcode. iOS 11 now requires a passcode to pair the device with a computer, which is a required pre-requisite for using logical extraction. Considering the many changes to iOS 11 security model, physical acquisition of iOS 11 devices out of the question, at least for the time being. This in turn means that, for devices with an unknown passcode, only two acquisition options remain: using an existing pairing record extracted from the user's computer or performing cloud extraction. Elcomsoft pioneered iCloud extraction. With in-house research and development, Elcomsoft is a leader in providing the fastest and most complete cloud extraction for Apple devices running all versions of iOS. Thanks to Elcomsoft Phone Breaker, iCloud extraction can return most everything stored in the device including system backups, iCloud Keychain, as well as many types of synced items such as calendars, mail, contacts, recent call history and a lot more. iOS 11 Support in Elcomsoft Phone Breaker In iOS 11, Apple made a number of changes to data formats and encryption, and once again altered communication protocols for exchanging information between iOS devices and iCloud. Elcomsoft Phone Breaker 8.0 comes with support for iOS 11, recognizing the changes Apple made to the various components of the new OS and corresponding cloud services. Elcomsoft Phone Breaker 8.0 can decrypt local backups produced by iOS 11 devices and run hardware-accelerated attacks on their passwords; obtain cloud backups, files and synced data from iCloud Drive. iCloud Keychain Elcomsoft Phone Breaker 8.0 can access iCloud Keychain items synced by iOS 11 devices. iCloud Keychain is Apple's secure online password storage for keeping passwords, financial information and authentication credentials synchronized across user's iOS and macOS devices. With access to iCloud Keychain, experts can quickly extract passwords and access user's online accounts and communication histories when physical and logical acquisition methods are not available. Two-Factor Authentication: Also in the Professional Edition It is difficult to overestimate the importance of Two-Factor Authentication for securing access to online accounts. In iOS 11, Apple starts pushing two-factor authentication harder, displaying a prominent pending notification dot over the Settings icon. By opening Settings, users are presented a pending notification reminding them to enable two-factor authentication on their account. Considering the inevitable spread of Two-Factor Authentication, Elcomsoft alters its licensing to allow more customers to acquire information from accounts protected with a secondary authentication factor. Starting with Elcomsoft Phone Breaker 8.0, support for Two-Factor Authentication has been included to both Professional and Forensic editions. Prior to 8.0 release, two-factor authentication support was a Forensic Edition exclusive. Two-Factor Authentication support is available via one-time codes pushed to trusted devices or generated on a trusted device. Using an authentication token extracted from the user's computer can help bypass both password and two-factor authentication protection; however, token-based authentication is still included with the Forensic edition only. Existing users of Elcomsoft Phone Breaker Professional with valid, non-expired licenses will enjoy Two-Factor Authentication support at no extra charge once they update to Elcomsoft Phone Breaker 8.0. About Elcomsoft Phone Breaker Elcomsoft Phone Breaker is an all-in-one mobile acquisition tool to extract information from a wide range of sources. Supporting offline and cloud backups created by Apple, BlackBerry and Windows mobile devices, the tool can extract and decrypt user data including cached passwords and synced authentication credentials to a wide range of resources from local backups. Cloud extraction with or without a password makes it possible to decrypt FileVault 2 containers without lengthy attacks and pull communication histories and retrieve photos that've been deleted by the user a long time ago. Pricing and Availability Elcomsoft Phone Breaker 8.0 is available for both Windows and macOS. Home, Professional and Forensic editions are available. iCloud recovery and Two-Factor Authentication support are only available in Professional and Forensic editions, while password-free iCloud access as well as the ability to download arbitrary information from iCloud and iCloud Drive are only available in the Forensic edition. Elcomsoft Phone Breaker Pro is available to North American customers for $199. The Forensic edition enabling over-the-air acquisition of iCloud data and support for binary authentication tokens is available for $799. The Home edition is available for $79. Local pricing may vary. System Requirements Elcomsoft Phone Breaker supports Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and Windows 10 as well as Windows 2008, 2012 and 2016 Server. The Mac version supports Mac OS X 10.7 and newer. Elcomsoft Phone Breaker operates without Apple iTunes or BlackBerry Link being installed. In order to access iCloud Keychain, Windows users must have iCloud for Windows installed, while Mac users must run macOS 10.11 or newer. About Elcomsoft Co. Ltd. Founded in 1990, ElcomSoft Co. Ltd. develops state-of-the-art computer forensics tools, provides computer forensics training and computer evidence consulting services. Since 1997, Elcomsoft has been providing support to businesses, law enforcement, military, and intelligence agencies. Elcomsoft tools are used by most of the Fortune 500 corporations, multiple branches of the military all over the world, foreign governments, and all major accounting firms. Elcomsoft is a Microsoft Partner (Gold Application Development), Intel Premier Elite Partner and member of NVIDIA's CUDA/GPU Computing Registered Developer Program. SOURCE ELCOMSOFT Co. Ltd. TSX: ELD NYSE: EGO VANCOUVER, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Eldorado Gold Corporation ("Eldorado" or the "Company") advises that its Greek subsidiary, Hellas Gold S.A. ("Hellas Gold"), today received a formal notice from Greece's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Environment and Energy (the "Ministries") initiating Greek domestic arbitration. This arbitration is pursuant to the provisions of the Contract between the Greek State and Hellas Gold and in it the Ministries have named its nominee to the three person arbitral panel. The arbitration notice alleges that the Technical Study for the Madem Lakkos Metallurgical Plant for treating Olympias and Skouries concentrates in the Stratoni Valley, submitted in December 2014, is deficient and thereby is in violation of the Transfer Contract and the environmental terms of the project. The Company is highly confident that the subject Technical Study is robust and consistent with the Transfer Contract, the Business Plan and the approved environmental terms of the project. George Burns, President and Chief Executive Officer of Eldorado Gold said, "Eldorado has always sought a constructive relationship and dialogue with all levels of the Greek government. Despite the Greek government's refusal to engage with Eldorado, we believe that this matter could still be resolved through good faith negotiations. We again invite the Ministry to engage with us for such purpose. Nevertheless, we will vigorously defend our rights and employ all legal means at our disposal. We are confident in the completeness of our efforts in Greece, the rigor of our engineering and the vast potential benefit of these projects for regional and national stakeholders." "We carry on business to the highest industry standards at all of our operations and projects, and we seek to implement best in class technologies wherever possible to meet commercial and environmental goals. This is acknowledged in our original agreements and will be reinforced through the resolution of this matter. What cannot be overlooked is the 2,400 people working directly for our projects in Greece to deliver high quality mines and the significant contributions being made to Greece's economy. Upon approval and receipt of all the required permits and a government that engages in good faith with the Company, we will then be in a position to re-assess our investment options in Greece." About Eldorado Gold Eldorado is a leading mid-tier intermediate gold producer with mining, development and exploration operations in Turkey, Greece, Romania, Serbia, Canada and Brazil. The Company's success to date is based on a highly skilled and dedicated workforce, safe and responsible operations, a portfolio of high-quality assets, and long-term partnerships with the communities where it operates. Eldorado's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: ELD) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: EGO). Certain of the statements made and information provided in this press release are forward-looking statements or information within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "continue", "projected", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "projected", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements or information include, but are not limited to, statements or information with respect to this news release. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. We have made certain assumptions about the forward-looking statements and information, including assumptions about the geopolitical, economic, permitting and legal climate that we operate in; the future price of gold and other commodities; exchange rates; anticipated costs and expenses; production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries, the impact of acquisitions, dispositions, suspensions or delays on our business and the ability to achieve our goals. Even though our management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statement or information will prove to be accurate. Many assumptions may be difficult to predict and are beyond our control. Similar to the litigation process, there is an inherent uncertainty in the process of arbitration and there is no assurance that any arbitration proceeding will be resolved in a manner that will not have a material and or adverse effect on us. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, the following: geopolitical and economic climate (global and local), risks related to mineral tenure and permits; gold and other metal price volatility; mining operational and development risk; foreign country operational risks; risks of sovereign investment; regulatory environment and restrictions, including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries; risks related to impact of the sale of our Chinese assets on the Company's operations; risks related to the acquisition of Integra Gold Corporation; additional funding requirements; currency fluctuations; litigation risks; community and non-governmental organization actions; speculative nature of gold exploration; dilution; share price volatility; competition; loss of key employees; and defective title to mineral claims or property, as well as those factors discussed in the sections entitled "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk factors in our business" in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form & Form 40-F. The reader is directed to carefully review the detailed risk discussion in our most recent Annual Information Form filed on SEDAR under our Company name, for a fuller understanding of the risks and uncertainties that affect the Company's business and operations. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements or information contained herein. Except as required by law, we do not expect to update forward-looking statements and information continually as conditions change and you are referred to the full discussion of the Company's business contained in the Company's reports filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and the U.S. SOURCE Eldorado Gold Corporation ATLANTA, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX) today announced that Jeff Dodge and Doug Brandberg with Investor Relations will meet with investors in Minneapolis on Tuesday, September 19th and in Dallas and Houston on Wednesday, September 20th. About Equifax Equifax is a global information solutions company that uses trusted unique data, innovative analytics, technology and industry expertise to power organizations and individuals around the world by transforming knowledge into insights that help make more informed business and personal decisions. The company organizes, assimilates and analyzes data on more than 820 million consumers and more than 91 million businesses worldwide, and its database includes employee data contributed from more than 7,100 employers. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Equifax operates or has investments in 24 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. It is a member of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index, and its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. Equifax employs approximately 9,900 employees worldwide. FOR MORE INFORMATION 1550 Peachtree Street, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30309 Marisa Salcines Media Relations 770-752-2574 [email protected] SOURCE Equifax Inc. Related Links http://www.equifax.com MEMPHIS, Tenn., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Evergreen Packaging, a global leader in the manufacturing of refrigerated paper cartons, today debuted a Fully Renewable Carton, part of their RenewablePlus Carton line featuring sugarcane-based polyethylene. Part of the Evergreen Packaging family of FreshHouse Cartons, the new RenewablePlus Cartons underscore the company's commitment to developing sustainable packaging solutions from renewable materials. "Our new RenewablePlus Carton reflects our promise to continually innovate and create unique renewable packaging solutions that serve both customers and consumers," said DeWitt Clark, Vice President of North American Packaging at Evergreen Packaging. "Customers can offer fully renewable carton options which leverage our industry-leading expertise in barrier extrusion technology. Consumers can feel good about purchasing products knowing that they're purchasing packaging made from renewable materials." The RenewablePlus Carton is available in all board grades and all sizes of the FreshHouse line of cartons. Made from responsibly sourced fiber, FreshHouse cartons are made from a renewable material, paper from trees grown in forests where responsible management practices are used and where overall growth exceeds use. Renewable fiber from trees plus renewable polyethylene from sugarcane results in a paper carton that is fully renewable. In addition, more than 50 percent of the energy used to manufacture cartons is biomass, a renewable energy source derived from wood byproducts. The cartons are also recyclable. Consumers are looking for sustainable packaging and for many that means packaging made with renewable materials. According to recent research by EcoFocus Worldwide, LLC, 72 percent of grocery shoppers say a corporate commitment to only use packaging that is made with renewable materials is extremely or very influential to their purchase decisions. Additionally, 50 percent of grocery shoppers say they always or usually look for beverages in packaging that is made with renewable materials. "For brands and consumers looking for sustainable packaging, packaging made with renewable materials is one of the best choices they can make," said Derric Brown, Sustainability Director for Evergreen Packaging. "Using renewable materials means that today's needs for protective packaging can be met, and the resources can be replenished to meet the needs of the future." The Fully Renewable Carton will debut at the Natural Products Expo East trade show, held in Baltimore, Maryland from September 14-16 at the Baltimore Convention Center. Evergreen Packaging spokespersons including Marketing Director Erin Reynolds and Sustainability Director Derric Brown will be in booth #6508 Thursday and Friday with the RenewablePlus Carton, and attendees and media are invited to stop by to learn more about this new offering. Evergreen Packaging is focused on developing innovative fiber-based products to meet the business goals of customers and sustainability preferences of consumers. Earlier this year, the company introduced the Sentinel lines of paper, paperboard and ice cream board which also feature sugarcane-based polyethylene supplied by Braskem. The Sentinel products are designed to be used in a wide range of food service and food packaging applications with varying shelf life needs. About Evergreen Packaging Evergreen Packaging is a global leader in creating fiber-based packaging solutions customized to deliver product freshness and brand distinction. Evergreen Packaging makes and supplies paper and paperboard products globally with manufacturing facilities in the US, Asia, Central America and the Middle East/North Africa. Evergreen Packaging is the number one supplier of liquid packaging board in the world. All of the fiber used in Evergreen Packaging products comes from forests in the US where responsible forestry practices are used and where overall growth exceeds harvest. About Braskem Braskem is one of the world's leading plastics and chemical companies with 41 industrial plants in Brazil, the United States, Germany and Mexico. Braskem is the largest producer of thermoplastic resins in the Americas and the leading producer of biopolymers in the world, creating more environmental-friendly, intelligent and sustainable solutions through chemicals and plastics. Known for innovative solutions such as I'm green Polyethylene made from renewable sugarcane and UTEC, the company's own trademarked Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene for high performance applications, Braskem's products and technologies enable the automotive, packaging, healthcare, and construction industries to produce goods that enhance quality of life for people around the world. Braskem America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Braskem S.A. headquartered in Philadelphia. The company is the leading producer of polypropylene in the United States, with six production plants located in Texas, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and an Innovation and Technology Center in Pittsburgh. For more information, visit www.braskem.com. SOURCE Evergreen Packaging SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zephyr Real Estate agent Kevin Dunn has landed the listing for the remarkable Victorian at 1915 Oak Street in Haight-Ashbury. Built in 1900, the homes colorful background includes starring in the PBS series This Old House in 1988 while undergoing its historic renovation. This home may even be recognizable to some for its reference in the bestselling book, Season of the Witch. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/98c8b775-599d-4dba-8acd-b5339fb40015 http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/51a83302-356a-4f9c-8620-b979c2185c1a http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0fba40ef-eee0-4ade-bcc7-104489a4bde0 The impressive four-level, three-bedroom home is a Queen Anne Victorian with the perfect blend of contemporary luxury and vintage opulence. Luxurious details include four fireplaces, crown molding, wainscoting, hand-blown glass chandeliers and vaulted ceilings. Bradbury and Bradbury wallpaper, Larry Boyd vintage stenciling, a San Francisco Stained Glass replica of Tiffany design, and doors from the Old First Presbyterian Church to the breakfast room are all part of the homes celebrated history. On the first level the formal double parlor living room opens to lovely view of Golden Gate Parks panhandle. The dining room, replete with a colorful wall mural, connects to the dream kitchen filled with its ample cabinetry, granite countertops, deluxe appliances and a gourmet coffee bar. Out on the deck, the ornate iron spiral staircase winds its way upward to the sun deck overlooking the lush, well-tended back yard. The grand foyer also boasts a graceful staircase leading to the upper levels, which contain three large bedrooms, two baths and a formal library complete with rolling ladder. The lower level features a one bedroom/one bath (unwarranted) au pair unit, and a wine room with a classic carved wood cellar door. Located in the heart of Haight-Ashbury, trendy shops, restaurants, museums, public transportation and, of course, Golden Gate Park are close at hand. As one of San Franciscos most iconic neighborhoods, the neighborhood still embodies the spirit of the Summer of Love. Listing this home has provided an interesting opportunity to delve into its history and appreciate its current presence, commented Kevin Dunn, listing agent. This residence is filled with delightful amenities that will enchant and inspire and really must be seen. The property is listed at $2,995,000. To arrange for an appointment and learn more about this elite property, please contact Kevin at kevin@sfyourhome.com or 415.432.2079. About Zephyr Real Estate Founded in 1978, Zephyr Real Estate is San Francisco's largest independent real estate firm with nearly $2.3 billion in gross sales and a current roster of more than 300 full-time agents. Zephyrs highly-visited website has earned two web design awards, including the prestigious Interactive Media Award. Zephyr Real Estate is a member of the international relocation network, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World; the luxury real estate network, Who's Who in Luxury Real Estate; global luxury affiliate, Mayfair International; and local luxury marketing association, the Luxury Marketing Council of San Francisco, and the Artisan Group. Zephyr has six offices in San Francisco, a Marin County office in Greenbrae, a San Mateo County business center in Burlingame, and two brokerage affiliates in Sonoma County, all strategically positioned to serve a large customer base throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, visit www.ZephyrRE.com. AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EES-Essential Eyebrow Solution, the only clinically-tested cosmetic eyebrow product on the market proven to help combat eyebrow thinning, was originally formulated to prevent loss of eyebrows during chemotherapy. Its manufacturer, RMV, has announced financial support of Look Good Feel Better with the donation of 10% of proceeds from sales during the entire month of October. Look Good Feel Better (LGFB) is a public service program that teaches beauty techniques to people with cancer to help them manage the appearance-related side effects of treatment. The program includes lessons on skin and nail care, cosmetics, wigs and turbans, accessories and styling, as well as helping people with cancer find some normalcy in a life that is by no means normal. The LGFB program is offered through a collaborative effort of three organizations: The Look Good Feel Better Foundation, which is the charitable arm of the Personal Care Products Council, the leading national trade group representing the global cosmetics and personal care products industry; the American Cancer Society; and the Professional Beauty Association, a notable organization of salon and spa professionals. This is not the first time RMV president Renata Marie Vestevich has worked with LGFB. The team at her hair replacement salon, Advanced Hair Solutions, LLC, has donated time and service to LGFB for many years. "Look Good Feel Better offers tremendous emotional support and value for those enduring cancer and related treatments," stated Vestevich. "We are proud to support an organization that offers so much compassion, hope and empowerment during a challenging time. Looking good is not about vanity. It's about regaining control, confidence and a sense of self," added Vestevich. In 1995, Vestevich faced her own personal struggle when her sister-in-law battled leukemia and subsequent hair loss during her chemotherapy treatment. That experience put Vestevich on a path of helping individuals struggling with the emotional challenges of hair loss, which ultimately led her to create EES. Using a patented, paraben-free formula comprised of the botanical black cohosh, EES provides a natural solution to promote stronger and fuller eyebrow hairs. A recent EES clinical trial published in PRIME International Journal of Aesthetic and Anti-Ageing Medicine demonstrated that 91% of the 117 enrolled cancer patients retained 50-100% of their eyebrow hair while undergoing chemotherapy treatment, despite experiencing full body hair loss elsewhere. Many subjects of the study also reported improvement in the appearance of their eyebrows, which underscores EES's efficacy for general beauty applications. Bolder, more natural brows have been a consistent cosmetic trend, and EES has been shown to support eyebrow fullness and suppleness. EES's patented formula is safe and non-irritating, paraben-free, hypoallergenic and pH Balanced. ABOUT RMV and EES RMV Trademarks, LLC, recently launched EES Essential Eyebrow Solution, a patented, topical formulation that is applied cosmetically to address eyebrow thinning. Infused with the natural botanical black cohosh, EES has been shown to support eyebrow fullness and suppleness. RMV is dedicated to helping women and men retain their confidence and vitality through highly specialized, wholesome products for everyday use. EES is available online in two sizes. The 1-ounce bottle offers a generous 3-month supply (applied twice a day) and retails for $90.00. The 2-ounce bottle offers a generous 6-month supply and retails for $135.00 (a 25% savings). Free shipping applies for all U.S. orders. Media Contact: BLAZE PR / Matt Kovacs [email protected] 310-395-5050 SOURCE EES Essential Eyebrow Solution Related Links https://essentialeyebrowsolution.com NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This coming weekend (Sept 16, 17) the Fluoride Action Network (FAN) will bring together citizens and scientists from around the world, to the Regency Hyatt hotel in Crystal City, VA, to educate the public, the media and decision-makers about the dangers of swallowing fluoride. According to Professor of Chemistry Emeritus, Paul Connett, "the purpose of the conference is to rescue `genuine' science from policy makers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Our citizens deserve protection, not propaganda." (http://fluoridealert.org/articles/6th-annual-citizen-conference/) Saturday attendees will hear a presentation from Professor Stephen Peckham (University of Kent, UK) who will talk about a study he co-authored linking fluoride exposure to lowered thyroid function. Also speaking will be William Hirzy, PhD, a former EPA risk assessment specialist, whose recent paper quantifies the risk fluoride poses to children's developing brains. (http://fluoridealert.org/articles/new-study-quantifies-fluorides-potential-to-lower-iq-in-children/ ) On Sunday, lawyers Michael Connett and Chris Nidel will discuss FAN's lawsuit calling on the EPA to ban the deliberate addition of fluoride to drinking water under provisions in the Toxic Substances and Control Act because of the overwhelming evidence that fluoride is neurotoxic (http://fluoridealert.org/articles/fan-sues-epa-to-end-fluoridation/). Connett says, "The very last children who should be exposed to a neurotoxic substance are children from low-income families, precisely those targeted for fluoridation by myopic zealots at the Oral Health Division of the CDC." On Monday, conference attendees will lobby Congress to amend legislation which could authorize millions more in federal grants for use by special interests to directly influence state and municipal decisions on water fluoridation. "As written, H.R. 2422 will be used to directly subsidize lobbying efforts for fluoridation by state dental industry associations. This will stifle local decision-making, override freedom of choice and continue to expose citizens to a dangerous toxic substance," says Stuart Cooper, FAN Campaign Director. FAN Director and dentist Bill Osmunson, says "For 25 years I promoted fluoridation, but when I read the literature more closely it was like a knee in the gut. We are subjecting our children to unnecessary risks. We need the media to do their homework and not just accept at face value glowing endorsements from the dental lobby and government agencies." Contact: Bill Osmunson, DDS, MPH, [email protected] 425.466.0100 or Stuart Cooper 603-361-6986 http://fluorideaction.net/ SOURCE Fluoride Action Network Related Links http://fluorideaction.net VIENNA, Va., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ratner Companies today announced that all Florida-based Hair Cuttery and Salon Cielo locations will offer a free shampoo and blow-dry to those affected by Hurricane Irma. In an effort to help restore comfort to those in the wake of Hurricane Irma, residents are welcome to visit their local salon for this free offer from Friday, September 15 through Tuesday, September 19, 2017. "Our thoughts are with all those impacted by Hurricane Irma and its aftermath," said Dennis Ratner, founder and CEO of Hair Cuttery. "To support our Florida family, we encourage all Floridians to come out to your neighborhood Hair Cuttery or Salon Cielo to receive a complimentary shampoo and blow-dry, and take a moment to unwind, on us." Please visit the following sites to find your nearest Florida salon: www.HairCuttery.com/locations / www.SalonCielo.com/locations. No purchase necessary. Offer valid from Friday, September 15 to Tuesday, September 19. Basic blow-dry only, no styling. To support the nearly 1,500 associates working in Hair Cuttery and Salon Cielo locations throughout Florida, many of whom have been affected by Hurricane Irma, all 12,000 Ratner Companies associates will be participating in a week-long internal fundraiser. Ratner Companies will match the amount collected for a special fund to provide much needed assistance to those affected. About Hair Cuttery Hair Cuttery is the largest family-owned and operated chain of hair salons in the country, with nearly 900 company-owned locations on the East Coast, in New England and the Midwest. A full-service, value-priced salon, Hair Cuttery offers a full complement of cuts and styling, coloring, waxing and texturizing services with no appointment necessary, as well as a full line of professional hair care products. Hair Cuttery is committed to delivering a delightful client experience through WOW Service including a Smile Back Guarantee. Hair Cuttery is a division of Ratner Companies, based in Vienna, VA. www.haircuttery.com About Salon Cielo Salon Cielo was founded by Salon Professional, Ann Ratner. Salon Cielo has quickly become one of the most sought out high-end salons in the DC Metropolitan area & Florida. You will leave each and every visit elegant, stylish and beautiful, our commitment to have you looking and feeling your best. The expert Salon Professionals at Salon Cielo will tailor your look, from modern to classic, with an array of luxurious hair services and products. Salon Cielo is a division of Ratner Companies, based in Vienna, AV. www.saloncielo.com MEDIA CONTACT: Diane Daly Ratner Companies 703-269-5338 [email protected] SOURCE Hair Cuttery The forum brought together a galaxy of high-ranking government officials and business magnates. The former Chilean President, the Intendant of the Bio-Bio Region, the Ambassador of Chile to China and Chilean enterprises made their debuts. Leaders of more than 100 Chinese cities and counties, as well as heads of more than 500 Chinese enterprises gathered in Wuhan. The forum also attracted e-commerce platforms in Brazil, Germany, India, the Middle East, the U.S., Chile, Malaysia and other countries, including world-renowned e-commerce platform Tradekey, India's renowned B2B platform Tradeindia, Chile's renowned B2B platform Yeatrade, South America's renowned B2B platform Juntoz.com, cross-border B2C giant eBay and China's representative B2B enterprise Focus. Former Chilean President Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle was present. He elaborated on the friendship between China and Chile, as well as the current situation of China-Chile trade, expressing his wish to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperations through cross-border e-commerce. In Eduardo's word, Winliner signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Bio-Bio Region. The two sides will jointly construct Winliner-Bio-Bio Cross-border E-commerce Industrial Park in Concepcion, capital of the Bio-Bio Region and extend its operations from Chile to Latin America, to build a cross-border e-commerce hub in Latin America. Wei Jianguo, former Vice Minister of Commerce of China and Vice Chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, offered advice to Chinese enterprises against the backdrop of global economy and trade. He held high-level talks with Rodrigo Diaz, Intendant of Governor of the Bio-Bio Region; Jorge Heine, Ambassador of Chile to China; Alejandro Buvinic, Director of Prochile and other Chilean guests in a lively way, and interacted with government leaders and business guests off the stage, to discuss and promote the economic and trade exchanges and cooperation between Wuhan, Hubei and China, and Latin America. The forum discussed many realistic and prospective topics, including the globalization of Chinese products, supply chain system building, the opportunities and challenges of cross-border B2B, the new trends and methods of cross-border e-commerce marketing. How cross-border e-commerce breaks through the old model to become a new model meeting most market needs with the leapfrog development of new technologies and trends like VR, big data and AI is worth more attention. The forum delivered a dialogue themed "What Imagination Can Sci-tech Upgrading Bring to Cross-Border E-Commerce", with the participation of founders of renowned B2C platforms, senior executives of AI enterprises and guests from innovative finance enterprises. Mobike's senior executives were also invited to the dialogue. Mobile IoT represented by Mobike will produce different sparks with cross-border e-commerce in the near future. Winliner unveiled some important cooperation at the forum. First, it entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with the industrial leader -- Wuhan Software City Development Co., Ltd., to build Global Cross-border (China) Operation Base in Wuhan. Then, it inked a deal with a renowned U.S. vertical building hardware platform, to promote and operate Winliner vertical platform in the U.S., and the first order was signed on the spot. For more information contact: Blair Xu +86-13247179878 [email protected] SOURCE Winliner Information Technology Co., Ltd. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Oil-rich and loaded with abundant resources of fossil fuels, Kazakhstan is ready for international cooperation in the development of sustainable energy. Speaking at the conclusion of a 2-day XIth edition of Kazenergy Forum, Kazakhstan Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev said it is a time when the world has to evolve into accepting a new energy model that is sustainable. Kazakhstan is ready for international cooperation in development of sustainable energy to find solutions to the energy crisis, Sagintayev said. Prime Minister added that International Exhibition EXPO-2017 with a theme of "Future Energy" in Astana has made it possible to attract the world's best projects and technologies in the fields of energy saving, well-balanced use of traditional and alternative energy sources, and will contribute to the future development of the power industry. Kazakhstan Energy Minister Kanat Bozumbayev said, "The Ministerial Conference on 'Meeting the Challenge of sustainable energy,' organized by KAZENERGY at the very beginning of the EXPO-2017 in June showed that Kazakhstan has emerged as one of the key players in the global dialogue on the future energy." The ultimate goal of this dialogue is to identify specific steps towards achievement of UN's sustainable development goals. The declaration adopted after the June ministerial meeting, and the resolution of this Forum will be reflected in the Manifest of the EXPO values and principles. The two-day forum attracted hundreds of energy industry executives, government officials and representatives of nongovernmental organizations from around the world. Participants included Finland's Energy Minister Kimmo Tiilikainen, Energy Minister of Georgia Ilya Eloshvili, UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al Mazrouei, former President of Iceland Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Arkady Dvorkovich, World Petroleum Council President Tor Fjaeran, International Energy Forum's Secretary General Dr. Sun Xiansheng, Secretary General of International Energy Charter Urban Rusnak and others. Tiilikainen surprised the audience by saying that the electricity grid losses in Finland have been reduced to a remarkable number of 3%. KAZENERGY Vice-Chairperson Jambulat Sarsenov said that this is a benchmark Kazakhstan should strive to achieve. In a reassurance to the oil companies, WPC president Tor Fjaeran said fossil fuels will remain the key energy sources in the near seeable future and it will be decades before the energy market shifts to renewable energy. Within the framework of the KAZENERGY Forum a series of program sections, scientific-practical conferences, round tables, innovative school, youth forum and women's energy club meetings were also held. At the end of the meeting, participants of the KAZENERGY Forum commended the efforts made to organize and hold the International Specialized Exhibition EXPO-2017 in Astana and recognized the importance and the urgency of the topic "Future Energy" for Kazakhstan. The speakers also mentioned the important role of the KAZENERGY Association, headed by the Chairman Timur Kulibayev and its members and partners in organizing such an important dialogue for the energy community. They considered this dialogue to be the real contribution to enhancing the potential of Eurasian countries in the field of rational use of natural resources, exploration and production of hydrocarbons, access to energy resources, energy efficiency and expansion of "clean" energy production. KAZENERGY Association is formed of more than 80 major players in the oil, gas and energy business that includes extracting, transporting, servicing, geophysical, uranium-producing and other transnational companies. The XI Eurasian Forum KAZENERGY deliberations were aimed at current issues facing the oil and energy sector. Media Contact: Binur Zeinelova KAZENERGY Association Direct: +7(7172)790173 Mobile: +7(778)3974940 SOURCE KAZENERGY Association SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost Wealth Advisors announced today that it has chosen MineralWare for its mineral management software. MineralWare is the state-of-the-art software platform that makes managing minerals, royalties, and non-operated working interests less complicated and more profitable. MineralWare will deliver Frost and its customers critical information faster than ever before. Customers and the professional property managers of Frost Wealth Advisors will have this powerful tool to manage minerals more efficiently and effectively, which in turn will allow them to maximize returns, reduce uncertainty, and gain valuable insights across their portfolios. The onboarding process is underway and includes current and new client accounts. "MineralWare will revolutionize the way we manage minerals and help maximize returns on our customers' mineral portfolios," said Pat Frost, President of Frost Bank. "It is another example of our commitment to providing our customers with the best customer experience and technology available." Ryan Vinson, CEO and Co-Founder at MineralWare stated, "We are thrilled to do business with Frost and excited about the tremendous opportunity to better serve their customer base. This is just another example of how Frost has embraced technology and harnessed it to transform their business. This is only the beginning of something extraordinary and we are proud to be a part of it." About Frost Bank Frost is the banking, investments and insurance subsidiary of Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc. (NYSE: CFR), a financial holding company with $30.2 billion in assets at June 30, 2017. One of the 50 largest U.S. banks by asset size, Frost provides a full range of banking, investments and insurance services to businesses and individuals in the Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Permian Basin, Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio regions. Founded in 1868, Frost has helped Texans with their financial needs during three centuries. Frost's Mineral Asset Management department is one of the largest in the country and manages over 700 mineral accounts across 25 states. For more information, visit www.FrostBank.com. About MineralWare MineralWare is the leading software platform for managing minerals, royalties, overriding royalties, and non-operated working interests. The platform integrates land, GIS, well data, accounting, analytics, alerts and reporting into one seamless system. MineralWare's customers include banks, institutions, investment funds, foundations, family offices and individuals. MineralWare is owned by 5M's Minerals Management LLC, a fast-growing software company headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas learn more at www.MineralWare.com. Bill Day Frost - Media Relations (210) 220-5427 Susanna Larseingue MineralWare - Media Relations (817) 735-8195 SOURCE Frost Related Links https://www.frostbank.com SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Fujitsu America, Inc. announces the launch of a cloud-based Biometrics-as-a-Service (BIOaaS) offering which, in light of recent large-scale data breaches like the Equifax cybersecurity incident1, is a unique solution for organizations facing increasingly complex data security risks. This offering demonstrates Fujitsu's leading edge capability to secure financial, commercial and customer environments through integration with our recently established Intelligent Security Operations Center (iSOC) in Dallas, providing real time security alerts in a seamless manner. With the launch of this cloud-based identity platform, Fujitsu is transforming the market by offering quick deployment that lowers costs and allows customers to choose and blend modalities to develop the best use case for their particular organization and requirements, permitting rapid integration with existing business intelligence and systems. Available biometric modalities can include voice, face and fingerprint on customer's smartphones for low cost, low risk applications, right through to the award-winning Fujitsu PalmSecure solution for high-security deployments. Enterprises are paying closer attention to their security infrastructure than ever before and for good reason: organizations around the world lose an estimated five percent of their annual revenues to fraud2. In light of this unsettling reality, True Identity Assurance is becoming a fundamental requirement of any robust security environment. BIOaaS is a massively scalable, globally available solution to quickly assist organizations with determining a "true" identity in the first instance via identification or verifying against a known identity. By leveraging a centralized architecture, the solution allows new biometric information to be checked against existing biometrics databases to reduce fraud, something that is not possible with match-on-device solutions like the type found in smartphones. Organizations leveraging Single Sign-On (SSO) and remote access solutions can now easily enhance security for all users with this flexible multi-factor authentication service. Biometrics-as-a-Service Overview A cloud-based biometrics engine that can match multiple biometric types: New products and sensors for existing biometrics can be added with no back-end changes being required, while new biometric modalities can easily be added as they are invented. Furthermore, the 'as a Service' model ensures that customers only pay for current users in the system, not projected users, significantly reducing costs. New products and sensors for existing biometrics can be added with no back-end changes being required, while new biometric modalities can easily be added as they are invented. Furthermore, the 'as a Service' model ensures that customers only pay for current users in the system, not projected users, significantly reducing costs. Easy, cost-effective pay-as-you-grow scalability: BIOaaS offers a number of pre-configured deployments options based on target size, right up to hundreds of millions of users. However, customers only pay for what they are currently using, meaning that all pilots and staged deployments are low-cost by default. BIOaaS offers a number of pre-configured deployments options based on target size, right up to hundreds of millions of users. However, customers only pay for what they are currently using, meaning that all pilots and staged deployments are low-cost by default. Available on Fujitsu Enterprise Cloud Service K5: BIOaaS runs on K5, the next-generation cloud Fujitsu platform that offers enterprise-class, 99.99% availability and performance predictability, making it ideal for hosting an around-the-clock biometrics solution. It is also available on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud. "The recent disclosure that 143 million customer records were stolen from Equifax is another reminder that even innovative organizations are struggling with cyber threats that are potentially staggering in scope," says Jason Bradlee, Head of Security for Americas region, Fujitsu America, Inc. "Nevertheless, every organization has a duty to safeguard customer information. This duty covers all aspects of protection, from cyber security to identity security meaning the verified identity of who has access to this information as devices and passwords can be shared. The Biometrics-as-a-Service offering from Fujitsu has a secure messaging and authorization component that enables any unusual transaction to be rejected or approved and authorized by the true account holder in real time. The reason for this is simple and compelling: additional authentication factors, such as biometrics, in an access or payment solution, means that cyber criminals are unable to utilize large collections of identity information, and they will likely move on to less secure institutions." To learn more about this and other security solutions from Fujitsu, please visit the Security Services homepage: http://www.fujitsu.com/us/solutions/business-technology/security/security-services/ Notes to editors Online resources Find out more about Fujitsu Enterprise & Cyber Security (ECS): http://www.fujitsu.com/us/solutions/business-technology/security/security-services/ Read the Fujitsu blog: http://blog.ts.fujitsu.com Follow Fujitsu on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/FujitsuAmerica Follow us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/fujitsu-america Find Fujitsu on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Fujitsu Fujitsu pictures and media server: http://mediaportal.ts.fujitsu.com/pages/portal.php For regular news updates, bookmark the Fujitsu newsroom: http://www.fujitsu.com/us/about/resources/news/ Media contacts Fujitsu America, Inc. Bryan Hollar 408-746-6412 [email protected] Finn Partners Andrew Corcione 415-249-6775 [email protected] About Fujitsu Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 155,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE: 6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.5 trillion yen (US $40 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com. About Fujitsu Americas Fujitsu America, Inc. is the parent and/or management company of a group of Fujitsu-owned companies operating in North, Central and South America dedicated to delivering the full range of Fujitsu products, solutions and services in ICT to our customers in the Western Hemisphere. These companies are collectively referred to as Fujitsu Americas. Fujitsu enables clients to meet their business objectives through integrated offerings and solutions, including consulting, systems integration, managed services, outsourcing and cloud services for infrastructure, platforms and applications; data center and field services; and server, storage, software and mobile/tablet technologies. For more information, please visit: http://fujitsu.com/us and http://twitter.com/fujitsuamerica. Fujitsu, the Fujitsu logo, PalmSecure, K5 and "shaping tomorrow with you" are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fujitsu Limited in the United States and other countries. Biometrics-as-a-Service and BioaaS are trademarks or registered trademarks of Fujitsu Limited in the United States and other countries. Equifax and the Equifax marks used herein are trademarks of Equifax Inc. Amazon, Amazon Web Services and AWS are trademarks or registered trademarks of Amazon Technologies, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice. SOURCE Fujitsu America, Inc. Related Links http://www.fujitsu.com/us Now in its seventh year, NPH's Seattle Institute offers promising young adults a deep and advanced leadership formation experience in the U.S. Each year six university-aged students from NPH are selected to spend ten months in Seattle, enrolling in a full-time English program and participating in a comprehensive leadership development program. The goal of the program is to train talented youth to maximize their own potential and to serve others in their local communities. "The NPH Seattle Institute Leadership Program is a great example of an impactful global initiative," said Alfredo Castelo, representative of Fundacion MAPFRE in the U.S. "It enables promising young adults from Latin America and the Caribbean to develop their skills and return home to make a positive impact on their families and local communities. We are honored to be a partner in this important effort." The 2017 2018 class of Seattle Institute students arrived in Washington last week. Aged between 22 27 years, they are from the NPH homes in Bolivia, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. During their time in Seattle, they will live with host families, enroll full-time in the International Student Program at Seattle Central College, and work closely with personal and professional mentors. They will also attend weekly leadership classes and quarterly retreats, participate in site visits and job-shadowing at local companies, and engage in community service opportunities with local organizations. Upon returning home, the students will be asked to take part in ongoing leadership within NPH and in their communities. "NPH's work is only possible because of partners like MAPFRE who are dedicated to the well-being, education and health of children around the world," said Frank Donaghue, President and CEO of NPH USA. "We are grateful to Fundacion MAPFRE for their past support of NPH, and for their commitment to the Seattle Institute. Their support will help us develop young leaders who want to serve others and give back. Together through this partnership, MAPFRE and NPH will transform thousands of lives of children and youth in need." To date, 32 young adults have graduated from the Seattle Institute. They are currently continuing their university studies in a variety of fields, including health care and education, or are living independently and working many for NPH. "I am grateful to the program and everyone who works hard to make it possible because it made me feel more secure in myself, which in turn allows me to better serve others," says Doris Serrano Lemus, Class of 2013, who is finishing her Master's Thesis in Clinical Psychology while providing psychological care to women, children and the elderly. For more information about the Seattle Institute, including photos and biographies of the new students, please visit www.nphusa.org/institute. About NPH USA Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos (NPH, Spanish for "Our Little Brothers and Sisters") was founded in 1954 in Mexico by Father William B. Wasson, a native of Phoenix. Today, NPH is raising more than 3,200 children in Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru. An additional 2,300 students who live outside the homes receive scholarships, meals and health care. NPH community outreach programs provided over 100,000 services in 2016. Since its founding in 1954, NPH has assisted more than 18,000 children. NPH USA (originally Friends of Our Little Brothers) was incorporated in Arizona in 1965 to support NPH. NPH USA is headquartered in Chicago and has regional offices in Boston, Chicago, Phoenix, Seattle, Miami and Minneapolis. Together, NPH USA and NPH transform the lives of orphaned, abandoned and disadvantaged children by creating families for life through values of unconditional love, shared responsibility and helping others. This enables children to transcend poverty and grow into caring and productive members of their communities. For more information about NPH USA, please visit www.nphusa.org. About Fundacion MAPFRE Fundacion MAPFRE is a non-profit organization created by MAPFRE Insurance in 1975, which performs its activity in 29 countries and whose main objective is to promote the well-being of society and citizens across the company's footprint. It is the insurance company's majority shareholder, thus helping to ensure the firm's independence and shareholding stability. The Fundacion's operations focus on five areas: Accident Prevention and Road Safety Insurance and Social Protection Culture Social Action Health Promotion In 2016, the Fundacion performed more than 350 activities around the world, which benefited nearly 17 million people. For more information about Fundacion MAPFRE, please visit https://www.fundacionmapfre.org/fundacion/en MEDIA CONTACTS Nuria del Olmo Kim Dumke MAPFRE Corporate Communication Division National Marketing Manager Madrid, Spain NPH USA [email protected] 888.201.8880 91 581 22 16 [email protected] www.nphusa.org SOURCE Fundacion MAPFRE Over the years, GAC Motor's elite sedan GA8 has been supporting national and international summits and forums including the G20 Summit, Davos forum, China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO), China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), demonstrating the new image of Chinese automobiles. It recently served as the designated VIP service cars for the 13th international Forum (TEDA) on Chinese Automotive Industry Development. GA8 is one of the bestselling luxury midsize sedans in China among all Chinese brands. The model wes launched as GAC Motor's upmarket sedan in 2016. It takes pride in original design, top quality, five-star safety ratings and ultimate travel experience. It is praised for its extensive safety driving features that can help navigate, raise collision alerts and actively assist in braking. The latest upgraded edition, GA8 2017 was released at the 17th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition (Auto Shanghai 2017), which has more than 30 optimizations including the addition of the new 280T engine, xenon headlights and more. With Low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) natural material and PM 2.5 purification filter, the model aims to deliver an environmentally friendly driving experience. GA8 recently received high evaluations from the guests at the 2017 China-Arab States Expo opened on September 6 in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region alongside GAC Motor's elite models including GS3, GS4, GS8, GS7 and GA6 that were exhibited. Its high-end 7-seat SUV GS8, another knockout model in high-end market, that offers a powerful yet smooth ride across six driving modes, also drew wide attention at the expo. One of GAC Motor's bestselling models, the GS8 is a high-end midsize SUV that meets the North American SUV roof anti-force standard and redefines Chinese high-end SUV market. The release of GS8 is another milestone for GAC Motor in terms of global outreach demonstrating its R&D capability and quality assurance system. "GA8 and GS8 are icebreakers of China's high-end automobiles in international market. GA8's presence at BRICS Summit marks a landmark for our company as we are committed to seeking a sustainable development path," said Yu Jun, president of GAC Motor. "GAC Motor is a front-runner in China's automobile industry that keeps putting efforts in bringing better, more advanced products while widening channels, creating brand image equity and promoting Chinese cars on the global stage." The company will release its first MPV model GM8 by the end of this year to further its outreach in premium markets while achieving annual sales volume of 500,000 in 2017. "GAC Motor is expanding its global automotive R&D network supported by its technology center, top global suppliers and research institutes," said Yu, "We are gradually establishing our high-end brand image as a world-class automaker that excels in research, manufacturing and sales." About GAC Motor A subsidiary of GAC Group, GAC Motor develops and manufactures premium quality vehicles, engines, components and auto accessories, achieving a year-to-year growth rate of 96 percent in 2016, the highest among all Chinese brands in the corresponding period. The automaker sold more than 330,000 cars in the first eight months of 2017, marking a 50.5 percent year-on-year increase. GAC Motor now ranks the highest among all Chinese brands for four consecutive years and fifth among all global brands in J.D. Power Asia Pacific's 2016 China Initial Quality Study. For more information, please visit: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GACMoto Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gac_motor Twitter: https://twitter.com/gac_motor Media Contact: Sukie Wong +86-186-8058-2829 [email protected] Taki Jiang +86-134-5028-4242 [email protected] SOURCE GAC Motor "We are committed to ensuring that more than 95% of our content reflects diversity," said Michelle Emirzian, Chief Academic Officer at Genius Plaza. "We want to be sure our students celebrate all cultures, and also see themselves in the content we provide, including the profiles of professionals in STEAM careers." Genius Plaza provides supplemental resources to help inspire students. Available resources not only include content featuring Latino professionals in STEAM careers in English and Spanish, but also learning resources about the seven countries celebrating their independence during Hispanic Heritage Month: Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. There are 58.6 million Hispanics in the United States, according to Pew Research Center. Hispanic Heritage Month has been celebrated from September 15th to October 15th since President Ronald Reagan expanded the celebration from one week in 1988. According to the Hispanic Heritage Month website created by the Library of Congress, in 1968, President Lyndon Johnson began the celebration as Hispanic Heritage Week. About Genius Plaza Genius Plaza is the first multicultural education company that provides culturally relevant math, language arts, and science resources combined with a research-based didactic approach and state-of-the-art parent engagement tools in eight languages. Genius Plaza brands include Plaza Bilingue and Genius Explorer. Media Contact: Monica Talan, 518-280-9550, [email protected] SOURCE Genius Plaza Related Links http://www.geniusplaza.com LEXINGTON, Ky., Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Numerous survey reports reveal that the majority of Americans are ill-prepared for retirement. To further its objective of helping working Americans obtain retirement security, the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA) is championing 2017 National Retirement Security Week (October 15-21) with a free, ready-to-use communications campaign for plan sponsors. The Your Whole Story campaign, which can be used by public and private plan sponsors, is designed to engage employees in a discussion about their overall financial decision-making, with an emphasis on their retirement savings decisions. It was created by the National Association of Retirement Plan Participants (NARPP), a leading provider of retirement communications, using a process grounded in behavioral finance and human centered design to generate higher levels of engagement and behavior change. Test use on County of Los Angeles employees in 2016 resulted in a 25% increase in plan participation and a 48% increase in savings rates. NAGDCA received an Eddy Award for Overall Excellence from Pensions & Investments for Your Whole Story in March 2017. NAGDCAs goal in facilitating the creation of National Retirement Security Week was to create a grassroots movement for societal change around retirement. Your Whole Story is a campaign using best practices and behaviorally effective methods to engage participants in becoming aware of their role in preparing for retirement. Specifically, it was designed to relieve the burden on plan sponsors, who are typically tasked with communicating with employees, but often lack the necessary resources, said Polly Scott, NAGDCA Executive Board Member and former President, and Communication & Deferred Compensation Plan Manager at the Wyoming Retirement System. Communications can be huge lever for change when done in a way that shifts the focus to the individual and their needs. Your Whole Story engages people in a conversation about their own life and goals, without using fear and scare tactics that have been proven to turn off employees from taking the actions necessary to secure their financial future, said NARPP President Laurie Rowley. The Your Whole Story campaign is a suite of ready-to-use materials that can be easily accessed, used generically or customized, and implemented in digital or printed form by plan sponsors to use with their employees, and employees can share with family and friends. It covers a wide-range of topics, including the need to have an emergency fund, the power of compound interest and the importance of never removing funds from a retirement account. Your Whole Story information and materials may be accessed at http://www.nagdca.org/NRSW/Story. About the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators, Inc. (NAGDCA) NAGDCA is the leading association for defined contribution retirement plans of government employers to advocate opportunities that empower sponsors to preserve and enhance these plans to meet their goal of providing participants with financial security at retirement. About the National Association of Retirement Plan Participants (NARPP) NARPP is a San Francisco-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to improve retirement savings outcomes. Through pioneering research, independent coalition building, and innovative educational programs, NARPP is making financial information transparent and universally accessible for the 145 million working Americans saving for retirement. About National Retirement Security Week (NRSW) NRSW is a national effort to raise public awareness about the importance of saving for retirement. It is held annually during the third week of October. Congress first passed the enabling legislation for NRSW in 2006 at the request of the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA). NRSW has continued each year since then with Congressional support. Most recently, in 2016, the Senate passed Resolution 575 continuing its support of National Retirement Security Week. The primary sponsors are Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY). Contact Robin Schoen Robin Schoen Public Relations rschoen@robinschoenpr.com 215.595.7542 FAIRFIELD, Iowa, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global ID Group, a Paine Schwartz Partners, LLC portfolio company and a market leading platform dedicated to providing food safety and food quality solutions, today announced that, in connection with its succession planning, Brad Riemenapp has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and will be joining the Company in October. Mr. Riemenapp succeeds Ken Ross, who is stepping into a strategic advisory role after 11 years of service as CEO. "Helping build Global ID into an international leader in food safety solutions has been the highlight of my career and I am extremely proud of all that we have accomplished," said Mr. Ross. "With Global ID entering its next phase of growth, both by adding new food safety services and scale in international operations, I believe that now is the right time for the Company to make this planned leadership transition. I am confident that Brad's operational expertise and commercial leadership experience provide a good foundation to continue driving the execution of the Company's strategy. I look forward to continuing to assist Global ID in key strategic areas including, among others, our work with the Non-GMO Project and the ProTerra Foundation, as well as our emerging supply chain management business." "Global ID is a true leader in the food safety industry and it is an honor to join this talented and committed team," said Mr. Riemenapp. "I appreciate the role Ken played in helping transform the Company from a small business into a multinational, market-leading business at the forefront of the rapidly evolving food safety industry. With the demand for food safety services on the rise, I am truly excited about the opportunities that we have in front of us. Working with Ken, the highly talented Global ID team, and their partners at Paine Schwartz, I am confident that we will drive growth by continuing to provide customers with Global ID's market-leading portfolio of food safety and quality solutions." About Brad Riemenapp Mr. Riemenapp previously led the Food Solutions Division of Covance, Inc., serving as Global Vice President and General Manager. He was responsible for all operational and commercial aspects of the business globally, including analytical testing services in Inorganic Chemistry, Proximate/Lipids Chemistry, Vitamin Chemistry, Microvitamin Chemistry, Microbiology, Food Packaging, Pesticides, Product Development and a wide range of Food Consulting Services. Mr. Riemenapp joined Covance in 2010 and previously served as Vice President of Operations, where he was responsible for driving cultural change, making the Food Solutions business more customer-centric and improving its processes. Prior to joining Covance, Mr. Riemenapp worked for thirteen years at Kimberly Clark Corporation. He holds a Master in Business Administration from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin Madison and a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from San Diego. About Global ID Global ID Group companies provide integrated food safety and food quality solutions that address the challenges and opportunities in the rapidly evolving food industry. Serving more than 15,000 clients in over 100 countries with a market-leading portfolio of testing, inspection, certification, and consulting services, the Global ID Group helps companies navigate the increasingly regulated global food economy demanding higher levels of transparency, accountability, safety and sustainability. About Paine Schwartz Partners A global leader in sustainable food chain investing, Paine Schwartz Partners is a private equity firm that focuses on investment opportunities in the fast-growing, dynamic global food and agribusiness sectors. The firm's investment, operations and finance professionals invest throughout cycles across the food and agribusiness value chain and bring a collaborative and active management approach to portfolio companies. The firm currently invests through its $893 million Paine Schwartz Food Chain Fund IV, which is solely dedicated to food and agribusiness investing. For further information, see www.paineschwartz.com. Contacts: Andy Brimmer / Aaron Palash Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher +1 212-355-4449 SOURCE Global ID Group LONDON, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Flashbay, an independent global promotional technology company serving over 300,000 unique clients worldwide, is celebrating 15 years online. From humble beginnings as a London start-up during the early 2000's, it has grown into an international company with more than 750 employees and offices on 4 continents. "We are grateful to our clients for giving us the opportunity to provide them with the best quality promotional products in the industry" says Phil Schlossstein, co-founder of Flashbay. "Our company's reputation and track record has been built on customer loyalty and long term relationships, and we thank them for ordering with us and placing their trust in our products as a means to represent their valuable brands." Working with a wide variety of clients from Fortune 100 companies to government departments, charities, educational institutions, start-ups and everything in between; Flashbay has products to suit the needs of all businesses and organisations. The company regards exceptional customer service as the cornerstone that enables it to provide the best buying experience to clients. Co-founder James Roberts believes Flashbay's growth can be attributed to its people and products. "We have been able to increase sales year after year by attracting and retaining talented professionals around the world, from the customer facing sales staff to our internal functions such as the product design team and operations division." Flashbay's customer satisfaction speaks for itself, the firm maintains an average TrustPilot rating of 9.9/10. Flashbay is the world leader in manufacturing custom branded USB sticks for the B2B market, but over the past 12 months it has broadened its portfolio to include audio and power products, ranging from Bluetooth headphones and speakers to power banks and inductive chargers, all of which can be custom branded to a client's exact specifications. "Our product portfolio has never been stronger and we're ready and able to take the company to the next level of performance by cementing ourselves as the promotional technology provider of choice for businesses and organisations of all types and sizes," says Steve Webster, CEO. In recent years, Flashbay has expanded geographically, further building out its distribution networks and making major headway in Asia Pacific. It currently operates in 5 markets: mainland Europe, the USA, Australasia, South Africa and Japan. The company's sole focus is continued growth through product innovation and operational excellence, building on the brand that buyers trust and competitors struggle to emulate. "The success of the first decade and a half was built on a single product class. The next 15 years will be a greater order of magnitude built on the solid foundation of our broader promotional technology portfolio." concludes Ieuan Williams, COO. http://www.flashbay.com Contact: Natalie Murray Email: [email protected] SOURCE Flashbay CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- An undisclosed Gulf nation recently awarded a direct commercial sales contract to Raytheon BBN Technologies valued at more than $10 million for the delivery of approximately 2,000 Boomerang Warrior-X systems during the next 12 months. Weighing just 12 ounces, Boomerang Warrior-X provides immediate hostile fire location awareness to individual soldiers and gives unit leaders shooter grid coordinates. These situational awareness enhancements improve coordinated team responses to hostile fire. "This technology is a proven life saver on the battlefield," said Ed Campbell, president of Raytheon BBN Technologies. "Boomerang delivers the best performance of any available shooter detection system today at the lowest cost." Incoming shot announcements are transmitted to a built-in speaker or an earpiece while a lightweight display provides range and azimuth of the shooter position. As the soldier moves, the system compensates for the soldier's motion and continually updates the threat's location on a wrist display. Raytheon BBN Technologies is a wholly owned subsidiary of Raytheon Company. About Raytheon Raytheon Company, with 2016 sales of $24 billion and 63,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 95 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5ITM products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Follow us on Twitter @Raytheon. Media Contact Joyce Kuzmin +1.617.873.8120 [email protected] SOURCE Raytheon Company Related Links http://www.raytheon.com BRAINTREE, Mass., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Haemonetics Corporation (NYSE:HAE) announced the appointment of David J. Wilson as President, Plasma Business Unit, effective September 18, 2017. Mr. Wilson is a proven business leader with over 20 years of experience in senior leadership roles at medical technology companies. Prior to joining Haemonetics, he was most recently President, Cordis (a Cardinal Health company), which he led from March 2015 through August 2017. Prior to Cordis, Mr. Wilson held positions of increasing responsibility at Johnson & Johnson driving sales, marketing, research and development, operations and business development. He earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Auburn University, a Master's of Science in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and an MBA from Columbia University. Chris Simon, Haemonetics' CEO, stated: "David's strong leadership skills, diverse industry experience and proven results as a general manager make him the right person to execute the next phase of our Plasma business strategy. In the near term, he will oversee the launch of our NexSys PCS plasma collection system ensuring executional excellence. In addition, David will lead the Plasma team as it pursues further developments to its global product portfolio and business growth acceleration." The Company previously issued guidance for fiscal 2018 revenue growth for its commercial Plasma business of 3-5%. The Company also indicated, at its June Investor Day event, a general rollout timeline for NexSys PCS, expectations for Plasma revenue growth over the next several fiscal years, and aspirational Company performance targets. Such guidance, indications and targets are reaffirmed and the Company noted that plans for the commercial launch of its NexSys PCS and related software are fully on track and proceeding as planned. About Haemonetics Haemonetics (NYSE: HAE) is a global healthcare company dedicated to providing a suite of innovative hematology products and solutions for our customers, to help them improve patient care and reduce the cost of healthcare. Our technology addresses important medical markets: blood and plasma component collection, the surgical suite, and hospital transfusion services. To learn more about Haemonetics, visit our web site at http://www.haemonetics.com. NexSys PCS is a trademarks of Haemonetics Corporation in the USA, other countries, or both. All rights reserved. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release may include, without limitation, statements regarding plans and objectives of management for operations of the Company, including plans for commercialization of, and regulatory clearances related to, the Company's NexSys PSC plasma collection system and NexLynk DMS donor management system. Such forward-looking statements are not meant to predict or guarantee actual results, performance, events or circumstances and may not be realized because they are based upon the Company's current projections, plans, objectives, beliefs, expectations, estimates and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties and other influences. Actual results and the timing of certain events and circumstances may differ materially from those described by the forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties. Factors that may influence or contribute to the inaccuracy of the forward-looking statements or cause actual results to differ materially from expected or desired results may include, without limitation, technological advances in the medical field and standards for transfusion medicine and our ability to successfully offer products that incorporate such advances and standards, product quality, market acceptance, regulatory uncertainties, including in the receipt or timing of regulatory clearances, the effect of economic and political conditions, the impact of competitive products and pricing, blood product reimbursement policies and practices, and the effect of industry consolidation as seen in the plasma market. Additional risk factors are identified and described in more detail in the Company's filings with the SEC. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements. CONTACT: Gerry Gould, VP-Investor Relations (781) 356-9402 [email protected] SOURCE Haemonetics Corporation Related Links http://www.haemonetics.com "Sixteen years ago APB welcomed Hainan Airlines as the first airline in China to install Blended Winglets on its aircraft," said Patrick LaMoria, Aviation Partners Boeing executive vice president and chief commercial officer. "Since then, both Hainan and Blended Winglets have become an extraordinary presence worldwide in the airline industry. APB is very proud to continue this relationship with the introduction of Split Scimitar Winglets in China." Split Scimitar Winglets confirm Hainan's commitment to providing exceptional value to its customers, through the implementation of efficient technology. Every flight with this technology reduces Hainan's energy needs and the resulting pollutant emissions. Hainan's aircraft will be modified during routine maintenance visits at Hainan Airlines' maintenance facility, HNA Technology, in Haikou. Installation tasks can be performed concurrently with most maintenance activities, allowing for a very efficient shop visit. Once installed, the Split Scimitar Winglets can reduce block fuel consumption by up to an additional 2.2%, resulting in fuel savings of about 140,000 liters per year per aircraft, and carbon dioxide emissions reduced by more than 350 tonnes. Once all 36 aircraft are modified, Hainan Airlines will save almost 5 million liters of fuel and 12,700 tonnes of emissions per year. "Hainan Airlines recognizes the importance of investing in their fleet," said Craig McCallum, APB's senior director of sales and marketing. "They are committed to reducing fuel consumption, emissions, and costs by operating the most efficient fleet of narrowbody aircraft in all of Asia." Since launching the Boeing Next-Generation 737 Split Scimitar Winglet program APB has taken orders and options for 1,745 systems, and nearly 1,000 aircraft are now operating with the technology. APB estimates that its products have reduced aircraft fuel consumption worldwide by over 7.7 billion gallons to-date. Aviation Partners Boeing is a Seattle based joint venture of Aviation Partners, Inc. and The Boeing Company. Founded in January 1993, Hainan Airlines Holding Co., Ltd has become one of the ten safest airlines worldwide, and one of the seven airlines in the world to be rated Five Stars by Skytrax. www.aviationpartnersboeing.com SOURCE Aviation Partners Boeing Related Links http://www.aviationpartnersboeing.com SOUTH PARK, Colo., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Haleigh's Hope is excited to announce that they received USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Organic Certification for its hemp crop at both farm locations in Colorado. In August of 2016, the USDA announced that it will allow organic certification for hemp crops grown in compliance with section 7606 of the 2014 USDA Farm Bill. Since that time, the Haleigh's Hope team has been working diligently to obtain this certification. The USDA organic certification program is a rigorous five-step program that requires detailed documentation from the cultivator in addition to a very thorough on-site inspection. Organic farmers must not only pass such inspection but also grow their crops free of any synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Only a fraction of all crop farmers in the USA qualify for the USDA Organic Certification. "From the very first Haleigh's Hope plant I put in the ground, I always adhered to the strictest cultivation standards to ensure that I yield a clean product," says Jason Cranford, founder of Haleigh's Hope. "Receiving USDA Organic Certification is a very proud moment for myself and our entire team as it is a very long and rigorous process which included an inspection of every single part of our operation. We have always grown Haleigh's Hope following organic methods and protocols but now we can finally show officially that we are USDA Organic Certified. It confirms our dedication to grow some of the cleanest, safest and all around best plants for our consumers." After random inspection earlier this summer, Haleigh's Hope Inc. has also received its renewed Colorado Department of Agriculture Hemp Certification. In order to receive such certification, the hemp plant must test under 0.3% THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), not only making it a legal hemp crop under Colorado law but also under section 7606 of the USDA 2014 Farm bill. Haleigh's Hope offers an extensive line of botanical oils that vary in strength and ratio. All Haleigh's Hope oils are made using exclusively Haleigh's Hope USDA Organic hemp crop grown in Colorado. About Haleigh's Hope: Haleigh's Hope is a producer of organic hemp derived botanical oil products. It is Haleigh's Hope's mission to provide safe, effective, high-quality products to health-focused individuals worldwide. For more information, please visit http://haleighshopemedia.com This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com. SOURCE Haleigh's Hope Related Links http://www.haleighshopemedia.com "This pilot-designed and pilot-approved technology simplifies flight planning and provides access to important flight information anytime," said Kiah Erlich, director, Flight Services, Honeywell Aerospace, and a pilot herself. "With real-time information made possible by in-flight connectivity, pilots using GoDirect Flight Bag Pro on a Connected Aircraft can stay informed of the best routes and weather conditions to get to their destinations safely and on time." GoDirect Flight Bag Pro's simple, intuitive interface works on both domestic and international flights. For access to the app, pilots only need an annual subscription to GoDirect Flight Services and an active Honeywell account. "I just ran my first flight plan and it's a huge improvement over the last app," said Justin Stimpson, a captain and aviation safety officer at RJL Aviation, which was a beta trial customer of Flight Bag Pro. "Now I can make adjustments to the flight plan with fewer steps after it's been filed, and it makes for a better operational experience with the constantly changing schedules that can be associated with corporate aviation." Flight Bag Pro, available to GoDirect Flight Services customers, is part of Honeywell's GoDirect family the industry's most complete portfolio of more than 50 value-adding aviation services and applications that provide operators, flight crews and maintenance teams with critical information to control their services and network. Honeywell has a broad range of flight planning services, including GoDirect Flight Sentinel, which helps bring those apps and services together by serving as a flight department's premier partner, providing a range of proactive services that enhance safety and save time and money, all while improving flight efficiency Top Pilot Benefits of GoDirect Flight Bag Pro: Flight Plan Overview: To view an upcoming flight route, pilots can type in or paste a route from a website, email or text message into the app. Pilots can also view frequently cleared and optimized routes for best aircraft performance. With in-flight connectivity, pilots can even make adjustments while in the air. To view an upcoming flight route, pilots can type in or paste a route from a website, email or text message into the app. Pilots can also view frequently cleared and optimized routes for best aircraft performance. With in-flight connectivity, pilots can even make adjustments while in the air. Flight Bag Pro Performance Calculator: Calculate multiple cruise modes and determine the most efficient flight by comparing speed, flight level, time, fuel, cost of the trip and more. Calculate multiple cruise modes and determine the most efficient flight by comparing speed, flight level, time, fuel, cost of the trip and more. Trip Kit: Package all of the trip documents into a Trip Kit to view during flight. Access the latest weather information for your destination such as icing, winds and temperature, even prior to takeoff. Package all of the trip documents into a Trip Kit to view during flight. Access the latest weather information for your destination such as icing, winds and temperature, even prior to takeoff. Flight Schedule Updates: Pilots can receive real-time updates to flight schedules when information is released from air traffic control with a pre-departure clearance, when filing status changes, or when weather conditions change. To learn more about Honeywell's GoDirect Flight Services, visit Honeywell's website for GoDirect Flight Planning and GoDirect Flight Bag Pro information. We also welcome you to join Honeywell at the National Business Aviation Association show in Las Vegas Oct. 10-12. We will demo apps and answer questions in booth #N5100. Supporting Resources Read more about Honeywell Aerospace on the Follow The Aero blog Like Honeywell Aerospace on Facebook Follow @Honeywell_Aero on Twitter Honeywell Aerospace products and services are found on virtually every commercial, defense and space aircraft, and its turbochargers are used by nearly every automaker and truck manufacturer around the world. The Aerospace business unit develops innovative solutions for more fuel-efficient automobiles and airplanes, more direct and on-time flights, safer flying and runway traffic, along with aircraft engines, cockpit and cabin electronics, wireless connectivity services, logistics, and more. The business delivers safer, faster, and more efficient and comfortable transportation-related experiences worldwide. For more information, visit www.honeywell.com or follow us at @Honeywell_Aero and @Honeywell_Turbo. Honeywell (www.honeywell.com/newsroom) is a Fortune 100 software-industrial company that delivers industry specific solutions that include aerospace and automotive products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help everything from aircraft, cars, homes and buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom. SOURCE Honeywell Related Links http://www.honeywell.com AUSTIN, Minn., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of Hunger Action Day, Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL) today announced donations totaling $300,000 to 41 hunger relief organizations throughout the United States through its Plant Community Donations Program. The donations are being presented to the organizations this month to support Hunger Action Month. "Each and every day, we are inspired to do our part to make a difference in our communities around the world," said Wendy Watkins, vice president of corporate communications at Hormel Foods. "As a longtime partner with Feeding America, we are proud to support Hunger Action Day and Hunger Action Month as we raise awareness and encourage others to join in the effort to end hunger and food insecurity around the world." Some of the company's donations being presented this month include: A $10,000 donation to the Hope Center for Kids in Fremont, Neb. ; donation to the Hope Center for Kids in ; A $10,000 donation to the Rolling Harvest Food Rescue in New Hope, Pa. ; donation to the Rolling Harvest Food Rescue in ; A $10,000 donation to the Dubuque Rescue Mission in Dubuque, Iowa ; donation to the Dubuque Rescue Mission in ; A $5,000 donation to the Meals on Wheels program and a $5,000 donation to the Salvation Army in Austin, Minn. ; donation to the Meals on Wheels program and a donation to the Salvation Army in ; A $10,000 donation to the Melrose Area Food Shelf in Melrose, Minn. ; and donation to the Melrose Area Food Shelf in ; and A $10,000 donation to Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless in Atlanta, Ga. "Hormel Foods has been a generous food donor to Feeding America and local member food banks, contributing more than 2 million pounds of protein last year," said Karen Hanner, managing director, manufacturing product sourcing, Feeding America. "We deeply appreciate their commitment to helping feed families facing hunger and supporting Hunger Action Month, which helps Feeding America raise awareness about the pressing problem of hunger in the United States." Hormel Foods collaborates with retailers, nonprofit organizations and government agencies to help with hunger relief efforts around the world. Through this program as well as disaster relief efforts and other donations, Hormel Foods contributed $7.4 million in cash and product donations to help address hunger in fiscal 2016. Additional information about the company's fiscal 2016 hunger relief efforts is available in the Hormel Foods 2016 Corporate Responsibility Report. About Hormel Foods Inspired People. Inspired Food. Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $9 billion in annual revenue across 75 countries worldwide. Its brands include SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly Guacamole, Hormel Black Label and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Magazine for the ninth year in a row, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. In 2016, the company celebrated its 125th anniversary and announced its new vision for the future Inspired People. Inspired Food. focusing on its legacy of innovation. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and https://csr.hormelfoods.com/. Contact: 507-437-5345 [email protected] SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation Related Links http://www.hormel.com NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Until recently, Jonathan Billiot's day was filled with the "to-dos" of his job including addressing emails, case designs, and communications with other team members at Ark Financial Group, Austin, Texas. But Jonathan and a group of his peers just attended a "Connecting with People" workshop. During the workshop, speaker Lynnette Ward of Leadership Choice helped Jonathan and other attendees realize how communication is a "business tool". Ward outlined how to recognize different communication patterns, specifically through listening and modify how to respond. You could see the "ah-ha" moments across the attendees' faces as Ward pointed out how the same techniques help avoid conflict or misunderstanding in email communications. Sabrina Straley of Infinity Wealth Management, Schaumberg, Illinois, summed up her key takeaway as, "Email is, perhaps, one of the biggest mediums that we use in our day-to-day interactions in the workplace. It was beneficial to learn how to respond according to the sender's communication style." When we adapt our business communication, we connect as individuals. Returning to his job as a paraplanner at Ark Financial Group, Billiot put the lesson to work, "I am more aware of how I communicate with my colleagues on a day-to-day basis. I found myself rewriting emails that I thought, prior to the workshop, would have been okay to send." The "Connecting with People" workshop was just a part of First Financial Resources' 2017 FFR University held at Pesea Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach, California. The 3-day professional development event is held each August for staff at First Financial Resources (FFR) member offices. This year's theme, "Go-Direct, Keep Control" balanced off the curriculum with insurance industry presenters covering product features and niches, underwriting specialties, and using technology to gain business efficiencies. FFR's business model gives FFR advisors direct access to its core insurance carriers. That way, the FFR advisor keeps control over which product and/or underwriting offer best fits a client's needs. The FFR University is an integral component in support of the "go-direct, keep control" business model. Jonathan summed up the impact of the 2017 FFR University with "Without a doubt, the information I received and the relationships I've built at FFR University will help our firm to continue to improve our ability to go-direct and keep control." About First Financial Resources First Financial Resources (FFR) is a producer group founded in 1987 and solely owned by its member advisors and based in Newport Beach, California. FFR provides its member advisors with access to insurance-based products, tools and resources for the high net worth and/or business client. FFR also focuses expertise, resources and training to elevate the professional knowledge of the advisor's staff. FFR is not affiliated with Leadership Choice (www.LeadershipChoice.com). To learn more about FFR, please visit www.ffrmembers.com. Ark Financial Group is a business, estate and financial planning firm based in Austin, Texas (www.arkfinancial.com) For Press Inquiries, contact Susan Hart, (949)223-2169 or [email protected] SOURCE First Financial Resources Related Links http://www.ffrmembers.com TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a surprise appearance at Oceana's New York Gala last night, former president Bill Clinton presented actor and Oceana board member Ted Danson with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his three decades of ocean advocacy. "The real reason you're giving Ted Danson this award tonight is that for more than 30 years he has been at this cause," President Clinton said. He also spoke about the need to protect ocean ecosystems from the threat of climate change and discussed how healthy, sustainable fisheries can help feed the world's population. Ted Danson thanked President Clinton and the assembled crowd for his award. "I kept showing up," he said. "Everything else was the people around me." "This life is not about you or about us," Danson said. "It's about stewardship of what we've been given. I think about my children not being able to experience what I have and what we have. That's one of the reasons why I'm still here." The annual New York Gala dinner for Oceana was hosted by Susan and David Rockefeller, Violaine and John Bernbach, and Loic Gouzer. "I am so grateful to see so many important ocean advocates and supporters here tonight," Susan Rockefeller said. "This is a critical time for our oceans, and we need all of your help. Without you - all of you who support our work - we cannot win the victories that must be won. Thank you all so much for coming here tonight to support Oceana and our oceans." This year's Gala was held at the legendary Blue Hill at Stone Barns and featured an extraordinary culinary experience that highlighted sustainability on land and sea. Guests enjoyed a beautiful cocktail reception and inventive hors d'oeuvres followed by a gourmet dinner presented by chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill. Award-winning actor Sam Waterston served as the master of ceremonies. Also honored was Kelly Hallman, founder of the Living Peace Foundation. Notable attendees included Susan and David Rockefeller, Adrian Grenier, Lyor Cohen, Xin Li, Loic Gouzer, model Abbey Lee, Leslie Zemeckis, Kara Ross, Julie Gilhart, Katherine Farley, and Khaled and Olfat Juffali. Musical guest Cobi performed. Photos from the event are available at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nlic37u27tvvn5r/AACJdOOkQMKx4De7tHfkyw7Ya?dl=0 SOURCE Oceana Related Links http://www.oceana.org ROCKLEDGE, Fla., Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Elev8 Brands, Inc. (OTC Pink:VATE), a holding company focused on the commercial development of hemp and CBD-based products including hemp coffee, tea, and E-juices, which target the health and wellness markets, announces Luckys Market is now carrying Elev8 Hemp Coffee in the coffee aisle of their Orlando, FL store. Luckys Market, which was founded in Boulder, CO in 2003, has expanded to 24 stores. Luckys is aggressively expanding its Florida stores and plans to open eight more locations in the Orlando area by the end of 2018. Luckys Market caters to customers seeking quality products for a healthy lifestyle, where Elev8 Hemp Coffee is a perfect fit. As Elev8s Hemp Coffee launches at the first major retail location in Orlando, FL, the coffee is also being evaluated by additional Luckys Market locations. Chief Executive Officer Ryan Medico commented, When we launched Elev8 Hemp Coffee earlier this year we stated that one of our primary objectives was to launch our Hemp Coffee into large retail chains and stores. Were proud to say we have accomplished this goal. Elev8 Brands, Inc. continues product momentum on multiple fronts including national wholesalers for CBD-infused tinctures and E-Juices, as well as Elev8 Hemp Coffee and the soon to be launched Elev8 Hemp Tea. The company continues to focus on growing product brands with higher volume brick and mortar stores in conjunction with online sales. Medico concluded, Landing the first major retail customer like Luckys Market is always the toughest, but validates our product concept and demand. We look forward to saturating more Luckys Market locations in addition to other large retail chains and distributors we are currently in discussions with. About Luckys Market Luckys Market was started in 2003 by two chefs, Trish and Bo Sharon, when they bought a convenience store in Boulder, Colo. The Sharons shared a vision of creating a grocery store where food lovers like themselves would want to shop, with quality products sold at affordable prices with genuine personal service. Today, those goals are the hallmarks of the Luckys style. Visit www.luckysmarket.com for more information. About Elev8 Brands, Inc.: Elev8 Brands, Inc. specializes in the development and marketing of products for the fitness and wellness markets. The company is founded based on creating high-quality, sustainable, products for health-conscious consumers. About Elev8 Hemp LLC: Elev8 Hemp LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Elev8 Brands, Inc. which focuses on the development and marketing of hemp-based food, beverage, and health care products including hemp coffee, hemp water, and hemp-based skin care products. About 02 Breathe LLC: 02 Breathe is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Elev8 Brands, Inc. which focuses on their oxygen bar while bringing in an array of CBD products. O2 Breathe carries CBD tinctures, CBD vape, CBD lotions and message products. 02 Breathe is currently looking to offer CBD at their oxygen bar. www.02breathe.com Please visit, www.elev8hemp.com for more information. www.facebook.com/elev8hemp www.instagram.com/elev8hemp www.twitter.com/elev8hemp Contact: Ryan Medico info@elev8hemp.com Safe Harbor Statement: The information posted in this release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by use of the words "may," "will," "should," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "project," "intend," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in completing various engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technological advances and delivering technological innovations, shortages in components, production delays due to performance quality issues with outsourced components, and various other factors beyond the Company's control. LAVAL, QC, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (TSX: ATD.A ATD.B) invites the media to attend its Annual Shareholders Meeting on Tuesday, September 19, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Laval Hotel at 2440 Autoroute des Laurentides in Laval. Journalists may request a ten-minute individual interview by appointment only (RSVP by September 19, 2017, at 11:00 am, the interview demands will be processed in order of arrival). Please note that apart from a five-minute period before the meeting opens, the use of cameras, video cameras, and recording devices will not be permitted. Couche-Tard senior management will hold a press conference after the meeting at 3:30 p.m. Journalists who would like to attend are asked to check in at the press table before going to the meeting room. WHAT Alimentation Couche-Tard Annual Shareholders Meeting (TSX: ATD.A and ATD.B) WHEN Tuesday, September 19, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. Followed by a press conference at 3:30 p.m. WHERE Hotel Sheraton Laval, 2440 Autoroute des Laurentides, Laval (entrance by the Congress center) About Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Couche-Tard is the leader in the Canadian convenience store industry. In the United States, it is the largest independent convenience store operator in terms of number of company-operated stores. In Europe, Couche-Tard is a leader in convenience store and road transportation fuel retail in the Scandinavian countries (Norway, Sweden and Denmark), in the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), and in Ireland and also has an important presence in Poland. As of July 23, 2017, Couche-Tard's network comprised 9,471 convenience stores throughout North America including close to 8,129 stores with road transportation fuel dispensing. Its North American network consists of 18 business units, including 14 in the United States covering 42 states and 4 in Canada covering all 10 provinces. Approximately 95,000 people are employed throughout its network and at its service offices in North America. In addition, through CrossAmerica Partners LP, Couche-Tard supplies road transportation fuel under various brands to more than 1, 200 locations in the United States. In Europe, Couche-Tard operates a broad retail network across Scandinavia, Ireland, Poland, the Baltics and Russia through ten business units. As of July 23, 2017, Couche-Tard's network comprised of 2,754 stores, the majority of which offer road transportation fuel and convenience products while the others are unmanned automated fuel sites which only offer road transportation fuel. Couche-Tard also offers other products, including stationary energy, marine fuel, aviation fuel and chemicals. Including employees at its branded franchise stores, approximately 25,000 people work in its retail network, terminals and service offices across Europe. In addition, under licensing agreements, close to 1,700 stores are operated under the Circle K banner in 13 other countries and territories (China, Costa Rica, Egypt, Guam, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam), which brings the total network to close to 15,000 stores. For more information on Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., please visit: http://corpo.couche-tard.com. RSVP and interviews: [email protected] Forward-Looking Statements The statements set forth in this press release, which describe Couche-Tard's objectives, projections, estimates, expectations or forecasts, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation. Positive or negative verbs such as "will", "plan", "evaluate", "estimate", "believe", "expect" and other related expressions are used to identify such statements. Couche-Tard would like to point out that, by their very nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties such that its results, or the measures it adopts, could differ materially from those indicated or underlying these statements, or could have an impact on the degree of realization of a particular projection. Major factors that may lead to a material difference between Couche-Tard's actual results and the projections or expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements include the effects of the integration of acquired businesses and the ability to achieve projected synergies, fluctuations in margins on motor fuel sales, competition in the convenience store and retail motor fuel industries, exchange rate variations, and such other risks as described in detail from time to time in documents filed by Couche-Tard with securities regulatory authorities in Canada. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Couche-Tard disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information in this press release is based on information available as of the date of the release. SOURCE Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Related Links http://corpo.couche-tard.com/ NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) will host a conference call for investors at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, October 17th, to review third-quarter results. Dominic Caruso, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Joseph J. Wolk, Vice President, Investor Relations, will host the call. The question and answer portion of the call will also include the following executives: Joaquin Duato, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Chairman, Pharmaceuticals; Jorge Mesquita, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Chairman, Consumer; and Sandi Peterson, Executive Vice President, Group Worldwide Chairman. Investors and other interested parties can access the webcast/conference call in the following ways: The webcast is accessible at Johnson & Johnson's website: www.investor.jnj.com. A webcast will be available approximately three hours after the conference call concludes. By telephone: for both "listen-only" participants and those financial analysts who wish to take part in the question and answer portion of the call, the telephone dial-in number in the U.S. is 877-869-3847. For participants outside the U.S., the dial-in number is 201-689-8261. A replay of the conference call will be available until approximately 12:00 a.m. on October 25, 2017 . The replay dial-in number for U.S. participants is 877-660-6853. For participants outside the U.S., the replay dial-in number is 201-612-7415. The replay conference ID number for all callers is 13670440. on . The replay dial-in number for U.S. participants is 877-660-6853. For participants outside the U.S., the replay dial-in number is 201-612-7415. The replay conference ID number for all callers is 13670440. Presentation materials will be available on www.investor.jnj.com. The press release will be available at approximately 6:45 a.m. (Eastern Time) the morning of the conference call. About Johnson & Johnson Caring for the world, one person at a time, inspires and unites the people of Johnson & Johnson. We embrace research and science - bringing innovative ideas, products and services to advance the health and well-being of people. Our approximately 132,500 employees at more than 250 Johnson & Johnson operating companies work with partners in health care to touch the lives of over a billion people every day, throughout the world. SOURCE Johnson & Johnson Related Links http://www.jnj.com NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- KeyMe, a New York City-based startup that is revolutionizing the locksmith industry, has closed on its $25M series D financing, bringing the company to over $100M funding to date. The infusion of capital allows the company to continue their rapid retail expansion and invest in more robust marketing. KeyMe Founded in 2012 by Greg Marsh, KeyMe is fundamentally transforming how people access and manage their keys, providing a safe and convenient way to copy and share keys and solve frustrating lockouts. The company has smart kiosks in major retailers that can copy keys in under 30 seconds, at a rate that is 10X more accurate than industry averages, as well as a mobile application that enables customers to safely scan and save a digital copy of their key so that they have access to their keys when and where they need them. The $25M financing includes 100% insider investor participants and will continue KeyMe's rapidly accelerating expansion into 2018. KeyMe will be finishing 2017 at more than 5X the number of kiosks in market than when the year began. "KeyMe has disrupted the $7.5 billion per year locksmith industry with groundbreaking technology," says CEO of KeyMe, Greg Marsh. "This new round of financing will assist us with continuing to meet our increasingly high retailer demand as we are delivering new foot traffic and profitable revenue streams. We will be furthering our growth rate with significant scaling of our marketing activity." The investors of the Series D are (listed alphabetically following lead): Comcast Ventures (Lead), Battery Ventures, Benefit Street Partners, Michael Polsky, Questmark Partners, Ravin Gandhi, RiverPark Ventures, 7-Eleven, White Star Capital. "KeyMe has received tremendous consumer reception and impressive retail demand for its kiosks," says Sam Landman, Managing Director at Comcast Ventures. "The company is well positioned to become a leader in this $7.5B/year offline service industry. We look forward to helping the company continue to grow and scale." KeyMe kiosks are currently present in over 1,000 locations within leading retailers, including (alphabetically): Albertsons, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Kmart, Kroger, Mall of America, Rite Aid, Safeway, Sears, and 7-Eleven, among others. In a revolutionary advance in the industry, KeyMe enables customers to save digital copies of their keys in the cloud with confidence they will be protected by a state-of-the-art security platform. Customers can then recover a copy simply and securely using their fingerprint at any of the kiosks if they are ever locked out and can also use KeyMe's free iOS and Android apps. KeyMe kiosks are the first and only kiosk with the ability to duplicate approximately 85% of all automotive keys on the market. For more information, please contact The Art Department, LLC at 305-219-2242 or [email protected]. About KeyMe KeyMe is a secure and convenient way to copy, share and personalize keys and solve frustrating lockouts. The company has smart kiosks in major retailers that can copy keys in under 30 seconds, as well as mobile applications that enable customers to safely scan, save and share a digital copy of their key and order copies shipped to their door. KeyMe was founded in 2012 by Greg Marsh, and is funded by Battery Ventures, Benefit Street Partners, Comcast Ventures, Questmark Partners, White Star Capital, Michael Polsky, Ravin Gandhi, RiverPark Ventures, 7-Eleven, and among others. For more information, please visit www.key.me. SOURCE KeyMe Related Links http://www.key.me Kimberly-Clark has entered long-term power purchase agreements to take 120 MW or 78 percent of electricity to be generated by the Rock Falls Wind project being developed by EDF Renewables in northern Oklahoma and 125 MW or 42 percent of the electricity to be generated by the Santa Rita Wind Energy Center being built by Invenergy in West Texas. The renewable energy supplied by the two wind farms will enable Kimberly-Clark to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by up to 550,000 metric tons annually. This is equivalent to removing 116,178 passenger vehicles from the road or not burning nearly 600 million pounds of coal annually. 1 "These agreements mark Kimberly-Clark's first use of utility-scale renewable energy and are a step-change in our energy and climate strategy to reduce climate change impacts, improve operating efficiency and benefit cost savings," said Lisa Morden, Global Head of Sustainability at Kimberly-Clark. "Adding wind-generated electricity to the energy mix will enable the company to achieve more than a 25 percent reduction in GHG emissions in 2018, which is four years ahead of the original 2022 target to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent from 2005 levels." "These two renewable energy projects, combined with a number of other energy initiatives across the company, put Kimberly-Clark on-track to deliver significant multimillion dollar cost savings from energy and climate projects by 2022," Morden said. "It's a powerful demonstration of sustainability initiatives having both great environmental and business benefits." These two renewable energy projects build on extensive work undertaken by Kimberly-Clark to reduce its carbon footprint and create business value through greater energy efficiency, conservation and alternative energy programs including: Six large-scale electricity cogeneration facilities with waste heat recovery, including a seventh project recently announced and under construction at the company's Mobile, Alabama manufacturing facility (due to start-up in 2019). manufacturing facility (due to start-up in 2019). Four biomass thermal energy generating plants that provide steam for the company's tissue operations. More than 350 energy initiatives completed by the company across its operations since 2015. The Rock Falls Wind project will become operational by the end of 2017, and the Santa Rita facility is expected to begin commercial operation by the second quarter of 2018. Renewable Choice Energy helped broker the two agreements. To support the growth of renewable energy sources, Kimberly-Clark has signed on to the Corporate Renewable Energy Buyers' Principles, a collaboration of leading companies seeking simplified access to the renewable electricity to meet their clean and low carbon energy goals. "We used the Renewable Energy Buyers' Principles when evaluating the business case for pursuing the offtake of utility-scale renewable energy with the EDF and Invenergy projects. Therefore, it was a natural but significant step for us to formally sign on and publicly endorse the Renewable Energy Buyers' Principles," said Stewart Van Horn, Director of Global Energy Solutions at Kimberly-Clark. The Buyers' Principles tell utilities and other suppliers what industry-leading, multinational companies are looking for when buying renewable energy from the grid. The project is facilitated by World Resources Institute and World Wildlife Fund. For more information on Kimberly-Clark's Sustainability 2022 strategy, including the energy and climate program, visit www.sustainability2022.com. 1 According to US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies calculations. Notes to Editors Kimberly -Clark was recognized as a 2016 Climate Leader by the EPA for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management "Goal Achievement Award" and one of only 17 Climate Leadership Awards given nationwide for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. -Clark was recognized as a 2016 Climate Leader by the EPA for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management "Goal Achievement Award" and one of only 17 Climate Leadership Awards given nationwide for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In 2015, Kimberly -Clark set a 2022 target to reduce its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 20% from 2005 levels. -Clark set a 2022 target to reduce its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 20% from 2005 levels. Kimberly -Clark developed and validated this goal using the Science Based Targets process utilizing the Sector Decarbonization Model to ensure the company contributed its share to global emissions reduction, and to encourage others within its supply chain and category to do so as well. -Clark developed and validated this goal using the Science Based Targets process utilizing the Sector Decarbonization Model to ensure the company contributed its share to global emissions reduction, and to encourage others within its supply chain and category to do so as well. This goal was reviewed and validated by World Wildlife Fund (WWF), World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). Kimberly -Clark is working to update its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target to continue to further reduce carbon emissions and plans to register this goal with ScienceBasedTargets.Org. About Kimberly-Clark Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust Kimberly-Clark's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene, and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in 80 countries. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the company's 145-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter. [KMB-C] http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110928/DA76879LOGO SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Corporation Related Links http://www.kimberly-clark.com ELKHART, Ind., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LCI Industries (NYSE: LCII), a supplier of components for the leading original equipment manufacturers ("OEMs") of recreational vehicles ("RVs") and adjacent industries, and the related aftermarkets of those industries, today announced the appointment of Virginia "Ginnie" Henkels to the Company's Board of Directors, as an independent director. Henkels will serve on the Board's Audit and Compensation Committees. Henkels, 49, was formerly Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Swift Transportation Company, a $4 billion publicly traded transportation services company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, and operating one of the largest fleets of truckload equipment in North America. Prior to joining Swift Transportation Company in 2004, she held several finance and accounting positions with Honeywell International, Inc., a worldwide diversified technology and manufacturing leader, including as Worldwide Revenue Chain and Finance Six Sigma Leader and Director of Financial Planning and Analysis at Honeywell International's Industry Solutions division. "We are delighted to welcome Ginnie to our Board," said Jim Gero, Chairman of LCI Industries' Board of Directors. "Her strong professional background, leadership abilities and her many years of financial accounting experience in the manufacturing and transportation industries will be of significant value to LCI Industries and our stockholders." Henkels earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1990 from the University of Arizona and a Master of Business Administration degree from Arizona State University in 1993. Henkels joins directors James Gero, Jason Lippert, Fred Hegi, David Reed, Jack Lowe, Brendan Deely, Frank Crespo, Kieran O'Sullivan and Tracy Graham on the Company's Board, each for a one-year term ending at the next annual election of directors. About LCI Industries From 52 manufacturing and distribution facilities located throughout the United States and in Canada and Italy, LCI Industries, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lippert Components, Inc., supplies, domestically and internationally, a broad array of components for the leading original equipment manufacturers of recreational vehicles; buses; trailers used to haul boats, livestock, equipment and other cargo; trucks; pontoon boats; trains; manufactured homes; and modular housing. The Company also supplies components to the related aftermarkets of these industries primarily by selling to retail dealers, wholesale distributors and service centers. LCI's products include steel chassis and related components; axles and suspension solutions; slide-out mechanisms and solutions; thermoformed bath, kitchen and other products; vinyl, aluminum and frameless windows; manual, electric and hydraulic stabilizer and leveling systems; furniture and mattresses; entry, luggage, patio and ramp doors; electric and manual entry steps; awnings and awning accessories; electronic components; televisions and sound systems; navigation systems; backup cameras; appliances; and other accessories. Additional information about LCI and its products can be found at www.lci1.com. SOURCE LCI Industries Related Links http://www.lci1.com MENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LeoLabs, Inc., the leading commercial provider of data to track debris and prevent collisions in low Earth orbit (LEO), today announced it is teaming with integrated aerospace and data analytics company, Planet, to help protect satellites and keep space navigable for future generations of entrepreneurs. In a paper to be published at The Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) conference, LeoLabs and Planet will demonstrate a flight system that uses commercial data sources to enhance collision risk assessment and enable safer debris avoidance maneuvers for satellites in LEO. With the pace of innovation increasing and the number of satellites set to increase dramatically over the next few years, this integration is especially timely. Planet operates the world's largest fleet of Earth-imaging satellites, collecting a massive amount of information about our changing planet. The company is also an industry leader in establishing best practices designed to keep space navigable for future generations of space entrepreneurs. "LEO is a powerful platform for delivering services like Planet's, enabling us to monitor environmental change and economic activity on a global scale," says James Mason, Vice President of Mission Operations at Planet. "It's critical to our company, and to our industrial counterparts, that LEO remain safely usable. That's why we are excited to share with the entire industry the commercial best practices we've developed with LeoLabs to keep satellites safe from collisions." Today, collisions in space are prevented through the use of conjunction data messages (CDMs) issued by the Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC). LeoLabs has enhanced the safety of Planet's satellites by providing additional information on the debris identified in the CDMs. "When a piece of debris is identified as concerning by the JSpOC, LeoLabs schedules extra radar observations of that piece of debris so that its trajectory and the probability of it colliding with a satellite are more quickly understood," says Mike Nicolls, LeoLabs' Chief Technology Officer and cofounder. "This detailed information enhances a satellite operator's understanding of the environment around their satellites, enabling them to rule out non-threatening debris and to maneuver their satellites to mitigate true risks." Satellite operations teams continually monitor the CDMs they receive from JSpOC and typically maneuver their satellites in the days before a possible collision. For many satellites a maneuver entails firing thrusters to speed up or slow down the satellite. Planet's Dove satellites do not have thrusters, but instead spin around to change the orientation of their solar panels and atmospheric drag does the rest, a technique Planet calls differential drag. The accurate tracking data provided by LeoLabs allows these small maneuvers to be performed safely around debris objects. Automation is critical for making this service practical for the next generation of satellite constellations, which will have hundreds to thousands of satellites. "Satellite operators interact with our services through our RESTful API," said Mike Nicolls. "This enables fully automated safety systems that can scale to extremely large constellations." "This is only the beginning," says Dan Ceperley, CEO and cofounder of LeoLabs. "We are expanding our radar network to track even smaller debris, which is not tracked today. We want satellite companies to be successful even when there are 10,000 or more satellites in LEO." About LeoLabs LeoLabs uses state of the art, patented phased-array radars to offer commercial data services for LEO. These services include orbit determination, early operational support, and ongoing conjunction awareness. The offerings are targeted for commercial satellite operators, government regulatory and space agencies, and satellite management services firms. LeoLabs is a venture-funded corporation based in Menlo Park, California. SOURCE LeoLabs, Inc. Related Links http://www.leolabs.space NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Finn Partners announced that Let's Win, an initiative supported by the Lustgarten Foundation, is being inducted into the PR News Platinum Hall of Fame today at the national trade publication's PR & Agency Elite Awards luncheon. Let's Win and its late founder, Anne Glauber, are being honored for inspiring communications to better serve pancreatic cancer patients, their families and all those touched by the disease. When diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Anne was a Finn Partners managing partner and founder of its CSR/Social Impact Practice. The Agency's CSR/Social Impact and Health Practice are the Let's Win agency of record. Lets Win co-founders with President Jimmy Carter: L-R, Cindy Gavin, Founding Executive Director of Lets Win!; Kerri Kaplan, President and CEO of the Lustgarten Foundation; President Carter; Anne Glauber; and Weil-Cornell cancer researcher, Dr. Allyson Ocean. "Let's Win was born out of Anne's desire to communicate beyond standard-of-care options to patients who don't have time to wait for new pancreatic cancer treatments to be approved," said Cindy Gavin, founding executive director. "This PR News recognition underscores Anne's enduring contribution to extend and improve people's lives using her PR talents to create an urgent call-to-action." When Glauber was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer in 2014, she discovered there was a void in information on treatments outside of standard care. Her skills, insight and collaboration with her medical oncologist and co-founders led to the creation of Let's Win, a first-of-its-kind crowdsourcing platform mobilizing doctors, researchers and patients to share fast-breaking clinical information on potentially life-saving pancreatic cancer treatments and trials. Let's Win works with organizations such as the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition and Stand Up to Cancer. Its Scientific Advisory Board includes noted scientists and physicians leading trailblazing research on pancreatic cancer. According to PR News, editors select Hall of Fame communications campaigns that will be remembered for years to come because of their originality and unexpectedly large impact beyond their intended audiences. "We celebrate [Glauber's] choice to live her last years applying PR lessons as she touted the good work Let's Win was doing. It was a winning choice," noted editor Seth Arenstein. Glauber was a leading light of the communications industry, a tireless agent for social change throughout her more than 40-year career almost all dedicated through her years with Finn Partners colleagues. She called upon her communications megaphone for raising awareness and creating societal good, founding major national campaigns that ranged from giving domestic violence victims a voice (No More) to creating the much-needed resource of hope for pancreatic cancer patients. She passed away this past February from pancreatic cancer at the age of 63. "Let's Win is a natural extension of my mother's lifelong drive to make a difference in the world," said Lili Glauber. "We are humbled and proud to see her final, and perhaps most personally important, effort honored by the PR industry." Let's Win is the first client of Finn Partners' new specialty group "Health and Social Impact" formed to develop regional, national and global corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaigns for the health sector to be recognized with a top industry award. Finn Partners, a global marketing and communications firm, provides support to Let's Win. This work is led by Olivia Goodman, group vice president of the Finn Partners Health Practice. "Communications illuminates the potential paths and treatments available. Anne's professional and personal lives converged with Let's Win and exemplify why she will always be a mentor as we draw upon her achievements to press ahead and save lives," she said. About Finn Partners Founded in 2011 on the core principles of innovation and collaborative partnership, Finn Partners has more than tripled in size in just five and a half years, becoming one of the fastest growing independent public relations agencies in the world. The full-service marketing and communications company's record-setting pace is a result of organic growth and integrating new companies and new people into the Finn Partners world through a common philosophy. With 550 professionals, Finn Partners provides its clients with global access and capabilities in the U.S., Europe and Asia, in addition to PROI Worldwide. Headquartered in New York, Finn Partners' other offices are located in Chicago, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Jerusalem, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Nashville, Paris, Portland, San Francisco, Singapore and Washington D.C. Find us at finnpartners.com and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @finnpartners. About Let's Win Let's Win is a pancreatic cancer online community. The goal of Let's Win is to share science-driven treatment options that go beyond the traditional "standard of care." The site includes an interactive patient and family forum where patients describe their treatment plans; information on promising science; highlights from the latest clinical trials and a comprehensive listing of new trials; and current pancreatic cancer news. The Let's Win Scientific Advisory Board comprises world-renowned scientists and physicians leading cutting-edge research on pancreatic cancer. Let's Win is an initiative supported by the Lustgarten Foundation . About the Lustgarten Foundation The Lustgarten Foundation is America's largest private foundation dedicated to funding pancreatic cancer research. Based in Woodbury, NY, the Foundation supports research to find a cure for pancreatic cancer. Since its inception, the Lustgarten Foundation has directed $132 million to research. For more information, please visit www.lustgarten.org. CONTACT: Renee Martin, 646-307-6334, [email protected] SOURCE Finn Partners, Inc. Related Links http://www.finnpartners.com MUNICH, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The biotech company LEUKOCARE AG is experiencing strong growth and expanding both its premises and its workforce. The company is also planning to invest up to Euro 1 million in the expansion of its research and development activities. The biotech company LEUKOCARE AG, founded in 2003, is continuing to grow. Thanks to strong business development and numerous new orders for development projects based on its formulation platform, the company has moved into additional laboratory and office space in the IZB (Innovations- und Grunderzentrum Biotechnologie) building in Martinsried, near Munich. This expansion doubles the total amount of space occupied by the company, which has been based in the IZB building since 2010. The company's growth is accompanied by a significant expansion of its research and development activities. As a result, the company is planning to invest up to Euro 1 million this year and next. The money will primarily be spent on new analytical equipment and methods. Alongside this, the company's workforce has also grown significantly. After having 16 employees at the start of 2016, the company now has 25. By the end of the year, this number is set to rise further to as many as 30. Michael Scholl, CEO of LEUKOCARE, describes the company's development as follows: "We have expanded our resources to take account of our current growth. In the current financial year alone, the number of employees and projects will increase by well over 50 percent. In view of our strong order books, we anticipate that this robust growth will continue, and we will be continuing to invest in the site accordingly." In February of this year, LEUKOCARE announced a strategic alliance with Rentschler Biotechnologie GmbH from Laupheim. Under the terms of the alliance, the companies have agreed that LEUKOCARE will act as Rentschler's exclusive technology partner for formulation development on biopharmaceutical development projects. In return, Rentschler has taken a ten percent share in LEUKOCARE. LEUKOCARE is also continuing to use its proprietary SPS formulation technologies for the stabilization of biological molecules in projects with pharmaceutical and medical device companies. About LEUKOCARE AG LEUKOCARE provides a next-generation formulation technology platform for the protection of proteins like biopharmaceuticals to allow the development of better products. The proprietary Stabilizing and Protecting Solutions (SPS) technologies are provided to development projects of partners in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry. LEUKOCARE's SPS technologies improve stability and quality of biologics like antibodies, vaccines etc. in dry and liquid formulation including high-concentration formulations. SPS technologies also protect proteins in biologically functionalized combination devices. www.leukocare.com Contact: Michael Scholl [email protected] +49-(0)-89-7801-665-0 SOURCE LEUKOCARE AG Dr. Pauliks specializes in non-invasive imaging to accurately diagnose and treat pediatric patients. Dr. Pauliks utilizes advanced diagnostic tools like magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs), computed tomography (CTs) and echocardiograms, an ultrasound test that uses sound waves to create a picture of a child's heart. Dr. Pauliks also can perform fetal echocardiograms on unborn babies still in the womb. "Cardiac imaging gives us the opportunity to diagnose heart patients non-invasively," says Dr. Pauliks. "Often because of it, we are able to avoid radiation or unnecessary cardiac procedures, making it easier on our patients." In addition to diagnosis, Dr. Pauliks provides care for pediatric heart patients using non-invasive imaging devices like 24-hour Holter monitors, which continuously records the heart's rhythms within a 24-hour time period during normal activity. Electrodes are stuck to the chest and attached to a small recording monitor that records the heart's electrical activity to document any irregular heart rhythm. Non-invasive care like this helps patients avoid open heart surgery. "Computers and imaging are becoming more advanced," explains Dr. Pauliks, who has a clinical interest in mechanical circulatory support (MCS), a device that helps the heart pump blood and is often used for patients with heart failure who are awaiting a donor transplant. "The new technology is gentle, yet sophisticated, and we've only just begun to see the full impact of digitalization of the imaging field." Dr. Pauliks joins a team of board-certified specialists at the Pediatric Heart Center, one of only a handful of programs in Southern California to offer comprehensive congenital cardiac care to patients of all ages. The Center also has satellite centers in Torrance and Long Beach. "We're incredibly excited to have Dr. Pauliks join the Pediatric Heart Center at Miller Children's," says Tamra Kaplan, Chief Operating Officer, Miller Children's. "Her expertise in congenital cardiac imaging, especially non-invasive imaging, is an asset to our team and will help further advance the care of children and young adults with congenital heart disease." "I've joined the right team at the perfect time, just as Miller Children's is expanding its Pediatric Heart Center," says Dr. Pauliks. "I'm excited to help build a great program with such an advanced team." Dr. Pauliks hopes to further develop the cardiac imaging program at the Pediatric Heart Center and is looking forward to serving the diverse patient population in Long Beach and its surrounding communities. Dr. Pauliks completed her medical degree at the Free University of Berlin, and holds a Master's Degree from the Harvard School of Public Health. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland Pediatric Residency Program, and completed her fellowship at Cornell-Columbia Pediatric Cardiology in New York. She received additional fellowship training in non-invasive imaging at the German Heart Institute in Berlin and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. About Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach: Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach, part of OC-based MemorialCare Health System, provides specialized pediatric care for children and young adults, with conditions ranging from common to complex - as well as maternity care for expectant mothers - all under one roof. Only five percent of all hospitals are children's hospitals, making them unique not only to children's health care needs in the community, but across the region. Miller Children's is one of only eight free-standing children's hospitals in California - treating more than 14,000 children each year - and has become a regional pediatric destination for more than 84,000 children, who need specialized care in the outpatient specialty and satellite centers. Visit MillerChildrens.org, like us on Facebook.com/MillerChildrensHospital, follow us on Twitter @MillerChildrens and on Instagram @MillerChildrens. SOURCE Miller Childrens & Womens Hospital Long Beach Related Links http://www.mchlb.org/ WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- We at Price Benowitz LLP (PriceBenowitz.com) have been honored to represent whistleblower Robert J. Palombo in his Qui Tam/False Claims Act case for the past four years. U.S. Ex Rel. Palombo v PAE, Inc. et al. While the Defendants did not admit any fault, we are happy to report that Pacific Architects and Engineers, LLC (PAE) has agreed to pay the United States $5,000,000 to resolve the False Claims Act allegations contained in Mr. Palombo's Complaint. PAE will also pay Mr. Palombo to resolve his employment retaliation claim filed under Section 3730(h) of the False Claims Act. Mr. Palombo's allegations included that PAE failed to perform complete background investigations on U.S. nationals hired in support of the State Department, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Task Orders in Afghanistan, Haiti, Lebanon, and Liberia and that the Defendants failed to notify the State Department Regional Security Officer (RSO) in hiring host country national and third-country national employees in Afghanistan. Mr. Palombo believed such practices could put at risk the safety of U.S. nationals working on compounds abroad. Mr. Palombo also claimed that he recommended corrective measures to PAE management and alleged that his recommendations were met with opposition and that as a result he was fired. PAE disputed these claims. Mr. Palombo is a long time public servant who was hired by PAE to oversee the recruiting, hiring, and training of personnel serving in the INL Task Orders. Mr. Palombo's government service with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the District of Columbia Office of Inspector General makes him extremely sensitive to the importance of proper vetting procedures and the consequences that can occur if they are not strictly followed. "I truly hope that all contractors entrusted with providing personnel in support of various overseas programs will now understand they can be held accountable for failure to comply with contract requirements," said Mr. Palombo. Mr. Palombo's attorney, Tony Munter, said, "this settlement proves that the system can work to help people provide the government with important information. Mr. Palombo took action to report his allegations and now is being rewarded as a true whistleblower." The Qui Tam provisions of the False Claims Act enable a whistleblower to report instances of fraud committed against the government and, if a case is successful, obtain a portion of the damages and or fines and penalties collected by the government. Under the False Claims Act, a whistleblower can also file allegations of employment retaliation. We are especially grateful to the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Short for her pursuit of justice in this matter. The press release from the Department of Justice is in the link below: https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/pacific-architects-and-engineers-llc-pay-5-million-false-claims-act-settlement Tony Munter heads the False Claims Act and Whistleblower Reward practice at Price Benowitz LLP. He specializes in nationwide litigation and claims under the Qui Tam provisions of the Federal and State False Claims Acts. In addition, he handles cases under the IRS Whistleblower Law and through the Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission Whistleblower Programs created by the Dodd-Frank Act. See https://whistleblower-quitam-attorney.net. Mr. Robert Palombo, the whistleblower, can be made available for an interview. Mr. Tony Munter can do on-camera appearances Contact: Tony Munter, 202-417-6000 SOURCE Price Benowitz LLP Related Links http://www.pricebenowitz.com Regulated Information - Inside Information THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY APPLICABLE LAW NOR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO ANY U.S. PERSON. 14 September 2017 at 7:00 p.m. CEST Nyrstar Netherlands (Holdings) B.V. (the "Offeror"), a subsidiary of Nyrstar NV (the "Company" or "Nyrstar"), announced today the results of its voluntary tender offer (the "Tender Offer") to purchase for cash any and all of the outstanding 4.25% convertible bonds due 2018 issued by Nyrstar in an original aggregate principal amount of 120,000,000 (ISIN Code: BE6258011566) (Common Code: 097373388) (the "2018 Convertible Bonds"), of which an aggregate principal amount of 90,500,000 remains outstanding. The Tender Offer was launched on 5 September 2017, and the acceptance period during which holders of the outstanding 2018 Convertible Bonds could tender their bonds ran from 5 September 2017 to 13 September 2017 at 4.00 p.m. CEST (the "Expiration Date"). As at the Expiration Date, 61,500,000 in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding 2018 Convertible Bonds were validly tendered pursuant to the Tender Offer. The Offeror has decided to accept for repurchase all 2018 Convertible Bonds validly tendered in full, subject to the conditions set forth in the memorandum regarding the Tender Offer (the "Tender Offer Memorandum"), including satisfaction of the completion of the issue of 100,000,000 additional senior unsecured notes due 2024 (the "Further Notes"), to be consolidated with and form a single series with the original 400,000,000 6.875% Senior Notes due 2024. Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, the Offeror will pay the purchase price and accrued interest on the 2018 Convertible Bonds, and ownership of the tendered 2018 Convertible Bonds will be transferred on or around 15 September 2017 (the "Payment Date"). The Tender Offer is expected to settle on the Payment Date, and all payments for 2018 Convertible Bonds validly tendered on or prior to the Expiration Date and accepted for repurchase will be made on the Payment Date. The Tender Offer is subject to conditions set forth in the Tender Offer Memorandum, including satisfaction of the completion of the issue of the Further Notes. Subject to applicable law, the Offeror reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to waive any and all conditions of the Tender Offer. About Nyrstar Nyrstar is a global multi-metals business, with a market leading position in zinc and lead, and growing positions in other base and precious metals, which are essential resources that are fuelling the rapid urbanisation and industrialisation of our changing world. Nyrstar has mining, smelting, and other operations located in Europe, the Americas and Australia and employs approximately 4,300 people. Nyrstar is incorporated in Belgium and has its corporate office in Switzerland. Nyrstar is listed on Euronext Brussels under the symbol NYR. For further information please visit the Nyrstar website: www.nyrstar.com For further information IMPORTANT NOTICE The information contained in this announcement is for general information only and does not purport to be full or complete. This announcement does not constitute, or form part of, an offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for, nor shall there be any sale or purchase of, the securities referred to herein, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, invitation, solicitation, sale, issue, purchase or subscription would be unlawful under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Africa or any other jurisdiction where to do so would be prohibited by applicable law, nor to any U.S. person. Any persons reading this announcement should inform themselves of and observe any such restrictions. No communication and no information in respect of the Tender Offer may be distributed to the public in any jurisdiction where a registration or approval is required. No steps have been or will be taken in any jurisdiction where such steps would be required. The participation in the Tender Offer may be subject to specific legal or regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. The Offeror takes no responsibility for any violation of any such restrictions by any person. These materials are not an offer for sale of securities. The distribution of this announcement in certain jurisdictions (in particular the United States and the United Kingdom) may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this announcement comes are required by each of the Offeror, and the dealer manager and the tender agent for the Tender Offer to inform themselves about, and to observe, any such restrictions. If you are in any doubt as to the contents of this announcement or the action you should take, you are recommended to immediately seek your own financial and legal advice, including as to any tax consequences resulting from the Tender Offer, from your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor, accountant or other independent financial or legal adviser. The Tender Offer has not been made, directly or indirectly in or into, or by use of the mail of, or by any means or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce of, or of any facilities of a national securities exchange of, the United States. This includes, but is not limited to, facsimile transmission, electronic mail, telephone and the internet and other forms of electronic communication. Copies of this announcement are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly mailed or otherwise transmitted, distributed or forwarded (including, without limitation, by custodians, nominees or trustees) in or into the United States. Any purported tender of 2018 Convertible Bonds in the Tender Offer resulting directly or indirectly from a violation of these restrictions will be invalid and any purported tender of 2018 Convertible Bonds made by a person located in the United States or any agent, fiduciary or other intermediary acting on a non-discretionary basis for a principal giving instructions from within the United States will be invalid and will not be accepted. Each person participating in the Tender Offer has represented that it or any beneficial owner of the 2018 Convertible Bonds or any person on whose behalf such person is acting is not a U.S. person (as defined under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act")) or a resident and/or located in the United States. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell securities or a solicitation to buy securities in the United States. Securities may not be offered, subscribed or sold in the United States absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act, except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements thereof. The securities mentioned in this announcement have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act and Nyrstar does not intend to make a public offer of its securities in the United States. For the purposes of this and the above paragraph, "United States " means the United States of America, its territories and possessions, any state of the United States of America and the District of Columbia. This announcement has not been, and will not be, submitted for approval or recognition to the Financial Services and Markets Authority (Autorite des Services et Marches Financiers / Autoriteit voor Financiele Diensten en Markten). The Tender Offer was made under Article 6, 3, 3 of the Belgian Act of 1 April 2007 on public takeover bids (as amended from time to time) (the "Belgian Takeover Act"). Accordingly, the Tender Offer does not constitute a public offering as defined in Articles 3, 1, 1 and 6, 1 of the Belgian Takeover Act. This announcement has been issued exclusively for the purpose of the Tender Offer. Accordingly, the information contained in this announcement may not be used for any other purpose or disclosed to any other person in Belgium. The Tender Offer has not been made, directly or indirectly, to the public in the Republic of France ("France"). This announcement has not been, or will not be, distributed to the public in France, and only (i) providers of investment services relating to portfolio management for the account of third parties (personnes fournissant le service d'investissement de gestion de portefeuille pour compte de tiers) and/or (ii) qualified investors (investisseurs qualifies), other than individuals, acting for their own account, all as defined in, and in accordance with, Articles L.411-1, L.411-2 and D.411-1 to D.411-4 of the French Code monetaire et financier, are eligible to participate in the Tender Offer. This announcement has not been, or will not be, submitted for clearance to or approved by the Autorite des Marches Financiers. None of this announcement, the Tender Offer Memorandum or any other documents or materials relating to the Tender Offer has been, or will be, submitted to the clearance procedures of the Commissione Nazionale per le Societa e la Borsa ("CONSOB") pursuant to applicable Italian laws and regulations. The Tender Offer was conducted in the Republic of Italy ("Italy") as an exempted offer pursuant to Article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of the Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24 February 1998, as amended (the "Financial Services Act") and Article 35-bis, paragraph 3, of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of 14 May 1999, as amended (the "Issuer's Regulation") and, therefore, is intended for, and directed only at qualified investors (investitori qualificati) (the "Italian Qualified Investors"), as defined pursuant to Article 100, paragraph 1, letter (a) of the Financial Services Act and Article 34-ter, paragraph 1, letter (b) of the Issuers' Regulation. Accordingly, the Tender Offer cannot be promoted, nor may copies of any document related thereto be distributed, mailed or otherwise forwarded, or sent in Italy other than to Italian Qualified Investors. Holders or beneficial owners of the 2018 Convertible Bonds who are Italian Qualified Investors resident and/or located in Italy could only tender the 2018 Convertible Bonds for purchase through authorised persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with the Financial Services Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 16190 of 29 October 2007, as amended from time to time, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of 1 September 1993, as amended from time to time) and in compliance with any other applicable laws and regulations and with any requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority. This announcement may not be distributed or circulated in The Netherlands, other than to persons or entities which are "qualified investors" (gekwalificeerde beleggers) as defined in Article 1:1 of the Dutch Financial Supervision Act (Wet op het financieel toezicht). The communication of this announcement is not being made, and has not been approved, by an "authorised person" within the meaning of Section 21 of the U.K. Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Accordingly, this announcement is not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of this announcement is only being made to those persons in the United Kingdom falling within the definition of investment professionals (as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Financial Promotion Order")) or persons who are within Article 43 of the Financial Promotion Order or any other persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be made under the Financial Promotion Order (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). This announcement must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. The Tender Offer to which this announcement relates was made only to relevant persons and was engaged in only with relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this announcement or any of its content. This announcement must not be distributed, published, reproduced or disclosed (in whole or in part) by recipients to any other person. CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Emmy-winning medical correspondent and North Park alum Dr. Timothy Johnson will discuss the future of health care in America tonight in a lecture to the school's medical and nursing sciences students. The student-only event will be held in the Nancy and G. Timothy Johnson Center for Science and Community Life, the building named in honor of Dr. Johnson and his wife. Dr. Johnson will offer his predictions for what the American health care system will look like five years and 10 years down the road. Dr. Johnson is the cornerstone of a proud medical legacy at North Park Dr. Johnson, who served as chief medical correspondent for ABC News from 1984-2010, graduated from North Park College (now University) in 1956, and earned a degree from North Park Theological Seminary in 1963. "We are extraordinarily privileged to benefit from Dr. Johnson's vast knowledge of healthcare, and his willingness to share his insights, gained over a lifetime of service, with our students who are just starting their life's work," said North Park Interim President Carl Balsam. "We hope this will inspire many of our students to follow in his footsteps." Following his talk, Dr. Johnson will participate in a question and answer session with students. Pizza will be served afterward in the Johnson Center. To watch a live stream of the lecture, follow North Park University on Facebook, or tune in at northpark.edu/live. ABOUT NORTH PARK UNIVERSITY North Park University is a city-centered, intercultural, and Christian university located in Chicago. https://www.northpark.edu/ SOURCE North Park University Related Links http://www.northpark.edu TULSA, Okla. and SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE: MMP) (Magellan) and Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE: VLO) (Valero) announced today the expansion and joint development of the marine storage facility currently under construction along the Houston Ship Channel in Pasadena, Texas. The Pasadena facility, which will handle petroleum products, including multiple grades of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, and renewable fuels, will be owned by a limited liability company that is owned 50/50 by Magellan and Valero and will initially include 5 million barrels of storage, truck loading facilities and 2 proprietary ship docks. As previously announced in July 2016, phase 1 of this facility is already under construction, which includes approximately 1 million barrels of storage and a new marine dock capable of handling Panamax-sized ships or barges with up to a 40-foot draft. This first phase will now be owned by the jointly-owned company. Further, this facility will be expanded by an incremental 4 million barrels of storage, a 3-bay truck rack and a second marine dock capable of handling Aframax-sized vessels with up to a 45-foot draft (phase 2). After completion of this expansion, the Pasadena facility will be connected via pipeline to Valero's refineries in Houston and Texas City, Texas and the Colonial and Explorer pipelines in addition to the already planned connection to Magellan's Galena Park terminal facility. Combined, phases 1 and 2 of the Pasadena marine terminal are currently estimated to cost approximately $820 million, which will be funded equally by capital contributions from Magellan and Valero. With the new arrangement, Magellan's incremental capital spending will be approximately $75 million more than its previous spending estimates of $335 million for phase 1 alone. Both phases are fully contracted with long-term customer commitments. Magellan currently serves as construction manager and will serve as operator once construction is complete. Phase 1 of the new terminal is expected to be operational in early 2019, with phase 2 expected to come on-line in early 2020, subject to receipt of necessary permits and regulatory approvals. "Magellan is pleased to join forces with Valero to combine our extensive pipeline and terminals capabilities with their world-renowned refining and marketing expertise to further expand the state-of-the-art marine facility being constructed in Pasadena," said Michael Mears, Magellan's chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Demand for refined products from the Gulf Coast continues to grow, and together, we are well-positioned to continue expanding our marine capabilities to meet this demand from both domestic and international markets." "Valero is excited about this opportunity to work with an exceptional organization like Magellan to jointly develop this flexible and well-positioned terminal," said Joe Gorder, Valero's chairman, president and chief executive officer. "This project provides another example of our commitment to growing our portfolio of logistics capabilities to support our long-term strategy of expanding and extending our supply chain." If warranted by additional demand, the new Pasadena facility could be expanded to include an incremental 5 million barrels of storage, another 3 docks and expanded truck loading capacity, for a maximum footprint of up to 10 million barrels of total storage and up to 5 docks. All future expansions are expected to be owned by the jointly-owned company. About Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE: MMP) is a publicly traded partnership that primarily transports, stores and distributes refined petroleum products and crude oil. Magellan owns the longest refined petroleum products pipeline system in the country, with access to nearly 50% of the nation's refining capacity, and can store approximately 100 million barrels of petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel and crude oil. More information is available at www.magellanlp.com. About Valero Valero Energy Corporation, through its subsidiaries, is an international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels and other petrochemical products. Valero, a Fortune 50 company based in San Antonio, Texas, with approximately 10,000 employees, is an independent petroleum refiner and ethanol producer, and its assets include 15 petroleum refineries with a combined throughput capacity of approximately 3.1 million barrels per day and 11 ethanol plants with a combined production capacity of 1.4 billion gallons per year. The petroleum refineries are located in the United States (U.S.), Canada and the United Kingdom (U.K.), and the ethanol plants are located in the Mid-Continent region of the U.S. In addition, Valero owns the 2 percent general partner interest and a majority limited partner interest in Valero Energy Partners LP, a midstream master limited partnership. Valero sells its products in both the wholesale rack and bulk markets, and approximately 7,400 outlets carry Valero's brand names in the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Ireland. Please visit www.valero.com for more information. Portions of this document constitute forward-looking statements as defined by federal law. Although management of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. and Valero Energy Corporation (the "companies") believe any such statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there is no assurance that actual outcomes will not be materially different. Among the key risk factors associated with the project that may have a direct impact on the companies' results of operations and financial condition are: (1) the ability to obtain required rights-of-way, permits and other approvals on a timely basis; (2) the ability to complete construction of the projects on time and at expected costs; (3) price fluctuations and overall demand for refined petroleum products; (4) the occurrence of an operational hazard or unforeseen interruption; (5) disruption in the debt and equity markets that negatively impacts the companies' abilities to finance capital spending and (6) willingness to incur or failure of customers or vendors to meet or continue contractual obligations. Additional information about issues that could lead to material changes in performance is contained in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for both companies. You are urged to carefully review and consider the cautionary statements and other disclosures made in those filings, especially under the heading "Risk Factors." The companies undertake no obligation to revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after today's date. SOURCE Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P.; Valero Energy Corporation Related Links http://www.magellanlp.com LOS ANGELES, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- USA News Group - Canada's first-mover Cannabis companies are taking the lead in moving from cannabis concept to the revenue producers. Companies making gains include: Canopy Growth Inc. (OTC: TWMJF) (TSX: WEED) Aurora Cannabis (OTC: ACBFF) (TSX: ACB) Aphria Inc. (OTC: APHQF) (TSX: APH) and Abattis Bioceuticals Corp. (OTC: ATTBF) (CSE: ATT). As most investors already recognize, Canada has taken the early lead in the move towards legalization of marijuana. The calendar is set to lift prohibition in mid-2018 under the current government there. First mover companies who are anticipating the change are moving at an ever increasing pace to stake their positions and grab market share in what may be the hay day for cannabis stocks. Markets are embracing the trend and rewarding companies that show the ability to make real advances and grow revenue. Early participants on the leading edge include Abattis Bioceuticals Corp. (CSE: ATT.CN) (OTCQB: ATTBF), which is set to make some major inroads with its licensed testing and timely extraction capabilities - one of the only public companies with this complete skill set. On the production side, Canopy Growth Inc. (TSX: WEED.TO) (OTC: TWMJF) is one of the stars, soaring to as high as $13 per share in February of 2017, only to fall more than 40% to under $8 in May of this year. Other licensed cannabis companies who are right on pace include Aurora Cannabis (TSX-V: ACB.V) (OTCQX: ACBFF), and Aphria Inc. (TSX-V: APH.V) (OTCQB: APHQF) who are each closing in on the $1 billion market cap mark. These players fall into the mega-producer category with massive facilities to grow and produce cannabis, with the exception of Abattis, who have smartly positioned themselves to become the go-to testing and research provider handling the needs of all cannabis producers. UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH Even at this relatively early stage, it is evident that the cannabis industry is experiencing nearly unprecedented growth. The value being generated as a result is exceptional - heading for CAGR projected as high as 25% through 2025. Beyond the plant's basic use through straight consumption, medicinal or recreational, are several other derivatives that provide major potential for the industry as a whole. North American marijuana sales grew by an unprecedented 30% in 2016 to $6.7 billion as the legal market expands in the U.S. and Canada, according to a new report by Arcview Market Research. North American sales are projected to top $20.2 billion by 2021 assuming a compound annual growth rate of 25%. The report includes Canada for the first time as it moves towards implementing legal adult use marijuana. The market for CBD alone hit $170 million in 2016, and is projected to grow $1 billion by 2020 . To reach these kind of massive numbers, the industry is going to need a lot of independent firms doing research and coming up with new and better extraction methods, formulations and enormous testing capacity. HEDGING ON RESEARCH AND TESTING The global cannabis testing market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.5%, culminating towards a $1.42 billion market by 2021. This makes sense, since in order to deliver on big volumes, producers will need an accurate reading of the drug's potency, including the levels of the key medicinal components of cannabis, THC and CBD. Producers all recognize that this will require a skilled and specialized third party to test their product before it goes to market. This is the segment targeted directly by newcomer Abattis Bioceuticals. The company has a full spectrum lab staffed with industry experts to ensure the quality standard required by producers and developers. Its subsidiary, Northern Vine Labs, will not be limited for testing, however. Another major component to the facility will be in extraction and formulation. This means that the company will be involved in innovation of methods to extract medicinal components from cannabis on a massive industrial scale, and to formulate them for consumer products. Research will become a critically important part of this industry as it grows. ATT'S SWEET SPOT All the growth and attention being paid to testing have put leading edge companies like ATT at the forefront. ATT for instance, is establishing multiple assets to become Canada's cannabis testing, formulation and extraction facility of choice. Most of the companies in the cannabis space have entered through the producer's side of the business either cultivation or some aspect of production and distribution. Certainly the Canopy, Aurora, Aphria and others have focused on production. This has created a large and potentially very profitable opening for those companies applying bioscience and technology on the leading edge of the cannabis business. Even some of the mega stars have yet to tap into an even greater potential resource one that's at the center of up and comer Abattis Bioceutical Corp.'s agenda. Abattis Bioceuticals and its majority-owned subsidiary Northern Vine Labs have merged efforts to create a state-of-the-art testing and research company, supported by its fully licensed labs that provide for legal cannabis testing and formulations. These combined operations will be one of the most sophisticated, Health Canada licensed operations in the country with the potential to handle virtually all forms of Cannabis testing and extraction development. Through its unique position as one of only very few labs granted the licensing needed to test cannabis, ATT is securing its future in the cannabis sector. With the addition Northern Vine Labs for research and products through Vergence, the company is also opening its services to a very broad spectrum. At this point it has the assets in place to vault its way up that of major status among the Auroras, Aphrias, and Canopys that are emerging. Those companies range from $800 million to $1.5 billion in market caps. Abattis Bioceuticals appears undervalued by comparison at a mere $24 million market cap. ATT has diversified its operations into several segments, from research and certification in its testing and lab facilities, to formulations and extracts exclusive to Northern Vine Labs and to products provided by its Vergence subsidiary. Although only recently established as a full spectrum R&D cannabis sector company, ATT has managed to bring together very valuable assets while tripling its price from a year ago. With the early interest and pent up demand for services, Abattis Bioceuticals looks like a serious leader as the cannabis sector seeks to build its infrastructure. POTENTIAL COMPARABLES Aphria (TSXV: APH) (OTCQB: APHQF) Aphria Inc., boasts itself as one of Canada's lowest cost producers, that produces, supplies and sells medical cannabis. Located in the greenhouse capital of Canada, Leamington, Ontario, Aphria provides pharma-grade medical cannabis, and quality patient care. Aphria was the first public LP to report positive cash flow from operations, and the first to report positive earnings in consecutive quarters. Aurora Cannabis (TSXV: ACB) (OTCQX: ACBFF) Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Aurora Cannabis Enterprises Inc., Aurora Cannabis is a major LP, operating a 55,200 square foot, state-of-the-art production facility in Mountain View County, Alberta. Aurora made waves when it announced the construction of its 800,000 square foot "Aurora Sky" facility second 800,000 square foot production facility at the Edmonton International Airport. Aurora's also involved in Quebec, with its third 40,000 square foot production facility set to be completed in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, on Montreal's West Island. Aurora also holds a minority stake in leading extraction technology company Radient Technologies Inc., based in Edmonton, and a minority stake in Australian company Cann Group Limited, which was the first in Australia to conduct research on and cultivate medical cannabis. Aurora also owns German wholesale importer, exporter, and EU medical cannabis distributor Pedanios. Canopy Growth Inc. (TSX: WEED) (OTC: TWMJF) The granddaddy of the corporate cannabis sector, Canopy Growth is the world's largest diversified cannabis company. Canopy boasts a wide offering of distinct brands and curated cannabis varieties in dried, oil and capsule forms. Most widely recognized is Canopy's subsidiary Tweed which is the world's most recognized marijuana production brand, as well as an industry educator. Accompanying Tweed in Canopy's portfolio is medical-grade cannabis producers Bedrocan Canada. In total, Canopy Growth's numerous state-of-the-art production facilities total over half a million square feet of GMP-certified indoor and greenhouse production capacity. For a more in-depth look into ATT you can view the in-depth report at USA News Group: http://usanewsgroup.com/2017/09/11/biotech-sector-poised-to-deliver-more-health-and-wealth-2-2-2 Article Source: USA News Group http://usanewsgroup.com [email protected] Legal Disclaimer/Disclosure: This piece is an advertorial and has been paid for. This document is not and should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for any investment. No information in this Report should be construed as individualized investment advice. A licensed financial advisor should be consulted prior to making any investment decision. We make no guarantee, representation or warranty and accept no responsibility or liability as to its accuracy or completeness. Expressions of opinion are those of USA News Group only and are subject to change without notice. USA News Group assumes no warranty, liability or guarantee for the current relevance, correctness or completeness of any information provided within this Report and will not be held liable for the consequence of reliance upon any opinion or statement contained herein or any omission. Furthermore, we assume no liability for any direct or indirect loss or damage or, in particular, for lost profit, which you may incur as a result of the use and existence of the information, provided within this Report. DISCLAIMER: USA News Group is Source of all content listed above. FN Media Group, LLC (FNM), is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with USA News Group or any company mentioned herein. 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Contact Information: [email protected] U.S. Phone: +1(954)345-0611 SOURCE USA News Group Deluna's new collection of apparel and accessories showcases her vibrant and intricate signature prints which are silkscreened by hand. She continues to distinguish herself by adhering to old-school design and production methods. Her contemporary lifestyle brand embodies the spirit of preppy boho-chic and highlights her " New York Designed. Texas Made. " initiative. More than 50 day-to-evening looks appeared on the runway. When asked about her initiative, Deluna commented, "It makes perfect sense to me to create a collection primarily manufactured in Texas. This offers opportunities for others where I grew up, which adds more meaning to my New York designs." "New York Dandy" and fashion icon Patrick McDonald commented on the show, saying "Marisol Deluna's Spring/Summer 2018 Collection is a fresh take on classic sophisticated looks!" Designer David Hart stated, "The Marisol Deluna girl will be extremely pleased with any of the hand silkscreened textiles that almost seem to float in the air. It's no wonder Marisol has 20 years of iconic work." Fashion historian Cameron Silver has referred to Marisol Deluna as the "21st Century Lilly Pulitzer" due to her distinctive signature prints. Also in attendance, milliner Rod Keenan said, "From the Girl Scouts of the USA to the City of New York, to a scarf presented to HM Queen Elizabeth II and now this runway collection- Marisol Deluna, never fails to surprise and amaze." About Marisol Deluna: Marisol Deluna began her fashion career in 1989 while working in New York's Garment District. In 1997, she formed Deluna By Design, Inc. and more recently Marisol Deluna New York LLC, which promotes her "New York Designed. Texas Made." initiative. Alongside her lifestyle collections, Deluna designs for a variety of organizations including official uniform items for the Girl Scouts of the USA. She chairs the Marisol Deluna Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports a "Fashion Initiative" for mentoring those interested in design arts in her home state of Texas. Honoring her sister, the foundation's "Linda Luna Duffy Creative Hope Initiative" provides an inclusive artistic environment for those with special needs. Deluna resides in Manhattan. www.gettyimages.com/photos/marisol-deluna-nyfw-september-8 www.gettyimages.com/photos/marisol-deluna www.marisoldeluna.com www.marisoldelunafoundation.org www.facebook.com/MarisolDelunaNewYork www.facebook.com/MarisolDelunaFoundation Media contact: [email protected] SOURCE Marisol Deluna New York Related Links http://www.marisoldeluna.com The new television spot follows McConaughey as he strolls down a lively cobblestone street with a bottle of Wild Turkey Bourbon in hand. He exits a rocking music arena, walks past a bustling club full of people dancing, and continues along, gliding past vibrant city nightlife. At every turn he hears a familiar song; that song he can't get out of his head. Finally, he comes to two chairs in front of a fire, at a vantage point overlooking the city lights, and there beside him sits Davie, the musician whose song "Testify" has been playing along McConaughey's journey. He opens the bottle, pours two glasses of Wild Turkey Bourbon to toast with Davie, who, in spite of being able to fill stadiums, is still performing his music his way, for himself, never compromising. In the end, the commercial demonstrates that real fulfillment is something that will find you when you remain true to yourself. Throughout the spot, McConaughey narrates: "We didn't set out to make a hit, we just sang our song. Real bourbon, no apologies. Wild Turkey. It'll find you." Similar to last year's inaugural campaign, the commercial follows Wild Turkey Bourbon as it journeys through various moments in time accompanied by a lively soundtrack of music hand selected by McConaughey. "This new TV spot demonstrates the cool ease and authenticity of this brand," said McConaughey. "I met Wild Turkey's Master Distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell years ago, and I immediately knew something was special about this brand they're not afraid to do things the right way, even if that's not the easiest way, never changing the formula to follow consumer trends. And if you live your life with the same principles, Wild Turkey will find you." Wild Turkey found McConaughey a few years ago upon his first visit to the iconic Kentucky distillery where he was introduced to the Russells, the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame father and son Master Distiller team who have worked at the Wild Turkey Distillery for nearly 100 years collectively. Intrigued by the multi-generational family behind the bourbon, McConaughey discovered Wild Turkey's faithful devotion to distilling bourbon the right, unapologetic way. "Bringing Matthew into the Wild Turkey family was the best decision we could have made," said Bob Kunze-Concewitz, CEO at Gruppo Campari, owner of Wild Turkey. "He embodies the spirit of the brand and has introduced millions to the unwavering pride and quality of Wild Turkey. We think this new ad is a great visualization of the Wild Turkey spirit." "Matthew continues to embody Wild Turkey's values both in front of and behind the camera," said Brent Choi, Chief Creative Office, J. Walter Thompson New York. "His passion and hands-on dedication to tell Wild Turkey's story authentically is like nothing we've seen before in a celebrity-brand collaboration." The television spot will begin running worldwide in September, and is part of a global broadcast, print, and digital campaign. The TV spot was shot on location in Southern California with support from RSA Films. About Matthew McConaughey Texas native Matthew McConaughey is one of Hollywood's most sought-after leading men. A chance meeting in Austin with casting director and producer Don Phillips led him to director Richard Linklater, who launched the actor's career in the cult classic "Dazed and Confused." Since then, he has appeared in over 40 feature films that have grossed over $1 billion; and has become a producer, director, and philanthropist all the while sticking to his Texas roots and "jk livin" philosophy. 2014 was a game-changing year for McConaughey. For his riveting portrayal of Ron Woodruff in "Dallas Buyers Club," McConaughey received an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and Gotham Award for Best Actor, the Best Actor Award at the Rome Film Festival as well as the Desert Palm Achievement Actor Award at the Palm Springs Film Festival. He also made the move to TV starring alongside Woody Harrelson in the HBO dramatic series "True Detective." The show was met by rave reviews from critics and fans alike and earned Matthew a Critics Choice and TCA Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series as well as an Emmy Nomination. McConaughey can next be seen in "White Boy Rick" and opposite Anne Hathaway in "Serenity". In 2008, Mr. McConaughey started The just keep livin Foundation (www.jklivinfoundation.org), which is dedicated to helping boys and girls transform into men and women through programs that teach the importance of decision-making, health, education, and active living. The Foundation has partnered with Communities in Schools (CIS) the nation's largest, non-profit, dropout-prevention organization in West Los Angeles to implement fitness and wellness programs in two large urban high schools. Through an afterschool program, they are able to give kids a healthy start in life and the promise of a healthy future. About Wild Turkey The Distillery for Wild Turkey Bourbon is located in Kentucky, situated on a deep limestone shelf on the Kentucky River. The shelf acts as a natural filter and provides the distillery with crystal clear water, vital to making such a high quality product. Wild Turkey features the legendary father and son Master Distilling team of Jimmy and Eddie Russell, who have nearly 100 years of collective experience working at the Wild Turkey distillery. The famous Wild Turkey brand name first came about back in 1940 when distillery executive Thomas McCarthey took a few warehouse samples on a Wild Turkey hunting trip with a group of friends. The following year, his friends asked him for "some of that Wild Turkey whiskey" and the brand was born. Wild Turkey is distilled and put into new oak barrels at a much lower ABV than most bourbons. This results in a much richer flavor, as less is cooked out during the production process. Ageing in the highest quality new American oak barrels with the heaviest char available (the Number 4 "alligator" char), imparts a smooth flavor and deep amber color to the whiskey. The barrels are filled at the distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Website: wildturkey.com About Gruppo Campari Gruppo Campari is a major player in the global spirits industry, with a portfolio of over 50 premium and super premium brands, spreading across Global, Regional and Local priorities. Global Priorities, the Group's key focus, include Aperol, Appleton Estate, Campari, SKYY, Wild Turkey and Grand Marnier. The Group was founded in 1860 and today is the sixth-largest player worldwide in the premium spirits industry. It has a global distribution reach, trading in over 190 nations around the world with leading positions in Europe and the Americas. The Group's growth strategy aims to combine organic growth through strong brand building and external growth via selective acquisitions of brands and businesses. Headquartered in Milan, Italy, Campari owns 18 plants worldwide and has its own distribution network in 20 countries. The Group employs approximately 4,000 people. The shares of the parent company Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A. (Reuters CPRI.MI - Bloomberg CPR IM) have been listed on the Italian Stock Exchange since 2001. For more information: www.camparigroup.com/en Please enjoy our brands responsibly. For Additional Information, Contact: Jared Ricardo Gruppo Campari Kaila Frisone Sunshine Sachs (415) 923-8732 (212) 691-2800 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Wild Turkey Related Links http://wildturkeybourbon.com HUNT VALLEY, Md., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- McCormick and its U.S. family of brands are launching 40 new products to help people get back to home cooking after summer with simple and flavorful seasonings, flavored broths, noodles and more. Available in stores this fall, these products make it easier than ever to create tasty meals throughout the day. "People continue to look for simple ways to eat wholesome meals at home that taste amazing, and that's an especially tall order during the busy fall season," said Jill Pratt, Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Core and Specialty McCormick Brands. "These new products offer many options to make a flavorful breakfast, dinner or snack in minutes whether it's heating up a mug of rich turmeric and ginger bone broth for an afternoon pick-me-up, or combining Simply Asia soba noodles with your favorite veggies and broth to make an easy noodle bowl." Here's a sampling of the new products launching for the fall: McCormick Simply Better Gravy: Made with real ingredients, including stock, vegetables and McCormick herbs and spices, these ready-to-serve gravies are a hearty addition to holiday and everyday meals. Plus, there's no artificial flavors, no added MSG and they're gluten-free. Turkey, Beef and Chicken Gravy varieties available McCormick Good Morning Slow Cooker Breakfast Seasoning Mixes: Featuring simple recipes on the package, these seasoning mixes make for a warm hearty breakfast or brunch the whole family can enjoy together. Simply Asia Noodles and Broths: Making a noodle bowl at home can be quicker than ordering take-out. Choose a noodle, which cook in under 10 minutes, add flavored broth, and top with favorite veggies and protein. Kitchen Basics Bone Broths: Swap afternoon tea or coffee for new, protein-packed bone broth flavors. Garlic Blends: Garlic lovers everywhere, rejoice! This classic cooking ingredient is pairing up with some serious flavors. Sprinkle these products anywhere you would normally use garlic powder or salt. All-Purpose Seasoning Blends: Five simple seasoning blends are perfect for everyday cooking. A mix of familiar spices and herbs like red pepper, basil and oregano these new pantry staples add fool-proof flavor to any dish. Cheesy Pasta Sauce Seasoning Mixes: Create cheesy, delicious sauces on-demand for family favorites like mac & cheese and pasta. Each bottle makes multiple batches of sauce with no MSG or artificial flavors. McCormick Limited Edition Recipe & Seasoning Mixes for Slow Cookers and Roasted Vegetables: Put the slow cooker to work with these easy recipe mixes to make comforting fall classics. McCormick Peppercorn Grinders: Add a kick to any dish with the twist of fresh pepper in new varieties. In addition, twenty-four classic McCormick spices, herbs and seasoning blends will be available in larger sizes. Turmeric, Garlic Powder, Cinnamon, Italian Seasoning and Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning are just a few of the favorites in bigger bottles. Note to Media: For more new product information and high-res images, visit McCormick's New Product Page. About McCormick McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE: MKC) is a global leader in flavor. With $4.4 billion in annual sales, the company manufactures, markets and distributes spices, seasoning mixes, condiments and other flavorful products to the entire food industry retail outlets, food manufacturers and foodservice businesses. Every day, no matter where or what you eat, you can enjoy food flavored by McCormick. McCormick Brings the Joy of Flavor to Life. For more information, visit www.mccormickcorporation.com. SOURCE McCormick Related Links http://www.mccormickcorporation.com WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Less than a week after arriving on the International Space Station, Expedition 53 Flight Engineer Mark Vande Hei will speak with students from the Pine River-Backus Schools in Pine River, Minnesota, at 10:40 a.m. EDT Monday, Sept. 18. The 20-minute, Earth-to-space call will air live on NASA Television and the agency's website. Vande Hei will answer questions from kindergarten to 12th -grade students assembled at the Pine River-Backus Schools. Vande Hei launched to the space station on Tuesday, Sept. 12. He is scheduled to return to Earth in late February. For more information on the downlink, contact Troy Gregory at 218-587-2080 or [email protected] or Tina Hanneken at 218-587-8325 or [email protected]. The NASA/Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics, or STEAM, Fair will be held immediately following the NASA downlink. The fair will consist of interactive and informational stations related to STEAM subjects. The community is welcome to attend both the downlink and the fair. The downlink and fair will be held at the Pine River Backus Schools, 401 Murray Ave. in Pine River. Use door 33 to enter the school. Linking students directly to astronauts aboard the space station provides unique, authentic experiences designed to enhance student learning, performance and interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). This in-flight education downlink is an integral component of NASA Education's STEM on Station activity, which provides a variety of space station-related resources and opportunities to students and educators. Follow the astronauts on social media: https://www.twitter.com/NASA_astronauts For more information, videos and lesson plans highlighting research on the International Space Station, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation SOURCE NASA Related Links http://www.nasa.gov DURHAM, N.C., Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Prolific Interactive, an award-winning mobile product agency, announced today that they will be expanding their operations with the opening of a third location in Durham, North Carolina. With continued expansion and investment into the tech industry, the Raleigh-Durham area is an attractive new market for the rapidly growing agency with current offices in Brooklyn and San Francisco. The Durham Chamber of Commerce has warmly welcomed Prolific to the community. "Prolific Interactive is an exciting addition to Durham's knowledge driven, technology based economy. This highly awarded agency benefits from Durham's eccentric and cool personality and will contribute to our growing list of world class technology companies working in Durham's ever evolving informatics industry cluster," said Ted Conner, Senior Vice President, Economic Development & Community Sustainability. In 2016 Prolific was recognized as a "Best Place to Work" by AdAge and Crain's New York Business, as well as one of Inc. 500's "Fastest Growing Private Companies" and one of Crain's "50 Fastest Growing Companies in New York." With a three-year revenue growth of 881.9% between 2012 and 2015, Prolific looked to expand operations in 2017. "After extensive research into several markets in the US, it became abundantly clear that Durham was the perfect fit for Prolific. The rapidly growing innovation in the Research Triangle, with incredible talent from entry level to experienced leaders, made Durham a very attractive opportunity," said Bobak Emamian, CEO of Prolific Interactive. Prolific Interactive's third location will be in the American Underground, a former tobacco factory turned office and co-working space for Durham's startups and entrepreneurs. "When we started the American Underground in 2010, our goal was to create the center of gravity in the Triangle tech community. Prolific Interactive's expansion here reinforces that best in class firms have an ideal landing spot and community to plug into. We can't wait to work with Prolific and their growing team," says Adam Klein, Chief Strategist of American Underground. Prolific's Durham location is located at 201 W. Main Street, Durham, North Carolina. The office is led by Courtney Starr who can be contacted at [email protected]. About Prolific Interactive Prolific Interactive (www.prolificinteractive.com) is a mobile-focused product agency based in Brooklyn and San Francisco. Through a strategy-led, user-centric approach to creating products, Prolific delivers mobile experiences for leading brands including American Express, Saks Fifth Avenue, Gap, Sephora, SoulCycle, and Scott's Miracle Gro. Founded in 2009, Prolific has been recognized as a "Best Place to Work" by AdAge and Crain's New York Business, as well as one of Inc. 500's Fastest Growing Private Companies of 2016 and one of Crain's "50 Fastest Growing Companies in New York." SOURCE Prolific Interactive Related Links http://www.prolificinteractive.com SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Finance, the worldwide well-known financial magazine has released the 10th annual Stars of China Awards, honoring the best Chinese financial institutions. As a leading Chinese fintech company, Neo Financial ("the Company" or "Neo) was awarded 2017 Innovation in Fintech. Global Finance regularly selects the top performers among banks and other providers of financial services. These awards have become a trusted standard of excellence for the global financial community. Stars of China Awards honors the strongest and most innovative financial leaders in China. The editorial board of Global Finance collected inputs from industry experts, leading executives, professional investors, consultants and public resources. Performances of applicants were judged over the period between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017. With financial innovation driven by technologies, Neo Financial is striving to bring clients more convenient and safer financial services, safeguarding clients' assets, maintaining and adding values to their fortune. Since 2016, Neo Financial has begun to reform its borrower side based on fintech, shifted its customer acquisition model from an "offline" model to an "offline + online" model, and driven its own growth with technologies rather than manpower. Neo Financial's business model has created a closed loop of investment and financing. At the borrower side, it has built a national network of salespeople to search for quality small amount borrowers, while at the investor side, it has acquired customers online and facilitated the settlement of P2P lending business. Through independent modeling, real-time engine, and enhanced risk control based on big data, scenario-based monitoring and early warning can be achieved before, during and after the lending. Neo Financial said that it was a privilege to be awarded the 2017 winner of Innovation in Fintech by Global Finance which reflects the recognition of Neo Financial's performance in terms of innovation in Fintech. Looking ahead, Neo Financial will constantly optimize its financial risk control procedures, impose refined management on client categories and product categories and ensure risks are accurately measured, thus extending the reach of financial services to more vulnerable people and creating a financial system oriented to household finance in the future. Last year, Ant Financial was awarded the winner of Innovation in Fintech. Other winners include Bank of China, ICBC, Ping An, AsiaPay, and Standard Chartered. About Neo Financial As part of the inclusive finance arm of Neo Capital, Neo Financial features a business mode of risk dispersion in small amount. At the very beginning of its foundation, Neo Financial made active efforts to create its fintech core competitiveness. Neo Financial aims at becoming a superior access for small & micro businesses and young households, safeguarding clients' assets, and maintaining and adding values to their fortune. About Neo Capital Neo Capital Management Group Co., Ltd. (Neo Capital) was founded in 2012 - four main management centers were set up in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. Neo Capital has formed an ecosystem of wealth management, inclusive finance, consumer finance and investment management. It is committed to providing comprehensive and professional family financial services to the community. SOURCE Neo Financial When it comes to selecting a LASIK surgeon, 75% of consumers find reviews to be extremely important when gathering information about prospective surgeons. For those considering cosmetic dentistry procedures, almost 63% find review sites to be a critical factor in their decision making process, the study showed. "These first-of-their kind findings are really eye-opening and will change the way plastic surgeons, dentists and eye surgeons think about and execute their review strategies," says Dr. David Evans, Ceatus CEO. "Our data clearly demonstrates the importance of reviews to patients seeking elective healthcare procedures. We are excited to share this unique data specific to dentistry, plastic surgery and eye surgery." The new survey also asked which review sites matter the most when researching a dentist, plastic surgeon or LASIK or cataract surgeon. Overall, Google ranked No. 1. For plastic surgery seekers, RealSelf took the No. 2 spot. Healthgrades took No. 2 for eye surgery and dentistry. Consumers were also asked which review sites are least important when researching a dentist, plastic surgeon or LASIK or cataract surgeon. In general, Facebook and Yellow Pages were considered least important, however Yelp and Google were also in the mix, suggesting that consumers have highly varying opinions about which review sites matter. Survey/Methodology The survey was conducted among individuals who visited three of the Ceatus-owned elective healthcare educational sites Consumer Guide to Dentistry (www.yourdentistryguide.com), Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery (www.yourplasticsurgeryguide.com) and Better Vision Guide (www.bettervisionguide.com) from May 1 to May 30. Respondents were asked seven questions related to their use of the Internet and reviews when researching specific elective healthcare procedures and choosing a doctor. Ceatus Media Group is a cutting edge digital marketing and reputation management agency located in San Diego, California with clients across the United States and twelve countries. Ceatus' seven healthcare educational websites receive more than 6 million visitors per year. For more information contact: Tamara Evans Vice President Marketing [email protected] 858-454-5505 SOURCE Ceatus Media Group Related Links http://www.ceatus.com NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brinks (NYSE:BCO) and Bento for Business, the award winning provider of expense management solutions, today introduced the Brinks Travel & Expense Debit Card. The Brinks T+E debit card, powered by Bento, enables companies to quickly and easily set specific spending parameters for each employee and tie expenses into a complete management platform. The announcement was made today at FinovateFall 2017 in New York City. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2de538cd-82e7-4c3c-ac1c-47fda3fa40a4 Bento provides Brinks customers with smart debit cards that can be controlled remotely via a computer or phone in real time. The Brinks T+E debit card allows businesses to set each employees spending limits by day, week, or month and restricts when and where cards can be used, helping to prevent employee expense leaks before they occur. For example, an employee might be allowed to use his or her corporate debit card to pay for gas at the pump but not to purchase snacks and drinks at the store inside the gas station. Any unauthorized transactions are simply declined. Employers can turn cards on or off with a single click while employees assume no personal liability, risk, or credit checks. Brinks T+E debit cards are tied into Bentos industry leading expense management platform, which offers administrators access to a powerful, easy-to-read dashboard that gives them quick insight into employee spending. The platform provides highly customizable two-way alerts to keep businesses informed of unexpected activity and syncs seamlessly with Intuit Quickbooks in a single click to ensure that accounts are always accurate and up-to-date. Additionally, employees benefit from the ability to take pictures of their receipts to automatically submit charges, eliminating the need for filling out and reviewing time-consuming expense reports. Mastercard continues to bring the convenience, flexibility and security of prepaid products to small and medium-sized businesses. By aligning with Brinks and Bento, underserved sectors of the business market will benefit from financial innovation," said Solana Cozzo, North America Market Vice President of Prepaid Product Management for Mastercard. Fraud and expense mismanagement can absolutely destroy a business, said Dominik Bossart, SVP Americas of The Brinks Company. We partnered with Bento because its innovative solution protects businesses in the best possible ways. Its debit cards make life far simpler for employees while providing organizations with outstanding control and greater accuracy in expense reporting. One third of all businesses that go bankrupt in the U.S. do so because of employee misuse of funds, amounting to $3.7 trillion lost each year globally, according to the 2016 Global Fraud Study by Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Additionally, businesses spend an average of 20 hours per week just on expense administration. Bentos expense management platform and business debit card solution reduces fraud and other misuse of funds, saves hours of administrative time each week, as well as provides much needed clarity on cash and expense flow. Brinks is an ideal partner for us in that every product it introduces is directed at solving significant pain points for thousands of SMBs, said Farhan Ahmad, CEO of Bento. We share that philosophy and together we can empower these businesses by solving their everyday challenges in very simple ways that make a dramatic impact on the bottom line. The new Brinks T+E debit card powered by Bento joins Brinks suite of payment solutions, now available to customers nationwide online at http://www.brinkstravelcard.com/brinkstravel and direct marketing channels. About The Brinks Company The Brinks Company (NYSE:BCO) is the worlds premier provider of secure transportation and cash management services. For more information, please visit The Brinks Company website at www.Brinks.com or call 804-289-9709. About Bento for Business Bento for Business provides financial solutions that fit small businesses, combining the security of a bank with the ease and convenience of a modern technology company. The first product on the Bento platform, the Bento Prepaid Commercial Mastercard, provides small business owners with much needed controls and better features than more expensive and cumbersome enterprise solutions. The companys founders have their roots in large financial services firms such as Barclays, JPMorgan Chase, Blackhawk Network, and Discover Card. Based in San Francisco and Chicago, Bento is venture backed. Learn more at www.bentoforbusiness.com or call 866-220-8455. Brinks T + E business debit Mastercard is issued by The Bancorp Bank pursuant to a license by Mastercard International Incorporated. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. ATLANTA, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Church's Chicken, and its international sister brandTexas Chicken, the global quick service restaurant brand devoted to serving the best hand-breaded fried chicken and scratch-made biscuits, has engaged CESO & Clear as its global brand positioning and experience agency to develop the framework for the brand's next stage of growth for both core legacy and emerging markets. The joint-venture between CESO and Clear will work collaboratively with JWT Atlanta to evolve the Church's Chicken and Texas Chicken brands domestically and globally. The objective will be to highlight Church's intrinsic values and align messages across both brands to create a unified household name. "We began this process by looking for an international branding agency to help us identify how we evolve our brand outside of the U.S., both the Church's Chicken brand in the Americas and the Texas Chicken brand in Asia, the Middle East, and elsewhere," said Hector Munoz, Executive Vice President & Global Chief Marketing Officer at Church's Chicken. "But what became abundantly clear is that we need a consistent approach to set ourselves up to compete longer term, so we realized it made sense to consolidate the work streams and unite resources to create a global brand positioning initiative." Church's looked at a handful of different agencies with varying capabilities, but CESO & Clear proved that their hands-on experience would bring value to the collaborative process between key stakeholders such as JWT Atlanta and Church's franchisees. CESO & Clear has an established track record of working with other respected global food service brands to create multiple consumer touchpoints that all deliver the same messaging and experience as other marketing initiatives. "The leadership at Church's has demonstrated a commitment to take this brand in a new direction. We will be clearly defining that unique space in the market, that delivers on fundamental truths," explained Tom Kowalski, Executive Creative Director for the project at CESO. "We are honored to help Church's optimize their brandmaking it the catalyst for change across all customer touchpoints. Driving meaningful connections with customers and communities can help Church's become a leading contender in their market." Sarah Whiticar, Senior Director of Global Business Intelligence at Church's Chicken, agrees. "This is a dual path approach, balancing the work that JWT is doing with us domestically to meet some short-term timelines, while understanding the deeper equity in the brand around the globe. This work will help us evolve the brand and, while there may be some slight differences in some parts of the world, we want to leverage our core competencies, understanding how we are the same and how we are different so that we can articulate it in a way that connects with consumers." In the first phase of the project, the collaborative agency relationship will be creating actionable guidelines on how the Church's brand should articulate itself to increase guest visitation, perceptions of value, and ultimately, loyalty. "This is a unique opportunity to take a brand that is in various points in its lifecycle across the globe and work to develop one strategic global vison for the brand," said Rhonda Hiatt, Executive Strategy Director for the project at Clear. "It's a significant opportunity to unlock global growth and ultimately deliver a phenomenal customer experience." "This work will enable us to zone in our brand identity, the DNA, the apex of what we stand for, in the eyes of the consumer," Munoz added. "From this brand truth we can move the path forward to creating compelling brand positioning for both emerging and core legacy markets." About Church's Chicken Founded in San Antonio, TX in 1952 by George W. Church, Church's Chicken is one of the largest quick service restaurant chicken chains in the world. Church's specializes in Original and Spicy Chicken freshly prepared throughout the day in small batches that are hand-battered and double-breaded, Tender Strips, sandwiches, honey-butter biscuits made from scratch and freshly baked, and classic, home-style sides all for a great value. Church's (along with its sister brand Texas Chicken outside the Americas) has more than 1,650 locations in 27 countries and international territories and system-wide sales of more than $1 billion. For more information, visit www.churchs.com. Follow Church's on Facebook at www.facebook.com/churchschicken and Twitter at www.twitter.com/churchschicken. About CESO Since 1987, CESO has been developing strategies, experiences and consumer touchpoints that deliver business results. From Brand Optimization and Experience Design, to Architecture and Engineering, they have worked with some of the world's best companies to improve the quality and reach of their brands. A team of over 150 people spans 9 different offices. Their process is built around a spirit of service where egos are checked at the door. CESO is driven by the idea of Creating Inspired Places for the World About Clear Established in 2012, Clear Strategy, and M&C Saatchi company, is a global brand marketing strategy consultancy with offices in New York, London and Singapore that specializes in insight-led strategy, experience and innovation. The Church's Global Branding Initiative is a joint venture between these two powerhouse firms. Contact: Peyton Sadler 866.571.3449 [email protected] SOURCE Church's Chicken TOKYO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has released recommended routes via the KYUSHU x TOKYO website to encourage travelers to venture beyond Tokyo to the Kyushu region and take advantage of both areas' wide ranges of features. These two fascinating regions are particularly well-known throughout Japan for their historically significant sites as well as their more contemporary cultural attractions. The website suggests easy trips from Tokyo, and has also invited influencers from abroad such as media representatives and famous travel bloggers to cover these routes. Their travel reports, sharing their experiences from a non-Japanese viewpoint, are coming soon. KYUSHU x TOKYO Website: http://www.kyushuandtokyo.org/ Recommended routes: FEEL THE EARTH After appreciating "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji," a masterpiece of one of the most famous ukiyo-e painters, Hokusai Katsushika, at the Sumida Hokusai Museum which possesses and exhibits his works, head to Sakurajima, an active volcano in Kagoshima Prefecture. An amazing trip to feel power of the earth. (Photo: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/opn/release/201709015265/?images) Travel Information from Tokyo to All Regions: http://www.tourism-alljapanandtokyo.org/?lang=en SOURCE Tokyo Metropolitan Government Related Links http://www.kyushuandtokyo.org/ TOKYO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has released recommended routes via the KYUSHU x TOKYO website to encourage travelers to venture beyond Tokyo to the Kyushu region and take advantage of both areas' wide ranges of features. These two fascinating regions are particularly well-known throughout Japan for their historically significant sites as well as their more contemporary cultural attractions. The website suggests easy trips from Tokyo, and has also invited influencers from abroad such as media representatives and famous travel bloggers to cover these routes. Their travel reports, sharing their experiences from a non-Japanese viewpoint, are coming soon. KYUSHU x TOKYO Website: http://www.kyushuandtokyo.org/?language=de Recommended routes: WATER TAXI CRUISE After taking a great view of the Tokyo Bay that includes the Rainbow Bridge and jetliners taking off and landing at Haneda Airport, go on a trip to the miraculous Aoshima Shrine standing on Aoshima Island, surrounded by the sea. A great trip to get up close and feel the Japanese ocean. (Photo: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/opn/release/201709015264/?images) Travel Information from Tokyo to All Regions: http://www.tourism-alljapanandtokyo.org/?lang=en SOURCE Tokyo Metropolitan Government Related Links http://www.kyushuandtokyo.org/?language=de TOKYO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has released recommended routes via the KYUSHU x TOKYO website to encourage travelers to venture beyond Tokyo to the Kyushu region and take advantage of both areas' wide ranges of features. These two fascinating regions are particularly well-known throughout Japan for their historically significant sites as well as their more contemporary cultural attractions. The website suggests easy trips from Tokyo, and has also invited influencers from abroad such as media representatives and famous travel bloggers to cover these routes. Their travel reports, sharing their experiences from a non-Japanese viewpoint, are coming soon. KYUSHU x TOKYO Website: http://www.kyushuandtokyo.org/?language=fr Recommended routes: HISTORIC BEAUTY OF ARTS AND BUILDINGS After appreciating artworks at the National Museum of Western Art in the Ueno Park, Tokyo, together with its architectural and historical building, take in the Oura Tenshudo, a Catholic church located in Nagasaki Prefecture. It's considered the oldest existing Christian church in Japan, and was the first Western building designated as a national treasure. This journey will fully satisfy you with the historic beauty of arts and buildings. Photo1: The National Museum of Western Art http://prw.kyodonews.jp/img/201709015261-O1-5pd0XqYY In 2016, "The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement," including the National Museum of Western Art, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Photo2: Oura Tenshudo http://prw.kyodonews.jp/img/201709015261-O2-wXU70r6Y Travel Information from Tokyo to All Regions: http://www.tourism-alljapanandtokyo.org/?lang=en SOURCE Tokyo Metropolitan Government Related Links http://www.kyushuandtokyo.org/?language=fr NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Children's Defense Fund-New York Executive Director Naomi Post issued the following statement today in response to the U.S. Census Bureau's release of state data showing that in 2016 101,066 children in New York have no health insurance, and 2,577 children gained health coverage. New York ranks sixth among states for having the lowest percent of uninsured children (2.6 percent), but ranks as seventh highest among states for the number of uninsured children only behind Texas, California, Florida, Arizona, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. "Today's health insurance numbers show progress toward our goal for every child in New York to have access to affordable, high-quality health and mental health coverage. The misguided and mean-spirited efforts by the current administration and Congress to 'repeal and replace' the ACA and make enormous cuts to Medicaid - which the CBO has estimated will cause more than 20 million Americans to lose coverage - would be a giant step backwards on the huge strides that we have made in providing health coverage to all children. These numbers demonstrate the importance of continuing to move forward with successful health program such as CHIP which has been proven to work for over 300,000 children in New York and which needs to be renewed now. New York needs support from Congress and this administration to finish the job and lead the nation in healthy children. We must not endanger our children's lives with foolhardy efforts to destroy our nation's health programs. The evidence is all in: children with access to health coverage do better in school, are more likely to graduate, and are healthier and earn more as adults. Let's take action together to ensure these programs remain in place and benefit not only our children today but to build a stronger economy for New York tomorrow." The Children's Defense Fund-New York Leave No Child Behind mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. SOURCE Childrens Defense Fund-New York SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- WHO: NextFlex, America's Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Institute WHAT: Innovation Day 2017 A one-day event featuring the latest advancements in the fascinating industry of flexible hybrid electronics (FHE), an emerging technology that will transform virtually every aspect of daily life. An opportunity to discover new technology developments enabled by FHE and speak to the technologists leading the revolution. A chance to meet and network with key influencers in the FHE manufacturing supply chain. An occasion to interact with government agency partners and dignitaries to discuss NextFlex capabilities first-hand. An opportunity to learn about FlexFactor, a workforce development initiative that is seeding future manufacturing experts by engaging students in a unique entrepreneurship program. WHERE: The NextFlex Innovation and Technology Hub 2244 Blach Place, Ste.150 San Jose, California 95131 WHEN: Thursday, September 21, 2017 Registration opens at 8:00 a.m. (PT) Event starts at 10:00 a.m.; 9:00 a.m. guided VIP tour for media and analysts NOTABLE SPEAKERS: Kicking off the impressive roster of speakers will be U.S. Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Ro Khanna, State Senator Bob Wieckowski and State Assemblyman Kansen Chu; Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Mfg. and Industrial Base Policy Dr. John G. McGinn; and Colonel Charles D. Ormsby, Acting Director, Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, US Air Force. NextFlex Executive Director Malcolm Thompson will next provide an overview of key advances made over the past year to whet your appetite for the information to be presented by Per Beith, director of electronics technology, Boeing Research & Technology, and Debbie Budd, chancellor of Evergreen Valley College and San Jose City College, along with celebrated author on business leadership Don Schmincke. ON DISPLAY: More than 50 NextFlex members and partners from industry, academia and government will be on hand to demonstrate FHE-enabled products and capabilities developed for a host of consumer, medical and defense applications. Here are a few highlights: GE is shifting diagnostics from the doctor's office direct to the patient. Its wireless wearable EKG device reliably communicates between patient and physician, providing instant and constant readings of how the body is responding to various conditions. Lockheed Martin's Desert Hawk III unmanned aircraft system will be on display, together with the FHE components that LM is integrating into the next generation of the drone to enable significant improvements in performance and cost. Brewer Science will share time-sensitive sensors for agricultural water monitoring that can save millions of gallons of water annually when using a needs-based system that shifts the usage focus from "on time" to "on demand." DuPont will demonstrate revolutionary fabrics and wearable clothing that utilize printed silver and dielectric inks, enabling flexible, stretchable and washable fabrics for health monitoring, communication and OLED display. FlexFactor, NextFlex's project-based learning program that immerses high school students in entrepreneurialism and advanced manufacturing, has grown from one classroom with eight students to 36 classrooms and 1,260 students, piloted here in Santa Clara County . Students and education leaders will share their experience with this phenomenally successful program, which is poised to expand throughout California and across the U.S. RSVP TODAY: Innovation Day 2017 is open to accredited media and market analysts. As this will be a standing-room only event, those who wish to cover the event must RSVP to Marie Labrie at [email protected] providing the name, title, media/firm outlet, phone, and email for each person planning to attend the event no later than Tuesday, September 19, at 5 p.m. Visitors must also provide a valid form of government-issued ID at event check-in. Media members interested in conducting interviews prior to the event or seeking further information regarding the event may also contact Marie Labrie at the email above. BACKGROUND: NextFlex was created through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Defense to advance domestic production of this critical technology. Secretary Ash Carter came here personally two summers ago to announce this relationship at Moffett Field during a widely publicized event. The result has been the creation of an Innovation and Technology Hub that comprises a state-of-the-art FHE pilot manufacturing line, a process for collaboration among major industry players, and the formation of a workforce development initiative that introduces young people to career opportunities in advanced manufacturing through a project-based entrepreneurial learning program. Partners' involvement with NextFlex gives them a leg up in their development and manufacturing of products that are literally changing the way we live, work and play and getting them into the marketplace as soon as possible. Innovation Day 2017 is a Year 2 celebration and proof of concept at its San Jose facility. ABOUT FHE: FHE incorporates electronics to new and unique materials that are part of our everyday lives. By incorporating the power of silicon ICs, NextFlex partners are creating conformable and stretchable smart products and ushering in an era of "electronics on everything". An entirely new way of developing chips requires new ways to manufacture them. NextFlex is bringing together the funding and project development efforts that will solve FHE manufacturing challenges and create a sustaining ecosystem. KEEP ABREAST OF ALL THE NEWS: Visit www.nextflex.us or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, #innovation, #fhepioneers. SOURCE NextFlex Related Links https://www.nextflex.us/ "We couldn't be happier with the success of the Woodbridge event," said William Niblock, one of the company's founders, and President of the family-owned and operated business. "To sell over 12% of the homesites in less than two hours is really remarkable." "The demand for patio home living has been on the rise for almost two decades," Mr. Niblock replied when asked what he thought was behind the event's success, "but more so in recent years now that the new housing market has stabilized and is experiencing an upswing." Patio homes provide the convenience of first-floor living and ease of maintenance, but without sacrificing the modern features, customization options, and amenities of a larger home. Woodbridge's location offers the lower taxes of Cabarrus County, but is right off I-85 just north of Charlotte, so central to everything both Cabarrus and Mecklenburg counties have to offer. Also unique to Woodbridge is its designation as a certified North Carolina Wildlife Friendly Development one of just two in the state. This program represents a collaboration between the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, NC Wildlife Federation, and the NC chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Certification mandates green building standards, encourages sustainable development practices, and helps protect habitats that are already in place. (For more information, visit www.ncwildcertify.org.) Woodbridge offers buyers a choice of four patio home floorplans, ranging from 1800-2800 square feet, with prices starting in the mid $300,000s. Features include open kitchen/living spaces, first-floor master suites, and custom design options throughout. The Asheville-inspired architecture and exterior color palettes were designed with the wooded surroundings in mind. Professional lawn maintenance is provided, and all homes are Energy Star Certified. Homesites are still available. There is a temporary sales office on site until the model home is complete. Woodbridge is located at 3785 Davidson Hwy., Concord, NC, which is off Highway 73 (Davidson Hwy.) between I-85 and Highway 29 (Concord Parkway). About Niblock Homes Founded in 1979, Niblock Development Corporation is an award-winning quality homebuilder in North Carolina. With roots in Cabarrus County, Niblock Homes has a strong commitment to growing the Carolinas with a sense of community and building excellence. Niblock Homes has received Gold, Silver and Best of Show awards from the Home Builder's Association and was presented with the Diamond Builder Award from Home Buyers Warranty. For more information, visit www.niblockhomes.com. Contact: Alaine Bollinger BD&H Marketing [email protected] (704) 786-7193 SOURCE Niblock Homes Related Links http://niblockhomes.com MERRILLVILLE, Ind., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI) today announced that its finance subsidiary, NiSource Finance Corp., has completed the previously announced sale of $750 million aggregate principal amount of 3.950% Notes due 2048 in an underwritten public offering. NiSource will fully and unconditionally guarantee NiSource Finance's obligations under the notes. NiSource Finance intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the notes to finance capital expenditures and for general corporate purposes. Until used for those purposes, the net proceeds will be used to repay short-term borrowings under NiSource Finance's commercial paper program. Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC acted as joint book-running managers for the offering. About NiSource NiSource Inc. (NYSE: NI) is one of the largest fully-regulated utility companies in the United States, serving approximately 3.5 million natural gas customers and 500,000 electric customers across seven states through its local Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands. Based in Merrillville, Indiana, as of December 31, 2016, NiSource had approximately 8,000 employees. NI-F Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. Investors and prospective investors should understand that many factors govern whether any forward-looking statement contained herein will be or can be realized. Any one of those factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Examples of forward-looking statements in this press release include statements and expectations regarding NiSource's business, performance, growth, investment opportunities, and planned, identified, infrastructure or utility investments. All forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that management believes to be reasonable; however, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections, forecasts, estimates, plans, expectations and strategy discussed in this press release include, among other things, NiSource's debt obligations; any changes in NiSource's credit rating; NiSource's ability to execute its growth strategy; changes in general economic, capital and commodity market conditions; pension funding obligations; economic regulation and the impact of regulatory rate reviews; NiSource's ability to obtain expected financial or regulatory outcomes; any damage to NiSource's reputation; compliance with environmental laws and the costs of associated liabilities; fluctuations in demand from residential and commercial customers; economic conditions of certain industries; the success of NIPSCO's electric generation strategy; the price of energy commodities and related transportation costs; the reliability of customers and suppliers to fulfill their payment and contractual obligations; potential impairments of goodwill or definite-lived intangible assets; changes in taxation and accounting principles; potential incidents and other operating risks associated with our business; the impact of an aging infrastructure; the impact of climate change; potential cyber-attacks; construction risks and natural gas costs and supply risks; extreme weather conditions; the attraction and retention of a qualified work force; advances in technology; the ability of NiSource's subsidiaries to generate cash; uncertainties related to the expected benefits of the separation of Columbia Pipeline Group, Inc. and other matters set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors" section of NiSource's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, as amended, and in other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. NiSource expressly disclaims any duty to update, supplement or amend any of its forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. SOURCE NiSource Inc. Related Links http://www.nisource.com LONDON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Noble Corporation plc (NYSE: NE) today announced that its report of drilling rig status and contract information has been updated as of September 14, 2017. The report, titled "Fleet Status Report," can be found on the Company's Website www.noblecorp.com, under the "Investor Relations" section of the Website. About Noble Corporation plc Noble is a leading offshore drilling contractor for the oil and gas industry. The Company owns and operates one of the most modern, versatile and technically advanced fleets in the offshore drilling industry. Noble performs, through its subsidiaries, contract drilling services with a fleet of 28 offshore drilling units, consisting of 14 drillships and semisubmersibles and 14 jackups, focused largely on ultra-deepwater and high-specification jackup drilling opportunities in both established and emerging regions worldwide. Noble is a public limited company registered in England and Wales with company number 08354954 and registered office at Devonshire House, 1 Mayfair Place, London, W1J 8AJ England. Additional information on Noble is available at www.noblecorp.com. SOURCE Noble Corporation Related Links http://www.noblecorp.com MILWAUKEE, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwestern Mutual, a leading national financial security company, is committed to giving back to the communities it serves. The company, through its Foundation, is donating $100,000 to the Texas Children's Cancer Center Family Emergency Fund for Hurricane Harvey relief. Texas Children's Cancer Center Family Emergency Fund supports patients and their families that struggle with basic needs that are critical for their treatment and health. The Emergency Fund helps families with everyday needs, such as transportation to appointments, food and shelter. Because of the disaster affecting the Houston area, there is a greater need to help local families undergoing pediatric cancer treatments. "The devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey is vast and impacting many patients undergoing care at Texas Children's Cancer Center," said Eric Christophersen, president of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation. "These resources will help support families during their time of need as the hurricane recovery takes place." Northwestern Mutual has been partnering with Texas Children's Cancer Center since 2012 to support the fight against childhood cancer and advance research. Northwestern Mutual recently announced its support to the American Red Cross Disaster Responder Program through a $250,000 donation, which provides aid in nearly 64,000 disasters each year, funding food, shelter, supplies, medical and emotional support. In addition, the company's employees and financial advisors have contributed more than $40,000 to the recovery efforts in Houston through the American Red Cross. About Northwestern Mutual Foundation The mission of the Northwestern Mutual Foundation is to improve the lives of children and families in need. The Foundation has given more than $300 million since its inception in 1992 and is designed to create lasting impact in the communities where the company's employees and financial representatives live and work. We accomplish this by combining financial support, volunteerism, thought leadership and convening community partners to deliver the best outcomes. Our efforts are focused nationally on curing childhood cancer, and locally on education, neighborhoods and making our hometown of Milwaukee a great destination. About Northwestern Mutual Northwestern Mutual has been helping families and businesses achieve financial security for 160 years. Through a distinctive, whole-picture planning approach including both insurance and investments, we empower people to be financially confident so they can live life differently. We combine the expertise of our financial professionals with a personalized digital experience to help our clients navigate their financial lives every day. With $250.4 billion in assets, $28.2 billion in revenues, and more than $1.6 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than 4.4 million people who rely on us for life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, brokerage and advisory services, trust services, and discretionary portfolio management solutions. The company holds more than $100 billion of client assets as a part of its wealth management company and investment services. Northwestern Mutual ranks 97 on the 2017 FORTUNE 500 and is recognized by FORTUNE as one of the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in 2017. Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Northwestern Mutual and its subsidiaries offer a comprehensive approach to financial security solutions including: life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability income insurance, annuities, life insurance with long-term care benefits, investment products, and advisory products and services. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (securities), broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company (NMWMC) (fiduciary and fee-based financial planning services), federal savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company (NLTC) (long-term care insurance). SOURCE Northwestern Mutual Related Links http://www.northwesternmutual.com ATLANTA, GA, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With the end of summer approaching, the New Acquisitions team is both proud and sad to see a few of their summer interns leave the office and return to the classroom. The promotional, marketing and advertising firm based in Buckhead offered summer internships with the intention of mentoring current students and teaching them crucial skillsets that will ensure their success after graduation. According to the firms website, New Acquisitions intern program is centered heavily on cross-training within the organization's major departments which includes experience in marketing, advertising, sales, public relations, and human resources. After completing the internship program, summer interns return to school or enter the work force with real-world experience on top of the knowledge theyve gained through school. Zachary Schuch, National Director of Operations at New Acquisitions, credits the success theyve seen from the intern program to the hands-on approach that the managers use while working with interns in the office. We have a strong belief in treating our interns like full-time employees in regards to the duties and responsibilities during their day-to-day, explained Schuch. We feel that its important they get fully immersed in the real world, as theyd say. Our interns are taught to manage and handle responsibilities that are vital to not only our progress, but their progress as well. Theyre not fetching coffee or making copies for the office, they are just as important as the rest of the team during the time they are here with us. One of the first interns that left to return to school was Sebastian ONeill, who is currently studying marketing at The University of Georgia in Athens, GA. With his graduation date slowly approaching in 2019, ONeil knew that he needed to gain the experience that future employers would be looking for in their future candidates. According to the former intern, he is more than excited about the personal and professional growth that he gained this summer. I worked hard this summer and I feel very fulfilled by what Ive been able to accomplish here within such a short time, stated ONeill. I feel much more confident in my abilities and I feel like Im better prepared for life after graduation! Also leaving the office is fellow intern Maren Burns, who will be return to Florida State University to start her junior year. Upon entering the office, Burns struggled with public speaking, but soon found herself actively participating and becoming more confident in her ideas and abilities. I didnt really know what to expect when I started this internship because I didnt have much experience outside of the classroom. Since then Ive learned how to interact with clients and customers, conduct myself well in a professional setting, and how to present my ideas clearly so everyone can understand and give feedback. Ive grown a lot personally and Ill never forget the friends that Ive made in the office during the summer as well! Burns said on her experience with New Acquisitions this summer. According to Human Resources Coordinator, Morgan Wright, the internships at New Acquisitions not only focus on well-rounded training in marketing and professionalism, but also in helping the interns find employment after they graduate. As their internships come to a close, interns are encouraged to visit the Human Resources Department where they can have their professional headshots taken for LinkedIn and other professional profiles. They also receive letters of recommendation from the firm and, if requested, one-on-one meetings with the hiring staff to critique their resume to help them stand out during their interviewing process. Of course our interns are encouraged to reapply with us once they graduate, but our ultimate goal is to make sure they are ready for the job search, post-graduation, explained Wright. We teach them to think critically about their resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and help them see things from the view of the employer in order to help them land the best position possible. To learn more about New Acquisitions internships or how to apply, please visit their website at www.newacquisitionsinc.com EAST HANOVER, N.J., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Novartis is teaming up with actress, producer and activist Eva Longoria to launch Kiss This 4 MBC, a new initiative to increase much-needed research funds and support for the metastatic breast cancer (MBC) community. Approximately 155,000 people in the US are living with metastatic breast cancer, a form of cancer that has spread from the breast to other parts of the body, such as the brain, bones or liver1,3. Despite many treatment advancements, there is still no cure for metastatic breast cancer. Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8162931-novartis-kiss-this-4-mbc-eva-longoria/ The pink ribbon breast cancer movement has been very successful at generating awareness and support for early-stage breast cancer prevention, detection and treatment. Kiss This 4 MBC aims to help bring an increased level of attention to metastatic breast cancer, the community and the unique needs of the people living with this devastating disease. Kiss This 4 MBC goes beyond raising awareness and encourages the public to take action by posting a BOOMERANG* or selfie on social media that tells metastatic breast cancer to "Kiss This!" "I was drawn to this initiative because the message is simple and powerful, encouraging people to take action to provide meaningful support for people living with metastatic breast cancer," said Eva Longoria, whose sister had an early, treatable form of breast cancer. "My sister thankfully is in remission from her breast cancer, but I know the statistics and there is a risk that it could come back and become metastatic. So this is personal to me. I want to help ignite our collective voices to drive change and raise money for this community that so urgently needs to be supported, recognized and heard." For every post using the hashtag #KissThis4MBC shared publicly on social media, Novartis will donate $10 to the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN) and METAvivor, two patient-driven advocacy organizations dedicated to supporting research for people living with metastatic breast cancer. The goal is to generate at least $200,000 that will directly fund metastatic breast cancer research. Individuals can also make their own donations to various metastatic breast cancer organizations, including MBCN and METAvivor, through the organizations' websites. "There remains a significant unmet need in metastatic breast cancer as this devastating disease claims the lives of an estimated 110 people a day in the United States," said Bill Hinshaw, Executive Vice President and Head, US, Novartis Oncology. "For more than 25 years, Novartis has been focused on developing innovative treatments and support programs for people living with breast cancer. Our hope is that Kiss This 4 MBC helps rally broad public support for this community." Kiss This 4 MBC launches this week with a live event in New York City's Washington Square Park on Friday, September 15 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. The public will be invited to learn more about metastatic breast cancer and take a photo to share on their social channels with the hashtag #KissThis4MBC, triggering a donation to MBCN and METAvivor. Eva Longoria will surprise some event attendees by "photo bombing" their selfies, and sharing inspirational stories from metastatic breast cancer patients whom she met with recently to better understand their unique concerns and experiences. "We're honored to be a part of this campaign with Novartis because, at its core, Kiss This 4 MBC ties directly to one of MBCN's key tenets, which is to advocate for focused research to find more targeted therapies to treat metastatic breast cancer. We need to lengthen and improve the quality of life for patients and make metastatic breast cancer a more manageable disease that people can live with for many years," said Shirley Mertz, President, MBCN. "The majority of funds raised for breast cancer research go to early-stage breast cancer. This is why we've joined the Kiss This 4 MBC initiative to bring increased attention to metastatic breast cancer and increase research funding that will hopefully one day make this terminal disease a manageable illness," shared Beth Fairchild, President, METAvivor. The Metastatic Breast Cancer Network, a national, patient-led organization, works to raise awareness of metastatic breast cancer within the breast cancer community and public. MBCN encourages women and men living with the disease to raise their voices to demand support, resources and more research for metastatic disease. MBCN provides education and information to metastatic people and their caregivers. Education, support and advocacy resources are available at www.mbcn.org . METAvivor Research and Support Inc. is a volunteer-led, non-profit organization founded by metastatic breast cancer patients. METAvivor raises awareness of metastatic breast cancer, provides support for people living with this disease and offers many opportunities for others to help make a difference for the metastatic community. 100% of all donations made to METAvivor go to fund critical research that will lead to advances in treatment options, quality of life and survival for patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. For more information, go to www.METAvivor.org . About Novartis in Breast Cancer Novartis is at the forefront of driving scientific advancements for breast cancer patients and improving clinical practice in collaboration with the breast cancer community. With one of the most diverse breast cancer pipelines and the largest number of breast cancer compounds in development, Novartis leads the industry in discovery of new therapies and combinations, especially in HR+ advanced or metastatic breast cancer, the most common form of the disease. About Novartis Located in East Hanover, NJ Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation is an affiliate of Novartis which provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals and eye care. Novartis has leading positions globally in each of these areas. In 2016, the Group achieved net sales of USD 48.5 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.0 billion. Novartis Group companies employ approximately 119,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are sold in approximately 155 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com. Novartis is on Twitter. Sign up to follow @Novartis at http://twitter.com/novartis and @Novartis Cancer at http://twitter.com/novartiscancer. For Novartis multimedia content, please visit www.novartis.com/news/media-library. For questions about the site or required registration, please contact [email protected]. References Mariotto A, et al. Estimation of the Number of Women Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer in the United States . Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Biomarkers 26.6 (2017): 809-815. O'Shaughnessy J. Extending survival with chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer. The Oncologist. 2005;10 (Suppl 3): 20-29. American Cancer Society. Stages of Breast Cancer. Available at https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/understanding-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis/stages-of-breast-cancer.html (link is external). Accessed July 6, 2017 . *BOOMERANG is a registered trademark of Instagram, LLC. Novartis Media Relations Central media line: +41 61 324 2200 E-mail: [email protected] Eric Althoff Julie Masow Novartis Global Media Relations Novartis Oncology Media Relations +41 61 324 7999 (direct) +1 862 778 7220 (direct) +41 79 593 4202 (mobile) +1 862 579 8456 (mobile) [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation Over 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital each year. Hands-Only CPR has been shown to be as effective as conventional CPR (chest compressions and rescue breaths) for cardiac arrest when it occurs in public. Hands-Only CPR has two steps, performed in this order: when you see a teen or adult collapse, call 911; then, push hard and fast in the center of the chest until help arrives. The interactive tour supported by the Anthem Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Anthem Inc., delivers Hands-Only CPR training using music that is 100 to 120 beats per minute the rate you should push on the chest during CPR. It was the beat of a familiar song, "Stayin' Alive," that was featured in the Association video called "CPR Saves Lives," that Martinez watched that later helped him remember how to perform Hands-Only CPR on his co-worker, Monique Brathwaite, when she suffered a cardiac arrest. A powerful dose of electricity struck Brathwaite at a maintenance work site in Oct. 2016. Martinez was nearby and he jumped into action, performing Hands-Only CPR. "I'm really happy that she (Brathwaite) is alive today because of that video because I learned Hands-Only CPR," Martinez told his fellow employees at the training at the New York Transit Museum. "I hope we don't have to use it. But at least we know how to use it in case we need it." During the tour stop, emcees led training sessions that featured a performance of a song for the audience to remember when administering Hands-Only CPR. Music is a great learning tool in any situation when training for an emergency. Research shows that people are more likely to remember the correct chest compression rate when trained to the beat of a familiar song with 100 to 120 beats per minute, according to a study published in the Journal of Emergency Medicine. "About 90 percent of people who experience an out of hospital cardiac arrest die. We need bystanders to stop being bystanders and instead become citizen rescuers if they witness a person suffering a cardiac emergency. This mobile tour training is one way to provide more people with the necessary knowledge to act," said Clifton Callaway, M.D., Ph.D., a volunteer on the American Heart Association's Emergency Cardiovascular Care committee and professor of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. "We hope to instill confidence in everyone about performing Hands-Only CPR and empower them so they won't be afraid to perform CPR. It is much better to act, and nobody should be afraid or not know the simple skills to save a life." CPR, especially if administered immediately after cardiac arrest, can double or triple a person's chance of survival. With 70 percent of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring at home, a person will likely be trying to save the life of someone they know and love if they're called on to perform Hands-Only CPR. "Our annual Hands-Only CPR tour with the American Heart Association is a valuable way to connect with our communities and bring this lifesaving training directly to them," said Craig Samitt, MD, chief clinical officer at Anthem, Inc. "The tour will ultimately help people understand that anyone can save a life with the right training, which is important because they may need to save the life of someone they love." The New York Transit Museum is among 22 stops across seven states where the tour is visiting through Oct. 3. The tour will make another New York City stop from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 14, 2017 at Brookfield Place on the venue's lower plaza located at 230 Vesey St. The tour has already visited venues in cities and towns in Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut. New Jersey, Missouri and Kentucky are the next states where the tour will visit before it ends Oct. 3. Since 2012, the Hands-Only CPR Mobile Tour has trained over 70,000 people in 19 states.This year, actress and comedienne, Wendi McLendon-Covey is featured in the Association's Hands-Only CPR Training video that teaches this valuable skill. To learn more about the Hands-Only CPR campaign and get ready to save a life, visit heart.org/handsonlycpr or facebook.com/AHACPR. About the American Heart Association The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke the two leading causes of death in the world. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. About Anthem Foundation The Anthem Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Anthem, Inc. and through charitable contributions and programs, the Foundation promotes the inherent commitment of Anthem, Inc. to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families in communities that Anthem, Inc. and its affiliated health plans serve. The Foundation focuses its funding on strategic initiatives that address and provide innovative solutions to health care challenges, as well as promoting the Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets specific disease states and medical conditions. These disease states and medical conditions include: prenatal care in the first trimester, low birth weight babies, cardiac morbidity rates, long term activities that decrease obesity and increase physical activity, diabetes prevalence in adult populations, adult pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and smoking cessation. The Foundation also coordinates the company's year-round Associate Giving program which provides a 50 percent match of associates' pledges, as well as its Volunteer Time Off and Dollars for Doers community service programs. To learn more about the Anthem Foundation, please visit http://www.anthem.foundation/ and its blog at http://anthemfoundation.tumblr.com/. For Public Inquiries: (800) AHA-USA1 (242-8721) heart.org and strokeassociation.org SOURCE American Heart Association Related Links http://www.americanheart.org CALGARY and SAN DIEGO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (TSX: ONC) (OTCQX: ONCYF) (Oncolytics or the Company), a biotech company developing REOLYSIN (pelareorep), a first-in-class, systemically delivered immuno-oncolytic virus that activates the innate and adaptive immune systems, today announced that the first patient has been treated in the Phase 1b trial MUK eleven, studying REOLYSIN in combination with Celgene Corporation's immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), Revlimid or Imnovid as a rescue treatment in relapsing myeloma patients. "This is an important trial for Oncolytics as it's the first to discretely examine the innate immunity component of REOLYSIN's mechanism of action," said Dr. Matt Coffey, President and CEO of Oncolytics Biotech. "MUK eleven and REO 024, our trial evaluating the induction of an inflamed tumor phenotype of REOLYSIN in a combination with Keytruda, collectively demonstrate our strategy to assess the safety and efficacy of REOLYSIN in combination with immunomodulatory and immuno-oncology drugs, the impact of these combinations on the immune system and to explore new clinical applications." "We are pleased to have enrolled the first patient in MUK eleven, a trial focused on a novel area of myeloma research," said Dr. Simon Ridley, Director of Research at Myeloma UK. "Our Clinical Trial Network is focused on strategic, collaborative and innovative approaches to delivering trials and treatments to patients and this pioneering trial has the potential to offer a novel future treatment strategy in myeloma." MUK eleven is a first-of-its-kind immunotherapy trial that aims to modulate the immune system to target myeloma. The trial, run through the Myeloma UK Clinical Trial Network (CTN) in collaboration with charity Myeloma UK, the University of Leeds and Celgene, launched in March of this year and will recruit approximately 44 patients across up to eight CTN centres in the UK. MUK eleven will study REOLYSIN (pelareorep) in combination with Celgene's Imnovid (pomalidomide) or Revlimid (lenalidomide) in patients whose myeloma is progressing while being treated with one of these IMiDs. In addition to assessing the safety and tolerability of these combinations, the trial will investigate whether the addition of REOLYSIN extends disease control in this patient group. MUK eleven is a dose escalation trial where dose limiting toxicities (DLTs) will inform decisions to increase dose, and patients being treated with pomalidomide will be evaluated separately from those taking lenalidomide. Beginning at two CTN centres, cohorts of two participants each will be treated with REOLYSIN in combination with an IMiD. The first patient will receive one 28-day treatment cycle and if no DLTs are experienced at the end of the cycle, the second patient will begin treatment at the same dose. Doses may be escalated once participants in each cohort have completed the DLT monitoring period and will be increased between cohorts until the occurrence of DLTs define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Once the MTD has been identified with no associated safety issues, 10 additional patients will be enrolled at the MTD. Once a minimum of 12 patients in each IMiD group have been treated, up to six additional trial sites may be added to the trial. Based on this trial design, preliminary data are expected to be available in the first quarter of 2018. About REOLYSIN REOLYSIN is a non-pathogenic, proprietary isolate of the unmodified reovirus. A first-in-class systemically delivered immuno-oncolytic virus for the treatment of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. The compound induces selective tumor lysis and promotes an inflamed tumor phenotype through innate and adaptive immune responses to treat a variety of cancers. About Oncolytics Biotech Inc. Oncolytics is a biotechnology company developing REOLYSIN, a systemically delivered immuno-oncolytic virus. The compound induces selective tumor lysis and promotes an inflamed tumor phenotype through innate and adaptive immune responses to treat a variety of cancers. Oncolytics' clinical development program emphasizes three pillars: chemotherapy combinations to trigger selective tumor lysis; immuno-therapy combinations to produce adaptive immune responses; and immune modulator (IMiD) combinations to facilitate innate immune responses. Oncolytics is currently planning its first registration study in metastatic breast cancer, as well as studies in combination with checkpoint inhibitors as well as targeted and IMiD therapies in solid and hematological malignancies. For further information about Oncolytics, please visit: www.oncolyticsbiotech.com. University of Leeds The University of Leeds is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK, with more than 33,000 students from 147 different countries, and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. We are a top 10 university for research and impact power in the UK, according to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework and we are The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year 2017. Additionally, the University has been awarded a gold rating by the Government's Teaching Excellence Framework recognising its 'consistently outstanding' teaching and learning provision. www.leeds.ac.uk About Myeloma UK Myeloma UK is the only organisation in the UK dealing exclusively with myeloma - our ultimate goal is to find a cure. We are dedicated to ensuring that patients get access to the right treatment at the right time, and to improving standards of treatment and care through research, education and awareness raising. Our organisation also provides a range of information and support services to patients, family and friends to help deal with a diagnosis of myeloma. Myeloma UK receives no Government funding and relies almost entirely on voluntary donations and fundraising. For more information visit: www.myeloma.org.uk. This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements, including the Company's belief as to the potential of REOLYSIN as a cancer therapeutic; the Company's expectations as to the success of its research and development programs in 2017 and beyond, the Company's planned operations, the value of the additional patents and intellectual property; the Company's expectations related to the applications of the patented technology; the Company's expectations as to adequacy of its existing capital resources; the design, timing, success of planned clinical trial programs; and other statements related to anticipated developments in the Company's business and technologies involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the availability of funds and resources to pursue research and development projects, the efficacy of REOLYSIN as a cancer treatment, the success and timely completion of clinical studies and trials, the Company's ability to successfully commercialize REOLYSIN, uncertainties related to the research and development of pharmaceuticals, uncertainties related to the regulatory process and general changes to the economic environment. Investors should consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian and U.S. securities commissions for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws. SOURCE Oncolytics Biotech Inc. Related Links www.oncolytics.ca "We are once again incredibly proud to support the 2017 Bend Oktoberfest," says Oregrown co-founder Aviv Hadar. "The Downtown Bend Business Association is a wonderful partner. They care deeply about our community and are consistently dedicated to supporting the city's economic vitality by enhancing the experience, image and lifestyle of the downtown area." Last year, Oregrown partnered with the Downtown Bend Business Association to beautify a pocket park at the gateway to downtown Bend. "Oregrown is a great community partner and we are so fortunate to have them in Downtown Bend," Executive Director of the Downtown Bend Business Association, Rod Porsche said. "Whether it's sponsoring Bend Oktoberfest, our flower basket program or revitalizing a long neglected pocket park at the gateway to our downtown, Oregrown is a key player in Downtown Bend beautification efforts." Oregrown invites adults enjoying Oktoberfest to visit their flagship dispensary at 1199 NW Wall Street. Bend Oktoberfest: September 15-16 OOMPAH! Oregrown is Oregon's premier farm-to-table cannabis company, garnering back-to-back-to-back awards for Central Oregon's Best Dispensary at its flagship store at 1199 NW Wall Street in beautiful downtown Bend. Offering an upscale retail experience with an amazing staff and high-end products including solventless extractions and one-of-a-kind cultivars, Oregrown continues to innovate, develop and release world-class offerings, delivery methods and applications for medical and recreational marijuana customers. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160525/372454LOGO For media inquires: Allie Trapani [email protected] SOURCE Oregrown Industries Related Links http://www.oregrown.com AMSTERDAM, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced its membership in the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)/National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) Patient Safety Coalition. As a member of the coalition, Philips will share insights with other key industry influencers on unmet market needs in healthcare quality and safety, and engage in broader conversations with fellow member organizations to help drive industry advancements and solutions. "Patient safety and quality are top priorities in healthcare, also in imaging which plays a comprehensive role across the health continuum for diagnosis and appropriate treatment," said Kees Wesdorp, Business Group Leader, Diagnostic Imaging, Philips. "We look forward to working with leading global health and healthcare improvement organizations such as IHI/NPSF in a meaningful way to focus on quality and safety in healthcare. The more industry perspectives and meaningful discussions we can inspire on these issues, the more readily we can collectively find ways to improve them." Patient-centered commitment IHI and NPSF merged in May 2017. Philips' membership in the IHI/NPSF coalition advances the company's mission of improving the health of populations and the patient care experience. The IHI/NPSF Patient Safety Coalition aligns stakeholders across the health continuum in a unifying mission to improve patient safety. Members of the coalition include organizations working to address patient safety challenges, professional associations, advocacy organizations, and other similarly committed industry leaders. Coalition members take an active role in discussing quality and safety issues as well as best practices for improvement through knowledge-sharing events and participation in coalition activities. "Patient safety challenges are best addressed by sharing experiences and perspectives with experts in all disciplines and sectors," said Tejal K. Gandhi, MD, MPH, CPPS, Chief Clinical and Safety officer, IHI. "In that spirit of collaboration, we are very pleased to welcome Philips to the Patient Safety Coalition." Philips' membership in the IHI/NPSF coalition advances an existing commitment to patient safety, which Philips is accelerating through a holistic and collaborative approach involving a combination of people, processes, and technology. Philips was one of the first health technology leaders to join more than 100 companies and hospitals in committing to the Open Data Pledge to make health data interoperable and accessible to clinicians and others responsible for patient safety. For more information on Philips' focus on enhancing the patient and staff experience to drive patient-centered imaging, visit www.philips.com/radiology. To find out more about the IHI/NPSF Patient Safety Coalition, visit ihi.org/PatientSafety. For further information, please contact: Alicia Cafardi Philips Group Press Office Tel: +1 412-523-9616 E-mail: [email protected] About The Institute for Healthcare Improvement / National Patient Safety Foundation The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) began working together as one organization in May 2017. The newly formed entity is committed to using its combined knowledge and resources to focus and energize the patient safety agenda in order to build systems of safety across the continuum of care. To learn more about IHI trainings, resources, and practical applications, visit ihi.org/PatientSafety. About Royal Philips Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips' health technology portfolio generated 2016 sales of EUR 17.4 billion and employs approximately 71,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter. SOURCE Royal Philips Related Links http://www.philips.com KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pilot Flying J the largest operator of travel centers in North America will be amplifying its existing partnership with celebrity chef Tim Love by sponsoring the debut of his proprietary YouTube Channel, Love Bites, at the Music City Food + Wine Festival from September 15-17, 2017 in Downtown Nashville. Love Bites will be set on-site capturing short videos featuring the talent, fun and spirit of the Music City Food + Wine Festival through interviews, games and cooking demos with participating celebrity chefs and musicians. Earlier this summer, Pilot Flying J announced a one-of-a-kind partnership with chef Tim Love, who will create new signature food items that will be available at all Pilot Flying J locations across the nation with the goal of providing fresh, convenient food options for interstate travelers. Known for his signature Urban Western cuisine, chef Tim Love will also develop food items specifically for Pilot Flying J's Southwest region locations, focusing on the flavors and specialties characteristic to the area. "We're thrilled to be extending our partnership with Tim Love outside of Pilot Flying J locations to bring Love Bites to the Music City Food + Wine Festival," said Whitney Johnson, chief experience officer for Pilot Flying J. "From interactive cooking demos to competitions and rapid-fire interviews, Pilot Flying J is thrilled to be a part of the fun and spirit of the Music City Food + Wine Festival." Pilot Flying J will also have a dedicated cooking demo and competition during Love Bites, where celebrity chefs and music artists will be asked to create their own peanut butter and jelly sandwiches utilizing an array of complimentary ingredients a nod to one of the signature recipes chef Tim Love will be creating for select Pilot Flying J locations later this fall. "Sponsoring Love Bites at the Music City Food + Wine Festival is a natural fit for Pilot Flying J as we continue to focus on establishing a strong culinary presence," said Shannon Johnson, VP of food innovation at Pilot Flying J. "Offering guests innovative, fresh and quality food options is a top priority for us." About Pilot Flying J Pilot Flying J, the largest operator of travel centers in North America, is committed to connecting people and places with comfort, care and a smile at every stop. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, Pilot Flying J has more than 750 retail locations in 43 states, more than 85 roadside assistance trucks and growing as part of its Truck Care Program, 44 Goodyear Commercial Tire and Service Centers, and 35 Boss Shops. The Pilot Flying J network provides drivers with access to more than 70,000 parking spaces for trucks, 4,900 showers and more than 5,000 diesel lanes offering Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) at the pump. Pilot Flying J is currently ranked No. 15 on Forbes' list of America's Largest Private Companies. Visit www.pilotflyingj.com for more information. Follow @pilotflyingj on Twitter and @pilottravelcenters on Facebook. About Chef Tim Love Texas chef Tim Love is known as much for his vibrant personality as his signature urban western cuisine at critically and popularly acclaimed venues including Lonesome Dove Western Bistro in Austin, Fort Worth and Knoxville, Queenie's Steakhouse, Woodshed Smokehouse, Love Shack, and the storied White Elephant Saloon. Love is a founding partner of the Austin FOOD & WINE Festival and Music City FOOD & WINE Festival in Nashville, as well as the official chef of Austin City Limits. He recently debuted Back Dough, a late-night pop-up serving sweet and savory doughnuts out of his restaurants' back kitchen doors on the weekends, with outposts at Queenie's Steakhouse and Lonesome Dove Knoxville and Austin. Love will also be expanding his portfolio to Houston this Spring, with three concepts in the works to open at Levy Park, including a second location of his acclaimed Woodshed Smokehouse. He lives between Austin and Fort Worth with his wife and three children. Follow @cheftimlove on both Instagram and Twitter. Media Contacts Anne LeZotte Matt Batt Senior Communications Manager, Pilot Flying J Zeno Group for Pilot Flying J (865) 588-7488 ext. 3028 (312) 396-9729 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Pilot Flying J "Pratt & Whitney's $97 million investment in the production of fan blades for the PurePower Geared Turbofan (GTF) engine at our AutoAir facility is part of our more than $1.3 billion investment in 21st century manufacturing technology to transform our footprint worldwide," according to Shane Eddy, vice president, operations, at Pratt & Whitney. "This expansion is part of our strategy to handle delivery demands on our backlog of more than 8,000 firm and option engines on order." The new 93,000 square-foot facility adds to an already existing GTF fan blade production line in Lansing and is one of 30 dedicated manufacturing, production or assembly locations across the globe performing work on various parts and components of the GTF engine program. "We are pleased to be a part of this successful engine program," said Conor Tracy, general manager, Pratt & Whitney AutoAir. "The expansion of the Lansing plant is an opportunity for our employees to contribute to the future of the company, but it is also an exciting opportunity for Lansing to continue to participate in the advanced manufacturing sector and the economic growth of the region." He added that there has been a tenfold ramp up in a 20 month period and gives credit for this accomplishment to AutoAir employees. "We have increased our work force from just over 200 to almost 700 and growing. We have a highly skilled and professional work force with a lot of pride in the Michigan campus and pride in the GTF product." In addition to GTF fan blade production, the Pratt & Whitney AutoAir facility is a center of excellence for test nacelle composite repairs. It has a long history of providing reliable overhaul and repair services for a broad range of composite parts and has earned quality and environmental stewardship awards. With its new capacity coming online, the company is on track to meet its commitments to deliver 350 to 400 GTF engines this year. In addition to the manufacturing expansion, Pratt & Whitney has four maintenance and repair operations (MRO) facilities to repair and overhaul GTF engines, and additional facilities will be added moving forward. The GTF is revolutionizing modern flight with one of the quietest, most fuel efficient, and environmentally friendly engines on the market. It has hit all specs from the start of its entry into service: 16 percent reduction in fuel, 75 percent reduction in noise footprint, and 50 percent reduction in regulated emissions. It has seen 21 months of steady progress, marking more than 180,000 flights and more than 280,000 hours of experience. Currently, more than 80 aircraft among 14 operators are flying about 250 flights per day to more than 100 destinations on four continents. Jeff Smith, executive director, fan and externals module center, Pratt & Whitney AutoAir, noted that the manufacturing expansion in Lansing will enable the facility to triple its production capacity. "We are very proud of our ability to execute and look forward to being an integral part of the GTF production family." About Pratt & Whitney Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. To learn more about UTC, visit its website at www.utc.com, or follow the company on Twitter: @UTC. This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in levels of demand in the aerospace industry, in levels of air travel, and in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production, support, performance and realization of the anticipated benefits of advanced technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corp.'s Securities and Exchange Commission filings. Pratt & Whitney +1 (860) 565-9600 [email protected] SOURCE Pratt & Whitney Related Links http://www.pratt-whitney.com "The Rady School's approach is to support startups from ideation and development to the successful launch and growth of a company," said Rady School Dean Robert S. Sullivan. "In the past decade, 150 startups have been founded and 15% of Rady MBA graduates are operating a successful startup company. That is a strong testament to the effectiveness of our MBA program and accelerators." The startup companies span industries including biotech, technology, consumer products, medical devices, healthcare and consulting. Many of these companies have received industry awards, secured funding and commercialized. In fact, in the first half of 2017, Rady MBA startups raised over $75 million in financing. Aira, founded by alum Suman Kanuganti (MBA '14), uses remote assistive technology combined with a wearable smart device to connect visually impaired individuals with remote agents to help them navigate the world. The company has raised more than $12 million in Series B Funding and was admitted into the EvoNexus incubator. Silvia Mah (MBA '10) noticed few women in the startup world, which inspired her to launch HeraLabs, a business accelerator for women. The program provides female-led startups with the necessary tools to grow a business. HeraLabs has grown to include an angel investing program as well as a fund to support growing ventures. Engineer Ryan Ruehl (MBA '18) and doctor Jon Wilensky (MBA '17) came to the Rady School to learn more about the business side of medicine and technology. Braykion was born due to the pair recognizing a need to stop the spread of infections in hospital settings. Braykion won UC San Diego's Entrepreneur Challenge, and is currently in the EvoNexus incubator and received admission into the CONNECT Springboard program. The success of the startups launched from the Rady School can be contributed to the school's hallmark Lab to Market courses, which take MBA students through each phase of a startup, and the school's startup accelerator programs, which provide mentorship and resources for early-stage companies. About the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego The Rady School of Management at UC San Diego is a business school that develops ethical and entrepreneurial leaders who make a positive impact in the world through innovation, collaboration and knowledge. The Rady School offers a Full-Time MBA program, a FlexMBA program for working professionals, a Ph.D. program, a Master of Finance program, a Master of Science in Business Analytics program, Executive Education and undergraduate courses. To find out more about the Rady School visit, www.rady.ucsd.edu. SOURCE Rady School of Management Related Links http://www.rady.ucsd.edu NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- RDD Pharma, a leader in developing treatments for anorectal disorders, announced today the Department of Defense office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) has funded the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Translational Research Award Clinical Trial application. The grant of $1.28M will enable initial U.S. clinical development of RDD-0315 for fecal incontinence in spinal cord injury patients including preparations for and conducting of a Phase 1 study in healthy volunteers to assess acute tolerance and PK. "We are pleased the CDMRP recognized the clinically significant benefit that RDD-0315 may offer spinal cord injury patients," stated Jason Laufer, Chief Executive Officer, RDD Pharma. "We can now move forward more aggressively in the U.S. to develop RDD-0315 which has the potential to positively impact the health, well-being and quality of life in this patient population." Positive Phase 2a results in Europe in evaluating the safety and efficacy of RDD-0315 for the treatment of fecal incontinence in spinal cord injury patients have previously been reported with a statistically significant reduction in the number of fecal incontinence episodes at 8 and 12 hours post-administration. "We look forward to advancing our clinical studies after filing an IND with the US Food and Drug Administration," said Nir Barak, Chief Medical Officer of RDD Pharma. "We are thrilled with the CDMRP's recognition of the potential of a treatment such as RDD-0315 and share their enthusiasm about the 'potential of this drug to decrease the incidence of fecal incontinence in those with spinal cord injury." About RDD Pharma RDD is a privately held specialty pharma, focused on fast-track development and commercialization of innovative therapeutics for anorectal diseases and gastrointestinal disorders. RDD Pharma's lead product for the treatment of pain associated with anal fissure is currently in a Phase 3 clinical study in Europe. A Phase 2a study has been completed with RDD-0315 for fecal incontinence in the EU and IND preparations have initiated in the US. Products currently under development at RDD are expected to reach the market in two to six years. About Fecal Incontinence Fecal Incontinence results from damaged or weakened anal sphincter muscles. Treatment options are very limited. It is a condition that can occur at any age and is often devastating to a person's quality of life. Fecal incontinence occurs in 75% of spinal cord injury patients, significantly impacting quality of life. Over 8% of non-institutionalized adults (~20 million) suffer from fecal incontinence in the US. Loss of bowel control causes embarrassment, humiliation and significantly impacts quality of life for hundreds of millions of patients globally. Currently, there are no prescription Rx therapies available for treating fecal incontinence. About the Award The U. S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity, 820 Chandler Street, Fort Detrick MD 21702-5014 is the awarding and administering acquisition office. This work is supported by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs through the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program under Award No. W81XWH-17-1-0523. Opinions, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations are those of RDD Pharma and are not necessarily endorsed by the Department of Defense. Contact: Jason Laufer Jennifer Filbey, Ph.D. CEO Business & Corporate Development [email protected] [email protected] +1-973-723-9000 +1-256-417-8568 www.rddpharma.com SOURCE RDD Pharma Related Links http://www.rddpharma.com GENEVA, N.Y., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- With more than 200 brands hailing from the region, Riesling has put the Finger Lakes on the serious oenophile's map. To return the favor, the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance is hosting a "Riesling Road Show" throughout September to shine the spotlight on its star varietal. A month-long series of trade tastings celebrating the exceptional range of Rieslings produced by Finger Lakes Wine Alliance member wineries will span New York State, culminating with a restaurant takeover in NYC: (The following are trade only events) Wednesday, Sept. 6 The Black Sheep, Buffalo, NY trade tasting 7 p.m. 10 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11 Good Luck Restaurant, Rochester, NY trade tasting 7 p.m. 10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19 The Point, Albany, NY trade tasting 7 p.m. 10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26 Xaviars X20 on the Hudson , Yonkers, NY trade luncheon 12 p.m. 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27 Pierre Loti, Chelsea (258 W 15th @ 8th Ave) trade luncheon 12 p.m. 2 p.m. In conjunction with the Chelsea Drinks Project, the FLWA will collaborate with Pierre Loti Wine Bar as they host eight wines from the Finger Lakes from September 24 to 30. Finger Lakes Rieslings will be featured at Pierre Loti's three locations for consumer enjoyment. As a kick-off to the week, Wine Lovers of NYC will host a public wine tasting (open to the public, reservations are required): Sunday, September 24 Pierre Loti, Union Square (53 Irving Place ) sit-down Riesling tasting 2 p.m. 4 p.m. Sign up for the public tasting event at Pierre Loti at Local Wine Events.com. For an invitation to either of the Yonkers or New York City trade luncheons, contact Tracey Dello Stritto at [email protected]. The cool climate and shale-rich terroir of the Finger Lakes is ideal for cultivating the Riesling grape. Allowed to develop slowly, it produces a complex, aromatic and balanced wine. As many as 950 acres in the region are devoted to Riesling, with most producers making two or three styles, for a total of 230,000 cases. Fourteen of these producers will showcase their wines during the Riesling Road Show (those in bold are participating in the New York City events). They include Atwater Estate Vineyards, Boundary Breaks Vineyard, Buttonwood Grove Winery, Chateau LaFayette Reneau, Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, Finger Lakes Wine Co., Glenora Wine Cellars, Heron Hill Winery, Knapp Winery, Lakewood Vineyards, Rooster Hill Vineyards, Sheldrake Point Winery, Three Brothers Wineries & Estates, and Wagner Vineyards. About Finger Lakes Wine Alliance Founded in 2004, Finger Lakes Wine Alliance is a not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to increase the visibility and reputation of the Finger Lakes region, its wines and wineries. The alliance is comprised of359 members and 15 affiliated businesses and vendors, and it is guided by a board of directors comprised of principals representing all four wine trails and non-wine trail wineries of the Finger Lakes. With its glacier-sculpted landscapes, ideal microclimates and gifted winegrowers, the Finger Lakes region is home to over 100 wineries that produce exceptional cool-climate wines and world-class Rieslings. For more information, visit www.fingerlakeswinealliance.com, call 315.791.2359 or connect on Facebook or Twitter. CONTACTS: Finger Lakes Wine Alliance Tracey Dello Stritto Executive Director (315) 791-2359 [email protected] Liz Stamp, Board Chair 607-535-9252 [email protected] SOURCE Wine Lovers of NYC ANN ARBOR, Mich. and HOD HASHARON, Israel, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Devices protected by Karambas Autonomous Security are not vulnerable to BlueBorne Bluetooth Flaws that can allow attackers to take over connected and autonomous vehicles. What makes the BlueBorne flaws, revealed by security research firm Armis Security, so dangerous is that they use Bluetooth to insert malicious code in a target system. Even air-gapped devices or networks that aren't connected to the internet are vulnerable, since Bluetooth is a proximity communications method that doesn't need a wired connection. Bluetooth-equipped devices, such as Linux or Android in-vehicle infotainments, do not need to be in discoverable mode, or paired with the attacker's device to be vulnerable. An in-depth analysis of the reports by security analysts at Karamba revealed that the attacks exploit vulnerabilities in the way the Bluetooth communication stack in Linux and Android devices manages memory, using a technique commonly referred to as buffer overflow. The attack allows full remote code execution on any Linux and Android device in Bluetooth range, and doesn't require any pairing or user interaction. Another interesting point is that the attack researchers were able to bypass a common defense method, memory address space layout randomization (ASLR), by exploiting the inherent weaknesses of the ASLR technology and by exploiting other information leak vulnerabilities. As explained by the Karamba Security researchers, the best protection against buffer overflow type vulnerabilities is to harden the code in the components used in devices according to their factory settings, thus preventing the execution of any foreign code, which is the malware. Karambas Autonomous Security would completely prevent attacks, such as the BlueBorne Bluetooth flaws, and any other threat whether known or unknown, by blocking the execution of foreign, malicious code at the component level. Karamba Security, a provider of cybersecurity solutions for connected and autonomous vehicles, says this is just another example of why hardening sensors and electronic components is the only strategy thats going to prevent an attack. Security has to be designed in. We cant continually chase the next vulnerability with software patching, said Assaf Harel, Karamba Security CTO and co-founder. Its ineffective in network computing and certainly wont work in vehicles, where Linux and Android operating systems are built in. Harel also serves the industry by helping to develop, guide and influence cybersecurity best practices on the Automotive Grade Linux (AGL) Project under the auspices of The Linux Foundation. Since coming out of stealth at the end of March 2016, Karamba Security has been actively engaged with 16 different ECU-hardening projects throughout the industry with car manufacturers and Tier-1 providers. In addition, Karamba was unanimously recognized with TU-Automotives Best Cybersecurity Product/Service and the 2017 North American Frost & Sullivan Award for Automotive New Product Innovation. More information is available at www.karambasecurity.com. Resources Autonomous Security Karamba Security Approach Karamba Security FAQ About Karamba Security Karamba Security provides industry-leading autonomous cybersecurity solutions for connected and autonomous vehicles. Karambas software products automatically harden the ECUs of connected and autonomous cars, preventing hackers from manipulating and compromising those ECUs and hacking into the car. Karambas Autonomous Security prevents cyberattacks with zero false positives, no connectivity requirements and negligible performance impact. In one year, Karamba has received a total investment of $17 million. The company has been recognized in 2017 with TU-Automotives Best Cybersecurity Product/Service and the North American Frost & Sullivan Award for Automotive New Product Innovation. More information is available at www.karambasecurity.com. Media Contact: Montner Tech PR Deb Montner, dmontner@montner.com 203-226-9290 "Road Scholars set out on journeys with a purpose to learn and discover," says James Moses, CEO of Road Scholar. "Our educational experiences are a chance to explore places or interests they might not venture to on their own with the benefit of learning with renowned study leaders and other adults who share their passion." International A must for the intrepid explorer, Mongolia: The Land of Genghis Khan is a new opportunity to experience the mysteries of Mongolia alongside local experts, meet local nomadic families, stay in ger camps, and discover vast ancient ruins, developing cities and the Gobi Desert. With experts from the BBC, Al Jazeera and the University of Oxford, Road Scholars delve into the pressing topics of modern politics during a special conference at Oxford University, The State of the World: Contemporary Issues & Past Lessons. North America Digging for Dinosaurs: the Jurassic Experience features working alongside paleontologists who give hands-on instruction in the tools of their trade. Learn the story of the quarries and the importance of excavation in studying ancient geology. On Rafting and Stargazing Desolation Canyon, travel to the remote canyon, and learn about its ecosystem along the Green River. Raft the river and hike through riverside forests with local experts who have extensive knowledge of the geology and ecology of the area. About Road Scholar Road Scholar is the nation's largest educational travel organization for adults a true university of the world. This not-for-profit educational organization offers 5,500 extraordinary learning adventures in 150 countries and 50 states. Road Scholars are immersed in a variety of educational activities, enlisting renowned faculty and experts who offer insider access not available to most individuals. Dedicated to making educational travel available to everyone, Road Scholar offers financial aid for those who otherwise could not participate in its programs. Road Scholar educational adventures are created by Elderhostel, the not-for-profit world leader in educational travel for adults since 1975. To learn more, visit http://press.roadscholar.org/. SOURCE Road Scholar Related Links http://www.roadscholar.org LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ChromaLuxe, the global leader in dye-sublimation metal prints in conjunction with fine art printmaker, Blazing Editions, announced today that renowned fashion and fine art photographer Robert Farber has been named the featured photographer in the Blazing Editions/ChromaLuxe Collaborator Series: 2017 Master on Metal. Through this collaboration Blazing Editions, ChromaLuxe, and Farber, will partner for several photography events showcasing the photographer's work on ChromaLuxe aluminum panels produced by Blazing Editions, To learn more about Farber and his work, please view the following video: https://vimeo.com/224983010. To learn more about Farber and his work, please view the following video: https://vimeo.com/224983010. "I'm looking forward to working with ChromaLuxe and Blazing Editions on several great shows in the US and Europe," said Farber. "The uniqueness of ChromaLuxe metal prints along with the professional printing by Blazing Editions showcases my work in a way I never imagined, and I am excited to share these images with a global audience." Now in its second year, the Master on Metal series started in 2016 with photographer Jay Maisel. Blazing Editions, headquartered in Warwick, Rhode Island, will once again provide all the printing for this partnership. Farber's work will be displayed at the following shows: Cube Art Fair Oct. 11- 15, 2017 Brussels, Belgium www.cubeartfair.com PDN PhotoPlus Expo Oct. 26 28, 2017 Javits Convention Center New York City, New York www.photoplusexpo.com Salon de la Photo Nov. 9 13, 2017 Porte de Versailles Paris, France en.lesalondelaphoto.com Art Miami Dec. 5 10, 2017 One Herald Plaza Miami, Florida www.artmiamifair.com Month of Photography Los Angeles April 2018 (Exact date TBD) Los Angeles, California www.monthofphotography.com "It is an honor to partner with a photographer as accomplished as Robert Farber," said Steve Flores, ChromaLuxe Global Brand Manager. "Last year's program was a great success with shows in New York and Los Angeles. We anticipate this year's global reach to further enhance the ChromaLuxe brand, the work of Blazing Editions, and of course, Robert's amazing work." To learn more about Farber and his work, please view the following video: https://vimeo.com/224983010 About ChromaLuxe ChromaLuxe is the global manufacturer of premium print media, supplying high quality blank substrates for a variety of applications that require superb image quality and durability. All coatings and substrates are made in the USA with manufacturing and fabrication done in Louisville, KY. With additional locations in Belgium and Australia, ChromaLuxe serves its global customer base and provides products to more than 80 countries. ChromaLuxe is an extension of Universal Woods, the world's leading manufacturer of hard surface sublimatable products and mezzanine decking. It is also a sister brand to Unisub, which provides the highest quality custom sublimatable products. To learn more about ChromaLuxe, please visit: ChromaLuxe.com. Connect with ChromaLuxe on Facebook (facebook.com/realchromaluxe), Instagram (instagram.com/realchromaluxe) and Twitter (twitter.com/realChromaLuxe). About Blazing Editions Over the years, Blazing Editions has developed into a leader in the Fine Arts industry. Based in Rhode Island, they are dedicated to providing the finest reproductions on the market. Along with their printmaking division, they are also an international art distribution company representing contemporary artists all over the world in North America, Europe, and Asia (for more information visit their sister site www.yjcontemporary.com). To learn more about Blazing Editions, visit: http://www.blazing.com. About Robert Farber Robert Farber's style has influenced generations of photographers. His painterly, impressionistic style captures the essence of composition in every genre, including nudes, still life, landscapes and architecture. His ten photo art books have sold over half a million copies. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis brought Farber into Doubleday for the publication of his book "By The Sea," which won the Art Director's Award for color photography. Aside from numerous creative awards, Robert Farber also received the Photographer of the Year from PMA (Photographic Manufacturers Association), ASP International Award from the PPA (Professional Photographers of America) and The American Society of Photographers. This award was given to those who've made a significant contribution to the science and art of photography. Some previous recipients of this award include Dr. Edwin Land (inventor of the Polaroid), George Hurrell, and National Geographic. Farber's work with nudes in fine art as well as in the commercial realm is known and respected. He has lectured for Ogilvy & Mather on the "Nude in Advertising." ASMP requested to use Farber's nudes as an example of the artistic application in support of the National Endowment of Arts, after its backing of the controversial Mapplethorpe/Serrano exhibit. His book, "Farber Nudes," was also included in the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis estate collection. Farber's fine-art photographs have been published in virtually every form. Farber has exhibited in galleries and museums world-wide. He's lectured at the Smithsonian Institute, The George Eastman House, as well as Universities and professional groups throughout the United States, Japan, Australia and Europe. Aside from his fine art photography, Robert Farber's work encompasses major campaigns for fashion, beauty and advertising, as well as directing for TV and film. A documentary highlighting Farber's life and career, is in development for PBS. Note: ChromaLuxe is a registered trademark of Universal Woods, Inc. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. ChromaLuxe disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Contact: Alesha Yaney, ChromaLuxe 502-855-3227 [email protected] SOURCE ChromaLuxe Related Links http://ChromaLuxe.com ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lisa Kazor, CEO and President of Savantage Solutions, announced today that the company has been recertified for the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) for Development (CMMI-DEV) Level 3 Maturity rating. CMMI Level 3 rating for development is a globally recognized industry standard of excellence in software engineering. The company originally achieved CMMI-DEV Level 3 Maturity rating in 2011. Software application development is a core competency for Savantage. "This recertification maintains Savantage' s position amongst an elite group of business enterprises it attests to the high standards we maintain in how we manage and execute software development activities," said Ms. Kazor. The CMMI-DEV Version 1.3 (CMMI-DEV, V1.3) at Maturity Level 3 covers processes such as: configuration management, quality assurance, verification and validation, risk management, requirements management, supplier agreement management, integrated project management, technical solution, product integration, project planning and decision making. The Savantage organization was rated at Maturity Level 3 in all process areas for our software development capabilities. Carnegie Mellon's Software Engineering Institute conducted studies demonstrating that organizations using CMMI-DEV in their process improvement programs achieve improved customer satisfaction, increased quality, more accurate schedules, lower development costs, substantial return on investment and improved employee morale, and reduced turnover. For government agencies using a software development organization with a CMMI-DEV Level 3 Maturity rating, this means substantially lower costs and risks for complex IT projects. By using a CMMI-DEV Level 3 Maturity rated development organization, government customers are more likely to receive high-quality functional software deliverables on time; customers avoid the need for extensive rework and bug fixes after the fact. About Savantage Solutions Savantage Solutions is a woman-owned small business headquartered in Rockville, Maryland that provides a wide range of consulting, integration, technology and support solutions and services to Federal agencies. A CMMI-DEV Level 3 rated company and an ISO 9001:2008 certified organization, Savantage is a leading provider of software development, business consulting and program management support services. One of only five vendors of financial management systems certified for Federal use, Savantage takes pride in its emphasis on service excellence. For more information, please contact Ayesha Rahman at 301-258-5600 or by email: [email protected]. SOURCE Savantage Solutions WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Small Business Administration today announced that $18 million in funding has been awarded to 44 State international trade agencies through SBA's competitive State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), to support export growth among U.S. small businesses. STEP is designed to increase both the number of small businesses that begin to export and the value of exports for small businesses currently exporting. Expanding the base of small business exporters and making the process as easy as possible is a key component of the Administration's small business strategy. "The awards will provide a solid foundation for small businesses planning to enter and set them up for success," said SBA Administrator Linda McMahon. The 2017 STEP awards will allow states to assist small businesses with the information and tools they need to succeed in export related activities that are in line with the objectives of the program. These objectives include participation in foreign trade missions, foreign market sales trips, services provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, as well as design of international marketing campaigns, export trade show exhibits, training workshops and more. STEP awards are managed and provided at the local level by state government organizations. The program is managed at the national level by the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of International Trade. See the full list of STEP awardees for FY2017. About the Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 and since January 13, 2012 has served as a Cabinet-level agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, the SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. To learn more about SBA, visit http://www.sba.gov . Contact: Carol Chastang (202) 205-6987 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news Follow us on Twitter, Facebook , Blogs & Instagram Release Number: 17-56 SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration Related Links http://www.sba.gov SAN DIEGO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Scott Louden has been named Ashford University's Outstanding Alum of the Month for September 2017. The Ashford University Outstanding Alum of the Month recognition highlights Ashford success stories and graduates who have used their Ashford education as a springboard to personal and professional achievement. After earning an associate's degree, Louden joined the Waupun Police Department in Wisconsin to support his community. He knew that if he wanted to advance in the field, he needed to stand out, so he enrolled in Ashford University's Bachelor of Arts in Law Enforcement Administration program on the recommendation of a fellow officer. "I knew that I would need a bachelor's degree to take on that next promotion," Louden explains. "Basically, it sets you apart from the other people that are going for that position and also lets them know that you are serious about continuous education and self-improvement." Thanks to the flexibility of the online courses and faculty, Louden was able to fit his studies in around his busy work schedule and graduated in 2013. "There were deadlines, but they gave you flexibility within the week to do your work," he says. "Also, they were very approachable. When you ask questions about certain material, they got back to you, and they were very knowledgeable on the topics they were teaching." All of Louden's hard work and education paid off when he was promoted to Police Chief in 2017. He has been commended for his forward-thinking administrative approach, and continues to apply the concepts he learned in his bachelor's program to advance the department. To read more of Louden's story, visit https://www.ashford.edu/online-learning-experience/student-success-stories/scott-louden. About Ashford University Where heritage meets innovation that's Ashford University. At Ashford, students discover relevant degree programs, innovative technology, and cherished tradition. Ashford offers associates, bachelor's, and master's degree programs online, allowing students to balance life by providing the flexibility to do school work anywhere, anytime. For more information, please visit www.ashford.edu, www.facebook.com/ashforduniversity, www.twitter.com/AshfordU, or call Lauren Coartney, Media Relations Manager, at 858.513.9240 x11636, or email [email protected]. SOURCE Ashford University Related Links http://www.ashford.edu More than 1,000 broken or damaged power poles. broken or damaged power poles. Approximately 5,000 spans of wire (or nearly 200 miles ) (or nearly ) More than 2,000 fallen trees Approximately 350 transformers damaged. Hurricane Irma interrupted service to nearly 1 million Georgia Power customers across the state this week and, as of Wednesday evening, more than 700,000 customers statewide had service restored. Nearly 8,000 personnel are now engaged in Georgia Power's statewide restoration effort and the company expects to have service restored to 95 percent of all customers impacted by Hurricane Irma, who can accept power, by Sunday night. Teams in the Field Georgia Power monitored the path of Hurricane Irma for more than a week prior to the storm entering Georgia. All of Georgia Power's resources were held in the state prior to the storm and have remained in Georgia to lead the company's restoration effort. The company continues to marshal its resources to restore customers as quickly and safely as possible with staging areas in all affected parts of the state. Restoration teams continue to face challenges including downed trees, blocked roads and bridges that had to be inspected by the state following flooding. When severe weather strikes, Georgia Power has access to additional resources available as part of the Southern Company system, which includes multiple electric and gas companies serving more than 9 million customers nationwide. Additionally, Georgia Power is part of a national mutual assistance network consisting of dozens of utilities from around the country, and the company is able to tap into reinforcements when needed to restore power to Georgia customers following a storm. While the company has contacted and requested aid through the mutual assistance network, resources have been assigned to harder-hit areas in Florida first before travelling to Georgia. Safety Information Watch for downed wires. Downed power lines may be hidden by debris or fallen trees. Downed power lines may be hidden by debris or fallen trees. Never touch any downed wire or attempt to remove tree branches from power lines it can kill. Don't step in standing water or saturated ground where downed lines may be present. They could be electrified. They could be electrified. Avoid chain link fences. They may be electrified by a downed line out of sight and conduct electricity over great distances. They may be electrified by a downed line out of sight and conduct electricity over great distances. Watch for Georgia Power crews working across the state. If driving, move over one lane for utility vehicles stopped on the side of the road it's the law in Georgia . Tools You Can Use Outage Alerts Subscribe to the free Georgia Power Outage Alert service to receive personalized notifications and updates via text message. Subscribe to the free Georgia Power Outage Alert service to receive personalized notifications and updates via text message. Outage & Storm Center Available at www.georgiapower.com/storm, customers can visit this site to sign up for Outage Alerts, report and check the status of outages, and access useful safety tips and information. Customers can report and check the status of an outage 24 hours a day by contacting Georgia Power at 888-891-0938. Available at www.georgiapower.com/storm, customers can visit this site to sign up for Outage Alerts, report and check the status of outages, and access useful safety tips and information. Customers can report and check the status of an outage 24 hours a day by contacting Georgia Power at 888-891-0938. Outage Map Housed within the Outage & Storm Center, Georgia Power's interactive Outage Map provides near real-time information, allowing users to see where outages are occurring across the state and track estimated restoration times. Housed within the Outage & Storm Center, Georgia Power's interactive Outage Map provides near real-time information, allowing users to see where outages are occurring across the state and track estimated restoration times. Georgia Power Mobile App Download the Georgia Power mobile app for Apple and Android devices to access storm and outage information on the go. Download the Georgia Power mobile app for Apple and Android devices to access storm and outage information on the go. @GeorgiaPower on Twitter Follow @GeorgiaPower on Twitter for storm tips, outage updates, customer service and more. About Georgia Power Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.5 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power). SOURCE Georgia Power Related Links http://www.georgiapower.com LEHI, Utah, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Secret Escapes is giving travelers another way to find its handpicked luxury hotels and vacations through a partnership with TravelPass Group. The partnership combines Secret Escapes' destination gems and international team of travel experts with TravelPass Group's robust data systems and sophisticated marketplace. "We're very excited to form a strategic partnership with TravelPass Group in a way that grows our potential customer base in the U.S., and further showcases our collection of handpicked luxury hotels at a price that is unbeatable anywhere else online," said Alex Saint, CEO of Secret Escapes. Known for its exclusive rates on four- and five-star hotels and flash sales, Secret Escapes negotiates the best rates with top hotel and boutique properties throughout the U.S. and around the world. Secret Escapes secures prices for members that cannot be found elsewhere, including up to 70 percent off on luxury properties. TravelPass Group's technology uses machine learning to give visibility into how customers shop and leverage multiple inventory sources and marketing data, making the booking experience seamless and simple. "We have long admired Secret Escapes for its unique approach that makes the experience and discovery of travel special," said Daniel A. Nelson, Executive Chairman of TravelPass Group. "This partnership is significant in our effort to build the ultimate travel marketplace that helps customers find the savings they are looking for at the best destinations." "We truly believe in our promise to 'provide greater choice that inspires and enables travel.' The foundation for delivering on this promise comes from our heavy investment in industry leading demand generation, customer segmentation, advanced booking capabilities, extensive supply base, genuine price discovery and powerful data systems," said Neil Valentine, senior vice president of strategy for TravelPass Group. "We're excited to work with Secret Escapes because of their focus on mastering the art of inspiring luxury travel with amazing prices. It is a perfect complement to what we live and breathe each day." About Secret Escapes Secret Escapes is a free-to-join, members website, which runs 'best-in-market' flash sales of four and five-star hotels and holidays worldwide. The hotels and holidays are hand-picked by a team of travel experts and include everything from domestic US hotel stays and city breaks to luxury European getaways and long-haul holidays. Launched in February 2011 and founded by CEO Alex Saint and COO Tom Valentine, the company works directly with its leading hotel, tour operator and travel agent partners to negotiate exclusive rates for over 45 million members globally, and operates in 19 other countries across Europe and Asia. About TravelPass Group TravelPass Group is a leading technology company in the travel industry. Spun out of the Utah-based company Partner Fusion, TravelPass Group is a marketplace for independent and brand name hotels, wholesalers, and the world's largest travel agencies, providing travelers with the best rates. TravelPass Group has been featured multiple times as one of the fastest growing companies locally and nationally by Deloitte Technology Fast 500 and Inc. 5000. TravelPass Group books 10,000 room nights per day through its five travel-related websites, including Reservation Counter and Reservation Desk, and a best-in-class customer service center that helps travelers access more than a million properties worldwide. Contact Chelsea Robie Method Communications [email protected] SOURCE TravelPass Group Related Links http://www.travelpassgroup.com BOCA RATON, Fla., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. is pleased to announce the acquisition of Mark Ellis Insurance, headquartered in Tamarac, Florida. Serving all of Florida for over 15 years now, Mark Ellis and his team have been offering the perfect combination of high quality products and excellent customer service throughout South Florida. The plan for this acquisition is to fold it into Primera Capital, a Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty company run by Anthony Davis. With local and national carriers at their disposal, their proven success will strengthen Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty's foothold in South Florida. Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. continues to target high-quality independent agencies for geographic expansion and continued growth throughout the Unites States. With the addition of Mark Ellis Insurance, Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. will continue to reach new and current clients by helping them protect their most important valuables with not only the right insurance, but with the right service for each client. SHP&C offers: Homeowner's Policy Automobile Insurance Renter's Policy Private Client Umbrella Coverage Commercial and Employee Coverage Personal Liability Coverage Marshal Seeman, President of Seeman Holtz Property and Casualty stated, "We are happy to welcome Mark Ellis' clients to Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty." Brett Williams, Vice President added, "Mark Ellis Insurance Company is a great pickup for us. We will be comfortably able to provide service from our existing Boca Raton office." About Our Company: The Seeman Holtz family of companies provides comprehensive financial and insurance advice to clients across the country. Contact: Eric Holtz Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty 844.255.6639 [email protected] SOURCE Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty, Inc. HAMILTON, Bermuda, and NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SELLAS Life Sciences Group Ltd. (SELLAS), a privately-held, oncology-focused, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, today reported that its WT1-targeting immuno-oncology (IO) treatment, galinpepimut-S, led to mounting of specific, potent and durable immune responses (IRs) in multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Galinpepimut-S, is SELLAS' lead product candidate and is currently expected to enter a pivotal, Phase 3 clinical trial in patients with AML and is also in various development phases in multiple myeloma and ovarian cancer, and additional indications are expected as a monotherapy or in combination with other immuno-oncology agents. The data reported in this release pertain to its ongoing Phase 2 study evaluating galinpepimut-S as a treatment in MM. In the ongoing Phase 2 study, both the rate (frequency) and potency of the durable IRs in MM patients were correlated with clinical benefit accorded by galinpepimut-S, hereby defined as achievement of cCR/VGPR in patients who completed per protocol immunizations (12 doses). These novel data were presented yesterday, September 13, 2017, at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) in Houston, Texas, USA (soho2017.com) at a poster session and the relevant abstract (#MM-252) was published in the September 2017 supplemental issue of the journal Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia. These IR results considerably expand on previous clinical observations of notable anti-myeloma activity of this innovative IO agent after upfront induction, melphalan conditioning and successful autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). SELLAS' Phase 2 MM study has enrolled a total of 20 patients who are being monitored long-term. A current median progression-free survival (PFS) of 23.6 months post-ASCT was previously reported in a group of 18 patients, all of whom had evidence of at least minimal residual disease (MRD+) post-ASCT, with 15/18 also having high-risk cytogenetics at baseline. This group represents a population at extremely high risk for progression and poor long-term outcomes, even in the face of post-ASCT maintenance therapy with immunomodulatory drugs (IMiD's). Rates of IRs (CD4 and/or CD8) toward any of galinpepimut-S's individual WT1 peptides (two heteroclitic and four native), as well as a pool of 113 partially overlapping 15-mers spanning the entire length of WT1 ('all pool' reactivity) were high at the time of completion of per protocol immunizations, ranging from 72-91%. The rates of immunization against the cognate native epitopes (122A and WT1A) of the two heteroclitic peptides (122A1 and WT1A1) within galinpepimut-S were also high, thus demonstrating the principle of heteroclitic peptide antigenicity. Multivalent IRs (i.e., IRs against more than one WT1 peptide) were detected in up to 66% of patients. IR against WT1 'all pool' peptides denoted multifunctional cross-epitope T-cell reactivity - akin to epitope spreading- and is a hallmark of an effective, cytotoxicity-inducing vaccine. Both the frequency and potency of CD4 IRs against the four native WT1 peptides targeted by galinpepimut-S, as well as 'all pool' WT1 antigens, showed a strong positive correlation with indices of clinical benefit (rate of CR/VGPR) at the time of completion of per protocol immunizations. Scientific abstracts describing SELLAS' findings above will be submitted for presentation in upcoming major medical meetings. "The results of these immunodynamics assays denote a robust immunobiological foundation for the clinical effect of WT1-targeting active immunization with galinpepimut-S, and suggests key roles of both enduring CD4 activation and emergence of cross-epitopic reactivity for antimyeloma activity with this therapy. The data also support our rationale for planning further studies to expand on our experience with this IO agent," said Guenther Koehne, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator on the trial and Attending Physician, Adult Bone Marrow Transplantation Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Associate Professor of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Nicholas Sarlis, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer of SELLAS, commented: "The correlations between IR and depth of clinical responses in multiple myeloma patients are both intriguing and original, and firmly establish WT1 as a major actionable target for immunotherapy in plasma cell dyscrasias henceforth." Dr. Angelos Stergiou, MD, ScD h.c., Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SELLAS, said: "This new dataset focusing on dissecting the immune mechanisms underlying the marked antimyeloma activity previously documented with galinpepimut-S underscores our steadfast commitment to advance this agent's clinical development programs, especially in clinical settings of unmet medical need, such as high-risk MRD(+) multiple myeloma after front-line therapy, a space which is currently underserved by standard therapies. These findings further corroborate immune response data from our earlier programs in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and mesothelioma, where high rates of WT1-specific immunization were seen in conjunction to promising clinical activity signals in these tumor types. Finally, they provide justification for pursuance of future combinatorial approaches with galinpepimut-S, for example with checkpoint inhibitors, especially given the agent's overall excellent safety profile." About SELLAS Life Sciences Group SELLAS Life Sciences Group Ltd. is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel cancer immunotherapies and therapeutics for a broad range of cancer indications. SELLAS' lead product candidate, galinpepimut-S, is a cancer immunotherapeutic agent licensed from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center that targets a broad spectrum of hematologic cancers and solid tumor indications. Galinpepimut-S is expected to enter pivotal, Phase 3 clinical trials in patients with AML and is also in various development phases in multiple myeloma and ovarian cancer, and additional indications are expected as a monotherapy or in combination with other immuno-oncology agents. SELLAS recently received orphan drug designations from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), as well as the European Medicines Agency, for galinpepimut-S in AML and MPM; as well as fast track designation for AML and MPM from the FDA. SELLAS was founded in 2012 and is currently headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, with additional offices in New York City, NY. For more information on SELLAS, please visit www.sellaslifesciences.com. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements related to the potential of galinpepimut-S as a treatment for multiple myeloma, acute myeloid leukemia, mesothelioma and other cancers, as well as statements regarding SELLAS' overall research and development plans for galinpepimut-S, including the timing of clinical trials related thereto, and publication of the results in a clinical journal. These forward-looking statements are based on SELLAS' current plans, objectives, estimates, expectations and intentions, and inherently involve significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with immune-oncology product development and clinical success thereof, the uncertainty of regulatory approval, and other risks and uncertainties affecting SELLAS and its development programs. Other risks and uncertainties of which SELLAS is not currently aware may also affect SELLAS' forward-looking statements and may cause actual results and the timing of events to differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements herein are made only as of the date hereof or as of the dates indicated in the forward-looking statements, even if they are subsequently made available by SELLAS on its website or otherwise. SELLAS undertakes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information, future events, changes in its expectations or other circumstances that exist after the date as of which the forward-looking statements were made. Additional Information about the Proposed Merger involving Galena Biopharma, Inc. and SELLAS Life Sciences Group Ltd. and Where to Find It In connection with the previously disclosed proposed merger involving Galena Biopharma, Inc. (Galena) and SELLAS Life Sciences Group Ltd., Galena and SELLAS intend to file relevant materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, including a registration statement on Form S-4 that will contain a proxy statement /prospectus / information statement. Galena and SELLAS will mail the final proxy statement / prospectus / information statement to their respective stockholders. Investors and stockholders of Galena and SELLAS are urged to read these materials when they become available because they will contain important information about Galena, SELLAS and the proposed merger. This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities in connection with the proposed merger shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. SOURCE SELLAS Life Sciences Group TOWSON, Md., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Senior Helpers, one of the nation's premier providers of in-home senior care, has recently relocated its company headquarters to Towson, Maryland, to accommodate the organization's national growth. As part of Senior Helpers' continuing expansion, the new corporate office will provide double the space of the previous location, and will allow for improved training opportunities for current and future franchisees. "The decision to move our headquarters to Towson was a logical step in our business growth strategy," said Peter Ross, CEO and co-founder of Senior Helpers. "The expanded footprint of the office was thoughtfully designed for the team to work effectively, and is a perfect environment to welcome current and prospective franchisees. To be a great company, we need to attract and retain the most talented people. Giving them the best office in which to work, with the most advanced tools and training, is one of the many ways we support our great network of franchisees." Previously based in Timonium, Maryland, Senior Helpers was purchased by Altaris Capital Partners, LLC in late 2016, enabling the acquisition of its first company-owned franchise in Baltimore in April 2017, and its second in Chicago in August 2017. The organization continues to expand its franchise network into new territories, including Fountain Valley, CA; Franklin, OH; New City, NY; Fairfield, CT and more. The company currently operates more than 300 franchises worldwide. Founded in 2001 with a vision to help seniors who wish to remain in their homes despite age-related illnesses and mobility challenges Senior Helpers serves elderly individuals and their families around the world. Senior Helpers differentiates itself with its proprietary, specialized programs that have been developed in collaboration with leading medical experts. The company was the first provider in the industry to offer specialized care services for individuals with Alzheimer's, dementia and Parkinson's disease. Senior Helpers also added a new Parkinson's Care Program in 2016, a specialized training program for caregivers created in conjunction with leading experts from the National Parkinson Foundation's Center of Excellence. For more information about the company, visit http://www.seniorhelpers.com. To learn more about franchising opportunities, visit http://www.seniorhelpersfranchise.com. About Senior Helpers Senior Helpers is a premier in-home senior care provider in the U.S. with 311 franchised businesses operating across the globe. Founded in 2001 with a vision to help seniors who wish to remain in their homes despite age-related illnesses and mobility challenges, Senior Helpers has now cared for tens of thousands of seniors with a pledge to provide "care and comfort at a moment's notice." Senior Helpers offers a wide range of personal care and companion services, including trained Alzheimer's, dementia and Parkinson's care, to assist seniors who wish to live independently. Learn more by visiting http://www.seniorhelpers.com. Contact: Lindsay Anthony Havas Formula (619) 234-0345 [email protected] SOURCE Senior Helpers Related Links http://www.seniorhelpers.com WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- From teaching high school students in rural Kentucky how to become entrepreneurs to connecting entrepreneurs with a worldwide network of partners, organizations are finding innovative ways to build regional prosperity. Four outstanding examples were recognized as Creating a Better Future Awards winners today by SSTI, a national organization working to strengthen initiatives to create a better future through science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. This years awards were announced during SSTIs annual conference, held in Washington, D.C. Its important that we recognize the good work that is being done throughout the country and showcase the successful programs that others can emulate, said SSTIs president and CEO, Dan Berglund. These initiatives are creating environments where innovation and entrepreneurship can thrive. The Kentucky Innovation Network at Murray State University won in the Creating a Better Future through Economic Opportunity category and demonstrates how any area can influence long-term culture through its youth. With support from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, the innovation office created a program working with teachers and more than 100 community partners in rural Kentucky to introduce students to principles of entrepreneurship. In 2016-2017, two of the student teams were already in the marketplace and interest in the program has spread to investors and across the state. Larta Institutes Commercialization Accelerator Program Initiative (CAP) won the Creating a Better Future through Entrepreneurship and Capital award with its virtual enterprise development programs for small, earlier-stage businesses with innovations in the hard sciences. Since 1993, more than $2.7 billion has been raised by Larta CAP companies in non-dilutive funding, along with more than $4 billion of private investment. Judges were impressed by the ability to reach out to a virtual network, noting it as a feature other regions lacking local resources could replicate. The New Jersey Innovation Institute (an NJIT corporation), Health IT Connections program took home the Creating a Better Future through Competitive Industries award for its work to grow the states regional health IT ecosystem and make connections among the entrepreneurs, service providers, hospitals, patients, government agencies and anchor institutions. The program reports a high percentage of female and minority founders (more than 20 percent) and job and revenue increases of more than 40 percent after the second year. Part of Rhode Islands economic development strategy is attracting and retaining talent. The Rhode Island Commerce Corporations Wavemaker Fellowship program was named the Most Promising Initiative category winner for its work to attract and retain STEM and design workers. The Fellowship awards defray student loan payments for graduates who incurred student loan debt while completing their degree. The initiative also includes programming aimed at creating a stickiness factor to further connect the Fellows to the state. In its first year, 110 companies in targeted industries employed Fellows, with 54 percent holding a bachelors degree, another 44 percent having a masters degree and 59 percent graduates of a Rhode Island institution. Ellen Marrison Content Strategist 614.901.1690 PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education (ALI CLE) has announced that Life Insurance Company Products 2017: Featuring Current SEC, FINRA Insurance, Tax, and ERISA Regulatory and Compliance Issues will be held on November 1 - 3, 2017, in Washington, D.C. One of the few remaining conferences of its kind, this course analyzes emerging issues in life insurance products and related offerings, comprehensively discussing design, distribution, advertising, regulation, and enforcement developments. Annually, the Life Insurance Company Products course welcomes a fresh faculty, including government and industry leaders, to address perennial topics, as well the additional timelier, hot-topic subjects woven into the agenda. This year's program will bring over twenty new speakers from state and government agencies, over a dozen from major law firms, and many from insurance companies and industry trade groups. The course will also feature a keynote address from the new incoming director of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Division of Investment Management. Conference topics include: Senior SEC staff perspectives on the latest disclosure, regulatory, and accounting issues for registered variable and non-variable insurance products Key regulatory and litigation developments affecting mutual funds and investment advisors DOL Fiduciary Rule status, implementation and industry practices, implications of recent class actions on pension plan platforms, and other ERISA updates The implications of the Hartford underlying fund substitution applications underlying fund substitution applications NAIC and state regulatory developments, including disclosure, suitability, insurance illustrations and cybersecurity Current federal legislative and income tax developments and regulatory reform in the Trump era "This year's conference will be exceptional, both in terms of its incredible faculty and the comprehensive scope of topics it will cover," said Planning Co-Chair, Richard Choi. "We are looking forward to another fantastic conference full of keen insights form an engaging faculty of leading business executives, senior regulators, and leading industry professionals. We have designed the conference to provide accurate, indispensable knowledge to industry professionals and firms seeking to deliver world-class services in a competitive marketplace." To learn more about this program and to register for the in-person course or webcast, click here. About American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education American Law Institute CLE is the continuing legal education division of the American Law Institute. American Law Institute CLE, a non-profit organization, is committed to the work of promoting continuing professional education for lawyers throughout the United States and to creating standards to ensure quality and relevance in CLE programs. American Law Institute CLE is constantly evolving to meet the needs of the legal profession, furthering a tradition of unparalleled service to lawyers. Follow the latest announcements and news at https://www.ali-cle.org/Press-Releases and on Twitter @ALI_CLE. For press and media related inquiries please send us an email at [email protected]. CONTACT: Ian Shumard ALI CLE (215) 243-1662 SOURCE American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education Related Links http://www.ali-cle.org BLOOMFIELD, Conn., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SimplyVital Health (SVH), the healthcare company using blockchain technology to tackle bundled payments, has been accepted into athenahealth's inaugural More Disruption Please (MDP) Labs program. SVH is one of just 10 companies selected from over 110 applicants to work alongside athenahealth and other industry leaders seeking to disrupt and improve the healthcare IT industry. MDP Labs is athenahealth's partnership and innovation program, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, clinicians and industry experts who share the vision of disrupting the status quo in healthcare. The MDP Labs program offers tailored programming and mentorship, exposure to provider clients, business development/funding opportunities, and a nurturing community learning environment that encourages collaboration. "It is an amazing honor to be invited to MDP Labs and given a chance to learn and work alongside other startups and disruptors in the healthcare industry," says SVH CEO Katherine Kuzmeskas. "The shift to Value-Based Care means new opportunities for disrupting and improving the current healthcare model, and SVH believes the adoption blockchain technology for healthcare records will result in improved patient outcomes and lower costs across the board." Blockchain technology, which underpins cryptocurrencies such as BitCoin, allows SVH to create and share immutable health records. These unchangeable records can track patient care across multiple providers, from the first doctor appointment to their final post-care treatment. In addition to reducing costs in bundled payments, SVH is using blockchain technology to break down data silos and protect healthcare data, ultimately lowering costs for providers and patients alike. Each MDP Labs team will be paired with a sponsor to guide the company through the course. SVH will be represented by Allison LaValley, who has been paired with athenahealth's Quality Performance Manger Elizabeth Goheen. SVH is also one of just two East Coast startups selected for the MDP Labs program, beating out many other Silicon Valley startups that hoped to enter the program. SVH, which is based in Bloomfield, Connecticut, has raised $500,000 in funding last week, and Kuzmeskas was named to Fortune's "34 Leaders Who Are Changing Healthcare" list earlier this summer. To learn more about how SVH is disrupting the healthcare industry with blockchain technology, visit https://www.simplyvitalhealth.com/. SOURCE SimplyVital Health Related Links http://www.simplyvitalhealth.com Simpson Healthcare commends Malloy and fellow Top 50 Irish-American Healthcare and Lifesciences leaders celebrated by Irish America Magazine. The Simpson Healthcare team was honored to share this moment of achievement in support of senior colleague, Malloy, in this award celebration. Malloy is a key senior leader at Simpson Healthcare and has touched a broad array of therapeutic categories throughout the course of his scientific marketing and communications career. Malloy supports our biopharmaceutical clients in delivering better healthcare communications strategies with the focus on innovation and precision medicine: connecting the right patients with the right therapies at the right time. We live in a time where we must come together to catalyze change and to improve quality of life for patients as we come to understand how important it is to think disruptively about how to best fulfill the overarching goal of healthcare and helping people live better. Simpson Healthcare was proud to engage with fellow experts in New York City united in leadership and community as we strive to provide the most positive experiences that we can for patients in need across the globe. About Irish America Magazine: Irish America Magazine is the leading national publication of Irish interest in North America, is a powerful vehicle for expression and highlights the best political and business leaders, organizations, artists, writers, and community figures among the Irish in America. Please visit: www.irishamerica.com About Simpson Healthcare Executives: Simpson Healthcare challenges key stakeholders in the healthcare industry to think disruptively about the future of healthcare beyond next year and into the next decade to build the brands of tomorrow and connect our biopharmaceutical clients with patients who can benefit most from their therapies. Please visit: www.simpsonhealthcare.com. SOURCE Simpson Healthcare Executives Related Links http://www.simpsonhealthcare.com BEIJING, Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The highly anticipated Cloud Connect China 2017 opened at Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center on September 5. As one of the largest cloud computing events in China, the event attracted thousands of CIOs, CTOs, technology developers and enterprise-grade end users in finance, manufacturing, e-commerce, education and medicine, among other popular application areas. Beijing Big Data Group (SinoBBD), a leading big data company in China, was invited to attend the event. At the event, Dr. Shuaiyu Wang, chief executive officer of Beijing SinoBBD Tech Co., Ltd. delivered a keynote speech entitled SinoBBD Cloud: Down to the Earth, Mind and Hand, followed by in-depth discussions with industry leaders and technology professionals about the transition to the cloud trend in what is being termed the Internet Plus era as well as the future development of the cloud computing industry. Dr. Shuaiyu Wang also shared the salient points and advantages of innovative SinoBBD Cloud products and discussed how to safeguard national data sovereignty and help companies empower the cloud ecosystem through industry-wide integration. The speech was well received by attendees. Stand on solid ground and walk the talk In the thriving Internet Plus era - the Chinese government's program to stimulate the application of the internet and other information technologies in conventional industries, the fast-growing cloud computing industry has gone through a process of rapid development, from proposal to maturity as well as from concept to implementation. With the popularity and wide adoption of the cloud, cloud computing is evolving from simply being a technology that operators and firms are putting into practice to one that is showing more attributes as a tool, as reflected by the upward migration of the core value and the transition from public to hybrid cloud. At the event, Dr. Shuaiyu Wang said that companies must overcome three obstacles - trust, resources and capital - in order to set oneself apart from the competition in the cloud computing sector, and SinoBBD has the strength and confidence to overcome the three obstacles. Trust: SinoBBD , has the credit endorsement of a state-owned company and maintains strong relationships with governments and operators. The group, a domestic leader in the cloud computing sector, is a member of the team of companies responsible for shouldering the mission of safeguarding national data sovereignty. the credit endorsement of a state-owned company and maintains strong relationships with governments and operators. The group, a domestic leader in the cloud computing sector, is a member of the team of companies responsible for shouldering the mission of safeguarding national data sovereignty. Resources: the group has implemented a data center cluster distribution following what the company has termed the "3+10+X" strategy (3: Beijing , Shanghai and Guangzhou as three key markets; 10: ten internet backbone cities across China ; X: other Chinese second- and third-tier cities with substantial electrical power resources) and owns multiple product lines, among them, data center, content delivery network (CDN), cloud and big data management platforms including business units that are responsible for growing the international segment of each of these verticals. SinoBBD's technological prowess serves to assist the firm in building the integrated industry portfolio. , and as three key markets; 10: ten internet backbone cities across ; X: other Chinese second- and third-tier cities with substantial electrical power resources) and owns multiple product lines, among them, data center, content delivery network (CDN), cloud and big data management platforms including business units that are responsible for growing the international segment of each of these verticals. SinoBBD's technological prowess serves to assist the firm in building the integrated industry portfolio. Capital: SinoBBD has partnered with Huarong Emerging Industries Investment & Management Co., Ltd. to establish a big data fund of 20 billion yuan (approx. US$3 billion ), fully supporting the group's efforts to expand and grow the cloud business and help companies empower the cloud ecosystem. The big data fund aims to accelerate the development of cloud applications and the realization of commercial value through the creation of the largest public industry cloud in China . Commenting on SinoBBD Cloud's business portfolio, Dr. Shuaiyu Wang said that the benefits from possessing advantages as a result of the firm's leading position within the industry, as well as access to resources and capital, paved the way for the transformation of its cloud business from one that was focused on a narrow vertical to one that encompasses the breadth of the entire industry. The group has integrated its powerful resource network to combine its supply and marketing systems and create the SinoBBD Cloud industry ecosystem, following on with expansion across a wide range of sectors spanning big finance, big health, smart cities and Agriculture 4.0 (the application of precision farming). The group supports its e-commerce platform, which handles transactions valued at 600 billion yuan (approx. US$90 billion) annually, via the SinoBBD Cloud platform and big data technologies. It provides support for the creation of nationwide rural e-commerce platforms serving the country's towns and villages, the agricultural sector and farmers, and drives supply-side reform while empowering the ecosystem. The group has teamed up with industry partners to achieve win-win results and is now entering the final half of the SinoBBD Cloud platform's development period, where "Down to the Earth, Mind and Hand" is central and key to future success. SOURCE SinoBBD HAMILTON, Bermuda and TEL AVIV, Israel, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Global insurance company Sirius International Insurance Group, Ltd. ("Sirius") announced today that it had entered into a definitive agreement to purchase 4.9% of The Phoenix Holdings Ltd. ("The Phoenix") from Delek Group Ltd. ("Delek Group") for NIS 208 million in cash. As part of the agreement, within 45 days of its signing, Sirius will submit an application to the Israeli Commissioner of Capital Markets, Insurance and Savings (the "Israeli Commissioner of Insurance") to receive a permit to control the insurance company, and has an exclusivity period of 60 days to conduct due diligence, during which time Sirius has the option to purchase all of Delek Group's remaining shares in The Phoenix (approximately 47.35%) for an additional sum of NIS 2.3 billion in cash, subject to certain adjustments for interest and earnings. Allan Waters, Chairman and CEO of Sirius International Insurance Group, Ltd. referred to the deal today and said, "We are excited and look forward to working with The Phoenix in the Israeli market. The Phoenix has been a Sirius business partner for decades, and it is one of Israel's leading insurance and financial services companies. Through The Phoenix, Sirius plans to offer new products to the Israeli market, and views this as an opportunity to develop new technology solutions, while protecting the interests of the Israeli public insured by the company." Allan Waters further added that Sirius is confident that the Israeli Commissioner of Insurance will approve Sirius as a controller of The Phoenix, given Sirius's long-standing insurance expertise and strong regulatory oversight in New York, the UK, Sweden, Bermuda, Singapore and more. Sirius is represented in Israel by Dr. Ornit Kravitz and attorneys Doni Toledano, Roy Caner and Lior Oren of Erdinast, Ben Nathan, Toledano & Co. About Sirius International Insurance Group: Sirius is a 72-year-old global (re)insurance company founded in Stockholm, Sweden in 1945 with its corporate headquarters in Hamilton, Bermuda. Sirius has $2.8 billion of GAAP capital and wrote $1.3 billion of premiums in 2016, $435 million of which related to Accident & Health. Its largest offices are in Stockholm, New York City and London. The company's operations are carried out from 12 global offices run by local managers with deep experience in the insurance industry. Sirius is globally licensed and overseen by the following regulatory bodies: Bermuda Monetary Authority New York Department of Financial Services Insurance Department of Tennessee Swedish Financial Services Authority United Kingdom Prudential Regulatory Authority Hong Kong Commissioner of Insurance Commissioner of Insurance Monetary Authority of Singapore Australia Prudential Regulatory Authority Sirius, a subsidiary of Singapore-domiciled CM International Holding Pte. Ltd., has significant insurance experience with a track record of strong regulatory oversight. The company has a strong corporate governance structure - Board and governance structures are consistent with that of a public company and take place at the Sirius International Insurance Group, Ltd. entity level. The company has over 7,000 treaties and accounts with over 2,000 clients in 140+ countries. It has a unique global reinsurance and specialty platform, with a strong presence in the U.S. (49% of net premiums) and Europe (28%). Sirius recently expanded its direct specialty focus (particularly A&H) with two strategic acquisitions in 2017 (ArmadaGlobal and IMG). The company's global credibility with rating agencies - is reflected in its financial strength ratings: Standard & Poor's A-, stable outlook A.M. Best A, negative outlook Fitch A-, stable outlook The Phoenix writes life, property and casualty insurance, and also owns a credit card clearing house and Excellence, an asset management business. The Phoenix had $3.5 billion (NIS 12.5 billion) in revenues in 2016 and $30 billion (NIS 160 billion) of assets as of June 30, 2017. Additional information regarding the transaction and Delek Group is available at http://ir.delek-group.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=160695&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2300619. For additional information regarding this announcement, please contact Ruthi Romshtein, Deputy Director General and Sirius Account Manager, Rahav Communications, #011-972-03-7188555 SOURCE Sirius International Insurance Group, Ltd. NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Situs, the premier global provider of strategic business solutions for the finance and real estate industries, announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Situs RERC, has hired Jamie Molloy as Managing Director. Based in New York City, Mr. Molloy will be responsible for further developing our suite of solutions to address the evolving needs of the industry, while expanding the effective reach of Situs RERC, and will report to Ken Riggs, Situs RERC's President. Situs RERC "Situs RERC has greatly expanded its global footprint over the past three years and Jamie Molloy's experience will be extremely valuable in our continuous effort to remain a premiere service provider to a global audience," said Riggs. Mr. Molloy joins Situs from Deutsche Bank where he has spent the past 10 years as Global Head of Real Estate Valuation, directing a team of real property valuation professionals in New York, London, Frankfurt, Mumbai, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Prior to that, Jamie spent five years as International Head of Real Estate Valuation overseeing all non-US valuation activities and offices. Mr. Molloy's team practiced in over 30 countries and developed market-specific valuation due diligence platforms in Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, Korea and Taiwan. The group supported Deutsche Bank's top-tier CMBS large loan and conduit origination platforms, the special situations group, covered bond origination, multiple warehouse lending groups, LIHTC and tax-advantaged origination platforms, real estate investment banking, structured finance and asset wealth management. Mr. Molloy is a member of the Appraisal Institute (MAI), a Fellow with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS), a Counselor of Real Estate (CRE), a New York State Licensed and Certified General Real Estate Appraiser and member of the Risk Management Association. Mr. Molloy is on the board of the New York Metropolitan Chapter of the Appraisal Institute and has presented at multiple industry conferences and corporate functions. ABOUT SITUS Situs is the pre-eminent advisor to clients to evaluate, optimize, and manage commercial and residential real estate and related assets. Since 1985, Situs has set the standard for service, quality and execution. Situs has offices across the US and Europe and has been involved in more than $1 trillion of real estate debt and equity deals. A rated servicer with Moody's, Fitch and Morningstar, Situs has more than $165 billion of assets under management and is ranked a top 20 servicer in multiple categories by the Mortgage Bankers Association. In 2016, Situs received a second consecutive "Advisor of the Year" award by Real Estate Finance & Investment magazine, and the "Capital Advisor Firm of the Year" award by Property Investor Europe. SITUS MEDIA CONTACT Cecilia Panozzo [email protected] + 1 212 294 1304 SOURCE Situs NEWTON, Mass., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sonesta International Hotels Corporation is proud to announce the expected addition of 14 new hotels to the Sonesta ES Suites portfolio, emphatically marking the extended stay brand's fifth year of operation. Since its introduction in 2012, Sonesta ES Suites has grown to 42 hotels nationwide, delivering a surprisingly different take on an extended stay hotel in cities across the U.S. With this announcement, Sonesta ES Suites continues the expansion of its U.S. collection, welcoming guests to new hotels in: Ann Arbor, MI; Atlanta (Chamblee), GA; Birmingham, AL; Chicago (Lombard), IL; Cincinnati (Blue Ash and Sharonville), OH; Houston (Clear Lake), TX; Jacksonville, FL; Memphis, TN; Montgomery, AL; Portland (Vancouver, WA) OR; Providence (Warwick), RI; St Louis (Chesterfield), MD; and Wilmington (Newark), DE. For more information about each property and new destination visit Sonesta.com/growth. "We are excited to mark Sonesta ES Suites' fifth year of operation with the addition of 14 new properties, stretching from Rhode Island to the state of Washington, all designed to be diverse as the needs of their guests," said Carlos Flores, President & Chief Executive Officer of Sonesta International Hotels Corporation. "We're extremely proud of the substantial growth we've achieved in the last few years, and even more proud that our dedication to authentic hospitality has rung true with over 90% of our hotels and resorts receiving TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence honors for exemplary guest service this year. We look forward to bringing that same Sonesta service to guests of these new hotels across the country." Sonesta ES Suites was first introduced in 2012 when the brand began reimagining its 16 hotels. Those hotels were completed and officially launched with the new Sonesta ES Suites brand esthetic in May 2015. That same year, Sonesta ES Suites added nine new hotels to the extended stay portfolio, growing their numbers to 25 properties nationwide. Another two hotels were added in 2016, bringing the Sonesta ES Suites total to 27. Now celebrating five years, the brand has expanded its collection within ten new markets, representing locations in 23 states in total. With each new addition to the portfolio, Sonesta ES Suites completely reimagines and reinvigorates the property with a multimillion dollar renovation, delivering an unmatched guest experience centered on a commitment to provide more than just a place to stay. Designed to be as flexible as the diverse needs of guests, each of the residence-style hotels feature oversized suites, adaptable work areas and common spaces, and a friendly, attentive staff that aim to make guests feel at home. From spacious studios to one and two bedroom suites, accommodations at Sonesta ES Suites offer travelers separate living and sleeping areas, fully equipped kitchens providing room and versatility for those traveling on business for short or extended periods of time, as well as for families on vacation or relocating. The complimentary daily hot breakfast, 24-hour fitness centers and on-site laundry help guests save time and manage budgets, while complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi and self-service printers help guests stay connected to work and home. Guests are invited to relax among friends at evening socials, while enjoying unexpected surprises that celebrate the unique culture and flavor of the local community. Sonesta ES Suites can now be found in locations across 23 U.S. States: Alabama Nebraska - Sonesta ES Suites Birmingham - Sonesta ES Suites Omaha - Sonesta ES Suites Montgomery New Jersey Arizona - Sonesta ES Suites Parsippany - Sonesta ES Suites Flagstaff - Sonesta ES Suites Princeton - Sonesta ES Suites Tucson - Sonesta ES Suites Somerset Colorado - Sonesta ES Suites Somers Point - Sonesta ES Suites Colorado Springs - Sonesta ES Suites South Brunswick-Princeton Delaware North Carolina - Sonesta ES Suites Wilmington-Newark - Sonesta ES Suites Charlotte Arrowood Florida Oklahoma - Sonesta ES Suites Orlando - Sonesta ES Suites Oklahoma City - Sonesta ES Suites Jacksonville Ohio Georgia - Sonesta ES Suites Cincinnati-Blue Ash - Sonesta ES Suites Atlanta-Perimeter Center North - Sonesta ES Suites Cincinnati-Sharonville West - Sonesta ES Suites Atlanta Perimeter Center East - Sonesta ES Suites Cincinnati-Sharonville East Illinois - Sonesta ES Suites Cleveland Airport - Sonesta ES Suites Chicago-Schaumburg - Sonesta ES Suites Cleveland Westlake - Sonesta ES Suites Chicago-Lombard - Sonesta ES Suite Dublin Maryland Pennsylvania - Sonesta ES Suites Columbia - Sonesta ES Suites Malvern Massachusetts Rhode Island - Sonesta ES Suites Andover - Sonesta ES Suites Providence-Airport - Sonesta ES Suites Burlington Texas Michigan - Sonesta ES Suites Houston - Galleria - Sonesta ES Suites Ann Arbor - Sonesta ES Suites Houston-Clear Lake - Sonesta ES Suites Auburn Hills Tennessee Minnesota - Sonesta ES Suites Memphis - Sonesta ES Suites Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport Vermont Missouri - Sonesta ES Suites Burlington - Sonesta ES Suites St. Louis - Westport Washington - Sonesta SS Suites St. Louis Chesterfield - Sonesta ES Suites Portland - Vancouver Sonesta is a growing, global hospitality brand with more than 60 properties in seven countries, centered on a dedication to delivering a guest experience that provides more than just a place to stay. There is no typical Sonesta. A portfolio of diverse and distinctive properties as individual as its guests, the Sonesta collection covers a full range of services from select to full-service indulgence. In 2017, over 90% of Sonesta hotels and resorts in the United States were recognized with TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence honors for the 2017 award year. Now in its seventh year, the achievement celebrates superiority in hospitality and is given only to establishments that consistently achieve exceptional traveler reviews on TripAdvisor. The weighted average rating for hotels in the Sonesta collection is a 4.28, which ranks among the top rated hotels in the U.S. hotel industry. To learn more, visit Sonesta.com/growth. Discover Royal Sonesta and Sonesta Hotels & Resorts in Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Hilton Head Island, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Jose, St. Louis, St. Maarten (3), Chile (2), Colombia (5), Ecuador, Peru (5), and Egypt (6 + 3 cruise ships). Sonesta ES Suites is an extended stay hotel brand managed by Sonesta and will soon be found in 42 locations near Boston, Atlanta, Baltimore, Burlington, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Columbus, Detroit, Flagstaff, Houston, Memphis, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Orlando, Parsippany, Princeton, Philadelphia, Portland, St. Louis and Tucson. For more about Sonesta, visit Sonesta.com or call +1.617.315.9200 or 800.Sonesta (800.766.3782) in the U.S. and Canada. *High resolution images are available at www.sonesta.com/media for all Sonesta hotels. Media Contact : Caitlin Musch, Weber Shandwick for Sonesta [email protected] / 212-445-8153 SOURCE Sonesta International Hotels Corporation ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The tax advantage currently enjoyed by many online retailers may soon be coming to an end. A ruling today by the South Dakota Supreme Court increases the likelihood that the United States Supreme Court will have the opportunity to revisit Quill Corp v. North Dakota, a 1992 decision that forbade states from requiring retailers without a physical presence to collect sales tax. The decision, which pre-dated modern e-commerce, created a loophole for online retailers to exploit at the expense of brick and mortar retailers. Overturning Quill would close the harmful loophole and treat all businesses equally, whether they are online or on Main Street. In the twenty-five years since the original decision, online commerce has exploded. Retailers, cities and states across the country have aggressively pursued solutions to end the distinct competitive advantage given growing e-commerce giants over brick and mortar stores. But a nationwide solution has been elusive, and despite more than a quarter century of debate, Congress has yet to solve the problem. The twin impact of fewer brick and mortar storefronts and lost sales tax revenue has drained state and local coffers of billions in revenue every year. As a result, many states and local governments have had to raise other taxes to make up for the special tax treatment currently afforded many online transactions. "The artificial price advantage created by the United States Supreme Court in Quill has done significant damage to thousands of brick and mortar retailers, and meant billions in lost revenue for state and local governments," said Retail Litigation Center President Deborah White. "By revisiting Quill, the Court can restore free market competition and return to the basic principles of federalism that allow states to handle issues of local taxation." Today's decision from the South Dakota Supreme Court stems from a statute passed in 2016 by the South Dakota Legislature designed to challenge Quill directly. The law, passed overwhelmingly by the Legislature and signed by Governor Dennis Daugaard, requires out-of-state retailers to collect and remit sales tax if they transact more than $100,000 of business in the state or more than 200 sales. The law was signed roughly one year after U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy recognized in his concurring opinion in DMA v. Brohl that, "[t]he Internet has caused far-reaching systemic and structural changes in the economy" so that "a business may be present in a State in a meaningful way without that presence being physical in the traditional sense of the word." Noting the significant economic harms that were befalling state treasuries and local retailers, Justice Kennedy said that "it is unwise [for the US Supreme Court] to delay any longer a reconsideration of the Court's holding in Quill" and asked the "legal system [to] find an appropriate case for this Court to reexamine Quill." The state high court here did the only thing that it could do: recognize that Quill is the law of the land and defer to the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider its precedent, which is what the state requested: "Quill remains the controlling precedent on the issue of Commerce Clause limitations on interstate collection of sales and use taxes. We are mindful of the Supreme Court's directive to follow its precedent when it "has direct application in a case" and to leave to that Court "the prerogative of overruling its own decisions." Rodriguez de Quijas v. Shearson/American Exp., Inc., 490 U.S. 477, 484, 109 S. Ct. 1917, 1921-22, 104 L. Ed. 2d 526 (1989)." The decision was swift and sets up the state's ability to bring the decision quickly to the U.S. Supreme Court. "The combination of Justice Kennedy's opinion in Brohl and the South Dakota Supreme Court's quick but complete dispatch of the case significantly enhance the chances that the U.S. Supreme Court will agree to consider the case during the next Term," said White, who also serves as General Counsel of the Retail Industry Leaders Association. The Retail Litigation Center is a public policy organization that identifies and engages in legal proceedings that affect the retail industry. The RLC, whose members include some of the country's largest retailers, was formed to provide courts with retail industry perspectives on significant legal issues, and highlight the potential industry-wide consequences of legal principles that may be determined in pending cases. RILA is the trade association of the world's largest and most innovative retail companies. RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs and more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers domestically and abroad. SOURCE Retail Litigation Center Related Links http://www.rila.org NAPA, Calif., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Just in time for the holiday season, Le Grand Courtage owner Tawnya Falkner presents the inaugural release of a Limited Edition "Bedazzled Bottle." Created in collaboration with Champagne Bisou, an aptly-named designer in Los Angeles, each one-of-a-kind bottle is crafted by hand to ensure resilience and elegance and is available in Silver (with Blanc de Blancs Brut) or Pink (for the Brut Rose). Le Grand Courtage Bedazzled Brut Rose Le Grand Courtage Bedazzled Blanc de Blancs Brut Fortunately, this affordable sparkling wine is just as beautiful on the inside of the bottle as it is on the sparkling outside. Tawnya Falkner creates sparkling wines that embody the French spirit of Joie de Vivre, and invite celebration. Literally translated as 'The Great Courtship', Le Grand Courtage unites French and American wine culture with delicious results. Le Grand Courtage Blanc de Blancs Brut and Brut Rose are crisp, elegant and refreshing, with tiny bubbles and a delicate balance of dryness with fruit and floral notes. The Le Grand Courtage bedazzled bottle is tres chic, always the right size and fantastic for gifts, accents for any holiday table or simply for bringing a smile to the face of your favorite hostess or host. The bedazzled bottle sells for $60 and is available at retail stores in California, Florida, and Texas, and online via www.wine.com and the website at www.legrandcourtage.com. In 2017 Le Grand Courtage was featured on the Today Show, MarthaStewart.com, and in The SOMM Journal, and received numerous accolades and awards. In addition to the Bedazzled Bottles, Le Grand Courtage Blanc de Blancs Brut and Brut Rose are available in 750 ml and 187 ml formats in restaurants, hotels and retailers in 40 states. Contact: Tim McDonald [email protected] 707-363-0174 Shauna Witt, VP Marketing & Business Development [email protected] SOURCE Le Grand Courtage Related Links http://www.legrandcourtage.com The exhibition features works that represent every phase of Buchanan's career including early abstract paintings such as "City Walls" and "Black Walls," which were influenced by her former mentors, Norman Lewis and Romare Bearden. It also includes site-specific work represented in dialogue with the architectural and archaeological sculptures that she called "Frustula," from a term meaning fragments or broken-off pieces. Buchanan's intimate photographic portraits will be shown alongside key examples of her best-known works, including small sculptures of southern vernacular dwellings or shacks. The exhibition also includes a three-channel video installation, "June 1019, 2016," documenting four of Buchanan's existing site-specific earthworks in locations across the American southeast and filmed after the artist's death. Buchanan's practice is informed by the histories of the locations where she lived and worked, including New York, Georgia and Florida. The artist explored themes of memory and historical injustice, monument and ruin, as well as the forms and histories of southern vernacular architecture and site markers and meeting places. Referring to the importance of place for her work, Buchanan wrote in 1988, "I think that artists in the South must at some point confront the work of folk artists, not so much in terms of the work but of the persons and the work as being of and from the same place with the same influences, food, dirt, sky, reclaimed land, development, violence, guns, ghosts and so forth." According to Buchanan in 2001, "I've read that my work is about nostalgia. It is not. It is about drawing with my camera and documenting old, former, slave cabins turned tenement houses instead of drawing with oil pastels." This engagement with social and historical memory informed both her public health career and her artwork across a range of media. By evoking unmarked and marginalized histories, Buchanan's work questions the complex relationship between commemoration and representation. "Buchanan had a special relationship with Georgia throughout her extensive career," said Andrea Barnwell Brownlee, Ph.D., C'93, director of the Museum. "It is a great honor to present this important exhibition at Spelman. We are especially grateful to institutions and individuals in Georgia that loaned works and, thus, enabled the Museum to expand the examination of her extensive and under-examined career." "Beverly BuchananRuins and Rituals" is organized by the Brooklyn Museum and curated by guest curators Jennifer Burris and Park McArthur. The exhibition is coordinated by Catherine Morris, the Sackler Family senior curator for the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, and Cora Michael, former associate curator of exhibitions at Brooklyn Museum. "Following the presentation of 'Beverly BuchananRuins and Rituals' at the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the city where the artist began her career while working as a public health educator, we are overjoyed to work with the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art in presenting these works in the place where Buchanan lived for most of her adult life," said Burris. "By situating these works in the histories and landscapes of Georgia, the Museum's adaption of the exhibition explores how Buchanan's practice engaged memory and trauma in the American South." McArthur added, "Complex, contentious narratives are embedded throughout this exhibition. There is something powerful in this staging of Buchanan's work that isn't addressed in current discourse, and that wasn't addressed in the 1970s and 1980s, about what forms of representation become broadly recognized in the art world." Buchanan was a game changerfor land art, for conceptual art, and for feminist art, noted Morris. "Folding these formal and political practices into discussions about her experience as a Black woman living and working much of her life in the Deep South offers a remarkably enriched reading of some of the most important art movements of the late 20th century." Generous support for "Beverly BuchananRuins and Rituals" is provided by Wish, Inc., and the LUBO Fund. Additional support is provided by Fulton County Arts & Culture. Related Events Opening Reception and Curators' Lecture On Thursday, September 21, at 6:30 p.m., the Museum will celebrate "Beverly BuchananRuins and Rituals" with an opening reception. Exhibition curators Jennifer Burris and Park McArthur will present a lecture, which will provide an introduction to Buchanan's work that incorporates many fragments of archival video and audio footage of the artist speaking about her own work. Admission is free. BLACK BOX: Yaba Blay, Ph.D., Professional Black Girl On Tuesday, October 17, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. Yaba Blay, the creator and producer of Professional Black Girl, an original video series and online social movement created to celebrate everyday, round-the-way Black Girl Magic, will present excerpts from the series and discuss her vision to expand the Professional Black Girl brand. Admission is free and the program will be held in the Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby, Ed.D. Auditorium. There Is No Map: You Make It Up As You Go Along On Wednesday, November 8, 2017, at 6:30 p.m. citizen artist vanessa german will present There Is No Map: You Make It Up As You Go Along. Using Beverly Buchanan's life and words as inspiration and remixing the traditional artist talk, vanessa german uses movement, poetry, music, monologue, and art making to explore the anatomy of the human spirit that dares to make its own way. Join german in the Museum at 6 p.m. to view "Beverly BuchananRuins and Rituals" and participate in a collaborative performance. Admission is free and the program will be held in the Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby, Ed.D. Auditorium. Be Your Own Muse, an original podcast series the Museum launched in 2016, highlights Black women cultural producers. Previous episodes feature artists, arts advocates, and curators, including Mickalene Thomas, Firelei Baez, Mimi Plange, Jalylah Burrell and Erika Dalya Massaquoi, Ph.D. Upcoming episodes will feature exhibition curators Jennifer Burris and Park McArthur, Lowery Stokes Sims, Alice Lovelace, Karen Comer Lowe, and recordings of Beverly Buchanan speaking about her mentor Romare Bearden, the Civil Rights Movement, and the life of an artist, among other topics. These episodes will contribute to the growing archive of information about Beverly Buchanan's life and work, her connection to Atlanta, and her meaningful contribution to the art world. Listen to Be Your Own Muse at https://soundcloud.com/spelmanmuseum. About Beverly Buchanan Born in 1940 in Fuquay, North Carolina, Buchanan was raised by her great-aunt and -uncle, Marion and Walter Buchanan, in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Growing up on the campus of South Carolina State University, where her great-uncle was dean of the School of Agriculture, Buchanan spent much of her time in the school and on long drives accompanying her great-uncle during his work with tenant farmers. Receiving master's degrees in parasitology and public health from Columbia University, Buchanan worked as a medical technologist for the Veterans Administration in the Bronx, New York, and then as a public health educator for the East Orange Health Department in East Orange, New Jersey. During the 1970s, Buchanan attended art classes at the Art Students League, where she studied with Norman Lewis, and was introduced to Romare Bearden and Ernest Crichlow. Buchanan is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, an Anonymous Was a Woman Award and two NEA Fellowships, among others. About Spelman College Museum of Fine Art The Spelman College Museum of Fine Art inspires and enriches the lives of the Spelman College community and the general public primarily through art by women of the African Diaspora. In "Six Reasons to Love Atlanta," CNN.com praised the Museum for its "fantastically curated exhibitions" that focus on art by and about women of the African Diaspora. Since the Museum opened in 1996, it has established an impressive track record for organizing first-rate, mission-specific, art exhibitions that expand art offerings in Atlanta and the southeast region. It has garnered a reputation for organizing exhibitions that merit national and international attention. Milestones include being selected as the first institution from the United States that jointly (along with the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston) represented the United States at the 2012 Havana Biennial in Havana, Cuba. The Museum is poised to continue its trajectory of pursuing ambitious relevant projects that have a lasting impact. For more information, visit museum.spelman.edu. About Spelman College Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a highly selective, liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, the College's picturesque campus is home to 2,100 students. Outstanding alumnae include Children's Defense Fund Founder Marian Wright Edelman; Sam's Club CEO Rosalind Brewer, Broadway producer Alia Jones, former Acting Surgeon General and Spelman's first alumna President Audrey Forbes Manley, Harvard professor Evelynn Hammonds, author Pearl Cleage; and actress LaTanya Richardson Jackson. For more information, visit www.spelman.edu. SOURCE Spelman College Related Links http://www.spelman.edu LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Last Chance for Animals (LCA) commends the California legislature for passing Assembly Bill 485, new legislation that will ban the sale of commercially bred dogs, cats and rabbits. The bill, which unanimously passed the Senate on September 13 and is on its way to Governor Brown, will mark the first statewide retail pet sales ban in the United States. The California legislatures passage of Assembly Bill 485 is a landmark victory and one that we have championed for decades, said Chris DeRose, Last Chance for Animals president and founder. We are elated that our home state is leading the way on this important issue. Requiring pet stores to sell only rescue and shelter animals is a bold venture -- but one that will help rehome some of the six million unwanted animals that enter shelters each year. Most of the dogs sold in pet stores come from puppy mills where they often live in filthy conditions and suffer from serious health concerns, said DeRose. LCA has been dedicated to exposing this truth, educating pet store owners about how they contribute to the problem and supporting those who wish to transition to a humane model. Our Puppy Mill Free Stores campaign led to Los Angeles becoming home to the nations first humane pet shop. California Assembly Bill 485 amends the states Food and Agricultural Code and Health and Safety Code relating to public health. On and after January 1, 2019, pet store operators will be prohibited from selling any live dog, cat or rabbit in a pet store unless the animal was obtained from a public animal control agency or shelter, society for the prevention of cruelty to animals shelter, humane society shelter, or rescue group. Pet stores will be required to maintain records that document the source of each animal it sells for at least one year, and to post on the cage or enclosure of each animal, a sign that lists the name of the entity from which each animal was obtained. Public animal control agencies and shelters will be authorized to periodically review those records. Pet store operators who violate the bills provisions will be subject to a civil penalty of $500. About Last Chance for Animals Last Chance for Animals (LCA) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating animal exploitation through education, investigations, legislation, and public awareness campaigns. Since its formation in 1984, LCA has succeeded as one of the nations pioneer animal advocacy organizations. LCAs educational and public outreach programs have empowered others to make positive changes for animals. For more information, visit www.lcanimal.org or follow @LC4A on Twitter. Media Contact: Arron Neal 213-568-3334, arron@arprla.com ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Jay Butler, MD, ASTHO president and chief medical officer for the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, released the following statement today regarding the importance of influenza vaccinations for pregnant women: "As we enter flu season, state and territorial health officials strongly encourage all individuals six months or older to receive an annual influenza vaccination, including pregnant women and older adults. Each year, millions of Americans are affected by the flu and influenza vaccines are vital to reduce the chances of getting sick. Illness from influenza infection can be particularly dangerous for pregnant women and their developing babies. A recent report from the ongoing Vaccine Safety Datalink project found that there may be a possible link between miscarriage early in pregnancy and the flu vaccine in women who received a certain version of the vaccine two years in a row. ASTHO and its members are concerned about this potential risk when weighed against other risks, including the risks posed by influenza during pregnancy, and continue to work with national healthcare organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and CDC, to determine whether these new findings should lead to any changes in national recommendations. Given the large volume of data indicating the safety of influenza vaccination during pregnancy, ASTHO and its members support current recommendations for use of vaccines during pregnancy. This study raises an important question about risk, and an ongoing investigation to study this issue further is recommended. It is also important to note that this study does not prove that flu vaccine was the cause of the miscarriage. Earlier studies have not found a link between flu vaccination and miscarriage. CDC continues to recommend that pregnant women get an influenza vaccine during any trimester of their pregnancy because flu poses a danger to pregnant women, and a flu vaccine can prevent influenza in pregnant women which also protects their baby after birth. State and territorial health departments continue to encourage pregnant women to get vaccinated to be protected from influenza during pregnancy. Immunizations are a vital public health tool and one of the most cost-effective means of public health promotion and disease prevention. Vaccines prevent disease, disability, and death in children and adults." ASTHO is the national nonprofit organization representing the public health agencies of the United States, the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia, as well as the more than 100,000 public health professionals these agencies employ. ASTHO members, the chief health officials of these jurisdictions, are dedicated to formulating and influencing sound public health policy and to ensuring excellence in state-based public health practice. SOURCE Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Related Links http://www.astho.org SILVER SPRING, Md., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This is the first time that two category 4 storms have hit the U.S. back-to-back, and the effects have been devastating. At FDA we have a large team working on providing assistance to those affected by these storms, including American farmers who have suffered crop losses. You'll be hearing a lot from us in the coming weeks as we do our part to help people continue to recover from these tragic events. Today, we're providing more information for farmers and food producers who've been impacted by these storms, and in particular, the proper handling of crops that have been exposed to floodwaters. The FDA has longstanding experience responding to flooding and storms. We play an integral role, working with states, in protecting the safety of the food supply both human and animal food. We recognize that these hurricanes have presented unique challenges for farmers, and the FDA is committed to work with growers, as well as with our federal and state partners, to ensure that the food we serve our families is safe and that consumers have confidence in the products they consume. We've been in close discussion with farmers, consumer representatives, and state officials regarding concerns about how crops may be impacted by these storms. One crop for which there have been a high number of inquiries is rice. This owes, in particular, to the impact of Hurricane Harvey on the large rice crop in Texas. I want to make it clear that the FDA has not issued a ban on rice or any other food crops. Rice grown in normal conditions and rice that has not been exposed to contaminated floodwaters from the recent hurricanes may enter commerce. Also, rice and other crops that were harvested and stored safely before storms hit should not be considered impacted by these events. The documents we're issuing today, as well as the direct consultations we're continuing to have with state officials and with farmers directly, are aimed at providing our most up-to-date, science-based information on which crops can enter commerce without creating risks to consumers or animals who may be fed crops as part of animal feed. However, I recognize that crops have been and will continue to be impacted in a variety of ways by these storms. There have been substantial crop losses from both storms. Crops may be submerged in flood water, exposed to contaminants, or susceptible to mold. Some of the major concerns for crop safety are heavy metals, chemical, bacterial, and mold contamination. In many cases, it is challenging to determine what contaminants are in crops that were submerged by floodwaters. Both human and animal food must meet well-established safety requirements. FDA has experts that are working closely with state regulators and directly with producers to address questions and concerns. The FDA takes seriously our obligation to provide guidance to support farmers and food producers, who are responsible for the safety of their products. Many of these resources are already available on FDA's website. Others will be revised in the coming days and issued directly by the agency, as part of our ongoing effort to provide more timely advice for our stakeholders. My staff and I are continuing to work with USDA, state partners, extension services and other stakeholders to help producers as they work to evaluate the safety of their crops. We recognize that in many cases, it is those on the ground who can best advise farmers and help producers evaluate specific concerns and conditions. We have experts in the affected regions who can help provide direct assistance and we are taking additional steps to support recovery efforts. We also understand that state Departments of Agriculture may have specific requirements regarding any attempt to clean, process, test, use or sell crops for human or animal food. I recently had the opportunity to tour farms and packing facilities in Georgia. That trip reminded me of how farms are different than the other entities we regulate. Farms are not just a place of business. Many are homes. Most farms have been in families for generations. As a result, the impact of floods on farms and farmers is especially concerning to me. It has hit many farmers hard, destroying their homes and their livelihoods. We are leaning forward in our efforts to make sure that we're providing timely assistance, and that our advice on crop safety reflects our most up-to-date, science based analysis. Our primary mission is the protection and promotion of the public health. We're committed to making sure food is safe for consumers. But we recognize there are hard questions that must be quickly answered about crops affected by these storms, or else crops that might be safe -- because they were not exposed to contaminated floodwaters -- could age past their point of use. We recognize the tremendous impact this storm had on region's farming families. We're working diligently to provide them with timely guidance. My staff and I are committed to doing our part to help farmers get back to work. More detailed information on the impacts of flooding on human and animal crop uses can be found here: Link to general information on evaluating the safety of food and animal food crops exposed to flood waters https://www.fda.gov/food/recallsoutbreaksemergencies/emergencies/ucm112723.htm Link to QA on crops harvested from flooded fields intended for animal food https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/ResourcesforYou/ucm575263.htm Media Inquiries: Megan McSeveney, 240-402-4514, [email protected] Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration Related Links http://www.fda.gov LOS ANGELES, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Story Matter released the audiobook for the award-winning novel PIGMENT: The Limbs of the Mukuyu Tree - Book 1 narrated by Ireland's Bronagh Gallagher. The eBook format is being given away for free as part of the promotion. This story about a young African-American albino volunteer who goes missing in Tanzania and her father who goes to find her explores the plight of people born with albinism -- a condition whereby people do not have pigment melanin and so their skin and features are colorless. Albinos are believed to be magical ghosts and are hunted. PIGMENT: The Limbs of the Mukuyu Tree Book 1 audiobook cover Award-winning author of thriller PIGMENT Renee Topper PIGMENT garners the LYRA Award for Fiction: Mystery / Suspense / Thriller by Books Without Borders and placed as an International Book Awards Finalist in Fiction: Cross Genre Category. Writer-Producer Renee Topper described what inspired the series, "I read a BBC article on the issue in 2009 then began writing PIGMENT to draw more awareness to the plight of albinos. That quickly grew into excavating to identify the root issue below racism and human trafficking and well before the after-effects and prosthetics. How have people become so disconnected they deny their flesh and blood? What makes people so desperate they make a currency of their children? There's a deeper problem that needs to be addressed for social change to happen and it relates globally." The paperback and eBook released in 2016, the audiobook released won't be the last incarnation of PIGMENT. The feature film script is being written and there are more installments in the works in Books 2 and 3 in the series. Topper also commented on Irish actress-musician Bronagh Gallagher (Pulp Fiction, The Commitments) narrating. "What a gift to have this soulful, talented and skilled artist to amplify PIGMENT out loud. I'm a loyal fan of Bronagh's work and held her in mind while writing Fiona, a key character in the series." Recorded, engineered and mastered at Camden Studios in Dublin Ireland, this is an international production. The audiobook is being distributed through Scribl. Running time is 5 hours and 28 minutes. Forthcoming titles from Story Matter by the author are also available for pre-sale, include SUNSET BLUES: The Shadow Justice is Relative Book 1 and PIGMENT: Roots Book 2. Find links to all formats of PIGMENT at this portal: http://storymatter.com/index.php/2017/06/23/pigment-the-limbs-of-the-mukuyu-tree/ Story Matter is a multimedia company that started as a creative lab in 2010. Founded by Renee Topper and based in Los Angeles, Story Matter strives to create meaningful, mindful stories, bolstered by science, that have social relevance and impact. Contact: Renee Topper Mobile: (323) 522-5689 Email: [email protected] EPK: http://storymatter.com/index.php/epk/ Website: www.storymatter.com Social: https://www.twitter.com/storymatter https://www.reddit.com/user/StoryMatter/ https://www.facebook.com/ReneeTopperStoryteller/ https://www.facebook.com/Story-Matter-315968582157770/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiIoS7VKKeUXsqvHQKTGL6Q Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/embed/0NpOWYZUoDg?rel=0" frameborder="0"allowfullscreen SOURCE Story Matter Related Links http://www.storymatter.com LEXINGTON, Ky., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Summit Biosciences Inc. (www.summitbiosciences.com) is pleased to announce that it has received a certificate of GMP compliance from the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on behalf of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) after a successful inspection of the company's manufacturing facilities in Kentucky. Certification will permit Summit to produce prescription nasal spray products for export to its customers in Europe. This regulatory milestone marks another important step forward in Summit's rapid growth in a unique segment of the global pharmaceutical industry. Combination products are difficult to make and require competencies across a range of technical disciplines. Summit has achieved this level of manufacturing excellence in anticipation of the European launch of a prefilled, single-dose, intranasal product for an undisclosed international client. "I applaud our entire team for their dedication to regulatory excellence and this outstanding achievement," said Edwin Cohen, Summit's Founder and Chief Executive Officer. "The company's unwavering commitment to Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) provides confidence to customers, doctors, and their patients that our products are manufactured under strict adherence to the highest level of quality standards no matter where they are sold," said Greg Plucinski, Summit's Chief Operating Officer. About Summit Summit Biosciences Inc. (http://www.summitbiosciences.com/p/60/news) is a privately-held pharmaceutical company that develops, manufactures and commercializes prescription and OTC sublingual and nasal spray products. The company has approved and development-stage products across a range of indications. The company's headquarters and base of operations are on the Coldstream Research Campus of the University of Kentucky. SOURCE Summit Biosciences Inc. Related Links http://www.summitbiosciences.com "We are proud to be included on the PROFIT 500 ranking again this year," commented James Swayze, CEO, Symbility Solutions. "At Symbility, we're focused on the launch of new consumer facing products, solid organic expansion of existing accounts, and new contracts globally. With this continual growth, we hope to remain on this list as one of Canada's fastest growing companies for years to come." "It is never easy to earn a spot on the PROFIT 500, but this year's applicant pool was the most competitive yet," says Deborah Aarts, PROFIT 500 program manager. "This year's winners demonstrate the resilience, innovation and sheer management smarts it takes to build a thriving business today. Canadaand the worldneeds more entrepreneurial success stories like these." ABOUT SYMBILITY Symbility (TSX.V: SY) believes in creating world-class experiences that simplify business and improve lives. With a history in modernizing insurance claims solutions for the property and health industries, Symbility has established itself as a partner that puts security, efficiency and customer experience first. Symbility PROPERTY brings smarter thinking to property insurance. Symbility HEALTH helps benefits professionals build their brands and businesses. Our strategic services team, Symbility INTERSECT empowers a variety of businesses with smarter mobile and IoT product development strategy, design thinking and engineering excellence. With our three segments pushing industries forward, Symbility proves that change for the better is entirely possible. symbilitysolutions.com About the PROFIT 500 For 29 years, the PROFIT 500 has been Canada's most respectable and influential ranking of entrepreneurial achievement. Developed by PROFIT and now published in Maclean's magazine and at CanadianBusiness.com, the PROFIT 500 ranks Canadian companies on five-year revenue growth. For more information on the ranking visit PROFIT500.com or CanadianBusiness.com. ABOUT CANADIAN BUSINESS Founded in 1928, Canadian Business is the longest-serving and most-trusted business publication in the country. It is the country's premier media brand for executives and senior business leaders. It fuels the success of Canada's business elite with a focus on the things that matter most: leadership, innovation, business strategy and management tactics. Learn more at CanadianBusiness.com. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. All trade names are the property of their respective owners. SOURCE Symbility Solutions Inc. Related Links www.symbilitysolutions.com FREMONT, Calif., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Tailored Brands, Inc. (NYSE: TLRD) announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.18 per share payable on December 22, 2017 to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 12, 2017. About Tailored Brands, Inc. Tailored Brands, Inc. is a leading authority on helping men dress for work, special occasions and everyday life. We serve our customers through an expansive omni-channel network that includes over 1,400 locations in the U.S. and Canada as well as our branded e-commerce websites. Our brands include Men's Wearhouse, Jos. A. Bank, Joseph Abboud, Moores Clothing for Men and K&G. We also operate an international corporate apparel and workwear group consisting of Dimensions, Alexandra and Yaffy in the United Kingdom and Twin Hill in the United States. For additional information on Tailored Brands, please visit the Company's websites at www.tailoredbrands.com, www.menswearhouse.com, www.josbank.com, www.josephabboud.com, www.mooresclothing.com, www.kgstores.com, www.mwcleaners.com, www.dimensions.co.uk, www.alexandra.co.uk and www.twinhill.com. Contact: Investor Relations (281) 776-7575 [email protected] Julie MacMedan, VP, Investor Relations Tailored Brands, Inc. SOURCE Tailored Brands, Inc. Related Links http://www.tailoredbrands.com MADRID, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Telefonica Business Solutions, leading provider of a wide range of integrated communication solutions for the B2B market, today announced the launch of Clean Pipes 2.0, a software-based security service, to prevent known and unknown threats across the Telefonica Business Solutions' network. The service has been jointly designed by Telefonica Business Solutions; ElevenPaths, Telefonica's cyber security unit; and Palo Alto Networks (NYSE: PANW), the next-generation security company. Delivered as a service to customers via Telefonica Business Solutions' virtual network infrastructure, Clean Pipes 2.0 (video) is natively embedded into the Company's platforms to deliver a breach prevention-oriented architecture that provides superior security at a low total cost of ownership. The Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Security Platform was built from the ground up for breach prevention, with threat information shared across security functions system-wide, and designed to operate in increasingly mobile, modern networks. By combining network, cloud and endpoint security with advanced threat prevention capabilities in a natively integrated security platform, Palo Alto Networks safely enables all applications and enables Clean Pipes 2.0 to deliver highly automated, preventive protection against cyberthreats at all stages in the attack lifecycle without compromising performance. Clean Pipes 2.0 is immediately available for Telefonica's multinational customers across the globe. The service meets different organizations' needs, by providing features such as application-layer firewall, advanced protection against known and unknown threats, web filtering, and intrusion prevention, amongst others. Its cloud-based Network Function Virtualization (NFV) architecture brings reduced operational costs to organizations in terms of purchasing, deployment and maintenance, without sacrificing effectiveness or performance. At the same time, Telefonica Business Solutions' customers will benefit from a managed service that eliminates the need for hardware investment, while providing an ever-updated solution. Clean Pipes 2.0 enables unprecedented flexibility for delivery of Security-as-a-Service. "With the implementation of this solution, Telefonica Business Solutions reinforces the security of Internet services for large customers even more. Additionally, it allows us to enrich the value proposition we offer to the segment of Large Enterprises, with a product that comes with great effectiveness and, at the same time, with a low investment," explains Hugo de los Santos, CEO B2B Products & Services of Telefonica Business Solution. Pedro Pablo Perez, CEO of ElevenPaths commented, "Nowadays pressure of zero-day attacks and targeted malware exploits requires state-of-the-art analytics and precise execution, for improving customers' network security and cyber-resilience. Together with Palo Alto Networks, we have deployed this advanced security infrastructure within our networks, enabling clients to employ next-generation sophisticated protection, and to simplify the provisioning and managing of their cyber security needs." "We are delighted to join forces with Telefonica to deliver unparalleled next-generation, breach-prevention security capabilities to its customers," said Mark Anderson, President of Palo Alto Networks. "Our collaboration gives organizations peace of mind, with complete visibility and control over the usage of their digital services, while knowing that cyberattacks on their most valued data assets and critical control systems can be prevented." About Telefonica Business Solutions Telefonica Business Solutions, a leading provider of a wide range of integrated communication solutions for the B2B market, manages globally the Enterprise (Large Enterprise and SME), MNC (Multinational Corporations), Wholesale (fixed and mobile carriers, ISPs and content providers) and Roaming businesses within the Telefonica Group. Business Solutions develops an integrated, innovative and competitive portfolio for the B2B segment including digital solutions (Cloud, IoT, Security) and telecommunication services (voice, data, mobile, satellite, unified and global solutions). Telefonica Business Solutions is a multicultural organization, working in over 40 countries and with service reach in over 170 countries. For more information, visit www.business-solutions.telefonica.com Follow us on: Twitter: @telefonicab2b LinkedIn : Telefonica Business Solutions YouTube : Telefonica Business Solutions About ElevenPaths At ElevenPaths we believe in the idea of challenging the current state of security, an attribute that must always be present in technology. We're always redefining the relationship between security and people, with the aim of creating innovative security products which can transform the concept of security, thus keeping us one step ahead of attackers, who are increasingly present in our digital life. More information: www.elevenpaths.com @ElevenPaths blog.elevenpaths.com About Palo Alto Networks Palo Alto Networks is the next-generation security company, leading a new era in cybersecurity by safely enabling applications and preventing cyber breaches for tens of thousands or organizations worldwide. Built with an innovative approach and highly differentiated cyberthreat prevention capabilities, our game-changing security platform delivers security far superior to legacy or point products, safely enables daily business operations and protects an organization's most valuable assets. Find out more at www.paloaltonetworks.com. SOURCE Palo Alto Networks, Inc. Related Links http://www.paloaltonetworks.com LONDON, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Telehealth is a significant trend as providers struggle to move to a more wireless and streamline operation both within major health facilities and in home treatment markets. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5100970 What is the market opportunity in telehealth? What companies are succeeding? What disease areas will monitoring be most useful for? How will reimbursement and regulatory trends affect revenues? This Kalorama Information report, representing the tenth report on this subject that Kalorama has published, answers these questions and more, addressing both patient monitors in hospitals and telehealth systems at the patient home. Market Sizing and Forecast Product, Disease, and End User Market data featured in Telehealth and Patient Monitoring Market include: Global Market for Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Equipment, Devices and Services, 2012 - 2022 Global Patient Monitoring/Telehealth Equipment and Device Market Value by Facility Application, 2012-2022(Hospital/Acute Care Applications, Home Health/Consumer Applications, Total Revenues, Percent Change) Distribution of Revenues for Hospital/Acute Care Telehealth/Monitoring Equipment and Devices, 2017(Respiratory Function, Neurological Event, Cardiac Event and Function, Blood Management and Function, Other) Distribution of Revenues for Home Health/Consumer Telehealth Equipment and Devices, 2017(Cardiac Event and Function, Neurological Event, Respiratory Function, Other) Telehealth Equipment and Devices, Revenues by Product Type, 2012-2022(Blood Pressure Monitors, Glucose Monitors, PT/INR Monitors, Rhythm Management Devices/monitors, EKG Monitors, Fetal Heart Monitors, Anesthesia Monitors, Pulse Ox Monitors, Capnographers, Sleep Monitors, Other Monitoring Devices) Unmatched Market Detail from an Expert Analyst This report is the result of detailed data sorting and researching but also primary phone calls and emails with industry and end users of telehealth. The report is the result of experience. Melissa Elder, the report's analyst, has completed ten studies on the market for patient monitoring and telehealth for Kalorama Information. In this report, she leverages that knowledge to examine the changes in the market place. She delves into detail to provide a unique picture of the market. That means a look at visits, accounts, revenues for servicing and support, and a look at trends. The demand to integrate data processing capabilities and EMR transfer options has also fueled the market. There is also an increasing trend to upgrade to ambulatory and hand-held devices. The report looks at remote monitoring, remote monitoring centers and direct to consumer/on-demand telehealth, providing: Telemonitoring Services: Number of Active Monitoring Accounts by Year, 2006-2016 Consumer Initiated Telehealth Patient Visits by Year, United States, 2006-2016 Telehealth Service Providers - Direct to Consumer - Summary of Cost and Features Global Telehealth Service Market Value, 2012-2022 Distribution of Revenues for Telehealth/Telemonitoring Services by Source, 2017 (Subscription Accounts, Monitoring Center Services, Consumer Services) Market Influences: The Story Behind the Data The report's coverage includes in-depth regional analysis of market influences, which include population growth, aging population growth, health spending, mobile device adoption, physician density, and diabetes and obesity prevalence. The following data are provided: United States Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market Influences Canada Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market Influences Germany Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market Influences United Kingdom Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market Influences France Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market Influences Italy Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market Influences Japan Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market Influences China Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market Influences Brazil Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market Influences Mexico Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market Influences International Coverage: Country and Regional Market Analysis The report evaluates the patient monitoring and telehealth market in terms of global region (UN defined regions) and by select country. The market in 2017 is expected to climb, with North America leading the global market. Emerging markets in Asia Pacific, which in terms of population hosts the most individuals with 4.4 billion people, and Latin America are also continuing to impact sales. In addition to revenue analysis, the regional markets are further analyzed by general facility applications, including hospital and acute care applications and home health and consumer applications. Telehealth and Patient Monitoring Market provides the following regional market data: Global Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market by Region, 2012-2022 (North America, EMEA, Asia Pacific, Latin America) Global Market for Patient Monitoring and Telehealth by Country, 2017 Estimates (United States, Japan, China, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, ROW) North America: Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market by Country, 2012-2022 (United States, Canada) North America Patient Monitoring/Telehealth Market Value by Facility Application, 2012-2022 (Hospital/Acute Care, Home Health/Consumer) United States Telehealth Market Landscape, 2012-2022 (Hospital/Acute Care, Home Health/Consumer) Canada Telehealth Market Landscape, 2012-2022 (Hospital/Acute Care, Home Health/Consumer) EMEA: Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market by Country, 2012-2022 (Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Rest of EMEA) EMEA Patient Monitoring/Telehealth Market Value by Facility Application, 2012-2022 (Hospital/Acute Care, Home Health/Consumer) Germany Telehealth Market Landscape, 2012-2022 (Hospital/Acute Care, Home Health/Consumer) United Kingdom Telehealth Market Landscape, 2012-2022 (Hospital/Acute Care, Home Health/Consumer) France Telehealth Market Landscape, 2012-2022 (Hospital/Acute Care, Home Health/Consumer) Italy Telehealth Market Landscape, 2012-2022 (Hospital/Acute Care, Home Health/Consumer) Asia Pacific: Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market by Country, 2012-2022 (Japan, China, Rest of Asia Pacific) Asia Pacific Patient Monitoring/Telehealth Market Value by Facility Application, 2012-2022 (Hospital/Acute Care, Home Health/Consumer) Japan Telehealth Market Landscape, 2012-2022 (Hospital/Acute Care, Home Health/Consumer) China Telehealth Market Landscape, 2012-2022 (Hospital/Acute Care, Home Health/Consumer) Latin America: Patient Monitoring and Telehealth Market by Country, 2012-2022 (Brazil, Mexico, Rest of LATAM) Latin America Patient Monitoring/Telehealth Market Value by Facility Application, 2012-2022 (Hospital/Acute Care, Home Health/Consumer) Brazil Telehealth Market Landscape, 2012-2022 (Hospital/Acute Care, Home Health/Consumer) Mexico Telehealth Market Landscape, 2012-2022 (Hospital/Acute Care, Home Health/Consumer) Competitive Analysis There are a large number of companies offering some form of wireless and remote technologies, patient data processing applications and equipment, and EMR data transfer equipment. Competitors supplying advanced patient monitoring and telehealth systems to hospitals are large, established healthcare companies, often working in conjunction with information technology (IT) companies on an entire system. The home healthcare and other sectors are much more fragmented and are dominated by privately held companies. In addition, some companies supply innovative products, but only for a small segment of the market; and some companies supply products on a regional basis only. The report provides company profiles of the major participants in the market, companies that have an impact on the patient monitoring and telehealth technologies market. The companies include: Abbott Aeon Global Health Aerotel Medical AMD Global Telemedicine Athena GTX AViTA Corporation Avizia Biomedix BioTelemetry Biotronik Boston Scientific Cardiomedix CliniCloud Connected Pulse Contec Medical Systems eDevices Eko Devices Entra Health Systems GeaCom General Devices GlobalMed Honeywell Life Care Solutions InTouch Health Medtronic OSI Systems Philips QualComm Life Remote Medical International Roche Second Opinion Telemedicine Solutions swyMed Thinklabs TytoCare VSee ZIVELO Telehealth and Patient Monitoring Market represents Kalorama Information's 10th edition of coverage of the advanced remote patient monitoring market, reflecting the market's increasing focus on telehealth and telemedicine. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/5100970 About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers https://www.reportbuyer.com For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 208 816 85 48 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com In a footnote, the U. S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals acknowledged that the Army applied the incorrect burden of proof to LTC Downey's case, contrary to its own regulations. However, it shrugged off this fundamental error. LTC Downey's petition to the Supreme Court points out that the error was so manifest and so serious that nearly every other appellate court in the land would have required the Army's final review board to rehear his case. TMLC attorney, Jay Combs, the principle author of the Petition to the Supreme Court, commented: "The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals threw away the exceptional career of Lieutenant Colonel Downey in a footnote. The issue that the Fourth Circuit so cavalierly disposed of in a footnote was so serious that nearly every other circuit in the United States, on this issue alone, would have reversed the entire Army Board process without the need to even address any of the other issues in the case. Most circuits recognize that the rule of law is dealt a crippling blow if an agency does not have to follow its own regulations." Combs was assisted by attorney Erin Kuenzig, who had handled the District Court and Fourth Circuit arguments. LTC Downey's troubles began in 2012 when he made the "politically incorrect" effort to prevent two lesbian female officers under his command from violating Army regulations regarding public displays of affection. The two officers, a Captain and a Lieutenant, were in uniform at a formal military ball and were on the dance floor engaged in prolonged French kissing, publicly taking off each other's uniform jackets, and other intimate and salacious conduct. Once he became aware of the situation, LTC Downey took immediate action to stop the inappropriate behavior. He also attempted to prevent other soldiers from photographing and videotaping the officers' inappropriate conduct, which he believed would embarrass the unit as well as the offending officers. In the process of lowering the camera of an enlisted soldier, the camera accidentally made contact with the soldier's nose. As a result, despite the recommendations of LTC Downey's immediate superior, General Mark Milley ordered an investigation and a subsequent Article 15 hearing where he acted as the presiding officer on charges of assault consummated by battery and violation of the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. The Article 15 proceeding, which lasted approximately 5 hours, was more concerned about offending homosexual advocacy groups than the guilt or innocence of LTC Downey. General Milley found LTC Downey guilty of the charge of assault consummated by battery. LTC Downey was issued reprimands for both violations, relieved of command, issued a negative Officer Evaluation Report, and removed from the attendance list of the National War College. A formal board hearing was convened to review the same matters to decide whether LTC Downey should be retained in the Army. The formal board, unlike General Milley in the Article 15 proceedings, conducted an exhaustive adversarial hearing in which the Army was represented by an attorney and LTC Downey was also represented by counsel. The hearing board listened to the testimony of multiple witnesses, reviewed evidence, and listened to the arguments of government and defense attorneys. Afterwards, the formal board unanimously determined the allegations against LTC Downey were not supported by even a preponderance of the evidence. Despite the unanimous decision of the formal board of officers, the prior contrary findings of the Article 15 hearing remained a part of LTC Downey's official record, destroying the further progression of his stellar career and tarnishing his good name. Downey was well on his way to becoming a high-ranking officer in the Army, as evidenced by the glowing remarks from his commanding officers. In early April of 2012, Downey received a prestigious award recognizing him and the unit that he commanded as the best aviation battalion in the United States Army. He has been awarded 3 Bronze Stars and 7 Air Medals, one with a "V" device for valor in combat. The Air Medal with "V" device was awarded for valor he displayed on May 25, 2011, in "complete disregard for his own safety while initiating multiple engagements against an enemy with superior fields of fire over friendly forces. His actions were decisive in saving the lives of soldiers on the ground." His performance reviews uniformly painted a picture of one of the Army's most skilled and accomplished combat aviators. Former Secretary of the Army, Louis Caldera, wrote of Downey: "As former SecArmy I had the honor of working with strong officers daily, Chris Downey stands out among them. A clearly superior performance by a leader with phenomenal potential." White House Military Office Operations Director, Marcy Steinke-Fike: "He is clearly in the top 1% of the handpicked officers of the White House Military Office Operations Directorate and in all of the Lieutenant Colonel's I have known in my 20 years of military service. Chris planned the most sensitive and complex missions in support of the President, Vice President, First Lady and other White House delegations. Absolutely unlimited potential a future General Officer!" Commanding General John F. Campbell: "Lieutenant Colonel Chris Downey's performance in combat has been spectacular, he is my best aviation task force commander among the top three out of 70+ commanders that I senior rate. Strong General Officer potential." The Administrative Board Applied the Wrong Burden Of Proof In order to remedy the injustice caused by the erroneous Article 15, LTC Downey appealed to the Army Board for the Correction of Military Records ("ABCMR"). Unfortunately for LTC Downey, the ABCMR applied the wrong burden of proof to his case. The Board is governed by 32 C.F.R. 581.3(e)(2) which provides: "Burden of proof. The ABCMR begins its consideration of each case with the presumption of administrative regularity. The applicant has the burden of proving an error or injustice by a preponderance of the evidence ." (emphasis added). Rather than holding LTC Downey to the correct burden of proof, the Board held him to the much more difficult burden of proving an error or injustice by clear and convincing evidence . Finding that LTC Downey had not met this illegitimately high standard, the Board denied him relief. Richard Thompson, President and chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center commenting on what happened to LTC Downey, stated: "There is no question in my mind that Lieutenant Colonel Downey was a victim of the military's efforts to appease homosexual advocacy groups. As a result of political correctness gone amuck, America lost an outstanding combat commander who had given his country over 24 years of loyal service." Click here to read the Petition. The Thomas More Law Center defends and promotes America's Judeo-Christian heritage and moral values, including the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life. It supports a strong national defense and an independent and sovereign United States of America. The Law Center accomplishes its mission through litigation, education, and related activities. It does not charge for its services. The Law Center is supported by contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations, and is recognized by the IRS as a section 501(c)(3) organization. You may reach the Thomas More Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit our website at www.thomasmore.org. SOURCE Thomas More Law Center Related Links http://www.thomasmore.org BROOKLYN, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NYU Langone Hospital Brooklyn is making tremendous strides to provide high-quality healthcarewith measurable outcomesto the borough's underserved populations. Working with primary care providers and community organizations, the hospital is midway through a five-year, federally funded demonstration project called Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment, or DSRIP. The initiative is sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid and administered by the New York State Department of Health. It began in April 2015 and is set to conclude in 2020. The hospital participates as NYU Langone Brooklyn PPS (Performing Provider System), which includes the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone and more than 200 primary care and mental health providers, social service organizations, nursing homes, pharmacies, and other community-based organizations (CBO). "We work with community groups who know the patients and are trusted by them," says Alessandra Taverna-Trani, director of the PPS. "CBOs are valuable partners and collaborators in devising and deploying effective strategies to address social determinants of health, and cultural, linguistic, and literacy barriers to healthcare access." The NYU Langone Brooklyn PPS has nine projects designed to address the specific needs of approximately 114,000 patients on Medicaid, many from southwest Brooklyn. They are broken into three main categories: System Transformation: developing an integrated care-delivery system including three Emergency Department-related initiatives; Clinical Improvement: focusing on improving behavioral health, and asthma and diabetes management; and Population Health: working on HIV education and prevention, and reduction of tobacco use. "The DSRIP program has an overarching goal of reducing avoidable admission to the hospital and the emergency department (ED) by 25 percent," says Larry K. McReynolds, executive director of Family Health Centers at NYU Langone and executive sponsor of the NYU Langone Brooklyn PPS. Participants and partners are rewarded for meeting outcome benchmarks. McReynolds points to recently released second-year data to show that the NYU Langone Brooklyn PPS is making promising strides. "We've reduced potentially preventable ED readmissions by more than 4 percent above statewide projections and we achieved a 20 percent reduction in behavioral health-related admissions," he says proudly. Changing Medicine in Meaningful Ways To foster greater access to services, Family Health Centers at NYU Langone has made operational changes, including expanded hours; same day appointments; equipment upgrades; expediting referrals to dental and eye care services; and providing more patient education and wellness care. "Our embedded case managers look at the condition of the whole patient, not just a single illness," says McReynolds. "Each change we have implemented is designed to lower or eliminate barriers to access and to give our patients a positive experience." In addition, the Patient Navigation Center (PNC), which utilizes community health workers to provide additional support to high-risk patients across the care continuum, will begin operations this year. "The PNC will ensure that our most vulnerable patients are connected with the right services at the right time and in the right place to address the range and complexity of issues that drive avoidable hospital admissions and healthcare expense," says Taverna-Trani. Emergency rooms often serve as a main source of healthcare for underserved populations without access to primary care. In the ED, patients are assessed and stabilized by a multidisciplinary team including doctors, physician assistants, and nurses. Social workers and care managers help coordinate effective care transitions to outpatient primary care for follow up. Patients requiring hospitalization can be admitted as inpatient or placed in the hospital's 12-bed observation unit. "In the observation unit, we specialize in the management of illnesses that typically require a short-term hospital stay, such as chest pain, cellulitis, pneumonia, stroke, COPD and asthma," explains says Christopher Caspers, MD, chief of observation medicine for NYU Langone Health. "Our best practice model of using evidence-based clinical protocols helps reduce hospital admissions and promotes reliable, high-quality clinical outcomes. We can provide effective care in less time than on a traditional 'inpatient' unit, benefitting both the patient and the healthcare system." Behavioral health also drives many ED visits and hospitalizations. An important change implemented through the PPS is providing physical and mental health services in the same setting, an arrangement that is working successfully at PPS partners such as the Family Health Centers at NYU Langone, the ODA Primary Health Care Network, and Ezra Medical Center. "Patients who suffer from mental health issues are difficult to fully engage in caring for their physical health conditions," says W. Gordon Frankle, MD, chief of psychiatry at NYU Langone Hospital Brooklyn. "When they are assessed for mental and physical health issues simultaneously, we see improvement in compliance with treatment. And those who require a higher level of care can be referred to an appropriate PPS partner." "Unhealthy behavior impacts both physical and mental status of patients," says Jon Marrelli, PsyD, who chairs the PPS's behavioral health project. Problems like obesity, diabetes, chronic pain, and tobacco-related illness can be caused or exacerbated by unhealthy behaviors. Similarly, those with anxiety problems are more prone to unhealthy lifestyle habits such as smoking, which, in turn, makes them more prone to asthma, COPD, or cardiac problems. Depression and diabetes go hand in hand. And many who suffer from substance abuse need ongoing attention for other health issues. "Another benefit of colocating behavioral health services within primary care settings is that patients are spared the stigma of going to a stand-alone mental health clinic and more likely to do one-stop shopping for all their health needs," Marrelli adds. For clinical projects on community-based health navigation services, behavioral health, asthma, and diabetes, CBO partners, including the Caribbean Women's Health Association, CAMBA, Arab American Family Support Center, and Chinese American Planning Council, will be using ethnically and culturally appropriate training material developed in partnership with the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, the lead community-based PPS partner. What's Ahead According to McReynolds, NYU Langone Health's strength in data analytics and experience with best practice protocols has been tremendously helpful with standardizing quality care. "As we face the prospect of a value-based payment system, which shifts financial risk to hospitals, such tools will facilitate ongoing monitoring of performance in delivering high-quality patient care," he says. As New York State evaluates the past year's results, and as Year 4 progresses, Taverna-Trani adds: "We will continue to build and improve our infrastructure and IT connectivity, enabling us to share information and communicate more effectively and efficiently with our partners so we can achieve and sustain a fully integrated healthcare delivery system after DSRIP." Media Inquiries: Neal Gorman Phone: 718-630-8316 [email protected] Colin DeVries Phone: 718-630-7414 [email protected] SOURCE NYU Langone Hospital - Brooklyn Related Links http://www.lutheranhealthcare.org French English TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI) is pleased to launch its second Spark funding program to support point-of-care workers in developing their grassroots ideas into real-world applications in the field of aging and brain health. The Spark program provides up to $50,000 (CAD) per project to selected applicants to support the development of early-stage innovative solutions. CABHI invites staff working at Canadian not-for-profit healthcare organizations and members of the Seniors Quality Leap Initiative (SQLI) to apply for funding. In total, up to $1.25 million (CAD) is available to support up to 25 projects. Point-of-care workers and service staff are often engaged directly with clients and see first-hand the challenges they face. says Ron Riesenbach, vice-president, innovation & chief technology officer at CABHI and Baycrest Health Sciences. Many of these workers have innovative ideas on how to address these challenges and this program provides the funding to turn those ideas into real-world solutions. This year, the Spark Program is accepting applications aimed at addressing one of four funding priorities: Aging in place : solutions that enable older adults with dementia to maximize their choice, independence and quality of life to support aging in the most appropriate setting solutions that enable older adults with dementia to maximize their choice, independence and quality of life to support aging in the most appropriate setting Caregiver support : solutions that support caregivers (formal and informal) in providing care to older adults with dementia solutions that support caregivers (formal and informal) in providing care to older adults with dementia Care coordination and navigation : solutions that help older adults, caregivers and healthcare providers coordinate care and transitions for older adults with dementia solutions that help older adults, caregivers and healthcare providers coordinate care and transitions for older adults with dementia Cognitive health: solutions focused on health promotion, prevention, early diagnostics, and slow progression of cognitive impairment for aging adults The Spark Program will be funding selected projects that are scheduled to run for 6 to 12 months and providing one-year, one-time and non-renewable grants. With CABHIs help, weve taken what was just once an idea and created a prototype that can be tested and validated in the real world, says Dr. Keri-Leigh Cassidy, FRCPC, Founder, Fountain of Health Initiative of Optimal Aging and 2016-17 Spark award recipient. Dr. Cassidy received Spark Program funding to further develop the Fountain of Health Initiative for Optimal Aging, one of the first educational initiatives of its kind in the world, used to translate the current science on healthy aging, well-being, and resilience, into practical tools for use by clinicians and the public to improve health outcomes. Eligible applicants are invited to submit an expression of interest by 5 p.m. on October 11, 2017. More information is available on the CABHI website. Funding for this program is provided by the Government of Canada through the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Research and Innovation, and the Baycrest Foundation. The Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI) is a solution accelerator for the aging and brain health sector, providing funding and support to innovators for the development, testing, and dissemination of new ideas and technologies that address unmet brain health and seniors' care needs. Established in 2015, it is the result of the largest investment in brain health and aging in Canadian history. CABHI is a unique collaboration of health care, science, industry, not-for-profit and government partners whose aim is to help improve quality of life for the world's aging population, allowing older adults to age safely in the setting of their choice while maintaining their cognitive, emotional, and physical well-being. For more information on CABHI, please visit: www.cabhi.com. Baycrest Health Sciences is a global leader in geriatric residential living, healthcare, research, innovation and education, with a special focus on brain health and aging. Fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, Baycrest provides excellent care for older adults combined with an extensive clinical training program for the next generation of healthcare professionals and one of the world's top research institutes in cognitive neuroscience, the Rotman Research Institute. Baycrest is home to the federally and provincially-funded Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation, a solution accelerator focused on driving innovation in the aging and brain health sector, and is the developer of Cogniciti -- a free, online brain health assessment for Canadians 40+ who are concerned about their memory. Through its dedicated centres, Baycrest Health Sciences offers unmatched global knowledge exchange and commercialization capacity. Founded in 1918 as the Jewish Home for Aged, Baycrest continues to embrace the long-standing tradition of all great Jewish healthcare institutions to improve the well-being of people in their local communities and around the globe. For more information please visit: www.baycrest.org. Media Contact: Arielle Zomer, Senior Communications Specialist, 416-785-2500 ext. 6086, azomer@baycrest.org Jonathan MacIndoe, Senior Communications Specialist, 416-785-2500 ext. 6579, jmacindoe@baycrest.org Experience the interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/81770241-cscmp-2017-supply-chain-edge-conference/ There is still time to register and join us at Supply Chain's Premier Event for educating and connecting the world's supply chain professionals, CSCMP's 2017 EDGE Conference. REGISTER NOW! The Council of Supply Chain Management Professional's (CSCMP) Annual Supply Chain Conference, EDGE, draws over 3,000 supply chain management professionals from around the world. EDGE is the only event in the industry that represents the entire end-to-end supply chain. Check Out This Year's Session Line Up! EDGE educational sessions are presented by CSCMP members and represent the best practices, knowledge and training of CSCMP's academic and supply chain practitioner members. CSCMP EDGE 2017 features over 100 sessions and nearly 300 expert speakers from all over the world. Our highly engaged speakers are ready to provide you with end-to-end supply chain best practices, practical research and innovative solutions that you can take back to your organization and apply right away. #CSCMPEDGE One-Day Tickets Available. Choose the Day That's Right for You. The Special One-Day Rate of $995 Is Available with Code EDGE17-Metro1. Global leaders representing nearly all industry sectors, government, and academia will be attending this event presenting unlimited opportunities to learn from industry experts, hear dynamic speakers, and network with the most influential supply chain leaders in the world. Attendees will have opportunities to connect to the latest supply chain management knowledge, research, and industry developments. Join colleagues from around the world and make connections that will accelerate your success. Learn about the latest trends and technological advancements, from driverless cars to supply chain drones and last-mile delivery to blockchain 101. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about unlocking growth in their organization's supply chain and creating cost effective fulfillment networks. Learn how to harness big data to drive efficiency and productivity across the supply chain. Register today to attend #CSCMPEDGE, the premier event in #supplychain. The cutting-edge line-up includes sessions like: CSCMP's 28 th Annual "State of Logistics Report," Presented by Penske Logistics - CSCMP and Penske Logistics invite you to join A.T. Kearney , the author of the Annual CSCMP State of Logistics Report, to hear highlights and trends emerging from this year's report, marking the 28th anniversary of this important and updated offering. CSCMP and Penske Logistics invite you to join , the author of the Annual CSCMP State of Logistics Report, to hear highlights and trends emerging from this year's report, marking the 28th anniversary of this important and updated offering. The "Uber" Model for Warehousing Goes Mainstream What works today, what still needs tuning, and what's likely to come. What works today, what still needs tuning, and what's likely to come. Amazon: The Future of Customer Satisfaction A don't miss session! Innovation and disruption occur when supply chains are designed for customer obsession, rather than optimized for service and cost. Amazon's networks are built on the culture of working backwards from the customer. A don't miss session! Innovation and disruption occur when supply chains are designed for customer obsession, rather than optimized for service and cost. Amazon's networks are built on the culture of working backwards from the customer. Discovering Hidden Profit-Advanced Supply Chain Decision Making - A highly interactive session will detail a thoughtful and actionable methodology to extracting hidden profit by connecting people and business processes in order to maximize customer value at the lowest possible total cost. Learn how SCM and leadership is critical to overall business success, recognizing the need to become system thinkers while collaborating to improve the business across all processes. A highly interactive session will detail a thoughtful and actionable methodology to extracting hidden profit by connecting people and business processes in order to maximize customer value at the lowest possible total cost. Learn how SCM and leadership is critical to overall business success, recognizing the need to become system thinkers while collaborating to improve the business across all processes. And many, many more! There's no better place to gain an understanding of these trends and build the toolkit you need to prepare for these change drivers than at EDGE, CSCMP's 2017 Supply Chain Conference. Join us September 24-27 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta for CSCMP EDGE 2017, where you'll find: 18 tracks and 100 sessions, totaling over 32 hours of educational content with a dedicated supply chain focus. with a dedicated supply chain focus. 25+ hours of dedicated networking to meet with key customers, prospects and industry thought leaders. to meet with key customers, prospects and industry thought leaders. Education on the latest supply chain trends, research, data analytics, and economic analysis to enhance your knowledge base. to enhance your knowledge base. Real-world strategies for process improvement, profit maximization, budget oversight, and talent development and retention. for process improvement, profit maximization, budget oversight, and talent development and retention. Over 600 companies in attendance. Register today and join #supplychain thought leaders from around the world at #CSCMPEDGE. With 12 tracks dedicated to the cornerstones of supply chain management, there is one track designed for you. We encourage you to browse all sessions via track, date or speaker! 2017 EDGE Tracks: 2017 Supply Chain Innovations of the Year Award Competition Current Research & Surveys NEW! Finance in Supply Chain NEW! Government & Regulations Integrated Supply Chain Management Manufacturing & Service Operations Order Fulfillment & Customer Service Supply Chain Leadership Supply Management & Procurement Technology Solutions Transportation & Logistics Warehousing Complete your registration at cscmpedge.org. All-access and one-day registrations still available. #CSCMPEDGE One-Day Tickets Available. Choose the Day That's Right for You. The Special One-Day Rate of $995 Is Available with Code EDGE17-Metro1. About CSCMP Since 1963, the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) has been the leading worldwide professional association dedicated to education, research, and the advancement of the supply chain management profession. With more than 9,000 members globally, representing business, government, and academia from 62 countries, CSCMP members are the leading practitioners and authorities in the fields of logistics and supply chain management. For more information, visit https://cscmp.org. SOURCE Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) ROUND ROCK, Texas, Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate its banner first year as the world's largest privately-controlled technology company, Dell Technologies created the largest foam finger, a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS achievement. The foam finger, indicating the number one, was created to celebrate the first anniversary of the formation of Dell Technologies through the historic merger of Dell and EMC, as well as the company's market leadership position in multiple categories. The foam finger is on display for employees and visiting customers at Dell's headquarters in Round Rock, Texas, and is made of recyclable materials. The foam finger, certified as the largest in the world by a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS adjudicator, was measured in Grand Prairie, Texas, USA, on September 5th, 2017, and measures 6.12 m tall (20 ft. 0 in) x 2.86 m wide (9 ft. 4 in) x 0.47 m (1 ft. 6 in) thick. "The choice of Gary Horan for this significant honor was a very easy decision for us. There is simply no one else who has the healthcare experience and leadership talent, nor can anyone but Gary generate such immense respect among all who know him," stated Victor M. Richel, Chairman of the Board of Trinitas Regional Medical Center and Trinitas Health, the Medical Center's parent. "It is fitting that Gary Horan's name and legacy are attached to a facility such as this that is truly a lifeline for the community we serve," he added. A resident of Sea Girt, NJ, Gary Horan has been President and CEO of Trinitas since 2001. Previously he was President and CEO of Our Lady of Mercy Healthcare System, Bronx New York, for eleven years. He also served as Vice President of Hospital Operations for New York University Medical Center, and as Senior Vice President of St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center of Richmond, New York. Horan's leadership in regional healthcare is well recognized by organizations such as the Greater New York Healthcare Association, which in 2007 elected him the first non-New York CEO to serve as Chairman in its then 103-year history. He also serves on the Board of the New Jersey Hospital Association, the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, and the Hospital Alliance of New Jersey. He was a member of the Board of Governors of the American College of Healthcare Executives and is a current Fellow of that organization. Delivering emergency care more quickly, and with higher quality is the aim of Trinitas' $18.7 million renovation and expansion of its Emergency Department. The 24,000 square foot project raises the number of treatment beds from 27 to 45, and provides separate treatment areas where the most appropriate care can be given to seniors, families and behavioral patients. According to John D'Angelo, DO, Chairman of Emergency Medicine, "The overall aim of this project is to not only make the delivery of emergency care more efficient, but also more personal." "With separate treatment areas, including an expanded 'fast track' area for minor emergencies, patients will experience more personalized care tailored to their needs," Dr. Angelo explains. That level of care will also be delivered more swiftly, as a result of a number of technological innovations. For example, a 128-slice CT scanner, located within the confines of the ER, can produce diagnostic scans in seconds. Previously, patients were transferred out of the ER to the Radiology Department in order to receive a CT or ultrasound scan. This necessitated a ride on a stretcher down long corridors and on an elevator things that amounted to delays in treatment. "Three new Intensive Care Unit rooms are also part of the project, allowing patients to be treated quickly in the ER and then not have to wait for a bed in the hospital to become available if they need to be admitted," said D'Angelo. The multiyear project was funded entirely by donations from foundations, corporations and individuals, including $2.3 million from Trinitas' employees, physicians and trustees. About Trinitas Regional Medical Center Trinitas Regional Medical Center (TRMC), a major center for comprehensive health services for those who live and work in Central New Jersey, is a Catholic teaching medical center sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth in partnership with Elizabethtown Healthcare Foundation. With 10 Centers of Excellence across the continuum of care, Trinitas has distinguished itself in cardiology, cancer care, behavioral health, renal care, nursing education, diabetes management, wound healing and sleep medicine. www.trinitasrmc.org Contact: Doug Harris (973) 583-1091 SOURCE Trinitas Regional Medical Center Related Links http://www.trinitasrmc.org TSX.V: TIG PR # 17-11 OTCMKTS: NFRGF Frankfurt: 8N61 VANCOUVER, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Triumph Gold Corp., (TSX-V: TIG) (OTCMKTS: NFRGF) ("Triumph Gold" or the "Company") announces the completion of its 2017 field season. The 2017 exploration campaign began in late May and focused on the Company's 100% owned, road accessible, Freegold Mountain property, located approximately 80 kilometres northwest of Carmacks, Yukon Territory, Canada. Work on the property included thirty-five diamond drill holes totaling 12,904 metres in the Revenue and Nucleus areas, over 600 metres of trenching and collection of 993 soil samples at Tinta Hill, and reconnaissance work on a dozen other showings and prospects. In addition to work conducted by Triumph Gold, geological mapping of the property and surrounding area was supported by the Yukon Geological Survey and conducted by researchers at the Mineral Deposit Research Unit (MDRU) of the University of British Columbia. Triumph Gold geologists also conducted reconnaissance mapping and sampling on their 100% owned Severance (YT), Tad/Toro (YT), and Andalusite Peak (BC) properties. Geochemical results from the 2017 field season have been considerably delayed compared to previous years due to the exceptionally high volume of samples being produced in Yukon. During the second half of the exploration program samples were shipped to Thunder Bay rather than Whitehorse for more expedient processing. Geochemical results from drilling and other sampling programs will be released in the upcoming weeks as the data are received and reviewed. Tinta Hill Trenching Tinta Hill is a polymetallic vein deposit with a current inferred resource of 2.16 million tonnes grading 1.89 g/t gold, 54.9 g/t silver, 0.27% copper, 0.99% lead and 1.41% zinc at a 0.5 g/t gold cut-off grade (December 15, 2014). The vein tapers and pinches out to the NW of the resource area. However, soil geochemical and VLF-EM surveys conducted in 2016 identified coincident multi-element soil anomalies and conductors along strike of the Tinta Vein (see press release dated February 27, 2017), beginning approximately 460 metres to the NW of the mapped extent of the Tinta Vein and encompassing an additional 700 metres, along strike, to the limit of the soil survey (see map below). The area was tested in September of this year with seven trenches. Six of the seven trenches exposed multiple strongly clay and hematite altered zones with pyritic quartz veins and silicified domains that range from less than 1 centimetre to 2.6 metres in width. The mineralized veins are heavily leached and boxwork after sulfide-rich quartz veins/silicified domains is common. Where quartz veins with remnant sulfides are preserved, they contain up to 15% pyrite, and in six locations chalcopyrite, malachite and/or galena were also observed, confirming base metal mineralization similar to the Tinta Vein. Based on mapping of the 2017 trenches, it is now apparent that an altered and veined structure, similar in character to the Tinta Vein, is present over at least a 700-metre extent along strike of the Tinta Vein. The geochemical results of 73 chip and 18 grab samples collected from the trenches are expected in approximately five weeks. Management Changes The Company also announces the appointment of Mr. Rakesh Patel as Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Patel replaces Glen Diduck, a founding director of the Company, who has resigned to focus on other business ventures. The Company wishes to acknowledge Glen's contribution and thank him for the past 11 years of service. Rakesh Patel is a partner in the Audit and Assurance Group at DMCL Chartered Professional Accountants. He provides audit and advisory services to Canadian and US private and public companies. He specializes in guiding private companies entering the public markets and assisting them with the registration process. He also has extensive knowledge of Canadian and US securities rules relating to the public markets, initial public offerings, prospectuses and mergers and acquisitions. About Triumph Gold Corp. Triumph Gold Corp. is a growth oriented Canadian-based precious metals exploration and development company. Triumph Gold Corp. is focused on creating value through the advancement of the district scale Freegold Mountain project in Yukon. For maps and more information, please visit our website www.triumphgoldcorp.com On behalf of the Board of Directors Signed "Paul Reynolds" Paul Reynolds, President & CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains forward-looking information, which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectation. Important factors - including the availability of funds, the results of financing efforts, the completion of due diligence and the results of exploration activities - that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time on SEDAR (see www.sedar.com). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE Triumph Gold Corp. PISCATAWAY, N.J., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ValueMomentum Inc., one of the largest standalone providers of software and services to North American insurers, announced today that its Insurance IT Services and capabilities have been profiled in a new report from Celent. Published in August, 2017, the Celent IT Services Vendors report is focused on IT Service providers for insurers. A total of 24 vendors were profiled across 15 categories with ValueMomentum being one of only four vendors recognized in all categories. The report is Celent's third profiling IT service vendors for the insurance industry and notes that the IT services market is recalibrating, impacting services providers' opportunities and value propositions. Multiple trends and forces are creating changes in the categories of IT services, including digital business imperatives, cloud, intelligent automation, and business solutions. According to Karen Monks of Celent, analyst and author of the report, "In Celent's view, the most successful partnerships insurers have with IT service vendors are the ones that are not just about replacing staff or lowering costs. The best partnerships are those that are long-term, strategic engagements, where a vendor is leveraged to bring in new expertise, adds both technology and domain knowledge to the business, and is relied on as a true partner." "We couldn't agree more with Celent when it comes to what makes for the best partnerships between insurers and vendors," stated Jim Carlucci, vice president of insurance with ValueMomentum. "Our value proposition is based more on delivering and enabling new value for our insurer clients more so than just operational cost savings. Our approach and value message is resonating well with the market and is validated by our strong momentum and growing client base among insurance entities of all sizes since the last edition of this Celent report." Celent's Monks concluded, "In the market for IT services, ValueMomentum is one of several profiled vendors that is ready to meet the needs of insurers as a partner in tackling digital business imperatives, cloud, intelligent automation, and business process improvements." About ValueMomentum ValueMomentum provides software and services to Insurance, Healthcare & Financial Services firms. Customers choose ValueMomentum due to the company's track record of delivering value and driving the momentum of customers' business initiatives. ValueMomentum accomplishes this by applying a time-tested formula of combining strong technology expertise with deep industry experience. For more information visit www.valuemomentum.com. SOURCE ValueMomentum, Inc. Related Links http://www.valuemomentum.com ALGIERS, Algeria, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR), leader in radiotherapy systems and software for the treatment of cancer, today announced it has begun holding its first education workshop for radiotherapy practitioners from across Algeria. Clinical teams from seven regional hospitals are attending the clinical workshop, which is focused on advanced prostate and head & neck treatment techniques. "Varian is proud to meet our commitment to the Algerian Ministry of Health and the country's clinical community by commencing training programs at our new national hub," said Fouad Rahal, managing director of Varian Medical Systems Algeria SPA. "These educational programs will help train clinicians on the use of Varian technology to deliver advanced radiotherapy for the benefit of Algerian cancer patients." Varian's educational specialists are being supported during the three-day workshop by Professor Philippe Maingon from the Hopital Universitaire La Pitie-Salpetriere in Paris and Dr. Lysian Cartier from the Institut Sainte Catherine in Avignon. Both of these leading cancer centers use Varian equipment and software for delivering cancer treatments. Nabil Romanos, Varian's vice president of Middle East, Africa and Emerging Markets, said, "The incidence of cancer is unfortunately growing rapidly in Africa and has become one of the continent's top healthcare concerns. Radiotherapy plays a vital and cost-effective role in treating cancer and we are committed to making it available to more patients across the continent. Increasing the levels of clinical education and training throughout Algeria and the region is one of the keys to success. We have already trained many African clinicians at our Access to Care hub in South Africa." The first Varian linear accelerator was installed in Algeria over 20 years ago and the company now has 30 systems operating across the country. In 2014, Varian announced that it had entered into an agreement with the Algerian Ministry of Health to equip six cancer treatment centers with advanced technology for radiotherapy and radiosurgery. The first six of these systems, including advanced TrueBeam treatment devices, were installed earlier this year. About Varian Medical Systems Varian Medical Systems focuses energy on saving lives and is the world's leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating and managing cancer. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Varian employs approximately 6,600 people around the world. For more information, visit http://www.varian.com and follow @VarianMedSys on Twitter. Press Contact Neil Madle Varian Medical Systems +44 7786 526068 [email protected] SOURCE Varian Medical Systems Related Links http://www.varian.com A great location is the foundation for a great vacation. The popular 18-mile Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail is just a few steps from the Wave Street Inn's front door and the world renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium is four blocks away. An ideal home base for couples and families to follow Steinbeck's footsteps and explore the neighborhood he immortalized, Wave Street Inn is close to many restaurants and bars, candy shops, art galleries, vintage stores and souvenir haunts. Relaxing retreat for experience-based travel. The hotel's serene, functional design, created by Salinas-based Signature Design Group, features an ambiance inspired by the surrounding natural beauty and maritime history. Shiplap walls evoke the Row's fishing heritage while contemporary art, ocean-blue oversized headboards, pops of starfishorange accessories and an on-trend barn door to the bathroom create a laid back coastal vibe. Like Monterey's bounty, WIFI is free, along with a refrigerator, chargers, laptop safes and a welcome basket filled with nibbles. www.wavestreetinnmonterey.com Inns of Monterey Inns of Monterey are a collection of five distinctive small hotels each with its own personality including; Monterey Bay Inn, Spindrift Inn, Casa Munras, Victorian Inn, and the new Wave Street Inn. While individual in their style, the hotels adhere to the highest level of personal and attentive service. Inns of Monterey embrace a singular focus on guests and contribute to our local community. Inns of Monterey offer an experience for every taste and perfect for romantic escapes, fun family vacations and weekend getaways to the Monterey Peninsula. SOURCE Inns of Monterey Related Links http://www.wavestreetinnmonterey.com SUGAR LAND, Texas, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Wholesome, North America's leading Fair Trade, non-GMO, Organic candy and sweetener brand, is taking steps to ensure its valued retail customers and consumers have uninterrupted product supply in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey. The company has distribution facilities in Texas and the east coast of Florida. "We have been closely monitoring the storms and taking appropriate action," Wholesome CEO Olu Beck said. "Our dedicated team is working to develop distribution alternatives for our organic sugars, sweeteners, candies and frostings as needed. At this time, we believe our core distribution will not be affected for most of the country." "We want to thank all of the first responders and volunteers who have been working around the clock," Beck said. "Our thoughts are with our employees, customers, suppliers and their friends and families who have been affected or may be impacted by these hurricanes." Hurricane Harvey Had Minimal Impact on Supply Wholesome core business operations and product distribution services have been largely unaffected by Hurricane Harvey and the subsequent flooding. However, the company's Sugar Land, Texas administrative office was flooded. All local staff members are safe and accounted for and business operations will continue as normal from a temporary location until the office reopens. The effects of Irma's impact on Florida are still being assessed but we anticipate only minor delays as business operations were largely unaffected. As Wholesome's raw materials are primarily sourced from Fair Trade, non-GMO, organic growers in Central and South America, the company does not expect supply to be impacted. The company has implemented business continuity plans to source distribution from its network of warehouses throughout the country. Wholesome has donated $10,000 and >25,000 bags of candy to support Harvey recovery efforts coordinated by Feeding Texas. This organization together with other relief agencies has been instrumental in providing assistance to people in need. We invite you to join us at https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/harvey-food-relief. About Wholesome The Wholesome brand is North America's leader in Fair Trade, Organic and Non-GMO sugars, molasses, syrups, stevia and honeys. Wholesome has been committed to Fair Trade, non-GMO, organics and staying on the cutting edge of eco-friendly agriculture since its founding in 2001. The company produces candy under the brand names Wholesome and Surf Sweets, its allergy-friendly brand. For more information, visit WholesomeSweet.Com or contact Customer Service: 1(800) 680-1896 or [email protected]. Media Source: Wholesome Bobby Patton [email protected] SOURCE Wholesome HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania's 17 million acres of woodlands soon will be bathed in autumn colors and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Pennsylvania Tourism Office again are teaming up to ensure fall foliage fans know when and where to look. "With more than 2.5 million acres of state forest and state parklands, as well as private woodlands, all offering an incredible variety of hardwoods, Pennsylvanians truly are blessed with fall foliage viewing opportunities," said Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. "Our Bureau of Forestry experts tell us recent weather should usher in a banner year." DCNR again is making key bureau personnel available to the news media to serve as regional experts on fall foliage. Additionally, the Pennsylvania Tourism Office, within the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), recommends experiencing a colorful autumn in a variety of ways and places across the state. The Pennsylvania Tourism Office encourages visitors to experience the endless ways to experience the autumn beauty in the Keystone State. "Fall is Pennsylvania's forte. We are home to a longer and more varied fall foliage season than any other state," said Carrie Fischer Lepore, Deputy Secretary of DCED's Office of Marketing, Tourism, and Film. "Wherever you are, opportunities abound to see the vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows dotting the mountains and lining the rivers and roads across the state. The sights, smells and sounds of fall are truly magical." Boasting a unique blend of outdoor attractions, art and history, Pennsylvania has long been a travel destination year-round, earning special recognition for its fall beauty. Each year, Pennsylvania's nearly 200 million domestic travelers inject an estimated $40.8 billion into Pennsylvania's economy, generate $4.1 billion in tax revenues, and ultimately support more than 310,000 jobs related to travel and tourism. "There truly is no better state to enjoy autumn than Pennsylvania," said Lepore. "I encourage residents and visitors alike to pursue their happiness in Pennsylvania this fall." Foliage typically peaks for several weeks near the beginning of October across Pennsylvania. Starting Sept. 21, DCNR will have weekly fall foliage reports on its website at http://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Conservation/ForestsAndTrees/FallFoliageReports/Pages/default.aspx. Visitors can get suggestions about the best spots to view fall foliage on the DCNR Penn's Woods Fall Foliage story map at http://maps.dcnr.pa.gov/storymaps/fallfoliage/# as well as on the Pennsylvania Tourism Office website at https://visitpa.com/articles/best-fall-foliage-pennsylvania. When contacted by the media, regional Bureau of Forestry experts can discuss the chemistry of fall foliage color, as well as the projected outlook for fall foliage in their region of Pennsylvania. They are: Northeast Pennsylvania Tim Latz, forester: Pinchot Forest District, Dalton Northwest Pennsylvania Cecile Stelter, district forester: Cornplanter State Forest District, Warren Southeast Pennsylvania Rick Hartlieb, assistant district forester: William Penn State Forest District, Elverson Southcentral Pennsylvania Ryan Reed, environmental education specialist: Harrisburg Southwest Pennsylvania Rachael Mahony, environmental education specialist: Forbes State Forest District, Laughlintown Northcentral Pennsylvania Chris Firestone, wild plant program manager: Tioga State Forest District, Wellsboro For fall-inspired festivals and experiences, head to visitpa.com or follow Visit PA on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. Pursue your happiness and join the conversation using the hashtag #FallinPA. MEDIA CONTACT: To contact any of the experts above, call Terry Brady at 717-705-2225, or email [email protected]. To contact DCED and the Pennsylvania Tourism Office, call David Smith at 717-783-1132. SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Related Links http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us WELLINGTON, Fla., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Camel Life, America's newest entry into the direct sales space, is launching today. The Wellington, Florida company has been strategically planning its MLM debut for more than a year. Camel Life will launch with 14 products and has more than a dozen products in development. Product offerings at launch include Shower Gels, Foaming Soaps, Baby Wash, Exfoliating Bars, Body Butter, Lip Balms, Pet Shampoo, Bath Bombs, and a line of Tattoo aftercare products. Several of the company's innovative products are patent pending. Camel Life President Stephanie Heering said, "We've been working hard and smart researching ingredients, developing and testing products, and working with the direct sales industry's best ancillary services vendors. Although we're a direct sales startup, we've already partnered with the best technology and payment platform vendors in the business." A pending member of the Direct Sales Association, Camel Life was created after the founder rescued a two-month-old dromedary camel from an abusive petting zoo in 2015. After traveling to the Middle East to learn how to best care for a baby camel, company founders were introduced to the amazing, medicinal, healing, energizing properties of camel milk. That's when the idea of turning a passion for a camel into a business, and a big one at that. Heering added, "Camel Life is a product-centric company. We create, manufacture, and sell amazing breakthrough products made with the finest organic ingredients and pure, all natural, cruelty-free, sustainably sourced camel milk. Rather than play the typical brick and mortar or e-commerce game, we decided to build out a direct sales platform as our chosen method of distribution. Camel Life Consultants benefit from direct sales commissions as well as a robust, FTC compliant compensation plan to earn an income from sales resulting from those they introduce to the company." Consumers and those interested in exploring the Camel Life business opportunity can visit www.camellife.com for more information. Media Contact: Camel Life Media Relations [email protected] (833) HUMP-DAY Related Images image1.jpg Camel Life, Inc. image2.png Camel Life, Inc. Related Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO2ObkxteVU SOURCE Camel Life, Inc. Related Links http://www.camellife.com CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GCP Applied Technologies Inc. (NYSE:GCP) has already raised over $50,000, through a combination of employee and company donations, to assist employees with hurricane relief efforts. The fundraising campaign will continue through the month of September. GCP established a matching fund to collect employee donations worldwide in support of colleagues in the affected areas which include Houston, TX, Zellwood, FL, Irondale, AL, Augusta, Calhoun and Lithonia, GA, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, and Canlubang and Manila, Philippines. The proceeds will be distributed to help employees rebuild after the devastating effects of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, and other recent severe weather. We are fortunate that all our employees are safe and we are committed to support them during this difficult time, said Gregory Poling, GCPs President and Chief Executive Officer. I am impressed by the generosity of our colleagues and the resiliency of the affected communities where the clean-up and re-building process is already underway. About GCP Applied Technologies GCP is a leading global provider of construction products technologies that include additives for cement and concrete, the Verifi in-transit concrete management system, high-performance waterproofing products, and specialty systems. GCP products have been used to build some of the worlds most renowned structures. More information is available at www.gcpat.com. Media Relations Julie Gonzalez +1 617.498.4533 mediainfo@gcpat.com Investor Relations Joe DeCristofaro +1 617.498.2616 investors@gcpat.com GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- ArtPrize, the independently organized international art competition recognized as the world's largest art contest, today announced key sponsor collaborations that will amplify festival programs for over 500,000 visitors at the ninth annual event. ArtPrize takes place over 19 days each fall in Grand Rapids, Michigan and awards more than $500,000 in prizes annually including two $200,000 prizes, one awarded by smartphone-enabled public vote, the other by expert jury. ArtPrize Nine is slated to take place from September 20-October 8, 2017. The Honda West Michigan Dealers will host the third edition of the Honda Design & Drive Contest at ArtPrize Nine. Six artists will compete for a 24-month lease on a new 2017 Honda Civic, each developing an original design that will be applied to a vinyl-wrapped Honda vehicle for outdoor display in the heart of the ArtPrize district. ArtPrize visitors will explore the Honda vehicles, interact with the six artists while they apply their art to the vehicles, and ultimately vote for their favorite via the West Michigan Honda Dealers Facebook page. The activation and contest not only displays Honda vehicles in a whimsical, artful way, but also integrates the key ingredient of what makes ArtPrize unique the public gets to decide who wins. "The Design & Drive Contest is a program designed to tap into the unique format and programming of ArtPrize," said Brad Siegers, President of the West Michigan Honda Dealers. "It was important that this activation amplify and build on the democratic platform that makes the art event so unique, and in turn, create meaningful and lasting brand engagement and awareness with visitors and artists. We hope to bring an authentic live element that truly illustrates the Honda philosophy to bring imaginative ideas to life." Last year's Design & Drive Contest winner, Heather Richardson from Safety Harbor, Florida, traveled with her winning Honda vehicle to Art Basel Miami in December following ArtPrize in 2016. Honda is also the Official Vehicle of ArtPrize and provides branded fleet vehicles that transport guest jurors, speakers, sponsors and special guests in comfort and style around the city. Additional national sponsor collaborations taking place at ArtPrize Nine include: LIFEWTR ArtPrize After Dark Experience; Pantone Shipping Container Mural Program; KPMG as the Official Auditor of the ArtPrize Public Vote; BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Artisan Series Cocktail Mixer. Learn more on the ArtPrize blog. ArtPrize will return to downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan from September 20-October 8, 2017. Learn more about the event via the ArtPrize mobile app, free for iOS and Android devices, and online at artprize.org. SOURCE ArtPrize Related Links http://artprize.org Over its nine-month run, the competition drew international attention and made a significant impact in the global jewellery industry by revitalising the gold wedding jewellery segment. It harnessed global talent and created a platform to modernise and elevate the product segment. The "Xifu" Grand Prize was awarded to Wang Xiaomei from Beijing. Her plain gold design "XiuHeHuan" was a gold wedding jewellery set consisting of a headpiece and a pair of earrings that are connected to each other. "The design symbolises a family unit where two become one to make each other a better person," said Wang. The five judges all agreed that the piece was extremely innovative, original and creative, and awarded it the competition's highest honours. In the Plain Gold category, the first prize was awarded to Yi Ran. The young designer from Beijing created a set of four pieces named "Track". Yi explained, "The design is made of a unique structure with ento-ectad circle layers. The movable circles can form the Chinese word 'He' (oneness), symbolising perfection and women's hopes for a happy marriage." Turkish designer Meltem Sahan received the second prize in the plain gold category for a two-piece design with the theme, "Tree of Life," in homage to women. Three third prizes were awarded to Chen Wenmei from Shenzhen, China; Krishma S Jain from India; and Jiang Hao from Shanghai, China. Chen's two-piece set with a hairpin and a ring named "SanShengTaoHua" was inspired by the Burr Puzzle. She said, "The Burr Puzzle's mortise and tenon are put together to form a secure joint, which also applies to the concepts of Yin and Yang, and oneness." Jain built her two-piece set of a headpiece and a bracelet on the "Wheel of Energy" concept, a tribute to the innate beauty of each human being. Young designer Jiang, meanwhile, centred her three-piece set "XiangShengXiangHe," on haploids, saying "not only do they represent wellness, the swirls of hexagons also allude to movement, like a newlywed couple dancing in the swirl of love." In the Gem-set Gold Jewellery category, the First Prize went to student Xu Min, who bested many experienced competitors. Taking "YongHe" as the theme, Xu said "the design is inspired by water particles, formed by two chemical bonds that are simple yet inseparable, akin to marriage." Huang Xiangmin received the second prize for "HeXie," a two-piece set with a necklace and a pair of earrings with red spinels that symbolise "the compatibility of two people from different backgrounds, whose love transcends cultural differences through understanding and acceptance." The first third prize went to Huang Xuting, a Shenzhen student whose winning design "ShuangQi" used the colour green to represent romantic encounters; orange, growing up in love; and red, the joy and success of love. The design is inspired by love birds and connected branches, both traditional Chinese concepts of love." Ronaldo Buensalida from the UAE bagged the second third prize for his two-piece "Metal Memory" set of a necklace and a pair of earrings with pearls and gems. According to Buensalida, "marriage is like metal, therefore the hardness and strength of pure gold and metal symbolise the theme of 'Oneness.'" Sun Hao from Shenzhen received the last third prize for "HeMingYunDuan," which he described as "a poetic picture with clouds and cranes, traditional Chinese symbols of good luck." The Organising Committee expresses its gratitude to all parties involved in the Competition's great success. It appreciates the support of teachers and students from design institutes, the extensive coverage by media in mainland China and international markets, and the feedback from the global industry. It wishes all the winners a bright future, and the gold wedding industry vitality for the next milestone. Website: www.xifudesigncompetition.com Social Media Facebook: @xifuDesignCompetition Twitter: @XifuDesignComp WeChat: @Xifudesign Weibo: @Xifudesign Contact Althea Long [email protected] +852-2516-1653 SOURCE JNA Related Links http://www.JNAawards.com AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Yacktman Asset Management today publicly released a letter to the Board of Directors of the Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG). In the letter, Yacktman expressed its support for the election of Nelson Peltz of Trian Fund Management, L.P. As of June 30, 2017, Yacktman owned 15,456,696 shares of P&G. Text of Yacktman Asset Management's September 14, 2017, Letter to the P&G Board of Directors : The Board of Directors The Procter & Gamble Company 1 Procter and Gamble Plz CINCINNATI, OH 45202-3315 Dear Members of the Board: We are writing today because we intend to vote our shares in favor of the election of Nelson Peltz of Trian Fund Management, L.P., to Procter & Gamble's board of directors. As of June 30, 2017, Yacktman Asset Management owned 15,456,696 shares of P&G, which represents more than $1.3 billion in value. Yacktman believes that, after years of business and share price underperformance, P&G shareholders deserve a highly engaged, shareholder-focused voice in the boardroom a representative who will devote time to P&G by asking the tough questions, demanding strong execution from management, and ensuring proper alignment between compensation and performance. In the 2006 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Report, Warren Buffett stated a new board member should, "be owner-oriented, business-savvy, interested and truly independent." Yacktman believes that Nelson Peltz possesses all of these characteristics. Our firm has owned shares in P&G for more than 25 years. We are long-term, patient investors, and have always strived to be a constructive and supportive shareholder. Since our founding in 1992, this is the first time we have written about an election of directors for one of our portfolio investments. We feel compelled to do so because of the depth of our conviction that it is in the best interest of all P&G investors to have Nelson Peltz join the board. While we have great respect for P&G's directors and management, we respectfully disagree with the company's decision not to add Mr. Peltz to its board and instead to conduct at shareholders' expense a costly and distracting proxy fight. In evaluating Mr. Peltz's candidacy, we considered the following factors, among others: Shareholder/owner perspective in the board room : Mr. Peltz represents an owner of more than $3 billion in P&G stock. Current outside board members have no meaningful economic investment in the company's success or failure. : Mr. Peltz represents an owner of in P&G stock. Current outside board members have no meaningful economic investment in the company's success or failure. Consumer products operational expertise : For years, in our view, P&G has struggled to produce business results and shareholder returns commensurate with its potential. Mr. Peltz brings relevant operational and financial management expertise to P&G. For example, his acquisition of a failing Snapple from Quaker Oats and the rapid turnaround of the company are studied in business schools around the world. : For years, in our view, P&G has struggled to produce business results and shareholder returns commensurate with its potential. Mr. Peltz brings relevant operational and financial management expertise to P&G. For example, his acquisition of a failing Snapple from Quaker Oats and the rapid turnaround of the company are studied in business schools around the world. Investment track record : We run a concentrated portfolio which, in recent years, has overlapped with investments by Mr. Peltz's firm, Trian Management, in Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, PepsiCo and Sysco Corporation, in addition to P&G. In these situations, we found Mr. Peltz's involvement to be a significant benefit to long-term shareholders. P&G's management has argued the company is on the right track and implied that any change in the board's makeup could derail its direction. In our view, one voice on a board cannot upend a successful strategy, but it can serve as a fresh and valuable perspective. Management professes concern that Mr. Peltz could be a distraction if elected. Meanwhile, management has already been distracted by choosing to wage a proxy fight that is costing more than $35 million, not to mention an enormous amount of senior management time. We are not swayed by management's enthusiasm for the last quarter or two of financial results, or the company's recent stock price performance. Management teams, when confronted with a proxy fight, have incentives to produce good short-term results, but these often come at the expense of long-term value. DuPont's proxy contest with Mr. Peltz a few years ago should serve as a warning to the board and all shareholders to critically examine arguments made by management during the heat of a proxy fight. P&G is rightfully proud of its 180-year-old history. There is no doubt the company has some of the greatest brands in the world. However, we believe that in recent years P&G has continued to cling too much to its insular culture and past successes while technology is rapidly increasing the rate of change for all businesses. Given Mr. Peltz's qualifications and his significant ownership interest in P&G, we believe he is well-suited to help P&G navigate these changes and drive long-term value creation for all shareholders. For these reasons, we intend to vote to elect Nelson Peltz to Procter & Gamble's board. Sincerely, Stephen Yacktman Chief Investment Officer About Yacktman Asset Management Yacktman Asset Management is an investment advisory firm located in Austin, Texas, that employs a disciplined investment approach focused on achieving strong risk adjusted returns over a full market cycle. Yacktman is led by Chief Investment Officer Stephen Yacktman and, as of June 30, 2017, manages more than $15 billion in assets. Contact Alex Hinson or Natalie Brandt Perry Street Communications 214-965-9955 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Yacktman Asset Management SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Zendrive, the world's largest and fastest-growing mobile driver analytics platform, today announced the results of its School Safety Snapshot, which measured phone use and aggressive driving around 75,000 U.S. schools. The study found that driving near Victory Christian School in Jackson County, North Carolina, was the safest while driving near Trinity Downtown Lutheran Church and School in Harris County, Texas, was the most dangerous driving. Based on anonymized data of 3.8 million drivers taking 320 million trips, the Zendrive School Safety Study also ranked the safest and most dangerous driving around schools in 2,222 counties throughout the U.S. "Everyone has a mobile phone these days, and as we've found, the majority of drivers typically use one when they are behind the wheel," said Jonathan Matus, CEO of Zendrive. "With collisions at an all-time high, in large part because of distracted driving, it's become even more imperative that we do more to protect our children. Our findings we hope shed some light on just how widespread risky driving around schools has become." Among the studies key findings: California was the state with the most dangerous driving near schools; Vermont was the safest was the state with the most dangerous driving near schools; was the safest New York County , which covers the island of Manhattan , was the county with the most dangerous driving; La Salle County, Texas , was the safest , which covers the island of , was the county with the most dangerous driving; , was the safest The most dangerous time for driving around schools is the critical pick-up time between 4 to 5 p.m. Michigan was worst state for "distracted phone use" and "aggressive acceleration" near schools ( Florida and California ranked #2 on each list, respectively) was worst state for "distracted phone use" and "aggressive acceleration" near schools ( and ranked #2 on each list, respectively) California was the worst state for "hard braking" near schools, with Michigan in the #2 spot. was the worst state for "hard braking" near schools, with in the #2 spot. Schools with the most dangerous driving are in urban areas with large populations, such as counties that contain major cities (e.g., New York County, NY ; Dallas County, TX , and San Francisco County, CA ). With about one out of every 11 U.S. public school within 500 feet of heavily trafficked roads, some 4.4 million students are in greater risk. Zendrive's distracted driver behavior study released in April 2017 found that Americans use their phones 88 percent of the time they get behind the wheel. From 2015 to 2016, there was a 14 percent rise in traffic deaths the biggest increase in 50 years with distracted driving being a major contributor, according to experts. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. Zendrive uses the sensors in smartphones to measure and analyze driver behavior in real-time. With more than 30 billion miles analyzed (and counting), Zendrive's ability to predict collisions is up to 6 times more accurate than the auto insurance industry's leaders, according to leading actuarial firm Milliman. For the study, Zendrive aggregated and anonymized 3,826,675 individual drivers, 2,222 counties, and 75,000 schools in every state in the United States for the month of April 2017. The study was based on the following driving behaviors: Phone use (handheld, hands-free; texting/emailing; and simply fiddling with a phone while vehicle is moving), rapid acceleration, and hard braking. To find out where your school, county or state ranked according to driving behavior, Zendrive has created this easy-to-embed interactive map. "It's back-to-school time with children walking and biking to and from school, or getting on and off buses -- often during the peak hours for distracted and dangerous driving, as the study highlights," said Cassandra Isidro, Executive Director of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. "These findings highlight the critical need for drivers to be more careful, for greater investments in sidewalks and crosswalks, and for Safe Routes to School programming in all communities." "For too long, our most vulnerable citizens -- children -- have been disproportionately killed by motor vehicle crashes," said U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon. "We must do better. Communities across the country are embracing road safety strategies like Vision Zero and developing better information about the risks people take while driving. We can put this information to use if Congress would pass my legislation to expand Vision Zero grants to communities around the country." Below is a complete list of the top and bottom ten findings from each major category studied by Zendrive. Bottom 10 Schools with the Most Dangerous Drivers Trinity Downtown Lutheran Church and School, Harris County, Texas East Side Elementary School, P.S. 267, New York County, New York Pegasus School Of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Dallas County, Texas Bessie Carmichael Middle School & Pre K, San Francisco County, California The Covenant School, Dallas County, Texas The Frances Xavier Warde School, Cook County, Illinois Schools of 111 E 33rd St (Manhattan Academy for Arts and Language, Murray Hill Academy, Norman Thomas High School , Success Academy High School of the Liberal Arts), New York County, New York The Mary Lindley Murray School, P.S. 116 Manhattan, New York County, New York Saint Cyril of Jerusalem School, and Valley Beth Shalom Day School, Los Angeles County, California Ferrahian High School, Los Angeles County, California Top 10 Schools with the Safest Drivers Victory Christian School , Jackson County, North Carolina Hillcrest Elementary School, Silver Bow County, Montana Dunsmuir High School, Siskiyou County, California Martin Luther King High School , DeKalb County, Georgia Georgetown Community School, Clear Creek County, Colorado Kildeer Countryside Elementary School, Lake County, Illinois Expressions Learning Arts Academy, Alachua County, Florida Spring Hill High School , Mariposa County, California Tyronza Elementary School, Poinsett County, Arkansas Encinal Elementary School, La Salle County, Texas Bottom 10 States with Most Dangerous Drivers Near Schools 51. California 50. D.C. 49. Florida 48. Illinois 47. Michigan 46. New York 45. Arizona 44. Louisiana 43. Nevada 42. Texas Top 10 States with Safest Drivers Near Schools Vermont New Hampshire West Virginia Wyoming Maine South Dakota Massachusetts Virginia Maryland North Carolina Bottom 10 Counties with Most Dangerous Drivers Near Schools New York County, New York San Francisco County, California Kings County, New York Queens County, New York Miami-Dade County, Florida Orange County, California Los Angeles County, California Bronx County, New York Montgomery County, Texas Walton County, Georgia Top 10 Counties with Safest Drivers Near Schools La Salle County, Texas Braxton County, West Virginia Claiborne County, Tennessee Montgomery County, Missouri Jackson County, North Carolina Essex County, New York Ravalli County, Montana Nelson County, Virginia Stewart County, Tennessee Washakie County, Wyoming About Zendrive Founded in 2013, Zendrive is the world's largest and fastest-growing mobile Driver Analytics platform. By using artificial intelligence to analyze more than 30 billions of miles of driving behavior data, Zendrive offers powerful insights to deliver unparalleled visibility into safety and risk exposure for insurers, fleets, everyday drivers, and even city planners. The company is headquartered in San Francisco and is venture funded by a group of investors led by Sherpa Capital, First Round Capital, BMW i Ventures, NYCA Partners and Fontinalis. For more information about Zendrive, visit www.zendrive.com, and follow @zendrive on Twitter. For more information, please contact: Mark de la Vina Consort Partners for Zendrive [email protected] 415-282-4795 Nicole L'Esperance Communications Director Office of U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer [email protected] SOURCE Zendrive Related Links http://www.zendrive.com PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Members of the media are invited to attend "Why Women Should Have A Seat At the Table: A Panel Discussion with Global Implications," an event which is a part of the African Bicycle Contribution Foundation's Three-City U.S. Tour, and takes place from September 18 25, in Philadelphia, New York City and the Washington D.C./Baltimore area. The goal of this event is to gather a select group of private-, public-sector, academic and institutional women leaders to facilitate discussions about the opportunities and challenges faced by women in entrepreneurship and leadership positions, here in the U.S., in Africa, and in other areas across the globe. The desired outcome is to explore how they can work together, going forward, in international partnerships. The panel participants will include globally-recognized West African entrepreneur Ms. Bernice Dapaah, CEO and founder of the Ghana Bamboo Bikes Initiative (GBBI); Dr. Nina Ahmad, Deputy Mayor of Public Engagement, City of Philadelphia; and Ms. Gerianne DiPiano, chairwoman, FemmePharma Holding Co., Inc./president and CEO, FemmePharma Global Healthcare, Inc. Veteran journalist and attorney Renee Chenualt Fattah will serve as moderator. Since September of last year, ABCF (www.africanbike.org) has generated funds for the distribution of eco-friendly bamboo bikes made by Ms. Dapaahs Kumasi, Ghana-based company, in five locations across the West African country, including Accra, Kumasi, Koforidua, Sekyere Afram Plains District and the Brong-Ahafo Region, in Central Ghana. Despite Ghanas expanding economic strength and Sub-Saharan-leading political stability, the Ghanaian Statistical Service reports that 30 percent of Ghanaians dont have a school within their immediate community, and according to UNESCO, school attendance increases by 600 percent for young, rural, Ghanaian girls when they have access to bicycles. Another recent study points out that Ghanaian small farmers, who have access to bicycles, reduced their commute time to marketplace by 45 percent, and increased their family incomes by 23 percent. Since 2016, ABCF has been dedicated to alleviating transportation issues for students, healthcare workers, small farmers and teachers, throughout rural Ghana. WHO: Ms. Bernice Dapaah, CEO and founder, Ghana Bamboo Bikes Initiative Ms. Gerianne DiPiano, chairwoman, FemmePharma Holding Co. Inc./president and CEO, FemmePharma Global Healthcare, Inc. Dr. Nina Ahmad, Deputy Mayor, Public Engagement, City of Philadelphia Ms. Renee Chenault Fattah, journalist and attorney Ms. Patricia Marshall Harris, executive director, ABCF More than 50 Philadelphia-area women business leaders, elected official, community leaders and professionals WHEN: Monday, September 18, 2017 Aramark Headquarters 1101 Market Street, 31st floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 5:00pm Reception 6:00pm Panel Discussion 7:00pm Q&A and Networking ### Attachments: A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c5aac6e0-e431-4420-bfde-dc868c0e0a4d If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LexaGene Holdings Inc. (OTCQB:LXXGF) (TSX-V:LXG) (the Company), per TSX Venture reporting requirements, is pleased to announce the voting results for election of its Board of Directors at the Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on September 12, 2017 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The director nominees as listed in the Information Circular dated August 1, 2017 were elected as directors of the Company at the meeting to serve until the next annual general meeting. Name of Directors Dr. Jack Regan Daryl Rebeck Tom Slezak Dr. Eric Olsen Dr. Manohar Furtado Each of the other matters put forward before shareholders for consideration and approval at the Meeting, as described in the Circular, was duly approved. Also, the Company announces that it has granted to Dr. Furtado, a new director, and newly hired consultants of the Company stock options (the Options) to purchase up to 270,000 common shares at a price of $1.05 per common share vesting 10% on the grant date and 15% every six months thereafter expiring on March 12, 2021. In addition, the Company granted 315,000 restricted share units (RSU) to these individuals. The RSU trigger date is March 12, 2018 and expiry date September 12, 2020. The Options and RSU have been granted in accordance with the terms of the Companys current omnibus plan. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Dr. Jack Regan Dr. Jack Regan: Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Director For further information, please contact: Dr. Jack Regan, Chief Executive Officer, jackregan@lexagene.com The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains forward-looking information, which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectation. Important factors -- including the availability of funds, the results of financing efforts, the success of technology development efforts, the cost to procure critical parts, performance of the instrument, market acceptance of the technology, regulatory acceptance, and licensing issues -- that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations as disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time on SEDAR (see www.sedar.com). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Media Contact Caitlin Kasunich KCSA Strategic Communications 212.896.1241 ckasunich@kcsa.com Hyderabad, Sep 11 : The second World Congress of Optometry began here on Monday to discuss new ideas and share research and knowledge about various facets of optometry. Over 1,200 delegates comprising optometrists, researchers, educators, students and health professionals from around the world were attending the three-day event. Deliberations will focus on the future of optometry, upgrading optometrists' skills, as well as developing clinical and professional knowledge and skills. The biennial congress is a World Council of Optometry (WCO) initiative organised in partnership with the Asia Pacific Council of Optometry (APCO) and the India Vision Institute (IVI). The conference theme is "Accessible, quality vision and eye health", which ties into the WHO's 'Universal eye health: A global action plan 2014-2019' which aims to reduce the prevalence of avoidable visual impairment by 25 per cent by 2019. WCO envisions accomplishing this by placing a strong and equitable eye health system within which optometry plays a valuable and essential role, the organisers said. Professor Kovin Naidoo, CEO of the Brien Holden Vision Institute, South Africa, is the chair of the conference. Some of the world's leading practitioners and professionals, including seven keynote speakers will make presentations. There will be discussions and presentations on cutting-edge research and clinical practice. The educator's track will offer participants a platform to discuss and shape optometric education worldwide. Keynote speakers include: Dr Taraprasad Das, Vice-Chairman, L.V. Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad; Professor G.V.S. Murthy, Director, Indian Institute of Public Health, Hyderabad; Dr Bina Patel, Professor, Director of International Programs, New England College of Optometry, Boston; Dr Sandra S. Block, Faculty, Illinois College of Optometry, Chicago; and Dr Peter G Swann, QUT, Brisbane, Australia & Visiting Professor, School of Optometry, Hong Kong. WHO estimates 285 million to be visually impaired, of which 39 million are blind and 246 million have low vision. Globally, uncorrected refractive errors are the main cause of moderate and severe visual impairment; cataracts remain the leading cause of blindness in middle- and low-income countries. Around 100 million adults in India suffer from refractive errors, leading to preventable blindness. Equally distressing is the fact that over 10 million children, nearly 5 per cent of all children, affected by the problem. Baghdad, Sep 12 : The Iraqi House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to reject a poll on Kurdish regional independence. The Parliament urged Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to take all measures needed to maintain unity of Iraq and to launch a serious dialogue between Baghdad and Kurdistan region to solve pending issues, Xinhua news agency cited the Iraq media as saying. Kurdish MPs left the parliamentary session in protest against the voting that rejected independence referendum for Kurdistan, the report said. Kurdistan Region's High Committee of Referendum announced earlier that the poll will be held on its due date on September 25. New Delhi, Sep 13 : Bharti Airtel and Korea's telecommunications company SK Telecom on Wednesday announced a strategic partnership to build advanced telecom network in India. The partnership will work across several areas, including developing software to dramatically improve network experience, leveraging advanced digital tools including machine learning, big data and building customized tools, to improve network planning based on every customer's device experience, a company statement said here. The two companies will also collaborate on an ongoing basis to evolve standards for 5G, Network Functions Virtualization (NFV), Software-defined Networking (SDN) and Internet of Things (IoT), and jointly work towards building an enabling ecosystem for the introduction of these technologies in the Indian context. "This partnership will bring a dramatically improved experience to Airtel customers in India by leveraging the expertise of a company that has built one of the best mobile broadband networks in the world," said Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman, Bharti Airtel. "SK Telecom will work closely with Bharti to achieve new network innovations so as to deliver a greater value to Bharti's customers," said Park Jung-ho, President and CEO of SK Telecom. United Nations, Sep 13 : Cross-border terrorism from Pakistan is at the root of the current situation in Kashmir and it has also victimised the people of the part of the state occupied by Pakistan, India said on Tuesday dismissing Islamabad's attempts to raise the Kashmir issue at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) meeting in Geneva. "Jammu and Kashmir is an integral and inseparable part of India and will always remain so" despite Pakistan's use of "terrorism as a state policy" for territorial aquisition, Sumit Seth, a First Secretary in India's UN Mission in Geneva, said on Tuesday while exercising the right of reply to Pakistan's allegations about India. "The present situation in the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir is the direct result of sustained cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan," he said. "The high number of casualties sustained by Indian security forces is a reflection of the tremendous amount of restraint displayed by them under these difficult circumstances." Pakistan's Permanent Representative in Geneva, Farukh Amil, raked up the Kashmir issue while taking exception to UN Human Right Commissioner Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein criticising India and Pakistan on Monday for not allowing a fact-finding team to the Indian state and the part occupied by Pakistan. Amil asserted that reports of atrocities and human rights abuses emanated from the Indian state and not from the part of it occupied by his country and, therefore, questioned al-Hussein equating the two countries. Amil alleged that al-Hussein's statement was not based on facts. Seth in his rejoinder said that India had "a robust institutional framework to ensure adherence to the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights of the people in Kashmir" built on an independent judiciary, the National Human Rights Commission, vibrant civil society and free and vocal media. The people of the Indian state have regularly exercised their democratic rights, Seth added. "In contrast, the people of Pakistan as well as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir have become victims of sectarian conflict, terrorism and severe economic hardship due to Pakistan's authoritarian and discriminatory policies in complete disregard of human rights," Seth said. When the floor was opened at the council meeting on Tuesday to NGOs and civil society organisations, a motley group of them let loose a volley of propaganda against India. According to a summary of the proceedings prepared by the HRC, some of these centred on India and Pakistan not allowing a fact-finding mission to the Indian state and the Pakistan-occupied portion of it, while others singled out India. The Association for the Protection of Women and Children's Rights said there was a need to focus on the situation in territories under foreign occupation and lumping Kashmir in that category it asserted that human rights violations had increased there because the HRC mission was not allowed in. Commission Africaine des Promoteurs de la Sante et des Droits de l'Homme said that terrorism and systematic human rights violations in Kashmir required more attention by the High Commissioner and that unprovoked heavy shelling had resulted in daily deaths of civilians. A group called Liberation alleged that India was experiencing increasing religious intolerance under the pretext of the protection of the "holy cow". Indigenous People of Africa Coordinating Committee claimed that homes of non-Hindu minorities had been systematically destroyed and their products were regularly boycotted. Centre for Organisation Research and Education said that members of scheduled tribes and castes were victims of rape and honour killings. A group called Tamil Uzhagam said that human rights activists in Tamil Nadu needed the UNHRC's protection. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in) Mumbai, Sep 13 : The father of a seven-year-old boy murdered inside the Gurugram branch of the Ryan International School in Haryana last week, filed an application on Wednesday in the Bombay High Court seeking dismissal of the anticipatory transit bail plea filed by the school's trustees. Varun Thakur intervened through his lawyers Sushil K. Tekriwal and Mamta Tekriwal in the hearing of the bail plea of the three school trustees -- Augustine F. Pinto, Grace Pinto and Ryan Pinto. The bail plea of the trustees of the St. Xaviers Education Trust -- which manages the Ryan International Schools across India is expected to come up for hearing later Wednesday afternoon. The Pinto family had applied on Monday seeking the anticipatory transit bail to move an appropriate court in Haryana; it came up for hearing on Tuesday when the court posted it for Wednesday. The development comes in the wake of the brutal murder of Pradhuman Thakur on September 8, inside the school premises in Bhondsi on Sohna Road in Haryana. Pradhuman was found with his throat slit inside the school's washroom within an hour after his father dropped him off in the morning. The case has snowballed into a major national issue concerning safety and security of children in private schools. Mumbai, Sep 13 : Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's idea of citing Bollywood as an example while discussing 'dynasty politics' in India during his Berkeley speech, has irked veteran actor Rishi Kapoor. Rishi, who is known for his strong views and opinions, on Tuesday tweeted: "Rahul Gandhi. In the 106 years of Indian cinema of India, Kapoor's contribution is 90 years. And each generation is chosen by public on merit." "By God's grace we are in 4 generations. Prithviraj Kapoor. Raj Kapoor. Randhir Kapoor. Ranbir Kapoor - Males. Besides all others. You see otherwise. So don't bullshit people on 'Dynasty'. You have to earn people's respect and love through hard work, not zabardasti and gundagardi," he added. In his speech, Rahul Gandhi mentioned Abhishek Bachchan -- son of megastar Amitabh Bachchan -- while making a statement on how "most of India runs on dynasty politics". Last year, Rishi had also addressed the Congress and its members in his tweets, suggesting that roads and buildings named by the Congress after members of the Gandhi family be renamed. On the acting front, he was last seen in "Kapoor & Sons" and will next be seen in movies like "Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi" and "102 Not Out". Lucknow, Sep 13 : President Ram Nath Kovind will arrive here on Thursday on a two-day visit, his first since ascending to the highest constitutional office in the country. He will also visit his home town during the visit. Elaborate arrangements are being made in the state capital to receive the President and security has also been beefed up. The President will arrive in a special Indian Air Force plane at the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport here around 3 p.m. on Thursday where he will be received by Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and some Ministers. He will be driven straight to Raj Bhawan where he would briefly rest and then go to the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan where the state government has organised a public felicitation event for the President, who hails from Kanpur rural. More than 1,500 people have been invited for the function, an official said. Breaking protocol, Kovind will drive to the 5, Kalidas Marg residence of Adityanath at night for dinner. He will meet dignitaries and other people from the political spectrum on Friday before leaving for Kanpur in the afternoon in a chopper. The President will return later in the evening to Lucknow and then fly back to New Delhi. The last time Kovind was in town was on June 25 as the National Democratic Alliance presidential nominee. Strasbourg (France), Sep 13 : Britain will "regret" leaving the EU, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Wednesday. Delivering his annual state of the union address here, Juncker said Brexit would be a "sad, tragic" moment for the EU but that the 27-member union would "move on", BBC reported. "We will always regret this. I think you will regret it as well soon, may I say." "Brexit is not the future of Europe. It is not the be all and end all," Juncker said. Juncker unveiled plans for a summit to be held on March 30, 2019 -- the day after Britain leaves the EU -- to map out the future of the bloc. He called for closer economic and defence co-operation among member states, including more support for states outside the eurozone and reforms to the single market. Reflecting on the economic and political challenges that the continent had faced in recent years, he said the "wind is back in Europe's sails". He also used the speech to spell out a major reform package for the EU: with a new push for all applicable member states to join the Euro, the expansion of the borderless Schengen area to Romania and Bulgaria, as well as the merger of the presidencies of the European Commission and European Council, the Independent reported. Juncker also backed the creation of a new European economics and finance minister as well as reforms to the European Parliament that would see some MEPs elected from European-wide lists voted on by all countries at once. Speaking in the same debate, former UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage said the EU had "learnt nothing" from Brexit and was ploughing "full steam ahead". Farage, the best known campaigner in the Parliament for the UK's withdrawal from the EU, attacked what he said were "truly worrying" plans to create a single President of the EU, an EU Finance Minister and a "strong EU army in a militarised Europe". He said what was being proposed was "more Europe in every single direction without the consent of the people". Negotiations between the UK and EU are continuing although the latest round of talks, due to begin on Monday, have been put back a week to allow "more time for consultation". Speaking on Tuesday, former Brexit Minister Lord Bridges said the UK must be "honest" about the "complexity and scale" of leaving the EU as well as the lack of time to reach agreement with the EU. New Delhi, Sep 13 : Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday expressed their condolences on death of senior advocate and constitutional law expert P.P. Rao. Rao, 84, died here on Wednesday following a heart attack. In her message, Sonia Gandhi described Rao a legal luminary and conveyed her condolences to Rao's family. "As a constitution law expert and a jurist, his immense contribution to the development of law will always be a benchmark," she said. Rahul Gandhi tweeted: "My deepest condolences on the demise of legal luminary P.P. Rao. Leaves a huge void in the legal fraternity & is a great personal loss." Rao has appeared before the Supreme Court in several landmark cases. He had also appeared for the Central Bureau of Investigation during the UPA government in the case challenging the Allahabad High Court's verdict on dropping conspiracy charge against BJP leader L.K. Advani and 19 others in the Babri Masjid demolition case. Berlin, Sep 14 : Incumbent German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday rejected a proposal by Martin Schulz to hold another TV debate between herself and Social Democratic Party (SPD) leader before national elections next week. "Everything on this subject has already been said," Xinhua cited a statement from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party headquarters as saying. Merkel had been "happy to be participative" in the first duel, a well-proven format, and did not intend to appear in another confrontation. When addressing audience questions on ZDF national television on Tuesday night, Schulz complained that there were many subjects, including digitalisation, labour, retirement and education, which he had still not been able to discuss directly with Merkel. "I have therefore written a letter to Ms. Merkel and challenged her to accept another duel with me," he was quoted as saying. Schulz wrote in the document that "citizens deserved to hear a comprehensive debate concerning the central questions surrounding the country's future." The former president of the European Parliament further said that he was ready to participate in another debate "anytime." Having received Merkel's rejection of the proposal via the CDU party offices, Schulz replied that he was "astonished" that the chancellor had not made the effort to respond to him directly. Anthony Weiner, who is already in a metaphorical prison of his own horniness and ego, is asking a judge to not send him to an actual prison made of concrete and steel and other prison stuff. Weiner, whose legendary horniness may have changed the course of American history, had already pleaded guilty to sending sexually explicit pictures to a minor. His lawyers are now asking the judge presiding over his sentencing to spare the former member of Congress from years in the slammer and instead give him probation. The Post reports that Weiner's lawyers wrote to Judge Denise Cote asking for probation instead of prisons because his "operatic self-destruction" was due to an addiction that sent him spiraling further and further out of control. Also, according to amNewYork, Weiner's lawyers are arguing he was the victim of a honeypot scheme and is not actually sexually interested in teenagers. Weiner's attorney told Cote that since the teen Weiner sexted admitted that she sought Weiner out in order to get a book deal and change the course of the election, that the case should be treated differently from your average case of sending sexually explicit images to minors. "We have seen no other federal prosecutions anywhere that involve minor victims seeking out a defendant and encouraging the defendant to engage in explicit conduct so that the defendant could be publicly exposed," Arlo Devlin-Brown wrote. Weiner is looking at 21 to 27 months in federal prison, though the Daily News notes that judges aren't bound by prosecutorial recommendations for sentencing. As always, please remember that while teen horniness is not a crime, adult horniness for teens absolutely is. Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu), Sep 14 : Off the eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, some 500 km south of Chennai, lies Pamban Island. Seemingly a stone's throw from neighbouring Sri Lanka, this is an island steeped in historical significance, and with some of the most resilient people alive. One of the longest sea bridges in the country, the iconic Pamban Bridge connects the mainland with the island, also known as Rameswaram Island. With breathtaking views of the Bay of Bengal, the journey to the island over this bridge rewinds one to colonial times, when it was built by the British to improve trade relations with Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Built in 1914 as India's first-ever sea bridge, the 6,700-foot structure is in itself an engineering and historical marvel that has withstood several of nature's furies -- from storms to cyclones. The bridge initially ran up to the southeastern tip of the island, Dhanushkodi, now a ghost town. After a cyclone hit it in 1964, Dhanushkodi was washed away by the sea and is now a mere skeleton of the town it once was. Remnants of its railway lines, church and the devastated dwellings of people can still be seen, though in very poor shape. From the tip of the region, cell phone networks welcome one to Sri Lanka. Visible from here is the Adam's Bridge -- a former land link between India and Sri Lanka, now undersea -- that is also known as Rama Setu, the bridge believed to have been built by Lord Rama's army to rescue Sita from Lanka. Nambavel, a 50-year-old, says there can be no other home for him than Dhanushkodi, of pristine waters and picturesque views of the Bay of Bengal. Three generations of his family have lived here. Although the deadly cyclone forced many to migrate to villages around, some 50 families, including Nambavel's, refused to leave. "This has been our home for as long as we've known. We grew up playing in the sea water, then learnt to make our living through fishing or running petty shops," Nambavel told this visiting IANS correspondent. "Even as many people we know migrated to nearby villages, there's no home like Dhanushkodi for us -- the sea is everything," he said. With sea levels rising around the world due to global warming, the region is constantly threatened by nature. But that does not deter Nambavel: "Even if another cyclone is close, most of us would like to be here, a land we've grown up in." Surrounded by sea and sand, the town cannot grow any crops and has no provision for electricity due to the wind velocity in the area. It is only the solar panels, an initiative of late President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam who hailed from Rameswaram, that light up the shacks of the few residents. With Rameswaram considered one of the holiest places for Hindus, a majority of visitors make temples the focus of their travels. Aiming to showcase the rich cultural and historical heritage of the island, apart from the much-visited temples, Utsa Majumder, the General Manager of the newly-launched Hyatt Place, Rameswaram, is working extensively on various itineraries that uncover the untrodden places in and around the region. "There's a lot more that the Rameswaram Island can offer than just the temples it is mostly known for. We want people to know that Rameswaram can be an experiential destination and not just a pilgrimage spot," Majumder told IANS. "From historic places that have stood the test of time to some incredible architecture and engineering like the Pamban Bridge, there's a lot a tourist can see here," she added. The hotel offers these itineraries to travellers according to their interests, allowing them to explore different facets of the region, along with menus that present the cuisines of the land -- from kuzhi paniyaram (rice batter dumplings) to kara kozhumbu (a spicy tamarind gravy). The region also celebrates its much-beloved son Abdul Kalam. His two-storeyed house on Mosque Street is filled with thousands of his books and is always bustling with people. A Rs 15-crore memorial to India's "Missile Man", inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27, has also grown rather quickly as a tourist attraction. The memorial houses a copy of the last speech Kalam delivered at IIM-Shillong on July 27, 2015, a number of pictures of his meetings with world leaders, and a host of other objects. As an island that is yearning to receive a boost to its tourism, even a bottle of water bought from a shack in Dhanushkodi goes towards supporting a family. FAQs: Reaching there: Flights to Madurai, the nearest airport, from all major cities. From Madurai, Rameswaram can be reached in 3 hrs 30 min (160 kms) by road. For the picturesque views from a train, pick one that is available almost every hour to Rameswaram from Madurai Railway Station. Stay: There are four-star, three-star hotels and smaller lodges in the town. Best time to visit: October to March as the temperatures drop and stay between 20 to 30 degrees C, making travel easier. (Bhavana Akella was in Rameswaram at the invitation of Hyatt Place. She can be contacted at bhavana.a@ians.in) Chicago, Sep 14 : HP India has ramped up its digital team after the initial success with Pro8 tablets when Jharkand government ordered 40,000 pieces last week, according to a top HP official. The order had come within days of the launch of the tablet, which is aimed at providing professional capabilities to the 'Digital India' initiative. "The Pro8 tablet is made with India as its market and will help bring about digital inclusion which the government is keen on," said Sumeer Chandra, Managing Director, HP Inc India, here. Chandra, who was speaking to IANS on the sidelines of the HP Reinvent Partner Forum here, said that the device is compatible with the requirements of 'Digital India', including having a jacket where Aadhaar biometric -- fingerprint and iris scans -- could be verified. He said they were in the process of talking to several state governments for the product. The tablet is priced at just over Rs 19,000, but it was not immediately known at what price the bulk order of 40,000 to the Jharkhand government was made. Chandra, who took over as head of India operations of HP beginning in May this year, said they were confident of selling the product to many more state governments. The Pro8 tablet range supports regional languages and comprises an 8-inch tablet, coupled with customisable features that will allow the delivery of services, including financial inclusion and benefit schemes. Chandra also said that HP India was carrying out a pilot project in Andhra Pradesh, where it had adopted 10 schools in Guntur to bring in information and communication technology (ICT) for the young. He added that they would expand the programme once the feedback from the project came in. Richard Bailey, President, Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) for HP Inc, said India was among the most important markets in the whole region and that's the reason why it had the largest number of HP employees among all the countries under him. He noted that although China was the second biggest market after the United States, India was emerging as immensely important since it was predicted to double its economy in the next few years. Bailey told IANS that the APJ market had seen a 15 per cent growth and HP was a market leader in India in both printers and PC segments. In India, HP's market share was 50.1 per cent for printers and 33.9 per cent for PCs. An earlier IANS story had said the reverse on growth and market share in APJ and India. In APJ, Bailey said HP Inc was the clear leader in printers while for PCs, it was second, behind Lenovo. Bailey said the next big revolution coming was in 3D manufacturing where printers would print products from plastic materials, shaping them according to the client requirements. Such outlets have already come up in the US (like printing bureaus) where they offer digital manufacturing to all clients. The technology would be reaching India by spring next year, although he conceded that there had been no major demand seen in the country at present. "Once people know the details of its capabilities, it will become more popular," Bailey added. Chandra said he would see the growth of HP tablet taking place in the financial areas where banking could reach remote areas. Healthcare would be another area of growth for it. The device would work where a cell tower was present, he said, adding that the company provides an "end-to-end" service for the clients on tablets with full company support. According to Bailey, the company had emphasised strongly on the security aspects of all its devices and that's the reason why they offer printers with the highest amount of security among all other matching products. Asked if providing embedded security against malware was not an over-protective move, Bailey said there had been some malicious attacks against printers and they do not want to leave any product vulnerable. Chandra said that not only can hackers take control of unprotected printers, most modern printers are also gateways to the network. "The hackers can reach the heart of any company or conglomerate through printers as they are connect to all the systems in a company," he said, adding that secure environment had to be secure from all attacks. (Hardev Sanotra is in Chicago at the invitation of HP Inc. He can be reached at hardev.sanotra@ians.in) Seoul, Sep 14 : North Korea has condemned Japan and South Korea for their support of the US and the new sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council (UNSC), the North Korean media said. In a statement released on Wednesday night, a spokesperson for the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee stressed the need to strike "a telling blow" on Japan, which "has not yet come to its senses after the launch of ICBM over the Japanese archipelago", and threatened to sink Japan into the sea with "the nuclear bomb of Juche", state news agency KCNA said, Efe news reported Pyongyang fired a mid-range ballistic missile on August 29 that flew over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido before landing in the Pacific Ocean. The North Korean committee also accused Seoul of being "traitors" and "dogs of the US" for the South Korean government's support for US-backed tougher sanctions on their "fellow countrymen". "The group of pro-American traitors should be severely punished and wiped out with fire attack so that they could no longer survive", said the statement, adding "only then, the entire Korean nation can thrive in a reunified territory". Pyongyang also said it was "enraged" by the neighbouring countries that showed support for the new sanctions imposed by the UNSC on Monday. The Kim Jong-un regime accused the UN body of becoming "a tool of evil which does not ensure global peace and security but ruthlessly wrecks them". "The UNSC is made up of those unprincipled countries and, accordingly, such a useless tool should be disbanded at once," the statement concluded. The UN Security Council on Monday imposed a new package of sanctions on North Korea aimed at further stifling its economy after Pyongyang detonated a hydrogen bomb on September 3, its sixth and most powerful weapon test to date. Hyderabad, Sep 14 : Cyient Limited has signed an agreement to divest its 49 per cent equity ownership in Infotech Aerospace Services, Inc (IASI) to Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corporation. IASI, a 51:49 joint venture between Pratt & Whitney and Cyient, provides aerospace defence design, development and related services, primarily to United Technologies and its business units. The transaction would be EPS neutral. The closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, Cyient said in a statement here on Thursday. Cyient is a global provider of engineering, manufacturing, geospatial, network and operations management services to global industry leaders. "We continue to embark on the journey towards realization of our design-build-maintain strategy. To enable greater focus on the strategy, we have been exiting the non-core businesses," said Krishna Bodanapu, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Cyient. This is the second divestment after the sale of Infotech Enterprises IT Services (IEITS) in 2015 as a part of the strategy to exit the IT services business. Gandhinagar, Sep 14 : Following the ground-breaking ceremony of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed rail project, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the "new railway philosophy" will be the lifeline to a new India. "This is not just the start of a high speed rail," Modi said in a joint address to the media with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe after the 12th annual bilateral summit between India and Japan here. "Keeping in mind our needs in the future, I believe this new railway philosophy will be the lifeline to a new India," he said. "India's continuing development has now been linked to high speed." Stating that the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between India and Japan is not limited to bilateral and regional issues, Modi said that the two countries cooperate on global issues as well. He also thanked the people and parliament of Japan for ratifying the civil nuclear agreement that was signed during his visit to that country. "This will open a new chapter in our cooperation on clean energy and climate change," he said The Indian Prime Minister also said that Japan invested $4.7 billion in 2016-17, an 80 per cent rise from the previous year. "This makes Japan the third largest investor in India," he said. "This indicates that in the times to come, along with increasing business between India and Japan, people-to-people ties will also rise." Modi said that given the increasing Japanese expatriate population in India, India Post and Japan Post will start a "Cool Box Service" so that these people can directly get their favourite food from Japan. Stating that ease of doing business, Skill India, taxation reform and Make in India are transforming India rapidly, he said these offer immense opportunities to Japanese businesses. "I am happy that many Japanese companies are taking part in our flagship national programmes," he said. On his part, Abe said that India, Japan and the US conducted the joint maritime exercise Malabar for the first time this year based on the strong ties of trust between Modi and US President Donald Trump. "It will further deepen cooperation between India, Japan and the US," he said. India and Japan signed 15 agreements across a range of sectors, including in the areas of disaster management, skills development, connectivity and investments, following Thursday's summit. Earlier in the day, Modi and Abe participated in the ground-breaking ceremony of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed rail project in Ahmedabad. New Delhi, Sep 14 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan favours simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies so that governments and ruling parties can concentrate on governance after the elections. Even by-elections should be done away with as continuous elections distract government's attention from governance, the Chief Minister told IANS in an interview. "I have been raising this issue for a long time. The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has been raising this issue prominently. Continuous elections not only prevents country's development but also public welfare. After we complete an election, another election comes. Candidly speaking, when elections are there, our attention gets diverted and pace of development works gets affected. "Decisions get held up and sometimes delayed. I strongly favour simultaneous elections. It should be implemented by amending the necessary provisions in the Constitution. After this, whichever party gets the mandate, it should run the government for a full term and focus on development." The Chief Minister noted the Prime Minister has called for a consensus on the issue. "One party cannot decide it.... Because (if the proposal is accepted) the tenure of some governments may be cut. Political parties should accept the Prime Minister's appeal and can reach a broad consensus," he said. "I am hopeful that something positive will emerge out of it. Although it's not so easy but it is necessary in the nation's interest." On by-elections, he said he was of the view that they should be scrapped. "The Election Commission can fix the procedure. If a seat falls vacant due to someone's death, the winning party can appoint it's candidate or whoever secured the second position (in the election) may be given the opportunity. EC should find a way out." Now, Chouhan said, even if someone loses local body polls, an atmosphere is created that the Chief Minister has lost the confidence of the people, that his popularity has gone down. "So the government and the party in power give their best to win even local body elections. We lose valuable time in election after election." Chouhan also backed state funding of elections. "The EC can do it by allocating budgets to all political parties. It can take steps to publish the election manifestos, appeals of the parties. It can even arrange platforms for election speeches and decide which party would speak on which day. State funding is a must." (Brajendra Nath Singh can be contacted at brajendra.n@ians.in) Aluva (Kerala), Sep 14 : Superstar Dileep whose previous three bail applications were turned down, submitted his fourth bail plea on Thursday at a trial court here. The Angamaly Magistrate court posted the plea to be heard on Saturday. Following his arrest on July 10 for his involvement in the conspiracy that led to the abduction and molestation of a Malayalam actress in February, Dileep has been lodged in the Aluva sub-jail. On July 15, the same court which will consider his fresh bail plea, turned down his bail for the first time and since then the Kerala high court too turned it down on two occasions. Police had arrested the prime accused Pulsar Suni and his accomplices a week after the incident. However, a conspiracy angle cropped up much later that led to Dileep's arrest. Islamabad, Sep 14 : Pakistan on Thursday summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad J.P. Singh, a day after two civilians were killed in a ceasefire violation allegedly by Indian forces on the Line of Control. Pakistan's Foreign Office said in a statement that it condemned the "unprovoked ceasefire violations" by the Indian Army in Dewara and Kakran villages along the LoC on Wednesday that also left three others injured. "Despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations. In 2017 to date, the Indian forces have carried out over 700 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the deaths of 32 innocent civilians and injuries to 382," an official statement said. The Foreign Office said it urged India to respect the 2003 ceasefire pact and investigate the incidents of truce violations. The Indian diplomat was also told that India should permit the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan to play its mandated role in Jammu and Kashmir, the statement said. New Delhi : Beijing, Sep 14 (IANS) By strengthening all-round cooperation with Myanmar, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to contain Chinas influence in Asia, a Chinese newspaper has said. Modi met Myanmar's President Htin Kyaw and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi during a three-day visit to Nay Pyi Taw this month after the BRICS Summit in China. An article in the state-run Global Times said Modi's visit to Myanmar was aimed at checking China on economic and security matters, hamper Beijing's Belt and Road initiative and contain China's influences in Asia. Sitting between China and India in geography, Myanmar was susceptible to influences from both countries, it said. "Befriending the two neighbours is a strategic choice that best conforms to its national interests." Thus far, the article said, Myanmar had already profited from the Sino-Indian game. Myanmar depends on India as a part of its navy modernization, reaching consensus with India on joint patrols and taking an open attitude toward India's border corridors. By clinching the above deals, Myanmar's utmost motive was to win itself advanced technologies and commercial resources, rather than forging an alliance with other countries. By cooperating with China, Myanmar can involve itself in China's value chain of production and export its goods and services to the Chinese market, the daily said. Therefore, although militarily supported by India, Myanmar was highly dependent on China in economic terms, the daily said. Lucknow, Sep 14 : Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the bullet train project in Gujarat, saying more serious issues facing the country needed to be tackled first. "Will running a bullet train solve the problem of rising unemployment?" the Samajwadi Party leader told the media here. "During campaigning for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in February-March, Modi pointed out time and again that all development had been taken to our native village Saifai. Now he should explain how a bullet train project has gone to poll-bound Gujarat," he said. Elections for the 182-member Gujarat assembly would be held by the year-end. "Now, it is for all to see where all the development is happening," the former Chief Minister said. He also said it would have been better if the bullet train was run between metropolitan cities like Delhi and Kolkata which housed large populations. The Samajwadi Party leader also slammed the state's Yogi Adityanath government over loan waiver for farmers. As for Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi mentioning his name at Berkeleys University in the US while giving an example of dynastic politics in India, Akhilesh said he was a "friend" and had said so with a certain perspective. A lawsuit filed Tuesday in Brooklyn Supreme Court accuses chef Dale Talde and his restaurant group, Three Kings Restaurant Group, of fraud, alleging that the celebrity chef used resources, equipment and personnel from the Atlantic Social restaurant he runs in Fort Greene to benefit other restaurants owned by the group elsewhere in New York City. Brothers George and Steve Menexaswho tapped the Three Kings group to run the restaurant near the Barclays Center at the site of a Tony Roma's franchise they previously operated at that locationclaim that the "defendants were simply operating Atlantic Social to benefit their other ventures" in the suit, which was first reported by the Daily News. Among the allegations: that Talde and partners David Massoni and John Bush used Atlantic Social employees' work to the benefit of their other restaurants; that the trio encouraged employees to quit Atlantic Social for employment elsewhere in their restaurant group; and that a $2,329 freezer was taken from the bar at Atlantic Social and brought to another restaurant in the Three Kings group that wasn't owned or operated by the Menexases. After being confronted with these allegations, the Three Kings trio are further accused of asking a kitchen manager to delete information from an Atlantic Social computer, a move which the plaintiffs argue could show "willful spoliation of evidence." The lawsuit furthers that this employee was then fired and allegedly rehired at a different Three Kings-operated restaurant. The lawsuit seeks $3.5 million in damages. Jeff Schreiber, the attorney representing Talde and Three Kings, said his clients "deny all the allegations of wrongdoing in the contract; there's absolutely nothing to those allegations, and they deny them completely." Schreiber and Nicole Albano, a publicist for Three Kings, confirm the kitchen manager was fired by the Menexas brothers, and that "Dale Talde hired him to work temporarily at Dales personal pop-up at the South Street Seaport Lab (which is not affiliated with the Three Kings Restaurant group), so that [he] would have a way to support his wife and family." Schreiber and Albano tell Gothamist the employee had "worked for Three Kings in other Three Kings restaurants for several years before he was placed in Atlantic Social, and once the South Street Seaport Lab closes, Three Kings will work to find the right spot for him in the organization." Terms of the original contract between the Menexases and Three Kings included an ADR, or alternative dispute resolution, which means that, in the event of a dispute, parties would first enter mediation and arbitration before a case could move to the courts. The lawsuit alleges that Three Kings "bargained for the inclusion" of an ADR "knowing at inception that they will commit fraud" and with the "goal of keeping their wrongful acts from the public eye." Schreiber insists the lawsuit is a purposeful campaign to defame Talde."In my experience, people who know they have no right to be in courtand no real claimsonly file in court when they think that adverse publicity will help them and hurt the person on other side unfairly," Schreiber told Gothamist. In addition to the contract at Atlantic Social, Schreiber and Albano tell Gothamist that Three Kings and the Menexas brothers signed a contract for a new project, Palisades Restaurant in Rockland County. "Several months ago, after the contract was signed, the Menexas brothers tried to get Three Kings to change the contract terms, but Three Kings would not agree to renegotiate a contract that the parties had already agreed upon," the representative revealed. The Daily News uncovered that Menexases' holding company, Atlantic Yards Plaza LLC was previously sued by an employee who claimed she was not paid overtime. And an injunction was filed against Steven Menexas in 2016 for opening up the "Mama Cascarinos" pizzeria across the street from "Cascarinos Brick Oven Pizzeria & Ristorante," a pizzeria that had filed for bankruptcy, violating a trademark already in use under the latter's name. Attorneys for the Menexas brothers did not immediately return request for comment. New Delhi, Sep 14 : Delhi's most wanted criminal Sonu Dariyapur, who carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, was arrested following an encounter here in the early hours of Thursday, police said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said the accused was arrested from Narela area of north Delhi at around 5.30 a.m. According to Yadav, Dariyapur, who was riding a Hyundai i20 car, fired at the police team. They returned the fire, but no one was injured. Two pistols and 17 live cartridges were recovered from the accused. The DCP said the accused had jumped bail and had been shifting his location to avoid arrest. He was wanted in several cases of murder and other heinous crimes. Lucknow, Sep 14 : President Ram Nath Kovind arrived in Lucknow on Thursday for a two-day visit to his home state. He was received at the Chowdhary Charan Singh airport by Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other ministers. This is the President's first visit to the state after assuming the top most constitutional post of the country. Kovind later drove to the Ambedkar Mahasabha premises opposite Vidhan Sabha and paid floral tributes to an urn holding the ashes of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. He also planted a sapling there. He stayed for a little over 15 minutes at the Mahasabha campus. He is to be felicitated at a public function at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in the evening, followed by a dinner at the Chief Minister's official residence. He is breaking protocol to attend the dinner hosted by Adityanath. Kovind will go to Kanpur, his home district, on Friday before returning to the national capital later in the day. Srinagar, Sep 14 : Top LeT commander Abu Ismail, who carried out the attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in July, was killed on Thursday along with another Pakistani militant in Nowgam area on the outskirts of Srinagar city, police said. Security forces following specific information about the presence of militants in Aarigam (Nowgam) village in the outskirts of Srinagar city launched a cordon and search operation on Thursday. "As the security forces tightened the cordon, the hiding militants opened fire at the surrounding security forces triggering an encounter. Two foreign militants, both Pakistan nationals, were killed in this encounter, including Abu Ismail, the top LeT commander, who planned and carried out the attack on a bus of Amarnath Yatris in Anantnag district on July 10 this year, police said. Eight pilgrims were killed and 13 others injured in the attack on the Amarnath yatris bus. The killing of Abu Ismail is seen as a major success by the security forces in their continuing anti-militancy operations. Baghdad, Sep 14 : At least seven people, including three Iranians, were killed on Thursday in a car bomb and gun attack in Iraq's southern province of Nasriyah, a provincial security source said. Unidentified gunmen attacked a restaurant at Fadak area in west of the city of Nasriyah, some 375 km south of Baghdad, leaving four Iraqis and three Iranians killed, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The attack also left some 20 people wounded, the source said. Meanwhile, a booby-trapped car was detonated at a security checkpoint near the attacked restaurant, the source said without giving details about casualties. The attacks came as the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi paid a visit to the province and met the provincial government and some tribal leaders. Lucknow, Sep 14 : The Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) on Thursday organised a special ride for elderly people from an old age care centre, days after a similar arrangement was made for disabled children. The 30 inmates of Aastha Hospice travelled from Charbagh station to Transport Nagar. Wheelchair support was provided for them. The group arrived at Charbagh station in the evening where it was received by Kumar Keshav, Managing Director of the LMRC. Kumar Keshav told IANS that the event was a "very special one for the LMRC". He was accompanied by Mahendra Kumar, Director (Operations) with LMRC. Narendra Bansal, 60, appeared thrilled as he said: "I am overwhelmed to visit the Lucknow Metro for the very first time ever in my life. It was a pleasure to come across such an advanced technology in our city." Others in the group too seemed to enjoy the ride. The Lucknow Metro started commercial operations from September 6. Gandhinagar, Sep 14 : With the setting up of a new India Japan Act East Forum, Japan is set to play a more proactive role in the development of northeastern India. Among the 15 agreements signed after the annual India-Japan bilateral summit here on Thursday, one is on setting up the India Japan Act East Forum "to enhance connectivity and promote developmental projects in the northeastern region of India in an efficient and effective manner". A joint statement issued following the discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe said both leaders "welcomed the India-Japan cooperation on development of India's northeastern region as a concrete symbol of developing synergies between India's Act East policy and Japan's Free and Open Indo Pacific Strategy". "In this context, they noted with satisfaction the setting up of the India Japan Act East Forum," it stated. According to the statement , Modi and Abe appreciated the cooperation between Japan and northeastern India, ranging from key infrastructure such as road connectivity, electricity, water supply and sewage, to social and environmental sustainability such as afforestation and community empowerment, as well as people-to-people exchanges, including inviting youth from the the Northeast to Japan. "We agreed to work in a much more focused and substantive way in the Northeast," Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said while briefing the media after the summit. "To that end, we agreed on a India Japan Act East Forum which will essentially explore the possibilities of involving Japan in northeastern infrastructure," Jaishankar said. He said that development of infrastructure in the northeastern region would help India open out much more to Myanmar, Bangladesh and beyond. "So it would in a practical way it really give legs to our Act East Policy," the Foreign Secretary said. He said that though Japan has been assisting northeastern India in road infrastructure, the intent this time was to take it to a much higher level. Srinagar, Sep 14 : Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Thursday that if his National Conference party was in power, the BJP would not dare talk about Article 35A of the Constitution. Abdullah blamed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for allowing the Centre to talk about 35A, putting into jeopardy the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah said the formation of the PDP was to weaken the National Conference after it passed the autonomy resolution in the state assembly in 2000. "We (NC) would not even allow them to talk about Article 35A if we would have been in power. They do not like it when we take oath on our own constitution. If there is an attack on Article 35A it is because the NC is out of power," Abdullah told the media. He said the passing of the autonomy resolution created a flutter in the corridors of the Indian government. "They started seeing NC as a threat. This gave birth to the PDP." Rome, Sep 14 : Italian authorities on Thursday extradited from the UK a far-right extremist who a court in the central city of Lucca jailed for eight years over an attack in which his victim lost an eye. Adam Alexander Mossa was taken to Rome's Rebibbia jail to serve an eight-year prison sentence for his role in the assault on a leftwing manual worker in a pub in Lucca in the Tuscany region in May 2010. Mossa and two other far-right militants used knives and knuckle-dusters in the savage attack, during which glass was hurled at their victim, blinding him in one eye. Mossa was detained by British police on November 25 in the southern English country of Kent on an international arrest warrant. At the time of his arrest, he was working as a barman and playing in a skinhead band called No Surrender. Mossa went on the run in 2015 shortly before Italy's Supreme Court on July 3 that year upheld his jail term for the 2010 attack in Luca. A neo-Fascist Forza Nuova party militant, Mossa was arrested several times between 2007 and 2009 for violent brawls and was banned for attending sporting events in Italy. Gandhinagar, Sep 14 : In an apparent bid to counter China's influence in Africa, India and Japan on Thursday agreed to further promote collaboration in the continent and work together to enhance connectivity in the Indo-Pacific region. The joint statement issued after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe affirmed their strong commitment to their partnership in "achieving a free, open and prosperous" Indo-Pacific region. It did not make any specific reference to the disputes in the South China Sea. With China pushing its One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, the statement said the two prime ministers welcomed the deepening of their connectivity dialogue aimed at achieving concrete progress, and decided to further accelerate such an initiative. "The two Prime Ministers expressed their strong commitment to work together to enhance connectivity in India and with other countries in the Indo-Pacific region including Africa," it said. It said Modi and Abe welcomed the efforts to explore the development of industrial corridors and industrial network for the growth of Asia and Africa. "They shared the desire to further promote cooperation and collaboration in Africa in line with the priority measures identified through the India-Japan dialogue on Africa and the processes of the India Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) and Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD)." India and Japan also underlined the importance of all countries ensuring the development and use of connectivity infrastructure in an open, transparent and non-exclusive manner based on international standards and responsible debt financing practices, while ensuring respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, the rule of law, and the environment. India has objections to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which passes through Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The CPEC is a part of China's OBOR project. The joint statement reaffirmed the importance of "quality infrastructure" which, among others ensures alignment with local economic and development strategies, safety, resilience, social and environmental impacts, and job creation as well as capacity building for the local communities." "They also highlighted the importance of peaceful resolution of disputes, including through full respect for legal and diplomatic processes, without resorting to the threat or use of force, and in accordance with the universally recognised principles of international law, notably the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS"." They reaffirmed the importance of freedom of navigation, overflight and unimpeded lawful commerce in accordance with international laws. The two Prime Ministers reiterated their desire and determination to work together to maintain and promote peace, stability, and development in the Indo-Pacific region." "The two Prime Ministers affirmed strong commitment to their values-based partnership in achieving a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international law are respected, and differences are resolved through dialogue, and where all countries, large or small, enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight, sustainable development, and a free, fair, and open trade and investment system," the statement said. The statement said that India and Japan could play a central role in safeguarding and strengthening such a rules-based order. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the renewed momentum for trilateral cooperation with the US and Australia. They pledged to reinforce their efforts to align Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy with India's Act East Policy. The two Prime Ministers welcomed the India-Japan cooperation on development of India's North Eastern Region (NER) and noted the setting up of the India-Japan Act East Forum. The two Prime Ministers also stressed the importance of the development of the smart islands to enhance regional connectivity and decided to further accelerate consultations to identify technologies, infrastructure and development strategies for the purpose Gandhinagar, Sep 14 : India and Japan on Thursday condemned "in the strongest terms" North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes. "The two Prime Ministers condemned in the strongest terms North Korea's continued development of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, including the latest nuclear test conducted by North Korea on September 3 as well as its uranium enrichment activities," said a joint statement issued following the annual bilateral summit here between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. "Recognising that North Korea's continued pursuit of nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and its proliferation links, including the launch of a ballistic missile flying over Japanese territory on August 29 2017, pose grave and real threat to international peace and stability and the international non-proliferation efforts, the two Prime Ministers strongly urged North Korea to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and not to take any further provocative actions, and to fully comply with its international obligations under relevant UNSC resolutions including the newly and unanimously adopted resolution 2375, and other international commitments," it stated. According to the statement, both leaders agreed to work together to deal with the current serious situation and called on the international community to rigorously and fully implement relevant UN Security Council resolutions to maximise pressure on North Korea. "They stressed the importance of holding accountable all parties that have supported North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes," it said. Briefing the media after the summit, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said that India was always concerned over nuclear proliferation reports. "The fact that the North Korean programme has come under sharp and closer scrutiny, that warrants some examination of its backward linkages," Jaishankar said. "You know as well as I know what those linkages are," he added. Pyongyang, Sep 14 : North Korea has threatened to sink Japan and said the US should be "beaten to death like a rabid dog" after the two countries spearheaded fresh UN Security Council sanctions in response to the regimes nuclear test earlier this month, a media report said. The Korea Asia-Pacific peace committee, which oversees North Korea's relations with the outside world, described the UN Security Council, which passed a new round of sanctions earlier this week, as a "tool of evil" in the pay of Washington, and called for it to be broken up, the Guardian newspaper reported on Thursday. "The four islands of the (Japanese) archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche," the committee said in a statement carried by the official KCNA news agency. It is the first time that Pyongyang has issued an explicit threat to Japan since it fired a medium-range ballistic missile over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido in August end. "Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," the committee said. The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously in support of a US-drafted resolution condemning the missile test conducted by North Korea on September 3 and imposed measures that include a ban on its textile imports and restrictions on oil exports to the country. In response, the committee said the US should be "beaten to death like a rabid dog" for the "heinous sanctions resolution". "Let's reduce the US mainland into ashes and darkness. Let's vent our spite with mobilisation of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now," it said. Japan's top government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, described the statement as "extremely provocative and egregious". A new report has claimed that the detonation of what North Korea claimed was a hydrogen bomb involved a device with an estimated yield of 250 kilotons -- making it far more powerful than initially thought, the report said. Japan's public broadcaster NHK claimed on Thursday that US and North Korean officials had met "secretly" on the sidelines of a security forum in Switzerland earlier this month. The report did not offer details, but said that Choe Kang-il, deputy Director General for North American affairs at the North Korean Foreign Ministry, and Evans Revere, a former senior official at the State Department, had raised North Korea's ballistic missile and nuclear tests. While Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has refused to consider negotiations unless Pyongyang abandons its nuclear weapons programme, an MP had claimed that support was rising inside the governing Liberal Democratic party for possible engagement with the regime, said the report. Rabat, Sep 14 : Morocco is a very important partner for the United Kingdom in its fight against terrorism, Thomas Reilly, British Ambassador to the country, has said. "The United Kingdom appreciates the help provided by Morocco during London's terrorist attacks," Reilly said on the sidelines of the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) business air show held from September 12-13. The British diplomat also praised King Mohammed VI and the reforms undertaken during his reign. "In 20 years, Morocco has made extraordinary and impressive progress," he said, noting that Morocco offers enormous opportunities for both tourists and British investors. In this regard, Reilly said that over 650,000 British tourists visit Morocco each year, adding that the British have spent more than one billion dirhams in Morocco during the first half of this year. "Tourism is not just about money, it's also about cultural exchanges and rapprochement between the two friendly peoples," Reilly said, adding that relations between Morocco and the United Kingdom are "excellent". Srinagar, Sep 14 : LeT commander Abu Ismail, who attacked Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in July killing eight people, was shot dead on Thursday along with another Pakistani militant on the outskirts of Srinagar city, police said. Following information about the presence of militants in Aarigam village, the security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Nowgam area. "As the security forces tightened the cordon, the hiding militants opened fire, triggering an encounter," an official said, adding that the two militants, both Pakistani nationals, were killed in the exchange of fire. One of the killed militants was identified as Abu Ismail, a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander, who planned and carried out the attack on a bus of Amarnath Yatris in Anantnag district on July 10, police said. Eight pilgrims were killed and 13 injured in the attack. Reacting to the killing, Director General of Police S.P. Vaid said: "Police had been after Abu Ismail for quite some time and finally we have been able to gun him down." Speaking to the media separately, Inspector General of Police Munir Ahmad Khan also described the killing of Abu Ismail as a major setback for the terror outfit and a huge success for the security forces. People across the board had wished that those responsible for the dastardly attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in July that killed eight people should get deserving punishment, Khan said. Earlier, two overground workers of the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist outfit were arrested on Thursday in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, police said. Two grenades were recovered from Waheed Ahmad Bhat and Muhammad Shafi Mir, who were arrested from Handwara area. Overground workers provide logistic support to militants by organising their hideouts and by keeping an eye on the movement of security forces. Ranchi, Sep 14 : Two Maoist guerrillas were arrested in Jharkhand's Khuti district on Thursday, police said. Ganesh Lohra and Sanika Munda, from the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist, were arrested from Runchu village. New Delhi, Sep 14 : The Centre on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that it had dropped the proposal to bring a law to decriminalise begging and said the Delhi government could formulate a law of its own. "We are not decriminalising begging. The proposal has been dropped. The central government has no law on begging but the states are empowered to do so on their own," the Centre's counsel Monika said, adding that the Delhi government could bring its own Act on the issue. A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar said: "You (Centre) were taking one year to produce this draft bill. It is very unfortunate. We are only concerned with Delhi, and not the legislation as a whole." The court said the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act of 1959 was extended to Delhi through a central government amendment and the Delhi government could not bring any notification on its own to remove it. Earlier, the Ministry of Social Justice told the court that it had drafted a bill to decriminalise begging and rehabilitate beggars and homeless people. The court has posted for November 14 two public interest litigations by Harsh Mandar and Karnika Sawhney to seek basic human and fundamental rights for beggars in the national capital and for decriminalising begging. The PILs also sought basic amenities like proper food and medical facilities at all beggars' homes in Delhi. Ahmedabad, Sep 14 : Gujarat Patidar agitation spearhead Hardik Patel here on Thursday launched a three-day 'sankalp yatra' to press for his long-pending demand of reservation to the Patel community in government jobs and educational institutions. Launched from Ahmedabad, the yatra -- comprising a cavalcade of 182 cars -- was welcomed by enthusiastic crowds on way. It is scheduled to conclude at the temple town of Somnath, 411 km from Ahmedabad, on September 16. Slogans like Jai Sardar, Jai Patidar rung through the air as Patidar volunteers displayed banners with pictures of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Chhatrapati Shivaji and Bhagat Singh. Hardik Patel, who is the convener of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti, said the route of the yatra has been chalked out to cover as many districts as possible to give the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party "a run for its money". "By the time we reach Somnath, at least 1,100 vehicles will join us. The rally is to demonstrate that we are firm on our demand and we will not sit quietly till our just demands are met," Patel told reporters en route. According to him, the issue is also linked to the burning issue of unemployment facing the Gujarat youth. Patel, 24, said not only Patidars but common people and youngsters from other upper castes, OBCs, Dalits and Muslims were expected to join the rally. The yatra would travel to Somnath from Ahmedabad via Viramgam, Malwan, Halvad, Morbi, Tankara, Padadhri, Kalavad-Khodalgam, Vijapur, Jetpur, Jetalsar, Chokhi, Vanthali, Keshod and Ajaab. Islamabad, Sep 14 : Pakistan on Thursday warned that arms deals between Washington and New Delhi could potentially destabilize the region. Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria said: "We had expressed our concerns on the sale of advanced military technologies to India. We believe that such sales accentuate military imbalances in the region and undermine strategic stability in South Asia." Zakaria said the sale emboldens India to adopt "aggressive military doctrines and even contemplate military adventurism". He accused India of involvement in subversive activities directed against Pakistan. Kolkata, Sep 14 : The state-run diversified firm Balmer Lawrie & Co Ltd is expecting to commission its multi-modal logistic hub at Vizag in the January-March quarter of the current fiscal, an official said on Thursday. "We are setting up multi modal logistics hub (MMLH) project at Vizag in partnership with Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT). In this MMLH, facilities will be created for handling Exim (export and import) and domestic cargo. The commissioning of the same is expected in the last quarter of financial year 2017-18," company's Chairman and Managing Director Prabal Basu said. The city headquartered company is in various verticals including industrial packaging, greases and lubricants, leather chemicals, refinery and oil field services, logistics, travel and vacations. Its first temperature controlled warehouse (TCW) was commissioned in Hyderabad in March 2016. The second TCW has been established at Rai and is ready for operation. "Some statutory approvals are awaited from the state government," he said while addressing the shareholders in 100th Annual General Meeting. The third one at Patalganga near Taloja in Navi Mumbai was expected to be ready for commercial operation by end of this fiscal, Basu said. The company was looking to invest Rs 150-200 crore primarily in the logistics and industrial packaging businesses over the next two years, he said. The company said its leather chemicals business had plans to foray into the Finishing Chemical segment by leveraging the existing distribution network, technical service centres. Washington, Sep 15 : US President Donald Trump said his former Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, "blames everybody but herself for her election loss" last November. Trump's tweets came as CNN broadcast an interview on Wednesday with Clinton regarding the release of her new book, "What Happened", in which the former Secretary of State rehashes her defeat. Minutes after the interview aired, Trump tweeted: "Crooked Hillary Clinton blames everybody (and every thing) but herself for her election loss. She lost the debates and lost her direction!" As in the book, Clinton used the interview to blame, among others, former FBI Director James Comey; Russian President Vladimir Putin; former Democratic rival Senator Bernie Sanders; and the US electoral system for her defeat, Efe news reported. Clinton said she lost the presidential election a week before Election Day when Comey told Congress he was reopening part of the investigation into the former First Lady's emails. "That was the determinative day because it stopped my momentum," the 69-year-old Clinton said. "I don't blame voters for wondering what the heck was going on." Regarding Sanders, Clinton said the Vermont senator committed the "political sin" of not unifying the party by withdrawing from the race earlier in the primaries, doing "lasting damage" to her campaign. Tehran, Sep 15 : Chief of Staff of Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri and his Turkish counterpart General Hulusi Akar warned against the "repercussions" of the scheduled Iraqi Kurds' independence referendum. In a telephone conversation on Thursday, the top generals raised concerns that the referendum would have negative impacts on the interests of regional people, Xinhua news agency reported. According to Tasnim news agency, such a move would be dangerous for regional security, peace and stability, Baqeri and Akar stressed. Both sides urged the Iraqis to unanimously oppose the referendum and prevent plots to divide their country. They also discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries' armed forces. Baqeri has said that any changes in the political geography of Iraq, given the imminent independence referendum of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, can start tensions and conflicts inside and outside Iraq. Iran's political and military officials have announced their opposition to the Iraqi Kurds' referendum, saying that the stable, secure and unified Iraq will help the country's progress. On June 7, Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region announced that it had planned to hold a referendum on independence on September 25 to decide whether or not to secede from Iraq. Infamous "Pharma Bro" Martin Shkreli is heading to jail, after a judge decided that his recent offer of $5,000 for a hair from Hillary Clinton was "solicitation of an assault." "This is not protected by the First Amendment," Federal Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto said. "There's a risk that somebody may take him up on it." Shkreli had been out on $5 million bail, after he was convicted of securities fraud related to a Ponzi scheme through his hedge fund. Last week, he posted a note on Facebook offering money to anyone who could grab a hair from the former presidential candidate while she was on her book tour. (Facebook) Shkreli's Facebook post had the Secret Service on high alert, and prosecutors asked for the judge to revoke his bail, calling it "an escalating pattern of threats and harassment." Shkreli had tried to express his contrition, sending a letter to the judge saying, "I used poor judgement but never intended to cause alarm or promote any act of violence whatsoever. It never occurred to me that my awkward attempt at humor or satire would cause Mrs. Clinton or the Secret Service any distress." But he later wrote on social media, "Fuck the government. I will never kiss their ring or snitch. Come at me with you [sic] hardest because I havent seen anything impressive yet." The NY Times detailed what happened during the hearing: Mr. Shkrelis lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, argued at the hearing that Mr. Shkreli was not violent and that the post had been a momentary lapse in judgment. Mr. Shkreli, he said, deserved another chance. Stupid doesnt make you violent, Mr. Brafman said, adding that his clients Facebook posts had shown immaturity, satire, a warped sense of humor. But Judge Matsumoto was unmoved. What is funny about that? she responded. He doesnt know who his followers are. Judge Matsumoto said that while Mr. Shkreli had edited the original post to say, this is satire, meant for humor, the next day he put up another post that echoed the first: $5,000 but the hair has to include a follicle. Do not assault anyone for any reason ever (LOLIBERALS). Shkreli was taken into custody afterwards. Brafman said, "We believe the court arrived at the wrong decision, but she's the judge and right now we will have to live with this decision." Emily Walters, OD of Ophthalmology LTD Emily Walters, OD, is currently accepting new patients. In September 2017, Ophthalmology LTD welcomes Emily Walters, OD, to their team of comprehensive eye care professionals. Dr. Walters attended Creighton University in Omaha, NE, before graduating from the Illinois College of Optometry. Specializing in comprehensive medical optometry and ocular disease management, Dr. Walters provides care for patients of all ages in Sioux Falls. Her services include evaluation and management of common eye diseases, contact lens fittings, and pre- and post-surgical eye care. The most rewarding part of seeing my patients every day is being able to answer their questions, says Dr. Walters, and educating them about their eyes. Emily Walters, OD, is currently accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment, call Ophthalmology LTD at (605) 336-6294 or visit http://www.OphthalmologyLTD.com to request an appointment online. Appnovation Founder and CEO, Arnold Leung When I founded Appnvoation in 2007, of course I wanted to grow the company, expand our client list and establish a global presence" Having recently reached its 10 year anniversary, Appnovation now has another reason to celebrate, after being named on the 2017 PROFIT 500 Ranking of Canadas Fastest-Growing Companies, ranked 36th overall in the 29th edition of the annual awards. Once again, the ongoing growth, rise in global employee numbers, not to mention more jobs being created at the new Vancouver HQ, has seen Appnovation reach greater heights. From the early days, as a small Drupal shop, and thanks to the hard work of the Appnovation team, both past and present, the company is now a digital solutions provider, as well as continuing to lead the way in Drupal development. Thanks to the combined policies of hiring top-draw talent, staying at the front line of Drupal development and digital solutions, and constantly evolving in terms of open source services, Appnovation continues to grow, year on year, both in Canada and throughout the global office locations. As Profit 500 explains, only the most successful growth companies make this prestigious list: Ranking Canadas Fastest- Growing Companies by five-year revenue growth, the PROFIT 500 profiles the countrys most successful growth companies. A joint venture between Canadas premier business and current affairs media brands, the PROFIT 500 is published in the October issue of Macleans magazine and online at CanadianBusiness.com. As Deborah Aarts, PROFIT 500 editor and program manager explains : It is never easy to earn a spot on the PROFIT 500, but this years applicant pool was the most competitive yet, says Deborah Aarts, PROFIT 500 program manager. This years winners demonstrate the resilience, innovation and sheer management smarts it takes to build a thriving business today. Canadaand the worldneeds more entrepreneurial success stories like these. Arnold Leung, founder and CEO of Appnovation, is rightly proud of this Profit 500 listing, but also appreciates that ongoing growth, and sustained success is the ultimate goal: "When I founded Appnvoation in 2007, of course I wanted to grow the company, expand our client list and establish a global presence. Having done that, looking back, even at my most optimistic, I probably couldn't have predicted both the speed and consistency which we have enjoyed in terms of that company expansion. Fortune 500 company clients, office locations in North America, Europe and Asia, and over 250 employees as we celebrate our 10 year anniversary...I am both proud of our achievements, but driven to ensure that this is only the beginning for Appnovation. This Profit 500 listing is certainly something which acts as a barometer for success, and an accolade we are happy to have." About the PROFIT 500 For 29 years, the PROFIT 500 has been Canadas most respectable and influential ranking of entrepreneurial achievement. Developed by PROFIT and now published in Macleans magazine and at CanadianBusiness.com, the PROFIT 500 ranks Canadian companies on five-year revenue growth. For more information on the ranking visit PROFIT500.com or CanadianBusiness.com. About Canadian Business Founded in 1928, Canadian Business is the longest-serving and most-trusted business publication in the country. It is the country's premier media brand for executives and senior business leaders. It fuels the success of Canada's business elite with a focus on the things that matter most: leadership, innovation, business strategy and management tactics. Learn more at CanadianBusiness.com. About Appnovation Appnovation is a global Digital Solutions and Managed Services provider, delivering strategy, application development and enterprise integration on leading open technologies. Appnovations in-house experts strategize, build, and deploy high-performing, secure digital experiences across many industries, while also offering a wide range of creative capabilities, with 24/7 support and maintenance. The firm boasts an impressive, cross-industry client roster ranging from Start-Ups to Fortune 500, government entities, nonprofit organizations and beyond. Since its inception in 2007, Appnovation has worked with hundreds of clients, delivering thousands of projects, achieving international recognition for development, innovations, and business success. Open Digital Delivered. Visit appnovation.com today. Contact: Tim Welsch timw(at)appnovation(dot)com apppnovation.com Tarzan: The Greystoke Legacy Under Siege dust jacket Tarzan: The Greystoke Legacy Under Siege, a work of fiction, addresses the still-unsolved 1985 murder of primatologist Dian Fossey Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. has published Tarzan: The Greystoke Legacy Under Siege a work of fiction that addresses the still-unsolved 1985 murder of primatologist Dian Fossey. Written by Ralph N. Laughlin and Ann E. Johnson. Fossey, an academic and, to many, a real-life Wonder Woman, came to the Rwandan jungle intent on studying and preserving the habitat of endangered mountain gorillas. Fossey swiftly found herself combating the cruelty of poachers and the heartlessness of oil and mining interests, which indiscriminately killed the gorillas out of greed, while filling their pockets with ill-gotten gains. Fossey transformed from scholar to bush guerilla fighter, working to confuse and defeat these environmental terrorists. Tragically, Fossey was brutally murdered in her home in Rwanda on December 26, 1985. On that day, the world lost a champion of the environment, wild endangered habitats and animals. Tarzan: The Greystoke Legacy Under Siege is a seminal book as it introduces four generations of Tarzan, including Tarzan's great grandson, Jonathan, who is unsure of his place in the Tarzan Legacy. Also in this novel, Tarzan's African estate is demolished and many people are killed by an unknown guerilla militia; Tarzan's son, Jack, is accused of Dian Fossey's murder and is sought by the authorities; and Tarzan's grandson, Jackie who runs the behemoth Greystoke Trust is accused and imprisoned for crimes against the Crown a capital offense. This compelling tale, set in the 1980s, chronicles the family's epic battle for survival. Enjoy this exciting new adventure [Book #4 in The Wild Adventures of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Series] available in: Miami Periodontist and Dental Implant Specialist, John Paul Gallardo, DDS, PA, will be presenting an upcoming lecture at the Miami Dade College-Medical Campus on September 18th, 2017. His annual lecture is a valuable part of the core instruction for the colleges 2nd year dental hygiene students. The Dental Hygiene Program at Miami Dade College Medical Campus prepares students from a variety of backgrounds to become vital members of the oral care team. Dr. Gallardo will be speaking to the 2nd year dental hygiene students during their Periodontology 2 lecture course. He will review periodontal regenerative procedures including information on current trends and innovative technologies available today. This will make the 8th year that Dr. Gallardo has participated in a lecture with Miami Dade College. Dr. Gallardo plays an active role in dental education in south Florida. He routinely lectures and provides mentorship for dental students. Additionally, Dr. Gallardo hosts various continuing education study groups for dental professionals in the community. Hygienists are the most influential group in the dental profession. It usually begins and ends with the hygienist, said Dr. Gallardo. In 1994, Dr. Gallardo established his periodontal and implant surgery office located in Miami, FL. Today, his office is one of the most respected specialty dentistry groups in the country. Dr. Gallardo graduated from the University of Miami with advanced degrees from New York University and Boston University. Dr. Gallardo specializes in a variety of procedures, including the innovative All-on-4 dental implants, laser gum disease treatments, and gum recession treatments. One of their most important roles is supporting dental treatment that the patient needs as well as maintaining the results for a lifetime, said Dr. Gallardo. Dr. Gallardos upcoming lecture will be held on September 18th, 2017 at Miami-Dade College Medical Campus at 950 NW 20 Street, Miami, FL. For more information, please contact 305-447-1447. Consultations with Dr. Gallardo are complimentary, please speak with a patient coordinator for more details. With only seven percent of black students performing at or above proficient on the 12th grade math NAEP exam in 2015, compared with 32 percent of white students, UNCFthe preeminent voice in African American educationcontinues to expand its efforts by providing tools and resources to support a college-going culture. Today, UNCF unveils Getting into College: A Readiness Guide, a tool to support students as they explore the college-going journey and The Lift Every Voice and Lead Toolkit: A Community Leaders Advocacy Resource for K-12 Education, for community leaders seeking to engage in the local K-12 education landscape. Getting into College, UNCFs college readiness brochure, provides a comprehensive college readiness checklist, outlines the pivotal steps in preparing for college, and shares additional websites and resources that are useful to students as they prepare for their post-secondary journey. The resource will be highlighted during the high school-focused stops on UNCFs upcoming Empower Me Tour and available online for students, parents and community members to review, download and share. The Lift Every Voice and Lead Toolkit: A Community Leaders Advocacy Resource for K-12 Education is a step-by-step guide to local education engagement and advocacy, developed as a supplement to Lift Every Voice and Lead: African American Leaders Perceptions on K-12 Education Reform, the second report in UNCFs three-part series on African American communities perspectives on K-12 education. The 2017 study found that leaders wanted tools such as talking points, statistics on racial disparities, and other resources to support their efforts in improving the quality of education for students. The report also found that nearly 90 percent of African American community or grasstop leaders believe they have a strong responsibility to help improve the education that African American students receive, and ranked education as the second-highest social policy issue, behind the economy and jobs. One grasstop leader interviewed for the report suggested the African American community has to stand up and say that we value education and the schools that provide the education, and we are not going to let these assets not provide the kind of high-quality education we think our children need. While leaders expressed a significant interest in K-12 advocacy, only one in three were very confident they possessed the knowledge and skills to advocate for students effectively. These leaders play an integral role in initiating transformational change in communities; it is important that they have action-oriented resources to assist in their advocacy endeavors, said Dr. Meredith B.L. Anderson, author of the new toolkit. The toolkit offers tangible examples and strategies, and highlights organizations that have effectively engaged in education efforts at a local level, including Black Girls Code and Life Pieces to Masterpieces. Building better futures for black students is a community-wide effort. With these new resources, UNCF is working to not only guide education reform work that embraces collaboration among grasstop and grassroots leaders in the community, but to fully support students and parents from cradle to college, said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, UNCF President and CEO. Developed by UNCFs K-12 Advocacy division, the brochure and toolkit seeks to amplify a college-going culture, where African American parents are knowledgeable about the college-going process and more African American students are academically prepared for a post-secondary education. Download Getting into College: A Readiness Checklist here. Download The Lift Every Voice and Lead Toolkit: A Community Leaders Advocacy Resource for K-12 Education here. Contact your local UNCF Office for more information. ### About UNCF UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation's largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students' education and development through scholarships and other programs, strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness. UNCF institutions and other historically black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding 20 percent of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF annually awards $100 million in scholarships and administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs. Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at more than 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Learn more at UNCF.org, or for continuous news and updates, follow UNCF on Twitter,@UNCF and #UNCFk12. In the uber-challenging, ever-changing, hyper-competitive landscape of retail and hospitality, the ability to provide an engaging customer experience can be the difference between success or failure for your brand. According to a new white paper from BRP, retail, restaurant and hospitality operators are significantly enhancing the effectiveness of employee training programs with next-generation Lifecycle Learning Platforms. This white paper, Lifecycle Learning Technology The Convergence of Mobility, Rich Content, and Advanced Distribution for Next-Generation Training Platforms in Retail, Restaurants & Hospitality, covers the most advanced learning approaches and the wave of new platforms that are quickly being adopted by industry leaders, and how simple they are to implement, why it makes a difference, and how best to get started. In the uber-challenging, ever-changing, hyper-competitive landscape of retail and hospitality, the ability to provide an engaging customer experience can be the difference between success or failure for your brand, said Scott Langdoc, white paper author and vice president and practice lead at BRP. Your frontline employees are the last and best opportunity for a retailer, restaurant, or hotel operator to put forward an engaging, personalized relationship and customer experience that will help bring further financial and operational success to your locations and to your brand. The pace of employee learning and training is changing quickly. Rising labor costs, greater attention to compliance, incorporating mobility, and a greater understanding of learning dynamics have heightened awareness around the need to modernize the learning approach, said Gary Iles, SVP of marketing, PlayerLync. Technology is also changing quickly, offering new insights into operational performance and proving the value that learning has on profitability. According to BRPs Customer Experience/Unified Commerce Survey, only 58% of retailers offer any targeted, on-demand training or education to associates and half of those state that these programs require improvement. The good news is that with simple, basic adjustments in your approach, companies can have an immediate and measurable impact on employee training and performance within 30 days without major process changes or systems forklifts. To download the complete white paper, Lifecycle Learning Technology The Convergence of Mobility, Rich Content, and Advanced Distribution for Next-Generation Training Platforms in Retail, Restaurants & Hospitality, visit: https://brpconsulting.com/2017-white-paper-lifecycle-learning-technology/ The Lifecycle Learning Technology The Convergence of Mobility, Rich Content, and Advanced Distribution for Next-Generation Training Platforms in Retail, Restaurants & Hospitality white paper was sponsored by PlayerLync. About PlayerLync PlayerLync is modern learning software that integrates mobility, digital forms, content distribution, and daily performance management into a single solution that helps operational teams deliver exceptional customer experiences. Deskless workers can communicate with one another and access valuable information online or offline anywhere they need it. PlayerLync is pioneering the next generation of learning and performance support solutions. About BRP BRP is an innovative retail management consulting firm dedicated to providing superior service and enduring value to our clients. BRP combines its consultants' deep retail business knowledge and cross-functional capabilities to deliver superior design and implementation of strategy, technology, and process solutions. The firm's unique combination of industry focus, knowledge-based approach, and rapid, end-to-end solution deployment helps clients to achieve their business potential. BRPs consulting services include: Strategy | Business Intelligence | Business Process Optimization | Point of Sale (POS) Mobile POS | Payment Security | E-Commerce | Store Systems and Operations | CRM Unified Commerce | Customer Experience | Order Management | Networks Merchandise Management | Supply Chain | Private Equity For more information on BRP, visit http://www.brpconsulting.com. Members of the Healthy Homes Des Moines team in Washington D.C. for the announcement of BUILD Health Initiative 2.0 Healthy Homes Des Moines (HHDSM) is pleased to announce its status as a recipient of the BUILD Health Challenge 2.0 grant. This grant worth $250,000 will allow HHDSM to move into its second phase of work in the Des Moines area helping families with children who suffer from asthma. HHDSM partnered with BUILD 1.0 in 2015 and is honored to be selected as one of 19 communities to receive additional funding from BUILD 2.0 in the 2017-2019 term. New this year, Mid-Iowa Health Foundation and Telligen Community Initiative were among two of the 12 funding partners for the BUILD 2.0 collaboration. It is exciting to have their local representation on this national BUILD health project. Through HHDSM, households with children suffering from asthma receive home repairs to address asthma triggers, and families receive tailored health education to self-manage asthma and maintain a healthy home. Children with developing lungs are particularly vulnerable to experiencing asthma symptoms. HHDSM remediates household asthma triggers and repairs the sources of the problem in the home. Our goal is to make major changes in upstream health initiatives to improve the lives and health of children in our community, states Suzanne Mineck, President of Mid-Iowa Health Foundation. With the announcement Healthy Homes Des Moines as one of the BUILD 2.0 initiatives, more work can be done to strengthen the support of our children who are at the highest risk and make a real impact in their lives. HHDSM applies a two-tiered approach using health education to teach families about asthma and care management, then repairing homes to improve indoor air quality. If a childs lifestyle, environment and home life present many triggers, they are more prone to suffer from the disease. The program counts on the school system and physicians from the three Des Moines hospital systems to refer children to the program. Eligible children are those at the highest risk for asthma attacks, with a history of aggravated airways demonstrated by repeat and urgent care visits. They must be between the ages of two and 12, live in Des Moines and meet certain income restrictions. HHDSM is one of 19 communities selected to participate in the nationwide BUILD Health Challenge, a unique national program focusing on bold, upstream, integrated, local, and data-driven projects that can improve community health. The BUILD Health Challenge grant provides funding, capacity building support, and access to a national peer learning network to enhance collaborative partnerships here locally to address our communitys most pressing health challenges. Special thanks to the BUILD Health Challenge for their support of this initiative. Representatives from Healthy Homes Des Moines who attended the announcement event in Washington D.C. include Eric Burmeister from Polk County Housing Trust Fund, Deb Kazmerzak representing Health Homes Des Moines, Chris McCarthy from Unity Point, Melissa Brunia from Mercy Hospital and Kiersten Cooley from Visiting Nurses Services. Matt McGarvey attended the presentation for Telligen Community Initiative as one of the 12 national funders. About Healthy Homes Des Moines Healthy Homes Des Moines is a collaboration among Polk County Housing Trust Fund, Polk County Health Department, Mercy Medical Center, Broadlawns Medical Center, UnityPoint Health, the City of Des Moines, Viva East Bank, the Mid-Iowa Health Foundation, Telligen Community Initiative, Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, Polk County Public Works, and Des Moines Public Schools. Healthy Homes Des Moines is funded in part by BUILD Health Challenge, which supports community collaborations using non-clinical approaches that give everyone a fair chance to be healthy. Build stands for Bold, Upstream, Integrated, Local, and Data-Driven (BUILD). Weve decided to focus on the Rosecrance Florian Program because our service men and women are facing an unspoken epidemic. This program gives so many another chance at life. From September 15-30, Fire Department Coffee will donate 20% of all online sales to the Rosecrance Florian Program to support mental health care for service professionals. The program provides uniformed service personnel--including firefighters, police, military, medical personnel, and chaplains--with the tools they need to confront and overcome the serious issues that arise from traumatic experiences on the job. Fire Dept Coffee is the creator of the highest-octane yet easiest-drinking coffee on the market for the hardest working men and women in the nation. Since the launch of FDC, the roasting companys mission to give back to their fellow service men and women has strengthened, and their bonds with service based charities have deepened. FDC is honored and extremely appreciative of all the support they have received over the last year to help raise funds for charitable organizations. Since the beginning, weve donated a portion of our proceeds to support firefighter and military charities, said FDC founder and US Navy veteran Luke Schneider. Weve decided to focus on the Rosecrance Florian Program because our service men and women are facing an unspoken epidemic. This program gives so many another chance at life. The Rosecrance Florian Program was developed by Dan DeGryse and Dr. Raymond Garcia. DeGryse is a battalion chief and emergency medical technician with 27 years of service in the Chicago Fire Department. He also has three decades of experience in the fields of addiction and mental health. Garcia is a psychologist and Addiction Specialist trained in treating uniformed service personnel. The program is so effective because it targets the complex issues that are unique to the culture of uniformed service personnel. It offers treatment for PTSD, substance abuse, anxiety, depression, and more in the format thats right for the patient. In addition to their promotion, Schneider and the Fire Department Coffee team will also be participating in the 2nd annual Rosecrance Florian Symposium on September 21-22 in Rosemont, Illinois. To get involved, online shoppers can order regular or dark roast coffee in 1-pound bags, 6-pound bags or 12-packs of single-serve cups. Fire Department Coffee creates its made-to-order coffee at its roasting facility in Rockford, Illinois. About Fire Dept. Coffee Luke Schneider launched Fire Dept. Coffee in July of 2016 with the mission to bring the easiest drinking coffee to the nation's hardest working men and women. Luke is a Navy Veteran and firefighter paramedic near Chicago. For samples or additional information, please visit http://www.firedeptcoffee.com or contact brooke(at)veteranpr(dot)com. We know the value of solid legal representation and commend VLN on its commitment to providing legal services to those who would otherwise not have access to such counsel. Litigation Insights is proud to support Volunteer Lawyers Network Ltd., which builds a better Minnesota by protecting the rights of people living in poverty. While all are entitled to fair representation before the courts, many sadly still lack adequate access to the justice system. As one VLN client put it, Without a lawyer, I dont have rights. Litigation Insights believes in bridging that gap by supporting programs that connect people in poverty with lawyers from Minnesotas top law firms and corporations. As part of the legal community here in Minneapolis/St. Paul, we are honored to support VLNs efforts, said Dr. Merrie Jo Pitera, Litigation Insights CEO. We know the value of solid legal representation and commend VLN on its commitment to providing legal services to those who would otherwise not have access to such counsel. The jury research firm is honored to be a sponsor of the VLN Riverfront Celebration for the past three years and will be represented at the dinner by several consultants from their Minneapolis office and management team. Together, we can build a more equitable Minnesota. By supporting VLN, Litigation Insights is making that goal a priority. The Riverfront Celebration will be hosted at the Nicollet Island Pavilion on September 14, 2017. To learn more about attending and sponsoring, please call 612-752-6655 or visit our website. https://www.vlnmn.org/riverfront-2017 Volunteer Lawyers Network Ltd. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides civil legal services to people in poverty. To donate, volunteer, or seek assistance, please visit our website at VLNMN.org. Litigation Insights is a national, woman-owned company with more than 20 years of experience conducting jury research, developing trial graphics, and assisting counsel with jury selection and courtroom support during trial proceedings. As a full-service consulting and visual communications firm, the company provides everything from mock trials, witness preparation, and jury selection to trial graphics and courtroom technology. Its offices are located in Kansas City, Minneapolis, and Dallas. Interested parties may call (888) 339 9885 or visit http://litigationinsights.com for more information about the company. "Ranking on the Inc. 5000 list is something we have been striving towards for quite a while, and our collaborative teamwork, both internal and with our clients, ultimately made it happen." - Todd Lambert, EventSphere President & CEO Inc. magazine today ranked EventSphere NO. 1125 on its 36th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economys most dynamic segment its independent small and midsized businesses. Companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Dominos Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees of the Inc. 5000. This award is a true honor and reflection of the hard work we have done in the past three years, said EventSphere President and CEO Todd Lambert. Ranking on the Inc. 5000 list is something we have been striving towards for quite a while, and our collaborative teamwork, both internal and with our clients, ultimately made it happen. The 2017 Inc. 5000, unveiled online at Inc.com and with the top 500 companies featured in the September issue of Inc. is the most competitive crop in the lists history. The average company on the list achieved a mind-boggling three-year average growth of 481%. The Inc. 5000s aggregate revenue is $206 billion, and the companies on the list collectively generated 619,500 jobs over the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. "The Inc. 5000 is the most persuasive evidence I know that the American Dream is still alive, says Inc. President and Editor-In-Chief Eric Schurenberg. The founders and CEOs of the Inc. 5000 tell us they think determination, risk taking, and vision were the keys to their success, and I believe them. The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring all the companies on the list will be held from October 10 through 12, 2017 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA. Speakers include some of the greatest entrepreneurs of this and past generations, such as former Ford president Alan Mullaly, FUBU CEO and founder and Shark Tank star Daymond John, Dollar Shave Club founder Michael Dubin, researcher and #1 New York Times bestseller Brene Brown, and Gravity Payments founder and CEO Dan Price. About EventSphere Founded in 2009 by industry veterans, EventSphere specializes in delivering state-of-the-art travel and reservation administration in the meeting and events industry. Services include site selection, hotel contracting, and concession negotiating; event management; marketing and advertising services; onsite fulfillment and VIP program services; and attrition management. The staff at EventSphere works to understand each clients needs and craft effective programs and solutions to streamline the meeting planning and organization process. EventSphere is headquartered in Atlanta and serves clients across the country and internationally. For more information about EventSphere, visit http://www.eventsphere.com. Contact: EventSphere Christina Hodskins 404-998-9910 christina.hodskins(at)eventsphere(dot)com More about Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Methodology The 2017 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2013 to 2016. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2013. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2016. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2013 is $100,000; the minimum for 2016 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.'s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. About Inc. Media: Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders. Winner of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 18,000,000 today. For more information, visit http://www.inc.com. The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list of the nation's most successful private companies has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates their remarkable achievements. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions. For more information on Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/. For more information contact: Inc. Media Drew Kerr 212-849-8250 drew(at)four-corners(dot)com Work hard, keep your word, be loyal, and value loyalty in others. On Sept. 9, the Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine (RLDAM) honored Jim Murphy, Riverside Millwork Center in Auburn, Maine, as 2017 Lumber Person of the Year. This award recognizes an individual for significant contributions to the lumber and building materials industry as well as to his local community. An active member of RLDAM, Murphys career started in 1987, when he began working for a general contractor. One thing led to another when his employer built a facility for a pre-hung door company and he was hired him away to manage the place. Unfortunately, a housing slump forced the facility to close, leaving Murphy at a crossroad. At the time, I had four kids under the age of six and absolutely no money, Murphy recalls. But with a very understanding wife and some help from a couple partners, I purchased the assets and started my company. Riverside Millwork Center has been his lifes work ever since. Murphys involvement with the lumber and building materials industry runs deep. He has served on the board of the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association, as well as serving as vice president and president of RLDAM. Additionally, Murphy chaired several committees and served as treasurer of the organizations political action committee and on the legislative committee. Outside of the LBM world, Murphy was selectman and board chairman for the town of Bowdoin (where he lives), and has served on the towns Board of Appeals since 2005. He is also involved with the Lewiston-Auburn Chamber of Commerce and sat on the board of Maine School Administrative District 75 in the 1980s. Murphy has been married to his wife, Jane Kearney, since 1980. They have four children, five grandchildren, and another on the way. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking and working around his homes, both in Maine and Florida. As a small business owner, Murphy finds that the challenges are more than worth the rewards which go beyond financial. It seems the older I get, the more I enjoy it, he says. And his guiding principles are short and to the point: Work hard, keep your word, be loyal, and value loyalty in others. About the Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine The Retail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine (RLDAM) was established in 1933 To foster the mutual interests of those engaged in the retail lumber business, lumber products, building materials and building specialists in the State of Maine. RLDAM is one of fourteen state and local associations across the Northeast associated with the Northeastern Retail Lumber Association (NRLA). Revenue Back Coupon to Help Raise Money for ACS We are excited at the opportunity to build a partnership with American Cancer Society. They are a wonderful organization who are on the front lines fighting cancer both locally and nationally, says William Smelley, Director of Marketing at the VIOC franchisee. The American Cancer Societys Road to Recovery drivers will receive free oil changes at participating Valvoline Instant Oil Change (VIOC) stores this fall as part of a program to support the fight for a world without cancer. Road drivers are volunteers who drive their own car on their own time to take cancer patients to treatment and back home in San Diego County and beyond. The volunteers will be thrilled with the special recognition from VIOC for their time in taking cancer patients to treatment, said Demy West, Program Manager for Mission Delivery in San Diego County. Many of our volunteers have driven hundreds of times, and this thank you is a wonderful surprise for their selfless actions over many months and years. In addition, VIOC is committed to a special fundraising project in San Diego, Inland Empire, Orange County, and LA County that will raise at least $10,000 for the cause. Every time a customer uses a special coupon at a participating VIOC location, the company will donate $5 to the American Cancer Society. We are excited at the opportunity to build a partnership with American Cancer Society. They are a wonderful organization who are on the front lines fighting cancer both locally and nationally, says William Smelley, Director of Marketing at the VIOC franchisee. Funds raised through the VIOC campaign will support our mission to save lives, celebrate lives, and lead the fight for a world without cancer, said Jane Barnes, Senior Manager in Corporate Relations. Specifically, the donation will support our free patient services programs, like Road to Recovery, our world renown cancer research program, key education outreach to lay people and health programs, and our patient advocacy initiatives. To help fundraise for American Cancer Society use the coupon located on http://www.oilchangefast.com at any Southern California Valvoline Instant Oil Change. For information on cancer anytime, call (800) 227-2345 or visit cancer.org. About Valvoline Instant Oil Change Valvoline, a leading supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services, has been serving American motorists for more than 150 years. Its operating segment, Valvoline Instant Oil Change, ranked as the #2 quick-lube chain in 2016 by number of stores, with more than 1,070 company-owned and franchised locations in the U.S. Its industry-leading model is built to deliver a quick, easy and trusted experience to every customer, every day. Visit http://www.vioc.com to learn more. Trademark, Valvoline or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries Service mark, Valvoline or its subsidiaries, registered in various countries About Henley Enterprises, Inc. Henley Enterprises, Inc. founded in 1989, is the largest Valvoline Instant Oil Change franchisee. They operate over 200 service centers across twelve states including: California, Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia. About the American Cancer Society: The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of 2 million volunteers saving lives in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the Society's efforts have contributed to a 25 percent decline in the cancer death rate in the U.S. since 1991, driven by less smoking, better treatments, and earlier detection. We're finding cures as the nation's largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, ensuring people facing cancer have the help they need and continuing the fight for access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings and more. For more information, to get help, or to join the fight, call us anytime, day or night, at (800) 227-2345 or visit cancer.org. AxioMed's Freedom Lumbar Disc Replacement The Freedom Lumbar Disc is a great implant. My patient was pain free and out of the hospital in two days. AxioMed is pleased to announce the success of the first viscoelastic Freedom Lumbar Disc case in Australia. Dr. Steven Yang completed the procedure on a 35-year-old female patient suffering from degenerative disc disease with radiating pain as a result of a degenerative lumbar disc at level L5-S1. The patient failed conservative treatments prior to undergoing surgery. Dr. Yang spoke to the advantages of the AxioMed Disc after the operation, stating, "The Freedom Lumbar Disc is a great implant. It's a very easy system to use and the compressible viscoelastic core restores the natural motion in the lumbar spine. My patient was pain free and out of the hospital in two days. AxioMed President Jake Lubinski personally met with Dr. Yang months before the surgery. Dr. Yangs disc replacement expertise led him to deciding the AxioMed Disc is the best treatment for his patients because it restores natural motion in the spine which ball-and-socket disc replacement cannot do. Lubinski added, With the addition of the viscoelastic lateral lumbar technique, we expect AxioMed to be the worldwide leader in disc replacement surgery. Dr. Yang is an orthopedic spinal surgeon specializing in complex spine reconstruction and vertebral tumor surgery, as well as all aspects of adult and pediatric spine surgery. Prior to joining his current practice - BrizBrain & Spine - in 2013, Dr. Yang was director of orthopedic surgery and director of spine surgery fellowship at the Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital. View motion footage of the AxioMed Freedom Lumbar Disc here. About AxioMed Founded in 2001, AxioMed began its journey of exhaustively proving the Freedom Disc through clinical studies in the U.S. and Europe, research, development and testing. In 2014, KICVentures recognized the discs enormous potential and acquired the company into their healthcare portfolio. AxioMed owns an exclusive viscoelastic material license on its proprietary Freedom Disc technology. JW Player, the worlds largest network-independent video platform, today announced the beta release of the latest version of its media player, JW8. With this release, the player which reaches over 1.8 billion unique devices monthly, will offer significantly enhanced video load speed, deliver a fully-customizable modern and responsive user-interface, and support next-generation advertising standards including VAST4. Combined, these enhancements allow JW Player to further expand upon its leadership position in providing media companies, publishers and marketers with world-class video solutions that enrich users video experiences and maximize monetization opportunities. Since creating JW Player over a decade ago, we have obsessively focused on building products that allow businesses to create the most compelling video experiences for their users, said Dave Otten, co-founder and CEO of JW Player. That means enabling our customers with simple, fast and customizable video technology from which they can effectively generate revenue. Without question, JW8 brings together these core principles and significantly raises the bar in the marketplace. We are incredibly proud to deliver what we believe is the next generation solution of digital video. JW8 enables websites to load up to 30% faster overall versus the last version of the player. This dramatic increase in speed results from the following enhancements to the players architecture: The ability to load only the necessary components for playback to occur based on environment -- making startup times optimal, every time. Intelligent preloading of media based on a viewers intent to watch, reducing page load time and providing a more seamless playback experience. A lighter player designed for modern desktop and mobile websites means faster load times for viewers. In addition to dramatically improved overall player performance and speed, JW8 also features: A completely refreshed player skin, with a space-saving layout, attractive design and optimized for every device. A new player builder that allows for more customization of live JW Player embeds in real time. JW Showcase integrated into the player dashboard, allowing customers to create a video gallery website with minimal effort. Early enterprise customer support for the VAST4 advertising standard, Facebook WebView, and deprecation of Flash. JW8 is a massive step forward for our customers and further separates us from other offerings in the marketplace, said Jeroen Wijering, co-founder and Head of Product at JW Player. With JW8, we had two primary objectives. First, we wanted to significantly improve speed and performance across devices. Second, we sought to modernize the look and feel of our player, particularly in responsive environments. We think we have more than accomplished these goals. The core features of JW8 are available now to all customers and can be accessed at http://www.jwplayer.com/jw8. About JW Player JW Player is the worlds largest network-independent video platform. Founded in 2008 as the first open source video player, today JW Players customers span the globe across 193 countries, and range from Fortune 500 companies to video-centric small businesses. The companys flagship product, JW Player, is used to stream 20 billion videos per month across all devices mobile, desktop and OTT. In addition to the player, the companys services include advertising, analytics, data services, video hosting and streaming. Media Contact Eric Franchi Communications & Media Relations efranchi(at)jwplayer(dot)com Randy Keck Having been both a travel writer and a resident of Australia, I have gained a unique perspective of the natural and man-made wonders of this most amazing country. Designed for seasoned globetrotters who want to experience Australia from an insiders perspective, the 26-day Incredible Around Australia Tour will be led by Randy Keck, veteran travel writer and former resident of four regions of Australia. Keck is the long-time Far Horizons contributing editor and columnist for International Travel News. He has led over 20 ASI Tours to Australia. Having been both a travel writer and a resident of Australia, I have gained a unique perspective of the natural and man-made wonders of this most amazing country, states Mr. Keck. Possessing this background allows me to ensure that tour members experience the heart and soul of Australia, not just the usual tourist attractions. Flights within Australia provide access to remote destinations rarely included or combined in group tour itineraries. These include Hobart and the pristine east coast of the island state of Tasmania, Perth, Western Australia and Darwin and Kakadu National Park in the tropical top end of the Northern Territory. A special feature of the tour is a two-night ecology and river culture cruise aboard the Proud Mary on the lower reaches of Australia's famed River Murray and day trips to Fraser Island and Lady Elliot Island on the lower Great Barrier Reef. Other tour destinations are Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Alice Springs, Ayers Rock, Hervey Bay, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Total land cost for this tour is $8,295 per person, double occupancy and includes all Australia domestic flights and 39 meals. The single supplement is $1,595. For complete tour details and itinerary, visit http://www.asitours.com or contact Randy Keck, ASI Tours, 800-925-7122, info(at)asitours(dot)com, or Publicist at 949-237-2906 or by email Annemarieosborne7(at)gmail(dot)com. # # # In today's economic environment, intellectual property (IP) rights are increasingly important assets for both individuals and corporate entities. More and more, both individuals and corporations are recognizing the economic importance of IP rights--whether those rights consist of a single patent--or whether they consist of an entire portfolio also including trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets. Sponsored by Signal Funding and EisnerAmper, this information-packed webinar series focuses on the intricacies of IP rights as they relate to the specific areas of brand protection, IP transactions, internet marketing, and other IP issues that are critical for innovators and inventors. Join leading attorneys, as they discussin plain English for the non-expertsome specific IP challenges that individuals, businesses, and those who represent them are likely to face. The first episode of the Intellectual Property Issues for the Newish Business series, "Choosing, Building & Protecting Your Brand," (Register Here) airs on September 19, 2017 at 2pm CST and features Moderator Cory Spence of Spence PC. He is joined by Darren Spielman of Kain Spielman, Josh Saltz of Peretz Chesal Herrmann, and Andrew Warnecke of Lowis & Gellen. A businesss brands define it in the market and allow consumers to identify products associated with the business. As such, in todays competitive marketplace, businesses must carefully choose which brands to develop and how to protect those brands from competitors. This episode discusses some of the challenges that business are likely to face when initially choosing a brand. It also discusses the legal issues that businesses will likely encounter when protecting that brand. Future episodes in the series include "Buying & Selling IP," airing on October 10th, "Setting Up a Website" airing on November 7th, and "Legal Issues for Innovators & Inventors," airing on December 5th, 2017. This Financial Poise webinar series is made available through West LegalEdcenter. Each episode is delivered in Plain English understandable to business owners and executives without much background in these areas. Yet, each episode is proven to be valuable to seasoned professionals. As with all Financial Poise Webinars, each episode in the series brings you into engaging, sometimes humorous, conversations designed to entertain as it teaches. And, as with all Financial Poise Webinars, each episode in the series is designed to be viewed independently of the other episodes, so that participants will enhance their knowledge of this area whether they attend one, some, or all of the episodes. ABOUT FINANCIAL POISE: Financial Poise (http://www.financialpoise.com ) provides unbiased news, continuing education, and intelligence to private business owners, executives, investors, and their trusted advisors. For more information contact Emily Goldin at egoldin(at)financialpoise(dot)com or 312-469-0135. ABOUT EISNERAMPER: EisnerAmper is a leading full-service advisory and accounting firm with offices coast to coast and internationally. Visit http://www.eisneramper.com. ABOUT SIGNAL FUNDING: Signal Funding is the premier provider of litigation financing for both large and small law firms, individual attorneys seeking an alternative financing resource to help capitalize their practice, and of pre-settlement legal funding for personal injury plaintiffs needing financial aid before their case settles. Visit them at https://signallegal.com. Continuing their strategic focus as a forward-thinking ECM consulting firm, RPI Consultants has brought on Sydney Isle as its new OnBase Practice Lead, positioning the ECM consulting firm to expand its portfolio of offerings into the OnBase product ecosystem. RPI Consultants, headquartered in Baltimore, MD, is well established as the leading provider of Perceptive Content consulting services. The move into the OnBase arena, beginning with the hiring of Ms. Isle, positions the fast-growing firm at the forefront of the OnBase-Perceptive acquisition, bringing the customer-centric brand of consulting that has earned them such a glowing reputation and radical growth track to a whole new customer base. Were very fortunate to have Sydney joining our team, explains Geoff Lilienfeld, Partner and Director of Information Strategy and Technical Services for RPI. Her OnBase expertise will be key to our future growth. Ms. Isle joins RPI with 6 years of OnBase ECM experience, and 12 years of experience in IT, working with some of the largest companies in the world. Ms. Isle is an OnBase Certified System Administrator and OnBase Certified Workflow Administrator, and has spent the last three years as the Senior OnBase Solution Architect and OnBase Practice Lead for NTT Data Services. What brought me to RPI more than anything else is the people, Ms. Isle explains. I knew when I walked into the office for my first interview that I wanted to work here. The relaxed atmosphere and genuine dedication to providing the best service and support possible to our clients, combined with that start-up mentality of being able to take an idea and run with it, makes me excited to come to work every day. A lifelong Kansas City native, Ms. Isle possesses a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems Management, as well as an Associates Degree in Network Administration and Information Security, both from Colorado Technical University. About RPI Consultants RPI Consultants remains one of the fastest growing technology consulting companies in the Midwest, having doubled time and again over the past few years. A leader in Enterprise Content Management, RPI specializes in Infor Lawson, Lexmark Perceptive Content (formerly ImageNow), Brainware, Kofax, PeopleSoft, and OnBase, along with implementations, customizations and managed services for all of these and more. Currently, RPI maintains four local offices out of Kansas City, MO; Tampa, FL; Scottsdale, AZ; and Baltimore, MD. Infocyte HUNT Post Breach Detection Platform Named Overall APT Solution of the Year Were honored to be recognized for our innovations in threat hunting that give organizations a safety net to ensure successful attacks arent allowed unfettered, long-term access to their network. Infocyte, the post breach detection leader, today announced that Infocyte HUNT has been selected as the Overall APT Solution of the Year by CyberSecurity Breakthrough, an independent organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global information security market today. With the number of enterprise security solutions available and over 2,000 entries, this award shows that the CyberSecurity Breakthrough Award judges recognized how Infocytes unique approach to post breach detection of APTs using Forensic State Analysis stands out amongst other solutions, said Chris Gerritz, Founder of Infocyte. Were honored to be recognized for our innovations in threat hunting that give organizations a safety net to ensure successful attacks arent allowed unfettered, long-term access to their network. Infocyte HUNT finds malware and persistent threats that have breached defenses The Infocyte HUNT post breach detection platform automates a traditionally services-heavy forensic collection and analysis process, empowering an organizations IT and security teams to discover if malware or hackers have penetrated frontline defenses. It is designed to rapidly assess network endpoints, including user devices and servers, using Forensic State Analysis (FSA) for evidence of compromise, without the burden of complicated equipment or endpoint software installations. Infocyte HUNT reduces dwell timethe time that exists between infection and discoverydenying attackers the ability to persist undetected, restoring trust in a networks health and limiting damage. The CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards recognize the top companies, products, innovation and people in the cybersecurity industry today. All entries are judged by an independent panel of experts within the information security industry, with representation from a cross-section of industry experts. The winning CyberSecurity Breakthrough selections showcase infosec technologies and companies that push ingenuity and exemplify the best in cybersecurity technology solutions across the globe. About CyberSecurity Breakthrough The CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in information security and cybersecurity technology companies, products and people. The CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards provide a platform for public recognition around the achievements of breakthrough information security companies and products in categories including Cloud Security, Threat Detection, Risk Management, Fraud Prevention, Mobile Security, Web and Email Security, UTM, Firewall and more. About Infocyte, Inc. Developed by former US Air Force cybersecurity officers, Infocytes post breach detection technology uses Forensic State Analysis to discover the post-compromise activity of cyber attackers and malware that have bypassed other defenses. The companys unique approach to security reduces attacker dwell time to help organizations defend networks and critical information. For more information visit http://www.infocyte.com or follow @InfocyteInc. Take Me Home Pet Rescue is Park Cities Pet Sitter's Recipient Charity Organization for Their "Presents 4 Pets" Pet Supply Donation Drive. "We encourage all animal lovers out there to come to our Stuff the SUV event on Saturday, September 30th and donate whatever they are able to in order to show our support for the great work Take Me Home Pet Rescue is doing." Joette White, President of Park Cities Pet Sitter Dallas and Plano pet sitting company, Park Cities Pet Sitter, announced this week that Take Me Home Pet Rescue will be the recipient charity for their 2017 Presents 4 Pets pet supply donation drive. Presents 4 Pets is a national campaign sponsored by the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters that benefits the animal shelter and rescue communities and coincides with the Humane Society of the United States Animal Shelter Appreciation Week. This will be the fifth consecutive year Park Cities Pet Sitter will participate in the national campaign, and the fifth time they will kick off the pet supply donation drive with a Stuff the SUV event. They have partnered with longtime animal shelter and rescue supporters, Sewell Infiniti of Dallas, who will donate the use of a brand new luxury Infiniti SUV for the event, which will be held on Saturday, September 30th from 11am-4pm. Park Cities Pet Sitters Stuff the SUV event will take place at the Pet Supplies Plus Store at 200 N. Coit Road in Richardson, where the pet sitting companys employees and volunteers from Take Me Home Pet Rescue will be accepting both monetary donations and pet food, supplies and toys to benefit the rescue. In addition to educating store shoppers and donors about Take Me Home Pet Rescues activities, there will also be a pet adoption event occurring simultaneously for TMHPR. Park Cities Pet Sitters President, Joette White, is especially excited to participate in Presents 4 Pets this year knowing how overburdened many of Texas pet rescues and shelters have been as of late due to Hurricane Harvey. Many pet rescue groups around the state of Texas, including Take Me Home Pet Rescue, have assisted the SE Texas region by taking animals from that region and accepting them in their own rescues, or by taking additional animals from our local shelters so that these shelters could accept displaced animals from Hurricane Harvey, said White. This has truly been a case of Texans helping Texans, both the people and its animals. But we cant ignore that there is a cost to these rescues for the work they are doing---and that is where we can help. We encourage all animal lovers out there to come to our Stuff the SUV event on Saturday, September 30th and donate whatever they are able to in order to show our support for the great work Take Me Home Pet Rescue is doing. Richardson-based Take Me Home Pet Rescue was founded in 2008 as a non-profit rescue organization committed to reducing the homeless pet population. All rescued dogs and cats in their care are sterilized, microchipped and given necessary medical care prior to being adopted out. Rescued pets under Take Me Home Pet Rescues care live in foster homes until they find their very own forever homes. TMHPR is a 501c3 organization and relies 100% on donations to fund their efforts. To learn more about Take Me Home Pet Rescue, visit http://www.TMHPR.com. In addition to the Stuff the SUV event on Saturday, September 30th, Park Cities Pet Sitter will also accept donations for Presents 4 Pets throughout the month of October. PCPSI clients can leave donations for their sitters during regularly scheduled visits, or supplies can be dropped off at the PCPSI offices located at 5831 McCommas Blvd in Dallas between the hours of 10am-4pm Monday through Friday. Take Me Home Pet Rescues preferred donations include: Wellness Puppy Dry Food Merrick Puppy Dry Food Nutro Puppy canned food ProPlan Dry Cat and Kitten food Puppy Milk Replacement Powder Puppy Toys Cat Toys Cardboard cat scratchers Dog Antlers Thunder Shirts Leashes (no retractable) Martingale collars (all sizes) About Park Cities Pet Sitter: PCPSI has served the Dallas/Plano areas 7 days a week, 365 days a year since 1992, and was recently named the 2017 Business of the Year by the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters. Pet sitting, daily dog walks, pet taxis, overnight sitting, pet supply shopping, litter box cleaning and dog training are all part of the services PCPSI offers. Park Cities Pet Sitter is bonded and insured, and all sitters are employees--not independent contractors. A manager is on-call 24 hours a day to handle any emergencies. Go to http://www.pcpsi.com to learn more. Andrews Federals Marla Bethell and Sharelle Tillman helped provide back to school supplies to Expo attendees. Andrews Federal Credit Union distributed school supplies for students during the Wiesbaden/Hainerberg Main Exchanges Back-to-School Expo. Attendees were also offered an opportunity to win Andrews Federal Credit Union apparel and prizes. The event marked the beginning of the new school year and featured a welcome ceremony for the Department of Defense Educational Activity faculty and student body. Its always fun to get out in the community, to interact, educate and provide those on the spot answers that make a difference, said Andrews Federals Gregory White, Assistant Branch Manager, Wiesbaden Branch. We hope our support makes a difference for the childrens school year, and ultimately, their future. About Andrews Federal Credit Union Andrews Federal Credit Union was founded in 1948 to serve the needs of military and civilian personnel by providing a vast array of financial products and services. With over $1.5 billion in assets, Andrews Federal has grown to serve more than 120,000 members in the District of Columbia, Joint Base Andrews (MD), Springfield, Virginia (VA), Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (NJ), and military installations in central Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In addition, the Credit Union serves as a financial partner with many select employee groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia and New Jersey. To learn more about Andrews Federal Credit Union and its community involvement, or to become a member, call 800.487.5500 or visit http://www.andrewsfcu.org. The Control Group Named Among Best Places To Work In San Diego At TCG, our culture, success and growth relies on the health and happiness of our employees. By investing in competitive benefits and programs, were investing in our futureand Im excited to see whats ahead for our team. The Control Group has been recognized by the San Diego Business Journal as one of the regions top 100 best places to work. The program recognizes companies whose benefits, policies and practices improve and challenge their employees in an environment that makes work fun and engaging. Each year, the San Diego Business Journal partners with the Best Companies Group to open a survey and analysis to all public and privately-held organizations with facilities in San Diego and a minimum of 15 employees. The Control Group was recognized due to its range of impressive benefits, including unlimited PTO, 100% company-paid healthcare coverage for employees, ongoing professional development programs, 401(k) matching, discounted gym memberships and catered lunches, among other perks. President Steven Gray said, Im proud and honored to see The Control Group recognized among other impressive companies in San Diego. At TCG, our culture, success and growth relies on the health and happiness of our employees. By investing in competitive benefits and programs, were investing in our futureand Im excited to see whats ahead for our team. Along with the other winners, The Control Group will be formally recognized at a luncheon and awards ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, at the Paradise Point Resort and Spa. About The Control Group Created in 2011, The Control Group is one of the fastest-growing technology companies headquartered in San Diego. Their expertise is in web development and internet marketing. The company is the developer of InstantCheckmate.com, one of the top people search engines in the world, and NextGen Leads, an extremely high-quality insurance leads platform focused on streamlining lead acquisition. Because the company is already profitable, it has been able to develop a company culture that is shaking up the technology sector. At the core of its company culture, The Control Group seeks to make a positive impact in its community by volunteering, supporting and getting involved in numerous important causes. The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) will partner with the National Medical Association (NMA) to present the Professional Development Series (PDS) on September 20, 2017 during CBCFs 47th Annual Legislative Conference (ALC). The series, scheduled from 8:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, provides a forum for medical and health professionals, including nurses, doctors, clinicians, and health policy experts, to participate in discussions to exchange best practices and develop strategic solutions to resolve many of the issues faced by todays health professionals. Topics this year focus on sustaining health equity in the black community. We have made substantial strides in decreasing health disparities, and now more than ever it is imperative that our medical community looks at the current health care infrastructure to determine the best course forward for African Americans, said A. Shuanise Washington, CBCFs President and CEO. We welcome this occasion to bring medical authorities together to create salient solutions and expand the possibilities of professional engagement at ALC. The National Medical Association is the leading voice of African American physicians and the collective force for parity and justice in medicine. NMA represents the interests of more than 50,000 African American physicians and seeks to eliminate disparities in health. During the series, association members will receive continuing medical education credits as certified by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). The NMA is pleased to partner with the CBCF for the second consecutive year, said Doris Browne, MD, NMAs 118th NMA president. This opportunity allows the NMA to join together with concerned partners to build a healthier nation and African-American community. The urgency is now for creating a culture of change in healthcare through coalition building." ALC has long been acknowledged as one of the most important policy gatherings of African American leaders in the nation. During ALC, attendees have an opportunity to interface with industry executives, community leaders, lawmakers and celebrities who are actively engaged on issues affecting diverse communities. Representatives Robin Kelly from Illinois and Marc Veasey from Texas serve as honorary co-chairs for this years ALC. ABOUT ALC The ALC is the leading policy conference on issues impacting African Americans and the global black community. The conference features nearly 100 public policy forums on health, education, economic empowerment, the environment, and more. Signature events and features include the National Town Hall, Celebration of Leadership in Fine Arts, Community Breakfast and Health Fair, Gospel Extravaganza, Black Party, Prayer Breakfast, Exhibit Showcase, and the culminating event, the Phoenix Awards Dinner. This years theme, And Still I RISE, reflects a legacy of resilience that emphasizes the collective strength of the black community to rise above continued racial, social and political inequalities. Register here CBCF Inc.org/ALC for this years ALC. You can also sign up to receive CBCF news and updates delivered to your inbox at cbcfinc.org/subscribe and follow the CBCF on social media. Twitter: twitter.com/CBCFInc Facebook: facebook.com/CBCFInc Instagram: instagram.com/CBCFInc LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/congressional-black-caucus-foundation Google: google.com/+CBCFInc YouTube: youtube.com/user/CBCFInc ABOUT THE CBCF The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorporated (CBCF), established in 1976, is a non-partisan, nonprofit, public policy, research and educational institute, committed to advancing the global black community by developing leaders, informing policy and educating the public. ABOUT NMA The National Medical Association (NMA) is the leading voice of African-American physicians and the collective force for parity and justice in medicine and the elimination of disparities in health. The Association represents the interests of more than 50,000 African-American physicians and the patients they serve. BackOffice Associates Logo Were delighted to welcome Stephen Webber to the BackOffice executive team, as his background and expertise in growing multinational technology corporations and business units is a perfect fit for our global business and product roadmap, said David Booth, CEO, BackOffice Associates. BackOffice Associates, the worldwide leader in information governance and data stewardship solutions, today announced that Stephen Webber has been named Chief Financial Officer. An EMC Corporation senior financial executive for nearly 20 years, Webber will oversee the companys overall financial strategies and decisions moving forward, including the financial aspects of growth and internal development plans following BackOffice Associates recent investment by Bridge Growth Partners. Were delighted to welcome Stephen Webber to the BackOffice executive team, as his background and expertise in growing multinational technology corporations and business units is a perfect fit for our global business and product roadmap, said David Booth, Chief Executive Officer, BackOffice Associates. Stephens experience and guidance will be especially valuable for our strategies in expanding R&D initiatives for our market-leading information governance software as well as our trusted professional services organization. Webber most recently served as CFO, CAO and Treasurer for Cynosure Corporation, a publicly-held, multinational medical aesthetic company, including helping oversee its acquisition to Hologic Corporation in March. Prior to this role, he spent over 19 years at information storage leader EMC Corporation, serving in financial leadership roles of increasing complexity over nearly two decades. In his last position with the company, he served as CFO and Senior Vice-President of the Virtustream cloud entity brand encompassing storage cloud, enterprise cloud and managed services. He also previously provided financial support to Executive Vice-Presidents within growing business units and various functional organizations. About BackOffice Associates BackOffice Associates is a worldwide leader in information governance and data stewardship solutions, focusing on helping customers manage one of their most critical assets data. Our range of award-winning products, built on a revolutionary platform, address the needs of business users seeking to unlock the value of their data assets. Our products and services enable organizations to accelerate growth, gain actionable visibility and reduce risks. Founded in 1996, we have an unparalleled record of success in the most complex data environments across a variety of industries. Customers include many Fortune 1000 companies including Eli Lilly, Kraft and Graybar. BackOffice Associates is a global corporation headquartered in Massachusetts with additional offices in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Dubai, India, Singapore, Switzerland and the U.K. To learn more, please visit http://www.boaweb.com. # # # SourceOne, a Veolia Energy company; and Urjanet, the worlds leading provider of automated utility data, today announced a partnership enabling SourceOne to enhance its energy management consulting services and improve operational efficiency. Using the Urjanet Utility Data Platform, SourceOne will automate their utility data collection and reporting process, ultimately enabling their clients to get the most value at the best possible price from their suppliers. Before partnering with Urjanet, our utility data aggregation process was very manual, requiring a great deal of human capital to be diverted to such a time-consuming process, said Chris Barros, Vice President and General Manager of Energy Management at SourceOne. We struggled to obtain complete data sets from many disparate sources, which slowed down our ability to develop and implement successful solutions for our clients. With the Urjanet Utility Data Platform, were now able to automate the data collection and standardization process, allowing us to drive operational efficiencies for our clients. SourceOne is recognized as a leading energy management and consulting firm, supporting clients to make their energy solutions more sustainable, reliable, and cost efficient. To date, the company manages over $2 billion in annual utility expenditures and has consulted on over $1 billion worth of energy infrastructure projects. And while well-known in the U.S., the partnership enables SourceOne to expand its services internationally leveraging Urjanets expansive global utility provider network. We selected Urjanet as our utility data provider because of their comprehensive access to utility providers in the U.S. and internationally, said Barros. Through this partnership, we can focus our efforts on optimizing our clients procurement and sourcing capabilities, while Urjanet handles the heavy lifting to secure, normalize and deliver useful utility data. This strategic partnership will help SourceOne clients quickly gain powerful, high-level insights into their energy performance, improve on their operational efficiency, and ultimately unlock new savings, said Sanjoy Malik, Urjanets CEO. Were excited about the long-term and impactful relationship between Urjanet and SourceOne. About SourceOne SourceOne is a nationally recognized energy consulting firm devoted to helping customers achieve sustainable, resilient and economical energy portfolios. For nearly 20 years, the company has crafted innovative solutions that help to ensure sustainable, reliable and cost-effective utility operations. SourceOne has over 100 employees with offices located in Boston, MA; New York, NY; Philadelpha, PA; and Los Angeles, CA. About Urjanet Urjanet is the global leader in utility data aggregation. Our technology collects, processes, and delivers data from over 4,000 electric, natural gas, water, waste, telecom, and cable utilities worldwide. The data we provide can be configured and integrated into any application to support your exact utility data needs. For more information, visit http://www.urjanet.com. ### Set Scouter is at the forefront of changing the way producers and brands scout for locations ... As Set Scouter expands, production companies in New York City will soon have access to the largest inventory of spaces at their fingertips. Set Scouter, a full-service marketplace that connects film, TV and commercial producers with residential location owners, is expanding its services into New York City, opening up a large inventory of residential spaces to brands and producers looking for the ideal setting for anything from film and episodic TV to commercials and music videos. Hopping on the sharing economy trend, Set Scouters platform makes the process of scouting for and booking home-owned spaces incredibly simple, connecting property owners with production companies, brands, agencies and individual creatives, and facilitating the entire process of booking a location. New York City is the latest metropolis to join the ranks of Set Scouter cities, which includes thousands of listings in Toronto, Miami, Chicago and Austin. Set Scouter is at the forefront of changing the way producers and brands scout for locations, states Alex Kolodkin, CEO and founder of Set Scouter. Finding the perfect location is absolutely critical when it comes to productions. Set Scouter facilitates this process from start to finish, connecting major brands, agencies, and production companies directly with homeowners. As Set Scouter expands, production companies in New York City will soon have access to the largest inventory of spaces at their fingertips. Set Scouters New York City-based listings currently cover residential spaces in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, as west as Bay Ridge, as east as Jamaica and Flushing, north as Jackson Heights and south as Rockaway Park, as well as spaces around the state and even in New Jersey. Production units can find hundreds of unique spaces including brownstones, urban lofts, traditional century homes, high-end condos, studios, warehouses and starter homes. Set Scouter highlights include: No membership fees, no monthly fees for producers No listing or transaction fees for homeowners Average NYC film location rental price on Set Scouter is $1,850 per day A Curated Location Scouting Experience with Set Scouter Set Scouter is the easiest way to search for one-of-a-kind spaces in New York City, while also providing producers, brands and creatives peace of mind when booking a location, with secure payments, direct email communication with homeowners, trusted customer service and more. With Set Scouter, producers can search thousands of unique film-friendly residential homes to bring their vision for commercials, films, music videos and more to life. Scouting locations is safe and easy producers simply search using criteria including price range, location and space type, then message owners to discuss production details and budget. Bookings are made directly through the site to lock in the date and location, while Set Scouter takes care of payments, overtime fees, security deposits and organizing insurance certificates, allowing the production unit to focus solely on their creative vision. Proprietary technology keeps the Set Scouter supply growing, so producers will never exhaust their location options. Turnaround on finding and securing locations is often less than one day, making Set Scouter a location scouting service producers can rely on to get the job done right, every time. Make Money on Your Home Set Scouter is one of the easiest ways homeowners can make additional income from their property, while ensuring they are protected, safe, and secure when renting their personal spaces. Giving homeowners complete control over their space, prices are set by the property owner, and can be further negotiated directly between the two parties involved. Set Scouter was awesome to work with! Pro-active, communicative, helpful and friendly. We felt totally taken care of and are looking forward to booking many, many more shoots with them! Jennifer Macfarlane, NYC homeowner. To start scouting locations on Set Scouter or list your home today, visit http://www.setscouter.com. About Set Scouter Set Scouter is a marketplace connecting film producers with homeowners looking to rent their spaces for production. Set Scouter gets production crews into locations quicker and more affordably than traditional methods, while providing a safe and trusting way for homeowners to list their spaces. Set Scouter makes production easy starting with film locations. For more information, visit https://www.setscouter.com/. Ian Davis, Director of Financial Services, spoke highly of Vermonts captive industry. This achievement reaffirms Vermonts strong position in the global captive marketplace and is a testament to the hardworking Vermonters that work in this highly specialized industry. As is so often the case, when Gov. Phil Scott announced today that the Department of Financial Regulation (DFR) has licensed Vermonts 1,100th captive insurance company. AssureCap Indemnity, LLC was licensed as a Sponsored Captive Insurance Company. It was formed by Assurance Agency, Ltd., which was recently named the 41st largest insurance broker in the United States by Business Insurance magazine and is now the largest independent insurance brokerage in Illinois. Assurance creates value by minimizing risk and maximizing health for 6,000 businesses and individuals across the country. Headquartered in Schaumburg, Ill., it is a repeated Best Place to Work winner. Scott said he was proud of the milestone and expects even more good things to come. We are proud to celebrate this significant accomplishment. As we focus on growing Vermonts economy we continue to value the role the captive industry has in those efforts, so we are not resting on our laurels. My administration is committed to keeping Vermont at the forefront of serving this industry and keeping Vermonts reputation as the Gold Standard of captive domiciles, he said. Assurance Agency, Ltd. President Daniel Klaras said Vermont was an easy choice. We know how important it is to be in an environment that has an established track record with proven experience, he said, so when we compared experience, governmental support and the states long-standing tradition of quality regulation, we knew Vermont was the place to be. DFR Commissioner Michael Pieciak agreed and noted that this is a significant milestone in the states financial services history. Vermonts captive insurance law has been called the gold standard by trade press for its consistency in keeping pace with the changing needs of the industry over the past 36 years, and it has been used by other domiciles as a model of regulation, he said. Vermont is proud of its reputation in the captive world and were happy to welcome AssureCap Indemnity, LLC to the Vermont captive family. Michael Maglaras, Principal of Michael Maglaras & Company, advised Assurance on the formation and business plan of AssureCap. Maglaras said, I like to match the energy of my clients with the energy of the domicileAssurance Agency and the State of Vermont both maintain a strong commitment to responsiveness and service excellence. For me, as a consultant, Vermont was the natural domicile for this transaction. Ian Davis, Director of Financial Services, spoke highly of Vermonts captive industry. This achievement reaffirms Vermonts strong position in the global captive marketplace and is a testament to the hardworking Vermonters that work in this highly specialized industry. As is so often the case, when companies conduct their due diligence, Vermont is the clear choice for domiciling your captive insurance company. David Provost, Deputy Commissioner of Captive Insurance at DFR, commented on Vermonts success. We have built an industry based on licensing top-quality companies for risk management and risk financing, regulating them in an appropriate manner, and providing excellent service, he said, This foundation will serve us well as we look forward to licensing the next 1,100 captives. Vermont is the largest captive insurance domicile in the U.S. and the third largest in the world. There are more than 30 states with captive insurance authorizing legislation. Vermonts captive insurance companies had over $200 billion in assets under management in 2016, the most of any domicile in the world. Vermont is also home to 43 of the companies that make up the Fortune 100 and 15 of the companies that make up the Dow 30. Captive insurance is a regulated form of self-insurance created by companies or groups of companies as an alternative to traditional insurance and is designed to better manage their own risk. Captive insurance companies are typically used for corporate lines of insurance such as property, general liability, products liability, or professional liability. Growth sectors of the captive insurance industry include professional medical malpractice coverage for doctors and hospitals and the continued trend of small- and mid-sized companies forming captive insurance companies. Vermont has more than 100 captives formed by hospitals and physician groups that have formed captives for professional medical liability. Captive insurance has existed since the 1960s and has been a part of the Vermont insurance industry since 1981, when Vermont passed the Special Insurer Act. Captive insurance companies are formed by companies or groups of companies as a form of alternative insurance to better manage their own risk. Captive insurance companies are licensed in a state or country and are regulated by that jurisdiction. For more information on Vermonts captive industry, visit http://www.vermontcaptive.com Partnership Allows Customers in Select Massachusetts Stores Access to Sustainability Ratings HowGood, an independent research organization dedicated to bringing transparency to the shopping experience, today announced a partnership with select Stop & Shop grocery stores in Massachusetts. The HowGood ratings system can be found in four grocery store locations including Braintree, Hingham, Pembroke and New Bedford. Now Stop & Shop customers can benefit from HowGoods extensive research and easily identify food products that meet rigorous environmental and social benchmarks. Using the simple ratings on store shelves, shoppers can find the most sustainable, wholesome and honest foods, and in turn, support a better food system. Over the past 10 years, HowGood has developed the worlds largest database of sustainable food ratings and research, which supports an in-store ratings system that identifies leaders in the food industry. HowGood is currently the only company that rigorously researches the goodness of food products based on multiple metrics and highlights those ratings for consumers at the point of purchase. The organization has rated over 250,000 products, examining each item across three benchmarks -- Growing Guidelines, Processing Practices, and Company Conduct -- to reward those that are environmentally friendly, less processed and socially responsible. For over 100 years, Stop & Shop has remained committed to providing customers with quality and healthy food choices, said Alexander Gillett, CEO of HowGood. We are thrilled to partner with a company that provides customers with an extensive assortment of healthy food options and help consumers make sustainable choices. With the launch of HowGood in select Stop & Shop stores, Stop & Shop continues its commitment to better health and wellness, but now, expands to the wellness of the world by rewarding producers who strive to build a better food system. By teaming up with HowGood, Stop & Shop makes it easy for customers to make educated choices about the food they purchase, empowering them to buy groceries they feel good about for themselves and their families. As part of the program, Stop & Shop stores will create awareness around the HowGood ratings system with events, increased signage, shelf tags and a trained staff member to answer shopper questions. Through these tools, customers can utilize the program and better understand the significance of HowGoods Good, Great, and Best ratings. Our customers want to make the best choices for themselves, their families and the planet, but it can be overwhelming with so many product offerings available, said Stacy Wiggins, Senior Vice President of Operations for Stop & Shop. The HowGood program provides easy tools for customers to find products that meet their best needs. About HowGood Founded in 2007 and headquartered in New York City, HowGood is an in-store rating system that identifies industry leaders in the food system. As an independent research organization, HowGood determines the overall goodness of food and awards ratings to the best products, empowering consumers to make fast and informed purchasing decisions. For businesses, HowGood is a powerful tool to help promote sustainable products, attract more customers and strengthen a sustainable brand's image. The company is backed by several investors including: FirstMark Capital, Serious Change LP, High Line Venture Partners and individual investors, Jake Lodwick and Joanne R. Wilson. For more information, visit http://www.howgood.com. About Stop & Shop The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC employs over 61,000 associates and operates 415 stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. The company helps support local communities fight hunger, combat childhood cancer and promote general health and wellness - with emphasis on children's educational and support programs. In its commitment to be a sustainable company, Stop & Shop is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and EPA's Smart Way program and has been recognized by the EPA for the superior energy management of its stores. Stop & Shop is an Ahold Delhaize company. To learn more about Stop & Shop, visit http://www.stopandshop.com. Noted professors David L. Cooperrider, PhD, and Peter F. Sorensen, Jr., PhD headline an impressive group that will be honored by the Organization Development Network in Chicago next month. Dr. Cooperrider and Dr. Sorenson will be given the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by OD Network on October 16 in recognition of their significant and lasting impact on the field and practice of organization development. The OD Network Lifetime Achievement Award is given to those who have served the profession over an extended period of time, have earned the respect and admiration of professional colleagues and have freely engaged not only contemporaries, but also have been committed to maintaining a dynamic connection to all generations of OD practitioners. Dr. Cooperrider is the Fairmount Minerals Professor of Social Entrepreneurship at the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University. He is past President of the National Academy of Managements OD Division and has lectured and taught at Harvard, Stanford, University of Chicago, Katholieke University in Belgium, MIT, University of Michigan, Cambridge and others. Currently David serves as Faculty Director of the Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit. He has published 15 books and authored close to 50 articles. Dr. Sorensen is professor and Director of the Master of Science in Management and Organization Behavior (MSMOB) program as well as the Doctor of Philosophy in Organization Development program at Benedictine University. A pioneer in the OD field, he helped establish Benedictine's MSMOB program, one of the first master's level organization development programs in the world. Sorensen was an invited, distinguished scholar to the first Academy of Management Conference on Global Change and has received numerous awards. He is the author of more than 200 articles, papers and books. The Lifetime Achievement Awards will be presented at OD Networks annual conference, which will be held October 14-17 at the Loews Chicago OHare in Chicago, Ill. The four-day conference will feature a wide range of speakers addressing an even wider range of issues affecting organizations, communities and society at-large. Other award winners to be honored at the conference include: -- Emerging New OD Practitioner Yabome Gilpin-Jackson -- Sharing the Wealth Jeanne Hartley -- Organizational Excellence and Impact in OD Boston Scientific -- Service to the OD Network Mila Baker & Yasmeen Burns -- Communicating OD Knowledge Steven H. Cady & Loni Davis For more information, visit the OD Network 2017 conference webpage. ### The Organization Development Network was established in 1968 by founders in the field of organization development. OD Network leads the profession and its practitioners in creating effective, healthy organizations. Guided by clearly-articulated values, principles, and ethical standards, the OD Network serves change agents by creating a global community for exchanging best practices, opportunities to interact with thought leaders and access to leading edge practices, tools and technologies. As a result, members create change and sustainable impact in todays organizations, communities and beyond. Swych, Inc., the pioneer of the revolutionary Swych digital gifting platform, today announced the successful completion of its Series A round, with a major strategic capital investment by UAE Exchange Group, a leading global money transfer, foreign exchange and payment solutions provider. Through this partnership, the two brands seek to tap into their collective strengths and customer base to develop a symbiotic relationship that will deliver a convenient and enriched digital gifting experience, unrestricted by borders. Gift cards have become the de facto choice among consumers for gifting services in many markets across the world. Swych offers a global, scalable digital gift card platform as a clear solution for global gifting services. By allowing distribution of relevant digital gifts internationally that are instantly delivered and can be redeemed by the recipient at a local retailer of their own choice, Swych global gifting eliminates the hassles and makes gifting instant, delightful and satisfying for both the sender and the recipient. Currently available in the United States, Swych will closely collaborate with UAE Exchange to develop and promote digital gifting services in major markets, leveraging the global reach of UAE Exchange. The service between the United States and India is targeted as the premiere launch. Promoth Manghat, CEO of UAE Exchange Group, said, Swychs global gifting technology and vision fits well with our strategy to foster purpose-based money transfers. As a group, we are always on the lookout for opportunities to partner with organizations that drive innovation, provide differential services and promote digital initiatives. In Swych, we see a unique value proposition that checks all these boxes. Additionally, this enables us to expand our offerings to include digital gifting services for our consumers worldwide. We are glad to be a part of this innovative journey with Swych. Deepak Jain, CEO and Founder of Swych, added, We are delighted and honored to welcome UAE Exchange as a strategic partner and major investor. The capital infusion, vote of confidence and access to the huge market reach of a world leader like UAE Exchange will greatly accelerate Swych in its mission to become the leader in digital cross-border gifting services globally. Launched in 2016, Swych has rapidly built a large network of 120+ US retailers, offering digital gift options and providing the never before option for consumers and enterprises to send Swychable gift cards that can be digitally redeemed by the recipient at any of the retailers on the Swych app. Swych is in the process of connecting 100+ retailers from India, the Philippines and several other countries to its network, thereby bringing to market the first ever globally connected network of retailers with a combined choice of millions of products or services that gift recipients can choose to spend their gift on. Swych has built a technologically superior platform with a large number of unique features seen for the first time in the digital gifting space. The Swych mobile app is available to consumers in the United States on both Android and iOS platforms while enterprises and businesses can access the Swych gifting platform through its patent-pending GiftBot platform or its Gifting as a Service APIs. All gifts or incentives sent on the Swych platform are highly personalized, either through a selected brand, an occasion-based gift option, or a customized photo card and message from the sender. All gifts can be swyched by the recipient to any brand or retailer in the Swych app in their own country and currency. ### ENDS ### About UAE Exchange Group UAE Exchange is a leading global money transfer, foreign exchange and payment solutions brand, headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Established in 1980, today, it is one of the widest accepted globally networked remittance brands and a pioneer in digital adoption. UAE Exchange, spread across in five continents from Americas to Oceania, operates in 28 countries with a strong network of over 800 direct offices and more than 200,000 agent locations in above 160 countries, and offers digital services including prepaid cards, online money transfer facilities, mobile-based applications and kiosks in many major markets. Over 9000 professionals, representing 40+ nationalities, collaborate every day to ensure consistent and enriched customer experience is delivered across multiple channels, bringing complete delight to more than 15 million customers worldwide. This customer-centric ethos combined with a quality-driven approach, constant innovation in products and processes, and the deployment of latest technological advancements across all retail operations and digital channels sets UAE Exchange apart from its peers. UAE Exchange Group is ISO-certified and has been honored internationally for its commitment to Quality Management, winning the European Society for Quality Research (ESQR) Quality Achievement Award and the Dubai Quality Gold Award. It is a member of prestigious associations, including the World Economic Forum and the United Nations Global Compact. The brand has been globally recognized and awarded for its corporate citizenship, customer service initiatives and business excellence. For more information about UAE Exchange Group, visit http://www.uaeexchange.com. About Swych Swychs patent pending mobile gifting platform enables users to send swychable gifts from their mobile device that can be instantly redeemed for electronic gift cards from more than 120 popular brands. Swych users can instantly buy, send, re-gift, upload, Swych and redeem gift cards conveniently from their mobile device. Swych is a private company funded by seasoned angel investors from the banking, financial services, payments, gifting, telecom and enterprise computing space. Swych is headquartered in Plano, Texas, with offices in San Francisco, California. For more information please visit http://www.goswych.com. To download the award winning Swych app, click here. Follow us on Twitter @GoSwych, like us on Facebook at fb.com/goswych and follow us on Instagram at instagram.com/goswych. Not only will we offer an extraordinary experience for our clients but for our employees as well. Its a privilege to bring Blo to Strongsville and our community. Blo Blow Dry Bar, North Americas original and largest blow dry bar is excited to announce that they are opening their first Ohio location in Strongsville. Blow Dry Bar Strongsville will be opening September 15th, 2017. Blo, celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, prides itself on providing exceptional customer experiences through professional products, a fun atmosphere and fabulous hair! The new blow dry bar features a modern and inviting space, with friendly staff who know how to leave guests feeling like the next Instagram sensation! Blo Strongsville is owned and operated by Christina Serger who is excited to be bringing the no cuts, no color blow dry bar concept to the ladies of Strongsville. I am beyond excited to be opening Blo Blow Dry Bar in Strongsville, Ohio. During my first visit to Blo, I knew this was a company I wanted to be a part of. From the highly skilled stylists to the amazing experience we offer, Blo is going to exceed the expectations of every woman that walks in our doors. Not only will we offer an extraordinary experience for our clients but for our employees as well. Its a privilege to bring Blo to Strongsville and our community. Our guests will leave our bar feeling gorgeous and red carpet ready every time-bad hair days are a thing of the past!, says Christina Serger. Blo Blow Dry Bar offers perfectly styled tresses, seven days a week. Blos expertly trained stylists deliver runway-ready hair in-bar or onsite. A signature blow out from the Blo Hair Menu starts at just $40. Join Blo Strongsville from September 22nd to 24th for their Grand Opening weekend! Were talking about the hottest hairspray-fueled party of the year. Think sweet treats, pink drinks and $25 blow outs all weekend long! Walk-ins are accepted, and online reservations are available for those pressed for time at blomedry.com or via the app (available for iOS or Android). Appointments can also be made by phone by calling 440-783-1899. ABOUT BLO BLOW DRY BAR Blo Blow Dry Bars motto is: Youre not cheating on your hairdresser. No, seriously. Blo is North Americas original blow dry bar (90+ locations and growing!). No cuts, no color: Just wash, blo, go. Guests choose from our signature styles featured in the Blo Hair Menu, from the razor-straight Executive Sweet to the runway-inspired Pillow Talk. Blo Strongsville is owned by Ohio entrepreneur, Christina Serger. ABOUT BLO STRONGSVILLE 13325 Pearl Road, Strongsville, Ohio 44136 440-783-1899 | blostrongsville(at)blomedry(dot)com blomedry.com FOLLOW BLO BLOW DRY BAR ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: @bloheartsyou | #bloheartsyou Cybowall is a Multi-Vector Threat Detection Solution In many ways, smaller businesses today are an even more appealing target to cyber criminals than large enterprise networks. There are more of them and there is often less awareness of the threat, little to no technical staff with a security background, and certainly less budget to invest CYBONET, an international information security solutions provider headquartered in Israel, has announced the release of its newest cyber security solution, Cybowall, a threat detection and response platform engineered for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Combining both affordability and functionality, Cybowall provides organizations with a single security tool that delivers those capabilities necessary to identify and respond not only to active threats, but also to potential vulnerabilities within the network. "As smaller businesses struggle to keep up with the emerging threats inundating networks around the world, it is becoming increasingly clear how ill prepared many organizations continue to be," says CYBONET CEO David Feldman. In many ways, smaller businesses today are an even more appealing target to cyber criminals than large enterprise networks. There are more of them and there is often less awareness of the threat, little to no technical staff with a security background, and certainly less budget to invest in security technologies. Smaller organizations are often at pains to justify security oriented IT spending, as technology managers struggle to quantify the ROI and clearly communicate the threat landscape to business owners. A recent study conducted by the Ponemon Institute of small and medium-sized enterprises found that with the increase in malware attacks, only 13% of the respondents said they felt prepared to prevent a malware attack, and a staggering 51% of the respondents claimed to have already experienced a ransomware attack - though many of these organizations had not reported it for fear of damaging their reputation. Cybowall is a non-intrusive, agentless solution that provides complete and continuous monitoring of an SME's network across all protocols and extending to all endpoints. The solution ensures full network visibility and protects networks in real time by detecting and reacting to threats as they arise. Cybowall enables organizations to quickly detect potential vulnerabilities and active breaches; automatically respond to threats as they are discovered; manage and report on compliance (GDPR, PCI-DSS, ISO and other standards); and record and analyze all events and incidents within the network for further investigation. Cybowall empowers smaller organizations by combining multiple cybersecurity tools in one affordable solution. The solution utilizes a multi-vector approach and correlates network and end user data from multiple sources to provide insight into endpoint tampering and malware. Cybowall leverages network and endpoint detection of Advanced Persistent Threats and deploys network trap decoy technology to identify malicious lateral movement and trap attackers that have breached perimeter defenses. In addition, integrated asset mapping, vulnerability assessment, threat detection and event correlation provide a holistic view of an organizations security posture and critical system configuration, facilitating relevant responses such as patch management prioritization. David Feldman concludes: "The Cybowall multi-vector threat detection and response solution empowers organizations to meet todays cyber security challenges. It reflects the need for an affordable, integrated solution with a single pane of glass view to help SMEs identify and mitigate information security breaches and protect their valuable data and business as a whole. About CYBONET CYBONET (formerly PineApp) is an international provider of cyber security and information security solutions, installed on more than 3,000 systems and serving close to 40,000 domains in 60 countries worldwide. Since its establishment in 2002, CYBONET has been working with SME clients, Fortune 500 companies, governmental organizations and some of the world's largest Service Provider networks. The company provides comprehensive solutions for email security, URL filtering, complete and ongoing monitoring of networks and vulnerability assessment. CYBONET's 24/7 customer support center is the heart of the organization, ensuring timely responses to a global customer base. CYBONET's headquarters and R&D department are located in Israel's Northern Silicon Valley in Haifa. Weve implemented this reboot-less technology free of charge to all customers as part of our PressARMOR security offering. Palo Alto, CA and Phoenix, AZ, September 14th, 2017 -- CloudLinux, the creators of KernelCare, which provides rebootless Linux kernel patching and Pagely Inc, the enterprise managed WordPress hosting provider, have partnered to improve server security and reduce downtime for Pagelys WordPress hosted customers. "This partnership has been a win-win" describes Pagely's head of information security, Robert Rowley, "[with KernelCare] our customers get the benefit of fast security patches without the risk of downtime related to reboots." Emphatically adding, "Reboots are a thing of the past!" Cloudlinux's KernelCare technology keeps Linux servers secure, allowing server owners like Pagely to apply the latest security patches to their server's kernel quickly and without the requirement for a reboot to reload the kernel. Pagely has incorporated KernelCare reboot-less kernel patching into all customer WordPress instances at no additional cost. Rowley states, Weve implemented this reboot-less technology free of charge to all customers as part of our PressARMOR security offering." https://pagely.com/blog/2017/08/rebootless-kernel-updates/ About Pagely Pagely established the first ever WordPress managed hosting solution in 2009. Today, Pagely leads the market in innovation, speed, scalability, and security of WordPress. Pagely is revenue-funded, profitable, and entirely distributed. Pagely believes that business is personal by fostering every customer/coworker relationship with the golden rule in mind, we grow both personally and professionally. To learn more about Pagely's managed WordPress hosting see: https://pagely.com/ About CloudLinux and KernelCare CloudLinux is on a mission to make Linux secure, stable, and profitable. KernelCare, by CloudLinux, provides automated kernel security updates without reboots for most popular Linux distributions. It ensures optimal performance and uptime by allowing hosting providers and enterprises to keep kernels up-to-date with all security patches while keeping servers online. To learn more about Cloud Linux's Kernel Care see: https://www.cloudlinux.com/all-products/product-overview/kernelcare Bakersfield K9 Solutions, a canine obedience school that provides training to all breeds of dog recently unveiled their re-designed website. The site provides both information about the company as well and interactive portals to allow clients to more easily access the companys services. According to a Bakersfield K9 Solutions representative, We are proud of the new website. It not only looks good and provides our clients with the information they need to make the right choice for their dog, but it is fully interactive and enables both existing and future clients to communicate with us in an efficient and effective manner. The website is designed simply, but effectively. The home page offers just about all the information a visitor needs to assess the company and take the next steps. This home page describes the companys services and details their methodology when it comes to obedience training. Before taking any further action, a visitor can read about how the company approaches obedience training and what they and their dog can expect. The narrative is posed as a series of questions that any dog owner might ask, and the answers to those questions reveal the philosophy the company holds during all obedience classes. Even before reading any of that, visitors to the site first encounter the sites interactive features. They can schedule an evaluation by simply clicking an interactive button in the top quarter of the home page. Clicking the button takes visitors to a simple form that allows them to purchase an evaluation for their dog. The evaluation purchase page is neatly designed and can be filled out and sent in a matter of minutes. This page even allows clients to type in their training goals for their dog and send though the company. The website also has tabs that let visitors learn about the company, review the companys services, and contact the company. The final tab sends visitors to a gallery highlighting the dogs that have benefited from the obedience training. To learn more about Bakersfield K9 Solutions visit the re-designed website at http://www.bakersfieldk9.com. Company representatives can also be reached at 661.210.3935 We can appreciate how difficult it was for Florida officials to respond to all the events over the past several days and how to sort through all the offers for assistance. But we are saddened by the loss of these nursing home residents and the trauma that they suffered at the end. Fulfilling our commitment to patient care, we contacted Florida relief officials in advance of Hurricane Irma and offered to deliver hundreds of nurses and technicians at our own expense to be in Florida within 24 hours and prior to Irma's arrival. Unfortunately, the Florida officials never provided the proper direction on where to send our volunteers, and our offer therefore went unfulfilled. This was very disappointing since these same officials expressed an urgent need for such services. Similarly, our offer to help evacuate vulnerable people in Florida nursing homes and place them in our nursing and assisted living facilities throughout the United States as a safe haven during and after the storm went unanswered as well. "It is heartbreaking to see the national news reports of the growing number of the frail and elderly that have suffered and died because of neglect during this storm. That is what we were trying to help prevent, but our offers for help went unanswered and people were hurt. This is wrong," said Lizzy Strauss. As of 6PM September 13th, we have had no response to our offer to help place residents. We have also extended our help to include sending medical supplies, food and volunteers to the areas and we have also not heard back on this offer as well. During Hurricane Sandy our company is proud that we survived the month long storm and its after effects through providing support, resources, and operational management of our care centers which resulted in the safe health care of thousands of NJ seniors and their families that we are responsible for. We fed and housed hundreds of employees in need as well. Our emergency plan included providing generators, additional staffing, ample supply of food and medications to our centers as well as twice daily calls with our Administrators and managers to ensure their centers were being run smoothly and supported 24 hours a day. We did not have one adverse event or evacuation during this period and served as a community resource for vulnerable elderly and sick residing at home. Tim Hodges Chief Strategy Officer CareOne Management, LLC Phone: 201-242-4034 About CareOne CareOne serves thousands of seniors every day. With more than 29 centers in New Jersey, CareOnes outstanding programs and services are conveniently located throughout the state. Interested parties can engage with CareOne on social media by following @CareOneMgt on Twitter, @careonemgt on Instagram, and Care-One Management, LLC on Facebook and LinkedIn. For more information about CareOne, please visit http://www.care-one.com Earth Friendly Products, the maker of ECOS environmentally friendly cleaning products, has been awarded Employer of the Year by the ISSA Hygieia Network. Presented at the ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America Trade Show, running September 1114 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the award recognizes the company in the cleaning industry that best promotes womens interests in its organization. ISSA/INTERCLEAN is the largest trade show in the commercial cleaning industry, and Earth Friendly Products is at the show to showcase its ECOS Pro line of safer, plant-powered commercial cleaners. The ISSA Hygieia Network is the first women's network for the global cleaning community. Established to develop female professionals within the cleaning industry, the network is named for Hygieia, the Greek goddess of health and cleanliness. The Hygieia Network selected Earth Friendly Products for the award because of its long-standing commitment to supporting, mentoring, and promoting women within its organization. The Greek connection is particularly appropriate for the family-owned and operated company, which was founded by a Greek immigrant in 1967. As the head of a woman-owned company, this award is very meaningful to me and a great honor for our company, explains Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, Earth Friendly Products president and CEO. Im proud to sit at the helm of a company that has over 50% of our C-suite and executive positions held by women. The company has achieved this high level of diversity and inclusion in its highest ranks through an active program of mentorship and empowerment. Supporting women in the workplace pays huge dividends, not just for the women as they grow and advance but for the companies who support them. Diverse companies make better decisions, they understand their customers better, and they have a competitive edge in the global market, says Vlahakis-Hanks. Earth Friendly Products is passionate about supporting all its employees with an extensive benefits package, and it pays its employees one of the highest minimum wages in the industry, currently $17 per hour. As a leader in corporate social responsibility, the company offers its employees a range of family-friendly benefits that include health insurance, paid sick time, and paid maternity/paternity leavebenefits that many women in the organization cite as critical to creating a happy and healthy family life as they advance in their careers. The Hygieia Network Employer of the Year award is the latest in a string of achievements marking the companys 50th anniversary in 2017. The company has received many awards for its innovations in safer green chemistry and in 2017 won the U.S. EPAs coveted Safer Choice Partner of the Year for a second time. The company has also received Natural Child World Eco-Excellence Awards, Single Moms Planet Family Brand of the Year, and the Environmental Media Association Healthy Family Seal in 2017. ABOUT EARTH FRIENDLY PRODUCTS Family owned and operated since 1967, Earth Friendly Products is the maker of ECOS Laundry Detergent and over 200 other environmentally friendly products that are safer for people, pets and the planet. ECOS plant-powered cleaners are made in the U.S. using thoughtfully sourced global ingredients. Made without dyes, parabens, phosphates or phthalates, ECOS cleaners are pH balanced, readily biodegradable and never tested on animals. Earth Friendly Products is a leader in sustainable manufacturing with carbon neutral, water neutral and Zero Waste Platinum certified facilities that save over 53 million pounds of carbon dioxide annually and divert over 95% of all their waste from landfills. The company has received many awards for its innovations in safer green chemistry and is a two-time winner of the U.S. EPAs coveted Safer Choice Partner of the Year. It's also a leader in corporate social responsibility, paying one of the highest minimum wages in the nation and supporting their employees with family-friendly benefits such as paid healthcare and paid leave. ECOS, Baby ECOS, ECOS for Pets!, and ECOS Pro products are available at major club and grocery retailers and natural foods stores throughout the U.S., in over 60 countries and online at http://www.ecos.com. ### Gina Traber (Certified Cicerone and Partner of Brewport Tap House) People from 21 to 81 are embracing it. We cannot wait to share this concept in other cities and introduce it to other people. Los Angeles area beer and wine drinkers have a new destination for a unique drinking and dining experience: Brewport Tap House, a self-serve bar and restaurant featuring 60 taps of pour-your-own beer, wine, cider and sake. After an overwhelmingly positive response to its debut in April 2017, Brewport Tap House has announced it will be open seven days a week. Brewports popularity is skyrocketing thanks to its self-serve beverage dispensing technology, iPourIt, which gives patrons the freedom to pour their own alcoholic (and non-alcoholic) beverages from a selection of 48 beers and ciders, and 12 wine, sangria and sake options. Brewport partners say the self-pour concept has encouraged beer and wine drinkers to broaden their horizons. Plus, all beverages are available to pour by the ounce, giving the customer control over how muchor how littlethey want to taste. We are in a craft beer boom. We are fortunate enough to live in the mecca of it all in California, where there are so many great breweries and styles to choose from. I am always on the search for something new, fun and special, said Gina Traber, Brewport partner and Certified Cicerone, who curates the tap list at Brewport Tap House. Along with the self-pour concept, Brewport features a full kitchen helmed by executive chef, Andrew Fujii. Boundary-pushing menu items include Black Tiger Shrimp Tacos, Fried Chicken Biscuit, and Seafood Pasta Brodo. Fujii has gained such notoriety for his inventive dishes, Brewport will even be featured on ABC7s Eye on L.A. with Tina Malave. When we started the process of opening Brewport, people thought we were crazy. We have come to see such a great response to this self-pour idea, Traber continued. People from 21 to 81 are embracing it. We cannot wait to share this concept in other cities and introduce it to other people. About Brewport Tap House From our location at 204 North Main Street, the site of the former El Segundo Post Office, Brewport Tap House features a revolutionary gustatory experience, leveraging technology that allows patrons to access and pour beer and wine by the ounce, a concept known as "self-pour." Featuring extensive seasonal craft beer and wine offerings (as well as non-alcoholic beverages), the self-pour format encourages experimentation, prompting patrons to broaden their horizons and try new selections they might otherwise never experience. Brewport features a 48 tap craft beer wall, curated by our own Cicerone-certified Gina Traber, plus an extensive selection of 12 wines on tap (60 total). As our beer and wine menu varies, so too will our culinary offerings, encouraging sampling, and ultimately pairing. And while we'll leave you to your own devices to curate your own beverage experience, you'll by no means be on your own. Our helpful Brewport Flight Crew will be happy to answer any questions you might have as you embark on your adventure. Follow us on: Facebook (facebook.com/brewporttaphouse) | Twitter (@BrewportTapHous) | Instagram (@brewporttaphouse) |Brewporttaphouse.com Brewport Tap House | 204 Main Street El Segundo, CA 90245 | 310-648-8972 About iPourIt, Inc. iPourIt, Inc. is a revolutionary self-serve beverage dispense technology that allows taproom and fast casual patrons to pour their own beer, cider, wine, cocktails and coffee, and it tracks and monitors every pour. iPourIts data analytics gives bar and restaurant operators valuable information about who poured what, when, and where, so businesses may effectively target patrons and create a positive experience, while increasing revenues. iPourIts self-serve solution is now in operation on 2,500 taps nationwide and counting, with more than 3.4 million ounces poured each month, and more than 5.5 million users, a number that grows every day. iPourIt is born and supported in the U.S.A. Learn more about iPourIt at ipouritinc.com, and follow us for updates on Facebook (facebook.com/iPourIt), Twitter (@iPourIt_inc) and Instagram (@ipourit). Today, HCS invites all NALTH Long-Term Acute Care Hospital (LTACH) members to visit our booth to discuss business challenges specific to their ever-changing marketplace. We are proud to collaborate with the LTACH community at the 2017 NALTH Fall Leadership Conference at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC on September 14th & 15th. The NALTH Fall Leadership Conference puts long-term policy challenges and solutions into perspective. Industry leaders and experts will highlight industry changes and effects on hospitals, systems, and patients. HCS continues to be a proud Advocate Partner of NALTH for the fourth consecutive year. Throughout this conference, we will sponsor by exhibiting, providing refreshment breaks, and co-hosting the conference evening reception with NALTH. Additionally, were honored to sponsor one of the educational sessions featuring our client: Challenge 20/20 Transforming Long-Term Acute Care Operations and Sustainability Janice Hamilton-Crawford, MBA, FACHE, President CHRISTUS Dubuis Health System HCSs software platform, Interactant, empowers more than 100 LTACHs across more than 20 states. Visit the HCS booth to learn more about the Interactant EHR, click http://www.HCSInteractant.com, or call 800.524.1038. About HCS HCS provides an integrated clinical and financial IT platform to more than 6,000 acute, post-acute, and behavioral health facilities. Since 1969, the HCS Interactant platform has been delivering enterprise-wide and easy-to-adopt solutions for revenue cycle management, financial reporting, electronic medical records, mobile technology, and business intelligence. Neal has over eight years of public accounting experience, and has an extensive background working with C corporations, S corporations and partnerships in the middle market. Cherry Bekaert LLP (the Firm), recognized as one of the leading public accounting firms in the nation, is pleased to welcome Christopher C. Neal, CPA, as a Tax Partner in the Firms expanding corporate headquarters in Richmond. In his role as a Tax Partner, Neal will advise clients in the areas of tax minimization strategies, tax implications of business transactions and tax provision compliance. He will also serve as a member of THInc, Cherry Bekaerts specialty practice that provides innovative solutions to clients in the industrial, technology and health & life sciences sectors. Neal focuses his practice on clients in the industrial, real estate, construction and private equity sectors. He brings to Cherry Bekaert over eight years of public accounting experience, and has an extensive background working with C corporations, S corporations and partnerships in the middle market. Chris brings a wealth of knowledge in tax planning and consulting, stated Robert E. Martin, III, CPA, Managing Partner for Cherry Bekaerts Richmond practice. Our partnership, corporate and high-net-worth clients will greatly benefit from the addition of Chris to our tax team. Prior to joining Cherry Bekaert, Neal was a tax director at a Big Four firm in Richmond. A Certified Public Accountant licensed in Virginia, Neal is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants (VSCPA). He is a graduate of James Madison University, where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. About Cherry Bekaert LLP As a nationally recognized, growth-oriented firm, Cherry Bekaert has the resources to take your business as far as you want to go. The Firms industry specialists already know your marketplace, so they can help you make the most of emerging opportunities while minimizing compliance headaches. With their down-to-earth style and wealth of practical advice, you will find Cherry Bekaert an indispensable part of your team. Ranked among the largest accounting firms in the country, Cherry Bekaert specializes in offering solutions that impact their clients ability to grow. For more than 65 years, global corporations, private businesses, government entities, nonprofits, emerging firms and successful individuals have relied on Cherry Bekaert to guide them forward as their growth partner. Cherry Bekaert LLP is an independent member of Baker Tilly International. Baker Tilly International is the worlds 8th largest accountancy and business advisory network by combined fee income of its independent members. Baker Tilly International member firms specialize in providing accountancy and business advisory services to entrepreneurial, growing businesses and mid-market listed corporates worldwide. | cbh.com In support of those impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC) is donating $100,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. In addition, Mitsubishi Chemical America (MCA) is launching a September Fundraising Campaign, giving affiliates and employees an opportunity to donate and truly impact change. These hurricanes have been and continue to be two of the worst natural disasters our country has faced, said Dennis Trice, CEO of MCA. As a longtime partner agency of the United Way, the American Red Cross has demonstrated that they are well positioned to help with this type of disaster. To support all the people in the affected areas as well as their communities, each employee of MCA and its affiliate is encouraged to participate in this critical campaign, either with monetary or supply donations, with the goal to provide substantial assistance to select charity relief organizations. Those organizations are already in the best position to meet the immediate and ongoing needs of all residents impacted by the hurricanes. This campaign will run through the month of September. About Mitsubishi Chemical America In 2017, former Mitsubishi Chemical, Mitsubishi Plastics, and Mitsubishi Rayon merged to form Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation combining over 80 years of knowledge and experience across numerous industrial and technological industries. With over 40,000 employees from about 400 affiliated companies Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation is one of the largest chemical companies in the world and operates as a core operating company of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corporation (Tokyo, Japan). Headquartered in New York, NY, Mitsubishi Chemical America is one of the 4 regional divisions of Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation. As CRO at eOriginal, Wall will be responsible for all aspects of the companys sales organization and revenue development, including direct sales, channel sales, sales engineering and customer success. eOriginal, Inc., a rapidly growing financial services technology company, has named Timothy Wall Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). The appointment comes during a period of expansion for eOriginal, highlighted by a funding cycle by LLR Partners to further accelerate eOriginals growth and investments in people, products, and technologies. Tim is a perfect fit for eOriginal and I am thrilled to have him as part of our executive team, said Brian Madocks, CEO of eOriginal. His proven track record of success, insights, experience, and leadership will further enable eOriginal to continue its growth and expansion plans. As CRO at eOriginal, Wall will be responsible for all aspects of the companys sales organization and revenue development, including direct sales, channel sales, sales engineering and customer success. He will report directly to Madocks. There is an amazing opportunity at eOriginal, Wall noted. The company has already established itself in the highly competitive world of financial services as a trusted provider that empowers the digital financial ecosystem and enables originators, investors, and funders to transform their processes from paper to digital. Now, we must build on that success and focus on expanding eOriginals reach. Wall brings a unique combination of experience including enterprise sales with Salesforce, transactional banking at Citi, and FinTech start-up experience at ecount, an expansion stage company purchased by Citi in 2007. At Salesforce, Wall was vice president, enterprise financial services accounts where he engaged and significantly grew revenue with the largest and most demanding global financial services firms. Prior to Salesforce, he was senior vice president of sales at ecount and a managing director of global sales at Citi, where he grew revenues from under $10 million to more than $150 million. Through its industry leading eAsset Management platform, eOriginal provides the maintenance, control and use of critical financial documents, such as loan and lease agreements. By empowering a digital financial ecosystem, it enables full lifecycle management of assets, including collateralization, securitization or pledging in the secondary markets, in a fully compliant and transparent SaaS environment. Additionally, eOriginals platform delivers a fully digital mortgage and supports every type of digital closing strategy. Available for both MERS (Mortgage Electronic Registration System, Inc.) and non-MERS loans, the platform has been vetted in mortgage, auto finance and lease, deeded vacation ownership and marketplace lending. It is accepted by the major rating agencies, issuers counsel, top lenders and investors in the secondary markets. The platform can leverage any loan origination system (LOS) or document preparation provider and is designed to be extensible as lenders complete their digital transformation. # # # About eOriginal eOriginal is the leading provider of Digital Transaction Management solutions to the financial services industry. The eAsset management platform is 100 percent secure, enabling originators, custodians, investors and others to digitize lending and securitization processes. eOriginal solutions ensure that every transaction is verifiably secure, legally compliant and enforceable. As the first company to execute a digital mortgage, eOriginal is also core to the digital transformation of the mortgage industry. For more information, visit http://www.eoriginal.com/. Jefferson Hospital, a part of the Allegheny Health Network The LINX system is designed to reinforce the lower esophageal sphincter, which acts like a trap door between the esophagus and stomach. This procedure can lead to a dramatic improvement in the patient's quality of life. People in the South Hills of Pittsburgh and lower Mon Valley suffering from a common digestive disorder now have a groundbreaking minimally invasive treatment option available to them closer to home. Surgeons at Allegheny Health Networks (AHN) Jefferson Hospital this summer started offering the novel LINX Management System for patients who have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), better known as acid reflux. Studies have shown that LINX can greatly reduce the symptoms and risks from GERD. The procedure became the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved, non-medical surgical therapy for GERD five years ago. LINX offers an alternative to daily medications for the chronic disease in which acid or other stomach contents back up in the esophagus, the tube connecting the mouth and stomach. GERD is caused by a weak lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a valve-like muscle that regulates the passage of food and liquid from the esophagus into the stomach. When gastric juices flow back into the esophagus, it can be severely damaged and lead to a host of unpleasant symptoms for the patient. Heartburn is the most common of these symptoms, along with chest pain, regurgitation, sore throat, and chronic cough. According to the American Gastroenterology Association, it is estimated that more than 60 million Americans experience symptomatic GERD at least once a month, and 15 million suffer from it daily. The LINX system is designed to reinforce the lower esophageal sphincter, which acts like a trap door between the esophagus and stomach, explained Tunc Aksehirli, MD, a Jefferson Hospital general surgeon who performed the first LINX procedure at the hospital. With a strengthened LES, we can eliminate the reflux. This relatively simple procedure can lead to a dramatic improvement in the patients quality of life. Similar in appearance to a watch or bracelet, the LINX system consists of a small, flexible band of magnets enclosed in titanium beads that act as a barrier to reflux. During a 30- to 60-minute outpatient laparoscopic procedure, the surgeon places the bracelet around the base of the esophagus. The LINX then expands when food or liquid passes through. After swallowing, the magnetic bond allows the beads to close and prevent gastric juices from refluxing back into the esophagus. According to Torax Medical, the Minn.-based manufacturer of the LINX system, the surgical procedure has been highly effective. After undergoing LINX, 85 percent of patients were free from dependence on daily reflux medications, 88 percent of patients reported no more heartburn, and 99 percent of patients eliminated regurgitation. We are pleased to be able to provide this proven, effective surgical alternative for patients in our service area who are suffering from GERD, said Louise Urban, President and CEO, Jefferson Hospital. We strive to give the people in the Jefferson community the right care they need, in the right place. Adding the LINX procedure to our mix of medical and surgical treatments helps us in fulfilling our mission to keep care in the community. Jefferson joins Canonsburg, Forbes, and West Penn as AHN hospitals that offer the LINX procedure. Blair Jobe, MD, Director of the Esophageal and Lung Institute at AHN, played a pioneering role in helping to establish the LINX procedures efficacy in clinical trials prior to its FDA approval. Effectively treating GERD with a surgical repair of the LES can not only improve patients quality of life by eliminating symptoms, but it may also help to prevent or stop serious associated conditions, said Dr. Jobe, such as adult-onset asthma, chronic cough, and Barretts esophagus, a precancerous condition. About the Allegheny Health Network: Allegheny Health Network (AHN.org), a Highmark Health company, is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is composed of eight hospitals, including Allegheny General Hospital, its flagship academic medical center in Pittsburgh, Allegheny Valley Hospital in Natrona Heights, Canonsburg Hospital in Canonsburg, Forbes Hospital in Monroeville, Jefferson Hospital in Jefferson Hills, Saint Vincent Hospital in Erie, West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh and Westfield Memorial Hospital in Westfield, NY. The Network provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, cardiovascular disease, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, womens health, diabetes and more. It also is home to a comprehensive research institute; Health + Wellness Pavilions; an employed physician organization, home and community based health services and a group purchasing organization. The Network employs approximately 17,000 people, has more than 2,800 physicians on its medical staff and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. ### Thanks to their seemingly complicated nature and lucrative reputations, the PE, VC and hedge fund industries occupy an almost mythic (and sometimes infamous) status for Americans. The combination of mystery and wealth creates a vacuum for misinformation and mistrust. Many people are familiar with the terms private equity, venture capital and hedge fund, but few can actually define how each investment vehicle operates or makes money. Thanks to their seemingly complicated nature and lucrative reputations, the PE, VC and hedge fund industries occupy an almost mythic (and sometimes infamous) status for Americans. The combination of mystery and wealth creates a vacuum for misinformation and mistrust. This Financial Poise Webinar series de-mystifies these private funds, explaining their similarities and differences from other investment vehicles and from each other- from the legal, financial, and investment mandate perspectives. The first episode of the series,What is a 'Private' fund?," (Register Here) premieres on Tuesday, September 19th at 11am CST and features Moderator Jonathan Friedland of Sugar Felsenthal Grais & Hammer. He is joined by David Lorry of Versa Capital Management, John M. Muno of Kirkland & Ellis, Nabil Sabki of Latham & Watkins, and Steven Schwab of Thoma Bravo. According to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the number of private investment funds in the United States grew from 20,000 in Q1 2013 to more than 25,000 in Q1 2015. This included 1,100 more hedge funds, 1,500 more private equity funds and 140 more venture capital funds. So what are private funds and why are they growing so quickly? This webinar explains the basics of private funds, how and why they differ from public investment options, and how investors gain access to the different kinds of private fund vehicles. Included is a breakdown of the three major private funds (private equity, venture capital and hedge fund) and what makes each unique. Sponsored by EisnerAmper, future episodes in this series include Basics of Fund Formation (airing on October 10), Capital Raising (airing on October 24) and Due Diligence (airing on November 7), all made available live through West LegalEdcenter or on-demand following the live release. Each episode is delivered in Plain English understandable to business owners and executives without much background in these areas. Yet, each episode is proven to be valuable to seasoned professionals. As with all Financial Poise Webinars, each episode in the series brings you into engaging, sometimes humorous, conversations designed to entertain as it teaches. And, as with all Financial Poise Webinars, each episode in the series is designed to be viewed independently of the other episodes, so that participants will enhance their knowledge of this area whether they attend one, some, or all of the episodes. ABOUT FINANCIAL POISE: Financial Poise (http://www.financialpoise.com) provides unbiased news, continuing education, and intelligence to private business owners, executives, investors, and their trusted advisors. For more information contact Emily Goldin at egoldin(at)financialpoise(dot)com or 312-469-0135. ABOUT EISNERAMPER: EisnerAmper is a leading full-service advisory and accounting firm with offices coast to coast and internationally. Visit http://www.eisneramper.com. Sohn San Francisco Investment Conference 2017 We are extremely proud to welcome some of brightest investors to the Sohn San Francisco Investment Conference, said Patrick Wolff, Principal and Co-Founder. Since inception, Sohn San Francisco has raised more than $1.5 million dollars to support education in the Bay Area" The Sohn Conference Foundation is proud to announce the speaker lineup for the 8th Annual Sohn San Francisco Investment Conference, in partnership with CNBC and presented by Excellence in Investing for Childrens Causes Foundation, to be held on October 4th at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco. At the Conference, Speakers will reveal their best investment ideas in an effort to raise money for Sohn Conference Foundation as well as Bay Area organizations that provide educational opportunities for underserved youth. Sohn San Francisco offers a unique perspective on high-tech innovation for leading investors in the hedge fund industry, said Douglas Hirsch, Co-Chair of the Sohn Conference Foundation. The growing success of the Conference has enabled the Foundation to benefit childrens causes and scientific research all around the world. We are extremely proud to welcome the best and brightest investors to the Sohn San Francisco Investment Conference, said Patrick Wolff, Principal and Co-Founder of the Excellence in Investing for Children's Causes Foundation. Since inception, the Excellence in Investing for Childrens Causes Foundation has raised more than $1.2 million dollars to support education and pediatric cancer care. Last year alone, we raised $300,000 to benefit Alive & Free, First Place for Youth, Meritus and SEO Scholars and the Sohn Conference Investment Foundation. We are also grateful to all of our supporters this year, especially our lead sponsors Highland Capital Management and Marcato Capital Management. We are deeply thankful for their contributions and participation this year. Current speakers include: David Crane, President, Govern for California Nancy Davis, Managing Partner & CIO, Quadratic Capital Management LLC Glen Kacher, President & Portfolio Manager, Light Street Capital Carl Kawaja, Equity Portfolio Manager, Capital Group Christopher Lord, Co-Founder & Portfolio Manager, Criterion Capital Management Mick McGuire, Founder & Managing Partner, Marcato Capital Management Dan Morehead, Chief Executive Officer, Pantera Capital Oleg Nodelman, Founder & Managing Director, EcoR1 Capital Fund Jeff Shen, Managing Director, Co-CIO of Active Equity & Co-Head of Scientific Active Equity, BlackRock Mark Okada, Co-Founder & Co-CIO, Highland Capital Management, L.P. In addition to the main conference program, Next Wave Sohn San Francisco features the most promising emerging leaders in the global financial industry, who present their best investment ideas in the distinguished format of the Sohn Investment Conference. Next Wave speakers include: Vineer Bhansali, Ph.D., Founder & CIO, LongTail Alpha, LLC Marcelo Desio, Founder, Lucha Capital Management L.P. Gil Simon, Chief Investment Officer & Managing Partner, SoMa Equity Partners Seth Wunder, Founder & Portfolio Manager, black-And-white Capital LP CNBCs Leslie Picker will be onsite conducting live interviews and providing exclusive television coverage for CNBCs Business Day programming. For more information on Sohn including the current agenda and confirmed speaker faculty to date please visit http://www.sohnsf.org. Also, follow Sohn Twitter at @SohnConf hashtag #SohnSF2017 for meeting updates, news and highlights. ### ABOUT THE SOHN CONFERENCE FOUNDATION The Sohn Conference Foundation is dedicated to the treatment and cure of pediatric cancer and other childhood diseases. The Foundation supports cutting-edge medical research, state-of-the-art research equipment, and innovative programs to ensure that children with cancer survive and thrive. The Foundation raises its funds through premier investment conferences and special events, including the renowned annual New York Sohn Investment Conference. Founded in 1995, the Conference honors the memory of Ira Sohn, a Wall Street Professional who lost his battle with cancer at age 29. The Foundation has expanded its reach to include the Sohn Canada Conference, Sohn Hong Kong Conference, Sohn India Conference, Sohn London Conference, Sohn Monaco Conference, Sohn San Francisco Conference, Sohn Tel Aviv Conference, and Sohn Zurich Conference. To date, the Foundation has raised $80 million. More information on the Sohn Investment Conference is available at http://www.sohnconference.org About Excellence in Investing for Childrens Causes Foundation The 8th annual Sohn San Francisco is presented by the Excellence in Investing for Children's Causes Foundation. The conference is the premiere Bay Area investor even bringing together portfolio managers, private investors and asset allocators of all levels to learn from the insights and expertise of highly successful investors. Conference proceeds support Bay Area organizations focused on improving educational opportunities and life outcomes for underserved youth. A portion of the proceeds also benefit our partner, the Sohn Conference Foundation in their dedicated efforts towards the treatment and cure of pediatric cancer and related childhood diseases. For more details and conference updates, please visit Excellence in Investing for Children's Causes https://excellencesf.org. ABOUT CNBC With CNBC in the U.S., CNBC in Asia Pacific, CNBC in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and CNBC World, CNBC is the recognized world leader in business news and provides real-time financial market coverage and business information to more than 409 million homes worldwide, including more than 91 million households in the United States and Canada. CNBC also provides daily business updates to 400 million households across China. The network's 15 live hours a day of business programming in North America (weekdays from 4:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET) is produced at CNBC's global headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and includes reports from CNBC News bureaus worldwide. CNBC at night features a mix of new reality programming, CNBC's highly successful series produced exclusively for CNBC and a number of distinctive in-house documentaries. CNBC also has a vast portfolio of digital products which deliver real-time financial market news and information across a variety of platforms including: CNBC.com; CNBC PRO, the premium, integrated desktop/mobile service that provides live access to CNBC programming, exclusive video content and global market data and analysis; a suite of CNBC mobile products including the CNBC Apps for iOS, Android and Windows devices; and additional products such as the CNBC App for the Apple Watch and Apple TV. Members of the media can receive more information about CNBC and its programming on the NBCUniversal Media Village Web site at http://www.nbcumv.com/programming/cnbc. For more information about NBCUniversal, please visit http://www.NBCUniversal.com. Tulanes online Master of Social Work will be a significant homerun for the University and for students, says John Katzman, CEO of Noodle Partners. Tulane Universitys School of Social Work (TSSW) today announced the launch of a new online Master of Social Work (MSW). Tulane plans to, pending Council of Social Work Education approval, debut its inaugural MSW online program in January 2018. Tulane University has a long, proud history of social work education, offering the first training program for social workers in the Deep South and today is a leading source of highly trained, compassionate practitioners. The School of Social Work has maintained full accreditation status since 1927, and is a charter member of the Council on Social Work Education. Now, 90 years later, Tulane opens the door to current and future social workers to obtain a high-quality graduate degree via tech-enabled online delivery. One of my primary objectives as the dean is bringing our outstanding pedagogy and faculty expertise to new audiences; the online MSW is an exciting first step in this direction, noted Patrick Bordnick, Dean of TSSW. We look forward to attracting students to our program who share our passion for empowering individuals and communities. TSSW faculty are committed to imparting the core values of service, social justice, and applied experiences to prepare our students to serve as agents of change from local to global contexts. Working with Noodle Partners we intend to build the top tier online Master of Social Work degree program in the country. Priced identically to the existing ground version, Tulanes online MSW will also offer strong value compared to some online competitors. Tuition is approximately $1,000/credit hour, making the 60-credit program $20,000-$40,000 more affordable than peer programs. Additionally, Tulane will offer a tech-driven placement service to ensure that practicum hours efficiently complement students interests. Bringing external expertise in key functional areas like digital marketing, student recruitment, instructional design, and student support,Noodle Partners is helping Tulane build a powerful online MSW that is sustainable over the long term. Its business model lowers cost while providing best-in-class service, unprecedented transparency, and agility. Tulanes online Master of Social Work will be a significant homerun for the University and for students, says John Katzman, CEO of Noodle Partners. Were building the best online MSWone fueled by technology that will revolutionize online delivery in this important, and growing, field of study. For more information, visit the web site: socialwork.tulane.edu About Tulane University Founded in 1834 in New Orleans, Tulane University has 9 schools and 1 college, and is a member of the Association of American Universities. Tulane also ranks as very high research activity by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The school has 8,452 undergraduates and 5,129 graduate students. Tulane University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate, baccalaureate, masters, doctorate and professional degrees. About Noodle Partners Founded by a team of education and technology veterans, Noodle Partners creates innovative online and hybrid programs while improving traditional classroom models. Noodle Partners has the capability to work with universities on every aspect of building a certificate or degree program that they choose marketing, student recruitment, enrollment, curriculum design, student engagement, support services, graduate placement, and alumni engagement and provides an exceptionally high level of fit and finish. For more information, please visit: http://www.noodle-partners.com or follow Noodle Partners on Twitter at @NoodlePartners and LinkedIn. Media Contacts: Noodle Partners Alyssa Miller alyssa(at)ammediaworks(dot)com 973-615-1292 Tulane University Michael Strecker mstreck(at)tulane(dot)edu (504) 865-5210 Chris Palme Haute Residence welcomes real estate agent Chris Palme to its exclusive network of top brokers in the US and abroad. At Haute Residence, Palme exclusively represents Santa Barbara, California. Specializing in the marketing, purchasing and selling of residential, luxury and view properties, Palme leans on his market insights, fostered through diligent assessment and analysis. As a result, he is able to offer his clients the best opportunities that lie in the Greater Santa Barbara and Monticello areas. Palme enjoys the distinction of the go-to agent for The Riviera, a community he particularly cherishes. Always devising and executing specific objectives for every client, Palme knows how to satisfy their real estate needs from skillful marketing for listed estates to finding dream homes that might not even be on the market yet. His valued counsel, trusted perspective and skillfulness extend to every aspect of his service throughout the transaction. Palme thoroughly provides constant communication about each important detail of the transaction and is always extremely attentive, accessible and responsive. He excels at finding creative and equitable solutions to reap success for his clients. Providing a rewarding and engaging real estate experience is all part of the design that allows Palme to always deliver the most impressive results for his clientele. About Haute Residence: Designed as a partnership-driven luxury real estate portal, Haute Residence connects its affluent readers with top real estate professionals, while offering the latest in real estate news, showcasing the worlds most extraordinary residences on the market and sharing expert advice from its knowledgeable and experienced real estate partners. The invitation-only luxury real estate network, which partners with just one agent in every market, unites a distinguished collective of leading real estate agents and brokers and highlights the most extravagant properties in leading markets around the globe for affluent buyers, sellers, and real estate enthusiasts. HauteResidence.com has grown to be the number one news source for million-dollar listings, high-end residential developments, celebrity real estate, and more. Access all of this information and more by visiting: http://www.hauteresidence.com Circuit Launch and Type A Machines WHAT: Ribbon cutting and grand opening of new 30,000 sq ft. hardware-focused high-tech coworking space for entrepreneurs and startups, and the opening of 3D printer maker Type A Machines new headquarters. WHO: Join Honorable Mayor Libby Schaaf, Circuit Launch founders, Type A Machines, and local business and community leaders. Circuit Launch and Type A Machines advisors, including industry legend Nolan Bushnell, former Autodesk CEO Carl Bass, and North Face founder Hap Klopp, are expected. WHEN: Monday, September 18th, 2017 @ 11am - 2pm PST Mayor Schaafs comments @ 12pm PST WHERE: 8000 Edgewater Drive, Oakland, CA 94621 WHY: Bay Area startups rely on coworking spaces, such as Incubators, accelerators, and shared office spaces to advance their business models. Most of these spaces can not scale to suit teams in rapid growth or which produce tangible products. In particular, electronic hardware startups face a shortage of spaces which can support them from concept through production. These nascent businesses find themselves outstripping simple office set-ups and unable to acquire their own manufacturing equipment or outsource expensive limited production runs. Circuit Launch is specifically designed to support the needs of hardware-focused startups, providing the necessary infrastructure, tools, test equipment, and community required to bring hardware-based products to market. Circuit launchs first tenant is Type A Machines, a 3D printer startup in its 5th year. Type A Machines provides rapid prototyping and final part production solutions to aerospace, automotive, and consumer goods brands, including: Apple, Google, Nike, Tesla, Stanford, UC Berkeley, Johns Hopkins, and over a 1000 others. The company pushes the boundaries of additive manufacturing - creating products and processes that rival traditional manufacturing processes. Type A Machines solutions will directly benefit Circuit Launch members seeking to prototype, and cost-effectively do short-run production of parts, housings, jigs and fixtures. HOW: To RSVP for the event visit: http://evite.me/NP2cgeNejb MORE: About Circuit Launch: Circuit Launch offers office, lab, and meeting space for electronic hardware companies to create, test, and iterate, all in one place. Circuit Launch builds communities of both established and startup hardware companies so that members can access experience when they need it, enabling innovation and a path to success thanks to a diverse network of engineers, suppliers, manufacturers, and hardware-friendly investors. About Type A Machines: Type A Machines is a San Francisco Bay Area startup that creates industrial-grade FDM 3D printing systems for the aerospace, automotive, consumer goods, and education markets. The companys award winning Series 1 3D printer is used throughout the rapid prototyping, and advanced manufacturing industry. The Series 1 forms the foundation of Print Pod, the first centrally managed parallel-production solution used as an alternative to traditional manufacturing processes. Notable customers include, Apple, Google, Johns Hopkins, Lockheed Martin, MIT, Nike,, Stanford, Tesla, Stanford, and UC Berkeley. Entrepreneurs interested in more information about Circuit Launch should visit: http://www.circuitlaunch.com/ For more information about Type A Machines visit: https://www.typeamachines.com/ Circuit Launch, the Circuit Launch Logo are trademarks of Circuit Launch. Type A Machines, the Type A Machines logo, Print Pod, and Series 1 are trademarks of Type A Machines, Inc.. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. ### CoreHealth is a leader in wellness technology. Since our wellness technology is resold by leading global corporate wellness providers and re-branded to suit their clients needs, our corporate identity tends to fly under the radar for those outside of the software and wellness industry. We really appreciate this achievement. Past News Releases RSS Artificial Intelligence,... CoreHealth Technologies Partners... CoreHealth Launches the Wellness... CoreHealth Technologies was ranked as No. 337 on Canadian Business and PROFIT todays 29th annual PROFIT 500, the definitive ranking of Canadas Fastest-Growing Companies. Published in the October issue of Macleans magazine and at CanadianBusiness.com, the PROFIT 500 ranks Canadian businesses by their five-year revenue growth, and profiles the countrys most successful growth companies. CoreHealth Technologies made the 2017 PROFIT 500 list with five-year revenue growth of 168%. CoreHealth Technologies is honoured to be on the PROFIT 500 ranking, says Anne Marie Kirby, CEO & Co-Founder. Since our wellness technology is resold by leading global corporate wellness providers and re-branded to suit their clients needs, our corporate identity tends to fly under the radar for those outside of the software and wellness industry. We appreciate this achievement and recognition as it reflects the growth and strength of our product and the dedication of our team. It is never easy to earn a spot on the PROFIT 500, but this years applicant pool was the most competitive yet, says Deborah Aarts, PROFIT 500 program manager. This years winners demonstrate the resilience, innovation and sheer management smarts it takes to build a thriving business today. Canadaand the worldneeds more entrepreneurial success stories like these. Wellness companies trust CoreHealths all-in-one corporate wellness platform to power their health and wellness programs. Customers can access the exclusive CoreHealth Wellness Network of third-party, best-in-class wellness partners that integrate into the platform for a seamless and engaging user experience. A joint venture between Canadas premier business and current affairs media brands, the PROFIT 500 is published in the October issue of Macleans magazine and online at CanadianBusiness.com. About the PROFIT 500 For 29 years, the PROFIT 500 has been Canadas most respectable and influential ranking of entrepreneurial achievement. Developed by PROFIT and now published in Macleans magazine and at CanadianBusiness.com, the PROFIT 500 ranks Canadian companies on five-year revenue growth. For more information on the ranking visit PROFIT500.com or CanadianBusiness.com. About Canadian Business Founded in 1928, Canadian Business is the longest-serving and most-trusted business publication in the country. It is the country's premier media brand for executives and senior business leaders. It fuels the success of Canada's business elite with a focus on the things that matter most: leadership, innovation, business strategy and management tactics. Learn more at CanadianBusiness.com. About CoreHealth Technologies CoreHealth Technologies Inc. is the leading corporate wellness platform trusted by more than 1000 organizations, ranging from medium-sized businesses to Fortune 500 enterprises. At CoreHealth, we believe that developing the best employee wellness programs is all about giving wellness companies the right code, design and access to the latest innovations. With the most customization, integrations and reliability of any software in its class, CoreHealths powerful platform lets users focus on growing great companies. For more information, visit the CoreHealth website. Central Valley Fund (CVF) announced today it has invested growth capital financing in two of the nations largest landscape contractors. The transaction includes equity investments in Coast Landscape Management, based in Napa, CA, and Signature Landscapes, based in Reno/Tahoe, Nevada. The two companies will be merged into a single entity during the 4th quarter of 2017. The combined company will be the 53rd largest landscaper in the United States based on current rankings by Landscape Management Magazine. The investment was completed in partnership with Lebo Newman, CEO of Signature (and shareholder in both companies), and Kelly Solomon, CEO and shareholder of Coast. Lebo Newman will become Chairman and Kelly Solomon will be CEO of the combined companies. Justin Trimble will be COO. Minority shareholders including Tim Laskowski, Tim Scott and Sal Perez will continue in their management roles at the combined company. "We are excited to partner with Lebo and Kelly and their teams during their next phase of growth," said Brad Triebsch, a Managing Partner with CVF. Professional landscape services are essential to maintain the attractiveness and appeal of properties of all sizes. Both Coast and Signature offer their clients turn-key solutions that continue to win accolades for quality, consistency and personal touch. Through a well-trained, loyal team and the latest industry technology, the companies provide a service level that cannot be matched by smaller providers. In addition to local market growth, both companies will play a significant role in consolidating this industry through accretive acquisitions. "We are excited by the opportunities ahead of us," said Newman. "The CVF team shares our vision for building strong teams and systems to deliver superior service to our customers. Their partnership provides our two teams the opportunity to set the standards for innovation, quality and customer service in our market areas." David Ryan of Upton Financial acted as the Financial Advisor to both Signature and Coast in the transaction. About Coast Landscape Management Coast Landscape Management offers contracted full-service landscape management to large sites including resorts, business parks, wineries, multi-family properties and public agencies for parks, schools and recreational facilities. Coast is headquartered in Napa, California with regional offices in Concord, Santa Rosa, San Rafael, Sacramento and Roseville. Coast was established in 2005 by Lebo Newman and Robert and Kelly Solomon. Coast has received many industry awards and accolades and recently has been named a Best Place to Work in the North Bay for the seventh year. http://www.CoastLM.com About Signature Landscapes Signature Landscapes is the largest landscape contracting company in Northern Nevada and designs, builds and maintains landscapes for commercial, residential, hospitality and resort properties in the greater Reno/Tahoe market area. The companys team of highly trained horticulturists, certified landscape professionals and arborists have received many local and industry awards for excellence, including the recent Best Landscaper in Northern Nevada by the Reno News and Review. Signature has been led since its founding by Lebo Newman, a longtime industry veteran who has participated in the growth of several large landscape contracting firms in the Western United States. http://www.signaturelandscapes.net About Central Valley Fund (CVF) The Central Valley Fund was established in 2005 to finance later-stage growth and buy outs of small businesses through mezzanine debt and preferred equity investments. The Fund has over $325 million in committed capital and has offices in California Davis, Fresno and San Diego and in the Pacific Northwest in Portland, OR. It is focused on making investments in Californias Central Valley and throughout the Western United States. http://www.CVFcapitalpartners.com Healthpointe's food drive with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank s was reportedly successful. The staff at Healthpointe continues to look forward to future drives with the Los Angeles Reginal Food Bank. Healthpointe is placing their efforts everyday to give back to the community. Healthpointe is proud to announce that from May 15, 2017 to June 02, 2017, they raised 324 pounds of food, for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. The efforts, which were a part of a company-wide charity drive with the Bank, were a success. The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, which continues to distribute one billion pounds of food since they in 1973, further reported that the 324 pounds of food would provide 270 meals for local families Healthpointe is humbled to have been a part of the Los Angeles Regional Food Banks efforts, will continue to strive to make a difference in the quality of care that is delivered. Dr. Silva, the medical director at Healthpointe, is an advocate of helping others, while improving their wellbeing. On the topic of Heathpointes success with the food drive, he said, Helping others has always been a goal of mine. We recognize that there is a need for food donations in our community and we were more than willing to help. I am proud to be working alongside local charitable organizations, such as the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, and plan on working with them, along with others, in the near future." This was Healthpointes first charity food drive with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, but certainly not the last. The staff at Healthpointe continues to look forward to future drives with the Los Angeles Reginal Food Bank. Healthpointe is placing their efforts everyday to give back to the community. For more information about Healthpointe or to schedule an appointment, call us at 888-824-5580 or visit our website at healthpointe.net. For more information on the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, or want to help fight hunger by donating to your local food bank, visit lafoodbank.org. About Healthpointe: Healthpointe is a leading multidisciplinary healthcare organization offering a full range of medical services in practice locations throughout Southern California (Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, and Riverside County). Healthpointe, which has locations situated in over 10 cities in Southern California, has provided services over the last four decades for private patients, injured workers, urgent care, personal injuries, and athletes. Leading the organization is a dynamic team of healthcare professionals who continually strive to be at the forefront of medical innovation and healthcare service delivery. For more information, a complete list of services, and Healthpointe locations, visit Healthpointe.net. Noble Systems Corporation, a global leader in omnichannel contact center technology solutions, is excited to join Becker's Hospital Review Annual Health IT + Revenue Cycle Conference. Noble will showcase its industry-leading solutions for Patient Lifecycle Management at the event, September 21 23 in Chicago. This exclusive conference brings together hospital and health system Chief Information Officers, IT Executives, and Revenue Cycle leaders to discuss the role of the CIO, data analytics, mobile health, EMR issues, denials and revenue cycle challenges and trends. Noble Systems will be showcasing our p atented technologies for Omnichannel Contact Management, including critical Regulatory Compliance tools, to build patient relationships while protecting sensitive patient data. Nobles premise, cloud, and hybrid-based platforms including innovative contact center, workforce engagement, and analytics technologies help healthcare and affiliated organizations provide complete care of the patient throughout the relationship lifecycle, from initial scheduling, pre-registration and appointment confirmations, to patient payments and account services, to continued patient communications and on-going relationship management. Noble has been named the Outbound Market Leader for four consecutive years. The Noble Inbound 100 solution is designed specifically to target the needs of inbound service organizations. Visit Noble Systems at booth 1607 to learn more. About Noble Systems Noble Systems Corporation is a global leader in the customer communications industry, providing innovative solutions for Contact Center, Workforce Management, and Analytics technologies. Tens of thousands of agents at 4,000+ client installations worldwide use Noble platforms to manage millions of customer contacts each day. Noble offers a unified suite of inbound, outbound and blended omnichannel communications, strategy planning, and resource management tools for companies of all sizes. Our premise, cloud, and innovative premise/cloud hybrid platforms include ACD, predictive dialing, blended processing, recording and monitoring, IVR, messaging, interaction analytics, decisioning, and workforce management. For more information, contact Lee Allum at 1.888.8NOBLE8 or visit http://www.noblesystems.com. When we connect with business owners, managers, and marketers, we want them to see the way consumer reviews dont just reflect on current customer service issues, but also present a marketing opportunity. U.S. consumer advocacy and customer complaints website, PissedConsumer.com will participate in the MarTech conference October 2-4 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. The 2017 conference will be PissedConsumer.coms first attendance at MarTech. "Were really excited to take part in this years MarTech conference," said Joanna Simpson of PissedConsumer.com. "Were hoping to meet some of our existing clients there, and were looking forward to making new connections. The PissedConsumer.com team is passionate about finding a balance between consumers free speech and companies aspiration to achieve strong online presence. Founder, Michael Podolsky, has been a vocal proponent of helping marketers not only earn valuable customer feedback, but also exposing the darker side of the consumer review industry where marketers generate their own fake reviews or pay for those reviews to game the system and mislead potential customers. When we connect with business owners, managers, and marketers, we want them to see the way consumer reviews dont just reflect on current customer service issues, but also present a marketing opportunity, said Simpson. Unhappy customers are more likely to take the time to post publicly about their experiences. When they do, that offers businesses a second a chance to make things right, possibly salvaging a sale or keeping a customer they otherwise would have lost. With platforms like PissedConsumer.com, managers and marketers can even document this resolution process in a way that potential customers see their willingness to set things right rather than ignore complaints. Its an opportunity for them to stand out, get a better understanding of customer needs, and fix problems before they can get out of hand. MarTech attendees can learn more about how consumer review sites can help with online presence by visiting PissedConsumer.com representatives at Booth 19. PissedConsumer.com participated in two previous conferences in 2016. The company was both a sponsor and exhibitor at Pubcon and Ungagged, both in Las Vegas. Podolsky, was also a speaker at Ungagged in London earlier this year. About PissedConsumer.com PissedConsumer.com is a social consumer advocacy website where people can share consumer complaints and feedback with others. Visitors can also research companies, products, and services before making important purchasing decisions. Business solutions are available to help companies communicate with customers and resolve their consumer complaints. For more information about PissedConsumer.com or to learn more about the companys upcoming MarTech participation, please visit http://www.PissedConsumer.com or contact Joanna Simpson at 262-674-6466. Contact: Joanna Simpson, Media Relations Consumer Opinion LLC 1930 Village Center Circle #3-6853 Las Vegas, NV 89134 Phone: 262-674-6466 Email: reviews(at)pissedconsumer(dot)com Web: http://www.PissedConsumer.com ### Successfully governing IoE requires capturing all of the sensor and contextual data, pinpointing relevant data intersections from noisy streams, and triggering automated responses to pertinent events quickly. Sixgill, LLC, the leader in sensor data services for governing IoE, announced it has completed terms of a Series B funding that will total $27.9 million when fully drawn. The round is led by an affiliate of DRW Venture Capital, which invests in financial and enterprise technology. Mobile Financial Partners, of Alexandria, VA, is also participating. First close funding in this Series B has underwritten the transformation from the companys groundbreaking proximity services platform, to an enterprise-grade sensor data management platform and product suite. Since joining as CEO to lead these efforts, Phil Ressler has put in place a top tier team which will use the balance of the Series B funds to grow both the business and the scope of the companys premier IoE data services platform. Cheap and plentiful sensors are penetrating every corner of the enterprise, generating valuable data and creating a vast opportunity to make any organization smarter and more responsive, said Harry Hopper, founder & managing partner at Mobile Financial Partners. Sixgill is building the foundation data services that can help every industry tap the next leg of productivity growth. Sixgills primary product, Sense a universal sensor data services platform is essential for companies facing new challenges in governing their Internet of Everything (IoE) assets and building sensor-informed applications for IoT, IIoT and IoE. Such task-specific applications are needed in all industries to manage torrents of new sensor data and exploding numbers of connected assets that include people, places and things. Successfully governing IoE requires capturing all of the sensor and contextual data, pinpointing relevant data intersections from noisy streams, and triggering automated responses to pertinent events quickly, said Ressler. Our data services platform offers total flexibility for organizations to develop responsive, sensing IoE applications with no limits on data sources, data-diversity, applications or scale. Sixgill Sense data services are already proven in the field. Sense supports applications available on over 50 million devices by a major U.S. carrier, and has powered crowd management and audience communications at large events in the U.S. and Europe. View a two-minute animated explainer video on Sense here. About Sixgill Sixgill builds universal sensor data and automation services that enable organizations to govern IoE assets. Our Sixgill Sense IoE platform offers developers the ability to acquire, analyze and act on any sensor-generated data, at any velocity or scale. Sense can acquire sensor data from any emitter or gateways, and distill actionable intelligence for quick, programmatic response. Sixgill offers customers a single powerful platform to unify sensor data management, process automation and analytics for all sensor-informed applications. Visit Sixgill.com for more information. 2017 Sixgill, LLC. All rights reserved. Trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners. Contact: Daniel Kehrer (dkehrer(at)sixgill(dot)com) (310) 254-1970 On August 29th, US Capital Partners Inc. organized and sponsored a real estate investments reception, presentation, and networking event for select accredited investors interested in highly vetted, investment-ready real estate opportunities. Entitled Real Estate Impact Investing, the event was held at the exclusive private club Villa Taverna in San Franciscos Financial District. US Capital Partners is a full-service private financial group headquartered in San Francisco. Through its investment bank affiliate, US Capital Global Securities, LLC, the firm provides private placement services and has wide distribution for debt and equity private placements. The San Francisco event showcased two premium real estate impact investment opportunities, New Cities Investment Partners, LLC (New Cities) and the US Capital / Noble Capital Texas Real Estate Income Fund, LP (the Noble Fund). Lee Newell, CEO at New Cities, presented the firms exclusive Maple & Main Project, a $110 million mixed-use, affordable multi-family complex in the San Francisco East Bay. The development has been unanimously approved by the Hayward City Council and is expected to be a catalyst for downtown revitalization. The project consists of 240 market-rate and affordable apartments and 5,571 square feet of retail space designed using eco-friendly and socially responsible principles. There is also an existing 50,000-square-foot medical office building, which will be remodeled into Class A medical office space. Chris Ragland, COO at Noble Capital, discussed the Noble Funds investment strategy, which leverages his firms impressive track record in the Texas market. The Noble Fund originates and services residential rehabilitation loans, senior secured by real estate, to qualified businesses with proven experience rehabilitating single-family homes for a profit in the Texas market, while mitigating the risks of lending to builders and smaller developers. With an 8.25% hurdle rate in favor of its Limited Partners, the Noble Fund aims to provide a much greater level of sophistication for individuals and family offices looking to invest in the Texas real estate market. In addition to these presentations and Q&A, the evening was structured to provide attendees with a unique opportunity for direct conversations with the speakers representing these premium real-estate impact investment opportunities. About US Capital Partners Inc. Since 1998, US Capital Partners Inc. has been committed to providing small and lower middle market businesses and investors with sophisticated debt, equity, and investment opportunities usually available only to larger middle market companies and institutional investors. The firm manages direct investment funds and provides wealth management and M&A services. Operating with its registered broker dealer affiliate, US Capital Global Securities, LLC, the firm acts as a licensed placement agent, and collaborates closely with its peers in professional banking and investment advisory. To learn more, email Jeffrey Sweeney, Chairman and CEO, at jsweeney(at)uscapitalpartners.net or call +1 (415) 889-1010. Hiking through the forest you may have noticed what looks like a lower case i carved into a tree trunk. These are called blazes and were once used to mark trails. I searched the internet but couldnt find out why the blazes look like a little i. One theory is that the two marks would make the carving look more human made, so no one would confuse it with something made by nature. One other story I heard, which I could find no evidence of, was that the i is actually supposed to look like a candle, since candles could light the way. The Forest Service used to have very specific measurements for making a blaze and where to put it on a tree. The bottom part of the i was supposed to be 8 inches high. The top was supposed to be separated from the bottom by 2 inches and be only 2 inches high. In the old days they were made with an axe just above eye level. The National Park Service recommends blazes on trees be only one mark that is 2 inches wide and 6 inches tall. Painted markers are preferred since they dont cut into the trees bark. They also call them reassurance markers, to comfort hikers so they know they are on the right trail. When hikers are above where trees grow, the Forest Service and lots of other countries suggest that rocks be stacked atop each other to indicate where a trail goes. These are called cairns or ducks. They are usually at least three stones high, so they appear to be man-made. Long before Europeans arrived in North America, American Indians reportedly bent small trees over to mark routes. Marking a trail is no big deal if it is easy to see. But what if it snows or a trail disappears at a creek crossing or into a meadow? Thats when blazes, cairns and ducks can be a big help. Brett French, Billings Gazette As East Helena considers building a new high school, surrounding districts are already preparing for the possibility of losing students and the funding that comes with them. Members of the East Helena school board recently approved a mail-in ballot question on whether the school district should further explore the possibility of a high school, but they are not yet asking voters to provide any funding or approve construction. After voters approved a $12 million facilities bond earlier this year to build a new school for first and second graders in East Helena, the school district has a long way to go in persuading taxpayers to fund a new high school too. Those hurdles became clear during a community meeting on Wednesday. But other districts would face challenges if East Helena is successful. The Helena school district could lose the significant amount of funding it currently receives for the many East Helena students enrolled there. At Jefferson High School in Boulder, officials worry the school's growing enrollment could be stunted by a similarly sized high school in the area. In Montana, public school districts receive roughly $7,000 per student. Many districts also receive about $300,000 in what is known as a basic entitlement, though larger districts receive more. Schools also receive funding for special education, Native American students, the number of full-time educators employed and at-risk students. People who attended the meeting in East Helena on Wednesday were concerned about funding. The district is also experiencing confusion about the upcoming ballot question, which doesnt ask for money. One community member said her neighbor thinks an existing construction zone is for a new high school. Board Chair Scott Walter said hes heard from people who were concerned about whether the district would truly be unencumbered from Helena and whether it is prepared to take on the responsibilities of a K-12 district if a new high school is built. A select few K-8 districts received the authority to expand from the Montana Legislature this year. The bill attempts to minimize strains on existing districts when a new high school is built. If East Helena builds a high school, the district has an agreement with Helena to move one class at a time, or approximately 125 students a year. The larger district could slowly adjust to staffing changes. The state also allows schools to receive per-student funding based on three-year enrollment averages, which would ease the transition. Helena High School receives the majority of East Helena students once they graduate from middle school. The uncertainty of how many East Helena students would still come to the Helena, an open district, makes it difficult for administrators to plan. The state also provides funding for school districts contingent on the size of their tax base. Helena Public Schools Superintendent Jack Copps previously said if the Helena district loses its East Helena high-schoolers, the projected tax impact on a Helena school district taxpayer would be an additional $0.79 per month on a home valued at $100,000, or $1.58 on a home valued at $200,000. The system in place requires students from East Helena to pay tuition, which is set at the average amount a taxpayer in the district would pay. Assistant Superintendent Greg Upham said setting that fee is about striking a balance. If the fee is too expensive, a parent might choose to send their child elsewhere and the school would lose its per-student payment. Tim Norbeck, superintendent of Jefferson High School in Boulder, said a high school in East Helena could drive students from his school district elsewhere. Three elementary districts currently feed Jefferson High School. But the larger high schools in Helena draw some students away from Clancy and Montana City, which are located in Jefferson County but are closer to Helena. And a high school in East Helena could draw even more Jefferson County students who want to attend a smaller school like the one in Boulder but don't want to drive that far. Norbeck said approximately 250 students who live in Jefferson County attend high school in Helena. Of the graduating eighth grade class from Montana City last year, two went to Capital High School, nine went to Jefferson High School and 43 went to Helena High School. Norbeck said he supports parents and students having the opportunity to make a decision on where theyll receive education. The ability to choose whats best for their students, I think thats great they get that opportunity, but if (East Helena is) open enrollment that just adds another burden, he said. Norbeck is also responsible for protecting the enrollment growth his high school has experienced over the past few years. The high school had 207 students enrolled in 2015 and 265 in 2017. Any sudden or significant drop in enrollment results in a loss of per-student payments, which can threaten special programs and classes and teachers jobs. Jefferson High School has a strong theater program, a large portion of students in band and a four day school week to attract students. We have to show we have quality offerings, Norbeck said. I think its had some effect. Because so many students from Montana City opt to come to Helena, counselors from both Helena High School and Jefferson High School make presentations before eighth graders graduate. Norbeck said counselors from Helena have enticed students to come to Helena instead of attending high school in their own district. Tony Kloker, superintendent of Montana City School, said counselors are not allowed to recruit. Instead, they give students the proper paperwork, forms and a handbook to take home. Its basically just information for our eighth graders, Kloker said. By design, its not intentionally to recruit or entice students to go to one school or another. We believe its important to give the parents the information. If East Helena were to build a school, it would likely be a closed district, but Superintendent Ron Whitmoyer said out-of-district students would be allowed to continue. I doubt very much that we could build the high school large enough to take out-of-district kids. he said. It would require a larger building than our taxpayers would want to build. Whitmoyer said most of the out-of-district kids started school while living in East Helena, but moved without changing schools. School boards make the final decision on whether a district is open or closed. Community members can find updates on the East Helena High School measure on the EH for Helena Kids Facebook page and can provide feedback through a survey at www.ehps.k12.mt.us. Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs banker and film producer, asked for the use of an Air Force jet to travel to Europe for his honeymoon in Scotland, Italy, and France, according to ABC News. The use of the jet was denied, according to the report, but it would have cost about $25,000 an hour to operate the aircraft for the trip. This is the second time in two months that Mnuchin's travel has come under scrutiny. In August he traveled with his wife, Louise Linton, to Fort Knox in Kentucky for the solar eclipse. The Treasury said the travel was not improper because Mnuchin was in Kentucky for meetings to discuss taxes and the travel of Linton would be reimbursed. Mnuchin's net worth from his pre-White House investment days is roughly $300 million. The Fort Knox trip prompted an internal review of the matter by the Treasury inspector general, according to ABC News, and the same office is now looking into Mnuchin's honeymoon request. The use of such a jet would be highly unusual for a Treasury secretary, as military aircraft are typically reserved for Cabinet members who deal directly with national security. In the latest example, Trump said he was close to a deal with the Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi to codify some of the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals program into law, paired with increased border security. The agreement earned immediate pushback from many in Trump's base. It was the second time in two weeks in which Trump had looked toward a deal with Democratic leaders, previously agreeing to a short-term suspension of the debt ceiling over Republican objections. Trump's strategic shift could come back to bite him, analysts say. Chris Krueger, a political analyst at Cowen Washington Research Group, suggested Schumer and Pelosi had tried to embroil Trump and Republican leaders in a back-and-forth in an attempt to prevent them from delivering on their agenda. "Pelosi and her Senate counterpart Chuck Schumer know what they are doing," Krueger wrote in a note to clients on Thursday. "They are running out the clock while helping to drive a wedge between Trump and the Congressional Republicans. It is not so much that Pelosi and Schumer are playing three-dimensional chess so much as Trump and the GOP are trying to untangle the Slinky they have wrapped around their heads." Put another way, the thinking goes, by dealing with Trump, Democratic leaders are able to make inroads on their policy goals while also making GOP goals like overhauling the tax code more difficult. The dealmaking even applies to a tax overhaul. Trump met not only with Schumer and Pelosi but other Democratic lawmakers as well on Wednesday to discuss taxes. Taking a bipartisan approach on a tax overhaul could make the bill look much different from what Republicans have in mind. For instance, the president suggested after the bipartisan meeting that he could increase taxes on the wealthiest Americans in the package. Greg Valliere, the chief strategist at Horizon Investments, wrote Thursday that while the dealmaking on DACA may slow down the eventual tax legislation, it's more likely to affect Republican goals at the margins than defeat the effort entirely. "If the Democrats really get a seat at the table, cherished GOP goals such as abolition of the estate tax might get negotiated away by Trump," Valliere said. "If he has to abandon the wealthy, giving them virtually no tax cuts ... well, the president wants deals, his own party be damned." Changing the tax code is also notoriously complicated, so even without Democrats asking for concessions there would massive lobbying efforts by a slew of businesses and industry groups. Add in the swirl of deals with Democrats, GOP infighting, and other government deadlines, and Krueger says you've got a volatile mix. "We flag these issues along with the December 8 shutdown fight and the March/April debt ceiling to highlight the cross currents pulling Washington in all directions," the analyst wrote. "And the Democrats are more than happy to keep the churn going as the clock continues to tick." In the end, however, congressional Republicans have substantial power to influence the process on DACA, taxes, and other fiscal matters. As Isaac Boltansky and Lukas Davaz of the research firm Compass Point wrote Thursday, Trump still "needs congressional Republicans to govern." A conservative estimate of 20 arrests from the two corporate-owned locations were said to have been made between February and August, the New Times reported. In one case, ICE officers were said to be "following a lead" and that they "received information" on the specific room number of a suspect who hours earlier had shown the front-desk clerk a Mexican voter ID card. "We send a report every morning to ICE all the names of everybody that comes in," a front-desk clerk said. "Every morning at about 5 o'clock, we do the audit and we push a button and it sends it to ICE." In the midst of a summer dominated by wildfires and smoky skies, Helenans packed the Myrna Loy Center Tuesday evening to hear from one researcher about changes to forests and what experts expect in future fire seasons. Paul Hessburg, a research ecologist with the Forest Services Pacific Northwest Research Station, presented The Era of Megafire, a multimedia presentation and lecture inspired by wildfires near his hometown of Wenatchee, Washington. The talk, presented by Tri-County FireSafe Working Group, centered on the role of fire in natural ecosystems, modern human influences on wildfire, the effectiveness of mitigation and predicted impacts of climate change. Hessburg defined a megafire as one exceeding 100,000 acres and argued that forest and climactic conditions are ripe for more large fires. Wildfire is an expensive reality that people must change their thinking about and learn to live with, he said. As a father and now as a scientist, Im deeply concerned about what were leaving behind for our kids. I would suggest there is a lot at stake here, he said. Its time that we confront some tough truths about wildfire and come to understand that we can learn to better live with it. And we can change how many of them come to our forests, our homes and our cities. With the image of a dense conifer forest behind him, Hessburg brought up a second photo of the same landscape from the 1930s. That second photo showed a sparser tree density and multiple openings that he said correlated with historic small fires. The different forest types, the environments they occur in and fire severity, they all work together to create these patchworks Im talking about, he said, and there was so much power in this patchwork it actually provided a natural mechanism to prevent fires spread across the landscape. Over thousands of years, native plants and animals adapted to fire with many species, such as ponderosa pine, needing fire as part of its life cycle. The many small fires coupled with occasional large fires burned a large amount of acreage, but typically in the case of the smaller fires, burned at a lower intensity. As European settlers moved west, grazing, roads, train tracks and timber production began to change the landscape and interrupt many of the small, patchwork-creating fires, Hessburg said. The wildfires of 1910, called The Great Burn, saw 3 million acres charred and triggered a shift in thinking about fires. The U.S. Forest Service began a war on wildfire and has succeeded in putting out 95-98 percent of fires. Hessburg pointed to that success and logging of large trees as factors in the present density of forests, which he calls the epidemic of trees. So fires were unintentionally blocked by roads and railroads, cattle ate the grasses, then comes fire suppression and the harvest of these large trees, he said. Collectively these factors created what I like to call the current epidemic of trees, more trees than the landscape can support. Decisions by communities and homeowners of where and how to build responsibly for wildfires is becoming increasingly important, as evidenced by the loss of structures to fire. Construction in the wildland-urban interface, describing forested or other natural areas where wildfire can spread rapidly near communities, has been a major concern in the West. As you might imagine firefighter and citizen safety is always going to be job No. 1, but we continue to build homes where theyre most difficult to defend, Hessburg said, while emphasizing the importance of fire resistant landscaping and building materials and working with neighbors. Scientists predict a warming climate is and will continue to bring hotter and drier weather, and more fire over longer seasons. Well this more severe fire weather is having a huge effect on megafires, and its critical that we understand that these effects will not just continue, theyll continue to worsen, Hessburg said. The contribution of a hotter, drier and often windier climate, its real. And even the most conservative forecasts for the future, theyre dire. While emphasizing the predicted impacts of climate change, Hessburg did not venture into suggesting that climate action be part of the plan to curb the impacts of wildfire. His suggestions were focused at the forest and community levels: using prescribed fire, managed wildfire, and thinning and clearing projects. We have options and tools that we can apply, he said. Fire severity is often driven by the dead fuels and the density and the layering of the forest canopy. If we deal with these fuels in a manner that is consistent with the natural fire regime, we can actually influence the severity of many of these fires. Hessburg advocated for the increased use of prescribed fire and managed wildfire, but said societal barriers stand in the way. Concerns and regulation of smoke, apprehension about historical logging practices and fear of the inevitable small percentage of fires that will get away have made society largely gunshy, he said. The trouble is that no matter how well we fight fire each year, some of them are uncontrollable. They burn under hot, dry and often pretty windy conditions, Hessburg said. The simple fact is that fire suppression all by itself is an incomplete solution. What is needed is a cultural shift by us from being purely reactive to being primarily proactive. While answering questions from the crowd, Hessburg said that mitigation measures are not one-size-fits-all, noting there is solid evidence supporting thinning and burning, and prescribed burning if implemented correctly. When asked after the talk to clarify the comments, Hessburg said that logging alone, without additional slash or broadcast burning, is not supported by research as effective and can exacerbate wildfire if woody debris is left on the ground. Hessburg stayed away from questions about process and litigation, but encouraged discussion and contacting elected officials to make feelings about forest management known. The former chancellor's remarks were revealed in a feature by Esquire magazine, who said that he made the comments to "more than one person" at the Evening Standard newspaper, which he now edits. Since taking control of the London paper in May, Osborne has launched scathing attacks against the prime minister and her Brexit agenda. Following the June general election, Osborne described May as a "dead woman walking" and compared her to the "living dead in a second-rate horror film." The former MP for Tatton was axed as chancellor by May when she succeeded his close friend David Cameron as prime minister last year following the Brexit referendum. Osborne has since claimed that May told him he needed " get to know his party better" when she informed him of his sacking. The former work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith told the Times newspaper that Osborne's macabre comments about the prime minister were irresponsible while women in public life faced "vile abuse." Conservative MP Maria Miller, the head of the women and equalities select committee, said: "We need to debate with facts not vile personal abuse." Another Tory MP, Nadine Dorries, who has criticised Osborne in the past for being an "arrogant posh boy" said that it was "a brief insight into how his mind works and always has." Nick Timothy, who was May's former co-chief of staff before resigning after the election sarcastically tweeted: "Not sure why he worries people think hes an arsehole." Osborne also told Esquire that he felt the Evening Standard under his editorship could appeal to those in the center ground of British politics. He said: "Most newspapers are very partisan. I'm sticking it to the Corbynista left and the hard-Brexit right. I feel that millions of people are in that space, and feel unrepresented." The former chancellor under David Cameron added: "I'm paid to produce a paper that has attitude and gives voice to people whose voices are not being heard, and I don't really give a damn if some are offended by that." Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! "No deal was made last night on DACA," Trump tweeted Thursday morning. "Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote." Outside the White House later Thursday morning, Trump said the trio came "fairly close" to a deal that would require "massive border security." "The wall will come later," he said. DACA, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is the Obama-era program that protects some 800,000 people living in the US illegally from being deported and allows them to work legally. It applies specifically to people who were brought to the US as minors. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced last week that the program would be phased out within six months, giving Congress time to replace it with a law if possible. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement Wednesday night after a meeting with Trump that they had "agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides." After Trump's tweets Thursday morning, the pair reiterated that "both sides" agreed the wall would "not be any part of this agreement." "The President made clear he intends to pursue it at a later time, and we made clear we would continue to oppose it," they said. Pelosi and Schumer said they discussed new technology, drones, air support, sensor equipment, rebuilding roads along the border, and existing congressional legislation as potential boosts in border security. "The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built," Trump tweeted Thursday morning. The White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, tweeted Wednesday night, "While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to." In his Thursday-morning tweets, the president appeared to endorse a solution that would allow DACA recipients, often called "Dreamers," to stay in the US. "Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!" Trump tweeted. "They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age." Wednesday night's meeting followed a deal Trump reached last week with Schumer and Pelosi, in which he agreed to a hurricane-relief package and an extension of the debt ceiling and continuing resolution to keep the government funded through December 15. The House and the Senate approved the legislation and Trump put his signature on the package days later. US Army Special Operations Command said in a statement that eight personnel were injured in "a demolitions training incident involving students and cadre at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School" on a range at Fort Bragg. The explosion reportedly occurred during a homemade-explosive familiarization exercise, according to Sofrep. Initial reports suggested four soldiers had been killed in the incident, but Army officials said later on Thursday that only soldier, Staff Sgt. Alexander Dalida, had died. Dalida was a student in the Special Forces Engineer Course, the military occupational-specialty phase of the Special Forces Qualification Course, according to local ABC affiliate WTVD. Authorities said earlier on Thursday that the injured soldiers were transported to several hospitals, including the base's Womack Army Medical Center, after an explosion on one of the training fields at the base, according to WRAL. "There was an incident that occurred on one of the ranges," Special Operations Command spokesman "There are injuries but we don't know the extent," Bockholt told Fox News. The incident comes a day after an amphibious assault vehicle carrying 15 Marines burst into flames during a Combat Readiness Evaluation exercise at Camp Pendleton in California. All of the Marines were able to escape the vehicle and were taken to hospitals for treatment. Five were listed in critical condition and another five were listed as serious. He said some of the heads who own private hostels are deliberately turning away students with the excuse that the boarding facilities are full. Dr Letsa in an interview on Accra FM said "Some heads are sabotaging the Free SHS programme and we know what we are talking about but we are very careful that the government policy succeeds in our region." His comment comes at the back of parents who are being charged between GH700 and GH500 for hostel facilities in some regions. School authorities said the boarding house could only accommodate only few. The situation compelled parents, especially those who had come from far distances, to send their children to hostel facilities. "The point we are making is that if there are any genuine concerns about the policy that you think government should address, they should have drawn our attention to it long ago. Dr Letsa speaking on the development said the heads of the SHS in the Volta Region are working against the programme. "For example, in one of the schools, we realised that a top official of the school has a private hostel so by telling the students that the hostel was full and by charging money, he is turning the people away, then the people went into those private hostel. "So people have all kinds of strategies to take advantage of the system and we are treating every issues on its own merit, we are looking at them one by one, we are not going to generalise, the investigations are still on-going but we say this is a government policy and you are an employee of the state; we expect you to comply," he said. The Free SHS policy was launched in Accra on Tuesday, 12 September by the President with a call on Ghanaians to support the policy and to contribute ideas to make it sustainable. President Akufo-Addo described the SHS programme as the means to creating a society of opportunities and empowerment for every citizen. Nine others were interdicted, the Director General of the Ghana Education Service, Professor Kwasi Opoku Amankwaah announced at a press conference Thursday. READ ALSO: PRESEC tells parents to pay for desks or their children will stand They were sanctioned following investigations into allegations of extortion against 19 school heads. Some parents had earlier complained about what they described as extortion by heads of schools even though the free senior high school (SHS) education policy has begun. READ ALSO: Here are the fees being absorbed by government They argued that some head teachers were demanding registration fees and other items which even cost more than what government has absorbed under the programme. Earlier reports, which went viral on many Ghanaian media, had stated that 28-year-old Sebastian Roy Osumanu swept 5 awards whiles graduating with a PhD on September 1st, 2017. However, checks by Pulse.com.gh revealed that the said awards were never granted to Sebastian Osumanu. The University of Amsterdam told Pulse.com.gh that they had no records of the Ghanaian as a student to even talk of having won the said awards or even the PhD. The claims by the school were, however, debunked by Sebastian, who, in a phone conversation with Pulse.com.gh, maintained that he had INDEED attended the university and was awarded the said degree and awards. Sebastian told Pulse.com.gh that he had developed some personal issues with official from the UvA and this could have been what caused the University to deny any knowledge of him. In his explanation, the 28-year-old suggested that his achievements as a black in Netherlands might have upset the "white" people of the school who might now be plotting to bring him down due to racism. The Ghanaian also told Pulse.com.gh, during his time at UvA, some lecturers of the school had asked him to "introduce them to Black" women and when he duly refused, they took it up against him and could also be up in arms against him with the school. Sebastian also told Pulse that he was offered a position by the school as a lecturer after the successful completion of his studies, but when he refused, he saw that it had created a rift between him and the institution. This particular comment was also corroborated by the account of one Laureet Ozmadeen, who replied to a post by Pulse.com.gh on Facebook. In her comment, Ozmadeen said, "OK. You chose not to lecture and now UvA turn back on you...Sir Sebastian just do not believe this and move on". Armed with these statements and accusations against UvA, Pulse.com.gh reached out to the school once again to seek clarification on the claims. The Press Office of the school maintained their position that they had no records of Sebastian Osumanu ever having "being a student or worker" at the instution. Speaking to the claims of racism, the school stated that they were "preposterous" and untrue. "We would suggest that Sebastian Osumanu be offered mental healthcare", the school told Pulse in relation to the 3 accusations levelled against them by Sebastian Osumanu. On the other accusations of Sebastian being forced by some lecturers who asked him for African girls, the schools stated that "they would not dignify those claims with a response". The Press Office of UvA stated that, Sebastian Osumanu be made to provide his letter of acceptance into UvA amongst other things so as to bring some evidence to back his claims. READ ALSO: How one Ghanaian used photoshop to create fake PhD awards and fooled almost everyone The police foiled his plan with the help of traffic camera footage which showed that there was no robbery at all, let alone involving him. The tricky husband whose surname was only revealed as Cai, lives in Hangzhou in Zhejiang province of eastern China. He was denied freedom as he spent 10 productive days of his life in police cell and in addition was made to Pay a fine of 500 yuan (S$103) for his counterproductive trick. The Global Times reported on Monday (Sept 11) that, Cai had walked into a local police station on August 31, claiming to have been robbed while riding his electric bicycle home from work. However, his claim raised eyebrows, as Cai appeared calm when questioned by the police, and hardly appeared to be really affected by the alleged robbery. As the suspicion heightened, the police thought it prudent to review of traffic camera footage from the area which showed the man riding on his electric bicycle, with no robber in sight. Cai revealed subsequently that, having run out of excuses, he had wanted to file a false robbery report to avoid handing over the money to his demanding wife. Akinpelu, who resides at No. 29, Mayowa St., Orelope in Egbeda, a Lagos suburb, is facing a two-count charge of defilement and indecent assault. The offence, according to the Prosecutor, Insp. Clifford Ogu, was committed on September 4 at the apartment of the accused. He lured the girl into his room, carried her on his laps and started fingering her. The grandmother, while bathing the girl, discovered that she cries as she washes her private part. The girl narrated everything that the uncle did to her to her grandmother, he told the court. The prosecutor said the accused was arrested and handed over to the police. The offences contravened Sections 1375 and 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 137 prescribes life imprisonment for offenders. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was charged with conspiracy to commit crime and causing harm, to which he pleaded guilty with explanation. The case was then adjourned to October 3, 2017. Police Detective Chief Inspector Clement Amoah, in prosecuting narrated to the court, presided over by Mr. Emmanuel Bart-Plange Brew that the complainant, John Nyarko a 27year -old is mason who resides at Kawerekwano, a suburb of Tarkwa. According to him, on August 19, at about 10:30 pm, the accused and five other accomplices who are now on the run, forced the complainant into Zakaria's Hyundai Elantra saloon car and drove to the Golden Age School Complex area at Kawerekwano. The prosecution said when they arrived, the accused picked a metal hammer from the boot of his car and hit Nyarko's right eye. Chief Inspector Clement Amoah said after the incident, Zakaria drove his car away and later called one Kwofie on phone and asked him to take the complainant to the hospital and later paid the medical bill. He said on August 23 this year, the complainant made an official report to the police and he was referred to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital to seek further medical attention. The accused was subsequently arrested and he admitted the wrongdoing. Olayiwola is facing a four-count charge bothering on unlawful possession of weapons and attempted stealing. The Magistrate, Mrs Fatima Sodamade, ordered that the defendant should be kept in prison due to the magnitude of the offences committed and adjourned the case until September for mention. Earlier, the Prosecutor, Sgt. Duro Adekunle, told the court that the accused committed the offences on August 16 at about 11:30p.m., at Ilobu area of Osogbo. We recovered UTC knife, charms, and bullet from the accused at odd hours. The accused was in possession of the dangerous weapons with intention to use the items to steal, he said. According to him, the offences contravened Sections 27(1) (b) (11), 213, 430(1), and Section 4, and punishable under Section 509 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol.11 Laws of Osun, 2003. Manasi, a sixth-grader from the village of Pachkhura, allegedly started producing the bizarre white substance which looks like cotton from her eyeson August 25. According to reports, villagers have been avoiding the girl and her family ever since they heard about strange condition, probably to avoid a possible divine wrath. Reports are also rife that her superstitious parents have not yet to consulted an ophthalmologist to examine the situation. Manasis father, Gendlal Kevat, reportedly said his daughter has been shedding between 35 and 40 cotton tears on daily basis for the past two weeks. However, local doctor came to see her after hearing about it from the other villagers, and recommended that she be consulted by a professional eye doctor. An Indian local Newspaper, Nayi Duniya reported that Dr. Navneet Saxena, Dean and ophthalmologist of Medical College in Jabalpur said that, it could be just an allergic reaction that sometimes manifests itself as white discharge and thread coming out of the eye. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement when he made an appearance before the court presided over by Mrs. Jane Harriet Akweley Quaye. He is however expected to re-appear on September 28 for further proceedings. Detective, Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire in prosecuting told the court that, the complainant is a contractor residing at Madina with his family including the victim. He said Isaac Tetteh also lives in the same vicinity with the complainant. The accused and his siblings came to play with the victim and her siblings due to the good relationship between the two families. The prosecution said on September 4, this year, at about 08:30 hours, the accused came to the complainants house and pretended to be playing with the victim and her other siblings as usual. According him, Isaac Tetteh took the victim to his house where he inserted his finger into her vagina. Tetteh subsequently sent the victim to her parents, but unfortunately for him, the victim started crying and pointing to her vagina. Inspector Atimbire added that the complainant became curious and decided to examine the victim. She then saw semen in the victims vagina. The complainant confronted Tetteh and reported the incident to the Police, and a medical form was issued to the complainant so the victim could be medically examined. The court presided over by Mrs. Jane Harriet Quaye has remanded the accused into Police custody to re-appear on September 28 for further hearing. Prosecuting, Detective Chief Inspector Kofi Atimbire told the court that, the complainant was a hair stylist and mother of the victim who lives at Parakuo Estate at Dome. He said Twum has been visiting the complainant and her family regularly and often times take his meals there. Chief Inspector Atimbire said on September 2, this year at about 20:00 hours, during one of his usual visits to the complainant, the accused was sent on an errand to a commodity shop within the vicinity and he took the victim along. Prosecution said Twum kept long in returning, compelling the complainant to follow up, but met the accused and the victim as soon as she stepped out of her room. According to Chief Inspector Atimbire, immediately Kweku Twum left the complainants residence, she detected some abnormality in the way the victim walked, so she examined the victim. He said during the examination, the complainant found out that the victims pant was wet and some creamy like liquid suspected to be semen was also found in her pant. He further revealed that, upon persistent questioning, the victim disclosed that the accused person took her to a kiosk and had sex with her through her anus. The complainant then proceeded to the Achimota Police Station and lodged a complaint and a medical form was issued to her to send the victim to the hospital for examination. The Zika virus is considered riskiest for pregnant women, since it can infect developing fetuses and kill cells in their brains, causing a birth defect called microcephalya condition where the babys head is much smaller than expected. But it turns out, the power of the Zika virus may be directed at a type of brain tumor called glioblastoma, a cancer which often causes death within a year of diagnosis. When scientists tested two strains of the Zika virus on glioblastoma stem cellswhich produce new cancer cells and are generally resistant to standard cancer treatmentsthey discovered that Zika killed those particular types of cells while leaving other tumor cells intact. That leads scientists to believe that the Zika virus can function as a complementary treatment for glioblastoma. Standard chemotherapy and radiation generally wipes out the bulk of cancer cells, but the glioblastoma stem cells usually remain unscathedeventually allowing the tumor to redevelop. Since the Zika virus kills the glioblastoma stem cells, it may be able to be used in conjunction with standard treatment to give the cancer a one-two punch. We see Zika one day being used in combination with current therapies to eradicate the whole tumor, study author Milan G. Chheda, M.D., said in a statement. When the researchers tested the treatment on living mice with brain tumors, they discovered that those injected with the Zika virus showed tumor shrinkage after two weeks, and lived longer than those given a placebo shot, too. Injecting a virus known to cause brain defects into the brain sounds crazy, but researchers believe it will be safer in adults since their brain lacks the primarily types of cells Zika likes to target. The twelve labour unions are protesting the manner in which government is handling their tier-2 pension contributions. The unions include the Ghana Medical Association, the Civil and Local Government Staff Association, CLOGSAG and the Ghana National Association of Teachers, GNAT. The unions are demanding that their tier-two pension contributions spanning 2010 to 2016, be transferred to their custodian banks rather than being kept in a temporary pensions account where it accrues no interests. In July 2017, the Public Relations Officer of CLOGSAG, one of the striking unions, Edmund Acquaye, said the unions will advise themselves if the government does not heed to their demand. We are asking the government to pay the monies that have been accrued by the Bank of Ghana that is in the temporary pensions account. What we are saying is that, since 2010 to 2016, contributors money have been kept at the Bank of Ghana which is yielding no interest. READ ALSO: Staff of Kenya Airways heckle female passenger for questioning them This is not the first time the labour unions are striking over the same matter. According to him, the economic potential of marijuana for the country was huge. There has been increasing discussion in public circles on the tenets of legalization of marijuana in Ghana. Unfortunately, most of the discussions in the public have all been based on moral justification and exaggeration of the effects of the marijuana plant with scientific evidence thrown out of the window. His [Prof. Dodoo] call is believed to be borne out when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament to answer some infractions in the Audito-General's report. READ ALSO: 4 youths sentenced to 3 months imprisonment for smoking marijuana According to him, in advanced countries like the United Kingdom, United States of America (USA) marijuana use is legal. He said "In UK, for instance, one can purchase nicely and neatly packaged marijuana from stores for both medical and social use." "Even though Ghana does not need the medical use of the drug, it will gain immensely from its exportation if it is legalised," he added. He said "A full dose of medical marijuana, if you buy it in the pharmacy, bottled and packaged, will cost close to 600 which is a lot of money. So my considered opinion was that the discussion and the debate about if there is a market out there for a product that we have I dont think we have a medical need for the use of medical marijuana in Ghana. The conditions for which it is needed do not prevail here. The incident occurred around 4:00 pm. The victim, identified as Solomon Quarshie, was rushed to the hospitals accident centre for treatment. READ ALSO: Staff hit by stray bullet Workers at the hospital have since expressed fear over the incident. But authorities have intervened and have started installing closed-circuit television cameras all over the hospital. The installation works can be found at the administration block and the corridor through to the Public Relations Department, Accra-based 3FM reports. GREAT FALLS Officials have released the name of a 25-year-old man who was shot in Great Falls after reportedly brandishing a weapon at a Great Falls police officer. Fergus County Coroner Dick Brown said Wednesday that Thomas Jordan Addison of Great Falls died late Monday. Officers had responded to a report of a burglary when they encountered Addison. Police Chief Dave Bowen said Addison ran away, but then brandished a weapon, leading an officer to shoot him. Bowen said Wednesday the officers directly involved have been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure. Addison's body was taken to Billings for an autopsy. Brown will oversee the inquest into Addison's death when it is scheduled. State Department of Corrections records indicate Addison had convictions for a 2011 burglary in Cascade County and a 2013 escape. He further described the farmers who were demanding compensation for crops destroyed by the army worm as people who cannot be trusted and seem to have intentions to defraud the government. However, the former deputy minister rendered an apology for his comments after many criticized him over the development. But many argued that the apology was not enough and must be rejected. He subsequently resigned to bring peace. Speaking on the subject matter on Accra-based Starr FM on Wednesday, Quaitoo said: I regret saying that comment. The word some was missing [during the interview]. The MP for Akyem Oda said he was quoted out of context. I was quoted out of context and out of proportion. I wasnt forced to resign. There was pressure on the president by my brothers from the North. I did not resign because of pressure from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) I resigned because of my own party people. They were hurt; they were offended," he said. Chairman Wontumi as he is popularly referred to was speaking to the media after the launch of the free Senior High School (SHS) programme by the president. READ ALSO: Nana Addo appoints Sammy Awuku as YEA Board Chair He said Akufo-Addos resolve to make Ghana an economically stable country will get him a place in heaven. The day I will hear Akufo-Addo has sent the one million dollars to all constituencies, God should let him go to heaven even if he is a sinner. It will be such an outstanding honour. Despite the praise from members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said the programme may not stand the test of time. A Deputy General Secretary of the party, Koku Anyidohu has predicted the collapse of the programme due to the high capital needed. The NPP on Thursday appointed Hajia Saadatu Hamdatu as the New National Womens Organiser of the party. This follows the resignation of all party officers who were given appointments in government. It will be recalled that in May this year, the National Council of the party directed all party officials serving in government to resign as soon as possible. The Council said that combining party work and government work is not the best. On Thursday, the Acting General Secretary John Boadu announced that Hajia Hamdatu will now act as National Womens Organiser. He also announced the constitution of an 11-member ad hoc committee to oversee proposals for constitutional reforms in the party. READ ALSO: Children of school going age to be taken off the street from September The committee has been given two months within which to complete its work. But the convoy, with as many as 200 jihadists and 200 civilians on board, arrived in Deir Ezzor eastern Syria "after the coalition decision to stop their surveillance on the convoy", said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor. A source on the ground told AFP "the operation is done, Daesh (IS) convoy reached Deir Ezzor province". The US-led coalition on Friday pulled aircraft from the skies above the convoy so regime and Russian forces could go past, officials said. "To ensure safe deconfliction of efforts to defeat ISIS, coalition surveillance aircraft departed the adjacent airspace at the request of Russian officials during their assault on Deir Ezzor," the coalition said in a statement. The vehicles left the Lebanon-Syria border region on August 28 under an evacuation deal negotiated between IS and the powerful Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, which has intervened in the war in neighbouring Syria to prop up the Damascus government. But the US-led coalition pounded the road to Deir Ezzor with air strikes to prevent the convoy reaching the IS-held town of Albukamal on the Iraqi border. "We are very close to resolving many of the points on the agenda," he told reporters in the capital of the Caribbean state. The opposition delegation was expected to meet Dominican President Danilo Medina, who is trying to broker a breakthrough in the crisis along with ex-Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. The talks were announced late Tuesday by Maduro who told a cabinet meeting that he had accepted Medina and Zapatero's offer and would send Rodriguez with a delegation to the Dominican Republic. Rodriguez was accompanied his sister Delcy Rodriguez, who chairs the all-powerful Constituent Assembly, and the veteran Venezuelan diplomat Roy Chaderton. Rodriguez did not say if he expected to have a face-to-face meeting with the opposition delegation. One of the opposition delegates, Julio Borges, warned Wednesday that a formal dialogue would only be possible if Maduro accepted the opposition's conditions and if there was international involvement. The conditions include setting a timetable for elections and freeing political prisoners. Borges is speaker of the opposition-dominated parliament, which was superseded in July by the Constituent Assembly packed with Maduro allies. An opposition MP said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was seeking to broaden the international mediation in the talks. "Antonio Guterres is trying to form a group of countries that will mediate and guarantee a dialogue and compliance with the results," Henry Ramos Allup told reporters in Caracas. He said the proposal was that each side choose two countries to participate in the talks. Ramos Allup said, however, that the idea of extending the mediation process had not gone beyond a proposal at this point. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles, who has accused Zapatero of siding with the government, called for the Vatican and the UN to be involved in the talks process. The opposition walked out of the last negotiations, brokered by the Vatican last year, accusing the government of not fulfilling pledges made during the talks. Conditional dialogue A repeat of that failure in Santo Domingo would likely worsen the already catastrophic situation in Venezuela where Maduro had to weather a wave of opposition protests that left 125 people dead between April and July. The invitation by Medina and Zapatero "to move towards a process of negotiation and political accord" was welcomed by the governments of France and Spain, among several countries which have been heavily critical of Maduro. However, Spain's Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis warned that action by the Maduro government was needed, following talks with his Venezuelan counterpart Jorge Arreaza in Madrid. "It is not enough that the Venezuelan government expresses its desire to maintain a dialogue with the opposition," said Dastis. International powers accuse Maduro of dismantling democracy by taking over state institutions in a bid to counter opposition pressure for him to quit, amid an economic crisis that has caused shortages of food and medicine. Reports from Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal on Monday first indicated that China planned to ban trading of bitcoin and other virtual currencies on its exchanges. Bobby Lee, CEO of the bitcoin exchange BTCChina, tweeted Thursday that the firm would stop all trading on September 30 following China's ban on initial coin offerings, the cryptocurrency-based fundraising method. According to Bloomberg, China Business News reported that the city of Shanghai had ordered the closure of bitcoin trading platforms. The website Crypto Coins News further cited a local newsletter that said banning bitcoin exchanges was "certain." Bitcoin has come under pressure in recent weeks following negative headlines out of the UK and China. On Tuesday, the Financial Conduct Authority, a UK watchdog, warned investors about the risk associated with ICOs. Also, rumors that China may ban cryptocurrency trading altogether have escalated; a Caixin report out Friday suggested that China would shut down its domestic exchanges. Earlier this week, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said it was a "fraud" that would eventually blow up. After Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's floor speech, Schumer was caught on a hot mic discussing Trump with some of his aides. "He likes us," Schumer said. "He likes me, anyway." Schumer added that he told Trump it is sometimes wise to veer away from the confines of the GOP platform. "Here's what I told him: 'Mr. President, you are much better off sometimes stepping right and sometimes step left," he added. "You have to step just in one direction, you're boxed." CSPAN hot-mic catches Schumer saying Trump 'likes me' According to ABC News' sources, Mnuchin's request for government transport could have cost around $25,000 per hour. The request was later scrapped after consideration by Treasury Department officials. A spokesman for the department said the request stemmed from concerns about Mnuchin maintaining a secure line of communication with the US governement while he was away. "The Secretary is a member of the National Security Council and has responsibility for the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence," the spokesman said in a statement to ABC. "It is imperative that he have access to secure communications, and it is our practice to consider a wide range of options to ensure he has these capabilities during his travel, including the possible use of military aircraft." Sources also said that Mnuchin's request initiated an "inquiry" by the department's Inspector General. "You don't need a giant rulebook of government requirements to just say yourself, 'This is common sense, it's wrong," Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, told ABC News. "That's just slap-your-forehead stuff." Speaking to reporters in Florida, where he was visiting with hurricane victims, Trump described his meeting on Wednesday with Sen. Tim Scott, the only black Republican senator, in which they discussed Scott's criticism of Trump's comments equating neo-Nazis and counterprotesters in Charlottesville. But although the president reportedly listened intently to Scott's concerns and said he understood the criticism of his statement, on Thursday Trump defended his previous comments. "You have some pretty bad dudes on the other side also, and essentially that's what I said," Trump said, referencing the "advent of antifa," a loosely-organized group whose popularity has waxed and waned over the past several decades. "When you look at really what's happened since Charlottesville, a lot of people are saying and people have actually written 'Gee, Trump may have a point," Trump said. Following their meeting on Wednesday in which the two discussed how to move forward following Charlottesville, the South Carolina senator said Trump tried to explain his comments, but also tried to focus on the future. "The Charlottesville comments were the foundation for the conversation," Scott said. "But the discussion was about making progress in this nation." Scott's office released another statement on Thursday after Trump's comments in Florida. "In yesterday's meeting, Senator Scott was very, very clear about the brutal history surrounding the white supremacist movement and their horrific treatment of black and other minority groups," the statement said. "Rome wasn't built in a day, and to expect the President's rhetoric to change based on one 30-minute conversation is unrealistic." Scott previously publicly admonished the president over his remarks. In an interview on CBS' "Face The Nation" in August, the South Carolina senator explained his argument that Trump's response to Charlottesville "complicates his moral authority" to lead. At first glance, the two companies have little in common: one is a hip coffee chain with roughly 50 locations, and the other is a $259 billion mega-company that owns brands including Nescafe, Nespresso, and Coffee-mate. According to Blue Bottle's CEO, the acquisition which reportedly cost wasn't a deal the trendy coffee company was seeking out. "We weren't looking for it, but I sort of blame [Nestle CEO] Mark Schneider," Blue Bottle CEO Bryan Meehan told Business Insider. After he took on the role of CEO in January, two of Schneider's goals were tobuild Nestle's North American and coffee businesses. In February, he reached out to Meehan and the pair soon met in Bushwick, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York where Blue Bottle has a cafe and roastery. While it was a somewhat unlikely match, both companies had attributes the other needed. In addition to building its coffee portfolio, Nestle was seeking a reputation boost. "Nestle is trying to become a company more focused on healthier food products," Matthew Barry, beverage analyst at market research firm Euromonitor, said in an email on Thursday. "The fact that they would spend so much money buying Blue Bottle at a time they are thought to be trying to shed some of their unhealthier brands, such as their confectionary products, shows that they think coffee is an important part of that shift." The lady with the twitter handle, @sino_rachel on Wednesday, September 13 joyously praised her father for holding his academic dream for her to have higher education. She tweets, "proud of my dad who obtained his first degree at age 54. Sometimes our parents put their dreams on hold for us. I love you dad" The twiter user also reveals that her father pursues his academic dream while working as a policeman in South Africa. Her tweets garnered more than 7000 retweets, 20,000 like and over 300 hundred comments as twitter community celebrate and congratulate the girl and her father on his academic achievement. Interestingly, when @sino_rachel informed her father on watsapp about the numbers of retweets, likes and comments all of whom are congratulating him, he teased his daughter to let them open a political organization. The information was contained in a statement issued by the registrar of the university, Jacob Agboola, which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Osogbo on Thursday, September 13, by Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr. Lekan Fadeyi. ALSO READ: SUG president appeals to FG to take over university The statement read, The Governing Council of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, has approved resumption of activities on the institutions campuses with effect from Friday, September 15, 2017. Students of the university are expected to return to school on Monday, September 25, 2017, while full academic activities, the details of which the senate will announce, shall commence immediately after the Independence anniversary holiday. Council thanked the governors of Oyo and Osun states, Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi and Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola respectively, for agreeing to support the university with necessary funds to enable the university to return to its normal work schedule and reinvigorate its latent capacities for accelerated and sustainable growth and development. Council also appreciated all stakeholders for their understanding and support. Council further appealed to students, staff, parents as well as the general public to demonstrate greater faith and dedication to the well-being of the institution, as better days lie ahead of it. Concerted efforts should, therefore, be geared towards ensuring that nothing is allowed to disrupt the normal work of the university again. ALSO READ: Students block UTME candidates from entering exam centres Although Daba gets the drug free-of-charge from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, courtesy of a foreign foundation, it is still very expensive to purchase off the counter. To get the drug at OAU, you have to go through a process of evaluation. Then you are recommended to the foundation that supplies the drug," he said to Punch. "But, if you are going to buy it off the counter, a pack of it will cost you about N1.7m. And this will last for three months, Daba found out about his ailment toward the end of 2015, after he thought he had malaria and went to a hospital in Abuja for a test. After series of tests, he was advised by the doctor to seek help from a University Teaching Hospital. Then I went to the Dermatology Unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and it was confirmed that I had leukaemia." "Fortunately, the disease was not overblown yet. It was still at the early and manageable stage. I was placed on drugs, he said. In 2016, Daba had a relapse and was rushed to the LASUTH Emergency Unit. During his stay, he was recognized by the chief medical director of the hospital, who slashed his bill. It was nice that he visited the ward at that point because my bill was almost over N1m. The good doctor went on to slash the entire bill by 50 per cent. I will never forget that, he said. A news anchor, reporter, actor and editor, Sadiq's role as Bitrus in the 1970s drama Cockcrow at Dawn brought his acting career into the limelight. In 2016, Sadiq Daba received the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the growth of the Nigerian film industry. The accused Adeoti, 34, and Emmanuel, 27 are being tried for conspiracy and theft. Police Prosecutor Joshua Oladoye told the court that the accused committed the offences on June 18 at 9.30 p.m. at Oke Oniti area of Osogbo. Oladoye said the accused conspired and stole a bus with registration no. FST 504 XG, property of Trans-Shipment Company in Lagos. He said the offences contravened Sections 383, 390 (9) and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2003. The duo pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge. The Defence Counsel, Mr Henry Odunayo, urged the court to grant the accused bail on liberal terms. The Magistrate, Mrs Sodamade Fatima, in her ruling, granted the accused bail in the sum of N1 million and one surety in the like sum. Fatima said the surety must be resident within the courts jurisdiction with an evidence of tax payment to the goverment. They were docked on a two-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy and armed robbery. They were accused of robbing one Folashade Kishira of her milk colour Toyota Camry car with registration number KSB 171 JB. The Magistrate, Mr Mohammed Adeniyi, who ordered the remand of the accused at Mondala Prison, adjourned the case until Sept. 20, for further mention. The Prosecutor, Insp. Al-hassan Jubri, told the court that the defendants armed themselves with gun and robbed the victim of his car and techno handset on June 26, at GRA Ilorin. The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them. Alabi, 18, was arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing. According to the Police Prosecutor, Sgt. James Oriola, the accused sold 271 asbestos sheets valued at N374,750, belonging to the complainant, Mr Gbenga George of Oju-oja area of Apete, Ibadan. Oriola said Alabi allegedly refused to remit the money to the account of the employer and converted the money to personal use. He also alleged that the accused in her desperate bid to cover up her tracts, altered the books. Oriola said the offences which were committed on September 10 at 1. 00p.m. at Oju-oja area of Apete, contravened Sections 390 and 469 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State 2000. The accused pleaded not guilty. The Chief Magistrate, Mr M. Salami, granted the accused bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties, who must possess national identity cards. CHEYENNE, Wyo. Two tribes plan to demonstrate in favor of renaming a valley and a mountain in Yellowstone National Park, places they say are associated with one man who advocated slaughter of Native Americans and another who carried it out. Leaders of the Blackfoot Confederacy and Great Sioux Nation will gather Saturday at Yellowstone's North Entrance near Gardiner tribal officials said Tuesday. The tribes seek to change the name of Hayden Valley, a subalpine valley just north of Yellowstone Lake, to Buffalo Nations Valley. They want to change the name of Mount Doane, a 10,550-foot peak five miles east of the lake, to First People's Mountain. Efforts to change place names and remove monuments to controversial figures in U.S. history have gained momentum since white supremacists opposed to taking down a statute of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee clashed in August with counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia. But several Native American renaming efforts some simply to erase racist terminology from maps have been going on for years. Elsewhere in Wyoming, tribes seek to change Devils Tower, the name of an 870-foot volcanic mesa in the first U.S. national monument, to Bear Lodge. Devils Tower is the name white settlers gave the feature. Bear Lodge is what the Lakota, Crow, Cheyenne and other tribes call the formation important if not sacred to their cultures. In Yellowstone, Hayden Valley is named for Ferdinand Hayden, a geologist whose explorations inspired the park's establishment in 1872 but who also called for exterminating American Indians who wouldn't acquiesce to becoming farmers and ranchers. Mount Doane is named after U.S. Army Lt. Gustavus Doane, who took part in killing 173 noncombatant Indians women, children and elderly men in Montana in 1870. "America's first national park should no longer have features named after the proponents and exponents of genocide," the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council, which represents every tribe in Montana and Wyoming, stated in a 2014 resolution. The tribes asked Yellowstone last year to rename Hayden Valley and Mount Doane. Park officials responded by explaining the renaming process overseen by the U.S. Geological Survey's Board on Geographic Names, park Superintendent Dan Wenk said. "The National Park Service understands that this is an important and sensitive issue," Wenk said in a statement Tuesday. "We look forward to continuing this conversation." The Park Service has a responsibility to take up the matter with the board on the tribes' behalf, said Crow Creek Sioux Tribe Chairman Brandon Sazue. "We are not individuals, we are sovereign nations, many with treaty rights to this region, and those treaties are enshrined in Article VI of the U.S. Constitution," Sazue said by email. The Board on Geographic Names has received several emails on the issue but no official proposal to change the names of Hayden Valley or Doane Mountain, Geological Survey officials said. Chances are that you think of him as an angry homosexual who rants on social media. Bisi Alimi, 41, who is one of Nigeria's most foremost LGBT rights activist doesn't want you to see him that way. Now back in Nigeria for a special event, he wants to show people the real him. On Saturday, September 16, 2017, the German Consulate will play host to Bisi Alimi. The event is "Bisi Alimi in Conversation with Gbenga Aborowa". "The whole idea is to get to know the different side of me than what is portrayed of me in the media which is this raving angry homosexual which I am not," Bisi Alimi tells Pulse during an exclusive interview. It's easy to think that Bisi Alimi is a raving angry homosexual. Gossip sites and Instagram handles have made sure he has been portrayed as just that. "That's the work of the media, you put people in a box, you paint them that way and you keep them that way because it gets the crowd to see that person that way" explains Bisi Alimi. This event is meant to portray Alimi in more realistic terms. "The whole idea is to let people know that I am not that kind of person" he further explains. To be fair, Bisi Alimi has had his fair share of controversies, but as he would like to say he is an angelic troublemaker. "I always say he is an angelic trouble maker. I am a two edged sword" he admits. Additionally, he says "I just feel that if you are trying to effect a change in something that a lot of people don't believe in, you will simply come across as being angry, very out of touch." Yet during his interview with Pulse, Bisi Alimi shows that he is nothing more than a man who is passionate about his interests which are LGBT rights and Nigeria. "I'm a very cool down to earth person. I am not very brutal but I could be if there is a need for me to be" he confesses. What can we say? That passion burns hotly sometimes. At the very core of Bisi Alimi is the passion to move the conversation about homosexuality forward. One of the ways he does this is by regularly posting photos of him and his partner, Anthony Davies. Bisi Alimi got married to Davies in 2016 but they met three years ago. "I will do it again and I will do it with the same man again" gushes Alimi. By posting and sharing photos of him and his partner he hopes to normalize gay culture in Nigeria. "I know the average gets a little bit paranoid when the concept of my husband, my husband and my husband comes up" he says, the reason why I try to do that often is to bring the conversation forward but to also normalize what it is like, to put into the consciousness of people that you love who you love." This strategy has gotten his fair share of haters online. On his wedding day, Bisi Alimi did not allow for cameras because he didn't want the pictures online. It would have undoubtedly attracted negative and mean comments. He did later share the photos. Bisi Alimi understands that some of the backlash is from the fact that he out there and doesn't hide his sexual orientation. "It comes with the love and I spent a lot of time appreciating many Nigerians that will come on to my Instagram page," he says. Bisi Alimi doesn't have time for the haters in his comment section, "they have never met me, they don't know who I am but will stand there and fight. It's just the love I appreciate more. I don't have time for haters." ALSO READ: Bisi Alimi criticizes Nigerians over Richard Quest He has had to develop a thick skin as a gay Nigerian. Bisi Alimi holds the record for being the first openly gay man to come out on Nigerian TV. His act of boldness came with a price. On October 6, 2004, the host of "New Dawn" Funmi Iyanda. New Dawn was a popular talk show in Nigeria at the time. On the show, Bisi Alimi came out as a gay man on national television. It was sensational. Homosexuality was a taboo topic on TV much less a government owned TV station NTA Channel 10. For Bisi Alimi he would have to live with the consequences of his action for the next three years. "It was very, very difficult. And I think that's one time in my life I did something that I wasn't sure what the consequences were going to be" admits Bisi Alimi. After the taping of the show, Funmi Iyanda personally drove him to the front of his house at Jakande Estate for the fear of being attacked. The backlash was quick for the young Bisi Alimi. "The show was aired on Thursday and I was in my room and I was watching the show. I came out and there was this group of people who were saying 'oh we don't want homosexuals here! Get out of our estate'" he remembers. "And for three years I faced one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. I was beaten, called names and stoned. Coming out of my house was really hard. Nigerians hadn't caught up with social media at that time. So I could still get around a little bit but it was hard. It was very, very difficult for me but it has pushed me to where I am today" boasts Bisi Alimi. Coming out as gay also cost Bisi Alimi a career in Nollywood. At the time he went on Funmi Iyanda's show he was an actor on a TV series shown by Galaxy TV. After he made history on New Dawn he was cut from the TV series. Now Bisi Alimi believes Nollywood has a role to play in educating the average Nigerian on homosexuality and LGBT culture. For now, he doesn't like what he sees on TV and movie screens. He considers them a caricature of real gay culture. ALSO READ: Bisi Alimi pictured with Miss Sahhara in the UK "We all don't catwalk, we don't call ourselves wives. It's this kind of caricature that is very problematic because the power of film and television is huge. "And people see things, it stays in their memory. They go out and expect that thing to be the way they have seen it, the way it has been sold to them" states Bisi Alimi on Nollywood's portrayal of gay people. "There was this recent film ("") with and . The movie talked about lesbianism as a demon that infects people" points out Bisi Alimi. He goes further to pick out the silliness of the plot "I mean if that's the point and we were that powerful to be infecting people, we would have infected everybody in Nigeria with the level of hate we get. But that's not how things work." Apart from Nollywood writers doing research on homosexuality, Bisi Alimi believes that it is time for the LGBT community to come out and tell their own stories. "Film has a huge part and I also hope that the community starts tapping into how we also tell our stories because it is not just going to happen," he says. "We have to take the lead as well and say how do we release our own movies that actually talk about our own story", but I hope it gets through the film censors board" he adds. To be fair, Nollywood has started to deal with homosexuality as a theme. The short film "Hell or High Water" starring Daniel K Daniel and Enyinna Nwigwe was released in 2017. It boldly tackles homosexuality devoid of stereotypes. When our conversation steers to Nigerians and homophobia, Bisi Alimi gives his most surprising answer of the interview. "I don't think the average Nigerian is not homophobic," he says with a straight face. How do we reconcile his answer with the fact that in August, 42 men (including minors) were arrested at an exclusive party in Lagos on the suspicion of being gay? "I think average Nigerians lack the understanding," says Bisi Alimi. He clarifies on why he thinks are not homophobic. "If I talk about homophobia in the context of the UK, I am talking about where there is a lot of knowledge of, there are lots of teachings. "If you turn the TV there are a lot of gay and lesbian couples, you walk down the street there are two men or two women holding hands and kissing. "We have the gay pride event, we have a lot of events and LGBT people still get beaten up even in London, they still get killed." "So homophobic? I will give Nigerians a pass on that" he boldly says. Bisi Alimi also educates people within his own community. Cross dressing has been on the rise within the last few years in Nigeria. Bobrisky has become a sensation because of this. Alimi is no moral police and he encourages people to live their truth but because we live in such a conservative country, he has had to reach out to a few of them to tone it down just a bit. "Things evolve and I think what these young men are trying to do is challenging stereotypes. Whether they are doing it deliberately, doing it to survive, or they are just doing it because you know what 'F the system, we really don't care, we just want to be who we are'" he explains. "I see these young boys who are pushing boundaries. It could be an act for them to get following on Instagram because if you know that you do that Instablog 9ja will carry you, Linda Ikeji will carry you and when they do this a lot of people will come to your page and like your page. "And I have seen a lot of them sometimes who pose in a very erotic way online. I silently send them messages and say 'no you don't have to do this'. It's not because I am your moral police, I'm not. It's because of the country that you live in. If you are out of the country and you do this it's fine". "I think it's not about cross dressing but about the culture for likes and for follows. They hunger to be huge online. It is pushing a lot of people to challenge stereotypes, to want to be different, and for some it is good. Some make a lot of money from it. For some, it is really, really bad." Does Bisi Alimi think the Same Sex Act of 2013 one day will be repealed in Nigeria? Before answering he gives an answer that might be surprising to a Nigerian who is uneducated about homosexuality. "The most important thing is that gay people are not really looking for marriage in Nigeria. I think the average gay person wants to live in a country where it is ok for them to be who they are, to be able to get a job and be able to come to the office as who they are" he says. "I think these are the little things the LGBT community are asking for. They are not predominantly asking that they want to go to church and get married" he adds. Fair enough. As for the ban on sex same marriages, "I don't see that in the next 60 years. We have a long way to go but I think..." Bisi Alimi is also ambitious that things will get better not only for the LGBT community but the country as well. "I am a prisoner of hope in the sense that I believe that we do move as human beings and we do change. I strongly believe that Nigeria is going to change. "We are human beings. We are not animals. I don't believe we are going to be static and not shift. I think we are going to shift for good" he believes. ALSO READ: Caitlyn Jenner steps out with Bisi Alimi Bisi Alimi believes in living his truth. This is his ethos, this is what keeps him going. He is back in his home country that doesn't understand his sexuality, where movie makers lampoon his culture and where same sex is banned. "Maybe I would have gone underground like so many people that I know" he says slyly, "maybe I would have married a woman like so many people that I know, have kids like so many people that I know and have my car that I pick up boys in the cover of the dark and have sex with them in the car. "Then go back to my wife and cuddle up with her and make her feel she is the most special thing in the world or I choose to live my authentic self even if it comes with a price and I chose that,"he says. Lesotho is the first African country to grant a legal marijuana license. The country's Ministry of Health granted South African company Verve Dynamics an official license. The license will allow Verve Dynamics grow marijuana for both medical and research purposes. This move makes sense for Lesotho which has a population of just 2 million people. It is landlocked and surrounded by its more famous neighbour South Africa. Cannabis is the main cash crop of Lesotho. It's climate and vegetation create the perfect conditions for the growth of cannabis. As a matter of fact, most of the marijuana in South Africa is gotten from Lesotho. This move by Lesotho signals the growth of marijuana in Africa. A decade ago, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released a report on "Cannabis In Africa". ALSO READ: Can weed be legalised in Nigeria? In the report, 38 million Africans within the ages of 18-64 use marijuana. This number would have surely increased by 2017. Marijuana culture is big in Nigeria with youths indulging in the herb. It is now very much of youth culture unlike what prevailed in the 70s, 80s and 90s. In January 2017, the UNODC suggested that 14.3% of Nigeria's population smokes cannabis making it the third highest consumption rate in the world. Iceland and the United States of America were ranked first and second respectively. With the increase in marijuana consumption, a disturbing trend has crept up. A new drug, synthetic marijuana has appeared on the streets of Lagos and young Nigerians are consuming it without knowing the harmful side effects. In its continuing endeavour to celebrate Nigerian women and provide world-class hair solutions, the company showcased the innovative Creme on Creme No lye relaxer which offers superior hair manageability at accessible prices. Strength of Natures team of scientists and cosmetologist have worked tirelessly over years to identify the fundamental causes of hair and scalp damage in order to understand how to prevent and treat it. Their extensive research helped them identify the most nourishing and strengthening ingredients which make Profectiv MegaGrowth range the perfect solution to counter the daily stresses of heat styling, weaves, hair color and hair style transitions. With this collaboration, Godrej Nigeria Limited, which is already one of the leaders in the hair extensions category in Nigeria will become one of the first Nigerian companies to offer end to end hair solutions. Profectiv MegaGrowth announced Tiwa Savage, the award winning Nigerian Musician as its brand ambassador and also unveiled its first ever TVC starring her. The Nigerian icon epitomizes the attitude and confidence that is synonymous with the brand. Excited to be part of this association, Tiwa Savage said I am thrilled to be associated with MegaGrowth, a brand that is loved across the entire African continent. The team at Profectiv MegaGrowth are true hair experts who understand the importance of hair for African women. I admire the fact that this brand celebrates Strong and Beautiful women. During the press conference held in Lagos, Mario de la Guardia, President and Founder of Strength of Nature said, Our vision and commitment is to provide the highest quality, most innovative hair care products that meet the diverse needs of our consumers worldwide. While we have made significant strides in achieving this vision in the US, our strategic global partnership with Godrej representing our brand provides us with a unique opportunity to better serve the huge number of potential consumers outside the US, especially in Africa. The synergies between our strong US platform and Godrej's African footprint are, as is our shared commitment to excellence and innovation for the betterment of our employees, consumers and communities." Talking about the launch, Prashant Chacko (Marketing Head Godrej Africa) said We at Godrej are here to celebrate the indomitable spirit of Nigerian women. We appreciate the role that they are playing in the transformation of the country and also understand the importance of great hair to them. Profectiv MegaGrowth is here to support them in their journey of personal transformation by offering them superior products which promote strong and beautiful hair. Profectiv MegaGrowth was introduced to the press at a Landmark Event Center on Saturday, September 9th, 2017, after which a launch party was held at the same venue. Panelists at the conference included Prashant Chacko (Head of Marketing - Godrej Africa), Mario de la Guardia (President & Founder - Strength of Nature), Tiwa Savage (MegaGrowths Brand Ambassador), Ayodele Otujinrin (Marketing Manager - Godrej Nigeria) and Rakesh Sharma (Head of Sales - Godrej Nigeria). GNL is leader in hair extensions and weaves with its Darling brand, as well as other personal care and home care products. They are constantly innovating to delight their consumers with more exciting, superior quality products at affordable prices. The Group is consistently ranked as one of the best places to work in India and Asia, and has a commitment to women's empowerment, employee development and community involvement www.godrejcp.com Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! Wike had earlier alleged that the police officers assigned to the squad mastermind robberies and kidnapping. Speaking to Punch, the Rivers APC spokesman, Chris Finebone, described the Governors allegation as an attempt to soil the image of the Nigeria police. Finebone also said Ordinarily, the APC has no business being involved in any matter between the governor and any other entity, but in the instant case and even in previous related cases, the governor has either alluded to or expressly stated that the APC benefited from whatever allegations he raised against the police or particularly the SARS. ALSO READ:River State Governor Nyesom Wike celebrate Real Madrid From all indications, the governors accusation Wednesday that members of SARS abducted some persons and forced them to withdraw N500,000 is manifestly cooked up to directly smear members of the SARS and their Commander, Akin Fakorede. The attackers invaded the home of the police boss along Bank Road in the state capital to protest the alleged killing of two of their members by soldiers, reportedly burning vehicles in the compound as a result. This is coming off the back of a week of unrest in the state with soldiers of the Nigerian Army clashing with members of IPOBand their leader, Nnamdi Kanu. A detachment of the Nigerian Army had been present around the home of the IPOB leader on Tuesday, September 12, creating heightened tension with members of the group only days after soldiers clashed with them while trying to gain access to the group's leader's house on Sunday, September 10. While reports indicated that soldiers had tried to gain access into Kanu's father's compound in Umuahia and shot at IPOB members who formed a human shield to keep them out, the army dismissed the claims and said the soldiers had been attacked with stones while passing through the residence in a new armoured carrier. ALSO READ: Nnamdi Kanu accuses military of planning to assassinate him While reacting to the incident on Monday, September 11, Kanu accused Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, of trying to incite his group into arming themselves to deliberately provoke a war. He said, "Nigeria is bringing war to us, we're not fighting anybody. It is Buratai and his men that are bringing war unto us. "They want us to become armed so that the world can say that Nnamdi Kanu is leading a violent armed group, which is not the case. They're provoking us to war." In a report by Punch, the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District on Wednesday, September 13, 2017, filed the appeal notice after the Federal High Court's nod to the commencement of the recall process initiated by members of his constituency. The senator, through his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), argued in his first grounds of appeal that Justice Nnamdi Dimgba erred in law when he held that the petition presented to INEC for his recall was valid, even when the petition exhibited by INEC was not signed by more than half of the registered voters in the plaintiffs appellants constituency as is required by Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution. Ozekhome maintained under this grounds of appeal that the petition presented to INEC by the purported constituents and exhibited before the court as Exhibit lNEC 1, was only signed by three persons, which number is less than the half of the registered voters in the constituency as provided for by Section 69 of the constitution. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria also maintained that a mere statistical analysis and general summary for the recall of Senator Dino Melaye (Exhibit DM13) done by INEC itself and wholly relied upon by the trial court to hold that the petition was valid, can neither replace nor take the place of the petition itself, which was tendered by INEC as an exhibit. In the second grounds of appeal, the Ozekhome held that the Justice Dimgba erred in law when he held that the 90 days provided for by Section 69 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as altered, was paused since June 23, 2017, when the plaintiff/appellant commenced this action and subsequently ordered that the period would continue to run from September 11, 2017, the date of the judgment of the trial court was delivered. He maintained that contrary to Dimgbas finding, the time fixed by the constitution for the doing of an act cannot be extended or expanded or elongated or in any way enlarged regarding what is to be done where not done within the time so fixed. According to him, such time fixed by the constitution, lapses since the court has no jurisdiction to extend the time fixed by the constitution for the doing of an act. Elongating or extending the time as fixed by the constitution requires constitutional amendment and not at the whims and caprices of a trial court, the appellant added. He also argued in another grounds of appeal that Justice Dimgba was wrong by failing to consider the Notice to Produce issued on INEC to produce the petition for the recall of the plaintiff/ appellant and not invoking the provisions of Section 167(d) of the Evidence Act, in the face of failure of the INEC to produce the purported petition allegedly signed by the plaintiffs/appellants constituents despite service of a notice to produce on it. Melaye's advocate added that instead of doing this, the judge relied on mere statistical analysis prepared by INEC itself to validate a petition which was invalid on its face. ALSO READ: Court says senator Melaye's recall process can now continue Giving the particulars of the said error, the appellant stated that INEC, in its counter-affidavit to this originating summons, exhibited the purported petition for the recall of the plaintiff which was signed by only three persons, a number grossly less than the number as required by the constitution. He added that he issued and served on INEC a notice to produce the petition for the recall as signed by more than half of the registered voters in the plaintiffs constituency, which it failed to do. He added, Notwithstanding the Notice to Produce, INEC failed, refused and neglected to produce the said petition before the court. The court failed to invoke the provisions of Section 167(d) of the Evidence Act to the effect that failure by INEC to produce the said petition meant that such petition, if it were produced, would have been adverse to the interest of lNEC. Justice Dimgba had in his judgment on Tuesday, September 12, 2017, permitted INEC to proceed with the exercise of verifying the signatures of the 188,588 registered voters who were said to have said signed in support of the recall process. The 188,588 voters were said to have constituted 52.3 per cent of the 360,098 total registered voters in the Kogi West Senatorial District. The governor decried the army's show of force in dealing with agitators in the region, drawing comparisons with how the Arewa groups in the north were treated after they threatened Igbo residents in the northern region. Fayose issued his condemnation of the government's approach through his Twitter account , on Thursday, September 14, 2017. He tweeted, "For whatever reasons, the Federal Government should have allowed the Southeast governors to interface with Kanu and resolve issues instead of this show of force. "If Northern governors were allowed to resolve the Arewa Youths threat that the Igbos should leave the North, why not allow Southeast governors to resolve Kanu's?" On June 6, a coalition of northern youths issued a threatening quit notice warning Igbos living in the northern region of the country to leave before October 1. The coalition, which includes Arewa Citizens Action for Change, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Arewa Youth Development Foundation, Arewa Students Forum and Northern Emancipation Network, promised to execute measures to carry out their directive. After widespread criticism and months of intervention meetings both by the Federal Government and the governors of the country's 19 northern states, the coalition withdrew the quit notice on Thursday, August 24, at a press briefing at the Transcorp Hotel in Abuja. ALSO READ: Army to investigate torture video of IPOB members In an announcement that was made by the group's spokesman, Abdulaziz Suleiman, it said despite the withdrawal, the group will not relent in pursuing petitions to the United Nations and the Federal Government to sanction Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and other IPOB sponsors for their disruptive activities. In contrast to the treatment of the threat from the northern group, deployment of soldiers in the South-East has led to clashes this week with members of IPOB. A detachment of the Nigerian Army had been present around the home of the IPOB leader on Tuesday, September 12, creating heightened tension with members of the group only days after soldiers clashed with them while trying to gain access to the group's leader's house on Sunday, September 10. While reports indicated that soldiers had tried to gain access into Kanu's father's compound in Umuahia and shot at IPOB members who formed a human shield to keep them out, the army dismissed the claims and said the soldiers had been attacked with stones while passing through the residence in a new armoured carrier. ALSO READ: Nnamdi Kanu accuses military of planning to assassinate him While reacting to the incident on Monday, September 11, Kanu accused Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, of trying to incite his group into arming themselves to deliberately provoke a war. He said, "Nigeria is bringing war to us, we're not fighting anybody. It is Buratai and his men that are bringing war unto us. "They want us to become armed so that the world can say that Nnamdi Kanu is leading a violent armed group, which is not the case. They're provoking us to war." According to reports, properties belonging to South-East indigenes along the Ahmadu Bello way have been destroyed. An eyewitness who narrated the incident to Daily Post via phone said I barely escaped with my life as we speak. I dont event know where my parents are. Many Igbos boys have been injured. Tell the police to come to our aid. Tensions heightened in the South-East recently when soldiers allegedly stormed the country home of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. There were also reports of clashes between Hausas and Igbos in Rivers state. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has however called for a peaceful resolution of the situation in the South-East. Both natural disasters point to the effects of climate change; and while it may have had to prove itself, literally, global warming is no longer something we hear - nowadays, its there to see. As Stevie Wonder said on the Hand to Hand Initiative hosted by American musicians for people affected by Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Any one who tells you that global warming is not real, is either unintelligent or a liar. Away from this, not many people alive have witnessed a natural disaster within Nigeria but all that is changing. Seismologists (people who study the earth) have thought of Nigeria as aseismic, meaning earthquake free for a long time but recently, earth tremors have occurred. ALSO READ: Governor Ortom says 21 LGs face ecological challenges in Benue Heavy rains this year and the Benue floods which have displaced over 100,000 people have shown that global warming can no longer be treated from afar with intrigue, like a white people problem. As things stand, the best option would be to borrow from a post-apocalyptic movie and move the entire worlds population to higher ground or a satellite colony. In the absence of any such plans, our measures against and reaction to these natural disasters will determine how we fare as the world changes around us. In Nigeria, the National Emergency Management Agency coordinates disaster research, informs governments and the public on disaster trends and directs all disaster response efforts. NEMA is nearly 2 decades old, but unlike the typical Nigerian government body that has mismanaged and abandoned to be throwbacks of themselves, the agency has become a high priority in recent years. Nothing has inspired this more than the spread of Boko Haram and the carnage and displaced people left in their wake. At the moment, NEMAs primary charge for the four years of Boko Harams resurgence has been to manage the welfare of internally displaced people in the North and the initiatives aimed at helping them. All things being equal, this should take nothing away from its capacity; the agency has zonal offices in the seven geopolitical zones as well as two operations offices in Gombe and Abuja. But judging by NEMAs lethargic response to the flooding in Benue, there will be very little left to salvage if a hurricane of Irmas scale was to drop by the coast of Nigeria. It took the agency five days and an executive directive from President Buhari to acknowledge the devastation in Benue. In the aftermath of the floods, the agency is required to provide first-response services, distribute emergency relief materials to victims and assist in the rehabilitation of the victims where necessary. Instead, according to Sueddie Agema who works with Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative in Makurdi, local groups and individuals had to rise up to circumstance and respond to the victims of the flood. He said, SEMA was somewhat slow in its reaction. It was the civil society organisations, Benue NGO Network (BENGONET), NGOs like Red Cross, UNHCR and private individuals that jumped to the rescue. By the time SEMA came through, a lot was happening already. One of NEMAs main policies, on paper, is contingency stockpiling. To ensure that it responds effectively to disasters, the agency has warehouses in all zonal offices and operations rooms, stocked with relief and rehabilitation materials. The late Gani Fawehinmi would have had a hard time convincing the people of Benue that any of these things exist. In the days after the floods, victims scavenged to create emergency sheds for shelter, until relief organisations, on the strength of contributions from sympathetic Nigerians, provided mosquito nets and mattresses. While officials of NEMA declared that trucks of relief materials and food were on their way, nearly a week after the flooding broke the news, the victims were still hoping like followers of a promised Messiah. Natural disasters are near impossible to prevent, so how a community or country prepares and responds usually determine the gravity of the damage in the long term. Yet, as climate change knocks on the Seme border, it is clear that Nigerias emergency response and management services are little more than a construct of bureaucracy and languor. What would happen if a hurricane, lets name it HurricaneBayo was headed for Lagos along a path that leads it through the Middle Belt to the North-East? Even though it is NEMAs duty to inform the public, more often than not, that never happens. The agency has a Geographic Information System, along with a Mission Control Centre that collects and analyses data to aid its early warning and response to disasters. But as victims of floods in Lagos and Benue will tell anyone, these warnings never come. Until the disaster hits, no-one knows they need to prepare for a situation. The obvious next step would be to evacuate anyone in harms way. NEMAs typical lack of urgency does not inspire any confidence on this front; especially as evacuating and relocating tens or hundreds of thousands of people takes organisation and capable personnel. Both are in short supply. The same factors will hinder the response to the disaster as they did in Benue where in the absence of any relief materials, victims of the floods had people cook and bring the food to them. Let it be on record that the government is doing next to nothing for these people. Only individuals and civil society organisations have taken the burden upon themselves to cater to these guys., said Collins Uma, a resident of Markurdi unaffected by the floods, in the days after. As the world begins to prepare for extreme weather conditions, Nigerias best chance lies in the individuals and communities who have supported the people of Benue, in the absence of agencies created for that purpose. When it became apparent that the Benue floods were becoming a humanitarian disaster, many commendable Nigerians, both home and without, created initiatives and raised funds to provide food and relief materials to the victims. Where nature throws another fit, Nigeria will need initiatives like these to fill the gap that the government has left exposed. ALSO READ: President Buhari is a terrible comedian For all its woes, NEMA does have some small wins. At the present, albeit years after the fact, the agency is distributing food and relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nasarawa. But compared to what will definitely come, that is not nearly enough. NEMA has announced that several dams will be opened, making it nearly certain that several states will be flooded in the coming months. If warnings like this are followed with strong sensitization and practical efforts to reduce the amount of damage to the minimum, then we might have a chance. The IPOB leader had met with the governors at the Enugu State Government House on August 30, 2017 said his decision was informed by the prevailing situation in the South East. Accordingly, we will not engage in any meeting with anybody until the atmosphere is conducive and peaceful enough to allow for such, he said. According to a report by Punch, this is contrary to the agreement between Kanu and South-East Governors Forum, who had agreed to hold further talks to seek an amicable resolution to the issues raised by the pro-Biafran group on Friday, September 15, 2017. In a statement signed by the pro-Biafran leader, Kanu explained that the prevailing situation in the South-East was not conducive to meaningful discussions with the governors. The group leader further blamed the development on an alleged plot by soldiers to assassinate him while on his way to the meeting with the governors. He said: In view of the concerted effort by the oppressive Nigerian state to shatter the peace and tranquillity of the South-East and the rest of Biafraland through military intimidation, it has become necessary for me to clarify why, regrettably, I may not be able to attend Fridays meeting with the South-East governors as earlier agreed, for three main reasons. We are currently busy attending to our dead and injured from this latest round of unprovoked military onslaught against innocent civilians in our own land. All the casualties so far were shot by men of the Nigerian Army deployed in my house and those stationed along motorways leading into Umuahia, my hometown. I have been reliably informed also that a detachment of this same soldiers, responsible for the murder of innocent unarmed IPOB family members, have now been stationed near Enugu to ambush and assassinate me on my way to the meeting with the governors on Friday. On that same Friday, the 15th of September, 2017, the leadership of IPOB, through the instrumentality of the Directorate of State, headquartered in Germany, will be meeting to vote on the viability or otherwise of continuing our struggle in this non-violent manner. There is urgent need to begin the process of defending ourselves in the face of relentless murderous attacks from the Nigerian state. According to the Army Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, Operation Python Dance II will take off on Friday as planned. Usman, in a statement, also said The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to some stories in the media that it is withdrawing its troops from Exercise EGWU EKE II, crediting such information to Abia State Governor and the General Officer Commanding 82 Division Nigerian Army. This is not true. "The Nigerian Army wishes to enjoin members of the public to disregards such rumours. For the avoidance of doubt, the Abia State Governor in his speech stated that there will be gradual withdrawal of soldiers on the streets of Aba and Umuahia from tomorrow. This should not be misconstrued as withdrawing of troops earmarked for Exercise EGWU EKE II. The General Officer Commanding 82 Division has not said such thing. Consequently, we wish to state that Exercise EGWU EKE II is commencing tomorrow as scheduled. Commanders have been instructed to ensure that all hands are on deck to commence the Exercise to its logical completion. We wish to state further that the successful completion of the exercise will dovetail into the various states security outfits till the end of this year. Members of the public especially in the areas where the exercise will take place are please enjoined to go about their lawful businesses. We wish to also state that we would not allow any individual or group to jeopardize the conduct of the field training exercise through unlawful or criminal activities. Hoodlums and criminal elements are once again warned to be law abiding and not cause any breach of peace. We hereby reiterate that our troops would conduct themselves in the best professional manner, abide by the Rules of Engagement and Code of Conduct in line with requirements of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Any act of indiscipline by any of our personnel would be decisively dealt with. While we enjoin all Nigerians to go about their normal businesses, the Nigerian Army urge all to support the troops as they carry out their constitutional duties and make Exercise EGWU EKE II a success. The suit which was filed on Thursday, September 14, 2017, by the groups counsel, Max Ozoaka wants A declaration that the action of the Defendants, especially the 1st Defendant (Buhari), in calling out, operationally engaging or deploying the armed forces of the Federation to the south eastern part of the country is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect whatsoever. This is coming after many people were reportedly injured during a clash between Hausas and Igbos in the state. The Governor, in a statement signed by his spokesman, Emmanuel Nanle Samuel said Consequently, the governor has directed an immediate imposition of curfew from dusk to dawn (6pm 6am) within the Greater Jos-Bukuru Metropolis, until further notice. The deployment of security personnel to all flash points within the metropolis has also been directed to ensure compliance with the curfew order and to avert any further breach of law and order. The governor wishes to assure all citizens that the security and welfare as the primary concern of government is assured by the Rescue Administration. He is therefore enjoining all citizens to go about their business with the assurance that their safety is guaranteed. He further appealed to all religious and community leaders, neighbourhood vigilantes as well as all law abiding citizens to ensure nobody is allowed to take advantage of this unfortunate situation to engage in criminality. ALSO READ:Uproar as Igbo youths kill 2 Fulani herdsmen The governor wishes to restate that Plateau state remains home to all citizens of Nigeria irrespective of religion, ethnic extraction or political persuasion. He therefore enjoins all peace loving citizens to ensure that nothing is allowed to upset the hard earned peace in the state. THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER Buhari orders probe of ex-heads of JAMB, NIMASA over poor remittances President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday ordered an investigation of past heads of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), over what it described as poor remittances. Northern groups support military operation in South East Some northerners have expressed support for the ongoing military operation in the south-east. But they cautioned against reprisal attacks on Igbo living in their region. Flood disasters loom in Bayelsa, Anambra, Abia, Delta states The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has raised the alarm over impending flood in Anambra, Abia, Delta and Bayelsa states. __________________________________________________ VANGUARD NEWSPAPER Strike: Labour urges Nigerians to stockpile basic necessities AHEAD of its planned nationwide strike expected to commence tomorrow, United Labour Congress of Nigeria, ULC, yesterday, in Lagos, urged Nigerians to stockpile foodstuff and other basic necessities that could last them during the duration of the strike as critical sectors of the economy would be affected by the action. Abia govt extends curfew in Aba by one day THE Abia State has extended the dusk to dawn (6pm to 6am) curfew imposed on Aba, the commercial city of the State by one day. Naira depreciates to N360.2/$ in NAFEX THE naira, yesterday, depreciated further to N360.2 per dollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window. __________________________________________________ THE PUNCH NEWSPAPER Kanu backs out of talks with SEast govs, policeman killed Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, on Wednesday, backed out of the planned talks between the secessionist group and the South-East Governors Forum. Melaye appeals against judgment recall process Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West Senatorial District on Wednesday filed before the Court of Appeal in Abuja an eight-ground notice of appeal challenging the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja which had on Tuesday given a nod to the commencement of the recall process initiated by some of his aggrieved constituents. NNPC to shut refineries for maintenance The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation will soon shut down three of its four refineries, according to the Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, has said. __________________________________________________ THISDAY NEWSPAPER APC, PDP, ACF, Others Call for Calm, Restraint in SEast Following the violent clashes this week between the military and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Abia and Rivers States, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), among others, have called for calm and admonished all parties to exercise restraint. Court Freezes Zamfara State Accounts in 20 Banks Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an order freezing the accounts of the Zamfara State Government in 20 banks in the suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/728/17, which was filed by the Asset Management Corporation (AMCON) against the state government, Prostar Electric Company Limited and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). NNPC to Shut down Refineries for Rehabilitation, Inaugurates Cttees The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has disclosed that it will shortly close down its refineries in Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt for comprehensive rehabilitation aimed at bringing them back to their nameplate production capacities. __________________________________________________ THE BUSINESSDAY NEWSPAPER Nigerias N506.72bn half-year trade surplus to boost naira stability Nigeria recorded a trade surplus of N506.72 billion for the first six months of the year, latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown. Ghana raises minimum capital for banks to US$90m (N32.95bn) Ghanas Central Bank, the Bank of Ghana (BOG) has raised the minimum capital required for banks three-fold, to 400 million cedis ($90.2 million or N32.95 billion) as part of measures to ensure financial stability, its spokesman said on Tuesday. Norways $1trillion Sovereign Wealth Fund holds lessons for Nigeria Fayemi made the observation at the Ministerial Session of the three-day maiden edition of National Council on Mining and Mineral Resources Development in Abuja. He said that the efforts of the current administration had started yielding the desired results. I can tell you we (Federal Executive Council) met on Wednesday and we reviewed the figures that pushed the country out of recession. It is clear to us from those figures that agriculture and mining are the drivers of our progress out of recession, he said. Fayemi said he remained focus on working with stakeholders to deliver on all the provisions in the Sectors Growth Roadmap. He said that the efforts of the administration in collaboration with stakeholders had started yielding desired results. For example, one highlight of the roadmap is to achieve through stakeholders engagement an increasing amount of mining contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Also, to increase the delivery of shared prosperity to all stakeholders of the mining Value Chain (Exploration, Mining, Beneficiation and Trade). Already, we have achieved a 300 per cent increase in revenue (royalties and fees) between 2015 and 2016. As at July, the sector had already surpassed the entire revenue of N2 billion generated for the whole 2016, the minister said. Fayemi promised that the Nigerias mineral resource endowments would be optimally exploited for the benefit of Nigeria through collaborative governance of the mining sector by governments and communities at all levels. In his goodwill message, the Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Mustapha Shehuri, said that good network of roads had played a role in accessing and evacuation of minerals from mining sites. Shehuri said that the ministry had resolved to increase power supply from 6,000 megawatts to 20,000 megawatts by 2020. We are assiduously working towards getting the right energy mix for Nigeria. We are going into solar, wind, nuclear, waste to energy-powered plants, in addition to the existing hydropower, gas and fossil fuel driven plants, the minster said. Gov. Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi said the mining sector had suffered rejection for some years because of discovery of crude oil. Bagudu said that for over 20 years, the Federal Government had invested no less than 10 billion dollars yearly in the development of petroleum resources. It is only now that I heard the minister of mining is talking about figures to be generated close 200 to 300 million dollars. I think, once we review the performance of mining sector, the closest to us is Ghana, where in 2016; it produced 90 tonnes of gold, which is about seven billion dollars. The seven billion dollars is 50 per cent of our earning from oil and yet we know of many states including Kebbi that have been producing gold." The governor called for increased financing of developments in the mining sector. According to Premium Times, the suspension was announced in the early hours of Thursday, September 14, 2017 after a meeting of the association's executives. The doctors, it was also reported, had failed to reach a decision in an earlier meeting that kicked off on Tuesday September 11, 2017 till the early hours of Wednesday, September 12, 2017. Addressing journalists on the decision to suspend the strike, the Chairman of NARD, UCH, Ibadan chapter, Segun Olaopa, said the decision was reached following appeals from the public that the doctors should give the federal government more time to meet their demands. ALSO READ: Mr. Olaopa, however, said that there will be a review in two weeks time to determine how far the government had gone to honour their agreements. NAN reports that the team was in the state to discuss with its Kano counterparts on economic relationship and partnership, preparatory to a Joint Economic and Investment Summit. The monarch said that evolving new areas of revenue generation by the states was necessary as the era of economic and financial dependence on Federal Government by states was over. The dependency on economic development of states on Federal government in this era of economic recession is no longer tenable. So states must develop their economic blueprint so as to enable them be economically buoyant and Independent, he said. He noted that Lagos state was able to develop its economic programmes, pointing out that the state was one of the best in wastes management system and infrastructure development in the country. According to him, the collaboration between the two states will be of great economic benefit to the two states. Lagos is today a city state that has become one of the fastest economic growing states in the sub-Saharan Africa and collaborating with it would be a greatly beneficial to all." He expressed the hope that the meeting between the two states would enable them to produce a joint Blueprint that would enhance economic growth and development in Kano, Lagos and in the country at large. Earlier, the leader of the Lagos economic team and Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Akinyemi Ashade, said the committee was in the state to explore areas of improving the economy for greater development. He said the final meeting on economic partnership would produce a memorandum of understanding that would be signed between the two states. Also, the Permanent Chairman of the Kano Economic Team, Prof Shamsudeen Usman, and a former Minister of National Planning, said the two states would deliberate on various aspects of economic partnerships. DECATUR Police arrested three suspects Wednesday in the murder of 22-year-old Zachary Hubbartt of Windsor, who had been found shot to death in the 1200 block of East Condit Street on Aug. 27. In a media release, Deputy Chief David Dickerson said Jason A. White, 27, Ryan D. Waters, 20 and Autumn D. Billings, 26, were taken into custody after a joint investigation by the police department's investigations division. White and Waters are both facing preliminary charges of first-degree murder, while Billings faces a preliminary charge of obstruction of justice. Preliminary charges are subject to review by the Macon County State's Attorney's Office. Officers were dispatched to a vacant house on East Condit Street at about 10:30 a.m., where Hubbartt's body was discovered inside. After an autopsy was conducted, Coroner Michael Day said Hubbartt suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the head, upper and lower torso and his right upper extremity. All three suspects were held without bond in the Macon County Jail on Wednesday. Dickerson said the police department would not release further information Wednesday evening, but the arrest of additional people was possible. Ezekwesili , a former Minister of Education, had earlier called on Buhari to stop punishing the entire South East region for the actions of a few agitators. There have been reports of a forceful clampdown of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Abia, by soldiers. Ezekwesili also asked the President to desist from being a sectional leader and stop making enemies with regions that are perceived to be disloyal to him. In his reaction, Shehu called on the former minister to rise above pettiness and stop politicising highly sensitive security issues. The Presidents spokesman also wondered why Ezekwesili kept quiet when Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and his members were harassing innocent Nigerians. Shehu said A prominent influencer like Dr. Oby has a moral and patriotic duty not to give ammunition to any violent group that seems determined to pursue its separatist agitation through reckless and destructive methods. While it is convenient for the civil society activist to condemn the military and the government of President Buhari, Mrs Ekekwesili didnt find it appropriate, even once, to criticise the dangerous and violent propaganda being propagated by the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. Oby, as they call her, tweets on everything. Why was she silent on this one? There is a deliberate sinister agenda by IPOB to provoke the soldiers into killing innocent people in retaliation so that Nnamdi Kanu would use the pictures of the victims for international propaganda by the accusing the government of ethnic cleansing against the Igbos with the sole purpose of gaining sympathy. A president who has put put the nations cash cows, the Central Bank and the Ministry of Petroleum in the hands of the Igbo; who has given four out of five states in the subregion senior cabinet posts in his administration, including Foreign Affairs; and Industry, Trade and Investment, and is constructing the Second Niger bridge after years of deceit and false starts cannot be called a hater of the Igbo, Shehu added. The Presidents spokesman also said If the Buhari administration could take tough action against the extremist religious groups in the northern parts of the country to preserve national security, it is ridiculous to accuse the President of sending soldiers to the Southeast because he hates the Igbos. The Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari respects all citizens and will ensure that they are safe and secure wherever they reside. According to the spokesman of the ruling party, Bolaji Abdullahi, the minister apologised for her comments. He said Since the issue of the comment she made came up, the party has not said anything regardless of what individuals may have told you because we are a party that recognized the right of her members to express their opinions or views. "We also had an opportunity to discuss with the minister to understand what she said and in what context she said so before we know how to respond. So, when she came, we asked her to explain to us what truly transpired and in what context she said what she said and she did offer these explanations. "Now, having offered her explanations, we acknowledged that as a member of this party, she is entitled to her opinion and she is entitled to her choice. "However, as a senior member of this party, her statements represent an act of indiscretion because with the kind of position she occupies even within the party, she is a party leader in her own right, what she said was not what she was supposed to say at the time that she said it; that she ought to have exercised greater judgement than she did and she acknowledged that yes, maybe she ought not to havemaybe the timing was wrong and she apologised that if she had put the party in any difficult position, she apologised. Alhassan had earlier announced that she will support former Vice-President Atiku Abubakars 2019 presidential race. The minister, who declined to speak with newsmen after her meeting at the APC headquarters, was grilled for over two hours, Vanguard reports. ALSO READ:The moment Mama Taraba slayed at FEC meeting Abdullahi also said I want you to take note of the fact that nobody is questioning her right to take the position she has taken. We have not come out to say, why are you saying you are supporting this person? she has a right to her choice and to support whoever she wants to support afterall she is not saying she supports a member of another party but what we are saying is that with the position she occupies, she ought to have exercised greater sense of discretion and better judgment knowing that making that kind of statement would definitely create some other situations for the party, if not for the government. The APC spokesman also denied reports that the party will ask the minister to resign. Moro spent more than two hours questioning Lula in the southern city of Curitiba about alleged bribe taking from the scandal-plagued Odebrecht construction giant. Lula, a frontrunner in the October 2018 presidential election despite multiple corruption charges, was as combative as ever, calling himself the victim of a "witch hunt." "Despite considering this trial illegitimate and unfair, I prefer to speak," he told Moro, calling himself "the person who is more interested in the truth." The 71-year-old, who was born in poverty and served two terms between 2003 and 2010, was greeted by several hundred leftist supporters on arrival at the courthouse. Demonstrators wearing red shirts crowded around, shouting encouragement. About 1,500 police officers kept a close watch. Moro is a key figure in the mammoth "Car Wash" anti-graft drive which has uncovered systemic bribery by corporations of Brazil's political class, as well as mass embezzlement from state oil company Petrobras. Lula, arguably Moro's biggest target, is already a defendant in four other corruption trials. And in July, Moro sentenced Lula to 9.5 years in prison after being convicted in a sixth trial of receiving a seaside apartment from the OAS construction company in return for help obtaining lucrative contracts with Petrobras. The founder of Brazil's leftist Workers' Party, Lula is free pending appeal of that sentence and hopes to string out or defeat the other cases so that he can run for a third term next year. But problems are mounting for the man whose presidency made him Latin America's new leftist giant. Corruption 'blood pact' Although Lula tops the polls, that is partly because campaigning hasn't started and name recognition gives him a head start. Also, his negative ratings are far higher than for other candidates. A recent bus tour of his electoral heartland in the north-east of Brazil drew core supporters but not the kind of massive crowds that might have made judges afraid of tough action. Lula says the corruption charges are concocted to prevent his return. However, he has been hurt by testimony from his former economy minister and right hand man, Antonio Palocci, who told Moro last week that "the facts related in (the latest case involving Lula) are true." Lula is accused of having Odebrecht buy the land for his Sao Paulo institute and provide him with an apartment in nearby Sao Bernardo do Campo. Palocci said a "blood pact" was reached between the Workers' Party and Odebrecht in 2010 when Lula was handing over to his successor Dilma Rousseff, with the company giving the party the equivalent at that time of $171 million. Lula says that Palocci, who has been sentenced to 12 years prison, is testifying falsely under pressure. "Palocci has a right to want to be freed..., but what you can't do is put the blame on others if you don't want to assume responsibility for your own illegal acts," Lula testified Wednesday. Lula was expected to address supporters in Curitiba after his court appearance. The crowd was considerably smaller than the 7,000 turnout for Lula when he was questioned by Moro in a previous case in May. Despite Lula's claims to be a victim of a plot by Brazil's right to prevent any repeat of the left's decade in power, "Car Wash" prosecutors have gone after major figures across the political spectrum. Lavrentyev, who led the Russian delegation, told reporters that the three sides were discussing details of the agreement at meetings in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Our main task at this international meeting on Syria is to finalise and establish four de-escalation zones. We are very close to reaching an agreement on creating these four zones, he said. Lavrentyev said the agreement was likely to include provisions on the deployment of monitors, such as military police servicemen in the four zones and more specifically on their borders. The previous round of Syrian peace talks in Astana in July ended with no agreement after Turkey raised objections. Russia and Iran, which back Syrian President Bashar al-Assads government, and Turkey, which supports some of the rebels, have been holding talks in Kazakhstan since January. DECATUR Sometimes the most basic needs are the most keenly felt. Hannah Lybarger, math chair at Eisenhower High School, was visiting a Florida-based educational Facebook page called Sun, Sand and the Second Grade when she saw a post about adopting a Houston-area classroom to help with Hurricane Harvey relief. The idea was to match classrooms around the rest of the country with affected classrooms in Houston, to provide them with school supplies that were ruined by the hurricane. I signed up right away and about four or five days later, they contacted me and said they had a match for me, and set me up with her name and school and contact information and everything, Lybarger said. So I contacted her via email and she said that they wouldn't be opening (school) until this week, but they were just looking for supplies. They were getting ready to start school and couldn't. Getting ready to go to school, parents do all their school shopping and now, (the supplies) are gone. Lybarger is a Millikin University alumna. When she posted about the project on social media, Millikin's math chair, Joe Stickles, saw it, and thought this was a way Millikin could pitch in and help, too. He contacted the president of the university's math club, who went right to work putting up posters around campus and getting the word out there, too. The Houston teacher Lybarger was matched with told her that because other schools were more heavily damaged than hers, she'll have students from other schools in her class temporarily. Some kids may have some supplies left, and some may have none, Lybarger said. I thought it would be a good idea. Moms kind of go crazy buying supplies. If you have an extra notebook you're not using, Mom bought you eight and you only need six, let's send it down there. She placed a plastic crate in her classroom for students to drop donations into, and it filled up, then the floor next to it filled up, then the table behind it filled up, and the first box went to Houston on Saturday last week. Now that Millikin is involved, the plan is to send a second box on Saturday this week. We said we've got to help somehow, Stickles said. A big component of our freshman seminar here is doing service learning, so our students are big on giving back to the community. The classroom in Houston is ninth-grade biology, Lybarger said, and she simply told her Eisenhower students to bring whatever sort of supplies they use themselves: paper, pencils, pens, spiral notebooks, folders. Since Hurricane Irma hit Florida, the matching process has been somewhat delayed, but Briana Beverly, the page administrator for Sun, Sand & Second Grade, said as soon as power is back on in the Orlando area, where she's located, she'll get the rest of the matching done. ARGENTA Dalton Shafer said he was feeling pretty good after giving blood for the first time Thursday. Argenta-Oreana High School, hosted a blood drive in its multipurpose room that afternoon. Not only did the 16-year-old junior serve as a donor during the event, but Shafer also volunteered to help with donor registration and other necessary jobs to ensure it ran smoothly. When our principal (Sean German) said that donating can save up to three lives, that was really important to me, he said. I know that there are people in the world who need that, and I just knew that I was able to do it, so I should help people out. While the school's blood drive was scheduled days in advance, an extra sense of urgency loomed over the event in the wake of recent natural disasters, such as Hurricane Irma. Since making its way through Florida, Georgia and several Caribbean islands, reports say that the devastating storm has left millions without power, water and shelter. Between Florida and the Caribbean, at least 45 people have been reported dead. In response to Irma and in recognition of September being National Preparedness Month, the American Red Cross said Wednesday it was encouraging all eligible donors to assist in the organization's relief efforts by giving blood. According to the Laura McGuire, Irma has forced the Red Cross to cancel 55 blood drives in the Southeast, resulting in more than 2,100 uncollected blood and platelet donations. Hospitals always have a constant need for blood, said McGuire, the Red Cross external communications manager. The supply always needs to be recharged, because they cant stockpile blood and it cant be manufactured. McGuire said that donated blood has to be used within a 42-day window before it expires, and platelets have an even shorter shelf life of five days. By multiplying the Red Cross current inventory blood across the country, McGuire said the organization can better accommodate hospitals and patients during disaster situations. We want people to be safe in the disaster zones, she said. Thats why were encouraging everyone in unaffected areas to go out and give blood. Over the next two months, there are more than 20 Red Cross blood drives scheduled in Macon County and surrounding counties, like Logan, Moultrie and Piatt counties. Senior Brenna York said that she felt compelled to donate because blood is a constant need, especially during a crisis. "I just think since it happens all the time where people need something from us, and if they need help, this is a good way to do it," said York, 17. "It's also an easy way to do it." For 10 years, English teacher Melissa Schrey has overseen Argenta-Oreana High School's blood drives as a sponsor. She said that seeing students, like York and Shafer, and other community members step up to help others has been encouraging to watch. As an educator, Schrey said that it's also fun for her to watch her students strive to make a difference, just like the red stickers that the Red Cross gives to blood donors say. "It doesn't matter who the student is, or how old they are or what their economic background is," Schrey said. "Everybody can make a difference in the same way by doing this." Shafer said that he had such a good experience during his first time as a donor, he'll definitely be donating again. "I've already signed up for the drive in January," he said. ROCK ISLAND Kelly Cook barely knew what Royal Neighbors of America was before this week, when it changed her life by donating $15,000 Wednesday to a nonprofit group she and her daughter Madison started. Royal Neighbors Nation of Neighbors program will help Ms. Cook, of Rock Island, expand Maddies Closet for area schoolchildren. The funds will help her and her 12-year-old daughter Maddie transform a retrofitted school bus into a boutique on wheels to deliver clothes and other supplies to needy students in grades K to 12. "It's about empowering women to help them get to a better place which ultimately helps their families and ultimately helps their communities," RNA president/CEO Cynthia Tidwell said Wednesday at the company's Rock Island headquarters. Royal Neighbors is one of the nations largest women-led life insurers, empowering women to meet needs of their families with annuities and life insurance products. Since launching its Nation of Neighbors in 2007, the program has awarded nearly $1.8 million nationwide, including about $400,000 for 223 individuals in the Quad-Cities, Ms. Tidwell said. Wednesday's grant is the largest it's given, honoring the program's 10th anniversary. Each year, RNA members and agents across the country are asked to nominate people they know who plan to start or expand a business or an organization that helps women and girls. A panel reviews each nomination and determines the recipients and the amounts awarded. Amy Jones, RNA director of philanthropy, nominated Maddie's Closet, which started in June in the Cooks' home after Maddie wanted to donate clothes that no longer fit her. "We're investing in others' dreams," Ms. Jones said. Ms. Tidwell said she was impressed with Maddie's "insight, compassion and empathy." "This community is amazing," said Ms. Cook, a stay-at-home mother of five. "What Royal Neighbors is allowing us to do is more than I could have ever imagined ... They changed our life. We can go to the schools, meet the kids where they are, take care of their needs and take pressure off families, so they don't have to worry about where new clothes are coming from. "This means so much," she said of the company gift. "We're grateful for everything they've done." Maddie's Closet began to serve girls, especially middle-school girls, with gently used clothes, accessories and necessities to help them feel confident and empowered. "Girls this age are often embarrassed to ask for clothes, especially if their circumstances wont allow new outfits," Ms. Cook said, noting they've helped some homeless families. "We wanted our school bus to feel upscale and unique, so that the kids feel special when picking out their clothes," she said. Now they want to do the same thing to serve boys with clothes and personal care products. Maddies Closet started in the family room of their home, and since July the mother-daughter duo has received hundreds of pounds of donations to outfit about 100 students for school. An anonymous donor gave Ms. Cook $5,300 to buy and refurbish a red bus, including new flooring inside (just finished on Tuesday). The girls' clothes and shoes inside are about a third of all the donations they have; the rest is in their garage, Ms. Cook said. The first school drop-off for Maddie's Closet will be Sept. 26 at Mid-City High, Davenport's alternative high school, she said. She's working on a schedule of bringing the boutique on wheels to other schools. Up to now, students have picked up donated items at the Cook home, or Ms. Cook has personally delivered them. On Aug. 19, she hosted a party where 50 girls and their families got a free dinner and clothes, and five hairdressers donated their time to work on the girls' hair The RNA donation will help defray costs like gas, insurance and renting space for pickup events, Ms. Cook said. She also wants to find a sponsor to give the bus a distinctive wrap. Earlier this week, members of DuTrac Community Credit Union donated $500 to support Maddies Closet. Ms. Tidwell said the Nation of Neighbors program is "built on a legacy of lifting women and their families up to help them make a difference in their own homes, neighborhoods and communities. Kelly and Maddie have inspired all of us at Royal Neighbors, and theyre already making an impact, one girl at a time. Its what were all about. In addition to the check presentation, 50 randomly selected attendees were surprised Wednesday with $10 in cash to "neighbor it forward" with random acts of kindness. Contact Maddies Closet by calling 309-512-8905 or visit Maddies Closet on Facebook or at maddiescloset.org. Donation drop-off and pickup days will be listed online. COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh (AP) Nearly three weeks into a mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in Myanmar, thousands were still flooding across the border Thursday in search of help and safety in teeming refugee settlements in Bangladesh. The crisis has drawn global condemnation, with U.N. officials demanding Myanmar halt what they described as a campaign of ethnic cleansing that has driven some 400,000 Rohingya to flee Rakhine state. One of the dozens of boats carrying Rohingya to the Bangladeshi border town of Teknaf capsized Thursday and at least two people drowned, police said. That brought known drownings in the Naf River to 88 since the crisis began. Those who arrived Wednesday in wooden boats on beaches near Shah Porir Dwip fishing village described ongoing violence in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where smoke could be seen billowing from a burning village suggesting more Rohingya homes had been set alight. One Rohingya man said his village of Rashidong had been attacked six days earlier by Myanmar soldiers and police. "When military and police surrounded our village and attacked us with rocket launchers to set fire, we got away from our village and fled away to any direction we could manage," Abdul Goffar said. Myanmar presidential office spokesman Zaw Htay said that out of 471 "Bengali" villages in three Rakhine townships, 176 were now completely empty while at least 34 more were partially abandoned. Many in Myanmar use that term as part of the long-standing refusal to accept Rohingya as citizens of the country. Myanmar has accused the Rohingya of burning their own homes and villages a claim the U.N. human rights chief criticized as a "complete denial of reality." The crisis and refugee exodus began on Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts. Myanmar's military retaliated with "clearance operations" to root out the rebels, but the fleeing Rohingya say Myanmar soldiers shot indiscriminately, burned their homes and warned them to leave or die. Others have said they were attacked by Buddhist mobs. Hundreds have died, mostly Rohingya, and some of the refugees have needed treatment for bullet wounds. Facing growing condemnation globally, Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi will not attend U.N. General Assembly meetings Sept. 19-25 to instead deal with what the government said were domestic security issues. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters Wednesday that ethnic cleansing was taking place against Rohingya in Rakhine state. The term "ethnic cleansing" is defined as an effort to rid an area of an unwanted ethnic group by displacement, deportation or even killing. The U.N. Security Council called for "immediate steps to end the violence" and ensure civilian protections. Rohingya have faced decades of persecution in Myanmar, and are denied citizenship despite centuries-old roots in the Rakhine region. The thousands of Rohingya flooding into Bangladesh every day have arrived hungry and traumatized. Many need urgent medical care for violence-related injuries, severe infections or childbirth. "The women who are coming for check-ups all have a terrified and exhausted look," said Sumaya, a midwife at the Nayapara refugee camp working in association with the U.N. population fund. "We keep hearing stories from them of walking through jungles and across hills for days without food, their children carried over their shoulders. They've lost their homes." Two existing refugee camps were packed beyond capacity, and Bangladesh has said it would free land to build a third. Many of the new arrivals were huddling in makeshift shelters along roads or in open fields. Near the camp of Balukhali, some were setting up tents made of bamboo and plastic along hillsides muddy from days of rain. Children walked uphill to capture rainwater before it spilled into the teeming settlements below. Food, clean water and other necessities were scarce. Panic erupted Thursday along roadsides where local volunteers were distributing food, water and other supplies haphazardly from parked vehicles. Local officials shouted through bullhorns for volunteers to coordinate their efforts with aid agencies to avoid spreading chaos. "There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water," UNICEF country representative Edouard Beigbeder said. The U.N. children's agency said it needed $7.3 million to help just the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya children now at high risk of contracting water-borne diseases. On Thursday afternoon, a scuffle broke out at a makeshift relief center at Kutupalong, where some refugees tried to break into the center and were beaten back by at least four security guards wielding sticks. Those who managed to receive some aid after waiting hours in line were dismayed by the meager hand-out. "I have just got a tarpaulin sheet but no food," said 55-year-old Osman, who gave only one name. "I need rice to eat, I need to feed my family. They said they can't give us anything else. What will I eat now?" The head of the U.N. High Commission for Refugees said humanitarian assistance would increase "very, very quickly." Asked why the response has been slow, Filippo Grandi alluded to difficulties working in Bangladesh, but said he hoped this will change as the scale of the crisis becomes more apparent. It is the Myanmar government's "responsibility to ensure that security returns to Rakhine," Grandi told The Associated Press at the Stockholm Security Conference in Sweden. Bangladesh already was housing some 500,000 Rohingya who fled earlier flashes of violence including anti-Muslim riots in 2012. Rakhine state had up to 1 million Rohingya before the latest violence. During President Obama's eight years, his left-leaning administration made at least three serious efforts to undermine the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech. Two were unsuccessful. The third, for a critical time, succeeded. In January 2008, Citizens United released a 90-minute documentary, "Hillary: The Movie," about Mrs. Clinton, who then was a candidate in the 2008 Democrat Presidential primary. The film featured interviews -- mostly critical -- with political commentators and others. It was released in theaters and on DVD, but Citizens United wanted to increase distribution by making it available through video on-demand within 30 days of the 2008 primary elections. Fearing it would be prosecuted for violation of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, it sued to have the act declared unconstitutional. In the 2010 Citizens United decision, Justice Anthony Kennedy, for the majority, wrote, "If the First Amendment has any force, it prohibits Congress from fining or jailing citizens, or associations of citizens, for simply engaging in political speech." In Citizens United, the court overruled or distinguished its earlier decision which prohibited "corporations from using their general treasury funds to make independent expenditures for speech defined as an 'electioneering communication' or for speech expressly advocating the election or defeat of a candidate." The BCRA had allowed such speech only out of "special funds" raised by "political action committees," and not within 30 days before a primary election. President Obama denounced Citizens United, asserting that it: A. Allowed corporations to make unlimited donations to candidates or political parties, and B. Allowed foreign corporations the same rights as domestic corporations. Mr. Obama knew better. In the court's own words, the only issue before the court was whether a corporation could use its "general treasury funds to make independent expenditures for speech defined as an 'electioneering communication' or for speech expressly advocating the election or defeat of a candidate." And as regards "foreign corporations," the court specifically wrote, "We need not reach the question whether the government has a compelling interest in preventing foreign individuals or associations from influencing our Nation's political process." In Citizens United, none of the parties were "foreign corporations." Two years later, in 2012, in U.S. v. Alvarez , the Obama administration prosecuted a liar for falsely saying, "I was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. I got wounded many times." The government made no claim the liar lied for material gain, or to harm any person. The Obama administration prosecuted the liar for simply lying -- nothing more. President Obama's Justice Department argued "that false statements have no value and hence no First Amendment protection." The court disagreed: "Were the court to hold that the interest in truthful discourse alone is sufficient to sustain a ban on speech, absent any evidence that the speech was used to gain a material advantage, it would give government a broad censorial power unprecedented in this Courts cases or in our constitutional tradition. "Here the lie was made in a public meeting, but the statute would apply with equal force to personal, whispered conversations within a home. Had the court upheld the Obama administration's contention, Congress would have been green-lighted to criminalize parental lies to their children -- in the privacy of their own home: "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus," could carry a fine or jail time. Then, of course, the third effort was the Obama administration's misuse of the IRS was to destroy the political effectiveness of the tea party groups. This was done by slow-walking or denying the requests of the groups for 501(c)(3) tax exempt status. Without the ability to receive tax-free donations, and without their donors receiving deductions for their donations, some 400 conservative organizations, representing tens of thousands of Americans, were gagged for the 2010 and 2012 elections. In the words of Chief Justice John Marshall, "The power to tax is the power to destroy." The refusal to grant the tea party groups tax-free status also meant they had to pay taxes on any moneys they raised.The tactic worked. Tea Party groups were a non-factor in the 2012 presidential election. President Trump's 2016 electoral victory removed power from the hands of the Democrats power to use the machinery of government to limit the speech of the conservative opposition. Now the battle to over free speech has moved from the White House, the IRS and the courts to the streets. ASSUMPTION Along with the rest of the staff and residents at Kemmerer Village, Amber Miller has a lot to look forward to as fall approaches. On Tuesday, the Presbyterian child care agency kicked off its "Horses for Heroes" program, which allows children with disabilities to participate in riding sessions on therapy horses. The program spans five weeks in the fall and another five weeks in the spring. Kemmerer Village also welcomed an 8-year-old, black and white Gypsy Vanner named Oreo to its group of horses last month. "She's going to be a very good therapy horse," said Miller, the agency's equine therapist and certified riding instructor. She said that Gypsy Vanner horses such as Oreo are strong, calm and have broad backs. "They're just super mellow horses," Miller said. "We have one boy that rides in our program whose entire body tremors," Miller said. "Having a horse like Oreo is critical to his safety." Miller said that Kemmerer Village won Oreo in a contest held by the LexLin Gyspy Ranch in Rockwood, Tennessee. The ranch agreed to donate Gypsy Vanner horses to the top 20 ranches and organizations that earned the most votes by the end of the contest. Kemmerer Village finished in seventh place with 15,442 votes, Miller said. "We're really building a specialized herd now," she said. Five horses are currently saddled and ready to ride for the Horses for Heroes program, and Miller said that Oreo will join them in due time. To assist with grooming the horses and attending to the children riding them for their safety, 12 of the 35 residents currently at Kemmerer Village are serving as "heroes" for the program. The agency provides a wide range of services for the young people who stay at the facility and their families, including foster care, residential treatment and recreational therapy. Autumn Warren, associate director of financial development, said that creating a relationship with the horses not only provides a therapeutic outlet for the residents, but also helps them develop beneficial life skills. "It's a constant relationship-building thing," she said. "It really is more like a human interaction. The more you see them, the more you have to work to build a relationship with the animals." Tuesday's kick-off session mostly served a fundraiser for donors who support the Horses for Heroes program. Miller said that next week the program will return to its focus of providing therapy for disabled children. Among those who rode on Tuesday were Payton and Paxton Carter. The brothers said until that evening, they had never ridden a horse previously. After they dismounted and removed their safety helmets, Payton, 8, and Paxton, 9, excitedly chattered about their experience with each other. When asked if they'd ride again someday, both answered with a simultaneous "yes." "I'd probably ride again, if I got the chance," Paxton said. From Nov. 24 through Dec. 19, Kansas City Southern will be operating its annual Holiday Express train, which will stop in 22 communities in six states on 26 dates. This will be the 17th annual excursion for the train, which will be led by KCS iconic Southern Belle business train. At each stop, visitors can board the festive six-car train, visit with Santa and his elves and tour the interior of three cars. Each event is free and open to the public. More important, the Holiday Express has a charitable component. This year, KCS will work with The Salvation Army to target communities along the route most impacted by Hurricane Harvey for additional support, including Victoria, El Campo, Kendleton and Beaumont, Tex. For these communities, The KCS Charitable Fund will make a supplemental donation to provide additional support as they recover from the hurricane. KCS and its employees have already donated more than $100,000 to the American Red Cross for Hurricane Harvey relief. Over the past 16 years, the Holiday Express has raised well over $1 million to purchase gift cards, which are donated to The Salvation Army at each scheduled stop. These gift cards are used to purchase warm clothing and other necessities for children in need in the local community. The KCS Holiday Express was built on the tradition of the Santa Train, which ran on a segment of the network bought by KCS in 1997, the railroad said. In 2000, a group of warm-hearted KCS employees noticed that the Santa Train was the only Christmas some kids had, and that some kids did not have essential items like coats, hats and gloves, so they committed to elevating the project. In 2001, volunteers transformed a retired freight train to the experience that communities throughout KCS U.S. service territory enjoy today. The Holiday Express includes Rudy, a smiling locomotive thats actually a modified tank car (and that resembles another railroad personality, Thomas the Tank Engine); a flatcar carrying Santas sleigh, reindeer and a miniature village; a gingerbread box car; an elves workshop; the reindeer stable; and a little red caboose. Each car is dressed in lights. In 2017, KCS celebrates 130 years of doing business and the 17th annual KCS Holiday Express. As a company, we value family and community, which is why we are pleased to continue this long-standing tradition of making the holidays a little brighter in communities where we live and work, said President and CEO Patrick J. Ottensmeyer. This year, we want to give extra attention to the communities along the route impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Those interested in making a tax-deductible contribution to the 2017 KCS Holiday Express fundraising campaign may do so by visiting http://www.kcsouthern.com/corporate-responsibility/giving/holiday-express or by clicking HERE. The campaign will close Oct. 31. Download the Holiday Express schedule at the link below. Welcome to Railway Gazette. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of these cookies. You can learn more about the cookies we use here. OK MOSCOW, September 14 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court has upheld a lower courts ruling to collect 2.1 million rubles ($35,500) from Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny and two other persons found guilty of embezzlement in Kirovles case, the courts press-service told RAPSI on Thursday. On July 18, Moscows Nikulinsky District Court ordered Navalny, ex-director of Vyatka Timber Company Pyotr Ofitserov and Kirovles ex-CEO Vyacheslav Opalyov to pay 2.1 million rubles (about $35,500) to the Kirovles timber company. The Kirovles company has filed a claim demanding to collect more than 16 million rubles in damages (about $270,400 at the current exchange rate) from the defendants. The court therefore granted the lawsuit in part. On February 8, Navalny was convicted of organizing embezzlement of 16 million rubles at the Kirovles timber company for the second time and received a 5-year suspended sentence, while another defendant in the case, Pyotr Ofitserov, received a 4-year suspended sentence. Additionally, they were fined 500,000 rubles ($8,500) each. According to investigators, while serving on a voluntary basis as an adviser to the Kirov Region governor Navalny organized the theft of over 10,000 cubic meters of timber from Kirovles company between May and September 2009. Investigators claimed that Ofitserov, then Director of Vyatka Timber Company, and Kirovles CEO Opalyov were involved in the scheme. Proceedings against Opalyov were treated as a separated criminal case after he admitted his guilt. Navalny was given a 5-year suspended sentence for embezzlement at the Kirovles timber company in July 2013. Later, Moscow's Lyublinsky District Court increased a probation period for him to 5.5 years. Ofitserov received a 4-year suspended sentence. In February 2016, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) held that the applicants right to a fair trial had been violated and ordered Russian authorities to compensate Navalny with 48,000 of legal costs and Ofitserov with 22,000. Additionally, Russia was obliged by court to pay 8,000 euro each in damages. In November 2016, the Supreme Court overturned sentences against Navalny and Ofitserov in Kirovles embezzlement case and sent it for retrial. The court delivered the ruling taking into consideration the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). U.S. court orders lawyer to return embezzled $600,000 to Russian company MOSCOW, September 14 (RAPSI) The Federal Court for the District of Columbia has ordered lawyer James Miller to pay the Russian company Transmashholding (TMH) nearly $600,000 as part of a settlement between two parties, the courts documents available to RAPSI read on Thursday. As part of the settlement signed in 2014 the lawyer was obliged to return over $600,000 plus interest to TMH within 51 months. However, in late 2016, Miller failed to make several payments prompting TMH to exercise its right to accelerate the payments collection. However, the company received no payment from Miller prompting lawyers of the Russian company to turn to court. TMH is one of the leading companies on the Russian railway transportation construction market. In June 2011, $25 million were transferred from the companys bank account to an account of Richcom International Asia Ltd. (Richcom). The Russian company claimed that the funds were transferred fraudulently by an unauthorized employee. During investigation into embezzlement case launched soon after, THM found out that over $600,000 of the stolen money were transferred to Miller. In 2013, the company filed a lawsuit against the lawyer with the U.S. court after he refused to return the funds. In 2014, parties reached settlement and the case was closed. Russian penitentiary deputy chief pleads not guilty to embezzlement Context Russian penitentiary deputy chief charged with embezzlement MOSCOW, September 14 (RAPSI) Deputy chief of the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) Oleg Korshunov charged with large scale embezzlement has pleaded not guilty, RAPSI reports from the Basmanny District Court of Moscow on Thursday. According to investigation, the accused organized conclusion of two government contracts on delivery of fuels and lubricants and food products at an overvalued price between 2015 and 2016. Actions of Korshunov and his accomplices caused a 160-million-ruble damage (about $3 million) to the FSIN, the Investigative Committee's spokesperson Svetlana Petrenko said. Korshunov was appointed to the post of FSIN deputy head in March 2014. He has been bestowed the rank of Full State Counsellor 2nd Class of the Russian Federation. Charges brought against alleged Moscow region school shooter MOSCOW, September 14 (RAPSI, Yevgeniya Sokolova) Charges were brought against a teenager, who had allegedly opened fire in a school in the Moscow region, his attorney Viktor Zaprudsky told RAPSI on Thursday. However, the lawyer did not disclose details because he had signed a non-disclosure agreement. On September 7, Moscows Basmanny District Court detained the teenager until November 5. Earlier, the attorney said that the teenager repented all what he had done and apologized to victims. According to Zaprudsky, the suspects parents are ready to be financially liable for their sons actions. As a result, the teacher received an open craniocerebral trauma. Three minors panicking jumped out of the window and were injured as well, the Investigative Committees statement reads. In February 2014, a similar incident took place in Moscow. Sergey Gordeev, then 15, brought a rifle and a carbine to school. He killed a police officer and a teacher, injured one more person and took hostages. The Investigative Committee found that the student had fired at least 11 rounds from a small caliber rifle before he was arrested. The student was ordered to undergo compulsory medical treatment. European Union extends individual sanctions over crisis in Ukraine MOSCOW, September 14 (RAPSI) The Council of the European Union has prolonged individual restrictive measures against number of persons and companies over crisis in Ukraine until March 15, 2018, the Councils statement reads on Thursday. According to the Council, there is no reason to change the sanctions regime. Currently, the EU blacklist contains 149 persons and 38 legal entities. Four persons were excluded from the list after they died. In addition, after three of these companies merged into one, it was also included in the list. The blacklisted persons are prohibited from entering the European Union and their assets are to be frozen. On June 28, the European Union prolonged another set of sanctions related to the crisis in Ukraine, ones targeting specific sectors of the Russian economy, until January 31, 2018. The economic sanctions targeting the financial, energy, and defense sectors, as well as the sector of dual-use goods, were first introduced on July 31, 2014, for a one-year period and toughened in September 2014. Later, in March 2015, the European Council linked the end of the sanctions to the complete implementation of the Minsk agreements. In addition to the sanctions, limiting access to EU capital markets for five major Russian majority state-owned financial institutions and three major Russian energy and three defense companies, as well as curtailing access to some sensitive technologies and services related to oil production and exploration, the European Council employed additional measures. Among them are targeted individual restrictive measures mentioned above and restrictive measures undertaken in response to the reunification of Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia deemed illegal by EU, in place until June 23, 2018. In the spring of 2014, the EU, the United States and Canada slapped the first sanctions on Russian companies, banks and politicians, freezing their bank accounts, denying them entry and refusing to buy Russian products. The move was linked to the conflict in Ukraine. Among the companies affected by these sanctions are several of top Russian companies: Sberbank, VTB, Gazprombank and others. In response, in August 2014, the Russian government introduced a year-long ban on agricultural imports from the EU, the US, Canada and several other countries that imposed sanctions on Russia. Blacklisted food imports included meat, fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables. Property details: Please Read The Entire Auction Description Before Bidding! 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Price: $ 1 Seller State of Residence: New Jersey Property Address: 1477 Queens Bay Zip/Postal Code: 86403 Type: Lakefront Number of Bedrooms: 1 Number of Bathrooms: 1 Location: 864**, Lake Havasu City, Arizona You will be redirected to eBay Nearby 1 , We're sorry, this article is not currently available By Amalya Margaryan A Yerevan court today partially sustained a motion by defense attorneys in the Sasna Dzrer trial allowing eight of the eighteen defendants to be visited by close relatives and to speak by telephone. Several of the defense attorneys didnt show up for the trial. Yesterday 184 attorneys declared they were going on strike to protest changes to a 2011 decision that outlines the procedure to search people entering courts in Armenia and lists the items to be banned. Lousineh Sahakyan, one of the Sasna Dzrer defense attorneys, told Hetq that the list of banned items has no legal power, and thus, no one has the right to implement it. The next trial date is September 28. If you asked me at 5 years old what I wanted to be, I would have stood a little taller and told you journalist. If you asked me now, the answe Godhwani exit comes at a time when the companys fund raising plans and proposed related party transactions are under scrutiny, says N Sundaresha Subramanian. Sunil Godhwani, who oversaw the growth of Religare Enterprises from a small non-banking finance company, quit its board of directors on September 6, amid deepening trouble for the financial services major. He is the fourth director to quit in the past few months. This comes when the companys fund raising plans and proposed related party transactions are under scrutiny from lenders and corporate governance advisory firms. In April, Monish Kant Dutt, a nominee of IFC, resigned from the Religare board. That was less than two weeks after Ravi Mehrotra, a non-executive director, stepped down. Following this, the company postponed release of its FY17 results, eventually releasing it with the qualified opinion of auditors. The latter were, among other things, concerned over regulatory scrutiny over loans given to group entities by the lending subsidiary, Religare Finvest. This further led to rating agencies downgrading the papers of the company and its subsidiaries. Earlier, on July 28, another non-executive director quit, Sangeeta Talwar. Godhwanis exit, however, assumes significance due to the key role hed played in the company's growth and the close relationship he had with the promoters, Malvinder Mohan Singh and Shivinder Mohan Singh. Hand-picked Thirteen years ago, the brothers had asked Godhwani to take charge of their non-banking finance company, Fortis. The Godhwanis, who were into leather accessories, were known to the Singhs for at least two generations; hence the offer. Godhwani turned tiny Fortis into sprawling Religare, with interests across various financial service verticals. He had also overseen a popular initial public offering (IPO) of equity, in November 2007. Offered for Rs 185, the shares had listed at a premium and shot up to Rs 500, before the market crash in early 2008. However, the past few years have been challenging, amid mounting losses, despite divestment of interests in life insurance, mutual funds and other divisions. The Singh brothers were earlier not part of the Religare board; they returned last year, with Malvinder taking the position of chairman. Godhwani was then given the position of CEO and later became a wholetime director. Related party deals On Saturday, a postal ballot for shareholders to vote on a resolution for approval of a related party transaction closed. Religare wants to make a further investment of up to Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion) in one or more tranches in equity or preference shares in Religare Capital Markets (RCML), a subsidiary. RCML needs additional funds for its India operations and would transfer a certain sum of the investment to its subsidiary, Religare Capital Markets International (Mauritius), to repay own liabilities. Both the entities (RCML and RCMIML) have accumulated losses. REL has already made a provision of Rs 30 crore (Rs 300 million) for diminution in the value of its existing investment in RCML. Further, the company has stated that a provision for diminution for the proposed investment of Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 bilion) shall also be created in the companys books of accounts, since RCML is in losses. Governance advisory entity SES has criticised the transaction and asked shareholders to seek more details. The board, before seeking shareholders approval for the proposed investment, would have considered all the options available, including but not limited to the revival plan for these two subsidiaries. The company should disclose to the shareholders the action plan for revival of the business and adequate justification for further (proposed) investment, despite the fact that the present investment has already suffered diminution in its value, it has stated. Adding: Further, the company has mentioned that the standby letter of credit facility availed of by RCMIML is falling due for repayment and RCML also needs additional funds for its India operations. SES believes the company should bring separate resolutions for these two investments, so that the shareholders can consider (these) independent of each other. In view of these concerns, SES recommends that shareholders vote against the resolution. Separately, SES has opposed a resolution to raise funds by issue of debentures for this investment at the annual general meeting. A Religare spokesperson did not respond to an e-mail seeking comments on these recommendations. Further, the company is also named a party in a petition by IDBI Trusteeship Services, which has challenged the right of certain shareholders to vote on this transaction. The company strongly believes that IDBI Trusteeship Services has wrongly made the company as the party to its petition against certain shareholders of the company and the company will strongly oppose and defend itself, Religare has said to the stock exchanges. These shareholders have pledged their shares with IDBI Trusteeship. Falling share prices are not helping the shareholders, including the promoters who have pledged their shares. Reflecting these concerns, the shares have lost a little over 60 per cent in the past month and 81 per cent this financial year. Photograph: PTI Photo. One of the crucial features of the right to privacy judgment is the understanding that democracy is founded on pluralism and diversity, and pluralism and diversity begin in the mind, says Gautam Bhatia. In No Place to Hide, the book that chronicles Edward Snowdens unmasking of the American mass surveillance regime, journalist Glenn Greenwald writes that only when we believe that nobody else is watching us do we feel free -- safe -- to truly experiment, to test boundaries, to explore new ways of thinking and being, to explore what it means to be ourselves... for that reason, it is in the realm of privacy where creativity, dissent, and challenges to orthodoxy germinate. A society in which everyone knows they can be watched by the state -- where the private realm is effectively eliminated -- is one in which those attributes are lost, at both the societal and the individual level. Fifty-five years ago, Koka Subba Rao, one of the great civil rights judges of the Indian Supreme Court, understood this. Striking down police regulations that authorised the surveillance of a history-sheeter -- including the tracking of his movements -- he held that if a man is shadowed, his movements are obviously constricted... (the) movement of an automation. How could a movement under the scrutinising gaze of the policemen be described as a free movement? The whole country is his jail. The shroud of surveillance cast upon him perforce engender(s) inhibitions in him and he cannot act freely as he would like to do. Unfortunately, Justice Subba Rao could persuade only one other judge, out of a bench of six, to join him. His words were words of dissent. The justices in the majority held that surveillance did not physically impede a persons movement, or his liberty, and therefore (apart from one regulation that authorised the police to enter a suspects house at night) did not violate the constitutional guarantees of personal liberty and the freedom of movement. Justice Subba Raos insight -- that the impact of surveillance did not leave perceptible traces in the physical world, but worked insidiously upon the minds of its targets, channeling their actions, their movements, their associations, and their very thoughts into preset grooves and patterns, killing dissent and heterodoxy, and imposing a stifling, psychological conformism upon society -- remained a cry in the wilderness until finally, a nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court resurrected his view and made it the law of the land. Tucked away within the 597 pages of a mammoth verdict (spanning six separate opinions), we find the following observation by Justice Dhananjaya Chandrachud: Individual dignity and privacy are inextricably linked in a pattern woven out of a thread of diversity into the fabric of a plural culture. This is not mere rhetoric. A few lines before this, Justice Chandrachud referred to the individuals right to stand against the tide of conformity in creating a zone of solitude. In his separate opinion, Justice Jasti Chelameswar warned of attempts by governments to shape the minds of subjects... conditioning the thought process by prescribing what to read or not to read... what forms of art alone are required to be appreciated leading to the conditioning of beliefs. Justice S A Bobde defended the idea of a zone of internal freedom in which to think. And perhaps most bluntly of all, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul observed that knowledge about a person gives a power over that person... privacy is key to the freedom of thought. Five and a half decades after his solitary dissent, Justice Subba Raos insight has become constitutional wisdom. One of the crucial features of the right to privacy judgment is the understanding that democracy is founded on pluralism and diversity, and pluralism and diversity begin in the mind. Privacy is important not because people have something to hide, but because privacy gives people a sanctuary where they can think, be, and live, in opposition to the dominant cultural, social, and political norms of the time. Privacy allows people a space where they can refuse to conform. And it is in that space where liberty flourishes, the liberty to fashion alternative ways of life, which -- ultimately -- form and take shape in the public sphere, allowing society always to renew itself. As Meenakshi Arora, one of the senior counsels for the petitioners observed during oral arguments, to live without privacy is akin to living under the shadow of a perpetual, general warrant in your name, issued by the state. And such a perpetual warrant can only produce the kind of conformity that Justice Robert Jackson, the great American judge, likened to the unanimity of the graveyard. Of course, a private space, a space of sanctuary, makes sense only if people are free enough in their lives to access it. And it is here that the judgment offers us a second important insight. Feminist scholars have long argued that by walling off spaces (such as the home) and institutions (such as marriage) from public scrutiny, the concept of privacy shields their exploitative character, and stymies any possibility of egalitarian reform. In his judgment, Justice Chandrachud makes a serious effort to engage with these concerns, observing that any formulation of the right to privacy must account for womens rights within the home and the private sphere. Constitutional law, therefore, cannot treat the home or the marriage as a sacred space, immune from norms of equality and autonomy: Indeed, personal autonomy, vesting in each individual, must be at the heart of the right to privacy. Will these observations have any impact? We shall soon know, as the Delhi high court hears a petition challenging the constitutionality of the marital rape exception, a classic case that pits the sanctity of private spaces (the home, the family, and marriage) against the decisional autonomy of women. It is only through such concrete cases that, over time, the Supreme Courts right to privacy judgment will begin to make a genuine difference to the lives of the citizens whose inheritance it has now become. Gautam Bhatia is a Delhi-based lawyer and legal writer, who was one of the lawyers for the petitioners in this case. The views are his own. 'Our priority will be to settle land disputes in Bihar, which I believe is the root cause of almost all crime in the state.' Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Sushil Modi speaks to Satyavrat Mishra. It is alleged that the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) and Nitish Kumar had decided to join hands much before his resignation in July. How would you respond? There is no truth in such allegations. When Kumar submitted his resignation to the governor, we formed a three-member committee to decide the future course of action. After discussions, we decided to support the government. We asked permission from the central leadership. After we got the green light from Delhi, we announced our support for Kumar. Who knew that Kumar would resign? What would have happened had Lalu Prasad asked his son to resign? There is no truth in the allegations of Kumar's resignation being a pre-planned event. You had said in interviews with various publications that the BJP would never have an alliance with Kumar. What changed? I have never said that. All I said was 'We don't know what's going to happen'. It is true that the best years of Nitishji's political life were with the BJP. Everyone who has ever been with the BJP always find his or her way back to us. I, however, always thought Laluji would go to great lengths to protect the Grand Alliance governance, given the political future of his now ex-minister sons. Therefore, I used to say that if there isn't any threat to the government, then where is the question of our role. Till the last day, we believed that Laluji would ask his son to resign to save the government and political power. However, he made it a matter of prestige and Kumar also refused to budge. Kumar remained adamant that Tejashwi Yadav must come clean on the allegations. Kumar showed true grit in doing so. Only a few leaders in the country can take a stand on corruption today. The BJP and Kumar share a rocky past. How can the party trust him? Situations can change. Nitishji has always been a flag-bearer of anti-Congress politics. He never liked the Congress work culture. People have seen the glorious days of National Democratic Alliance-1 and therefore they wanted us back together. Mark my words: This alliance will sweep both the 2019 Lok Sabha election and the 2020 Bihar assembly polls if we don't make silly mistakes. It reflects the wishes and aspirations of the majority of Bihar's voters. The Congress is already discredited and on the verge of extinction in Bihar. Apart from Prasad's core support base, no other social group is ready to accept him because of his bad track record in governance. There has been a rise in right-wing political statements and incidents in Bihar. Does this mean Hindutva factions would be more assertive from now onwards? Hindu or Muslim can never be a topic in governance. Our agenda has always been development and it will remain so. We have been working for the public in Bihar and will continue to do so. Our motto will be 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' and we will work for each and every person in Bihar without any discrimination. Our government will leave no one behind. The BJP was most critical of the new prohibition law in Bihar and even called it a 'Talibani law'. Will you change the law now? We have always supported prohibition. The law might be a bit harsh, but till date there has been no complaint about its misuse. A law or policy can be reviewed, but people are happy with the stringent ban on liquor. Even our own leaders and workers have supported the liquor ban. Therefore, despite being in the Opposition, we couldn't muster the courage to speak against it. Prohibition has also shown various positive social and economic impacts. No government can now dare to repeal prohibition from the state. However, if we find the law is being misused, then being a sensitive government we will certainly review it. The state coffers took a hit last year because of prohibition. How would you manage it this year? We can't get back the Rs 5,000 crore (Rs 50 billion) that we lost because of the liquor ban. However, GST (the goods and services tax) is expected to be a big boost for our finances. Being a consumer state, we are expected to gain the most from this new tax regime. Moreover, we expect more funds transfer from the Centre and we will now focus on better monitoring. We will focus on a higher growth rate, which will ensure higher fund allocations from the central government. During the Bihar assembly election in 2015, the prime minister had announced a special package worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore for the state. However, as per the state government's data, only Rs 23,500 crore has been utilised till March 31, 2017. Will the situation improve now? There was confusion over whether the Bihar government would get the money. The truth is that more than 80 per cent of the funds will be given directly to the implementing agencies. For example, the Centre has promised Rs 53,000 crore for the roads sector in the state, but the money would be given directly to the National Highways Authority of India. On the other hand, many projects listed in the special package such as AIIMS, central university are pending because of problems in land acquisition. We have now decided to give land to all these projects on a priority basis, so that we can utilise every single penny of the package. What would be the agenda of the new government? This time we will focus on second generation reforms. Our priority will be to settle land disputes in Bihar, which I believe is the root cause of almost all crime in the state. For this, we had decided to conduct surveys, digitise land records, formalise the mutation process, etc, with a focus on bringing land disputes down to a minimum. This government has been formed on the issue of corruption. Therefore, we will never compromise on that issue. We will promote the use of information technology in the daily functioning of the government. All payments would now be routed only through the electronic mode and the use of cash and cheques would be discouraged. We have decided to complete Aadhaar seeding by the end of this calendar year and payments in social security schemes would be sent only through the bank accounts. In infrastructure, we have decided to connect every house with electricity by the end of the next year. By the end of 2019, we will achieve the target of 100 per cent farm electrification; every farmer will be given an electricity connection for the purpose of agriculture. To boost agricultural production, we will ensure proper implementation of the third Agriculture Road Map. We will also focus on the health sector, which was ruined by the misrule of Tej Pratap Yadav. Road construction will also be on our radar. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra D Modi with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Photograph: PTI Photo Deepening their strategic ties further, India and Japan on Thursday agreed to boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region in the midst of China's growing assertiveness and pitched for a 'zero-tolerance' in combating terrorism including towards Pakistan-based groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Tayiba. The two countries signed 15 deals in key areas, including civil aviation, trade after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe as they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in strategic areas of defence, security, trade and civil nuclear energy. The two leaders also deliberated upon important regional and global issues and affirmed strong commitment to their values-based partnership in achieving a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international law are respected, and differences are resolved through dialogue, and where all countries, large or small, enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight. But significantly, the joint statement issued after their talks did not mention South China Sea directly unlike last year's joint statement. After the 2016 summit during Modi's visit to Japan, the joint statement had said, 'regarding the South China Sea, the two prime ministers stressed the importance of resolving the disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law including the UNCLOS' (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea). Addressing a joint press event with Abe, Modi said, "The range of special strategic and global partnership is not just limited to bilateral and regional sphere. We have close cooperation on global issues as well." In an apparent message to Pakistan, the two sides also called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists. The two prime ministers also called for Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorist attacks including those involved in Mumbai (2008) and the Pathankot (2016) strikes. 'They looked forward to the convening of the fifth India-Japan Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups including Al Qaeda, ISIS (Islamic State), Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lakshar-e-Tayiba, and their affiliates,' said a joint statement issued after the Modi-Abe talks. It said Modi and Abe condemned in the 'strongest terms' the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism and shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that must be forcefully combated through concerted global action in the spirit of 'zero tolerance'. 'Accordingly, the two prime ministers called upon all UN member countries to implement the UNSC Resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions designating terrorist entities,' said the joint statement. The reference also assume significance in the backdrop of China repeatedly blocking India's move to declared JeM chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist by the UN. On his part, Abe said, "We have just signed a joint statement which will serve as a milestone to open a new era for Japan-India relationship... based on that we will strongly promote Japan-India special strategic and global partnership to drive peace and prosperity for Indo-Pacific region and the whole world." Modi and Abe underlined that the two countries could play a central role in safeguarding and strengthening a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific and to this end, they pledged to reinforce their efforts to enhance defence and security cooperation and dialogues, including the MALABAR and other joint exercises, the statement said. During his press statement, Abe also referred to the recent Malabar Japan-India-US naval exercise and said cooperation would be further strengthened. They also agreed for defence equipment and technology cooperation in such areas as surveillance and unmanned system technologies, and defence industry cooperation apart from aligning Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy with India's Act East Policy, including through enhancing maritime security cooperation and improving connectivity in the wider Indo-Pacific region, it added. Japan's readiness to provide its state-of-the-art US-2 amphibian aircraft was appreciated as symbolising the high degree of trust between the two countries, which agreed to continue their discussions in this regard. Earlier, the two leaders launched the bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Modi described the Rs 1.10 lakh crore project, which will cut travel time between the two cities from seven hours to less than three, as a 'big gift from Japan to India'. Asked if the recent Dokalam episode between India and China was discussed during Modi-Abe meeting, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said it was not specifically discussed but there was a discussion on regional and global developments in broader sense. Japan was the only country, which had publicly spoken about Dokalam incident, pitching for a peaceful resolution. India, Japan to set up working group to boost nuclear ties Asserting that the India-Japan civil nuclear pact reflected a new level of strategic partnership, Prime Minister Modi and his Japanese counterpart said they looked forward to setting up a working group to boost cooperation in this arena. Modi and Abe reaffirmed their commitment to work together for India to become a full member in multilateral export control regimes such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group, Wassenaar Arrangement and the Australia Group. Abe also welcomed India's accession to the Missile Technology Control Regime and the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation. India has applied for a membership in the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group in May 2016, but is facing stiff opposition, primarily from China. 'They (the two prime ministers) looked forward to a working group to strengthen bilateral cooperation in this field and reiterated their shared view that the agreement reflects a new level of mutual confidence and strategic partnership in the cause of clean energy, economic development and a peaceful and secure world,' according to a joint statement, released after the delegation level talks. Referring to the nuclear pact, Modi, in a media statement after the delegation level talks with Abe, said it would open a new chapter in cooperation in the clean energy sector between the two countries. "We had signed a historic pact for peaceful use of nuclear energy during my visit to Japan last year. I am whole-heartedly thanking Japan's parliament, its people and particularly Prime Minister Abe for its ratification," Modi said. A civil nuclear pact is important for foreign players building atomic reactors in the country. The pact would enable them to procure high-end equipment from Japan. "We really see Japan as a significant partner in many of our nuclear power projects which we will doing with other countries," Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar told reporters at a media briefing. Image: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi condemned in the 'strongest terms' the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters Karti Chidambaram on Thursday refused to appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Aircel Maxis case, his lawyer said. The agency had called Karti for questioning on Thursday in connection with the foreign investment clearance given in 2006 in the Aircel Maxis deal when his father P Chidambaram was the finance minister. Karti, through his lawyer, has refused to appear before the agency saying a special court had discharged all the accused in the matter. "All proceedings connected with the said (case)... were also terminated," the response said. "The response has been received by the CBI today at 10.30 am through a courier service. The response has also been sent through fax amd email," Karti's lawyer Arun Natarajan said. It said after the discharge of the accused and "termination" of the proceedings, the CBI will not have jurisdiction to issue a summons in connection with the said case. According to the CBI charge sheet submitted in a special court, Mauritius-based M/s Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd. a subsidiary of Maxis, had sought approval for an investment of USD 800 million in Aircel. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs was competent to grant the approval. "However, the approval was granted by the then finance minister. Further investigation is being carried out into the circumstances of the FIPB approval granted by the then finance minister. The related issues are also being investigated," the agency had said in 2014. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy claimed that the former finance minister had given the FIPB clearance to a deal that should have been referred to the CCEA, headed by the prime minister, as it alone was empowered to clear foreign investments of over Rs 600 crore. P Chidambaram, who was examined by the agency in connection with the case in 2014, had issued a statement this year, saying the FIPB approval was granted in the "normal course of business". IMAGE: Army personnel carry the body of LeT commander Abu Ismail who was killed in an encounter on Thursday. Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com Abu Ismail, the Lashkar-e-Tayiba commander who masterminded the deadly attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in July, was killed by security forces in Srinagar on Thursday along with another Pakistani terrorist, police said. The two were gunned down after a brief encounter that saw the duo running for their lives. "On specific information, a joint operation was launched in Aribagh in Nowgam area on the outskirts of Srinagar city. It was around 4:15 pm that a contact was established with the two hiding terrorists in a house there. In a very brief encounter, both the terrorists were killed," Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Munir Khan said. He was addressing a joint press conference along with general officer commanding of the Army's Victor Force, Major General B S Raju, and IG Central Reserve Police Force Ravideep Singh Sahi. Khan said the other terrorist has been identified as Abu Qasim alias Chota Qasim. "The bodies of the slain terrorists have been kept at the appropriate place for appropriate disposal," he said. The IGP said two AK rifles, UBGLs and other material were recovered from them. He said Ismail was involved in 15 cases including the July 10 attack on a bus carrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims in south Kashmir's Anantnag district which left eight of them dead. "After the elimination of Abu Dujana, he (Ismail) had taken over as the chief of LeT in the valley. He was involved in around 15 criminal cases in valley which included murder, dacoities and other militancy related incidents. So, I compliment our teams for executing a wonderful operation with no collateral damage," Khan said. "The day they (terrorists) killed yatris, the people said that such they should be brought to justice and today they have been brought to justice. It is a great success for the security forces. A chapter of these terrorists has been closed. Tomorrow will be a new day for us. We will start our work afresh. "When the attack took place, there was total condemnation of the act committed by terrorists from all sections of the society and people said loud and clear that these killers must be killed. So, from that day onwards, these killers were our targets and our teams -- whether they be police, army or the CRPF -- were looking for them," he said. He thanked the people for 'expressing that sentiment that time because that was against Kashmiriyat. No Kashmiri liked that'. Asked whether all the terrorists behind the attack have been neutralised, the IGP said, "One foreign and one local terrorists are left." He said Ismail was an 'A++' category terrorist while Qasim was 'A+' category, but refused to share further details of the operation. "It is better not to ask such questions because they are operational details which we do not want to divulge. It is not that whole militancy has been wiped out by their killing. So, it is better not to divulge the details," he said. Khan said the priority of the security forces is to neutralise the militant leadership in the valley. "Militant leadership is important to be neutralised. That has to be eliminated because they not only are militants but also provoke and motivate children. The priority is to neutralise the militant leadership. You know who are the leaders and they will be our next target," he said. He, however, said, "We have a long way to go and we will keep on trying." Major General Raju said Ismail's killing is extremely important because he was responsible for the death of about 14 security forces personnel and eight civilians. "This success is also important because we are expecting vacuum in the foreign terrorists' leadership of the LeT. After the death of Abu Qasim, then Abu Dujana and now Ismail. In between we also killed (Abu) Ali. Now, we are looking at a serious deficiency in their leadership which should give us more opportunities," he said. The Rajasthan police has given a clean chit to six persons named by 55-year-old Pehlu Khan, who died after being lynched by a mob of cow vigilantes in Alwar district earlier this year. Nine other accused in the case, however, continue to face criminal charges, officials said. According to the police, the six had been absolved in the case on the basis of evidence. The victim's son, however, termed it a "betrayal" and asserted that the family would seek another probe. "Six persons have been given a clean chit in the investigation into the Pehlu Khan case. Nine others, however, will face criminal charges," ADG (CID-CB), Pankaj Kumar Singh said. The clean chit was given on the basis of statements of those present at the scene of the crime, photographs and mobile phone location records, he said. Those absolved were Hukum Chand, Om Prakash, Sudhir Yadav, Rahul Saini, Navin Sharma and Jagmal Yadav, said Singh. Khan had named the six as being part of the mob that had attacked him, he said. The 'Pehlu Khan lynching case', which triggered a massive furore, was handed over to the crime investigation department-crime branch (CID-CB) in July. The CB-CID had on September 1, handed over its report to the Alwar police, officials said. Expressing shock at the development, Khan's son Irshad, who was with him at the time of the assault, said that the family would fight till the last breath to get justice. "This is betrayal. We heard the names (of the accused) when they attacked. How can they be given clean chit? We will seek an inquiry again," he said. Of the nine persons, who continue to face charges in connection with Khan's murder, the police, so far, has arrested seven. Five of these later got bail, officials said. Khan and others were allegedly attacked by cow vigilantes in Alwar on April 1 while they were on their way to Haryana after purchasing cattle in Rajasthan. Khan, a dairy farmer, succumbed to injuries two days later. Khan and those along with him were attacked as the mob suspected them of illegally smuggling cattle. Following the incident the police had registered a case naming some persons and also against scores of unidentified persons. IMAGE: A mob beats a group of Muslims they allege were smuggling cows, Alwar, Rajasthan, April 3, 2017. Pehlu Khan, one of the men brutally assaulted, died later in hospital. United States President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he was looking to allow people to stay in the country, but not ready for citizenship or amnesty, an announcement that may benefit 800,000 young immigrants, including those from India. Trump's statement came a day after top Democratic lawmakers Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi claimed that they had reached a deal with the president to protect about 800,000 young immigrants who came to America illegally as children and were given protection by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals programme. Trump had scrapped the DACA programme earlier this month. "We are not looking at citizenship. We are not looking at amnesty. We are looking at allowing people to stay here," Trump told reporters. Trump said he is very close to a deal on DACA. "I just spoke with Paul Ryan, everybody's on board... We are talking about taking care of people, people who were brought here, people who have done a good job. We will only do it if we get extreme security, not only surveillance but everything that goes with surveillance. If there is not a wall, we are doing nothing," he said. In a statement after dinner with Trump at the White House, Schumer and Pelosi said that they have reached a deal with him on DACA. "We had a very productive meeting at the White House with the president. The discussion focused on DACA. We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that is acceptable to both sides," Schumer and Pelosi said. In a tweet early on Thursday morning, Trump however said that no deal has been reached. 'No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote,' he said, refuting claims being made by the Democratic leaders. Pelosi tended to disagree at a news conference at the Capitol Hill. "I do believe that there is an understanding that down the road, there is an eventual path to citizenship in the DREAM Act, and that overwhelmingly, the American people support that," she said. "In a poll today, over 50 per cent, and then, you know, 12 per cent want to send them back, and then others somewhere in the middle. But it came up in the context of the suggestion that there might be other bills to be considered, and that did not last long," Pelosi said. The atmosphere during the White House dinner last night, she said, was very friendly. "We made it clear from the start that there were certain concerns that we had about some of the president's statements relating to the Muslim ban, Charlottesville, DACA decision and that we needed to establish some trust and confidence as we go forward. "One path to building that confidence and trust would be the DREAM Act, DACA. The president likes to call it DACA. I believe that we have had enough conversation with the president with enough reiteration of his commitment to protect the dreamers, in fact, publicly. You saw his statements, today, that it would not be wise to send these young people back," Pelosi added. No restrictions on H-1B visa: US official A senior US official on Thursday sought to allay India's concerns on the H-1B visa programme, which is being 'reviewed' by the Trump administration, saying there are no 'restrictions' in place. The official said around 70 per cent of the visas issued under the H-1B category over the past nine months have gone to Indians and that a record 1.2 million visas of Indians were adjudicated by the US last year. The year-over-year increase in terms of issuance of H-1B visas and L1 visas (work permit) to Indians is six per cent each, the official said. "The President (Donald Trump) spoke about review. There are no restrictions but it (H-1B) is under review," he said, adding the issue was not on the agenda for the upcoming Indo-US bilateral dialogue on consular relations, but it may come up in the course of the talks. Trump had signed an executive order in April for tightening the rules of the H-1B visa programme to stop 'visa abuses'. The DACA amnesty programme granted work permits to immigrants who arrived in the country illegally as children. The official also said the US processed around 88,000 student visa applications last year, which is an increase of 15 per cent over 2015. Currently, there are around 1.6 lakh Indian students in the US, which is the second highest number of international students, after China. Indian citizens made up six per cent of worldwide immigrant visa applicants, making them the fifth largest group of new immigrants after those from China, Philippines, Dominican Republic and Mexico. The H-1B is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. Indian technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year for their US operations. The Madras high court on Thursday ordered that no floor test would be conducted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly till September 20. Justice M Duraiswami passed the interim order on petitions by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam working president M K Stalin and MLA P Vetrivel, a staunch loyalist of ousted All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader T T V Dinakaran. Dinakaran faction moves EC against Sasikala's ouster Representatives of Dinakaran on Thursday approached the Election Commission and urged it to declare as invalid the party's general council meeting in which his aunt Sasikala was removed as general secretary. Speaking to reporters after meeting the EC officials, Rajya Sabha MP Vijila Sathyananth said a memorandum containing facts, figures and by-laws of the party has been submitted to the poll body back their claim. The party's merged factions on Tuesday declared late chief minister J Jayalalithaa as AIADMK's 'permanent' general secretary and annulled the appointment of V K Sasikala as interim general secretary. "The meeting and decisions taken in it cannot be considered as valid as the Madras high court verdict had said that any decisions in the meeting will be subject to the final outcome in the appeal," Sathyanath said. After a single judge of the Madras HC dismissed the plea of the Dhinakaran faction for a stay on the general council meeting, it approached the division bench, which too refused to interfere with the former's conclusion. The court, however, said that any decision taken at the impugned meeting will be subject to the final outcome in the appeal and posted the matter to October 23. Sathyanath said the memorandum contained the procedures that should be followed before a call for general council meeting. Citing pending disqualification proceedings against 19 MLAs loyal to Dinkaran in view of their rebellion against Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, the petitioners submitted that they apprehended the speaker might disqualify the legislators. This may go in favour of the chief minister in case of a floor test to prove his majority, they contended. Stalin, in his petition, had sought a direction to the governor to order a floor test for the Palaniswami government, claiming that it had lost is majority in view of the 19 MLAs expressing their lack of confidence in the chief minister. Vetrivel, who filed a impleading petition, submitted he had apprehension that he might be disqualified by the speaker during the proceedings initiated on a prayer by the government chief whip. After the whip sought disqualification of the 19 MLAs under the anti-defection law, the speaker had issued notices to them seeking their response, the time limit for which ended on Thursday. Earlier, Tamil Nadu Advocate General Vijay Narayan informed the judge that the constitutional process by the speaker had started and the court could not pass orders based on apprehensions of the petitioners. Narayan stated this in response to a directive by the judge earlier in the day asking him to ascertain from the Speaker whether he intended to pass any order on the matter. Senior counsel Kapil Sibal, appearing for Stalin, submitted that the speaker might pass an order disqualifying the 19 MLAs and might conduct the floor test on even Sunday so that they would not have time to approach courts for relief. He said at least 48 hours of time should be given before a floor test. The speaker's counsel submitted the court cannot interfere in the process of a constitutional authority such as the speaker. Once the constitutional process was over and if any order was passed, then a judicial review would always be available to the aggrieved parties, he submitted. The court cannot act based on apprehensions and expect the speaker to reply whether he was going to take a decision today or tomorrow, he said. Sibal argued that even issuing privilege notices to 21 DMK MLAs over their action in displaying banned gutkha in the assembly had been done only with a mala fide intention to save the government. The MLAs have revolted against Palaniswami after the merger of party factions led by him and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam on August 21. In his petition, Stalin also wanted the floor test to be held under the supervision of an independent observer appointed by the high court. Stalin, the Leader of the Opposition in the assembly, sought a direction to the chief minister, restraining him from taking any major policy decision, pending the disposal of his petition. Besides the withdrawal of support by the 19 MLAs, the 98 MLAs of the DMK and its allies in the opposition had expressed their 'unequivocal no-confidence' in the government, it said. "Hence, it is clear that the the government has lost its majority," he had contended adding it was the duty of the governor to ask the government to prove its strength in the 234-member assembly with one vacancy. The AIADMK has 134 members excluding the speaker. Photograph: PTI Photo Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, who is on a two-day official trip to India, on Thursday visited the worlds largest museum based on life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, Dandi Kutir, in Gandhinagar. "The museum represents Gandhi's idea of people across lines of class, gender, age and community asserting a common right to slat itself: a symbil to inspire a pluralistic society to march towards independence, Purna Swaraj," a museum's website posting said, a reference to the famous Dandi March led by the Father of the Nation during India's freedom struggle. The museum depicts the biography of the Father of the Nation using sophisticated technologies like audio, video, 3-D visual and 360-degree shows. The museum depicts Gandhi's life in a beautiful manner. From his birth on October 2 , 1869 in Kathiawad, to his childhood when he was a shy, remarkable and unique student. It also traces his marriage to Kasturba and his experiments with youth. Modi and Abe had visited even Sabarmati Ashram on Wednesday where the prime minister took great interest to explain about life and principles of Mahatma Gandhi to his Japanese counterpart. Spread over 15 acres, the Dandi Kutir complex is a part of the Mahatma Mandir, an impressive business convention centre, initiated by the state government when Modi was the chief minister. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched his ambitious bullet train project on Thursday, insisting it would bring 'convenience and safety, employment and speed', he was bombarded with criticism by friends and foes alike. The main Opposition Congress called the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed train an 'election bullet train' project launched with an eye on the upcoming Gujarat assembly polls, while Bharatiya Janata Party's ally Shiv Sena said it might be a dream project of Modi but not for the common man. "It's not the time to move forward slowly as time doesn't wait. The bullet train will bring in convenience and safety, employment and speed," the PM said as he launched the Rs 1.10 lakh crore venture with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in Ahmedabad. However, ally Shiv Sena was far from impressed. 'We are getting a bullet train without asking for it. We do not know exactly which problem will this problem solve,' the Sena said in an editorial in the party's mouthpiece Saamana. Pandit (Jawaharlal) Nehru laid the foundation of several projects, from Bhakra Nangal to Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, to ensure the country advances in technology and science. All these projects were needed for the nation, it said. 'Does this bullet train fit into the needs of the country?' it asked and raked up the issue of agrarian distress in some states. It said the demand for waiver of farm loans was being made for the last several years and that nobody sought a bullet train. 'The demand for loan waiver of farmers was being made for the last several years. Nobody sought a bullet train. Modi's dream is not of the common man but of the rich and industrialists,' the Sena, which shares power with BJP both in Maharashtra and at the Centre, said. The opposition Congress, too, mounted a scalding offensive against Modi, saying the launch of the venture ahead of the Gujarat election followed a pattern of the prime minister announcing economic packages and projects before state polls. Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Modi government of 'completely abdicating' its responsibility towards the safety of passengers. He also claimed that the project was conceptualised by the previous United Progressive Alliance government. "It is a matter of deep concern that while the prime minister once again adopted a UPA (government) project, it took him three-and-a-half years to come to this stage of laying the foundation stone. It is only timed with the Gujarat elections in mind...This is nothing but a 'chunavi bullet train'," Kharge told reporters in New Delhi. He claimed the government had allocated only five per cent of the Rs 1.1 lakh crore required for railway safety despite 'horrific' train accidents taking place in the last couple of years. Congress spokesperson RPN Singh alleged that the BJP government was ignoring railway safety even though 259 passengers have been killed and 973 injured in 29 major railway accidents since the Modi dispensation assumed office. "They (the government) is unable to set right the faults which are causing ordinary trains to jump the tracks. Imagine what would happen if a bullet train gets off the rails," another Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said. However, Abe lauded Modi for being a 'farsighted' leader in thinking of bringing the high-speed train to India. In his speech after the launch of the project, Modi took on those who were criticising him over it. "When earlier I talked about bringing bullet train, they (opposition) used to say when will it be done. Now that we are bringing it, they are asking why," he said. "Our stress is now on high-speed connectivity which will improve speed, reduce distance and ensure economic progress," he added. He termed as a 'big gift' from 'friend' Japan the project, which when completed, would see the train covering the distance of 500 km between the two cities in less than three hours instead of the usual seven now. Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pose in front of a Shinkansen bullet train in Tokyo, Japan. Photograph: Kyodo/Reuters There it lay, a photograph on the desk under a stapler, and later a stamp pad, forgotten, done with, like its subject, a Mumbai Metro One employee who vanished overnight. Vaihayasi Pande Daniel reports from the Sheena Bora murder trial. Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com Her face is perky. She smiles brightly. Shining black hair falls almost to her shoulders. Of medium height, she is wearing a sleeveless, cropped black top and jeans. Via a solitary, slightly crumpled photograph, not her best, Sheena Bora, who lived most of her life as a sister rather than a daughter, finally made her maiden appearance in the murder trial at Courtroom 51 of the Kala Ghoda sessions court, Wednesday, September 13, eight months after it began and five years after she was killed. Looking at the photograph it was hard to believe she was dead. Her picture came out of one of those brown government envelopes, with many wax seals on it. The envelope, as per proper court procedure, was first placed before Special CBI Judge Jayendra Chandrasen Jagdale. After it was opened for him and he looked at it, through the court clerks, he handed it down to the lawyers' bench, into the hands of the defence. Each lawyer glanced at it, carefully examining its rear, where it said Poonam Labs (there is one in Worli, central Mumbai, where Sheena once lived), looking for a non-existent date. The fact that the print actually existed, when most photographs have been digital for many years now, suggested that it might be quite old. An unidentified man in a suit stands outside the focus of the picture. He seems to have ambled in last minute and was not meant to be part of the image. This photograph, which was not as fetching as some of the cuter pics available of Sheena in the public domain, was one of the items picked up by the Khar police from the Mukerjeas' former driver Shyamvar Rai's home in Mosambi Tabela, Vakola East, north west Mumbai, after his arrest in 2015, along with his driver's license and Aadhaar card. It is the picture Rai justified, a few weeks ago in court, having in his possession as he said he usually kept pictures of those he drove for, though none of his other charges/employers were found. After five defence advocates passed it among themselves, one by one, the photograph was then placed before Rai. He was asked by Sudeep Pasbola, Indrani Mukerjea's trial lawyer, if that was the picture of Sheena Bora that the police took from his home two years ago. He agreed, without hedging, that it was. The luckless Sheena's picture didn't seem to produce much curiosity or anticipation in the trio in the accused enclosure. Or sadness. No one craned to look at it. But Sanjeev Khanna, Indrani and Peter Mukerjea are located so far in the back of the room, craning would not have helped them see any bit of the picture. Surprisingly too, they were not shown this case exhibit either, given it is their trial. After the viewing by Rai, the picture was given back to the court clerks. There it lay, on the desk under a stapler, and later a stamp pad, forgotten, done with, like its subject, a Mumbai Metro One employee who vanished overnight. With that Sheena's presence too, once again, seeped away from Courtroom 51. You could almost imagine you could see her stealing softly out of the room, pausing at the door to give the people seated there for her trial a smile and a wave, before gliding off headed for oblivion. The girl in the picture was the reason why we were all in that room on Wednesday. As months get added to this trial, I now know more about a Chhindwara farmer-turned ice cream seller-turned-driver-turned-murderer-turned-State-witness named Shyamvar Pinturam Rai than I do about the girl who was murdered and for whom Rai stands in the witness box as approver. Wednesday was a hugely busy day for this case. Six hours were spent in arguments and cross questioning before Judge Jagdale across two sessions. It was a strange day for Courtroom 51. Twenty-four policeman milled about, most of them outside the door, where Indrani and Sanjeev sat, with Rai and Peter some distance away. A policewoman held a scanner and checked anyone entering the room. No one could explain the additional police detail. One policewoman told me that for security reasons the escort for the accused had been stepped up. Judge Jagdale shed light on the extra police swarming about. He asked the court clerk to summon CBI Investigating Officer K K Singh into the room. He told Singh and the rest of the court, with a reassuring smile, that they must have been wondering about the extra security. "We received a call" the judge said and went on to explain that there had been a threat that a bomb had been placed somewhere near Courtroom 51 and 50. A similar call was also received on Wednesday at the Mumbai high court two blocks away. Before lunch, Peter Mukerjea's lawyer Shrikant Shivade, along with CBI Prosecutors Bharat Badami and Kavita Patil, spent 90 minutes arguing the necessity of securing the Khar police station case diaries, loosely termed CDs, for the murder trial. This was a continuation of an argument begun first on Monday, then on Tuesday, on the same topic. It is also the fourth or fifth time this matter has come up at the sessions court and at the Bombay high court too, largely because of Shivade's steely persistence. Both Tuesday and Wednesday's arguments focused largely on legal procedure and were all about the technicalities of court practices. Resonating terms like 'ensure fairness of the investigation', 'to have checks and counter checks', 'satisfy the court', 'correct position of the law', 'in the interest of justice' were bandied about liberally both days. Arguing law processes is a high octane, purely legal domain where Shivade obviously excels -- given that his arguments finally carried the day a few months ago when it was being argued that Khar Constable Ganesh Dalvi, a case witness, could not give any evidence relating to what Rai had said to him since he was an approver. The matter was referred to the high court and they agreed with Shivade. Apart from the fact that Shivade is his lawyer, the technicalities of court method interested Peter quite a bit, as he hung over the accused enclosure's railing on Tuesday listening in rapt attention to every QED Shivade pulled out of his legal hat with a wave of his soft, elegant hands, while Sanjeev and Indrani seemed mildly tuned out. Basically every Indian police station is directed to maintain a variety of diaries/logs. Police officers have case diaries, personal diaries, weekly diaries, as does apparently the police station too. In these diaries is recorded each activity done in relation to a case or the work of the day/week. Case diaries are sort of the vehicles of an investigation or the documented path along which an investigation starts up and are not normally produced in a trial. They trace an investigation from its rawest form. From case diaries evolve First Information Reportss and 161s under the Criminal Procedure Code etc. But since the Sheena Bora case began life initially as an investigation into Rai's possession of an illegal weapon -- the katta or country revolver, for which he was first apprehended in 2015 -- there were two cases, with multiple case diaries. So far the case diary relating to the arms charge has been off limits to the defence lawyers working on the murder case. But those diaries are of specific interest to the defence precisely because there are two cases here though they are interlinked. It seemed that Shivade and Company feel certain that the arms case diary will unearth a bunch of contradictions between what Rai said to the police first in the arms case and what he said later in the murder case that Khar police Constables Ganesh Dalvi and Dinesh Kadam recorded. "We want to confront the approver with his first possible statement," Shivade said in a reasonable voice, gesturing again with those delicate hands, his ring flashing. Secondly since Kadam and Dalvi are also witnesses Shivade claimed they had "no other check on their statements. We want to confront Dalvi with his previous statement" in the CD. Summoning a case diary of another case is a bit of a legal no-go area. Shivade had maintained that what Rai said first to the constables would be in those case diaries and therefore amounted to being his very first statement to the police. If Judge Jagdale and the prosecution agreed to his assertion the very definition of a case diary could change. On the face of it, Judge Jagdale, who intently heard Shivade's arguments, taking notes, did not seem convinced and would be reluctant to agree, even though he said placatingly, "If I accept your argument the CD has to be produced. You have every right (to ask for them) provided you satisfy the court." The arguments supporting it were all in by 2 pm and with the judge for him to mull over. Shivade, who cited several precedents or leaned on several aspects of previous judgments pointed out that "the evidence of an approver is most important. To impeach its credibility we need to uses all legal means to find out what the truth is." "What comes before the court is not always the truth." He said his client was facing a sentence of capital punishment and all efforts had to be made to make sure justice prevailed. Judge Jagdale asked Shivade with a sharp, challenging look: "Do you want to say it is the rarest of rare cases?" Shivade, in a less emphatic tone but still firm: "The charge is capital punishment." The lawyer planned to submit a few more citations in a few days for Judge Jagdale's perusal. Badami, serious and stern, his eyes missing their usual mischievous gleam, in turn, set forth his two key rebuttals, building up grounds for Judge Jagdale's denial of Shivade's request. Opening up a case diary, Badami argued, could severely endanger his witnesses and "my police officers" that a "CD is the mirror of an investigation and not the final proof" and using it would be like using a "back door." Secondly, he suggested that the cases were not actually separate -- one case was "an offshoot" of the other. A few days earlier, Shivade quickly pointed out, Badami had said the cases were separate. The CBI prosecutor also added that the arms case was about the katta Rai had illegally in his possession, but that the katta was not the murder weapon and therefore that made its case less important. In spite of the session being dully weighed down by the arcane nature of these arguments there were lively moments. Like when Badami made a startling statement against the use of the CD, that had everyone in the room sitting up in their chairs, momentarily forgetting their thoughts about lunch, including the judge and especially Shivade, some sneaking small grins. "We have not closed our investigation," Badami announced. That doesn't necessarily mean we are sleeping. It is going on." Asked Judge Jagdale, his eyes twinkling, his puzzled smile unable to take quick refuge under his shaggy moustache, "Should I take a note that the investigation is going on?" Shivade aghast: "Have you heard of a trial and investigation going on together? Stop the trial otherwise it will be a mockery!" Judge Jagdale offered in conciliation that Badami was probably speaking about a hypothetical situation. When the court broke for lunch, the issue of Indrani's meal arose. She, Sanjeev and Peter had been in court well before noon. They were, of course, hungry. Peter was well set. Since his low sugar issues have been acknowledged and accepted by the court, he sat down to eat the sandwiches and fruit his sister Shangon Das Gupta brought him in her black rucksack. Security considerations dictate that regardless of the length of a day in court, undertrials are not allowed to eat without special written permission. This is mostly overlooked -- one sees scores of poorer prisoners seated on staircases, or the corridor floors, tucking contentedly into dabbas of biryani or roti and sabzi brought by their caring families on the lower floors. Judges give oral permission allowing the undertrials their food, as did Judge Jagdale on Wednesday. Badami was not having anything of it. He kept insisting it was a security risk for Indrani to eat. Probably since Indrani and sometimes Sanjeev don't have anyone to bring them a dabba. Badami: "You can't eat unless someone tastes your food." Indrani: "You taste it. Or she can (indicating the lady police escort)." Gunjan Mangla (Indrani's lawyer, repeating): "You taste it. Or she can." Badami to Gunjan: "You taste it." Gunjan: "Why should I taste it?" Badami to Indrani: "Have fruits." Indrani: "Where will I get fruits? And I am on medication. What are you going to eat?" Badami: "I don't eat." Indrani very sweetly: "Aap kyon nahin khate? (Why don't you eat?)" Finally it was worked out with the more kindly policewoman in charge that Sanjeev's cousin, who Indrani seemed to call Lucky or Lucks, if I heard right, would taste the food. If he didn't die they could tuck in. The canteen man, magically, in about ten minutes flat, rustled up two steel plates of warm puri-bhaji with gravy, and brought them over just as the very tall Judge Jagdale, minus his black robes, emerged from his chambers and loped down the hall, perhaps towards a tastier lunchtime offering somewhere else in the building. When a judge walks down the hall of a court, even in civvies, everyone silently stands up and position themselves flat against the wall to make way for him. Also, food/chai is never allowed in an in-session courtroom, even for a judge. Post-lunch was Day 10 of Sudeep Pasbola's cross questioning of Rai. It began, as mentioned earlier, with Sheena's photograph. Then Rai's Aadhaar card and driver's license, which each had different addresses, were examined. It was revealed that Rai could not remember -- "Yaad nahin" -- what documents he used to get himself a license issued in 1997. He was asked what documents he still had to show for where he resided. Rai for the first time was truly a picture of genuine confusion. In a small voice he tentatively offered, "Par mein jail mein hoon (But I am in jail)." After that Rai's life story was verified through a Q and A with Pasbola. It was a wretched, snakes-and-ladders tale and so illustrative of how very hard it is for poor, semi-literate people to come up in India, only to have prosperity elude them or ultimately fail, as Rai did, landing himself in jail, with only bizarre explanations for his actions. After high school, Rai never studied further nor did he seem to have passed the school-leaving exams he gave in Danwa, Madhya Pradesh. Farming didn't seem a workable option either. Finally his brother Virender drove up to his village in a truck in 1993 and brought him to Mumbai. In Mumbai Rai couldn't find any kind of work. Pasbola, painting him not-that-subtly, through his interrogation, as a shiftless, good for nothing, asked him if he eventually became an ice cream hawker. Rai denied it, but said he did hang out with people who sold ice cream. He got his first job as a peon for Rs 600, but quit that after six months. Rai said he could not remember his first salary though it was a struggle to find this first job. He finally took lessons towards getting a driving license but found no driving work because he didn't know the city or its roads -- and still doesn't, Pasbola whispered with a chuckle to his colleagues. At last Rai got his first temporary job as a driver. His driving assignments improved until he was thrown out of employment when his Standard Chartered Bank executive employer was transferred abroad. He often shuttled between village and city, doing more kinds of fill-in work till he started his employment with Indrani for a handsome Rs 10,000 that went up to eventually Rs 12,000 with an extra Rs 3,000 thrown in for keeping an eye on their residence at Marlow when the Mukerjeas were not in town. The extra Rs 3,000 was a source of acrimony and controversy, in more ways than one. Rai said he had to tussle with Indrani to get it paid. Secondly in his statement to the police he said he needed money and Indrani denied it. In court he clarified that this was about the held back Rs 3,000, but Pasbola immediately hit back saying he never told the police that and showed him his statement to prove it. The final item on the agenda on Wednesday caused a minor uproar. Pasbola suddenly pulled out a wad of photographs much to Badami's indignation. "Taking photographs out of your pocket is not good! And you have not supplied them to us. Or made an application!" Pasbola, still irate from not having received certain case statements from Badami, and in a sort of wayward stick-out-your-tongue mood, said impishly, "The pot is calling the kettle black! They are pictures of the Marlow garages" and added he would give copies of the photographs to Badami later because he needed to understand from Rai the height of the walls around the garages since Rai was unable to estimate. Badami took off, "What is the use of giving them to me later? There are any number of Marlows in the world! Not just one single Marlow! Walls are there everywhere!" The various Mukerjeas and their relatives in the court room grinned. Judge Jagdale chided them both for useless chatter and allowed the photographs into the court because he said it would aid the cross process and help jog Rai's memory. There were seven pictures. A long discussion ensued on which garage was which, which faced the road, distances, heights of walls, the access and exit route to garages, who in the building parked where, how many cars who had and what could be seen from Indrani's garage etc (it was always referred to as "Indrani Madam's garage", as if Peter had not part in the ownership). Indrani, dressed in pale green and white, whose idea it perhaps was to get the photographs taken, looked as smug as a well-fed cat, as some progress was made in the cross questioning via the photographs. It was also oddly quite a different Rai speaking from the witness stand while looking at these pictures. He was much more animated, giving longer and more exact answers, than he had ever given before and not a single "yaad nahin" was uttered. Perhaps, as a fellow reporter pointed out, he was on much surer, safer, ground and therefore had found his tongue. At one point Rai held up a picture of the garages and as he looked at it, a slow nostalgic but melancholy smile crossed his face, almost like he was looking at a place he once loved. Badami, still looking like a child who had been denied his toy, was finally passed a set of the pictures and Wednesday's edition of Rai's cross examination came to a close. Six hours spent in court meant long sessions in the corridors for Peter, Indrani and Sanjeev on Wednesday. Peter -- who looked mildly different, swapping his formal white and khaki for cream and khaki, wearing a fashionable shirt -- used this treasured extra time to have a long affectionate chat with his devoted sister. Sanjeev and his cousin poured systematically over his legal papers. K K Singh spoke, at length, to all of the accused separately. Sanjeev, who had been quite upset over the immense and apparently unnecessary delay in getting his CDMs (the request for CDMs was mistaken for CDs) spoke to Singh about how he needed time to do "research on them." Indrani, who must have once been an exotic butterfly on the South Bombay cocktail circuit, now uses her charm and effervescence to conquer the grimy court hallways, batting her eyelashes at the garrulous Badami or the mild-mannered Singh whose hooded eyes miss nothing. She even chatted up a junior CBI officer, asking him teasingly why he had taken to wearing brighter colours. Everyone got quality time with their lawyers and even each other's lawyers. The next hearing is on Tuesday, September 19. In the interim one or two things may happen. Judge Jagdale said, with a smile, that he was going away on a five-day training session. Indrani too may be headed out of town, to the dismay of her escorts (5 or 6 of them will travel with her). As one lawyer put it with a mischievous glint in his eye, "Madam is going away." Indrani could travel to Goa or New Delhi to be questioned in the Karti Chidambaram disproportionate asset case. EARLIER IN THE TRIAL Saudi Arabia: Religion Textbooks Promote Intolerance Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 13 September 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Saudi Arabia: Religion Textbooks Promote Intolerance, 13 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59ba7f8b4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Saudi Arabia's school religious studies curriculum contains hateful and incendiary language toward religions and Islamic traditions that do not adhere to its interpretation of Sunni Islam, Human Rights Watch said today. The texts disparage Sufi and Shia religious practices and label Jews and Christians "unbelievers" with whom Muslims should not associate. A comprehensive Human Rights Watch review of the Education Ministry-produced school religion books for the 2016-17 school year found that some of the content that first provoked widespread controversy for violent and intolerant teachings in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks remains in the texts today, despite Saudi officials' promises to eliminate the intolerant language. "As early as first grade, students in Saudi schools are being taught hatred toward all those perceived to be of a different faith or school of thought," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "The lessons in hate are reinforced with each following year." This research was part of a broader investigation into Saudi officials and religious clerics' use of hate speech and incitement to violence for an upcoming Human Rights Watch report. The reviewed curriculum, entitled al-tawhid, or "Monotheism," consisted of 45 textbooks and student workbooks for the primary, middle, and secondary education levels. Human Rights Watch did not review additional religion texts dealing with Islamic law, Islamic culture, Islamic commentary, or Qur'an recitation. The United States Department of State first designated Saudi Arabia a "country of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act for particularly severe violations in 2004. It has continued to do so every year since. The designation should trigger penalties, including economic sanctions, arms embargoes, and travel and visa restrictions. But the US government has had a waiver on penalties in place since 2006. The waiver allows the US to continue economic and security cooperation with Saudi Arabia unencumbered. Saudi Arabia has faced pressure to reform its school religion curriculum since the September 11 attacks, particularly from the US, after it was revealed that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens. Saudi officials have said repeatedly they will carry out these reforms, although past reviews of the curriculum over the last dozen years have shown these promises to be hollow. In February 2017, Saudi's education minister admitted that a "broader curriculum overhaul" was still necessary, but did not offer a target date for when this overhaul should be completed. Saudi Arabia does not allow public worship by adherents of religions other than Islam. Its public school religious textbooks are but one aspect of an entire system of discrimination that promotes intolerance toward those perceived as "other." As Saudi Arabia moves towards implementing its Vision 2030 goals to transform the country culturally and economically, it should address the hostile rhetoric that nonconforming Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims, and non-Muslim expatriate workers face in Saudi Arabia, said Human Rights Watch. Saudi Arabia's al-tawhid, "Monotheism," curriculum harshly criticizes practices and traditions closely associated with both Shia Islam and Sufism. In many cases, the curriculum labels practices, such as visiting the graves of prominent religious figures, and the act of intercession, by which Shias and Sufis supplicate to God through intermediaries, as evidence of shirk, or polytheism, that will result in the removal from Islam and eternal damnation. The curriculum repeatedly condemns building mosques or shrines on top of graves, a clear reference to Shia or Sufi pilgrimage sites. The third book in the five-part secondary level curriculum, for example, contains a section, entitled, "People's Violation of the Teachings of the Prophet with Graves," stating that "many people have violated what the prophet forbade in terms of bida' or 'illicit innovations' with graves and committed what he prohibited and because of that fell into illicit innovations or the greatest polytheism" by "building mosques and shrines on top of graves." The text also states that people use shrines as a place to commit other acts of illicit innovations or polytheism, including: "praying at them, reading at them, sacrificing to them and those [interred] in them, seeking help from them, or making vows by them". Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Share your opinion on this topic by sending a letter to the editor to tctvoice@madison.com. Include your full name, hometown and phone number. Your name and town will be published. The phone number is for verification purposes only. Please keep your letter to 250 words or less. Sri Lanka: 2 Years On, Scant Progress on UN Resolution Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 13 September 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Sri Lanka: 2 Years On, Scant Progress on UN Resolution, 13 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59ba80874.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. United Nations member countries at the Human Rights Council in Geneva should press Sri Lanka to promptly meet the targets of the council's October 2015 resolution for transitional justice, Human Rights Watch said today. Sri Lanka should put forward a time-bound and specific implementation plan on the four transitional justice mechanisms it agreed to establish as pledged in the resolution. The UN high commissioner for human rights, Zeid al Ra'ad Hussein, in his opening remarks at the council on September 11, 2017, highlighted Sri Lanka's lack of progress, and called on the government to realize that its obligations are not a mere "box-ticking exercise to placate the council but as an essential undertaking to address the rights of all its people." "Governments at the Human Rights Council should be clear with Sri Lanka that setting up various reconciliation offices and talking of progress is not the same as implementing the 2015 resolution," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Long-suffering Sri Lankans need to see the resolution fully carried out, and they need to see evidence that justice is being achieved." Sri Lanka has largely failed to implement the consensus UN resolution, Human Rights Watch said. The government dismissed the report submitted by the Consultation Task Force, a broad-based civil society effort established by the government to put the resolution into effect. And it took Sri Lanka's president 18 months to formally create an Office of Missing Persons, as set out in the resolution and enacted by parliament. The gazette notification took place on September 12, just as the Human Rights Council session got underway and a few weeks before Sri Lanka is to present an oral update on steps it has taken to carry out the resolution. Sri Lanka's nearly three-decade-long civil war between the government and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ended with the LTTE's decisive defeat in May 2009. Both sides committed many grave human rights abuses, including summary killings, abductions and enforced disappearances, torture, and sexual violence. There are well-documented allegations of laws-of-war violations, particularly during the final months of the war. The government's lack of progress in investigating and prosecuting these many crimes spurred the Human Rights Council to adopt the consensus resolution. The Sri Lankan government agreed to carry it out and to report back periodically on its progress. Sri Lanka has invited several UN human rights experts to visit over the past two years and has given them free and unfettered access. However, the government has largely disregarded their recommendations. One of the key undertakings in the resolution was security sector reform, including repealing and replacing the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) with new legislation that meets international standards. Instead, the government has floated various drafts that in some cases are worse than the existing law, which remains in effect. The UN special rapporteur on transitional justice, Pablo de Grieff, will make his first official trip to Sri Lanka from October 10 to 23. "The special rapporteur has been engaged in transitional justice issues in Sri Lanka for a long time, and it is crucial for him to use his first official trip to call out Sri Lanka on its hesitant steps toward justice for victims," Ganguly said. "Sri Lankan officials need to show that they can do more than just talk the language of human rights and instead put those words into action." Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 'Your brother has been killed,' the Myanmar soldier said. 'You can come out of hiding and take him.' Publisher Amnesty International Author Tirana Hassan Publication Date 13 September 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, 'Your brother has been killed,' the Myanmar soldier said. 'You can come out of hiding and take him.', 13 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59ba82cd4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. As you approach the fishing village of Shamlapur, near the long, sloping sand beach of Cox's Bazar, the sense that something is wrong grows. Tens of thousands of exhausted people step out of ramshackle boats that have carried them across the Naf River after an arduous journey from Myanmar. Weary and traumatized, they seek shelter anywhere they can - in one school I entered, hundreds, about half of them children, had gathered in silence. There wasn't a cry or a laugh; even the babies were listless and deathly silent. In just over a fortnight, around 370,000 Rohingya, 80 percent of them women and children, have hazarded the journey from Myanmar's Rakhine state to Bangladesh. They left their homes in panic, fleeing the military's campaign of punitive reprisals in response to a series of attacks by Rohingya insurgents that killed 12. The Myanmar military's retaliation bears no sense of proportion or legality. The violence is the worst that Amnesty International and other human rights groups have documented in this troubled region over the past five years. The Myanmar authorities have gone to great lengths to prevent independent reporting on the crisis. But satellite images reveal fires that have consumed hundreds of homes. There are credible reports that the Rohingya armed groups sparked some fires of their own, but the vast majority of the homes were targeted and torched by the Myanmar military. Rallying local groups of vigilantes, they encircled entire villages. When the military approached, the survivors of the attacks told me, the soldiers would fire into the air, announcing their arrival. Brandishing wooden sticks, metal poles and long knives, the vigilantes laid siege to the villages. When people tried to flee, the military fired on them. What is unfolding in Rakhine state is not a careful counter-insurgency operation. What we are seeing can be described as ethnic cleansing, with the Rohingya targeted for their ethnicity and religion. In legal terms, these are crimes against humanity that include the forced displacement of a quarter of all of Myanmar's Rohingya under violent conditions. The plight of the Rohingya is anchored in a system of discrimination that has denied them recognition and dignity. Tirana Hassan Share this Twitter Facebook Email Of the 15 cases of bullet wounds and fatalities that I documented within the first day and a half of arriving here, all but one person was struck in the upper body, torso and arms, causing serious or fatal injuries. When others rushed to help the wounded, they, too, came under attack. When I sat down to speak to Karam, a young man from Maungdaw, he flinched with discomfort when he tried to settle down into a chair. The wounds he carried were still fresh. He lifted his lungi, a traditional outfit worn by men in Myanmar, to reveal a perfectly symmetrical bruise across his legs. Karam was beaten for trying to rescue his 17-year-old brother, who had been shot in the back by security forces as he tried to flee. The blows that Karam suffered were so forceful that they left a deep imprint of the metal rods and wooden sticks used to strike his legs. His cracked ribs made it difficult for him to breathe. Karam managed to escape the mob chasing him, taking his brother with him. A group of other Rohingya men tried to help them, with the hope of finding medical attention on the Bangladeshi side. Karam's brother never made it, dying as they crossed a nearby river. Such testimonies have become depressingly familiar in Bangladesh. Since 1978, successive waves of Rohingya refugees have abandoned their homes amid attacks from the military, to make a desperate journey in the elusive search for safety and dignity. The camps run by the U.N. refugee agency filled up long ago. Even the makeshift shelters where others sought a place to sleep are swollen to capacity. For the new arrivals, there is no obvious place to go. The stories they tell are chillingly consistent with what Amnesty International documented last December, when we concluded that the systematic attacks on the Rohingya amounted to crimes against humanity. Peru: Authorities neglect Indigenous Peoples exposed to contaminated water Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 13 September 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Peru: Authorities neglect Indigenous Peoples exposed to contaminated water , 13 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59ba83cf4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The Peruvian government is neglecting the health of hundreds of Indigenous people whose only sources of water are contaminated by toxic metals and who lack access to adequate health care, Amnesty International said in a new investigation published today. A Toxic State reveals how the Peruvian government has failed to provide adequate healthcare for Indigenous communities in Cuninico and Espinar, in the country's Amazonian and Andean regions, respectively. Studies found that their only sources of fresh water were contaminated with toxic metals harmful to human health. "For decades, Indigenous Peoples across Peru have been treated like second class citizens," said Salil Shetty, Secretary General at Amnesty International. "The fact that the Peruvian authorities choose to do very little in the face of evidence that hundreds of Indigenous people have been exposed to toxic metals is not only cruel, but a violation of their right to health." Community members in Cuninico, in the country's Amazonian region, told Amnesty International that in 2014 the river water and the fish, on which the community depend, started to taste strange. Women interviewed by Amnesty International say they are experiencing stomach cramps, burning when urinating, allergies, skin rashes and miscarriages. They say their children suffer many similar symptoms and are not able to concentrate at school. A 2014 study by DIRESA (Peru's Regional Health Authority) revealed that the levels of aluminum and total petroleum hydrocarbons in the water in Cuninico exceeded those allowed for human consumption. The results of another analysis of the water in 2017 have not yet been made public. In 2016, a study by Peru's Ministry of Health revealed that more than half of people in the community had abnormal levels of mercury in their blood. Alarming levels of cadmium and lead were also detected in people, including children. According to the World Health Organization, exposure to mercury and lead can cause extremely serious health problems and irreversible damage to foetal development. The State's response has been utterly inadequate. Despite the fact that the government declared a public health emergency in the area in 2017, no real steps have yet been taken to provide health care to the communities and address the water contamination, including investigating the source of the contamination. People living in the area have now resorted to collecting rainwater for their household consumption and are forced to drink contaminated river water when rainwater is insufficient. The government has also failed to determine the causes of the contamination of the river. The closest health centre to Cuninico is an hour and a half away by speedboat and does not have the specialists required to meet the needs of a local population exposed to toxic metals. In the province of Espinar, in the Andean region of the country, the situation is similarly concerning. Studies conducted by the Peruvian authorities concluded that a number of entire communities in Espinar have been exposed to heavy metals and other chemical substances and that their only sources of water are contaminated. Women living in these communities in Espinar complained of constant headaches, stomach pains, diarrhea, burning eyes, as well as respiratory and renal problems. Carmen Catalina Chambi Surco told Amnesty International that four out of her six children are ill. One of them was born with a blocked ear and one had a cyst removed from his lung. Carmen suffers from chronic pain in her lungs, has lost hearing in one ear and has been operated on for liver stones. A 2010 study by the National Centre for Occupational Health and Environmental Protection for Health found that nearly all the community members who were tested had either lead, cadmium, mercury or arsenic in their blood. Prolonged exposure to these toxic metals is known to cause a variety of chronic health problems including memory loss, infertility, vision loss, diabetes, liver disease, kidney failure and cancer. The Peruvian state has utterly failed in its duty to protect the communities in Espinar and guarantee their right to health. "Instead of turning a blind to the desperate plight of Indigenous Peoples, the Peruvian authorities are putting their health and lives at risk. Authorities must ensure that people in Cuninico and Espinar have access to clean water and that the causes of the contamination are established and tackled," said Salil Shetty. Copyright notice: Copyright Amnesty International Press freedom violations recounted in real time January 2017 Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 14 September 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Press freedom violations recounted in real time January 2017, 14 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59ba874e4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. 14.09.2017 - Detention of two journalists extended by another month Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns a judicial decision to extend the provisional detention of two journalists - Sasan Aghai, the deputy editor of the newspaper Etemad and Yaghma Fashkhami, a reporter for the news website Dideban e Iran - by another month in violation of both Iranian law and international standards. They are also being denied the right to see a lawyer and to be visited by their families. Both were arrested last month at their workplace by plainclothesmen from the justice department's intelligence protection section - Aghai on 11 August and Fashkhami on 21 August. The authorities have still not said why they were arrested or where they are being held. ---------- 11.09.2017 - Kurdish journalist freed on completing jail term Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is pleased to learn that Khosro Kurdpour, a Kurdish journalist who edited the Mokeryan news website in the northwestern city of Mahabad, was released on 8 September on completing a sentence of five-year in prison. Ministry of intelligence officials arrested him at his home in Mahabad on 7 March 2013, one day before summoning and then arresting his brother, Masoud Kurdpour, who contributed to the website. The Mahabad revolutionary court that sentenced them both on 9 November 2013 gave Masoud Kurdpour a three and a half years jail term. ---------- 30.08.2017 - Two women journalists freed provisionally Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is relieved to learn that Hengameh Shahidi, a woman journalist who edited the Paineveste blog, and Zeniab Karimian, a woman journalist who hosted a programme on Iran's 3rd TV channel, were both released provisionally yesterday on bail of 900 million toman (810,000 euros). Arrested on 9 March, Shahidi staged several hunger strikes in protest against her detention and prison conditions, despite being very ill. Karimian was arrested at her home on 23 January 2017 by intelligence ministry plainclothesmen. Both were held in isolation in different security sections of Tehran's Evin prison, initially under the intelligence ministry's control and then under the control of the justice department's intelligence section. When Shahidi emerged from the prison, she appeared weak and had clearly lost a lot of weight. ---------- 07.08.2017 - Imprisoned citizen-journalist's wife arrested Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the arrest of Nastaran Naimi, the wife of the imprisoned citizen-journalist Soheil Arabi. Plainclothesmen arrested her at her home on 31 July after searching it. Her family has still not been told why she was arrested or where she is being held. Arabi has been detained for the past three and a half years. Arrested by Revolutionary Guards in December 2013, he was incarcerated in Security Section 2a of Tehran's Evin prison, where he was isolated and mistreated for two months to get him to confess to helping to create a Facebook network that blasphemed Islam and criticized the government. The confession led to the imposition of a death sentence in August 2014, which - following protests by his lawyer and the intercession of UN special rapporteurs - was eventually overturned. At a retrial in September 2015, he was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison starting with two years under observation, during which time he must prove he has repented to avoid reimposition of the death sentence. ---------- 02.08.2017 - A journalist and four Telegram group administrators bailed Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that four administrators of a group that used the instant messaging service Telegram to circulate information - Seid Mojtaba Bagheri, Said Naghdi, Javad Jamshidi and Nima Keshvari - were freed on bail of 500 million toman (410,000 euros) on 30 and 31 July. Held in Tehran's Evin prison after their arrest by Revolutionary Guards on 16 March, they are due to be tried on 12 August. Two other members of the group who were arrested at the same time, Sobhan Jafari Tash and Ali Ahmadinia, will be freed as soon as their bail is paid, their lawyer, Ali Mojtahad Zadeh, said. RSF has also learned that the journalist and photographer Assal Esmaeilzadeh was freed on bail of 300 million toman (270,000 euros) on 13 July pending trial. She was arrested without charge at the behest of the Tehran prosecutor's office for culture and media on 20 June. ---------- 30.06.2017 - Two months after release, journalist sentenced again Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the six-month jail sentence that was imposed on Issa Saharkhiz, the former editor of several, now-closed reformist newspapers, on 19 June, just two months after his release. His lawyer, Mahmoud Alizadeh-Tabatabaie, said he was convicted of insulting the head of the judicial system. One of the victims of a wave of arrests in early November 2015, Saharkhiz was sentenced by a Tehran revolutionary court in August 2016 to three years in prison on charges of anti-government propaganda and insulting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. His lawyer reported at the time that two other charges against Saharkhiz - publishing false news and insulting the head of the judicial system - would be tried separately as political crimes before a court of assizes. After the latest sentence was passed on 19 June, Alizadeh-Tabatabaie pointed out that the court had accepted that his client's criticism of the head of the judicial system had been personal in nature. It therefore could not be regarded as a political crime meriting a six-month jail sentence, he added, announcing that they planned to appeal. Saharkhiz was released on 15 April after being deemed to have completed the first sentence. While held, he staged several hunger strikes in protest against his imprisonment and had been serving his sentence in a Tehran hospital since March 2016. ---------- 26.06.2017 - Newspaper journalist freed provisionally Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that, after payment of 300 million toman (270,000 euros) in bail, Borna News social affairs editor Tahereh Riahai was released provisionally on 24 June pending trial. Arrested by plainclothes intelligence officers on 27 December 2016, she had been kept in isolation in Section 209 of Tehran's Evin prison for months. ---------- 23.06.2017 - Ahmadinejad's former press adviser arrested Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that Abdol Reza Davari, former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's onetime press adviser, who also once ran the newspaper Shahrvand and the government news agency Irna, was arrested on 31 May in order to serve a three-year jail sentence. Davari was convicted in September 2013 of "insulting" Supreme Leader AliKhamenei in three comments posted on Facebook and was given a six-year jail sentence that was reduced to three years on appeal. He was arrested two days after posting an open letter criticizing Ebrahim Raisi and Mostafa Pour Mohammadi, two members of a commission that passed death sentences in 1988 on thousands of political prisoners who refused to renounce their beliefs. ---------- 01.06.2017 - Narges Mohammadi back in prison two days after operation Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is very concerned about the health of Narges Mohammadi, an imprisoned journalist and human rights defender who has been returned to prison just two days after undergoing an operation. Rushed to hospital with severe uterine bleeding on 28 May, Mohammadi was operated on the next day and was taken back to prison yesterday. Held since May 2015, Mohammadi was deemed to have completed an initial six-year sentence on 17 March and immediately began a second, ten-year one. She has several ailments including muscular paralysis but is being denied the medical care she needs. Her health is in danger and she should not be in prison. We call for her immediate release. ---------- 24.05.2017 - Magazine editor Morad Saghafi released on bail Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that Morad Saghafi, the editor of the magazine Goft o Gu (Dialogue in Persian), was released on payment of bail on 20 May pending trial. He had been arrested at his Tehran home on 16 March. ---------- 18.05.2017 - Hengameh Shahidi suspends hunger strike Reporters Without Borders (RSF) was relieved to learn today that imprisoned journalist Hengameh Shahidi decided to suspend her hunger strike after receiving a visit from her family in 16 May and a promise from the Tehran prosecutor's office that her appalling prison conditions will be improved and that she will be given complete medical examinations. According to her family, she is suffering from several heart and respiratory ailments, along with other conditions. She had not been eating any food since 10 May. --------- 12.05.2017 - Journalist freed after ten years in prison Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is pleased to learn that Mohammad Sedegh Kabodvand, the editor of Payam-e mardom-e Kurdestan (a regional newspaper closed by the authorities in 2004), was granted a conditional release today on completing ten years in prison. Held since July 2007 in Tehran's Evin prison, Kabodvand was sentenced to a total of 11 years in prison in connection with his journalistic activities and his creation of a human rights organization in Iranian Kurdistan, the northern region where he lived. He has been freed provisionally pending a judicial decision on the application of article 134 for the new Islamic criminal code to the rest of his sentence. Under a 2013 amendment to the code, a person convicted on several charges should serve only the most important sentence. By this token, he should have been freed four years ago. -------- 27.04.2017 - Two journalists freed conditionally Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that two imprisoned journalists, Kaivan Karimi and Issa Saharkhiz, have been released conditionally in the past week. Karimi, a young documentary filmmaker, was freed on 20 April after completing half of the one-year sentence he received in November 2016 . Saharkhiz, the editor of several reformist newspapers was released on 25 April. His lawyer, Mahmoud Alizadeh-Tabatabaie, said he had completed his sentence. One of the victims of a wave of arrests in early November 2015, Saharkhiz was sentenced by a Tehran revolutionary court in August 2016 to three years in prison on charges of anti-government propaganda and insulting Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. While held, he staged several hunger strikes in protest against his imprisonment and had been hospitalized since March 2016. The sentence was reduced last September. Ranked 165th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index, Iran is one of the world's five biggest prisons for media personnel, with a total of 28 journalists and citizen journalists detained. ---------- 19.04.2017 - Narges Mohammadi begins serving second jail term Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is outraged by the continuing persecution of journalist and leading human rights defender Narges Mohammadi, who has just started serving a ten-year prison sentence on completing a six-year one. She received the ten-year sentence a year after her most recent arrest, on 5 May 2015. Mohammadi has a long history of persecution by the judicial authorities and has been arrested several times. During her spells out of prison, she has worked closely with Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi at the Centre for Human Rights Defenders. The six-year sentence followed her arrest at her home on the evening of 10 June 2010. She was convicted two months later on charges of "meeting and plotting against the Islamic Republic," "anti-government publicity:" and "collaborating with the Centre for Human Rights Defenders" and was given an 11-year jail term that was reduced to six years on appeal in March 2011. Mohammadi suffered muscular paralysis as a consequence of the heavy-handed interrogation sessions to which she was subjected after her arrest in 2010. As a result, she was paroled in July 2012. ---------- 17.03.2017 - More journalists arrested Reporters Without Borders (RSF) yet again condemns the persecution of journalists in Iran after at least three more were arrested in the past week. The latest victims include Morad Saghafi, the editor of the magazine Goft o Gu ("Dialogue" in Persian), who was arrested at his Tehran home yesterday and was taken to an unknown location. His lawyer, Hamed Zargar, said neither he nor Saghafi's family have been told why he was arrested. Meanwhile, Ali Motahari, the deputy speaker of Iran's parliament, yesterday asked the minister of intelligence to explain why a military unit recently arrested 12 editors of pro-reform information pages on the instant messaging service Telegram. Motahari also criticized the detention of Ehssan Mazandarani, the former editor of the newspaper Farhikhteghan, on 12 March (see RSF's 13 March release). His wife, Malieh Hossieni, a journalist with the newspaper Farhikhteghana, was fired the day after his arrest. Although banned, apps and social networks such as Telegram, Facebook and Twitter nowadays play an important role in providing Iranians with news and information. Telegram says it has more than 15 million users in Iran. According to the Kalameh news website, Ali Ahmadinia, the administrator of the Eslahat News (Reform News) channel on Telegram, was arrested on 14 March and was taken to an unknown location. RSF is currently very concerned about the health of two journalists who have been on hunger strike since their arrest. One is Mazandarani, who was arrested on 12 March (see above). The other Henghameh Shahidi, who was arrested on 9 March. ---------- 15.03.2017 - Former editor gets six-month jail term Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the six-month prison sentence that has been passed on Hossein Karoubi, the former editor of Etemad Meli (a newspaper closed since August 2009) for circulating the open letter that his father, Mehdi Karoubi, wrote to President Hassan Rohani. In the April 2016 letter, published in mostly foreign-based media outlets and on social networks, Mehdi Karoubi asks to be tried before a public court "in order to present the evidence I possess about massive fraud during the 2005 and 2009 presidential elections and to show what has happened to young Iranians in the country's legal and illegal detention centres." Etemad Melli's owner and a former parliamentary speaker, Mehdi Karoubi has been under house arrest since February 2011, a fate he has shared with former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi (the owner of the closed newspaper Kalameh Sabaz) and Mousavi's wife, the writer Zahra Rahnavard. Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, who are both former presidential candidates, are being held illegally and are being denied their rights. Their state of health is very worrying. RSF has meanwhile learned that Samna Safari, a journalist with the monthly Andisher Poya, was released on 11 March after the authorities determined that he had served his two-year jail sentence. Detained along with three other journalists in a wave of arrests in November 2015, he was sentenced by a revolutionary court in March 2016 to five years in prison for "anti-government propaganda activities." This was reduced to two years on appeal. ---------- 28.02.2017 - City of Qom suspends newspaper Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the decision by the city of Qom's public prosecutor to suspend the newspaper Shakheh Sabz on 26 February, a day after it ran a story criticizing the level of violence in one of its poorest districts, which it likened to a "jungle." The suspension was ordered after 136 parliamentarians supported a resolution accusing the daily of "insulting the population of the Holy City of Qom." The newspaper's name means "Green Branch." ---------- 22.02.2017 - Ahmad Montazeri returned to prison Reporters Without Borders (RSF) firmly condemns progressive cleric Ahmad Montazeri's arrest yesterday. The editor of the website of his late father, Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, he was returned to prison after being summoned before a special court for clerics. Tried behind closed doors and without a defence lawyer on 20 October, Montazeri was sentenced on 27 November to ten years in prison for endangering state security, ten years for publishing a "classified audio recording" and another year for anti-government "propaganda." He was prosecuted for posting an old recording on the website on 9 August 2016 in which his father could be heard criticizing the wave of executions of political prisoners in the 1980s. For more information: Ahmad Montazeri gets 21-year jail term as part of bid to suppress history ---------- 17.02.2017 - Editor freed on completing jail term Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that Ehssan Mazndarani - the editor of the newspaper Farhikhteghan and one of the victims of a wave of arrests in November 2015 - was released on 9 February. He had been given a seven-year jail sentence that was reduced to two years on appeal, His lawyer said he was freed as a result of a decision that he had completed his sentence. While in prison, he was hospitalized several times with heart and chest problems after a three-week hunger strike. ---------- 10.01.2017 - Website reporter flogged for getting facts wrong Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is appalled to learn that Hossien Movahedi, a local news website reporter, was flogged last week in Najafabad, a city 450 km south of Tehran, for getting one of his facts wrong in a story about the confiscation of mopeds from female students at a technological secondary school in the city. Movahedi reported on the Najafabad News website on 14 June 2016 that the police seized 35 mopeds when, according to the police, it was only eight. Although he apologized for his mistake and although the police were allowed to publish their version on the website, the police pressed charges against him and a Najafabad court sentenced him to 40 lashes for "publishing false information." This inhuman and medieval sentence was carried out on 4 January. Iran has yet to ratify the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment. ---------- 06.01.2016 - Woman journalist freed on completing one-year jail term Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has learned that Rihaneh Tabatabai, a journalist who has worked for several reformist newspapers, was released yesterday on completing a one-year jail term on charges of endangering national security and anti-government publicity. She was arrested on 12 January 2016 to begin serving the sentence, which was originally imposed in November 2014 and was confirmed by a Tehran appeal court a year later. The sentence also includes two-year ban on political and journalistic activity in the media and online following her release. In all, Tabatabai has been jailed four times since 2010 in connection with her journalistic activities. Website editor's jail sentence quadrupled on appeal Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 13 September 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Website editor's jail sentence quadrupled on appeal, 13 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59ba88dc4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is appalled by yesterday's decision by an appeal court in Al-Hoceima, in northern Morocco's troubled Rif region, to quadruple the three-month jail sentence that website editor Hamid El Mahdaoui received in July for allegedly "inciting a banned demonstration" in the city. RSF's concern is all the greater because he is facing a second trial on a charge of "endangering state security" and because he has begun a hunger strike. The editor of the Badil.info news website, Mahdaoui was arrested in Al-Hoceima on 20 July after going there to cover a peaceful demonstration that had been banned by the authorities. He was sentenced five days later to three months in prison and a fine of 20,000 dirhams (1,800 euros). Shortly after yesterday's appeal court decision increasing his jail term to 12 months, his wife, Bouchra El Khounchafi, announced that he had gone on hunger strike "to denounce an unfair trial, the violation of freedom of expression and non-respect for human rights." "The appeal court's decision is incomprehensible," RSF said. "Videos were made available to the court. It had hard evidence of his innocence. We call on the Moroccan judicial system to abandon all the proceedings against Hamid El Mahdaoui and to free him at once. He just did his job as a journalist who found himself at the centre of events." Mahdaoui is meanwhile awaiting trial in Casablanca on a charge of "failing to report a crime endangering state security," which carries a possible two to five-year jail sentence. The start of the trial has been postponed until 2 October. His lawyer told RSF that this "absurd" charge was based on nothing more than a phone call Mahdaoui had received. Badil.info's editor had established himself as a much-followed figure on social networks. Well known for his criticism of the authorities and for his YouTube videos commenting on news events, he has been the subject of at least ten legal proceedings of various kinds, including defamation actions. In July 2015, he was given a four-month suspended prison sentence for articles revealing that police tortured an activist, Karim Lachkar, in an Al-Hoceima police station in May 2014. He was also fined and ordered to pay damages. He was convicted again in June 2016 for an article accusing the justice minister of claiming excessive travel expenses. Morocco is ranked 133rd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index. Egyptian regime takes over four independent media Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 13 September 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Egyptian regime takes over four independent media, 13 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59ba898b4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is alarmed by the roundabout nationalization of four independent media outlets - two daily newspapers and two websites - that is currently under way in Egypt. It is the government's new method for seizing control of media with supposed links to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood. The two newspapers, Daily News Egypt (DNE) and Borsa, and the two websites, Masr al Arabiya and Bawabat al Qahira (Cairo Portal), are the targets of a three-stage nationalization that began in mid-August. In the first stage, the targets are added to a list of persons or entities suspected of supporting or belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood (now treated as a terrorist organization). On the basis of the blacklisting, the banks then freeze their assets, which starves them of funds and prevents them from continuing to operate. In the final stage, the targeted media outlet is placed under the administrative control of the state-owned newspaper Akhbar al Youm, which relaunches it. The freezing of the accounts of individuals or companies placed on the government blacklist takes place without reference to any court. It is conducted in a purely administrative fashion by the committee in charge of seizing and managing the assets of those accused of Muslim Brotherhood links. This committee has seized the assets of thousands of persons without any prior judicial investigation or decision. "Unconstitutionally freezing the accounts of media owners or the media themselves and putting a governmental media outlet in charge of running them is tantamount to forced nationalization and clearly endangers their editorial independence," RSF said. Nationalization by proxy This procedure constitutes "nationalization by proxy," said Khaled el Balshy, the editor of the opposition website Al Bedaiah and fonder of the Freedoms Committee, which defends journalists'' rights. "Some of these media, such as DNE and Borsa, recently rejected takeover bids," he said. "Now they are being controlled in another way." Before this roundabout nationalization of four of the remaining independent media outlets, businessmen linked to President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's government and the intelligence services embarked on a campaign of media acquisitions that indirectly allowed the regime to tighten its grip on the media. "Daily News Egypt is an example of how the public sphere keeps on gradually being closed in Egypt," said Amira el Fekki, one of this English-language daily's editors. "Like others, it was wrongfully classified as an organization with a political bias towards a certain group, an accusation randomly used to create hostility towards independent media." Historically, DNE adopted a neutral stance towards the government, while opening its pages to investigative reporting, including coverage of extra-judicial executions. DNE and Borsa are owned by Business News, a company whose leading shareholder, Mostafa Sakr, suddenly found his name on the list of those whose accounts were to be frozen in December 2016. The following month, DNE stopped putting in context the interior ministry's positions on combatting terrorism. The frequency of its interviews with government opponents also fell sharply. This new prudence did not however suffice to prevent the websites of DNE and Borsa from being blocked as part of an online censorship campaign. Access to more than 400 sites is now blocked, including RSF's site. Baseless accusations of support for the Muslim Brotherhood are used as partial grounds for blocking media websites, said Adel Sabry, the editor of the blocked website Masr al Arabiya, one of the four media outlets that are about to be taken under Akhbar el Youm's wing. Egypt is ranked 161st out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index. Russian journalist, unable to stand, held for nearly three months Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 14 September 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Russian journalist, unable to stand, held for nearly three months, 14 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59ba89f44.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for the immediate release of Alexander Batmanov, a journalist accused of stealing bread and sausages who has been held provisionally for nearly three months in Volgograd, in southern Russia, despite having two broken ankles. This absurdity of the case is no laughing matter because Batmanov's physical condition is very worrying. RSF regards the way the authorities have treated him as inhuman and disproportionate. The presenter of the Volgograd-based online TV channel NGO-TV, Batmanov was arrested on a shoplifting charge on 23 June, a Friday. After questioning him, the police locked him into a third-floor room in the police station with the intention of leaving him there during the weekend. Desperate because he had been left without food or water, Batmanov tried to escape the next day by climbing out of a window but fell to the ground three storeys below, breaking both ankles. He was taken to a hospital where he was operated on and spent several days under police guard. Since then he has been in prison where he has not received appropriate medical care and has to spend most of his time horizontal in his cell. His trial was due to be held in August but has been postponed several times because his physical condition prevents him from attending court hearings. He was on a stretcher when his lawyer first saw him. NGO-TV founder Temur Kobaliya said the real reason for Batmanov's arrest was his work as a journalist. The TV station covers human rights and NGO news, and the authorities have long had it in their sights. "Why keep this journalist in prison when he cannot move and cannot flee?" asked Johann Bihr, the head of RSF's Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk. "This cruel and disproportionate treatment reinforces the questions about the charge. Is it just a way to punish Alexander Batmanov and intimidate his colleagues? The lack of medical care just delays his trial and prolongs his detention. It is time to break this vicious circle." The harassment of independent media outlets has grown steadily since Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin as president in 2012. The increasingly oppressive climate at the national level has encouraged powerful provincial officials to deal more firmly with their media critics. Russia is ranked 148th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index. Soldiers beat journalists in Abia State press centre Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 14 September 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Soldiers beat journalists in Abia State press centre, 14 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59ba8a484.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. After this week's attack on journalists by soldiers in Umuahia, the capital of the southeastern state of Abia, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges the federal government to send a strong message on the need to end violence and abuses against reporters and respect their work throughout the country. In the Umuahia incident, a score of soldiers stormed into the Nigerian Union of Journalists press centre on 12 September, beat up some of the journalists there, and smashed or seized smartphones, computers and other equipment containing newly-shot photos and video. The targeted journalists had just covered Operation Python Dance, a show of strength by the army on the streets of Umuahia with the aim of ending clashes between soldiers and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, a separatist group that was angered by an army raid on its leader's home last weekend. John Emejor, the head of the local branch of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, said the attack on the NUJ press centre was typical of increasingly dictatorial tendencies in Nigeria. He also pointed out the absurdity of destroying reporting material that would have helped to relay the message the army want to convey, namely a demonstration of its ability to use force if needed. Several hours after the incident, local army commanders went to the press centre to apologize and to give assurances that the soldiers responsible would be identified and punished. "It is good to see the military accepting responsibility but this event nonetheless shows that perceptions of what journalists do are a real problem in Nigeria," said Clea Kahn-Sriber, the head of RSF's Africa desk. "Journalists are regularly prevented from working and are subjected to violence by security or intelligence personnel. Instead of reacting after the event, the Nigerian government should make an effort to train the security forces about the role of journalists in society and thereby foster better relations between two sectors that are essential in a democracy." At least three other journalists have been attacked since the start of the month. Channels Television reporter Segun Salami was badly beaten by security agents in the central state of Kogi on 1 September. And members of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) beat Timothy Agbor of The Point Newspapers and Toba Adedeji of Osun Defender while they were covering a demonstration by civil servants in the southwestern city of Osogbo on 11 September. RSF has tallied 53 cases of abuses against journalists since the start of the year, including 20 arrests and 23 cases of threats or physical violence. Nigeria is ranked 122nd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2017 World Press Freedom Index after falling six places in a year. Egypt: UN chief condemns terrorist attack in northern Sinai Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 12 September 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Egypt: UN chief condemns terrorist attack in northern Sinai, 12 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59ba986b4.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the terrorist attack that took place on Monday on a police convoy near el-Arish in northern Sinai in Egypt.The attack reportedly killed at least 18 policemen and injured 3 others. "The Secretary-General hopes those responsible for this act will be quickly brought to justice," his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, said in a statement. "He conveys his condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Egypt. He also wishes a swift recovery to the injured." UN and partners aiding 'unprecedented' flow of refugees from Myanmar Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 12 September 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN and partners aiding 'unprecedented' flow of refugees from Myanmar, 12 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59ba98e14.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The flow of desperate Rohingya fleeing across the border from Myanmar into Bangladesh is unprecedented in terms of volume and speed, United Nations humanitarian agencies said today, amid calls for international support for the emergency response. About 370,000 people have crossed the Bangladeshi border in the last two and a half weeks, according to the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM). "UN agencies and the Government were expecting the possibility that as many as 100,000 more people could come across when there were already 600,000 Rohingyas in Bangladesh. But I don't think anyone expected a mass exodus like this, unprecedented in terms of value and speed," said IOM Asia-Pacific Spokesperson Chris Lom, speaking with UN News from Cox's Bazar, a thin stretch of beach in south-eastern Bangladesh. Mr. Lom, who is one of the UN aid workers on the ground, said the people he spoke with are "very vulnerable, traumatized." There are "hundreds of people virtually camped out anywhere there is space. Any spare muddy piece of land or on hillside," he said, calling for a coordinated, emergency response that is fully funded by the international community to avert a humanitarian crisis. About 60 per cent of the Rohingya refugees - some 200,000 - are children, according to Jean Lieby, Chief of Child Protection at the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Bangladesh, who is also in Cox's Bazar. "The first thing you see here in the different Rohingya camps is the large number of children. You see children who have not slept for days, they are weak and hungry," she told journalists in Geneva by phone. Meanwhile, emergency relief supplies are being airlifted to Bangladesh today, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said. "A UNHCR-chartered Boeing 777 flew in with 91 metric tonnes of aid," spokesperson Adrian Edwards told the press, detailing a list that includes shelter material, jerry cans, blankets, sleeping mats and other essential items for 25,000 refugees. A second flight is scheduled to land later today with some 1,700 family tents, with more aid to be delivered shortly. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has already provided some 68,800 people with high-energy biscuits, including to women-friendly spaces supported by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), and some 77,600 people with warm meals, working through a local partner. UN and aid partners have launched an emergency appeal for Rohingya refugees, calling for $77 million to cover the next three months. UN envoy stresses urgency of adequate, predictable resources for AU Mission in Somalia Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 12 September 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN envoy stresses urgency of adequate, predictable resources for AU Mission in Somalia, 12 September 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/59ba99264.html [accessed 14 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. A senior United Nations official today called for greater support for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and warned that lack of funding could endanger hard-won progress in the country. "We have continued to hear passionate appeals from the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council and the AU Commission that the issue of predictable, flexible and adequate funding for AMISOM needs to be addressed urgently," said Haile Menkerios, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the AU, briefing the Security Council on the cooperation between the Organization and regional entities, including the AU. "It would be tragic, not least for the long-suffering Somali people, if the gains and sacrifices of the last decade were reversed because the international community was unable to provide adequate and predictable funding for [the Mission]," he warned. The senior UN official also noted the continued commitment of the Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council to consider financial burden-sharing for AU Peace Support Operations authorized by the Security Council. Further in his briefing, Mr. Menkerios, also the head of the UN Office to the AU (UNAOU), highlighted the continuous engagement at different levels between the UN Secretariat and the AU Commission, and that UN envoys work with and complement the efforts of AU Special Envoys in a number of critical situations across the continent. He also spoke on collaborative engagements between the UN and the AU, and the Security Council's recognition that its deliberations and decisions on peace and security issues in Africa can be enriched by briefings by senior AU officials, alongside their UN counterparts. "As many Council members stated during the deliberations, there is a wealth of knowledge, experience and understanding which Special Representatives of the AU, as well as those of its Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms, could place at the disposal of this Council," he said, adding: "The UN Secretariat stands ready to work with the AU Commission [] in this regard." State Debate: Venture fund founder wants to know where the 'free market' is in the Foxconn deal? Forida has always been one of my favorite states to visit. As a child my family would often take a trip to Florida in the summer. Living in the midwest, I found Florida to be wonderful. I loved everything about it from the beaches to the palm trees to all the wonderful sights to see. Swimming in the ocean was a special treat for my siblings and me. Now, as a senior adult, I still love Florida, although I am now fond of going in the wintertime to escape the midwest cold. With Florida in the news so much because of hurricane Irma, I thought I would write an article on the beauty that is Florida. My heart and prayers go with the people in Florida as they recover from this latest tragedy. Facts about Florida Nickname- Sunshine State Capital- Tallahassee State Flower- Orange Blossom Third most populous state Flattest State Tourism biggest money earning sector Known for juicy oranges Golf paradise What I love about Florida I am an avid photographer and Florida is a wonderful place to take photographs. On the rest of this page I will tell you about my favorite things about Florida and show you the photographs to illustrate my points. I will also share links to different articles that I have written on Florida. Palm Trees Palm trees are one of my favorite things in Florida. Each year as we enter the state, I look for my first palm trees. Usually I find them at the Florida Welcome Center. Here is an article I wrote on photographing Palms. Palm Trees in Paradise Birds Florida has some wonderful tropical birds along with many that we also see in the midwest in the summer. During our visit in 2017 I worked on photographing as many different birds as possible. Here is an article I wrote for Review This on photographing birds. Photographing Florida Birds The Ocean Did you know that no matter where you go in Florida you are never further than 60 miles from the nearest beach? For someone who loves the ocean that fact alone would make Florida a favorite place. In my younger days I loved to play in the surf, now I enjoy a nice long walk on the beach. There is something so calming just watching the waves come and go. Here is an article on photographing at the seaside. Seascape Photography Seashells on the Beach I'm not sure why, but I find it fascinating to look for seashells at the beach. I never tire of looking for a new kind of shell. Here are some seashells at Coral Cove beach on Jupiter Island. Sunrise over the Ocean There is something quite amazing to watch the sun rise over the ocean. Each day in Florida I wake up early to catch the sunrise and each day it is different. Here are a few of my favorite photos from past years. Here is an article I wrote on photographing sunrises. Photographing Sunrises Lighthouses I am a really enjoy visiting lighthouses and Florida has several that I have visited. We stay in Jupiter each March and they have a wonderful historic red lighthouse that I love to visit. Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases. Cambodias Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed surprise on Thursday at a U.S. decision to deny visas to senior members of the Cambodian government, rejecting accusations that it has ended cooperation with United States efforts to repatriate Cambodian nationals convicted of crimes in the U.S. and calling linkage of the two issues unreasonable. Cambodia is still prepared to accept its nationals who will be deported by the US and will try by all means to ensure that those Cambodians will be successfully reintegrated into society and begin their new lives with the fullest decency and dignity, the foreign ministry said in its Sept. 14 statement. Striking a more defiant note, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said however that Cambodia will now retaliate against U.S. moves to refuse entry to Cambodian diplomats and other officials, adding that he has ordered suspension of a joint program to recover and send home the remains of U.S. soldiers killed in Cambodia during the Vietnam War. So far, only 40 [of these] have been found, and there remain around 40 more, Hun Sen said in a Sept. 14 interview with government-aligned Cambodian media outlet Fresh News. Cooperation in this search will now be placed under suspension, pending the settlement of, and improvements in, various issues between Cambodia and the U.S. The U.S. action on visas for officialswhich also covers Eritrea, Sierra Leone, and Guineastems from a law under which convicted felons of foreign nationality are deported after they have served their prison sentences. 'Ready to travel' Addressing a meeting on Thursday at Cambodias Royal School of Administration, foreign minister Prak Sokhon said that Cambodian officials are ready to travel to the U.S. to interview 26 Cambodian nationals now subject to deportation, adding that he had earlier asked that deportees be given job training in the U.S. before being sent home. He had also requested that returns be made only on a voluntary basis, he said. But our demands could not be met. Therefore, so that this program will not be interrupted, we have officials ready to travel to the U.S. to interview those 26 people who are now subject to deportation. We have never refused to take them back, but we just want to make sure that they are truly Khmers, and not Vietnamese or Laotians, he said. Speaking to RFAs Khmer Service, Soeung Senkaronaa senior investigation official for the Cambodia-based ADHOC rights groupsaid that Cambodians living in the United States should be careful not to break U.S. laws., as they could then be forced home. Meanwhile, the Cambodian government should welcome back any who are deported, he said. We want Cambodia and the U.S. to resume their cooperation, especially in regard to issues of human rights violations and the upholding of democracy, he said. Reported by Vuthy Tha and Zakariya Tin for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Richard Finney. The ruling Chinese Communist Party has intensified government control over religious activities ahead of a key political meeting next month, sparking fears of further human rights violations targeting religious believers and ethnic minority groups. China's cabinet, the State Council, updated a set of 2005 regulations governing any kind of religious activities by its citizens. Rights group the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) said the new rules had been updated in line with recent draconian legislation on cybersecurity and matters of "national security," which have already been used to target peaceful dissent. "Chinas revised regulations on religious affairs ... intensify controls over religious activity and present a further threat to Tibetan Buddhists," the group said in a statement on its website. The updated rules intensify punishments for unsanctioned religious activities and step up supervision of certain groups in a bid to "block extremism" and tackle "terrorism," and include a ban on foreign funding for any religious group. "No organization or individual may use religion to carry out illegal activities such as endangering national security, undermining social order...and other activities that harm national interests," the State Council document said. The update focuses on "curbing illegality, blocking extremism, resisting infiltration and attacking crime", it said. It bans the use of religion as "a tool to sabotage national security, social order or Chinas education system, or to damage ethnic unity or carry out terrorist activities." Politically charged crimes The effect, according to ICT, is to link religious activity directly to politically charged crimes. "The regulation will give scope for the penalization of almost any peaceful expression of Tibetan identity, acts of non-violent dissent, or criticism of ethnic or religious policies," the group said. "This regulation will lead to an even more repressive situation particularly in Tibet that violates international human rights standards," it said. A religious believer who gave only a surname, Chen, said the rules are in breach of the country's constitution. "The constitution protects the right to religious freedom; this is the law," Chen said. "But the Communist Party believes in atheism, so they won't let us believe in anything else." In February, authorities in the northwestern region of Xinjiang issued a detailed list of "illegal" religious activities spanning Islam, Christianity and Tibetan Buddhism. Dilxat Raxit, the Germany-based spokesman for the exile group World Uyghur Congress, said that pretty much any member of the Turkic-speaking, mostly Muslim, Uyghur ethnic group is now regarded as a potential threat by the government in Xinjiang. "Sources in Urumqi are telling us that they are going after an ever-increasing number of people at the grass-roots level," Raxit said. "There is also a very obvious armed police presence in all cities, large or small, now." "All districts are now on combat-level alert, so we have a situation that is halfway to martial law there now," he said. Pressure grows on religious groups The new rules on religious activity emerged just days after a statement from leaders of the five officially recognized religions -- Buddhism, Daoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestant Christianity -- that they would be working towards greater "integration" with Chinese culture, official media reported. China's Communist Party, which embraces atheism, has put increasing pressure on faith groups in recent years to join government bodies set up to supervise them, The administration of President Xi Jinping regards religion as a dangerous foreign import, with officials warning last year against the "infiltration of Western hostile forces" in the form of religion, particularly Christianity. And as Xi gears up to consolidate power in his own hands at the 19th Party Congress on Oct. 18, local governments are keen to enforce the new rules to ensure nothing rocks the boat in the run-up to the event. Authorities in the southwestern province of Sichuan slapped a travel ban on the pastor of an unofficial Protestant "house church" earlier this week, detaining him as he tried to board a flight to Hong Kong. Chengdu pastor Wang Yi said border guards had told him that he was detained on the grounds that he presents a "threat to national security," but declined to issue him with any official notification of the ban. "I was in the police station for a while, before the state security police from [my home district of] Qingyang told me that ... they were carrying out orders," Wang told RFA on . The annual report from the U.S. State Department for 2016 found that China had "physically abused, detained, arrested, tortured, sentenced to prison, or harassed adherents of both registered and unregistered religious groups". Beijing denied the contents of the report, which it said "ignores facts". A recent report from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom singled China out alongside North Korea, Vietnam and Myanmar as a "country of particular concern," calling on the U.S. government to exert diplomatic pressure to improve religious freedom there. The report said the Communist Partys had subjected North Korean refugees, Protestants, Catholics, Uyghur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners to imprisonment, torture, and, in some cases, even death. Reported by Xin Lin for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Hai Nan and Wong Lok-to for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Gas stations closed without explanation for a few days late in August in a North Korean province bordering China, sparking concerns over possible austerity drills and causing prices to double when sales finally resumed, sources in the region said. Speaking to RFAs Korean Service, residents of North Hamgyong province said that the provinces densely-populated Chongjin city was especially hard hit, causing widespread confusion and fears of imminent war. Gas stations throughout Ranam, Songpyon, Sunam, Pohang, Sinam, and Chongam districts were all closed, one source told RFA, speaking on condition of anonymity. Gas prices then doubled, and it was chaos. Travel was made particularly difficult in parts of Chongjin not served by trains, buses, or other public transportation, he said. There was a rumor for a long time that the gas supply would be cut, but no one expected the stations would be closed all at once, the source said, adding that speculation quickly spread that gas sales had ended because of international tensions over North Koreas illicit nuclear and missile programs. Gas stations are regarded as state-run organizations, with some controlled by the military and others by the Daesong General Bureau of Office 39 of the ruling Korean Workers Party, the source said. The Seungri Chemical Factory in Rason city alone is known to have more than a million tons of fuel oil which it imported from Russia, so I dont understand why the state created this situation, he said. Also speaking to RFA, a second source in North Hamgyong said that when gas sales stopped, residents were frightened because they thought a war was about to break out. Their fears were relieved when sales resumed shortly afterward. But then the gas prices skyrocketed, the source said, also speaking on condition he not be named. Many now think that the brief interruption in gas sales may have been a fuel-saving drill conducted by the state to prepare for the impact of reduced fuel imports under harsh new U.N. sanctions punishing North Korea for its nuclear program, sources said. Reported by Jieun Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Richard Finney One million Rohingya refugees or the entire Muslim population of Myanmars Rakhine state could flee from there to Bangladesh by years end, senior U.N. officials warned Thursday as they called on the international community to do more and be prepared in responding to a fluid humanitarian crisis. So far, an unprecedented influx has seen almost 400,000 refugees pour into southeastern Bangladesh since Aug. 25 amid a resurgence of violence in Rakhine, U.N. officials told a press briefing in Dhaka, adding that this number could go much higher. As many as 10,000 to 20,000 refugees were crossing the border every day, they said. We have to estimate the worst case is a scenario where everybody goes out [of Rakhine], said Mohammed Abdiker Mohamud, director of operations and emergencies for the International Organization of Migration (IOM), the U.N.s migration agency. Mohamud was responding to a question from a reporter for BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service, on whether the two agencies feared that Rakhines entire Rohingya population could spill across the border, if reported atrocities targeting Rohingya civilians went on unabated. And we cannot just put our heads in the sand and think everything will be OK, he said. 800,000 refugees in Bangladesh The 400,000 refugees who have arrived in Bangladesh during the past three weeks represent more than a third of Rakhines Muslim population, based on figures in a report published last month by the Advisory Commission on Rakhine State, a body appointed by Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and headed by former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The new arrivals also bring the total Rohingya refugee population in southeastern Bangladesh to more than 800,000, including those who fled earlier outbreaks of violence in Rakhine. "[W]hat the country is facing is a quite serious humanitarian situation. As I said, 400,000 people in about two to three weeks is a very, very large number of people to have to respond to, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner George Okoth-Obbo, who had toured refugee camps in southeastern Bangladesh a day earlier, told reporters as he sat with Mohamud at the briefing in Dhaka. We all acknowledge that, while a lot of work has been done, there is a lot more which still has to be done. We have to step up the approach, he said, although both officials commended Bangladesh for its efforts in letting in the wave of new arrivals, despite a huge number of refugees already sheltering in the southeast. Asked whether the international community had done enough to respond to the situation, which U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday had described as catastrophic, Mohamud replied, [M]y honest opinion is not yet. We like to see more be done. Are we looking at 600,000? Are we looking 700,000? Are we looking at a million people arriving before end of this year? the IOM official said, adding, That is something putting all of us in a very difficult position in how we are going to respond to this crisis. When the influx began, humanitarian agencies originally predicted that as many as 80,000 refugees could cross into Bangladesh, but more than four times that figure have come over from Rakhine in less than three weeks, Mohamud said. Unprecedented crisis Also on Thursday, Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Bangladeshi officials would call for the Rohingya problem to be resolved when she attends the 72nd session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York. Hasinas government has called on Myanmar to stop the violence in Rakhine that has pushed hundreds of thousands of Rohingya into Bangladesh, and to take back all the refugees. Bangladesh has been confronting an unprecedented crisis to provide humanitarian assistance to lakhs [hundreds of thousands] of Rohingya, and their repatriation to their own country, Ali said in a statement, which was read out during a news conference at the foreign ministry. At this critical moment, Bangladesh will place its proposals at the General Assembly of the United Nations for the settlement of the Rohingya problem, raising the main causes of the crisis before the international community, the minister said. Diarrhea, other illnesses reported Meanwhile, in southeastern districts of the country inundated by the wave of arrivals since late August, humanitarian agencies say they have been struggling to provide shelter and relief to refugees because the fast-moving volume of newcomers has strained resources. According to a BenarNews correspondent in Coxs Bazar district, the camps and makeshift settlements that are sprouting up on hillsides lack clean water and sanitation, and cases of diarrhea are spreading among the refugees. Eighty percent of the patients I have been treating are children and 90 percent of them have been suffering from diarrhea and fever, Abdus Samad, one of two local volunteer doctors in the Tanbru area near the Myanmar border, told BenarNews on Thursday. The International Committee of the Red Crescent has also been providing medical treatment to refugees in different parts of Coxs Bazar. Over the last several days, our medical teams have given treatment to some 3,000 patients. Most of them have been suffering from diarrhea, fever and other diseases, Dr. K.M. Abdullah Al Masud, a field officer with the Red Crescent, told BenarNews. He attributed the outbreak of illness to a lack of clean drinking water and people defecating in the open. Diarrhea can spread in an epidemic form unless potable water and proper sanitation systems are put in place, Masud said. ARSA denies terror links Across the border, Myanmar security forces and militia in Rakhine have been accused of targeting Rohingya civilians in atrocities such as killings and burning of Muslim homes and villages, according to eyewitness accounts from refugees arriving in Bangladesh. Defending itself against the allegations, the Myanmar government has blamed an insurgent group, the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), for much of the violence. Coordinated attacks by ARSA insurgents on Myanmar border police posts in Rakhine on Aug. 25 triggered the latest cycle of violence. On Sept. 10, ARSA declared a unilateral ceasefire for a month to allow humanitarian agencies and NGOs to deliver aid to affected parts of Rakhine, but Myanmar authorities rejected the offer of a truce. On Thursday, ARSA issued a statement saying it was deeply concerned over reports of some 400,000 people having fled horrors that are inhumane and beneath dignity of all human beings. The new statement came out two days after the global terrorist organization al-Qaeda announced that its fighters would come to the defense of Rohingya Muslims, according to security analysts, including BenarNews columnist Zachary Abuza. ARSA feels that it is necessary to make clear that it has no links with Al Qaeda, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria Lashkar-e-Taiba or any other transnational terrorist group, and we do not welcome the involvement of these groups in the Arakan [Rakhine] conflict, ARSA said. ARSA calls on states in the region to intercept and prevent terrorists from entering Arakan and making a bad situation worse, it added. Reported by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. BB&T Corp., one of the largest employers in the Richmond area, will close three branches here in December. The closings are part of an overall plan to close by years end 140 branch offices, which represents 6.4 percent of a 2,188-branch network in 15 states and Washington, D.C. Local branches to be shuttered are: 4710 Walmsley Blvd. in Richmond, which will close Dec. 1; 6980 Forest Hill Ave. in Richmond, Dec. 8; and 8727 Staples Mill Road in Henrico County, also Dec. 8. The closings will leave BB&T with 15 branches in the Richmond area. Additional closings will occur in Virginia, but a bank spokesman said Thursday he did not have that information. No layoffs are expected as a result of any closing here or elsewhere, spokesman David White said. Virginia is BB&Ts second-largest market with 344 branches in the state and $22.6 billion in deposits. In its home state of North Carolina, the bank has 351 branches and $28.7 billion in deposits. For several years, BB&T has reviewed the business strength of the three financial centers in Richmond, the bank said in a statement. Based on many factors, including client usage patterns, the decision was made to close the branches. Customers can still take advantage of 24-hour phone banking, online banking and digital banking. Kelly S. King, chairman and CEO of the Winston Salem, N.C.-based bank, noted the 140 closings Tuesday in a presentation at Barclays Global Financial Services Conference in New York. He has been talking about closing branches since last year, but the number is up from initial projections. Many branches targeted for closing are in close proximity to other branches. We recognize that any business closing can be an emotional issue for a community, the bank said in a statement. For that reason we do not take the decision to close a financial center lightly. Plans have been submitted with Henrico County that call for demolishing former Martins grocery stores in the Westpark and Village shopping centers to build new Publix stores. The application for redevelopment of the Westpark Shopping Center store at 9645 W. Broad St. is scheduled to be considered at the Sept. 27 meeting of the Henrico Planning Commission. The plans submitted for the store at 7001 Three Chopt Road in The Village are preliminary and a public hearing date before the Planning Commission has not yet been scheduled. The shopping center is located in both Henrico and the city of Richmond. Publix also is planning a store at the former Martins location at 3522 W. Cary St. in the Richmond Shopping Center in Carytown. An official in the Richmond planning office on Thursday said no plans had been submitted for that project. Florida-based Regency Centers Corp. has said it is working with the owners of the Richmond Shopping Center on a redevelopment plan for the property. Regency Centers also owns the Village shopping center. In regards to our stores at Three Chopt Road and Cary Street, we are still working with the shopping center landlord on future plans for those locations. At this time, opening dates are yet to be determined, Publix spokeswoman Kimberly Reynolds said. The stores at Westpark, in The Village and on Cary Street are three of the initial 10 former Martins stores that Florida-based Publix bought with plans to renovate or rebuild before reopening. Publix had not said officially whether it would renovate or rebuild those three stores, but the plans filed with Henrico show intentions to completely rebuild the store in Westpark and The Village. The application for the Westpark redevelopment describes the project as demolition of an existing 59,068 square-foot-grocery store and construction of a new 52,744-square-foot grocery store with a pharmacy drive-thru. The plans also call for tearing down a former Martins fueling station on the front edge of the property along West Broad Street. The Westpark Shopping Center, located at West Broad Street and Pemberton Road, has an Applebees on the eastern end and a McDonalds on the western edge. The property is owned by InvenTrust Properties Inc. of Illinois, according to the projects application. Skilken|Gold of Columbus, Ohio, is listed as the developer. Timmons Group of Richmond is listed as engineer/surveyor, and Freeman Morgan Architects of Henrico is listed as architect. The Westpark store opened in 1989 as a Ukrops Super Market Inc. location. It was the Richmond-based companys 20th store and its first store with a cafe with seating and an in-store pharmacy. The preliminary plan for the store in The Village calls for tearing down the current building and rebuilding a one-story, 45,600-square-foot store. The former Martins in The Village was previously a Ukrops store, which opened in 1994 as a 36,000-square-foot store. It was later expanded by taking over a former gift shop next door. Publix has opened four stores in the Richmond area. It built a store from the ground up at 5400 Wyndham Forest Drive in the Nuckols Place development in western Henrico County, which opened July 15. The chain took former Martins locations and reopened them at 2250 John Rolfe Parkway in John Rolfe Commons, at 4591 South Laburnum Ave. in White Oak Village, and at 10250 Staples Mill Road in the Shoppes at CrossRidge all in Henrico. Publix also is building a store from the ground up at Brandy Creek Commons, a development proposed for Brandy Creek Drive at Mechanicsville Turnpike in Hanover County. The employee-owned grocery company also on Aug. 31 bought the former Martins store at 7045 Forest Hill Ave. in the Shops at Stratford Hills in South Richmond, according to city property records. The company bought the property for $12.491 million from Ukrops Super Markets Inc. Other Martins-to-Publix conversions scheduled to open this fall include stores at 3107 Boulevard in the Colonial Square Shopping Center in Colonial Heights; at 10150 Brook Road in Virginia Center Marketplace and 3460 Pump Road in Short Pump Crossing Shopping Center, both in Henrico; and at 13700 Hull Street Road in the Harbour Point Shopping Center in Chesterfield County. Conde Nast Traveler magazine put together a list of the six best places to travel to in November and Richmond is number five on the list. New York City, Margaret River in Australia, Nicaragua, Oaxaca and Cape Town, round out the list of "a few unexpected places" to hit up next month. Richmond was chosen chiefly for Fire, Flour & Fork, the four-day gathering for the food curious, which takes place Nov. 2-5. Fire, Flour & Fork offers a variety of dining events, behind-the-scenes tours, demonstrations, talks from food and beverage producers, cookbook authors, chefs, bartenders and more. Here's what the magazine had to say: Having served in the Korean War, Norman Chubby Garrett of Powhatan has a few things he would like to say about the current Korean crisis at Thursdays Public Square hosted by the Richmond Times-Dispatch. But he wont be there because he doesnt believe he can say them. I need to get it out, but I dont think I could get up in front of a group of people and tell about it, he told me. I think Id break down. Garretts experience as a member of the Armys Quartermaster Corps in Korea has haunted him for more than 60 years. He suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder for which, he said, he is still being treated long before anyone knew the term. It was shellshock: thats what they used to call it. Theyll shoot a firecracker out here sometimes, and if I dont know whats going on Ill jump about that high, he said, holding his hand about 3 feet off the ground, a leap that would be saying something about the intensity of his emotions since Garrett is 88 years old. I visited Garrett at his Powhatan County home Tuesday afternoon. He made one thing perfectly clear when we chatted on the phone the first time, and I called him Mr. Garrett. Call me Chubby, he said. My dad was Mister. When we actually met, the second thing that became clear is that Chubby isnt. I was fat when I was a baby, and my father gave me that name and it stuck, he said with a laugh. His father gave him something else: a line of work. Garretts grandfather and father were well-known local brick masons, and he joined their ranks after the war when nothing else was working out for him. His father told him, Ill take you to work with me, but I want you to make me one promise: I want you to be the best you can be. I want you to give it your all. Chubby Garrett said, And I did. He and his brothers built homes and churches around the Richmond region, including a number of major projects that included historical structures. He showed me a prize possession: a framed certificate from the Virginia Society of the American Institute of Architects in 1989 honoring him for Excellence as a Craftsman. His father, he believes, would be proud. However, as Garrett honed his craft and his reputation and raised two children with Bea, his wife of 64 years they now have two grandchildren and one great-grandchild he was eaten up inside with what he experienced in Korea. Hed wake in the night and not be able to go back to sleep as he dreamed of things hed seen in Korea: the suffering of the Koreans he met, the deaths of his Army buddies. Id see guys and talk to them week after week, and then go in there to deliver food and Id ask, Wheres so-and-so? Garrett recalled. And theyd say, We lost him yesterday. Garrett was the youngest of seven boys; his mother, he said, deserved a medal. His six brothers all served in World War II, while he was left at home, though it became his turn to go when the Korean War came around. He wound up at Fort Lee in the Quartermaster Corps, where he was part of the mission to supply food to the 8th Army. He was 22 when he arrived in Korea in 1951. About three months later, he witnessed an explosion during the refueling of a truck. The young driver was engulfed in flames along with the vehicle, and all Garrett and the others on the scene had to fight the fire with were two shovels and a small pile of sand. Helpless doesnt begin to describe his feelings. This is what started me on my problems, he said, showing me faded black-and-white snapshots and copies of snapshots of the smoke and flames captured on film by another man in the unit. The misery of the Korean people particularly the orphaned children added to the darkness that seemed to envelop him. He had never imagined deprivation on that scale, and it struck to his core. He marvels at how far South Korea has come in the past six decades, and he knows much of the credit goes to the children in that war who grew to rebuild their devastated country, rising above the doubt and pessimism that shrouded the nation. Nobody looked like they had any sense of life at all, Garrett recalled. I think the children in Korea got from the American soldiers how important it was to live. Its something they learned from the GIs. And now the country is at risk because of the recent saber-rattling from North Koreas Kim Jong-un. I dont know what the answer is, Garrett said. Nobody, I guess, knows what the answers going to be. But I know what it could be: an atomic bomb war. I think its a terrible situation to handle, and if its not handled right a lot of people are going to die. It saddens him when he thinks of what might have been and what already has been. Its hell, he said of war. To see what people have to go through, people that never did anything to get to that place. All for nothing. Prior to my arrival, Garrett laid out photographs and letters and other materials that helped illustrate his experiences. Among the pictures were several of a young Korean boy with GIs including Garrett. He was about 10 years old, said Garrett, who found him foraging through the garbage pit near the camp. Turns out the boys family had been slaughtered, and he was living in the woods with other orphaned children. There would be 30 to 40 children, Garrett said. They lived like nomads, on the move. The older kids looked out for the young ones, and they had kids as young as 2 or 3 years old. Garrett took this boy to the company kitchen, found a can for him, and filled it with food, layering it between pieces of wax paper so that the food didnt squish together into an unidentifiable mush. The boy happily took the can. He returned later that day with the can empty and spotless. I guess hed washed it in the river, Garrett said. So I filled it again. This went on day after day, and the boy attached himself to Garrett, whose friends dubbed the boy Little Chubby. For his part, Little Chubby who couldnt really say Chubby called Garrett, Chombay. There came a time when Garrett was transferred about 60 miles away to a new post. He hated leaving the boy, but orders were orders. Soon after, a truck arrived at Garretts new post from his old camp. One of the boys hollered, Hey Chubby! Got something you might want to see here, Garrett said. I walked over, and that little rascal was sitting up in the passenger seat. Garretts voice caught as he recalled the scene. He looked out the window and said, Chombay! Little Chubby took up with a group of children living outside the new camp, and continued to visit Garrett who continued to supply him with food. Other GIs did the same for other children, in effect, keeping them alive. Garrett said it was the hardest thing to do to leave Little Chubby when his tour was up and he was sent home. After Garrett said his goodbyes, Little Chubby ran after the truck carrying Garrett. He was just hollering, Come back, Chombay! recalled Garrett, who began to cry. Garrett does not know what became of Little Chubby. He wishes he did. How often, I asked, do you think of Little Chubby? Every day, he said. PETERSBURG A trio of attorneys prosecuting Alexander R. Hill Jr. rested their case Wednesday afternoon after calling nearly 40 witnesses over five days, ending with the presentation of DNA evidence that tenuously linked Hill to the crime scene and four killings but provided no smoking gun. State forensic scientists determined that Hill could not be excluded as a contributor to a DNA profile developed from stains found on a bloody T-shirt that investigators found inside a vacant house next door to where he once lived. Nor could Hill be excluded as a contributor to a DNA profile mixture developed from traces of blood swabbed from a serrated knife that officers found in the rear yard of the victims home in the 700 block of Harding Street. But expert testimony on Wednesday did not directly and conclusively point to Hill, 51, as the killer. Since the trial got underway last week in Petersburg Circuit Court, prosecutors steadily have been building a case against Hill, who is charged with multiple counts of capital murder in the 2014 Easter weekend slayings of his former girlfriends mother, Pauline Wilkins, 67; sister, Vicki Ansar-Chavis, 46; niece, Tanique Chavis, 22; and nephew, Delvari Chavis, 2. Prosecutors allege that Hill, in an act of festering anger and resentment for his extramarital lover, Vivian Chavis, broke into the familys home and fatally stabbed Wilkins and Ansar-Chavis, then set a fire with gasoline, kerosene and possibly other accelerants that killed Tanique and Delvari Chavis. On Wednesday, prosecutors called two witnesses from North Carolina who identified Hill as the person whom they saw, and provided assistance to, after he arrived in Roanoke Rapids, N.C., by taxi from Petersburg during the early hours of April 20, 2014 about 24 hours after the killings. A supervisor of a mens homeless shelter in Buffalo, N.Y., identified Hill as the man who took up residence there under an assumed name and was eventually arrested by U.S. marshals a year later, on April 23, 2015. Kathy Wallace, a former longtime waitress at the Waffle House in Weldon, N.C., a short hike from Roanoke Rapids, testified that a man she later identified as Hill entered the restaurant about 4 a.m. carrying a duffel bag and wearing a hoodie. He made an impression, Wallace recalled, because he has the most unusual hazel eyes. Hill asked where he could find the nearest bus station. But when Wallace advised Hill that his best opportunity at that hour would be Emporia, Hill said he wasnt going back to Virginia. Wallace said Hill also inquired about the nearest police station, saying: I just wanted to know where they are. The next closest bus and train station was in Rocky Mount, about 40 miles away, and Wallace offered to line up a friend who could ferry Hill there for $50. Wallace said Hill smelled like a mixture of kerosene and smoke when asked by Petersburg Commonwealths Attorney Cheryl Wilson how Hill smelled that morning. A friend of Wallaces, Thomas Walton, testified that he occasionally provides rides to people who need transportation to nearest bus or train station, and he did so for Hill that morning, arriving at the Waffle House about 4:10 a.m. Walton said Hill told him he was traveling to visit relatives in Mississippi, and Hill negotiated the $50 ride fee to $40. Walton said that as he drove Hill to the Greyhound bus and Amtrak train station in Rocky Mount, he noticed that Hill smelled like he had kerosene or gasoline on him. More than 600 miles to the north and just over a year later, Hill was residing in a mens shelter at St. Lukes Mission of Mercy in Buffalo, where he performed odd jobs such as loading trucks and working in the kitchen, testified Edward Hudson, a missionary who helps run the mens shelter. He was well-built and had hazel eyes, Hudson recalled of Hill, who at the time was using the assumed name Dale Trent. Hudson said he didnt become aware of Hills fugitive status until a U.S. marshal posing as a homeless man approached at him at the center on April 23, 2015. Soon after, several marshals surrounded Hill in a downstairs hallway and placed him under arrest. Once in custody, Hill insisted they had the wrong man and he refused to be fingerprinted at a local police station, said Marshal Scott Baryza, who heads the Violent Felony Fugitive Task Force in Buffalo. After taking Hill to the federal courthouse in Buffalo, officers had to forcibly obtain Hills fingerprints as he clenched his hands into a fist, Baryza testified. Two state forensic scientists who specialize in biology and DNA testified about the results of their analysis of evidence submitted by Petersburg investigators. The analysis found that Hill could not be eliminated as a major contributor to a DNA profile developed from samples of red stains collected from a bloody shirt found three days after the killings in a vacant house next door to where Hill once lived with his mother-in-law in the 2200 block of Ferndale Avenue. But the DNA profile was not consistent with genetic material from any of the four victims. Initial testing also revealed that a DNA profile developed from traces of blood swabbed from a large, serrated knife found outside the victims home was consistent with Ansar-Chavis DNA, but not the DNA of Wilkins, who also was stabbed. After additional testing was conducted, centering only on the male Y chromosome, one of the scientists determined that Hill could not be eliminated as major contributor to the DNA sample on the knife but neither could any of Hills patrilineal lineage. When the trial resumes Thursday morning, Hills defense team is expected to call several witnesses. Closing arguments by the prosecution and the defense will follow. A Charlottesville man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for distributing large amounts of heroin that he purchased in Short Pump parking lots. Norell Sterling Ward, 47, will serve that sentence for three felonies: two counts of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute and a third charge of conspiracy to distribute. After the hearing, defense attorney Kevin Purnell said the Henrico County judges decision amounts to a life sentence. Its a sentence (thats) as long as he has lived to this point, Purnell said. Wednesdays sentence, handed down by Henrico Circuit Judge Richard S. Wallerstein Jr., was lower than the 65-year term that a jury recommended in June after finding Ward guilty of purchasing drugs in the parking lots of Whole Foods, Target and other Short Pump-area businesses so they could be resold back in Charlottesville. Wallerstein explained that he was not suspending any part of the sentence jurors imposed; he said he instead was exercising his right to order that the 20-year sentences on the two possession counts be served concurrently rather than consecutively. The judge gave Ward 25 years on the conspiracy charge. Matthew C. Ackley, a Henrico deputy commonwealths attorney, told the judge that in recommending the 65-year prison term, the jury had been clearly disturbed by the scope of the heroin distribution network that Ward was involved in. Prosecutors have said Ward distributed an estimated 4 to 6 kilograms of heroin over a roughly 18-month period. It was a lot of heroin, and it was over a long period of time, Ackley told the judge. The prosecutor said Ward had an abysmal criminal record that spanned 30 years, adding that the defendant had been involved in distributing drugs in New York before moving to Virginia. Ackley said Ward was the one who ultimately chose to put his fate in the hands of jurors when he opted for a trial by his peers, so the prosecutor said Ward now had to accept their sentence. Ackley said the decadeslong sentence that jurors sought reflected the communitys concern over the opioid crisis. But Purnell said his client is among those who have struggled with heroin addiction. Purnell said his client got hooked on drugs as a teenager, when he took Percocet after undergoing dental work. Purnell said Ward had been in and out of group homes and that he struggled with mental health issues. Purnell called for a punishment that was closer to the advisory sentencing guidelines, which suggested a penalty of six to 10 years behind bars. Its been a hard ride. Its been a tough journey for him, Purnell said. So I ask the court for its mercy in sentencing. Ward also pleaded for leniency, saying he wasnt living an extravagant lifestyle. I didnt have fancy cars, jewelry, things of that nature, Ward said. I just wanted to get high. Purnell said his client plans to appeal his three Henrico convictions because Ward feels there wasnt sufficient evidence to find him guilty. Other figures who were also midlevel figures in the drug network received sentences in the range of five to 10 years. Ackley said those defendants, unlike Ward, had entered pleas instead of going to trial. Prosecutors said Ward bought his heroin from a drug organization run by Shawn Lamont Bailey, a 46-year-old Henrico man who pleaded guilty in January to two felony counts of distributing heroin near his West Broad Village home. In July, Wallerstein rejected a plea deal that called for Bailey to serve eight to 10 years in prison. Dozens of demonstrators, taking aim at how the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has handled water quality permitting for a pair of controversial natural gas pipelines, blockaded the agencys office in downtown Richmond during a peaceful protest Thursday afternoon. After about an hour, a representative of the owner of the building DEQ leases at Seventh and East Main streets asked the protesters to leave. They refused, and police gently led away 19 protesters who had lined up along the building and volunteered themselves for arrest. They were issued summonses for obstruction of free passage, a Class 1 misdemeanor that carries a maximum fine of $2,500 and up to a year in jail. I think the police were just great, said Clarke Herbert, a 68-year-old retired school teacher from Alexandria who was among the protesters police took, without using handcuffs or other restraints, to the hood of a squad car for their summonses. I tried to discuss the issue with them and of course they dont do that. But they handled everything very courteously and considerately. The downtown protest, which began at the Capitol Bell Tower, was the second of two days of demonstrations at DEQ offices statewide spearheaded by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, a nonprofit that fights global warming. The rallies were organized by the groups action fund, which also will help cover legal costs for the protesters arrested. Police closed Main Street for several blocks during the demonstration, which included chants such as Water is life; water is a human right, Terry, stop the pipelines, and DEQ, shame on you if you let these permits through. Richmond Police spokeswoman Koury Wilson called the demonstration an ideal peaceful protest. DEQ has said it intends to certify that construction of both the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipelines will not violate state water quality standards. Agency staff are sorting through thousands of responses received during a recent public comment period and will be sending a recommendation to the State Water Control Board, which is expected to vote on the certifications later this year. James Golden, the agencys director of operations, was watching the protests Thursday but wouldnt comment. The agency has said it is going to the limits of its authority in assembling the water quality certifications. Dominion Energys 600-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline will run from West Virginia through the heart of Virginia to North Carolina, with an extension to the Hampton Roads area. The 303-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline, developed by EQT Midstream Partners, will run from West Virginia to southern Virginia. For months, DEQ has been under mounting criticism for how it has handled the water quality certifications, including misleading public statements that the agency would review each of the hundreds of spots where the pipelines will cross waterways. Instead, the DEQ will rely on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit for those crossings and focus its efforts on upland areas and a review of the pipeline developers plans to control erosion, storm water and sediment. That plan review is being performed by a contractor working for Dominion on an unrelated project, another sore spot for pipeline opponents. Environmental groups want Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who was an early cheerleader for the pipelines, and the Water Control Board to reject the approvals and block the pipeline. In New York, the state Department of Environmental Conservation denied a water-quality certification for the 121-mile Constitution Pipeline between Pennsylvania and New York. That decision was upheld last month by a federal court of appeals. And last week, West Virginias environmental agency said it would vacate the water quality certification it issued for the Mountain Valley Pipeline for re-evaluation after it was challenged in court, the Roanoke Times reported. Joan Wages, 56, of Roanoke, who was last in the line of protesters to get a summons Thursday, says she has many neighbors and friends whose property will be affected by the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Part of the New River Valley was shaken by an earthquake Wednesday that started shortly after 1:30 p.m. No damage was immediately reported. A Virginia Tech seismograph showed the epicenter just over the state line in West Virginia with a magnitude between 3.7 and 4.0. Thats a big enough earthquake to make it the largest in the area since 1968, said Martin Chapman, the director of the Virginia Tech Seismological Observatory. The earthquake was felt by people across the New River Valley. Near its epicenter, the quake was loud and shook the earth dramatically, witnesses said. It was like an explosion went off, said Roger Jones, town manager of Rich Creek, a Giles County town northwest of Pearisburg. Jones said there was a loud noise alongside the shake followed by a second loud noise and shake that was felt by workers inside town hall. More than 200 calls came into the Giles County Sheriffs Office dispatch in the half hour after the quake, according to the department. Giles County Administrator Chris McKlarney said county workers immediately went to check on school buildings and other county properties. The last measurable earthquake in the area was in May. That one was a 2.8 magnitude quake with an epicenter near Narrows. It was 10 times smaller than Wednesdays. The quakes are part of whats known as the Giles County seismic zone, an area of fault lines that surrounds the New River. The Giles County seismic zone is relatively active but its quakes are not often at a level that can be felt. Between the mid-1970s until the late 1990s, Virginia Tech researchers measured between one or two quakes per month. Chapman said earlier this year that the quakes have become less frequent in the last two decades. Both quakes were less intense than the big one that hit Pearisburg on May 31, 1897. That quake still registers as one of the strongest known quakes in the Southeast. It cracked the mortar of the Giles County courthouse, derailed a train engine and several cars and knocked several chimneys to the ground. The day after, The Roanoke Times reported that damage was minimal but it succeeded in scaring a great many people nearly out of their wits. The potential for an earthquake has been pointed to by opponents of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a 42-inch diameter, buried natural gas transmission pipeline, as a concern for the project. A June 2016 report by geologist Ernst Kastning described the Giles County zone as one of the most active earthquake zones in the mid-Atlantic. Kastnings report, commissioned by pipeline opponents, suggested the active zone, combined with features of the local karst landscape, posed severe engineering challenges. The Mountain Valley Pipelines final environmental impact statement, released in June by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, acknowledged the potential exists for a magnitude 5.8 earthquake in the Giles County zone. The statement noted that the pipeline would be able to withstand seismic events of the historical and projected magnitude in the zone. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake as a 3.1, amended down from a 3.2 earlier in the day. The USGS and the Tech group have a wide discrepancy in their measurements because of different styles of measurement and different ways of calculating seismological readings, Chapman said. He said people on Techs campus were able to feel it. The mother of a young girl who was accidentally shot by a 2-year-old boy at a Fauquier County truck stop is facing charges in the incident. The Fauquier Sheriffs Office said 21-year-old Destinie Rochelle Beach of Stephens City, near Winchester, was charged on Thursday with child neglect and abuse and possession of a firearm by a nonviolent felon. A 26-year-old Winchester man who was with Beach and the children was initially the only person charged. Isaiah Marshall Davis faces three counts of child abuse and neglect, along with charges of reckless handling of a firearm and allowing a child access to a firearm. Hurricane Jose should steer clear of North Carolina and Virginia beaches this weekend as it curves off to the north, and the tropical Atlantic isnt threatening to spin up any new storms soon. Jose has been nearly stationary for the past few days about halfway between Bermuda and Puerto Rico, but will start to accelerate to the northwest on Friday, then turn north on Saturday. The National Hurricane Center forecasts Jose to remain in the open ocean halfway between Cape Hatteras and Bermuda by Sunday, like the uneventful path that Hurricane Gert took last month. Swells spreading out from Jose will continue a high risk of rip currents along nearby Atlantic beaches through the weekend. The system has weakened dramatically over the past few days because of shearing winds in the weather pattern around it. Jose could even drop to tropical storm strength by Friday, though some slight restrengthening cant be ruled out early next week. By Monday, Jose will be somewhere due east of Virginia perhaps by a few hundred miles or perhaps by several hundred miles but its unlikely to be making a direct strike on land at this latitude. After that, its possible that Jose could swipe the coast of New England or Canada on its northward journey, but the track is far less certain after Monday. If Jose continues to be a tropical system past the weekend, it could be the longest-lived one so far this season. Jose formed in the eastern Atlantic on Sept. 5 and quickly organized into a fierce Category 4 hurricane by the time it made its closest approach to the Caribbean. Hurricane Jose narrowly avoided making another strike on the Leeward Islands on Sept. 9, just a few days after Hurricane Irmas catastrophic blow. The spotty showers in the forecast for Virginia and the Mid-Atlantic on Thursday can still be linked to the remnants of Irma, though its no longer a tropical system of any kind. Irma spun along at tropical storm or hurricane status for about 13 days, and Jose could surpass Irmas longevity if its still around on Monday. Meanwhile, there are no disturbances in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean or eastern Atlantic that are expected to develop into a new tropical storm over the next several days. In the eastern Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Max will move east and dump heavy rain as it comes ashore in southwestern Mexico on Thursday and Friday. Atlantic hurricane season typically peaks in mid-September, but October is often active and its reasonable to expect that at least a few more storms are left in this season. More than three weeks after a fatal shooting in Pardeeville involving a member of the Columbia County Sheriffs Office, basic details of the incident continue to be withheld by the Sheriffs Office and the state Department of Justice. On the evening of Aug. 21, law enforcement responded to a domestic incident at 416 Vince St., which ended with the death of 64-year-old Thomas Selje. In line with Wisconsin law, investigation of the officer-involved death was immediately turned over to an outside agency, the state DOJs Division of Criminal Investigation. All questions about the incident have been referred to the DOJ. On Aug. 23, the DOJ released a statement identifying Selje as the man killed in the incident, and identifying the location of the original call, saying that the deputy responding encountered gunfire originating from the residence before arriving, though official accounts of the nature of that gunfire is unclear. Neither have the officials confirmed if Selje was in possession of a firearm at the end of the incident. The incident was briefly mentioned Monday in a meeting of the Columbia County Boards Public Safety Committee. During the sheriffs report, Chief Deputy Darrel Kuhl, filling in for Sheriff Dennis Richards, said the incident was under investigation by the DCI with a report expected by the middle of the month. The deputy, who has been placed on paid administrative leave pending a determination after the incident report is sent to the Columbia County District Attorneys Office, has not been named. The timeline varies, but for something like this where there arent too many complicating factors, we will aim for 30 days to have this to the district attorney for review, DOJ spokesman Johnny Koremenos said on Aug. 22. A preliminary statement describing the incident was expected within the following week, but has so far not been released. Daniel Drew and Teresa Sumnicht, Columbia County supervisors and Public Safety Committee members, confirmed that committee members have not been otherwise briefed regarding the situation or the impact of the department being down an officer over the course of the investigation. A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. RADFORD Overall enrollment and retention has increased at Radford University, but the school remains susceptible to a statewide and national trend when it comes to decreased transfer student admittance. The university released its latest enrollment headcount and future projections on Thursday, based on census year-to-date data finalized on Sept. 11. Total fall 2017 enrollment at the school sits at 9,415 compared to 9,401 in fall 2016. This years total number includes 1,000 graduate students; the most Radford University has had since fall 2013. This fall, 97 more freshmen are at the school than last year, bringing the total class size to 1,848. Out-of-state growth from last year in freshman enrollment, which came in at 22 percent, was the most it has been at RU since 2007. At total of 57 fewer transfer students 662 enrolled at the university this fall than did a year ago. Part of it has a connection to the economy, said Kitty McCarthy, RUs vice president for enrollment management. When the economy is strong, enrollments may be down. We have agreements in place with many community colleges. Were looking to continue those efforts. One way the school is aiming to remedy the downward trend in transfer student recruitment is through credit-guaranteeing partnerships with Virginia Community College System member institutions. Radford University announced last month it plans to implement what it is calling the NOVA-RU Curriculum Pathway, which will guarantee the admission and acceptance of all credits from Northern Virginia Community College to Radford University within three specific degree programs. Earlier this week the commonwealth Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission released a report revealing nearly two-thirds of all community college students do not complete an associates or certification degree program. More relevant to RUs recruitment efforts, only 12,000 of the 250,000 students in the Virginia Community College System transferred to a four-year institution. Similar to the freshman model, we have staff that are working transfer students in particular, McCarthy said. Being visible, getting out to the community colleges and being a campus that welcomes community college students both in terms of credit evaluations, time to degree and being sure were very intentional about all of those efforts. Student retention, another recent sore spot for RU, showed signs of improvement over the last year. Nearly 76 percent of fall 2016 freshmen returned for fall 2017, representing the best preservation of a freshman class the school has managed since fall 2013. Part of that is working with our faculty and staff who see the students every day, said Joe Carpenter, vice president of University Relations and RUs chief communications officer. And identify early indicators, tracking that data and then having a process in place where someone face-to-face is following up with them. Some of the retention battle on campus comes down to basic manners, he said. Internally, weve looked at the way we do business. Are we friendly? Are we open at the right hours and right days throughout the year, Carpenter said. Things like that seem little, but they have a big impact. As the university couples its recruitment efforts with its strategic branding initiatives and eventual fundraising aspirations, projections for enrollment remain as aggressive as theyve ever been. With more online-only and competency-based delivery methods in mind, the university hopes to have a growth of 2,300 more students by 2023. We will always hold on to our core as a teachers college, RU President Brian Hemphill told the schools committee on Advancement, University Relations and Enrollment Management. We also know that in some projections [those traditional models] are declining. We will always hold on to who we are but we still have room to grow. The Roanoke Times won national recognition this week for its online presentation of its April series, Ten Years after the Virginia Tech Shootings. The Inland Press Association on Tuesday awarded the Roanoke newspaper first place in the Best Online Innovation category nationwide for its nine-part series that offered a multimedia retrospective on the April 16, 2007, shootings that left 32 people and the gunman dead on the Blacksburg campus. The series, spearheaded by New River Valley Editor Todd Jackson, also delivered a critical examination of Virginias response to key recommendations of a blue-ribbon panel in wake of the mass murders. Additionally, the Inland Press Association awarded The Roanoke Times second place for excellence in editorial writing in the 50,000-100,000 circulation category, recognizing the work of Dwayne Yancey, editorial page editor. Journalists contributing to the Virginia Tech shootings series in addition to Jackson were: Reporters Robby Korth, Matt Chittum, Jacob Demmitt, Luanne Rife, Travis Williams, Carmen Forman and Amy Friedenberger; photographers Matt Gentry and Heather Rousseau; designer Shawn Garrett; former online editor Powell Latimer and metro editors Megan Schnabel and Brian Kelley. The series can be found at: www.roanoke.com/news/topics/virginiatechshootings. The Inland Press Association, headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, has more than 1,000 newspaper members from all 50 states. Dozens of demonstrators, taking aim at how the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has handled water quality permitting for a pair of controversial natural gas pipelines, blockaded the agencys office in downtown Richmond during a peaceful protest Thursday afternoon. After about an hour, a representative of the owner of the building DEQ leases at Seventh and East Main streets asked the protesters to leave. They refused, and police gently led away 19 protesters who had lined up along the building and volunteered themselves for arrest. They were issued summonses for obstruction of free passage, a Class 1 misdemeanor that carries a maximum fine of $2,500 and up to a year in jail. I think the police were just great, said Clarke Herbert, a 68-year-old retired school teacher from Alexandria who was among the protesters police took, without using handcuffs or other restraints, to the hood of a squad car for their summonses. I tried to discuss the issue with them, and of course they dont do that. But they handled everything very courteously and considerately. The downtown protest was the second of two days of demonstrations at DEQ offices statewide spearheaded by the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, a nonprofit that fights global warming. The rallies were organized by the groups action fund, which will also help cover legal costs for the protesters arrested. Richmond Police spokeswoman Koury Wilson called the demonstration an ideal peaceful protest. DEQ has said it intends to certify that construction of both the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipelines will not violate state water quality standards. Agency staff are sorting through thousands of responses received during a recent public comment period and will be sending a recommendation to the State Water Control Board, which is expected to vote on the certifications later this year. James Golden, the agencys director of operations, was watching the protests Thursday but wouldnt comment. The agency has said it is going to the limits of its authority in assembling the water quality certifications. About 50 people turned out in Roanoke for a similar rally near the DEQ regional office on Peters Creek Road. Later, they gathered to discuss a list of concerns hand-delivered Thursday to the DEQ office in Roanoke about the departments review of the potential water quality impacts of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. More than one speaker mentioned an earthquake recorded Wednesday that was associated with the Giles County seismic zone. Pipeline opponents warn that the comparatively active seismic zone adds another geologic hazard to a route that also includes steep slopes and regional landscapes rife with sinkholes and caves. Dominion Energys 600-mile Atlantic Coast Pipeline will run from West Virginia through the heart of Virginia to North Carolina, with an extension to the Hampton Roads area. The 303-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline, developed by EQT Midstream Partners, will run from West Virginia to southern Virginia. For months, DEQ has been under mounting criticism for how it has handled the water quality certifications, including misleading public statements that the agency would review each of the hundreds of spots where the pipelines will cross waterways. Instead, the DEQ will rely on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit for those crossings and focus its efforts on upland areas and a review of the pipeline developers plans to control erosion, stormwater and sediment. That plan review is being performed by a contractor working for Dominion on an unrelated project, another sore spot for pipeline opponents. Environmental groups want Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who was an early cheerleader for the pipelines, and the Water Control Board to reject the approvals and block the pipeline. In New York, the state Department of Environmental Conservation denied a water-quality certification for the 121-mile Constitution Pipeline between Pennsylvania and New York. That decision was upheld last month by a federal court of appeals. And last week, West Virginias environmental agency said it would vacate the water quality certification it issued for the Mountain Valley Pipeline for re-evaluation after it was challenged in court. Joan Wages, 56, of Roanoke, who was last in the line of protesters to get a summons Thursday, says she has many neighbors and friends whose property will be affected by the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Im concerned about the taking of land for private gain, Wages said. To me, Gov. McAuliffes support of these pipelines is unconscionable. Were paying taxes to our government officials so they can rubber stamp things so corporations can make money. That needs to stop. Staff writer Duncan Adams contributed information to this report. CHRISTIANSBURG A national bus tour promoting President Donald Trumps proposed 15 percent corporate and business tax rate cap stopped at Northwest Hardware Thursday morning. The Tax Cuts Now tour, a joint project of the nonprofit advocacy organization Job Creators Network Foundation and taxcutsnow.com, began in Oklahoma on Tuesday. It is expected to end Friday on the steps of the Internal Revenue Service building in Washington, D.C. The tour, which went through Kentucky and now Virginia, is intended to drum up support for Congressional tax cuts. Along the way, organizers have been collecting signatures on a petition supporting Trumps rate caps and contributing to a national media and advertising campaign. Charlie Overstreet, second-generation owner of Roanoke-based Northwest Hardware, said he hosted the event at the request of Del. Greg Habeeb, R-Salem. Habeeb represents parts of Roanoke and Montgomery County. A business and personal injury lawyer, Habeeb had been expected to speak at the event, but the delegate canceled because of a work conflict, said Stephen Pollock, an organizer with taxcutsnow.com. Northwest Hardware has nine stores in Virginia, and just over 100 employees, Overstreet said. He pays a 38 percent business tax rate and would like to see it reduced to the worldwide average of less than 25 percent. We have to borrow money to pay taxes thats the truth, Overstreet said. Theyre retarding our growth. Another business owner, Merissa Sachs of Logo Hub in Christiansburg, carried an umbrella that had No Rain Tax written on it. She said she was protesting the towns stormwater fee enacted last year. The fee ranges from $6 for homeowners to up to $2,000 for commercial properties. Sachs, who is running for a town council seat, said her federal and state tax rates are fair. But she opposes local taxes and fees that she said retard her companys growth. Logo Hub, which produces marketing materials for other companies, employs 10 people, she said. Phillip Willard, chief operating officer of Job Creators Network, told the small group gathered in the rain Thursday that American small businesses employ 56 million people and create the majority of new jobs in the country. But high business tax rates are hindering growth, he said. Willard asked the group to support a 15 percent cap on the pass-through tax. The pass-through tax primarily applies to companies or partnerships that elect to pass tax liability from the company to the owner, partners or shareholders. Those individuals report business profits and losses on their personal income tax returns. Depending on the tax bracket the individual falls into, he or she can pay a tax rate of up to 40 percent. Such company structures can be beneficial, too. They protect the personal assets of owners, partners and shareholders from business creditors. Willard said that 50 percent of network members polled recently said the tax rate caps would encourage them to raise employee wages, hire new employees and expand their companies. That would kickstart the economy, he said. He didnt specify how many members were polled. While overall tax reform would be preferable, Willard said in an interview after his speech, Right now small business are hurting. So lets try to get the small business pass-through tax addressed this year ... and make it retroactive to Jan. 1. Job Creators Network was founded in 2011 and according to tax filings is supported primarily by contributions, gifts and grants. It had revenues of $1.6 million in 2014, according to its most recent filings. That year the organizations expenses were about $2 million. The networks stated mission is to bring together job creators from large and small companies to educate Americans on the vital role of free enterprise and entrepreneurship in creating jobs, spurring innovation and ensuring Americas economic success. Pollock said taxcutsnow.com has ties to Travis Brown, an entrepreneur, business advocate and author of the book How Money Walks. On the federal level, what is defined as a small business can vary widely. The IRS defines small businesses as those entities with less than $10 million in assets. Using that standard, nearly 30 million U.S. companies qualify as small. Tax rates for such businesses vary from 10 to 40 percent, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. Trumps 15 percent corporate tax rate proposal is widely thought to be unworkable, according to national news coverage. A rate cap of 20 percent to 25 percent is seen as more likely. Cottage Grove-based Johnson Health Tech Retail Inc. is re-branding all 100 of its stores in the United States, including two locations in Madison. Over the past five years, Johnson Health Tech Retail has acquired several fitness equipment retailers, including 2nd Wind Exercise Equipment, which has locations on Madison's Far East and West sides. The acquired stores, which sell fitness equipment like treadmills, elliptical trainers, home gyms and accessories, will be renamed and branded as Johnson Fitness and Wellness stores. "Unifying out retail stores under one brand allows us to reach more people in a new way -- as a wellness partner, rather than just an equipment supplier," said executive vice president Mike Olson. Other stores to be rebranded along with 2nd Wind include Leisure Fitness, Busy Body Home Fitness and Fitness Resource. "People who are looking for quality home equipment don't often know where to shop," said retail marketing manager Kelly Colwin, adding that putting the various locations under one name can make shoppers confident in the stores' quality. Johnson Health Tech Retail is owned by Johnson Health Tech Inc., based in Taiwan, which manufactures fitness equipment and owns more than 300 retail stores around the world. The rebranding in the U.S., which will occur over the next two months, will match with the global brand. RICHMOND The Supreme Court of Virginia has upheld a hotly disputed state law that suspends regulatory reviews of electric utility rates. Justice William Mims dissented from the majority decision Thursday in a lengthy opinion that says the ruling would allow the General Assembly to permanently block the State Corporation Commission from exercising regulatory authority enshrined in the state Constitution. That sobering outcome thwarts the purpose behind creating the commission in the first place, said Mims, who as deputy attorney general in 2007 played a critical role in the creation of the system of rate reviews that the General Assembly suspended in 2015 for seven years. The ruling upholds a decision by the SCC that was appealed by the Old Dominion Committee for Fair Utility Rates and the Virginia Committee for Fair Utility Rates, who represent large industrial customers of Appalachian Power Co. and Dominion Energy, respectively. The appeal relied heavily on a dissenting opinion by SCC Commissioner James Dimitri last year that concluded the suspension of two-year rate reviews blocked the commission from exercising its regulatory duty to regulate electric rates charged by monopoly utilities. Dimitri estimated that the law would cost customers of Dominion more than $1 billion over seven years by allowing the company to keep earnings in excess of its regulated rate of return. Dominion welcomed the ruling Thursday as affirming the need for utility rate relief in the face of potential regulatory restrictions on power plant emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases under the stalled federal Clean Power Plan. Spokesman David Botkins said, We are pleased the court affirmed the constitutional and statutory authority of the General Assembly to make policy decisions for the commonwealth. It looks as if Virginia is headed toward a state version of the Clean Power Plan, which makes [the law suspending rate reviews] all the more relevant and appropriate. The majority opinion, written by Justice Elizabeth McClanahan, bows to the presumption that legislative actions, such as the 2015 rate freeze, are constitutional unless plainly repugnant to the Virginia and U.S. Constitutions. The court relies on a 1974 ruling that Mims portrays as wrong to conclude that the revision of the constitution ratified in 1971 does indeed grant to the General Assembly such broad legislative power over the commissions authority to regulate the rates charges by electric utility companies. In light of this authority of the General Assembly, we have repeatedly stated in other cases since the passage of the 1971 Constitution of Virginia that the commissions authority to regulate the rates of electric utility companies has been delegated to it by the General Assembly under various legislative enactments, McClanahan writes. Mims, a former elected member of the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates, strongly disagreed, I reject the premise that the rate-making authority granted to the commission by the Constitution is subordinate to the General Assembly, he writes. The SCC was created as an independent body under the 1902 Constitution to ensure regulatory oversight of rates charged by public service corporations, especially railroad companies, which politically dominated the General Assembly then. The legislature expanded the commissions power to regulate electric rates in 1914, but the 1971 constitutional revision enshrined its regulatory authority to set electric rates, subject to such criteria and requirements as may be prescribed by law, a phrase at the heart of the legal dispute. Mims argues that the court misinterpreted the constitutional provision in the 1974 case and warns that the majority decision restores the precise evil that led the people to create the commission in 1902; they did so to ensure that someone was exercising the power to set the rates of public service corporations. The conclusion that the General Assembly has the power to suspend the commissions authority indefinitely, which follows inexorably from the majoritys opinion, would thwart that will, he writes. Identity Evropa, a white supremacist group, tweeted photos of its stickers posted on the campuses of Lynchburg College and Liberty University, as well as the University of Virginia in nearby Charlottesville. According to the Identity Evropa Twitter account, the stickers were posted in Lynchburg on Sept. 3. Bryan Gentry, LC spokesman, confirmed one sticker was found and removed from the LC campus Sept. 4. On Wednesday a statement was emailed to the campus community by Hayward Geunard, LC vice president and dean for student development, regarding the incident. We have no evidence that suggests this sticker was posted by a member of our campus community, and we have not detected any further activity here. Placing the sticker seems to have been an isolated activity seeking attention. Based on advice previously given by local law enforcement, we chose to monitor the situation without giving the group the gratification of publicity. However, other outside groups have begun to reference the sticker, so it is important to publicly reaffirm our values and explain our response, reads part of the message sent to students, faculty and staff. The statement also noted the LC Safety and Security team met with the Lynchburg Police Department following the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville on Aug. 12, which saw the UVa, campus overrun with torch-wielding protesters, including members of Identity Evropa, identified by their insignia, a triangle that represent a dragons eye. According to the statement, the purpose of the meeting with LPD was to discuss how LC could partner with law enforcement to respond to similar attempts to hold unwelcome protests on its campus. As a private institution, we are not required to open our campus to outside groups. We encourage civil discourse and non-coercive dissent, but we reject violence, bigotry, and oppression, the message from Guenard concludes. In a statement provided by Liberty University on Wednesday, the school said it was not aware of Identity Evropa stickers on campus, and a search by the Liberty Police Department could not locate any. Though glares and shadows on the images make them appear authentic, LU officials said the tweeted photos were photoshopped. When asked about the authenticity, a university spokesman said LUPD determined it appears as though the photos were altered, though the photos were not extensively examined, he said. A News & Advance examination of the photos in Photoshop did not show any telltale signs of image manipulation. It is unfortunate not only that groups like this exist, but that they would use trickery in an attempt to associate themselves with schools like ours, the statement from Liberty concluded. Students at both schools condemned the message of Identity Evropa. My reaction to the stickers was a bit of outrage, as well as disgust. I know that these posters would not be posted by a student, and that white nationalist groups are not welcome on a campus that prides itself in being a diverse, progressive, and inclusive environment, Zachary Herendeen, a senior economics major at Lynchburg College, wrote to The News & Advance. Herendeen said he had not seen the sticker posted on campus but heard about it from friends as well as the email sent to the LC community. Sam Herrmann, a senior strategic communications major at Liberty, said he had not seen the stickers and would be surprised at the sight. I think that if anyone was to post them on campus, they would be swiftly met by many with rejection, and they would be called out for promoting something so opposed to Christianity and the Gospel, Herrmann wrote to The News & Advance. The sustained Identity Evropa propaganda effort is known as Project Siege, and according to the Anti-Defamation League, which tracks anti-Semitic activity across the U.S., there were 65 instances of Identity Evropa propaganda being spread on college campuses during the 2016-17 school year. Recent schools shown on the Identity Evropa Twitter feed include the University of Alabama, University of Illinois, Eastern Michigan University and others across the U.S. The Southern Poverty Law Center has identified Identity Evropa as a hate group, and its founder, Nathan Damigo, as a white supremacist. Identity Evropa was launched in California in 2016 by Damigo and was one of numerous white supremacist groups at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville last month. According to various interviews given by Damigo, the group claims more than 300 members nationally. Identity Evropa aims to add to that number via on-campus recruiting, according to a blog post by Damigo detailing the groups recruiting plans. #ProjectSiege is the beginning of a long term cultural war of attrition against academias Cultural Marxist narrative that is maintained and propagated into society through the indoctrination of the future managerial class. If we are to be successful in combating [sic] the current paradigm, it is imperative that we create space for our ideas at universities across the country, Damigo blogged in October 2016. Identity Evropa now is led by Eli Mosley, who took over the organization in August. Contacted via social media, Identity Evropa referred all media inquiries to Mosley, who did not reply to a message from The News & Advance seeking comment on the stickers at LU and LC as of press time. The (Lynchburg) News & Advance More than three dozen companies looking for new employees will be on hand Tuesday at a career fair hosted by ApplyMadison and Monster. Hiring representatives from at least 41 companies from from Madison-area companies in the health care, retail, service, financial, hospitality and other industries will gather at the Marriott Madison West, 1313 John Q. Hammons Drive in Middleton, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They are looking to fill positions from entry level to high-end professional positions requiring degrees. A full list of participating businesses will be posted at go.madison.com/careerfair The event is free to job-seekers, who are asked to bring resumes and dress to impress as on-site interviews will be conducted. Resources will be available for those who need help creating a resume. ApplyMadison is a service of Capital Newspapers, and Monster is a global online employment website. Its taken 60 years and billions of dollars, but mass transit is finally coming to Dulles International Airport outside the nations capital. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is ready to open the second and final phase of its Silver Line Metrorail extension on Nov. 15. The six new stations will for the first time connect the airport and the outer suburbs of Loudoun County to the regions flagship mass transit system. But the Silver Line extension comes at a time when ridership on Metro remains at roughly half of what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. Metro officials say the long-term vision of those who pushed for the line will be vindicated as riders return. Madisons Russian dumpling shop, Pauls Pelmeni, is still settling into its new home. In May, Paul Schwoerer closed the restaurant hed been running for four years on Gorham Street, next to the former AJ Bombers. Facing a rent hike, he moved a couple of blocks away, into the old Mezze space, better known for 31 years as home to Amys Cafe. The new place opened June 4. Not only is the Gilman location considerably bigger, it has outdoor seating, a bar and an alcohol license. It still serves just one item in two varieties: amazing dumplings called pelmeni. Ive been a fan of these dumplings for 14 years, when Schwoerer first opened a dumpling outpost in 2003 on the 500 block of State Street when he was 22. It was simply called Pelmeni. I cant believe Im still doing it, Schwoerer said in a recent phone conversation. People who arent familiar with his pelmeni cant understand how it is that he sells only the one thing. When he explains it, it makes more sense. I started with four electric hot plates, and I made them by hand with a rolling pin, Schwoerer said. So, thats how I sold one thing I built it on and off for 12 or 14 years. The dumplings still taste the same. When I talked to Schwoerer in 2013, before he reopened the shop on Gorham, he had plans to add salad to the menu. That never happened, and he blames staffing problems. Its hard enough to train workers to make the dumplings correctly. He cant imagine adding anything else, even just mixed greens with a vinaigrette. After he stepped away, Schwoerers original partner ran the first Pelmeni from 2006 until 2008. In 2011, Schwoerer took over an EVP coffee location in Fitchburg and turned it into Oasis Cafe serving EVP coffee. He began offering the dumplings there, and they were a big hit. Dumplings come filled with either ground beef, seasoned mashed potatoes, or a mixture of both. I like the mix because you never know which one you will be eating next and it lends some variety. The beef is from UW Provision, and the quality is obvious. A full order is $7. A half order is $5. The half order isnt exactly a half. Its 20 or so, and the full order is about 30. They are served with a spoon rather than a fork. Getting your pelmeni with the works is a must. That means your dumplings will be topped with a delectable combination of butter, curry powder, sweet chili sauce and cilantro. All orders come with a little container of sour cream on the side. Theres no permanent signage in the front of Pauls Pelmeni, just its name and a drawing of a plate of dumplings in colored marker on the main window. Frankly, Schwoerer said, hes been too busy just trying to make dumplings. He recently took his first day off since opening the new place and went down to Chicago with his family on a Sunday to visit the Shedd Aquarium. As soon as he left town, his walk-in freezer, which he calls his lifeline, broke down, costing him $5,000. Hes painted the interior of the shop a pale blue in honor of his blues band, the Madtown Mannish Boys, which plays a lot of local gigs and serves as an important outlet for him. I wouldnt survive without it, he said. There were a few other people in the restaurant the Friday I visited. Most customers, including us, were eating outside because it was a pleasant day. My friend interrupted the pleasantness of it all with his critique, telling me he was neutral on the dumplings. The one positive thing he said was that the noodle part of the dumpling was thin, which he didnt expect, but liked. They didnt put me off, but they didnt turn me on, either, he said. He agreed with me, though, that the works was the way to go. He didnt use his sour cream, which to me was a critical mistake. It was lunchtime, so we didnt drink. Earlier this year, Schwoerer told me he was leery of running a bar, and hes still figuring out how to make it work. When I reviewed Schwoerers first Pelmeni restaurant in 2004, I talked to two Latvians who happened upon the shop. Theyd definitely be happy with the new arrangement. This place should be bigger and it should serve some liquor, like a vodka, said one, who lived in the Wisconsin Dells area at the time. I would like to come here and have a few shots and have a pelmeni. Thats what I do at home. A Madison chocolate maker and candy giant Mars Inc., who went to court in a dispute over the purported similarities between brand names, have resolved the case out of court, according to a notice filed Wednesday in federal court in Madison. Syovata Edari said that she and Mars have reached an amicable solution to their dispute over Edaris use of the name CocoVaa Chocolatier for her artisanal chocolate business, headquartered in a shop at Sherman Terrace on Madisons East Side. She said she could not discuss the resolution. A Mars spokeswoman confirmed the case had been resolved but declined further comment. In April, Mars filed a trademark lawsuit against Edari in federal court in Virginia claiming that the CocoVaa name infringes on Mars CocoaVia brand of nutritional supplements, calling it confusingly similar. The case was thrown out by a judge in June because Edari doesnt sell any products in Virginia. Edari has said that the name combines a reference to chocolate with a nickname for Edari that her father uses. Edari, who is also a criminal defense attorney in Madison, sued Mars in U.S. District Court in Madison in July after learning that Mars was poised to sue again. The case had not made it past preliminary stages before Edari asked the court Wednesday that it be dismissed, with the two sides having resolved their differences, according to a one-sentence court filing. Edari said Wednesday that CocoVaa Chocolatier will continue to operate under that name. A woman who prosecutors said drove a car to and from the scene of a July homicide on Madisons North Side was ordered to stand trial after a preliminary hearing Thursday. It was the second preliminary hearing on first-degree intentional homicide and reckless injury charges for Nicole M. Marco, 35, of Sun Prairie, whose first hearing in July ended with those charges being dismissed. This time, with a revised criminal complaint presented, Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington said there was enough evidence to order Marco to stand trial. Marcos lawyer, David Geier, questioned whether the evidence in the beefed-up complaint was still enough, but Remington said that all he had to decide was whether prosecutors had presented believable and plausible evidence to show that Marco had committed a felony, and he believed that Deputy District Attorney Matthew Moeser had done that. Marco is one of four people charged with taking part in the July 28 shooting death of Ciara Philumalee, 24, outside an apartment building on Karstens Drive. Joseph Jordan, who was with Philumalee in the apartment and came outside with her, was wounded in the shooting. Madison police Detective Kelly Beckett testified that one of the four, Jennifer Lovick, 34, of Madison, lured Philumalee outside by claiming to have a money-making opportunity for her, and once outside Philumalee was shot by Donald Davis Jr., 29, of Madison. The fourth person in the car was Korey V. Johnson, 33, of Madison. Beckett said that Davis had been looking for Philumalee because he believed she had planned a robbery against him, and Lovick went to Davis to tell him that she knew where to find Philumalee. Beckett said that after Marcos arrest about two weeks following Philumalees death, Marco admitted to police that she drove the car to and from the scene of the homicide but said she knew nothing about a plan to shoot anyone. Marco told police that Lovick, returning to the car, told her about hearing gunshots, Beckett said. Geier maintained that prosecutors had presented no evidence to show that Marco was aware of the plan. Moeser said he agreed that some of the evidence against Marco is circumstantial, but that there is direct evidence that Marco did drive the car to and from the Karstens apartment. A Madison man was sentenced Thursday to one month of imprisonment followed by fourth months of home detention and a $5,000 fine for embezzling from a Madison branch of an Associated Bank, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin Jeffrey M. Anderson said. Zachary Schmelzer, 20, was convicted on two counts of embezzlement by bank employee in June for taking more than $30,000 from the banks cash-dispensing machine, tellers drawers and deposits from a commercial customer, U.S. Attorney spokesman Antonio M. Trillo said. Schmelzer spent the money on international travel, restaurants, lease payments for an Audi, jewelry and other lavish expenses, Trillo said. As part of his sentence, U.S. District Judge William M. Conley prohibited Schmelzer from seeking or maintaining employment that includes unsupervised financial or fiduciary duties during his supervised release, and required Schmelzer to notify future employers of his conviction. A MAN will stand trial next year accused of endangering the safety of a police helicopter. Joshua Jones (20), of Houghton Road, Thurnscoe, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday where he pleaded not guilty to endangering an aircraft or any person in an aircraft. Jones is accused of shining a laser pen at the helicopter from his home on Sunday, January 15, this year. He was granted unconditional bail and will stand trial on February 13 next year. Bail was set at $2 million Thursday for a Madison man charged with shooting two men, one of them to death, at a South Side convenience store last month, purportedly because one of the men had looked at him the wrong way earlier. Curtis J. Langlois, 37, who is charged with first-degree intentional homicide for the Aug. 2 death of Kendrith J. Young, and attempted first-degree intentional homicide for shooting Rodney Lemon Jr., at times stared out toward family and friends of the two shooting victims from the glassed-in courtroom at the Dane County Public Safety Building, and at one point appeared to wink. According to a criminal complaint, filed last week in Dane County Circuit Court, Langlois told police that he and another man, identified by police as Dametrius Reeves, had seen Young earlier, and he said that Young was looking at him all crazy. The complaint states that all four men had been at a bar, and that Langlois and Reeves had followed Young and Lemon from the bar to the 7-Eleven, 2703 W. Beltline. At the 7-Eleven, Langlois told police, Reeves shot Young first when Young came out of the store, the complaint states. Langlois then walked up to Young and shot him in the head and chest, Langlois said. He told police that he saw Lemon standing at a counter in the store, and shot him when he tried to run, the complaint said. Reeves, 27, who was charged in August with first-degree intentional homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide, was ordered jailed on $500,000 bail after appearing in court on Wednesday. Langlois was arrested in Wausau last month for two armed robberies there, while Reeves was arrested in Indiana. For the Wausau robberies, Langlois faces federal robbery and firearms charges that could keep him in prison for life, apart from the homicide charges. Langlois was also charged this week with threatening a Dane County sheriffs deputy who was working at the jail. According to a criminal complaint, on Sept. 4 Langlois repeatedly told the deputy, Ill (expletive) kill you! Pop this door! Im not just gonna kill you, Im gonna snap your neck! The threats were overheard by another deputy working in the jail, the complaint states. Williamson production to remain suspended for up to three months Petra Petra Diamonds says a preliminary estimate suggests that production at its 75%-owned Williamson diamond mine in Tanzania will be temporarily suspended for up to three months until a new tailings storage facility (TSF) is commissioned. Chinas wholesale gold demand dips due to seasonality and COVID disruptions in October The average Shanghai-London gold price premium remained elevated in October but fell during the second half of the month as COVID-related uncertainty clouded local gold demand prospects. Seasonal weakness and COVID-related disruptions weighed on Octobers... Nornickel introduces automated remote-controlled drilling at Norilsk mines The automated drilling technology significantly enhances performance, improves safety, and ensures a stable workflow and delivery against the targets. Iamgold revises 2022 production guidance upwards Dual-listed Iamgold produced 184 000 ounces (oz) in the third quarter from three of its operations compared to 153 000 oz, a year earlier. Of the three operations, its 90%-owned Essakane Mine in Burkina Faso delivered strong results and achieved... Sothebys will sell a range of nature- and autumn-themed jewelry at its London auction this month, featuring designer brands such as Cartier and Buccellati. Lots under the hammer at the Fine Jewels sale on September 20 will include a Cartier bracelet from the 1940s designed as a vine, with flowers set with citrines and the leaves featuring single- and circular-cut diamonds. The auctioneer has estimated the piece at $25,900 (GBP 20,000) to $38,800. The event will also feature a Cartier-signed brooch modeled as a cockatoo, containing carved sapphires, brilliant-cut diamonds and blue enamel, as well as oval rubies for the eyes. It sits on a perch of baguette diamonds. Sothebys expects it also to fetch $25,900 to $38,800. A brooch designed as a bramble branch, also appearing at the auction, features single-cut diamond petals with carved leaves from nephrite and carved berries from other stones. Its price estimate is $3,400 to $4,500. Other seasonal jewels include a Cazzaniga-signed brooch that looks like ivy climbing up a ladder, and a Buccellati brooch modeled as three acorns and oak leaves. Lucapa Diamond Company said the repatriation of a $4 million capital loan repayment made from the Lulo alluvial diamond operations in Angola has been completed. The capital loan repayment was in addition to its $1.6 million pro-rata (40 percent) share of the distribution declared to the Lulo partners. The other Lulo partners were Angolan state-diamond owned company, Endiama and Rosas & Petalas. While the loan repayments are repatriated, Lucapa will continue to use its share of the distributions to fund the Lulo kimberlite exploration programme, it said. Lulo produced the highest dollar per carat price of any run of mine diamond production in the world in 2016 and continues to produce some of the largest diamonds on record from that region. Lucapa and its Lulo partners were well-advanced in their search for the primary source of these large and premium-value alluvial diamonds, with three rigs now available to drill priority kimberlite targets. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished Stellar Diamonds has conditionally raised 330,000 through the issue of 10,1 million new ordinary shares for 3.25 pence per share. The London listed diamond development company had also proposed to raise up to 200,000 at 3.25 pence each through an open offer. Subject to completion of the placing, investors participating in the placing would be considered qualifying shareholders for the purpose of the open offer, it said. Stellar said the net proceeds of the placing and open offer would prioritise payment of the Tongo environmental licence and renewal of the Tonguma environmental licence. The licences were estimated to cost $250,000. Once the Tongo mining licence is issued fiscal terms may be negotiated and ratified via the Sierra Leone Government and Parliament respectively, it said. Furthermore, funds will be allocated to ongoing costs related to the Tongo-Tonguma project in Sierra Leone, general working capital, and the payment of certain existing creditors whilst the company continues to progress debt and equity financing to bring the high grade and high value 4.5 million carat Tongo-Tonguma project into production. The Tongo mining licence was approved by the Minerals Advisory Board in Sierra Leone, subject to the payment of the Tongo environmental licence. Meanwhile, Stellar said that the disposal of its Guinea projects and assets was progressing with further due diligence, audit and tax affairs being finalized. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished Moving quickly to act on the deal President Donald Trump struck with Democratic leaders, the Senate voted Thursday to approve legislation raising the debt ceiling and funding the government for three months. The Senate voted 80 to 17 in favor of the bill, which also provides $15 billion in emergency aid for victims of Hurricane Harvey. The vote in the Senate came a day after Trump reached an agreement on the massive fiscal package with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Ahead of the vote, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ken., noted that the bill addresses three keys issues in one package. "It will provide certainty and stability for first responders, state officials, and the many others involved in preparing for and recovering from these storms, with critically needed emergency resources that will not be interrupted by the prospect of a shutdown or default," McConnell said. "The recovery effort for a record-setting storm like Harvey has strained resources to the limit already," he added. "The advance of another historic storm now makes the need for action even more urgent." The legislation now heads back to the House, which previously approved a standalone bill providing $7.85 billion in disaster relief for Harvey. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News (Agencia CMA Latam) - Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly (ANC) rejected the European Parliament call for sanctions against the country and its condemnation to the election held on July 30 in the South American country. "From this empowered and sovereign National Constituent Assembly, we reject all attempts to intervene in Venezuela. We repudiate all actions against our homeland aimed at its intervention," said the ANC chairwoman Delcy Rodriguez during the session, according to the Venezuelan News Agency. Earlier, the European Parliament stated that "does not recognize these elections nor the actions or decisions adopted by the recently constituted Assembly due to its lack of legitimacy." by Agencia CMA Latam For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. South Africa's wholesale trade declined for the sixth successive month in July, preliminary figures from Statistics South Africa showed Thursday. Wholesale sales fell 1.1 percent year-over-year in July, slower than the 1.3 percent decrease in June. On a monthly basis, wholesale trade rose 0.6 percent in July, following a 2.2 percent climb in the preceding month. At current prices, wholesale sales grew 1.2 percent annually and by 1.0 percent monthly in July. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. President Donald Trump has blocked the proposed acquisition of a US semiconductor company by a US-based and China-funded private equity firm, citing national security concerns. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Wednesday that the President issued an order prohibiting the acquisition of Lattice Semiconductor Corporation (Lattice) by, among others, China Venture Capital Fund Corporation Limited (CVCF). CVCF is a Chinese corporation owned by Chinese state-owned entities that manages industrial investments and venture capital. Canyon Bridge Capital Partners had announced in November last year the $1.3 billion acquisition plan of Lattice using the fund of CVCF. It was later agreed to by the shareholders of the Oregon-based semiconductor maker. Canyon Bridge said in the statement announcing the acquisition that it gets its capital from limited partners in China. That includes a firm called Yitai Capital, a Hong Kong company whose parent is China Venture Capital Fund, according to the White House order. The Purchasers and Lattice have been directed to provide a certification of termination of the proposed transaction to CFIUS. The White House said Trump reached this decision after considering relevant factors and reviewing a recommendation from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US. Trump issued this order under the Defense Production Act, which authorizes the President to prohibit acquisitions of an American by a foreign entity if there is credible evidence that it threatens the country's national security. The national security risk posed by the transaction relates to the potential transfer of intellectual property to the foreign acquirer, the Chinese government's role in supporting this transaction, the importance of semiconductor supply chain integrity to the US Government, and the use of Lattice products by the United States, Sanders said. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Political News Two baby boys were born on consecutive days in the parking lot of a Burger King in Denville, New Jersey. Both expectant parents were en route to local hospitals for delivery when they had to make emergency stop at the fast-food restaurant. The first expectant couples were on their way to nearby St. Clare's Hospital in Denville at around 7.30 pm on Friday. However, they were caught up in traffic jam caused by a fatal accident in Roxbury and had to make emergency stop at the Burger King parking lot when the woman began to experience contractions. The police and Denville Fire Department First Aid Squad members assisted the woman. On the next day, Saturday, the same patrol officers responded to the Burger King parking lot for another report of a woman going into labor. This couple was on their way to Morristown Medical Center when the woman began to experience severe contractions and had to pull into Burger King. "I don't want to speak for the first aid squad who played a large part in the first birth, but the police officers are quite simply just happy that they could be of assistance to both of the families," Capt. Keith Partin told the Daily Record. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News A Chicago-area man was sentenced Wednesday to five years of probation for traveling to Madison for a sexual encounter with a teenager in 2015. Daniel Karpinski, 25, of Carpentersville, Illinois, who pleaded no contest in July to third-degree sexual assault and child enticement, said he will be sorry for the rest of my life for what happened at a hotel room in Downtown Madison on Dec. 8, 2015, when he said he decided to have sex with a 14-year-old girl he had met through social media, despite knowing her age. A state Department of Corrections pre-sentence report recommended time in prison for Karpinski, Assistant District Attorney Allison Cogbill asked for five years of probation with a year in jail, and Karpinskis lawyer, David Saperstein, asked for probation with no jail. Saperstein said that if Karpinski served time in jail, he would lose his job in Illinois and it would be difficult for a sex offender like Karpinski to find another job. Dane County Circuit Court Judge Ellen Berz said that from what she read about the girl in materials submitted to her, she has a very promising future, but her family has been burdened by the cost of therapy thats been required since the incident with Karpinski occurred. The sentence she gave Karpinski, Berz said, would assure that Karpinski continues to earn a salary and the ability to pay restitution to the girls family, allowing her to stay in therapy and fulfill her promise as she grows into adulthood. An exact restitution figure will be set at a later date, Berz said. Berz ordered a year in jail as a condition of Karpinskis probation, but ordered that the jail time be stayed so that he can continue to work at his job in Illinois. She noted that if jailed here, Karpinski would be allowed work release to take a job here, but the girl had said she hoped he would not stay near Madison. She did not ask that he be sent to prison. If Karpinski chooses not to participate in sex offender treatment as required or make restitution payments, Berz said, he would serve the jail time. And the prison time recommended by DOC would also be a good possibility if Karpinskis probation is ever revoked, she said. I dont want to see you again, she told him. According to a criminal complaint, the girl told police that she had met Karpinski through social media on Dec. 7, 2015, and that she had initially listed her age as being 18 or 19, but later told Karpinski that she was 14. He later picked her up near her home and took her to the Hyatt Place Hotel, 333 W. Washington Ave. Karpinski said in court that he didnt know her actual age until they were in the hotel room, but he did not end the encounter at that point. Indonesia will on Friday release August figures for imports, exports and trade balance, highlighting a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. Imports are expected to rise 9.1 percent on year after surging 54.02 percent in July. Exports are called higher by an annual 8.3 percent after spiking 41.12 percent in the previous month. The trade balance is expected to show a surplus of $560 million following the $270 million shortfall a month earlier. The Philippines will provide Q2 numbers for current account. In the three months prior, the current account deficit was $318.46 million, while the capital account showed a surplus of $9.25 million and the financial account saw a $579.35 million surplus. New Zealand will see August results for the Performance of Manufacturing Index from Business NZ; in July, the index score was 55.4. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. (Agencia CMA Latam) - Colombian Vice President Oscar Naranjo deemed as 'inadmissible' the recent statements by U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened to decertify Colombia as a partner in the war on drugs if it does not control its illicit crops. Speaking to Caracol Radio, Naranjo stated that "we have 2,621 tons seized [of illegal crops], a proof of how unjust is an assertion like that." He added that Colombian authorities arrested 1,020 drug dealers and sent more than 800 of them to the United States as extradited prisoners. On Wednesday, Trump said in a memo to the Secretary of State that he "seriously considered designating Colombia as a country that has failed demonstrably to adhere to its obligations under international counter narcotics agreements." According to the document, Colombia showed an "extraordinary growth of coca cultivation and cocaine production over the past three years, including record cultivation during the last 12 months." The memo added that the U.S. still sees Colombia as a country that respects the commitments to the war on drugs, but adds that Trump did not discard the option to designate the country as failing to adhere to its obligations and expects Colombia "to make significant progress in reducing coca cultivation and production of cocaine." The Colombian foreign minister Maria Angela Holguin said that she would speak with President Juan Manuel Santos and the Defense Minister to analyze an official answer to Trump's comments. by Agencia CMA Latam For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com Economic News What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more. One of the two owners of a Southwest Side home leveled by an explosion Wednesday remained unaccounted for as investigators sifted through the rubble with heavy machinery Thursday afternoon, authorities said. Describing investigators work as a search and investigation rather than a search and rescue, Madison Fire Department Chief Steven Davis said gas was a suspected factor in the explosion at 7806 Stratton Way, but revealed few other details at a Thursday afternoon press conference about what may have led to the explosion. As far as the investigation goes, right now (investigators) are just trying to recover any evidence that may point them in the direction that would have caused the explosion, he said. The home is owned by Steven Pirus and Lee Anne Pirus, according to assessor records. Davis said he didnt know how many people lived in the house. The other homeowner has been interviewed by police, said Madison police spokesman Joel DeSpain. He declined to say which homeowner is missing. The two-story home with two basement levels was a total loss, Davis said. He said the blast pushed the houses walls out, causing the roof to collapse. The house exploded at about 2 p.m. Wednesday, sending a plume of smoke into the air that could be seen for miles around and scattering parts of the house hundreds of feet away from the explosion site. Neighbors said the first explosion which was followed by several smaller blasts shook nearby buildings before flames burned some of the debris. A civilian and a firefighter suffered non-life-threatening injuries, Davis said Wednesday. Nearby homes were only minimally damaged, but residents in eight homes near the blast site havent been allowed to return home. Davis said those residents would hopefully be able to return Thursday night. On Thursday afternoon, glass and debris still littered South High Point Road and Stratton Way near where the explosion occurred. Investigators could be seen looking through rubble as two backhoes dug through the wreckage of the home. Its a lot of heavy lifting, a lot of heavy work, Davis said. He said he thinks investigators will wrap up their work by Friday evening, with work resuming at the site Friday morning. Davis said specialized dogs were called in to help sniff out any possible explosives or accelerants, but didnt say if cadaver dogs were included in the search. Fire investigators are being assisted by Madison police, the state Fire Marshals Office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Five years, two shortened Terrace seasons and over $100 million later, crews are putting the final touches on the renovation project that has reshaped UW-Madisons Memorial Union. The upper floors of the Unions center core and east wing which contain its Great Hall ballroom, Tripp Commons, meeting spaces, offices and six hotel rooms are set to reopen Friday. Work will continue in some of the rooms through the academic year, Union officials say, such as in the Old Madison room where painters are restoring a 1920s mural of city and campus life. Scaffolding will also stay on the Unions exterior as crews look to wrap up work on the roof and gutters by winter. But the reopening of the second, third and fourth floors means the building is in the finishing stages of the project that began in 2012. The Memorial Union Reinvestment, as the project is known, renovated the Union Theater, Hoofers facilities and other spaces in the buildings west wing during its $50.6 million first phase, which ended in 2014. The second phase, which cost $55.2 million, involved redesigning the Memorial Union Terrace, adding new restaurants and renovating study spaces on the first floor and upgrading the upper floors, which are popular locations for weddings and other large events. The upstairs spaces now boast new heating and air conditioning, sprinkler systems and audio and visual equipment. The changes are meant to bring the 89-year-old building up to modern standards, Wisconsin Union Director Mark Guthier said. As people return to the historic halls, though, Guthier said many of them should look much like they did before the renovation. People should feel like its very familiar and that we havent changed it substantially, Guthier said. It better feel just the same, because that was the goal. Guthier said the renovation included historically faithful upgrades to paint and plaster in the Great Hall, and new chandeliers that matched the original sconces in Tripp Commons. In several meeting rooms, workers stripped out carpeting to uncover original hardwood floors. Union officials say the renovation is the first comprehensive restoration in the buildings history. It was funded through student segregated fees, donations and the money the Union generates; taxpayer funds were not used. A $3 billion state subsidy package to lure electronics maker Foxconn to Wisconsin, the biggest of its kind in U.S. history, is now on the verge of becoming law. The bill heads to the desk of a supportive Gov. Scott Walker after passing the state Assembly Thursday, 64-31. Four Assembly Democrats voted for it: Jason Fields of Milwaukee, Corey Mason of Racine, Peter Barca of Kenosha and Tod Ohnstad of Kenosha. Two Republicans, Adam Jarchow of Balsam Lake and Todd Novak of Dodgeville, opposed it. The bill passed the Senate Tuesday, 20-13. It provides as much as $2.85 billion in refundable tax credits to Foxconn over 15 years in exchange for building a $10 billion liquid-crystal display, or LCD, screen manufacturing campus south of Milwaukee. Foxconn says the facility initially will employ 3,000 and could eventually employ as many as 13,000. Officials for Taiwan-based Foxconn released a statement minutes after Thursdays vote saying, We thank lawmakers in Madison for their vote of confidence. We are excited to see Gov. Scott Walker sign the bill to cement this partnership, the statement said. Walker hailed the vote in a statement Thursday, and his spokesman, Tom Evenson, said the governor could sign the bill as soon as next week. Advanced display technology will be made in America, right here in Wisconsin. I look forward to signing this historic bill into law soon, Walker said. Walkers signature could bring the state a step closer to what would be, by far, its biggest-ever economic development project. Foxconns plans to come to Wisconsin were made public with a splash, in a White House event in July that included remarks from President Donald Trump. Democrats warn of cost, lack of safeguards Not everyone in the Capitol is singing the deals praises. Democrats have cast it as a costly corporate handout that lacks safeguards for taxpayers, such as guarantees about how many workers the company will employ in Wisconsin. They also say the deals pricetag to state government could hinder its ability to fund core functions. Should it become law, the deal would be the largest subsidy by a U.S. state to a foreign company in history. Details of the agreement would be finalized with Foxconn, under parameters set forth in the bill, by Walkers jobs agency, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Please do not go down this road, because we will be paying for it and our children will be paying for it for decades to come, said Rep. Mark Spreitzer, D-Beloit. Assembly Republicans, during Thursdays debate, cast Democratic opposition as knee-jerk resistance to Walker, who negotiated the Foxconn deal. They say Foxconn offers a once-in-a-generation chance to transform the states tech and manufacturing sectors. In the process, they say the development could create thousands of jobs, both at Foxconn, its suppliers and companies that would provide goods and services to those employees. If a Democratic governor negotiated this deal, you would be falling all over yourselves to vote yes, said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester. The potential Foxconn campus, which Walker has dubbed Wisconn Valley, would be the first U.S. manufacturing location for the company, a contract manufacturer of iPhones and other electronics that owns plants in China. Foxconn also recently acquired the Japanese electronics company Sharp, and the screens expected to be built in Wisconsin may be used for Sharp televisions. Supporters of the deal tout the companys pledge that the average salary at the facility will be nearly $54,000 a year, plus benefits. Skeptics say that figure, being an average, could be heavily inflated by a handful of high-paid employees. Of the $2.85 billion in tax credits, $1.5 billion would be for job creation, with the total amount linked to the number of jobs created. Another $1.35 billion would be tied to the amount the company spends to build the facility. An additional $150 million in incentives would come through a sales tax break on materials used for the campus construction. The company has said it hopes to break ground in 2018 and begin operating in 2020. Democrats slammed the deal for rolling back environmental protections and lacking requirements that workers at the Foxconn plant be Wisconsinites. They sought to abolish, through an amendment rejected by the GOP majority, a provision creating a special judicial track for Foxconn-related legal appeals sending them straight to a state Supreme Court currently dominated by conservative justices. For critics, 25-year payback still a concern Democratic lawmakers also cited a study by the Legislatures nonpartisan fiscal bureau projecting state government will take 25 years to begin making back its investment on Foxconn. Rep. Jimmy Anderson, D-Fitchburg, chided Walker for having negotiated the incentive deal with Foxconn CEO Terry Gou, in part, on the back of a napkin, as shown by the release of public records. Anderson said the highly profitable Foxconn doesnt need billions in bailouts from Wisconsin taxpayers. Foxconn has not said where it would locate the campus, but sites in western Racine and Kenosha counties are believed to be top contenders. That area has a deep history in manufacturing but, like other Rust Belt communities, has seen the ranks of such jobs diminish. This has tremendous bipartisan support in our corner of the state, said Rep. Thomas Weatherston, R-Caledonia. Sen. Bob Wirch of Kenosha was the only Democratic senator to back the bill in Tuesdays vote; Sen. Rob Cowles of Green Bay was the only Republican opposed. Some skeptics of the deal say its expected proximity to Illinois and the Chicago area could be a drawback because Wisconsin taxpayers could end up subsidizing jobs filled by Illinois residents. There are no guarantees that Wisconsinites will be the ones to benefit from any jobs that may be created, said Rep. Lisa Subeck, D-Madison. The Minister of Commerce Industry and Labour, Lautafi Fio Selafi Purcell, opened the China-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in Apia last week. Held at Sheraton Samoa Aggie Greys Hotel, the meeting was held on the sidelines of the 48th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting. This is what the Minister said: Lautafi Fio Purcell Minister of M.C.I.L Remarks at China-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum It is a great pleasure for me to be here this morning to attend the opening of this important Pacific Islands Economic Development Forum. On behalf of the government of Samoa I convey to you all our warmest welcome to our shores and I sincerely hope you enjoy your brief stay here. I would like to congratulate and thank our partners in China, the Forum Secretariat, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and our Embassy in Beijing for organizing this forum as a side event for the Pacific leaders meeting this week. An exchange of views and perceptions with our industry partners from China on some of the key issues that are important to our Pacific island countries in our economic relations with China is therefore timely and important, particularly on trade, investment, and tourism sectors which are the main topics of discussion at this Forum. Perhaps more particularly so today as we witness the continuing rise of China and Asia as a whole, and as the fastest growing economic region in the world. China has achieved outstanding economic advances and now exerts a very strong influence on the performances of the rest of the economies of the world. According to International Consultancy PwC the aggregate gross domestic product at purchasing power parity of 5 major ASEAN economies, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam will reach US$ 22.6 trillion in 2050 (currently 6.5 trillion in 2016). China and India are estimated to reach $56 and $44 trillion respectively. It is important therefore that we take note of these projections and trends as we navigate our small and vulnerable economies in the years ahead. Bilateral trade between China and the Pacific island countries last year reached US 8 billion. This accounts for US$2.5 billion in exports by Pacific Islands to China and US5.5 billion in Chinese exports to the Pacific Island countries. In the first half of 2017 bilateral trade between China and the Pacific Island countries has reached US4.3 billion, an increase of 10.5% from last year. Whilst we welcome the gradual increase in bilateral trade, we should also take note that exports from China to the Pacific islands doubled that of exports from the Pacific islands to China last year. Pacific exports to China are limited consisting mainly of fish, marine resources, logs, natural gas, copper and water. There are a number of issues to ponder over during your discussions today: What are the opportunities for the Pacific island countries to diversify into other products to take advantage of the huge Chinese market? What avenues are there to assist exporters in terms of financing, partnership with Chinese companies, marketing and exporting? Have Pacific island governments put in place the necessary frameworks required to assist exporters? What are the governments doing to address transportation concerns both sea and direct air links? A number of Pacific island countries like Samoa no longer enjoy the benefits of zero tariff access for its products to China after having recently graduated from UN LDC status. This has placed pressure on our agriculture exports to China like Nonu juice and other products being subject to duty and tax. I note that some Pacific Island countries like Fiji are already pursuing bilateral Free trade Agreements (FTA) with China for their products like Fiji water which continues to do well in China. Unfortunately for the Pacific islands a regional FTA proposal with China that was in the pipeline a few years ago, has not materialized. The inclusion by the Chinese government of the Pacific region as a natural extension of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road initiative is welcome. We welcome however advice from the Chinese side at this forum how trade and economic cooperation with the Pacific islands will evolve under the Belt and Road initiative. This follows the announcement made at the Belt & Road High Level Dialogue held in Beijing in May of this year, where China announced that in the coming three years, it will provide assistance worth RMB 60 billion to developing countries and international organizations participating in the Belt and Road Initiative to launch more projects to improve peoples well-being. There have been some early signs of cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative in bilateral cooperation between Pacific island countries and a number of cities in Guangdong Province. Cities like Shenzhen and Huizhou for example who have sister cities with Apia have commenced culture, health, education and economic cooperation projects in Samoa while other cities are engaging in similar projects with other pacific island countries. The presence of CCPIT (China Council for Promotion of International Trade - Beijing) and CDI (China Development Institute - Shenzhen, Guangdong Province) and other partners from China at this event therefore, is appreciated and demonstrates Chinas commitment to support the development aspirations of Pacific islands countries in developing our trade and investment links with China. It is important to note that other than in mining and fishing, large investments by China in the Pacific islands has largely been in the form of infrastructure/construction under its concessional loan and grant schemes. There is therefore a need for the Chinese government to help support Chinese private companies investment in large-scale projects in the pacific islands in areas such as tourism, agriculture and airlines. With the Chinese government putting stricter controls and supervision of overseas investment this could have an impact of potential future partnerships between Chinese and Pacific Island companies. I have continued to follow with interest our tourism industry and development having served recently as Samoas Tourism Minister. It is one of the main pillars of the Samoan economy and indeed for many Pacific islands, its their main industry besides fisheries. While tourism numbers for Chinese visitors to the Pacific islands is relatively low compared to other regions, the potential for growth is huge. 120 million outbound tourists from China travelled overseas last year. There is enormous interest in Chinese tourists from everywhere including our neighbors, New Zealand and Australia because of the sheer number and potential spending and impact on the local economy. With the exception of Palau and Fiji, tourists arrivals from China are relatively low for many PICs, as the Pacific region is still unknown to many Chinese. This may be to our advantage as it would allow us time to address many tourism related issues with respect to China such as direct air services, sufficient hotels rooms, adequate high quality services and infrastructure, and most importantly, sustainable tourism and how our small island countries should prepare and benefit for mass tourism inflow in a sustainable manner? Is the current tourism revenue sufficient and are the hotels suffocating from the lack of tourist arrivals from our traditional markets like New Zealand and Australia? Can China fill the void and if so what are the challenges? Another important initiative that is acknowledged and applauded is that of the China Pacific Tourism Year (CPTY) 2019, through ongoing discussions and arrangements between the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), and the South Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO). This initiative will benefit and contribute to the sustainable development of our island economies through the Tourism sector. The government of Samoa is fully supportive of the proposal for a China Pacific Tourism Year (CPTY) 2019. I wish you well in your deliberations and once again convey our governments appreciation for your contribution to this forum, thank you to all our guests from China and the Pacific. I wish you again an enjoyable stay in Samoa and a safe return home. Soifua. The Chairman of the Pacific Island Forum Meeting and Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi says the decision by the Forum to condemn and de-register all North Korean fishing and training boats from the Pacific is one of the most powerful decisions made by the Forum. At the conclusion of its 48th annual meeting in Apia last week, the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders were unified in endorsing the deregistration of any North Korean trading or fishing vessels currently flagged on Pacific states shipping registers. The decision is a bold and meaningful response to North Koreans testing of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, and the threat posed to Guam, which constitutes a threat to the wider Pacific Islands region, Tuilaepa reiterated the Forum Leaders endorsement. The impact of the decision on North Koreas fishing industry is in the hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues and jobs, the Prime Minister told the Taimi ma le Palemia weekly television program with TV1. In standing up and condemning the nuclear testing, the Prime Minister says that the P.I.Fs has joined the world powers such the United States, Japan, France, China and Russia to stand together condemning North Korea. To that effect, to monitor the Pacific Oceans and remove North Korean trading and fishing boats will be enforced by New Zealand and Australia with assistance from the United States and other world powers with the resources. On the world front the United Nations has imposed new sanctions on North Korea after its sixth and largest nuclear test. With backing from China and Russia, the council voted 15-0 to slap a ban on textile exports and restrict shipments of oil products to North Korea. The new additional sanctions target very important parts of the North Korean economy. There will be a complete ban on the export of all North Korean textiles - thats worth about $950 million a year to the regime. The amount of oil that North Korea can import will be reduced by a third. There will also be a prohibition on the importation of natural gas. All joint ventures with North Korean individuals and entities are banned. No North Korean worker will be permitted to work overseas once their current contracts are completed. And no new work visas will be issued. Like the Pacific Island Forum Leaders, the United Nations sanctions will deny the North Korean regime hundreds of billions of dollars that it has been channeling to fund its illegal programmes. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi launches A.P.T.Cs 10-year anniversary celebrations at Graduation The Australia-Pacific Technical College (A.P.T.C.), Australias flagship programme, has achieved a milestone of reaching 10 years of providing Technical and Vocation Education and Training (T.V.E.T.) in the Pacific. The A.P.T.C. was established in 2007 after it was announced by the Australian Government at the Pacific Islands Forum. Since then, the College has provided internationally-recognised Australian skills and qualifications to more than 11,000 Pacific Islanders from 14 Pacific Island Forum countries. The 10-year anniversary is being celebrated in Samoa with a series of events and activities that coincided with the graduation of the latest cohort of 78 Samoan graduates on Tuesday. Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Prime Minster Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi congratulated A.P.T.C. for achieving the 10-year milestone. I remember when the idea to establish A.P.T.C. was first brought up by the Australian Prime Minister at the Pacific Islands Forum. Pacific Island leaders including myself, as the Chair of the Forum, supported Australias offer of setting up A.P.T.C. in the Pacific region. Since then A.P.T.C. has grown considerably and I am delighted to witness how much the College has achieved in Samoa and the Pacific over the last 10 years. He said A.P.T.Cs presence in Samoa is providing Samoans with the opportunity to access quality Australian education. The graduands here today, are an example of a job-ready workforce that is now equipped to make a difference and help drive social and economic development of this country. We hope to continue working with partners like Australia and A.P.T.C. for advancing Samoas education outcomes and targeted skill development, he added. The new A.P.T.C. graduates now join 1390 Samoan nationals, of which over 630 are women. The graduating class included 18 pioneer students of A.P.T.Cs Certificate III in Educational Support, designed to upskill teaching aides and training assistants to support and boost inclusive education in Samoa. Two of the 25 pioneer students of A.P.T.Cs Master Trainer programme also graduated. They will now be able to work and train others in the carpentry and automotive industry areas. In her closing remarks to the graduates, Australian High Commissioner to Samoa, Sue Langford said: It is an honour and a pleasure to witness this very special graduation. Since 2007, the A.P.T.C. in Samoa and across the Pacific has been celebrated for its quality training and its contribution to individual development and economic growth. A.P.T.Cs Samoan alumni from 2008 to 2017 held a special procession during the start of the graduation ceremony to commemorate the anniversary. In addition to Samoa, 10-year anniversary celebrations are being planned for A.P.T.C. campuses in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Seventy-eight more graduates are ready for the workforce in Samoa and around the region following the latest graduation of the Australia Pacific Technical College (A.P.T.C.) in Samoa. On Tuesday, Gym 1 at Tuanaimato was the gathering place for hundreds of proud relatives and friends who were there to congratulate the graduates. The students graduated from programmes such as Carpentry, Early Childhood Education and Care, Education Support, Electro technology Electrician, Engineering Fabrication, Engineering Mechanical Trade (Fitting and Machining), Hospitality, Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology, Patisserie, Plumbing, Tourism, Business, Leadership and Management, Training and Assessment and Youth Work. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi and Australian High Commissioner to Samoa Sue Langford congratulated and encouraged the graduates to do their best for themselves and Samoa. The new Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Lopaoo Natanielu Mua is prioritising teamwork so his Ministry can accomplish their targets. The Minister is responsible for the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries as well as the Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (S.R.O.S.). During a formal welcoming ceremony last week, Lopaoo called on the sector to give it their hundred percent effort as this is his agenda. Give it your 100 percent effort because you depend on it, your families depend on it, your church, your village and your country depends on it. Our Ministry is the backbone of our countrys economy and Im urging you today to work together. The Minister reminded his staff that they each have a job to do, and reiterated the significant of agriculture to our peoples survival. Our agriculture commodities will not be affected if the financial market crash nor if we have no money, because we will still have food to eat, and live not only from our land but also from the sea. We can put the food on the table, not the money that put the food on the table but the actual ulu (breadfruit) and talo, Samoan cocoa..... And I tell you if there is going to be another financial crisis; Samoa will not have to worry if agriculture sectors capacity is fully. That is the reality and how serious our jobs are and my job as well. He noted that the Agriculture Sectors contribution to the countrys Gross Domestic Product also needs attention. Our contribution to our countrys G.D.P. last year is a little over seven percent, said Lopaoo. Thats why we always need to be proactive and work harder and with courageous and determination despite the challenges we face. Our ultimate task is to improve the lives of our people and improve agriculture because the people look up to our Ministry. For the Board of Directors and heads of each division, the Ministers advice is for them to take the lead at the forefront. We want the Board of Directors and heads of each division to be at the front and take the Ministry forward in the right direction. For S.R.O.S, the Minister said there are many products which have been developed and ready for commercialization. And for S.R.O.S. to seek assistance from the National Provident Fund or Government to commercialized their products. That is my agenda and dream. Government will assist us if we show them the fruits of our hard labour. The Private Sector Dialogue (P.S.D.) was held in Apia, Samoa last week to coincide with the 48th Annual Pacific Islands Forum Leaders conference. Thirty-eight delegates attended the dialogue representing the private sector of the Pacific Island Countries making up the Pacific Forum. Howard Politini, Chairman of the Pacific Island Private sector Organisation (P.I.P.S.O.) chaired the Dialogue with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariats Glynis Miller and Shiu Raj as secretaries. New Zealand was represented by Peter Kiely, Chairman of Pacific Chairs and Paul Pledge, General Manager of Tradestaff Global, both nominated by the New Zealand Pacific Business Council. The morning session was primarily around rehearsing the Private Sector Dialogue presentation at the leaders meeting for the following day with more substantial regular matters to be discussed in the afternoon sessions. The first session was led by Mr Raj and focused on financing mechanisms for the private sector followed by S.P.R.E.P. (South Pacific Regional Environment Programme), the Green Climate Fund (G.C.F.) and the Green Energy Fund (G.E.F.). The final session was on the harmonisation of business processes led by Mr Kiely, who gave a regional update. A Private Sector Steering Committee was elected at the meeting, as agreed at the Pacific Islands Forum Economic Ministers Meeting (F.E.M.M.) held in Suva earlier in the year. The elected committee of seven included Mr Pledge from New Zealand. The Private Sector Dialogue with the Forum Island Country leaders was held the next day as part of the leaders engagement programme. Key issues were discussed around this years theme which was Blue Pacific Ocean of Commerce, Challenges and Opportunities. A new format which was based on two speakers from the Private Sector Dialogue and two from the leaders and an open dialogue between one nominated member from the Pacific Island Countries private sector and the attending leaders covered diverse topics of importance to business. The leaders widely acknowledged the Private Sector Dialogue papers as first class and members of the private sector said they felt better informed after attending the dialogue. The group thanked Fredrick Kamusiime of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat for his efforts at organising the exercise. Pesi Luafatasaga Tuanai loves two things in life; the fact he is strong enough to work hard and his koko plantation. The 40-year-old was on his way back from his plantation when he was approached by the Village Voice for an interview. Everything is going well here on our side, he says. As long as you stick and manage your own piece of land; everything will be just fine. Mr. Luafatasaga is a man whose passion lies with the development of his land at Tuanai because he has a huge koko Samoa plantation. I staying in the inner village but everyday I make it a priority to check my koko patch because its the world to me, he said. I have a 12 acres of land and at the moment; Im making use of it and developing my plantation there. Its important to me because its another way to make money and thats why I always work hard on it. So when its ready, some of the village men helped me in preparing the koko so we can take it to the markets and sell it off to people. Its always good to have extra money in case of faalavelaves. I see a lot of people are throwing away their lands just like that but for me; this is something that I cant let go of. This is where Samoas wealth comes from; for the now and for the future. Mr. Luafatasaga also has a cattle farm based at Satupaitea Savaii. Right now I dont have a family of my own, all my families are residing overseas but all these things I have for myself; I consider them the love of my life. This life is going a bit too fast for me so its better to just stick on what I know best. For me; whether I become rich one day, I would rather continue on living a normal life as right now and struggle for my own good; I mean at least then everybody wouldnt take advantage of you and what you have. COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh (AP) Facing global condemnation for weeks of violence that has driven minority Rohingya to flee a crisis U.N. officials have described as "ethnic cleansing" Myanmar's leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, pulled out of this month's U.N. General Assembly meetings. The president's office said Wednesday that Suu Kyi would miss the assembly's ministerial session, which opens Sept. 19 and runs through Sept. 25, to address domestic security issues. The U.N. Security Council condemned the violence that has driven some 380,000 ethnic Rohingya Muslims to flee to safety in neighboring Bangladesh. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters that ethnic cleansing was taking place against Rohingya in Myanmar's Rakhine state. The term "ethnic cleansing" is defined as an effort to rid an area of an unwanted ethnic group by displacement, deportation or even killing. Security Council members called for "immediate steps to end the violence," de-escalate the situation and ensure civilian protections in what many Rohingya see as their homeland. The statement was the first made by the U.N.'s most powerful body in nine years addressing the precarious situation Rohingya face in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, Britain's U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said, calling it "an important first step." Suu Kyi's appearance at last year's General Assembly was a landmark: her party had just won elections in 2015, replacing a military-dominated government and ushering in an era of democratic reform. But even then, she faced criticism over Myanmar's treatment of Rohingya Muslims, whose name she did not utter. Many in Myanmar instead use the term "Bengalis" and insist they are people who migrated illegally from Bangladesh. Rohingya have faced decades of persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, and are denied citizenship despite centuries-old roots in the Rakhine region. Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate who lived for years under house arrest when Myanmar was ruled by a military junta, has faced a torrent of criticism since the crisis erupted. Myanmar has blamed the violence on Rohingya insurgents who attacked police outposts in Rakhine state on Aug. 25, inciting the military to respond with what it called "clearance operations" to root out the rebels. Many Rohingya villagers who have flooded into Bangladesh say Myanmar soldiers shot indiscriminately, burned their homes and warned them to leave or die. Others have said they were attacked by Buddhist mobs. Suu Kyi is not Myanmar's president her official titles are state counselor and foreign minister but she effectively serves as leader of the Southeast Asian nation though she does not control the military. Presidential office spokesman Zaw Htay said that, with President Htin Kyaw hospitalized, second Vice President Henry Van Tio would attend this week's U.N. meeting. "The first reason (Suu Kyi cannot attend) is because of the Rakhine terrorist attacks," Zaw Htay said. "The state counselor is focusing to calm the situation in Rakhine state. There are circumstances. The second reason is, there are people inciting riots in some areas. We are trying to take care of the security issue in many other places. The third is that we are hearing that there will be terrorist attacks and we are trying to address this issue." He said Suu Kyi would give a speech next week covering the same topics she would have addressed at the United Nations. He did not say if that included the violence in Rakhine state. The violence has left hundreds dead and set off a refugee exodus that has overwhelmed Bangladesh, with thousands of Rohingya flooding into the country by land and sea every day. They've arrived hungry and traumatized. Many need urgent medical care for violence-related injuries, severe infections or childbirth, aid groups say. "The women who are coming for check-ups all have a terrified and exhausted look," said Sumaya, a midwife at the Nayapara refugee camp working in association with the U.N. population fund. "We keep hearing stories from them of walking through jungles and across hills for days without food, their children carried over their shoulders. They've lost their homes." Zaw Htay said that, out of 471 "Bengali" villages in three Rakhine townships, 176 were now completely empty while at least 34 more were partially abandoned. He said there were at least 86 clashes through Sept. 5, but none since suggesting that security forces had succeeded with efforts to stabilize the region "to a point." The government blames Rohingya for setting fire to their own homes, but journalists who visited the region found evidence that raised doubts about those claims. On Wednesday, dozens of foreign diplomats and aid officials visited heaving refugee camps in the Bangladeshi border district of Cox's Bazar, and called on Myanmar to find a lasting solution for the Rohingya to live in peace. "They need to have their own country," said Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Mario Palma, adding that Myanmar must face the issue and "give citizenship to these people." Thousands were still streaming into the country on Wednesday. Some had paid smugglers for passage on packed wooden boats to beaches at Shah Porir Dwip. Others were walking for days through jungles or wading through the monsoon-swollen Naf River. At least 86 people have drowned when boats capsized in the river, according to police in near the border town of Teknaf, where nine bodies were recovered from a capsizing Tuesday night. At least dozens more have died after capsizings at sea. Two existing refugee camps were packed beyond capacity, with many new arrivals huddling in makeshift shelters along roads or in open fields. Aid groups were struggling to provide enough food, clean water and medical aid. Near the camp of Balukhali, some were setting up tents made of bamboo and plastic along hillsides muddy from days of rain. Children walked uphill to capture rainwater before it spilled into the teeming settlements below. The head of the U.N. High Commission for Refugees said humanitarian assistance would increase "very, very quickly." Asked why the response has been slow, Filippo Grandi alluded to difficulties working in Bangladesh, but said he hoped this will change as the scale of the crisis becomes more apparent. It is the Myanmar government's "responsibility to ensure that security returns to Rakhine," Grandi told The Associated Press at the Stockholm Security Conference in Sweden. Bangladesh already was housing some 500,000 Rohingya who fled earlier flashes of violence including anti-Muslim riots in 2012. It pledged this week to free land for a new camp to cope with new arrivals. Visibility is not hard in this paradise we call home. Samoa, being a small place, its difficult to escape if you are a prominent person or someone of importance to members of the public. Its just the way it is. The Minister of Revenue and Prisons, Tionisio John Hunt, is one such person. Its fair to say he has been extremely visible this year. From the unpopular government decision to tax church ministers and the Head of State, which created an uproar to now, he has been making all the headlines. Take for instance, last month, he was queried about a perceived conflict in the contract to build the new multi-million-tala Tafaigata Prison. Speaking to the Sunday Samoan then, the Minister of Prisons admitted that the perceived conflict of interest had been questioned by the Tenders Board, but all has been resolved now. The delay in the Tenders Board decision was due to an investigation they launched against me and I welcomed their investigation, Tialavea told the Sunday Samoan. I have nothing to hide so they asked for additional information from my brother and that was provided. I must say, my brother is a certified contractor in New Zealand and Samoa. So the Tenders Board cleared me of any conflict of interest and they awarded the contract to my brother. There were two lower bidders than my brother but they were not qualified for some reason and so they awarded my brother. Well, that was two weeks ago. Last Sunday, the Minister appeared again on the front page. This time wearing his hat as the Minister of Revenue and talking about the governments decision to confiscate a container allegedly smuggled into the country using falsified documents. According to the Minister, the container belongs to a businessman running a furniture store and he is now the subject of a full-blown customs investigation. According to Tialavea, the internal investigation will determine if there was collusion in the matter. He said the government has zero tolerance for this type of activity. We have a huge role to play in terms of revenue collection and if there was any collusion or bypassing tax obligations then someone will lose their job, he said. I will not stop there, that person(s) will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The Minister also pointed out the matter is clear breach of trust. And this businessman has abused the system that was created for the releasing of operations to run smoothly. I know we will be highly criticised by this incident for our Green Lane list, but this does not mean we will suspend this system, he said. Its working as the businesses prepay their shipments and the companies get their containers right away. The Minister has a point. Lets await the outcome of the investigation. We hope the Minister will keep us informed about what will be done to ensure this does not happen again. In the meantime, the Minister just cant seem to help himself, so yesterday, he was in the headlines again, in a story titled: Tips yes, but no to bribery. In the story, the Minister defended customs officers who accept tips from members of the public. There is a fine line between bribery and tips, he told the Samoa Observer. And I, for one, have no problem with customs officers taking tips from people. I dont think there is anything wrong with receiving a tip. Now according to the Minister, customs officers are well educated about the difference between tipping and being bribed. This, he said, is part of their training. The Minister then goes on to educate members of the public about the difference between tipping and bribery. Tips follow the rendering of a service, whereas bribes precede it, he said. Accepting bribery is corruption and that will not happen under my watch. The timing of the payment is critical and tips are determined after the service is provided. And tips can be adjusted depending on the service given by the customs office. He then gave an example. If I come in to clear my container and I give you a $100 before, that is bribery. But if I give you money after I am satisfied with your service and your friendliness, that is tipping. I give you $20, why would you not accept it? There is a big difference. At the end of the day, its up to the staff whether to accept the tip, or not. I cannot ask them not to accept tips because no matter what I tell them they will take the tips. Its a waste of time to implement a stop tipping policy, no one will heed or consider that regulation. Also declining a tip is rude and in our Samoan culture, its unacceptable for you not to take a tip. And how would the Minister know what it feels like to struggle with receiving a tip? Even I get tips, he said. I end up giving it to my staff for their coffee or tea, so you see, there is nothing wrong with tips. Lastly, he said no one is perfect. I know there are those businesses who attempt to pay their containers to my staff directly, but the time will come when that will be dealt with as nothing is hidden under this sun. Well you are absolutely correct Mr Minister; nothing ever remains hidden forever under the sun -- especially in small Samoa. What do you think? Have a fabulous Friday, Samoa, God bless! Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr Sailele Malielegaoi is not overly concerned about being ruthlessly attacked online. With Samoa embracing the age of fast internet technology, he knows the transition will bring many benefits, as well as many challenges. Such challenges include anonymous online bloggers who attack his government and other members of the public. One of them is 'Ole Palemia'. The blog has been on a crusade against Tuilaepas administration, some of his Cabinet ministers, and their families. But Prime Minister Tuilaepa is unfazed by the personal attacks and claims against him, and the government in general. We expect that kind of problem, he told the Samoa Observer. Thats the case in many governments today, its not just us facing these problems. The Prime Minister said the remedy is for Samoa to educate her sons and daughters in IT, and on cyber security, so they can protect themselves and other innocent people. When we have people who can track down people who are doing these sorts of things, it will be a disincentive for them to continue, he said. Keep in mind that our people are not fond of such activities as defaming people. One Samoan who might be able to help out is Samoas very own millionaire in Silicon Valley, Mike Baukes. Mr Baukes is the co-founder of Upguard, which specialises in cyber security for private companies, corporations and governments. Tuilaepa met with Mr Baukes when he was in Samoa, recently. Whether the damaging blogs against his reputation were on the agenda though, could not be ascertained. The Prime Minister is nonetheless excited about the possibilities when Samoa realises her grand dream to become the 'tech hub' of the Pacific region. Mr Baukes for one has expressed interest in expanding his business to Samoa. They want to come back to set up their businesses here, which to me, is a God-sent development, Tuilaepa said. It has major benefits for us, especially in terms of developing and training our children. With the Tui Samoa Cable promising more access to faster internet technology, Tuilaepa said cyber security would become a critical component and experts, like Mr Baukes, can help Samoa a lot. Its not just him -- there are other Samoans in New Zealand and Australia who are also interested. For Mike to express interest in branching out here, its a great development for Samoa, especially because these people are multi-millionaires. So, when they do decide to come, they will play a very proactive role in developing our economy, especially their contribution to creating employment for our young people straight out of university. Tuilaepa is excited about the future. But thats because he knows how far Samoa has come in terms of technology. Asked to share his vision in terms of Samoa becoming the hub of ICT, the Prime Minister said you can't go forward unless you know the past. We should start from the beginning, he said. In 1999, when most countries were on mobile phones, we only had analogue phones from NZ Telecom. It didnt even reach Vailele. So up until 1999, we were lagging way behind. Thats when we moved to corporatise telecommunications and thats when SamoaTel was created. In the beginning, there was Telecom Samoa Cellular, Digicel and SamoaTel. Fast-forward to today and the landscape has completely changed. With the Tui Cable plans in the works, the Prime Minister is excited about the National Broadband Network, especially the potential to boost medical care and education. We have been relying on the marine cable, ASH, that comes through American Samoa. The problem there is that its time has finished, he said. Now we are looking at creating our own cable, a much more powerful cable. But we are also hooking up with other cables, which means there is a huge opening for us to become the hub of the Pacific. So far, Samoa has entered into agreements with French Polynesia, Tahiti, Cook Islands and Niue, Wallis and Futuna, Tokelau and Tuvalu. I think Samoas position in the next five to ten years will be very strong in terms of IT development, he said. Already there are companies looking at Samoa as a hub for call centres. Were also looking at using it for education and medical purposes. If you look at OUM, all their learning is relying on the internet. There is already online training for students and teachers, so its a big development for all us. Clearly Prime Minister Tuilaepa has a lot on his plate. The Samoa Commercial Bank (SCB) has received international recognition by winning the Leading Partner Bank in Samoa Award for the ADB Trade Finance Programme. The announcement was made at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) third annual Trade Finance Program (TFP) Awards during a dinner held last week, in Singapore. More than 150 guests from banks and other financial institutions around the world attended the event. SCBs Managing Director, Lemalu Ray Ah Liki, and Senior Manager, Tauiliili Ruth Penaia, attended the ceremony. The TFP Awards recognised 18 leading partner banks from 17 developing member countries for their role in supporting trade in Asia and the Pacific region. The ceremony was held during the Global Trade Reviews annual conference, which is one of the most attended trade finance conferences in Asia. Commenting on the award, Lemalu Ray Ah Liki said it is truly an honour for SCB to receive such recognition in the programme. A lot of effort has been put in to its establishment and I acknowledge our staff, ADB and, most importantly, our clients for their support, he said. SCB will continue to promote the programme and provide financial support to companies engaged in import and export activities. Samoa Commercial Bank signed under the Trade Finance Programme on 29 June 2016, after an intensive due diligence review by ADB. The Trade Finance Programme provides loans and guarantees to partner banks to support trade transactions. ADB approved two products, the Credit Guarantee Facility (CGF) and the Revolving Credit Facility (RCF), under the agreement with SCB and supports a wide range of transactions, from commodities and capital goods, to medical supplies and consumer goods. NEW YORK (AP) Worries rippled through the consumer market for antivirus software after the U.S. government banned federal agencies from using Kaspersky Lab software on Wednesday. Best Buy and Office Depot said they will no longer sell software made by the Russian company, although one security researcher said most consumers don't need to be alarmed. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security cited concerns about possible ties between unnamed Kaspersky officials and the Kremlin and Russian intelligence services. The department also noted that Russian law might compel Kaspersky to assist the government in espionage. Kaspersky has denied any unethical ties with Russia or any government. It said Thursday that it will continue to get its product to customers "through its website and other prominent retailers." Kaspersky software is used by consumers in both free and paid versions, available both online and in stores. TO UNINSTALL OR NOT UNINSTALL The U.S. government action raised the question of whether those users should follow the U.S. government's lead. Some companies sought to tread carefully, addressing questions from customers who asked about it without alarming those that didn't. "We've had few customers raise concerns, but for those that have, we've offered advice on how to remove Kaspersky from their computers," said Craig VerColen, spokesman for Boston-based software provider LogMeIn, which offers Kaspersky as a complementary perk to small businesses buying its products. Nicholas Weaver, a computer security researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, called the U.S. government decision "prudent;" he had argued for such a step in July . But he added by email that "for most everybody else, the software is fine." The biggest risk to U.S. government computers is if Moscow-based Kaspersky is subject to "government-mandated malicious update," Weaver wrote this summer. Kaspersky products accounted for about 5.5 percent of anti-malware software products worldwide, according to research firm Statista. MINIMIZING RISK Other experts, however, suggested that consumers should also uninstall Kaspersky software to avoid any potential risks. Michael Sulmeyer, director of a cybersecurity program at Harvard, noted that antivirus software has deep access to one's computer and network. "Voluntarily introducing this kind of Russian software in a geopolitical landscape where the U.S.-Russia relationship is not good at all, I think would be assuming too much risk," he said. "There are plenty of alternatives out there." The government ban should alarm any company that has been relying on Kaspersky's software to protect its business, said Nate Fick, CEO of computer security specialist Endgame. "I don't think this is political posturing here, but a sign that there is some real risk," Fick said. As a result, he expects most companies to find another alternative to Kaspersky. "It is all about risk mitigation in cybersecurity, and this is an easy risk mitigation to make," he said. Best Buy was the first big retailer this month to announce it would stop selling the software. Office Depot Inc. followed Thursday. Amazon, which also sells Kaspersky software, declined to comment. Staples, another seller of the software, didn't return a message seeking comment. A RUSSIAN COMPANY WITH TIES TO RUSSIA Various U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies and several congressional committees are investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. Kaspersky said it is not subject to the Russian laws cited in the directive and said information received by the company is protected in accordance with legal requirements and stringent industry standards, including encryption. Russia also came to its defense Thursday, with a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin criticizing the U.S. ban. Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Thursday the move "cast a shadow over the image of our American colleagues as reliable partners" and was designed to cripple Kaspersky's competitive advantage on the international market. Company spokesman Anton Shingarov said Thursday in Moscow that the U.S. ban was "part of a geopolitical game" and "there is no proof provided of any improper ties to the Russian government." ABOARD THE ADMIRAL ESSEN (AP) Russia fired a salvo of cruise missiles from the Mediterranean on Thursday and said they struck Islamic State targets in eastern Syria. Activists there said at least 20 civilians were killed in what they described a "fanatical" bombardment blaming some of it on Russia and some on the United States. It was not clear whether there was a connection between the Russian military strikes and the activists' accounts, reflecting the challenge of verifying the conflicting claims in the hostile environment of Syria's civil war, now in its seventh year. The seven Kalibr cruise missiles, launched from the submarines Veliky Novgorod and Kolpino, hit IS installations in Deir el-Zour province, the Russian Defense Ministry said. The province is where forces backed separately by Washington and Moscow are racing to seize territory in the jihadist group's shrinking Euphrates River valley domain. But Turkey-based activist Omar Abou Layla said their local contacts reported "fanatical" levels of bombardment on three IS-held towns and villages along the valley far more than could be accounted for by seven missiles including an attack on the national hospital in the IS stronghold of al-Mayadeen, where six civilians were reported killed. Abou Layla put the toll at 20 killed across the province. He added that the provincial capital, also called Deir el-Zour, suffered heavy airstrikes as well. Russian-backed pro-government forces have been on the offensive to take back the city after breaking an IS siege there last week. It was the first time reinforcements were able to reach the city in nearly three years. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 39 people were killed and over 100 wounded in strikes in the river valley, including some against hospitals and ferry crossings. The monitoring group said the U.S.-led international coalition, which is supporting nongovernment forces, was behind some of the strikes. It has been impossible to verify the claims independently. Russia and the Syrian government only allows journalists into the country on carefully orchestrated media tours meant to showcase their might and legitimacy in the conflict; the U.S. does not accept embedded journalists at all. With pro-government forces already inside the city of Deir el-Zour, the chief U.S. partners in Syria the Syrian Democratic Forces launched their own campaign to take what they can in the valley. All sides say they are fighting terrorists in the energy-rich region that borders Iraq. Activists said the campaigns are killing scores of civilians. The Observatory said it has documented 106 civilian deaths in airstrikes since Sunday; Abou Layla says his organization, Deir Ezzor 24, has recorded 90 fatalities in the same period. "We believe they are trying to finish the Deir el-Zour battle as quickly as possible," Abou Layla said of Russia, citing pressure to capture the Euphrates River valley before the U.S. partners establish a foothold. Aboard Russia's frigate Admiral Essen, journalists watched as the two Kilo-class submarines surfaced to launch the missiles, whose contrails gashed the clear blue sky. The missiles hit southeast of Deir el-Zour, destroying a command center, a communications hub and an ammunition depot, killing an unspecified number of IS fighters, said ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov. Russia has provided military support for Syrian President Bashar Assad since 2015. The militants in Deir el-Zour city are surrounded by Syrian troops on three sides, with their backs to the Euphrates River. Government forces control more than 60 percent of the city, which is north of the Euphrates. U.S.-backed Syrian forces, meanwhile, are advancing in the surrounding province from the east and north, on the other side of the river. Bassem Aziz, a spokesman for the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, said his troops took control of an industrial area east of the river, a few miles from the government troops. The coalition said last week that it will support its partners to defeat IS and "will do our utmost to ensure that (IS) terrorists do not move toward the border of our Iraqi partners." Overnight, a convoy of Islamic State militants and their relatives being evacuated crossed into Deir el-Zour from a desert area in central Syria, ending a standoff with the coalition that briefly overshadowed the battle for the province. The evacuation, negotiated by Lebanon's Hezbollah group, removed the militants from the Syria-Lebanon border but angered Iraq and the U.S., which said the fighters should have been killed on the battlefield, not moved to the Iraq border. On Wednesday, hundreds of people flocked to a Russian military checkpoint near Homs, Syria's third-largest city, to receive food aid. A truce has been in effect in the area since August. Although rebels report occasional shelling, there has been a drop in violence since the agreement was brokered by Russia, Iran and Turkey in May. Russian military police and Syrian troops handed out plastic bags with flour and buckwheat to the group of mostly women and elderly men who huddled around them. Russian Col. Alexander Sazonov told reporters brought to the checkpoint that Russia delivers 10 tons of food there per week and offers medical help, reinforcing an allegation by Moscow that Western powers and international organizations would not send aid to government-controlled areas of Syria. A U.N. official in Syria who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to talk to reporters said Thursday that humanitarian convoys to Homs province have not been canceled but merely delayed for various reasons, including security concerns. He said a convoy delivered aid in Homs province Aug. 19. Martin Shkreli, a former pharmaceuticals company chief executive, had his bail revoked and was headed to jail Wednesday while awaiting sentencing for a securities fraud conviction. A judge heard arguments about whether the provocative online antics of Shkreli, dubbed the Pharma Bro, were bad enough to put him behind bars, and decided to have him taken into custody immediately. U.S. District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto decided that Shkrelis recent offer on Facebook to pay a $5,000 bounty for a Hillary Clinton hair with the follicle was solicitation of an assault. Advertisement Matsumoto said that such speech is not protected by the 1st Amendment and that theres a risk someone may take Shkreli up on his offer. A defense attorney had argued in court papers that Shkrelis offer made while the former presidential candidate is on a book tour was merely a tasteless joke comparable to some of President Trumps derisive comments, not a threat worthy of putting Shkreli in jail. In the current political climate, dissent has unfortunately often taken the form of political satire, hyperbole, parody or sarcasm, wrote the lawyer, Ben Brafman. There is a difference, however, between comments that are intended to threaten or harass and comments albeit offensive ones that are intended as political satire or strained humor. Brafman was responding to government filings last week that argued Shkrelis behavior was threatening enough to jail him while he awaits sentencing for his securities fraud conviction. Prosecutors said the posting prompted the Secret Service to use more resources because it ran the risk that many of Shkrelis social media followers would think he was serious. Shkreli, who is best known for raising the price of a life-saving drug and for trolling his critics on social media, was found guilty last month on charges unrelated to the price-increase scandal that he cheated investors in two failed hedge funds he ran. The defense had argued that investors got their original investments back and even made hefty profits. Shkreli has said he feels exonerated despite his conviction and thinks theres a 50-50 chance he wont face any punishment. He chatted with fans on his YouTube channel and sparred with a reporter after last months verdict. In sum and substance, he said, I feel exonerated. UPDATES: 3:55 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Judge Kiyo Matsumoto. 3:25 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details. This article was originally published at 3:20 p.m. This is not your typical startup story. But Fit4Mom, a 16-year-old San Diego company on track to pull in more than $15 million in revenue this year, hopes its outlier status can help it outshine rivals in a local startup competition where $50,000 is on the line. The self-funded company, best known for its Stroller Strides fitness program for moms, is a finalist in San Diegos Quick Pitch competition. Like its nine challengers, Fit4Mom will have just two minutes to impress an audience of a few hundred investors and tech enthusiasts at the final event on Oct. 5. At its core, Fit4Mom sells franchise fitness programs, primarily to moms who want to work as they transition through the various stages of motherhood. There are currently 300 franchisees spread across 38 states, with each studio offering three types of fitness classes for expectant and existing moms. Advertisement Over the last three years, Fit4Mom has sold memberships to more than 600,000 people. Now, the plan is to change the DNA of the mostly offline company. What were trying to do is bring a company that has an amazing community and onboard it into more of a technology solution, and create that community there, said Ash Robinson, the CEO of Fit4Mom who took over the company 18 months ago. The technology makeover, which started about six months ago, involves building an app where moms have access to content and resources, and can buy and sell from one another. Robinson envisions a trustworthy, mom-to-mom marketplace where someone can offload a used stroller or secure childcare for date night. The technology is just a way to facilitate what our moms and business owners need, Robinson said. But just becoming a technology company, in general; its a lot of work. The idea is to offer a free and paid tier, with the latter costing $9 a month for people not already paying for Fit4Mom class subscriptions. And the goal, of course, is to recruit all moms not just those taking the fitness classes to join this online community, where advertisements will be off limits. Currently, Fit4Mom manages more than 3,000 private Facebook groups, but the social network has proven a chaotic and insufficient platform for the companys broader digital vision. The company is growing so fast and we have this market opportunity but we cant (afford) this big, one-time investment, Robinson said of the firms makeover ambitions to raise outside capital. Fit4Mom has grown more than 50 percent during her tenure. And Robinsons pre-existing audience has, so far, proved to be an asset in the Quick Pitch competition. Any time theres a company thats built a strong brand, an evangelic brand with customers, the ability to take that to the next level is interesting to me as an investor, said Dean Rosenberg, the incoming president for Tech Coast Angels in San Diego and a judge of the Quick Pitch competition. Everybody I speak to in the target demographic seems to know Fit4Mom or Stroller Strides. If theres a downside, its that Fit4Mom might be too well known. The only concern I had in the (Quick Pitch) venue was that the (semi-final) judges discounted her because Fit4Mom isnt more of a pure startup, Rosenberg said. That may only be relevant in the context of the Quick Pitch competition. Still, the is-this-really-a-startup question could prove to be a sticking point with Quick Pitch audience members at the final event who ultimately pick the winners. But many audience members will also be investors, who may overlook that detail in favor of a business that looks like a safe bet. When a company has that level of engagement from customers, its exciting, Rosenberg said. Business jennifer.vangrove@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1840 Twitter: @jbruin Two rival pop-culture conventions in California and Utah will remain locked in a court battle over comic con naming rights after a judges split decision kept either side from declaring victory. The ruling handed down Tuesday means the case could go before a jury in November. The case started when the well-known San Diego Comic-Con sued upstart rivals in Salt Lake City for trademark violation, arguing people could confuse the two events both known for guests elaborately costumed as superheros, movie villains and more. Advertisement More than 100 events from Arizona to New York use some version of comic con, giving weight to Utahs argument that its a generic term, according to the ruling from U.S. District Judge Anthony Battaglia. That could mean comic con is a case of genericide, a term for a once-trademarked name thats become interchangeable with a product, like Aspirin or escalator. But the Southern California district judge also pointed to a survey filed by San Diego organizers that found more than 80 percent of people think comic con is a brand name. Salt Lake Comic Con organizers declined comment Wednesday on the ruling that also excluded some of their evidence. San Diego Comic-Con did not immediately return a message seeking comment. San Diego is considered the flagship of the popular convention circuit, and organizers argue they have legal ownership of the term comic con in all its forms. Salt Lake organizers, meanwhile, contend the lawsuit filed three years ago is a way to take aim at an upstart with growing attendance. Since its start in 1970, San Diego has grown into the Holy Grail of pop culture conventions with attendance of more than 135,000, drawing self-described geeks as well as Hollywood studios and actors looking to create buzz for upcoming projects. Salt Lake Comic Con, meanwhile, debuted in September 2013 and quickly grew to attract more than 120,000 people as well as celebrity appearance from the likes of John Cusack and Captain America actor Chris Evans. A proposed hotel, spa and condos that capitalize on Carlsbads 135-year-old mineral water wells got the go-ahead this week for construction on a small vacant lot near the historic business along Carlsbad Boulevard. This is basically a scaled-down replacement of a previous hotel that existed on this site, said Mike Howes, a longtime Carlsbad real estate and planning consultant, who presented details of the Beach Village Life project Tuesday to the City Council. The original Carlsbad Hotel was a four-story, 85-room, mineral springs health resort completed in 1887. People came by train from across the country to visit the resort, known for its therapeutic waters, until a spectacular fire burned the wooden structure to the ground in 1896. Advertisement Also, across Carlsbad Boulevard from the privately owned wells, the existing Carlsbad By the Sea retirement home was built in 1930 as a health resort that originally piped in the mineral water for its guests. Today, the alkaline mineral water, discovered in 1882 by one of the citys founders, Capt. John Frazier, is bottled and sold in more than 900 stores across the region to enthusiastic consumers. All the rooms at our proposed facility will have three types of water, Howes said. Our regular Colorado River (tap water) that we drink when we have to the good quality alkaline water that people come to buy, and well also have the highly mineralized water for bathing in. The City Council approved the permits needed for the hotel project on a 4-1 vote with Councilwoman Cori Schumacher opposed. She called it a top quality project, but said she would prefer to see the low-income dwellings city requires in a percentage of all new residential development included in the project instead of provided at another location with fees paid by the developer. One of the projects architects, Robert Richardson, said after the councils approval that its one of the most exciting Village developments hes worked on in his 40-year Carlsbad career. Its a really classy project, Richardson said. Its all about history and improving health. The quarter-acre site is a vacant lot on Christiansen Way just east of the Alt Karlsbad wells and spa. The wells were abandoned in the Great Depression of the 1930s, and then were lost until they were rediscovered in 1955 by real estate agents Kay and Chris Christiansen. The Christiansens built the Alt Karlsbad building on the property, which they used primarily as a real estate office. They sold the property to present owners Ludvik & Veronica Grigoras about 1991, who installed the 13-foot-tall bronze statue of John Frazier in 1994. The Grigorases recently sold the eastern portion of the property to Laguna-based developer Beach Village Life 1 LLC. Also, earlier this year they finished drilling two new wells to meet the increasing demand for their product. A neighbor of the site, mortgage broker John Prietto, supported the development plan at Tuesdays meeting, where he was the only public speaker on the item. Its directly across the street from my front door, Prietto said, and initially he looked for reasons not to like the project. However, after talking with the developer and the city, he decided he was all for it. Its an insulator between my complex, which is mostly residents and the bars which are about 100 yards away with noise and music all hours of the night, he said. Its a nice transition between pure residential to straight commercial. Plans call a single, four-story building with 17 hotel rooms, nine residential condominiums, a 1,200-square-foot spa and 300 square feet of retail space. The property would include 53 on-site parking spaces, most of which would be underground below the building. Councilman Michael Schumacher, no relation to Cori Schumacher, called it a great project that fits perfectly into the neighborhood. Originally known as Fraziers Station, Carlsbad was renamed in the 1800s after tests showed its popular mineral water was chemically similar to that of a famous spa in the Bohemian town of Karlsbad, now Karlovy Vary, in the Czech Republic. Today, Karlovy Vary is one of Carlsbads two recognized sister cities, along with Futtsu, Japan. philip.diehl@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @phildiehl Avast ye, mateys! As part of International Talk Like a Pirate Day, celebrate everything about the pirate life at Landlubbers Day at Seaport Village. Theres live music from The Jackstraws, a local pirate-themed band; costume and Talk Like a Pirate contests for kids and adults; arts and crafts; a grotto for those scaly and graceful mermaids, plus a chance to take photos with them; food and drinks; and live street busker performances, including sword swallowing and rock balancers. The costume and talking contests are open to the first 20 people who sign up, starting at noon, and pets can get in on the costume contest, too. Landlubbers Day: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. Seaport Village, 849 W. Harbor Drive, downtown. Free. (619) 235-4014 or seaportvillage.com. Charter school advocates in Los Angeles had been having a great year. With millions of dollars at their disposal, they had won their first majority on the school board and installed a pro-charter board president, Ref Rodriguez. They had ambitious plans for the future and they had the leadership of Rodriguez, a figure in the national education reform movement. Then, on Wednesday, the Los Angeles County district attorneys office charged Rodriguez with three felonies in a 14-page criminal complaint. Advertisement No one not district or charter school leaders or his fellow board members said they knew it was coming before the news broke. Rodriguez had been aware for two years he was under investigation for suspect donations made to his school board campaign, he said on Wednesday. And for two years, his colleagues in the world of education had been kept in the dark. Prosecutors accused Rodriguez of political money laundering by giving $24,250 to his own campaign, while illegally reporting that the donations had come from more than two dozen other people. His three felony counts are conspiracy to commit a crime, perjury and procuring and offering a false or forged instrument, and he faces 25 misdemeanor charges, one for each donor he allegedly reimbursed. His cousin and campaign volunteer Elizabeth Tinajero Melendrez, 45, also faces criminal charges. L.A. Unified officials and board members reacted to the news with shock. They insisted that they had no inkling of his troubles back in July, when a majority of the seven-member board voted to make him president. And the district attorney said the investigation is ongoing. Rodriguezs elevation to board president had symbolic resonance for charter school supporters because he co-founded a charter group, Partnerships to Uplift Communities, commonly known as PUC Schools. He had gone straight out of charter schools onto the board, the first board president chosen by the bodys new charter-friendly majority. Well-liked and careful to avoid heated rhetoric in the charter school debate, Rodriguez was a logical choice for the job. But with criminal charges hanging over him, it could become increasingly uncomfortable for him and the other board members to have him as a public face and spokesman for the nations second-largest school system. Todays news about our Board President, Dr. Ref Rodriguez a longtime educator and advocate for kids is unsettling, board member Nick Melvoin said in a statement when the news broke. The serious allegations are not connected to the work of the Board or L.A. Unified; our focus today, as it is every day, has been on our students and school communities. L.A. Unified General Counsel David Holmquist said Rodriguez has no legal obligation to step down as president, although he could choose to do so. To be accused of a crime does not preclude from being able to serve as a board member. Hes the sitting board member, the board president. Were going to continue to treat him as such, Holmquist said. And hell retain all his rights with respect to that, unless and until he decides to do something. If Rodriguez vacates his leadership position, but remains on the board, the current majority would be able to choose his successor. But the options would be limited. Melvoin and Kelly Gonez, political newcomers who are part of the new majority voting bloc, are unlikely to be chosen to lead a board they have only recently joined. That would leave only incumbent Monica Garcia, who has served as board president before. Within the district, however, there was rampant speculation about how long Rodriguez can hold on. Board member Scott Schmerelson, who did not vote to make Rodriguez board president, expressed sympathy for Rodriguez but declined to commit to keeping him in his current position. You know, I do not really know, he said Thursday. It hurts because hes a fellow board member. I was in shock, absolute shock. I just hope everything works out. Gonez, who did vote to make Rodriguez president, declined to comment on his future in the job. Unfortunately, the board member doesnt have time to make a statement today, said a member of Gonezs staff. Board member George McKenna also declined to discuss the situation, including a query about whether Rodriguez should have stood for board president and possibly alerted his colleagues that he was under investigation. Those are great questions, McKenna said. And I have to say: No comment. In the scheme outlined in the criminal complaint, Rodriguez allegedly cashed out an investment worth $26,000 and gave the money to Melendrez with instructions to deposit it in an account under his parents names. The complaint says that Rodriguezs mother then wrote checks to her sons friends and relatives, reimbursing them for donations to his campaign. When Rodriguez submitted his first fundraising statement, it showed that he had raised about $51,000. Prosecutors say 25 of those donations had actually been reimbursed, and that of the money raised, $24,250 came from the candidate himself. One potential issue for Rodriguez on the board could be whether he cast past improper votes on items for which he should have stepped aside. If district legal staff had known of the allegations, they could have weighed, for example, whether he should vote on matters related to PUC Schools. Thats because the criminal charges indicate that PUC employees made illegal campaign contributions funded by Rodriguez. And the other defendant in the case, Melendrez, has worked for PUC Schools since 2004 and was a PUC administrator at the time of the alleged crimes, according to campaign records. Holmquist said the districts legal staff would look at this and all other possible issues. PUC already is the subject of a years-long and confidential investigation by the L.A. Unified inspector general. One subject of the probe has been conflicts of interest related to food-service contracts, some of which were entered into while Rodriguez was a senior PUC official. PUCs current leadership has expressed frustration for some time at what seems to them, a never-ending inquiry intent on finding something wrong. Rodriguezs current troubles might only extend the process. News of the charges against Rodriguez has been especially troubling for charter school advocates and others who looked to him to address not only some of the obstacles they believe stand in the way of charter school growth but the looming financial problems that threaten to hobble the school district. I had thought maybe with a new and strong board majority that isnt beholden to the interests from within the district that they might be in a much stronger position to address district budget concerns, said Eric Premack, founder of the Charter Schools Development Center, an advocacy group. I kind of looked to Ref to, with or without regard to his charter reputation, to have the strength to do that, Premack said. I hope they find some way to resolve this such that he can continue to serve but if not...I fear it might lead to a fractured board again. The California Charter Schools Assn., whose political affiliate spent heavily to get Rodriguez elected, issued a statement Wednesday that was cautiously supportive of him. We appreciate that Ref has spent his career working to improve educational opportunity for thousands of Los Angeles students, Jed Wallace, chief executive of the association, said in a statement. We fully expect proceedings related to this matter to be thorough, efficient and fair. United Teachers Los Angeles, on the other hand, which represents L.A. Unified teachers and has fought charter expansion, took the opportunity to extend blame well beyond the actions of Rodriguez to charter supporters and their billionaire allies [who] have often been allowed to act with impunity, and above the law. Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed to this story. howard.blume@latimes.com | Twitter: @howardblume anna.phillips@latimes.com | Twitter: @annamphillips sonali.kohli@latimes.com | Twitter: @Sonali_Kohli ALSO Motel 6 says its employees will no longer call immigration agents on its guests Three arrested as protesters gather at UC Berkeley for talk by conservative speaker Ben Shapiro U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says Whittier Narrows Dam is unsafe and could trigger catastrophic flooding I have learned the hard way not to put my personal life on the Internet. But suffice it to say that, God willing, things should be pretty much back to norm... 4 weeks ago The site on Otay Mesa where models of competing proposals to build President Donald Trumps border wall are to be built is now nearly surrounded by a chain link fence, though there is still no official timeline for when companies that won a bidding contest will begin work. Over the past week the fence, approximately eight feet high, has been constructed around the building site. The fence has a green screen on it, blocking views of the work on the prototype walls, and is plastered with signs from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) designating it a restricted area and warning off trespassers. The fencing is the most visible sign of preparing the site where the wall work will be done the first step in the Trump administrations controversial quest to construct hundreds of miles of new wall along the southwest border. Advertisement While there is no start date, CBP officials have met with the San Diego Sheriffs Department to discuss the construction, which could draw protests from wall opponents. Sheriff spokesman Ryan Keim said in a statement that while the department has no role in the construction or planning of the project, it is considering setting up a designated protest area for opponents. In our effort to better protect the people of this county, the department is currently evaluating the need and possible location of a free speech area where citizens can peacefully express their viewpoints, Keim said. The Sheriffs Department recognizes the high-level of emotions associated with this project and we are committed to providing the highest levels of law enforcement services in our effort to protect our communities. The possibility of protests have shadowed the wall building project since the government first solicited bids for the prototypes in March. The 76-page bid request includes a section on security, advising contractors they are responsible for security for their equipment and workers, and requiring a Security Plan including detailed provisions for fall-back positions, evacuation routines and methods, muster area in the event of a hostile attack. In another section, bidders were also asked directly about any prior work on controversial jobs. Describe your experience executing high profile, high visibility and politically contentious design build projects, the proposal said. On Wednesday The Wall Street Journal reported that CBP had sent a memo Sept. 6 to state and local law enforcement warning of protests and potential violence. The memo apparently warned that protests could be similar to those against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota, which at its peak in 2016 and 2017 attracted thousands of protesters and led to hundreds of arrests. Carlos Diaz, a spokesman for CBP said the agency does not comment on leaked memos. The statements from the Sheriffs Department did not directly address the memo. Courts have ruled the government can regulate the time, place and manner of speech without violating the First Amendment, so long as the government does not restrict the content of the speech, said David Loy, legal director for the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties. That power allows the government to establish free speech zones. Each case is different and has to be evaluated on the specifics of where the area is set up, he said. The bottom line is the government has to err on protecting freedom of speech, said Loy. The free speech zone has to be meaningful. It cant be a postage stamp space where three people can stand. CBP has awarded contracts to a half-dozen companies to construct two kinds of wall models one made of solid concrete, the second of other materials. The models are to be 18 to 30 feet high and 30 feet long. When the contract winner announcements were made on Aug. 31 and Sept. 7, CBP has said work would begin in 30 days. But since then the agency has said repeatedly that there is no timeline for when the project will start. But The Wall Street Street Journal said the Sept. 6 memo pegged construction to begin Sept. 26. Six companies won the bidding contest to build eight walls four of concrete, and four of other materials. Two companies got bids to build one wall of each material. None of the companies are from San Diego. The walls will be constructed on a scruffy patch of ground beneath a power line tower, just a few dozen yards north of the border with Mexico. Its about 1.5 miles east of the end of Enrico Fermi Drive, down a bumpy dirt road that parallels the border. Its a spot on the border where a secondary fence made of steel mesh stops, though the primary fence close to the border made of surplus military landing mats continues running east. Just on the other side of that fence is the hardscrabble Tijuana neighborhood of Las Torres. Work at the site has been going off-and-on since the spring. In June workers from the Army Corps of Engineers did soil testing on the site. Twitter: @gregmoran greg.moran@sduniontribune.com A coalition of environmental groups on Thursday sued the Department of Homeland Security challenging the use of sweeping power under a federal law to ignore environmental laws in order to build walls, fences and roads on the border. The lawsuit was filed in San Diego federal court by Defenders of Wildlife, the Sierra Club and the Animal Legal Defense Fund. The suit targets a section of the REAL ID Act of 2005 which granted the Secretary of Homeland Security the power to waive complying with federal laws such as the Endangered Species Act, Clean Air Act in order to expedite border security building projects. Since 2005 the law has been invoked six times to build fencing, roads and other barriers along the southwestern border, the lawsuit says. Advertisement This year the law was used twice, once in August to clear the way for construction of 15 miles of replacement fencing and building prototypes for President Donald Trumps hoped for new border wall made either of concrete, or other materials. The law was also invoked earlier this week to build three miles of replacement fencing in Calexico, west of the port of entry there. The lawsuit contends that the use of the law was limited to a certain time period after it was passed by Congress, and was not meant to be a perpetual tool the government can use to avoid laws. The law cant therefore be applied to fast-track the San Diego and Calexico projects, the suit argues. It also takes a broader aim, contending the law itself is unconstitutional because it allows a cabinet secretary to override the laws passed by Congress, violating the separation of powers clause in the constitution. Similar arguments were made earlier Sept. 6 by the Center for Biological Diversity its separate lawsuit against the wall project. A spokeswoman for DHS said the agency does not comment on pending litigation. While the lawsuit filed Thursday takes aim at the prototype walls, which are supposed to begin being built later this month on Otay Mesa. The lawsuit does not ask for an immediate injunction halting the work. It could however delay or stop work on a larger wall, if it were ever to occur. Though Trump has championed the wall, support to appropriate billions in funding for it in congress is lacking with Democrats solidly opposed and many Republicans cool to the idea. Democratic leaders said Thursday that Trump, in a dinner meeting Wednesday, had agreed to a deal resolving the status of dreamers and funds for enhanced border security but no wall. The White House soon contradicted that was the deal, and Trump himself said during a confusing day Thursday, "But very importantly, what we want: We have to have a wall. Twitter: @gregmoran greg.moran@sduniontribune.com Former rap mogul Marion Suge Knights fiancee and business partner were each charged with violating a court order by selling sealed evidence related to his murder trial a grainy surveillance video of Knight plowing his red truck into two men to TMZ, officials said. A grand jury in July indicted Toi-Lin Kelly, 36, and Mark Blankenship, 57, on one felony count each of conspiracy to violate a court order, conspiracy to obstruct justice and conspiracy to commit grand theft, according to the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. The indictment was unsealed Wednesday. Kelly has pleaded not guilty; Blankenship has not been arraigned. Advertisement The charges mark the latest twist in Knights bizarre legal saga, which has dragged on for more than two years as prosecutors continue to raise new allegations against the former impresario and his associates. The case has grown to involve accusations that Knight, 52, criminally threatened the man who directed the movie Straight Outta Compton and possibly discussed with his defense attorney bribing witnesses to fabricate testimony. Just this week, Knight brought on a new criminal defense attorney to represent him in the threats case after prosecutors said theyd gathered evidence that the previous one, Matthew Fletcher, was involved in possible witness tampering, bribery and obstruction of justice. Fletcher has denied wrongdoing, telling The Times that prosecutors had taken his words out of context. Knight is accused of barreling his red truck into two men in the parking lot of a Compton burger stand in late January 2015 after an argument on the set of a commercial for Straight Outta Compton. One of the men, 55-year-old Terry Carter, died from his injuries. Knight, who fled the scene but later turned himself in, has pleaded not guilty to murder and says he acted in self-defense. He is also charged in a separate robbery case. Two weeks after the fatal hit-and-run, prosecutors said, Kelly and Blankenship began arranging the sale of the security video to TMZ. Kelly was arrested Monday and is being held on $2-million bail. Attorneys representing her said the charges stem from conduct that occurred 2 years ago and at the direction of lawyers involved in Knights case. At this point we believe the evidence will show that shes going to be exonerated by a jury, said Dmitry Gorin, one of her attorneys. A bail review hearing is set for next week. Gorin called the $2-million bail excessive and unconstitutional. Blankenship could not be reached for comment. It was unclear if he had hired an attorney. In the indictment, prosecutors listed a series of communications text messages, calls from jail and in-person meetings related to the video sale that involved Kelly, Blankenship, Knight and two attorneys involved in the case. Sheriffs detectives got a warrant to search Kellys cellphone, and prosecutors said they found messages between her and a TMZ correspondent negotiating a price for the video. Prosecutors said the pair spent nearly a month brokering the sale with the celebrity news website, despite being aware the video was under a protective order. I cant wait to get this video to you, Kelly texted the TMZ correspondent on Feb. 12, 2015, according to the indictment. At first, Blankenship opposed releasing the video because of the protective order, but he later texted his business partners saying, New attny says ok to release it, according to the indictment. Its a huge move if we can get it out immediately. A filing by prosecutors said Kelly and Knight communicated in code about a plan to sell the video for as much as $150,000. On March 5, 2015, prosecutors said, the TMZ correspondent and Kelly agreed on a price: $55,000. Days later, TMZ posted the two-minute video on its site. Greg Risling, a spokesman for the district attorneys office, declined to comment Wednesday on whether the attorneys involved in the conversations will be charged. If convicted, Kelly and Blankenship each face a maximum of three years in state prison. Times staff writers Marisa Gerber and James Queally contributed to this report. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek UPDATES: 9:30 p.m.: This article was updated with details from the indictment, as well as a statement from Toi-Lin Kellys attorney. This article was originally published at 4:20 p.m. Three children were found dead late Wednesday in a West Sacramento apartment. West Sacramento police received calls Wednesday night reporting a domestic violence incident as well as the possibility of deceased children inside the apartment near Jefferson Boulevard, Sgt. Roger Kinney told reporters. Officers found the children and tried to perform life-saving care, he said. Firefighters soon arrived and also tried to revive them. But all three children were later pronounced dead, Kinney said. Advertisement Its very difficult, especially for the folks who are on scene, he said. Police said they arrested a suspect, Robert Hodges, 33, early Thursday. Kinney said when officers got to the apartment, they found a woman police believe is the childrens mother. Kinney said she was the victim of domestic abuse but declined to provide details. She lived in the apartment with the children and Hodges, Kinney said. Police did not release the ages of the children or exactly how they were killed. #BREAKING 3 children killed in West Sacramento. The suspect remains on the run. Latest developments here: https://t.co/dvRFTfFniG pic.twitter.com/5pfSNOnBOa Derek Schnell (@DerekKCRA) September 14, 2017 ALSO 15 Marines injured in training accident at Camp Pendleton Lawsuit aims to end commercial fur trapping in California Suge Knights fiancee and business partner sold TMZ sealed videos related to murder trial, prosecutors charge UPDATES: 7:55 a.m.: This story was updated with the arrest of a suspect. This story was originally published at 12:13 a.m. San Diego received $25,000 to make a strategic plan for the city to welcome and integrate immigrants and refugees. The San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp. and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce will work with several local nonprofits to research needs in immigrant and refugee communities over the next six months or so, according to the mayors office. The goal is to have a multi-year strategy to bring immigrant integration efforts into local government. Immigrants and refugees contribute to San Diegos culture and economy, and our region has taken in more refugees than any other in California, Mayor Kevin Faulconer said. This new program ensures we continue supporting those who come to our city to pursue a better life for themselves and their families. Advertisement San Diego is one of 25 communities to receive a grant this year. Other grant recipients include Chicago, Portland and Long Beach. Key to attracting foreign investment and entrepreneurs is creating an immigrant friendly and welcoming community, said Paola Avila, vice president of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. This initiative will bring together stakeholders to fully understand the needs of our communities and put together a strategy that better integrates immigrants into our innovation economy. Organizations like RISE San Diego, the San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium, Alliance San Diego and the San Diego Refugee Forum will join business leaders to form a steering committee that will begin planning the research this month. The grant is part of the 2017 Gateways for Growth Challenge put on by New American Economy, a coalition of mayors and business leaders, and by Welcoming America, a nonprofit that keeps a registry of welcoming cities. The California Endowment matched the $12,500 award from the challenge for the total given to San Diego. Being welcoming to immigrants and refugees has been a controversial goal in some parts of San Diego County. In 2016, several cities declared themselves welcoming cities, angering those who favor limited immigration. Imperial Beach residents got their city to undo its declaration. Immigration Videos On Now New developments in family separation case 9:53 On Now A San Diego woman volunteered as a medic in Texas helping migrant families 2:35 On Now Immigration policy protests in Carlsbad nearly cancelled after permit issue 1:38 On Now When children are separated from their parents at the border, here is where they go next On Now Prospects of a deal for 'Dreamers' may hinge on separating Trump from hard-liners on his staff On Now What is DACA? On Now Border wall prototype contractors selected On Now Video: Ukrainian boxer wins asylum in U.S. On Now 30 apprehended after Border Patrol agents discover tunnel On Now Video: Kurdish diaspora prepare to vote on independence Follow me on Facebook for live updates about immigration news kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate on Twitter President Donald Trump has a tax code overhaul, the construction of the border wall, and massive repairs and expansions to the infrastructure on his wish list. But after meeting with the president on Wednesday, Rep. Scott Peters said it appears that those goals wont be reached unless something is done to help Dreamers first. Its hard to see anything else getting done without the DACA issue, Peters, a San Diego Democrat said in a telephone interview. I dont see a lot of Democrats being willing to bargain if that issue is out there. Its something thats too important. Advertisement Last week Trump repealed former President Barack Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a policy that let immigrants who came to the United States as children to apply for a work permit and stay in the country. Peters said members of his party want the government to do something to let these people remain. He said Trump urged members of Congress to work together on a bill that would let those affected by the repeal remain in the U.S., but didnt give details. It was Peters first meeting at the White House with the new administration, and he said the president and bipartisan group of House moderates also talked about heath care, tax policy, and the extended wall planned along the U.S-Mexico border. The mood of it was very positive and he seemed very open to listening to us, Peters said. We heard, from his staffers, that he had been looking forward to this bipartisan meeting. In addition to DACA, the president said he wanted to do something that would assist military veterans at risk of being deported, Peters said. Immigrants who serve in the military, including ones that came to the country illegally, become eligible for U.S. citizenship. Some, however, do not take advantage of the opportunity and have subsequently been deported after they were discharged from the armed forces. While some members of Congress believe that protection for Dreamers should be figured out because its a worthy cause in itself, Peters said the president might use the issue as a bargaining chip to help him reach his own policy goals. Peters said he told the president that San Diego is opposed to the expanded border wall, and supports cross-border commerce and labor. There are more efficient ways to keep unwanted people out of the country than a tall wall that can be tunneled under, he said, and the administration should focus on drug smuggling and human trafficking. Trump said he wants a the wall, but Peters said that he also appeared open to other methods to increase security. To the extent that border security is what he wants, I want him to know that San Diegans and Californians arent in favor of a wall. Its not productive, and its a wasteful expenditure, Peters said. There is already a wall along much of San Diego Countys border with Mexico. They also discussed tax reform, and the president said that he wanted a pro-growth program, but added that there wouldnt be massive taxes for the rich, Peters said, The congressman, who is one of the wealthiest members of Congress, said the president suggested top-earners might pay more. The president also said he wants an infrastructure program, a campaign promise that many Democrats supported, and a bipartisan plan to amend parts of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, rather than repeal the health care law. I think the message might be that theres an opportunity for Democrats to create solutions, which is why I get on the plane every week and go to Washington, Peters said. The 70-minute meeting came a week after Trump, to wide surprise, met with minority party leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, and agreed to a plan for $15 billion in emergency disaster funds, and to continue government spending and raise the debt ceiling until early December. Democrats have used the agreement to show that theyre willing to say yes to the president when their priorities align. Trump, who was praised for reaching across party lines, was scheduled to meet with Pelosi and Schumer for dinner Wednesday evening. Peters said the president appears to be willing to make deals, but he wasnt certain that Trump is entirely committed to bipartisanship to create lasting changes. I dont know, he said. I am very careful with this president to say that one day is not a trend. The proof is in the pudding. Twitter: @jptstewart joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1841 San Diego will pay $12.5 million to a family whose infant daughter was killed in Point Loma two years ago when she was struck by an SUV as her father was pushing her stroller through a crosswalk. The family will receive an additional $5.5 million from the driver of the SUV and nearby property owners that the family has blamed for allowing foliage to obstruct views near the intersection of Catalina Boulevard and Canon Street. But the familys lawsuit says the city was primarily to blame for the crash, contending the intersection suffers from lack of signage and poor visibility that city officials never addressed despite receiving numerous complaints. Advertisement Some have also questioned whether it makes sense to have a crosswalk in an area where vehicles travel at relatively high speeds, contending that may give pedestrians a false sense of security. The City Council approved the settlement in a session closed to the public last May, but the amount wasnt disclosed until Wednesday. The council is scheduled to give a final approval in open session on Tuesday. The citys payout is one of the largest ever. It follows a $4.85 million settlement in March to a bicyclist launched into the air by damaged sidewalk and a $7.6 million jury award to a man paralyzed in 2012 when a falling tree crushed his legs. Lawyers for the family had wanted to question Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who represented the area as a City Councilman and may have been aware of the allegedly dangerous intersection. Lawyers for the city argued Faulconer should not be questioned because he never directly handled complaints about the intersection from residents or others. The settlement eliminates the possibility of a trial and the mayor testifying. Shortly after the March 2015 crash that killed the infant and left her father with severe head trauma, residents living near the crosswalk launched a petition drive seeking closure of Canon Street from Catalina to Talbot Street in order to avoid preventable tragedies. The goal was to convert the unused section of road into a memorial community park for the infant, Juniper Aavang. Juniper and her parents had traveled from Illinois to visit relatives in Point Loma when they ventured out just before 6:30 a.m. on March 2, 2015. As her father, John Aavang, was pushing Juniper and the stroller through the crosswalk, a black Chevy Suburban driven by David Allen Hoban struck them both. Junipers mother, Ginevra Ryman-Aavang, was walking ahead of the stroller and wasnt hurt. Police said Hoban immediately stopped and tried to offer assistance. An analysis later found he was driving the speed limit and not at fault. Lawyers for the city filed court documents last year contending John Aavang was careless and negligent when pushing the stroller into the crosswalk. The city also filed a cross complaint against the Point Loma Woods Homeowners Association, contending the foliage in the area was not properly maintained. The $5.5 million in payouts beyond the citys contributions will come from insurance companies for Hoban, the homeowners association and nearby property owners John and Helia Reis. City documents dont specify how the $5.5 million will be divided among them. A spokesman for City Attorney Mara Elliott said at least $9.5 million of the $12.5 million city payout will be covered by the citys insurance company. The spokesman, Gerry Braun, said most of the settlement will be paid out in the form of annuities instead of lump sums. The attorneys for the Aavang family, Robert Ramparyan and George Kindley, will receive part of the settlement. Neither returned phone calls on Wednesday. david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick Oceanside police arrested a 22-year-old man who they said carjacked a woman and later led officers on a brief pursuit Wednesday night that ended when the stolen car crashed. The man ran from the wrecked sedan and hid in a nearby culvert, but a police dog led officers to him, Lt. Dan Sullivan said. The suspect, who at some point suffered a leg injury, was taken into custody without a struggle. The carjacking occurred about 10:15 p.m. on Lime Tree Way, a cul-de-sac off Los Arbolitos Drive. The victim told police she was sitting in her blue, four-door Honda Civic when a young man opened a door, pulled out a knife and told her to get out. Advertisement She complied, and he got in the car and drove away. An officer later spotted the Honda roughly three miles away, near Oceanside Boulevard and Crouch Street, Sullivan said. The officer called for back-up and followed the car onto state Route 78. When officers tried to pull over the driver, near Plaza Drive, he did not stop. Not long after, the driver exited the freeway, lost control of the car on a sharp curve and smashed into a fence near Emerald Drive, south of SR-78, Sullivan said. The driver then ditched the car and ran away. Officers led by a canine found the suspect lying in water in a nearby culvert, Sullivan said. A San Diego police helicopter crew and sheriffs deputies assisted in the search. The suspect was arrested and was taken to a hospital for treatment of a leg injury. He was expected to be booked into jail on suspicion of carjacking and evading police. Breaking News Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com Phone: (619) 293-1876 Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez The sister and boyfriend of a 15-year-old girl mutilated on a San Diego beach 39 years ago are hoping a fresh look by San Diego police will finally turn up Barbara Nantais killer. It was Aug. 13, 1978 when Barbara, a Long Beach sophomore, was found beaten and strangled on Torrey Pines State Beach where she had spent the night with her boyfriend, James Alt. Her nipple had been sliced off and her mouth was stuffed with wet sand. James, then 17, was beaten unconscious in his sleep. The next morning, he stumbled dazed and bloodied to a car where his friends were sleeping. Advertisement The case has been in the media spotlight off and on for years, but remains unsolved. On Wednesday, Lorraine Nantais Thall, Barbaras older sister, said the family was pleased to hear that Sgt. Michelle Velovich will be giving the case files a fresh look. Thall said shes told her story repeatedly to different detectives over the years. She also hopes detectives will interview family and friends of her sister who had not been questioned previously. A professional interrogator might be able to find a detail that just a regular conversation would miss. Personally, thats what Im hoping, she said. That by shaking that tree, maybe something will fall out. James Alt, who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder years after the attack, said he hopes forensic advancement or tips from the public will offer police new leads. He said every morning, before he opens his eyes, he thinks of that morning on the beach. I would hope that it jars somebodys memory, he said. That they heard something, they remember something they saw, something that all these years didnt make sense. Almost three years ago, San Diego police announced they had solved the case of another teenage girl found beaten, strangled and mutilated with a knife along the same stretch of beach six years after Nantais was killed. Investigators said DNA evidence linked two men to the 1984 killing of 14-year-old Claire Hough: violent criminal Ronald Clyde Tatro, who died in 2011 in an apparent boating accident, and Kevin Charles Brown, a San Diego police criminalist. He died in an apparent suicide shortly after police told him he was a suspect. Browns widow sued the department in 2015, accusing detectives of botching the case and driving her husband to suicide. The lawsuit claims cross-contamination at the police crime lab was the reason Kevin Browns semen showed up in a DNA test on a vaginal swab from Claires body. Brown worked in the crime lab for 20 years. His widow contends in the lawsuit, which is still pending in federal court, that it was common practice at the time for a lab worker to use his own semen and blood during testing of samples. Despite some similarities in the cases, no DNA evidence has been found that links the Nantais and Hough cases, said homicide Lt. Mike Holden. Police could retest evidence if it is warranted, he said. He urged anyone with any information about the case to get in touch with police. We may look at this and right now, theres nothing further that could be done. Im hoping not, but well see, he said. Well see what a fresh pair of eyes will do with that. Related stories: Ex-crime lab tech dies before cops close in Were teens mutilated by the same killer? A deadly night that has lasted 33 years karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com Police have identified a homeless man who was killed Wednesday when he was stabbed in the Southcrest neighborhood of San Diego. The man was fatally injured after an argument with another homeless man. The argument led to a fight and then a stabbing, police homicide Lt. Todd Griffin said. Officers found the man about 11:20 a.m. lying in a homeless encampment, under an Interstate 15 overpass off Newton Avenue near South 35th Street. He had been stabbed at least once in the upper chest. Advertisement He was taken by paramedics to a hospital, where he later died. He was identified Thursday as Roy Jack Bonilla, 44, of San Diego. Witnesses gave officers a description of the man who committed the stabbing and told them what direction hed gone, Griffin said. Officers found George Luis Gomez-Gana, 28, at a nearby park and he was arrested on suspicion of murder. karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com His 19-year-old estranged wife kissed him and let him fondle her, then shoved him away, insulted him and told him he couldnt see their daughter again. Thats when he lost it, Armando Gabriel Perez testified during his Superior Court trial. Accused of murdering Diana Gonzalez in a San Diego City College restroom in 2010, Perez told a prosecutor repeatedly Thursday that he didnt recall slashing Gonzalezs neck, chest, face and genitals or carving an expletive on her back. Advertisement I know it was me, but I dont remember doing that, Perez said, at times choking back tears as Deputy District Attorney Jessica Lees asked him about the bloody attack. Lees displayed close-up images of Gonzalezs wounds on a TV screen in the courtroom, telling Perez to look at the photos to refresh his memory. He glanced at them briefly before looking down, pausing and then answering in a soft voice. Perez, 44, does not deny that he stabbed his wife to death seven years ago on the night of Oct. 12. He says he didnt intend to kill her, but reacted blindly when she rebuffed his attempts to reconcile with her. Just before he was set to start trial on the case in 2014, representing himself, Perez pleaded guilty to premeditated murder with a special circumstance of lying in wait. He was sentenced to prison, but an appeals court ruled later that no one facing a sentence of life in prison without parole can plead guilty without advice from an attorney. His conviction was overturned and the case was sent back to the trial court, where it is being heard in front of Judge Frederic Link. Testimony in Perezs new trial began two weeks ago. A jury is to decide whether to acquit him or find him guilty of murder or a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. Defense lawyer Barton Sheela said he will argue that Perez acted in the heat of passion, with no planning. Perez, in testimony on Wednesday and Thursday, said he loved Gonzalez, hoped to get back together with her and couldnt stand the thought of being separated from their young daughter. San Diego police homicide investigators and prosecutors have laid out a very different picture of a violent man who beat Gonzalez on different occasions and, a month before her death, held her captive at a motel and raped her for three days. They allege Perez stalked Gonzalez to City College in downtown San Diego in violation of her restraining order and became enraged when he saw her kissing a man outside of her class. Perez testified that he watched them from several vantage points, then was so distraught he ran away. I remember feeling like, betrayed, Perez said. I remember seeing her in his arms. I was really sad. He said he stopped at a downtown store that sold knives, went inside, took a knife and ran back to the campus. He intended to confront the man, but ended up inside a restroom with Gonzalez. I said, Why are you doing this to me? Perez related. She said I was stupid for being there. He said then she kissed him, let him touch her, but then she pushed him away. She said, Youre not going to see your baby. I dont love you. I lost it. I remember I was crying. Then I see her on the floor and there was a whole bunch of blood everywhere. I lost my mind. I remember being, like, over her body. I didnt believe what I was looking at, he said. Prosecutors say he locked the door before attacking Gonzalez. Then, they allege, he washed his hands, tossed away the knife and his bloody shirt, caught a trolley south, then took a bus to his friends Chula Vista apartment. He stole his friends car and visited his daughter before heading for Mexico. He hid there for a year and a half until Mexican authorities arrested him at a Tijuana bar in 2012. Perez gave San Diego homicide detectives a detailed account of his actions leading up to the attack on his wife. Several witnesses at the college saw Perez on the campus before Gonzalezs body was found. Perezs shirt and the knife were found at the school. The jury is expected to begin deliberations Friday morning. A series of water main breaks caused major problems in Mission Valley Thursday, where a geyser shot high into the air along Interstate 8, opened a large sinkhole and forced the closure of all four eastbound traffic lanes. City of San Diego officials said the breaks may have been related, the result of a chain reaction of failures prompted by changes in water pressure. Water began flooding the freeway near Hotel Circle South around noon when a concrete water main that measured 8-inches in diameter burst. Advertisement At one point, water from the broken line gushed up to 25 feet in the air. Soon afterward, an 8-foot-wide hole formed on the freeway shoulder and in one of the traffic lanes, the California Highway Patrol said. Hundreds of motorists were left stranded on the freeway, stuck between Taylor Street and Interstate 5. They remained there for more than an hour until they could be diverted off the road, CHP Officer Jim Bettencourt said. By 1:20 p.m., officers were sending those drivers off the freeway, many of them exiting up the Taylor Street onramp. Water to the broken pipe was shut down around 2:30 p.m. CHP officers closed ramps to eastbound I-8 in both directions from Interstate 5 as well as the onramps to I-8 from Rosecrans and Morena Boulevard. Hotel Circle South also was closed. That caused traffic to back up on I-5, state Route 163 and other busy roadways as rush hour approached. By 6 p.m., Caltrans crews had evaluated the lanes closest to the median on eastbound I-8 and determined that the pavement was not damaged. They reopened two of the four lanes, as well as the onramps from I-5. City officials said there were breaks in four water mains Thursday, with the first one reported around 9:30 a.m. along Morena Boulevard near Savannah Street. Over the next few hours, two other mains on Morena also broke, including one at Frankfurt Street and one at Knoxville Street, said water spokesman Arian Collins. All three are part of one long pipeline, Collins said. The Morena Boulevard ones are definitely related. It is too much of a coincidence. We think the one at Hotel Circle may be as well. It may be that a pressure change caused a chain reaction. Collins explained that when crews were trying to shut off water at one of the earlier breaks, it may have caused a pressure change that triggered the main under the freeway to burst. The Hotel Circle pipe runs underneath I-8 and connects one side of Mission Valley to the other. Several hotels were reported without water after the break, Collins said. The pipe (under the freeway) itself may have been disintegrating already, we dont know for sure, he said. This will all be part of the investigation. For now, city water crews will focus on working on repairing the pipes and restoring service. We have every available crew member working right now, he said. They will be working through the night Most likely, it will be tomorrow before all four of them are repaired. Caltrans spokeswoman Cathryne Bruce-Johnson said state repair crews would begin their work after the city finishes repairs to its water main. Workers will be assessing the sinkhole and the condition of the freeway to determine what work is needed. The city crews will have to do their repairs before Caltrans maintenance crews can go in and determine the scope of the repairs that are needed for the highway, and then we can proceed with our part of the work, Bruce-Johnson said. She had no estimate as to when repairs would be finished or when all freeway lanes would be reopened. Staff writer David Hernandez contributed to this report. karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com UPDATES: 8:15:p.m.: This article was updated with additional details. The previous update was at 3:45 p.m. The aerospace workers who developed the Atlas rockets that helped defend the country during the Cold War and put Mercury astronauts into space are being honored by the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The workers are among eight groups, individuals and institutions who will be inducted into the museums International Air & Space Hall of Fame during a ceremony to be held in November. The Atlas program is an emotional touchstone locally. The program was based in San Diego for decades and helped establish the region as a mecca in science, engineering and defense. Advertisement Convair initially developed the Atlas as an intercontinental ballistic missile in the 1950s. It was used as an ICBM for a comparatively short period of time, but the missile represented a major step forward in rocket technology. The programs national profile soared further in the 1960s when Atlas boosters were used to place four Mercury astronauts into space, including John Glenn. General Dynamics eventually took over Convairs program. Collectively, the companies produced more than 500 Atlas rockets in San Diego, most which were used to launch satellites. The other inductees to the Hall of Fame include: CHRISTA McAULIFFE, the first person chosen for the Teacher-in-Space project. McAuliffe and her six crew mates were killed in 1986 when the space shuttle Challenger exploded during launch. JOHN HERRINGTON, a former NASA astronaut who became the first Native American to walk in space during a shuttle Endeavour mission in 2002. He spent nearly two weeks in space. JOHN J. MONTGOMERY, an American pilot and inventor who pioneered the development of controlled heavier-than-air machines. Montgomery did his work in gliders, including research flights in San Diego. He died in a glider crash in Northern California in 1911. San Diegos Montgomery Field bears his name. HUDSON DRAKE, a former aerospace and electronics executive who served as president of San Diegos Ryan Electronics and, later, Ryan Aeronautical Companies. The firm achieved worldwide fame for its innovation in manned aircraft, drones, and unmanned air vehicles. CHANCE VOUGHT, an American aviation pioneer and engineer. He founded a company that produced everything from a training plane that was used by the British in World War I to the Vought UO-1, the Navys first catapult launched aircraft. AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS, a global technical society that has advanced aerospace innovation for more than 80 years. EMBRY-RIDDLES GOLDEN EAGLES FLIGHT TEAM, which the museum describes as the winningest intercollegiate flight team of the last two decades. Source: San Diego Air & Space Museum Science Playlist On Now In a first, scientists rid human embryos of a potentially fatal gene mutation by editing their DNA On Now Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week 0:55 On Now UCSD's 'ghost drivers' begin testing people's reaction seemingly empty cars 1:29 On Now 10 interesting facts about Mars On Now Kids can add years to your life On Now LA 90: SpaceX launches recycled rocket On Now Big passions, big giving: Malin Burnham 2:30 On Now Big passions, big giving: Darlene Shiley 2:40 On Now Big passions, big giving: Joan and Irwin Jacobs 2:45 On Now Ocean temperatures warming at rapid rate, study finds Twitter: @grobbins gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com The late-session plan to restructure management of the California power grid skidded to a halt Wednesday in the wake of growing opposition from interest groups and a spate of negative publicity. While lobbyists and advocacy groups spent much of the week pressing for passage or defeat of the proposal long-backed by Gov. Jerry Brown, the lawmaker who introduced the bill withdrew his dual measures early in the afternoon. Assemblyman Chris Holden, D-Pasadena, said he was not abandoning the idea of restructuring the California Independent System Operator, or Cal-ISO, the nonprofit in charge of most of the state energy grid. Advertisement But there is still more to discuss, starting with the role of the Legislature in review of any proposed governance structure of a new ISO, said a statement from Holden, who added the nearly identical language to two different bills. We will continue our work on the issues over the fall and likely revisit it in the second half of this two-year session. The legislation would have created a process to begin transferring authority of the grid from Cal-ISO to a commission of elected officials or appointees that would then develop a governing plan to expand the grid to five Western states. The bills also were challenged by supporters of whats known as community choice aggregation, a power-buying program that allows cities and counties to purchase electricity in bulk from specific sources rather than relying on for-profit utilities. Both Cal-ISO and Gov. Brown said the expansion would benefit consumers and allow utilities to market excess solar power to other states and to import cheaper wind energy into California. The goal of regionalizing the grid is to lower consumer costs and greenhouse gas emissions and improve electricity reliability and renewable energy development, Brown spokesman Evan Westrup said. This proposal is the product of years of discussion and input from all parties. The Governors Office did not respond to questions about Holdens decision to withdraw the amendments, saying the assemblymans statement speaks for itself. Critics worried that expanding the grid outside state lines would undermine Californias ability to regulate which sources of electricity are bought and sold within its borders. Cal-ISO board members are appointed by the governor, who answers to voters. Expanding the network to other states could jeopardize state control of the network and leave oversight to the less environmentally conscious Trump administration, according to critics. Opponents also complained that, much like last year, lawmakers were asked to approve the expansion without a rigorous debate or even formal hearings. Holden introduced his amendments late last week with almost no public notice. This is a real victory for consumers of the state and the environment, said Jamie Court of the Consumer Watchdog advocacy group. This deregulation scheme would not hold up in the light of day. Were happy to have this debate next year, when there is sunshine on the proposal. The amendments generated a groundswell of opposition beginning Monday morning, after The San Diego Union-Tribune and other news organizations reported that the grid-expansion effort had quietly resurfaced. Numerous interest groups organized to fight the proposal, urging members to contact lawmakers and register their disapproval. Meanwhile, newspaper editorial pages up and down the state urged lawmakers not to pursue the changes without a more thorough public discourse. Bad policy and bad tactics defeated the plan to surrender Californias electricity grid system to private corporate control, said former San Diego City Attorney Michael Aguirre. Control of our grid remains where it should be: in the hands of the people of California. Ralph Cavanagh, co-director of the Natural Resources Defense Councils energy program, said he and other supporters would continue to pursue the regionalized grid concept. We need a fully integrated Western grid to avoid throwing away Californias pollution-free solar and wind generation, he said. Fortunately, we are only halfway through a two-year legislature session, and we wont pause in our efforts to make progress. The failure of the regionalization effort leaves open the question of what will happen with Senate Bill 100, which calls for California to generate 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2045. The bill is among the top legislative priorities for Senate President Kevin De Leon, but has nonetheless stalled in the statehouse. Matt Freedman of the Utility Reform Network consumer group blamed Holden for the log jam. It is deeply disappointing that Assembly Member Holden has decided to hold SB 100 hostage unless and until the governors poorly constructed grid regionalization plan receives legislative approval, he said. There is no reason to tie these two efforts together other than to create political leverage that is almost certain to result in a bad deal for California consumer and the environment. The withdrawal Wednesday represents the second straight year that Brown failed to win legislative approval for the grid expansion plan. In August 2016, the governor withdrew the measure in the face of rising skepticism by leaders in the Senate and Assembly. Leaders in both chambers had sent Brown a list of questions early in 2016 but never received a written response to their concerns about the impacts of the plan. The regionalization effort would have wedded the nonprofit Cal-ISO with PacifiCorp, a for-profit utility based in Oregon that serves millions of customers in multiple states. PacifiCorp is owned by Berkshire Hathaway, the holding company controlled by billionaire investor Warren Buffett. The utility generates two-thirds of its electricity from coal and other fossil fuels, raising questions about whether California could require PacifiCorp to limit imports to renewable power. Watchdog Videos On Now Sexual misconduct accusers worry deputy is being protected 6:16 On Now City funded $2-million waterfront bathroom 1:26 On Now Public water district charges customer for legal work, response to records request On Now Video: Tiny homes won't be reused amid housing, homeless crisis On Now Attorney General seeks documentation for Miss Middle East On Now Rep. Hunter probe covers possible fraud On Now Video: SDG&E delaying solar credit for some low-income housing tenants On Now Video: Former San Diego Junior Theatre teacher sentenced for sex with teen girl 0:24 On Now Video: Shelter volunteers believe they were fired for finding a dog a home 0:49 On Now McKamey Manor is leaving San Diego 3:35 jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald In June, local businessmen Dan Shea and Peter Seidler suggested San Diego could offer emergency housing and social services to hundreds or even thousands of its homeless residents for just $17 a day per person, using massive tents. In July, they said theyd raised money for two tents. In August, the death toll from a Hepatitis A outbreak plaguing the citys homeless population was 15. Its now 16. In less than a year, San Diego has had 421 Hepatitis A cases, a sixth what the entire U.S. had in 2014. Finally, Wednesday, Mayor Kevin Faulconer announced he would accept the business leaders $1.5 million and erect three tents, maybe more, each capable of sheltering and keeping safe 100 to 250 of San Diegos thousands of unsheltered. The first may open by December. Government is often lambasted for moving at a snails pace, but this is glacial. Advertisement In an interview with an editorial writer, Faulconer said city officials explored the possibility of indoor shelters for months leading up to Tuesdays announcement. But couldnt the options have been pursued simultaneously? Instead, San Diegans have a well-meaning mayor discussing a half-baked plan. He has three sites but no idea how much this will cost, how many tents the city may require, when the first might open or even where the first will be. The lack of details and urgency would be laughable if the outbreak wasnt so deadly serious. Related: Faulconer just drove home the seriousness of homelessness How Faulconer handles homeless in 2017 a big question Hepatitis A outbreak needs broad response Hepatitis A scare: shame on city, county of San Diego Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion Please let Dan Albee (We should not settle for littered roadways, Sept. 8) know that he is not alone in his concerns. As an 81-year-old native, I too have noticed the growth of weeds and trash along our streets and highways. I wonder why the bureaucrats and public servants we elect cannot create an outside-the-box program that will erase these eyesores. Surely there is a way to get around the mandates that have been enacted that disallow the hiring of anyone, other than union members, to clean up our municipalities. Issue trash bags to the willing and ask them to be filled with pulled up weeds and other trash. Perhaps service organizations and/or schools could support the effort. Advertisement Sharon M. Floyd Chula Vista I was glad to see Dan Albees letter in the paper about the litter problems we have in our county. What is wrong with Caltrans? And why are there no anti-litter public educational notices, not even on TV where its most effective? I have notified Caltrans a few times about bad areas. I think maybe once they cleaned it up. A week later all the trash was back. This trash is coming mostly from people, lazy or thoughtless or clueless. Our parks have the same problem. If anyone agrees, please make some noise, email Caltrans and your county representatives. And people, please take responsibility for your trash. Lisa Hutter Santee I agree wholeheartedly with Dan Albee (We should not settle for littered roadways, Sept. 8). Ive contacted mayors and City Council members about this in years past. Ive lived in San Diego County since 1972 and have seen this situation deteriorate to this pathetic level over time. Its heartbreaking and totally unnecessary; there could be solutions involving law enforcement, community service and education. While it is local governments responsibility to assure our roadways are clean, its also true that each piece of litter represents an individual choice. I drive twice a week from Del Mar to Hillcrest and I see an astounding amount of litter on freeways, ramps and streets, and in canyons and parks as well. Recently I drove 500 miles from Ohio to Michigan and saw virtually no roadway trash. I see more in 15 minutes here than I did on my seven-hour drive in the Midwest. Mary Lee Moser Del Mar Oceanside should take care of pier, sidewalks I grew up in Oceanside, and even though I now live in San Marcos, I have always felt Oceanside was my home. The other day I went for a walk through my hometown. I was appalled by all the dried gum on the sidewalks, and on to the pier I had to watch my step and be careful not to trip on the protruding nails emerging from the baseboards (an inevitable lawsuit) and scores of trash that was highly visible. To the dismay of the hundreds of residents who paid $25 to etch their name on the rails, they need to be re-etched. The Oceanside Beach and Pier are strong draws for residents and tourists. You might say my concerns are small, but small improvements lead to big ones. Rodney Miller San Marcos Letters and commentary policy The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below. Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook. The idea of enhanced human beings has fascinated people for thousands of years. Joseph Campbells famous 1949 work, The Hero With a Thousand Faces, detailed how different cultures all told mythic stories of someone overcoming obstacles and bringing rewards home to family and community. Just as common a cross-cultural myth involves enhanced humans specifically, humans hybridized with animal characteristics. In Greek mythology, Pan, a human/goat, is a deity. In Japanese folklore, a kitsune is a revered magical fox that can shape-shift into human form when it grows old. Now human-animal hybrids are, incredibly, a real thing. In January, the Salk Institute in La Jolla made worldwide headlines when it reported that by introducing human cells into pig embryos, it had created what National Geographic called the first successful human-animal hybrids. Its hoped that these modified pigs will grow human-compatible organs that can be used as replacements in humans, reducing chronic organ shortages. But what about human enhancement for those of us who want more than plentiful pig parts? Given the success of superhero movies, this is obviously something that fascinates plenty of people now. Can we get in on the action or are we out of luck? Advertisement We are not. We can get in on the action, at least when the tech is readily available to allow us to modify our own genes. While most of the attention devoted to the revolutionary CRISPR gene editing tool in recent years has focused on its potential in genetically engineering new and improved life forms, it can also be used with existing life forms. Eleven months ago, CRISPR was used for the first time or at least for the first publicly revealed time on a human being. The English scientific journal Nature has the details: A Chinese group has become the first to inject a person with cells that contain genes edited using the revolutionary CRISPR-Cas9 technique. On 28 October, a team led by oncologist Lu You at Sichuan University in Chengdu delivered the modified cells into a patient with aggressive lung cancer as part of a clinical trial at the West China Hospital, also in Chengdu. Scientists in the U.S. are developing similar techniques. But what about enhancement as opposed to just fighting disease? Thats on the horizon as well. The aha moment that many scientists have the realization that gene editing can be used not just to repair biological flaws but in god-like fashion to engineer improved biological performance is now a given. This is one reason why futurists already see a day in which humans amputate limbs or other body parts in favor of the latest human-made replacement models. Heres how Nexeon MedSystems CEO Will Rossellini described this prospect to Real Clear Science: Our bodies are going to look more like cars in the future, where we are making parts that will fit into anybodys system, where we are upgrading parts the way we upgrade a cell phone. Meanwhile, the ultimate cell phone upgrade looms. Brain-computer interfaces are just around the corner, genius inventor Elon Musk believes. Heres what he told a Vanity Fair interviewer in February: Were already cyborgs. Your phone and your computer are extensions of you, but the interface is through finger movements or speech, which are very slow. With a neural lace inside your skull you would flash data from your brain, wirelessly, to your digital devices or to virtually unlimited computing power in the cloud. For a meaningful partial-brain interface, I think were roughly four or five years away. So before long, could readily available tech make us all as informed as Watson, the IBM computer program that hammers the worlds best chess players, among thousands of other capabilities? Maybe. But what if humans didnt just have neural access to vast amounts of information but were enhanced to be smarter as well? Thats whats envisioned by Bryan Johnson, the founder and CEO of neuroscience startup Kernel. Earlier this year in The Verge, Johnson said that research into how to stop neurodegenerative disease should be extended into figuring out how to improve neurological functioning. We know if we put a chip in the brain and release electrical signals, that we can ameliorate symptoms of Parkinsons. This has been done for spinal cord pain, obesity, anorexia what hasnt been done is the reading and writing of neural code. No one suggests such a brain implant is on the horizon. But Johnson has bet $100 million of his own money on the staggering potential of such implants. If hes right, watch out, especially if the technology is not that expensive. If so, we might see an Earth like the one envisioned in Poul Andersons 1954 science-fiction classic Brain Wave, in which an atmospheric phenomenon that had tamped down intelligence in animal life forms ends and society begins to collapse when suddenly very smart people consider menial jobs beneath them. But if all this sounds too much on the far-off side to take seriously something youd never suppose could be real just might be can I interest you in the option of supersight? After a procedure that is as painless and gentle as cataract surgery and takes all of eight minutes? Dr. Garth Webb, an eye surgeon from British Columbia, has developed an artificial lens that can give people 20/0 eyesight meaning they could read a book from 20 feet away. As technology and such techniques as bio printing keep getting better and better, such human enhancements may eventually seem routine accepted by most folks as just a high-tech version of plastic surgery. But there is also a chance that human enhancement will devolve into a Wild West free for all because the geopolitical stakes are too high. This explains why in 2015 the Pentagon announced it had begun its Enhanced Human Operations program, which is expected to use all the tools described above and probably quite a few that we dont know about. With archrival China undertaking a heavily funded similar program as well as engaging in unprecedented human genetic engineering the U.S. government has a primal reason (survival) to shift to anything-goes mode. And so as dazzling as the rate of change has seemed with technology this century, it eventually may be dwarfed by the rate of change we see in ourselves and other humans. Be terrified, be fascinated, be appalled or be skeptical but most of all be ready. If sophisticated human enhancement is crucial to dominating the 21st century as the worlds greatest powers have concluded its coming. Reed, who wishes he had the superpower to flatten the tires of drivers who dont use their turn signals, can be reached at chris.reed@sduniontribune.com. Twitter: @chrisreed99 Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion Conservative pundit Ben Shapiro will speak on the campus of University California Berkeley Thursday night, and officials are preparing for potential protests, given recent political conflagrations on campus and the universitys history as ground zero for fierce debates over free speech. One example? Police are being allowed to use pepper spray for the first time in two decades, if need be. The Young America Foundation (YAF) is sponsoring the event and paying for some security and the Berkeley College Republicans are hosting it. Heres what else you need to know about the speech making headlines this week. Who is Ben Shapiro? Ben Shapiro is a conservative commentator, the editor-in-chief of DailyWire.com and host of the popular The Ben Shapiro Show podcast. He is 33 and a former editor-at-large with Breitbart. According to his bio on The Daily Wire, the purpose of his frequent campus speeches are an effort to address the issue of the lefts ideological stranglehold on academia. Heres a bit of what hes said about the event and the possible protesting to come. What are the details of the event? Shapiro is appearing at Zellerbach Hall on Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are sold out. YAF is using #BenAtBerkeley to share information about the event on social media. How is the campus preparing? UC Berkeley outlined the security measures it will be taking to ensure the peaceful expression of free speech in a letter to the university community on Wednesday. Those measures include erecting a closed perimeter around the event and only allowing ticket holders entry beyond the boundary. Several buildings around the event will be closed as well. Students, faculty and staff have also been asked to avoid certain areas if possible. Read the full letter outlining safety measures being taken here. How is the city of Berkeley preparing? The Berkeley city managers office on Wednesday released advice for city residents on how to stay safe. If you are at a demonstration and you see violence, separate yourself, the letter says. Keep a distance from violence. If you can do so safely, report it to police. The city manager also advises residents to not get baited by provocateurs, noting that the overwhelming majority of people at such gatherings typically come with a peaceful purpose. The best way to deny them the attention they seek is to not engage and avoid such events entirely. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been spent on security, according to the Los Angeles Times, and police now can use pepper spray on protesters after a 20-year-old ban was lifted by the City Council this week. So what can you expect to see? Shapiros speech is garnering national attention, with The Washington Post describing UC Berkeley as once again bracing for chaos. The university is so well known for protests that the Berkeley Police Department has a Protest 101 guide on its website. Even President Donald Trump s son is weighing on the event after the Los Angeles Times referred to Berkeley as bracing for the speech. Heres a look at the campus ahead of the Shapiros appearance, and his response to whats being seen. Why so much talk about free speech? The chaos surrounding the speech of controversial conservative commentator Milo Yiannopoulos at Berkeley earlier this year raises questions about the universitys ability to facilitate such talks. The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board has twice editorialized on the issue, writing in February that Freedom of speech should apply to Milo Yiannopoulous, too, and writing last month that UC Berkeley was right to rebuff fearful mayor and proceed with speech. UC Berkeleys new chancellor, Carol T. Christ says shes an advocate for speeches like Shapiros as she takes on the universitys roll in the free speech debate. I believe very strongly in Ben Shapiros right to speak on campus, Christ said on Wednesday. I dont agree with Ben Shapiro; in fact I profoundly disagree with him. But I believe he was legitimately invited by a student group and that he has the right to speak. Its a really troubling situation. Berkeley Free Speech Week is set to begin on Sept. 24 and bring with it Yiannopoulos and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, so Shapiros speech is being seen as a test for the university and city of Berkeley. Email: abby.hamblin@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @abbyhamblin A large sinkhole opened on the right-hand shoulder of east Interstate 8 near San Diego State University Thursday, snarling traffic for miles as crews worked to repair the pit. The hole, estimated to be 20 feet by 30 feet, and 20 feet deep, formed between College Avenue and Waring Road in College Area about 10:10 a.m., CHP Officer Tommy Doerr said. Lanes closest to the sinkhole first three lanes, then two were closed in case the cavity was widening underneath the freeway, said Edward Cartagena, a Caltrans spokesman. Crews later determined the space had spread about two feet under the right-most lane. Advertisement Its still unclear what caused it. A Caltrans geologist will analyze the hole and the surrounding area to try to figure that out, Cartagena said. An irrigation pipe that was exposed when the sinkhole formed was not in use. The two closed lanes will remain so into Friday afternoon while workers fill the hole and repave the interstate. The eastbound Waring Road on-ramp will also be closed. Signs on surrounding freeways warned motorists of the impending traffic. SDSUs Spring semester began Tuesday. The Metropolitan Transit System offered overnight parking at Qualcomm Stadium so commuters could park their vehicles and take the trolley home instead. The stadium is served by the Green Line, which connects to other trolley lines in La Mesa, El Cajon and downtown San Diego. Trains arrive every 15 minutes. Stadium officials asked motorists to park under or adjacent to the trolley station, which is on the south side of the parking lot. The stadium is closed to all traffic between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. The Republican Party was in shock on September 14, 1901; not only was President McKinley dead, but his unpredictable young vice president was taking his place. Weekly Newsletter The best of The Saturday Evening Post in your inbox! Join The Republican Party was in shock on September 14, 1901; not only was President McKinley dead, but his unpredictable young vice president was taking his place. Somebody had to stop Theodore Roosevelt. The charismatic young politician had risen quickly in the Republican party, from New York police commissioner, to assistant secretary of the Navy, to colonel of the Rough Riders in Cuba. Subscribe and get unlimited access to our online magazine archive. Subscribe Today Returning from Cuba, he was asked to run in the 1898 governors race for New York. The Republican establishment really didnt want Roosevelt, but it was either run him or lose the governorship. After he won, Roosevelt proved to be as troublesome as they expected, advocating corporate taxes, attacking monopolies, regulating railroads, going after political corruption, and promoting civil-service reform and conservation of natural resources all while generally ignoring the wishes of Republican party officials. New Yorks Republicans wanted him out of the state. They pushed him on to Washington, positioning him to be William McKinleys vice president. He won the nomination unanimously and helped McKinley win the 1900 presidential election in a landslide. For six months, he chafed in the powerless role. Then, on September 6, 1901, President McKinley was assassinated. The country was shocked, especially the Republican old guard. The news prompted the national head of the Republican party to say, Now look, that damned cowboy is president of the United States. But young Republicans were delighted. Theodore Roosevelt had been one of the most outspoken proponents of the kind of progressive reform they wanted. Owen Wister, an aspiring author and an old friend of Roosevelts, thought America needed a proper introduction to the new president. In his article for the Post, Theodore Roosevelt, Harvard 80, he presented the Theodore Roosevelt he knew a man he clearly idolized. Wister first met Roosevelt when they both attended Harvard. Wister was undergoing an initiation into the Porcellian Club, one of the private clubs for upperclassmen. He doesnt seem embarrassed at all to recount in his article what must have been a humiliating hazing; he only recounts how much fun Roosevelt seemed to bring to the event. Wister acknowledged Americans anxiety about Roosevelts youth and his cowboy reputation. But the new presidents love of the outdoors didnt make him a cowboy, he wrote, any more than working in New York politics turned him into a saloon politician. Wisters style is consistent with his era: florid, a little windy, and as stiff as the high, starched collars that men wore at that time. But his article is interesting for its attention to Roosevelts privileged background. He seems almost to apologize for Roosevelts upper-class background and education. But then, he was writing in an age when the wealthy patricians simply avoided politics. I have seen too many gentlemen who thought themselves too good to go into politics. I count among my acquaintances strong, healthy, well dressed, educated men, who would rather sit on the decks of yachts, or drink champagne in London and Paris, than lift a finger for their country. No other country has so many people having both the leisure and the equipment to be of use in the Commonwealth who yet frivolously wash their hands of all concern in their countrys welfare. Wister hoped Roosevelt might encourage other aristocrats to help manage the Ship of State. As he sits in the White House, let all young college boys think of him as the most wholesome example they have ever seen in their lives. Wister neednt have worried about the countrys regard of Theodore Roosevelt. When he ran for the office of president in 1904, he won by a landslide, carrying 32 of 45 states. The only states he didnt win were in the old South, which would never vote Republican no matter how talented and well educated he was. Featured image: Portrait of Theodore Roosevelt by Edward Penfield from the March 4, 1905 issue of the Post. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/14/2017 -- The Future of the Philippines Solar PV Market Economy, Power Outlook, Capacity, Consumption, Levelized Cost of Energy, Investment Opportunities, Regulations and Company Profiles and Forecasts to 2030 published by Techsila. This report mainly introduces volume and value market share by players, by regions, by product type, by consumers and also their price change details. 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To order report Call Toll Free: 866-997-4948 or send an email on sales@marketresearchreports.biz We are gathering information for the 2022 general election. On desktop, click "election information" on the right side of this pag... . To do so, first type the original number into the text box. Then click on the "Scientific Notation" option located at the top of the floating window. Finally, click on the "Standard" button found beneath the text box to display your result. This program is useful for scientists and engineers working with decimal-based numbers. It provides easy access to those who need to convert those numbers into more compact forms without having to do heavy math calculations first. Scientific notation is a way to express very large or very small numbers. It is used in physics, chemistry and other fields where large numbers are common. Those numbers are written as a power of 10 followed by a number with an exponent. For example, 1,000,000 (one million) is written as 1 103. The exponent shows how many zeros are after the first digit. For example, 1,000,001 is written as 1 102. Scientific notation is a useful tool for making calculations easier. You can use it to write down very big or very small numbers in one step instead of writing out both the large and small numbers separately. You can also use it to express large or small numbers in terms of other units like centimeters or millimeters. Scientific notation solver is an online tool that can be used to convert any number into scientific notation. Simply enter any number to the left of the decimal point and it will automatically convert it into a scientific notation equivalent. This web tool can be very helpful when you need to convert a large number into scientific notation. However, please note that this online tool can only convert numbers that are in scientific format. For example, it cannot convert a non-scientific number like "1,085" into a scientific notation equivalent. It is also important to keep in mind that this web tool only works when converting numbers from one particular format to another. For example, if you want to change a non-scientific number like "1,085" into standard format, then you will have to use another online tool like NumberFormatting.com. The Port of Palm Beach was cleared to resume ship operations Wednesday and the line's Grand Celebration can return to port. Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line is expected to resume normal revenue operations with its two-night Bahamas cruise on Saturday. Due to the dire situations people are facing post-hurricane, Bahamas Paradise has decided to keep the ship docked through Saturday morning at the Port of Palm Beach. On Thursday and Friday, the line is opening its doors to individuals and families who have experienced hardship as a result of the hurricane, including damage to their homes and a loss of power. The ship will offer cabin accommodations, meals and on-board services. 'As we all work through issues related to the storm, we wanted to offer our ship to local residents to provide some relief in this time of need now that were able to return to port,' said Oneil Khosa, CEO of the cruise line. 'We very much feel part of the community and want to lend a hand.' There is a modest, all-in fee of $39 per person per night for on-board accommodations and meals. First responders are being offered free hot meals. Anyone interested in taking advantage of the overnight stay program should call 800-611-4242 to reserve a cabin or stop by the cruise terminal check-in desks at the Port of Palm Beach. Following a complaint to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) by the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) over discrepancies in pay an Australian surveyor found the ship was operating two sets of accounts onboard. One set of accounts showed the amount of pay the crew should have been receiving in line with their Seafarer Employment Agreements and the other showed what the crew were actually receiving, AMSA said. A comparison of the accounts showed the crew were being unpaid by more than $17,000 per month with records of this going back until April. The Panama-flagged DL Carnation is managed by Korean firm Daelim Corp. The vessel was detained under the MLC until confirmation on 14 September the crew had been the outstanding wages, and AMSA barred the vessel from entering Australian ports for a year. By maintaining multiple accounts of wages it demonstrates a knowledge and intent to not only withhold wages but to also actively deceive authorities, said AMSAs general manager of operations, Allan Schwartz. This is completely unacceptable behaviour and will not be tolerated in Australia. Press Release September 14, 2017 Sen. Leila M. de Lima's Statement on call to expel Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV Dispatch from Crame No. 160 Our democracy is under attack. The looming impeachment of the Chief Justice, the threats to impeach the Ombudsman, the allotment of P1,000 budget for the CHR by the House of Representatives, the plot to file cases against Senator Risa Hontiveros, the threat to file charges against Bishop Ambo David, the removal from Senate protective custody of witnesses who dare bring up allegations of misdeeds against the First Family, the efforts to remove elected officials, including barangay officials to be replaced by presidential appointment - are all acts by which the pillars of our democracy are being toppled over and stomped into the ground. With every passing day, more and more blows are being struck against our democratic way of life. That these developments seem to be accelerating lately should come as no surprise: not after a huge shipment of shabu from China was discovered. Not after revelations of the possible smuggling and illegal drug trade links of members of the First Family have emerged. Those who want to obscure and bury the truth have to act, and they have to act FAST. I, therefore, cannot help situate the efforts to expel Senator Trillanes in this context. How did this row start in the first place? When Sen. Trillanes moved to have the First Son and Son-in-Law to appear before the Senate to answer questions regarding their alleged involvement in the shabu shipment. What objectionable actions did Sen. Trillanes make, except to give voice to his observations as a member of the Senate and a representative of the Filipino people, i.e., that the refusal to even summon members of the First Family, who have been implicated by the testimony of a witness, is inconsistent with the Blue Ribbon Committee's mandate. If that is unparliamentary conduct, then I guess some people's conception of parliamentary conduct involves deference to interests other than the truth. That Sen. Gordon should not only seek to have Sen. Trillanes be punished, but in fact expelled, should be enough to show what is really at stake. If Sen. Gordon's own cited precedents show that the act of a Senator of assaulting a colleague only merited suspension, why the extreme measure? Is his ego so fragile that bruising it merits the kind of retribution that wasn't even warranted when another Senator's very person was physically assaulted? The truth is this: Sen. Trillanes's expulsion is not about punishing so-called "unparliamentary conduct", but about silencing dissent. If a Senator is going to be expelled for uttering his observations as to the implications of a Senate Committee's refusal to act - what kind of Senate are we even talking about? Ironically, Sen. Gordon himself got it right. What we will have is a mob. Mob rule: where the majority can silence the voice of dissent, the voice of the minority; and, with it, can drive another nail into the coffin of our democracy. The day the Senate expels a Senator for alleged acts that are not only in relation to the discharge of his duty as a member of the Senate, but whose purported gravity, in any case, comes nowhere near the gravity of other acts that have merited lesser penalty, is the day that the Senate becomes a mob. That will also be the day when thousands of cases of EJKs would no longer be our biggest concern. Imagine that: rampant, systematic cold-blooded murders being perpetrated against our own people - even victimizing our children - would no longer be the most chilling problem we now face. Because even such heinous crimes pale before the prospect of the murder of our democracy. If thousands of people are dying today, imagine how many more will die without even the semblance of democracy? It might be Kian, Carl, "Kulot" and thousand others yesterday; but it could be any one of you, your children, and your loved ones tomorrow. Without the CHR, without an independent Ombudsman, Judiciary and Legislature - who will protect you? Town hall: Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael, holds a town hall at 7 p.m. Friday at West Marin School Community Gym, 11550 Shoreline Highway, Point Reyes Station. Information: http://bit.ly/2vpinSI Cap-and-trade forum: Oil-industry experts and activists in the climate and environmental justice movement will explain Californias cap-and-trade law and its recently approved extension. Hosted by Sunflower Alliance and 350 Bay Area. Event runs 6:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday at 155 Grand Ave. in Oakland. Information: www.sunflower-alliance.org/the-cap-and-trade-scam-sept-17 Maxine Hong Kingston: The author in conversation with KPFA-FMs Kate Raphael on her career, immigration and activism. The free event is from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Ed Roberts Campus, 3075 Adeline St. in Berkeley. Information: http://wilpfeastbay.org/blog Indivisible East Bay: Monthly meeting for members and newcomers interested in opposing President Trumps agenda. Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Oakland Main Library auditorium, 125 14th St. Free tickets at www.eventbrite.com. Information: www.indivisibleeb.org Improving cities: Dan Doctoroff, former New York deputy mayor for economic development, discusses his Sidewalk Labs company and ways to improve urban life. The event, hosted by SPUR, is at 6 p.m. Monday at 654 Mission St., San Francisco. Admission is $10 for nonmembers. Information: http://bit.ly/2xROsoA Iraq after Islamic State: Peter Bartu, expert on Middle East political transitions, discusses the future of post-Islamic State Iraq in a forum sponsored by the World Affairs Council. Event is from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at 312 Sutter St., Suite 200, San Francisco. $20 for nonmembers, $7 for students. Information: http://bit.ly/2vSZFYO Peace in the Park: Features speakers, live music, poetry, visual artists, tai chi, hatha yoga and meditation experiences where individuals can explore a variety of ways to unplug, unwind, tune in and connect in peace. Free, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park. Information: https://peaceintheparksf.org No-hate march: No Hate in the Bay march, protesting fascists, the alt-right and all white supremacists. Sponsors include the National Lawyers Guild and the Anti Police Terror Project. March starts at noon Sept. 23 at 63rd and Adeline streets in Berkeley. Information: http://bit.ly/2ffI5E8 Indivisible Marin: Mill Valley Mayor and human rights attorney Jessica Jackson Sloan discusses criminal justice reform in California and nationally. Indivisible Marins meeting is from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin, 240 Channing Way in San Rafael. Information: http://bit.ly/2gZc9Ue. Town hall: Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, R-San Ramon, holds a town hall meeting at the Orinda Library auditorium, 26 Orinda Way, Orinda, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25. Politics and media: Longtime San Francisco journalist Tim Redmond discusses media coverage and the Trump administration. Event begins at 2 p.m. Oct. 7 in the Richmond Meeting Room of the Sen. Milton Marks Branch Library, 351 Ninth Ave. in San Francisco. Information: http://bit.ly/2wJub72 Black Panther history: Joshua Bloom and Waldo E. Martin Jr., authors of Black Against Empire: The History and Politics of the Black Panther Party, discuss their book at the San Francisco Main Librarys Koret Auditorium at 1 p.m. Oct. 29. Information about this event and others noting the books selection in the One City One Book program: http://bit.ly/2eTr1mz To list an event, email Trapper Byrne at tbyrne@sfchronicle.com. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In an effort to appease a flurry of complaints, the citys new permit program for private transit vehicles, like Chariot, will focus on keeping the passenger vans out of Muni bus lanes and crosswalks, and from replicating existing transit routes. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agencys Board of Directors will consider the new program at its meeting Tuesday. It is expected to cost $250,000 for the agency to enforce the new regulations. Of that, $240,000 the fee required for fleets of 151 or more vehicles is expected to come from Chariot, the only major private transit company operating in San Francisco. This is a global program, said Kate Toran, director of SFMTAs Taxis and Accessible Services Division. Though Chariot is the only player on the market now, we developed the program to make sense as an overall framework. The decision comes after dozens of complaints have poured into the agency about Chariot vehicles double-parking in active driving lanes, blocking driveways and idling in Muni zones. The SFMTA received 62 public complaints through email or 311 since September 2015, and another 28 have been lodged this year. Most of the gripes have come from residents in the Richmond, the Marina, the Financial District, the Mission District and Noe Valley. ALSO Renaming Sharon Meadow after Robin Williams gets official support The citys former program regulating jitneys was repealed in 2011. Under the new Private Transit Vehicles Permit Program, companies like Chariot would be required to gather data to show how their service fits into San Franciscos existing transportation grid. The new regulations will allow the city to set its own rules and levy fees to violators. Erin Simpson, a spokeswoman for the company, said Chariot has been collaborating with the city agency. We have been engaged in collaborative discussions with the SFMTA for several months and continue to review proposed regulations as part of this process, Simpson said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Chariot has been the only private transportation company to operate in San Francisco since 2014. It carries about 3,000 to 4,000 commuters across the city daily. Its main routes stretch from the Outer Richmond to the Haight-Ashbury, the Mission and the Marina. While existing routes will be grandfathered in, any new drives that parallel a Muni express route by more than 75 percent will not receive approval. Its a unique situation where someone has been operating for a few years and is popular with riders, said Alex Jonlin, a transportation analyst with the SFMTA. We arent compromising on our key goals. But we dont want to take away existing routes that might keep people off the road. The existing routes just arent always safe, so they will need to change. Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Ben Shapiro, a conservative speaker headed to UC Berkeley on Thursday evening, hasnt mocked feminists, as right-wing performer Milo Yiannopoulos has done. He hasnt boasted of being a mean-spirited bigot, as far-right author Ann Coulter has done. And, unlike Steve Bannon, ex-adviser to President Trump, Shapiro doesnt even like the president. Yet the Harvard Law School graduate, author and political commentator has drawn unprecedented security measures at UC Berkeley for his sold-out speech at the campus many-windowed Zellerbach Hall, and Berkeley city police have received permission from the City Council to use pepper spray on any violent protesters who show up. These defense measures around a standard-issue conservative whose idea of provocative is to call California a nut-job leftist state spotlight this question: How left must a speaker be to avoid causing a riot in Berkeley? At a cost of at least $1.5 million, law enforcement from Berkeley, the university and surrounding cities have policed five rallies and demonstrations since Feb. 1, when masked left-wing anarchists rushed into UC Berkeleys Sproul Plaza, smashed windows and started fires, and forced the cancellation of an anti-immigration talk by Yiannopoulos. There is no counterprotest planned for Ben Shapiro, said Meleiza Figueroa, a doctoral student at UC Berkeley whose protest cred dates back to the Occupy movement in 2011, when campus police struck her in the ribs with a nightstick as she linked arms with peaceful students hoping to set up tents. Still, black bloc protesters, who have most often clashed with pro-Trump demonstrators this year, dont always check in with students before striking. And the left-wing group By Any Means Necessary which has been active in several clashes with the right, including the peaceful anti-Yiannopoulos protest that preceded the campus riot on Feb. 1 did not respond to several requests for comment about plans for the Shapiro talk. As a security measure, UC Berkeley is closing off balcony seats at Zellerbach and allowed sales of only half the tickets. Thats still 1,000 seats, and Shapiro tweeted that those tickets sold out within 45 minutes. Shapiro, 33, graduated from Harvard Law School in 2007, and from UCLA in 2004. Hes the author of about a dozen books, most of them condemning the political left and accusing universities of indoctrinating youth. The title of his speech on Thursday, Say No to Campus Thuggery, refers to his view that colleges quash conservative perspectives and keep students in a liberal bubble. He edits the Daily Wire, a conservative blog, and hosts the online Ben Shapiro Show, where hes called women who have abortions baby killers and said that a man and a woman do a better job of raising a child than two men or two women. During a recent debate with progressive commentator Cenk Uygur, Shapiro criticized Medicare for all, impugned Keynesian economics, and declared himself wildly disappointed with the Republican Party. Theres a misconception on campus that we seek to invite provocateurs. Its not true, said senior Naweed Tahmas, of the Berkeley College Republicans, the student group that invited Shapiro. Meanwhile, Yiannopoulos, Coulter, Bannon and anti-Muslim author Pamela Geller have been invited to UC Berkeley by a different student group, the Berkeley Patriot, later this month for a four-day Free Speech Week. Although Shapiro has a different style, hes still largely unpopular at UC Berkeley. Anti-Shapiro posters have appeared in hallways and on lampposts, while pro-Shapiro posters have disappeared. In one development mocked by the right, the campus has offered counseling to students and employees whose sense of safety and belonging becomes compromised by Shapiros presence. Sophomore Bradley Devlin of the Berkeley College Republicans tweeted recently that as he leafleted for the Shapiro event in August a lib student took a flier & ATE THE FLIER. Not joking. Devlins group sued UC Berkeley and the University of California last spring, claiming bias against conservative speakers after campus administrators balked at letting the students host Coulter at the time and place of their choosing, citing fears of another riot. Now, Shapiro has emerged as a test of the Republicans claim. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The extra security measures shutting down five campus buildings and Sproul Plaza three hours before the event, requiring attendees to show identification, and surrounding the area with a massive police presence may persuade protesters that trying to shut down the event isnt worth the effort. But it doesnt make them happy. Its the right of the people to shut down speakers. Exercising disruptive protest is how people often start to pay attention, said Sunsara Taylor, a co-founder of Refuse Fascism, who is flying out from New York to conduct a speak-out against Shapiro at UC Berkeley on Thursday. Taylor doesnt see Shapiro as an everyday conservative. We are organizing a speak-out against white supremacy, misogyny, xenophobia and fascism, Taylor said. Referencing the theme of Shapiros talk, she said, the problem is not campus thuggery its intellectual fascist thuggery in the service of the Trump-Pence fascist regime. UC Berkeleys new chancellor, Carol Christ, has argued that the best way to fight hate speech is more speech. By shouting it down, shes said, you collude in the narrative that universities are not open to all speech. But for many protesters, the specifics of what the opposition says is not the point. It doesnt matter what the guys going to say, said Michael Heaney, a professor at the University of Michigan who studies the sociology of protest movements. He could talk about the joys of apple-picking. What matters is that the counter-movement is trying to use the energy of the (event) to grow. This is an opportunity for them and they are likely to seize upon it. So while no riot is guaranteed in Berkeley on Thursday night, neither is a welcome mat for Ben Shapiro. Nanette Asimov is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: nasimov@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @NanetteAsimov When software engineer Kelly Ellis joined Google in 2010, she thought shed landed her dream job after four years working in tech. But soon she realized that she was being paid the same as recent college graduates. When she requested a raise that would bring her salary in line with those of male peers with similar qualifications, she was denied, she said. I felt like I was playing catch-up when I was at Google, Ellis said. Ellis and two other female former Google staffers filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Mountain View company for failing to pay them as much as men. The lawsuit says that Google unfairly classified female workers at lower pay levels than men with the same work experience or less, a characterization that Ellis says cost her thousands of dollars in salary. It kind of feels like legal action is the only way that we are going to make anything change in a meaningful way, said Ellis, who left Google in 2014 and most recently worked at Medium. Google said that it disagrees with the central allegations in the lawsuit and says it has extensive systems in place to ensure that we pay fairly. Job levels and promotions are determined through rigorous hiring and promotion committees, and must pass multiple levels of review, including checks to make sure there is no gender bias in these decisions, said spokeswoman Gina Scigliano. The allegations come at a time when Google is being audited by the Department of Labor. The department said that based on its preliminary findings, it believes Google has compensated female employees less than men. Google says it has no gender pay gap. Google recently fired software engineer James Damore after he wrote a memo advancing his view that men have biological traits that make them more suitable for coding jobs than women. Googles workforce is 69 percent male, according to data it has released. Ellis said that part of Googles problem is how it handles promotions. She started at Google at Level 3, earning a $95,000 salary, plus other compensation like stock and cash bonuses. But later she learned that male engineers, who she believed had qualifications equal to or less than hers, were placed or promoted into Level 4 positions. She asked for a promotion to Level 4 during her performance review, but was told that she had not established a sufficient track record, and her request was denied, Ellis said. Eventually, her salary rose, and when she left Google she was classified as a Level 5 software engineer. The difference between Level 3 and Level 4 was thousands of dollars in pay, Ellis said. It was kind of ridiculous they made me wait in the first place, she added. Ellis said that one of the factors involved in assessing pay classifications is handling a project with a certain level of complexity. Whether women get those opportunities depends on their managers, she said. They are sweeping under the rug elements that contribute to bias, Ellis said. The lawsuit also alleges that female employees were shifted to roles that typically are paid less, despite work experiences that could qualify them for positions with higher pay. Lisa Klerman, a professor at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law, said shes seeing more of these lawsuits since the state strengthened a law as of January 2016 that requires employers to pay women similarly to men for similar work. Klerman said it is hard to weigh in on the merits of the case without hearing Googles version of events. She said its possible for an employer to have differences in pay based on an employees credentials or prior experience like a prestigious internship. If it merits a differential in pay, then the employer can pay the different rate without running afoul of the equal-pay laws, Klerman said. Wendy Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: wlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thewendylee This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate San Francisco Police Department closed off a section of Market Street as officers investigated a possible shooting Thursday afternoon. Officers responded to shots fired just before 3 p.m. in the 1000 block of Market Street but it was not clear whether there were any victims, said Officer Giselle Linnane, a police spokeswoman. At least two suspects were detained by police officers, she said. ALSO: All lanes of I-580 reopen hours after fatal Castro Valley crash Randy Conk, a 56-year-old San Francisco resident, witnessed the incident between Jones and Sixth streets. He said he heard the sound of gunshots, saw smoke, then two cars speeding off. He said one of the fleeing cars appeared to be a taxi. I was going to the burrito place and all of a sudden I heard pow, pow, pow, he said. All of a sudden the smoke comes out and the white car sped away with the taxi. I freaked out. At least 16 officers converged on the scene, with 10 patrol cars lining the street. Officials advised people to avoid Market Street, between Sixth and Seventh streets, which was closed off due to the investigation. Muni has rerouted buses in both directions of Market. Trisha Thadani and Jenna Lyons are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com, jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno @TrishaThadani This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Robert Arandas upper arm tattoo has faded with time, like most tattoos anyone gets in their youth will do. Its the Casa Sanchez logo a man riding on a piece of corn, a.k.a. Jimmy the Cornman placed above the San Francisco skyline. The buildings are a little blurry and the mans hat is a hard to make out at this point, but its there as much as it ever was. For Ardana, current CEO of Casa Sanchez, the fading is a badge of honor a sign that both he and his familys nearly 100-year-old business remain very much a part of the San Francisco community. This week, Mayor Ed Lee formally named Casa Sanchez the citys 100th legacy business. In a ceremony at the Casa Sanchez Bayview production facility in front of a small crowd of employees and members of the Sanchez family, Lee presented the group with a plaque. Doesnt everyone here have one of those Jimmy Cornman tattoos? Lee jokingly asked before posing for pictures with the family. San Franciscos legacy business program was approved by voters in November 2015 with a goal of stabilizing, strengthening and helping sustain longtime local businesses, especially the ones widely seen as ingrained in the citys fabric. I think what this means more than anything is that were not going anywhere, says Martha Sanchez, a third-generation Casa Sanchez owner. In 1923, the Mexicatessen opened as R. Sanchez & Co., offering tamales, enchiladas, salsas, masa and chorizo from a space in the Western Addition. Twenty-two years later, it relocated to a larger spot on Fillmore and opened a tortilla factory, while selling its other products. Were rooted in the community. Were always going to operate like a small, family-owned business, Sanchez says, pointing out some of the older black-and-white photos hanging on the office wall. We still hand-wash things and sometimes you might even see a label on a bag thats crooked. Small things like that show were still doing everything. By 1968, the operation was moved to 24th and York streets in the Mission, along with a second restaurant. Around that same time is when the business changed its name to Casa Sanchez. Factory operations these days are in the Bayview and Hayward. But that will change in the coming months. Casa Sanchez is plotting a move to a larger production facility at 1126 Shafter St. in San Francisco. Robert Aranda says its three or four times larger than the current Bayview spot, room they need to keep expanding. San Francisco hasnt been kind to its food institutions over the last few years. Staying in business increasingly requires a balancing act between acknowledging the past and adapting to the future, all while making sure to not change too much in the process. The juxtaposition couldnt be more present in Arandas office at the facility. Sitting on a table, gathering a small amount of dust, is the 20-pound iron tortilla press the companys founder, Robert Sanchez, brought when he arrived in San Francisco in 1923 from Nayarit, Mexico. In the same room, Robert and Martha talk about their companys new partnership with Amazon Fresh. Each time Aranda pulls up his sleeve and looks at his fading Casa Sanchez tattoo, he smiles. He thinks about the times he spent working at the business as a 12-year-old back in 1990. He thinks about his family. He thinks about the past and the future. When told he should get the tattoo retouched, he chuckles and nods his head, saying: Yeah, youre right. Justin Phillips is San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate On most afternoons, restaurateur Kathy Fang could count on them to stream into the dining room of her eponymous South of Market restaurant: a group of video game designers. A handful of dentists. Titans of technology. Fresh from Moscone Center conventions, theyd put in multiple orders of honey apple prawns or Nanking sesame chicken. Bottles of high-end Napa Valley wine were poured until empty. These were the people that make triple orders of dumplings and just ask for the dishes to keep coming, Fang said. Tables stacked with plates of food they wouldnt even finish. Not so much anymore. For a cadre of restaurants like Fang, all within a mile of the Moscone Center, 2017 has been relatively devoid of convention-goers crowding in for big lunches and dinners. The change in dining habits can be attributed to Moscone Centers ongoing 3-year, $551 million expansion project. The work and resulting closures slated for this year led SF Travel, the citys tourism marketing association, to predict in January that the citys number of tourists would drop by 290,000 this year. As an economic driver in San Francisco, and especially its immediate neighborhood, Moscone Center is significant. Thirty-five percent of the citys 25.2 million visitors in 2016 came for conventions or meetings, according to city officials. Despite the grim forecast, convention-friendly San Francisco restaurants are holding on, waiting for the expense-account holders to return. The crowds are spending their money differently now, said Sharon Nahm, chef at E&O Kitchen, located roughly one mile from Moscone. Despite the distance, its a popular convention destination due to its private dining facilities, which account for 25 percent of the restaurants business. Knowing the drop-off was coming, Nahm said, the E&O team budgeted less aggressively for 2017 and shifted focus to other areas, such as happy hour. The result: E&O Kitchen was 10 percent above its projected budget for the first two quarters of the year. This quarter is typically our slowest quarter, Nahm said. If we can come out of (the third quarter) in the black, well be very happy. E&O Kitchens approach is just one example of the various ways restaurants braced for change this year, said Gwyneth Borden, executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association. Bluestem Brasserie, around the corner from the Moscone Center, says 20 percent of its profits come from conventions. To curb predicted losses, the restaurant struck more partnerships with local businesses and hotels. Some are seeing more of a reduction in spending this summer versus other summers, Borden said. But there are a lot of people saying it isnt as bad as they thought it would be. Those who didnt plan for the change have been affected, however. Thad Voglers Trou Normand, less than a half-mile from the center, has had a roughly 10 percent dip in profits this year. Despite walking and driving past the Moscone project each day, Vogler says it wasnt until his accountant pointed out other establishments in the downtown area were also performing below expectations that he made the connection. I was relieved, actually, to find a reason for the change and embarrassed at how myopic Id been, he said. I get so caught up in the day-to-day that I forget to look at the big picture. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Even with recent construction milestones like the completed expansion of Moscone North and South, both closed since April, most of the work at the complex wont wrap up until the end of next year. Bay Area restaurateur Adriano Paganini has multiple locations near the Moscone Center, including Delarosa, which opened a second location a block away on Yerba Buena Lane in 2015. He said Delarosas profits are up 10 percent compared with last year, though he has seen changes with his other businesses. Weve seen an impact at the Super Duper Burger at the Metreon. There was a huge influx of people when a convention was in town, especially at breakfast, he said. If all goes as planned, the Moscone Center will eventually span 1.5 million square feet, with a 500,000-square-foot exhibition space, a 50,000-square-foot ballroom, and 80 meeting rooms. Earlier this week the facility, with portions still unfinished, welcomed 30,000 people to the Mobile World Congress Americas convention. We can manage this. Were not solely open because of the convention. If our business relied on that, wed be in trouble, Fang said. It being closed obviously hurts. Its not going to cause us to close or anything." Justin Phillips is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillips The governor has speeded up efforts to secure financing for his $17.1 billion delta tunnel dream. Water agencies should tell the governor they wont vote to commit their ratepayers to pay for this ill-conceived plan. Heres why: The project, known as WaterFix, is environmentally destructive. It would capture water through three enormous intakes at the north end of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, divert it into twin 40-foot-wide tunnels and deliver it 35 miles to the state and federal pumps in the south delta, from which it is distributed statewide. The governor says the new diversions will keep the pumps from killing off the delta smelt. More significantly, they offer the potential to deliver more water to Southern California cities and farms and deprive the San Francisco Bay of adequate flows to keep it and what lives around it healthy. Sure to suffer struggling Pacific salmon fisheries. The water agencies are not yet on board. The governor has demanded that the state and federal water contractors vote in coming weeks on whether they are in or out. WaterFix still lacks a needed permit from the state water board on criteria to protect fish and wildlife, which the water board wont take up until next summer. As WaterFix is projected to provide no additional water, water agencies will find it hard to justify the added expense. The project financing is in question. The Department of Water Resources wants to issue $11 billion in bonds to fund the state portion. Those challenging the departments authority to issue revenue bonds must file with Sacramento Superior Court by Friday The department claims authority under state water law dating back to the 1950s. If authority is valid, then the Brown administration avoids the need to seek new bonding authority and sidesteps Proposition 13 limits that would have required taxpayers to vote on raising water rates to repay the state for the financing. Federal auditors dinged the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for improperly spending $50 million on tunnel planning that federal water contractors should have paid. Without a formal agreement setting out how much water would cost, what responsible board would vote? Last year, the California electorate voted to legalize the recreational use of cannabis by adults. Next year, cannabis will be for sale in California stores. Our focus now must be on how to implement legalization in the way that best supports public health including setting policies and cultural values to support teens. Teens are more likely than adults to develop problems using cannabis; and earlier use is associated with longer term problems, including problems with brain functioning that dont seem to exist if use is put off until later adolescence or adulthood. Early heavy cannabis use affects brain systems involved in learning and memory, the speed at which we process new information, and complex decision-making. Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teens and the risk of accidents and injuries is made worse when alcohol is combined with cannabis. For these reasons, its important that cannabis legalization be undertaken in a way that will reduce use among teens, not increase it. Thats likely to be a tall order. Heres why: Legalization may support normalization of cannabis use. Nationwide, teens have reported that theyd be more likely to try cannabis if it were legal, and intentions historically predict subsequent use. It is reasonable to expect that cannabis culture will become more pervasive in the wake of legalization. There are already ads for cannabis dispensaries pasted on the sides of San Francisco buses. More liberal policies may result in widely available highly concentrated forms of THC (e.g., dabs, wax, shatter) as increased knowledge about cannabis cultivation and extraction of THC produces stronger products. These products can lead to intoxication much higher than intended, even by seasoned users, and such products affect teens more strongly than adults. We dont know if this is also true of products such as vaping devices, touted as safer than other forms of cannabis delivery, because of an almost complete lack of research in the area. Teens are more likely than adults to try novel methods without critically evaluating them. Any burgeoning industry is motivated by profits. Snoop Dogg has morphed from marijuana rights advocate to marijuana industry investor to startup founder. Former NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre has joined a venture-capital company focused on the cannabis industry. Although the new law includes some limitations on advertising to minors, the promise of financial gain is only likely to increase the marketing already happening online and through social media, channels deeply integrated into the lives of California teens. Questions remain about the effects of secondhand marijuana smoke exposure. Some work out of UCSF has shown that one minute of exposure can impair arterial function in a manner similar to that of tobacco, increasing the risk of partially blocked arteries and heart attack. The potential increased use of cannabis could mean more secondhand smoke exposure for teens. Data from other states offer some hope for California, however. Colorado and Washington saw no significant change in teen cannabis use in the year after recreational legalization, and use even decreased in the second year after legalization in Colorado. A study in Colorado showed extremely high level (95 percent) compliance with age-restriction policies. California should consider penalizing dispensaries and delivery services for underage sales of cannabis as severely, or more severely, than we do establishments that sell alcohol to kids. Our commitment to age restrictions need also be reflected in regulating websites, apps and delivery services, as well as in consequences for teenagers driving while high. There are a few other ways in which legalization can be implemented to best support reduction in cannabis use among teens: We can appeal to new cannabis businesses to self-regulate, enforce age restrictions, and fund research that helps keep teens safe. That said, industry representation should be limited in the decision-making process about regulations governing cannabis cultivation and sale, giving voice instead to public health officials and others whose incentives align with the needs of teens. Marijuana should be included in smoke-free laws, and regulated like tobacco is in California. And public health campaigns supporting the concept that teen cannabis use is different from adult use should be widely disseminated. This is the chance for California to set in motion the proper protections so that cannabis legalization best serves our young people. Danielle Ramo is an assistant professor of psychiatry at UC San Francisco and a licensed psychologist working at the intersection of substance use and digital health. Twitter: @danielleramo Our state is home to some of the nations most significant natural spaces. The Giant Sequoia National Monument at the foot of the Sierra Nevada is home to the worlds largest trees. The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument towers above the Sacramento Valley. Californians from all walks of life derive personal benefit from access to national monuments, parks and other outdoor places. National monuments also help drive the Golden States thriving outdoor economy. In parts of the state where logging and mining were once the economic mainstays, today outdoor recreation is generating approximately $85 billion in annual consumer spending, supporting 730,000 jobs and providing an estimated $6.7 billion in state and local tax revenue. Beyond that, these public spaces pay homage to our shared history and raise the overall quality of life in surrounding communities. But these natural wonders in California along with others across the state and nation are under threat. President Trump has launched an assault on public lands with an executive order that calls for a review of all national monuments larger than 100,000 acres created since 1996, or where the secretary of the interior arbitrarily determined the designation was made with insufficient input. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke advised last month changing boundaries of a handful of national monuments, which the White House has refused to name but press reports indicate include the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, which protects 86,774 acres of forest and grasslands in southwestern Oregon and northwestern California. We also know that the superbloom Carrizo Plain, Mojave Trails and San Gabriel Mountain national monuments are in the Trump administrations crosshairs, in addition to the Berryessa Snow Mountain and Giant Sequoia national monuments. Zinkes report summary (which was released to the public) acknowledges that 99 percent of the 2.8 million Americans who commented on his plan supported the monuments being left intact. But Zinke disputes that shrinking monuments will facilitate sales of public lands for mining or logging when that is exactly what the impact will be. The threat posed to these lands future represents an affront to diverse communities throughout our state and nation. The Trump administrations actions have the potential to completely upend decades of work and engagement that communities have made in protecting these natural treasures for future generations. Fortunately, many elected officials and community leaders throughout the Golden State have stood in defense of public lands. Californias U.S. senators, Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris, have repeatedly called on the Trump administration to preserve the monument designations and the current boundaries of Californias national monuments. Californias governor, Jerry Brown, and attorney general, Xavier Becerra, have pledged to take any legal action necessary to protect those monuments. I stand behind Californias efforts to protect our public lands. We cant allow President Trump to dismantle protections for national monuments, one of our nations proudest, enduring conservation legacies. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate COSTA MESA, Orange County It was a surreal visit to Rep. Dana Rohrabachers Orange County home. The 15-term Republican greeted me in bare feet, sitting on his front step making fundraising phone calls while wearing a stained white T-shirt and khakis he bought at Goodwill. Later, he proudly showed me a blazer he scored there for $10. Then again, Ronald Reagans 70-year-old former White House speech writer is a surreal kind of guy. Hes a hero to weed-lovers for being a Republican at the forefront of the pro-marijuana legalization movement, and a pariah to fellow Republicans for being so pro-Russia that House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy once jokingly said that Putin pays him. He wants to cut a deal with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, and thinks the Charlottesville riots were staged by liberals and were a total hoax. Hes both a puka-shell-necklace-wearing surfer and a fierce anti-Communist who bragged about battling with Afghan mujahedeen during a fact-finding trip shortly before being sworn into Congress that probably resulted in the deaths of a number of Soviet troops. During our visit, he largely dismissed human influence on climate change and strummed a guitar whiling singing a song he wrote about libertarian ideals called Individual Man. If youre a Democrat, youre thinking, How is this guy still holding office in California? Now Playing: Rep. Dana Rohrabacher explains how he knew when America won the Cold War as he makes peanut butter sandwiches in his Costa Mesa home. Video: Joe Garofoli / San Francisco Chronicle Standing at the corner of Fringe and Conspiracy streets, Rohrabacher would seem to be easy picking for Democrats, who are making Orange County the centerpiece of their plan to return to power in the House by flipping 24 GOP seats. Theyre focused on districts like Rohrabachers, where Hillary Clinton outpolled President Trump and the incumbents are perceived as out-of-touch. It wont be that easy. Rohrabacher also stands squarely in the middle of the old school, wealthier, whiter, conservative, still- lovin-the-Gipper part of the OC. Hes run for Congress 15 times, and hes won by more than 20 percent 13 times. Call him fringe-y, but hes conservative OC kind of fringe-y. Thats why, if next year turns out to be the kind of low-turnout, midterm election that favors Republicans, Orange County GOP chairman Fred Whitaker said hes not worried about Dana at all. And it doesnt hurt that Republicans have an 11-point voter registration advantage in the 48th Congressional District. Still, Rohrabacher acknowledges, this race will be the toughest. Not because Democrats are going after his seat and nine candidates have jumped in to oppose him, including two who are raising serious money. Because, he said, of Russia. Rohrabacher describes himself as the lone voice against both conservatives and liberals who want retribution against Russia for meddling in the 2016 presidential election. But what about the high confidence with which the nations top intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia interfered in the election? Total bull, Rohrabacher said over peanut butter sandwiches his favorite meal that he slapped together in his kitchen. Ive read those reports and theyre full of weasel words. That story is a total fabrication in order to do one thing: To prevent Donald Trump from exercising the legitimate authority he was given by the voters in the last election, he said. One of Rohrabachers sources: Assange. Last summer, on his own dime, Rohrabacher visited Assange, who for years has been harbored in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, fearing extradition to Sweden on sexual assault accusations and bail-jumping charges in England. Rohrabacher said Assange told him that Russia wasnt involved in the theft of emails from the Democratic National Committee that Wikileaks released, but didnt say who was. Maybe the emails fell off the back of a truck, as they used to say in my grandpas neighborhood. Rohrabacher isnt buying that conspiracy theory, but hes deep into another that Democrats were behind last months white nationalist riots in Charlottesville, Va. Oh, and calling them white nationalist riots is a liberal media deceit, he said. Its all baloney, Rohrabacher said. Under Rohrabachers scenario, a former Hillary and Bernie supporter got Civil War re-enactors to gather under the guise of protecting a Robert E. Lee statue there. It was a setup for these dumb Civil War re-enactors, Rohrabacher said. It was left-wingers who were manipulating them in order to have this confrontation and to put our president on the spot. Those of you who are fans of conspiracy connoisseur and conservative commentator Alex Jones, host of Info Wars, will recognize that scenario as one of his dreamscapes, which is Pants on Fire groundless, according to the nonpartisan Politifact. Meanderings like that make Democrats see Rohrabacher as vulnerable. Several credible, well-financed Democrats, including world-renowned stem cell researcher Hans Keirstead, have lined up to take him on. Keirstead raised $138,504 shortly after jumping into the race, according to the latest federal filing information, and real estate investor Harley Rouda has raised $319,335. Three of the Democrats, including Rouda, were once Republicans, which could play well in the OC. Plus, theres an unprecedented amount of liberal grassroots activism in the district, with regular protests outside Rohrabachers office. Progressives are trying to reintroduce the 24 percent of nonpartisan voters in the district to their congressman and not in a good way. People saw incumbent and an R by his name, so they assumed that he supported Republican values, said Aaron McCall, who heads the local chapter of the resistance group Indivisible. Dana Rohrabacher doesnt support Republican values. He supports his own values. Republicans tell me We didnt realize he was this unhinged. Rohrabacher admits that part of him would like to just spend time working on screenplays, playing guitar and surfing with his wife and teenage triplets. But he wants to stay in Congress to fight for the easing of cannabis laws and to advance his views on Russia, two lonely battles that he worries would be abandoned if he were gone. And that is what is making Rohrabacher do something hes rarely done in his career, something truly surreal. Hes seriously trying to raise money for a re-election campaign so far hes raised $508,712. In his bare feet, eating peanut butter sandwiches. After our chat, he headed out to the nearby 99 Cents Only store to get a refill. Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli Online extra To see a video of Rep. Dana Rohrabacher making peanut butter sandwiches: http://bit.ly/rohrabacher This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Nevada City is full of cutesy bed-and-breakfasts where old-timey innkeepers bring you coffee and scones in the morning, but the town has limited modern lodging options. Thats partly because a decades-old ordinance in downtown Nevada City has restricted people from renting out their homes to vacationers through sites like Airbnb and VRBO until recently. Last fall, longtime residents concerned about preserving the character of the area put forward a bill to effectively bar Airbnb from operating in town. A group of local property owners pushed back, arguing that rental websites could incentivize local tourism. When put to a vote, the bill was defeated with a 62 percent majority. But its still a divisive subject in town: Debates brew at local cafes over whether Airbnb will ruin or save this community, which relies heavily on tourism. The scarcity of guest lodging was driving visitors to neighboring cities to spend their dollars, says Kathy Dotson, an Airbnb host and leader of Nevada City Hosts, the local pro-rental organization. Allowing short-term lodging has created a new revenue stream for the city, the merchants and the hosts, many of whom, without their short-term rental income, were facing foreclosure. The end result? You can now find many listings in downtown Nevada City on Airbnb though some restrictions apply. You can rent rooms or guest houses only at owner-occupied properties, not entire houses, and homeowners are required to pay a transient occupancy tax. Luckily, Nevada City has plenty of quirky guest homes nestled among its pine trees and tumbling creeks. Megan Michelson, travel@sfchronicle.com The Glamping Tent Want to camp in the wilderness but dont want to give up the luxuries of home? Drift Outdoors rents out lavish tents replete with memory-foam queen beds, down comforters, bedside tables, fire pits, fully stocked coolers even slippers. Husband and wife Jordan and Lauren Romney, a fly-fishing guide and schoolteacher, respectively, opened the business this spring. We wanted to give people that experience of being able to sleep or camp in nature, but also get a really good nights sleep, Jordan Romney says. Tell them where you want to camp and theyll show up ahead of time to erect and style your spacious canvas tent. Set the tent up wherever youd like your friends backyard, a campground, or in a National Forest (its free!). Pro tip: You can request morning coffee and pastry deliveries. $225 per night; www.driftoutdoors.org The Log Cabin This three-bedroom, three-bathroom log cabin is a five-minute drive from town, situated on 1.5 acres of forested land and with backdoor hiking access to the 4.5-mile-long Cascade Canal Trail. Enjoy new hardwood floors, a modern kitchen, board games, and a telescope for stargazing. You can sleep six and fit the whole family comfortably at a sprawling dining room table. $200 a night; www.airbnb.com/rooms/16000992 The Artists Retreat This two-bedroom 1930s home, within walking distance of downtown and near the kid-friendly Pioneer Park, was completely remodeled this year. Owned by an artist and writer couple (they have a jewelers studio on the top level), youll find an antique drafting table, stocked bookshelves, claw-foot bathtubs, and a high-end Viking stove in the kitchen. $191 per night; www.airbnb.com/rooms/17270150 The Bohemian Getaway A historic two-bedroom miners cabin, built in 1880, has been thoughtfully decorated with midcentury styling and family-friendly perks, like a swing set in the fenced backyard. Located within walking distance of town, you can sleep up to five and bring your dog if youd like. Its owned by a Nevada City native who runs a charming art and home shop downtown. $220 per night; www.airbnb.com/rooms/4342353 The Downtown Bungalow A one-bedroom guesthouse suited for one or two people, this cozy, well-appointed spot is a five-minute walk from downtowns wine bars and chocolate shops. The owners live on the property but in a separate home. You can drink your complimentary morning coffee on a small patio out back. $125 per night; www.airbnb.com/rooms/4016734 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate I dont like snobby baristas, says Steffen Snell, the 35-year-old owner of downtown Nevada Citys Foxhound Espresso and Coffee Broaster. It sucks when you walk into a coffee shop and you immediately know youre not cool enough to ask questions. Thats the opposite of what we aim to do here. Snell could be snobby if he wanted to be: His coffee is that good. He roasts it himself twice a week. His hot pour-over is so fresh, it still smells like soil. Espressos come in small ceramic mugs hand-thrown by a local potter and scripted with charming sayings like, Get busy living. You wont find a grande-sized coffee here eight- and 12-ounce servings only. Snell opened Foxhound in 2015 after a decade managing a now-closed coffee shop in town and learning to roast beans at Alchemy Collective, a high-minded roaster in Berkeley. Ive tried other careers graphic designer, cabinetmaker, machinist. Nothing stuck as much as coffee, Snell says. Even if youre not a coffee aficionado, you still have options here: Snell makes his own chai tea with raw turmeric and ginger, and he has started concocting cold-pressed syrups from fruit for a refreshing, icy spritzer. The feel of Foxhound is more intimate than the average coffee shop. Folk songs stream from an old-school record player Foxhound also sells records. Were the only record shop in town, Snell jokes. He moonlights as a DJ for the local radio station. There are only two food items on the menu: a six-minute boiled egg on toast or a grilled cheese sandwich. (He also sells locally made doughnuts.) Cell phones are discouraged. Its the kind of place where you talk to your tablemate or linger over a pot of dark-roasted French press and a good book. The only trick is finding the place. At Foxhound, there is no sign out front. I think that gives it kind of a safe house vibe, Snell explains. It might also, despite Snells best efforts, be a little snobbish. Megan Michelson, travel@sfchronicle.com Nevada Countys Best Beans Fable Coffee, Grass Valley Husband and wife duo Amanda and Jake Daley started selling coffee they sourced and roasted themselves from a cart at the Nevada City farmers market in 2012. Named Fable Coffee, the cart developed such a following that two years ago the couple opened a cafe in downtown Grass Valley. Must Try: The espressoda, a shot of espresso over ice with seltzer water. Zuri Coffee Co., Truckee When Werner and Esther Ospelt moved from Zurich to Truckee a couple of years ago, they brought their homelands coffee culture with them. In January, they opened Zuri Coffee in a vacant spot next to the Truckee DMV that used to house a sushi joint. Zuris coffee comes from both far away Demmel Kaffee, from Liechtenstein and nearby, including three local roasters. Must Try: Fresh European-style pastries, made in house. Coffeebar, Truckee Need proof that Coffeebar makes a well-loved cup of java? Since opening his first location in downtown Truckee in 2010, owner Greg Buchheister has added three additional Coffeebars, one in Reno, a second bakery and cafe in Truckee, and new this winter a spot at the base of Squaw Valley ski resort. The coffee, roasted every Saturday in Reno, tastes vibrant and strong. Must Try: The sugar-coated doughnut holes. Curly Wolf Espresso House, Nevada City Nevada City native and former music producer Josh Henry opened Curly Wolf in 2012 in a narrow space next to Nevada Citys National Hotel. He wanted to give the town a late-night hangout option that wasnt a bar, so Curly Wolf stays open until midnight on weeknights and 2 a.m. on weekends. Youll find plush, red velvet couches, reading lights, live music and an espresso machine hand built in Seattle. Must Try: A flat white, which is a small cup of espresso and steamed milk. A courtroom interpreters union and Superior Court officials in 12 Northern California counties reached a tentative wage agreement Wednesday in a yearlong contract dispute that has led to a series of one-day walkouts. The agreement would provide a wage increase of nearly 21 percent for a four-year period that began last October, when the previous contract expired. Court officials said the agreement would raise interpreters wages to $92,888 a year by September 2020, though they would still be paid less than interpreters with federal courts or private contractors. The 142 interpreters covered by the agreement are scheduled to vote on whether to approve it within the next 10 days. The region includes the Bay Area and coastal counties from Monterey to the Oregon border. Interpreters translate for witnesses and other court participants who speak little or no English. Their union, the California Federation of Interpreters, led walkouts in many of the counties in April and July as negotiations sputtered. The union said its members had suffered a 4 to 6 percent loss in take-home pay this year because of mandatory increases in pension contributions, a loss the courts had offset with raises for other employees but not for interpreters. While the proposed contract does not address that issue, the union said court officials have agreed to a re-opener that would allow a new round of wage negotiations in July 2019. Officials also agreed to treat part-time interpreters the same as full-time employees and to apply the wage increases uniformly in all counties, the union said. Were happy to have resolved some of the issues that made interpreters pay too low, said Mary Lou Aranguren, the unions lead negotiator. Still, she said, the courts continue to resist treating interpreters fairly based on the market for our skills. The battle is not over. San Francisco Superior Court Executive Officer Michael Yuen, chairman of court administrators for the region, said, We are pleased that our interpreter employees will receive a well-deserved wage package. These professionals ensure that non-English speakers are able to access justice in our courts. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko A man was arrested shortly after undercover deputies from Marin County learned of his drug operation while chatting in a hotel hot tub, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The aforementioned events were described in a search warrant affidavit obtained by the newspaper last week. According to the affidavit, the initial encounter played out as follows: A women and two men were relaxing in a hot tub at a Courtyard by Marriott in San Diego. They struck up a conversation with a fellow hotel guest, Andrew James Harris. When Harris asked the reason for their stay, one jokingly replied their crack lab had blown up. But Harris apparently didn't get the jest; he admitted that he, too, was in the drug business. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Eric Risberg/Associated Press Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Eric Risberg/Associated Press Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Show More Show Less 5 of 5 The Russian government isnt taking too kindly to charges that its consulate illegally burned garbage on a Spare the Air day after being kicked out of its Cow Hollow digs in San Francisco by the Trump administration. The Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday called the notice of violation issued by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District another Russophobic stunt, according to the Russian news agency Tass. This Bodega is no bodega Former Googlers Paul McDonald and Ashwath Rajan are disrupting the corner store and their reputations. Their Oakland startup Bodega is essentially a hopped-up and hyped-up vending machine, pantry boxes with non-perishable stuff that people can buy through an app. Fast Company reported that some Latino leaders arent exactly thrilled with the idea and what it represents like Frank Garcia, chairman of the New York State Coalition of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. To me, it is offensive for people who are not Hispanic to use the name bodega, to make a quick buck, Garcia told Fast Company. Its disrespecting all the mom-and-pop bodega owners that started these businesses in the 60s and 70s. He said it I cant promise you that its exactly over with. Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan, who told a New York investment conference that more problems could be found by consultants reviewing practices at the San Francisco bank. A scandal erupted a year ago when it was revealed that employees had opened millions of accounts in customers names without their consent. Doh! Heres something to put the San Francisco Giants not-so-great season in perspective: Among the ads inside an AT&T P ark pedestrian tunnel is one for Juicero the Internet-connected juicer that drew $118 million in love from tech investors but couldnt manage to squeeze out enough profit to survive. All of a sudden the prospect of a 100-loss season doesnt look so bad. Daily Briefing is compiled from San Francisco Chronicle staff and news services. See more items and links at www.sfgate.com. Twitter: @techchronicle Chemicals giant DowDuPont will shift the focus of its reorganization plan after shareholders opposed a proposal to break up the company. Tuesdays decision is the latest response by a big company to activist shareholders who have taken on ever-larger targets in recent years. Household names like Procter & Gamble, Nestle and Samsung have all found themselves in the sights of such investors. The new plan would divide DowDuPont into three businesses: an agricultural company, a materials science specialist and a specialty products business. But as part of the reorganization, DowDuPont would shift several units that had been destined for the materials science company, which makes plastics and materials, into the specialty products business instead. As a result, the material science company would be smaller than originally planned and the specialty products business bigger. The new specialty products division will add several businesses that are expected to account for more than $8 billion in combined sales this year. The change is expected to ease concerns by some investors that the materials science company would have too broad a product range, dividing its focus. Courts Shkreli gets bail revoked Former pharmaceuticals company CEO Martin Shkreli has had his bail revoked and is going to jail in New York while he awaits sentencing for a securities fraud conviction. A judge Wednesday sided with a government demand to jail Shkreli following his provocative online antics. Shkrelis defense argued in court papers that his recent offer to pay a $5,000 bounty for a Hillary Clinton hair falls under the category of political satire or strained humor. The government calls the comments threats worthy of revoking the bail of the Pharma Bro. Telecom Verizons online TV dilemma Verizon Communications will decide in the next six months how to deliver an online TV service, CEO Lowell McAdam said. Although Web-based television is becoming a crowded field, the company needs to participate to take advantage of the advertising capabilities of its AOL and Yahoo acquisitions, McAdam said Wednesday. Verizon may offer the service in partnership with someone, he said. Even so, the company does not plan a big merger or acquisition. Verizon offers pay-TV service over its fiber-optic lines in parts of the U.S., with 4.7 million subscribers, but growth has stagnated as competition heats up with streaming-video providers such as Netflix. Chronicle News Services California legislators have passed a bill aimed at creating greater transparency around prescription drug pricing by requiring pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide advance notice and more detailed explanations for raising the price of a drug. The bill, co-authored by Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, and Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina (Los Angeles County), was approved by the Senate on Wednesday after clearing the Assembly this week. The proposal now heads to Gov. Jerry Brown. Under the legislation, SB17, drug companies would have to alert health insurers at least 60 days before they raise the price of a drug if the increase is at least 16 percent over a two-year period. The requirement would apply to drugs that have a wholesale price of least $40 for a course of therapy. Drug companies would have to provide an explanation for the price increase. The measure would also require health insurers to report to the state details about their spending on prescription drugs, including a list of the 25 most frequently prescribed drugs, the 25 costliest drugs by annual spending, and the 25 drugs with the highest year-over-year increase in total annual spending. The bill was backed by consumer groups but faced opposition from Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the national trade group representing the pharmaceutical industry. California showed this week that Big Pharma is beatable, despite the obscene amount the drug companies have spent to oppose SB17 and prevent any transparency or oversight of their unjustified price hikes, Anthony Wright, executive director of the consumer advocacy group Health Access California, said in a statement. The pharmaceutical trade group has said the bill would not offer consumers meaningful improvements on affordability, and would instead create mounds of red tape and government reports that look only at the list price of a prescription drug rather than considering actual patient spending after negotiated discounts and rebates. Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_Ho Facebooks enormous audience has long been catnip to advertisers. But the companys ecosystem has come under scrutiny this year from major brands, which are increasingly sensitive to the possibility of inadvertently showing up next to objectionable content. In response to those concerns, Facebook released rules on Wednesday that outline the types of videos and articles that it will bar from running ads. It also said it would begin disclosing new information to advertisers about where their messages appear on Facebook and on external apps and sites it works with. The rules, which will be enforced by a mix of automation and human review, restrict ads from content that depicts, among other topics, real-world tragedies, debatable social issues, misappropriation of childrens show characters, violence, nudity, gore, drug use and derogatory language. Facebook is extending the guidelines immediately to videos which the company hopes will become an increasingly lucrative part of its business and, in the coming months, to articles. There have been concerns that marketers have had that are wide-ranging around digital, and we want to do everything we can to ensure that we are providing the safest environment for publishers, advertisers and users, said Carolyn Everson, Facebooks vice president of global marketing solutions. The policies, which mimic guidelines established by YouTube, come as advertisers demand more accountability from the Internet giants related to where and how their messages are delivered. Facebook and Google were criticized during and after the presidential election for allowing misinformation to spread on their services. This year, YouTube had to address advertisers concerns after messages from major brands like AT&T were discovered on videos that promoted terrorism and hate speech. The Wall Street Journal found at least 50 acts of violence on Facebook Live broadcasts. (On the other side of the advertising equation, Facebook disclosed last week that it had identified more than $100,000 worth of ads on divisive issues that ran from June 2015 to May 2017 and had been bought by fake accounts from Russia.) The companies are moving quickly to address such issues, particularly as they seek to attract a greater portion of the money earmarked for television advertising to the video content on their sites. Facebook has enabled hundreds of publishers and individuals to run ads during live video broadcasts in the past year, and the company recently introduced a slate of shows on a part of its site called Watch. If the guidelines encourage people to post more G-rated video content, they are likely to bolster Facebooks pitch to advertisers. They havent really been monetizing original content in the same way as YouTube has, said John Montgomery, executive vice president for brand safety at GroupM, a media investment group for advertising giant WPP. What I think is different for Facebook is that this is a much earlier stage for them that theyre going into this, and the scale is different in that there will be much, much less content uploaded than those stupefying numbers you hear about on YouTube. (YouTube has said 400 hours of video are added to the site every minute.) That should be an advantage in policing content, Montgomery said, especially with the limits that Facebook is placing on who can make money from certain features. For example, the company required pages and profiles that wanted to run ads on live videos this year to have more than 2,000 followers. They could only show ads if they had at least 300 concurrent viewers after four minutes. Facebook also said it would begin showing advertisers a preview of where their messages may appear before campaigns start, giving advertisers a chance to block undesirable destinations. The company will also report on where the ads actually run. Brands have not been able to see beforehand what kind of content that might include, and some have had to contend with objections from consumers after being placed on sites like Breitbart News. Facebook said there were tens of thousands of apps and sites in its audience network and that more than 10,000 publishers displayed articles within its platform through a tool called Instant Articles. As YouTube has moved to limit ads from running alongside unsavory content, many creators have complained that their videos have been unfairly penalized by automated systems. Facebook will probably have to grapple with similar complaints as it expands the number of people who can make money from video ads. We are not censoring their content; as long as it abides by our community standards, the content can run, Everson said. If a publisher wants to monetize that content, they have to adhere to the monetization eligibility standards. Sapna Maheshwari is a New York Times writer. Number of the day $1 billion Thats how much Alphabet, Googles parent company, is considering investing in Lyft, according to Bloomberg News. Sources said the companies have held conversations in recent weeks, signaling strong support for Ubers primary U.S rival. The cash would allow the San Francisco startup to pursue more aggressive growth with subsidies for drivers, discounts for riders and marketing. Lyft has gained market share this year as Uber has bent under a series of self-inflicted scandals. Algorithm needs work Facebooks reputation has another bug, unless you consider it OK to help advertisers market Nazi memorabilia or target ads to people interested in such things as How to burn jews. ProPublica reported that it paid $30 to target groups like that with three promoted posts and got approval within 15 minutes. Once the news organization got in touch with Facebook, it removed the anti-Semitic categories, which it blamed on an algorithm, and said it would look into how to fix the problem. One idea: Maybe have, you know, a human look at them. Bluetiful in its own way Crayola said Thursday that it will name its new blue crayon Bluetiful, the winner in an online poll of fans. It beat out Dreams Come Blue, Blue Moon Bliss, Reach for the Stars and Star Spangled Blue. Bluey McBlueface apparently was not eligible. Daily Briefing is compiled from San Francisco Chronicle staff and news services. See more items and links at www.sfgate.com. Twitter: @techchronicle For months, the text messages came. Some were flirtatious, asking her to meet him late at night. Sometimes, the texts were sexually explicit. The messages were directed at Laura Munoz, an executive assistant at online lending startup Social Finance. The texts were from her boss, Mike Cagney, the San Francisco companys CEO, according to five people who spoke with Munoz or saw the messages. Given Cagneys stature at Social Finance, known as SoFi, Munoz was at a disadvantage. That became apparent when SoFis board was informed of Cagneys communications with Munoz in late 2012. The board said it found no evidence of a sexual relationship. Munoz was then paid about $75,000 to leave the company, according to three people familiar with the proceedings who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk publicly. Ivo Labar, a lawyer representing Munoz, said matters were resolved between his client and SoFi. Around the same time, SoFis board and executives also heard complaints from investors that Cagney had made misstatements to them over the startups student loan products, according to emails between investors, executives and the board that were obtained by the New York Times. Directors stood by Cagney in that instance, too. The boards support allowed Cagney to build SoFi into a fast-growing startup that is trying to take on the big banks by offering lending, insurance and asset management online. The company has been valued at more than $4 billion. But within SoFi, Cagney, a married father of two, continued to raise questions among employees with his behavior. He was seen holding hands and having intimate conversations with another young female employee, according to six employees who saw the two together. At late-night, wine-soaked gatherings with colleagues, he bragged about his sexual conquests and the size of his genitalia, said employees who heard the comments. Cagneys actions were echoed in other parts of SoFi. The companys chief financial officer talked openly about womens breasts and once offered female employees bonuses for losing weight, according to more than a dozen people who heard his comments. Some employees said on a few instances, they caught colleagues having sex with supervisors at SoFis main satellite office in Healdsburg. That was the subject of a sexual harassment lawsuit filed last month. Even as other tech companies such as Uber have been in the spotlight this year for inappropriate treatment of women, Cagneys case goes further. Although many of the issues at other firms stemmed from the actions of midlevel executives or investors, Cagney personally faces questions. His conduct was described by more than 30 current and former employees, most of whom asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution. The behavior went largely unchecked until Monday, when SoFis board acted after weeks of growing scrutiny of the company. The startup said Cagney, 46, will leave as CEO by the end of the year and step down immediately as chairman. SoFi did not explain the executive change. The company said its business is performing well, and that SoFi is becoming a major, innovative player in consumer finance. A SoFi spokesman said the company did not comment on personnel matters and disputed that its business had taken on too much risk. Through the spokesman, Cagney also said he vehemently denies any improprieties at after-hours events with colleagues. Yet Cagneys position had become increasingly delicate after the filing of the sexual harassment suit, which accused him of empowering other managers to engage in sexual conduct in the workplace. His situation was exacerbated by claims about his approach to SoFis business, which uses money from Wall Street investors to fund student loans, personal loans and mortgages. At several points, Cagney ignored warnings from colleagues that he was being too aggressive with the business, according to more than a dozen employees who were involved in the conversations. That included a time when Cagney decided to put customer service representatives in charge of lending determinations, despite them having no experience in the area. Another time, he told investors that SoFi had $90 million in debt financing for a loan product; the company did not in fact have the money, according to the internal emails reviewed by the Times. SoFis board, which includes representatives of Japanese conglomerate SoftBank and influential hedge fund Third Point Capital, now faces questions about whether it needed more checks and balances on Cagney. The board said that it found no allegation or evidence of a romantic or sexual relationship between Cagney and Munoz and referred all other questions to SoFi. Nathaniel Popper and Katie Benner are New York Times writers. Waymo can proceed with a planned October trial over claims that Uber stole trade secrets for self-driving vehicles, after a U.S. appeals court declined to punt the case to an arbitrator and rejected an effort to keep Waymo from seeing critical evidence. Uber had argued the dispute should be considered in secret before an arbitrator because the heart of Waymos allegations are related to the actions of engineer Anthony Levandowski, a former employee of both companies who is accused in the lawsuit of taking thousands of proprietary files from Waymo to Uber. Ubers appeal was rejected Wednesday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington, as was Levandowskis request that Waymo not be allowed to see a report by a cyberforensics firm that looked into Ubers purchase of his company, Otto LLC. Uber fiercely resisted turning over the report almost since the lawsuit was filed and up until the appeal. We did not join Mr. Levandowskis appeal to block disclosure of the report, and we are ready to finally disclose it to Waymo today, Uber said. While Waymo has obtained over 238,000 pages of production documents from Uber and conducted a dozen inspections over 61 hours of our facilities, source code, documents, and engineers computers, theres still no evidence that any files have come to Uber, let alone that theyre being used. Levandowskis employment contract with Waymo included a broad provision that any disputes would go before an arbitrator. Waymo never sued Levandowski; instead the question of whether he violated that contract is before an arbitrator, with a hearing scheduled for April. A three-judge appeals court panel said that requirement didnt extend to Uber. Waymo pledged not to rely on the Levandowski employment contract in its case, though Uber argued that wasnt a realistic promise. The general rule is that a contract applies only to the parties to the contract, Circuit Judge Pauline Newman wrote. The question before us is not whether defendants or Waymo will ultimately prevail in their dispute. The question is whether Waymo should be compelled to arbitrate this dispute. Waymo filed the suit in February, accusing Uber of building a laser-scanner system, known as lidar, by using stolen designs and infringing Waymo patents; its since dropped most patent claims. Lidar systems use the reflection of laser beams to sense a vehicles surroundings so the car can avoid pedestrians, obstacles and other vehicles. The technology is key for Waymo, Uber and any other company looking to move into the autonomous vehicle market. Waymo, one of Alphabets largest investments, said it learned that seven years worth of effort had been copied when it received an email from a component vendor using drawings that purported to be an Uber circuit board but was in reality a Waymo design. Levandowski admitted to former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick that he took some files, but said they were to ensure he received a bonus promised by Waymo. Uber contends that it bought Otto for Levandowskis brainpower and independent research not ideas stolen from Waymo and that the companys laser system was built from the ground up. Waymo has pressed hard to get access to a due-diligence report produced by cyberforensics firm Stroz Friedberg Inc., hired to vet Ubers $680 million acquisition of the company Levandowski formed days after he quit Waymo in January 2016. The report may contain hidden secrets that, once exposed, could decide the case in its favor, Waymo has said. Since filing this case, Waymo has found significant and direct evidence that Uber is using stolen Waymo trade secrets in its technology, Waymo said. We are still reviewing materials received late in the discovery process and we look forward to reviewing the Stroz Report and related materials. Waymo claims that in 2015, Levandowski and Uber hatched a plan for him to steal more than 14,000 proprietary files, including the designs for lidar technology. First a magistrate judge and then U.S. District Judge William Alsup ordered Uber to turn over the report. Levandowski appealed Alsups decision; Uber decided not to. In a ruling separate from the arbitration question on Wednesday, the Federal Circuit ruled that he didnt have the legal right to file such an appeal. Under court order, Levandowski was first walled off by Uber from working on the technology in dispute and then fired in May after the trial judge ordered the company to use its full authority to force the engineer to comply with a court order to turn over evidence. Levandowski, who isnt a defendant in the lawsuit, has refused to testify, asserting his constitutional right against self-incrimination. Waymo has argued that because he wont answer questions about his negotiations with Uber and the allegedly stolen files, the information must be extracted from Uber, which as a corporation isnt afforded the same constitutional protections as individuals. Susan Decker and Joel Rosenblatt are Bloomberg writers. Email: sdecker1@bloomberg.net, jrosenblatt@bloomberg.net FORT BRAGG, N.C. A training exercise involving demolitions killed one special operations soldier and injured seven others at the Armys largest base Thursday, just a day after 15 Marines were hurt in a fire while training in California. The soldiers were taken to several hospitals, including the Womack Army Medical Center on base for treatment, said Lt. Col. Rob Bockholt, a spokesman for the U.S. Armys Special Operations Command based at Fort Bragg. Staff Sgt. Alexander P. Dalida, 32, of Dunstable, Mass., was killed during the exercise, Bockholt said. The cause of death is under investigation. Dalida, who enlisted in 2006, was assigned to 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne). Bockholt didnt know the extent of the other soldiers injuries. Initial reports said the injuries happened in an explosion, but Bockholt says he could not confirm that. There was an incident that occurred on one of the ranges, Bockholt said, adding that the command is investigating. Were looking into exactly what happened. The soldiers were students from the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School and they were at a range on base, the Army said. A day earlier, eight Marines were rushed to a burn center and seven others also were hospitalized after a fire in their amphibious vehicle during training at Camp Pendleton in San Diego. Also, a soldier was killed Tuesday night during hoist training for medical helicopter evacuations at Fort Hood in Texas. About 57,000 military personnel are attached to Fort Bragg, a 161,000-acre base located next to Fayetteville, N.C. The Armys Special Operations Command has about 23,000 soldiers spread over several sites. Winnie Yu, co-founder of Teance Fine Teas in Berkeley, and a woman whose influence on American tea culture was quiet but pervasive, died in Berkeley on September 11 after a year-long illness. She was 47. Yu was born in Hainan, China, in 1970. Her parents, who were artists, emigrated first to Hong Kong and then to New York when she was in grade school. She came to Berkeley to attend college, then completed a masters at the Haas UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and worked as a financial advisor. However, friends say, Yu was not your average business school grad. She had grown up immersed in art and traditional tea culture, and was a student of both Buddhism and kung fu. Inspired in part by Roy Fongs Imperial Tea Court, which opened in San Franciscos Chinatown in the early 1990s, she mulled over the idea of opening a tea room that would pour and sell whole-leaf teas sourced directly from tea farmers in China, Taiwan, Japan and India. Around the turn of the millennium, she brought the idea to Fu Tung Cheng, a designer friend. He asked her how much she would charge for such teas, and she told him anywhere from $50 a pound to $400 in an era when many customers considered a $10 tin of loose-leaf teas an extravagance. I said, Americans are going to have to come into a shop that represents that quality, Cheng recalled. She said, great. You do it! Yu and Cheng opened a tranquil, stylish tea room called Celadon on Solano Avenue in 2002, which drew a devoted clientele but was too tranquil, perhaps, to generate a profit. In 2006, they moved to Fourth Street in Berkeley, reopening as Teance (the name came from the combination of tea plus ambiance). Cheng designated more of the space to shelves of teas and teawares. In the back, they installed a circular tea bar with a polished concrete top for tastings and educational events. Each year, Yu revisited Asia in search of higher-quality teas. Darius Moghaddam, who started as a dishwasher at Teance and rose to store manager and close friend, traveled with her numerous times. He remembers long and perilous trips into the tea mountains of China, arriving only to stay up all night to watch tea farmers process the new harvest. Anything Winnie did she did 150 percent, Moghaddam said. Wed hit two to three farms every day, with nonstop travel, trying to absorb as much knowledge and information as we could. She was tenacious and ferocious. Red Blossom Teas Alice Luong added that the patriarchal nature of many tea farms in China and Taiwan pose an additional layer of challenges to women who do business directly with them. As one of the few women in the tea business I will miss her presence and positive influence on the Bay Area tea scene, wrote Donna Lo of Far Leaves Tea. Teance soon exerted its own influence on the tea world. Jesse Jacobs, owner of Samovar, said Yu educated Bay Area drinkers that their seasonal, organic and artisanal culinary ideals should apply to the tea they drank as well. She has helped deliver tea in that same vein in a contemporary way without bastardizing it with, say, bubblegum and banana, he said. In the United States, Yu raised the bar, both in terms of quality and the price that American connoisseurs were willing to pay, said James Norwood Pratt, author of The Tea Lovers Treasury. Once youve had a Taiwanese baozhong (oolong) from Teance, you might have others elsewhere, but you could usually say, well, its good but its not up to Winnies, Pratt said. Yus passions were not restricted to tea. She continued to study martial arts, and was an avid fan of kung fu movies, particularly any starring Donnie Yen. Cheng said she would host big gatherings in her house to drink high-mountain oolongs and watch mixed martial arts matches on television. She mentored several young adults, particularly those who had lost their parents. According to Cheng, four years ago Yu began playing with a process to make cold-brew tea and coffee rapidly without sacrificing the flavor. Engineers translated the method she came up with, involving a drill and a glass jar, into machinery that could produce 50 gallons every 30 minutes. Yu and Cheng attracted enough investment to begin producing FogDog Cold Brew teas and coffees, with production facilities in Brooklyn and Berkeley. They began selling in Bay Area stores in June. By that time, however, Yu had fallen ill. She fought so hard through it, Moghaddam said, and as much as she went through, she didnt complain once. She died on Monday, September 11. It was a brilliant career cut short, Pratt said. Winnie Yu is survived by her parents and a brother. Friends and associates plan on holding a memorial in the future; check the Teance Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TeanceFineTeas/) for updates. Jonathan Kauffman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jkauffman@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @jonkauffman A popular comic book business in Pleasanton called Heroes & Villains has been listed on sale for a firm $150,000. Jim Cravens and Catherine de Dood, Heroes & Villains' owners, also own High Tide Books, Gifts, and Games in Bodega Bay, and with some personal circumstances de Dood is fighting an illness the two decided to give up the Pleasanton store. "Over the past three months it has been a struggle to juggle managing Heroes & Villains and High Tide so we decided that now was the time to let someone in the Pleasanton area have the opportunity to enjoy the fun of owning/running their own store," Cravens said in an email to SFGATE. The store is well-loved in the East Bay town; it boasts a rare 5-star Yelp rating, and as the pair write in the Craigslist listing advertising the sale, it has no competition in the area. The store opened in 2010, as the result of a conversation between Cravens and de Dood. Cravens wanted to do something with his business degree and de Dood encouraged him to consider a job he loved in the past. Cravens had for a short time run a comic book shop he loved in Manteca, so the two decided to give the idea another go in Pleasanton. As the years went on, the store became more than just a retail location; it became a gathering place. As Cravens says, he hopes that whoever buys the store maintains it as a comic-lovers destination. Now Playing: The Wonder Woman movie continues working wonders as reaches the top of highest-grossing superhero movies of all time! Buzz60's Djenane Beaulieu (@djenanebeaulieu) reports. Video: Buzz 60 "Heroes and Villains isn't just a comic store, it's an entire community built up of fans of the genre that come in every week to see what new adventures await them," he says. "Nothing is better than when a parent who reads comics buys their child's first comic book or when someone discovers for the first time how incredible reading a graphic novel is. We regularly have amazing geek-out discussions that pull in complete strangers with a common ground." Due in part to the success of Hollywood blockbuster films like "Wonder Woman" and "The Avengers" and small screen hits like "Luke Cage" and "Legion," the comic book industry has been booming. The massive San Diego Comic-Con, too, had another huge year in 2017, selling out all badges in an hour and 15 minutes. An estimated 130,000 people who are able to snag badges attend Comic-Con every year. "Hollywood has brought the comic book medium into the mainstream consciousness," Cravens said. "Also, the comic companies have been making some of the best and most interesting books ever over the last decade. Whether you like super heroes, science fiction, horror, comedy, there is literally a comic book out there for everyone." With the sale including a full inventory, the current owners are hoping that the party that purchases the business will keep the store intact as a comic books retailer as well as its staff when the deal goes through. Recalling the reasoning the couple had in first opening the store, Cravens says, "We really wanted a place where anyone who appreciates the magic of comic books, games, and art could gather as a community with their love for that common interest." Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A new theory about what happened to the mysterious D.B. Cooper has gained some attention and perhaps some credence in recent weeks as two senior FBI agents have given the nod to parts of the story. Author and filmmaker Tom Colbert and his wife, Dawna, with the help of a cold-case team comprised of former members of law enforcement, including ex-FBI agents, have come up with a theory that Cooper not only escaped but is alive and well today, living in Southern California. Retired FBI agent Dorwin Schreuder was the lead agent when some of Cooper's money was discovered along the Columbia River in 1980, and he agreed that Colbert's suspect, Robert W. Rackstraw, is the best suspect yet. "Rackstraw absolutely fits the profile," Schreuder told SeattlePI. Rackstraw was a Vietnam veteran with parachute training, and Schreuder said his links to other thefts and his purportedly sociopathic behavior make him a likely suspect. RELATED: D.B. Cooper: More new evidence believed found The mystery began on Nov. 24, 1971 when a man calling himself Dan Cooper bought a one-way ticket on Northwest Orient Airlines from Portland to Seattle. Once aboard the Boeing 727, he slipped a note to the flight attendant saying he had a bomb and that he wanted $200,000 and four parachutes, as well as a refueling truck ready when they landed in Seattle. In Seattle, the man exchanged the passengers for the ransom money and the plane took off, headed for Mexico. Somewhere over southwest Washington, Cooper jumped out the rear stair door of the plane and was never heard from again. The only verifiable evidence ever found was a small cache of $20 bills found near the Columbia River in 1980. The FBI officially stopped pursuing the case last year but said it would review any physical evidence of the parachutes or the money that turned up. It remains the only unsolved case of air piracy in the U.S. Schreuder applauded Colbert's efforts at investigating Rackstraw, who was an official suspect at one time but was cleared, but wasn't sold on all of Colbert's theory about Rackstraw's connection to the money found near the Columbia River. A story Colbert heard eventually led him to believe firmly that Rackstraw is the most likely suspect, something Colbert documented in the book "The Last Master Outlaw." The synopsis of the story, told to one Russ Cooper by a pilot named Wally is as follows, from a background provided by Colbert: "On Nov. 24, 1971, the pilot's small Cessna was circling after 8 p.m. when the slow-moving Northwest airliner broke through the storm clouds and rain. Minutes later, the pilot spotted a truck's blinking headlights below, a signal that the daredevil (Cooper) had touched down and rendezvoused with two other partners. All their practiced air-to-ground coordination paid off; the jumper missed the selected drop zone by only 1,300 feet. The flyer's two-seater aircraft then swooped toward nearby Goheen Airstrip to await the arrival of the vehicle and Cooper. When the three men pulled up to the idling Cessna, the hijacker crawled inside with his briefcase bomb and $50,000 of the jet ransom. The remaining $150,000 and parachute were driven away by the two others to be buried. Flying "below the radar," the pilot and Cooper followed three rivers to Vancouver Lake where the alleged $50,000 and briefcase bomb were unceremoniously dumped with the hopes, Wally explained, that it would lead authorities to think Cooper had drowned. The money and briefcase instead sank into the lake's notorious deep mud which happens to be right next door to the Columbia River's Tena Bar. (Colbert's team) now suspects the hijack money that was "discovered" there in 1980 was Cooper's second attempt at a drowning stunt. The pilot and skyjacker then flew to Oregon's Scappoose Airstrip where they transferred everything into another small plane. Storyteller Wally noted this was when Cooper changed out of his business suit." The second attempt Colbert referred to is another story that involves a dead drug smuggler, the family that found the money, and Rackstraw. According to Colbert, Rackstraw teamed up with a drug-smuggling cohort who made a deal with a family name Ingram to plant the money in shallow sand along the river and have the young Brian Ingram "find" it there. The find was meant, according to Colbert, to reinforce the theory that Cooper had drowned since the money supposedly dropped into Vancouver Lake had never washed downstream. But once FBI teams starting digging up the area, they found other bits of bills buried deeper in the sand -- from one to three feet down. For Schreuder, the coincidences mount to too much to swallow, he said. "That's pretty far fetched because how in the hell (was Rackstraw) going to predict that that money is going to be found?" Schreuder said about the money tossed in the lake. The finding of the lake money right next to the money found by the Ingrams was more likely a sign both sets of cash arrived at the same time, rather than by an amazing coincidence, he added. Colbert's theory is that the lake money was eventually brought downstream, either through dredging accidentally, or by Cooper (Rackstraw) intentionally, and then put through a dredge to wind up buried along the river. The money found by the Ingram boy was later planted after the earlier money wasn't found, so the theory goes. But Colbert said the "how" it got there doesn't matter when there was already an established criminal link between Rackstraw and the smuggler, Dick Briggs, and the story of the escape and the money planting has been backed up in part by half a dozen people. "I have six people who told me bits and pieces of the same story," Colbert said. Colbert told the story to another former FBI agent who worked on the case, Bill Baker, who was Schreuder's superior at the time. Baker sounded equally convinced, according to Colbert. Still, Schreuder wondered about tossing the money out of the plane in hopes someone would find it. The $50,000 dollars, after all, accounted for a large chunk of the $200,000 ransom. "Would a guy like that throw away a quarter of his money?" Schreuder asked. Colbert's team has handed over several pieces of material dug up at a site identified by Wally (who shared the escape plan) to the FBI and hopes they'll see fit to follow up on what Colbert believes is a solid lead in the 46-year-old case. The FBI even sent him a thank you note afterward, he said. "We truly feel that we have the escape story," Colbert said. Daniel DeMay covers Seattle culture, city hall, and transportation for seattlepi.com. He can be reached at 206-448-8362 or danieldemay@seattlepi.com. Follow him on Twitter: @Daniel_DeMay. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate If you're like me, you might have noticed religious billboard ads seem to have proliferated around the Bay Area. I've seen them all over my morning commute and encountered one on a recent trip to Sacramento that made me especially curious. "After you die," it professed in large block letters, "you WILL meet God." The ads have been spotted in several locations around Oakland and San Francisco, so my first assumption was that the billboards were being put on by a local or California-based mega-church. But I figured my questions were better answered through a call to the toll-free number itself, so I dialed 855-FOR-TRUTH. Within seconds, an automated voice listed off a few of the paths I could take while on the call. I could learn more about the gospel billboards, listen to brief explanations about each billboard's messages, or, if I were feeling lonely or discouraged, I could press 3. I began with the billboard messages. The voice listed nine of the ads I could choose to learn more about, including some I'd already seen, like "There is evidence for God" and "Beyond reasonable doubt JESUS IS ALIVE!" I thought it might be nice to talk to a representative. I spent 10 minutes on the phone with Benji, who didn't want to give his last name. I found out Benji was a call center operator based in Indiana. He's part of a small group of 10-20 men who field these calls from all over the U.S. for an organization called Christian Aid Ministries. Christian Aid Ministries was founded in 1981 as a Mennonite-Amish ministry organization. With headquarters in Berlin, Ohio, it's a distributive nonprofit for Amish, Mennonite and other conservative Anabaptist groups and individuals around the world. Anabaptists are a Christian movement widely known for its rejection of infant baptism, who believe that a valid baptism can only occur when the person consciously decides to have one. According to its website, CAM has staff and distribution networks in Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Haiti, and Kenya, among others. Charity Navigator rated CAM an 84.5 out of 100. Benji told me the organization puts billboards around a number of highly populated cities in the U.S. and Canada. Anywhere, he said, where people seem to be "walking away from God and truth." Gospel Billboards has CAM's billboard locations available on a map. I asked if there were any female call operators and he told me no, but offered to put his wife on the phone if I preferred to hear a female voice. Benji said the call center receives about 300 calls a day but only about 130 of them are serious callers. "A lot of them are people who want to know how to get to heaven," Benji said. "Right before you called, a girl asked how she can be saved." According to Jim Bennett, an associate professor of religious studies at Santa Clara University, advertisements like these are an example of a trend among religions in the U.S. "In the U.S., there has always been a commercial or market dimension to religion," Bennett said. "Just like a business or any other organization that's trying to get customers, churches had to compete to get people." Bennett says that for at least 200 years, churches have been adept at using commercial techniques to win converts and engage with mass media. Music magazine Fader analyzed the spread of religious billboards and found that 2016 was the largest year yet for spending on billboard evangelism. Their reporting also found that non-theistic organizations said they were encountering far more challenges getting their messages onto billboards. CAM's billboards are seen by more than 8.9 million people daily, according to the organization's 2016 report. Phone team members also had more than 20,000 conversations by phone. What strikes Bennett is Christian Aid Ministries' use of billboards over newer forms of technology. But studies show that people are spending more time out of the house, traveling and commuting. "In the middle of the valley of I-5, those are likely to be very intentional or best practices," Bennett said. "They're not coincidental or random." Bennett says conservative Christian groups in particular have been savvy at embracing new forms of technology as part of their PR campaigns. People like Pat Robertson, the chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network, were far quicker than 'mainline' Christians to harness radio and television stations as mediums for their messages. History tells us religion and billboards are a symbiotic pair. Remember 2011's two apparent "judgement days" the costly publicity campaign put on by Oakland-based Harold Camping of Family Radio? People all around the U.S. were told the world would come to its end on May 21. And then Oct 21. The world is still going on, as far as I know. But billboards sure seem to work. Read Annie Vainshtein's latest stories here. Send her news tips or bad haikus at avainshtein@sfchronicle.com. Rebel in the Rye attempts to understand a man who didnt want to be understood, made by a writer-director who is clearly a fan. This can have its drawbacks its hard to attain some level of objectivity when you are an advocate. But it also means we have the warmest possible portrait of a chilly personality, author J.D. Salinger, an uncompromising writer who became burdened by his 1951 debut novel, Catcher in the Rye, now an American classic. Writer-director Danny Strong focuses on a roughly 15-year period in Salingers life, from his late teenage years in late 1930s New York, where he is raised by a father (Victor Garber) who has no confidence that Jerry (as he is called) will make it as a writer, and a mother (Hope Davis) who very much does (Salinger dedicated Catcher in the Rye to his mother), to the beginnings of a decades-long isolation in rural New Hampshire. As played by Nicholas Hoult, Jerry is a precocious brat who woos Eugene ONeills daughter Oona (Zoey Deutch) later the wife of Charlie Chaplin and is taken down a peg or two by his writing mentor at Columbia, the brilliant editor of Story magazine, Whit Burnett (Kevin Spacey, in another outstanding supporting effort following Baby Driver). Whit is unrelentingly tough on the young writer, and Strong suggests that without his guidance, Salinger might never have written his masterpiece. It is Whit who urges Salinger to expand Holden Caulfields character, first appearing in an unpublished short story, into a novel. To this point, Rebel in the Rye is just skimming the surface. Strongs script, a simplification of Kenneth Slawenskis biography J.D. Salinger: A Life, doesnt quite give us an understanding of Salingers character. But the film and Hoults performance deepens after Salingers service in World War II. Salinger was a soldier who was part of the D-Day invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. His unit just misses the point where the heaviest fighting was though he does see heavy action as his unit battles its way across France, retaking the country from the Nazis, and is later present at the liberation of the concentration camps so he has a sort of survivors guilt that haunts him for much of the rest of his life. While apparent budget limitations hinder the film during the war scenes, its what happens when Salinger returns home after the war that the movie hits a higher gear. More determined than ever to get Catcher in the Rye published, Jerry has a falling-out with Whit. His only friends seem to be his pragmatic but relentlessly understanding agent (Sarah Paulson, excellent), who understands the idiosyncrasies of the creative mind; and Swami Nikhilananda (Bernard White), his teacher when he turns to Zen Buddhism. What drove Salinger to retreat after the success of Catcher in the Rye? Was it the pressure to follow up a book that unexpectedly made him an instant celebrity? In Rebel in the Rye, Salinger is repeatedly stalked by nerdy fanboys wearing Holden Caulfields signature red hunting cap, and the suggestion is he fled to the woods as much for his own safety as his sanity. Salinger, who died in 2010 at age 91, probably would have hated this movie. If Jones doesnt quite pull it off, it is at least a film of many pleasures and a thought-provoking look at American literatures most famous loner. G. Allen Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ajohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BRfilmsAllen Rebel in the Rye Drama. With Nicholas Hoult, Zoey Deutch, Kevin Spacey. Directed by Danny Strong. (PG-13. 106 minutes.) HOLLYWOOD, Fla. Florida seniors shuffled out of stifling assisted-living centers Thursday while caregivers fought a lack of air conditioning with popsicles and cool compresses after eight people died at a nursing home in the post-hurricane heat. Dozens of the states senior centers still lacked electricity in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, and several facilities were forced to evacuate. While detectives sought clues to the deaths, emergency workers went door to door to look for anyone else who was at risk. Fifty-seven residents were moved from a suburban Fort Lauderdale assisted-living facility without power to two nearby homes where power had been restored. Owner Ralph Marrinson said all five of his Florida facilities lost electricity after Irma. Workers scrambled to keep patients cool with emergency stocks of ice and popsicles. FPL has got to have a better plan for power, he said, referring to the states largest utility, Florida Power & Light. Were supposed to be on a priority list, and it doesnt come and it doesnt come, and frankly its very scary. Stepped-up safety checks were conducted around the state after eight deaths at the Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills, which shocked Floridas top leaders as they surveyed destruction from the punishing storm. Older people can be more susceptible to heat because their bodies do not adjust to temperatures as well as those of younger people. They do not sweat as much and are more likely to have medical conditions that change how the body responds to heat. They are also more likely to take medication that affects body temperature. Most people who die from high body temperature, known as hyperthermia, are over 50, according to the National Institutes of Health. Statewide, 64 nursing homes were still waiting Thursday for full power, according to the Florida Health Care Association. The separate Florida Assisted Living Association said many of its South Florida members lacked electricity. The group was working on a precise count. A day earlier near Orlando, firefighters helped relocate 122 people from two assisted-living centers that had been without power since the storm. And at the 15,000-resident Century Village retirement community in Pembroke Pines, where there were also widespread outages, rescue workers went door to door to check on residents and bring ice, water and meals. To the east, the Greater Miami Jewish Federation has been checking on elderly residents in their homes and felt a greater sense of urgency after the deaths. CEO Jacob Solomon said the group encouraged people to evacuate before the storm if they could, but now theyre focused on helping them in their homes. At this point, were better off taking care of them where they are. What are you going to do? You go, you check on them, you make sure they have water and food and thats it, he said. Youre not going to convince a 95-year-old Holocaust survivor to do something that she doesnt want to do. Though the number of people with electricity has improved from earlier in the week, some 4.9 million people across the peninsula continued to wait for power. Utility officials warned it could take a week or more for all areas to be back up and running. Terry Spencer and Jay Reeves are Associated Press writers. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Employees at Motel 6 locations in Arizona regularly handed over to the government information that led to its hotel guests being detained and deported, the company has acknowledged. The revelation of this practice in a report Wednesday by the Phoenix New Times drew sharp rebukes from human rights groups and an array of calls to boycott Motel 6, one of the largest hotel chains in the country. 1 Slain teen lawsuit: The mother of a Connecticut teenager stabbed to death at her school has offered to settle lawsuit allegations against the city of Milford and its school district for $23 million. Lawyers for Donna Cimarelli-Sanchez filed the offer this week in Milford Superior Court. Maren Sanchez, 16, was killed at Jonathan Law High School in 2014, on the day of her junior prom. Police said her classmate, Christopher Plaskon, was upset that Sanchez had rejected his prom invitation. Plaskon, now 20, was sentenced to 25 years in prison last year after pleading no contest to a murder charge. Cimarelli-Sanchez filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Plaskon, his parents, the city and the school district last year. The lawsuit alleges Plaskons parents and school officials could have prevented the killing by taking appropriate steps to address his mental illness. 2 Star-Spangled Banner: Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh says she has no plans to remove the citys monument to Francis Scott Key that was recently vandalized. The words Racist Anthem were painted on the monuments base on the anniversary of the battle that inspired Key to write the The Star-Spangled Banner. Pugh also has directed art preservation experts to determine the cost of cleaning it up. Key, who owned slaves, was inspired to write his verses by the Battle of Fort McHenry on Sept. 13 and 14, 1814, during the War of 1812. The seldom-sung third verse says: No refuge could save the hireling and slave from the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave. Many believe it refers to slaves who fought for the British. Pete Domenici, a six-term Republican U.S. senator from New Mexico who opposed the supply-side economic policies of President Ronald Reagan out of concern for widening budget deficits, has died. He was 85. He died Wednesday in Albuquerque, according to the Associated Press, citing the law firm of Pete Domenici Jr., the senators son. As the Senate Budget Committees chairman under Reagan, Sen. Domenici sought to moderate proposed tax cuts and Pentagon spending. Reagans budget director, David Stockman, branded him a Hooverite for seeking balanced budgets. On one occasion, Reagan threw the phone on the floor after the New Mexico senator refused to raise the defense budget as much as the president had wanted, Sen. Domenici said, according to a 2004 article in the Albuquerque Journal. Budget balancing vied with old-fashioned pork-barrel legislating Sen. Domenici was sometimes called St. Pete in his home state for the billions he rained on the Sandia and Los Alamos federal nuclear laboratories. He had a passion for all things nuclear, weapons but also power, the subject of his 2004 book, A Brighter Tomorrow: Fulfilling the Promise of Nuclear Energy. He matched it with a commitment to prevent the spread of atomic weapons by securing nuclear materials after the breakup of the Soviet Union. With an owlish visage and gravitas to spare, Sen. Domenici was part of an older generation of Republicans who sought compromise in crafting legislation. He rejected House Speaker Newt Gingrichs partisan Contract With America in 1994 and was instrumental in passing the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, which some credit with helping create the budget surpluses of Bill Clintons second term as president. Pietro Vichi Domenici was born May 7, 1932, in Albuquerque, according to his congressional biography. His parents were Cherubino Domenici, a wholesale grocer, and the former Alda Vichi. He was the youngest child and had five sisters. The family nicknamed the plump infant Bocci, an Italian bowling ball. Both his parents were Italian immigrants. His father gained citizenship by fighting in the U.S. Army during World War I, Sen. Domenici said in a 2007 Senate speech for immigration reform. He attended St. Marys High School in Albuqueque before earning a bachelors degree in education in 1954 at the University of New Mexico. He pitched briefly for the minor-league Albuquerque Dukes and taught math in local schools before studying law, completing his degree in 1958 at the University of Denver. He returned to Albuquerque to open a law practice and soon developed an interest in elective office. I was a real complainer about government, Sen. Domenici said, according to a 1981 article in the Washington Post. They told me to run or quit bitching. I was an easy push. He was elected a city commissioner in 1966, then served as mayor of Albuquerque from 1967 to 1970. In 1972, Sen. Domenici ran for the U.S. Senate, legally changing his name to Pete. After his daughter Clare was diagnosed with a form of schizophrenia, Sen. Domenici became a leading advocate in Washington for the mentally ill. He sponsored into law two acts requiring insurance companies to provide coverage for mental illness as they do for physical ailments. Sen. Domenici retired in 2009, citing a degenerative neurological condition. He was the longest-serving senator in New Mexico history. In the 1970s, Sen. Domenici and Michelle Laxalt, the daughter of former New Mexico Sen. Paul Laxalt, had a son, Adam Laxalt, who would become attorney general of New Mexico. Sen. Domenici married the former Nancy Burk in 1958. They had eight children: Lisa, Peter, Nella, Clare, David, Nanette, Helen and Paula. Stephen Miller is a Bloomberg writer. BEIRUT A convoy of Islamic State militants and their relatives being evacuated from the border with Lebanon has crossed into an extremist stronghold in eastern Syria, a Syrian monitoring group said Thursday, ending a standoff with the U.S.-led coalition. The evacuation, negotiated by Lebanons Hezbollah group, removed the militants from the Syria-Lebanon border but angered Iraq and the U.S., which said they should have been killed on the battlefield. The deal reached at the end of August allowed hundreds of militants and their families to relocate to Boukamal, an Islamic State-held Syrian town near the Iraqi border, in exchange for Islamic State-held prisoners and the remains of Lebanese soldiers captured in 2014. One surviving Hezbollah fighter was returned to Lebanon Thursday. The U.S-led coalition struck the road the convoy was traveling on, leaving it stranded in the desert for about two weeks, though some vehicles were able to slip into militant-held territory. The U.S. said it did not strike the convoy itself because of the presence of civilians. Last week, the U.S-led coalition said it ended surveillance of the convoy after a Russian request, as Syrian troops advanced against Islamic State in the eastern Deir el-Zour province. Russia is one of the Syrian governments main backers, providing it with crucial air and ground support that has turned the tide of the war in the last two years. The head of Britains Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said buses and vehicles carrying about 400 militants and civilians crossed into Deir el-Zour province Wednesday. Syrian government forces broke a three-year Islamic State siege on parts of the provincial capital, also known as Deir el-Zour, last week, and are now battling the extremists inside the city. The militants control less than half the city and are encircled on three sides. KIRKUK, Iraq Iraqs parliament on Thursday voted to dismiss the Kurdish governor of the ethnically mixed Kirkuk province, in a move that could escalate tensions ahead of a planned Kurdish referendum on independence. To the south of Baghdad, meanwhile, militants attacked a checkpoint and nearby restaurant in southern Thi Qar province, killing at least 60 people and wounding 83, according to provincial Gov. Yahya al-Nassiri. The Islamic State, through its Amaq news agency, claimed responsibility. Iraqs Kurds plan to hold the vote on Sept. 25 in three governorates that make up their autonomous region as well as disputed areas like Kirkuk that are controlled by Kurdish forces but claimed by Baghdad. Late last month, Kirkuks provincial council voted to take part in the referendum. Iraqs central government has rejected the polls as unconstitutional and illegal. Lawmaker Hussein al-Maliki said parliament voted to dismiss Kirkuk Gov. Najmiddin Karim based on consultations with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. Mohammed al-Karboli, another Arab lawmaker, said Karim threatens the countrys unity and civil peace in Kirkuk. All Kurdish members boycotted Thursdays session, while 187 mainly Arab and Turkmen legislators voted in favor, the two lawmakers said. The governor has the right to appeal the decision, al-Karboli added. Shortly after the session, the Kirkuk governor rejected the parliament decision in a statement, describing it as invalid and insisting that hell stay in office. Brett McGurk, U.S. special presidential envoy to the anti-Islamic State coalition calling on Kurdish leaders in Iraq to halt the referendum in favor of an alternative. While providing no details on the alternative, he said he has presented it to Kurdish leaders. Iraqs Kurdish region has enjoyed a high degree of autonomy since the U.S. imposed a no-fly zone over northern Iraq after the 1990 Gulf War. It has its own parliament and armed forces, flies its own flag, and has been a close U.S. ally against Islamic State and other militant groups. The attack in Nasiriyah in Thi Qar province started with militants opening fire at the checkpoint and the restaurant on the main highway that links Baghdad with the southern provinces. That was followed by two suicide bombers, including one driving an explosives-laden car, he added. Emad Matti and Qassim Abdul-Zahra are Associated Press writers. COXS BAZAR, Bangladesh Nearly three weeks into a mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in Myanmar, thousands were still flooding across the border Thursday in search of help and safety in teeming refugee settlements in Bangladesh. The crisis has drawn global condemnation, with U.N. officials demanding Myanmar halt what they described as a campaign of ethnic cleansing that has driven some 400,000 Rohingya to flee Rakhine state. One of the dozens of boats carrying Rohingya to the Bangladeshi border town of Teknaf capsized Thursday and at least two people drowned, police said. That brought known drownings in the Naf River to 88 since the crisis began. Those who arrived Wednesday in wooden boats on beaches near Shah Porir Dwip fishing village described ongoing violence in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, where smoke could be seen billowing from a burning village suggesting more Rohingya homes had been set alight. One Rohingya man said his village of Rashidong had been attacked six days earlier by Myanmar soldiers and police. When military and police surrounded our village and attacked us with rocket launchers to set fire, we got away from our village and fled away to any direction we could manage, Abdul Goffar said. Myanmar presidential office spokesman Zaw Htay said that out of 471 Bengali villages in three Rakhine townships, 176 were now completely empty while at least 34 more were partially abandoned. Many in Myanmar use that term as part of the long-standing refusal to accept Rohingya as citizens of the country. Myanmar has accused the Rohingya of burning their own homes and villages a claim the U.N. human rights chief criticized as a complete denial of reality. The crisis and refugee exodus began on Aug. 25, when Rohingya insurgents attacked police posts. Myanmars military retaliated with clearance operations to root out the rebels, but the fleeing Rohingya say Myanmar soldiers shot indiscriminately, burned their homes and warned them to leave or die. Julhas Alam and Dar Yasin are Associated Press writers. WASHINGTON The blaring, grinding noise jolted the American diplomat from his bed in a Havana hotel. He moved just a few feet, and there was silence. He climbed back into bed. Inexplicably, the agonizing sound hit him again. It was as if hed walked through some invisible wall cutting straight through his room. Soon came the hearing loss, and the speech problems, symptoms both similar and altogether different from others among at least 21 U.S. victims in an astonishing international mystery still unfolding in Cuba. The top U.S. diplomat has called them health attacks. New details learned by The Associated Press indicate at least some of the incidents were confined to specific rooms or even parts of rooms with laser-like specificity, baffling U.S. officials who say the facts and the physics dont add up. 1 Missing millions: Governments and aid agencies have been unable to account for millions of dollars in school aid for Syrian refugees, frustrating efforts to meet schooling needs for children in Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey, Human Rights Watch said Thursday. More than half a million school-age Syrian refugees in the three countries were out of school last year, in part because of severe funding gaps, the report by the New York-based group said. There are at least 1.6 million Syrian children refugees in the region. 2 Thailand bombings: A soldier and a policeman were killed and 26 other people wounded by two bombs believed to have been set off by Muslim separatists in southern Thailand on Thursday, police in Yala province said. The assailants detonated one bomb as a team of paramilitary rangers passed on a road. After more security personnel arrived about 20 minutes later, a second bomb exploded. Most of the wounded were bomb disposal officers. More than 6,500 people have been killed since a Muslim separatist insurgency flared in Thailands three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat in 2004. Recent cease-fire talks between the government and some separatist factions have made little progress. We have friends who are now sending their kiddos off to school for the first time. We also have friends who are basking in the warm glow of kid-free days (but, like, in a positive way). We have friends who don't even have kids but are just excited for summer to end so they can get back to layering clothes (see SFR's latest fashion column for more on that) and smelling that sweet, sweet chile roasting. Regardless, we're curious how you handle your lunches and dinners now that school's back in session. The Fork checked out the school lunch situation a little while back (which you can read about here), but shoot us a message and let us know what your tips, tricks, hacks and shortcuts might be so we might share with other perplexed parents. Or journalists (who often eat their lunches hunched over their desks, like animals. If they eat lunch at all. Think of the journalists.) Anywaylet's get forkin'! And while we're talking about sandwiches, we'd just like to mention that the adult grilled cheese at Boxcar (530 S Guadalupe St., 988-7222) has been rocking our world. A thick and gooey slab, this bad boy comes with bacon and green chile (or not, it's totally your call). Seriously, we had it twice in less than a week. We also hear Red Elvises are slated to return to Boxcar at 10 pm on Saturday, Sept. 23, with their signature Siberian rockabilly sound. Did we also mention there's never a cover there, and that the 1998 indie film Six String Samurai (which totally features Red Elvises) rules? Well, it does. Google it already. OK, finewe did it for you: Here. The New Mexico State Fair ends after this Sunday (that's Sept. 17), and if you haven't messed with all that awful (read: good) fair food you've come to love, plus deep-friend things that usually aren't deep-fried, cotton candy, funnel cake a-plenty and probably other food options we can't even begin to fathom yet, have you even truly lived? We're a mite old for some of the rides, but we still like the cool product demos of things like table saws and the animals are always way cute. Speaking of way cute (though maybe not as cute as livestock), that's SFR copy editor Charlotte on the right and SFR groupie Beckie on the left, about to obliterate a funnel cake at the State Fair on Monday evening. If your mouth is watering, you might just want a funnel cake. Might. Did you also know that Albuquerque's Marble Brewery concocted a special brew to celebrate the fair? It's creatively called New Mexico State Fair Pale Ale and there are special happy hours every day to celebrate that. Not gonna make it to the fair? No biggieit's reportedly available statewide. Huzzah! There are all sorts of options for getting there ("there" being Expo New Mexico, 300 San Pedro Drive NE, 505-222-9700), so check the site we linked just above for the many details. They even have advice for bicyclists. As we speak, SFR is hard at work on our annual Restaurant Guide. You can get a look at the version currently out there by clicking right here. It's a great chance to get a handy overview of Santa Fe's many (and we mean many) culinary options, including a list of our Top 10 favorites, longer-form pieces and, we think, the best restaurant directory around. We'll have that out a little later this year but, in the meantime, check out the most recent one and let us know how you feel. To that end, we're always looking for great new places to trywhich includes stands, food trucks, little out-of-the-way bakeries, etc. Remember that you can always drop us a line at thefork@sfreporter.com whenever you wish to help share the wealth or point out something we may have missed. We're also curious about how out-of-towners (or their friends) handle the whole chile situation. Believe us, we've moved out of Santa Fe before and found ourselves missing chile badly. So let us know how you get yours across the country (or even the globe) or if you are a good friend who figures out how to get your pals their fix. See y'all next week! What news do you want to see in this newsletter? We want to hear from you! Let us know! Email thefork@sfreporter.com Santa Fe Reporter Trade Minister Todd McClay is upbeat after European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said he wants to ink a free-trade agreement with New Zealand by October 2019, but acknowledged it will be a challenge. "I was very pleased to see that Juncker wants to get it done by 2019, which is excellent news for New Zealand but it's going to be a very intense negotiation," McClay told BusinessDesk. "I have had discussions with all European Union member states. They have all said they are supportive of the launch of a free-trade agreement with New Zealand, they are supportive of a conclusion, but there are going to be some difficult issues on the way through," he said. Two-way trade between New Zealand the EU is worth $20 billion a year. In a state of the union address overnight Wednesday, Juncker said he was proposing to open trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand and the aim was that those agreements - and several others - be finalised by the end of the current five-year mandate on Oct. 31, 2019. McClay said he expects the talks to be formally launched by the end of the year after the European Commission has its negotiating mandate approved by the European Council. In New Zealand, Cabinet has already approved the mandate, he said. "The negotiating mandate very much focuses on getting the best deal we can for New Zealanders," he said. Key areas of focus will be better agricultural access, guarantees for New Zealanders who will invest in the EU, services, opportunities for small businesses as well as large, and ways to enhance digital trade between New Zealand and Europe. "It needs to be modern and has to deliver for everyone," he said. McClay said agriculture will remain one of the main sticking points: "It's going to be very difficult because in Europe there's a lot of protection and subsidy in agriculture. We know that European farmers are concerned about New Zealand." Still, he noted New Zealand has the same amount of arable land available as Lithuania and therefore the ability for New Zealand to have an impact on the European market "is not significant." In a scoping document, both sides agreed that all products will be part of the negotiations. The agreement should aim at full tariff liberalisation and provide for the elimination and prohibition of export duties. It was agreed that most tariffs should be eliminated when the agreement enters into force, with any phasing out of tariffs to occur over a relatively short period. However, in recognition of "possible sensitivities," such as agricultural goods, it was agreed that consideration should be given to these sensitivities during negotiations using a range of possible methods. This could include long phase-out periods for tariffs or tariff rate quotas, the document said. David Parker, Labour's spokesman for foreign affairs, said the opposition party would also be firmly behind at FTA with the EU. Both agriculture and services need to be key priorities, he said. "We are absolutely supportive of it. It's long overdue that we have an FTA with Europe, which is collectively a huge economy, a wealthy economy, that shares our values both on environment and land market issues," he said. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. 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Related News: RAK 1H23 Results Business Update Webcast & Teleconference AoFrio appoints new Vice President of Product HFL - Annual report for the year ended 31 August 2022 Rob Buchanan resigns from Manawa Energy Channel Infrastructure announces change in CEO AIA Provision of Financial Assistance - Employee Share Plan THL - Apollo shareholders approve merger TWL - TradeWindow and EMA partner-up to build export capability November 14th Morning Report The Warehouse Group FY23 First Quarter Sales Update STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The NYPD arrested two 21-year-old men at the Staten Island Ferry terminal in connection with a heist at the Seaglass Carousel at Battery Park in Manhattan. Arrested at the St. George Terminal on Wednesday night were Terrell Sutherland, 21, of East 91st Street in Brooklyn, and Terrance Sutherland, 21, of Cary Avenue in West Brighton, according to a statement from the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. Police responded to call of a gunpoint robbery at the Seaglass Carousel at State and Water streets in the park on Wednesday at about 9:55 p.m. Two employees, a man and woman in their 20s, where closing the carousel for the night when a man wearing a hoodie and a black mask displayed what appeared to be a black firearm and demanded money. The employees walked to a trailer to obtain the cash and gave about $300 to the robber who then fled on foot toward Whitehall Terminal, according to a police statement and spokesman. Police assigned to the 1st Precinct Anti-Crime Unit also responded and reviewed video from the vicinity indicating that there was an accomplice outside the carousel who basically served as a lookout and fled with the robber, according to the statement and spokesman. Descriptions of both individuals were transmitted to the 120th Precinct and officers stationed on the Staten Island Ferry. A sergeant and two other officers on the boat had images of the two suspects captured on surveillance video and transmitted to their department-issued cell phones. The officers, who were checking everyone as they left the ferry, spotted the suspects on the saloon deck midship on the New Jersey side of the Spirit of America. The alleged culprits were nabbed with a black imitation firearm and bag of cash, according to a police spokesman and the statement. Police charged both suspects with robbery, criminal possession of a firearm and menacing. The exact relationship between the two suspects, who are related, was not immediately available from authorities. Kyle Lawson Collection box swiped from altar Police are investigating what a reverend at St. Charles R.C. Church in the Oakwood section of Staten Island described as a brazen theft after Sunday mass. Don't Edit Maura Grunlund Gold items swiped from hospital chapel A 27-year-old man was arrested in April for allegedly stealing about $5,000 in religious items from a chapel at Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton. The defendant was due back in Richmond County Criminal Court on Wednesday. Don't Edit Kyle Lawson Report of burglary at St. Ann's draws heavy police response Police responded in force for a report of a burglary in January at St. Ann R.C. Church in Dongan Hills, where a man reportedly gained entry through the basement and smashed a stained glass window. Don't Edit Kyle Lawson | Klawson@siadvance.com Priest beaten, robbed outside church Police arrested two men in June, 2016, in connection with an alleged armed robbery, beating and carjacking of a priest in front of St. Mary of the Assumption-Our Lady of Mount Carmel-St. Benedicta R.C. Church in West Brighton. Don't Edit Timothy Harrison Thieves target 'Sandy' volunteers at N. Shore church At least one thief reportedly took $4,000 of equipment from Hurricane Sandy relief volunteers living in a West Brighton church in December, 2012. Don't Edit Nuhi "Nick" Mirzo and his wife, Erin, opened Unisex House of Style in New Springville. ( Staten island Advance/Tracey Porpora) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- When Nuhi "Nick" Mirzo -- who is of Albanian decent but grew up in Macedonia -- was 5 years old, his parents took him to visit family in America. From that time, Mirzo saw the United States as the land of opportunity. But when he came here 13 years ago in search of the quintessential American dream, he was all alone. "I have family who has lived here for 30 years. My parents told me about the U.S. and when I first came to visit, I liked it," said the man whom his loyal clientele know as "Nick." "When I came when I was 5 years old I had a good time because I was with my parents, but when I moved here I came by myself. It was different. ...But I am very happy I made this decision to come here (to America and ultimately to Staten Island)," he added. Working as a barber, he fell in love with a co-worker who became his wife four months ago. That's when his dreams began to transform into reality. Five months ago, the Mirzos decided to buy the salon where Nick was working as a barber. Dubbed Unisex House of Style in New Springville, this is the full-service salon Nick has long dreamed of opening. "My favorite part of the business is when you make people look good, they really appreciate what you do. And once they feel good, I feel great," said Nick. ONE-STOP SHOP The couple wanted to create a salon where the whole family could come to get their haircut. "In one shot a woman, man and the kids can come to get their hair done," said Erin Mirzo, Nick's wife and business partner. With two barbers, including Nick, and several stylists and colorists, the salon specializes in all types of cuts for women, men and kids, including hair designs. "We have hairstylists who specialize in women's hair and color, up-dos and make-up. Any type of styling they want, we have it," she said. They are hoping to soon add waxing services, said Nick. WORKING AS A TEAM While Erin takes care of the business-end of the operation, including the front desk, Nick cuts hair and takes care of many day-to-day duties. "We work together as a team; we try to help each other out the best that we can," she said. "We worked together when we first met so this is just an extension of that." UNISEX HOUSE OF STYLE AT A GLANCE Address: 460 Nome Ave., New Springville Social Media: www.facebook.com/unisexhouseofstyle1 New Businesses in Focus is a weekly column that relates the stories of new Staten Island businesses owners. If you have a new business on Staten Island, e-mail porpora@siadvance.com. FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Their job was to sniff out possible terrorists or people bringing contraband into the country at Newark Liberty International Airport. But three Custom and Border Protection (CBP) officers, including one from Staten Island, did some terrorizing of their own, assaulting two fellow officers on a so-called "rape table" at the airport during the last year, prosecutors allege. Busted Wednesday at the airport were Michael A. Papagni, 32, of Staten Island, and New Jersey residents Tito Catota, 38, and Parmenio I. Perez, 40. They were accused in New Jersey federal court of forcibly assaulting, impeding, intimidating and interfering with the two victims, said William E. Fitzpatrick, acting U.S. attorney for New Jersey. One victim was assaulted on Nov. 30 of last year; the other was attacked on Jan. 10, said prosecutors. The episodes occurred in the Passenger Enforcement Rover Team (PERT) office, authorities said. In the November incident, the three defendants grabbed the victim and threw him on the table in the PERT office, officials said. Moments before, an unidentified officer had locked one of the doors. Two of the defendants held the man down on the table while the third mounted him and simulated a sexual act, said authorities. The victim struggled to get free until the three men ultimately released him, officials said. Prosecutors allege Papagni initially accosted the other victim in October, shortly after the man was assigned to the unit. Papagni told the man the PERT office table was called the "rape table" and threatened to get the victim on it, said authorities. The prophecy allegedly came true about three months later. On Jan. 10, the victim and another officer were trying to scan a document related to a prior drug seizure when Papagni warned the man he had five minutes to leave the office or he'd learn "what this team is about," officials said. Moments later, an unidentified officer shut the office lights while Papagni, Catota and another officer threw the victim on the table. Those three men held down the victim while Perez got on top of him and simulated a sex act, said prosecutors. The man was released after Perez got off him, officials said. "The defendants, who were members of a unit responsible for identifying dangerous contraband and threats to national security, allegedly subjected their own colleagues to senseless physical abuse, all while on duty at Newark Liberty International Airport," said Fitzpatrick in a statement. "Their behavior would be abhorrent in any environment, especially one serving a critical law enforcement function," he said. "The hard-working men and women who protect our borders deserve better." The defendants, who were released from court on $100,000 bond, potentially face up to eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A CBP spokesman said the agency "welcomes these arrests" and "fully supported the investigation." "We do not tolerate misconduct in our ranks and are committed to a safe workplace environment free of harassment or intimidation," said the spokesman. "CBP leadership also took administrative and management actions to correct the situation alongside the Inspector General's investigation." Joseph Tacopina, Papagni's lawyer, said his client "100-percent maintains his innocence." "On a factual basis, he's innocent," said Tacopina. "I am absolutely astounded that we are spending federal resources on horseplay between law enforcement officers internally." Public records indicate Papagni lives in Arden Heights. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Hours after he dined with Congressional Democratic leaders, Senate Minority Leader Senator Charles (Chuck) Schumer of New York, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, President Donald Trump tweeted that no deal had been made on DACA and plans to build a border wall. Schumer and Pelosi emerged from the dinner meeting to announce an agreement that would protect nearly 800,000 immigrants brought illegally to this country as kids who had benefited from former President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program. The program provided temporary work permits and protection from deportation. Trump ended the program earlier this month and had given Congress six months to come up with a legislative fix before the statuses of the so-called "Dreamers" begin to expire. "We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides," Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement released Wednesday. But early Thursday morning, the president tweeted that no deal was made. No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 The WALL, which is already under construction in the form of new renovation of old and existing fences and walls, will continue to be built. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 But minutes later, Trump tweeted twice, appearing to soften his stance. Does anybody really want to throw out good, educated and accomplished young people who have jobs, some serving in the military? Really!..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 ...They have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own - brought in by parents at young age. Plus BIG border security Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2017 Meanwhile, the White House announced that the president would be returning to Florida Thursday to thank first-responders, the Coast Guard and FEMA for their response to Hurricane Irma. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A patient was in serious condition following a reported stabbing in the vicinity of Bay Street in Stapleton on Thursday afternoon. The patient was taken to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton after the call was received at 12:36 p.m. for Bay and Water streets, a spokesman for the FDNY/EMS said. Unconfirmed police radio communications indicate that a man was stabbed and that officers are searching the area for a suspect. The FDNY spokesman was unable to provide any information about how the patient was injured. The alleged assault happened at the corner of Water and Bay outside of the park, according to witnesses. The incident appeared to involved two men, including one who was bleeding from a cut above his eye. The witnesses heard shouting between the two men. Cops arrived quickly on the scene. The NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Public Information was unable to immediately provide any information about the incident. -- Advance staffer Kayla Simas contributed to this article. For Sanju Mohan 19, Fortouma Sissoko 18 and David Stephenson 18, living on campus is more than just having a place to sleep. For these three resident assistants (RAs), its an opportunity to build community and help new students adjust to life at Skidmore. I always had in the back of my mind that I wanted to be an RA, says Stephenson about applying for the position two years ago. More than 45 students are hired as RAs each year, serving as resources for students living in residence halls and apartment complexes on campus. RAs participate in a two-week summer training session that covers important topics including fire safety and sexual and gender-based misconduct. What is Skidmore? The This is Skidmore podcast may have the answer. Listen to the stories of alumni, students, faculty, and friends to discover what makes Skidmore...Skidmore. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Sometimes questions from residents arent complicated. Mohan recalls that as a first-year international student, she had many questions that seemed trivial at the time. How does the bus schedule work? What kinds of clothes should I wear for the Saratoga weather? she explains. Now an RA, Mohan understands that answering those questions for her residents makes them feel welcome and comfortable in their new home. At Skidmore, students are not grouped in residence halls by graduation year. Instead, they are given the opportunity to meet students from all graduation years, academic majors, and experiences. The Office of Residential Life has begun a new Special Interest Housing initiative, allowing students to live in floorwide communities such as gender-neutral housing, multicultural community, and substance-free housing. As the year unfolds, Mohan, Sissoko and Stephenson are excited to create community for their residents. 03:25 Daniel Andrews promises to bring in plans to reduce Victorians power bills Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews promises to revive the state electricity commission to help create new jobs and allow Victorians to save on... 04:23 Daniel Andrews dismissive of negative polling Victorias Premier Daniel Andrews has downplayed new polling showing his partys election winning lead is tightening as support grows for... 05:03 Fortem Australia to receive funding from government Not-for-profit group Fortem Australia, which helps first responders deal with trauma, will now have guaranteed funding after an apparent about-face... Real crisis looming: Price of key household item set to rise due to gas costs An executive from a leading manufacturer has warned the price of an everyday item is set to soar due to the company's ballooning gas bill, which will triple next year, it claimed. Andrews confronted over worlds longest lockdown and schmozzle health system The Victorian Premier was doing the media rounds on Monday as part of his election campaign when he was met with a frustrated television host questioning the state of Victoria's health system following the death of a young father left waiting for an ambulance and handling of the pandemic. No deal: Andrews refuses to do deals with Greens and Independents Premier Daniel Andrews has insisted "no deal will be offered and no deal will be done" with the Greens to allow him to retain power in a minority government, as a new poll showed support for the Coalition was growing. 01:50 Early voting begins in Victoria today Early voting has started today in Victoria with more than half of eligible Victorians expected to cast their vote before November 26th. Albaneses invitation to Biden after meeting to discuss a range of issues The Prime Minister spoke with the leader of the free world at the East Asia Summit where they discussed the issues facing the US-Australia alliance before he invited him to address federal parliament in Australia next year. 02:43 Penny Wong delivers foreign policy address Foreign Minister Penny Wong has channelled former Labor leader Gough Whitlam while giving a speech about the modern challenges of the relationship... 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The Proper Procedure Poor Richard's Retirement Trump The Establishment Weather Shop Click to inquire about rates. Dow Jones What They Say About SDA "Smalldeadanimals doesn't speak for the people of Saskatchewan" Former Sask Premier Lorne Calvert "I got so much traffic after your post my web host asked me to buy a larger traffic allowance." Dr.Ross McKitrick Holy hell, woman. When you send someone traffic, you send someone TRAFFIC. My hosting provider thought I was being DDoSed. - Sean McCormick "The New York Times link to me yesterday [...] generated one-fifth of the traffic I normally get from a link from Small Dead Animals." Kathy Shaidle "Thank you for your link. A wave of your Canadian readers came to my blog! Really impressive." Juan Giner - INNOVATION International Media Consulting Group I got links from the Weekly Standard, Hot Air and Instapundit yesterday - but SDA was running at least equal to those in visitors clicking through to my blog. Jeff Dobbs "You may be a nasty right winger, but you're not nasty all the time!" Warren Kinsella "Go back to collecting your welfare livelihood."Michael E. Zilkowsky Intelliweather Seismic Map Comments Policy Read this Best Of SDA Hide The Decline The Bottle Genie (ClimateGate links) You Might Be A Liberal Uncrossing The Line Bob Fife: Knuckledragger A Modest Proposal (NP) Settled Science Series Y2Kyoto Series SDA: Reader Occupation Survey Brett Lamb Sheltered Workshop Flakes On A Plane All Your Weather Are Belong To Us Song Of The Sled The Raise A Flag Debacle (Now on Youtube!) (.mwv Video) Abuse Ruins Life Of Girl Trudeaupiate Kleptocrat Jeans Child Labour I Concede Small Dead Feminist Protein Hoser: THK Interview The Werewolf Extinction Dear Laura (VRWC) We Wait Blogging The Oscars Jackson Converts To Islam Just Shut The HELL Up Manipulating Condi Gay Equality Rights By PTI: Jammu, Sep 14 (PTI) Two Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory action by the BSF today, a day after three Indian jawans were injured in unprovoked firing and shelling by Pakistani troops along the international border (IB) and the LoC in Jammu and Poonch districts of J&K. "Unprovoked firing by Pak forces on BSF posts across Jammu IB injured 3 BSF troopers (in Poonch & Jammu districts yesterday)," the Border Security Force (BSF) said in a tweet. advertisement "Retaliatory fire by BSF killed 2 Pak soldiers," it further said. Pakistan rangers yesterday resorted to small arms firing and mortar shelling on Brahman Bella and Raipur Border out Posts (BoPs) along the IB in Pargwal sector of Akhnoor belt in Jammu district, a police officer said. BSF troops retaliated, resulting in exchange of fire in which one BSF jawan was injured. In another ceasefire violation, the Pakistan army resorted to firing and shelling on Indian posts along the Line of Control in Mankote, Sabjian and Digwar forward areas in Poonch since yesterday, police said, adding three civilians also suffered injuries in the heavy exchanges of fire. This is the fourth ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the past five days. Incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops have increased sharply this year. Till August 1, there have been 285 such actions by the Pakistan army, while in 2016, the number was significantly less at 228 for the entire year, according to figures by the Indian Army. PTI AB KUN --- ENDS --- System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28: 29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f01e2058)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f023bb20)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f01e2058)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f023bb20)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f01e2568)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f023bb20)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f023bb20)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e1d7eda8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f023b3b8)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f023b3b8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:948 /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 125 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 157 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0322858)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 948 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f03822e8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/2011159162/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0322858)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1302 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 955 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f03822e8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 135 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x5612f0330b60)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1300 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1292 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 481 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 433 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f03822e8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612f03822e8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x5612e1d7e8b0)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f035c008)') called at (eval 592) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x5612f035c008)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 The co-chair of Reconciliation Australia has applauded the ACT for becoming the first Australian state or territory to gazette Reconciliation Day as a public holiday. The first Reconciliation Day public holiday will be held on May 28 2018, after a bill to amend the Holidays Act passed with tripartisan support in the ACT Legislative Assembly on Thursday. Professor Tom Calma said the new Reconciliation Day public holiday in Canberra could open the door to a discussion about changing the date. Credit:Karleen Minney The holiday will replace Family and Community Day, which means this year's celebration on September 25 will be Canberra's last. It will mark the 1967 Referendum anniversary and will be at the start of National Reconciliation Week. ACT health minister Meegan Fitzharris says the government will make a decision on a pill testing trial by Spilt Milk in November, after 1000 people have signed a petition backing it. In her strongest indication yet that the government would support such a trial, Ms Fitzharris said a working group set up to examine the proposal had found considerable evidence of its effectiveness in reducing drug harm around the world. The ACT Government will make a decision on a pill testing trial by November. "The evidence is quite clear it does reduce harm," Ms Fitzharris said. Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury on Thursday tabled the petition calling for a pill testing trial at the music festival on November 25. Myer's Belconnen store will close, in a major blow to the town centre and its Westfield shopping centre. Myer occupies three levels at the mall, and its closure will leave the department store with just one outlet in Canberra - in the Canberra Centre in the city - after it closed its Tuggeranong store in 2012 and it abandoned plans to open at Westfield Woden in 2014. Myer date the closing date was subject to "discussions with the landlord", but Westfield said the store would not close until Myer's lease runs out in July 2019. Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association (SDA) NSW/ACT branch secretary Bernie Smith said the store employs between 60 to 70 people on a casual, part-time and full-time basis. The songlines of the Seven Sisters is one of the most ancient, a creation saga that encompasses human emotions, from lust and love, flight and survival, passion and danger, intrigue and mystery. Muuki, Ignatius, Nola and Curtis Taylor stand in front of the painting Yarrakalpa. Credit:Karleen Minney It's a story that features a dramatic chase across the Australian desert and now it's at the heart of an exhibition at the National Museum of Australia. Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters is a ground-breaking exhibition, showcasing five indigenous Western and Central Desert songlines, using some 100 painting and photographs, song, dance and multimedia to narrate the story. The strange case of the tiny house stolen from Canberra appears to have been cracked overnight, as Queensland police located the home and arrested a 24-year-old ACT man in Hervey Bay. The $20,000 prototype was stolen, along with its trailer, from a Mitchell business about 8:30pm on Sunday. Less than 24 hours later, it was spotted more than 1400 kilometres away in southern Queensland. This tiny house stolen from Canberra, owned by business owner Julie Bray, was found in Queensland less than a day later. Owner Julie Bray said she was relieved to hear the home had been found "in one piece" and was eager to bring it back home to the capital. A Queensland Police Service spokesman said officers made the arrest late on Wednesday night after receiving a tip-off from a member of the public who had spotted the tiny home. By Siraj Qureshi: India is often called a country of 'knee-jerk reactions', where any action only happens after an incident takes place. The government and the authorities do not pay any attention to something till inattention results in a mishap. After that, all sorts of actions are initiated against those responsible, but still, no lesson is learned. Similar is the case of the brutal murder of 7-year-old Pradyuman at Ryan International School, Gurgaon. After this heinous incident took place, shaking the country to its core, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has started throwing its weight around at the various affiliated schools in the country, asking them to get a 'security audit' done with the help of the local police within two months and upload the audit report on the CBSE website. advertisement CBSE Dy. Secretary (Affiliation) Jaiprakash Chaturvedi said that all schools will have to setup an internal grievance redressal committee, which will have the participation of students, parents and the school staff. This committee will hear everyone's grievances and then try to resolve them internally. The names and phone numbers of the members of this committee should be posted on the school website and the complaints filed by anyone to the committee shall be treated with urgency. He said that if any school does not follow the board's directions, its affiliation could be revoked by the board. A senior official at the Regional Transport Office said that the RTO will conduct an operation against school bus drivers who violate traffic rules. The operation will also include the schools who operate their own school buses without fulfilling the basic requirements listed by the Supreme Court of India. The vehicle should be fitted with a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, speed governor etc. and should have emergency numbers listed on it. It will also be seen if the school vehicle is registered with the RTO as a school vehicle or not. Special focus will be on vehicles plying in the rural schools. UP DGP Sulkhan Singh has issued a security circular for all schools. Inspector General of Police Agra Muttah Ashok Jain told India Today that all school employees will have to undergo a mandatory police verification and the managements of all schools have been given instructions to get the verification done as soon as possible. After the deadline, if any school employee is found to be unverified or engaged in criminal activities that endanger the lives and wellbeing of the students, action will be taken against the school management. He said that the schools have been told to install CCTV cameras covering all areas where students have access and all supporting staff in the schools are to be hired from authorized agencies. No outsiders will be allowed inside the schools, and if allowed, their movement will have to be monitored. When India Today visited some private schools in Agra that are affiliated to CBSE, it was clear that the security guidelines are not being followed in these schools. Most of the schools did not have properly trained guards posted at the gates and there was no identity verification conducted for the visitors. They were only being asked to sign a register with their information and purpose of visit. advertisement However, convent schools operated by the Archdiocese of Agra were a different story altogether. Most of these schools are affiliated to ICSE, and they had very strict access rules into the school premises with guards posted at the gates restricting movement into the school. According to some parents, some schools, including St. Anthony's Junior College in the cantonment area of the city have already started increasing the security arrangements for the students and parents will be issued identity cards very soon to ensure no unauthorized person can enter the school. Similar was the state at CBSE affiliated St. Clare's Senior Secondary School, where the gate was found to be adequately guarded by school staff. The school has already installed CCTV cameras inside the classrooms as well as at the gate and outside parking etc., which are continuously monitored. The school staff informed that after the Pradyuman incident, security arrangements are being strengthened even further, although they were yet to receive any circular from the local police regarding the security guidelines prescribed by the state government. Association of Progressive Schools of Agra (APSA) president Sanjay Tomar, who himself runs a CBSE affiliated private school in Agra, said that the association will ensure that all member schools follow the guidelines issued by the CBSE. advertisement ALSO READ: Ryan murder on CCTV: Pradyuman seen crawling out of washroom; who else was there? Gurgaon murder: Ryan school owners can't be arrested till 5 pm tomorrow, says Bombay High Court --- ENDS --- Welfare groups have welcomed an ACT government review of whether current concessions are enough to cushion the impact of rate rises on people who are on a low income or asset-poor. The ACT Greens negotiated the review with ACT Labor after the Canberra Liberals unsuccessfully tried to halt the government's "unfair and destructive" rates reform though a motion in the ACT Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. Isaac retirees who are worried about the increased unaffordability of living in Canberra, with huge rates rises. (from left) Don McMiken, Dianne Peacock, Olive and Rod Macleod and Judith and Keith Pearson. Credit:Karleen Minney The government will now conduct a financial and social impact analysis of the shift from stamp duty to land-based taxation on low-income and asset-poor households. Greens crossbencher Caroline Le Couteur said while she supported the reform, the Greens wanted to ensure it did not have "unintended consequences for the vulnerable people in our community". Wreck Bay is closed with access only to residents and emergency service personnel as a fire, believed to have been deliberately lit in bushland burns south of the South Coast village. Rural Fire Service crews were called to bushland off Boorala Road near Summercloud Bay around 5am Thursday, where multiple fires had broken out. The smoke plume from the Wreck Bay fire is clearly visible from Vincentia, with reports of flames can even be seen. Credit:Bonnie Cullen RFS spokesperson James Morris said a number of crews were at the location trying to contain the blaze which so far had burnt out about five hectares of bushland. "Crews are conducting back burning operations and at this stage there is no direct threat to property, however if winds pick up there may be some properties in the village, south of Jervis Bay, which could be threatened," he said. Veteran West Coast defender Eric Mackenzie is set for reward in his brave recovery from career-threatening injury with a new contract for next season. The Eagles 2014 club champion is expected to win a new deal immediately after West Coast finish this month's finals series. Mackenzie is likely to confront imposing Greater Western Sydney key forward Jon Patton in Saturday's knockout semi-final in Sydney. Decorated small forward Mark LeCras is also headed for critical discussions with Eagles powerbrokers on whether he extends his career into 2018. LeCras, 30, is no guarantee to play on and approach a milestone 200-game mark, while Mackenzie is believed to have already committed to playing next year. Australian start-ups say a move by the Chinese government to crack down on Bitcoin, after it quadrupled in value to $US5000 ($6246), signals the end of the gold rush. A delegation of Australian Bitcoin entrepreneurs have arrived in China to find a chorus of official condemnation of the dangers of "virtual currencies", amid a crackdown on the world's biggest Bitcoin market. With the Turnbull government strongly backing fintech as a potential export industry, Austrade had organised the mission of a dozen start-ups using Blockchain, the cryptographic technology that underpins Bitcoin trading. But the political winds have changed swiftly in Beijing, where on Monday Chinese venture capitalist Jingxi Capital's Li Jing was on message, warning them not to "hype gold digging" with Blockchain. The world's biggest technology companies all had to overcome ridiculous, seemingly insurmountable odds to get where they are today. Having scaled the summits of capitalism, they are now facing a different, and arguably even more unpredictable, kind of challenge. Back in 2013, The Economist magazine predicted a looming "tech-lash", in which the increasingly powerful tech industry, like finance and oil industries before it, would eventually be demonised. In the US at least, something along those lines is beginning to ferment. Sentiment is starting to turn sharply against the giants of Silicon Valley, among populist politicians (of which there seem to be increasingly many) and in the press, if not (yet) customers. The Turnbull government is being urged to move swiftly to implement stronger protections for whistleblowers after a parliamentary inquiry suggested bounty-style rewards for people who come forward and report information that leads to successful prosecutions of misconduct. The Joint Parliamentary Committee on Corporations and Financial Services, which held an inquiry into whistleblower protections in the corporate, public and not-for-profit sectors, handed down its report on Wednesday. It made several recommendations to the Turnbull government, including a new body to oversee whistleblowing allegations against corporates and protect whistleblowers against reprisals. The report recommends the establishment of an independent Whistleblower Protection Authority, acting as a 'one-stop shop' for the public and private sector. A US judge has ordered Martin Shkreli, nicknamed "Pharma Bro", to be jailed while he awaits sentencing for securities fraud, citing a Facebook post in which he offered a $US5000 ($6300) reward for a strand of Hillary Clinton's hair. US District Judge Kiyo Matsumoto in Brooklyn said on Wednesday the post from September, which prompted a call from the US Secret Service, showed Shkreli posed a danger to the public that warranted revoking his $US5 million bail. US prosecutors had moved to jail Shkreli last Thursday, saying he had "engaged in an escalating pattern of threats and harassment". The former drug company executive, who got his nickname for exploits such as increasing the price of a life-saving drug by 5000 per cent, apologised for the post in a letter to the judge on Tuesday. We women can be a hypocritical lot. Yes, I am talking about Ms Feminists who believe in equal rights and refuse to be looked upon as the chattels of men. Problem is a lot of us are not only contradicting ourselves, but are letting everyone who sees us in on the secret. Here's a quick test to see if you fall in to this category. Have a look at the ring finger on your left hand. Is there a diamond there in the form of an engagement ring? There is? Well, I hate to say it, but you may as well have a bovine bell around your neck albeit a very expensive one. Because what you are signifying is indeed ownership by a man; a sign of your value as his wife and his worth as a provider. Oh, and a gullibility to the manipulation of a marketing machine that is both archaic and unfair. The engagement ring's premise is unsavoury. Credit:Marco Del Grande But you cherish your ring, I hear you say. It is a symbol of devotion and commitment and love. This is fair enough. You have been brainwashed from birth to believe the case. But let's go a little deeper, shall we? Let's ask what that diamond really signifies, the importance we place on size, carat and worth. And whether it is fair that men are expected to make such an expensive and judged gesture when we women mostly don't. The engagement ring is an extension of the betrothal ring, which dates back to early primitive mating rituals, when caveman tied cords made of braided grass around his chosen mate's wrists, ankles and waist to "bring her spirit under his control". The ancient Egyptians turned the practice in to rings on the finger, believing circles were symbols of eternity. We make no allegation whatsoever of corruption against Mr Gay. We do however say that his move to the MU Group looks spectacularly bad. That dire perception is improved not at all by the fact that Mr Gay has obtained the approval of State Parliament's ethics adviser, John Evans, for this next step in his career. Mr Evans has given Mr Gay a fig leaf to draw across the naked embarrassment of his position, saying his work would not involve lobbying the government directly, but rather "mentoring and advising" other consultancy staff. When a former minister such as Mr Gay or a former senior bureaucrat moves into private enterprise in the same field as his or her public responsibilities covered, there arises an obvious danger of perceived corruption. Mr Evans, that makes little difference. Mr Gay's new bosses have not employed him to make the tea. They want his knowledge, contacts and expertise in roads the portfolio where they do much of their work and derive their revenues. MU Group boasts about its connections of this kind on its website. It is how it wins business. Mr Gay is far from alone in moving from a ministerial portfolio to a lucrative post in a company which operates in a related field. There was a time when politicians like him were well rewarded in money and perks generous superannuation, free travel so they were less tempted to profit from their political experience. In return, they were expected to put the public interest first. That arrangement failed at times, when lazy individuals did nothing or acted improperly once elected. Voters became impatient with any remuneration for politicians more generous than the average, and whittled perks back almost to nothing. Pay rises for MPs still anger them. The present system also fails but failure looks different. These days, as governments move away from managing things directly in order to downsize and produce so-called efficiency dividends at budget time, they are handing over to private consultancies the tasks which bureaucrats used to perform. There is big money to be made. Profitable industries have sprung up to provide the services and the expertise formerly run impartially and in the public interest by government bureaucrats. In this new marketplace, the public interest is priced at a discount, and private profits at a premium. The intrusion of the profit motive into government functions and thinking blurs boundaries and skews perspectives. It is not surprising that privatisation and public-private partnerships are favoured, or that decisions to build one project rather than another are made on the basis of profitability not efficiency, or desirability, or the public interest. Time after time the NSW public has seen the drawbacks and paid the price. No wonder voters are cynical about politicians, government and the way the system operates. The public interest needs to be reasserted. The first step: a mechanism to stop politicians and bureaucrats from being suborned, and undermining public confidence in government. What if companies, and their associates, that employ ex-ministers and ex-bureaucrats were barred for five years from bidding for or holding government contracts? Former prime minister Tony Abbott was on about it on this website a few days ago, Liberal Party vice-president Karina Okotel said it on ABC Radio recently and Lyle Shelton of the Australian Christian Lobby repeats it at every opportunity: the debate about marriage equality is not, as the survey question will ask, about whether the Marriage Act should be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry, but is really a debate about religious freedom. Hang on a minute since when has Christianity been so concerned about religious freedom? Christianity has not always shown great concern for religious freedom. Not ever, really, is the short answer. Since the beginning, Christians have been busy attacking other people's religious freedom by trying to convert them. Christianity has suppressed other people's religious freedom everywhere from Rome to the outback. By PTI: Gaya(Bihar), Sep 14 (PTI) Three suspected terrorists, including an accused in the 2008 bomb blast in Ahmedabad have been arrested here, police said today. Tausheek Ahmad, the bomb blast case accused, and his associate Sanaah Khan were arrested from a cyber cafe in Rajendra Ashram locality in Gaya town last night after they were found making some objectionable post on social media, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Alok Kumar Singh said. advertisement Gaya is about 100 km from state capital Patna. The arrest was made by a police team led by Station House Officer (SHO) of the Civil Lines police station Hari Ojha, the DSP said. On the basis of information gathered from the two, another person Shahber Khan of Shahdeo Khap village has been arrested for giving shelter to Tausheek Ahmad, the DSP said. Inspector General of Police, Patna zone, N H Khan, said Tausheek Ahmad is an accused in 2008 Ahmedabad bomb blast. Sanaah Khan hails from Shahdeo Khap village of Gaya. The IGP said NIA, RAW, ATS, IB and Bihar Police personnel are questioning the three. The DSP said that during questioning it emerged that Tausheek Ahmad, a B.Tech in Computer and Electronics from a private university in Maharashtra, has been visiting Gaya since 2009 and staying at Shahdeo Khap village at a shelter provided by Shahber Khan. PTI CORR SNS RG DV --- ENDS --- What strikes you about the torrents of criticism of Aung San Suu Kyi now engulfing Western media is the sense of betrayal. "We honoured you and fought for your freedom and now you use that freedom to condone the butchery of your own people?" thundered Nicholas Kristof in The New York Times. "I am now elderly, decrepit and formally retired, but breaking my vow to remain silent on public affairs out of profound sadness," explained Desmond Tutu in an open letter to his fellow Nobel laureate condemning her silence as "what some have called 'ethnic cleansing' and others 'a slow genocide'" of Myanmar's Rohingya people is occurring on her watch. "Friends of mine devoted their working lives to the campaign for her release", wrote George Monbiot in The Guardian. "But it is hard to think of any recent political leader by whom such high hopes have been so cruelly betrayed." That feeling is in some sense inevitable. We're perhaps not used to seeing such a fallen angel; a face going from being stamped on wearable face masks given to entire crowds at U2 concerts, to being stamped on protesters' placards with blood-stained fangs drawn over her mouth. But I suspect there's a mythology that has led us here. One that demands a hero, then requires her to be created in our own image. And one that is therefore destined to render Aung San Suu Kyi a villain just as passionately, when that image proves to be a mirage. Illustration: Simon Letch It's worth remembering that Suu Kyi's power in this case is largely rhetorical. She occupies the recently created position of Myanmar State Counsellor and is rightly described as the leader of the country but she has no real authority over the military, which is undertaking this atrocity. Myanmar's constitution gives that military legal immunity, leaving all military accountability to the military itself. That's why the world's anger at Suu Kyi must be about silence. No one's particularly asking that she do something, rather, that she say something. And she is, I suppose. It's just mostly against the reports from journalists and the UN detailing the true horrors of this ethnic cleansing. The villages being burnt to the ground and fired on from the air, the people being burnt alive in their houses, the slaughtering of children in front of their families, the mass rape of women and girls. "Fake rape" her office's website blared in response to this. It's merely a subset of her hearty embrace of the rhetoric of "fake news", in which she blames "terrorists" for "lying to the world", and the Rohingya of torching their own villages. She may not control the military, but she does control Myanmar's "information committee" that apparently runs the disinformation and propaganda campaign supporting the military's actions. Muslim protesters shout slogans at a rally against the persecution of Rohingya Muslims outside the Myanmar embassy in Jakarta. Credit:AP Of course, her situation is more complex than this overview admits. Her defenders will say that whatever she says will come at a colossal price. This ethnic cleansing campaign sits atop a cultural consensus in Myanmar that regards the Rohingya as illegal immigrants of a sub-national, even subhuman status, irrespective of the fact they have demonstrably had a presence in the country for centuries. To challenge this consensus in any way would therefore be an act of political suicide, leading her supporters to abandon her. To the extent she rules, she rules over a thoroughly disintegrating nation, held together only by a unity pact with the military. She therefore cannot afford to be on a collision course with the military: to take it on may be to risk the collapse of the whole country. And it's also true that she did convene a committee of diplomats and human rights commissioners, chaired by former UN head Kofi Annan, to devise a plan to resolve the long-running tensions with the Rohingya. Perhaps it is no accident that the military stepped up its campaign as this committee was due to report. Perhaps we're seeing the military pre-emptively derailing any political solution Suu Kyi might seek to implement. But Kristof's lament that "the moral giant has become a pragmatic politician" seems a strange one. What if she was that politician all along? "Please don't forget that I started out as the leader of a political party," she said in 2013 after a similar bout of criticism. "I cannot think of anything more political than that." It's true that during her heroic resistance she spoke a language of democracy and human rights. But it's also true that language was almost always general, platitudinal. Things like: "fundamental violations of human rights always lead to people feeling less and less human". Or, "the best way to help Burma is to empower the people of Burma". Or, "by helping others, you will learn to help yourselves". It is from such generalities that we sketched out an icon, then coloured it in liberal, cosmopolitan tones. It's like we assumed that because she was persecuted by a brutal regime, that because she was a worldly, attractive, Western-educated, English-speaking political prisoner, she was really just an exotic version of our idealised selves. That in our admiration and concern for her we were really constructing ourselves, assuming that the world's heroes were of a piece with us, then falling in love with this image. Hurricanes that lashed the United States and the Caribbean were a warning to world leaders that humanity would "go down" if it did not address climate change, Pope Francis says. The Pope said those who failed to act were "stupid" and would be judged by history for failing in their "moral responsibility". Pope Francis warns of the perils of climate change to humanity. Credit:AP "If we don't turn back, we will go down. Those who deny it should go to the scientists and ask them. They are very clear, very precise. They [world leaders] decide and history will judge those decisions," he said on Monday. He added: "A phrase from the Old Testament comes to mind: 'Man is stupid, a stubborn, blind man.' All of us have a responsibility, all of us, small or large, a moral responsibility. Each person has their own. Even politicians have their own." Anna Burke had barely got into the swing of her speech at the unveiling of her portrait at Canberra's Parliament House when the ringing of bells caused half her audience to hurry away. Ms Burke has set a lot of bells ringing herself over the years. In the tumultuous last months of the Gillard-Rudd Labor government, Ms Burke was the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Day after day, Tony Abbott's febrile Opposition of the time forced division after division, requiring the Speaker to order the ringing of bells to warn MPs to hurry to the House to vote. Former speaker Anna Burke stands before her portrait, painted by Jude Rae, at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Ms Burke has been out of Parliament for more than a year now, but friends and colleagues many of them Labor MPs gathered in Parliament's Members' Hall on Thursday to witness the unveiling of her portrait. And as Ms Burke stood at the podium, describing herself as "artistic as a dead chook", the MPs in her audience were forced to abandon the ceremony when bells called them to a division in the House. In politics, some things never change. Pressure is mounting on Employment Minister Michaelia Cash to explain why Nigel Hadgkiss was appointed to head the building industry watchdog months after it emerged he was facing allegations of breaking the Fair Work laws he was meant to enforce. Mr Hadgkiss resigned from his $420,000 job on Wednesday after he admitted to contravening the Fair Work Act by recklessly misrepresenting union rights to enter workplaces in 2013 when he was heading up a Fair Work office for more than two years. Australian Building and Construction Commission boss Nigel Hadgkiss resigned last week. Credit:Simon Schluter Senator Cash faces increasing pressure to explain if she told Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of the allegations against Mr Hadgkiss when he was promoted to head the new Australian Building and Construction Commission in December 2016. Senator Cash told the Senate she first became aware of the allegations against Mr Hadgkiss in October last year, three months before he was automatically posted to the new position. Documents released by Federal Parliament on Thursday show an alleged link between Lionel Murphy and a Swiss bank account. The documents had not been verified when the inquiry was wound up. At the time of Murphy's death, 14 specific allegations had been sent by the commission to his lawyers and a 15th matter was about to be sent. Murphy had already endured two earlier parliamentary inquiries and two criminal trials, stemming from sensational and illegal NSW Police phone bugging operations. Controversial: Then High Court judge Lionel Murphy in January 1985. Those operations were later the subject of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Alleged Telephone Interceptions, conducted by Justice Donald Stewart. At his first trial in 1985, the jury found Murphy guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice by interfering in the trial of his "little mate", Sydney solicitor Morgan Ryan, over an immigration racket. Murphy was sentenced to jail but successfully appealed and was acquitted after his second trial in April 1986. Upon his acquittal, Murphy's determination to return to the High Court was greeted unenthusiastically by some of his fellow judges, who were rumoured to be threatening to boycott sitting with him. Facing a potential judicial crisis, the Hawke government ordered a secret inquiry to examine fresh allegations of misconduct on Murphy's part. According to the secret documents released by Parliament on Thursday, the head of the inquiry, Sir George Lush, notified Parliament in September 1986 that the aborted inquiry had made "no findings of fact" and had therefore "formed no conclusions or opinions whether any conduct of the Judge has been such as to amount to proved misbehaviour". Some of the more serious allegations had been forwarded to the inquiry by the Stewart royal commission, which was triggered by explosive reports published in The Age in February 1984. From 1976 to late 1983, the NSW Police had been running an illicit phone-tapping operation that targeted drug boss Robert Trimbole and underworld figures George Freeman and Saffron. The transcripts of these conversations formed the basis of the reports in The Age. Titled "Secret tapes of a judge", the transcripts suggested corruption in the highest echelons of society. It was soon revealed that the conversations involved Murphy, then a High Court judge, Ryan and Saffron, one of the major organised crime figures of the day. One of the royal commission's allegations, forwarded to the parliamentary inquiry, was that Murphy had offered a bribe to senior Australian Federal Police officer Don Thomas. In December 1979, Thomas had lunched at a Korean restaurant with Murphy and Ryan, the solicitor. During the course of the lunch, it was alleged that Murphy had said "we need somebody inside to tell us what was going on", meaning they wanted an insider to inform them about the activities of the Australian Federal Police. In return, it was alleged that Thomas would be promoted to the rank of assistant commissioner. The parliamentary inquiry said this conduct could amount to misbehaviour for attempting to bribe a Commonwealth officer or encouraging an officer to make unauthorised disclosures of official information. A second allegation was that - between April 21, 1980, and July 23, 1981 - Murphy agreed to make inquiries to see whether the federal police officers, who were investigating his friend Ryan in relation to a Korean immigration racket, could be bribed. According to transcripts of The Age tapes, Ryan had said: "Have you been able to find out about those two fellows who are doing the investigation; are they approachable?" Murphy got back to him to report that they were both very straight. In papers released on Thursday, the commission told Murphy's lawyers that this conduct could amount to judicial misbehaviour. Of central interest to the inquiry was Murphy's alleged "long-standing association with Abe Saffron, a person of notoriously low repute". The inquiry was investigating claims Murphy was involved in securing for Saffron the lease of Luna Park, a Sydney amusement park. In early 1980, police phone taps suggested Saffron told Ryan he wanted to obtain a lease for Luna Park. Ryan then called Murphy who said: "Leave it with me." Later, Murphy allegedly called Ryan to say he had spoken to "Neville", a reference to Wran, and he was going to try to make some arrangements for Saffron to get the lease. In 1981, the state government granted a 30-year lease over Luna Park site to Harbourside Amusement Park Pty Ltd, a company linked to Saffron. This was one of the allegations the commission intended to pursue when the inquiry was aborted, along with claims Murphy had made "representations" to influence the NSW government to award Saffron a contract to remodel Central Railway Station in Sydney. It was also alleged that in about 1979 Murphy contacted Wran, at Ryan's instigation, to get Wadim (Bill) Jegarow appointed to the Ethnic Affairs Commission. Jegarow was appointed to the position. Another allegation that was still being considered when the inquiry was terminated was a claim Murphy was given a parcel of shares in a Swiss bank account in 1975, and was also the joint holder of safety deposit boxes in Switzerland. The shares were said to be worth up to $750,000. Among the papers released was a July 1986 letter to the secretary of the Attorney-General's Department, which said Murphy and others were alleged to have received "secret commissions in respect of the large sums of money which were to be borrowed at the time of the so called 'Loans Affair'." The Loans Affair, also known as the Khemlani Affair, involved allegations the Whitlam government sought to enter into an unconstitutional arrangement to borrow money from Middle Eastern countries. The inquiry was wound up before it could be established whether the documents purporting to show Murphy's Swiss holdings were genuine. The commission also sent Murphy's lawyers an allegation that the judge agreed with Ryan and Saffron that Saffron would "cause [Sydney lawyer Danny Sankey] ...to be improperly and unlawfully intimidated" into dropping private prosecutions he had initiated against Murphy, former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, former deputy prime minister Jim Cairns and former Whitlam government minister Rex Connor over the Loans Affair. Ryan was acting for Cairns in the case. The commission alleged that this could amount to an agreement to pervert the course of justice. Three years later, in March 1979, Murphy was alleged to have urged Ryan to harm Sankey's counsel David Rofe, QC. This was allegedly payback for Rofe's role in the ultimately unsuccessful proceedings brought by Sankey. The commission of inquiry outlined that this was possibly contempt of court and "constituted conduct contrary to accepted standards of judicial behaviour." Another avenue explored by the commission was whether Murphy had lied at his first trial in 1985 by downplaying his association with Ryan. Murphy's solicitor was provided with an extensive list of meetings and calls between Murphy and Ryan which allegedly refuted his testimony. Sensationally, the document suggested the judge and Ryan had been business associates during 1967-1975 and had been partners in a number of restaurants and clubs, including Saffron's Kings Cross nightclub, the Venus Room. Murphy was also accused of "knowingly" giving false testimony when he swore that the only effort he made on Ryan's behalf was talking to District Court chief judge Jim Staunton in April 1982 to see if Staunton could arrange an earlier trial for Ryan. This conversation with Staunton, the parliamentary commission suggested, was an abuse of Murphy's office. It was also alleged that Murphy had lied when giving evidence because he knew he had asked former Whitlam government minister and environment court chief judge, the late "Diamond" Jim McClelland, to speak to Staunton on behalf of Ryan, which Justice McClelland had done. The documents reveal that Nick Cowdery, then a barrister involved in the prosecution of Murphy and later the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions, told the inquiry of allegations McClelland had told journalist Wendy Bacon that "Murphy had telephoned him a number of times asking him to intercede with Chief Judge Staunton on behalf of Morgan Ryan". Parliament this week summoned the nauseating atmosphere Leonard Cohen described in The Future: "things are gonna slide, slide in all directions". The cause? A surprising new fluidity in the Prime Minister's environmental, er... convictions. For Labor, it's an intriguing prospect. Charting how the greenest of all Liberals, who lost his leadership for backing emissions trading in 2009 and crossed the floor to support it, has wound up as chief advocate of retaining coal. A model fired by L'Oreal for making comments about racism and white privilege has received a contract with a rival beauty brand. Munroe Bergdorf, who was hired by L'Oreal in August to be part of an advertising campaign celebrating diversity, has been named the new face of UK makeup company, Illamasqua. Munroe Bergdorf was L'Oreal's first transgender model, starring in its diversity campaign. "Munroe embodies diversity and individuality; she is not scared to be truly herself," Illamasqua tweeted in a statement. "But Munroe doesn't just stop there. She speaks out about the issues that affect not just her but the rest of our generation, seeking to improve the society we live in." The London-based model shared the news on her own Twitter account, writing, "Thank you for standing by me [Illamasqua]. Looking forward to kicking off this new chapter." Fashion week is, by definition, a parade of the new. And for all the hand-wringing about designers abandoning New York, the show schedule is jam-packed, including a smattering of newcomers poised to make a splash. What many of the fresh faces are bringing to the ever-more-corporate fashion landscape is a youthful DIY aesthetic and a gratifying sense of play. Get to know some of the names that are shaking up New York fashion now. Lujin Zhang: The Mix Master Fresh from its 1960s Gold Coast-inspired show at New York Fashion Week, Zimmermann is staging one of the year's most hotly anticipated sales, with massive discounts off its spring '17, resort '17 and swim '17 collections, as well as accessories. At the last sale, the hottest buy were bridesmaid dresses, for $150, so if you're getting married this summer, don't delay. 41-45 Clifton Street, Prahran. Thursday 8am-7pm, Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday 9am-4pm. Zimmermann is having one of its massive warehouse sales in Prahran. A trend off the runway at Melbourne Fashion Week was dark denim, so if you think you're in need of a new pair of jeans, then the Diesel sale should be on your radar. Those arguing to legalise same-sex marriages tell us it is all about love, and all love should be equal. It is a simple and appealing message, and one intended to gloss over the real issues. If same-sex marriage is all about love, then thats the problem. The simple truth is that marriage isnt always about love, and love isnt always about marriage. There are lots of cases where people enter into arranged marriages, without there ever being any sense of love when they marry. There are also people who love each other deeply who never intend to marry. This is as true for gay and lesbians couples as it is for heterosexual couples. But the real problem is when we say that all love is equal. Same-sex marriage open the gate to the legalisation of polygamy in Australia, Bill O'Chee says. Credit:Mike Kemp Same-sex marriage proponents say that polygamy shouldnt be allowed because marriage should just be about two people. But those who argue for polygamy rightly say that restricting marriage to just two people is as arbitrary as restricting it to only marriages between men and women, something same-sex marriage proponents reject. I can speak on the subject of polygamy with some degree of understanding. My Chinese grandfather had two wives at the same time, although only one - my grandmother - was allowed into Australia. It was only after my grandmothers death that my second grandmother was able to migrate to Australia. It has touched my extended family deeply. Whilst I honour and love my grandfather deeply, what he did was selfish and unfair on those subsequent generations who have had to live with the consequences. My family is proof that love alone is not sufficient justification for marriage. Around the world, polygamy is accepted in 58 countries; far more than allow same-sex marriage. It is even practised in our near neighbours of Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines. I can confidently predict that if we allow same-sex marriage then there will eventually be a demand that polygamy be legalised too. Do we really want that? It doesnt end there. There are other relationships which would also demand legalisation. At present, it is illegal for a stepbrother and a stepsister to have a sexual relationship - let alone marry - even though they have no blood connection. The same applies to a foster-brother and a foster-sister. If marriage is all about love, shouldnt these people also be allowed to marry too? If the current debate was all about love, and only love, there wouldnt be a debate. The reason there is a debate is that a change to the marriage laws will fundamentally alter the shape of Australian society. Taufiq Alam played a key role in the Ahmedabad bombings. Over 20 explosions rattled Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008, killing 56 people and injuring over 200. By Rohit Kumar Singh: The Bihar Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested one of the prime suspects in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial bombings from Gaya. Taufiq Alam, who was wanted in the Ahmedabad bombings, had been evading arrest for the last 9 years. He was held by the ATS sleuths from a cyber cafe in Gaya. Alam's two other associates have also been taken into custody. advertisement Sources said Alam and his associates were nabbed from a cyber cafe when they were busy uploading incriminating posts on Facebook. "We have arrested three persons. One of them - Taufiq Alam - is a prime accused in the Ahmedabad serial bombings. We have recovered incriminating documents from them. Various other investigating agencies are interrogating them," said Gaya SSP Garima Malik. HOW THE TERROR SUSPECTS WERE NABBED According to sources, Taufiq and two of his associates, were sitting inside a cyber cafe in Rajendra Ashram area of Gaya town when the owner of the cafe recognized Taufiq based on the posters of wanted terror suspects put up in Gaya recently. Runaway 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts accused held in Kozhikode He immediately informed the local police which flung into action and picked him up along with his two associates from the cafe and took them to Civil Lines police station. Taufiq was interrogated by the senior officials of the Bihar police and intelligence agencies at the police station. The Gaya police also informed the Gujarat police about the arrest. A team of the Gujarat Police is on its way to Gaya to take Alam on transit remand. WAS TAUFIQ ALAM PLANNING ATTACK IN GAYA? Taufiq Alam played a key role in the Ahmedabad bombings. Over 20 explosions rattled Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008, killing 56 people and injuring over 200. Ahmedabad serial blasts mastermind among 10 arrested Alam's arrest has come at a time when Gaya is hosting the annual 15-day Pitrapaksh fair. The police are interrogating him whether he was planning to execute any terror attack in Gaya during the fair which is attended by lakhs of people from across the country and world. --- ENDS --- Parents who refuse to vaccinate their children will no longer be able to enrol children to childcare, with the state government closing the "conscientious objector" loophole in NSW's 'no jab no play' rules. On Wednesday night the NSW parliament passed a Bill to amend the Public Health Act to introduce stronger requirements for families enrolling children into early childhood education and care centres. From January 2018 children who are not fully immunised to their parents' conscientious objection to vaccines will no longer be able to be enrolled in child care. Under the previous legislation, registering as a conscientious objector was a valid exemption. Hundreds gathered on Anzac Parade in Canberra on Thursday to mark 70 years of Australia's involvement in international peacekeeping. Current and former peacekeepers were joined by their families and friends as a newly constructed Australian Peacekeeping Memorial was unveiled. Current and former peacekeepers were joined by their families and friends as a newly constructed Australian Peacekeeping Memorial was unveiled. Credit:Karleen Minney Veteran's Affairs Minister Dan Tehan said Australian peacekeepers had been serving somewhere in the world since 1947. "Australia has made a significant contribution to worldwide peace operation, and today we recognise the peacekeepers who have served and those who continue to serve, in countries around the world," Mr Tehan said. The first woman to lead Australia's Foreign Affairs department says she has never faced sexism or discrimination in her career, but acknowledged the federal public service needs to do more work to promote diversity. Frances Adamson, a former Australian ambassador to China and 30-year veteran of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said there was a lack of female representation when she started as a graduate and landmark 1980s sex discrimination laws gave women an expectation equal representation would soon be achieved. Never discriminated against: DFAT boss Frances Adamson. Credit:Louie Douvis Ms Adamson, appointed by the Turnbull government to lead the department in 2016, told a Lowy Institute podcast her entry cohort in February 1985 was the first to include more women than men. "I think initially, my sense, and these things are always a bit hard absolutely to know, the sense of my cohort as we joined that year on February 4, 1985, was that the department was asking itself a question. The father and uncle of notorious Islamic State fighter Mohamed Elomar face up to 10 years in jail or a $1.7 million fine after they pleaded guilty to bribing a foreign official three years ago. Mamdouh Elomar, 62, his brother Ibrahim, 60, and a third man, John Jousif, are to be sentenced in the NSW Supreme Court after they paid the bribe to an official in Iraq to ease the passage of possible construction contracts for their company Lifese. Mamdouh Elomar, front, and Ibrahim Elomar, centre, leave the Supreme Court on Thursday. Credit:Louie Douvis On Thursday, the court heard the Elomar brothers are directors of the company, while Mr Jousif was listed as an office manager and acted as a conduit in the deal. Mr Jousif took $1,035,000 in cash, which was from one or both of the Elomar brothers, to a money exchange business in Auburn in September 2014 and sent it to Iraq. Another NSW minister was this week revealed to have stepped straight out of Parliament and into the private sector. It emerged that Duncan Gay, the former roads minister, has taken up a part-time paid advisory role with MU Group, a consultancy that bids for state government contracts in the areas of transport and infrastructure. When Fairfax Media spoke to Gay about the move, he was at pains to point out that he has done the right thing by following the rules, which stipulate he must first seek advice from the parliamentary ethics adviser. This is true, as is the fact that the adviser, John Evans, found no impediment to Gay taking the job, despite his new employer holding Roads and Maritime Services contracts. The Crime and Corruption Commission probe into Ipswich City Council has led to another arrest, with chief executive Jim Lindsay charged on Thursday. The 53-year-old was arrested by CCC investigators at the council on Thursday afternoon and taken to the Ipswich watchhouse, where he was charged with one count of official corruption. Ipswich mayor Andrew Antoniolli (pictured) has appointed council solicitor Daniel Best as interim CEO. Credit:Facebook Mr Lindsay was also served a notice to appear in court, to face one count of disobedience to statute law. He is due to appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on October 11. A woman said to be a key witness to former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasales alleged extortion has been granted bail on an extortion charge of her own. The 37-year-old from Footscray in Melbournes inner west was arrested on Wednesday and extradited to Queensland after facing Melbourne Magistrates Court. Former Ipswich mayor Paul Pisasale arrives at court this week. She appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court briefly on Thursday morning and was granted bail without any objection from police. Both the woman, whose name is subject to a suppression order, and Mr Pisasales extortion-accused former property solicitor Cameron McKenzie were named as key witnesses to the former councillors extortion charge during a court hearing in June. Claims Labor has been "reviewing and not doing" have frequently been the catch cry of the Liberal National Party opposition in Queensland. But after releasing two petitions and a review in three days, Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls was left to explain why his announcements were actually about taking action, and not reviewing. Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls has announced a stocktake of major arterials to determine if alternative routes are needed. Credit:AAP/Dan Peled On Tuesday, the LNP released a petition and asked the government to duplicate the M1, but did not commit to doing it themselves if they won the next election. On Wednesday, deputy opposition leader Deb Frecklington launched a campaign to duplicate the Sunshine Coast rail line and asked people to sign a petition, with no funding commitment. A man has been arrested over the alleged stabbing of a security guard at an elite Brisbane girls school, concluding a two-day manhunt. Police have also found the weapon they believe was used in the attack, as well as clothing allegedly stolen from the school. Detective inspector Tom Geary confirmed Khia Gribben, 25, had been taken into custody on Thursday afternoon but was yet to be charged. Police asked the public for help trying to find Khia Gribben. Credit:AAP "About 1pm today, detectives have located Khia Gribbon at a family address at Beenleigh," he said. Liquidators trying to freeze more than $200 million worth of Clive Palmer's personal assets argue he had "considerable control" over Queensland Nickel, even though he claims he slept through the appointment of administrators to the failed company. The former politician appeared in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday to fight a high-stakes legal bid by taxpayer-funded liquidators to freeze his personal assets. Clive Palmer at the Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday. Credit:Darren England/AAP Government-appointed, special-purpose liquidators PPB Advisory are also seeking freezing orders against the assets of Palmer-related companies, such as QNI Metals, QNI Resources and Mineralogy. After calling himself as a witness, Mr Palmer told the barrister for the special purpose liquidators, Shane Doyle QC, he was asleep when administrators were appointed in January 2016. By Mail Today Bureau: The parents of nine-year-old student Armaan Sehgal who died allegedly after he slipped and fell at GD Goenka school on August 1, on Thursday approached the Supreme Court demanding a CBI probe into the matter. A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra has agreed to hear the parents' plea on September 18. A student of class 4, the boy had dashed out of his classroom to fetch his pencilbox when he allegedly slipped and fell on a corridor on the second floor of the school building. advertisement But the parents suspect there is more to it and have complained about the way the probe was progressing. Gulshan Sehgal, father of the victim, has claimed in his plea that a probe by CBI or an SIT was required for a thorough and fair investigation as the school management has already destroyed evidence in the case. The plea said some members of the school management, including the chairman, director and principal, have moved the Allahabad HC seeking quashing of the FIR and the court had granted them interim protection from arrest and directed that no coercive action should be taken against them. It has also sought a stay against the interim orders of the HC issued on August 11 and September 6. The HC failed to appreciate the fact that police reached the crime scene almost four hours late, and by that time, the school authorities had destroyed and tampered with crucial evidence, the petition said. It also alleged that the UP Police had not probed the case properly due to which the school authorities had tampered with the scene of crime and removed all evidence. ALSO READ | Ryan murder on CCTV: Pradyuman seen crawling out of washroom; who else was there? ALSO READ | Ryan murder: Bus driver hints at cover-up, says conductor told to carry kid's body ALSO WATCH | Ryan school murder: Gardener Harpal recounts what he saw on the day Pradyuman died --- ENDS --- Firefighters across Queensland's south-east are on high alert with dry, gusty winds increasing risks. A total fire ban is in place across the Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Redland, Ipswich, Somerset, Lockyer Valley, Gold Coast, Logan and Scenic Rim council areas until midnight on Thursday. South-east Queensland is on high fire alert with only contained barbecues being allowed to be lit. Credit:Max Mason-Hubers Queensland Fire and Emergency Services' Brisbane manager Wayne Waltisbuhl told ABC Radio on Thursday conditions were drier than they were in 1994 during "probably one of our worst fire seasons in our last 30 to 50 years". Mr Waltisbuhl said a lack of rain since Cyclone Debbie had contributed to the peril. Three teenage boys have been charged with murder after a lengthy investigation into the death of Gregory Gardner in at the start of the year. Detectives were also still hoping to speak with another teenager about the incident. Three teenagers aged 14, 15, and 16 have been charged with murder and robbery over the January incident. Credit:Robert Shakespeare About 2.30am on January 10, police alleged Mr Gardner was "robbed and seriously assaulted" by a group of four boys at Stone's Corner. Mr Gardner was taken to hospital with cuts and a bruised head but discharged himself, and he died from his injuries at his Coorparoo home days later. Vulnerabilities in Bluetooth could allow airborne computer viruses to spread silently, potentially infecting billions of devices around the world, a team of cyber security experts has warned. Collectively dubbed "BlueBorne", they exposes Bluetooth-enabled devices to security breaches. Cyber security experts warn that BlueBorne has the potential to cause havoc for Bluetooth-enabled devices. Credit:Louie Douvis Infection via BlueBorne would not require a user to click on a link or download a file as it spreads silently via Bluetooth-enabled devices. Tech giants - including Google, Apple and Microsoft - have been made aware of the flaws and have responded. As the lights dimmed for the iPhone unveiling at Apple Park this week, the company's usual shuffle of Sia and Coldplay was replaced with All You Need is Love, a nod to Steve Jobs' obsession with The Beatles. Despite a full suite of products to announce, CEO Tim Cook started proceedings with a moment's silence. Press were asked to close their laptops and cover their phones. We sat in the dark, introduced to the building the Steve Jobs Theater by the voice of the late Apple co-founder. Cook then took to the stage, paying tribute to his friend, whose image filled the screen behind him. It was a sombre moment, Cook's voice cracking slightly as he said he could finally look back with fondness, and not sadness, over the achievements of Jobs. It's rare for Apple to look back in this way. The company usually mentions older products only as a way to show how much faster, or thinner, their newer devices are. But on the tenth anniversary of the iPhone, in the theatre named after Jobs, it seemed a fitting time to reflect. Forget luxuries, Melburnians are spending most of their money on basic living expenses. Melburnians have followed the national trend, with new data showing more than half the money households spend on goods and services goes on the basics housing, food, energy, transport and health care. The average weekly expenditure for a Melbourne household is $1517.04. Of that, $282.13 is spent on housing costs, a figure that has been steadily rising for decades, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Moreland City Council's decision to dump Australia Day celebrations, comparing it to "celebrating the Nazi Holocaust", has been condemned by the federal government. The inner-north Melbourne council voted at a meeting on Wednesday night to drop any reference to Australia Day but continue to hold citizenship ceremonies on January 26. Councillors also voted to join the push to change the date. Socialist Alliance councillor Sue Bolton said hosting ceremonies and events on that date was "grossly insensitive" to indigenous people. "It would be like celebrating the Nazi Holocaust," Cr Bolton said. Are you feeling the chill more than usual this spring? That might be because Melbourne is shivering through the coldest start to spring in more than a decade. Bureau of Meteorology records reveal the average maximum temperature for the first 13 days of spring in the city this year is a scant 16.1 degrees. Another icy winter blast at Falls Creek on Thursday, in the midst of spring. Credit:Chris Hocking The last time the average dipped below that in the first two weeks of September, was in 2004. "We've certainly had a few instances of low snowfalls," Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Stuart Coombs said. Police will allege three teenagers murdered Paul Costa in a Brunswick West reserve in a carjacking gone wrong. His body, clad in an Ermenegildo Zegna suit, was found by a passer-by in Dunstan Reserve, a popular dog walking spot and sporting ground at Brunswick West, just after 8.20am on July 3. Homicide squad detectives arrested a 17-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man in Thomastown on Thursday morning. A 16-year-old was arrested in the NSW city of Newcastle and will be extradited to Victoria on Friday. Last week demonstrated once again the restructure taking place in the Western Australian economy. The resources boom while not over is far from roaring as it once was. And the economic impact on government, the private sector and individual households has been significant. It was only in April this year that the West Australian Premier announced the state's finances had gone from being the best in the country, to the worst "since the Great Depression". Dun & Bradstreet chief executive Simon Bligh in 2016. Credit:Daniel Munoz As David Allan-Petale writes in his helpful account of the West's economy in transition: "It was like being on a fantastic fairground ride, centrifugal forces throwing us wider and wider. Now imagine the machine breaks. For a while, it's even better, because you're really flying; but then, you're f----d, because nobody beats gravity." Actor Ayushmann Khurrana, who appeared on director-choreographer Farah Khan's new show Lip Sing Battle, met with a minor accident while shooting for the show. By India Today Web Desk: Actor Ayushmann Khurrana, who appeared on director-choreographer Farah Khan's new show Lip Sing Battle, met with a minor accident while shooting for the show. He was accompanied by actress Raveena Tandon. Reportedly he was performing on expression king Govinda's popular number, Meri Pant Bhi Sexy, Meri Shirt Bhi Sexy, when he accidentally splashed spicy panipuri water in his eyes. A source from the sets revealed that there was a step which required the actor to splash some water on himself and presuming the water in the vessel was nothing but coloured water he splashed it on himself. His eyes turned red and got swollen. Picture courtesy: Instagram/ @TheFarahKhan advertisement Also read: Karan Johar, Parineeti Chopra and Preity Zinta shoot for Farah Khan's Lip Sing Battle; see pics However, in all this hue and cry Govinda had to wait for an hour backstage; who was especially called by Farah to make a surprise entry. She had also invited his wife Sunita and daughter Tina. Ayushmann Khurrana with Govinda and Farah Khan. Picture courtesy: Instagram/ @TheFarahKhan Also read: 5 things we know about the new show Lip Sing Battle Watch: Up, close and personal with Ayushmann --- ENDS --- Perth's high office vacancy rate is a pervasive symptom of the state's economic slump but a new survey suggests just a small fraction of the city's buildings hold close to half of the empty space. The Office Not Occupied Index devised by Perth research firm Y Research looks at the number of office properties in Perth's metropolitan area that have had more than 1,000 square metres of vacant space for more than 12 months. A new index has found less than five per cent of Perth's buildings account for nearly fifty per cent of its vacancies. Credit:Philip Gostelow The index found less than five per cent of Perth's office buildings - 129 properties - account for close to fifty per cent of the city's office vacancies. Y Research's Principal Damian Stone said the index identified the properties that needed to be improved to cut the vacancy rate and also track the 'flight to quality' trend that had seen tenants move to better digs across the city. From the busy, crowded streets of Germany, to WA's remote Pilbara region; Gina Horch took this giant leap of faith 11 years ago to join WA Police and has never looked back. Now a Detective Sergeant, the former Bavarian Police Force cop finds herself nominated as one of WA's most outstanding officers as part of the Nine News WA Police Excellence Awards. Det-Sgt Gina Horch is among those to be nominated. Credit:WA Police The awards recognise police officers who demonstrate 'exceptional dedication in service excellence to the people of WA.' After emigrating to Perth in 2006, having served in the Bavarian Police Force for eight years, she graduated from the WA Police Academy in 2008 and then spent almost two years at Roebourne Police Station, before becoming a detective. A group of teenage boys have attacked a man and stolen his car from a shopping centre car park on Collier Road in Morley on Wednesday night. At about 7:30pm a group of four or five young men approached the victim and demanded his car keys. A 24-year-old man has suffered serious injuries after a gang of youths bashed him and then stole his car at a shopping centre car park on Collier Road in Morley. Credit:9 News Perth When the 24-year-old man refused, he was set upon and had several possessions stolen, including his keys. The group fled the scene man's 2005 Maroon Nissan Pulsar sedan, and the victim was taken to Royal Perth Hospital with serious injuries. A Perth boarding school has come under fire from students and parents for inviting a Christian organisation to speak with its students about sexuality and marriage ahead of the postal vote. St Brigid's College in Lesmurdie invited the Loving for Life organisation to deliver a Christian educational program on sexuality and relationships to its year 11 and year 12 students, and a number of parents and students have hit out the school for not informing them of the program's contents. Students have hung up posters following the seminar at St Brigid's school. While Christian sexual education programs are common in Catholic high schools, they often require parent-signed consent forms in order for students to participate. However, one parent said they were not given any parental consent form to sign before the seminars commenced on Wednesday and said her daughter had came home "very upset" after there was a conversation surrounding marriage equality. Beirut: With his political survival all but assured, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and his wife, Asma, are back to acting presidential, making bread at a bakery in Hama province, checking out a dairy in Tartus, and comforting wounded soldiers at their home. After six years of civil war, the images of a beaming, confident Assad are meant to telegraph his ability to defy predictions that his ouster was only a matter of time. But they can't paper over the fact that the Syrian leader has emerged from this power struggle much weakened, heading a country possibly broken beyond repair. A Syrian soldier guards streets in ruined Aleppo, Syria, this week. Credit:AP The Syria he once ruled with an iron grip is now fractured into volatile fiefdoms, its citizenry ravaged, its infrastructure decimated, its insurgencies likely to smolder even after the conflict officially ends. He controls only half of the country, and after the war, will have to share authority with other players, including autonomy-seeking Kurds, and Russia and Iran, whose militaries shored him up. "The Syria we knew is not the Syria that will come back," said Maha Yahya, director of the Carnegie Middle East Centre. "I went to my grandmother's house and hid under the bed. My grandfather rooted me out. After that I put up my hands and said 'I surrender'." A week later the couple was married. Indonesia has the seventh highest number of child marriages in the world. One in six girls - 340,000 a year - marry before they reach the age of 18, the threshold for marriage recommended by international human rights treaty bodies. Under the 1974 Marriage Law, girls can legally marry at 16, although boys must be at least 19. This contradicts Indonesia's own 2002 law on child protection, which defines a child as someone under the age of 18. And parents can appeal to religious courts for their children to marry when they are even younger. Many children simply lie about their age on the marriage certificate or hold a religious ceremony at home that is not formally registered. Shinta and Denny will wait to register their marriage until Denny reaches the proper age. They were persuaded by their parents to be married by an ustadz (religious teacher) when they were 17 and 18 respectively. Shinta and Denny will wait to register their marriage until they are both of majority age. Credit:Irwin Fedriansyah "It was the talk of the town that we were alone together in the house and something bad might happen," says Denny, a motorcycle taxi driver with a wispy moustache. "Most of the time my mother was here," Shinta chips in shyly. Shinta wants to go back to school but most schools in Indonesia actively discourage married or pregnant girls. According to one report, 85 per cent of girls end their education once they marry. The couple are living in Denny's parents' austere, half-built house. It's empty of furniture except for a broken cupboard and a calendar hanging askew on the wall. The local midwife offered Shinta birth control but the price - 30,000 rupiah ($3) a month - is unaffordable. A baby seems inevitable. Indonesia's first child marriage report, Progress on Pause - published last year by the Indonesian government and UN children's agency UNICEF - pulls no punches. The report says child marriage is a "fundamental violation of girls' human rights", limiting their education, health, future income and safety. Disturbingly, it found child marriage prevalence in Indonesia had reached a plateau after three decades of decreasing and was now consistent at the high rate of 17 per cent. In 2014, child marriage caused a loss of at least 1.7 per cent of GDP. Fifty thousand girls still marry before the age of 15 each year in Indonesia. "It is very concerning," says Indonesian child protection commissioner Sitti Hikmawatty. She believes the reasons are complex and require more analysis. Rasiana Maharti is an 18-year-old teenage ambassador for Cikidang, a sub-regency of Sukabumi. She earnestly implores her peers to say no to drugs and "free sex" (sex outside marriage), which is often associated with loose Western morals. Rasiana Maharti is a teenage ambassador for abstinence from drugs and sex. Credit:Irwin Fedriansyah Girls in Sukabumi are haunted by the fear of free sex, both because it is immoral and because it can lead to unplanned pregnancies. Two of the girls in Rasiana's class got married. "One married her boyfriend in the second grade of senior high when she was 15 to prevent zina [the Islamic sin of illicit sex]," Rasiana says. "One got married at 16 because she was pregnant." This is consistent with research by Mies Grijns, who - together with a team of young Indonesian anthropologists - has spent four years researching child marriage in a village of 8000 people in northern Sukabumi. "It used to be parents arranging the marriage, but now you have love affairs," Grijns says. Adolescents now have more opportunities to meet each other at school or online, they even refer to "Facebook marriages". "Young people these days have a much bigger choice in partners but parents decide when they will get married mainly because of the fear of zina or because the girl is pregnant," Grijns says. Grijns, an anthropologist from the Netherlands who grew up in Indonesia, has lived in this village on and off since 1981, when she began studying labour and gender relations at a large tea plantation in the mountains. 'Young people these days have a much bigger choice in partners': anthropologist Mies Grijns. Credit:Irwin Fedriansyah "I would see so many girls walking around with young babies but thought they were the sisters, not the mothers. That is how blind you can be," she says. It was not until she began sponsoring children to attend school that she noticed girls were dropping out to get married: "I was thinking 'this is 2000. What is happening?'" Today Grijns is in the last stage of her PhD research exploring contemporary child marriage in West Java and how and why it still happens. "I wanted to understand what was happening, what the positives and negatives were, what girls and their husbands thought of it." When Grijns began her research not much had been written about child marriage in Indonesia and the prevailing NGO view was that it was akin to slavery. Her research reveals a more nuanced reality - some pious girls consider it an honour to be married at 13 - and a diversity of reasons for child marriage. There are two main groups of villagers who marry young. Firstly the sweethearts who tie the knot because of the fear of zina and village gossip or because the girl was pregnant; and secondly those from more orthodox Muslim communities. Grijns says these more orthodox communities consider primary school sufficient for girls. "There is an expectation girls should be married early and have children early. Usually girls are happy with it because they have internalised their religion and feel good." Novita, a vivacious 20-year-old in a sequined T-shirt, pours tea into glass mugs engraved with hearts and proudly shows off the woven bamboo house her husband built. She left school at 12 because she was teased for developing breasts at a young age. After working as a babysitter for three years she married at 15: "I was ready at the time to get married, my hobby is taking care of children." 'If you are not married by the age of 25 you are an old spinster': Novita, who married at 15, with her son. Credit:Irwin Fedriansyah A month later Novita was pregnant. Her son, who plays quietly on his mum's phone on the padded floral quilt, was born five years ago after a seamless pregnancy. "In this village almost everyone marries young, it's not a problem," Novita says. "If you are not married by the age of 25 you are an old spinster." A grassroots movement called Koalisi +18 has campaigned throughout Indonesia to increase the minimum age of marriage for girls to 18. However in June 2015 the Constitutional Court rejected a petition for a judicial review of Indonesia's marriage law. Eight male judges - interestingly, the only dissenting voice was the one female judge - argued keeping the marriage age low prevented premarital sex and babies born out of wedlock. "There is no guarantee raising the age limit from 16 to 18 years would reduce the number of divorces, health problems or resolve social problems," one of the judges said. But this year female Islamic clerics issued an unprecedented fatwa, or ruling, against child marriage at a congress in West Java that drew participants from Malaysia, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The fatwa - which is not legally binding - called underage marriage harmful, pointing to heightened risks of sexual violence, domestic abuse and death in childbirth, and said that it must be prevented. In the village of Sanetan, in Central Java, there is a saying that it is better to be a divorcee than a spinster. At the age of 22, Sanita Rini is well and truly considered a spinster. "A neighbour once even visited my mother and said: 'What's wrong with your daughter, no one wants her?'" It wasn't through a lack of effort on the part of Rini's parents. They tried to marry her off twice, once when she was 13 and then again when she was 15, to males five years her senior: "Both times my parents said it was to lessen the economic burden on the family." Rini promised to pay everything back they had spent on her education if they allowed her to stay at school. "If you marry me off you will get nothing because I will have a new family of my own," she threatened. 'What's wrong with your daughter?': Sanita Rini with her parents on graduation day. They had pressed her to marry when she was 13. Rini studied economics at university and now works for Plan International, a humanitarian organisation that advances children's rights and equality for girls. She has even persuaded a number of villages in Central Java - including her own - to pass a regulation raising the minimum age of marriage to 18 for girls. "Now my parents are proud of me," Rini says. "When other kids my age are struggling to find a job, I have a job. I am showing my parents that not marrying me off is an investment for our future. "It took a lot to be where I am. But many girls lack that and it is something I want to change." Washington: US President Donald Trump on Thursday said any move on illegal immigrants brought to the United States as children would have to be tied to security, disputing Democratic congressional leaders who said they had reached a deal with him on the issue. "No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote," Mr Trump wrote in one of a series of posts on Twitter. He was referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program created by former President Barack Obama. Mr Trump also stood by his insistence there would be a wall built along the US border with Mexico, which Democrats have long said is a non-starter and insisted was left out of the tentative deal. San Francisco: US truth-in-advertising enforcers have sent letters to supermodel Naomi Campbell, actresses Lindsay Lohan and Vanessa Hudgens and other celebrities asking whether they have paid deals to endorse products on the photo-sharing app Instagram. The letters sent by the US Federal Trade Commission to 21 people with large Instagram followings represent an escalation of the agency's interest in so-called social media "influencers." British model Naomi Campbell Credit:AP Instagram, which is owned by Facebook Inc, has seen a sharp increase in recent years in promotions of products and services by famous people, often without disclosures of whether there was an endorsement deal. Celebrities have talked up clothing brands, food, alcohol, spa treatments and a wide array of other items. Los Angeles: The course has been set. The end is in sight. There's no turning back now. After 13 years of making dazzling discoveries in the Saturn system, Cassini's time is just about up. On Saturday morning Australia time, the NASA spacecraft will dive into Saturn at a speed of 113,000km/h. Within minutes it will vaporise in the cloud tops of the ringed planet after valiantly fighting a battle it has no hope of winning. Cassini's small thrusters, designed to manoeuvre the 2-tonne spacecraft around the vacuum of space, will be no match for Saturn's thicker-than-expected atmosphere. And this from polling by Connecticut's Quinnipiac University on the Republican Party as a political brand: only 22 to 25 per cent of Americans see it favourably, a four-year low, as more Republicans check the "unfavourable" box in the university's recurring polling. There's a slew of other polling: Trump's base voters seem to be turning on local Republican lawmakers deemed to be giving him a hard time by as much as 60 per cent in the case of Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell in Kentucky and Senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, a vocal critic of the President. And in Nevada, Republican Senator Dean Heller is close to scraping the bottom of the barrel, with just 22 per cent of Trump voters supporting him. Nationally, 53 per cent of Republican voters in Republican-held electorates say the lawmaker they elected doesn't give enough support to the President. Sure, the data is limited sort-of reeds in the breeze stuff but the more it's replicated, the more Republicans in Congress are likely to think twice about standing up to Trump. So the party rank and file is restless, but what about the man himself: Trump? What are his options? As he demonstrated during the 2016 fight for the Republican nomination, he has no roots in the Republican Party. As recently as the presidency of George W. Bush, Trump was a paid-up member of the Democratic Party. When he first conjured with running for the White House in 2000, it was with the Reform Party, by then a fringe-dweller in US politics. The New York Times last week billed Trump, a political outsider who has switched parties at least five times, as "the first independent to hold the presidency since around the time of the Civil War". A Republican consultant last week described the party as a "flag of convenience" for Trump; others describe his as a "hostile take-over". It's hardly surprising that he goes after Republicans, especially in Congress because of who he is as much as who they are. Frustrated by their failure to deliver on the "repeal and replace" of Obamacare and girding for fights on his signature policy commitments such as immigration and tax reform, Trump recently accused Republicans, as though he was not one of them, of having a "death wish". In other tweets, he has abused McConnell for "failing" on Obamacare; and accused House Speaker Paul Ryan of making "a mess" of the debt-ceiling issue. Last week, he humiliated the Republican Congressional leadership, pulling the mat from under McConnell and Ryan by siding with "Chuck and Nancy" on a short-term fix for government funding and the debt ceiling even as McConnell and Ryan looked on, dumbfounded, from the other side of the couches in the Oval Office. Even before Wednesday's dinner meeting, Trump reportedly was working on bipartisan deals with Schumer and Pelosi on a long-term fix for the debt ceiling, on immigration and tax reform. Possibly because this is the summer "silly season", when the political classes desert Washington for the beach, and there's little else to report apart from hurricanes, there's much speculation on the fate of the Republican Party and Trump's relationship with it, after Trump seemingly placed his bet on legislative success with the Democrats. "The truth is that he is a political independent, and he obviously won the nomination and the presidency by disrupting a lot of norms that Republicans had assumed about their own party and their own voters," Ben Domenech, publisher of the conservative Federalist website told The New York Times. "[Last] week was the first time he struck out and did something completely at odds with what the Republican leadership and establishment would want him to do in this position." George W. Bush speechwriter-turned-commentator Michael Gerson drills down in an op-ed in The Washington Post: "Those Republicans who believe that Trump is being cynical, disloyal or politically calculating continue to misunderstand the man. The President has no discernible political philosophy or strong policy views to betray. "His leadership consists mainly of instincts, reflexes and prejudices, which often have nothing to do with self-interest. He has a genius for fame, which usually involves attention-attracting unpredictability and transgressiveness. "Trump reads events moment by moment, making him a cork on the waves of cable coverage. Any choice he makes is correct by definition, because he has made it. And any person on his staff or on Capitol Hill who does not precisely mimic his political gyrations is disloyal and should be punished." That's a timely reminder of all that Trump brought to winning the Republican nomination in the face of seeming wall-to-wall opposition and scepticism. But would he take his chances, marching off with a Republican rump and making his 2020 re-election run as an independent? Down the years there have been a handful of third-party candidates, but a new party has not won the White House since Abraham Lincoln, who as a candidate for the new Republican Party outran the Whigs and Democrats in 1860. Some, like Florida-based Republican consultant and Trump critic Rick Wilson see a third-party candidacy by Trump as inevitable. Others cite a host of problems split the Republican vote and the Democrats would run away with the White House; would enough of the Republican Party's moneybags donors go with him? Maybe a third of Republican voters would remain loyal to either Trump or to the party. But how much of that other third might Trump pull to his new party? Would genuinely conservative voters still see him as a conservative without the fig-leaf cover he acquired by winning the party's 2016 nomination? The petitioners argued that the vibrations from the tunneling work for the Metro Phase-III is causing damage to the J N Petit Institute, a heritage building in South Mumbai. By Vidya : The Bombay High Court has decided to hear the matter concerning damages to heritage buildings during the construction of metro rail in South Mumbai on Friday. The petitioners, DVM Patel and others who are trustees of the J N Petit Institute, were seeking a stay on the construction of Metro Phase-3 line around the buildings which are located in the Fort area and on D N Road till an inquiry by an independent authority is carried out to probe the vibrations from the metro tunneling that are allegedly damaging the heritage precinct. advertisement The J N Petit Institute, a neo-Gothic Revival style building, was recently refurbished and conferred the Award of Distinction by UNESCO in 2015. However, the 119-year-old heritage building and many similar structures in South Mumbai have shallow foundation which are about three-metre deep. Advocate Fredun De Vitre, representing the petitioners, told the high court that the construction of the Metro Phase-3 line is being carried out right in front of the J N Petit Institute and the vibrations from the digging work have been causing damage to the building. "We are not asking for Metro work to be totally stopped. But, it should be done in such a way that more than 100-year-old buildings are not damaged," the advocate argued. LET US NOT GO BY EGOS The division bench of the Bombay High Court, headed by Chief Justice Manjula Chellur, said, "We are concerned about the safety of the people living inside the buildings too. The Metro goes from the front of the high court too. It's worrying if something happens to this beautiful building," she said. Chief Justice Chellur pointed to the Central Hall of the Bombay High Court and said, "It is an excellent hall and we can't afford to lose it. When someone asks me which is the best high court building, I say it's the Bombay High Court". The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the state authority which in partnership with private companies is constructing Metro across Mumbai, has said that the vibrations are within the permissible limits. Advocates De Vitre and Ferzana Behramkamdin argued against the MMRDA's version. The court has decided to look into the plea for setting up of an independent authority. "Let's not go by egos, let's look at the safety of people," the court said but refused to stay the construction of the Metro line for the time being. DO SOME EXERCISE, COUNT THE TREES While hearing another petition against cutting down of trees on the Western Express Highway between Andheri and Dahisar for the Metro Line-7 construction filed by Zoru Bhathena, Chief Justice Chellur reprimanded the MMRDA. advertisement "Why don't you do some exercise and count all (the) trees you need to cut. You keep coming with 200 or 300 or 500 trees that need to be cut," she said. The court has already set up a committee comprising two judges who have to determine the necessity of cutting the trees and then give permissions. The court, however, was also critical of the petitioners. "Public cannot sit over the head of the administration and supervise work. You cannot determine which blade to use, whether a tree has to be cut in morning, (or) evening. Even we cannot interfere in the work beyond a limit," the court said. ALSO WATCH: India's first bullet train project launched: Here's how it will be built --- ENDS --- PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago:--- The International Labour Organization (ILO) is hosting a capacity-building workshop in Guyana from September 13-15, 2017. The purpose of the workshop is to boost the capacity of government officials to effectively plan, prepare and write key national reports on International Labour Standards. Government officials from thirteen (13) Caribbean member States are attending including: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Additionally, there are representatives from Guyana Trades Union Congress and one representative from the Consultative Association of Guyana Industry. According to Shingo Miyake, ILO Specialist on International Labour Standards and Labour Law, who is the key facilitator, The training allows participants to learn or refresh their memory on the reporting procedures for international labour standards (ILS). We have noticed that countries have real challenges with reporting, especially reports on the implementation of ratified Conventions, which are the main ones. We recognise that Labour departments within Ministries tend to be small and simply do not have sufficient manpower to prepare the ILS reports. ILO assists so they can work more efficiently. For this workshop, the ILO is specially targeting the government officials who coordinate reporting to the ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR). The results of the Committees examination are compiled into a report submitted to the International Labour Conference (ILC) annually in Geneva, Switzerland. There are a number of national reports which countries are required to submit, however late submission and in some cases non-submission are a recurrent challenge. This training is to address these issues. When countries fail to submit national reports they miss a golden opportunity to provide important information on their progress but also the stumbling blocks. Timely reporting to the ILO opens the door for useful feedback from the Committee of Experts. When countries submit their reports on time, there can be in-depth discussion by the Committee about how they are fulfilling their obligations and suggestions for successful strategies towards achieving their goals. Countries could use this feedback to improve their law and practice, and these improvements can be further reported. There would then be a positive cycle of dialogue, explains Miyake. The Workshop will not only deliver knowledge and techniques to the participants but it will emphasize exchanging experiences of the participants. In doing so, it will combine various methods including: lecture, simulation, group work, presentation and discussion to make the sessions interactive and participatory. Participants will practice writing reports starting with the analysis of the comments of the CEACR. An important element of the Workshop is the Training of Trainers approach (ToT) which aims to transfer the teacher-trainer skill set to those present so that they can in turn train other officials upon their return to their respective countries. The last day is entirely dedicated to this purpose. ILO Press Release PRESIDENT'S PROHIBITION OF MOVEMENT AND ROAD TRAFFIC The President of the Collectivite of Saint-Martin informs you that the road from Sandy Ground (from the bridge to the MJC) will be closed to traffic on Thursday, September 14, 2017 and Friday, September 15, 2017, from 9 am to 4 pm to allow cleaning trucks and vehicles to finish removing bulky items on the Sandy Ground area. A second decree of road-closing will be taken for the St James area from the Bellevue roundabout to the Doigt de gant on Saturday, September 16th, 2017 and on Sunday, September 17th, 2017 from 9 am to 4 pm to facilitate cleaning in this downtown area. A third interdiction will be taken for the Low-Town area in Marigot-St James on Monday, September 18th, 2017 and Tuesday, September 19th, 2017 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm also to facilitate cleaning in this downtown area. PEOPLE ARE ASKED TO TRAVEL ON ROADS ONLY FOR EMERGENCY AND TO LEAVE THE ROAD SYSTEM ACCESSIBLE FOR CLEANING. VOLUNTARY DEPARTURE TO GUADELOUPE AND MARTINIQUE Several ways exist to leave the territory: Military aircrafts make free flights to Martinique from Princess Juliana airport for those who wish to return to Europe via Martinique. A checkpoint is in place at the border of Cupecoy to let European passport holders access the airport. From Grand Case Airport: Planes are also flying to Guadeloupe and Martinique. To take one of these planes, you have to go directly to check point before Grand Case Airport (facing former Simply Market). Also, a 450-seat boat will connect Saint-Martin-Port de Galisbay to Pointe-a-Pitre in Guadeloupe, The ship will leave Saint-Martin Thursday, September 14, 2017 at 8 am, from the dam of the Marina Fort Louis. People concerned have to be on location for 6 am. To be able to leave on this boat, it is imperative to register prior to the date of departure. Every day a reception point is open from 8:30 am to noon at the Robert Weinum school campus in La Savane (Cite Scolaire) and another at the Collectivite Front Desk in Marigot from 8:30 am to noon. It is possible to carry luggage and animals. If the demand is strong, other boat trips to Guadeloupe will be organized on the same principle. OPENING OF 5 PUBLIC INFORMATION POINTS: Sandy Ground MJC Concordia - Media Library Robert Weinum School Complex Primary School St Maximin Orleans area Collectivite Administrative building These points inform the public about the various support schemes in place. DISTRIBUTION OF WATER AND FOOD PRODUCTS Several distribution points are now organized throughout the island. Three fixed points: In front of the gendarmerie of French Quarter from 9 am. In the parking lot of Hope Estate from 9 am In the parking lot of the ferry terminal in Marigot, from 9 am. Distribution points are also organized in the neighborhoods with water and food distribution. EMERGENCY ACCOMMODATION ON THE TERRITORY People who need emergency housing in Saint-Martin must register at the information offices mentioned above. The Social Department will take over the registrations before the end of the week. COLLECTVITE NEED VOLUNTEERS AT THE PORT OF GALISBAY The port of Galisbay needs volunteers to unload containers and load distribution trucks with food and water supplies. Those who wish to contribute to the scheme can go directly to the port and ask for the coordinator of the distribution Territorial Councilor Marie-Dominique RAMPHORT (RAMFOR). The President of the Collectivite M. Daniel GIBBS warmly thanks you for your contribution. DISCLOSURE OF INSURANCE CLAIMS: The deadline for notification of your insurances claim is October 30, 2017. This process must be done with your own insurer. For those insured with Allianz, two emergency numbers are now available: 0800 85 15 15 and 0800 00 58 52. An internet address has also been created: allianz-assistance.re INTERNET HOT SPOT Two Free Internet Hotspots are open : Marigot Republique Road In front of Dauphin Telecom shop Hope Estate commercial area, on the side of Rond-Point de Cul de Sac Press Release from the Collectivity of St. Martin PORT OF ST. MAARTEN:--- Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Majesty of the Seas cruise ship arrives on Friday, September 15, on a humanitarian mission to evacuate American citizens or those with Visa Waiver/ESTA entry requirements, allowing the person to enter the U.S. territory legally. The aforementioned group should meet at the St. Maarten Festival Village on Pond Island to register to leave the island on the same day with the cruise vessel. Registration starts at 7.00 AM until 3.00 PM on Friday. Persons can also register online if you have Internet connection at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Majesty of the Seas will take persons to San Juan, Puerto Rico. The vessels capacity is 2450. The evacuees are allowed to bring one piece of luggage per person as well as service pets, or a small dog or cat with their relevant travel documents. Persons will be responsible for their own travel beyond Puerto Rico to their final destination. Everybody should meet at the Festival Village in an orderly manner and park in the public parking areas near the village. The Marines will be at the Festival Village to assist with security. Qualifying individuals with travel documents to enter the United States of America will be taken by bus to the Port St. Maarten Cruise Facility. Evacuees should not come to the Port directly because they will not be given access to the facility! Evacuees should have a friend or family member remove their vehicles from the parking lot at the Festival Village because if they do not it will be towed! Port St. Maarten Management would like to thank Royal Caribbean for its pro-activeness in providing assistance. We appreciate the commitment from our cruise partners, and thank them for their support to St. Maarten and to the region. We look forward to a quick turn-around for the cruise sector, and are working with stakeholders to bounce back and become the benchmark cruise destination, Port St. Maarten Management said on Wednesday. S.E.L. Maduro & Sons would like to thank Royal Caribbean for its unwavering support which demonstrates that its a real partner and friend of St. Maarten. Adventure of the Seas also of Royal Caribbean, was in port on Sunday, September 10 on a humanitarian call where approximately 320 persons were evacuated and they also offloaded relief supplies. Majesty of the Seas will be in port at 8.00 AM and depart at 5.00 PM. Port of St. Maarten Press Release PHILIPSBURG:--- On September 11, 2017, His Majesty King Willem-Alexander visited St. Maarten to personally place the population under the belt and assess the situation on the spot. On September 10, 2017, he joined Curacao and immediately visited the Marin Base Parera from which the emergency relief operation is being directed. The king expressed his appreciation for the executive defense staff. The security situation on Sint Maarten is improving visibly but incidental robberies have not yet been stopped. The advent of additional units makes it possible to realize a more extensive patrol scheme and to be more dispersed. Managing the security situation, getting key infrastructures, such as the airport, port, fuel supplies and drinking water facilities, will be prioritized. At the same time, the provision of water, food and other food and the organization of evacuations are given a lot of attention. Evacuations take place through military aircraft, most flights to Curacao. Yesterday at 23:00 local time, a KDC-10 left aboard the first 100 evacuees from Curacao to the Netherlands. Zr.Ms. Zeeland conducted a harbor survey yesterday, checking the possibilities for mooring larger passenger and cargo ships. As a result, the first cruise ship yesterday ended, allowing the first evacuees to leave the island for water. Zr.Ms. Pelican is on its way to Saint Maarten with additional personnel, equipment, and emergency services. In addition, it will function as a command post and forward operating base after arrival. The strategic shipping ship is expected at noon around St. Maarten. The 32nd Raiding Squadron of the Corps Mariniers, in addition to patrols, deals with shelter management, receiving aircraft and distributing water and food. Today a very large freight feed and water is introduced to the affected area. Soldiers will support local authorities in the distribution. There are still problems with the communication opportunities on the island. This complicates the logistical flow of goods and the coordination of operations. 20 marines from the 2nd Navy Combat Group (2MCG) staff are included in the on-site staff to efficiently drive the larger group of soldiers and provide the assistance they need most. The situation on St. Eustatius and Saba improves. In recent days, Mariners helped the population to clean up debris in the streets and have made schools and a hospital safe for use with local fire brigades. The marines will be deployed to Sint Maarten from tomorrow, where their assistance is most urgent. However, some military personnel remains in contact with the outside world, as communication on the islands is not yet stable. From Koninklijke Marine Facebook Page Second Annual Ponemon Report Finds Threat Intelligence Critical to Strong Security Posture REDWOOD CITY, CA (Marketwired) 09/14/17 today released the findings of its second annual Ponemon Institute study, highlighting the increasing importance of threat intelligence in detection and mitigation of cybersecurity threats. Amidst growing concerns of large-scale cyber attacks, the survey found that 84 percent of organizations indicated threat intelligence is essential to a strong security posture. However, many organizations struggle with an overwhelming amount of threat data and lack of staff expertise, which diminish the effectiveness of their threat intelligence programs. Threat sharing remains a key priority for organizations, half of which report participating in sharing communities, but a majority of these organizations (60 percent) only receive community intelligence and do not contribute. The Value of Threat Intelligence: The Second Annual Study of North American and United Kingdom Companies surveyed over 1,000 IT and security practitioners to examine trends in the benefits and challenges of threat intelligence. The results uncovered year over year growth across several critical areas of threat intelligence usage, including increased adoption and effectiveness. Key findings include: 80 percent of North American organizations are currently using threat intelligence as a part of their cybersecurity program, up from 65 percent in 2016 86 percent of respondents indicate threat intelligence is valuable to their security mission, up from 77 percent the previous year 83 percent of North American respondents indicate a Threat Intelligence Platform (TIP) is necessary to maximize the value of intelligence data Its abundantly clear that organizations now understand the benefits provided by threat intelligence, but the overwhelming volume of threat data continues to pose a hurdle to truly effective adoption, said Dr. Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of the Ponemon Institute. Threat intelligence programs are often challenging to implement, but when done right, they are a critical element in an organizations security program. The significant growth in adoption over the past year is encouraging as it indicates widespread recognition of the value threat intelligence provides. The Ponemon report revealed that despite overall improvement in threat intelligence usage, continues to plague organizations. Sixty-nine percent of respondents indicated that threat intelligence is too voluminous and complex to provide actionable intelligence. Other respondents cited difficulty in the integration of threat intelligence platforms with other security technologies and tools (64 percent), and a lack of alignment between analyst activities and operational security events (52 percent). Additionally, 71 percent of organizations fail to keep more than three months of historical event logs online, posing a significant challenge in identifying existing threats within the organization. Other top reasons for threat intelligence ineffectiveness include: Lack of staff expertise (71 percent of respondents) Lack of ownership (52 percent of respondents) Lack of suitable technologies (48 percent of respondents) We all see the growing cybersecurity threats, with attacks routinely making the front page. Every day cyber researchers discover thousands of new threats. Organizations need rapid access to the latest threat intelligence to detect any malicious activity in their networks, said Hugh Njemanze, CEO of Anomali. In the face of unprecedented volumes of cyber threats, organizations must be able to quickly pinpoint active threats and mitigate them before material damage occurs. This requires a system that is able to prioritize threat data and turn it into actionable insights. External threat sharing also remains limited. Only 50 percent of respondents currently participate in industry-centric sharing initiatives such as Information Sharing & Analysis Centers (ISACs), which provide industry-relevant intelligence, collaboration with peers and networking with other security teams. Of those organizations, the majority (60 percent) only receive threat intelligence through ISACs but do not contribute intelligence. The biggest hurdles to outbound intelligence sharing include a lack of expertise (54 percent) followed by fear of revealing a breach (45 percent). In response to these challenges, many organizations have successfully identified a variety of resources and techniques to help maximize the effectiveness of their threat intelligence, including: Deploying a threat intelligence platform (80 percent of respondents) Integrating SIEM with a threat intelligence platform (65 percent of respondents) Having a qualified threat analyst on staff (54 percent of respondents) To download a copy of The Value of Threat Intelligence: The Second Annual Study of North American and United Kingdom Companies, and listen to a podcast interview with the reports author, Larry Ponemon, please visit: Learn more about Anomali products: Follow us on Twitter: Follow us on LinkedIn: The Anomali suite of threat intelligence solutions empowers organizations to detect, investigate and respond to active cybersecurity threats. The award-winning ThreatStream threat intelligence platform aggregates and optimizes millions of threat indicators, creating a cyber no-fly list. Anomali integrates with internal infrastructure to identify new attacks, or search forensically over the past year to discover existing breaches, and enables security teams to quickly understand and contain threats. Anomali also offers STAXX, a free tool to collect and share threat intelligence, and provides a free, out of the box intelligence feed, Anomali Limo. To learn more, visit and follow us on Twitter: @Anomali. Nicole Pitaro Bhava Communications for Anomali Shaw Makes Binge-Watching Easier Than Ever With Netflix on BlueSky TV CALGARY, ALBERTA (Marketwired) 09/14/17 Shaw Communications Inc. and Netflix today announced the launch of Netflix on BlueSky TV, bringing Western Canadians a new, seamless way to binge-watch their favourite shows and movies. Beginning today, customers who subscribe to Shaw BlueSky TV, Shaw WideOpen Internet 150 and Netflix can watch thousands of shows and movies through one integrated platform. Shaw BlueSky TV has already revolutionized the way Western Canadians watch TV by making it quick and easy to find the shows and movies they want, said Chris Kucharski, President, Consumer and Business, Shaw Communications. Now finding and watching your favourite content on Netflix is as easy as watching TV no need to change remotes or juggle cords. Shaw BlueSky TV is now better than ever. Shaw BlueSky TV customers who subscribe to Netflix can now watch Netflixs series, movies, stand-up comedy specials or documentaries as easily as they watch live TV, said Bill Holmes, Head of Business Development, Netflix. Through Shaw BlueSky TVs voice remote, they can access all of their favourite Netflix or live TV programming all in one place. Subscribers can now find any title provided through Netflix, like the new season of Narcos or the upcoming season of Stranger Things, using the Shaw BlueSky TV voice remote. The integration of Netflix into Shaw BlueSky TVs interface means that every available episode of a show can easily be found in one place, regardless of whether its available through Netflix, Shaw On Demand, airing live, or recorded on the PVR. Say Suits, for example, and every back season and new episode will appear in an instant. Say Stranger Things, or any other title appearing on Netflix, and start watching right away. Subscribers can also use the intuitive voice remote within the BlueSky TV interface to search for content by actor or genre, or simply ask, What should I watch? to find personalized recommendations. Shaw BlueSky TV customers who dont already have a Netflix subscription can sign up for a Basic, Standard or Premium Netflix account directly through their BlueSky TV set-top box using their credit card to start enjoying Netflix right away. Along with Shaw WideOpen Internet 150, which features unlimited data, Shaw BlueSky TV customers who also subscribe to Netflix can binge-watch without worrying about data overages. BlueSky TV and WideOpen Internet 150 are available together for as low as $79.90 per month for the first 12 months as part of a two-year ValuePlan. More information can be found at . About Shaw Shaw is an enhanced connectivity provider. Our Consumer division serves consumers with broadband Internet, Shaw Go WiFi, video and digital phone. Our Wireless division provides wireless voice and data services through an expanding and improving mobile wireless network infrastructure. The Business Network Services division provides business customers with Internet, data, WiFi, telephony and video. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (TSX: SJR.B)(TSX: SJR.PR.A)(TSX: SJR.PR.B)(NYSE: SJR)(TSX VENTURE: SJR.A). For more information, please visit . Contacts: Shaw Communications Inc. Chethan Lakshman, VP, External Affairs (403) 930-8448 Netflix Bao Nguyen, Netflix PR Tricopians FuelRod Partners with Decathlon Capital for Growth Financing DEL MAR, CA (Marketwired) 09/14/17 Tricopian Inc., developer of the innovative FuelRod kiosk-based mobile device charging service, has closed a financing transaction with Decathlon Capital Partners that will support expansion of the companys global footprint. FuelRod brings the convenience and cost savings of kiosk-based business models to the rechargeable mobile device battery market. At FuelRod kiosks or online at , customers can purchase kits which include a charger, a USB charging cable, adapters and a small, environmentally-friendly battery that delivers approximately 8 hours of cell phone talk time or 4 hours of tablet usage. Once depleted, the module can be exchanged at any FuelRod SwapBox for a fresh, fully charged FuelRod, or recharged with any standard USB adapter. Ninety percent of mobile users suffer from low-battery anxiety, 83% run out of power every week, and tethered charging options take 20 to 30 minutes at a time, said Chi Yau, co-founder and CEO of Tricopian. Meanwhile, power kiosks charge outrageous prices for minimal charging times. FuelRod changes all that you can recharge your device anytime, anywhere and untethered to an overpriced kiosk. FuelRods patent pending two-way vending approach to lithium-ion batteries means those on the go will have a low cost, convenient and environmentally friendly way to keep their mobile devices charged, he continued. The financing from Decathlon Capital Partners will enable us to expand our capacity, build inventory and continue executing on our business plan to grow FuelRod availability worldwide. FuelRod has experienced year-over-year triple-digit growth as kiosks in service increased by more than 50%. FuelRod is a great example of the kind of company with which we like to work, said Wayne Cantwell, partner at Decathlon Capital Partners. Adapting the kiosk-based swap subscription model to the battery market is a terrific idea, and our non-dilutive financing solution allows the company to maintain its growth trajectory. Were looking forward to working with Chi and his team. About Decathlon Capital Partners Decathlon Capital Partners provides growth capital for companies seeking alternatives to traditional equity investment. Through the use of highly customized revenue-based financing solutions, Decathlon provides long-term growth capital without the dilution, loss of control and operational overhead that often comes with equity-based funding. With offices in Palo Alto and Park City, Decathlon is the largest revenue-based funding investor in the U.S. and is active across a wide range of sectors. Learn more at . About FuelRod: San Diego, California-based FuelRod is designed and manufactured by Tricopian Inc. as an innovative portable charging program that keeps batteries out of landfills to support a cleaner, more productive planet. Founded in 2011, Tricopian develops efficient and environmentally conscious solutions that provide power for portable battery-operated devices, including cell phones, tablets, flashlights and remote-control toys. For more information, go to Media Contact: Joe Yeagley (844) 383-5763 Skepticism arises when one looks at two projects that were launched in 2010 by Narendra Modi with as much fanfare. Artist Ram V Sutar gives finishing touches on the replica head of 30-foot statue in the artist's workshop. Photo: michaelgraves.com By Praveen Shekhar: With a huge fanfare, Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday laid the foundation stone for the much-hyped Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed bullet train project. The bullet train is expected to begin operating in 2022. Since, Japan is India's partner in the bullet train project, there is a no doubt over the project being completed in time. But, skepticism arises when one looks at two projects that were launched in 2010 by Narendra Modi with as much fanfare when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. advertisement 1. MEGA: Metro-Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad 2. Statue of Unity: a statue dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel located on Sadhu Bet island near Sardar Sarovar Dam in Vadodara, Gujarat While, the Metro-Link Express for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad, abbreviated MEGA, or Ahmedabad Metro was conceptualised during his tenure as the Gujarat Chief Minister in 2003, the special purpose vehicle company was established in February 2010. Serving as a mass-rapid transit system for the cities of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar in Gujarat, the MEGA Project was meant just for a distance of 39.25 km, but it has gone through excessive delays. There was a near-derailment of the project on account of a scam involving financial irregularities. It is only lately, that the project has started picking up some pace. Another project that is in question is, Statue of Unity. Narendra Modi had launched the Statue of Unity project in October 2010 when he was chief minister of Gujarat. The statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is to be around 600 feet tall making it the world's tallest when complete. The construction of the statue was started in October 2014 by the nodal agency, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust (SVPRET). Soon after Modi became Prime Minister, the project was declared a 'national project' and the central government allocated Rs200 crore for the initial phase of construction. However, for reasons not known, SVPRET has been failing to meet deadlines. Now, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly expressed his displeasure over the slow progress in construction of the State of Unity. A massive national campaign was launched for the project. Farmer's tools from all over the country were to be used as the iron needed for the statue and other structures symbolic of "unifying the country". Although it was initially announced that the iron collected will be used for the main statue, it later emerged that the collected iron will not be used in construction of the actual statue and will instead be used for some other part of the project. The project had also come in for criticism over the statue being made in China. Larsen & Toubro (L&T), the company contracted by the Gujarat government for project, has sub-leased the "bronze cladding" of the statue to TQ Art Foundry, part of the Jiangxi Toqine Company in Nanchang, China. advertisement It was on this issue that in the month of February, then leader of opposition in the Gujarat assembly, Shankersinh Vaghela (now left Congress), took a dig at the BJP by saying that the saffron party's governments in the Centre and state are promoting "Make in India", but the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is "Made in China". --- ENDS --- By PTI: (Eds: Updating with details) New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) Placing the onus on schools for safety of students on their premises, the CBSE today issued new security-related guidelines that included a psychometric test for teaching and non-teaching staff. The board has asked schools to complete the evaluation process within two months and implement the other guidelines, failing which they would face derecognition. advertisement The boards directive comes amid increased concerns about safety of students in school premises following the killing of a seven-year-old student in a Gurgaon school and the rape of a five-year-old girl by a school peon in Delhi. "Such verification and evaluation for non-teaching staff such as bus drivers, conductors, peon, and other support staff may be done very carefully and in a detailed manner. This may be complied and reported online on CBSE website within two months of receipt of this circular," the CBSE directive states. Safety audits, installation of CCTV cameras, police verification, constitution of parent-teacher-students committees to address safety needs of the students and taking regular feedback from parents are among the other measures prescribed by the board. "The onus for safety and security of children in school campus shall solely lie upon the school authorities. It is a fundamental right of a child to engage and study in an environment where he/she feels safe and is free from any form of physical or emotional abuse or harassment," the directive further says. It also says that access to the school building by outsiders should be controlled and visitors monitored. "Training should be provided to the school staff to address their responsibilities to protect children from any form of abuse. "Any violation/lapses with regard to safety and well being of children in school campus would invite appropriate action including the disaffiliation of the school as per the provisions under affiliation by-laws of the board," it adds. Schools have also been asked to constitute separate committees for redressal of grievances of the public, staff, parents and students, an Internal Complaints committee to deal with sexual harassment, and committees under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offence) Act, 2012. "Details of the these committees along with contact details shall be displayed prominently on school notice board and conspicuously on the school website for information of all stakeholders," the communication sent to schools says. Ensuring employment of support staff only from authorised agencies and maintenance of proper records is another one of the guidelines. The CBSE last Saturday formed a panel to probe whether the students death in Gurgaon occurred due to negligence on the part of the school authorities and if the school had adopted all safety measures as per CBSE affiliation by-laws. advertisement The panels report, which is to be submitted within 30 days, will also dwell on whether the authorities reported the incident to police and the district education officer, besides the circumstances leading to the death of the student. PTI GJS BSA --- ENDS --- By PTI: guidelines New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) Placing the onus on schools for safety of students on their premises, the CBSE today issued new security-related guidelines to be implemented by the institutions, failing which they would face derecognition. The guidelines come amid increased concerns about safety of students in school premises following the killing of a seven-year-old student in a Gurgaon school and the rape of a five-year-old girl by a school peon in Delhi. advertisement Safety audits, installation of CCTV cameras, police verification, psychometric evaluation, constitution of parent-teacher-students committees to address safety needs of the students and taking regular feedback from parents are among the measures prescribed by the board. "The onus for safety and security of children in school campus shall solely lie upon the school authorities. It is a fundamental right of a child to engage and study in an environment where he/she feels safe and is free from any form of physical or emotional abuse or harassment," the CBSE directive states. It also says that access to the school building by outsiders should be controlled and visitors monitored. "Training should be provided to the school staff to address their responsibilities to protect children from any form of abuse," the directive says. "Any violation/lapses with regard to safety and well being of children in school campus would invite appropriate action including the disaffiliation of the school as per the provisions under affiliation by-laws of the board," it adds. The schools have also been asked to constitute separate committees for redressal of grievances of the public, staff, parents and students, an Internal Complaints committee on sexual harassment, and committees under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offence) Act, 2012. "Details of the these committees along with contact details shall be displayed prominently on school notice board and conspicuously on the school website for information of all stakeholders," the communication sent to schools says. Ensuring employment of support staff only from authorised agencies and maintenance of proper records, is another one of the guidelines. The CBSE last Saturday formed a panel to probe whether the students death in Gurgaon occurred due to negligence on the part of the school authorities and if the school had adopted all safety measures as per CBSE affiliation by-laws. The panels report, which is to be submitted within 30 days, will also dwell on whether the authorities reported the incident to police and the district education officer, besides the circumstances leading to the death of the student. PTI GJS BSA --- ENDS --- advertisement Georgetown, SC (29440) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 59F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies during the evening giving way to a few showers after midnight. Low 49F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) The Centre will launch a nation- wide, fortnight-long sanitation campaign from tomorrow to highlight the Modi governments flagship cleanliness initiative Swachh Bharat Mission. The campaign, named Swachhta Hi Seva (Cleanliness is Service) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be launched by President Ram Nath Kovind from Ishworiganj village in Kanpur. The initiative, which is being coordinated by the Ministry of Drinking water and sanitation, will include Sharamdaan or voluntary work and will focus on mass mobilisation and reinforce jan andolan for sanitation to contribute to Mahatma Gandhis dream of a clean India. advertisement "Sanitation is linked to various sectors. From Health to giving security and dignity to women, sanitation also affects a country economically. According to UNICEF good sanitation can save Rs 50000 per year per family," Parmeshwaran Iyer, Secretary, Ministry of Drinking water and Sanitation told reporters. Iyer said the campaign will see large scale mobilisation of people from all walks of life, including the Prime Minister, Union ministers, CMs, MPs, NGOs to undertake Shramdaan for cleanliness and construction of toilets and to make their surroundings free from open defecation. It will target cleaning of public and tourist places too. The Ministry has made elaborate plans along with the state governments to reach out to poor and marginalised and provide them with sustainable sanitation services. The government has identified special dates during the campaign period. 17th September has been reserved for the voluntary work and cleanliness and construction of toilets. On 24th, citizens at panchayat and municipal levels will take up voluntary work. On 25th September, cleaning of public places, bus stands, hospitals will be cleaned. A special cleanliness drive is planned for 15 identified places on October 1. The Doordarshan will also hold a world premiere of the film Toilet: Ek Prem Katha on 17th September, the birthday of Modi. On October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, which is also the Swachh Bharat Diwas, awards for essays, short film and painting competitions will be given. PTI CSN MRJ --- ENDS --- Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. Geneva (Switzerland), Sept 13, 2017 (SPS) - A group of ambassadors and international law experts stressed Wednesday the importance of implementing the decisions of the UN General Assembly, especially those relating to Western Sahara people's right to self-determination and sovereignty over their own natural resources, media reported. The conference, entitled "The Question of Western Sahara, the Last Colony in Africa," was held Wednesday on the sidelines of the 36th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The speakers discussed several topics, mainly the legal status of Western Sahara and Morocco's presence as a "foreign military occupation force" in the territory. Morocco, from a legal point of view, is "ineligible to manage the natural resource of Western Sahara people without the approval of their unique, legitimate representative, the Frente POLISARIO." The ambassadors, experts and representatives of diplomatic missions at the Council of human rights, NGOs and parties interested in Western Sahara issue attending the conference called for "carrying on supporting the Saharawi people and their just fight for the recovery of their despoiled rights, particularly the right to liberty and independence." The 36th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which opened Monday in Geneva, with the participation of the Saharawi delegation, in the presence of civil society players from the Saharawi refugee camps, residents of the occupied territories and the diaspora, in addition to Frente POLISARIO's permanent mission at the UN council and Switzerland. SPS 125/090/700 Geneva / Switzerland, Sept 14, 2017 / SPS) - International climate and human rights activist Catherine Constantinides confirmed in a statement to the national media her solidarity and support for the Saharawi people and their just struggle for the right to self-determination and freedom. The South African activist considered the suffering of the Saharawi people for four decades to be similar to that of the South African people during colonialism and racial rule. She pointed out that the issue of Western Sahara is the issue of all Africans as the last colony in the African continent, stressing that the Saharawi people can not in any way be forgotten in Africa, calling on all Africans to commit and make every effort to secure the right of the Saharawi people in order to return to his land free and independent. The statement was made on the sidelines of the 36th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, attended by a number of diplomats, NGOs and interested in the Sahara issue. 125/090 By PTI: Itanagar, Sep 14 (PTI): The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) today criticized the Centres decision to grant citizenship to Chakma and Hajong refugees in the state. The party demanded the Centre to revive the High Power Standing Committee on refugees constituted during the UPA-II regime. Addressing reporters here, APCC president Takam Sanjoy while criticizing Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju for putting the blame on the Congress for giving settlement to Chakma and Hajong refugees in the state, said the Congress never granted citizenship to the refugees. advertisement ?During 1964, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on humanitarian grounds gave temporary settlement to the Chakmas and Hajongs who were displaced from Bangladesh but there is no written document of the Indira-Mujibur pact as alleged by Rijiju,? he said. He added that in 1964, Arunachal Pradesh was not a full-fledged state but was known as North East Frontier Agency and was under the control of external affairs ministry. He also criticized the state government for failing to circulate the minutes of the all-party meeting on Chakma and Hajong even after two months of its commencement. Referring to the recent decision of the state cabinet to implement the Tibetan Refugee Rehabilitation Policy 2014 in the state, Sanjoy said, ?When they are given refugee status they should remain as refugees.? The APCC also demanded a white paper on the earlier Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy and the recent one. PTI UPL JM --- ENDS --- This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate From small batches brewed in New York City apartments to hundreds of kegs per day filled at their brewery in Stamford, the founders behind Rise Brewing Co. have come a long way in a few years. Greenwich natives Grant Gyesky, Jarrett McGovern and Justin Weinstein launched their nitro-infused cold-brew coffee business Rise Brewing Co. two years ago. Now their brand headlines coffee offerings at bars and restaurants in the same neighborhoods in which they grew up. Heading into the fall, the friends and co-founders are celebrating the launch of two new products, nitro lemonade coffee and nitro blood orange coffee, and anticipate closing on their Series A round of funding. At the start, it could take up to 24 hours to brew a sweet and frothy cup of cold-brew coffee that its makers boast as smoother tasting than traditional drip coffee. We dont heat up the beans, so its not acidic, McGovern said. But we had to figure out a way to scale it, so we put it in kegs and started taking it to barbecues and parties. At the time we didnt see anyone making nitro coffee. Their creamy cold coffee was a hit and friends were asking if they could invest in the burgeoning business. Before long, Rises primary customers became companies buying kegs to install in bulk at their offices. As orders from offices grew, they became one of the main focuses. Today, Rise supplies around 400 offices in New York City, McGovern said. Early on, the company also partnered with Brooklyn bar Colony and opened a shop in Manhattans Lower East Side, which is still there and includes company offices. All of Rises more than 20 staff members have learned how customers interact with the companys products through working at least one day there, Weinstein said. Following Colonys decision to offer Rise nitro cold brew on tap, other bars and restaurants expressed interest in doing the same. The Cask Republic, which has Connecticut locations in Norwalk, Stamford and New Haven and serves Rise on tap and mixed into cocktails, signified one of Rises first Connecticut outposts. Since then, Rise has been added to bar taps and shop shelves all over, including Aux Delices, Granola Bar, Green & Tonic, Old Greenwich Social, Upper Crust Bagel Co. in Old Greenwich and as a beachside refreshment at the concession stand at Tods Point. Whole Foods shops around the Northeast also sell Rise products. In the coming months, Rise will add several pop-up shops in New York City as the company adjusts to expanding its distribution locations that now go as far north as Maine and have wandered West with customers in California. Were building on both coasts and will eventually meet in the middle, Weinstein said. This summer, Rise was named best new beverage in BevNets annual competition. The judges lauded Rises sales strategy and breadth of distribution but cautioned the founders from attempting to expand internationally too quickly. Along with the title, Rise won a $10,000 prize. That was very validating for us since it was from industry professionals, Weinstein said. Looking ahead, some of the biggest hurdles Rise will face include how to maintain its quality consistently and figuring out the logistics of distribution to more customers, the co-founders said. At the beginning of all this, people were telling us, Dont say nitro. People wont know what it means, McGovern said. Now were seeing others getting in and its gone from a potential trend to a category of coffee. Contact the writer at mbennett@greenwichtime.com; Twitter @Macaela_ September 16 is National Guacamole Dayalso known as an excuse to go drink margaritas and eat tacos. This Saturday, head out to one of southwestern Connecticut's many Mexican restaurants and celebrate this special holiday. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Connecticut residents won't have to travel far to see colorful fall foliage this year. Washington, Connecticut will be a top spot for leaf-peeping, according to a recent list released by U.S. News & World Report. The report named "50 small towns across America with gorgeous fall foliage." Washington joins towns from Stowe, Vermont to Homer, Alaska on the list. "When the air becomes brisk, picturesque small towns draped in amber, yellow and orange tones tempt us to hit the trails, savor leisurely wine tastings and delight in leaf-peeping in classic and lesser-known destinations," the site writes. Click through the slideshow above for a look at some of the best small towns to catch foliage this fall, and here for the full list. This year's expected spectacular displays will be in stark contrast to last year, when dry conditions dulled the colors and duration of foliage across the state. "Connecticut's woodlands are poised to present a brilliant display of colors this fall given spring and summer rainfall amounts and moderate temperatures," Christopher Martin, Director/State Forester, Division of Forestry, Bureau of Natural Resources, DEEP told the Connecticut Office of Tourism. Washington offers leaf-peers striking sights without having to drive out of state. According to the state's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection fall foliage report, peak foliage is expected to arrive in the northern part of the Connecticut in mid-October. "One of the best ways to experience nature in its full glory is taking a 100-mile loop through Litchfield Hills from Torrington along state Route 8," U.S. News & World Report writes. "Another scenic 46-mile loop from New Milford to Mount Tom State Park winds past historic covered bridges and picturesque hiking trails." Washington First Selectman Mark Lyon said he was not surprised to learn that his town landed on the list. "We have a typical New England town, rolling hills ... and spectacular fall foliage," Lyon said. "We also have Lake Waramaug, which is a heritage lake, and you can drive around (it) and see the hillsides reflected down in the water." The town is visited by many leaf-peepers in the fall, he added. "We have a number of what I would call picturesque village centers with church steeples that are often photographed. They're typical New England fall foliage scenes," he said. Dozens of Connecticut hospitals are subject to fines this year for booting publicly insured patients before theyre either well enough to be discharged or set up to heal at home. Parsing Medicare data on rapid readmission, Kaiser Health News found that more than half of Americas hospitals have too many patients returning within a month of being discharged. Check out the slideshow above to see how Connecticuts hospitals stack up. Readmission penalties were enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act better known as "Obamacare" and first levied nearly six years ago. The review by Kaiser Health News, a nonprofit health care policy news service, found that 2,573 hospitals have been penalized for sending patients home too soon or with too little support. Hospitals for decades had pushed out publicly insured patients too early as a cost-cutting measure. One in five Medicare patients ended up hospitalized again within 30 days of being discharged. In assessing penalties, Medicare judges hospitals on the readmission rates of six types of patients those admitted for heart attacks, heart failure, pneumonia, chronic lung disease, hip or knee replacements, or coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Admissions from July 2013 to June 2016 were examined in the most recent review, which will see hospitals lose up to 3 percent of their Medicare reimbursements. The penalties are meant to ensure that hospitals dont profit from sending Medicare patients home prematurely. Heres how Kaiser Health News writer Jordan Rau described the motivation: The readmission penalties are intended to neutralize an unintended incentive in the way Medicare pays hospitals that had profited from return patients. Medicare pays hospitals a lump sum for a patient's stay based on the nature of the admission and other factors. Since hospitals generally are not paid extra if patients remain longer, they seek to discharge patients as soon as is medically feasible. If the patient ends up back in the hospital, it becomes a financial benefit as the hospital is paid for that second stay, filling a bed that would not have generated income if the patient had remained there continuously. The full Kaiser Health News report is available here. Early readmission rates have fallen since the ACA became law, dropping from 21 percent to 17 percent, according to the Kaiser Health News report. But progress has stalled in recent years, and Medicare is preparing to reorder the penalties so that hospitals serving low-income communities where patients are less likely to have primary care doctors will feel less of a pinch. A Texas Republican, pleased at the revocation of a federal effort to shield older immigrants from deportation, elaborated that then-President Barack Obama repeatedly acknowledged that his administration's 2014 immigration order wasnt legal. In a June 2017 press release, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton applauded the June 5, 2017, Department of Homeland Security decision rescinding the Obama-era policy memo announcing the program to protect parents of certain immigrants from deportation. The Obama-era effort, Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents, never took effect after Texas and 25 other states persuaded a federal district judge to block implementation--a move ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court. Paxton said: "I applaud President (Donald) Trump for acknowledging what President Obama himself acknowledged over 20 times the Obama Administrations DAPA immigration edict was a violation of law and the separation of powers." We requested the basis of Paxtons claim that Obama had, over 20 times, said DAPA was offered in violation of federal law. Kayleigh Lovvorn in Paxtons state office answered by email: "All of Barack Obamas quotes on the subject are documented, archived, and available online." Checking Obamas statements Weve been over such turf before though Paxtons claim that Obama said the DAPA in particular violated the law adds a twist. In December 2014, we gave Mostly True ratings to statements by a U.S. House member and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to the effect that Obama had many times said he couldnt act to protect immigrants from deportation unless Congress revised immigration laws. U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, said at a December 2014 hearing of Obamas past statements on immigration: "The president said over 20 times that he did not have the legal authority to do this, to take this executive action, and that this is not how democracy works." McCauls count was overly high, we found. But Obama had often said through March 2014 that absent congressional action, he couldnt do more by himself to protect immigrants living in the country without legal permission. In a 2015 interview, Abbott said: "22 times Barack Obama said he did not have the authority to implement this type of" anti-deportation "measure. And then the day after he signed this into law, he said, quote, I just changed the law." Like McCaul, we found, Abbott overstated the confirmed instances of Obama indicating he couldnt independently do more to prevent deportations. Obamas statements since DAPA Notably, those fact-checks were based on statements that Obama made long before announcing DAPA. In contrast, Obama insisted he was within the law when he announced DAPA in November 2014 as a follow-up to his administrations established effort to keep certain young immigrants from being deported (as of June 2017, the older program--Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals--was left intact by the Trump administration). A 2014 memo from the federal Office of Legal Counsel said DAPA fell within Homeland Securitys discretionary powers to enforce immigration laws. That office, in the Justice Department, is responsible for providing authoritative legal advice to the president and executive-branch agencies. In announcing DAPA, Obama changed his declared position on his ability to act unilaterally as PolitiFact noted at the time. Obama told the country he was launching DAPA to delay deportations of unauthorized immigrants who had lived in the U.S. for more than five years and who had children who were citizens or had green cards. The intent was that if an applicant could pass a background check and pay a fee, he or she could qualify for a work permit and avoid deportation for three years at a time. Obama also reaffirmed that hed have preferred Congress act on comprehensive immigration reform. Regardless, he said: "The actions Im taking are not only lawful, theyre the kinds of actions taken by every single Republican president and every single Democratic president for the past half century." After Paxton made his 2017 claim, we searched for post-2014 instances of Obama saying he didnt have the authority to impose the DAPA--and came up empty. Obama in May 2015 vowed to defend his authority to carry out DAPA. As reported by the Miami Herald, Obama said: "In the short term, if Mr. [Mitch] McConnell, the leader of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, want to have a vote on whether what Im doing is legal or not, they can have that vote. I will veto that vote because Im absolutely confident that what were doing is the right thing to do." A footnote in a legal brief filed by Texas and other states pointed us to Obamas comment to reporters in June 2015, after a federal district judge held up DAPA, indicating the president believed hed acted legally. Obama said then: "I am absolutely convinced this is well within my legal authority, Department of Homeland Securitys legal authority. If you look at the precedent, if you look at the traditional discretion that the executive branch possesses when it comes to applying immigration laws, I am convinced that what were doing is lawful, and our lawyers are convinced that what were doing is lawful." Obamas pre-DAPA calls for congressional action Then again, Obama was previously clear about needing Congress to act first. The March 2015 legal brief filed by Texas and other states led us to a January 2015 article in the Texas Review of Law & Politics presenting many of the Obama quotations wed confirmed for the McCaul and Abbott fact-checks. Here are a few of the times when Obama seemed to say that he lacked independent legal authority to act on immigration: In October 2010, Obama told Eddie "Piolin" Sotelo, a radio host on Spanish-speaking Univision, that he couldnt achieve comprehensive immigration reform without congressional action. "I am president, I am not king," Obama said. "... Im committed to making it happen, but Ive got to have some partners to do it." At a Univision event in March 2011, Obama was asked if he could stop deportations of students with an order. Thats "just not the case," Obama said, "because there are laws on the books that Congress has passed... Congress passes the law. The executive branchs job is to enforce and implement those laws." Simply issuing such an order, he said, "would not conform with my appropriate role as president." Yet he also hinted at wiggle room, saying: "That does not mean, though, that we can't make decisions, for example, to emphasize enforcement on those whove engaged in criminal activity. In an April 2011 speech in Miami and the next month in El Paso, Obama said he couldnt bypass Congress and change immigration laws himself, saying thats not how a democracy works. Addressing the National Council of La Raza in July 2011, Obama drew exhortations to act without waiting for congressional agreement. He called that idea "tempting," then said "that's not how our system works." In September 2012, Obama was asked if he would follow up his recent protective move for students by doing something similar for non-criminal immigrants such as the parents of U.S.-born children. Obama replied that "as the head of the executive branch, theres a limit to what I can do were still going to, ultimately, have to change the laws in order to avoid some of the heartbreaking stories that you see coming up occasionally," as in parents deported. At a presidential debate the next month, Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney were asked: "What do you plan on doing with immigrants without their green card that are currently living here as productive members of society?" Obama said: "I've done everything that I can on my own." In a January 2013 Telemundo interview, Obama was asked why he couldnt protect mothers living here without authorization from deportation as he had aided law-abiding students. "Im not a king," Obama replied, tracking his response the same month to a similar query from Univision and his reply at a February 2013 Google Hangout town hall where he also said "weve kind of stretched our administrative flexibility as much as we can." The same year, Obama was asked by Telemundo if he would consider freezing deportations of the parents of students benefiting from the administrations 2012 action. Obama replied that if he broadened his protective orders, "then essentially I would be ignoring the law in a way that I think would be very difficult to defend legally. So that's not an option." We previously confirmed similar statements by Obama in a November 2013 speech in in San Francisco and a March 2014 Univision interview. Our ruling Paxton said Obama "acknowledged over 20 times" that his administrations DAPA "immigration edict was a violation of law and the separation of powers." Paxton might have been trying to revisit mostly accurate earlier claims about what Obama once repeatedly said. But there are significant differences between the earlier statements and this one. Paxton specified that Obama was speaking about his DAPA policy; in fact, Obamas statements were made long before DAPA was announced and were not about a specific policy initiative. Contrary to Paxtons statement, Obama has always maintained the DAPA policy was legal. We find that Paxtons statement has an element of truth but ignores the critical fact that Obama has stood by his DAPA policy since it was issued. We rate this claim Mostly False. MOSTLY FALSE The statement contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression. Click here for more on the six PolitiFact ratings and how we select facts to check. See Figure 1 on PolitiFact.com Congress' s Manish Tewari raised questions over Shinzo Abe's Gujarat visit. He asked if the Japanese Prime Minister's visit was being used for political purpose. By Press Trust of India: The Congress today raised questions over Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's state visit to Ahmedabad and not the country's national capital and hoped it would not be used for political purposes in view of the forthcoming Gujarat assembly elections. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said it was "quixotic" that Abe was not being hosted in Delhi. "We do not want to transgress propriety by commenting on a state visit but it is rather quixotic that the Prime Minister of a country as important as Japan, who is almost India's strategic partner in many respects, is strangely not even being hosted in Delhi," he said. advertisement He hoped a state visit was not being used for "political purposes" in view of the elections in Gujarat, slated to be held later this year. "With an election in Gujarat around the corner, it does raise a question -- and I hope this is not the case -- that a state visit is actually being used for political purposes because the manner in which it is structured is rather awkward," he told reporters here. Tewari said India had a great relationship with Japan and that relationship, its foundations and consolidation had been laid during the UPA regime. Japanese Prime Minister Abe arrived here today on a two- day visit with a packed agenda that includes the laying of the foundation stone for India's first bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Tewari also criticised the government over the handling of the Rohingyas issue and said the criticism India had been subjected to by the United Nations Human Rights Council was "absolutely unprecedented". "The stand which this government has taken on the Rohingyas is totally contrary to India's traditions where we have welcomed the persecuted from any part of our neighbourhood," he said. He said India had not faced "this kind of ignominy". "So, therefore, you can be critical of (Congress vice president) Rahul Gandhi, but I think the time has come for the NDA-BJP Government and the Prime Minister to introspect that mere speeches and road shows with leaders of other countries do not substitute for diplomacy," Tewari said. On Gandhi's recent remarks in the US about being ready to take over as the party chief, he said the Congress was a democratic party and an organisational election process was on. "You don't second guess an organisational election process. It will culminate logically in what the aspirations and the desires of the Congress workers are," he said. Also Read Shinzo Abe in Gujarat Day 2 LIVE: Modi, Japan PM to inaugurate bullet train project --- ENDS --- By Baishali Adak: A growing slum market in the middle of posh Vasant Vihar area in south Delhi has become a source of endless nuisance for local residents. The 'Indira Market' -which dates back to 1960s and runs for about 500-700m next to the famous Al Kauser restaurant - is overflowing with shanties. Once a vegetable market, it now predominantly hosts meat stalls, with slaughter leftovers dumped into a huge adjoining nullah. Unbearable stench and flies pervade the whole area. advertisement "Till late 1980s, this place used to be a beautiful local market, supplying fresh vegetables and even pottery to the Vasant Vihar area. It would be lined with kumhars (potters) and utensilmakers," Suresh Goel, president of the Vasant Vihar Welfare Association, told Mail Today. "But now, we completely avoid this market, thanks to the foul smell from the outdoor meat shops and open defecation along the drain. The place has gone to the dogs,"he said. Residents complain that the South Delhi Municipal Corporation has made no effort to either close the unlicensed meat shops, declog the drain or clean up the market. A few residents also expressed apprehensions over the growing population in the jhuggis, with some claiming that these could be illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants. The residents pointed at the UNHCR office in close proximity at B Block. Some of them also said that instances of burglaries and drunken brawls have become common occurrence of late. However, Mail Today could not verify such claims from police records. Speaking to Mail Today, SDMC mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat said: "I am not aware of any such problems being faced by the Vasant Vihar residents. The aggrieved persons have not brought any issue to my notice so far." Sehrawat said she will have the needed sanitation-related measures taken in a week's time after inspection of the area and consultation with her staff. A few years back, an aircraft passing overhead was hit by a bird which was attributed to the eagles and kites hovering overhead in large numbers due to the meat market and drain, locals recalled. "At that time, the director general of civil aviation had said that having meat markets close to airports was unsafe, but no step was taken after that," one of them said. For other residents, it is a law and order problem. Romesh Chopra, an advertising veteran and a resident of Palam Marg, said, "My house was burgled on August 27. One of my servants, a young fellow, entered my house on stealth, assaulted and robbed me. Before this, he had made two attempts since May and fled. "I provided to the police all evidences that he left behind by mistake - his Aadhaar card and mobile phone - besides the police verification which had been done." "I was told that they were searching for him in Unnao, UP, but I wondered if they had looked in Indira Market," said Chopra. advertisement The market is not supposed to be located on an arterial road of the Capital and must be relocated and made a secure, formal and modern one for also the sake of the shopkeepers, he suggested. Another resident of Palam Marg, Chitra Shakdher, said, "My only issue with Indira Market is the traffic bottleneck it is creating after the construction of a new flyover on the main road. It especially becomes a problem on Saturdays and Sundays with encroachments by shopkeepers and traffic spilling on to the service lanes." ALSO READ Clear garbage from Ghazipur landfill site in 2 years: Delhi L-G Anil Baijal to civic agencies After Ghazipur landfill shutdown, anti-dumping mahapanchayat near new site --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) Delhi Congress today hit out at the BJP-ruled Centre and the AAP government for the "historic" rise in prices of petrol and diesel. The party will launch a campaign to collect one million signatures against hike in the fuel prices and hold a mega demonstration at Jantar Mantar on September 20, said Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken. advertisement "The prices of petrol and diesel have touched the highest levels in the history of the country despite a fall in the prices of crude oil in the international market. This is a cruel joke by the BJP and AAP governments," he said in a press conference. Petrol and diesel, worth Rs 100 each, include Rs 51.78 and Rs 44.40, respectively, as taxes(excise and VAT), he said. "Both BJP and AAP have been ruthless in levying such high taxes in Delhi," he said. Arvind Kejriwal government increased the VAT "twice" by making amendment in the law while the BJP led central government raised excise duty "five times", causing "unprecedented hike" in prices of petrol and diesel, Maken claimed. "Total excise plus VAT increase on petrol in Delhi as on today is 104.42 per cent while taxes on diesel were pegged at 226.02 per cent," he said. While petrol prices have increased by Rs 7.32 to reach Rs 70.38 a litre in Delhi, the highest since August 2014, diesel rates have risen by Rs 5.36 to Rs 58.72. PTI VIT BSA --- ENDS --- SCOTTSBLUFF After 25 years of helping people around the area start new businesses, Ingrid Battershell has stepped down as director of the Scottsbluff office of the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC). Battershell said she was leaving a job thats never been boring and carried a lot of real job satisfaction. Weve had a lot of projects over the years, she said. Whats most satisfying is to see some of the businesses I had associations with when they started are still in business and thriving. Headquartered in the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, NBDC has nine centers across the state. Its goal is to help new and existing Nebraska businesses grow and create new jobs. Keith Ellis, director of community and economic development with Twin Cities Development, has known Battershell for years, since they were both with the Chamber of Commerce in McCook. Ingrid has done outstanding work in support of business, Ellis said. Over her tenure, shes been a great asset for western Nebraska and I wish her well in her retirement. Although she officially retired June 30, Battershell has been assisting with the transition to the new director, who also has extensive experience in working with small businesses. Margaret Akin brings to her new position 14-plus years of experience with the Nebraska Department of Revenue in audit, taxpayer assistance and education. Shes also a certified public accountant. For the past nine years, Ive traveled the state putting on seminars for sales tax and income tax, Akin said. Id also discuss incentive programs the state had to offer for businesses. I liked helping people with businesses get to where they needed to be. She said her new position with NBDC is in the same area, but with a different slant on what shes already been doing. That includes helping people get their business plans together, develop financials to take to the bank, apply for Small Business Administration loans and other requirements to get their businesses up and running. People who are starting businesses need to be aware there are lots of regulations that need to be addressed, Akin said. But one of the major challenges is in arranging for financing having enough working capital to survive until the business is profitable. Services from NBDC are free to the business owners. They help get all the paperwork ready for the customer to take to the bank for financing the business venture. Owners will also have a business plan they can follow to assure the business is operating as it should. They get a lot of referrals from the banks and the economic development community. NBDC is also available for follow-up visits to address any challenges or if the owner wants to expand the business. I think people appreciate the service because most of them dont have an area of expertise in preparing their own financial and cash flow statements, Akin said. The general counsel is also valuable to them to discover any specific requirements or permits and licenses they need. Although NBDC has a new director, the center will continue to provide expert service and the needed tools for people who want to pursue their dream of business ownership. We had three clients stop by just the other day for information on purchasing businesses, Battershell said. That says a lot about the community and economic development. SCOTTSBLUFF Zombies will soon be walking down the old organ trail. The Downtown Scottsbluff Zombie Walk is being organized by the Midwest Theater with help from the West Nebraska Arts Center, Tabor Dance Academy and other community partners and businesses. The Zombie Walk is a family-friendly event filled with lighthearted fun in downtown Scottsbluff. Zombies will walk on the sidewalks between 15th and 19th streets in downtown Scottsbluff in a mile-long loop. The 18th Street Plaza parking lot will be closed to provide a level surface for the zombie dance. Tabor Dance Academy Team Zombie will be teaching people how to do the zombie dance, said Katie Bradshaw, development director, Friends of the Midwest Theater. Once the dance is over, the zombies will be released onto the streets of downtown Scottsbluff. Cirrus House will also have zombie-themed games and activities during the family-friendly event. Region 22 Emergency Management will also have a booth at the event to educate about disaster planning, whether for a zombie apocalypse or otherwise. When the Midwest Theater decided to take a hiatus from the Rocky Horror Picture Show, Friends of the Midwest Theater began looking for a replacement event. Discussions were had for a good replacement movie and organizers came up with the kid-friendly ParaNorman. The Midwest Theater is still seeking assistance for the event. Downtown businesses who decorate their window/sidewalk will be entered for a chance to win a free on-screen holiday ad at the Midwest Theater from Nov. 15 to Dec. 31. Photos will be posted to the Midwest Theaters Facebook page. Winners will be determine by likes tallied by 4 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 23. Volunteers are also needed for the event to set up a hay bale maze in the 18th Street Plaza, for activities in the plaza, assist with zombie management during the walk and to help coordinate the zombie costume contest. A volunteer event photographer is also needed. For every $5 donation, attendees will receive a chance to win a door prize. The Zombie Walk will not conflict with Spooktacular, so families wishing to attend both events can do so. Bradshaw said the Midwest Theater and the zoo want to support each other and not detract from each others events. The Midwest Theater is also partnering with Riverside Discovery Center to purchase advanced tickets to RDCs Spooktacular and ParaNorman. A ticket to the movie costs $5 at the door or a $10 combination ticket will have one movie ticket, one ticket to Spooktacular and local business coupons. Tickets go on sale on Friday, Sept. 15 at 10 a.m. Tickets can be pre-purchased in person or online at https://midwesttheater.com/ until 4 p.m. Oct. 20. There is no member discount for this event. All types of zombies are welcome. Since the walk will take place downtown and use the bulb outs on street corners, wheelchairs, strollers and wagons are welcome to join. Weapons, real or fake, will not be allowed. Pets and bicycles are not allowed. While gross costumes are allowed, Bradshaw advised people to use their braaaaains and common sense in remembering to keep their fake blood and makeup on themselves and not on spectators, vehicles, sidewalks or businesses. The Downtown Scottsbluff Zombie Walk takes place on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. SCOTTSBLUFF Get those brushes, baking flour and red dye ready for the special effects makeup art classes at West Nebraska Art Center. In preparation of the Midwest Theaters Zombie Crawl the WNAC is hosting two special effects makeup classes; Gross-Out Gore and Zombie Apocalypse. Both classes will be taught by Jeff Ferreri, the visual and digital arts teacher at Scottsbluff High School. Maria Lena Soto, program manager at WNAC, shared about how they got involved with these classes. Last year, we met Jeff because he stopped here on his visit because he had applied to work at the school, Soto said. And he told us what he did in Detroit. Ferreri, who is from Detroit, led several classes and clubs and even haunted houses in the area before moving to Scottsbluff. He did a lot of good Halloween special effects makeup kinds of thing, Soto said. Thats his specialty. After their first meeting, Soto and Ferreri talked again when it was confirmed that Ferreri would be teaching in Scottsbluff. This second meeting brought about the idea of hosting the classes at WNAC. So we actually did these two classes last year around the same time, Soto said. We had a few students who participated in both of them and I tell you what, they did really good. Soto mentioned that Ferreri teaches these classes using everyday household items. For this Gross-Out Gore class, he uses your everyday home products that anyone could get at the store. And that stuff looked real, she said. Soto said she approached Ferreri again this year about the classes. Basically the same classes, but one of the main attractions is people wanting to look like zombies or that road rash kind of look. So this is a good way to do this if you really wanted to freak people out, Soto said. After the classes on Oct. 7, there will be a Zombie Salon from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 21 for the Zombie Crawl. So then when Katie Bradshaw approached us about doing something with them (Midwest Theater) with their zombie crawl she had the thought about doing a zombie salon kind of thing and we knew that Jeff Ferreri does this kind of thing, Soto said. And we thought itd be perfect. The Zombie Salon will run like a typical salon in the Bronson Gallery. Were going to set it up just like a salon would, Soto said. Were going to take appointments and then some walk-ins so that they can participate in the zombie crawl. Soto said Ferreri plans on working on 20 to 25 people in the four-hour time span. He also plans on having high school students volunteer to help make up people at the salon. So, if he has more volunteers, which he says he has, hell be able to do more so were looking at doing makeup for upwards of 50 plus people, Soto said. While people wait for their appointment in the Zombie Salon, Soto said guests can enjoy the arts center. They can look at the art because that same month were going to have Artfully Undead: Dia de los Muertos going on, she said. Soto said she is excited for the classes and hopes there is a good turnout. Anyone interested in the Gross-Out Gore or Zombie Apocalypse classes can register online at www.thewnac.com. Appointments for the Zombie Salon can also be made at 308-632-2226. By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) The Delhi Police has arrested one of the most wanted criminals of the national capital who was involved in a shootout in which three persons, including an assistant sub-inspector and an alleged gangster were killed in April. Sonu Dariyapur, who was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh, was arrested this morning from Narela, the police said. advertisement In a shootout on April 30, gangster Monu Dariyapur, his personal security officers, Delhi Police ASI Vijay Kumar and Constable Kuldeep, and two others, Arun Shastri and Yogesh, were attacked in outer Delhis Mianwali Nagar. Some armed men had fired at their car leading to the deaths of Monu, Kumar and Shastri and injuring the other two. Monu was previously a member of Sonu Dariyapurs gang. Both of them were friends but the relationship got bitter after Monu married Sonus cousin, due to which the latter decided to kill him. In 2006, Sonu along with his other associates had also fired at the car carrying Monu and his wife. In this firing, driver of the car was killed and the two critically injured. After that incident, they were provided security by the Delhi Police. Sonu had hatched a conspiracy with his gang members to kill Monu and they succeeded in killing him on April 30. PTI SLB AAR --- ENDS --- SCOTTSBLUFF Riverside Discovery Center is looking for a few volunteers who can scare up some fun. For three decades, the zoo has hosted Spooktacular as a family-friendly event close to Halloween. Three years ago, they spun off their scariest part of the event into the Haunted Museum. Both events have been popular in the community, but it requires a lot of help from volunteers. We need about 50 volunteers for each day at each event, said Anthony Mason, zoo curator. In addition to volunteers, the zoo is seeking sponsors for the event for each of the stations at the event and to run the stations. While the zoo didnt want to give away all the secrets of this years event, there will be fun activities, including carnival games and putt putt pumpkins as well as Harry Potter, Winnie the Pooh, Monsters Inc. and Guardians of the Galaxy related activities. Alex Henwood, education curator said the event is being organized by the zookeepers, maintenance and the Lara family, who work at the zoo in a multitude of roles. The Laras have helped out for many years, volunteering their time to get things ready each year. Henwood said they have been immensely helpful this year, especially since it is her and Masons first year with the event. They do so much volunteering here, Henwood said. I dont know where wed be without them. Alica Lara plans to have each station of Spooktacular manned by volunteers so children can play a game and get a prize or candy. She is still looking for a few more volunteers. Volunteers are also needed for the Haunted Museum. Mason said people return to Spooktacular and the Haunted Museum because they like the family-friendly Halloween event and the opportunity to also get scared. Volunteers assist with everything from parking to games to being in character. Volunteers must be dependable and attend a mandatory meeting on Sept. 30 at 6 p.m., for the Haunted Museum and a mandatory safety meeting on Oct. 18 at 6 p.m., for Spooktacular. The zoo is also partnering with the Midwest Theater to purchase an advanced combination ticket to Spooktacular and a screening of ParaNorman at the Midwest. Tickets go on sale at both locations and online at https://midwesttheater.com/ on Friday, Sept. 15. The combination ticket costs $10 and is good for any day of Spooktacular. Tickets for only Spooktacular are $7. If you are interested in volunteering at Spooktacular, contact the zoo at 308-630-6236 or rdcgiftshop@riversidediscoverycenter.org. If youre interested in volunteering for the Haunted Museum, contact Alice at 308-672-3930 or Valencia at 308-765-9421. Spooktacular runs Oct. 20-25 from 6:30-8 p.m. The Haunted Museum runs Oct. 6-7, 13-14 and 27-31 from 7-10 p.m. each night. The mobile office will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Attorney General Doug Peterson is expected to visit the mobile office over the noon hour. Staff will be available throughout the day to educate and help consumers with the following: Request free credit reports; register for national Do Not Call registry; register for national Do Not Mail registry; request a security free; show parents how to freeze their children's Social Security numbers; block scam calls on cellphones or landlines; report scam call phone numbers and scam call complaints; and file a complaint or report a scam. Avis Irene Blaylock, 68, of Newport, NC, formerly of Gering, NE, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on September 9, 2017. She went to be with her Lord while holding the hands of her pride-and-joys, her children and husband, as the sun set beyond the tranquil waters of Bogue Sound. Avis was born in Crawford, NE, during the notorious blizzard of 49 on February 5th to Gerald Wayne and Josephine Louise Kennedy. Avis enjoyed sharing childhood memories of growing up in beautiful rural western Nebraska. She met the love of her life, Robert Bob Blaylock, while attending Chadron State College in 1967. They married on May 31, 1970, as she wore a beautiful wedding gown hand sewn by her mother. Avis valued her education and received her Bachelor of Arts and Science in biology from Chadron State College and later a degree in education. She worked in various settings utilizing her science degree in her early married years and later worked alongside her husband in starting a private physical therapy practice in Scottsbluff, NE. Avis went on to share her love of reading and education as an elementary school librarian in Gering, NE. It was here that she touched the lives of so many children and continued to leave a lasting impression of kindness on her community. Avis and Bob retired to eastern North Carolina in 2012 to be closer to their children and first grandchild. Avis was a loving and devoted mother, wife, grandmother, and friend. She was committed fully to her faith and church. Her positive outlook, kindness, and love of life will be greatly missed. Avis is survived by her husband of 47 years, Robert Blaylock, daughter, Erin (Carl) Gull, and son, Nathan (Megan) Blaylock; grandchildren, Carl Ramond Gull, IV, Avery Elizabeth Gull, and Clinton Wayne Blaylock; sister, Lela (Marvin) Criswell, brother, William (Nancy) Kennedy, and sister, Barbara (Charlie) Gregalis. Avis is preceded in death by her mother and father. The family of Avis would like to invite all those who shared time with her to a celebration of her life on Saturday, September 16th, at 11am at the Cape Carteret Presbyterian Church. A visitation with the family will be held prior to the service at 9:30am. In honor of Aviss passion for books and love of reading to her grandchildren, the family is requesting that in lieu of flowers a donation be made in her honor to the Imagination Library. The Imagination Library fosters an early love of reading and promotes literacy by providing a free book every month to children from birth to age five. Donations can be made at www.imaginationlibrary.com under the donations tab. Online condolences may be made at www.mundenfuneralhome.net Arrangements are by Munden Funeral Home and Crematory, Morehead City, NC. My first experience with Legacy of the Plains Museum was years and years ago. There was no buildings just a field of wheat and a dream. The dream was to create a museum remembering and highlighting the history of agriculture in western Nebraska. The North Platte Valley Museum told the story of the fur traders, pioneers and early settlements in western Nebraska, but the history of agriculture was missing. So I found myself covering the first harvest at the new museum as Kevin Sandberg, Jack Preston and a small group of other visionaries harvested the wheat as they would have a hundred years earlier. They talked of wanting to build a barn like building as the main site for the Farm and Ranch Museum (FARM). Somewhere in the early days of FARM the visionaries decided to hold a hands on festival. A festival featuring one of western Nebraskas crops and harvest the crop using old fashion equipment. The two day event was called the Harvest Festival and it was and continues to be a success. Year by year these visionaries built onto the dream. Then came the wild idea of combining FARM and the North Platte Valley Museum, merging the two museums into one. Somehow, someway the wild idea became a reality giving us the Legacy of the Plains Museum. The merger has not been without bumps along the way. No marriage is without its hardships. This one is no different. There is a struggle keeping directors, but hopefully the board can figure out why they go through them so fast and make the changes needed. If whatever is the root of the high turnover is not addressed the museums new director will not last long. If the board works together the new director could and should be on the job for a long time. Hopefully the vision of FARM is never lost. Agriculture is by far the biggest player in western Nebraskas history. It is not the whole of our history, but with the water system the farms and ranches in western Nebraska brought people and wealth into the region. Agriculture brought intuitive ideas, such as the water system and the invitations of people like TJ Lockwood. Ideas that revolutionized how agriculture was done. It is a part of our history we must never forget. The long hard work put in by our forefathers to get the crops in every spring and get them to harvest every fall needs to be remembered. The hours men and women spent riding fence, working cattle, sheep and hogs must be spotlighted and Legacy of the Plains does a great job of shining the historical light on those who made our communities prosperous. This weekend Legacy of the Plains will host its annual Harvest Festival. This years featured crop will be potatoes, which at one time was a huge money making crop in the valley. We even had a potato chip factory, Cawleys, in Scottsbluff and Lockwood company lead the way in potato harvesting equipment. There will be so much going on at this years Harvest Festival with horses, old equipment, fun things for the kids, plenty to learn for young and old, and you can even harvest a bag of potatoes for yourself. Come out and learn more about the hard work our ag producer forefathers put in to make western Nebraska what it is today. Those visionaries who I meet in that field have given us a museum we can be proud of and a Harvest Festival you do not want to miss. This page is archived. Data published after 5 April 2022 can be found on the renewed website. Go to the new statistics page Published: 14 September 2017 Turnover in manufacturing grew by 7.0 per cent in the second quarter According to Statistics Finland, turnover in manufacturing in the April to June period was 7.0 per cent higher than in the corresponding period of the year before. Domestic sales grew by 5.2 per cent and export turnover by 8.4 per cent from one year ago. Three months' year-on-year change in turnover in manufacturing (C) sub-industries (TOL 2008) Turnover went up from the corresponding period of the previous year in all manufacturing (C) sub-industries . The growth was strongest in the chemical industry, by 11.5 per cent, in the electrical and electronics industry, by 10.7 per cent, and in the metal industry, by 9.1 per cent. Turnover grew slowest in the food industry, by 1.5 per cent, and in the forest industry, by 3.8 per cent. Three months' year-on-year change in turnover in main industrial categories (TOL 2008) The turnover of all other main categories of manufacturing industries also grew year-on-year. Turnover grew strongest in the industry of mining and quarrying, by 16.6 per cent. Turnover in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply grew by 6.5 per cent and in water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities by 5.2 per cent from one year ago. The index of turnover in industry describes enterprises whose main industry is manufacturing. The calculation of the indices is based on the Tax Administrations self-assessed tax data which are supplemented with data obtained with Statistics Finlands sales inquiry. The monthly turnovers of manufacturing enterprises can vary considerably, especially in the metal industries. The variation is mainly due to invoicing practices. The final invoice for major machinery deliveries and projects may be recorded in the sales of one month, even if the delivery had required the work of several months or years. Changes in the Tax Administrations self-assessed tax data have not so far had an effect on the data of turnover indices The effects of the changes in the Tax Administration's self-assessed tax data have been analysed in Statistics Finlands turnover indices. Based on the analyses, the changes have thus far not been found to have significant effects on enterprises VAT reporting in terms of statistics production. More information about this in Changes in the periodic tax return data used in turnover indices. Source: Index of turnover in industry 2017, June, Statistics Finland Inquiries: Maija Sappinen 029 551 3348, Kirsi-Maaria Manninen 029 551 2681, myynti.teollisuus@stat.fi Director in charge: Sami Saarikivi Publication in pdf-format (368.6 kB) Updated 14.9.2017 Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Index of turnover in industry [e-publication]. ISSN=1798-596X. June 2017. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 14.11.2022]. Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tlv/2017/06/tlv_2017_06_2017-09-14_tie_001_en.html Chair of the Economic Committee of the Senate Daniel Zamfir announced he invited Governor of the National Bank of Romania (BNR) Mugur Isarescu, on Tuesday, for a hearing in relation to the central bank's oversight of non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) activities. "There are many things that, in the opinion of the Economic Committee members must be clarified by Mr Governor. The first and the most important thing regards the BNR oversight of non-bank financial institutions' activities. For years, the BNR said it doesn't have the leverages over these non-bank financial companies. Three weeks ago I noticed that the National Bank was able to intervene, it stopped these unfair practices of non-bank credit institutions, and the question that I would ask Mr Isarescu, and I will definitely ask him, is why it has not intervened throughout this period, leaving these NBFIs to practice for years some absolutely absurd interests, reaching up to 7-8,000 percent and intervened now. It's a simple, logical, common sense question," Zamfir told the Senate on Thursday. Agerpres. The 120 troops of the Brasov-based 228th 'Piatra Craiului' Air Defence Battalion who will be deployed to Poland between September 2017 - March 2018 participated on Thursday in the departure ceremony held at the battalion headquarters. The Romanian force, equipped with 35-mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns, will be part of the US-led NATO battlegroup, having the mission to ensure, in a rotational system, the forward strengthened presence in the north-east of the Alliance and deter all potential aggression in accordance with the measures adopted at the Warsaw Summit. Commander of the 228th 'Piatra Craiului' Air Defence Battalion, Lt. Col. Robert Stefan Godri, said that the servicemen are very well prepared after having completed a three-month training stint at the Capu Midia shooting range, and are able to fulfill any mission and face any challenge whatever the location. "After a long training period, that is three months, we have completed all the stages and fulfilled all the goals set for the training of the troops. Training at the Capu Midia shooting range was successful and earned the soldiers appreciation from the final assessment commission that rated their action capability in air and land live fire, and the troops' ratings were very good. This means that the servicemen are ready to handle any mission, any challenge, wherever they would go. It's the first such mission for the 228th 'Piatra Craiului' Air Defence Battalion, the Lt. Col. Godri said. Captain Chelmea Marius, Air Defence Detachment commander with a 10-year career as an officer, and who has been on missions to Afghanistan in 2012 and in Germany for a one-month air defence exercise, voiced confidence that the soldiers will successfully carry through this mission. It is the first mission of this kind for this battalion, and emotions are quite high. Everyone knows Afghanistan, this here is a new theater, it is not an open conflict, it's a war of attrition, a rather psychological warfare. We hope that things don't escalate to an open war, but we are prepared anyway. It will be difficult because it is an unknown mission, but we learn on the run what we have to do there. We have well-trained troops, many of them with international missions under the belt, and it will surely be well in the end, the commander of the Air Defence Detachment said. The Brasov-based troops will replace their fellow servicemen from the Craiova-headquartered 205th "Gen. Gheorghe Parvulescu" Air Defence Battalion who served in the previous six-month rotation. Agerpres. By PTI: Bhopal, Sep 14 (PTI) The Doklam problem was not the last of its kind and the Army cannot afford to lower its guard since it has been resolved, a top military commander said today. "Our training in command and preparedness remains intact. It does not mean that we should let the guard down because the Dokalam issue has been resolved," General Officer Commanding- in-Chief of the Pune-based Southern Command Lt. General P M Hariz said. advertisement He was talking to reporters after giving away 63 gallantry and distinguished service awards at an investiture ceremony of the Southern Command here. "We never let our guard down. We remain alert and we ensure that our preparedness is always of the highest order," Hariz said. The officer said the Army was always in a state of readiness to swiftly take position when needed to give a befitting reply to the enemy. "Recently there was a problem in Dokalam which has been resolved. But this doesnt mean that it was the last. The Dokalam issue was resolved through diplomatic efforts by both sides (India and China)," he said. He praised the Indian media for handling the issue in a "responsible" manner. Indian and Chinese troops faced off for more than two months at Dokalam plateau near Sikkim which has been claimed by both China and Bhutan. They stood eyeball to eyeball since June 16 when Indian troops stopped the Chinese from building a road at the India- Bhutan-Tibet tri-junction before the two countries decided on an "expeditious disengagement" towards the end of August. PTI LAL MAS NSK SK SK --- ENDS --- By PTI: CIL Kolkata, Sep 14 (PTI) State-owned Coal India Ltd (CIL) today said diversification into new metals and minerals will not hinder or cause any conflict with coal production targets. Coal India had been contemplating a foray into new minerals and metals like iron-ore, nickel, bauxite and copper to harness its mining expertise. "Doesnt matter. It is like two verticals. Coal group will look into coal while a new group can focus on new areas," Coal India chairman Gopal Singh told PTI when asked if foraying into new minerals was feasible. advertisement "We have to grow the company and we are working on diversification plans. We will come back with greater details," Singh said on the sidelines of the 43rd annual general meeting of the company. Singh said Coal India will stick to its target of producing 1 billion tonnes of coal by 2020. He, however, denied that Coal India lacks internal expertise in mining even as it expands its mineral portfolio. Our core strength is mining, be it coal or iron ore or anything else, and Indians are experts in these and have been sucessful in whatever mining ventures are undertaken, Singh said. Singh expressed optimism on the growth prospects of coal as thermal power sector grew at 17 per cent in August when hydel and nuclear generation down by 12 and 36 per cent respectively. He said there is a need for more coal production which will in turn generate more employment. Singh added that the share of coal in Indias commercial primary energy supply was 55 per cent in 2015-16, and is expected to remain high at 48-54 per cent, even in 2040. PTI BSM JM --- ENDS --- The suspect was said to be lurking near Gauri's house twice in the evening. The suspect arrived on his bike and looked at Gauri's house for the first time around 3.27pm. By Rohini Swamy: Did Gauri Lankesh's killer visit her place thrice before attacking her? Sources in the Special Investigative Team (SIT) have indicated that the killer had been conducting a reconnoitre before the journalist reached her home. According the details uncovered by the police, the suspect, aged 35 years, was on a two-wheeler and wore a white shirt and trousers. This image was caught in some of the CCTV cameras in the locality as well two cameras installed in Gauri's home. advertisement These crucial images were caught with the help of two of Gauri's CCTV cameras. The forensic experts are piecing it together for better clarity. In the video footage, the man was seen to be arriving near Gauri's house and went ahead a few meters and then turned the bike around. This is around 10 to 15 feet from Gauri's gate. The suspect was said to be lurking near Gauri's house twice in the evening. The suspect arrived on his bike and looked at Gauri's house for the first time around 3.27pm. He was wearing a black helmet throughout the incident. Later at 7.15pm, the suspect returned again, went through the same motion of watching the gate and drove away straight, this time into a small lane ahead without turning back. The third time the suspect visited the place he was seen with a black sling bag, reportedly, carrying the murder weapon. The killer then visited her house around half-an-hour before Gauri had reached her place. The investigations revealed that four rounds were fired at her. The first bullet hit Gauri on her back, the shooter then shot three more rounds, one missed Gauri and the bullet was lodged on the wall, the two other shots hit Gauri in her lungs and one other pierced through her. The impact of second and third shots fired at Gauri was so huge that it flung her to the step near her house. The police are also currently exploring other angles such as property disputes, which the police suspect could be a cause for the attack The police have already questioned more than 100 people from Mangalore, Chikmagalur, Bengaluru and Sringeri. Gauri's friends, acquaintances, including the people who have spoken to Gauri, in the last few months, were also interrogated. Karnataka Home minister R Ramalinga Reddy told India Today that the police will establish the motive behind the murder in two to three days time The SIT still believes that there is a striking resemblance to the murders of Gauri lankesh and Kannada literary scholar M M kalburgi and are working closely with the CID, which is investigating the Kalburgi case. advertisement ALSO READ | Gauri Lankesh would have been alive if she hadn't written against RSS: BJP MLA Jeevaraj ALSO READ | #BlockNarendraModi: PM following Twitter trolls abusing Gauri Lankesh prompts hashtag in protest ALSO WATCH | Gauri Lankesh murder: Another voice of dissent silenced? --- ENDS --- CHICAGO Germany's Bayer AG, one of the world's biggest agricultural chemical companies, is joining a $100 million bet that the next big breakthrough in crop fertilizers will be found inside a biological Petri dish. Its Bayer LifeScience Center division, along with biotech firm Ginkgo Bioworks, is forming a startup to focus on developing biological solutions to reduce the use of nitrogen-based fertilizer, or make farmers' use more efficient, company officials said this week. The venture will be backed via a Series A investment from the two companies and hedge fund Viking Global Investors LP. The funding round closed on Wednesday. Bayer and Ginkgo Bioworks officials declined to discuss financial details or individual investment amounts. The still-unnamed business will focus on plant-based microbes, particularly finding ways for microorganisms to help plants and the soil assimilate nitrogen molecules from the air or other sources, Gingko Bioworks Chief Executive Jason Kelly said in an interview. The effort is part of a broader push in agricultural research to harness the microorganisms in plants and soil and, among other things, use them to improve crop yields or allow plants to thrive on lower amounts of fertilizer. Reducing the amount of nitrogen fertilizer needed to feed plants could ease environmental concerns over water contamination from nitrogen fertilizer run-off and related greenhouse gas emissions, company officials said. The Bayer-Gingko startup plans to hire 50 people and have offices at Ginkgo's Boston facilities and in West Sacramento, Calif., home to Bayer's plant biologics test facilities. Viking Global Investors could not be reached for comment. Investor interest in the microbiome and the broader life science sector has boomed in recent years. Gingko Bioworks developed a technology to make a variety of products ranging from perfumes and sweeteners to animal feed supplements all thanks to microorganisms. Last summer, Gingko pulled in $100 million in Series C funding to obtain 600 million base pairs of manufactured DNA. Michael Miille, a vice president at Bayer Crop Science's biologics group, said launching this venture as a startup was intended to keep it more nimble. "Everything is designed for speed," said Miille, who will serve as interim CEO. Bayer's latest investment is its fifth in the life science sector since December 2015, for a total of $650 million, company officials said. Bayer is working to close its $66 billion acquisition of Monsanto Co., which also is ramping up its biologicals portfolio. Updated at 2:05 p.m. Facing fresh scrutiny of 21st Century Fox's bid for Sky, James Murdoch defended his handling of scandal-hit Fox News, saying his organization isn't perfect, but acted swiftly to tackle wrongdoing at the channel. "At any large organization, there are always things that are going to go wrong," the Fox chief executive officer and son of billionaire Rupert Murdoch told an audience of broadcast industry leaders Thursday. Fox's response to harassment claims was to react "quickly and loudly so that everyone can understand certain things are intolerable," he said. Murdoch's defense of his company came just hours after Britain's government referred the 11.7 billion-pound ($15.5 billion) bid for Sky to a wider probe by the country's competition authority. The deal has been overshadowed by a steady drumbeat of sexual and racial harassment allegations at Fox News. Murdoch also played to concerns about the post-Brexit U.K. economy in advocating for the deal, saying it would constitute an important investment for Britain's creative industries. "If the U.K. is truly open for business post-Brexit, we look forward to moving through the regulatory review process," Murdoch said onstage at the Royal Television Society conference in Cambridge, England. The extra review adds more delay and costs to New York-based Fox's purchase of the 61 percent of Sky it doesn't already own, Rupert Murdoch's second attempt at the broadcaster he founded after a phone-hacking scandal at his newspapers derailed a 2010 bid. While James Murdoch, 44, wouldn't comment on any concessions Fox would make to gain approval, he said he was confident the deal would go through. The company expects the transaction to be completed by mid-2018, barring further delays. The keynote address gave James Murdoch the chance to distance the troubles at Fox News in the U.S. from Sky News in the U.K., which he praised for its broadcasting standards. He specifically defended the handling of sexual-harassment claims at the U.S. channel centered around Roger Ailes, the now-deceased former co-founder, CEO and chairman who built the company with Rupert Murdoch. Firing Ailes was "not a hard decision," he said. James Murdoch also defended the editorial content of Fox News, saying it's designed for a U.S. audience and is part of a competitive environment of political opinion that is different from that found in the U.K. "A diversity of views can be a really healthy thing and I'm proud of being at a company that can accomplish that diversity,'' Murdoch said. Murdoch's comments highlight generational change at his father's media empire, even as the 86-year-old maintains a grip on power as co-chairman of 21st Century Fox and Fox News chairman. Opponents of the deal have cast a spotlight on the harassment allegations at Fox News as well as the past handling of the phone-hacking scandal at News Corp., which is now separate from the U.S. film-and-television operation. Culture Secretary Karen Bradley, speaking in Parliament Thursday before traveling to Cambridge for the conference, said she would direct the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate Fox's commitment to broadcasting standards and whether its takeover of London-based Sky would give the Murdoch family too much sway in the country's media. In referring on broadcast standards, Bradley went against the recommendations of communications regulator Ofcom. At the Cambridge event, the head of the authority, Sharon White, said Ofcom "took the utmost care" in its review and its advice was clear that a referral on broadcast standards wasn't needed. Speaking in Cambridge, Bradley said it's important for public confidence that a full CMA review is conducted. "The threshold for reference that I have to take is lower than the threshold maybe for the fit-and-proper test that Ofcom do," she said. "Let's let the CMA do the work. They are technical experts in competition and markets. I want them to look at the concerns that have been raised." While the investigation opens the deal to more uncertainty, some analysts see it as a necessary step toward probable approval. "It's very much making sure every base is covered, but it's unlikely to make a big difference" as the deal will probably be approved, said Ian Whittaker, an analyst at Liberum Capital in London. Asking for a deeper probe of both broadcasting standards and media plurality helps Bradley diffuse any political tension and weaken potential legal appeals from opponents, he said. ___________________ Our earlier story, from Reuters, posted at 5:51 a.m. LONDON Rupert Murdoch's Twenty-First Century Fox Inc. will have to prove it can uphold broadcasting standards in Britain to secure its $15 billion takeover of broadcaster Sky following concerns over his Fox News operations. Britain's Culture and Media Secretary Karen Bradley on Thursday referred the bid to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for a 24-week review into Fox's commitment to broadcasting standards and the level of influence it will give Murdoch in the country. Rupert Murdoch was for years courted by British politicians determined to win the backing of his Sun and Times newspapers, but that changed in 2011 when a criminal scandal at his News of the World tabloid revealed the extremely close ties he held with the top of government. Prime Minister Theresa May's administration has taken a cautious approach to the deal, ignoring advice from media regulator Ofcom that it did not have concerns about broadcasting standards, and sending it to the competition regulator for the longest review possible. Bradley had said on Tuesday she was "minded" to refer the planned purchase of the 69 percent of Sky it does not already own to look into corporate governance. That surprise sent London-listed shares in Sky down 5 percent before they later recovered. "Yesterday I received letters on behalf of both parties to the merger, confirming that while they disagree with my 'minded to' decision they would not be making substantive representations in relation to it," Bradley told parliament on Wednesday. Fox said it remained disappointed. "We now look forward to engaging constructively with the CMA, as independent authority, and hope that the findings of this process will be respected by the Secretary of State," Fox said. Murdoch's U.S. Fox News network has been rocked by a series of sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits, leading to high profile resignations including former chief executive Roger Ailes and star anchor Bill O'Reilly. The media mogul's critics have also pointed to the phone-hacking scandal involving journalists at his now-defunct News of the World tabloid which forced him to drop a previous attempt to buy Sky in 2011. Bradley said the CMA would have 24 weeks to investigate the merger plans. "I must then come to a final decision on whether or not the merger can proceed, including any conditions that will apply in order to do so," she said. PARIS French and German farmers jointly called on European governments to renew the license for glyphosate weedkiller, saying there was no evidence it was toxic and banning it would severely harm farming. The European Union is due to decide by the end of the year whether to extend the licensing of one of the world's most widely-used weedkillers. Glyphosate was initially created by U.S. agricultural company Monsanto which sells it under the brand name Roundup. A vote is planned early next month. Consumers are concerned about potential health risks after the World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer agency, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic" in 2015. "We need to be able to continue to use some crop protection products, not because of some kind of stupid addiction like some say, but because the alternative means are not there," French oilseed growers group FOP Arnaud Rousseau said on Thursday. France will vote against renewing the licensing, its environmental ministry announced in August. A qualified majority of member states is needed for the renewal to go ahead. Germany's vote hinges on the outcome of national elections on Sept. 24. Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is seeking a fourth term, has backed glyphosate but has not found enough support in her coalition government. "We strongly hope that with the new government there will be a new approval of glyphosate," said Wolfgang Vogel, head of German oilseeds industry association UFOP. "It would be very hard for farmers if they had to renounce glyphosate." France and Germany, the two largest EU members and top grain producers, had both abstained in earlier votes. The question of glyphosate in France was now "purely political" Vogel said, as public studies both at French and EU level have said that glyphosate should not be classified as a cancer-causing substance, he said. Grain growers issued a separate statement saying France's position was "purely unacceptable" at a time when farmers are suffering from a sharp drop in income due to poor grain prices. French pollster Ipsos, estimated earlier this month that a ban on the weedkiller would cost the French grains sector 1.1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) and 900 million for wine makers. Analysts have estimated that Monsanto could lose out on up to $100 million of sales if glyphosate was banned in Europe. The Creve Coeur-based company is in the process of being acquired by Germany's Bayer AG. By PTI: New Delhi, Sept 14 (PTI) President Ram Nath Kovind today asked Hindi-speaking people to give more respect and space to regional languages and their speakers in a bid to make Hindi more popular across the country. Addressing a function on the occasion of Hindi Divas here, the President said Hindi continued to face opposition in some parts of the country even though it became an official language many decades ago. advertisement Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was also present at the function organised by his ministry, said in his address that Hindi could be enriched further if its speakers also used words from other languages. Referring to recent incidents on the Bangalore Metro, where a pro-Kannada group opposed Hindi signboards in the train service, and earlier agitations against Hindi in Tamil Nadu, President Kovind said there was a feeling among some people that Hindi was being imposed on them. "Non-Hindi speaking people desire that we (Hindi-speaking people) give attention to their languages. Those who speak Hindi should give space to other languages. We all have the responsibility to give respect to non-Hindi speaking people and regional languages," he said. Kovind suggested that those who speak Hindi should greet a Tamilian with a vanakkam, a Sikh with Sat Sri Akal and a Muslim with an Adaab -- words of greeting in Tamil, among Sikhs and in Urdu respectively. They should use the word Garu (sir) while addressing a Telugu-speaking person, he said. The adoption of other languages and cultures will help unite the people and the country, he said. The president said he had used the Russian word spasiba (thank you) while ending his speech at a state banquet during the recent visit of Belarus President A G Lukashenko. The guest was so delighted that he spontaneously responded with a Jai Hind. The Belarus president also announced that Hindi would be taught in that countrys state university from this month. Kovind also asked lawyers and doctors to use Hindi and other regional languages at work. "In India people dont understand the language of lawyers and doctors. In courts, now, gradually Hindi and other languages are being spoken. Similarly, if the doctors start giving prescriptions in Devanagari and other languages, the doctor-patient distance will be reduced," he said. In his address, the home minister said Hindi was the unifying language for the country and had helped bring people of different regions together during Indias freedom struggle. "We (Hindi-speaking people) should accept and use popular words of regional languages. If we do that, it will enrich the language," he said. Singh said the contribution of non-Hindi speaking people such as Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak was immense in making Hindi an official language of the country. advertisement He also questioned those who said English was required for India to become an economic power. "I want to ask those who say that without English India cant be an economic power, how come China has become an economic power by speaking Mandarin," he said. In his welcome speech, Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said even though Hindi was not his mother tongue, he felt immense pride while speaking the language. "In my native state (Arunachal Pradesh), Hindi is widely spoken and used by common people from all walks of life," he said. All the speakers spoke in Hindi at the function. Hindi is the mother tongue of the president and the Union home minister. PTI ACB BDS --- ENDS --- MUMBAI The world's top cotton buyers, all in Asia, are flocking to India to secure supplies after fierce storms in the United States, the biggest exporter of the fiber, affected the size and quality of the crop, dealers said. In the past week alone, India, the world's second-biggest cotton exporter, sealed deals to sell about a million bales to China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Indonesia key garment suppliers to brands such as H&M, Inditex-owned Zara and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. That compared with 300,000 bales in the two weeks before. Dealers expect contracts similar to last week in the next few months, which could help India's exports grow by a quarter in the 2017-2018 season beginning October. "Indian cotton has great chances this year," said Chirag Patel, chief executive at Jaydeep Cotton Fibers Pvt. Ltd., a leading exporter. Asian "buyers are switching to Indian cotton from the U.S." Hurricanes Harvey and Irma caused widespread damage to the crop in Texas and Georgia, major cotton producing states, with the effects more widespread in Texas, dealers said. "We definitely lost cotton in Texas. It wiped out 500,000-600,000 bales, said Peter Egli, risk manager at Plexus Cotton Ltd., a Chicago-based merchant, referring to the impact of Harvey in the top-producing U.S. state. In 2016, the United States exported 86 percent of its cotton, 69 percent of which went to Asia, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Other cotton producers like Brazil and Australia could benefit from lower supplies from the United States, but may find it difficult to match the price offered by India, where a bumper harvest is likely to keep the rates lower. Traders in India, also the world's biggest cotton producer, signed their export deals at around 80 cents per lb on a cost and freight basis, nearly 2 cents lower than the supplies from the United States, dealers said. India could soon sell at lower prices. Farmers are likely to harvest a record 40 million bales of cotton in the 2017-2018 season beginning Oct. 1, 2017, bringing domestic prices down and making exports even more competitive, Patel said. For the new 2017-2018 season, farmers have planted 12.1 million hectares with cotton, up 19 percent from a year earlier, farm ministry data showed. India harvested 34.5 million bales of cotton in the 2016-2017 season. Favorable crop conditions would help India sell 7.5 million bales of cotton on the world market in 2017-2018 against 6 million bales in the previous year, said Nayan Mirani, partner at Khimji Visram & Sons, a leading cotton exporter. Some traders believe that India's exports could surpass 8 million bales if China, the world's biggest cotton consumer, steps up imports in 2017-2018. Beijing, which began selling cotton from its reserves on March 6, had planned to stop the daily auctions at the end of August. But it extended the sales for an additional month after local prices rose amid tighter supply, indicating the need to replenish falling inventories. A Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading firm company said he had received a flurry of orders in the past few weeks, especially for December quarter shipments. He declined to be identified because he was not authorized to talk to media. Hobbled by the rising rupee and unattractive global prices, India was struggling to sign export deals until a few weeks ago. But a recent rally in global prices made overseas more sales competitive. Other than attractive prices, close proximity encouraged most Asian buyers to turn to India. While cargoes from the United States take about 50 days to reach Vietnam, Bangladesh and Pakistan, India can ship its cotton in two weeks. India's new season crop will be available to buyers from October, but the supplies from the United States will reach consumers only in January, said Mirani of Khimji Visram, a top exporter. Current market trends give cotton buyers a chance to look at alternative supplies, said Vu Duc Giang, chairman of Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association. But forecasts of higher global output will ease concerns over cotton supplies, Giang said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture this week said U.S. cotton output is seen at 21.76 million bales for 2017-2018 compared with 20.55 million bales projected last month. Additional reporting by Chris Prentice in New York, Mai Nguyen in Hanoi, Colin Packham in Sydney abd Nithin Thomas Prasad in Bengaluru. Area manufacturers, schools, financial institutions and health care providers riddled lawyers with inquiries last week, in the wake of the passage of Amendment 3. Employers were left to ponder: What do they need or want to know about their employees' after-hours cannabis use? KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is expected to launch a tender process for its first nuclear reactors as early as next month and will reach out to potential vendors from countries including South Korea, France and China, industry sources said. The world's top oil exporter wants to start construction next year on two plants with a total capacity of up to 2.8 gigawatts, three industry sources said, as it follows Gulf neighbor the United Arab Emirates in seeking atomic energy. This will make it the second country in the Arab world to tap nuclear power as a way to diversify its energy supply for its 32 million population. The UAE's first plant is expected to come online next year after delays. While a possible multi-billion-dollar Saudi tender would be smaller than those being considered in India and South Africa, Saudi Arabia's deep pockets and the lack of any anti-nuclear movement in the country could make it one of the strongest prospects for an industry struggling for contracts following the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan. "Competition will be fierce," an industry source said, adding Saudi Arabia was expected to send a Request for Information (RFI) to suppliers in October, marking the official start of the tender process following feasibility studies. Saudi Arabia will likely provide more detail on the plans at the general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, in Vienna next week, the sources said. The plants are part of long-standing plans to diversify the OPEC member's energy supply and has received extra momentum as part of its Vision 2030, a sweeping economic reform program launched last year by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The government agency tasked with the nuclear plans, The King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE), did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In the longer-term, Saudi Arabia is considering building 17.6 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2032, KACARE says on its website. That is the equivalent of about 17 standard nuclear reactors making it overall the biggest contract in the world, after South Africa and India. A South Korea-based industry source with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed Riyadh was expected to issue the RFI for the first two plants in October to five potential bidders South Korea, China, France, Russia and Japan. The target is to pour the first concrete of reactor casing in 2018, a Saudi source familiar with the plans said, although nuclear construction timelines frequently face delays. France has spent several years trying to make its case for selling its reactors to the kingdom. A top French minister and chief executives of French utility EDF and reactor builder Areva visited the kingdom in 2013 while a Saudi delegation led by KACARE chief Hashim bin Abdullah Yamani went to Paris in July to discuss Riyadh's atomic plans. KACARE also discussed feasibility studies to build the first two reactors in the kingdom with Chinese officials in Beijing last month, pan-Arab media reported. Russia's state-owned nuclear company Rosatom has also been in talks with KACARE about Saudi Arabia's atomic ambitions. They will all face steep competition from U.S., Japanese and South Korean consortia. Westinghouse-Toshiba has deep ties with the Middle East, and a South Korean-led consortium dealt the French a humiliating blow with its surprise win of a $40 billion contract in Abu Dhabi in 2009. The first of four Kepco-built reactors is due to come online next year. Additional reporting by Geert De Clercq in Paris and Stephen Kalin in Riyadh. Ian Froeb Ian Froeb is the restaurant critic for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Ian Froeb Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Ten months have passed since Aaron Teitelbaum relocated Herbies, his homage to the iconic restaurant Balabans, from its and Balabans original Central West End home to Clayton. Usually, I would have reviewed the transplanted Herbies by now, but in March, right when Id penciled it into my schedule, chef Chris Vomund left the restaurant. Then, in May, as I again prepared to visit, Teitelbaum replaced Vomunds successor, Patrick Shaughnessy, with veteran chef John OBrien, who had recently closed his acclaimed Three Flags Tavern. I returned Herbies to the scrum. I shouldnt have worried about all the changes the chefs or the move itself. The statue of Bonzo the chef greets you at the entrance of the former Cardwells in Clayton. Inside, Teitelbaum has installed artwork and curved leather booths from the original location. You can still splurge on market-price Dover sole or the Grand Plateau seafood plate ($125) with 18 shrimp, 18 oysters and one whole lobster. Who runs the Herbies kitchen isnt irrelevant. This is a big, bustling restaurant, even more so when the weather is pleasant and diners crowd its patio overlooking Maryland Avenue and its sidewalk tables along North Brentwood Boulevard. When Teitelbaum hired OBrien, he praised the chef to me in an interview as a seasoned, strong leader. OBrien is leading an established franchise, though, and nearly a year into its Clayton residency, Herbies is more or less the same restaurant it was when it opened in the Central West End in late 2008. The menu appeals partly to Balabans nostalgia beef Wellington ($34), Firecracker shrimp ($14) but mainly to a concept of modern, upscale bistro fare that was already approaching its sell-by date last decade and now seems downright quaint. Is there mac and cheese with lobster? Yes ($23). Is it seasoned with truffle oil? Of course. Obviously, there is a market for nostalgia, and I dont begrudge Herbies its legacy or its fans. I succumbed once and regretted it. The classic French onion soup (cup $4, bowl $7) lacked any depth of roasted-onion sweetness once you spooned through its cap of melted Gruyere. There were signs of life in the Crab & Bacon Bread Pudding ($12), which found a surprisingly light intersection of crabs buttery sweetness and bacons fatty savor. Two crisp egg rolls were a smart complement to grilled duck breast ($29), but the plum-citrus coulis saucing that duck breast was muddied, lacking both the lushness of plum and the bite of citrus. I loved the aggressive seasoning of double-cut lamb chops rubbed with coffee and chile in a bing-cherry demiglace, but the perfunctory sides of whipped potatoes and Broccolini hardly justified the $40 cost. On both of my dinner visits to Herbies, a manager made me as a critic. On both occasions, the kitchen sent me an extra course. I wont mention the specifics here. (Neither dish corresponded exactly to anything on the regular menu. I added an estimated price for each to the tip.) I bring it up to be transparent but also to point out another instance of the new Herbies feeling dated. This sort of favoritism accomplishes nothing among other reasons, my bosses are paying for these meals; its all free to me except to put me in an awkward position. I considered canceling the review. I scuttled plans for another dinner visit, and I suppose you could put an asterisk next to my star rating. Instead, I returned for lunch, and if I was made again, I saw no consequence. More importantly, I felt a current of energy. The duck-confit taco ($14) resembles a quesadilla as much as a taco: duck, a sweet-pepper jelly, a peanut-cashew satay and pepper jack cheese inside a folded, griddled corn tortilla. This taco-quesadilla tickles with sweetness and spice. The Smoked Brisket Grilled Cheese ($11) is a wonderfully sloppy sandwich with tender, smoky beef brisket, cheddar and Swiss cheese, caramelized onions and a garlic aioli. The lunch menu doesnt show a direct way forward for the dinner menu, and I doubt Teitelbaum and the Herbies team want to change their classic-elegance approach. But lunch was loose and fun in a way dinner wasnt, save for dessert: the Battle Creek creme brulee ($8), a version of the ubiquitous dish infused with the flavor of Corn Flakes and served with a thin, crisp corn-lime cookie. At its heart, Herbies remains Herbies. As for real change, as of this writing, the original Herbies is slated to become an adult arcade. Where Herbies, 8100 Maryland Avenue, Clayton 2 stars out of four More info 314-769-9595; herbies.com Menu Classic American and French bistro fare Hours Dinner daily, lunch Monday-Friday, brunch Saturday-Sunday Fair Good Excellent Extraordinary Frank Vincent died at the age of 80 during an open heart surgery. By Indo-Asian News Service: Frank Vincent, veteran actor who is known for his role in films like "The Sopranos" and "Goodfellas'", died during open heart surgery in New Jersey. Vincent, who has been acting for four decades, suffered a heart attack last week and underwent surgery at a Jersey hospital on Wednesday. He died during the surgery, he was 78-years-old, reports dailymail.co.uk. advertisement Vincent's filmography is extensive. He most notably appeared as Tony Soprano's arch nemesis, Phil Leotardo in the "The Sopranos" starting in season five and until the series' conclusion in 2007. James Gandolfini, who played the lead in the HBO series "The Sopranos" died of a heart attack in 2013. Vincent also plated Billy Batts in Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas" (1990). He also played Frank Marino in Scorsese's "Casino" with Pesci. Vincent has noted his career floundered for a time, and he didn't catch a break until 1978 when he would run into Pesci at a Manhattan bar. Vincent was married to his first wife in the 1960's, that marriage bore him two children, He would eventually divorce and re-marry. He leaves behind his wife Katherine, their son Anthony Vincent, and his two children from his previous marriage. --- ENDS --- Ashley Jost Ashley Jost is the higher education reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Ashley Jost Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today ST. LOUIS One day before they plan to file cursory paperwork to unionize, graduate students and workers on Washington Universitys campus rallied on campus. The graduate and international students and workers are working with the Service Employees International Union Local 1, a union thats made waves in Missouri working with everyone from graduate students to tenured faculty at multiple University of Missouri campuses and St. Louis University. Around 600 graduate workers plan to file for a union election Friday, according to a statement from SEIU. Graduate workers are looking to join together for a voice on the job and a seat at the table with the university in order to focus on the important matters facing themselves and the undergraduate students on campus, according to a statement from SEIU. Currently, the university can make all decisions relative to the employment conditions of graduate workers. A statement from Washington University says leaders recognize and respect students' right to gather on campus and share their opinions. "We believe that graduate students are first and foremost students," leaders said in a statement. "We have a long history of strong collaboration with our graduate students on issues that are important to them and have made many significant enhancements as a result of their feedback. We are committed to continuing that tradition and engaging in a thoughtful discussion with our community." ST. LOUIS A federal judge on Thursday slapped down an attempt by Phyllis Schlafly's son to freeze the activities of the political organization headed by her daughter the latest chapter in a family drama that was sparked in part by Donald Trump's presidential campaign and has divided the late conservative icon's disciples. In a strongly worded verbal ruling from the bench in St. Louis, U.S. District Judge John A. Ross denied a motion by Andrew Schlafly for an emergency restraining order to prevent Friday's annual board meeting of Eagle Forum, the decades-old conservative organization founded by his mother and now chaired by his sister. Ross said Andrew Schlafly's motion appeared to be litigious harassment and "gamesmanship" in a dispute that has played out in courts in three states. In addition to denying the motion, Ross ordered Schlafly to pay Eagle Forum's legal fees, an indication that he believes the motion was frivolous. "It's unfortunate that this is all occurring this way," said Ross. The ruling followed a hearing in which Schlafly, who is a New Jersey-based attorney, accused the Eagle Forum board members, including his sister, of improperly expelling him and others from the organization and of draining its funds. "Money is just flying out the door," alleged Schlafly. "Eagle Forum may be insolvent soon." Eagle Forum attorney James Sanders countered that Schlafly "has been plotting for over 18 months to destroy Eagle Forum" with harassing litigation in Missouri, Illinois and New Jersey. Andrew Schlafly has led one of two factions at legal war with each other in the wake of his mother's death last year. He is allied with Ed Martin, the Missouri politico who was Phyllis Schlafly's right-hand man and head of Eagle Forum in the final months of her life. Martin himself has been embroiled in other litigation regarding Eagle Forum, though he wasn't a party to Friday's hearing. Phyllis Schlafly, the Alton, Ill.-based activist who led the national charge to defeat the pro-feminist Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and championed many other conservative causes, died a year ago this month at 92. At the time of her death, the board of Eagle Forum including her daughter, Anne Schlafly Cori was already riven by strife over issues including Phyllis Schlafly's support for then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, which some Trump opponents on the board attributed to influence by Martin. The board removed Martin as Eagle Forum's president, though he still heads an affiliated nonprofit. Both Martin and Cori and her allies are claiming to be Phyllis Schlafly's true ideological heirs. Among issues being litigated in elsewhere is whether Martin, Andrew Schlafly and others have attempted to sabotage Eagle Forum's membership base by forming a competing organization with a similar name. JEFFERSON CITY A panel of state lawmakers warned Gov. Eric Greitens on Thursday that he has stepped out of line when it comes to spending money in the state budget. In a testy exchange between members of Greitens administration and the House Budget Committee, lawmakers complained that the creation of a prescription drug monitoring system and the continued use of metal detectors in the Capitol were not approved in the budget. That, they said, may violate the Missouri Constitution, which calls for the governor to abide by the budget approved by legislators. I want there to be a level of trust between the Legislature and the executive branch. This, in my opinion, is a breach of trust, said committee chairman Scott Fitzpatrick, R-Shell Knob. Were on thin ice. I dont intend to put up with it. I may just lose my mind or spontaneously combust over this, added Rep. Robert Ross, R-Yukon. This is wrong. Greitens budget chief, Dan Haug, argued that the governor has the power to transfer money to pay for the changes. The finger-pointing shows that despite Republicans having control of both the governors office and the Legislature, there is still an ample supply of tension under the Capitol dome. Since taking office, Greitens has grated on lawmakers in other areas, including his criticizing them for considering a pay increase and his use of a nonprofit organization to promote his agenda sometimes by attacking fellow Republican lawmakers. The two examples that have rankled members of the budget-writing panel are the drug monitoring program and the metal detectors that were put in place just days before Greitens took office. In July, Greitens announced he planned to ink a no-bid contract with Express Scripts worth about $250,000 to provide data to help the Missouri Department of Health and Seniors Services to track prescription drug abuse. But the new initiative with the pharmacy benefit manager was not outlined by the Legislature when it put together the spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Rep. David Wood, R-Versailles, said the maneuver by Greitens came after lawmakers had spent months telling other groups seeking state funding that there wasnt enough in state coffers. It makes me look like a liar. That makes us look extremely bad, Wood said. Fitzpatrick said the new program should have been reviewed and approved for funding by the Legislature. He urged administration officials to not transfer the money for the program or sign the contract with Express Scripts. My suggestion would be to not do that, Fitzpatrick said. My recommendation is to do this the right way. The committee also bashed the administration over the continued use of metal detectors in the Capitol entrances. In the budget, lawmakers had sought to have the metal detectors removed and replaced with additional police officers patrolling the Capitol. Rep. Kurt Bahr, R-St. Charles, complained that the state is paying contract workers to staff the metal detectors out of a fund set aside for building maintenance. Its not appropriate, Bahr said. I still dont understand how thats even legal. In addition, they expressed surprise when a top aide to Greitens said the governor supports keeping the metal detectors. They are not going to be removed at this point, said Office of Administration Commissioner Sarah Steelman. He doesnt want to see now the metal detectors being removed and then something horrible happening. Why was that not communicated? Fitzpatrick asked. We were operating under a couple assumption of knowledge that seemed to be incorrect, Bahr added. Rep. Kathie Conway, R-St. Charles, scolded the administration for not following the wishes of the Legislature. We need to be in the loop, Conway said. ST. LOUIS With courthouse barricades up, police presence expanded and National Guard troops on standby, St. Louis is braced for Fridays anticipated verdict in the murder trial of a white police officer accused of executing a black motorist. Former St. Louis police Officer Jason Stockley maintains the 2011 shooting death of Anthony Lamar Smith was in self-defense. If he is acquitted of a first-degree murder charge, officials fear the inevitable protests could turn violent. Some activists have hinted as much. Christina Wilson, Smiths fiancee, appeared at a news conference with Gov. Eric Greitens Thursday evening to ask protesters to avoid violence if they demonstrate. However it goes, I ask for peace, Wilson said. Greitens echoed Wilsons sentiments, saying he understood that many people feel pain over the shooting. Do not turn that pain into violence, he said. One life has been lost in this case, and we do not need more bloodshed. Earlier Thursday, Greitens who won office last year in part on a promise not to repeat mistakes he says officials made in responding to the racial unrest in Ferguson in 2014 announced he is readying the Missouri National Guard to protect both protesters and property. As Governor, I am committed to protecting everyones constitutional right to protest peacefully while also protecting peoples lives, homes, and communities, Greitens said in a statement. Taking the steps to put the Missouri National Guard on standby is a necessary precaution. On Thursday, barricades went up around the Thomas F. Eagleton U.S. Courthouse downtown, and St. Louis and St. Louis County police prepared to move officers to 12-hour shifts Friday. The federal courthouse will be closed on Friday. We want to ensure the community that our police department is prepared for any scenario, the city police department said in a statement. In the wake of an announcement, the department is committed to keeping our citizens updated and informed. Stockley fatally shot Smith after a police chase on Dec. 20, 2011. Prosecutors have alleged Stockley planted a .38-caliber revolver in Smiths crashed Buick after shooting him five times at close range. The defense has said Stockley shot Smith in self-defense because Stockley believed Smith was reaching for a gun. The bench trial before St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson ended Aug. 9. Some St. Louis black clergy and activists have pledged mass disruption if Stockley is acquitted. There has been no official word on the timing of the announcement of a verdict, but multiple sources have told the Post-Dispatch it will come down Friday. Preparing for verdict St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson announced Thursday that city police will establish an area in Poelker Park at Tucker Boulevard and Market Street for people who want to exercise their right to free speech. In a video statement, Krewson called protest a cornerstone of our democracy. But she also warned that anyone intent on violence or vandalism toward people or property will be arrested. It should not be difficult to both understand and support the right to free speech and be clear that those who commit violent or destructive acts will face consequences, she said. Earlier this week, the police union that primarily represents black city officers called for Stockley to be convicted, while also calling for calm if he is not. The Ethical Society of Police understands that this case may cause public frustration and we respect the citizens right to protest, the union said in a statement Tuesday. However, we do not condone any violence regardless of the courts decision. Interim St. Louis Police Chief Lawrence OToole told officers about the possibility of 12-hour shifts in a memo this week. Days off, personal days and some vacations will be canceled, the memo said. Also this week, Greitens met with black faith leaders and first responders to talk about the situation. In the past in Missouri, weve had leaders who wanted to wait until violence happened to ask people to sit down, who wanted to wait until there are screaming people and sirens wailing, Greitens told the gathering at Washington Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church in St. Louis on Monday. And thats a very hard time to have a conversation. Among others calling for calm as the verdict approaches has been Christina Wilson. A statement released last week by Wilsons attorney, Albert Watkins, expressed hope that our city can use this pre-Ferguson tragic loss of life to serve as a catalyst for post-Ferguson healing. Frustrated over the enormous price variations among medical providers, Anthem Inc. has said it is no longer allowing patients to receive certain outpatient imaging at hospital-owned facilities. Were seeing differences of like 500 percent, said Dr. Jay Moore, senior clinical director of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri. It just doesnt make sense. Its ridiculous in terms of the amount of cost differential. Anthem is pushing patients toward independent facilities when they need high-tech imaging tests such as MRI, CT and PET scans. The policy went into effect July 1. Anthem members can still get X-rays and mammograms at hospital-owned facilities, however. Its one more aggressive step that Anthem, the nations second-largest insurer, has taken recently in an attempt to rein in health care costs, and its probably not the last. Earlier this year, Anthem decided to stop paying for unnecessary emergency room visits, warning its customers not to seek treatment for a common cold or sore throat in the most expensive venue for care. If they did so, Anthem said the patients would be on the hook for the entire ER bill. The ER policy took effect only in states that have high rates of unnecessary emergency room visits, which includes Missouri. Though the move has drawn criticism from hospitals and providers, Anthem said it was forced to make a tough decision amid the escalating rates of unnecessary ER visits. This latest strategic move takes another direct shot at hospitals, which Moore said relied heavily on the revenue they bring in from imaging and lean on physicians to refer patients to hospital-owned imaging facilities. (Moore, prior to his role at Anthem, was a hospital executive and physician for Creve Coeur-based SSM Health.) Missouri Hospital Association spokesman Dave Dillon didnt deny that imaging costs were higher at hospitals. Everything is more expensive in the hospital because were a 24-hour-a-day operation, Dillon said. The latest policy could be especially bruising for hospitals here because of Anthems command of the Missouri market. The Indianapolis-based company holds 34 percent of the states market share for small employer coverage, and 27 percent of the large employer market, according to data with the Missouri Department of Insurance. No other insurer has more market share than Anthem in either the small group market or large group in Missouri. Anthem customers who need affected imaging tests will be directed to a company independent of a hospital system, such as Metro Imaging, which operates five facilities in the region. Metro declined to comment for this article. CT scans are used for a variety of reasons, from detecting fluid in the lungs to diagnosing abdominal pain or a follow-up to an X-ray that was inconclusive, Moore said. MRIs are generally more specialized. A common use is to detect a ruptured disc in the back, he said. This policy does not affect patients who are admitted to the hospital. Hospital patients who require imaging tests can have them done in-house and Anthem will cover them. Tests will require prior approval from Anthem, and patients will be directed to a covered facility before undergoing a test. Some doctors are concerned that patients will be harmed by another Anthem policy that restricts choice. I do empathize to some degree because the hospitals have gotten too big and the prices have gone way up, said Dr. Samer Cabbabe, a plastic surgeon. I see both sides of it, but really the patient is the one that ends up getting harmed. He has concerns about varying quality of providers. Some radiologists may be better than others at independent facilities, and some equipment may be more advanced than others. Cabbabe said pricing should be transparent so patients can decide where to spend their dollars. I believe patients should be making the decision not insurance companies dictating care, he said. Chesterfield-based Mercy said that it reached a deal with Anthem that still allowed Anthem customers to receive imaging on an outpatient basis at all its facilities except at St. Anthonys in south St. Louis County, which Mercy now owns. Anthem said it would reconsider its position for the other hospitals if they would lower their prices. BJC did not respond to requests for comment. SSM declined to comment. President Donald Trump is moving closer to a deal with Democrats that would protect hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportation. But the parameters of any deal, including a potential pathway to citizenship for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) participants and funding for his marquee campaign promise of a wall along the US-Mexico border are up in the air as the White House and Congress grapple with the impact of a Wednesday dinner between Trump and Democratic leaders. The bombshell developments, which were first announced by Democratic leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi and reiterated by Trump himself Thursday morning, were met with immediate outrage from conservatives and put pressure on the President's Republican allies in Congress. A deal would be the second major Trump-Pelosi-Schumer pact this month, following the agreement on the debt ceiling and government spending. Trump said House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell are "very much on board" with plans to make the DACA program -- which protected nearly 800,000 individuals who were brought to the United States illegally as children from deportation -- permanent. The Trump administration announced last week it would give Congress six months to pass legislation preserving those provisions before the program was terminated. The President also has indicated that funding for the wall -- a signature campaign promise -- would be part of an agreement, but it is unclear when that would happen or if it would be a prerequisite for a DACA deal. Trump, in Florida to view damage from Hurricane Irma, said he is not looking at "citizenship" or "amnesty" but that they are "looking at allowing people to stay here." "We are not looking at citizenship. We are not looking at amnesty," Trump said. "We are looking at allowing people to stay here. We are working with everybody." He added: "If we don't have the wall, we are doing nothing." But earlier Thursday, Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for Florida that "the wall will come later." And his comments on citizenship came only minutes after Lindsay Walters, a White House spokesperson, told reporters on Air Force One that Trump would talk about an immigration reform bill that "could include legal citizenship over a period of time." "The Trump administration will not be discussing amnesty," Walters said. "What the Trump administration will discuss is a responsible path forward in immigration reform, that could include legal citizenship over a period of time." Trump also defended on Twitter the undocumented immigrants protected under DACA, calling them "good, educated and accomplished young people" who "have been in our country for many years through no fault of their own." Wall or no wall? And when? The two Democratic leaders announced that following a dinner at the White House, they had "agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides." Trump insisted on Twitter Thursday morning that "no deal was made" on DACA, and Schumer and Pelosi later issued a statement clarifying that what was agreed upon was Trump supporting congressional actions to put DACA protections into law. "What remains to be negotiated are the details of border security, with a mutual goal of finalizing all details as soon as possible," the statement said. "While both sides agreed that the wall would not be any part of this agreement, the President made clear he intends to pursue it at a later time, and we made clear we would continue to oppose it." In Florida, Trump called the wall "vital." "The wall to me is vital," Trump said. "If I don't get the wall then we will become the obstruction." He added of Democrats, "at some point they're gonna have to (fund the wall). They cannot obstruct the wall." "Whether it's in the budget or another vehicle -- they need to make sure the wall is funded or we're not doing any deals," Trump said. But earlier Thursday, Trump told reporters as he departed the White House for Florida that "the wall will come later," making it unclear when an agreement would have to be reached. At the White House, Trump told reporters that progress continues on the wall. "We're right now renovating large sections of wall," he said. "Making it brand new. We're doing a lot of renovations we're building four different samples of the wall to see which one we're going to choose. The wall is going to be built -- it will be funded a little bit later." Conservatives outraged If a deal on some immigration and border issues happens, it would be the second major agreement between Trump, Schumer and Pelosi this month following their pact last week to raise the debt ceiling and extend government funding into December that left the GOP and some of Trump's closest allies flabbergasted. The bipartisan DREAM Act -- a more comprehensive immigration bill that was proposed years ago but never passed -- would be part of the proposed arrangement, a person briefed on the meeting said Wednesday night. Pelosi briefed her whip team Thursday morning on the DACA talks, according to two Democrats who attended the weekly meeting. "She said that they agreed to work out a solution," Rep. Mike Thompson, D-California, told CNN. "I think we are well on our way. Another Democratic source in the meeting told CNN that there was "only positive reaction" from those in the room. Schumer and Pelosi's statement on Wednesday quickly sent shockwaves through Trump's conservative base, as his hardline stance on immigration was a core tenet of his campaign. "Unbelievable! Amnesty is a pardon for immigration law breakers coupled with the reward of the objective of their crime," tweeted Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa. He continued: "@RealDonaldTrump If AP is correct, Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." Conservative commentator Laura Ingraham tweeted that "Dems' 'Border security' pledge is MEANINGLESS." Staunch Trump ally Sean Hannity added, "Weak R's have betrayed voters. @POTUS needs to stay the course and keep his promises or it's over! Pelosi and Schumer can never be trusted." And Breitbart News, run by Trump's former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, headlined news of the alleged deal Wednesday with "Amnesty Don." Amid the criticism Wednesday night, Trump weighed in on tax reform and his former election rival, Hillary Clinton, waiting to respond to the reaction until Thursday morning. GOP leaders absent from dinner Making a deal that finds a way to keep the individuals who benefit under DACA in the United States shows the challenge of striking bipartisan deals in Washington, and no agreement will move forward in Congress unless Ryan and McConnell agree on it. Congressional Republican leaders were absent from Wednesday's dinner, which featured Chinese food and chocolate pie for dessert, sources said, and it was not immediately clear how they would handle such legislation on Capitol Hill. The dinner took place the same day Ryan and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy met with Democratic leadership and representatives from groups in the Capitol. "It's the beginning of a listening that the President asked us to do," McCarthy said. "We've got a broken immigration system we've got to fix. It was the beginning of a discussion where we were listening to concerns." There was significant trepidation among senior GOP aides before Wednesday night's dinner that Trump would make concessions to Democrats on DACA. Behind the scenes, Republican leadership has been crafting a plan and process to get address the issue while also getting the conference comfortable with the extent of the border security money and resources they planned on securing for any deal. The primary reason for the silence from GOP leadership offices is they were trying to figure out what actually happened during the dinner. "You apparently know more than we do," one senior GOP aide told CNN. This story has been updated. CNN's Phil Mattingly, Jeremy Diamond, Elizabeth Landers, Kevin Liptak, Ted Barrett, Manu Raju, Jeff Zeleny, Lauren Fox, Tal Kopan and Allie Malloy contributed to this report. By PTI: Panaji, Sept 14 (PTI) The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) today revoked the consent to operate given to controversial beach shack Curlies located at Anjuna beach, which was in news after its owner was arrested in a drug-related case. The board, in its order issued today, asked the shack owner to stop the operations with immediate effect. advertisement The National Green Tribunal at Pune had asked the GSPCB to reconsider the consent given to the shack to operate after social activist Kashinath Shetye had filed a petition against it. "The consent to operate the order dated March 3, 2016 issued by the Board to Curlies Restaurant and Bar located at Anjuna shall be revoked forthwith," the order issued by GSPCB official Dr Mohan Girap said. The board, during its hearing, found that the no objection certificate (NOC) provided by the shack to seek consent under The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 was invalid. "The NOC was dating back to the year 2014-15, while the consent to operate was sought for the year 2016 onwards," the board sources stated. Curlies, a popular tourist joint in Anjuna, was in the news after the owner Edwin Nunes was arrested on August 16 this year by police under Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. PTI RPS NP --- ENDS --- Aldermanic President Lewis Reed deserves thanks for introducing Resolution 124. It would commit the city to achieving 100 percent clean electricity by 2035 with wind and solar power and energy efficiency measures. This is an ambitious goal but it can be done, and economically, too. On the wholesale market, wind electricity is now the cheapest there is. Solar power, even when combined with storage batteries to function when the sun doesnt shine, is competitive with natural gas, the cheapest fossil fuel. Efficiency, the lowest-cost energy resource, will lay the groundwork for renewable energy. You pay nothing for energy you dont use thanks to efficient lights and appliances. Clean energy will give us relief from a worsening climate and the pollution from the four big, aging, coal-fired power plants that ring the St. Louis area. In the last two years, clean energy jobs grew more than three times faster than jobs overall in Missouri (Gain in clean-energy jobs exceeds growth of state economy, Sept. 10). Henry Robertson St. Louis Hindi was adopted as the official language by the Constituent Assembly on September 14, 1949. By India Today Web Desk: September 14 is celebrated as Hindi day. Hindi, which is the official (not national) language of India was given this status on September 14, 1949. This resolution was adopted under the Constitution of India in 1950. The Constituent Assembly was constituted in 1946. The issue of language was a prime concern the Constituent Assembly faced. English was already used in official matters during the British rule. The Constituent Assembly thus decided that Hindi written in Devanagri script along with English to be the working language of the Indian language. advertisement The need to promote the use of Hindi was seen by the Indian government. Indian PM Jawaharlal Nehru thus decided to celebrate 14 September as the Hindi Diwas. The first Hindi Diwas was celebrated in 1953. Home Minister @rajnathsingh greets people on #HindiDiwas, says he believes the future of Hindi and all other Indian languages is very bright pic.twitter.com/KqEKP965Im- Doordarshan News (@DDNewsLive) September 14, 2017 On Hindi Diwas 2017, PM Narendra Modi is in Gujarat playing host to Japanese PM Shinzo Abe who is on an official state visit to India. The tussle between Hindi and other Indian languages has been on for a long time now. While Hindi is the official language of the country, the constitution has provisions to carry out the official proceedings of a state in its local language and English. Hindi and its dialects are still spoken by a majorly in the cow belt of India. --- ENDS --- Roderick Williams Stratford Music Festival, 26th September to 3rd October Orchestra of the Swan has teamed up with Stratford Music Festival to offer a week of exciting music-making by established musicians and members of BBC Radio 3s new Generation Artists scheme. Twenty-two years ago, the Stratford-on-Avon District English Music Festival opened its doors for the first time. In need of a conductor and musicians, David Curtis, viola player with the Coull Quartet, was invited to form an orchestra for the festival and Stratfords own Orchestra of the Swan was born. This year, after more than two decades, Orchestra of the Swan has formed a close partnership with what is now known as the Stratford-on-Avon Music Festival. Newly-appointed festival artistic director, David Mills, is taking this 22-year-old festival back to its classical roots with a fabulous programme centred on Orchestra of the Swan and its principals. It will give some prominence to the wonderful and varied repertoire for wind instruments the only national music festival to do so and featuring familiar soloists Roderick Williams, Leon McCawley, Tamsin Waley-Cohen and Julian Bliss, alongside BBC New Generation Artists Pavel Kolesnikov (piano), Annelien Van Wauwe (clarinet), the Van Kuijk String Quartet and the Amatis Piano Trio. With BBC Radio 3 recording two lunchtime performances and Classic FM recording the final concert with Orchestra of the Swan and Julian Bliss in the ArtsHouse, Curtis, who is artistic director and principal conductor of Orchestra of the Swan, is thrilled to be launching his 22nd season of leadership of one of the most imaginative and successful chamber orchestras in the UK with an immersive week of music. Full festival programme details can be found at www.stratformusicfestival.com, all the concerts are at the ArtsHouse. Book tickets on 01789 207100 or online at www.stratfordartshouse.co.uk Shakespeare Film Festival, which runs from 21st to 23rd September. Budding filmmakers from all over the world will descend on Stratford-upon-Avon next week as they take part in the. Organised by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, the annual film festival celebrates new films inspired by William Shakespeare. Launched in 2013 with Sir Kenneth Branagh as its patron, the competition invites people of all ages to produce a Shakespeare-related film using any form of technology from a smart phone to the latest professional camera equipment. This years competition attracted 235 entries from 42 countries including the UK, United States, Russia, Turkey and Iran the most since the competition began in 2013. A special screening will be held at Shakespeares New Place on Saturday, 23rd, where the works of the finalists will be shown and the winner of the coveted Shakespeare Shorts Film Competition, chosen by Sir Kenneth Branagh, announced. The evening will be compared by Russell Jackson, Emeritus Professor of Drama at the University of Birmingham and film textual advisor to Sir Kenneth on all of his Shakespeare films. Meanwhile This years programme launches on 21st September with a screening of Omkara a Bollywood adaptation of Othello, with English subtitles, followed by Disneys The Lion King, which is heavily influenced by Hamlet. Visitors are invited to bring along a picnic and suitable seating. Tickets for outdoor screenings: Adult 8, Child 5; Animation Workshop: 20, Film Making Workshop: 20. For more information and to book online see www.shakespeare.org.uk/filmfestival Stratford Town Centre Food Festival, 23rd and 24th September Michelin-starred chef Mike Robinson will lead a packed programme of demonstrations at this years Stratford Town Centre Food Festival. A frequent face on national TV and one of Britains leading authorities on wild food and game, Mike is executive chef at The Woodsman restaurant, due to open in spring at the newly-revamped Falcon Hotel in Stratford, and will be giving a sneak preview of when to expect on the menu. Another well-known face to take to the stage in the Waterside Cookery Theatre is Paul Foster, head chef/owner of Salt in Stratford, former Great British Menu contestant and a regular on Saturday Kitchen, who will be cooking seasonal dishes from his menu. Other demonstrations on the Saturday include how to make sausages and cure bacon with Barry the Butchers Adam Lucock. Visitors will also be able to learn how to make bread with Bread for Life! founder Jessica Mooney, while recently-opened Italian wine cafe Veeno will stage a food and wine pairing workshop, with the day rounding off with cocktail-making classes with the Union Bar team. This year there will also be workshops across the festival weekend in Bell Court, including Sicilian Wine Tasting with Veeno and creative canapes with Stratford College. The festival also boasts a producers market and Taste and Ale Trails giving visitors the chance to try tasty treats from around 20 town centre eateries. See www.stratforward.co.uk for more details. Stratford Literary Festival Autumn Series, 22 September to 16th November Stratford Literary Festival continues to celebrate its 10th anniversary festival with an exceptional non-fiction offering for its Autumn Series. On 22nd September the festival will welcome the award-winning food writer, Yotam Ottolenghi, pictured. In partnership with Stratford Town Centre Food Festival, the Guardian food columnist and deli owner talks with his recipe partner, Helen Goh, about their new collaboration, Sweet. Politics is on the agenda when BBC North America editor, Jon Sopel, gives his unique view on American life and politics in the Trump era on 6th October. Leading human rights campaigner, Baroness Shami Chakrabarti CBE, visits on 28th October to discuss gender, and on the same day multi-award-winning war reporter, Fergal Keane OBE, will talk about his experiences. On 8th November another great foodie hero, Rick Stein, makes an appearance. During half-term the festival will take a visit to Moominland with an array of events celebrating Tove Jannssens Moomin books. The Autumn Series rounds off with an event on 16th November when the best-selling writer Robert Harris will be discussing the challenges of adapting his epic trilogy, Imperium, which will be premiered later the same evening at the RSC theatre. Tickets are from 10 and on sale now. Call 01789 207100 or visit www.stratlitfest.co.uk The Haryana Police is planning to use their trump card against Honeypreet, after weeks of search yielded no results. By Manjeet Sehgal: After weeks of failed attempts to nab Gurmeet Ram Rahim's foster daughter Honeypreet Insan, who has been on the run since August 25, all hopes of the Haryana Police are now pinned on Vipassana Insan, the chairperson of the Dera. Soon after Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim's conviction, rumour mills were abuzz with names for the rightful successor to the Dera throne. Honeypreet's was the one name that found prominence in this regard, but often by her own speak. advertisement During this discourse, it was Dera Sacha Sauda Chairperson Vipassana Insan, who blatantly punctured Honeypreet's dreams to inherit her foster parent's kingdom. "Honeypreet has nothing to do with Dera affairs. She has no stake in Dera which will continued to be run as per practice. None of the family members have so far been declared as the legal heirs," Vipassana Insan had said in an interview. The Haryana Police, so far clueless on the whereabouts of Honeypreet Insan, will now question Vipassana apart from 25 other members of the Dera Management Committee to get some lead on the absconding Papa's Angel. Meanwhile in Sonepat, the police today arrested another close aide of Gurmeet Ram Rahim, Dilawar Insan who is believed to have been in touch with Honeypreet untill recently. Dilawar Insan has been arrested from Sonepat. Dilawar Insan has been arrested from Sonepat. WHY IS HARYANA POLICE LOOKING FOR HONEYPREET? A lookout notice was issued against Honeypreet Insan after a sect functionary Surinder Dhiman Insan's testimony revealed that she conspired an escape plan for Gurmeet Ram Rahim on the day of his sentencing. Honeypreet's whereabouts continue to remain a mystery, even after a slew of raids were conducted along the Indo-Nepal border and at the houses of her relatives in Delhi. A police team was also sent to Gauri Phanta area in Lakhimpur Khiri district of Uttar Pradesh to trace her after a Punjab registered vehicle was spotted by police there. However, the police returned empty handed. Later, Dera a follower Satpal Singh, who runs a chemist shop and diagnostic centre in Sector 20 Panchkula, was also detained on charges of helping Honeypreet, but was released after a couple of days as the police could not get any lead from him. IS GURMEET TRYING TO KILL HONEYPREET? Reports suggesting that Gurmeet's adopted daughter might have run off to Nepal, in face of threat to her life in India, also made headlines. According to an intelligence report, Honeypreet could be killed as she is witness to a number of Dera secrets. If not the Baba himself, his henchmen can mastermind her murder to get rid of her. advertisement Honeypreet was last seen on August 29 when Gurmeet Ram Rahim was sentenced to 20 years in jail. She had flown with Ram Rahim to the Sunaria Jail in Rohtak. She wanted to stay with Ram Rahim. However, the Sunaria jail authorities had turned down the request. Then she went to Karnal and stayed the night at a dera follower's house. Her whereabouts are not known thereafter. Also read: Who will be Ram Rahim's heir? Jasmeet, Honeypreet and Vipassana in race Also read: Gurmeet Ram Rahim to run Dera Sacha Sauda from jail, Honeypreet has no role Also read: Gurmeet Ram Rahim wants to meet these 10 guests in jail, Honeypreet on top of list --- ENDS --- Due to the unreasonable whims of the landlord, the grieving family had to keep the body of their son out on the verandah, while it rained heavily. By Ashish Pandey: In what can be best described as far removed from humane behaviour, a landlord barred his tenant family from bringing the dead body of their 10-year-old son inside the house. The shocking incident happened in Hyderabad's Kukatpally Housing Colony, where a house owner refused his tenants to bring the dead body of their son, who died of dengue inside, due to his superstitious beliefs. advertisement According to landlord Jagdish Gupta, the body of the 10-year-old was a harbinger of bad luck and he didn't want any bad omen to descend on his family, since his daughter has just gotten married. Due to his unreasonable whims, the grieving family had to keep the body of their son out on the verandah, while it rained heavily. The 10-year-old who died of dengue. It was only after the neighbours saw this and collected money from other residents of the society and got the body cremated did the family move back in to the house. Meanwhile, child rights organisation Balala Hakkula Sangham has demanded action against Jagdish Gupta. --- ENDS --- An op-ed in the Global Times said "the India-Japan intimacy is more like a contrivance" and both were "are unlikely to challenge China without giving it a serious thought". By Indo-Asian News Service: As Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visits India, a Chinese daily has said that close ties between New Delhi and Tokyo posed no "grave threat" to Beijing. China has always been wary of growing proximity between India and Japan with whom it has territorial disputes. The state-run Chinese media has often been critical of fast developing ties between India and Japan. advertisement An op-ed in the Global Times said "the India-Japan intimacy is more like a contrivance" and both were "are unlikely to challenge China without giving it a serious thought". It said China would never follow India and Japan "who have somewhat lost themselves". "Under the international relations logic of the 21st century, closer India-Japan ties won't pose grave threats to China because many of their emotional moves to console each other won't produce any real effects in challenging China. "A strong China has the confidence that no Asian country can substantially challenge China's national security nor can they by grouping together. China has been in the core of economic cooperation in Asia. Geopolitics is unlikely to go against the geo-economic situation." This is the 10th meeting between Modi and Abe in the past three years. This time, Modi invited the Japanese leader to Ahmedabad. In 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the city in Gujarat where Modi was once the Chief Minister. Both leaders are likely to beef up their defence and security ties. The sale of US-2 amphibious aircraft is also likely to come up. Last year, China had angrily reacted to the prospective sale of these aircraft to India. The newspaper said after the Doklam border row, Indian experts and media have emphasised the need to forge deeper ties with the US and Japan to counter China. "This has exposed the vulnerable feeling of the Indian strategic circle in front of China," the article said. "They want to encourage themselves by calling for India's alliance with the US and Japan to showcase India's strategic potential to China. This suits the desperate needs of Indian society's mentality." "As long as Chinese society is mentally strong enough, calls in the Indian and Japanese media for them to draw closer will be in vain. India and Japan are unlikely to form a military and political alliance with the US. "China's vast trade with Japan and India greatly dwarfs bilateral trade between India and Japan. Given this, Tokyo and New Delhi are unlikely to challenge China without giving it serious thought." The daily added: "China wants to solve problems when it has disagreements with India on specific issues. China won't actively seek strategic confrontation with India or Japan." advertisement ALSO READ | India's first bullet train project launched, PM Narendra Modi calls it New India's big dream Before bullet train leaves Ahmedabad for Mumbai, here are the challenges for railways India's first bullet train project: 350 km/hr top speed, 7 km tunnel under sea, Rs 1.08 lakh crore cost ALSO WATCH | Bullet train symbol of new India, Japan proved to be our true friend: PM Modi --- ENDS --- By PTI: Gandhinagar, Sep 14 (PTI) India and Japan today committed to resist protectionism while making a strong case for rule based multilateral trading system for sustainable growth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe held strategic discussions on a wide range of issues under the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between the two countries. "The two Prime Ministers underlined the crucial role of the rules-based multilateral trading system, and enhancing free, fair, and open trade, for achieving sustainable growth and development. advertisement "They committed to resist protectionism including unfair trade practices and underlined the need to remove trade- distorting measures," said a joint statement issued after the meeting. Modi and Abe reaffirmed their commitment to work together to implement the Bali and Nairobi Ministerial decisions and make the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference a success. They also decided to steadily implement WTOs Trade Facilitation Agreement. Japan reaffirmed its support to Indias membership in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), a forum for 21 Pacific Rim member economies. The two leaders decided to work towards liberalisation and facilitation of trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region. "They reaffirmed to cooperate towards conclusion of a modern, comprehensive, high quality and mutually beneficial Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement, in order to achieve a balanced outcome," the statement said. Modi and Abey also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening cooperation and to working with partners to tackle excess capacity in steel. In this regard, they called for the removal of market- distorting subsidies and other types of support by governments and related entities. "They also reaffirmed their commitment to developing concrete policy solutions at the Global Forum on Steel Excess Capacity by November 2017," the statement said. They welcomed the progress made in the bilateral IT and IoT cooperation through the bilateral Joint Working Group on IT and Electronics, in particular by the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NASSCOM and IoT Acceleration Consortium (ITAC) of Japan. The two leaders also welcomed the opening of the first lithium-ion battery factory in India by a joint venture of three Japanese companies ? Suzuki, Toshiba and Denso as well as a new automotive factory this year. It was also decided to further promote public and private sector collaboration to make environmentally friendly and energy efficient technologies accessible and affordable to the general public. They underlined the importance of support measures to promote eco-friendly vehicles including in terms of Make in India and transfer of technology. advertisement Modi updated Abe about his governments efforts for the countrys economic and social development. Prime Minister Abe reiterated Japans strong support for the initiatives such as Make in India, Digital India, and Skill India. PTI NKD CS SA --- ENDS --- By PTI: Gandhinagar, Sep 14 (PTI) India and Japan today signed an agreement under which their airlines can operate an unlimited number of flights between the two countries. The pact is as per National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016, which permits the government to enter into an open sky air services agreement on a reciprocal basis with SAARC nations as well as countries with territory located entirely beyond a 5,000 kilometre radius from New Delhi. advertisement Japanese carriers All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, and Indian carriers Air India and Jet Airways are the airlines that fly between the two countries. Last year India signed an open sky agreement with Greece, Jamaica, Guyana, Czech Republic, Finland, Spain and Sri Lanka. India also signed a bilateral open sky agreement with the US in 2005. PTI JC AAR --- ENDS --- By PTI: Gandhinagar, Sep 14 (PTI) India and Japan today discussed a host of issues of regional and global importance and strongly condemned North Korea over its continued development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, said a senior government official. Briefing the media after the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe here, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said the recent Dokalam stand- off between India and China was not discussed specifically by the two leaders. advertisement A joint statement was issued after the talks. "Dokalam was not specifically mentioned in the statement. But all important regional and global issues were discussed," Jaishankar said. Japan was the only country which openly supported India during the Dokalam crisis. The two leaders condemned, in the strongest terms, North Koreas continued development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, the foreign secretary said. "On the recent developments in North Korea, Japan and India stand firm on their resolve to force the country to change its course of action and fully comply with the UNSC resolution (calling for a halt to nuclear weapons and missile programmes)," the statement said. Modi and Abe affirmed a strong commitment for a "free, open and prosperous" Indo-Pacific region. However, there was no mention of the South China Sea in the document, unlike last years joint statement. "When we talk of the Indo-Pacific region, the South China Sea is a part of it. This is not a position specific to any geography, this is our principled position regarding any part of the world," Jaishankar said when asked why the South China Sea was not mentioned in the statement. He said the two leaders decided to continue with the talks on Japans sale of US-2 amphibian aircraft to India, adding that New Delhi and Tokyo also decided to increase the cooperation between the Indian Army and Indian Air Force and their Japanese counterparts. Till now, defence cooperation between the two countries was largely restricted to their naval forces. "These are serious discussions (going on). I am not in the know of what the issues are as I am not one of the negotiators," Jaishankar said, in reply to a question on the delay in sealing the US-2 amphibian aircraft deal. At his briefing, the Director General of Press and Public Diplomacy of Japan, Norio Maruyama, when asked about Dokalam, said, "Important strategic issues concerning India were discussed, but I will not name them. Asked why the South China Sea was not mentioned in the joint statement, he said, "What is important is the spirit of the statement." advertisement Maruyama said the two countries proposed to improve the connectivity between Asia and Africa and promote the stability and prosperity of the region as a whole. Japan had agreed to push for development in Indias north-east and signed an agreement for road connectivity improvement in the region, Jaishankar said. PTI PD RSY RC --- ENDS --- It will be business as usual at Tauranga Airport as the passenger terminal undergoes a $12.7m expansion and refurbishment over the next 15 months. This development was approved in 2015 when Tauranga City Council reviewed the Airport Master Plan, which showed the Terminal was operating at capacity and needed to expand to keep pace with the growth of Tauranga. The successful tenderer is Naylor Love Construction Ltd, a privately owned, national construction company founded in Dunedin in 1910, says airport manager Ray Dumble. The project is in the mobilisation stage at present with plans to start work late October and completion due December 2018. The floor area of the Terminal will more than double from 1700m2 to 3800m2. This will include developing separate check in and arrival areas and increasing space for back of house operations, allow for future upgrades and a new, larger Air New Zealand Regional Lounge. The new check in area will have state of the art check in kiosks, a baggage drop belt and a new externally accessed courier and cargo office. The improvements will also result in a shorter walk from the Terminal for boarding and the Airport Cafe will be increased and improved. The expansion will accommodate the increase in Air New Zealand passenger volumes and provide for other regional network operators to fly in and out of Tauranga, says Ray. The expansion of the terminal will provide us with an internationally competitive regional airport and comes about through high levels of collaboration with the airline industry, says Ray. Air New Zealand welcomes the upgrade says the airlines Regional Affairs Manager Ian Collier. Tauranga is a key destination for Air New Zealand and one were focussed on continuing to grow. We welcome the upgrade and expansion of the Tauranga Airport Terminal building and look forward to continuing to work closely with Tauranga City Council as it progresses, says Ian. Local Iwi have the role of developing better welcoming and farewell messaging along with creating artwork that will tell a story about some of the local Iwis history and culture. There will also be coverage of the history of Tauranga Airport dating back to its opening in January 1939. The project has a number of challenges not least driving piles in the existing Terminal building down to a depth of 27m due to ground conditions, says Ray. Another challenge will be to keep the Terminal operating as normal as possible during construction, with the least amount of inconvenience to the public, tenants and operators. Significant planning has gone into this aspect of the project to date. The expansion is intended to meet capacity demands up to and beyond 2027. The project requires no rate funding. The interest and debt servicing will come from the Airports current cash reserves and the Airports commercial revenues going forward. A project between the Whakatane District Council and Google is aiming to bring the raw power of White Island/Whakaari online, with Google Street View. People are now able to explore White Island with Google Street View alongside some of the Worlds great wonders; the Pyramids of Giza; The Grand Canyon; and Mount Everest to name a few. The project is the first of its kind in New Zealand, with Google loaning a Trekker to a third-party organisation to capture Street View imagery. Known to Maori as Whakaari, White Island is one of the worlds most accessible, continuously active marine volcanoes. Its awe inspiring landscape attracts sightseers from all over the world, fueling a tourism boom for Whakatane, the gateway to Whakaari. The island is not the only local attraction in Whakatane to now feature on Google Street View. A team of local trekkers set out over summer armed with a Google Street View Trekker - an 18 kg, 15 camera backpack that takes high-quality 360 photos every 2.5 seconds, to capture 35 kilometres of the Whakatane Districts most iconic walks and landmarks. The result is an immersive experience that will give prospective tourists a taste of what the Whakatane District has to offer, including Moutohora Island sanctuary which is home to endangered species, such as kiwi, tuatara, saddleback, kakariki and native geckos. You can also take a virtual hike on Nga Tapuwae o Toi, a walkway that captures the essence of the Whakatane District. The track features pa sites of major historic significance, spectacular pohutukawa stands and sublime coastal views. It also passes through the Ohope Scenic Reserve, home to a thriving kiwi population. Other attractions now featuring on Google Street View include, the ancient podocarp forest of Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tane Conservation Park on the Waterfall Loop Track, the spectacular Tarawera Falls, Tauwhare Pa, Warren Cole Walkway and Port Ohope Wharf. Project co-ordinator Whakatane District Council, Public Affairs Officer Social Media, Richard Parfitt says its been a great project to be a part of. The Council worked closely with a number of organisations to get permission and access to the locations. Special thanks go to the Department of Conservation, Ngati Awa, Ngati Whare, Ngati Rangitihi, Halo Whakatane, Whakatane Kiwi Trust, Frontier Helicopters, White Island Tours, Whakaari Management Trust Ltd and the Te Tapatoru a Toi - Joint Management Committee. There was some discussion around whether putting footage online would mean people would choose not to do the real thing. Google Street View cant fully replicate the real life experiences. White Island especially - standing on an active volcano, the smells, noise and scale of it is truly something best experienced in person. Matthew Jenke, Google New Zealand Special Collect Operations Lead, adds that giving people a taste through Google Street View is a brilliant way to capture their imagination and encourage them to explore further and travel to New Zealand. The Google Street View camera loan programme is bigger than that, he says. Google Maps has over 1 billion monthly active users. People who may never have the opportunity to visit White Island will now be able to see it; Through Virtual reality teachers around the world are taking their classes on virtual expeditions to amazing places around the world. Were excited to have White Island added to the list of experiences Google Street View provides. A Mount Maunganui pet food company has been the subject of 170 bad odour complaints to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Of those, 153 have been made since 2016. BOPRC regulatory compliance officer Trudy Richards says they have been able to verify the odour coming from Ziwi, in Boeing Place, 21 times. Any complaints that come through to our pollution hotline are referred to an officer to investigate. The Regional Air Plan requires that any discharge of contaminants to air does not result in objectionable or offensive odour beyond the boundary of the subject property, so the officer needs to visit the site to verify whether or not this condition is being complied with. If a non-compliance is verified and the source of the odour can be confirmed, enforcement action will be considered along with any work required to remedy the situation and bring the site back into compliance. She says odour complaints can be difficult to verify as they are often subjective, and may be short lived. As such, an odour may not be verified if an officer was unable to attend in time to assess it, the odour had dissipated by the time they arrived, or the odour was not considered to be offensive or objectionable. BOPRC has undertaken a number of enforcement measures in relation to the odour issues, particularly since complaint numbers began to rise in 2016. Trudy says a formal letter was sent to Ziwi in August 2016 outlining the requirement for them to avoid, remedy or mitigate the effects of their discharge on the environment. Since then, BOPRC has also issued Ziwi with an abatement notice instructing Ziwi to cease discharging contaminants into the air in a manner that contravenes the Regional Air Plan, and four infringement notices in relation to separate verified complaints. She says in addition to these enforcement measures, BOPRC has been working with Ziwi to try and resolve these issues by agreeing timelines for identifying and implementing odour control measures. Ziwi managing director Richard Lawrence says theyve been on their current site in Boeing Place for around 10 years. Up until 2015, we varied between one and four complaints a year. In 2016, towards the latter end of the year, the complaints began to intensify. This year its gone up were averaging around 20 a month, although in June and July we only had four. He believes an increase in businesses taking up tenancies in the area has contributed to the rise in complaints, which Ziwi is actively working to resolve. We started a process with the council at the end of last year, bringing in consultants from Hamilton who recommended installing a deodorising system to mask the smell. That $30,000 system was installed in May, after which the complaints dropped. We thought we were on to something, until the complaints jumped again in July, says Richard. So we switched to some Christchurch consultants who we felt had more experience in the field of environmental smells. They recommended we increase the stack/chimney height. Ziwi has altered their current stacks to make them 14 metres off the ground. We now have these high stacks up from the factory, which weve been told are doing a pretty good job. We continue to get complaints, but in the last two months the council has been unable to verify them. He says the company has spent around $80,000 so far, and he believes they may have to put something inside the stacks to mitigate the smell. Despite the number of complaints, Richard says theyve only managed to speak to two people about the issue, whom Ziwi themselves approached. No complainants have approached Ziwi directly. Were happy to talk with our neighbours about the processes were putting in place. All were asking for is a little bit of time. A musician described as the heart and soul of the Bay of Plenty jazz scene has been awarded a life membership to the Tauranga Jazz Society, after dedicating nearly two decades to the organisation. Liam Ryan, who is well known for his leadership roles in the National Jazz Festival, was awarded the honorary position at the Tauranga Jazz Societys AGM this week. It is a privilege to be awarded such a position and I feel honoured to have been part of the Jazz Society for the past 18 years, says Liam. A big thank you must go to all of the wonderful members, past and present, who have contributed to the society. It is certainly a team effort in helping see jazz in Tauranga continue to flourish. Liam served as president for three years from 2007, and his roles in the National Jazz Festival include serving as director in 2008 and festival music programme director for several years, as well as performing in the festival with many different groups. In recent years he has overseen the highly popular and well-contested youth band competitions and this year will be youth competitions director for the 41st National Youth Jazz Competition. Fellow life member Jocelyn Buchanan, who presented the award, saysLiam brings an unfaltering contribution to the Tauranga Jazz Society and National Jazz Festival. His heart and soul is in the National Jazz Festival but he has also made a significant commitment to the music industry nationwide. As a respected musician and music educator he is frequently interviewed on Radio New Zealand as well as commercial radio stations. We are privileged to have him in our midst as he brings so much experience and exuberance to the team. The life membership coincides with the appointment of a seven-strong Tauranga Jazz Society committee, which will govern the March 28 April 2 national event next year. Graeme Purches will head the committee as president, with Jeff Baker as vice-president. Other committee members are David Porter, Ken Bowden, Andrea Meredith, Wayne Melville and Carol Power. Craig Wilson, best known as the promoter of the successful Mills Reef Stars Under The Stars, has been appointed festival director. He leads a team that includes Beck Chambers moving into the general manager role, Liam Ryan as youth competitions director, Mandy Ryan as youth competition coordinator, and Nick Chambers as operations manager. This years National Jazz Festival saw more than 15,000 people attend the downtown carnival and more than 300 students involved in the National Youth Jazz Competitions from over 23 schools across the country. The official launch date of the 2018 National Jazz Festival Tauranga will be announced in the coming weeks. UPDATED 5.30pm: A male is reported to be in a serious condition, and has been taken to Tauranga Hospital following a house fire at Papamoa today. A St John Ambulance spokesperson was unable to say anything about the nature of the injuries, or provide an age for the injured person. Fire fighters, who were called to the fire at Hartford Avenue about 4.30pm, say the fire was out on arrival. Earlier: A person has been taken to Tauranga hospital after being involved in a fire at a Papamoa house this afternoon. The Hartford Avenue fire broke about 4.30pm. It is believed to have involved a mattress which residents put outside the building. Firefighters from Tauranga and Mount Maunganui were called but found the fire out on arrival. A St John ambulance spokesman was unable to confirm if the person taken to hospital has burns or suffered smoke inhalation. The skipper of a ceremonial waka, which capsized on Whakatane River bar in January last year, has been convicted and fined $1350 for putting his five crew in unnecessary danger. Maritime NZ charged Clarence Takirirangi Smith under the Maritime Transport Act 1994 with operating a ship in a manner which caused unnecessary danger or risk to other people or property. He pleaded guilty to the charge and was sentenced in Wellington District Court yesterday. Maritime NZ Central Regional Compliance Manager Pelin Davison says the verdict is a reminder to the skippers of any vessels that they are responsible for the safety of everybody on-board. Bar crossings dangerous Bar crossings are notoriously dangerous. If in doubt do not cross, and always check with the harbourmaster or Coastguard for local conditions before getting anywhere near the swells around river and harbour entrances, she says. The Court heard that Dr Smith was skippering an 11-metre catamaran-style waka, with twin narrow beamed hulls and two masts, on a journey up the east coast of the North Island last January, with five other crew. The vessel, Nukutaiao, operated under sail, but could also be powered by two 20 horsepower outboard engines. The group was attempting to enter Whakatane harbour over its narrow bar at high tide early on the morning of January 22, when it capsized with the six men tossed overboard. The harbourmaster had ruled the bar unworkable the day before, and there was still a two metre swell when the waka crew attempted to cross. The Nukutaiao did not have enough speed to stay ahead of the breaking water and was upended while surfing down one wave. Fortunately early-morning surfers on shore were able to paddle out and help the crew to safety, with one man retrieved by Coastguard. The waka was salvaged with broken masts and other damage. Ms Davison says the sentence is a timely reminder, with the recreational boating season about to start, that skippers must: A Mount Maunganui teacher has been recognised as a digital expert. Sandy Bornholdt from Mount Manganuis Te Kura o Matapihi has been recognised as the countrys top digital teacher, winning the prestigious NEXT Expert Teacher Award at The Mind Lab by Unitecs graduation in Auckland this week. Sandy recently completed The Mind Labs Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Practice (Digital & Collaborative Learning) and was celebrated at the ceremony alongside more than 200 fellow teachers from the July 2017 cohort. She was awarded a $5000 scholarship from the NEXT Foundation for her work to help children to become technologically savvy at the Maori Medium School where she is based. Runners up Janet Jones-Pooles from the Blind and Low Vision Education Network in Christchurch and Emily Bagrie from Elim Christian College in Auckland, were also recognised for the unique ways they have incorporated new and emerging technologies into their classrooms. The NEXT Expert Teacher Award celebrates teacher commitment in helping students gain the skills needed for 21st Century careers. Sandy says The Mind Lab by Unitecs Postgrad programme was an incredible opportunity to delve deeper into aspects of contemporary education. The tamariki at the kura I work in are incredible and deserve the best. One of our philosophies is ka turangatira ai ta tatou tamariki i roto e te ao maori me te ao whanui to be confident, life-long learners in the Maori world as well as the wider world, she says. Sandy was selected as winner through an interview process led by Frank Janssen, Director at The Mind Lab by Unitec. Sandys commitment to incorporating digital learning pedagogy into her Maori Medium School is an excellent example of how The Mind Labs postgraduate certificate is applicable in any New Zealand environment, says Frank. We wish her and her school all the best in helping their children become technologically savvy in our new world. Frances Valintine, Founder and Chair of The Mind Lab by Unitec, congratulates Sandy and the finalists and says that its fantastic to see teachers recognised from all over the country. She says she thanks the NEXT Foundation for its on-going commitment to supporting and investing in The Mind Labs educational aspirations. Our partnership with NEXT Foundation shares a vision to provide Kiwis with the skills and confidence to embrace the opportunities of our increasing technological world. The skills our teachers gain through our postgraduate programme empowers both the teachers themselves and their students our future leaders by equipping them for the jobs of the future. The NEXT Foundation, which launched in 2014, plans to invest $100 million into The Mind Lab over the next ten years. It provided 1350 teacher scholarships in 2017 to allow public school teachers to undertake The Mind Labs postgraduate programme. The Mind Lab by Unitec has become the largest education facility in New Zealand in four years of operation. Over the next five years The Mind Lab has the goal of teaching over 10,000 teachers and 180,000 school students. By PTI: Pacific; call for zero-tolerance to terrorism Gandhinagar, Sep 14 (PTI) Deepening their strategic ties further, India and Japan today agreed to boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region in the midst of Chinas growing assertiveness and pitched for a "zero-tolerance" in combating terrorism including towards Pakistan-based groups JeM and LeT. The two countries signed 15 deals in key areas, including civil aviation, trade after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe as they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in strategic areas of defence, security, trade and civil nuclear energy. advertisement The two leaders also deliberated upon important regional and global issues and affirmed strong commitment to their values-based partnership in achieving a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international law are respected, and differences are resolved through dialogue, and where all countries, large or small, enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight. But significantly, the joint statement issued after their talks did not mention South China Sea directly unlike last years joint statement. After the 2016 summit during Modis visit to Japan, the joint statement had said, "regarding the South China Sea, the two Prime Ministers stressed the importance of resolving the disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law including the UNCLOS." Addressing a joint press event with Abe, Modi said, "the range of special strategic and global partnership is not just limited to bilateral and regional sphere. We have close cooperation on global issues as well." In an apparent message to Pakistan, the two sides also called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists. The two prime ministers also called for Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorist attacks including those involved in Mumbai (2008) and the Pathankot (2016) strikes. "They looked forward to the convening of the fifth India-Japan Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups including Al-Qaida, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lakshar-e-Taiba (LeT), and their affiliates," said a joint statement issued after the Modi-Abe talks. It said Modi and Abe condemned in the "strongest terms" the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism and shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that must be forcefully combated through concerted global action in the spirit of "zero tolerance". "Accordingly, the two Prime Ministers called upon all UN member countries to implement the UNSC Resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions designating terrorist entities," said the joint statement. The reference also assume significance in the backdrop of China repeatedly blocking Indias move to declared JeM chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist by the UN. advertisement On his part, Abe said, "we have just signed a joint statement which will serve as a milestone to open a new era for Japan-India relationship... based on that we will strongly promote Japan-India special strategic and global partnership to drive peace and prosperity for Indo-Pacific region and the whole world." Modi and Abe underlined that the two countries could play a central role in safeguarding and strengthening a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific and to this end, they pledged to reinforce their efforts to enhance defence and security cooperation and dialogues, including the MALABAR and other joint exercises, the statement said. During his press statement, Abe also referred to the recent Malabar Japan-India-US naval exercise and said cooperation would be further strengthened. They also agreed for defence equipment and technology cooperation in such areas as surveillance and unmanned system technologies, and defence industry cooperation apart from aligning Japans Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy with Indias Act East Policy, including through enhancing maritime security cooperation and improving connectivity in the wider Indo-Pacific region, it added. Japans readiness to provide its state-of-the-art US-2 amphibian aircraft was appreciated as symbolising the high degree of trust between the two countries, which agreed to continue their discussions in this regard. advertisement Earlier, the two leaders launched the bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Modi described the Rs 1.10 lakh crore project, which will cut travel time between the two cities from seven hours to less than three, as a "big gift from Japan to India". Asked if the recent Dokalam episode between India and China was discussed during Modi-Abe meeting, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said it was not specifically discussed but there was a discussion on regional and global developments in broader sense. Japan was the only country, which had publicly spoken about Dokalam incident, pitching for a peaceful resolution. PTI MPB/PYK ZMN --- ENDS --- Wythe County Public Schools has announced that it will hold a community forum at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21, to take concerns about the removal of the prayer plaque at Spiller Elementary School. The meeting will be held in the school board office, 1570 W. Reservoir St. In August, the school system removed a plaque in Spiller Elementary Schools lunchroom that the Freedom From Religion Foundation challenged as being unconstitutional. Superintendent Jeff Perry said he believes that the courts have made it very clear that school division cant display this type of plaque. Perry pointed out that prayer is still in schools, and hes witnessed two students praying privately, but that official school-sponsored ... prayer has been deemed unconstitutional. The plaque, which is now in storage, reads Our Father: We thank thee for this food. Bless it to the nourishment of our bodies and our lives to thy service. Amen. A statement on the school systems Facebook page said that during the meeting, we will provide community members with an explanation of the law and why we made the decision to take down the plaque. We will also give community members an opportunity to express their concerns and to ask questions. We are holding this forum to ensure community members have an opportunity to talk with us and to ask questions. We understand it is sometimes frustrating for community members to speak during a regular board meeting because we only take comments during our meeting. We normally dont respond to questions during public comment in a regular meeting. The post said the meeting Sept. 21 will allow the school board to have meaningful conversations with members of the community. We want to make sure that our parents and community members feel that they have been heard and we respond to their questions, the post said. Despite professional guidelines barring district attorneys in New York from endorsing political candidates, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick campaigned door-to-door with a county legislature candidate prior to Tuesday's primary. Fitzpatrick also sent out a last-minute robocall Monday praising candidate Derek Shepard to GOP voters. Shepard, whose campaign was advised by Fitzpatrick's son, lost the GOP primary Tuesday to challenger Ken Bush Jr. Fitzpatrick's efforts on behalf of Shepard seem inconsistent with the Code of Conduct for Political Activity set down by the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York. "District Attorneys and their assistants may not endorse political candidates,'' the code says. But Fitzpatrick, who helped write the code, said he did nothing improper. The guidelines on political endorsements include an exception allowing district attorneys to speak out against people or policies that "undermine public safety.'' Fitzpatrick said he considered Bush a threat to public safety because as a legislator Bush would likely fight against funding for the DA's office. "I considered that a danger to the office in terms of our budgetary needs,'' Fitzpatrick said. The race in the county legislature's 13th District pitted Bush, a longtime Elbridge town supervisor who was largely self-funded, against three-term incumbent Legislator Shepard, who was backed by GOP power brokers like Legislature Chairman Ryan McMahon and the Republican Legislators Campaign Committee. Shepard's campaign was advised by Fitzpatrick's son, Danny, who was paid by the Republican legislators committee. DA Fitzpatrick said he never discussed his work for Shepard with Danny. Fitzpatrick said he communicated only with Shepard and McMahon. Fitzpatrick conceded that going door to door with Shepard implied that the candidate had Fitzpatrick's support. But Fitzpatrick said he stopped short of explicitly urging people to vote for Shepard. "It clearly shows that I'm being favorable, in a sense, but I never knocked on a door and said 'Vote for Derek Shepard,' '' Fitzpatrick said. "I said, 'Hi, I'm Bill Fitzpatrick. I thank you for your support over the years, and I hope you know your legislator, Derek Shepard.' And I let Derek take it from there.'' Shepard waged a six-week legal battle to challenge Bush's petition signatures and nearly got Bush thrown off the Republican primary ballot. But an appeals court last week said Bush had just enough signatures. Monday, the day before the primary, GOP voters on the 13th District received a recorded "robocall'' from Fitzpatrick, a copy of which was obtained by Syracuse.com. On the call, Fitzpatrick extolled Shepard's work on public safety issues, calling him "a great American.'' "Thank you, Derek,'' Fitzpatrick said on the recording. "I look forward to working with you for many, many years in the future.'' Prosecutors are not barred by law from making political endorsements. But the District Attorneys Association of the State of New York, which establishes professional guidelines, bans prosecutors from many political activities "to avoid compromising the integrity of their office.'' The rules are set out in an ethics manual, "The Right Stuff: Ethical Guidelines for Prosecutors,'' which has been adopted by every district attorney's office in the state. Fitzpatrick, a former president of the state DA's association, is credited in the handbook's introduction with spearheading the effort to establish the code. The ethics manual prohibits DAs from a variety of political activities, including serving on party committees and speaking at political functions. District attorneys are allowed to campaign for their own election, of course, and their assistant DAs are allowed to work on those campaigns. The guidelines are intended to preserve the "impartiality of the District Attorney's office,'' the manual says. "The above activities should also help District Attorneys maintain a sense of public confidence in the nonpartisan nature of the District Attorney's office.'' New York's association is the only state group out of 50 that prohibits prosecutors from endorsing political candidates, Fitzpatrick said. The ban stemmed from a perception, which is now outdated, that prosecutors don't need political alliances to get re-elected, he said. In July, Fitzpatrick conducted an investigation into Bush's posting of campaign information and messages on a Facebook page he controlled labeled "Town of Elbridge,'' which gave the appearance of being an official government page. Fitzpatrick closed his investigation after Bush agreed to take down the page. The prosecutor said he never discussed the investigation with his son. Bush responded to the probe by accusing Fitzpatrick publicly of "political bullying.'' The town supervisor said he had maintained the Facebook page for four years to keep town residents informed. He called the investigation "ridiculous.'' Fitzpatrick said Bush's comments signaled a potential budgetary threat to the DA's office. "That was what raised my concern to involve myself in that race,'' he said. "I'd do it again tomorrow.'' Bush said he has not indicated he would cut the district attorney's budget if elected. He said he is "baffled'' by Fitzpatrick's involvement in his race. "I just don't understand a person in that type of position injecting themselves into a campaign,'' Bush said. Bush defeated Shepard 60 percent to 40 percent in the GOP primary. Shepard will remain on the ballot in November on the Libertarian and Independence Party lines. Contact reporter Tim Knauss anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-3023 2016 Ethics Handbook by Tim Knauss on Scribd Onondaga County has a shared services plan. But it's far from the answer to reducing high property taxes you might have hoped for. The plan, approved Wednesday by a panel of town and village officials and chaired by County Executive Joanie Mahoney, could deliver $5 million in annual savings. And that's if the municipal governments themselves agree to go through with it. Most of the savings - up to $4.4 million - comes from combining the supplemental health insurance plans for retirees in the city of Syracuse, the city school district and Onondaga County. That effort was partly underway before Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature mandated creation of the shared services plan, but the county's decision to join certainly helped. Outside of that, local government officials were only able to agree to share or combine services totaling less than $1 million a year. Small potatoes, indeed. That result is not too surprising. Municipal officials had veto power over the proposals that would make it into the final plan. Some big-ticket items - like re-merging the Onondaga County and Syracuse economic development offices and creating one court for the town of Manlius - were taken off the table before the vote. Objections from various town supervisors and village mayors also torpedoed ideas such as sharing equipment among municipalities and having the county mow the grass at parks. They did agree to 17 initiatives with anticipated savings ranging from $3,000 to $300,000. Every little bit helps, but little bits don't make a dent in the property tax burden. And that points to a fundamental paradox: Onondaga County residents say they want property tax relief, but they (or their representatives in local government) aren't willing to change or give up any of the services financed by their sky-high taxes. Let's give credit to Mahoney and the municipal officials who managed to accomplish something in a short time frame, and in an atmosphere charged by the debate over consolidation proposed by the Consensus Commission. They also pledged to keep trying to find ways to share services. But if you want dramatically lower property taxes, you should demand more of your elected officials: bolder action, tougher decisions, deeper cooperation. Syracuse will have a new mayor in January. That should be an opportunity to wipe the slate clean of old animosities and restart cooperative ventures between the city and the county. What about the rest of Onondaga County's towns and villages? Are your elected representatives acting in your best interest, or in their own? Only you can answer that. To the Editor: airs this Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, about a month following President Donald Trump's decision to send more U.S. soldiers to Afghanistan and continue to add billions of dollars a year to the already enormous war costs that have already topped $1 trillion. Is history repeating itself or is history merely rhyming? Either way, we are condemned if we forget or ignore history, and think that by doing the same thing over and over again, we can expect different results. America was involved in Vietnam for nearly 30 years, beginning in World War II when the U.S. was working with Ho Chi Minh to resist Japanese occupation and rescue downed American pilots. The United States has been involved in Afghanistan for 38 years after President Carter started a secret operation to encourage a Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in order to give the USSR "its own Vietnam war" (from a 1998 interview with Carter's National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski). We subsequently supported and armed Osama bin Laden fighting the Russians. One lesson we could have learned from our Vietnam history is that more money, more soldiers, more bombs and higher body counts don't win wars against a determined and patient people living in a country with a long history of fighting invaders. They will fight foreign invaders until the invader gives up and leaves, and the corrupt invader-created or "puppet" government falls. Another lesson we might have learned from Vietnam and many other of our other past military involvements is the conclusion reached in 1935 by Medal of Honor recipient and U.S. Marine General "War is a racket ... a few profit and the many pay." That message is true today. Trump, with the support of our local Reps. John Katko, Claudia Tenney and Elise Stefanik, wants to pour even more tax money into the military-industrial complex, send even more American soldiers abroad to be killed and be wounded, cause even more civilian casualties, creating even more war refugees. Military madness is indeed killing our country, as sang in 1971. "The Vietnam War" may refresh our memories and I do hope America watches the entire documentary. Filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick also stated that they want this documentary to help bring about reconciliation -- something many of us Vietnam veterans have been seeking over the last 50 years. Christopher Jamison Syracuse The writer is a member of Chapter 51, Veterans For Peace. By PTI: By Lalit K Jha Washington, Sep 14 (PTI) India and Pakistan today started high-level talks on technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty here, a senior World Bank official said. "These meetings are a continuation of a discussion on how to safeguard the Treaty for the benefit of the people in both countries," a World Bank spokesperson told PTI. advertisement The meetings between India and Pakistan on the technical issues of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) are taking place in Washington on September 14-15, the spokesperson added. The World Bank in August had said that under the IWT, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India, it had said in a fact sheet issued at the conclusion of secretary-level talks between the two countries over the IWT. The IWT was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. The World Banks role in relation to "differences" and "disputes" is limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties, the fact sheet said. PTI LKJ CPS --- ENDS --- By PTI: Jodhpur, Sep 14 (PTI) Irked by a reporters question on the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad describing him as a "fake" sadhu, self-styled godman Asaram today said he belonged to the category of "donkeys". Asaram, who is facing a court trial here for allegedly sexually assaulting a teenage girl, was asked to react to the parishads decision when he was brought to the court premises. advertisement The reporter wanted to know that since the parishad, the apex body of Hindu saints in the country, had made it clear that Asaram was neither a "saint" nor a "preacher", which category did he belong to. "The category of donkeys," the self-styled godman said while climbing the stairs of the trial court, where he is being produced on a daily basis in connection with the case. Asaram had not been talking to the media during his court appearances of late in the wake of a petition filed in the high court, objecting to the presence of his devotees on the court premises. The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad has recently come up with a list of "fake babas", cautioning the countrymen against them. The names of Asaram and his son Narayan Sai feature in it. PTI CORR RC --- ENDS --- 7. Kate Tempest Let Them Eat Chaos I sometimes wonder whether Kate Tempest actually exists. Was she ever real? Or just a Guardian editors fever dream made flesh, designed to sell tote bags at boutique festivals. Im exaggerating, but the fact remains that there are many for whom, regardless of their politics, the very idea of Kate Tempest is a nauseating one, for whom phrases like socially conscious performance poet provoke a particular brand of loathing. Shes always been better than the stereotype to which her critics would reducer her, but Let Them Eat Chaos, while a decent record, is not the masterpiece she might well be capable of, and it probably wont win over anyone cynical about her past work. The album is constrained by an overambitious concept and a set of beats which are often too minimal and repetitive to be memorable. It tells the story of seven strangers all residents of the same south London street an excessive undertaking which condemns too many songs to being plodding exercises in exposition. Energetic highlights like Whoops and Europe is Lost affirm her prodigious talent however, and justify the records nomination. Let Them Eat Chaos could well win, and I wouldnt be outraged if it did. Tempest can be trite, she can be over-earnest, but she can also be brilliant. 6. Loyle Carner Yesterdays Gone I like Loyle Carner and I like this album, but I cant help feeling that its a bit tame, a bit BBC Introducing the sort of rap music that gets described as poetry in broadsheet newspapers. Its an enjoyable listen all the way through, but the somewhat hazy instrumentals often bleed into one another; the album could have done with a few more songs like NO CD to lend variety to its pacing, and to keep the slower, sensitive songs more distinct. Yesterdays Gone is an impressive and moving debut, but it feels too safe to be a defining statement. He probably wont win this year, but it wouldnt be surprising to see a future Loyle Carner album take home the prize. 5. The xx I See You The band who inspired a generation of breathy imitators to gather dust on SoundCloud returned in January with their most dynamic album to date, a necessary reaction to the comatose sound of 2012s Coexist. After the runaway success of Jamie xxs solo album In Colour, youd have expected I See You to be a reenergised affair, and that narrative broadly holds true but its marred by the fact that almost half of the album, in spite of the livelier instrumentals, manages to be fairly dull. Dangerous sounds anything but, while songs like Say Something Loving and A Violent Noise are sluggish and pretentious, bringing out the worst in a band thats never been averse to indulgence and melodrama. The latter half of the album however, contains some of the bands best material to date: Brave For You is moving and graceful, while Replica and On Hold reach the majestic heights of the bands first album, easily justifying the records inclusion on the shortlist. That very debut has already won them the prize once however, so its doubtful that this merely solid effort will bring it home again. 4. Dinosaur Together, As One Im a fraud: I dont really know anything about jazz. Ive bookmarked several guides to the genre, but Ive never properly committed to working through them. I really like Charles Mingus, but thats about the only opinion Ive managed to establish, and respect for the already canonical is hardly incisive criticism. Obviously, I should have found someone who does know about jazz to review this album nobody replies to my commissions emails though, so here we are. My own ignorance notwithstanding, I really enjoyed Together, As One. Without wishing to make it sound like the wallpaper music you might be expecting, its a subtle album, but one which never feels less than focused and deliberate. Living, Breathing and Primordial are particularly good tracks, but the album works excellently as a cohesive whole. A brief Wikipedia consultation informs me that the prize has never been won by the token jazz album; Dinosaur would be deserving recipients. 3. Stormzy Gang Signs and Prayer Where Stormzys concerned, its impossible to separate the art from the artist. As high as that line must have scored on the music writer wank-o-meter, its no surprise that such a joyful, exciting album has been made by such an instantly likeable personality. Stormzy is an immensely charismatic performer and has by far the best twitter presence of anyone on the shortlist; as much as I like Gang Signs and Prayer, Id like him to win even more than Id like the album to win. Admittedly, that does rather downplay a great debut, a diverse and modern record that isnt afraid to take risks. When hes not writing fiery big hitters like Cold and Big for Your Boots, Stormzy gets away with all sorts of songs that many rappers could only dream of, whether its tender gospel on Blinded by Your Grace, or smooth R&B on Velvet / Jenny Francis Interlude. In a year which has really picked up where 2016 left off on the being consistently shit front, Stormzy winning the Mercury Prize would be a really nice, good thing to happen. Gang Signs and Prayer isnt the era-defining, watershed moment for grime that the hype might have you expect its overlong, and not everything quite works but itd be a worthy winner that few could be disappointed by. 2. J Hus Common Sense Common Sense is the shortlists dark horse, an album that, on paper, has everything necessary to win, but that the bookies dont seem to fancy. J Hus is an immensely versatile MC, and his boundless talent allows Common Sense to jump between genres with spectacular ease. The title track dabbles in classic hip-hop to produce something triumphant and modern, while Did You See is an effortless summer anthem, sunny and endlessly infectious. Theres real heart and tactful sentiment in amongst the bangers too Spirit and Good Luck Chale are defiant without ever sounding corny while the album has a consistent sense of depth and quality which almost justifies its massive 55 minute runtime. Not all 17 songs are great, but a remarkable number are. Unfortunately though, it seems likely that, as with Kanos Made in the Manor last year, Common Sense may well be overlooked in favour of the rap album with the greater amount of public hype behind it. Id be very pleasantly surprised if it won, but Im sceptical about its chances. 1. Sampha Process Putting Sampha at the number 1 spot is hardly a hot take; its a critical darling that many believe will win, but its one of the favourites for a reason. Its a gentle, introverted album thats a lot weirder than it had to be, full of gorgeous electronic lullabies that sound confident and progressive. Process should win because its so clearly the album Sampha wanted to make. Indeed, no profile of him is complete without namechecking the dizzying array of stars with whom hes worked: in the past, Sampha has shone on tracks by Drake, Kanye, Solange, and Jessie Ware, while also having done production work for SBTRKT. Im sure its easier said than done, but presumably he could have drafted in one of his famous collaborators for a massive hit, had he wanted one. He didnt though, and however great those artists are, theyd have been out of place on this beguiling suite of songs that are so distinctly Samphas own. Its his album, and its great. SSCSU, Sidney Sussexs JCR, have today released a statement in response to Tuesdays revelations that the college hosted the pro-gay conversion group Christian Concern under the guise of The Wilberforce Academy. The statement, from the JCR President Francesca Jenkins, reads in full: Sidney Sussex College Student Union celebrates the diversity of its student community and strives to make sure all its members feel welcome and accepted. However, the current Wilberforce Academy Conference hosted by Christian Concern has compromised the safe and welcoming environment we aim to maintain. This is because they hold views that deny the very identity of many of our members. This has appalled members of the Sidney community, of all faiths, as well as the wider university. Over 300 university members have signed a petition expressing their outrage that College has hosted this conference group. We are naturally advocates of free speech but by the same token refuse to tolerate speech which threatens the experience of our colleagues. Whilst conference guests do not reflect the views of Sidney Sussex College, hosting them implicitly provides them with legitimacy that other conference venues would not provide. The University of Cambridge is unique in that it is a world renowned institution that prides itself on progress, integrity and inclusiveness. Moreover, Sidney is not only an academic institution but a home for our students throughout the year. It is a place where students should always feel comfortable to be themselves. We will therefore be taking further action to ensure Sidney remains a welcoming and inclusive environment. We have already begun productive conversations with the college to achieve this. We are proud of our long tradition of celebrating diversity and will continue to do so. We would like to reassure our incoming Freshers that Sidney is a safe and welcoming community for all. We cannot wait to welcome you into our Sidney family. Paul Holland, the Universitys News Communications Manager, also shared a statement on behalf of the college. It reads: A University spokesperson said on behalf of the College: We appreciate the concerns this private event booking has created. The College is progressive and inclusive and we benefit greatly from our diverse community and the LGBT+ initiatives within the College. The views and opinions of organisations making private bookings do not reflect those of the College or the wide variety of views held by its staff and students.' CUSU also released a statement condemning the colleges decision, and a petition has been set up Sidneys LGBTQ+, Women, Welfare, and BME Officers. ***This is a breaking story and this article will be updated as more information becomes available. If you have information about your college hosting similar groups, please get in touch with us at news@tcs.cam.ac.uk*** By PTI: Ahmedabad, Sep 14 (PTI) Japans first lady Akie Abe had a busy schedule today as she visited institutes here and interacted with visually impaired members of an NGO as well as college and school students. While her husband, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, inaugurated the countrys first bullet train project along with his counterpart Narendra Modi and attended the 12th India -Japan Annual Summit, she had a packed schedule that included meeting people and attending events. advertisement Abe and his wife arrived here yesterday on a two-day visit. Akie Abe started the day with a visit to the Andhjan Mandal (the Blind Peoples Association), where she interacted with the visually impaired members of the NGO who are being trained in a Japanese massage therapy. Experts from Japans Tsukuba University are providing them training in the Japanese Massage Manual Therapy (JMMT). She received a warm musical welcome as the members sang for her upon her arrival at the NGO premises at Vastrapur. Akie Abe then went to the Gujarat University where she interacted with students from Japan who are studying at the varsity under an exchange programme. The first lady also interacted with students learning the Japaneses language at the university in Navrangpura. She addressed the students on the topic of climate change. "I am delighted to visit Gujarat University. Best wishes," she wrote in the visitors book before leaving the varsity premises. A university employee presented a portrait of the first lady drawn by him to her on which she signed with a message, "Good luck". "The Gujarat University is going to start an interpretation centre with the support of the Japanese government. It has been named the Technology Heritage Preservation Interpretation Centre. "As part of an arrangement, a student working on his dissertation at the centre can visit any company in Japan and use its available resources for his research," said GU vice- chancellor Himanshu Pandya. Akie Abe inaugurated an Origami Mahotsav organised at the Ahmedabad Management Association by the Indo-Japan Friendship Association. School students are taking part in the mahotsav (festival). Origami is a Japanese paper folding art. A 10-year-old student, Darsh Soni, welcomed Akie Abe and displayed his Origami artwork to her. PTI KA RSY IKA --- ENDS --- NASA's Cassini spacecraft is now on course to end its 20-year mission by crashing into Saturn on Sept. 15, eliciting emotional tributes from users on various social media platforms. The spacecraft made its 127th close brush with Titan, one of Saturn's moons, for the last time in April, before setting course for its last set of 22 orbits around the ringed planet before what is called the Cassini Grand Finale. Say Goodbye To Cassini On Sept. 15 Cassini is the only spacecraft to have ever orbited Saturn, and it spent the previous five months exploring the massive planet and its rings. The spacecraft found that the region between Saturn and its rings are dust-free, a surprising discovery because the rings itself are primarily made up of dust particles. The data that resulted in the discovery of the dust-free gap between Saturn and its rings is just one of the many tidbits of information that Cassini has sent back to astronomers here on Earth. Now, the spacecraft is gearing up for a crash landing on the planet that it observed so thoroughly, as it flew past Titan one final time for a gravity assist that NASA called a final kiss goodbye. Even on its last dive, Cassini will still be doing its job, as it will sample the atmosphere of Saturn and send back data to NASA until it loses control and its signal is lost. At a speed of 76,000 miles per hour, Cassini will melt and vaporize in a moment's notice, forever melding it with Saturn. "The mission has been insanely, wildly, beautifully successful, and it's coming to an end," said Curt Niebur, a program scientist for NASA. "I find great comfort in the fact that Cassini will continue teaching us up to the very last second." Why Should Cassini Crash? If Cassini has done such a great job, why has NASA decided to crash the spacecraft into Saturn? The point of the Grand Finale is to keep Cassini away from crashing into Saturn's moons, as NASA wants to keep the conditions of Titan and Enceladus pristine for future exploration. Cassini has also accomplished its mission many times over, since it arrived at Saturn in 2004. Its fuel tank is almost empty, and it is simply time to end the $3.9 billion mission. While the crash of Cassini has been planned for months, the expressions of grief over the upcoming end of the mission are still overflowing. "This mission is special, and it's making it more difficult to say goodbye because it's lasted so long," said Cornell Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science Director Jonathan Lunine. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. To fight back against a deadly Hepatitis A outbreak, the city of San Diego has started to wash its streets with bleach. The disease has taken the lives of at least 16 people, and its spread has pushed the county to declare a public health emergency earlier this month. San Diego Fights Back Against Hepatitis A The Hepatitis A outbreak has largely infected the homeless people of San Diego, with the alleged shortage of public restrooms in the locations where they gather blamed as part of the problem. San Diego County health officials, in a letter, said that Hepatitis A was being spread through coming into contact with fecally contaminated environments and through person-to-person transmission. The county sent a directive at the end of August to demand the city to wash its streets and expand access to public restrooms. The city has started to comply with the directive, and on Sept. 11 started washing areas where homeless people frequent using a diluted solution of household bleach. The cleanup is expected to be finished by Sept. 15. In addition to cleaning its streets, San Diego city and county officials have ordered vaccination drives and the distribution of flyers pertaining to the problem. There have also been plans for possible temporary housing for the homeless, to prevent further transmission of the disease. Three facilities in San Diego have been identified for this purpose, according to an official statement of the San Diego government. How To Protect Yourself Against Hepatitis A For people who are in San Diego, and for those who will need to enter the city, there are ways to protect against possible Hepatitis A infections. Sharp Grossmont Hospital infectious disease Doctor Fadi Haddad said in an interview that the first thing that people can do to protect themselves from Hepatitis A is to receive the vaccinations, if they can afford it. For those who are not able to afford the shots, there are other measures. People are recommended to frequently wash their hands, especially after taking public transportation or using public restrooms. The virus is capable of lingering on surfaces for months, so it is better to be safe and keep washing your hands even if surfaces appear to be clean. Hepatitis A is usually not life threatening, but older patients and those who have previous liver conditions can succumb to the disease. There is no treatment or cure available for Hepatitis A, so victims will need to endure the sickness, and that can last several weeks. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Self-proclaimed critic Kamaal R Khan stooped to a level that is low by even his standards while attacking Kangana Ranaut and her sister Rangoli Chandel. By India Today Web Desk: Self-proclaimed critic and actor Kamaal R Khan, known for his habit of meddling in all matters unconcerned to him, did so in the Kangana Ranaut issue too. He had some words for Kangana's upcoming film Simran. Among other things, he said that the Hansal Mehta-directed Simran will be a flop. Kangana's sister Rangoli Chandel did not take it lightly. In tweet after tweet, Rangoli tried to show KRK his place. But little did she know the kind of levels KRK was capable to stooping to. advertisement After a full-blown Twitter fight between Rangoli and KRK, the latter dragged the battle to his level. Khan took a potshot at Rangoli's acid-attack incident. He tweeted (and later deleted), "Chudailon Ki Rani, Bhootniyon Ki Amma @Rangoli_A Pahle Apna Tezaab Se Sada Hua Chehra Sheeshe Mein Dekhlo, Mujhpe Ungli Uthaane Se Pahle. (sic)" Crow uncle god didn't make me Tezab se jala hua, someone like you full of hate and vengeance did this to me ..... @kamaalrkhan https://t.co/v4v0NOqbsI- Rangoli Chandel (@Rangoli_A) September 13, 2017 That tweet is nearly impossible to paraphrase in English without risking major loss in translation. But the gist of it was "Before pointing fingers at me, look at your acid-rotten face in the mirror." Bt God made you the way you are... bheega hua crow... you have no one to blame.. LOL @kamaalrkhan pic.twitter.com/j3n5xWKbq8- Rangoli Chandel (@Rangoli_A) September 13, 2017 An obsessive lover threw acid at Rangoli's face years ago. Rangoli underwent severe mental and physical trauma while recovering. In an earlier interview, she had spoken about the kind of horror she had to go through in that phase. "The physical pain was excruciating and at 23 the mental trauma was painful. I have lost one ear. I have lost 90% vision in one of my eyes. I have a dysfunctional breast. Acid attack is not a regular accident," she said, adding that she did not have the courage to face the mirror for three months. Now, it is a well-known fact that no yardstick in the history of social media can measure the amount of dirt that Kamaal R Khan's Twitter feed has on it every single day. From providing unsolicited advice to everyone from the prime minister of the country to filmstars, KRK is (in)famous for his tweets, which form a major part of his identity these days. And once he was done with abusing Rangoli left, right and centre, KRK, staying true to his cowardice, deleted all his tweets on the matter. He blocked Rangoli too on the micro-blogging site. Goodbye, good riddance, as Rangoli might be saying today! advertisement ALSO WATCH: Kangana at Mind Rocks Delhi 2016, the embodiment of feminism --- ENDS --- By PTI: (Eds: Correcting typo in para five) New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) Karti Chidambaram today refused to appear before the CBI in the Aircel Maxis case, his lawyer said. The agency had called Karti for questioning today in connection with the foreign investment clearance given in 2006 in the Aircel Maxis deal when his father P Chidambaram was the Finance Minister. advertisement Karti, through his lawyer, has refused to appear before the agency saying a special court had discharged all the accused in the matter. "All proceedings connected with the said (case)... were also terminated," the response said. "The response has been received by the CBI today at 10.30 am through a courier service. The response has also been sent through fax amd email," Kartis lawyer Arun Natarajan told PTI. It said after the discharge of the accused and "termination" of the proceedings, the CBI will not have jurisdiction to issue a summons in connection with the said case. According to the CBI charge sheet submitted in a special court, Mauritius-based M/s Global Communication Services Holdings Ltd. a subsidiary of Maxis, had sought approval for an investment of USD 800 million in Aircel. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) was competent to grant the approval. "However, the approval was granted by the then finance minister. Further investigation is being carried out into the circumstances of the FIPB approval granted by the then finance minister. The related issues are also being investigated," the agency had said in 2014. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy claimed that the former finance minister had given FIPB clearance to a deal that should have been referred to the CCEA, headed by the prime minister, as it alone was empowered to clear foreign investments of over Rs 600 crore. P Chidambaram, who was examined by the agency in connection with the case in 2014, had issued a statement this year, saying the FIPB approval was granted in the "normal course of business". PTI ABS RT --- ENDS --- RTS Cambridge Convention: Media Secretary Karen Bradley has stressed that Channel 4 must have a major presence outside London by the end of this Parliament in 2022. Speaking at the RTS Cambridge Convention, Bradley said that TV production is excessively concentrated in London and that Channel 4, as a publicly-owned public service broadcaster, would be key in redressing the balance. Relocation may not mean the whole business, but I am clear that Channel 4 must have a major presence outside London, and potentially increase commissioning, said Bradley. Decisions about its programming should not all be made in the bubble of Westminster. And people seeking to work in the media should not feel that they have to move to London. I will continue to work really closely with Channel 4, and my preference is to agree a way forward in concert with Channel 4. Bradley said she had already had constructive discussions with incoming chief executive Alex Mahon on the subject. She added: This is about Channel 4s long-term future, and it may take some time to resolve. We are not looking at people moving tomorrow, but I do expect change by the end of this Parliament and I hope to reach an agreement with Channel 4 on the direction forward by the end of the year. Bradley pointed to a public consultation on the issue, and said that the overwhelming majority of respondents stated that Channel 4s regional impact would be enhanced if more of its people and activities were located outside London. She added that a significant majority further agreed that increasing Channel 4s commissioning quotas would be an appropriate and effective way to enhance Channel 4s impact in the nations and regions. We also commissioned independent economic analysis. This is due to report to us next week, but emerging findings suggest there would be regional economic benefits from relocating Channel 4 and from increasing commissioning," said Bradley. Share this story RTS Cambridge Convention: Broadcasters need to improve the diversity of their employees, Ofcom said today, unveiling a major study of diversity in TV which says that women, ethnic-minority groups and disabled people are all under-represented in the industry. Ofcoms report, Diversity and equal opportunities in television, focuses on the main five broadcasters the BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Sky and Viacom (owner of Channel 5). Ofcom concludes that broadcasters need to widen the range of talent working on and off screen, adding that too many people from minority groups struggle to get into television, creating a cultural disconnect between the people who make programmes and the millions who watch them. Ofcom also called on broadcasters to urgently undertake better, more regular monitoring of the make-up of their employees. The Ofcom report found that women are under-represented in the industry. Women account for 48% of employees across the five main broadcasters, versus 51% of the wider UK population. Channel 4 has the highest number of female employees at 59%, followed by ITV (52%), Viacom (51%), the BBC (47%) and Sky (42%). Older men are generally more likely to be employed than older women. For example, 30% of men employed by the BBC are over the age of 50, compared to 22% of women a difference of eight percentage points. The gap between the proportion of male and female employees aged 50 and over is much smaller at Channel 4 13% compared to 9%, a difference of four percentage points. Women are even less well represented at senior levels. All of the main five broadcasters have more men in senior roles than women. Viacom has the highest proportion of women at senior management level (48%), followed by ITV at 42% and the BBC at 39%. Women occupy 36% of senior roles at Channel 4, while Sky has the lowest proportion of senior female employees at 31%. Ethnic minority employees are also under-represented. Ethnic minority employees make up 12% of employees across the five main broadcasters, lower than the UK population average of 14%. Two of the five main broadcasters employ a higher proportion of people from an ethnic minority background than the UK average: Channel 4 at 18%, and Viacom at 16%. The BBC ranks joint-third with Sky, at 13%, while the lowest proportion of people from an ethnic minority background is found at ITV, at 8%. Ethnic-minority representation is even lower at senior levels. Across the BBC only 6% of senior roles are made up of people from an ethnic minority background, with only ITV having a lower proportion. Sky has the highest proportion of senior employees from an ethnic minority background (up to 15%), followed by Viacom and Channel 4 (up to 10%). The Ofcom report also says that disabled people appear to be significantly under-represented. Just 3% of employees across the five main broadcasters self-report as disabled, compared to 18% of the UK population. Channel 4 has the highest proportion of disabled employees at 11%, and Viacom the lowest at 1%. Four per cent of the BBCs employees are disabled. Sky provided disability information on only 2% of its employees, and ITV on fewer than half. Sharon White, Ofcom Chief Executive, said: Television is central to the UKs cultural landscape, society and creative economy, and we believe that creativity in broadcasting thrives on diversity of thinking. Todays report paints a worrying picture, with many broadcasters failing properly to monitor the make-up of their employees. Were announcing a range of measures to help close the gap between the people making programmes, and the many millions who watch them. Ofcom acknowledged that while some broadcasters are already taking action to improve diversity, a step-change across industry is required, with action needed by broadcasters. The regulator said broadcasters should regularly measure and monitor the make-up of their workforce to a consistently high standard, capturing every relevant protected characteristic under the Equality Act, and all main job levels and functions. Ofcom also said it expects broadcasters to set clear diversity targets so their employees more accurately reflect the society we live in. Ofcom added that diversity transformation should be led from the top, and that chief executives should be accountable for delivery against their diversity targets. Ofcom added that it intends to hold broadcasters to account on equal opportunities obligations. We have examined in detail the arrangements each broadcast licensee has in place to promote equal employment opportunities, in line with their licence condition. Licensees we feel have inadequate arrangements in place will be asked to explain how they intend to meet their obligations. Share this story By Reuters: A fire at an Islamic boarding school for boys killed at least 24 people, most of them students, in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur on Thursday morning, officials said. Officials suspected an electrical short circuit caused the blaze that broke out in a top floor dormitory, where most of the students perished. The fire at Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, a "tahfiz" boarding school where students learn to memorise the Koran, was reported around 5.40 a.m. local time (2140 GMT Wednesday), according to a statement from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department. advertisement The officials initially gave a death toll of 25 people, but later revised it to 22 students and 2 wardens. The blaze began in the sleeping quarters on the top floor of the three-storey school building, the statement said. Kuala Lumpur police chief Amar Singh told reporters the boys who died were aged 13-17, and that they were probably suffocated due to smoke inhalation. The dormitory had only one entrance, leaving many of the victims trapped inside, he said. Some witnesses said they had heard the students crying for help after the fire broke out. "They're still counting the bodies, which were piled on top of each other in a corner," Singh said. Hundreds of people, including families of some victims were gathered outside the school, as more bodies were being removed by fire officials. The police chief said no foul play was suspected. Abu Obaidat bin Mohamad Saithalimat, deputy director of the fire department told reporters outside the school that the fire was likely caused by short circuit. Seven people were taken to a nearby hospital for injuries, while 11 others were rescued, officials said. Tahfiz schools, which are unregulated by the education ministry and fall under the purview of the religious department, have been under scrutiny since earlier this year when an 11-year-old boy died after reported abuse in Johor, north of Singapore. ALSO READ| US: Shooting reported at high school in Washington state's Spokane, one dead --- ENDS --- Shameer, who was running a furniture shop in Kannur, was a local leader of the Popular Front of India and had migrated to Syria in 2015 with his wife Fausia and two sons and daughter. By Jeemon Jacob: Even as more and more Islamic State posts continue to fall in Syria, more deaths are being reported from IS war zones. According to intelligence sources, 43-year-old PV Shameer, son of Musthafa from Kannur, has reportedly been killed in Syria while "fighting for the ISIS". Shameer, who was running a furniture shop in Kannur, was a local leader of the Popular Front of India and had migrated to Syria in 2015 with his wife Fausia and two sons and daughter. advertisement Shameer had taken his family with him to Saudi Arabia on the pretext that "his son Salman wanted to pursue Islamic studies in Saudi Arabia". During Operation Pigeon, Kerala intelligence officials found that he was in Syria and was involved in ISIS activities. His family came to know about his death a week ago and informed the police. The Kerala police has unearthed that around 54 men joined ISIS ranks from the state since 2014 with 13 persons being reported as killed in Syria and Afghanistan. How ISIS lures youth with women, meat, chocolates to recruit in Kerala. An India Today exclusive Shameer was a semi-literate man who had studied only till class 8. He had subsequently gotten involved with the National Development Front, an earlier version of the PFI. He had married Fausia and the couple had three children - 20-year-old Salman, 16-year-old Safwan and 12-year-old Sajitha. In 2015, in the run up to his moving to Saudi Arabia, he had told his relatives in Kerala that his son Salman had got admission in Madeena University in Saudi Arabia for a degree course and that he had also managed to secure employment there. Shameer and his family left Kerala in December 2015. Shameer's family has been listed among the missing families in Kerala by the Intelligence wing. Their whereabouts continue to be unknown. Shameer had last contacted his brother Rahim on July 5, 2016, from Saudi Arabia from the number 00 966582056104. Intelligence agencies and NIA have intensified alerts against the persons with IS links in Kerala after 10 others, who were radicalized, vanished from the state. REVELATIONS OF A KERALA YOUTH WHO WENT FOR JIHAD IN SYRIA A detailed statement given by 34-year-old Abdul Razak who had gone to Syria for Jihad and was arrested by the Turkish police while crossing Syrian border revealed how youngsters from Kerala are lured into the Islamic State fold. Abdul Razak, another semi-literate, was arrested along with VK Shahjahan, another youth from Kannur on May 17, 2017. Both were deported to India on July 1 last. advertisement On arrival, both Shahjahan and Abdul Razak were arreted by the NIA. While Razak was released after interrogation, Shahjahan continues to be in NIA custody. Razak reached home in Kannur on July 17. At least 2 of 20 ISIS Kerala recruits feared dead in Afghanistan MOAB attack Intelligence official met him and recorded his statement. His statement revealed that a radical network operating in the state is luring the youth by offering them jobs in Europe and trafficking them to IS territories. This is the first time that human trafficking has been linked to IS module in the state. Read Razak's statement to the NIA:I've been living in Coimbatore with family for the last 34 years. I'd studied up to class 6 and was helping my father who was running a shop in Coimbatore. I married Afsath, a native of Kolachery in Kannur in 2007. We have three kids. I built a house in Palliyath in 2012. Since then my family lives there. I applied for a passport in 2014 and went to Qatar on a visitor's visa arranged by my relative Yusuf and worked as a domestic help with an Arab family for six months. advertisement I returned home in 2015 and set up a mini supermarket in Palliyath in Kannur with my brother-in-law. I met Abdul Khayeem, a native of Motta, in Kannur, who worked as a newspaper agent for Thejus newspaper, the mouthpiece of Popular Front of India. He influenced me to subscribe to the newspaper at my home and supermarket. I didn't pay for the newspaper subscription. I'd earlier attended Empower India Conference in Bangalore organised jointly by National Development Front in Kerala, Forum for Dignity in Karnataka and Manitha Neethi Pasare in Tamil Nadu in 2007. I became close to Abdul Khayeem as my leanings were towards political ideology supported by PFI. In 2016, I had a rift with my brother-in-law and decided to sell my shop. In February 2017, I started another super market in Kattampally area in Kannur. Meanwhile, Abdul Khayeem told me that he was planning to go to Europe for employment and offered me his assistance in getting a job there. I was tempted by his offer and paid Rs 2,42,000 for the visa. I sold my shop, some gold ornaments and scooter and raised the required amount. We had applied for a visitor's visa for UAE on April 8, 2017, by paying Rs 8,000 each from Akbar Travels, Kannur, and purchased a ticket for Sharjah for Rs 9,000. We left for Sharjah on April 18 last from Karippur airport, Kozhikode. We took a room at the Sun Rise Hotel in Sharjah for three days. On April 19 we applied for an Iranian Visa at the embassy and received the visa the next day and purchased a ticket for Tehran. advertisement Another Kerala youth killed in Afghanistan fighting for ISIS? On April 21, Abdul Khayeem disclosed that he was going to Syria from Tehran and asked me to accompany him. I was not ready to go with him to Syria as I was scared. Then he reassured me that he would arrange a visa to Greece from Turkey. I decided to go with him as I had no choice. We left Sharjah for Tehran on April 21 and reached there around 6 pm. In Tehran, we met V.K. Shajahan, a native of Kanjirod in Kannur. He arranged a room in Hotel Himmat and we stayed there for three days. Abdul Khayeem changed his name to Khalid and Shahjahan as Howvad and asked me to address them only in their fake names. Shahjahan also introduced us to Mustafa, a Turkish national, during our stay at the hotel. On April 22, a car picked us up from the hotel and dropped us off at Thabris on the Iran-Turkey border on April 23. We were accommodated in a house where 30 persons were living. We stayed there for four days. On April 27, a tempo picked us up from the shelter and took us to another house. It took us four hours to reach our new shelter. Later another car took us to another destination. We were forced to walk for around 10 hours to reach another place. From there, another hour-long tempo traveller ride later we were dropped at a remote place. There we met a Turkish smuggler Ali Mack and we took a SIM card from him in exchange for some money and stayed there for three days. From there we went to Istanbul by bus. We stayed for nine days in Istanbul. During our stay there, we met a Russian and our names changed again. Shahjahan changed his name to Unis and my name was changed to Azeez Rahid. We also received refugee cards in the same names. On our way to the Syrian border, we were detained by the police and were released after they verified our refugee cards. Towards evening, we reached a forest and could hear noises of cross-firing in the distance. Abdul Khayeem vanished from our group there. We found a hiding place in the forest and stayed there for a day. On May 17, the Turkish police arrested our group and jailed us for 45 days. We reached New Delhi on July 1 and were arrested by the NIA. I was interrogated by the NIA and released after which I reached home on July 17. WATCH: India Today penetrates Islamic State's India module, terror tapes reveal recruitment drive in Kerala --- ENDS --- By PTI: Jammu, Sep 14 (PTI) The displaced Kashmiri Pandits today observed martyrs day and dedicated a memorial here to hundreds of their community leaders and members killed by Pakistani raiders and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir since 1947. The memorial was set up on the banks of the Ranbir canal, a tributary of the river Chanderbagga popularly known as river Chinab. advertisement The memorial was inaugurated by Swami Kumar G and BJP MLC G L Raina who were flanked by British leader Lakshmi Kauland former Jammu Municipal Corporation Commissioner Kiran Watal at a function here. "We have setup a martyr memorial at banks of Ranbir canal as a tribute to martyrs of Kashmiri Pandits (KP) since 1947. It is a tribute to our community members including leaders, academicians, judges, journalists, teachers, poets and bureaucrats killed by terrorists and Pakistan raiders since 1947", Atharot organisation Chief Kanwal Peshin said. Meanwhile in Kashmir, Kashmiri Pandits observed the "martyrs day" in Verinag in the South Kashmirs Anantnag district. They paid tributes to those killed in violence in the state. A large gathering shoutedslogans and paid floral tributes toKashmiri Hindus and Kashmiri Pandits killed in the Valley. Since 1990, Kashmiri Pandits all across the globe have beenobserving this day to pay homage to allthose who laid down their lives while battlingterrorist in Kashmir. "It is for the first time that KPs have observed Balidan divas in Kashmir. We paid tributes to martyrs of the community at Verinag spring in Anantnag in South Kashmir", said Vinood Pandita who led All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) activists. "We have paid tributes to KP members killed by terrorists, Pakistan raiders and anti-community violence since 1931", Pandita said. It was on this day 28 years ago when Pandit Tika Lal Tiploo, a fearless leader of Kasmiri Panditsfellto the assassins bullets in the streets of Kashmir and the dayhas acquired a reverential status since then, he added. All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) organised a programme in Jammu and paid tributes to martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause of the country since militancy started in the State particularly in Kashmir. Rich tributes where paid to martyrs especially two veteran pandit leaders - Tika Lal Taploo and Prem Nath Bhat. ASKPC president Ravinder Raina said that September 14th was dedicated to the memory of Kashmiri Pandit martyrs. advertisement "It was on this day that the first Kashmiri Pandit Tika Lal Taploo fell to the assassins bullet after the terrorists had declared psychological war on the minority Hindu population in Kashmir Valley," he said. Many innocent lives were lost to terrorist violence after that day and within a few months the entire Hindu population left the Valley, he said. "How can this day of significance in the history of Kashmiri Pandits be forgotten? Let this years Balidan Divas be the reminder of our resolve to keep our culture and traditions alive, wherever we may live," Rina said. "Let us pay our homage to our martyrs and show solidarity for our motherland (Maej Kasheer). We should organise prayer services at local Temples also," he added. The observance of the September 14 as the Martyrs Day reminds the community of the historical facts regarding its ethnic cleansing. Chairman Kashmiri Pandit Joint ActionAshwani Kumar Chrungoo said that the issues related to the genocide and ethnic cleansing of the pandit community were very sensitive and emotional. "We have demanded the setting up of a Special Crimes Tribunal that would investigate all those cases of murder, mayhem and persecution of Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir and also fix responsibility on the perpetrators of such crimes against humanity and bring them to justice," Chrungoo said. advertisement The issue related to the resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits was also brought before Home Minister Rajnath Singh. It was made clear that Kashmiri Pandits can only be resettled in Kashmir by addressing their geo political aspirations as envisaged in the historical Margdarshan Resolution in the form of a separate homeland with free flow of the Indian Constitution and without Art 370 and 35-A, Chrungoo said. PTI AB MRJ --- ENDS --- Lawrence Michael Handley has been indicted in the Aug. 6 kidnapping of his estranged wife in a bizarre case that ended in the drowning deaths of the two kidnappers as they fled from police. A Lafayette Parish grand jury indicted Handley, 49, on charges of conspiracy to commit second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping, aggravated kidnapping, attempted second-degree kidnapping, second-degree kidnapping, and violation of a domestic violence protective order. The victim was bound, blindfolded and gagged by two men who entered her home and then forced her into a van. When they ran into a traffic jam on Interstate 10 in West Baton Rouge, the men Sylvester Bracey and Arsenio Montreal Haynes, both 27 and both of Jackson, Mississippi abandoned the van and ran into the woods. Police later found their bodies in the Intracoastal canal, where they had drowned. The victim has claimed in divorce filings following the incident that Handley wanted to have her kidnapped and killed to keep her from accessing their community property. Since his arrest, a judge has also granted another restraining order barring him from accessing any of the couple's shared assets. Handley co-founded Townsend, a Louisiana network of substance abuse treatment centers for which he worked as CEO. The company, which advertises opioid-addiction medicine Suboxone as part of its treatment repertoire, recently sold for a cash and stock deal valued at $21.25 million. Handley remains in the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center, where he has been since his arrest at a Slidell motel four days after the kidnapping. See the KATC story here. A little dip in the temperature, a slight drop in the humidity, and I'm usually running for all things pumpkin. This year, I decided to delay the full onset of fall fever with a little butternut squash soup and some toasty cornbread croutons. This is a basic soup recipe I make often, but it's easy to tweak the spices, swap out the squash for zucchini in the summer and butternut or, yes, pumpkin, in the fall. Sometimes I make a vegetarian version by omitting the shrimp and using vegetable stock. It fits just about any temperature or mood. I also picked up a neat little variety pack of vegetables fresh peppers, okra and dainty little fairy tale eggplant while on my weekly trip to the farmers market. I love to roast carrots with the warm flavor of cumin mixed with honey and olive oil, so I used the same dressing recipe with this mix of vegetables. The result was a platter full of color. So dust off those fall flavors while you can! Here in Louisiana, we know these cool snaps can come and go in a hot minute. Teresa B. Day is a local food writer and author of the I Eat BR blog. You can reach her at ieatbrla@gmail.com. The Newtron Group and founder Newton B. Thomas have committed $1.5 million to the Water Campus, a 35-acre science campus on the riverfront downtown. The Baton Rouge Area Foundation and its real estate division, Commercial Properties Realty Trust, are building the Water Campus where scientists and engineers can work together to find ways to adapt to climate change, rising seas and flooding coastlands. To honor the contribution, the foundation will emboss company founder Thomas name on the landing for the old city dock, which will connect to the campuss centerpiece, the headquarters of The Water Institute of the Gulf. The Newtron Group and subsidiary Triad Electric & Controls are among the largest industrial contractors on the GulfCoast with offices in Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, Beaumont, Houston and Martinez, California. "His company and his employees have quietly contributed millions over the decades to make lives better in their home city and across the southeast," said John G. Davies, president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation. "Their commitment to the Water Campus will help us build a place that is as remarkable as the research that is taking place there." Thomas understands the danger to coastal communities, Davies said. His father was born in Port Eads, a coastal Louisiana community that no longer exists because of coastal erosion and rising sea levels. The campus will be more than 1.5 million square feet when completed over a decade. The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and the LSU Center for River Studies are the first two tenants. The Water Institute will locate to the campus early next year. At least two more buildings are scheduled to begin construction next year. Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission Two more people have been arrested in the July 22 homicide of a 61-year-old Walker gun collector, the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office reported Wednesday night. The latest arrests, of a St. Amant man and a juvenile, were made after investigators learned the pair returned to the scene with another suspect to steal guns and remove evidence from the home of the victim, Rick McBride, Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard said. Ard said Jace Chiquelin and the juvenile were paid by 18-year-old Blayson Fife, who was previously arrested in the killing, to drive him back to McBride's house to steal more items and to remove broken glass and other evidence from the scene. McBride's lifeless body was in plain view of the two hired help, Ard said. The house in the 13900 block of Pine Park Drive, a dead-end street is surrounded by woods. "Glass from a shattered laundry room window was removed from the home," Ard said in a news release. "The glass and some other evidence from the crime scene were dumped in a wooded area along the route they drove back into Ascension Parish." Chiquelin, 19, of 45317 Butch Gore Road, St. Amant, was booked into the Livingston Parish Detention Center on accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and principal to aggravated burglary. He was arrested Friday and was released from parish jail Tuesday on a $200,000 bond.. The juvenile, who was not identified, was arrested Friday on accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and aggravated battery. These two arrests now bring to 5 the number of people accused of being accessories in the slaying. Two others Fife, of 18076 Little Prairie, Prairieville, and 20-year-old Joe Anthony Baluch were previously arrested on first-degree murder and other counts in the killing. Ard said the pair targeted McBride after they learned he was a gun collector. Three other teens were also previously arrested on accessory after the fact to first-degree murder in the case. Ard said the trio and Fife were arrested in Texas trying to escape arrest in Louisiana. They had been stopped by federal border patrol officers in the El Paso area near the border with Mexico. "As you can see, (there are a) lot of folks involved in this case," Ard said. "Lots of evidence to process. But, when you follow the facts, the truth will come to light. And, we wont stop until weve looked at everything. This investigation is ongoing." Ernie Ballard, LSU spokesman, confirms that LSU Police Department is investigating the death of Max Gruver, an 18-year-old LSU student and Phi Delta Theta pledge, as a hazing incident. LSU President F. King Alexander called hazing dangerous and irresponsible and announced that all Greek activities on campus have been suspended indefinitely. That means no Greek organized social activities or pledging, he said. Gruver was transported to Our Lady of the Lake Hospital on Thursday morning where he was pronounced dead, university officials said. More details to come. In the future, new houses in Baton Rouge may need to be built higher, new neighborhoods could face additional drainage requirements, and construction of all types might have to allocate more green spaces. The Metro Council on Wednesday directed planning staff to review the city-parish's floodplain ordinance and think of ways to encourage building projects designed to keep residents dry in a storm. "These are issues we need to grapple with. I pretty much think everything is on the table here," said Planning Director Frank Duke. East Baton Rouge needs to work with engineers to develop more-stringent policies and to update the floodplain construction rules in the Unified Development Code, said Councilman Buddy Amoroso, who requested the review. A decade ago, there was less construction in flood zones, but now developers want to build in potentially dangerous areas, and the code hasn't kept up with the possibly perilous development. Officials need to make sure such construction is safe, Amoroso said. "We want to do it right. You don't want to put a Band-Aid on something that's a major problem," he continued. Also, the council again agreed to budget more money to pay for debris removal and damage to city-parish property from last summer's flood. The cost has risen to $69.5 million, though the federal government is expected to pay 90 percent of those expenses and has already reimbursed the city-parish about $40 million, said Assistant Finance Director Linda Hunt. The new bills include about $1.5 million for additional debris removal and another $2.5 million for sewer repairs such as fixing the 65 pump stations that went underwater and replacing flooded generators, Hunt said. Duke said East Baton Rouge can consider a variety of possible code changes. He specifically noted that when he worked in Norfolk, Virginia, a few years ago, the community decided to protect against floods by requiring buildings be constructed 3 feet above the base flood elevation. Norfolk had previously required only 1 foot of elevation, which is Baton Rouge's current standard. Baton Rouge also currently has no limits on the amount of "impervious surfaces" on a given property, Duke noted. Impervious surfaces include building footprints, parking lots and other land where water can't drain and sloshes off. The city-parish may consider taking steps to require more green spaces where water can soak into the ground during a storm. It may also look at ways to hold more water on large developments, such as higher standards for retention ponds, the planning director continued. The council unanimously and with little discussion asked Duke's office and the Department of Development to study the matter and return with suggestions. Duke said he was not sure how long the review would take. The Metro Council also gave the Mayor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness the go-ahead to apply for federal flood mitigation money. There's a quarter-billion dollars up for grabs nationwide. MOHSEP Director Clay Rives said the money could go to help property owners elevate their buildings or to allow the city-parish to buy out properties so they can be reverted to spillway. Now that the council has waved him through, Rives said he would prepare a proposal. The grants, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, are not related to the flood or any other disaster, so East Baton Rouge will be competing with other municipalities for a slice of the funding. The federal grants cover 75 percent of the cost of any projects that are accepted. By PTI: China By K J M Varma Beijing, Sep 14 (PTI) Oceanic administrators from 13 island countries, including Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Mauritius, will gather in southeast Chinas Fujian Province on September 21 to discuss cooperation in sustainable development. Participants will discuss sustainable economic development, environmental protection, climate change and disaster prevention and reduction, and sea water desalination at the round-table conference in Pingtan, an island in Fujian, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. advertisement Twenty-nine foreign representatives from 13 island countries including Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Mauritius and Fiji have confirmed attendance at the conference Gu Wu, head of the legal affairs and islands department under the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) said. Island countries are facing great environmental challenges, including climate change, rising sea levels and ocean acidification, Gu said. "The conference will boost pragmatic cooperation between China and island countries, and help establish a blue partnership based on marine cooperation," said Gu. PTI KJV PMS --- ENDS --- Attorney General Jeff Landry is warning people to beware of flooded cars that may wind up for sale in Louisiana after devastating hurricanes hit Texas and Florida in recent weeks. In a two-minute public service announcement released Thursday, Landry offers tips for potential vehicle-buyers to use to suss out potential problems, including pulling back carpet to check for water damage, looking for signs of fogging in light panels and seeking vehicle history reports. Louisiana helps Texas as it plans for Harvey housing recovery efforts Temporary housing programs were met with mixed reviews after historic floods swept Louisiana "I don't want you to get taken for a ride," Landry says in the video as dramatic music plays in the background. Landry said that its estimated more than 1 million vehicles were damaged when Hurricane Harvey hit Texas and Hurricane Irma hit Florida. "They could be sold to unsuspecting Louisiana citizens like you," he warns. The Wharf Revue: The Patriotic Rag. Written and created by Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott. Sydney Theatre Company. The Playhouse. Canberra Theatre Centre. Until September 23. Bookings 6275 2700 or canberratheatrecentre.com.au. Those supreme tsars of political satire have once again stormed into town with their uproarious brand of lampoonery. Regular revue larrikins Jonathan Biggins, Phillip Scott and Drew Forsythe are joined by the incandescent Blazey Best for a night of hilarious mockery and savage swipes at the sacred cows of our political establishment. Fine romance: Jonathan Biggins (left) as Donald Trump and Drew Forsythe as Vladimir Putin lend an ominous tone to the song Let's Face the Music and Dance. Credit:Karleen Minney No one is immune from their biting ridicule, cloaked in ribald humour yet disguising an uneasy barb beneath. The pearls of comic genius are still there in this year's Wharf Revue. Biggins gives a lizard-like performance as the budgie-smugglered Tony Abbott, slithering to I'm Mad, a thinly veiled parody of Michael Jackson's Bad. Whether impersonating the late John Clarke in a Clarke and Dawe skit with Forsythe or caricaturing Donald Trump, Biggins is the master of mimicry. An ACT Supreme Court jury acquitted a Canberra man on Thursday of sexually assaulting his partner in their home. The 68-year-old, who cannot be named because it would identify his partner, faced trial this week after pleading not guilty to a charge of sexual assault in the third degree. He denied the alleged incident ever happened. The pair's relationship started out well but had deteriorated by December 20, 2015, the court heard. They still lived together in a Canberra home but in separate rooms. It was alleged the woman was in bed that evening when the man came into her room. She said he grabbed her ankles and pulled her down to the end of the bed. Liberal gambling spokesman Mark Parton has indicated he would support voluntary pre-commitment at poker machines in Canberra's clubs and casino ahead of a gambling roundtable on Friday. The clubs long-held monopoly on poker machines in Canberra will be broken if a draft bill to allow 200 poker machines and 60 automated game terminals in the Canberra casino passes in the ACT Legislative Assembly. Harm minimisation in clubs will be discussed at a gambling roundtable in Canberra on Friday. Credit:Quentin Jones However the legislation will force gamblers playing poker machines at the casino to nominate upfront how much they are prepared to lose over 24 hours, in the first mandatory pre-commitment scheme in the country. On Thursday, Mr Parton said mandatory pre-commitment did not work and he could not see his party supporting it. A top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, who was accused of killing eight Amarnath Yatra pilgrims earlier this year, was gunned down by security forces in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Naugam region. By Shuja-ul-Haq : A top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, who was accused of killing eight Amarnath Yatra pilgrims earlier this year, was gunned down by security forces in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Naugam region today. Abu Ismail, who was in his 30s, had been a part of the Lashkar's active team for the last seven years. He had activated the overground operatives of the Lashkar in the Valley to carry out the Amarnath attack. advertisement On July 10, Lashkar terrorists had attacked a bus carrying pilgrims in Batengo area of the Srinagar-Jammu highway, leaving eight pilgrims dead. The probe into the Amarnath attack shows that the terrorists wanted to take some of the pilgrims hostages. A reconnaissance of the route was conducted for three days. Ismail had virtually taken over the LeT operational command from Abu Dujana and was seen more active in organising the network of the overground workers. The July 10 attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims took place despite specific intelligence input on June 25 that terrorists may target pilgrims. On July 10, terrorists had first fired at two police posts before fleeing and then opening fire at the bus that was carrying a group of pilgrims returning from the Amarnath Yatra. The bus was not officially registered with the Amarnath Shrine Board and was without police escort. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti while condemning the attack had said that Kashmiris' heads hang in shame. The Amarnath terror attack was the worst since 2000 when 30 Amarnath pilgrims were killed after terrorists attacked a base camp in Pahalgam. ALSO READ: Amarnath Yatra attack: Terrorists acted out of desperation, early assessment shows When 30 Amarnath pilgrims were killed in terror attack 17 years ago WATCH VIDEO | Lashkar terrorist Abu Ismail, who plotted Amarnath Yatra attack, killed in Naugam encounter --- ENDS --- Unions ACT has urged the territory government to audit privately-owned buildings in Canberra that may have combustible cladding and create a public register all buildings for such products. The government is currently auditing all ACT government-owned buildings to identify all such buildings with combustible cladding, to identify any that may need removal. The Lacrosse Building in Docklands, Melbourne, where a fire in 2014 was partly fuelled by combustible cladding. While the government's cladding working group chairman Geoffrey Rutledge said the group was working with the private sector to identify any such buildings in Canberra, that work has stopped short of conducting a full audit. Unions ACT secretary Alex White said the union was concerned the government was doing "the bare minimum" when it came to privately-owned buildings. Australia's largest pokies manufacturer denies that gamblers might be misled by the uneven spread of symbols and varying reel sizes on slot machines, pointing to the "plethora" of explanatory information in brochures and online. In a bid to defend itself from allegations that its poker machines are deceptive and designed to feed addiction, the ASX-listed Aristocrat Leisure said anyone unclear about how the pokies worked had "ready access" to answers. Aristocrat Leisure says anyone unclear about how pokies work has "ready access" to answers. Credit:Peter Braig "If you are confused and want to seek answers," said Peter Jopling QC, for Aristocrat, "we say they are very easily available. "There is a wealth of information ... in pretty plain, vanilla language." Clive Palmer has arrived at a Brisbane court to fight a legal bid by taxpayer-funded liquidators to freeze more than $200 million worth of his personal assets. Government-appointed special purpose liquidators PPB Advisory are also seeking freezing orders against the assets of Palmer-related companies, such as QNI Metals, QNI Resources and Mineralogy. Clive Palmer at the Brisbane Supreme Court. Credit:AAP Mr Palmer arrived at the Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday morning for the first of two scheduled days before Justice John Bond. In court documents, the former politician has criticised his opponents' case as largely baseless and lacking in the necessary urgency to justify such orders being made. The stoush between AGL and the federal government could escalate into a situation where private power stations are nationalised, Grattan Institute energy program director Tony Wood has warned. The government is pressuring AGL plan to reverse its planned closure of the 1000 megawatt capacity Liddell power station in NSW. "[Nationalisation] is pretty well already the case in Queensland, NSW and South Australia," Mr Wood told the Future Energy summit in Melbourne on Wednesday night referring to their more highly regulated markets. "If you look at the actions by the government, they may not say it is nationalisation, but it is not hard to come to that rationalisation." The ACT Parliament deserves kudos for its decision, made with tripartisan support, to replace Family and Community Day with Australia's first Reconciliation Day public holiday. Canberra's first Reconciliation Day will fall on Monday, May 28, 2018, 51 years after the historic referendum that amended the constitution to allow the Federal Government to pass laws relating to indigenous Australians. The historic vote, supported by more than 90 per cent of the electorate, paved the way for the inclusion of Aboriginal people in the census and the abolition of racist and segregationist laws that had been passed by many Australian states. Canberra's decision comes as the debate over whether or not Australia Day, which is currently celebrated on January 26, should be moved to a less controversial date. Yes/No? I will decide I found Keith Hill's suggestion that people who plan to vote "no" in the gay marriage survey (September 13) should abstain amusing. The "yes" vote will probably win anyway and all his suggestion would do, if adopted, is to reduce the credibility of the outcome. If I vote "yes", it will e.g. be because I know how much a certain gay friend of mine would like to marry her long-time partner but, if I vote "no", it will be because of people like Keith Hill trying to shut down opposition to the proposal and because our Andy thought he had the right to waste $22,000 of our money painting rainbows on our busses. Stan Marks, Hawker Bad way to campaign My postal survey form on same-sex marriage has arrived. I'll be voting "yes" because, for me, that is the compassionate and equitable way to vote. I also found in my letter box a totally anonymous "Vote No" flyer. It stated in part "When you vote no, your free speech won't go! If you vote yes, it'll make a big mess!". I sincerely hope this is not the level of debate we can expect from the "No" campaign, and I sincerely hope it is not an indication of the readiness of some of its elements to campaign anonymously. Peter Dark, Karabar, NSW Personal info private Re Nicholas Stuart's opinion piece ("We're losing control over our personal information", September 13, 16). The ABS never has and never will sell personal information. The ABS is required by law (Census & Stats Act 1905 and Privacy Act 1988) to ensure the privacy and secrecy of personal information and this is our primary responsibility. Data available from the ABS is de-identified and does not enable identification of personal information or individuals. Within privacy and secrecy requirements, the ABS enables effective and safe use of the statistics and data that we produce, consistent with the Australian Government Public Data Policy Statement to deliver as much value as possible to the community from our public data. This is to support decision making, stimulate innovation, and enable better economic, social and environmental outcomes. Most ABS data and statistics are available free on the ABS website and we encourage its use to create new insights and inform important decisions. David Kalisch, Australian Statistician, Canberra Rebel with a cause Good on Rebel Wilson for saying she will use money from her defamation case for scholarships. C. Davis, Melbourne, Vic. Fuzzy logic alert Re: Pathetic Attitude (Letters, September 14). The logic of writers like Rosemary Walters escapes me. In World War II, Australia was fighting on its own doorstep for survival. Churchill was willing to see Australia fall. The Americans helped a great deal to save Australia but it was our own troops that stopped the Japanese in new Guinea. The Greens are so bent by climate change, they want to shut down completely the coal industry (and presumably export of all hydro-carbons) the major sources of national income and their push for renewable energy has given Australia the world's highest energy prices that will swiftly destroy what manufacturing base we have left. So, if energy exports cease, as the Greens would like, with an Australia completely dependent on imports of liquid fuels and no in-country manufacturing left (read no jobs), it has to be back to the farm, horse and buggy. How crazy is that? M. Flint, Erindale Barnaby caught out It was reported that Barnaby Joyce was left red-faced after attempting to steal a kiss from Fiona Nash. As Barnaby often looks red faced, does this mean he has attempted to steal many kisses over the years? John Milne, Chapman Government's money trail shows where social priorities really lie Three recent reports on canberratimes.com.au illustrate the true priorities of this putrid ACT Labor-Greens government. "ACT government spends almost $850,000 advertising Ginninderry development." (September 13) "No Office of Mental Health nearly one year on from ACT election". (September 12) "Conflict Resolution Service to halve output after ACT budget maintains funding" (September 12.) As predicted before this year's ACT budget, the Conflict Resolution Service, which aims to keep vulnerable Canberrans out of the justice system, has to reduce its services after failing to secure extra government financial support. This is despite having increased its output tenfold over the past 10 years with a corresponding measly 2.7 per cent financial increase from the government over the same time. Community Services Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith, who campaigned for election last year on a platform of supporting the Canberra community, now seems to have joined her developer-driven colleagues. She is quoted as saying: "I congratulate Shawn van der Linden and the team at CRS for the work they have done over the last year to ensure CRS has a sustainable model going forward." This "sustainable model" means at best people wait longer and at worst descend into protracted, irretrievable disputes which often result in violence and criminal charges. Compare the trifling $120,000 sought by CRS with the almost $850,000 spent to advertise a residential development. At least we know where this mob's priorities lie. Graham Downie, O'Connor Dirty hands Strictly speaking, Michael Warrington (Letters, September 12) is correct in pointing out that Australia's greenhouse emissions are relatively minuscule about 1.8 per cent of the global total, or approximately 400 million tons per annum related to energy production. We are, however one of the largest emitters on a per capita basis and to be a good global citizen we should show some leadership. The obvious way to do that is to stop the Adani mine, which is set to produce 2.3 billion tons of low quality, high ash coal leading to 4.7 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions (according to Wikipedia). Anybody with any brains knows that that will have a hugely deleterious effect on ocean acidification and global warming with all the disastrous ecological consequences that will follow. Both of our major political parties have dirty hands and responsibility for the ridiculous increases in electricity charges in spite of our huge energy resources. Labor allowed exports of gas without adequate domestic reservations and the Coalition, with its ideological fixation on abolition of the carbon tax, created a chaotic investment atmosphere whose chickens are now coming home to roost. I think that it makes sense to keep our existing systems of power generation going until solar, wind and pumped hydro can take over. Professor Blakeney of the ANU and his team have identified more than 10,000 sites suitable for pumped hydro so please, let's get on with it. James Gralton, Garran Bus cut just garbage I was horrified to read the letter about the number 5 bus (Letters, September 12). I have relatives who go to the Winnunga Nimmityjah health centre at least fortnightly and one of them generally uses a walker. By bypassing Kootara Crescent how are people going to get to the shops or the health centre? From memory this would make Narrabundah shops the only local suburban shopping centre to not be on a bus route. I know that the head of Winnunga Nimmityjah health centre has been critical of the Government about issues that concern her but this change is going to impact on poor and disadvantaged people significantly. I would like to know what the reasons are for this change because it is certainly a breach of Action's social contract with the community. I think this proposed change is typical of this Government in recent years. No real community consultation and they just ignore concerns of local residents. They think they can get away with their sham consultation process and do want they want to anyway. Another example of this is the recent significant increase in unit rates. The main thing that annoys me, is that a proportion of the rates is for garbage collection, which the Government does not provide for unit residents. We have to pay for garbage collection in our corporate dues, paying twice. John Gudgeon, Gungahlin Two better than one Top marks to ACT Transport for advising Narrabundah residents of changes to their bus service by placing notices and maps at bus stops. But the cancellation of Route 5 will mean that to attend an outpatient appointment at The Canberra Hospital or go to Woden from October 9, one will need to take the Route 4 bus which will run along Kootara Crescent and then change to the Route 6 bus in Goyder Street. I am in awe of the route planner who thought that to reach the same destination, catching two buses would be better than catching one. Valerie Baxter, Narrabundah Silent approval Employment Minister Michaelia Cash and others in the Turnbull Government were quick and brutal in their condemnation of ACTU boss Sally McManus when she supported workers who break unjust laws. At the same time, Ms Cash was aware of credible and easily verifiable allegations that ABCC boss Nigel Hadgkiss had broken the law by breaching the very Act that he was charged with administering. She condoned his breach of the law with her silence and inaction, then praised him for "restoring the rule of law" when he was caught out and resigned his post. The Employment Minister and the government she serves have lost all credibility on industrial relations. Mr Hadgkiss is not the only person who should have resigned. Tony Judge, Woolgoolga, NSW TO THE POINT BORDER NEEDS TWEAK Buddhist Myanmar has a million Muslim Rohingya living along its border with Muslim Bangladesh. This suggests the border was drawn in the wrong place. Why doesn't Myanmar enter into negotiations with Bangladesh to move the border? Michael McCarthy, Deakin SPOILING A FRIENDSHIP It is said that marriage is the way to spoil a good friendship. This is supported by divorce statistics. Why gays want to bother making a fussabout getting married is beyond me. R. Smith, Scullin NONE OF OUR BUSINESS Thank you M. Moore of Bonython (Letters, September 14). I totally agree same sex-marriage thing is no one's business bar the couple involved. J. McGhee, Bonython NOT SAVING THE PLANET There are currently about 120 coal-fired power plants under construction in south-east Asia alone. So much for caring about climate change and saving the planet. Rod Matthews, Fairfield, Vic SURVEY SPEEDS IN I have no issues with Australia Post's service standards. The ABS' Australian marriage law postal survey arrived on Wednesday the 13th, just one day after being posted. Don Sephton, Greenway EVEN HANDED By being "technology agnostic" the government means it is not concerned about cost or reliability, and certainly not emissions. It will support any technology provided it uses coal. Paul Pentony, Hackett MOVING TARGET Malcolm Turnbull's coal-powered submarines will never get off the ground; Barnaby Joyce will insist they be based in Armidale. C. J. Mountifield, Greenway FOLLOWING THE LEADER As Tony Abbott professes to be a Catholic, I trust he will heed the Pope's call for action on climate change. Felicity Chivas, Scullin UNPROVOKED ASSAULT I agree with Bruce MacLeod on NASA's unprovoked assault on Saturn. These things rarely end well, just ask H. G. Wells. D. Gentle, Belconnen SPOT ON David Pope has been kicking even more goals than normal lately. His tribute to Hollywood's "prison break" genre on Thursday was excellent. A. Mills, Tuggeranong Recommendations that the government legislate to protect and reward whistleblowers are measured, sensible and overdue. The advice flowed from an inquiry by the joint parliamentary committee on corporations and financial services into whistleblower protections in the corporate, public and not-for-profit sectors. Whistleblowers are part of the checks and balances necessary to protect the public from insidious crimes and deceptions and from intrusion and over-reach by government agencies. Without these reforms, these brave and upstanding people and their families will continue to suffer financial hardship, bullying, vilification and career sabotage. They are a source of information that fuels public interest journalism. Protections for journalists, who are ethically bound to conceal the identity of whistleblowers, are relatively flimsy in Australia. Credit:Illustration: Simon Bosch. Currently the system in effect discourages truth tellers and protects villains. The legislation would provide legal protection to those who put themselves at risk by doing the right thing by shareholders, customers, staff, suppliers and others. Anonymous reporting of illegal and unethical behaviour would be explicitly protected. Earlier this year, the US government paid about $5 million to a former BHP Billiton employee for disclosing alleged corruption at the mining company. The Turnbull government's insistence that the ageing Liddell coal-fired power plant must stay open longer has been cast into doubt by the operator of Australia's electricity market, who says there are other ways to head off a predicted power shortfall. Australia's energy quandary dominated question time on Thursday, as the government and Labor tussled over who was responsible for rising power prices and how best to deliver a reliable, affordable power supply. Appearing at a hearing in Canberra on Thursday, Australian Energy Market Operator chief executive Audrey Zibelman said battery storage, renewable energy, management of consumer demand and upgrading existing power plants could all help meet a predicted 1000-megawatt shortfall in flexible, dispatchible capacity power that can be created on demand when energy giant AGL closes its Liddell power plant in 2022. The Turnbull government is pressuring AGL to keep the Liddell station open for five more years. However, the power company insists it has no plans to sell the plant or keep it open. One of my favourite parts of the working day is driving around Parliament House on my way into work in the building. As you come up the ramps and onto the ring road, you get sweeping views of distant hills and nearby Canberra city to one side and the green sloping grass and majestic lines of Romaldo Guirgola'sarchitectural creation to the other. There is a sense of breathing room; a feeling you are in a special place. Illustration: John Shakespeare One part of my brain may be worrying about securing a park and whether I left my lunch on the kitchen bench. But another part is enjoying a small, but solemn moment of peace. Parliament House is one of the most beautiful and thoughtful public buildings in Australia. It is full of symbolism, from the green and red tones that mimic the Westminster tradition and the Australian bush, to the careful use of local materials and placement of the building in the surrounding landscape. By PTI: Srinagar, Sep 14 (PTI) Abu Ismail, the Lashkar-e-Taiba commander who masterminded the deadly attack on Amarnath yatra pilgrims in July, was killed by security forces here today along with another Pakistani terrorist, police said. The two were gunned down after a brief encounter that saw the duo running for their lives. "On specific information, a joint operation was launched in Aribagh in Nowgam area on the outskirts of Srinagar city. It was around 4:15 pm that a contact was established with the two hiding terrorists in a house there. In a very brief encounter, both the terrorists were killed," Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Munir Khan said. advertisement He was addressing a joint press conference along with general officer commanding of the Armys Victor Force, Major General B S Raju, and IG CRPF Ravideep Singh Sahi. Khan said the other terrorist has been identified as Abu Qasim alias Chota Qasim. "The bodies of the slain terrorists have been kept at the appropriate place for appropriate disposal," he said. The IGP said two AK rifles, UBGLs and other material were recovered from them. He said Ismail was involved in 15 cases including the July 10 attack on a bus carrying Amarnath yatra pilgrims in south Kashmirs Anantnag district which left eight of them dead. "After the elimination of Abu Dujana, he (Ismail) had taken over as the chief of LeT in the valley. He was involved in around 15 criminal cases in valley which included murder, dacoities and other militancy related incidents. So, I compliment our teams for executing a wonderful operation with no collateral damage," Khan said. "The day they (militants) killed yatris, the people said that such they should be brought to justice and today they have been brought to justice. It is a great success for the security forces. A chapter of these terrorists has been closed. Tomorrow will be a new day for us. We will start our work afresh. "When the attack took place, there was total condemnation of the act committed by terrorists from all sections of the society and people said loud and clear that these killers must be killed. So, from that day onwards, these killers were our targets and our teams ? whether they be police, army or the CRPF - were looking for them," he said. He thanked the people for "expressing that sentiment that time because that was against Kashmiriyat. No Kashmiri liked that". Asked whether all the militants behind the attack have been neutralised, the IGP said "One foreign and one local terrorists are left." He said Ismail was an "A++" category militant while Qasim was "A+" category, but refused to share further details of the operation. "It is better not to ask such questions because they are operational details which we do not want to divulge. It is not that whole militancy has been wiped out by their killing. So, it is better not to divulge the details," he said. advertisement Khan said the priority of the security forces is to neutralise the militant leadership in the valley. "Militant leadership is important to be neutralised. That has to be eliminated because they not only are militants but also provoke and motivate children. The priority is to neutralise the militant leadership. You know who are the leaders and they will be our next target," he said. He, however, said "we have a long way to go and we will keep on trying." Maj Gen Raju said Ismails killing is extremely important because he was responsible for the death of about 14 security forces personnel and eight civilians. "This success is also important because we are expecting vacuum in the foreign terrorists leadership of the LeT. After the death of Abu Qasim, then Abu Dujana and now Ismail. In between we also killed (Abu) Ali. Now, we are looking at a serious deficiency in their leadership which should give us more opportunities," he said. PTI SSB ZMN --- ENDS --- advertisement Streetwear brands at up to 50 per cent off. Credit:Yasmin Suteja Next week, local brand Rodeo Show will be returning their warehouse sale to Alexandria. Featuring contemporary and feminine staples, expect up to 80 per cent off recent and past season collections, as well as one-off samples. 3 Hiles Street, Alexandria. Friday 22 8am-6pm, Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 24 11am-4pm. Genevieve drape dress. Synonymous with classic Australian accessory designs, Sambag next week is also holding a sale in two locations, with up to 90 per cent off their past season styles. The sale will feature pieces from their latest autumn/winter 17 collection, including knitwear, leather goods, boots and the brand's signature ballet flats in amongst 2016 favourites, samples and accessories. The Cannery, Shop 9 & 12, 61 Mentmore Avenue, Rosebery. Thursday 21 9-7pm, Friday 22 9am-5pm. Saturday 23 10am-4pm, Sunday 24 10am-4pm. Sambags is offering up to 90 per cent off current and past season collections. Just Launched Now in its third year, Australian philanthropic label, The Social Outfit has once again collaborated with local designers to curate their latest collection. The social initiative, which has in the past included Ken Done and Carla Zampatti, creates and sells unique fashion pieces to fund employment, education and training to help transform the lives of refugees and new migrants. This year three groups of Australian community designers have become key partners, including Romance is Born, two traditional Burmese artists, whose colourful loomed tapestries have been created into digitally printed scarves, as well as the Merrylands Community Artists, which invited young migrants to create collage works that were overlaid in digital prints on silk slip dresses, camisoles and purses. For the Social Outfit's spring summer 2017/18 Kaleido-Cloth curation, Romance was Born has re-released a pattern from their archive, featuring artwork by Linda Jackson which appears throughout the collection of silk scarves, simple t-shirt dresses and a statement jumpsuit. With each piece reflecting a hopeful Australian spirit, Romance Was Born designers Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett said the initiative gives them a deep connection to community work they are passionate about. "Working with the The Social Outfit allows us to connect to our community directly in a really positive way," they said to Fairfax. "Making an imprint to our cultural landscape is something we feel very passionately about. We are very inspired by The Social Outfit's ethics, and we hope that more creative and corporate businesses will become involved with them also so they can continue to grow and make a difference." CEO and founder of The Social Outfit, Jackie Ruddock, added that the initiative was drawn to the duo's "joy, colour and gorgeous designs." "Their generosity to us - through designs and fabric donations - is an incredible encouragement for our emerging fashion label work," Ruddock said "We're all about diverse communities coming together to showcase a proudly multicultural Australia. Our team works together to be the best we can be, and Romance Was Born's support is a fantastic endorsement of our vision." In-store and Online. 353 King Street, Newtown. The Romance Was Born print, featured in the collection. During New York Fashion Week Tiffany & Co launched their second #KnotOnMyPlanet campaign in conjunction partnership with model Doutzen Kroes, global ambassador for the Elephant Crisis Fund. The social media campaign focuses on getting the fashion industry to support the Fund, whose mission is to stop elephant poaching and end the international demand for ivory. Kroes and Tiffany have rallied support from leading fashion and cultural voices including Janelle Monae, Zoe Kravitz, Elle Fanning, Miranda Kerr, Irina Shayk, Emily Ratajkowski, Lily Aldridge, Behati Prinsloo, Imaan Hammam, among others. As part of the campaign, Tiffany have just released their Save the Wild Collection which will be available in stores and online, with all proceeds going directly to the cause. "I realised that we could be the last generation to see elephants in the wild so we launched #KnotOnMyPlanet to ake urgent action," said Kroes in a statement. "I'm proud to have joined forces with Tiffany & Co. and their Save the Wild collection as it will donate 100% of profits to the Elephant Crisis Fund to end the slaughter of elephants for their ivory." The jewellery house will be donating at least US$1 million before the end of January next year. Doutzen Kroes in the #KnotOnMyPlanet x Tiffany & Co. Campaign Credit:Reed Krakoff #inthecart Frill seekers rejoice! Sure, florals and ruffles are not groundbreaking during spring, but the kaleidoscope of hues, detailing and layering seen at Zimmermann's Goldentime collection at New York Fashion Week is inspiring us to add new designs into our cart. Transplant ophthalmologists have been alerted and their patients are being closely monitored for symptoms of infection. Health authorities do not know how the pre-cut corneal tissue was infected and are investigating and the Eye Bank has stopped producing pre-cut tissue. The NSW Organ and Tissue Donation Service (OTDS) confirmed the five recipients of the pre-cut corneal tissue developed Candida Parapsilosis infections after their surgeries in April and May this year. The first two cases are believed to be related, but the cause of the infection and link between the three other cases is not known, Lions NSW Eye Bank medical director Professor Gerard Sutton said. "This is the first incident of infection from corneal tissue supplied by the NSW Eye Bank in its almost 50 years of providing corneas to surgeons," Professor Sutton said. "The [Organ and Tissue Donation Service] is working closely with the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the NSW Ministry of Health to investigate, and is liaising with interstate eye banks to determine the [as yet] unknown cause which has only affected pre-cut corneal tissue. "While this investigation is under way, the production of pre-cut tissue has been ceased; however the supply of other corneal tissue is continuing as usual for transplantation," Professor Sutton said. There has been only one other similar infection in Australia, reported in Victoria last year, he said. Four of the five patients have had replacement transplants with no further problems. All five are expected to make a full recovery, though the infections have slowed their visual recovery, according to the OTDS. A Sydney specialist who repeatedly indecently touched his patients' breasts and genitals during ultrasounds has been jailed for a minimum of three years. At least one of Samir Fahmy Ishak's victims moved house to avoid the man who indecently assaulted patients nine times in 2011 and 2014 at Sydney medical centres. Samir Fahmy Ishak has been jailed for a minimum of three years. Credit:AAP Before handing the 69-year-old former sonographer a maximum sentence of five years' jail, District Court Acting Judge Rodney Madgwick on Thursday described the offending as "significant breaches of trust". "These offences were far more serious than indecent assaults unaccompanied by a degree of authority," Acting Judge Madgwick said. High winds across south-east Queensland have fanned several bushfires, causing rail cancellations and sending furniture flying off buildings. Residents of Biarra near Esk, north-west of Brisbane, are the latest to be on high alert, with wind gusts of up to 75km/h causing a fresh blaze to rocket through bushland on Thursday. However, fire authorities have since downgraded the warning. Several fires and dry conditions have prompted warnings from authorities. Credit:Max Mason-Hubers A fire in the Glasshouse Mountains to the north of Brisbane damaged Queensland Rail infrastructure, with all services on the Sunshine Coast line suspended for the rest of Thursday. QR organised buses to ferry passengers between Caboolture and Landsborough and a train shuttle service between Nambour and Landsborough stations. Anti-vaccination GP John Piesse's career appears to be over after the national medical board banned him from practising. Dr Piesse looked buoyed by the presence of about 50 supporters outside the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency's Melbourne offices on Thursday as he entered at lunchtime to front a Medical Board of Australia panel. Anti-vaccination protesters rally outside the Medical Board of Australia in support for Dr John Piesse. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui But several hours later, it was confirmed the board had suspended him from practising medicine, meaning he cannot see patients in any capacity. The decision can be overturned if he wins an appeal. The hearing was closed to the public, but an AHPRA spokeswoman and Dr Piesse's lawyer, Sean Cash, confirmed the controversial GP's ongoing suspension. A hunt is under way for a man who sexually assaulted a hitchhiker in Melbourne's south-east. The 49-year-old Pakenham woman accepted a lift from the man on the Princes Highway at Beaconsfield just before midnight on Sunday July 30. Police are searching for a ute similar to this one. Credit:Victoria Police She got into the white, single-cab, flat-tray ute about 100 metres west of Whiteside Road. The man then drove her to Starling Road in Officer, where he sexually assaulted her. At the height of Victoria's hot and dry summer Mark Ganon drove around throwing sparklers out of his car window into crisp grassland. Some of the sparklers had weights attached to them, such as padlocks and wood screws, so they would fly further. Ganon started 30 fires across Melbourne's west in January, putting lives and homes at risk, the County Court of Victoria was told. He was jailed for five years on Thursday his 41st birthday over the "very serious offending". "You lit a number of grass fires by attaching weights to sparklers that were thrown into grass from a vehicle," Judge Paul Lacava said. Victoria created almost 100,000 jobs in the past year, yet the state's unemployment rate is the nation's highest. New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics delivered mixed signs for the health of the Victorian economy, with employment growth at 3.2 per cent for the year to August. Fifty level crossings are being removed across Melbourne. Credit:Jason South The number of employed people in Victoria grew by 96,800 in the past year, the most of any state, including a surge of 18,600 jobs in August. But the state's unemployment rate sat at 6.1 per cent last month. The fire broke out at around 5.40 a.m. in a top-floor dormitory in the three-storey building, firemen said, where most of the students, aged between 13 and 17, were sleeping in bunk beds. By Reuters: A blaze at an Islamic boarding school in the Malaysian capital killed at least 23 people on Thursday, most of them teenage boys who cried for help from barred windows, officials and witnesses said. The fire broke out at around 5.40 a.m. in a top-floor dormitory in the three-storey building, firemen said, where most of the students, aged between 13 and 17, were sleeping in bunk beds, with many of the windows covered by metal grills. advertisement Two teachers were also killed in the fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, a 15-minute drive from the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, police said. Most of the victims died from smoke inhalation. The disaster has renewed calls for greater scrutiny of so-called "tahfiz" schools, where students learn to memorise the Quran. They are unregulated by the education ministry, being the responsibility of the religious department. At least 30 fires at such schools have been reported this year, Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Noh Omar told reporters, adding that the Kuala Lumpur school should not have been in operation. He did not elaborate on the previous fires. Fire department operations deputy director Soiman Jahid said officials were investigating the fire but it was likely caused by a short circuit or a mosquito repellent coil. The dormitory had only one entrance, leaving many of the victims trapped, he said. At least one window was unbarred. "The building was surrounded by metal grills that could not be opened from the inside. The students, after realising the fire and heavy smoke, tried to escape through the window," Soiman said outside the school. "But because of the grills, they could not escape." Soiman said the school had submitted a request for fire safety approval but no new checks had been carried out as the request was still being processed. "The pupils all got locked in and they couldn't escape and got burnt," Nadia Azalan, sister of a 13-year-old victim, told Reuters in tears as distraught family members gathered outside the building. "Safety should come first." A man identified only as Hazin, who lived next door to the school, said his son called the fire department after they heard screams and saw the flames. "The children were crying for help, but I couldn't help them as the door was already on fire," he told Reuters. "I only managed to save a few of the kids who jumped out the window." Mohd Izzarudin Roslan, 15, said he had broken a window and climbed out on to a water pipe. advertisement Only eight of the boys managed to get out, he said. "A few of my friends fell, there were some who had fire on their hair and clothes," he said in a video posted online by the New Straits Times, an English-language daily. Viewed from outside, the only tell-tale signs of disaster were the blackened upper-floor windows, otherwise the tin-roofed building appeared unscathed, with a Malaysian flag hanging limply from the yellow wall. Only inside did the intensity of the inferno become clear. The dormitory was blackened, lined with the charred frames of bunk beds. Tahfiz schools have been under scrutiny since earlier this year when an 11-year-old boy died after reported abuse in Johor, north of Singapore. Also Read Kuala Lumpur: At least 25 killed in fire at Islamic boarding school --- ENDS --- Mandurah police were called to a Dawesville home on Thursday afternoon following reports of a sudden death. Few details are available at this stage but detectives are understood to be attending the property as part of the investigation. Police at the scene. Credit:Marta Pascual Juanola. Streets surrounding Cunderdin Loop are likely to be blocked for some time while officers establish whether the death is suspicious. More to come. Police have charged a man who allegedly attacked an off-duty police officer during an attempted break-in on Thursday morning. The 24-year-old Warwick man allegedly forced his way into the woman's house on Mirrabooka Avenue about 1:40am by smashing the property's back glass door. The police pursuit came to an end in Guildford. Credit:9 News Perth. Police say he searched through the house, stole a set of car keys and attempted to flee the home by through the same back door. The off-duty cop heard noises and went to investigate. Three people are in hospital with stab wounds after a series of home invasions and carjackings in Perth's southern suburbs. Nine News Perth says police are hunting for one man over the series of violent attacks in Champion Lakes near Armadale. Police have arrested a man in relation to a series of violent attacks in Perth's south. Credit:9 News Perth Reporter Alice Pooley said the man smashed his way into two homes and carjacked two drivers at knife-point. A resident said he was at his letterbox when he was threatened by the man with a 10-centimetre knife and was almost stabbed. Gothenburg: Neutral Sweden has launched its biggest war games in two decades with support from NATO countries, drilling 19,000 troops, on the eve of one Russia's biggest displays of firepower. Years of spending cuts have left Sweden fearful of Russia's growing military strength which is to be showcased also in exercises involving 13,000 troops starting near the borders of Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on Thursday. It will be Russia's biggest manoeuvres since 2013. Young Swedish army recruits during an inspection in March. Credit:TT/AP Moscow has insisted the Zapad-2017 exercise rehearses a strictly defensive scenario and involves no more than 12,700 troops, just under the level that would require Russia to allow NATO observers under international agreements. But senior Western government officials believe the real number of Russian military personnel involved could reach 100,000 and above. Kuala Lumpur: A blaze at an Islamic boarding school in the Malaysian capital killed at least 23 people on Thursday, most of them teenage boys who cried for help from barred windows, officials and witnesses said. The fire broke out at around 5.40am in a top-floor dormitory in the three-storey building, firemen said, where most of the students were sleeping in bunk beds, with many of the windows covered by metal grills. One survivor said there was just one window the boys managed to open. Two teachers were also killed in the fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, a 15-minute drive from the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, police said, adding that most of the victims died from smoke inhalation. The youngest was just seven, media said. A culture of cruelty is sweeping the world and it cuts across ideological as well as national borders. In India last week, the murder of Gauri Lankesh, a prominent journalist and critic of Narendra Modi's government, was met with euphoria by his online supporters. One of Modi's own ministerial colleagues felt compelled to "strongly condemn & deplore", as he wrote on Twitter, "the messages on social media expressing happiness on the dastardly murder". The left-leaning French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo responded to the catastrophic Hurricane Harvey with a cover cartoon that showed swastika flags and Nazi salutes poking out above floodwaters. The caption read: "God exists! He drowned all the neo-Nazis of Texas." Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, centre, arrives at prime minister's official residence in Tokyo on Friday morning. Credit:AP Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said he thought the missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), given its firing range, public broadcaster NHK reported. China and Russia A man, left, distributes an extra edition of a newspaper reporting about North Korea's missile launch, at Shimbashi Station in Tokyo. Credit:AP US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has urged China and Russia to take direct action against North Korea in response to the launch. "China and Russia must indicate their intolerance for these reckless missile launches by taking direct actions of their own," Tillerson said in a statement. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un waves during a military parade in Pyongyang, North Korea. Credit:AP He said China supplies North Korea with most of its oil and "Russia is the largest employer of North Korean forced labour". The South Korean and US militaries were analysing details of the launch, the South's Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. TV monitors show the J-Alert (warning siren) at an office of Kyodo News in Tokyo on Friday. Credit:AP South Korea's presidential Blue House called an urgent National Security Council meeting. In July, North Korea fired two ICBMs on steep trajectories into the sea between the Korean peninsula and Japan. The regime said those launches put the entire US in its range. North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test - of what is believed to have been a hydrogen bomb - on September 3. The North has launched more than a dozen missiles this year as its leader Kim Jong-un seeks the capability to hit the continental US with an atomic weapon. US President Donald Trump has said all options - including military - are on the table to stop North Korea from threatening the US. The North previously launched a ballistic missile from Sunan on August 29; it flew over Japan's Hokkaido island and landed in the Pacific waters. Yoshihide Suga, Japan's government spokesman, told reporters that Friday's situation was similar to that of the August 29 test. Japan protested against Friday's launch in the strongest terms and said it would take appropriate and timely action at the United Nations and elsewhere, staying in close contact with the US and South Korea, Suga told reporters. On Monday, the UN Security Council approved new sanctions against the North for its September 3 test after the US dropped key demands such as an oil embargo to win support from Russia and China, both of which can veto any proposals. The resolution seeks to limit oil imports, ban textile exports and increase inspections of ships suspected of carrying cargo in breach of sanctions. The North threatened to sink Japan and reduce the US to "ashes and darkness" for supporting the Security Council resolution. Turnbull reacts Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the recently passed sanctions were working to "bring the regime to its senses". "Now, it needs to be concerted, global action, because, as you know, as I have said here before, the country with the greatest economic leverage over North Korea is China." He also stressed China's role in seeking to affect North Korea's behaviour. "The Chinese are dismayed by the conduct of North Korea, but they have been allies for a very long time. A lot of history there. "But it is important for China to continue increasing these sanctions until we see a change of course by North Korea and it is good to see that they are doing that." The US dollar fell sharply against the safe-haven yen and Swiss franc in early Asian hours on Friday on reports of the missile launch, though losses were quickly pared back in very jittery trade. The dollar sank over half a yen to as deep as 109.55 yen in a blink, before rebounding to 110.01. Bomb test North Korea's September 3 test, the first nuclear test since Trump took office, was a "perfect success" and confirmed the precision and technology of the bomb, the Korean Central News Agency said. Kim claimed that his regime could mount a hydrogen bomb onto an ICBM. While North Korea's ICBM threat is growing, the US military says it's not yet imminent. Kim's regime has yet to demonstrate that it can accurately guide a long-range missile to a target with a nuclear warhead that survives the trip, General Paul Selva, the No.2 US military official said in a statement last month. The chief of US Strategic Command said on Thursday that the size, yield and other indications seen in the September 3 test "equates to a hydrogen bomb" and that he must now assume Pyongyang can build one. Air Force General John Hyten, who oversees US nuclear forces and monitors North Korea, told reporters that he could not confirm a hydrogen bomb was tested but the test was significant "because of the sheer destruction and damage you can use and create with a weapon of that size". The blast is believed to have been at least 100 kilotons in size, large enough to reshape the size of the mountain above the test site that Pyongyang used. "The change from the original atomic bomb to the hydrogen changed our entire deterrent relationship with the Soviet Union," Hyten said. By PTI: Colombo, Sep 14 (PTI) The Maldives may seek Sri Lankas help to deport former president Mohamed Nasheed, the countrys envoy said today, a day after the exiled leaders lawyer raised fears for his safety. Males ambassador-designate to Colombo, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, in a statement said that Nasheed, the first democratically elected president, is a "fugitive" and left the Maldives midway through a 13-year-jail sentence after being allowed to seek medical treatment abroad. advertisement "It is ironic that Nasheed and his legal team are accusing others of attempted kidnapping when he himself is a fugitive from the law for the well-publicised kidnapping of a chief judge," he said. "Should a relevant authority in the Maldives request the Embassy to seek the assistance of relevant authorities in Sri Lanka to return him or any other fugitive in accordance with our constitution and laws, all avenues available through diplomatic channels will be utilised to fulfil the obligation," Shareef said. Amal Clooney, international legal counsel representing Nasheed, yesterday raised concerns about a threat made by the Maldivian ambassador-designate to Colombo to detain their client in Sri Lanka and forcibly return him to the Maldives. Clooney said any attempt by a Maldivian diplomat to detain Nasheed in Sri Lanka would constitute a violation of international law as well as Sri Lankan criminal law. She had said that Nasheed should not be returned to the Maldives to serve a sentence that resulted from a "sham trial", and it is incumbent on the Sri Lankan authorities to ensure that his rights are respected while he is in their country. The new Maldivian envoy to Sri Lanka told a local television station that he would have Nasheed arrested in Colombo should he visit and would deport him. Nasheed travelled to London in January last year on prison leave for medical treatment and has since then remained in self-imposed exile. He travels frequently to Sri Lanka. The envoy alleged that Nasheed and his supporters have continuously attempted to create diplomatic friction between Sri Lanka and the Maldives, including assertions of bias by the Sri Lankan Government. "Our ties with Sri Lanka are multi-layered and based on an age-old practice of non-interference in each others domestic politics. The close ties between our two governments and responsibility of officials on both sides have been instrumental in avoiding misunderstanding in spite of erroneous claims by Nasheed and senior officials in his 2008- 2013 regime. The Maldives has faced tough international criticism over the jailing in March 2015 of Nasheed following a rushed trial which the UN said was politically motivated. advertisement Yameen, who came to power following a controversial run- off against Nasheed in November 2013 faces international censure over his crackdown on dissidents. PTI CORR PMS AKJ PMS --- ENDS --- Monday 05 September, 2016 Reliable information reaching Biafra writers desk has it that the life of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indi... According to reports, Maniesh Paul demanded a chopper from the makers of the show. By India Today Web Desk: Popular host and actor Maniesh Paul was replaced by the makers of the new digital reality show Stupid Man Smart Phone (produced by Voot and BBC India). According to a report in SpotBoye.com, Maniesh was all set to appear on the show and had flown to Udaipur to shoot for it. The actor and show's host Sumeet Vyas, had to go to Thar Desert for the shoot, but Maniesh refused to travel by road and asked the makers to arrange for a chopper. advertisement Instead of agreeing to Maniesh's outrageous demand, the makers replaced him on the show with YouTube star Sahil Kattar. This is not the first time the makers of Stupid Man Smart Phone had to face such starry tantrums. Earlier while shooting in Tamil Nadu reportedly Evelyn Sharma had created a fuss as she did not want to walk in the rains in her expensive shoes. Stupid Man Smart Phone is an Indian version of the popular UK show of the same name. Also read: Karan Patel to Niti Taylor: 5 times TV stars' tantrums stalled shoots --- ENDS --- NOTICE OF SALE Case No.: 3:21-cv-00770-SVH BY VIRTUE of that certain Decree of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina heretofore granted in the case of ... NOTICE OF LIEN SALE Extra Space Storage will hold a public auction to sell personal property described below belonging to those individuals listed below at the location indicated: Store # ... NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATES All persons having claims against the following estates are required to deliver or mail their claims to the indicated Personal Representatives, appointed to administer these... Queen Friederike wears the necklace with the sapphire pendant (screencapture) Weve been marveling at tiaras worn by the former royal family of Greece all week in our Daily Diadem posts, so I thought it was rather appropriate to spend today discussing an extremely versatile Greek royal jewel: Queen Friederikes convertible pearl and diamond necklace. screencap We dont know much about the creation of this piece, but its design suggests a mid-20th century date to me. The piece features distinctive diamond and pearl loops, coming to a point at its central element. Above, Friederike wears the necklace at the wedding of Princess Helene dOrleans and Count Evrard of Limburg-Stirum in 1957. That central element can be removed and switched out for other pendants. Queen Friederike did this often; in the portrait above, shes wearing the necklace with a pendant made of a large emerald surrounded by diamonds. This particular pendant has stayed with the family; above, Queen Anne-Marie wears it on her own diamond necklace. The most notable pendant used by Friederike on the necklace, however, was definitely the gargantuan sapphire that once belonged to Queen Marie of Romania. Friederike wears the sapphire pendant on the necklace here during the 1963 Greek state visit to the United Kingdom, pairing it with Queen Sophies Diamond Tiara. (More on the tiara over here!) JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images The sapphire is astonishing. Cartier was the gems first recorded owner; they sold it to King Ferdinand of Romania in 1921. He presented it to his wife, Queen Marie, who had recently lost most of her jewels in Russia during the revolution. She paired it often with another recent acquisition, the Vladimir Sapphire Kokoshnik. (More on that piece over here.) But the Romanian monarchy was eventually toppled, and the sapphire pendant was sold in the 1940s. The buyer, though, was a wealthy Greek citizen, who presented the 478-carat gem to Queen Friederike. Although Friederike handed over many of her jewels to her new daughter-in-law, Queen Anne-Marie, in 1964, she kept the necklace and pendants in her own collection. Above, she wears the necklace with the sapphire pendant at King Constantine II and Queen Anne-Maries pre-wedding ball. (screencap) She took the necklace and the sapphire pendant with her to New York during a 1964 visit to America, too, wearing it again with Queen Sophies Diamond Tiara. And here, she wears the necklace with the sapphire pendant at the wedding of Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark and Marina Karella in 1965. Eventually, after the Greek monarchy was also abolished, the sapphire left the family too, most recently selling at auction in 2003 for $1.4 million. (Read a more in-depth look at the sapphires history over here!) As for the necklaces whereabouts those are unclear. The pieces versatility extended even further; it could be put on a frame and worn as a tiara. Friederikes daughter, Princess Irene, appears to be the last person who wore it in that form in public. Did Irene inherit the necklace? The Greek royals have a track record of hiding pieces away and bringing them out again decades later, so hope isnt totally lost that well see the necklace once more. By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) An international arbitration panel has directed appointment of experts to determine a fair value of the joint venture between McDonalds India and Vikram Bakshi so that the US fast food chain can buy out its estranged partner. The partners had resorted to arbitration after McDonalds in November 2013 issued a notice to terminate partnership with Bakshi for setting up and operating its popular fast food outlets in northern and eastern India. advertisement A three-member arbitration tribunal on September 12 directed determination of a fair market value and purchase price of share of Vikram Bakshi and Bakshi Holding Pvt Ltd in Connaught Plaza Restaurants Ltd (CPRL) for transfer to joint venture partner McDonalds India Pvt Lt (MIPL), persons familiar with the order said. The value so determined will be placed before the tribunal, which asked Bakshi to provide necessary cooperation and assistance in such determination, they said. McDonalds appointed London-based judge Ian Hunter on the panel while Bakshi had appointed Justice Vikramajit Sen. Albert Jan Van Den Berg was the chairman of the tribunal. Sen did not sign the award, the persons said, adding that the 2:1 majority award asked Bakshi and the holding firm not to exercise any voting rights in the 1,45,600 shares held by them in CPRL. The international arbitration tribunal in London has also rejected Bakshis claim that McDonalds India did not validly terminate the JV. CPRL, a JV between Bakshi and MIPL, the Indian subsidiary of McDonalds Corporation, operates 169 McDonalds restaurants in north and east India. Of these, 43 outlets operating in Delhi are shut due to non-renewal of eating house licences. As part of the licence termination, CPRL was asked to stop using McDonalds name, system, trademark, designs and its associated intellectual property, among others, with effect from September 6. The LCIA (London Court of International Arbitration) also noted that all shares held by Bakshi are liable to be transferred and registered in McDonalds India upon payment of price determined in accordance with the methodology set out by the JV agreement, according to the persons in the know. The arbitrator appointed by McDonalds and the chairman, who was selected jointly by both the parties, have ruled in favour of McDonalds India while Bakshis nominee had a dissenting opinion, they added. The LCIA has also rejected Bakshis relief seeking a declaration that the JV agreement remains in force and effect, they said. It has also asked Bakshi to cooperate with McDonalds in obtaining all approvals under the applicable law. advertisement A McDonalds spokesperson had yesterday said: "We are pleased with the decision by the tribunal in what has been a protracted legal dispute with a former partner. Our intention now is to take the appropriate steps to enforce the award, which we believe is right for the business and our customers." However, comments from Bakshi could not be ascertained at the time of filing of this story. Bakshi has been at loggerheads with McDonalds since 2013. He had approached the NCLT -- previously Company Law Board -- after McDonalds removed him from the post of MD of CPRL in 2013. In July this year, the tribunal restored him to his position. It was challenged by McDonalds in the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) where the appeal is pending. Simultaneously, Bakshi also challenged the termination of franchise licence by McDonalds at the NCLAT, but was refused any interim relief. Both the appeals filed by the parties are listed for hearing on September 21. Except the 43 outlets in the national capital that were shut in June due to non-renewal of eating house licences, the remaining ones continue to operate. advertisement Earlier, Bakshi had on August 30 requested the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) to direct the buy-out of shares of either of his side or MIPL in CPRL at fair market value. PTI KRH RKL ANZ ARD --- ENDS --- 'American Assassin': A killing machine riding the conveyor belt through an action factory It's possible that Dylan O'Brien may someday grow into the role of Mitch Rapp - the dangerously lethal terrorist-hunter hero of the late Vince Flynn's popular series of pulpy spy novels - but in the cinematic origin story "American Assassin," based on one of Flynn's books, he ain't there yet. Despite his scruffy beard and some passable action sequences, the actor, who just turned 26, still comes across as a not terribly interesting, snot-nosed kid: an only slightly older and only mildly angrier version of the adolescent character he played - and continues to play - in the "Maze Runner" movies. Clearly, CBS Films, which has bought the rights to Flynn's Mitch Rapp books, is hoping the character has legs. But first, "Assassin" has to make some money. If Flynn's die-hard fans don't buy O'Brien's pretty boy as a killing machine, there may not be a second - let alone a third - opportunity for the actor to grow up. "American Assassin" opens on the beach in Ibiza, as the still-soft-and-sensitive version of Mitch is proposing to his girlfriend (Charlotte Vega). But she is killed by Islamic terrorists, Mitch undergoes a kind of physical and political transformation that only occurs in Hollywood, or in the pages of potboilers. The movie fast-forwards 18 months to a new and improved version of our hero - who has managed to train himself in martial arts and weapons handling, as well as Arabic language and culture. Mitch 2.0 is preparing to single-handedly infiltrate the radical Islamist militant cell in Libya responsible for the slaughter of the opening scene. Meanwhile, Mitch is being monitored - and, ultimately, recruited - by the CIA, as its deputy director (Sanaa Lathan) announces that he's "off the charts" in aptitude for the top-secret Orion program, a special-ops commando unit under the tutelage and oversight of ex-Navy SEAL Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton). The bad news? Mitch doesn't like to follow rules. The good news? That's just how we like our action heroes. It's all as phony as it sounds. Keaton, at least, looks the part. The story, adapted for the screen by Stephen Schiff, Michael Finch, Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz, and directed by Michael Cuesta ("Kill the Messenger"), leaves most of the tough-guy acting to him. When Stan and Mitch go after a rogue Orion graduate who has obtained a nuclear device (Taylor Kitsch), it is Stan, not Mitch, who gets captured and tortured, in scenes that feel like someone behind the camera is taking a little too much pleasure in fingernail removal. It's very macho and violent, a la "24," with women playing secondary and/or disposable characters. Shiva Negar appears briefly, as a mysterious Turkish spy. Despite - or perhaps because of - this Category 3 testosterone storm, "American Assassin" feels especially boring. Containing only the most formulaic action and few genuine thrills, the movie advances toward its foregone conclusion with all the subtlety of a tool and die machine, stamping out one overly familiar scene after another. In the end, Mitch Rapp comes across as a poor man's Jason Bourne. But at least that franchise, after five movies, is only now starting to exhibit signs of battle fatigue. "American Assassin" is just getting started, and it already feels worn out. --- One and one-half stars. Rated R. At area theaters. Contains strong violence throughout, some torture, crude language and brief nudity. 111 minutes. Ratings Guide: Four stars masterpiece, three stars very good, two stars OK, one star poor, no stars waste of time. End advance fri sept 15 film-assassin-review-adv15 Washington Post News Service (DC) 9/13/2017 10:35:24 AM Central Daylight Time Update: Galveston police confirmed that Garrett Dikes called the police department at approximately 12:15 a.m. Thursday to turn himself in. Dikes was arrested on a warrant for stalking and remained in police custody Thursday morning. Authorities and family members are searching for a 28-year-old College Station man who has been reported missing in Galveston. Garrett Lee Dikes' abandoned truck has been located in Galveston and has been secured by police. Authorities believe he may be traveling on foot. According to Galveston police, a security camera picked up an image of Dikes wearing brown shorts and a brown shirt on Tuesday. He appeared to be barefoot, police said. Tyler McBride, a Galveston Police Department detective, said Dikes is wanted by the department on a stalking charge. "We had entered a missing person's report because his parents had called to report him missing, but as the investigation went on we learned new information as to why he was down here regarding his ex-girlfriend," McBride said. According to Galveston police, Dikes may have traveled to the city to speak with an ex-girlfriend, who had evacuated the Texas coast in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. McBride said when Dikes realized the woman was not home, he convinced her neighbors to allow him to take shelter in their home. Police believe he may have recently entered an abandoned Galveston home to avoid detection. "He is wanted but is also considered to be endangered," McBride said. "This is a unique situation, to be both missing and wanted." According to court records, Dikes pleaded guilty in 2012 in Brazos County a felony stalking charge. The charge was placed on deferred adjudication, which means if a defendant successfully completes his probation, the case will technically be dismissed. Dikes served two years probation in that case. Anyone with information is asked to call Galveston police at (409) 765-3636. The National Science Foundation is lending its support to multiple engineering programs at Texas A&M through more than $2.3 million in grant funding -- including support for efforts to "revolutionize engineering education," according to university officials. The funding joins the $35 million grant announced by the National Science Foundation on Tuesday naming Texas A&M as the lead on a new engineering research center focused on improving health care for underserved populations in areas such as rural South Texas and urban Los Angeles and Miami through partnerships with Rice University, Florida International University and the University of California at Los Angeles. The department of aerospace engineering is the beneficiary of $2 million in grant funding aimed at supporting projects designed to develop new ways to educate students in the field through its involvement in the national Revolutionizing Engineering Departments program. Kristi Shryock, associate professor of instruction and one of the principal investigators on the project, said the five-year grant will help the department "change the landscape of aerospace engineering across the nation." "There is a stigma out there that aerospace engineering is very limiting, that you only work on planes and rockets," she said. "... We're really trying to turn the tide." Shryock said the researchers involved in the project will seek to change the perception surrounding aerospace engineering and what its applications can be by becoming "more inclusive and broadening aerospace applications." "A lot of times, people don't realize that there are health care applications that relate to aerospace engineering," she said. "As we're developing new materials for aerospace, they need to be strong and light -- those are the kinds of criteria you might have if you were looking for a new bone implant. As we're developing new technologies for one particular area, the applications can be very widespread." In addition to presenting the field in broader terms, Shryock said change also will be pursued in the classroom through everything from being aware of the examples instructors use to marking a shift in the mindset of what students think aerospace engineering is. Akhilesh K. Gaharwar, an assistant professor in the department of biomedical engineering, was a recipient of National Science Foundation grant funding as well, receiving $300,000 to support his work developing new bioinks for use in 3-D printing. Officials said the compounds hold "enormous potential" in the treatment of a variety of medical needs -- such as organ failure, general aging and other diseases -- by mimicking, augmenting or replacing the function of natural tissues. "This work will elucidate key fundamental properties of ionic covalent entanglement networks loaded with unique, 2-D nanoparticles, leading to transformative technology for 3-D bioprinting," Gaharwar said in a statement. "The work will lead to a novel platform technology to selectively control and pattern cell behavior and will have broad scientific impact on human health; specifically, regenerative engineering and therapeutic delivery." Through the award, Gaharwar's program also is expected to be able to provide educational and outreach opportunities through local school engagement, teacher training and more. The summer of 2017 was a good one. My wife and I packed up our two grandchildren waved goodbye to their parents (with earnest promises of frequent Facetime) and took off on a month-long camping tour of the national parks. Along the way, I had the chance to teach my grandson and granddaughter how to roast hot dogs and marshmallows over an open campfire, and it reminded me that there is more to life than the maniacal threats of Kim Jong Un. In the years ahead, the grandkids wont often think of their Papas many years in public office, but theyll remember that campfire. We traveled 7,100 miles, wore out two sets of RV tires and crossed America one DQ at a time but ultimately, the real journey was one of the heart. Theres a lesson here for some of our would-be presidents. Youre too old. To state it bluntly, there are better things for you to be doing at this point in life than doggedly pursuing public office better for you, your family and most importantly, better for the country. Theres a whole generation of American leadership standing behind you. They need to step forward, and you need to step out of the way. This past week a number of Washington pundits began their 2020 presidential ruminations. It seems that Bernie Sanders, who is 76, is the recognized Democratic front-runner. Joe Biden, 74, is keeping his options open. And although shes clearly got a touch of presidential fever, Elizabeth Warren supposedly wont run if Bernie gets in the race (you can split the socialist vote only so many ways), but astonishingly, at 68, shes the voice of youthful vigor. At this point, about all the Democratic Party needs to ensure yet another catastrophic failure is for Hillary Clinton, who turns 70 next month, to pledge a comeback. A rich and fulfilling life doesnt have to be lived in the Oval Office. A campfire will do quite nicely. When it comes to aging ambition, I have considerable empathy. Ill be 70 when we hold our next presidential election. We baby boomers have benefited from stunning advances in health care that now allow for an active life many decades longer than our parents ever could have envisioned. Im in no great hurry to implement my living will. In fact, my current plan is to go back to school full time in 2019, hopefully in Ireland, to earn a masters degree on the GI Bill. I dont want to preach the gospel of lifelong learning, I want to live it. And then, with luck, Ill come back home from Ireland in 2020 just in time to vote for the Democratic candidate for president. My prayer is that the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee will represent indeed, embody the intelligence, compassion, civility, energy and courage of an entirely new generation of American leadership. You wont get that from Bernie, Joe, Elizabeth, or Hillary. In fact, it seems to me that even Kirsten Gillibrand and Sherrod Brown are starting to look a little long in the tooth. Late-stage potty mouth is a sure sign of aging insecurity. So lets clear the bench of our current presidential contenders and, instead, over the next two years (during the crucially important mid-term elections of 2018), look for potential presidential candidates who are very smart, very serious and in their 40s. OK, maybe their 50s. But dont trust anyone over 60 they belong in the Senate. Lets find a Democratic presidential candidate who has (and can forcefully articulate) a true passion for social justice, combined with a realistic understanding of the economic engine needed to pay for it. Thats not likely to be retreaded socialism. And finally, lets elect a Democratic president in 2020 who can thank Trumps generals for keeping us out of nuclear war (they carry a very heavy load in their rucksacks), while recognizing that in a healthy democracy senior civilian offices should be filled, well, by civilians. We have now been at war against terrorist fanatics for more than 16 years. That war has been fought by young men and women half my age. In 2020, lets elect one of them president. Paul McHale is a former member of Congress (1993-99), former assistant secretary of Defense (2003-09) and a retired Marine colonel with more than 30 years active and reserve service. He wrote this for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Email him at McHale@CivSup.com. Photo Ark, a National Geographic photography exhibit of endangered species, will open at the end of the week. However, the warthog is not featured because its endangered instead it now poses a danger in Texas. Warthogs were imported several years ago for sport hunting and have since managed to escape, mate and establish herds of their own. The warthog display at the PhotoArk exhibit will serve as a reminder of the potential dangers the animal poses to people and the environment. By PTI: which violated norms Puducherry, Sept 14 (PTI) The Medical Council of India has quashed admission of students to first year MBBS course in deemed universities and private medical colleges in the Union Territory, which were done without centralised counselling and after the last date during the academic year 2016-17. In its September 7 letter, the MCI directed the Puducherry Health Secretary and the Director of Health Services to discharge (remove from rolls of the institutions) students admitted without undergoing CENTAC counselling or after the last date for admission -- September 30, 2016 -- and file a compliance report within two weeks. advertisement Admissions done after the last date were irregular, it held. The council said the directive was being given based on the findings of its monitoring sub-committee which went into a complaint by CENTAC Students Parents Association that had alleged gross irregularities in the admission process by the four deemed universities and three private colleges last year. The committee had perused a July 12, 2017 letter of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi to the MCI on the matter and the report of Chairperson of Permanent Admission Committee of the UT Justice Chitra Venkatraman. Though the circular did not state the number of students to be discharged, the association claimed around 770 students had been enrolled without common counselling and after the expiry of last date for admission. Reacting to the MCI action, Bedi in a whatsapp message today said "For early prevention and detection of such irregularities, and corruption Puducherry needs independent vigilance system, a high court bench and a unit of CBI." Chief Minister V Narayanaswamy has said the issue concerned admission of students to management quota seats in these institutions and the government was not in the picture at all. "Admission for seats under the government quota took place in a transparent and fair manner", he told reporters here last night. According to the MCI letter, the sub-committee in its report had stated that no combined merit list of the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET) qualified candidates was prepared by the deemed universities. "Prima facie this indicates that the direction of the Supreme Court to maintain transparency and fairness in the admission process has been totally and blatantly disregarded," the MCI said in its letter, a copy of which had been marked to the Lt Governor among others. The MCI also pointed out that prior to the counselling the University Grants Commission had informed the universities that they would be part of the common counselling in medical colleges organised either by the state government or through its agency based on the marks obtained in NEET. Thedeemed universitieshad not followed the procedure while the private colleges did not prepare a combined merit list. advertisement The private colleges had given admission only to a limited number of students through CENTAC, it added. President of the Association of CENTACStudents Parents M Narayanasamy said only 283 students were admitted through CENTAC out of the total 1050 seats in the deemed universities and private colleges in the UT. He said the association had complained to the Lt Governor and also to the MCI about "gross irregularities in admission of students by the institutions." PTI CORR VS DV --- ENDS --- You have a character that goes through the scrutiny of being sexualised , and then an audience that does the same thing. By PTI: violating norms (Eds: Updating with reaction of AIADMK) Puducherry, Sept 14 (PTI) The Medical Council of India has quashed admission of students to first year MBBS course in deemed universities and private medical colleges in the Union Territory, which were done without centralised counselling and after the last date during the academic year 2016-17. In its September 7 letter, the MCI directed the Puducherry Health Secretary and the Director of Health Services to discharge (remove from rolls of the institutions) students admitted without undergoing CENTAC counselling or after the last date for admission -- September 30, 2016 -- and file a compliance report within two weeks. advertisement Admissions done after the last date were irregular, it held. The council said the directive was being given based on the findings of its monitoring sub-committee which went into a complaint by CENTAC Students Parents Association that had alleged gross irregularities in the admission process by the four deemed universities and three private colleges last year. The committee had perused a July 12, 2017 letter of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi to the MCI on the matter and the report of Chairperson of Permanent Admission Committee of the UT Justice Chitra Venkatraman. Though the circular did not state the number of students to be discharged, the association claimed around 770 students had been enrolled without common counselling and after the expiry of last date for admission. Reacting to the MCI action, Bedi in a whatsapp message today said "For early prevention and detection of such irregularities, and corruption Puducherry needs independent vigilance system, a high court bench and a unit of CBI." Chief Minister V Narayanaswamy has said the issue concerned admission of students to management quota seats in these institutions and the government was not in the picture at all. "Admission for seats under the government quota took place in a transparent and fair manner", he told reporters here last night. Opposition AIADMK MLA and Chairman of the Estimates Committee of the Puducherry Assembly A Anbalagan said a probe would be held by the committee along with the Public Accounts Committee into the irregularities in the MBBS admission. "It is a serious development landing the students now in second year of their course in utter chaos," he told reporters. He wanted the government to ensure that the students, several of whom are from outside Puducherry, continued their education withoutany hiccups. He said the Lt Governor should intervene and ensure that the students were protected as they should not be "victimised for no fault of theirs". Anbalagan said Puducherry government should own responsibility for the situation. According to the MCI letter, the sub-committee in its report had stated that no combined merit list of the National Entrance cum Eligibility Test (NEET) qualified candidates was prepared by the deemed universities. "Prima facie this indicates that the direction of the Supreme Court to maintain transparency and fairness in the admission process has been totally and blatantly disregarded," the MCI said in its letter, a copy of which had been marked to the Lt Governor among others. The MCI also pointed out that prior to the counselling the University Grants Commission had informed the universities that they would be part of the common counselling in medical colleges organised either by the state government or through its agency based on the marks obtained in NEET. Thedeemed universitieshad not followed the procedure while private colleges did not prepare a combined merit list. Private colleges had given admission only to a limited number of students through CENTAC, it added. President of the Association of CENTACStudents Parents M Narayanasamy said only 283 students were admitted through CENTAC out of the total 1050 seats in the deemed universities and private colleges in the UT. He said the association had complained to the Lt Governor and also to the MCI about "gross irregularities in admission of students by the institutions." PTI CORR VS DV --- ENDS --- The statement emphasised the need for stronger international partnership in countering terrorism and violent extremism, including through increased sharing of information and intelligence By India Today Web Desk: After the US and China, Japan also came on board with India in condemning Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. In a joint statement, the two countries asked Islamabad to bring to justice the perpetrator of the 2008 Mumbai and the 2016 Pathankot attacks, which were carried out by Pakistan-based groups. "The two PMs also called for Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrator of terrorist attacks including those of the November 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai and the 2016 terrorist attack in Pathankot," said the joint statement signed in Gujarat capital Gandhinagar by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanse counterpart Shinzo Abe. advertisement "They look forward to the convening of the fifth Japan-India consultation on terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups including al Qaeda, the ISIS, the Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and their affiliates," the statement added. The statement emphasised the need for stronger international partnership in countering terrorism and violent extremism, including through increased sharing of information and intelligence. The two countries have called for enhanced bilateral cooperation in this regard. Abe is on a two-day visit to India. In a significant departure, the high-profile visit is limited to Gujarat's Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad, where Modi received his Japanese counterpart on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the two leaders also laid the foundation of India's first bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Also Read India-Japan ties pose no grave threat to China: Chinese daily Before bullet train leaves Ahmedabad for Mumbai, here are the challenges for railways WATCH | Modi-Abe vow joint fight against terrorism together, slam Pakistan for sponsoring terror --- ENDS --- For 40 years, Husker Harvest Days has been a showcase of modern innovation in the agricultural industry. This year is no different as Vermeer of Pella, Iowa, a world leader in the hay and foraging industry, had a world premiere Wednesday of the worlds first self-propelled round baler. In a special ceremony Wednesday morning, the company unveiled a prototype of the ZR5 self-propelled round baler. Mark Cole, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, said the baler promises to take the hay and forage industry to the next level of innovation. The baler will make quick work of any field while offering unprecedented ride quality and maneuverability, according to the company. Cole said the company has made a commitment to research and development in an effort to increase the productivity, the efficiency and the usability of these machines so you will be able to continue to be successful in the marketplace and continue to be more profitable and more productive. We know the balers that are standing here today are better than the ones that were here 40 years ago at the first Husker Harvest Days, Cole said. We wanted to take hay harvesting to the next step. While the machine will not be on the market until 2019, the company wanted to introduce the prototype at Husker Harvest Days. Cole said Vermeer is taking it to the next level with the introduction of the ZR5 self-propelled baler in terms of baling speed and capacity. According to the company, the patent-pending suspension technology allows operators to better handle the bumps and jostling that naturally comes with baling hay. If you think about all those bumps over the course of the day or multiple days, ride quality can really impact the operator, said Josh Vrieze, product manager. In the ZR5, operators experience a smoother, more comfortable ride, with the cab uniquely positioned over the suspension. With a nod to the lawn care industry, Vermeer has applied zero-radius turning to the steering system in the self-propelled machine. This feature allows operators to gain better maneuverability and driving efficiency than with a conventional tractor-baler combination. Operators can spend less time turning in the field and more time baling. The zero-radius turning can eliminate skipping a windrow to make the turn, or swinging out wide to get into the next windrow, said Vrieze. And, when its time to head to the next field, zero-radius turning can be disengaged. Folks who have operated other self-propelled machines will appreciate the dual steering functionality; with the zero-turn disengaged, the operator steers the ZR5 using the front wheels for a smooth, confident ride. Automating the baling process and providing the ability to automatically make real-time adjustments based on field, crop and operator inputs, are just a couple of the goals Vermeer has for the ZR5. Integrated quarter-turn technology is part of the ZR5 baling automation process. During the tie-cycle, the machine can automatically rotate to the left or right, positioning the bale parallel to the windrow upon ejection. When placing bales parallel to the windrow, the picking-up process can be completed up to 35 percent faster. Keeping machine maintenance simple is another objective Vermeer is striving to achieve. The bale chamber can be removed for maintenance in a matter of minutes, helping to ensure producers are spending time productively in the field. Jason Andringa, president and CEO of Vermeer, is the grandson of Gary Vermeer, who in 1971 introduced the round baler. Andringa said the company makes more than 160 different products for both industrial and agricultural markets. Now, nearly 50 years after the round balers were first sold, Andringa said, the company is still an innovator in round bale technology. Todays unveiling shows that we continue to be a major innovator when it comes to round balers, he said. Core said as access to labor in rural areas becomes more limited, we believe the type of innovation needed to design the ZR5 will need to continue to pave the way for more efficiency, productivity and an eventual reduction in labor needed to produce the same amount of feed. Cole said his company has been a major presence at Husker Harvest Days since its beginning. Nebraska has always been a very good state for us, he said. According to the USDA, hay production is Nebraskas third-leading crop production at $439 million in value of production last year. Nebraska was sixth in the nation in hay production producing 5.748 million tons. We love this show, Cole said. We love this facility. We love the management. We love the area. To be able to expose a new innovation like this, not only from a selfish perspective to get it expose for eventual sales but we learn a lot from our customers as well. He said the ZR5 is not completely final. It was part of the hay baling demonstration at HHD on Wednesday. We will probably know by tomorrow from farmers and ranchers how to make it even better, he said. We just really enjoy the interaction. Cole said Vermeer feels the ZR5 is really well suited to this region. It is just awesome to be able to come to the middle of Nebraska and to unveil this, he said. Husker Harvest Days show manager Matt Jungmann noted that on Tuesday, the show featured combines from 1978 to contrast the equipment shown at the first show to todays modern equipment. When you compare it to todays innovations, to have a global company like Vermeer choose Husker Harvest Days in Grand Island, Neb., Hall County, as the platform to unveil something that could be revolutionary to the industry is a genuine compliment to the region, a compliment to the show and a compliment to the community that hosts it, Jungmann said. Along with Vermeer, Agco, Case IH, John Deere also unveiled new equipment at the show. Agco previewed an expanded challenger tractor line with the new MT700 track tractor and its new RoGator C series sprayers. Case IH introduced the new CVX Drive Series. Steiger previewed a new Trident 5550 liquid/dry combination sprayer and a new 2140 Early Riser split-row planter. John Deere unveiled its S700 Series combines, complete with new corn and grain heads. Farmers are eternal optimists and though things may not be terrific today, they will be terrific in the future and the technology is something any business has to keep up with and a place like this is where the people in the business of food, fiber and fuel learn about their new technologies, Jungmann said. The Grand Island school board will be asked Thursday night to approve a budget that proposes to raise more than $40 million in property taxes. The 2016-17 budget raised about $38.2 million in property taxes. The board will first hold a public hearing about its property tax request, which requires specific property tax levies to raise the needed amount of revenue. After the hearing, the board will convene its regular monthly meeting at which it will be asked to approve both the budget and the property tax requests. The total tax rate to bring in $40 million is $1.29248 per hundred dollars of property value. That means the owner of a $100,000 home will pay just over $1,292 to support the Grand Island school district during fiscal year 2017-18. That compares to a tax rate of $1.255412 for the 2016-17 budget year, which resulted in a property tax bill of just over $1,255 for the owner of a $100,000 home. The largest single portion of the overall tax rate is for the general fund levy, which pays for the Grand Island school districts day-to-day operations. The tax rate of $1.04 per hundred dollars of valuation for the coming year remains unchanged from the 2016-17 fiscal year. That property tax levy will bring in more than $32.29 million for the school district general fund, compared to about $31.7 million for the current year. The Grand Island school district has three bonds whose debt is being retired. The total debt for those three bonds totals more than $6.5 million. That requires a total tax rate of nearly 21.25 cents per hundred to help retire the debt. The tax rate for the special building fund is 1 cent per hundred dollars of property value, which is unchanged from the curent year. The special building fund is used to collect savings so the district can do major building projects. The tax rate for the qualified purpose undertaking fund is about 3 cents per hundred dollars of property value. QCPUF can be used for removal of hazardous materials from school buildings, to install life safety features such as sprinkler systems to suppress fires, and to remove barriers for people who have handicaps. Virgil Harden, director of finance, said one of the bond funds is going up because of the $69.9 million bond issue approved by voters in 2014. Some of the bonds from that bond issue are being issued for the 2017-18 budget year. Harden said law prevents the school district from issuing the entire $69.9 million at once. It requires the district to spend any bonds that it issues within three years. As a result, GIPS only issues bonds as they are needed to pay for the various building projects. Harden said the QCPUF levy is being raised in part because the Nebraska Legislature is starting to limit how that fund can be used. Lawmakers took away the ability for QCPUF to pay for upgrades to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. He said he is concerned that further restrictions may be placed on QCPUF. Consequently, the levy was raised so GIPS could do all three types of work: remove hazardous materials from buildings, install additional fire sprinkler systems and install elevators at the Kneale Administration Building and at Memorial Stadium. When were done, all our buildings will have fire sprinklers, Harden said. That will be the first time weve hit that milestone. Weve also upgraded some fire alarms. The general fund budget is nearly $121 million, but Harden said the district will only spend $104 million to $105 million of the general fund. The remainder includes unused budget authority and restricted unused budget authority. Harden said the district is receiving an increase in state aid for 2017-18, to a total of about $54.55 million. However, GIPS would have received $1.3 million more in state aid pushing the total to $55.85 million if lawmakers had not approved LB409, which reduced state aid to K-12 education as part of a larger effort to make create a balanced budget for the state of Nebraska. In other action, the board will be asked Thursday to approve a contract with Cannon Moss Brygger Associates for the Memorial Stadium renovation and expansion project. CMBA will be reimbursed through a combination of a percentage of the project cost and hourly rates for any additional services it may provide during the course of the project. Katelyn Hill will take the oath of office as the new student representative from Grand Island Senior High to the board of education. The board will also be asked to increase the rates of pay by $2 per day for all categories of substitute teachers. The means local certificate substitutes will receive $130 per day for regular assignments and $140 per day for long-term assignments; full-certificate substitutes will receive $137 per day for regular assignments and $174 per day for long-term assignments; retired teachers will receive $145 per day for regular assignments and $184 per day for long-term assignments. The board also will hear reports from West Lawn Elementary and Dodge Elementary about activities and programs at those schools. It also will hear an update about the Grand Island Prep Academy, which is establishing different career academies at Grand Island Senior High. Each GISH student will be in an academy, with an opportunity to take courses that help prepare the student for a particular career pathway. GIPA also is designed to help students get hands-on learning experiences, with the hope that hands-on education will help them make connections with local businesses. Trinity United Methodist Church in Grand Island has assembled 30 flood buckets to send to victims of Hurricane Harvey, with the possibility that church members will be asked to make additional donations to aid the victims of Hurricane Irma. But the church has also been the collection point for churches throughout the area to send their buckets, so it collected more than 250 that were to be sent on to Lincoln. The Rev. Kelly Karges of Trinity United Methodist said the flood buckets are five-gallon buckets with resealable lids that provide a wide variety of supplies that can help clean up a home, apartment or place of business following a flood. Karges said the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) has an online list that says the buckets should be filled with supplies that include liquid laundry detergent, liquid household cleaner, dish soap, clothespins, a clothesline, sponges, trash bags, cleaning wipes, air freshener, insect repellent, (dish)washing gloves, work gloves, scouring pads, scrub brush and dust masks. While he quickly read that list off, the printed list gets even more specific. For example, it says an acceptable clothesline can either be a single 100-foot-long line or two 50-foot lines. The UMCOR site also says clotheslines can be made of either cotton or plastic. Likewise, precisely seven sponges should be shipped, with UMCOR cautioning that nobody should ship a cellulose sponge because of mold issues. The seven sponges should also be removed from their wrappers before being shipped. UMCOR again is very precise in asking for the flood bucket to include exactly five scouring pads, which should also be removed from their wrappers prior to shipping. It specifies that people should not send stainless steel scouring pads and they should also avoid sending any scouring pads that have soap built into the pad. Not surprisingly, UMCOR asks for precisely 24 trash bags and requests that the trash bags be removed from their box before being shipped. UMCOR asks that trash bags be 33- to 45-gallon sizes. Such precision in directing exactly what supplies are needed reveals that the United Methodist Church through UMCOR has gained a lot of expertise in dealing with disaster relief, Karges said. He noted that USA Today had a good article over the weekend explaining the role that the United Methodist Church and other church denominations play in helping people recover from natural disasters. He said Trinity United Methodist has placed an insert in its church bulletin for several weeks asking church members to make donations for the flood buckets to be filled with all the requested supplies. The cost of each bucket is approximately $65, he said. The United Methodist Church is far from the only organization making such donations. Some of the other denominations and churches that received mention in the USA Today article are the Seventh Day Adventists; the Convoy of Hope, a nondenominational Christian organization that specializes in feeding; and Samaritans Purse, an evangelical aid group run by the Rev. Franklin Graham. The article also noted that FEMA administrator Brock Long asked concerned citizens to go to NVOAD.org to make donations. NVOAD is National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, the alliance of volunteer organizations that are helping FEMA channel disaster assistance into the affected areas. About 75 percent of the organizations in NVOAD are faith-based. Over the years, UMCOR has developed the contacts so it can deliver supplies to people in disaster areas. They coordinate with other denominations and with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), Karges said. He explained that the Great Plains Conference of the United Methodist Church consists of the entire state of Nebraska and the entire state of Kansas. There are 17 districts in the Great Plains Conference, with each district being requested to send 300 flood buckets or a total of 5,100 flood buckets in all. They challenged us (the districts), so Trinity is just a collection point and then theyre moving them to Lincoln and from there they will go to a site in Louisiana that collects them and distributes them, Karges said. We havent even heard the appeal from Florida yet, he said. Karges said that UMCOR is organized to provide not just short-term help with disaster relief, but is there to provide help for the long haul as well. What I told my congregation this past Sunday is that my wife and I lived through Hurricane Hugo when it hit Charleston, S.C. We were pastors there, he said. UMCOR comes in and stays, usually about three years after hurricanes, and coordinates all the relief efforts. And they work together with the Mennonites and all the different organizations. Theyve learned to coordinate. Karges said that if churches or individuals in churches do not want to make donations of materials to the flood buckets, they could also donate money to UMCOR. Each United Methodist Church donates money annually, in what the church describes as mission shares. That covers the administrative costs for when we take special offerings like this 100 percent of what people give goes to the people who need it because the administrative costs have been covered, he said. Police/Sheriff Anyone with information about any crime in the state may call the Grand Island-Hall County Crime Stoppers, (308) 381-8822. Callers will remain anonymous. A reward of up to $1,000 will be paid after law enforcement agencies have determined the seriousness of the crime and the usefulness of the information. Inmate custody status can be obtained by calling the VINE hotline at (877) NE 4 VINE or by visiting www.vinelink.com. Information is available 24 hours a day. If you see a crime happening, call the Grand Island-Hall County Emergency Center 911. Hall County Sheriff Law enforcement arrested one person on a warrant in three cases. There were 20 calls for service. For more information visit www.hallcountyne.gov and click on the sheriff link. Jerry Shears reported a burglary Tuesday evening at 111 Mercury Court in Alda. Court report Hall County District Court Rainy A. Call, 28, Grand Island, possession of a controlled substance, 18 months probation, $450 probation fee, forfeiture of $225 bond. Also guilty of failure to appear when on bail for a felony, 18 months probation. Jesus Gonzalez Jr., 18, Grand Island, tampering with a witness, informant or juror, 30 months probation. Also guilty of burglary, 30 months probation. Halimo A. Adan, 26, Grand Island, third-degree assault, 12 months probation, $300 probation fee. Also guilty of first-offense criminal impersoantion, 12 months probation, $300 probation fee. Anthony J. Deichmann, 28, Alda, enhanced DUI or refusal to be tested with two prior convictions, $1,000 fine, 180 days in jail with credit for 100 days served, 12 months post-release supervision, drivers license revoked 15 years, ordered not to drive 45 days. Also guilty of driving without ignition interlock, six months in jail with credit for 100 days served, 12 months post-release supervision. Bruno Sosa, 42, homeless, assault by a confined person without a weapon, 12 months probation, $120 probation fee, $450 bond forfeiture. Also guilty of failure to appear when on bail for a felony, 30 months probation and $450 probation fee; possession of a controlled substance, 30 months probation and $450 probation fee; possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, 30 months probation, and first-offense carrying a concealed weapon, 30 months probation and $450 probation fee. Teresa Christenson, 39, Grand Island, theft by unlawful taking totaling $0 to $500, second offense, 12 months probation, ordered to pay $815.75 restitution, $300 probation fee. Tanya M. Hernandez, 37, Grand Island, delivery, dispensing, distribution, manufacture or possession of an exceptionally hazardous drug, three to four years in jail with credit for 175 days served. Also guilty of assault by a confined person no weapon, six months to one year in jail. Morgan Murphy, 20, Grand Island, attempt of a Class 4 felony, 12 months probation, $300 probation fee. Angel Rodriguez-Rosa, 43, Hastings, had his post-release supervision revoked (original offense possession of a controlled substance), 235 days in jail with credit for 36 days served. Carlos Machado-Alvarez, 30, Miami, first-degree forgery, two to three years in jail. Also guilty of criminal possession of four or more financial transaction devices, four to five years in jail. Sentences will be served concurrently. Richard Strickland, 22, Lincoln, had his probation revoked (original offenses attempt of a Class 2A felony, obstructing a peace officer and possession of a controlled substance). On first violation, he was sentenced to 364 days in jail with credit for 211 days, post-release supervision for 12 months. On second violation, he was sentenced to 180 days in jail with credit for 211 days. On third violation, he was sentenced to 364 days in jail with credit for 211 days, 12 months post-release supervision. Hall County Court Mahad A. Hersi, 30, Grand Island, was charged with committing first-degree sexual assault of an incompetent on Monday. Preliminary hearing set for 10:30 a.m. Oct. 10. Driving under the influence Christian Ramirez, 19, Grand Island, $500 fine, nine months probation, drivers license revoked 60 days. Michalia A. Yoder, 24, Grand Island, was charged with theft by unlawful taking totaling $0 to $500, third or subsequent offense, on Aug. 9. Arraignment set for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 27. Stephen M. Deng, 35, Lincoln, was charged with third-degree assault and strangulation, both on July 31. Arraignment set for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 27. Aspen M. Palu, 20, transient, was charged with two counts of failure to appear when on bail for a felony, both on July 27. Also charged with delivery, dispensing, distribution, manufacture or possession of an exceptionally hazardous drug and possession of a controlled substance, both on Wednesday. Preliminary hearing set for 9 a.m. Oct. 20. Jessica L. Oyen, 41, Grand Island, was charged with theft by shoplifting totaling $0 to $500 and possession of a controlled substance, both on Sept. 1. Arraignment set for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 20. Justin L. Hadenfeldt, 31, Doniphan, was charged with committing first-degree forgery on June 10. Arraignment set for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 27. Andre A. Shupe, 29, Hall County Department of Corrections, was charged with possessing a controlled substance on Wednesday. Preliminary hearing set for 10 a.m. Oct. 27. Driving Under the Influence Randall E. Ellingson, 58, Hastings, $500 fine, six months probation, drivers license revoked 60 days, $150 probation fee. Clarification City property tax levy estimate does not include county, school district property tax levies In an article in Tuesdays paper, The Independent reported that the Grand Island City Council increased its property tax levy by 5.14 cents per $100 of valuation, meaning a home valued at $100,000 will be assessed about $375 in property taxes. This is the amount of property taxes levied by the city and does not include property taxes that will be levied for other local government bodies, including Hall County and the local school districts. Naseeb Kaur, the mother of jailed, self-styled godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh recently met him in prison. The first question Ram Rahim asked his mother was whether all was well at the Dera Sacha Sauda. By Manjeet Sehgal: Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, serving time behind bars for raping two female followers, seems to be worried about his kingdom - the Dera Sacha Sauda. The self-styled godman recently met his mother Naseeb Kaur at Rohtak's Sunaria Jail, where the controversial Dera chief is lodged. According to sources, the first question Ram Rahim asked his mother was about the Dera and whether the sect was functioning fine. advertisement Naseeb Kaur, the sources say, assured Gurmeet Ram Rahim that everything was normal within the Dera Sacha Sauda. Notably, the Dera Sacha Sauda does not seem to be in the best of states. Cracks have emerged within the sect after Ram Rahim was sent to jail, with the biggest bone of contention being who, if anyone, would succeed Gurmeet Ram Rahim. However, the sources did not say whether Naseeb Kaur and Gurmeet Ram Rahim spoke about any succession plans. Incidentally, Naseeb Kaur had earlier said that Ram Rahim's son Jasmeet Singh Insan should be nominated to head the Dera Sacha Sauda. She even asked the Dera management committee to begin the process of norminating Jasmeet as the next chief after rumours spread that Gurmeet Ram Rahim was about to appoint his foster daughter Honeypreet Insan as his successor. However, Dera chairperson Vipassana clarified that the sect would run as it used to and that Gurmeet Ram Rahim would continue to head it. LONELY IN JAIL? Naseeb Kaur is the only family member who has visited Gurmeet Ram Rahim ever since he was jailed on August 25 after a Central Bureau of Investigation court convicted him of two counts of rape. Ram Rahim has made multiple requests to meet Honeypreet Insan, his foster daughter. However, with the Haryana Police having launched a manhunt to arrest her in a sedition case, Honeypreet has seemingly gone underground. What has perhaps made it difficult for Ram Rahim Singh's family to visit him in prison is the fact that Naseeb Kaur along with Gurmeet Ram Rahim's wife Harjeet Kaur and his children moved to Rajasthan days after the Dera chief was jailed for 20 years. ALSO READ | A sex addict, Gurmeet Ram Rahim is now having withdrawal symptoms in jail ALSO READ | Can Dera chairperson Vipassana lead Haryana Police to Honeypreet? ALSO WATCH | Gurmeet Ram Rahim's mother roots for grandson Jasmeet to take over as Dera chief --- ENDS --- Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Thu, September 14, 2017 12:00 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a209d66b 2 Lifestyle Funeral,Japan,drive-thru Free A Japanese funeral parlor is set to offer relatives the chance to pay their final respects to deceased loved ones without leaving the comfort of their cars. The firm claims that the "drive-thru" service is a first in Japan, where a rapidly ageing population means funerals are anything but a dying trade. Elderly mourners can register their names on a touchscreen tablet device and make a traditional offering of incense just by rolling down a car window - a process relayed to screens inside the venue for the grieving funeral host to watch. The initiative aims to speed up funeral services and also to give infirm relatives the chance to participate, said the firm's president Masao Ogiwara. "Older people may hesitate to attend a funeral because they have to ask for help to get out of the car," he told AFP. "But we want as many people as possible to be able to come to say farewell to their friends or neighbours," he said. It usually takes at least 15 minutes for someone in a wheelchair to offer incense at the altar during a traditional Japanese funeral ceremony. Ogiwara said the time is cut down to just a few minutes by the service, which the Kankon Sosai Aichi Group in the central Nagano prefecture expects to offer from December. Read also: Japan: The land of a thousand conveniences 'Rent-a-monk' With a high average life expectancy, Japan is on the verge of becoming the first "ultra-aged" country in the world, meaning that 28 per cent of people are aged 65 or above. The latest government report shows that 27.3 per cent of a population of 127 million - one in four people - are aged 65 or older and the figure is expected to jump to 37.7 per cent in 2050. Drive-through funerals are the latest in a series of Japanese innovations attempting to win a slice of the competitive 1.76-trillion-yen (S$21.6 billion) funeral business. One trend that has sparked controversy is a so-called "rent-a-monk" system, where at the click of a mouse, a mourning family can order a monk delivered to perform the funeral rites. Another company went even further by replacing a real Buddhist monk with a chatty human-shaped "Pepper" robot for a funeral. How about a mail-order funeral? For those who cannot afford to pay expensive funeral fees, a temple near Tokyo accepts the ashes of the deceased via mail and places it in its burial facility. If visiting a grave in a remote area is too much trouble, one firm has pioneered an app allowing relatives to pay a virtual visit to the gravesite. And in urban areas where space is tight, several buildings have been constructed to house the ashes of hundreds of dead people. Mourners are given a card which they place on an electronic sensor, whizzing the right ashes automatically to an altar for prayer. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Paris Thu, September 14, 2017 11:02 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a209aec9 2 Health tattoo,health,#health,tattoo-ink Free Microscopic particles from tattoo ink can migrate into the body and wind up in lymph nodes, crucial hubs of the human immune system, a study revealed Tuesday. The tiny particles -- measuring a few millionths to a few billionths of a centimetre -- include molecules from preservatives and contaminants such as nickel, chromium, manganese and cobalt, researchers reported in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports. Tattoo colouring is composed of various organic and inorganic pigments, and can be contaminated with toxic impurities. Besides carbon black, the second most common ingredient used in tatoo inks is titanium dioxide, a white pigment also used in food additives, sun screens and paints. The chemical has been associated with delayed healing, itching and skin irritation. "When someone wants to get a tattoo, they are often vary careful in choosing a parlour where they use sterile needles," said co-author Hiram Castillo, a researcher at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Grenoble, France. "No one checks the chemical composition of the colours, but our study shows that maybe they should." Read also: A tattoo that is painless, removable and safe Scientists in Grenoble, joined by colleagues at the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in Berlin, used X-ray fluorescence measurements to identify particles in the skin and the lymph nodes, which are located in the neck, under the arms and along the crease between the thighs and the abdomen. Only the tiniest, nano-scale particles made it into the lymph nodes. The researchers also used a technique called Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to assess changes in tissue near tattoo particles at the molecular level. They reported "strong evidence" for both the migration and long-term deposit of toxic elements in the body. Now that their presence has been established, the next step is to look for evidence of adverse effects, including inflammation, they said. Once a rarity outside of marginal communities, tattoos have become mainstream fashion accessories in recent years. By one estimate, some 40 percent of Millennials in the United States have at least one tat, hidden or on display. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin I Wayan Juniarta (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 09:56 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20952f5 4 Art & Culture I-Nyoman-Gunarsa,obituary,#Obituary,bali,bali-art-scene,art-and-culture,#painter,local-painters,Painter Free There are individuals who possess such a magnificent level of energy a mesmerizing enthusiasm for life that they exude an aura of immortality. Nyoman Gunarsa was one of them. Naturally, when news of his passing on Sunday at a Denpasar hospital spread through social media, most of his friends received it with a sense of disbelief. He had always been the exuberant and optimistic one. He had been hospitalized several times in the past and the experiences had never broken him, instead he had always come out stronger and more determined, art professor I Made Bandem said. Bandem and Gunarsa were close friends and belonged to the same post-Independence generation of Balinese intellectuals. This was the generation that survived the countrys economic hardships and deadly political turmoil before rising to become the primary force that shaped the islands cultural landscape. Bandem is a renowned dancer and ethnomusicologist who oversaw the transformation of Denpasars Institute of Indonesian Art (ISI) into a powerful cultural establishment while Gunarsa was a famed painter and university lecturer who cofounded Sanggar Dewata Indonesia (SDI), arguably one of the most influential artists associations in the history of the island. Token of respect: This painting of Rama and Laksmana, the two protagonists in the Hindu epic Ramayana, was gifted by I Nyoman Gunarsa to his friend, art professor I Made Bandem. (Made Bandem/File) His personal esthetic achievement as a painter and his tireless work through the SDI were some of his important contributions to the development of Balinese visual art, Bandem said. Personal esthetic achievement was the main reason behind Gunarsas success on both national and international stages, an accomplishment that only a few Balinese artists of his generation, including Made Wianta, could attain. Both Gunarsa and Wianta were applauded by art critics for their refreshingly individual and modern takes on elements and themes borrowed from the Balinese traditional fine-art realm. While Wianta later immersed himself in the pursuit of perfect geometry, Gunarsa established a personal style that would later earn him fame, wealth, and lead to innumerable forgeries. The style combined iconic figures and decorative elements from the islands myths and lore with elongated torsos, vivid colors and bold, minimalistic strokes. The pervading atmosphere was usually of buoyant optimism, a case of artwork capturing the character of its creator. This style secured his place as one of the islands most important visual artists in the 20th century. Yet, it was his teaching years in Yogyakartas ISI and his work with the SDI that won him a special place in the hearts of scores of young Balinese artists. That was a very politicized period, Gunarsa recalled the time in 1970, when the country was still reeling from the brutal communist purge in 1965 and there was constant pressure on artists to take a political side. I and several other Balinese artists founded the SDI to provide Balinese students and artists living in Yogyakarta a platform to share, collaborate and create without having to fear being labeled as supporters of certain political parties, Joie de vivre: A wide smile and optimistic attitude were I Nyoman Gunarsa's signature traits. (Nyoman Gunarsa Museum (NGM)/File) The SDI grew into arguably the largest and longest-surviving Balinese artists association, celebrating its 46th anniversary through a major art exhibition last March in Yogyakarta. A large number of the islands up-and-coming visual artists are members of this association. What made him so unique was the fact that he also dedicated his energy and attention to the preservation of Balinese art from the classical era, another gigantic figure in Balinese art, Pande Wayan Sutedja Neka said. Neka, who founded the Neka Art Museum in Ubud, said that Gunarsas decision to build in the 1990s a museum for the preservation of Balinese classical paintings had truly amazed him. I mean, he was already a wealthy person at that time and building a museum would certainly cost a fortune. The fact that he did it and put his whole heart into it really touched my heart, Neka added. Historic: Sarpa Yadnya (the snake sacrifice) is one of the precious Kamasan-style paintings on display at the Nyoman Gunarsa Museum. (Nyoman Gunarsa Museum (NGM)/File) Gunarsas home village of Banda, where the Nyoman Gunarsa Museum is situated, is only a few kilometers from Gelgel, the seat of the 15th century Balinese kingdom of the same name. It was said that the island experienced a cultural renaissance during the reign of Dalem Waturenggong, the most important king of the Gelgel. The king provided generous support to artisans and artists residing in Kamasan, a village near Gelgel. This patronage would play a pivotal role in the emergence of Kamasan-style painting. Gunarsa was in love with this style and spent considerable sums of money to acquire rare Kamasan-style paintings, including ones painted on rare ulantaga bark paper. The three-story museum also hosts historic wooden pavilions, gamelan sets, wooden gates and wall reliefs, statues and traditional kris daggers. He was a creator, a teacher and a conserver [] a role model whose contributions will be forever enshrined in our collective memory, Neka said. Gunarsa is survived by his wife, three children, seven grandchildren and countless number of young aspiring artists who looked up to him as a source of inspiration. A ngaben cremation ceremony will be held for him on Sept. 30. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) London Thu, September 14, 2017 20:02 1886 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20b4454 2 Art & Culture Charlie-and-the-Chocolate-Factory,movies,color,race,Roald-Dahl Free The hero of Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" book was originally written as a black boy, the author's widow told the BBC on Wednesday. "The first Charlie that he wrote about was a little black boy, you know, and I'm sure that was influenced by America," Liccy Dahl told BBC Radio 4. The tale of Charlie Bucket's adventures at the chocolate factory owned by Willy Wonka was first published in 1964 and is now available in 55 languages. Liccy Dahl said the final decision not to write the main character as a black child was "a great pity", adding that it "would be wonderful" to see a reworking of the book to incorporate her late husband's wish. Donald Sturrock, biographer of the world-famous children's author, said Roald Dahl's agent "thought it was a bad idea" to include a black hero. As with many of his books, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" made it to the silver screen in 1971. Read also: "Blackface" video in Malaysia blasted on social media But according to Liccy Dahl, her husband "wasn't very happy" with the film version starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. A second movie version hit cinemas in 2005, directed by Tim Burton and with actor Johnny Depp taking in the role as the eccentric factory owner. Numerous of Roald Dahl's other children's classics have made it onto the screen and stage, many since his death aged 74 in 1990. They include "Matilda", about the life of a genius five-year-old, which saw a 1996 film version ahead of a musical production by the Royal Shakespeare Company which opened in 2010. Despite becoming a celebrated author, Roald Dahl's became "extremely grumpy" when he was about to finish a book. "I used to say to him, 'Surely you should be thrilled, because you've finished a book'. He said, 'Yes, but the fear of starting another one'," his widow told the BBC. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 18:08 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20afca5 1 Science & Tech Nokia,Android,smartphone,Nokia-3,Nokia-6,Nokia-5 Free Nokia has officially launched its three Android smartphones in Indonesia. The lowest model of the three, Nokia 3, reportedly priced at Rp 1,899,000 (US$143), boasts 5-inch display, Mediatek MT6737 chipset, quad-core 1.3GHz CPU, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage, 1630 mAh battery and 8-megapixel front- and back-facing cameras. However, the prices for the two other models, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6, have not been announced. "Both Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 will be launch in October. The prices will be revealed in upcoming announcement," said HMD Global Indonesia country manager Mark Trundle during a launch event in Jakarta on Thursday as quoted by kompas.com. At the global market, Nokia 5 and Nokia 6 are being offered at 189 ($225) and 299 euros, respectively. The former comes with 5.2-inch display, Snapdragon 430 chipset, octa-core 1.4GHz CPU, 3GB RAM, 16GB storage, 3000 mAh battery and 8 MP and 13 MP front- and back-facing cameras, respectively. Read also: Redesigned feature phone Nokia 105 now on sale Meanwhile, Nokia 6 as the priciest model is equipped with 5.5-inch display, Snapdragon 430 chipset, octa-core 1.4GHz CPU, 3GB RAM, 32GB storage, 3000 mAh battery and 8 MP and 16 MP front- and back-facing cameras, respectively. All three phones support 4G LTE connectivity in the country and run Android 7 Nougat operating system. They reportedly would also receive an upgrade to Android 8 Oreo. The launch marks Nokia's comeback to Indonesia's market, following its rebirth through a collaboration between Finnish company HMD Global as the owner of Nokia smartphone brand license and FIH Mobile, a subsidiary of Chinese hardware manufacturer Foxconn. In Indonesia, the smartphones are distributed by PT Teletama Artha Mandiri (a unit of Erajaya Group) and PT Prima Sentral Distribusi (a subsidiary of Parastar Group). (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 17:31 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20ab6a6 1 Art & Culture the-seen-and-unseen,toronto-international-film-festival,film-festival,movies,#movies,local-movie Free The Seen and Unseen by Indonesian filmmaker Kamila Andiri premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to an enthusiastic audience on Tuesday, according to a statement. "The film, which tells the story of Indonesian people, was enthusiastically received by a large crowd audience who filled the movie theater and was then followed by a lively applause after 86 minutes of screening," the statement said. Written and directed by Kamila, it was the only film from Asia selected to compete at Platform, which is said to be the festival's most prestigious program. The 2017 Academy Awards' Best Picture, Moonlight, also premiered there. Five years in the making, The Seen and Unseen tells the story of a pair of boy-girl twin children named Tantri, played by Thaly Titi Kasih, 12, and Tantra, played by Gus Sena, 13. Ten-year-old Tantri retreats to a fantastical and evocative dream space to deal with the impending loss of her twin bother. Read also: Indonesia's 'Marlina the Murderer' selected for Toronto International Film Festival TIFF CEO Piers Handling on Tuesday attended the film's premiere, which he dubbed as the "hottest" selection. The first time I watched this movie, I was very impressed with its sensitivity in understanding the world of children. This film conveys imagination, creativity of cinema, simplicity, as well as magical things in it, Piers said in his remarks at the event, as quoted in the statement. Stars of the film, Thaly and Gus, had flown from Bali to speak at the premiere, along with Kamila. When asked why she chose children as the main characters in the film, Kamila said she wanted to explore a different point of view. "Children always have their own paradigm, and letting go of that paradigm has always been something I was interested in exploring. Death and night time are two topics that are foreign to children. This foreignness is what I want illustrate in a different way," Kamila said. Producer Ifa Isfansyah said The Seen and Unseen will premiere in Asia next month at the 2017 Busan International Film Festival and will air in Indonesian theaters sometime in early 2018. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Liza Yosephine (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 14:31 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20a0a46 1 Art & Culture bilateral-relations,Indonesia,Singapore,art,exhibition,artists,#exhibition,Rising-50 Free As Indonesia and Singapore celebrate half a century of bilateral relations, an art exhibition is being held in Jakarta to illustrate the close ties between the close neighbors. Held at the World Trade Center 2 Lobby Exhibition in Central Jakarta until Oct. 12, "Rising 50: The Contemporary Art of Singapore and Indonesia" opened on Tuesday evening. The exhibition features work from eight artists from the two countries. Singaporean Ambassador to Indonesia Anil Kumar Nayar emphasized the importance of people-to-people relations as the foundation for thriving ties. He said the exhibition was a way to bring the two countries together through art. "People-to-people always makes a difference in a relationship," Nayar said on opening night on Tuesday. Organized in collaboration with the Jakarta-based ISA Art Advisory, principal curator Deborah C. Iskandar said the exhibition features senior Singaporean artists together with young, up-and-coming Indonesian artists. "Indonesian artists who studied in Singapore, they come back with a different way of looking at things," Iskandar told The Jakarta Post. Here are three Indonesian artists featured at the exhibition. They studied art in Singapore. Read also: Jakarta exhibition set to highlight Korean creative contents Naufal Abshar 'Self Portrait - Through the Looking Glass' (2017) by Naufal Abshar. (JP/Liza Yosephine) At 24 years of age, Naufal Abshar is one of the youngest artists to participate in the event. Naufal has three pieces on display, namely a compilation of several canvases for his Self Portrait: Through the Looking Glass, a pair of two paintings titled Golden Anniversary and a single piece on his view of Singapore entitled Merlion, which he said he completed in four days. Naufal says he never begins with a sketch, explaining that his aim is to capture the moment on the spot as he paints. When asked which of his paintings he was most proud of, the young painter pointed to his self-portrait. "Because it's about myself and it's, like, reflecting myself, questioning my existence as a human being, also as an artist. And the reason why I'm proud of it is because I can exhibit it and share it with people," Naufal said of his piece, which he finished in two weeks. Naufal's work was exhibited at Art Stage Singapore in January 2017 and at the recently concluded Art Stage Jakarta in August. Read also: Exhibition puts spotlight on Indonesian female icons Kendra Ahimsa april in the phantom A post shared by (@ardneks) on Sep 10, 2017 at 7:53am PDT A designer by training, 28-year-old Kendra Ahimsa is a Jakarta-based artist with a pyschedelic visual style whose work features bright bold colors and symbolism with strong references in Japanese visual art, 1960s psychedelic music, pop-culture and obscure cinema. Kendra has two digital illustrations on display, namely April in the Phantom and The Sun is My Enemy. While he views Singapore as a neatly integrated city and one of the regional hubs of culture in Southeast Asia, Kendra says he enjoys being an artist in the Indonesian capital, as he finds inspiration in "messy" Jakarta. "It's more alive. Singapore has its own charm too. Lots of its own charm," Kendra said. Kendra owns a graphic design studio in Jakarta, where he handles projects connected to music. Read also: National Museum to host Pancasila-inspired exhibition Irfan Hendrian _ Layers of paper on wood board 120x90cm 2017 #paper #paperart #paperartistcollective #woodworking #modernart #materiality #materialmatters #contemporaryart #abstract A post shared by Irfan Hendrian (@hendrianirfan) on Sep 13, 2017 at 12:00am PDT Born in 1987, Irfan Hendrian is currently based in Bandung. He has just recently completed a Masters in Fine Arts from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). Irfan practices in art, graphic design and the printing industry. With a fascination for paper, Irfan has worked with the material for seven years, seeking ways to transform the fragile material into something strong and rigid. Irfan has four pieces on display at the exhibition, each a minimalist presentation involving the use of paper on a board. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Shanghai, China Thu, September 14, 2017 16:05 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20a6453 2 Environment panda,oldest,wildlife,China Free The world's oldest captive giant panda has died at age 37 -- more than 100 years in human years -- her handlers in China said on Thursday as they gave "Basi" an emotional send-off befitting a minor celebrity. Basi outlived most of her peers by nearly two decades -- Pandas in the wild have an average lifespan of about 20 years, but those in captivity generally live longer. She was something of a beloved star in China and her birthdays were often celebrated with gusto. State television reported live on Thursday from the zoo where Basi lived in southeastern China, which held a memorial in her honour. "With a heavy heart, we solemnly announce today that the original model of 'Panpan', the mascot for the first Asian Games (in China, 1990), and an angel of friendship both at home and abroad, giant panda star Basi died at 8:50am on September 13, 2017 at the age of 37," the Straits Giant Panda Research and Exchange Center in Fuzhou said. Read also: Indonesia ready for arrival of pandas from China Basi had lived at the facility since being rescued from the wild after she fell into a river in southwestern China at the age of four or five, it said. She was named after the valley where she was found. Basi spent some time abroad when she was loaned to the San Diego Zoo for six months in 1987. Giant pandas have a notoriously low reproductive rate, a key contributor -- along with habitat loss -- to their status as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of threatened species. The black and white bear, which symbolises wildlife protection efforts worldwide, was previously classified as endangered. Topics : panda oldest wildlife China The BMC has fined the Lalbaugcha Raja Ganapati Mandal Rs 4.86 lakh for damaging roads and not filling potholes after the Ganpati festival. By Mayuresh Ganapatye: Days after the Ganpati festival, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) fined the Lalbaugcha Raja Ganapati Mandal Rs 4.86 lakh for damaging roads and not filling potholes. Another famous Ganapati mandal from Lalbag area Ganesh Galli has been asked to pay Rs 4.14 lakh fine. BMC has sent notice to at least 20 such mandals asking them to pay hefty fine for leaving behind potholes after the festival. advertisement The mandals had to erect poles and put advertising banners and hoarding for Ganesh festival for which roads were dug. This has behind many potholes and road structures damaged. A team of BMC officials had visited these mandals and found at least 243 potholes in Lalbaugcha Raja pandal. They then issued notice to the mandals asking them to pay the fine. BMC charges Rs 2,000 for each pothole. In the Ganesh Galli Ganpati Mandal, the BMC team found 207 potholes for which the mandal has been fined Rs 4.14 lakh. ALSO READ | Potholes claimed over 10,000 lives for last three consecutive years India Today impact: BMC starts filling potholes in Mumbai ALSO WATCH | Mumbai in civic mess: Potholes, building collapses posing risk to citizen safety? --- ENDS --- Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Beijing, China Thu, September 14, 2017 18:50 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20b0f1b 2 Business automotive,China,airbag-defect,Volkswagen Free Volkswagen will recall almost five million vehicles in China over airbag concerns, Chinese authorities said Thursday, dealing a new blow to the German automaker in the world's largest car market. VW and its joint ventures with Chinese partners FAW and SAIC will start withdrawing 4.86 million vehicles fitted with potentially faulty airbags made by Japan's bankrupt airbag giant Takata from March 2018, according to China's top consumer watchdog. The announcement came just 10 days after VW and its local partners agreed to recall 1.82 million vehicles owing to a faulty fuel pump. In March Volkswagen recalled nearly 680,000 premium Audi cars in China over defects in coolant pumps that could lead to engine fires, and another 572,000 due to potential problems arising from leaks in the panoramic sunroof. The latest recall involves vehicles made between 2005 and 2017, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. Of the vehicles being recalled, more than 4.7 million units were made in Chinese factories and 103,573 are imports. Takata has recalled some 100 million airbags produced for some of the largest automakers, including about 70 million in the US, due to the risk that they could improperly inflate and rupture, potentially firing deadly shrapnel at the occupants. The defect has been linked to 16 deaths and scores of injuries worldwide. China is a crucial market for VW, which sold nearly four million vehicles in the world's biggest auto market last years. VW is still trying to recover from the controversy after it admitted in 2015 to equipping its diesel cars with defeat devices to evade emissions tests. The company pleaded guilty in March to charges stemming from "dieselgate" and agreed to pay $4.3 billion in penalties -- on top of $17.5 billion in civil settlements. Volkswagen still faces legal challenges in Germany and worldwide, and has so far set aside more than 22 billion euros ($24.4 billion) to cover costs. Experts estimate the final bill from the scandal could be even higher. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan and Kharishar Kahfi (The Jakarta Post) Medan/Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 07:07 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2090d6c 1 National KPK,red-handed-operation Free Investigators from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested seven people, including the regent, in an operation in Batubara regency in North Sumatra on Wednesday. KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah confirmed the arrests. All seven people were handed over to the North Sumatra Police, he said on Wednesday. One of them is Batubara regent OK Karya Zulkarnaen, who had been questioned by the antigraft agency at the police headquarters before being taken to Jakarta, North Sumatra Police spokesman Sr. Comr. RIna Sari Ginting said. The arrestees also included regency officials and individuals from private businesses, Febri said, while declining to give details on who had been named suspects in the case. Besides apprehending the seven people, investigators also seized cash believed to be gratuities in return for projects in Batubara regency. We suspect there were gifts being handed over in relation to several projects there, Febri said. The team would transfer the seven suspects to the KPK headquarters in Jakarta for further questioning, he said, adding that there would be a press conference on the matter on Thursday. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 19:48 1886 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20b332e 1 Politics KPK,setya,Fadli-Zon,corruption,e-ID Free Gerindra Party politician Fadli Zon may have to give up his position as a House of Representatives deputy speaker following his controversial decision to ask the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to suspend the criminal investigation into Setya Novanto. Houses Ethics Council Chairman Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said the council was now looking at whether Fadli had committed an ethics breach by signing and sending a letter to the KPK asking it to halt Setya's case in his capacity as a deputy House speaker. Setya, who serves as House speaker, has been named a suspect in a high-profile graft case surrounding the national project to procure electronic identification (e-ID) cards. Antigraft activists grouped under the Indonesian Anti-corruption Community (MAKI) have reported Fadli to the Houses ethics council for allegedly abusing his position to help Setya. The harshest punishment that can be imposed on him if found guilty is being removed from his position, Dasco said Thursday. This happened to [former House speaker] Ade Komaruddin previously, he added. Dasco, a politician from the Gerindra Party, of which Fadli is also a member, said that Ade, a Golkar Party politician, was removed from his position last year after he was found guilty of abusing his position to influence a budget deliberation. In his defense, Fadli said he had sent the letter on behalf of Setya as a member of the public not as a deputy House speaker. In the letter, Setya requested the KPK suspend his investigation until the South Jakarta District Court had issued a ruling on his pre-trial motion challenging the KPKs decision to name him a corruption suspect. (ary) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jalees Andrabi (Agence France-Presse) Ahmedabad Thu, September 14, 2017 17:50 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20ac951 2 Business India,Japan,Transportation,economic-diplomacy,Prime-Minister-Narendra-Modi Free Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday inaugurated India's first bullet train project -- a $19 billion line in the home state of Indian leader Narendra Modi intended to revitalise the country's vast but dilapidated network. The initiative is seen as emblematic of fast warming relations between New Delhi and Tokyo, who are seeking to combat China's growing influence. It is also a new beginning for a rail transport system plagued by accidents and chronic delays. The line, using Japanese trains and technology, will link Ahmedabad to India's financial capital Mumbai and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2023. The 500 kilometre (310 mile) journey will be cut from eight hours now to just over two hours when services start. "I hope to enjoy the beauty of India through the windows of the bullet train with Modi on my side when I come to India in a few years," Abe told a ceremony in Ahmedabad. "It marks the beginning of a new chapter in ties between India and Japan." Abe's visit comes just after a border standoff between India and China in a disputed and strategically important Himalayan area. The two prime ministers both hailed the strengthened ties between their countries. "The Indo-Japan relationship is not just about bilateral trade. It has developed into a strategic and global partnership in the Indian-Pacific region," said Abe. Modi has pledged to invest billions of dollars to modernise India's creaking railway system that remains the main form of travel for millions. The bullet train is one of his pet projects. "Today India has taken a giant step in fulfilling a long cherished dream," Modi said to loud cheers from the audience. "The bullet train project will bring great speed, great development and great technology to the country." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 20:45 1886 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20b5840 1 City Mitra-Keluarga-Hospital,baby,BPJS Free The Jakarta Health Agency has established an investigative team to identify the root cause of the death of 4-month-old baby Tiara Deborah Simanjorang on Sunday. The team was set up following allegations by the babys parents that Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Kalideres, West Jakarta, had failed to properly and immediately take care of their ailing child, which eventually led to her death. The agencys public service division head, Tienke Maria Margareta, told a press conference on Thursday that the investigative team consisted of 19 officials from the agency, the Health Ministry, the Jakarta branch of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI), the office of the Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister and experts from the Hospital Monitoring Agency (BPRS). They will start to work on Friday. "The team will investigate Deborah's case, from the management to the medical and administration aspects. It will report the results of its investigation to the Jakarta Health Agency head and the governor," Tienke said. In performing its tasks, she added, the team would have the authority to summon witnesses and experts and to examine the documents of medical personnel involved in the case. She further said that the investigation results would determine possible sanctions to be imposed on Mitra Keluarga Hospital. "The sanctions could be a verbal reprimand, a warning letter or revocation of license," she said. The head of BPRS Jakarta, Supriyantoro, said the team would be divided into two divisions focusing on the medical and administrative aspects. (rdi) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 18:28 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20b092f 1 City reclamation,Jakarta-council Free Following the governments move to lift the moratorium for islets C and D, the Jakarta administration has urged the City Council to deliberate reclamation bills to allow developers to continue the construction of the islets. The council halted deliberations of the two bills concerning the Northern Jakarta Strategic Area Spatial Plan (RTRKS) and the Zoning Plan and Coastal Northern Territory (RZWP3K) in April last year. The decision was made following the arrest of city councillor Mohamad Sanusi for allegedly accepting a bribe from PT Agung Podomoro Land (APL), one of the developers of the reclamation projects. Jakarta Development Planning Board head Tuty Kusumawati said the council had no reason to halt the reclamation projects. The RZWP3K had been discussed. The City Council only needs to hold a plenary meeting [to deliberate it]. Meanwhile, for the RTRKS, we only need to discuss one section, which is about the contribution, Tuty said as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com. The administration demands 15 percent added profit sharing contribution from the developers, the provision of which was rejected by the council. Tuty said the agency was waiting for the Environment and Forestry Ministry to issue a letter stating the official moratorium lift. Meanwhile, the councils deputy speaker, M. Taufik, brother of the arrested Sanusi, said the council had not planned to continue deliberating the bills due to some considerations, he said. (cal) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 11:08 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a209b4fa 1 City Jakarta-traffic,garage,parking Free The Jakarta Police are opposing the Jakarta administrations plan to obligate car owners, either individual or corporate, to have garages on their property to park their vehicles. Jakarta Police traffic management director Sr. Comr. Halim Pagarra said the policy was not regulated in related traffic regulations, either Law No. 22/2009 on traffic and transportation or National Police Chief Regulation No. 5/2012 on the vehicle registration. "To obtain a license, the owner must only have an invoice, a vehicle check and an ID card," he said on Wednesday as quoted by tribunnews.com. Therefore, the police will not support the policy as it is solely regulated by the 2014 Jakarta Bylaw on transportation, Halim said. The Jakarta administration recently announced its plan to reinforce this old policy, which prohibits citizens from owning cars if they do not have a garage to house it in. (yon) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 14 2017 Women in Jakarta understand how challenging it is to walk in high heels on the citys sidewalks, which are uneven and full of gaps. Uly Simamora, 24, a private company employee who works on Jl. Jenderal Sudirman, Central Jakarta, said she always carried sneakers or flat shoes in her bag to change into before heading out to the SCBD area from her office to buy lunch. The sidewalk that she passes every day is made of cement, a material that leaves marks on her shoes. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 11:10 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a209c148 4 City #health,#technology,#NorthJakarta Free The Cilincing community health center in North Jakarta is no longer using pens and paper to monitor the growth of children. On Wednesday, the clinic launched an app called e-CINTA. The head of the center, Leny Ariyani, said the online based app was launched to record children's data. [The app] is not only useful for the health center teams, but also teachers and instructors at early childhood education centers, she said at the launch event as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com. Leny said the idea for the app came from a team at the health center who were discussing the issue of child health in Cilincing District. We have to record the development of every child. Malnutrition is a serious issue because it causes delayed growth in children from the ages of zero to six years, she said. Leny explained that in the app, healthcare officers can write in the date of birth, detect the child's age and give parents guidance about the childs development. "The team will keep a record of the data so if there is a discrepancy between the age and the growth, we will ask the family to give more attention to the condition of the child, based on the childs head circumference, weight and body growth, she explained. (dis) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Syofiardi Bachyul (The Jakarta Post) Padang Thu, September 14, 2017 08:30 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2093c9d 1 National mentawai,forest,west-sumatra Free The residents and regency administration of the Mentawai Islands have opposed the decision made by the central government and West Sumatra provincial administration to grant an industrial forest (HTI) permit for a company in Siberut Island. The HTI permit was given to private firm PT Biomass Andalan Energi for 20,030 hectares. At least 50 Mentawai residents, mostly college students, protested in front of the West Sumatra Environment Agency on Wednesday to express their opposition. At the same time as the residents' protest, the agency was holding a meeting to discuss the environmental impact analysis (Amdal). The group demanded the agency not proceed with the meeting, arguing that granting the permit would be disadvantageous to Mentawai. Since the 1970s, the production forest concession has only resulted in floods, said Daudi Silvanus Satoko, who led the protest on Wednesday. Acting Environment Agency head Siti Aisyah, who met with protestors, said her office would not dare to issue a permit that did not follow proper procedure as it would create a legal fallacy. The meeting to discuss the Amdal, she said, had been attended by representatives from various stakeholders. Not only the residents, but the Mentawai Islands regency administration also urged the central and provincial governments not to proceed with the plan. Mentawai deputy regent Kortanius Sabeleake said that the regency administration had sent a letter to the Environment and Forestry Ministry to lodge a protest. However, no response has yet been received. The regency administration doesn't have any power regarding permit issuance, we were not given a say in the matter even though the location is in our regency, he said, adding that such a policy did not favor the people who had owned their land on the island for a long time. He said the lands managed by local people on Siberut Island had been decreasing. Some 127,715 ha of land out of the island's total area of 386,715 ha are now concession areas for three companies. Some 190,500 ha are for Siberut National Park and 33,341 ha are for other purposes. The remaining land that could be used by 37,000 residents was 34,071 ha. By PTI: (Eds:Repeating after changing a word in para 4) By Lalit K Jha Washington, Sep 14 (PTI) An Indian woman, who lost her residency rights in the US following the murder of her techie husband in a suspected hate crime, can stay in the country for now after an influential lawmaker helped her get a temporary work visa. advertisement Sunayana Dumala, whose 32-year-old husband Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed at a Kansas bar in February, fell out of status because her permission to reside in the US was tied to Kuchibhotla through marriage, Congressman Kevin Yoder was quoted as saying by the NBC News. "Were not going to let this happen to Sunayana," Yoder said on twitter. Dumala managed to regain her residency status, which she had lost after the killing of her husband. Kuchibhotla, an aviation systems engineer and programmes manager at GPS maker Garmin, was in the US on a temporary non-immigrant H-1B visa, granted to highly skilled workers. "When Sunayana lost her status, to me it really added insult to injury," Yoder told NBC news. Yoder later helped her get a temporary work visa of her own. "It would have been a real tragedy, on top of the initial tragedy she suffered, to attend her husbands funeral in India and then be locked out of the US because of it," Yoder was quoted as saying by The New York Times. "This woman suffered enough. We need to fix this," he said. In a Facebook post, Yoder said Dumala lost her husband Srinivas in the tragic shooting at Austin?s Bar and Grill in Olathe ? a senseless murder no one should ever have to endure. "But because of unfair backlogs on green card, Sunayana was faced with the prospect of having to return home to India because of her visa status," he said. "Thankfully, we were able to help her stay for now and are working towards a permanent fix, but if our bill had already been signed into law she would likely have already gained permanent residence and would not have faced the threat of deportation on top of the horrific loss of her loving husband," Yoder said. Yoder said he has corresponded with Dumala and met with her several times. Dumala was part of a group of Indian immigrants who came to support the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, according to Yoder, the bill?s lead sponsor. advertisement The legislation seeks to eliminate the per-country cap for employment-based immigrants, allowing green cards to instead be given on a first-come, first-serve basis. Between 230,000 and two million Indian workers are in line for a green card, which means that they could be waiting for decades, if not longer, he said. "Many of us think this is an injustice, its discriminatory, and the system is failing people like Srinivas and Sunayana," he said arguing that the law should explicitly address people whose spouses are the targets of hate crimes. "I think we ought to have a special exception. You dont get deported because your husband was murdered. They dont come and grab you at a funeral and say, Now youve lost your status," Yoder said. Adam Purinton is accused of fatally shooting Kuchibhotla after using "racial slurs" and yelling "get out of my country". Two others ? Kuchibhotla?s friend Alok Madasani, from India, and patron Ian Grillot, who intervened ? were wounded in the attack. Purinton awaits a state trial on one count of premeditated first-degree murder and two counts of attempted premeditated first-degree murder. PTI LKJ NSA --- ENDS --- advertisement Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Denpasar Thu, September 14, 2017 17:58 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20ad9df 1 National murder,murder-case,bali,JapaneseCouple,police Free The Denpasar Police on the resort island of Bali have said that the murder of Japanese couple Norio Matsuba, 76, and his wife Hiroko Matsuba, 73, on Sept 4 may have been premeditated. "We suspect the murders were planned as we found evidence indicating as much," Denpasar Police chief Sr. Comr. Hadi Purnomo said on Thursday. The police found a gasoline bottle, a lighter and plastic rope at the couple's rented house, where they were found dead with burns to their bodies. The sharp weapon used to cause injuries to the couple has not been found. "We suspect the fuel was taken to the house by the perpetrator," Hadi said, explaining that the perpetrators had tried to incinerate the bodies. The police have yet to name any suspects, but they believe there was more than one person, and that they were known to the victims. The couple was found dead in their home in the Puri Gading residential complex in Jimbaran, Bali, on Sept 4. Their bodies were found on the second floor of the two-story house. (ary) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jon Afrizal (The Jakarta Post) Jambi Thu, September 14, 2017 16:34 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20a7b97 1 National blasphemy,Jambi,NasDem-Party,ITE-Law Free A NasDem Party councilor in Tanjungjabung Barat regency in Jambi province has been detained on charges of inciting hostility toward Muslims after writing a Facebook post deemed to be blasphemous. Riano Jaya Wardhana, who heads the NasDem Partys branch in the regency, has been accused of "defaming Islam and Muslims" for criticism he allegedly wrote in a Facebook post about the way some Muslims had treated former Jakarta governor Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, who is now in prison for blasphemy. He allegedly said: I am personally disgusted by Muslims, who practice the same faith as me but are senseless, as if they are the most righteous; they abuse religion [...] and do not forgive other people, as if they are as bad as the devil. We detained him on Wednesday for further investigation, Tanjungjabung Barat Police chief Sr. Adj. Comr. Alfonso Dolly Gelbert Sinaga said on Thursday, adding that the suspect had been charged under Article 28 of the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law. The article criminalizes those accused of disseminating information aimed at causing hatred for or hostility toward individuals and/or groups based on ethnicity, religion, race and intergroup affiliation. It has been increasingly used to prosecute people accused of making so-called blasphemous remarks on social media. Riano was reported to the police by Ahmad bin Kurdi of the Tanjungjabung Barat Muslim Community Alliance in May. He claims his account had been hacked and that he never wrote the controversial Facebook post. (ary) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 19:03 1886 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20b29af 1 City toll-road,payment-system Free The implementation of e-payment systems at tollgates has met resistance from worker unions, as the system will affect some 20,000 workers, half of whom are in Jakarta, who stand to lose their jobs. Indonesian Workers Union Association (Aspek) and the Confederation of Indonesian Workers Union (KSPI) said on Thursday that they rejected the implementation of unmanned automatic-payment tollgates. KSPI chairman Said Iqbal said as state-owned companies, toll road operators should prioritize creating jobs instead of proceeding with the automation, adding that the country was not prepared for full automation with high unemployment. Each gate [around the country] employs five people for three shifts every day, if all of the gates are automated, they are all going to lose their job, the chairman said on Thursday. By Oct. 31, all tollgates will go cashless, while in Jakarta the system has been implemented gradually since Tuesday. Aspek president Mirah Sumirat said automation would not significantly increase efficiency because the main cause of traffic congestion was the volume of vehicles, location between toll exits and the arterial road, as well as the number of big vehicles. Operators can proceed transactions at the rate of three to four seconds per vehicle, so it has nothing to do with time efficiency, she said. State-owned toll operator Jasa Marga president director Desi Arryani reportedly said her company would not layoff the toll road operators and would instead move them to other working units. Said, however, said layoffs are just a matter of time. (dis) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Sam Jahan (AFP) Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh Thu, September 14, 2017 11:46 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a209d0d8 2 World #RohingyaCrisis,#victims,#Myanmar Free Azizul Haque wanted to scream but could not muster the energy as he fought for his life, his body torn apart by the landmine he stepped on as he and his Rohingya Muslim family fled Myanmar. Instead the 15-year-old is so feeble he can barely beg his mother to bring him a juice, which in any case she cannot afford to buy. Haque is in a hospital bed in the Bangladesh border town of Cox's Bazar, bandaged virtually from head to toe. He lost both legs and part of a hand in the explosion, and suffered shrapnel wounds across his body. "We heard a huge explosion as Azizul stepped on the mine," said his mother Rashida Begum, standing next to his bed, helplessly shedding tears. "I saw his two legs blown away." The family are among 379,000 Rohingya who have sought refuge in Bangladesh from violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state that started August 25, after Rohingya militants attacked police posts there. They ran away from their home village of Debinna, and were in sight of the frontier when the boy stepped on a mine near the barbed wire border fence. "Everyone was in a rush. Nobody could look out for others as the Burmese were chasing us from behind and burning the village," the mother of four told AFP. While many Rohingya refugees have recounted tales of torture and rape by Myanmar troops and Buddhist militias as they escaped torched villages, landmines are the latest deadly threat to come to light. Senior Bangladeshi officials believe anti-personnel mines, which were banned by a 1997 global treaty, have been planted by Myanmar security forces to prevent Rohingya from trying to return to their villages. "Since September 3, we have heard at least 12 landmine explosions. At least three people were killed and seven were injured in the blasts," Border Guard Bangladesh Commander Manzurul Hasan Khan told AFP. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 19:54 1886 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20b3e46 1 City skytrain,soekarno-hatta-airport,operation Free The skytrain, or automated people-mover system (APMS), at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport is ready to being operations on Sunday, with tests showing that the train has a capacity of 175 passengers. During the load testing on Thursday, the rolling stock engineers of state-owned company PT LEN, the developer of the train, placed 20 water tanks weighing 22 tons inside the train. The tanks resemble 175 passengers [] There is no problem with the test, so it is ready to operate on Sept. 17, Hilmiawan, the leading rolling stock engineer, said, as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com. Also on Thursday, the driverless train obtained certification from the Railway Directorate General of the Transportation Ministry, stating it was safe to operate. The branch communication manager of airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II, Dewandono Prasetyo Nugroho, said the ministry would issue a certificate for the trains facilities on Saturday. Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumardi and State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno are set to attend the ceremony to kick off operations. The train will launch on a limited section of the track to connect Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 in the first phase of operations, before connecting all three terminals in November. (cal) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Daniel Silva and Daniel Bosque (AFP) Madrid/Barcelona Thu, September 14, 2017 09:15 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20945e0 2 World #Spain,#Catalonia Free Spain's public prosecutor on Wednesday ordered a criminal probe of over 700 Catalan mayors who are cooperating with an October 1 independence referendum deemed illegal by Madrid. The move increases the pressure on Catalan officials just one day before the pro-separatist camp officially kicks off its referendum campaign in the Mediterranean port of Tarragona. Furious at the decision to instigate a probe, Catalan municipal associations called on all the region's mayors to protest in Barcelona on Saturday to show their "rejection of a Spanish judicial system that goes after the media, ballot papers, ballot boxes... and now mayors". The prosecutors' office ordered the mayors who have agreed to help stage the vote be summoned to court as official suspects and if they do not appear to "order their arrest", according to a copy of the ruling obtained by AFP. Pro-independence Catalan president Carles Puigdemont dubbed the move an "atrocity scarcely worthy of a democracy", and said he would attend Saturday's protest. Catalonia's pro-separatist government has asked the wealthy northeastern region's 948 mayors to provide facilities for polling stations for the plebiscite. So far 712 mostly smaller municipalities have agreed to participate, according to a list posted on the website of Catalonia's Municipal Association for Independence (AMI) which represents 750 municipalities. "They can arrest us! They're crazy!," David Rovira, the pro-separatist mayor of L'Espluga de Francoli, a town of some 3,800 residents, told AFP by phone, adding that Madrid had "proposed nothing" to appease Catalonia's demands for greater autonomy. Jordi Turull, spokesman for the Catalan government, told reporters that the executive would support the region's mayors and would "respect their decision". The ruling comes a day after prosecutors ordered police in Catalonia to seize ballot boxes, election flyers and any other item that could be used in the referendum. Prosecutors have already launched an official complaint against Puigdemont and members of his government over their referendum plans, accusing them of civil disobedience, misfeasance and misappropriation of public funds -- the latter carrying jail sentences of up to eight years. And on Wednesday, the official referendum website was shut down following a court order, the Guardia Civil police force said, prompting Puigdemont to immediately tweet the address of a new website. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 17:58 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20adda7 1 City crime,abduction,West-Jakarta Free An abduction attempt targeting a pupil of SDN 01 state elementary school in Tanjung Duren, West Jakarta, failed on Wednesday after the little girl reportedly bit the would-be abductors hand. The schools principal, Mulyadi, said the incident occurred at around 1 p.m. when all of the students had left the school but three fourth-graders were passing the street behind the school on the way to a tutoring session. School ended at 1 p.m. The student wanted to attend a tutoring session but before going there, she bought snacks near the school building, Mulyadi said, as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com. The victims home, he added, was located only 20 meters from the school. The alleged perpetrator tried to smother the victim but she bit his hand, causing him to lose his grip on her. The girl then ran away. According to the victims information, there were two perpetrators. The first one tried to abduct her while the other waited in a car. The perpetrators were old. They wore hats so it was hard to identify them. The victim also said there were other children locked in the car and tied up. However, so far we have not received any reports of missing children, Mulyadi said. Following the apparent abduction, the school has tightened security. The students are no longer allowed to leave the premises during recess, and when school ends they have to wait for their parents to pick them up. Separately, Tanjung Duren Police general crimes unit head Adj. Sr. Comr. Rensa Aktadevia said the police were investigating the case but declined to provide further details. (wnd/wit) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Indonesia Fri, September 15 2017 Two Indonesian fishermen, who were abducted by a Philippine rebel group in waters off the Malaysian state of Sabah in 2016, finally set foot in Jakarta after being rescued and repatriated by the authorities. Saparudin and Sawal were transferred by the Foreign Ministry to their respective families on Thursday morning at Pejambon, almost a year after they were kidnapped, an official said. The ministrys director for citizen protection abroad, Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, said that Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi handed over the duo to their families, who were accompanied by authorities from Majene regency in West Sulawesi. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,500/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (AFP) Bangkok Thu, September 14, 2017 14:18 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20a07f0 2 SE Asia #Thailand,#MilitaryCommand,#violence Free One soldier died and 20 other people were wounded, including two civilians, as suspected rebels ambushed an army patrol in Thailand's violence-stricken deep south, officials said Thursday. The Muslim-majority region that borders Malaysia has been roiled by violence for over a decade as ethnic Malay insurgents battle the Buddhist-majority state for more autonomy. More than 6,800 people have died -- the majority civilians -- in a conflict that grinds on far from international headlines. The attack began early Thursday when a roadside bomb struck a vehicle carrying the army rangers in a remote village in the Yaha district of Yala province. A second explosive was detonated half an hour later as bomb squad experts arrived to clear the scene, followed by a shootout in which suspected militants peppered the security forces with fire. Southern army spokesman Colonel Pramote Prom-in said a lance corporal had died from his injuries, with 18 other soldiers wounded and "two villagers slightly injured". A Yaha district policeman confirmed the toll. The attack comes as the Thai junta holds talks with an umbrella group claiming to represent the rebels to set up 'safety zones' in the south as a form of limited ceasefire in a conflict that has seared through the region since 2004. But experts say the main faction with command and control over the insurgents is not committed to the talks with Thailand's military leaders, who seized power in 2014. The shadowy Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) is believed to be behind most of the violence in the region, although it never claims attacks and shuns publicity. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 15:04 1887 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20a24e6 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Cirebon,#Cirebon Free A festival of Kraton Nusantara (Palaces of Archipelago) is set to be held for the 11th time in Cirebon, West Java, from Sept. 15 to 20. A total of 50 kraton from across the country and 100 observers from 150 kraton are set to participate in the event that will be hosted by Kraton Kasepuhan. Tourism Ministry's archipelago tourism marketing development deputy, Esthy Reko Astuti, said this is the second time for Cirebon to host the event. Previously the festival was held in the city in 1997 and officiated by Try Sutrisno, the vice president at the time. The festival originates from Kraton Festival that was held for Javanese royal palaces in Surakarta in 1992. The activity was then developed to the Archipelago Kraton Festival, which was first held in 1995 in Yogyakarta and joined by 20 palaces, said Esthy, adding that the event aims to introduce traditional customs and cultures of kraton as well as preserving them. Read also: Bawah Island of Anambas Islands nominated for most popular diving spot The event is scheduled to feature activities such as Kirab Agung Prajurit Keraton (Kraton Guards Parade), kraton art performances, kraton traditional ceremony, kraton fashion show, kraton heirlooms exhibition and meeting of royal sultans and kings. It will also host an inauguration of Pusaka Keraton Kasepuhan Museum with President Joko Widodo is expected to officiate the ceremony. The events locations are spread across the city such as Sunyaragi Cave, Kraton Kasepuhan, Kraton Kanoman and several hotels in Cirebon, said the ministry's head of cultural promotion, Wawan Gunawan. Visitors of the festival can opt to join a tour around the city that is famous for its Trusmi batik and local dishes such as nasi jamblang (rice wrapped in teak leaves), empal gentong (curry-like beef soup usually served with steamed rice) and tahu gejrot (fried tofu in sweet spicy sauce). Traveling to Cirebon is quite easy via Cipali toll road from Jakarta. Visitors can also hop on a train from the capital city, Yogyakarta or Semarang as there are at least 200 train trips that pass Cirebon. (kes) With the growing inefficiency of Indian Railways, we have a long way to tread before we can enjoy luxuries like a bullet train. By Disha Roy Choudhury: With the launch of the bullet train, railways in India is set for a complete overhaul, or at least that's what Prime Minister Narendra Modi claims right now. Yes, Modi ji, railways may have been a catalyst in America or Japan's road to progress, and if emulating their model could make us achieve the same, then such efforts are worth a try. advertisement For a means of transport like the railways, which is literally the lifeline of our country, it is definitely necessary to improve its overall existence. But before introducing hi-tech trains in India, we need to stop and look back at the numerous fiascos that train travel comes with. So, Mr Prime Minister, if we are really looking at a ''new India'', marked by modernity, development and improved technology, we'd like to request you to consider these issues first: Lesser mishaps Cases of derailments have now become rampant. According to some news reports, train derailments in 2016-17 have led to the highest number of deaths in a decade. Over the past 10 years, there have been as many as 1394 train accidents. Of these, 51 per cent were due to derailments. Besides, how could one be so careless as to not inform a train driver about railway repair work, leading to the death of so many people aboard Utkal Express ? If technology is what we are looking at, the priority is to use it to improve the existing infrastructure, without gambling with innocent lives. Running as per schedule According to a 2016 study, conducted by RailYatri.in, the average National Train Delay Index was as high as 35.03 minutes till the end of June last year. It is important for railway authorities to understand how such delays result in the loss of time and money for passengers. Should Indian Railways really be surprised on seeing people opting for air travel over trains ? Also Read:6 reasons Indians are now choosing air travel over railways Improved security Security in trains has become a matter of concern. And it is not about thefts only; what also makes us worry is how, inspite of security personnel on trains, cases of hate crime, like that of Junaid, could not be averted. Edible food and hygiene With the latest CAG report exposing the bitter truth about train services, the railways have finally been awakened from their slumber. After all, what would one do with technology in trains if the food served is contaminated or the linen you sleep on is unwashed for months? advertisement Quality staff Railway minister Piyush Goyal recently ordered the catering staff to not seek tips from passengers. All we hope is that the next time one boards a train, he or she is not caught in an embarrassing situation, trying to negotiate with the staff for money. --- ENDS --- Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta Thu, September 14, 2017 19:01 1886 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a20b1fd2 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Australia,culinary,#Culinary,Indonesian-cuisine Free Indonesian food is set to be promoted at the upcoming Spring Festival 2017 in Araluen Botanic Park in Perth, Western Australia, that will run on weekends from September 30 to October 1. The festivity of Spring Festival 2017 is estimated to attract more than 100,000 Australians who seek to marvel at tulip flowers while enjoying spring at Araluen. We are there to promote the beauty of Indonesia, said Tourism Ministry's deputy minister for overseas promotion I Gde Pitana. Pitana said the ministry would highlight the 10 Priority Destinations through culinary and traditional art performances at the event. Among the Indonesian delicacies set to be presented there are soto ayam (chicken aromatic soup), konro from Makassar, rendang (beef simmered in coconut milk), bebek betutu (Bali-style fried duck), Javanese grilled chicken, telor balado (eggs with spicy chili sauce) and udang goreng sambal balado (fried prawns in spicy chili sauce). Read also: Getting to know Padang restaurants' rice from Solok regency Araluen Botanic Park in Perth welcomes many visitors during springtime who seek to enjoy the Springtime festival that exhibits tulips. The event will also host the Araluen Folk Festival that showcases various traditional art performances from different countries, including Indonesia, said the ministry's deputy assistant for Asia-Pacific tourism promotion Vinsensius Jemadu. The ministry is said to bring members of Malang Flower Carnival to the event. The Indonesian booth itself will feature 16 representatives dressed in traditional costumes who will hand out brochures to visitors. Interested customers can directly purchase a tour package at the booth. Australia is one of our main markets. The number of Australians coming to Indonesia has been increasing in the past five years. In 2014, the number reached 1,145,576 people, said Tourism Minister Arief Yahya, adding that he is hopeful that 1.8 million visitors from the total target of 15 million foreign tourists in 2017 will be from Australia. (kes) Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the India-Japan Annual Summit with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe by his side after launching the Ahemdabad-Mumbai bullet train project. Here is the full text of the speech the prime minister delivered. By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today signed a number of agreements and laid the foundation stone for the ambitious Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, India's first high-speed rail corridor. PM Modi, with PM Abe by his side, also addressed the India-Japan Annual Summit in Gandhinagar. Modi spoke about how how India and Japan had agreed to cooperate across a numbero of areas. advertisement PM Modi called Japan PM Abe his "personal friend" and a "friend of India," recalling how his relationship with the leadership of Japan dates back to nearly a decade when Modi was the chief minister of Gujarat. Here is the full text of the remarks PM Modi delivered at the event: "Ladies and Gentlemen! It is a real pleasure to be with the business community of Japan and India. That too in the presence of a great friend: Friend of India; Friend of Gujarat and my personal friend Mr. Shinzo Abe Please give a big hand for this great friend and a great leader. My personal engagement with the leadership, Government, Industry and people of Japan is now a decade old. When I first visited Japan as Chief Minister of Gujarat, I had said that I want to see a mini Japan in Gujarat. Today, that dream has come true. I am happy to see so many friends from Japan happily living and doing business in Gujarat. It also gives me great pleasure to see so many familiar faces here. I am also happy to see that dedicated townships, clusters and institutions have come up to make the Japanese life and work experience better. Today also, one Japanese township has been announced. Gujarat's Industry and Government still cherish the fact that Japan became the first partner country in the Vibrant Gujarat event. Not only did this partnership continue, but our engagement has kept growing. It has resulted in much greater level of engagement of the Japanese industry with the Indian economy. I thank Keidanren, JETRO and other organisations for helping us in this process. The mechanism of Japan Plus has also helped in the process of hand holding. Click here to Enlarge Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures as he addresses a gathering during the groundbreaking ceremony for a high-speed rail project in Ahmedabad, India, September 14, 2017. REUTERS/Amit Dave Friends! The Government and the people of Japan have always shown great affection towards me and my country. In fact, 1.25 billion people of India have the same affection for the Japanese people. I am particularly grateful to Prime Minister Abe for his encouragement and support at a personal level. advertisement Prime Minister Abe and I do not miss any opportunity to meet. This closeness and understanding has helped us bridge a number of gaps in our bilateral relations. Last year has seen the highest ever disbursement of Official Development Assistance from Japan in a financial year. Similarly, the number of Japanese companies working in India has gone up steadily in the last few years. From the activities launched today, you can see the depth of relationship between the two countries. First is the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project. We are grateful for the support of the Japanese Government for this Project. I hope that the construction of the 500-km long bullet train will begin soon and it would become operational by 2022-23. Along with the High Speed Rail project, a training institute is also taking shape. It will prepare the Makers of a New India - the highly skilled manpower required to build, operate and maintain the high speed railway. Bullet train project is human friendly and eco friendly. The project provides 'Suvidha' and 'Suraksha', it brings 'Rozgar' and 'Raftar.' pic.twitter.com/3NTV7vR2fC- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 14, 2017 advertisement Second is the Development of Japanese Industrial Townships: Countrywide, four locations have been finalized. Apart from Gujarat, they are located in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Third is our cooperation in automobiles. The Suzuki plant at Maandal is exporting cars worldwide, and foundation has been laid for production of Lithium-ion batteries to power the next generation hybrid and electric vehicles. Fourth is for Human Resource Development through the Japan-India Institutes of Manufacturing They are being developed by Japanese companies. In addition to Gujarat, they will be developed in Karnataka, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.You know that the ancient and holy city of Varanasi is my second home. The project of Varanasi Convention Centre is a symbol of cultural co-operation between Kyoto city of Japan and Varanasi. It was conceived by Prime Minister Abe and I when we visited Varanasi together in 2015. I have named it Rudraksh - the symbol of love, and a Prasad of Lord Shiva to Humanity. This Rudraksh will be a garland of love of Japan for Varanasi. It will also be a tribute to our shared Buddhist heritage present at Sarnath too. For Japan's financial assistance to this project, I extend my warmest personal thanks to Prime Minister Abe. You have also seen some other announcements for investment by Japanese companies. advertisement On political and strategic side too, this visit of Prime Minister Abe has been very productive. We have concluded a number of agreements on very important matters. All this shows the depth of our understanding and the comfort and confidence which we have with each other. Glad to have taken PM @AbeShinzo to the Dandi Kutir at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar. pic.twitter.com/6icXcG35hD- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 14, 2017 Friends! Over the last three years, we have worked very hard on the front of Ease of Doing Business. A series of administrative reforms have significantly improved the business sentiment in the country. These reforms and initiatives are all aimed at preparing India for the 21st century. They are aimed at transforming the country and making a New India. Powered by the energy of our youth, we are positioning India as a global manufacturing hub. For this purpose, we have launched the 'Make in India' campaign. We are also developing India into a knowledge based, skill supported and technology driven society. A grand beginning has already been made through our drives like Digital India and Skill India. For the same purpose, we have started the Start-up India campaign. India is ranked 3rd in the Global Start-Up Eco-system, and has seen a momentous rise in the past couple of years. The Start-Up India initiative also aims to build a strong eco-system of innovation. On infrastructure side also, my Government has launched ambitious initiatives. These projects create and present life time opportunities to investors. This includes 100 Smart Cities Mission, Housing for 50 million homeless, building roads, bridges, ports, railways tracks as well as stations. Click here to Enlarge PM Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe press a button at the groundbreaking ceremony for a high-speed rail project in Ahmedabad, India, September 14, 2017. REUTERS/Amit Dave Friends! Japan can benefit tremendously with the size and scale of our potentials and skilled hands that India offers! In fact, all of India's development agenda is relevant for Japanese companies. To allow entry of capital and technology, we have worked hard on opening our economy. Every day we are making it easier to invest and do business in India. We have already resolved a number of regulatory and policy issues facing the businesses and companies. We have got very good results of these efforts. I can list out some of the recent global recognitions: India has moved up in the index of Ease of Doing Business of world Bank; We have moved up 32 places in last two years in the Global Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum - this is higher than any other country; We have also moved up 21 places on the Global Innovation Index of WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization in two years. We moved 19 places on the Logistics Performance Index of 2016 of World Bank; and We are 3rd among the top 10 FDI destinations listed by UNCTAD the UN Conference on Trade and Development. India's biggest tax reform, the GST has been introduced recently. With this, we are also moving towards a modern tax regime, which is transparent, stable and predictable. Today, India has one of the most liberal FDI regimes in the world. More than 90 percent of the FDI approvals have been put on automatic route. We have abolished the Foreign Investment Promotion Board. This liberalization has seen India's FDI reach 60 billion dollars in the last financial year. FDI flows from Japan have almost tripled in last three years. The new Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code will make it easier for investors to have an exit. We are setting up commercial courts and commercial divisions to ensure speedy disposal of commercial matters. Arbitration proceedings will now become faster as the Arbitration law has been amended. We have also announced a new Intellectual Property Rights policy. These are just a few examples of the direction in which we are moving. We will do more and more; better and better; faster and faster. Click here to Enlarge Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife, Akie Abe, arrive at Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, India, September 13, 2017. REUTERS/Amit Dave Friends! India and Japan are ancient civilizations and vibrant democracies. We know how to distribute the fruits of progress and prosperity to the common man. India needs affordable solutions and processes which can ease the delivery of government services to its citizens. Japan needs opportunities where it can deploy its hard earned knowledge and technology. I have been saying that 21st Century is Asia's Century. I have also been saying that India and Japan will play a major role in Asia's emergence. The growing convergence between India and Japan on strategic and economic issues has the capacity to stimulate the global economy. I am confident that Strong India and Strong Japan will also be a stabilising factor in Asia and the world. In this mutual and global pursuit I thank Prime Minister Abe and Japan for being a perfect partner. With the strength of our friendship and mutual trust, I invite more and more Japanese people and companies to come, live and work in India. I wish you success in your efforts. I assure you my support wherever it is required. Thank You! Thank you very much." ALSO READ | Before first bullet train leaves Ahmedabad for Mumbai, here are the challenges for railways Message to China? Modi takes bonhomie with Abe to a new high in Gujarat Bullet train project: 350 km/hr top speed, 7 km tunnel under sea, Rs 1 lakh cr cost WATCH VIDEO | What PM Modi, Shinzo Abe said in joint address at India-Japan Summit in Gandhinagar --- ENDS --- British director Stephen Frears returns with another charming tale of the unlikely friendship between Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal), a prison clerk from India. Having worked on titles such as The Queen, Philomena, and Florence Foster Jenkins, Frears is no stranger to finding the unknown amongst the mainstream, and Victoria and Abdul is no different. Set at the end of Queen Victorias reign and still titled as the Empress of India, the Queen who has lost all zeal and enthusiasm is given a new lease for life when she meets the intriguing (but perhaps more importantly), tall and handsome Abdul Karim. Originally being sent to England to present Queen Victoria with a Moghul coin, there is an instant chemistry between the pair who spark up a beautiful and touching friendship. However, not before long, the pair are met with much disapproval from the rest of the household, and in particular from Victorias son, Bertie (Eddie Izzard). Much of the intrigue surrounding the film stems from the fact that this is a largely unknown story, and presents a different side to Queen Victoria than the one many people have previously seen. After growing attached to the man who soon becomes her munchi (teacher) Abdul, who teaches her Urdu, and more about the country which she is Empress of, we see a side to Queen Victoria which saw her at one of her happiest points in life right at the end of her reign. The historical drama is best described as charming in all senses of the word. The narrative structure itself is quite underwhelming but still engages throughout, and set in the real life locations where Queen Victoria resided including the stunning Osbourne House on the Isle of Wight, the film exudes authenticity and immerses us in the tranquillity of much of Queen Victorias time with Abdul. Frears' direction of the film proves that he was definitely the best candidate to take on Lee Halls impressive script. Both Hall and Frears faced away from the heavy, typical period drama and instead show us a Queen Victoria we can identify with. However, the masterful portrayal of Queen Victoria is undoubtedly credited to Judi Dench who, having played Queen Victoria already in the 1997 Mrs Brown was certainly the right casting choice. This portrayal of Victoria required something a little extra which Dench flawlessly brings to her performance. Victorias unapologetic intrigue into all things from and concerned with India, as well as her delightful humour and unusual quirks is pulled off fantastically by Dench, who goes above and beyond the predictable portrayal you would expect to see of a 19th century English Queen. Credit must also go to the fantastic Ali Fazal who not only brings a real level of intrigue and authenticity to his role, but who had a palpable connection with Judi Dench in their performances, which translates on-screen and presents a touching relationship between Victoria and Abdul. With Thomas Newmans score playing over this as all the action unfolds, all the components work seamlessly together in this film. The only downside is that the narrative becomes predictably repetitive. Once is it made clear that there is great disapproval of this unusual relationship, there is not much more to do with the narrative, which does lessen the drama and it is ultimately what contributes to the films overall tame nature. Nevertheless this isnt necessarily what the film is about; Victoria and Abduls relationship clearly resists in the face of great opposition, and this is what is engaging, and this is the central narrative. By no means a revolutionary depiction of a chapter in a royal history, Victoria and Abdul is still charming and thoroughly enjoyable thanks to the capable and creative hands of Stephen Frears. Victoria and Abdul is due to be released Friday 15th September, distributed by Universal. A man in prison screeches a gut-wrenching catlike scream. No, hes not being tortured for answers or attacked by a rival gang - hes a civilian screaming out the anger that has clouded and hidden the emotional betrayal he felt from his father whilst growing up. This harrowing and heartfelt moment of pure human emotion is just one of many from the new documentary The Work. The Work follows the work of The Inside Circle Foundations four-day intensive course, designed to aid in male prisoners inner personal growth, by overcoming the issues that have stopped them from living up to their full potential as human beings. The documentary invites civilians along to not only help the prisoners, but also to allow themselves to relate to prisoners and come to terms with an issue that affects both of them - the lack of a stable and loving father and son relationship. The four-day event is based on indigenous practices, of gathering around in a circle and discussing the events and problems of the day. The foundation have suggested that since men, for the most part, have lost access to these circles they have consequently lost access to a shared collective wisdom that has left them isolated and out of touch. The event, taking place at the notorious Folsom Prison, which most men expect to leave in a box, reinstates this indigenous practice. The prisoners and civilians separate into mixed groups, and discuss whats important to them, such as who they have felt has betrayed them. These open questions and the group support enables men to open up, get out their anger and accept their emotions. Their pure vulnerability, struggles and acceptance are something that has to be seen in order to be fully understood and to appreciate the work that the founders of The Inside Circle do. 40 prisoners who have taken this course have subsequently been released and not reoffended - and would not even dream of doing so. The Work ultimately highlights what can be the result and deadly consequences of a toxic traditional masculinity society, in which to show any emotion is to be vulnerable and weak. Ahead of its premiere in UK prisons and UK cinemas, we caught up with Director/Producer Jairus McLeary, his father, producer and psychologist James McLeary, and Inside Circle founder Rob Allbee to discuss the importance of the documentary and how their circle technique can be applied to everyone. Why was it so important for you to make this documentary? Jairus: Id already been volunteering within the programme for six years and people would ask me where Id be going on these events... so it was a way of answering those questions, rather than telling someone. Every time we try and explain what this is, its difficult to do. How did you decide whose stories to follow on this film? Jairus: We sat down and basically went over our own experiences and we know what the commonalities were every weekend. From that point of view, it was 50% we knew we needed civilians from the outside to represent the audience and we choose people from our lives to do that - Charles is a bartender. Then the guys on the inside decided amongst themselves who they were going to pick, so we didnt actually know who was going to be in that circle until the day we showed up. How did the prisoners feel about being filmed? James: They discussed if that even could happen for a while, because confidentially is a big piece of what we do, and so they talked about it for a long time and they finally came to the conclusion (that) because they trusted my sons and me, that they would give it the ok. The documentary is being shown in British prisons - how do you think it will do in our cynical British prisons, who are more sceptical of self-help? Jairus: Judging from the reactions of being in the theatre, it doesnt really matter culturally. In the screenings, we have seen people from different countries or who dont have English as their first language and its human; you get down underneath all the stories we think each other are, and the differences we might think we have from another, and you get down underneath. We all have the same basic needs. James: Ive been coming over to Europe since the 90s, participating in mens training, and Ive found that the same progression of moving inside, involuting if you will, the stripping process of coming in and shedding all things that make up your identity, youre then just really left with who you are - and everybody is the same, and so thats the reaction weve been getting from the audience. Jairus: You start off with everybody like Brian (one of the civilians, who openly admits to judging the prisoners). My judgement was to say no to helping out, the first couple of times he (his father) asked me, because I didnt know anything about prison, apart from what I saw on television - and it took me a moment to get over that and recognise that I didnt know what I now know. Throughout the documentary, a lot of the issues the men have root from problems with their fathers. A lot of people have issues with their parents - why do these issues affect everyone so much? James: Its not just parents, its community - its not just parents in communities raising children, it's all the adults also, and thats missing. That respect for eldership and the input from eldership is just missing, people are working and theyre just not present for people growing up. My father worked all the time, my mother wasnt there and the adults in the community werent really there either. So, what you saw in the documentary is that everybody can relate if theres a community of people that you let be who you are and let you experience the full range of how dysfunctional you can be, and how brilliant you can be as well. Do you think a lot of these issues also come from a pressure to conform to an image of traditional masculinity that involves suppressing your emotions? James: My father grabbed me when I was four years old, because I was running around the house, saying hello to everybody, we had family over and he grabbed me and he just squeezed my shoulders and he said, Boy dont you ever let anybody see who you are. I didnt know what that meant but I was frightened and I thought what he was saying true, so thats just the kind of the way I grew up, and didnt let people see how I was because they might hurt me. Rob: In America, theres not much mentoring from father to sons, let alone communities, so this is in a way what we try and recreate. We thought, how can we mentor each other and really be there for each other in a way that lifts up a persons gifts and value, and begins to look at how to change behaviour so that they dont go back in? In order to get there, youve got to dig through that range of emotions; unfortunately it seems like I held all the others in and controlled them with anger, and so that was the first one that had to come out. Thats whats true for most of these men and once we teach them to get that out in a proper way, so they dont hurt themselves or anybody else, then they can begin to hear what that emotion really sounds like. I really believe that all of my emotions are trying to teach me something important. How did you come up the techniques used to bring out the emotion in these men? James: Trial and error; we did a lot of things that didnt work! Rob: Bringing in men with different gifts and medicine and having them mentor some of that. I travelled for a couple of years trying to find men with the right gifts and who I also thought could hold their nerve in prison. It was about trying to men who were willing to go in and mentor men that were trying to find their way. The convicts volunteer themselves, theyre the ones that are trying to step away from the traditional prison route of joining a gang. In everyday life how can we get men to express their emotions more? Jairus: Telling the truth as much as you can helps, and then when somebody sees you do that, theyre encouraged to do the same. I remember when I was going to one of the screenings , one of my friends from college who I hadnt seen in 20 years was driving us there, and he was coming to the film and he hadnt seen me and he was just telling me about his life - I had a divorce, I had this and that, this is my job. This is what guys do when we havent seen each other in a long time. I just watched him and asked him questions and then he watched the film and then he came up to me and began to tell me the truth, which was I miss you guys, I havent see you I so long and then I was saying the same. Is there anything that can be or is being done as a preventative measure to ensure these issues are dealt with in childhood? James: That method works for anybody; Ive run circles with five year olds and they do the same thing you see in the film. The programme has a great success rate - do you stay in contact with those men, and how are their lives different now? Rob: The guys who really stick it through have gone through a number of trainings , none of them have gone back. Manny and Vegas have since come and helped us on the streets and come to the screenings and talked about their experiences; Vegas is married and has a child. They all say, Im such a different person to who I was then I dont even think about going back. James: A high school has asked us to come in and do a mentoring programme - the three men you saw in that film who thought they were never going to come out, theyre going to be going into that school and mentoring. Rob: People always ask Manny at the screenings, What can I say to these kids? and he says, I dont tell them what to do, I just listen. As weve previously discussed meticulously, the Italian rap scene is one changing exquisitely rapidly in the last couple of years, as differing genres blend into each other seeminglessly and Youtube has given several artists the picture-perfect rag to riches archetype of a life. Who better can comment on such development if not an artist who flopped a couple of years ago when the rap critics might have been a bit too rigid and then re-emerged now amongst the fog of the trap craze? The National Student spoke to Ernia, the Italian rapper from Milan, who attempted his debut with a rap gang defined as the Italian rap scene hitting rock bottom, the Troupe DElite, and then made it more substantially as a solo artist just recently. After a hiatus in order to spend some time on his own, including a couple of months in London, Ernia has come back with his album Come Uccidere Un Usignolo (How to Kill a Nightingale), one replete with references to both classic Italian and Anglo-Saxon literature. Harper Lee ring a bell? What do you think about Italy? Of the Italian youths and the opportunities available for them in this nation? It's actually a difficult question, Ive long had an unfriendly eye towards Italy, but I'm not one of those "accustomed Italians", ones with the usual self-loathing and self-defaming tendencies towards themselves and their own country; its common to hear Italians going on about corruption in our country, the mafia, unemployment, the bad-politics and the bad-health policies... behaving like full on victims, without ever considering the positive aspects of our country or never stopping to think about the fact that all of this is also found abroad, perhaps in different forms; yet foreigners do not tend to relentlessly advertise these issues so assiduously. Undoubtedly, there are some flaws in our system and a gap between us and some societies in central and northern Europe, but I believe that Italians often take it a step too far: I remember that when I was living in London the Italians, both from the north and from the south , talked about Italy as if it were a country in war, which citizens of nations with a much lower welfare than ours did not. Regarding the opportunities for young people, I think that a nice little trip outside of our nation, one to build up on experience and maybe return home with a few more skills and having learned another language, is not bad either. My advice is: get out of the nest and take a ride, then maybe you'll come back, but start by taking that step outside. You often sing about your time spent in London, did like it better in England? What does it have more of? What do you still feel youre missing? When I was in London I was lonely for a while. I'm not sure I can say I am better off to be honest, I actually think I might have chosen the wrong city to move to: London is too big, too dispersive, it's a gigantic version of my hometown Milan, people are not really interested in you, you are just one of many; one who takes a ride, takes what he needs, and then leaves again, so no one is willing to actually get attached. The only Brits I spent time with were a Jewish family, friends of my family. I often spent dinners with them, we celebrated Hanukkah together, but that was pretty much it. Aside from that I spent most of my time alone rather than with others, but it did definitely turn out to be useful, because learning to be alone is a lot harder than it seems, and its often something people take for granted. What do you think about the rap scene in Italy? How is it evolving? And how do you think its evolving compared to the world rap scene? Italian rap has made incredible progress over the last few years, especially with the advent of the new wave and with a public turn-over, who is now much younger than before hence not tied to those rules that Italian rap had self- imposed and limited itself to in the past; such as a particularly well-defined sound, or the themes to deal with. Up to a few years ago the rest of the world ran whilst in Italy it was a scandal if someone mentioned the word 'pussy' in a song, instead it was considered ok to rap about rap or sing songs which pretended to be about politics. Nice shit. Similarly, regarding arrogance in rap, its still a bit of a struggle, or at least some are struggling take it in. I think it may be a cultural issue, Anglo Saxons are used to worshipping their ego: if you're in the US and you stand on a table in the middle of a restaurant and yell that youre feeling yourself and you want to kiss them all, the other diners will applaud and will find this a funny gesture ("why shouldnt he be gassed and feel good about himself?"). In Italy and probably the Latin countries in general, there is a cultural factor. Not an irrelevant one. Were grown to be humble and stay in our own little square, which I believe has been imposed over the centuries by the Catholics (we are all equal in the eyes of God, here whoever wants to emerge wants to be less equal than the others) and during the 20th century by the communist party (the one in Italy was the largest communist party in the western world, and according to which it was detrimental to elevate oneself above the others) . Obviously, these are just my hypotheses, there are of course other factors influencing our behavior Im guessing. Where do you place yourself in the rap scene? In the UK Grimes quite big now, and Italy is being taken over by trap. What are you? What do you bring to the Italian rap scene? Would you like to break through abroad too? Bah, I honestly would not know where to place myself, I'm playing the little bastard a bit, trying to sum up everything I've experienced of rap; so its easy to listen to one of my pieces and find something a bit more classic, but then also something a bit more trappy. But I do not want to place myself, I want to rap. With regards to making it abroad too, I see it quite hard, not just for me but for the Italians in general, mainly for a linguistic factor. Italian as a language is not very widespread and it is very difficult to get to the French, English or German-speaking audience, as the speakers of the aforementioned are also quite "nationalistic" in terms of musical influences from outside (perhaps France in the first place). Maybe well find our way in the east and the Balkans, where Italian is better known, that wouldnt be bad. Well see. Whos the best in the Italian scene right now? And globally? In Italy, Gue Pequeno; a 20 year long career, 15 records or more in 14 years and hundreds of collaborations these speak for themselves. A real war-machine. Outside of Italy, the best is Kendrick Lamar. Textbook prices have increased substantially in the last forty years, and with the already extremely pricey tuition fees needed to start a university career, having to spend more on several books can make access to higher education ever more difficult. To tackle this necessity, students had up to now only one alternative - buying second-hand books. Now however, another option is available, and its called Perlego. Defined as the "Spotify for textbooks", the platform gives university students unlimited access to over 200,000 eBooks for a 12 monthly subscription. Founded in August 2016 by Gauthier Van Malderen and Matthew Davis, the platform is already growing exponentially, and preparing for its launch in October. We launched a Beta version last January to test the platform Oliviero Muzi Falconi, Head of Growth at Perlego told The National Student. Weve been in many UK campuses to test it, to see what people thought of it. What were the features we needed to implement. Nearly 8000 students signed up for this program, mostly from London. When asked how Perlego works, Oliviero said thats basically a partnership between them and the publishers. The books are sent to us in EPUB or PDF format by the publishers, they are scanned through a Content Management System, tagged with appropriate categories and metadata, then uploaded to the platform. Talking about the long-term plans for Perlego, Oliviero said that the final goal is to make the platform available not only directly to students but to universities as well. To have universities use the platform internally. At the moment were discussing this with a handful of universities in the UK." Realistically, they might be start using Perlego from next January, since were still in the process of procuring books from their reading lists. But why would Perlego work better than the existing eBook services universities are already using? The problem with most of them is that theyre either using third-part services that are very costly for universities, or theyre paying the eBooks licenses individually, and by doing so the number of digital copies students can access is limited. Perlego would be much cheaper than these services, and would allow all students to access the books without any restriction. We have tried the platform ourselves and must say that, despite some titles were still missing from some universities reading lists, the catalogue is quite extensive already and is about to grow exponentially ahead of the official launch in October. Weve already partnered with most of the leading academic publishers such as Palgrave, Wiley, OUP and Pearson, and waiting for 400,000 books before our official launch. In the meantime, people can test the platform without any commitment on 50,000 royalty-free books already present on Perlego. When asked what should we expect from Perlego launch in October, Oliviero was pretty cheerful. Starting next week well be under the spotlights in almost every student union in the UK. Were also launching a Facebook campaign, and well be physically in London campuses at the beginning of October. Hope to see you there! What do you think of Perlego? Will you be using it? Let us know in the comments below. As China's influence in the neighbourhood grows, the bonhomie between Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe seems to be on the rise. By India Today Web Desk: If hugs can determine the nature of ties between two countries, then Prime Minister Narendra Modi's warm bear hug to his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, minutes after the latter landed at the international airport in Ahmedabad, bodes well for the future of India-Japan relationship. The Prime Minister broke the protocol to receive Shinzo Abe and wife Akie Abe at the airport even as Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Governor O P Kohli were present. advertisement Around this time in 2014, Narendra Modi had hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping in Ahmedabad. However, Modi then had not broken the protocol to receive the Chinese president and his wife at the airport. It was then Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel and Governor O P Kohli who received them. Modi later met Chinese President Xi at Hotel Hyatt in Ahmedabad. During Xi's visit to India, there was no elaborate roadshow for the visiting Chinese president. On Wednesday, Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe left the airport for Sabarmati Ashram in an open jeep, but not before Abe and wife changed into Indian attire. According to some reports, Narendra Modi got the blue jacket that Shinzo Abe wore for the roadshow from the same store that had designed a similar jacket for Xi Jinping during his visit in 2014. The 8-km long journey was turned into a massive roadshow as people lined up on both sides of the road and cheered the two leaders--Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe. "The Indian Cultural Road Show gave PM @AbeShinzo glimpses of the rich and diverse Indian culture that we are all extremely proud of," tweeted the Prime Minister. The India Cultural Road Show gave PM @AbeShinzo glimpses of the rich and diverse Indian culture that we are all extremely proud of. pic.twitter.com/IN7Z34zZXQ- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 13, 2017 Like Shinzo Abe, Xi's visit also included the visit to the Sabarmati Ashram where Narendra Modi gifted the Chinese president with a copy of Bhagavad Gita, written in Chinese. Besides Sabarmati Ashram, Narendra Modi also took Shinzo Abe and wife Akie Abe for a guided tour of the famous Sidi Saiyed Mosque, known for its intricate filigree work on the windows. The Prime Minister later hosted his Japanese counterpart for a dinner at the Agashiye restaurant. The restaurant, it is believed, had some of Narendra Modi's favourite dishes on the menu for the special dinner. The venue for the dinner was chosen keeping in mind the view it offers. At the terrace restaurant, Shinzo Abe and his wife could look at the Sidi Saiyed Mosque while enjoying their dinner. advertisement On Thursday, following the inauguration of the bullet train project, Narendra Modi took Shinzo Abe on a guided tour of Dandi Kutir, the museum depicting the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, in Gandhinagar. That Modi meticulously planned the itinerary of the Japanese prime minister, took Shinzo Abe and his wife on personally guided tours in and around Ahmedabad are a reflection of the growing bonhomie between the two leaders, who perhaps feel the need to come closer as China's influence grows in the neighbourhood. ALSO WATCH: Bullet train symbol of new India, Japan proved to be our true friend: PM Modi --- ENDS --- Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. 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Theres something special about an event like this because it opens students eyes to possibilities that they may not have known existed. Its never too early to start college planning; students today have so many opportunities and choices for their after high school life.' She emphasized that the event is not limited to students from Carlson High School and that students need not wait until their junior year to start thinking about what college to attend. I am encouraging all high school students from the Downriver area to attend, she said. Im pushing more kids to look into colleges at younger ages, so they know what is expected. For instance, Id feel awful if a kid wanted to get into a specific school and then realized they should have gotten better grades their freshman year. This is the fourth annual College Night the school has hosted. More than 800 students attended last years event. Carlson High School is at 30550 W. Jefferson Ave. in Gibraltar. For more information about College Night, call Palazzolo at 1-734-379-7114 or email palazzm@gibdist.net. By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) Days ahead of the inauguration of the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat, a group of activists and labourers today protested in the national capital alleging that 40,000 affected families are yet to rehabilitated. Members of NGOs like the Medha Patkar-led National Alliance of Peoples movements (NAPM), All India Union of Forest Working People, Khudai Khidmatgar, and other support groups, along with several workers, mostly women, demonstrated in front of the Shram Shakti Bhawan, which houses the Ministry of Water Resources. advertisement "We have prepared a memorandum addressed to the Union Water Minister Nitin Gadkari and our colleagues have gone to his office to submit it," a NAPM member said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to inaugurate the newly-constructed gates of ambitious Narmada Dam on September 17 on his birthday. The new gates raise the height of the dam to 138.68 metres. The Narmada Control Authority in June granted permission to the state government to close the gates, which will raise water level in the Sardar Sarovar reservoir, after being convinced that rehabilitation of the people displaced due to the project was complete. "We right to you (Gadkari) with deepest concern an appeal to your conscience to save the life and livelihood of lakhs of people in the Narmada Valley. We strongly condemn the unprecedented closure of the Sardar Sarovar Dam gates while there are more than 40,000 families yet to be rehabilitated," says the memorandum. "Even with closure of dam gates, without the construction of Narmada canals, water cannot reach to the intended beneficiaries for irrigation and drinking purposes," it claims. The protesters held placards and shouted slogans, demanding rehabilitation for the affected families. Veteran CPI(M) leader and former MP, Hannan Mollah, also joined the protest and expressed his concern about the inundation that will follow the closure of the dam gates. "People who are affected by the project must be rehabilitated properly," he said. Assembly elections are due in Gujarat by year-end. Ahead of Modis visit, the state will organise Narmada Mahotsav Yatra from September 6 to September 15. "The Narmada Mahotsav can only be celebrated by the people of the Narmada Valley when dam gates are are set open, allowing the water level to recede till the rehabilitation of the 40,000 families is done," the memorandum says. PTI KND DIP --- ENDS --- By PTI: Washington, Sep 14 (PTI) NASAs Cassini spacecraft is on course to its final approach to Saturn, hurling towards the ringed planet at the speed of 113,000 kilometres per hour, to meet the fateful end of its 20-year-long epic journey, the US space agency said today. Cassini is on course to dive into Saturn to ensure that the planets moons - in particular Enceladus, with its subsurface ocean and signs of hydrothermal activity - remain pristine for future exploration. advertisement The spacecrafts fateful dive on September 15 is the final beat in the missions Grand Finale, 22 weekly dives, which began in late April, through the gap between Saturn and its rings. No spacecraft has ever ventured so close to the planet before. The missions final calculations predict loss of contact with the Cassini spacecraft will take place a minute after it reaches an altitude of about 1,915 kilometres above the planets estimated cloud tops. During its dive into the atmosphere, the spacecrafts speed will be about 113,000 kilometres per hour. The final plunge will take place on the day side of Saturn, near local noon, with the spacecraft entering the atmosphere around 10 degrees north latitude. When Cassini first begins to encounter Saturns atmosphere, the spacecrafts attitude control thrusters will begin firing in short bursts to work against the thin gas and keep Cassinis saucer-shaped high-gain antenna pointed at Earth to relay the missions precious final data. As the atmosphere thickens, the thrusters will be forced to ramp up their activity, going from 10 per cent of their capacity to 100 per cent in the span of about a minute. Once they are firing at full capacity, the thrusters can do no more to keep Cassini stably pointed, and the spacecraft will begin to tumble. When the antenna points just a few fractions of a degree away from the Earth, communications will be severed permanently. The predicted altitude for loss of signal is about 1,500 kilometres above Saturns cloud tops. From that point, the spacecraft will begin to burn up like a meteor. Within about 30 seconds following loss of signal, the spacecraft will begin to come apart; within a couple of minutes, all remnants of the spacecraft are expected to be completely consumed in the atmosphere of Saturn. Due to the travel time for radio signals from Saturn, which changes as both Earth and the ringed planet travel around the Sun, events currently take place there 83 minutes before they are observed on Earth. "The spacecrafts final signal will be like an echo. It will radiate across the solar system for nearly an hour and a half after Cassini itself has gone," said Earl Maize, Cassini project manager at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in the US. advertisement "Even though well know that, at Saturn, Cassini has already met its fate, its mission isnt truly over for us on Earth as long as were still receiving its signal," said Maize. Cassinis last transmissions will be received by antennas at NASAs Deep Space Network complex in Australia. PTI MHN SAR MHN --- ENDS --- During the meeting Union Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari said the Centre is executing projects worth over Rs 34,000 crore for decongesting Delhi. By Rakesh Ranjan: The National Highways Authority of India has proposed development of a 'Third Ring Road' in Delhi to ease the burden on perennially congested arterial roads. In a high level meeting held by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the NHAI suggested completing the urban extension road (UER) 2 by connecting three major highways in the National Capital. The 49 km corridor will be completed in two phases, a transport ministry official said. advertisement The NHAI has proposed to take up the work in phase-I while the phase-II will be executed by the Delhi Government. In the first phase, work will be completed between NH-1 and NH-8 while the second phase will connect NH-8 with NH-10 and NH-2. This, officials said, will provide alternate route to traffic coming from these highways. During the meeting Union Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari said the Centre is executing projects worth over Rs 34,000 crore for decongesting Delhi. He also directed the governments of Delhi, UP and Haryana to resolve land acquisition issues at the earliest. The NHAI has also suggested speedy completion of Faridabad - Noida - Ghaziabad (FNG) expressway. According to NHAI, the Outer Ring Road abruptly ends at Salimgarh Fort.and leaves no bypass for traffic coming from Karnal and Sonepat and Ghaziabad and East Delhi to Faridabad via NH-2. Delhi PWD had earlier planned Kalindi Bypass as decongestion proposal for Ashram Chowk "This would provide signal free corridor to traffic from Ring road," the NHAI presentation said. Also Read: Rajasthan: Sikar farmers' agitation paralyses traffic on National Highway-52, at least six districts affected Female biker crushed to death on Mumbai-Goa highway ALSO READ | Mumbai will be pothole-free before Diwali: BMC to Bombay High Court ALSO WATCH | Mumbai's killer potholes: Same story every year --- ENDS --- World History was designed to justify European domination, wrote historian Richard Poe. Similar case can be made that the history of Liberia (Settlers history) was written to promote antebellum southern plantation culture and religious heritage without regards to the indigenous population (natives) who first occupied the land. Continuing Liberias Ugly Past was first published on September 10, 2004 under the title: Liberia: A Tale of Two People. As a country, the elites ruled the Liberian people based on the philosophy of: So say one, so say all. In this article I intent to contribute to the current discussion taking place in Liberia and the Diaspora over the issue of Congor and Country. I hope in the end every one will face up to the long-avoided wrong(s) that has divided the country. This subject has been dealt with in the past by two staff members of ThePerspective.org. In 1966, my colleagues James D. Smith and Abraham M. Williams started a series titled: Liberias Ugly Past in which they highlighted key indelible elements of the Americo-Liberian legacy. Nothing has changed since; up to the present, the practice continues leaving lasting effects, retard our progress and foster unhealthy social interaction between the descendants of Americo-Liberians and African-Liberians. For example in the 1950s, the noted America writer, John Gunther warned that Liberia is a sick country, it may some day it will get well (Inside Africa). Yes indeed, there was something sick about the way things were in Liberia! In the 1980, another American writer, J. Gus Liebenow arrived at similar conclusion. According to him, the struggle which culminated in the April 12, coup detat had been long in its gestation. Indeed, the depth of hostility that lay beneath the surface had been marked to the outside world by the very urbaness and sophistication of these young diplomats and other officials who represented Liberia abroad during the past two or three decades. The Americo-Liberians he explained imposed a set of dominant cultural norms for the new state, which was roughly modeled after those of the society across the seas that had rejected them. Those norms, he explained, include the Christian faith; monogamy, a commitment to private ownership and free enterprises; and increasingly Liberianized version of the English language; a preference for American style in clothing, food, architecture, literature; and the creation of a political system which superficially resembled that of the United States. (J. Gus Liebenow, The Seeds of Discontent, Part I Liberia: The Dissolution of Privilege, 1980, pp. 1-2) Out of this culture derived the behavior that is commonly referred to in Liberia as Congo Mentality. What is it, and how did it come about? Who exhibits this type of behavior? Does it still exist amongst Liberians? The answer is a resounding YES! Congo Mentality exists in Liberia and amongst Liberians living in the Diaspora. The word Congo is pronounced KONGOR or CONGOR. As a group, the name Congor came about as the result of the abolition of the slave trade. When the slave trade was declared illegal in West Africa, there were those who continued to participate in the trade. The Africans who were recaptured by American gunboats were resettled in Liberia. It was assumed that these Africans came from the Belgium Congo that is now referred to as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Prior to the resettlement of the Congor people, there were two distinct groups of people living in Liberia; they were the Americo-Liberians and those the Settlers or Americo-Liberians referred to as Natives or Country people. These descendants of freed slaves were individuals who were actually deported from North America because the American capitalist system had no more use for their services. The Natives on the other hand, were the indigenous inhabitants of the area that is known today as Liberia. Based on the socialization of the Americo-Liberians in North America, they adapted the prejudices of their slave masters in their dealing with the indigenous population. They assumed a position of superiority one similar to the arrangement that existed between them and their slave masters on the plantations in North America. As the result of this orientation, they considered the indigenous people as backward, uncivilized, pagan, heathen, and at times referred to them as Bush Niggers. It was this general attitude that brought about the division in the Liberian society. For example as far back as 1864, President Daniel Bashiel Warner was concern about the division created by the Settlers; therefore in his inaugural address of January 4, 1864, he made an attempt to bring it to the attention of the ruling elites. He said: Of late, however, I have noticed with emotions of deep regret what I consider indications of a growing feeling of sectionalism among us, manifested particularly within the last few weeks. Need I say, that, in every point of view, whether affecting the social condition, the material prosperity, or the civil liberty of our country, down among us, for it cannot but exercise a deep and wide spread influence for evil and only evil continually. (Joseph Saye Guannu, Inaugural Addresses , 1980, pp. 52-53) Similar concern was raised in President Arthur Barclays Second Inaugural Speech (January 1, 1906). It states: There is often manifested among the civilized population an active although secret disloyalty, especially in matters affecting the native tribes which has been very troublesome and embarrassing. The Americo-Liberian citizens may do, and in the past has done the most harm in connection with the subject (African inhabitants) now considered, by maintaining a contemptuous, ungracious, and unjust attitude toward his aboriginal brother, by a want of politeness and good feelings. (Joseph Saye Guannu, Inaugural Addresses 1980: 215) In the 1800s, these prejudices became common practice in the Liberian society. As the society moved into the 20thCentury, the Americo- Liberian Mentality underwent a transformation. This change came about as the result of one major reason. The Americo-Liberians minority needed to incorporate into their rank other immigrants for the purpose of managing what they perceived as The Native Problem. These new immigrants came from places like Jamaica, Barbados (Caribbean), Sierra Leone, Togo, Nigeria, Ghana, etc. The Americo-Liberian Mentality became so predominant until Arthur Barclay devised a master plan, which he revealed in his First Inaugural Address of January 4, 1904. It reads: The United States is not the only source from which we may draw desirable immigrants has long been recognized. We have the West Indies and the English West African colonies. A large and increasing number of Sierra Leoneans which people with those of Liberians constitute at present the largest Negro English speaking population on the West Coast are now settling in the country. It is an interesting fact. It may have far-reaching consequences. Be hospitable and liberal, conciliate the populations in the colonies around you, and they will help you to tide over things until our relatives abroad shall come to our assistance. (Joseph Saye Guannu, Inaugural Addresses , 1980, p. 204) Based on Arthur Barclays Native Plan, an indigenous person had to meet certain requirements/qualifications before he or she was accepted as citizen of Liberia. These requirements were: The willingness of applicants to qualify for Liberian citizen by adopting the Christian faith, Western living conditions, and Western standards of conduct, dress, and general appearance. An African, in effect, would have to detach himself from his own customs by completely accepting the Americo-Liberian set of values. Citizenship and voting rights might then follow (Yekutiel Gershoni, Black Colonialism: The Americo-Liberian Scramble for the Hinterland , 1985, pp. 37-38). It was based on these requirements that the indigenous population were allowed to become citizens in their own land. Citizenship was extended to the indigenous population in 1904; 57 years after the 1847 declaration of Liberias independence. Indigenous Culture & Land Palaver Throughout the existence of the human society, land has been a community property. According to Dr. Taryor, land did not only provide a home for the people, but it was also the source from which they got those things necessary for the satisfaction of their needs. Land itself was never the property of one person. Ownership of land was always in the hands of the village community, as a whole, which divided it among the various households as required (Taryor, Sr., Justice, Justice, p. 30). Despite what you read in Settlers history books, the illegal seizure of land has been the mean source of the palaver (conflict) between the Settlers and the indigenous people of Liberia. According to Reeve , acquisition in Africa of lands of the Africans is based upon similar false titles; and in this direction the Liberian (Settler), excepting for the fact that he has not improved the conditions of the native races, or brought any benefits in the train of Conquest, is no worse than his white neighbor; but what they both construed into a title to land by treaty is merely a right to occupy during the pleasure of the Chief and his people (Henry Fenwick Reeve, The Black Republic, pp. 44-46. Similar accounts are given in Liberia: Description, History, and Problems, by Frederick Starr, Chicago, 1913). Due toa series of failures and mounting cost, the American Colonization Society (ACS) turned to the United States Government for help. In December 1821, the American Colonization Society (ACS) dispatched a representative, Dr. Eli Ayres, to purchase land farther north up the coast from Sierra Leone. With the aid of a U.S. naval officer, Lieutenant Robert F. Stockton (also referred to as Captain), Ayres cruised the coastal waters west of Grand Bassa seeking out appropriate lands for the colony. Stockton took charge of the negotiations with leaders of the Dey and Bassa peoples who lived in the area of Cape Mesurado. Stockton being impatience and ignorant of how Africans conducted land transaction; concluded that the chief and elders were not making sense similar conclusion the Portuguese reached in referring to their land discussion with native people as PALAVA (Fuss). Stockton not understanding the discussion regarding the piece of land on present day Bushrod Island; forced King Peter (Bassa King Zolu Duma) and other indigenous rulers of the cape, at the barrel of a gun, to sign a treaty (placed X on the document/deed they prepared), which ceded land - a "36 mile long and 3 mile wide" strip of coastal land for trade goods, supplies, weapons, and rum worth approximately $300 to the African-American Settlers. (From "The fourth annual report: African-American Perspectives of the American Society for colonizing the Free People of Color of the United States). African-Liberian Kinship & Marriage System Historically, in sub Saharan Africa kinship system, characteristic of extended families, was tailored to polygamous marriages. There were rites of passage, though, from teen to adulthood of both sexes before marriage. Nearly, all such betrothals were arranged by the families of the prospective couple. As with all these forms of traditional unions, bride price was presented by the parents of the husband to - be for the hand of the wife to - be. Love was secondary to what were purely business, family alliances, or for procreation purposes. Indeed, the coming of Europeans with their Christianized idea of one man one wife clashed with the longstanding traditional practice of polygamy, which was the glue that held the kinship system together. The outcome was that the nuclear family of only a husband, wife and kids replaced the connectivity of the extended family. This system wrought havoc on the African rural social fabric. The ruling elites imposed their foreign hegemony on the indigenous inhabitants by any means necessary; and anyone who suggested otherwise was considered an enemy to the status quo. One such individual was Edward Wilmot Blyden. In 1903, Blyden alluded to this reality in one of his statements: Every race has a soul, and the soul of that race finds expression in its institutions, and to kill those institutions is to kill the soul No people can profit or be helped under institutions which are not the outcome of their own character. In addition to Blydens concern, Patriot Albert Porte expressed similar sentiment: Liberians will always be looked down upon, despised by other nations and peoples, unless as a people, we be courageous enough to cry loudly against existing evils, and our leader be tolerant enough to face our problems calmly and dispassionately, and together we have them remedied. We cannot delay and wait for others to do these things for us and still expect to maintain our dignity and self respect as a nation Contemporary Congo Mentality Today, those who practice Congor Mentality are a combination of Americo-Liberians, immigrants from West African countries, the Caribbean, and *Wards (African-Liberians) from both groups. Since these new immigrants could not be identified as Americo- Liberians, they were placed into the Congor category. The Congors and the Americo-Liberians became inseparable. As the result, they too, were referred to as Congor people. This group then recruited from the rank of the indigenous population. Their goal was achieved through the apprenticeship system (Ward), Christianity and the integration policies of the Hinterland. It was through this process, the attitude we referred to as the Congor Mentality developed. Congor Mentality is becoming *Kwii (civilized) for all the wrong reasons. First of all, to become Kwii is not such a bad thing to be. However, in Liberia, Kwii people took the Kwii business to the far extreme. When one becomes Kwii, he/she acquired a complete new ATTITUDE and a so-called civilized name to go along with it. At that point, the person even refused to be identified with the area of the country he/she comes from. Some of these individuals are ASHAMED to be identified with their indigenous parents. ASHAMED of their MOTHER because she is considered a lappalonia (indigenous attire referred to as costume by Congor people). ASHAMED of their FATHER, too because he speaks Waterside English (broken English). Antebellum Southern Plantation Culture It is generally believed that Liberia is a Christian nation. (FALSE) As a result, monogamous marriage became the accepted practice amongst the Settlers population. The Polygynous (Polygamous) form of marriage practice by African-Liberians was frown upon. However, having been used to the antebellum southern plantation culture, the Settlers soon adopted a marriage system that I named Chrismonopoly. Prior to the arrival of Setters to what is known today as Liberia, polygyny was the acceptable form of marriage practiced by the indigenous inhabitants. The establishment of Liberia as a so-called Christian State gave rise to the conflict that developed between polygyny and monogamy forms of marriage. In other words, since the Americo-Liberian settlers condemned the practice of polygyny, monogamy was emphasized like other Western cultural hegemony in Liberia. However, the natives or country people were allowed to continue their polygynous relationship. In fact, a court (Native Court) system was established to handle palava related to this practice and related matters. In spite of the Americo-Liberians condemnation of polygyny, they too began to practice a brand of polygyny, named Chrismonopoly (Christians monopoly of marriage having it both ways: monogamous and Polygynous relationships). Chrismonopoly became a practice adopted by the Settlers (men). This is an arrangement in which a male Settler who is already involved in a monogamous relationship (with a Christian wife) engages in polygynous relationship with an African Liberian woman. The adoption of this relationship is no accident! This relationship can be traced back to the antebellum southern plantations, where the Settlers were once held as slaves. On these plantations, the white slave masters were involved in polygynous relationship. For example, a slave master could have any slave woman he chose to have because back then, slaves were properties of the slave master. While the slave master was engage in this practice, he also had his Caucasian wife in the Big house. The children the master produced out of the polygynous relationship were considered his properties, and were not part of his immediate family. Therefore, whenever he needed money, he would sell the offspring of these women without regret. Similar practice was carried out by the Americo Liberian Settlers in Liberia. The Liberian experience was such that the offspring that were produced out of this relationship Americo-Liberian male and African Liberian female (native or countrywoman) was not considered legitimate children. Instead, they were referred to as outside children, whereas the children of the so-called westernized (monogamous) marriage were viewed as legitimate and inside children. However, there were some exceptions but in most cases, this was the accepted norm in Liberia. In most cases in the interior, the country woman lives on the farm of the Americo-Liberian male, and in the urban areas, a house was either built or a room rented for the country woman and her children. Social and economic opportunities as well as certain privileges were reserved for the westernized (civilized woman) wife and her children, while the country woman and her children to some extent depended partially on the Americo-Liberian man and the rest she had to provide for herself and her children. Some children who were born in this relationship (Chrismonopoly) suffered from serious inferiority complex due to the fact that they were regarded and treated by some of the civilized wives as bastards and illegitimate children. Whereas, in a polygynous relationship or marriage; no child or children are considered illegitimate. To the indigenous Liberian, ALL children are the gift from GOD; therefore, no child is illegitimate. For example to label a child inside or outside child or the distinction half-brother and half-sister that is prevalent in a monogamous relationship is hardly found in a polygynous family. Among two Kwa language speaking ethnic groups (Klao/Kru and Bassa) of Liberia; siblings referred to each other as Na dee eh ju (My mothers child) or Na me eh ju (My fathers child); similar references are made in Bassa as well. As a matter of fact, the practice It takes a village to raise a child is the cornerstone of polygynous communities. Conclusion As a true believer in history, it is my honest belief that to right the wrongs of history, the truth must be told in order for the necessary corrections to be made, and for similar wrongs to be avoided. Therefore, as Liberians, it behooves us to make it our obligation to base our account of history of the people of Africa, Liberia in particular on facts by applying that which modern technology has offered us in order to acquire the correct perspective on African history, culture and tradition. In the end, we will be able to wrestle from the clutches of the distorters of our civilization and history that is determined on keeping up such tale as Matilda Newports alleged victory against the natives of Liberia. Moreover, in other for us to work on becoming united as one people, it should be our mission to honestly address the issues that are keeping us apart and divided. Seeking truth should be the way forward with the hope of effecting change of attitude. This is in no way to change what has happened (what has already taken place) but rather to correct history and put Liberian history in its proper perspective. I do not know about you, but this is the MISSION I am committed to until I am called to GLORY. ________________________________________________________________ *The Ward System is a common practice by which young African Liberian children are sent to stay with settler families as well as Congo families in exchange for education and assimilation. *Cultural Explanation of Word Kwii The word Kwii that is used to describe a so-called civilized person derived from the Klao (Kru), Grebo and the Bassa languages. The original meaning for Kwii is spirit. The word Kwii was later corrupted as a result of African Liberians interaction with the Settlers and European missionaries. Today, it is used to refer to a white person or a so-called civilized person. Kwii is plural, while KU is singular. KU means DEAD in Klao; add Menmen to Ku, becomes DEAD PERSON in the Klao (Kru) Language. It is a general belief held by the Klao, Grebo, and the Bassa ethnic groups that White People are their dead ancestors who had been reincarnated. According to their oral history, when they die, they go behind the sea to live, and they remained too long under the sea. By living under the sea, their skin turned white. This group of people (Klao/Kru, Grebo, and Bassa), live along the Atlantic Ocean; made their living as fishermen and some of them worked as stevedores on European ships. Legend has it that their ancestors who live under the sea provided them protection. So when they encountered the first white people, they thought they were dead ancestors reincarnated. About The Author : Elder Siahyonkron Nyanseor is an Eminent Person of the ULAA Council of Eminent Persons (UCEP), Inc. He is the historian of ULAA; one of its founding member and the 11th President (1986-1988) of the organization. Elder Nyanseor is an ordained Minister of the Gospel. Also, he is a poet, Griot, journalist, a cultural, social and political activist. He can be reached at: siah1947@gmail.com What is your take? Please post your comments below: Dear Liberia: I have been deeply moved to write you this letter concerning the upcoming elections in Liberia. And, with love and grave concern, I am persuaded to write you this letter letting you know that I do not believe that you are ready for elections this October, 2017. I would argue there are some unresolved and lingering issues and if not addressed adequately, these issues have the potential to derail our movement toward sustainability and hinder our ability to develop our human resources and infrastructure. Here are some examples of the issues that I believe need to be resolved in order to truly conduct free and fair democratic and transparent elections: (A). Who is and who is not a Liberian citizen (dual citizenship)? (B.) The code of conduct and its application. (C.) The ten years residence clause, and above all (D.) The establishment of a war crimes court (i.e. the institution of the rule of law). I am convinced that these issues, among other things are critical to the rebuilding effort and they have challenged our moral compass as a nation capable of holding itself accountable through the institution and application of its Constitution. I know this letter may not be suitable and convenient to some, particularly those who might think it is too late. Some of you may argue that it is your time to win the presidency so there is no need to postpone the upcoming elections. For others, you might think this letter could stop your chopping (translated in the Liberian vernacular means a time to steal and loot with impunity). Some of you may outright condemn the letter without seizing the liberty to even read and comprehend it. Some may even argue that Liberia does not want or need another interim government. Yet, others might take the time to read the letter and try to analyze the letter for its substance. Nonetheless, whatever side you find yourself on this letter, it is my sincere hope that this letter creates the space for a constructive dialogue in moving our country (Liberia) forward in this 21st Century. The decision to write you this letter did not come easily. I asked myself several questions among which are: Is it timely to write this letter? Why this letter now? Should I just sit quietly and let the elections go ahead without taking a stance since I am not supporting anyone in the race? Or, why bother myself when I dont live in Liberia? And so forth. On the other hand, I find the courage to pose my own questions to my readers: Is Liberia a country? Should not Liberia be governed by the rule of law (Constitution)? Should not those who running for public office uphold the laws of Liberia and demonstrate how they will conduct themselves when they occupy public office? Can anyone honestly say that the current Elections Commission and the Supreme Court of Liberia appropriately addressed the issues listed in this letter? Having contemplated over these questions, something keeps stirring within my soul reminding me of my unconventional and moral stance on sensitive and hot topic issues, that this too is the right thing to do for the love of my country. The more I ponder, I could not help but think of the words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, who reminded us that there comes a time when we must take a position that is neither safe, nor for expediency, nor politic, nor popular, but one must take it because it is right. I have to tell you, being true to my conscious and as we say in Liberia, Better late than never, It is never too late to do the right thing. This is the right thing to do. Let us postpone the 2017 Elections in Liberia and convene a national conference to discuss an interim government or trusteeship that could better serve Liberia for three (3) years and prepare the country for a more democratic and transparent elections. In furtherance of my position, here are some recommendations I would like to advance and if carefully implemented, could better serve Liberia and prepare it to meet the preponderance challenges of nation building ahead: Convene a national conference (All Liberians and Friends of Liberia) By November, 2017 Discuss the possibility of a three-year interim government or trusteeship rule The conference should decide on a strict mandate to use as a guide to the interim government or trusteeship in implementing the following: National Referendum of the Liberian Constitution Settle the issue of dual citizenship (opting for Dual Citizenship for ALL i.e. white, black, Indians, Africans, Lebanese, etc.) Overhaul the justice system and strengthen the rule of law Establish a war crimes tribunal Implement the TRC recommendations Prepare for General and Presidential Elections by October, 2020. I know this is not easy and sometimes, to do the right thing is not easy either. But, it always takes courage and the fear of God to do the right thing. Hence, let us do the right thing for our country (Liberia) by postponing the upcoming elections and better prepare our country to take the moral high ground as we move forward in ending impunity and embracing the rule of law. May God bless our country (Liberia) and open the eyes of our people to His truth. With much love, I remain a Liberian. Thank you! Sincerely yours, Jacob Seyon Kwateh Concerned Liberian About the Author: Jacob Seyon Kwateh is a Liberian and he holds a Master Degree (MA) in Human Services from Capella University and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science and Global Studies (International Relations) from the University of Minnesota. He is the Secretary General of the Movement of Liberians Against Corruption (MOLAC) and also the CEO and founder of Seyons Consulting Services, LLC providing political and marketing consultancy. He is a leader in the Local Liberian community in Minnesota. You can contact Jacob at (612)-730-1373 or hajsk4@gmail.com. What is your take? Please post your comments below: North Korea responded on UN sanctions placed over its nuclear weapons programme by saying that it will use those weapons to sink Japan and reduce the United States to ashes and darkness. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reacts during a celebration for nuclear scientists and engineers who contributed to a hydrogen bomb test (KCNA via REUTERS) By Reuters: A North Korean state agency threatened on Thursday to use nuclear weapons to "sink" Japan and reduce the United States to "ashes and darkness" for supporting a UN Security Council resolution and sanctions over its latest nuclear test. The Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which handles the North's external ties and propaganda, also called for the breakup of the Security Council, which it called "a tool of evil" made up of "money-bribed" countries that move at the order of the United States. advertisement "The four islands of the archipelago should be sunken into the sea by the nuclear bomb of Juche. Japan is no longer needed to exist near us," the committee said in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency. Juche is the North's ruling ideology that mixes Marxism and an extreme form of go-it-alone nationalism preached by state founder Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of the current leader, Kim Jong Un. Regional tension has risen markedly since the reclusive North conducted its sixth, and by far its most powerful, nuclear test on Sept. 3, following a series of missile tests, including one that flew over Japan. The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously on a US-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions on Monday in response, banning North Korea's textile exports that are the second largest only to coal and mineral, and capping fuel supplies. Ambassadors to the UN vote during a United Nations Security Council meeting on North Korea in New York City, U.S., September 11, 2017. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith Click here to Enlarge Ambassadors to the UN vote during a United Nations Security Council meeting on North Korea in New York City, U.S., September 11, 2017. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith The North reacted to the latest action by the Security Council, which had the backing of veto-holding China and Russia, by reiterating threats to destroy the United States, Japan and South Korea. "Let's reduce the US mainland into ashes and darkness. Let's vent our spite with mobilization of all retaliation means which have been prepared till now," the statement said. Japan's Nikkei stock index and dollar/yen currency pared gains, although traders said that was more because of several Chinese economic indicators released on Thursday rather than a reaction to the North's latest statement. South Korea's won also edged down around the same time over domestic financial concerns. New balance of terror: In pursuit of a nuclear game-changer, North Korea racing ahead faster than ever before. https://t.co/w1xWjsyMV1 pic.twitter.com/8I30yQ0EEO- The Associated Press (@AP) May 31, 2017 Despite the North's threats, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he was against having nuclear weapons in his country, either by developing its own arsenal or bringing back US tactical nuclear weapons that were withdrawn in the early 1990s. "To respond to North Korea by having our own nuclear weapons will not maintain peace on the Korean peninsula and could lead to a nuclear arms race in northeast Asia," Moon said in an interview with CNN. advertisement South Korea's Unification Ministry also said it planned to provide $8 million through the UN World Food Programme and UNICEF to help infants and pregnant women in the North. The move marks Seoul's first humanitarian assistance for the North since its fourth nuclear test in January 2016 and is based on a longstanding policy of separating humanitarian aid from politics, the ministry said. "DANCING TO THE TUNE" The North's latest threats also singled out Japan for "dancing to the tune" of the United States, saying it should never be pardoned for not offering a sincere apology for its "never-to-be-condoned crimes against our people", an apparent reference to Japan's wartime aggression. It also referred to South Korea as "traitors and dogs" of the United States. Japan criticised the North's statement harshly. "This announcement is extremely provocative and egregious. It is something that markedly heightens regional tension and is absolutely unacceptable," Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, visiting India, called for strict enforcement of the UN resolution, saying the world must force a change. Click here to Enlarge Monitors showing TV news on North Korea's threat, the Japanese yen's exchange rate against the US dollar and Japan's Nikkei share average are seen at a foreign exchange trading company in Tokyo, Japan, September 14, 2017. REUTERS/Toru Hanai advertisement The 15-member Security Council voted unanimously on a US-drafted resolution and a new round of sanctions against North Korea on Monday in response to its latest and most powerful test, banning North Korea's textile exports that are the second largest only to coal and mineral, and capping fuel supplies. North Korea had already rejected the Security Council resolution, vowing to press ahead with its nuclear and missile programmes. A tougher initial US draft of Monday's resolution was weakened to win the support of China, the North's lone major ally, and Russia. Significantly, it stopped short of imposing a full embargo on oil exports to North Korea, most of which come from China. The latest sanctions also make it illegal for foreign firms to form commercial joint ventures with North Korean entities. US President Donald Trump has vowed that North Korea will never be allowed to threaten the United States with a nuclear-tipped missile, but has also asked China to do more to rein in its neighbour. China in turn favours an international response to the problem. Click here to Enlarge North Korean leader Kim Jong Un provides guidance with Ri Hong Sop (3rd L) and Hong Sung Mu (L) on a nuclear weapons program (KCNA via REUTERS) advertisement Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said the international community had reached a "high consensus" on trying to realise a peaceful solution. "We urge the relevant directly involved parties to seize the opportunity and have the political nerve to make the correct political choice as soon as possible," Hua told a regular press briefing. The North accuses the United States, which has 28,500 troops in South Korea, of planning to invade and regularly threatens to destroy it and its Asian allies. The United States and South Korea are technically still at war with North Korea because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a truce and not a peace treaty. ALSO READ | India 'deplores' North Korea nuclear test, says such actions impact peace ALSO READ | As North Korea confirms testing of hydrogen bomb, here's a timeline of Pyongyang's nuclear tests ALSO WATCH | North Korea H-bomb: Devastating nuclear war scenario revealed --- ENDS --- By PTI: Berlin, Sep 14 (PTI) An active pharmaceutical ingredient extracted from the leaves of coralberry - a popular ornamental plant - may help combat asthma, a study claims. The coralberry is no outstanding horticultural beauty during most of the year. However, in the winter months it forms striking, bright red berries, which make it a popular ornamental plant during the Christmas holidays. advertisement The substance called Ardisia crenata found in its leaves could be suitable as a medication against certain diseases. Researchers at the University of Bonn in Germany found that Ardisia crenata is effective at preventing the bronchial muscles from contracting in mice. Asthmatics regularly suffer from these pronounced contractions, preventing adequate ventilation of the lungs. The resulting shortness of breath can be life threatening. The new compound relieves these spasms, and has a more prolonged action than the most common asthma drug, salbutamol. "However, we have so far only tested the substance in asthmatic mice," said Daniela Wenzel, from the University of Bonn. Scientists isolates and characterised the active pharmaceutical substance from the leaves of the coralberry. "This compound inhibits critical signalling molecules in our cells, the Gq proteins," said Wenzel. Gq proteins exert key functions in many processes in the body, including control of the airway tone. Normally, the interaction of signalling pathways induces narrowing of the airways. Inhibition of individual signalling pathways can reduce the contraction of the respiratory tract. However, this does not make it possible to completely prevent such contractions in patients with severe asthma. The contracting signals converge on Gq proteins and trigger airway spasm events. "When we inhibit the activation of Gq proteins with FR900359, we achieve a much greater effect," said Michaela Matthey from the University of Bonn. This worked exceptionally well in asthmatic mice, researchers said. "We were able to prevent the animals from reacting to allergens such as house dust mites with a narrowing of the bronchia," said Wenzel. There were few side effects, as the active pharmaceutical ingredient was administered via inhalation to the respiratory tract, and thus only reached the systemic circulation in small quantities. However, it is not known whether the substance is suitable for use in people. Although the scientists have already demonstrated that human bronchial muscle cells and isolated human airways react in a similarly in the lag, further tests are required prior to human use. PTI MHN SAR MHN --- ENDS --- advertisement By PTI: By Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, Sep 14 (PTI) Pakistan today expressed concern over the sale of 22 Guardian drones to India by the US and said it would result in strategic imbalance in the region. Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Nafees Zakaria, during his weekly media briefing, highlighted that during Indias Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US in June, a major deal for sale of Guardian unmanned aerial vehicles (submarine drones) was finalised. advertisement "We had expressed our concerns on the sale of advanced military technologies to India. We believe that such sales accentuate military imbalances in the region and undermine strategic stability in South Asia," Zakaria said. He said it emboldens India to adopt aggressive military doctrines and even contemplate military adventurism. "Transfers of modern military hardware and technologies as well as repeated exceptions made for India have dis- incentivised India to engage in efforts to establish a strategic restraint regime and durable security architecture in the region," he said. To a question about a senior Indian military official calling the Line of Control (LoC) as an "imaginary line" which India could cross any time for surgical strikes, Zakaria said that Indian Army often makes false claims in order to gain popularity among the Indian public and media which reflects the long prevailing Indian mindset. "Pakistan, on the other hand, has encouraged peaceful engagement with India and emphasised confidence building measures. However, our good gestures have not been reciprocated by India," he added. The US in June cleared the sale of 22 predator drones to India in a deal estimated to be worth USD 2 to 3 billion. PTI SH CPS --- ENDS --- Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High near 35F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 26F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Pehlu Khan was killed by a mob for carrying cattle in Rajasthan's Alwar district. He named six men in the FIR, investigations against whom have been dropped. Pehlu Khan who was beaten up by a mob in Alwar earlier this year. By India Today Web Desk: The Rajasthan police has reportedly shut the probe in Alwar farmer Pehlu Khan's death. Khan was thrashed to death by a violent mob accusing him of smuggling cattle. The video of the incident had gone viral earlier this year and there was a nation-wide debate on it. The six accussed who were named by Pehlu Khan, the staff at the cow shelter and phone records are - Om Yadav (45), Hukum Chand Yadav (44), Sudhir Yadav (45), Jagmal Yadav (73), Naveen Sharma (48) and Rahul Saini (24). There are allegations that the administration is under pressure to protect the so-called, self-proclaimed "cow vigilantes" in the state. advertisement According to an investigation report that the Hindustan Times received, the six men have been cleared of all charges on them in the lynching of Pehlu Khan. "The statements of witnesses in the case including policemen and the employees of the Rath Gaushala indicate that none of the accused was present at the time of the attack. Call record details of the six people along with Base Transceiver Station (BTS) location of mobiles further support this. Based on the findings of the investigating officer, it is hereby recommended that the names of the six accused be removed from the case as they have been found not guilty," the report said. The report also named nine other accused, two of them minors. The Crime Investigation Department - Crime Branch had instructed the Rajasthan police to remove the name of the six men from the list of accused. The police then removed the reward of Rs 5,000 from the heads of the six men. Pehlu Khan (55) was among the group of 15 Muslim men carrying cattle in Rajasthan's Alwar district when he was brutally beaten up by a mob. He succumbed to his injuries two days after the attack but named the six men in his FIR. The FIR was also against 200 unidentified people. The police has arrested seven men identified from the video while two of them are still absconding. Also read : Pehlu Khan's lynching: Almost a month later, CM Vasundhara Raje breaks silence, says won't tolerate violence Also read : Alwar Lynching: Civil society members protest in Jaipur, demand justice for Pehlu Khan Also read : Alwar cow vigilante killing: Cattle carriers had Jaipur municipal receipts, cops booked them for smuggling --- ENDS --- HAVE A NOTE? Or a Sez You? E-mail them to notester@thesunchronicle.com or drop them in snail mail addressed to Restaurant Notes, The Sun Chronicle, Box 600, Attleboro, MA 02703. Two people, including a child, hospitalized following one of three crashes in just over an hour in St. John's Sunday night Two people were sent to hospital following one of three crashes in just a little more than an hour in St. Johns Sunday night. One of the crashes happened on the Robert E. Howlett highway at Heavy Tree Road at about 7:40 p.m. and left a pickup and an ... Rajasthan Police has dropped charges against all the six people victim Pehlu Khan had named as accused in the Alwar mob lynching case in April this year. By Rohit Parihar: The Criminal Investigation Department of Rajasthan Police has found that none of the six accused in the Pehlu Khan lynching in April this year were actually involved in the attack on him. Pehlu Khan, in his dying declaration had named Om Yadav, Hukum Chand Yadav, Sudhir Yadav, Jagmal Yadav, Naveen Sharma and Rahul Saini as his attackers. advertisement Khan, a 55-year-old dairy farmer, was lynched by cow vigilantes in Alwar's Behror area in April this year when he was transporting cows. The police removed their names from the FIR after saying that not one of them was even anywhere near the place where he was beaten up. The report recommended registration of a case against two more suspects. Seven people, who were arrested earlier, are out on bail. Two of them are juveniles. These six people were named as accused by Pehlu Khan, while he was on his death bed in the hospital. They have been found innocent in the investigation. The CID probe found that from the beginning, there was no evidence of their being on the spot. "Investigation into location of their mobile phones as well as video and still photographs of the incident found that none of the six were at the place where Pehlu Khan was attacked. Two others, Deepak Yadav and Bheem Rathji, who were there and involved in the attack, have been identified and booked", Pankaj Kumar Singh, Additional Director General, Crime, Rajasthan told India Today. It was alleged by Kamla Didi, leader of cow vigilantes in Rajasthan, that Pehlu Khan was tutored by certain activists to name six suspects, who were protecting cows and running cow shelter. According to one version of events, a group of vigilantes had stopped some vehicles carrying cows and taken the cattle to a cow shelter under police supervision. Another theory is that these people were just bystanders and student leaders who stopped another truck, pulled down Pehlu Khan and assaulted him. Khan, who was a heart patient, later died at the hospital. Meanwhile, activists including those from the PUCL (People's Union for Civil Liberties) have been demanding the arrest of the six named by Khan in his dying declaration, insisting that they were the main conspirators. Rajasthan ADG (Crime) Pankaj Kumar Singh said it was not a planned crime, but one carried out in the heat of the moment. "So to say that the six could have deliberately avoided carrying their cell phones is wrong. Besides, cell phone is actively used by vigilantes to communicate with each other's location of cow carrying vehicles", Singh added. THE STORY SO FAR Vipin Yadav, 19, a first-year BA student at Government PG College, Behror had only recently been elected president of the college student union. Huge hoardings with his posters were put around after this victory. He was living in Behror with his maternal family whereas his parents belong to the Bhatora village in Mahendragarh district in Haryana. His mother Preeti alias Babli is a sarpanch. advertisement Vipin stopped on seeing people gathered around some vehicles from where cattle were being taken away. The mob were talking about Muslims carrying cattle for slaughter. He is accused of leading the assault in the heat of the moment. He was joined by two juveniles, both 17-year-old bystanders. One of them was nicknamed Mithun because he used to mimic actor Mithun Chakravarty and even beat up cow transporters and smugglers. Both were sent to juvenile homes and released later. The other four, who have been arrested so far, include Dayanand Yadav, 47, who was on his way to buy stuff for the last rites of his father. Two others, Kalu Ram Ahir, 44 and Yogesh alias Dholia, 30 were also bystanders who joined in the assault. There are seven accused, who are absconding, and rewards have been announced for some of them. None of the six gaurakshaks, who were named by Pehlu Khan, are viewed as primarily suspects for want of evidence. They don't figure in any video obtained so far. advertisement One version says that while the six took cattle from four vehicles to a cow shelter, the mob took over when Vipin Yadav chased two more vehicles carrying cattle. Pehlu Khan was injured in this attack on two vehicles. HOW EVENT UNFOLDED According to the police, those carrying cattle were not transporters but smugglers because they did not have any permit to transport cattle to another state, in this case Haryana. Cops said they had evidence of 'purchase as sale receipt' in case of only two cattle. Investigation so far has confirmed that only some of the 38 cattle being transported were sold at the municipal corporation, at Jaipur's trade fair and a few were milch cattle. The rest, it appeared, were being taken for slaughter. The police said Pehlu Khan's son Irshad had two cases of smuggling cows in Haryana. "For us, Pehlu Khan was also an accused. Had he survived, he would have been convicted", a police officer told India Today. COW PROTECTION AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE Cow has been always an emotional issue. The Yadavs, traditionally known as protectors of cows, belong to the OBC caste who have a sizeable presence around Behror. A number of accused in the Pehlu Khan murder case are Yadavs. The mob mentality to lynch someone has been prevalent in Indian society for quite some time. Police say the assaulters in Pehlu Khan case thought it would be heroic to do so in the name of preventing cruelty against cows. advertisement The entire assault took place on the spur of the moment without any conspiracy. Some feel gaurakshaks are careful not to attack cow smugglers or transporters fatally, but they instigate the mob, which invariably gathers by referring to transporters, mostly Muslims as cow killers. ALSO READ | No one killed Pehlu Khan? Probe against 6 accused in Alwar lynching closed Justice for Pehlu Khan: Former Rajasthan IAS officers write to CM Raje demanding probe Alwar lynching: Civil society members protest in Jaipur, demand justice for Pehlu Khan WATCH VIDEO | Rajasthan Police gives clean chit to 6 accused in Pehlu Khan lynching case --- ENDS --- But the tribe has a long way to go European automakers are in catch 22 situation: whether to go for future technology or focus on immediate market. The continents carmakers have invested heavily in the technology but the sales of the diesel-powered cars have declined in Europe. Electric cars, often seen as the future of the industry, are not the solution as their demand remained too small. European auto manufacturers said demand for electric vehicles remained too small for them to replace diesel cars anytime soon. While all the companies are investing in electric mobility, their immediate focus is on building more gasoline-powered cars and making diesel engines cleaner. Since Volkswagen AG, the worlds biggest auto maker by sales, was caught rigging diesel engines to dupe emissions tests two years ago, sales of diesel cars have declined rapidly. In diesel-country Germany, for example, threats by politicians to ban the cars from cities have scared off customers, and sales of new models plunged 14 per cent in August from a year ago, according to Germanys federal motor vehicle agency. Sales of gasoline-powered cars rose 15 per cent, said a media report. Research group LMC Automotive says diesels market share in Europe, always the biggest market for the technology, could decline to around 45 per cent this year from 53 per cent before the scandal. By comparison, electric cars or hybrids are expected to grab four per cent of the European market this year, up from 2.3 per cent before dieselgate. The high price tag on electric cars, the scarcity and inconvenience of charging stations and the vehicles inability to travel long distances have put off drivers. Car makers, who dragged their feet for years on electric cars, also have few models in the market to lure consumers away from diesel. In many segments that are of interest to families, the products just arent available, said Steve Armstrong, CEO of Ford of Europe. BMW has committed to offering 25 new electric cars and hybrids by 2025, and Daimler plans to offer an electric version of every model it makes by 2022. While Peugeot is planning to launch seven plug-in hybrid vehicles and five fully electric cars between 2019 and 2021, it is scrambling now to double production in France of some gasoline engines to meet growing demand, a spokesman said. The bigger problem is shouldering the costs of developing electric car technology as regulators around the world continue to attack the conventional internal combustion engine. France and the United Kingdom have announced plans to ban all gasoline and diesel powered vehicles after 2040. They would possibly exclude hybrids, but the aim is to promote all-electric vehicles. In Germany, Volkswagen, BMW AG and Daimler AGs Mercedes-Benz are engaged in a frantic battle to defend diesel, which they say is necessary to meet the European Unions ambitious climate goals. Diesel produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than gasoline. The downside is that it produces toxic nitrogen oxide, which is linked to deaths and respiratory diseases. The German manufacturers are spending millions on a voluntary recall to update the core engine software on some of the newest diesels to make them cleaner. BMW expects to sell 1,00,000 electric cars and hybrids this yearout of a total of 2.4 million vehicles. By 2025, it plans to offer at least 12 pure electric vehicles and 13 hybrids, compared with nine electric cars and hybrids in 2017. Telecom operator Reliance Communications' (RCom) cup of woes has only been overflowing. The Anil Ambani owned company, and its two subsidiaries, have been hit by a bankruptcy petition filed by Swedish telecom equipment maker Ericsson, which is seeking to recover Rs 1,160 crore in dues. Ericsson had signed a seven year agreement with RCom in 2014 to operate and manage RCom's telecom network. Under the contract, Ericsson had to manage field maintenance, network operations and operational planning of RCom's 2G, CDMA and 3G wireless networks across all 22 circles. RCom owes Rs 491.41 crore to Ericsson. RCom subsidiaries Reliance Infratel and Reliance Telecom also owe Rs 534.75 crore and Rs 129.34 crore, respectively to the Swedish company. To reclaim the dues, the Swedish company had filed a petition under the new Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) in the Mumbai bench of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Ericsson sees this petition as a last resort to get its dues back. Ericsson has done this as a last resort in order to resolve an issue regarding the debt that Reliance owes to Ericsson for services provided under a contract, the company sources said. RCom said it intends to challenge the said petitions. However, if the NCLT admits Ericsson's petition to recover its dues, it may throw a spanner in the works of RCom's merger plans with Aircel at least temporarily, say legal experts. Section 14 of the IBC states that on the insolvency commencement date, the adjudicating authority shall by order declare moratorium for prohibiting among other things, transferring, encumbering, alienating or disposing of, by the corporate debtor, any of its assets or any legal right or beneficial interest therein. The NCLT heard RCom and Ericsson on September 13 and the matter was adjourned to September 26. The RCom-Aircel merger deal is key for the Anil Ambani Group company's plans to reduce its huge debt of Rs 45,000 crore. Earlier this year, several ratings agencies, including Fitch and Moody's had downgraded RCom's bond ratings, citing weak operating performance and high leverage. Hit hard by the intense competition and price war, post the launch of Reliance Jio 4G VOLTE services, RCom reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 1,210 crore in the April-June quarter, versus Rs 90 crore profit in the same quarter last year. Its revenue for the quarter also declined sharply to Rs 3,494 crore from Rs 5,259 crore. In June this year, lenders accepted the company's strategic restructuring plans and agreed to give it time till December this year to serve its debt obligations. Apart from the merger of the telecom business, RCom is also selling 51 per cent of its telecom tower business to Canada's Brookfield Infrastructure. RCom's plan is to transfer part of its debt to the merged telecom entity. That coupled with Rs 11,000 crore from the tower deal with Brookfield, will help it reduce the debt by more than half to about Rs 20,000 crore. The company has already got approvals from market regulator SEBI, stock exchanges and Competition Commission of India to merge the telecom business with Aircel. But Ericsson had opposed it, since the merger deal did not specify how Ericsson's dues will be paid. NCLT dismissed Ericsson's opposition to the merger on grounds that the amount owed to it, was less than 5 per cent of RCom's total debt. The tribunal admitted RCom's merger petition in August, but final orders are not issued yet. If the merger happens, it will create the country's fourth largest telecom company in terms of customers and revenue. RCom's shares have been under pressure this year, in the wake of the huge debts, weak financial results and poor ratings by agencies. So far in 2017, the shares have plunged nearly 37 per cent. On September 14, the stock closed 1.2 per cent lower at Rs 21.55. By PTI: Gandhinagar, Sep 14 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today took out time from this busy schedule to meet former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel and express his condolences over the death of the latters son. Modi reached Patels residence here today before attending the ground breaking ceremony of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail project near Sabarmati railway station in Ahmedabad with his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. advertisement Keshubhais 60-year-old son Pravin Patel, who was settled in the US, died of cardiac arrest on September 9. "Met Shri Keshubhai Patel at his residence and offered my condolences on the unfortunate demise of his son, Pravin Patel," Modi tweeted after meeting Keshubhai at his residence. The prime minister also tweeted a picture where is seen offering flowers at the photo of Pravin Patel. BJP president Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had also visited Keshubhai Patels residence few days back to condole his sons death. PTI PJT GK JMF --- ENDS --- After actor Priyanka Chopra created a controversy by calling Sikkim, a state troubled with insurgency, her mother Madhu Chopra, has apologised over phone to the tourism minister of the state, Ugen Gyatso. The actors team also got in touch with the Sikkim government and tendered an official apology. K.N. Rai, speaker of Sikkims legislative assembly, said to THE WEEK that, Priyanka should not have said that. I am happy now that she has apologised for her mistake. Sikkim is one of the most peaceful states in the country. We only have peace loving people here. From now, Priyanka should think twice before she speaks. The comments made us feel really bad and angry, said Dorjee Dazon Bhutia, energy and power minister, to THE WEEK. Priyanka has not visited Sikkim, but her mother has. But that is no excuse for her to utter wrong things. On a global stage, it is her duty to get her facts right. I want Priyanka to visit Sikkim soon and see for herself the kind of state that Sikkim is, he added. Twitter and social media were seething, after Priyanka called Sikkim an insurgency affected state in an interview given to a television channel at the Toronto International Film Festival. She was speaking about the Sikkimese film, Pahuna, which had premiered at the prestigious film festival. Interestingly, Pahuna, which talks about refugee crisis, is co-produced by Priyanka's mother. Priyanka told the TV channel that, Sikkim is a small state in the northeast of India which never had a film industry or anyone who made films from there. And this is the first film ever that has come out of the region because it is very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations. In the year 2000, when Priyanka was crowned Miss World, she was asked by a judge which living person she admired the most, to which she replied Mother Teresa, who died in 1997. Old habits die hard. Abu Ismail, the Lashkar-e-Taiba commander who masterminded the deadly attack on Amarnath yatra pilgrims in July, was killed by security forces in Srinagar on Thursday along with another Pakistani terrorist, police said. The two were gunned down after a brief encounter that saw the duo running for their lives. "On specific information, a joint operation was launched in Aribagh in Nowgam area on the outskirts of Srinagar city. It was around 4:15pm that a contact was established with the two hiding terrorists in a house there. In a very brief encounter, both the terrorists were killed," inspector general of police, Kashmir, Munir Khan said. He was addressing a joint press conference along with general officer commanding of the Army's Victor Force, Major General B.S. Raju, and IG CRPF Ravideep Singh Sahi. Khan said the other terrorist has been identified as Abu Qasim alias Chota Qasim. "The bodies of the slain terrorists have been kept at the appropriate place for appropriate disposal," he added. The IGP said two AK rifles, UBGLs and other material were recovered from them. He said Ismail was involved in 15 cases including the July 10 attack on a bus carrying Amarnath yatra pilgrims in south Kashmir's Anantnag district which left eight of them dead. "After the elimination of Abu Dujana, he (Ismail) had taken over as the chief of LeT in the valley. He was involved in around 15 criminal cases in valley which included murder, dacoities and other militancy related incidents. So, I compliment our teams for executing a wonderful operation with no collateral damage," Khan said. "The day they (militants) killed yatris, the people said they should be brought to justice and today they have been brought to justice. It is a great success for the security forces. A chapter of these terrorists has been closed. Tomorrow will be a new day for us. We will start our work afresh. "When the attack took place, there was total condemnation of the act committed by terrorists from all sections of the society and people said loud and clear that these killers must be killed. So, from that day onwards, these killers were our targets and our teams whether they be police, army or the CRPF were looking for them," he said. He thanked the people for "expressing that sentiment that time because that was against Kashmiriyat. No Kashmiri liked that". Asked whether all the militants behind the attack have been neutralised, the IGP said "One foreign and one local terrorists are left." He said Ismail was an "A++" category militant while Qasim was "A+" category, but refused to share further details of the operation. "It is better not to ask such questions because they are operational details which we do not want to divulge. It is not that whole militancy has been wiped out by their killing. So, it is better not to divulge the details," he said. Khan said the priority of the security forces is to neutralise the militant leadership in the valley. "Militant leadership is important to be neutralised. That has to be eliminated because they not only are militants but also provoke and motivate children. The priority is to neutralise the militant leadership. You know who are the leaders and they will be our next target," he said. He, however, said "we have a long way to go and we will keep on trying." Maj Gen Raju said Ismail's killing is extremely important because he was responsible for the death of about 14 security forces personnel and eight civilians. "This success is also important because we are expecting vacuum in the foreign terrorists' leadership of the LeT. After the death of Abu Qasim, then Abu Dujana and now Ismail. In between we also killed (Abu) Ali. Now, we are looking at a serious deficiency in their leadership which should give us more opportunities," he said. The West Bengal state committee of CPI(M) has recommended the expulsion of suspended party member and Rajya Sabha MP Ritabrata Banerjee. Banerjee is the only Rajya Sabha member of the CPI(M) from West Bengal now. The politburo will meet next week to approve the decision of the Bengal state committee since Banerjee is an MP. Had he not been an MP, the state committees decision would have been final, said a senior secretariat member of the party. Banerjee recently lambasted Prakash Karat and his wife Brinda Karat and accused them of leading an anti-Bengal brigade in the partys central committee and politburo. Four months back Banerjee was suspended for leaking information about party to media. He had given an interview to a regional television channel, where he levelled many allegations against senior leaders of the party. Fingers were also pointed at his lavish lifestyle. A three-member committee led by politburo member Mohammed Salim was formed to inquire about the allegations against Banerjee. Banerjee said he was summoned by the inquiry committee but was not given any chance to defend himself. He termed Selim as a leader of the Muslim quota in politburo. I am sorry to say there is a Muslim quota in the politburo and Mohammed Salim represents that, said Banerjee. Banerjee said he was hurt by the party's decision to expel him. I have devoted so much time to the party. But all went in vain, he said. Banerjee, a former SFI national secretary, refused to say whether he would join the Trinamool Congress or BJP. I have not yet decided on my future course of action, he said. Sources said Banerjee is close to both the parties today. He had met Arun Jaitley in Delhi several times before addressing the media few days back. However, a source said he was also in touch with Trinamool Congress general secretary Subrata Bakshi. Sources in the party has said that leaders like Gautam Deb, Sujan Charaborty and Ashok Bhattacharya tried to prevent the state leadership from taking severe action against Banerjee. Amid huge uproar, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee intervened and gave his opinion in favour of the expulsion of Banerjee. Banerjee was sent to Rajya Sabha at the insistence of Buddhadeb and is known to be a disciple of Buddhadeb and Deb. Deb refused to comment on the issue saying the partys secretary would make any comment on the issue. Surya Kanta Mishara, Bengals CPM secretary, however, refused to make any comment as well. Congress MP and former diplomat Shashi Tharoor is known for his oratorical dexterity. And, when it comes to the topic of colonisation, he has always given it back to the Britishers, detailing the economic and cultural toll their centuries-old rule took on India, which was once considered the richest country in the world. At Oxford Union, Tharoor had called for Britain to pay reparations to India and other former colonies for its decades of imperial rule. Of late, while attending the Melbourne Writers Festivals 2017, the Thiruvananthapuram MP was assertive on his contentions. When asked whether India has not benefited from the presence of British, especially while inculcating skills in the field of engineering, infrastructure and education, Tharoor was, once again, at his humorous and statistical best, demolishing the concept point by point, in an impassioned speech. From his articulate speech at Oxford in 2015, which went viral, to the latest Australian news debate, Tharoor has vehemently argued that British industrialisation was at the cost of India's de-industrialisation. Here are a few gems. 1. According to a report prepared by Professor Angus Maddison at the University of Groningen, India's GDP in 1700 AD was 90,750 million international dollars, above China (82,800 mn dollar). His report says the ruthless exploitation under British colonial rule completely devastated India's economy. India's population was subject to frequent famines, had one of the world's lowest life expectancies, suffered from pervasive malnutrition and was largely illiterate. The figures Tharoor cited in his speech might be from a report of British economist Angus Maddison who had estimated that Indian GDP went from 27 per cent in 1700 AD (compared to Europe's share of 23 per cent) to 3 per cent in 1950. 2. The late 19th century and early 20th century witnessed a spate of famines in the subcontinent, with each of them claiming millions of lives. Noted British writer William Digby estimated that over 2,88,25,000 people died in British India during famines from 1854 to 1901. According to medical journal Lancet , 19 million people died of extreme poverty between 1896 and 1900, with almost all the provinces from Uttar Pradesh to Madras suffering from starvation. There was, however, a steady increase in literacy rate during the British rule, thanks to new schools and colleges they set up. The literacy rate rose from 3.2 per cent in 1881 to 7.2 per cent in 1931 and 12.2 per cent in 1947. As per the 2011 census, over 74 per cent Indians are literate. 3. Colin Clark, a British economist, has pointed out that during 1925-34, India and China had the lowest per capita incomes in the world. In 2016, while launching his book, An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India, Tharoor said: "The history of British era is needed to be retold as a large number of youngsters of 21st century still think that former British prime minister Winston Churchill was some sort of hero of freedom or that people died in famines in India because of reasons endemic to India, without realising that 35 million people died as a result of deliberate British policy." 4. Durant, in his book The Case for India, notes that there were more schools in India before the advent of the civilised British. "The British conquest of India was the destruction of a high civilization by a trading company utterly without scruple or principal, overrunning with fire, sword, bribery, murder a country temporarily disordered and helpless," he writes. 5. Of course, all the Indian institutes of technology were set up after independence. India's first IIT was set up in Kharagpur in 1951. Today, there are 23 IITs in the country. However, the British had set up a few engineering colleges in the subcontinent. The first such college was set up at Roorkee in Uttar Pradesh in 1847. Thereafter, three engineering colleges were established in each of the presidenciesCalcutta College of Civil Engineering in Bengal Presidency in 1856, College of Engineering at Pune in Bombay Presidency in 1958 and College of Engineering at Guindy in Madras Presidency in 1958. 6. Durant in his The Case for India claims: "India was a far greater industrial and manufacturing nation than any in Europe or Asia, producing textile, metal works, jewellery, precious stones, pottery and architecture. She had great merchants, businessmen, ship buildingnearly every kind of manufacture known to the civilized world was already in India." Despite being a relatively urbanised and commercialised nation in the 17th century, industrialisation, which had brought in a technological revolution in Britian and many other European countries, eluded India. Industrialisation came to the subcontinent only in the 20th century. The de-industrialisation of the country during British Raj forced people to increasingly depend on agriculture. Between 1901 and 1941, the percentage of population dependent on agriculture increased from 63.7 per cent to 70 per cent. Tharoor further says that in the name of free trade, the British came in and destroyed the free trade that had made India a leading exporter in textiles. The British soldiers smashed the looms, so people couldn't practise their craft. They imposed punitive duties and taxes on the exports on Indian textiles while lifting duties on import of British clothes. And they achieved the craft of market at the point of a gun. This is not exactly free trade, he said in his Melbourne speech. For Rocky Tuseed, who was elected the new DUSU President on Wednesday, it was clearly the best day of his life. Hailed a hero, supporters chanted slogans in his name, mediapersons jostled for his comment and random people craned their necks to have a glimpse of him. Tuseed was in the limelight and for a good reason, for he had brought the Congress's student wing, the National Students Union of India back to the capital's university after a gap of three yearsand by extension, provided a respite to its parent party, reeling against a string of electoral reverses against the BJP. Congratulations poured from all quarters in the party hierarchy for the young student enrolled in Buddhist course as soon his victory was announced and party supporters swarmed the university area with shouts of "NSUI Zindabad". Hundreds of party supporters broke into wild dancing and shrill sloganeering as soon as the news reached them that the NSUI had won the top seats of president and vice president. At the same time, there was confusion about the post of Joint Secretary (JS), which ultimately went to RSS-backed Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) candidate Uma Shankar against Avinash Yadav of NSUI. The decision was disputed by the latter. The close margin of defeat also added to the suspicion of NSUI, which alleged malpractice in vote count and demanded a recounting. All this while, the overwhelmed supporters of the party divided their energy between a vigorous championing of the winning candidates and a vociferous demand for recounting. The crowd at length relented against a defiant election office which refused to hear them. The party now relies for the courts which it is set to approach. However, the episode failed to diminish the spirit of the members of winning party. Off from the counting centre at GTB Nagar, the teeming crowd pervaded the North Campus in full vigour and enthusiasm. The 30-40 strong caravan jammed the Chhatra Marg where the DUSU office is situated amid heavy police presence and rerouting of other vehicles. Police allowed the victory rally to carry on and opened the road for traffic only after it passed. Notably, Delhi University authorities had earlier rejected the nomination papers of the NSUI presidential candidate Rocky Tusheed who contested after the intervention of the Delhi High Court and won with a big margin. "This is not the only instance (where NSUI won in student elections). The atmosphere in the country is changing. Those who misled the youth, The youth are today teaching them a lesson. The NSUI won the Panjab University election and prior to that, in Rajasthan University, the NSUI sounded the victory bugle. It is a reflection of the changed atmosphere in the country," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said. In the past there has never been an incident where nominations have been cancelled in students' polls and one has to move the court to get them restored. This is the manifestation of subversion of varsities by the BJP-led NDA government, he claimed. The 19 MLAs supporting AIADMKs sidelined Deputy General Secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran on Thursday filed a petition before the Madras High Court asking the court to direct the governor to order a floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. This was taken up along with the petition filed earlier by the DMK on September 12. DMK working president M.K. Stalin, in his petition filed on Tuesday, demanded a floor test saying that the chief minister does not have a majority in the assembly. It is prayed that this honourable court may issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ order or direction, directing the respondents to a hold trust vote in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly forthwith, he said in the petition. Stalin also asked for the appointment of an independent observer to supervise the floor test. When the DMKs petition came up for hearing on Thursday before Justice Duraisamy, T.T.V. Dhinakarans advocate P.S. Raman mentioned that a few more MLAs also want to implead in the case. Justice Duraisamy asked why the 19 MLAs in the TTV faction should not be disqualified. The high court also asked the advocate general to clarify by Thursday afternoon whether Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal is going to disqualify the 19 MLAs. The government seems set to disqualify the rebelling MLAs. Advocate General Vijay Narayan filed his reply on behalf of the government, saying, "no assurance can be given if the 19 MLAs will not be disqualified." The advocate general also said that action against the TTV faction MLAs have commenced. He further said that the court cannot interfere in the powers of the assembly speaker and that the decision to take action on the MLAs cannot be stated now before the court. He said no decision on disqualifying them can be arrived at now. Never-ending saga It may be recalled that Dhanapal had already issued three notices to the 19 legislators, who had submitted separate petitions to Tamil Nadu Governor Vidyasagar Rao saying that they had lost confidence in the chief minister and want Edappadi K. Palanisamy replaced. The MLAs were asked to appear before the Speaker on Thursday and explain themselves. In the notice, he had sought an explanation for acting against the whips order. In the meantime, two of the 19 MLAs, Thanga Thamilselvan and Vetrivel, sought three more days time to reply. At least 17 of the 19 MLAs are camped at the Paddington resort at Coorg near Mysuru. Reportedly, one of them, S.T.K. Jakkaiyan, had already switched to the EPS camp. A team from Tamil Nadu police reached the resort on September 12 to conduct inquiries as to whether the MLAs were staying there on their own or have been forcefully detained. However, on Wednesday, a day after the TN police allegedly raided the resort premises, MLAs Thanga Tamilselvan and Senthil Balaji filed a complaint with Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kushal Nagara, Coorg district, that the Tamil Nadu police had harassed them and asked them to support EPS. They also alleged that the TN police had offered a bribe ranging from Rs 10 crore to 15 crore from EPS faction leaders only to switch sides. The two legislators also produced photographs of all police officials who had visited the resort on Tuesday. Meantime, TTVs move to approach the court on Thursday and implead in the DMK petition shows his desperation on one side and the EPS factions move to gear up for a floor test and silence Dhinakaran, on the other side. In a separate petition the TTV Faction, MLAs have also urged the court that no action should be taken against them or they should not be disqualified until EPS proves his majority in the house. TTVs decision to go to court seeking a floor test has come up two days after EPS and OPS gained courage to sack Sasikala from the post of the party general secretary and abolish the post once for all. So far, TTVs move in the past 20 days to remove EPS and take control of the party and the government have failed miserably. Though TTV was looked at as an emerging leader with qualities much better than EPS and OPS, more than 90 per cent of AIADMK legislators chose to stay with EPS. With just 18-19 legislators on his side, Dhinakarans is a fight to lose. Earlier, he said there are many more supporting legislators like sleeper cells. But this is like a fight between siblings and we will come together soon, said deputy speaker and EPS supporting legislator Pollachi V. Jayaraman. The DMK had lost on the February 18 trust vote. Stalin is dreaming of bringing down this government and be elected as chief minister. I want to tell him that he can only dream, and this government will continue to be in power with full majority. The TTV camp has also moved the Election Commission by filing yet another petition on Thursday, asking it to not accept the resolutions passed in the General Council meeting, as it doesnt abide the law. However, the state governments move, the courts pressure and multiple petitions filed by the DMK and the TTV faction on various forums indicate that the EPS government is gearing up for a floor test, but after disqualifying the 19 TTV faction legislators, so that it manages to win. DMK on Thursday rubbished the speculations of sidelined All India AIADMK deputy general secretary T.T.V. Dhinakaran joining hands with them and added that same interest doesnt mean joining hands together. DMK leader A. Saravanan said it is a fallacy to say that the party is going to join hands with them. The AIADMK is a party which was formed as an opposition to the DMK. They dont have any independent ideology.just because their demand is also the same and our demand is also the same, our intentions are same that doesnt mean that we are going to join/work together. Their interest may be greed, self-interest, or probably going to capture the party but our intention and reason is different, he said. Saravanan further said that the party wants the present state government to go because they are destroying the state of Tamil Nadu and in these last six months they have done nothing. The social and economical aspects are not looked into. . So, it is a fallacy to say that we are going to join hands with them, he added. Dhinakaran on Wednesday said that he would never go with the DMK, amid speculations that his faction would part ways from the merged factions of chief minister E. Palanisamy and his predecessor O. Panneerselvam. "I have told the governor to ask Palanisamy to prove their majority. To protect our party, I will go to any extent," he said, adding that his faction has 21 MLAs on its side. Earlier on Tuesday, Dinakaran invited the EPS-OPS faction of the AIADMK for a face fresh election, if they believe they have the majority in support. "Most ministers (Tamil Nadu) are fearing that they will lose elections, that is why they are accusing us of conniving with the DMK," Dhinakaran said. "You (EPS-OPS) claim you have support of party workers, so if you have the guts, let us face fresh elections," he said. Dhinakaran even swore to throw the ruling Tamil Nadu Government out of power. The AIADMK, in its general council meeting, passed a resolution, according to which jailed party general secretary V.K. Sasikala stands expelled from the party and the post of the temporary general secretary forfeited. The resolution further said that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, E. Palanisamy and his deputy, O. Panneerselvam, shall retrieve the party and its symbol. Other terms of the resolution state that all announcements by T.T.V. Dhinakaran stand cancelled. The Congress-backed National Students Union of India (NSUI) registering a victory in the students' union elections in the Delhi University resonates much beyond the campus in the national capital. While it has finally given the Congress some reason to cheer, there may be some lessons for the BJP as the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) tasted defeat after a gap of four years. While the NSUI won the posts of president and vice president, the ABVP won the posts of secretary and joint secretary in the students' union. Soon after the results were declared, Delhi Congress President Ajay Maken tweeted that the victory reflected the confidence that the students had placed on party vice president Rahul Gandhi's leadership. He went to the extent of connecting the win to Rahul's speech at the University of California, Berkeley, saying the students heard Prime Minister Narendra Modi address students on September 11, and Rahul the following day, and reposed their faith in the latter. The youth has accepted the Congress wholeheartedly and has rejected the ideology of the RSS, said Maken. He also referred to the victories of NSUI in the Punjab and Rajasthan universities. The victory was projected as a rejection of the Narendra Modi government and also as a pointer to a decline in his popularity amongst the youth. It is said that the DU, with around 80 colleges in its vast campus, and students from all over the country, gives an indication on what the country is thinking politically. And it is for this reason that the DUSU win comes as a morale booster for the Congress, which has not tasted victory, as least in Delhi, since its defeat in the Assembly elections. However, in NSUI's victory, there are some lessons for the Congress to learn. The students' wing of the Congress began its campaign early. It carried out an aggressive online outreach called #takebackDU. It promised a peaceful atmosphere on campus, a reference to the violence and chaos that was witnessed over the nationalism issue. It kept its campaign low-profile, which was in contrast to the high decibel campaigning carried out by the ABVP. The NSUI also targeted the ABVP over alleged misuse of DUSU funds. A major point of discussion at the meeting of the Delhi BJP's state executive last evening was the outcome of the DUSU election. The party might want to look at what went wrong in the last few months for the ABVP. The right-wing student's organisation has been at the centre of controversy in the recent past, accused of creating disturbance on the campus in the context of the nationalism debate. ABVP members were accused of violence and vandalism at Ramjas college as they protested the inclusion of some speakers from the Jawaharlal Nehru University in a seminar. The organisation was also criticised for its alleged online bullying of DU student and Kargil martyr Gurmehar Kaur over the stand she took on relations between India and Pakistan. India has started Operation Insaniyat, a humanitarian project to provide assistance to Bangladesh which is grappling with the influx of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. In the last one month, over three lakh Rohingya Muslims have escaped from their reservations in Arakan district and reached Bangladesh. Most of them are at Cox's Bazaar. Starting Thursday, the Indian Air Force will make several trips to Chittagong, carrying relief material consisting of rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready-to-eat noodles, biscuits and mosquito nets. India has always responded readily and swiftly to any crisis in Bangladesh in keeping with the close ties of friendship between the peoples of India and Bangladesh. India stands ready to provide any assistance required by the government of Bangladesh in this hour of need,'' said a statement from the ministry of external affairs (MEA). The Rohingya crisis has become a cause of worry in the subcontinent. Myanmar, which has always refused to see Rohingyas as part of the ethnic mix of its country, considers them illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, although the waves of migration might have happened centuries ago. Last month, after an uprising in the Rohingya camp, the Myanmar forces have allegedly upped their brutalities, forcing many Rohingyas to flee the country. Since the Rakhine region is close to Bangladesh border, it is to this country where droves of Rohingyas are heading, and Bangladesh's resources are strained. A few days ago, Bangladeshi high commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali met foreign secretary S. Jaishankar to discuss ways to deal with the situation that is getting out of hand. Bangladesh has also appealed to the international community at large to help in managing this humanitarian crisis. India has 40,000 Rohingya migrants already, and is keen to resolve the problem in Bangladesh, knowing well that several thousands of the new wave of refugees there will ultimately head for India. Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju's recent categorical statement that India would deport the 40,000 Rohingya refugees has drawn flak from the United Nations Commission for Human Rights as well as embarrassed the administration. Although India does not have a long term refugee programme and is not signatory to the international convention on refugees, the country has offered refuge for lakhs of people from diverse persecuted communities. Besides, there is no immediate deportation programme ready with the home ministry, the biggest reason for which iswhere does one deport these people? Myanmar does not consider them as its own. Any plan on dealing with these refugees would require tense engagement between the affected countries. Rajiv Chander, India's ambassador and permanent representative in the UN, responding to the censure from the UNHCR, said, Like many other nations, India is concerned about illegal migrants, in particular with the possibility that they could pose security challenges. Enforcing laws should not be mistaken for lack of compassion.'' Operation Insaniyat is as much about telling the world about India's compassion as it is for helping a neighbour. But plane loads of relief material will not address the security challenge at India's border India has considered the Rohingya community a security threat. And even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes India's stance clear by expressing solidarity with the Myanmar administration in dealing with its security challenges, unless the Rohingyas get a home, they will continue to be knocking at doors of others, including India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday took out time ahead of the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train to call on former Gujarat chief minister Keshubhai Patel to express his condolences over the death of his son. Patel's son Pravin had passed away recently in the USA after a heart attack. The aged politician could not attend the last rites of his son due to ill health. Patel is a strong Patidar leader hailing from Saurashtra. The courtesy visit to pay condolences assumes significance considering that a section of Patidars are unhappy with the BJP and are seeking reservation under the OBC category. Modi and Patel's sweet-bitter relationship dates back to more than four decades. They were among a handful of people who laid the foundation of the BJP in Gujarat. While it is said Patel was instrumental in ousting Modi from Gujarat BJP's organisation, Patel can never forget how he was removed as the chief minister and Modi was brought as his replacement in 2001. Patel, who was angry with the treatment meted out to him by the BJP central party leadership, soon floated a new party. However, after a couple of years, the party men returned to the BJP. The CBSE today issued a circular with guidelines for schools regarding safety of children in the premises. The CBSE has directed the schools to install CCTV cameras, complete police verification of staff and control entry of outsiders in school building among other things. According to sources, the HRD ministry will be calling representatives and top officials from various states inviting them for the meeting to discuss safety of children in schools. As education is a subject mention in the concurrent list of the Constitution, it is important to have proper coordination between the states and the Centre, the sources said. There are approximately 15 lakh schools in the country out of which only about 1 percent or about 15,000 are affiliated to the CBSE. There are about 3000 Kendriya Vidyalayas. The Centre does not have control over other schools and it has to act in coordination with the state governments, the sources said. According to sources, the Centre is concerned over the complaints that the guidelines issued by the CBSE are not complied by the schools under the control of the state governments even although these are statutory directions. HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar will be emphasising on developing a mechsnism between the state and the Centre to ensure compliance of the CBSE-issued guidelines to ensure safety of children at schools. Technically, the CBSE is supposed to ensure compliance in all the schools affiliated to it, but it does not have the logistics or the manpower to ensure implementation of its guidelines. Sources indicated that the Centre or the CBSE cannot do much in this area as the central board has a limited role of giving affiliation. On the other hand, ensuring safety of children at schools is primarily the responsibility of the state governments and local administration. The safety guidelines set out by the CBSE spell out rules in five areas of child's safety. These are physical safety, social safety, emergency preparedness to handle disasters, cyber security and emotional safety. Despite criticism from human rights groups, the Union government is likely to stick to its stand of a "national security" threat posed by Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. Under preparation is an affidavit of the government likely to be submitted in the Supreme Court as early as Friday. A copy of the home ministry's internal communication was inadvertently supplied to an advocate in Supreme Court and withdrawn later. A home ministry spokesperson said the ministry is yet to file it's affidavit on the issue and it is being finalised. But the cat was already out of the bag as the said document led to an 'affidavit controversy' late Thursday evening with the papers being seen as an MHA affidavit in the apex court on the matter. The MHA internal communication did not leave any stone unturned in making out its case for deportation of Rohingyas. The foreigners division of MHA said in this internal communication that if the influx of the Rohingya refugees continues, the already fragile northeast corridor may get destabilised; there could be a possibility of violence directed against Myanmar government and its diplomatic mission in India and there is a chance of Indian Buddhists who are Indian citizens coming in the harm's way. The MHA's internal documents, based on intelligence inputs, also stated that Rohingyas with militant background have been found be active in Jammu, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mewat and they may pose threat to national security. It said they have come under the sinister designs of outfits like ISIS who want to trigger communal and sectarian violence in the country. It raised alarm over Rohingya radicals acquiring fake PAN cards and organised networks and touts helping them cross over to states like Tripura, West Bengal and Assam. It does not discount role of outfits in Pakistan and Bangladesh in assisting such activities. Further, the MHA felt their presence would add strain to national resources . The home ministry feels that "India has been dealing with illegal immigrants on case to case to basis " and the policy has stood the test of time with Tibetans, Sri Lankan Tamils and Bangladeshis which brought international acclaim. It also provided the government flexibility to deal with situation, keeping in mind the interest of the country. The ministry also argued that the decision of the government to deport Rohingyas is a policy decision and should not be subject to legal scrutiny as no illegal immigrant has a fundamental right to stay in India. The two-day annual Indo-Japan meet ended on a high note on Thursday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe saying like his grandfather former Japanese PM Nobusuke Kishi, he too would like to remain a friend of India forever. Speaking at the plenary at the Mahatma Mandir, Abe said long ago his grandfather had met the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru introduced my grandfather as a person coming from a country he respected the most, Abe recalled. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said if India and Japan become stronger, they would provide stability in Asia and the world. Describing Japan as a perfect partner, Modi invited more Japanese investment and more people from the country to come and work in India. Besides the genuine appreciation of each other, the strongest message came in the joint statement of the two prime ministers. In the statement, the two leaders urged Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorists attacks, including the of November 2008 terror attack in Mumbai and 2016 terror attack in Pathankot. The statement said the prime ministers looked forward to the convening of the fifth Japan-India Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups including Al-Qaeda and ISIS. The two leaders condemned in the strongest words the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism. The statement also denounced North Korea's continued development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, including the latest nuclear test conducted on September 3 as well as its uranium enrichment activities. In his opening remarks, Modi said in 2016-17, India got Japanese investment worth $ 4.7 billion which was 80 per cent more than the previous year. Japan, he pointed out, was the third largest investor in India. Modi said after the collaboration between Japan Post and India Post, they would introduce cool box service so that the Japanese people living in India can directly get their favourite food from Japan. He also appealed the Japanese community to open more Japanese restaurants in India. The two-day event proved to be a gainer for India with Abe announcing that Hitachi and Toyota would open two additional Japan-India Institute of Manufacturing (JIM) in addition to the existing ones. The announcement came after he categorically said Japan would cooperate India in skill development. Another highlight of the meet was announcement of setting up of a Japan Industrial Township over 1,750 acres of land near Sanand, about 20km from Ahmedabad. The township would be near the Tata Nano plant. While 1,200 acre would be industrial, the remaining would be for residential and recreational purposes. Japan is also all set to provide a boost to hybrid cars in India. Suzuki Motor Corporation chairman Osamu Suzuki said Toshiba and Denso would set up a lithium iron battery plant in Gujarat. These batteries would be fitting in the hybrid vehicles, he said. The production of cars at Maruti Suzuki's plant in Hansalpur, Gujarat is 2,50,000 units per year and it would triple to 7,50,000 units per year. He hoped that they would be able to provide jobs to 10,000 people. The leaders also spoke about Varanasi Convention Centre, which is to come up in Varanasi, and said that it would strengthen cultural ties between the two countries. Earlier in the day, Abe and Modi laid the foundation stone for the high speed bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The train is expected to cover a distance of 508km in little over two hours and reduce the travel time by five hours. Even though the roll out may be two years and more away, India is gearing up for the 5G era in communications, said Union Telecom Secretary, Aruna Sundararajan. She was speaking to the media soon after inaugurating the 2017 edition of the IoT Congress here on September 14. Ms Sundararajan pointed out the 5G test beds being set up at multiple locations, where the readiness of networks and devices for next generation cellular communication can be tested and prototypes run. A test bed is a lab environment where multiple wireless technologies like millimetre waves, Multiple In Multiple Out (MIMO) and backhaul can be simulated with realistic loads. The test bed at IIT Madras, she added, has the benefit of help and advice from a pioneer in this field, Dr Arogyaswami Paulraj, Emeritus Professor of Electrical Engineering at Stanford University, who is widely recognised as the Father of WiMax technology. He is the co-inventor of MIMO, the technology that underpins the efficient roll out of all wireless standards, 3G, 4G, 5G and WiFi. The 5G test bed at IIT Delhi is a collaboration between the institute and global telecom solutions provider Ericsson, to create an incubation centre for startups and industry. Other 5G collaborations Recent months have seen India's main telecom service providers tie up with one other of the global giants to help them get their 5G plans ready for the expected roll outs in 2020. BSNL has turned to Nokia and its "5G First" end to end solution, while Reliance Jio has partnered with Samsung. Airtel too has joined with Nokia to kickstart its 5G roll out. An MOU signed on September 11, by the Karnataka government with Finland points at other dynamics of the race to be 5G ready. The 'Karnataka - Finland Innovation Corridor' will draw on the resources of Nokia's large R&D facility in Bangalore, said Finnish Ambassador to India, Nina Vaskunlahti. Admittedly, the Karnataka Finland partnership is not limited to 5G, with Finnish giant Nokia being a looming presence in the state's innovation map, 5G will inevitably be up there among the top priorities. Top US Democratic leaders have announced that they have reached agreement with President Donald Trump to pursue a legislative deal that would protect hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants from deportation. The agreement was announced in a joint statement by House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader, Chuck Schumer following a dinner with the President at the White House on September 13. The pair said that they also agreed to work on a border security package that would exclude Trump's proposed wall with Mexico. Trump scrapped the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme earlier this month. The Barack Obama era DACA scheme was put in place to protect the so-called "Dreamers", migrants brought to the US illegally as children, from deportation. The measures, which protect some 800,000 people in the US, also provide temporary permits for work and study. Trump announced on September 4 that he would cancel the scheme, while giving Congress six months to enact a replacement plan for DACA recipients. Following the talks, Schumer and Pelosi said they had "a very productive meeting at the White House with the President". The discussion focused on DACA. "We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that's acceptable to both sides." In a letter to her Democratic colleagues in the House, Pelosi said she hopes that the deal could be done "in a matter of weeks". Democrats have repeatedly said they will block any legislation that contains funding for the border wall, Trump's key campaign pledge. A White House statement was more muted, simply saying that there had been a "constructive working dinner" where tax reform, border security and DACA had been discussed. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders later disputed the Democrats' account. "While DACA and border security were both discussed, excluding the wall was certainly not agreed to," she wrote on Twitter. Breitbart, the conservative news outlet headed by former Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannon, called reports of an immigration deal a "full fledged cave" by Trump on "amnesty" for the Dreamers. Representative Steve King, Republican of Iowa, wrote on Twitter: "Trump base is blown up, destroyed, irreparable, and disillusioned beyond repair. No promise is credible." Pro Trump Fox News host Sean Hannity appeared dismayed, tweeting, "weak Republicans have betrayed voters", they "wanted [Trump] to fail" and had "pushed him into arms of political suicide". For a meeting that nearly did not happen, Prime Minister Narendra Modis recent trip to China (and Myanmar) is high on the feel-good factor. Experts point out that more than the progress made on the multilateral platform of Brics, the biggest takeaway is the reiteration by India and China to work together. Both sides knew what happened regarding Doklam, said Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar, adding that at Modis meeting with President Xi Jinping it was clear that both wanted to look ahead rather than over their shoulders at the tensions of the past. So, Modi, who had used some choice terms for Pakistan (the mother ship of terrorists) during the Brics Goa summit of 2016, chose not to name Chinas special friend by any name this time. China, on its part, agreed to name Jaish-e-Mohammed and Laskhar-e-Taiba along with the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (of militant Uighurs, who commit acts of terror in China), as outfits which cause security concerns in the region. China, however, continues to block attempts at the United Nations to brand Masood Azhar, founder of JeM, a terrorista position that baffles India. India may feel that getting terror groups named is a minor victory, said M.V. Rappai, honorary fellow, Institute of Chinese Studies, New Delhi. But, it has to itself deal with terror within India, he said. We need to focus on that aspect. The Modi-Xi bilateral went on for over an hour, though it was scheduled for just 30 minutes. The leaders discussed ways of preventing future Doklams, even as they agreed that differences were bound to crop up. They discussed possibilities of interaction of border security personnel, and the need to build trust. Beyond the Modi-Xi optics, too, the relevance of Brics itself, which the west is always questioning, was reasserted with the group uniting against protectionism. Brics is progressing, it has built institutions like the New Development Bank, and it will continue to be relevant into its golden decade, said Alka Acharya, professor of Chinese studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University. She said Brics nations would provide the bulwark for a global economy, while the west remains in retreat. The Xiamen declaration is impressive in functional areas of cooperation, in economic growth, climate change and security, Acharya said. Now the nations have to align their internal structures to facilitate these decisions. How effectively that is done is important for Brics. The four documents signed at Brics are on cooperation in economy and trade, innovation, the New Development Bank and a strategic framework for customs cooperation. Acharya said Chinas proposal of a Brics plus would have to become a reality sooner or later. India invited almost all of south Asia for the Goa summit, holding it together with BIMSTEC. China invited five guest nations to Xiamen. When you are talking of regional cooperation, you have to throw open membership at some point, Acharya said. The Myanmar visit has happened a little late on Modis agenda, say observers, given his neighbourhood first focus. Though he visited Myanmar in 2014 for an ASEAN meet, this is his first bilateral. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had earlier made a flying visit; Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw came for BIMSTEC last year, along with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. The Doklam standoff was an eye-opener. No neighbour was willing to openly take our side, said Acharya. The government realised it needed to engage a lot more with each of them. We need to make it clear that we have enough engagements with them individually. Also, given that Suu Kyis ruling party is not having its best public ratings, Modis visit was also a symbolic show of support to the pro-democracy initiative, she added. The 11 MoUs signed with Myanmar are a clear indication of the direction in which India wants to take forward the relationshipstrengthening their democratic institutes like the press council and election commission and working together for security and surveillance, specially maritime. Modi visited Bahadur Shah Zafars tomb, and the Ananda Buddhist Temple in Bagan, which the Archaeological Survey of India has restored. He gifted Suu Kyi a reproduction of her research proposal submitted to the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, in 1986. These were symbolic of the cultural and people links between the two nations. However, even as the visit was on, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju made it clear that the 40,000 Rohingya migrants from Myanmar were illegal and would be deported. Clearly, every tie is messy, every relationship a work in progress. By PTI: New York, Sep 14 (PTI) A mothers breast milk can help premature babies get metabolic boost, according to a study that may lead to better baby formula. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University in the US compared the breast milk of mothers with babies born prematurely - between 28 and 37 weeks gestation - and at term - after 38 weeks. advertisement They examined whether there were differences in the composition of the breast milks microRNAs, snippets of RNA that affect gene expression and can be passed to the infant. "We found that there are differences in these microRNA profiles, and that the majority of the altered microRNAs influence metabolism," said Molly Carney, a medical student at Penn State University. "If those microRNAs are being transferred to the infant, that could potentially impact how the newborn processes energy and nutrients," Carney added. Babies born prematurely are at risk for a host of problems, including failure to thrive and neurodevelopmental delays. They also tend to be born at a lower weight than term infants, because of these issues, premature babies have different nutritional needs than babies born at term. Previous studies have shown that the macronutrients - fats, sugars and proteins - in the breast milk of mothers with premature babies are customised to meet the unique needs of these infants. Researchers collected 36 samples of breast milk from mothers with infants born at term and 31 samples from mothers with infants born prematurely. They then processed the samples in a lab, extracting the microRNAs and comparing them to the human genome to pinpoint the differences between premature and term breast milk. After analysis, they identified nine microRNAs that were significantly different in the premature breast milk. They found that these microRNAs target metabolic processes and may help regulate gastrointestinal function and energy use in premature babies. "We know that babies born prematurely have better health outcomes with breast milk than with formula, and our results may explain some of these health benefits associated with breast-feeding," said Steven Hicks, assistant professor at Penn State. "The unique microRNA profiles that we found in premature breast milk seem well suited to premature infants, because they target metabolic pathways that could spark catch-up growth," Hicks said. The findings could lead to opportunities to create better baby formula in the future, researchers said. advertisement "MicroRNAs are an epigenetic material that is made by our bodies and is not present in formula. So even though formula is made to mirror the nutritional components of breast milk - carbohydrates, lipids and proteins - it does not have any of these epigenetic factors," Hicks said. "It is possible to create microRNAs in a lab and put them in formula. This approach might help bridge the health gap we see between formula - and breast-fed infants," Hicks added. The study was published in the journal Pediatric Research. PTI APA SAR SAR --- ENDS --- More than five years into his 14-year sentence on corruption convictions, Rod Blagojevich, who once held the highest office in Illinois, finds himself on cleaning duty at a Colorado federal prison. Ive been given the jurisdiction to sweep and mop two floors, he said in an interview with WMAQ-TV in Chicago from prison released Monday, along with an interview in Chicago magazine. So my jurisdiction has shrunk from the fifth biggest state in America, to these two floors. But I dont care what anybody says, I believe in clean government, and I believe in clean floors. Blagojevich still maintains his innocence and hopes to make another appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. The 60-year-old reported to prison in 2012 after he was convicted on several counts, including for trying to sell former President Barack Obamas U.S. Senate seat. The former governor is now housed in a lower-security section of the prison and said he spends time running on the prison track, working out in the weight room and reading. His fellow prisoners gave him a care package when he first arrived, he said. You walk in there on the first day and your hearts broken, he says. Youre in there and then they close the gates on you, and youre in prison. And youre yearning for your children and your wife and your home, and youre looking at 14 years. Blagojevich sees his family on average three times a year. What sustains me during this very difficult long hard trial is the love I have for my children and my wife Patti, he said. Blagojevich said he is optimistic about the future. Even if the world misunderstands you, criticizes you and say youre crazy, take a stand, he said. Because you know what the truth is. And when you do it, my experience tells me, trust in God. (AP) (PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE) New York Assembly Members from around the city met today with Agudah activists and community leaders to explore options for relief for tuition paying parents and plan strategically for how best to accomplish this in the upcoming legislative session. As the group explained, New York State will spend over $28 billion on kindergarten to grade 12 public education in FY 2018. This is, by far, the single most significant New York State budget item. Tuition payments are also, by far, the single largest item in the budgets of many frum families. At the same time, New York States 410,451 nonpublic school students, whose parents choose not to avail themselves of the public school system, save the state and municipalities over $7 billion. This is more than the state spends on public health, other education, local government assistance, parks, environment, economic development and public safety. Over 30 states now have some sort of school choice or education scholarship programs, with the latest being Illinois which just last month passed a $100 million education Scholarship Tax Credit. Those in the room agreed: it is high time for the State of New York to join those ranks. They discussed the impact that various forms of relief would have on the families who send their children to private school. Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, the Agudahs executive Vice President, Rabbi Shmuel Lefkowitz, Vice President for Community Services; Rabbi Yeruchim Silber, director of NY Government Relations; and Chaskel Bennett, member of the Agudahs Board of Trustees and passionate advocate, presented their concerns to the elected officials. As Rabbi Lefkowitz explained, while at the same time supporting public schools, it is high time that something be done to help parents who send their children to private and parochial schools. Assembly members Michael Cusick (Staten Island), Steven Cymbrowitz (Brooklyn), Pamela Harris (Coney Island represented by phone, by Yveline Dalmacy of her staff), Chair of the group Joe Lentol (Williamsburgh), Stacey Pheffer Amato (Far Rockaway, Howard Beach), Hudy Rosenberg of Nily Rozics office (Queens), Aravella Simotas (Queens), Helene Weinstein (Flatbush) and David Weprin (Queens) approached the situation from a practical perspective and spoke of the need to work together to serve their constituents. As the legislative season starts, Agudath Israel will be doing everything possible to achieve relief for tuition paying parents. If you are interested in getting involved please contact Rabbi Yeruchim Silber at [email protected]. Photo Credits: Yitzy Engel (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Priyanka Chopra has courted fresh controversy after saying that Sikkim is troubled by insurgency. By India Today Web Desk: Priyanka Chopra is in the eye of yet another storm. This time around, an interview of Priyanka has landed her in trouble for calling Sikkim, one of India's most peaceful states, 'troubled by insurgency'. Priyanka's production Pahuna, directed by Pakhi Tyrewala, tells the story of two Nepalese children who are displaced because of conflict. Pahuna was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), on the sidelines of which Priyanka gave the now-slammed interview to ET Canada. advertisement While talking about how Pahuna was a ground-breaking achievement, she said that it was the first film to come out of the region. "Sikkim is a small state in the North-east of India which never had a film industry or anyone who made films from the region. This is the first film ever that's come out of that region, because it's very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations," she said. Watch the interview here: And social media was not ready to forgive her for her comments on Sikkim. I strongly condemn the statements of @priyankachopra against #Sikkim.Shame on you #PriyankaChopra- SunCha KurumBang (@SunchaKurumbang) September 14, 2017 @priyankachopra it might be a honest mistake for you, but for a tourism dependant state like ours, a honest mistake can have a huge impact- binita chamling (@BinitaChamling) September 13, 2017 OMG ~ That's so SAD ~ Probably the reel life #MaryKom mistook #Sikkim for #Manipur ---- Karma Bhutia (@iambhutia) September 13, 2017 @priyankachopra don't u dare scream discrimination when a white person calls u brown! You dense, ignorant imbecile! Leave #Sikkim alone!- Shiori ? (@Avvan23) September 13, 2017 @priyankachopra Sikkim is the most peaceful state in the country. From where did u hear its troubled with insurgency??think before u speak- Zigmi Bhutia (@zigmi_bhutia) September 13, 2017 Sikkim is one of the most peaceful states, dear Priyanka. We don't have any insurgency here. Plz comment responsibly.@priyankachopra- Santosh Subba (@sonupondhak) September 13, 2017 @priyankachopra Shocking that you said #Sikkim is insurgency troubled. With due respect, this was disrespectful at best. We, the (1/2)- Nisha Bora (@NishaBora) September 14, 2017 In 2013, Sikkim was announced the Indian state with the lowest crime rate. Twitter users also pointed it out to Priyanka that Pahuna was the first film to come out Sikkim. .@priyankachopra produced PAHUNA, directed by @PaakhiATyrewala (a female, first-time ?? director) is the first ?? to ever come out of Sikkim. pic.twitter.com/vIqYO0MDdO- TIFF (@TIFF_NET) September 7, 2017 While the number of films from Sikkim is hardly anywhere near other big film industries in India, films like Katha and Acharya are from Sikkim. Her production Pahuna is not the 'first ever' film to come out of the state. The Baywatch actor is the brand ambassador of Assam. Priyanka Chopra tendered an apology to the Sikkim government, while her mother Madhu Chopra spoke to Ugen Gyatso, the tourism minister of Sikkim to apologise for the comment. "Her mother spoke to me over phone and has apologised for the comment," Ugen Gyatso, the tourism minister of Sikkim, told India Today Television. Condemning the statement by Priyanka, Gyatso had sought an apology from the actor. Priyanka's apology, a copy of which Sikkim Chronicle has got, reads: "I'm sorry I have to write to you under these circumstances.. but I needed to clarify my stance in regards to the situation which has arisen due to a comment of mine during an interview for my film Pahuna, which was misunderstood. advertisement As you are aware, I hold the Government and the people of Sikkim in high regard and have in addition to Pahuna been looking to tell more great stories from Sikkim. From the moment I heard the script of Pahuna, I knew I wanted to share this story with the world. It is important to me because no one else was willing to take a chance on a film like this, that deals with the refugee crises which is an issue that is being dealt with across the world as it is being in Sikkim.. Pahuna is a film that brings a message of hope and positivity. My comment, made during an interview at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival 2017, where Pahuna made its worldwide debut, was misconstrued. I was talking about the Sikkimese film industry and also the subject of the film, where I mentioned how Sikkim was grappling with the refugee situation caused by insurgencies.. I had meant by the 'neighbouring countries' .. I am fully aware that Sikkim is an incredible host nation (sic) to so many refugees and our film shows exactly that through the children's point of view... advertisement I understand that the statement I made in the interview was open to interpretation. I should have been clearer with my intention. We've made a beautiful film that would not have been possible without the support of the government and people of Sikkim. In no way did I intend to offend or hurt anyone's sentiments and for that I apologise. I appreciate all the support you have shown me and my team and I wanted to clear the misunderstanding with you directly." (With inputs from Indrajit Kundu) ALSO READ: No Priyanka Chopra, Sikkim nation is not hit by insurgency ALSO READ: Priyanka trolled for tricolour scarf, asked to respect the national flag ALSO READ | Priyanka getting trolled for her dress: Why India doesn't deserve the global icon ALSO WATCH: Priyanka doesn't care about trolls shaming her for wearing a tricolour scarf --- ENDS --- Students as young 11 are increasingly being targeted at the school gates with the lure of cash from fraudsters in exchange for access to their bank account. In the first half of the year, 4,222 bank account holders under 21 were involved in 'misuse of facilities fraud', double the amount from a year ago. It suggest scammers are targeting secondary school, college and university students for their bank account details. Money mules: Children as young as 11 with bank accounts are being targeted by criminals to become accessories to crime They are often used to move stolen money into by fraudsters in the 'safe account' scam. This is where bank customers are tricked using confidence tactics over the telephone into moving money, with fraudsters pretending to be from the bank and convincing people their account has been compromised. >> Read here how to spot a fraudster on the phone. It could also be used for other money laundering activities. This means children as young as 11 who can open cash card accounts with their parents - could be considered accessories in financial crime, with repercussions for their criminal record, access to financial services into adult life and credit history. The maximum sentence for this type of fraud is 14 years. KNOW A VICTIM? If you work in a school, college or university and have seen this in action, get in touch. Also, if you are a parent, relative or someone who has got involved in this type of misuse of facilities' fraud, contact us in confidence: lee.boyce@thisismoney.co.uk According to fraud prevention body Cifas, in the first six months of 2017, there were 17,040 instances of this fraud - and nearly a quarter involve under 21s. It is believed that the scam is known on the playground as 'deets and squares'. Deets being slang for bank details and square, a credit or debit card. In exchange for some easy money, many youngsters may not realise they have become an accessory to crime. To combat the growing problem, Barclays and its Lifeskills programme is visiting schools across the country to teach kids about it and the long-lasting consequences. Ashok Vaswani, chief executive of Barclays UK, said: 'Crooks are using ever more sophisticated tactics to trick youngsters into handing over their bank details. 'It's alarming that our young people are being increasingly targeted in schools and colleges, and aren't aware of the dangers and implications of this crime. 'Young people need to be wary of anyone approaching them with the promise of cash for the use of their bank account.' Students: University students are being targeted too - and face a future financial abyss by getting involved HOW TO PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN As young people start back at school this month, parents can help prevent their children falling victim to this fast developing scam by following these top tips from Barclays: 1. Go through their bank statements with them regularly. Can they account for every transaction? 2. Make sure they know never to give anyone else their online PIN, passcode or password, even to someone claiming to be from the police or their bank 3. If they unexpectedly come home with new clothes, phones or other items they can't account for, ask where the money came from 4. Explain that letting someone else use your bank account, however plausible their reasons sound, is a potentially serious criminal offence that could damage their financial future it could mean that they won't be able to open a new bank account or get credit, a mortgage, or even a mobile phone contract 5. Teach them this simple rule of thumb about offers of easy money: if it looks too good to be true, it almost certainly is EasyJet has launched a service that will allow passengers to book long-haul trips via its website. The booking platform Worldwide by EasyJet will allow its customers to connect with long-haul flights operated by other airlines in one go, rather than individually. Budget long-haul airline Norwegian, which offers cheap flights to North America, and low-cost Canadian airline WestJet, have teamed up with EasyJet for the launch. New move: The booking platform Worldwide by EasyJet will allow its customers to connect with long-haul flights operated by other airlines in one go Passengers will, for example, be able to book a flight from Belfast to Buenos Aires through EasyJet, flying from Belfast to Gatwick with EasyJet and from Gatwick to Buenos Aires with Norwegian or Toronto with WestJet. When passengers land at Gatwick they will go to their next flight via the airports GatwickConnects scheme. The service allows passengers to pick up their bags and drop them off at a transfer desk before going through security for their next flight. EasyJet is the first low-cost airline to offer this kind of scheme, as it seeks to muscle in on the market for connections at hub airports. Peter Duffy, EasyJets chief commercial officer, said it would now be cheaper for passengers who must use expensive legacy carriers for long trips. Carolyn McCall, chief executive, said: Long-haul carriers have been asking to work with EasyJet for some time. The new technology platform has now allowed us to do so. The move also increases pressure on British Airways at Gatwick, RBC analyst Damian Brewer said, where it lacks the short-haul feed for its intercontinental routes. Duffy added: The way we have designed Worldwide by EasyJet means we can profitably access a major new pool of customers without undermining EasyJets operating model and punctuality. We know there is a real customer demand for making flight connections on EasyJet easier. He added: This will open up lots of new competition for long-haul travel and will drive prices down. EasyJet said it will also start to sell stand-alone tickets from other partner airlines. Loganair tickets will be available on its website from next month. EasyJet said it was also in advanced talks with Middle East and Far East carriers who are also looking to use its Worldwide platform. Diehard Conservative Remainers yesterday threatened to team up with Labour to force ministers to give MPs a veto on the final Brexit deal. Remain-supporting MPs geared up for an autumn of guerilla warfare by tabling a blizzard of amendments to the Governments legislation. Within hours of the flagship EU Withdrawal Bill clearing its first parliamentary hurdle yesterday, 59 pages of amendments were put down by critics of Brexit. Ex-attorney general Dominic Grieve says he's prepared to side against the government with Labour after tabling 16 amendments to the EU Withdrawal Bill Ex-attorney general Dominic Grieve, who has emerged as a key figure among Tory rebels, said he was prepared to join with Labour to defeat the Government unless ministers made a string of concessions. Mr Grieve said the Government appeared to be in listening mode. But he added: If it doesnt [listen] then it risks being defeated in the House of Commons. I think that has to be a real possibility. He insisted he accepted the referendum result, but added: I believe leaving the EU is a great and historic mistake. Mr Grieve, who tabled 16 amendments to the Bill, said the new legislation puts far too much power in the hands of the executive and MPs would now go through it with a fine-tooth comb. His amendments include a proposal backed by nine Tory MPs that would require the Government to hold a binding vote on the Brexit deal before it was agreed. Some MPs hope the move could force Theresa May back to the negotiating table, but it could also see Britain crash out of the EU without a deal. Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg says the Tory rebels are trying to frustrate Brexit and pointed out the government has already offered a vote on the deal Eurosceptic Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg last night accused rebels in his party of trying to frustrate the process. He said: The Government has already promised there will be a vote on the deal. Putting it into legislation risks creating a procedural log-jam if not outright chaos if the divorce deal is signed near the deadline. It appears to be a last gasp effort by the Remainers to keep us in the EU. But this would also in theory allow Eurosceptics who think no deal is better than a bad deal to vote down the agreement. Labour also tabled a string of amendments which would tie the Governments hands during the negotiations on Britains EU exit. Jeremy Corbyn put forward proposals to allow MPs to determine the duration of any transitional deal. Phillip Hammond says a transitional deal will look a lot like the status quo, indicating he's pushing to keep the UK in the customs union With Labour also calling for the UK to stay in the single market and customs union during any transition, this could allow pro-Remain MPs to permanently keep Britain in the EU in all but name. Labours Brexit spokesman Sir Keir Starmer said that the flawed Bill would require extensive amendment and improvement in a whole range of areas. He added: This is likely to cause delays and division in Parliament, and the Prime Minister has nobody to blame but herself. Pro-Remain MPs also put forward plans that would require the UK to stay in the customs union indefinitely, even though this would mean the permanent continuation of free movement. And the Liberal Democrats are seeking to force a vote that would require the Government to hold a second referendum before leaving the EU. Philip Hammond yesterday said a transitional deal to smooth the path to Brexit would look a lot like the status quo. The Chancellor indicated that he was pushing for an arrangement that will keep the UK in the customs union in all but name as we leave the European Union. Ministers have agreed to pursue a transition lasting up to three years to give businesses and the Government more time to prepare. Mr Hammond told peers not everything would be ready in time for the expected exit date in March 2019, with customs facing a very challenging race to implement new systems. Asked if he was confident the capacity of UK ports was adequate to deal with additional inspections, Mr Hammond said: No, it is clearly not. The EU Withdrawal Bill repeals the European Communities Act 1972, which enshrines the supremacy of EU law. It also transfers thousands of existing EU regulations into British law in order to smooth the path to Brexit. Labour grandee Frank Field has accused his own party and Tory rebels of using guerrilla tactics in an attempt to block the Brexit bill. The MP for Birkenhead is proposing his own bill in a bid to help the Government leave the EU and accused the rebels of betraying voters. He told the Daily Telegraph: 'The Bill is huge, and therefore gives a massive opportunity to those who say they accept the referendum decision but whose aim is to mess it up big time. Former minister Frank Field (pictured) has accused his own party and Tory rebels of using guerrilla tactics in an attempt to block the Brexit bill Jeremy Corbyn was in the Commons to see seven of his MPs defy his order to vote against the bill 'The bill that I propose will allow the Government to get on with the business of negotiating properly and stymie the guerrilla warfare campaign against implementing the wish of the British people to leave Europe.' It comes after Theresa May hailed an 'historic' moment on Monday night after Labour failed to defeat the government in the first vote on the Withdrawal Bill. The crucial legislation was comfortably given its second reading in the Commons by a margin of 326 to 290 - a majority of 36. Seven Labour MPs defied Jeremy Corbyn's order to oppose the bill, making clear during a near-nine hour debate that they were determined to implement the result of the referendum. Mr Field was joined by six other rebels including veteran left-winger Dennis Skinner. Caroline Flint abstained saying the legislation was 'necessary' and she wanted it to continue. Caroline Flint insisted she would be ignoring Labour's three-line whip to abstain so the legislation can proceed The crucial legislation was comfortably given its second reading in the Commons by a majority of 36 Mrs May is facing a rebellion of her own after diehard Conservative Remainers threatened to team up with Labour to force ministers to give MPs a veto on the final Brexit deal. THE LABOUR REBELS WHO BACKED THE BREXIT BILL Seven Labour MPs rebelled by voting for the EU Withdrawal Bill's second reading. They were: Ronnie Campbell (Blyth Valley), Frank Field (Birkenhead), Kate Hoey (Vauxhall), Kelvin Hopkins (Luton North), John Mann (Bassetlaw), Dennis Skinner (Bolsover) Graham Stringer (Blackley and Broughton). Others, such as Caroline Flint (Don Valley), chose to abstain. Advertisement Remain-supporting MPs geared up for an autumn of guerilla warfare by tabling a blizzard of amendments to the Governments legislation. Within hours of the flagship EU Withdrawal Bill clearing its first parliamentary hurdle, 59 pages of amendments were put down by critics of Brexit. Ex-attorney general Dominic Grieve, who has emerged as a key figure among Tory rebels, said he was prepared to join with Labour to defeat the Government unless ministers made a string of concessions. Mr Grieve said the Government appeared to be in listening mode. But he added: If it doesnt [listen] then it risks being defeated in the House of Commons. I think that has to be a real possibility. He insisted he accepted the referendum result, but added: I believe leaving the EU is a great and historic mistake. Mr Grieve, who tabled 16 amendments to the Bill, said the new legislation puts far too much power in the hands of the executive and MPs would now go through it with a fine-tooth comb. His amendments include a proposal backed by nine Tory MPs that would require the Government to hold a binding vote on the Brexit deal before it was agreed. Some MPs hope the move could force Theresa May back to the negotiating table, but it could also see Britain crash out of the EU without a deal. Priyanka Chopra said that her comments on Sikkim being an insurgency-troubled state were misconstrued. By India Today Web Desk: Priyanka Chopra has courted fresh controversy after calling Sikkim a state 'troubled with insurgency' in an interview at the Toronto International Film Festival 2017. Her comment came after the worldwide premiere of her home production Pahuna, a film which talks about refugee crises through the eyes of two Nepalese children. Pahuna, directed by Pakhi Tyrewala, is the story of two Nepalese children who are displaced because of conflict. advertisement In her interview to ET Canada, Priyanka spoke about how Pahuna was a ground-breaking achievement. She said that it was the first film to come out of Sikkim. "Sikkim is a small state in the North-east of India which never had a film industry or anyone who made films from the region. This is the first film ever that's come out of that region, because it's very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations," she said in the interview. After massive outrage on social media, the Baywatch actor tendered an apology to Ugen Gyatso, the tourism minister of Sikkim in which she said she was aware that Sikkim was an 'incredible host nation to so many refugees'. This is what her letter to the tourism ministry reads: "I'm sorry I have to write to you under these circumstances.. but I needed to clarify my stance in regards to the situation which has arisen due to a comment of mine during an interview for my film Pahuna, which was misunderstood. As you are aware, I hold the Government and the people of Sikkim in high regard and have in addition to Pahuna been looking to tell more great stories from Sikkim. From the moment I heard the script of Pahuna, I knew I wanted to share this story with the world. It is important to me because no one else was willing to take a chance on a film like this, that deals with the refugee crises which is an issue that is being dealt with across the world as it is being in Sikkim.. Pahuna is a film that brings a message of hope and positivity. My comment, made during an interview at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival 2017, where Pahuna made its worldwide debut, was misconstrued. I was talking about the Sikkimese film industry and also the subject of the film, where I mentioned how Sikkim was grappling with the refugee situation caused by insurgencies.. I had meant by the 'neighbouring countries' .. I am fully aware that Sikkim is an incredible host nation (sic) to so many refugees and our film shows exactly that through the children's point of view... advertisement I understand that the statement I made in the interview was open to interpretation. I should have been clearer with my intention. We've made a beautiful film that would not have been possible without the support of the government and people of Sikkim. In no way did I intend to offend or hurt anyone's sentiments and for that I apologise. I appreciate all the support you have shown me and my team and I wanted to clear the misunderstanding with you directly." Ugen Gyatso had sought an apology from Priyanka after he got to know about the interview. Priyanka's mother Madhu Chopra too apologised to the minister over phone, Gyatso told India Today Television. WATCH: Priyanka trolled for calling Sikkim insurgency-hit state, apologises --- ENDS --- By Ananya Bhattacharya: Little did Priyanka Chopra know what a storm her seemingly innocuous comments on her home production Pahuna, at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2017, would give rise to. Chopra, who is the brand ambassador of Assam tourism, was speaking to a local channel during the ongoing TIFF. Pahuna premiered at the festival. It received a standing ovation. And Priyanka, known as a Hollywood star now, was asked about the achievement that Pahuna is. advertisement While talking about how ground-breaking a film Pahuna was, Priyanka said, "Sikkim is a small state in the North-east of India which never had a film industry or anyone who made a film from the region. This is the first film ever that's come out of that region, because it's very troubled with insurgency and troubling situations." Sikkim is one of the most peaceful states in the country today. The state's crime rate is the lowest in India. Understandably, people took Priyanka to task over her comments on Sikkim, with several residents of the state pointing it out to her how a state 'troubled with insurgency' couldn't be so peaceful. Some others pointed out that after making a film called Mary Kom, on the life of the boxer, Priyanka might have 'confused Manipur with Sikkim'. Soon, the tourism minister of Sikkim, Ugen Gyatso, sought an apology from the actor on the same. Priyanka obliged. She wrote a long mail to Gyatso, elucidating her exact words and what she wanted to mean by them. She also said that her comment on Sikkim was 'misconstrued'. "My comment, made during an interview at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival 2017, where Pahuna made its worldwide debut, was misconstrued. I was talking about the Sikkimese film industry and also the subject of the film, where I mentioned how Sikkim was grappling with the refugee situation caused by insurgencies.. I had meant by the 'neighbouring countries' .. I am fully aware that Sikkim is an incredible host nation (sic) to so many refugees and our film shows exactly that through the children's point of view..." her mail read. And seems like Priyanka made an even bigger blunder in her apology mail. Since when, dear actor, is Sikkim a 'nation'? Priyanka's film Pahuna is based in Sikkim, it tells the story of two Nepalese children whose lives are torn apart because of conflict. And Sikkim plays 'host' to these children. Maybe we should take a minute and point out the meaning of a few relevant terms to Priyanka here. advertisement 1. SIKKIM: Sikkim is among the eight northeastern states of India. Priyanka should know. The state she is the brand ambassador of tourism of, Assam, too belongs to the Eight (earlier Seven) Sisters, the epithet that is given to the eight northeastern states together. The states are - Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya, and Sikkim, the eighth, that was later added to the epithet. 2. NATION: That brings us to the other part of Priyanka's mail: Sikkim is an incredible 'host nation'. "A large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular state or territory," is how the Oxford Dictionary describes the word 'nation'. While you can argue if you will that the Sikkimese are a nation, Sikkim certainly isn't. Sikkim is a state. One of the 29 states of India. 3. INSURGENCY: An active revolt or uprising. That's what the word 'insurgency' mean. Forget active. Sikkim is so peaceful a state that in the 42 years since it became India's 22nd state, the only disaster that has struck the state has been a natural one. It was an earthquake that took the lives of about 116 people and occurred on September 18, 2011. Insurgency is not what troubles Sikkim. In fact, the state is so peaceful that tourism is its main industry. With an 'active revolt or uprising', that would hardly have been the case. advertisement Normally, actors and their statements are blown out of proportion most of the time. But for a person like Priyanka Chopra, who has made it on her own in a film industry famous for being utterly racist, it is a disappointment. She is representing India on the global stage, on a platform like the Toronto International Film Festival. (The writer tweets as @ananya116) WATCH: Priyanka trolled for calling Sikkim insurgency-hit state, apologises --- ENDS --- LOBAMBA Members of Parliament have given the Minister of Education and Training, Phineas Magagula, five days to submit a report stating the fate of the trouble-riddled Swaziland Christian University (SCU). This took place yesterday at the House of Assembly after Mbabane West MP Johane Shongwe, moved a motion that Magagula should explain before the House the reasons for the sudden closure of the institution addressing, inter alia, the issues including the genesis of the resolution to suspend operations and the corrective actions to be taken to address the inconvenience experienced by the students and parents alike. Another issue was the proposed programme for reimbursement of the affected parties, particularly the students in the event that the institution did not resume operations within a reasonable period. After motivating his motion, other MPs stood up in numbers to support MP Shongwe by debating the motion. They demanded to know why the institution was allowed to even start operating without checking if it met all the requirements. As if he knew that it was going to be his bad day at the office, before the motion was moved, the minister presented a ministerial statement where he gave what he termed an update to the House regarding the suspension of the institution. However, his presentation angered the MPs as they felt that he had done so because he wanted to block the motion. After Shongwe had motivated his motion, the MPs roasted the minister and accused him of having presented a shoddy update, which they argued did not give a clear picture of what actually transpired leading to the suspension of the operations at the institution. By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) The prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) here said today that there have been certain "procedural lapses" in cancellation of its FCRA license, preventing it from receiving foreign funds. The IIT Delhi is among several hundred organisations whose registration under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010 (FCRA) has been cancelled by the Home Ministry as they have failed to file their annual returns for five consecutive years. advertisement Senior officials at the institution said they were exempted from registration under the FCRA as it was set up through an Act of Parliament and is audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). "We have been filing our returns as per deadlines. There are certain procedural lapses in cancellation of the license and we will take up the issue with the Home Ministry," IIT Delhi Director V Ramgopal Rao told PTI. Rao said the institute was receiving foreign funding through two mechanisms. "There are two accounts, one in which we receive donations form alumni and second in which we receive project funding. While we sort out the issue of the project funding license, we can continue receiving funds from alumni," he added. "Under the FCRA norms, if an institute is set up through an Act of Parliament or a state legislature or if its accounts are audited by CAG it does not need to register under FCRA to accept foreign funding," IIT Delhi Registrar Sandeep Chaterjee said. "Even after the exemption, we have been filing all our returns traditionally hence the question of being a defaulter on the list does not arise," he said. PTI GJS MRJ --- ENDS --- By Bill Parry Geographically, Roosevelt Island is not a part of the borough, but the official opening of the Cornell Tech campus Wednesday is a very big deal for Long Island City, Astoria and other neighborhoods in western Queens. The $700 million phase one of the campus includes three environmentally friendly buildings, which are now home to 30 faculty and almost 300 graduate students conducting ground-breaking research, collaborating extensively with tech-oriented companies and organizations and pursuing their own startups. The opening of Cornell Tech on Roosevelt Island is a victory for western Queens and New York City that will create jobs and reassert the region as a global leader in tech and innovation, City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) said. Just one stop on the F train to western Queens, the proximity of the new campus and tech incubator to western Queens will be beneficial for the people of my district and for the students of Cornell Tech looking to start new businesses. With unmatched resources, including a diverse and talented work force, Long Island City will be a natural place for new tech businesses to call home, develop breakthroughs and create jobs. NYC Ferry opened a new route last month that connects the island to Long Island City and Astoria and its bridge connects to Vernon Boulevard. The city estimated in 2011 that the new campus would generate up to 8,000 permanent jobs, hundreds of spin-off companies and more than $23 billion in economic activity over a period of 35 years and when fully constructed over the next few decades, the 12-acre campus will be home to more that 2,000 graduate students and hundreds of faculty and staff. As we work to keep New York City as a leader in the 21st century economy, we celebrate the opening of the Cornell Tech campus and the opportunities it opens up for our city and our people, Mayor Bill de Blasio said. I am proud to welcome our newest leading educational institution, which will become a tremendous catalyst for our tech sector. We wont stop here. Through Computer Science for All, the Tech Talent Pipeline and the new Union Square Tech Hub. We are building on the progress Mayor Bloomberg set in motion, and helping more New Yorkers become part of this extraordinary success story. Bloomberg began the ambitious project in 2011 with a competition between 17 world-class institutions, including Stanford, Carnegie Mellon and Columbia. The former mayor joined dozens of elected leaders at the ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday. Cornell Tech is an investment in the future of New York City a future that belongs to generations to come, and the students here will help build it, Bloomberg said. Technological innovation played a central role in New York City becoming a global economic capital, The companies and innovations spawned by Cornell Tech graduates will generate jobs for people across the economic spectrum and help our city compete with tech centers around the world, from Silicon Valley to Seoul. U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Astoria) was thrilled with the opening of the campus. With its proximity to Manhattan and to industrial space in western Queens, Roosevelt Island is the perfect setting for an educational institution, which is why I worked so hard to ensure that it was selected when the city was considering locations for the new applied science campus, Maloney said. Cornell Tech will help us diversify our economic base and bring jobs through new startups. A New York school generates New York business and employs New Yorkers. As students are welcomed to the new campus, we know this is just the beginning and that the future for this institution will be bright. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Mark Hallum The Long Island Rail Road has begun work to make the Flushing-Main Street station ADA-accessible by installing elevators as part of an effort to modernize the entire train system and improve service. In July, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a total of $5.6 billion in state funds would be spent adding additional tracks, renovating about 40 stations and adding vital infrastructure to increase train capacity on the LIRR by 80 percent. Elevators are currently being installed at the Flushing-Main Street stop, which serves as a transfer point for commuters heading eastward from the terminus of the No. 7 train. The dilapidated station had been an eyesore for years and the source of frustration for residents as well as lawmakers as development has transformed downtown Flushing. U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) welcomed the upgrades in a statement released Tuesday. Plans to rehabilitate the Flushing-Main Street LIRR station have been in the works for many years and its something for which Ive long advocated, Meng said. I am thrilled that construction is finally underway and that swift progress is being made. Renderings released in July showed an almost unrecognizable downtown Flushing station with a canopy over a single entrance. The station is currently not ADA-accessible and provides little shelter for commuters on the platforms. To get from one platform to the other, riders are forced to go around the block at Main Street, using steep stairs in both directions. Cuomo launched this initiative during the summer of hell spanning eight weeks of repairs to Penn Station, which reduced the LIRR train service through the transit hub by about 19 percent. The governor made the declaration after announcing a state of emergency for the citys subways to expedite infrastructure overhauls and alleviate frequent meltdowns and systemwide failures. Bickering between Cuomo, MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota and Mayor Bill d Blasio ensued over whether the city or state should pay for the short-term plan to stabilize the subways, but that issue still has not been settled. With the complete transformation of the Long Island Rail Road, New York is recapturing the bold ambition that made our infrastructure the envy of the nation and building for the future. The LIRR is the backbone of the regions economy, and the strength and resiliency of Long Island requires bold, transformative investments to bolster our transportation network, Cuomo said in July. From the previously unthinkable Third Track and Second Track projects to state-of-the-art technology and signal upgrades, we are daring to imagine better and delivering for the people of New York once again. The Third Track is an expansion project for the 9.8-mile stretch of the Main Line between Floral Park and Hicksville. It eliminates all seven street-level crossings within the construction zone and will cost an estimated $2 billion. About $375 million will go toward reconfiguring tracks, installing new signals and other infrastructure at Jamaica Station, which has seen some updates since it was built in 1913, according to the governors office. Wifi, charging stations and heated enclosures will comprise some of the new features. By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) Lok Sabha MP Pappu Yadav today demanded that private schools be nationalised, claiming that they have become a "den" for the illicit money of politicians, bureaucrats and godmen. Yadav told reporters that he had filed a petition in the Supreme Court in the wake of a seven-year-old students murder inside Ryan International Schoolin Gurgaon, and has sought action against "education mafia" running private education. advertisement "I have also demanded that recommendations of Kothari commission and Muchkund Dwivedi commission be implemented. Private schools have no accountability. They are driven by profits and we dont know how much profit they make and by what means," he said. "Politicians, bureaucrats and godmen have invested their illicit money in these schools. They are a den of their illegal wealth," he alleged. He also demanded a CBI probe into the students murder. Yadav, who is a fifth term MP and has faced a number of serious criminal charges, including murder, said he had also filed a petition in the court seeking probe into assets acquired by politicians. Many with little money have become owners of hundreds of crores of rupees after getting elected as lawmakers and their sources of wealth must be probed, he said. PTI KR MRJ MRJ --- ENDS --- Did you vote in the midterm elections as if your countrys existence depended on it? Albany State officials hit Charter Communications with a $13 million penalty for failing to expand its cable service fast enough after its merger last year with Time Warner Cable. PSC Commission Chairman John Rhodes said it was the largest fine against a cable company in state history, and "possibly, the nation's." Under a 2016 agreement with the PSC to approve the merger, Charter agreed to extend its Spectrum broadband internet network to an additional 145,000 new homes and businesses in the state by May 2020. There are periodic set goals during that time. So far, Charter has "failed to expand the reach of its network to un-served and under-served customers at the pace it committed. We are taking these additional steps to ensure full and complete compliance," said Rhodes. Under the agreement, Charter was to have made service available to more than 32,000 new locations by May, but had done slightly more than 15,000 locations by then. Under the settlement, the PSC set six more deadlines on Charter to continue adding locations, and for each missed deadline, the company could forfeit up to $1 million. The company will also launch a new website www.bldlkup.com so potential customers can see when service is expected to be expanded into their area. Charter spokesman Justin Venech said the company has met the "vast majority" of the PSC requirements. "Delays in pole-attachment approvals and make-ready by pole owners made it impossible to extend our network to the targeted number of homes in the first year post-merger an important fact that the settlement appropriately reflects," he said. In August, Charter blamed Verizon, as well as other New York utilities National Grid and NYSEG, for not giving timely access to the company's utility poles as part of expansion work, possibly because Verizon competes with Charter for broadband customers. Verizon denied that it was deliberately holding up Charter's work. Troy The owner of The Record in Troy and The Saratogian newspapers has named a new publisher to oversee operations at its newspapers in New York and Massachusetts. Digital First Media named Kevin Corrado, the former publisher of the New Haven Register for that company, to that post for the Record, Saratogian, Kingston Freeman and Oneida Daily Dispatch, as well as for The Lowell Sun and the Sentinel & Enterprise, of Fitchburg, which are both in Massachusetts. "My passion for this business is never-ending, and I think it has a bright future," Corrado said, in a prepared statement released by Digital First Media. "My number one goal is to protect the First Amendment, and operate this business where we are producing content that our readers want, getting our content out whether it's in digital or print form and selling advertising that gets results for our advertisers," he added. "I'm confident that we will be successful," he said. Corrado replaces Robert O'Leary, who was named publisher of Digital First Media's New York newspapers in 2015. The previous publisher, Michael O'Sullivan, who oversaw the Record and Saratogian, had accepted a voluntary buyout. The terms of O'Leary's departure were not disclosed by Guy Gilmore, a vice president with DFM. Corrado spent the last three years in Connecticut as publisher of the New Haven Register, as well as The Register Citizen, The Middletown Press, Connecticut Magazine and Digital First Media's portfolio of Connecticut weeklies. All those papers were purchased from Digital First Media by the Hearst Corp., which owns the Albany Times Union. Corrado joined Digital First Media in 2013 as publisher for its New England Newspapers Inc., which included The Berkshire Eagle, in Berkshire County, Mass.; The Bennington Banner, in Bennington, Vt.; The Brattleboro Reformer, in Brattleboro, Vt.; and The Manchester Journal, in Manchester, Vt. All those papers were subsequently sold to local investors. Corrado previously was publisher for the Green Bay Press-Gazette, the Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter and Bay Publications, which was owned by Gannett Co. Inc. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY When is a birthday card unwelcome? When it comes from a convicted murderer inside a state prison. On Jan. 12, 2016, a correction officer was making her rounds in maximum-security Green Haven Correctional Facility when convicted killer Tayden Townsley handed her a greeting card containing a "personal message telling her that she was special and wishing her a happy belated birthday," according to prison records and an Albany-based appellate court decision released Thursday. Suffice to say, no cake and candles followed. The officer immediately reported Townsley's overture to her supervisor. And she prepared a misbehavior report charging Townsley, 42, with stalking, harassment, interfering with an employee and delaying a head count. A hearing officer, in turn, found Townsley guilty of every charge at a disciplinary hearing. That prompted the killer to appeal the ruling. The Appellate Division of state Supreme Court, Third Department, determined the evidence did not support the findings of stalking or interfering with an employee. But justices upheld the finding of harassment. "The detailed misbehavior report, testimony of the female correction officer who received the card, (Townsley)'s admission to writing it and the card itself provide substantial evidence supporting the finding of guilt as to this disciplinary rule violation," stated the decision from Appellate Justices John Egan, Michael Lynch, Christine Clark, Robert Mulvey and Stanley Pritzker. Townsley tried to claim the card was intended for his aunt, whose birthday had passed. That presented a credibility issue for the hearing officer to resolve," the decision said. In 1995, Townsley was convicted in Sullivan County of second-degree murder, attempted murder, felony assault and weapons charges for shooting two members of a rival drug gang, killing one and wounding the other. Townsley's prison record includes more than two-dozen incidents, including an attack on two correction officers at Attica Correctional Facility, which resulted in a 2006 conviction for felony assault, court records and published reports show. While the Congress senior leadership read a larger mandate from the youth for the party in the DUSU poll results, party leaders were convinced it was not just a vote in their favour but more against the BJP and RSS. By Sweta dutta: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's anti-RSS formula that was put to test in the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) polls received an emphatic thumbs-up on Wednesday, convincing the party top brass that the 'idea had matured' and it is time to 'replicate' it ahead of the 2019 parliamentary polls. While the Congress senior leadership read a larger mandate from the youth for the party in the DUSU poll results, party leaders were convinced it was not just a vote in their favour but more against the BJP and RSS. "The youth is disillusioned with the BJP's politics. Despite making tall claims, PM Narendra Modi could not deliver. advertisement He had promised 2 crore jobs and delivered 1.35 lakh. That is abysmal and the youth are now worried about their future. Demonetisation led to major job losses. Almost 15 lakh people were affected directly and the indirect losses are unfathomable," said Congress spokesperson Sharmistha Mukherjee. "This is also a vote against the RSS agenda and their attitude of trying to win elections by hook or by crook. Though the polls were initially slated for September 9, they were postponed to September 12 because a day before that Modi ji would address the youth of the nation on the occasion of 100th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's Chicago address. The BJP thought it would be a game changer but it did nothing for them," Mukherjee added. A new team of leaders handpicked by Rahul was at the helm of affairs to plan, strategise and execute the NSUI campaign on campus. "The release of an early manifesto, interactions with small groups of students and discussions on issues that affect students directly on a daily basis worked in our favour. The issues raised by our candidates resonated with students," Ruchi Gupta, AICC incharge of NSUI told Mail Today. "Moreover, it was a clear battle of ideologies. Our slogan was to 'Take Back DU' and while the voting percentage usually stands at 35 per cent, it went past 40 per cent this time." As the party leadership attributed the victory to Rahul's anti-RSS formula, it gave the Gandhi family scion, who is set to take over the reins of the party shortly, a new hope. "Congratulations NSUI on a stellar performance and president win in DUSU! Thank students of DU for reposing faith in Congress ideology," tweeted Rahul Gandhi, who is on a tour of the United States. "We knew the tide would turn one day. The BJP-RSS has been trying to create a fear psychosis, using the state machinery to manipulate polls and ABVP goons openly created ruckus on campus. The youth has given its mandate. The days of RSS-BJP domination are numbered. The DUSU results show that the country is ready for change and the Congress is on the right track," said a senior party functionary. "We now have to step up this attack on the RSS nationally and pursue the battle mainly on ideology." ALSO READ | Delhi University, under threat of no funding, agrees to set up governing bodies in 28 colleges advertisement ALSO WATCH | AAP's proposal for 80% Delhi quota in DU colleges: Should admissions be on merit? --- ENDS --- Dead leaves crackled underfoot as Michael and Lynn Radlick jogged through Albany Rural Cemetery in the half-light of an October morning, their before-work ritual for the past 20 years. A gauzy dawn slowly illuminated stark gray granite obelisks and ornate white marble monuments that seemed to hover above wreaths of mist and fog in hollows and swales. It was a dreamlike scene, unmoored from time and space. On this moody fall morning in 2013, these 467 acres, this great city of the dead, could have been mistaken for an idyllic tableau in 1883. "We start our run on a busy road, and it feels like we're going back in time when we get into the cemetery, because it's so peaceful and quiet," said Michael Radlick, a cemetery trustee who is working on a book about its history with an emphasis on designer David Bates Douglass. The couple has boxes of historical material, and they've taken thousands of photographs of the cemetery in all seasons. Buy These Exalted Acres Unlock the secrets of Albany Rural Cemetery with this 124-page book, filled with stories and photographs from inside this hallowed ground. "There's always something new and beautiful to see here," said Lynn Radlick, who has relatives buried here. "It's a graveyard, but I really see it as a place where we come to celebrate life." There is a timeless quality to Albany Rural Cemetery. It is a parkland with 35 miles of pathways. It is a nature preserve, open-air art museum, architectural primer, history classroom and genealogy archive. Incorporated April 2, 1841, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and represents one of the earliest and grandest examples of the rural cemetery movement in America. Today, Albany Rural Cemetery seems a hidden secret of the Capital Region, reflecting, among other things, the way in which contemporary society has outsourced death. The cemetery's office staff is asked on a weekly basis if they still do burials. They are open for business, averaging 170 interments each year, with plenty of room for additional plots. Cremation services also are offered at the public, not-for-profit, nonsectarian cemetery run by a board of trustees, the Albany Cemetery Association. The religiously affiliated Saint Agnes Cemetery and Beth Emeth Cemetery adjoin it. Although it has lost its place of cultural prominence in recent times, Albany Rural Cemetery is, numerically speaking, the most populous city in the region. It is the final resting place of 55 mayors of Albany, five governors, 34 members of Congress, eight presidential Cabinet members and one president, Chester Alan Arthur, whose plot is the most frequently visited. And that's just the politicians. Iron magnates and railroad barons, quintessential American success stories and black sheep of illustrious families are buried here. Exultation and heartbreak are woven through the threads of heroic and tragic narratives that knit the disparate stories of those laid to rest in these rolling acres. "It's rewarding to help people in their time of need," said general manager John Buszta, who has worked at the cemetery for 34 years and oversees a staff of 14. Albany Rural has managed to break even in recent years on an annual budget of roughly $800,000, while maintaining an endowment of a few million dollars. But it faces increased competition, particularly from the 351-acre Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville, founded in 1999, which offers free burials for veterans and eligible dependents. Today, the average cost of a single burial plot at Albany Rural Cemetery is $900. Subscription books for lots in the newly incorporated and landscaped Albany Rural were opened in June 1845, and people who made the highest bids were entitled to first choice. The bids for lots ranged from $1 to $80, with an average price of $25 for a 16-foot-by-16-foot parcel. More than 135,000 documented burials have taken place over the past 172 years. The remains of thousands more Colonial-era residents of Albany slaves and their wealthy owners, Dutch dowagers and risk-taking young colonists felled by disease were dug up in 1868 from the State Street burial grounds along Washington Park in Albany and re-interred en masse on Albany Rural's northwestern edge. No map shows who went where. Visitors to the cemetery can read a backstory in Victorian-era symbolism and carved iconography that is repeated across the sprawling grounds in a kind of cultural shorthand: a torch inverted for a life extinguished; oak leaves and an acorn for a person of old age; ivy for friendship and fidelity; and crossed swords for a life lost in battle. It is a monumental mirror held up to the region's past, and sometimes the heavy weight of history is almost too much to bear. We can trace the ancient heartache of scores of infants and young mothers who died in childbirth in the 1800s. There are vestigial reminders of successive waves of long-conquered diseases such as typhoid, yellow fever, cholera and influenza that killed many Albany citizens. The toll of the nation's wars are commemorated here, too, from the Revolutionary War to 1,030 Civil War soldiers and sailors buried at Albany Rural, as well as casualties of World War I and World War II. Notes of triumph temper the sadness, too, with monuments that celebrate great industrialists, inventors, entrepreneurs, educators and other successful individuals. The tumult of the human condition is carved in outsized funerary objects that bring to mind the tantalizing title of William Kennedy's narrative of the city's history: "O Albany! Improbable City of Political Wizards, Fearless Ethnics, Spectacular Aristocrats, Splendid Nobodies, and Underrated Scoundrels." The landscape appealed to filmmaker Hector Babenco, who shot scenes of his vision of Kennedy's novel, "Ironweed," a redemption tale about Depression-era bums, in Albany Rural. ***** There was a time when it was not a foreign country of past tense. At its peak in the late-19th century, Albany Rural Cemetery was as popular as a Victorian theme park. Annual subscription tickets were sold. Thick guidebooks and picture postcards were printed. Romantic poems and hymns were dedicated to its sylvan beauty. "What a refuge shall it be, from shivering misery, and squalid want, from secret griefs, from penury, oppression, injustice in short, from the world," D.D. Barnard said in his address at the cemetery's epic consecration ceremony Oct. 7, 1844, attended by thousands who arrived by horse-drawn carriages and stayed for a four-hour program of music, speeches and ceremony. For decades after, trains from Albany ran on the hour and disgorged hundreds of passengers on languid Saturday afternoons in spring, summer and fall. Men in three-piece suits and top hats walked arm-in-arm with women in bustle skirts, twirling parasols. Children in knickers and crinoline scampered ahead and raced through the graceful, classical stone gate on Broadway designed by Marcus T. Reynolds, architect of the D&H Building and a half-dozen other landmarks in Albany, as well as several of the most impressive monuments in the cemetery. Columns of picnickers, day trippers and mourners intent on visiting family burial plots climbed into horse-drawn wagons and clopped up the dirt path beneath a canopy of overhanging shade trees, the start of a two-hour, eight-mile grand tour of the cemetery. The tour began just off Broadway at the office, known as the Lodge, a striking red sandstone building by Robert W. Gibson built in 1882 in a Gothic Revival style reminiscent of his best-known design, the Cathedral of All Saints in Albany. Gibson put his Gothic stamp on the 1884 chapel, just up the road from his Lodge and clad in the same distinctive sandstone, Potsdam red. Reynolds also designed the nearby superintendent's house, a quietly graceful and shingled Colonial gem built in 1899. They thronged here a century ago to honor the dead, but also to rubber-neck over the tasteful architectural grandeur commissioned by the old money of Albany's ancient Dutch and English families: the Van Rensselaers, Pruyns, Lansings, Cornings, et al. Just as the rich lived close to each other in the city's exclusive neighborhoods centuries ago, they were buried together in close proximity, and their imposing monuments still advertise their Gilded Age wealth and prestige. Albany Rural Cemetery is a garden of delights whose devotees are drawn to its inspiring vastness for a variety of reasons. The Radlicks combine all-season exercise with a fascination for long-lost architectural relics tumbledown stone bridges, wrought-iron fences, shards of Victorian-era benches that litter remote areas of the ravines rarely visited now. Six lost lakes formed by dams on the two streams were removed decades ago, due to concerns over erosion, The lakes were drained around the time carriages and trolleys stopped taking visitors on public tours. The couple and others like them dog walkers, joggers, history buffs, birdwatchers, photographers, out-of-town tourists and, of course, descendants of those buried have begun to reclaim Albany Rural as a peaceful locale of reflection and recreation. "I love this place and have come to think of it as a sanctuary," Michael Radlick said. "The more you explore the cemetery and learn its history, the more excited you get about it." ***** The creation of Albany Rural Cemetery grew out a sense of communal guilt. There was a time in the early years of a young republic striving to survive and prosper when America's dead were an overlooked and neglected constituency. "The living were doing well enough; it is time to think of the dead," wrote a group of Albany's prominent citizens who met Dec. 30, 1840, in the YMCA room of the Exchange Building at State Street and Broadway. City commerce had hit a record high that year, and newfound prosperity led business leaders to "take into account the importance of purchasing a plat of ground for a new public cemetery." Its planning was spurred by a rising outcry over perceived threats to public health from tainted water and contagious disease from a large, overcrowded urban burying ground on State Street along today's Washington Park. Before that, several churchyard cemeteries downtown had run out of space, with coffins buried three or four deep, and sometimes they washed away after spring floods. In a sermon delivered in December 1840, the Rev. Bartholomew T. Welch, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church, railed against the "wholly inexcusable" condition of the city's graveyards. He lamented that "for 150 years the city's dead had found no abiding rest." The Industrial Revolution was churning at full throttle. The factories and mills choked city residents with soot and grime. Transplanted farmers who poured into the cities to find work harbored a nostalgia for the serene countryside they had left behind. These broad trends converged in the rural cemetery movement that began with Mount Auburn in Cambridge, Mass., in 1831; Laurel Hill in Philadelphia in 1836; and Green-Wood in Brooklyn in 1838 the latter also designed by Douglass. In 1841, Albany Rural stepped into the vanguard of the national movement that featured classical monuments in rolling landscaped terrain that was parklike. These peaceful, naturally beautiful grounds privately owned and operated were designed to reflect a romantic, Victorian-era view of death. It marked a distinct break from church-affiliated graveyards in the Colonial era, and the movement appropriated a Greek word, koimeterion, or cemetery, which means "a sleeping place." In Albany, organizers considered the names of "The Evergreens" and "Tawasentha" before Albany Rural Cemetery was settled on. A location across the Hudson River, in East Greenbush, Rensselaer County, was examined before the site in Menands now bordered by Route 378 and Broadway was chosen. The Douglass design at Albany Rural features broad sloping lawns, miles of labyrinthine roads and pathways, a limpid pool, shaded ravines, two streams, a picturesque waterfall and hundreds of beautiful shade trees. There were once seven lakes created by building dams on the two streams, Moordanaers Kill and Kromme Kill, that meander through Albany Rural, and they were christened with idyllic names such as Tawasentha, Bethesda and Consecration Lake. The popularity of the rural cemetery movement inspired an offshoot movement, the creation of large public parks in urban areas, including 90-acre Washington Park in Albany, which opened to the public in 1871. Washington Park borrowed a similar concept of classical monuments scattered across carefully landscaped grounds by transforming the city's former parade ground and the old graveyard, after remains were moved to Albany Rural Cemetery in 1868. "Albany Rural Cemetery is as large and impressive as any of the rural cemeteries, including Green-Wood, but local recognition is abysmal," said John Pipkin, a cemetery trustee and a professor of geography at the University at Albany, who specializes in urbanism. He started visiting the cemetery in the 1990s at the urging of Norman Rice, the longest-tenured trustee. "It's about the illusion of blending together nouveau riche and old wealth and a Whig version of social class," Pipkin said. "The great dichotomy here is between the 1 percent and the 99 percent." Other intrigues defy classification, and the cemetery attracts its share of devotees of the mystical, who say they have discovered in its shrouded acres signs of the occult. There are mysteries with an equally elusive explanation, such as the bouquet of fresh-cut flowers placed in the hands of an angel at a monument to the Lathrop sisters: children's book illustrator Dorothy and sculptor Gertrude. The flowers appeared regularly over the course of 20 years, but nobody ever saw who placed them there. And a fresh half-grapefruit was left for many years atop the Walter Fredenburgh monument. Lore had it that the man's widow, who had cut him a fresh grapefruit every morning for breakfast, had devised the citrus memorial. At the plot of the prominent Pruyn family, someone sporadically placed uncooked broccoli and potatoes atop the markers, the significance of which continues to baffle. ***** Today, Albany Rural remains a beguiling blend of the natural and the manmade. The grounds sprout with sandstone, marble and granite carved with names and dates of the city's powerful and prosperous, and history's relentless march. The cemetery also is a 19th-century engineering marvel, with utility pole-sized obelisks and sarcophagi as big as automobiles hewn in a single mass out of the ground between Albany and New Hampshire. There are Parthenon-inspired mausoleums assembled one-ton block by one-ton block. These stony behemoths were carried by train or barge to sprawling stone works that lined the cemetery grounds a century ago. Inside cold and drafty warehouses, dozens of stone carvers bent over their dusty, back-breaking toil as the metallic song of hammer and chisel rang out through heavy air choked with stone dust. It was a small-scale local version of the construction of the pyramids of ancient Egypt. The heaviest and biggest monuments and obelisks were carved and set aside for winter, when they were hauled more easily over the snow-covered frozen acres by teams of oxen or draft horses, hoisted into place by rope and pulley and the brawn of a dozen laborers. "I had no interest in cemeteries. I blame our dog," said Michael Huxley, a cemetery trustee and former science administrator for the Smithsonian Institution. He has become an expert on the stone carvers and stone works of a century ago and he tracked "my carvers" across the Northeast and beyond during research forays to more than 100 cemeteries. His wife, Carole, began walking their Jack Russell terrier, Gregan, through the cemetery each morning starting 15 years ago. Huxley took the afternoon dog-walk shift. As the dog grew older and his pace slowed, Huxley found he had plenty of time to scrutinize the monuments. He began seeing the names of certain carvers who proudly signed their handiwork on numerous memorials. It piqued his scholarly interest. A research avocation was born. After Gregan died, the Huxleys continued the twice-daily walks with their new dog, Archie, a terrier mix. "We're so lucky, because dogs are forbidden in a lot of cemeteries," he said. "Albany Rural Cemetery's trustees were smart. Dog walkers spend a lot of time in the cemetery, and they discourage vandalism and theft." ***** Some made mockery of the term "final resting place." For example, Revolutionary War hero Gen. Philip Schuyler was moved at least three times before his remains were interred at Albany Rural Cemetery in the late 1800s. That was more than a century after he won glory as a commander at the Battle of Saratoga, a turning point in the American Revolution. He also was the father-in-law of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton Hamilton married Schuyler's daughter Elizabeth on Dec. 14, 1780, in the parlor of the Schuyler mansion in the city's South End. Alas, today nobody is quite certain where the famous general is buried, since some cemetery records stored in a downtown Albany bank went missing decades ago and the old Dutch families did not always bother with paperwork when it came to a privately owned family burial plot. As far as anyone can tell, Schuyler's bones wound up in the Van Rensselaer family plot, relatives through marriage, and not beneath a 50-foot polished granite column his descendants erected as a memorial to him in another part of the cemetery. Century-old maps of the cemetery depict a ghostly line, a stairway, leading to an underground vault on the Van Rensselaer plot. But the stairway was long ago covered over with topsoil and grass. Now it would take permission of descendants of the Van Rensselaers to excavate the site in order to get to the bottom of the mystery. "I think it could be like King Tut's tomb," Norman Rice said with a cackle, waving his arms in delight over the thought of such a modern-day spectacle. He has floated the idea past a few of the descendants of Stephen Van Rensselaer, the last patroon, and they said they would consider it. Rice knows as much about the cemetery, its people, its history and its intrigues as anyone alive. For decades, he led popular walking tours of the cemetery, three-hour marathons laced with his extraordinary command of Albany's history and sprinkled with juicy tidbits of gossip gleaned from friendships with many of the descendants of the storied families who populate Albany Rural Cemetery. Rice is emeritus director of the Albany Institute of History & Art and, at 88 years old, he walks haltingly and with the aid of a cane these days. But the years melt away when he drives out into the cemetery and pauses at the plots of the city's grand patriarchs like Erastus Corning or John Boyd Thacher or William James. "For historians, this is the promised land," Rice said. He was standing in the center of the brooding and evocative James family plot, near the monument to patriarch William James, one of the wealthiest people in 19th-century Albany. He was the grandfather of the famous writer Henry James and influential philosopher William James. Rice raised his cane and pointed out the adjacent monuments to the fabulous Reynolds brothers, architect Marcus T. and historian Cuyler. Also nearby is the stunning Lathrop obelisk topped by a Greek goddess, created by Jane Lathrop Stanford and her husband, Leland, a railroad magnate and co-founder of Stanford University. A neighboring plot is dominated by the granite sarcophagus of Ira Harris, judge and U.S. senator and friend of Abraham Lincoln, whose sister, Phoebe Harris Phelps, was a victim of horrific domestic violence. His daughter, Clara Harris, and his future son-in-law, Henry Rathbone, were the Lincolns' guests at Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865, when the president was shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth. The grim and bloody tragedy haunted the couple, whose tortured lives ended in madness and murder. ***** Rice may yet crack the mystery of the Van Rensselaer vault, but this ancient city of stone is slow to yield its secrets. Those who know its grounds with great authority, and there are only a handful, have spent decades prowling its monumental acres and an equal amount of time scouring archives and reading history books to parse out the extraordinary people and their remarkable stories. Nobody has dug more deeply into the lives of the people buried there than Peter Hess, former president of the cemetery board. He published three books of short biographies of notables buried at Albany Rural, wrote dozens of articles on the cemetery's people and history for its newsletter and led public tours for many years. He blames Rice for his interest. Hess bought Albany Steel in 1985. The Menands business is adjacent to Albany Rural Cemetery and he started jogging through its winding roadways and exploring its sprawling acres. Rice encouraged his study and took Hess to an Albany rare book dealer. He also suggested numerous reference books that could aid his research. The self-taught historian has only scratched the surface after a three-decade labor of love. "This area doesn't get the credit it deserves," Hess said. "Albany is the oldest continuously occupied settlement in the 13 colonies. The people buried here are absolutely amazing. They fought and won the Revolutionary War, drafted the Constitution, built major corporations and became leaders in industry. Albany Rural Cemetery is one of the most historic places in all of New York state and even the country. Unfortunately, it remains under-appreciated." Hess is drawn to the city's founding fathers, and one of his all-time favorites is Robert Yates, a delegate to the first U.S. Constitutional Convention and a leading anti-Federalist. But he also has met more-contemporary characters in the cemetery, including notorious resident Gary Evans. The antiques thief, sociopath and murderer who confessed to killing five men, lived in a makeshift camp in the cemetery's ravines and looted several historic items, including a 1,000-pound carved stone bench, which he fenced for cash with antiques dealers. "I come here to relax," Evans told Hess. "I find it very peaceful." "We know you're here stealing," Hess said. Years after Evans died jumping off the Troy-Menands Bridge to escape the law in 1998, Hess discovered that Evans had scratched his name on the back of a tombstone and carved into another grave marker a short poem, similar to verses he scrawled on a suicide note: "I'm going to a place where the sun shines brighter and the stars are always out." ***** Stefan Bielinski began spending time at Albany Rural Cemetery in the early 1980s, around the time he started building the Colonial Albany Social History Project, a rich trove of linked websites with biographies of dozens of 17th-, 18th- and 19th-century residents of Albany. To him, they are "my people." "I came here looking for my people, which is the history of the inarticulate," said Bielinski, a retired State Museum social historian. "Albany Rural is a great place to trace the lives of people from Colonial Albany." In particular, he studied the faint historical record of slaves and free people of color, which led him to discover the family plot of Samuel Schuyler, a ship captain and the wealthy patriarch of the so-called "black Schuylers," whose large monument and family plot is located in a prime location among wealthy families of Dutch descent. His research also focused on another area of the cemetery, the Church Grounds, also known as the Corporation Plot, where the remains of thousands of Colonial-era residents were re-interred in 1868 from the burial grounds on Albany's State Street. "I wanted to reclaim the humanity of these people," Bielinski said. "The black community deserves a history that includes more than mentions when they did something wrong. By tracing the genealogies of the black Schuylers and other early black settlers, I've been able to show the evolution of Albany's black middle class." Bielinski was concerned about an ongoing, accelerated deterioration of the tombstones in the Church Grounds, where blacks who were members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church were shunted off to a corner section along the tree line, segregated as they were in the Albany graveyard. Bielinski has researched the lives of several slaves buried here, although their names and dates are slowly being erased from the fragile marble markers. The cemetery does not have the resources to take on a large-scale gravestone restoration and preservation project. "The people of Colonial Albany deserve better," he said. "Albany in 1790 was a complex multiracial, multicultural city. There were 592 slaves in Albany in 1790 and half the households owned at least one slave. We can't leave the people of color out of the story of Albany. Otherwise, it's an incomplete story." ***** Bill Bruce, a former commissioner of Albany's Department of General Services, has been hanging out in Albany Rural Cemetery for more than 45 years, since he was a teenager who lived on Bacon Lane in Loudonville along the cemetery's northern border. In the summer of 1969, after returning from Woodstock, he romanced a girlfriend as they strolled its scenic acres and they had a favorite bench where they sat and kissed. He mowed lawns and worked on the grounds crew for a few summers while he attended Shaker High School. He came back after he and his wife married. When she was pregnant, they strolled through the monuments looking for baby names they liked. "You couldn't help but fall in love with this place," Bruce said. As Albany's general services commissioner, he was in charge of 60 city parks, including Washington Park, but none could compare to Albany Rural. "It's my favorite open space or park in the Capital Region," said Bruce, a trustee and former board president who has also written articles for the cemetery newsletter. Bruce is of Scottish descent and has done the bulk of his research on the notable Scots buried in the cemetery, including Archibald McIntyre, who operated a large iron ore mine and smelting operation in the Adirondacks. The family plot includes the graves of McIntyre's prominent sons-in-law, Dr. James McNaughton, a president of Albany Medical College, and David Henderson, who died in a hiking tragedy in the Adirondacks. "You could spend your whole life researching the people buried in this cemetery," Bruce said. "Every time I come, I see something new and different." ***** It has taken 20 years of dogged research for Mark Bodnar to track down the graves of 1,030 Civil War soldiers and sailors buried in Albany Rural Cemetery, including 26 generals, six Medal of Honor recipients and three Confederate soldiers. "It's a target-rich environment," said Bodnar, who worked for many years at the Watervliet Arsenal. "This was the right cemetery to do Civil War research." He is president of the Historical Society of the town of Colonie and leads popular Civil War tours of the cemetery. He is also at work on a book on the topic. In addition to the 149 Union Army soldiers buried beside identical headstones in the Soldiers' Lot, created in 1862 by the federal government, among Bodnar's favorite graves are those of Charles Elliott Pease and William Henry Pohlmann. Pease was an Albany shopkeeper's son and Union College graduate who joined Company G of 44th Infantry New York and carried a letter requesting terms of surrender from Gen. Robert E. Lee to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865. He rode with Grant that day to the Appomattox Court House and the adjacent Wilmer McLean house, the site agreed upon for the surrender. After the documents were signed, Grant ordered Pease to escort Lee back to his headquarters as a courtesy. "It was an extraordinary assignment to ride with Grant and Lee on the same day, especially for a 27-year-old soldier from Albany," Bodnar said. Bodnar can offer detailed commentary on dozens of soldiers, including Brig. Gen. James Clay Rice, a Civil War casualty, whose obelisk contains his final recorded words: "Turn me over and let me die with my face to the foe." ***** For Norman Rice, the favorite time of day at Albany Rural Cemetery is just before dusk. The sun is low on the horizon and the oblique angle illuminates and sharpens faded carvings on gravestones and casts long, ominous shadows across monuments and mausoleums. Artists call it "the raking light." The cemetery is normally deserted at that hour, shortly before the wrought-iron gates are locked for the night, and the raking light offers moody moments of portent that seem to stretch out, suspended between day and night, past and present. Rice paused at his favorite spot, the Corning family plot, where patriarch Erastus Corning, founder of the New York Central Railroad, and five generations of Cornings are buried. The raking light cut across two people who were huddled around a necklace of seven identical stones in rose-hued granite. Rice leaned on his cane and approached the pair. Rice embraced Jamie Corning of Kansas City and her brother Ed Corning of Brunswick, who were visiting their family plot. They are a niece and nephew of Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd. "This is remarkable," Rice said, his voice choked with emotion. "I haven't seen you in more than 50 years, since you were little children running around the Corning Farm. I spent summers there, and those were the happiest days of my life." They stood beneath the bare branches of a big cucumber magnolia tree planted long ago by the mayor's wife, Betty. They caught up on family matters and the storied history of the Cornings. Ed Corning told Rice about an oil painting of an ancestor and other archival material he had acquired. "I guess I'm the keeper of a very old flame," he said. The light was almost gone now as they stood in the center of the plot of one of the most distinguished families Albany has produced. They hugged and said goodbye. Rice was silent as he moved back to his car. Dusk had enveloped the cemetery. In the dying light, one could no longer make out the words carved into the monument of the patriarch's son, Erastus Corning Jr. It said: "Neither Shall There Be Any More Pain, For The Former Things Are Passed Away." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY Tuition may be free to some attending New York's public colleges and universities, but anyone who didn't qualify for the state's new free tuition program will actually see their tuition bills increase this year. Tuition will increase an average of $156 or 3.6 percent this year for students attending one of the state's 30 community colleges, after the State University of New York board of trustees approved tuition rates this week for the state's two-year colleges. Tuition is also slated to increase $200 a year to $6,670 for in-state students attending SUNY's four year schools, under a plan approved in June. The tuition increases have gone relatively unnoticed in a year when New York is heavily promoting its new free tuition program, dubbed the Excelsior Scholarship. That program is available this year to any student whose family earns less than $100,000. The income cutoff will eventually rise to $125,000. But the program's strict requirements mean many are not eligible: students must attend school full time, take 30 credits a year and agree to live in the state after they graduate for the same number of years they received the scholarship. That puts the tuition increases squarely on the backs of SUNY's part-time students, who often can't attend full-time because of work or family obligations and who disproportionately attend community colleges, which enrolled a collective 216,277 students in the fall of 2016. In the Capital Region, the largest tuition increase is at Fulton-Montgomery Community College, where tuition is increasing $250 or 6 percent a year to $4,450 for in-state students. Elsewhere in the region, tuition is increasing 5.8 percent to $3,936 at Schenectady County Community College, 5.2 percent to $4,392 at SUNY Adirondack, 4.7 percent to $4,500 at Hudson Valley Community College, and 3.3 percent to $4,536 at Columbia-Greene Community College. In addition, students at Hudson Valley and Fulton-Montgomery community colleges will see new fees this year, according to a plan approved this week. Hudson Valley is charging a $150-a-semester fee for full-time students from out of state, and $10-per-credit hour for part-time students from out of the state. Fulton-Montgomery will impose a $25 penalty on anyone caught smoking on campus, and a $10-a- semester "OER fee" for students to access open education resources, which include course materials, modules, textbooks, streaming videos and software, among other things. Washington Former Trump administration national security adviser Michael Flynn faced new questions about a 2015 trip he took to the Middle East as part of a private proposal to build nuclear power plants across the region. Two top Democrats said in a letter released Wednesday that he appeared to have violated federal law by failing to report the trip when he renewed his security clearance last year. The lawmakers Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland and Rep. Eliot Engel of New York also said documents turned over to their staff suggested that Flynn also failed to report contacts with Israeli and Egyptian government officials. The information released by the lawmakers was fresh evidence that Flynn didn't fully account for his foreign contacts and business entanglements even though he was liable for possible federal criminal penalties for lying or omitting such information. Security clearance questionnaires specifically ask applicants to report any meetings abroad or contacts with foreign government officials that occurred in the previous seven years. As a former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Flynn maintained a security clearance. His last renewal was in early 2016. Flynn has been dogged by questions about his lack of disclosure of a Turkish lobbying operation and of foreign payments he accepted after leaving the military in 2014. Flynn was forced to resign his Trump administration post in February after White House officials determined that he had misled them about the nature of diplomatic conversations with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. Special counsel Robert Mueller is scrutinizing Flynn's foreign interactions as part of his probe into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and any possible coordination with Trump associates. Earlier this year, that investigation incorporated an ongoing federal probe into Flynn's Turkish lobbying. On Wednesday, a professional editor who performed contract work for Flynn's now-defunct consulting firm said that he was questioned Tuesday by FBI agents. Editor Hank Cox said the agents' questions centered on the roles played by Flynn and his business partner, Bijan R. Kian, in the development of an op-ed that ran last November under Flynn's name in The Hill, a Washington political newspaper. The op-ed praised Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and urged the extradition from the U.S. of Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric whom Erdogan has accused of involvement in last year's aborted military coup in Turkey. The op-ed published on Election Day quickly prompted a Justice Department inquiry that resulted in Flynn acknowledging in March that the work may have aided the interests of Turkey's government. Flynn's attorney, Robert Kelner, declined to comment on the letter from the Democratic lawmakers. Flynn has been turning over documents, mostly related to two of his businesses, to the Senate and House intelligence committees in response to subpoenas, but he has declined to speak with congressional committees without a guarantee of immunity. Flynn's son, Michael Flynn Jr., also has declined to talk to the Senate intelligence committee, according to a person familiar with the matter. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ALBANY The first phase of an exhibit celebrating the Erie Canal has opened at the New York State Museum, highlighting the history and impact of a commercial waterway that crossed the state, prompted innovation and cracked open trade with the Midwest. Commemorating 200 years since the first shovel of dirt was turned in Rome, "Enterprising Waters: New York's Erie Canal" will run from Saturday through Oct. 20, 1919, and focus on the canal's backstory, construction, related social reforms and the 1825 "wedding of the waters" in Buffalo that marked its opening after completion. Were hoping to bring the story of the canal, its influence on New York and touch on the influence of the United States in general, said Brad Utter, the museum historian who curated the exhibit and hosted a media preview on Thursday afternoon. The second phase is scheduled to open in 2018 at the museum. It will focus on the growth of the Canal, its legacy, politics and industries that emerged as a result. PAUL BUCKOWSKI/Times Union Among the displays included in the first phase opening this weekend: a massive windlass, a canalside mechanism with pulleys and a 14-foot-diameter wooden wheel operated from 1831 through 1866, lifting and lowering heavy cargo at the H. G. Root and Company Warehouse in the Village of Mohawk. If you go "Enterprising Waters: New York's Erie Canal" Where: New York State Museum, 222 Madison Ave, Albany Cost: Free More information: nysm.nysed.gov or call 518-474-5877 See More Collapse The enormous hoist hangs in a giant frame, created for the exhibit, which also showcases objects illustrating various aspects of early-19th-century commerce. The windlass display highlights "what was taking place on the canal," Utter said. "What kind of cargo, what kind of industry was supported by the canal and inspired by the canal, what industry was made possible by the canal?" Among the many objects in the museum show are portraits; stoneware; assorted tools used in constructing the canal, such as an innovative, slope-sided wheelbarrow of a design still used today; a gold commemorative medal presented in 1827 to Major General Andrew Jackson; the writing chair of Gov. DeWitt Clinton, who championed the canal despite lack of federal support; and another chair, made and presented as a gift by a fugitive slave to the Syracuse rescuers who sent him up the Oswego Canal to Canada. While many of the artifacts on display are owned by the state museum, several hail from as far afield as Canada and Maryland, Utter said. More than 20 institutions partnered with the museum in preparing the exhibit. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate State Police say they are hunting for a man they say vanished after his arrested 25 years ago on a criminal contempt charge. Robert Arroyo was arrested by the State Police narcotics enforcement unit on June 12, 1992. Troopers said they charged him with criminal contempt, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and traffic violations. A Suffolk County grand jury indicted Arroyo, now 62, later that year but he did not return to court. This week, troopers released a mugshot of Arroyo as part of their Warrant Wednesday effort to draw the public's attention - and enlist their help - in tracking down fugitives. Troopers said Arroyo lived in Patchogue but also has ties to New York City and Puerto Rico. Bryan C. Brown, 33, is wanted by state troopers in Ellenville for a weapons offense. Brown was initially taken into custody on an assault charge connected to domestic violence, troopers said, and was subquent charged with the weapons charge. He failed to return to court after his initial arrest, troopers said. Desserra Mott, 31, is wanted by State Police in Dundee on a forgery charge and grand larceny charge. She is wanted for allegedly using another person's credit card at a local store and gas station and to buy items online from Walmart, troopers said. Robert Bari, 38, is wanted by State Police in Rhinebeck on grand larceny and forgery charges. Troopers said he was arrested in February for allegedly using a "fraudulent" credit card to make charges in a Duchess County hardware store. Troopers said Bari also uses the alias of Dominick Provenzano. Timothy M. Cooperider, 36, is wanted by State Police in Latham on charged of stolen property charges for allegedly stealing jewelry and family heirlooms from customers when he worked for a moving and storage company. He was last known to live at a home on Second Street in Albany. Amber Meadows, 26, is wanted by State Police in Batavia on charges that allege she stole $600 worth of skin-care products from a local Target store. A warrant as issued for Meadows in August. Arizona W. Tracy, 23, is wanted by State Police in Herkimer for allegedly failing to appear in court to answer charges of public lewdness and marijuana possession, troopers said. Tracy was accused of exposing his genitals at a July 23, 2013 public event in Newport. Matthew Taylor, 31, is wanted by State Police in Malone for allegedly tattooing a child under the age of 18. He is accused of unlawful dealing with a child. Kirk L. Wendt, 52, is wanted by State Police in Albany for alleged drunken driving. State Police said he was caught driving drunk while driving on the Thruway on Aug. 24, 2008. He is charged with driving while intoxicated. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump told lawmakers that he expects Congress to act "real soon" on legislation to protect immigrant "dreamers," but House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said it could be "weeks" before the issue is resolved. The latest disconnect between senior Republicans and the president came as Trump is hosting Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., for dinner Wednesday to discuss immigration issues and health care. The meeting will be the third time in two weeks that Trump has invited key Democrats to the White House to discuss major legislative priorities that have divided congressional Republicans. Pelosi and Schumer used their last White House meeting to persuade Trump to agree to their terms on spending levels and the debt limit, but Democrats have been cautious to avoid appearing too close to the president. This time, aides said, they are likely to focus especially on passage of the Dream Act, a bill to provide permanent legal protections to the roughly 700,000 people enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the Obama-era executive action that protects undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. Trump announced last month that the program will end in March and called on Congress to enact a permanent fix to the issue of "dreamers." Ahead of his meeting with Pelosi and Schumer, Trump told a bipartisan group of House lawmakers during a White House meeting that he wants to resolve the DACA issue "real soon," according to Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, who attended. Cuellar said that he told Trump the Dream Act has sufficient bipartisan support to pass and that the White House should be pushing for a vote. Trump, Cuellar said, told the group: "Oh, it will be on the floor." Cuellar acknowledged that Trump has made promises in the past that didn't pan out, "but at least it's good to have him saying he wants to have a bill on the floor." Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., who also attended the meeting, added that Trump "did not make any direct linkage between helping the dreamers and other issues that are in dispute on immigration." Pelosi and Schumer view the Wednesday meeting as a follow-up to last week's discussion, and they plan to use the opportunity to press Trump on DACA and urge him to take steps to stabilize health-care markets, according to aides. Democrats are seeking a commitment from Trump on federal subsidies for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. They want assurances that the federal government will continue making cost-sharing payments to insurance companies to reduce out-of-pocket co-pays and deductibles for low-income people insured under the ACA. "There are lots of things that we can do that can improve things that he seems open to," Schumer told reporters Tuesday. The dinner will come just after Pelosi met with Ryan and other House leaders to discuss the same legislation. The meeting included House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and the leaders of the congressional Asian, Black and Hispanic caucuses. "It was a good meeting. We understand each other," Pelosi told reporters as she exited the meeting. Aides said that attendees agreed not to divulge details of the meeting, which lasted less than 30 minutes. AshLee Strong, Ryan's spokeswoman, said that regarding the plight of the dreamers, the speaker "reiterated that any solution needs to address border security and enforcement, which are the root causes of the problem. Discussions among the Republican conference will continue in the coming weeks." Some liberal factions of the Democratic Party complained after last week's meeting that Pelosi and Schumer focused on an agreement to increase the federal borrowing limit and extend current spending levels through December but did not seek concessions on immigration. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., a key advocate of pro-immigration reform, said Tuesday that he was upset to see Democrats "celebrating a deal with the president of the United States" that didn't include relief for dreamers. Speaking at a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute event, Gutierrez noted that Ryan last week was unable to pass a $15.25 billion spending plan that included hurricane relief money for Texas without significant Democratic support. "You cannot approve the budget, raise the debt ceiling, do anything without the cooperation and the consent of the Democratic Party," Gutierrez said, adding that he has told fellow Democrats, "If there isn't unity and there isn't a solution for those . . . dreamers, then we won't open the government - we'll close it." "You have to draw a very clear, concise line for everyone," he said. Schumer and Pelosi have not yet threatened to hold up federal government operations over the fate of dreamers, instead insisting that the issue will be resolved by early March, when the program is set to expire. Pelosi has defended the decision to work with Trump on spending and the debt limit as an opportunity to gain leverage in future discussions, including on immigration. "I make no apology for doing that with the person who is going to sign the bill," Pelosi said in an interview last week. "It gives you great leverage." - - - The Washington Post's Mike DeBonis and David Nakamura contributed to this report. The 47-year-old Congress leader is scheduled to meet the Republican Party leaders on September 17, 18 in Washington DC. By Supriya Bhardwaj: The remaining US trip of Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi now entails a closed door meeting with the members of the Republican Party, an address at the Princeton University and an interaction with think-tanks among others. The Gandhi scion recently addressed the students at the California University, met Silicon Valley leaders and starlets from Hollywood. He is now likely to visit the Aspen Institute in Denver, Colorado on September 16, Saturday to interact with the intelligentsia there. advertisement The 47-year-old Congress leader is scheduled to meet the Republican Party leaders on September 17, 18 in Washington DC. Following this meeting, will be his visit to the Center for American Progress. He will then head to Princeton University on September 19, where he will once again address the students. Rahul Gandhi is also scheduled to speak at an event organised by Overseas Congress at the Mariott Marquis hotel in Times Square on September 20. --- ENDS --- [September 14, 2017] FASTSIGNS International, Inc. Continues Aggressive Franchise Expansion in Canada Sign, Graphics and Visual Communications Franchisor Announces Signing of Four New Franchise Agreements and Opening of Two New Centers CARROLLTON, Texas, Sept. 14, 2017 /CNW/ -- FASTSIGNS International, Inc., franchisor of FASTSIGNS, the leading sign, graphics and visual communications franchise, announced today that it opened two new centers in Canada in the first half of 2017 and signed four franchise agreements to develop additional new locations in Calgary, Winnipeg, and Oshawa in the coming months. Due to the ongoing worldwide need for visual communications and digital signage technology, and an extremely successful 2016, the company expects to sell a projected six to eight locations in Canada in 2017. Currently, there are 36 locations throughout the country. "Canada has been and will continue to be a huge growth market for FASTSIGNS, so we're excited about our expansion so far this year," said Mark Jameson, EVP of Franchise Support and Development, FASTSIGNS International, Inc. "There are ample opportunities to strengthen our presence through franchise development in key markets such as continued expansion in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta provinces and planned aggressive growth in Quebec. We are looking for qualified single unit and a Master or Area Developer for Quebec- franchisees to help us grow our footprint across Canada." Donna Bilodeau and Jackie Raymond have owned and operated the FASTSIGNS center in Windsor, Ontario, for nearly two decades. Prior to opening their location, both had years of experience in customer service, management, graphic design and printing, and purchasing their FASTSIGNS location was a natural fit. Since 2000, the business partners have reported reord growth and profit from their business. "Joining the FASTSIGNS family was one of the best decisions we've made, the brand has a fantastic community of people who support us," said Bilodeau. "We didn't know enough about what we were getting ourselves into before leaping ahead, but everything we learned about business operations and how to navigate this specific industry we attribute to the continuous support we've received from our mentors through FASTSIGNS." For any existing business looking to expand into this fast-paced market, FASTSIGNS gives the added support and training needed to make the process smooth. Whether an existing print-based business or a photography studio, FASTSIGNS' co-brand centers receive the same assistance as any new franchisee, with the added bonus of being able to exclude established revenue streams, outside of the FASTSIGNS core business offering, from future royalty payments. Both the co-brand franchise opportunity and conversion can be started with only $15,000 down on the initial franchise fee. FASTSIGNS International, Inc. was ranked number 1 in the Business Services/Signs category for 2017 and 95 overall in Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500, the world's first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking. Acknowledged by entrepreneurs and franchisors as a top competitive tool of measurement, the Franchise 500 recognizes FASTSIGNS for its exceptional performance in areas including financial strength and stability, growth rate and brand power. FASTSIGNS also has been recognized for its franchisee satisfaction by being named a World Class Franchise by the Franchise Research Institute for five consecutive years and ranking number one in franchisee satisfaction by Franchise Business Review in 2016 and was recently named to Franchise Business Review's " innovative franchise brands list. For information about the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity, contact Mark Jameson ([email protected] or 214-346-5679). About FASTSIGNS FASTSIGNS International, Inc. is the largest sign and visual communications franchisor in North America, and is the worldwide franchisor of 660 independently owned and operated FASTSIGNS centers in eight countries including the US, Canada, England, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Grand Cayman, Mexico and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE). FASTSIGNS locations provide comprehensive sign and visual graphic solutions to help companies of all sizes and across all industries attract more attention, communicate their message, sell more products, help visitors find their way and extend their branding across all of their customer touch points including decor, events, wearables and marketing materials. Learn more about sign and visual graphic solutions or find a location at fastsigns.com. Follow the brand on Twitter @FASTSIGNS, Facebook at facebook.com/FASTSIGNS or LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/fastsigns. Contact: Chelsea Bear Fish Consulting 954-893-9150 [email protected] View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fastsigns-international-inc-continues-aggressive-franchise-expansion-in-canada-300519672.html SOURCE FASTSIGNS International, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] LCI Industries Appoints Virginia Henkels to Board of Directors ELKHART, Ind., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- LCI Industries (NYSE: LCII), a supplier of components for the leading original equipment manufacturers ("OEMs") of recreational vehicles ("RVs") and adjacent industries, and the related aftermarkets of those industries, today announced the appointment of Virginia "Ginnie" Henkels to the Company's Board of Directors, as an independent director. Henkels will serve on the Board's Audit and Compensation Committees. Henkels, 49, was formerly Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Swift Transportation Company, a $4 billion publicly traded transportation services company headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, and operating one of the largest fleets of truckload equipment in North America. Prior to joining Swift Transportation Company in 2004, she held several finance and accounting positions with Honeywell International, Inc., a worldwide diversified technology and manufacturing leader, including as Worldwide Revenue Chain and Finance Six Sigma Leader and Director of Financial Planning and Analysis at Honeywell International's Industry Solutions division. "We are delighted to welcome Ginnie to our Board," said Jim Gero, Chairman of LCI Industries' Board of Directors. "Her strong professional background, leadrship abilities and her many years of financial accounting experience in the manufacturing and transportation industries will be of significant value to LCI Industries and our stockholders." Henkels earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1990 from the University of Arizona and a Master of Business Administration degree from Arizona State University in 1993. Henkels joins directors James Gero, Jason Lippert, Fred Hegi, David Reed, Jack Lowe, Brendan Deely, Frank Crespo, Kieran O'Sullivan and Tracy Graham on the Company's Board, each for a one-year term ending at the next annual election of directors. About LCI Industries From 52 manufacturing and distribution facilities located throughout the United States and in Canada and Italy, LCI Industries, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lippert Components, Inc., supplies, domestically and internationally, a broad array of components for the leading original equipment manufacturers of recreational vehicles; buses; trailers used to haul boats, livestock, equipment and other cargo; trucks; pontoon boats; trains; manufactured homes; and modular housing. The Company also supplies components to the related aftermarkets of these industries primarily by selling to retail dealers, wholesale distributors and service centers. LCI's products include steel chassis and related components; axles and suspension solutions; slide-out mechanisms and solutions; thermoformed bath, kitchen and other products; vinyl, aluminum and frameless windows; manual, electric and hydraulic stabilizer and leveling systems; furniture and mattresses; entry, luggage, patio and ramp doors; electric and manual entry steps; awnings and awning accessories; electronic components; televisions and sound systems; navigation systems; backup cameras; appliances; and other accessories. Additional information about LCI and its products can be found at www.lci1.com. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lci-industries-appoints-virginia-henkels-to-board-of-directors-300519987.html SOURCE LCI Industries [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] For the sixth straight year, Spiria is one of the fastest-growing companies in Canada MONTREAL, Sept. 14, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Six Straight Years on the PROFIT 500 List With a five-year growth of 249%, Spiria is on the PROFIT 500 list of Canada's 500 fastest-growing enterprises. This is the sixth year in a row that Spiria has made it onto this prestigious list of most successful companies. "Last year, we stated we'd keep Spiria on the PROFIT 500 list and broaden our geographical client base in North America", said Stephane Rouleau, President and CEO. "We've done it: we're on the list for the sixth year straight and a new Boston-based team has joined us. Over the next few months, we'll continue looking at new acquisition opportunities to reach new markets and maintain our sustained growth." "This year's winners demonstrate the resilience, innovation and sheer management smarts it takes to build a thriving business today," says Deborah Aarts, PROFIT 500 program manager. "Caadaand the worldneeds more entrepreneurial success stories like these." Spiria, specializing in custom digital solutions development, recently announced the acquisition of Boston's Iotopia Solutions, specialized in creating connected objects (IoT/M2M). This addition is part of Spiria's strategy to provide local digital solution development expertise across major North-American markets. This expansion will support the growing demand from Spiria's customers for solid industrial IoT solutions. About the PROFIT 500 For 29 years, the PROFIT 500 has been Canada's most respectable and influential ranking of entrepreneurial achievement. Developed by PROFIT and now published in Maclean's magazine and at CanadianBusiness.com, the PROFIT 500 ranks Canadian companies on five-year revenue growth. For more information on the ranking visit PROFIT500.com or CanadianBusiness.com. About Canadian Business Founded in 1928, Canadian Business is the longest-serving and most-trusted business publication in the country. It is the country's premier media brand for executives and senior business leaders. It fuels the success of Canada's business elite with a focus on the things that matter most: leadership, innovation, business strategy and management tactics. Learn more at CanadianBusiness.com. About Spiria Since 2003, Spiria develops innovative digital solutions that transform businesses, optimize operations, and define how users engage with brands. The development methodology they use is based on experience acquired from 900 digital products designed, developed and delivered across multiple industries. Spiria's 120 engineers, architects, developers and designers focus on creating specialized software, embedded systems, IoT solutions and engaging Mobile and Web applications. Over 300 international companies like Autodesk, Acosta and Shutterstock rely on Spiria's expertise and custom software solutions to get more customers, cut costs and accelerate growth. Learn more at www.spiria.com. SOURCE Spiria [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 13, 2017] Segway gets ready for the future with a new solution for urban commute FRANKFURT, Germany, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at IAA 2017, the world's leading provider of electric personal transportation, Segway shows a new concept of efficient, green and smart transportation with the announcement of the CityGo Last Mile System. A smart electric kickscooter network that could reshape the future landscape of transportation within cities. "With the concept of CityGo Last Mile System, we will enable commuters to travel the last mile in an effortless and elegant way, not to mention environmental friendly. When not in use, CityGo scooters can be locked and charged at conveniently positioned 'Charge'n Go' stations or in cars' boots with the 'Boot'n Go' car storage units," said Tony Ho, Vice President Global Business Development at Segway. "We are currently actively working with cities, car manufacturers, car-hiring companies, and EV charge networks to roll out this new concept to the mass market. We certainly welcome more partners tojoin us." Safe and green ride for future daily commute The elegantly designed CityGo scooter will be lightweight and easy to fold which allows users to store it in their cars or conveniently carry it on and off public transport to make it the ideal vehicle for daily commute. Features like the unique adaptive power assist system enables users to activate and adjust speed intuitively, and to personalize riding preferences accordingly. With a maximum speed of 25 km/h and three different riding modes, Novice, Standard and Sport, the CityGo scooters will fit the needs of all kind of users. Segway CityGo App All CityGo scooters are mobile phone ready, and can be lock/unlock, personalized and monitored via Bluetooth communications. In addition, The CityGo apps will be powered by a cloud based management system, which allows all scooters, charge stations and car trunk storage units to work together seamlessly. Segway products to be seen at IAA Segway attends IAA in the New Mobility section and can be found in hall 3.1, booth C22. Segway will show her full consumer and professional product line-up including the recently announced Ninebot by Segway KickScooters, Segway miniLITE and Segway miniPLUS. With the main theme being "Future Now" in the New Mobility section at IAA in Frankfurt, Segway perfectly fits in as the renowned innovative brand for self-balancing vehicles. SOURCE Segway [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 13, 2017] InfoComm International is Now the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association FAIRFAX, Virginia, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- InfoComm International, the trade association representing the $178 billion commercial audiovisual industry worldwide, has changed its name to the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (AVIXA). The change reflects AVIXA's broadening mission to be an industry hub, while also acting as a catalyst for market growth beyond what has been considered traditionally as professional AV. AVIXA's trade shows worldwide, including the North America show, June 2-8 in Las Vegas, will continue to operate under the InfoComm name. "This is an exciting time for our industry and for the advancement of audiovisual solutions across a wide range of customer experiences," said David Labuskes, CTS, CAE, RCDD, Executive Director and CEO of AVIXA. "Thanks to the innovative, creative efforts of so many members, partners, and their customers, we have collectively grown far beyond what InfoComm International could do to promote AV around the world. AV experiences have become so ubiquitous, and they've come to include so many more technologies, and touch so many more personal and professional lives, that we felt compelled to embrace a new identity that more accurately reflects this industry's excitement and welcomes a far more diverse community of professionals." In recent years, AVIXA's members have evolved to offer much more than audiovisual products and sysems. Their innovation and attention to customer requirements has led to an industry of solution providers that use audiovisual technology to create outcomes. AVIXA membership has grown to include experiential designers, content creators, IT companies, and users of AV solutions across a growing cross section of markets. AVIXA's 2017 InfoComm show in Orlando last June attracted a greater share of AV customers than in any other year. By adopting the name AVIXA, the industry association, which operates as a trade organization representing companies and a professional society representing individuals, aims to reflect both what its members do (AV) and what they create for customers, which are integrated experiences (IX). "The AVIXA Board of Directors has set out an ambitious plan to grow the association, increase awareness of AV experiences, and reinvent our brand in order to propel this industry into the future," said Gary Hall, CTS-D, CTS-I, President of the AVIXA Board, and Federal Strategy, Planning and Operations Leader at Cisco Systems. "With new and different people and technologies coming into this space, we are thrilled that AVIXA will be home to all of them." AVIXA was founded in 1939 as the National Association of Visual Education Dealers. In 1949, NAVED merged with the Allied Non-Theatrical Film Association to form the National Audio-Visual Association. NAVA changed its name to the International Communications Industries Association in 1983, which became InfoComm International in 2005. "Organizations evolve," said Labuskes. "AVIXA's core programs remains the sametraining, certification, standards, community, market intelligence, trade showsbut the industry has changed in exciting ways, and the opportunity to grow the market for audiovisual experience is so vast, it was important that the AV industry's leading association change with it." About AVIXA AVIXA is the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association, producer of InfoComm trade shows around the world, co-owner of Integrated Systems Europe, and the international trade association representing the audiovisual industry. Established in 1939, AVIXA has more than 5,400 members, including manufacturers, systems integrators, dealers and distributors, consultants, programmers, live events companies, technology managers, content producers, and multimedia professionals from more than 80 countries. AVIXA members create integrated AV experiences that deliver outcomes for end users. AVIXA is a hub for professional collaboration, information, and community, and the leading resource for AV standards, certification, training, market intelligence and thought leadership. Additional information is available at avixa.org. PRESS CONTACT: Brad Grimes, Director of Communications, AVIXA Email: [email protected] Phone: +1.703.273.7200 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/555935/AVIXA_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 13, 2017] AHF to Host Brooklyn #StandAgainstHate Community Forum Thurs., Sept. 14th, 6:00pm AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) will host an open community forum in Brooklyn at its Community Room on Atlantic Avenue on Thursday, September 14th starting at 6:00pm as part of its new, national advocacy campaign, #StandAgainstHate. AHF launched the #StandAgainstHate campaign in response to the tragedy in Charlottesville and its turbulent, eye-opening aftermath-a tragedy which exposed a national moral crisis rending the country the scale of which has not been seen for more than half-century. The campaign is taking on the hatred, racism and burgeoning white supremacy movement so brutally unmasked by Charlottesville and its aftermath. The #StandAgainstHate campaign features a national billboard campaign, a social media launch on media platforms of AHF and many of its affiliate organizations as well as the hosting of community forums-such as this one Brooklyn-including listening and talkback sessions in select cities around the country where AHF has a presence. #StandAgainstHate Community Forum set for BROOKLYN Thursday, Sept. 14th #StandAgainstHate - Open Community Forum moderated by writer Myles Johnson writer Thursday, September 14 th , 6-8pm , 6-8pm Location: AHF Brooklyn 475 Atlantic Ave. 2nd Floor Brooklyn, NY 11217 AHF Brooklyn Also, Vice Mini-Documentary screening: "Charlottesville: Race and Terror" Jessica Reinhart, Associate Director of Community Outreach for AHF. "The creators of these terms purposely make them sound increasingly academic as followers attempt to legitimize their ideology. But we recognize all these different terms and faces as just old-fashioned hate, and we stand in solidarity with the millions who aim to stand against hate." As part of the Brooklyn #StandAgainstHate forum, the powerful Vice-TV mini-documentary, "Charlottesville: Race & Terror," documenting the events in Charlottesville will be screened, and followed by frank and open dialogue intended to explore emotions and thoughts about the current cultural strife our country is going through. AHF welcomes the public to experience this safe space as a time to heal. "AHF has always been willing to protest and stand up against injustice, and we joined with the majority of Americans in condemning the acts of violence, murder and domestic terrorism in Charlottesville," said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "However, the ongoing aftermath of Charlottesville has exposed a festering underbelly of racism, white supremacy and hatred still present, and growing-and now, sadly, far more exposed and open in the sunlight than ever before. These events have led us to moral turning point for our nation and we must all stand up against such hate." The primary target of the hate groups in Virginia-racial and ethnic minorities-are also among key populations that AHF cares for and serves in 14 states and the District of Columbia across the country and 38 other countries around the globe. "In addition, as a provider of care and services for those living with HIV and AIDS, stigma and hate are bad for people's physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing," added AHF's Weinstein. "And as one cannot really separate such social determinants from the environment, we must #StandAgainstHate and against this newly brazen racism and white supremacy infecting our nation." About AIDS Healthcare Foundation AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to more than 804,000 individuals in 39 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook (News - Alert): www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert): @aidshealthcare. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170913006573/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Rajinikanth who met with his fans after nearly 10 years spoke about how there is a need for change within the state, thus making one wonder if he would enter politics. Since the meeting, Rajinikanth has various former and present bureaucrats, including political party leaders, seeking opinion and discussing about his interest. By Pramod Madhav: According to reports, superstar Rajnikanth's political entry has been postponed till 2018. Rajinikanth who met with his fans after nearly 10 years spoke about how there is a need for change within the state, thus making one wonder if he would enter politics. Since the meeting, Rajinikanth has various former and present bureaucrats, including political party leaders, seeking opinion and discussing about his interest. advertisement He even met with some leaders from AIADMK. "We had a long conversation and he seemed clueless about what should be done. When I asked him why he wants to enter politics, he said he was being pressurised. He was not talking about pressure from his family or fans but from a Central party," said that leader. Rajinikanth apparently was fixated with 'river interlinking project' as his main agenda but when the bureaucrats advised him that it's been a dream project for many parties and yet is not easily available due to the political and geographical diversity of the country, various other ideologies are to be drawn as well. Another leader who met with Rajinikanth stated that though the superstar wants to enter politics, he is clueless about what kind of groundwork should be done to accomplish it. As a result of which Rajinikanth went by the advice of certain senior state leaders and to create his own band which would comprise political leaders from other parties, bureaucrats and even senior journalists but is not yet successful. "He basically needs to know that the two Dravidian parties are more than 5 decades old and AIADMK easily outruns DMK when it comes to ground workers and both workers. But he has been advised that as AIADMK doesn't have a leader frame and as Karunanidhi is also not in a position to influence people, this would be the right moment," the leader said. But Rajinikanth was also given advice that when it comes to elections, a leader's personal life would also come to the limelight and that Rajinikanth should be prepared to face it. In general Rajinikanth is in crossroads now as his political ideology is weak and more time was required to pull people for ground work. Furthermore, his friends from the industry have also said that with two movie released round the corner, his announcement would affect many things. Hence taking all this under consideration, Rajinikanth has reportedly decided to stall his political entry until 2018. Also Read EXCLUSIVE: Rajinikanth to join politics? Thalaivar has this to say WATCH: Rajinikanth in politics: Thousands urge Superstar to take the plunge in Tamil Nadu's Trichy --- ENDS --- [September 13, 2017] Evertec Announces Hurricane Irma Relief Efforts Evertec, Inc. ("EVERTEC" or the "Company") today announced that the Company is participating in three different programs to aid the victims of Hurricane Irma in Puerto Rico. In cooperation with the Government of Puerto Rico, the First Lady Beatriz Rossello and several of the largest companies in the commonwealth, Evertec has joined "United for Puerto Rico - Together Changing Trajectories". The mission of the group is to raise money to aid the victims of Hurricane Irma on the island. As part of this initiative, Evertec has pledged to contribute $100,000 and in addition, Evertec's President and Chief Executive Officer, Mac Schuessler, has joined the Executive Committee that will help manage the allocation of the relief funds. Evertec and ATH have also established its #apoyoatodahora initiative. For every "like" to an Evertec or ATH post on their social media outlets, the Company will donate one dollar to Hurricane Irma disaster relief in Puerto Rico, up to $50,000. Finally, with the support of its employees, Evertec has also joined Gree Culebra, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the community and children of Culebra, Puerto Rico. Evertec has set up multiple collection stations at its corporate offices to collect products and food that will be delivered to 150 families in Culebra who suffered the effects of Irma. "Our thoughts and concerns are with all those impacted by this storm" said Mac Schuessler, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We will continue to assist the communities and families who experienced the damaging effects of Hurricane Irma in Puerto Rico." About EVERTEC EVERTEC, Inc. (NYSE: EVTC) is a leading full-service transaction processing business in Latin America, providing a broad range of merchant acquiring, payment processing and business solutions services. The Company manages a system of electronic payment networks that process more than two billion transactions annually, and offers a comprehensive suite of services for core bank processing, cash processing and technology outsourcing. In addition, EVERTEC owns and operates the ATH network, one of the leading personal identification number ("PIN") debit networks in Latin America. Based in Puerto Rico, the Company operates in 27 Latin American countries and serves a diversified customer base of leading financial institutions, merchants, corporations and government agencies with "mission-critical" technology solutions. For more information, visit www.evertecinc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170913006577/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 13, 2017] To celebrate its banner first year as the world's largest privately-controlled technology company, Dell Technologies created the largest foam finger, a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS achievement. ROUND ROCK, Texas, Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate its banner first year as the world's largest privately-controlled technology company, Dell Technologies created the largest foam finger, a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS achievement. The foam finger, indicating the number one, was created to celebrate the first anniversary of the formation of Dell Technologies through the historic merger of Dell and EMC, as well as the company's market leadership position in multiple categories. The foam finger is on display for employees and visiting customers at Dell's headquarters in Round Rock, Texas, and is made of recyclable materials. The foam finger, certified as the largest in the world by a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS adjudicator, was measured in Grand Pririe, Texas, USA, on September 5th, 2017, and measures 6.12 m tall (20 ft. 0 in) x 2.86 m wide (9 ft. 4 in) x 0.47 m (1 ft. 6 in) thick. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/to-celebrate-its-banner-first-year-as-the-worlds-largest-privately-controlled-technology-company-dell-technologies-created-the-largest-foam-finger-a-guinness-world-records-achievement-300519367.html SOURCE Dell Technologies [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 13, 2017] ZTE Mobile Devices CEO: US and China - Collaboration Through Innovation SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 13, 2017 /CNW/ -- ZTE, a leading global mobile device maker today announced that Lixin Cheng, CEO of ZTE Mobile Devices and member of CTIA's Board of Directors and Executive Committee, spoke at the US-China Summit during Mobile World Congress Americas (MWCA) 2017. Lixin Cheng shared ZTE's successful experience working in the US and China on 5G, and provided an outlook of the future of collaboration through innovation which is expected to benefit not only China and the US, but the world as a whole. Enriching US-China Innovative Collaboration Leads World's Innovation Trend In 2016, China spent 50 billion dollars in the US for technology investments, and in the reverse direction, the US invested 92 billion dollars in China. Investing billions of dollars to expand telecommunications each year, the US and China share similar ideas for the next generation of the Internet and innovative strategies. In the telecommunications industry, China has 1.32 billion mobile phone users, spending 53 billion dollars in telecoms capital expenditures each year, of which 34 billion dollars is expected to be spent each year on 5G in 2020. Meanwhile, the US has 327 million mobile phone users, spends 73 billio dollars each year on telecom, and is estimated to spend 45 billion dollars on 5G in 2020. In the Internet industry, China has 771 million Internet users, of which 695 million are mobile Internet users. By comparison, the US has 286 million Internet users, including 225 million mobile Internet users. This huge amount of consumer demand in the telecommunication and Internet services requires further collaboration between both countries. From Domestic to International, ZTE Grows as the Backbone So far, the accumulated R&D investment of ZTE is approximately 15 billion dollars, and the total R&D investment in the first half of 2017 is about 1 billion dollars (12.4% of revenue). In China, ZTE is the leading LTE vendor with over one-third of the market share in the 4G network. ZTE also accounted for one-third of the global shipments of TDD-LTE eNB. In addition, ZTE LTE EPC was deployed in more than 90% provinces in China. In the phase II eMBB test scenarios of China's 5G program, ZTE's 5G low-frequency band (3.5GHz) cell peak throughput exceeded 19 Gbps and the high-frequency band (26GHz) single UE throughput exceeded 13Gbps. ZTE has nearly 81,000 employees globally, including 30,000 specialists for R&D, 107 global affiliates, 6 regional customer support centers and 46 local customer support centers. From 2010 to 2016, ZTE is the only Chinese company that ranked in the top third for seven consecutive years (includes three times at number one) on the PCT patent application list. Multi-strategy Helps ZTE Seize the US Market In the US, ZTE spends 2.6 billion dollars per year on purchasing products and technologies from US companies. It is now the 4th biggest vendor with a market share of 12.2%, maintaining long-term cooperation with all of the major carriers with 33 million active users in the US. ZTE builds on its base of support in the US by hiring locally - 80% of the employees hired in the US are local. Have the Insight of the Needs of 5G and Promote the Development of 5G ZTE is working closely with governments and associations in the US and China for 5G, since both countries are in the leading position for the next generation of wireless technologies. As the only Chinese council member of CTIA (the top Wireless Association in the US), ZTE is helping to drive standardization of spectrum and network technology for 5G. As the company which is the first to successfully launch Massive MIMO commercial products, ZTE has more than 3,000 experts engaged in 5G R&D work. It's also the pioneer in promoting the sustainable Pre5G commercialization in a large scale thanks to the deployment of exceeding 60 Pre5G networks in over 40 countries worldwide. In addition, ZTE satisfies the technical demands of carriers by knowing carriers' needs, personalizing products and promoting the implementation of 5G standards. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zte-mobile-devices-ceo-us-and-china---collaboration-through-innovation-300519408.html SOURCE ZTE [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 13, 2017] EQUIFAX SHAREHOLDER ALERT by Former Louisiana Attorney General: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC Reminds Investors with Losses in Excess of $100,000 of Lead Plaintiff Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against Equifax Inc. - (EFX) Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until November 13, 2017 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX), if they purchased the Company's securities between February 25, 2016 and September 7, 2017, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. What You May Do If you purchased securities of Equifax and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ([email protected]), or visit http://ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-efx/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court by November 13, 2017. About the Lawsuit Equifax and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws. The alleged false and misleading statements and omissions include, but are not limited to, that: (i) the Company failed to implement proper security protection measures over its data systems; (ii) the Company failed to implement proper security monitoring systems to detect possible data breaches; and (iii) as a result of the foregoing, Equifax's financial statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC KSF, whose partners include the former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is a law firm focused on securities, antitrust and consumer class actions, along with merger & acquisition and breach of fiduciary litigation against publicly traded companies on behalf of shareholders. The firm has offices in New York, California and Louisiana. To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170913006557/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] New Website Introduces Enjoyable Tour Route from Tokyo to Nagasaki Prefecture, Contrasting Both Regions TOKYO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has released recommended routes via the KYUSHU x TOKYO website to encourage travelers to venture beyond Tokyo to the Kyushu region and take advantage of both areas' wide ranges of features. These two fascinating regions are particularly well-known throughout Japan for their historically significant sites as well as their more contemporary cultural attractions. The website suggests easy trips from Tokyo, and has also invited influencers from abroad such as media representatives and famous travel bloggers to cover these routes. Their travel reports, sharing their experiences from a non-Japanese viewpoint, are coming soon. KYUSHU x TOKYO Website: http://www.kyushuandtokyo.org/?language=fr Recommended routes: HISTORIC BEAUTY OF ARTS AND BUILDINGS After appreciating artworks at the National Museum of Western Art in the Ueno Park, Tokyo, together with its architectural and historical building, take in the Oura Tenshudo, a Catholic church located in Nagasaki Prefecture. It's considered the oldest existing Christian church in Japan, and was the first Western building designated as a national treasure. This journey will fully satisfy you with the historic beauty of arts and buildings. Photo1: The National Museum of Western Art http://prw.kyodonews.jp/img/201709015261-O1-5pd0XqYY In 2016, "The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement," including the National Museum of Western Art, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Photo2: Oura Tenshudo http://prw.kyodonews.jp/img/201709015261-O2-wXU70r6Y Travel Information from Tokyo to All Regions: http://www.tourism-alljapanandtokyo.org/?lang=en SOURCE Tokyo Metropolitan Government [September 14, 2017] New Website Introduces Enjoyable Tour Route from Tokyo to Oita Prefecture, Contrasting Both Regions TOKYO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has released recommended routes via the KYUSHU x TOKYO website to encourage travelers to venture beyond Tokyo to the Kyushu region and take advantage of both areas' wide ranges of features. These two fascinating regions are particularly well-known throughout Japan for their historically significant sites as well as their more contemporary cultural attractions. The website suggests easy trips from Tokyo, and has also invited influencers from abroad such as media representatives and famous travel bloggers to cover theseroutes. Their travel reports, sharing their experiences from a non-Japanese viewpoint, are coming soon. KYUSHU x TOKYO Website: http://www.kyushuandtokyo.org/ Recommended routes: THE GLINT OF LIGHTS ON THE WATER Hop onto a water taxi on the Sumida River and enjoy your night cruise with a beautiful night view of Tokyo's metropolis skyline. Then take a trip to the Hita Hot Spring Resort, famous for its cormorant fishing under illumination and dinner on the houseboat. A fantastic trip with reflection of the lights on the water. (Photo: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/opn/release/201709015263/?images) Travel Information from Tokyo to All Regions: http://www.tourism-alljapanandtokyo.org/?lang=en SOURCE Tokyo Metropolitan Government [September 14, 2017] New Website Introduces Enjoyable Tour Route from Tokyo to Kumamoto Prefecture, Contrasting Both Regions TOKYO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has released recommended routes via the KYUSHU x TOKYO website to encourage travelers to venture beyond Tokyo to the Kyushu region and take advantage of both areas' wide ranges of features. These two fascinating regions are particularly well-known throughout Japan for their historically significant sites as well as their more contemporary cultural attractions. The website suggests easy trips from Tokyo, and has also invited influencers from abroad such as media representatives and famous travel bloggers to cover these routes. Ther travel reports, sharing their experiences from a non-Japanese viewpoint, are coming soon. KYUSHU x TOKYO Website: http://www.kyushuandtokyo.org/?language=fr Recommended routes: THE ABDITORY New discoveries await in the nostalgic shopping and sightseeing district of Yanesen, where the atmosphere of Tokyo's old Shitamachi (downtown) remains. Kumamoto is Japan's foremost hot spring destination, Uchimaki Onsen, a hot spring paradise where you can experience springs of different water qualities. Discover its charm. (Photo: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/opn/release/201709015262/?images) Travel Information from Tokyo to All Regions: http://www.tourism-alljapanandtokyo.org/?lang=en SOURCE Tokyo Metropolitan Government [September 14, 2017] New Website Introduces Enjoyable Tour Route from Tokyo to Miyazaki Prefecture, Contrasting Both Regions TOKYO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has released recommended routes via the KYUSHU x TOKYO website to encourage travelers to venture beyond Tokyo to the Kyushu region and take advantage of both areas' wide ranges of features. These two fascinating regions are particularly well-known throughout Japan for their historically significant sites as well as their more contemporary cultural attractions. The website suggests easy trips from Tokyo, and has also invited influencers from abroad such as media representatives and famous travel bloggrs to cover these routes. Their travel reports, sharing their experiences from a non-Japanese viewpoint, are coming soon. KYUSHU x TOKYO Website: http://www.kyushuandtokyo.org/?language=de Recommended routes: WATER TAXI CRUISE After taking a great view of the Tokyo Bay that includes the Rainbow Bridge and jetliners taking off and landing at Haneda Airport, go on a trip to the miraculous Aoshima Shrine standing on Aoshima Island, surrounded by the sea. A great trip to get up close and feel the Japanese ocean. (Photo: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/opn/release/201709015264/?images) Travel Information from Tokyo to All Regions: http://www.tourism-alljapanandtokyo.org/?lang=en SOURCE Tokyo Metropolitan Government [September 14, 2017] New Website Introduces Enjoyable Tour Route from Tokyo to Kagoshima Prefecture, Contrasting Both Regions TOKYO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has released recommended routes via the KYUSHU x TOKYO website to encourage travelers to venture beyond Tokyo to the Kyushu region and take advantage of both areas' wide ranges of features. These two fascinating regions are particularly well-known throughout Japan for their historically significant sites as well as their more contemporary cultural attractions. The website suggests easy trips from Tokyo, and has also invited influencers from abroad such as media representatives and famous travel bloggers to over these routes. Their travel reports, sharing their experiences from a non-Japanese viewpoint, are coming soon. KYUSHU x TOKYO Website: http://www.kyushuandtokyo.org/ Recommended routes: FEEL THE EARTH After appreciating "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji," a masterpiece of one of the most famous ukiyo-e painters, Hokusai Katsushika, at the Sumida Hokusai Museum which possesses and exhibits his works, head to Sakurajima, an active volcano in Kagoshima Prefecture. An amazing trip to feel power of the earth. (Photo: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/opn/release/201709015265/?images) Travel Information from Tokyo to All Regions: http://www.tourism-alljapanandtokyo.org/?lang=en SOURCE Tokyo Metropolitan Government [September 14, 2017] momondo Wins Google Material Design Award for App Innovation NEW YORK, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Global travel search site wins achievement for showcasing how an app combines unique, playful aesthetic with Material Design Travel search site momondo.com is the winner of Google's prestigious Material Design Award for Innovation. This was announced at this year's SPAN Google Design conference. The award recognizes best-in-class design and is a first for momondo's Android app, originally launched in 2011. (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/555983/momondo_Wins_Google_Material_Design_Award.jpg ) For momondo, the award is a testament to the many hours of work invested in bringing the company's bold travel universe to their Android app. "To have won the category of Innovation is simply a fantastic achievement for us. We build apps that are not only great to use, but we aim to perfectly express our brand using Google's design guidelines as well as our own," says Pernille Trolle Broegaard, Lead Product Manager for Apps at momondo. Google commended momondo's app for being true to the fundamentals of Material Design while still pushing the components into inspiring new directions. Playful poduct vision momondo's vision is to enable and inspire everyone to be their own best travel agent, constantly experimenting with the app's design to take advantage of material patterns while maintaining the brand's bold and colorful identity. "With travel booking becoming increasingly commoditized, our app provides us with a way to extend our contact with users and to build a level of engagement that would previously have been impossible," says Pernille Broegaard. For momondo's Android app the company worked closer with material design to absorb the underlying principles and apply them to the existing products, expanding the momondo design language beyond its original state and creating a holistic cross-platform experience. Pernille Trolle continues: "We built the design language on a foundation of distinctive shades of purple, contrasted by bright and colorful gradients. Delightful transitions and beautiful imagery represent our aspiration to open the world through travel." momondo's app is available on Android and iPhone. Quick facts about momondo ' s Android app The momondo Android app was featured as "New and Worthy" in the Google Play Store in 2017. The app is available in 22 languages. Average app rating is 4.24, based on about 40.000 ratings momondo's apps are designed and built with love in Copenhagen, Denmark About momondo: momondo.com is a free, independent and global travel search site that compares billions of prices on flights, hotels and travel deals. momondo has won several awards and is recommended by leading international media organizations such as CNN, Frommer's, The New York Times and The Daily Telegraph. momondo is headquartered in Copenhagen and serves travelers across more than 30 international markets. momondo's mobile applications are available for free for iPhone and Android. momondo is an independent brand within the KAYAK subsidiary of The Priceline Group. SOURCE momondo [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Hours after news broke that a government affidavit had called Rohingya Muslims a national security threat, the Central Agency Section of the Law Ministry made a U-turn, saying that the affidavit was in fact incomplete and was inadvertently sent to lawyers involved in the matter. People attend a protest rally against what they say are killings of Rohingya people in Myanmar, in Kolkata, India September 11, 2017. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri By Anusha Soni: Clarification: Hours after a copy of an affidavit prepared by the Home Ministry was served to some lawyers involved in the Rohingya matter being heard in the Supreme Court, the Central Agency Section of the Law Ministry has now clarified that the affidavit in fact was 'incomplete and inadvertently' served to the lawyers. The clarification issued by the CAS, which is responsible for conducting litigation before the Supreme Court, comes comes after Home Ministry claimed that it had not filed an affidavit. However, quite interestingly, the copy was served to the lawyers. The copy accessed by India Today has a stamp and signature from the Ministry of Home Affairs. advertisement A strongly worded affidavit, which the Centre now says is 'incomplete', had told the Supreme Court not to interfere with the government's process of deporting illegal Rohingya immigrants from the country. In the affidavit it has been argued that Rohingya Muslims are a threat to the national security and in many instances have been found to be part of the 'sinister design of the ISIS'. The original story published by IndiaToday.in when news of the Centre's affidavit first broke is below. Readers, however, are advised to read the story with the government's clarification in mind: The government today told the Supreme Court it cannot allow Rohingya Muslims to stay in India as refugees since they pose a threat to national security and could be used by domestic and foreign terror groups to create trouble in the country. In an affidavit, the Ministry of Home Affairs has said that intelligence inputs have suggested that Rohingyas are linked with terror groups. The Centre claimed Rohingya militant groups are active in Jammu, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mewat, and could be used by the Islamic State. "National interest warrants their deportation. No illegal immigrant has the right to stay in India," the affidavit says. Earlier this week, the United Nations' top human rights official Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein had criticised India for wanting to deport Rohingya refugees. "I deplore current measures in India to deport Rohingyas at a time of such violence against them in their country," Zeid said. Noting India's obligations under international law, he said: "India cannot carry out collective expulsions, or return people to a place where they risk torture or other serious violations." But the Indian government has maintained that it sees Rohingyas as a threat to security. Home Minister Rajnath Singh had also called them a threat to national security earlier this week. "We cannot rule out the possibility of security threat and I have already cleared our stand with regard to illegal immigrants," he had said. MATTER IN SC Next week, the Supreme Court will hear a plea filed by two Rohingya immigrants, Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, challenging the government's decision to deport illegal Rohingya Muslim immigrants back to Myanmar. The plea, filed by senior advocate Prashant Bhushan on their behalf, claims they had taken refuge in India after escaping from Myanmar due to widespread discrimination, violence and bloodshed against the community there. advertisement Opposing the plea, former RSS ideologue and Rashtriya Swabhiman Andolan leader KN Govindacharaya has also moved the apex court seeking to make him a party in the case filed by the two Rohingya Muslims. Govindacharya has opposed their plea saying they were "a burden" on the country's resources and posed a serious threat to national security. Meanwhile, India has also extended humanitarian assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh by flying down food and other essential items to the neighbour to help it deal with the huge influx of Rohingyas who have fled from Myanmar. The violent attacks allegedly by Myanmarese armymen have led to an exodus of Rohingya tribals from the western Rakhine state in that country to India and Bangladesh. Many of those who had fled to India after the earlier spate of violence, have settled in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan.The relief material will be delivered in multiple consignments under "Operation Insaniyat", with the first tranche to be flown to Chittagong by an Indian Air Force plane later today. advertisement The United Nations estimates that some 40,000 Rohingyas have settled in India, and 16,000 among them have received refugee documentation. ALSO READ | Why United Nations cannot force India to change its stand on Rohingya deportation ALSO READ | Rohingyas in India and terror threat: How jihadi forces may have infiltrated persecuted Muslims of Myanmar ALSO WATCH | Centre exploring ways to deport 40,000 Rohingya Muslims --- ENDS --- [September 14, 2017] TUV Rheinland Joins Hands with Haier to Promote Green Technologies, Leading Global Industry Innovation QINGDAO, China, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The global launch of the Haier Central Air Conditioning Laboratory was held today at the Haier Group headquarters in Qingdao, Shandong province. The laboratory has been authorized by TUV Rheinland Group (hereafter referred to as "TUV Rheinland") as appointed laboratory. This means that Haier Central Air Conditioning Laboratory has reached international advanced standards. In the future, Haier central air conditioning will be able to obtain EU certification in the production site, shorten the lead time for products entering into overseas markets, paving the way for the export to the EU market. Kalyan Varma, Vice President of TUV Rheinland, Business Field Electrical, Global and Jay Yang, Vice President of TUV Rheinland Greater China, Electrical, attended the ceremony. In his speech, Varma said, "Today's certification ceremony is a truly significant moment as our two highly regarded companies come together again. TUV Rheinland authorized the Haier Central Air Conditioning Laboratory to take the cooperation to a new level, bringing us closer together, making us more efficient, and creating benefits for both of us." China and globally. Haier central air conditioning has been committed to the green energy technology research, to improve the environment. It matches T U V Rheinland mission to ensure the safety, quality and economic efficiency of the interaction between man, technology and the environment. TUV Rheinland has a German commitment to quality and over 140 years of experience in product testing, inspection, and certification. The company has been in China for nearly three decades, working to improve Chinese manufacturing quality and to enhance the country's enterprise compliance management and international competitiveness. Cooperation between Haier Group and TUV Rheinland dates back more than 20 years. Haier's 1st safety certification for exporting product was issued by TUV Rheinland. Since then, TUV Rheinland has extended to provide technical support in safety testing and certification for home air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines and other products. "We began working with Haier central and commercial air-conditioners 15 years ago. Because central/commercial air conditioners are more complicated than home a/c products, they require more sophisticated testing procedures for certification. We have worked together with Haier on testing and assessment to make sure Haier products go abroad, and gain industry recognition." said Jay Yang, Vice President of TUV Rheinland Greater China Electrical Products, at the ceremony. On June 15th of this year the Haier R290 ECO SMART air-conditioner product line received TUV Rheinland certification. The certificate indicates that Haier's R290 ECO SMART Air Conditioner production line in Jiaozhou interconnected factory has met the criteria specified in the European Explosion-Proof Safety Instructions and the IEC International Standards and Safety Requirements. After the ceremony, guests were given a tour of Haier's interconnected manufacturing facility. "The Central Air Conditioning Laboratory is Haier's innovative response to the demands of the new global industrial revolution in the Internet era," said Ms. Wang Li, General Manager of Haier Central Air Conditioning. "Interconnected factories are transforming Haier from a traditional manufacturer into an open entrepreneurship platform with an ecosystem that extends to social networks and community economies. Haier is converting traditional physical plants into interconnected factories, and transforming mass manufacturing into mass customization." TUV Rheinland recognized Haier's pioneering spirit and its relentless quest for innovative ideas. "Haier has steadily increased the value it delivers to its customers, showcasing the company's core competency and integrity. Haier is a disciplined organization in persistent pursuit of quality, TUV Rheinland is confident and will fully cooperate with its digital, intelligent, and interconnected core development strategy," said Varma. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170911/1938303-1 SOURCE TUV Rheinland [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Yanfeng Automotive Interiors Brings Surface Sensitivity to the Interiors of Future Vehicles FRANKFURT, Germany, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- More functionality, emotion and freedom of design in interiors Yanfeng Automotive Interiors (YFAI), the global leader in automotive interiors, is a pioneer in the development of new materials for vehicle interiors. At the IAA, with the activeSkin concept, the company presents its vision of integrating intuitive controls into vehicle interiors, which blur the boundaries between the digital and analog worlds. This new development concept enables the display of data on soft surfaces. Functional and decorative surfaces in vehicle interiors will increasingly merge in the future. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/554119/Yanfeng_Automotive_Interiors.jpg ) "The future generation of surface is more intelligent than ever. We can simply move our hands over a fabric-covered surface in the car and an interactive surface or dynamic ambient decorative lighting appears. The surfaces interact with us," said Han Hendriks, Chief Technology Officer for YFAI. "This is impressive technology." activeSkin from YFAI maximizes freedom of design New levels of design freedom for interiors can be realized with activeSkin. Th old design principle "form follows function" will be completely redefined with this new concept development. In the future, car interiors will increasingly have the atmosphere of a Next Living Space, with surfaces which are not only decorative and have a pleasant feel, but are also fully interactive. "We offer functionality on demand, which is only visible when it is needed. With this, we have the possibility of personalization functions into interior surfaces," said Hendriks. The activeSkin technology enables a freedom on interaction design. The quality and elegance with which the imaging and data transfer is implemented is convincing. "With activeSkin, we can achieve a 3D effect with a surprising sense of depth," explained Hendriks. What was recently a vision for the future could become part of our mobile reality by 2022. About Yanfeng Automotive Interiors: Yanfeng Automotive Interiors (YFAI) is the global leader in automotive interiors. YFAI is redefining how people relax, work and play in their vehicle interiors today and decades from now. Headquartered in Shanghai, the company has approximately 110 manufacturing plants and technical centers in 20 countries and more than 33,000 employees globally. They design, develop and manufacture interior components for all automakers. Established in 2015, Yanfeng Automotive Interiors is a joint venture between Yanfeng, one of the largest automotive suppliers in China and Adient, the global leader in automotive seating. For more information, please visit http://www.YFAI.com . The detailed press text is available in our Media Center at http://www.yfai.com. Please visit our IAA microsite or follow us online: http://www.yfai.com/the-next-living-space YFAI Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YFautointeriors For more information please contact: Yanfeng Automotive Interiors Jagenbergstrae 1 41468 Neuss Germany Astrid Schafmeister Tel .: +49 2131 609-3028 E -Mail: [email protected] Internet: http://www.YFAI.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] TV5MONDE Expands its Distribution in Sub-Saharan Africa with SES Video TV5MONDE, one of the world's leading television networks, has recently signed a long-term distribution contract with SES (News - Alert) to broadcast three major free-to-air channels to the French-speaking and Francophile public in sub-Saharan Africa. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170913006699/en/ TV5MONDE Expands its Distribution in Sub-Saharan Africa with SES Video (Photo: Business Wire) As part of the agreement, TV5MONDE will use the SES-5 satellite to broadcast three channels: its main channel TV5MONDE Afrique, as well as two themed channels, the youth channel TiVi5MONDE and the lifestyle channel TV5MONDE Style HD. The three signals will be relayed to the satellite by the SES Video team. Located at 5 degrees East, SES-5 provides optimal coverage for sub-Saharan countries. The video position 5 degrees East is a fast growing neighbourhood, made up of renowned TV platforms and more than 500 local and international channels, including 65 French-language channels. "Thanks to Africa, the French language is being offered a new opportunity to broaden its reach, which is all the more decisive in a digital world where language is becoming increasingly important," said Yves Bigot, Directeur General of TV5MONDE. "This partnership with SES Video offers us ideal coverage to reach our numerous viewers and a recognized expertise to broadcast our three channels". "We are delighted to help TV5MONDE extend the distribution of its channels across sub-Saharan Africa and, in our own way, contribute to the spread of the French language on this continent," said Ferdinand Kayser, CEO of SES Video. "TV5MONDE's decision demonstrates the quality of our infrastructure and assets in these countries. Thanks to its powerful and robust coverage, our SES-5 satellite will allow TV5MONDE to distribute this new content offer in an optimal manner to cable and IP networks in the region, as well as reach the 3.8 million TV homes equipped with direct reception at 5 degrees east." Reception settings for TV5MONDE Afrique, TiVi5MONDE and TV5MONDE Style HD: Satellite SES-5 Orbital position 5 E Transponder 4.958 Uplink station Betzdorf, Luxembourg Frequency 12053.54 MHz Polarization Vertical Modulation DVB-S2: SR 30 Mbaud, 8PSK, FEC 3/4 Follow us on: Social Media Blog Media Gallery White Papers About TV5MONDE Afrique TV5MONDE Afrique in a few key figures: More than 15 million African households receive the channel in 48 countries More than 21 million viewers (weekly cumulative audience) More than 90% brand awareness in the French-speaking african capitals: 90.9% in Kinshasa, 90.7% in Bamako, with weekly audience rates reaching up to 74.8% in Kinshasa in DRC, where TV5MONDE is the leading international channel - source: Kantar TNS (News - Alert)/Africascope 2015-S1 2016 40 hours of programs with English subtitles each week (films, fiction, reports, documentaries, etc.) More than one million videos viewed each year on TV5MONDE+Afrique WebTV 200,000 connections per month to JT Afrique on the Internet TV5MONDE is available in Africa via the Canal+Afrique StarSat and Multichoice operators, direct satellite reception on SES-5 and in numerous MMDS packages, cable, mobile TV on TNT and terrestrial television. www.tv5monde.com About SES SES is the world-leading satellite operator and the first to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide, with more than 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 12 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES focuses on value-added, end-to-end solutions in two key business units: SES Video and SES Networks. The company provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators, governments and institutions. SES's portfolio includes ASTRA, O3b and MX1, a leading media service provider that offers a full suite of innovative digital video and media services. SES is listed on the Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange (ticker: SESG). Further information available at: www.ses.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170913006699/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] GSMA and Mobile World Capital Barcelona Announce Return of YoMo to Mobile World Congress 2018 The GSMA (News - Alert) and the Mobile World Capital Barcelona today announced that The Youth Mobile Festival Barcelona (YoMo Barcelona) will return to Mobile World Congress 2018 after its hugely successful launch in 2017. YoMo Barcelona will once again inspire future generations to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering, art/design, and math (STEAM) disciplines. YoMo Barcelona will be held 26 February - 1 March 2018 at Fira Montjuic. "After an incredibly successful launch in 2017, where more than 11,000 young people and 3,000 educators from across Catalonia and Spain attended YoMo, we are delighted to host YoMo again as part of Mobile World Congress 2018," said John Hoffman (News - Alert), CEO, GSMA Ltd. "YoMo showcases the passion, energy and excitement around science and technology and demonstrates how people across STEAM sectors are innovating and transforming our world. Through a fun and engaging atmosphere, thousands of school children get an ideal chance to learn about the careers opportunities available in the mobile and STEAM ecosystems." More than 17,000 students and 3,000 educators from across Catalonia and Spain will come to Barcelona to participate in this engaging and inspiring four-day showcase of science and technology, making it the largest STEAM event in Spain. Designed for students from 8 to 18 years old, YoMo Barcelona will feature educational exhibits, live shows, interactive workshops, and a wide range of hands-on activities. Information on activities currently scheduled for YoMo is available at www.yomobcn.com/showfloor. YoMo is supported by local, regional, national and European stakeholders, including the Catalan Ministry of Education, businesses across STEAM industries, professional institutions, R&D laboratories, not-for-profit charities, universities and other specialist education institutions. How to Participate in YoMo YoMo Barcelona is open to all students and education professionals in Catalonia and Spain and is free to attend. Registration for YoMo will open in November; potential attendees can indicate interest in advance via the event website. More information, including how to register interest in attending YoMo, along with details on sonsorship and showcase opportunities, is available at www.yomobcn.com. Get Involved at Mobile World Congress (News - Alert) 2018 For more information on Mobile World Congress 2018, including how to attend, exhibit or sponsor, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com. Follow developments and updates on Mobile World Congress on Twitter (News - Alert) @GSMA using #MWC18, on our LinkedIn Mobile World Congress page www.linkedin.com/company/gsma-mobile-world-congress or on Facebook (News - Alert) at or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mobileworldcongress/. For additional information on GSMA social channels, visit www.mobileworldcongress.com/social-media/. The Mobile World Congress is the cornerstone of the Mobile World Capital, which will be hosted in Barcelona through 2023. The Mobile World Capital encompasses programmes and activities that span the entire year and will benefit not only the citizens of Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain, but also the worldwide mobile industry. For more information on the Mobile World Capital, visit www.mobileworldcapital.com. -ENDS- About the GSMA The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 300 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai, Mobile World Congress Americas and the Mobile 360 Series of conferences. For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA. About Mobile World Capital Barcelona Mobile World Capital Barcelona (MWCapital) is an initiative driving the mobile and digital transformation of society while helping improve people's lives globally. With support of the public and private sector throughout Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain, MWCapital focuses on three areas: the digital empowerment of new generations, professionals and citizens; the digital transformation of industries; and the acceleration of digital innovation through entrepreneurship. Collectively, our mSchools, Digital Transformation and mVenturesBcn programmes are positively transforming the education system, the industry and the economy. MWCapital also hosts the Mobile World Congress and delivers 4 Years From Now (4YFN), a business platform for the startup community. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914005104/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Elsevier Brings Active Learning to the Classroom With the Global Engineering Academic Challenge 2017 NEW YORK, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Elsevier, the information analytics business specializing in science and health, today announced that the Engineering Academic Challenge (EAC) 2017 will begin on September 18, 2017. The bi-annual five-week challenge enables engineering teachers and librarians around the world to integrate real-world problem-solving into their STEM education communities. This year's cross-disciplinary questions revolve around the key challenges that future engineers will solve; including expanding access to clean water, designing and building better robots, and engineering the tools of scientific discovery. Participants will compete to solve questions for five consecutive weeks, with weekly and overall prizes awarded to top performing students. Now in its 12th year, the EAC involves taking on real-world challenges faced by users of Knovel, Elsevier's engineering decision support solution that helps engineers answer complex problems. The open-ended problems, drafted by a team of engineering students at Drexel University in Pennsylvania, will require that students take a creative approach and access a broad range of scientific knowledge in order to solve them. Participants are given access to Knovel, and also to Engineering Village's flagship database, Ei Compendex. Knovel has recently undergone a user interface (UI) redesign; the new intuitive UI has been developed with engineers in mind, requiring minimal training to master. Last year, 60% of EAC participants were new users to the products, highlighting just how important it is that the tools they use are intuitive and easy to understand. The EAC flips the traditional education model by promoting active learning and placing the student at te center of the experience. By engaging students through active learning methods, professors and librarians can encourage faster learning and improved knowledge retention - which contributes to operational excellence in the workplace. Active learning has shown to be a superior method of teaching; in comparison to traditional lecturing, failure rates for students decline by 55%.[1] In conjunction, the EAC operates on a 'research sprint' model where students share and communicate their findings, helping to develop crucial skills required in the working world. "The Engineering Academic Challenge has evolved into a truly global event," said Sumita Singh, Managing Director of Reference Solutions at Elsevier. "Previously, the majority of participants have been in North America, but now - from APAC to Latin America - librarians and students have been organizing their own EAC events and taking part. Events like the EAC are vital in helping hone the skills of the next generation of engineers and scientists. Elsevier is committed to preparing engineers to succeed in the working world and equipping them with the knowledge and abilities they'll need to tackle the challenges of the 21st century." Nanyang Technological University's Chiang Wee noted that the interdisciplinary nature of the challenge is in keeping with the university's current focus. "Previously, our six engineering schools each worked separately. Now we have an Interdisciplinary Graduate School (IGS) where students, faculty and engineering research fellows can all work together. The challenge will help by pushing students into areas they may not have encountered before." Engineering and science students from academic institutions across the globe who wish to participate in this year's challenge can register at: https://eac.elsevier.com/. References [] Freeman, S. et al. Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the national academy of sciences, June 10, 2014, 111 (23) About Elsevier Elsevier is a global information analytics business that helps institutions and professionals progress science, advance healthcare and improve performance for the benefit of humanity. Elsevier provides digital solutions and tools in the areas of strategic research management, R&D performance, clinical decision support, and professional education; including ScienceDirect, Scopus, ClinicalKey and Sherpath. Elsevier publishes over 2,500 digitized journals, including The Lancet and Cell, more than 35,000 e-book titles, and many iconic reference works, including Gray's Anatomy. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics to professionals and business customers, in a wide range of industries. http://www.elsevier.com. Media Contact Christopher Capot Global Communications, Elsevier +1-917-704-5174 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Anexinet Named a 2017 Best Place to Work by Philadelphia Business Journal PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anexinet Corporation, a leading provider of analytics, digital and cloud infrastructure solutions focused on helping Enterprises with digital transformation and modernization, today announced that the Philadelphia Business Journal has named it as one of the Best Places to Work in the large company category, for the seventh consecutive year. Anexinets success is a direct result of our employees commitment to making a difference in every facet of the business, along with focusing on continuous innovation for our customers, said Brad Hokamp, CEO, Anexinet. We balance our rigorous, fast paced and dynamic culture with work life flexibility, so the combination makes for a great place to work and grow professionally. Each year, the Philadelphia Business Journal teams with Quantum Workplace to find the best workplaces in the region; for 2017, the Business Journal had a record number of applications for Best Places to Work. The listing is based on a employee engagement survey as the sole scoring mechanism and every company making the list had to reach a statistical benchmark to receive this special recognition. Learn more about Anexinet via Technology Insights blog & podcasts, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. About Anexinet Anexinet (www.anexinet.com) specializes in digital business transformation. We empower our clients to grow their customer base and improve workforce efficiency by envisioning, developing, and operating next generation technology solutions. Our core expertise is in digital applications, analytics, and hybrid IT, enabling businesses to rapidly transform. Partner with Anexinet to support the full lifecycle of your next generation digital business. For more information, contact: Betsey Rogers Public Relations BridgeView Marketing 603-821-0809 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Lendio Partners with Ocrolus to Automate Bank Statement Analysis SILICON SLOPES, Utah, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lendio, the nation's leading marketplace for small business loans, today announced a partnership with Ocrolus, the emerging leader in bank statement review automation. The PerfectAudit API, powered by Ocrolus, analyzes uploaded bank statements with 99+% accuracy, replacing manual review with automation. Ocrolus technology allows lenders, for the first time, to review every potential borrower's bank statement data automatically, regardless of whether or not the borrower provides sensitive bank login credentials. "Ocrolus technology elevated our bank statement analysis capabilities to the next level," said Jim Granat, Lendio's President and CRO. "We highly recommend PerfectAudit to lenders who wish to scale more efficiently and improve credit risk management." In April, Lendio became the first lending marketplace to integrate with Ocrolus, whose clients include banks, alternative lenders, accounting firms, law firms, and government entities. The PerfectAudit API gives Lendio the ability to systemaically combat bank statement fraud and conduct a hyper-accurate review for every potential borrower. "It's truly a pleasure to be partnering with Lendio," said Sam Bobley, CEO and Co-founder of Ocrolus. "We are inspired by Lendio's company culture and impressive track record in small business lending." Speed is vital in the online lending industry. With Ocrolus technology, Lendio has whittled down its loan processing time to well under an hour with even greater accuracy. The partnership has already produced several updates to the technology as well, with improvements in speed, fraud detection, and overall function. About Lendio Lendio is a free online service that helps business owners find the right small business loans within minutes. The center of small business lending, Lendio's passion is fueling the American Dream by uniting the small business loan industry and bringing all options together in one place, from short-term specialty financing to long-term low-interest traditional loans. Lendio's technology makes small business lending simple, decreasing the amount of time and effort it takes to secure funding. More information about Lendio is available at www.lendio.com. About Ocrolus Ocrolus is a technology company that automates the review of bank statements. The Company's PerfectAudit platform analyzes statements from every financial institution with 99+% accuracy, generating account information, summary analytics, and a comprehensive database of transactions. Replacing one of the few remaining manual underwriting procedures with hyper-accurate automation, Ocrolus enables lenders to review bank statements faster, cheaper, and more accurately than ever before. Additional information about Ocrolus is available at www.ocrolus.com. Contact Melanie King Lendio [email protected] 801.448.8936 Sam Bobley Ocrolus [email protected] 646.850.9090 Ext. 1 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lendio-partners-with-ocrolus-to-automate-bank-statement-analysis-300518307.html SOURCE Lendio [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Government of Canada Supports Innovation in Forestry OTTAWA, Sept. 14, 2017 /CNW/ - Canada's forest sector is an economic driver and major employer of Canadians, including Indigenous peoples. The Government of Canada is working to strengthen the long-term competitiveness of the forest sector by encouraging new technologies to support forest industry transformation through a more diversified portfolio of products and markets. Canada's Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jim Carr, today announced a call for proposals for funding of the next wave of highly innovative, first-in-kind technologies aimed at solidifying Canada's position as a leader in forest industry transformation and the bioeconomy. Established in 2010, the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program was renewed in June 2017, with an additional $55 million provided over three years under Canada's Softwood Lumber Action Plan. Minister Carr made the announcement during his keynoe speech to the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers at the Canadian Museum of Nature. The purpose of the IFIT program is to support Canada's forest sector in becoming more economically competitive and environmentally sustainable through: new or increased production of bioenergy, biomaterials, biochemicals and next-generation building products by the forest sector; increased deployment and encouraging broader adoption of first-in-kind innovative technologies, particularly Canadian, across the industry; and the creation of innovative partnerships with non-traditional forest sector partners as a way to develop new business models for the sector. IFIT provides non-repayable contributions of up to 50 per cent of a project's costs. Applicants are required to submit an expression of interest by October 12, 2017, followed by a full proposal by November 28, 2017. Quote "The Government of Canada recognizes the vital importance of Canada's forest sector as an economic driver and major employer of Canadians, including Indigenous peoples. Investing in new technologies to support Canada's emerging bioeconomy and forest sector to become more economically competitive and environmentally sustainable will help us to build a clean-growth economy, create well-paying jobs for middle-class Canadians and realize our climate change goals." Jim Carr Canada's Minister of Natural Resources Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan) NRCan's news releases and backgrounders are available at www.news.gc.ca. SOURCE Natural Resources Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Cyient signs an Agreement to sell its 49% stake in Infotech Aerospace Services, Inc. ("IASI") to Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corporation HYDERABAD, India, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyient Limited ("Cyient") a global provider of engineering, manufacturing, geospatial, network and operations management services to global industry leaders, has signed a definitive agreement to divest its 49% equity ownership in IASI. Established in 2003, Isabela, Puerto Rico, IASI is a 51:49 Joint Venture between Pratt & Whitney and Cyient. IASI provides aerospace defence design, development & related services, primarily to United Technologies and its business units. The transaction would be EPS neutral. The closing of the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Krishna Bodanapu, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Cyient Ltd. commented, "We continue to embark on the journey towards realization of our "Design-Build-Maintain" Strategy. To enable greater focus on the strategy, we have been exiting the non-core usinesses. This is the second divestment post the sale of Infotech Enterprises IT Services (IEITS) that we did in October of 2015 as a part of our strategy to exit the IT services business. This divestment is a step in the right direction and will aid us in becoming more focused striding towards achieving our vision. We will continue to evaluate and rebalance our business portfolio." About Cyient: Cyient (Estd: 1991) (NSE: CYIENT) provides engineering, manufacturing, geospatial, network and operations management services to global industry leaders. Cyient leverages the power of digital technology and advanced analytics capabilities, along with domain knowledge and technical expertise, to solve complex business problems. As a Design, Build and Maintain partner, Cyient takes solution ownership across the value chain to help clients focus on their core, innovate, and stay ahead of the curve. Relationships form the core of how Cyient works. With nearly 14,000 employees in 21 countries, Cyient partners with clients to operate as part of their extended team, in ways that best suit their organization's culture and requirements. Cyient's industry focus includes aerospace and defense, medical, telecommunications, rail transportation, semiconductor, utilities, industrial, energy and natural resources. For more information, please visit www.cyient.com. Follow news about the company at @Cyient. For further media inquiries, please write to [email protected] View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cyient-signs-an-agreement-to-sell-its-49-stake-in-infotech-aerospace-services-inc-iasi-to-pratt--whitney-a-division-of-united-technologies-corporation-300519640.html SOURCE Cyient [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Legalist Will Pay for Data Breach Victims to Sue Equifax Legalist (www.legalist.com), the first algorithmic litigation finance firm, will pay for filing fees for Equifax data breach victims looking to bring lawsuits against Equifax in their local small claims court. Equifax, one of three major consumer credit reporting agencies, revealed last week that hackers had gained access to company data, compromising Social Security numbers and driver's license numbers for 143 million American consumers. Any consumers affected by the data breach now can initiate their lawsuit against Equifax in small claims court by visiting legalist.com/equifax and completing some basic information. All approved applicants will be provided with a free, automatically generated complaint and requisite small claims court filing fees. Repyment to Legalist occurs only if the case is successful in recovering damages. "Equifax data breach victims deserve immediate redress for having their information compromised," said Legalist co-founder and CTO Christian Haigh, a victim himself of the Equifax data breach. "Filing a lawsuit shouldn't be difficult and complicated, and should not depend on lawyers." While multiple class action lawsuits have been filed in federal court concerning potential fraud and remedies available under the FCRA (U.S. Fair Credit Reporting Act), Legalist allows consumers to automatically receive funding to take action on their own, instead of waiting years for class action lawsuits to resolve. "Small claims court allows consumers to access justice more quickly, and that's what litigation finance is all about," said Legalist General Counsel Curtis Smolar. To generate a free small claims complaint and to receive filing fees for your small claims lawsuit against Equifax, please visit legalist.com/equifax. About Legalist Legalist is an algorithmic litigation finance company that helps small businesses pay for their lawsuits. Headquartered in San Francisco, Legalist is the first litigation finance company to use machine learning and AI technology to source and underwrite litigation investments. Legalist is backed by premier Silicon Valley investors such as Y Combinator, Vy Capital, and Refactor Capital and has been featured in the New Yorker, the Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, and more. The company recently closed a $10.25 million maiden fund. www.legalist.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914005511/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Gurgaon Police reconstructed the sequence of events which took place before and after the murder of Class 2 student at Ryan International School. By Abhishek Anand: Six days after the gruesome murder of a seven-year-old student at Ryan International School in Gurgaon, police called the entire staff for questioning today. Over two dozen employees, including teaching and non-teaching staff, of the school were called together for questioning as cops look to find more leads in the murder case. Ryan murder on CCTV: Pradyuman seen crawling out of washroom; who else was there? advertisement "The statements of school staff will be recorded separately and if required their statements will be corroborated and teachers can be cross questioned. The purpose of cross questioning is to know the location and role of each and every staff member who was present inside the school on the day when Pradyuman was murdered," a senior police officer said. The police also reconstructed the sequence of the incident with the help of the school staff. Sources in the police said the school staff have been asked to also help the investigators in recreating in sequence of incident. Gurgaon murder: Arrested Ryan school officials move Supreme Court, want case moved out of Haryana "The teachers' statement is important for filing the chargesheet," said a police officer. Seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur, a student of class two of the school, was found murdered with his throat slit in the washroom of the school last Friday. Ryan murder: Bus driver hints at cover-up, says conductor told to carry kid's body The police had arrested Ashok Kumar, a conductor of the school bus on the same day on charges of murder. Meanwhile, the Gurgaon police has provided 24x7 security to the two students of Ryan School who are the key witness of the case. WATCH | Gurgaon schoolboy murder: Ryan International teachers quizzed, cops recreate scene --- ENDS --- [September 14, 2017] The Future of Innovation: Startups and Corporates to Work under One Roof by 2025 Unilever Foundry, a global platform for startups and innovators to engage and collaborate, predicts corporates and startups will form the ultimate partnership, working side by side in the same physical space by 2025, seeking greater proximity for innovation as they evolve to meet changing consumer needs. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914005671/en/ The Future of Innovation: Startups and Corporates to Work under One Roof by 2025 (Photo: Business Wire) 'The State of Innovation', a global study and white paper from Unilever Foundry, was launched today at Dmexco by Unilever EVP Global Marketing, Aline Santos. The report looks at how the relationship between corporates and startups will continue to evolve. The white paper identifies three predictions on how the industry will change over the next decade. Aline Santos, Unilever EVP Global Marketing, said: "Collaboration can no longer be viewed as an optional extra, it's a strategic imperative. Startups are now widely recognised as invaluable sources of innovation, fueling growth and providing pioneering business solutions. "The State of Innovation report reveals the appetite for collaboration between corporates and startups and signals a shift in the models adopted for future partnerships. As the Unilever Foundry continues its journey looking for exciting new partnerships, we are continually learning to ensure our future collaborations are effective as possible." Key findings from The State of Innovation: Startups and corporates to work side by side in the same office by 2025 As the pace of change increases, corporations know that to meet evolving consumer needs they need to look for the right partners to innovate and build relationships with. With 90% of corporates already working with a startup expecting to continue to do so, Unilever Foundry predicts physical shared working spaces will become commonplace to facilitate growth and break down barriers to collaboration. The research reveals the three most important reasons for working together: learning something new (startups 88%/corporates 85%); improving efficiency (startups 81%/corporates 81%); and solvingbusiness problems in new ways that can scale (startups 89%/corporates 80%). The future of corporate and startup innovation: a short-term boom in "tech tourism" but structured programmes emerging as the long-term winner After an initial rise in "tech tourism" - shorter term activity ranging from trips to tech HQs to less formal partnerships - a longer-term model will win out. While 83% of startups value the publicity from these short-term models, 80% of corporates believe that startups can have a positive impact on large companies' approaches to innovation. As a result, Unilever Foundry predicts that large businesses will become more willing to invest in structured programmes as companies choose meaningful partnerships over PR-driven quick fixes. One startup described their experience with tech tourism models saying: "At the low end of the spectrum is tech tourism: a brand shows up in Silicon Valley, rides the Google (News - Alert) slide, meets a couple of startups - at best it's inspirational but basically it's a waste of time. [] Startups want meaningful new initiatives and uses of technology." Startup and corporate collaboration will evolve from an optional extra to a business-critical investment in the next five years. In order to keep up with the accelerating rate of innovation in business, Unilever Foundry predicts that startup collaboration will become a necessity for corporates over the next five years, with around four out of five corporates (79%) and startups (78%) anticipating more collaborative work in the future. Startups believe they are up to the task, with almost nine in ten (89%) claiming they're able to deliver business solutions which can scale. Visit foundry.unilever.com/SOI-whitepaper for more information and to read "The State of Innovation" white paper. - ENDS - Notes to Editors The in-depth research was conducted with over 200 brand managers and heads of innovation and over 100 startup founders and directors across India, Singapore, United Kingdom and United States. About Unilever Foundry Already looking to the future and embracing this transformative way of working, Unilever Foundry has been an entry point for innovative tech companies to connect with Unilever brands for over three years. In this time, the global innovation platform has helped scale up 48% of over 100 pilots including partnerships with Quiqup and Playbrush in the last year. Unilever Foundry has also launched partnerships with two co-working spaces - LEVEL3 in Singapore with Padang & Co and Unilever Foundry Ireland with Dogpatch Labs, bringing startups and Unilever brands under one roof. Unilever Foundry Case Studies Hellmann's and Quiqup Global dressings brand, Hellmann's, partnered with on-demand delivery startup Quiqup to deliver fresh ingredients to consumers at the click of a finger Through the Unilever Foundry, Hellmann's put out a brief looking for tech solutions to help the brand further engage with a digitally savvy millennial audience Following the platform's unique pitch-pilot-partner process, Quiqup was identified as the ideal solution to directly engage with a new audience through a new business model Next Billion Last year, Unilever Foundry joined forces with Singapore-based startup Next Billion to launch Mobile Movies in Bangladesh, in which networks of local agents organise free film screenings for communities in rural areas with the aim of increasing awareness of good hygiene practices. To date, 15 female entrepreneurs have been engaged as agents, over 700 presentations have been delivered. Over the 12 week-trial, more than 30,000 locals were engaged, and 15,000 samples of Unilever's health soap brand Lifebuoy and Pepsodent toothpastes were distributed. This partnership is an exemplary example of a disruptive innovation that takes us a step closer toward our ambition of making sustainable living commonplace Chef Wendy Knorr partnered with AI specialists Digital Genius (News - Alert) to reach consumers in emerging countries such as India The Chef Wendy pilot was a fully automated chef to give recipe suggestions via SMS This was two or three years before AI and Chatbots became commonplace Signal and Playbrush Unilever partnered the Signal brand with startup Playbrush, to revolutionise children's oral health through gamification Unilever's R&D team were able to embrace experimentation and explore an entirely new route. This allowed Unilever to extend its brands outside of just being a product on a supermarket shelf View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914005671/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] MissionU, the College Alternative that Allows Students to Graduate Debt Free, Raises $8.5 Million in Series A Funding MissionU, the college alternative that gives students the skills and experience needed to succeed in today's competitive working world while allowing them to graduate debt-free with no upfront tuition, today announced an $8.5 million Series A funding round. This latest round is led by FirstMark Capital, with participation from existing investors First Round Capital, University Ventures, BoxGroup, Rethink Education and Learn Capital and new investors John Doerr (News - Alert) and Omidyar Network. This brings the company's total funding to $11.5 million. MissionU is led by education non-profit Pencils of Promise founder Adam Braun, who created the company with co-founder and Chief Product Officer Mike Adams. Inspiration for MissionU struck when Adam saw his wife's struggle to pay back more than $100,000 in student loans. A closer look at today's education climate revealed a broken system that perpetuates a burdensome student debt problem that is plaguing the entire country. The company will use this latest round of funding to ramp up growth across its blended online and in-person experience, enabling more student cohorts to join the program. Additionally, the company will be expanding to new cities beyond San Francisco in 2018. "Our goal with MissionU is to make higher education more affordable, equitable, accessible and aligned with the experiences people need to thrive in their lives and careers," said Adam Braun, co-founder and CEO of MissionU. "College today fails to provide students with real-world skills and often leaves them with insurmountable, crippling debt. It's unconscionable that student debt is the only debt in the country that can't be discharged through bankruptcy. By working with some of the top minds in the country, we've developed a debt-free program that enables students of diverse backgrounds to gain the hard, soft and technical skills that will give them a clear path to their future. Fortunately, that idea is resonating deeply with students and their families." Through its existing partnerships, MissionU works side-by-side with today's top companies including Spotify (News - Alert), Lyft, Uber, Warby Parker, Harry's and Casper, to formulate curriculum aimed at getting students hired in the high-growth industries of tomorrow. Students gain exposure to industry leaders and work on real-world projects, and partner companies get early access to hire MissionU graduates. "The nature of work is changing faster than ever before, and this is only going to accelerate as automation and AI further permeate every industry," said Matt Turck, a Managing Director of FirstMark Capital. "In order to adequately prepare a broad majority of students for this software-dominated world, the concept of the college is going to need to evolve, too. MissionU has a unique opportunity to change the higher education model and bridge the gap so that modern education and the future of work are finally aligned." On the heels of the MissionU's funding, the company's first cohort, which generated more than 4,700 applicants, began last week in San Francisco to usher a new generation of students eschewing the traditional route into the working world. The company is now accepting applications for its January 2018 cohort in San Francisco on Data Analytics + Business Intelligence, which interested students can apply to here: http://www.missionu.com/program. For more information, please visit www.missionu.com. ABOUT MISSIONU MissionU is the college alternative that gives students the skills and experience needed to succeed in today's working world. The program requires no upfront tuition, allowing students to graduate debt-free, and is aimed at lowering student debt and closing the skills gap. Led by Pencils of Promise founder Adam Braun, who created the company with co-founder and Chief Product Officer Mike Adams, MissionU is the only program that combines general education with specialized skills training to prepare individuals for real-world jobs. By employing an income-share agreement model, MissionU only requires students to pay once they are earning $50,000 or more, during which they pay 15% of their income for three years back to the company. Based in San Francisco, MissionU partners with world-class companies including Spotify, Lyft, Uber, Warby Parker, Harry's and Casper so students have access to informed curriculum while cultivating meaningful relationships with industry leaders. MissionU has raised $11.5 million in funding to date from investors including FirstMark Capital, First Round Capital and more. For additional information, please visit www.missionu.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914005695/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Phrixus Pharmaceuticals announces Phase 2 clinical trial of Poloxamer 188 NF in non-ambulatory patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy ANN ARBOR, Mich., Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Phrixus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Phrixus), a company focused on therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and heart failure, today announced agreements with several DMD patient organizations and Cincinnati Childrens Hospital to conduct a first clinical trial of Carmeseal-MDs, active pharmaceutical ingredient Poloxamer 188 NF (P-188 NF), for the treatment of DMD in non-ambulatory patients. A number of endpoints will be evaluated including effects of P-188 NF on respiratory endpoints such as forced vital activity and on secondary endpoints related to cardiac and skeletal limb muscle performance. Older, non-ambulatory patients with DMD have few treatment options, especially with regard to heart failure and respiratory dysfunction, the two leading causes of death. Therefore, they are in urgent need of additional therapies that can slow or arrest disease progression, said Dr. John L. Jefferies, Director, Advanced Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy, Professor, Pediatric Cardiology and Adult Cardiovascular Diseases, The Heart Institute, Professor, Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Center, who will be the Principal Investigator. This single-center, open-label Phase 2 study will enroll 8 patients, non-ambulatory boys and young men with early heart failure and respiratory dysfunction on stable regimen of background therapies, including corticosteroids. Patients will be evaluated by cardiac MRI, pulmonary function testing and a number of upper body function tests, including performance of upper limb (PUL). Dosing will be for 52 weeks at 5 mg/Kg of P-188 NF, injected once-a-day subcutaneously, with drug product provided by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Charley's Fund and Team Joseph led the funding of this trial, with significant support from Harrison's Fund, Hope for Gus, JBs Keys to DMD, Little Hercules, and Michael's Cause. Phrixus has a history of support from the patient community, with previous funding provided by Coalition Duchenne, Hope for Gus, Michael's Cause, Ryan's Quest, and Save Our Sons. "We are excited to join forces with our colleagues in the nonprofit community to support the development of Carmeseal-MD as a treatment for Duchenne," said Dr. Benjamin Seckler, President of Charey's Fund. He added that "this pilot study will generate initial data in the Duchenne population for a promising treatment that targets a major unmet need. This is an exciting step forward that will add to our body of knowledge on this potential therapeutic agent." Coalition Duchenne is pleased to see momentum continue to build for this research into a promising treatment for Duchenne-related cardiac and pulmonary failure," said Cath Jayasuriya, Founder and Executive Director of Coalition Duchenne. "We're grateful that the support the community has provided for the initial stages of development since 2012 has led to full funding of this first clinical trial. Carmeseal-MD is available outside of the United States through Phrixuss Expanded Access Program and Ethicor Pharma Ltd., a distributor. For more information, please visit www.ethicorpharma.com or contact [email protected]. About Carmeseal-MD In animal models of DMD, Carmeseal-MD (Poloxamer 188 NF) has been shown to improve the efficiency of damaged hearts and the performance of damaged diaphragms with once-a-day subcutaneous administration at low doses. When infused into the bloodstream, it encounters and binds to microscopic tears in the muscle and prevents the pathological leakage of calcium into the cells, which keeps the muscle from performing as required. Carmeseal-MD is expected to have its effect in patients with DMD irrespective of the genetic defect that causes the disease. About Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) DMD is the most devastating of the muscular dystrophies. It is a genetic disease that affects about 20,000 boys and young men in the United States and a comparable number in Europe. The hallmarks of DMD are skeletal muscle weakness followed by respiratory distress and heart failure. As a degenerative disease, it inevitably leads to premature death, mostly through heart failure and respiratory failure. About Phrixus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Phrixus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is developing Carmeseal as Carmeseal-MD (P-188 NF for subcutaneous injection) for DMD and as Carmeseal-HF (P-188 NF for intravenous administration) for acute decompensated heart failure. Phrixus has assembled the leading global patent portfolio for the use of poloxamers in DMD, heart failure and respiratory dysfunction. For more information: Thomas A. Collet, [email protected] or www.phrixuspharmaceuticals.com. Forward-Looking Statement Disclaimer This announcement may contain, in addition to historical information, certain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Such statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain assumptions. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated. The company is developing several products for potential future marketing. There can be no assurance that such development efforts will succeed, that such products will receive required regulatory clearance or that, even if such regulatory clearance were received, such products would ultimately achieve commercial success. Contact: Thomas A. Collet President and CEO Phrixus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. +1 (734) 358-9015 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Tech Executive and Investor Jim Moran Joins Perfecto as Executive Chairman BOSTON, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Perfecto, the leading continuous testing and monitoring platform for optimizing DevOps pipelines, today announced the appointment of Jim Moran as executive chairman of its board of directors. In this newly created, full-time role, Moran will focus on helping the company accelerate its profitable growth in the DevOps and application development and QA markets, and work closely with the Perfecto board and executive team to extend the companys market leadership and navigate its strategic growth options. Moran brings a wealth of experience with technology startups across a variety of markets including enterprise SaaS and cloud, open source, payments, mobile commerce, and communications & infrastructure. Most recently, he was managing director at North Bridge Venture & Growth Equity Partners investing in and advising both early-stage and growth-oriented companies including mobile wallet provider Paydiant (acquired by PayPal), and endpoint security solution Confer Technologies (acquired by Carbon Black). The race to deliver a best-in-class digital experience has never been more fierce, said Liron Gitig, Perfecto board member and partner at investor FTV Capital. Perfectos acceleration of cycle time and faster delivery of digital services make its solutions mission-critical fo software development organizations. Jims expertise and leadership make him the right executive to help us capitalize on this massive market opportunity. Prior to joining North Bridge, Moran played key leadership roles in the success of multiple startups including CEO of Covergence Networks (acquired by ACME Packet), COO of Virtusa (IPO); CRO and co-founder of edocs (acquired by Siebel/Oracle), and SVP of sales and GM at CheckFree Corporation (IPO). Jim brings tremendous strategic insight and operational experience to Perfecto at a time when we are seeing strong, profitable growth in a market with unlimited opportunity, said Eran Yaniv, CEO of Perfecto. He knows what it takes to disrupt and scale to win in big markets and is adept at developing winning go-to-market strategies to do that. His track record is exceptional and I am looking forward to working with him to maximize the tremendous potential we have here. Perfecto has an enormous opportunity ahead and is extremely well positioned to capitalize now, said Moran. As enterprises execute on their digital strategies, their software development and QA organizations must accelerate their level of innovation and time-to-market to engage with their users in new ways using web, mobile and IoT. Perfecto is in a market-leading position to support these efforts by optimizing their software delivery pipelines and assuring flawless digital user experiences. About Perfecto Perfecto is the leading cloud-based platform for web, mobile and IoT software testing, empowering global enterprises with the tools they need to deliver better digital experiences for their users. With Perfecto, developers and testers can implement continuous testing throughout the DevOps cycle, using the most reliable lab offering real browsers, smartphones and devices using real-world networks, locations and scenarios. With more than 3,000 customers across all major industries, Perfecto is enabling faster release cycles that set the speed of digital innovation. For more information, visit perfectomobile.com, join the Perfecto community, or follow us on Twitter at @PerfectoMobile. Contact: Tim Walsh for Perfecto 617.512.1641 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] OneSpot Appoints David Brown Chief Strategy Officer And Launches Strategic Services Business For Content Marketers AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- OneSpot, the Content Sequencing platform that powers cross-channel personalization for branded content marketing, today announced the appointment of David Brown as Chief Strategy Officer. Brown will lead the company's new Strategic Services business and head its recently opened New York City office. He will report to OneSpot CEO Steve Sachs. "David is well-known as an early innovator and trailblazer in content marketing, bringing to OneSpot a wealth of experience working with Fortune 500 brands to establish highly effective strategies around content, with quantifiable approaches across people, processes and platforms," said Sachs. "Through a holistic technology and services approach and with David's leadership OneSpot will continue to help marketers secure a measurable return on personalization (ROP) through deeper content engagement." OneSpot Strategic Services will provide its brand clients with comprehensive strategic services to further their own content programs, from identifying success factors and technology assessments, training and development to customer journey and roadmapping, as well as content strategy and deep content analytics. "Chief Marketing Officers are bringing content operations in-house but often lack a defined strategy for how they will achieve scale and measure success," said Brown. "This is where OneSpot can not only give marketers the tools, but also share the knowledge and guidance needed to hone, accelerate and align their content marketing programs with business goals and benchmarks for success." Most recently Brown was head of The Content Cataysts, providing content strategy counsel to major brands in the insurance, banking, automotive, media, consumer packaged goods and retail sectors. He was Executive Vice President and Leader at MXM (Meredith Xcelerated Marketing), which Harvard's Nieman Lab called "the inventor of content marketing." Before MXM Brown was CEO of Highway One and a Managing Director at OgilvyOne. He holds a B.A., Hons in Politics from Durham University and resides in Darien, CT. OneSpot's Unique Content Marketing Platform and Services Imperative Through OneSpot's proprietary platform and expert consultants, marketers gain valuable insights, helping brands deliver strategic content that guides their customers and prospects to take a specific action. OneSpot executives are content marketing trailblazers and innovators with deep roots in publishing at major brands such as Time Inc., and as industry-leading digital content strategy consultants working with Fortune 100 brands. OneSpot's easy-to-implement proprietary Content Sequencing technology uses artificial intelligence and natural language processing for individualization -- to automatically match specific content with individual interests and behaviors. OneSpot's deep analytics and insights provide in-depth holistic data on content effectiveness showing in detail what content is resonating when, where, and over time. While many content marketers are using multiple solutions that inefficiently and ineffectively prioritize around channels and products, OneSpot's automated personalization platform delivers content based on individuals' interests and engagement with specific pieces of content across all digital channels (web, mobile, email, paid media). As a result, OneSpot increases content consumption and inspires action, deeper content-driven relationships are built, visitors to a brand's content increase, they spend more time with and consume more content per visit, and the number of times they engage goes up. With OneSpot, for individualization, no rules or tagging are needed to serve highly personalized content across digital channels. For more information on OneSpot Strategic Services visit onespot.com/Services. About OneSpot OneSpot is the leading technology platform for personalizing content marketing across digital channels. OneSpot's machine learning based Content Sequencing engine and strategic consulting helps the world's best brands significantly improve engagement through individualization -- creating individualized, highly relevant experiences across website, email and paid digital media. OneSpot's customers including Nestle, IBM, Whole Foods Market, L'Oreal and Delta Faucet now develop best-in-class content strategies, build strong content-based relationships, provide measurable audience and content insights, and drive quantifiable business results. Privately funded and based in Austin, Texas, OneSpot is a Forbes Top 100 Brand Publishing Solution, a three-time AlwaysOn Global 250 Winner and a three-time EContent 100 Winner. For more information visit www.onespot.com. Media Contact: Allyne Mills Finn Partners for OneSpot 646 202 9775 [email protected] View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/onespot-appoints-david-brown-chief-strategy-officer-and-launches-strategic-services-business-for-content-marketers-300519584.html SOURCE OneSpot [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Launching Today In San Francisco: The Good2Go App Grants Access to State of the Art Restrooms Located at Retailers in Major Cities SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Good2Go, a secure access and queue management technology company, announced today the launch of the first app that locates and grants access to modern, safe, hi-tech restrooms at retail partners. Now available for iOS on the App Store, with Android coming soon, Good2Go is offering a free trial subscription for a limited time. Good2Go restrooms can be found throughout San Francisco at several Peet's Coffee locations, Sextant Coffee Roasters, The Creamery, Rigolo Cafe and will soon be available at Stanza Coffee, Church Street Cafe, Cafe La Boheme, Fifty-Fifty Cafe and others. Watch a video of how Good2Go works and download the app to see the map of locations. Good2Go locations, currently in San Francisco (and in New York in 2018), are all-gender and have a baby-changing station. "At Good2Go, we believe that technology can serve people's everyday needs," says Fran Heller, Founder and CEO of Good2Go. "What could be a more everyday need than finding and accessing a restroom, yet the consumer is left without a reliable or safe solution, until now." Navigating an urban environment often presents this challenge. With the Good2Go app, consumers can find a location, join a virtual queue and unlock the restroom door all through their smartphones. It's a smart solution for all consumers --especially travelers, parents and the on-demand work force. Retailers, coffee shops, and cafes often have customer restrooms but have recurring challenges authorizing access and managing lines. Good2Go delivers trnkey, hi-tech, restroom renovations with minimal operational disruption. Staff can now optimize their customer's experience while dramatically improving productivity and streamlining operations through automated restroom access and virtual queue management. "Using Good2Go's novel technology and an innovative business model, we're addressing the needs of the consumer while simultaneously creating a new opportunity for retailers," said Heller. "We're partnering with retailers to convert their restrooms to a smart system that instantly improves the customer experience. Our subscription and revenue share model also enables our partners to donate their share to our local non-profit partner, Lava Mae, and many have." The Good2Go subscription model increases foot traffic and generates new revenue on an existing retail footprint. "Good2Go is helping to change how retailers manage underutilized assets while providing a much improved experience to patrons and travelers alike," says John Elstrott, Former Chairman of Whole Foods Market and an investor and Director at Good2Go. "Their business model is highly attractive, scalable and offers retailers a digital platform to acquire new customers, drive new revenue and to optimize store-front operations. I am proud to be an investor in this highly innovative approach to an everyday challenge. Good2Go is a win, win, win for the business, the consumer and the community; I believe it's just a matter of time before every major city is a Good2Go city." Pricing and availability Good2Go is available for download on the App Store beginning today, with Andoid currently in beta with its release expected by the end of October (follow us to stay informed on its launch!). Subscriptions are free for a limited time and then will be available by the day, week or month. Retailers interested in a Good2Go partnership can call (415) 650-0003 or email [email protected]. For media inquiries please contact Kim Angell at (415) 471-7272 or [email protected]. About Good2Go Good2Go is a secure access and queue management technology company that transforms the way people interact with buildings and spaces (e.g., office lobbies, restrooms, parking structures). Our Company has created the first app that enables people to use their smart-phones to locate state of the art restrooms in an urban environment. They are modern, hi-tech restrooms and located at retailers throughout major cities and currently available in San Francisco. The Good2Go subscription model affords consumers convenient access to digitally enabled and redesigned restrooms while generating new foot traffic and adding revenue on an existing retail footprint. The Company is led by an experienced Executive Team and Board of Directors with representation from the technology, consumer, and design/build sectors including Whole Foods, Dunkin' Brands, and Google. For more details see the company website at www.good2go.global. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/launching-today-in-san-francisco-the-good2go-app-grants-access-to-state-of-the-art-restrooms-located-at-retailers-in-major-cities-300519427.html SOURCE Good2Go [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] ConversionPoint Technologies Makes e-Commerce Marketing Smarter with Machine Learning - Releases "Cruise Control" Update IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ConversionPoint Technologies, Inc., a leading e-Commerce customer acquisition platform, has released Cruise Control, a machine learning update to the companys media optimization module, DriveBy, which intelligently automates its key functions. The addition of machine learning to the ConversionPoint platform allows e-Commerce marketers to deploy infinitely more combinations of media buys and landing pages, resulting in real-time analysis of a companys entire media buy environment and an increase in ROI. Cruise Control enables the media optimization module to continually learn from its results. It matches media buy information with landing page information, analyzes the results at the point of conversion, and then automates the best combinations for optimal cost-per-acquisition (CPA). Our goal is to make the conversion process as simple and effective as possible, said Haig Newton, CTO of ConversionPoint Technologies. The Cruise Control update was designed with this in mind, making media optimization more effective at lowering CPA. We recognize it is crucial that technology adapts to the way consumers interact with media, which can often be unpredictable, continued Newton. The best e-Commerce solution must be flexible and trainable, with algorithms that can rapidly analyze and predict results from all possible combinations. As more new media channels come online, traditional methods of media optimization simply become too difficult or even impossible for humans to perform in high volume. DriveBy with Cruise Control makes it possible in an easy and highly-effective way. Robert Tallack, CEO of ConversionPoint Technologies, commented: e-Commerce marketers are challenged with the increase in variety of media channels. That means we must use increasingly sophisticated advertising and conversion tactics to track online users across the omnichannel experience, and communicate with them using a coordinated, intelligent approach. Our Cruis Control update adds that secret sauce to drive down CPA and increase conversions at an accelerated rate. About ConversionPoint Technologies ConversionPoint Technologies, Inc. changes how companies connect to the buyer journey from first click to conversion to customer. The companys e-Commerce customer acquisition platform drives conversions through media optimization, CRM, and robust post-purchase modules that automate product delivery and remarketing. The result is a powerful SaaS enabling e-Commerce customer acquisition for brands and companies which lowers customer cost-per-acquisition (CPA) and boosts lifetime value (LTV). Connect on Twitter, LinkedIn or ConversionPoint.com. Important Cautions Regarding Forward Looking Statements Except for historical information contained herein, this press release contains forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management of ConversionPoint Technologies, Inc. (ConversionPoint or the Company) with respect to potential future events. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to comments regarding: the Company's relationships with its customers; management's expectations with respect to future services to be offered by the Company; management's current growth projections including the Company's annual revenue and gross profit run rates, expansion of operations including through acquisitions; the value and timing of future projects with existing or new customers or products; perceived benefits of becoming a public company and the timing for an initial public offering; and management's expectations regarding the Company's interim financing requirements and the proposed use of proceeds for such bridge financing; the Companys plans to become a leading e-Commerce company; plan to establish relationships with customers, partners, and/or agents which will enhance scalability, and sales and work efforts; the Companys strategic growth plan for coming years, including accelerating the growth of its business; the Companys predictions of its growth potential of its services and workforce. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of such risks and uncertainties. Company Contact: Amy Chilla [email protected] Tel 949-573-7830 Investor Relations: Ron Both or Geoffrey Plank CMA Tel 949-432-7566 [email protected] Web: www.conversionpoint.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Cobalt Announces Appointment of Michael J. Mahoney as CTO for its Riviera Maya Broadband Project CHICAGO, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cobalt Holdings, Inc., a Managed Services Broadband Network operator providing fiber-optic Carrier Ethernet, wireless and Wi-Fi services to the hospitality industry and mobile network operators in Mexicos Riviera Maya, today announced the appointment of Michael J. Mahoney as its Chief Technology Officer. Michael J. Mahoney - Chief Technology Officer A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6f42d522-8977-40a8-a476-971ca4afe3e5 Mr. Mahoney has a history of successful leadership in start-up and entrepreneurial comanies. He has deep experience in cross-border networks, telecommunications, and IT systems, having served as EVP Operations and Technology, President, and CEO of international carrier Viatel. While at Viatel he supervised the design and construction of the 8,700-km Circe fiber-optic network, delivered on time and under budget (US$1.6 billion). I am very excited to help build Cobalts Carrier Ethernet network in a region that has limited broadband connectivity, Mahoney said. In particular, we are providing guaranteed bandwidth to the areas more than 500 hotels and resorts with more than 200,000 rooms, as well as offering fronthaul and backhaul connectivity to mobile network operators. We are the only provider that will design, build, maintain and, most importantly, finance a state-of-the-art high-speed Internet access service for hotels and resorts in exchange for a small per-room per-day charge. Mahoney was responsible for Viatels transformation from a US$73 million revenue telecom reseller to a US$750 million revenue trans-Atlantic pan-European facility-based carrier. Expanded service offerings included high speed Internet access, managed bandwidth, off-site data storage hosting, VPNs and highly secure point-to-point Ethernet networks. I have worked with Mike at Viatel. He has deep technical acumen, with broad expertise in operations, finance and business development, He has proven ability to quickly analyze key business drivers and develop strategies to grow revenue and margins, said Larry Malone, President of Cobalt. Our objective is to bring world-class Managed Broadband Services to the Riviera Maya region, including completing a dedicated fiber-optic network, with international connectivity to the rest of the world. About Cobalt Holdings Cobalt Holdings, Inc. is a privately held broadband development Company, with headquarters in Lake Bluff, Illinois. Through its Mexico operating subsidiary, Cobalt Broadband Services S.A. DE C.V., the Company provides fiber-optic network, wireless and commercial-grade Wi-Fi services to the hospitality industry and mobile network operators in Mexicos Riviera Maya. Company management has more than 150 years of combined telecommunications experience in emerging markets around the world. For more information, go to: www.cobaltholdings.net. Contact: Phil Allen Cobalt Holdings, Inc. 101 Waukegan Rd., Suite 600 Lake Bluff, IL 60044 303.898.0625 [email protected] www.cobaltholdings.net [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Skyport Systems Named a 2018 TAG Cyber Distinguished Vendor Skyport Systems, a leading secure hyperconverged infrastructure provider for the hybrid enterprise is proud to announce its designation as a Distinguished Vendor and inclusion in the 2018 TAG Cyber Security Annual - a free handbook and reference guide for enterprise cybersecurity professionals. Skyport was recognized for its unique take on controlling application security policies using zero-trust secure computing infrastructure. Skyport's cloud managed, on-premise solution provides IT organizations more control and flexibility, while saving time and resources with streamlined and automated operations. "The team at Skyport Systems is really pushing the envelope on creating ways to secure a system by directly embedding into the hardware," said Dr. Edward Amoroso, CEO of TAG Cyber and author of the report. "The more ways an enterprise has to secure their data and infrastructure, the more advantageous a position they'll be in going forward facing more and more technological threats." Dr. Amoroso hand selected leaders, including Skyport, to offer insights and assist enterprise security teams as they modernize their cyber risk program via the following three steps: Exploding the flat perimeter enterprise into distributed workloads; Offloading the resultant applications and networks onto cloud-based, software-defined infrastructure; and then Reloading protections using the best available cyber security technologies. Each year, TAG Cyber publishes a three-volume report to the community for download at no cost. The report is available at https://www.tag-cyber.com/. Volume 2 of the report also includes an informative interview with Skyport Systems CTO, Michael Beesley on why both hardware and software must be securely integrated to support optimal protections for application hosting. About Skyport Systems Skyport Systems helps innovative companies gain the control and confidence to securely run their critical applications. The company offers the award-winning SkySecure, the industry's first hyperconverged system that simplifies the deployment, management and security of today's complex data center. With security built-in from the ground up, SkySecure offers assurance protection of an on-premises solution with the flexibility and agility of a fully managed cloud-based infrastructure. By combining compute, virtualization, networking and storage onto a single platform, IT departments can streamline and automate their daily operations and maintenance that saves time and resources, without sacrificing security or performance. Headquartered in Mountain View, Calif. Skyport is funded by Cisco Ventures, Index Ventures, Intel (News - Alert) Capital, Google Ventures, and Sutter Hill Ventures. For more information, visit www.skyportsystems.com Skyport and SkySecure are registered trademark of Skyport Systems, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914005488/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Dejero Ranks on PROFIT 500 Fastest-Growing Companies List Canadian Business unveils 29th annual list of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies WATERLOO, ON, Sept. 14, 2017 /CNW/ - Dejero, an innovator in blending IP networks for video transport and Internet connectivity while mobile or in remote locations, today announced that Canadian Business and PROFIT has ranked them No. 53 on the 29th annual PROFIT 500, the definitive ranking of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies. Published in the October issue of Maclean's magazine and at CanadianBusiness.com, the PROFIT 500 ranks Canadian businesses by their five-year revenue growth. Dejero made the 2017 PROFIT 500 list with five-year revenue growth of 1,356%. "It is never easy to earn a spot on the PROFIT 500, but this year's applicant pool was the most competitive yet," says Deborah Aarts, PROFIT 500 program manager. "This year's winners demonstrate the resilience, innovation and sheer management smarts it takes to build a thriving business today. Canadaand the worldneeds more entrepreneurial success stories like these." "It is an honor to be named in the 2017 PROFIT 500 rankings," said Dejero CEO, Bruce Anderson. "It's a testament to our fantastic team and the dedication e have to our customers around the world. To maintain our leading position in blending IP networks to create enough bandwidth to transport broadcast-quality content from remote locations, we spend a lot of time talking to our customers. We will continue to listen and adapt our solutions to meet their evolving video transport and mobile connectivity needs to simplify and expand their remote production workflows." Dejero's most recent technology solution, Dejero CellSat, was introduced last month with Intelsat (NYSE; I), a world leader in providing integrated satellite communications. The collaboration provides broadcasters with a new blended cellular and Ku-band IP satellite solution for live television coverage. It provides broadcasters and media organizations with the required bandwidth and greater confidence to go live from remote locations when covering breaking news and live events. About the PROFIT 500 For 29 years, the PROFIT 500 has been Canada's most respectable and influential ranking of entrepreneurial achievement. Developed by PROFIT and now published in Maclean's magazine and at CanadianBusiness.com, the PROFIT 500 ranks Canadian companies on five-year revenue growth. For more information on the ranking visit PROFIT500.com or CanadianBusiness.com. About Canadian Business Founded in 1928, Canadian Business is the longest-serving and most-trusted business publication in the country. It is the country's premier media brand for executives and senior business leaders. It fuels the success of Canada's business elite with a focus on the things that matter most: leadership, innovation, business strategy and management tactics. Learn more at CanadianBusiness.com. About Dejero Driven by its vision of reliable connectivity anywhere, Dejero blends multiple Internet connections to deliver fast and dependable connectivity required for cloud computing, online collaboration, and the secure exchange of video and data. With its global partners, Dejero supplies the equipment, software, connectivity services, cloud services, and support to provide the uptime and bandwidth critical to the success of today's organizations. Headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Dejero is trusted for broadcast-quality video transport and high-bandwidth Internet connectivity around the world. For more information, visit www.dejero.com. All trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners. SOURCE Dejero [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Patna district magistrate today ordered the shutdown of two private schools after they failed to install CCTV cameras in their premises after repeated reminders. By Rohit Kumar Singh: The gruesome murder of seven-year-old Pradyuman Thakur at Ryan International School in Gurgaon last week has now led to massive crackdown on private schools in Patna with the district magistrate today ordering the shutdown of two schools. DAV Public School and Gyan Deep Vidyalaya will be closed indefinitely untill further notice as they failed to install CCTV cameras despite several reminders from the local administration. advertisement Soon after the Pradhyuman incident, Patna DM, Sanjay Agarwal had convened a meeting with the authorities of all private schools and had directed them to take all necessary measures for the safety of children. However, despite strict directions from the DM, these two schools remained defiant and refused to fall in line. Today, when Agarwal convened another round of meeting with private schools, he found that only 60 per cent of the schools were complying with the guidelines for safety of students. Despite directions given in the last meeting, DAV Public School in Inderpuri and Gyan Deep Vidyalaya in Phulwari Sharif have not installed CCTV cameras yet. This defiant attitude of the two schools angered the Patna DM so much that he ordered that these be closed with immediate effect. "Many schools have submitted self declaration claiming that they have taken steps for safety and security of children but two schools despite repeated reminders failed to install CCTV cameras. Other safety norms were also not being adhered to and therefore we have decided to close both these schools. Once these schools fulfill the safety norms, these schools will be re-opened", said Sanjay Agarwal, Patna DM. "More than 300 students study in DAV Public School but still this school has not installed CCTV cameras", complained a local. --- ENDS --- [September 14, 2017] Goodyear Advances Connected-Business Model with Automated Tire Facility COLMAR-BERG, Luxembourg, September 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- -- Growth in Vehicle Models, Options Drives Increasing Demand for Premium Tires -- Innovative Mercury Production Process Allows On-Demand Fulfillment of Customer Orders -- New Luxembourg Facility to Begin Production in 2019 Advancing its connected-business model, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company today announced plans to create a new facility in Luxembourg that utilizes an innovative production process to meet growing customer and consumer demand for premium tires. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/554360/Goodyear.jpg ) Named Mercury, the proprietary process features highly-automated, interconnected workstations, using additive manufacturing technologies to efficiently produce premium tires in small-batch quantities on-demand for replacement and original equipment customers. Goodyear Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President span >Richard J. Kramer announced Mercury and the company's plans at the groundbreaking event for the facility here. "Mercury addresses the increasing complexity in the tire industry as the number of vehicle models and options available to consumers continues to proliferate," said Kramer. "It gives us the capability to increase our speed and flexibility to meet the growing demand for small volumes of high-margin, premium Goodyear tires and to deliver them to customers on demand, faster than ever." "Mercury will advance our connected business model, which aligns all of our assets - from the production floor to consumers who choose Goodyear online and at retail," he added. "It will complement our existing high-volume facilities and give us a true competitive advantage." The new facility, set to open in 2019, is in close proximity to Goodyear's Luxembourg innovation center and a tire proving grounds. The company is investing $77 million in the facility, which will produce approximately 500,000 tires annually and create approximately 70 new, full-time positions. The technology used in the Mercury production process was developed and tested over the past five years at Goodyear's innovation and development centers. The name Mercury is a reference to the mythical god of trade and travel, which inspired the creation of Goodyear's winged foot logo by company founder Frank A. Seiberling. About Goodyear Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 65,000 people and manufactures its products in 47 facilities in 21 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to http://www.goodyear.com/corporate . Contact Information Malachy Tuohy Corporate Communications Manager EMEA Goodyear Dunlop Tires Operations S.A. Telephone: +32-2-711-51-14 eMail: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Power Drop Assists Victims of Hurricane Irma in the Virgin Islands CORONA, Calif., Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Power Drop, in coordination with The-Venders, joined the worldwide effort to assist Hurricane Irma victims. On Friday September 8th, Power Drop was contacted by the St. John hurricane relief team who explained the tremendous humanitarian situation caused by Irma. The residents were without power and needed the ability to charge cell phones and contact relief organizations as well as family. The Power Drop team responded immediately and within hours, a package of over 1000 portable phone chargers were on the way to an airport in Philadelphia and then transported via a C-17 cargo plane to the US Virgin Islands. The moment the Power Drop single-use chargers arrived, victims had the opportunity to power their phones and devices and make important phone calls. "After hearing the dire situation from the people on the ground on the island of St. Johns, we made the decision to get as many chargers as we could on a plane and into the hands of the people who truly need it, said Joe Menichiello, Managing Director of Power Drop. He concluded that, "In most cases, our chargers are sold to people who use them at their convenience. However, Hurricane Irma has created a need like no other and we were more than happy to accommodate." The-Venders who develop technology-enabled vending machines and customized, affordable, space efficient automated retailing systems stood side by side with the Power Drop team. Bryan Ross, President of The-Venders commented, "We did and will continue to do whatever we can to help with this humanitarian effort." Irma's destruction has left millions without power. Fortunately, on the U.S. mainland, citizens will have power restored in weeks if not days. However, the Virgin Islands will have to wait much longer. It has been said that it may take up to 6 months to restore power and years to completely rebuild. CNN's Eliza Mackintosh and Donnie O'Sullivan wrote a great piece on the Caribbean Island victims of Irma http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/11/americas/caribbean-reacts-hurricane-irma/index.html. If you would like to assist with the ongoing effort to rebuild the Virgin Islands please visit https://www.youcaring.com/21usvirginislandrelieffund-942738 where you can make a donation of your choice. Media Contact: 888-600-0709 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/power-drop-assists-victims-of-hurricane-irma-in-the-virgin-islands-300519643.html SOURCE The-Venders [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Jane Engelberg Memorial Fellowship Permanently Endowed On the 25th anniversary of the Jane Engelberg Memorial Fellowship (JEMF), The Engelberg Foundation has given the Genetic Counseling Foundation (GCF), the charitable affiliate of the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) a $1.5 million gift to permanently endow the award and ensure the ongoing support of genetic counseling research. "Since it was established in 1991, the JEMF has provided more than 30 genetic counselors the ability to pursue research and projects that have contributed to significant advancement of the genetic counseling profession," said Mary Freivogel, MS, CGC, president of NSGC. "We are eternally grateful to Alfred Engelberg for creating the fellowship in honor of his late wife, a passionate pioneer of genetic counseling." The JEMF was established as a tribute to Jane Engelberg, who graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1973 with a master's degree in human genetics. During her 15-year career as a genetic counselor in New York City, Jane developed expertise in counseling patients on issues related to hemophilia and prenatal diagnosis. She worked tirelessly until her death in 1988, despite being under treatment for advanced Hodgkin's disease beginning in 1969. Previously funded yearly through the Engelberg Foundation, the JEMF now has an established mechanism for permanent funding under GCF because of the $1.5 million gift. "Jae's work gave her the motivation to embrace life each day while living with the physical and emotional consequences of a terminal illness," said Alfred Engelberg, the founder of The Engelberg Foundation. "She would be so proud to have her name permanently linked to the highest levels of achievement in the profession she loved." The purpose of the JEMF is to encourage and fund initiatives by board-certified genetic counselors who are members in good standing of the NSGC and by genetic counseling students enrolled in accredited genetic counseling training programs. The yearly award is intended to enable one or more genetic counselors to pursue research, writing or exploration of new interests that carry the prospect of significant impact on the genetic counseling profession. Each year an award of $70,000 is provided for a two-year project. To date, more than two dozen projects have been awarded to more than 30 genetic counselors or students on a variety of topics including: increasing access to genetic counseling through telemedicine; exploring the use of patient videos to explain Whole Exome Sequencing (WES); understanding the needs of parents who receive a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome; and outcomes of patients being counseled about BRCA mutations by genetic counselors compared to non-genetics healthcare providers. About the National Society of Genetic Counselors NSGC is the leading voice, authority and advocate for the genetic counseling profession, representing more than 3,600 health care professionals. The organization is committed to ensuring that the public has access to genetic services. For more information, visit www.nsgc.org. About the Genetic Counseling Foundation GCF serves as the catalyst for the integration of genomic information and genetic counseling services into healthcare through philanthropic support of education, research, and public policy. A 501(c) 3 tax-exempt organization, GCF works closely with NSGC to be the leading voice, authority and advocate for the genetic counseling profession. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914005701/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Video Ad Personalization Firm, Clinch, Secures $3MM in Series A NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Clinch, a creative technology company that powers dynamic, personalized video advertising, announced today the completion of a $3 million Series A financing. The round was led by a select group of strategic, private investors, including lead investor Richard Gati, head of BXR Partners' Singapore office. The funds will be used to expand the Company's U.S. presence and enable it to significantly increase its sales and product development efforts. Concurrently, Boaz Cohen was named Chief Product Officer and Head of Business Development. In addition, Clinch will expand its personalized digital video advertising offering for Facebook and YouTube. "Video is the future of digital marketing and our technology is what the industry needs right now. Advertisers can make their video ad units more powerful elevating them from brand awareness to direct response by integrating technology that delivers the most relevant message to their audience and then tells them exactly where to purchase the product or service being offered," said Oz Etzioni, CEO, Clinch. "With all of the data available, there is no excuse for marketers not to dedicate the same level of resources and personalization to video ads that they bring to static ads; and in essence this is what Clinch does." Clinch creates unlimited versions of high-quality, dynamc videos and increases ROI by delivering these personalized creative ads to the right audience at the right time regardless of the platform or device (web, mobile, in-app, social media and Connected TV). The company's scalable, automated creative technology which does not require technical integration enables brands to customize their message based on first- and third-party data streams such as location, user profile, interests and time of day. Etzioni continued, "We are pleased to have Boaz join the team. Boaz brings to bear tremendous knowledge and industry relationships that will help fuel Clinch's growth." In his role as Chief Product Officer and Head of Business Development, Cohen will leverage his nearly 20 years of experience to support Clinch's business and sales goals. "Clinch is the only company that takes the complexity and time out of executing personalized videos, without asking the client to replace their existing DSP or media-buying platform," said Boaz Cohen. "Seeing the success of brands using Facebook to drive sales with static ads, I am very excited to bring Clinch's video ad personalization at scale into the Facebook platform. I look forward to working with the team to build and grow Clinch into the leading provider of dynamic, personalized video advertising on Facebook and Instagram." Prior to joining Clinch, Cohen served as Senior Vice President of Business Development and General Manager of Advanced TV at Eyeview. He also served as Vice President of Product Management at TiVo, Noise and AnyClip and held senior positions with Rosetta, Amazon and Hot Telecom. Cohen earned his undergraduate degree from Technion Israel Institute of Technology and an MBA degree from both Tel-Aviv University and Kellogg School of Management (Northwestern University). About Clinch: Clinch is a personalized creative technology platform for programmatic and social media video and display ads. Clinch's platform combines brand, product and consumer data with dynamic creative messaging to generate unlimited personalized versions of advertisements. Clinch provides brands and agencies with the ability to target consumers across all platforms and devices including web, mobile, in-app, social media platforms and Connected TV. Clinch works across all DSPs and does not require technical integration. For more information visit www.clinch.co. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/video-ad-personalization-firm-clinch-secures-3mm-in-series-a-300519743.html SOURCE Clinch [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] KBRA Assigns a BBB Senior Unsecured Rating Senior Unsecured Notes Offering by Park Aerospace Holdings Limited Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA) has assigned a senior unsecured rating of BBB with a Stable Outlook to the senior unsecured notes offering launched by Park Aerospace Holdings Limited ("Park Aerospace" or "the Issuer") today. Park Aerospace is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avolon Holdings Limited ("Avolon" or "the Company"), an aircraft leasing company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. The notes will have an unsecured guarantee from Avolon. KBRA assigned an issuer rating of BBB+ and a senior unsecured debt rating of BBB on September 5, 2017. The notes will have an unsecured guarantee from Avolon and Avolon's aircraft owning subsidiaries CIT Aerospace LLC, CIT Group Finance (Ireland), CIT Aviation Finance III Ltd. and CIT Aerospace International (collectively, the "Guarantors"). The notes rank equally in right of payment with each other and with any existing and future senior indebtedness of the Issuer and each Guarantor. The notes rank senior to any existing and future subordinated indebtedness of the Issuer and each Guarantor and subordinated to all existing and future secured indebtedness of the Issuer and each Guarantor. The notes rank structurally subordinated to all indebtedness and other liabilities of Avolon's subsidiaries that are not Guarantors (other than the Issuer). Avolon intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the notes for general corporate purposes, which could include the purchase of commercial aircraft and the repayment of existing indebtedness. KBRA's rating report for Avolon is available here. The ratings are based on KBRA's Finance Company Rating Methodology, published April 1, 2013. Related Publications: (available at www.kbra.com) 2017 Update Aircraft Leasing Industry CONNECT WITH KBRA Twitter LinkedIn Download the iOS App YouTube About Kroll Bond Rating Agency KBRA is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (NRSRO). In addition, KBRA is recognized by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) as a Credit Rating Provider (CRP). View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914005887/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Wazee Digital to Support Denver Startup Week DENVER, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wazee Digital, a leading provider of cloud-based video management and licensing services, today announced its participation in Denver Startup Week, Sept. 25-29 in downtown Denver. The largest free entrepreneurial event of its kind in North America, the annual Denver Startup Week brings together entrepreneurs, company founders, developers, designers, and others for a week of networking, learning, pitching, and more. Wazee Digital will lend expert speakers and sponsorship to the event. Wazee Digital CEO Harris Morris will lead a discussion titled Is Denver the New Tech Frontier? with a group of exceptional Denver-based top thinkers, which will take place Sept. 27 at 4 p.m. at Basecamp, located in the heart of downtown at The Commons on Champa. During the 90-minute session, one of more than 300 sessions to be presented at Denver Startup Week, attendees will hear several of Denvers most experienced technology professionals and top luminaries from other fields discussing the prospect of Denver becoming the next major tech frontier. Will it really come to pass? Is it even possible? Why should we care? Do we want it to happen, and if so, what can we do now to increase the odds? What must we do to avoid becoming an also-ran? The participants will take stock of the Denver-Boulder-DTC-Springs regions assets and liabilities the things that make it likely for the worlds great technologies to originate from the region, and the things that might cut off growth at the knees. Panelists will also discuss why or if making Denver a technology frontier is worth pursuing: that is, how fostering an inclusive, engaged, vibrant tech community can enhance the chances of success, growth, fun, and wealth for the entire region. Denver is an established and growing technology community with evidence of the makings of a truly great technology hub possibly. We are right on the cusp, but if we are going to get there, we need a strategy that ensures we become exactly what we want to be from a technology, capital, infrastructure, educational, development, and even cultural standpoint, Morris said. There are plenty of smart, visionary people who have been working on just that so we can maintain control over our own destiny. What better venue to talk about the progress and spark a thought-provoking conversation about our future than Denver Startup Week? The event draws bright thinkers, energetic, curious entrepreneurial folks from Denver and beyond, and Im looking forward to joining them to share our collective insights. Wazee Digital is a Partner Sponsor of Denver Startup Week, which is free for all who attend, but attendees must register at denverstartupweek.org. In the spirit of community involvement, professional development, and entrepreneurialism, Wazee Digital employees will also be attending sessions, as well as volunteering their time throughout the week to further support the event. The company will also be a host for the Denver Startup Crawl, Tuesday, Sept. 26, from 4 to 7 p.m. More information about Wazee Digtals products and services is available at www.wazeedigital.com. More information about Denver Startup Week is available at the following links: Main website: https://www.denverstartupweek.org/ The New Tech Frontier Session: https://www.denverstartupweek.org/schedule/3813-is-denver-the-new-tech-frontier Registration: https://www.denverstartupweek.org/schedule/monday About Denver Startup Week: Denver Startup Week, founded in 2012, is a celebration of everything entrepreneurial in Denver. The weeklong event is intended to unite the entrepreneurial community in Denver and celebrate the great companies, innovation and ideas happening in the city and the people and inspiration behind them. The core programming is centered on the entrepreneurial community with an emphasis in technology, design, social entrepreneurship, manufacturing and business. Events throughout the week are organized by both the Denver Startup Week Organizing Committee and the community at-large and include sessions, presentations, panels, workshops, happy hours, social events, job fairs and more. Denver Startup Week Title Sponsors are Aging 2.0, Chase for Business, Comcast, Downtown Denver Partnership and WeWork. For more information, visit www.DenverStartupWeek.org. About Wazee Digital Wazee Digital enables rights holders to monetize and enrich their valuable content. Wazee Digitals scalable solutions provide complete control over content so that assets reach their rightful audiences around the globe. It is the only asset management solution built from the ground up to run natively in the cloud, and the only one to make live moments available immediately for global publishing, syndication, advertising, and sponsorship. With more than 10 years of experience in digital content licensing, rights, and clearances, Wazee Digital has long-standing relationships with significant rights holders in the film, TV, sports, and advertising industries all of whom rely on Wazee Digital for managing content that fuels their business. Product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. Link to Word Doc: www.wallstcom.com/WazeeDigital/170914WazeeDigital.docx Photo Link: www.wallstcom.com/WazeeDigital/Wazee_Digital-Denver_Startup.png Photo Caption: Wazee Digital is a Partner Sponsor of Denver Startup Week Agency Contact:Follow Wazee Digital: https://www.facebook.com/WazeeDigital https://www.instagram.com/wazeedigital/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wazeedigital https://twitter.com/wazee_digital http://www.youtube.com/c/WazeeDigital Agency Contact: Sunny Branson Wall Street Communications Tel: +1 801 582-0581 Email: [email protected] Web: www.wallstcom.com Wazee Digital Contact: Ashley Bailey Marketing Manager Tel: +1 720 382-2849 Email: [email protected] Web: www.wazeedigital.com [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] GCL-SI Showcases Industry-leading Black Silicon and PERC Solar Cells at SPI 2017 LAS VEGAS, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- GCL System Integration Technology Co. Ltd (GCL-SI), a subsidiary of the world's leading energy group, GCL, exhibited their collection of solar products that adopts its latest black silicon and PERC technologies at Solar Power International (SPI) 2017 in Las Vegas, which is the premier annual solar power industry event in North America. GCL-SI has been developing solar modules that utilize new technologies, specifically black silicon, PERC and diamond wiring. At SPI, the company showcased its latest products, including the Black Silicon 5 Busbar (5BB), Multi-Busbar (MBB) and Double-glass modules. The solar modules with these new technologies are all in a 72-cell format in each configuration. "Attending SPI gives us more opportunities to introduce ourselves to local companies and make them aware of GCL's products and technologies. We want them to become familiar with GCL strengths, nmely integrated solar energy solutions for home rooftop projects as well as utility power plants," commented Mr. Dong Shuguang, Executive President of GCL-SI. Mr. Dong described GCL-SI's unique business approach during an interview with PV Magazine at SPI. He explains, "To differentiate from other solar energy companies, GCL-SI is able to provide high performance modules at a competitive price to the U.S. market due to the great advantage from integrated industrial chain of the GCL group. GCL-SI also offers design, product, service, finance, and operations as a whole." He further described that after their opening of a factory in Vietnam, the company is now able to provide 600 MW high-efficiency PERC modules to meet the requirements of the American market. GCL-SI's black silicon and PERC solar modules are based on multi-crystalline silicon. Dong adds that GCL-SI will maintain its focus on developing modules using multi-crystalline silicon, while continually researching more innovative ways to integrate black silicon, PERC and diamond wiring. The results will lead to lower costs and increase the efficiency of solar modules. If people are able to harness the full potential of the multi-crystalline material, that would ultimately contribute to broader adoption of solar energy by lowering the LCOE. In addition to SPI, GCL-SI also attended Green Expo Mexico from September 5th - 7th where they introduced two of its PERC solar cells. This demonstrates the company's commitment to exploring American markets and to delivering green energy to residents all over the globe. About GCL-SI GCL System Integration Technology Co., Ltd. (002506 Shenzhen Stock Exchange) (GCL-SI), is part of the GOLDEN CONCORD Group (GCL). GCL-SI delivers one-stop, cutting-edge, integrated energy systems and is committed to becoming the world's leading solar energy company. View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gcl-si-showcases-industry-leading-black-silicon-and-perc-solar-cells-at-spi-2017-300519550.html SOURCE GCL System [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Ahalogy Launches Campaign Builder for Muse Category Trend Software CINCINNATI, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ahalogy, a leading influencer marketing and technology company, has released Campaign Builder for Musethe companys industry-leading category trend software. Campaign Builder is an in-app tool where users can save seasonal topics and trend data to make it easier for teams to plan on-trend advertising and promotions. Ahalogy Muse was born out of the companys years of work in helping marketers use data to optimize social media campaigns. Ahalogy found that while most marketers use social listening software to monitor what people say about their brands, it is very difficult to see category-level trends with these solutions. Ahalogy Muse was created with long-term campaign planning in mind. Campaign Builder is one more way Ahalogy hopes to innovate the influencer marketing industry with data. The software is the first to tap into influencer performance datagathered from original content and across billions of subsequent social media poststo measure the success of these trends, making it easy for marketers to keep a pulse on their category and predict when certain topics will be most popular. For example, Halloween starts trending in August, the topic millennial pink was one of the summers highest engaged-with topics in home decor, nd some of the hottest new foods are jackfruit (a meat substitute) and sweet potato toast. Campaign Builder is a way to capitalize on those trends by planning ahead. A seasonal trend line displays how each chosen topic performs throughout the year to ensure the campaign will succeed during a specific time period. Users can also explore influencer content to inspire their campaign strategy and discover influencers to work with. Since its March launch, Muse has seen substantial user growth with thousands of users comprised of the industrys leading shopper marketing agencies and the largest brands in the world. The introduction of Campaign Builder is one of many ways Ahalogy is using its proprietary influencer data to drive better long-term decision-making for brands and agencies. Ahalogy provides Muse access at no charge to its clients and their partners. You can request access at http://muse.ahalogy.com, or learn more about Ahalogys data-driven solution to influencer marketing at http://ahalogy.com/Brandables. About Ahalogy Ahalogy is the Passion to Purchase Platform. Brands and agencies tap into Ahalogy to reach new audiences and find new usage occasions based on their target consumers interests. We deliver proven ROI through our category trend data, authentic influencer content, and social optimization technology. Ahalogy is headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, the global capital of brand marketing. Contacts Ahalogy Samantha Miller, 330-209-9820 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Let's Win! Inducted into the PR News Platinum Hall of Fame NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Finn Partners announced that Let's Win, an initiative supported by the Lustgarten Foundation, is being inducted into the PR News Platinum Hall of Fame today at the national trade publication's PR & Agency Elite Awards luncheon. Let's Win and its late founder, Anne Glauber, are being honored for inspiring communications to better serve pancreatic cancer patients, their families and all those touched by the disease. When diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Anne was a Finn Partners managing partner and founder of its CSR/Social Impact Practice. The Agency's CSR/Social Impact and Health Practice are the Let's Win agency of record. "Let's Win was born out of Anne's desire to communicate beyond standard-of-care options to patients who don't have time to wait for new pancreatic cancer treatments to be approved," said Cindy Gavin, founding executive director. "This PR News recognition underscores Anne's enduring contribution to extend and improve people's lives using her PR talents to create an urgent call-to-action." When Glauber was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer in 2014, she discovered there was a void in information on treatments outside of standard care. Her skills, insight and collaboration with her medical oncologist and co-founders led to the creation of Let's Win, a first-of-its-kind crowdsourcing platform mobilizing doctors, researchers and patients to share fast-breaking clinical information on potentially life-saving pancreatic cancer treatments and trials. Let's Win works with organizations such as the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition and Stand Up to Cancer. Its Scientific Advisory Board includes noted scientists and physicians leading trailblazing research on pancreatic cancer. According to PR News, editors select Hall of Fame communications campaigns that will be remembered for years to come because of their originality and unexpectedly lare impact beyond their intended audiences. "We celebrate [Glauber's] choice to live her last years applying PR lessons as she touted the good work Let's Win was doing. It was a winning choice," noted editor Seth Arenstein. Glauber was a leading light of the communications industry, a tireless agent for social change throughout her more than 40-year career almost all dedicated through her years with Finn Partners colleagues. She called upon her communications megaphone for raising awareness and creating societal good, founding major national campaigns that ranged from giving domestic violence victims a voice (No More) to creating the much-needed resource of hope for pancreatic cancer patients. She passed away this past February from pancreatic cancer at the age of 63. "Let's Win is a natural extension of my mother's lifelong drive to make a difference in the world," said Lili Glauber. "We are humbled and proud to see her final, and perhaps most personally important, effort honored by the PR industry." Let's Win is the first client of Finn Partners' new specialty group "Health and Social Impact" formed to develop regional, national and global corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaigns for the health sector to be recognized with a top industry award. Finn Partners, a global marketing and communications firm, provides support to Let's Win. This work is led by Olivia Goodman, group vice president of the Finn Partners Health Practice. "Communications illuminates the potential paths and treatments available. Anne's professional and personal lives converged with Let's Win and exemplify why she will always be a mentor as we draw upon her achievements to press ahead and save lives," she said. About Finn Partners Founded in 2011 on the core principles of innovation and collaborative partnership, Finn Partners has more than tripled in size in just five and a half years, becoming one of the fastest growing independent public relations agencies in the world. The full-service marketing and communications company's record-setting pace is a result of organic growth and integrating new companies and new people into the Finn Partners world through a common philosophy. With 550 professionals, Finn Partners provides its clients with global access and capabilities in the U.S., Europe and Asia, in addition to PROI Worldwide. Headquartered in New York, Finn Partners' other offices are located in Chicago, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Jerusalem, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Nashville, Paris, Portland, San Francisco, Singapore and Washington D.C. Find us at finnpartners.com and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @finnpartners. About Let's Win Let's Win is a pancreatic cancer online community. The goal of Let's Win is to share science-driven treatment options that go beyond the traditional "standard of care." The site includes an interactive patient and family forum where patients describe their treatment plans; information on promising science; highlights from the latest clinical trials and a comprehensive listing of new trials; and current pancreatic cancer news. The Let's Win Scientific Advisory Board comprises world-renowned scientists and physicians leading cutting-edge research on pancreatic cancer. Let's Win is an initiative supported by the Lustgarten Foundation . About the Lustgarten Foundation The Lustgarten Foundation is America's largest private foundation dedicated to funding pancreatic cancer research. Based in Woodbury, NY, the Foundation supports research to find a cure for pancreatic cancer. Since its inception, the Lustgarten Foundation has directed $132 million to research. For more information, please visit www.lustgarten.org. CONTACT: Renee Martin, 646-307-6334, [email protected] View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lets-win-inducted-into-the-pr-news-platinum-hall-of-fame-300519778.html SOURCE Finn Partners, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) The Supreme Court today agreed to hear on Monday the plea of a man, whose 9-year-old son died last month allegedly under mysterious circumstances in a private school in Ghaziabad, seeking a CBI probe in the case. The plea has been filed amid an ongoing uproar over the death of a 7-year-old boy in the toilet of Ryan International School in Gurgaon who was found with his throat slit on September 8. advertisement The matter relating to the death of class IV student Arman Sehgal at G D Goenka Public School at Indirapuram in Ghaziabad district on August 1 was today mentioned before a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra. The bench, also comprising Justices Amitava Roy and A M Khanwilkar, said the plea would be heard on September 18. Gulshan Sehgal, father of the victim, has claimed in his plea that a probe by CBI or a special investigation team was required for a "thorough and fair investigation" as the school management has already "destroyed" evidence in the case. The plea said some members of the school management, including the chairman, director and principal, have moved the Allahabad High Court seeking quashing of the FIR and the court had granted them interim protection from arrest and directed that no coercive action should be taken against them. It has also sought a stay against the interim orders of the high court issued on August 11 and September 6. "The high court failed to appreciate the fact that the police officials reached the scene of crime almost four hours late and by that time the school authorities had destroyed and tampered with crucial evidence," the petition, filed through advocate Gurmeet Singh, said. It also alleged that the Uttar Pradesh Police had not probed the case properly due to which the school authorities had tampered with the scene of crime and removed all evidence. "The high court failed to appreciate the fact that the expert opinion suggests that the cause of death cannot be from a fall on the corridor and to the contrary, the expert opinion suggests that the injuries caused should be from a fall of atleast 20 feet height," the plea said. It also alleged that CCTV footage of the school was not kept according to the rules and certain videos were deleted from the record. The petitioner said even after 45 days of the incident, he does not know the reason and circumstances under which his son died. He said on August 1, they had received a call from the school that his son had fallen in the corridor and was being taken to a hospital. But when he reached the hospital, they were told that the boy was declared brought dead. advertisement "The respondents deliberately and with criminal intent of mind, wiped away and caused to disappear all evidence pertaining to the occurrence. In this connection, it is submitted that the CCTV cameras were removed and so was the recording of the cameras," the plea alleged. "The post mortem report of the deceased clearly indicates fracture of the base of skull and fracture of the nasal bone," it said, adding that these injuries cannot be possibly caused by a fall in the corridor. PTI ABA MNL SJK RKS ARC --- ENDS --- [September 14, 2017] Runtime Enables LoRaWAN Deployments; Joins LoRa Alliance San Francisco, CA - Mobile World Congress (MWC) Americas, Sept. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Runtime, an IoT cloud platform and open source solution provider, today announced its official membership in the LoRa Alliance, the global association of over 500 companies backing the LoRaWAN standard for low-power, long-range, wide-area networks. Runtime also announced its commercial support for the latest release of Apache Mynewt 1.2, which includes integrated LoRaWAN connectivity, giving developers more connectivity options when deploying both Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and consumer Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The IIoT alone will add $14.2 trillion to the global economy by the year 2030, said Runtime CEO and Co-Founder, James Pace. The critical pieces are coming together to enable very large scale deployments that include the distribution of millions of sensors. LoRaWAN offers a low-cost connectivity choice that enables massive scale deployments; designing connected devices using a foundational open source project such as Apache Mynewt provides IoT companies with a tested open source platform for developing connected sensors. Apache Mynewt is an Apache Software Foundation (ASF) open source project that provides a complete OS for securely managing connected devices that cannot run inux or Android (i.e., MCU-class devices). Apache Mynewt 1.2 includes: A highly efficient implementation of LoRaWAN v1.0.2; The worlds most complete implementation of Bluetooth 5; Bluetooth mesh, including provisioning client, GATT proxy, and foundation models. Open low power wireless standards are critical in driving the deployment of large scale IoT networks. At Runtime, we commercially support an open source Bluetooth stack because we believe in the Bluetooth SIGs 30,000 member ecosystem and their approach to developing interoperable solutions, said Runtime CTO, and Co-Founder, Sterling Hughes. We believe LoRaWAN can have a similar impact in the long range connectivity space, providing inexpensive, ubiquitous backhaul for industrial Bluetooth and Bluetooth Mesh sensor networks. Apache Mynewt is the worlds first software solution that enables simultaneous operation of both Bluetooth Low Energy and LoRaWAN on a single processor. This enables sensor and solution providers to provide local access via Bluetooth LE, or Bluetooth Low Energy Mesh, and long-range connectivity using LoRaWAN. The end-to-end, open solution for developers was tested using the EE-02 and EE-04 open hardware reference boards from Telenor Digital. This open hardware solution leverages the Semtech SX1276 transceiver coupled with a Nordic Semiconductor nRF52, functioning as both a host processor and Bluetooth host+controller. Working with experts at Runtime, organizations can deploy this open hardware, software, and network platform to effectively and efficiently manage the millions of devices implemented around a city, a fleet, a farm, or globally to improve lives, save money, increase revenue, and much more. "With everyone scrambling to make sense of the IoT, development of firmware for small devices is no longer the domain of a small number of specialists. Platforms and toolchains fit for the embedded market are not always a good fit for the new audience of developers experimenting with embedded devices, explained Bjrn Borud, Vice President and Head of Exploratory Engineering at Telenor Digital. We at Exploratory Engineering at Telenor chose to work with Apache Mynewt because we think it is important to support an open source platform that is being developed by people who are, and who understand, developers. We also chose Apache Mynewt because the project has been showing good pace and is rapidly maturing." Telenor Group is one of the worlds major mobile operators, keeping customers connected in 13 markets across Scandinavia, Central Eastern Europe, and Asia. Today, hundreds of thousands of devices are running Apache Mynewt, a modular real-time operating system for MCU-class connected devices that operate for long durations under power, memory, and storage constraints. Enabling a variety of embedded devices, such as sensors, meters, wearables, light bulbs, locks, actuators, and others, Apache Mynewt addresses these constraints in a hardware-agnostic way. This flexibility gives developers the ability to use a variety of microcontrollers (ARM, MIPS, RISC V) and sensors, and choose from many of todays popular IoT communication standards (e.g., Bluetooth 5, BLE 4.2, Wi-Fi, LoRaWAN), without being tied to a single vendor or re-factoring architectures. About Runtime Runtime provides cloud-based management of connected devices and is a complete solutions provider for consumer, medical, commercial, and industrial IoT applications. Free, open source software is essential to all Runtime offerings. Runtime supports Apache Mynewt, an embedded OS optimized for networking and built for remote management. Apache Mynewt provides the components developers expect from a modern general purpose OS, but for constrained devices that are incapable of running either Linux or Android. Please visit Runtimes website, follow us on Twitter @runtime_io and check us out on LinkedIn. ### Runtime PR| Kelly Brieger | 650.704.1748 | [email protected] | www.runtime.io [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Sunovion's Aptiom (eslicarbazepine acetate) Receives FDA Approval for Expanded Indication to Treat Partial-Onset Seizures in Children and Adolescents 4 Years of Age and Older Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Sunovion) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) to expand the indication for its antiepileptic drug (AED) Aptiom (eslicarbazepine acetate) to include treatment of partial-onset seizures (POS) in children and adolescents four to 17 years of age. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006138/en/ APTIOM is also approved in the U.S. for the treatment of POS in adults. APTIOM is a once-daily, immediate release AED that can be taken whole or crushed, with or without food. "Despite being the most common seizure type in patients with epilepsy, there continues to be a critical need for new therapeutic options for partial-onset seizures, especially for children and adolescents," said Steven Wolf, M.D., Director of Pediatric Epilepsy and Associate Professor of Neurology at Mount Sinai Health System. "The unpredictable nature of seizures can be disruptive in the lives of these young people and their families, friends and community. It is important that physicians have additional treatment options that address patient needs." The approval to expand APTIOM's indication to include children four years of age and older is based on FDA guidance that permits the extrapolation of data to support pediatric use. The safety and efficacy of APTIOM as monotherapy and adjunctive therapy for the treatment of POS in adults was established in five multicenter, randomized, controlled clinical trials. Data from three clinical trials conducted by Sunovion's partner BIAL also supported the safety and tolerability of APTIOM for the treatment of POS in pediatric patients. Pharmacokinetic analyses of adult and pediatric data supported the proposed dosing regimen in the pediatric population. "Epilepsy can be a challenging condition to manage. An estimated one in three people living with epilepsy are unable to control their seizures through available treatments," said Antony Loebel, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Sunovion, Head of Global Clinical Development for Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Group. "Treatment decisions must be based on individual needs, and we are pleased to offer APTIOM to people, including children and adolescents, who may need a once-daily treatment option for partial-onset seizures that can be taken whole or crushed, with or without food." "We are pleased that the benefits of treatment with APTIOM for children and adolescents four years of age and older with partial-onset seizures have now been established," said David Frawley, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer at Sunovion. "This approval further emphasizes Sunovion's commitment to people living with epilepsy and to advancing the treatment of partial-onset seizures." Anyone seeking medical information, patient assistance and other information can access Sunovion Answers by calling 1-844-427-8466 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. About Aptiom (eslicarbazepine acetate) APTIOM is a member of the dibenzazepine carboxamide family of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), an established class of medicines. APTIOM is a once-daily, immediate release AED FDA-approved for the treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults, children and adolescents (four years of age and older). The precise mechanism(s) by which eslicarbazepine, the primary active metabolite of APTIOM, exerts anticonvulsant activity is unknown but is thought to involve inhibition of voltage-gated sodium channels. APTIOM can be taken whole or crushed, with or without food. APTIOM is not classified as a controlled substance by the FDA. The initial research and development of eslicarbazepine acetate was performed by BIAL, a privately held Portuguese research-based pharmaceutical company. Sunovion acquired the rights to eslicarbazepine acetate in the United States and Canada markets under an exclusive license from BIAL. APTIOM is approved in Canada for use as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of partial-onset seizures in adults with epilepsy who are not satisfactorily controlled with conventional therapy. BIAL gained approval for eslicarbazepine acetate from the European Medicines Agency in April 2009, as adjunctive therapy in adult patients with partial-onset seizures with or without secondary generalization; in December 2016, as adjunctive treatment for patients above six years of age with partial-onset seizures with or without secondary generalization; and in March 2017, as monotherapy in the treatment of partial-onset seizures, with or without secondary generalization, in adults with newly diagnosed epilepsy. In Europe, the product is marketed under the trade name Zebinix. About Epilepsy and Partial-Onset (News - Alert)Seizures Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological condition, and one in 26 people in the U.S. will develop epilepsy in his or her lifetime.1 In the U.S., approximately 3.4 million people are living with active epilepsy, including approximately 470,000 children 17 years of age or younger.2 Epilepsy manifests as unprovoked seizures, which are caused by abnormal firing of impulses from nerve cells in the brain.3 Partial-onset seizures are characterized by bursts of electrical activity that are initially focused in specific areas of the brain and may become more widespread, with symptoms varying according to the affected areas.4 The unpredictable nature of seizures may have a significant impact on those with epilepsy. Reducing the frequency of seizures may lessen the burden of epilepsy. With approximately one-third of people living with epilepsy still unable to control seizures, there continues to be a need for new therapies.5 Up to 40 percent of people living with epilepsy do not respond to the first or second monotherapy,6 and approximately 36 percent fail to achieve adequate control of seizures despite the use of two or more antiepileptic medications.7 Please see Important Safety Information below. INDICATION: Aptiom (eslicarbazepine acetate) is a prescription mdicine to treat partial-onset seizures in patients 4 years of age and older. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION: It is not known if APTIOM is safe and effective in children under 4 years of age. Do not take APTIOM if you are allergic to eslicarbazepine acetate, any of the other ingredients in APTIOM, or oxcarbazepine. Suicidal behavior and ideation: Antiepileptic drugs, including APTIOM, may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500. Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you: thoughts about suicide or dying; attempting to commit suicide; new or worse depression, anxiety, or irritability; feeling agitated or restless; panic attacks; trouble sleeping (insomnia); acting aggressive; being angry or violent; acting on dangerous impulses; an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania); or other unusual changes in behavior or mood. Allergic reactions: APTIOM may cause serious skin rash or other serious allergic reactions that may affect organs or other parts of your body like the liver or blood cells. You may or may not have a rash with these types of reactions. Call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: swelling of the face, eyes, lips, or tongue; trouble swallowing or breathing; hives; fever, swollen glands, or sore throat that do not go away or come and go; painful sores in the mouth or around your eyes; yellowing of the skin or eyes; unusual bruising or bleeding; severe fatigue or weakness; severe muscle pain; or frequent infections or infections that do not go away. Low salt (sodium) levels in the blood: APTIOM may cause the level of sodium in your blood to be low. Symptoms may include nausea, tiredness, lack of energy, irritability, confusion, muscle weakness or muscle spasms, or more frequent or more severe seizures. Some medicines can also cause low sodium in your blood. Be sure to tell your health care provider about all the other medicines that you are taking. Nervous system problems: APTIOM may cause problems that can affect your nervous system, including dizziness, sleepiness, vision problems, trouble concentrating, and difficulties with coordination and balance. APTIOM may slow your thinking or motor skills. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how APTIOM affects you. Liver problems: APTIOM may cause problems that can affect your liver. Symptoms of liver problems include yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes, nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach pain, or dark urine. Most common adverse reactions: The most common side effects in adult patients taking APTIOM include dizziness, sleepiness, nausea, headache, double vision, vomiting, feeling tired, problems with coordination, blurred vision, and shakiness. Side effects seen in pediatric patients are similar to those seen in adult patients. Drug interactions: Tell your health care provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Taking APTIOM with certain other medicines may cause side effects or affect how well they work. Do not start or stop other medicines without talking to your health care provider. Especially tell your health care provider if you take oxcarbazepine, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, clobazam, omeprazole, simvastatin, rosuvastatin, or birth control medicine. Discontinuation: Do not stop taking APTIOM without first talking to your health care provider. Stopping APTIOM suddenly can cause serious problems. Pregnancy and lactation: APTIOM may cause your birth control medicine to be less effective. Talk to your health care provider about the best birth control method to use. APTIOM may harm your unborn baby. APTIOM passes into breast milk. Tell your health care provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. You and your health care provider will decide if you should take APTIOM. If you become pregnant while taking APTIOM, talk to your health care provider about registering with the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) Pregnancy Registry. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the safety of antiepileptic medicine during pregnancy. You can enroll in this registry by calling 1-888-233-2334. Get medical help right away if you have any of the symptoms listed above. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. For more information, please see the APTIOM Medication Guide and Full Prescribing Information. About Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Sunovion) Sunovion is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the innovative application of science and medicine to help people with serious medical conditions. Sunovion's vision is to lead the way to a healthier world. The company's spirit of innovation is driven by the conviction that scientific excellence paired with meaningful advocacy and relevant education can improve lives. With patients at the center of everything it does, Sunovion has charted new paths to life-transforming treatments that reflect ongoing investments in research and development and an unwavering commitment to support people with psychiatric, neurological and respiratory conditions. Sunovion's track record of discovery, development and/or commercialization of important therapies has included Utibron Neohaler (indacaterol/glycopyrrolate) inhalation powder, Brovana (arformoterol tartrate) inhalation solution, Latuda (lurasidone HCI) and Aptiom (eslicarbazepine acetate). Headquartered in Marlborough, Mass., Sunovion is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Europe Ltd., based in London, England, and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., based in Mississauga, Ontario, are wholly-owned direct subsidiaries of Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. Additional information can be found on the company's web sites: www.sunovion.com, www.sunovion.eu and www.sunovion.ca. Connect with Sunovion on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. About Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma is among the top-ten listed pharmaceutical companies in Japan operating globally in major pharmaceutical markets, including Japan, the United States, China and the European Union. Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma aims to create innovative pharmaceutical products in the Psychiatry & Neurology area and the Oncology area, which have been designated as the focus therapeutic areas. Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma is based on the merger in 2005 between Dainippon Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. Today, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma has about 6,500 employees worldwide. Additional information about Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma is available through its corporate website at www.ds-pharma.com. LATUDA and SUNOVION are registered trademarks of Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. BROVANA is a registered trademark of Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. APTIOM is a registered trademark of BIAL, used under license. UTIBRON is a trademark of Novartis AG, used under license. NEOHALER is a registered trademark of Novartis AG, used under license. Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a U.S. subsidiary of Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. 2017 Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. All rights reserved. For a copy of this release, visit Sunovion's web site at www.sunovion.com References 1 Institute of Medicine (IOM). 2012. "Epilepsy across the spectrum: Promoting health and understanding." Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "National and State Estimates of the Numbers of Adults and Children with Active Epilepsy - United States, 2015" Accessed August 2017. 3 National Institutes of Health. "NINDS Epilepsy Information Page" Accessed July 2015. 4 Epilepsy Foundation. "Complex Partial Seizures." Accessed July 2015. 5 Brodie MJ, Barry SJE, Bamagous GA, Norrie JD, Kwan P. Patterns of treatment response in newly diagnosed epilepsy. Neurology. 2012;78:1548-1554. 6 Kwan P, Brodie MJ. "Early Identification of Refractory Epilepsy." New England Journal of Medicine (2000): 342(5):314-9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10660394. 7 Epilepsy Foundation. "If First Medicine Doesn't Work" http://www.epilepsy.com/learn/treating-seizures-and-epilepsy/treatment-101-basics/if-first-medicine-doesnt-work. Accessed November 2016. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006138/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Launch of the INTERNATIONAL WOODRISE ALLIANCE - For low-carbon construction and the harmonious development of urban and rural territories MONTREAL, Sept. 14, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - On September 14, in Bordeaux, France, representatives at WOODRISE 2017, the 1st world congress dedicated to midrise and tall wood buildings, will make a formal call to take one step closer toward carbon neutrality by strengthening the share of wood used in building construction. Alain Juppe, former French Prime Minister and president of Bordeaux Metropole, will make a special appeal to representatives from governments, federated states, NGOs, and companies; elected officials from rural and urban areas; architects; foresters; promoters; scientists; and everyday citizens to create a community committed to promoting wood as a solution to reduce the environmental impact of construction, store carbon, and develop an ecosystem based on short and traceable paths between harvest sites, eco-friendly processing, and innovative use of wood in urban tall construction projects. This economic relationship between rural production and eco-friendly urban construction will help respond to the environmental challenge highlighted during COP21 in Paris. Alongside Alain Juppe, some 20 officials will sign the Bordeaux Alliance, including Mr. Stephane Dion, Ambassador to Germany and special envoy to the European Union and Europe. The immediate support from Brazilians, Canadians, Finns, Japanese, Walloons, and Swiss to this Alliance will confirm its international scope. The work of the WOODRISE International Alliance will focus on three areas: Encourage international synergy; Identify good practices in terms of wood usage, from the forest to recycling buildings; Evaluate quantitative and qualitative evolution in wood usage of construction worldwide. Two major activities will occur during WOODRISE 2017: Dissemination of the WOODRISE Paper: a compendium of international best practices in economic, industrial, urban, and architectural development encouraging wood as a material, from the forest to the city, with a commitment to sustainability and biodiversity; Signature of a memorandum of understanding between six national research centres: Brazil : Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnologicas do Estado de Sao Paulo S.A. , associated with the government of the state of Sao Paulo's Department of Economic Development, Science, Technology, and Innovation (EDSTID-SP). www.ipt.br , associated with the government of the state of Sao Paulo's Department of Economic Development, Science, Technology, and Innovation (EDSTID-SP). www.ipt.br Canada : FPInnovations, a not-for-profit world leader that specializes in the creation of scientific solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector's global competitiveness and responds to the priority needs of its industry members and government partners. It is ideally positioned to perform research, innovate, and deliver state-of-the-art solutions for every area of the sector's value chain, from forest operations to consumer and industrial products. FPInnovations' staff numbers more than 430. Its R&D laboratories are located in Quebec, Montreal and Vancouver , and it has technology transfer offices across Canada . Additional information: www.fpinnovations.ca not-for-profit world leader that specializes in the creation of scientific solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector's global competitiveness and responds to the priority needs of its industry members and government partners. It is ideally positioned to perform research, innovate, and deliver state-of-the-art solutions for every area of the sector's value chain, from forest operations to consumer and industrial products. FPInnovations' staff numbers more than 430. Its R&D laboratories are located in Quebec, Montreal and , and it has technology transfer offices across . Additional information: www.fpinnovations.ca Finland : VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd , a limited liability, not-for-profit corporation constituted publicly and established by the law, operating under the Finnish Department of Employment and the Economy. Its activities focus on three areas: high knowledge intensity products and services, intelligent industry and energy systems, and solutions for natural resources and environment. VTT benefits from its wide, multi-technical knowledge base to consolidate Finland's and Europe's industrial competitiveness. Additional information: www.vttresearch.com : , a limited liability, not-for-profit corporation constituted publicly and established by the law, operating under the Finnish Department of Employment and the Economy. Its activities focus on three areas: high knowledge intensity products and services, intelligent industry and energy systems, and solutions for natural resources and environment. VTT benefits from its wide, multi-technical knowledge base to consolidate and industrial competitiveness. Additional information: www.vttresearch.com France : : Institut Technologique FCBA , whose mission consists of promoting innovation and technical progress, and participating in the increase of productivity and quality in the industry, by adopting an integrated approach and implementing synergies in the industry. Additional information: www.fcba.fr , whose mission consists of promoting innovation and technical progress, and participating in the increase of productivity and quality in the industry, by adopting an integrated approach and implementing synergies in the industry. Additional information: www.fcba.fr Centre Scientifique et Technique du Batiment CSTB, a public organization dedicated to building innovation which focuses on four key activities: research and expertise, evaluation, certification and knowledge dissemination, organized in response to the issues on energy transition in the construction industry. Through those activities, it supports the construction stakeholders in innovations in building quality and safety. Additional information: www.cstb.fr public organization dedicated to building innovation which focuses on four key activities: research and expertise, evaluation, certification and knowledge dissemination, organized in response to the issues on energy transition in the construction industry. Through those activities, it supports the construction stakeholders in innovations in building quality and safety. Additional information: www.cstb.fr Switzerland : Lignum, Economie Suisse du Bois, an umbrella organization for the Swiss wood and forest economies. It includes all major associations and organizations in the industry, research and training institutes, public corporations and many architects and engineers. Additional information: www.lignum.ch SOURCE FPInnovations [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] AirSelfie Takes Fashion to New Heights During NYFW During New York Fashion Week, AirSelfie brought its innovative technology to the Collina Strada Spring/Summer Presentation where models flew the flying cameras on the outdoor catwalk of the Soho Grand Hotel. The SS 2018 collection incorporated AirSelfie devices into the mix, shining a spotlight on the fusion between technology and fashion - highlighting the pervasive nature of smartphone-enabled technologies that enable people to document their daily lives on social media. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006033/en/ AirSelfie for Collina Strada NYFW (Photo: Sam Burkardt) AirSelfie, the world's first flying personal pocket camera, is designed to help users capture selfies with ease and portability. The device floats in place while the user gathers for free and unrestricted selfies -- all without a stick, tripod or awkward arm positions. AirSelfie takes the popularity of aerial photography and makes it easy for consumers to take photos, panoramas, and HD video. "The art of the selfie has been around even before smartphones, and mobile devices gave people more opportunities to capture them," said Marco and Edoardo Stroppiana, founders of AirSelfie. "We wanted to bring the power of drones to the everyday user, creating a flying camera that has a unique design made in Italy, light and small enough to fit in a handbag or in a pocket. As the ideal accessory for selfie-loving fashionistas, we are honored to participate in the Collina Strada show." "At Collina Strada, we strive to put a focus on social commentary and create meaning behind our collections," said Collina Strada creative director, Hillary Taymour. "This year's Spring collection highlights where we have gone with social media and how that dependence is impacting our lives. The use of AirSelfie's drones during our show helped to articulate our narrative." About AirSelfie AirSelfie is the brainchild of Italian brothers Marco and Edoardo Stroppiana, who helped form the British company AirSelfie Holdings Ltd. Launched with a successful Kickstarter in 2016, AirSelfie makes personal aerial photography stylish, convenient, simple and fun for everyone. The product is now available for retail sale worldwide. A complete tutorial video can be found by visiting this link. For more information on pricing, options, accessories and shipping costs, please visit Airselfiecamera.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006033/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] 24 Hour Fitness Offers Club Access to Florida Area Residents In a gesture of good health and support for Florida residents affected by Hurricane Irma, 24 Hour Fitness is welcoming all residents to its Florida-based clubs during the month of September, regardless of membership status. 24 Hour Fitness has reopened 10 of its 13 clubs in Florida, with remaining clubs to be opened as power and other amenities are restored. Florida area residents are encouraged to follow these instructions to access a 24 Hour Fitness Florida club of choice, whether as a member or guest: Visit www.24hourfitness.com to find the nearest Florida location Call in advance to determine open status and hours of operation Visit your club of choice to gain access throughout the month of September "The unprecedented impact of Hurricane Irma on Florida, its residents, our members, employees and their families, is truly heartbreaking," said Chris Roussos, CEO, 24 our Fitness. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Florida, now and in the months ahead. As residents begin the recovery process, it's important to find time for stress relief, which is often overlooked in times of crisis. We look forward to welcoming Florida residents into our area clubs." 24 Hour Fitness operates 13 clubs in the state of Florida, with a 14th club scheduled to open in late October. In preparation of Hurricane Irma, and to ensure the safety of employees and members, clubs were closed prior to its arrival and are now in various stages of reopening. In some cases, club hours of operation are modified according to local community curfews. Florida residents are encouraged to check with local 24 Hour Fitness clubs prior to arrival to ensure hours of operation for members, guests and all residents. For more information about the 24 Hour Fitness club locations in Florida, please visit www.24hourfitness.com About 24 Hour Fitness As an industry leader for more than 30 years, 24 Hour Fitness changes lives every day through fitness. Conveniently located clubs, furnished with a wide variety of strength, cardio and functional training equipment, are the perfect environment for fitness professionals to deliver dynamic personal and group training programs. GX24 and cycle studios feature a popular array of live studio classes included with membership. A multitude of additional offerings engage and inspire every member to lead a full and healthy life both inside and outside of the club. Opening new clubs on average at the brisk pace of one every few weeks, 24 Hour Fitness is headquartered in San Ramon, CA (News - Alert) and serves nearly 4 million members in over 420 clubs nationwide. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006243/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] CFIA funding to further DNA-based research with University of Guelph Continued collaboration will use DNA barcoding to monitor plant pests and insects that spread agents of animal disease OTTAWA, Sept. 14, 2017 /CNW/ - Scientific partnerships and investments are important aspects of protecting the health of Canadians, our environment and the economy. Today, Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph, on behalf of the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health, announced that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is investing $320,000 in the University of Guelph's Biodiversity Institute of Ontario to support collaborative research projects. These projects will use DNA barcoding and innovative computer technology to help protect Canada's plants, animals and people from invasive pests and diseases. The funding will support the continued partnership between the University of Guelph and scientists at the CFIA on a number of projects that will improve diagnostic testing, the agriculture industry's response to emerging threats and meet requirements for international trade. The first project aims to develop DNA barcoding tools to protect Canadian crops by identifying destructive insect pests. It will also look at using DNA technology to rapidly analyze soil samples for invasive weed seeds, helping to protect plants and seed banks. The second project will focus on DNA barcoding tools to identify Culicoides midges, disease-carrying insects that affect Canadian livestock. The University of Guelph will also develop software to help track and analyze information relating to animal diseases spread by insects like midges and mosquitoes. Quotes "Safe and accessible food and the protection of Canada's plant and animal resources are essential to the health of Canadians. This partnership builds on Canada's world leadership in gnomics and DNA barcoding for detecting and identifying species and will further integrate innovative science into the regulatory world." The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health "The Government of Canada remains committed to developing innovative science that enables agriculture to be a leading growth sector of Canada's economy. By working in partnership, we can help meet the world's growing demand for high-quality, sustainable food and help grow our middle class." The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada "Our government is committed to supporting Canada's science. The University of Guelph's Biodiversity Institute of Ontario is a leader in its field and we understand that scientists need the best tools and facilities to make the kinds of breakthroughs that lead to new knowledge, technologies, products and services. It's their discoveries and innovations that provide us with the evidence we need to make sound policy decisions that improve our environment, economy, health, climate and communities and that help grow a strong and vibrant middle class." The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science "This research enables the University of Guelph to build on their partnership with the CFIA, to demonstrate their expertise in DNA barcoding research and their commitment to developing exceptional students and future researchers." Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph "Our partnership with the CFIA will enable the University of Guelph to leverage opportunities in genomics that will modernize regulatory programs. We look forward to the exciting outcomes of this world-class scientific collaboration." Malcolm Campbell, Vice-President, Research, University of Guelph Quick facts Funding was provided under the CFIA's Federal Assistance Program, which supports projects that advance the Agency's mandate to safeguard food, animals and plants, enhancing the health and well-being of Canada's people, environment and economy. This is the second Federal Assistance Program agreement signed between the CFIA and University of Guelph . The previous project (2015-2016) developed a DNA barcoding training program that identified invasive species and mislabelled fish and seafood. The Biodiversity Institute of Ontario at the University of Guelph is the birthplace of the field of DNA barcoding. DNA barcoding uses short standardized DNA sequences to identify and differentiate species and is being used worldwide to identify species, fight diseases, expose market fraud and monitor the environment Associated Links Science at the CFIA University of Guelph's Biodiversity Institute of Ontario Follow the CFIA on social media Twitter: @CFIA_Canada, @CFIA_Animal, @CFIA_Food SOURCE Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Rent the Runway Foundation and UBS Expand Project Entrepreneur to Include More Winners and Enhanced Programming Rent the Runway Foundation and UBS today announced the expansion of Project Entrepreneur, increasing the number of winning companies in the Accelerator from three to five. Project Entrepreneur is a philanthropic educational program and venture competition designed to increase the pipeline of women building high-growth companies. Online submissions for the 2017 venture competition are now open at projectentrepreneur.org. "We are so excited to continue working with UBS in providing women with the tools they need to create high-growth companies, and see their visions through," said Jennifer Hyman (News - Alert), CEO and Co-Founder of Rent the Runway. "Past participants in our accelerator continue to inspire us with their incredible progress, including closing rounds of funding. We are eager to provide the next class of talented female founders with the tools and support they need to scale, and to see the disruption their companies bring to various different industries." Entering its third year, Project Entrepreneur will provide additional enhancements for the five winners, as well as expand resources and startup services for participants and alumni in acknowledgement of the program's growth. Since its inception, the program has trained more than 1,200 aspiring entrepreneurs representing 131 U.S. cities, and maintained 50% ethnic diversity across its applicant pool and event attendees. The impact has also been seen in the funding raised by participants, with the 2016 finalists reporting $9 million raised in seed and pre-seed funding. "The caliber of companies we're seeing through Project Entrepreneur further validates what we've always believed-that there is an incredible population of talented female founders in cities and towns across the country," said Lori Feinsilver, UBS Head of Community Affairs & Corporate Responsibility, Americas. "Being able to reach these women and provide them with access to resources and support that will help fuel their growth gives us confidence that we can indeed level the playing field." Project Entrepreneur's annual venture competition is open to female founders who are seeking to build high-growth businesses. Applicants are early-stage companies that are in the prototype or beta stages, have their first paying customers, or are generating revenue. The top 200 applicants will be invited to attend the Project Entrepreneur Intensive in New York City on April 13-14, 2018, a free two-day event comprised of in-depth workshops, expert speakers and a pitch competition. The five winning founders will each receive a $10,000 award, a spot in the five-week accelerator program at Rent the Runway's New York office and mentorship and engagement with UBS executives, entrepreneurs and investors. In addition to the venture competition, Project Entrepreneur will offer free educational summits where participants will hear from Rent the Runway Co-Founders, Jennifer Hyman and Jenny Fleiss, UBS Americas Head of Community Affairs, Lori Feinsilver, past PE finalists, and attend workshops led by successful startups and investors including Refinery29, Coffee Meets Bagel, Levo League, Forerunner Ventures and Cowboy Ventures, among others. Details on the summits are available at projectentrepreneur.org. Summits are scheduled for: Chicago: Friday, October 6, 2017 at 1871 San Francisco: Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at Galvanize New York City: Friday, November 17, 2017 at The New York Stock Exchange Last year's winning companies included: New York-based LOLI Beauty, the first BIY (Blend It Yourself) clean and green beauty brand; Scottsdale-based The TouchPoint Solution, a neuroscience wearable that alleviates stress by altering the body's stress response in as little as 30 seconds; and San Francisco-based Lace & Liberty, merging direct-to-consumer convenience with luxury bespoke bridalwear. Two additional New York-based companies were hosted by The Knot/XO Group Co-Founder Carley Roney and designer Rebecca Minkoff: Repeat Roses, a sustainable floral waste removal business that gives back to people and planet, and Reboundwear, athleisure wear with a purpose, respectively. "Project Entrepreneur is like being in the room for five weeks with unlimited access to precisely the smartest, most relevant people you need to know for your company's success," said Tina Hedges, CEO and Founder of LOLI Beauty Inc. "The program connected me to experts and leaders across a diversity of fields--there was no limit to the resources we could tap into then, and even now post the accelerator. All of this helped position me for success in closing my first round." "Since the accelerator this past summer, The TouchPoint Solution has seen a 200% percent growth with high projections for the Fall and Winter," said Vicki Mayo, CEO and Co-Founder of The TouchPoint Solution. "The hands-on sessions, covering everything from app development, customer acquisition, to staffing, directly contributed to our growth." "I learned so much from all of the people we met that have such wide-ranging expertise, and from the investor office hours and informative off-sites at incredible companies," said Danielle Wen, CEO and Founder of Lace & Liberty. "I am so excited to be a part of this growing ecosystem. I firmly believe that female entrepreneurs thrive and grow in supporting one another and want to do all I can to give back to this community." UBS will also launch a Female Founders (#ff) social media campaign in celebration of women entrepreneurs. The campaign will offer insights from past Project Entrepreneur Accelerator participants in weekly video conversations with UBS leaders across its social media platforms and on the dedicated UBS Female Founders website, starting on September 15. ABOUT PROJECT ENTREPRENEUR: Rent the Runway Foundation and UBS joined forces in September of 2015 to launch Project Entrepreneur, a program the two organizations designed to address the fact that while women are starting more businesses than ever before, only a small fraction - three percent - generate $500K or more in annual revenue1; women also count for less than 10% of founders at high-growth firms2. In addition to the venture competition, accelerator program and two-day intensive, Project Entrepreneur also includes multi-city educational events, robust digital resources including #theTools podcast, and an online hub with education modules, feature articles, blog posts and inspirational stories from entrepreneurs. The initiative is informed by its Community Advisors: Black Founders; HBCU Innovation, Commercialization and Entrepreneurship Initiative; Latino Startup Alliance and Venture for America. Cooley is the pro bono legal partner of Project Entrepreneur. Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and its philanthropic arm, helped to bring Project Entrepreneur to life. Advisory Council members can be found at: http://projectentrepreneur.org/about. Follow Project Entrepreneur on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (News - Alert), and with the hashtag #PEVC17. About Rent the Runway: Rent the Runway is revolutionizing fashion by allowing millions of women to rent designer apparel and accessories. The company focuses on convenience and a top-notch customer experience on all of its platforms, including online, mobile and retail locations in Chicago, New York City, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles. With styles from hundreds of top designers, RTR serves as a powerful marketing channel for the fashion industry, introducing a new generation of women to brands that they had limited access to before. Co-founded in 2009 by Harvard Business School graduates, Rent the Runway has raised over $190 million in venture capital and has nearly 8 million members across the U.S. About UBS Wealth Management Americas Wealth Management Americas is one of the leading wealth managers in the Americas in terms of financial advisor productivity and invested assets. Its business includes UBS's domestic US and Canadian wealth management businesses, as well as international business booked in the US. It provides a fully integrated set of wealth management solutions designed to address the needs of ultra-high net worth and high net worth clients. About UBS UBS is committed to providing private, institutional and corporate clients worldwide, as well as retail clients in Switzerland, with superior financial advice and solutions while generating attractive and sustainable returns for shareholders. Its strategy centers on its Wealth Management and Wealth Management Americas businesses and its leading universal bank in Switzerland, complemented by its Global Asset Management business and its Investment Bank. These businesses share three key characteristics: they benefit from a strong competitive position in their targeted markets, are capital-efficient, and offer a superior structural growth and profitability outlook. UBS's strategy builds on the strengths of all of its businesses and focuses its efforts on areas in which it excels, while seeking to capitalize on the compelling growth prospects in the businesses and regions in which it operates. Capital strength is the foundation of its success. ______________________________ 1 According to the 2016 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report 2 According to November 2014 Kauffman Foundation Report, Sources of Economic Hope: Women Entrepreneurship View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006320/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] Montana BioScience Alliance Elects New Chairman and Board Members The Montana BioScience Alliance recently elected three new board members and appointed new board member, Stan Abel, President and Chief Executive Officer of SiteOne Therapeutics, to serve as the chairman of the organization's board of directors. Also elected to serve on the Board of the Montana BioScience Alliance are Jay Evans, President and Chief Executive Officer of Inimmune and Tim Layton, Senior Manager of State Government Affairs of Genentech. "Montana is home to a growing biotechnology community that is developing innovative therapeutics and technologies with the potential to improve and save lives," said Mr. Abel, "I am honored to serve as Chairman of the Montana BioScience Alliance and look forward to carrying on the vision and leadership of our outgoing Chairman, Don Beeman." Mr. Stan E. Abel, Board Chairman Stan E. Abel is President and Chief Executive Officer of SiteOne Therapeutics, an early-stage biotechnology company developing non-opioid therapeutics for acute and chronic pain. Mr. Abel's background includes successfully leading complex development-stage life science companies, identifying and in-licensing promising new drug candidates, raising more than $100M in capital to fund operations, and establishing strategic partnerships and transactions with leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Mr. Abel served as Chief Executive Officer of Corthera, Inc., from October 2007 through the successful sale of the company to Novartis in February 2010. Prior to joining Corthera, Mr. Abel was a founder and Chief Financial Officer of Cerexa, Inc. from its inception in July 2005 through the successful sale of the company to Forest Laboratories in January 2007. Prior to Cerexa he was the Chief Financial Officer of Peninsula Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from January 2003 through the sale of the company to Johnson & Johnson in June 2005. Earlier in his career Mr. Abel spent four years at Eli Lilly and Company within the finance and strategy organizations. He also held a variety of financial leadership positions during his nine years at DowBrands Inc., a wolly-owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company. Mr. Abel received a B.S. in business from Indiana University (News - Alert) and an M.B.A. with honors from the University of Chicago. Dr. Jay Evans, Board Member Jay Evans is a Research Professor in the Division of Biological Sciences and Director of the proposed Center for Translational Medicine at the University of Montana. Prior to joining the DBS Faculty at the University of Montana, Dr. Evans worked in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry for 15 years at GlaxoSmithKline Vaccines (formerly Corixa Corporation) where he held various positions including Senior Scientist, Investigator and Project Leader. While at GSK Vaccines, Dr. Evans worked on the discovery and development of novel vaccines, adjuvants and immunotherapeutics. Dr. Evans completed is Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital working HIV immunology, stem cell transpllantion and lentiviral-based gene therapy systems. Dr. Evans holds a Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Oregon State University and a B.S. in biology from Pacific Lutheran University. Dr. Evans is also the President and CEO of Inimmune, a biotech company in Missoula, MT focused on the discovery and development of new immunomodulatory therapeutics for treatment of allergic diseases, upper respiratory tract infection, topical treatment of skin diseases and other diseases targeted through innate immune receptor activation or inhibition. Tim Layton, Board Member Tim Layton is a Senior Manager of State Government Affairs for Genentech. Mr. Layton is responsible for legislative outcomes affecting health polices for Genentech in seven Northwest states. Prior to joining Genetech, Mr. Layton spent seven years with the Washington State Medical Association where he was responsible for overseeing the association's legal, regulatory and legislative activities. Mr. Layton has a JD and Masters of Public of Administration from Syracuse University in New York. Mr. Layton spent the early part of his career practicing corporate law at two large internationally recognized firms in New York City and Washington, D.C. Mr. Layton now resides with his wife and three kids in Olympia, WA. Mr. Layton has been at Genentech since 2013 when he joined Genetech's State Government Affairs team. He is in charge of all interactions on behalf of Genentech with state legislators, executive branch officials and state agencies and is responsible for legislative outcomes affecting health policies in seven Northwest states. As part of State Government Affairs, he works cross-portfolio with Genentech regionally based field teams and the larger Government Affairs team on issues of importance to Genentech. Mr. Layton is field-based out of Olympia, WA. The Montana Bioscience Alliance serves as a hub for Montana's biotechnology companies, entrepreneurs, laboratories, hospitals, clinics and universities to commercialize, grow and sustain globally competitive bioscience companies - ultimately to create high-quality jobs and economic opportunity in Montana. Learn more at www.montanabio.org. The organization is the state affiliate of the international Biotechnology Innovation Organization www.bio.org. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006392/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] MDA to provide communication subsystems for Korean Lunar Exploration Program MONTREAL, Sept. 14, 2017 /CNW/ - MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. ("MDA" or the "Company") (TSX:MDA), a global communications and information company, today announced that it has signed a contract valued in excess of CA$7 million with the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), a national aerospace research institution. MDA will provide a communication subsystem to support the Korean Lunar Exploration Program, a project to develop the first lunar probe in Korea and secure the necessary technology for lunar exploration, such as an orbiter, a landing module, science payload, and deep space communication. MDA's communication subsystem will provide relay information between the Lunar Orbiter and the ground station on Earth. MDA's antenna solutions cover a wide range of requirements to address single and multi-satellite programs in commercial, space, military and airborne markets. Combining leading edge technical capability with timely, cost effective execution and extensive heritage, MDA's communication solutions provide a unique value proposition to customers worldwide. About MDA MDA is a global communications and information company providing operational solutions to commercial and government organizations worldwide. MDA's business is focused on markets and customers with strong repeat business potential, primarily in the Communications sector and the Surveillance and Intelligence sector. In addition, the Company conducts a significant amount of advanced technology development. MDA's established global customer base is served by more than 4,800 employees operating from 15 locations in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The Company's common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol TSX:MDA. For more information, visit www.mdacorporation.com About SSL MDA Holdings SSL MDA Holdings is a wholly owned subsidiary of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) and serves as the operating company for all MDA businesses. SSL MDA Holdings is headquartered in San Francisco, California. About Korea Aerospace Research Institute Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) is a government funded research institute, engaged in development of the national economy and enhancement of national life through a new exploration and technological advancements, development, and dissemination in the field of aerospace science and technology. www.kari.re.kr Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements and information, which reflect the current view of MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. ("MDA" or the "Company") with respect to future events and financial performance. The forward-looking statements in this regard include statements regarding the award of a contract. Any such forward-looking statements are based on MDA's current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends. The factors and assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements in this release include contracts not being terminated. Any such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. MDA cautions readers that should certain risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. The risks that could cause actual results to differ from current expectations include, but are not limited to: risks associated with operating a satellite including in-orbit failures or impaired satellite performance; quality issues, failure of systems to meet performance requirements, potential for product liability, or the occurrence of defects in products or systems could result in lost revenue and harm to the Company's reputation; failure of third parties and subcontractors; and failure to anticipate changes in technology, technical standards and offerings or compliance with the requisite standards, or failure to maintain technological advances and offer new products to retain customers and market position. For additional information with respect to certain of these risks or factors, plus additional risks or factors, reference should be made to the Company's continuous disclosure materials filed from time to time with Canadian securities regulatory authorities, which are available online under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com or on the Company's website at www.mdacorporation.com. The Toronto Stock Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the form or content of this release. Contact Wendy Keyzer | MDA Media Contact | 1-604-231-2743 | [email protected] Marissa Poratto | MDA Investor Relations | 1-604-331-2044 | [email protected] SOURCE MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 14, 2017] CURE Media Group Announces Dr. Jill Biden as Keynote Speaker for MPN Heroes Celebration Event Dr. Jill Biden, former second lady of the United States (2009-2017), educator and cancer advocate, will serve as the keynote speaker at CURE Media Group's event celebrating the 2017 MPN Heroes. The MPN Heroes Recognition Program honors individuals or organizations that have made a difference in the field of rare blood cancers, known as myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). The MPN Heroes Celebration Event will take place on December 8 in Atlanta, Georgia. "We are honored to be joined by Dr. Biden whose drive and dedication to educating the community and raising awareness about cancer is exemplary. We look forward to having Dr. Biden give the keynote address at this year's event," said Michael J. Hennessy Jr., president of Michael J. Hennessy Associates, parent company of CURE Media Group, which is the nation's leading digital and print media enterprise focused on patients with cancer. To reserve a seat at the event, visit http://www.curetoday.com/events/mpn. The MPN Heroes Recognition Program is sponsored by Incyte Corporation and CURE Media Group, publishers of CURE magazine. Incyte partners with CURE Media Group to support the program, with CURE hosting the annual MPN Heroes Celebration Event recognizing heroes of the MPN ommunity. Supporting the MPN community is an ongoing effort of Incyte, a global biopharmaceutical company that discovers and develops novel medicines to meet serious unmet medical needs in oncology and other diseases. Following the death of their son, Beau Biden in 2015, Dr. Biden and former Vice President Joe Biden, helped push for a national commitment to cure cancer, which is known as the White House Cancer Moonshot. Now, they continue this through the Biden Cancer Initiative. After four of her friends were diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993, Dr. Biden founded the Biden Breast Health Initiative in Delaware to teach young girls about the importance of early detection of breast cancer. To-date, this program has educated more than 10,000 high school girls. About CURE: CURE Media Group is the leading resource for cancer updates, research and education. It combines a full suite of media products, including its industry leading website, CUREtoday.com; innovative video programs, such as CURE Connections; a series of widely attended live events; and CURE magazine, which reaches over 1 million readers. CURE Media Group is part of the Cranbury, New Jersey- based Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc., family of businesses, which includes the acclaimed OncLive (http://www.onclive.com) platform of resources for the practicing oncologist. For more information, visit curetoday.com or mjhassoc.com. About Incyte Incyte Corporation is a Wilmington, Del. -based biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of proprietary therapeutics. For additional information on Incyte, please visit the company's website at http://www.incyte.com. Follow @Incyte on Twitter (News - Alert) at https://twitter.com/Incyte. MPN Heroes is a registered trademark of Incyte. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006426/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] By PTI: Mumbai, Sep 14 (PTI) The Bombay High Court today rejected the anticipatory bail pleas of three trustees of Ryan International Group in connection with the murder of a boy in its Gurgaon school, but granted them interim protection from arrest till tomorrow evening. Justice Ajey Gadkari also directed the applicants -- groups CEO Ryan Pinto and his parents Augustine Pinto, founding chairman, and Grace Pinto, the groups managing director -- to submit their passports to the Mumbai police commissioner by tonight or the interim protection will be withdrawn. advertisement The court granted interim protection till tomorrow so that the Pintos could approach "higher court", said their lawyer. The Pintos, who are based in Mumbai, approached the high court here as they apprehended arrest in the case after the school was accused of negligence. The lawyers of Barun Thakur, the father of seven-year-old Pradhuman who was murdered in a toilet of a school run by the Ryan group in Gurgaon, Haryana, and the Maharashtra government today vehemently opposed Pintos applications. Thakurs lawyer voiced apprehension that the Pintos might try to flee or even tamper with evidence. "The applications filed by the three stand rejected. The interim relief granted to them earlier shall continue till tomorrow 5 pm. The applicants have to submit their passports to the commissioner by 9 pm today. If they fail to do so then the interim protection shall stand vacated," the court said. They sought protection from arrest till they could approach the appropriate court in Haryana. "Transit bail should not be granted in such cases where the offence is of serious nature," additional public prosecutor Aruna Kamat Pai said. She also cited a judgement of a full bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court which says that anticipatory bail pleas should be considered only by the courts which have "territorial jurisdiction". Thakurs lawyer Sushil Tekriwal expressed apprehension that if granted bail, the Pintos may flee. Thakur had filed an intervening application opposing the Pintos pleas. "The applicants are influential people in the (Ryan) group.... There are already allegations that the crime scene has been wiped clean. If they are granted bail they would tamper with evidence or try to influence witnesses," he said. "Let them approach the high court of Punjab and Haryana and seek anticipatory bail," Tekriwal said. Pintos counsel Niteen Pradhan said his clients have full sympathy for the victims family, and were ready to cooperate fully with the police. "No doubt the incident of murder is disturbing. The applicants are only seeking protection from arrest so that they can approach the court concerned where (under whose jurisdiction) the offence is registered. The applicants are ready to cooperate with the probe," Pradhan said. advertisement The Haryana Police, which visited the groups office in Kandivali in Mumbai two days ago, gave the Pintos a five-page questionnaire and demanded "all kinds of documents", Pradhan said. "It will take them some time to find the documents and submit them," he added. Justice Gadkari said he would pass a detailed order giving reasons for rejecting the pre-arrest bail pleas later. PTI SP KRK RT --- ENDS --- [September 14, 2017] Chamberlain University President Releases Book About Creating Chamberlain Care Chamberlain University president Susan Groenwald, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN has released a new book that shares the seven-year journey to transform the institution's culture and work climate into a culture of care. The book, "Designing & Creating a Culture of Care for Students and Faculty: The Chamberlain University College of Nursing Model," was released today at the National League for Nursing (NLN) Education Summit. It serves as a guide for any organization seeking to make cultural and structural changes to improve student or employee satisfaction, engagement and achievement. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006438/en/ (Graphic: Business Wire) The book describes the unique organizational culture and work climate - Chamberlain Care - in which students and colleagues thrive, students are cared for in a way that can improve their chances of success, and that provides an advantage in attracting and retaining high quality and effective healthcare faculty and staff. Chamberlain Care has enhanced the services and support provided to students and faculty and has improved satisfaction, engagement and academic outcomes. In fact, an independently administered survey of international colleague engagement benchmarked Chamberlain faculty against employees worldwide. Since 2013, Chamberlain's faculty engagement scores have remained above the benchmark for the best U.S. companies and continue to rival benchmark scores for the best companies in the world.1 "While many books and articles have advocated for care and caring in nursing education, what truly distinguishes this text and the work it describes throughout Chamberlain University, is its thorough coverage of how caring can be operationalized - and made tangible - in all aspects of an organization's mission, vision, people, processes and practices," said NLN President Anne L. Bavier, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean and professor in the College of Nursing and Health Innovations at the University of Texas at Arlington. "In nursing education, a strng and positive culture that permeates throughout the institution not only helps nursing students stay in school and graduate, but ultimately provides the support needed for them to truly learn and develop the knowledge, skills and values today's nurses truly need," said Susan Groenwald, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, president of Chamberlain University. "I am thankful to the National League for Nursing for the opportunity to create this work and share how Chamberlain Care is based on a deep passion to continually evolve and graduate extraordinary healthcare professionals." NLN's Education Summit 2017 is in San Diego this week, Sept. 14 - 16, and Chamberlain is a sponsor and exhibitor. Publisher Wolters Kluwer Health will host a "Meet the NLN Authors" event during the Summit on Thursday, Sept. 14 from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at booth #501, where visitors can buy signed book copies and speak with Dr. Groenwald and the other authors. "Designing & Creating a Culture of Care for Students and Faculty: The Chamberlain University College of Nursing Model" is available for purchase on the NLN Bookstore and other retailers. Chamberlain University Chamberlain University is a member of Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), a global education provider headquartered in the United States. The organization's purpose is to empower students to achieve their goals, find success and make inspiring contributions to our global community. Chamberlain University's mission is to educate, empower and embolden diverse healthcare professionals who advance the health of people, families, communities and nations. Chamberlain University is comprised of the College of Nursing, which offers a three-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program and flexible post-licensure programs such as the RN to BSN option, Master of Science in Nursing degree program, Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program and graduate certificates, and the College of Health Professions, which offers a Master of Public Health degree program. To learn more, visit chamberlain.edu. Chamberlain University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC, www.hlcommission.org). HLC is one of the eight regional agencies that accredit U.S. colleges and universities at the institutional level. For the most updated accreditation information, visit chamberlain.edu/accreditation. Important information about the educational debt, earnings, and completion rates of students who attended Chamberlain University can be found at chamberlain.edu/ge. About Adtalem Global Education The purpose of Adtalem Global Education is to empower students to achieve their goals, find success, and make inspiring contributions to our global community. Adtalem Global Education Inc. (NYSE: ATGE; member S&P MidCap 400 Index) is a leading global education provider and the parent organization of Adtalem Educacional do Brasil, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists, Becker Professional Education, Carrington College, Chamberlain University, DeVry University and its Keller Graduate School of Management, Ross University School of Medicine and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. For more information, please visit adtalem.com. 1 Groenwald, S. (2017). Designing & Creating a Culture of Care for Students and Faculty: The Chamberlain University College of Nursing Model. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170914006438/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). Rebel Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav's supporters have approached the Election Commission demanding a relook into their claim over the party's symbol. By Anand Patel: Rebel Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav's supporters have approached the Election Commission demanding a relook into their claim over the party's symbol. Sharad camp has also sought four weeks time to arrange signatures of other supporters. Last week, the EC had set aside a similar application for insufficient supporting documents. Suspended general secretary of the JD(U) Arun Shrivastava told media persons that Election Commission had hurriedly rejected claim of Sharad camp. "We have refilled our application and have sought one month time to provide supporting documents," he said. advertisement Sharad supporters have called a national executive meeting of anti-Nitish leaders in JD(U) on 17th Sept in Delhi to show their strength. "Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) national president Nitish Kumar supporters are calling up party men not to participate in our meeting," alleged Shrivastava. He claimed support from all, but Bihar state unit. Last week, Nitish supporters had claimed victory following EC decision to set aside Sharad camp's application. Party MP in Rajya Sabha RCP Singh had claimed that Sharad Yadav had voluntarily given up party membership by participating in rival RJD rally in Patna. Rajya Sabha chairperson Venkaiah Naidu has also issued a notice to rebel leaders Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar following an application from Nitish supporters demanding cancellation of membership of the duo. ALSO READ: Modi govt wants oppn-free India, wont happen: Sharad Yadav Why JD(U) rebel Sharad Yadav faces disqualification from Rajya Sabha --- ENDS --- For gamers seeking the highest possible framerates, there is nothing faster than the Acer Predator XB252Q and its cousin from Asus. Despite a relatively low pixel density and merely average contrast, it offers a play experience that is second to none. With the complete absence of motion blur, tearing, and stutter, youll find yourself drawn into the game world in an almost visceral way. It may seem expensive for an FHD screen but we urge you to try before you buy. You might find yourself hooked. Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test . Features & Specifications In the battle for gaming monitor supremacy, theres Acer and Asus, and then theres everyone else. Those two companies can always be counted on to push the envelope in display performance, and thanks to the Predator and Republic of Gamers lines, we have a large field of very fast screens that promise smooth action with the latest features, like G-Sync, ULMB, and high refresh rates. Today, were checking out Acers answer to the Asus ROG PG258Q. The Predator XB252Q is similar to that excellent screen in nearly every way. They both share the same 25 FHD/TN panel with a native refresh rate of 240Hz, ULMB up to 144Hz, and G-Sync courtesy of Nvidias latest module, which adds an HDMI 1.4 input to the mix. Understated styling and a nearly zero-bezel design add up to a performance-oriented display that can anchor the highest of the high-end in gaming PCs. Lets take a look. Specifications The spec sheets for both monitors are identical, so for most users, the decision will come down to brand loyalty and price. At this writing, the XB252Q undercuts Asus by around $70. It also offers subtler styling, which may appeal to some. Asus had incorporated a neat spaceship aesthetic into its latest ROG products with lighting that comes from the base. Acer sticks with a more industrial-looking panel and a base that suggests its intent without being too obvious. An FHD-resolution TN panel may look like a lack of progress to some readers, but this is a performance-first product. Even with the stoutest video card, youll be hard-pressed to top 200 FPS with a QHD/IPS panel. And ultimately, motion resolution impacts picture quality more than outright pixel density. To that end, Acer has upped the ante with a super bright part that exceeds 400 nits and can run at 240Hz without overclock. ULMB is available at up to 144Hz, which makes the feature truly usable, and a viable alternative to G-Sync for reducing motion blur and other artifacts. Of course, G-Sync is there too, from 24-240Hz, which should ensure perfect motion no matter how intense the action becomes. Packaging, Physical Layout & Accessories Every side of the XB252Qs oversized carton lays its intent out plainly. The feature list is printed clearly so you know just what youre paying for. The contents are well protected and only require attachment of the upright, which snaps in place. The power supply is internal so an IEC cord is included. Video signals are carried by the provided HDMI and DisplayPort cables. If you find yourself in need of the USB ports, a v3.0 cable is in the box. Documentation is available from Acers website. Product 360 Image 1 of 5 Acer has gone for a simple style with the XB252Q that almost qualifies it as a sleeper product. The panels chassis looks like any other monitor with a bulge across the back and only a small Predator logo on the front. The bezel is quite thin at only 7mm across the top and sides and 21mm at the bottom. Like other zero-frame displays, there is a visible border around the image, but this is the smallest one weve seen yet. The anti-glare layer is 3H-hardness and fits tightly for a sharp and grain-free image. Our sample had no visible bleed or glow and rendered excellent uniformity. The base shows a little style with its angular form and shiny trim. Youll get to play the find the wrap game when unpacking, as all the glossy bits are protected by film. It looks minimal but underneath the hard plastic is a stout metal core. The monitor is very stable and shows no play or wobble in its movements. Adjustments include 4.8 of height, 45 swivel in each direction, 25 total tilt, and a portrait mode. Controls are a mix of buttons and a firm-clicking joystick. They can be found around back but rather than going up the side, they are arrayed horizontally across the bottom. Small icons appear on the screen to tell you their functions. The menu system is excellent and will be familiar to users of the latest Acer monitors. A large component bulge makes the XB252Q one of the thicker panels weve seen of late. At nearly 3", it wont win any slimness awards. There is ample grill work to keep things cool and to allow the rear-firing speakers room to breathe. At 2W apiece, they wont fill your room with sound, but they are adequate when there is no other alternative. If you wish to connect peripherals, two of the USB 3.0 ports are on the left side. Monitor arm users will find a 100mm VESA mount when the upright is removed. The input panel is typical of the latest G-Sync monitors. You get one each of HDMI 1.4 and DisplayPort 1.2. Headphones can be plugged into the 3.5mm analog output. Two more downstream and a single upstream USB port are also found here. MORE: Best Gaming Monitors MORE: Best Professional Monitors MORE: How We Test Monitors MORE: How To Choose A Monitor MORE: All Monitor Content U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is in the Midwest this week on a hastily-planned "Rethink Schools" tour that's left Kansas and Missouri school leaders scrambling. To say the call Kansas City Academy received the Friday before Labor Day was unexpected would be an understatement. A man has died after being shot at 80th and Troost. Kansas City police are investigating the shooting, which was reported around 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday evening. A car on the scene had its windows shattered out by gunfire. The shooting happened outside a gas station. This is a developing story. Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters Unanimously Endorse: NICOLE GALLOWAY FOR MISSOURI AUDITOR Kansas City, MO The Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters is proud to announce its unanimous endorsement of Nicole Galloway for Missouri Auditor. Her steadfast resolve to protect Missourians hard earned tax dollars and her commitment to hold both politicians and political subdivisions accountable for their actions has earned our highest endorsement, said Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters President Sherwood Smith.Auditor Galloways degree in Applied Mathematics and Masters of Business Administration, accompanied her being both a Certified Fraud Examiner and CPA, make her a clear Auditor choice for all of Missouri.The Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters represents over 6,000 Firefighters, Emergency Medical Workers (EMTs), Paramedics, Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys, Public Safety Officers, other First Responders and their families. Please contact Sherwood Smith with any questions.Sherwood L. SmithPresident####### Today's Kansas City Angry TIF Report Plan for terminating TIF plan doesn't please everyone - Kansas City Business Journal Taxing jurisdictions will net millions in revenue that the Tax Increment Financing Commission of Kansas City was authorized to keep diverting until 2025. But some critics were unhappy that the city is spending $6.9 million of remaining funds that they believe should have been treated as surplus. Junkie TV Tonight Matter of Fact: State of Addiction to discuss nation's opioid crisis tonight on KMBC and KCWE To help focus attention on the crisis, KMBC/KCWE and its parent Hearst Television will televise a live primetime one-hour special across its station group on September 13 at 9:00 p.m. to address America's opioid epidemic. Lesson In Mixing It Up The Midwest's most ethnically diverse college is in Kansas City, Kan. Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas, tops the U.S. News and World Report list of the most ethnically diverse colleges in the Midwest. "We are proud to receive this national recognition highlighting one of our strongest assets - our diverse student body," Donnelly President Monsignor Stuart Swetland said in a statement Wednesday. Transit Makeover At The K Local bus stop that was once a finalist for "America's sorriest bus stop" receives an extreme makeover KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- If you're headed to Kauffman Stadium for Wednesday's game, you may notice some changes. The public bus stop outside the stadium on Blue Ridge Cutoff near the Missouri Welcome Center got an extreme makeover. The old bus stop was once a finalist for the title of "America's sorriest bus stop." Cowtown Toy Time Kansas City's National Museum Of Toys And Miniatures Celebrates The World's Smallest Artworks Tiny works by 68 artists from around the world, on display this weekend at the National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, can help us understand "what defines us as humans," according to the museum's director. To host this special exhibit celebrating all things small, the museum partnered with the International Guild of Miniature Artisans for a juried showcase of fine-scale miniatures. New Urban Core Biz Energized Wonder no more: Ruby Jean's taking juice to Troost Thirty years after Chris Goode's grandmother dropped him off for daycare at Operation Breakthrough on Troost Avenue, the entrepreneur is expanding the juicery that bears her name - Ruby Jean's - to a site less than a block away. "It's crazy how life comes full circle," said Goode, Ruby Jean's Juicery founder. Kansas City Obligatory Hipster U2 Review U2 dazzled nearly 50,000 people at Arrowhead last night, celebrating 30 years of The Joshua Tree April Fleming U2, with Beck Tuesday, September 12 Arrowhead Stadium Though the band's history goes back further, U2 has spent the past 30 years all but defining arena and stadium rock - a period that commenced upon the tour supporting 1987's The Joshua Tree. Right now weand all the important Kansas City mainstream media news links. Take a look:And this is thefor right now . . . RJD chief Lalu Prasad's younger son and former deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav has refused to shift in his new 1 Polo Road bungalow, allotted to him by the Bihar govt after RJD lost power in the state By Rohit Kumar Singh: RJD chief Lalu Prasad's younger son and former deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav has refused to shift in his new 1 Polo Road bungalow, allotted to him by the Bihar govt after RJD lost power in the state. The bungalow till date was allotted to deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi which he held in his capacity as former deputy CM after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar snapped ties with BJP in 2013. advertisement Tejashwi's 5 Desh Ratna Marg bungalow, which was allotted to him after he became the deputy chief minister in 2015, has now been allotted to Sushil Modi by the Building Construction Department. Upset with the move of the Bihar govt to allocate Modi's previous bungalow to him, Tejashwi had shot a letter to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a fortnight back, making an appeal to allow him to stay in his present bungalow in his capacity as former deputy Chief Minister just like Sushil Modi lived in 1, Polo Road in his capacity as former deputy CM between 2013-2017. According to sources, after the state govt has refused to budge from its position, Lalu's son has refused to shift in the new bungalow and instead would continue to live with his parents at 10, Circular Road, the bungalow which was allotted to former CM Rabri Devi in 2005. JD-U leader Neeraj Kumar has taken a jibe at Tejashwi's decision not to shift in his new allocated bungalow but to stay with his parents saying that since he is a bachelor, living with Lalu and Rabri would keep him disciplined and under control. "There are various corruption charges leveled against Tejashwi Yadav. Since he is single, staying with parents will keep him under check and disciplined. He should stop thinking about the bungalow and focus on dealing with corruption cases going against him," said Neeraj Kumar, JDU MLC and spokesperson. ALSO READ: Lalu's big rally forced Centre to go for Cabinet reshuffle, says Tejashwi Yadav Sushil Modi gets Tejashwi Yadav's bungalow --- ENDS --- "Democratic Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal won't lose her seat in the Missouri Senate for her Facebook comment expressing that she wished President Donald Trump would be assassinated. Chappelle-Nadal will be officially censured "After the announcement about the censure, Majority Floor Leader Mike Kehoe and Senate Leader Ron Richard sent out a joint statement calling for Chappelle-Nadal to step down. "Censuring a sitting member has never been done in the history of the Missouri Senate," Kehoe said. "It is not something the Senate takes lightly. If Sen. Chappelle-Nadal was doing the right thing for her constituents, she would have resigned. Demonstrating a disrespect for the democratic process has no place in the Missouri Senate." ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THIS SMACK DOWN OR IS THIS A FAIL FOR MISSOURI REPUBLICANS AFTER THEIR CHEST-THUMPING??? After losing committee assignments and confronting nationwide scorn, here's the final verdict from the Missouri GOP during the veto session:Deets:And so . . .You decide . . . Greece's New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis will kick off a three-day visit to Thessaloniki on Friday to attend the 82nd Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF). On Friday at 10:00, he will visit the Technopolis and at 11:00 he will visit the "Papageorgiou" hospital where he will speak with citizens. At 13:30 he will meet with students that excelled at the Mathematical Olympiad and with university students from the School of Architecture in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki who, as part of their thesis, won one of the first awards at an international architecture and design competition. At 19:00 he will visit the Museum of Macedonian Struggle. On Saturday, he will visit the TIF at 11:00 and at 19:30 and speak at the "Ioannis Velidis" conference center. On Sunday, Greek main opposition leader will hold a press conference at 13:00 at the same conference center. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Zweifussler License: CC-BY-SA Source: ANA-MPA Annan cited ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle in his speech who said that when wealth is in the hands on the few there might be disorder, while a large middle class is the backbone of democracy There is a deficit of trust in people towards the institutions and the political system, the former secretary general of the United Nations and founder and chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation, Kofi Annan, noted in his speech at the Athens Democracy Forum on Thursday. "Democratic freedoms have been in decline for 11 consecutive years," he stressed, adding that election turnout is low, which shows that people's trust in political parties and institutions is diminishing. "We must cherish and protect democracy or it'll be lost for future generations," he added, noting the need to be vigilant. Annan cited ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle in his speech who said that when wealth is in the hands on the few there might be disorder, while a large middle class is the backbone of democracy. "The governments seem weak towards global markets. Some people were saving banks while people were losing their homes," he said with a reference to the 2008 economic crisis in the U.S. Annan argued democracy is the only political system that brings sustainable development and peace, noting that elections are an integral part of democracy, in which citizens must be more involved and not be removed. Focusing on current issues, he said the economic and refugee crisis helped populism to gain ground. Some of the main reasons people are having difficulty regaining their trust in democratic values are the loss of income and important rights from the imposition of austerity, the increase in inequality and the fact that markets continue to gain money. The forum is organized by the New York Times and assembles leading policy makers, business leaders, scholars and other experts to define, assess and tackle the critical questions about the world at this moment. It will take place from September 13 to 17 in Athens. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Source: ANA-MPA A group of British and American investors are interested in buying Hellenic Sugar Industry - and its subsidiaries in Serbia - for an initial price of more than 100 million euros, Christos Farmakis, the founder of the Anglo-American consortium with an equity stake of 20 pct, said to ANA on Thursday. "We are extremely flexible and there is a lot of room to significantly raise our initial price," Farmakis said, adding that the "purchase price does not reflect the investments we wish to make in the short- and medium-term." He noted that the UK-based company Kingsley Capital was one of the participants in the consortium and stressed that significant US companies were also participating. "We are trying to draft a survey and to present it to the Greek government, however, there is a lack of necessary data. Some people, and I do not mean the government, won't give them to us," he said. He added that the consortium's interest in buying Hellenic Sugar Industry Group will remain strong and noted that talks with the Greek government were at a very early stage. "There are good intentions and signs are optimistic," he said. Farmakis made it clear the consortium did not include investors seeking to break up companies and sell them piece-by-piece. "I informed the Greek government of our intention to initially stabilise the production structure of the group and its market shares and in the medium-term to significantly strengthen its position," he noted. He added that Hellenic Sugar Industry's subsidiaries in Serbia reported net profits of 25 million euros in the 2016-2017 period and said that profits could reach 30 million in the 2017-2018 period. Farmakis argued that Greece, despite the crisis of recent years, presented significant and serious investment opportunities. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Lauri Andler License: CC-BY-SA Source: ANA-MPA Germanys Mercedes-Benz Trucks recently signed a contract with Tehran-based automaker Iran Khodro, laying the foundation for resuming distribution of its trucks in Iran, said a report. The deal between Iran Khodro and Mercedes-Benz Trucks includes creating a joint company that provides sales and after-sale services in Iran, added the Iran Daily News report, quoting Reuters. A second deal would be also signed next month to create a joint venture in Iran for production of heavy vehicles including Actros trucks, it said. French PSA the maker of Peugeots and Citroens and rival Renault have pushed hard into Iran since its 2015 deal with world powers that saw international sanctions lifted in return for modification on Tehrans nuclear activities, added the report. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, a leading tyre maker in the US, has announced its plans to create a new facility in Luxembourg that utilises an innovative production process to meet growing customer and consumer demand for premium tyres. Named Mercury, the proprietary process features highly-automated, interconnected workstations, using additive manufacturing technologies to efficiently produce premium tyres in small-batch quantities on-demand for replacement and original equipment customers, said a statement. Goodyear Chairman, chief executive officer and president Richard J. Kramer announced Mercury and the company's plans at the ground-breaking event for the facility, it said. The new facility, set to open in 2019, is in close proximity to Goodyear's Luxembourg innovation centre and a tyre proving grounds, it added. The company is investing $77 million in the facility, which will produce approximately 500,000 tyres annually and create approximately 70 new, full-time positions, said a statement. The technology used in the Mercury production process was developed and tested over the past five years at Goodyear's innovation and development centres. The name Mercury is a reference to the mythical god of trade and travel, which inspired the creation of Goodyear's winged foot logo by company founder Frank A Seiberling, it stated. Kramer said: Mercury addresses the increasing complexity in the tyre industry as the number of vehicle models and options available to consumers continues to proliferate. It gives us the capability to increase our speed and flexibility to meet the growing demand for small volumes of high-margin, premium Goodyear tyres and to deliver them to customers on demand, faster than ever, he said. Mercury will advance our connected business model, which aligns all of our assets - from the production floor to consumers who choose Goodyear online and at retail, he added. It will complement our existing high-volume facilities and give us a true competitive advantage, he concluded. TradeArabia News Service Batelco, Bahrain's leading telecom operator, will take part and participate in panel discussions at the Telecoms World Middle East and Carriers World Middle East 2017, taking place in Dubai on September 18 and 19. Batelco Group chief wholesale officer Ahmed Abdellatif will lead the Batelco team at the event and take part as a keynote panellist to discuss 'Organisational Evolution'. Abdellatif said that he was very pleased to be joining the discussion on the need for organisational evolution within the wholesale side of the communications industry. The wholesale side of the telecommunications industry is changing rapidly to support the vast changes taking place in the enterprise and retail sides of the business. While this change imperative creates a number of challenges and necessitates complex restructuring decisions, it is also opening the door to a vast array of growth opportunities for those Telcos that are not afraid to commit to making those changes. Telecoms World Middle East is among the biggest and most influential telecom events in the region dedicated to examining the future of telecoms in the Middle East, North Africa, South and Central Asia and across the globe and attracting over 800 attendees from the full spectrum of the industry. Batelco executives participation in keynote panel discussions at such prestigious regional events reflects the companys position as a leading organising that is at the forefront of innovation in the region, the company said. - TradeArabia News Service Banking customers in Saudi Arabia are increasingly using digital channels to conduct their transactions, with mobile banking leading the way, according to a new survey from software and communication services provider Avaya. The findings reveal that Saudi customers most-preferred channel for accessing banking services is via a mobile app, while 40 per cent of respondents said it was a priority to have everything on their mobile device the highest out of nine countries surveyed. . The Customer Experience in Banking Survey, conducted with YouGov, queried more than 10,000 banking customers in two waves the first covering the UK, UAE, India and Australia, and the second France, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. Almost a quarter (24 per cent) of respondents in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia said a mobile app was their preferred channel, behind only India and South Africa, and much higher compared to just 8 per cent in Germany and 10 per cent in France. Saudi Arabia already has one of the highest mobile penetration rates in the region, with a population penetration rate of 140 per cent as of Q1 2017, according to one report by the Ministry of Communication & Information Technology. Saudi banking customers are also more likely to change their banks because of poor customer service and less likely to give the bank a chance to do something about it. While more than half(52 per cent) would change banks the highest out of all nine countries only 37 per cent would lodge a complaint, the lowest of the countries surveyed. When asked to assess what was important to them in interacting with their bank, top asks from Saudi banking customers include wanting to have the same level of experience and service across all channels, and for their problems to be resolved on the first point of contact, all regardless of which contact channel they used. While more robust digital channels are one way for banks to improve the customer experience, almost a quarter of those in the Kingdom would still prefer to visit their banks branch and speak with a relationship officer for services. Virtual Financial Advisors (VFAs) representatives from the bank who engage customers through virtual means and service them remotely with online tools seem to be an ideal solution based on the preferences of Saudi respondents. According to the survey, the most valued benefit of having a VFA is being able to resolve their banking inquiries faster, regardless of the contact centre channel they use. Customers in Saudi Arabia generally prefer not to be contacted by their bank for promotional offers or new services. But they want to hear from their bank when it comes to renewing their credit cards or services before they expire, and dealing with problematic or potentially fraudulent transactions. Nearly a quarter of respondents (23 per cent) say that they would not want to be contacted for any of these issues, preferring to contact the bank only when they need to. Getting customer experience right is vital for banks in KSA, and it is clear that delivering a superior customer experience requires coordination across all touchpointswhether online or offline, said Yaser Alzubaidi, Engagement Solutions sales leader for Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (AMEA) at Avaya. Banks in the region are increasingly investing in digital transformation to deliver the right customer experience. However, it really comes down to personal autonomy and giving consumers the opportunity to choose the way they interact with their bank. That is where new technologies can really make a difference. Moreover, these new technologies help customers to do what they want to do as fast and effectively as possible, Alzubaidi added. TradeArabia News Service German carrier Lufthansa has announced plans to discontinue its flight service to Qatar from October, a report said. According to Karsten Zang, senior director Gulf at Lufthansa Group, the route was found to be "commercially not viable" despite substantial sales efforts, a report in Flight Global cited him as saying. Lufthansa started flying the route Frankfurt to Doha in May 1993 and currently operates a daily routing of Frankfurt-Kuwait-Doha-Kuwait-Frankfurt. The last flight from Doha via Kuwait to Frankfurt will take off on October 27 from Hamad International Airport. All existing bookings will be re-protected and therefore will be rebooked within the coming days. Effected customers will be informed and rebooked directly. Lufthansa will exercise maximum flexibility for possible cancellations/refunds to existing bookings, the airline said. Qatar Airways has unveiled plans to launch to direct flights between Doha and Cardiff, a report said. According to a report in BBC, the new seven-day-a-week service is scheduled to begin in May 2018. The route will be operated with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, seating 254 passengers. From Doha, people will be able to board connecting flights to destinations including India, China, Singapore and Australasia, the report said. Whether Sanjay Dutt and Maanayata got married, his friends and family were not very accepting of her. By India Today Web Desk: Sanjay Dutt and Maanayata may be happily married now, but they haven't always had it easy. When Maanayata first came into her husband's life, his friends and family were not in favour of it. The hostility increased when Maanayata took over the reins of Sanjay's life and began to wield iron-fisted control over everything, from his finances to his relationships. advertisement In an interview with IANS dating back to 2009, Maanayata had lashed out at those trying to "use" Sanjay and said, "I came like a barricade in Sanju's life to stand between him and those who want to use him. Naturally, these fair-weather friends resent me. I spoilt their party, you see." There were many who questioned her right to control his life, but an unfazed Maanayata said, "I have the right to live with my husband the way I want to. It doesn't matter whether it's a prostitute or a princess, a wife has certain rights in her husband's home. I'm not a man living in a woman's house." The star wife claimed that Sanjay was "taking on unnecessary expenses" for some people, which she put a stop to. She alleged, "His finances were being handled by the wrong people. There were so many irregularities in his accounts. If I open my mouth about it, no one will be spared." Sanjay's sisters Namrata and Priya Dutt were also not too happy with their brother's wife. In fact, they were not even invited to the actor's wedding. Priya had famously "thanked" the media for letting her know of Sanjay and Maanayata's marriage. "Sanju knows I've tried to do as much in my capacity to find acceptance with his sisters. Beyond that he wouldn't like me to push myself to try any further. Neither would I," Maanayata had said. Thankfully, all that is in the past, and the Dutt family shares warm vibes now. In fact, Sanjay Dutt's daughter Trishala too is fond of Maanayata and was all praise for the star wife's recent swimsuit photos. ALSO WATCH: Maanayata gets emotional at the screening of Sanjay Dutt's Policegiri --- ENDS --- By PTI: Eds: Updating with additional inputs, background Lucknow, Sep 14 (PTI) Three Bangladeshi youths, suspected to have links with Islamic extremist group Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), have been arrested by Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad here. Mohammad Imran, Rajiuddin and Mohammad Firdaus - all brothers - were caught while boarding the Howrah-Amritsar Express train yesterday afternoon, IG ATS Asim Arun said today. advertisement During interrogation, they confessed that they were residents of Bangladesh and fake Aadhaar cards were found from their possession, he said. Asim said that they were later put under arrest. The names of the three came after an ATS team on August 6 arrested suspected Bangladeshi terrorist Abdullah, associated with the ABT from Muzaffarnagar. The ABT - also called Ansar Bangla - is implicated in crimes including some brutal attacks and murders of atheist bloggers in Bangladesh. Abdullah alias Al Mamun was arrested from Kutesara locality in Charthawal area of Muzaffarnagar district by an ATS team and during his interrogation name of some persons came to the fore and probe was done in Deoband madrassas to find his links. It was found that three persons - a madrassa teacher and his two brothers - were missing after which ATS team swung into action and three were arrested, Asim said. He said the ATS would probe whey they fled from Deoband and whether they have links with any terrorist group. Abdullah was living in Kutesara area for a month. Earlier he resided in Deoband area of Saharanpur since 2011 and had also got his Aadhaar card and passport prepared on fake identity. ATS officials said Abdullah is associated with ABT and was involved in preparing fake identity proofs of terrorists especially of Bangladesh and help them get safe hideouts in India. The ABT is an al Qaeda inspired Islamic extremist group in Bangladesh. During interrogation, Abdullah told the ATS that he used to prepare fake identity proofs with the help of one Faizan, who resident in Deoband (Saharanpur), the IG said. Based on this input, Faizans house was searched in Deoband but he was not found there but jihadi literature in Bangla, literature for preparation of bombs, colour printer and a number of fake IDs were recovered. PTI ABN SMI ZMN --- ENDS --- "CIVETS: Emerging tourism giants? Tourism Flows in Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa", provides key insights on the inbound tourism. It covers key trends and issues, in-depth analysis and outlook for these six markets. (TRAVPR.COM) NEW YORK - September 14th, 2017 - Albany, New York, September 14, 2017: Has tourism increased in Columbia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa (CIVETS)? Are these countries becoming the hub for tourists from all over the world? A new research report named CIVETS: Emerging tourism giants Tourism Flows in Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa added into repository of Market Research hub (MRH), offers in-depth analysis and insight into the key factors influencing the tourism sector in CIVETS. Request Free Sample Report@ http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1319726 The report shows mixed trends in the economies of CIVETS during 2016 with few showing ups and others falling steeply. According to the report, Turkey and Egypt tourism sector declined sharply in 2016 due to security being a huge concern; however, these markets are expected to recover in 2017 as Russia agrees to resume flights to Egypt and works on its relationship with Turkey. The report provides detailed data involving historical data, forecasts data and tourist spending trends in the markets of Columbia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa. The report begins by offering a snapshot of the market, with detailed analysis and commentary on the key trends and issues in the tourism sector in these countries. The information provided in this report can help stakeholders understand the nuances and subtle factors impacting the market in these countries. According to the report, Vietnam gained most from inbound tourism among all the CIVETS countries. This was largely influenced by the simple visa policy for foreign tourists. Further, China, the country that accounts for bulk of inbound tourists to Vietnam, contributed to the growth of Vietnam tourism sector in 2016. According to the report, Chinese tourists are preferring Vietnam over South Korea owing to the negative perception about the latters collaboration with US over deployment of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD). Safety and security are the key concern of tourists. As tourism is a luxury and leisure segment, any negative news about a countrys domestic or international issue usually leads to low tourist arrivals. In contrast, improved geopolitical situation can help in renewing tourist confidence. This is evident from the turnaround in Colombias inbound tourism sector. According to the report, Colombias tourism sector has witnessed a steady growth in the last two years, owing to improved security situation in the country. The ceasefire agreement between Marxist rebels FARC and the government of Colombia has led to a decline in travel advisories from Europe and the US. This has given an organic boost to the tourism sector in Colombia. The report analyzes that the tourism sector in Colombia has witnessed a double-digit growth on account of these factors. Browse Full Report with TOC@ http://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/civets-emerging-tourism-giants-tourism-flows-in-colombia-indonesia-vietnam-egypt-turkey-and-south-africa-report.html Indonesias economy is heavily dependent on revenues generated through inbound tourism. In view of the significant contribution of the tourism sector to overall economy of Indonesia, the government adopted a new visa policy which enabled visa-free travel to tourists from over 45 countries. Indonesia is taking important steps to boost its travel sector, and aims to play host to over 15 million tourists in 2017. Overall, the report is a must-buy for stakeholders in the CIVETS travel sector. In addition to offering historical assessment and projected growth, the report offers comprehensive information to understand key drivers, trends, and opportunities in this diverse and emerging sector. Enquire About this Report@ http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1319726 About Market Research Hub: Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps. MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients. Contact Us 90 State Street, Albany, NY 12207, United States Toll Free:- 800-998-4852 (US-Canada) Email:- press@marketresearchhub.com Website:- http://www.marketresearchhub.com/ Read Industry News at :- https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ ### Looking at the bodies, police suspect that the girls were sexually abused. Initial reports suggest that they were murdered with some sharp object. By India Today Web Desk: Bodies of two girls, who went missing for three days from their village in Kanpur, were recovered from the ravines in Etawah district today morning. Looking at the bodies, police suspect that the girls were sexually abused. Initial reports suggest that they were murdered with some sharp object. The parents of the two girls, Yogita (18) and Himani (17) went missing after school from Rania in Kanpur on Monday, alleged that when they first filed a missing, the authorities asked them to conduct one on their own. advertisement On Wednesday, angry family members and neighbours created ruckus at the Rania police station, following which the station house in-charge Ram Krishna Gangwar was suspended for dereliction of duty. Superintendent of Police Dinesh Pal Singh informed that after the bodies were discovered, a case of kidnapping and murder has been filed against one, Kuldeep Singh, and some unknown persons, following accusations by the family. Singh was apparently friends with one of the girls. The police have however failed to find information about the third girl, Laxmi, who also went missing with Yogita and Himani. (With inputs from IANS) --- ENDS --- By PTI: Belagavi, Sep 14 (PTI) The upgraded Belagavi airport with extended runway and a new terminal building with a capacity to accommodate over 300 passengers was inaugurated by Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju along with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah here today. Modernised with an investment of Rs 120 crore in over two and a half years, the airport is expected to add more flights from the current two daily services being operated by SpiceJet to Bengaluru and Mumbai, airport director Rajesh Kumar Maurya told PTI. advertisement "SpiceJet has agreed to add one more flight, a daily service to Chennai, from next month. Besides, Air Indias regional arm Alliance Air has informed us that it will be adding a flight service from our airport in the coming winter schedule. We also expect some more domestic operators to launch flights from here in the months to come," Maurya said. The upgradation work was taken up in February 2015. In involved extension of the runway, construction of a new isolation bay, taxiway, apron for three A-320 aircraft and new ATC tower among other things, he said. The runway has been extended by 475 meters to 2,330 meters, which would allow it to handle Airbus A320. SpiceJet currently operates it services from Belagavi airport with Bombardier Q400s. Besides, the new terminal building, spread over 3,600 sq meters, has been designed to handle 320 passengers against the earlier capacity of 180, Maurya said. The new terminal building also has two baggage conveyor belts and six CUTE (common-use terminal equipment) -enabled check-in counters against the four earlier. The security hold area has also been increased significantly, he said adding, "We have also constructed a new 22.5 meter ATC tower with all new equipment." While inaugurating the upgraded airport, Raju said, "Belagavi is an important city in Karnataka. With the upgraded airport, the city is all set to cater to more air passengers from the region. Since Belagavi is among the first 20 cities being transformed into Smart Cities, this was a much needed development." The airport handled close to one lakh passengers in the previous fiscal. PTI IAS KRK --- ENDS --- By PTI: By Lalit K Jha Washington, Sep 14 (PTI) The US today announced a fresh round of economic sanctions against Iran by designating 11 entities and individuals for allegedly engaging in hostile cyber-attacks on American financial system or supporting designated Iranian actors. Those sanctioned include an entity engaging in activities in support of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ballistic missile programme; two Ukraine-based entities providing support to designated airlines, including one affiliated with the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). advertisement It also includes two Iran-based networks responsible for malicious cyber-enabled attacks against the US financial system. "Treasury will continue to take strong actions to counter Irans provocations, including support for the IRGC-Qods Force and terrorist extremists, the ongoing campaign of violence in Syria, and cyber-attacks meant to destabilise the US financial system," said Treasury Secretary Steven T Mnuchin. "These sanctions target an Iranian company providing material support to the IRGCs ballistic missile programme, airlines that support the transport of fighters and weapons into Syria, and hackers who execute cyber-attacks on American financial institutions," he said. As a result of the latest US action, all property and interests in property of those designated subject to US jurisdiction are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. In addition, foreign financial institutions that facilitate significant transactions for, or persons that provide material or certain other support to, the entities and individuals designated today risk exposure to sanctions that could sever their access to the US financial system or block their property and interests in property under US jurisdiction, the Treasury added. PTI LKJ CPS --- ENDS --- Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 13 Slamming the Centre for failing to pass on the global crude oil price reduction benefit to consumers, the Congress today demanded immediate revision of petrol and diesel prices depending on international rates. Since May 2014 when the BJP Government came to power, global crude oil prices have fallen by 52%. The price of international crude oil was $108 per barrel in May 2014 and it is $52.73 a barrel today. At this reduced price, diesel should cost Rs 28.85 a litre and petrol Rs 37.13 per litre but the respective prices today are Rs 71.71 and Rs 55.49. Why are the prices of petrol, diesel and kerosene soaring when global crude oil prices are declining? asked Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari while accusing the government of economic terrorism. Beijing, September 14 BTCChina, one of the biggest bitcoin exchanges in the world, today announced that it will shut down all trading activities on its platform from September 30 as regulators clamped down on crypto-currencies. The move confirmed earlier reports of Chinese officials mulling a closure of domestic exchanges for virtual currency trading, and sent the price of Bitcoin into a nosedive. Following the announcement, the price of Bitcoin this evening plunged 6.09% to $3,630, the lowest level since August 12, state-run Global Times reported. The price of Bitcoin has been on a steep downward curve since Tuesday, when several media outlets carried reports of Chinese officials planning to bar commercial trading of virtual currencies. The price fell from a high of about $4,360 to below the $4,000 mark yesterday. Bitcoin China said it had made the decision based on an official document released on September 4. PTI New Delhi, September 13 The Supreme Court has paved the way for trial against Reliance Industries Ltd in a three-decade old case relating to alleged evasion of excise duty. The apex court set aside the October 2015 order of the Gujarat High Court by which it had discharged the company saying that since one of the provisions of Central Excise Rules, 1944, was omitted in 1994 without prescribing any saving clause, the proceedings cannot continue. A Bench comprising Justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and UU Lalit said "the charge against the respondent (Reliance Industries Ltd) is of evasion of duty. The ingredient of the offence is the evasion". The Bench said there was no justification for the high court to quash the charge merely on the ground that a rule has been omitted. The apex court, while setting aside the high court order, restored the order of the trial court which had in March 2013 framed charges against the company for alleged offences under provisions of the Central Excises and Salt Act, 1944 read with provisions of Central Excise Rules. PTI Tribune News Service Mumbai, September 13 The RBI is considering the introduction of its own cryptocurrencies but was not comfortable with bitcoins which did not come under the jurisdiction of any central bank. Speaking at an event on financial technologies, Sudarshan Sen, Executive Director, RBI, said bitcoins were private cryptocurrency. We are not comfortable with non-fiat cryptocurrencies... like bitcoins. Fiat (cryptocurrencies) will be those (which are issued by) the Reserve Bankwhich you can carry in the cyber space with you, when you dont have to keep physical currency in your pocket, he said. Sen said the RBI had a team of experts working on the central banks own version of cryptocurrencies. The central bank has been warning investors against dabbling in cryptocurrencies on the grounds that these could be misused for terrorism and financial fraud. The Finance Ministry has already set up a committee of experts to consider instituting a regulatory framework to govern the use of virtual currencies. New Delhi, September 14 The Income Tax Department and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) have signed a pact to regularly share data, including PAN and audit reports of firms, to crack down on shell companies, the government said on Thursday. The pact aims at curbing the menace of money laundering, black money and misuse of corporate structure by shell companies, a finance ministry statement said. The MoU for Automatic and Regular Exchange of Information between was signed between the MCA and Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on September 6 and took effect the same day, it said. Under the pact, tax authorities will now relay audit reports of corporates and specific information from their I-T returns along with PAN data to MCA. Besides, financial statements filed by corporates with the Registrar of Companies, returns of allotment of shares and statement of financial transactions received from banks will now be shared between the two departments. A Data Exchange Steering Group has also been constituted for the initiative which will meet periodically to review the data exchange status and take steps to further improve the effectiveness of the two agencies, it added. The MoU will ensure that both MCA and CBDT have seamless PAN-CIN (Corporate Identity Number) and PAN-DIN (Director Identity Number) linkage for regulatory purposes. The information shared will pertain to both Indian corporates as well as foreign corporates operating in India, the statement said. The data will also be shared for the purpose of carrying out scrutiny, inspection, investigation and prosecution. The government has already said that over 1.06 lakh directors will be disqualified for their association with shell companies. The MCA is in the process of cancelling the registration of 2.09 lakh companies that have not been carrying out business activities for a long period. Besides, banks have been asked to restrict operations of these companies bank accounts by their directors or their authorised representatives. Following deregistration of over two lakh companies currently there are about 11 lakh companies with active status. PTI Gandhinagar, September 14 Japans Suzuki Motor Corp on Thursday announced fresh investments of around Rs 3,800 crore in Gujarat to add a third car production plant. The company along with its partners Toshiba and Denso will also invest around Rs 1,150 crore for a new unit to produce lithium ion batteries. The new investment in enhancing capacity of the Hansalpur plant will take the companys total investment in the facility to around Rs 13,400 crore, where it has already put in Rs 9,600 crore on two plants along with another engine and transmission production unit. The Hansalpur-based plant is Suzuki Motor Corps first wholly-owned unit in India. Announcing the fresh investments, Suzuki Motor Corp (SMC) Chairman Osamu Suzuki said the company will invest Rs 3,800 crore on the third plant which will have a production capacity of 2.5 lakh units annually. When the third plant starts functioning fully, the SMCs Gujarat plant will have a total capacity of 7.5 lakh units per annum. He, however, did not elaborate on the time for commissioning of the third plant. The first two plants also have capacity of 2.5 lakh units per annum, while the engine and transmission unit has a capacity to produce 5 lakh units a year. The overall production capacity of SMC along with its Indian arm, Maruti Suzukis two plants in Haryana will increase to 22.5 lakh units annually. Currently, the first plant at Hansalpur produces premium hatchback Baleno. The second plant along with the engine and transmission units is expected to go on stream in 2019. He said with the new investment, the companys Hansalpur facility will will help in generating employment for 10,000 people, including suppliers. We will also construct a hospital and school near Hanslapur facility, he added. Last week Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R C Bhargava had stated that SMC was also considering setting up a fourth production line of 2.5 lakh units at Hansalpur plant to take its total capacity to a million units. Suzuki said as part of strategy for adapting to new technologies, SMC along with its partners Toshiba and Denso will invest USD 180 million (around Rs 1,151 crore) to manufacture lithium ion batteries. The batteries will be used for hybrid vehicles manufactured in India and export these genuinely manufactured in India vehicles to international market, Suzuki said. The plant is expected to be operational from 2020, he said adding, We plan to continue with our efforts to promote make-in-India program further. Last year, SMC had joined hands with Toshiba Corporation and Denso to set up a plant in India to produce lithium ion batteries. The three Japanese entities inked an agreement to form a joint venture to tap growing popularity for electric vehicles in India and supply lithium-ion battery packs in the country. PTI Beijing, September 14 Volkswagen will recall almost five million vehicles in China over airbag concerns, Chinese authorities said on Thursday, dealing a new blow to the German automaker in the worlds largest car market. VW and its joint ventures with Chinese partners FAW and SAIC will start withdrawing 4.86 million vehicles fitted with potentially faulty airbags made by Japans bankrupt airbag giant Takata from March 2018, according to Chinas top consumer watchdog. The announcement came just 10 days after VW and its local partners agreed to recall 1.82 million vehicles owing to a faulty fuel pump. In March Volkswagen recalled nearly 6,80,000 premium Audi cars in China over defects in coolant pumps that could lead to engine fires, and another 572,000 due to potential problems arising from leaks in the panoramic sunroof. The latest recall involves vehicles made between 2005 and 2017, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. Of the vehicles being recalled, more than 4.7 million units were made in Chinese factories and 103,573 are imports. Takata has recalled some 100 million airbags produced for some of the largest automakers, including about 70 million in the US, due to the risk that they could improperly inflate and rupture, potentially firing deadly shrapnel at the occupants. The defect has been linked to 16 deaths and scores of injuries worldwide. China is a crucial market for VW, which sold nearly four million vehicles in the worlds biggest auto market last years. VW is still trying to recover from the controversy after it admitted in 2015 to equipping its diesel cars with defeat devices to evade emissions tests. The company pleaded guilty in March to charges stemming from dieselgate and agreed to pay $4.3 billion in penaltieson top of $17.5 billion in civil settlements. Volkswagen still faces legal challenges in Germany and worldwide, and has so far set aside more than 22 billion euros ($24.4 billion) to cover costs. Experts estimate the final bill from the scandal could be even higher. AFP Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 13 While the Administration is yet to notify the new rates for conversion of residential property from leasehold to freehold after a reduction in the collector rates, it is certain that the new rates will shock residents, who will think twice before opting for conversion. While allowing the transfer of residential property from leasehold to freehold on August 18, the Administration had decided to "fix collector rates as land rates in the formula for the calculation of the conversion charges". The Administration used to charge Rs 1,710 per sq metre as conversion fee before 2013. Sources said though the Administration had reduced the collector rates by 5 per cent for residential properties, the conversion charges would still increase many times. The Administration is revising the rates after 20 years. The Administration will use the formula mentioned in the rules formulated in 1996 for converting leasehold property into freehold. According to the rules, there shall be no conversion fee for plots measuring below 50 sq metres as well as for EWS, cheap houses and industrial houses. JD Gupta, a property consultant, said as per the new formula, the conversion rates would increase with the size of the plots. The Estate Office has divided the residential properties into three zones: Sector 1 to 12 (zone I), Sector 14 to 37 (zone II) and Sector 38 onwards (zone III) for fixing the collector rates. The conversion charges will differ from zone to zone as the collector rates are different in all zones. Sources said on an average, the conversion rate was likely to be Rs 8,36,250 for a plot of 150 sq yards, Rs 14,86,600 for a plot of 200 sq yards, Rs 18,58,2 50 for a plot of 250 sq yards and Rs 40,26,925 for a plot of 350 sq yards. Vinod Joshi, an architect, said the new rates would hit the middle class hard. Not realistic, say traders A number of organisations of traders, property dealers and industrialists have expressed resentment over the "meagre" reduction in the collector rates, terming it unrealistic and have urged the Administration to reduce the rates further to bring these on a par with those in neighboring states. YK Mahajan, president of the Industries Association, Chandigarh, Yudhvir Kaura, president, Laghu Udyog Bharati, and Naveen Miglani, president, Chambers of Chandigarh Industries, expressed resentment over the failure to reduce the collector rates for the Industrial Area. Baldev Goel, president, Chandigarh Business Council, and JD Gupta and Kamaljeet Singh Panchhi, property consultants, said the reduction in the collector rates "will not help anyone as these were not realistic". The Administration reduced the collector rates of commercial properties by 10 per cent while a 5 per cent reduction was made in the case of residential properties on Tuesday. CHB to charge Rs1,000for application form The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) will charge Rs 1,000 for the application form for converting dwelling units from leasehold to freehold. Besides, Rs 5,000 will be charged as the processing fee. The CHB has invited applications from allottees for converting their dwelling units from leasehold to freehold. If the applicants have already applied for conversion in the past and their cases are pending, then they need not submit a fresh application. He had been exempt from appearing before Westminster Magistrates' Court for case management hearings by Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot before his trial begins on December 4. By Press Trust of India: Embattled liquor baron Vijay Mallya is set to return to court in London today for a hearing in his ongoing extradition case over economic offences in India. The 61-year-old businessman is out on bail on an extradition warrant executed by Scotland Yard on behalf of the Indian authorities in April. He had been exempt from appearing before Westminster Magistrates' Court for case management hearings by Chief Magistrate Emma Louise Arbuthnot before his trial begins on December 4. advertisement However, his legal team had indicated to the court that Mallya, wanted in India over a default on loans worth around Rs 9,000 crore to his now-defunct Kingfisher Airlines, likes to be present at the hearings. "All matters are on track," official sources had confirmed to PTI in reference to the timeline set by the court for the Indian authorities represented by the UK's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to provide Mallya's defence team with a detailed opening note on the case. The defence response from Mallya's legal team on the paperwork was to have been completed this week. The CPS, arguing on behalf of the Indian government at the last hearing on July 6, had told the court that they had "excellent cooperation" with the Indian authorities in the case and had sufficient material to establish a prima facie case for the extradition of the UB Group chief. "We have completed a review of materials and I am happy to state that we have had excellent cooperation with the Indian authorities in this case. We are ready and willing to proceed?and would invite the court to fix a hearing date at the earliest," CPS barrister Mark Summers had said. The judge agreed with the CPS to "progress with some rigour" and set December 4 as the start date for a final hearing in the case. If the Chief Magistrate rules in favour of extradition at the end of the trial, the UK home secretary must order Mallya's extradition within two months of the appropriate day. However, the case can go through a series of appeals before arriving at a conclusion. India and the UK have an Extradition Treaty, signed in 1992 and in force since November 1993, under which recently a Bangladeshi national wanted in the UK on murder charges was to be extradited from India. Mohammad Abdul Shakur is accused of murdering his wife Juli Begum and two daughters in the UK in 2007 before fleeing the country. He was arrested in Assam and his repatriation to the UK was delayed due to an ongoing court case in New Delhi. advertisement Another extradition request under the treaty involved Ashok Malik, which was withdrawn by the Indian authorities last month after Malik offered to return to face the Indian justice system voluntarily. Malik, the exact charges against whom are not known, was expected to appear at a hearing in a Delhi court this week. So far only one successful extradition has taken place from the UK to India under the treaty that of Samirbhai Vinubhai Patel, who was sent back to India last October to face trial in connection with his involvement in the post-Godhra riots of 2002. According to the last government statement in the Rajya Sabha, the other Indian extradition requests pending with the UK include fugitives Rajesh Kapoor, Tiger Hanif, Atul Singh, Raj Kumar Patel, Jatinder Kumar Angurala, Asha Rani Angurala, Sanjeev Kumar Chawla and Shaik Sadiq. ALSO READ | Exclusive: How Vijay Mallya splurged public money on IPL team What it means to be Vijay Mallya: A house in English countryside, a condo in Trump Plaza and a red Ferrari Fresh Interpol letter pushes Vijay Mallya further into corner ALSO WATCH | Vijay Mallya arrested by Scotland Yard in London --- ENDS --- advertisement Mohali: Four unidentified youngsters allegedly tried to kill a UT policeman late on Wednesday night at Nayagaon when he was returning home after duty. The youngsters stabbed Sikandar, a constable of the Chandigarh Police, on his back. The injured constable was shifted to the PGI. His condition is stated to be stable. According to Inspector Sahib Singh, SHO of the Nayagaon police station, the victim was on his way home when a tiff between him and the accused, who were in an inebriated condition, ensued over a minor issue. One of the accused attacked him with a knife on his back, said the SHO. All accused are yet to be identified and are at large. The SHO said a case of attempt to murder had been registered against the unidentified accused at the Nayagaon police station. tns Missing womans body found Mohali: The police recovered the body of a 24-year-old woman, Gagandeep Kaur, aka Gaggu, from a canal at Ghanaur here on Wednesday night. The Malerkotla-based woman, who was residing at TDI City in Mohali in a rented accommodation along with an acquaintance, had gone missing on September 1. She was working as a caretaker, said the police. The victims kin have raised suspicion on her acquaintance Manpreet Singh alleging that he murdered her. Inspector Rajan Parwinder Singh, SHO of the Sohana police station, said the highly decomposed body of the victim was recovered from the canal. At this moment, we cant say whether it is suicide or murder, said the SHO. The police have initiated inquest proceedings in the matter. tns Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 13 Almost a month after a 12-year-old school student was allegedly raped at Children Traffic Park in Sector 23, the UT police are still groping in the dark. The victim, a student of a government school in Sector 23, was reportedly waylaid and raped at knife-point by a middle-aged man, suspected to be a drug addict, at Children Traffic Park on August 15. Investigations have failed to make any headway despite suspects being questioned. The police could not come up with a sketch of the suspect as the information provided by the girl was vague. DSP (Central) Ram Gopal said they wer investigating the case from various angles and nothing could be revealed. Pavneet Singh Chadha Tribune News Service Mohali, September 13 Built with the objective of offering shelter to the poor and homeless, the Raen Basera at Phase I is being used to provide lodging to policemen in the district. Police personnel have been living in the shelter for the past three months. When a team of Chandigarh Tribune visited the shelter, no caretaker or attendant from the Municipal Corporation was present. In the gents' room, a policeman was taking a nap while another one was fiddling with his mobile phone. Their uniforms were hung from a clothesline in the room. The policemen said they had been staying at the night shelter for over three months. We were asked by our seniors to stay here, said the policemen. The shelter, meant for the urban homeless, is being used as a temporary accommodation by policemen coming for duty to Mohali from other cities. According to sources, the fire brigade used to house its officials at the shelter earlier. All six beds in the room were occupied by police personnel. The adjacent room meant for women was cluttered with the personal belongings of the police personnel. Empty bottles of liquor were found on the floor. A corporation employee said, Police personnel have been staying here for over three months. RP Sharma, councillor, Phase VI, said the night shelter was shut three months ago. The shelter was lying vacant on most days. It was not viable to pay the salaries to six attendants and a caretaker if the Raen Basera was unoccupied. So, it was decided that the Raen Basera be closed, he said. The homeless could be given shelter at the nearby night shelter in Phase VI, which has a capacity of nearly 50 beds, he said. Sharma said he had received a call from an ASI requesting for accommodation for some policemen deployed for duty in Mohali for "a few days". Kulwant Kaur, councillor, Ward No. 7, said the decision to close the Raen Basera was taken by the authorities to save money spent on the salaries of the staff at the shelter. She said: However, the intention was not to make it available for lodging policemen.Gurdarshan Singh, caretaker of the Phase VI night shelter, said some police personnel had come to the Raen Basera to seek temporary accommodation, but he had refused saying the shelter was meant for the poor and homeless. Mohali MC Commissioner Sandeep Hans said he was not aware of the issue. He said, I have taken charge recently. I can only comment after looking into the matter. Mohali Mayor Kulwant Singh said, The matter is not in my knowledge. If that is the case, the police personnel will be asked to vacate the shelter. Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 14 The Post Graduate Government College for Girls (PGGCG), Sector 11, Chandigarh, has been ranked sixth in the Swachhta Rankings-2017 of higher educational institutions in the category of government institutions. Panjab University (PU) is placed at the seventh rank in the same category. GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, has topped the category. The rankings were announced on Thursday and the top-ranking institutions were awarded. The Ministry of Human Resource Development had conducted the survey. The Principal of the PGGCG-11, Dr Anita Kaushal, received the award in New Delhi. Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar gave away the awards. Kaushal said the college could have scored a higher rank but for the heavy rain on the day of inspection by a team of the Central Government. From the PU, Prof Seema Kapoor went to receive the award. The PU Registrar, Col GS Chadha (retd), said, It is the outcome of work done over a year. We put up boards across the campus in Hindi, English and Punjabi on cleanliness. Our student-toilet ratio is good, the cleanliness in hostels is also good; the green cover also contributed to the ranking. He said in the past one year, the PU had carried out tree plantation, a no-plastic drive and installed separate dustbins for recyclable and organic waste. Parameters In the rankings, parameters for a clean campus were formulated such as the student-toilet ratio, kitchen hygiene, availability of running water, modernity of toilet and kitchen equipment, campus green cover, garbage disposal in hostels and academic buildings, disposal techniques, water supply systems and also whether the institutions adopted any neighbouring locality or village to spread awareness and activities in swachhta. The PU had adopted Khuda Lahora, Dhanas, Dadu Majra, Khuda Ali Sher and Sarangpur under the scheme. About 3,500 higher education institutions responded to the online invitation, submitting their details as per the format. The top 174 institutions were shortlisted as per the criteria and officials from the UGC and the AICTE inspected the premises of all 174 institutions. Finally, the top 25 institutions across various categories like universities, technical institutions, colleges and government institutions were selected and they were awarded on the occasion. The exercise will help generate peer pressure among institutions in the all-important area of cleanliness, according to the MHRD. Panchkula: The deployment of paramilitary forces and the state police force will continue around the Panchkula District Courts complex, Sector 1, for the hearing in two murder cases against Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on September 16. The hearing will take place at the CBI court in Panchkula. The dera chief is the main accused in the murder case of dera member Ranjit Singh. He has also been charged by the CBI with the murder of Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati. Panchkula Police Commissioner AS Chawla said they would not allow anybody to take law into his hands. The paramilitary forces were still deployed in Sector 1 and inside and outside the court complex as well. Sufficient number of Haryana Police personnel was deployed in Sector 1, who were allowing entry of people only after proper checking, he said. Ranjit, an affluent farmer, was a former manager of the dera. Ranjit was shot dead allegedly at the behest of Ram Rahim in 2002. The other case is regarding the murder of Ram Chander Chhatrapati, a Sirsa-based journalist, who had launched his own evening newspaper Pura Sach in 2000. Chhatrapatis son Anshul said his father was murdered on October 24, 2002, five months after the newspaper he owned published an anonymous letter alleging rape charges against the dera head. Uncertainty over dera chiefs appearance There is uncertainty over the dera chiefs appearance in person or through video-conferencing. A senior police official said they were trying for the dera chiefs appearance through video-conferencing. Earlier, there were orders of video-conferencing from Sirsa, but since the dera head is now languishing in a Rohtak jail, they would wait for the courts order, he said. TNS Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 14 Two more snatching incidents have been reported from the city in the past 24 hours. Both incidents were reported from Sector 41. A snatching incident was reported from Sector 41 around 9.40 pm on Wednesday by a girl, an employee of the High Court. Sources said the victim was taking a walk outside her house with her mother when a pedestrian came and sped away after snatching her mobile phone. The police said two accomplices of the accused were waiting for him ahead on a motorcycle. The accused then escaped from the spot. The police were informed following which a case was registered at the Sector 39 police station. The second snatching incident was reported from the same sector around 4 pm on Thursday. Two motorcycle-borne miscreants sped away after snatching a gold chain from a woman. The accused were not wearing helmets. The police said the CCTV footage of the area was being scrutinised. 16 cases this month The city has already witnessed 16 snatchings this month, while 156 snatchings have been reported this year. Tribune News Service Mohali, September 13 A young woman was killed while her acquaintance sustained serious injuries in an accident on Airport Road near Bakarpur village here today. Both victims were yet to be identified, said Inspector Rajan Parwinder Singh, SHO of the Sohana police station. He, however, said the deceased belonged to Kurukshetra in Haryana. Both victims are believed to be in their 20s. According to the SHO, the victims were on their way to the Mohali side on an Activa scooter when a tipper hit them near Bakarpur Chowk today. They were immediately rushed to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh, where one of them was declared brought dead. The injured was referred to the PGI by doctors there, said the SHO. Her condition is stated to be critical. The tipper driver fled from the spot, leaving his vehicle behind. The vehicle has been impounded, said the SHO. A case has been registered against the unidentified driver of the tipper at the Sohana police station. KC Singh KC Singh MUSLIMS in Ludhiana demonstrated their support to the Rohingya minority in Myanmar, driven from their homes and villages by the army carrying out ethnic cleansing on the pretext of counter-terrorism. It should not be a sectarian issue in India as since Independence, India has given refuge to diverse groups facing persecution in their homelands. This was done despite India not signing the 1951 Refugee Convention, perhaps worried about continued movement of people across the new boundaries and barbed-wire fences. India was willing to look at humanitarian concerns but not at the cost of perennial churning caused by new refugees entering settled populations, reopening wounds of the Partition. The two notable examples of India giving refuge are: the 14th Dalai Lama and his Tibetan followers in 1959 after the failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese occupation; and the 1971 ingress by people, mostly Hindus, fleeing East Pakistan to escape ethnic cleansing by the Pakistani army and its collaborators. The former act continues to rile the Chinese as they have been unable to render the Dalai Lama irrelevant in the temporal and spiritual lives of Tibetans. The 1971 episode constituted a mass exodus, numbering nearly 10 million, which swamped the states surrounding todays Bangladesh. The primary load was borne by West Bengal. The Hindu population of erstwhile East Bengal was 28 per cent of the total at the time of the Partition. It fell to 22 per cent by the time of the 1951 census. There was gradual slide till 1961 when it numbered 18.5 per cent. But after the 1971 purge, it fell drastically in 1974 to 13.5 per cent, indicating that a lot of refugees never returned from India. Porous borders, absence of a universal identification system for citizens and expediency of political parties wooing vulnerable vote-banks were the principal factors for an ad hoc, or even tacit, refugee policy. Despite developed nations and major democracies signing the Refugee Convention, in practice, domestic politics determines national choices. Take the 2015 Syrian refugee issue, which caused a major backlash in most European countries and enabled the rise in the US of Donald Trump, employing identity politics to conflate in popular mind Syrian refugees and radical Islam. German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the other hand, after dithering, finally admitted nearly 3,00,000 of the 4,06,000 refugees given asylum in Europe in 2016. As The Economist explains, her decision mixed concern for public opinion, demographic considerations (an ageing society needs immigrants) and deep conviction (growing behind the Berlin Wall taught her the evil of sealed borders). The US has in the past gone through phases of being refugee friendly or paranoid racist. Even a great President like Franklin D Roosevelt went along with popular US opinion on not admitting Jews being exterminated by Nazi Germany. In 1939, 67 per cent of Americans opposed admission of 10,000 refugee children, probably mostly Jews. In 1938, despite pleas to Roosevelt, which he ignored, to club the next three years of German quota and bring it forward, which could have enabled, in combination with Britain pressed to take a like amount as holder of the Palestine Mandate, to get most of the Jews out of Germany. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his stopover visit to Myanmar last week joined Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate now a prisoner of realpolitik, in maintaining silence on the Rohingya crisis. At the strategic level it made sense not to offend Myanmar when it is facing global denunciation, as the Chinese and even Russians would probably protect it in the UN Security Council. The government probably feels that India needs to balance the Chinese influence and obtain Myanmari armys cooperation in eliminating sanctuaries for non-state actors from Indias Northeast involved in terrorism. India also needs Myanmars cooperation for the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project to link the Kolkata port via Sittwe in Myanmar to Mizoram. This coincidently would traverse the disturbed Rakhine region. Should India then bow to this larger reality and discard humanitarian concerns about the treatment of Rohingyas, more than 40,000 of whom are already in India via Bangladesh? Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina is meanwhile getting riled over statements by India that the refugees would be deported. Obviously, India cannot ship them back to Myanmar as that would violate the time-honoured principle of refoulement which forbids handing over of refugees to entities that would endanger their life or liberty. The BJP, on television, is adopting the Trumpian method of demonising all refugees as actual or potential terrorists. Accounts of the fleeing Rohingyas seeing their girls raped, young men shot and homes burned, besides stories, like of a nine-year-old girl carrying her one-year-old brother, wring ones heart. India, in fact, needs a refugee law urgently that is blind to faith, colour or ethnicity of the refuge seeker. Of course, the government would always weigh all considerations while granting refuge. The Merkel approach seems sensible for India. India should document all those already here. This would be easier if the threat of deportation is abandoned. Next India needs to work with Bangladesh, including giving financial and material help to set up camps in Bangladesh, closer to the Rakhine border, to stem further flow to India. Finally, privately India needs to take its gloves off to convey firmly to Myanmar that realpolitik would not bind Indian hands beyond a limit. India, to be a great power, must provide an alternative narrative in Asia that is in line with its historical and cultural traditions to shelter those escaping danger to their life and liberty. People of all faiths have in the past, especially Zoroastrians and Jews, been welcomed to live in India and follow their own belief systems. It was done as Hinduism accepted that the path to salvation lay through multiple and variegated routes. The Bhakti Movement was allowed by the mainstream to spread peacefully, seen as more reform than apostasy and rebellion. The BJP government has thus to choose between the inclusive Indian tradition, rich in humanism, and its current devotion to more restrictive Hindutva that sees Islam through the window of Indian subjugation to Muslim rulers for centuries and terrorism. The writer is a former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs TKA Nair TKA Nair THE historic Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the outcome of protracted dialogue and negotiations on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission-induced climatic variations and their pervasive ill effects, was a remarkable essay on global consensus-building. The essence of it is the consensual commitment of the participating countries, almost the entire members of the United Nations, to keep global warming below 2C increase above the pre-industrial level through the mechanism of the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). This consensus was based on the stark realisation underpinned by extensive scientific studies and reports of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that unabated GHG emissions caused by human interventions have been damaging the earth's ecology, leading to climate change with its disastrous consequences. Most of the countries, including India, are woefully short of both for realising their INDCs. Regrettably, the mechanism of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for addressing the critical resource mobilisation issue has been discouraging. Trumps bizarre decision Against this backdrop, the bizarre decision of US President Donald Trump repudiating the Paris Agreement and reneging on it is not only deplorable but also irresponsible. His jingoistic assertion that he represents Pittsburgh, not Paris, does not behove the leader of the "free world". At the same time, it is heartening that the "other US establishment" has not only vowed its support to the Paris Agreement, but also moved forward with concrete positive steps as it is convinced that "green growth" is the only path for sustainable development. Powerful global leaders such as Xi Jinping, Angela Markel and Macron have come out forcefully for the agreement. Narendra Modi, too, has committed India to the agreement. Notwithstanding Trump's tirade against the agreement, including his savage views on India's motives in championing it, several adverse consequences of climate change are being felt. For instance, we in India now live with the vagaries of the monsoon nearly eluding the southern states while flooding Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan, causing widespread damage. Towards the fag end of the South-West Monsoon which used to bring copious rainfall, Kerala is bracing itself to meet likely power and water shortages. Flood-drought pattern hits India India, with its vast expanse of landmass is fighting periodic occurrence of floods and droughts at the same time, remind us of the perils of climate change as well as the realities of our geographical diversity. Agriculture has been most adversely affected by the forces of climate change. Studies have confirmed loss of productivity on account of climatic variations. Life of those engaged in farming has become unbearable owing to several factors, mainly variations in weather patterns beyond their control. The consequences of the distress of famers have been far-reaching, often forcing populist palliatives which prove to be counterproductive. With its teeming millions below the poverty line, India has been making gigantic efforts to ensure availability of the very basic necessities of life to its poor through welfare schemes and infrastructure development projects. A higher level of energy production and utilisation/per capita consumption is the single most critical determinant of the success of India's development strategies. Though the average annual per capita consumption of energy in India is far below the global average, a quantum jump in power production for higher consumption through the conventional sources hydel, coal and hydro-carbon is fraught with adverse fallouts. Addressing climate change Responding to these imperatives, India initiated strategies to address climate change well before the Paris conclave. While the broad policy framework on environment and climate change was laid down by the National Environment Policy 2006, the Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change set up in 2007 was indeed a landmark in our combat against climate change. In the context of our federal polity, the states have also formulated their own strategies and action plans taking into account their distinctive factor endowments and challenges. State and local governments can effectively mobilise public participation for awareness raising, energy conservation, water storage and tree planting, all of which would help reduce the ill effects of GHG emissions. Panchayati Raj institutions have also become active in greening their areas which inter alia contributes to carbon sequestration. We have now committed to reduce emission intensity by 30 to 35% over 2005 levels by 2030. Concrete steps taken are showing positive results. The contribution of renewables, specially solar and wind power in the energy mix, has gone up several times from 2002 to 2015. The comprehensive energy conservation strategy is also paying rich dividends. The National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency which aims at saving 10% of the current energy consumption within the next two-three years is well on its way to achieve its target. The resolve on moving to alternative auto fuels is part of the winning strategy. Renewables are increasingly becoming competitive and cheaper than fossil-fuel energy. Falling price of solar power draws investors in solar projects leading to a virtuous circle. Major thermal power producers NTPC and Tata Power are slowing down on coal-fired projects. The welcome worldwide shift away from fossil fuels to renewables will certainly get accelerated with innovations such as "floating solars" and "bifacial modules", though for the present, they are tantalising technological miracles for the resource poor developing world, including India. Coordinating mechanism needed With the heavy backlog of development deficit to catch up with, climate change has added a huge burden on the resources of India, its infrastructure, finances, technology and human capital. We are certainly not unprepared for the challenges, but the task is herculean. Our voluntarily committed Intended Nationally Determined Contribution following up on the National Action Plan on Climate Change lays down the best possible road map for the Central and state governments to work in partnership with the private sector. The National Adaptation Fund would further boost our innovative efforts. Appropriately designed institutional arrangements, funding and technology are critical, but an effective overarching coordinating mechanism at the apex reporting directly to the Prime Minister with the mandate to oversee, review and drive the national campaign against climate change is most crucial. The writer was Secretary, Environment & Forest and Adviser to former PM THE Indian-Japanese partnership has been in the making for a decade since Shinzo Abe described it as a confluence of two seas while addressing the Indian Parliament. This confluence became a symbolic convergence with the laying of the foundation stone of the bullet train project in Ahmedabad. Partisans are out in strength, debating the merits and demerits of the project, though it is a bit rich for the Congress to protest since the very same Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project had figured in two UPA railway budgets, presented by Pawan Bansal and Malikkarjun Kharge, respectively. Sceptics, though, have a point when they question the hoopla surrounding a single, stand-alone section, keeping in mind that the most difficult part land acquisition is yet to begin. And not for nothing is Abe called Japans top salesman he has sold the bullet train idea to India even though cost considerations had edged the Japanese out in Indonesia and Thailand where China has been the gainer. Arguably, the Indo-Japanese partnership story is not just about the bullet train. Japan needs a large market like India to offset the tepid outcome of Abenomics that was supposed to pull it out of chronic low growth. New Delhi, in return, hopes to get its hands on sophisticated technology in cutting-edge areas. However, Japan is yet to make up its mind about technology transfer. On the other hand, Japans unequivocal show of solidarity with India in its Doklam standoff with China should suggest that doubts and hesitations in Tokyo are dissolving. Partnerships that benefit both sides are a staple of international relationships. But PM Modi and his predecessor, Manmohan Singh, imbued greater dynamism in ties with Japan by extending it to other countries. The two countries plan to venture in tandem in Africa, while the project to connect India with East Asian countries is in full swing. There is need for caution. The Indian taxpayer cannot be allowed to become the guinea pig for expensive Japanese imports. Indeed in the New India of PM Modi, the private sector should have shouldered the risks and joy of running bullet trains. That would have produced some transformation. By PTI: New Delhi, Sep 13 (PTI) The latest letters to regulator Trai from Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio blaming each other over the issue of mobile call connection charges will be considered by the authority, a top official said. "A lot of companies keep writing letter, make allegations, we have nothing to do with that. What all representation they give to us we take that into consideration," Trai Chairman R S Sharma told reporters on the sidelines of UN-Financial Inclusion Conclave. advertisement Sharma said the authority will issue IUC on submissions made to it by telecom operators in various workshops and through the consultation process. "We are working on our calculation based on material provided to us in various consultations and workshops. Based on that, we will take a decision," Sharma added. He was responding to a query on the ongoing spat between Airtel and Jio over interconnection usage charges (IUC). During an open house discussion held by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Jio has said the incumbent telecom operators gained to the tune of Rs 1 lakh crore from the IUC. In its presentation, without naming any telecom firm, Jio said the operator 1 gained Rs 46,958 crore, the operator 2 Rs 28,904 crore and the operator 3 Rs 28,752 crore, and suggested that the IUC should now be made nil to lower the cost of call rates. Bharti Airtel last week wrote to Trai, saying Jio has misled the public and claiming that it has suffered a loss of Rs 6,800 crore due to lower IUC rates fixed by the regulator. IUC is paid by the telecom network which originates the call to the operator that terminates it. These charges are passed on to subscribers by service providers. At present, IUC of 14 paise is levied on calls made from mobile phones. The established operators claim that IUC should in the range of 30-35 paise. In response to Airtels charges, Jio wrote back to Trai, alleging that the telecom major "misrepresented facts purposely to create a smoke-screen and hide its ill-gotten profits" to support its false claim of loss from call connection charges. The Mukesh Ambani-led telecom firm said Airtels representation on loss due to prevailing IUC rates is "grossly incorrect and fallacious". Airtel hit back, alleging that Reliance Jio is running a "sinister campaign" to bring down the call connection charges by misleading authorities and the public with inflated figures. PTI PRS ARD --- ENDS --- Sumedha Sharma Tribune News Service Gurugram, September 14 Amid the ongoing hue and cry over lackadaisical attitude of school authorities towards the safety of students, a 9-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by her teacher in a local government school here. The incident happened in the evening when the victim had gone to play with her friends in the grounds of government primary school Prem Nagar Ki Dhani near Kasan village. There are two teachers in this school while one of them leaves after conclusion of the school hours the accused identified as 52-year-old Ram Chander had been staying in a room there. When the children went to play there he shooed away the others but made the victim, a Class 4 student, stay. He then took her to his room and assaulted her. The child started crying and rushed back home but the accused threatened her to stay quiet. She reached home wailing in pain and told her mother. Enraged, the mother, accompanied by villagers, went to the school but he had already fled. She then called the police. The police after registering an FIR under Sections 6 (Punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) act arrested the accused. A medical examination confirmed the assault. The accused has according to sources confessed to the crime and has been sent to judicial custody. The villagers are meanwhile up in arms demanding action against authorities who allowed the teacher to stay illegally in the school. We want security audit of schools, including the private ones. Our children too are vulnerable, said a villager. Tribune News Service Ambala/Panipat, September 13 Commission agents from different grain markets today suspended work and held protests against the state governments decision to start e-procurement and make direct payment to farmers from the coming paddy procurement season. In Ambala, the protesters took out a march and submitted a memorandum to Deputy Commissioner Sharandeep Kaur. Duni Chand, president of the New Grain Market Commission Agents Association, Ambala City, said: The state government has decided to start online trading and make direct payments to farmers. The decision is unacceptable, as it will badly impact the arhtiya system. The payment must be given to commission agents. The new system is neither beneficial to farmers nor commission agents. We lend money to farmers, whenever they need it. If payments are directly transferred to their bank accounts, there is no guarantee that we will get our money back. Besides, there are many flaws in the e-trading system, he added. Kuldeep Sangwan, a commission agent, said farmers owe money to banks. If payments are directly transferred to their accounts, banks would deduct the loan amount and farmers would get nothing. Duni Chand said: We have given an ultimatum to the government to withdraw the decision by September 19. A state-level meeting will be organised in Karnal on September 23 in which 35,000 commission agents will take part. If our demands are not met, we will lock all grain markets across the state and will not purchase any crop. In Karnal, arhtiyas from various grain markets in the district suspended work and took out a march. They marched to the mini-secretariat and handed over a memorandum to Yogesh Kumar, SDM, for Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar demanding scrapping of e-tendering and direct payment to farmers. They said the government should withdraw the decision by September 19 or they would stage a state-level rally in Karnal on September 23. Hundreds of arhtiyas , under the banner of the Haryana State Anajmandi Arhtiyas Association, suspended work in grain markets and assembled at Sector 12. Rajneesh Choudhary, president of the Karnal District Grain Markets Arhtiyas Association, led the protest and said on at a meeting with commission agents of the state September 22 last year, the CM had assured them that direct payment to farmers and e-tendering would not be implemented. This step of the marketing board has forced us to take to agitation, he said. Sumit Choudhary, another commission agent, said in 2015, the state government had sought advice from farmers in Kurukshetra over the direct payment to farmers, but only 20 farmers came forward. He said arhtiyas dont need a GST number for in Punjab and it should be the same in Haryana also. Rajinder Gupta, commission agent, demanded an increase in commission from 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent. He said former CM Bansi Lal had raised their commission from 2 to 2.5 per cent and since then, no government had raised it. CM had promised not to implement e-trading In Panipat, commission agents on a call given by the Haryana State Anaj Mandi Arthiya Association organised a protest. The protesters submitted a memorandum to ADC Rajiv Mehta, addressed to the Chief Minister, demanding scrapping of e-trading and direct payment to farmers. Dharambir Malik, state vice-president of the Haryana State Anaj Mandi Arthiya Association and president of the Panipat Arthiyas Association, said the Chief Minister had last year assured them that e-trading and direct payment to farmers would not be implemented. He added despite Khattars assurance, the Haryana State Marketing Board has started the process. They also demanded increase in their commission from 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent. Government may postpone decision by a year: Dhankar Kurukshetra: Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar has said that the state government may consider postponing e-trading for a year. A delegation of commission agents met Dhankar here today and apprised him about the ill-preparedness of the digital mode of trade. Dhankar said he would take up the issue with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for the final decision. Earlier, Dhankar told mediapersons that e-trading and direct payment to farmers were needed as part of agricultural reforms in the state. The minister said the government would continue to move ahead on this. He, however, added the government was open to deliberations with arhtiyas and farmers would also be part of such discussions. Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 13 The Haryana Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here today, approved the Haryana IT and ESDM Policy-2017 and a start-up policy. It also cleared the Higher Education Departments proposal of re-employing superannuated teachers. The IT policy envisages one Wi-Fi zone in all 6,078 gram panchayats within two years, broadband services to every household and Wi-Fi zones at important public places in all towns and cities, 4G services in every village in the next three years. The start-up policy aims at developing the state as a resourceful and inventive start-up hub of the country by supporting and assisting the new-age innovators and entrepreneurial talents across the state. The start-up policy is aimed at attracting investments of Rs 1,500 crore in the incubation and start-up ecosystem during the policy period, facilitating venture capital funding of a minimum of Rs 200 crore and encouraging, facilitating and incubating at least 500 start-ups. The Cabinet approved the Higher Education Departments proposal to re-employ retired assistant professors, associate professors and principals of government colleges after superannuation beyond 58 years of age, across the state. The re-employment would be given up to the age of 60 years. The Cabinet gave its nod to the setting up the Haryana State Commission for Safai Karamcharis for redress of their complaints and grievancess. The major functions of the commission would be to investigate, examine and monitor all matters relating to the safeguards provided to the safai karamcharis under the Constitution of India or any other law in force, and evaluate the working of such safeguards. The Cabinet also approved an amendment to the Haryana Civil Dental Group A Service Rules, 1987. As per the amendment, the post of Director, Health Services (Dental), would be filled either by promotion from among the senior dental surgeons or by transfer or deputation of an officer already in service of any state government or the Central government. In case of a dental surgeon, a member of the Haryana Health Department Dental (Group B) Service, would become a member of the service after satisfactory completion of his period of probation in the service. Other decisions Approval to convert the grant-in-aid to State Equity of Rs 3,892.50 crore each for 2015-16 and 2016-17 issued under the UDAY scheme. Appointing Jaswanti Devi, married daughter of martyr Rohtash Singh, as clerk on compassionate grounds. Inclusion of post of Naib Tehsildar of Revenue Department in Haryana Civil Services (Executive Branch) and Allied Services and Other Service Common Examination. Approval to a proposal of the PWD (B&R) to purchase 2.84 acres for construction of a bridge over the Ghaggar river crossing link road from Rania to Kuttabudh in Sirsa. The government has decided to dispense with the interview system for recruitment to Group C and D posts. 11 villages shifted to Faridabad tehsil The Cabinet approved a proposal of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department to shift 11 villages from Tigaon sub-tehsil to Faridabad tehsil in Faridabad district. A decision to this effect was taken on the basis of the recommendations of the Deputy Commissioner, Faridabad. The villages are Kheri Kalan, Bhatola, Kheri Khurd, Badarpur Said, Tajupur, Bhupani, Bhaskola, Mahawatpur, Nachaoli, Maujmabad and Chak Majai. Assembly Session from Oct 23-25 Chandigarh: The Haryana Cabinet has decided to convene a Vidhan Sabha session from October 23 to 25. Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma stated this while interacting with mediapersons after the Cabinet meeting. He said four sessions of Vidhan Sabha were being called during the tenure of the present government, whereas only two sessions were called during the tenure of the previous government. TNS Tribune News Service Gurugram, September 14 The Central Board of Secondary Education has issued a circular for the safety of students in schools. The board went ahead suggesting psychometric tests to trace and identify criminal streak in staff members in addition to efficient and professional safety audits to rule out possibility of any such crime. The board has also asked for safety audit of school buildings and surrounding areas by the authorities concerned, including the police. As children are spending most of their time in schools, the concern of parents about the safety of the schoolchildren is increasing every other day regarding their physical safety, mental and emotional health or child abuse owing to increasing incidents involving safety and well-being of the schoolchildren, said the circular. The onus for safety and security of the children in school campuses shall solely lie upon the school authorities. It is a fundamental right of a child to engage and study in an environment where he/she feels safe and is free from any form of physical or emotional abuse or harassment. Schools need to take quick remedial and punitive action against any violations, said the circular issued to the affiliated schools. Commission agents go on 3-day strike Tribune News Service Kurukshetra, September 13 Commission agents of Jind district today proceeded on a three-day strike over alleged indifferent attitude of Deputy Commissioner Amit Khatri. They demanded an apology from the Deputy Commissioner or he be transferred to some other district. Representatives of all seven mandis in the district gathered at the mini-secretariat to lodge a protest against e-trading and direct payment to farmers. They wanted to hand over a memorandum of demands to the Deputy Commissioner (DC). Jagdish Bhardwaj, president of the Jind Arhtiya Association, said the Deputy Commissioner had deputed an SDM to accept their memorandum and they insulted and refused to hand it over to the SDM. We are an important association of the district and wanted to hand over the memorandum to the DC. We kept waiting for four hours (from 12 noon to 4 pm) at the mini-secretariat but the DC chose to ignore us. We have always cooperated with the administration and donated liberally for social works, including the recent initiative of gaushalas, said Bhardwaj. He said the association would not cooperate with the district authorities for works beyond their trade. Meanwhile, the DC said he was busy with the weekly revenue court till 4 pm. I had asked the SDM to meet arhtiyas and accept their memorandum. Arhtiyas can come again to meet me and raise their issue, he said. Shimla, September 13 Cap politics takes centre stage in Himachal again as Virbhadra declined to don the maroon Himachali cap at a function where he shared dais with Nadda here today. As Health and Family Welfare Minister Kaul Singh Thakur honoured the CM with a shawl and maroon cap, Virbhadra accepted the shawl but refused to don the cap, identified with his political arch rival and former CM PK Dhumal. Though Virbhadra had removed his green Bushairi cap off his head to wear a cap, the moment he saw its colour, he just kept it away with much disdain. This created a very awkward moment for Kaul Singh as he too was perplexed at the CMs reaction. Normally, all Congress MLAs and leaders wear green Bushairi caps while Dhumal and his MLAs wear maroon caps. TNS Tribune News Service Solan, September 14 The state government is according top priority to accelerate the pace of development in the few left-out backward areas of the state by providing additional funds for health, education, roads and drinking water facilities. This was stated by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh while addressing a public meeting at Jadol-Taproli in Pachhad constituency of Sirmaur district late last evening. He said the present government had constructed more than 2,000 km of new roads connecting 865 new villages and 3,138 gram panchayat headquarters. He said the government had opened a large number of schools and degree colleges to provide educational facilities to the students of rural areas. This had benefitted the youth, especially girls, in getting higher education as most of the parents were hesitant to send girls to far-off places for higher education. He said in view of this initiative of the government Himachal today had a high literacy rate. Virbhadra Singh said despite financial constraints, the state government had taken decision to provide unemployment allowance to the youth for two years, which showed the commitment of the government to empower the youth. He said the government had opened a number of engineering colleges and Industrial Training Institutes to facilitate youth in getting vocational training across the state. On the demand of the local representatives, the Chief Minister assured that the possibilities of opening a degree college at some suitable place in the Pajhota area would be explored as there was no college in the area.He also addressed a public meeting at Kaunti and Shilabag. Earlier, Virbhadra Singh inaugurated a Police Post at Pajhota (Fati Patel), laid foundation stone of 33 KV sub-station at Shilabag and flagged off bus services from Tharu-Dibber-Nohri via Kotla-Bangi-Shimlia-Painkufar_Taproli-ohri_Habban-Rajgarh with night halt at Tharu and another from Solan-Nohri-Taproli via Shimlia-Painkufar with night halt at Taproli. He announced bus service from Sersog to Solan via Kot-Sarahan-Deol Tikkeri with night halt at Sersog. He laid the foundation stones for construction and metalling/tarring of link road Thod-Nawad and construction and metalling/tarring of link road Dhandrel-Kanog besides Kunthal-Pashog road in Rajgarh Tehsil. Skill development scheme for youth: CM The Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said though literacy rate had gone up it was not possible to provide jobs to every youth in the government sector. Therefore, the state government had launched skill development scheme to train youth in different trades and enhance their employability. Shyam Sood Rajouri, September 14 Three Border Security Force personnel were among six persons injured in heavy firing and shelling by Pakistan in Poonch district on Wednesday. Defence spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta said the Pakistan army resorted to heavy firing with automatic weapons in the Poonch sector about 5 pm. The firing and shelling continued till 9.45 pm and was retaliated effectively and strongly by the Indian troops, he said. The Pakistan army resorted to mortar firing on forward posts in Sabjian, Digwar and Mankot sectors in Poonch district. It also targeted the civil population in Digwar village near the Line of Control. Three persons, namely Khursheed Ahmed (32), Kabir Ahmed (22) and Saddam Hussain (18), received splinter injuries in Digwar village. All three were brought to the district hospital about 10.30 pm and were immediately provided medical help. They are out of danger, but Khursheed, who had serious splinter injuries, has been referred to Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu for specialised treatment said the medical superintendent at the district hospital. The injured BSF personnel included head constable Sandeep Kumar and constables Zangir Ahmed and Ravinder. All were admitted to hospital and are out of danger. The ceasefire violation today was the 10th since August 23, when the battalion commander-level flag meeting was held at Chakan da Bagh in Poonch district and it was decided that both armies would exercise restraint along the LoC. On September 9, BSF constable SK Swan and a civilian were injured in the Balnoi area of the Mendhar sector in shelling. On September 7, two porters were injured in Pakistan firing on forward posts in the Gulpur sector. The porters are still undergoing treatment in the Army hospital in Poonch. Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, September 14 Lashkar-e-Toiba militant Abu Ismail, who was in his early 20s, was killed in a brief encounter in a house on the outskirts of Srinagar today. It was a swift intelligence-based operation and a big breakthrough for security forces that resulted in the neutralisation of the mastermind of Amarnath yatra attack. After Abu Dujana parted ways with Lashkar-e-Toiba, Ismail, a Pakistani national, was named as the operations chief of the outfit. He was one of the experienced militant among the Lashkar cadres and had also remained closely associated with top commanders, especially Dujana and Abu Qasim, who were killed in different operations in south Kashmir. The police claim that Ismail, an A plus plus militant, was active in south Kashmir districts for the past two years and had been pivotal in several attacks on the security forces. He was also involved in several bank robberies that took place in different parts of south Kashmir. After the killing of several cadres in past several months, Ismail was tasked to bring fresh recruits into the militant group and was one of main motivators of the Lashkar as he had established good contacts in various villages across south Kashmir, a police officer said. His killing is being termed as a big setback to the Lashkar leadership. Now we are looking for serious deficiencies in their leadership which should give us more opportunities and we will continue these kind operations to neutralise the remaining people which should bring in some peace and calm in the Valley, General Officer Commanding, Victor Force, Major General BS Raju said. Amit Shah is on a three-day trip to Kolkata with an aim to expand the party's base in Bengal ahead of the Panchayat polls next year. By Anita Bose: Shukto (a Bengali starter) alu-jhinge posto (mashed poppy seed), fulkopir torkari (potato-cauliflower curry) and other Bengali delicacies graced Amit Shah's platter for lunch on Wednesday. It was a dream come true experience for party member Manas Sen, a resident of north Kolkata's Cossipore Lock Gate slum, who turned host for the BJP national president and arranged for a scrumptious meal comprising vegetarian Bengali delicacies. advertisement Amit Shah is on a three-day trip to Kolkata with an aim to expand the party's base in Bengal ahead of the Panchayat polls next year. Sen, a shopping mall worker is a dweller of north Kolkata's Cossipore Lock Gate slum where sunlight does not even penetrate properly. He was informed about the party supremo's visit a few days in advance and he started preparing immediately. Manas' family decorated the entrance of their house with saffron balloons. Shah was accompanied by BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, party national secretary Rahul Sinha, party state chief Dilip Ghosh and others. As soon as Shah made his way through the narrow lanes of Lock Gate he was greeted with a glass of fresh fruit juice. After this, he was served a proper Bengali thali prepared by Manas' mother Monica Sen. Food was served in earthen plates and glasses. The earthen plates were decorated with banana leaf. The menu consisted of gobindabhog rice, moong dal, bitter gourd, brinjal, raw banana and ladies' finger fry, papaya chutney, doi and mishti (sweets). The guests sat on the floor on handwoven ashons (seat made of cloth) and enjoyed the meal. After the main course, they were served fruits for dessert. After lunch, he listened to the problems faced by residents of the area. Shah later took to Twitter to express his gratitude. "I thank our karyakarta Shri Manas Sen ji and his family for the sumptuous Bengali cuisine at their home in Kolkata." The last time Shah visited Kolkata, in April, he had lunch with a party member at his residence in Mamata Banerjee's very own Bhabanipur Vidhan Sabha constituency. As per reports, Trinamool-backed goons had attacked every house in Kalighat which Shah had visited. Also, the tribal couple from Naxalbari, Raju and Geeta Mahali, who hosted Shah at their residence were allegedly abducted and forced to join TMC within a week. Also read: Central funds sent to West Bengal have all gone to syndicates, alleges BJP chief Amit Shah Also read: Amit Shah in West Bengal: BJP party president to skip Mamata Banerjee's constituency --- ENDS --- Dinesh Manhotra Tribune News Service Jammu, September 13 As discrimination with the Jammu region was the main issue for the majority of the delegations which met with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his two-day stay at the winter capital of the state, a consensus is emerging among political parties about having regional autonomy to ensure equitable and balanced development in all three regions of J&K. Not only the ruling BJP, but even opposition parties like the Congress, Panthers Party and the Kashmir-centric National Conference are on the same page when it comes to putting an end to the discrimination against the Jammu region by granting it regional autonomy. The NC delegation during an interaction with Rajnath Singh on Tuesday had argued that regional autonomy to the three regions was the only way to ensure equitable development in the state. The NC has suggested regional autonomy to Jammu on the pattern of the autonomous hill development councils of Leh and Kargil. Party sources said it was all due to the brewing anger among people of the Jammu region against discriminatory policies of the PDP-BJP government that the NC had forwarded the idea of granting regional autonomy to the winter capital to ensure justice. The Congress had already incorporated this demand in its election manifesto in the 2014 Assembly elections. Our stand is very clear on this issue. There should be constitutional mechanism to ensure equal treatment to all three regions of the state, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president Sham Lal Sharma said, adding that it was a matter of satisfaction that most political parties were on the same page over the grant of regional autonomy to the Jammu region. Before becoming part of the government, the BJP strongly batted for regional autonomy to the Jammu region. On January 7 this year, state BJP spokesman Varinder Gupta had demanded regional autonomous councils for Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh to end discrimination with Jammu. There is a need for the creation of regional autonomous councils for all three regions of the state, and empowering the councils with legislative, administrative and financial powers, Gupta had demanded. JKPSC anti-Jammu, Rajnath told Tribune News Service Jammu, September 13 Even as residents of Chatta, Indira Nagar, Ghadi Garh, Bhour Camp and adjoining areas reel under severe power crisis, the Power Development Department (PDD) seems to be least interested in making the Hakkal grid station functional to streamline the electricity supply in these areas. According to locals, the power grid station has been completed about six months ago, but it has not been made functional due to inexcusable pleas made by the authorities concerned, which has been forcing the people to face unbridled and unscheduled power cuts amid humid conditions. Six months have passed since the work on this grid station was completed, but it has not been made operational to date for reasons best known to the authorities. Over one lakh population has been facing power cuts every alternate hour since long. Had this grid station would have been made operational before the onset of summers, it would have provided much-needed succour to the people, but it did not happen, Amrit Bali, former sarpanch, Bhour Camp, said. He said they approached the officers concerned who were unable to give satisfactory replies. This is really unpardonable on the part of the authorities concerned that this important grid station has not been made functional so far. We fail to understand why it hasnt been inaugurated till now, he added. A senior official of the PDD, however, informed that this 10-MVA grid station was completed almost six months back, but could not be made functional because the poor infrastructure at different levels had held up its functioning. The transmission lines and transformers to be connected with this grid station are of not sufficient capacity. The grid station project is the part of the infrastructural upgrade being made by IRCON. Besides, the department does not have enough manpower, including technicians and junior engineers, to run the grid station. There are logistical challenges before the department, which are major hindrances for the operation of this grid station, the official added. As of now, the local populace is being supplied electricity from two feeders with the capacity of 3.5 MVA and 6.3 MVA. Due to overload on the existing feeders, the department enforces electricity cuts either on alternate hours or after every two hours to regulate the power supply. When contacted, Vinod Kumar Baloch, Executive Engineer, Sub-Transmission Division (STD)-II, Jammu, said the 10-MVA grid station would cater to about 4,000 people and claimed it would be made functional within a month. There are certain technical issues which are to be tackled. We are hopeful of making this grid station functional in the next one month, he added. Shyam Sood Rajouri, September 13 Despite no immediate response to their demands by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his visit to Nowshera, border dwellers are satisfied that they have been recognised as migrants by the Central government. Rajnath Singh has assured us that he would take up our demands with the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister and even in Parliament. This is a big achievement for us and we hope that something better comes up in future, said Purshotam Lal, president, Migrants Association, Nowshera. More than 4,000 people from 10 border villages have been living in relief camps at Nowshera for the last more than four months. They had to leave their homes as Pakistan shelled their villages. We are only being provided potable water, electricity, classrooms to live in, 2-kg rice and 8-kg flour per head, per family, every month. No cash relief or any other facility has been provided to us. Around 30-40 members of several families live in a single room like livestock, said Ravi Kumar, an unemployed youth from Jhangar. Saroj Devi from Sarya village, who has more than 20 kanals of agricultural land, said they were facing hardships at the relief camp. She said men were forced to work as labourers in Nowshera towns to meet the daily expenses. Many migrants said they feared they would not be able to provide good education to their children because of continuous skirmishes on the LoC since 1947 and frequent migration. As we live in schools here, it has affected the studies of the children of the area. It is all because the government has failed to construct bunkers and provide plots to the migrants in safer places, said Bahadur Nath, former sarpanch of Kalsian. A specially abled, Ashok Kumar, said he had established a shop at Jhangar for which he had taken a bank loan of Rs 3 lakh. Items worth more than Rs 1 lakh were damaged in Pakistani shelling. To feed my family of nine, now I run a small shop in a classroom, where we live along with 35 other migrants, said Ashok. The displaced border residents have appealed to the Home Minister to waive their loans, conduct special recruitment in belt forces (state and Central), provide cash relief, concrete bunkers (especially individual) and Kendriya Vidyalaya for their children and plots at safer places. Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, September 14 The state police, the Army and the CRPF, in a joint operation, killed Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Abu Ismail, the mastermind of the Amarnath yatra attack, and his accomplice on the outskirts of Srinagar today. Around 4.15 pm, the two terrorists hiding in the area were killed in a very brief and crisp encounter, Kashmirs Inspector General of Police Muneer Khan said. They were identified as Abu Ismail from Pakistan and Abu Qasim, known as Chota Qasim, also from Pakistan, he added. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) On July 10, militants had attacked a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims near Batingoo Anantnag, leaving eight passengers dead and 19 injured, triggering outrage across the country. Terming the attack un-Islamic, Lashkar had denied any role, but the J&K Police claimed to have arrested two persons who had helped the three militants led by Ismail to carry out the attack. The mastermind has been killed but two militants, one a foreigner, are at large, Khan said. The GOC of Armys counter-insurgency unit in south Kashmir, Maj Gen BS Raju, said Ismails killing was a huge setback to LeT. Meanwhile, schools and colleges will remain closed in the Valley tomorrow. Tribune News Service Jammu, September 14 Cautioning against the conspiracy of some inimical forces to trifurcate the state, the National Conference today pitched for regional autonomy to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh to ensure political and economic empowerment of the people in all three regions of the state. Regional autonomy is the only viable solution to meeting the political, economical, developmental and psychological aspirations of the three regions of the state, NC provincial president Devender Singh Rana told mediapersons here. Rana said the autonomy resolution passed by the state legislature was pending with the Centre and since there had been no forward movement on that document, the issue of regional autonomy could not be taken to its logical conclusion. He said the doctrine provided a mechanism for empowerment of sub-regions and to take governance to the grass-roots level on the lines of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils in Leh and Kargil. Any idea or proposal better than our regional autonomy solution will be acceptable to us provided it fulfils the aspirations of all stakeholders and people of all three regions and offers a tangible solution to the long-standing problems of J&K, Rana said while vehemently pitching for regional autonomy. The senior NC leader said regional autonomy together with well-structured district councils would end the sense of deprivation and allegations of discrimination. For 35A will fight till last drop of blood Over the party stand on Article 35A, Rana said the NC cadre would fight for the rights of its state subjects till the last drop of their blood. We hope that the BJP-led NDA government will move an effective counter-affidavit, defending this provision, in the Supreme Court as per the commitment made by Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his recent visit to Srinagar and Jammu, he said. Rohingyas not J&K state subjects When asked about the stand of the NC on Rohingyas, Rana said the partys position was clear as nobody was stopping the Centre from deporting them. The Centre should take a call on the issue as per the Foreign Nationals Act and in pursuance of the UN Charter. We are not against their deportation, he said. . Priyanka Chopra was amazed by the popularity of Hindi cinema in Jordan as the actor spent some quality time with the children on her maiden visit to a Syrian refugee camp there. The Quantico star shared a video of a teenager named Wafaa on Instagram, where the girl talked about her love for Katrina Kaif. Priyanka dedicated the post to the Jagga Jasoos actor on behalf of Wafaa, writing, This is a special shout out to one of Indias biggest movie stars. @katrinakaif this video is just for you, all the way from Zaatari Refugee camp in Jordan. Priyanka added, This is Wafaa, one of your biggest fans and her message roughly translated is, I love Katrina Kaif a lot and I am one of her fans. I have watched all her movies and never missed one, even if a movie is played more than once I watch it. PTI Veteran Bollywood actress Zeenat Aman has been felicitated with lifetime achievement award for her immense contribution to cinema at the DC South Asia Film Festival (DCSAFF). The 65-year-old diva was presented with the honour by the Indian American philanthropist Frank Islam. This evening is exceptionally memorable, Zeenat said as she accepted the award at the conclusion of the sixth annual film festival on September 8. Islam praised Zeenat for inspiring women across all ages through her performances on the silver screen. Zeenat, you defined girlhood and womanhood for generations of South Asians. Young and old alike cried when you cried on screen, and they laughed when you laughed, he said in his keynote address at the awards ceremony. The event also saw Zeenats son, Azaan Khan, being recognised with the rising star director award for his upcoming film Bankster, which features Naseeruddin Shah. PTI Our Correspondent Ahmedgarh, September 13 Irrespective of their religious and communal allegiance, residents of the region have condemned killing of the Muslim population in Myanmar. Various social, religious and civic bodies have demanded intervention of International Human Rights organisations in the recent brutal killings of Rohingya Muslims. Appreciating concern and gesture shown by leaders of Hindu and Sikh outfits, Muslims of the area have vowed to keep calm and demand justice for the victims only through peaceful manner. Addressing a meeting held at local town today speakers including Mohammad, Puri and councilor Issa Khan said none of the international organisations had come forward for the rescue of Rohingya Muslims, who were being massacred brutally in Myanmar. Though the US Government has taken military action against those governments which resorted to human violation elsewhere in the past, but in the case of Rohingya Muslims it has maintained a silence, said Puri and Mohammad. They also said the Myanmar government was responsible for failure to curb the killing of innocent Muslim population. Muslims activists led by the general secretary, Muslim Youth Front, Shiraj Taggar, appreciated the gesture shown by non-Muslim organisations and announced that they would seek justice for Rohingya muslims. Washington, September 14 US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he was looking to allow people to stay here, but not ready for citizenship or amnesty, an announcement that may benefit 8,00,000 young immigrants, including those from India. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Trumps statement came a day after top Democratic lawmakers Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi claimed that they had reached a deal with the president to protect about 8,00,000 young immigrants who came to America illegally as children and were given protection by the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programme. Trump had scrapped the DACA programme earlier this month. We are not looking at citizenship. We are not looking at amnesty. We are looking at allowing people to stay here, Trump told reporters. Trump said he is very close to a deal on DACA. I just spoke with Paul Ryan, everybodys on board... We are talking about taking care of people, people who were brought here, people who have done a good job. We will only do it if we get extreme security, not only surveillance but everything that goes with surveillance. If there is not a wall, we are doing nothing, he said. In a statement after dinner with Trump at the White House, Schumer and Pelosi said that they have reached a deal with him on DACA. We had a very productive meeting at the White House with the president. The discussion focused on DACA. We agreed to enshrine the protections of DACA into law quickly, and to work out a package of border security, excluding the wall, that is acceptable to both sides, Schumer and Pelosi said. In a tweet early this morning, Trump however said that no deal has been reached. No deal was made last night on DACA. Massive border security would have to be agreed to in exchange for consent. Would be subject to vote, he said, refuting claims being made by the Democratic leaders. Pelosi tended to disagree at a news conference at the Capitol Hill. I do believe that there is an understanding that down the road, there is an eventual path to citizenship in the DREAM Act, and that overwhelmingly, the American people support that, she said. In a poll today, over 50 per cent, and then, you know, 12 per cent want to send them back, and then others somewhere in the middle. But it came up in the context of the suggestion that there might be other bills to be considered, and that did not last long, Pelosi said. The atmosphere during the White House dinner last night, she said, was very friendly. We made it clear from the start that there were certain concerns that we had about some of the presidents statements relating to the Muslim ban, Charlottesville, DACA decision and that we needed to establish some trust and confidence as we go forward. One path to building that confidence and trust would be the DREAM Act, DACA. The president likes to call it DACA. I believe that we have had enough conversation with the President with enough reiteration of his commitment to protect the dreamers, in fact, publicly. You saw his statements, today, that it would not be wise to send these young people back, Pelosi added. PTI Tribune News Service Patna, September 14 The Bihar Police have arrested two suspected terrorists, including the Ahmedabad serial blast key accused, even as two others managed to escape from Civil Lines locality of Gaya district. Acting upon a tip-off, the Gaya police yesterday arrested two terror suspects, Mohammad Tauseef Khan and Mohammad Sana Khan, even as two others managed to flee. The interrogation of those arrested is on and the police have confirmed that Tauseef was involved in the 2008 Ahmadabad blasts. Tauseef and three others had gone to a cyber cafe in the Rajendra Ashram area of Gaya. Suspicion arose when they refused to divulge their identity. Cafe owner Anurag Kumar informed the police, which arrested them. Fifty-six persons were killed in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts. Gaya Senior Superintendent of Police Garima Malik said: For the first time, suspected terrorists were arrested because of a law-abiding citizen. The cyber cafe owner would be felicitated by police. The terror suspects are being quizzed now. Sources said Tauseef had been living at Dovi, Gaya, since August 2008. He worked as a teacher at a private school. Those arrested might have been hatching a conspiracy to attack Maha Bodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya. Arrested earlier today, here's why gangster Sonu Dariyapur was branded as Delhi's "most wanted", and why his best friend Monu Dariyapur became his mortal enemy. By India Today Web Desk: This morning was not a good one for Delhi's most wanted gangster, Sonu Dariyapur. Around 5 AM today, a Special Cell team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjeev Yadav trapped Sonu Dariyapur, and finally arrested him after an eight-year-long chase. WHO IS SONU DARIYAPUR? Born as Satyawan Sehrawat in 1981, Sonu Dariyapur grew up in Delhi's Dariyapur Kalan. Here is where he met his best friend, who later turned his enemy, Monu aka Bhupender Dariyapur. advertisement Those who know Sonu Dariyapur -- in his village and through his previous jail-times -- remember how he was always 'obsessed' with criminals, weapons, and gangwar techniques, even as a young boy. Sonu Dariyapur studied in a government school here till Class 9, when he dropped out. A report in The Indian Express says that Dariyapur went rogue after he started mixing with the wrong crowd after joining an akhara. All along this, buddy Monu Dariyapur stuck with him. But then, what went wrong between the two best friends? SONU DARIYAPUR-MONU DARIYAPUR: JAY-VEERU TURNED BADLAPUR? Villagers described Sonu and Monu Dariyapur as "inseparable" friends. After falling with the bad crowd, the two pals then formed their own 'gang' called the 'cobra gang'. Over time, their gang grew bigger and earned its name in crime circles with their harassing and land-grabbing stints. Eventually, he and Monu got into the cable business, but that wasn't enough for them. By the 2000s, they were running an extortion racket, an illegal car trade, scams, etc. All was going fine. But then, as their crime business boomed, the first crack in their friendship appeared when Monu fell in love with Sonu's cousin. While the families approved of the relationship, Sonu was staunchly against it because Monu and his cousin sister were of the same 'gotra'. Sonu and his gang turned against Monu and threatened him to leave the girl. Coming under pressure, Monu ended the relationship. However, when one day, Monu learned that the girl's family was planning to kill her, he threw caution in the air and rescued her from Sonu's home. As the couple fled for their lives, Sonu and his gang of brothers followed, going as far as opening fire at them near Punjabi Bagh, as Monu would described before a court later. The couple survived the attack, and Sonu and his gang got arrested. While Monu remained calmed and tried to sought things out, Sonu went on revenge mode, taunted for not being able 'protect' his family's name. Jumping his parole in 2009, Sonu had been on the run ever since. During this time, he is said to have killed Monu's brother. But still, Sonu couldn't get his hands on Monu. As Monu Dariyapur got security, Sonu got a bounty on his head. advertisement Earlier this year, after eight long years, the chasing tail came to an end. On the night of April 30, while sitting in a police car with security, Monu Dariyapur was gunned down along with one of his friends and a police officer. Visuals from the spot: Three including a police officer shot dead late last night, constable injured in Delhi's Mianwali. pic.twitter.com/wo7lucRCED- ANI (@ANI) May 1, 2017 With that, Sonu Dariyapur, the major suspect in this murder case, got branded as Delhi's most wanted man. SONU DARIYAPUR'S CRIME REPORT At 19, Sonu Dariyapur got arrested for the first time for attempt to commit culpable homicide, among other charges. Then, in 2002, he got booked in a land-grabbing case. By the mid 2000s, he was kidnapping people for ransom money, something that he picked up during his association with big-time gangster, Sandeep Bhuri. Over the years, Sonu Dariyapur got involved in numerous land-grabbing, extortion, kidnapping, scamming, and other cases. But even as the line of cases piled up against him, he hadn't yet gotten his hands dirty in bloodbaths yet. advertisement In 2009, he miffed the police by jumping his parole. Ever since, special teams have been at his tail. But he managed to stay one step ahead, fleeing to Nepal in 2010 with a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his arrest. Eventually, he returned to India in 2013 and started working with different gangs. Police reports say he got involved with gangster Samundar Khatri, and possibly went on to commit two murders. The final nail hit Sonu Dariyapur's coffin when during the open fire at Monu Dariyapur, Assistant Sub-Inspector Vijay Singh got killed. The death of an officer ruffled police to get into action quickly, and suspect Sonu Dariyapur became the most wanted man in Delhi police's hunt list. Finally, earlier this morning, Sonu Dariyapur was nabbed from an undisclosed location, ending an eight-year-long mad chase. --- ENDS --- Lucknow, September 14 An overloaded boat capsized midstream in the Yamuna at Baghpat in western Uttar Pradesh today, drowning at least 22 persons. Angry villagers took to violence and blocked traffic on the Delhi-Saharanpur highway, accusing the district administration of delay in rescue efforts. The mishap occurred close to Katha village, 20 km from the district headquarters. The boat reportedly had the capacity to carry 20 persons but was ferrying close to 60. The passengers, mostly women, were daily-wagers on their way to Haryana for work, District Magistrate Bhawani Singh said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Rescue work is in full swing. An NDRF team has arrived from Meerut. The district police and divers of the Provincial Armed Constabulary too are engaged in the rescue operations. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the boat tragedy. In a tweet, he said the next of kin of the deceased would be paid Rs 2 lakh as compensation and arrangements made for their rehabilitation. TNS/PTI Shubhadeep Choudhury Tribune News Service Kolkata, September 14 A BSF jawan on Thursday lost his life at Gaighata area in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal when he was hit by a car being used for smuggling of cows across the international border with Bangladesh. BSF sources said five small cows were loaded inside an Indica car by the traffickers thinking that the vehicle would not arouse any suspicion since a car is not considered the right sort of vehicle for transportation of bovines. ollow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) However, Tushar Kanti Das, a BSF head constable belonging to the 64 battalion of the paramilitary force, sensed something was amiss and challenged the driver. The driver knocked him down but in the process also lost control of the vehicle which hit a roadside barrier and stopped. While one of the cows died in the crash, the driver managed to flee. Arindam Mukherjee, officer-in-charge of the Gaighata police station, told this reporter that he had received information about a BSF jawan getting killed in an accident but was not aware of the details. Mukherjee also said he had not received any written complaint from the BSF regarding the incident as yet. However, RPS Jaisawal, DIG and BSF spokesperson, confirmed the incident and said the process to register an FIR had been initiated by the BSF. A cattle market in Panchpeta under Gaighata police station area operates illegally violating the government norms. The cattle market is located within 3-5 km of the border outpost. Instances of cattle smuggling through this markets are rampant. The BSF has written several times to the West Bengal Government to implement the state governments own policy that says no cattle market can operate within eight km of the Indo-Bangla international border. New Delhi, September 13 The Congress has raised questions over Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's state visit to Ahmedabad and not the country's national capital and hoped it would not be used for political purposes in view of the forthcoming Gujarat assembly elections. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said it was "quixotic" that Abe was not being hosted in Delhi. "We do not want to transgress propriety by commenting on a state visit but it is rather quixotic that the Prime Minister of a country as important as Japan, who is almost India's strategic partner in many respects, is strangely not even being hosted in Delhi," he said. He hoped a state visit was not being used for "political purposes" in view of the elections in Gujarat, slated to be held later this year. "With an election in Gujarat around the corner, it does raise a question -- and I hope this is not the case -- that a state visit is actually being used for political purposes because the manner in which it is structured is rather awkward," he told reporters here. Tewari said India had a great relationship with Japan and that relationship, its foundations and consolidation had been laid during the UPA regime. Japanese Prime Minister Abe arrived here on Wednesday on a two- day visit with a packed agenda that includes the laying of the foundation stone for India's first bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. Tewari also criticised the government over the handling of the Rohingyas issue and said the criticism India had been subjected to by the United Nations Human Rights Council was "absolutely unprecedented". "The stand which this government has taken on the Rohingyas is totally contrary to India's traditions where we have welcomed the persecuted from any part of our neighbourhood," he said. He said India had not faced "this kind of ignominy". "So, therefore, you can be critical of (Congress vice president) Rahul Gandhi, but I think the time has come for the NDA-BJP Government and the Prime Minister to introspect that mere speeches and road shows with leaders of other countries do not substitute for diplomacy," Tewari said. On Gandhi's recent remarks in the US about being ready to take over as the party chief, he said the Congress was a democratic party and an organisational election process was on. "You don't second guess an organisational election process. It will culminate logically in what the aspirations and the desires of the Congress workers are," he said. PTI New Delhi, September 14 The Delhi Police have arrested one of the most wanted criminals of the national capital who was involved in a shootout in which three persons, including an assistant sub-inspector and an alleged gangster were killed in April. Sonu Dariyapur, who was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh, was arrested this morning from Narela, the police said. In a shootout on April 30, gangster Monu Dariyapur, his personal security officers, Delhi Police ASI Vijay Kumar and Constable Kuldeep, and two others, Arun Shastri and Yogesh, were attacked in outer Delhi's Mianwali Nagar. Some armed men had fired at their car leading to the deaths of Monu, Kumar and Shastri and injuring the other two. Monu was previously a member of Sonu Dariyapur's gang. Both of them were friends but the relationship got bitter after Monu married Sonu's cousin, due to which the latter decided to kill him. In 2006, Sonu along with his other associates had also fired at the car carrying Monu and his wife. In this firing, driver of the car was killed and the two critically injured. After that incident, they were provided security by the Delhi Police. Sonu had hatched a conspiracy with his gang members to kill Monu and they succeeded in killing him on April 30. PTI Darjeeling, September 14 Roy Villa, an over a century-old heritage building in West Bengals Darjeeling where Sister Nivedita breathed her last, was ransacked and a few of her personal items were stolen, police said on Thursday. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) We received a report of ransacking and burglary at the Roy Villa on Wednesday night. The case is being investigated. No one has been detained or arrested yet in the incident, Darjeeling Superintendent of Police (SP) Akhilesh Kumar Chaturvedi said. The villa, on the Lebong Cart road, houses Ramakrishna Mission Nivedita Educational and Cultural Centre, a branch centre of Ramakrishna Mission Belur Math, Howrah. Sister Nivedita died here on October 13, 1911. According to Swami Nityasatyananda, Secretary of the Centre, the Thakur Ghar (shrine of Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda) and the Scots-Irish social workers personal room were broken into and certain items like a radio set, watch, typewriter, were stolen. Sister Niveditas 150th birth anniversary is being marked across the country. Some of her personal items from the room where she breathed her last were stolen. Some wood work was vandalised. Even the donation box was broken and around Rs 60,000 may have been taken. This is probably the first such incident in a long time in a Ramakrishna Mission building, the Secretary said. He said the police had assured them of additional security. There are usually three security officials in the building. The structure is also under renovation now. The miscreants damaged the gate and entered. Our staff alerted us when they entered on Thursday morning, Swami Nityasatyananda said, adding there were no initial suspects. Somebody is probably trying to malign the organisations name, he said. Nivedita was born Margaret Elizabeth Noble. She was a social worker, author, teacher and a disciple of Swami Vivekananda. IANS Gandhinagar, September 14 Deepening their strategic ties further, India and Japan on Thursday agreed to boost cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region in the midst of Chinas growing assertiveness and pitched for a zero tolerance in combating terrorism, including towards Pakistan-based groups JeM and LeT. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The two countries signed 15 deals in key areas, including civil aviation, trade after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe as they discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in strategic areas of defence, security, trade and civil nuclear energy. The two leaders also deliberated upon important regional and global issues and affirmed strong commitment to their values-based partnership in achieving a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international law are respected, and differences are resolved through dialogue, and where all countries, large or small, enjoy freedom of navigation and overflight. But significantly, the joint statement issued after their talks did not mention South China Sea directly unlike last years joint statement. After the 2016 summit during Modis visit to Japan, the joint statement had said, regarding the South China Sea, the two Prime Ministers stressed the importance of resolving the disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law including the UNCLOS. Addressing a joint press event with Abe, Modi said, the range of special strategic and global partnership is not just limited to bilateral and regional sphere. We have close cooperation on global issues as well. In an apparent message to Pakistan, the two sides also called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, disrupting terrorist networks and financing channels and halting cross-border movement of terrorists. The two prime ministers also called for Pakistan to bring to justice the perpetrators of terrorist attacks including those involved in Mumbai (2008) and the Pathankot (2016) strikes. They looked forward to the convening of the fifth India-Japan Consultation on Terrorism and to strengthening cooperation against terrorist threats from groups including Al-Qaida, ISIS, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Lakshar-e-Taiba (LeT), and their affiliates, said a joint statement issued after the Modi-Abe talks. It said Modi and Abe condemned in the strongest terms the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism and shared the view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is a global scourge that must be forcefully combated through concerted global action in the spirit of zero tolerance. Accordingly, the two Prime Ministers called upon all UN member countries to implement the UNSC Resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions designating terrorist entities, said the joint statement. The reference also assume significance in the backdrop of China repeatedly blocking Indias move to declared JeM chief Masood Azhar as global terrorist by the UN. On his part, Abe said, we have just signed a joint statement which will serve as a milestone to open a new era for Japan-India relationship... based on that we will strongly promote Japan-India special strategic and global partnership to drive peace and prosperity for Indo-Pacific region and the whole world. Modi and Abe underlined that the two countries could play a central role in safeguarding and strengthening a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific and to this end, they pledged to reinforce their efforts to enhance defence and security cooperation and dialogues, including the MALABAR and other joint exercises, the statement said. During his press statement, Abe also referred to the recent Malabar Japan-India-US naval exercise and said cooperation would be further strengthened. They also agreed for defence equipment and technology cooperation in such areas as surveillance and unmanned system technologies, and defence industry cooperation apart from aligning Japans Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy with Indias Act East Policy, including through enhancing maritime security cooperation and improving connectivity in the wider Indo-Pacific region, it added. Japans readiness to provide its state-of-the-art US-2 amphibian aircraft was appreciated as symbolising the high degree of trust between the two countries, which agreed to continue their discussions in this regard. PTI Dhaka, September 14 India on Thursday rushed 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh and pledged all help to Dhaka in tackling the humanitarian crisis after nearly 4,00,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees fled to the country from Myanmar following the ethnic violence in the Buddhist-majority nation. Operation Insaniyat: High Commission handed over 1st consignment humanitarian assistance by India to Bangladesh, the Indian mission here tweeted. The first Indian consignment comes days after Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar last week and briefed him about the problems faced by Dhaka due to the influx of the refugees. India stands ready to provide any assistance required by Government of Bangladesh in this hour of need, an Indian External Affairs Ministry statement said today. It said New Delhi always responded readily and swiftly to any crisis in Bangladesh, in keeping with the close ties of friendship between the peoples of the two countries. In response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh, Government of India has decided to extend assistance to Bangladesh, the ministry said. The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets, tents etc. High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla said India will provide 7,000 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh. Shringla handed over the relief materials to Bangladeshs Road Transport Minister and ruling Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader after an Indian aircraft carrying the assistance landed at southeastern port city of Chittagong. Bangladesh had said it required Indias assistance in its efforts to handle the situation. Shringla said India has expressed deep concern at the recent spate of violence in Myanmar, resulting in the outflow of a huge number of refugees into Bangladesh. This has created unprecedented challenges for Bangladesh, he said. Bangladesh has stepped up diplomacy to get support of the major stakeholders like China and Russia in mounting pressure on Myanmar to stop atrocities in the Rakhine state and take back their nationals. The UN Security Council with China being one of its five permanent members yesterday took a unanimous resolution expressing deep concern about violence in Myanmar. Bangladesh had earlier said the new influx of Rohingya refugees is an unbearable additional burden on the country which has been hosting around 4,00,000 Myanmar nationals who had to leave their country in the past due to communal violence and repeated military operations. PTI Manas Dasgupta Ahmedabad, September 13 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe accompanied by his wife Akie Abe arrived at the Ahmedabad airport amidst a massive reception this evening on a two-day state visit to India, which this time will remain confined only to Gujarats commercial city of Ahmedabad and state capital Gandhinagar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had arrived in Ahmedabad from Delhi only a few minutes earlier to receive his Japanese counterpart. Besides Modi, Gujarat Governor OP Kohli, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and host of other dignitaries were present at the airport to receive Abe and his wife. Modi held Abe in his characteristic bear hug as he and his wife climbed down the steps from his special aircraft. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) A group of Buddhist monks were also present at the airport to receive the Japanese prime minister who is here to attend along with Modi the 12th India- Japan Annual Bilateral Summit to be held at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar tomorrow. It was one of the rare instances when the head of state of a foreign country skirted the national capital Delhi and arrived in a state capital on an official visit. In a gesture symbolising the growing ties between the two large Asiatic economies, Abe wore kurta-pyjama and a royal blue Nehru jacket while his wife donned a red salwar-kameez ensemble as they accompanied Modi on an 8-km road show from the airport to the Sabarmati Ashram. The top dignitaries were welcomed en route by 28 troupes showcasing cultural heritage of various states, including Gujarat, Kerala and Odisha. Locals had also gathered in large numbers with flags of India and Japan along the decked up roads to welcome them. On reaching Sabarmati Ashram, the dignitaries paid homage to Father of the nation. Both the Prime Ministers then sat alongside Sabarmati river at the Ashram on traditional Sankheda sofas. Modi acted as guide to Abe couple, explaining the nuances of Charkha and other important visuals at the Ashram. They were gifted a replica of Gadhijis famous three monkeys, which originally was believed to be presented to the Mahatma by a Japanese intellectual. The Japanese Prime Minister and his wife later reportedly wrote Love and best wishes and thank you in Japanese in the visitors book. Before embarking on the India visit, Abe described India to be tremendously special to Japan and described Modi as a powerful leader with an outstanding ability to get things done. The two leaders will get down to business tomorrow when they would jointly lay the foundation stone for the high-speed train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, which is expected to be completed by 2022. The train would cover the distance of over 500 km in around two hours. The two leaders will hold the 12th Indo-Japan annual Summit meeting at Gandhinagar after which agreements will be exchanged. Later, an India-Japan business plenary meeting will be held. Fifteen agreements will be signed for investments in Gujarat. China in mind, defence ties to get boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe are likely to deliberate extensively on bolstering defence ties during their summit talks in Gandhinagar on Thursday in the backdrop of China's growing assertiveness in the region There may be specific discussions on the long-pending Indian proposal to buy the US-2 amphibious aircraft from Japan and joint development of military equipment to further deepen the defence ties, official sources said N-cooperation on cards Manas Dasgupta Gandhinagar, September 14 Further cementing the deep friendship between India and Japan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe today jointly laid the foundation stone of Indias first much-hyped Rs 1.08 lakh crore bullet train corridor between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. They also oversaw the signing of 15 memoranda of understanding, including on disaster risk management, skills development, connectivity, civil aviation and science and technology. On the second and concluding day of Abe's visit, the two leaders issued a joint statement at the end of the 12th Indo-Japan Joint Summit. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Speaking at the business summit, Abe said the foundation of the friendship between the two countries was laid when his grandfather, who was the then Prime Minister, visited India 60 years ago and his then Indian counterpart Jawaharlal Nehru accepted him with open arms though Japan then had just started to recover from the battering of the World War. Today I and Modi have decided to start a new chapter in the friendship and develop stronger bonds between the two countries, he said. Modi described Abe as a great friend of India and his best friend. Modi said in 2016-17, Japan invested $4.7 billion in India, 80% higher than the previous year. Japan is the third largest investor in India. This shows the optimism in Japan about Indias economic development and bright future, he said. Expecting the bullet train project to be completed by 2022-23, Abe said it would stand out as a towering example of the growing close ties between the two countries. He hoped that during his next visit to Gujarat, he would come to Ahmedabad in the bullet train from Mumbai with Modi beside him, enjoying the beautiful scenery of India. Both PMs also unveiled the plaque for an institute in Vadodara to train about 4,000 personnel to run the bullet train. The project would provide direct and indirect employment to about 20,000 people. Mukesh Ranjan Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 13 A day after the Election Commission refused to take cognizance of his factions plea that they are the real JD-U and they should be assigned the partys official election symbol, estranged party leader Sharad Yadav today defended his decision to attend an RJD rally in Patna on August 27, claiming it was not he who broke the party line rather the group led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar did by ditching Mahagathbandhan, which went to polls and sought peoples support. Speaking at a press conference convened by his at his residence here, Yadav said: I am being targeted on the pretext that I attended the Patna rally. They (the Nitish camp) are trying to question my membership to Rajya Sabha under Schedule 10 of Constitution that I gave it up voluntarily. The socialist leader went on to add: But I was correct in following the decision of the party while forming the Mahagathbandhan and have now been abiding by the mandate given by 11 crore people of Bihar. As a loyal party worker, I followed the decision of the party and attended the rally. However, on if he had responded to the notice served on him by the Rajya Sabha secretariat on the petition filed by the Nitish faction, Yadav ducked the question, saying: It will be responded and my lawyers are looking into it. On the EC rejecting their contention, a senior leader of the Sharad camp said the decision was one-sided, as we were not given a hearing by the poll panel. He said: Our lawyers are looking into the matter and soon we will approach the Commission again. Meanwhile, the Sharad faction has decided to hold the JD-Us national council meet on October 8. Must join lalu to survive in politics: JD-U Nitish Kumar-led JD-U on Wednesday took a swipe at party dissident Sharad Yadav (pic), advising him to join Lalu Prasads RJD while calling him their uncle For his survival in politics, Sharadji should join the RJD as he has been left no other option now. Sharadji has tried to unite the Opposition with the RJD whose boss Lalu and his family are knee-deep in corruption. Although he has voluntarily given up his JD-U membership after attending RJD-led anti-BJP rally, he may now lose RS membership, said JD-Us Neeraj Kumar . Welcome to the 21st century, where you can cut, cook, and eat testicles, and even win money for it. By India Today Web Desk: What if we tell you that making Aadhaar mandatory is actually beneficial for every one? Balls, you would say. A term, loved mostly by the British to tell someone to cut the bull crap, 'balls' are quite an essential male reproductive organ. But, in many cultures, it is a dish that many relish. advertisement Yes, people do eat testicles. Recently, a small Serbian village named Lipovica celebrated one of the world's strangest food festivals, known as, 'World Testicle Cooking Competition'. A group of enthusiasts gathered in the village and hosted the cooking fest. During the fest, the reproductive organs from different kinds of male animals were prepared and consumed by the participants. Don't believe us? Check the video out: --- ENDS --- Chennai, September 14 The Madras High Court on Thursday ordered that no floor test would be conducted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly till September 20. Justice M Duraiswami passed the interim order on petitions by DMK working president M K Stalin and MLA P Vetrivel, a staunch loyalist of ousted AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran. Citing pending disqualification proceedings against 19 MLAs loyal to Dhinkaran in view of their rebellion against Chief Minister K Palaniswami, the petitioners submitted that they apprehended the Speaker might disqualify the legislators. This may go in favour of the chief minister in case of a floor test to prove his majority, they contended. Stalin, in his petition, had sought a direction to the Governor to order a floor test for the Palaniswami government, claiming that it had lost its majority in view of the 19 MLAs expressing their lack of confidence in the chief minister. Vetrivel, who filed an impleading petition, submitted he had apprehension that he might be disqualified by the Speaker during the proceedings initiated on a prayer by the government Chief Whip. After the whip sought disqualification of the 19 MLAs under the anti-defection law, the Speaker had issued notices to them seeking their response, the time limit for which ended today. Earlier, state Advocate General Vijay Narayan informed the judge that the constitutional process by the Speaker had started and the court could not pass orders based on apprehensions of the petitioners. Narayan stated this in response to a directive by the judge earlier in the day asking him to ascertain from the Speaker whether he intended to pass any order on the matter. Senior counsel Kapil Sibal, appearing for Stalin, submitted that the Speaker might pass an order disqualifying the 19 MLAs and might conduct the floor test on even Sunday so that they would not have time to approach courts for relief. He said at least 48 hours of time should be given before a floor test. The Speakers counsel submitted the court cannot interfere in the process of a constitutional authority such as the Speaker. Once the constitutional process was over and if any order was passed, then a judicial review would always be available to the aggrieved parties, he submitted. The court cannot act based on apprehensions and expect the Speaker to reply whether he was going to take a decision today or tomorrow, he said. Sibal argued that even issuing privilege notices to 21 DMK MLAs over their action in displaying banned gutkha in the assembly had been done only with the malafide intention to save the government. The MLAs have revolted against Palaniswami after the merger of party factions led by him and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam on August 21. In his petition, Stalin also wanted the floor test to be held under the supervision of an independent observer appointed by the high court. Stalin, the Leader of the Opposition in the assembly, sought a direction to the chief minister, restraining him from taking any major policy decision, pending the disposal of his petition. Besides the withdrawal of support by the 19 MLAs, the 98 MLAs of the DMK and its allies in the opposition had expressed their unequivocal no-confidence in the government, it said. Hence, it is clear that the government has lost its majority, he had contended adding it was the duty of the governor to ask the government to prove its strength in the 234-member assembly with one vacancy. The AIADMK has 134 members excluding the Speaker. PTI Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 14 More than a month after nine-year-old Arman Sehgal, a Class 4 student died at GD Goenka School at Indirapuram in Ghaziabad, his parents on Thursday moved the Supreme Court seeking a CBI probe into their sons mysterious death. The matter was mentioned before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, which posted it for hearing on September 18. Arman had allegedly died after a fall in school on August 1. His father Gulshan Sehgal lodged an FIR against school officials for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and destruction of evidence. Report of a magisterial probe ordered on August 4 was still awaited. This is the second petition filed this week by parents of school students seeking CBI probe into death of their children. On Monday, the top court had sought replies from the Centre, Haryana Government, CBI and CBSE on a petition filed by the father of eight-year-old Pradyuman a Class 2 student, whose throat was slit at Ryan International School in Gurgaon on September 8. Pradyumans father has demanded safety guidelines for schools across India to check recurrence of such incidents. A conductor of a school bus has allegedly admitted to the crime. Accusing school management of destroying evidence in the case, Gulshan Sehgal requested the court to ask the CBI or a special investigation team to take up the matter for a thorough and fair investigation. School management, including the chairman, director and principal, have moved the Allahabad High Court seeking quashing of the FIR and the court had granted them interim protection from arrest and directed that no coercive action should be taken against them. He demanded a stay against the interim orders of the high court. Accusing the Uttar Pradesh Police of not probing the case properly, Sehgal alleged that CCTV footage of the school was not kept according to the rules and certain videos had been deleted from the record. Even after 45 days of the incident, he did not know the reason and circumstances under which his son died, Sehgal submitted. Sehgal said on August 1, he received a call from the school that his son had fallen in the corridor and was being taken to a hospital. But the hospital said the boy was declared brought dead. Manas Dasgupta & IANS Gandhinagar, September 14 Breaking the ground for the ambitious Rs 1 lakh crore bullet train with major Japanese aid, India and Japan today elevated their bilateral ties as they called for a free and open Indo-Pacific region where sovereignty and international laws are respected, in an apparent message to China which has disputes with most neighbours in the South China region. A day after staging an unusual roadshow in Ahmedabad, which critics said was done with an eye on Gujarat polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held his annual bilateral summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and came out with a 14-page joint statement titled Toward a Free, Open and Prosperous Indo-Pacific, laying out the new contours of the relationship. Editorial: At bullet speed In a snub to Pakistan, the two countries urged it to bring to justice the masterminds behind the Mumbai and Pathankot terror attacks. The two leaders also condemned North Koreas continued development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, besides the growing menace of terrorism and violent extremism. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) On a day North Korea threatened to use nuclear weapons to sink Japan, the two countries pledged to work together to deal with the situation that they felt posed a grave threat to international peace and stability and the international non-proliferation efforts. The statement urged North Korea to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programme and called upon the international community to maximise pressure on that country to make it fully implement relevant UNSC resolutions in that regard. The discussions between the two leaders covered the entire gamut of special, strategic and global partnership and dealt with various issues, including the recent Doklam military standoff between India and China that ended ahead of Modis visit to China for the BRICS Summit. Modi and Abe welcomed the significant progress made in bilateral ties between India and Japan over the past three years and reiterated their committment to explore possibilities for further cementing ties in various sectors, including defence and security, technology exchange and trade. On terrorism, the statement said it must be combated through concerted global action in the spirit of zero tolerance. Modi and Abe called upon the UN member countries to implement UNSC resolution 1267 and other relevant resolutions designating terrorist entities. Without naming any country, the statement called upon all countries to work towards rooting out terrorists safe havens. Abe invited Modi to visit Japan at a mutually convenient time for the next summit meeting that Modi accepted with appreciation, it said. Work commences on bullet train The highlight of the day was the commencement of work on the Ahmedabad-Mumbai high-speed rail project, modelled on the lines of the famous Shinkansen (Bullet Train) technology by symbolic digging of the earth at the Sabarmati railway station. PM Narendra Modi hailed the project that will help passengers cover 500 km in three hours at a speed of over 300 km per hour as a new pace in Indias progress to achieve a new India by 2022. Abe said a strong India is in Japans interest, and a strong Japan is in Indias interest. Yash Goyal Our Correspondent Jaipur, September 14 The Vasundhara Raje government has decided to waive crop loan of farmers up to Rs 50,000 after four rounds of talks with the All-India Kisan Mahasangh (AIKM), a CPM front. The loan waiver scheme is likely to cost Rs 20,000 crore to the exchequer. The Mahasangh called off its 13-day-long agitation after settlement of its 11-point charter of demands with the group of ministers Prabhulal Saini (Agriculture), Ajay Singh (Cooperative), Dr Ram Pratap (Water Resources), Pushpendra Singh (Power) and state BJP chief Ashok Parnami at Pant Krishi Bhawan. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The government will set up a high-powered expert and technical committee to formulate modalities of the scheme. The committee would study the crop loan pattern of UP, Maharashtra, Punjab and Kerala before finalising the recommendations within a month, an Agriculture Department official said. It will also consider the ecological, geographical and environmental issues affecting Rajasthan while considering compensation modalities and underline the needs of farmers. The government also showed its commitment on purchase of crops from farmers at MSP, effective implementation of the Swaminathan report, no ban on sale of bovine and security to breeders, crop loan from cooperative societies, pension to farmers over 60 years of age, MGNREGA jobs to unemployed villagers and transportation facilities in Sikar district. State Congress chief Sachin Pilot said the Raje government was under pressure to end the farmers agitation ahead of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwats visit to Jaipur. He said by setting up a committee, the government was buying time to implement the scheme. Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 13 Accusing members of Gurugram and Sohna Bar bodies of physically stopping lawyers from representing the accused in the Pradyuman Thankur murder case, Northern zone head of Ryan Group Francis Thomas on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court, seeking transfer of the case to Delhi. Senior advocate KTS Tulsi mentioned Thomass petition before a Bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra which posted the matter for hearing on September 18. Tulsi contended every accused had a fundamental right to be represented by a lawyer of his choice and the bar bodys decision amounted to violation of this all-important right of accused Thomas. Tulsi alleged that the Bar bodies at Sohna and Gurugram in Haryana have asked their member lawyers not to represent any person or accused in the murder of the seven-year-old boy on the school campus on Friday. The fundamental right under Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) is being infringed, Tulsi submitted. He urged the top court to shift the case from Sohna in Haryana to a trial court at Saket in the national capital. The district Bar associations of Gurugram and Sohna had passed a resolution on September 9 not to defend the accused in this case, Tulsi pointed out. The Class 2 student was found with his throat slit on the morning of September 8 in the toilet of Ryan International School in Gurugram. Police allege that 42-year-old bus conductor Ashok Kumar killed him with a knife after the boy resisted an attempt to sodomise him. Thomas was arrested on Monday in connection with the murder. This is the third petition filed in the Supreme Court in connection with the case, the first and the second being from the slain childs father and two woman lawyers, respectively. While his father sought a CBI probe and guidelines for child safety, the woman lawyer duo wanted a set of non-negotiable guidelines for the safety of school-going children across India. Interim relief to trustees extended The Bombay HC on Wednesday extended till Thursday the interim protection from arrest granted to the trustees of Ryan International Group, even as the father of the seven-year-old boy sought to oppose their anticipatory bail pleas The HC directed the boy's father, Barun Thakur, to give the trustees a copy of his intervening application opposing their pre-arrest bail petitions Thakur, the father of the Class 2 student Pradyuman, filed an intervening application opposing the anticipatory bail pleas filed by the group's CEO, Ryan Pinto, and his parents - Augustine Pinto, the founding chairman of the group, and Grace, its managing director PTI SIT, CBSE teams inspect school Jitendra K Shrivastava Tribune News Service Patna, September 14 Six members of a family drowned in the Ganga here as they had gone for bathing. Four of them were fished out on Thursday morning. A team of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) has been trying to recover the two other bodies. Along with the rescue team, the district administration has also been camping at Marachi in Mokama. Pawan Singhs family is said to have gone for bathing in the Ganga where a child in the family drowned. In order to save the child the others drowned one after the other. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed grief over the incident and also spoke to the family. Nitish directed Patna district magistrate Sanjay Aggrawal to take appropriate action and distribute the compensation. The state disaster management department will give a compensation of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin. Local resident Anirudh Singh said, On the occasion of the bathing festival, six members of Pankaj Singhs family went for bathing. One of the members drowned; then, others plunged in to the river one after the other. Eventually, all six drowned. Jaipur, September 13 Three rounds of official talks between All-India Kisan Mahasabha (AIKM) and the Vasundhara Raje government remained inconclusive on Wednesday as the main demand of crop loan waiver was not settled yet even though agreement was reached on some of the 11 demands. AIKM president Comrade Amraram who led the 11-member delegation held three rounds of talks with Agriculture Minister Prabhu Lal Saini, Cooperatives Minister Ajay Singh and state BJP president Ashok Parnami here till late evening. However, another session is expected later as they are waiting for Parnami to come to the conference hall. Talks remained indecisive as farmers want crop loan waiver first then fulfilment of other demands, said Ravindra Shukla, member of state CPM party. OC Tribune New Service New Delhi, September 14 The United Arab Emirates on Thursday announced relaxation for more categories of visa on arrival for Indians. The UAE Ambassador to India, Mohammed Albanna, said here that the government will now grant visas on arrival to Indians who hold a valid residence visa of the United Kingdom and the European Union. Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The move should facilitate more tourists in the country considering that UAE is emerging as a major transit hub for passengers travelling from India to the US and Europe. The US Border Immigration has set up a facility in UAE allowing foreigners travelling to the US complete all formalities in UAE itself. These visa holders have been added to earlier decision to grant visa on arrival to Indians whose passports contain a valid US visa or have a Green Card. Ambassador Albania said the decision was taken by the UAE Cabinet on Wednesday and is in pursuance of agreements signed to facilitate people to people contacts during the visit of Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India last year. Diplomats and government officials are issued visa at no cost as per existing protocols. Varinder Singh Tribune News Service Rampura Phul, September 13 The family of Jeond village resident Tek Singh, who had committed suicide, was left high and dry when the compensation cheque for Rs5 lakh bounced. The district administration has initiated a probe into the matter. Tek Singh, a marginal farmer, had allegedly committed suicide on August 9 by consuming poison. He had accused a Rampura Phul commission agent of harassment. Rampura Phul SDM Subhash Khatak had given Rs4 lakh in cash as part compensation to Tek Singhs wife Charanjit Kaur. A Rs5-lakh cheque drawn on the erstwhile State Bank of Patiala was also handed over to her. The family presented the cheque in the villages HDFC branch. The bank officials told them that the cheque, signed by the Secretary, Red Cross, Bathinda, could not be cleared as the account number written on the cheque was invalid. Deputy Commissioner Diprava Lakra could not be contacted. The Bathinda administration has initiated a probe. Its officials said it seemed that the problem might have occurred because of the merger of the State Bank of Patiala with the State Bank of India. Ashis Ray London, September 13 Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today launched a "connect with your roots" (CYR) initiative in London to reach out to youth of Punjabi origin in Britain at a function at the Indian High Commission. Amarinder said: "The aim of the programme is to help youth aged between 16 and 22 years, especially those who have never visited India, to discover their identity." He is aiming to start the scheme next month from around Diwali. Batches of 15 persons from various parts of the world will undertake the tour every two months. Canada, the United States, Australia and European Union member countries, will be covered in the outreach in the initial phase. The first three groups in the preliminary six months will come from the UK. The selected applicants will be required to bear their cost of travel to and from India. The Punjab Government will take care of the rest. The Indian High Commission will be responsible for publicising the opportunity to the British Punjabi community in the UK. A two-week visit to Punjab will enable the young men and women to go to places where their parents or grandparents were born and grew up. The CYR programme would incorporate a home-stay element in a Punjab village for three days. The participants will also be transported to historic and cultural sites and tourist attractions like the Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh, Wagah border, Bhagat Singh Memorial at Banga and Khalsa Heritage Memorial among others. The CM stated: "There's a lot of disinformation about Punjab among overseas Punjabis. We want to correct the wrong impression." Lord Raj Loomba, a member of the British House of Lords, told The Tribune that he would like to convert the property of his ancestral home in Dhilwan into a school. He is prepared to make an investment of Rs 50 lakh and is seeking a matching grant from the Punjab Government to the proposal. Loomba, however, complained that the NRI ministry under the previous state government was "unhelpful" and would like to raise this with Amarinder during a visit to Punjab next week. The CM is on a private-cum-public visit to London. His commitments, though, had to be curtailed after he injured an ankle. At an event on Monday to launch a recently written biography of him, the CM asserted that he had been approached by several businessmen during his current visit expressing interest in investing in Punjab. On Tuesday, the CM, whose interest is military history, released a book written by him on Saragarhi and the Defence of the Samana Forts. Various factions of the Indian Overseas Congress were keen to organise a rally where the CM would have been the star speaker. They are disappointed this could not be worked out. DL Kalhan, president, IOC in London, remarked: "I spoke to Congress leaders in Punjab, but they didn't bother." At least 22 people drowned when an overcrowded boat capsized in the Yamuna river in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh. A probe has been ordered into the incident. By India Today Web Desk: Tragedy hit Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat district today when an overloaded boat capsized in the Yamuna river. At least 22 people drowned and many more were missing when the boat, which was carrying around 60 people, sank near the Katha village. Most of the people on board the boat in the Yamuna were labourers heading to Haryana, officials said. advertisement Following the accident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the dead and ordered a probe into the incident as search continued to rescue those missing after the boat capsized in the Yamuna. "The boat was ferrying passengers more than its capacity. Most of the passengers of the ill-fated boat were women. As soon as the boat reached mid-stream it capsized," Baghpat district magistrate Bhawani Singh said. Uttar Pradesh Police and Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel fished out at least 22 bodies, while 10 others were rescued, the Baghpat DM said. The incident led to angry protests near the site of the tragedy. Angry that an overcrowded boat was allowed to ply, villagers jammed a highway and set a few vehicles on fire, witnesses said. Baghpat DM Singh and his officials tried to pacify the mob, which refused to allow the bodies to be taken for autopsy. They allowed five bodies to be taken by the police. But when more bodies were taken out, they started dumping them on the river bank. In a similar incident in Bihar's Patna district, six people from the same family drowned in the Ganga. The family had gone to take a bath in the river when a few of them slipped and fell into deeper waters. The others drowned in an attempt to save them. Four of those dead were minors, officials said. The CM talked to the Patna district magistrate and gave him necessary directives and told him to make immediate payment of ex-gratia to the next of the kin of the victims. The DM said that Rs 4 lakh would be paid to the next of kin of each of the deceased persons on Thursday itself. (With inputs from agencies) ALSO READ | Nagpur: Bodies of 8 people, who drowned in Vena river after their boat capsized, recovered ALSO READ | Allahabad: 3 people drown after boat capsizes in Yamuna river advertisement ALSO WATCH | Patna: Boat capsizes in Ganga, 17 dead --- ENDS --- Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 13 The state BJP today alleged that the party feared vendetta politics during the bypoll to the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency on October 11. A cross section of senior BJP leaders, including former state president Manoranjan Kalia, said We respect the word of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh that there will be no vendetta politics. However, his fellow colleagues are sending a very wrong message on the ground by engaging in a display of power politics. The scenario smacks very much of vendetta politics. State secretary Vineet Joshi said, The state police have booked senior leaders of our alliance Sucha Singh Langah and Sewa Singh Sekhwan (both former Cabinet ministers) in the Ghallughara incident recently. The duo wont be able to participate in the campaign. We have reports from different Assembly segments about our leaders being threatened. Joshi said, Expectedly, the entire top leadership will be camping in Gurdaspur backed by the government machinery. We feel it is going to be an election between the Punjab Government and the SAD-BJP alliance. BJP leader Madan Mohan Mittal said, The alliance partners are working in tandem. There were minor differences in Gurdaspur and Batala Vidhan Sabha constituencies earlier. However, the top leadership of SAD, including former CM Parkash Singh Badal and SAD president Sukhbir Badal, have met the leaders of the BJP and also communicated to the rank and file about the importance of unity in the election. Barring Batala and Fatehgarh Churian, the BJP leadership has toured seven out of the nine constituencies. The state leadership sits excitedly in suspense over who will get the ticket to the parliamentary constituency. Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 13 Its been four-and-a-half months since the cane crushing season for 2016-17 ended. But there is still no sign of seven of the nine cooperative sugar mills in the state clearing farmers dues worth Rs91.09 crore. The only two cooperative mills that have cleared farmers dues are the Gurdaspur and Batala mills. Last month, Rs24.5 crore was released for clearing the dues, mainly because both mills cater to sugarcane growers of the poll-bound Gurdaspur Lok Sabha segment. Considering the precarious fiscal health of the government, where even salaries are delayed, it seems unlikely that the farmers dues will be released any time soon. But even as farmers from all other parts of Punjab are awaiting their dues from the remaining seven cooperative sugar mills (Ajnala, Bhogpur, Budhewal, Nawanshahr, Fazilka, Nakodar and Morinda), the state government is waiting for the seven private sugar mills in Punjab to return Rs223.75 crore. These mills, all owned by political heavyweights, including the family of Irrigation and Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh, had availed a subsidy of Rs223.75 crore (at the rate of Rs35-Rs50 per quintal of sugarcane, depending on the early, mid or late variety) for two consecutive crushing seasons (2014-15 and 2015-16). The subsidy given to them was conditional it was linked to the sugar prices at the end of the crushing season. The subsidy for these private mills was announced in November 2015 when the price of sugar was at an all-time low of Rs2,400 per quintal. By early 2016, the prices of sugar zoomed to Rs3,400-Rs3,700 per quintal. These mills only paid farmers Rs245 per quintal against the state-agreed price of Rs295 per quintal. The state government had already released the subsidy, but following the upswing in sugar prices, the government started issuing recovery notices to the mills for claiming back subsidy. The latter then went to court, where the matter is still pending. A senior government official said since a huge sum of money was blocked with private sugar mills, they were unable to pay the dues to farmers who sold their produce to cooperative sugar mills. Punjab Cane Commissioner Jaswant Singh, when contacted, said the government was apprised of the farmers getting restless over the matter. We had decided to clear the dues in three monthly installments in July, August and September. We could not pay the August installment, but we intend clearing both installments within this month, he said. Interestingly, the price of sugar is at an all time high now, zooming to Rs4,100 per quintal. As a result, with the cost of production estimated at Rs3,200 per quintal, these seven private mills are making huge profits. These mills have managed to clear their dues towards farmers. Barring Rs5.35 crore that two mills one owned by a close relative of deceased liquor baron Ponty Chadha and other owned by the family of Rana Gurjit Singh all other private mills have already paid Rs1,440 crore to the farmers. The Kiri Afgana mill (owned by a relative of Chadha) owes Rs4.3 crore to farmers, while that owned by the family of the minister owes just Rs1.05 crore. Tribune News Service Mohali, September 14 The state Department of Housing and Urban Development will replace manual auction with e-auction for the disposal of properties by all development authorities in the state. The department has announced its first e-auction from September 21 to October 5. Vini Mahajan, Additional Chief Secretary of the department, said: The domain of the e-auction portal (puda.e-auctions.in) has been finalised. She added that prospective bidders and employees had been trained to monitor the process. The government has also tied up with banks. M/s Nextender e-Auction Service will be the service provider for the e-auction. Associated banks have been asked to ensure timely refund of the eligibility fee to the unsuccessful bidders, Mahajan said. The e-auction has an SMS facility that will inform the bidders/participants about the highest bid, enabling them to increase it. The auction is expected to make available for sale various types of properties in major cities, including Mohali, Patiala, Ludhiana, Bathinda, Amritsar and Jalandhar. Details of properties offered for auction, mode of payment, land use, terms and conditions of auction, location, price etc. would be uploaded well in time, she said. Rachna Khaira Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 14 Please rescue me or else they will kill me, said a sobbing Paramjit Kaur (39) on the phone from Hail province in Saudi Arabia. She has been kept in illegal confinement by a Saudi family for the past two months. Paramjit, hailing from Bilga village here, was allegedly sold off by a travel agent for Rs3 lakh to the family in July. My family is poor. We cant pay hefty amounts to work in Western countries. So, we agreed when asked to pay Rs50,000 for a permanent job in the Gulf country. The agent asked us to pay Rs25,000 in advance and Rs30,000 later after I got my first salary, which was fixed at Rs20,000 per month. I was actually sold off for 18,000 riyals (around Rs3 lakh), she said. The woman came to know about the deal from the Saudi family. She told them that she wanted to return, but they ignored her request and started beating her up when she refused to work. Im not allowed to leave the house. The family has stopped giving me food and water for the past three days, she said, adding that her passport was also in their possession. Paramjit is able to make calls, but her phone does not have internet service. Her husband, Malkiat Ram, and social activist Rajwinder Sharma had approached Sushma Swaraj, External Affairs Minister. An official at Indias Embassy in Riyadh told them that as per Saudi rules, an employer has to pay fee to hire people from abroad. In Paramjits case, the Saudi family paid Rs4 lakh to the government there. The official asked us to pay the sum for my wifes return, but I dont have money, said Malkiat. He had got an FIR registered on September 6, but the accused travel agent, Resham Bhatti, is yet to be arrested. Two girls alerted Paramjits family claimed to have saved two girls from falling into the trap of the accused travel agent, Resham Bhatti. Karanvir Singh, a resident of Talwan village, said his 20-year-old daughter was scheduled to board a flight for Saudi Arabia on September 20. Alerted by Paramjit's husband Malkiat Ram, they asked the agent to deliver the visa at their home. The agent refused and said he could do it only at the Delhi airport. So, I and another family did not send our girls to Saudi Arabia, said Karanvir. GS Paul Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 14 Newly inducted Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri today sought the state governments cooperation for implementing the Centres urban development schemes. On his first visit to the city after assuming office, Puri said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keen on involving local stakeholders. I appeal to Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to focus on the speedy execution of these schemes. He observed that Amritsar and other cities were lagging in basic infrastructure such as safe drinking water, sanitation and an efficient sewerage. Our cities were never designed as per constructive and comprehensive town planning. Chandigarh might be an exception, he added. Puri said an investment of Rs 3,754 crore had been approved so far for Amritsar Rs 3,430 crore (Smart City Mission), Rs 247 crore (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation), Rs 77 crore (affordable housing) and Rs 60 crore (HRIDAY scheme). This comes out to be Rs 30,300 per head, which is substantial. The schemes for which we have set a target of 2019, will start showing results by June 2018, he claimed. The former IFS officer said about Rs 11,000 crore had been approved for Punjab during the past three years for urban missions. An investment of Rs 9,471 crore has been approved to improve basic urban infrastructure over five years. Earlier, Puri paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and Durgiana Mandir. The sanctum sanctorum of the Sikh faith provides inspiration not only for the Sikhs, but for the whole humanity where no distinction is made on the basis of caste, creed or religion, he said. Grandfather escaped Jallianwala massacre Hardeep Singh Puri recalled his grandfathers narrow escape during the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Puri wrote in the visitors book at the memorial: My grandfather was present at Jallianwala Bagh when the Brigadier (Reginald Dyer) opened fire at innocent Indians who had gathered here. He and several others escaped by jumping over the wall at the outer periphery. As a student of history, I salute all those who gave their lives for the attainment of Indias freedom. Tribune News Service Moga, September 13 A debt-ridden farmer reportedly committed suicide by consuming pesticide at Kot Sadar Khan village in Dharamkot sub-division of the district, police said today. Identified as Pippal Singh (46), the farmer was reportedly depressed over the past few months because of mounting debt. His family members revealed that villagers had been taunting Pippal Singh over his financial status, which could have forced him to take the extreme step. They said he went to the fields yesterday, but did not return. After a few hours of search, his body was found lying in the fields. The body was handed over to the family after the postmortem today. He is survived by his wife and three daughters. The family told the police that Pippal Singh owned just 2 acres. He used to take more land on lease. He owed Rs 6 lakh to banks, a local arhtiya and other moneylenders. Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan has appealed to the government to give a government job and a compensation of Rs10 lakh to the bereaved family. He has demanded loan waiver of the farmer. Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 14 The Congress has begun deliberations on the candidate for the October 11 Gurdaspur Lok Sabha byelection, but the final decision will be taken only after Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh returns from abroad. Party incharge of Punjab Asha Kumari today told The Tribune, We are waiting for Capt Amarinder Singh to return. He is expected to come back the day after, following which we will have a meeting and take a view to be forwarded to Congress president and vice-president. Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Congress has begun eliciting the views of Gurdaspur MLAs on who would be the best suited candidate for the election. Earlier at a meeting called by Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar, majority of the seven party legislators from Gurdaspur parliamentary segment had proposed the names of Jakhar himself and Amarinder Singhs wife and former Patiala MP Preneet Kaur. Preneet has opted out citing political loyalties to Patiala. Jakhar remains in the fray, being acceptable to most Gurdaspur MLAs, who say he is a good candidate if he is willing to contest. When contacted today on whether he would contest Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat, Jakhar said, I will abide by the party decision. Jakhar is not learnt to be keen to contest being an outsider to Gurdaspur, but is unlikely to refuse if the party asks him to fight. Leaders close to Jakhar say he does not want to make the mistake former minister Manish Tewari made by refusing to contest 2014 Lok Sabha election from Ludhiana. Meanwhile, a section in the Congress is also proposing that former Gurdaspur MP and sitting Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab Partap Singh Bajwa should be fielded from the segment. Bajwa is a former MP and has a good standing there. He can come back and defend the seat for the party, said a senior Congress leader. The calculation behind proposing Bajwas name is if Bajwa wins Gurdaspur byelection, the Congress can send someone else to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab. The question is whether Bajwa wants to fight at all following all the bad blood generated between him and Amarinder Singh on the eve of state elections this year. Bajwas wife and former MLA Charanjit Kaur is also keen on the seat. Bajwas brother and sitting MLA from Qadian Fateh Jung Bajwa is meanwhile lobbying for his son as a nominee for the election. Leaders dare Bajwa to contest poll Chandigarh: With the Partap Singh Bajwa camp pressuring the party high command to field a local candidate in the Gurdaspur parliamentary byelection, the MLAs backing the candidature of PPCC chief Sunil Jakhar on Thursday dared Bajwa to contest the poll. Aimed at checkmating Bajwa, who is seeking the seat for his wife Charanjit Kaur Bajwa on the plea of her being a local candidate, the pro-Jakhar MLAs said they would put the proposal before the CM once he returned from the UK. Since the Bajwas are opposing Jakhars candidature, let Partap Bajwa contest the election. He had lost the seat in 2014. Let him prove his mettle. He has nothing to lose as he is already a Rajya Sabha member, they said. Meanwhile, the clamour to field a local candidate is getting louder. After Qadian MLA Fateh Jang Bajwas statement that a local candidate should be fielded, a former MLA from Pathankot, Raman Bhalla, today demanded that any candidate, irrespective of his caste, who had Gurdaspur roots should be the partys choice. tns Washington, September 14 Mars' crust is not as dense as previously thought, which means that at least a part of it is relatively porous, suggests a gravity map of the red planet created by NASA scientists. The finding may help better understand the red planet's interior structure and evolution, according to the US space agency. However, scientists said that they cannot rule out the possibility of a different mineral composition or perhaps a thinner crust. "The crust is the end-result of everything that happened during a planet's history, so a lower density could have important implications about Mars' formation and evolution," said Sander Goossens of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, US. The researchers mapped the density of the Martian crust, estimating the average density is 2,582 kilogrammes per cubic metre. That is comparable to the average density of the lunar crust. Typically, Mars' crust has been considered at least as dense as Earth's oceanic crust, which is about 2,900 kilogrammes per cubic metre. The new value is derived from Mars' gravity field, a global model that can be extracted from satellite tracking data using sophisticated mathematical tools. The gravity field for Earth is extremely detailed, because the data sets have very high resolution. Recent studies of the Moon by NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory, or GRAIL, mission also yielded a precise gravity map. The data sets for Mars do not have as much resolution, so it is more difficult to pin down the density of the crust from current gravity maps. As a result, previous estimates relied more heavily on studies of the composition of Mars' soil and rocks. "We are coming to the conclusion that it is not enough just to know the composition of the rocks," said Greg Neumann, co-author of the research paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. Before taking on Mars, the researchers tested their approach by applying it to the gravity field that was in use before the GRAIL mission. The resulting estimate for the density of the Moon's crust essentially matched the GRAIL result of 2,550 kilogrammes per cubic metre. From the new model, the team generated global maps of the crust's density and thickness. These maps show the kinds of variations the researchers expect, such as denser crust beneath Mars' giant volcanoes. PTI Dehradun, September 13 BJP president Amit Shah will assess the performance of the party during his visit to the state on September 19 and 20. State BJP unit president Ajay Bhatt said, There will be more than 13 meetings and for the first time our different units presidents will have one to one interaction with him, said Ajay Bhatt. The MLAs and office bearers will also hold talks with the BJP president on the functioning of the TS Rawat government to assess the level of coordination between all the wings. The short comings will be brought before the president. The visit will focus on implementing the programmes launched by the Prime Minister, said a senior BJP leader. The party is expected to release Shahs itinerary tomorrow. TNS Tribune News Service Dehradun, September 14 Excitement has taken hold of residents living in bastis surrounding the state BJP office here, after impromptu visits by senior BJP leaders to select a household belonging to a member of the SC community for hosting party president Amit Shah for lunch on September 20. The selected household should also be associated with the RSS or the BJP. While the BJP leaders are tight-lipped about their selection, there are several hopefuls. Moti Ram, an RSS worker who resides a few kilometers from the BJP office, is optimistic about getting a chance to host BJP chief. Though there is no official confirmation as yet, the family was quite pleased when some senior BJP leaders made a courtesy call. His wife Poonam says, I will be very happy to serve him. We have heard a lot about him. Babu Ram is also pleased with the attention he has been able to garner in the past few days. He says, We are done with initial preparation and in case we are asked to host Amit Shah it will not be difficult as we have heard he likes simple food home-cooked food. Tribune News Service Dehradun, Sept 14 Ghummakkad Narain The Travelling Childrens Literature Festival will be held in Dehradun from September 15 to 16. The two-day Dehradun leg of the festival will be held at Jaswant Modern School and Rashtriya Anushandhan School. The festival will thereafter travel to Delhi where Kathakar International Storytellers Festival will be organised from December 1 to 3 followed by Mumbai where the festival will be held from December 9 to 10. Talking to The Tribune Rachna Bisht, organiser of the festival said, It is the 8th anniversary of Ghummakkad Narain. We can say that we are proud of the festival. Imminent scholar late Thakur Vishva Narains dream of helping so many children get closer to books, to learn, dream and think has come to fruition. Seeing the joy that books and stories bring to the lives of not just children but also adults makes all our struggles worth the effort. It is most fulfilling when you see children enjoy these sessions and take to reading, she said. The festival has been addressed by late President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Dr Shashi Tharoor, Margaret Alva, Sunil Shastri, Nandia Das, Sushma Seth, Emily Gravett, Joanne Blake, Tuup, Joseph Baele and Xanthe Gresham among others. The Travelling Childrens Literature Festival is a joint initiative of NIVESH and Himalayan Hub for Art and Cultural Heritage, which started under the aegis of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. The festival aims to celebrate reading with activities such as book reading, creative writing, illustration workshops, puppet shows, etc from a wide range of writers, illustrators and performers from both India and abroad. Travelling fest Tribune News Service Dehradun, September 13 A Delhi-based trader has donated two quintal silver for the beautification of sanctum sanctorum at Kedarnath.The Kedarnath valley has undergone large scale renovation after the 2013 natural disaster. Apart from government assistance, private donations have also come handy in undertaking renovation work at the temple. BD Singh, Chief Executive officer of Badri Kedar temple committee, said that a trader from Delhi had some time back expressed desire to donate two quintal silver for the beautification of sanctum sanctorum at the temple, which had been accepted by the committee. He said apart from donating silver, the trader had also sent artisans to Kedarnath for putting silver plates on the inner walls of the sanctum sanctorum. BD Singh said the work would be completed during the ongoing Char Dham Yatra. He disclosed that so far Rs five crore had been received as donation at Kedarnath shrine. In 2015, Murari Bapu donated Rs one crore for beautification of the temple. He also donated Rs 80 lakh to the temple. Industrialist Mukesh Ambani also donated Rs 50 lakh to the temple last year. Badrinath shrine gets 7.5 lakh pilgrims Dehradun: More than 7.5 lakh pilgrims from all over the world visited the Badrinath shrine this year breaking the lull since the 2013 disaster, an official said today. The last time such a large footfall was achieved was in 2010, three years before the disaster struck the annual Char Dham pilgrimage when flash floods left thousands dead and hundreds missing. In 2013, 9.25 lakh pilgrims visited the shrine. According to officials of the Temple Trust, the Badrinath shrine received Rs 11.50 crore in donation and other offerings between May 6 and September 10. The shrine opened on May 6 after a long winter break. The Chief Executive Officer of the Trust, B.D. Singh said the number could rise till the shrine closes for the winter break. IANS Neena Sharma Tribune News Service Dehradun, September 13 Medical experts have demanded proper implementation of the Clinical Establishment Act and surveillance by the Medical Council of India after a kidney racket was busted recently. Questions are being raised on the role of the Uttarakhand Medical Council, which is being run on ad-hoc basis for the past several years. A doctor on the condition of anonymity said, How come no one got a wind of the doctor who was already under scanner for his role in illegal sale of organs. The MCI should keep a check on unethical practices and ensure implementation of the MCI Act. We require a strong policy and administrative system so that surveillance is carried at every step, said Dr RP Bhatt, former DG, Health and Medical. Further, proper implementation of the Clinical Establishment Act continues to be a problem. The Clinical Establishment Act is not being implemented fully as the MCI has raised several objections. So far we have managed to register around 135 private hospitals alone, said Dr TC Pant, CMO, Dehradun. The medical tourism industry in the state is largely centered in Dehradun, Haridwar and Haldwani after a number of private hospitals were set up in the past few years. Most of these hospitals offer dental and knee surgeries and kidney transplant procedures are performed rarely. Dehradun, September 13 The state government will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Institute of Petroleum for manufacturing turpentine oil from chir pine needles, which are found in abundance in the forests. These needles aid in spreading forest fires. Both the parties agreed to sign an MoU at a joint meeting held here today. The agreement will be signed by Chief Secretary S Ramaswamy and Dr Anjan Ray, Director, Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun. Apart from manufacturing turpentine oil, bio-fuel will also be prepared from the pine needles. The CM , said the utilisation of chir pine needles would help in preventing forest fires during summer season. He said chir pine needles would be purchased from panchayats, which in turn would empower them financially. TNS Kuala Lumpur, September 14 A blaze at an Islamic boarding school in the Malaysian capital killed at least 23 people on Thursday, most of them teenage boys who cried for help from barred windows, officials and witnesses said. The fire broke out at around 5.40 a.m. in a top-floor dormitory in the three-storey building, firemen said, where most of the students, aged between 13 and 17, were sleeping in bunk beds, with many of the windows covered by metal grills. Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Two teachers were also killed in the fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, a 15-minute drive from the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, police said. Most of the victims died from smoke inhalation. The disaster has renewed calls for greater scrutiny of so-called "tahfiz" schools, where students learn to memorise the Quran. They are unregulated by the education ministry, being the responsibility of the religious department. At least 30 fires at such schools have been reported this year, Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Noh Omar told reporters, adding that the Kuala Lumpur school should not have been in operation. He did not elaborate on the previous fires. Fire department operations deputy director Soiman Jahid said officials were investigating the fire but it was likely caused by a short circuit or a mosquito repellent coil. The dormitory had only one entrance, leaving many of the victims trapped, he said. At least one window was unbarred. "The building was surrounded by metal grills that could not be opened from the inside. The students, after realising the fire and heavy smoke, tried to escape through the window," Soiman said outside the school. "But because of the grills, they could not escape." Soiman said the school had submitted a request for fire safety approval but no new checks had been carried out as the request was still being processed. "The pupils all got locked in and they couldn't escape and got burnt," Nadia Azalan, sister of a 13-year-old victim, told Reuters in tears as distraught family members gathered outside the building. "Safety should come first." A man identified only as Hazin, who lived next door to the school, said his son called the fire department after they heard screams and saw the flames. "The children were crying for help, but I couldn't help them as the door was already on fire," he told Reuters. "I only managed to save a few of the kids who jumped out the window." Mohd Izzarudin Roslan, 15, said he had broken a window and climbed out on to a water pipe. Only eight of the boys managed to get out, he said. "A few of my friends fell, there were some who had fire on their hair and clothes," he said in a video posted online by the New Straits Times, an English-language daily. Viewed from outside, the only tell-tale signs of disaster were the blackened upper-floor windows, otherwise the tin-roofed building appeared unscathed, with a Malaysian flag hanging limply from the yellow wall. Only inside did the intensity of the inferno become clear. The dormitory was blackened, lined with the charred frames of bunk beds. Tahfiz schools have been under scrutiny since earlier this year when an 11-year-old boy died after reported abuse in Johor, north of Singapore. Reuters MIAMI/SAN JUAN, September 13 Hurricane Irma has claimed eight more lives, including five patients at a Florida nursing home that lost power, authorities said on Wednesday, as more than 4 million people in four states struggled without electricity and residents slowly returned to the devastated Florida Keys. Categorised as one of the most powerful Atlantic storms on record when it rampaged through the Caribbean, Irma has killed at least 69 persons, officials said. At least 26 people died in Florida and nearby US states, and destruction was widespread in the Keys, where Irma made initial US landfall on Sunday and became the second major hurricane to strike the mainland this season. Police opened a criminal investigation at the Rehabilitation Centre of Hollywood Hills, where two elderly residents were found dead at the facility and three later died at a hospital, officials said. Some residents were evacuated early Sunday morning and some woke up feeling sick at the centre, which had been without air conditioning, Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief said. Prolonged power outages remains a risk for the elderly through the region, Sharief said. Some 4.3 million homes and businesses, or about nine million people, were without power at midday on Wednesday in Florida and nearby states. Authorities continued to assess damage in the Florida Keys, where federal officials estimated that 25 per cent of homes were destroyed. Reuters Yangon, September 13 Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi will not attend the United Nations General Assembly this week, her spokesman said today, as the Nobel laureate faces a barrage of criticism over her failure to speak up for Rohingya Muslims fleeing Rakhine state in huge numbers. A crackdown by Myanmars army, launched in response to Rohingya militant attacks on August 25, has sent some 379,000 Rohingya refugees scrambling across the border to Bangladesh in less than three weeks. The violence has incubated a humanitarian crisis on both sides of the border and piled intense global pressure on Suu Kyi to condemn the army campaign, which the UN has described as having all the hallmarks of ethnic cleansing. Bangladesh is struggling to provide relief for exhausted and hungry refugeessome 60 per cent of whom are childrenwhile nearly 30,000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists as well as Hindus have been displaced inside Myanmar. Nine thousand more refugees poured into Bangladesh today, as authorities clambered to build a new camp for tens of thousands of arrivals who have no shelter. Suu Kyi, Myanmars first civilian leader in decades, has no control over the powerful military, which ran the country for 50 years before allowing free elections in 2015. There is also scant sympathy among Myanmars Buddhist majority for the Rohingya, a stateless Muslim group branded Bengalisshorthand for illegal immigrants. But outside of her country Suu Kyis reputation as a defender of the oppressed is in ruins over the Rohingya crisis. Rights groups have pilloried the former democracy activist for failing to speak out against the army campaign, which has left hundreds dead. Rohingya refugees have told chilling accounts of soldiers firing on civilians and razing entire villages in northern Rakhine state with the help of Buddhist mobs. The army denies the allegations, while Suu Kyi has also played down claims of atrocities, instead blaming a huge iceberg of misinformation for complicating the conflict. Her decision to skip the UN assembly comes hours before the Security Council is set to discuss the refugee crisis behind closed doors, with China expected to shoot down any efforts to censure its strategically pivotal Southeast Asian ally. The state counsellor wont attend the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, government spokesman Zaw Htay said. He did not explain the decision but said Vice President Henry Van Thio would attend the summit, which runs through next week. Suu Kyi made her debut before the UN assembly last September, winning warm applause for a speech delivered months after she became Myanmars first civilian leader following a decades-long democracy struggle under the former junta. AFP Dhaka, September 14 India today rushed 53 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh and pledged all help to Dhaka in tackling the humanitarian crisis. Operation Insaniyat: High Commission handed over 1st consignment humanitarian assistance by India to Bangladesh, the Indian mission here tweeted. The first Indian consignment comes days after Bangladesh High Commissioner in New Delhi Syed Muazzem Ali met Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar last week and briefed him about the problems faced by Dhaka due to the influx of the refugees. India stands ready to provide any assistance required by Government of Bangladesh in this hour of need, an Indian External Affairs Ministry statement said. In response to the humanitarian crisis being faced on account of the large influx of refugees into Bangladesh, Government of India has decided to extend assistance to Bangladesh, the ministry said. The relief material consists of items required urgently by the affected people, namely rice, pulses, sugar, salt, cooking oil, tea, ready to eat noodles, biscuits, mosquito nets, tents etc. High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla said India will provide 7,000 tonnes of relief materials to Bangladesh. Shringla handed over the relief materials to Bangladeshs Road Transport Minister and ruling Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader after an Indian aircraft carrying the assistance landed at port city of Chittagong. PTI Nasiriyah, September 14 Gunmen and suicide car bombers today killed 52 persons, including Iranians, near the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, in an attack claimed by Islamic State group. The attackers struck at midday, opening fire on a restaurant before getting into a car and blowing themselves up at a nearby security checkpoint, officials said. Security sources said the attackers were disguised as members of the Hashed al-Shaabi, a mainly Shia paramilitary alliance which has fought alongside the army and police against the Islamic State jihadist group in northern Iraq. The toll from the attacks was 52 dead and 91 wounded, said Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, deputy health chief for the mainly Shia province of Dhiqar of which Nasiriyah is the capital. Jabri told AFP that many of the wounded were in serious condition. The area targeted is used by Shia pilgrims and visitors from neighbouring Iran headed for the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala further north, although Dhiqar has previously been spared the worst of Iraqs violence. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks in a statement carried by its Amaq propaganda arm. It said several suicide bombers had staged the assault on a restaurant and a security checkpoint, killing dozens of Shias. The toll makes it the deadliest IS attack in Iraq since pro-government forces drove the jihadists out of second city Mosul in July. Todays attacks come as Iraqi forces backed by tribal fighters close in one of the last IS bastions in the country: the Al-Qaim area on the border with war-ravaged Syria. The groups only other stronghold is Hawija, in Kirkuk province some 300 km north of Baghdad. AFP Kuala Lumpur, September 14 A blaze at an Islamic boarding school in the Malaysian capital killed 24 persons on Thursday, most of them teenage boys who cried for help from barred windows, officials and witnesses said. The fire broke out in a top-floor dormitory in the three-storey building, firemen said, where most of the students were sleeping in bunk beds, with many of the windows covered by metal grills. One survivor said there was just one window the boys managed to open. Two teachers were also killed in the fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah, a 15-minute drive from the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, police said, adding that most of the victims died from smoke inhalation. The youngest was just seven, media said. Deputy PM Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said at least 31 fires had been reported at such schools in Malaysia since 2011, adding that they must follow safety regulations. Fire department operations deputy director Soiman Jahid said the cause was likely a short circuit or a mosquito repellent coil. The dormitory had only one entrance, leaving many of the victims trapped, he said. The building was surrounded by metal grills that could not be opened from the inside. About 13 boys managed to open a window and escape, Arif said. Only those 13 who had access to that open window could escape, he added. Reuters Washington, September 14 An Indian woman, who lost her residency rights in the US following the murder of her techie husband in a suspected hate crime, can stay in the country for now after an influential lawmaker helped her get a temporary work visa. Sunayana Dumala, whose 32-year-old husband Srinivas Kuchibhotla was killed at a Kansas bar in February, fell out of status because her permission to reside in the US was tied to Kuchibhotla through marriage, Congressman Kevin Yoder was quoted as saying by NBC News. Were not going to let this happen to Sunayana, Yoder said on Twitter. Dumala managed to regain her residency status as she lost it after the killing of her husband. Kuchibhotla, an aviation systems engineer and programmes manager at GPS maker Garmin, was in the US on a temporary non-immigrant H-1B visa. When Sunayana lost her status, to me it really added insult to injury, Yoder said. He later helped her get a temporary work visa of her own. It would have been a real tragedy, on top of the initial tragedy she suffered, to attend her husbands funeral in India and then be locked out of the US because of it, Yoder was quoted as saying. Dumala was part of a group of Indian immigrants who came to support the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, according to Yoder, the Bills lead sponsor. The legislation seeks to eliminate the per-country cap for employment-based immigrants, allowing Green Cards to instead be given on a first-come, first-serve basis. PTI Dhaka, September 14 The number of Muslim Rohingya, who have crossed into Bangladesh to escape ethnic unrest in Myanmar since August 25, hit 3,89,000 on Thursday, a UN spokesman said. The figure rose 10,000 in 24 hours, indicating the Rohingya crisis remains acute. UN refugee agency spokesman Joseph Tripura gave AFP the latest number. Other UN agencies have sounded the alarm over conditions for the Rohingya who have fled a military crackdown in Buddhist-dominated Myanmars Rakhine state. Most of the influx is concentrated around the Bangladesh border town of Coxs Bazar where more than 3,00,000 Rohingya refugees were packed into ill-equipped camps before the violence erupted last month in Rakhine. The UN childrens agency, UNICEF, says that 60 per cent of the new arrivals are children. There are acute shortages of everything, most critically shelter, food and clean water, said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEFs representative in Bangladesh, in a statement. Conditions on the ground place children at risk of high risk of water-borne disease. We have a monumental task ahead of us to protect these extremely vulnerable children, said the official. AFP Piedmont Natural Gas utilizes compressed natural gas in its fleet of dump trucks. (Photo: Piedmont Natural Gas) The use of natural gas in truck fleets is on the rise. According to the National Petroleum Council (NPC), under an aggressive scenario, they predict that by 2050 natural gas vehicles (NGVs) will capture 50% of the light-duty market, upwards of 35% of the medium-duty truck market, and almost 50% of the heavy-duty truck market. Some of the fleets taking advantage of growing their natural gas fleet include transit, refuse, airport, and utility/energy fleets. One such fleet growing its NGV fleet is Piedmont Natural Gas, a business unit of Duke Energy. The company serves about 1 million natural gas customers including homes and businesses in Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The company also sells, installs, and repairs natural gas appliances and equipment and offers repair plans. Rallying for Natural Gas The American Public Gas Association, American Gas Association, and NGVAmerica held the second annual natural gas vehicle (NGV) Road Rally, From Sea to Shining Sea, which took place over two weeks in June 2017, starting in Wilmington, Calif., and culminating in Washington, D.C. Piedmont Natural Gas was the host of the only stop in South Carolina. We were proud to be the only stop in South Carolina for the national natural gas road rally because we believe in the benefits of using safe, reliable natural gas as a transportation fuel, said David Nestor, director of CNG for Piedmont Natural Gas. Piedmont hosted the event at its Spartanburg, S.C., CNG station and drove a leg of the rally to Salisbury, N.C., in two Piedmont NGVs. The event showcased the growing use of natural gas as a transportation fuel and drew attention to the VW settlement program, educating state officials on why NGVs are the most cost-effective use of funds for clean transportation projects outlined in the $2.9 billion Environmental Mitigation Trust Agreement, Nestor said. Growth of an NGV Fleet Of the 1,215 vehicles in Piedmonts fleet, the natural gas company has converted approximately 38% to NGVs since 2009. As of June 2017, it expects that percentage to grow to approximately 42% by the end of the year. The NGV fleet is predominantly used for customer service-related calls and natural gas pipeline construction and maintenance. We have several different models of NGVs in our fleet, with the majority being Ford F-150, F-250, or F-350 trucks. We also have some transit vehicles, such as the Honda Civic, Chevrolet Tahoe, and Ford Transit Connect. We also have been adding CNG dump trucks to our fleet, said David Nestor, director of CNG for Piedmont Natural Gas. Piedmont Natural Gas Fleet Asset Type % of Fleet Car 9% SUV 1% Truck HD 1% Truck LD 73% Van 16% Grand Total 100% SOURCE: PIEDMONT NATURAL GAS Piedmont Natural Gas is committed to promoting the use of natural gas vehicles as part of its commitment to sustainable business practices. Weve experienced an approximate 30% growth in CNG from 2015 to 2016, and we expect our CNG business to grow up to another 30% in 2017, Nestor said. In 2016, Piedmont and its CNG customers together displaced more than 5 million gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel. Challenges to Using CNG The CNG industry is still relatively new, but as more companies choose to convert their fleets to natural gas vehicles, CNG infrastructure and technology will become more widely available. CNGs popularity is increasing as more fleet operators are realizing the benefits of compressed natural gas for transportation. According to NGVAmerica, there are currently more than 165,000 NGVs on U.S. roads and more than 1,640 CNG and 123 LNG stations in the U.S. to serve their fueling needs. Piedmont is doing our part to promote this technology by helping to build a network of both public and private refueling infrastructure throughout our service territory, Nestor said. Piedmont strategically locates its publicly accessible refueling stations near interstates and along major trucking routes. We just opened our 11th station, strategically located near the junction of I-40 and US 321 in Hickory, N.C., and we are continually looking at opportunities to expand our footprint and strengthen the CNG infrastructure at our existing stations, Nestor added. Our stations are professionally maintained by experienced Piedmont CNG technicians to ensure reliability for our customers. Our public CNG stations accept all major fleet cards for payment to make it easier for our customers. Piedmont is also building stations with larger horsepower compressors to accommodate the larger truck tank package and to also reduce the amount of time required to fill the tanks. Approximately 73% of the Piedmont Natural Gas fleet is comprised of light-duty trucks, with a number of natural-gas-powered Ford F-150s. (Photo: Piedmont Natural Gas) Tips from the Field Piedmonts experience in growing a natural gas fleet has been positive, with continued growth on the horizon. For fleets looking to start a conversion, or convert even more vehicles to natural gas, Nestor had some advice. Businesses that are considering alternative-fuel sources as part of their sustainability initiatives should consider natural gas. NGVs produce significantly fewer emissions when compared to gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles, Nestor said. In addition, Nestor said the largest growth opportunity is in fleet operators who operate heavy-duty trucks. Furthermore, fleets that run regular routes and return to a fixed refueling base, such as delivery vehicles and refuse trucks, can benefit from using CNG. National and regional fleets can use the CNG station locator on the Department of Energys website (www.afdc.energy.gov) to explore more strategic transportation routes that can help a fleet owner increase their CNG utilization. One major recommendation Nestor had for fleets looking to grow the number of NGVs in use is to have vendors in place to help configure the vehicle correctly for its application. In addition, have access to maintenance providers who have facilities set up to work on natural gas vehicles with trained technicians, Nestor said. Also, dont forget to contact your local Clean Cities coalition for networking opportunities and additional assistance. Originally posted on Green Fleet Magazine Noel Perry speaking at the FTR Transportation Conference. Photo: Evan Lockridge Speaking about the impact of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma at the FTR Transportation Conference, analysts estimated that the economic impact on the region could cost GDP 0.5% in the third quarter of 2017. With devastating floods caused by torrential rain in Hurricane Harvey and storm surges over flat terrain in Hurricane Irma, economic activity was significantly altered in Texas and Florida. Both of those states represent about 15% of the entire U.S. economy, ranking second and fourth respectively economically. The two states also make up about 7% of trucking activity in a normal day and affect another 4% as important parts of truck trip circuits, according to FTR. While its too early to gauge the effect from Hurricane Irma, FTRs concentration on understanding Hurricane Harvey allowed FTR senior analyst Noel Perry to provide an initial assessment. Perry expects Irmas effects to be less catastrophic in a single place, but its effects will be more widespread because of the speed and size of the storm. In the amount of time that Irma will have traveled from Florida to its expected eventual end in Indiana, Harvey remained stalled in Southeast Texas, drenching a single location. Another difference is that Houston is a major manufacturing region with chemical plants right down on the water, while Florida is consumer-oriented. The effects in Texas will be centered around tank trucks and railcars while Floridas will affect dry vans with consumer goods and flatbeds with wall board. Using data it collected form Harvey, FTR expects this week to be a major down week in trucking in the Southeast with volumes off by as much as 25%. Inbound freight to Florida will most likely demand a premium of anywhere from 10-30% while outbound prices may fall. Volume is expected to normalize during the second week for inbound freight, then run modestly higher for six months or more. Expect another couple of weeks of tightening from Harvey, said Perry. Throw in the Harvey-inspired fuel price hikes and you get 20%-plus jumps in average national spot market pricing. It doesnt take long for such regional stress to show up in the national numbers. It is certain that Irma will occasion several more weekly jumps. Originally posted on Automotive Fleet Mitsubishi Fuso's all-electric eCanter truck has a daily range of approximately 60 miles, based on configuration. Photo: Mitsubishi Fuso Highlighting the evolving need for clean, quiet, dependable transportation in large urban centers, Mitsubishi Fuso today announced that it is beginning series production of its eCanter, all-electric truck. The company, a division of Daimler AG, said the move makes the eCanter the first all-electric truck to go into full production worldwide. The truck is being built at facilities in Japan and Europe, and is on sale now, according to Marc Llistosella, chief executive officer of Daimler Trucks Asia. This truck is not a prototype, Llistosella insisted at the press conference. This truck is for sale and coming this year. According to Llistosella, the new eCanter truck has been undergoing extensive real world testing in both Germany and Portugal for the past two years. The company will conduct additional eCanter unveilings next month at the Tokyo Motor Show and before years end in Berlin, reflecting the focus on the types of cities the truck was designed to work in. Citing the truck as a gamer changer, he said New York City expects to see 50 all-electric eCanters in service before the end of the year. Llistosella said the all-electric medium-duty eCanter is Daimler Trucks' answer to the publics need for a zero-emission, zero-noise truck for inner-city distribution. The Fuso eCanter has a range of approximately 62 miles and a load capacity of two to three tons depending on body and usage. The vehicles electric powertrain contains six high-voltage lithium ion battery packs with 420 V and 13.8 kWh each. Compared to a conventional diesel truck, Daimler said it offers savings of more than $1,000 in operating costs for approximately every 6,200 miles. Llistosella added that the trucks range could easily be increased to 100 miles per day, depending on payload and battery capacity. According to Llistosella, Mitsubishi Fuso will charge a premium (undisclosed) price for the all-electric eCanter and calculates that fleets will be able to realize $1,000 in savings for every 6,500 miles the truck runs in the configuration displayed at the press event. He added that he expects to see acquisition costs come down as product ramps up and economies of scale come into play. However, he said, those return on investment figures are based on normal usage in cities today. Many large cities, however, are introducing noise and congestion entry barriers at certain times of the day that can seriously limit when diesel trucks can legally operate. In these cases, fleets will be looking at a much different business case and be able to offer delivery services not allowed with diesel trucks. In those instances, the eCanters payback time is much shorter. Piggybacking on the Mitsubishi Fuso announcement, UPS announced at the eCanter launch that it will be putting three of the medium-duty electric trucks in service in North America for evaluation, according to Carlton Rose, president, global fleet maintenance & engineering, UPS, who spoke at the event. Rose did not say where in the U.S. the trucks would be deployed. UPS will be the first commercial customer in the U.S. to use this series-produced vehicle. UPS will deploy the trucks in the U.S. at locations to be determined. The new EV trucks build on UPSs Rolling Laboratory fleet of more than 8,500 alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles. At UPS, we constantly evaluate and deploy advanced technologies that enable sustainable, innovative solutions for our fleet, Rose said. Electric trucks make our fleet both cleaner and quieter. We have a long-standing global relationship with Daimler, and we welcome the opportunity to trial the Fuso eCanter as UPS continues to realize the benefits of electric trucks. Originally posted on Automotive Fleet Someone who bought a Powerball ticket in Southern California has won a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot. The winning numbers drawn Tuesday morning at the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee were: white balls 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, and the red Powerball was 10. The jackpot ticket was sold at Joes Service Center in Altadena, northeast of Los Angeles. The business will receive a maximum Powerball bonus of $1 million. The Multi-State Lottery Association said Monday nights scheduled drawing was delayed by nearly 10 hours until Tuesday because a participating lottery had issues processing sales. The jackpot was by far the largest lottery jackpot ever won, topping the previous record $1.586 billion prize won by three Powerball ticketholders in 2016. An autopsy report shows Katherine Caraway, whose body was found in the bathroom of the Sand Springs Walmart in June, died of cardiac arrhythmia as a result of difluoroethane toxicity. Difluoroethane is used as a propellant in aerosol sprays or gas duster products. Officials found empty cans of air duster in Caraways car at the scene, according to a report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Her manner of death was ruled an accident. Caraway was reportedly seen going into the bathroom June 23 and her body was found June 26, according to the Sand Springs Police Department. Caraway was from Texas but had a Muskogee address at the time of her death. Its been reported that she was living at a homeless shelter in Tulsa. Sand Springs Police viewed video tape at the store and Caraway was seen entering the bathroom at around 6 p.m. Friday, June 23 and she did not leave the bathroom. She was then found dead Monday, June 26 in the afternoon. At some point during the weekend, a Walmart employee put an Out of Order sign on the bathroom, causing some confusion as to why the door was locked. At around 3:30 p.m. that Monday, another employee unlocked the bathroom and found Caraway dead on the floor. The death sparked outrage on social media, involving the amount of time she was in the bathroom, and the story garnered national attention. The list of possible new names for the Brady Arts District has been narrowed to three. Members of the Brady Arts District Business Association voted Wednesday to give final consideration to the names: Bridge Arts District NoDo Arts District Boomtown Arts District Bob Fleischman, president of the association, said the group is on track to make a final decision by Nov. 1. By Nov. 1, everything should be in place, with new logos and marketing, he said. The private process to rebrand the district included consideration of possible names suggested by the public, he said. An invitation was put out through social media for suggestions from outside the association. We had public input, as well, Fleischman said. Every name that the public submitted was considered. Fleischman explained that the Bridge name reflects the fact that visitors must pass over or under a bridge from almost any direction to get into the district. Also, metaphorically, we are striving to bridge relationships with other parts of Tulsa, he said. NoDo refers to the districts location north of downtown. And Boomtown is a nod to the citys historical relationship to the oil business. Fleischman said an announcement will be made after the business association holds its final vote on a new name. Were not interested in making a big deal out of this, he said. Fleischman had said previously that the district would not be renamed for a person. The Brady Arts Districts name came under intense scrutiny four years ago after revelations that its namesake, early Tulsa businessman Wyatt Tate Brady, was a member of the Ku Klux Klan. The Tulsa City Council, which has jurisdiction over the street name but not the business district, eventually renamed the street M.B. Brady Street, after Civil War photographer Mathew Brady. The business association voted last month to rebrand the district following months of consideration and more recent racially charged events in Charlottesville, Virginia, which left one counter-protester dead. The occurrences in Charlottesville ignited renewed protests against racism across the nation and locally. Here are suggested names from comments from readers on the Tulsa World Facebook page. Vote on the official choices and submit your own. Tulsa Arts District, submitted by Staff LaBrott Guthrie Arts District, submitted by Zac Davis Greenwood Arts District, submitted by Antonella Tarcetti Redbud Arts District, submitted by Brett Nivens Guthrie Green Arts District, submitted by Gene Moult District21, submitted by Scott Trizza T-Town Arts District, submitted by Lynda Johnston Vance Cityscape Arts District, submitted by Lynda Johnston Vance The Tulasi Arts District, submitted by Lynda Johnston Vance Old Town Arts District, submitted by Lynda Johnston Vance Council Oak Arts District, submitted by Lynda Johnston Vance Magic City Arts District, submitted by Mary Beth Babcock Marcia, Marcia Marcia Brady Arts District, submitted by Constance Marie Henson Red Dirt Arts District, submitted by Matt Moses Archer Arts District, submitted by Giles E. Gregory The Small Group of People That Take PC To The Extreme District, submitted by Shawn Emig The Arts District, submitted by Pamela McKenzie SodoSopa, submitted by Ryan M. Groetken Archer Annex District, submitted by Joseph Gonzalez District McDistrict Face, submitted by Joe Macklin Woody Arts District, submitted by Tyler Pruitt Offense Free Arts District, submitted by Kent Merritt Safe Space District, submitted by David Charles Hope Franklin Arts District, submitted by Alison Scribailo Leave The Name Alone Arts District, submitted by Kim Nail Little Arty McArtface District, submitted by Andrew Ryan George Kaiser District, submitted by Boone Sara City councilors voted down a request Wednesday night from EMSA board members to raise rates in large part to cover the agencys legal defense in a federal kickbacks lawsuit. The council voted 6-2 against the rate hike. Councilors Phil Lakin and David Patrick voted for the increase. District 2 Councilor Jeannie Cue missed the meeting due to illness. As described in an afternoon committee discussion, voting down the request would force EMSA officials to go with a secondary plan of deferring costs on planned capital expenses or negotiating slower response times. The agency then could land in front of the City Council again next year with a larger request. At that point, if councilors denied a rate increase, an EMSA official said, it would trigger a countdown to their doomsday. Jan Slater, Emergency Medical Services Authority Board of Trustees chairwoman, said a rate increase was the final option the board and staff arrived at to address legal costs. I never thought Id have to come ask for this, Slater said. I want you to know we have looked at every possibility we can. I told the staff I dont want to come here. I dont want to have to do this. Can we cut costs? What can we do to try to avoid asking for another rate increase? But councilors described a distrust with the administration of EMSA, saying there was no guarantee that more funding would rescue the agency and the city from having to pay out more later. Councilor Anna America questioned why additional funding is being requested without adding internal cutbacks. When we have faced tough times within (city) departments, obviously we dont want to look at personnel costs, but thats where you can take a hit. We have laid off; we have taken furlough days; we have asked departments to come back with fairly significant cuts. Im not familiar with a situation where any entity has automatically set aside personnel costs as a cost-cutting measure. So why was that not considered? Slater responded that it was taken into consideration and said upper management has had no raises for two years. Pressed for more detail on those executive positions and salaries, an EMSA official said there are five executives whose pay ranges from $150,000 to $250,000. There is a perception that EMSA has not been very responsible with this money, America said. The fact that the people at the top that those salaries are so much higher than any city salary is a hard pill to swallow. The Emergency Medical Services Authority Board of Trustees voted in August to increase the emergency ambulance transport fee 31 percent, taking it from $1,300 to $1,700, for the Eastern Division of EMSAs jurisdiction, as previously reported. The Eastern Division includes Tulsa, Bixby, Jenks and Sand Springs. The Tulsa City Council would have to approve the hike for it to take effect. The council first discussed the topic late last month before hitting the pause button for two weeks to delve deeper. Previous concerns councilors hoped to address regarded the basic necessity to raise the rate at all and how the increased rate can be justified for services rendered. While the rate increase would apply to all EMSA transports in Tulsa and suburbs served by EMSA, officials told councilors that only about 20 percent of residents would see any increase. The majority, about 80 percent of Tulsa residents, have out-of-pocket costs of ambulance service covered through EMSACare, and the monthly fee for that would remain unchanged. The 20 percent of Tulsa residents who dont have EMSACare, however, would have to work with their private insurance to cover their share of the increased cost, negotiate payment if they are without insurance altogether or pay the increased cost in full. Dr. Jeffrey Goodloe, medical director of Oklahomas Emergency Medical Services Division, urged councilors and residents at large to separate their stated distrust of EMSA administration from the caregivers providing medical services. Goodloe said apparent issues with EMSA administration do not alter or weaken the quality of service from paramedics in emergencies. You will not find better men and women than we have in a Tulsa Fire uniform today and an EMSA uniform today, Goodloe said. What I would sincerely ask of any citizen that has lack of confidence in the administration of our EMS system or specifically EMSA is to not make that a deciding factor if they have chest pain or shortness of breath or if someone is seizing or if they are in a vehicle collision. Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that the state dismissed a charge of conspiracy to commit a felony against Jessica Tartar. It has been changed from its original version. Tulsa County sheriffs deputies and federal Homeland Security agents raided two Tulsa residences Thursday, arresting three people in connection with heroin trafficking. Authorities arrested Martina Lopez-Mojica, 31, on allegations that she had been trafficking heroin from Nayarit, Mexico, into the Tulsa area since at least July. Lopez-Mojica, a Mexican national, was deported in 2009 from Ohio after a similar arrest for trafficking, according to a probable cause affidavit. Authorities arrested her Thursday after raiding her Fiesta II apartment, located in the 2500 block of East Eighth Street. Homeland Security agents allege that Jessica Tartar, 26, and Michael Darling, 26, received a phone call to pick up Lopez-Mojica when she arrived in Tulsa earlier in the summer. Tartar told police she complied with the phone call out of fear something would happen to her if she didnt, the affidavit states. Tartar was charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, but the state dismissed the charge against her. Lopez-Mojica, who authorities allege has cartel connections, reportedly stayed with Tartar and Darling for about a month after her arrival. Agents also raided Tartar and Darlings apartment, located in the 100 block of East 17th Street. The two were allegedly selling heroin for Lopez-Mojica. Authorities said they did not locate any heroin in Tartar and Darlings apartment but did, however, confiscate some marijuana and Xanax. Darling reportedly told authorities they bought heroin from Lopez-Mojica and sold it to friends. Authorities said they confiscated 2.7 pounds of heroin and about $25,000 in cash from Lopez-Mojicas apartment. Sheriffs deputies valued the heroin at $150,000. Sheriffs Office spokeswoman Casey Roebuck said heroin and money were falling out of every nook and cranny of Lopez-Mojicas apartment. Some of the heroin was packaged for resale and some was compressed into bricks, Roebuck said. Earlier, undercover agents allegedly bought about 30 grams of heroin through various purchases from Lopez-Mojica. Inside the Lopez-Mojicas residence, investigators said they also found candles of Santa Muerte, a saint of death in Mexican folklore. Roebuck said cartel members pray to Santa Muerte for protection against law enforcement. Tartar and Darling were booked into Tulsa Jail on a complaint of conspiracy to commit a felony. Darling was also booked on complaints of possessing marijuana and a controlled drug. Tartar is being held in lieu of a $20,000 bond. Darling is being held in lieu of a $21,250 bond. Mojica-Lopez is being held without bond on complaints of aggravated trafficking of a controlled substance, possession of drug proceeds, maintaining a dwelling where drugs are kept or sold, delivery of a controlled substance and use of an electronic communication device for drug transaction. The Mounds Police Department is violating the First Amendment by promoting the Christian faith on its official Facebook page without discussing the merits of other religions, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. ACLU of Oklahoma legal director Brady Henderson said in a news release Wednesday that the group believes the posts are in violation of the U.S. and Oklahoma constitutions provisions against government officials establishing a state religion. Henderson said the series of posts on the account over the past few months represent a clear violation of the law because it has established clear preference for that faith above other faiths and above no religious faith at all. ACLU of Oklahoma also sent a letter to the mayor of Mounds indicating it may pursue litigation if the Facebook posts continue. The statement is an apparent response to a story published online Tuesday by The Frontier, a Tulsa-based nonprofit news outlet, in which Mounds Police Chief Antonio Porter is quoted as saying he posts Bible verses in the interest of sharing something uplifting rather than politics. ACLU contends the police departments actions call into question whether the community can trust the agency to equally protect all those living under its jurisdiction. By establishing a preference for the Christian faith, the department undermines confidence in their ability to perform their duties in a manner consistent with our understanding of one of our most basic and cherished liberties, Henderson said. This kind of government interference with our religious freedom is simply not permissible under United States or Oklahoma law, Henderson added. Porter, according to his personal Facebook page, is also a pastor of Wayland Baptist Church in Eufaula. He told The Frontier that the police departments page became more popular when he began posting verses in July, though he did not want notoriety. Mounds is about 23 miles south of downtown Tulsa in Creek County. University of Oklahoma regents on Thursday approved the purchase of property thats expected to house an OU-Tulsa medical school clinic. The building at 8008 E. 106th Street, just west of Memorial Drive, is the former Wellquest Medical and Wellness Center. University officials said they plan to reopen the facility as an OU-Physicians clinic early next year. OU President David Boren said the additional clinic will help the ability to be self-sustaining with our program in Tulsa. The propertys price was not disclosed. Also during Thursdays regents meeting at OU-Tulsa, Boren announced that the new graduate business school in Oklahoma City is being named for banker H.E. Gene Rainbolt. The school is in the universitys research park between downtown Oklahoma City and OU Health Sciences Center. This Page Is Under Construction - Coming Soon! Why am I seeing this 'Under Construction' page? Watch highlights of all Wednesday's games Record 54 goals scored on matchday one Ronaldo strikes twice in Real Madrid win Tottenham beat Dortmund, Man. City hit four Matchday two: 26/27 September UEFA launches new #EqualGame adverts starring Hegerberg, Messi, Pogba, Ronaldo & amateur players Group E Watch highlights: Liverpool 2-2 Sevilla Liverpool 2-2 Sevilla The spoils were shared after a topsy-turvy encounter at Anfield, Liverpool's six-game home European winning streak ended despite the fact they came back to lead after Wissam Ben Yedder had put Sevilla in front after only five minutes. Maribor 1-1 Spartak Moskva Maribor looked set for defeat in their first group stage appearance since 2012/13, but Damjan Bohar popped up with five minutes left to earn them a point. Group F Watch highlights of City's win Feyenoord 0-4 Manchester City The unlikely figure of centre-back John Stones scored twice as Manchester City equalled their biggest ever win in this competition, making it a miserable return to the group stage after 15 years away for Feyenoord. Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 Napoli Arkadiusz Milik's second-half penalty made Shakhtar sweat, but earlier goals from Taison and Facundo Ferreyra were enough for the hosts to prevail. Group G Porto 1-3 Besiktas Talisca broke the deadlock 13 minutes in the first goal Porto have conceded this season with Cenk Tosun's stunner and Ryan Babel's late effort wrapping up the points. Watch Leipzig's first Champions League goal! RB Leipzig 1-1 Monaco Emil Forsberg had the honour of registering Leipzig's first ever UEFA Champions League goal, only for Youri Tielemans to open his Monaco account a minute later. Group H Real Madrid 3-0 APOEL Cristiano Ronaldo picked up from where he left off last term, netting his 106th and 107th UEFA Champions League goals as the holders made a winning start to their title defence. Kane double helps Spurs beat Dortmund Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Borussia Dortmund Harry Kane notched twice as Spurs condemned Dortmund back at Wembley, where they lost the 2013 final to a first defeat in 13 matches. Tuesday results Group A: Manchester United 3-0 Basel, Benfica 1-2 CSKA Group B: Bayern 3-0 Anderlecht, Celtic 0-5 Paris Group C: Chelsea 6-0 Qarabag, Roma 0-0 Atletico Group D: Barcelona 3-0 Juventus, Olympiacos 2-3 Sporting CP On command, a group of teenagers strides forward and grasps the ropes of the main mast on the 70-foot schooner Spirit of Oysterhaven. Okay, lets hustle, shouts Shauna Gillan, first mate and second-in-command. Omran, Hamza, youre going to hoist the sail, she orders, standing steady on the rocking deck. Sails up, comes the response, as Hamza Alsayed Hassen, 17, and Oisin Ryan, 16, grimace with the effort of hoisting the sails aloft. The two youngsters crank the winch and tie off the rope. With that, the boat turns on its axis, the sails fill, and it moves forward, leaving the safety of the harbour and sweeping into the Atlantic. I like the responsibility, says Hamza. You have to work together, because otherwise you wont get to where you want. You can see a solid team mentality start to form from day one. He is one of 10 teenagers, five Syrian and five Irish, all between the ages of 15 and 17, who are learning to sail in the hazardous conditions around the Irish coast. In the space of a week, they will learn to steer, operate the winch, hoist sails and coil ropes neatly, all the time working together to keep afloat. The course is part of a refugee integration project called Safe Haven Ireland, set up in 2015, which teaches young refugees and Irish teenagers how to sail on board the Spirit of Oysterhaven, Irelands largest sail training vessel. It is a novel way to bring young people from different backgrounds together, and the brainchild of first mate Gillan, a human rights lawyer when she is not sailing. Sail training is an ideal way to foster bonds between different communities, she says. Its the ultimate leveller. Everyone is thrown into an equally unfamiliar environment their background before theyve come on board becomes less important. You can see a solid team mentality start to form from day one. The course is part of a project called Safe Haven Ireland (camera: Alex St Denis / producer: Warda Al-Jawahiry) Omran Al Awihi, 15, came to Ireland in March. Like the other Syrians on board, he arrived via the European Unions relocation scheme, which distributes asylum-seekers arriving in Greece and Italy to other countries in the EU. Ireland pledged to accept 1,152 people from Greece and Italy under the scheme by September 2017 and, so far, 524 have been transferred from Greece. After a year and two months in Greece, Omran arrived in Ireland in March, moving with other Syrians to the town of in the west of Ireland. I knew Ireland was in the middle of the sea, he says, although he never thought he would be sailing around it. In the few days he has been on the boat, Omran has taken control of the wheel and learned to use the winch, hoist the sails and pull up the anchor, ensuring it does not get caught in the seaweed that is everywhere on the sea off County Cork in south-west Ireland. The only thing he does not enjoy is cleaning. Im the youngest in my family so am not used to washing the dishes, he says. Adnan, an asylum-seeker from Syria, and Diarmaid from Ireland raise the sail. UNHCR/Phil Behan The course is part of a refugee integration project called Safe Haven Ireland. UNHCR/Phil Behan Adnan from Syria, with Oisin and Diarmaid from Ireland. UNHCR/Phil Behan Zaher, an asylum-seeker from Syria, and Diarmaid from Ireland, prepare dinner. UNHCR/Phil Behan Caylan from Ireland and Omran from Syria learn how to sail together. UNHCR/Phil Behan Teenagers chat below deck on board the spirit of Oysterhaven yacht. UNHCR/Phil Behan Teenagers enjoy a moment aboard the Spirit of Oysterhaven. UNHCR/Phil Behan However, the weeks sailing has left him in no doubt about his future career. I want to be a sailor, he says, smiling. Above all, the goal is to have fun. Sometimes we have too much, says Kayli Smyth, 17, one of the Irish teenagers, also from Ballaghaderreen. Were having craic most of the time she says, using an Irish term that sums up fun, conversation and good times. Sometimes too much craic! The Syrian boys left the hatch open the previous night, she says, which let in water from a night-time deluge and caused the girls on board to get wet through the next day. We were soaked! They have remained friends and all look forward to meeting up at their local youth club the following week. That seems like a natural decision now, but just months ago a lot of people were suspicious of the Syrians at first," says Diarmaid Geever, 16, one of the Irish teenagers from Ballaghaderreen. But now they have a better understanding. Generally speaking, people are very supportive and see that the Syrians are exactly the same as ourselves. If you put us all in a small confined space, with all our different personalities, you find that we all get on. They like music and games just like us. There are differences, but far fewer than some people think. The life of Hosna Idris Abdallah has been marked by violence, hunger and poverty. However, she has never given up on herself or her children, and has never lost her desire to keep learning. At home in the Darfur region of Sudan, Hosnas family were farmers and herders. Like every other young woman she knew, she got married and had a family. Then war broke out and armed men raided her village. They killed five men from her family, including her husband. That day, Hosna gathered her children up and her belongings and left home. After arriving in Chad in 2003, she remarried and had two more children. After her second husband divorced her, she was left to raise them alone. Hosna, her five children and one grandchild now live in a refugee camp near the Chadian town of Goz Beida. At first, they struggled to find food, clothing and shelter but, as aid arrived and their lives stabilized, Hosna began to look to the future. I realized it was important for my children to get an education, she says. They have no father. They only thing they have for their future is education. Sudanese refugee Hosna Idris Abdallah never gave up her desire to learn. The thought struck her that she wanted to be a part of it. Back home in Darfur no one ever thought about taking me to school. I decided to go because I had never had the opportunity. People find it strange that I go to school with my children but I will never give up. Fitting in an education as well as providing for her children has been difficult. Hosna, 37, gets her children up early and all go to collect firewood, which they can sell for food. I have to take them to school after work, says Hosna. I have only a few hours to make sure I make enough money to feed all of them. She also looks for odd jobs in the market but says that, as a single mother, she often gets paid less than she should. Life in the classroom has also been tough. Hosna is by far the oldest indeed, she started in kindergarten along with her youngest children. The first time I went to school, even my own children were laughing at me. It took several attempts to pass her first exams and a long time to reach the end of primary school. However, she made it into secondary school, which she attends with her daughter, Khadija, 15. They are in the same classes and help each other with their homework. People find it strange that I go to school with my children. Some say, your life is already hard enough without doing this to yourself better to give up and stay at home and look after your children. But I will never give up. See UNHCR's 2017 report on refugee education, Left Behind: Refugee Education in Crisis. Rohingya refugee Mabia Khatun, 75, (left) rests after being carried to Bangladesh from Myanmar in a blanket on a bamboo pole as Amina Khatun, 80, her sister in law (right) sits nearby. UNHCR/Adam Dean KANJUR, Bangladesh This is not how Mabia Khatun, 75, imagined she would spend her old age: as a refugee, cocooned in a blanket and carried for 17 days through the jungle, fleeing devastating violence in Myanmar. As Bangladeshi fishermen pass the blanket by on the way to their boats, a weak hand emerges to beg for water. Slowly, Mabias dusty face emerges as her sons lower the bamboo stick that the blanket is hanging from. I didnt know what was happening because I was in the blanket, she wheezes. She is sick, and thirsty. It is hours since she last drank, and sweating heavily in the blanket, she is wilting. I am unable to walk, but to live, I have to fight. An estimated 370,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh since the latest bout of violence convulsed Myanmars Rakhine state on August 25. Forced to trek for days in search of safety, often through mountainous jungle and across brimming rivers, elderly people like Mabia are among the most vulnerable refugees reaching the neighbouring country. Mabia Khatun (unseen in blanket), a 75-year-old Rohingya refugee, is carried by two of her sons after crossing from Myanmar, near Whaikhyang, Bangladesh. UNHCR/Adam Dean An elderly Rohingya refugee rests soon after crossing into Bangladesh from Myanmar near Whaikhyang, Bangladesh. UNHCR/Adam Dean Imran Hussain (right) weeps as he leads his grandson and daughter Senwara Begum (left) after crossing the border from Myanmar into Bangladesh near Whaikhyang. UNHCR/Adam Dean A Rohingya refugee soon after crossing into Bangladesh from Myanmar near Whaikhyang, Bangladesh. UNHCR/Adam Dean A 70-year-old Rohingya refugee is helped by her son after crossing into Bangladesh from Myanmar on foot in September 2017. UNHCR/Adam Dean When their village was torched, Mabias sons bundled her up and ran from the village. We love our mother, that is why we carried her, even though it was difficult, says her son Ali, who struggles along a muddy path towards the village of Kanjur, carrying Mabia. The Rohingya, a largely stateless Muslim minority in Myanmar have been the victims of persecution in the past. We love our mother, that is why we carried her, even though it was difficult. This time it is worse than before, Mabia says, as two of her grandchildren rest up on a sack beside the path. And the violence is worst for the elderly. Unable to run, the elderly frequently rely on their relatives and neighbours to carry them to safety. Grandfathers and grandmothers dragging their grandchildren along paths and roads are a common sight, as younger family members lug large sacks of rice or pots and pans. Hungry and weak, many are being propped up by their younger relatives. One hundred metres further back, closer to the river, is Mabias sister-in-law Amina. She is 80, wearing a bright yellow headscarf and being supported by two sons. She has been walking for 15 days from her home village in Myanmar. I had to rest, because I am old. It was so difficult. Like Mabia, this is the worst bout of violence that she can remember. Elderly Rohingya couple travelled for 8 days to flee violence in Myanmar On the river, a half dozen fishermen row up and down. The fishermen are taking up to 10,000 Taka (US$123) to ferry fleeing Rohingya across the river into Bangladesh. Those without the cash pay with treasured family heirlooms that they had hoped to save for future generations. Mustafa Khatun, 80, is seated regally in a red plastic chair, in another time, another place, it would have been described as a sedan chair. Her 25-member strong family has crossed in the last boat of the day and are resting before they make the final move towards the road that leads from the border to the refugee camps. We saw four people. They were just sitting there, they didnt have anybody to help them. Mustafa, her four sons and 17 grandchildren fled from Maungdaw 17 days ago. I was carried by my sons. They carried me here on this chair, with the bamboo sticks. Despite her plight, she retains a sense of humour. Weve even bought the chickens, she jokes. Mabia and Mustafa are the fortunate ones. During the chaos that followed the attack on their village, Mustafas son Abu Siddiq says that he had seen some of the oldest Rohingya simply sat by the road, too tired or sick to go further by themselves. We saw four people alive and one dead person. There is a clap of thunder over the hills in Myanmar. It is drizzling. They were just sitting there, they didnt have anybody to help them, he says. (Sept. 14, 2017) -- Patricia A. Graham is known for her huge heart, brilliant mind and the ability to connect with anyone that crossed her path. Her motto for serving students has always been, "Rough diamonds can become beautiful gems -- our job is to buff." The Office of Student Life is honored to share that Graham, executive director for the Special Events Center at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), retired on August 31, 2017 after 43 years of service to the university. In her role as executive director of the Special Events Center, Graham oversaw major university events such as Commencement and Convocation. She advised the UTSA Ambassadors program, which consists of more than 60 student leaders each year who serve as hosts at campus events, conferences, community and alumni functions. Over the past 29 years, more than 1,200 students have gone through the UTSA Ambassadors program. Many of them are passionately loyal to UTSA and remain in close contact with Graham. Prior to serving as the executive director of the Special Events Center, Graham was the assistant vice president for Student Services (1990-1994), associate vice president for Student Affairs (1994-1997), and assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs for Planning and Special Programs (1997-2002). Graham began her career at UTSA as the associate dean of students and director of the Testing Center in 1974. Prior to joining UTSA, she was an assistant professor and the chair of the Department of Education at St. Marys University. Graham received her bachelors degrees in business administration and history from Trinity University and her masters degree in guidance and counseling from St. Marys University. She earned her doctoral degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Texas at Austin. Graham was also well-known beyond UTSA. She served as the national president of Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society for First-Year Students from 1997-2003. She was also instrumental in establishing the chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta at UTSA in 1981. Additionally, Graham served on the National Council of Alpha Chi National College Honor Society for juniors, seniors and graduate students. Additionally, she was the 2010 recipient of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) ASAP Outstanding Adviser Award for her work with the UTSA Ambassadors. She was also the 2004 recipient of the UTSA Order of the Roadrunner Award, the highest honor a UTSA staff member can receive for dedication to the UTSA community. The UTSA community is invited to celebrate Grahams service to UTSA at a retirement reception on Monday, October 9 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the University Center Denman Room (UC 2.01.28). Jaciel Castro is learning new ways to connect UTSA with the community. (Sept. 14, 2017) -- Jaciel Castro has had a busy summer. In addition to working at KIPP San Antonio, running a dance company, and taking care of his son and expecting wife, the UTSA graduate student has maintained a full plate as a UT System Student Regent as both he and his wife pursue graduate degrees. The first UTSA student to serve in the role, Castro represents the UT System student voice at Board of Regents meetings. In his first three months as the Student Regent, Castro has attended eight meetings, all focused on strategic initiatives to enhance operations at the UT Systems 14 institutions. Its a better experience than I could have ever hoped for, Castro said. I wish every student at each UT institution could see whats going on at System. Its like a parent. The child never really understands what the parent goes through to give that child an excellent education and a better future. Im just beginning to see what that parenting looks like from a System perspective. Castro says it was a privilege to be a part of the hiring process for new UTSA President Taylor Eighmy. It was exciting. I asked him tough questions about how he plans to tie his vision for UTSA into the community, Castro said. Dr. Eighmy is a driver for innovation and change. He has what it takes to advance UTSAs standing. Castro has also learned about new opportunities to enhance UTSAs involvement with public schools in San Antonio. Ive gained insight into the possibilities for UTSA - where we can go and how we can more strongly work with the public schools, Castro said. The UT System is doing a lot to enhance student engagement and college graduation rates, and increasing access to policy makers by meeting with city leaders. Ive learned new ways to bring more resources to our schools and get more students on the path to college. His goal is to visit all 14 UT System institutions by the end of December, spending time with students, presidents and community leaders. He wants to learn about their needs and visions then discuss that feedback with the Regents in the spring. Castro is set to graduate from UTSA with his masters of science degree in finance with a real estate finance and development concentration in 2018 just after he finishes his term as Student Regent on May 31. Once he graduates, he plans to start working on his second masters degree at UTSA in urban and regional planning beginning next fall. He also plans to get involved with another board in the San Antonio community to keep the cradle to career conversation going. Im more focused than I have ever felt now that Ive had this experience, Castro said. I better understand why Im here at UTSA and why Im with the Board of Regents. Im excited to see whats next. UTSA is recognized as one of the top five young universities in the nation by Times Higher Education. UW Research and Economic Development Town Hall Scheduled Sept. 21 Ed Synakowski, UWs new vice president for research and economic development, will unveil his vision for those areas at the university during a town hall Thursday, Sept. 21, from 3:30-5 p.m., in Room 129 of the Classroom Building. (UW Photo) Ed Synakowski has been in his new position just a little over a month. And, while he has formulated a vision for what direction research and economic development will take at the University of Wyoming, he looks forward to further developing it and improving it through discussions with faculty, staff and students. And, while he expects the vision to continue to evolve, one thing Synakowski knows for sure: A culture of partnership will be at the center of the vision. The vision will provide an opportunity for this university to be responsive to the next decade or two, or three, to problems most important to the state, the nation and the world, says Synakowski, UWs vice president for research and economic development since Aug. 8. These problems will be multidisciplinary and will require a response of expertise of multiple areas. Synakowski will unveil his vision during a Research and Economic Development Town Hall Thursday, Sept. 21, from 3:30-5 p.m., in Room 129 of the Classroom Building. The town hall will include an opportunity for UW faculty and students to express their research vision and includes a question-and-answer session. For those who cannot physically attend, the town hall will be available live and archived for later viewing through WyoCast at https://wyocast.uwyo.edu/WyoCast/Play/83916c52b69f4833aa144074c59661051d. He invites UW faculty -- and interested staff -- who are currently conducting research -- STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) or otherwise -- or who have an interest in research; and Ph.D., graduate and undergraduate students conducting research or who have an interest in doing so. He also has invited members of the UW Foundation, including Foundation President/CEO Ben Blalock. Synakowskis vision, while not yet complete, includes identifying research opportunities across multiple disciplines; being inclusive in accordance with UWs land-grant mission; creating incentives for faculty who teach their students research; realizing more opportunities between academia and business, such as the partnership between the petroleum industry and the High Bay Research Facility; partnering with national laboratories in a way the university currently does not; and focusing heavily on the UW Science Initiative. The UW Science Initiative began in 2014, when Gov. Matt Mead and the Wyoming Legislature challenged UW to develop a plan to address outdated science laboratories at UW and improve the quality of instruction and research in the sciences. The developed plan charts a clear course for these science programs to rise to top-tier status in the nation and builds upon Wyoming's STEM initiatives, which include the location of the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center in Cheyenne, the Michael B. Enzi STEM Facility, and the Wyoming Governor's Energy, Engineering STEM Integration Task Force. Synakowski says these emerging new facilities will be key in forwarding research on campus. The university currently takes in just under $100 million annually in all grants combined, Synakowski says. While he has no number goal as of yet, he sees potential in hiking that number through increased research opportunities in the life sciences and digital imaging, which includes the creation of digital images of microscopic objects. Life sciences, in general, represents one of those areas where federal spending has increased in recent years, he says. Economic opportunities in the life sciences are abundant in applications ranging from health to agriculture, and beyond. Digital imaging, with which Synakowski says he is familiar through previous research, can be applied to the fundamentals of biological cells, among others. Advances in microscopic techniques and electronic cameras continue to occur, he says. Visualization is a field that includes taking complex sets of data and visualizing it in different ways to enable conclusions to be drawn. Synakowski says, more generally, the science of visualization allows scientists to look at tremendously complex sets of data and see trends in the data that are otherwise hidden. Imaging can help make abstract concepts understandable, and it can make real things in 3-D, such as molecules, cells and biological specimens -- ranging out to a system of stars and galaxies -- accessible, he says. We all can recognize the power of pictures, but teasing out conclusions from images obtained through research is, itself, a scientific discipline. The university has an opportunity to be a leader in this field. During August, Synakowski succeeded Bill Gern, the longtime vice president for research and economic development, who retired. Before coming to UW, Synakowski was director of the U.S. Department of Energys Fusion Energy Sciences Office. Synakowski had held his former position, associate director of science in the Department of Energy, since 2009, administering a budget of about $400 million annually to develop nuclear fusion as an energy source. The agency supports research at more than 50 universities, eight national and two federal laboratories, and 15 industry groups. The role of the vice president for research and economic development is to support and facilitate the research efforts of UW's faculty, staff and students; direct the university's research mission as a public research university; promote the university's research program with stakeholders; and direct technology transfer and commercialization efforts for UW intellectual property. Synakowski is a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) and a recipient of the APS Award for Excellence in Plasma Physics Research (2001) and Princeton Universitys Kaul Foundation Prize for Excellence in Plasma Physics Research and Technology Development (2000). When I think about the reasons I explored and accepted this position, it is to help others succeed, he says. That includes helping students, faculty and the citizens of Wyoming to succeed. Exploring this position, I found this was all possible. Insurance Back 61st "Rendez-Vous de Septembre" ends today in Monte Carlo: review The 61st edition of the "Rendez-Vous de Septembre", the annual traditional meeting of reinsurers ends today in Monte Carlo. The Nat Cat insurance protection gap, as well as the global insurance market readiness to deal with the increasing complexity of the cyber risks were among the most debated topics. "The protection gap on weather-related risks in the world is USD 180 billion. In Western societies solutions are available and affordable but people don't buy the coverage. It is a very frustrating gap and the one where we have done very little progress. In other societies people can not afford the coverage or solutions simply do not exist," Christian MUMENTHALER, Group CEO, SWISS Re stated, practically summarizing the general opinion on the matter. Microinsurance, PPPs and the role and importante of the goverments and insurers working in synthony to find and put to work solutions to reduce both exposure and the insurance protection gap, technology's contribution to more accurate modelling as well as to better servicing clients etc. were discussed in several meetings during the RVS meeting. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma were at the center of attention, as insured losses are expected to reach a sum in the proximity of EUR 70 billion, threatening the reinsurers' profit targets for the current year, but also having the potential to put a stop to the softening market trend and possibly reverse it. Yet, although to soon for seeing an accurate evaluation of losses, one thing is already certain: too many of the losses were not insured. Cyber - seems to be the present "magic" word, linked to whatever aspects of the re/insurance business chain, an opportunity for development, but also an important and fast evolving risk. Moreover, its complexity and volatile nature in many aspect is somehow intimidating both for customers and industry. What should be the insurance scope, where are the limitations and how should the correct wording were some of the issues under debate. Also, the risk of "silent cyber" exposurepotential cyber-related losses due to silent coverage from insurance policies not specifically designed to cover cyber risk was reported as an important issue, almost 50% of the industry practitioners considering, according Willis -, as growing over the coming year. XPRIMM Team Published on 14.09.2017 Archive Comment this article 0 comments Atention! "Comment" and "E-mail" are mandatory Name: If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered If you are not logged on, your name will appear preceded by '(Anonymous)'. For authentication, click here If you are logged on and you do not fill in your name, will be used the name that you used when you registered E-mail: Comment: < 10.000 car. Fill in the code from the image: UW to Host Emerging Issues Forum on Wyomings Wind Energy Future A forum to discuss the opportunities, challenges and trade-offs of future wind energy development in Wyoming will take place Oct. 2-3 at the University of Wyomings Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center. UWs Ruckelshaus Institute of Environment and Natural Resources and the School of Energy Resources Center for Energy Economics and Public Policy co-host the forum. Registration is free and open to the public. Wyoming State Treasurer Mark Gordon will provide opening remarks and also will moderate a panel on community development associated with wind energy. The president and CEO of Rocky Mountain Power, Cindy Crane, will give a lunchtime keynote. The event will begin with an overview of state, national and global energy trends and market forces affecting wind energy development; Wyomings wind energy potential; and the fiscal impacts of new wind development to Wyoming towns and counties. The second day of the forum will explore the impacts of wind development on Wyoming wildlife and emerging mitigation tools to reduce impacts; public involvement in Wyomings wind energy future; and opportunities for strategic planning and siting. Developers, business community representatives, scientists, elected leaders, nongovernmental organizations and state officials will provide a broad perspective on the benefits and trade-offs of new wind development; how communities can manage the opportunities and risks; and ways Wyoming stakeholders can shape the future of wind energy development in the state. Wyoming is home to some of the nations best, most reliable onshore wind, and many companies have proposed new wind developments for the state. Lower costs for wind energy, a rush to take advantage of the renewable energy tax credit before it expires and changes to the Western energy grid are all spurring new wind proposals for Wyoming, says Ruckelshaus Institute Director Nicole Korfanta. This forum is a chance to better understand what those new developments would mean for Wyoming. Wind facilities bring the opportunity to diversify economies for some communities, but also the potential for viewshed and wildlife impacts. The conference will explore stakeholders diverse perspectives on new wind development and discuss how Wyoming and its communities can manage the trade-offs. At a time when Wyomings more traditional resources are down, the wind energy sector offers a shot in the arm, says Rob Godby, director of the Center for Energy Economics and Public Policy. But, any large development creates concerns for Wyoming citizens worried about environmental or viewshed impacts, or just concerned about Wyoming values. Good policy requires considering all these trade-offs to maximize the benefits and minimize the costs the opportunity wind might provide the state. Registration, a speaker list and more information about the forum is available at www.uwyo.edu/haub/ruckelshaus-institute/forums/wind. This file photo taken on Jun 19, 2017 shows an Airbus A321 Neo performing a flight display at Le Bourget airport on the opening day of the International Paris Air Show. (Photo: AFP/Eric Piermont) This file photo taken on Jun 19, 2017 shows an Airbus A321 Neo performing a flight display at Le Bourget airport on the opening day of the International Paris Air Show. (Photo: AFP/Eric Piermont) The single-aisle medium-haul jets will be operated by Cathay Dragon which flies from Hong Kong to a number of Asian destinations, Airbus said in a statement. A preliminary agreement had been signed in August. The A321neo planes "will replace and modernise Cathay Dragon's current in-service fleet of 15 A320s and eight A321s, with the additional aircraft allowing the airline to capture growth opportunities in the region," Airbus said. Cathay Dragon currently covers 56 Asian destinations, including 28 in mainland China. The A321neo can seat up to 240 passengers and uses more fuel-efficient engines to reduce fuel consumption by up to 20 per cent per seat, Airbus said. It competes with rival Boeing's 737 MAX 10. A worker operates a steel pressing machine at Hoa Sen Groups factory in Phu My I Industrial Zone, Ba Ria Vung Tau Province. - VNA/VNS Photo Trang Duong The case against flat rolled iron or steel products from India, Malaysia and Viet Nam, numbered ADC 370, was initiated in August 2016 by the ADC. It reached a final conclusion in August with no evidencd to suggest Vietnamese steel firms had been selling under market price on Australias steel market. In particular, Viet Nam is no longer accused of subsidising domestic businesses participating in three preferential taxation related programmes. The ADC found that one out of three Vietnamese companies who agreed to cooperate with them during the investigation did not receive any privileges from the alleged programmes. The ADC also discovered that the other two Vietnamese steel producers and exporters only received an insubstantial amount of monetary support from the Vietnamese Government, and so they decided to close the matter. Viet Nams Hoa Sen Group and Nam Kim Group had been proved by the ADC to have had galvanised steel exported to Australia from during the investigation period within the negligible range of less than two per cent. The three cooperative steel makers from Viet Nam were Hoa Sen, Nam Kim and China Steel Sumikin Vietnam Joint Stock Company, who collectively accounted for 96 per cent of galvanised steel exported to Australia from Viet Nam during the investigation period. On August 2016, Australian steel maker BlueScope lodged an application alleging that the Australian industry had suffered material injury caused by exports of galvanised steel to Australia from Viet Nam at dumped and subsidised prices. BlueScope allegedly claimed that due to Vietnamese firms underselling, the Australian steel industry had been injured through loss of sales volume, reduced market share, coupled with price suppression, reduced profitability, employment, and capacity utilisation. During investigation, BlueScope stated that the Vietnamese galvanised steel industry was subjected to special market conditions, as this company claimed Vietnamese firms had to import most of the main ingredients to produce galvanised steel, which are hot rolled coils. According to BlueScope, as these hot rolled coils are already subsidised by the exporting countries, they are effectively underpriced and would in turn lower Vietnamese steel firms production cost, leading to these firms selling at dumping price on the Australian market. However, the VCA clearly stated that after the investigation period, ADC found no support for such claim, and cleared Viet Nam off the list of suspected dumping steel exporters. In conclusion, the ADC said in its final report that a particular market situation did not exist in the domestic galvanised steel market in Viet Nam, such that selling prices in that market were not suitable for normal value purposes, and the cost of HRC in the Vietnamese exporters records reasonably reflect competitive market costs. The ADC also found that Viet Nams steel exports to Australia had increased significantly in 2013 and had been steady since 2014 to the end of 2016. Qatar's gas riches have transformed it in recent years into one of the world's wealthiest countries. (Photo: AFP/STR) Qatar's gas riches have transformed it in recent years into one of the world's wealthiest countries. (Photo: AFP/STR) In a rare public appearance, Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohamed bin Saud Al-Thani, chief executive at the QIA, said there was "no problem" for the fund despite the crisis passing the 100-day mark. "We are still open for business and business as usual," Sheikh Abdullah said in an address at the Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. "We are fine," he added. Qatar has found itself regionally isolated since Jun 5 after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut all ties, accusing Doha of bankrolling Islamist extremists and being too close to Iran. The emirate denies the charges and has moved to realign itself politically and economically. Pressed on the impact of the crisis several times, Sheikh Abdullah said the QIA's exposure to those countries leading the boycott was "very, very small" and added that the fund would continue its recent policy of targeting hi-tech and infrastructure companies in the United States. "The future is technology," he said. Moody's Investor Service said on Wednesday the regional dispute was hurting the economies of all countries involved, with Qatar being impacted the most. It estimated that around US$30 billion flowed out of Qatar's banking system in June and July and that Doha used US$38.5 billion in the two months to support the economy. Among the companies in which the QIA was investing were those in the health sector using hi-tech solutions for cancer treatment, said Sheikh Abdullah. In 2015 he announced that the QIA would invest up to US$35 billion in the United States over the following five years, after targeting high-profile acquisitions in Europe. Last December it was also announced the fund would invest US$10 billion in US infrastructure projects. He said Wednesday that around half of that US$45 billion had been invested. The QIA has opened an office in New York and will do so soon in the Silicon Valley, he added. "If you want to invest in the States, you have to have boots on the ground," he said. Earlier this week it was announced that the QIA and Swiss commodities trader Glencore had sold a major part of a stake they had only recently acquired in Russian oil giant Rosneft to Chinese conglomerate CEFC. The QIA is considered one of the world's biggest sovereign funds, swollen by Qatar's massive gas and oil revenues. A woman uses the application Binh Thanh truc tuyen. - VNS Photo oan Tung At 9.36am last Friday morning, a message popped up on the computer screen of the Deputy Head of Binh Thanh Districts Urban Management Division, Vu Thi Hoi Diem. A photo attached to the message showed a motorbike parked illegally on the pavement on ien Bien Phu Street. The photo was also sent to the smartphones of district leaders and the heads of Ward 5, which covers ien Bien Phu Street. The issue was highlighted the moment Diem received the message from a local resident, she told the Thanh nien (Young People) newspaper. Exactly one hour later, at 10.34am, Diems computer alerted her that another message had just come in. It was a report by the Ward 5 Peoples Committee, saying that authorities had detected two motorbikes parked illegally as they arrived at the scene. After talking with the owner of the house, (we) found that the motorbikes belonged to mosquito exterminators called by the owner of the property. We asked the homeowner to move the bikes and will issue a penalty if the incident happens again, said the message. According to Diem, authorities in Ward 5 dispatched a team to the house to check whether there was a violation as reported, and sent a report to the district leaders. If the residents complaint had not been solved within two hours of being sent, the application will automatically alert ward authorities or the district leaders will send the alert themselves. The application, named Binh Thanh truc tuyen (Binh Thanh online), was first launched this April as an effort to monitor urban affairs and started gaining popularity two months later. The district, via the app, has received nearly 4,130 complaints from residents since June, of which 4,122 had been solved, Diem said. The authorities were still in the process of handling another eight. Most of the complaints were accurate. Inspection teams investigated the issues and handed out penalties where appropriate, Diem said. Round-the-clock monitoring Binh Thanh Peoples Committee Deputy Chairman Duong Hong Thang said that any resident could download the app onto iOS or Android devices. Via the app, locals can report breaches in urban affairs, search for district planning regulations and the progress of administrative procedures as well as rate public services. In terms of reporting complaints, residents are allowed to take a picture of the assumed violations regarding environment and hygiene, road and sidewalk encroachment or illegal construction with the address attached and send messages directly to the district leaders via the app. It is expected that a response will be issued in just five seconds. All progress in handling residents complaints is monitored directly by ward and district leaders. The monthly results of handling such complaints will form the basis of evaluating the performance of ward leaders and officers alike, Thang said. HCM City Department of Home Affairs Deputy Director Le Hoai Trung said that the Binh Thanh truc tuyen app had been deemed a success, prompting the department to propose the HCM City Peoples Committee launch similar apps for the rest of the citys 23 districts. In response to the departments proposal, a city-wide app called HCM City truc tuyen (HCM City Online) will be launched in December. File photo of Changi Airport Terminal 2. (Photo: AFP) The fire was put out by airport emergency services, and the basement has since been reopened. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the incident shortly after 4pm. It sent a fire engine and a red rhino, but added that the fire had been extinguished prior to SCDF's arrival. The fire involved discarded items at the back of a lorry, it said. In a Facebook post, Changi Airport added that it had been the contents of a shredder machine in the vehicle that caught fire. The Terminal 2 basement was closed temporarily due to the fire. "As a precaution, the area is being checked for the time being," Changi Airport said. The school which was engulfed in a deadly blaze in Kuala Lumpur. (Photo: @Bharianmy on Twitter) "The number of confirmed dead are 23 students and two wardens," Khirudin Drahman, director of Kuala Lumpur's fire and rescue department told AFP. A video that has gone viral online showed the third floor of the school in a blaze. The Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah school at Datuk Keramat caught fire at about 5.15am, the New Straits Times reported, citing the City Fire and Rescue Department. The report added that the authorities said they received a call about the incident at 5.41am. "Based on our information at the moment, 25 students and teachers have died in the fire, the Star quoted an official from the fire department as saying. The bodies have been moved to a nearby hospital, officials said. In a tweet at 9.43am, Prime Minister Najib Razak said he was saddened to hear of the lives lost in the fire. This is a developing story. Refresh for updates. Graham Brookes, director of PG Economics Your report gives an in-depth analysis of the global impact of crop biotechnology between 1996 and 2015. Could you share some of the highlights? After 20 years of widespread use, there is a considerable amount of consistent evidence in peer-reviewed literature on the impact of genetically modified (GM) crop technology. The new report shows that the innovative agricultural technology has contributed to preserving the earths natural resources while allowing farmers to grow more high-quality crops. It has helped alleviate poverty for 16.5 million, mostly smallholder farmers, in developing countries. According to the report, crop biotechnology has been responsible for the production of an additional 574 million tonnes of food, feed, and fibre. Farmers who used biotech in the last 20-year period have increased gross global farm income by $167.7 billion. 49 per cent of these gains were booked by farmers in developed countries and 51 per cent by farmers in developing countries. In terms of environmental impact, the technology has reduced pesticide spraying by 691 million kilogrammes since 1996, which is a reduction of 8.1 per cent. Meanwhile, it has cut CO 2 emissions by 26.7 billion kilogrammes due to lower fuel use (less spraying and soil cultivation) and decreased the environment impact of herbicide and insecticide use. The commercialisation of GM crops has taken place at a rapid rate in the past 20 years. How do you see this trend going forward? Over the last two decades, where farmers have been given access to grow biotech crops, they have been consistently adopting the technology, contributing to a more sustainable food supply and a better local environment. If you talk to farmers using the technology, they will list other reasons, including better crop quality as well as improved health and safety for farmers and consumers. Biotech crops would help them cut back on the use of pesticides, especially in developing countries where many apply pesticides with little or no use of protective clothing and equipment. Moving forward, GM crop technology is gaining traction due to its significant positive impact on global gross farming income, which amounted to $15.5 billion in 2015. The technology is primarily used for main products, including corn, canola, cotton, and soybeans. The $15.5 billion figure is equal to adding 5.2 per cent to the value of global production of these four products. Vietnam is a major regional and global production base of corn. What is the current status of biotech corn cultivation in the country? Corn is an important cash crop in Vietnam which is grown continuously or in rotation with rice. The area under corn cultivation has reached 1.18 million hectares in the country, with the largest growing areas in the north midlands/mountain and highlands regions. The total plantation area is 12 per cent higher than 10 years ago, but the domestic demand is rising at an even faster rate, necessitating rising corn imports. Currently, domestic production accounts for 40-50 per cent of the total supply, although the average yield has been increasing over the past years. The government has policies to encourage farmers to shift from low-productivity rice lands to corn or soybean. In 2015, Vietnamese farmers started to commercially grow GM corn. The new-generation corn is weed- and insect-resistant, so it is expected to help farmers raise income and productivity with reduced environmental impact. In 2016, 36,000 hectares of biotech corns were cultivated in Vietnam, which is probably 3 per cent of the national volume. What are the potential impacts of the adoption of corn hybrid seeds with biotech traits in Vietnam? The use of biotech corn will lead to both socioeconomic and environmental benefits. The cultivation of GM corn will reduce Asian Corn Bore pest damage and lead to better weed control. As a result, farmers will earn higher yields and better quality grain. Biotech corn also lowers production costs even after paying a higher price for biotech seeds. There will be a small reduction in labour requirements on the farms, while higher farm household incomes will improve the quality of life and boost the rural economy. The total economic gains to the rural economy could be $16.9 million per year in the worst scenario, if 20 per cent of the corn crop used was biotech corn. Last but not least, GM corn helps farmers increase their output to meet the growing demand of the animal feed sector and improve their balance of payments. Equally important, Vietnam can gain several environmental benefits like lower insecticide use as well as switch to more environmentally friendly herbicides. From now till 2030, the private sector will need 730,000 more workers per year (Illustration) The Vietnamese economy is witnessing two contrasting trends dictated by the state-owned enterprises (SOE) and the private sector. While the number of SOEs is declining, the number of enterprises in the private sector is increasing. These trends are compatible with the state restructuring plan to adapt to enterprises practical needs of labour quality. These statements were made at the seminar Development Trends of Labour Force in Enterprises in Vietnam, co-organised by the Institute for Workers and Trade Unions and the Socioeconomic Information and Forecast Review. The seminar took place today, with the participation of numerous scientists, managers, and lecturers from well-known Vietnamese universities. The upward trend of the number of private sector enterprises requires a compatible increase in the number of qualified workers. According to a report on labour and employment in 2016 of the General Statistics Office, Vietnam is experiencing a golden population period, however, this golden only applies to quantity not quality. In particular, in 2016, 79.1 per cent of the labour force had no specialised knowledge and skills, while only 20.9 per cent was well-trained to meet working requirements. Through these figures, Dr Nguyen Van Thuat, deputy editor-in-chief of the Socioeconomic Information and Forecast Review, indicated that although Vietnam has an abundant source of labour, quality falls far short of quantity. It is forecasted that from now till 2030, the demand for workers in the private sector will raise by 730,000 workers per year. Thus, to meet market demand as well to reach the target of having at least one million enterprises in Vietnam by 2020, Associate Professor Dr Cao Van Sam, deputy head of the General Directorate of Vocational Training, drew up some solutions, including raising investment in machinery and equipment used in education, as a measure to follow the trend of Industry 4.0. Nevertheless, once again, Thuat raised concerns over labour quality and expressed worry whether Vietnamese workers have the ability to utilise new technologies efficiently. Besides, it is expected that in 2018, the regional minimum wage will be raised by 6.5 per cent. It is hoped that a higher salary will motivate workers to increase labour productivity. Enterprises want workers to increase productivity first and salaries later, but workers want the opposite. Thus, to raise labour productivity, it is necessary for enterprises and workers reach a mutual target and understanding. Reaching this target needs cooperation among enterprises, workers, and the government and related agencies, Thuat said. A sunken boat lies submerged in front of an oil rig after Hurricane Harvey hit Port Aransas, Texas on Aug 27, 2017. (Photo: AFP/Mark Ralston) A sunken boat lies submerged in front of an oil rig after Hurricane Harvey hit Port Aransas, Texas on Aug 27, 2017. (Photo: AFP/Mark Ralston) The International Energy Agency also said production by the OPEC cartel and its allies fell in August and compliance with their pact to cut supply to the markets increased. OPEC and a number of other producers including Russia agreed last year on production cuts to ease a global supply glut, but prices haven't risen much above US$50 per barrel as compliance has been a problem. But with oil demand perking up as well as hurricanes and regular summer maintenance knocking out some production, the IEA said it has seen some of that glut disappear. Within industrialised countries that are members of the OECD oil "product stocks are now only 35 mb above the five-year average," the IEA said in its monthly report. Industry and government oil products stocks stood at 1,796.3 million barrels at in July in the 34 countries that make up the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. "Depending on the pace of recovery for the US refining industry post-(Hurricane) Harvey, very soon OECD product stocks could fall to, or even below, the five-year level," added the IEA. "Based on recent bets made by investors, expectations are that markets are tightening and that prices will rise, albeit very modestly." Looking at recent developments in the oil futures markets, the IEA called them "a sign that oil markets have started to rebalance". HARVEY IMPACT 'SHORT-LIVED' On Tuesday, OPEC, in its monthly report, also pointed to a decline in its production in August as a sign that supply and demand could be moving further toward balance. "It is clear that the rebalancing process is under way, supported by the high conformity levels of OPEC member countries and participating non-OPEC countries to the production adjustments" in the cooperation agreement, OPEC secretary general Sanusi Barkindo said in a speech in Oxford on Monday. The IEA said OPEC crude production fell in August for the first time in five months, thanks to both cuts in production as well as a flare-up in turmoil in Libya disrupting output. Compliance with agreed production cuts among the 12 members bound by the pact rose to 82 per cent from 75 per cent in July. The 10 non-OPEC producers that are part of the supply cut pact also cut production by 270,000 barrels per day in August from July, and their output is now 640,000 barrels per day their pledged level. The IEA the impact of Hurricane Harvey, which struck the US Gulf Coast at the end of August where significant US refinery and export operations are concentrated, on oil markets should be brief. "As far as Harvey is concerned, disruption to local oil markets in the US Gulf Coast is easing on a daily basis and its impact on global markets is likely to be relatively short-lived," said the agency, which advises the OECD on energy markets. The IEA also raised its forecast for growth in global oil demand after thirst for crude "grew very strongly year-on-year" in the second quarter of this year. It now sees global oil demand increasing by 1.6 million barrels per day, to 97.7 mbd on average in 2017, thanks to brisk consumption in Europe and the United States. Oil prices rose after the report was published, with Brent crude adding 10 cents to US$54.37 per barrel around 0820 GMT. Jazz star: Soul Live Project will hold a workshop on jazz music hosted by trumpeter Cuong Vu on September 15. Photo from washington.edu Cuong received a full scholarship at the New England Conservatory of Music where he received his Bachelor of Music in Jazz studies with a distinction in performance. In 1994, he moved to New York and began his career with various groups. He won two Grammy awards for Best Contemporary Jazz Album as a member of the Pat Metheny Group in 2002 and 2006. The workshop will begin at 7pm at Soul Live Project Complex, 214-216 Pasteur Street, in District 3. Tickets are VN200,000 and can be purchased at http://bit.ly/becreartive. Leading industry experts at the talk The on-going talk, named Dong Nai Real Estate Market: Opportunities and Challenges, includes presentations and panel discussions from leading experts in the property sector. Representatives are hailing from the Dong Nai Department of Construction, Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association, government agencies, leading law firms, and property companies.VIR and Eximrs are co-organisers of the event. The talk is live-streamed on VIRs sister publicationswww.baodautu,vn and www.tinnhanhchungkhoan.vn Participants at the talk highlighted the fact that Dong Nai province, covering an area of 5,900 square metres, is situated right next to the bustling Ho Chi Minh City. The province also enjoys a well-connected traffic system to Southern Vietnam, making it one of the most popular destinations for real estate investment. Dong Nai recently emerged back in the spotlight thanks to the Long Thanh International Airport project, which is slated to complement Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. Various opportunities for real estate investment have arisen as a result, with special interest for land plots. However, scams and fraud have also been proliferating and experts will discuss how investors can spot shady projects. Tips on preventing reckless speculation and another property bubble will also be given at today's event. BMW Group Asia announced leaving EAC for a cooperation with Thaco Accordingly, BMW Group Asia will end its four-year co-operation with a major investor of Euro Auto Corporation (EAC), Sime Darby Motors Group, in Vietnam on December 3, 2017. However, Sime Darby Motors is still the world's second largest BMW car retailer and will remain an important partner of BMW Group in neighbouring countries, like Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and China. "Customers are our top priority and until the new announcement is made, EAC will continue to provide high-quality after-sales services to all current BMW, MINI, and BMW Motorrad customers in Vietnam, said Paul de Courtois, CEO of BMW Group Asia. BMW is a renowned automobile and motorbike maker with three fascinating brands including BMW and MINI. It has 30 manufacturing and assembling facilities in 14 countries and its distributing system in 140 markets across the globe. THACO, established in 1997, is currently specialising in manufacturing, assembling, distributing, and retailing commercial and tourist vehicles with brands such as Kia from Korea, Mazda from Japan, and Peugeot from France. THACO's 400-hectare manufacturing complex is located in Chu Lai Open Economic Zone based in the central province of Quang Nam. It consists of six automobile assembly plants, 12 auto-parts plants, an R&D centre, a vocational college, and a port. It has 97 automotive retail showrooms and 59 agents all over the country. According to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), THACO is the leading company in sales in Vietnam, with 40-42 per cent of market share in the 2015-2017 period. The acquisition of Lattice Semiconductor Corporation, a publicly-traded Oregon company, by Chinese-owned Canyon Bridge Fund could endanger the US government's use of sensitive products the company produces, the Treasury Department said. The acquisition of Lattice Semiconductor Corporation, a publicly-traded Oregon company, by Chinese-owned Canyon Bridge Fund could endanger the US government's use of sensitive products the company produces, the Treasury Department said. The acquisition of Lattice Semiconductor Corporation, a publicly-traded Oregon company, by Chinese-owned Canyon Bridge Fund could endanger the US government's use of sensitive products the company produces, the Treasury Department said in a statement. The Trump administration has adopted an aggressive stance towards China on trade and national security matters, launching wide-ranging investigations into the national security ramifications of Beijing's trade in aluminum and steel. Trump has the authority to block foreign investments he deems national security threats through the Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States, an inter-agency committee. In the case of Lattice, CFIUS and the president decided "the transaction poses a risk to the national security of the United States that cannot be resolved through mitigation," the Treasury said in a statement. The decision prohibited Canyon Bridge, its partner Yitai Capital and Yitai's parent, the China Venture Capital Fund Corp (CVCF), from purchasing the US firm, which serves the consumer, communications and industrial markets. Treasury said the deal posed a national security risk due to Beijing's support for the transaction, the potential transfer of intellectual property to the foreign investors, and the importance of the semiconductor supply to the US government, including Lattice's products. Lattice manufactures programmable logic devices, which are semiconductors that can be programmed to provide functions similar to chips, the statement said. Trump personally intervened in the process after the companies appealed to him directly to overrule the CFIUS ruling, according to The Wall Street Journal. United Nations General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak (right) is joined by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres before the start of the 72nd regular session of the UN General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters. (Photo source: AP /Mary Altaffer) United Nations General Assembly President Miroslav Lajcak (right) is joined by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres before the start of the 72nd regular session of the UN General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters. (Photo source: AP /Mary Altaffer) UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday (Sep 13) he is hoping for a constructive message from US President Donald Trump when he makes his first address to world leaders at the United Nations next week. Trump will address the UN General Assembly, taking to the podium of the global institution that he once disparaged as a "club" for "people to have a good time." Guterres told a news conference ahead of the annual UN gathering that he had spared no effort to develop strong ties with the new US administration over the past eight months. "All the efforts I have been making until now are in the direction of trying to create conditions for the relationship between the United States and the United Nations to be a constructive relationship," Guterres said. "I hope that will also be the message of President Trump and I hope that if that is the message that will be conveyed, that that message will be received." Some 130 world leaders are attending this year's gathering, but the spotlight will be firmly on Trump. The United States is the UN's number one financial contributor, paying 28.5 per cent of the US$7.3 billion peacekeeping budget and 22 per cent of the core budget of US$5.4 billion. The Trump administration has threatened deep cuts to US funding to the world body, while US Ambassador Nikki Haley was a driving force behind a US$600 million-cut to the UN peacekeeping budget this year. TRUMP PUSHES UN REFORM Trump on Monday will host a meeting on reforming the United Nations to push for changes at the world body and back Guterres' plan for a more effective UN response to global crises. The US president has described the United Nations as an "underperformer" but stressed that it has "huge potential" to address the long list of world crises that will be at the center of this year's UN debate. Guterres is due to meet Trump on the sidelines of the General Assembly debate for talks expected to focus on the North Korea crisis, the violence in Myanmar, Iran and climate change. Asked about his message on the Iran nuclear deal that Trump has threatened to scrap, Guterres said it was a "very important" agreement and that "all parties should do everything possible for this agreement to be preserved." Referring to "recent events" like Hurricane Irma that has battered parts of the United States, the UN chief said the Paris climate agreement should be implemented and that the new green economy could rescue the planet. Trump announced in June that the United States was withdrawing from the agreement on curbing greenhouse gas emissions, but diplomats are hoping for signs of a shift when he addresses the assembly on Tuesday. Guterres said that Trump's America-First policy was not in contradiction with a strong leadership role for the United States at the United Nations and in the world. "It's my deep belief that the best way to preserve the American interests is to engage positively in global affairs and to engage positively in support of multilateral organisations like the UN," he said. UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council on Wednesday (Sep 13) broke its weeks-long silence on the crisis in Myanmar and called for an end to the violence as UN chief Antonio Guterres said the military campaign amounted to ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims. Following a closed-door meeting, the 15-member council including China, a supporter of Myanmar's former ruling junta, expressed concern about excessive force during security operations in Rakhine state and called for "immediate steps" to end the violence. It was the first time the council agreed on a united response to the crisis sparked by a military crackdown that followed attacks by Rohingya militants late last month. Some 380,000 Rohingya have fled across the border into neighboring Bangladesh and there have been growing appeals for Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi to speak out in defence of the Rohingya. Suu Kyi's spokesman earlier said the Nobel laureate and long-time human rights champion would deliver an address next week on peace and reconciliation in Myanmar. At a press conference in New York, Guterres called for a halt to the military campaign in Rakhine and said the mass displacement of Rohingya amounted to ethnic cleansing. "I call on the Myanmar authorities to suspend military action, end the violence, uphold the rule of law and recognize the right of return of all those who had to leave the country," the secretary general told a press conference. Asked if he agreed the Rohingya population was being ethnically cleansed, he replied: "When one-third of the Rohingya population has got to flee the country, can you find a better word to describe it?" CATASTROPHE IN RAKHINE The 1.1-million strong Rohingya have suffered years of discrimination in Myanmar, where they are denied citizenship even though many have longstanding roots in the country. Guterres said the Myanmar government should either grant the Rohingya nationality or legal status that would allow them to live a normal life. Condemning the violence, the Security Council also called for humanitarian aid workers to be able to reach those in need in Rakhine state. But China blocked a proposal from Egypt to add language on ensuring the right of return to the Rohingya sheltering in Bangladesh, diplomats said. Still, British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft stressed that it was the first time in nine years that the Security Council was able to agree on a common stance on Myanmar. "We were united in our concern about the situation" after hearing from UN officials who briefed the council on "the catastrophe that is befalling Rakhine state and the Rohingya there," said Rycroft. Rights groups had urged the council to meet in open session and send a clear message to Myanmar that the world is watching. "Today was a baby step forward, and it's admittedly rare that the Council finds a way to agree on Burma, but it's far less than what's needed in fact of the unfolding tragedy," said Akshaya Kumar, Human Rights Watch's deputy UN director. In the northern area of Rakhine, 176 out of 471 Rohingya villages now stand empty after "the whole village fled", government spokesman Zaw Htay said in Yangon, adding others were partly deserted or intact. SUU KYI STAYS AWAY FROM UN Suu Kyi, who will deliver a nationwide address on Sep 19, has been condemned for a lack of moral leadership and compassion in the face of a crisis that has shocked the international community. The Myanmar leader's spokesman said she will not attend next week's annual meeting of world leaders at the United Nations, where the plight of the Rohingya will be in the spotlight. On the sidelines of the General Assembly, Turkey is planning a meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on Myanmar and Britain a ministerial-level meeting. Bangladesh is struggling to provide relief for exhausted and hungry refugees - some 60 percent of whom are children - while nearly 30,000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists as well as Hindus have also been displaced inside Myanmar. Nine thousand more Rohingya refugees poured into Bangladesh on Wednesday, the UN said, as authorities worked to build a new camp for tens of thousands of arrivals who have no shelter. Suu Kyi, Myanmar's first civilian leader in decades, has no control over the powerful military, which ran the country for 50 years. A free election was finally held in 2015. There is also scant sympathy among Myanmar's Buddhist majority for the Rohingya, who are branded "Bengalis" - shorthand for illegal immigrants. Rohingya refugees have told chilling accounts of soldiers firing on civilians and razing entire villages in the north of Rakhine with the help of Buddhist mobs. The army denies the allegations. Ahead of the council meeting, 12 Nobel laureates signed an open letter urging the UN body to "intervene immediately by using all available means" to end the "crimes against humanity" unfolding in Rakhine. Suu Kyi made her debut before the UN assembly last September, winning warm applause for a speech in which she vowed to find a solution to long-running ethnic and religious hatred in Rakhine. Director Gauger finds his roots when he makes films in Viet Nam. - Photo blogspot.com Im really a fusion. And, with this fusion, I try to put it in my work. So in my writing, in my material, its not specifically Vietnamese, not specifically American. Hopefully its more global, more universal. Gauger, 47, is a writer-director based in Los Angeles. He made his feature debut with the award-winning Viet Nam-set drama Owl and the Sparrow (2007), which earned him both Gotham and Independent Spirit Award nominations. He followed it up with the urban drama Saigon Electric (2011). He also directed the 2008 documentary Vietnam Overtures and co-wrote Powder Blue, a 2009 feature starring Jessica Biel, Eddie Redmayne and Forest Whitaker. He was named one of Filmmaker magazines 25 New Faces of Independent Film in 2007. His films have been presented at many international film festivals. Recently, he returned with the latest film Yeu i, ung So! (Kiss and Spell). The film is currently available at CGV cinemas nationwide. Its a Vietnamese romantic comedy about a magician who is afraid of ghosts and then falls in love with a girl who appears to have some connection to the supernatural. It is a remake of South Koreas Spellbound. Im happy to come back to Viet Nam to present the film, said Gauger. I just want to make a good film, which can touch audiences hearts. Thats the reason and motivation for me to try everyday. From zero to hero Gauger started his filmmaking career running errands supporting filmcrews such as lighting and camera departments. Then he got a chance to know producers and directors like Ham Tran and Timothy Bui. He began working on the post-production of many films such as Dong Mau Anh Hung (The Rebel) and Co Hau Gai (The Housemaid) that helped him earn experience for his own works. Gauger admited hed rather be making movies than talking about them. He wrote scripts and made short films for six years, waiting to find an opportunity to make a film in Viet Nam. Though I dont settle in Viet Nam, I return to the country regularly, said Gauger. I understand each corner, each vendor that I try to bring them into my films. You can see the familiar images in the film Kiss and Spell. Gauger said though the film is made from a South Korean script, audiences will see it as purely Vietnamese. Gauger visited Viet Nam for the first time in 2006. Now he has witnessed many changes in the society and in his mind as well. He can speak Vietnamese fluently and feels that hes a member of the country, not an outsider. He wants to make more films about Vietnamese people of all walks of life. I befriended a lot of girls selling flowers in HCM City, and I just thought they were adorable, and they had great stories of why they were doing what they were doing. People tend to think thats depressing for children to be selling things on the streets in a Third World country like Viet Nam. Its actually not. Theyre quite jubilant children, and theyre just smart and savvy because they have to sell at such a young age to buy schoolbooks or whatever. Gauger said he has become familiar with HCM City. For him, the peaceful landscape and girls in traditional dresses are so popular that they have become trite images. He wants to capture the feverish energy and neon nights, keeping the cameras always moving to capture the sense of "Wow, there is a lot going on here, he said. Despite a warm-temperate climate similar to that of southern Japan, the coastal plain of the southeastern USA is usually described as a region of mostly deciduous Southern mixed hardwoods forests. Evergreen broad-leaved canopy trees and some evergreen forest patches do remain, however, suggesting that evergreen broad-leaved forest may be the potential natural vegetation. Forests on sand and uplands would be dominated by evergreen Quercus species, while more mesomorphic laurel forests comparable to those of East Asia are generally restricted to more moist sites in depressions and floodplains. The evergreen Quercus region extends from the Atlantic coast as far west as central Texas, where low evergreen Quercus- Juniperus woodlands occur on dry limestone hills. Most American evergreen genera occur also in Japan. Interpretation of vegetation dynamics and potential natural vegetation is made more complicated in the southeastern USA, however, by the important role of recurring forest disturbance (fire, plus summer and winter storms). These American evergreen broad-leaved forests are being studied ecologically and phytosociologically for analysis of vegetation dynamics and comparison with similar forests in East Asia. Via researchgate.net Related post: Find cities with a similar climate The dispute is all about the SCHWEPPES mark which is applied to a range of soft drinks such as tonic water. Red Paralela SL , imported genuine SCHWEPPES drinks into Spain from other EEA countries, particularly the UK. Schweppes SL is the exclusive licensee of Schweppes International Limited, which owns the Spanish SCHWEPPES mark. Schweppes SL was not impressed by Red Paralela's activities and initiated proceedings in Barcelona's Commercial Court No 8. The SCHWEPPES marks are divided across the EEA in what appears to be a particularly complicated way. This dates back to a 1999 sale of many trade mark rights by Schweppes International to third parties including the Coca-Cola Group. This means that across the EEA, some SCHWEPPES marks are owned by Schweppes International, some are owned by Coca Cola and invariably the marks are licensed either to different operating companies or in some cases to Coca Cola. In short, the Facebook status (circa 2009) for the SCHWEPPES mark would say "it's complicated". The CJEU has already determined (in IHT Internationale Heiztechnik and Danzinger C-9/93, EU:C:1994:261)that the principles of trade mark exhaustion apply where the owner of the trade mark in the importing state (i.e. Spain) and the owner in the exporting state (e.g. UK) are: (i) the same; or (ii) economically linked. There is an economic link between (i) a manufacturer and its distributor, (ii) a licensor and its licensee, or (iii) companies belonging to the same corporate group. The nature of the relations between entities is of less importance than the result. In other words, the key question is whether the trade mark is under unitary control (this was the position put forward by the Commission and the AG considered that it was consistent with IHT Internationale Heiztechnik and Danzinger). The AG considered that in his opinion this can also apply to situations where the use of the mark is subject to joint control of two separate persons that exploit the mark with one and the same centre of interests. The AG clarified that the proprietors of parallel marks which arise from the fragmentation of a single mark may be regarded as 'economically linked' when they co-ordinate their commercial policies with a view to exercising joint control over use of the marks. In order for the rights to be exhausted, such unitary control must allow the entities which exercise that control the possibility of determining (i) the goods to which the mark can be affixed and (ii) their quality. The burden of proof is on the parallel importer to establish the requisite level of co-ordination between owners of parallel marks. The importer must put forward precise and consistent evidence to show the existence of unitary control. The rules surrounding parallel goods in the European Economic Area (EEA) may at first seem straightforward - once a product has been placed onto the market into the EEA by the trade mark holder (either directly or with its consent) the trade mark holder's rights are exhausted and it cannot prevent resale of those goods elsewhere in the EEA.Sounds simple, but trade marks, like so much in life, are rarely so straightforward as Schweppes, Coca Cola and Red Paralela can attest.The IPKat first flagged up this issue when the question was referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) back in 2016.As David Brophy explained in that post, the Barcelona Commercial Court (n 8) decided to refer four questions to the EU Court of Justice. Two of these four questions deal specifically with the limits of the trade mark function of origin.Is it incompatible with Article 36 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 7.1 of Directive 2008/95/EC and Article 15.1 of the Directive (EU) 2015/2436 for the holder of a trade mark in one or more Member States to prevent parallel importation or marketing of products, bearing a virtually identical trade mark owned by a third party, from another Member State, when the holder has promoted aassociated to the Member State from which the products intended to be prohibited came?Is it incompatible with Article 36 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and Article 7.1 of Directive 2008/95/EC and Article 15.1 of the Directive (EU) 2015/2436 for the holder of a well-known trademark to use it in a manner thatof the product?Advocate General (AG) Mengozzi was tasked with making sense of the licensing/ownership situation and considering whether Red Paralela's activities constituted trade mark infringement.AG Mengozzi's opinion is available here . For those with limited time, I will skip straight to the point.As David pointed out in his post, "Schweppes and Coca-Cola have done a pretty good job in marketing SCHWEPPES as a single global brand ... so much so that until hearing of this case he had no idea that the tonic water sold in Spain was from a different corporate stable than that sold in the UK. Looking at the respective websites would not have cured the IPKat of this misconception, referring as they both do to the same genesis story from 1783." This is indicative of an economic link of the sort the AG described.The parallel importer has the upper hand for now but they are not home yet. The CJEU may not follow the AG's opinion and even if it does, the national court may apply the CJEU's decision differently. There's time to get plenty of G&Ts in before this dispute is over. On 18 August 2017 Brett McGurk, the Special Envoy of President Obama and then President Trump in the fight against Isis, met with the chiefs of tribes inhabiting the Saudi-Syrian desert. According to the anti-terrorist tsar, it was an excellent meeting with the sheikhs of the main tribes of the province of Raqqa, the objective being to destroying Daesh and restoring life to their communities. However, several of McGurks invitees were members of Daesh. President Donald Trump has forbidden members of his cabinet from making any reference whatsoever to the alleged Islamist conspirators, during the commemorations of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. At the time of the attacks, President George W. Bush had accused Osama Bin Laden and about 20 of his accomplices of organizing these attacks and thus getting the better of the worlds number one army. President Bush proceeded to set up a Commission for a Presidential Inquiry. This Commission validated his (Bushs) version of events without first reviewing alternative interpretations of this event. Following this, the US Ministry of Justice had gone on to accuse the Iraq of Saddam Hussein, then the Iran of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of organizing these events. In addition, actions are underway against the Saudi ally. However, these proceedings are still going-on and a final judgement has not been rendered in either case. 16 years post 9/11, the person presented by the Bush Administration as masterminding the attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, is still being detained at Guantanamo and is still waiting for his trial to begin. On the evening of September 11, 2001, the real estate developer Donald Trump appeared on the TV channel New York 9, and revealed that the official narrative was physically untenable: it is materially impossible for two planes to manage to bring down the twin towers, much less a third tower. Over time, Trumps affirmation has been adopted by almost all physicists outside the United States. However, although a large majority of people in the United States is convinced that the national authorities lied about these attacks, a minority still remains convinced that the attacks were carried out by Islamists. Although President Trump made a reference to enemies, Vice-President Mike Pence slipped in a reference to Daesh in the speech he delivered at the Shanksville Memorial; however it is common knowledge that Daesh did not exist at the time these events took place and therefore cannot be deemed culpable. From the different speeches he has delivered over the past 16 years, we can conclude that Donald Trump considers that the 9/11 attacks are crimes that bear the signature of neither foreigners nor Islamists. RGP Respond to Chamber of Commerce Following the recent press release issued by the Gibraltar Chamber of Commerce on the 14th of September 2017, the RGP have responded to some of what they claim to be inaccurate statements made by the Chamber. "Firstly, The RGP are disappointed at the fact that the Chamber of Commerce has failed to share their members concerns with us directly and have resorted to publicly question value for money in the law enforcement budget. This is totally unprofessional and irresponsible, and should have been addressed by mutual dialogue. The physical security measures that have recently been introduced in areas around and in Main Street are a deterrent against potential threats, and have been introduced because of persistent risk assessments of our Critical National Infrastructures and the Modus Operandi displayed by terrorists. This has been at the behest of continuous lobbying by the RGP and therefore the Chamber should relate to it in terms of welcomed security measures, instead of added costs to many local business areas. The Chamber have further claimed that the RGP have failed to increase police presence in light of the increased threat. This is false. The RGP continue to risk assess police deployments in response to threats, and mitigate these by always maximizing safety and minimizing the risk to the public. As a result of recent terrorist events in Europe, police officers have been re-deployed from their normal duties and increased patrols have been undertaken in areas where people congregate. This is not only in Main Street, but everywhere in Gibraltar, including our beaches for instance. There has also been an increased deployment of firearm officers and collaboration with other partners to mitigate the threat. This has always, and will continue to happen under the direction and in consultation with the Gibraltar Contingencies Committee [GCC]. Redeploying officers has its consequences and the Chamber needs to understand that by doing this, other policing demands are impacted upon. With this in mind, the Commissioner of Police and his Senior Command are cognisant of ensuring Value for Money [VfM] and assures the public that being one of the most scrutinized public bodies, VfM is at the heart of their routine business, something that both the Gibraltar Police Authority [GPA] and HMGoG are fully aware of. The Chambers data of the 35% increase to the RGPs budget from 2011 to 2015 is misleading and not reported in its true context. This increase is mainly attributed to salaries. Notwithstanding this, the RGP is currently engaged with HMGoG in a Human Resource Audit, as it feels that the policing demands have exceeded the present compliment. Both the GPA and the RGP Police Federation support this. The RGP would like to remind the Chamber that it has experienced over the past 6 weeks one of the most demanding policing periods it has ever had to prepare for. With the uplift in security, the threats of terrorism, day to day policing business and all the demands that have come with the multitude public events in the build up to National Week, the men and women of the RGP and the staff that support us, have been working extremely demanding hours and under extreme heat. It is unfortunate that their commitment and their desire to offer a professional and determined service appears to have gone unnoticed by the Chamber. The RGP assures the general public that we will continue to work towards providing safety to the community of Gibraltar, and most importantly, are open to dialogue with those who should be working closer with us." Ann Dowd in The Handmaids Tale. Photo: Hulu Despite the growing hullabaloo that surrounds the Emmys, the Television Academy tends to be predictable with the actual awards. Plain and simple, they like hits: Theyve given 22 Emmys to Modern Family, and 38 to Game of Thrones. It seems likely that This Is Us will take the crown (sorry to disappoint, The Crown) for Outstanding Drama this year, and though there might be some uncertainty in other categories, you probably wont see any major surprises on Sunday night. But if youre the kind of person who likes to root for upsets because you love drama or if youre still experiencing a high from that time Tatiana Maslany won were here to provide a guide to the Emmy upsets worth rooting for. We didnt choose these nominees because theyre likely to win, but because if they did, it would be enough to add a small glimmer of joy to an otherwise dispiriting universe. Also, if you tell your friends youre rooting for an upset in advance and your person snags an Emmy, you get bragging rights! No way to lose here. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy: Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish (or Pamela Adlon, Better Things) Julia Louis-Dreyfus already has five acting Emmys from Veep, plus two for Seinfeld and The New Adventures of Old Christine. Shes still doing terrific work, but does she really need another one? Tracee Ellis Ross, meanwhile, deserves major recognition for her warm, hilarious work on Black-ish, which often balances the perspective of the show. Since Ross won a Golden Globe earlier this year for Black-ish, this wouldnt be a total upset, so if youre really pulling for the underdog, its worth rooting for Pamela Adlons performance on Better Things. Adlon was a surprise nominee, and it would be fitting to recognize all the effort that she puts into her brutally personal work. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama: Keri Russell, The Americans Elisabeth Moss and Claire Foy are the leading contenders for their harrowing and dignified work in The Handmaids Tale and The Crown, respectively. Either would be a deserving winner, but its worth keeping an eye on the rest of the ballot as well. Viola Davis is always excellent, because shes Viola Davis, and Keri Russell still hasnt won for her work as a Russian spy on The Americans. Even if that show had an off season, Elizabeth Jennings demands your respect. Outstanding Actress in a Limited Series or Movie: Carrie Coon, Fargo (or Felicity Huffman, American Crime) No category has more heavyweights than this one, with Oscar winners Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Jessica Lange, and Susan Sarandon all duking it out for the same award. For the record, were pro-Nicole, but Carrie Coon gave two of televisions best performances in Fargo and The Leftovers last year and Felicity Huffman was always great on the little-seen American Crime. Step aside, movie stars: This is TVs night to shine. Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Alec Baldwin has a yuge lead thanks to his Trump impression on SNL, which saw its ratings skyrocket while pissing off the president himself. But if Baldwins pursed-lipped preening was too much for you, theres plenty of other standout work in the category especially considering Louie Andersons soulful turn on Baskets (which won last year) and Tituss Burgesss scene-stealing role on Kimmy Schmidt. He deserves an Emmy for that Lemonade sequence alone. Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Leslie Jones, Saturday Night Live Of the three SNL actresses in contention, Kate McKinnon has the lead thanks to her versatility and her inimitable Hillary Clinton impression. But it would be a shame to overlook Leslie Jones, whos been willing to throw everything into her characters, and whos transformed Weekend Update into one of the liveliest portions of the show. Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul (or Jeffrey Wright, Westworld) As Winston Churchill in The Crown, John Lithgow gave the kind of performance Emmy voters love: finely tuned, period, and with a British accent. If, for some inexplicable reason, voters pass over Lithgow, itd be great fun to see Jeffrey Wright win for his oh-so-precise work on Westworld, or for Jonathan Banks to finally get an Emmy for bringing Mike Ehrmantrauts grumpy soul to Better Call Saul. Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Ann Dowd, The Handmaids Tale In this stacked category, the awards prognosticators generally favor This Is Uss Chrissy Metz or Westworlds Thandie Newton. Still, weve got a soft spot for Ann Dowd, who already missed out on a chance to win for her guest appearance in The Leftovers, but still deserves plenty of recognition for her eerie performance as Aunt Lydia on The Handmaids Tale. Listen to Margo Martindale, people: This is Ann Dowds year! Paul Van Anglen. Photo: NCMSRI Remember that time influencers and unassuming, rich music fans descended upon the Bahamas expecting a luxury festival only to be met with the mass chaos of Fyre Festival? It was a terrible time for those attendees, but a hefty dose of schadenfreude for the rest of us. Since then, weve seen a New York City pizza festival experience a similar implosion, and now it appears that the classical music world has fallen victim to its very own Fyre-type debacle. The Newport Contemporary Music Series, according to the Boston Globe, billed itself as a world-class, star-studded shindig, but ended up leaving orchestra musicians and soloists unpaid. Paul Van Anglen, a 25-year-old with limited experience booking concerts, was in charge of the July festival, booking work or appearances from three classical-music heavy hitters: Philip Glass, four-time Oscar winner Andre Previn, and Lord of the Rings composer Howard Shore. Instead of a smashing success, orchestra musicians recalled a failure of epic proportions that will go down in the Boston freelancing lore of nonpaying gigs. The musicians allege the Newport Contemporary Festival owes an estimated $120,000 in unpaid orchestra musicians fees, plus tens of thousands more for unpaid soloists and other costs. Van Anglen blames the loss of a key donor at the last minute for the failure of the festival. But by the musicians account, problems with the festival arose long before they werent paid. When Van Anglen couldnt secure a proper venue, he suggested hosting the Philip Glass Ensemble in a high-school auditorium. When Glasss producer scheduled a site visit, she said Van Anglen didnt show up. (He told the Globe he didnt think he needed to go; the Philip Glass Ensemble later withdrew from the festival.) A cellist from New York said she got suspicious when she didnt receive sheet music before rehearsals. Others reported Van Anglen could barely make it through the three concerts he conducted. He couldnt count to four sometimes, a bass player told the paper. It was the most inept conducting Ive probably ever seen, and thats counting grad students. Then, the morning of a rehearsal in July, Van Anglen apologized and the musicians were let go. Their payments either bounced or were canceled. Van Anglen says hes paid a handful of musicians a total of around $6,500. The young conductor, living at home with his mother, said he hopes to use a mix of private donors and a bank loan to pay the musicians back; meanwhile, approximately 10 musicians have filed small-claims suits against Van Anglen so far. Photo: Getty Images Jim Carrey is re-teaming with his Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind director, Michel Gondry. The pair has been given a green light for a new half-hour comedy called Kidding, in which Carrey will play an actor named Jeff, who is beloved throughout America for playing Mr. Pickles, an icon of childrens television, a beacon of kindness and wisdom to Americas impressionable young minds and the parents who grew up with him. So it sounds like Mr. Pickles is a lot like Mr. Rogers in our IRL canon. But because this is a prestige TV series directed and executive produced by Gondry (a duty he will share with Carrey and Jason Bateman, among others), Jeff will experience a slow leak of sanity as hilarious as it is heartbreaking as he tries to balance his lucrative brand with commitments to his family, which happens to be crumbling around him. Carrey has a strong history of playing men who are humorously yet agonizingly losing their grip on reality (Eternal Sunshine, The Truman Show), so Kidding sounds like a hand-in-glove fit for the actor. Rebel Wilson. Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for AIF In June, an Australian jury unanimously found in favor of actress Rebel Wilson in a defamation suit she had brought against Bauer Media, publisher of Australian tabloid Womens Day, which claimed Wilson fabricated almost every aspect of her life, including her age, the origin of her name, and her upbringing in Sydney. The source of those false claims was an anonymous person who also demanded payment for such information about the actress. Wilson asserted that the misinformation caused substantial harm to her reputation and that she even lost out on work in Hollywood as a result of what Bauer published. Now, two months after the verdict, a judge has awarded her $3.66 million in damages a record amount for an Australian defamation case, exceeding the previous highest settlement number by about four times, according to the Associated Press. Justice John Dixon of the Australian Supreme Court in the state of Victoria said such a high figure was necessary because unless substantial damages are awarded there is a real risk that the public will not be convinced of the seriousness of the defamation, but will rather wrongly conclude that the articles were trivial or not that serious, he told the court. Wilsons lawyer also said they would seek to have Bauer pay all of her legal fees as well, and Wilson said on Twitter after the damages were awarded that she would be donating the money to the Australian film industry, along with local charities in her home country. To me though, this case wasnt about the money. Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) September 13, 2017 On Full Frontal this week, Samantha Bee met with the skinheads turned activists of Life After Hate, a nonprofit that helps exwhite nationalists leave their hate groups. Inspired by Life After Hates goal to use white people to dismantle white supremacy, Bee rounded up two white people Portlandia stars Fred Armisen (who points out hes half Venezuelan) and Carrie Brownstein to shoot a PSA telling their white friends to chill on white nationalism. Our people have many proud and beautiful traditions. Like pumpkin spice, Brownstein begins. The duo asks that white people have mild pride from now on, like, just a quick thumbs-up, you know? Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer in The Shape of Water. Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures Here at the Toronto International Film Festival, there are posters for an upcoming Guillermo del Torocurated exhibit called Influences that will let you sample the movies and books and music that fed the directors fervid imagination. I can guess whats in it after seeing his Venice Film Festivalprize-winning The Shape of Water, which screened in Toronto and opens commercially in December. The Creature of the Black Lagoon, with Beauty and the Beast and E.T. (and Splash?). The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The excellent British monster film Death Train (a.k.a. Raw Meat), which del Toro talked to me about 13 years ago before a Lincoln Center screening, citing subterranean tunnels as objects of fascination when he was growing up in Mexico City. Musicals, especially with tap or dancing in the moonlight. Whimsical Italian comedies. Anti-fascist melodramas. Fetishistic Biblical epics. Plus things Ive missed, no doubt. Theyll be written about in articles Ill somehow forget to read. In The Shape of Water, del Toros influences have been distilled and reassembled into a stylized Girl Meets Gill Man fairy tale that shimmers with its filmmakers love. Theres so much love for its various antecedents that the movie feels a bit secondhand. Its set in Baltimore in 62, still the height of the Cold War, when the U.S. and Soviet militaries are aggressively working to discover ways including supernatural ways to achieve world domination. The heroine, Eliza (Sally Hawkins), is a cleaning woman in a top-secret underground facility thats the setting for just that sort of research. One day an Amazonian Gill Man (known as the Asset, played by Doug Jones) arrives in a tank in the custody of an agent named Strickland (Michael Shannon), who talks about how the creature is an affront to God, not being made in His image. Hes also fond of using an electrified cattle prod, which he refers to as his Alabama how-dee-doo. The way he used it reminded me of how southern policemen beat black civil-rights protesters. Perhaps what reminded me was footage on nearby TV screens of southern policemen beating black civil-rights protesters. Did I mention that the heroine is mute and suffers from the feeling that shes incomplete? She was apparently mistreated as a child her vocal cords were cut, gross and drowned and was resuscitated, so she already has a relationship of sorts with the creature in the water tank. (Its fate, she signs.) She has a strong sexual appetite: We see her pleasure herself in the bathtub in the mornings. Meanwhile, hes not unattractive. No visible sex organs, but slender and broad-shouldered and tall. The pale face in the middle of those undulating gills has the alien-reptile handsomeness of Benedict Cumberbatch. I should mention that the lovable, mute heroine lives (above a movie theater) with a lovable, talkative gay painter (Richard Jenkins) who keeps trying to create Norman Rockwelllike illustrations for an advertising firm that has let him go (because hes gay?). And that Eliza has another natural ally in her fellow cleaning woman, Zelda (Octavia Spencer), who chatters away about her lazy, good-for-nothing husband. So you have a poor mute woman, a poor black woman, a poor gay man, and a so-called freak of nature versus a God-and-country white fascist who buys a Cadillac because it represents the future and is shown in bed mechanically grunting over his impassive blonde Stepford wife. Did I mention that he and his five-star general boss want to dissect the Gill Man rather than keep him around? Talk about stacking the deck. Related Stories The Shape of Water Trailer: Guillermo Del Toro Envisions an Interspecies Romance I didnt fight The Shape of Water off I tried to surrender to its romance. The dank, rusty industrial settings suggest a sunken ship, but one that can be magically transformed by the creatures bioluminescence. Hawkins doesnt overdo the ingenuousness: Her Eliza is sly and subversive, with an energetic libido. Shannon invests the disgusting Strickland with every drop of dignity he can muster, almost making this deluded zealot a tragic figure. Jenkins is a sweetheart. Michael Stuhlbarg is movingly conflicted as a doctor with a big secret. But the characters are always drifting back and forth over the line that separates archetypes from stereotypes. (See Brad Birds Cold Warset The Iron Giant for the converse the stereotypical-made archetypal.) And while Del Toro ups the gore and disarmingly the sex quotient, the story goes exactly where you think it will. Its an utterly lovely, complacent movie, too comfortable with itself to generate real dramatic tension. A lot of people find it transporting, though. And kids would have been a good audience if not for the nudity, copious gore, and soft-core fish porn. Are there still laws against bestiality? Has James Woods tweeted anything? From Sarah Ruhls For Peter Pan on her 70th birthday, at Playwrights Horizons. Photo: Joan Marcus & Lisa Berg I hope its not giving too much away to say that the final image in Sarah Ruhls For Peter Pan on her 70th birthday, directed by Les Waters at Playwrights Horizons, is, literally and figuratively, an uplifting one. But ever since witnessing it, Ive been fighting a sinking feeling. Why did a play that so clearly aims to give its audience a sense of bittersweet transcendence instead feel a bit sour? What had happened between an inspired idea the painful and lovely image of Peter Pan, Wendy, and the gang embodied by actors well beyond the age limit for Neverland and a production that left me more frustrated than inspired? Its all the more puzzling, because Ive long admired Ruhls work. Her combination of midwestern frankness with a poets affection for verbal musicality and crystalline, mathematical structure has given us a wry, haunting take on the Orpheus myth (Eurydice); an epic examination of faith and theater across three different time periods (Passion Play); and an off-kilter adventure about what happens when you start answering a Dead Mans Cell Phone among other sparklingly imaginative works. So as I read her playwrights note in the program before the curtain rose, I was intrigued and excited. She describes the deeply personal origins of For Peter Pan, her most autobiographical work to date, which she wrote as a gift for her mothers (yes) 70th birthday. (Kathleen Ruhl played Peter Pan as a teenager at the Childrens Theatre in Davenport, Iowa. The round-faced redhead, aloft in her green tights on the cover of For Peter Pans program, is Mom.) After her childhood theatrical triumph, Ruhls mother went on to earn a Ph.D. in rhetoric, give birth to two daughters, and lose first her husband (at only 52) and then both her parents to cancer. Thats also the backstory that Ruhl provides for her protagonist, Ann (played by Kathleen Chalfant, in a performance both grounded and wistful). Ann is the oldest of five siblings who are drawn from life drawn, in fact, from Ruhls own family. Though the characters are composite and fictional, the playwright conducted interviews with her relatives in Iowa to create them. In the plays second part, we hear selections from these interviews verbatim, in all their overlapping conversational candor. I wondered, Ruhl explains, if it was possible to write a play about ones family with love, a play they might want to come see. She has set herself the challenge of portraying a basically caring and functional family no easy task, as Tolstoy (all happy families are alike) noted. Yes, Ruhls onstage family bickers, but it never erupts into the toxic geyser of secrets, skeletons, and betrayals that weve come to expect from the likes of August: Osage County. Drama, the maxim goes, is born of conflict, a very Western (and, some would argue, very male) notion, and 99 percent of the narrative content we consume adheres to it. So its exciting to see Ruhl exploring a different path. She describes her play as a Midwestern Noh drama, in which the protagonist meets the ghost, then recognizes the ghost, then dances with or embraces the ghost. In Ruhls three-act play, we meet Ann and her four siblings in a hospital room, keeping vigil around their dying father. In the second act, we watch them drink Jameson and argue politics at his wake, as the father who lay in bed dying in part one (Ron Crawford) shuffles among them unseen, an indifferent specter quietly reading the paper, putting NutraSweet on his grapefruit, and feeding Chex mix to the family dog (also dead, though not as recently). Part three is a kind of fantasia in which the aging siblings don the costumes and attitudes of an enthusiastic childrens theater production of Peter Pan and, led by Ann as Peter, make one last attempt to fly, visit Neverland, and do battle against the inevitable reality of growing up. So far, so fascinating. Why, then, did I leave the theater feeling that this production sometimes took flight but sometimes to borrow Anns remembrance of the rickety flying apparatus from her childhood play sort of dragged across the floor? It comes down to two things: design and politics. First, design. Or, in the case of this production, overdesign. Some playwrights create worlds that beg to be stuffed to the brim. But Ruhls plays dont take place in solid settings even when they do, they dont. Her plays are more like mind palaces or dreamscapes, in which the stage directions might call for a school of enormous flying fish, or for a character to ride on an ascending planet or turn into an almond. To her credit, she always makes room for the imagination of those bringing her work to life. On the first page of the script of For Peter Pan she writes, If there is no actual flying, one can imagine beautiful painted backdrops that make you think the actors are flying. As a child of community theater, Ruhl appreciates the magic that can be made out of next to nothing: an empty space, a simple backdrop, a fantastical image, an inventive gesture. But now her work is being produced in big spaces with lots of resources which means that all too often directors and designers opt for the literally embodied manifestation rather than the brilliantly imaginative suggestion. These days, in response to a stage direction like the set contains a raining elevator (from Ruhls Eurydice), theaters on the scale of Playwrights Horizons are likely to provide, well, a raining elevator. Thats one particular kind of magic, but theres another, sparer kind that I found myself longing for as I watched For Peter Pan. Ruhl herself, in her description of the plays settings in her script, repeatedly calls for an empty space (with a little bit of decoration a chair here, a curtain there). But on the stage at Playwrights Horizons, theres no empty space to be seen. Instead, we see a fully kitted-out hospital bed, bristling with tubes and plugs and machines; a number of big, solid walls; and, in the background, the towering facade of a white midwestern house, complete with porch and hedgerow. The houses facade even moves around in Act Three to create the scene of a nursery interior. Such a solid, engineered, and, in parts, literal space seems to me to weigh down Ruhls play. Her creations are like souffles, which is no insult. Theyre delicate, tricky concoctions by a master baker. You cant build a house on top of a souffle, which is what Les Waters and scenic designer David Zinn have done. Ruhl revels in the world of fancy, but this productions visuals leave little to the imagination. When Ann-as-Peter finally takes flight, the moment should astonish us. But when weve spent 80 minutes staring at a set as heavily (and expensively) laden as Zinns, were beyond surprise at seeing an actor moved up and down on a few wires. Our brains get ahead of our hearts and cut them off at the pass. If the scenic design dampens the potential power of the plays magical side, then its handling of politics puts a kink in its realistic side its grown-up side, if you will. This is due to a tricky wrinkle in time that Im not entirely sure can be ironed out: When not in Neverland, For Peter Pan takes place during the Clinton years, and the original production was staged in the spring of 2016. Today, both of those eras feel like a galaxy far, far away.This is bad luck for Ruhl and Waters. Like pretty much every artist in America right now, theyre stuck trying to figure out how the hell to make art in the age of Trump and the inconvenient truth is that they might suddenly have a period piece on their hands, both in terms of when the play is set and when it was written. Right now, the plays engagement with politics feels preemptively dated: The three brothers are Reagan Republicans, Ann is the token artsy liberal who cares too much and will eventually get upset by the conversation, and the youngest sibling, Wendy (the touchingly nervy Lisa Emery), is a bundle of irritated avoidance. In Act Two, as the whisky begins to flow, the men spout cliches about liberals living in unreal worlds while conservatives are pragmatists who try to solve problems on the ground. They even throw in the age-old joke (attributing it to their dad): If youre not a liberal before the age of 20 you have no heart, and if youre not a conservative after the age of 40 you have no brain. On one hand, Ruhl has deftly transcribed a certain kind of conversation that goes on in her family. On the other hand, the old jokes and the old arguments struck me as not only tired but not quite harmless anymore, even when delivered by a bunch of very nice Midwesterners. The ensemble of siblings which is rounded out by Daniel Jenkins as the kindly, pragmatic John, and Keith Reddin as the chipper, bespectacled Michael, and David Chandler as the overbearing but exasperatingly likable Jim play together with an easy, affectionate familiarity. They handle Ruhls rhythms expertly, but something in the notes feels a little off. In the first act, as Ann sits in her fathers hospital room, searching for an answer in a crossword puzzle, she says to her siblings, To move laterally eight lettersanyone? A few lines later, she triumphantly exclaims, Sidestep! Its a pointed moment. While Ruhl is a writer of great dexterity, I often felt like her play was stepping right up to some difficult subject only to dance lightly away from it, glancing off its surface so that we could see ripples of the thingpolitics, religion, death (mostly death)without experiencing it full force. This is her way, and its no good asking her to attack when she explicitly tells us shes going to evade. But the risk in such an approach is that it can start to feel coyly sentimental, and thats whats happening periodically in For Peter Pan. Too much NutraSweet, not enough grapefruit. Especially in the plays final moments, I found myself longing for a little less heartwarming spirituality and a little more bite. As Ann smiled and embraced her fathers ghost who has just brought her roses and assured her Ive been here all along then turned to us and lovingly described the theater as a place where you dont have to grow up, I knew my spirits were supposed to lift toward the rafters along with Peter Pan. But my heart felt stuck, grounded. And as I left the theater I couldnt help but wonder whether For Peter Pan might have soared more freely if it had taken more of an emotional leap if it had refrained from sentimental consolation and instead embraced a, well, more grown-up willingness to face mortality and loss. Ruhls play is standing right on the edge of something quite marvelous and mournful, but at times it feels just a little too afraid of its own shadow. For Peter Pan on her 70th birthday is at Playwrights Horizons. Pianist Yekwon Sunwoo faces a busy fall: concerts in New Mexico, Texas, California, Nebraska, Oregon, Kentucky and Colorado. Travel abroad to concerts in Canada, Scotland, South Korea and Lebanon. Performances of works by Brahms, Ravel, Schubert, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Strauss, Mozart and Bartok. Promotion of the Decca Gold album Cliburn Gold 2017 containing his performances of Ravels La Valse and Rachmaninoffs Second Piano Sonata. Thats the consequence and a good one of winning the quadrennial Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth, which Sunwoo did three months ago. The Korean-born pianist bested a field of 30 young performers from around the world, rising to the top with playing that critics termed crisp, effervescent, sensitively balanced in ensemble play and dynamic. He comes to Waco next week for a Sept. 21 concert with the Waco Symphony Orchestra, opening the WSOs 2017-18 season with Brahms masterful Piano Concerto No. 2. Sunwoo, speaking by phone while in New York City for several days, shrugged at the schedule ahead and noted thats one reason why the Cliburn competition is so daunting for performers. Its physically and mentally challenging, but understandable: They want to see if someone has what it takes to start their concert career, he said. The 28-year-old pianist fought off fatigue, an auditorium he felt was distractingly cold, a late schedule change and pressure-filled performances roughly every two days for more than two weeks to win. He won, in part, through mastery of pieces he had learned earlier in years of study at such schools as the Curtis Institute of Music, the Juilliard School and the Mannes School of Music. Others he learned in the last year, polishing them in performances last spring before the Cliburn competition. Thats really important, he noted. If you bring something new (to the contest), you should make more than 100 percent sure everythings prepared. Sunwoo will perform Brahms Second Piano Concerto in his Sept. 21 concert with the Waco orchestra, days after performing the same work with the Santa Fe Orchestra in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The concerto follows a program first half that features the WSO playing Michael Haydns Concertino for Horn, Alto Trombone and Strings and Jean Sibelius Night Ride and Sunrise. The Brahms was the pianists suggestion. Interested in developing his German repertoire, Sunwoo moved to Germany this year to study French piano stylings with Bernd Goetzke. The Brahms offers technical difficulty, an emotional journey on a grand scale and the opportunity to work with a new director and ensemble, which keeps him fresh, he said. It also gives the pianist the opportunity to do what guides his performances: carry an audience along the emotional path hes following in the music. I want the audience to experience the same feelings I have, he said. For Sunwoo, the inner two movements of the Brahms concerto bear highlighting. Theres an amazing third movement, with its cello solo opening. It takes you to a different place, he explained. And the second movement has so much passion. Its fiery. WSO Music Director Stephen Heyde said the Brahms, known for its balance between orchestra and piano, aptly finishes the orchestras season opener. When (Sunwoo) offered it, I jumped at it, he said. Its one of the most collaborative concertos I know. Theres such communication between orchestra and pianist. Brahms was a fabulous pianist and this is the master at his heights. The concerto completes a program that opens with a lighter work by Michael Haydn, the younger brother of the more famous Austrian composer Franz Josef Haydn. The concertino consists of the two middle movements from Haydns Serenade and will feature the WSOs Jeff Powers on horn and Brent Phillips on alto trombone. Its a refreshing way to begin the concert, Heyde said. Sibelius atmospheric 1908 tone poem Night Ride and Sunrise follows, the Finnish composers imagining of galloping horses, evoked by the string section, through the night to a northern sunrise. Its a mystical piece in some ways, said Heyde. The harmonies are haunting, but unusual, with a transition thats typically Sibelius. The sunrise is pictured by beautiful tones in brass. I heard it this summer and wanted to do it. First appearances can be deceiving in Vincent Terrell Durhams play The Fertile River, beginning with the title: Its not about a geographic feature or its agricultural value. River is a name and her presence in a family line drives the storys drama, which will be staged for two performances this weekend at Baylor Universitys Mabee Theatre in the Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center. The play begins with a poor black family in 1958 North Carolina receiving a visit from a white social worker from the state. Any time an African American family has a visit from a white social worker is a cause for caution and thats where the narrative takes off, explained the plays producer Alton J. Patton III. In that time, a white woman has the power to come in (a home) and take over. The woman, Miss Sarah (Nikki McCauley), wants to talk with family head Mama Cora (Baadja-Lyne) and her brother Uncle Jesse (William Warren) about Coras granddaughter River (Faith Imafidon). River is intellectually challenged, which has brought her to the attention of the states Eugenics Board, for whom Miss Sarah is working. Miss Sarahs visit is to have River sterilized so her mental deficiency isnt passed on to any children, who might become wards of the state or have children with a similar condition. Thats in the best interests of North Carolina, she believes its also state law. The social worker delicately tries to frame her argument to Cora, who knows a secret wrinkle to the story: River already has a child, 9-year-old Arthur (Van Brunelle), and hes exceptionally smart, a prodigy whose promising future carries the familys hopes of escaping their poverty. Part of The Fertile Rivers power lies in its historical roots: North Carolinas Eugenics Board oversaw an estimated 7,500 forced sterilizations in its 44 years before it was abolished in 1977. I got a call a couple of years ago to read this script by Vincent Terrell Durham and, it was clear to me, it was extraordinary, recalled Patton, a 1994 Baylor University graduate in political science and Asian Studies. Patton, a Hollywood-based television and radio producer and host for the Lilal Network, took it upon himself to bring the play to life and expose it to a wider audience. The Fertile River made its stage debut at the ACME Hollywood Theatre last October. A spring meeting with interim Baylor President David Garland led to discussions with Baylor theater arts chairman Stan Denman, Patton said, and Baylor agreed to host performances by Pattons company. The production, directed by Elizabeth Bell-Haynes, features the original cast except for the role of River, with Faith Imafidon replacing Sola Bamis. An audience discussion time will follow each performance. [September 13, 2017] The NUU Mobile G Series - an extension of yourself SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A NUU G Series smartphones the G1 and the G3 become an extension of yourself. Start up with your fingertip, its digital sensor recognizes your fingerprint instantly. VoLTE technology makes sure that your conversation is clear and intelligible. Dual cameras are at your service for your closeupps or your wide-angle shots. The curved edges on the front are aesthetically pleasing and comfortable to touch whereas the curved glass on the back makes the phone sit well in the palm. Seamlessly communicate and navigate with the most advanced technology available and incredibly priced. 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TYPE-C USB Type-C for quick charges and high speed downloads. NFC Tap and go with Android Pay(TM) or exchange files with one tap. Fingerprint 3D fingerprint reading enhances speed and security. NUU G Series will be sold online on Target.com, BestBuy.com, Amazon, HSN, NUUMobile.com, and at many other online retailers. Compatible with all major networks. Visit us at www.nuumobile.com to discover more or visit our Mobile World Congress Americans 2017 online press kit https://us.nuumobile.com/presskit/. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-nuu-mobile-g-series--an-extension-of-yourself-300519004.html SOURCE NUU Mobile [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [September 13, 2017] Snag-A-Slip Secures $4.8 Million in Series A Funding Led by Claritas Capital Snag-A-Slip, an online boat slip reservation company, today announced that it has closed a $4.8 Million Series A financing round led by Claritas Capital. Also participating in the round were TCP Venture Capital, through the Propel Baltimore Fund; Jerry South, Founder and Chairman of Towne Park and the Abell Foundation. Since launching in 2015, Snag-A-Slip has grown its network to include more than 500 marinas from Canada to the Caribbean, and recently launched a new website, mobile apps and a rewards program for boaters. Snag-A-Slip's sister company, Oasis Marinas, offers services from consulting to full marina management, leveraging a well-trained local workforce with a commitment to exceptional customer service. Oasis currently operates six marinas in the Mid-Atlantic area. The Series A funding will allow the company to significantly expand sales and marketing efforts, develop new product features and broaden operations. "We are excited to support the Snag-A-Slip team in their expansion goals," said Theresa Sexton, Partner, Claritas Capital. "It's clear the company has deep expertise in the maritime, hospitality and technology industries, and that they have developed a product that boaters enjoy. We feel the model is strong and the industry is ready to embrace new technology." <> Initially, Snag-A-Slip exploded in the Chesapeake Bay with a mission to encourage boaters to explore the waterways and visit new marinas. Since then, it has steadily grown its network and now serves boaters across the U.S. and internationally. Taking cues from the hospitality industry, Snag-A-Slip aims to showcase its marina partners and connect transient boaters with available slips more easily. Website and mobile app users can explore marinas by region, city or marina name and then search for slip availability based on travel dates, length, beam, draw and power requirements. There are no booking fees associated with the service, and the company recently rolled out its Dozen Dock ChallengeTM, where boaters can earn one free night for every 12 stays. "Snag-A-Slip is experiencing amazing momentum," said Dan Cowens, Founder, Snag-A-Slip. "We are humbled by the vote of confidence we've received from our highly supportive investors, and we look forward to a bright future as we expand our reach, support our partners and inspire our boaters." About Snag-A-Slip Snag-A-Slip is a Baltimore-based company that connects boaters with available slips, while also showcasing marinas via digital channels in the same way that hotels are promoted digitally. The mobile-responsive website and mobile apps allow boaters to explore marinas by region, city or marina name and then search for slip availability based on travel dates, length, beam, draw and power requirements. Boaters can pick their preferred marina based on amenities, location and availability and book immediately with any credit card. There are no booking fees associated with the service, which is now available from Canada through the Caribbean. Snag-A-Slip mobile apps are now available for free download on the App Store and Google (News - Alert) Play. About Oasis Marinas Oasis Marinas is a privately held marina management company based out of Baltimore, MD. The company provides marina management services to marina owners that support all aspects of the marina, including boat slips, provisions, fuel docks and the associated contracts with the vendors running the maintenance services, restaurants, and other business services. About Claritas Capital Claritas Capital, a Nashville-based private equity firm, is an active investor in technology, health care, business services, and real estate. The investment partners support high quality management teams by providing minority capital for growth and expansion. The firm has made equity investments in over 50 companies that have collectively raised an excess of $6 billion of financing. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170913006275/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Heart of Texas Homeless Coalition will have a general membership meeting from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the Heart of Texas Council of Governments office, 1514 New Road. For more information, call 750-5777. Senior health fair The 25th annual RSVP Senior Source and Information Fair will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday at Richland Mall. Free health services and information will be available for adults, caregivers and the general public. Call 299-8766 for more information. Alzheimers fundraiser A dog wash to raise money for the Walk to End Alzheimers will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Alzheimers Association, 710 N. 64th St. A suggested donation is $5 for small dogs and $10 for large dogs. Fuzzy Friends will have animals on site for adoption. For more information, call 753-7722. Young Marines registration The Central Texas Young Marines will have registration for new recruits from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Bruceville-Eddy First United Methodist Church, 404 West Third St. in Eddy. Contact Master Sgt. Dale Kidd at 931-7266 or Marsciacq Giester at 624-1894 for more information. Brisket sale The Prairie Hill Community Center is having a brisket sale Saturday. Cost is $60 per brisket, and orders can be picked up between 10 a.m. and noon at the center. Call 344-2343 for more information. Midway Class of 1997 The Midway High School Class of 1997 20-year reunion will be from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday at Geroges banquet room. Tickets are $22 per person. RSVP through PayPal by sending payment to midwayhigh97@gmail.com. Please include your name in the memo box. For more information, call 717-7915. AARP Smart Driver AARP will have a Smart Driver class from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Herring Professional Building, 2911 Herring Ave., Suite 312. Cost is $15 for AARP members or $20 for nonmembers. Call 202-6539 for more information. National Lloyds Insurance Co., a household name in Wacos business community for five decades, has announced it will move its corporate headquarters to Dallas but will offer almost 80 local employees jobs there. All departments will relocate to the National Lloyds office in Dallas starting early next year, and the Waco operation in the Triangle Tower, New Road and Valley Mills Drive, will turn dark in April. National Lloyds local run started in 1964. Dallas-based Hilltop Holdings bought the company in 2007, and the insurance carrier became Hilltops only subsidiary not located in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, National Lloyds President and CEO Bob Otis said. Moving all operations to Dallas will allow National Lloyds to share resources with other Hilltop units, Otis said. There is a significant insurance presence in the Dallas area to support the ongoing needs of our employees, agents and customers, he said. We do have hesitation about leaving our hometown. Its not an easy decision at all, considering the Waco business environment and the community. Its been our home for 53 years, and it means a lot to us, Otis said. We were among the first subsidiaries of Hilltop Holdings, but now we are one of several, and we believe this move is best for all concerned. He said National Lloyds already has transferred some functions to Dallas, including IT, human resources and benefits, security, risk management and compliance, legal and marketing and communications. Changes in industry trends and the functions of National Lloyds should mean a seamless relocation of the remaining processes, Otis said. For example, more than 70 percent of insurance claims are handled by field representatives or by the Dallas staff today, while almost 90 percent of underwriting and customer service and agency support is carried out online or by telephone, according to a National Lloyds fact sheet. Otis said every Waco employee of National Lloyds will receive a job offer in Dallas. Those who choose to leave the company will collect a severance package using a formula based on longevity. This is not about any kind of job reduction, Otis said. There are jobs in Dallas, and we hope as many employees as possible will join us there. We will provide some type of relocation assistance. National Lloyds Insurance operated for years in its namesake, the National Lloyds Building at 900 Austin Ave., primarily during the ownership of Waco businessman Clifton Robinson, who founded the company. Robinson sold National Lloyds Insurance in 2000 to Iowa-based GuideOne, then bought it back nine months later when GuideOne announced it was discontinuing the sale of policies under the National Lloyds name, putting 65 local jobs in jeopardy. In 2006, Robinson completed a deal that stuck, selling National Lloyds Insurance and American Summit Insurance, both of Waco, to Colorado-based Affordable Residential Communities for $117 million. Hilltop Holdings, which bought the two companies the next year, operates in 30 states with 4,200 independent agents who sell policies to owners of inexpensive and manufactured homes, according to the company website. It has $9.2 billion in assets and receives $182 million in annual premiums from customers of National Lloyds and American Summit. Its subsidiaries besides the National Lloyds Corporation include PlainsCapital Bank, Prime Lending and Hilltop Securities. A visiting judge denied a motion Tuesday to remove Judge Matt Johnson from presiding over a Bandidos chapter presidents case, paving the way for jury selection in the first of the Twin Peaks cases to start Wednesday. Judge Robert Stem of Marlin denied a motion to recuse Johnson after a six-hour hearing in which Johnson pledged to be fair and impartial to Christopher Jacob Carrizal, all other Twin Peaks defendants and others whose cases come before him. Stem ruled that efforts by Houston attorney Casie Gotro, who represents Carrizal, did not raise issues that meet the threshold required to remove a judge from hearing a case. A panel of about 145 potential jurors was released for the second time Tuesday morning after Gotro, who arrived in court 30 minutes late, delivered her recusal motion less than a minute after Johnson had started impaneling the jury pool. Through audible groans from the crowd, the panel was told to return to court at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Johnson notified regional administrative Judge Billy Ray Stubblefield of the motion, and Stubblefield appointed Stem to hear the recusal motion, starting about noon. Johnson was appointed to hear Carrizals case after Visiting Judge Dan Mills on Monday recused 19th State District Judge Ralph Strother on a similar motion from Gotro. Strother had hoped to impanel the jury in Carrizals case Aug. 25, but that was put on hold after Gotro filed her recusal motion in front of about 180 potential jurors who showed up that day. Judge recused from another Twin Peaks biker trial For the second time in two weeks, a visiting judge has removed 19th State District Judge Ral Gotro said after the hearing that Carrizal is eager for his day in court, but she doesnt think she will be able to select a jury from this panel. Some members heard an exchange between her and Johnson after she filed the recusal motion Tuesday morning, and she thinks it could have prejudiced the jury pool, she said. Gotro said Johnson showed hostility toward her and was visibly upset when she asked if she could leave the room to use the telephone and he told her to stay there in the annex courtroom. She said she asked him if he would find her in contempt if she left, and she said the judge told her he might. She declined to give details about her plans to proceed Wednesday morning, but the judge instructed the attorneys to be in court at 8 a.m., an hour before potential jurors are set to arrive. If Carrizals trial proceeds, he would be the first of 154 indicted bikers to go before a jury after being arrested in the May 15, 2015, shootout between rival biker groups at Twin Peaks in Waco. Prosecutors indicted 155 bikers, but one has since died in a crash. Carrizal, 36, of Dallas, is charged with one count of directing activities of a criminal street gang, one count of engaging in organized criminal activity with the underlying offense of murder and one count of engaging in organized criminal activity with the underlying offense of aggravated assault. As she did at Strothers recusal hearing, Gotro focused on a January status conference in which bikers who appeared that day were met with search warrants for their DNA from the district attorneys office. Gotro claimed Strother and Johnson both helped facilitate the execution of those search warrants by calling the dockets. She also claimed that the judges participated in improper communications with the DAs office to set up the collection of the evidence. Both judges denied any ex parte communications with prosecutors and said they required the bikers to appear at routine dockets like all other defendants. Twin Peaks jury panel postponed a week after contentious hearing The judge presiding over what is scheduled to be the first Twin Peaks biker trial postponed Johnson said he was aware of the search warrants for the DNA and said he denied the request to force the bikers to appear solely for DNA collection. He said he required all bikers indicted in his court to appear at the January docket call because the cases had been pending awhile, the discovery process had begun, bikers had been replacing their attorneys without notifying the court and it had been some time since their last court appearance. Johnson had not met Gotro or Carrizal until Aug. 25, when he tried to fill in for Strother to impanel the jury after Gotros recusal motion against Strother. Johnson left after Gotro said she would file one against him, also. Her recusal motion was not filed until Tuesday, however. Prosecutor Amanda Dillon, who obtained the DNA search warrants, said there were differences in the way Johnson and Strother handled what attorneys for the bikers have dubbed the DNA docket. She said Johnsons court handled the requests differently and more professionally than the other court. Carrizal voluntarily agreed to give a DNA sample while he was represented by another attorney. Twin Peaks jury panel sent home after recusal motion About 180 potential jurors for the first Twin Peaks case set for trial were sent home abrupt In bid for recusal, Twin Peaks bikers argue judge favored prosecutors A retired judge assigned to determine if 19th State District Judge Ralph Strother should be A Hewitt man indicted in the Twin Peaks shootout alleges his confidential relationship with his attorney was violated two years ago when their phone conversation was recorded at the McLennan County Jail. Dallas attorney Clint Broden, who represents Matthew Alan Clendennen, 32, has filed a motion asking that the indictment against his client be dismissed or that the McLennan County District Attorneys Office be disqualified from prosecuting the case for the alleged violation of attorney-client privilege. In my 30 years of practicing law, it is one of the most egregious violations of the attorney-client privilege that I have ever seen, Broden said. The district attorneys office should be ashamed of themselves. McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna did not return phone messages Thursday. Judge Matt Johnson of Wacos 54th State District Court has scheduled a pretrial hearing in Clendennens case for Friday morning. Clendennen, a former member of the Scimitars group, is set for trial Oct. 9, but that trial date could be changed because of the recent postponement of the Twin Peaks case involving Jacob Carrizal. Reyna has indicated he wants to try Carrizal first and said Wednesday after Carrizals trial was postponed that the states preparation time thus far has gone toward Carrizals case. We are ready to go and expecting to go and demanding to go on Oct. 9, and we were promised we were going to go, Broden said. We were absolutely told they are bringing in a jury panel on the (Sept.) 29th on this case. Broden said he discovered Clendennens call to him from the county jail was recorded because a copy of the recording was turned over to him by the DAs office along with a massive amount of other materials from the Twin Peaks investigations. Like the other 176 bikers arrested after the May 2015 shootout, Clendennen was jailed under $1 million bond. He stayed in jail about three weeks until Broden negotiated a bond reduction to $50,000. My position is the jail isnt supposed to turn those recordings over to the prosecution, Broden said. This happened in Hunt County, and the Court of Appeals in Texarkana said it is a clear Sixth Amendment violation. The Sixth Amendment, among other things, guarantees the right to those charged with crimes to be represented by counsel and the right to a speedy trial. Speedy trial Another of Brodens motions also seeks to have the charges dismissed because of a speedy trial violation. In short, in the face of a serious breach of the attorney-client privilege, the Hunt County District Attorneys Office in Woodruff ultimately did the honorable thing and recused itself from Woodruffs prosecution, Brodens motion states. The district judge even recused himself from presiding over Woodruffs case to ensure that the attorney-client privilege remained sacrosanct. While not expected, Mr. Clendennen hopes that the McLennan County District Attorneys Office will follow in the footsteps of its brethren in Hunt County and also do the honorable thing now that its breach of the attorney-client privilege has been discovered. Baylor law professor Brian Serr, who teaches advanced criminal procedure and criminal law, said dismissal or disqualification normally are not how those matters are resolved. Generally speaking, when prosecutors and police officers are involved in evidence gathering that violates constitutional rights, the remedy imposed by the courts is exclusion of the evidence and not dismissal of the prosecution or disqualification of a prosecutor, Serr said. Broden said Clendennen called him from jail, and he warned Clendennen at the time that the calls likely were being recorded. I assume in most jails that the calls are being taped, but I dont expect them to turn it over to the DAs office, Broden said. Capt. Ricky Armstrong, McLennan County Jail administrator, said the jail has an attorney phone call system in place. With proper arrangements, attorneys can call into the jail to speak to a client without being recorded. The inmate is set up in a room to speak with the attorney privately, Armstrong said. Outgoing phone calls from inmates to attorneys are recorded. At the beginning of those outgoing calls, both parties are notified by a recorded message that the phone calls are being recorded, Armstrong said. Prosecutors sometimes use the content of those recorded phone calls as evidence at defendants trials. Broden also has motions pending seeking to quash the indictments against Clendennen and to suppress evidence from what he contends was Clendennens unlawful arrest. Waco Independent School Districts Advanced Placement program is expanding, and the turnover rate for AP teachers is stable for the first time in recent years. A new focus on the program is allowing the district to push past instruction focused on state accountability exams and expand in some areas to more rigorous learning, school officials said. Students in the classes, available at four campuses, are also able to pick up college credit along the way. Part of the shift involves the district encouraging AP teachers to engage in national education conversations in ways they havent before, which brings in more opportunities for Waco ISDs economically disadvantaged students, said Scott McClanahan, who oversees the AP program and is the interim executive director of secondary curriculum. Of Waco ISDs almost 15,000 students, more than 80 percent are economically disadvantaged. Waco ISDs teacher turnover rate has been 7 to 10 percent higher than the current state average of 16.5 percent since spring 2015, when McClanahan arrived, according to the Texas Education Agencys Texas Academic Performance Report. And the districts AP teacher turnover has been even higher, he said. In his first year, the district had 15 AP teachers spread across two high schools and a junior high, and five teachers were changed to other positions that year. It was very unstable when I first started, because they were trying to look for the exact combination of teachers that would do well, McClanahan said. It doesnt seem like there was a lot of steerage from the district perspective about what would make a good AP teacher. It was just, Lets try this person or lets try that person. AP scores struggled because of that. There are now 21 AP teachers, and only three changed positions last year, he said. The districts AP offerings have grown from seven courses in 2015 to 17 courses this year, and the classes are now available at a second middle school campus. The district now has 838 students in AP courses. Were actually focusing on AP now, whereas before it was just kind of a program where we would stick a lot of kids in there and we didnt really nurse it a lot, McClanahan said. Weve had this very quantitative view of it, but didnt look qualitatively at it. AP expansion has been helped by Waco ISD teachers receiving more academic support, he said. They are able to attend national AP essay reading conferences and summer institutes, receive mentoring, use software for blended learning models or test preparation models, and get professional development training to learn national standards for specific course work, McClanahan said. The district has been able to build a base of continuity and quality, and its AP passing rate has more than doubled in the past two years, he said. Because (students) are focusing on this higher standard, the STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness exam) isnt an issue, McClanahan said. Those kids are so well prepared for the STAAR because theyre working at such a higher level than that. University High School AP teachers Clark Nelson and Caitlyn Layman have been with the campus for five years. Layman has taught AP calculus and AP statistics since she started. Nelson did not start as an AP teacher but now teaches pre-AP world geography and AP world history. Nelson went to one of the national AP conferences last year, and Layman is signing up to go this year. Bringing what they learn back into their classrooms helps their students be more successful, they said. Its been really positive. Weve kind of set it up so I teach pre-AP world geography, then those students, we focus on getting them prepared to take AP world history the following year, Nelson said. A good chunk of those students Im seeing two years in a row, which is providing continuity and stability, and theyre used to my classroom and expectations. McClanahan said officials hope an effort to win a $9 million grant to build an arts and humanities magnet school at Waco High would help further expand AP offerings there by six courses, including European history, comparative government, Chinese and Latin. The U.S. Department of Education plans to make decisions on the grant by the end of the month, according to its website. With more students having success in AP classes, its easy to see their confidence build and to see an opportunity for the districts AP program to expand to other middle schools, McClanahan said. I taught AP when I taught at University, and weve definitely increased the quality of teaching since Ive been here. But I never got those opportunities and never had those opportunities presented to me, University High Principal Ricky Edison said of teachers attending the national AP conferences. You find out Mr. Nelson has done that, and that Caitlyns going to do that, and it just excites you as a principal for your campus that youre getting these things. The overall thing this impacts is the students and theyre doing whats best for students. Edison started as principal in the spring and has 20 years of experience in the education field. Thomas Martin Conry Aug. 25, 1949 - Sept. 11, 2017 Thomas Conry passed away on Monday, September 11, 2017, after a long battle with cancer. Visitation with the family will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 14, at the Lake Shore Funeral Home, 5201 Steinbeck Bend, in Waco. Funeral services will be at 3 p.m., Friday, Sept. 15, at Lake Shore Funeral Home with burial to follow at the China Spring Cemetery. Thomas "Tom " was born August 25, 1949 in Clarksburg, West Virginia, to Martin Conry and Frances Rearick. Tom spent most of his childhood in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Eventually his family moved to Akron, Ohio where he graduated from Firestone High School. Tom had a deep love of the outdoors and decided to attend Kent State University, majoring in Forestry. Unfortunately, the May 4th, 1970 riots interrupted his education and the school closed unexpectedly. He married Sharon Ann Baum in Cleveland, Ohio, September of 1970 and welcomed his son, David into the world the following year. Uncle Sam decided he needed Tom's wit and intelligence, so Tom spent 9 years in the Army working for the National Security Agency (NSA). While being stationed in Misawa, Japan, Tom welcomed one of the biggest surprises of his life, his twin daughters. In fact, it was such as surprise to the doctor, that after baby "a" was born, Katie, Tom helped deliver baby "b," Kelly. With three children to feed and after nine years in the Army, Tom decided to leave the military and find a civilian job. Eventually, he moved to Waco, Texas, and earned two degrees from Baylor University (Sic'em Bears!). During his tenure, Tom was an associate pastor at First Baptist Church, China Spring, worked at the Texas Water Commission (now the TNRCC), the Brazos River Authority and taught at Baylor University. Tom retired from the City of Waco two years ago so he could fish, hike the Appalachian Trail, walk his dog, and spend as much time as he could with his grandchildren. Tom had a love of learning that never ended. He loved reading C.S. Lewis, Emerson, Thoreau, and Robert Frost. He was constantly downloading books on his Kindle Fire knowing he would never read all those books! Above all, Tom was a man of deep conviction and faith. He loved the Lord with all his heart and was not afraid to share his faith. For Christmas he was given a book that highlighted daily a Greek word from the Scripture. And on January 27, 2017 he wrote in his journal "In the past several weeks, there has been a peace at times that is very deep and overwhelming. If things are to continue on this path, then all that can be done is to praise God. That is all that should be done, and thank Him for allowing us to follow His will. We cannot see the way the path leads, nor should we. We are to take each step in faith." He faced a difficult illness head on with a determination that he would be healed. But he was also a man willing to accept God's plan for him. One of Tom's last entries into his journal read like this: "1st Birthday 1949, physical 2nd Birthday 1974, spiritual 3rd Birthday 2010, First Bone Marrow Transplant 4th Birthday - ________ Finally in the presence of Jesus." We can now fill in that date as Sept. 11, 2017. Tom was loved and respected by people from all walks of life and he always treated people with the utmost respect. He carried himself with grace, humility and with a true caring nature for all. Tom was deeply loved by all of us and will be sorely missed. We love you Tom and rejoice in the fact we WILL see you again in Heaven. Tom was preceded in death by his father, Martin Conry of Birmingham, Alabama. He is survived by his wife, Sharon Conry of Waco, Texas; son, David; daughters, Katherine, and Kelly and their respective spouses; grandchildren (known as Papa to them): Ethan, Bennett, Emalynn, Bailey, Sophia, Madelyn, Luc and Zac; mother, Frances; brother and sister-in-law, Terry and Lynn; and many other family members too numerous to list. Active pallbearers are David Conry, Ethan Conry, William Baum, Matt Ultis, Martin Normand, and David Kerr. For those choosing to make a donation in Tom's name, the contribution address is: Lake Waco Wetland Donation, City of Waco Water Utilities, 200 Colcord Ave, Waco, Texas 76707. Thoughts and memories may be shared at www.LakeShoreFH.com. As Hurricane Irma wreaked havoc on Florida this week, the northeastern city of Jacksonville issued an abrupt evacuation order as the St. Johns River unexpectedly flooded downtown streets: Get out NOW. As video and images of Irmas destruction dominate the news, President Donald Trump and Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt continue to avoid addressing the elephant in the room: That Irma, particularly coming on the heels of Hurricane Harvey, urgently calls on us to focus our attention on climate change. Asked Tuesday about the connection between climate change and intensified storms in a White House briefing, Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert dodged the question of causation, saying, causality is something outside my ability to analyze right now. Scientists agree that climate change is making storms like Irma and Harvey more intense. As Americans view the devastation, and as millions experience it, one has to wonder if these storms will be a wake-up call for Republican voters, if not for their leaders. Think of it: Millions of Floridians are without power and officials are just beginning to assess the damage to life and property. Billions of taxpayer dollars in relief will be required. In the hard-hit Florida Keys, Monroe County Emergency Management Director Martin Senterfitt called the situation a humanitarian crisis with disaster mortuary teams being dispatched along with federal assistance to the area. If the words disaster mortuary teams fail to stun you into recognizing how destructive Irma was, perhaps you had not already paid attention to how it decimated Caribbean islands, leaving Barbuda barely habitable. FEMA administrator Brock Long branded it truly devastating. Irma has claimed nearly two dozen lives in the United States, more in the Caribbean. The death toll from Harvey stands at more than 70. While some locations such as Tampa did not get the worst-case scenario pummeling they feared, Irma was nonetheless a monster-sized, unprecedented hurricane. Yet as it approached Florida and meteorologists issued dire warnings of what lay ahead for the countrys third-most populous state, Pruitt, a longtime climate-change denier, told CNN it wasnt the right time to talk climate change: To use time and effort to address it at this point is very, very insensitive to the people in Florida. Right. At least one key resident of Florida begs to differ: Tomas Regalado, the Republican mayor of Miami. The day after Pruitt characterized climate-change talk as a thoughtless digression for people fearing their house would be washed away in a flood, Regalado dubbed Irma the poster child for climate change. He told the Miami Herald: This is the time that the president and the EPA and whoever makes decisions needs to talk about climate change. Thus far, though, theres been silence on the topic from Pruitt and Trump. A visit to the climate section of the EPAs website yields an erasure of the prior administrations groundbreaking work on the subject. This page is being updated, it says. We are currently updating our website to reflect EPAs priorities under the leadership of President Trump and Administrator Pruitt. Those priorities thus far: Trump withdrew the United States from the Paris Climate Accords and set in motion an effort to unravel Obamas Clean Power Plan to reduce carbon emissions. To justify reversing Obamas regulations, Trump dubiously claimed his reversal of those regulations would create coal-mining jobs. But all this really amounts to is an effort to deny and subvert science. In 2015, when Obama enacted these historic standards, the Union of Concerned Scientists praised them as the most significant opportunity in years to help curb the growing consequences of climate change. But Trump dismantled those standards without even a modicum of discussion of the science underlying them or any consequences to the planet. Climate scientists have no doubt were seeing intensified storms like Irma and Harvey because of climate change. As Penn State climate scientist Michael E. Mann wrote after Hurricane Harvey dropped rain on Houston measured in feet, not inches, climate change worsened the impact of Hurricane Harvey. The impact of climate change, he wrote, includes sea-level rise and rising sea surface temperatures, which make storms like Harvey more intense, with far more flooding and destruction. Yet the Trump administration shows no signs of acknowledging climate changes existence or potential. Trump just nominated William Wehrun to lead the EPAs air office where he is expected to further roll back Obama-era rules intended to combat climate change. Its a horrendous choice for climate issues, an environmental activist told Bloomberg. Trump, of course, did not bring climate-change denial to the GOP. It has long been a feature of Republican orthodoxy, egged on by conservative media and other anti-science elements of the Republican base who portray it, like Trump has, as a hoax and a pretext for burdensome and costly government regulations. Yet even now, the Trump administration and Republican leadership appear in thrall to climate-change denialism or uninterested in any sort of action. It remains to be seen, for Harvey and Irmas victims who deny climate change but lost loved ones or homes or businesses, if these storms will prove a political wake-up call. [September 13, 2017] Institutional and Retail Investors Vote Differently on Climate Change and Board Diversity, Broadridge and PwC Report Shows NEW YORK, Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The new ProxyPulse report released today by Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: BR) and PwC's Governance Insights Center shows that institutional and retail investors tended to vote their shares differently on issues ranging from climate change to board diversity. During the 2017 proxy season, climate change proposals were supported by 66% of institutional shares voted versus only 13% of retail shares. Board diversity proposals were supported by 31% of institutional shares voted versus 14% of retail shares. This report is based on analysis of 3,379 U.S. public company annual shareholder meetings held between January 1 and June 30, 2017. "The data shows that institutional shareholders' voting actions are consistent with their stated positions on climate change and board diversity. Patience appears to have run out for some institutions," said Chuck Callan, senior vice president, regulatory affairs, Broadridge. "At the same time, retail shareholders as a group largely voted in line with company recommendations." In addition to the insight that institutional and retail investors voted differently on climate change and board diversity, several other findings were of note: Decline in Proxy Contests While shareholder activism continued to receive a great deal of attention this season, proxy contests decreased compared to the same period last year. During the first half of 2016 there were 47 contests, compared to only 38 for the same period this year. The average length of campaigns decreased drastically in the first half of 2017: 44 days, compared to 109 days for the entire year of 2016. Paul DeNicola, managing director of the Governance Insights Center for PwC, noted, "The decrease in proxy contests and shortening of the length of campaigns clearly illustrates that boards are negotiating more with activists, and settling faster." Decline in Shareholder Proposals that Went to a Vote Shareholder proposals that went to a vote decreased from 506 in the first half of 2016 to 430 this season. Institutional and retail shareholder support for shareholder proposals varied greatly. Institutonal shareholders were much more supportive of proposals across the various categories typically two to three times that of retail shareholders. Virtual Shareholder Meetings Continue to Grow Virtual-only annual meetings grew in popularity, as 163 companies had virtual-only shareholder meetings as of June 30, 2017 -- compared to 122 during the first half of 2016. But this was not without controversy as some shareholders, including the New York City Pension Funds and the Council of Institutional Investors, voiced concerns with the absence of in-person annual meetings. Additional details, insights, graphics, data, and observations can be found at www.ProxyPulse.com. About ProxyPulse ProxyPulse is based in part on Broadridge's processing of shares held in street name, which accounts for more than 80 percent of all shares outstanding of U.S. publicly-listed companies. Shareholder voting trends during a proxy season represent a snapshot in time and may not be predictive of full-year results. ProxyPulse is a collaboration between Broadridge, the leading provider of investor communications solutions and PwC's Governance Insights Center, a group that supports directors and investors with governance knowledge. Visit ProxyPulse.com to access the full report. About Broadridge Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) a global fintech leader, provides investor communications and technology-driven solutions for broker-dealers, banks, mutual funds and corporate issuers globally. Broadridge's investor communications, securities processing and managed services solutions help clients reduce their capital investments in operations infrastructure, allowing them to increase their focus on core business activities. With over 50 years of experience, Broadridge's infrastructure underpins proxy voting services for over 90 percent of public companies and mutual funds in North America, and processes more than $5 trillion in fixed income and equity trades per day. Broadridge employs approximately 10,000 full-time associates in 16 countries. For more information about Broadridge, please visit www.broadridge.com. About PwC US At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We're a network of firms in 157 countries with more than 223,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com. PwC refers to the PwC network and/or one or more of its member firms, each of which is a separate legal entity. Please see www.pwc.com/structure for further details. PwC's Governance Insights Center supports directors and investors with governance knowledge to answer tough questions and tackle complex challenges. Learn from our network of subject-matter experts, business leaders, and experienced peers as they share their insights and the latest thinking on current issues. Beyond governance, we help directors and investors better understand new financial accounting standards so they can make better oversight and investment decisions. The center connects all the dots for a more complete perspective. For more information, please visit: http://www.pwc.com/us/en/governance-insights-center. Media Contacts: Andrew MacMillan 1-212-681-1700 1-914-400-3674 mobile [email protected] Stephanie C. Corzett PwC US 1-617-530-4977 [email protected] View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/institutional-and-retail-investors-vote-differently-on-climate-change-and-board-diversity-broadridge-and-pwc-report-shows-300519098.html SOURCE Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] MEAD All roads for John Deere lovers will lead to Mead this Friday and Saturday, when 102 tractors and a lot of parts go on the auction block. The tractors and parts auction for the Stanley Kucera estate will take place on the east side of Mead at 1583 County Road 10. The Saunders County Historical Society continues its Year of the Deere by putting the collection up for sale. The Historical Society inherited the collection after the Mead man died last November. Through a public vote process, the Historical Society is keeping four of Kuceras tractors and the rest of the collection will be auctioned off this weekend. Historical Society President Kurt Maly said Kuceras gift as well as the collection itself continues to amaze him. Its an unbelievable gift that he gave to us, he said. The Historical Society will do its best to honor Kuceras memory at the start of each day of the auction. Well play the National Anthem at the start both Friday and Saturday, he said. Stanley always had American Flags on his parade tractors. We want to make it an event. Kucera did indeed put many of his tractors in parades over the years and had American flags on them. But it was more than just parade tractors that he collected. The collection he amassed spans from a 1969 John Deere 1020 to the oldest, and one of the most rare, 1924 John Deere Spoker with 26 inch flywheel. The only stipulation he put on his bequest to the museum was that at least one tractor be put on display. He never intended for us to keep all of the tractors, Maly said. He knew his collection would overwhelm any individual or organization. Overwhelm is also the word used to describe the attention that the upcoming auction has attracted from across the nation. Auctioneer Dan Sanderson said he has received inquiries from many John Deere collectors near and far. Weve got about every state covered, he said. An open house at the auction site was set up for Sept. 6 and 7. But, Sanderson and his crew had all of the tractors already lined up by Labor Day weekend. He said some of the potential buyers from other states wanted to be able to make the trip over the long weekend to check out the tractors. There were even a couple probable bidders who were pulling in their trailers last weekend. Sanderson said several of the tractors, including the Spoker D, have gathered a lot of interest so far. The 1947 John Deere WT is another of the tractors that he has received inquiries about. As for parts, he said the interest and questions from callers have been varied. Weve got so many unique parts, and theyre not stock parts. They are not replicates, he said. They are the original John Deere part. We call them new old stock. The parts will be sold on Friday, Sept. 8 and the tractors will sell on Saturday, Sept. 9. Start time for both days is 9 a.m. Sanderson said it has been a lot of work to get ready for the auction, but it has also been a lot of fun. You learn something new every day you are here, he said, standing last Thursday afternoon as he surveyed the tractors already on display for the auction. Since this spring, a crew has been working to get the tractors ready for the auction. Each tractor was cleaned and checked for its ability to run. Only about 35 of the tractors will be running on auction day. If we were able to throw in a battery or points, we got them running, he said. They did not do any major work to get a tractor running. The auctioneer said that may or may not add to the sale price as each buyer will have their own intent for the tractors. Something that he thinks will help add to the sale price of some tractors is the documentation that Kucera kept with his tractors. Kucera was hard of hearing and did much of his communication through writing to sell or buy collection pieces. He kept those correspondences as well as the invoices for the tractors he purchased. Sanderson said if there is a letter or an invoice tied to a tractor, it will be sold with the tractor. The letter will go with it, he said. Sanderson said some of the people that have made inquiries about the auction knew Kucera or had bought or sold a tractor to him. Its amazing. Theyll say I worked with Stanley on that tractor, he said. He was known everywhere. With bidders expected to come from everywhere for the two-day auction, Sanderson and the Historical Society knew parking and traffic could be a problem. The Mead FFA Chapter will be on hand to help with parking and traffic and will provide the concession stand too. Mead FFA Advisor Cole Blomendahl said he thought it would be a great opportunity when he was asked if the chapter could help. This will be not only a chance to serve the community, but an opportunity for the students to meet tractor collectors from across the United States. He said on Friday, students will be getting out of class to help with parking, direct traffic and man the concession stand. The plan for the parking lot was put in place last spring, when a field was planted in rye grass. That grass field will be used for parking for a fee. People will have to pay for parking there, but when they see its to support FFA, they will be more included to do that, he said. He said the FFA members were excited to be able to help out. That excitement is building for others too. Maly said seeing all of the tractors lined up and having the sale date close in definitely increased the buzz level at the museum. That buzz has been building all year though. Kuceras donation will do more than raise some dollars for the museum. Maly said all of the activities that have taken place during the Year of the Deere has brought increased awareness to the museum. Interest in the collection as well as the increase in publicity has brought new people to the museum. Weve increased membership, he said. And at the car show, we added tractors. We had 30 tractors show up and a huge turnout. The Year of the Deere T-shirts that the Historical Society has been selling have also been a big success. But even after the last part and tractor is sold, Kuceras gift will remain a part of the museum. The four tractors the Historical Society is keeping isnt the only items that will be on display. Maly said pictures, video and other information has been compiled into a virtual tour of the entire collection. Were not keeping all the tractors, but we are keeping the virtual tour so we will always have Stanleys collection, he said. A special event is being planned at the museum the evening of Sept. 28. Maly said the event will include a wrap up of the auction with a check presentation from Sanderson Auction. [September 13, 2017] Crestwood Associates LLC Named to 2017 Inc. 5000 for Second Year MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill., Sept. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Crestwood Associates LLC, an award-winning provider of ERP and CRM solutions to small and medium-sized businesses nationwide, is proud to announce that it has been named one of America's Fastest Growing Private Companies for the second straight year. With a ranking of #4472, Crestwood climbed 34 positions from its ranking in 2016. This list represents the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segment its independent small and midsized businesses. Companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Pandora, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees of the Inc. 5000. "Crestwood Associates LLC is thrilled to be included on the Inc. 5000 list again this year. We appreciate Inc. for honoring rapidly growing privately held companies like ours, acknowledging our hard work and accomplishments," offered Brian McGuckin, co-founder of Crestwood Associates. The 2017 Inc. 5000, unveiled online at Inc.com and with the top 500 companies featured in the September issue of Inc. (available on newsstands August 16) is the most competitive crop in the list's history. "It validates our strategic plan," McGuckin said. "Very few ERP and CRM partners make this list. We owe this success in no small part to our hardworking, innovative and dedicated staff. They serve our clients in new and different ways, making the relationships stronger and more rewarding for both parties." The average company on the list achieved a three-year growth of 433%. The Inc. 5000's aggregate revenue is $200 billion, and the companies on the list collectively generated 640,000 jobs over the past three years, or about 8% of all jobs created in the entire economy during that period. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. "The Inc. 5000 is the most persuasive evidence I know that the American Dream is still alive," says Inc. President and Editor-In-Chief Eric Schurenberg. "The founders and CEOs of the Inc. 5000 tell us they think determination, risk taking, and vision were the keys to their success, and I believe them." The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring all the companies on the list will be held from October 10 through 12, 2017 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA. About Crestwood Associates Founded in 1998, Crestwood Associates LLC is an Illinois-based ERP and CRM technology company. We focus on Microsoft Dynamics GP, Dynamics SL, Dynamics 365, CRM, Acumatica, and Greentree ERP solutions. Crestwood works with over 700 customers, has offices in 5 states, including our newest offices in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We serve clients across the US and Canada. We strive for collaborative relationships with our clients and endeavor to make the complex simple. Whether you need overall guidance, specific skilled training, or a complete soup-to-nuts system, we have the professionals and experience to get the job done. Photo(s):https://www.prlog.org/12663188 Press release distributed by PRLog View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/crestwood-associates-llc-named-to-2017-inc-5000-for-second-year-300519216.html SOURCE Crestwood Associates LLC [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] By Dave OMalley On September 15, 1940, the future of Great Britain was unknown. The Luftwaffes Heinkel and Dornier bombers, accompanied by hordes of Messerschmitt fighters, had been hammering cities and airbases on an almost daily basis for more than two months. On this particular Sunday, the epic aerial conflict we now call the Battle of Britain reached its zenith. On September 15 of 1940, the Luftwaffe launched its largest and most concentrated series of attacks against London in the hopes of drawing the Royal Air Force Fighter Command into a final daylight battle of annihilation. It did not succeed. By the time the sun set on that day, as many as 1,500 Luftwaffe and RAF aircraft and their crews had taken part in this, the greatest battle of the greatest battle. The day was most certainly the climax of the Battle of Britain, though there would be many still to die before it was over at the end of October. This tipping point day, September 15, is still commemorated each year in Great Britain as Battle of Britain Day, while Canadians annually celebrate it on the third Sunday of September, which it was in 1940. Either way of calculating the day of remembrance is meaningful and has been celebrated throughout the Commonwealth now since the end of the war. This year, the Royal Canadian Air Force, Vintage Wings of Canada and the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum (CWHM) will be celebrating the day with a public flying cavalcade over the airfield at the Gatineau-Ottawa Executive Airportfeaturing fighters from Vintage Wings, a Lancaster from CWHM and assets of the Royal Canadian Air Force. To get ready for this event and to photograph fighters of the Michael U. Potter Collection together for the first time with the newly-completed Roseland Spitfire Mk IX, a special formation was launched at the end of the day, Tuesday, September 12. The temperatures were sublime, the skies clear, the air still and warm, the sun setting, the pilots ready, the aircraft polished and fueled. There will likely never be another time like Tuesday when all the necessary ingredients were in place for a perfect photo shoot. As the flight progressed, the imagery became more and more emotional. The beautiful late summer Canadian landscape was as it was on September 15, 1940 when Canadians like Ottawas Skeets Ogilvie were fighting for their lives in the skies across the ocean and over London. It was these hills and lakes and farms and cities that they were fighting for. To keep them safe from bullies. To keep them free from hate. To get home to them. To see another 20,000 more of these perfect sunsets. These thoughts were not lost on the pilots and photographer Peter Handley as they circled the city to the north. The results from Handleys camera and heart perfectly capture the commemorative flight and the meaning of the day. We invite you now to join him and Paul Kissmann in the cockpit of the Harvard for a flight back in time. For the complete report, click on the image below The real Drew Armstrong. Credit:Lori Hoffman/Bloomberg In the meantime, our lives kept intersecting while the cops and the FBI followed me. Him. And it wasn't just banks. Flying to London for work, I was waiting in the business class lounge when I heard my name called over the intercom. There were two men there with badges. "Are you carrying any monetary instruments?" one of them asked as they went through my bags. They pulled out my credit cards and money clip. There was a single, tattered dollar the texture of suede. "One dollar, cash," the border agent wrote down on a scrap of paper. I was denied credit cards, got harassed by collection agencies, and was told not to bother putting my name on a mortgage application for a house my wife and I were trying to buy. The other me was living it up. Every time I entered or left the US, I'd be pulled aside, my bags searched, and let go up to an hour later. Once it happened on the jetway as I was boarding. More often it was in a back room full of other detainees. In Atlanta, on the way back from a wedding in Brazil, I saw two customs agents looking over somebody's open Tupperware container. "It's a rat," one of them said. It was, in fact, a dried rat. Eventually I explained my situation to the TSA. After I got a letter with a "redress number," I travelled with it clutched in my hands like the promise of safe passage in Casablanca. I was never searched again. Mine wasn't the only life my impostor was living, and it didn't always go so well for him. He had at least one other fake ID, which raised a flag with at least one bank manager. When the manager went to make a copy, the guy ran out of the branch and jumped into a getaway vehicle, according to an affidavit filed by the FBI agent investigating the case. 'Keys to the kingdom' It's a nightmare many people go through every year. There's another you out there, living it up while you wander among the financial and bureaucratic wreckage they've left in their wake. In Australia, the government estimates that identity theft crimes cost individuals more than $1.6 billion a year, withe about $900 million of that lost through credit card fraud, identity theft and scams. In the US, more people are now likely to be victimised after the massive hack of 143 million Americans that consumer credit reporting agency Equifax announced last week. In that breach, thieves took Social Security numbers, addresses, driver's license data, and birth dates. Those are "the keys to the kingdom," said Bo Holland, CEO of AllClear ID, an identity-monitoring service. "Once you have somebody's name, social, birth date, and address, you can go and open new accounts." Which is exactly what my guy did, according to the financial records. He had used the bureaucracy to become me, and I would have to use it to detach us. "At the front end, it was so easy for the thief to get in there like a tornado, and you're left doing the cleanup," said Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit that helps people dealing with ID fraud. Bureaucratic nightmare There's a logic to the maze you have to run to expose fraudulent financial accounts. In an economic system where US consumers carry $US12.73 trillion in household debt, you shouldn't be able to just call up, say "it wasn't me," and leave thousands of dollars in obligations by the wayside. But do they have to make it so hard? "You have to get the language right, you have to be sure you're talking to the right department of the right agency in the right organisation," Velasquez said. "You have to get the right forms. At least a couple of them, you're going to have to repeat those steps, because somebody didn't get the right note or it got lost." I spent hours on the phone with Bank of America, being passed around from department to department. I explained to one (very helpful!) representative that I'd never had a Bank of America credit card. "Thank you for being a Bank of America customer," she said toward the end of our call. I started to say something but stopped. Here's what I sent them, in the end: a signed statement saying I was me and that the accounts were fraudulent, an affidavit I'd filed with the Federal Trade Commission swearing I'd had my identity stolen, copies of my driver's license, passport, and Social Security card, a lease, two phone bills, a letter from the US Justice Department, the criminal complaint filed by the prosecutors, and Bank of America's own credit card records. It occurred to me that if anyone got their hands on that, they'd have everything. BofA sent me things, too. I got a 1099-C tax form. My impostor ran up credit card bills, which the bank had written off. That counted as income, and I'd need to consider it in my taxes. They also mailed me cheques. They had overcharged the fake me $US105.37 in fees, so they issued a refund to the real me. The cheques are still in a file. I never cashed them, afraid I might re-entangle my life with my fraudster's. We are buying the house after all (my wife and I, not the guy and I), but I'm not to participate in the financing process or include my assets or wages in the application. That can mean a higher rate on the loan, one credit expert told me. "Resolving identity theft issues is a complicated process," said Betty Reiss, a Bank of America spokeswoman. "We make every effort to work with victims and help resolve their situation as quickly as possible." Making it too easy There are ways to protect yourself, if you know about them, which I didn't in 2013. Consumers can set up fraud alerts with the credit bureaus, telling financial institutions to take extra care before they allow a new account. They can also ask for a credit freeze for stronger protection. "Fraud alerts are free, and they alert all three bureaus and every creditor in the country," said AllClear's Holland. "But unfortunately not many people take the steps to use them." Part of the problem, said both Holland and Velasquez, is that we make it too easy to access important information or open new accounts. "We demand convenience over security," Velasquez said. "When you have an experience like you've had, convenience becomes less of a priority." Both suggested more use of two-factor authentication, like a password and a code sent to your cellphone, instead of easily circumvented authentication questions like confirming a high school mascot or a mother's maiden name. I got security questions very much like those when I went to the website of one of the three major rating agencies to get a copy of my credit report and entered my Social Security number and date of birth. One showed me a list of addresses and asked which I'd lived at recently. Today, Senator Cash said: "Merely because behaviour is alleged in a court process does not make it a finding of fact." "It would mean the [construction union] could allege anything against anyone any day of the week. Should we not allow the court to undertake its due process?" Senator Cash would not comment on whether she informed Mr Turnbull or cabinet of the allegations prior to Mr Hadgkiss taking up the role in December or whether she had received legal advice.